《Having children earns benefit, start competing for dominance in the world by marrying a wife》 Chapter 1 - 1 Chapter 1 System Activation_1 1 Chapter 1 System Activation_1 Translator: 549690339 He had traveled through time and had become the Ninth Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty, but this identity had brought Lu Chen quite a few troubles. Lu Chen looked at the imperial edict in his hand and heaved a deep sigh. At that moment, a woman wearing a green long dress, with a graceful figure, entered the hall where Lu Chen was. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s troubled expression, the woman consoled him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, there¡¯s nothing dangerous about the North, and besides, being far from the Capital city might actually be a good place for you.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was gentle and crisp, like a spring breeze that touches one¡¯s heart. Lu Chen looked up at the woman before him, and the worries on his face were instantly swept away. The woman was named Chu Yuqin, and in the past, she was a maid to his mother, but his mother had always treated her like a sister, so Lu Chen also called her Madam Chu. When Lu Chen was ten years old, his mother passed away, and since then, it had always been Chu Yuqin who took care of him. He hadn¡¯t been in this world long before he regained the memories from his life on Earth, but those memories weren¡¯t of much help to him. Unlike the protagonists in novels who could do everything, aside from some common knowledge, he didn¡¯t know much about science and engineering, and he could hardly remember any ancient poetry. Even if he had memorized poetry every day in high school, by this time, he had forgotten it all, so he was no different from ancient people. As for political matters, Lu Chen was completely clueless, but he knew one thing for certain, that was never to get involved in the struggle for the throne, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even know how he might end up dead. His mother was born into the aristocratic Chu Family from the South, so if he wanted to get involved in the struggle for the throne, he wouldn¡¯t be entirely without support. Moreover, there had always been people trying to tempt him to vie for that position, but luckily, he was aware of his own limitations. The life he lived now with everything provided for him was actually not bad. He didn¡¯t need to take any risks. It was just a pity that he would soon have to head to the harsh and cold lands of the North to suffer. Perhaps it was because he appeared too inept, only knowing how to enjoy life, the Emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty, his father, had used his coming of age as an excuse to arrange a marriage with Mu Zixuan for him and instructed him to govern North City. If it had been in the past, who knows how many people would have wanted to marry Mu Zixuan, the first talented woman of the Capital city. But now it was different. Mu Zixuan¡¯s family had connections with a rebellious clan, and although the Mu Family had produced a Writ of Protection Against Execution to save themselves, their family¡¯s status had plummeted. Anyone with the slightest political acumen knew that marrying Mu Zixuan would virtually eliminate any chance of becoming the Crown Prince. Lu Chen didn¡¯t care about the position of the Crown Prince. He was only concerned that the Mu Family¡¯s connection with the rebellious clan might one day affect his comfortable life after marrying Mu Zixuan. Worried as he was, this was a marriage bestowed by his father the Emperor, and he could not refuse it. He could only accept it. At this moment, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth turned up slightly, revealing a faint smile as he said, ¡°Madam Chu, if I go to North City, won¡¯t you feel lonely here in the Capital city alone?¡± Aside from being a maid to Lu Chen¡¯s mother, Chu Yuqin had another special identity. She came from the Chu Family, and in front of Lu Chen, she represented the interests of the entire Chu Family. However, once Lu Chen married Mu Zixuan and went to North City, it would mean he had completely lost the possibility of becoming the Crown Prince. The Chu Family would no longer bet on him, and Chu Yuqin would likely leave him too. Chu Yuqin had reached the Ninth Grade in strength; in this world, there were not many Ninth Grade masters throughout the entire Great Xia Dynasty, and the Chu Family wouldn¡¯t allow a Ninth Grade master to follow a useless Prince. Chu Yuqin smiled and then replied, ¡°If you go to North City, I will follow you there.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Lu Chen asked with puzzlement, ¡°Madam Chu, are you sure you want to come with me to North City?¡± Chu Yuqin answered with a smile, ¡°Of course, I promised your mother I would protect you for life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking this question; could it be that once you have a wife, you no longer want your auntie?¡± Lu Chen quickly said, ¡°How could that be? I can¡¯t wait for you to come with me to North City, Madam Chu. Without you, I might not even be able to sleep.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen glanced at Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin was twenty-eight this year, yet still peerlessly graceful. Dressed in pale blue Cloud Attire, her unmatched beauty was flawless, with the snowy whiteness of her delicate face accented by a faint blush. She was pretty and delicate, with crystal-clear eyes like rippling springs. Her lips curved gently in a smile, serene with an almost watery tenderness. Her black hair was combed up in the back, twisted into a lofty style, with the scent of her fragrant hair cascading over her shoulders like willow threads in the breeze. The dark pearl on her Jade Hairpin set against her lustrous black hair shone brilliantly, and her pale blue Cloud Attire accentuated her exquisite figure with endless charm. Lu Chen¡¯s feelings for Chu Yuqin were rather complicated, but there was one thing he knew for sure¡ªhe craved her. If Chu Yuqin were to leave him, he would really hate to let her go. At that moment, Chu Yuqin spoke with indulgent affection, ¡°Alright, stop your teasing, and prepare for your wedding instead.¡± ¡­ A few days later. The North Prince Mansion was abuzz with excitement inside and out, with festoons and red lanterns hanging everywhere. Today was Lu Chen¡¯s big day, and nearly every official, whether close to Lu Chen or not, was present. After the wedding banquet had concluded, Lu Chen could hardly wait to get to the bridal chamber. Over the past few days, Lu Chen had made peace with it: no matter what crimes Mu Zixuan¡¯s family had committed, she was now wed to him, and there was no need for him to dwell on it too much. Now that Mu Zixuan was married to him, she was his princess, and just thinking about the rumors of Mu Zixuan being a great beauty excited him immensely. Unlike Chu Yuqin, although Lu Chen longed for Chu Yuqin, she had a special status after all, whereas Mu Zixuan had just become his wife, someone he could truly be with. Upon entering the bridal chamber, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze instantly locked onto the wedding bed. Seated on the bed was a woman, wearing a bright red bridal gown with her face covered by a veil. Although her face was concealed, her graceful figure already captivated Lu Chen¡¯s heart. On either side of the woman stood two maids, both very beautiful. In Lu Chen¡¯s former life, it would have been very difficult for him to marry a beauty like these maids. With a heart full of excitement, Lu Chen approached Mu Zixuan and took a jade stick from one of the maid¡¯s hands to gently lift the veil. The next moment, an exceptionally beautiful face came into view. Mu Zixuan looked like a fairy who had descended to the mortal realm or the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens incarnate, leaving Lu Chen completely mesmerized. Blushing, Mu Zixuan said with a hint of shyness, ¡°Darling, it¡¯s time to drink¡­¡± Seeing Mu Zixuan¡¯s shy manner, Lu Chen could no longer hold back and pounced on her. The two maids were about to remind Lu Chen to drink the nuptial wine, but seeing that he had already commenced the nuptial rites, they quietly stood aside to serve. After an indeterminate amount of time. Lu Chen, holding Mu Zixuan in his arms on the bed, completely relaxed. Perhaps this was the life he had been longing for. But it was then that an unfamiliar woman¡¯s voice rang out. [Ding! Congratulations, Host, for obtaining your first wife and activating the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings!] [The newlywed gift pack has been issued, would you like to claim it?] Chapter 2 - 2 Chapter 2 Newcomer Gift Pack_1 2 Chapter 2 Newcomer Gift Pack_1 Translator: 549690339 Seeing the blue interface before his eyes, Lu Chen was just as stunned as he was when he first saw Mu Zixuan¡¯s beautiful visage. He even suspected that he was hallucinating due to overexertion, which might have left him physically weakened. Then, he stared intently at the blue interface and raised his hand to select ¡°Yes.¡± Right after that, the woman¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°[Newcomer¡¯s Gift Pack has been claimed]¡± As the notification sound ended, many items appeared before Lu Chen. ¡°[Congratulations Host for obtaining one Dragon and Tiger Pill, one Realm Breaking Pill, a Desert Eagle with five hundred bullets, fifty grenades, and one Dragon Phoenix Tree seed.]¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t know what these items were for. He first glanced warily at the beauty beside him, Mu Zixuan, who had already fallen asleep from exhaustion, then he reassuringly raised his hand again and tapped on the words ¡°Dragon and Tiger Pill¡± on the blue interface. ¡°[Dragon and Tiger Pill: Upon consumption, it can greatly enhance the Host¡¯s combat strength and ensure a higher chance of producing offspring.]¡± The next moment, a beautifully crafted porcelain bottle appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s hand. Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, it was real! Immediately after, with a thought and a wave of his hand, the small porcelain bottle returned to the blue interface. Lu Chen then clicked on the other rewards. ¡°[Realm Breaking Pill: Upon consumption, the Host can become a first-rank Martial Artist.]¡± ¡°[Desert Eagle: This gun is very powerful and can protect the Host to live more safely in this world.]¡± ¡°[Dragon Phoenix Tree Seed: The Dragon Phoenix Tree can be cultivated with the Host¡¯s blood. When the Dragon Phoenix Tree grows, if a woman drinks tea brewed from its leaves, it will increase her feelings towards the Host and the seed can help the Host have more quality offspring.]¡± Excited by the descriptions of these items, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t expected that just when he had resigned himself to living a normal life as a mere Prince, a ¡°[Multiply and Prosper]¡± system would suddenly appear. Lu Chen immediately asked in his mind, ¡°System, can I receive rewards for every child a woman bears for me?¡± Although he now had the system, Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe it came without any requirements. If every woman who bore his child granted him rewards, then he would quickly become invincible. All he would need to do then was to ¡°farm¡± at home every day and do nothing else. ¡°[The woman¡¯s rating must reach ninety to qualify.]¡± Hearing the system¡¯s voice, Lu Chen turned to look at Mu Zixuan again. At that moment, a recognition interface popped up. ¡°[Name: Mu Zixuan]¡± ¡°[Identification: Daughter of Mu Changtian, a citizen of the Great Xia Dynasty, Queen of the North Prince.]¡± ¡°[Rating: 93]¡± ¡°[Favorability: 60 (You have made her very satisfied today)]¡± Seeing that Mu Zixuan¡¯s rating was 93, Lu Chen smiled. For such a beautiful woman, it would indeed be unreasonable to score less than ninety. Then Lu Chen glanced at the two maids in the room. They were also quite beautiful and might have ratings of ninety or above. ¡°[Name: Zhou Xiaoxiao]¡± ¡°[Identification: Daughter of Zhou Wangtian. After Zhou Wangtian¡¯s family was raided, she was sent to the Ministry of Punishments. Later, the Mu Family bought her, and today she came as a dowry maid accompanying the Mu family¡¯s young miss, Mu Zixuan, to marry into the North Prince Mansion.]¡± ¡°[Rating: 90]¡± ¡°[Favorability: 50]¡± Seeing the introduction of this maid, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. He was not surprised that Zhou Xiaoxiao had a rating of ninety; after all, she indeed looked quite beautiful. He was shocked that this woman was actually the daughter of Zhou Wangtian. Zhou Wangtian was the man who had caused trouble for the Mu Family with accusations of rebellion. Whether it was true or not, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t sure, but it was officially labeled as rebellion. The Mu Family was bold enough to rescue her even though she had been sent to the Ministry of Punishments. Moreover, they sent her to the North Prince Mansion, which was like setting a trap for him, wasn¡¯t it? If someone with ulterior motives found out about this, it was very likely that he too would be implicated. Afterward, Lu Chen glanced at the other equally beautiful maid. [Name: Zhou Youyou] [Status: Daughter of Zhou Wangtian, younger sister of Zhou Xiaoxiao. After her father Zhou Wangtian¡¯s household was raided, she was sent to the Ministry of Punishments and later bought by the Mu Family with money. Today she is accompanying the Mu Family¡¯s eldest daughter, Mu Zixuan, as a maid in her marriage to the North Prince Mansion.] [Rating: 91] [Favorability: 80 (She fell in love with you at first sight)] Seeing Zhou Youyou¡¯s information, Lu Chen furrowed his brows¡ªit was exactly as he had suspected. When he had entered the bridal chamber earlier, he had been curious as to why Mu Zixuan¡¯s accompanying maids were so beautiful. These were not simply maids; they were clearly two young ladies! However, on second thought, both of them had a rating of ninety, so if he had children with them, that would satisfy the system¡¯s conditions. This was like getting two for the price of one. But how should he handle the two women¡¯s status? It was really too sensitive a matter. Although they were bought out with money by the Mu Family, and perhaps the process was legal, they were still daughters of a criminal, only fit to be slaves. At that moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou stood beside the bridal chamber, shivering as they saw Lu Chen, busy earlier, now staring straight at them instead of sleeping. They had witnessed Lu Chen¡¯s violence just now. They had entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion as maids for the bridal chamber. Even as Mu Zixuan consummated her marriage, they were to attend to Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan, such as wiping sweat and the like, or even replacing the mistress in serving Lu Chen when she was not able. They had already accepted their fate, and for the two daughters of a criminal, being favored by Lu Chen could actually be considered their good fortune. The reason the Mu Family chose them as accompanying maids was precisely with this in mind¡ªto have the North Prince Mansion protect them. Lu Chen coughed and then said, ¡°You can go to sleep now.¡± In unison, they replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Then, they turned and walked towards the adjoining room next to the bridal chamber. Watching the graceful silhouettes of the two sisters, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think that ancient society was truly sinful. He was, however, already accustomed to it and didn¡¯t even feel uncomfortable watching the two sisters from the side earlier. After they had left the bridal chamber, Lu Chen took out a Realm Breaking Pill and swallowed it directly. Immediately, a warm flow entered his body, and Lu Chen suddenly felt extremely relaxed all over. Subsequently, a blue interface appeared in front of him. Host: Lu Chen Realm: First Rank Cultivation Technique: None Divine Skills: None Weapon: Desert Eagle Offspring: None Lu Chen glanced at it and then closed the system interface. He felt restless at that moment. Since arriving in this world, he occasionally exercised his body, but he had never practiced any martial arts and never had the strength of a martial artist. Having the strength of a martial artist for the first time, Lu Chen was eager to test it out. However, after glancing at the beauty who had already fallen asleep next to him, Lu Chen ultimately dismissed the idea. Everything would wait until tomorrow morning. The next morning. Chu Yuqin came to the courtyard where Lu Chen was staying. Seeing that the bridal chamber of Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan was still closed, she asked the Prince¡¯s Mansion soldiers at the door, ¡°Has Chen¡¯er not gotten up yet?¡± The soldier stammered and replied awkwardly, ¡°Well¡­ the Prince is already up, but he is still busy. Madam Chu, please return.¡± No sooner had the soldier finished speaking than Chu Yuqin faintly heard some noises coming from inside the room. Chapter 3 - 3 Chapter 3 Madam Chus Reminder_1 3 Chapter 3 Madam Chu¡¯s Reminder_1 Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin, as a Ninth Grade martial artist, had a very high status in North Prince Mansion. She was in charge of all the guards in the mansion. Still, even so, the soldiers guarding the courtyard gate felt it was somewhat inappropriate for Chu Yuqin to wake up their Prince. In the past, there was no issue with Chu Yuqin waking up their Prince, but now that the Prince was married, it would be very awkward if she happened across Lu Chen and the Prince¡¯s wife being playful with each other. For instance, right now¡­ Although the courtyard gate was a bit far from the bridal chamber, one could still faintly hear some noises coming from inside. Chu Yuqin frowned slightly; though she was still a virgin, as a grown woman, she naturally knew the reason for those sounds. Chu Yuqin muttered to herself, ¡°This little rascal is already causing trouble early in the morning.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin turned to the soldier beside her and said, ¡°You go down. From now on, the soldiers guarding the courtyard gate will be replaced with female guards.¡± The soldier immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Madam Chu.¡± Having said his piece, the soldier hastened to flee this potential trouble spot. After a round of playfulness, Lu Chen held Mu Zixuan tightly in his arms. At this moment, Mu Zixuan¡¯s complexion was rosy, and she dared not look directly into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. Lu Chen stroked Mu Zixuan¡¯s hair and asked with a smile, ¡°Darling, are you satisfied with me, your husband?¡± Mu Zixuan responded softly with a ¡°Hmm.¡± Before she married into the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she had been a little worried that he might just seem like a child, but all her concerns dissipated upon meeting Lu Chen. After spending the night together, she discovered that the North Prince¡¯s body had developed well. Although not exceptionally robust, he was very fit. Moreover, he was also handsome, fitting perfectly the image of the ideal husband she had in mind. The Mu Family had been affected by a traitorous family and would not be able to recover for a long while. Marrying a Prince was also considered her fortune. Originally, her father had raised her to be the Crown Princess Consort, but she did not wish to be one herself. In her view, marrying a leisurely Prince was much better than being a Crown Princess Consort. Although the North Prince might not be mature enough in mind, this also meant that she, the Princess Consort, would have a lot of authority in North Prince Mansion. Moreover, the fiefdom of the North Prince was far from the Capital city, and after leaving, they might never be able to return to the Capital. Just the thought of being far from the political center made Mu Zixuan incredibly happy. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°We will be departing for North City tomorrow. After we get up, I will accompany you to see your father.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Afterward, with the assistance of two beautiful maidservants, Lu Chen took a quick bath and then stepped out of the room. When Lu Chen saw Chu Yuqin standing at the entrance of the courtyard, his eyes lit up, and he immediately used the system to identify her personal data. [Name: Chu Yuqin] [Identity: Servant of Chu Yue, sworn sister to Jin Lan, representative of the Chu Family¡¯s interests, Wang Han¡¯s wife, currently leading North Prince Mansion¡¯s guards, North Prince¡¯s first love.] [Rating: 97] [Favorability: 98] Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s identity information, Lu Chen felt a bit puzzled. Wang Han had died on the day Chu Yuqin married him; they didn¡¯t even consummate the marriage, so how could she be considered his wife? And what about this ¡°North Prince¡¯s first love¡±? Although he admittedly was quite enamored with her. This identity information seemed a bit unreliable¡­ But on the other hand, Chu Yuqin¡¯s rating was actually 97, and her favorability toward him had reached 98. This only further stimulated the wicked thoughts in his heart. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, why are you eavesdropping so early in the morning?¡± Hearing that, Chu Yuqin spit out in disgust, then scolded, ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯re up to mischief early in the morning. It¡¯s important to carry on the family line, but you should also take care of your health!¡± Lu Chen replied with a laugh, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m strong and can handle it.¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a glance and then said, ¡°Eat your breakfast, then go see Duke Mu. Even though he was implicated a while ago, he still has considerable influence in the military. You will need his help to settle things when you leave for your fiefdom in North City.¡± Lu Chen, puzzled, asked, ¡°Why do I need his help to settle things for my departure to my fiefdom in North City?¡± Chu Yuqin replied with a smile, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you don¡¯t think that your trip to North City will go smoothly without any issues, do you?¡± Lu Chen paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Madam Chu, what do you mean by that? Don¡¯t scare me!¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Although you are most likely out of the running for that position, to some people, only the dead pose no threat.¡± This¡­ Lu Chen naturally understood what Chu Yuqin meant. However, in his view, since he had always behaved like a useless person and had never made connections with any significant officials, it seemed unlikely that anyone would view him as a threat. Chu Yuqin continued explaining, ¡°Madam Chu knows what you are thinking. You certainly believe that since you have never shown any interest in that position and have never befriended any court officials, no one would see you as a threat.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve forgotten one thing, your identity.¡± ¡°Even if you do nothing, your identity ensures that some people will inevitably see you as a threat.¡± Lu Chen realized in an instant. He had always thought that as long as he was offensively useless at home, doing nothing, and not getting involved in the succession struggle, he would be safe. But he seemed to have forgotten his mother¡¯s strong political status. His mother came from the Chu Family, representing their interests. From his birth, he had been placed in the Chu Family¡¯s camp. Even if he did nothing, others would assume he had a special relationship with the Chu Family. In the eyes of some, if they wanted to collaborate with the Chu Family, they would have to deal with him, the obstacle, because the Chu Family might not give up on him. Only with his death could the Chu Family possibly give up on him completely, turning to partner with another prince instead. Thinking of this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t worry too much. If it were yesterday, he might have been concerned about his safety, but having acquired the system, he already had some reassurance. Then he said, ¡°Madam Chu, I understand what you mean.¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s gaze fell upon Mu Zixuan, who was now coming out of a room, assisted by the two sisters from the Zhou Family, limping as she walked. Upon seeing Chu Yuqin, Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Greetings to Madam Chu.¡± The princess consort¡¯s status was higher than Chu Yuqin¡¯s, so it should be Chu Yuqin who initiates the greeting to Mu Zixuan, but Mu Zixuan was very aware of Chu Yuqin¡¯s standing in the North Prince Mansion. Chu Yuqin smiled and nodded, ¡°Zixuan, from now on, Chen¡¯er is in your care.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Please rest assured, Madam Chu, I will definitely take good care of the Prince.¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t say anything more; she then turned around and left the courtyard. ¡­ After breakfast, Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan went to the Duke Mu Residence. Duke Mu had a very imposing appearance, looking strong and powerful. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Mu Changtian immediately said, ¡°Greetings to the North Prince.¡± Lu Chen hurriedly replied, ¡°Please, there¡¯s no need for such formality, Father-in-law.¡± Mu Changtian sized up Lu Chen, then said, ¡°Please, North Prince.¡± Under Mu Changtian¡¯s guidance, Lu Chen was led to the main hall. At that time, Mu Changtian asked, ¡°I wonder what plans the North Prince has in mind following your appointment to North City?¡± Honestly, Mu Changtian had no intention of discussing politics with Lu Chen. For one thing, Lu Chen was young, and furthermore, he had always been an idle prince who hardly ever read books. Of course, this did not mean he underestimated Lu Chen; after all, he was still a prince. When Lu Chen heard Mu Changtian¡¯s question, he thought for a moment and replied, ¡°To govern North City well and then live a peaceful life with Zixuan is all I wish for.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Mu Changtian immediately regretted asking him this question. Lu Chen was a political novice; he hadn¡¯t even understood the implications of what had just been asked. Mu Changtian sighed internally, wondering whether marrying his daughter to the North Prince was a good decision. At this point, Lu Chen initiated the conversation, ¡°I hear that Father-in-law has great influence within the military. I will need your help when I go to North City to take up my post.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian thought to himself that the North Prince really knew nothing and was still a child. Even though he did have strong influence in the military, it was not something to be plainly spoken of. But this was also okay. The less Lu Chen knew, the more important his daughter would be in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which could be considered a good thing for her. Mu Changtian then smiled and said, ¡°Rest assured, North Prince. Your journey to North City will undoubtedly be smooth sailing.¡± Chapter 4 - 4 Chapter 4 Such a Wife, What More Could a Husband Ask For_1 4 Chapter 4 Such a Wife, What More Could a Husband Ask For_1 Translator: 549690339 Mu Changtian did not explicitly say that he would help Lu Chen, for some things in politics cannot be spoken so plainly. However, since he had already assured Lu Chen that his journey to North City would go smoothly, this confirmed that he would definitely send people to protect the North Prince and would also liaise with the military. Although Lu Chen was a political novice, he could understand what Mu Changtian meant. Lu Chen said, ¡°Then, I thank you, father-in-law.¡± At this moment, Mu Changtian glanced at the servants in the hall, then said to them, ¡°You all may leave us, I have something to discuss with the North Prince alone.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The servants then left the hall. After the servants had exited, an intrigued Lu Chen asked, ¡°May I know what matter my father-in-law wishes to discuss with me?¡± Mu Changtian sending the servants away from the hall before having a discussion surely meant that it was something very important. Mu Changtian then said, ¡°North Prince, I must remind you that even if you safely reach North City, you won¡¯t be safe at all times.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Mu Changtian knew Lu Chen was a political novice, so he decided to be clear about it. ¡°Your mother is the eldest daughter of the Chu Family, which naturally aligns them with your faction.¡± ¡°Although you have left Capital City, in the eyes of most princes, you still pose a significant threat to them.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Chu Family might still have expectations of you, a view I share, and so will those princes.¡± ¡°If you are still here, the Chu Family might continue to support you, but if you were¡­¡± Mu Changtian did not continue, as the rest of his words would be somewhat disrespectful and he believed Lu Chen must have grasped his meaning. Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s warning, Lu Chen instantly understood what he meant, especially since Chu Yuqin had reminded him about it just that morning. Lu Chen sighed to himself. His own situation was indeed perilous. If he remained alive, the Chu Family might always harbor expectations of him, and being a major family in the South, their support was crucial for any prince. If he died, the Chu Family would lose their primary candidate for support and would then shift to backing another prince. Thus, for any prince seeking the Chu Family¡¯s alliance, the most likely first step would be to eliminate him, the expendable prince, and completely cut off the Chu Family¡¯s concerns. What a headache. Ever since arriving in this world, he had planned to live a life of leisure without competing for the throne. Unexpectedly, his mere heritage brought him so many problems. But there was nothing he could do; one¡¯s birth was determined by fate and could not be changed. Now he had only two choices. One was to find a way to completely turn against the Chu Family, making everyone believe they had severed ties. The other choice was to eliminate all those wanting to get rid of him, securing his safety. Choosing the second option would mean he was embarking on the path of the emperor. From a personal standpoint, there was no way Lu Chen could entirely turn his back on the Chu Family. Firstly, his maternal grandfather had always treated him well, and the Chu Family had continuously provided him protection; plus, his first love in this world, Chu Yuqin, was from the Chu Family. He simply couldn¡¯t bring himself to sever ties completely with the Chu Family. Moreover, even if he did break away from the Chu Family, those princes might not necessarily spare him, after all, no one knew whether this was just a ruse performed by him and the Chu Family for show. Therefore, eliminating him was still the most foolproof strategy. In doing so, those princes would still likely attempt to make a move against him. That left him with only one option. To embark on the path of the emperor! After some thought, Lu Chen figured that previously, he indeed would have struggled to compete with the other princes for that position. But now things were different. He had the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings. As long as he took multiple consorts and had many children after arriving in North City, he could quickly enhance his power. That position might not be unattainable for him after all. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to Mu Changtian, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, father-in-law, I understand your point.¡± ¡­ Having left Mu Mansion, Mu Zixuan tentatively asked from inside the carriage, ¡°Prince, what did father say to you?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and then pulled Mu Zixuan into his embrace. ¡°He didn¡¯t say much, he urged me to take good care of you.¡± At this moment, Mu Zixuan was somewhat conflicted. She didn¡¯t know whether she should tell Lu Chen about the Zhou sisters, considering their identities were extremely sensitive. Then, Lu Chen caressed her hair gently as he continued, ¡°My consort, once we arrive in North City, you should bear many children for me.¡± Hearing such a direct statement, Mu Zixuan¡¯s face instantly turned crimson. Although she was already a married woman, she had just begun to engage in such matters. Seeing Mu Zixuan¡¯s shy expression, Lu Chen wanted to tease her right away, but ultimately he restrained himself. Meanwhile. Imperial Palace. Royal Garden. A middle-aged man in a yellow Python Dragon Robe stood in the pavilion by the lotus pond, hands clasped behind him, watching the fishes swim in the pond. A person clad in black armor suddenly appeared behind him. ¡°Your Majesty, the North Prince has just visited Mu Mansion. During that visit, Duke Mu ordered the servants to leave the hall and he closed the door to talk about certain matters with the North Prince alone.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor muttered to himself, ¡°It seems that Mu Changtian holds Chen in high regard.¡± At this, the Sum Emperor turned to look at the red-robed eunuch standing beside him. ¡°Mr. Liu, what do you think? After Chen leaves Capital City, will the Chu Family simply give up on him?¡± Hearing this question, the red-robed eunuch promptly replied, ¡°Your Majesty, I dare not speculate recklessly.¡± The Sum Emperor expressed his displeasure, ¡°Just speak your mind.¡± The red-robed eunuch hurriedly said, ¡°In your servant¡¯s view, it¡¯s highly likely the Chu Family will abandon the North Prince and choose to support another Prince.¡± The Sum Emperor asked with interest, ¡°Oh? Then who do you think the Chu Family is most likely to choose?¡± Mr. Liu trembled with fear. Always by the Sum Emperor¡¯s side, he knew things others did not. The Sum Emperor loathed the Chu Family to the bone and dreamed of eliminating them. If he suggested who the Chu Family might support next, wouldn¡¯t he be endangering that Prince? The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Speak boldly, you will not be punished.¡± Mr. Liu immediately knelt to the ground and then said, ¡°Your Majesty, your servant thinks the Chu Family is most likely to support Prince Lu Shuyun.¡± The mother of Prince Lu Shuyun was also from the South, so if the Chu Family was to choose another ally, they would undoubtedly focus on Prince Lu Shuyun. Upon hearing Mr. Liu¡¯s reply, the Sum Emperor merely smiled faintly, murmuring, ¡°Supporting Shuyun, eh? Then Chen¡¯s journey will probably not be peaceful.¡± At that moment, the soldier in black armor behind the Sum Emperor asked, ¡°Your Majesty, shall I assign someone to protect the North Prince?¡± The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°No need, someone will protect him. If he truly runs into trouble, it only means his fate wasn¡¯t strong enough.¡± ¡­ Evening. In the room, Lu Chen wanted to have a proper talk with his consort, but remembering they had been intimate just yesterday and earlier this morning, he decided against it. Seeing her darling appeared rather distressed, Mu Zixuan eventually mustered the courage and said, ¡°Prince, why don¡¯t you take Youyou and Xiaoxiao?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes brightened, not expecting his consort to be so magnanimous. But he still responded, ¡°My consort, how could you bear to push me into the arms of other women?¡± Mu Zixuan blushed and replied, ¡°Prince, you were staring at them all morning.¡± How could she possibly fail to guess Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts? Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Besides, both of them were my dowry maids, serving you is their duty.¡± Holding Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen said, ¡°To have a wife like you, what more could I ask for?¡± At that point, Mu Zixuan called out to Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao, ¡°Youyou, Xiaoxiao, come here.¡± Then, the candlelight within the room flickered. ¡­ Chapter 5 - 5 Chapter 5 The Day I Return to the Capital City is the Day I Reign Supreme_1 5 Chapter 5 The Day I Return to the Capital City is the Day I Reign Supreme_1 Translator: 549690339 [Ding, congratulations to the host on gaining another wife and concubine, reward: Qi Refinement Mantra.] [Ding, congratulations to the host on gaining another wife and concubine, reward: Rejuvenating Skill.] [Ding, the host and his wife and concubine have reached a heart-to-heart connection, obtaining one Barrett along with twenty Barrett bullets.] Lu Chen, who had been basking in happiness, was jolted back to reality by the system¡¯s prompt. He hadn¡¯t expected to receive such generous rewards. If he was already getting such gifts without having any children yet, wouldn¡¯t the rewards be even more bountiful once he had offspring? As Lu Chen was musing over this, the system¡¯s prompt sounded again. [Ding, the rewards for the first communication and interaction with the host¡¯s wife and concubine will be more generous.] Only then did Lu Chen realize, so that was it; he had thought that every communication and interaction would yield such rich rewards. At this moment, Lu Chen checked the new rewards he had received. [Qi Refinement Mantra: A legendary cultivation technique said to help people become Immortals; can be practiced by fostering a relationship through communication with wives and concubines.] [Rejuvenating Skill: Can use spiritual energy to heal some injuries; when cultivated to perfection, there is a chance to revive those on the verge of death; this technique can be practiced by fostering a relationship through communication with wives and concubines.] Seeing these two rewards, Lu Chen was completely dumbstruck. Isn¡¯t this the martial arts world? Could this world actually contain cultivation techniques like the Qi Refinement Mantra and Rejuvenating Skill that are only found in the immortal world? But then again, if one day he became an Immortal, wouldn¡¯t the throne of the Great Xia Dynasty be readily within his grasp? Thinking of this, Lu Chen happily hugged Zhou Youyou, Zhou Xiaoxiao, and Mu Zixuan, the three of them, ¡°You three are truly my treasures!¡± Hearing this, the Zhou sisters felt incredibly happy; now that they had finally become women of the North Prince, perhaps once they got to North City, they wouldn¡¯t have to hide anymore. However, just then, Lu Chen suddenly spoke up, ¡°By the way, my consort, I feel like you might be hiding something from me.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She had not expected Lu Chen¡¯s intuition to be so accurate. Lu Chen continued, ¡°You are now my wife, and I would rather my women not keep things from me.¡± Just as Mu Zixuan was about to say something, Lu Chen patted the waists of Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao and said with a smile, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you two are the daughters of Zhou Wangtian, aren¡¯t you?¡± Hearing this, the three women were greatly shocked; they had not anticipated that Lu Chen already knew this. Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly got up from Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, then knelt on the bed, kowtowing as they said, ¡°Your Highness, please forgive us, we did not mean to deceive you!¡± ¡°All of this is our fault, please do not blame the consort!¡± Mu Zixuan opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it, after all, it was she who had been in the wrong. Zhou Wangtian and her father, Mu Changtian, were known as the two Sky Kings of the Great Xia Dynasty, and their families had always had a good relationship. Mu Zixuan and the Zhou sisters were as close as sisters; she really couldn¡¯t bear to see them being imprisoned in the Ministry of Punishments as playthings for others. Seeing the Zhou sisters so panicked, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved upward slightly, then he said with a smile, ¡°Indeed, you three have done wrong.¡± ¡°To keep such an important matter from me.¡± ¡°However, I can give you three an opportunity to atone for your sins through meritorious deeds.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan¡¯s brows immediately relaxed, and she quickly asked, ¡°Your Highness, how should we atone through meritorious deeds?¡± Lu Chen looked at Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao and said, ¡°It¡¯s simple; all you need to do is bear me several children.¡± Hearing this, the three women instantly understood. Then Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao hurriedly thanked him, saying, ¡°Thank you for taking us in, Your Highness! We will certainly bear you many descendants in the future!¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Alright, you two sisters go rest first; once we get to North City, I will take you as my concubines.¡± The two of them spoke in unison, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Then the pair left the room, limping away, and went to the adjacent chamber. After they left, Mu Zixuan cautiously asked, ¡°Prince, do you really intend to take in the two of them?¡± Although Lu Chen was three years younger than herself, he was still the Prince, and Mu Zixuan couldn¡¯t be sure about his temperament. Lu Chen pulled Mu Zixuan¡¯s delicate body toward himself, wrapped his arms around her, and whispered in her ear, ¡°If I didn¡¯t plan to take them in, do you think I would have touched them just now?¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan realized the point. Indeed, Lu Chen apparently knew the identities of the two Zhou sisters all along, yet he didn¡¯t seem to care about their origins earlier. Lu Chen continued, ¡°My love, I hope this is the first and last time something like this happens. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Mu Zixuan promptly replied, ¡°Yes, Prince. I will not keep any secrets from you in the future.¡± Lu Chen kissed Mu Zixuan and, stroking her body, said, ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear from my cherished consort.¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯m not unreasonable. There¡¯s no need for you to be so cautious; after all, you are the mistress of this household.¡± Mu Zixuan, three years his senior, but these past few days, she completely acted like a little woman, cautious in both her speech and actions, giving the impression that she was an outsider. Blushing, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, I will adjust to my role as quickly as I can.¡± Lu Chen added, ¡°Also, stop calling me Prince; call me darling.¡± Mu Zixuan replied softly, ¡°Yes, darling.¡± ¡°Alright, get some sleep now. We¡¯re setting off for North City tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Then Lu Chen, holding Mu Zixuan¡¯s warm and tender body, fell into the land of dreams. ¡­ Early the next morning, Before the sky fully brightened, everyone at North Prince Mansion began their preparations. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t one to rise early, but since he had to leave the Capital city today, he too had to get up early from the warmth of his bed. Standing at the entrance of North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen looked over his home, feeling a certain gloom in his heart. The North Prince Mansion held all his memories since childhood, and now the moments of his past played like a movie in his mind. Leaving this time, he didn¡¯t know when he would return, as without the Seignior¡¯s orders, he could not come back to the Capital. Determined, Lu Chen made a silent vow to grow stronger as quickly as possible. The day he returned to the Capital city would be the day he commanded the world! At that moment, A group of soldiers, clad in armor and riding horses, arrived at the entrance of North Prince Mansion. The leading officer, Li Feng, seeing Lu Chen, immediately half-kneeled and said, ¡°General Li Feng, at your service, Prince. On your journey to North City to establish your fief, I will do everything in my power to ensure the safety of you and your household.¡± Then, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes emitted a subtle gleam that others might not notice, and an information bar appeared before him. [Name: Li Feng] [Identity: One of the generals in the Great Xia Hu Ben Army, currently serving as a temporary general for the Great Xia North Prince¡¯s Guard Team.] [Strength: Seventh Rank] [Loyalty: 50] Seeing this information bar, Lu Chen was momentarily startled. So the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings could display information about men as well. This was incredibly useful to him. Chapter 6 - 6 Chapter 6 Farewell, My Good Brother_1 6 Chapter 6 Farewell, My Good Brother_1 Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen was very satisfied with Mu Changtian¡¯s arrangements. Though Li Feng was only a Seventh Grade Martial Artist, in this world, the strength of a Seventh Grade Martial Artist could already be considered as a match for a hundred. Moreover, the soldiers Li Feng brought with him were mostly Second and Third Grade; there were no ordinary soldiers among them. In other words, they were all elite, with no cannon fodder. Lu Chen then said, ¡°General Li, rise. I believe in your strength to adequately protect both me and my family.¡± ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± Li Feng stood up as soon as he finished speaking. Afterward, Li Feng whispered into Lu Chen¡¯s ear, ¡°Prince, Duke Mu asked me to remind you that Prince Lu Shuyun has already sent people to North City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen frowned slightly and pondered for a moment. Prince Lu Shuyun? What is he sending people to North City for? To kill me? Lu Chen soon understood that Lu Shuyun¡¯s mother also came from a great clan in the South, so if Lu Shuyun wanted to lay claim as the legitimate successor, he would need the Chu Family¡¯s support the most. If he died, the Chu Family would inevitably choose someone who also descended from a great clan of the South. He had not expected Mu Changtian to obtain even this kind of information. It seemed that although Mu Changtian had been dismissed from his position, he still retained control over the army. No wonder his father, the emperor, was so wary of Mu Changtian. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Following that, Lu Chen mounted his horse and declared, ¡°Since everyone has arrived, let¡¯s set out now. We shall hurry to North City.¡± Lu Chen was now solely focused on reaching North City and starting on his cultivation journey. The Qi Refinement Mantra and the Rejuvenating Skill both required cultivating a relationship with his wives, which essentially referred to matters between a man and a woman. However, it was clearly inconvenient to do so on the road; a stable place was necessary. As for the threats along the way, Lu Chen did not take them to heart. Below a Grandmaster, all were mere mortals! Mortals can¡¯t block bullets, and the Desert Eagle and Barrett in his hand were not for show. Following this, the people from the North Prince Mansion set out in formation, leaving the city with great fanfare. Unlike the time of Lu Chen¡¯s wedding, not a single court minister came to see him off today, not even his own father-in-law. Only onlookers among the common folk lined the sides of the road. Lu Chen didn¡¯t mind these things; it made no difference to him whether anyone saw him off or not. When the procession passed by an inn, a man dressed in blue brocade garments gazed at the gradually fading figures from the second floor. At this moment, the man asked, ¡°Is everything ready?¡± ¡°Your Highness, rest assured, we have arranged everything properly. Blood Moon Tower has dispatched an Eighth Grade and two Ninth Grade this time,¡± another person replied. ¡°As soon as they leave the jurisdiction of the Capital city, Blood Moon Tower¡¯s men will take immediate action.¡± Hearing his subordinate¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun watched Lu Chen on horseback and murmured to himself, ¡°Had Chu Yuqin not accompanied you to North City, I wouldn¡¯t have chosen this method. My dear brother, I wish you a pleasant journey!¡± Initially, Lu Shuyun thought that after Lu Chen left the Capital city, the Chu Family would completely give up on him, especially since even the Sum Emperor had banished him to the bitter cold land of North City. What Lu Shuyun didn¡¯t expect was that Chu Yuqin, a Ninth Grade master, would actually go to North City with Lu Chen. What did this mean? It meant that the Chu Family hadn¡¯t given up on Lu Chen at all! Otherwise, the Chu Family would never let Chu Yuqin go with him. Since the Chu Family had not lost hope, he might as well help the Chu Family make a firm decision. It wasn¡¯t long before Lu Chen and his company left the city. After leaving the city, Chu Yuqin saw Lu Chen riding a horse and slightly furrowed her willow-like eyebrows. Those people inside the city did not dare to act, but outside the city, it was a different story. Riding on a horse made Lu Chen too obvious a target. If someone shot arrows, it would be hard to guard against. Chu Yuqin immediately rode up beside Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you should go back to the carriage.¡± Lu Chen turned his head to look at Chu Yuqin, then said, ¡°Madam Chu, rest assured, even if someone wants to make a move against me, they won¡¯t do it near the Capital city.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Better safe than sorry. You should listen to your aunt and stay inside the carriage quickly.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s tone was a bit stern; after all, this involved Lu Chen¡¯s safety and was not to be taken lightly. At that moment, Li Feng also came over from afar, ¡°Prince, we are about to leave the jurisdiction of the Capital city. You should go inside the carriage.¡± ¡°The carriages provided by Duke Mu are reinforced and can withstand most arrows.¡± Seeing both of them say so, Lu Chen no longer insisted on being stubborn. As a first-grade martial artist, he was only a bit stronger than an ordinary person. If someone really attacked him, he would still be unable to react in time. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Alright, I leave the surrounding security to you both. If there¡¯s any sign of trouble, notify me immediately.¡± With that, Lu Chen returned to the reinforced carriage prepared by Mu Changtian. At this point, Lu Chen and his wife, Mu Zixuan, were separated; if there really was an attack, even if Lu Chen was targeted, Mu Zixuan and the others might still have a chance to survive. As the carriage convoy slowly proceeded on the official road, soon after leaving the jurisdiction of the Capital city, a dense forest appeared ahead of the straight path. Li Feng immediately reminded the soldiers of the Guard Team, ¡°Stay sharp! Look around!¡± Chu Yuqin also told the trusted aides of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t leave the side of the carriage for half a step.¡± After the convoy entered the forest, the light dimmed dramatically. Through the window, Lu Chen looked outside and, noticing the darkness, realized that danger might be approaching. Immediately, Lu Chen took out the Desert Eagle from the system space and loaded it with bullets. The Desert Eagle had five hundred bullets, which ought to be enough. Moreover, he didn¡¯t need to deal with the pawns¡ªLi Feng and the others were there for that. He only needed to be ready for those experts who would come directly for him. Just as the convoy reached the depths of the forest, the sound of ¡°whizzing¡± came from a distance, followed by countless arrows falling from the sky. Li Feng immediately shouted, ¡°Enemy attack! Protect the Prince!¡± Seeing this, Chu Yuqin quickly drew her sword from her waist. Hearing the various sounds outside, Lu Chen became somewhat tense. He hadn¡¯t expected enemies to actually come. At that moment, he heard a ¡°scraping¡± noise coming from the carriage, indicating that arrows were striking it. It had to be said, the carriage provided by Duke Mu was truly remarkable, managing to block all the arrows shot by the attackers. In this way, as long as he didn¡¯t go out, those arrows couldn¡¯t harm him. After the first wave of arrow rain, a group of people dressed in black, wearing masks, and holding large knives charged directly towards the convoy. Most of these attackers were roughly third-grade, led by an eighth-grade martial artist. Seeing this, Li Feng immediately engaged the assassins in combat along with the Guard Team. At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s trusted aides still did not leave the side of the carriage; their main task was to protect Lu Chen and his family, preventing the enemy from creating a diversion. Chu Yuqin did not assist Li Feng; she simply stood not far from Lu Chen¡¯s carriage, vigilantly observing her surroundings. Chu Yuqin did not believe that the enemy would only send an eighth-grade martial artist. The ability to summon so many third and fourth-grade warriors in an instant meant that the force behind the assassins was definitely not simple¡ªthere must be a Ninth Grade martial artist yet to come. While Chu Yuqin was on alert, a breeze blew through the forest, and the falling leaves split in two mid-air, softly landing on the ground. A sharp light flashed in Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes. ¡°The real enemy has arrived!¡± Chapter 7 - 7 Chapter 7 What Are You Laughing at, Kid_1 7 Chapter 7 What Are You Laughing at, Kid_1 Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin had just gotten ready when a black figure appeared on her right side and immediately thrust a sword towards her body. With a light push of her feet, Chu Yuqin¡¯s body soared through the air like a feather and leaped into the sky. Then, she turned and swept her sword toward the assassin. The assassin hastily retreated. ¡°Not bad for a female swordsman trained by the Chu Family! Quick reflexes!¡± Hearing this voice, Chu Yuqin finally got a clear look at the other¡¯s face. There were two people, and neither of them wore masks. The aura emanating from these two suggested that they were at least Ninth Grade martial artists. Those Third Grade martial artists all wore masks, yet these two key figures did not. What did this imply? It meant that they did not care if others saw their faces. They either believed that they could kill their targets and silence them today. Or their current faces were fake, as they had used Disguise Skills. Of course, whichever it was, that was not important now. What mattered was how to deal with these two. At this moment, Chu Yuqin noticed that both men¡¯s clothes bore a red moon emblem. Chu Yuqin instantly guessed where they were from. Chu Yuqin spoke coldly, ¡°Does Blood Moon Tower realize what it¡¯s doing? The North Prince is inside the carriage¡ªif the Sum Emperor finds out that the North Prince was assassinated by Blood Moon Tower, you may be quickly eradicated.¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Tong burst into laughter, ¡°Madam Chu loves her jokes. If the Sum Emperor was capable of dealing with us, he would have annihilated Blood Moon Tower long ago, not waited until today!¡± At that moment, White Crane beside Liu Tong said indifferently, ¡°Madam Chu, we bear no ill will toward the Chu Family. Just step aside, and we won¡¯t lay a finger on you.¡± After hearing White Crane¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin gripped her sword tightly and said icily, ¡°To harm the North Prince is to make an enemy of the Chu Family!¡± Liu Tong retorted, ¡°Give it up. The North Prince is already cast aside by the Sum Emperor. He will never ascend to the throne. What reason does the Chu Family have to support him now?¡± White Crane also said, ¡°Madam Chu, we¡¯re just fulfilling a contract. If you insist on obstructing us, don¡¯t blame us if our swords and sabres show no mercy.¡± Chu Yuqin wielded her sword in the air, unleashing a streak of Sword Qi that drew a line between them. ¡°This is the line. Cross it, and die!¡± Seeing that Chu Yuqin was unwilling to make way, White Crane and Liu Tong had no choice but to brace themselves for a tough fight. Honestly, they really didn¡¯t want to confront Chu Yuqin head-on. Although all of them were Ninth Grade, there could be a great disparity amongst those of the same grade. Chu Yuqin may just be a woman, but her innate talent in swordsmanship was incredibly high; she was even quite famous throughout the entire Great Sum. But since Chu Yuqin was unwilling to step aside, they had no choice but to fight. White Crane immediately said to Liu Tong, ¡°Elder Liu, try to hold her off while I take care of that useless Prince.¡± Liu Tong, holding his great iron hammer, said with a chuckle, ¡°Great, I¡¯ve been eager to witness Madam Chu¡¯s swordsmanship. Let¡¯s see just how formidable the Chu Family¡¯s number one female swordsman is!¡± In the midst of speaking, Liu Tong pushed off with his legs, propelling his body towards Chu Yuqin like a cannonball. Chu Yuqin frowned and swung her sword, releasing a blast of Sword Qi. Chu Yuqin¡¯s body was extremely agile, floating through the air as if weightless. Because her body was nimble, her sword was astonishingly fast. After just one exchange, Liu Tong nearly got pierced by Chu Yuqin¡¯s sword. Seeing his hair cut by Chu Yuqin¡¯s sword, Liu Tong immediately shouted to White Crane, ¡°Elder White, don¡¯t waste time!¡± Liu Tong had not expected Chu Yuqin¡¯s sword to be so fast; he nearly lost his life in just a brief encounter. White Crane also realized that Liu Tong might not be a match for Chu Yuqin, so he quickly charged towards the convoy. Seeing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s toes lightly tapped the ground, and her body shot forward like an arrow. Immediately afterward, Chu Yuqin swept her sword toward White Crane. White Crane turned his head in an instant, raised his hand with his sword, and blocked Chu Yuqin¡¯s slash. At that moment, White Crane said to Liu Tong, ¡°Elder Liu, I¡¯ll keep her occupied!¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Tong¡¯s body disappeared on the spot and he rushed straight to the carriage where Lu Chen was. Lu Chen¡¯s trusted aides saw this and all charged over, attempting to block Liu Tong¡¯s path. But Liu Tong, being a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, swung his hammer down and killed a trusted aide with a single blow. In front of Liu Tong, Lu Chen¡¯s trusted aides stood no chance at all. Seeing this, Li Feng from a distance grew anxious. Now this is trouble! He immediately ran towards Lu Chen¡¯s carriage, but just as he took a few steps, an Eighth Grade Martial Artist blocked his way, ¡°General Li, your opponent is me!¡± Chu Yuqin also realized that Lu Chen was in danger. She immediately swung her sword frantically, and strokes of Sword Qi swept through the forest, instantly splitting the surrounding trees into countless fragments. However, White Crane was no simple foe; he always managed to dodge Chu Yuqin¡¯s sword strikes. After all, both were Ninth Grade Martial Artists, and although he might not be as strong as Chu Yuqin, stalling her wasn¡¯t too much of a problem. Chu Yuqin grew desperate, seeing that Liu Tong was about to reach the carriage where Lu Chen was. If she continued to be stalled like this, Lu Chen¡¯s life would be in danger. She had promised to protect Lu Chen when his mother passed away. If something happened to Lu Chen, how could she face her sister, with whom she had formed a sworn sisterhood, in the afterlife? Lu Chen cannot come to harm! Chu Yuqin no longer cared about White Crane and charged directly towards Liu Tong. Seeing Chu Yuqin bypass him, White Crane hurriedly rushed up, blocking her way. By this time, Liu Tong had already arrived in front of Lu Chen¡¯s carriage. He did not know which carriage Lu Chen was in, but he was ready to search them one by one. Liu Tong went straight with his hammer, and the door of the carriage was instantly smashed to pieces. Lu Chen was sitting upright inside the carriage at that moment. Seeing that he had found Lu Chen in the very first carriage he smashed, Liu Tong laughed loudly and said, ¡°Hahaha, looks like my luck isn¡¯t too bad!¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned deathly white from a distance. ¡°It¡¯s over! Chen¡¯er!¡± Li Feng was also in a state of panic, he wanted to save Lu Chen too, but the opponent in front of him was an Eighth Grade Martial Artist, while he himself was only a Seventh Grade Martial Artist, he simply couldn¡¯t get away. Just when everyone thought that the North Prince was certain to die there, Lu Chen showed a faint smile. Seeing this, Liu Tong standing in front of Lu Chen was stunned. Liu Tong asked in confusion, ¡°Kid, what are you smiling about?¡± Lu Chen said nothing and simply raised his hand and shot. Bang! Accompanying the sound of gunfire, Liu Tong¡¯s body slowly toppled backward. His pupils constricted, his eyes wide open as if he couldn¡¯t believe that he had just died. At this moment, everyone focusing on Lu Chen was shocked. People couldn¡¯t process what had happened. The North Prince was surely doomed, so why did the North Prince just raise his hand and that Ninth Grade Martial Artist fell to the ground, lifeless? And what was that sound just now? What exactly happened here? The death of Liu Tong terrified all the members of Blood Moon Tower present. Liu Tong was, after all, a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. And yet, just by looking at the North Prince, he was dead! Even Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing as she looked at Lu Chen. She had been ready to fight to the death for Lu Chen¡¯s revenge, yet the situation took an instant turn. Chu Yuqin had guessed how Liu Tong died; his death was definitely related to the black stick-like object in Lu Chen¡¯s hand. But she couldn¡¯t believe that object could instantly claim the life of a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. At that moment, it was as if everything hit the pause button, and both sides even forgot to fight. Chapter 8 - 8 Chapter 8 Are You Hiding Something From Your Aunt? 8 Chapter 8 Are You Hiding Something From Your Aunt? Translator: 549690339 It took Chu Yuqin a long time to finally come back to her senses. A hint of murderous intent flashed in her eyes. The Ninth Grade martial artist who had attempted to assassinate Lu Chen was dead, and she absolutely could not let this one in front of her escape. Even though she did not know what Lu Chen held in his hand, it had enabled an ordinary person to possess the ability to kill a Ninth Grade martial artist. That proved the item was incredibly powerful, and if word got out, it would certainly cause turmoil throughout the entire world. White Crane was still shocked by Liu Tong collapsing in an instant, and he had just come to his senses, wanting to flee from the place. However, at the moment White Crane was distracted, it seemed as though it had started to rain from the sky, with the virtual shadow of raindrops and flower petals slowly falling. The next moment, several streaks of white light appeared around White Crane¡¯s body. Only then did he realize the danger, his face turning pale, ¡°Not good!¡± It was at that moment that Chu Yuqin whispered. ¡°Rainfall of Nine Swords!¡± Immediately after, the virtual shadows of the raindrops and flower petals became incredibly violent, furiously assaulting White Crane¡¯s body. Combat between Ninth Grade martial artists often results in victory or defeat in an instant. When a martial artist becomes distracted, it is easy for their opponent to seize the opportunity. And Chu Yuqin had seized the opportunity when White Crane was distracted, executing her most formidable sword technique directly. Watching White Crane in front of Chu Yuqin slowly fall to the ground, Lu Chen was stunned. The speed at which Chu Yuqin had struck with her sword was too fast for him to see clearly. By the time he reacted, all he saw were a few flashes of white sword light passing through the body of the Ninth Grade martial artist, then he collapsed. Is this the strength of a Ninth Grade martial artist? So strong! Although Lu Chen had just dealt with a Ninth Grade martial artist himself, after all, he had done so with firearms. He still deeply desired to rapidly improve in the world of martial arts. Firearms are, after all, external objects. If one could utilize firearms to take advantage of another¡¯s unawareness as what happened just now, then killing a Ninth Grade martial artist is no different from slaughtering a chicken. But if the opponent is on their guard, it would not be so easy for him to kill a Ninth Grade martial artist. Especially after seeing the speed of Chu Yuqin¡¯s sword strike, the smugness Lu Chen felt from killing a Ninth Grade martial artist vanished in an instant. The people from Blood Moon Tower, seeing that both of their Elders had fallen, knew that the mission had failed and thus began to flee. ¡°Retreat! Retreat quickly!¡± The Eighth Grade martial artist who was entangled with Li Feng saw that both Ninth Grades were dead. He knew if he continued like this, he might also die here, so he immediately turned and fled towards the woods without any hesitation. Seeing those from Blood Moon Tower trying to flee, Chu Yuqin coldly ordered the Guard Team and the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s trusted aides, ¡°Kill them, don¡¯t let any escape!¡± Immediately after, the situation shifted dramatically; led by Li Feng, his soldiers, and the Prince¡¯s Mansion trusted aides started to round up the remaining Blood Moon Tower assassins. Although these assassins also had strengths of the Third or Fourth Grade, they were just there to make up the numbers. Their main mission was to hold back the Guard Team and the trusted aides of the Prince¡¯s Mansion until Lu Chen was successfully assassinated by their Elders. Now that their mission had failed, the only option they had left was to run away. Meanwhile, seeing that the Eighth Grade martial artist from Blood Moon Tower was trying to escape, Lu Chen stepped out of the carriage and took out the Barrett. He had not used this gun before and wanted to give it a try. Chu Yuqin had intended to pursue that Eighth Grade martial artist, but when she saw the black stick-like thing in Lu Chen¡¯s hands, she paused for a moment. At that moment, Lu Chen quickly lay down on the ground, then aimed the black stick at the escaping Blood Moon Tower Eighth Grade martial artist. Boom¡­ With a muffled yet enormous sound, the head of the escaping Eighth Grade martial artist burst open in an instant. Chu Yuqin was once again frozen in place. From such a distance, a Ninth Grade Martial Artist vanished in an instant. She had watched Lu Chen grow up, but she never knew that Lu Chen had such a formidable weapon. What Ninth Grade, Eighth Grade, in front of Lu Chen, it was only a matter of looking at them. Seeing that black metal staff, even Chu Yuqin, a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, couldn¡¯t help but break out in cold sweat. Eighth Grade, Ninth Grade, they all have the strength to fight against a Grandmaster, and even powerful Ninth Grade Martial Artists can fight on par with Master Level Martial Artists. However, the once highly sought-after Eighth and Ninth Grades were being slaughtered like chickens by Lu Chen, an ordinary man. Chu Yuqin knew very well that Lu Chen had never practiced martial arts, he grew up under her protection, and she didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to endure the pain of martial arts training. An ordinary person, holding an unknown weapon, could instantly kill Eighth and Ninth Grade Martial Artists, what did that mean? It meant that once the weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hands was spread, the entire Martial Arts World would be overturned, and from now on, the status of Martial Artists would plummet. After a long while, Chu Yuqin finally recovered. Now was not the time to think about these things, the priority was to quickly deal with the assassins from Blood Moon Tower. At that thought, Chu Yuqin pushed off with the tips of her toes and sprinted towards the assassins from Blood Moon Tower. With no Ninth Grade Martial Artist from Blood Moon Tower to restrain Chu Yuqin, those Third Grade Martial Artists were no different from ants in front of her. Wherever Chu Yuqin passed, there were only the corpses of Blood Moon Tower assassins. Soon, all the assassins from Blood Moon Tower were annihilated. Of course, Lu Chen¡¯s side also paid a steep price, only about a hundred men from Li Feng¡¯s Guard Team were left, and only fifty or sixty of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s trusted aides survived. Looking at the bodies scattered across the ground, Lu Chen felt no stirring in his heart. Lu Chen was very clear that the road to eminence was necessarily paved with blood. Today¡¯s slaughter was just the beginning. Just as Lu Chen was lost in thought while looking at the bodies, an enchanting figure appeared behind him. ¡°Chen¡¯er, you better confess, are you hiding something from Madam Chu!¡± There was a hint of grievance in Chu Yuqin¡¯s tone. As an ¡°aunt¡± who had watched Lu Chen grow up, and even arranged all the work in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she was unaware that Lu Chen had acquired such a terrifying weapon. That kind of weapon definitely could not be Lu Chen¡¯s, no need to even think about it. What she wanted to know now was who supplied Lu Chen with such a terrifying weapon and what their purpose was. There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. If someone provided Lu Chen with such a powerful weapon, they must have some conditions. Chu Yuqin was afraid that Lu Chen would fall into an even bigger conspiracy. Now, all Chu Yuqin wanted was for Lu Chen to live a peaceful life after he got to North City. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. He just wanted to test the power of firearms and had not thought about how to explain what would happen next. Those were Eighth and Ninth Grade Martial Artists, and they vanished in front of him instantly. If word got out¡­ At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Chu Yuqin and replied with an innocent and radiant smile, ¡°Madam Chu, what could I possibly hide from you?¡± Seeing Lu Chen playing dumb in front of her, trying to cover it up, Chu Yuqin sighed and continued, ¡°Tell me, who gave you those two weapons you had just now?¡± Lu Chen feigned ignorance, ¡°Weapons, what weapons?¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a look, ¡°Do you think your aunt is blind?¡± At that moment, Lu Chen took the black Desert Eagle out from his embrace and removed the magazine, ¡°Are you talking about this?¡± Chapter 9 - 9 Chapter 9 Youve Grown Up_1 9 Chapter 9 You¡¯ve Grown Up_1 Translator: 549690339 Looking at the Desert Eagle in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned, after all, this was a weapon that allowed an ordinary person to instantly kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s curiosity about the Desert Eagle, Lu Chen directly handed over the unloaded gun to her. After Chu Yuqin received the Desert Eagle, she repeatedly caressed it with her fair hands, very curious¡ªhow exactly did this small thing kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist? Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, where did you get this weapon from?¡± Chu Yuqin happened to be a martial artist herself and had seen many weapons, she could tell the moment she touched it that the materials used for making the Desert Eagle were not ordinary, and the precision of the weapon was beyond one¡¯s imagination. It was even possible that the royal family of the Great Xia Dynasty did not possess such materials, nor could they manufacture a weapon this precise. Although Lu Chen survived with the help of this mysterious weapon, Madam Chu felt somewhat guilty at that moment¡ªshe had always protected Lu Chen¡¯s safety, yet she had still allowed the provider of this mysterious weapon to come into contact with him. What if the person did not intend to provide Lu Chen with weapons, but instead wanted to kill him? The consequences were unimaginable. Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, if I told you that these were parts I had made and then assembled myself, would you believe me?¡± Chu Yuqin snorted lightly and said, ¡°I am not an idiot.¡± Lu Chen, pretending to be an adult, said, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯m also a man now, having a bit of a man¡¯s secret is quite normal.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words were originally just a joke, but upon hearing them, Chu Yuqin fell silent. Ever since Lu Chen lost his mother at the age of ten, Chu Yuqin had always looked after him, caring for him as if he was her own child. But now Lu Chen had turned sixteen and was even married; she, however, subconsciously still saw him as a child. Seeing that Chu Yuqin was not speaking, Lu Chen asked with concern, ¡°Madam Chu, what are you thinking? Is there something wrong with what I said?¡± Chu Yuqin came back to her senses and handed the Desert Eagle back to Lu Chen, showing a relieved smile on her face, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯re right, you have grown up, you¡¯re a man now, I shouldn¡¯t continue to treat you like a child.¡± ¡°However, I still want to remind you that the person who provided you with the weapon must have big plans, you must be careful.¡± ¡°Also, those two weapons you carry must not be known to outsiders, otherwise, even if you reach North City, you will attract continuous assassination attempts by the strong ones in the Martial Arts world.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Mm, don¡¯t worry Madam Chu, I am aware of the pros and cons.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright, go and check on Zixuan and the others.¡± Afterward, Chu Yuqin turned and left, heading towards General Li and his group. At this time, General Li and the others were cleaning up the bodies; seeing Chu Yuqin coming over, General Li immediately asked, ¡°Madam Chu, is the Prince unharmed?¡± Chu Yuqin replied indifferently, ¡°Hmm, he¡¯s fine.¡± With this, Chu Yuqin reminded, ¡°General Li, regarding today¡¯s event, I hope you and your soldiers can act as if you¡¯ve seen nothing.¡± Hearing these words from Chu Yuqin, General Li instantly understood what she meant. Clearly, she was referring to the North Prince instantly killing a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. The outside world rumored that the North Prince was nothing but a useless Prince, who knew nothing of Martial Arts, did not study much, and knew only to indulge in eating, drinking, and merrymaking. When Duke Mu asked General Li to protect the North Prince on his journey to establish his feudal estate in North City, General Li was somewhat reluctant in his heart. But after witnessing today¡¯s event, it seemed that everyone was mistaken. With the North Prince holding such a terrifying weapon, he couldn¡¯t possibly be just a waste as simple as that. That was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist! Only a level below Grandmaster, the Ninth Grade! With just one additional glance at the North Prince, that Ninth Grade Martial Artist was no more. And that Eighth Grade Martial Artist, from such a distance, General Li himself admitted he might not have been able to shoot and kill that Eighth Grade Martial Artist with an arrow. Eighth Grade Martial Artists have Spiritual Energy within their bodies; when an arrow enters their body, they can control their muscles to catch the arrowhead. Yet the North Prince, using some unknown weapon, managed to blow the head off that Eighth Grade Martial Artist instantly from such a distance. Moreover, at that time, the North Prince was just lying on the ground without any movement. Shooting an arrow requires drawing a bow, yet as the North Prince lay there, the life of that Eighth Grade Martial Artist came to an end. This was enough to show how terrifying the weapon in the North Prince¡¯s hands was! Despite having such a terrifying weapon, the North Prince did not vie for the throne; he even willingly went to North City. What did this imply? Li Feng dared not think any further. He even began to suspect whether he might be silenced by the North Prince. Although he was the general of the Guard Team assigned to escort the North Prince to his fief, he was also a commander in the Great Xia¡¯s Hu Ben Army. The North Prince might not necessarily trust them! Thinking this, Li Feng and his men couldn¡¯t stop the cold sweat from soaking their backs. After Chu Yuqin finished reminding Li Feng and the others, she turned and left. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s departing figure, a soldier whispered to Li Feng, ¡°General¡­ General, after we reach North City, we won¡¯t be silenced, will we?¡± The soldiers following Li Feng were elites from within the Hu Ben Army, and they were not dumb. They also understood what having a weapon that could instantaneously kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist meant. To everyone at that moment, the North Prince must have had a great scheme in mind, so to prevent the day¡¯s events from being leaked, it was highly possible that the North Prince might silence them. In order to comfort the remaining hundred or so soldiers, Li Feng immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense, you lad.¡± ¡°We are Duke Mu¡¯s men, and Duke Mu is the North Prince¡¯s father-in-law; the North Prince will surely trust us.¡± Hearing Li Feng¡¯s words, the soldiers came to a realization. Indeed, Duke Mu was the North Prince¡¯s father-in-law, and Duke Mu¡¯s daughter was also the princess consort. Weren¡¯t they, the soldiers of Duke Mu¡¯s faction, equivalent to being men on the North Prince¡¯s side? Then why would the North Prince want to silence his own people for no reason? With this thought, the soldiers also breathed a sigh of relief. However, Li Feng was still quite worried at this time. Even though they were part of Duke Mu¡¯s faction, they were also part of the Great Xia¡¯s Hu Ben Army; after escorting the North Prince to North City, they were to return to the Capital City. Would the North Prince really trust them? That was uncertain. But now, there was no other choice but to wait until they reached North City to know the North Prince¡¯s true intentions. After cleaning up the scene, Lu Chen and his caravan set off again, continuing towards North City. A few hours later. A certain tavern. Lu Shuyun sat by the window, quietly waiting for the news to arrive. At this moment, he faintly sensed something was amiss. By all accounts, those people should have returned by now, but up till now, there was still no news. Just then, a man dressed in gray clothes hurriedly walked out. ¡°Your Highness, there has been a grave mishap!¡± As soon as the man entered the room, he immediately kneeled down. Lu Shuyun¡¯s brow furrowed, and he then asked in a cold voice, ¡°What happened?¡± The man quickly answered, ¡°Blood Moon Tower failed, and none of the people they dispatched have returned alive, including those two Ninth Grade experts.¡± ¡°Now, the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower is in a great fury, believing we deliberately set them up, and is demanding compensation.¡± Chapter 10 - 10 Chapter 10 The Chu Family is Not the Chu Family of the Chu Family Members_1 10 Chapter 10 The Chu Family is Not the Chu Family of the Chu Family Members_1 Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing his subordinate¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun¡¯s face instantly darkened. Two Ninth Grade, one Eighth Grade, and over a hundred martial artists around the Third Grade, yet they couldn¡¯t even kill a useless prince. Not only did they fail to assassinate him, but all were captured, none returned. The angrier Lu Shuyun thought about it, the more furious he became. He slammed his palm down on the table, shattering the bowls and pots on it instantly. ¡°Useless, all useless!¡± He simply couldn¡¯t fathom how they could have failed. They had gathered detailed intelligence on the entourage accompanying the North Prince on his journey northward, of which only Chu Yuqin and Li Feng were somewhat powerful. Apart from those two, there weren¡¯t even many above the Fifth Grade in that group. And yet, Blood Moon Tower had actually failed! They actually failed! What were the assassins of Blood Moon Tower even good for; what did they feed on? With two Ninth Grade experts, even if they had no way to deal with Chu Yuqin, one could hold her off while the other took care of that useless prince. But they still failed! And now, Blood Moon Tower has the audacity to demand compensation from them? They couldn¡¯t even kill a useless prince and still think about compensation? After letting off some steam, Lu Shuyun somewhat calmed down and asked emotionlessly, ¡°Has Blood Moon Tower found out why their operation failed this time?¡± The man kneeling on the ground immediately answered, ¡°Your Highness, when Blood Moon Tower sent someone to investigate, they discovered that some of their members¡¯ bodies had been scorched.¡± When Lu Chen and the others left, they buried the bodies of their own people, while some of the assassin¡¯s bodies from Blood Moon Tower were piled up and burned. Although it wasted some time, Chu Yuqin thought it was necessary, especially for those killed by Lu Chen. Martial artists could determine how a person died from the wounds on a corpse, and to prevent Blood Moon Tower from discovering their cause of death, Chu Yuqin adopted this method of destroying the bodies and erasing the traces. Hearing his subordinate¡¯s report, Lu Shuyun became even more infuriated. It was bad enough that the mission failed, but to not even know how their people died was worse. At that moment, a subordinate beside Lu Shuyun speculated, ¡°Your Highness, I suspect there might have been a Master Level expert hidden among the North Prince¡¯s convoy.¡± Hearing his subordinate¡¯s guess, Lu Shuyun¡¯s mind blanked for a moment, then he fell silent as various expressions flitted across his face. After a while, a spiteful look flashed in Lu Shuyun¡¯s eyes, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then this good-for-nothing deserves even more to be erased from this world.¡± His subordinate spoke up again, ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness, our men have already reached North City. Even if a Grandmaster is protecting him, they will let their guard down given enough time.¡± Lu Shuyun said nothing more, knowing he could only wait now. Luckily, he had a contingency plan. Lu Shuyun raised his head to look out the window, muttering to himself, ¡°My good brother, I hope your luck lasts forever!¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, nearly everyone of status within the Capital city had learned of Blood Moon Tower¡¯s failed assassination attempt, though it was unclear who had leaked the information. Imperial Palace. Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor, having received the message from the Shadow Guard, found it unbelievable. Sitting in front of the Emperor was an old man with white hair, who, seeing the Emperor¡¯s surprised expression while looking at the piece of paper, asked, ¡°Your Majesty, what has happened?¡± The Sum Emperor collected himself and then tore up the paper in his hands, ¡°I never imagined that Chen might still have a Grandmaster by his side. The Chu Family is really sparing no expense!¡± Hearing this, the elder in front of the Sum Emperor paused. The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°State Preceptor, do you think the Chu Family truly wishes to support Little Nine, or are they deliberately diverting attention?¡± The elder before the Sum Emperor was Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s National Pillar, Situ Ce, who also served as the State Preceptor, often giving strategic advice to the Sum Emperor. Facing the Sum Emperor¡¯s question, Situ Ce pondered for a moment, then responded, ¡°Your servant believes this is Chu Xiong¡¯s personal action and does not represent the entire will of the Chu Family.¡± The Sum Emperor laughed and said, ¡°Oh? Why does the State Preceptor think so?¡± Situ Ce replied, ¡°North City is a land of bitter cold, even if the North Prince were to go there, it would be difficult to develop North City, let alone recruit soldiers or amass strength.¡± ¡°The Chu Family is not the Chu of the Chu people; they would not possibly support a prince who has completely lost his legitimacy in the competition for the throne. But Chu Xiong is different; Chu Xiong is the North Prince¡¯s maternal grandfather, and there exists a bond of blood between them.¡± ¡°Thus, your servant believes that Chu Xiong, considering the North Prince is his own grandson, would send someone to protect him, and it¡¯s not because of the Chu Family¡¯s interests.¡± Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor rose from the stone bench, laughed loudly, and said, ¡°The words of the State Preceptor are quite interesting. The Chu Family is not the Chu of the Chu people, hahaha, it reminds me of myself, this Great Xia is also not my Great Xia!¡± The Chu Family has already tied itself to the powers of the South, so it¡¯s impossible for them to mindlessly support a prince with no hope of succession. If they insist on doing so, it would lead to conflicts with those forces, which could potentially lead to the Chu Family¡¯s disintegration. Therefore, the Chu Family is not the Chu of the Chu people. The words of Situ Ce also led the Sum Emperor to reflect upon his own situation. Just as the Chu Family cannot do as they wish, so too, he, the Emperor, is subject not to his own desires but is constrained by various forces, especially including the powerful aristocratic families like the Chu Family! ¡­ Duke Mu Residence. Seeing the Pigeon Letter in his hand, Mu Changtian¡¯s hand trembled slightly. This letter had been sent by Li Feng, detailing their ambush by assassins from Blood Moon Tower. When Mu Changtian saw the part of the letter stating that Blood Moon Tower had dispatched two Ninth Grade Martial Artists and one Eighth Grade Martial Artist, he thought the North Prince had indeed met with misfortune. But at the end of the letter, Li Feng told him that a mysterious Master Level expert had appeared and taken care of the two Ninth Grade experts from Blood Moon Tower. This piqued Mu Changtian¡¯s curiosity. A mysterious expert? Who had been sent to protect the North Prince? Could the mysterious expert come from the Imperial Palace? As these thoughts crossed his mind, Mu Changtian¡¯s gaze turned toward the direction of the Imperial Palace, but he quickly dismissed the idea. The Sum Emperor never regarded the North Prince as his own child, even deeming him the stigma of his life, so how could he possibly send someone to protect him. ¡­ Meanwhile. Lu Chen and his group had already set off again. In the month that followed, Lu Chen faced no further assassination attempts. This was largely thanks to a certain rumor that had spread throughout Capital City. Nowadays, people believed that Lu Chen was protected by a Grandmaster; with a Grandmaster around, no one would be foolish enough to assassinate him. Of course, people did not believe that the Grandmaster would stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side to protect him indefinitely. There were not many of Master Level expertise throughout the whole Sum Country; it was impossible for one to continuously protect a useless prince. In people¡¯s eyes, that Grandmaster would most likely only protect the North Prince until they reached North City, then depart. Chapter 11 - 11 Chapter 11 Mu Zixuan is Pregnant_1 11 Chapter 11 Mu Zixuan is Pregnant_1 Translator: 549690339 After nearly two months of exhausting travel by carriage and boat, Lu Chen¡¯s caravan finally arrived at North City. Along the way, officials from the various prefectures and counties courteously received them. While on the road, Lu Chen had communicated with his wives and concubines, but due to the rush of the journey, there had hardly been any serious exchanges, and he scarcely practiced his Qi Refinement Mantra and Rejuvenating Skill. Upon seeing the boundary marker of North City, the fatigue of two months vanished in an instant. In a world without concrete roads, traveling by horse-drawn carriage could jolt a person to death. Now that he had reached North City, his plan to have children could finally be implemented! With that thought, Lu Chen ordered his men to quicken their pace toward his new mansion. Before long, Lu Chen¡¯s caravan arrived at Yan County in North City. With thirteen cities under its jurisdiction, Yan County was the most prosperous and would also serve as Lu Chen¡¯s princely city in the future. When Lu Chen¡¯s entourage made its appearance in Yan County, all the local officials came out to greet them, and the common people stood lining the roads. At that moment, many in the crowd quietly discussed the North Prince. ¡°At last, our North Land has been graced with a Seignior!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use? The North Prince is only sixteen, still a child.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the North Prince is an ignoramus, thrown to North City for that very reason.¡± ¡°Who knows if the North Prince will start raising taxes right away? If taxes go up again, we¡¯ll not be able to survive.¡± ¡°If the North Prince just indulges in merry-making in his mansion and ignores us, that would be best. I¡¯ve heard that in some places, life became much harder for the people after a Seignior arrived.¡± ¡­ As Lu Chen entered the city, he took a look at the common people on both sides of the road. The clothing of the North Land¡¯s inhabitants was clearly shabbier than that of people from other prefectures and counties. Compared to others, they were almost like beggars. This is too poor¡­ Yan County was still the wealthiest city in North City. If even the residents of Yan County were dressed so shabbily, one could only imagine the state of other counties. His father, the emperor, was truly heartless to send him to such a place. Lu Chen wondered if there were many women in North City who could reach a score of ninety, and whether this would affect his plans for taking concubines. Continually using the system to search the crowd for women who could score ninety, he scanned for a long time without finding a single one. Among the commoners on both sides of the road, the highest score for any woman did not exceed eighty. Lu Chen felt somewhat disappointed. When the caravan reached the city gate, the officials of North City all bowed and said, ¡°We greet you, Prince!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen stepped down from his carriage. Upon seeing Lu Chen emerge, the crowd immediately erupted with excitement. ¡°The North Prince is so handsome!¡± ¡°They say the North Prince is only sixteen, but he already looks as mature as a twenty-year-old man!¡± ¡°Judging by his appearance, the North Prince doesn¡¯t seem like the type who is uneducated, right?¡± ¡­ At this time, a middle-aged man dressed in a green robe stepped forward to Lu Chen and said, ¡°I am Li Rui, at your service, Prince!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen sized up Li Rui. [Name: Li Rui] [Identity: Temporary Governor of North City] [Strength: Fifth Rank] [Loyalty: 30 (In his opinion, you are a talentless waste of a Prince)] Seeing Li Rui¡¯s loyalty so low, Lu Chen immediately checked the loyalty of the officials of North City, only to find that almost all the officials had a loyalty similar to Li Rui¡¯s. That wasn¡¯t surprising; these people had most likely already inquired about his reputation in the Capital City. Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Prefecture Governor Li, may I know how the construction of my mansion is coming along?¡± Li Rui responded, ¡°Rest assured, Prince, your mansion has been completed, and it is ready for you to move in.¡± With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Then please lead the way.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After that, Li Rui and the others led the carriage team to the North Prince Mansion. Upon entering the North Prince Mansion, Li Rui directly asked, ¡°Prince, when will you have time? I would like to report to you the situation in North City.¡± Although Li Rui looked down on Lu Chen, the useless Prince, Lu Chen was, after all, the North Prince, the supreme ruler of North City now. The appointment and dismissal of officials in North City were decided by the North Prince. In this era, seigniors in their allotted lands held great power, not only administrative authority but also the right to appoint and dismiss officials, as well as the power to mint currency and command the military. Li Rui was only a temporary Prefecture Governor appointed by the court. With the arrival of the North Prince, there was a possibility that he would be transferred elsewhere, so Li Rui planned to make an impression on the North Prince and show his presence, to let him know he was a capable official. Hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen patted his shoulder with a smile and then said, ¡°Leave professional matters to professionals. Governor Li, you managed North City well before my arrival. Continue to govern North City on my behalf in the future.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Rui excitedly half-knelt and said, ¡°Thank you for your recognition, Prince. I will dedicate myself to assisting you with all my might, to my last breath.¡± Lu Chen found himself somewhat at a loss for words, he had only intended to find someone to do the job. At that moment, Lu Chen saw Li Rui¡¯s loyalty instantly rise to fifty and said, ¡°Alright, Governor Li, go about your business. If there is nothing important, do not come looking for me from now on. I am about to get acquainted with my mansion.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen walked towards his Prince¡¯s Mansion. Watching Lu Chen¡¯s departing figure, Li Rui¡¯s feelings were complex. Clearly, the North Prince intended to be a hands-off ruler, leaving all affairs of North City to him, the Prefecture Governor. Of course, this was good news for him¡ªwho didn¡¯t like power? But Li Rui also knew that taking over the power entrusted by the North Prince to an excessive degree could potentially lead to dissatisfaction from the court. In the Great Xia Dynasty, there had been a precedent where a Chief Secretary of a princely fiefdom had taken over all the seignior¡¯s powers and had thereafter been convicted by the court of ¡°usurping the seignior¡¯s authority, imprisoning the seignior,¡± leading to the eradication of that Chief Secretary¡¯s entire family. ¡­ After entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen decided on the courtyard he would reside in. He then took out a Dragon Phoenix Tree seed from the system space. After biting his fingertip and dripping a drop of blood on the Dragon Phoenix Tree seed, he buried the seed in the soil and instructed the servants to take good care of it. Once the Dragon Phoenix Tree grew, the tea brewed from its leaves could make women more reliant on him¡ªan item quite useful to Lu Chen. At that moment, Mu Zixuan, dressed in a red gauze dress, passed by the courtyard. Seeing Lu Chen repeatedly squeezing blood into the soil after biting his fingertip, she hurried into the courtyard. ¡°Prince, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Mu Zixuan had initially thought that Lu Chen was bitten by a poisonous snake and was squeezing out the venom. Glancing at the alluring Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, I am cultivating the Dragon Phoenix Tree with my blood.¡± Mu Zixuan asked with confusion, ¡°Dragon Phoenix Tree, what is that?¡± Lu Chen wrapped his arm around Mu Zixuan¡¯s slim waist in response, ¡°You will know in the future.¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s hand began to wander around Mu Zixuan¡¯s waist, ¡°My dear, why don¡¯t we go try out how comfortable the bed in the Prince¡¯s Mansion is right now?¡± Hearing that, a blush instantly appeared on Mu Zixuan¡¯s face. Then Lu Chen directly picked up Mu Zixuan around her waist and headed to the room. ¡­ [Building a relationship with your wife once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 10, congratulations on unlocking the Qi Refinement Mantra, successful in channeling Qi into the body.] [Congratulations, you have successfully impregnated Mu Zixuan, and you have earned the method to make soap.] [The reward for successful pregnancy is an encouragement reward, therefore the reward is comparatively small; giving birth successfully will yield much richer rewards.] Chapter 12 - 12 Chapter 12 You Are All Already Dead_1 12 Chapter 12 You Are All Already Dead_1 Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing the system¡¯s broadcast, Lu Chen instantly felt his body become incredibly refreshed, as if his skin could breathe. Lu Chen was extremely delighted. He had finally managed to draw spiritual energy into his body. After drawing spiritual energy into his body, had he not stepped onto the path of cultivation? Of course, there was another matter that delighted Lu Chen: Mu Zixuan was finally pregnant. In the previous two months, they had been on the road. Although they had communicated and often cultivated their relationship, there had been no sign of pregnancy for any of the three women. Unexpectedly, just after settling down, Mu Zixuan became pregnant. To bear offspring, a stable environment is indeed essential. Lu Chen, holding Mu Zixuan, gently stroked her fair and rosy skin while saying, ¡°My love, I have a method to make money. Are you interested in hearing about it?¡± Lu Chen was now the Seignior of North City, and the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s economic source mainly came from the taxes of the people. However, these taxes needed to be used to pay officials, leaving perhaps not much for the Prince¡¯s Mansion itself. If the Prince¡¯s Mansion wanted to live well, it still had to have its own industry, and it so happened that he obtained the method of making soap. Of course, the real money-makers were commodities like salt and iron, but for the time being, Lu Chen had no plans to touch these. These were things with too many vested interests involved. If he were to meddle with them upon arriving in North City, it would probably lead to more attempts on his life. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan¡¯s eyes lit up, and she immediately asked, ¡°Prince, what is the method you speak of?¡± Mu Zixuan also wanted to prove that her worth was not limited to the bedroom. When in the Capital, her father had trained her as if she were to become the Crown Princess Consort. Therefore, her abilities were quite strong in all aspects. Lu Chen replied, ¡°I have something in my possession that can clean clothes, and I believe that people will favor it.¡± Mu Zixuan asked with curiosity, ¡°Is the prince referring to soapberries?¡± In this world, there was a type of tree that bore fruit capable of cleaning clothes, which people referred to as soapberries. If it were soapberries, they were common and hard to turn into an industry. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Of course not, the thing I¡¯m referring to has a much stronger cleaning capability than soapberries. You¡¯ll understand once I have it made in a few days.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Understood, my lord.¡± At that moment, the voice of a maid came from outside, ¡°Prince, Madam Chu seeks an audience with you.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan quickly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, you better go see. Madam Chu must have something important to discuss.¡± They had just arrived in North City, and there were certainly many matters to attend to. Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t dare to cling to Lu Chen. If word got out that she was clinging to Lu Chen upon arriving in North City, she didn¡¯t know how many would criticize her. ¡°My love, rest well, I¡¯ll go check out the situation,¡± Lu Chen said. Reluctantly getting up from the bed, Lu Chen dressed and left the room. When Lu Chen arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s Training Ground, he saw Li Feng and Chu Yuqin discussing something. Seeing Lu Chen coming over, Li Feng hastily said, ¡°Prince, I greet you.¡± Lu Chen looked at Chu Yuqin and asked, ¡°Madam Chu, did you want to see me about something?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°It¡¯s not me looking for you, but General Li.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell back onto Li Feng. Li Feng quickly took out a letter from his bosom and said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, this is from Duke Mu. He instructed me to deliver this letter to you once we reached North City.¡± Lu Chen immediately took the letter from Li Feng and began to read it carefully. At that moment, Li Feng and the hundred or so soldiers behind him were intently watching the letter in Lu Chen¡¯s hands. Li Feng, in particular, seemed very nervous. He didn¡¯t know what the letter contained, and he was now afraid that the North Prince would silence them. After all, they were about to return to the Capital, and the North Prince might not trust them. After reading the letter, Lu Chen glanced at Li Feng and the others. Li Feng¡¯s loyalty had now risen to eighty-seven, making him a completely reliable subordinate. The loyalty of the soldiers from the Guard Team was also high, with basically none dropping below sixty. Lu Chen spoke plainly, ¡°Duke Mu has informed me in this letter that you have all perished.¡± As soon as these words came out, there was an uproar. ¡°` Li Feng and the others couldn¡¯t help but wonder in their hearts, could the North Prince actually be planning to silence them? No, it should be said that Duke Mu never intended to let them live and return, after all, the letter was from Duke Mu to the North Prince. Seeing Li Feng and his men seeming very nervous, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Duke Mu has asked me to tell you that he has already had your family members brought to Yan County. You¡¯ve been removed from the Hu Ben Army, and from now on, you will follow me.¡± This¡­ Li Feng immediately realized that they had misunderstood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning. They were already ¡°dead¡±, meaning they had been dismissed from the Great Su¡¯s Hu Ben Army. It seems that Duke Mu had no intention of letting them return to the Capital from the start but wanted them to follow the North Prince. At this moment, Lu Chen revealed a sly smile, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t wish to follow me, I won¡¯t force you.¡± Hearing this, Li Feng and those hundred-plus soldiers kneeled without hesitation, ¡°We swear to follow the Prince to the death!¡± Are you kidding? If they dared to utter the word ¡°no¡± now, they definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to leave Yan County, they weren¡¯t fools. Moreover, following the North Prince wasn¡¯t a bad thing. After learning that the North Prince possessed a weapon capable of killing Ninth Grade experts, they believed he had always been hiding his abilities. Once the North Prince returned to the Capital and reigned supreme, all of them would have the merit of dragons. The choice was obvious, no need to think it over. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, all of you get up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± Lu Chen took out a token from his bosom and tossed it to Li Feng, ¡°General Li, take my token and take command of the North City¡¯s troops.¡± ¡°The training of the troops will be your responsibility.¡± Li Feng immediately clasped his fists, ¡°I will not let the Prince down, I will quickly reorganize the North City army and train them into a fighting force.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush, making big moves may have negative impacts.¡± Li Feng immediately caught on and replied, ¡°Understood, I will proceed with caution.¡± Li Feng thought that the North Prince must be planning to continue concealing his skills to avoid alerting others to his schemes. ¡°Alright, go about your business.¡± With that, Lu Chen turned and prepared to leave. At this moment, Chu Yuqin watched Lu Chen¡¯s retreating figure and felt an uneasy feeling in her heart. For some reason, she always sensed as if there was a mass of qi around Lu Chen. To confirm her suspicion, Chu Yuqin propelled herself forward with a push of her toes and instantly appeared behind Lu Chen. Feeling the fluctuation of spiritual energy behind him, Lu Chen turned around abruptly, just in time to see Chu Yuqin, and their gazes met. Chu Yuqin was less than thirty centimeters away from him, a faint fragrance drifted into Lu Chen¡¯s nostrils, causing a stir in his body. ¡°Madam Chu, what are you¡­¡± Chu Yuqin smiled, then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I never expected you to become a martial artist behind my back. How come I¡¯ve never seen you practicing martial arts before? What kind of cultivation art are you practicing?¡± Uh¡­ Realizing he had been exposed, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, it¡¯s a little secret of men.¡± Chu Yuqin feigned annoyance, ¡°Where do you get all these secrets from?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°A deep man has many secrets in his heart, it¡¯s normal.¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a speechless glare, then said, ¡°Fine, don¡¯t tell me. I¡¯m off to set up the defenses.¡± As she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin¡¯s figure moved towards the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s graceful and poised figure, Lu Chen felt the flames in his heart burning more fervently. He quickly turned away and ran to find his two concubines to practice cultivation. ¡°` Chapter 13 - 13 Chapter 13: Retaking Military Authority in North City_1 13 Chapter 13: Retaking Military Authority in North City_1 Translator: 549690339 Yan County. Prefectural Government. Seeing Li Rui returning, the officials of North City swarmed around him. One official asked, ¡°Lord Li, did the Prince mention what he plans to do next?¡± The officials of North City were all deeply concerned about what major moves the North Prince might make after arriving in the North Land and whether it would affect their positions and interests. Li Rui revealed a slight smile, raised his hand to touch his beard, then replied calmly, ¡°The Prince told me to not bother him with non-urgent matters, everything in North City will remain as usual!¡± Upon hearing this, the officials of North City became incredibly excited. If that was the case, their power and their interests would remain unharmed. Although they didn¡¯t say it out loud, they all thought, ¡°Luckily the imperial court sent a useless Prince to North City.¡± However, just at that moment, a soldier from the Prefectural Government rushed in panicked. He approached Li Rui and whispered something to him. After listening to the soldier, Li Rui frowned and his expression turned grave. Seeing how troubled Li Rui looked, an official hastily asked, ¡°Lord Li, what has happened?¡± Before the official had finished speaking, Li Feng entered the Prefectural Government. Seeing Li Rui and the group of officials, Li Feng said with a smile, ¡°Lord Li, your residence is quite lively today!¡± Li Rui came to his senses and quickly approached, saying, ¡°That¡¯s an overstatement.¡± ¡°May I know what message General Li has for us at my residence?¡± Li Feng directly brought out the North Prince¡¯s token and then said, ¡°The Prince has ordered that, starting from today, all military affairs in North City will be handed over to me.¡± Hearing this, the officials in the courtyard became panicked. The main reason they had been so brazen and indifferent to the North Prince was that the military of North City was under the control of the Governor. The North Prince had just arrived in North City and was now taking over its military affairs¡ªwhat was he planning? The military was a sensitive matter. If a seignior took control of the military, he must have some plans in mind. Could it be that the North Prince was planning to turn against them? At this moment, Li Rui said, ¡°General Li, the Prince has just arrived in North City and is not yet familiar with it. May I know why he has assigned you to take over the military affairs?¡± Li Rui didn¡¯t think that the North Prince was aiming to strike at the powers in North City, at least not in the short term. After all, he had only just arrived and hadn¡¯t yet established a strong foothold. Moreover, in order to maintain his rule over North City, the North Prince still needed these officials and the major powers in North City. Even if the North Prince wasn¡¯t well-informed, he wouldn¡¯t likely undertake such an act that would destroy his own foundations. Li Feng saw the concerns of Li Rui and the others and said directly, ¡°Lord Li, you must have heard about the assassination attempt on the Prince by Blood Moon Tower on his way to the fief, right?¡± Li Rui said, ¡°Naturally.¡± Li Feng continued, ¡°Given that, then you should understand why the Prince wants to take control of the military power. The Prince doesn¡¯t want his personal safety to be in the hands of others.¡± After Li Feng¡¯s explanation, Li Rui and the others immediately realized the situation. Indeed, the North Prince had been attacked on his way here, and he was young and likely got scared. Perhaps it was because he feared death, and feared that the North City¡¯s military might harm him, so he decided to take control of the military power. Li Feng went on to say, ¡°Lord Li, you wouldn¡¯t be unwilling to hand over the military authority, would you?¡± ¡°The Prince has entrusted you with all the affairs of North City. If the military power remains in your hands, who is the true Prince, you or the North Prince?¡± At these words from Li Feng, cold sweat broke out on Li Rui¡¯s forehead. Indeed, if all the power of North City were in his hands and he had no one to restrict him, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the imperial court would send someone to cause trouble for him. Li Rui thought it over. Since there weren¡¯t that many soldiers in North City anyway, it would be better to hand them over promptly and avoid trouble. With this in mind, Li Rui immediately took out the Tiger Talisman from his bosom, ¡°General Li, this is the Tiger Talisman that governs all the troops of North City.¡± Then, Li Rui turned to a soldier dressed in armor beside him and instructed, ¡°Captain Wang, please take General Li to the barracks to have a look.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Following that, Li Feng followed the soldier to the barracks of Yan County. After Li Feng left, the officials who had been behind Li Rui gathered around him. ¡°Lord, why did you hand over the Tiger Talisman to him!¡± ¡°Yes, Lord, what if the Prince misuses the military authority?¡± ¡°Lord, what should we do now?¡± ¡­ Hearing the discussions among the officials, Li Rui said, ¡°Rest assured, military authority should naturally reside in the hands of the Prince. It is perfectly normal for the Prince to take back control.¡± ¡°Moreover, you all heard Li Feng¡¯s words just now. The Prince has delegated all affairs of North City to me. If I were to retain control over the military, not only would the Prince find it hard to accept me, but the court would never tolerate me either.¡± Hearing this explanation, some officials who were quick on the uptake immediately understood Li Rui¡¯s intentions. After all, there had been a case in the Great Xia Dynasty where an official in a Prince¡¯s Mansion had monopolized power and imprisoned a Seignior. Still, they remained somewhat concerned. Once the North Prince had military power, it meant he had a weapon in hand. It would be easy for him to deal with them, and they no longer dared to act recklessly as they had before. Li Rui continued, ¡°Now, you all should return to your respective jurisdictions.¡± ¡°If the North Prince issues any command, I will notify you at the first opportunity.¡± After hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, the officials had no choice but to leave the Prefectural Government office one after the other. ¡­ A few days later. North Prince Mansion. In the courtyard, Lu Chen watched as the servants made soap following the blueprint and decided to try one piece by rubbing it on a dirty piece of clothing. Soon, the stains on the dirty clothes were washed away, leaving them clean and pristine. Seeing this scene, everyone in the courtyard let out incredulous exclamations. Chu Yuqin curiously asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, where did you find the method to make this? The soap works so well!¡± As he washed his hands, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, would you believe me if I said I thought of it myself?¡± Raising her beautiful eyes, Chu Yuqin spoke with a hint of sarcasm, ¡°Chen¡¯er has certainly grown up, keeping more and more secrets, and hiding everything from Madam.¡± Seeing that the atmosphere seemed a bit uneasy, Mu Zixuan hurriedly tried to smooth things over, ¡°Madam Chu, this is indeed a method that the Prince came up with.¡± In truth, Chu Yuqin was only slightly mocking in her tone, and not angry at all; she had long since given up on probing Lu Chen¡¯s secrets. That said, Chu Yuqin still felt a sourness in her heart, thinking back to when Lu Chen used to tell her everything, but now kept everything to himself after getting married. At that moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao changed the subject, ¡°Prince, how do you plan to sell this soap?¡± Lu Chen had already made it clear before making the soap that he intended to sell it, so Zhou Xiaoxiao was curious about how the Prince planned to price such an effective cleaning product. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s sell it for between three to ten coins per piece.¡± Startled, Zhou Youyou, who was nearby, said, ¡°That cheap?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Thin profits and high turnover. This is meant to replace bath beans, it shouldn¡¯t be too expensive, or no one will buy it.¡± At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Mu Zixuan. ¡°Consort, the soap venture shall be entrusted to you.¡± Excited, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Rest assured, Prince, I will take good care of the soap venture and fill the mansion¡¯s treasury as soon as possible.¡± No sooner had Mu Zixuan spoken than her complexion suddenly turned pale and she began to retch. Seeing this, Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly went to her side to support her, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Quick¡­ call the physician!¡± Chapter 14 - 14 Chapter 14 Hunters Often Appear in the Form of Prey_1 14 Chapter 14 Hunters Often Appear in the Form of Prey_1 Translator: 549690339 Seeing Mu Zixuan retch, Lu Chen figured out what was probably the matter. After all, he had received a system prompt a few days ago, and the method for making soap was obtained due to Mu Zixuan¡¯s pregnancy. Still, even knowing she was pregnant, it was necessary to have a doctor look at her. His Rejuvenating Skill hadn¡¯t begun training yet, and he couldn¡¯t assist Mu Zixuan in examining her condition, so he could only let a doctor come and check. Mu Zixuan was then moved back into her room, where, lying on the bed, she looked up at Lu Chen beside her and said, ¡°Prince, your concubine is alright.¡± Lu Chen, stroking Mu Zixuan¡¯s cheek, smiled and replied, ¡°You should still rest. Let¡¯s wait until the doctor has looked at you.¡± Soon, the doctor arrived in the room. After a simple pulse check, he immediately rose and bowed, exclaiming, ¡°Congratulations, Prince. The Princess Consort is with child!¡± At these words, everyone in the room became excited. Zhou Xiaoxiao, beside Mu Zixuan, said, ¡°Sister, that¡¯s wonderful! You¡¯re pregnant! Our prince will have an heir!¡± Lu Chen, also overjoyed, said, ¡°Xiao Rou, give the doctor two taels of silver!¡± Hearing this, the doctor quickly responded, ¡°Thank you for the reward, Prince!¡± Two taels of silver was no small sum in those days; a doctor wouldn¡¯t know how many patients he¡¯d have to see to earn that much. After the doctor had left, Lu Chen, touching Mu Zixuan¡¯s belly, said with a smile, ¡°My love, it seems all our hard work these past days has been worth it.¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s face turned red; there were so many people around, and Lu Chen was speaking so directly. At that moment, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, I won¡¯t be able to attend to you for a while.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No matter, your duty now is to rest and nurture the baby.¡± Mu Zixuan then asked, ¡°Prince, when do you plan to have Xiaoxiao and Youyou formally enter our household?¡± Although Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou were already Lu Chen¡¯s women, the wedding feast had not been held yet. Since the Prince would be taking concubines, the wedding feast was definitely still necessary. After thinking for a bit, Lu Chen answered, ¡°We¡¯ll hold it in a couple of days.¡± Mu Zixuan, smiling, asked, ¡°May your concubine take care of this matter?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If my love is willing, then I¡¯ll leave this task to you.¡± Seeing Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan so affectionate, Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help feeling uncomfortable, and she quietly left the room. She used to be the one by Lu Chen¡¯s side; now that he had a Princess Consort, it seemed he no longer needed his concubine, which left her feeling desolate. A few days later. Word got out from the North Prince Mansion that the North Prince was taking concubines. Hearing this news, various powers from North City began to prepare gifts. At the Hundred Flowers Tower. A woman in a red robe sat by the window, gazing at the bustling crowd in the distance. The red robe hung loosely on her, exposing her fair collarbone and a dazzling expanse of skin that could easily mesmerize onlookers if noticed. Her supremely beautiful face was flawless, cheeks tinged with a gentle blush, radiating youthful charm. The woman¡¯s lips curved slightly, her peach blossom eyes seemed to hold a hint of allure, adding to her enchanting appearance. Her hair was piled up high, secured with a phoenix hairpin, with long locks cascading over her shoulders, her curvaceous figure enhancing her alluring aura. Just then, a woman wearing a mask entered the room, stating from behind the curtain, ¡°Saintess, the Pavilion Master wants you to complete your mission and leave North City as soon as possible.¡± At these words, the woman in red let out a cold laugh, her voice as clear and melodious as the song of a forest bird. ¡°The North Prince has been hiding in his mansion; we still can¡¯t confirm whether his Grandmaster has left his side or not. It¡¯s not that easy to complete the mission.¡± The woman outside the curtain replied, ¡°The Pavilion Master said it was the prince¡¯s order; even he can¡¯t do anything about it. If you need any help, please ask.¡± Wang Qingci said indifferently, ¡°Forget it, reply to him and tell him that I will find an opportunity to approach the North Prince as soon as possible, so he doesn¡¯t need to rush me.¡± Wang Qingci was somewhat irritated at the moment, having arrived in Yan County two months ago in order to get close to the North Prince. She even deliberately turned herself into an Oiran. However, since the North Prince¡¯s arrival in Yan County, he had not visited the Hundred Flowers Tower even once. People said the North Prince was unlearned and licentious, liking to sneak into the pleasure quarters to listen to music. But once he arrived in North City, it was like he became a different person, staying inside his mansion all the time, going nowhere else. Wang Qingci also tried to send people to gather intelligence at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, but the guards were numerous, and with Chu Yuqin personally in charge, her people found it very difficult to infiltrate. Now, they didn¡¯t even know what the situation was like inside the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At that moment, a bluebird flew in from outside the window and landed before Wang Qingci, who immediately caught it and took the paper from its leg. After reading the message, Wang Qingci smiled gracefully; it seemed their intelligence has not been wrong, the North Prince indeed had a weakness for beauty. He had only been in North City for a few days and was already taking concubines. For her, this was good news. She needed to find a way to visit the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and if she could catch the attention of the North Prince, that would be perfect. The beauty trap was her best tool, especially when it came to assassination. Several days later. North Prince Mansion. Today was Lu Chen¡¯s day to take a concubine. The mansion was decorated brightly with lanterns, and guests bearing gifts came in an endless stream. Mu Zixuan was in charge of all the arrangements for the concubinage this time, and virtually all the major powers of North City had received invitations from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Mu Zixuan was also planning to use this opportunity to promote soap, hence she invited all the major powers of North City. While receiving gifts, Lu Chen sat in the martial arts training ground, listening to reports from his mansion about the gifts from various powers while his eyes scanned the women who had come to attend the wedding banquet. In the Great Xia Dynasty, unwed women generally did not leave home to attend others¡¯ wedding banquets. However, many today had brought forth their unwed daughters in hope of catching the Prince¡¯s attention to arrange a marriage with him. But after scanning the crowd, Lu Chen did not find any woman whose score exceeded ninety. Lu Chen sighed and thought, ¡°Yan County is indeed too small, too poor; even women with scores over ninety are this scarce.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to give up, a woman in a purple dress caught his eye. [Name: Wang Qingci] [Status: Ninth Grade martial artist, adopted daughter of the Wang Family from the South, Saintess of Misty Pavilion, temporary Tower Master of Hundred Flowers Tower. She came to attend the North Prince¡¯s marriage celebration specifically to assassinate the North Prince, intending to draw his attention and seduce him using her beauty.] [Score: 95] [Favorability: 0] Seeing the prompt before his eyes, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected a Ninth Grade assassin to have infiltrated the gathering. Oh, that¡¯s not right, she didn¡¯t infiltrate, she walked in openly and aboveboard. Looking at Wang Qingci¡¯s enchanting figure, and her smooth, ample shoulders and the bright whiteness of her skin, Lu Chen felt a bit dizzy. It was rare to find a woman with a score of 95, and she turned out to be an assassin; what bad luck. Finding a woman with a score of 95 was not easy; he certainly had to find a way to obtain this enchanting rose and have her bear his children. With that thought, Lu Chen fell deep in thought. It seemed that the Dragon Phoenix Tree had already grown, and later he would test the effects of the Dragon Phoenix Tree leaves used to make tea. If the Dragon and Phoenix Tea was effective, then his identity and that of Wang Qingci¡¯s would undergo a change. Thinking this, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved up slightly. Sometimes a hunter appears in the form of the prey. Chapter 15 - 15 Chapter 15 Bluffing Chu Yuqin_1 15 Chapter 15 Bluffing Chu Yuqin_1 Translator: 549690339 At this moment, Wang Qingci also noticed Lu Chen, after all, she had come specifically for him. Seeing that the North Prince was smiling at her, Wang Qingci was overjoyed, and it seemed her plan had already succeeded by half, and she indeed had caught the attention of the North Prince. All she needed to do now was wait quietly. She believed it wouldn¡¯t be long before the North Prince would come looking for her, confident in her own beauty. Soon, Wang Qingci smiled back at Lu Chen as well. After the wedding banquet was over, Lu Chen left straight away, whereas Mu Zixuan stayed to chat with the females who had attended the wedding. Lu Chen had long since communicated and exchanged feelings with Zhou Xiaoxiao, so he wasn¡¯t in a hurry about the wedding chamber at all. He now headed to the main courtyard, the one where he had planted the Dragon Phoenix Tree. The Dragon Phoenix Tree hadn¡¯t been planted for even half a month, but it had already grown as tall as Lu Chen¡¯s waist. However, the Dragon Phoenix Tree looked no different from any ordinary tree. Lu Chen plucked a few leaves from the Dragon Phoenix Tree, intending to brew tea for Zhou Xiaoxiao and her sister later in the wedding chamber. At that time, Chu Yuqin appeared in the yard. Seeing that Lu Chen was neither receiving guests nor looking for Zhou Xiaoxiao and her sister but had run to this yard to look at a tree, Chu Yuqin asked with curiosity, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what are you doing here? Why aren¡¯t you looking for the Zhou sisters?¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, Lu Chen was startled, then he turned his head to look at her, and an idea suddenly formed in his mind. At this point, Lu Chen asked the system in his heart. ¡°System, is it true that after a woman drinks the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, she will become dependent on me and unable to leave me?¡± [That is correct.] [Moreover, after a woman drinks the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, she will be unable to harm you, and when you touch their bodies, they will lose their strength.] [However, if the woman who drinks the Dragon and Phoenix Tea has a favorability towards you, the tea can enhance their skill to a certain extent.] Hearing this from the system, Lu Chen was surprised; he had thought that the Dragon and Phoenix Tea would at most make women dependent on him, not that it also had the effect of increasing skill. Since Chu Yuqin had such a high favorability towards him, then if she drank more Dragon and Phoenix Tea, it would definitely increase her skill substantially. With this thought, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°No rush, it¡¯s broad daylight now, what do you want me to do by searching for them, could it be, Madam Chu, you want me to perform that what¡­¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a white look, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? I just want you to talk to the two sisters, now that you¡¯re married.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin, looking at the Dragon Phoenix Tree leaves in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, asked out of curiosity, ¡°What are you doing with the tree leaves?¡± Instead of directly answering Chu Yuqin¡¯s question, Lu Chen looked around carefully and said in a cautious tone, ¡°Madam Chu, come with me, I have a secret to tell you.¡± At these words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes lit up, and she was instantly intrigued. Lately she had discovered that Lu Chen had many secrets; each time she asked him about them, Lu Chen would use the excuse that he was all grown up and unwilling to tell her, making her wonder if Lu Chen no longer recognized her as his aunt. Since Lu Chen was willing to share a secret with her today, she definitely wanted to hear it; she was curious about what kind of secret Lu Chen would reveal. At this time, Lu Chen headed towards his room, with Chu Yuqin quickly following. Once in his room, Lu Chen placed the leaves he was holding into the teapot on the table. Seeing this, Chu Yuqin grew even more curious, wondering what Lu Chen was up to. After a moment, Lu Chen poured the brewed Dragon and Phoenix Tea into two purple clay cups, ¡°Madam Chu, try the flavor of this tea.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin paused for a second, then asked unbelievingly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, is this what you call a secret?¡± Lu Chen said mysteriously, ¡°Madam Chu, once you drink it, you¡¯ll understand the secret I¡¯m talking about.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen picked up a purple clay cup from the table and drained the Dragon and Phoenix Tea inside. Seeing Lu Chen drink, Chu Yuqin hesitated but picked up the purple clay cup in front of her and gently sipped the Dragon and Phoenix Tea inside. After just a small sip, Chu Yuqin immediately felt a cool sensation flooding into her heart. The next moment, Chu Yuqin discovered that the skill inside her body was slowly growing. Her realm had stagnated at Ninth Grade for many years, and she had thought it would be difficult to advance any further, but to her surprise, just a sip of the tea started to loosen the constraints on her realm. Chu Yuqin then drained the cup of Dragon and Phoenix Tea and fixed her beautiful eyes intently on Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, if I¡¯m not mistaken, the leaves you had in your hands were from that tree in the middle of the courtyard, weren¡¯t they?¡± Chu Yuqin had long noticed that Lu Chen seemed particularly concerned about the tree in the center of the courtyard, and she had always been curious why Lu Chen, after arriving in North City, watered the tree himself every day. So the leaves from that tree could actually enhance one¡¯s skill! That was truly unbelievable! Lu Chen still didn¡¯t answer Chu Yuqin¡¯s question but instead asked back, ¡°Madam Chu, how do you feel now?¡± Chu Yuqin closed her eyes slightly, and the next moment, a stream of energy spread out from her body. When Chu Yuqin opened her eyes, she could hardly believe it. She had actually broken through to the Half-step Grandmaster! Although there was still a long way to go before becoming a Grandmaster, this at least gave her hope. Only then did Lu Chen begin to explain, ¡°Madam Chu, the tree in the courtyard is called the Dragon Phoenix Tree, and drinking tea brewed with its leaves can help martial artists enhance their skill.¡± Lu Chen revealed only part of the content; as for the other uses of Dragon and Phoenix Tea, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t planned on telling Chu Yuqin yet. Chu Yuqin was of a gentler disposition, and Lu Chen hadn¡¯t planned on coming on strong from the start. Hearing what Lu Chen said, Chu Yuqin was extremely surprised; although she had already experienced the benefits of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, hearing Lu Chen¡¯s explanation made it feel even more incredible. If Lu Chen could produce a weapon that kills Ninth Grade martial artists instantly, what¡¯s more, he had now found a plant that could enhance skill from who knows where. If word of this got out, the entire Martial Arts World would likely be thrown into chaos! By then, goodness knows how many Master Level experts would come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to fight over that tree! Not just Grandmasters, but perhaps even Grandmasters might take an interest in that tree. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t plan on asking Lu Chen where it came from because, after all, asking him would probably not yield an answer. At that moment, Chu Yuqin sighed and asked worriedly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, does anyone else know about the uses of this tree?¡± Lu Chen shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ve only told you, Madam Chu, no one else knows.¡± Chu Yuqin cautioned, ¡°You must not tell anyone else about the uses of this tree, otherwise the North Prince Mansion will face great trouble, and by then, even I won¡¯t be able to protect the North Prince Mansion.¡± Lu Chen assured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Chu, I understand the pros and cons.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright, you should go see Xiaoxiao and Youyou now.¡± Lu Chen ummed and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll head over there now.¡± After the sound of his voice faded, Lu Chen turned around and left. For some reason, as she watched Lu Chen¡¯s tall figure walking away, Chu Yuqin suddenly felt a little unsettled. Chapter 16 - 16 Chapter 16 Thank You Prince for the Reward_1 16 Chapter 16 Thank You Prince for the Reward_1 Translator: 549690339 After leaving the main courtyard, Lu Chen was planning to visit the courtyard of the Zhou sisters when he spotted Mu Zixuan leading Wang Qingci towards the back courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Lu Chen was curious, why had Mu Zixuan brought this woman here? He furrowed his brow, fearing that Wang Qingci, wanting to get close to him, had concocted some excuse to deceive Mu Zixuan. This wouldn¡¯t do! If this woman was here for himself, there would be no problem at all. But if Wang Qingci hurt Mu Zixuan in the process, that would be troublesome, for Mu Zixuan was pregnant again. With this thought, Lu Chen hurriedly followed them. As Lu Chen entered the back courtyard, the maid Xiao Rou was about to prepare tea. Lu Chen immediately stopped her and said, ¡°Xiao Rou, when you make the tea later, use these leaves.¡± With that, Lu Chen handed the leaves he was holding to Xiao Rou. Xiao Rou didn¡¯t think much of it, after all, she was just a maid. ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After handing the Dragon Phoenix Tree leaves to Xiao Rou, Lu Chen also entered the back courtyard. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Wang Qingci¡¯s heart immediately filled with joy, finally having found a chance to get close to the North Prince. Of course, she had no intention of taking action against the North Prince just yet. This time, she got close to the North Prince mainly to make herself known, to leave an impression on him and deepen his memory of her. She wasn¡¯t certain whether the Grandmaster mentioned in the rumors had left the North Prince¡¯s side; at this time, acting rashly could mean she might not be able to leave the North Prince Mansion herself. At that moment, Wang Qingci promptly rose from her stone seat and, with a bow, said, ¡°This common girl pays respects to the Prince!¡± Mu Zixuan, seeing Lu Chen come here, asked curiously, ¡°Prince, why didn¡¯t you go to see your sisters?¡± Although Lu Chen had already had his way with Xiaoxiao and Youyou, today was still the day of the wedding banquet, and he was supposed to go through the formalities. Yet, here he was. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°No hurry, we¡¯ll talk about it tonight.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen sized up Wang Qingci before him, emanating an alluring fragrance from head to toe¡ªshe truly was a seductress. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Wang Qingci immediately introduced herself, ¡°Replying to the Prince, this one is the Oiran from the Hundred Flowers Tower.¡± At this time, Mu Zixuan added, ¡°Prince, after seeing the effects of the soap, Miss Wang intends to place an order for a batch of soap from us.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°You two continue, don¡¯t mind me.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen walked over and sat down at the edge of the pavilion, At this moment, Xiao Rou came into the courtyard with the brewed Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Xiao Rou poured a cup of Dragon and Phoenix Tea for each of them. Wang Qingci then continued speaking to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Your Highness, our Hundred Flowers Tower intends to order a large quantity of soap, may I know how long it will take for the Prince¡¯s Mansion to make it?¡± Wang Qingci wasn¡¯t really paying attention to Mu Zixuan right now, but as it wasn¡¯t the time to be too presumptuous, she pretended to discuss business. Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°How many do you need?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°One thousand pieces.¡± Mu Zixuan was somewhat surprised; this was the first time the Prince¡¯s Mansion had received such a large order. ¡°That many?¡± Wang Qingci grinned and then explained, ¡°The ladies of the Hundred Flowers Tower have many clothes that require washing every day, and to clean these clothes, the tower must purchase a large quantity of soap beans outside the city every day.¡± Mu Zixuan thought about it and felt there was some sense to it. After all, in a place of pleasure, the dresses worn by those women of the evening had to be clean, so it was normal to consume a lot of soap. Could it be that in the future, the Hundred Flowers Tower might also become a major client of the Prince¡¯s Mansion? It was when Mu Zixuan was happy about the first big order for the Prince¡¯s Mansion that she noticed Lu Chen¡¯s eyes sweeping over Wang Qingci not far from the pavilion. Mu Zixuan immediately understood why Lu Chen was here; he had come for Wang Qingci. But Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t think much of it; Lu Chen¡¯s fondness for beauty was well known. Wang Qingci was the oiran of the Hundred Flowers Tower, enchantingly beautiful, so it was normal for Lu Chen to be interested. At that moment, Wang Qingci lifted the teacup on the table and took a sip. With that sip, Wang Qingci suddenly felt a refreshing sensation surge in her heart and was momentarily stunned. She then asked, ¡°Your Highness, where does the Prince¡¯s Mansion get its tea from?¡± Hearing this unexpected question, Mu Zixuan was a bit confused; she had not anticipated Wang Qingci would suddenly steer the conversation toward tea. Curious, Mu Zixuan also picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip, and she immediately understood why Wang Qingci had asked about the tea. Mu Zixuan turned to look at the maid beside her, ¡°Xiao Rou, what kind of tea did you brew? Why have I never tasted this kind of tea before?¡± Before Xiao Rou could reply, Lu Chen, who was not far away, took the initiative to say, ¡°My beloved concubine, do you remember that tree in my court?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan immediately remembered the tree Lu Chen had been tending to with care recently. She had always been curious as to why Lu Chen was so attentive to that tree; it turned out to be a special tea tree. At this time, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Prince, could it be that the teapot holds leaves plucked from that tree?¡± Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Wang Qingci and, smiling, he inquired, ¡°Miss Wang, how do you like the tea?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°It¡¯s fragrant and sweet, refreshing and invigorating; I¡¯ve never tasted such miraculous tea before.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Since Miss Wang likes it, I will have someone pick some fresh tea leaves to take back with you.¡± Wang Qingci thought to herself that it seemed the North Prince was planning to use this tea to ingratiate himself with her, and judging by this pace, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the North Prince became a visitor to her bedchamber, and her mission would soon be accomplished. Thinking this, Wang Qingci revealed a seductive smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m profoundly grateful for the Prince¡¯s gracious gift.¡± Then, Lu Chen said to Xiao Rou, ¡°Xiao Rou, go and pick two liangs of fresh tea leaves from the tree I often water for Miss Wang to take back.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Afterwards, Xiao Rou left the rear courtyard to go pick tea leaves from the formal garden. After that, Wang Qingci and Mu Zixuan continued discussing the soap business. Once the delivery date was confirmed, Wang Qingci left the Prince¡¯s Mansion with the freshly picked leaves of the Dragon Phoenix Tree that Xiao Rou had plucked. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s eyes still fixed on Wang Qingci¡¯s departing figure, Mu Zixuan sat beside him and said, ¡°Prince, if you fancy Miss Wang, I could have someone purchase her from the Hundred Flowers Tower to serve you¡ªit¡¯s likely that Miss Wang is still a maiden.¡± Mu Zixuan was quite open-minded about affairs concerning women and did not harbor thoughts of jealousy. Hearing this, Lu Chen was brought back to his senses. He wrapped his large hand around Mu Zixuan¡¯s waist, pulled her up forcefully and sat her on his lap. Then, speaking softly into Mu Zixuan¡¯s ear, Lu Chen said, ¡°My beloved concubine, you can¡¯t possibly think she¡¯s just an ordinary oiran, can you?¡± Lu Chen planned to reveal Wang Qingci¡¯s true identity to her; after all, Wang Qingci had ulterior motives regarding him. If she had too much contact with Mu Zixuan, it might be harmful to Mu Zixuan, so it was better to inform her of Wang Qingci¡¯s real identity and have Mu Zixuan be more cautious around her. Chapter 17 - 17 Chapter 17 Grandmasters Arent That Big of a Deal_1 17 Chapter 17 Grandmasters Aren¡¯t That Big of a Deal_1 Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan slightly spaced out. In her eyes, Wang Qingci was indeed nothing more than an ordinary Oiran. Lu Chen continued, ¡°She is a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, the Saintess of the Misty Pavilion.¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s mind jolted, as she had no knowledge of what force Misty Pavilion represented. But for a Ninth Grade Martial Artist to end up at a place like the Hundred Flowers Tower to become an Oiran clearly indicated some sort of conspiracy. Now Mu Zixuan understood why Wang Qingci suddenly sought to get close to her. It seemed that ordering soap was just a pretext, while the real intention was to get close to the Prince. Mu Zixuan quickly said, ¡°Your Highness, this servant has erred, not knowing her true identity and leading the wolf into the house. This servant is willing to accept punishment!¡± Lu Chen lifted his hand and caressed Mu Zixuan¡¯s delicate nose, smiling as he said, ¡°Those who don¡¯t know are not guilty; I don¡¯t blame you.¡± Mu Zixuan then asked, ¡°What does Your Highness plan to do with her and the Hundred Flowers Tower next?¡± Lu Chen did not answer directly but instead looked at the teapot on the stone table and said, ¡°My love, did you feel anything special after drinking the Dragon and Phoenix Tea just now?¡± Mu Zixuan thought for a moment, special feelings? ¡°After drinking the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, I felt very refreshed.¡± Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Anything else? For example, any agitation in your body?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hands were rubbing Mu Zixuan¡¯s stomach, causing her face to instantly flush red as she immediately understood what Lu Chen was inquiring. ¡°Just now, scenes of our wedding night suddenly came to my mind, and those images lingered incessantly.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s the effect of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea.¡± ¡°The Dragon and Phoenix Tea cultivated with my blood will make the woman who drinks it develop affection toward me.¡± By now, Mu Zixuan¡¯s favorability towards him had already reached ninety-five, so there was no need to conceal the tea¡¯s effect from her. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan immediately reacted, saying that was why she suddenly had a strong desire to be close to Lu Chen. It was the influence of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. At this moment, Mu Zixuan recalled how, upon Wang Qingci¡¯s departure, Lu Chen had given her two liang of Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Mu Zixuan then asked, ¡°Your Highness gives Dragon and Phoenix Tea to Wang Qingci; is it that you intend to win her over?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The Misty Pavilion sent me a Ninth Grade beauty of peerless elegance; how could I not accept her?¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°This servant congratulates Your Highness on soon winning over a Ninth Grade expert.¡± Lu Chen merely smiled slightly, without saying much more. ¡­ After spending some warm moments in the pavilion with Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen felt a bit restless and thus headed to the northern courtyard. At this time, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou were quietly waiting in their room. Although they were already Lu Chen¡¯s women, they were still very much looking forward to his visit. Unlike marrying a principal wife, taking a concubine involved fewer formalities; after the banquet, they could proceed to the main affair. Lu Chen entered the room and found the two sisters sitting on the bed. He brewed a pot of Dragon and Phoenix Tea and said to them, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Youyou, come here and try the tea I¡¯ve brewed.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou didn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen wanted them to drink tea at such a time, but since Lu Chen was the Prince, they just needed to obey. The two sisters approached the table, picked up the teacups, and took a sip of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. After drinking the tea, Zhou Xiaoxiao asked in surprise, ¡°Your Highness, what kind of tea is this that smells so sweet?¡± Lu Chen wrapped an arm around Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s slender waist and smilingly answered, ¡°This is Dragon and Phoenix Tea; it will help us concentrate better later.¡± The sisters¡¯ faces immediately turned bright red. However, at this moment, Lu Chen did not make any more advances. He suddenly remembered he still had a pill he hadn¡¯t taken. In his Newbie Gift Pack was a Dragon and Tiger Pill, also with a simple purpose: to enhance his battle power. He hadn¡¯t taken it yet because he hadn¡¯t needed it before; as a First Grade Martial Artist, his physical capabilities were multiple times better than those of ordinary people, and handling the three delicate women like Mu Zixuan posed no problem at all. ¡°` But the pill would simply be left unused anyway, so I might as well use it now, given that its effects are permanent. With that thought, Lu Chen took out the Dragon and Tiger Pill from the system space and popped it straight into his mouth. The taste of the Dragon and Tiger Pill wasn¡¯t anything special, just like eating a sugar bean. After swallowing the Dragon and Tiger Pill, Lu Chen didn¡¯t feel anything. Lu Chen was somewhat puzzled. Could it be the pill had expired? After all, it was from the Newbie Gift Pack, an item from two months ago. Just as Lu Chen was thinking this, the fragrance from Zhou Xiaoxiao and her sister Youyou wafted into his nose, and the next moment, Lu Chen suddenly felt a surge in his blood qi, and his body became exceptionally hot. Lu Chen frowned, realizing he might have underestimated this thing. Next, Lu Chen had no choice but to rely on the Zhou sisters to help alleviate the adverse condition in his body. ¡­ [Ding! Host has cultivated affection with his wives once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increased by 10, broken through to the first layer, host¡¯s realm has advanced to Fourth Grade.] [Ding! Host has cultivated affection with his wives once, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increased by 10, congratulations to the host for unlocking the Rejuvenating Skill.] [Congratulations to the host for impregnating Zhou Xiaoxiao, you have obtained the method to make perfume.] [The pregnancy reward is an encouragement award, please host try your best to ensure the child is safely born, the rewards for having offspring will be even richer.] A series of system prompts made Lu Chen, who had just calmed down, very excited. At this time, he felt his body become lighter and his vitality even more abundant. If the Zhou sisters hadn¡¯t already fallen asleep, he would have liked to continue cultivating affection with them. Lu Chen then opened his system panel to check on his current status. Host: Lu Chen Realm: Fourth Grade Cultivation Technique: Qi Refinement Mantra [First Layer], Rejuvenating Skill [Just unlocked] Divine Skills: None Weapons: Desert Eagle, Barrett, Hand Grenade Offspring: None Seeing the words ¡°First Layer¡± after Qi Refinement Mantra, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think that just by breaking through to the first layer of Qi Refinement Mantra, his realm had jumped directly from First Grade to Fourth Grade. If he broke through to the second layer of Qi Refinement Mantra, wouldn¡¯t he become a Grandmaster? What if he broke through to the tenth layer? Would he become an Immortal? As Lu Chen fantasized about becoming an Immortal in the future, the system prompt sounded. [Please host remain down-to-earth and avoid excessive fantasizing. This world does not allow the birth of Immortals.] Hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen paused for a moment. But he didn¡¯t pay it much mind. It didn¡¯t matter if he couldn¡¯t become an Immortal, as long as he could still use the Qi Refinement Mantra. Advancing his realm through the Qi Refinement Mantra was much faster than through training. After improving just one layer of Qi Refinement Mantra, his realm reached Fourth Grade. By the time he advanced to the second layer, he would be close to Grandmaster level even if he hadn¡¯t reached it. But then again, even becoming a Grandmaster in this world would only make him more capable than most martial artists at best. The moment Lu Chen realized he could take down a Ninth Grade martial artist instantly with just his Desert Eagle, he suddenly felt that becoming a Grandmaster didn¡¯t seem like such a big deal. After all, before guns, all lives are equal. His own strength was just an enhancement of his capability for self-preservation, nothing more. ¡°` Chapter 18 - 18 Chapter 18: Lu Chens Attitude Toward Taking a Concubine_1 18 Chapter 18: Lu Chen¡¯s Attitude Toward Taking a Concubine_1 Translator: 549690339 Great Xia Dynasty. Capital city, a certain tavern. At this moment, Lu Shuyun was standing with his back to a woman wearing a veil, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the distant pavilion. After a long while, Lu Shuyun finally spoke, ¡°So much time has passed, yet your Misty Pavilion has made no move. I really cannot understand, what use is it for me to support you?¡± Hearing this, the woman behind Lu Shuyun hurriedly spoke, ¡°Your Highness, the Saintess has already made contact with the North Prince. As soon as she confirms that the Mysterious Grandmaster has left the North Prince Mansion, she will take action immediately. This subordinate believes the Saintess will be able to complete the task soon!¡± Lu Shuyun said coldly, ¡°Soon? I need a definite time!¡± Hearing this, the woman fell silent and did not continue speaking. At this time, a man entered the room. ¡°Your Highness, Blood Moon Tower has agreed, but they demand a price five times higher than last time, however, they will send the Vice Tower Master!¡± Hearing this, the anger in Lu Shuyun¡¯s heart slightly subsided. Originally, he had not planned to continue to seek out Blood Moon Tower, for they had bungled the last assassination attempt, and the Misty Pavilion, which he supported, also had people in North City. Initially, he intended to let the people from Misty Pavilion take action. But recently, the calls for the establishment of the Crown Prince within the court had grown louder and louder, giving Lu Shuyun a sense of urgency. He needed to gain the Chu Family¡¯s support as soon as possible. Once he had the Chu Family¡¯s support, it would be more or less the same as having the support of the Southern aristocratic families, and the likelihood of him being established as the Crown Prince would greatly increase. Lu Shuyun had also sent people to make contact with the Chu Family recently, but the Chu Family seemed not very interested in him, which made Lu Shuyun feel that they had not yet given up on his useless imperial younger brother. In his view, the Mysterious Grandmaster by Lu Chen¡¯s side was sent by the Chu Family, and since they had sent a Grandmaster to protect Lu Chen, how could they possibly give up on him. Therefore, Lu Chen must be removed. At this time, Lu Shuyun asked, ¡°How strong is the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower?¡± Lu Shuyun¡¯s subordinate immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, it is said that his strength has reached that of a Half-step Grandmaster.¡± Lu Shuyun thought for a moment. Even if the Grandmaster by Lu Chen¡¯s side was still there, the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower should be able to hold him off. Then the others from Blood Moon Tower would have a chance to take advantage of the situation to eliminate Lu Chen. Moreover, Misty Pavilion had also sent quite a few experts to North City. At most Lu Chen had one Grandmaster by his side, plus a Chu Yuqin. As for Li Feng, merely a seventh-rank, not a threat at all. Lu Shuyun then said to the man in the room, ¡°Go and tell Blood Moon Tower, if they want five times the price, then it¡¯s five times the price, but I must see the North Prince¡¯s head.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After the man¡¯s words fell, he left the room, leaving only the veiled woman inside. Lu Shuyun then said to the woman, ¡°Write a letter to Wang Qingci at once, and tell her to coordinate with the assassination attempt by Blood Moon Tower. If Blood Moon Tower can lead away the Grandmaster from the North Prince Mansion, Misty Pavilion must act immediately.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After speaking, the woman also left the room. Lu Shuyun¡¯s hand rested on the windowsill, looking in the direction of the Imperial Palace, his fingers continuously tapping on the windowsill, and he mumbled to himself, ¡°My dear brother, it¡¯s about time you stepped down.¡± ¡­ Capital city, Prince Lu Yi¡¯s Mansion. Looking at the information in his hand, Prince Lu Yi revealed a trace of a smile, ¡°Shuyun is really ruthless. Now that Chen has gone to North City, he still doesn¡¯t plan to let him off.¡± At this moment, a retainer clad in a gray robe next to Lu Yi inquired, ¡°Your Highness, what do you intend to do this time?¡± Lu Yi thought for a moment and replied, ¡°I originally thought that by spreading rumors of a Grandmaster protecting Chen, Shuyun would retreat knowing the difficulty, but it seems that tactic is useless now.¡± ¡°Chen must not die; if he dies, how can I forge an alliance with the Chu Family?¡± Lu Yi and Lu Shuyun had different maternal clan identities and thus had different stances, so the things they had to do were different as well. Lu Shuyun wanted to eliminate Lu Chen to leave the Chu Family with no choice because his mother also came from an Aristocratic Family of the South. Without Lu Chen, that Southern Aristocratic Family would have to fully support him. On the other hand, Lu Yi believed that Lu Chen was the grandson of Chu Family Master Chu Xiong. Even if the Chu Family had truly abandoned Lu Chen, Chu Xiong still had personal feelings for Lu Chen. To eliminate Lu Chen would be tantamount to offending Chu Xiong. Even if the Chu Family, due to the interests of the Southern Aristocratic Family, were bound to support Lu Shuyun, the incident would still leave a thorn in Chu Xiong¡¯s heart. What Lu Yi needed to do was very simple. He had to show the Chu Family his goodwill, thereby further driving a wedge between the Chu Family and the other Southern Aristocratic Families. Therefore, Lu Yi¡¯s stance leaned more towards protecting Lu Chen. Moreover, as he saw it, Lu Chen was nothing but an uneducated and useless Prince, and such a Prince posed no threat at all to his position as Crown Prince. In the future, once he ascended the throne, he could even support Lu Chen to become the new spokesperson for the Southern Aristocratic Families. An uneducated and useless Prince was far easier to control than those Southern Aristocratic Families. At that moment, Lu Yi said to a retainer beside him, ¡°Mo Dongping, later you should spread the news about the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower heading to North City.¡± The Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower heading to North City made even Lu Yi worry that this time Lu Chen might truly be in grave danger. In his heart, Lu Yi thought, ¡°Chen, brother, this is as far as I can help you. From here on out, it¡¯s up to how tough your luck is.¡± ¡­ At this time, Lu Chen was still unaware of the events transpiring in the Capital City. In the following period, he continued to stay in the North Prince Mansion, cultivating his relationship with Zhou Youyou daily. Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao were both pregnant now, leaving only Youyou to attend to Lu Chen, which was somewhat difficult for her to endure. Lu Chen was already a fourth-rank Martial Artist and had taken the Dragon and Tiger Pill, so Youyou, a frail woman, was no match for him. North Courtyard. Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao discussed this matter while walking toward the courtyard. According to the perfume blueprint provided by Lu Chen, they had already made some perfumes. The North Courtyard was planted with many flowers, and they planned to use these flowers to try to create new perfumes. But just as they were about to enter the yard, they heard the faint sound of a woman¡¯s voice coming from a distant pavilion, sometimes subdued, sometimes sharp. Then, two young maids responsible for Youyou¡¯s meals and daily life approached Mu Zixuan and the others, their faces blushing. ¡°Greetings to the Princess Consort.¡± Seeing the two maids¡¯ cheeks so red, they immediately understood what had happened. At that moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao ventured, ¡°Sister, now that I¡¯m pregnant, only Youyou is left to serve the Prince. And lately, the Prince seems to increasingly enjoy that affair. Youyou alone can¡¯t hold up. Could you ask him to see if he is willing to take a concubine?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao knew well that she was simply a concubine to Lu Chen, so it wasn¡¯t appropriate for her to bring up the topic of taking a concubine. Only Mu Zixuan could raise the issue. She didn¡¯t know if Mu Zixuan was willing after all, for Mu Zixuan was the Princess Consort, the mistress of the North Prince Mansion. Hearing Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s suggestion, Mu Zixuan sighed, ¡°Sister, about taking a concubine, I¡¯ve actually already spoken to the Prince. He said his stance on the matter is to prefer quality over quantity. He¡¯s not interested in ordinary women.¡± Chapter 19 - 19 Chapter 19 Its Time to Take Down Wang Qingci_1 19 Chapter 19 It¡¯s Time to Take Down Wang Qingci_1 Translator: 549690339 Mu Zixuan was always very open-minded regarding Lu Chen taking concubines and didn¡¯t mind it at all. However, Lu Chen himself had very high standards when it came to taking concubines, something that left Mu Zixuan with no options. After hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Zhou Xiaoxiao whispered into Mu Zixuan¡¯s ear, ¡°Sister, we have a woman in our Prince¡¯s Mansion who meets the Prince¡¯s standards.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan paused for a moment before instantly realizing which woman Zhou Xiaoxiao was referring to. Mu Zixuan said indifferently, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Madam Chu¡¯s matter is not something we can intervene in, it¡¯s up to the Prince and Madam Chu¡¯s intentions.¡± Almost everyone in the Prince¡¯s Mansion knew that Chu Yuqin and Lu Chen had a complicated relationship. From the way Lu Chen looked at Chu Yuqin, one could tell he wished he could devour her completely. However, Chu Yuqin¡¯s status was quite special, and it wouldn¡¯t be an easy matter for Lu Chen to have his way with her. Chu Yuqin was married once, and although her husband died shortly after the marriage, before they could consummate it, she was already considered part of that family, now a widow. If Chu Yuqin had married into an ordinary household, it would be a different story; as the North Prince, Lu Chen had a certain status and could force the family to divorce her or annul the marriage. But Chu Yuqin was married into the Wang Family, a power just below the Chu Family among the aristocratic families of the South, and the Wang Family was also the maternal family of Prince Lu Shuyun. For Lu Chen to use his status as the North Prince to make the Wang Family divorce Chu Yuqin was nearly impossible. Of course, the biggest obstacle was Chu Yuqin herself. People in the North Prince Mansion could see that Chu Yuqin merely viewed the North Prince as a child, as a junior of her own. Additionally, given her gentle nature, she was unlikely to accept Lu Chen¡¯s romantic affections. After hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Zhou Xiaoxiao pouted and said no more. At that moment, Mu Zixuan thought of Wang Qingci from the Hundred Flowers Tower. If Lu Chen could subdue Wang Qingci soon, perhaps Zhou Youyou wouldn¡¯t have to work so hard anymore. But this was also not something she could intervene in. With this thought, Mu Zixuan let out a soft sigh. A little while later, once the noise from the pavilion had mostly subsided, Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao proceeded to enter the yard. At this time, Zhou Youyou was disheveled and weak, lying powerlessly in Lu Chen¡¯s arms. She had fallen in love with Lu Chen at first sight, so she was originally very happy to develop a relationship with him. But recently, without her sister and the Duchess to share the burden and with Lu Chen¡¯s inexplicable ferocity, Zhou Youyou was finding it hard to cope. Seeing Mu Zixuan and others enter the yard, Lu Chen guessed they might have heard the sounds from earlier, but he didn¡¯t care at all. The Prince¡¯s Mansion was divided into an inner and an outer yard, and currently, the inner yard¡¯s several private quarters were staffed by female guards, with Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao being his concubines, so it didn¡¯t matter if they had heard. At that moment, Mu Zixuan took the initiative to say, ¡°Prince, we have made the perfume according to the method you provided.¡± As Mu Zixuan finished speaking, a maidservant by her side walked into the pavilion carrying a wooden box and placed it on the stone table there. Upon hearing this, Lu Chen then lifted Zhou Youyou from his embrace and seated her on the bench inside the pavilion. Seeing this, Zhou Youyou¡¯s maidservant hurried over to support her. Lu Chen approached the stone table, took a small porcelain bottle out of the wooden box, and then opened the stopper to take a sniff. The perfume¡¯s aroma was natural due to the production method, rich yet not overpowering. Lu Chen expressed his satisfaction, ¡°My consort, Xiaoxiao, you have worked hard.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao then asked, ¡°Prince, how do you plan to sell this perfume?¡± The perfume from the Prince¡¯s Mansion was much more practical than the common sachets and even lasted longer; one only needed to take out the bottle and drip a few drops when necessary. Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Perfume isn¡¯t an essential product like soap, so let¡¯s sell it for a bit more, a couple of silver per bottle.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao both paused in astonishment. However, they quickly came to understand that although Lu Chen¡¯s pricing was relatively high, as women, they were well aware that once the perfume was introduced, it would definitely attract the attention of countless young ladies. At that moment, Mu Zixuan asked curiously, ¡°Prince, where did you learn how to make this perfume?¡± The perfume-making diagrams Lu Chen provided were very clear, with each step depicted, and they could be learned at a glance. When they were making the perfume, they didn¡¯t even have the servants do it; Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao had made the perfume themselves. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s question, Lu Chen smiled slightly and shamelessly replied, ¡°I researched it when I had nothing better to do.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, the ladies were quite surprised. Everyone outside said the North Prince was all play and no learning, yet he had managed to create these two practical items. At that moment, something occurred to Mu Zixuan and she continued, ¡°Prince, I¡¯m thinking of inviting Miss Wang from the Hundred Flowers Tower to the residence to discuss having the girls there try out the perfume ahead of time. What do you think?¡± Mu Zixuan thought that it was not good for Lu Chen to focus his attention solely on Zhou Youyou all the time; since Lu Chen had long set his sights on Wang Qingci, she might as well give Wang Qingci more opportunities to appear before him. Moreover, having the Oiran of the Hundred Flowers Tower try out the perfume would also help to quickly establish the perfume¡¯s reputation. With the perfume, the men who visited the Hundred Flowers Tower would surely go home with their bodies full of fragrance, a scent that would linger for a long time. In time, the female members of those men¡¯s households might try to find out where this fragrance on their bodies originated from. When Mu Zixuan mentioned Wang Qingci, the image of that enchanting figure flashed through Lu Chen¡¯s mind. For a moment, Lu Chen felt his blood surging inside him. After taking the Dragon and Tiger Pill, he had become increasingly unable to control himself; if he did not spend time cultivating his relationship with Zhou Youyou each day, he would find it hard to sleep at night. Lu Chen was somewhat speechless; this was not sustainable, lately both Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao had become pregnant, and with his current abilities, Zhou Youyou¡¯s turn was probably not far off. If they all became pregnant, what was he supposed to do? If he had known, he would never have taken the Dragon and Tiger Pill; it truly was a bane. At that time, the system¡¯s voice rang out. [Host, please rest assured. You are unable to control the effects of the Dragon and Tiger Pill now because your realm is not high enough. Once you break through to the Ninth Grade Martial Artist, you will be able to easily suppress your desires.] The corner of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth twitched. Ninth Grade? His method of cultivation was to nurture relationships with his wives and concubines, but he feared he wouldn¡¯t reach Ninth Grade before Zhou Youyou became pregnant. In this damned place of Yan County, there were so few women with a score of ninety points, when would he be able to break through to Ninth Grade? It seemed time to take down Wang Qingci. Wang Qingci herself was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, with physical strength incomparable to ordinary frail women. After taking her down, his Qi Refinement Mantra should be able to quickly break through to the second level. Chapter 20 - 20 Chapter 20 I Want to Have a Private Chat with You_1 20 Chapter 20 I Want to Have a Private Chat with You_1 Translator: 549690339 In matters of wanting children and improving his cultivation state, Lu Chen found himself somewhat helpless. His method of cultivation relied on cultivating affection with his wives and concubines, but the system told him that only after having offspring could he obtain even more generous rewards. But if all his wives and concubines were pregnant, who would he cultivate affection with? An attractive woman with a favorability score of ninety was not a common cabbage; she wasn¡¯t someone he could find whenever he wished. Without someone to cultivate affection with, how could his cultivation state improve? At this thought, Lu Chen became even more determined to win over Wang Qingci. The higher the realm of a martial artist, the less likely they are to conceive, and he would use her for his cultivation in the future. Afterward, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My love, be sure to notify me and Madam Chu before you invite Miss Wang over.¡± Wang Qingci was a Ninth Grade martial artist, and precautions were still necessary. Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Your concubine understands.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at Zhou Youyou, who was still resting on the pavilion bench, and said with a smile, ¡°Youyou, rest well, I will come to find you again tonight.¡± Upon hearing these words, Zhou Youyou was dumbstruck. He¡¯s coming again tonight? Wuu wuu wuu, please save the child. ¡­ A few days later. Hundred Flowers Tower. Wang Qingci was reclining on a beauty¡¯s couch, her Cloud Attire loose and disheveled. At that moment, she muttered to herself, ¡°It¡¯s such a pity to kill such a handsome man.¡± Since returning from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Wang Qingci couldn¡¯t help but have Lu Chen¡¯s image involuntarily surface in her mind. She was unaware she had been affected by the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, after all, Lu Chen was indeed handsome. Looking at the note in her hand, Wang Qingci felt somewhat regretful. Soon, the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower was going to be in North City, and by that time, regardless of whether the North Prince Mansion¡¯s Grandmaster was still there or not, the Misty Pavilion had to make a move to assassinate the North Prince. Every time she thought of that handsome figure, Wang Qingci felt a twinge of reluctance. At this moment, Wang Qingci¡¯s mouth curled slightly upwards, and she murmured, ¡°Young Prince, don¡¯t blame your sister for being cruel and ruthless. Blame it on your birth into the royal family.¡± Just then, a maid entered the room and spoke from behind the curtain, ¡°Tower Master, North Prince Mansion has sent someone inviting you over, saying there is an important matter to discuss.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Is it the North Prince who¡¯s looking for me?¡± The maid replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be the North Prince who¡¯s looking for you, but rather the Prince¡¯s wife.¡± Wang Qingci wondered, what could Mu Zixuan want with her? Could it be because of the soap matter? However, whether it was Mu Zixuan or the North Prince who was seeking her out, she was sure to go. With a legitimate reason to enter the North Prince Mansion, why wouldn¡¯t she go. She could take the opportunity to investigate whether the Mysterious Grandmaster was still there and, incidentally, entice the North Prince. Thinking of the North Prince¡¯s handsome face, Wang Qingci felt a stir within her. Wang Qingci then rose from the beauty¡¯s couch and straightened her loose Cloud Attire. ¡°I will go right away.¡± With that, Wang Qingci headed towards the North Prince Mansion. As the servants of the North Prince Mansion escorted Wang Qingci into the back courtyard, Chu Yuqin was on patrol and happened to see her. Instantly, her eyebrows furrowed, and she said, ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Wang Qingci¡¯s heart tightened upon the sound of Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice. Chu Yuqin, a Ninth Grade martial artist, could easily detect that she was also a martial artist. If her own martial artist¡¯s status was exposed, it would likely arouse Chu Yuqin¡¯s suspicion. To avoid exposure, Wang Qingci immediately halted in her tracks. Chu Yuqin came up to Wang Qingci and asked, ¡°Who are you? How come I have never seen you before?¡± Wang Qingci proceeded to bow and replied, ¡°Madam Chu, I am the Oiran of the Hundred Flowers Tower, and I have come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion at the invitation of the princess.¡± Chu Yuqin scrutinized Wang Qingci, unable to help thinking that this woman was indeed enchantingly beautiful. Could it be that Zixuan was planning to have this woman serve Chen¡¯er? Naturally, Chu Yuqin was aware of the recent events in the inner court. Zhou Youyou had been having difficulty walking these past few days, and if they did not take a concubine for Lu Chen soon, Zhou Youyou might not be able to bear it. However¡­ Chu Yuqin looked at Wang Qingci with some suspicion. She always felt that there was something extraordinary about this woman; she seemed to have felt inner strength emanating from her just now. But now, this woman seemed no different from ordinary people. After thinking it over, Chu Yuqin eventually said, ¡°Alright, you may go in.¡± Following that, the servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion continued to lead Wang Qingci toward the north courtyard. Upon entering the north courtyard, Wang Qingci¡¯s gaze fell on Lu Chen, who was sitting inside the pavilion. For some reason, she now found herself unable to resist gazing at Lu Chen. Wang Qingci entered the pavilion and immediately half knelt to greet them, saying, ¡°I have seen the Prince, princess.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Stand up.¡± ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡± Wang Qingci then looked at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°May I know why the Prince has summoned me to the Mansion?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°It is not I who sought you out, but my beloved consort.¡± ¡°You two discuss your business; I¡¯ll just sit here and not disturb you.¡± Mu Zixuan immediately took out some small porcelain bottles from the wooden box on the stone table, ¡°Miss Wang, could you come over here?¡± Seeing the small porcelain bottles on the stone table, Wang Qingci curiously approached. At that moment, Mu Zixuan opened one of the porcelain bottles, and a scent of flowers instantly filled Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate nose. Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°Miss Wang, this is perfume made by our Prince¡¯s Mansion. The scent lasts a very long time, and we plan to have the ladies of the Hundred Flowers Tower try it for a while to help us promote it.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci realized that there was indeed serious business involved, and she had thought that the North Prince had called upon her for a romantic encounter. Wang Qingci then took the porcelain bottle from Mu Zixuan¡¯s hand, sniffed it, and found the fragrance strong but not overpowering, a natural scent. Wang Qingci then asked, ¡°Princess, may I inquire how long the scent of this perfume will last?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°The scent of a single drop can last about three hours.¡± ¡°Moreover, this perfume is unlike sachets; you can take it out and apply a drop on yourself at any time to keep the fragrance on your body all day, and just this one bottle can last a very long time.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes lit up. Although she had come for the North Prince, it was the perfume that attracted her more. She hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince Mansion to have such wonderful things. Wang Qingci then looked toward the other porcelain bottles in the wooden box, ¡°Princess, may I smell the fragrances of the other bottles as well?¡± ¡°Of course, all the perfumes in this wooden box are meant to be given to you for the Hundred Flowers Tower to try out.¡± Wang Qingci immediately said, ¡°Thank you for the generous gift, Princess.¡± As her words fell, Wang Qingci began opening the other bottles to sniff each one, finding every fragrance unique but natural, making one want to keep smelling them. At that moment, Lu Chen used the system to scan Wang Qingci¡¯s personal information. [Name: Wang Qingci] [Status: Ninth Grade Martial Artist, foster daughter of the Wang Family in the South, Saintess of Misty Pavilion, temporary Tower Master of the Hundred Flowers Tower. She came immediately after hearing the North Prince Mansion was looking for her. Recently, she can¡¯t help but have the North Prince¡¯s image constantly appearing in her mind. The thought that the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower will soon come to assassinate the North Prince makes her feel very regretful.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 60 (under the continuous influence of Dragon and Phoenix Tea)] Lu Chen paused; he hadn¡¯t expected Blood Moon Tower would still dare to trouble him. However, now was not the time to consider that. Seeing that Wang Qingci had a favorability of sixty, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly¡ªit was time to reap the rewards. With that thought, Lu Chen spoke to Wang Qingci, who was trying the perfume, ¡°Miss Wang, I¡¯ve heard that the Hundred Flowers Tower is the liveliest place in North City.¡± Wang Qingci quickly replied, ¡°Prince, the Hundred Flowers Tower may not be the liveliest in all of North City, but it is definitely the liveliest place in Yan County.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°With the Hundred Flowers Tower being so lively, you must know a lot of things that others do not. I would like to have a private word with you later, to inquire about some matters concerning North City. Would you be willing to do that?¡± Chapter 21 - 21 Chapter 21 Wang Qingci Panicked_1 21 Chapter 21 Wang Qingci Panicked_1 Translator: 549690339 After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci was momentarily stunned, and her jade hand holding the perfume bottle paused mid-air. Didn¡¯t she come to the North Prince Mansion just to get close to the North Prince? She never would have thought that the North Prince would take the initiative to suggest that they have a private talk! This was truly a rare opportunity! If she could captivate the heart of the North Prince, wouldn¡¯t she be able to inquire about the whereabouts of the Mysterious Grandmaster in the North Prince Mansion? Not only that, but if she could captivate the North Prince¡¯s heart, once the people from Blood Moon Tower arrive, she could find a way to lure the North Prince away, making their task much easier to accomplish. Moreover, perhaps they wouldn¡¯t even need to wait for the people from Blood Moon Tower to arrive to complete their task. With this in mind, Wang Qingci immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Of course, it would be my honor.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s change locations to talk.¡± At this point, Lu Chen turned to Mu Zixuan and said, ¡°My love, I¡¯m planning to have a chat with Miss Wang alone. As for these trial perfumes, just have someone deliver them directly to Hundred Flowers Tower.¡± Mu Zixuan knew that Lu Chen was planning to win over Wang Qingci, so she immediately said, ¡°Alright, Prince, I will have someone send these perfumes to Hundred Flowers Tower later.¡± At this moment, Lu Chen stood up from the bench in the pavilion and turned to walk outside the courtyard. ¡°Miss Wang, please follow me. I¡¯ll take you to a quiet place.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci sneered inwardly. ¡°Truly a lecherous fellow!¡± Although it was time alone, Wang Qingci was not at all worried about Lu Chen doing anything to her. In her eyes, Lu Chen was nothing more than a useless Prince. Apart from his attractive appearance, he had no real strength. As a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, how could she possibly be afraid of a useless Prince? If Lu Chen were to try anything with her later, she could easily find various excuses to avoid it, just as she had done in the past with the men she had been tasked to assassinate. If Lu Chen insisted on using force, she could also use her Charming Skill to bewitch Lu Chen, plunging him into a sweet dream. When dealing with an ordinary person, Wang Qingci had a hundred methods, stemming from her confidence in her own abilities. As Wang Qingci thought about how she would deal with Lu Chen momentarily, she followed him to the main courtyard. As soon as Lu Chen and Wang Qingci entered the room, Mu Zixuan immediately summoned Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin was somewhat puzzled. What did Mu Zixuan want with her? Although Mu Zixuan had great faith in what Lu Chen said, she was still worried that something might go wrong, as Lu Chen and Wang Qingci were alone together, and Wang Qingci was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. Seeing Mu Zixuan standing at the entrance of the main courtyard, Chu Yuqin approached and asked, ¡°Zixuan, is there something you need me for?¡± After spending some time together, Chu Yuqin and Mu Zixuan had become very familiar with each other, and Chu Yuqin hardly ever called her ¡°Princess¡± anymore, opting instead to call her by her name. At this time, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Madam Chu, the Prince has taken Miss Wang into a room, and I¡¯m concerned that something might happen, so I¡¯ve asked for you to come and keep watch.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin looked at Mu Zixuan with a puzzled expression. ¡°Zixuan, are you talking about the Miss Wang you invited to the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Yuqin was somewhat confused. She had initially thought that Mu Zixuan had summoned the Oiran from Hundred Flowers Tower to serve Lu Chen. But now Mu Zixuan was asking her to come here and watch. What did this mean? Could it be that Mu Zixuan was jealous? And wanted her to mediate? Chu Yuqin then continued to ask, ¡°Do you intend for me to have a word with Chen¡¯er? To discourage him from associating with women of ill repute?¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan immediately realized the misunderstanding and hurriedly corrected her, ¡°Madam Chu, you¡¯ve got it all wrong. My point is, it¡¯s somewhat unsafe for the Prince to be alone with someone else. Should anything happen later, you¡¯ll be there to intervene right away.¡± Chu Yuqin then understood that Mu Zixuan was worried about the Oiran from Hundred Flowers Tower posing a danger to Lu Chen. However, on reflection, Mu Zixuan¡¯s caution was warranted. She had felt something was off about the Oiran from Hundred Flowers Tower since the woman walked with a graceful lightness reminiscent of a high-level Qinggong expert. Letting Lu Chen have a private encounter with someone who might possess Inner Strength was indeed dangerous. Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°Got it. If there¡¯s anything unusual in the room, I¡¯ll go in immediately.¡± Meanwhile. In the room. Lu Chen sat down at the table, brewed a pot of Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and then said with a smile to Wang Qingci, ¡°Miss Wang, please have a seat.¡± ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡± Wang Qingci then slowly sat down, her buttocks somewhat sinking into the stool¡¯s cushion, revealing her body was quite supple. At this moment, Wang Qingci asked with a hint of seduction, ¡°Prince, what would you like to know about North City? I will hold nothing back and tell you everything.¡± Lu Chen did not start touching her immediately; he seriously asked, ¡°Miss Wang, do you know of any beautiful girls in North City? Especially those stunning beauties that can overthrow states and cities, and make the moon hide and flowers blush with shame?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Wang Qingci inwardly despised him, thinking he was truly a lascivious man. Having just arrived in North City, he was already inquiring about beautiful women here. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering this man had just taken two concubines not long ago; he was probably thinking about taking another now. Wang Qingci then responded, ¡°Prince, North City is unlike the Capital City; finding a woman with the capability to overthrow states and cities with her beauty is not that easy.¡± ¡°However, I have heard of a very beautiful woman residing among the grassland tribes.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen became interested at once. ¡°Oh? Miss Wang is talking about the women of the Barbarian Tribe on the grasslands?¡± ¡°How could a Barbarian Tribe have beautiful women?¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°Prince, although most of the women on the grasslands are quite strong and do not fit the beauty standards of men in the Great Xia Dynasty, there are quite a few beauties with lovely figures in the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court. The beautiful woman I mentioned is among them.¡± Lu Chen thought about it; the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court is not somewhere he can access now; he should think of something more realistic. ¡°Miss Wang, let¡¯s talk about the beautiful women I can meet right now. The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court is not a place I can go to now.¡± Wang Qingci gave a charming smile and said seductively, ¡°Prince, the stunning woman you can meet right now is right before you, isn¡¯t she?¡± Hearing this, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth rose slightly. Wang Qingci couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and was about to start seducing him. Since that was the case, he would no longer be polite. Today, his little Youyou could take the day off. Lu Chen then placed a hand on Wang Qingci¡¯s jade leg, smiled, and said, ¡°Miss Wang is right. It is my fault for not considering the beauty before my eyes but thinking of finding beauties elsewhere.¡± At that moment, the fragrance from Wang Qingci¡¯s body wildly assaulted Lu Chen¡¯s nostrils, and his body immediately became restless. With his current realm, controlling his desires was not an easy task. Of course, Lu Chen did not plan on controlling himself today. Seeing Lu Chen starting to make his moves, Wang Qingci knew the condition was ripe and now she could use her Charming Skill to deal with Lu Chen. A person seduced by the Charming Skill would let her manipulate them at will, and later on, she could also inquire about where the Mysterious Grandmaster from the Prince¡¯s Mansion went. Wang Qingci then looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, her gaze filled with implied desire, and said, ¡°Prince, you¡¯re naughty. It¡¯s not proper to start touching someone as soon as you meet them.¡± With that, Wang Qingci fixed her gaze on Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and was ready to use her Charming Skill. But the next second, Wang Qingci was struck dumb. The skill within her body had disappeared without a trace, and now she was no different from an ordinary woman. Wang Qingci was stunned. How could this happen? To make a martial artist lose their skill completely, it would require a certain type of skill-dispersing drug. But ever since she entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she hadn¡¯t eaten anything. Even the tea brewed by North Prince that she just received in the room had gone untouched. Seeing the drastic change in Wang Qingci¡¯s complexion, Lu Chen knew she must have realized the severity of her situation. However, unfortunately for her, it was all too late. Lu Chen then embraced Wang Qingci¡¯s supple body and said, ¡°Miss Wang, you truly are beautiful. I want you to become my woman.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci panicked immediately, hurriedly saying, ¡°Prince, we¡¯ve only just met; isn¡¯t it too fast? Why don¡¯t we take more time to understand each other?¡± Wang Qingci realized that not only had she lost all her skill, but she also had no strength at all to push Lu Chen away as if she really had been drugged. As a martial artist, Wang Qingci understood her current predicament well. If Lu Chen were to do anything to her now, she had no power to resist. Seeing Wang Qingci flustered, Lu Chen lifted her chin with his hand, looked into her beautiful eyes, and said, ¡°Miss Wang, once is happenstance, twice is familiarity. Since we need to understand each other, we should thoroughly familiarize ourselves with each other.¡± With that, Lu Chen kissed Wang Qingci¡¯s red lips. Wang Qingci tried to struggle and push Lu Chen away, but to no effect, and she could only make muffled sounds. After a while, Lu Chen directly carried the alluring belle to his bed to start fostering their relationship. Chapter 22 - 22 Chapter 22 Madam Chu, Actually I Have My Difficulties_1 22 Chapter 22 Madam Chu, Actually I Have My Difficulties_1 Translator: 549690339 [Ding! Congratulations to the host for once again possessing a woman, you¡¯ve obtained the Poison Immunity Pill.] [The host and Wang Qingci have nurtured a bond, as a result, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increase by 20, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increase by 10.] Although the system notification chimed in his ear, Lu Chen was now in no mood to pay any attention to it. He had completely lost his mind, and he realized why Wang Qingci had a rating of 95; even though they were all above ninety, this woman was the cream of the crop, making it impossible for him to control himself. At that moment. At the entrance of the main courtyard. Mu Zixuan was anxiously waiting, yet at that moment, they seemed to faintly hear sounds coming from the room. Hearing this sound, Mu Zixuan finally breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed like the Prince had succeeded. Following this, there would be another Ninth Grade expert in Prince¡¯s Mansion. Chu Yuqin¡¯s face was somewhat flushed at this time. The Princess Consort was bringing her to eavesdrop by the wall, which gave her a strange feeling inside. Recently, in the quiet of the night, she would always think of Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face, followed by an endless feeling of emptiness and loneliness. Chu Yuqin constantly reminded herself that Lu Chen was her sister¡¯s son, and it was not right for her to have such feelings for him, but by day, her gaze would invariably and involuntarily steal glances at Lu Chen. Every time she heard the mingled sounds of Lu Chen with other women, her restlessness grew harder to suppress, and to make things worse, the rascal Lu Chen liked to be unruly in the inner courtyard. If things continued like this, she feared she might really do something inappropriate. At that moment, Chu Yuqin quickly exerted her skill to stabilize her mind and avoid overthinking. While exerting her skill, she continued to remind herself internally. ¡°Chen¡¯er is Yue¡¯s son; I absolutely must not harbor improper thoughts!¡± At this time, Mu Zixuan, who was next to her, saw Chu Yuqin close her eyes and her face turn crimson, and she couldn¡¯t help but giggle behind her hand. After all, she was a woman, and moreover one who had never known the touch of a man¡ªit would be rather abnormal if those sounds did not affect her. But this also showed that in her heart, Chu Yuqin did harbor thoughts about the Prince; it was only because of the status between them that she had been repressing her romantic feelings. It was at this moment that Mu Zixuan suddenly thought of something. It seemed that recently Chu Yuqin had consistently been drinking Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Others may not know the effects of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and so would not understand what drinking it implied, but she knew because Lu Chen had told her. Thinking to herself, Mu Zixuan wondered if the Prince was truly planning to make Chu Yuqin his woman? Right now, he had managed to subdue Wang Qingci, a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, with the help of Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and Chu Yuqin was also drinking the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. This meant that sooner or later, if Lu Chen insisted on making Chu Yuqin his woman, she would be unable to resist. With this thought in mind, Mu Zixuan looked at Chu Yuqin with a meaningful gaze. It looked like Chu Yuqin would never be able to escape the clutches of their Prince for the rest of her life. Painful times are very long, joyful times are very fleeting. But the length and brevity of time are all relative. For instance, Lu Chen felt that time was fleeting, while Wang Qingci thought it agonizingly long. Wang Qingci had tried every possible way to escape, but in the end, she would always be pulled back by Lu Chen. Her humiliation was beyond measure, a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, she had actually fallen into the hands of an ordinary man today, and she did not even know how she had been ensnared. After an unknown number of hours had passed, Lu Chen held Wang Qingci tightly by the waist and said with a laugh in her ear, ¡°Qingci, I never expected that you, an Oiran of the Hundred Flowers Tower, would still be a virgin.¡± ¡°It seems that I¡¯m rather lucky.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s words were like the whispers of a demon. Wang Qingci clenched her teeth, wanting to curse him out, but ultimately she held back. She had to find a way to leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion, to escape this place that had brought her so much humiliation. Once her skills had recovered, she would come back and kill the man who had taken her virginity. Wang Qingci then spoke in a coquettish tone, ¡°Prince, please let me go, I really can¡¯t take it anymore.¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s voice, Lu Chen felt even more agitated. Lu Chen said, ¡°Qingci, how about you stay in the Prince¡¯s Mansion from now on? I will buy you and you can serve me forever.¡± These words made Wang Qingci¡¯s face turn deathly pale. She quickly said, ¡°My Prince, I still have lots of things in the Hundred Flowers Tower. If you truly wish to buy me, please let me return to the Hundred Flowers Tower to retrieve my things for the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± As Lu Chen caressed Wang Qingci¡¯s jade back, he said, ¡°Those things are not necessary. We can buy new ones. After all, the Prince¡¯s Mansion is not lacking silver.¡± Wang Qingci hurriedly searched for another excuse, ¡°My Prince, I grew up in the Hundred Flowers Tower and I have very deep feelings for the sisters there. I find it hard to part from them.¡± ¡°If you truly hold affection for me, could you perhaps give me some time to say goodbye to them?¡± Now, she could only play the emotional card to make Lu Chen let her go. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give you one month. How does that sound?¡± In her heart, Wang Qingci thought, One month? Perfect, the people from the Blood Moon Tower will be here soon. In one month, this guy¡¯s dead. She wanted to personally deal with him and vent the hatred in her heart. Although that¡¯s what she thought, Wang Qingci¡¯s tone remained seductive, ¡°Thank you for your generosity, my Prince. I will surely serve you well in the future.¡± Looking at Wang Qingci¡¯s fair body, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but deepen their connection once again. After what seemed like an eternity, Lu Chen finally let Wang Qingci leave. As Wang Qingci walked out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, her body was still trembling uncontrollably, she was so feeble that she needed the maidservants of the Mansion to support her as she walked. The moment Wang Qingci turned her head for a last look at the plaque of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, her expression instantaneously turned icy cold, her eyes flickering with intense murderous intent. ¡°North Prince, just you wait, your day of reckoning is near!¡± After inwardly swearing her resolve, Wang Qingci turned around and went back to the Hundred Flowers Tower. After Wang Qingci had left, Lu Chen came out of the room, just in time to see Chu Yuqin and Mu Zixuan. At that moment, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Congratulations, my Prince, for capturing the beauty¡¯s heart.¡± Lu Chen moved close to Mu Zixuan, wrapping his arms around her, and then said tenderly, ¡°All this I owe to your arrangements, my darling.¡± Just then, Chu Yuqin interjected, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been more frivolous lately, even bringing an oiran into our home. If word gets out, what would the people of North City think of you? You are their Prince, after all.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s reprimand, Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Madam Chu, actually, I have my reasons.¡± Upon hearing that, Chu Yuqin was taken aback, then asked, ¡°What reasons?¡± Although Chu Yuqin felt that Lu Chen was just making excuses for his lechery, she was not like most people; she usually would listen to Lu Chen¡¯s explanation. Lu Chen then said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Darling, you explain to Madam Chu about my reasons.¡± Mu Zixuan was stunned. How would she know Lu Chen¡¯s reasons? Wasn¡¯t her husband simply fond of beautiful women? Nevertheless, Mu Zixuan quickly recovered and then said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, I will discuss the Prince¡¯s affairs with you later. He truly has reasons.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin looked at Mu Zixuan with skepticism, now seriously doubting whether Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan were putting on an act together. After all, husband and wife are often in cahoots, but she had no evidence. Then Chu Yuqin chose not to say more. ¡°I¡¯m going to patrol. You two talk.¡± Chapter 23 - 23 Chapter 23 Lu Chens Dilemma_1 23 Chapter 23 Lu Chen¡¯s Dilemma_1 Translator: 549690339 Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s retreating figure, Mu Zixuan couldn¡¯t help but cover her mouth and laugh again. Lu Chen asked with a puzzled look, ¡°My dear, what are you laughing at?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Prince, you didn¡¯t see Madam Chu¡¯s expression just now. When she was at the courtyard gate, her face was flushed, and she seemed to be in great distress.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that this must be the effect of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. At this moment, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Prince, has Miss Wang truly completely submitted to you?¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment. When Wang Qingci had left earlier, he had glanced at her favorability. Her favorability hadn¡¯t gone down despite his forceful approach. On the contrary, under the influence of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, her favorability had increased by ten, reaching seventy. However, to say she had completely submitted was still premature. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Not yet, but if she visits the Prince¡¯s Mansion a few more times, I believe she will soon not want to leave.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Then, I wish the Prince an early conquest of Miss Wang.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and said no more. After returning to the Hundred Flowers Tower, Wang Qingci immediately recalled in detail what she had done since entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion. After all, she was a Ninth Grade martial artist, but she had been drugged without noticing it. Thankfully, the North Prince did not know her identity but only lusted after her beauty. If the North Prince had wanted to kill her today, she would likely be dead by now. She would not allow such an incident to happen a second time. After pondering for a while, Wang Qingci still couldn¡¯t think of where she might have been drugged. At that moment, Wang Qingci suddenly thought of something. She immediately took a perfume bottle out of a wooden box on the table. The moment she might have been drugged was likely with the perfume from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Wang Qingci then opened a perfume bottle and sniffed it, but the perfume didn¡¯t cause her to lose her skill. Consecutively, Wang Qingci opened all the perfume bottles and smelled each one, but her inner strength remained intact. She suddenly remembered that her skill had immediately returned after leaving the North Prince. Could the problem be with the North Prince himself? But the North Prince was just an ordinary man. How could he have such mysterious methods? The more Wang Qingci thought about it, the more confused she became, and she was now very irritated. Originally, she planned to seduce the North Prince and then control him using her Charm Seduction Skill, but not only did the seduction fail, she had gotten herself entangled with him instead. After being toyed with by that guy for so long, she even worried that she might become pregnant with his child. The thought made Wang Qingci furious! ¡°Damn it! That lecherous North Prince, I swear I¡¯ll personally castrate him one day!¡± ¡­ Meanwhile. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen didn¡¯t go to find Zhou Youyou today, giving her a rare day to rest. After Chu Yuqin had strolled around the inner court, she returned to the main courtyard, where Lu Chen was no longer there; only Mu Zixuan was still in the pavilion. Chu Yuqin immediately came before Mu Zixuan, ¡°Zixuan, earlier Chen¡¯er said his lechery was due to a bitter necessity. Can you tell me what that necessity is?¡± This¡­ Mu Zixuan was momentarily stunned. Anyone with clear eyes could tell that Lu Chen was just looking for an excuse, but she had not expected Chu Yuqin to actually believe he had difficulties. What hardships could he have, if not simply being lecherous? Of course, as Lu Chen¡¯s wife, Mu Zixuan would definitely not speak of her darling in such terms. Mu Zixuan thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°Madam Chu, have you not noticed that the Prince has changed a lot recently? Although he still enjoys the company of women, he is quite different from the North Prince who was rumored to be ignorant and incompetent.¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan say this, Chu Yuqin thought about it and realized that indeed was the case. Let alone the fact that Lu Chen possessed two mysterious weapons and had a tree that could enhance skill, just from his personal character, he had undergone a significant transformation. In the past, he had not cared at all about the affairs of the mansion; everything had been arranged by her, his aunt. But recently, Lu Chen had even come up with soap and perfume, thinking about increasing the income for the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Moreover, it seemed he had also been encouraging Li Feng to actively train the troops. Of course, the biggest change was the inner force fluctuation in him; he had now become a martial artist. Although she did not know where his skill had come from, he was indeed a martial artist. However, when it came down to it, what did all this have to do with his lecherous hardships? Chu Yuqin continued to ask, ¡°Chen¡¯er has indeed changed a lot recently, but what does this have to do with his so-called hardships?¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s mind raced, and then she sighed and said, ¡°Madam Chu, in my opinion, the Prince is not ignorant nor does he truly fancy beauty. All that he has done, in fact, is to sully himself, to protect his life!¡± ¡°Think about it, if he were a Prince who was both literate and martial, could he have left the Capital alive?¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind staggered, and she instantly connected all the past incidents. She had always thought that Lu Chen had been spoiled by her and believed that he would continue to indulge himself forever, but she had never considered that it might be an act. Now, thinking about it, if Lu Chen hadn¡¯t pretended to be incompetent, perhaps numerous forces would have made their move against him while he was still in the Capital. The assassination attempt by Blood Moon Tower was a perfect example. Even though he was already regarded as an incompetent Prince and had even been banished by the Emperor to the cold lands of the north, there were still people who wouldn¡¯t let him be. If he had appeared to be even slightly smarter, wouldn¡¯t he have been seen as a greater threat in others¡¯ eyes, making the Princes even more eager to kill him? Realizing she had misunderstood Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin felt an immense self-reproach. All this time, it hadn¡¯t been that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t grown up; it was she who had never understood Lu Chen. Lu Chen¡¯s pretense of being ignorant must have put a great deal of pressure on him. As his aunt, she truly had not fulfilled her role well. She had even promised her own sister to take good care of Chen¡¯er all his life, yet she was oblivious to so many of his inner struggles, mistaking him for an irresponsible lecher. Mu Zixuan, who had only been married to Lu Chen for a few months, was aware of the secrets in Lu Chen¡¯s heart, whereas she, who had been by Lu Chen¡¯s side for over a decade, was unaware of his hardships. At this moment, Chu Yuqin said to Mu Zixuan with a downhearted tone, ¡°Zixuan, you are right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, his aunt, who has failed to comprehend the pressures he endures within.¡± ¡°Now that you are the person closest to him, I hope you can help take good care of him and share some of his burdens.¡± Mu Zixuan smiled and said, ¡°Madam Chu, you shouldn¡¯t speak like this. In the Prince¡¯s eyes, you are the person closest to him.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°What am I in being closest to him, when I don¡¯t even know his innermost thoughts?¡± Mu Zixuan quickly said, ¡°Madam Chu, you mustn¡¯t think like that. To the Prince, no woman is more important than you.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face showed a bitter smile, and she did not continue the topic further. Chapter 24 - 24 Chapter 24: Inviting Wang Qingci Again_1 24 Chapter 24: Inviting Wang Qingci Again_1 Translator: 549690339 ¡°` An hour had passed in the blink of an eye. Today marked the grand opening of the prince¡¯s perfumery in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Thanks to the promotion by the girls at the Hundred Flowers Tower over the past fortnight, the entire Yan County had come to know that the perfumes produced by the mansion were of exceptional quality. In the morning, as soon as the perfumery opened its doors, ladies and misses from the wealthy households of North City flooded in. In less than an hour, all the perfumes produced by the mansion over the past half-month sold out. Lu Chen hadn¡¯t gone to the perfumery; instead, he was at home studying the map of this world. As he had already decided to compete for that position, he could no longer afford to lie idle and ignore the books as he did before. At that moment, Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao returned, and seeing them back so soon, Lu Chen set down his map and asked, ¡°My love, how did the perfumes sell?¡± Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t answer directly but commented, ¡°Prince, I think the perfumes are priced too low.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused, then asked, ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Mu Zixuan responded, ¡°The mansion produced less than two thousand bottles of perfume in half a month, yet they were all sold out in less than an hour.¡± Lu Chen expressed his astonishment, ¡°That quickly?¡± Lu Chen was no fool; he had originally set the price at a couple of silver per bottle based on the economy of North City. After all, North City was impoverished, and there weren¡¯t many affluent families that could afford to buy perfume. And now Mu Zixuan was telling him that all the perfumes were snatched up in less than an hour? Then Zhou Xiaoxiao spoke up, ¡°Prince, among those who came to buy perfumes were many people from other regions, especially the merchant caravans. They showed great interest in the perfumes, often buying by the dozen.¡± Instantly, Lu Chen understood the reason; it seemed that the merchants had their eyes on the mansion¡¯s perfumes, which was why they sold so rapidly. It was highly probable that these merchants weren¡¯t buying perfumes for personal use, but rather to take to more affluent places and sell, like the Capital city. Upon reflection, Lu Chen realized he couldn¡¯t limit his vision so narrowly. In the future, he would need a substantial amount of silver to support an army, and his trade activities certainly couldn¡¯t be confined to North City alone. With the pockets of North City¡¯s residents mostly empty, squeezing enough revenue out of them to maintain an army was practically an impractical idea. With this in mind, Lu Chen looked at Mu Zixuan and the other women before asking, ¡°My love, if you were still in the Capital city, still Miss Mu, unmarried, and you heard someone in the Capital city selling this type of perfume, how much silver would you be willing to spend on a bottle?¡± After pondering for a moment, Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°Prince, if it were me, I would be willing to pay up to twenty silver for a bottle of perfume.¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s status represented the daughters and wives of the wealthy families in the Capital city. If Mu Zixuan was willing to spend twenty silver on a bottle of perfume, so too would the other ladies and wives. Then Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve decided to open another perfumery in the Capital city and in Sufeng City. From now on, the price of the perfume will be set at twenty silver.¡± ¡°Once perfume production increases, we can adjust the price according to the exquisiteness of the small ceramic bottles.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, although he couldn¡¯t return to the Capital city, selling items from his shops there should pose no problem. After hearing what Lu Chen said, Mu Zixuan promptly mentioned, ¡°Prince, I need to speak with my father about this matter.¡± Lu Chen couldn¡¯t return to the Capital city, and since the perfumes would surely become highly profitable commodities, others might covet them. Thus, to open a shop in the Capital city, it was necessary to have someone there to look after it. Lu Chen naturally understood this and said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be troubling my love.¡± At that point, Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Prince, if you want to open a perfumery in Sufeng City, you might need to speak with Madam Chu and ask her to inform the Chu Family.¡± Sufeng City was located in the South, a hub for the numerous aristocratic families of the area and the most commercially developed place in the Great Xia Dynasty. Of course, that place could also be said to be the stomping ground of the Southern aristocratic families. ¡°` To open a perfumery in Sufeng City, one needs someone reliable to oversee it, and it must be somebody from an aristocratic family, as only they could hold the fort. Without an aristocratic family watching over, the shop might get robbed within days. Lu Chen said, ¡°I will speak with Madam Chu about this in a moment.¡± At this time, Chu Yuqin was patrolling the outer courtyard and was not present, so Lu Chen was not in a hurry. These things take time; setting up a business is not something that can be done immediately. At this moment, Zhou Youyou quietly tiptoed up behind Mu Zixuan and gently nudged her as if hinting at something. Mu Zixuan instantly understood and asked with a smile, ¡°Prince, the perfume¡¯s current fame owes much to the publicity by Hundred Flowers Tower. Should we invite Miss Wang to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to personally thank her?¡± Recently, for the past half month, Lu Chen had been spending nearly every night in Zhou Youyou¡¯s room, and Zhou Youyou could no longer hold up. Mu Zixuan and the other two ladies also noticed that it seemed necessary for Lu Chen to cultivate his relationships with them daily. Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao would occasionally attend to Lu Chen, but since they had children, Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t let them overexert themselves. For him, the children were more important. Zhou Youyou wanted Wang Qingci from Hundred Flowers Tower to come and share her burden, but such words were certainly not for a concubine like her to say, so she had Mu Zixuan speak with Lu Chen. Fortuitously, they could use thanking Wang Qingci as an excuse to invite her to the Prince¡¯s Mansion as guests today. After hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm, that is possible, but you must invite her in your name.¡± Half a month had passed, and the thought of Wang Qingci¡¯s soft and boneless tender body made Lu Chen¡¯s heart stir with heat. He had no choice; he had not yet made a breakthrough to the Ninth Grade and could not suppress his desires. Mu Zixuan smiled coyly, ¡°Your concubine understands.¡± Then, Mu Zixuan turned to the maid Xiao Rou and said, ¡°Xiao Rou, go invite Miss Wang to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Tell her that I wish to personally thank her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Subsequently, Xiao Rou left for Hundred Flowers Tower. It wasn¡¯t long before Wang Qingci met Xiao Rou. Upon hearing that the princess wanted to personally thank her, Wang Qingci¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. She had suffered a loss last time at the Prince¡¯s Mansion and was now wary of it. She still didn¡¯t understand how she was drugged, as she had been recalling the details of that day for the past half month and still could find no trace of how the drug was administered. Mu Zixuan¡¯s invitation to the Prince¡¯s Mansion this time might be another provocation from that lecher. At the thought of Lu Chen, Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body involuntarily shivered. The demon from last time didn¡¯t leave her alone for several hours, treating her as nothing more than an object of amusement. Wang Qingci hesitated for a moment. Should she visit the Prince¡¯s Mansion today, or wait a few more days, until reinforcements from Blood Moon Tower arrived? After contemplating for a while, Wang Qingci decided to go to the Prince¡¯s Mansion for a look. Firstly, it was a summons from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and as a nominal Oiran, she found it difficult to refuse. Secondly, she was on her guard this time and confident she wouldn¡¯t be duped again. She planned to carry Soft Muscle Powder with her; if she found herself alone with Lu Chen again, she would use it against him. This time, she didn¡¯t believe she would be played with again. Chapter 25 - 25 Chapter 25 The Effects of the Poison Immunity Pill_1 25 Chapter 25 The Effects of the Poison Immunity Pill_1 Translator: 549690339 Under the guidance of a servant from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Wang Qingci once again arrived at the place where she had lost her virginity. Gazing at the plaque of the Prince¡¯s Mansion before her, the scenes from half a month ago echoed ceaselessly in her mind. Wang Qingci struggled to keep her emotions in check, trying to appear calm. Soon, the servant from the Prince¡¯s Mansion led Wang Qingci to the northern courtyard, and upon entering, Wang Qingci only saw Lu Chen sitting in the pavilion, the princess consort was nowhere to be seen. Seeing this, Wang Qingci immediately understood¡ªsure enough, this lecher had tricked her into coming here with a pretext. What a farce about the princess consort wanting to thank her; it was clearly him wanting to repeat his old tricks and play with her body again. Wang Qingci sneered inwardly, this time was different from the last; the North Prince thinking of repeating his old trick would not be so easy. She then gripped the Soft Muscle Powder in her hand, planning to catch Lu Chen off guard and use the powder on him, then employ the Charm Seduction Skill. Daring to take away her purity, today she was determined to make the North Prince pay a steep price! With this thought, Wang Qingci slowly approached the pavilion and then, bowing, she said, ¡°This humble one greets the Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly and then said with a serious face, ¡°Miss Wang, Zixuan mentioned she had something to discuss with you, but she just went to the Perfumery, she probably won¡¯t be back for a while, please take a seat and wait a bit.¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°As you wish, Prince.¡± Thereupon, Wang Qingci approached the stone table and used her Cloud Attire to shield the teapot on the table, slipping the Soft Muscle Powder into it. At that moment, Lu Chen gave Wang Qingci a glance, seeing her personal information appear in his eyes. [Name: Wang Qingci] [Status: Ninth Grade Martial Artist, adopted daughter of the Wang Family from the South, Saintess of the Misty Pavilion, temporary Tower Master of Hundred Flowers Tower. Upon hearing that the North Prince Mansion was searching for her, she saw through the North Prince¡¯s ruse at a glance, yet she still chose to head to the North Prince Mansion. Once there, she poured Soft Muscle Powder into the teapot, planning to first drug the North Prince and then use the Charming Skill to seduce and ultimately take revenge on him.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 75 (affected by the continuous influence of Dragon and Phoenix Tea)] Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s personal information, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smile, thinking she planned to use Soft Muscle Powder against him? Her wishful thinking wouldn¡¯t succeed. With this in mind, Lu Chen asked the system in his heart. ¡°System, can the Poison Immunity Pill withstand the Soft Muscle Powder?¡± [Of course it can, since the host has ingested the Poison Immunity Pill, he has acquired the Poison Immunity Body. All poisons in this world can be neutralized by the host¡¯s body.] Hearing the system¡¯s reply, Lu Chen was reassured. If Wang Qingci intended to use Soft Muscle Powder on him, then he might as well turn the tables on her. Afterward, Lu Chen approached the stone table, pouring two cups of tea, placing one in front of Wang Qingci and holding the other himself. ¡°Miss Wang, you must be thirsty. Have some tea to moisten your throat.¡± Wang Qingci hastily said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, but this humble one is not thirsty.¡± She had just put Soft Muscle Powder in that teapot; she dared not drink it, and even without the powder, she would not dare to drink tea from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. The memory of what happened last time was still vivid, and she had to be extremely cautious at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, not to be tricked again. Noticing that Wang Qingci was not drinking, Lu Chen did not say much more and then lifted the teacup to his lips, drinking it all at once. Then he sat down on the stone bench next to Wang Qingci, his eyes unwaveringly fixed on her. ¡°Qingci, since you left last time, this Prince has been thinking about you incessantly.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci¡¯s heartbeat inexplicably began to quicken. She knew that the North Prince was preparing to make his move on her. At this moment, Wang Qingci felt extremely fortunate, thankful that she had put the Soft Muscle Powder in the teapot beforehand, otherwise, there might be a repeat of the previous situation. Wang Qingci then said, ¡°This humble one thanks the Prince for your concern.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Qingci, have you and your sisters from the Hundred Flowers Tower said your goodbyes? I plan to find a time to buy you back.¡± Wang Qingci pretended to look pitiful as she said, ¡°Prince, please give this servant a bit more time, I can¡¯t bear to leave them and haven¡¯t yet brought up this matter to them.¡± Lu Chen was about to say something when he suddenly stopped himself, then he raised his hand to his head. ¡°Ouch, that¡¯s odd, why is my head so dizzy!¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes lit up, the Soft Muscle Powder was taking effect, and she could begin her act. Wang Qingci quickly feigned panic, then immediately went over to support Lu Chen, right at the moment when her skirt swept over the table, knocking the teapot to the floor. ¡°Prince, what¡¯s the matter with you? Please don¡¯t frighten this servant.¡± ¡°Prince, wait here, I will call someone over right now.¡± At this time, except for the two of them, there was not a soul in the north courtyard, not even a maid. Of course, this was specifically arranged by Lu Chen. At this moment, Lu Chen shook his head and said, ¡°Qingci, I¡¯m alright, help me to the room. I should be better after a bit of rest.¡± Wang Qingci then supported Lu Chen to a room in the north courtyard. If anyone else had been there, they would have definitely seen a smile on both Lu Chen¡¯s and Wang Qingci¡¯s faces. Soon, Wang Qingci helped Lu Chen into the room, and she even closed the door behind them. At this point, Wang Qingci was completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation. She thought her plan was about to succeed and was already plotting how to deal with the North Prince to vent the hatred in her heart. After lying down on the bed, Lu Chen feigned weakness and said, ¡°Qingci, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry. My body has always been rather weak, and I often suffer from headaches and limb weakness.¡± Wang Qingci sneered inwardly. Rather weak? Who was it that toyed with her body for hours last time? And that¡¯s called ¡®rather weak¡¯? Wang Qingci didn¡¯t intend to waste any more time. After all, she was in the North Prince Mansion, and there was Chu Yuqin to consider. She had to charm the North Prince as soon as possible and learn what he knew about the Mysterious Grandmaster of the North Prince Mansion. Then, Wang Qingci looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Prince, look into my eyes.¡± As her words fell, Wang Qingci¡¯s face revealed a seductive smile, and she prepared to use the Charm Seduction Skill. At that moment, Lu Chen grasped her hand and said with a smile, ¡°Qingci, you are truly beautiful.¡± Wang Qingci was stunned. She found that her skill had once again dissipated, vanishing instantaneously without a trace. How could this be? The North Prince hadn¡¯t done anything, had he? She had been so careful, and yet she still fell into a trap? Wang Qingci glanced at Lu Chen lying on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she had administered the Soft Muscle Powder to the North Prince in advance; he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to her. However, just as Wang Qingci thought this, Lu Chen¡¯s strong hand pulled her firmly onto the bed, and he quickly flipped over, looking down at her from above. Wang Qingci was stunned again. Hadn¡¯t the North Prince been affected by her Soft Muscle Powder? How could he still have the strength? And just a moment ago, she had seen with her own eyes that the North Prince had ingested the Soft Muscle Powder. Wang Qingci felt her mind go blank. Just as she was about to say something, Lu Chen leaned in. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± [Ding! Host has cultivated feelings with Wang Qingci once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience increased by 20, Rejuvenating Skill experience increased by 10.] Chapter 26 - 26 Chapter 26 Showdown_1 26 Chapter 26 Showdown_1 Translator: 549690339 Wang Qingci knew she was done for. During her first time cultivating a relationship with the North Prince, all she felt was pain, her mind constantly thinking about how to take revenge on him, how to kill him. Yet, just a short half-month later, when she was once again cultivating a relationship with the North Prince, she forgot all her pain and completely lost herself in confusion and infatuation. Several hours later. Chu Yuqin was patrolling the north courtyard when she heard noises coming from a room, and she paused, stunned. She had clearly seen Mu Zixuan and the three other women in the east courtyard when she was there on patrol, so why were there such sounds in the north courtyard? Could it be that a man had sneaked into the north courtyard and was having an illicit affair with one of the maids? This would not do. Chu Yuqin then approached the room from where the sounds emanated, poked a hole in the paper door, and peeked inside. Upon looking, Chu Yuqin was taken aback. She quickly closed her eyes, blushed, turned her head, and hurriedly walked away, muttering, ¡°This little rascal brings a woman back and doesn¡¯t even tell me!¡± She had thought that a man from the outer courtyard had come in for a secret affair with a maid from the inner courtyard, but it turned out to be Lu Chen himself up to no good. After witnessing that scene, Chu Yuqin felt even more restless and agitated. Chu Yuqin quickly circulated her cultivation technique to steady her mind and kept reminding herself not to have improper thoughts. At sunset. The sun gradually slanted westward, and the sky was filled with fiery red twilight. Mu Zixuan and the two sisters from the Zhou Family were chatting and laughing as they arrived at the north courtyard, obviously aware of what had happened there. At that moment, in a room in the north courtyard, Wang Qingci was lying in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, motionless. The fiery glow of twilight shone into the room, casting Wang Qingci¡¯s fair skin in a bronze hue. By this time, Wang Qingci had completely sobered up. She knew she had been deceived. No, it should be said that everyone had been duped! The entire Great Xia Dynasty had been fooled. The North Prince, the man who had taken her virginity, definitely could not be a good-for-nothing! After her virginity was taken by the North Prince the last time, she was overwhelmed with extreme anger, so she never considered the possibility that the North Prince was not a good-for-nothing. But now when she thought about it, there were doubts everywhere. First of all, the North Prince being able to toy with her for hours was an impossible feat for an ordinary person, who wouldn¡¯t have such physical stamina, especially when there were rumors that the North Prince had long been sapped of his strength by wine and women. Furthermore, the North Prince was also able to silently seal the skill in her body, which likewise proved his extraordinariness. Additionally, today, after the North Prince drank Soft Muscle Powder, he was completely fine, could that be an ordinary person? Could that be the useless prince people spoke of? What a joke! If someone who could drink Soft Muscle Powder and be unaffected is considered useless, then there probably wouldn¡¯t be many useful people in the world. As for the North Prince claiming he felt a headache and weakness after drinking Soft Muscle Powder, it was now clear that he was pretending with the goal of having her help him into the room, making it easier for him to carry out his actions. The more Wang Qingci thought about it, the more she regretted it deeply, feeling so foolish for actually believing the North Prince was affected by the Soft Muscle Powder. But it was no use regretting now, what happened had already happened. At that moment, Wang Qingci whispered, ¡°Prince, you knew my identity all along, didn¡¯t you.¡± At this stage, there was no need to keep up the pretense, it was time to lay the cards on the table. Lu Chen was clearly aware that she was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist since he could instantly seal her skill, and the fact he was resistant to the Soft Muscle Powder indicated he knew what it was. There was no point in pretending any longer. Upon hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen, stroking her smooth jade back, smiled and said, ¡°What identity? Qingci, what are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Wang Qingci continued, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s no need for you to pretend any longer. The ability to instantly seal the skill within my body isn¡¯t something ordinary people can do, and it¡¯s impossible that you¡¯re unaware of my identity.¡± ¡°So tell me, how do you intend to deal with me? Now that I¡¯ve fallen into your hands, you can kill or slash me as you please.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen flipped over, propping his hands on either side of her head, looking down at her from above. ¡°Why would I kill you? My Prince Shuyun has been so good to me, gifting me with a Ninth Grade beauty. If I were to kill you just like that, wouldn¡¯t I come across as inhumane?¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, the North Prince must have long known she was sent by Prince Shuyun. Wang Qingci then chuckled lightly and said, ¡°Everyone says the North Prince is useless, even the Emperor sent you to North City because he was disappointed in you, yet you never defended yourself and even promptly came to North City.¡± ¡°The North Prince has hidden his true self so deeply, there must be a greater scheme at work. Now that I know you¡¯ve been feigning all this time, are you certain you won¡¯t kill to silence a witness?¡± Wang Qingci¡¯s beautiful eyes stared straight at Lu Chen, not believing she would be able to survive. After all, she was already powerless before the North Prince, and he could not possibly be an ordinary man; perhaps the Mysterious Grandmaster that people spoke of was the North Prince himself. At that moment, Lu Chen raised his hand, caressing Wang Qingci¡¯s charming cheeks, then said indifferently, ¡°Had it been someone else, they might well have killed you.¡± ¡°But I am not like them. Not only will I not kill you, but I also intend to make you my slave, my cherished pet, to bear children and carry on my lineage.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci became dumbfounded. However, she then let out a cold laugh. Lu Chen, puzzled, asked, ¡°What, do you find my words amusing?¡± Wang Qingci responded, ¡°Indeed, they¡¯re laughable. Do you actually think I would willingly serve you by your side with all my heart?¡± ¡°Even if you have sealed my skill, I could still take my own life when I¡¯m alone.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Take your own life? I¡¯m curious as to what reason you¡¯d have for suicide?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°The Prince wishes to keep me in the Prince¡¯s Mansion as a tool for gratification, yet you ask me why I would take my own life? Do you think I would endure such humiliation just to stay alive?¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°I never said I would keep you confined to the Prince¡¯s Mansion forever. I will release you shortly.¡± Wang Qingci¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. What did she just hear? The North Prince was going to release her? How could that be possible? They had already laid their cards on the table; if he let her go, wouldn¡¯t that be like releasing a tiger back to the mountains? The North Prince had managed to pretend to be incapacitated for so many years, proving he was a very calculating man. Was he daring enough to take such a risk? Or did the North Prince have the confidence that he could keep her from leaving Yan County? Seeing the astonishment on Wang Qingci¡¯s face, Lu Chen then asked, ¡°What, do you find it strange?¡± Collecting herself, Wang Qingci then inquired, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that once I leave the North Prince Mansion, I will spread the word that you are not a disabled man?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Firstly, no one would believe your words. Secondly, I believe you won¡¯t spread my secrets.¡± After two instances of cultivating a relationship, Wang Qingci¡¯s favorability had risen to ninety, especially after today¡¯s interaction, which could be said to have completely conquered her. Once favorability surpasses eighty, there is no possibility of betrayal, not to mention her favorability is now at ninety. Chapter 27 - Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Wang Qingcis Choice r Chapter 27: Chapter 27 Wang Qingci¡¯s Choice r Translator: 549690339 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci fell silent. Indeed, even if she went out and told everyone that the North Prince wasn¡¯t useless, it was unlikely that anyone would believe her. After all, the image of the North Prince as a good-for-nothing had deeply rooted itself in people¡¯s hearts, compounded by the fact that since he arrived in North City, he had done nothing of significance and spent every day seeking pleasure in the North Prince Mansion. Now there were constant rumors in North City saying that the North Prince kept many beautiful maidservants in his mansion and mixed with these maidservants all day long, indulging in hedonistic pleasures. However, Wang Qingci was somewhat puzzled, why did the North Prince think she would definitely not speak out? Did he trust her so much? Didn¡¯t he know that after he had committed such an outrage against her, she had been thinking of revenge all along? Just then, Lu Chen let go of Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body, rose from the bed, and as he dressed himself, said, ¡°Alright, you can go back now.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci looked at Lu Chen somewhat incredulously. ¡°You really intend to let me go?¡± she asked. Lu Chen gave a slight smile, then said, ¡°Do you think this Prince is someone who likes to joke around?¡± Wang Qingci didn¡¯t continue the conversation, and she too began to get dressed. After a while, Wang Qingci carefully stepped out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Standing at the gate of the mansion, she still somewhat couldn¡¯t believe it; she turned her head to look at the plaque of the mansion, her heart a mix of emotions. She had just left like this? Had the North Prince really not laid a hand on her? Wang Qingci quickly checked her own skill, and indeed, her skill had returned. If the North Prince had not intended to let her go, he wouldn¡¯t have removed the seal on her internal skill, especially since she was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, and capturing a Ninth Grade Martial Artist was no easy task. Afterward, Wang Qingci turned her head, her heart filled with trepidation, and quickly made her way back to Hundred Flowers Tower. All the way, she paid close attention to her surroundings, afraid that the North Prince would attack her en route. However, she made it back to Hundred Flowers Tower without anyone laying a hand on her, or even following her. Back at Hundred Flowers Tower, Wang Qingci stood on a pavilion, looking towards the North Prince Mansion and couldn¡¯t help thinking that it seemed the North Prince was serious. She hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince to have such great boldness. Wang Qingci sighed. The more magnanimous the North Prince acted, the more it proved his strength was formidable. The fact that the North Prince wasn¡¯t afraid of her disclosing his affairs showed that he no longer feared the consequences his exposed power might bring, and it also indirectly indicated the North Prince might already be fully fledged. Wang Qingci¡¯s emotions were complex. What should she do now? Could it be that she should truly betray Misty Pavilion, betray the Wang Family, betray Prince Lu Shuyun? Sitting on the pavilion, Wang Qingci quietly gazed into the distance, the breeze upon her face, when the figure of Lu Chen once again emerged in her mind. Immediately after, the scenes of what had just occurred replayed in her mind, and for a moment, her body became incredibly hot and restless. Wang Qingci sighed. She had already found out that she seemed to have become addicted to the feelings she experienced when cultivating a relationship with the North Prince. Although there had only been two instances, the sensations this time had engraved themselves deep in her heart. She found it difficult to imagine how she would calm her restless body should the North Prince die one day. She didn¡¯t know how the North Prince had managed it, but none of that mattered anymore; what was important was that she could no longer be without the North Prince. And after thinking it over, even if she cooperated with Blood Moon Tower to kill the North Prince, she would still be nothing more than a tool in Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s eyes. After all, she was just an assassin raised by the Wang Family, without a notable identity, so whether she was by Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s side or the North Prince¡¯s side, there actually wasn¡¯t much difference. Moreover, considering the North Prince had somehow made it so that her body couldn¡¯t be without him, becoming the North Prince¡¯s woman was indeed her best choice. Wang Qingci then looked toward the direction of North Prince Mansion and said softly, ¡°Prince, you have won.¡± As her words fell, the pressure on her seemed to dissipate instantly. She also understood why the North Prince was so confident in letting her go. She couldn¡¯t help feeling that the North Prince was a terrifying man. Fortunately, she was a woman, for if she were a man, she likely would have been dead already. Just at that moment, an old woman appeared in the pavilion. ¡°Saintess, Blood Moon Tower sent a message, asking us to find out as soon as possible whether the Mysterious Grandmaster is still in North Prince Mansion. They will arrive in Yan County in five days.¡± Wang Qingci said expressionlessly, ¡°1 know. I¡¯ll go to North Prince Mansion myself tonight and test them out.¡± In the still of the night, a black figure appeared at the entrance of North Prince Mansion. The black figure easily bypassed the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s trusted aides and swiftly entered the inner courtyard. The outer courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion didn¡¯t have too many skilled martial artists, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that someone could sneak in, but the inner courtyard wasn¡¯t somewhere just anyone could enter. As soon as the black figure reached the inner courtyard, before she could even enter, she was blocked by a woman dressed in white. Chu Yuqin looked at the person in black and said coldly, ¡°Not anyone can just enter the Prince¡¯s Mansion!¡± As her words fell, Chu Yuqin thrust her sword toward the woman in black. The figure in black dodged easily, avoiding Chu Yuqin¡¯s thrust. Chu Yuqin¡¯s brow furrowed, and a sense of unease quickly took hold in her heart. A Ninth Grade martial artist? It appears she¡¯s here to assassinate Chen¡¯er. Just as Chu Yuqin got ready to continue her assault, the woman spoke up, ¡°Madam Chu, I have urgent matters to discuss with the Prince; please allow me to pass.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin scoffed and said, ¡°Urgent matters to discuss? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re here to assassinate him!¡± Madam Chu did not recall when Lu Chen ever mingled with any Ninth Grade martial artists other than herself, and even though the woman¡¯s voice sounded familiar, Madam Chu still couldn¡¯t let her guard down and had to treat her as a female assassin. Madam Chu then swept her sword towards the woman in black again, but the woman in black didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of engaging directly with Chu Yuqin, continuously dodging instead. Before long, Lu Chen in the main courtyard heard the commotion outside, and he immediately came out. Lu Chen had a system that could quickly identify a person¡¯s identity, even if they were dressed in black and veiled. Seeing that the woman in black was Wang Qingci, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, and he then said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, she¡¯s one of mine. Let her in.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was stunned. She didn¡¯t understand when Lu Chen had acquired a Ninth Grade martial artist as a subordinate, let alone a woman. She certainly hadn¡¯t heard or seen any other Ninth Grade martial artists around Lu Chen before. But soon, Chu Yuqin let go of her concern, as there were too many things about Lu Chen she did not know. Madam Chu then stepped aside, but still threatened Wang Qingci, ¡°If you dare do anything against the North Prince, then you won¡¯t be able to leave North Prince Mansion!¡± Wang Qingci ignored Madam Chu¡¯s threat and went straight into Lu Chen¡¯s room. Once inside the room, Wang Qingci removed her veil. At that moment, Lu Chen took a glance at Wang Qingci¡¯s entire body. Dressed in tight-fitting black clothes, her curvaceous figure was perfectly accentuated, giving her an extraordinary allure. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Having left the Prince¡¯s Mansion less than four hours ago, you come to find me again. Could it be that you wish to engage in marital affairs with this prince again?¡± Wang Qingci smiled seductively and said, ¡°The Prince jests. 1 am not as capable as you, my lord.¡± ¡°I came to tell the Prince that Blood Moon Tower¡¯s assassins will arrive in Yan County in five days, and this time, to kill you, they have dispatched five Ninth Grade martial artists, and even the Vice Tower Master has been mobilized..¡± Chapter 28 - Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Its Actually You i Chapter 28: Chapter 28 It¡¯s Actually You i Translator: 549690339 Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen¡¯s face did not show a hint of unease. He had already extracted the information about Blood Moon Tower sending people to assassinate him from Wang Qingci¡¯s personal profile. However, he had not expected Blood Moon Tower to actually dispatch so many Ninth Grade Martial Artists to kill him. Aren¡¯t Ninth Grade Martial Artists supposed to be rare in this world? How come they are now aplenty, deploying five of them just to assassinate a worthless prince like himself, is that really okay? If he didn¡¯t have the system, he probably would have been doomed. Seeing that Lu Chen¡¯s face bore no worry, Wang Qingci thought to herself that indeed, the North Prince had grown powerful and was not the least afraid of the assassins from Blood Moon Tower. At that moment, Lu Chen came up behind Wang Qingci, then slid his hands under her arms to embrace her slim waist and whispered in her ear with a smile, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve made your choice.¡± ¡°But aren¡¯t you afraid he will send someone to kill you for betraying my Eighth Brother like this?¡± Wang Qingci spoke seductively, ¡°Isn¡¯t all of this caused by the Prince himself? I am now your woman and can¡¯t leave you; I have no choice. What else could 1 do?¡± ¡°I only hope that in the future, the Prince will cherish me and not treat me as a mere tool to be discarded after use.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Of course.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen rested his head on Wang Qingci¡¯s fragrant shoulder, breathing in the scent of her body. Lu Chen was calculating in his mind that in a few days the people from Blood Moon Tower would arrive. Although he had the Desert Eagle and modern firearms like Batrelei, if there were too many opponents, and someone was holding him back, he feared he wouldn¡¯t even be able to draw his weapon before finding himself in danger. Therefore, he absolutely needed to enhance his own strength. It would be best if he could break through to the rank of Ninth Grade Martial Artist within these few days, as every aspect of his physical ability would be substantially improved. Even if the assassins from Blood Moon Tower were very fast, with the Ninth Grade strength aiding him, the Desert Eagle and Batrelei would still make killing them as easy as slaughtering chickens. However, as useful as weapons are, one still needs to be alive to use them. If, for example, someone suddenly launched a surprise attack and his sensory abilities were not up to par, even the capability to kill with a single shot could result in him being taken out by the enemy beforehand. At this point, Lu Chen asked the system in his mind, ¡°System, how much experience is still needed to upgrade the Qi Refinement Mantra to the second level?¡± The system¡¯s voice immediately sounded in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. [You need another one hundred experience points.] Upon hearing this, Lu Chen felt elated. He needed only one hundred more experience points to upgrade to the second level? That fast? Lu Chen then inquired, ¡°After upgrading the Qi Refinement Mantra to the second level, can my Realm break through to Seventh Grade?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s question was a bit conservative. Originally, he thought that if the Qi Refinement Mantra broke through to the second level, his strength could probably make it to the Ninth Grade. Just then, the system¡¯s voice emerged. [After upgrading the Qi Refinement Mantra to the second level, the host¡¯s Realm will advance to Ninth Grade.] Lu Chen was somewhat excited. Just as he had imagined, it truly would advance to Ninth Grade. However, on second thought, the Qi Refinement Mantra was only a cultivation technique for refining Qi, mainly increasing his skill without actual lethal power. He would still need to find an external cultivation technique with lethal power in the future. At this moment, Wang Qingci, wrapped in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, felt something unusual in his body. Wang Qingci¡¯s fair complexion instantly turned rosy, followed by a blush spreading from her face to her collarbone and neck. Lu Chen then whispered in Wang Qingci¡¯s ear, ¡°From now on, you are my Female Slave. As a Female Slave, do you know what you should do for your master?¡± Upon hearing this question, Wang Qingci was slightly taken aback. She had just been toyed by this man all afternoon and hadn¡¯t expected him to have the energy for more at night. How could the North Prince possess such formidable stamina! Wang Qingci was somewhat astonished; she had spent a long time in Hundred Flowers Tower but never heard of a man with the ferocity of the North Prince. Wang Qingci then said, ¡°Prince, your servant has only come to deliver a message, and now that the message has been delivered, your servant shall take her leave.¡± As she spoke, Wang Qingci half-turned, intending to push past Lu Chen and leave, only to discover that her skill had vanished once again. She instantly felt utterly powerless and was unable to push Lu Chen away. Lu Chen immediately wrapped his arms around Wang Qingci and walked towards the bed. He needed to seize the time to gain experience points from the Qi Refinement Mantra, so he couldn¡¯t let Wang Qingci just run off like that. Wang Qingci finally sighed, feeling somewhat bewildered. After becoming the North Prince¡¯s female slave, she had no idea what the future would hold. With uncertainty about the future, Wang Qingci soon immersed herself in the pleasure that Lu Chen brought her. Meanwhile. Outside the courtyard. Chu Yuqin had seen the woman in black enter Lu Chen¡¯s room and had been guarding the courtyard entrance ever since. If anything happened inside the room, she would rush in. She still didn¡¯t trust that woman in black. After all, she was a Ninth Grade martial artist! To think that the woman in black had approached the North Prince with no other motive, Chu Yuqin found that hard to believe. But just then, Chu Yuqin heard the sound of a woman¡¯s cheerful voice coming from the room. Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind went blank. This¡­ ¡°That Ninth Grade martial artist is actually Chen¡¯er¡¯s woman?¡± Ninth Grade martial artists were rather rare in this world, and female Ninth Graders were even rarer. Being a Ninth Grade martial artist herself, the woman in black was willing to become the woman of a Prince, who was nominally a useless royalty, which Chu Yuqin found utterly unbelievable. Chu Yuqin was somewhat curious why this woman would choose Lu Chen. The next morning. Wang Qingci limped out of Lu Chen¡¯s room, and as she did so, she ran into Chu Yuqin, who was still at the entrance of the courtyard. Seeing that the one coming out of the room was Wang Qingci, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face darkened as she said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± A Ninth Grade martial artist, running to the Hundred Flowers Tower to become an Oiran, and then approaching the North Prince¡ªif there wasn¡¯t a scheme behind it, who would believe that? As a servant by the side of Lu Chen¡¯s mother, having seen all kinds of plots and schemes, Chu Yuqin believed that Wang Qingci definitely harbored some designs on Lu Chen. Seeing Chu Yuqin still there, Wang Qingci was also stunned for a moment. In the end, Chu Yuqin refrained from using force, as Lu Chen had already declared that Wang Qingci was his. However, Chu Yuqin still gave a cold warning, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know who you are, I must remind you that if I find you have any designs on Chen¡¯er, wishing to use him for your unspeakable goals, not only you, but also the force behind you will pay the price!¡± Hearing these words, Wang Qingci smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Madam Chu, how come I feel that you harbor a great hostility towards me? Could it be that Madam Chu has become jealous after listening at the wall all night?¡± As soon as Wang Qingci finished speaking, a gust of wind radiated out from the center of Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, lifting the hem of her dress. Seeing this, Wang Qingci¡¯s smile disappeared in an instant. Half-step Grandmaster, even at the level of projecting Inner Strength outward! North Prince Mansion truly wasn¡¯t as simple as she had thought. Afterward, Wang Qingci turned her head and left. ¡°Madam Chu, your servant will return home for today. Please rest assured, your servant is merely the Prince¡¯s female slave, and poses no threat to your place in the Prince¡¯s heart..¡± Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Let go of my aunt_i Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Let go of my aunt_i Translator: 549690339 Watching Wang Qingci¡¯s retreating figure, Chu Yuqin fell into deep thought. A Ninth Grade Martial Artist? And she claimed to be Chen¡¯er¡¯s Female Slave? If Lu Chen were now the Crown Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty, possessing a Ninth Grade Female Slave wouldn¡¯t surprise Chu Yuqin in the slightest, given that the Crown Prince held real power. However, in the eyes of others, Lu Chen was nothing but an idle, depraved wastrel. And yet Wang Qingci willingly became his Female Slave? Could it be that the forces behind Wang Qingci had already discovered Chen¡¯er¡¯s disguise? Or is it possible that the forces supporting Chen¡¯er were the same as those behind Wang Qingci? At that moment, Chu Yuqin approached the door of Lu Chen¡¯s room, feeling the need to give him a warning. Just then, Lu Chen came out from his room. Upon seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s serious expression, he curiously asked, ¡°Madam Chu, do you need something from me?¡± Chu Yuqin inquired, ¡°Chen¡¯er, does Wang Qingci come from the force that¡¯s supporting you from behind?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen was completely puzzled. What force supporting him? Could it be that Madam Chu believed there was indeed a force supporting him from behind? Lu Chen thought for a moment about his recent abnormal behavior, coupled with the fact that he had produced modern firearms like the Desert Eagle and Batrelei, which surely made Chu Yuqin suspect that there was a powerful force supporting him. Considering this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, how could you possibly know that?¡± He definitely couldn¡¯t reveal the truth about the system, but in order to reassure Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen decided to fabricate a lie. Chu Yuqin sighed and then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, that woman is no ordinary person; she¡¯s a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. ¡°Your aunt actually doesn¡¯t want to interfere too much with your affairs, but when it comes to your personal safety, 1 still want to remind you.¡± ¡°That force supporting you must have significant designs, and although I don¡¯t yet know their purpose, you shouldn¡¯t always let them lead you by the nose.¡± ¡°If you desire that position in the Capital City, just tell your aunt, and 1 will inform your grandfather. At that time, both your grandfather and the Chu Family will surely stand by your side, and you won¡¯t need to rely on those powers of unknown provenance.¡± The Chu Family had not originally planned to give up on Lu Chen, but he was such an embarrassment that they couldn¡¯t prop him up; moreover, he had now been sent to the desolate North City, forcing the Chu Family to consider other candidates. After all, Lu Chen is the grandson of the Chu Family Master; among all the princes, his blood relation is the closest. If Lu Chen could brace himself up and boldly declare his intention to join the struggle for inheritance, not just the Chu Family but also most of the Aristocratic Families in the South would support him. Chu Yuqin believed that Lu Chen had no need to depend on those untraceable forces. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, then walked over to her side and naturally took hold of Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade hand. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s hold on her hand, Chu Yuqin¡¯s delicate body involuntarily trembled, but she did not pull away, for they had often held hands to discuss matters in the past. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, I know what you¡¯re worried about, but I assure you, the force behind me follows my commands to the letter.¡± ¡°There are some secrets I can¡¯t tell you outright, as once I do, it could throw not just Great Xia, but the whole world into turmoil. However, I can give you a hint.¡± Chu Yuqin felt a tremor in her heart. What secret could be so terrifying as to cause such chaos? At that moment, Lu Chen lifted Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade hand and wrote two characters in her palm: ¡°Immortal.¡± Sensing the characters Lu Chen inscribed, Chu Yuqin was shocked, and even her refined and graceful face showed a hint of panic. It is well-known that this world is a Martial Arts World, one without Immortals. XXX Even if someone reached the legendary Heavenly Human Realm, it was just a few hundred years added to their lifespan, after all, they would still die. Countless people tried various methods to become Immortals, and numerous emperors throughout various dynasties sought the traces of Immortals in hopes of achieving immortality, only to lead their dynasties to collapse and be replaced, but Immortals in this world have remained nothing more than an unattainable legend to this day. And now, Lu Chen had actually told Chu Yuqin that the secret he carried was related to Immortals, how could this not shock Chu Yuqin greatly. If Lu Chen¡¯s secret truly had something to do with Immortals, then it could indeed lead to great chaos in the world, not just chaos, but it could even cause the downfall of countless nations and dynasties. In a panic, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you don¡¯t have to say any more, from today onwards, don¡¯t reveal anything about those two characters to anyone, including me.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, do you believe me that quickly?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°I have no choice but to believe, your mysterious weapon and the Inner Strength that suddenly emerged from you have already proven that your words are related to those two characters.¡± At this point, Chu Yuqin still asked with some concern, ¡°Does that Wang Qingci and the power behind her have anything to do with those two characters you mentioned?¡± Lu Chen shook his head and said, ¡°Not exactly, I just have a way to control them, to ensure they can¡¯t betray me. If they betray me, they will die as well.¡± ¡°So far, only I know this secret, because 1 am the only inheritor.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin felt a surge of emotion, and tears unconsciously fell from her eyes. Seeing this, Lu Chen froze. ¡°Madam Chu, why are you crying?¡± Chu Yuqin quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve and said while wiping her eyes, ¡°If your mother were to know that you have such an opportunity, she would be very happy under the netherworld.¡± Chu Yuqin had thought that Lu Chen would just drift through this life, but unexpectedly, the day had come when he might obtain the chance to become an Immortal, something so many yearn for in their dreams, and it had fallen upon Lu Chen. As Chu Yuqin, who had watched Lu Chen growing up since he was little, felt genuinely happy for him from the bottom of her heart. With the opportunity to become an Immortal, not to mention immortality, at the very least Lu Chen would be capable of doing many things, for example, he could now contend for that position in the Capital city. Lu Chen embraced Chu Yuqin¡¯s mature and charming body and patted her back, comforting her, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t cry, we should be happy about this.¡± At this moment, the scent from Chu Yuqin¡¯s body wafted into Lu Chen¡¯s nose, and with the soft body in his arms, he suddenly felt a restlessness. Lu Chen was somewhat speechless; the Dragon and Tiger Pill was truly the source of all evil, leaving him with no self-control whatsoever. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to say something else, having sensed something was off, her face instantly turned red, and she quickly pushed Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let go of me, you¡¯re a married man now, it doesn¡¯t look good for us to be seen hugging each other.¡± Lu Chen did not let go, but leaned in her ear and whispered, ¡°Madam Chu, what does it matter, you are my closest person, let¡¯s see who dares to gossip.¡± ¡°Besides, you¡¯ve watched me grow up since I was young, and we¡¯ve done far more intimate things than this, what¡¯s the big deal with just a hug?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin became even more flustered and she pushed at Lu Chen¡¯s body again. But at that moment, she realized that the skill within her had dissipated and she could not muster any strength at all. Chu Yuqin hurriedly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, stop this, you¡¯re grown up now, not a child anymore, you need to understand the need for propriety.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, no matter how old 1 am, you are my aunt, and I am your Chen¡¯er.¡± With that, Lu Chen hugged Chu Yuqin tightly, pressing their bodies completely together. Feeling the warmth of Lu Chen¡¯s breath, Chu Yuqin was already somewhat dizzy. Chu Yuqin steeled her heart. No! This couldn¡¯t go on! Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: It Seems That Chener Has Really Grown Upi Chapter 30: Chapter 30: It Seems That Chen¡¯er Has Really Grown Upi Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin felt that if things continued this way, there would be trouble. Thereupon, she said to Lu Chen with embarrassment and anger, ¡°Chen¡¯er, if you don¡¯t let go of your auntie, I¡¯m going to get angry!¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s flushed cheeks and her angry expression, Lu Chen had no choice but to let her go. Lu Chen was in no rush at the moment. Women in ancient times cared deeply about their reputation. Even though Chu Yuqin¡¯s favorability was very high, she probably couldn¡¯t accept a romantic relationship with him just yet. He figured he just needed to wear her down slowly. When Lu Chen released her, Chu Yuqin quickly retreated a few steps, putting some distance between them, but she didn¡¯t continue to scold him. Chu Yuqin sensed her own skill and, realizing it had returned, she curiously asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, my skill just disappeared. Does that have something to do with your opportunity?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, it has a certain relation to the cultivation technique I¡¯m practicing.¡± ¡°Any woman who harbors affection for me will temporarily lose her skill and feel weak all over upon coming into contact with my body.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin instantly understood the implication behind Lu Chen¡¯s words. She glared at him and then, with her face flushed, she spat out, ¡°You little rascal, spouting nonsense, I am your aunt!¡± ¡°Enough with the nonsense, I have to go on patrol.¡± Before she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin turned and left¡ªor more accurately, she turned and fled. At this moment, Chu Yuqin felt as if her heart was about to leap out, and her body had become incredibly hot. What had she just heard? That little rascal was actually targeting her! How dare he think such thoughts¡ªshe was his aunt, after all! Even though they were not related by blood and she had watched him grow up since he was a child. And she was a widow, although still a virgin, having never known a man. How could he think of her like that! However, on second thought, she herself had also begun to lose control just now. When she was in the Capital city, she often checked Lu Chen¡¯s body and never experienced the feelings she had today. In just a few months¡¯ time, she actually started having those kinds of thoughts about Lu Chen. Chu Yuqin felt a bit guilty in her heart. How could she harbor other thoughts about Lu Chen? Chu Yuqin sighed and murmured to herself, ¡°Alas, it seems that Chen¡¯er has really grown up, becoming more and more manly. I will have to keep my distance from him in the future.¡± Afterwards, Chu Yuqin started to cultivate, trying to calm her agitated body. Meanwhile, Lu Chen stood there, watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous figure and charming silhouette, feeling as if his body was about to burst into flames. He then immediately went to the north courtyard. At this time, Zhou Youyou had just gotten up, preparing to go see Mu Zixuan. ¡°Xiao Huan, I¡¯m going to Sister Mu¡¯s place first. Come over after you¡¯re finished tidying up,¡± she said. No sooner had Zhou Youyou spoken than she stepped out of the door. Yet she had just left when she bumped into Lu Chen. Without a word, Lu Chen scooped Zhou Youyou¡¯s delicate body into his arms and walked into the room. Zhou Youyou let out a startled cry, ¡°Ah, Prince.¡± Hearing Zhou Youyou¡¯s voice, the maid Xiao Huan, who was tidying up the bed, quickly turned her head. Seeing Lu Chen holding Zhou Youyou, Xiao Huan immediately blushed, knowing all too well what was about to happen as a maid in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Xiao Huan quickly stepped aside and left the room, closing the door behind her. [Host and Zhou Youyou fostered affection once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increased by 10, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increased by 20.] [Congratulations on successfully impregnating Zhou Youyou, you are awarded ten thousand jin of breeding potatoes.] [Pregnancy rewards are incentive-based and therefore modest. A richer reward will be granted upon the successful birth of the child.] Once his body had settled down, Lu Chen felt much better. Today¡¯s events made Lu Chen realize that he needed to break through to the Ninth Grade soon, otherwise it would be easy for problems to arise if he could not control his own body. In the mansion, in the inner courtyard, it didn¡¯t matter much what he did, since everyone there was family. But if one day he left the Prince¡¯s Mansion and went outside, if he still couldn¡¯t control himself upon seeing pretty women, he would lose a great deal of face. After calming down, Lu Chen looked down at the little beauty in his arms. Zhou Youyou had her eyes slightly closed at that moment, her cheeks flushed, and her arm, tender like lotus roots, resting on his shoulder. Zhou Youyou belonged to the type that was petite and adorable. Lu Chen felt a tinge of guilt, thinking about how he had been building a relationship with her recently, barely letting her get proper rest. Although she was his woman, Lu Chen never treated her as a mere tool for bearing children; he genuinely liked them. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at the reward he had just received and a smile appeared on his face. Then, he gently caressed Zhou Youyou¡¯s skin, whispering in her ear, ¡°Youyou, you truly are my lucky star.¡± With ten thousand catties of breeding potatoes, it wouldn¡¯t take many years to have the whole North City cultivating potatoes. North City, due to its cold climate, wasn¡¯t suitable for growing rice, and the yield of wheat wasn¡¯t high either. But potatoes were different, the soil in North City was just right for their cultivation. Once North City began growing potatoes, they would have an additional food source, and the people would no longer suffer from a lack of grain. In an agricultural society, what is most important? Of course, it¡¯s the grain. Having grain in hand ensures a heart free from panic. After returning to the Hundred Flowers Tower, the old woman from yesterday approached Wang Qingci again. ¡°Saintess, how did the investigation go last night?¡± Wang Qingci replied indifferently, ¡°I haven¡¯t found any trace of the Mysterious Grandmaster, only Chu Yuqin, a Ninth Grade, was in the inner yard.¡± Hearing this, the old woman immediately said, ¡°Saintess, since the Mysterious Grandmaster is no longer in the North Prince Mansion, let¡¯s make our move tonight!¡± Wang Qingci frowned slightly, then asked, ¡°Madam Yu, you seem to be in a hurry?¡± Chen Yu hurriedly spoke, ¡°Saintess, this task was given to us by Prince Lu Shuyun. If we end up completing the task only after the people from Blood Moon Tower have arrived, your position in the eyes of Prince Lu Shuyun will plummet.¡± ¡°It would be better to complete the task before Blood Moon Tower arrives. That way, Prince Lu Shuyun can see your worth.¡± Wang Qingci then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Since Prince Lu Shuyun has already sent people from Blood Moon Tower, it¡¯s to ensure that nothing goes wrong.¡± ¡°If we act prematurely and spook the target, causing the assassination mission to fail, we in the Misty Pavilion cannot bear the consequences of Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s blame.¡± Seeing that Wang Qingci had made up her mind, Chen Yu did not dare to argue further. A few hours later. North City, Yonorth City. A group of people dressed in black and red sat in a tavern. Suddenly, a bird landed on the shoulder of a man wearing a bamboo hat. The man caught the bird and removed a slip of paper tied to its claw, then unfolded it to read. After reading the contents, the corners of the man¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. ¡°Excellent! Now that the Grandmaster has left, it¡¯s time for you, worthless Prince, to join my brothers below!¡± In the evening. Another shadow appeared in the inner yard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. A different time, the same place, the same person. As Chu Yuqin saw the shadow and was about to draw her sword, she heard the shadow speak, ¡°Madam Chu, still up so late? You¡¯re working hard for the Prince¡¯s safety. It seems you really care about the Prince deeply.¡± Hearing it was Wang Qingci¡¯s voice, Chu Yuqin scoffed, ¡°Sneaking around, what a sight!¡± Even though Lu Chen had told her in the morning that Wang Qingci was his person and that he had full control over them, Chu Yuqin felt somewhat uneasy for no known reason. She had no favorability towards this Wang Qingci. Just as Wang Qingci was about to say something, she heard Lu Chen¡¯s voice coming from the room. ¡°Qingci, if you¡¯re here then come inside quickly.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Wang Qingci had no choice but to bypass Chu Yuqin and enter Lu Chen¡¯s room. The previous night, while building a relationship with Wang Qingci, Lu Chen realized that he wasn¡¯t gaining any experience points for his Qi Refinement Mantra. He asked the system only to find out that a woman could only provide him with experience once a day. He had already built a relationship with Wang Qingci during the day, so naturally, there were no experience points at night. Having no other option, Lu Chen had asked Wang Qingci to come every night for the next few days. He needed to advance to the Ninth Grade Realm as soon as possible.. Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Effect of Rejuvenating Skill i Chapter 31: Chapter 31 The Effect of Rejuvenating Skill i Translator: 549690339 It wasn¡¯t long after Wang Qingci entered Lu Chen¡¯s room that her voice could be heard. Chu Yuqin, who was at the courtyard gate, said coldly upon hearing her voice, ¡°How shameless!¡± Naturally, Chu Yuqin wouldn¡¯t speak ill of her own Chen¡¯er, so the only one she could be scolding was Wang Qingci. As her words fell, Chu Yuqin turned and left. She didn¡¯t want to keep eavesdropping at the wall; otherwise, she might not be able to stand it later on. Meanwhile. Inside the room. After Lu Chen and Wang Qingci fostered their emotional connection, the system notification tone sounded. [Host and Wang Qingci have fostered an emotional connection once, gaining 20 experience points for Qi Refinement Mantra. This emotional connection has triggered an Emotional Crit, awarding an additional 4.0 experience points. Rejuvenating Skill gains 20 experience points and has broken through to the first layer.] Upon hearing the system notification, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, then filled with immense excitement in his heart. He had thought after Zhou Youyou¡¯s pregnancy, breaking through to the Ninth Grade before the arrival of Blood Moon Tower would be difficult unless he pushed Chu Yuqin away. Otherwise, Wang Qingci alone could only provide him with 20 experience points a day, requiring at least five days. It was possible that they didn¡¯t even have five days before those people from Blood Moon Tower arrived at Yan County. But today, he had gained 60 experience points in one day. Emotional Crit, that really was a wonderful thing. If he could have more Emotional Crits, wouldn¡¯t his realm advancement be even easier in the future? Just as Lu Chen was thinking this, he noticed his hand seemed to be emitting a green gas. Hmm? What is this? Lu Chen lifted his right hand, embracing Wang Qingci with his left now, and then took a serious look at his right hand. ¡°System, what¡¯s happening with my hand?¡± [This is the power of the Rejuvenating Skill. From now on, the host can use it to heal illnesses and injuries.] After hearing the system¡¯s voice, Lu Chen lowered his right hand, wanting to try out the capacity of the Rejuvenating Skill. When his right hand touched Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body again, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a moan. ¡°Prince, what are you doing? My waist feels so comfortable,¡± she said. Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes brightened. He hadn¡¯t expected that merely touching Wang Qingci¡¯s body would immediately activate the Rejuvenating Skill. Soon, Lu Chen understood what was happening. It turned out that during the Emotional Crit earlier, he, overwhelmed with rage and too ferocious, accidentally injured Wang Qingci¡¯s willowy waist. Now, the spiritual energy gathered in his right hand was helping to repair the muscular injuries inside Wang Qingci¡¯s body, which is why she felt so comfortable. The Rejuvenating Skill was indeed excellent; it would allow him to quickly recover from minor injuries and illnesses in the future. At that moment, Lu Chen patted Wang Qingci¡¯s bottom and said with a smile, ¡°How does it feel to be a female slave to this Prince?¡± Her cheeks flushing, her eyes filled with affection, Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Prince, please don¡¯t humiliate your servant like this.¡± Wang Qingci was uncertain about her future, but she had grown accustomed to being with Lu Chen. Although their relationship had only been cultivated a few times, she could no longer stay away from him. This bad man had not only captured her heart but had also conquered her entire being. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Once I¡¯ve dealt with Blood Moon Tower, you should move to the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci was silent for a moment. To be honest, she, too, wanted to move to the Prince¡¯s Mansion and serve Lu Chen every day. But she thought of a problem: in front of the North Prince, could her value only be shown in bed? Even though both her body and heart belonged to the North Prince, Wang Qingci didn¡¯t want to become a mere tool to satisfy his base desires. She wanted to show her worth in many ways in front of Lu Chen, only then could she go further, and only then would the North Prince value her, the female slave, more. Even when she grew old and her beauty faded, if she had made significant contributions to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it was unlikely that the North Prince would cast her aside. With this thought, Wang Qingci said, ¡°Prince, I want to stay at Hundred Flowers Tower forever, collecting intelligence for Your Highness.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen asked with puzzlement, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion and serve me?¡± Wang Qingci quickly replied, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. I just feel that if I were to come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion now, people would afterward recognize me as someone from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and then I wouldn¡¯t be able to gather intelligence for Your Highness.¡± ¡°After the assassination attempt by Blood Moon Tower concludes, Prince Lu Shuyun will certainly not let it rest. He might send someone to assassinate Your Highness again. If Your Highness has me, a chess piece, then no matter what Prince Lu Shuyun does, 1 could notify Your Highness immediately.¡± Hearing what Wang Qingci said, Lu Chen felt there was some truth to it. Hundred Flowers Tower, being a place of pleasure, indeed made it easy to gather intelligence. Moreover, his brother Prince Lu Shuyun really might not let things rest. If he had Wang Qingci, the Saintess of Misty Pavilion, perhaps he could monitor every move of Lu Shuyun in the future. This would also be a good thing for him. With that in mind, Lu Chen gently caressed Wang Qingci¡¯s jade back and then said, ¡°All right then, continue to stay at Hundred Flowers Tower. If my brother Prince Lu Shuyun makes any moves in the future, notify me immediately.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen agreed with her proposal, Wang Qingci was very pleased inside. She had finally found an opportunity to demonstrate her value¡ªan excellent beginning that also meant her worth was no longer just to be used for Lu Chen¡¯s amusement. The next day. After getting up in the morning and having a simple meal, Lu Chen went to find Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin was curious inside to see Lu Chen looking so spirited. Why is it that Lu Chen was entangled with women every day but seemed to suffer no significant detriment to his health? Logically, a man who engaged in the activities of men and women would lose vital energy; indulgence in women is a taboo for those practicing martial arts. Martial Artists often say, ¡°Women only affect the speed with which I can draw my sword,¡± and this saying did not come from nowhere. If one became addicted to the pleasures of women, it could indeed slow down a Martial Artist¡¯s reaction speed. Chu Yuqin thought to herself, could it be that Lu Chen has some celestial fate which prevents him from being affected by such activities? Noticing Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful eyes scanning him, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, is there something on me?¡± Chu Yuqin, returning to her senses and realizing her own lapse, quickly coughed and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve been engaging in activities with women every day. Although continuing the family line is crucial, you should also take care of your body.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Chu; I¡¯m aware of what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡°By the way, Madam Chu, I came to you today because there¡¯s something 1 need to discuss.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s expression turned serious. Lu Chen was like that; when it came to serious matters, he would not joke around. Seeing how serious Lu Chen looked, Chu Yuqin knew there must be something important, so she asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, is it regarding the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Lu Chen nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve already sent for General Li Feng; I believe he will arrive at the Prince¡¯s Mansion shortly.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen mentioned General Li Feng, Chu Yuqin realized that what Lu Chen was about to discuss must be no trivial matter. At that moment, a maid came in from outside and said, ¡°Prince, General Li has arrived.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, let¡¯s head to the Training Ground first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, the two headed to the Training Ground of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. General Li Feng, clad in armor, was pacing around the Training Ground, his armor clanging; he was curious about what important matter the North Prince wanted to discuss with him at this time. Since arriving in North City, apart from commanding him to train troops, the North Prince seemed to be doing nothing else. Even opening shops was managed by the Princess Consort while the North Prince indulged himself in the inner quarters. Of course, General Li Feng always believed this was the North Prince¡¯s way of deceiving others, making people outside believe he was a wastrel Prince. At this moment, General Li Feng couldn¡¯t help thinking, could it be that the North Prince was calling for him now because he felt the time was ripe to initiate his next plan? Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: A Gift Prepared for Blood Moon Tower_i Chapter 32: Chapter 32: A Gift Prepared for Blood Moon Tower_i Translator: 549690339 After arriving at the Training Ground, Li Feng hurriedly approached to pay his respects and said, ¡°This humble General pays his respects to Prince Lu Chen and has seen Madam Chu.¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the matter at hand. I¡¯ve received intelligence that Blood Moon Tower has sent assassins to kill me. This time, they sent not only five Ninth Grade experts, but the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower has also come personally.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Feng¡¯s face changed abruptly, and then he asked, ¡°Prince, are you certain the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower is coming in person?¡± Li Feng had heard of the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, who was said to be at the Half-step Grandmaster Realm, which made him very worried. Lu Chen said, ¡°If the intelligence is correct, he should have come personally.¡± Chu Yuqin thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Blood Moon Tower really has the audacity to attempt to assassinate you time and again.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare do this without someone backing them.¡± Looking at Lu Chen, Li Feng asked tentatively, ¡°Prince, what do you plan to do?¡± Li Feng knew that Lu Chen had weapons capable of easily killing Ninth Grade experts, so he believed that the North Prince shouldn¡¯t be afraid at all of the assassins sent by Blood Moon Tower. However, since Lu Chen sought him out, there must be some arrangement in mind. Lu Chen didn¡¯t answer immediately, but instead counterasked, ¡°General Li, have you completely taken control of North City¡¯s army?¡± Li Feng replied, ¡°Prince, rest assured. Under my management, the military of North City has been fully aligned with the North Prince Mansion.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Good, since the people from Blood Moon Tower are coming, we should properly ¡®welcome¡¯ them.¡± ¡°By the way, General Li, call over the soldiers who escorted me to North City initially, I have something to discuss with you all.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Feng asked cautiously, ¡°Prince, under what pretext should I call them?¡± The over one hundred soldiers were Third and Fourth Grade Martial Artists. Even though it was only somewhat over a hundred Third and Fourth Grade Martial Artists, in a place as impoverished as North City, these individuals counted as a formidable force. If all of them were to come to the North Prince Mansion, it would certainly spark curiosity among the people of Yan County. Moreover, many were watching the North Prince Mansion now. Since Lu Chen¡¯s arrival at North City, he had been indulging in daily pleasures. Suddenly summoning so many soldiers at this time was bound to raise suspicions about whether the North Prince Mansion was planning something significant. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Just tell them that their families have arrived in North City. I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to set up a grand feast to thank them for their escort along the way and to meet their relatives as well.¡± Li Feng instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, and immediately said, ¡°Understood, Prince, 1¡¯11 go take care of it.¡± Then Li Feng turned and left the North Prince Mansion. After Li Feng had gone, Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower is likely a Half-step Grandmaster. I can probably hold him off, but as for the other five Ninth Grade Martial Artists, I¡¯m afraid it might be difficult to restrain all of them.¡± Although the mysterious weapon Lu Chen had was indeed powerful, capable of instantly killing a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, if the opponents attacked together, Lu Chen might not be able to react in time. Chu Yuqin was somewhat worried; the Blood Moon Tower¡¯s attempt to assassinate Lu Chen surely wouldn¡¯t involve just six people. Last time they had sent a considerable number of Third and Fourth Grade Martial Artists to assassinate him. This time coming to North City, they would inevitably send many Third and Fourth Grade Martial Artists as well. These Third and Fourth Grade Martial Artists were not the main force, but they could engage the people from the North Prince Mansion, making it hard for them to protect Lu Chen. Having experienced the previous incident, Chu Yuqin had also realized the limits of her own power; even though she could withstand the assault of a Half-step Grandmaster, she couldn¡¯t hold back everyone. If it hadn¡¯t been for Lu Chen producing that mysterious weapon at the critical moment last time, she might have lost her Chen¡¯er forever. Lu Chen understood what Chu Yuqin was worried about and then said to her, ¡°Madam Chu, wait until General Li returns, and I¡¯ll show you something.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin became somewhat expectant, guessing that Lu Chen was going to show her a weapon, but she wondered what kind of weapon it was. Afterward, the Prince¡¯s Mansion began bustling with activity. When Mu Zixuan heard that Lu Chen was going to host a banquet for the relatives of the soldiers who had escorted them to North City, she took the initiative to take charge of the matter. By noon, many people had entered the North Prince Mansion. Seeing the hustle and bustle of carriages and visitors, the people grew curious, wondering if the North Prince had taken another concubine. As the main person in charge of Misty Pavilion in Yan County, Chen Yu noticed something amiss with so many coming and going at the North Prince Mansion. She discreetly disguised herself and approached the entrance of the North Prince Mansion, seeking information from someone familiar with the situation. ¡°Excuse me, young master, is there some special occasion at the North Prince Mansion today? Why is it so lively?¡± Hearing this question, the young man who had been enjoying the excitement in front of Chen Yu replied, ¡°I heard that the North Prince is hosting a banquet to thank the soldiers and relatives who escorted him to North City.¡± The young man then said quietly, ¡°It¡¯s said that without those people, the North Prince would have died on his way to North City.¡± After hearing the young man¡¯s answer, Chen Yu breathed a sigh of relief. So that was it. She had thought that the North Prince had already become suspicious. Blood Moon Tower was going to arrive in North City in a few days, and it would be troublesome if the North Prince detected even a hint of their plans now. Then Chen Yu returned to Hundred Flowers Tower and reported today¡¯s events at the North Prince Mansion to Wang Qingci. After Wang Qingci heard about the happenings at the North Prince Mansion, she was somewhat puzzled. If Lu Chen was planning his strategy in advance, he wouldn¡¯t start this early, especially since the people from Blood Moon Tower hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Could it be that the North Prince really just wanted to thank those soldiers who escorted him to North City? Wang Qingci always felt something was off, but now that she was one of the North Prince¡¯s people, she didn¡¯t need to probe too deeply into what the North Prince was planning. Besides, she had to attend to the North Prince at the North Prince Mansion that night. To find out what the North Prince was doing, she just had to ask him later that evening. Noon. Lu Chen spoke a few words of thanks at the banquet, and then he let everyone eat and drink to their hearts¡¯ content. At that moment, Li Feng came up to Lu Chen and said quietly, ¡°Prince, everyone has arrived.¡± Lu Chen nodded, then said, ¡°After the meal, come to the back courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen started drinking with the soldiers, not showing any signs that he had important business with them afterward. After lunch, the drunk soldiers arrived at the back courtyard. Lu Chen said he wanted to reward them, but the soldiers weren¡¯t fools. They knew that the North Prince had something for them. Once in the back courtyard, Lu Chen glanced over these soldiers, whose loyalty was mostly above eighty, considering them as his own people now. Chu Yuqin, seeing everyone assembled, then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what is it that you said you wanted to show us?¡± Lu Chen revealed a slight smile, then ordered several freshly slaughtered cows and sheep to be brought over and wrapped in fine armor, He then took out a grenade larger than an adult¡¯s fist and said to everyone, ¡°Everyone, step back fifty paces.¡± Upon hearing these words, without a second thought, everyone immediately retreated fifty steps. Subsequently, Lu Chen pulled the pin and threw the grenade. The next moment, an earth-shaking explosion sounded, startling the drunken soldiers sober, leaving their ears buzzing for a long while afterward. With the explosion of the grenade, a plume of white smoke rose in the distance, and countless holes appeared in the armor that had covered the cows and sheep. At the sight of this, the soldiers were stunned, standing rooted to the spot without daring to move. Heavenly Thunder? Could their Prince summon Heavenly Thunder? Could this be real? Was this something a person could do? Could it be that their Prince was an Immortal? Although some soldiers¡¯ minds were still clouded, Li Feng and Chu Yuqin had already realized that the noise was caused by something in Lu Chen¡¯s hands. Even so, Li Feng and Chu Yuqin were still immensely shocked. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, come over and take a look.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen walked towards the site of the explosion. Seeing their Prince proceed, the soldiers quickly followed along.. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Breakthrough to Ninth Grade l Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Breakthrough to Ninth Grade l Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen¡¯s hand grenade was obtained from the Newbie Gift Pack he had in the beginning; he had never used it before. To test the blast radius of these grenades, Lu Chen specially took one out for a trial explosion. The grenades from the Newbie Gift Pack were much larger than the average hand grenade found on Earth, not designed for carrying on one¡¯s person; therefore, they were also more powerful. After Lu Chen approached the site of the explosion, he found that all the armors within a ten-meter radius had been pierced by the shards from the grenade¡¯s blast, and the bodies of cows and sheep were riddled with holes. The sight of the wounds on the cattle and sheep involuntarily filled the soldiers with dread, grateful that they had been a good distance away. If they had been any closer, their bodies would likely be full of bloody holes by now. At that moment, Lu Chen said to Chu Yuqin and Li Feng, ¡°General Li, Madam Chu, what do you think of the weapon 1 just used?¡± Li Feng immediately replied, ¡°With such a divine artifact, the Prince is sure to unify the entire world!¡± No sooner had Li Feng finished speaking than the soldiers kneeled in unison and exclaimed in one voice, ¡°We congratulate the Prince on obtaining a divine artifact. The Prince will definitely unify the world and inspire awe in all directions!¡± Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. Damn, a bunch of sycophants! ¡°Alright, get up, all of you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the soldiers promptly got to their feet. Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, wasn¡¯t that thing just now a one-time use? Do you still have many of them?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Not many, just a few dozen, but we could make them ourselves once the conditions are right.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin was thrilled inside. With such a divine artifact, it would be much easier for Lu Chen to vie for that position in the Capital city in the future. Like pulling a rabbit from a hat, Lu Chen then took out a grenade from his sleeve and said to Li Feng, ¡°General Li, I¡¯ll teach you how to use this first. When the assassins from Blood Moon Tower come that day, use this to give them a warm welcome.¡± ¡°As you command, my Prince.¡± Then, Lu Chen taught Li Feng and the soldiers how to use the grenade, naturally without actually pulling the pin this time. After showing the soldiers how to use it, Lu Chen spoke to them, ¡°The North Prince was distributing rewards to the soldiers when Heavenly Thunder struck the Prince¡¯s Mansion, frightening the North Prince into hiding in his room all afternoon.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the soldiers immediately understood his intent; after all, the sound of the grenade¡¯s explosion was too loud, and the neighbors around the Prince¡¯s Mansion must have heard it. If they didn¡¯t find an excuse, it could potentially awaken suspicion among the people. As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, he quickly had people tidy up the back yard, and then he returned to the front court. After Li Feng and the soldiers left the backyard, their relatives came forward, asking what had happened just now. Li Feng and the others all claimed Heavenly Thunder had struck the backyard just now, giving the Prince quite a scare. As evening fell, The news that the North Prince Mansion had been struck by Heavenly Thunder spread throughout Yan County, leading people to wonder if the North Prince had done something utterly heinous to deserve being struck by lightning. At the same time, Hundred Flowers Tower. Wang Qingci was lounging on the beauty couch in the loft, with her Cloud Attire loosely tied, displaying a very lazy demeanor. At that moment, Chen Yu arrived at the loft. ¡°Madam Yu, what brings you here?¡± Wang Qingci inquired first. Chen Yu replied, ¡°Saintess, our people have found out that at noon, after the North Prince had his meal and was rewarding his soldiers, Heavenly Thunder struck from the sky, scaring the North Prince so much that he hid in his room and didn¡¯t come out all afternoon.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci smiled faintly, then rose from the beauty couch, showing a very interested look. ¡°This is somewhat interesting, did the North Prince sustain any injuries?¡± Wang Qingci naturally did not believe that Lu Chen was actually scared by the Heavenly Thunder into hiding in his room for an entire afternoon without coming out. She only suspected that the North Prince was preparing something. The idea that someone could be scared by the Heavenly Thunder is obviously a diversion to shift people¡¯s attention. At this moment, Chen Yu said, ¡°We don¡¯t know about that.¡± Wang Qingci said indifferently, ¡°Then 1¡¯11 go to the North Prince Mansion again tonight to probe for some information.¡± Hearing this, Chen Yu said with some concern, ¡°Saintess, you go to the North Prince Mansion every night. It¡¯s very easy for Chu Yuqin to discover you. Before the people from Blood Moon Tower arrive, I think it¡¯s better for you not to go to the North Prince Mansion for the time being.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. I generally don¡¯t get near the inner courtyard, so Chu Yuqin won¡¯t find out.¡± Having said this, Wang Qingci stood up, ready to change clothes and head to the North Prince Mansion. In the dead of the night. A black figure appeared again in the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion. At this time, Chu Yuqin was still patrolling the inner courtyard. Because of the incident with the grenade during the day, she was worried that spies might come to gather information at the North Prince Mansion, so she was extra diligent tonight. When she saw a black figure swaggering into the main courtyard of the North Prince Mansion, Chu Yuqin was about to take action, but then she heard the black-clad woman say with a chuckle, ¡°This servant pays her respects to Madam Chu. Good evening to you, Madam.¡± Hearing that it was Wang Qingci¡¯s voice, Chu Yuqin snorted coldly and said, ¡°Remove your mask.¡± Wang Qingci unhesitatingly took off her mask, and after confirming Wang Qingci¡¯s identity, Chu Yuqin immediately turned and left, without any further words to Wang Qingci. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s retreating figure, the corners of Wang Qingci¡¯s mouth turned up slightly, and then she muttered to herself, ¡°It seems that Madam really dislikes me.¡± As her words fell, Wang Qingci walked toward Lu Chen¡¯s room. After entering the room, Wang Qingci had planned to inquire if anything had happened at the Prince¡¯s Mansion during the day. However, before she could speak, her words were stopped by a kiss. Wang Qingci was somewhat speechless. Although her opinion of the North Prince had greatly improved, she also found that the rumors about the North Prince being a womanizer were absolutely true. The term ¡°womanizer¡± could no longer describe the North Prince. He was akin to a hungry ghost among the lustful. Wang Qingci naturally did not know why Lu Chen was so eager. Lu Chen was only thirty experience points away from breaking through to the second layer of the Qi Refinement Mantra. He was of course very anxious. He could hardly wait to become a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. As his emotional cultivation with Wang Qingci was completed, the system notification finally sounded. ¡°[Host has cultivated feelings with Wang Qingci once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increased by 20. Triggered an Emotional Crit, experience points increased by another 40. Qi Refinement Mantra breaks through to the second layer, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increased by 10. Congratulations to the host for advancing to the Ninth Grade Realm.]¡± After hearing the system notification, Lu Chen finally calmed down. Then he felt a vast power surge into his body, making his body feel lighter in an instant and as if he had endless energy. Not only that, he found that his vision had become clearer and his brain was exceptionally alert. After enjoying the peculiar sensation of his realm advancement, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel moved. So this is what it¡¯s like to be a Ninth Grade Martial Artist! He had never imagined that one day he could become a Ninth Grade Martial Artist! When he was in the Capital City, he always thought he would just lie down for the rest of his life, remaining an ordinary person, because he had no talent for martial arts and couldn¡¯t endure the hardships of martial training. Unexpectedly, after gaining the system, he broke through to the Ninth Grade in less than half a year. How wonderful! With the enhancement of his personal strength, he now had some ability to protect himself. In the future, he could consider going out to explore and plan the development direction of North City.. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Dark and Windy Night i Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Dark and Windy Night i Translator: 549690339 A few days later. Hundred Flowers Tower. Today, many customers arrived at the entrance of Hundred Flowers Tower only to find the doors tightly shut, with a sign placed at the doorway. The sign bore a message that the Hundred Flowers Tower would be temporarily closed for renovations in preparation for the Oiran contest happening in half a month. This sort of event was not unusual; the reason Hundred Flowers Tower could maintain its status as the liveliest place in Yan County was precisely because of its constant upgrades and renovations, always offering fresh and exciting experiences to its customers. Moreover, with each upgrade and renovation, a number of beautiful young women would arrive, and the anticipation for this renovation stimulated the clientele of the Hundred Flowers Tower. Of course, this renovation of Hundred Flowers Tower was not a true renovation but because the guests from Blood Moon Tower had arrived. At this moment, upstairs in the Hundred Flowers Tower, a man wearing a bamboo hat was gazing in the direction of the North Prince Mansion. Wang Qingci sat on a divan with her slender legs crossed, with her derriere slightly indenting the couch. Liu Yuan spoke at this moment, ¡°Thank you, Miss Wang, for giving me the opportunity to take revenge with my own hands.¡± In Liu Yuan¡¯s eyes, if Misty Pavilion wanted to move against the North Prince, without that Mysterious Grandmaster, it was entirely possible for them to kill the North Prince. But they had not taken action and were waiting until the arrival of Blood Moon Tower¡¯s guests to start discussing how to assassinate the North Prince, which presented an opportunity for Blood Moon Tower to act. Wang Qingci said with a smile, ¡°Tower Master Liu, I did not wait until today for your sake, but to ensure that this assassination can be executed without fail.¡± Liu Yuan said, ¡°No matter how Miss Wang sees it, objectively you have still provided me with an opportunity.¡± At this moment, Liu Yuan was burning with the desire to charge into the North Prince Mansion and behead the North Prince personally. It was possible that his younger brother, Liu Tong, had been killed by the Mysterious Grandmaster of the North Prince Mansion, but he still attributed this debt to the North Prince. The reason was simple. Firstly, he might not be a match for that Mysterious Grandmaster, and secondly, since Liu Tong died attempting to assassinate the North Prince, it was related to the North Prince. Since the Mysterious Grandmaster could neither be found nor defeated, venting his anger by killing the North Prince was the only option. Originally, he thought that the task of assassinating the useless Prince would be easy, so he sent his own brother. However, the next time he saw Liu Tong, his brother¡¯s body was already charred. If the North Prince did not die at his hands, his deep-seated hatred would be difficult to quell. At this time, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Tower Master Liu, are you planning to take action tonight?¡± Liu Yuan said, ¡°Yes, I can hardly wait to decapitate the North Prince and appease the spirit of my brother in heaven.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°Very well, tonight, our Misty Pavilion will fully support Blood Moon Tower. If there is anything you need, Tower Master Liu, just let us know.¡± Liu Yuan asked, ¡°Miss Wang, just to be sure, could you confirm once more that the Mysterious Grandmaster following the North Prince to the Prince¡¯s Mansion has indeed left?¡± Wang Qingci said with a smile, ¡°I have visited the Prince¡¯s Mansion multiple times just to investigate this matter. According to the intelligence I¡¯ve gathered, it seems that the Mysterious Grandmaster has indeed left the Prince¡¯s Mansion and returned to the Chu Family.¡± Liu Yuan said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then nothing could be better.¡± Wang Qingci continued with a smile, ¡°Tower Master Liu, even if the intelligence collected by our Misty Pavilion might be false, you need not worry too much.¡± ¡°Even if the Mysterious Grandmaster returns to the North Prince Mansion, with your strength, holding him off should be no problem.¡± ¡°While you keep him occupied, we can certainly take care of the North Prince.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Liu Yuan found Wang Qingci¡¯s words sensible. After all, this time they had five Ninth Grade Martial Artists and one Half-step Grandmaster. If you exclude that Mysterious Grandmaster, the North Prince Mansion has only one Ninth Grade, Chu Yuqin. A single Ninth Grade simply cannot hold back six Ninth Grades. So, tonight the North Prince is doomed to die! Even if that Mysterious Grandmaster comes, it will be of no use! At this moment, Wang Qingci pulled out a map of the North Prince Mansion, ¡°This is the map of the North Prince Mansion. Tonight, during our operation, our Misty Pavilion¡¯s people will directly head to the back courtyard to block North Prince¡¯s escape routes. As for the affairs of the front courtyard, we will leave them to Blood Moon Tower to handle. What do you think about this plan, Vice Tower Master Liu?¡± ¡°If Vice Tower Master Liu has any other ideas, feel free to propose them.¡± Liu Yuan thought for a moment, and then said, ¡°Very well, let¡¯s do as Miss Wang has said.¡± ¡°However, if Chu Yuqin tries to stop me at that time, could I trouble Miss Wang to hold her off for a moment, so that I can take the North Prince¡¯s head?¡± Chu Yuqin was a difficult person to deal with; if she came out to stop him from killing Lu Chen, he might need some time to get rid of her entanglement. Although he could have other Ninth Grade assassins kill Lu Chen, Liu Yuan much preferred to do it himself. Wang Qingci said, ¡°There is no problem with that.¡± After that, Wang Qingci added, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s each make our preparations.¡± Meanwhile, In the North Prince Mansion. When Blood Moon Tower arrived at the Hundred Flowers Tower, Lu Chen received the message passed on by Wang Qingci, and immediately began arranging troops and setting up an ambush within the Prince¡¯s Mansion. This time, he distributed a total of twenty grenades to the soldiers, which was completely sufficient to deal with Liu Yuan and his men. And they were not to throw grenades immediately; first, they would wait until Blood Moon Tower¡¯s people entered the ambush circle before the soldiers would shoot arrows. If they were well-ambushed, even if the realm of people coming with Liu Yuan was at least Third or Fourth Grade, most of them would be shot to death by arrows. The grenades were mainly for dealing with those five Ninth Grade assassins and the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower. In order to prevent his three pregnant wives, including Mu Zixuan, from being frightened, Lu Chen had moved them to a hidden passage within the Prince¡¯s Mansion ahead of time. Once everything was ready, it was just a matter of waiting for nightfall. The cold night wind howled. There was no moon or stars tonight; thick clouds accumulated overhead, as if the sky were about to collapse. At this time, the entire North Prince Mansion was eerily quiet, with nothing but the sound of the wind. Time passed, and then, a group of people dressed in black burst directly through the main gate of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. When Liu Yuan and his men entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, they found not a single person at the gate, not even a patrolling trusted aide. This made Liu Yuan feel a sudden sense of unease. It was impossible for such a large Prince¡¯s Mansion to have no guards at all. It¡¯s possible that the North Prince had gotten wind of their arrival and escaped in advance! At that moment, Liu Yuan didn¡¯t even consider the possibility of the North Prince Mansion setting up an ambush for them, after all, the Ninth Grade Martial Artists they brought this time were numerous, and they didn¡¯t take a mere Prince¡¯s Mansion seriously at all. In Liu Yuan¡¯s view, even if the North Prince Mansion knew they were coming, the North Prince would only be scared into fleeing, not setting up an ambush for them. Unless the North Prince had lost his mind, he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. At this point, Liu Yuan¡¯s face darkened. If the North Prince really had escaped, then killing the North Prince might take some more time. The Capital city couldn¡¯t wait, and he himself didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. Then Liu Yuan said to his subordinates, ¡°Search for me! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find the North Prince for me!¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Immortal! Theres an Immortal in the North Prince Mansion!_i Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Immortal! There¡¯s an Immortal in the North Prince Mansion!_i Translator: 549690339 As Liu Yuan gave the order, the people of Blood Moon Tower immediately flooded into North Prince Mansion. Just as the members of Blood Moon Tower arrived at the Training Ground, countless arrows came flying from the sky. At this moment, someone shouted loudly, ¡°Tower Master! We¡¯ve been tricked!¡± Watching the rain of arrows from the sky, Liu Yuan wasn¡¯t the slightest bit panicked. He just snorted coldly and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing but a last-ditch struggle!¡± Ninth Grade Martial Artists couldn¡¯t be killed by mere arrow rain, not to mention that he himself was a Half-step Grandmaster who could already project his Inner Strength externally. These arrows had no way of hitting him, and even if they did, they couldn¡¯t cause him any harm. In his eyes, such ambush and sneak attacks were nothing but petty moves. Liu Yuan immediately said, ¡°Close in on me right now!¡± Hearing this, the Blood Moon Tower¡¯s members quickly turned back to back, then swung the swords in their hands non-stop, fending off the arrows raining down from the sky. Lu Chen was completely stunned by this scene. Damn it, so this is the world where Martial Arts exist? The last time he came to North City to pay tribute, he was inside the carriage and did not witness his trusted aides defending against the arrow rain. The scene today was extremely shocking to him. Without using shields, but just the swords in their hands, they actually managed to fend off the skyful of arrows? Although some were unable to completely block and were shot dead, most of the people from Blood Moon Tower survived. The scene today also made Lu Chen realize how important the fragmentary hand grenades the system gave him were. If it weren¡¯t for the grenades, they would probably have no way to deal with the assassins of Blood Moon Tower with the few people they had in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At this moment, Lu Chen also felt a sense of relief, thankful that the newbie gift pack from the system included modern lethal weapons like grenades. As the Prince¡¯s Mansion soldiers finished shooting their arrows, Liu Yuan looked at the distant rooftops with scorn and said, ¡°Is this the extent of arrows? Do you really think this will kill us? Is North Prince being too naive?¡± Lu Chen had no intention of wasting words with Liu Yuan. He directly told Li Feng and the others, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them. Just throw the grenades, pull the safety pins and wait for three breaths!¡± Hearing this, Li Feng and the others quickly took out the grenades from their bosoms. At this moment, the soldiers holding the grenades couldn¡¯t help but tremble, as they had witnessed the power of this weapon. They were terrified that they might accidentally fail to throw the grenades. If they didn¡¯t manage to throw them, they would likely be the ones to die. Seeing the soldiers so nervous, Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t explode on you!¡± No sooner had Lu Chen¡¯s words fallen than Li Feng pulled the pin off the grenade in his hand, and after holding it for less than two seconds, he forcefully threw the grenade into the crowd of Blood Moon Tower. Though Li Feng was a Seventh Grade Martial Artist, he was also very nervous when using lethal weapons like grenades. Originally, Lu Chen had wanted them to detonate the grenades in midair, as no one knew if those Martial Artists could kick the grenades back. If that happened, they would be the ones in trouble. Fortunately, when Li Feng¡¯s grenade landed among the crowd, Liu Yuan and the others thought nothing of it. They even assumed it was just a stone thrown by the North Prince Mansion and easily dodged Li Feng¡¯s thrown grenade. Liu Yuan mocked again, saying, ¡°Ha-ha-ha, has North Prince Mansion become so poor that they have no arrows and can only throw stones?¡± However, as soon as Liu Yuan¡¯s words finished, a huge blast exploded in the midst of the crowd. Boom¡­ With a puff of white smoke, those around were either dead or injured, and the scene was filled with wailing. After seeing this, the people from Blood Moon Tower were scared stiff, unable to react for a long while. It was not until the second grenade exploded among the crowd that the Martial Artists of Blood Moon Tower started to flee in panic, as if crazed. ¡°My God! Heavenly Thunder!¡± ¡°Run, the North Prince Mansion has someone who can summon Heavenly Thunder!¡± ¡°An Immortal! There¡¯s an Immortal in the North Prince Mansion!¡± Watching the Blood Moon Tower members scatter, Liu Yuan clenched his broadsword tightly and roared with all his might, ¡°Stop right there! Whoever flees, 1 will kill!¡± Before Liu Yuan could finish speaking, a Prince¡¯s Mansion soldier threw a grenade toward Liu Yuan¡¯s position. Liu Yuan wasn¡¯t a fool, he had realized that this thing was what caused the explosion just now. Although he didn¡¯t know why it had such great destructive power, he was very clear that it was dangerous. Liu Yuan quickly pushed against the ground with his legs, and his body retreated ten steps back. Still, when the grenade exploded, a shrapnel grazed past his leg, blasting flesh and blood from his limb. Liu Yuan was considered one of the luckier ones, as the Ninth Grade Martial Artist closest to him had collided directly with a hand grenade, instantly blown open with more than a dozen bloody holes. Upon witnessing this scene, Liu Yuan¡¯s body started trembling uncontrollably. Without a doubt, he was scared. He had never seen such a strange weapon before. It looked just like a stone, yet when it exploded, it was able to kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist instantly. This completely overturned his understanding! He had never heard of such a weapon! How could such a weapon possibly exist in this world! If that dynasty possessed such a murderous tool, they would have likely unified the world a long time ago! At the same time. In the back courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. When Wang Qingci and the people of Hundred Flowers Tower arrived at the back courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, they too heard the thunderous explosions. Upon hearing those sounds, Wang Qingci paused momentarily. At that moment, Chen Yu said beside her, ¡°Saintess, it looks like it¡¯s going to rain soon, which should help cover our movements.¡± Chen Yu thought the rumbling was thunder, but Wang Qingci clearly thought otherwise. Although the night sky was indeed overcast with heavy clouds, the sound was clearly not coming from the heavens above, plus there was a significant echo. Something must have happened in the front courtyard. It seemed the North Prince had quite a few secrets. At this moment, one of the Assassins from Misty Pavilion suddenly alerted, ¡°Saintess, there are people!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone from Hundred Flowers Tower became instantly alert. They had come to the back door of the Prince¡¯s Mansion mainly to block the North Prince¡¯s escape route, so the presence of people at the back door meant that North Prince and his party were planning to flee. Just as the people from Misty Pavilion thought they were about to see the underlings of North Prince Mansion making their escape, they saw a beautiful woman dressed in a green Cloud Attire with her hair done up in a Cloud Bun, slowly walking to the back courtyard door. The people from Misty Pavilion immediately recognized the woman, who was none other than the Ninth Grade expert Chu Yuqin of North Prince Mansion. Seeing Chu Yuqin appearing in the back courtyard, Chen Yu and the other Assassins from Misty Pavilion were dumbfounded. A Ninth Grade expert like Chu Yuqin not protecting the North Prince at his side, what was she doing running to the back courtyard at a time like this? What was going on? Suddenly, a bad premonition surged in everyone¡¯s hearts. Chu Yuqin asked coldly, ¡°It¡¯s so late, where does Miss Wang plan to go?¡± Wang Qingci replied with a beaming smile, ¡°This servant came to North Prince Mansion, of course, to attend to the Prince.¡± Chu Yuqin snorted coldly and said, ¡°Does attending to Chen¡¯er require so many people?¡± At this point, Chen Yu stepped forward proactively. She quickly moved in front of Wang Qingci, ¡°Saintess, you should go to the front courtyard to see what¡¯s happening! I have a bad feeling, let me hold her off¡­¡± Before Chen Yu could finish her sentence, she felt a chill on her back, followed by a piercing pain that swept through her entire body. Chen Yu looked down slightly, hardly believing the sword blade embedded in her chest. She turned her head only to find out that it was Wang Qingci who had attacked her! ¡°Saintess¡­ you¡­¡± Wang Qingci then pulled out her sword, and before Chen Yu could finish speaking, she fell to the ground unconscious. Seeing this, the Assassins from Misty Pavilion were dumbstruck. In their wildest dreams, they never imagined their Saintess would turn on their own at a time like this. At this moment, Wang Qingci spoke again to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, I will have to trouble you to help this servant get rid of these people and not let them escape.¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, the Assassins of Misty Pavilion weren¡¯t fools, and they quickly realized that Wang Qingci had betrayed Prince Lu Shuyun! One of them shouted loudly, ¡°Everyone, run! We must spread the news of the Saintess¡¯s betrayal!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the Assassins of Misty Pavilion fled in several directions. At that moment, Chu Yuqin merely cast a cold glance around. Soon, there were over a dozen additional corpses at the back door of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Brother, times have changed! ! Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Brother, times have changed! ! Translator: 549690339 After dealing with the assassins from Misty Pavilion, Chu Yuqin and Wang Qingci headed to the Training Ground together. Wang Qingci was somewhat curious as to why Chu Yuqin would dare leave the North Prince at such a time. Although she knew that the North Prince might be somewhat capable, after all, Blood Moon Tower had sent so many Ninth Grade Martial Artists, and there was even a Half-step Grandmaster among them. Could it be that Chu Yuqin was not at all worried about her Chen¡¯er being killed? Or did Chu Yuqin think that Lu Chen was fully capable of dealing with the assassins from Blood Moon Tower? Had the strength of the North Prince Mansion really become so strong? While Wang Qingci was filled with questions, they had already arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s Training Ground. Seeing the people from Blood Moon Tower surrounded on the Training Ground, Wang Qingci froze in place. At this time, the corpses littered the Training Ground, but these bodies all belonged to the assassins from Blood Moon Tower. Currently, only two Ninth Grade along with Blood Moon Tower¡¯s Vice Tower Master Liu Yuan were still alive. But their situation was very bad. The three of them were covered in blood, and it was clear that the two surviving Ninth Grade Martial Artists were seriously injured. If they weren¡¯t treated promptly, death wasn¡¯t likely far away. It hadn¡¯t been that long. Had the soldiers of the North Prince Mansion really captured all the assassins sent by Blood Moon Tower in one fell swoop? Wang Qingci felt as if she was dreaming. She knew the North Prince Mansion might have some strength, but she had never anticipated that the North Prince Mansion could resolve the situation with the assassins from Blood Moon Tower in such a short period of time. That was five Ninth Grades! And a Half-step Grandmaster too! Even if the North Prince Mansion truly had a Master Realm powerhouse, it shouldn¡¯t have been possible to resolve so many people in less than a quarter of an hour, right? How did the North Prince Mansion do it? At this moment, Wang Qingci turned her head to look at Lu Chen, who was walking towards the Training Ground from afar. If she wanted to know how the North Prince Mansion did it, she would probably have to wait and personally ask the North Prince later. During this time, Liu Yuan, supporting his injured body with a sword planted in the ground, clenched his teeth and said with a cold laugh when he saw the North Prince slowly emerge from the crowd, ¡°North Prince, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the one who¡¯s been hiding the deepest!¡± ¡°It seems the whole world has been deceived by you!¡± At this moment, Liu Yuan had lost his earlier sharpness. It hadn¡¯t been long, but almost all of his people had perished, leaving only three seriously injured people. The kind of weapon that the North Prince Mansion had just brought out, let alone a Half-step Grandmaster, 1 fear even a true Grandmaster might not be able to fully withstand it. He had never dreamed that one day he would actually fall at the hands of a worthless Prince. Hearing Liu Yuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Tower Master Liu, do you have any last words? Later, when this Prince annihilates Blood Moon Tower, perhaps I can convey your last words to your Tower Master.¡± Liu Yuan laughed loudly, ¡°Impertinent brat, since you want to kill me, then I shall take you down with me!¡± As he spoke, Liu Yuan suddenly drew the sword planted in the ground and charged straight at Lu Chen. A fierce and proud smile appeared on Liu Yuan¡¯s face. Had the North Prince not come out earlier, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill the North Prince. But the North Prince should not have, at this time, come out to mock him! At such a close distance, and being a Half-step Grandmaster, although he was seriously injured, it was still possible to kill a worthless person. Seeing this scene, Wang Qingci¡¯s complexion changed drastically, and she cried out, ¡°Oh no!¡± Just when Wang Qingci thought Lu Chen was in danger, she found that the people around her remained motionless. The soldiers of the Prince¡¯s Mansion and Chu Yuqin just stood in place, quietly watching the scene unfold, as if they hadn¡¯t seen Liu Yuan¡¯s intention to perish together with Lu Chen. Wang Qingci was stunned. She didn¡¯t understand why the soldiers of the Prince¡¯s Mansion and Chu Yuqin were reacting so calmly. Liu Yuan was a Half-step Grandmaster. Even if he was seriously injured, taking a high-level Ninth Grade with him before dying wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Yet the people of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were indifferent to the scene. Soon, Wang Qingci understood why the people of the Prince¡¯s Mansion had no reaction to the scene whatsoever. At that moment, she saw Lu Chen take out a black stick-like weapon and aim it at Liu Yuan, who was charging towards him. Seeing the stick in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Liu Yuan laughed loudly, ¡°A mere worthless Prince dares to face me alone in combat. Do you think that because 1 am seriously injured, 1 can no longer kill you!¡± Liu Yuan saw that no one around him moved, and when he saw Lu Chen pull out a stick, he even thought Lu Chen had gone mad, wishing to end his own life. While speaking, Liu Yuan had already arrived in front of Lu Chen. ¡°Go to hell for this seat!¡± As Liu Yuan¡¯s sword was about to chop down on Lu Chen, Wang Qingci¡¯s heart leapt into her throat. However, at that moment, what she feared did not happen. Suddenly, a loud noise erupted, followed by Lu Chen stepping back. Bang¡­ The instant the gunshot sounded, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Old chap, the times have changed!¡± The next moment, Liu Yuan¡¯s body instantly flew out, and a huge bloody hole appeared in his back. Witnessing this scene, Wang Qingci was completely stunned. What had just happened? And what was that loud noise? She had only seen Liu Yuan swing his sword at North Prince, then North Prince, holding a stick, faced Liu Yuan, after which Liu Yuan was flung away, with a huge bloody hole appearing in his body. North Prince hadn¡¯t even moved, yet Liu Yuan died? Wang Qingci was no fool; she quickly realized that it was the black stick in Lu Chen¡¯s hand that had killed Liu Yuan. Wang Qingci¡¯s mind was bewildered. A Half-step Grandmaster. Just like that, dead? What kind of weapon did North Prince have in his hand that was so terrifying? Could there really be such a weapon in this world that could instantly kill a Half-step Grandmaster? Wang Qingci¡¯s mind quickly connected all recent events. She finally understood why Blood Moon Tower¡¯s first assassination attempt had failed. And she finally comprehended why North Prince was not at all afraid of Blood Moon Tower¡¯s assassination attempts. At the same time, she realized why the soldiers of North Prince Mansion, including Chu Yuqin herself, were indifferent to North Prince¡¯s danger. Where was the danger for North Prince? The one in danger was Liu Yuan! A Half-step Grandmaster, with just a glance at North Prince, had a huge bloody hole appear in his body instantaneously. With such a weapon in hand, North Prince need not fear any Half-step Grandmaster. Not to mention a Half-step Grandmaster, perhaps even a Grandmaster couldn¡¯t withstand that mysterious weapon. Seeing the black stick in Lu Chen¡¯s hand again, Wang Qingci unconsciously broke out in cold sweats on her pristine forehead. That black stick seemed to emanate a thick scent of blood, causing Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body to shiver uncontrollably. In fact, it wasn¡¯t just Wang Qingci who was shocked by the scene, even Li Feng and others who had previously seen Lu Chen use the Batrelei to snipe a Ninth Grade Martial Artist were equally stunned. The last time Blood Moon Tower had attempted to assassinate North Prince, North Prince¡¯s target was only a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. But this time, the one dead at North Prince¡¯s hand was a Half-step Grandmaster. A Half-step Grandmaster! This was an existence that even the court would try to win over. Moreover, the previous grenade hadn¡¯t even killed this Half-step Grandmaster of Blood Moon Tower. But in front of North Prince, before North Prince¡¯s mysterious weapon, killing this Half-step Grandmaster was just a matter of an instant. Seeing the huge bloody hole in Liu Yuan¡¯s back, nearly everyone felt a chill down their spine. For a moment, the Training Ground was as silent as a graveyard at night, until the pleas for mercy from the remaining two Ninth Grade Martial Artists of Blood Moon Tower broke the silence, bringing people back to their senses.. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: The North Prince Through Wang Qingcis Eyesi Chapter 37: Chapter 37: The North Prince Through Wang Qingci¡¯s Eyesi Translator: 549690339 The two surviving Ninth Grade martial artists of the Blood Moon Guild completely lost their will to resist when they saw Liu Yuan instantly killed by the North Prince using a mysterious weapon. Even a Half-step Grandmaster had been killed by the North Prince as easily as slaughtering a chicken, so what resistance could they, two Ninth Grade martial artists, possibly muster? That was a Half-step Grandmaster! A Half-step Grandmaster who was just one step away from becoming a Grandmaster! Let alone a Grandmaster, even for a Grandmaster, it¡¯s not easy to instantly kill a Half-step Grandmaster. Yet, the North Prince, who was rumored to be nothing but useless, eliminated him in an instant. ¡°Prince, please spare our lives, this humble one was threatened by Liu Yuan to come here, this humble one never had the intention to oppose the Prince,¡± they pleaded. ¡°Prince, have mercy, this humble one knows the hiding places of the Blood Moon Guild, if the Prince wishes to eradicate the Blood Moon Guild, this humble one can lead the way.¡± As they spoke, the two Ninth Grade martial artists from the Blood Moon Guild kowtowed incessantly, their blood already congealing their hair together. Witnessing this scene, Wang Qingci¡¯s heart was filled with mixed emotions. Once, she had thought that Ninth Grade martial artists were extremely powerful, especially after she herself became a Ninth Grade marial artist, she believed that she could one day break free from the Misty Pavilion and the Wang Family with her own strength. But now, being Ninth Grade seemed so trivial. Not to mention Ninth Grade, even the status of a Half-step Grandmaster might drastically decline in the future. With these thoughts, Wang Qingci once again glanced at the black staff in Lu Chen¡¯s hands. With that mysterious weapon, any Half-step Grandmaster would be no different from an ordinary person. If the North Prince Mansion could mass-produce the same type of weapons, the entire Martial Arts World might very well be overturned. At this moment, Wang Qingci seemed to have foreseen the collapse of the Martial Arts World and the North Prince unifying the entire continent. At that time, Li Feng said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, should we keep these two? Maybe they can help us locate the Blood Moon Guild.¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then asked, ¡°General Li, can you guarantee that these two Ninth Grade martial artists won¡¯t escape?¡± Li Feng replied, ¡°Your Highness, we can lock down their Pipa Bones with hooks to prevent them from using their skills.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°General Li, what I asked was whether you could ensure that these two Ninth Grade martial artists wouldn¡¯t escape.¡± Li Feng fell silent. Of course, he couldn¡¯t guarantee this. Even if they hooked these two people¡¯s Pipa Bones, they could still potentially find ways to escape, given they were Ninth Grade martial artists. Seeing Li Feng¡¯s silence, Lu Chen could practically confirm that even Li Feng couldn¡¯t be sure of preventing their escape without fail. Although he had a Ninth Grade and a Half-step Grandmaster by his side, one was Wang Qingci and the other was Chu Yuqin. He couldn¡¯t possibly have them watch over the assassins from the Blood Moon Guild. If Li Feng and the rest were to watch these assassins, with Li Feng being a Seventh Grade, and the remaining soldiers being Third and Fourth Grade, they might not be able to stop them if the assassins of the Blood Moon Guild really broke free. So, to be safe, it was better to dispose of these two. With that thought, Lu Chen, without saying another word, conjured the Desert Eagle out of his sleeve like magic, aimed it at the two Ninth Grade martial artists, and fired two shots, ¡°Bang, bang.¡± The last two assassins sent by the Blood Moon Guild fell to the ground. With that, all assassins sent by the Blood Moon Guild were wiped out, and Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s plan failed once again. Seeing the two fallen Ninth Grade experts, the soldiers couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard. If it were before, one Ninth Grade could defeat fifty of them. Under normal circumstances, these two Ninth Grade experts would have been wholly capable of killing all of them, over a hundred soldiers. But now, two Ninth Grade experts had been easily executed by their Prince. The weapon in the Prince¡¯s hands was terrifying! They didn¡¯t dare to imagine what would happen if that kind of weapon were used on them in the future. At this moment, Li Feng and the others felt immensely relieved that they had been wise to stay in the North City. If they had chosen to return to the Capital city, let alone whether they could have made it out of Yan County. Even if they had made it back to the Capital city, when the North Prince rose to power, they would likely have to face those mysterious weapons in the hands of the North Prince directly. Every time the soldiers thought about the previous grenade explosion, their bodies would involuntarily begin to tremble. At that moment, Wang Qingci stared intensely at the Desert Eagle in Lu Chen¡¯s hands. She had initially thought that the North Prince only had that long black weapon and was shocked to discover that the North Prince also possessed a mysterious weapon capable of easily killing a Ninth Grade martial artist. How could the North Prince possess such a terrifying weapon? Where on earth did these weapons come from? Wang Qingci was very certain that such dreadful weapons did not exist in this world; otherwise, the Martial Arts World would have been in chaos long ago. It was at this moment that Lu Chen turned his head to look at Wang Qingci. Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate frame shivered slightly, and her mind went blank. With just one look from Lu Chen, Wang Qingci felt overwhelmed with fear. In her heart, the North Prince had become synonymous with a god of death and mystery. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Qingci, how do you plan to deal with the people from the Misty Pavilion?¡± Lu Chen had only subdued Wang Qingci; therefore, he had no intention of sparing the remaining people from Misty Pavilion. Elements that could not be fully controlled were best eliminated entirely. He had not yet grown strong enough to contend with the whole world, so he still needed to act with caution and care. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Wang Qingci immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured, 1 have already taken care of them all with the help of Madam Chu.¡± Hm? Lu Chen was somewhat surprised to hear Wang Qingci¡¯s answer. Truthfully, he had not expected Wang Qingci to be capable of such action, especially since she was the Saintess of the Misty Pavilion and had grown up there since childhood. Chu Yuqin then spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what do you plan to do next?¡± Even though they had just thwarted another assassination attempt by Blood Moon Tower, Chu Yuqin did not believe that Blood Moon Tower would just let it go. This time, their Vice Tower Master had died at the North Prince Mansion, and Blood Moon Tower was notorious for seeking vengeance. It was certain they would come back for revenge. The situation at the Prince¡¯s Mansion remained precarious. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Let word of today¡¯s events spread. Say that the Mysterious Grandmaster of the Prince¡¯s Mansion has not left, and with the help of the Mansion¡¯s Grandmaster, we have foiled another assassination by Blood Moon Tower.¡± Lu Chen was not yet ready to let the world know about his Desert Eagle and Batrelei, so for now, he could only use the Mysterious Grandmaster to deter those who harbored enmity towards the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Chu Yuqin contemplated for a moment and agreed that Lu Chen¡¯s approach was sound. ¡°Chen¡¯er, you should go see Zixuan and the others. Leave everything here to us,¡± she said. Mu Zixuan and the sisters from the Zhou Family were still in the tunnel, likely already aware of the commotion above the mansion and probably very worried. Thus, Chu Yuqin wanted Lu Chen to check on them first. All three women, Mu Zixuan included, were pregnant and should not be overly frightened. Lu Chen simply said ¡°Okay,¡± and then turned to leave. At the same time. Inside the tunnel of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Mu Zixuan and the Zhou sisters looked anxiously toward the top of the tunnel. Zhou Xiaoxiao then said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Sister Mu, the Prince will be okay, won¡¯t he?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou had experienced the devastation of their family being wiped out, so they were particularly sensitive to such matters. They didn¡¯t want to return to their previous way of life. To them, the North Prince was their sky, and if something happened to the North Prince, their world would collapse. Mu Zixuan reassured, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Prince will definitely be alright.¡± Although Mu Zixuan had not personally witnessed Lu Chen using the mysterious weapon to kill a Ninth Grade martial artist last time, she had heard about it from her trusted aides afterward. Therefore, she firmly believed that the man she married was not ordinary, and he would surely be able to deal with the assassination attempts from Blood Moon Tower with ease. They just needed to wait here. Just then, a tall and majestic man entered the tunnel. Seeing that it was Lu Chen, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou rushed to embrace him without hesitation. ¡°Thank goodness, Your Highness, you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Sob sob sob, you¡¯ve scared us to death.¡± Lu Chen patted Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao on their backs and said with a smile, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s over. Everything¡¯s fine now.¡± Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Rumors in the Capital City i Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Rumors in the Capital City i Translator: 549690339 Early in the morning, the military forces of North City sealed off Yan County. On the streets, soldiers were coming and going on nearly every road. Seeing this scene, the common people were so scared that they hurriedly ran towards their homes. At the same time, the entrance to the Prefectural Government was surrounded by a group of soldiers. Li Rui had not yet risen from his bed when he heard his wife enter the room in a panic, shouting loudly, ¡°My Lord, something terrible has happened! There¡¯s been an incident!¡± Hearing his wife¡¯s voice, Li Rui got up from the bed, dazed, and asked, ¡°My Lady, what has happened?¡± Lady Li quickly said, ¡°A group of soldiers has come to the door, saying they are here to search the Prefectural Government.¡± At these words, Li Rui¡¯s eyes suddenly widened, and he became fully alert. He immediately stood up from the bed, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are there soldiers searching the Prefectural Government?¡± Lady Li said, ¡°This servant does not know what happened, my Lord, you should go and see! They¡¯re about to break in!¡± Li Rui hastily walked towards the main gate of the Prefectural Government, not even taking the time to get dressed. At this moment, Li Rui¡¯s heart was filled with immense trepidation; he was wondering whether the North Prince was going to take action against him, the Prefecture Governor. But then he thought that he had already handed over the military power and had been diligently serving the North Prince. The North Prince wouldn¡¯t possibly take action against him, would he? He now considered himself a man of the North Prince, and what Seignior would act against their own people? If he, the Prefecture Governor, were removed, it would be even more difficult for the North Prince to suppress the various power groups in North City. Soon, Li Rui appeared at the entrance of the Prefectural Government. Seeing that the officer leading the soldiers was someone he knew well, Li Rui breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ¡°Captain Wu, what is this about?¡± Wu Hong said with a smile, ¡°Lord Li, please forgive the intrusion. Last night, the Prince was attacked by an assassin from Blood Moon Tower. It is said that several assassins got away. The Prince ordered a city-wide search; no one¡¯s residence can be overlooked.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Rui¡¯s expression changed, and he quickly asked, ¡°The Prince is alright, isn¡¯t he?¡± Wu Hong replied, ¡°Lord Li, rest assured, thanks to the Mysterious Grandmaster from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the Prince was only frightened, he is unharmed.¡± Relieved by this information, Li Rui breathed a sigh of relief. If the North Prince had been killed, he as the Prefecture Governor might well have been implicated. Then Li Rui said, ¡°All right, go ahead with your search.¡± Wu Hong bowed and said, ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± After that, Wu Hong led the soldiers into the Prefectural Government for a quick search before moving on to the next residence. Soon, the news of the attempt on the North Prince¡¯s life spread throughout the entire Yan County. Almost everyone in Yan County knew about the assassination attempt on the North Prince by individuals from Blood Moon Tower and how it was thwarted by the Mysterious Grandmaster of the North Prince Mansion. Although the North Prince was regarded as an ineffectual Prince, he was still a Prince, and an attempted assassination on a Prince was certainly a major event. This news quickly spread to the Capital city. Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence. Upon seeing the Pigeon Letter from Wang Qingci, Lu Shuyun flew into a rage. He lifted his arm and swept everything off the table to the floor, then overturned the table in front of him. Sounds of clattering ensued in the study as Lu Shuyun smashed everything smashable in the room. ¡°Trash! Trash! A bunch of trash!¡± ¡°Six Ninth Grade martial artists and one Half-step Grandmaster, yet they can¡¯t even kill a useless cripple!¡± ¡°What use are you!¡± Upon hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s voice, all the maids in the room stood to one side, shivering and not daring to breathe too loudly. Lu Shuyun truly couldn¡¯t believe that this operation had actually failed. Even if the Mysterious Grandmaster was still at the North Prince Mansion, with the Half-step Grandmaster of Blood Moon Tower there, he should have been able to hold him off for a while, thus creating an opportunity for the other Ninth Grade warriors to kill Lu Chen. But Blood Moon Tower had actually failed! Not only did the people of Blood Moon Tower fail, but also practically everyone sent by the Misty Pavilion died, leaving only Wang Qingci to escape, reportedly with severe injuries, hiding in Yan County, desperately clinging to life. Lu Shuyun felt like his lungs were about to explode with anger. He had always thought that getting rid of that useless Lu Chen would be an easy task, but now he had failed twice in a row. With these two failures, attempting to strike at the North Prince Mansion again in the future would likely not be as easy. Other powers are not fools; even a professional assassination organization like Blood Moon Tower had failed, so it¡¯s highly likely that other assassin organizations would refuse his mission. Just as Lu Shuyun was venting his dissatisfaction by smashing things, a servant hurriedly burst in. ¡°Your Highness, something terrible has happened! It¡¯s a major disaster!¡± Lu Shuyun was already furious, and hearing the servant panic, his anger increased. He kicked the servant, sending him flying against the wall. Fortunately, his strength wasn¡¯t very great, and he didn¡¯t kick the servant to death. After spitting out a mouthful of blood, the servant hurriedly got up and said, ¡°Your Highness, the whole Capital city is now abuzz with rumors saying that you sent Blood Moon Tower¡¯s assassins to kill the North Prince, with the aim of forcing the Aristocratic Families from the South to support only you in the succession dispute.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Shuyun froze for a moment, then stood stock-still. He quickly collected himself and his face darkened in an instant, ¡°Those good brothers of mine are truly seizing every possible opportunity!¡± In politics, what you can do, you must not declare, and what you declare, you cannot do. Although fratricide among royal brothers is a fairly common occurrence, it is taboo for any dynasty. Of course, people knew that Prince Lu Shuyun was the one most eager to eliminate Prince Lu Chen; their maternal clans both hailed from the Aristocratic Families of the South, which could only support one Prince in the struggle for succession. But such matters should only be known without being publicly discussed, as it would be scandalous for royal brothers to engage in murder. If such things were taboo for the royal family, then why were there rumors in the Capital city about him sending people to assassinate Prince Lu Chen? Clearly, another Prince was behind this, aiming to disqualify him from the race for the Crown Prince¡¯s title. After hearing about the Capital city¡¯s rumors, Lu Shuyun, who had just been thinking about how to get rid of Lu Chen, now found himself in a position where he could no longer take action against him. This is the politics of doing what must not be spoken of; now that rumors have spread, if he were to send someone to kill Lu Chen and Lu Chen died, it would essentially confirm his culpability. Even if Lu Chen¡¯s death didn¡¯t come by his hand, the court officials supporting other Princes would say it was his doing, and the common people would likewise believe he killed Prince Lu Chen. At that point, he would completely lose his eligibility to contest for the position of Crown Prince. Lu Shuyun clenched his fists, filled with unwillingness in his heart. Was he to simply let that worthless man go? The first and second assassination attempts were mainly for his own political purposes, but at this moment, Lu Shuyun was so enraged he stopped thinking politically; he only wanted to get rid of Lu Chen. Of course, this was just a momentary personal emotion, and Lu Shuyun soon calmed down. Regardless, he could not take any action against Lu Chen for the time being. At this moment, Lu Shuyun turned his head to look at the bookshelf in the study and directed toward it, ¡°Immediately send a message to Wang Qingci, tell her to heal from her injuries while continuing to lie low in North City, not to take any action for the time being.¡± As Lu Shuyun¡¯s words fell, a shadow flipped out of the window and left the study.. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 The Perilous Situation of the Chu Familyi Chapter 39: Chapter 39 The Perilous Situation of the Chu Familyi Translator: 549690339 Capital city. Imperial Palace, Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor, dressed in a yellow dragon robe, sat in the pavilion, delicately savoring the fragrant tea in his hands. At this moment, a soldier clad in armor suddenly appeared behind him. ¡°Your Majesty, your servant has confirmed that it was Prince Lu Yi who spread the rumors that Prince Shuyun sent people to assassinate Prince Lu Chen.¡± Hearing this, the teacup in the hands of the Sum Emperor shattered instantly, and he uttered a cold snort, ¡°My children are really getting too restless. Could it be that they¡¯re all hoping for my early demise? Are they so eager for the Crown Prince¡¯s position?¡± Seeing the Sum Emperor¡¯s anger, the State Preceptor, Situ Ce, seated opposite to him immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It¡¯s not surprising for brothers to turn against each other when the Crown Prince position remains undecided. If Your Majesty could establish the heir sooner, it might quell some of the princes¡¯ thoughts.¡± At these words, the Sum Emperor chuckled and then said, ¡°Only you dare to talk to me like this, State Preceptor. If anyone else suggested that 1 establish the Crown Prince earlier, I¡¯d make sure they get a hundred lashes.¡± Saying so, the Sum Emperor rose from his stone bench and, with hands clasped behind his back, gazed at the lotus pond in the Royal Garden. ¡°To be truthful, I¡¯m more curious about how Chen managed to survive than the affairs occurring within the Capital city.¡± The thoughts of the Sum Emperor were much like those of Lu Shuyun; even if the Chu Family really arranged for a Mysterious Grandmaster to protect Lu Chen, it was highly likely that the assassination attempt by Blood Moon Tower would succeed. According to intelligence gathered by the Shadow Guard, Blood Moon Tower had dispatched a Half-step Grandmaster and five Ninth Grade fighters to North City. Moreover, with the pieces Lu Shuyun had placed in North City, if they acted together, even the presence of a Grandmaster might not spare the North Prince from death. Yet, the North Prince had survived. This caused the Sum Emperor to doubt whether the Mysterious Grandmaster beside the North Prince was truly just that simple. At this moment, Situ Ce spoke up, ¡°Perhaps Prince Lu Chen was able to survive because his fate decreed he should not die yet; luck played its part.¡± The Sum Emperor spoke indifferently, ¡°Enough, the farce should come to an end. Since the Chu Family has not sent anyone to North City to contact Chen lately, let him do as he pleases there. I no longer plan to inquire about his affairs.¡± The Sum Emperor had someone investigate the Chu Family recently and found that aside from initially sending Chu Yuqin and that Mysterious Grandmaster to protect Lu Chen when he first went to North City, they had made no further moves. They had not sent anyone to contact Lu Chen, and it seemed as if they had indeed given up on him. Even the Sum Emperor had heard that there was great dissatisfaction within the Chu Family with Chu Xiong, the Family Head, and there was talk of replacing him. Chu Xiong, with troubles of his own, naturally lacked the interest to concern himself with Lu Chen, far away in North City. The Sum Emperor then commanded the red-robed eunuch beside him, ¡°Issue my decree: for spreading rumors and tarnishing the royal family¡¯s dignity, Prince Lu Yi is to be confined for three months.¡± ¡°As for Prince Shuyun¡­¡± At this, the Sum Emperor paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Mr. Liu, later go and tell Prince Shuyun to exercise restraint.¡± Upon hearing this, the red-robed eunuch in front of the Sum Emperor instantly responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Following this, Mr. Liu left the Imperial Palace and headed for the residences of Prince Lu Yi and Prince Shuyun to deliver the decree. Meanwhile. South, Suf eng City. Chu Family. An old man with graying hair sat in the courtyard, poring over the letter in his hands repeatedly. Just then, a middle-aged man dressed in blue brocade entered the compound. ¡°Father, didn¡¯t you say that we would temporarily ignore the affairs of North Prince Mansion? Why won¡¯t you let Yuqin return? And to think that you have secretly arranged for a Grandmaster to protect the North Prince!¡± XXX The man named Chu Hongfei is the son of Chu Xiong, and he is also Lu Chen¡¯s uncle. Chu Hongfei was in a bad mood after learning that the North Prince Mansion had a Mysterious Grandmaster, even though Lu Chen was his nephew, but he had very little to do with Lu Chen, let alone having any fondness for him. Moreover, the woman he loved had always been with the North Prince, which made Chu Hongfei even more unhappy. As for the woman he loved, that was naturally Chu Yuqin. Facing his son¡¯s questioning, Chu Xiong fell silent for a moment, then countered, ¡°Hongfei, do you really think that the Grandmaster in the North Prince Mansion was sent by me?¡± Upon hearing Chu Xiong¡¯s words, Chu Hongfei was taken aback, then he said, ¡°Besides you, who else would send a Grandmaster to protect a worthless prince.¡± In Chu Hongfei¡¯s view, Chu Xiong was likely worried that Lu Chen, his grandson, would get hurt, so he sent a Grandmaster there. At that moment, Chu Xiong sighed and said, ¡°Indeed, I had considered sending a Grandmaster to protect the North Prince, but thinking of the recent movements in the Capital city, 1 eventually gave up on that idea.¡± ¡°I have no idea where that Mysterious Grandmaster came from either.¡± ¡°And Yuqin went to North City with the North Prince of her own free will, now she no longer listens to the Chu Family.¡± At this point, a look of doubt surfaced on Chu Hongfei¡¯s face, and he promptly asked, ¡°Dad, you wouldn¡¯t be lying to me, would you?¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t by your order, how could Yuqin possibly follow a good-for-nothing who doesn¡¯t know anything? I don¡¯t believe it.¡± Chu Xiong said with a disappointed tone, ¡°Right now, the Sum Emperor¡¯s actions are unrelenting, the head of the Imperial Guards in the Capital city has been replaced over and over, even Zhou Wangtian has been wiped out, Mu Changtian has been imprisoned in the Capital city, and it¡¯s clear that the Sum Emperor is about to strike at the Aristocratic Families. At a time like this, how dare I have too much contact with the North Prince? Do you really think I¡¯ve gone senile and want the Sum Emperor¡¯s blade to fall on us even quicker?¡± ¡°As for Yuqin, 1 advise you, son, best give up sooner rather than later. Although her husband died on the first day she married into the Wang Family, she is still considered the Wang Family¡¯s daughter-in-law.¡± Upon hearing Chu Xiong¡¯s words, Chu Hongfei thoughtfully said, ¡°Dad, if it really wasn¡¯t a Grandmaster you sent to North City, then it stands to reason that no Grandmaster would protect the North Prince, right?¡± Chu Xiong stroked his graying beard and then said, ¡°I was also very puzzled when I first saw this message. However, I just received news from the Capital city, and it seems that this matter may have something to do with Prince Lu Yi.¡± As he said this, Chu Xiong handed the letter he was holding to Chu Hongfei. Chu Hongfei picked up the letter and glanced at it, his expression changing again and again. Then he said, ¡°Dad, do you think that Prince Lu Yi is the one who sent the Grandmaster to protect the North Prince, trying to pull our Chu Family over to his side in this way?¡± Chu Xiong said indifferently, ¡°Not to win over the Chu Family, but to win over me.¡± The letter in Chu Hongfei¡¯s hand was sent by a spy from the Chu Family in the Capital city, who found out that Prince Lu Yi had spread news about the North Prince several times, including the news circulated in the Capital city about the Eighth Prince Faction attempting to assassinate the North Prince, which was also spread by Prince Lu Yi. It seemed like Prince Lu Yi was protecting the North Prince. But Chu Xiong was no fool; it was clearly a performance for him to see. It was hard to say whether the Grandmaster by the North Prince¡¯s side was Prince Lu Yi¡¯s underling. As Prince Lu Yi, the person most likely to become the Crown Prince, it was unquestionable that he had Grandmasters under him. But Grandmasters aren¡¯t cabbages; Prince Lu Yi himself needed Grandmaster protection, and sending a Grandmaster to protect the North Prince would leave who to protect him in the Capital city? That is, unless he had more than one Grandmaster at his side. At this time, Chu Hongfei placed the letter on the stone table and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care, Yuqin must come back no matter what. What¡¯s the point of her staying with a worthless prince in North City? The conditions in North City are so harsh; she¡¯ll only suffer there.¡± Hearing this, Chu Xiong became furious and scolded, ¡°All you think about is women, is that all you aspire to! With the Chu Family on the brink of disaster, you¡¯re still concerned about women!¡± Chu Hongfei said carelessly, ¡°What does the Chu Family¡¯s disaster have to do with me? When the time comes, I¡¯ll simply take Yuqin to the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± Hearing Chu Hongfei¡¯s words almost caused Chu Xiong to choke in anger. ¡°Get out! Just get the hell out of here!¡± Chu Xiong yelled fiercely. Seeing Chu Xiong angry, Chu Hongfei quickly left the courtyard. After Chu Hongfei left, Chu Xiong looked at the empty courtyard and sighed deeply, saying, ¡°Yue¡¯er, your father has wronged you. I failed to protect you back then, and now I don¡¯t even dare to send someone to protect your child..¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Auspicious Signs! These are Chapter 40: Chapter 40 Auspicious Signs! These are Auspicious Signs!_i Translator: 549690339 As the days passed by, the bellies of the three ladies of Mu Zixuan grew larger and soon the time for childbirth approached. Ever since the news spread that the North Prince had been assassinated by Blood Moon Tower and then saved by a Mysterious Grandmaster, North City had become much more stable. This made some forces realize that the Mysterious Grandmaster by the North Prince¡¯s side might stay with him permanently, protecting the North Prince. Although the North Prince was ineffectual, the Mysterious Grandmaster by his side was certainly not to be trifled with. Moreover, due to the Sum Emperor¡¯s warning, Prince Lu Shuyun no longer continued to send assassins after Lu Chen but merely instructed Wang Qingci to continue monitoring Lu Chen in North City, and to inform him immediately if there was any contact between the North Prince and the Chu Family. Over these months, Lu Chen had not been preoccupied with the affairs of North City, it was still managed by the Prefecture Governor Li Rui. However, Lu Chen had had the land of the Prince¡¯s Mansion surveyed, then ordered the people to reclaim the wasteland and had all ten thousand catties of seed potatoes planted. There was plenty of unused land in North City, and not many people paid attention to the surveying and reclamation of land by the North Prince Mansion. These days, Lu Chen had been consistently present at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, accompanying Mu Zixuan and the other two ladies, who were due to give birth soon, thus he took extra care of them, fearing any potential mishaps. At that moment, Lu Chen gently stroked Mu Zixuan¡¯s protruding belly and said with a smile, ¡°My consort, for now, entrust the businesses of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to Madam Chu. From here on, just focus on waiting for the delivery, and don¡¯t worry about those matters.¡± In these few months, Mu Zixuan had expanded the soap and perfume industries a hundredfold, and now across the entire Great Xia Dynasty, whether it was nobles and dignitaries or common folk, all were using the perfumes and soaps produced by their Prince¡¯s Mansion. Although these two products were quite profitable, because they belonged to the North Prince¡¯s enterprises and with Mu Changtian overseeing them in the Capital city, for the time being, no one dared to covet these industries. What Lu Chen found most surprising was that Mu Zixuan seemed to be a person with a sharp business acumen, having combined perfumes and soaps to create the product known as ¡°scented soap.¡± Of course, this combination was no simple matter; the scented soap had been improved to be used for bathing. With these industries in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, they could reap hundreds of thousands of Silver every month, and Mu Zixuan was still actively expanding the trade routes, intending to sell these products to other countries. Unfortunately, as her belly swelled day by day, her energy waned more and more, and she felt sleepy every day. Now, she was completely unable to manage the businesses of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Hmm, I have already transferred all the business ledgers of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to Madam Chu, and she has been familiarizing herself with those enterprises these past days.¡± Although Chu Yuqin could not be counted as a member of the North Prince Mansion yet, everyone there trusted her, knowing that she would eventually be one of Lu Chen¡¯s women. Handing over the management of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s businesses to her, no one was worried about any potential issues arising. Just then, the maid Xiao Rou entered the room and said softly, ¡°Prince, General Li seeks an audience with you, mentioning it¡¯s an important matter.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen caressed Mu Zixuan¡¯s cheek and then said, ¡°My consort, I need to step out for a while, you stay here and rest.¡± With a smile, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Alright, Prince, go attend to your affairs.¡± Lu Chen then stood up and made his way towards the Training Ground. Seeing Li Feng, Lu Chen asked without waiting for a salute, ¡°General Li, what brings you to me? What is the matter?¡± Li Feng promptly replied, ¡°Prince, good news. Those plants that you had us¡­ those¡­¡± Pausing for a moment, Li Feng then quickly added, ¡°Oh, right, potatoes.¡± ¡°The potatoes are ready for harvest.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. Potatoes were considered the most suitable crop for addressing the food shortage in North City, and were a product that Lu Chen valued highly. Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s go have a look.¡± With those words, he headed towards the main gate of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Lu Chen was eager to know just how much harvest they could obtain from the potatoes planted in North City. He was no agricultural expert and could only follow the planting methods of the people in this world, so he was quite uncertain. Soon, Lu Chen arrived at the field where the North Prince Mansion had planted the potatoes. By that time, many soldiers and local commoners were already waiting there. The local commoners were all interested in the new crops planted by the North Prince, even though the North Prince Mansion had never revealed to them what they were planting. But the fact that soldiers were sent out every day to patrol the fields showed how important these crops must be to the North Prince Mansion. Seeing so many commoners nearby, Li Feng asked, ¡°Prince, should we drive all these commoners away?¡± After all, potatoes were a secret of the North Prince Mansion. If too many people knew about it, there would likely be many who coveted the North Prince Mansion¡¯s potatoes. Lu Chen shook his head and said, ¡°If we drive them away, how will we promote the planting of potatoes in North City in the future?¡± He had planned to let the commoners of North City grow potatoes, and if they could not witness the yield per acre, they would certainly not take up potato cultivation. If the North Prince Mansion forced the commoners to plant crops they had never seen before, it could potentially cause public outrage. At this moment, the surrounding commoners saw the North Prince himself coming and began to discuss. ¡°Look! Isn¡¯t that the Prince?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him. I saw him when he first came to Yan County!¡± ¡°What is being planted in these fields that even the North Prince himself has to come?¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s food that can be eaten.¡± ¡°Really? This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of food buried in the ground.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see. They¡¯re probably about to start digging, and then we¡¯ll know.¡± Lu Chen ignored the commoners¡¯ discussions. He glanced at the crowd and then said to the soldiers holding hoes, ¡°Start by digging up one acre and see how much the yield is.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s command, the soldiers started digging, and soon enough, several irregularly shaped, oval potatoes appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. Seeing so many potatoes beneath a single plant, the surrounding commoners were astounded. ¡°Can these really be eaten?¡± ¡°My god, there are so many under just one plant!¡± ¡°If they all can be eaten, then won¡¯t North City never suffer from famine again?¡± ¡°But will the North Prince distribute the seeds of these plants to us commoners?¡± As time passed, the digging of the one-acre plot was soon completed. Seeing the potatoes piled up like a small hill, both the soldiers of North City and the surrounding commoners were spellbound. In the end, after weighing, the yield of potatoes from one acre was nearly two thousand kilograms. When Li Feng saw this number, he could hardly believe it¡ªtwo thousand kilograms of potatoes from just one acre! In this era, an acre of wheat did not even yield two hundred kilograms¡­ As unbelievable as it was, all of this was unfolding right before his eyes, leaving Li Feng with no choice but to believe. Li Feng then approached Lu Chen to report the measuring results, but Lu Chen directly said to Li Feng, ¡°General Li, tell the commoners loudly how much yield we have per acre of potatoes.¡± Instantly understanding Lu Chen¡¯s intention, Li Feng loudly announced, ¡°Reporting to the Prince, after our measurement, the yield of potatoes per acre is two thousand kilograms!¡± Hearing this, the surrounding commoners erupted in excitement. ¡°Heavens! Two thousand kilograms!¡± ¡°With so much food, we won¡¯t have to worry about going hungry again in the future!¡± ¡°Auspicious omen, this is an auspicious omen indeed!¡± Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The First Offspring is Borni Chapter 41: Chapter 41 The First Offspring is Borni Translator: 549690339 Seeing the excited populace, Lu Chen revealed a slight smile; he believed that after seeing the yield of potatoes, they already had the idea of planting them in their minds. After all, compared to potatoes, the yield of wheat was simply too low. At this moment, Lu Chen called out to the surrounding people, ¡°Quiet down, everyone!¡± As the North Prince spoke, the crowd instantly fell silent. Their eyes were fixed on Lu Chen as if they were hungry wolves eyeing their prey. They were eager to know if the North Prince would distribute the seeds of this plant to the people. Seeing the crowd quiet down, Lu Chen then spoke, ¡°The grain you see here is called a potato; it can serve as a staple food. As for its yield, you¡¯ve seen it yourselves.¡± ¡°The Prince has decided to distribute some potato seeds for the public to try planting, and those who do so will be exempt from agricultural taxes for two years.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the people stirred with excitement once more. They hadn¡¯t expected that the North Prince would truly consider giving them this miraculous crop to cultivate, and even exempt them from two years of agricultural tax. Then some of the people couldn¡¯t help but kneel down, constantly bowing their heads to Lu Chen in gratitude. Seeing the fervor of the populace, Lu Chen knew that promoting potatoes would probably not be a big problem. After a few years, if North City wasn¡¯t stricken by any natural disasters or calamities, it was highly likely that there would be no severe food crisis like there was currently. Just at that moment, when Lu Chen was about to say something, a system notification suddenly sounded. [Congratulations to the Host for the birth of your first child, rewarded with 5,000 Brocade Guards, two Master Level Commanders, and a bonus reward of weapons forging technology.] [The more offspring the Host has, the more valuable the rewards will be, including but not limited to various modern technologies, factories, and even industrial production lines.] Hearing this unexpected system voice, Lu Chen was stunned; he hadn¡¯t thought that shortly after leaving the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he would already have a child. But without a doubt, Mu Zixuan must have given birth. At that moment, as he was preparing to hurry back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, a trusted aide from the mansion rode towards him excitedly, shouting, ¡°Prince, Prince, the Princess Consort is about to give birth, Madam Chu requests you to return quickly!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to say to Li Feng, ¡°General Li, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you; I need to go see the Princess Consort.¡± Li Feng naturally understood the importance of the Prince Consort giving birth to an heir. With an heir, it meant that the North Prince Mansion¡¯s lineage would continue. He immediately replied, ¡°Prince, please rest assured on your return; 1 will instruct the soldiers to excavate the potatoes as quickly as possible.¡± Lu Chen said no more and immediately boarded his carriage. Meanwhile. In a tavern in Yan County, North City. The tavern owner stood at the counter, clicking away at an abacus. Suddenly, his brain paused as a surge of information flooded his mind. The tavern owner immediately looked shocked, turning his head in the direction of the North Prince Mansion in disbelief. Muttering to himself, the tavern owner said, ¡°Could it be him? No wonder, no wonder.¡± ¡°It looks like I¡¯m going to be busy in the future.¡± With that, the tavern owner set down the abacus and began to change clothes. At almost the same time. In the Capital City. The owner of a liquor establishment that Prince Lu Shuyun frequently visited, and also the manager. Just as he was about to personally welcome today¡¯s distinguished guests, he froze in place, his expression one of disbelief. He murmured to himself, ¡°If it¡¯s that Prince¡¯s doing, I fear my task is imminent. It seems I must prepare in advance.¡± On the way back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen opened the system to take a look at the rewards he had just received. ¡°System, where are these 5,000 Brocade Guards now? And what¡¯s their strength like?¡± Lu Chen hadn¡¯t expected that one of the rewards for having an heir would be a group of people; he thought the system would have awarded him a batch of modern military hardware. The system¡¯s prompt sounded at that moment. [The five thousand members of the Brocade Guard are now distributed across the various counties of the Great Xia Dynasty, with the lowest rank among them being Fifth Grade, while the heads of the four major institutions and the five Commanders of the Brocade Guard are all Ninth Grade. In addition, the subordinates obtained by the host through the system have a loyalty of one hundred percent and possess identities implanted from this world.] Upon hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°How do those people know that they are part of the Brocade Guard?¡± [It is the power of the system; the host can think of it as the system having implanted a portion of special memories in them, keeping the whole Brocade Guard operational until their true master appears.] At the sound of the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the system¡¯s power. [All members of the Brocade Guard have received your personal information. Currently, there are three hundred Brocade Guards in North City, including a Commander, a Commander, Head of Punishment Department, Head of Investigation Department, and both Outer and Inner Commanders stationed in Yan County. They will arrive at the Prince¡¯s Mansion as soon as possible to report intelligence to you.] [Does the host need to recall Brocade Guards from outside North City?] Seeing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Can 1 communicate with them across the distance?¡± [No, but the host has the authority to summon them once.] Lu Chen understood the system¡¯s meaning; if he wanted to recall all the Brocade Guards, then they would be able to receive a message from the system. This was a capability of the system. But why would he want to recall all the Brocade Guards? The function of the Brocade Guard is to monitor officials and gather intelligence. If he recalled them, what use would the Brocade Guard still have? With this in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°No need, let them stay where they are.¡± [The Brocade Guards outside North City have received the host¡¯s order to stand by at their current locations.] After returning to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen hurried to Mu Zixuan¡¯s birthing room. At that moment, Mu Zixuan looked pale, covered in sweat, and extremely weak. Seeing Lu Chen return, Mu Zixuan strained to rise from the bed, and Lu Chen quickly went to support her, saying, ¡°My love, you should lie down and rest.¡± Just then, the midwife came to Lu Chen with a child in her arms, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, the Princess Consort has given birth to a Princely Heir for you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately glanced at the child in the midwife¡¯s hands and nervously took him into his own arms. The newborn was very small and rather ugly, but Lu Chen had no thoughts of disdain, for it was his own child. At that moment, Chu Yuqin reminded him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you haven¡¯t named the child yet. Give him a name now.¡± Lu Chen thought for a while and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s call him Lu Changfeng.¡± ¡°Changfeng¡± can be interpreted as a continual wind, symbolizing strength, vitality, and hope. Lu Chen wished for his first child to grow proactively and one day accomplish great things. After accompanying Mu Zixuan in the birthing room for a while, Lu Chen left to prepare for the arrival of the Commander of the Brocade Guard. As soon as he stepped out of the birthing room, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, where have you just been?¡± Mu Zixuan was about to give birth, yet Lu Chen was not at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which meant he must have been attending to something very important. Lu Chen replied, ¡°The potatoes are ripe; 1 just went to check on General Li and the others harvesting potatoes.¡± At that, Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes lit up before she asked, ¡°The same potatoes you gave us to eat before?¡± Chu Yuqin and the other women of the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion had all seen potatoes and tasted them. Chu Yuqin realized the importance of potatoes to North City after Lu Chen introduced them. Lu Chen nodded at this time. Chu Yuqin continued to ask, ¡°How is the yield of those potatoes?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Two thousand kilograms per acre.¡± Upon hearing this answer, Chu Yuqin stood frozen in place. Although Lu Chen had mentioned before that the yield of potatoes would be substantial, she hadn¡¯t expected it to be this high. If potatoes could be widely adopted, the people of North City might never have to go hungry again, and the prestige of the North Prince would quickly rise. Seeing Chu Yuqin astonished at the yield of the potatoes, Lu Chen said mysteriously, ¡°Madam Chu, are you surprised? Wait, there¡¯s something even more surprising coming for you.¡± Before Lu Chen could finish, a trusted aide from the Prince¡¯s Mansion rushed over and said, ¡°Prince, Madam Chu, something terrible has happened.. A group of martial artists wearing strange clothes has arrived outside the Prince¡¯s Mansion!¡± Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 The Crisis at Duke Mu Residence i Chapter 42: Chapter 42 The Crisis at Duke Mu Residence i Translator: 549690339 Hearing the report of the trusted aide, Chu Yuqin¡¯s brows furrowed. A martial artist dressed in strange attire? Who would dare to cause trouble at the North Prince Mansion? Ever since the assassination attempt on Lu Chen by Blood Moon Tower failed last time, no one in North City had dared to provoke the North Prince Mansion. People knew that the North Prince Mansion had a Grandmaster, so they wouldn¡¯t be so foolish. And yet, someone had come knocking today? Chu Yuqin immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯ll go take a look first.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Chu Yuqin was about to say something, but thinking of the mysterious weapon on Lu Chen¡¯s person, coupled with the fact that Lu Chen was now a martial artist himself, she refrained from dissuading him. After that, they arrived at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. As soon as they arrived at the entrance, they saw the martial artists in strange attire, described by the trusted aide, standing in rows, extremely respectful at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, with no intention of causing trouble. Lu Chen evaluated the martial artists wearing Flying Fish Suits and cloaks, the Brocade Guards, but didn¡¯t immediately approach. Chu Yuqin, on seeing this scene, was immediately stunned. She had thought they were there to cause trouble, but by their appearance, they clearly weren¡¯t. Moreover, their attire was uniform, as if they were martial artists from some government agency. However, she had never heard of any agency under the Great Xia Dynasty that wore such attire. After sensing the realm of these individuals, Chu Yuqin¡¯s brow furrowed, and she became instantly alert. The man at the forefront, judging by his aura, was undoubtedly not any less powerful than her. And the five people behind him were also Ninth Grade. As for the remaining warriors on the two carts, nearly all were Fifth Grade or above. Last time when Blood Moon Tower sent people to assassinate Lu Chen, they didn¡¯t bring so many Fifth Grade martial artists. What was the origin of these people? And what did they want to do at the Prince¡¯s Mansion? What made Chu Yuqin most uneasy was the man at the front, who posed a tremendous threat to her; she even suspected that he might be a Grandmaster. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to inquire their identities, she saw the leading man step forward and then kneel on one knee in front of Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Commander of the Brocade Guard, Qin Yushan, pays his respects to the Prince!¡± ¡°I have failed to report to the Prince at the earliest opportunity, please, Prince, punish me!¡± After Qin Yushan knelt down, the Brocade Guards behind him also uniformly knelt down in unison. Seeing this scene, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face showed shock. She couldn¡¯t understand when Lu Chen had acquired so many strong subordinates. Keep in mind, Li Feng, who had come to North City with Lu Chen initially, was only Eighth Grade now. And yet, Lu Chen had in his company five Ninth Grade martial artists, over a hundred Fifth Grade ones, and even a master whose strength seemed to surpass that of a Half-step Grandmaster. Afterward, Lu Chen glanced at Qin Yushan and checked his personal information. [Name: Qin Yushan] [Identity: Commander of the Brocade Guard, shopkeeper of the Joyful Arrival Tavern in North City. Upon learning you are his master, he immediately summoned the Jinyiwei Guard of Yan County to report to you.] [Strength: Grandmaster] [Loyalty: 100] After reviewing Qin Yushan¡¯s personal profile, Lu Chen glanced over the other members of the Brocade Guard and found that their loyalty, indeed, was as the system had said: all 100. The system really was powerful, able to cultivate so many wholly loyal subordinates for him in advance. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Commander Qin, rise. Don¡¯t stand at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion; come inside first.¡± With that, Lu Chen turned and walked towards the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Occasionally, civilians would pass by the entrance. Seeing so many martial artists at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, they would probably spread rumors everywhere. It was better to discuss matters after entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Following that, Qin Yushan led several hundred subordinates into the Prince¡¯s Mansion. When they arrived at the Training Ground, Chu Yuqin curiously asked Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, when did you cultivate so many experts, and why didn¡¯t Madam Chu know anything about it?¡± If it were just one expert, her ignorance would be normal, but seeing these Brocade Guards wearing the same type of clothing, Chu Yuqin instantly understood that this was an organization. Lu Chen had already created an organization belonging to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and she had not heard a whisper of it, which puzzled Chu Yuqin. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, there are still many things you don¡¯t know about me.¡± Hearing that, Chu Yuqin rolled her eyes at Lu Chen. But thinking of Lu Chen as someone with a celestial fate, Chu Yuqin also felt reassured in her heart. At this moment, Lu Chen stopped in his tracks, turned around, and said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, give an overview of the current situation of the Brocade Guard.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± ¡°The Brocade Guard currently has five thousand members, distributed across the various counties of the Great Xia Dynasty, all above the Fifth Grade in strength. There are eleven martial artists above the Ninth Grade, among them two are Grandmasters ¨C that is, myself and Commander Liang Zong.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Chu Yuqin was completely stunned. Five thousand martial artists above the Fifth Grade? All of them Brocade Guards? And there are nine Ninth Grade martial artists and two Grandmasters! Chen¡¯er had secretly created such a huge power! With such a force, why had he needed to pretend to be an ignorant wastrel back when he was in the Capital city? The Princes of the Capital city, even with various powers backing them, did not directly control such a superpower as Lu Chen did. With such a vast force backing him, why would Lu Chen need to fear those Princes? Furthermore, with the support of the Chu Family and the Aristocratic Families of the South, his position as the Crown Prince was virtually secured. Chu Yuqin was utterly confused for a moment; she couldn¡¯t fathom the point of Lu Chen¡¯s past pretense as an incompetent fool. Of course, she didn¡¯t know that Lu Chen had only just acquired the Brocade Guard, so her lack of understanding was natural. Lu Chen had Qin Yushan introduce the Brocade Guard purely for Chu Yuqin to hear. Now that the introduction was finished, it was time to discuss serious matters. ¡°Commander Qin, show me the intelligence that the Brocade Guard has gathered recently,¡± Lu Chen said. As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, the Jinyiwei Guards behind Qin Yushan carried several large boxes over to Lu Chen. ¡°Prince, this is the intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard on the Great Xia Dynasty this year. Please review it, Prince,¡± said Qin Yushan. Seeing so many boxes of intelligence, Lu Chen paused. He definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to finish them today. Then he said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Move these intelligence documents to my study later. Commander Qin, tell me, has anything happened in the Capital city recently?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen inquire about the Capital city, Qin Yushan immediately replied, ¡°Prince, I received a Pigeon Letter from my colleagues in the Capital city yesterday. A major incident happened recently in the Capital city.¡± On hearing this, both Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin¡¯s expressions became a bit more severe. Qin Yushan continued to report, ¡°The remnants of Chen Nation attempted to assassinate His Majesty in the Capital city and failed, escaping from the Capital city. Despite His Majesty¡¯s exhaustive search across the entire Capital city, the whereabouts of those assassins were not found. Ultimately, His Majesty¡¯s Shadow Guard found out that the Duke Mu Residence had helped those assassins escape the Capital city.¡± ¡°Now the entire Duke Mu Residence has been thrown into the dungeon, awaiting trial,¡± Qin Yushan finished. After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Lu Chen¡¯s mind went blank for a moment; he hadn¡¯t expected his father-in-law to get into trouble so soon.. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Intelligence from the Capital Cityi Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Intelligence from the Capital Cityi Translator: 549690339 During the Zhou Family¡¯s rebellion, Duke Mu Residence was implicated once, and only by producing the Writ of Protection Against Execution was Mu Changtian able to barely preserve the entire Duke Mu Residence. Just a little over a year had passed, and the Duke Mu Residence encountered such an incident again. Lu Chen started to doubt whether his father-in-law was really this foolish. Even if he truly had a rebellious streak, it wouldn¡¯t make sense for him to align with the remnant forces of Chen Nation again in such a short span of time. He wasn¡¯t an idiot; the current Sum Emperor was in his prime, and his skill had also broken through to the Master Realm, so living past a hundred years old shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Thinking that assassinating the Sum Emperor and then overturning the Great Xia Dynasty would be easy was anything but the case. At this moment, Chu Yuqin quickly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Zixuan has just given birth to a child; she must not know about this under any circumstances.¡± Although the term ¡®postpartum depression¡¯ wasn¡¯t used in this era, people of the time were aware that women could be emotionally sensitive after giving birth. If Mu Zixuan found out that the whole Mu Family had been locked up in prison, it could adversely affect her physical recovery. Lu Chen said, ¡°Mmm, I understand.¡± At this point, Lu Chen looked at Qin Yushan and asked, ¡°Commander Qin, has my imperial father incurred any injuries?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor has not been harmed. It is said that during the assassination attempt by the remnants of Chen Nation, the State Preceptor was right in front of His Majesty.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen let out a scornful laugh. He then said, ¡°Are these remnants of Chen Nation really that foolish? To dare attempt an assassination on a master in front of a grandmaster?¡± Although Situ Ce never declared himself a grandmaster, the fact that he was one was no longer a secret. After all, as the National Pillar of the Great Xia Dynasty, how could he be called that without the strength of a grandmaster? When the remnants of Chen Nation tried to assassinate the Sum Emperor, did they not do any homework at all? Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°How many assassins did the remnants of Chen Nation dispatch to assassinate my imperial father? And what is the level of skill of these assassins?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Based on the intelligence gathered by colleagues in the Capital City, the remnants of Chen Nation dispatched a total of thirty assassins to infiltrate the Imperial Palace. Among these assassins, the majority have skill around the sixth rank, with the strongest being half-step grandmasters¡ªthere are two of them.¡± Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Lu Chen was at a loss for words on how to comment. Sending thirty assassins, among them two half-step grandmasters, to the heavily guarded Imperial Palace to kill a master. And these assassins didn¡¯t even bother to find out if there were any formidable individuals around the Emperor beforehand¡ªtheir brains truly had issues. Lu Chen even began to question whether these remnants were really from Chen Nation. Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°Has the Brocade Guard investigated these remnants of Chen Nation? Are they truly from Chen Nation?¡± Qin Yushan responded, ¡°Your Highness, Commander Liang has sent people to investigate, confirming that remnants of Chen Nation indeed entered the Imperial Palace. However, according to Commander Liang¡¯s investigation, the escape of the remnants of Chen Nation from the Capital City is probably not related to Duke Mu Residence.¡± Qin Yushan, knowing what Lu Chen wanted to confirm, directly shared Commander Liang¡¯s investigation. After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell silent. First, the Sum Emperor used the Zhou Family¡¯s rebellion as a pretext to take the Writ of Protection Against Execution from Duke Mu Residence, then stripped Mu Changtian of his military command, and eventually disbanded the Hu Ben Army, redistributing its soldiers to other camps. Now, by using the remnants of Chen Nation, he has thrown the entire Duke Mu Residence into prison¡ªit seems his imperial father is intent on killing the donkey once it¡¯s outlived its usefulness. Even as a political novice, Lu Chen had a basic understanding of what the Sum Emperor intended to do. Mu Changtian and Zhou Wangtian, who rebelled more than a year ago, were once known as the two Sky Kings of the Great Xia Dynasty; now that Zhou Wangtian has been eliminated, Mu Changtian is also almost due to be ousted. With the fall of these two Sky Kings, the Sum Emperor¡¯s control over the Great Xia Dynasty has reached an unprecedented height in its history. He has taken all military power into his own hands. What is he planning to do? Seeing that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time, Chu Yuqin sighed beside him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯m afraid your father the Emperor is planning to take action against the Aristocratic Families.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen realized. His father the Emperor had tried every means to reclaim military power and must have had something in mind; otherwise, why would he go to the trouble of reclaiming military power at the risk of destabilizing the foundation of the nation? If it was to act against the Aristocratic Families, indeed, it would require having soldiers at hand. He hadn¡¯t expected his father the Emperor to have such boldness. Throughout history, few Emperors have dared to casually act against the Aristocratic Families. There¡¯s a saying: ¡°The Aristocratic Families last a thousand years, the dynasties only a hundred.¡± Even if a dynasty was overthrown, those families would still remain, their dominance of court affairs now taken for granted. That his father the Emperor had such ambition made Lu Chen also couldn¡¯t help but admire him. But on the flip side, his current situation was somewhat awkward. First off, his mother¡¯s family comes from the Chu Family, the largest of the Aristocratic Families in the South, and secondly, his wife is the daughter of Mu Changtian¡­ Lu Chen then looked at Qin Yushan and asked, ¡°Has the court said how they plan to deal with my wife?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°There have been several debates in the court about this issue. Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s faction believes that the Princess should be brought back to the capital city for disposition, while Prince Lu Yi believes that the Princess, being the wife of a prince, should not be seen as belonging to the Duke Mu Residence anymore.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Unexpectedly, there are still people in the capital who speak up for this useless Prince.¡± Just then, a soldier from the Prince¡¯s Mansion entered the Training Ground. ¡°Your Highness, there is a Martial Artist outside claiming to be from the Brocade Guard seeking an audience.¡± As he said this, the soldier from the Prince¡¯s Mansion glanced at the Jinyiwei Guards on the Training Ground, and then continued, ¡°He is dressed just like them.¡± Lu Chen said directly, ¡°Let him in.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Shortly after, the soldier led the newly arrived Jinyiwei Guard into the Training Ground. The Jinyiwei Guard saw Lu Chen and immediately knelt down halfway, saying, ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Rise.¡± Lu Chen had thought that this Jinyiwei Guard had arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion simply because of the long distance, but as soon as the Jinyiwei Guard stood up, he immediately took out a bamboo tube from his waist and handed it to Lu Chen. ¡°Your Highness, I have a letter from the capital. The Duke Mu Residence is accused of colluding with the remnants of Chen Nation and has been exiled by His Majesty to the northwest.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat surprised; he had just taken charge of the Brocade Guard, and its intelligence network was already operating. Lu Chen took the bamboo tube from the Jinyiwei Guard, removed a piece of intelligence from inside, and read it carefully. From the content on the intelligence, Lu Chen immediately understood that it was a routine exchange of information between members of the Brocade Guard, and it was not because the Jinyiwei in the capital knew in advance that he, the North Prince, was their master. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s expression turn somber, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Commander Liang says in this report that, on his way to exile in the northwest, Duke Mu will be subject to assassination attempts by numerous forces. Now that Duke Mu has been stripped of his skill and is just an ordinary person, it¡¯s very likely that the entire Duke Mu family will not make it to the northwest..¡± Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Prince? Which Prince?_i Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Prince? Which Prince?_i Translator: 549690339 Ancient officials on their way to exile were generally at the greatest risk. The exiled officials had lost their power, and those who they had offended in the past no longer feared them. It was very likely that their enemies would seize this opportunity to take revenge by hiring assassins to kill the exiled. Moreover, political adversaries still in court did not wish for these exiled individuals to ever return to the court, and would find ways to eliminate them. Not to mention, Mu Changtian was once a highly renowned general in the Hu Ben Army. In his efforts to assist the Sum Emperor in seizing the imperial throne, Mu Changtian had made quite a few enemies. These people ail wanted Mu Changtian dead. Now, like a tiger without teeth, Mu Changtian¡¯s enemies would not miss this chance. The issue Lu Chen now contemplated was whether to save his esteemed father-in-law or not. With his current strength, if he wished to save Mu Changtian, it wasn¡¯t completely out of the question, especially since he already had the Brocade Guard at his disposal. Furthermore, Mu Changtian was the father of his wife, and it wouldn¡¯t be right to turn a blind eye to his plight. After a long moment, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°If the exile is to the northwest, then it shouldn¡¯t be too far from North City, right?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Indeed, my Prince.¡± Lu Chen glanced once more at the report in his hand and then said, ¡°This report came four days ago; 1 fear the Duke Mu Residence¡¯s family is already on the way to exile. If this prince wants to save them, I¡¯m not sure whether there¡¯s still time.¡± Hearing these words from Lu Chen, Qin Yushan immediately said, ¡°Please rest assured, my Prince. 1 believe that once Commander Liang Zong becomes aware that you are our lord, he will know what to do.¡± If Liang Zong didn¡¯t know that his master was the North Prince, he definitely wouldn¡¯t act to save the Duke Mu Residence. But since he was already aware that their master of the Brocade Guard was the North Prince, and Duke Mu was the father-in-law of the North Prince, he would surely act immediately to rescue Duke Mu Residence and then await the North Prince¡¯s next command. After some thought, Lu Chen could only hope that the yet-to-be-met Commander of the Brocade Guard would have some sense. Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Send a message to Commander Liang, instructing him to save Duke Mu Residence¡¯s family. Have him disguise them as if they¡¯ve all perished and then find a way to bring them safely to North City.¡± Qin Yushan saluted and said, ¡°As you command, my Prince.¡± Lu Chen looked at the heads of the four divisions of the Brocade Guard and continued, ¡°The Brocade Guard must continue to operate covertly for now. Whatever you were doing before, keep doing it.¡± Although the Brocade Guard, in comparison to the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s Shadow Guard, wasn¡¯t much to speak of, as a prince, a lord on the frontier with such a vast and complete intelligence network, this would certainly arouse suspicion from others. Why would a prince send people to infiltrate various counties of the Great Xia Dynasty, monitor officials, and gather intelligence? What are his intentions? This is overtly preparing for rebellion. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t so foolish. It was best for the Brocade Guard to continue lurking in the shadows. Meanwhile. Capital City. Heaven Prison. A middle-aged man clad in prisoner¡¯s garb, tall and imposing, was bound tightly to the rack. The man had disheveled hair, and his face looked utterly exhausted. Upon learning of his impending exile, Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but laugh uproariously. ¡°Hahaha, how ridiculous, truly ridiculous!¡± ¡°Lu Xingqiu, oh Lu Xingqiu, back then, to save you, I risked my life and led a hundred men deep into enemy territory, fighting with all we had to get you out. And when you were contending for the throne, 1 gave my all to support you, yet today, I¡¯ve been reduced to such a state!¡± ¡°The emperor¡¯s heart is always cold and merciless! Today, I have truly seen it!¡± Mu Changtian¡¯s neighboring cell held the members of Duke Mu¡¯s family. As Mu Changtian¡¯s words ended, a young man dressed in prisoner¡¯s clothes asked, ¡°Father, will we survive the journey to the northwest?¡± The young man who spoke was Mu Changtian¡¯s second son Mu Xingping, also Mu Zixuan¡¯s elder brother. XXX He had grown up in the Duke Mu Residence, acutely aware of politics, so he was very clear that their whole family¡¯s exile to the northwest was nothing more than a pretense. The Sum Emperor would certainly not allow them to arrive in the northwest safely. Even if the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t kill them, the former enemies of the Duke Mu Residence would not let them live in peace. Now that all the males in their family had been stripped of their skill, they were all ordinary people. If they encountered an assassination by a martial artist on the road, they would have no means of resistance. After hearing his second son¡¯s words, Mu Changtian fell silent. Because he also knew that the Sum Emperor would not allow him to live and reach the northwest, nor would his enemies let him continue to live. He and his family would die on the road of exile. The Sum Emperor had not killed them directly but chose to exile their whole family, only because he feared others would accuse him of killing a meritorious official, afraid of being pointed at the spine. At that moment, Mu Changtian¡¯s eldest son, Mu Jingwu, said, ¡°Father, little sister shouldn¡¯t be implicated, right?¡± Their demise was certain, beyond doubt. Mu Jingwu was now only worried that his sister, who had married the North Prince, would also be implicated. Hearing this, Mu Changtian sighed deeply, still saying nothing. The North Prince was nothing but an ignorant waste, and moreover, he was weak and incompetent. He had heard that after the North Prince went to North City, he had kept many women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, indulging in pleasure every day, with his entire mansion managed by his daughter. Given the North Prince¡¯s character, even if the court did not dispose of his daughter, the North Prince might fear the court¡¯s punishment and drive his daughter out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, or even divorce her directly. Once the people from the Duke Mu Residence were all dead, Mu Zixuan would be completely helpless, and the North Prince wouldn¡¯t have to worry about anyone troubling him. Just thinking of his daughter¡¯s future plight made Mu Changtian¡¯s heart seethe with hatred! He had truly been blind to have supported the ingrate Lu Xingqiu to the throne! At that moment, a jailer unlocked the cell that held Mu Changtian alone. A man walked in and said to the jailer beside him, ¡°You go out first, I have a few words to pass on to Duke Mu.¡± ¡°Okay, head jailer,¡± replied the jailer. After the jailer left the cell, only the man remained in Mu Changtian¡¯s presence. The Mu family members in the adjacent cells, seeing someone enter Mu Changtian¡¯s cell, all turned their attention in that direction. Mu Changtian gave the man in front of him a once-over, snorted with a laugh, and said, ¡°Did Lu Xingqiu send you?¡± Facing his impending death, Mu Changtian no longer showed the Sum Emperor the same respect, addressing him directly by name. At these words, the man simply smiled. He then approached Mu Changtian and unlocked all of the iron chains that bound him. Seeing this scene, the Mu family members were all puzzled, not understanding why the head jailer would do such a thing. The head jailer then spoke, ¡°Duke Mu, let me introduce myself. My name is Zhao Hong, and I am a man of the Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Changtian was filled with confusion. The Prince? Which Prince? Which Prince would dare to send someone to contact him now? He was already about to be exiled, and he didn¡¯t believe that the other Princes did not understand what his exile implied. If a Prince contacted him at this time, it would surely incur the Sum Emperor¡¯s displeasure. Then, not just confinement but even their princely positions could be at risk of being lost. After being unchained, Mu Changtian moved his body to ease the stiffness. While he was about to inquire which Prince Zhao Hong served, Zhao Hong took out three bottles and said, ¡°These are three Great Returning Pills. Upon taking them, you will recover ninety percent of your skill.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian was completely stunned.. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Chen Wanrong: I Will Plant a Love Worm in Hirn i Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Chen Wanrong: I Will Plant a Love Worm in Hirn i Translator: 549690339 As a former Grandmaster Martial Artist, Mu Changtian could not possibly be unaware of what the Great Returning Pill was. However, he had only heard about it before and had never seen it. The rumors claimed that the Great Returning Pill could bring someone back from the dead and fully restore one¡¯s skill. Although the rumors may be exaggerated, there was no doubt it could restore one¡¯s skill, and the Imperial Palace indeed had such pills. Mu Changtian looked at the three small porcelain bottles in Zhao Hong¡¯s hand with disbelief. After a moment of silence, he sneered and said, ¡°It seems some people can¡¯t wait anymore, we haven¡¯t even left the Capital city yet they plan to make their move on me.¡± At such a time, how could anyone come to rescue them, and even bring them a miraculous elixir like the Great Returning Pill? Apparently, someone was planning to act against them in advance, to poison him to death with a toxicant. What nonsense about the Great Returning Pill! Clearly, it was poison. Mu Changtian then said, ¡°Speak, who sent you?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Lu Xingqiu, ha, I¡¯d rather die on the road than take the poison he gives!¡± Seeing that Mu Changtian seemed to have misunderstood his intent, Zhao Hong said with a smile, ¡°Duke Mu, you have misunderstood. Those who want you dead wouldn¡¯t let you die in Heaven Prison.¡± ¡°The Great Returning Pills in my possession are indeed real, and as for which Prince gave them to you, you will soon find out. If you want to see your daughter again, it¡¯s best to take the Great Returning Pill immediately and regain all your strength before you¡¯re exiled.¡± If Zhao Hong now said that the Great Returning Pill was from the North Prince, Mu Changtian would probably be even more distrustful, given that the North Prince¡¯s image as a good-for-nothing had deeply imprinted in people¡¯s hearts. Hearing Zhao Hong mention his daughter, Mu Changtian was startled for a moment. At this time, Mu Jingwu from the neighboring cell said, ¡°Father, give it to me, I¡¯ll take it first. Even if it¡¯s poison, 1 accept my fate; we won¡¯t live many days anyway.¡± Mu Changtian looked again at the small porcelain bottles in Zhao Hong¡¯s hand, pondered for a moment, and finally snatched the bottles from Zhao Hong. He opened one and threw the pill inside into his mouth. Just when Mu Changtian was ready to meet death, he found his inner strength starting to recover, and he felt an incredible sense of comfort flooding his body. Soon, he felt his skill returning. Although it had not fully recovered, he now possessed the strength of a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. Mu Changtian looked at the remaining two small porcelain bottles in his hand with disbelief. Could these actually be the real Great Returning Pills? How could that be! Only the Imperial Palace had Great Returning Pills. Such skill-restoring pills were coveted by Grandmasters, let alone by Great Grandmasters. One pill was already immensely precious, yet now this prison head actually gave him three! If people knew that there were three Great Returning Pills in the hands of a commoner, the Capital city would have probably already been in chaos. Such precious pills, could they really have come from a Prince? Wait a minute¡­ Mu Changtian seemed to realize something. The prison head had only mentioned that these pills came from a certain Prince, but he did not say that this Prince was a child of the Sum Emperor. The Great Xia Dynasty had numerous Princes, and it wasn¡¯t only the current Princes who could be named so; a Seignior might also be possible. Could it be that a Seignior was planning a rebellion and thus sought to enlist his support? With this thought, Mu Changtian immediately confirmed his suspicion. It must be so; otherwise, why would the other party be willing to part with three Great Returning Pills to help him and his two sons regain their skill? But then again, even if that Prince intended to rebel, he no longer cared. Lu Xingqiu was just an ungrateful wretch, what did it matter if he rebelled against him! With this in mind, Mu Changtian immediately said to Zhao Hong, ¡°Thank you, go back and tell your Prince that whatever he wants me to do, 1, Mu Changtian, will oblige.¡± Having said that, Mu Changtian tossed the two remaining small porcelain bottles to his sons Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping in the next cell. After Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping received the small porcelain bottles, they didn¡¯t say another word and immediately swallowed the pills. When the two of them felt their skill returning within their bodies, they also revealed a look of disbelief. This isn¡¯t poison, but the actual Great Returning Pill? Does this mean our father has also recovered his skill? If that¡¯s the case, we¡¯d be able to put up some resistance on the way, and not be slaughtered unilaterally by others. As for whether we can make it to the northwest alive, that¡¯s up to fate. Zhao Hong said, ¡°Alright, Duke Mu, I will relay your message to the Prince.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± After that, Zhao Hong turned around and left the cell. Once the cell door was closed again, Mu Xingping immediately asked, ¡°Father, which Prince dares to send us the pili at this time, and it¡¯s even the legendary Great Returning Pill?¡± Mu Changtian was silent for a moment before saying, ¡°It seems that a Seignior is getting restless and wants to take advantage of Lu Xingqiu dealing with the Aristocratic Families to unite with them and overthrow Lu Xingqiu.¡± The Aristocratic Families already knew that Lu Xingqiu might take action against them, so they wouldn¡¯t just sit and wait for death. The most likely scenario is that they would support a Seignior, then overthrow Lu Xingqiu¡¯s rule and replace him with someone else as the Emperor. Just as the Aristocratic Families helped Lu Xingqiu ascend to the throne back then. Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Mu Jingwu asked from the side, ¡°Father, what should we do then?¡± Mu Changtian scoffed and said, ¡°What to do? 1 was the one who helped Lu Xingqiu to the throne back then. Since he has turned his back on me, he can¡¯t blame me for pulling him down!¡± Mu Changtian had already decided that if someone truly wanted to rebel against Lu Xingqiu, he would definitely support that person. Obviously, these three Great Returning Pills were the other party¡¯s gesture of sincerity; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have sent such precious pills to them. It¡¯s just that 1 don¡¯t know which Prince it is. There aren¡¯t many Seigniors in the Great Xia who have the power to rebel. Although the Great Xia gave some Princes a lot of power, Lu Xingqiu liked to meddle in those territories that had potential for growth. If they couldn¡¯t be controlled, then he would have the Shadow Guard take action in advance to eliminate any potential disasters. This wasn¡¯t something that Lu Xingqiu had never done; Mu Changtian knew of a Prince who was killed by Lu Xingqiu¡¯s Shadow Guard. After his death, the court even pushed all the blame onto the head official of the Seignior¡¯s territory, accusing him of imprisoning the Seignior with the intent to rebel. After pondering for a moment, Mu Changtian still couldn¡¯t figure out which Seignior would reach out to him. He had no choice but to let it go; after all, once he got out, he would know who had approached him. In the meantime. Mysterious Moon Palace. Within the chamber of light veils, transcendent in a veil of smoke, a woman dressed in plain white clothes was sitting in front of a zither, earnestly playing the instrument. The woman had a tall figure and a graceful, enchanting posture. At that moment, a breeze came by, lifting the sheer veil at the door, revealing a glimpse of the woman¡¯s exquisite beauty. The woman¡¯s beauty was unmatched, flawless like frost and snow, her pale countenance revealing a touch of aloofness. She was like a goddess from the ninth heaven, a fairy descended to earth. At that moment, a woman dressed in purple Cloud Attire entered the room, exuding a dignified and elegant aura. The melodious sound of the zither ceased as the woman arrived, and the female zither player spoke, ¡°Madam Lin, is there something you need?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was cool but also carried a hint of gentleness. The dignified woman asked, ¡°Palace Master, do you really plan to go to North City?¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong stood up and walked slowly out of the veil-covered chamber; her saintly face came into view of the dignified woman. Chen Wanrong spoke softly, ¡°Only with the fresh blood of Sum Emperor¡¯s child can the Subtle Dragon Spell be created, and the North Prince is the easiest Prince to approach.¡± As she heard this, a worried look appeared on the dignified woman¡¯s face, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard the North Prince is lustful; he keeps many servants in his residence for pleasure-seeking. If he takes a fancy to you¡­¡± The woman left her sentence unfinished. Gazing emotionlessly at the distant green hills, Chen Wanrong said indifferently, ¡°People are easier to control when they have desires. I will plant the Love Worm in him, then manipulate him to help us complete the Subtle Dragon Spell.¡± Hearing this, the dignified woman sighed and then said, ¡°He is Chu Yue¡¯s child; if possible, 1 hope you can spare his life in the end.¡± Chen Wanrong offered no response, merely looking silently into the distance as a breeze blew by, swaying her dress continuously.. Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Wang Qingci Reports on Intelligence! Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Wang Qingci Reports on Intelligence! Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen had no idea he was already being targeted by the remnants of Chen Nation. With the arrival of the Brocade Guards, he became much busier. The information brought by the Brocade Guards was overwhelming, and he had spent the last few days in his study poring over the accumulated intelligence. It must be said, the abilities of the Brocade Guards were indeed formidable. Even without his oversight as their master, the Brocade Guards had managed to thoroughly investigate some of the old affairs of the Great Xia Dynasty. For instance, the truth about his mother¡¯s death, and how the Sum Emperor, supported by the Aristocratic Families, had gradually become antagonistic towards them. At that moment, as Lu Chen was flipping through the Brocade Guards¡¯ files, his brows grew more furrowed by the minute. According to the records, the woman loved by the Sum Emperor was murdered by his mother, and the Sum Emperor had hated her immensely, directing that hatred towards him as well, to the point that the Sum Emperor had even contemplated getting rid of him at his birth. As for the reason why his mother had killed the Sum Emperor¡¯s favorite woman, it was nothing more than the petty affairs of the Harem, such as the strife for the position of Empress. Lu Chen had no interest in those matters. What he was interested in now was how he could return to the Capital city. Judging by the Sum Emperor¡¯s attitude towards him, it seemed that his only way back to the Capital city in this lifetime might be through rebellion. Any Prince could partake in the struggle for power, except for him, the North Prince. There was no way he could normally participate; the Sum Emperor would never allow it. To return, only his corpse might accomplish that. Just then, a charming voice called from outside the door. ¡°Prince, are you there? This servant has important matters to report.¡± Hearing that it was Wang Qingci¡¯s voice, Lu Chen set aside the intelligence in his hands. Well, there were too many matters, and they could not be resolved in a short while. Better to take it slow. He had plenty of time, so he might as well relax a bit first. ¡°Come in,¡± he said. As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, Wang Qingci, dressed in a thin red gauze, entered the study with even steps. By now, Wang Qingci had completely submitted to Lu Chen. Maybe it was because of the frequent cultivation of their relationship, but she had become increasingly charming and almost bewitchingly so. A delicate nose, soft red lips, a slender waist, and skin as white as jade¡­ combined with the warm fragrance emanating from her at all times, even just passing by her would make one involuntarily think of doing something to her. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Lu Chen was already a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, he might have pounced on Wang Qingci, driven by the effects of the Dragon and Tiger Pill. Of course, although Lu Chen could now control himself, it did not mean he would give up on cultivating a relationship with Wang Qingci. During the time when Mu Zixuan and the other two were pregnant, Wang Qingci had mostly been the one tending to him, and she almost visited the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day. Compared to the other three, Lu Chen felt a stronger impulse towards Wang Qingci. Perhaps it was due to her identity as an Oiran. Just the thought of the much-adored Oiran only being his Female Slave excited Lu Chen immensely. It must be said that sometimes status complements appearance. When Wang Qingci entered the study, she said softly, ¡°1 have seen the Prince.¡± Lu Chen glanced at Wang Qingci and then, lifting her delicate hand, he pulled her forcefully into his arms. Wang Qingci did not resist and soon sat in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. In front of this man, she had no power to resist, nor did she need to. She was his Female Slave, at his behest to do with as he wished. Lu Chen asked, ¡°What is it you want to see me about?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Prince, Prince Lu Shuyun has sent a letter, saying the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower plans to visit North City personally and wants this servant to gather recent developments from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, especially to find out about any movements from that Mysterious Grandmaster.¡± Hmm? Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. Was his brother Shuyun still not giving up? After having stayed in North City for so long, he should know that the Chu Family had not sent anyone to make contact with him. Why would he still trouble himself with Lu Chen? While stroking Wang Qingci¡¯s body, Lu Chen asked, ¡°The Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower should possess Grandmaster strength, right? Is he coming to assassinate me?¡± Wang Qingci answered, ¡°The Prince did not tell this servant. He only asked this servant to report what has been happening in the Prince¡¯s Mansion lately, and whether there has been any activity from that Mysterious Grandmaster.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that his brother Shuyun probably didn¡¯t yet know that their father, the Sum Emperor, was planning to move against the Aristocratic Families in the South. With so much at stake, he still aspired to gain the Chu Family¡¯s support? ¡°Just don¡¯t end up being abolished alongside the Chu Family,¡± she warned. Just then, an idea seemed to strike Wang Qingci, and she continued, ¡°That¡¯s right, Prince, I also inquired about something else.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I heard that the entire Duke Mu Residence has been exiled to the northwest.¡± The intelligence network of Misty Pavilion was also quite formidable. They quickly obtained news of events happening in the Capital city, which Wang Qingci could then learn. Upon learning the news about Duke Mu Residence and considering that the Princess Consort was also Duke Mu¡¯s daughter, Lu Chen would likely be concerned about this. Hence, she took the initiative to bring it up. However, upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°I already know about it.¡± Wang Qingci then said, ¡°Then I have nothing else to report.¡± As she said this, Wang Qingci shifted her body slightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable sitting down. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°No, you have one more thing to do.¡± ¡°Coincidentally, I was feeling a bit tired just now and need to relax.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci gave Lu Chen a resentful glance and, understanding what he implied, stood up and leaned over the table to tidy up the scattered intelligence papers on his desk. [Host and Wang Qingci foster affection once, Qi Refinement Mantra Experience + 20, Rejuvenating Skill Experience +20, congratulations to the host for Rejuvenating Skill reaching the second level.] After hearing the prompt, Lu Chen glanced at Wang Qingci, who was sprawled out, feeling somewhat perplexed. It was known that martial artists had difficulty conceiving, and he was aware of that. However, ever since Mu Zixuan and the others had become pregnant, Wang Qingci had been coming to the Prince¡¯s Mansion almost daily, fostering affection with him every day, but still, Wang Qingci remained childless. Even though Wang Qingci was a ninth-grade martial artist, wasn¡¯t this difficulty in getting pregnant a bit too much? It had been almost a year. Could there be an issue with Wang Qingci¡¯s body? Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t think the problem lies with his body. After all, he had taken the Dragon and Tiger Pill and drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. It could only be something wrong with Wang Qingci¡¯s body. After a moment of thought, Lu Chen used his Rejuvenating Skill to check Wang Qingci¡¯s body. The Rejuvenating Skill had reached the second level, and for him to check for any hidden injuries or diseases in someone¡¯s body was very easy. When he placed his hand on Wang Qingci¡¯s abdomen, the conditions inside her body flashed through his mind in an instant. Wang Qingci¡¯s body did not have any issues and was much like any regular woman¡¯s. This was rather strange. Her body was fine, yet getting pregnant was so challenging. Could it indeed be because she was a ninth-grade martial artist? If that was the case, wouldn¡¯t it be even more difficult for him to have children with a beautiful woman in the future? Just then, Wang Qingci suddenly spoke up, ¡°Prince, when do you plan on ¡®eating¡¯ your Madam Chu? Her jealousy is growing stronger by the day, and she¡¯s becoming increasingly annoying to me.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s expression froze for a moment, then he chuckled and said, ¡°What do you mean by that? Do you really think I would do something disrespectful to her?¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°The moment you hear the words ¡®Madam Chu,¡¯ you become even fiercer. Do you still need me to spell it out for you?¡± Lu Chen huffed a laugh, then responded, ¡°It seems you still don¡¯t understand what a female slave is, daring to meddle in my affairs. Today, you must be properly disciplined.¡± ¡°All! Prince, I know my mistake,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Mmm, good brother,¡± she cooed. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Lu Chens Problem i Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Lu Chen¡¯s Problem i Translator: 549690339 Wang Qingci left Lu Chen¡¯s study disheveled, her hair loose and flowing, her face flushed with color. Her walk was unsteady and wobbly. Just as she stepped out of the main courtyard, she happened to bump into Chu Yuqin, who was on patrol. Seeing Wang Qingci in such a state, Chu Yuqin knew that bitch must have just gone to seduce her Chen¡¯er. Chu Yuqin said in a taunting tone, ¡°Miss Wang, I¡¯ve heard that the business at the Hundred Flowers Tower is particularly good. As the Tower Master, why aren¡¯t you there overseeing it, instead of coming to the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day?¡± Seeing the jealousy in Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, Wang Qingci smiled knowingly. She was very aware of why Chu Yuqin disliked her: wasn¡¯t it because she served the North Prince every day, arousing her envy? Wang Qingci then said, ¡°Madam Chu, the Princess and several ladies are pregnant, so only a concubine like me can serve the Prince. You¡¯re not unaware of the great stress the Prince is under. If 1 don¡¯t attend to him, are you suggesting that Madam Chu help the Prince relax?¡± ¡°If Madam Chu plans to help the Prince relieve his stress every day, then this concubine won¡¯t come tomorrow.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s complexion changed dramatically, and then a gust of wind blew out from her body, wildly tossing her skirts. ¡°Wang Qingci, you¡¯re just Chen¡¯er¡¯s Female Slave. I¡¯d advise you to watch what you say!¡± ¡°Otherwise, even if I kill you, I believe Chen¡¯er wouldn¡¯t say a thing!¡± Wang Qingci smiled sweetly, and then said, ¡°Madam Chu, if you really intend to kill this concubine, without me to serve the Prince, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll truly have to attend to him every day then!¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was both angry and embarrassed, her face coloring with a blush. ¡°You!¡± Seeing that Wang Qingci wasn¡¯t afraid of her at all, Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue any further. She turned on her heel and walked towards the other side of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, muttering as she went: ¡°She¡¯s merely a tool for Chen¡¯er to release his evil thoughts. Why should I be upset over a tool?¡± Wang Qingci wasn¡¯t angry upon hearing these words. Indeed, she was just a tool, but as long as she could please the North Prince, that¡¯s all that mattered. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous figure, Wang Qingci¡¯s lips curled up slightly as she whispered, ¡°Madam Chu, oh Madam Chu, the Prince¡¯s patience is limited, and it won¡¯t be long before you end up in his bed.¡± Although Chu Yuqin had been trying to keep her distance from Lu Chen for the past six months, she was, after all, the commander of the inner guard, responsible for Lu Chen¡¯s safety. So, Chu Yuqin would occasionally come across Lu Chen seizing Wang Qingci, and every time she saw Chu Yuqin or even mentioned her in his presence, his entire demeanor would grow more furious, as if he became a completely different person, wildly crazed, making her suffer alongside. It was clear that Lu Chen¡¯s desire for Chu Yuqin was growing day by day, and while he still could restrain his inner longing, it might not last forever. Maybe one careless day, the two might bump into each other, Chu Yuqin might not get away, and then she would be devoured completely. After Chu Yuqin¡¯s figure disappeared from sight, Wang Qingci turned and continued to leave the courtyard. But as she turned, she saw Mu Zixuan. Having rested a while after giving birth, Mu Zixuan had largely recovered and was now able to get out of bed and walk. Unlike with Chu Yuqin, Wang Qingci held great respect for the Princess Mu Zixuan. Upon seeing her, Wang Qingci immediately said, ¡°Greetings to the Princess.¡± Mu Zixuan smiled faintly and nodded, ¡°Rise, Miss Wang.¡± Mu Zixuan knew that Wang Qingci was Lu Chen¡¯s plaything, so she didn¡¯t mind at all that Wang Qingci frequently visited the inner court. In this era, most mistresses didn¡¯t care if their husbands had concubines or Female Slaves; Mu Zixuan was no exception. At this moment, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Is the Prince inside?¡± Wang Qingci answered, ¡°The Prince is now in the study.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Alright, Miss Wang, go ahead and do whatever you need to, I¡¯ll go check on the Prince.¡± Mu Zixuan was increasingly exuding the temperament of a Prince¡¯s wife, with every word and action revealing the aura of someone in a high position. Just as Wang Qingci was about to leave, she suddenly thought of something and immediately said, ¡°Oh yes, Madam, I have a favor to ask of you, if you would be willing to hear it.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan asked with a hint of curiosity, ¡°What is it? Miss Wang, please speak.¡± Wang Qingci glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s study, then said, ¡°Madam, isn¡¯t it about time for the Prince to take another concubine? Please consider this as me overstepping.¡± Ever since Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines became pregnant, it had been Wang Qingci attending to Lu Chen every day, and even as a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, she could hardly bear it any longer. Now that Mu Zixuan had just given birth, she obviously couldn¡¯t attend to Lu Chen, leaving her, the Female Slave, to continue serving him. Although she was just a Female Slave, and it wasn¡¯t her place to speak of taking concubines, she simply couldn¡¯t endure it any longer. She believed that Mu Zixuan was a rather magnanimous person and wouldn¡¯t prevent Lu Chen from taking concubines, after all, the North Prince¡¯s household was hardly sufficient to serve him, and as his wife, Mu Zixuan couldn¡¯t possibly forever refuse him additional concubines. When Mu Zixuan heard Wang Qingci¡¯s words, she immediately grasped the situation, knowing that Wang Qingci must be overwhelmed. Mu Zixuan thought to herself, if even a Ninth Grade Martial Artist could barely cope, her darling¡¯s constitution must be extremely formidable. When she had married Lu Chen in the Capital city, she had thought him to be a youth whose body was depleted by wine and women, and presumed it to be quite frail. Looking at it now¡­ Mu Zixuan sighed and then said, ¡°Miss Wang, 1 will bring up the matter of the Prince taking concubines to him. You can go back with your mind at ease.¡± Wang Qingci immediately expressed her thanks, ¡°Thank you, Madam.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Afterward, Wang Qingci turned and left the courtyard. Meanwhile. Just coming out of his study, Lu Chen saw Chu Yuqin, her face flushed with redness, and immediately called out to her, ¡°Madam Chu, wait a moment, I have a question to ask of you.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin halted in her tracks. She turned to look at Lu Chen with a puzzled expression and asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what do you need from me?¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, I remember that the higher a Martial Artist¡¯s realm, the more difficult it is for them to conceive, correct?¡± Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°That¡¯s correct, why do you ask?¡± Chu Yuqin felt a twinge of nervousness inside. Why would Chen¡¯er suddenly ask this? He wouldn¡¯t still be considering me as an option, would he? After all, within the inner quarters of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it seemed she was the only female Martial Artist close to Lu Chen. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve been intimate with Wang Qingci so many times, and yet she still hasn¡¯t become pregnant, but there¡¯s nothing wrong with her body.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s harder for Martial Artists with higher realms to conceive, it shouldn¡¯t be that after half a year there¡¯s still not the slightest reaction from her body, right?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen mention Wang Qingci, Chu Yuqin breathed a sigh of relief. So, he was speaking of Wang Qingci. She had thought he was eyeing her up. Chu Yuqin smiled warmly, then responded, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you unaware that Martial Artists above Fifth Grade can expel certain impurities from their bodies using their Inner Strength?¡± ¡°Many Martial Artists, if they¡¯re poisoned, can use their Inner Strength to expel the toxins, as long as the poison isn¡¯t too fierce..¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Then Ill Trouble Madam Chu i Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Then I¡¯ll Trouble Madam Chu i Translator: 549690339 Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s response, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. So that was it? He had been wondering why Wang Qingci showed no signs of illness, and yet, half a year had passed without any reaction from her stomach. How dare this female slave take the emotions he imparted to her and use her inner strength to expel them? The next time he saw her, he would have to punish her severely, to let her know the power of him as her master! This person had actually kept it from him for half a year! He had even suspected there might be something wrong with his own body, but it turned out to be her problem all along. At that moment, Chu Yuqin reminded him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, even though Wang Qingci is a Ninth Grade martial artist, her public identity is that of the Oiran of Hundred Flowers Tower. It¡¯s not a problem if you are just playing around, but if you want to take her as a concubine, it could affect your reputation.¡± Chu Yuqin did indeed have some preconceived notions about Wang Qingci, but her reminder was not without reason; this era placed great importance on one¡¯s status. Even if an Oiran was redeemed, or purchased by a wealthy family, they were often still unable to become a concubine. Moreover, for Lu Chen, a prince, to take an Oiran as a concubine would become the subject of ridicule once it spread. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t you think taking her as my concubine could buy me more time to grow?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was taken aback for a moment, then asked, ¡°Do you mean you want to continue to tarnish your name to numb the court, making them believe you are still that useless prince?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Now is a time of many affairs. Although North City is not in the direct scrutiny of the court, there are still many who are watching over it, making my every move particularly important.¡± Chu Yuqin thought for a moment and then sighed softly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you have grown up and have your own ideas, do whatever you wish. If you encounter any trouble, tell me, and I will persuade your grandfather to help you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Madam Chu, I have indeed encountered a bit of trouble recently.¡± Chu Yuqin asked with concern, ¡°What trouble?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Lately, when 1 practice martial arts, 1 always feel a breath circling in my dantian, which makes me very uncomfortable. Could you help me check it out, and see what¡¯s going on?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was taken aback. When Lu Chen was young, she did often check his body, but now that he had grown so much and even had his own wife, it was somewhat inappropriate for her to check his body at this time. After all, he was an adult, and there are differences between men and women. Chu Yuqin thought for a moment, and then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you are an adult now, and it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to check your body anymore. I will ask General Li to come and see you later; he should be able to see what the problem is.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, General Li is just a martial artist of the Eighth Grade, and it hasn¡¯t been long since his breakthrough to that status. He doesn¡¯t have your extensive experience.¡± Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Don¡¯t you still have the Brocade Guard? Commander Qin should still be in Yan County, right? He is a Grandmaster. Let him check it.¡± Chu Yuqin refused to check Lu Chen¡¯s body herself; she was afraid that intimate contact might occur once again. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen sighed deeply and then said, ¡°Ah, I see, Madam Chu. You despise me now.¡± Chu Yuqin immediately said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, how can you talk like that? I am your aunt, how could 1 possibly despise you?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°When 1 was younger, you often checked my body, but now that I have grown up, you refuse to do so anymore. If that¡¯s not despising me, then what is it?¡± Hearing his words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned a shade of red, spreading even to her neck. Chu Yuqin was about to say something when Lu Chen immediately turned around and said, ¡°Madam Chu, if you don¡¯t want to help me check, then forget it. If something really happens, then I¡¯ll just be dead, and it seems you no longer care about me anyway.¡± Upon hearing these words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind went blank, then she said somewhat angrily, ¡°Chen¡¯er, how can you talk about life and death so casually?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin raised her hand and grabbed Lu Chen¡¯s wrist. The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upwards, but since he was turned away from Chu Yuqin, she couldn¡¯t see it. Lu Chen had long noticed that recently, Chu Yuqin had been finding ways to avoid him. Of course, Lu Chen understood why; Chu Yuqin was afraid that things would escalate between them and she would end up becoming his woman. After all, she was a relatively traditional woman and wasn¡¯t able to come to terms with such a thing just yet. After holding Lu Chen¡¯s wrist, Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°Come to the room, 1¡¯11 have a look and also help you regulate your inner strength.¡± Chu Yuqin had actually wanted to check on Lu Chen¡¯s body for a while now. Although Lu Chen had a fortunate destiny, training in martial arts is still an individual matter, and nobody knows if something might go wrong. However, thinking about that incident from the past, and knowing that Lu Chen, this little rascal, had been coveting her body all along, she had to restrain herself and never took the initiative to suggest checking on his body. Seeing that Chu Yuqin agreed, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Then I¡¯m troubling you, Madam Chu.¡± Shortly after, they arrived at the study. When Chu Yuqin smelled an odd scent in the study, a peculiar expression appeared on her face. ¡°What is this smell? Why is it so unpleasant?¡± Although Chu Yuqin was already twenty-eight, almost twenty-nine, she had never been involved in ¡®those kinds of matters,¡¯ so there were some things she was still clueless about. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°This is a new perfume developed by the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Chu Yuqin said with a hint of surprise, ¡°Perfume? Who would buy a perfume with this kind of scent?¡± As she said that, Chu Yuqin sniffed the air and then continued, ¡°Could it be that being exposed to this scent has caused some issue with your body during your training?¡± Sometimes, mishaps during training can be caused by the environment, so Chu Yuqin suspected that the overpowering smell may have caused some problems for Chen¡¯er during his training. Lu Chen said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe there is some connection.¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin glanced at Lu Chen and, blushing, said, ¡°Take off your upper clothing. I want to look at your condition first.¡± No sooner had Chu Yuqin finished speaking, than Lu Chen skillfully took off his top. Seeing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face grew even hotter, as if she were running a fever, her ears turning red as well. With the removal of Lu Chen¡¯s upper clothing, his muscular body was revealed before Chu Yuqin. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s neatly lined eight-pack abs, Chu Yuqin was momentarily dazed. When Lu Chen married Mu Zixuan, Chu Yuqin had checked his body once, and at that time, there weren¡¯t noticeable abs, just a little belly. Now that Lu Chen actually had such pronounced muscles, it seemed unbelievable to Chu Yuqin. Although she knew that Lu Chen was a martial artist, she hadn¡¯t actually seen how he trained, and for someone who hadn¡¯t trained much, to have such a sturdy physique was indeed surprising.. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Are You Deceiving Your Aunt i Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Are You Deceiving Your Aunt i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen¡¯s muscles, though well-defined, weren¡¯t exaggeratedly bulky like those of modern bodybuilders. The shape of Lu Chen¡¯s muscles was flawless, and the sight left Chu Yuqin somewhat dazed. Struggling with herself, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, even though you are now a martial artist, I don¡¯t seem to have seen you practice martial arts before. Why is your body so well-built?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, who says I haven¡¯t been practicing martial arts? Haven¡¯t I been training every day these past days?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin asked in confusion, ¡°Then why haven¡¯t 1 seen it?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°I usually practice in my room, and it requires cooperation from Prince Wang Qingci, so it¡¯s normal that you haven¡¯t seen it.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin instantly grasped Lu Chen¡¯s implication and gave him a white look, saying, ¡°You little rascal, is that really what you call practicing martial arts?¡± Unabashed, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, that¡¯s because you don¡¯t understand, there are many ways to practice martial arts.¡± Chu Yuqin huffed lightly and did not continue the topic with Lu Chen. ¡°Chen¡¯er, tell me, where do you feel uncomfortable?¡± As she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin began to seriously examine Lu Chen¡¯s abs. At that moment, Lu Chen grabbed Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade hand and placed it directly on his chest. ¡°I sometimes feel pain here, especially during martial arts practice. Often, it hurts so much that I can¡¯t move.¡± Chu Yuqin instinctively tried to pull her hand away when Lu Chen took hold of it, but after hearing his words, she didn¡¯t take it to heart. She earnestly sensed Lu Chen¡¯s condition. By now, she was able to transmit her inner strength into another person¡¯s body, and she could easily find out if there were any symptoms within a person¡¯s body. After a while, Chu Yuqin muttered to herself, ¡°Strange, there seems to be nothing wrong?¡± Lu Chen reacted to Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, ¡°Madam Chu, could you be feeling it wrong? How could there be no problem?¡± As he said this, Lu Chen suddenly seemed to think of something, then with a surprised expression, he exclaimed, ¡°Eh, how odd?¡± ¡°Madam Chu, 1 don¡¯t know why, but after your hand touched my dantian, that burning sensation is gone?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen skeptically, ¡°Really?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Why would I lie to you?¡± Just then, Lu Chen looked at his own chest and said, ¡°Madam Chu, look quickly, there¡¯s something strange on my chest.¡± At his words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s gaze immediately shifted from Lu Chen¡¯s face to his chest. As she looked, she saw a green glow emanating from Lu Chen¡¯s chest. What was this thing? It was the first time Chu Yuqin had seen such a phenomenon. Lu Chen continued, ¡°How magical, Madam Chu, the gas that had been accumulating in my dantian seems to be gradually dissipating, and it feels like my inner strength is flowing again.¡± Looking puzzled, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°But 1 didn¡¯t do anything?¡± She had just placed her hand on Lu Chen¡¯s chest and checked his body, not doing anything to adjust his inner strength, yet his body was healing on its own? Was there such a miraculous thing? Chu Yuqin could not comprehend what was happening. At that moment, Lu Chen bluffed, ¡°Madam Chu, I understand what this is.¡± Hearing his words, Chu Yuqin quickly asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°The Immortal Law I inherited contains a unique cultivation technique, which allows a woman who is in tune with my heart to help me cultivate.¡± ¡°It must be because you touched my body, Madam Chu, so we indirectly met the conditions for dual cultivation, which calmed the chaotic energy in my body and made my inner strength flow smoothly.¡± With a look of doubt, Chu Yuqin stared at Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯re not deceiving me, are you?¡± ¡°How come I feel like the cultivation technique you¡¯re talking about is the Demon Sect¡¯s Happy Union Skill?¡± Lu Chen asked earnestly, ¡°Madam Chu, have you never considered where the Demon Sect¡¯s Happy Union Skill came from?¡± ¡°The Demon Sect¡¯s Happy Union Skill is harmful to people, while the Immortal Law I inherit benefits both parties. And as you¡¯ve seen, just by touching my body, you have helped stabilize my inner strength, and you didn¡¯t get hurt at all.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen looked intently into Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful eyes. ¡°1 suspect that the Happy Union Skill definitely has similarities with the cultivation technique I practice, but the Happy Union Skill is incomplete, hence it¡¯s harmful to people.¡± ¡°The cultivation technique I possess is complete, so it¡¯s not bad for either party. It¡¯s possible that someone once stole a part of an Immortal¡¯s technique, and what they took was not complete, resulting in the Demon Sect¡¯s Happy Union Skill.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s fanciful talk, Chu Yuqin seriously considered it and thought there was some reason to it. ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± Chu Yuqin asked with a blush. Her hand was still on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, and combined with how close she was to him, she was feeling extremely agitated at the moment. The masculine scent of Lu Chen¡¯s body continuously stimulated her, assaulting her innermost thoughts. If things continued like this, it might lead to what had happened before. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, since touching me can stabilize my inner strength, why don¡¯t you stay close to me a little longer?¡± Chu Yuqin thought for a moment. It¡¯s just her hand resting on Chen¡¯er¡¯s chest. As long as she didn¡¯t actively get closer, it should be fine. With that thought, Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°Alright, if you¡¯re better, tell me right away.¡± But at that moment, Lu Chen suddenly let out a cry of pain, his hand violently tightening, grasping Chu Yuqin¡¯s hand and pressing it firmly against his chest. Seeing this, Chu Yuqin asked in a panic, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin¡¯s body instinctively moved in front of Lu Chen, and her other hand quickly supported him. Lu Chen showed a pained expression and said, ¡°Madam Chu, it might be because 1 have too many impurities accumulated in my body from martial arts training, and they can¡¯t be cleared out all at once.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s rosy complexion instantly turned pale, ¡°What should we do now?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, hold me now, maybe you can use the special cultivation technique I practice to alleviate some of my body¡¯s pain.¡± This¡­ Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin hesitated. After all, Lu Chen had grown up; he was not a child anymore, and such close contact with him was definitely not appropriate. But seeing how much pain Lu Chen was in, Chu Yuqin simply couldn¡¯t bear it. She then bit her lip and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, tell me once you¡¯re feeling a bit better.¡± Having said that, Chu Yuqin took the initiative to embrace Lu Chen¡¯s body. Lu Chen hurriedly controlled all the inner strength in his body, stabilizing his mind. Even as a Ninth Grade martial artist, he was almost losing control, truly a woman of 97 points. Then, as the two held each other, after a while, Chu Yuqin felt something was amiss as her body became hotter and more agitated. Chu Yuqin clenched her teeth, reminding herself in her heart that this was Yue¡¯s child, and she mustn¡¯t have any improper thoughts. However, the more she thought this, the more panicked Chu Yuqin became. Gradually, Chu Yuqin¡¯s body softened, and although she was the one embracing Lu Chen initially, now it turned into Lu Chen holding her delicate body. Seeing Chu Yuqin like this, Lu Chen knew the Dragon and Phoenix Tea was taking effect. Lu Chen thought to himself, my dear Madam Chu, you¡¯ve avoided me for the better part of a year, but today you can¡¯t hide anymore. Just as he was thinking this, a voice suddenly came from outside the door. ¡°Prince, are you in there?¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Why Doesnt the Prince Take a Concubine Part 1 Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Why Doesn¡¯t the Prince Take a Concubine Part 1 Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s voice, Chu Yuqin, who had been in a befuddled and amorous state, instantly sobered up. She quickly pushed Lu Chen with force and said anxiously, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let go of Madam, Zixuan is coming in!¡± Lu Chen felt like crying but had no tears to shed. My dear Princess, why choose to come now of all times? Why exactly now! Then, Lu Chen had no choice but to let go of Chu Yuqin. However, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t run away immediately; she looked at Lu Chen with concern and asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you feeling better now?¡± Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Yes, much better, it seems that doing this is indeed helpful.¡± ¡°Madam Chu, you will have to help me regulate my body on a regular basis in the future.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Can¡¯t Zixuan and the others help you with that?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Zixuan and the other two aren¡¯t martial artists, they lack inner strength, it won¡¯t work, and Qingci seems to have no feelings for me, so she can¡¯t meet the conditions for dual cultivation either.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s brain nearly fried; she quickly said, ¡°Alright then, if you feel unwell in the future, come and find me. 1 have to go now.¡± With those words, Chu Yuqin immediately headed for the door. When Mu Zixuan saw Chu Yuqin open the door, she was momentarily startled. Chu Yuqin quickly explained, ¡°I was just checking on Chen¡¯er¡¯s health, you two talk, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin hurriedly made her escape. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s frantic silhouette and her flushed face, Mu Zixuan instantly realized what had just happened. She turned to Lu Chen and apologized, ¡°Prince, it is all this consort¡¯s fault for interrupting your moment; I will be more careful in the future.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen gave a slight smile and then said, ¡°It¡¯s fine; Madam Chu and I were just chatting, and we didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate.¡± ¡°By the way, my beloved consort, did you come to see me about something?¡± Mu Zixuan immediately entered the study and responded, ¡°Prince¡­¡± Just as Mu Zixuan was about to speak, she suddenly smelled something pungent. As Lu Chen¡¯s Princess, how could Mu Zixuan not recognize that scent? Mu Zixuan looked at Lu Chen, somewhat speechless, thinking he just said they hadn¡¯t done anything improper, yet the room was heavy with that odor. Seeing Mu Zixuan suddenly stop speaking and wearing a strange expression on her face, Lu Chen knew she must have misunderstood and quickly added, ¡°Oh, right, Qingci was here earlier.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan then realized that the smell in the room was caused by Wang Qingci. Lu Chen continued, ¡°My consort, go ahead and speak your mind.¡± Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Prince, I took over the business of the Prince¡¯s Mansion today and found that our soap and perfume sales in the capital have dropped significantly recently; I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s causing this.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback; he immediately came over to Mu Zixuan, then wrapped his arms around her body and said, ¡°My consort, you¡¯ve just had a child, why not rest properly instead of taking over the business of the Prince¡¯s Mansion so soon.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, this consort would be idle in the mansion anyway, and besides, Feng¡¯er is being taken care of.¡± In ancient times, when the ladies of noble families had children, they would usually hire a wet nurse, and the Prince¡¯s Mansion was no exception. After Mu Zixuan gave birth to a child, although she also cared for the child, most of the time it was the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s wet nurses and maids who looked after them, allowing her to relax more. Mu Zixuan was someone who couldn¡¯t sit still, and after being pregnant and staying in the Prince¡¯s Mansion for so long, she had grown somewhat tired of it, so as soon as she had recovered from childbirth, she once again took over the business affairs of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Mu Zixuan continued to ask, ¡°Prince, I heard that you established an organization to collect intelligence. Do you know what¡¯s going on in the Capital city?¡± Even though the Brocade Guard had not made a public appearance, Mu Zixuan had seen some of them coming to report intelligence to Lu Chen these past few days at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, so she had some understanding of the Brocade Guard and also knew that Lu Chen had established an intelligence agency. Mu Zixuan had just given birth, and Lu Chen definitely wouldn¡¯t tell her about the affairs of the Duke Mu Residence. At that time, Lu Chen said, ¡°The Capital city has been quite turbulent recently; I¡¯ve heard that the commanders of the Imperial Guard have been changed over and over, and the downturn in the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s business may also be related to the current situation.¡± Mu Zixuan showed a thoughtful look and then said, ¡°So that¡¯s it, 1 was wondering why the business of the Prince¡¯s Mansion had dropped so swiftly.¡± As for the decline in the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s business, Lu Chen had basically figured out the reasons, and it definitely wasn¡¯t just because of the instability of the times. Soap, perfume, and scented soaps were all new things that sold very well in the Capital city and were very profitable; it was impossible that no one would covet them. Before, with the Duke Mu Residence keeping watch, no one dared to target the businesses of the North Prince Mansion. But now that the entire Duke Mu Residence was being exiled, who would fear the Duke Mu Residence? And with the North Prince far off in North City, he couldn¡¯t manage the Capital city. The shops of the North Prince Mansion in the Capital city were probably either robbed or vandalized, and it¡¯s likely that some people were already coveting the methods of producing soap and perfume. From now on, the business strategy of the Prince¡¯s Mansion must change; it would be best to find local merchants or high-ranking officials to collaborate with and share some of the profits with others, otherwise they would always be eyeing us. Thinking of this, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My love, from now on our business at the Prince¡¯s Mansion should not only be conducted in the Capital city but also spread to other fiefs.¡± ¡°In the future, when conducting business, try to give gifts to those fiefs¡¯ Seigniors, especially shares in the shops; otherwise, others will keep eyeing them.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reminder, Mu Zixuan instantly understood what Lu Chen meant. Doing business required understanding the niceties of human relations, and some profits that should be conceded must be given up. Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°I will keep your reminder in mind, Prince.¡± At that moment, Mu Zixuan suddenly thought of something and then said, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure whether or not 1 should mention.¡± Lu Chen gave a faint smile, and then he gently teased her delicate nose, ¡°Between husband and wife, what can¡¯t be said? Go ahead, what is it?¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, 1 have only just given birth to a child and the Xiaoxiao sisters are also pregnant, so now it¡¯s only Miss Wang serving you alone.¡± ¡°Your health has been getting better and better recently, and it seems Miss Wang is somewhat overwhelmed. Perhaps it¡¯s time for you to take a concubine?¡± Upon hearing the mention of Wang Qingci, Lu Chen felt a bit irritated inside. Of course, he was not angry with Mu Zixuan but was put off by the thought that Wang Qingci had managed to detach her own feelings. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Since my love has already mentioned it, then I shall find a time to take a concubine.¡± ¡°However, North City doesn¡¯t seem to have many beautiful women, and you know, I may be lustful, but I am only interested in peerless beauties. Ordinary women do not intrigue me much.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan thought for a moment, and then said, ¡°Prince, how about we issue a Concubine Invitation, and openly invite families from the entire Great Xia Dynasty to send in concubines.¡± ¡°By then, many families will surely send their daughters to the North Prince Mansion for selection, and with enough candidates, there will definitely be someone who catches your eye..¡± Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Lu Chen Has Another Special Identityi Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Lu Chen Has Another Special Identityi Translator: 549690339 Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up; he thought the method was feasible. Originally, his focus was only on North City because his strength was not yet formidable, and he did not want to draw too much attention. Moreover, at that time, he had just arrived in North City and was quite poor. Even if he had issued a notice for the selection of concubines, it was not certain that beautiful girls from other territories would come to North City. Now, the North Prince Mansion¡¯s soap and perfume products had spread throughout the Great Xia Dynasty, and many people knew of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s wealth. At this time, issuing another notice for the selection of concubines would definitely interest many influential families, prompting them to send the beautiful girls from their families to the North Prince Mansion. Only with a sufficient number of participants would there be some who scored above ninety points. After a moment of silence, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do as the consort has suggested.¡± Seeing Lu Chen agree, Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Prince, may I take charge of the selection of concubines?¡± Lu Chen, holding Mu Zixuan close and stroking her hair, said, ¡°You¡¯ve just given birth, you should properly rest and recuperate.¡± Even though Lu Chen was a scoundrel, he wasn¡¯t so beastly as to have his own wife, who had just delivered a child, run around busily, let alone involve her in the process of taking additional concubines. What would that look like? Mu Zixuan said, ¡°I wish to share the burden with the Prince. Please let me handle this matter.¡± At this, Mu Zixuan gazed intently into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes with her bright and charming eyes. Moved by Mu Zixuan¡¯s look, Lu Chen found it hard to refuse, and so he could only say, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll trouble the consort with the matter of taking in concubines, but I will need to be present on the day of the selection.¡± Seeing Lu Chen consent to let her oversee the matter of taking in concubines, Mu Zixuan felt very happy inside and immediately said, ¡°Rest assured, Prince, I will definitely have you personally choose during the selection.¡± A few days later. The North Prince Mansion issued a notice for taking in concubines, open to the entire Great Xia Dynasty. No sooner had the notice for concubines been issued than Lu Chen was verbally abused by the common people of the Great Xia Dynasty. The people of North City, however, did not think much of it, since, after all, the North Prince had not done anything to trouble the commoners since his arrival. Moreover, it seemed that the North Prince Mansion had recently developed a seed capable of yielding a thousand catties per mu, and it had already been trialed in various places of North City. If this crop called ¡°potato¡± were to be widely promoted, then North City would no longer suffer from a shortage of food; hence, the common people of North City were tolerant of Lu Chen¡¯s indulgences. Most crucially, the common people in North City lived on Lu Chen¡¯s territory. As the king of North City, no one would dare to curse their own lord on his land, unless they no longer wished to live. The rest of the territories were different. Many commoners of the Great Xia Dynasty considered the North Prince indulgent in debauchery and incompetent. They had long heard that the North Prince kept many beauties in his mansion, indulging in pleasure-seeking day and night, in a debauched and dissipated lifestyle. The North Prince already had so many beauties, yet he still wanted to take in concubines, and not just locally but from all over the Great Xia Dynasty. Could it be that the North Prince had already gone through all the beautiful girls of North City, grown tired of them, and now sought to harm the daughters of other seigniors¡¯ territories? Upon thinking of this, some of the upper-class scholars and poets grew very angry. If the North Prince took all the beautiful girls to the North Prince Mansion, what would be left for them to choose from for concubines? Instantly, literati and scholars from various places started writing critiques against the North Prince. At the same time, there were also talks of impeaching the North Prince on the Great Xia¡¯s royal court. Of course, when the imperial censors impeached the North Prince, it was not out of concern that he would steal their women; issues that escalated to the royal court typically had political motives. Those impeaching the North Prince were mostly officials from Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s faction, and the main reason was to denigrate Lu Chen. Although the Chu Family had basically ceased contact with the North Prince, as long as that blood relation existed, the officials aligned with Lu Shuyun would never pass up any opportunity to slander the North Prince. They didn¡¯t think that by impeaching Lu Chen the Prince would be stripped of his title. In the Great Xia Dynasty, the title of Seignior was not so easily stripped away, unless they were to rebel or engage in treason against the Great Xia Dynasty. North Princes who did not act outrageously in their own territories but simply indulged in pleasure-seeking within the confines of their own Prince¡¯s Mansion, like the North Prince, were not a concern for the court; the Sum Emperor would actually prefer all the princes of the Great Xia Dynasty to be like Lu Chen. If all the Seigniors of the Great Xia Dynasty were like Lu Chen, then the Sum Emperor could control the entire Great Xia more easily. In the face of the censors¡¯ impeachment of Lu Chen, the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t take it seriously at all; the recent events in the Capital city were what mattered most. As for the North Prince, as long as he did not rebel, whatever he did in North City was of little concern to the court. After the court assembly, the Sum Emperor went to the Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor brushed aside the chaos of the court proceedings, for the time after the assembly was when real matters were handled. At this moment, the State Preceptor Situ Ce was already waiting in the pavilion. Unlike the other ministers of the court, the State Preceptor was not required to attend court assemblies; this was a privilege of a Grandmaster. When the Sum Emperor appeared at the pavilion, a Shadow Guard clad in black armor came before him, ¡°Your Majesty, I have ascertained that the remnants of Chen Nation did not enter the Imperial Palace to assassinate you but were looking for something.¡± Ever since the remnants of Chen Nation had entered the Imperial Palace, the Sum Emperor had sent people to investigate their purpose. He did not believe the remnants of Chen Nation were so foolish as to dare enter the Imperial Palace to assassinate him, under the protection of only two Half-step Grandmasters which was no different from courting death. On hearing the Shadow Guard¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly; it was just as he had thought¡ªthe remnants of Chen Nation were not there to assassinate him, but had another purpose. At that time, the Sum Emperor asked Situ Ce inside the pavilion, ¡°State Preceptor, what do you think the remnants of Chen Nation entered the Imperial Palace to find?¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°The item that would prompt the remnants of Chen Nation to risk so much by entering the Imperial Palace can only be the Imperial Jade Seal of Chen Nation.¡± ¡°It is said that Chen Nation¡¯s Imperial Jade Seal is the key to their treasury. After the Great Xia overcame Chen Nation, the location of Chen Nation¡¯s treasury was never found. However, I believe those royal remnants of Chen Nation surely know of it.¡± ¡°If Chen Nation wishes to restore their rule, they will need funds to raise an army, so they would likely want to open the treasury and take the gold and treasures within.¡± After listening to Situ Ce, the Sum Emperor snorted coldly and said, ¡°Even I don¡¯t know where the Chen Nation Jade Seal is located; the mere idea that they would come to the Imperial Palace to look for it is ludicrous!¡± At this point, the Shadow Guard in front of the Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Your Majesty, I have also discovered something else.¡± The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Speak.¡± The lead Shadow Guard immediately said, ¡°I have discovered that the remnants of Chen Nation seem to be connected with the Mysterious Moon Palace. After the remnants of Chen Nation disappeared, the last place they were seen was where a disciple of the Mysterious Moon Palace appeared.¡± Upon hearing the three words ¡°Mysterious Moon Palace,¡± the Sum Emperor¡¯s face instantly darkened. It was as if those words had touched upon some past events he would rather not recall. The Sum Emperor then said, ¡°I understand.¡± With that, the Sum Emperor immediately asked, ¡°How are things on Prince Lu Chen¡¯s side?¡± The lead Shadow Guard replied, ¡°After Prince Lu Chen went to North City, he has spent his days seeking pleasure in the Prince¡¯s Mansion without any anomalies. Furthermore, a few days ago, Prince Lu Chen¡¯s wife gave birth to a Princely Heir.¡± After hearing the report from the lead Shadow Guard, the Sum Emperor said nonchalantly, ¡°Very well, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, 1 shall take my leave.¡± After the lead Shadow Guard had left, the Sum Emperor, with his hands clasped behind his back, gazed at the fish swimming to and fro in the lotus pond and said, ¡°State Preceptor, why do 1 have the feeling that the Grandmaster by Prince Lu Chen¡¯s side was not sent by Chu Xiong, but rather seems to have been planted by the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s mother, who was Chu Yue, had once been a member of the Mysterious Moon Palace and even the Goddess thereof. At first, the Sum Emperor had not thought of the Mysterious Moon Palace, but it was only after the lead Shadow Guard mentioned it just now that he realized Lu Chen had a special identity.. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Indeed, Someone Should Be Sent to Watch Over Him_l Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Indeed, Someone Should Be Sent to Watch Over Him_l Translator: 549690339 According to the regulations of the Mysterious Moon Palace, the child born to the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace is the God¡¯s Son, so Lu Chen is the God¡¯s Son of the Mysterious Moon Palace. Thinking of this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face showed an unsettled look. Now, he somewhat regretted having sent Lu Chen to establish a feudal domain. This was an extremely unstable factor, after ail, it involved the sects within the territory of the Great Xia. The Mysterious Moon Palace might well use the North Prince to deal with the Capital city. Moreover, the Mysterious Moon Palace is now suspected of colluding with the remnants of Chen Nation; who knows what they are planning to do. With this thought, the Sum Emperor let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°The aristocratic families are not yet resolved, and the sects have jumped out. They truly never give me a day of peace.¡± Hearing these words, Situ Ce suggested, ¡°Your Majesty, if you are worried about the North Prince colluding with the Mysterious Moon Palace, why not send a Shadow Guard to surveil him?¡± Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s suggestion, the Sum Emperor pondered for a moment, ¡°Indeed, someone should be sent to watch over him.¡± As he finished speaking, the Sum Emperor turned to someone behind him and said, ¡°Commander Bai, this task will be yours. Go to North City yourself. 1 want to see which Grandmaster is so kind to Chen, always staying by his side to protect him.¡± At this moment, no one seemed to be behind the Sum Emperor, but as his words fell, the figure of a woman dressed in white clothing gradually appeared. The woman had a graceful figure and a cool complexion, without a trace of expression on her face. She said with a bow, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Alright, you may leave now.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes leave.¡± As her words fell, the woman¡¯s body disappeared once again, as if she had turned invisible. Seeing the Sum Emperor dispatch the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards to North City in person, Situ Ce felt incredulous and then asked, ¡°Your Majesty, isn¡¯t it a bit of an overreaction for Commander Bai to go to North City to investigate this matter?¡± The Sum Emperor indifferently replied, ¡°Anything concerning the Mysterious Moon Palace is no small matter.¡± Since the Sum Emperor had put it that way, Situ Ce said no more. He knew very well that the Sum Emperor was extremely wary of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and it had a lot to do with Chu Yue. At this point, Situ Ce raised a question, ¡°Your Majesty, Mu Changtian should be leaving the Capital city in these few days, right?¡± Upon hearing Situ Ce¡¯s mention of Mu Changtian, the Sum Emperor¡¯s expression changed slightly, growing dark. ¡°What, does the State Preceptor mean to plead on behalf of Mu Changtian?¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s icy tone, Situ Ce knew that nothing he said would make a difference; the Sum Emperor was set on his course, determined to eradicate Mu Changtian and his family. Since nothing would change the Sum Emperor¡¯s mind, Situ Ce decided not to waste more time and immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s not the case, but I would like to advise Your Majesty that if you plan to take action against the aristocratic families of the South, it is essential to have several trusted people by your side.¡± Mu Changtian could have been a sword for the Sum Emperor to use against the Southern aristocratic families, but the Sum Emperor, wary of his military power, insisted on bringing him down. Now, there were fewer and fewer people around the Sum Emperor who could be trusted, and in the future, he might indeed become a solitary figure. However, Situ Ce had no intention of interfering excessively; as long as the Great Xia Dynasty bore the surname Lu, it had nothing to do with him as a Grandmaster. In the face of Situ Ce¡¯s reminder, the Sum Emperor said dismissively, ¡°The State Preceptor¡¯s advice will be remembered.¡± In the residence of Prince Lu Shuyun. Lu Shuyun, looking at the intelligence gathered before him, sneered and said, ¡°My ninth brother really has dumb luck, to think that the soap and perfume he created would make so much money!¡± The rivalry among princes for the succession also requires silver to bribe and win over people¡¯s hearts, so Lu Shuyun always puts great emphasis on making money. For instance, the experts employed at his residence were all recruited with silver. Without silver, he wouldn¡¯t be able to attract so many experts. Seeing Lu Chen indulging in pleasure all day long at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, not having to do anything or care about anything, and entrusting all the mansion¡¯s business to a woman who could make hundreds of thousands of taels of silver, how could Lu Shuyun not feel jealous? He had built up so many industries, yet could not earn hundreds of thousands of taels of silver in a month, but Lu Chen, that useless prince, could, which made Lu Shuyun feel extremely unbalanced inside. Upon hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s words, a retainer by his side whispered, ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t we find a way to steal the methods for making soap and perfume from North Prince Mansion, and then we can sell soap and perfume ourselves?¡± Lu Shuyun said indifferently, ¡°No need. The Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower has personally gone to North City. It shouldn¡¯t be long before he can bring back the methods for making soap and perfume.¡± Upon hearing these words, the retainer¡¯s face changed greatly, and he quickly said, ¡°Your Highness, at this time we absolutely must not touch Prince Lu Chen. If anything happens to Prince Lu Chen, many in the court will say it was you who sent someone to assassinate Prince Lu Chen, and this incident would be very detrimental to your fight for the succession.¡± ¡°Now is a critical time, we can¡¯t afford any mistakes.¡± Facing the retainer¡¯s advice, Lu Shuyun did not care at all, ¡°The situation in the Capital city is chaotic now, and not many people care about that useless prince up north.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Barbarian Tribe will soon head south, and no one will know that this was done by Blood Moon Tower. The attention of the court ministers will only be focused on the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Upon hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s words, the retainer¡¯s expression stiffened. Obviously, the amount of information in Lu Shuyun¡¯s words was too huge, leaving the retainer by Lu Shuyun¡¯s side momentarily unable to react. A few days later. At the gates of the Capital city. A row of prison carts passed through the city gates, but the common people did not throw stones or rotten eggs at the prisoners inside as usual. The common people all knew that today was the day that the Duke Mu Residence family was being exiled, and all the people inside these carts belonged to the Duke Mu family. Who Duke Mu was, the common people still understood; he was one of the Great Sum Dynasty¡¯s Sky Kings who had supported the Sum Emperor¡¯s rise to the throne. Although he had fallen to this state, the common people still held a sense of awe toward him. At this very moment. On the city wall. A man dressed in silver armor looked at the slowly moving prison carts and asked the person next to him, ¡°Is everything ready?¡± The soldier beside him immediately said, ¡°General, rest assured, it is guaranteed there will be no mistakes!¡± The man nodded in satisfaction, his gaze fixed on Mu Changtian inside the prison cart, and then he muttered to himself, ¡°Teacher, may you have a good journey!¡± For the first two days, the convoy carrying the Duke Mu Residence did not encounter any danger, and the Duke Mu people even thought they might already be safe. But Mu Changtian was not a fool. Over these two days, they thoroughly checked everything they ate and used. Although it was unlikely that the soldiers escorting them would take action against them, it was necessary to be cautious. Moreover, he did not believe that the Sum Emperor would let their family off the hook. He was, after all, one of the Great Sum¡¯s Sky Kings, and even though his martial arts had been crippled, in the eyes of the Sum Emperor, letting him go was still akin to freeing a tiger back to the mountain. Two nights later, the Duke Mu Residence convoy arrived at an inn. There were no villages in front nor shops behind the inn, and there were no people for a long distance around. Seeing that it was already so late, the officials escorting the Duke Mu family suggested to Mu Changtian, ¡°Duke Mu, how about we rest here for the night?¡± Although the Duke Mu Residence had been exiled, the officials escorting them still treated the family with great respect. Mu Changtian¡¯s lips curved slightly upward before he said, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s rest here for the night then..¡± Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Come Out, Stop Hidingl i Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Come Out, Stop Hidingl i Translator: 549690339 As Mu Changtian¡¯s voice fell, the bailiffs dispatched to escort them took out the keys to the prison carriage and opened its doors, releasing the people from Duke Mu Residence. Since they were escorting the household of Duke Mu Residence, the bailiffs weren¡¯t very strict; generally, when they arrived at a resting place, they would open the carriage doors and let them out for a rest. At this time, one bailiff entered the inn and said to the innkeeper, ¡°Shopkeeper, we will be staying here tonight. How many rooms does your inn have?¡± The shopkeeper said with a smile, ¡°Officer, the inn is already fully booked. You¡¯d better look elsewhere.¡± Upon hearing this, the bailiff said dissatisfied, ¡°What do you mean, fully booked?¡± ¡°What kind of joke is this? There¡¯s no village ahead or shop behind; how can you have so many guests?¡± The innkeeper replied, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because there is no village ahead or shop behind that people passing this road have no choice but to stay at our inn.¡± Hearing this, the bailiff had no choice but to say, ¡°Alright then, do you have any spacious open ground here where we can rest our feet tonight?¡± The shopkeeper replied, ¡°Our inn¡¯s backyard is quite spacious. Perhaps the officer would like to squeeze in there for the night?¡± As the bailiff was about to say something, the innkeeper quickly continued, ¡°If the officer decides to rest at our inn, all the food and drinks will be free tonight. What do you think?¡± Hearing this, the bailiff immediately said, ¡°Well then, find someone to help feed our horses.¡± The shopkeeper immediately responded, ¡°Very well, I will arrange for someone to feed the horses right away.¡± The bailiff then turned and left the inn, approaching Mu Changtian, and said with slight apology, ¡°Duke Mu, 1 am truly sorry, the inn is fully booked, and it seems you will have to endure resting in the open air tonight.¡± Mu Changtian indifferently replied, ¡°No matter, go on with your tasks.¡± The bailiff immediately said, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll have the shopkeeper send you some food later.¡± As the bailiff walked away, Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping, the two brothers, gathered around. Mu Xingping said, ¡°Father, why hasn¡¯t there been any action against us after two days? Could it be that His Majesty has decided to let us go?¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian chuckled before replying, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Haven¡¯t they come already?¡± Hearing this, Mu Xingping was startled, and then nervously looked around. ¡°Where? Where are they? 1 don¡¯t see them.¡± Mu Changtian looked at the inn before him and said, ¡°They are inside waiting for us.¡± Upon hearing this, both Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping¡¯s eyes turned toward the inn, just in time to see a few people peeking out from halfway opened windows on the upper floor. Noticing that the Mu family members had spotted them, those people immediately closed the windows. Seeing this scene, both Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping were startled. They had thought the Emperor had already decided to spare them, but it turned out that it was just not time yet, and probably, those people would make their move tonight. Mu Jingwu then asked, ¡°Father, what should we do now?¡± Mu Changtian replied, ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it tonight. I¡¯m curious to see who will actually come.¡± Mu Changtian knew in his heart that the Emperor would definitely send a Grandmaster-level expert this time, but who it might be was uncertain. There were many experts he could think of, and many with whom he had conflicts. Soon, the sun in the sky gradually began to set. Mu Changtian and his company were on full alert. Just then, the sound of a whistle rang out in the courtyard. With the sound of the whistle, a group of people dressed in black and wearing masks appeared in the courtyard. Seeing this scene, the officials tasked with escorting to the Duke Mu Residence instantly understood what was happening and hurriedly got up to flee. The masked assailants did not stop the officials from escaping, after all, their target was not the officials in the first place. The men in black drew their bows and aimed in unison at the people of the Duke Mu Residence. The men of the Duke Mu Residence immediately stood out, surrounding the children and shielding them inside, while the women of the Duke Mu Residence were trembling with fear, not daring to move. At that moment, the crowd of masked assailants gradually dispersed, and a man walked out from among them, taking off his mask to reveal a face with a scar from a knife. Upon seeing the man¡¯s real face, Mu Changtian sneered, ¡°1 considered every possible person who might come to deliver me, but you¡ª you I had not considered at all!¡± At these words, the man with the scarred face laughed too and said, ¡°Teacher, how could His Majesty bear to hand over the newly formed Dragon Guard to me to command if it wasn¡¯t for my coming to personally deliver you?¡± The scarred man was named Chen Pengyi, who had been brought up and promoted by Mu Changtian himself; Mu Changtian was also his benefactor. On normal days, Chen Pengyi, out of gratitude to his mentor, treated the Duke Mu Residence very well. Even a year ago, when the Duke Mu Residence was implicated due to the Zhou family¡¯s rebellion, it was he who personally pleaded with the Sum Emperor. In the end, the Sum Emperor used the Writ of Protection Against Execution to offset the charges and did not act against the Duke Mu Residence. However, what Mu Changtian had not expected was that this very person was now after his life. Mu Changtian sighed and said, ¡°Truly, the human heart is inscrutable. It seems that when you pleaded with His Majesty back then, it was all to coerce the Mu Family into surrendering the Writ of Protection Against Execution, wasn¡¯t it a task given to you by the Emperor?¡± Chen Pengyi coolly said, ¡°Teacher, now that things have come to this point, there¡¯s no use talking about those matters.¡± ¡°Why not speak about any unfulfilled wishes you might have? Perhaps I, as your student, can fulfill them on your behalf.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian laughed loudly, ¡°Hahaha, Chen Pengyi, oh Chen Pengyi, today, 1 have been abandoned by Lu Xingqiu, yet did you never wonder if one day you too would be discarded by Lu Xingqiu! When that time comes, 1 fear your end will be even more miserable than mine!¡± Chen Pengyi, with an uncaring expression, retorted, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about me, Teacher. I definitely will not follow in your footsteps.¡± ¡°Well then, since the teacher has no more words left to say, please have a good journey!¡± With that, Chen Pengyi waved his hand, giving a cold command, ¡°Fire the arrows!¡± However, just at that moment, countless arrows suddenly shot down from the rooftop of the inn, and Chen Pengyi¡¯s men had not even time to react before they were struck. At this sight, Chen Pengyi¡¯s expression darkened in an instant, ¡°Who dares interfere with His Majesty¡¯s affairs!¡± No sooner had Chen Pengyi finished speaking than a group of people dressed in red clothes leaped down from above; these individuals were all of fifth rank realm. Seeing these people, Mu Changtian was slightly taken aback. He had guessed that the Mysterious Prince who had given them the Great Returning Pill might send someone to rescue them, but he did not expect the prince to send people who were all above fifth rank martial artists. It seemed that the prince took their Duke Mu Residence quite seriously. At this time, Chen Pengyi said coldly, ¡°Since you dare to meddle in His Majesty¡¯s affairs, you should be prepared to die.¡± Then, Chen Pengyi shouted loudly, ¡°Come out, stop hiding!¡± As soon as Chen Pengyi¡¯s words fell, two Grandmasters and several martial artists appeared behind him. Seeing these individuals, Mu Changtian spoke with a smile, ¡°His Majesty really values me highly.. To kill a cripple like me, he has actually sent three Grandmasters!¡± Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 How Could You Not Have Dispersed Your Skilli Chapter 54: Chapter 54 How Could You Not Have Dispersed Your Skilli Translator: 549690339 Seeing that all the martial artists had appeared behind him, Chen Pengyi looked at the distant Mu Changtian and said, ¡°Teacher, it¡¯s really unexpected that, at this point, there is still someone willing to save you.¡± ¡°It seems the teacher isn¡¯t as loyal and patriotic as he appears to be on the surface.¡± ¡°If the teacher were truly loyal and patriotic, he should commit suicide right now.¡± As his words fell, Chen Pengyi kicked off the ground, and his body instantly charged towards Mu Changtian, reaching him in the blink of an eye. Then he swung his sword. A white light flashed in front of Mu Changtian. Just when Chen Pengyi thought Mu Changtian was undoubtedly doomed, suddenly, a force burst forth from Mu Changtian¡¯s body, followed by a mass of gas that enveloped him. The next moment, Mu Changtian raised his hand and caught Chen Pengyi¡¯s sword blade barehanded. Witnessing this scene, Chen Pengyi was stunned, even the two grandmasters and the other martial artists who came to kill Mu Changtian were also shocked. They had heard that the emperor had given Dissipate Power Pills to the males of Duke Mu Residence, and that the men of the Mu Family no longer had any skill in their bodies¡ªnow they were at most slightly more robust and a bit stronger than ordinary people. But the aura emitted by Mu Changtian suggested anything but a lack of skill; he clearly was still a master. There are differences between masters, and the Great Xia Dynasty had many, but why could Mu Changtian become the so-called Sky King? It wasn¡¯t just because he had supported the Sum Emperor¡¯s rise to the throne that was so simple; within the Master Realm of the Great Xia Dynasty, there were few who could match Mu Changtian. That¡¯s why he had been able to become the Sky King. Chen Pengyi, somewhat in disbelief, said, ¡°You¡­ how could you possibly not have dissipated your skill!¡± Chen Pengyi¡¯s voice trembled a little. As Mu Changtian¡¯s disciple, he had followed Mu Changtian into many battles and was very clear about Mu Changtian¡¯s strength. He had thought removing Mu Changtian this time would be a very easy task and would also make the Sum Emperor trust him more, but he had not expected that Mu Changtian had not dissipated his skill. What a joke! Mu Changtian was a god of war! He was known as an invincible existence among masters of the same realm! When they had arrested the entire Duke Mu family in the Capital City, even the Grandmaster State Preceptor Situ Ce had to take action himself, or else how could the Great Xia Dynasty have easily captured Mu Changtian. But now they were telling him that Mu Changtian had not lost his skill? Wasn¡¯t this endangering his own life? Panic appeared on Chen Pengyi¡¯s face, and he knew very well that he was no match for Mu Changtian. If Mu Changtian had not lost his skill, he had almost no chance of winning. However, at that moment, one of the grandmasters behind Chen Pengyi spoke up, ¡°No! Mu Changtian has not fully recovered his strength! His protective Gang Qi is unstable; at most, he can only exert the strength of a half-step grandmaster!¡± After all, they were all masters, and they could tell at a glance whether Mu Changtian¡¯s strength had fully recovered. And indeed, Mu Changtian had not fully recovered his strength. Although the Great Returning Pill could help Mu Changtian recover his skill, Mu Changtian only needed some time to adjust to return to his peak, but there simply hadn¡¯t been enough time. Being able to display the strength of a half-step grandmaster was already quite impressive, given there wasn¡¯t enough time for Mu Changtian to recover. Hearing the words from the grandmaster behind him, the panic on Chen Pengyi¡¯s face was swept away in an instant, replaced by a reckless smile. ¡°Teacher! You really gave your disciple a fright!¡± ¡°Just perfect, as the teacher hasn¡¯t lost his skill, let your disciple experience your strength!¡± As he spoke, Chen Pengyi suddenly exerted force in his arms, directly pulling the sword from Mu Changtian¡¯s hand, then swung his blade at Mu Changtian again. The sharp wind of the sword swept towards Mu Changtian in an instant, but this time Mu Changtian did not take it head-on and instead dodged it. At the same time, the two Grandmasters behind Chen Pengyi also immediately joined the battle. Although Mu Changtian was at the end of his strength, they wouldn¡¯t let their guard down until Mu Changtian was dead. After all, Mu Changtian had been the Sky King of the Great Xia Dynasty. To kill Zhou Wangtian back then, the Great Xia Dynasty even mobilized a Grandmaster. Now, although Mu Changtian¡¯s skill had declined, he was still not easy to deal with. Seeing Mu Changtian being besieged by three Grandmasters, Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping rushed over, intending to help Mu Changtian. The two of them had at most the strength of Ninth Grade, naturally no match for Grandmasters, but they could relieve some of the pressure the other two Grandmasters put on Mu Changtian. As Mu Xingping and Mu Jingwu joined the fight, the martial artists brought by Chen Pengyi also started to make their move. Sounds of swords clashing and fierce combat continued to erupt from the inn¡¯s backyard. Fortunately, the mysterious martial artists dressed in red protected the Mu Family relatives. Although Mu Changtian and the others were being suppressed by three Grandmasters, Chen Pengyi¡¯s people were completely unable to approach the relatives of the Mu Mansion. However, after all, Chen Pengyi¡¯s side had three Grandmasters, and there were several Ninth Grade experts as well. Those in red were quickly outmatched. At this moment, Mu Changtian, due to a moment of carelessness, was struck by one of the Grandmasters and stumbled back over a dozen steps until he hit the wall of the courtyard and stopped. Seeing Mu Changtian injured, Chen Pengyi said with a mocking laugh, ¡°Old man, it seems you¡¯ve really gotten old!¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian snorted and then said, ¡°Chen Pengyi, even if 1 die today, I¡¯ll make sure to take you down with me!¡± As he spoke, Mu Changtian¡¯s aura suddenly surged. Chen Pengyi¡¯s face changed, and he immediately said, ¡°No good, he¡¯s going to use the Blood Ignition Skill!!!¡± ¡°Quick, stop him¡­¡± ¡°All¡­ pfft¡­¡± Just as Chen Pengyi wanted his two Grandmasters to stop Mu Changtian from using the Blood Ignition Skill, a sword instantly pierced Chen Pengyi¡¯s body before he could even release his Protective Gang Qi. Chen Pengyi struggled to turn back, wanting to see who had stabbed him, but before he could, the person who assassinated him stabbed him again from behind. Everyone present was stunned by this scene. One of the Grandmasters on Chen Pengyi¡¯s side immediately cursed, ¡°Wei Chao! What are you doing!¡± At this moment, Mu Changtian was also dumbfounded; he had been ready to use the Blood Ignition Skill and fight to the death with Chen Pengyi and his men, but suddenly a Ninth Grade martial artist emerged from the crowd and stabbed Chen Pengyi in the back. What was going on? How come he couldn¡¯t understand? Then, one of the Grandmasters on Chen Pengyi¡¯s side immediately thrust his sword at Wei Chao, who had stabbed Chen Pengyi. Wei Chao¡¯s Qinggong was extremely impressive; in an instant, he used that Grandmaster¡¯s sword to leap onto his shoulder and then again onto the roof. Grinning at Mu Changtian, Wei Chao said, ¡°Duke Mu, the Blood Ignition Skill shouldn¡¯t be used carelessly! If the Prince sees you¡¯ve been seriously injured, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll be punished by the Prince.¡± Hearing Wei Chao¡¯s words, Mu Changtian instantly realized that this Ninth Grade martial artist was also one of the Mysterious Prince¡¯s men. Who exactly was this Mysterious Prince, able to place such an important figure next to Chen Pengyi? The appearance of Wei Chao deepened Mu Changtian¡¯s curiosity about the Mysterious Prince.. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 The Farce Should Come to an Endi Chapter 55: Chapter 55 The Farce Should Come to an Endi Translator: 549690339 After the Hu Ben Army was dismantled, the Sum Emperor established the Dragon Guard, which was personally led by the Sum Emperor himself, with Chen Pengyi merely serving as a General managing it on his behalf. Logically speaking, the Dragon Guard should be an army with extremely strict selection criteria, and it would be difficult for other forces to plant their spies within this troop. But not long after its establishment, a Ninth Grade secret agent appeared by Chen Pengyi¡¯s side. Moreover, this Ninth Grade secret agent was a man of the Mysterious Prince. This made Mu Changtian quite curious about the extent of control that the Mysterious Prince actually had over the Great Xia Dynasty. After Chen Pengyi fell to the ground, his eyes were fixedly staring at Wei Chao on the ceiling, unable to believe that Wei Chao was the very person who stabbed him in the back. Chen Pengyi¡¯s eyes were wide open, the eyeballs filled with red blood vessels, and he used all his strength to cry out resentfully, ¡°Wei¡­ Chao!!!¡± As his voice faded, Chen Pengyi took his last breath and was gone. At that moment, one of the Grandmasters on Chen Pengyi¡¯s side looked at Wei Chao and said, ¡°Wei Chao, do you know what you¡¯re doing?! You¡¯ve disrupted His Majesty¡¯s plan, you and all your family will pay the price for this!¡± Wei Chao just smiled and said nothing. At that time, the air seemed to have suddenly solidified, and everything around became instantly quiet. The sounds of swords clashing in the yard also diminished, not because all of Chen Pengyi¡¯s men were dead, but rather, for some unknown reason, people suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of oppression. At this moment, everyone heard a man¡¯s voice coming from the entrance of the courtyard. ¡°The Shadow Guard is almost here, it¡¯s time to end this farce!¡± Sensing something amiss, a Grandmaster immediately called out in the direction of the voice, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The Grandmaster had barely finished speaking when a flash of cold light struck, and before he could defend himself, his head was sent flying into the air. At that moment, another Grandmaster reacted. He immediately attacked the figure. However, in the next instant, another streak of cold light flashed by, and his head too took flight. To kill a Grandmaster with a single strike! Seeing this scene, everyone present was stunned in their tracks. As the bodies of the two Grandmasters brought by Chen Pengyi slowly fell to the ground, Mu Changtian finally got a clear view of the newcomer. The newcomer was dressed in red, holding a long saber in his hand, and after killing two men, there was not even a speck of blood on his blade; he directly sheathed his saber. Mu Xingping couldn¡¯t help exclaiming at that moment, ¡°A¡­ Grandmaster?¡± Mu Jingwu interjected from the side, ¡°Not¡­ not a Grandmaster. A Grandmaster¡¯s aura would be even stronger, but his strength must be approaching that of a Grandmaster!¡± No sooner had Mu Jingwu finished than the man spoke to the air behind him, ¡°Gentlemen, it¡¯s time to clean up!¡± As his voice fell, several Ninth Grade Martial Artists appeared behind him, but the strength of these Martial Artists was very formidable, and in no time at all, they had slain all of the fighters brought by Chen Pengyi. Mu Changtian stood still, not moving a muscle, feeling utterly bewildered. Because he recognized the person who had come! The man turned out to be the owner of Joy Tavern in the Capital city! Mu Changtian was fond of the food at Joy Tavern; before his daughter married Prince Lu Chen, he frequently went there to drink, so he was fairly familiar with the owner of Joy Tavern. He had always thought that Joy Tavern was an establishment belonging to Prince Lu Shuyun; therefore, after his daughter Mu Zixuan married Prince Lu Chen, he stopped visiting Joy Tavern for drinks. And now, the person who came to their rescue turned out to be the owner of Joy Tavern? And he had never known that the owner of Joy Tavern was a formidable character capable of instantly killing two Grandmasters! Even at the peak of his power, let alone now when he has yet to recover his full strength, Mu Changtian could not have killed two Grandmasters in an instant. This just goes to show how formidable the Joy Tavern¡¯s owner¡¯s knife skills are! No, it¡¯s not just his knife skills that are simple! His knife isn¡¯t simple either! After the killing, not a single drop of blood stained the weapon, something Mu Changtian had never heard a knife could achieve! Regaining his composure, Mu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°1 never imagined that one of Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s subordinates could be such a formidable figure, Boss Liang, you really keep a low profile.¡± ¡°It seems that the Prince you mentioned must be Prince Lu Shuyun?¡± Although it seemed unbelievable, since Liang Zong was already here, and indeed he was the owner of a tavern under Prince Lu Shuyun, it made sense that he was one of Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s men. But what Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t understand was why Prince Lu Shuyun would send someone to save him. After all, Prince Lu Shuyun was in the Capital city, taking such a great risk to save him; even if he did manage to save him, what use would it be, since Prince Lu Shuyun seemed to have no military power, right? Prince Lu Shuyun, a prince without a fief, had at most a thousand trusted aide positions in the Capital city. Mu Changtian initially thought that the Mysterious Prince wanted to start a rebellion, hence he wanted to keep him alive so as to involve him in the insurrection, but it turned out to be the Sum Emperor¡¯s son. Honestly, this made Mu Changtian feel somewhat uncomfortable, especially since the individual was Prince Lu Shuyun, who shared a blood relation with the Sum Emperor. Having been deceived by his father once, how could he easily trust his son? Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Liang Zong responded with a smile, ¡°Prince Lu Shuyun? No, no, no, Prince Lu Shuyun doesn¡¯t have the clout to have me serve him.¡± Hm? Mu Changtian was taken aback by Liang Zong¡¯s words. Not Prince Lu Shuyun? Liang Zong, the owner of a tavern under Prince Lu Shuyun, is not one of his men? Curious, Mu Changtian then asked, ¡°So who is this Prince you speak of? We have come this far; surely you can tell me now?¡± Liang Zong answered, ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry, Duke Mu. You will meet him very soon.¡± With a smile, Mu Changtian said, ¡°This Prince of yours is indeed very secretive.¡± Although he knew Liang Zong had not reached the Grandmaster realm, his strength was undeniably close, and that Mysterious Prince could actually afford to have such a formidable man undercover, a sign that he must have many more skilled subordinates. Mu Changtian now desperately wanted to pry open Liang Zong¡¯s head and see which Prince had so many able men and planned so many things. At this point, Liang Zong said, ¡°Duke Mu, from today onward, the Mu Mansion will cease to exist.¡± Saying this, Liang Zong turned to the Brocade Guards behind him and instructed: ¡°Duke Mu was assassinated by bandits on the way to his exile, and in a crucial moment, he used the Blood Ignition Skill to perish alongside three Grandmasters!¡± Then, turning to Mu Changtian, Liang Zong asked, ¡°Duke Mu, how do you feel about this arrangement?¡± Mu Changtian, of course, knew the intention behind Liang Zong¡¯s plan¡ªto allow them to change their identities and live under new ones, thus avoiding the Sum Emperor¡¯s detection. Mu Changtian said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Boss Liang.¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°You are too polite, Duke Mu. It is my duty to do this.¡± Following that, the Brocade Guards sprang into action, swiftly reconstructing the crime scene. By the time the Shadow Guards arrived at the inn, it had been consumed by a great fire, leaving only a few of Chen Pengyi¡¯s severely injured soldiers sprawled outside the blaze. Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Mu Changtians Speculation ! Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Mu Changtian¡¯s Speculation ! Translator: 549690339 At dawn, a caravan made its way along the pitted road. It was remarkably quiet, with almost only the sounds of horse hooves and wheels to be heard. After a night of continuous travel, the people from the Mu Mansion were all exhausted. At this moment, most of the female members of the Mu household had closed their eyes and entered the realm of dreams. But at this time, the men from the Mu Mansion were still unable to fall asleep. Especially Mu Changtian and his two sons. They sat in the carriage, looking at the distant mountains, their minds preoccupied with who knows what. It was then that Mu Changtian suddenly spoke up, ¡°This is the road to North City.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping, who had been somewhat weary, instantly perked up. Mu Xingping immediately asked, ¡°Father, are you sure you¡¯re not mistaken?¡± Mu Changtian, gazing at the distant green mountains, replied, ¡°Having headed to North City several times to fend off the invasions of the Barbarian Tribe, how could I possibly mistake it? This is indeed the road to North City.¡± Upon saying this, Mu Changtian furrowed his brows. Last night, Liang Zong did not reveal their destination to them. Once they boarded the carriage, Liang Zong¡¯s men immediately led the way. Due to the darkness at the time, Mu Changtian had not clearly seen which direction they had taken. Only when daylight broke did Mu Changtian finally see clearly. He recognized many landmark mountains, peaks he had seen before while leading his troops to North City to repel the Barbarian Tribe. He was very familiar with North City, some of its roads firmly ingrained in his memory. After hearing what Mu Changtian said, Mu Xingping guessed, ¡°Father, could it be that Prince they¡¯re talking about is Prince Lu Chen?¡± Mu Jingwu spoke with a trembling voice, clearly unable to believe his own words. Who Prince Lu Chen was¡ªthey were all too aware. Even though Prince Lu Chen was already Mu Zixuan¡¯s darling, everyone in Duke Mu Residence still considered Prince Lu Chen to be nothing more than a nepotic prince, indolent and fond of luxury. Just as Mu Xingping finished speaking, Mu Jingwu piped up, ¡°Xingping, what are you thinking? How could it possibly be Prince Lu Chen? Surely you know what kind of person he is?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± After a brief silence, Mu Xingping said, ¡°That¡¯s true, but then why would they take us to North City?¡± ¡°North City is Prince Lu Chen¡¯s fief. That means the Prince of North City can only be Prince Lu Chen, right?¡± Hearing Mu Xingping¡¯s words, Mu Jingwu did not respond and only turned his head to look at his father, hoping he might know something. At this moment, Mu Changtian¡¯s brows were tightly knit, and his expression became more solemn. He pondered at length before speaking again, ¡°It certainly can¡¯t be Prince Lu Chen, but 1 suspect that Prince has gone to North City, likely wishing to discuss some matters with me there.¡± ¡°Of course, there is another possibility¡­¡± Stopping there, Mu Changtian paused in his speech, not continuing. His expression turned even more grave. Seeing such a somber look on his face, Mu Jingwu immediately asked, ¡°Father, what other possibility could there be?¡± Mu Changtian pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°It¡¯s possible that our rescuers are not a prince of the Great Sum, but the Barbarian Tribe!¡± At those words from Mu Changtian, Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping were both momentarily stunned. Mu Changtian continued, ¡°The Barbarian Tribe is to the north, and to reach their territory, they naturally have to pass through North City.¡± ¡°And they have reasons to do this. I am well aware of the Great Sum. Befriending me would make it more convenient for them to attack the Great Sum in the future.¡± After hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Mu Jingwu hurriedly said, ¡°Father, if it really is the Barbarian Tribe, then if we align ourselves with them, won¡¯t we truly become traitors to the nation?¡± Mu Jingwu had a clear sense of right and wrong. Betraying the Sum Emperor was no issue for him, after all, the emperor had abandoned them and even sought their lives. But if they were to betray the entire Great Sum, betray the people of the Great Sum, and then become a slaughtering tool in the hands of the Barbarian Tribe, turning against and killing the people of the Great Sum¡ªthat, Mu Jingwu could not do. He certainly did not want to become the sinner of his people. After hearing his son¡¯s words, Mu Changtian fell into silence and did not speak for a long time. In his heart, he actually shared the same thoughts as Mu Jingwu. If he were only to pledge allegiance to a certain Prince of Great Sum, he would do so without hesitation. But if he were to pledge allegiance to the Barbarian Tribe, his heart was utterly unwilling. Years ago, when the Barbarian Tribe invaded Great Sum, they killed so many of the common people, and many of his soldiers died at their hands. To pledge allegiance to the Barbarian Tribe at this time, becoming a lackey of theirs, would be worse than death for him. After pondering for a while, Mu Changtian said, ¡°All right, there¡¯s no use thinking about it now. Once we reach North City, we will find out who this Mysterious Prince they speak of is.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t slept all night. Close your eyes and sleep for a while; we still have many days until we reach North City.¡± In the Capital City of Great Sum, within the Royal Garden of the Imperial Palace. Hearing the report from the leader of the Shadow Guard, the Sum Emperor always felt his intelligence reports were filled with oddities. His complexion was very unsightly, and at this moment the Royal Garden was incredibly silent, one could only hear the sound of carp flipping out of the water in the lotus pond. After a while, the Sum Emperor finally spoke, ¡°Three Grandmasters facing a man whose skill had dissipated, only to be dragged down to mutual destruction in the end, heh.¡± The voice of the Sum Emperor was cold, silently exerting a tremendous pressure on the people in the Royal Garden. Clearly, the Sum Emperor was in a very bad mood. Although Great Sum had many Grandmasters, they were not so easily developed. Losing three Grandmasters to take down a man on the brink of death, how could the Sum Emperor be pleased? At that moment, the Sum Emperor asked, ¡°I am curious, why was Mu Changtian still able to use the Blood Ignition Skill at the end? Wasn¡¯t his skill supposed to have dissipated?¡± As he spoke, the Sum Emperor turned his head to look at Situ Ce, the State Preceptor, inside the pavilion. ¡°State Preceptor, are you certain that you sensed Mu Changtian¡¯s skill had dissipated within him?¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, Situ Ce knew that the Emperor was doubting him, and he asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you suspect that your servant did not administer the Dissipate Power Pill to him?¡± The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°I just want to know why the Dissipate Power Pill had no effect on him.¡± The Sum Emperor was quite paranoid, and since he knew that Situ Ce himself wanted to protect Mu Changtian, he could not help but suspect that Situ Ce had played some tricks. Situ Ce then said, ¡°I did indeed sense that all of Mu Changtian¡¯s skill had dissipated. As for why he could still use the Blood Ignition Skill, perhaps someone in the prison gave him Small Replenishing Pills, allowing him to recover part of his skill.¡± Hearing this from Situ Ce, the Sum Emperor started to remember. In this world, although there were not many pills capable of restoring skill, they did exist. Especially within those Sects, which had considerable research on pills that could restore skill. At that moment, the Sum Emperor immediately said to the leader of the Shadow Guard, ¡°Investigate! Do it now. 1 want to see who has the gall to go against me!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°This servant takes his leave.¡± The leader of the Shadow Guard then turned and left. Watching the back of the departing Shadow Guard, the Sum Emperor said to himself, ¡°Mu Changtian has indeed been a good servant to me, solving a problem for me before his death.¡± The trouble referred to by the Sum Emperor was clearly Chen Pengyi, Mu Changtian¡¯s student. Initially, the Sum Emperor had placed great trust in Chen Pengyi, mainly to deal with Mu Changtian. Now that Mu Changtian had been dealt with, Chen Pengyi had also become useless. The Emperor had planned to find an excuse to get rid of him once he returned. But now, Mu Changtian and Chen Pengyi had perished together. This meant that the military power of Great Sum was firmly in his hands. With the military power secured, it was time for him to do what he wanted.. Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Chu Familys Internal Troubles and External Threats_i Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Chu Family¡¯s Internal Troubles and External Threats_i Translator: 549690339 Mu Changtian was assassinated on his way to exile, and before his death, he used the Blood Ignition Skill and took three Grandmasters down with him¡ªan incident that quickly spread throughout Great Sum. With Mu Changtian¡¯s death, the Sum Emperor completely seized control of the military power in Great Sum, now commanding millions of soldiers. Moreover, all these military leaders were personally promoted by the Sum Emperor, and the vast majority of them were absolutely loyal to him. Holding so many soldiers in his hand, what did the Sum Emperor want to do? What would he do? The Aristocratic Families within Great Sum were not fools. Shortly, the number of merchant caravans within Great Sum surged, particularly in the territories of the Seigniors, where the numbers doubled. Of course, except in North City. The merchant caravans were just a cover for the Aristocratic Families, who used them to travel around and collude with various powers. The Sum Emperor had already sharpened his knife; there was no way the Aristocratic Families wouldn¡¯t react at all. The thoughts of the Aristocratic Families were unanimous¡ªif the Sum Emperor wasn¡¯t compliant and obedient, then it was time for a new Emperor. It wasn¡¯t unprecedented for Emperors throughout history to try to eliminate the Aristocratic Families. Some Emperors weakened the foundation of Aristocratic Families through civil service exams, some restricted them through land reforms, and yet others suppressed them through commercial means. Yet the effects of these methods were limited. The Sum Emperor, having eliminated two Sky Kings and thoroughly controlling the military power of Great Sum, was clearly losing patience with the Aristocratic Families and aimed to physically annihilate the existing major families. The actions of the Sum Emperor were too swift and purpose-driven, quickly catching the attention of the major Aristocratic Families, especially those in the South. Ever since Chu Yue¡¯s inexplicable death, Chu Xiong had kept a vigilant watch over the Capital city for years, sending numerous spies to the Capital¡ªany slight whisper or rustle there and he¡¯d know about it. Upon learning that Mu Changtian had died and military power had fallen into the hands of the Sum Emperor, Chu Xiong had been losing sleep, sensing that a great disaster was looming over the Chu Family. Chu Family, in the courtyard. Chu Xiong sat in the pavilion, looking at the intelligence from the Capital city with a troubled expression on his face. At that moment, two white-haired elders arrived at the pavilion, one of them said, ¡°Big brother, you¡¯ve seen the Sum Emperor¡¯s actions, should our Chu Family also start making preparations?¡± Hearing his second brother Chu Liang¡¯s words, Chu Xiong fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°1 have already sent someone to contact Qi Prince, and I believe we will have results soon.¡± At these words, Chu Liang expressed his dissatisfaction, ¡°Big brother, what use is Qi Prince? He¡¯s nothing but a wine-soaked good-for-nothing. Are you really counting on him to raise an army and rebel?¡± Chu Xiong¡¯s idea was to use the Seigniors to limit the Sum Emperor, forcing him to give up any thoughts of moving against the Aristocratic Families, or to incite the Seigniors to rebel, keeping the Sum Emperor so preoccupied that he wouldn¡¯t have the energy to deal with the Aristocratic Families. Of course, if a Seignior could defeat the Sum Emperor, that would be even better. Qi Prince was the one most dissatisfied with the Sum Emperor; ever since the Sum Emperor¡¯s ascension, he had targeted Qi Prince multiple times, which is why Chu Xiong chose him as the first candidate to instigate a rebellion. However, it was clear that his second brother Chu Liang had his own ideas. Chu Liang then said, ¡°If you ask me, we should just directly arrange for someone to assassinate the Sum Emperor. Once he¡¯s dead, all our problems will be solved.¡± At this point, their younger brother Chu Song asked, ¡°If the Sum Emperor were to die, whom should we support to take the throne?¡± Chu Liang said matter-of-factly, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? Of course, we support Prince Lu Shuyun! If not him, do you really want to back that useless drunkard from North City?¡± ¡°Besides, Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s mother is from the Wang Family of the Southern Aristocratic Families. He surely can¡¯t follow in his father¡¯s delusional footsteps and think about moving against us. And it happens that our Chu Family has a good relationship with the Wang Family.¡± ¡°Once Prince Lu Shuyun ascends the throne, we can send some of our family¡¯s maidens to his side. If Chu Family¡¯s girls can quickly bear Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s offspring, competing for the position of Empress is not an impossibility.¡± After listening to Chu Liang¡¯s words, Chu Song said, ¡°Second Brother, why do 1 feel that Prince Lu Chen is a better choice? If he indulges in the pleasures of the Imperial Palace, wouldn¡¯t it be easier for us to control him? And whoever we want him to establish as Empress, he will.¡± Chu Liang snorted coldly and said, ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t considered that? He is just a good-for-nothing who can¡¯t get his act together. If we really choose him, do you think he would be able to balance the interests of the major Aristocratic Families? There would be even greater resistance in the court; those ministers would never agree. Among the several Princes, anyone is qualified, except for him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, he is Chu Yue¡¯s child and his relationship with the Mysterious Moon Palace is out of the ordinary. If he really rises to power, would it still be our turn to control him?¡± Chu Song then said, ¡°Second Brother, you make some sense.¡± At that moment, with a darkened face, Chu Xiong said, ¡°Second Brother, that¡¯s going too far. No matter what, Chu Yue is also my daughter. No matter how you rank the relationships, she is my daughter first, and then the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace. How could her son be unqualified for that position?¡± ¡°Moreover, do you really think the Sum Emperor is so easy to assassinate? Discussing who should ascend to the throne now, isn¡¯t that a bit premature?¡± ¡°The Sum Emperor has a Grandmaster by his side, and besides Situ Ce, we don¡¯t know if there are other Grandmasters secretly protecting him. To assassinate him successfully, I fear, would be harder than ascending to heaven.¡± Chu Liang mocked, ¡°Big Brother, I think you¡¯ve grown old and your mind is no longer agile.¡± ¡°Why do you think I said we should support Prince Lu Shuyun earlier? Prince Lu Shuyun is now in the Capital city; he can fully assist us in our plan to assassinate the Sum Emperor.¡± Chu Xiong, frowning deeply, immediately said, ¡°No, we absolutely cannot assassinate the Sum Emperor now. If the assassination fails, the Sum Emperor will surely take this opportunity to immediately act against the Aristocratic Families.¡± ¡°Our preparations are not yet sufficient; we cannot take this risk.¡± By now, everyone in the court knew that the Sum Emperor was going to take action against the Aristocratic Families, and the Aristocratic Families knew that the Sum Emperor would act against them, but even if the Sum Emperor were to eradicate the Aristocratic Families, he would still need a seemingly righteous reason. The Sum Emperor had not yet found a suitable excuse, and if the Aristocratic Families sent someone to assassinate the Sum Emperor at this time, wouldn¡¯t that be giving the Sum Emperor the perfect reason? Seeing Chu Xiong afraid of this and that, Chu Liang snorted coldly and said, ¡°Big Brother, your courage is getting smaller and smaller. The Sum Emperor¡¯s executioner¡¯s sword is about to fall, and you¡¯re still worrying.¡± ¡°I think you won¡¯t be happy until the Sum Emperor¡¯s army of a million reaches Sufeng City.¡± Having said this, Chu Liang turned and walked away. Seeing Chu Liang leave, Chu Song hurriedly followed, ¡°Second Brother, Second Brother, let¡¯s talk it out, Big Brother is also thinking of the family, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Watching the two of them echo each other, Chu Xiong¡¯s face looked very displeased. He was no fool, how could he not know what Chu Liang and Chu Song were thinking. Chu Song had ostensibly been advocating for Prince Lu Chen just now, but in reality, he was facilitating a conversation for Chu Liang. Chu Song¡¯s sons had married women from the Wang Family, and even the concubines he had taken were from the Wang Family; his position needed no further speculation. And Chu Liang, even less so, his coveting of the Family Head¡¯s position was not a matter of a day or two. The Chu Family had already fallen into both internal and external troubles. When Chu Xiong thought of his own son, who was so disappointing and obsessed with women every day, he felt even more exhausted. Chu Xiong rubbed his forehead and then said to the woman behind him, who had always been invisible, ¡°Qing Li, your sister is in North City. You should go to North City as well. If the Chu Family really faces a catastrophe one day, you don¡¯t need to come back.¡± On hearing this, the woman behind him, dressed in a green long dress, said, ¡°Yes, Family Head.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was cold and emotionless, without a hint of sentiment, as if she were a perfectly emotionless killing tool.. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58 North... North Prince???_i Chapter 58: Chapter 58 North¡­ North Prince???_i Translator: 549690339 As they drew closer to North City, every member of the Duke Mu Residence became increasingly tense. The women of the Duke Mu Residence were thinking about finally being able to see Mu Zixuan, especially Mrs. Mu, who had always wanted to know how her daughter was faring in the North Prince Mansion. The men of the Duke Mu Residence, however, were anxious about whether they would merely pass through North City and then continue northward. If they were merely passing through North City, they would be headed into the territory of the Barbarian Tribe, where betraying Great Xia would definitely be impossible for them. Soon, Mu Changtian and the others discovered that upon reaching North City, the caravan did not stop; they were still traveling further north. This made Mu Changtian¡¯s heart jump to his throat. Could these people truly be spies for the Barbarian Tribe? Immediately, Mu Changtian popped his head out of the carriage and asked the Brocade Guard riding outside, ¡°Little brother, where are we heading to?¡± The Jinyiwei Guard promptly replied, ¡°Duke Mu, our destination is Yan County. It will take a few more days to reach.¡± Upon hearing the Jinyiwei Guard mention a specific destination, Mu Changtian breathed a slight sigh of relief; they were going to Yan County. Then Mu Changtian pulled his head back into the carriage, and at that moment, Mu Xingping asked, ¡°Father, I remember the North Prince is in Yan County? Could it be that the Mysterious Prince they spoke of is truly the North Prince?¡± Mu Changtian shook his head and then said, ¡°It can¡¯t be him. Yan County is the most prosperous city in North City; it¡¯s not strange that the Mysterious Prince would meet us in Yan County.¡± Mu Changtian never thought that Lu Chen would be such a powerful figure, after all, everyone knows what kind of prince he is. A few days later. North City, Yan County. The Mu Mansion caravan, disguised as a merchant convoy, slowly entered Yan County. Upon arrival, the people inside the carriages opened their window curtains to observe everything outside. At that moment, Mu Changtian was resting with his eyes closed, when Mu Jingwu reminded him, ¡°Father, we have arrived at Yan County!¡± After hearing Mu Jingwu¡¯s reminder, Mu Changtian opened his eyes and looked out through the window. Although Yan County was the most flourishing city in North City, at one glance, one could see the difference between Yan County and other cities in Great Xia. The common folk on the streets were mostly dressed in patched clothing, and not just a few patches, but many. Moreover, many of the commoners were barefoot, walking without shoes. If one had to find something to commend about North City, it would be that the people¡¯s eyes shone brightly, looking spirited as if filled with hope for the future. At this time, Mu Xingping said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the most prosperous Yan County in North City to be this poor. It seems it won¡¯t be easy for North City to develop. I also wonder how my sister is doing in the North Prince Mansion.¡± Mu Jingwu spoke up, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, although North City is poor, the North Prince Mansion is definitely not. I heard that the North Prince Mansion earns hundreds of thousands of silvers a month just from selling perfumes and soaps.¡± At this moment, Mu Changtian¡¯s thoughts weren¡¯t inside the carriage. He was eager to meet the Mysterious Prince. In his heart, he was already planning how he should react if the other party turned out to be from the Barbarian Tribe. Meanwhile. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen had just finished exercising with Wang Qingci, and now they were picking out portraits of women to participate in the selection for the Prince¡¯s Mansion concubines. Although Mu Zixuan had already made a choice once, since Lu Chen was taking concubines, he certainly had to have a look himself. However, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about portraits. Portraits were even more misleading than modern photo frauds. Photo frauds are at least photo-edited based on the original, while portraits are purely subjective depictions by the artist. Still, Lu Chen reluctantly selected some portraits of women that appeared quite beautiful. After all, this was only the initial selection; the actual choosing of concubines still required him to see them in person. Without seeing them in person, he wouldn¡¯t know how many points each woman truly deserved. Just then, a Jinyiwei Guard entered the courtyard and announced, ¡°Prince, the family of Duke Mu has arrived!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately rose from the stone bench. They had finally arrived, which was a surprise for Mu Zixuan indeed. Immediately, Lu Chen said, ¡°Arrange a meeting for us at once.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Having reported the situation, the Brocade Guard turned and left. The carriages of the Mu Mansion finally stopped at the Joy Tavern in Yan County. After entering the tavern, a middle-aged man of immense strength and towering height approached Mu Changtian. Seeing the man before him, Mu Changtian felt a shock in his heart. Another Grandmaster! How terrifying the forces under the Mysterious Prince must be ¨C it wasn¡¯t long since they had encountered two Grandmasters! Qin Yushan then spoke up, ¡°Duke Mu, you three please come with me.¡± Qin Yushan was naturally referring to Mu Changtian and his two sons. Hearing what the man before them said, Mu Changtian and his sons understood that they were likely going to meet the Mysterious Prince. At that thought, all three were filled with immense excitement. So, Mu Changtian and his sons separated from the women of the Mu family, who went to the back yard of the tavern, while they followed Qin Yushan to the second floor. However, when they reached the private room on the second floor, the Mysterious Prince was nowhere to be seen. Qin Yushan said at that time, ¡°Duke Mu, please wait a moment longer, our Prince will be here shortly.¡± Mu Changtian didn¡¯t think too much about it; they just needed to wait. As time ticked by, after approximately a quarter of an hour, the door to the room was opened. Upon hearing the noise from the door, Mu Changtian and his two sons immediately stood up from their chairs, their eyes fixed on the doorway, eager to see who would appear! However, when the door slowly opened, a familiar face appeared before the three men. Seeing the arrival, Mu Changtian was dumbfounded. He mumbled to himself, ¡°North¡­ North Prince???¡± Not just Mu Changtian was dumbfounded, his two sons were also frozen in place. They knew who the North Prince was. Mu Changtian still remembered the time when the North Prince had left the Capital city, he had seen the prince once, and at that time, the North Prince¡¯s mind was still very naive, unaware of even the political taboos. How could such an ignorant person, utterly witless in politics, have such an immense force at his command? Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that the North Prince had always been hiding his talents, pretending to be useless, making others truly believe he knew nothing? If that were the case, the North Prince¡¯s scheming was too deep! The North Prince had fooled not only them but all the common people of the Great Xia Dynasty. The three of them did not believe the North Prince was the Mysterious Prince until they entered North City, and now, the person they were seeing turned out to be the North Prince himself. With such deep cunning and the immense force he commanded, there was no need to guess what he intended to do. Seeing the disbelief on the faces of Mu Changtian and his sons, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Father-in-law, you seem very surprised to see me?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian and his sons finally snapped back to reality and hurriedly paid their respects, saying, ¡°We pay homage to the North Prince!¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Is This the True Face of the North Prince?! Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Is This the True Face of the North Prince?! Translator: 549690339 After Lu Chen left, Mu Changtian and the other two heaved a sigh of relief as if a great burden had been lifted from their shoulders. Even now, they found it incredible. That was the North Prince! The ignorant and debauched North Prince! He was actually the Mysterious Prince who saved the Mu Mansion! At this moment, Mu Changtian mocked himself, ¡°Haha, 1 never thought I¡¯d misjudge someone like this!¡± Mu Jingwu said from the side, ¡°Father, I still don¡¯t understand why the North Prince concealed his talents in the Capital City. Given his power and with the support of the Chu Family, the position of Crown Prince was most likely his.¡± The North Prince had only said ¡°When a tree stands out in the forest, the wind will destroy it,¡± but this didn¡¯t fully explain his reasons for hiding his abilities. Hearing his son¡¯s question, Mu Changtian reflected for a moment, then stroked his beard and said, ¡°The thoughts of the North Prince, how could we possibly fathom them entirely?¡± ¡°However, from all that the North Prince has done, it seems he has never intended to rely on the power of the Aristocratic Families. Otherwise, his first order of business upon arriving in North City would have been to send someone to the Chu Family for help in governing North City. But as far as I know, the Chu Family and the North Prince Mansion have not had dealings for quite some time.¡± ¡°So, I suspect that the North Prince¡¯s attitude towards the Aristocratic Families is actually the same as that of the Sum Emperor.¡± At these words, Mu Jingwu and Mu Xingping were taken aback. After a moment, Mu Xingping, as if he had realized something, immediately said, ¡°Could it be that the North Prince deliberately wanted to withdraw from the Capital City, with the goal of using the Emperor to eliminate the Aristocratic Families, and only after the powers in the Capital City were sufficiently weakened by the struggle for succession, he would return to inherit the throne legitimately?¡± Mu Changtian said, ¡°That¡¯s the most probable reason. The turmoil caused by Aristocratic Families has a long history, and as a prince so capable of enduring, his ambitions must certainly be great; his sights couldn¡¯t have been set merely on the Crown Prince position.¡± ¡°I suspect he has already been looking further into the future, to the things he will need to deal with after his ascension to the throne.¡± ¡°If the Sum Emperor can deal with all the Aristocratic Families, then once the North Prince ascends the throne, the entire Great Sum will be ruled solely by him!¡± ¡°This approach holds another major advantage for him, if in the future people say the Imperial Family is too ruthless, they¡¯ll only be referring to the present Sum Emperor, and it won¡¯t have too much to do with the North Prince.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s analysis, the two Mu brothers were stunned. They hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince, once called a waste by people, to have such grand ambition and strategic foresight. Should the North Prince ascend to the throne and become the new Emperor of Great Sum in the future, his ambitions are unlikely to stop at mere control over Great Sum. According to the North Prince¡¯s current plan, by the time he ascends the throne, most likely the Aristocratic Families within the territory of Great Sum will have been nearly eradicated by the Sum Emperor, and then Great Sum will be his to command. For a person of great ambition and strategy like the North Prince, to not do something big after gaining control of the entire Great Sum would be a disservice to his long-term scheming. The Mu brothers no longer dared to contemplate in which direction the North Prince would steer the ship of Great Sum after his ascension. They couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that the North Prince¡¯s true intention was to eliminate all dynasties and dominate the world? Was what the North Prince had planned so far just the beginning? At this thought, the Mu brothers involuntarily drew a cool breath. So this is the real intention of the North Prince! Is this the true face of the North Prince? Lu Chen, on his way back to the North Prince Mansion, couldn¡¯t stop sneezing, wondering if he had caught a cold. After all, he was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist; he shouldn¡¯t catch a cold so easily, right? Soon, Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Upon entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion for the first time, Lu Chen went to find Mu Zixuan. Mu Zixuan was in the room taking care of the child. When she saw Lu Chen arrive, she quickly put down Lu Changfeng. ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± Lu Chen came to Mu Zixuan¡¯s side, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, lifted his hand to caress her delicate nose, and then said, ¡°My consort, I have told you many times, you are my wife, there¡¯s no need to greet me formally every day.¡± Mu Zixuan said with a smile, ¡°The Prince is still the Prince, it¡¯s only proper for me to pay my respects.¡± Seeing that Mu Zixuan still said this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue the topic further. He directly said, ¡°My consort, I¡¯ve just prepared a surprise for you. Are you interested?¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan asked in confusion, ¡°A surprise? What surprise?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If I tell you what the surprise is, how can it still be a surprise? 1 will have someone take you to a place, and then you will see.¡± Mu Zixuan quickly said, ¡°Prince, Feng¡¯er has not yet gone to sleep.¡± Lu Chen glanced at Lu Changfeng on the bed, then said, ¡°Let Xiao Rou and the wet nurse watch over him for now. You go to that place first.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan became even more curious. What kind of surprise could it be? Having been married into the Prince¡¯s Mansion for such a long time, the North Prince hadn¡¯t prepared any so-called surprise for her, but then again, the North Prince himself was a surprise to her. Originally, when she had married into the North Prince Mansion, she thought her life would be very miserable, but unexpectedly, aside from being lustful, the North Prince had almost no other faults. Moreover, the North Prince had always been very good to her, his consort, cherishing and trusting her greatly, even leaving the management of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s assets in her hands. For a woman from a family of convicted criminals like her, it was already quite difficult to marry such a good man. How could Mu Zixuan dare to expect any surprises? Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°Then all right, I will go and see the surprise the Prince has prepared for me.¡± Seeing that Mu Zixuan agreed, Lu Chen immediately took her and left the room. Afterward, Lu Chen arranged for a member of the Brocade Guard to take Mu Zixuan to the manor he had prepared for the Mu Mansion. On the way to the new Mu Mansion, Mu Zixuan couldn¡¯t help but give in to her curiosity. She opened the curtain and asked the Brocade Guard escorting her, ¡°What surprise has the Prince prepared for me? Do you know?¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s question, the Brocade Guard swiftly replied, ¡°Consort, the Prince instructed us that we must not tell you in advance. You will know once you arrive.¡± Upon the Brocade Guard¡¯s response, Mu Zixuan pursed her lips, wondering in her heart just what kind of surprise could be so mysterious? It wasn¡¯t long before Mu Zixuan arrived at the entrance of the Mu Mansion. Because of the sensitivity surrounding the Mu family name, there was no family name plaque hanging above the entrance of the Mu Mansion, just a large gate. At this moment, a Brocade Guard said to Mu Zixuan inside the carriage, ¡°Consort, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan immediately got off the carriage and, seeing the large gates before her, became even more puzzled. What did the Prince want her to do in this place? At that time, one of the Brocade Guards walked to the gate and told the gatekeeper, ¡°Go inform your master that the consort has arrived.¡± After hearing this, the gatekeeper hurriedly ran into the estate. Mu Zixuan was now at the entryway of the Mu Mansion, and upon seeing her, the servants of the Mu Mansion immediately paid their respects, saying, ¡°Greetings, Consort.¡± Mu Zixuan said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± She was a bit distracted now, only wanting to know what the surprise Lu Chen had prepared for her was. Just then, from not too far away, a familiar woman¡¯s voice was heard. ¡°Zixuan¡­. Zixuan!!!¡± Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The Birth of the Second Child i Chapter 61: Chapter 61 The Birth of the Second Child i Translator: 549690339 Hearing the sound, Mu Zixuan immediately looked in the direction from which it came. With just one look, she stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded. She had never expected to see her mother again in this lifetime. From the day she married Lu Chen, she had been prepared to never return to the Capital City, to never see her family again. But to her astonishment, just over a year had passed, and she was seeing her mother once more. A wave of immense emotion swept through Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart¡ªthis was the surprise the Prince had spoken of! Indeed, it was a tremendous surprise for her! At this moment, Mu Zixuan couldn¡¯t help but let the tears flow. Mrs. Mu was equally excited upon seeing her daughter, and quickly ran up to Mu Zixuan. Mother and daughter immediately embraced tightly. Mu Zixuan cried, and Mrs. Mu cried along with her. Mu Zixuan cried because she had finally seen her family, whereas Mrs. Mu wept due to Mu Mansion having gone through a life and death crisis, and she had thought she would never see her daughter again. After a while, Mu Zixuan wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. Just as she was about to comfort her mother, she noticed that not far away stood Mu Changtian and others. It then dawned on Mu Zixuan that not only had her mother came to North City, her father had come too, and even her two brothers were there. Even some of the servants from Mu Mansion were present¡­ What was going on? Even Mu Zixuan, as naive as she might be, could sense something must have happened to Mu Mansion from this scene before her eyes. Mu Changtian was a Duke, a man who had once wielded military power. Although his military power had been taken back, the Emperor would not have allowed him to leave the Capital City. Yet here they all were, in North City¡ªclear evidence that something had befallen Mu Mansion. Mu Zixuan immediately asked, ¡°Mother, what happened? Why have you all come to North City?¡± Mu Changtian sighed and then said, ¡°Zixuan, come inside first. We¡¯ll tell you about the Capital City affairs slowly.¡± Mu Zixuan nodded, then followed them to the guest hall of Mu Mansion. Afterward, Mu Changtian narrated everything that had happened in the Capital City and their exile, and only then did Mu Zixuan understand what had transpired within Mu Mansion. At this moment, she didn¡¯t blame Lu Chen for not telling her about this, understanding why he had kept it from her. When the Mu Mansion was in trouble, she had just given birth and was quite weak. If she had heard about the situation of Mu Mansion at that time, it would have definitely been a blow. Now, Mu Zixuan felt even more gratitude toward Lu Chen. She could never have imagined that one day it would be the North Prince who saved their entire family. At the same time, Mu Zixuan felt incredibly fortunate; if she hadn¡¯t married the North Prince, it was very likely that both she and Mu Mansion would no longer exist. After staying in Mu Mansion for about four hours, Mu Zixuan returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At this time, Lu Chen was in the study, looking over the reports from the Brocade Guard. Thump, thump, thump¡­ The sound of knocking echoed through the study. ¡°Prince, may your concubine enter?¡± Lu Chen put down the report, then stood up and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Just as Mu Zixuan pushed open the door, Lu Chen greeted her with a smile, ¡°My darling, how do you like the surprise I prepared for you, did you enjoy it?¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than Mu Zixuan threw herself into his arms. Feeling the gentle jade fragrance in his embrace, Lu Chen gently patted Mu Zixuan¡¯s jade back in a comforting manner. Tearfully, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Wuu wuu wuu¡­ Prince, thank you for saving our whole family!¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°You are my beloved concubine, and 1 don¡¯t want to see you heartbroken after losing relatives. It¡¯s what I should do.¡± As Lu Chen spoke, he continued to pat Mu Zixuan¡¯s back, ¡°Alright, alright, stop crying. The Mu family is all fine, isn¡¯t it? And now that they have come to North City, it will be even easier for you to see your family if you wish.¡± With that, Lu Chen slightly pushed Mu Zixuan away and then used his finger to wipe the tears from the corner of her eye. At this moment, Mu Zixuan¡¯s face glowed with rosy health, and her tearful beauty made her appear all the more pitiable and lovely. Looking at Lu Chen before her, Mu Zixuan had no idea how to express her gratitude; she gazed into his eyes with affectionate brows. Seeing Mu Zixuan look like this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help himself and kissed her. ¡°Mmm mmm¡­¡± Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t resist. Since becoming pregnant, it had been a long time since she had nurtured her relationship with Lu Chen. Moreover, because of the incident at the Mu Mansion, her gratitude to Lu Chen erupted, which made her long for his deep affection. Originally, Lu Chen didn¡¯t like to nurture relationships with his wives or concubines in the study, as it was his workplace; occasionally, he found it sufficient to deal with the female slave Wang Qingci. However, the atmosphere had been set to such a level, so there was nothing more to be said. [The host has nurtured affection with Mu Zixuan once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increased by 20, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increased by 20.] [Congratulations to the host for the arrival of another child, a reward of two hundred 122mm howitzers, a thousand shells, and an additional bonus of cement manufacturing technology.] [The more children you have, the greater the rewards. Keep up the good work and produce more offspring!] Hearing the system notification, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. He was still in a sweet moment with his beloved concubine, not expecting that one of his concubines was giving birth to his child at this time. Seeing Lu Chen cease his movements, Mu Zixuan, with eyes full of alluring charm, turned her head and asked, ¡°Darling, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Mu Zixuan would call Lu Chen ¡®darling¡¯ only at such times, but she had also called him ¡¯good brother¡¯ and ¡®good husband¡¯. Lu Chen raised his hand and gently wiped the perspiration from Mu Zixuan¡¯s fair forehead, replying, ¡°Xiaoxiao must have given birth.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan immediately came back to her senses and quickly said, ¡°Prince, let¡¯s go and see her right away.¡± Mu Zixuan was not an unreasonably indulgent person; at a time like this, it clearly wasn¡¯t the time for pleasure-seeking. Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s get ready and then go.¡± After quickly getting ready, the two headed straight to the northern courtyard where Zhou Xiaoxiao was located. By then, the northern courtyard was busy with activity, Zhou Xiaoxiao had completed the birth and was lying on the bed weakly, her complexion pale and sweaty all over. Lu Chen sat down beside Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s bed, grasped her jade hand, and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, you¡¯ve had the baby. Why didn¡¯t you send someone to notify me?¡± If it weren¡¯t for the system¡¯s prompt, he wouldn¡¯t have known Zhou Xiaoxiao had given birth. Barely managing a smile, Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°The Prince has been very busy lately, and I didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡± Mu Zixuan interjected, ¡°Sister, the Prince wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, next time you give birth, remember to notify me, understand?¡± Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao was momentarily stunned. She had just given birth, and the Prince was already discussing the next childbirth with her. At that moment, a blush crept onto Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s pale face. Seeing her so weak, Lu Chen immediately channeled spiritual energy and applied the Rejuvenating Skill to treat Zhou Xiaoxiao. The next moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt an incredible relief throughout her body, the pain and fatigue instantly vanishing. Seeing the faint green glow emanating from Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s body, Mu Zixuan, Chu Yuqin, and the others beside them were all stunned.. Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Barbarian Tribe Unrest i Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Barbarian Tribe Unrest i Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin had long since heard Lu Chen speak of his connection with the divine, so she was not surprised that Lu Chen could use Immortal Techniques. But knowing was one thing, seeing it with her own eyes was quite another. At this moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao, who lay in bed, issued a soft ¡°ying ying¡± sound, and after a moment, she stared intently at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Prince, what did you just do? Why do I feel so comfortable? I don¡¯t feel any pain at all!¡± Upon hearing Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan suddenly thought of her own childbirth. Although her body did not emit a green light, she felt extremely comfortable when coming into contact with Lu Chen¡¯s body, and her body had recovered to its pre-childbirth state in just a few days. Initially, she thought it was because her constitution was good, but now it seemed more likely that Lu Chen had used a special method to heal her. Lu Chen did not immediately answer Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s question, but waited until her face regained its color before he said, ¡°This is my unique healing method, which allows you to recover as soon as possible.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen spoken than Chu Yuqin immediately turned to the midwives and maids in the room and said, ¡°No one is to speak of what happened today to outsiders!¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s solemn face and her stern tone, the midwives and maids quickly lowered their heads and responded, ¡°Yes, Madam Chu.¡± They had never seen such a method of healing before; it was clearly not a mundane human healing technique, but the legendary Immortal Technique. The thought that their Prince could wield Immortal Techniques filled the midwives and maids with unbounded excitement. Previously, they had only heard of the existence of Immortals; now they had witnessed someone using Immortal Techniques in person, and it was their own Prince they served, which was incredibly exciting for them. After all, serving an Immortal was not a fortune bestowed upon the ordinary! At this time, Zhou Xiaoxiao sat up in bed, and Lu Chen hurried to support her. She had recovered to her pre-childbirth state, and her body was no longer in any danger, whereupon she took the child beside her into her arms and gazed at it intently. ¡°Prince, I have only given birth to a daughter for you.¡± A look of regret appeared on Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face. Seeing how fond Lu Chen was of Lu Changfeng, she had always thought Lu Chen preferred boys, so she felt somewhat regretful now that she had given birth to a daughter. In this era, that was the norm; a woman¡¯s status was elevated only by giving birth to a son. Lu Chen looked at his daughter in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms and smiled, saying, ¡°Xiaoxiao, to me, sons and daughters are nearly the same. ¡°In my Prince¡¯s Mansion, whatever is available for my sons will also be available for my daughters. Although a daughter might not receive as much as a son, I absolutely will not shortchange any of my children. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± Upon hearing what Lu Chen said, Zhou Xiaoxiao finally felt at ease. Mu Zixuan then reminded from the side, ¡°Prince, the child does not yet have a name, please give her one.¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s name her Lu Huanhuan. I hope she grows up happy and joyful.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao murmured, ¡°Huanhuan¡­ Huanhuan, Prince, I like that name!¡± Just then, a maid¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside. ¡°Prince! Commander Qin is looking for you! He says it¡¯s a matter of great importance! He hopes you¡¯ll hurry to the study!¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao had just given birth, and normally Lu Chen would be by her side at this time. Moreover, the maids of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were quite sensible; they wouldn¡¯t dare to disturb him unless it was an urgent matter. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s expression turn serious, Chu Yuqin swiftly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, since it¡¯s Commander Qin looking for you, it must be important. You go ahead. We¡¯ll stay here with Xiaoxiao.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving first.¡± As soon as the words fell, Lu Chen turned around and left Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s room, heading to his own study. By the time Lu Chen arrived at the study, Qin Yushan had already been waiting for him. After opening the door, Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what has happened?¡± Qin Yushan hurriedly took out a bamboo tube, retrieved the rolled-up sheepskin from inside, unrolled it, and handed it to Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Prince, there is movement among the Barbarian Tribe in the North Land!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyebrows instantly knit into a ¡°JII¡± character. Since arriving in North City, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t been afraid of the petty assassination attempts from the Capital city nor the Aristocratic Families in North City. What he had always been most worried and concerned about were the Barbarian Tribes to the north of North City! The news of the Barbarian Tribes¡¯ movements immediately put Lu Chen on edge. If the Barbarian Army moved south, North City would bear the brunt of it, and its towns would inevitably be subjected to a brutal pillaging by the Barbarians. The reason North City had never been able to develop, and why it had remained so impoverished, was precisely because of the sporadic invasions and looting by the Barbarian Tribes. After reading the sheepskin scroll handed over by Qin Yushan, Lu Chen fell into silence and did not speak for a long time. The intelligence on the scroll indicated that the Barbarians had started to assemble, but they had not yet formed a large army; they would need at least two more months to complete their assembly. After a while, seeing that Lu Chen had remained silent, Qin Yushan took the initiative to speak, ¡°Prince, our people have found out that the Barbarians¡¯ move southward this time seems not just for looting food, but to permanently occupy North City!¡± ¡°The court of the Barbarian Tribes plans to establish a nation and has set their sights on making Yan County their capital!¡± On hearing this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°They want to occupy North City and establish a nation here? Where does that leave me, the Prince? What a fine dream they have!¡± Lu Chen was the Seignior of North City. If he lost his fief, what kind of Seignior would he be? Qin Yushan then reminded, ¡°Prince, judging by the assembly orders from the Barbarian court this time, they will bring at least three hundred thousand Cavalry to attack North City.¡± ¡°North City currently has only thirty thousand soldiers, and most of them are in Yan County; they are nowhere near capable of stopping the Barbarian Army¡¯s assault. I fear we need to start making plans early.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen lapsed into silence once more. Large-scale wars are not the same as minor assassinations. If assassins came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to carry out an assassination, a few grenades could blast those assassins into crying for their fathers and shouting for their mothers. If indeed three hundred thousand Barbarian Cavalry were to come, it would certainly be an overwhelming sea of warriors. Moreover, the reason the Great Xia Dynasty had always been unable to deal with the Barbarian Tribes was that the Barbarians were mostly Cavalry. When the Cavalry attacked, they advanced very quickly, and the Great Xia army often found it impossible to set up defenses before being assaulted. And when the Great Xia troops finally arrived to counterattack, the Barbarian Cavalry, like a receding tide, vanished swiftly, evading pursuit. For many years, the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s approach to dealing with the Barbarians had been predominantly defensive. However, with the Barbarians intent on occupying North City this time, they would likely not retreat upon seeing the Great Xia¡¯s army approaching as they did in the past. Yet with such a scenario, even if North City were to be defended successfully, the cost would be a land steeped in the suffering of its people and fields filled with lament. If the people of North City were all killed by the Barbarians, would he, the Prince, not become a one man band? Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Tower Master Zhou, theres no need for courtesy i Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Tower Master Zhou, there¡¯s no need for courtesy i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen stared at the parchment in his hands, remaining silent for almost a quarter of an hour. This was the real crisis he had faced since arriving in North City. In fact, if he could not withstand the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s attack when the time came and simply abandoned his fief to return to the Capital, he would at most be punished, but not to the point of death. However, once he actively abandoned his fief and fled alone to the Capital, his reputation as a Prince would genuinely plummet, to the point of being irrecoverable. A prince who abandons his people and his territory would be nailed to the pillar of historical shame. But if he didn¡¯t leave, he would have to face a very real problem. Thirty thousand against three hundred thousand, how would he fight! And it was infantry against cavalry, no less! North City had thirteen counties, exactly thirteen fortresses, which thirty thousand soldiers could not possibly defend. Moreover, it was difficult for him to know from which direction the barbarians would attack. Seeing that Lu Chen had been silent all this time, Qin Yushan didn¡¯t speak either, simply standing quietly by Lu Chen¡¯s side. For a moment, the study was so quiet it was frightening, with even the sound of a mosquito seeming particularly loud. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts turned to the 122mm howitzer. Two hundred 122mm howitzers could indeed play some role. Moreover, the people of this world had never witnessed such terrifying weapons of mass destruction, so it could catch the enemy by surprise. But the key issue was that the cavalry was dispersed and highly mobile. What if the enemy, seeing these terrifying weapons in his hands, simply turned tail and ran away? At this thought, Lu Chen was momentarily startled. Wait¡­ Wasn¡¯t he worried about how to defend North City? Why was he now concerned that the Barbarian Tribe might run away¡­ Thinking this, Lu Chen¡¯s lips involuntarily curled into a slight, devilish smile. If it were possible to gather all three hundred thousand cavalry in one place, perhaps thirty thousand fighting three hundred thousand wouldn¡¯t be impossible? But would the barbarians be that cooperative? The Barbarian Tribe deploying so many cavalry at once would certainly divide their forces; they wouldn¡¯t attack a single fortress with three hundred thousand soldiers. Unless there was a place, or something, capable of attracting them to attack with all three hundred thousand cavalry at once. After thinking for a while, Lu Chen felt he was not cut out for waging war; professional matters should still be left to professionals. Thinking by himself here, he might not come up with a good strategy even after a long time. He had not been to a battlefield in his previous life, and had not fought a war in this one; imagining scenarios here was of little use. No matter how much he thought, it would just be armchair strategizing. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Tomorrow morning, summon the important generals of North City and the Prefecture Governor to the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Qin Yushan immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention; Lu Chen was apparently planning to gather them first to discuss countermeasures, and then make a decision. Meanwhile. Hundred Flowers Tower. The fragrance-filled room, a graceful figure flickered in and out of visibility. Wang Qingci was bathing in a tub when a maidservant spoke from behind a curtain, ¡°Tower Master, people from Blood Moon Tower have arrived.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci immediately rose from the tub, droplets of water gliding down her fair, jade-like body as she emerged like a lotus rising above the water. After dressing, Wang Qingci went to the third floor pavilion of Hundred Flowers Tower. At that time, a young man in white was standing at the railing, gazing in the direction of North Prince Mansion. This scene reminded Wang Qingci of someone¡ªthe former Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, who also seemed to enjoy standing there, overlooking the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Entering the pavilion, Wang Qingci promptly said, ¡°Vice Tower Master Zhou, you have finally arrived. I have been longing to leave this accursed place, Yan County.¡± The youth in white turned to look at Wang Qingci, a faint smile on his face, ¡°Miss Wang, you have worked hard.¡± Zhou Hanwen, unlike the hall master of Blood Moon Tower, was dressed in white, appearing as nothing more than a refined gentleman, seemingly a delicate scholar. But he was far from weak; he was a genuine Grandmaster. Zhou Hanwen then asked, ¡°Miss Wang, I¡¯ve heard that North Prince Mansion is looking to take in concubines. Is there any truth to this?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Indeed, there is such a matter. But why ask this, Vice Tower Master Zhou? Do you plan to send a female assassin to infiltrate the Prince¡¯s Mansion and kill the North Prince?¡± At this, a bitter smile crossed Wang Qingci¡¯s face, feigning an unwillingness to recall something as she spoke, ¡°Vice Tower Master Zhou, if you intend to do so, I advise against it. Chu Yuqin is already a Half-step Grandmaster and accompanies the North Prince every day. She even listens from outside when the North Prince shares his chamber with his wives and concubines.¡± ¡°If it is simply a matter of sending a female assassin near the North Prince, 1 fear she would be discovered by Chu Yuqin before even getting close to him.¡± ¡°Originally, the assassins from our Hundred Flowers Tower were wiped out by Chu Yuqin alone. I suspect she might become a Grandmaster in a few years.¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s frown deepened slightly, ¡°I indeed considered sending a female assassin to approach the North Prince just now, but after hearing what you¡¯ve said, it seems that if we want to kill the North Prince, we must lure him out.¡± ¡°Ideally, we should separate him from that Mysterious Grandmaster.¡± At this, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s eyebrows relaxed again, and he stared at Wang Qingci with a smile, ¡°Miss Wang, I¡¯ve heard the North Prince is quite lecherous; has he shown any interest in you?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°The North Prince has indeed been coveting my body, and for the mission¡¯s sake, I¡¯ve been leading him on. If Vice Tower Master Zhou needs my help, please do not hesitate to ask.¡± Zhou Hanwen said, ¡°Then I must trouble Miss Wang to lead the North Prince here to Hundred Flowers Tower. That should increase our chances of successfully assassinating him.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°That shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but even if I get him to come here alone, 1 fear that the Mysterious Grandmaster and Chu Yuqin will still follow him.¡± Zhou Hanwen said with a smile, ¡°If we can draw those two out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, that would be even better news for our Blood Moon Tower.¡± ¡°I want to prepare a surprise for the North Prince.¡± Zhou Hanwen was not one for rigid thinking; avenging himself against the North Prince didn¡¯t necessarily mean having to kill him immediately. If they could draw out the two Mysterious Grandmasters and Chu Yuqin, Blood Moon Tower could massacre the inhabitants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. He wanted the North Prince to witness the corpses of his wives and concubines with his own eyes. Moreover, Blood Moon Tower had come to North City with another important objective: to acquire scented soaps and their production methods. With the Mysterious Grandmaster lured away, they would have ample time to steal the methods of making the North Prince Mansion¡¯s scented soaps. In Zhou Hanwen¡¯s view at this time, there was just one slightly formidable Grandmaster in North Prince Mansion. Without that Grandmaster, the North Prince Mansion was like a lamb awaiting slaughter. At that moment, the corners of Wang Qingci¡¯s lips curled up slightly, forming a faint arc as she said with a hint of a smile, ¡°In that case, I will have the North Prince come to Hundred Flowers Tower tonight.¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Zhou Hanwen replied politely, ¡°Then I must trouble Miss Wang.¡± Wang Qingci responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need for courtesy, Vice Tower Master Zhou; this is my duty..¡± Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64 Thats an Army of 3oo,ooo!_i Chapter 64: Chapter 64 That¡¯s an Army of 3oo,ooo!_i Translator: 549690339 After nightfall, Lu Chen stayed in his study, repeatedly examining the map of Great Xia, especially the terrain of North City. Although the map was drawn by soldiers, it still held some referential value. At this moment, Lu Chen thought that if he wanted to maximize the effectiveness of the grenade cannons, the best way would be to lure all thirty thousand Barbarian cavalry into narrow terrain. Then, he could ¡°close the pocket,¡± trapping the Barbarian cavalry with no way to escape. Of course, planning this way was just theorizing on paper; the specific execution would undoubtedly be extraordinarily difficult. For instance, whether the Barbarian Tribe would fall for it or follow their thought process, all depended on the Barbarian leaders. Just then, there was a knock at the study door. ¡°Chen¡¯er, may I come in?¡± Hearing that it was Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, Lu Chen absentmindedly responded, ¡°Yes, come in.¡± Chu Yuqin entered the study and saw Lu Chen¡¯s eyes fixed on the map on the desk. Knowing that after meeting Qin Yushan, Lu Chen had shut himself in the study, Chu Yuqin realized that a significant crisis must be approaching. Chu Yuqin asked with concern, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what happened?¡± Chu Yuqin was no outsider, and Lu Chen had no intention of keeping her in the dark, so he replied, ¡°The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court has issued a summons, preparing to gather an army of three hundred thousand to move south, occupy North City, and then establish a nation there, with Yan County as their capital city.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. In this world, large-scale wars could not be swayed by just a Grandmaster or a few strong individuals. With three hundred thousand cavalry, if they really moved south, the few people in North City would definitely be unable to hold, no wonder Lu Chen had lost his appetite and stayed in the study all night. Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, is this information accurate?¡± Lu Chen nodded, ¡°This is intelligence passed back by the Brocade Guard from the grasslands.¡± Chu Yuqin fell silent. When the Blood Moon Tower sent someone to assassinate Lu Chen, she couldn¡¯t protect him properly, let alone protect the Prince¡¯s Mansion amid three hundred thousand cavalry. Chu Yuqin also understood that this was clearly not something she could meddle in. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, I plan to move Zixuan and the others to Anping City, then 1 will lead thirty thousand soldiers to decide the battle against the Barbarian cavalry at Yan County.¡± Anping City was also a city in North City, but further south. If North City truly fell, Mu Zixuan and the others could leave North City at the first opportunity and return to the Capital city. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned before urgently saying, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you mustn¡¯t!¡± ¡°That¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry!¡± ¡°How could North City¡¯s thirty thousand soldiers possibly be a match for the Barbarian cavalry!¡± Although Chu Yuqin had never been to battle, she knew that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry were indeed a full three hundred thousand strong. Typically, the Great Xia Dynasty, or other dynasties when deploying troops abroad, always claimed to have armies of several hundred thousand or even a million. But these so-called several hundred thousand or million strong armies were greatly inflated, with logistics taking up the majority, and the actual combat-capable soldiers might not even reach half. However, Barbarian soldiers were different; each of their cavalry could fight, so if they claimed to have three hundred thousand cavalry, it meant they truly had three hundred thousand combat-ready soldiers. Chu Yuqin simply couldn¡¯t imagine how Lu Chen could hold out with North City¡¯s thirty thousand soldiers if the Barbarian Army of three hundred thousand cavalry besieged them! Seeing Chu Yuqin so flustered, Lu Chen showed a hint of confidence and smiled, ¡°Madam Chu, have you forgotten that 1 have a celestial fate?¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t relax just because Lu Chen said this. She continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Auntie knows you have celestial fate, but with your current strength, you still can¡¯t withstand an army of three hundred thousand.¡± ¡°Moreover, within the Barbarian Army, there must be many Grandmasters, and even Great Grandmasters.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°What 1 mean is that I have even more terrifying weapons at my disposal.¡± This¡­ Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin suddenly remembered those mysterious weapons he had used before. If Lu Chen had a large number of such weapons or if the Prince¡¯s Mansion could manufacture similar ones, then it wasn¡¯t impossible for thirty thousand to fight against three hundred thousand. Chu Yuqin asked curiously, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are the weapons you mentioned really capable of withstanding the charge of the Barbarian Cavalry?¡± Lu Chen, looking at the map, did not directly answer Chu Yuqin¡¯s question but asked instead, ¡°Madam Chu, do you know what I¡¯m most worried about right now?¡± Chu Yuqin looked down at the map and said nothing. Since Lu Chen had already decided to lead thirty thousand soldiers to face the three hundred thousand Barbarian cavalry head-on, naturally he wasn¡¯t worried about the Barbarian forces reaching the city. If Lu Chen wasn¡¯t even concerned about the Barbarian forces reaching the city walls, Chu Yuqin could not imagine what else Lu Chen could be worried about. At this time, Lu Chen continued, ¡°What I¡¯m worried about is that the Barbarian Cavalry might flee, and we won¡¯t be able to completely hold these three hundred thousand cavaliers.¡± Chu Yuqin:¡±¡­???¡± Upon hearing what Lu Chen said, Chu Yuqin suddenly felt her mind struggling to comprehend. Not only to withstand the southward push of these three hundred thousand Barbarian Cavalry but also to defeat them completely and ensure none escaped? If anyone else heard this, they would probably think the North Prince had lost his mind out of fear upon hearing the news of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s advance south. That¡¯s three hundred thousand soldiers! And cavalry at that, not to mention whether it was possible to defeat them, trying to keep all three hundred thousand cavaliers from escaping was nothing short of a pipe dream. At this moment, Chu Yuqin let out a sigh and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Auntie is just a homemaker. Auntie doesn¡¯t understand much about war; I only hope you come back safely.¡± Lu Chen then looked up at Chu Yuqin with slightly furrowed brows and an anxious expression on her face. He smiled and said, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t worry. If it really comes to the point where we can¡¯t resist the Barbarians, 1 will find a way to escape.¡± ¡°Escaping the encirclement of the Barbarians isn¡¯t too difficult for me.¡± Chu Yuqin inquired, ¡°When do you plan on sending Zixuan and the others to Anping City?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The sooner the better, 1 need to prepare in advance.¡± At this moment, Lu Chen gazed into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°Madam Chu, 1 hope you can leave with Zixuan and the others when the time comes and help me protect them.¡± In response to Lu Chen¡¯s request, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t refuse this time, as she knew that she wouldn¡¯t be much help in such a large-scale war. ¡°Alright, if North City really falls, Auntie will take Zixuan and the others back to the Capital. You focus on fighting the Barbarians in Yan County.¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin agree, Lu Chen felt one less concern in his heart. At this moment, the voice of a maid was heard at the door. ¡°Your Highness, an urgent message from the Brocade Guard.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Come in.¡± The maid then entered the study, handed over the letter to Lu Chen, who opened it and glanced through before muttering to himself, ¡°It seems that before we confront the southward advance of the Barbarian Army, we need to deal with a little trouble first..¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Blood Moon Tower Assault i Chapter 65: Chapter 65: Blood Moon Tower Assault i Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin immediately asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what has happened again?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower personally came to Yan County. He wants Qingci to lure me to Hundred Flowers Tower. If that so-called Mysterious Grandmaster is with me, the people from Blood Moon Tower will head straight to the Prince¡¯s Mansion and slaughter everyone. If the Grandmaster is not with me, they plan to kill me first at Hundred Flowers Tower, then use my death to draw out the Mysterious Grandmaster.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, and then she snorted coldly and said, ¡°Blood Moon Tower is incredibly audacious, persistently attempting to assassinate a Seignior again and again!¡± At this point, Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what do you plan to do?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s time to deal with the trouble that is Blood Moon Tower. It¡¯s okay to kill me, but if they want to harm my wife and children, then they all deserve to go down and meet Yama.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words were very calm, but his tone was filled with murderous intent. This time, he was truly enraged. His system had decided that his women were his weakness, and now that they were being targeted, he would not let the other party live. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Getting rid of Blood Moon Tower is just the beginning. The person behind the scenes is still out there. Without Blood Moon Tower, other organizations of assassins will come knocking. It¡¯s time to give a warning to the person behind the scenes.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin instantly understood what Lu Chen meant. Lu Chen was planning to make a move on a certain Prince in the Capital city. Chu Yuqin, of course, would not stop Lu Chen. After all, that Prince had sent assassins to kill Lu Chen time and time again¡ªthis was something no one could endure. However, Chu Yuqin still reminded him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the Barbarian Tribe is moving southward. If you decide to take action against someone in the Capital city, you need to ensure your subordinates handle it cleanly. Otherwise, if your father the Emperor finds out, he might very well refuse to send you reinforcements.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Madam Chu, rest assured, 1 am well aware of the pros and cons.¡± Lu Chen then said to a maid outside the study, ¡°Xiao Xue, go and summon Commander Qin.¡± The maid¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After the maid left, Lu Chen said to Chu Yuqin with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, I will have to trouble you to head to Hundred Flowers Tower in a while.¡± Chu Yuqin immediately realized what Lu Chen wanted to do. He wanted to make the people from Blood Moon Tower believe that she and the Grandmaster were accompanying Lu Chen to Hundred Flowers Tower, thus luring the assassins to come and slaughter the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright, Chen¡¯er, you need to be very careful.¡± Although she knew that Lu Chen¡¯s strength was no longer what it used to be, Chu Yuqin still subconsciously worried about him since she had watched him grow up from a child. Now that the Brocade Guard was involved, actions in the Prince¡¯s Mansion were expedited considerably. It hadn¡¯t been long since Qin Yushan had arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion when he had the Brocade Guard set up an ambush there. If the assassins from Blood Moon Tower dared to come, they would have no return. Although Blood Moon Tower had a Grandmaster, so did Qin Yushan, and he was not just any Grandmaster. Taking down a minor Grandmaster from Blood Moon Tower would not be much of a challenge for him. To make the ruse more convincing, Lu Chen had someone sent to Mu Mansion to tell Mu Changtian that something very important had come up and requested his presence at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. When Mu Changtian heard that the North Prince had a task for him so soon, he was very pleased. Being tasked immediately upon his arrival in North City meant that the North Prince valued him greatly. His fear was that the North Prince might sideline him indefinitely. A General not favored by his sovereign is worthless. The time had come for him to showcase his worth! Subsequently, Mu Changtian dressed himself meticulously according to Lu Chen¡¯s request, his entire persona resembling a Martial World Knight, with a wide-brimmed hat covering his face, rendering him unrecognizable. When Mu Changtian arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion full of enthusiasm, thinking that Lu Chen was about to entrust him with an important mission, Lu Chen spoke to him, ¡°Father-in-law, I need you to visit Hundred Flowers Tower, pretend to be the Mysterious Grandmaster of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and help me divert the attention of Blood Moon Tower¡¯s assassins. Make them believe that the Mysterious Grandmaster has left the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which will draw them into attacking us.¡± Hearing these words, Mu Changtian was stunned momentarily. Distracting the assassin¡¯s attention? How was that an important matter? Lu Chen even had his servant relay to him that it was an extremely important matter, only for this outcome? Although he was somewhat disappointed, Mu Changtian still accepted the order and said, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Having said this, Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°Prince, how many assassins has Blood Moon Tower sent to assassinate you this time? Don¡¯t you need my help?¡± Mu Changtian still wanted to strive for a chance, even though he knew Lu Chen had many strong fighters under his command; after all, he was himself a Grandmaster, and a Grandmaster could play a greater role. Lu Chen smiled faintly, then said, ¡°There aren¡¯t many assassins; they can be dealt with quickly. I won¡¯t be needing my father-in-law¡¯s help for the time being.¡± Seeing Lu Chen say this, Mu Changtian didn¡¯t insist on imposing himself and could only follow Lu Chen¡¯s instructions, accompanying a decoy prince to the Hundred Flowers Tower. On the way to the Hundred Flowers Tower, Mu Changtian asked curiously to Madam Chu beside him, ¡°Madam Chu, how many experts has Blood Moon Tower sent this time? Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that, but 1 heard that their Tower Master has come personally.¡± This¡­ Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s response, Mu Changtian was taken aback. The Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower himself had come, and the North Prince could still afford such a nonchalant demeanor? Soon, Mu Changtian calmed his inner thoughts. With so many strong fighters under the command of the North Prince, there was indeed no need to fear Blood Moon Tower. At best, the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower was just a Grandmaster, and the North Prince surely had more than one Grandmaster under his command. Blood Moon Tower seeking out the North Prince Mansion was purely a death wish. Mu Changtian thought to himself, let it be, there would be plenty of opportunities to show loyalty after arriving in North City; there was no need to rush. The North Prince said he was to train the Cavalry, which was also considered a significant appointment. Before long, the Prince¡¯s Mansion carriage arrived at the door of the Hundred Flowers Tower. Seeing a man wearing a bamboo hat and Chu Yuqin standing next to the carriage of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Zhou Hanwen on the loft slightly curled the corners of his mouth, ¡°Miss Wang, it seems just as you said, these two will be constantly protecting the North Prince.¡± ¡°Next, I shall trouble Miss Wang to find a way to detain the North Prince. I will be heading to the North Prince Mansion now,¡± he added. Wang Qingci smiled and said, ¡°Tower Master Zhou, take care. I will try my best to delay and wait for your return.¡± No sooner had Wang Qingci¡¯s words fallen than Zhou Hanwen, along with the people from Blood Moon Tower, headed for the North Prince Mansion. At this moment, evening had arrived, the sun had set, and the fiery sunset cast its glow on the people, tinting their skin with a bronze hue. Zhou Hanwen and his group sped through the streets, heading straight for the North Prince Mansion. At that time, the North Prince Mansion was unusually silent; it seemed there was not a single person inside the mansion. When Zhou Hanwen and his men climbed into the North Prince Mansion, they found there wasn¡¯t a single servant inside. Zhou Hanwen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed; he instantly sensed something was amiss. The next moment, countless arrows came flying towards them, and Zhou Hanwen realized they had been tricked. Yet Zhou Hanwen was still very confident; as a Grandmaster, such arrows couldn¡¯t possibly injure him. Being a Grandmaster, he could sense that the man at the Hundred Flowers Tower wearing a bamboo hat was also a Grandmaster. The Mysterious Grandmaster and Chu Yuqin were both not in the North Prince Mansion. Even if there were some guards left in the mansion, how could they possibly prevent him from massacring the North Prince Mansion? Zhou Hanwen then said to the assassins of Blood Moon Tower behind him, ¡°Kill on my command! Spare no one from the North Prince Mansion!¡± Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Another Grandmaster!_i Chapter 66: Chapter 66 Another Grandmaster!_i Translator: 549690339 As Zhou Hanwen gave the order, the assassins of Blood Moon Tower charged towards the direction of the Jinyiwei Guards amidst a shower of arrows. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen had already become unfazed, recalling the last time he dealt with the Vice Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, those Ninth Grade experts from Blood Moon Tower also charged forward through the rain of arrows. It had to be said that before the invention of gunpowder, the status of martial artists was hard to shake in this world. Unfortunately for them, Lu Chen had arrived! Lu Chen then distributed grenades to the Jinyiwei Guards, having used only a dozen or so last time to kill the assassins from Blood Moon Tower; he still had plenty left. Lu Chen then said to the Jinyiwei Guards, ¡°Throw the grenades the way I do.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen pulled the pin, held the grenade in his hand for a moment, and then hurled it towards the direction Zhou Hanwen was in. Lu Chen¡¯s system could identify people, and with a single glance, he recognized that the man in white was the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower. Having reached the status of a Ninth Grade Martial Artist with considerable strength, he effortlessly threw the grenade over Zhou Hanwen¡¯s head. Zhou Hanwen had sharp senses and immediately locked onto the round object in the sky. Even though he didn¡¯t know what it was, a strong sense of crisis surged within him. That round object looked like a stone, but Zhou Hanwen didn¡¯t believe the Prince¡¯s Mansion had run out of arrows and had to resort to throwing stones it was clearly some specialized weapon. Zhou Hanwen hurriedly leaped backwards several steps. Although Zhou Hanwen managed to get away, the martial artists beside him didn¡¯t react in time. The grenade exploded mid-air and with a thunderous boom, countless shards flew out, piercing through the heads of the martial artists below. Against traceable arrows, these martial artists might have had a chance to defend themselves, but against the swiftest, chaotically flying grenade shards, they had almost no other option but to dodge. Witnessing this spectacle, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s face immediately darkened. Although he had guessed it was a specialized weapon of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he had not anticipated its power to be this tremendous. Ninth Grade martial artists stood no chance against this weapon; in the blink of an eye, Blood Moon Tower lost several Ninth Grade experts. Zhou Hanwen had only thought the Prince¡¯s Mansion possessed a Mysterious Grandmaster, attributing the North Prince¡¯s survival against several assassination attempts from Blood Moon Tower solely to that Mysterious Grandmaster. Now it appeared they had been gravely mistaken! Even without the Mysterious Grandmaster, relying solely on this innovative weapon, it would still not be easy for the assassins of Blood Moon Tower to assassinate the North Prince, even if the North Prince Mansion had not a single martial artist. Everyone had thought the North Prince was useless, but it now seemed the whole world had been deceived! Possessing such a terrifying weapon and keeping it a secret, the North Prince must be plotting something. But none of that mattered now; what was critical was how he would kill the North Prince under these circumstances! Perhaps because Zhou Hanwen, the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, was leading the team personally, although the first grenade took out several Ninth Grade martial artists, the assassins from Blood Moon Tower somehow did not falter. This actually surprised Lu Chen. However, Lu Chen had no intention of giving them time to react, and the next moment, he continued to throw grenades. Following the method Lu Chen just demonstrated, the other Jinyiwei Guards holding grenades also hurled them out. Subsequently, over a dozen grenades exploded above the heads of the assassins from Blood Moon Tower. Poor assassins of Blood Moon Tower, they hadn¡¯t even seen the North Prince in person and were already heavily decimated, with only a few remaining. At this point, Zhou Hanwen panicked. He had not expected that in such a short span of time, nearly all his men would be gone! These were the elite assassins from Blood Moon Tower! Before, these assassins could not only take the life of a prince but killing the emperor of a small kingdom would have been no issue. However, today, they had nearly all perished before even laying eyes on the North Prince. The weaponry of the North Prince Mansion was too terrifying! No good! He must hurry and leave the North Prince Mansion! The weapons of the North Prince Mansion had never leaked a whisper because anyone who saw these weapons from the outside must have been killed, otherwise, it would be impossible for Great Xia to have no information about such weapons. This is a weapon powerful enough to subvert the martial arts world! If the news that the North Prince Mansion possessed such weapons got out, the entire martial arts world would shudder, and the status of martial artists would plummet. Zhou Hanwen thought to himself that although he might not be able to kill the North Prince, if he could just escape and spread the word about the North Prince Mansion¡¯s secret weapon, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the North Prince would be assassinated by top martial artists from all over the world. He didn¡¯t believe the North Prince could protect himself when that time came! With this thought, Zhou Hanwen turned to escape. However, the moment he turned around, he found a man dressed in red, with a long blade slung at his waist, leaning against the doorframe of the mansion¡¯s main gate. The moment Zhou Hanwen saw Qin Yushan, his pupils shrank slightly. Another Grandmaster! And not just any Grandmaster! He had seen this man before! This was the assassin known across the martial arts community as Blood Demon Mad Blade! Blood Moon Tower didn¡¯t exist when this man was dominating the pugilistic world. He had only seen him from a distance once back then. Zhou Hanwen never expected to see this man again in this place! The only thought left in Zhou Hanwen¡¯s mind was to flee! Not to mention the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s secret weapon, just the Blood Demon Mad Blade himself was more than he could handle. Others might have been Grandmasters decades ago, and even if Qin Yushan remained a Grandmaster now, he would be someone whose strength was infinitely close to that of a Grandmaster. Not something he, who had only recently entered the Master Realm, could contend against! Zhou Hanwen couldn¡¯t understand why Blood Demon Mad Blade would show up at the North Prince Mansion! He had actually become a subordinate of the North Prince! How did the North Prince accomplish this! At that moment, Qin Yushan spoke with a smile, ¡°Life-snatching Scholar Zhou Hanwen, Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, 1 have long wanted to encounter your iron fan. It seems today I will finally get my wish.¡± After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Zhou Hanwen came back to his senses. Now was not the time to ponder these things. Now that he knew the terror of the North Prince Mansion, the North Prince was even less likely to let him leave. If he wanted to escape, he would have to deal with Qin Yushan first. Zhou Hanwen then took out a fan, ¡°whoosh,¡± opened it, and said, ¡°Then please enlighten me, senior!¡± While talking, Zhou Hanwen waved his fan, and a dozen sharp needles flew towards Qin Yushan. Qin Yushan easily dodged these sharp needles. With one forceful step, he shot towards Zhou Hanwen like a cannonball. The best way to deal with the ranged weapon-type hidden weapons in Zhou Hanwen¡¯s hands was to close the distance. But Zhou Hanwen¡¯s iron fan was obviously not just capable of launching hidden weapons. He immediately flicked his wrist, closed the fan, and in the next moment, a blade appeared on the tip of the fan. Zhou Hanwen¡¯s iron fan had turned into a sword at that moment. The two then engaged in close-quarters combat, the collision of blade and fan sending sparks flying. Both released their Protective Gang Qi completely, causing the floor tiles around them to be upturned.. Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Era of the Martial Artist is Coming to an End i Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Era of the Martial Artist is Coming to an End i Translator: 549690339 When Qin Yushan and Zhou Hanwen crossed hands, several Ninth Grade Martial Artists of the Brocade Guard were not idle either. With the help of hand grenades, they quickly dispatched all the assassins from Blood Moon Tower. Now only Zhou Hanwen, the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, remained. At this moment, Lu Chen leaped down from the rooftop and walked over to sit on top of the flowerbed at the Training Ground, simply watching the battle between Zhou Hanwen and Qin Yushan. A Jinyiwei Commander approached Lu Chen and asked, ¡°Prince, aren¡¯t we going to take action?¡± Lu Chen immediately raised his hand and waved it, then said, ¡°No need. I want to see what a battle between Grandmasters looks like.¡± Lu Chen had never seen a Grandmaster¡¯s battle and, therefore, did not know the extent of a Grandmaster¡¯s strength. By witnessing a battle between Grandmasters with his own eyes, he would be better able to assess the combat strength of a Grandmaster and decide whether modern weapons could effortlessly take down a Grandmaster. It was certain there would be Martial Artists of the Master Realm among the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Cavalry, and probably more than one. Knowing the combat strength of a Grandmaster in advance would allow him to prepare thoroughly. At this time, Qin Yushan, holding his blade, pressed down on Zhou Hanwen with a cleaving attack, forcing Zhou Hanwen to dodge, completely unable to counterattack. Zhou Hanwen felt his arms constantly trembling. The might of the Blood Demon Mad Blade, once renowned in the jianghu, was indeed not to be taken lightly. A slight mistake on his part, and he could very well lose his life. At this moment, Zhou Hanwen caught sight of Lu Chen in the distance. Though he had never met Lu Chen, the respectful attitude of the Brocade Guards around him allowed Zhou Hanwen to guess Lu Chen¡¯s identity. Zhou Hanwen finally came to his senses, realizing that it hadn¡¯t been the North Prince who had entered the Hundred Flowers Tower earlier. The elegant young man not far away was the real North Prince. From the very beginning, their Blood Moon Tower had been played! With that thought, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s heart burned with rage, but at the moment, he was helpless. He was being suppressed by Qin Yushan, and even escape was problematic, let alone taking the North Prince¡¯s life under these conditions. Could it be that he would truly fall at the hands of this bratty kid today? Thinking this, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s heart was filled with unwillingness. Since he took over as the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, assassination missions had rarely failed, especially those he personally took part in, which had a hundred percent success rate. Who could have thought that today he would fall into the trap set by a prince who was ostensibly a good-for-nothing. The more Zhou Hanwen thought about it, the angrier he became, and the skill inside his body began to circulate wildly. The next moment, a reddish blood energy faintly appeared around Zhou Hanwen¡¯s body. Seeing this scene, Qin Yushan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Zhou Hanwen waved his fan, and countless flying needles shot out. Qin Yushan quickly retreated a few steps and used his blade to block the needles. However, Zhou Hanwen had no intention of escaping. The moment he shot out all his flying needles, he charged straight towards Lu Chen not far away. Seeing this, Qin Yushan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Not good! Prince, get out of the way!¡± With a roar-like voice, Zhou Hanwen shouted, ¡°Brat, if you want to kill me, then you¡¯ll have to accompany me in death!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen cracked a slight smile and did not move. This was the best time to test the firearms. A Grandmaster, no less an one who had used the Blood Ignition Skill and protected by Gang Qi. He wanted to see if the Barrett¡¯s bullets could penetrate his body. With that thought, Lu Chen casually lifted his hand, and the long Barrett appeared in his grasp, the dark muzzle aimed straight at Zhou Hanwen¡¯s chest. Zhou Hanwen was stunned by the sudden appearance of the stick-like weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hand. The weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hand had appeared out of nowhere, a sight that would surprise anyone; even Qin Yushan and his fellow Brocade Guards were momentarily taken aback. Is this some kind of magic trick? Where did such a long weapon come from? Though momentarily stunned by Lu Chen¡¯s actions, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s body did not stop. As Zhou Hanwen was about to reach Lu Chen, he mocked, ¡°You think a stick can stop me? How little you must think of me!¡± During his speech, Zhou Hanwen prepared to end Lu Chen¡¯s life. However, what he had imagined did not occur. The next moment, a loud bang resounded. Gang Qi¡­ Lu Chen¡¯s shoulders shrugged slightly backward, even though he was now a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, lifting the Barrett to snipe still caused significant recoil. Fortunately, his aim was spot-on, and at such a close range, even a blind man could have hit the target with his eyes closed. The bullet traveled exceedingly fast, and even a Grandmaster like Zhou Hanwen couldn¡¯t dodge it. Still, a Grandmaster was different from ordinary Martial Artists. The moment the bullet left the chamber, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s eyes clearly saw a black dot flying out from the tip of that strange stick. Zhou Hanwen thought it was a hidden weapon and planned to block it with his fan. However¡­ The moment Zhou Hanwen swung his fan, the Barrett bullet instantly penetrated his iron fan, then his Protective Gang Qi, and went straight through his chest. The instant the bullet pierced through Zhou Hanwen¡¯s body, he lost all sensation of pain, but he could feel that something had penetrated him. Zhou Hanwen couldn¡¯t believe it as he looked down slightly to find a bloody hole in his chest; his pupils shrank, and his expression turned to one of shock and disbelief. He could not fathom how, as a Grandmaster and even with Protective Gang Qi, any hidden weapon could penetrate his body. And that not even his iron fan could stop it¡­ Soon, Zhou Hanwen¡¯s consciousness began to blur, and his body followed by collapsing. Seeing the bloody hole in Zhou Hanwen¡¯s chest, Qin Yushan from afar took a sharp intake of breath and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°It seems the era belonging to the Martial Artists is coming to an end.¡± Qin Yushan had become a Jinyiwei Guard for certain reasons, but he himself did not know Lu Chen had such a powerful weapon; he only knew that Lu Chen was the master they had to follow. After seeing the damage dealt by the weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, he gradually understood why Lu Chen had become the master of the Jinyiwei Guard. Because this young man was destined to stand at the pinnacle of this world, looking down upon everything! At the same time. Mu Changtian, after learning from Wang Qingci that the assassins from Blood Moon Tower had gone to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, immediately returned there with Chu Yuqin. On the way, Mu Changtian saw Chu Yuqin¡¯s unconcerned demeanor and curiously asked, ¡°Madam Chu, aren¡¯t you worried at all that something might happen to the North Prince?¡± Chu Yuqin retorted, ¡°Does General Mu wish to see the Prince in trouble?¡± Mu Changtian quickly responded, ¡°That¡¯s not it at all, I¡¯m just worried the Blood Moon Tower¡¯s assassins might hurt the Prince.¡± Mu Changtian had only just arrived in North City, and if the North Prince were to suffer any mishap, it would not bode well for his family, making him the most concerned about Lu Chen¡¯s safety. Seeing how calm Madam Chu was, a hint of curiosity arose in Mu Changtian¡¯s mind. Was the North Prince Mansion truly so powerful that facing a Grandmaster and a full force mobilization from Blood Moon Tower, they remained completely unfazed? It wasn¡¯t long before Mu Changtian and Chu Yuqin returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Mu Changtian quickly entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion with the intent to help defend against the assassins from Blood Moon Tower, only to discover upon his arrival, a multitude of dead bodies clad in black ¨C the assassins of the Tower. This¡­. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Madam Chu, a Healer Cant Heal Themselvesi Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Madam Chu, a Healer Can¡¯t Heal Themselvesi Translator: 549690339 Seeing Mu Changtian and Chu Yuqin return, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Father-in-law, Madam Chu, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t speak; she quickly walked to Lu Chen¡¯s side and asked with concern, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± Although she didn¡¯t seem worried about the situation at the Prince¡¯s Mansion on the way back, she was still very worried about Lu Chen¡¯s condition. Lu Chen was about to answer that he was fine when he suddenly thought of something, then immediately covered his chest and said with a strained expression, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯m fine, just sustained a minor injury.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s appearance, Chu Yuqin became extremely anxious, ¡°Chen¡¯er, do you feel unwell anywhere right now?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no discomfort, but I feel like there¡¯s something accumulating in my Dantian, making it hard to breathe.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian, who was not far away, couldn¡¯t help but become worried. He was about to say something when he heard Lu Chen say, ¡°Commander Qin, please help to deal with the corpses in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. I¡¯m feeling unwell, so 1 will retire to rest first.¡± At that, Lu Chen took Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade hand in front of everyone and walked away, saying as they left, ¡°Madam Chu, please help me regulate my condition quickly, I feel the energy inside me getting more and more obstructed.¡± Seeing this scene, Mu Changtian was stunned. After Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin left, Mu Changtian asked Qin Yushan curiously, ¡°Commander Qin, the North Prince is alright, isn¡¯t he?¡± Mu Changtian didn¡¯t know what was going on; he really thought that Lu Chen was seriously injured and needed Chu Yuqin¡¯s treatment. Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s question, Qin Yushan said with a smile, ¡°Of course the North Prince is not alright.¡± This¡­ Mu Changtian asked with confusion, ¡°Why do you still smile when the North Prince is not alright?¡± Qin Yushan countered, ¡°General Mu, can¡¯t you tell the North Prince only shows issues in front of Madam Chu?¡± Mu Changtian was no fool; with the reminder from Qin Yushan, he quickly realized the truth. The talk of injuries was merely an excuse. So, could it be that the North Prince harbors other thoughts toward Chu Yuqin? Mu Changtian quickly stopped himself from thinking further. It wasn¡¯t his place to be concerned about such matters. It¡¯s normal for a man to have thoughts about a beautiful woman; the North Prince is a man, after all¡ªnothing strange there. Mu Changtian then turned his attention to the assassin corpses scattered on the ground, and he noticed that besides the assassins¡¯ bodies, there were no others. Not a single soldier from the Prince¡¯s Mansion was dead, which meant that the moment the assassins from Blood Moon Tower arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the mansion had managed to eliminate all of the assassins without a single casualty? How was this possible? Mu Changtian then looked at Qin Yushan and continued to ask, ¡°Commander Qin, why don¡¯t 1 see the corpses of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s soldiers?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°General Mu, not a single soldier from the Prince¡¯s Mansion has died; where would the bodies come from?¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s answer, Mu Changtian was completely astounded; the Prince¡¯s Mansion had truly not lost a single soldier and had wiped out all of Blood Moon Tower¡¯s assassins! Is this the true strength of the North Prince Mansion? At that moment, Qin Yushan said, ¡°General Mu, you should go back and rest well today. Tomorrow morning the Prince has matters to convene us for, and then you must also participate.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian said, ¡°All right, 1 will go back then.¡± Afterward, Mu Changtian turned and left the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Meanwhile. After arriving at the study, Lu Chen pretended to be in great discomfort. Seeing Lu Chen in this state, Chu Yuqin said with a worried face, ¡°Chen¡¯er, don¡¯t scare me, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°All, just now I carelessly received a palm strike from an assassin. Commander Qin examined me and said it¡¯s nothing serious, but for some reason, I just feel uncomfortable here in my chest.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin no longer cared about proprieties regarding physical contact between men and women, and said directly, ¡°Quickly take off your clothes, let me have a look.¡± Without another word, Lu Chen immediately began to undress, taking off his upper garments. Chu Yuqin immediately raised her delicate hands and gently touched Lu Chen¡¯s chest. She channeled her Inner Strength into Lu Chen¡¯s body to help him check if there was anything wrong, but she found no problems. Chu Yuqin muttered to herself, ¡°Strange, 1 can¡¯t find anything unusual either?¡± With that, Chu Yuqin raised her head, her beautiful eyes locked onto Lu Chen¡¯s as she said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, could it be that, like last time, there was an issue when you were training in martial arts, which has caused your inner strength to circulate poorly?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That¡¯s possible. It¡¯s probably because that thief struck me, bringing out the hidden injuries I¡¯ve accumulated from recent training days, making me feel the flow in my Dantian is not smooth.¡± Suddenly, Chu Yuqin thought of something and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you knew an Immortal Technique to heal the body? Why not try using it to treat yourself?¡± Lu Chen sighed, ¡°Ah, Madam Chu, it¡¯s hard for a doctor to heal oneself, you know. My Immortal Technique can only be used to heal others, not myself.¡± Chu Yuqin asked worriedly, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, have you forgotten about the method we used last time to regulate my condition?¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin hesitated for a moment. Of course, she hadn¡¯t forgotten how she had helped Lu Chen last time, but she still felt that method was a bit improper. Moreover, she almost made a mistake last time. If she did the same again, what if she couldn¡¯t control herself later? Thinking about what happened last time, a blush quickly appeared on Chu Yuqin¡¯s elegant and dignified face as she then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, is that method truly effective for your body?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Didn¡¯t we already try it last time? It¡¯s definitely effective.¡± Chu Yuqin hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s try again, but keep your legs away from me this time.¡± As she said this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face became even redder, a complete image of a shy and beautiful woman. It was okay for their upper bodies to be close, but it would be inappropriate for their lower bodies. She was also aware that Lu Chen had some feelings for her and she was worried he wouldn¡¯t be able to control himself. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s agreement, Lu Chen said, ¡°Mm-hmm, I understand.¡± Then, Lu Chen raised his hands and directly embraced Chu Yuqin¡¯s waist. Chu Yuqin¡¯s hips were leaning against the desk, which slightly indented from the pressure. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered in Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, ¡°Madam Chu, with the Barbarian Tribe attacking this time, 1 don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to see you all afterwards.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin quickly replied, ¡°Chen¡¯er, don¡¯t speak of such ominous things. I believe you will definitely be able to defeat the Barbarian Tribe, after all, you are someone with a fate with the immortals, blessed by an Immortal!¡± Lu Chen spoke with a downhearted tone, ¡°It¡¯s not the fear of the many, but the fear of the one.¡± At this point, Lu Chen tightened his arms, hugging the Gentle Jade Fragrance in his embrace very tightly, their bodies also pressing closely together. Chu Yuqin twisted her hips slightly, trying to avoid Lu Chen¡¯s enthusiasm, but finding she couldn¡¯t move at all, she let him hold her. Just then, the distinct masculine scent from Lu Chen¡¯s body wafted into Chu Yuqin¡¯s nostrils, making her feel a sudden warmth all over. Chu Yuqin grew nervous, indeed it was like last time.. Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69 How Could You Treat Me Like This_i Chapter 69: Chapter 69 How Could You Treat Me Like This_i Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin wanted to channel her energy to soothe the unusual sensations in her body and calm her restless heart, but just like before, she now had no skill within her, just like an ordinary person. Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit nervous; every time she interacted with Lu Chen, she felt this way. If it continued, who knows, one day she might make a mistake. Fortunately, at this moment, Lu Chen didn¡¯t make any inappropriate moves. He held Chu Yuqin tightly, with his head resting on her fragrant shoulder, whispering in her ear, ¡°If one day something happens to me, you must take care of Zixuan and the others, I¡¯m entrusting them to you.¡± Hearing the tone of Lu Chen as if he were entrusting his last wishes, Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, if you say such things again, I will get angry.¡± In Chu Yuqin¡¯s opinion, Lu Chen¡¯s words were very inauspicious. If they really became a terrible omen, what would she do if something happened to him? Seeing the seriousness in Chu Yuqin¡¯s tone, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say it anymore.¡± Feeling the softness of Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts wandered to other matters, his blood surged, becoming somewhat restless. A unique subtle fragrance assailed Lu Chen¡¯s nose, ceaselessly provoking him, as if it were teasing him. Chu Yuqin also noticed the strangeness at this moment. She shifted slightly, trying to distance her hips from Lu Chen. However, Lu Chen did not comply with her wish. His large hand shifted slightly downward, securing Chu Yuqin¡¯s hips in place, preventing her from moving. Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart was in turmoil. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to be so bold. She quickly pushed Lu Chen away slightly from the upper half of her body, then looked at him with eyes brimming with spring waters, and asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, do you feel better now?¡± ¡°If you do, please let go of me.¡± There was a hint of pleading in Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, if this continued, things might really go awry. Lu Chen said, ¡°I still feel uncomfortable, let me stay a bit longer, it¡¯s probably because of the many hidden injuries I¡¯ve accumulated. I need some time to heal.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed, and she said softly, ¡°Can your hands be a little more behaved? Don¡¯t touch everywhere, if this continues, 1 will really get angry.¡± Lu Chen, with an innocent face, said, ¡°Touching randomly? No, haven¡¯t my hands been right here the whole time?¡± Chu Yuqin pursed her lips and said nothing more; it was really difficult for her to articulate. As time passed, Chu Yuqin found it increasingly hard to suppress the restlessness in her heart; her entire body softened, relying on Lu Chen to stand. At this moment, Lu Chen looked into Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful eyes and said, ¡°1 feel that this method of recuperation isn¡¯t very effective anymore. We need to go a step further.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin, who was already in a daze, suddenly came to her senses. Go a step further? Their bodies were already pressed together; if they took another step, wouldn¡¯t that mean¡­ Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t dare to think further and hastily said, ¡°No, we can¡¯t do that sort of thing!¡± Seeing the excited look on Chu Yuqin¡¯s face, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°You misunderstood me, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin relaxed a little, then asked with a tender tone, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what do you mean by going further¡­¡± Before Chu Yuqin could finish speaking, Lu Chen leaned in and took the initiative to kiss her fragrant lips. Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind went blank. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to do such a thing, and his actions were so sudden she didn¡¯t even have time to dodge. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at Chu Yuqin¡¯s favorability; it had always been at 98, just missing two points to reach 100. But with his proactive kiss, Chu Yuqin¡¯s favorability didn¡¯t decrease; instead, it increased by one point, reaching 99. XXX Lu Chen felt somewhat incredulous, as he had braced himself for Chu Yuqin¡¯s favorability towards him to decline after such incident. Actually, this was quite understandable. Chu Yuqin had always harbored those feelings for him deep inside, and with the continuous influence of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, her heart had long belonged to him. However, due to certain conventional morals of the world that shackled her like chains, she never dared to take things further with Lu Chen. But today, Lu Chen took the initiative to break the awkward standoff between them, which directly shattered the chains around Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart, causing her favorability towards Lu Chen to start rising. After Chu Yuqin regained her composure, she quickly raised her hand, incessantly pushing against Lu Chen¡¯s chest, trying to push him away. ¡°Umm umm umm¡­¡± Chu Yuqin, while pushing Lu Chen¡¯s chest with her jade hand, made protesting noises, but Lu Chen didn¡¯t pay attention to any of these. This was the best chance for desensitization; if he and Chu Yuqin continued without anything further happening, their relationship would remain in a deadlock like this. Lu Chen didn¡¯t plan to take Chu Yuqin today, but it was essential to get her accustomed to being intimate with him. Only then would she be able to accept him more readily when it came to proper matters in the future. Chu Yuqin struggled for a moment, and upon realizing that she couldn¡¯t budge Lu Chen, she had no choice but to give up and passively comply with his kisses. After what seemed like an eternity, Chu Yuqin felt Lu Chen¡¯s hands becoming increasingly restless. Her mind snapped back to clear-headedness, realizing that if this continued, she would likely become Lu Chen¡¯s woman. No! This can¡¯t go on any longer. He is Yue¡¯s child! I can¡¯t make a mistake! From where she got the strength, she didn¡¯t know, but she suddenly pushed him, and this time, she actually managed to push Lu Chen away. After pushing Lu Chen away, Chu Yuqin spoke with tears in her eyes and shame and indignation, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°How could you treat me like this!¡± ¡°I¡¯m your aunt, you know!¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s pitiful and moving appearance, Lu Chen felt guilty inside. He immediately said, ¡°Just now, I don¡¯t know what happened. I suddenly couldn¡¯t control myself, and it might have something to do with the Immortal Law I¡¯m practicing.¡± ¡°I was wrong. Please don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin calmed down a bit. She wiped away her tears with her sleeve and then asked, ¡°How is your body feeling now?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°It has recovered some. It¡¯s much better than before.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°I can help you recuperate, but you must not mess with me again!¡± Lu Chen showed a crestfallen expression and said, ¡°I understand.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s demeanor, Chu Yuqin knew she had been too harsh with her words. She felt extremely guilty, and then she took the initiative to move closer, leaning on Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest. Witnessing this, Lu Chen was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Chu Yuqin to come closer on her own. At that moment, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Don¡¯t move, just let me hold you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen replied, ¡°Okay.¡± After a little while, Chu Yuqin noticed something off about Lu Chen again, and with her face flushed, she fiercely scolded, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you little rascal, why are you always so restless!¡± Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Dont Even Think About It_i Chapter 70: Chapter 70 Don¡¯t Even Think About It_i Translator: 549690339 Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen naturally knew what she was referring to. Lu Chen then said with a helpless look on his face, ¡°Madam Chu, I am a man, and any vigorous young man holding a great beauty in his arms can hardly remain indifferent.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen actually praise herself as a great beauty, Chu Yuqin felt even more flustered inside. Although she had forced herself to calm down just moments ago, for some reason, she was starting to feel restless again. Chu Yuqin emphasized again, ¡°I am your aunt! You mustn¡¯t harbor any improper thoughts towards me!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Madam Chu, we have no blood relations, and besides, you¡¯re only about eleven years older than me.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was taken aback. What Lu Chen said was true; they had no blood relationship. At most, she was merely sworn sisters with Lu Chen¡¯s mother. And even though an eleven-year difference seemed significant, when those men took wives, some in their seventies or eighties still married girls in their teens. In truth, this age difference wasn¡¯t really significant. If one thought about it that way, it seemed there wasn¡¯t anything particularly unsuitable about the two of them. At this moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind went blank, and she quickly stopped herself from entertaining wild thoughts. How could she even think like that! She was a woman who had been married! She was now a widow! And Chen¡¯er was a prince, how could a prince marry a widow! With this thought, Chu Yuqin immediately said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I don¡¯t care what you say, you just can¡¯t have thoughts about your aunt, if Yue finds out that 1 deceived her son¡¯s body, how can I face her after I die!¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Then let me be the one to trick you.¡± Chu Yuqin snorted lightly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly. Even though Chu Yuqin was so defiant with her words, he could tell that her defenses were starting to weaken, and after a few more intimate encounters, Chu Yuqin would completely succumb. After an unknown amount of time, Chu Yuqin asked gently, ¡°Chen¡¯er, do you feel better now?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Hmm, my dantian feels better, there¡¯s no longer that sensation of blocked energy flow, but 1 feel uncomfortable elsewhere.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin immediately understood what Lu Chen meant, she spat angrily, ¡°You little rascal, don¡¯t think that 1 don¡¯t know what¡¯s on your mind, deal with your other physical issues by going to Mu Zixuan yourself.¡± Having said that, Chu Yuqin gently pushed Lu Chen away and then took a few steps back to distance herself from him. ¡°Chen¡¯er, since you¡¯re fine now, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Chen felt that it was more or less enough for the time being; these sorts of matters needed a gradual approach, not force. Afterward, Chu Yuqin turned around and headed for the door. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s alluring figure, Lu Chen felt he was losing control, and immediately went to Mu Zixuan¡¯s courtyard, picked her up, and took her to the next room to cultivate their relationship. The next morning. Early in the morning, before Lu Chen had gotten up, important officials from North City had arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Prefecture Governor Li Rui, upon seeing the generals and colonels in armor at the Prince¡¯s Mansion training ground, was somewhat puzzled. What was the purpose of the Prince¡¯s Mansion gathering them at this time? Since the North Prince had come to North City, he had not bothered with the affairs of North City; each time he went to the North Prince to report on his duties, the North Prince found some excuse to send him away. This seemed to be the first time the North Prince had summoned them to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. XXX Could it be that the North Prince was planning to take charge of the affairs of North City? At this thought, Li Rui felt some tension inside. He was unsure whether the North Prince would make some major policy adjustments. If the North Prince really intended to initiate reforms, then, as Prefecture Governor, his workload might increase significantly. Of course, that wasn¡¯t Li Rui¡¯s biggest concern. What worried him the most was that the North Prince might replace him as Prefecture Governor with someone from his inner circle to facilitate the reform. Thinking of this, Li Rui immediately approached Li Feng and asked in a low voice, ¡°General Li, do you know why the Prince has summoned us here?¡± Li Feng shook his head and said, ¡°1 too have just received the Prince¡¯s message, and I¡¯m not aware of what he wants to discuss.¡± Hearing this from Li Feng made Li Rui even more anxious. Even Li Feng, an important general close to the North Prince, was unaware of the matter, so it must be something significant. At that moment, a middle-aged man clad in armor entered the training ground with two youths. Seeing the man, Li Feng and the soldiers who initially followed Lu Chen to North City were stunned. Li Feng then walked up to the man. As he was about to salute, the man stopped him by lifting his arm. Li Feng, looking at Mu Changtian in confusion, asked, ¡°General Mu, what brings you to North City?¡± Hearing Li Feng¡¯s words, Mu Changtian smiled and corrected, ¡°General Li, you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. My surname is Mo, not Mu.¡± At this clarification from Mu Changtian, Li Feng instantly realized something must have happened in the Capital City. As a subordinate of Mu Changtian, how could he not recognize Mu Changtian and his two sons? Li Feng finally understood why Mu Changtian had them accompany the North Prince in the first place¡ªjudging by the situation, it seems that the Hu Ben Army might have already been disbanded and reorganized. Li Feng then asked, ¡°General Mo, what has happened in the Capital City?¡± Mu Changtian replied, ¡°Duke Mu Residence is implicated in conspiring with the remnants of Chen Nation and has been exiled by the Emperor. Our Mo family also suffered because of this. We were attacked by assassins on the way to exile, but fortunately, the Prince sent someone to rescue us and brought us to North City.¡± Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Li Feng¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. Lately, he had also noticed the changes in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which recently gained many Ninth Grade experts, even one who seemed to be at Master Level. Li Feng had long recognized the North Prince¡¯s remarkable capabilities, so it wasn¡¯t strange to him that the North Prince could save Mu Changtian. What he found hard to believe was the audacity of the North Prince. There is a difference between having the ability and having the courage to save someone. Some people might have the ability to save others but not necessarily the courage to do so. The Duke Mu Residence was eliminated because of a conflict with the Emperor, yet the North Prince dared to rescue the entire family under such circumstances, which showed the North Prince¡¯s tremendous boldness. Had it been any other Prince, they would have feared getting involved and wouldn¡¯t dare to have any contact with Duke Mu Residence. Li Feng thought to himself, could it be that the North Prince summoned them today because of General Mu? Just as Li Feng was contemplating this, a maid from the Prince¡¯s Mansion came over and said to everyone, ¡°The Prince has asked you to wait in his study.¡± Hearing this, everyone immediately headed for Lu Chen¡¯s study. After Lu Chen got up and had a simple breakfast, he headed to his study. Meanwhile, the people inside the study were still guessing why the North Prince had called for them. Then, the figure of the North Prince appeared at the door, and everyone immediately saluted, saying, ¡°We greet the North Prince!¡± Lu Chen waved his hand to dismiss the formalities before walking straight to his desk and opened a map spread out on it. Li Rui was the first to speak, ¡°Prince, may I ask why you have gathered us here today?¡± Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Should We Seek Aid from the Imperial Court?_i Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Should We Seek Aid from the Imperial Court?_i Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Li Rui¡¯s question, Lu Chen did not answer directly. He glanced at the crowd, then turned to Qin Yushan and said, ¡°Commander Qin, you speak.¡± When the crowd heard Lu Chen¡¯s words, their gaze collectively fell on Qin Yushan. Li Rui and the others were somewhat curious. Commander? What position was that? When did such a position come to exist at the Prince¡¯s Mansion? At that moment, Qin Yushan stepped forward out of the crowd and approached Lu Chen¡¯s table. He first paid his respects and said, ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± Afterward, Qin Yushan addressed the crowd, ¡°Our people intercepted a summoning order on the plains. The Barbarian Tribe is preparing to gather three hundred thousand cavalry to head southward, conquer North City, and establish a nation there, choosing Yan County as their capital.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s faces went pale. The Barbarian Tribe, North City¡¯s greatest threat. North City¡¯s impoverishment stemmed from those periodic southern incursions by the Barbarian Tribe. It had not occurred to anyone that the Barbarian Tribe would bypass petty looting and go straight to conquering North City, even going so far as to form a nation there. Anxiety seized the people in the study room. Especially Li Rui, who owed his role as Prefecture Governor to the demise of his predecessors at the hands of the Barbarian Tribe; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been his turn to hold the position. He had hoped to enjoy some days of peace, but after just over a year, the Barbarian Tribe was heading south again. And it wasn¡¯t a mere looting expedition. Were it only for grain, Li Rui wouldn¡¯t have been so concerned, given that the Barbarian Tribe typically raided other cities to the north of Yan County, seldom venturing to Yen County, being further south. After snapping back to reality, Li Rui hastily asked, ¡°That, Commander Qin, is your intelligence reliable?¡± A southern invasion by the Barbarian Tribe was a major event, not to mention three hundred thousand cavalry marching south to attack North City. Reporting it to the imperial court, and doing so promptly, was imperative. To those present, North City¡¯s thirty thousand soldiers stood no chance against the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry; they could only hope for assistance from the imperial court¡¯s forces. In truth, North City had always relied on the imperial army to fend off the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s invasions, the local thirty thousand soldiers merely meant to deal with lesser threats. At that point, Qin Yushan said, ¡°The intelligence we¡¯ve gathered has been verified. Our people infiltrated the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court, personally acquiring this piece of news directly from the mouth of a Barbarian King.¡± This¡­ Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, disbelief painted the faces of everyone present. Who exactly was this Commander Qin by the Prince¡¯s side? The Prince¡¯s men had infiltrated the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court? At that moment, Li Rui came to a stark realization. He had always assumed Lu Chen to be an indolent Prince who shirked responsibilities, but now he understood that everything had been a facade for others to see. The North Prince secretly possessed a force of his own, a force that had already permeated various places within North City and even penetrated the Barbarian Tribe. Sweat beaded on Li Rui¡¯s forehead at the thought; fortunate was he that he had never tried to trip up the North Prince upon his arrival in North City. Otherwise, it wasn¡¯t just his official¡¯s cap at jeopardy¡ªwhether he¡¯d even still be alive was in question. At this juncture, Mu Changtian spoke, ¡°Prince, what¡¯s your plan? Will you seek assistance from the imperial court?¡± Thirty thousand versus three hundred thousand, there¡¯s not a chance of victory, and we must have the court send a large army here, or North City is done for. Lu Chen said, ¡°I plan to send someone to inform the court about this situation later, but it will take at least three months for the court to assemble a large army, while the Barbarian Tribe can complete their assembly in about two months. North City will still need us to defend it for a while.¡± Although Lu Chen was confident he could have his thirty thousand soldiers hold North City and even defeat the thirty thousand cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe, such a matter was inevitably to be reported to the court, given that, at least in name, North City was territory of the Great Xia Dynasty. If we didn¡¯t inform the court about the foreign invasion, whether we ended up winning or losing the battle, the court would suspect us of having a rebellious heart for not reporting such a critical matter. However, the assembly of Great Xia¡¯s large army wasn¡¯t as swift as that of the Barbarian Tribe; mobilizing a large army would take at least two to three months. There¡¯s a saying that troops and horses do not move without the supply of grains first, and certainly, Great Xia¡¯s army could not be as fast as the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry. Moreover, this is North City, where the roads are exceptionally poor, so it would take even more time for Great Xia to move a large army here. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui¡¯s complexion turned even paler. If the Barbarian Tribe made their way southward, they could probably take the whole North City in less than a month, and with Great Xia¡¯s army taking such a long time to assemble, by the time they arrived, all thirty thousand of their soldiers might well be dead. What would become of Yan County by that time was too dreadful to imagine. Lu Chen continued, ¡°I plan to evacuate all the civilians north of Yan County to the south of Yan County and then concentrate all our forces in Yan County to hold off the Barbarian Army¡¯s thirty thousand. General Mo, you have previously engaged in combat with the Barbarian Army; what do you think of this plan?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Mu Changtian paused for a second, his brow furrowing slightly. Then he glanced at the map and asked, ¡°Scorched earth is not a problem, but if we evacuate all the civilians north of Yan County, the Barbarian Army will march straight in, reaching Yan County. It will be difficult for thirty thousand soldiers to hold it.¡± Mu Changtian knew all too well the strength of the Barbarian cavalry. Most of them were elite soldiers; it was virtually impossible for thirty thousand soldiers to hold off an opposing thirty thousand cavalry. Lu Chen continued, ¡°What if 1 told you 1 have a weapon that can instantly break the cavalry¡¯s formation?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Feng and the others¡¯ eyes lit up instantly. Those who had followed the North Prince from the start knew that he possessed some mysterious weapons, like those explosive stones and the black sticks that could kill a Ninth Grade martial artist in an instant. Rumors had already spread throughout the army that the North Prince had received the legacy of an Immortal. Whether or not he had the legacy of an Immortal was beside the point; as long as the North Prince had a weapon capable of annihilating the Barbarian Tribe or could mass-produce such a weapon, it would suffice. Just as Mu Changtian was about to ask Lu Chen about the weapon, Lu Chen, looking at the map, continued, ¡°General Mo, I plan to lure the Barbarian cavalry to Wanning Valley and then ambush them from the high ground above the valley. Do you think this plan is feasible?¡± Since Mu Changtian had several encounters with the Barbarian Tribe, he was most familiar with their situation, so Lu Chen sought his opinion. Professional matters should be left to professionals. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian eyed the map on the table seriously and did not immediately respond. After a while, Mu Changtian finally spoke, ¡°If the Prince stays in Yan County, luring the Barbarian cavalry to Wanning Valley wouldn¡¯t be difficult. The terrain of Wanning Valley is relatively flat, which is conducive to the cavalry¡¯s southward advance directly towards Yan County.¡± ¡°However, Prince¡­ If you set an ambush in Wanning Valley with just thirty thousand men, 1 fear they would be utterly incapable of stopping the charge of the Barbarian Iron Cavalry.¡± Wanning Valley is flanked by high ground on both sides with a wide-open plain in front, so even if the Barbarian Iron Cavalry were to be ambushed in Wanning Valley, they could simply accelerate to quickly clear the valley. Wanning Valley is not very long; without at least a hundred thousand men up front, blocking the charge of the Barbarian Iron Cavalry seems hardly possible. What¡¯s more, the thirty thousand soldiers of North City still need to set the ambush on the high ground on both sides, leaving even fewer than thirty thousand soldiers to face the enemy in a frontal attack.. Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 721 Want Him to Be My Slave i Chapter 72: Chapter 721 Want Him to Be My Slave i Translator: 549690339 Having heard Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen looked at the map and fell into deep thought once again. This was indeed a problem. The Wanning Valley wasn¡¯t long, and it wouldn¡¯t be a big issue for the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry to pass through quickly. Once they used the grenade launchers, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry would surely fall into disarray; they would either charge forward or retreat backward. No matter if the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry charged forward or retreated, they would need a large number of soldiers to withstand the cavalry. Of course, if they were only planning to repel the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s soldiers, they would just need to hold the front of Wanning Valley. However, Lu Chen had great ambitions; he wasn¡¯t content with just repelling the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry. If they only repelled the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry, the cavalry, failing to capture Yan County, would likely attack other cities instead. His aim in this battle was to eliminate the living forces of the Barbarian Tribe, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t be able to assemble forces and head south for a long time. Therefore, these 300,000 men absolutely couldn¡¯t be allowed to return. If they were let go, once those Barbarian Tribe soldiers recovered, wouldn¡¯t they head south again to plunder? Lu Chen certainly didn¡¯t believe that grenade launchers could completely intimidate them. Lu Chen had also heard about the situation in the north. Come winter, even North City would see many commoners starve to death, let alone those on the grasslands. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t sympathizing with the Barbarian Tribe; in his view, people on the verge of starvation were capable of anything, and the Barbarian Tribe wouldn¡¯t fear heading south just because North City possessed grenade launchers. Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Hurry up with the recruitment.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Changtian still looked somewhat worried and said, ¡°Prince, within such a short period, training new recruits to combat the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry seems like a formidable challenge.¡± Mu Changtians words were rather conservative; it was simply impossible to train soldiers to fight the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry within two months. Lu Chen understood this well and immediately said, ¡°I plan to create an Artillery camp. The newly recruited soldiers won¡¯t participate in frontal combat; this way, all 30,000 soldiers from North City can enter the frontlines.¡± Artillery camp? What was that? Hearing this new term from Lu Chen¡¯s mouth, everyone felt confused; they had never heard of an Artillery camp before. Lu Chen looked at Li Rui and said, ¡°Prefecture Governor Li, 1¡¯11 have to trouble you with this matter. You need to collaborate with General Li and others and quickly recruit ten thousand new soldiers.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui immediately said, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Li Rui sighed inwardly; he had intended to suggest that the North Prince should retreat southward, but from the tone of North Prince, there appeared to be no intention to retreat. If he proposed a southern retreat at this time, wouldn¡¯t he offend the North Prince? Li Rui couldn¡¯t help but think, what good would recruiting ten thousand more soldiers do? Not to mention ten thousand soldiers, even if they recruited an additional hundred thousand new recruits, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s iron cavalry. Although he thought this, Li Rui didn¡¯t dare to voice it out directly; after all, the North Prince was a Seignior, and he was merely the lord of North City. At this moment, Lu Chen looked at the map on the table and said, ¡°After the Artillery camp is formed, this prince will show you the new weapons of North Prince Mansion.¡± Hearing this, everyone grew even more curious. The North Prince seemed very confident in his so-called new weapons, making one wonder what kind of new weapons they were that gave the North Prince the courage to fight the Barbarian Army at Yan County. As curious as they were, they didn¡¯t keep on asking. The North Prince said he would show them, so the main task now was to hurry up with the recruitment of soldiers and to form the new army as quickly as possible. In the North Land, among the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal courts. Spread across the boundless grasslands, various sizes of felt tents, also known as Mongolian yurts, were scattered. The closer to the center, the larger the Mongolian yurts became, with the largest belonging to one of the great kings of the Barbarian Tribe. The Barbarian Tribe was widely dispersed across the grasslands, comprised of seven kings in total. The Sky Wolf King, situated due north of North City, was the one preparing to attack and planning to establish a nation in North City. At this moment, a woman clad in animal skin rode her horse to the center of the yurt cluster. Her skin was fair, her face delicately beautiful, a stark contrast to what one would expect of someone living on the grasslands. After dismounting from her horse, she immediately asked her slave, ¡°Has Wu Yuan returned?¡± The slave at her side, whose face bore engraved characters, promptly replied, ¡°He has returned, Princess.¡± Upon hearing this, the woman hurried excitedly to a smaller Mongolian yurt next to the largest one, lifted the tent curtain, and found the man she had been muttering about just now had indeed returned. At this point, the man named Wu Yuan was kneeling on the ground, reporting some intelligence to a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Inside the yurt, an exquisitely beautiful woman lay half-stretched on the bed, her long, fair legs exposed. She wore lavish fur clothing and her entire body was adorned with glittering jewelry, presenting an image of seductive charm. She was the most important woman within this branch of the Barbarian Tribe, the wife of the previous Sky Wolf King. According to the customs of the Barbarian Tribe, after the death of the previous Sky Wolf King, she was to marry the current Sky Wolf King. However, due to certain reasons, she had yet to marry, but she had already promised the current Sky Wolf King that if he could take over North City and establish a nation there, she would marry him and become his queen. At this moment, the woman who entered the tent greeted respectfully, ¡°My respects to the Queen.¡± Although the stunning woman before them had not yet married the current Sky Wolf King, everyone recognized her as the Queen. Yelv Nanyan glanced at Xiao Wenyao, then said softly, ¡°Rise.¡± Yelv Nanyan¡¯s voice was incredibly gentle, making one feel as if they were basking in the spring breeze. Xiao Wenyao, the woman who had entered the tent, was the daughter of the current Sky Wolf King, Xiao Hongbo. Originally, they had no surnames. But in order to emulate Great Sum, all members of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s clan had adopted surnames, and the royal family took the surname Xiao. The name Xiao Wenyao was also given to her by the Queen, Yelv Nanyan, not long ago. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s attention returned to the man before her as she asked, ¡°I heard that the Prince of North City is a lecherous man who spends all his days seeking pleasure in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, having never involved himself in the affairs of North City since he went there. Is this true?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°Indeed, it is so, Queen.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s answer, a smile appeared on Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face, ¡°Does this mean then, that for our great king¡¯s southern campaign, North City is ripe for the taking?¡± Wu Yuan cautioned, ¡°Queen, although the North Prince is incompetent, the armies of Great Sum will not stand idly by. As soon as the great king launches his campaign, Great Sum will surely send a large force northward.¡± Yelv Nanyan said indifferently, ¡°By the time the Great Sum army arrives, the great king will have already solidified his foothold in North City. Besides, internal strife is about to erupt within Great Sum, and the Sum Emperor will not have enough resources to deal with us.¡± At this point, Xiao Wenyao interjected, ¡°Queen, if we capture North City and manage to catch the North Prince, may I have him? I¡¯ve heard he is exceptionally handsome, and I would like him to be my slave..¡± Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73 How Handsome is He Really?_i Chapter 73: Chapter 73 How Handsome is He Really?_i Translator: 549690339 After hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work. No matter what, he is still a Prince of Great Xia. If we capture him, we can use him to conduct some trades with Great Xia. He still has some use to us.¡± Xiao Wenyao pouted her lips and didn¡¯t say much, as after all, Yelv Nanyan was the Princess Consort, and she possessed significant influence within the Sky Wolf King tribe. It was thanks to the leadership of the Princess Consort that the Sky Wolf King tribe had developed to its current size and acquired advanced weapons. She actively learned from Great Xia and had secretly bought off many from the Great Xia Dynasty; leveraging these people, she had been continuously engaged in commercial trade with the Great Xia Dynasty. Wu Yuan, kneeling before her, was one of them. Under her leadership, the Sky Wolf tribe had become no weaker than other Barbarian Tribe branches, and even more powerful than some. The idea of establishing a nation in North City was also a concept proposed by Yelv Nanyan. She noticed that the north became colder each year, and the Barbarian population was rapidly increasing. The current grasslands could no longer support such a large Barbarian population. In addition, North City was getting poorer and poorer, and even if they were to raid North City for food, the food they plundered wouldn¡¯t last long for their tribe. The best solution was to learn from the Great Xia Dynasty, cultivating food crops to support a larger population. Moreover, she had found out that a kind of grain crop, which could yield a thousand pounds per acre, appeared to have surfaced in North City. If the Sky Wolf King could conquer North City and establish a nation there, their branch would no longer need to follow the water and grass, and their lives would improve greatly. The Sky Wolf King tribe owes its present strength and size to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s numerous policies, making her an irreplaceable figure within the tribe, so much so that the current Sky Wolf King, Xiao Hongbo, held her in particularly high regard. Of course, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s status wasn¡¯t that high from the beginning. She married the former Sky Wolf King when she was just a teenager. However, the former Sky Wolf King was already an old man at that time, paralyzed in bed, unable to manage the tribe. It was Yelv Nanyan who helped him govern the tribe, and over time, she amassed considerable power in her hands. After the Sky Wolf King¡¯s death, having no offspring, thanks to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s mediation, the Sky Wolf tribe chose Xiao Hongbo as the new Sky Wolf King. The current Sky Wolf King was chosen with the help of Yelv Nanyan, which once again consolidated the power in her hands. And Yelv Nanyan was a very smart woman. She gave the current Sky Wolf King plenty of respect, letting him make decisions on important matters, making it seem as though she had entirely ceded power. Even when the Sky Wolf King expressed his desire to marry her, she did not refuse, but rather set a goal for him, promising to marry him upon reaching that goal. Yelv Nanyan was just a teenager when she married the previous Sky Wolf King, and to this day remains a virgin. She couldn¡¯t possibly remain a widow for a man who was already dead, and she was indeed planning to marry at some point. In the eyes of the current Sky Wolf King, Xiao Hongbo, Yelv Nanyan was irrevocably his woman, which is why he trusted her immensely. As for taking down North City before marrying her, Xiao Hongbo saw it as a gift to Yelv Nanyan. At this moment, Yelv Nanyan continued speaking to the kneeling Wu Yuan, ¡°Wu Yuan, you¡¯ve had a hard time gathering information in Great Xia this time. Go and have a good rest.¡± ¡°Thank you, Princess Consort,¡± Wu Yuan immediately said. As his voice fell, Wu Yuan got up and left Yelv Nanyan¡¯s yurt straight away. Seeing Wu Yuan stand up and leave, Xiao Wenyao quickly said, ¡°Princess Consort, I shall take my leave as well.¡± Having said that, Xiao Wenyao then turned and left the yurt as well. As soon as Xiao Wenyao stepped out of the yurt, she hurriedly called out to Wu Yuan, ¡°Wu Yuan, wait a moment.¡± Wu Yuan stopped in his tracks, turned his head, and asked with utmost respect, ¡°Princess, do you need me for something?¡± Xiao Wenyao directly asked, ¡°The perfume and soap 1 had you bring for me, did you bring them?¡± Wu Yuan said with a smile, ¡°Since it is Her Highness¡¯s command, I will naturally obey. Those items are still on the carriage, I will go and bring them to Her Highness right now.¡± Xiao Wenyao replied, ¡°No need, I will go with you. Tell me about Great Xia on the way.¡± Perhaps influenced by Yelv Nanyan, Xiao Wenyao was very interested in all aspects of Great Xia. As Wu Yuan was from Great Xia, every time he returned from there, she would find him and inquire about various matters pertaining to Great Xia. For instance, she would ask about any recent fun events in Great Xia, or any gossip about the princes¡ªbasically, anything she found interesting, she would ask Wu Yuan about. Upon hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Wu Yuan responded, ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Whatever you wish to know, you may ask me.¡± While walking, Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°People say that the North Prince of Great Xia is extraordinarily handsome. Is he truly that attractive? Could you describe to me just how handsome he is?¡± This¡­ Wu Yuan was taken aback by Xiao Wenyao¡¯s first question. Wu Yuan pondered for a moment without replying immediately. Seeing that Wu Yuan did not answer right away, Xiao Wenyao turned to look at him, and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± After thinking, Wu Yuan said, ¡°Your Highness, I genuinely do not know how to describe the North Prince.¡± ¡°If judged by the standards of Great Xia¡¯s ladies, the North Prince is indeed considered extremely handsome. However, by the standards of the Barbarian Tribe women choosing a husband, I¡¯m afraid the North Prince might seem somewhat slender. The North Prince is not a martial artist; his physique is not robust.¡± Upon hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s answer, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s eyes lit up and then she said, ¡°I do not like men who are overly muscular. The men of the grasslands almost all look fat and bulky, hideously so. What is there to like about that?¡± Seeing that Xiao Wenyao seemed quite interested in the North Prince, Wu Yuan continued, ¡°Your Highness, you must know that the North Prince is particularly fond of beautiful women. If he were to see Your Highness, he would surely be unable to take his eyes off you.¡± ¡°If Your Highness is interested in the North Prince, the Great King¡¯s southern conquest of North City may present an opportunity for you.¡± Upon hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao sighed and said, ¡°As you¡¯ve just heard, the Queen said that the North Prince is still of use. Even if we capture the North Prince in the southern campaign, she will not hand him over to me.¡± Wu Yuan gave a faint smile, having initially intended to persuade Xiao Wenyao to go directly to North City, but upon reflection, he decided against it. It was a critical period, and extraneous actions could arouse suspicion and lead to more loss than gain. Soon after, Wu Yuan added, ¡°Do not worry, Your Highness. You will always have the opportunity to be alone with the North Prince.¡± Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore. By the way, do you know how to make perfume and soap?¡± ¡°Every time 1 run out, I have to wait for you to buy it from Great Xia, which is too troublesome. We might as well make it ourselves.¡± Wu Yuan explained, ¡°I apologize, Your Highness, but the method for making perfume and soap is only known to the North Prince Mansion. They only sell the finished products and have never revealed the methods for making soap and perfume.¡± Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao paused. ¡°The North Prince Mansion?¡± Wu Yuan then added, ¡°Yes, it is said that these two items, perfume and soap, were actually invented by the North Prince himself.¡± ¡°Moreover, this time I have brought a new item called scented soap for Your Highness, also made by the North Prince Mansion. Scented soap is even better than regular soap; I guarantee that Your Highness will love it after using it..¡± Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Daughter, Do Not Marry the North Fre Kingi Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Daughter, Do Not Marry the North Fre Kingi Translator: 549690339 Having heard Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao became even more curious about the North Prince. Recently, because her father was planning to attack North City, she often heard rumors about the North Prince. This was one of the reasons why Xiao Wenyao had suddenly taken an interest in the North Prince. On one hand, she had heard the name ¡°North Prince¡± quite frequently, and on the other, she wanted a rather delicate-looking slave, a pretty boy, if you will. Moreover, she thought the status of her slave should not be too low, as there¡¯s no sense of achievement in conquering someone of low status. Since the North Prince was deemed a useless Prince, it gave her an idea. Originally, she had thought the North Prince was completely a Prince who knew only how to indulge in luxury at the mansion, but Wu Yuan¡¯s words made her realize the North Prince might still be of some use. She was particularly fond of the perfumes and soaps from North Prince Mansion; the perfume helped cover the gamey smell of her fur, and the soap could clean her body thoroughly. She now found herself completely unable to do without these two items. Upon hearing that the North Prince had created both, her desire to capture him and turn him into her slave intensified. Xiao Wenyao then commented, ¡°So the North Prince isn¡¯t entirely useless after all.¡± Curiously, she asked, ¡°By the way, what exactly is perfume soap?¡± Wu Yuan explained, ¡°Perfume soap is used specifically for bathing. After washing, it leaves a fragrance on the body that lasts a long time.¡± Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same as perfume?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°Your Highness, perfume can be applied at any time, but it can¡¯t clean the body. Soap, however, is different; it cleans dirt from the body.¡± Seemingly understanding yet not quite, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°So it¡¯s like soap.¡± Wu Yuan, somewhat speechlessly, said, ¡°Your Highness, soap is actually used for cleaning clothes, not for bathing.¡± Xiao Wenyao completely ignored Wu Yuan¡¯s explanation and blurted out, ¡°Who cares, as long as it cleans the dirt off the body, it works.¡± Seeing Xiao Wenyao so determined, Wu Yuan couldn¡¯t be bothered to correct her any further; as long as she was happy, it was fine. As they walked on, they arrived in front of Wu Yuan¡¯s caravan. At that moment, Wu Yuan¡¯s caravan was loaded with a variety of goods exchanged from Great Sum. Ever since Yelv Nanyan had won over the merchants of Great Sum, some of the Sum¡¯s caravans had been trading with the Barbarian Tribe. Initially, they only traded common items like salt and tea. Gradually, as trade became more frequent, the Barbarians began buying iron directly from Great Sum, and later, they started trading for weapons and armor. The Sky Wolf Tribe¡¯s current strength was inseparable from these merchants of Great Sum. Wu Yuan quickly approached one of the carriages, rummaged through it, and then brought out a piece of fragrance soap to present in front of Xiao Wenyao. ¡°Princess, this is the bath fragrance soap.¡± ¡°Your Highness, please make sure not to bathe with soap in the future; it¡¯s bad for the body and can harm the skin.¡± Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s explanation, Xiao Wenyao took the fragrance soap from his hand, curious. Before she could even bring the soap to her nose, she smelled a fragrance and eagerly brought the soap under her nose to sniff it, then excitedly exclaimed, ¡°It actually smells nice!¡± ¡°It seems the North Prince pays special attention to women¡¯s products. If I can make him my slave, perhaps he could create even more useful items for women in the future.¡± Wu Yuan wanted to say that the soap was for both men and women, but he didn¡¯t say more; as long as the naive princess was happy, it was all that mattered. At that moment, a man approached Xiao Wenyao. ¡°Princess, the Great King summons you,¡± said the messenger. Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao paused, then asked, ¡°What does my father want with me?¡± The man replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Your Highness. You will find out once you¡¯re there.¡± Xiao Wenyao then handed the soap to Wu Yuan, ¡°Wu Yuan, deliver these items to where I¡¯m staying.¡± Wu Yuan responded respectfully, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± As soon as Wu Yuan finished speaking, Xiao Wenyao cheerfully proceeded to the King¡¯s tent, which was the largest yurt of the Sky Wolf Tribe. Upon entering the yurt, Xiao Wenyao noticed many people she had never seen before sitting inside. Sitting at the center was a tall and burly middle-aged man, with a distinctively protruding forehead, who was none other than Xiao Wenyao¡¯s father, Xiao Hongbo, the current Sky Wolf King. As Xiao Wenyao walked in, just as Xiao Hongbo was about to speak, she immediately asked, ¡°Father, what is the matter you wished to discuss with me?¡± Seeing Xiao Wenyao take the initiative to ask, Xiao Hongbo didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly said, ¡°Yaoyao, you have grown up, and it is time for you to marry.¡± These words struck her like a bolt of lightning, leaving Xiao Wenyao completely stunned. After a long moment, Xiao Wenyao came to her senses and quickly said, ¡°Father, I am still young, I cannot bear to leave you, I wish to continue staying by your side.¡± Xiao Wenyao might have been a bit naive, but she wasn¡¯t a fool. For someone of her status, it was likely that she would only marry into another tribe, becoming a tool in a political union. One only need look at the Queen to understand, married to a disgusting old man, tending to his every need, and Yelv Nanyan was one of the luckier ones, as she had managed to amass significant power for herself. The fate of other women was different; Xiao Wenyao still remembered several who had married the previous Sky Wolf King, many of whom had been tormented to death. If Yelv Nanyan had married the previous Sky Wolf King while he was still healthy, her fate would likely not have been much better. Xiao Wenyao was profoundly fearful of marriage. Seeing Xiao Wenyao so averse to the idea of marriage, Xiao Hongbo immediately said, ¡°Yaoyao, it is customary for women of the plains to marry at your age. Even though you are my daughter, you are not exempt from this tradition!¡± Hearing her father speak so firmly, Xiao Wenyao knew that no amount of talk would be useful, so she resigned herself to her fate, saying, ¡°Father, I understand.¡± Upon hearing her consent, Xiao Hongbo¡¯s stern face instantly brightened as he said with a smile, ¡°Since you agree, once 1 conquer North City, you shall marry the North Fre King and become his queen.¡± At these words, Xiao Wenyao turned deathly pale. The North Fre King was a recent arrival in the North Land, the ruler of a Barbarian Tribe. With the disintegration of a centralized authority like the Great Chanyu, the barbarians had split into seven tribes, each with their own royal court and king. Naturally, every tribe, including Xiao Hongbo¡¯s, harbored the ambition to reunify the Barbarian Tribes as in the past. After conquering North City, he planned to establish his own nation, then win over the North Fre King through marriage, subsequently declaring himself the Great Chanyu and demanding the other tribes¡¯ allegiance. Xiao Hongbo was a very ambitious king of the Barbarian Tribe. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao knelt with a thud, ¡°Father, I beg you, I do not want to marry the North Fre King!¡± Xiao Wenyao had heard of who the North Fre King was. His tribe was unlike theirs, which, due to frequent interaction with Great Sum, had adopted many of its customs. Never mind that the North Fre King¡¯s tribe was impoverished, they still practiced cannibalism, and the North Fre King himself was an extremely brutal man. Xiao Wenyao could not bear to think of the inhuman treatment she would endure once married to the North Fre King.. Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75 I know a friend of mine can help y掳u_i Chapter 75: Chapter 75 I know a friend of mine can help y¡ãu_i Translator: 549690339 Although Xiao Wenyao was a princess in the Sky Wolf Tribe, with a relatively high status, it would be quite different once married into the North Pre King¡¯s tribe. In the Barbarian Tribes, women¡¯s status was generally low. Xiao Wenyao¡¯s high status in the Sky Wolf Tribe was mainly because she had a father who was king of the barbarians. And Empress Yelv Nanyan had not achieved her position overnight; she, too, had benefited from the previous Sky Wolf King¡¯s ill health, which had allowed her to gradually accumulate some power in her hands. Every time Xiao Wenyao thought about the torture she would endure from the North Pre King after getting married, her delicate body involuntarily trembled. Continuing to cry, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Father, I¡¯ve heard that the previous queens of the North Fre King all died unnatural deaths. I¡¯m still young and don¡¯t want to die so soon!¡± Hearing her words, Xiao Hongbo flew into a rage, ¡°Nonsense! The North Fre King is a king of the Barbarian Tribe after all; he is entirely worthy of you. What more could you be dissatisfied with!¡± ¡°That¡¯s settled then. Once 1 conquer North City, you shall marry over there; there¡¯s no room for discussion!¡± Seeing her father finalize the decision, Xiao Wenyao instantly got up from the ground and ran out crying. Xiao Wenyao ran wildly across the grassland, not knowing how long it had been before she finally slowed down. At that moment, Wu Yuan came to Xiao Wenyao¡¯s side, ¡°Your Highness, what has happened to you?¡± Wu Yuan had just been instructing others to unload supplies when he suddenly noticed Xiao Wenyao run out of the royal tent, crying as she did so. Guessing there must be some new intelligence, he hurriedly pretended to comfort Xiao Wenyao, approaching her. Wiping away her tears, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Father is making me marry the North Fre King, but I refuse to marry that ogre!¡± This¡­ Wu Yuan¡¯s brain paused. The North Fre King? Could it be that the Sky Wolf King and the North Fre King were going to join forces in the attack on North City? Wu Yuan thought for a moment. True, if it was just the Sky Wolf Tribe, it would indeed be unlikely to muster an army of three hundred thousand, but with two Barbarian Kings joining forces, they could have such a huge army. If the Sky Wolf King was asking for help from the North Fre King to attack North City, he would naturally have to offer some benefits, and Xiao Wenyao was probably one of them. Seeing Wu Yuan silent, Xiao Wenyao turned her head to look at him and said, ¡°Wu Yuan, can you help me escape to Great Sum? I can¡¯t marry the North Fre King no matter what, I don¡¯t want to die yet.¡± ¡°Uh, Your Highness, I¡¯m afraid nobody dares to agree to such a request,¡± Wu Yuan said. Actually, Wu Yuan was also conflicted inside because he was just a spy, and he didn¡¯t know what kind of decisions would be made in North City or by the North Prince. If he took it upon himself to bring a daughter of a Barbarian King to North City, to Great Sum, it could provoke the barbarians to attack sooner, which would be very bad for the strategic arrangements in North City. With this in mind, Wu Yuan said, ¡°Your Highness, 1 know a friend who might be able to help you, but I need to ask his opinion first. I may have to wait until my next return to give you an answer.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao was instantly filled with hope, ¡°Wu Yuan, are you telling the truth? Can your friend really help me?¡± Wu Yuan said, ¡°Yeah, as long as he is willing, he can definitely help you.¡± Xiao Wenyao then said, ¡°Please do that for me. When will you depart for Great Sum?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°Your Highness, I have just returned today; 1 need to rest for at least two days.¡± Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Oh, okay, then when you come back next time, you must tell me your friend¡¯s response as soon as possible.¡± Wu Yuan said, ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± While they were talking, a rugged male voice came from behind them. ¡°Yaoyao, are you alright?¡± Hearing that, Wu Yuan and Xiao Wenyao both turned around to find Xiao Pengthian behind them, then Wu Yuan immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, I shall take my leave now. You two talk.¡± After he finished speaking, Wu Yuan turned and went back to his carriage to continue unloading the cargo. Xiao Pengthian was Xiao Wenyao¡¯s uncle, which is to say, he was the brother to Xiao Hongbo¡¯s legitimate wife. Originally, Xiao Pengthian should not have had the Xiao surname since Yelv Nanyan stipulated that the Xiao surname was reserved for the royal family, but Xiao Hongbo bestowed him with the Xiao surname to win him over. When she saw it was her uncle, Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°Uncle, do you need something from me?¡± Xiao Pengthian sighed and said, ¡°Yaoyao, 1 have already heard about your situation.¡± Xiao Wenyao was momentarily stunned. Xiao Pengthian continued, ¡°Xiao Hongbo is getting out of hand, first he caused the death of my sister, and now he wants to marry you off to that uncivilized tribe!¡± Hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao immediately picked up on the key phrases. She looked at Xiao Pengthian and urgently asked, ¡°Uncle, what did you just say?¡± ¡°Did my father cause the death of my mother?¡± With righteous indignation, Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°Who else but him? Your mother had always been in good health. How could she possibly die suddenly if not for Xiao Hongbo wanting to marry the empress, thus causing her death.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao felt as if her entire worldview had collapsed. She could hardly believe that her father could do such a thing. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao was still holding onto a sliver of hope, and she continued, ¡°Uncle, these are just your suspicions.¡± Seeing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s disbelief, Xiao Pengthian sighed again, ¡°Yaoyao, you are still young and don¡¯t understand these things.¡± ¡°Your father has become just like those emperors of the Central Plains Dynasty, willing to sacrifice anything for power in their hands, including their own wives and daughters.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this now. Yaoyao, don¡¯t worry. I will do my best to persuade your father not to marry you off to the North Fre King. If he really won¡¯t listen, then your uncle will think of other methods.¡± Gratefully, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Thank you, Uncle.¡± Half a month later. Great Sum, Capital city. Xuanzheng Hall. In the court, the ministers were discussing some trivial matters, when suddenly a loud shout came from outside the hall. ¡°Urgent news from North Land, Barbarian Tribe is stirring!¡± Upon hearing these words, the ministers in the hall, who had been arguing over matters of protocol, fell instantly silent. Soon, a soldier bearing three red flags on his back entered the hall, kneeled halfway, and lifted the bamboo tube in his hands high above his head, declaring, ¡°Your Majesty, the Barbarian Tribe is stirring, North City is in danger!¡± The eunuch quickly took the bamboo tube from the hands of the messenger and approached the Sum Emperor, opening the tube and handing the intelligence report to the Emperor. The Emperor received the parchment scroll and read the text written by Lu Chen carefully. At this moment, Xuanzheng Hall was exceptionally quiet, with all the ministers¡¯ eyes riveted on the Emperor, creating an extraordinarily heavy atmosphere within the hall. The Barbarian Tribe had always been a thorn in the side for Great Sum. Great Sum had dispatched troops to fight the Barbarian Tribe many times, with the outcome mostly being losses. Even when Great Sum won, the Barbarian Tribe could utilize the advantage of their cavalry to quickly withdraw from the battlefield. Thus, no matter the battle, Great Sum had not been able to completely eradicate the Barbarian Tribe. Upon seeing that three hundred thousand Barbarian cavalry were about to march south, the Emperor¡¯s expression darkened in an instant. The Barbarian cavalry could have come at any other time, but they chose to move south precisely when he was about to deal with the Aristocratic Family.. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76 How Does He Know the Barbarian Tribe is Moving South?_i Chapter 76: Chapter 76 How Does He Know the Barbarian Tribe is Moving South?_i Translator: 549690339 The Sum Emperor was no fool. Upon seeing Lu Chen¡¯s letter stating that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry was about to head south, he realized that this was definitely linked to the Aristocratic Family, and that even among his sons, someone might have been involved. As a seasoned politician, bringing in external enemies and then using them to seize benefits was something he had done as Emperor. Seeing the Sum Emperor¡¯s face grow so dark, the ministers in the Xuanzheng Hall didn¡¯t dare to breathe loudly, this being the first time that year they had seen the Sum Emperor with such an ugly expression. After a long moment, the Sum Emperor said with a cold laugh, ¡°The Barbarian Tribe really knows when to pick their moment.¡± The tall, thin man standing at the very front on the left side of the hall asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do we have any news about the situation in North City?¡± As soon as the man finished speaking, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°The North Prince has sent a letter, saying that his men intercepted a summons from the Barbarian Tribe on the plains. The Barbarian Tribe plans to gather 300,000 cavalry to head south, occupy North City to establish their nation, and use Yan County as their capital.¡± Upon hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, a wave of chatter erupted among the courtiers. ¡°300,000? My goodness! How could there be so many?¡± ¡°Establishing a nation! If we let the Barbarian Tribe establish a nation in North City, wouldn¡¯t Great Sum always be under the threat of the Barbarian cavalry?¡± ¡°We must not let the Barbarian Tribe head south!¡± ¡°The Barbarian Tribe has such wild ambitions, Great Sum must not let them off easily this time!¡± Hearing the discussions of the ministers, the Sum Emperor stayed silent for a long time without speaking. Some time later, Prince Lu Shuyun stood up and said, ¡°Father Emperor, your son believes that the North Prince may have exaggerated the military situation. To my knowledge, since the North Prince arrived in North City, he has been indulging in pleasures within his mansion all day long, without properly managing North City.¡± ¡°How would he know the Barbarian Tribe was heading south?¡± ¡°Besides, the Barbarian Tribe is further north of North City. Even if the Barbarian Tribe issued a summons, how could his men possibly intercept it unless they had infiltrated the land where the Barbarian Tribe lives?¡± Hearing Prince Lu Shuyun make such a statement, the ministers started to react. Right, how could the North Prince, that lazy and useless Prince, who hasn¡¯t been managing affairs since he went to North City, have possibly sent men to infiltrate the land where the Barbarian Tribe lives, and even intercepted their summons? He doesn¡¯t seem to be the kind of person who could do such a thing. Could it be that the North Prince truly exaggerated the military situation? At this moment, Prime Minister Lin Gaoyuan spoke, ¡°Prince Lu Shuyun, you claim that the North Prince exaggerated the military situation, do you have evidence other than deducing from the North Prince¡¯s behavior?¡± Hearing this, Lu Shuyun paused. Then Lu Shuyun continued, ¡°Prime Minister Lin, isn¡¯t this point alone sufficient? Or do you believe that the North Prince truly sent men to the land where the Barbarian Tribe lives?¡± Lin Gaoyuan replied indifferently, ¡°This official does not know whether the North Prince has sent men to the North Land where the Barbarian Tribe resides. This official only knows that the North Prince sent a Red Ribbon Messenger with the letter.¡± In the Great Xia Dynasty, a Red Ribbon Messenger signified the most urgent military intelligence, not to be dispatched lightly at any time. In Prime Minister Lin¡¯s view, even if the North Prince were foolish, he could not possibly be unaware of the significance of a Red Ribbon Messenger. As for exaggerating the military situation, the North Prince would not be able to withstand the punishment that would follow. If the North Prince was truly an ineffectual Prince, would a Prince who spends his days in pleasure within his mansion have the gall to exaggerate the military situation? And not fear the Sum Emperor stripping him of his Prince position? Therefore, Lin Gaoyuan believed that there was a high probability that the Barbarian Tribe was indeed exhibiting unusual activities. As for whether they had 300,000 soldiers, that was uncertain. It was also possible that the North Prince exaggerated the number of the Barbarian cavalry to gain support from the royal court. In summary, the Barbarians were indeed likely to move south, but whether they had 300,000 soldiers was not certain; this was Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s speculation. No sooner had Lin Gaoyuan finished speaking than Prince Lu Yi said, ¡°Father Emperor, your son wishes to lead troops northward to resist the Barbarians!¡± Right after the Crown Prince had spoken, Prince Wu Ming said sarcastically, ¡°Big brother, aren¡¯t you in a bit of a hurry? It is not yet certain whether the Barbarians are moving south, but you wish to lead troops northward¡ªdo you assure us that it will truly be to resist the Barbarians once you¡¯ve taken command?¡± Even during a Barbarian invasion, mutual recriminations in the court were commonplace, let alone when the invasion had not yet occurred. If a prince led troops northward and gained renown within the military, it would be greatly beneficial for the struggle of succession. Therefore, every prince sought to seize the opportunity to lead the troops, while also not wanting other princes to do so. Hearing Prince Wu Ming¡¯s words, Prince Lu Yi scoffed coldly, ¡°What do you mean, second brother? Resisting the Barbarians is the duty of our royal family¡¯s offspring. Are you suggesting that I have ulterior motives?¡± Just as Prince Wu Ming was about to say more, the Sum Emperor, seated on the Dragon Throne, interrupted the two, ¡°Enough.¡± Seeing that the Sum Emperor had spoken, the hall that had been as noisy as a marketplace instantly fell silent. ¡°Whether the Barbarians are truly moving south will be confirmed by my Shadow Guards. What you need to discuss now is how to respond if the Barbarians move south,¡± he decreed. Hearing the Sum Emperor speak thus, everyone stopped discussing the veracity of the matter. At this moment, Lu Shuyun¡¯s expression was somewhat unpleasant. He had thought the Barbarian invasion would catch the North Prince off guard or cover up the matter of the North Prince being assassinated by the Blood Moon Tower assassin. Unexpectedly, the North Prince had preemptively noticed the Barbarians¡¯ southward movement. But it didn¡¯t matter much now; the North Prince likely didn¡¯t have many days left to live. By this time, the Blood Moon Tower should have already reached Yan County. He believed that under the leadership of a Grandmaster from the Blood Moon Tower, even with the Mysterious Grandmaster present, they wouldn¡¯t be able to protect the North Prince. What he needed to consider now was how to secure the authority to lead troops northward. If he could lead troops north, as per his agreement with the Barbarian Tribe, he could then gain some concessions from them. Additionally, he could build prestige in the military, which would greatly increase his chances of success in the succession struggle. As for ceding the North City to the Barbarian Tribe, Lu Shuyun didn¡¯t care in the slightest. What he cared about was securing his position as Crown Prince. North City was nothing but a poor place. Since the Barbarian Tribe wanted it, he was willing to concede it to them. At this point, Prince Lu Yi spoke again, ¡°Father Emperor, your son believes that we should immediately assemble a large army and march north.¡± ¡°If the North Prince has resorted to using a Red Ribbon Messenger, it means the Barbarian southward movement is urgent. If the court sends troops too late, the 30,000 soldiers of North City will surely be unable to withstand the Barbarians¡¯ 300,000 cavalry.¡± No sooner had Prince Lu Yi finished speaking than Prince Si also spoke in agreement, ¡°Father Emperor, your son also believes that troops should be dispatched northward immediately!¡± This opportunity to lead troops was one no prince wanted to miss. It had been many years since Great Xia had such an opportunity, a chance for them to establish prestige in the military, and none of the princes wanted to miss out. However, in that moment, Lu Shuyun spoke, ¡°Father Emperor, in your son¡¯s opinion, since the North City is already the North Prince¡¯s fiefdom, naturally it should be his responsibility to resist the invasion of the Barbarians.¡± ¡°If the royal court must send troops every time foreign invaders encroach upon the border, then what is the role of the Seignior?¡± No sooner had Lu Shuyun finished speaking than the man standing to the upper right of the officials said, ¡°Your Majesty, this minister agrees with what Prince Lu Shuyun has said. The Seigniors on the frontiers already have the duty to resist foreign enemies; we should not always be depending on the royal court to send troops for every incursion..¡± Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Military Expansion Order i Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Military Expansion Order i Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing the words of Right Minister Zhao Wenhan, Left Minister Lin Gaoyuan chuckled and said, ¡°Indeed, the Seignior of the border provinces has the duty to ward off foreign enemies¡¯ invasions, but North City has only thirty thousand troops. Does Prime Minister Zhao truly believe that the North Prince can repel the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s invasion with these thirty thousand men?¡± Zhao Wenhan immediately replied, ¡°1 never said that.¡± At this point, Zhao Wenhan looked towards the Sum Emperor on the Dragon Throne, then continued, ¡°Your Majesty, North City has always been the first line of defense against the barbarian invasions. The customary thirty thousand troops are no longer sufficient to defend against the barbarian incursions, therefore, in my opinion, now is the time to issue a Military Expansion Order for North City.¡± As soon as Zhao Wenhan finished speaking, the court instantly became abuzz with discussions. Ever since the Sum Emperor ascended to the throne, in order to prevent the Seigniors from rebelling, he had issued an edict limiting their troops. In the territories of a Seignior, based on the size of their lands, there is a maximum number of soldiers they could maintain. For North City, the upper limit of troops was fifty thousand, which is why when Lu Chen talked about recruiting new soldiers, he was only recruiting ten thousand. Zhao Wenhan¡¯s suggestion seemed reasonable; after all, as North City was in the frontline against the Barbarian Tribe, granting the North Prince additional soldier quotas was appropriate. But¡­ Once this precedent was set, other Seigniors of the border regions would also use the same excuse to expand their armies. Defending against the barbarians is to defend against foreign invaders, and there are several other great dynasties in other directions of the Great Xia Dynasty. Although it has been many years since any wars broke out among these dynasties, there¡¯s no guarantee that one won¡¯t attack someday. If North City expands its army, then undoubtedly the other Seigniors will also request to expand their forces. This would clearly lead to a domino effect. Moreover, once North City expanded its troops, other dynasties might suddenly decide to attack Great Sum. Seigniors are not always docile; colluding with foreign enemies and then using it as leverage to demand a Military Expansion Order from the court is not impossible. The Sum Emperor was no fool; he was also well aware of the potential consequences of issuing a Military Expansion Order for North City. Nevertheless, at that moment the Sum Emperor spoke up: ¡°Draft the edict, North City is the first line of defense against the barbarian invasions, and the thirty thousand soldiers there are no longer sufficient for this purpose. Effective immediately, the soldier limit for North City shall be increased to one hundred and fifty thousand. Additionally, the North Prince, as the Seignior of the North City territory, must not flee in the face of battle, regardless of the circumstances, and shall steadfastly hold North City!¡± Hearing the words of the Sum Emperor, Zhao Wenhan promptly bowed and said, ¡°Your Majesty is wise!¡± The Sum Emperor coolly glanced at Zhao Wenhan, then continued, ¡°Minister Wang, Minister Chu, Prime Minister Lin, Prime Minister Zhao; the four of you stay, everyone else is dismissed from the court.¡± Having spoken, the Sum Emperor rose from the Dragon Throne, his dragon robe fluttering as he turned and left. Clearly, the matter of North City¡¯s army expansion was a discomfort to the Sum Emperor, but it was something he had no choice but to do. Nowadays, undercurrents were swirling within Great Sum; it was not feasible to send hundreds of thousands of troops northward to defend against the barbarians. To dispatch such a vast force north would be to shake the very foundations of the nation. The Sum Emperor also understood that the probability was high that the aristocratic families were involved with the barbarian incursion; whether any Princes were entangled in it remained to be seen. Now was not the time to focus on these matters. Politics lies behind warfare, and if, as the North Prince claimed in his letter, the Barbarian Tribe was intending to establish a nation in North City, that was absolutely unacceptable. North City is the gateway to Great Sum, and once captured by the barbarians, their spears would then be pointed directly at the Capital City. The Sum Emperor knew he had to compromise with both the barbarians and the aristocratic families to resolve this crisis. This was a considerable frustration for him; ever since he took the throne, this was the most stifling predicament he had faced. The main issue was he had just begun to reorganize the Great Sum army. The barbarians¡¯ descent from the north had been too sudden, leaving no time to catch his breath. If only he had another year, once the reorganization of the Great Sum army was complete, those barbarian cavalries would amount to nothing. But there was no room for so many what-ifs. The pressing matter was to discuss how to resolve the crisis at North City. The Sum Emperor, having called the four individuals to his study, discussed the matter of the barbarian descent in earnest. In the end, they decided that the best course of action was to pursue peace through negotiation. Sending troops was certainly necessary, but not in the hundreds of thousands. As for ceding the entirety of North City, that was out of the question, but there was still room to negotiate, perhaps ceding a portion of North City¡¯s territory to the barbarians. X % After all, North City is the North Prince¡¯s fiefdom, and the North Prince is nothing but a useless Prince, unable to manage such vast lands. After discussing the specifics of what to do, Lin Gaoyuan left the Sum Emperor¡¯s study directly. His expression was very ugly, clearly dissatisfied with the outcome they had discussed. The Sum Emperor had summoned a total of four people, yet one was an Aristocratic Family¡¯s Minister of Revenue, another was an Aristocratic Family¡¯s Minister of War, and there was also a Right Minister who was nothing more than a power-hungry arch traitor. What good plan could the three of them come up with when gathered together? It was nothing more than the same old strategy of ceding land for glory. After Lin Gaoyuan returned to his residence, he brooded in silence for a long while. At this moment, a man clad in armor entered the hall. As the man stepped into the hall, he immediately asked, ¡°Father, I heard that thirty thousand from the Barbarian Tribe are marching southward. Is this true or false?¡± The Barbarians marching south was a major event, and the ministers could not help but discuss it everywhere right after leaving the court, so it wasn¡¯t long before Lin Xiuming, who was in the military, heard about it. Lin Xiuming, now the commander of the Qilin Army, took such matters of war very seriously. Upon hearing his son¡¯s question, Lin Gaoyuan came to his senses and sighed, ¡°It¡¯s still uncertain whether it¡¯s true or false, but the North Prince has used the Red Ribbon Messenger, so it¡¯s likely true.¡± Lin Xiuming continued to ask, ¡°Then, what are His Majesty¡¯s plans?¡± Hearing this question, Lin Gaoyuan let out a cold laugh, ¡°Plans? Heh, he wants you to lead seventy thousand elite troops northward to assist the North Prince and fight against the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s thirty thousand strong army.¡± What? Upon hearing his father¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming was stunned. Lead seventy thousand elite troops to fight a thirty thousand strong Barbarian army? What kind of joke was that? If they are called elite troops, then surely they must be soldiers fit for combat, but even seventy thousand combat soldiers, together with North City¡¯s thirty thousand, would only amount to one hundred thousand. A hundred thousand soldiers to withstand the thirty thousand cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe? Lin Xiuming frowned, clearly puzzled; didn¡¯t the Great Xia Dynasty have around five hundred thousand troops available at the moment? Why then send only seventy thousand northward? Lin Xiuming then asked, ¡°Father, didn¡¯t His Majesty reorganize the army to have around five hundred thousand soldiers available for deployment?¡± Hearing his son¡¯s naive question, Lin Gaoyuan scoffed again and then said, ¡°Five hundred thousand? Does His Majesty dare to mobilize these five hundred thousand soldiers? If he does, it might well lead to chaos in Great Xia.¡± Lin Gaoyuan didn¡¯t go into deeper reasons, he simply told Lin Xiuming, ¡°I don¡¯t want to say too much; wait for the Emperor¡¯s edict, then immediately lead the troops to North City and meet with the North Prince.¡± ¡°During the battle, just try to hold off the Barbarian Cavalry as much as you can. There¡¯s no need to fight them to the death. The real battlefield is not in North City, but in the royal court.¡± Taking note of Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s reminder, Lin Xiuming seemed to understand something, and immediately said, ¡°Understood, father. I get what you mean.¡± North City, Yan County. A woman dressed in black, holding a Longsword, was slowly moving along the streets of Yan County. Her face was as cold as frost, yet she was incredibly beautiful, like a Goddess who didn¡¯t partake in the mundane world. Just then, a speeding carriage passed by her side. The wind blew open the curtains of the carriage, revealing a heavenly beautiful woman dressed in white to the onlookers. The woman in black on the roadside just so happened to lock gazes with the woman in white. But it was only for an instant. The carriage continued on its way, leaving behind the woman in black standing there, indifferently watching the carriage¡¯s receding figure. Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Lin Wanyun i Chapter 78: Chapter 78 Lin Wanyun i Translator: 549690339 North City, Yan County. On the carriage. Chen Wanrong thought of the black-clad woman she had just seen and immediately said to the beautiful woman in purple Cloud Attire beside her, ¡°Madam Lin, did you see that woman just now?¡± Lin Wanyun promptly replied, ¡°I saw her.¡± Chen Wanrong, with an expressionless face, said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that person should be someone from the Sum Emperor¡¯s side.¡± A few years ago, Chen Wanrong had infiltrated the Imperial Palace for a lengthy period of time, so she had some understanding of the Shadow Guards of the Sum Emperor. She recognized at a glance that the black-clad woman had once crossed hands with her. After pondering for a moment, Lin Wanyun then said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen this woman in Prince Chu Yue¡¯s travelling palace. This woman is very likely one of the Sum Emperor¡¯s Shadow Guards.¡± Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°Judging from the aura she emits, she must have at least the strength of a Master Realm. The Sum Emperor actually sent a master to protect such a worthless prince¡ªMadam Lin, don¡¯t you find that strange?¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t immediately respond. Naturally, she also found it very strange, but she couldn¡¯t figure out why the Sum Emperor would send a master to protect a worthless prince. After a while, Lin Wanyun finally spoke, ¡°Does that mean the so-called Mysterious Grandmaster at the Prince¡¯s Mansion is that woman?¡± Chen Wanrong fell silent. She had thought that coming to North City this time would allow her to easily take down the North Prince and then use him to create the Subtle Dragon Spell, to deal with the Sum Emperor later. Unexpectedly, she encountered someone from the Sum Emperor¡¯s side here. If that was the case, their plan might not be as easy to implement as they had hoped. Although she didn¡¯t know why the Sum Emperor would protect a worthless prince, since he had done so, there must be a reason for it. Two hours later. At the North Prince Mansion. Chu Yuqin was patrolling the inner courtyard when suddenly, a female guard entered the yard and said to her, ¡°Madam Chu, someone from the Mysterious Moon Palace has arrived.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned, not immediately understanding what was happening. After a while, she regained her senses, looked at the female guard before her and asked, ¡°The Mysterious Moon Palace? What are the people from Mysterious Moon Palace doing at the North Prince Mansion?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sure either, but one of the women mentioned she knows you and wishes to meet.¡± As the female guard spoke, Chu Yuqin had a flicker of a woman¡¯s image in her mind. Then Chu Yuqin said, ¡°i understand, i¡¯llhead over right now.¡± Following the female guard, Chu Yuqin soon arrived at the mansion¡¯s entrance. There was a carriage parked at the entrance of the North Prince Mansion, and the people inside had not yet alighted. Not long after Chu Yuqin reached the mansion¡¯s entrance, the carriage curtains were finally pulled back, and a beautiful woman in purple Cloud Attire stepped down from the carriage. Upon seeing that the visitor was Lin Wanyun, Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind went blank for a moment; then, she asked in surprise, ¡°Lin, how come you¡¯re in North City?¡± While speaking, Chu Yuqin approached Lin Wanyun. Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t immediately answer Chu Yuqin¡¯s question but instead greeted her with a gentle smile, ¡°Yuqin, it¡¯s been many years since we¡¯ve seen each other, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Chu Yuqin reminisced, ¡°Yes, we haven¡¯t seen each other since you went to the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Chu Yuqin glanced at the carriage, then asked again, ¡°Lin, your visit to North City is for¡­?¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°The Palace Master and I are passing by North City. i heard that you were also here, so 1 wanted to come and see you.¡± Upon hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s answer, Chu Yuqin was surprised. Then, she looked at the carriage and asked, ¡°Is the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace inside the carriage?¡± Lin Wanyun nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± The Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace usually does not wander around; leaving the palace generally means there¡¯s some significant matter. Chu Yuqin had not expected to encounter the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace in North City. At this moment, Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Sister Lin, please wait a moment, I¡¯ll go and let Chen¡¯er know you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Having said this, Chu Yuqin prepared to turn around and find Lu Chen. Even though Chu Yuqin knew she held a high invisible status in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and that Lu Chen respected her greatly, she would not make the decision to let people into the Prince¡¯s Mansion without Lu Chen¡¯s permission. To invite people into the Prince¡¯s Mansion, one must either inform the princess consort or tell Lu Chen, the Prince. Just as Chu Yuqin turned around, Lu Chen happened to come out of the main gate of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°Madam Chu, 1 heard we have visitors?¡± Just now, the guard at the door had not only notified Chu Yuqin but had also informed Lu Chen about the arrival of guests at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Curious upon hearing this, Lu Chen wondered what kind of guests the North Prince Mansion could have and promptly made his way to the entrance to see for himself. Seeing Chu Yuqin speaking with a beautiful woman, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. The beautiful woman was dressed in a purple Cloud Attire with her hair swept up high, resting on her fragrant shoulders, and placed in front of her chest. The woman looked dignified and elegant, with a grand and graceful demeanor, and her beauty was on par with Chu Yuqin¡¯s. Lu Chen immediately used the system to identify her. [Name: Lin Wanyun] [Identity: Adopted daughter of the Left Minister of the Great Xia, Lin Gaoyuan, who later left the Lin Family to join Mysterious Moon Palace, a Half-step Grandmaster, 31 years old this year. She came to North City following the Palace Master Chen Wanrong, intending to use the blood of the North Prince to refine the Subtle Dragon Spell to counter the Sum Emperor.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 60 (because you are her friend¡¯s son)] Seeing the prompt in front of him, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised, not expecting a beautiful woman with a rating of 95 to arrive at his doorstep, and she was a friend of his mother¡¯s? No wonder she seemed so familiar with Chu Yuqin. However¡­ Although this woman¡¯s favorability towards him was reasonable, her visit likely had an ulterior motive. Even though Lu Chen did not know what the Subtle Dragon Spell was, the system¡¯s description showed that she intended to use his blood to refine it, and it was meant to target his father, the Emperor. Clearly, the Mysterious Moon Palace was an enemy of the Great Xia Dynasty. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon the carriage cabin. Since Lin Wanyun had followed the Palace Master here, then the Palace Master must be inside the carriage. Judging by the name that appeared in the system¡¯s introduction, the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace seemed to be a woman as well? As he pondered this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice brought Lu Chen back to the present. ¡°Chen¡¯er, it¡¯s good you are here, let me introduce you. This is your mother¡¯s sworn sister, her name is Lin Wanyun, an elder of the Mysterious Moon Palace. She joined the palace not long after you were born, so you have not met her.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen quickly approached the two women. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun immediately performed a curtsey and said, ¡°This humble woman pays respects to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal, as you are my mother¡¯s sworn sister, according to our relationship, 1 should call you Madam Lin.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s favorability immediately increased by five points. Seeing this happen, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think, is it really that easy to increase this woman¡¯s favorability? It seems, then, that winning her over should be relatively easy? A woman with a 95 rating coming to him on her own accord, Lu Chen was certainly not going to be polite. Just then, the curtains of the carriage cabin slowly opened, and a figure in white clothing stepped down from the carriage.. Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Is This Really the Useless Prince from the Rumors?_i Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Is This Really the Useless Prince from the Rumors?_i Translator: 549690339 Upon seeing the woman descend from the carriage, Lu Chen stood completely still on the spot. The woman¡¯s exquisite face was as cold as ice, dressed in white garments that outshone the snow. Her skin was smooth and delicate, her hair tied in a cloud bun with a plum blossom mark on her forehead. Her figure was graceful and elegant, radiating a sacred glow, just like a fairy who had descended to the mortal world. It wasn¡¯t until the woman spoke that Lu Chen snapped back to reality. ¡°This commoner pays respects to the Prince.¡± Although Chen Wanrong was the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, formally, the palace was still under the jurisdiction of Great Sum, so upon meeting a Prince of Great Sum, it was necessary for Chen Wanrong to show her respects. Chen Wanrong¡¯s voice was crisp and quiet, possessing a unique allure that inadvertently stirred one¡¯s heart. Regaining his composure, Lu Chen stammered, ¡°Dispense¡­ dispense with the formalities.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen immediately used the system to identify the information about the woman before him. [Name: Chen Wanrong] [Identity: Scion of Chen Family, Princess of Chen Nation, Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, 21 years old, Master Realm, coming to North City mainly to get close to the North Prince, to control him with a Love Worm, and then use the blood of the North Prince to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell against the Sum Emperor, to take revenge for Chen Nation.] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 10] Seeing the score of 98, Lu Chen realized the significance. A score of 98, he thought she deserved a full hundred for her beauty. Chu Yuqin only had a score of 97. Considering this, did a score above 95 mean that with each additional point, the beauty of a woman increased tremendously? Of course, Lu Chen didn¡¯t think Chen Wanrong could be much more beautiful than Chu Yuqin, it was her aura that was like that of a fairy, which truly captivated him the most. After the excitement, Lu Chen quickly calmed his emotions and then, smiling to Chen Wanrong, he said, ¡°It is my honor to have Master Chen visit my Prince¡¯s Mansion; Madam Lin, Master Chen, please come inside.¡± As Lu Chen gazed intently at Chen Wanrong, Lin Wanyun sighed quietly to herself. She knew that the North Prince had been smitten by Chen Wanrong¡¯s beauty. Probably within a few days, Chen Wanrong would be able to use the Love Worm on the North Prince, who would then be completely under her control, ultimately becoming a tool to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell. As the sister of Chu Yue, who was once sworn sisters with Lin, Lin Wanyun felt somewhat reluctant to see Lu Chen in trouble, but they needed to use the Subtle Dragon Spell to deal with the Sum Emperor. Following this, Lu Chen led Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun into the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Once they entered the main courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen immediately had a servant brew a pot of Dragon and Phoenix Tea. When the tea was served, Lu Chen personally poured a cup for Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong, then said, ¡°Madam Lin, Master Chen, you must be tired from the journey. This is a special tea from the mansion, which can refresh the mind and relieve fatigue. Please have a taste.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun immediately picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then used her inner strength to check if there was anything added to the tea she just drank. After confirming that the tea was clean, Lin Wanyun took another sip. Lin Wanyun¡¯s actions were subtle and would usually go unnoticed, but Chen Wanrong was able to see and became convinced after Lin Wanyun¡¯s second sip that there was nothing added to the tea. Even though they were in the North Prince Mansion, as the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, Chen Wanyrong still remained cautious. Assured that the tea was safe, Chen Wanrong also lifted her delicate hand, took up a cup of tea, and gently sipped a small mouthful. In an instant, Chen Wanrong felt a coolness spread into her body, then throughout her whole being, making her feel extremely comfortable. Chen Wanrong was somewhat surprised; she hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince Mansion¡¯s tea to actually have a refreshing and invigorating effect. Seeing Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong drink the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, Lu Chen¡¯s smirked slightly and then asked, ¡°Miss Chen, Madam Lin, what brings you to North City this time?¡± Upon hearing this question, Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°We are just passing through North City by chance.¡± Lu Chen feigned a look of regret and said, ¡°So you¡¯re just passing through North City? It seems then that you will be leaving North City very soon.¡± Lin Wanyun smiled and said, ¡°Although we are passing through, the Palace Master and I plan to stay in North City for a while.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not going to be possible, as you¡¯ll have to leave North City soon.¡± Lin Wanyun asked curiously, ¡°Why is that?¡± Chu Yuqin interjected from the side, ¡°Sister Lin, the Barbarian Army will soon head south, and Chen¡¯er¡¯s wives, concubines, and children are about to leave Yan County for Anping City.¡± This wasn¡¯t a secret; the Prince¡¯s Mansion was about to announce it to all the common people of North City¡ªsoon, everyone there would know about the barbarians heading south, so Chu Yuqin just said it outright. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were both momentarily stunned. They hadn¡¯t expected that their arrival would coincide with such an inopportune time as the barbarians heading south. However, the barbarians moving south didn¡¯t seem to have much impact on their plans, did it?After all, the North Prince, such a worthless Prince, should be afraid of death, and with the barbarians moving south, he would likely flee to the south as well, they just needed to follow the North Prince. At that moment, Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Will the Prince also be heading south with the common people?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, and then said, ¡°North City is my fief, and 1 am its Prince; how could 1 possibly leave North City? I will fight a decisive battle against the barbarians in Yan County and defend North City!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were stunned once again. They didn¡¯t expect the North Prince to have such a spirit. Wasn¡¯t the outside world filled with rumors that the North Prince was a worthless Prince who only knew how to indulge in pleasures within his mansion every day? How could such a worthless Prince have this level of enlightenment?Or could it be that the barbarians¡¯ southern invasion was just a small force as usual, perhaps only coming to plunder and steal some food, and that the North Prince was not concerned about the barbarian cavalry attacking Yan County, and thus was fearless? At this point, Chen Wanrong spoke up, asking, ¡°Prince, may I know how many soldiers the Barbarian Tribe has dispatched this time as they head south?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Based on the intelligence we have gathered, this time the barbarians intend to found a nation in North City, thus they have sent three hundred thousand cavalry. They plan to occupy North City and make Yan County their capital.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Three hundred thousand troops! From what she knew of the intelligence, North City had only thirty thousand soldiers. In such a situation, the North Prince wasn¡¯t planning to flee south, but instead claimed he would fight a decisive battle against the barbarians in Yan County? Thirty thousand against three hundred thousand was a war with no chance of victory! Was this truly the worthless Prince of rumor? Just by his spirit alone, he was already much better than those high-ranking officials and nobles in the Capital City who knew only of indulgence and revelry every day. Having just met the North Prince, Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart had already undergone a significant change in opinion towards Lu Chen. She believed that the intelligence at Mysterious Moon Palace might have been flawed. The North Prince surely couldn¡¯t be the man from the rumors who only knew how to seek pleasure in his mansion every day.. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80 Ill definitely treat you well when the time comes i Chapter 80: Chapter 80 I¡¯ll definitely treat you well when the time comes i Translator: 549690339 After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Prince, I heard that North City only has thirty thousand soldiers, yet you said that the Barbarian Tribe has sent an army of three hundred thousand to march south. Can North City¡¯s thirty thousand soldiers hold against an army of three hundred thousand?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen displayed a fearless demeanor, ¡°Even if we can¡¯t hold them, we must try. 1 am the Prince of North City, if even the land of North City were to be lost, then could 1 still call myself the Prince of North City, the Seignior of Great Sum? How would 1 have the face to return to the Capital City to see my father, the Sum Emperor, or face the common people of North City!¡± This¡­ Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun found what Lu Chen said to be unbelievable upon hearing his words. This surely didn¡¯t seem like the North Prince they both knew, did it? At this moment, Chu Yuqin was looking at Lu Chen with a resentful expression on her face. She was no fool and immediately noticed that Lu Chen was putting on a performance for Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun. Although Lu Chen indeed possessed such boldness and was truly planning to resist the southward march of the Barbarian Tribe at Yan County, Lu Chen typically didn¡¯t talk like this, nor would he act so exaggeratedly. His righteous and dignified demeanor was clearly a performance for those girls- What did this imply? It implied that Lu Chen had taken an interest in the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace and wanted to show off in front of her, to demonstrate his manly valor. In fact, Chu Yuqin overlooked one point¡ªLu Chen was not only performing for Chen Wanrong¡¯s sake; he was equally interested in Lin Wanyun. Chen Wanrong raised her eyebrows slightly at this time, falling into thought. Originally, she thought that this trip to North City would be an easy execution of their plan, but they hadn¡¯t anticipated so many unexpected developments. First, they encountered the Sum Emperor¡¯s Shadow Guard while entering the city, and now they¡¯ve discovered that the North Prince is nothing like the man they had in their minds. It seemed that using the Love Worm on the North Prince wouldn¡¯t be an easy task either. In any case, they would have to wait until after the invasion of the Barbarian Tribe was repelled. But if the North Prince insisted on a fight to the death with the Barbarian Tribe at Yan County, then the likelihood of the North Prince dying in battle was quite high. If the North Prince died, they wouldn¡¯t be able to use his blood to create the Subtle Dragon Spell anymore. Could it be that they would have to give up on the North Prince? At this time, Lu Chen said to Lin Wanyun with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, why don¡¯t you and Madam Chu travel south to Anping City in a few days? Once 1 repel the invasion of the Barbarian Tribe, if you wish to travel around North City, you can come back then.¡± ¡°I will be sure to treat you both well.¡± Lu Chen was very confident in the effects of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Under its influence, he believed that Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun would surely return to Yan County. Besides, they still needed his blood to create that Subtle Dragon Spell; their goals had not yet been met, so they couldn¡¯t possibly leave North City just like that. This made Lu Chen think of a sentence that had flashed in his mind when he was dealing with Wang Qingci. The hunter often appears in the guise of the prey! At the moment, he might seem like prey, but once the crisis with the Barbarian Tribe was resolved, he would immediately turn into the hunter. Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t respond to Lu Chen¡¯s words and instead turned her head to look at Chen Wanrong. As the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, it was up to her to make a decision. Chen Wanrong said expressionlessly, ¡°Fine.¡± Under the current circumstances, it indeed was no longer suitable to stay in Yan County. Actually, Chen Wanrong was also contemplating whether they should take advantage of the Barbarian Tribe invasion to fake the North Prince¡¯s death and then kidnap him to the Mysterious Moon Palace. Then, they could use his blood to slowly create the Subtle Dragon Spell. But she quickly discarded that idea, as the North Prince was still a Prince after all. Even if they managed to fake his death, it was very possible that someone might notice something amiss. If the Sum Emperor found out that the Mysterious Moon Palace had kidnapped a Prince, it could potentially alert the Sum Emperor. Of course, that wasn¡¯t the most critical point; the most crucial aspect was that this might precipitate a conflict between the Great Sum and the Mysterious Moon Palace before the Subtle Dragon Spell was created. Unlike the Aristocratic Families of Great Sum or the imperial court¡¯s officials, the Mysterious Moon Palace was well aware of what the bottom line of the Sum Emperor was. Before they could break through that bottom line, the Mysterious Moon Palace would definitely not take the risk of confronting the Sum Emperor head-on. To outsiders, the Sum Emperor was nothing more than a Grandmaster, but the Mysterious Moon Palace was well aware of his terror. Now that one of the Sacred Artifacts of the Mysterious Moon Palace had fallen into the hands of the Sum Emperor because of Chu Yue, they were even less of a match for him. All the powers within the territory of Great Sum dreaded the State Preceptor Situ Ce, but only the Mysterious Moon Palace regarded the Sum Emperor as their true adversary. After hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen stood up and said, ¡°Then Madam Chu, Madam Lin, Miss Chen, please continue your conversation at your leisure. 1 shall take my leave now, so as not to disturb you further.¡± With that, Lu Chen turned and left the pavilion. Once Lu Chen had left, Lin Wanyun immediately took Chu Yuqin¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Yuqin, everyone outside is saying that the North Prince is an ignorant lecher, but why do 1 feel like he isn¡¯t that kind of person?¡± Hearing that, Chu Yuqin said with a smile, ¡°After Chen¡¯er arrived in North City, he has matured quite a bit. Maybe it is because he saw the hardships of the people¡¯s lives that he was inspired to feel a sense of responsibility in his heart.¡± ¡°As for his being licentious¡­¡± Chu Yuqin paused mid-sentence and then continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think any man is without lust, and 1 don¡¯t see anything wrong with Chen¡¯er being lustful.¡± ¡°If he weren¡¯t lustful, how would he be able to carry on his lineage?¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun felt somewhat doubtful in her heart. Had the North Prince really changed after coming to North City? But how had they heard that after the North Prince arrived in North City, he kept a bevy of beautiful concubines in his mansion, indulging in hedonistic pleasures day and night, with no regard for the life or death of his subjects? However, now was not the time to be tangled up in these matters. At the moment, Chu Yuqin gave Chen Wanrong, who was quietly sitting aside, a once-over. Chen Wanrong¡¯s beauty blended into the surroundings, and just one glance could make a person feel delighted. Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help but reflect inwardly: It¡¯s no wonder she is the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace; it¡¯s also no wonder that little rascal was staring at her all the time. Unfortunately¡­ The Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace could not simply marry someone off; that little rascal could only watch, without any chance to touch. At this time, Lin Wanyun said with a smile, ¡°Yuqin, could you talk to me about what has happened in the Capital city over these past years? It has been a long while since I returned to the Capital city.¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Of course.¡± Then, the two beautiful women sat side by side, chatting intimately in earnest. In the evening. A woman in black, holding a Longsword, appeared at the entrance of the North Prince Mansion. Seeing someone at the gate of the mansion with a sword, the trusted aides of the mansion immediately surrounded her. ¡°Who goes there!¡± they demanded. The woman did not move. In a chilling tone, she said, ¡°I seek Madam Chu.¡± Upon hearing this, the soldiers looked at one another, unsure of how to proceed. Then, the team captain said, ¡°Please wait, Miss. 1 will notify Madam Chu immediately.¡± Since two women had visited the mansion earlier in the day, the team captain, fearing that this woman was also a guest of the mansion, quickly entered the mansion to report to Chu Yuqin. Upon hearing that another woman had arrived at the gate, Chu Yuqin was suddenly filled with confusion. What was going on today? Why were all the visitors arriving at once? Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Bai Qingqingi Chapter 81: Chapter 81 Bai Qingqingi Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin did not know who the visitor was this time, but since there was a guest, she definitely wanted to meet them. Subsequently, Chu Yuqin followed the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s trusted aide to the entrance. The moment she stepped out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Chu Yuqin was slightly startled. Although the woman had changed a lot, becoming even more beautiful and stunningly cold, Chu Yuqin still recognized her at first glance. Chu Yuqin said with some disbelief, ¡°Little¡­ Bai?¡± The expression on Bai Qingqing¡¯s face remained icy cold, as if it were frozen. Chu Yuqin did not doubt anything because of her indifferent expression, as Bai Qingqing had always been like this since she was a child. The grandmaster who had taken her away back then said she had a special constitution, one that would never allow her to have any feelings her whole life, making her an excellent martial arts prospect. Chu Yuqin had thought she would never see Bai Qingqing again, and yet, there she was at the North Prince Mansion today. Chu Yuqin immediately approached Bai Qingqing, and with a blank expression, Bai Qingqing said, ¡°Madam Chu, I was passing through North City, so 1 wanted to come and see you.¡± Bai Qingqing¡¯s demeanor was very aloof, but upon hearing these words, Chu Yuqin felt an immense wave of emotion inside. Bai Qingqing was a maid whom Chu Yue had taken in back in the day. Originally, Chu Yue intended for Bai Qingqing to become Lu Chen¡¯s concubine maid, but after discovering Bai Qingqing¡¯s talent for martial arts, Chu Yue temporarily shelved the idea. After Chu Yue passed away, Bai Qingqing was taken away by the grandmaster who had recognized her martial arts potential. Bai Qingqing was only three or four years older than Lu Chen, and back when they were in the Imperial Palace, because Chu Yue wanted her to be a bed-warming maid for Lu Chen, they lived together eating, sleeping, and residing closely. Over time, in Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, Bai Qingqing became like a little sister. Seeing her long-lost sister once again, how could Chu Yuqin not be overjoyed? At this moment, Chu Yuqin suddenly thought of something and turned to the soldier beside her, saying, ¡°Go immediately and tell the Prince that Bai Qingqing has arrived.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam Chu.¡± Although the soldier did not recognize the woman before him, judging by Chu Yuqin¡¯s excited mood, this person must also be especially important to the Prince. As the soldier¡¯s voice faded, he turned and entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion to notify Lu Chen. Chu Yuqin approached Bai Qingqing, took her jade-like hand, and asked with concern, ¡°Little Bai, where have you been these years?¡± Bai Qingqing replied, ¡°1 have been practicing in the mountains with my master.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°It must have been very hard.¡± Bai Qingqing said indifferently, ¡°It wasn¡¯t hard.¡± Chu Yuqin smiled faintly and continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er will be so happy to know you¡¯re here. After you left, he missed you every day, spending many nights restless and unable to sleep.¡± Meanwhile. Inside the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Lu Chen was in his study looking through the intelligence reports gathered by the Brocade Guards when a soldier came to the door and said, ¡°Prince, Madam Chu told me to inform you that a woman named Bai Qingqing has come to the Mansion.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment. The name seemed too distant; he had almost forgotten it. But he still remembered the bed-warming maid he would hug every night when he was a child. ¡°Bai Qingqing? Could it be the concubine maid that my mother had prepared for me?¡± Lu Chen had a profound impression of Bai Qingqing, though her name wasn¡¯t quite familiar to him. He knew her surname was Bai. He also remembered that the concubine maid always had an expressionless, icy face; she never showed any emotion, which he found quite interesting. The girl didn¡¯t seem scared of him at all, even though he was a Prince. When he had nothing to do, he would always try to make the concubine maid smile. Sometimes he would even tease her in bed, but regrettably, despite her being by his side for so many years, he had never managed to make her laugh. Later, he heard from his mother that Bai Qingqing apparently was born emotionless, which then made him realize why she always had a stone-cold expression. A woman devoid of emotions wouldn¡¯t show expressions, after all, as she wouldn¡¯t even know how to express happiness, anger, sadness, or joy. After some thought, Lu Chen murmured to himself, ¡°I remember she seemed to have followed some Grandmaster to cultivate? How did she end up in North City?¡± Lu Chen then got up from his chair and opened the door to ask, ¡°Where is she now?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Replying to Your Highness, Madam Chu and the woman are still at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± As soon as the soldier finished speaking, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate and headed straight for the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Upon reaching the entrance, he saw a woman as stunning as an icy snow lotus. Her body seemed to emit a special aura that deterred people from approaching, as if getting close to her would expose them to her chill. Bai Qingqing had changed a lot since her childhood; she had become much more beautiful, with a figure that was curvy in all the right places. Coupled with a frosty face, it gave Lu Chen a desire to conquer her. Lu Chen then used the system to identify her. [Name: Bai Qingqing] [Identity: Deputy Commander of the Great Sum Shadow Guard, 20 years old, Master Realm, has been planted next to Chu Yue since childhood by the Sum Emperor to infiltrate, and has come to North City following orders of the Sum Emperor, who believes there are people from the Mysterious Moon Palace by the North Prince. The Sum Emperor wants to know what the Mysterious Moon Palace intends to use the North Prince for, so he sent Bai Qingqing to supervise the North Prince.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 0 (needs Dragon and Phoenix Tea to restore her emotions)] Upon seeing Bai Qingqing¡¯s profile, Lu Chen was stunned. Bai Qingqing was actually one of his father¡¯s people? This¡­ Does that mean that perhaps his father put a lot of effort when his mother had issues? He had always thought Bai Qingqing was just an unemotional bed-warming maid, unaware of the depth of her concealed identity. If it weren¡¯t for activating the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings, he might still be unaware that Bai Qingqing was one of the Sum Emperor¡¯s people, let alone know that she was also the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard. The Shadow Guard was a significant force around the Sum Emperor, and becoming a Deputy Commander indicated Bai Qingqing¡¯s exceptional prowess. However¡­ No matter who Bai Qingqing was or what her identity was, as long as her rating was over ninety and she had come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she was a woman for Lu Chen. Lu Chen thought to himself that his father was quite thoughtful. Knowing that it was hard for him to find women with a rating over ninety in North City, his father had specially sent him one, and a woman of the Master Realm at that. Chu Yuqin, who was suddenly talking with Bai Qingqing, realized she was staring behind her. Sensing something, she turned her head and saw Lu Chen had arrived. She immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, do you recognize her? It¡¯s Bai, the maid who grew up with you from childhood.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Of course, I recognize her.¡± Lu Chen then approached Bai Qingqing and said, ¡°Bai, it has been many years since we last met, hasn¡¯t it? I¡¯ve missed you all these years. Without you, I couldn¡¯t even sleep well..¡± Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Thank you, Prince, for the Tea l Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Thank you, Prince, for the Tea l Translator: 549690339 Although Lu Chen was a prince, he rarely flaunted his royal status in front of Bai Qingqing because they grew up together from childhood, and also because he possessed the soul of a transmigrator. As a child, Lu Chen liked to verbally tease Bai Qingqing just to see if she would show any signs of panic or distress. However, years passed and he never saw any change in her expressions. When Bai Qingqing heard Lu Chen¡¯s words now, her heart felt no different from when she was a child; she didn¡¯t find anything amiss and no look of panic crossed her face. Seeing this, Lu Chen thought to himself that she indeed was a heartless woman. At that moment, Bai Qingqing took the initiative to salute Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± Even though Lu Chen did not impose his royal identity in her presence, he was still a prince, the North Prince, so she had to salute him when they met. Lu Chen immediately supported Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade arm, smiling as he gazed into her eyes and said, ¡°Bai, you¡¯re being too formal. Why salute me when you¡¯re with me?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s eyes fixed intently on Bai Qingqing, Chu Yuqin suddenly felt an odd sensation within her. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could it be that Chen¡¯er had those kinds of feelings for Bai? Thinking this, Chu Yuqin quickly stopped herself from continuing down that train of thought. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with her today; every time she saw Lu Chen talking to another woman, her heart felt sour, and she always suspected that Lu Chen had feelings for them. Chu Yuqin tried to reassure herself internally that even if Chen¡¯er was interested in them, it wasn¡¯t strange, and there was no need for her to overthink it. At that time, Lu Chen said to Bai Qingqing, ¡°Bai, come in quickly. 1 want to hear about where you¡¯ve been and what you¡¯ve experienced these past years.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen took Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade hand and walked toward the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and Bai Qingqing offered no resistance, not even a thought of trying to pull away. They had been close since childhood, even sleeping while hugging each other, so Bai Qingqing was long accustomed to close contact with Lu Chen; therefore, she didn¡¯t mind him holding her hand at all. Soon, they arrived at the main courtyard, where Lu Chen had a maidservant brew a pot of Dragon and Phoenix Tea, which he poured personally for Bai Qingqing. The system mentioned that Dragon and Phoenix Tea was needed to restore Bai Qingqing¡¯s emotions, although he didn¡¯t know what her reaction would be once her emotions were activated. The main effect of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea was to increase a woman¡¯s favorability towards oneself and make the woman unable to leave him, so even if it restored her emotions, it probably wouldn¡¯t have any adverse reactions on her. After pouring the Dragon and Phoenix Tea for Bai Qingqing, Lu Chen held her hand and said, ¡°Bai, this is a special tea from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. It can refresh and invigorate the mind. Give it a try.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t say anything and picked up the teacup, lightly taking a sip. With that sip, Bai Qingqing realized the tea indeed had a refreshing and invigorating effect, but since she was devoid of emotions, she did not show any surprise. She then set the teacup down and, with a blank expression, said to Lu Chen, ¡°Thank you for the tea, Prince.¡± Lu Chen gave a slight smile and then asked, ¡°After you left the capital, where did you go to cultivate? Why didn¡¯t you come back to see me?¡± Bai Qingqing replied, ¡°1 went to cultivate deep in a certain mountain range. 1 don¡¯t know exactly where.¡± She lied with a straight face, and outsiders couldn¡¯t tell she was lying¡ªif not for Lu Chen having a system, he might have really believed that she had gone to cultivate deep in a mountain range. Lu Chen then continued to ask, ¡°So do you plan to go back?¡± Bai Qingqing answered indifferently, ¡°No, I¡¯ve completed my training.¡± Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin immediately suggested, ¡°Since you¡¯ve completed your training, why don¡¯t you stay at North Prince Mansion from now on? Stay with us.¡± Bai Qingqing did not refuse and agreed neatly, ¡°Mm, okay.¡± This time her main task in coming to the North Prince Mansion was to surveil the Northern Prince, and since Chu Yuqin had asked her to stay, it was a good opportunity for her to watch his every move. Seeing Bai Qingqing¡¯s agreement, Chu Yuqin felt incredibly happy in her heart. Unlike Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen knew Bai Qingqing would take the initiative to stay, so when he heard her agree, he wasn¡¯t surprised at all. What he was thinking now was that Bai Qingqing had come to the North Prince Mansion at this time, and just as the Barbarian Tribe was moving south, some secrets of the North Prince Mansion would inevitably be exposed in front of her. Such as the Brocade Guard, and the grenade cannon that he would soon demonstrate to the soldiers. If Bai Qingqing reported these matters to his father, the Sum Emperor, it would likely cause trouble for him. So, the best method was to make Bai Qingqing completely his woman before she could report these things. Only by doing so could he protect his secrets and keep his little secrets from being discovered by his father, the Sum Emperor. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to Bai Qingqing with a smile, ¡°Bai, this tea also helps in enhancing one¡¯s realm. You should drink more of it.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen poured himself a cup of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea and then drank it down. When Bai Qingqing heard Lu Chen say that the tea in front of her could help enhance her realm, she immediately became interested. She had originally thought that the tea was only for refreshing the mind and had not expected it to have other effects. At this moment, Bai Qingqing said, ¡°Oh, okay.¡± As her words fell, she picked up the teacup again and took another sip. With this sip, she found that the tea did seem to help in enhancing her realm, as the inner strength within her body flowed more smoothly. Needing to gather intelligence, Bai Qingqing asked, ¡°Prince, is there more of this tea?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, my mansion has tea trees. Whenever you want to drink tea in the future, you can pick the leaves to brew.¡± Listening to Lu Chen¡¯s response, Bai Qingqing was already preparing to report this piece of intelligence. A tea that could enhance one¡¯s realm was unheard of, and as the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard, she would surely tell the Sum Emperor. To probe for more information, Bai Qingqing took the initiative to ask, ¡°Prince, 1 saw a woman in the city today with a plum blossom mark on her forehead. Don¡¯t know if you have seen her.¡± Chen Wanrong felt the extraordinariness of Bai Qingqing, and Bai Qingqing similarly sensed the uniqueness of Chen Wanrong. Both were grandmasters and well-acquainted with the aura released by grandmasters. Bai Qingqing suspected that the woman was the Mysterious Grandmaster rumored to be in the North Prince Mansion, so she planned to thoroughly investigate the woman to find out what forces lay behind her. Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s question, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hide anything and directly said, ¡°Are you talking about Miss Chen?¡± ¡°She does have a plum blossom mark on her forehead, and she is currently in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Do you have something you need from her? I can have her come over right now.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Bai Qingqing thought to herself that surely the woman was the Mysterious Grandmaster of the North Prince Mansion. Now that she had confirmed the target, the next steps were straightforward; she just needed to figure out what that woman was doing in the North Prince Mansion. Just as Bai Qingqing was thinking this, her brain suddenly stalled, followed by a surge of intense pain. The next moment, Bai Qingqing¡¯s expression became dazed, her body swayed, and she felt as if countless images flashed through her mind, as if memories that didn¡¯t belong to her were entering her brain. Seeing Bai Qingqing raise her hand to her head and stagger, Lu Chen quickly steadied her, ¡°Bai, Bai, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Bai Qingqings Emotional Revivali Chapter 83: Chapter 83 Bai Qingqing¡¯s Emotional Revivali Translator: 549690339 After Lu Chen had steadied her, Bai Qingqing wanted to quickly circulate her skill to check whether there was something wrong with her body, but at this moment, Bai Qingqing suddenly discovered that the inner strength within her body had vanished completely. She was now just like any ordinary person. Although she didn¡¯t know what had happened, Bai Qingqing knew it had to do with Lu Chen. Perhaps it was because there was something wrong with the tea she had just drunk. However, she couldn¡¯t figure out why she still fell into the trap when she had checked the tea earlier and found no trace of any drugs in it. Why had she still been affected? Gradually, Bai Qingqing¡¯s vision became more and more blurred, and she seemed to enter a strange world. In Sufeng City of Great Sum, there was a Bai Mansion. The male master of Bai Mansion had married a wife beautiful as a flower, and their relationship had always been harmonious. Until one day, the mistress of Bai Mansion suddenly found out that the master of the house had an affair with a concubine maid, who was even pregnant. From that day on, a rift formed between the master and mistress of Bai Mansion, and although life went on as usual, the mistress of Bai Mansion wanted to kill the concubine maid multiple times, to prevent her child from being born. But under the protection of the male master, the concubine maid still gave birth to the child. However, from the day the child was born, she received various forms of unfair treatment. The child¡¯s mother, the concubine maid, had hoped that her status would be elevated by her son, only to be angered when she gave birth to a daughter. She was so furious that she tried to kill the child with her own hands several times, but never succeeded due to the male master¡¯s intervention. As the girl grew up, the children of the mistress despised her, even calling her a bastard, often beating her, wishing she would die. She had been covered in bruises for as long as she could remember. The male master of Bai Mansion also argued with the mistress over the girl, leading to various problems within Bai Mansion, and the male master, once her protector, grew increasingly resentful toward her, often yelling at her furiously. Thus, the girl was despised by everyone in Bai Mansion, and even her own mother ceased to care for her completely when she was five years old. One day, a mysterious person came to Bai Mansion. This mysterious person handed a packet of medicine to the little girl, telling her that by pouring it into the well, she would be completely free. The little girl, bewitched or controlled by something, did not hesitate, and that very night, she poured the medicine given to her by the mysterious person into the well. The next day, she awoke to find hundreds of people in Bai Mansion dead. Later, the little girl was taken by the mysterious person to a mysterious place, where she learned all about killing, day and night. Gradually she became colder and more detached, her past memories fading away, and soon she completely forgot all the hardships she had suffered. One day, the mysterious person who had taken her from Bai Mansion reappeared and handed her a mission, instructing her to pretend to be a little beggar on the essential path of a certain nobleman. By then, the little girl had become nothing but a tool for killing, and without any hesitation, she obeyed the mysterious person¡¯s command. Later, she was taken by the nobleman to the Imperial Palace and was even considered to become a concubine maid for a Prince. The people in the Imperial Palace treated her very well, especially the Prince, who, despite enjoying teasing her, never oppressed her with his royal status. She once wondered if she would live in this warm environment forever, until one day, the mysterious person commanded her to find a special item in the nobleman¡¯s residence, and that was when she realized she was just a tool. The girl soon transformed back into a cold instrument until her mission was complete. Consequently, she left the Imperial Palace and went on to carry out various assassination tasks. Later on, she became the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard of Great Sum. That person was Bai Qingqing. At this time, Bai Qingqing¡¯s mind was continuously replaying scenes of her life with Lu Chen in the Imperial Palace. Especially each night when Lu Chen held her in his arms to sleep, telling her all kinds of stories, she felt as if it were happening right at that moment. As those scenes flickered by ceaselessly, Bai Qingqing suddenly felt as if she could hear her own heartbeat. Thump¡­ Thump¡­ Once¡­ twice¡­ Growing clearer and clearer¡­ Her normally ice-cold cheeks now sported a tint of red. It was then that Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice reached her ears. ¡°Bai¡­ Bai¡­ What¡¯s happening to you?¡± ¡°Could it be that there¡¯s some problem with your training?¡± ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll help you adjust right away.¡± At that moment, Bai Qingqing felt a warm current enter her body, and the chaotic influx of memories in her mind gradually came to a halt. Bai Qingqing understood now that those memories were not someone else¡¯s, but her own. It¡¯s just that she had been unwilling to recall those memories, leading them to be gradually sealed and forgotten in her mind. This had nothing to do with the tea she had just drunk. Of course, that¡¯s what she believed. Seeing that Bai Qingqing had stabilized herself, Lu Chen promptly let go of her. Soon, Bai Qingqing felt her skill returning to her. With Chu Yuqin¡¯s help in adjusting her Inner Strength, Bai Qingqing quickly returned to normal. She opened her eyes and said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯m fine now, thank you.¡± Hearing Bai Qingqing say this, Chu Yuqin stopped transferring her Inner Strength and asked with a serious tone, ¡°Bai, what¡¯s wrong with your body, why did I just feel your Inner Strength suddenly dissipate?¡± Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t know why this had happened either, so she made up an excuse, ¡°1 had a mishap during my recent training, a night¡¯s rest will do.¡± Chu Yuqin immediately said, ¡°Then go rest now, your health is most important.¡± As Chu Yuqin¡¯s words fell, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Bai, I¡¯ll have someone arrange a room for you right away.¡± Afterwards, Lu Chen turned around and ordered the maids in the courtyard to immediately prepare a room. Watching Lu Chen¡¯s retreating figure, for some reason, Bai Qingqing suddenly felt her mind becoming hazy again. He was like the starlight in the darkness, offering her a glimmer of light in the boundless dark. As Lu Chen was having the maids arrange a room for Bai Qingqing, a system prompt suddenly rang in his ear, and a text interface appeared in front of him. [Bai Qingqing¡¯s emotions have revived, Favorability 100.] Seeing this notification, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Had Bai Qingqing¡¯s emotions just revived, and her favorability towards him soared to one hundred in an instant? Lu Chen quickly collected himself, turning his head to look at Bai Qingqing, only to find that she was watching him. There seemed to be something more in her eyes. As for what it was, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t say. Even though she still appeared cold, her eyes seemed to emanate a soft glow.. Chapter 84 - Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Zhou Youyou in Trouble i Chapter 84: Chapter 84 Zhou Youyou in Trouble i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen quickly had the maids arrange a room and attend to Bai Qingqing as she bathed and rested. Just as Lu Chen was contemplating communicating with Bai Qingqing tonight, Chu Yuqin suddenly sought him out. At this time, Lu Chen was sitting in the study, still recalling Bai Qingqing¡¯s extraordinarily cold and beautiful face. Knock, knock, knock¡­ After hearing the knock, Lu Chen snapped back to reality and immediately said, ¡°The door isn¡¯t locked, come in.¡± The next moment, Chu Yuqin pushed the door open and entered. Chu Yuqin was wearing a green Cloud Attire today, her voluptuous body fitting tightly against her clothes, accentuating her curvy figure. She wore her hair in a married woman¡¯s bun, looking very much the part of a mature woman, which, of course, she was. Seeing it was her, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, what brings you here?¡± Chu Yuqin went straight to the point, ¡°Chen¡¯er, did Bai losing her skill suddenly today have anything to do with you?¡± She often lost her power abruptly in front of Lu Chen as well, so she wanted to know if it was caused by him. If it was Lu Chen¡¯s doing, then it wasn¡¯t a problem. If Bai Qingqing had a health issue, she would need to pay close attention, which was why she came to inquire with Lu Chen. Lu Chen didn¡¯t hide anything and directly said, ¡°Yes, it was because of me. I remember telling you that any woman who harbors love for me will lose her skill upon touching my body.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin showed a strange expression on her face. Of course, she remembered him saying that. At first, she thought this little rascal was joking with her. When it dawned on her that only a woman who harbored love for him would lose her skill after touching him, Chu Yuqin was incredibly conflicted within. So, she too had those feelings for Chen¡¯er¡­ How could she harbor romantic feelings for him? It was absolutely not allowed! Chu Yuqin hurriedly stopped herself from continuing that line of thought. Then she changed the subject, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I remember you have an Immortal Technique that can heal people. Did you use it to check on Bai today to see what¡¯s wrong with her body?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I¡¯ve already looked into it, there¡¯s nothing wrong. It was just a little mishap during training. I¡¯ve already helped her regulate it. I¡¯ll go help her with it again later, and she should be fine.¡± Chu Yuqin breathed a sigh of relief, so it was really just a training mishap. She had been afraid that Bai Qingqing was struck with some incurable disease and decided to spend her final moments at North Prince Mansion. Chu Yuqin murmured, ¡°It¡¯s good that there¡¯s nothing serious.¡± With that, Chu Yuqin glanced at the intelligence reports on the desk, then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are there any recent movements from the Barbarian Tribe?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Not at the moment, but this gives us an opportunity to set up. The day after tomorrow, you and Zixuan should head southward.¡± Chu Yuqin reminded him, ¡°Youyou is about to give birth, and traveling at this time might not be good for her.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen was stunned. How could he have forgotten about that? It was indeed a problem; Zhou Youyou¡¯s belly was already quite big, and she certainly couldn¡¯t withstand the rigors of travel. Should Zhou Youyou also stay in Yan County? Although their chances of defeating the Barbarian Tribe were high, Yan County would be on the front lines of the war; Lu Chen didn¡¯t want to leave any worries behind. If Zhou Youyou stayed in Yan County, what would happen if the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s experts found out about her? They don¡¯t adhere to martial ethics what if they kidnapped her? Although the likelihood was slim, it was not impossible, after all, anything could happen on the battlefield. Just as Lu Chen was pondering what to do, a sudden voice from a maid came from outside, ¡°Prince, something terrible has happened!¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s flustered voice, Chu Yuqin immediately turned around and opened the door to the study, and the maid entered, gasping for breath, ¡°Prince¡­ Madam Xiaozhou¡­ something has happened.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s expression darkened, and he immediately stood up, then asked, ¡°What happened?¡± The maid quickly said, ¡°Madam Xiaozhou was resting in the pavilion just now when she suddenly had abdominal pain, and then there was blood all over the ground, Madam Dazhou promptly sent me to find you.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Lu Chen realized Zhou Youyou might be in mortal danger, so without asking further, he went straight to the courtyard where she was. Chu Yuqin also hurriedly followed behind him, ready to see if there was any way she could be of help. Before long, the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion became chaotic. Seeing the maids running back and forth, Lin Wanyun, who sat in the eastern courtyard pavilion, grew curious. She immediately stopped a maid and asked, ¡°Girl, what has happened in the Prince¡¯s Mansion? Why does everyone look so panicked?¡± The maid replied, ¡°Madam Xiaozhou¡¯s water broke, we¡¯re going to the northern courtyard to help.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun was taken aback. Madam Xiaozhou? She certainly didn¡¯t know who Madam Xiaozhou was, as ¡°Xiaozhou¡± and ¡°Dazhou¡± were merely distinctions the servants in the Prince¡¯s Mansion made between Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao, but hearing the maids refer to her as madam, Lin Wanyun guessed it must be some concubine of the North Prince who was in trouble. Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t continue to detain the maid before her, ¡°I see, you go on with your business.¡± After giving a quick curtsy, the maid immediately bypassed Lin Wanyun and headed towards the northern courtyard. At this moment, Lin Wanyun went to the pavilion and said to Chen Wanrong, ¡°Palace Master, I think this is a good opportunity. If you could help the North Prince save the life of his concubine, he should be very grateful to you.¡± For Chen Wanrong to plant the Love Worm in Lu Chen, she had to first make him fall for her. Only then could the Love Worm be successfully implanted. Otherwise, even if she implanted the Love Worm, it would be difficult to completely control Lu Chen. Chen Wanrong pondered for a moment, her expression cool, and then said, ¡°Madam Lin, tell the maid to inform the North Prince that 1 can save his wife. If he needs help, he can just let me know.¡± Seeing Chen Wanrong¡¯s agreement, Lin Wanyun turned and went to the entrance of the courtyard, then caught a maid heading to the northern courtyard to relay the message to Lu Chen. Hearing that someone could save Madam Xiaozhou, the maid of the Prince¡¯s Mansion naturally did not dare to delay and hurriedly ran to the northern courtyard. Lin Wanyun then returned to the courtyard and sat down in the pavilion. ¡°Palace Master, what shall we do next? Should we follow the wives and concubines of the North Prince as they head south?¡± They had thought they could execute their plan with ease, but it seemed now that their plans would have to be postponed for some time. No one expected the Barbarian Tribe to move south at this time, even less so that the North Prince would decide to fight them to the death in Yan County. Chen Wanrong did not immediately answer; she gazed in the direction of the northern courtyard. After a while, she finally spoke, ¡°We have waited so many years already, a little longer will not matter. If he dies in battle, we will go to the Capital city to find another Prince to collaborate with.¡± The throne was a great temptation to any Prince, and Chen Wanrong believed there would be princes willing to work with their Mysterious Moon Palace. However, compared to those princes, the North Prince was the most suitable candidate, after all, being away from the Capital city, it was more convenient for Mysterious Moon Palace to carry out its operations. But if they truly had no other choice, they would have to collaborate with another Prince.. Chapter 85 - Chapter 85: Chapter 85 The Third Child is Borni Chapter 85: Chapter 85 The Third Child is Borni Translator: 549690339 North Prince Mansion. North courtyard, Zhou Youyou¡¯s room. The midwives and maids bustled in and out, busily using hot water to wipe down Zhou Youyou¡¯s body, trying every means to help her stop bleeding. Clearly, Zhou Youyou¡¯s condition was not as simple as just her water breaking. If they couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding, whether she could survive was a question. Such a death, taking both the mother and child, was all too common in these times. The atmosphere in the room was extremely oppressive. Zhou Youyou was in such pain that she was alternating between life and death, and her consciousness was gradually blurring. Just then, a maid suddenly said, ¡°The Prince is here, the Prince is here!¡± Hearing this, everyone hurriedly made way for Lu Chen. Some of the maids in the Prince¡¯s Mansion knew that Lu Chen could perform Immortal Techniques. To the midwives and maids, as long as the North Prince arrived in time, there would definitely be no problem in saving the adult. Hearing the maids saying the Prince had come, Zhou Youyou¡¯s previously blurred consciousness cleared up a bit. Lu Chen quickly came to Zhou Youyou¡¯s bedside, took her hand, and immediately began to use the Rejuvenating Skill to heal her. Zhou Youyou¡¯s face was covered in sweat, her complexion wan and devoid of any color, like that of a corpse. With little strength, Zhou Youyou said, ¡°My Prince, Youyou might not make it. You must ensure the child survives.¡± ¡°In the future¡­¡± She stopped suddenly and didn¡¯t continue. That was because she felt her body instantly lighten, and the pain seemed to disappear. Zhou Youyou was momentarily stunned. Seeing the green glow emanating from Lu Chen¡¯s hands, Zhou Youyou instantly understood ¨C he must be using an Immortal Technique to heal her. At this moment, Lu Chen looked into Zhou Youyou¡¯s eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°What about the future?¡± Zhou Youyou smiled faintly and then said, ¡°In the future, Youyou still wants to have more children for the Prince.¡± No sooner had Zhou Youyou¡¯s words fallen than the midwife said, ¡°The bleeding has stopped! Get ready for the delivery!¡± Zhou Youyou¡¯s child was not due to be born for a while yet, but there was no choice. The water had broken, and under these circumstances, the child had to be born prematurely. This instantly resolved a problem that had been troubling Lu Chen. Lu Chen had been worried that Zhou Youyou¡¯s belly was already so big, she couldn¡¯t withstand the rigors of travel, and without him by their side as they headed south, if something were to happen, both she and the child inside her could be in danger. Now, with the child coming early, he could use the Rejuvenating Skill to heal Zhou Youyou in advance, allowing her to recover faster, and thus, no longer fearing trouble for Youyou on the road. At this time, a maid rushed into the room. Seeing Lu Chen healing Zhou Youyou, the maid did not directly disturb him but instead quietly approached Chu Yuqin and whispered into her ear, ¡°Madam Chu, the guests from the east courtyard say they can treat Madam Xiaozhou. Should you need anything, you may seek their help.¡± Chu Yuqin whispered back, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± With this, Chu Yuqin glanced over at Lu Chen and Zhou Youyou, who was already getting better on the bed. She thought to herself that there was probably no need to ask for help from the Mysterious Moon Palace Master anymore. After all, Lu Chen was someone who could perform Immortal Techniques. No matter how powerful the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace was, she couldn¡¯t be better at healing than someone who practiced Immortal Techniques. After a while, the room filled with the wailing cries of a newborn child. [Congratulations, Host, on gaining a son. Reward: fifty thousand Black Cavalry, two Master Level Generals, and an additional population of five hundred thousand.] The midwife, excited, said to Lu Chen, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, it¡¯s a boy!¡± Having said that, the midwife brought the child over to Lu Chen. Being premature, the baby¡¯s condition was very unstable. In this era, without the medical care of modern times, the mortality rate for premature infants was extremely high. The midwife knew that Lu Chen possessed Immortal Technique and specifically brought the child over for Lu Chen to heal. Lu Chen said to the midwife, ¡°Put the baby on the bed.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince,¡± responded the midwife, bending down to place the wailing infant by Zhou Youyou¡¯s side. Thanks to the healing of the Rejuvenating Skill, Zhou Youyou was now completely fine. She turned her head to look at her own child, her once tender face now radiating a mother¡¯s glow. Lu Chen then lifted his other hand and placed it on the infant, healing the baby as well. Gradually, the baby stopped crying and simply waved his little hands and feet in the air. At this moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s gaze fell upon Lu Chen¡¯s face. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s complexion a bit pale, Chu Yuqin¡¯s smile instantly vanished. She immediately came to Lu Chen¡¯s side, asking with concern, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you alright?¡± The healing of the Rejuvenating Skill consumed Spiritual Power, and the Spiritual Energy in this world was very weak. Lu Chen had consumed a great deal of Spiritual Power while saving Zhou Youyou. Without immediate replenishment, his body¡¯s reserve of Spiritual Power was exhausted, leaving him extremely fatigued. Lu Chen felt this as well. He always felt particularly exhausted whenever he healed others. The main issue was that his Realm wasn¡¯t high enough, with too little Spiritual Power stored within his body. Only upon reaching the Master Realm would his path of cultivation truly begin. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s concerned voice, Lu Chen said softly, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Zhou Youyou also noticed that Lu Chen didn¡¯t look well. Guessing that it was because he had been healing her, causing his face to look so pale, she quickly said, ¡°Prince, your concubine is fine now. You don¡¯t need to use Immortal Technique to heal me anymore.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, 1 know my limits.¡± Zhou Youyou showed a hint of worry on her face but didn¡¯t say anything more. After a while, Lu Chen sensed that Zhou Youyou¡¯s body had largely recovered to its pre-pregnancy state, so he stopped transferring Spiritual Power to her. The moment he finished healing, Lu Chen¡¯s body swayed, looking as if he might collapse. Chu Yuqin quickly supported him from behind. ¡°Chen¡¯er, how do you feel?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s nape instantly felt warmth and softness, and a subtle fragrance slipped into his nostrils. At this time, all the women in the room came to Lu Chen¡¯s side, looking at him with concern. After leaning on Chu Yuqin for a while, Lu Chen said, ¡°I just need to rest a bit, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Seeing Lu Chen reassure them himself, Mu Zixuan and the others breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later, Chu Yuqin held Lu Chen¡¯s head, brushing the hair from his cheek, and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, shall we name the child?¡± Lu Chen glanced at the infant on the bed, thought for a moment, and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s call him Lu Changsheng.¡± As the baby was premature, and even with his own healing, his constitution was innately not as good as his previous two children¡¯s. Lu Chen no longer had any expectations for him to achieve great feats. He only hoped he could simply live a good life.. Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Great Yu Remnants i Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Great Yu Remnants i Translator: 549690339 North Prince Mansion, East Courtyard. Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun sat in the pavilion for two hours, yet they had not seen any maid or servant from the North Prince Mansion come to summon them to treat the North Prince¡¯s concubine. This left them both somewhat perplexed. The premature rupture of the membranes is very dangerous, and it¡¯s not uncommon in this era to have both mother and child perish. Could it be that the North Prince actually doesn¡¯t want them to go over to help? The two of them are from the Mysterious Moon Palace, and one of them is even the Palace Master. Saving a woman whose water had broken shouldn¡¯t be a problem for them. Is the North Prince distrusting them? At that moment, Lin Wanyun noticed that the maid who had gone to the North Courtyard to help earlier had returned. She immediately got up from the stone bench and approached the maid, asking, ¡°Young girl, how is Madam Xiaozhou now?¡± The maid knew that some things were not to be disclosed, so she simply replied, ¡°Madam Xiaozhou has been out of danger and has successfully given birth to an heir for the Prince.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s reply, Lin Wanyun felt a bit surprised. It seems that the Prince¡¯s Mansion does have its experts. Lin Wanyun then turned and returned to the pavilion, ¡°Palace Master, it looks like we will only have a chance after the Barbarian Tribe is repelled.¡± The opportunity Lin Wanyun was referring to was naturally the chance to make a presence in front of the North Prince. If Chen Wanrong wanted to seduce Lu Chen and stir his affections, she needed to make herself more visible in his presence. When they first arrived at North City, they believed that it would be easy to captivate the North Prince, a man known for his lustful nature ¡ª after all, Chen Wanrong¡¯s beauty was second to none in Great Sum, and she was even listed as one of the absolute beauties. That lecherous man couldn¡¯t help but be muddled when he saw Chen Wanrong. However, after their exchange with Lu Chen, they believed that simply tempting the North Prince with beauty might not be so straightforward. Even if the North Prince was lustful, he was intelligent; he might realize they had ulterior motives for him. Therefore, if they wanted to get close to the North Prince, they couldn¡¯t just tempt him with beauty; they had to demonstrate their other values as well. It would be best if they could make the North Prince fall in love with their Palace Master without him realizing it. If they wanted the North Prince to develop feelings for Chen Wanrong, it would take some time to cultivate. Now, with the Barbarian Army soon to head south, there wasn¡¯t much time left. As it appears now, they would have to wait until after the war was over. However, whether the North Prince could survive in the end was still a big question. At this thought, Chen Wanrong became a little absent-minded. She remembered the time when Great Sum attacked Chen Nation; her Emperor father had allowed his wives, concubines, and offspring to leave the capital first, then made a last stand with the Great Sum army at the city walls, eventually dying there. She was young at the time, but she remembered vividly what happened. Who would have thought that in just a few short years, she would encounter a similar scene, only this time the one fighting against the invading enemy was not her Imperial father, but the son of the man who killed her father. Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t help but feel the irony in this situation. After spending some time with Zhou Youyou and the child in her room, Lu Chen went to his study. He was very concerned about the reward he had just received. Upon entering the study, Lu Chen immediately asked the system, ¡°System, where are the 50,000 Black Cavalry now?¡± The Barbarian Tribe was about to move south, and Lu Chen had been pondering how to devour the 300,000 strong Barbarian Cavalry. However, no matter how he manipulated the maps, he found that eating through the 300,000 Barbarian Cavalry was an extremely difficult task. While he had the 122mm howitzer, a formidable weapon at his disposal, the Barbarian Cavalry was highly mobile. Once they decided to flee, his men wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up. North City only had 30,000 soldiers, and among these, only a few thousand were cavalry, who were largely untrained at that. If the Barbarian Army were to panic and flee because of the howitzers, sending the small force of soldiers from North City to pursue or intercept the Barbarian Cavalry would be unrealistic. But now things are different! Now he had fifty thousand cavalrymen at his command, who could be lying in ambush at the rear of Wanning Valley. The moment the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry entered the valley, they could encircle all three hundred thousand of them. If the barbarian cavalry tried to flee, these fifty thousand would give chase as well. Thinking of this, Lu Chen inwardly praised the system; it always delivered precisely what he lacked. At that moment, the system notification arrived, ¡°The fifty thousand Black Cavalry are currently located at the foot of Yan¡¯an Mountain in the northeastern part of North City. They have received your summoning order.¡± Seeing this prompt, Lu Chen was taken aback. He knew that subordinates obtained through the system in this world were given implanted identities, that is, they were natives of this world. Hearing that his fifty thousand Black Cavalry were in the northeastern part of North City, Lu Chen felt a pang of apprehension. Could these fifty thousand Black Cavalrymen have the implanted identity of Barbarian Tribe soldiers? After all, the north was solely inhabited by barbarians¡­ Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°System, are the Black Cavalry and the five hundred thousand people all from the Barbarian Tribe?¡± ¡°The fifty thousand Black Cavalry and five hundred thousand people you have acquired have the implanted identity of Great Yu Remnants. Five hundred years ago, they fled to the north to escape the turmoil of war and settled down within a great mountain,¡± the system replied. ¡°Today, their shamans, following the mandate of heaven, recognize the North Prince as the Son of Destiny. They will follow the North Prince to unify the world.¡± This¡­ Well, this implanted identity wasn¡¯t unacceptable. After all, Great Yu had been extinct for over five hundred years, and Great Sum was established on the foundation of Great Yu. The citizens of Great Sum could be said to be the former people of Great Yu. Lu Chen continued, ¡°How long will it take for the Black Cavalry to arrive if I issue the summoning order now?¡± ¡°At the earliest, half a month,¡± the system responded. Lu Chen muttered to himself, ¡°Half a month, that¡¯s more than enough!¡± In the North Land. Yan¡¯an Mountain. At the foot of the mountain was an unbroken expanse of buildings. The architectural style here bore a striking resemblance to Great Sum, as if this place were within Great Sum¡¯s borders. However, it did not belong to Great Sum, nor any other nation or dynasty. This was Great Yu City. At this moment, the streets of Great Yu City were bustling with pedestrians going to and fro and carriages and horses moving about, making it seem very lively. But just then, the people walking on the streets suddenly stopped, as if their bodies had been frozen in place. The carriages also halted instantly. Everyone simultaneously raised their heads, looking to the south. At the same time. In the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Great Yu City. An old man with an intense gaze, staring at a turtle shell before him, said to two sturdy men clad in black armor, ¡°The mandate of heaven lies to the south; the Human Emperor has appeared. It is time for us to enter the world!¡± Immediately, the two sturdy men began rallying the Black Cavalry to head towards North City in Great Sum with all their might. That evening. After dinner, Chu Yuqin patrolled the inner courtyard. Though there were many lanterns lighting up the Prince¡¯s Mansion at night, the light from the lanterns wasn¡¯t very bright, and the courtyard still seemed rather dim. Suddenly, Chu Yuqin saw a shadow slip into the courtyard where Bai Qingqing resided. Frowning, she softly propelled herself with a gentle push of her legs, leaping onto the top of the courtyard wall, and then quickly followed after. The intruder moved stealthily as if up to no good.. Chapter 87 - Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Dark Shadow Entering Bai Chapter 87: Chapter 87: The Dark Shadow Entering Bai Qingqing¡¯s Roomi Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin was curious about who would dare to barge into the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion so late at night. Those who had come to assassinate Lu Chen in the past could not even be found now, and yet someone was still bold enough to lurk in the North Prince Mansion and cause trouble under these circumstances. After entering the courtyard where Bai Qingqing stayed, Chu Yuqin immediately hid behind a rockery, wanting to see what the shadowy figure was planning to do. Just then, the figure swiftly opened the door to Bai Qingqing¡¯s room and slipped inside. Because the lantern light was too dim, Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t clearly see what the person looked like. Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help but wonder why this person would go to Bai Qingqing¡¯s room. Could it be they intended to do something to Bai Qingqing? After all, Bai Qingqing was also a martial artist, and during the day, she had roughly sensed Bai Qingqing¡¯s inner strength. It¡¯s very likely that Bai Qingqing was already a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, perhaps even stronger than her. If the assassin was looking for trouble with Bai Qingqing, wasn¡¯t that seeking death? Moreover, Bai Qingqing had only just arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion; how could there be an assassin coming after her today? Or could it be that the assassin entered the wrong room? Perhaps, they had intended to go to Lu Chen¡¯s room, but mistook Bai Qingqing¡¯s room for Lu Chen¡¯s? While Chu Yuqin was pondering this, a candle was lit inside the room. However, no sound of combat came from within. Chu Yuqin was slightly stunned. What was going on? Why hadn¡¯t Bai Qingqing attacked the assassin? Could it be that he was in cahoots with Bai Qingqing? No, that should be said the other way around: Bai Qingqing was in cahoots with that person. Bai Qingqing had been away for so many years, and now she had suddenly come to find them, claiming she would stay; this was suspicious from the start. When it came to the safety of Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin was always sensitive. Even when Wang Qingci ran over to cultivate a relationship with Lu Chen, she had to be on guard against Wang Qingci. Chu Yuqin approached the room cautiously, intending to see what the situation inside was. Meanwhile, inside the room. After Lu Chen lit the candlelight, he looked at Bai Qingqing who was sitting on the bed, meditating. Seeing Lu Chen come to find her so late, Bai Qingqing felt puzzled and asked, ¡°What does the Prince need from this servant at such a late hour?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Can¡¯t I come find you if I have nothing particular in mind?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen sat down on the edge of the bed with a practiced ease, as if he was completely unaware that he was sitting on an unmarried girl¡¯s bed. With Lu Chen suddenly so close, Bai Qingqing¡¯s heart jerked, and she couldn¡¯t explain why, but she suddenly had a very strange feeling. At this moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Bai, do you still remember how 1 used to hold you and tell you stories when you were little?¡± When Lu Chen brought this up suddenly, Bai Qingqing was even more perplexed. The North Prince came to her room late at night just to talk about these things? Bai Qingqing answered emotionlessly, ¡°This servant remembers.¡± Then, Lu Chen reached out his hand, directly took hold of Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade hand, and continued, ¡°Then, you should also remember that I said, once you grow up, you would become my woman.¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing finally understood what the North Prince was doing in her room so late at night. Back when she was a bed-warming maid for the North Prince at the Imperial Palace, he was never a content man. Moreover, the intelligence recently gathered by the Shadow Guard also mentioned that the North Prince was an extremely lustful man. To visit her chamber in the dead of night, alone with her, what else could it be for? But Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t react too dramatically; she appeared almost like a wooden doll, to the extent that she didn¡¯t stop Lu Chen from making his advances. At that moment, Bai Qingqing said with an expressionless face, ¡°This servant is merely the Prince¡¯s concubine maid, available for use at any time the Prince desires my body.¡± Seeing Bai Qingqing¡¯s cold and expressionless face made Lu Chen even more restless inside. The more indifferent Bai Qingqing seemed, the more Lu Chen wanted to see her beg for mercy later, and this ignited a desire to conquer within him. However, Lu Chen didn¡¯t dive straight into the matter at hand. Bai Qingqing¡¯s emotions had just begun to revive, and since she had been accustomed to embracing and being caressed by him from a young age, she didn¡¯t even think to resist. So he planned to reveal Bai Qingqing¡¯s true identity directly, letting her understand that he already knew who she really was. With her identity exposed, Bai Qingqing would surely behave differently. Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe that she could remain so calm later on. Afterward, Lu Chen lifted his hands and placed them on Bai Qingqing¡¯s fragrant shoulders, then slowly laid her on the bed and lay on top of her soft body, just watching her. And Bai Qingqing also looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, still offering no resistance. Lu Chen then lifted her jade arms above her head and took her wrists in one hand, and whispered into her ear, ¡°Vice Commander Bai, is it worth sacrificing your purity like this to fulfill the task my imperial father has given you?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s whisper in her ear, Bai Qingqing¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted sharply. She hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Chen would already know her true identity. As her emotions revived, Bai Qingqing began to feel more emotions, such as nervousness and panic; she was no longer the fearless killing tool she had been before. Bai Qingqing found it hard to believe; she had just arrived in North City, how could the North Prince have discovered her identity? Besides, didn¡¯t the intelligence from the Shadow Guard say that the North Prince was nothing but an ineffective ruler, and based on what she knew of him from childhood, shouldn¡¯t he just be a lecherous fool? And yet, this North Prince lying on top of her had discerned her identity with a single sentence? Although she was momentarily nervous inside, being an experienced Vice Commander of the Shadow Guard, Bai Qingqing quickly regained her composure. She then said in a cold tone, ¡°What do you mean by that, Prince? Your servant doesn¡¯t understand.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s hand, not content to stay idle, slipped into Bai Qingqing¡¯s clothes, and as he touched her indiscriminately, he said, ¡°Bai, it seems you¡¯ve indeed grown quite a bit over these years.¡± With these words, he blew gently into Bai Qingqing¡¯s ear, causing her heart to suddenly skip a beat. Immediately after, a strange sensation flooded her body, leaving her feeling inexplicably hot, an experience she had never known before. Again, Bai Qingqing was stunned; feeling her emotions just beginning to awaken, she was at a loss on how to react to the physical thrill. But she understood that it must be related to Lu Chen. Bai Qingqing slightly twisted her supple body, attempting to free herself from beneath Lu Chen. However, her body had already been firmly pinned by Lu Chen, leaving her no chance to escape. Seeing Bai Qingqing beginning to struggle, Lu Chen knew his words had taken effect, and he continued whispering in her ear, ¡°Bai, did my imperial father send you to North City to see if there were spies from the Mysterious Moon Palace among my people?¡± As Lu Chen mentioned even her mission, Bai Qingqing suddenly came to her senses; the North Prince knew far more than she had assumed. This was trouble. She hadn¡¯t expected that just after arriving at the North Prince Mansion, both her identity and mission would be uncovered by the North Prince.. Chapter 88 - Chapter 88: Chapter 88 The Maid is Actually the Princes Maid_i Chapter 88: Chapter 88 The Maid is Actually the Prince¡¯s Maid_i Translator: 549690339 Despite her own secrets having already been directly spoken by Lu Chen, Bai Qingqing still stubbornly said, ¡¯¡¯Prince, this servant came to North City on her own, with no relation to His Majesty. This servant doesn¡¯t understand why the Prince would think so.¡± Bai Qingqing really couldn¡¯t understand how the North Prince could possibly know her identity and mission. Even if the intelligence network of North Prince Mansion was very developed and had spies in the Capital, at most, the North Prince could have only found out that she was a Shadow Guard, absolutely not that she was the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards. Even the Great Commander of the Shadow Guards didn¡¯t know she was the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards, yet the North Prince knew. Furthermore, when the Sum Emperor gave her the orders, it was done in her presence, and the orders hadn¡¯t passed through a second pair of hands or lips; theoretically, there shouldn¡¯t have been much chance of a leak. Could it be that there was a problem around the Sum Emperor¡­? State Preceptor! The figure of Situ Ce flashed through Bai Qingqing¡¯s mind in an instant. On the day when the Sum Emperor gave her orders, Situ Ce was also present. So the person who could have leaked her identity and mission, the likelihood was that it was only State Preceptor Situ Ce. But State Preceptor Situ Ce was a confidant of the Sum Emperor; he had no reason to leak her matters. Had Situ Ce defected? Seeing Bai Qingqing still denying, Lu Chen merely smiled slightly, and then continued whispering in her ear, ¡°You must be very curious about how I know all this.¡± Upon hearing these words, Bai Qingqing immediately struggled weakly; she really did want to know how Lu Chen found out. However, at this moment, Lu Chen whispered into her ear, ¡°Because your heart and mine are connected, I can hear the thoughts inside your heart.¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing knew that Lu Chen was making fun of her. She felt that her mission had already failed and there was no need to stay at the North Prince Mansion any longer. Immediately, she prepared to use her inner strength to push Lu Chen away. She hadn¡¯t dared to use her skill before, mainly because she was worried Lu Chen was an ordinary person, and she could accidentally injure him. But now that she had exposed herself, she must leave the North Prince Mansion, and she didn¡¯t care about those concerns anymore. If she didn¡¯t push Lu Chen away, she might not be able to leave later. Just when Bai Qingqing was about to use her skill in an instant, she froze. Her inner strength had disappeared¡­ What was going on? She had experienced this situation once during the day; she initially thought it was some issue that arose during her martial arts practice, causing a momentary disappearance of her skill due to deviation. Unexpectedly, at this critical moment, her inner strength disappeared again! Was this really an issue from her martial arts practice? Or did all this have something to do with the North Prince to whom she was clinging? Bai Qingqing continued to watch Lu Chen intently, trying to discern something from his gaze. However, unfortunately, she only saw Lu Chen¡¯s desire for her, and nothing else. Bai Qingqing then said, ¡°Prince, this servant suddenly feels a bit unwell today, and can only serve you another day.¡± Bai Qingqing¡¯s tone remained cold, and her expression was indifferent, as if she didn¡¯t care at all about being unable to break free from Lu Chen. Lu Chen¡¯s hand was still lightly caressing her, and he then said, ¡°Bai, from now on, you will stay with me.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Qingqing immediately said, ¡°This servant is already Your Highness¡¯s concubine maid.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°Bai, you know that¡¯s not what I mean.¡± At that moment, Bai Qingqing¡¯s heart violently jerked for the third time. Suddenly, a blush appeared on her cold, exquisite cheeks, looking like a red flower blooming on an iceberg. Bai Qingqing also realized something was wrong with her body. She tried to channel her skill again, but there was still no response. Bai Qingqing had basically confirmed that this was related to Lu Chen. During the day in the pavilion, she had felt her inner strength disappear, which happened when she was this close to Lu Chen as well. All along the way here to North City, this had never happened, nor had there been any signs. However, upon entering the North Prince Mansion and coming into contact with the North Prince, her powers vanished. Moreover, now that Lu Chen knew her identity, all of these things seemed inextricably linked to him, leaving no other plausible explanation. What to do now? Without her powers, she was no different from an ordinary person. The only difference might be that she had a bit more strength than a typical sheltered young lady from a noble family. However¡­ At this moment, Bai Qingqing attempted to use her own physical strength to push Lu Chen away. After all, she was an assassin; even without her inner strength, her own physical strength was much greater than that of an ordinary person. But as soon as she exerted force in her arm, she found that it wasn¡¯t just her skill that was gone; she couldn¡¯t muster any strength in her body at all. Bai Qingqing now understood that she was completely under Lu Chen¡¯s control; there was absolutely no escape. She then resigned herself to fate, lying flat on the bed, waiting for Lu Chen to do as he pleased. Her identity was exposed, her abilities were sealed, and she could not muster any strength; what else could she do but satisfy Lu Chen¡¯s desires and become his concubine maid? After all, she had embraced and cuddled with Lu Chen since she was young. Though they hadn¡¯t consummated their marriage, she had long given him her purity in practical terms. In this era, an unmarried woman holding a man¡¯s hand was enough to ruin her reputation, let alone someone who frequently warmed Lu Chen¡¯s bed. Bai Qingqing¡¯s mind swiftly flashed through scenes from her childhood. From the moment of her birth, she was destined for a tragic fate, and everything happening now seemed only natural. She was just a tool, whether as a tool for the Sum Emperor¡¯s rule or as a tool for the North Prince¡¯s venting. After all, a tool was still a tool. Seeing Bai Qingqing look to the side, lying there motionless, with an air of resignation to whatever he would do, Lu Chen was somewhat stunned. He had already revealed her identity, and although her favorability towards him was 100, she should still resist some, right? Had she just given up so readily? Lu Chen then continued to speak, ¡°Bai, although I can¡¯t change your past, I can change your future.¡± ¡°Withdraw from the Shadow Guard and become my woman, okay?¡± Bai Qingqing still didn¡¯t respond, looking for all the world like a dead pig not fearing being scalded. What else could she say, when she was already pinned beneath Lu Chen? Their skin was separated by only a few layers of clothing, and Lu Chen could make a move at any moment. Seeing Bai Qingqing like this, Lu Chen thought that her emotions had come back to life; she couldn¡¯t still be indifferent to matters of men and women, could she? Thinking this, Lu Chen raised his head to look at Bai Qingqing, then slowly lowered it towards her pink lips. Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t dodge, and Lu Chen leaned in directly. Lu Chen decided not to care anymore; since he had started this, he might as well continue. Then Lu Chen began to kiss Bai Qingqing. Meanwhile. At the door, Chu Yuqin was staring with wide eyes through a small hole, watching everything happening in the room.. Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Acquiring a New Cultivation Techniquei Chapter 89: Chapter 89: Acquiring a New Cultivation Techniquei Translator: 549690339 Although the light from the candles in the room was dim, Chu Yuqin still made out the faces of the two people inside and what they were doing. Chu Yuqin hurriedly circulated her inner strength to calm herself down quickly. Soon after, a faint emotion welled up in her heart. Others had just arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion during the day, and Lu Chen, this bad guy, came sneaking into her bed at night to engage in marital relations with her. Although Chu Yue had indeed planned to make Bai Qingqing Lu Chen¡¯s concubine maid, after all, the girl had just traveled to North City, at least let her rest before proceeding. It was unreasonable to have someone serve in his bedchamber on the very same night. She had initially thought an assassin had entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, but it turned out to be this bad guy again. Chu Yuqin sighed and had no intention of continuing to watch. She then turned around and left the doorway. Bai Qingqing was actually Lu Chen¡¯s maid, and whatever Lu Chen wanted to do to Bai Qingqing, Chu Yuqin did not plan to interfere too much. Even if a child resulted, it was no big deal. When the time came, they would find a family for Bai Qingqing, appoint some godparents, and then marry her off to the North Prince Mansion as a concubine. After Chu Yuqin left, Lu Chen and Bai Qingqing continued their kisses. Bai Qingqing initially thought she was indifferent. After all, she had been touched by Lu Chen since she was young, and whatever he did to her body, she would not feel anything. However, she quickly realized that something was wrong. Their kissing unexpectedly made her body extremely agitated, and there seemed to be a warm current flowing through her whole body. For the first time in her life, she experienced this sensation. Bai Qingqing completely did not understand what was happening. Actually, when she was in the Imperial Palace, the matrons there had also taught her some knowledge about the affairs between men and women, since she was initially raised to be Lu Chen¡¯s concubine maid. But because her emotions were sealed off at that time, even if Lu Chen embraced her and their skin touched, she would not feel anything. But now it was different. Her emotions had awakened, and with them being sealed off for more than a decade, the affections in her heart suddenly burst forth like finding an outlet for a flood. Lu Chen did not continue to restrain Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade hands. His hands were now properly engaged elsewhere. Instead, after Lu Chen released Bai Qingqing¡¯s hands, she did not know where to place them, and finally, she couldn¡¯t help putting them around Lu Chen¡¯s neck and cuddling with Lu Chen. After a while, Bai Qingqing realized that something was wrong. Her clothes had disappeared at some point. But just then, Lu Chen slowly raised his head, and their lips slightly parted. Lu Chen looked at Bai Qingqing, her face flushed but still maintaining a cold demeanor; he couldn¡¯t help but raise his hand and gently stroke her smooth and fair cheek. Suddenly, Lu Chen stopped kissing, and Bai Qingqing found herself unaccustomed to the cessation. Her arm was still wrapped around his neck. Lu Chen then teased her, ¡°Bai, it seems that over the years, you¡¯ve also learned to be naughty.¡± Upon hearing these words, a sense of shame surged within Bai Qingqing, leaving her feeling utterly embarrassed. For some reason, she could not bring herself to meet Lu Chen¡¯s gaze and subconsciously turned her eyes away. Seeing the aloof beauty lying beneath him, a six of shyness across her usual cold demeanor, Lu Chen could not endure any longer; he was determined to transform this icy woman into a different guise by the day¡¯s end. With that thought, Lu Chen bent down again and covered Bai Qingqing¡¯s lips once more. Bai Qingqing still thought Lu Chen was just kissing, and as before, she subconsciously responded to his kiss. But very quickly, Bai Qingqing realized that Lu Chen was doing more than just kissing. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± As a low moan emerged from Bai Qingqing¡¯s throat, the candlelight in the room flickered to life. [Host has cultivated an emotional connection with Bai Qingqing once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increased by 40, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increased by 40, Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell experience points increased by 20, Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell unlocked successfully.] [Host has obtained an Emotional Crit with Bai Qingqing, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increased by 80, Rejuvenating Skill experience points increased by 80, Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell experience points increased by 40, Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell cultivated to the first level.] Although a bunch of system prompts appeared before Lu Chen, at that time, he had no interest in paying attention to these. All he wanted was to completely make the icy, aloof lady before him his own. However, at this time, Lu Chen also noticed a strange sensation: he felt a warm current flowing between their bodies. It was as if they had formed a closed-loop circuit together. Although Lu Chen hadn¡¯t yet looked at the newly acquired Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell, he basically guessed the function of the cultivation technique. It must be a cultivation technique practiced together with a woman, similar to the Happy Union Skill used by some demonic sects. However, the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell was different from Happy Union Skill; it wouldn¡¯t harm the other person. At this moment, Bai Qingqing, whose consciousness was blurred, also regained a trace of clarity in her eyes, and she felt the skill flowing within her body. Her skill had disappeared before, but now it had returned unexpectedly, and a new type of inner strength, which she had never encountered, emerged in her body. Clearly, this inner strength was transferred to her by Lu Chen, and the method of transfer was through cultivating feelings with her. Just as Bai Qingqing was about to push Lu Chen away, taking advantage of the return of her skill, she discovered that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. It wasn¡¯t that she lacked the strength, but rather her heart had developed a deep dependence. Bai Qingqing instantly understood that she was truly destined to be this bad Prince¡¯s concubine maid for life. At that time, Lu Chen noticed some complex emotions in Bai Qingqing¡¯s gaze. He smiled and said, ¡°Bai, call me ¡®Master¡¯ and let me hear it.¡± Bai Qingqing ignored Lu Chen and turned her head away again, looking to the side. Seeing Bai Qingqing¡¯s indifference, Lu Chen sighed inwardly. It seemed he still hadn¡¯t satisfied her, so he would have to continue cultivating their emotional connection. Fortunately, with the help of the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell, Bai Qingqing ultimately chose to surrender and concede. ¡°Bai, won¡¯t you really call me ¡®Master¡¯?¡± ¡°Master¡­ Master¡­¡± ¡°Sigh, the title ¡®Master¡¯ doesn¡¯t suit you, call me ¡®dear brother¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Dear¡­ dear brother¡­ ah¡­¡± The next morning. After a whole night of heartfelt conversations with Bai Qingqing, she had completely softened. When Lu Chen woke up, he glanced beside him and saw that Bai Qingqing was also looking at him. Their eyes met. For a moment, a blush reappeared on Bai Qingqing¡¯s cold, beautiful face. Bai Qingqing immediately turned her head away, reverting to her cold demeanor from the day before. Lu Chen then wrapped his arms around Bai Qingqing¡¯s body and whispered in her ear, ¡°Bai, do you really not plan to become mine?¡± With her back to Lu Chen, Bai Qingqing spoke in an emotionless tone, ¡°I am already the Prince¡¯s concubine maid.¡± That was what Bai Qingqing had said the day before, but Lu Chen could tell that although the words were the same, their meaning was different when Bai Qingqing spoke them again.. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Chapter 90 New Intelligence ! Chapter 90: Chapter 90 New Intelligence ! Translator: 549690339 Bai Qingqing knew she had no choice but to betray the Sum Emperor. Her true identity had been uncovered by Lu Chen, and now her body was also under Lu Chen¡¯s control. At this moment, she had no choice but to surrender to Lu Chen. Moreover, her heart had completely accepted Lu Chen. To her, becoming a tool for the Sum Emperor was no different from becoming a tool for Lu Chen. She had never felt a sense of belonging to the Shadow Guard anyway, and now that Lu Chen controlled her, it was only natural for her to become one of his people. It was just that she wasn¡¯t yet accustomed to being Lu Chen¡¯s woman. Before her feelings revived, even if Lu Chen hugged her, held her close, or kissed her, she wouldn¡¯t feel anything. However, things were different now. Whenever her skin touched Lu Chen¡¯s, she would feel an agitation within her body, a heat, along with an incomprehensible feeling in her heart. Especially last night¡¯s sensations, they baffled her even more. She didn¡¯t understand why she seemed to have become a completely different person. Not only did she cry out in front of Lu Chen, she even called him master, good brother, darling, and the like. She even suspected that there was another soul inside her body. Everything that happened yesterday had nothing to do with her; it was all caused by that other soul. At this time, Lu Chen was no longer concerned with Bai Qingqing¡¯s verbal submission, for her heart already belonged to him. Lu Chen now rolled over with Bai Qingqing¡¯s delicate body in his arms, climbing atop her soft form and looking down at her exquisite, aloof face from above. At this moment, Bai Qingqing once again felt that strange sensation from the previous night. She wanted to activate her cultivation technique to prevent her body from growing more restless, but she quickly found that her skill had disappeared again. Bai Qingqing had come to understand that whenever she made physical contact with Lu Chen, her prowess would vanish. However, there was an exception. When she and Lu Chen were cultivating their feelings, her power would come back, because at that time, the inner strength within her body and Lu Chen¡¯s would form a circle, constantly circulating between them. If it was just the current situation, she would be unable to activate her power. Seeing the Ice Beauty¡¯s bashful expression, Lu Chen was suddenly seized by a playful mood and started to act wickedly again. Bai Qingqing¡¯s body grew hotter and hotter. She bit her lower lip lightly, and her eyebrows slightly furrowed. The more Lu Chen watched her, the more he wanted to tease her. At that moment, Bai Qingqing took the initiative to speak, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s time for you to get up.¡± Lu Chen chuckled lightly, and then said, ¡°You, a concubine maid, dare to instruct this Prince on what to do? It seems you need a good lesson to learn the rules of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± No sooner had the words fallen than Lu Chen leaned down. Bai Qingqing tried to turn her head away, but Lu Chen promptly raised his hand, took hold of her delicate chin, and kissed her. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Meanwhile. Inside the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Early in the morning, Chu Yuqin was carrying out her daily inspections when a maid approached her. ¡°Madam Chu, something terrible has happened!¡± Seeing the maid in a fluster, Chu Yuqin immediately asked, ¡°What has happened?¡± The maid quickly said, ¡°Commander Qin has come to discuss matters with the Prince, but 1 have searched all the ladies¡¯ chambers, and 1 cannot find the Prince anywhere. It¡¯s as if he has vanished.¡± Normally, Lu Chen would emerge from one of his wives¡¯ or concubines¡¯ chambers every morning. Otherwise, he would rise early and go to the study. But today, the maid first went to the study, then to Mu Zixuan and the other ladies¡¯ quarters, and found no trace of Lu Chen. She thought Lu Chen had disappeared and rushed to find Chu Yuqin. Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin sneered. She knew exactly where Lu Chen had gone. That crafty rascal sneaked off to indulge in some illicit pleasure last night. Chu Yuqin then said to the maid, ¡°I know where he is. Don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll go look for him. You may go about your duties.¡± With Madam Chu¡¯s assurance, the maid breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Yes, Madam Chu.¡± Afterward, Chu Yuqin headed for Bai Qingqing¡¯s courtyard. She glanced at Bai Qingqing¡¯s room door, thinking to herself, it was already so late, surely Chen¡¯er would be getting up soon? With that in mind, Chu Yuqin arrived at the door of Bai Qingqing¡¯s room, intending to remind Lu Chen that Qin Yushan was looking for him. But just at this moment, the voice of Bai Qingqing, filled with fluctuations of intonation, came from inside the room. Upon hearing this voice, Chu Yuqin knew what had happened. However, at this time, Chu Yuqin felt very surprised. Her surprise was not that Lu Chen had devoured Bai Qingqing, but that Bai Qingqing would exhibit such a reaction. Ever since she was a child, Bai Qingqing had grown up in the Imperial Palace, and all these years, Chu Yuqin had never seen Bai Qingqing show any other expression. Even when Bai Qingqing fell to the ground, she wouldn¡¯t make a sound, nor would she cry. Some masters said she was a person without emotions. Yet this person, who supposedly had no emotions, was now making such a sound in Lu Chen¡¯s presence. Was she really devoid of emotions? Or was it that even someone without emotions would feel something when engaged in such an act? While Chu Yuqin pondered this, after Bai Qingqing let out a high-pitched sound, suddenly Lu Chen¡¯s voice came from the room, ¡°Madam Chu, do you need something from me?¡± Now, Lu Chen¡¯s perceptive abilities were incredibly strong; he could easily discern the presence of someone at the door. Last night, he actually noticed Chu Yuqin peeking at the door, but Lu Chen didn¡¯t care at all, and he also knew that it wasn¡¯t the first or second time Chu Yuqin had spied on him. Often, when he and Wang Qingci were swinging in the courtyard, Chu Yuqin, while on patrol, would also sneak a peek if they encountered one another, watching for quite a while before moving on. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin at the door froze for a second, then she remembered that Lu Chen was now a changed man; his Realm had ascended to levels unimown to her. Plus, he practiced the Immortal Law, which was definitely different from ordinary Cultivation Techniques, so it was normal for him to sense people outside of his room. Yet realizing that her eavesdropping had been caught red-handed by Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin felt her cheeks burning. Then, Chu Yuqin coughed and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Commander Qin said he needed to see you, and he¡¯s already gone to your study to wait for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately replied, ¡°Oh, all right, I know. I¡¯ll head over there now.¡± With these words, Lu Chen got up from the bed and gently caressed Bai Qingqing¡¯s cheek, smiling as he said, ¡°Bai, it seems you¡¯ve completely assimilated into the role of your concubine maid.¡± Bai Qingqing lay in bed, her face filled with shame, frozen in place. She couldn¡¯t understand why she would change like this, why she would have such feelings. Was she inherently such a woman? Or had she been utterly enslaved by Lu Chen? Not only her body but her soul as well. Lu Chen then got dressed, talking as he did, ¡°i¡¯ll come to find you tonight. I¡¯ve got things to do now, so I¡¯ll be leaving. You just lie there and rest well.¡± After getting dressed, Lu Chen left the room. Watching Lu Chen¡¯s departing figure, Bai Qingqing¡¯s gaze was filled with complex emotions. Lu Chen skipped breakfast and went directly to the study. At this point, Qin Yushan was already waiting for Lu Chen in the study. Seeing Lu Chen arrive, Qin Yushan immediately saluted and said, ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± Lu Chen hummed in acknowledgment, nodded, and asked, ¡°Commander Qin, is there any new intelligence?¡± Qin Yushan coming to him early in the morning surely meant there was urgent business; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have come so early to find him. Everyone knew he was a man who liked to cuddle with his spouse and sleep in, so they usually would not disturb him too early. Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s a letter from the Capital City. Commander Liang and his team found out that Prince Lu Shuyun has been colluding with the Barbarian Tribe. Through the merchant caravans, Prince Lu Shuyun has been smuggling a significant amount of salt and iron to the Sky Wolf King of the Barbarian Tribe.¡± ¡°This time the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand moving southward, I fear it¡¯s likely intertwined with Prince Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families of the South.¡± With that, Qin Yushan drew a letter from his sleeve, which had just arrived that morning. Lu Chen took the intelligence from Qin Yushan¡¯s hand and opened it to read carefully. The expression on Lu Chen¡¯s face gradually soured as he had not expected Prince Lu Shuyun, this carefree individual, not only to attempt to assassinate his own brother but now even engage in acts of treason.. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Letter from Homei Chapter 91: Chapter 91 Letter from Homei Translator: 549690339 After reading the intelligence brought by the Brocade Guard, Lu Chen¡¯s face turned utterly dark. In a fit of rage, he tore up the report in his hands. ¡°It was bad enough being targeted for assassination three times, but now to collude with the Barbarian Tribe, absurdly thinking of leveraging their power to contend for inheritance!¡± ¡°This guy really is a beast; he has absolutely no bottom line.¡± Seeing how angry Lu Chen was, Qin Yushan carefully said, ¡°Prince, what do we do now?¡± ¡°Should we release the information about Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s collusion with the Barbarian Tribe?¡± Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen calmed down and fell into deep thought. He didn¡¯t immediately answer. If he let out the news of Lu Shuyun¡¯s collusion with the Barbarian Tribe, it would certainly deal a blow to Lu Shuyun, but without decisive evidence, there was no way to convict Lu Shuyun of his crime. Moreover, the crime of betraying the nation could not be determined by a Seignior alone. It would depend on the court, primarily on his imperial father¡¯s opinion. If his imperial father said Lu Shuyun betrayed the nation, then Lu Shuyun would be a traitor. If his imperial father declared Lu Shuyun innocent, then Lu Shuyun would probably get away with it. However, looking at it from another angle, Lu Shuyun¡¯s maternal family was the Wang Family, and what his imperial father was about to do next was to purge the Aristocratic Families. If his imperial father learned that Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families from the South colluded with the Barbarian Tribe, perhaps he would use this as an excuse to make a move against them, wouldn¡¯t he? Thinking of this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Commander Qin, if my imperial father knew that Prince Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families were colluding with the Barbarian Tribe to come down from the South, what do you think my imperial father would do?¡± Qin Yushan was stunned by the question. After all, it involved the Emperor, and Qin Yushan did not want to speculate rashly. At that moment, Lu Chen added, ¡°Speak your mind.¡± Since Lu Chen said so, Qin Yushan spoke up, ¡°Prince, in your subordinate¡¯s opinion, his majesty would probably be very angry upon hearing this news but would not immediately move against Prince Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families from the South. Considering the Barbarian Army of three hundred thousand is about to move South, cleaning up the Aristocratic Families at this time would likely be very disadvantageous for Great Sum.¡± Lu Chen thought about it and felt there was some truth to what Qin Yushan said. If they released news now that Prince Lu Shuyun was colluding with the Barbarian Army, it might instead publicize the conflict between the Sum Emperor and the Aristocratic Families. If that happened, others might simply not act, and the whole of Great Sum would become chaotic, which was not what Lu Chen wanted to see. However, it wouldn¡¯t do to just let it go. He had been unhappy with Lu Shuyun for a long time; he had sent Blood Moon Tower to assassinate him three times, and now he had committed treason. He couldn¡¯t let such a traitor live so freely and easily; he must make him pay some price. With this in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°Convey my orders to Commander Liang to try to assassinate Prince Lu Shuyun. It doesn¡¯t have to succeed, but make sure to eliminate all the important people around Prince Lu Shuyun as much as possible.¡± By doing this, Lu Chen wanted to give Prince Lu Shuyun a warning and also get back at him. Of course, if they could directly eliminate the traitorous Lu Shuyun, that would be even better. However, Lu Chen did not believe that Liang Zong and the Brocade Guard in the Capital city could eliminate a Prince in the Capital city, especially since Lu Shuyun had the backing of the powerful Aristocratic Family, the Wang Family. The Wang Family would surely send many experts to protect Lu Shuyun, so whether Liang Zong and his men could even injure Lu Shuyun was in question. But regardless of whether they could succeed, it was absolutely unacceptable for Lu Shuyun to act so recklessly and rampantly in the Capital city, as if he were lawless. For the sake of contending for the heirship, he actually colluded proactively with an external enemy, completely disregarding the lives and safety of the common people of North City. Although North City had already become his territory as the North Prince, in name it was still Great Sum¡¯s North City. If Lu Shuyun were to succeed in seizing the position of heir, North City would also fall under his rule. Yet, this fellow was willing to sell North City off just to win the struggle for succession. Lu Chen also knew that his decision to assassinate Lu Shuyun was somewhat emotional and could even expose the movements of the Brocade Guard. But if he didn¡¯t do something, he simply couldn¡¯t swallow this grievance. Qin Yushan also saw what was in Lu Chen¡¯s heart and knew that the Prince was very angry, so he suggested, ¡°Prince, although the news of the eighth Prince colluding with the Barbarian Tribe should not be spread for now, you could hint at it to His Majesty.¡± ¡°When His Majesty finds out, he will definitely send the Shadow Guard to investigate. If it turns out the eighth Prince is colluding with the Barbarian Tribe, even if he doesn¡¯t punish the eighth Prince now, once the matter of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s move south is over, he will certainly use the evidence to deal with the eighth Prince and the Aristocratic Families of the South.¡± The Sum Emperor had already been looking for an excuse to crack down on the Aristocratic Families. And now, the Aristocratic Families of the South had conspired with the Barbarian Tribe, which was akin to handing the Emperor a knife voluntarily. As for the sacrifice of an eighth Prince, it was of no concern to the Sum Emperor; the eighth Prince was a spokesman for the Aristocratic Families of the South, and the Emperor had no intention of choosing him as the Crown Prince. The Imperial Family is heartless. The Sum Emperor hadn¡¯t even bothered about the eighth Prince¡¯s attempt to assassinate the North Prince; how could he care about sacrificing an eighth Prince? He had many sons; the death of one or two meant no loss to him. And being a Grandmaster, the young and robust Sum Emperor could produce children at an impressive speed. After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°1 will write a memorial to Father Emperor at once.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qin Yushan hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, you mustn¡¯t do that.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback and then asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you suggest 1 reveal something to my Father Emperor? If 1 don¡¯t write a memorial, then how will 1 reveal the news about the Barbarian Tribe and the eighth Prince¡¯s collusion to my Father?¡± Qin Yushan explained, ¡°Prince, what your subordinate means is that this matter cannot be passed to His Majesty through a memorial. If the Prince writes a memorial, it becomes a matter of state; after knowing, His Majesty might consult with the ministers. Additionally, the memorial might be intercepted by others before it even reaches His Majesty¡¯s hands.¡± ¡°If the Prince wishes for this matter to be known to His Majesty, it should be communicated through a personal letter, for only a personal letter can be delivered directly to His Majesty.¡± In Great Sum, memorials sent from the provinces needed to be reviewed by those below, and some memorials would never reach the Emperor¡¯s hands. If Lu Chen were to write a memorial, it would undoubtedly be intercepted by those aligned with the eighth Prince without any question. But if it was a personal letter instead, that would be different. Written in the name of the ninth Prince, it meant it should be delivered directly into the Sum Emperor¡¯s hands. Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. A personal letter? A Prince enfeoffed with a fief writing a personal letter to the Emperor? Had there ever been such a precedent in Great Sum? It seemed he had never heard of any Prince enfeoffed with a fief writing personal letters to the Emperor. Being enfeoffed with a fief meant one had become a subject, and the father-son relationship was diluted. At such a time, to write a personal letter, wouldn¡¯t that be too¡­ After pondering for a while, Lu Chen felt that what Qin Yushan said made some sense. If he were to submit a memorial, it was very likely that it would never make it to the Emperor¡¯s hands. But it was different with a personal letter. He didn¡¯t believe anyone would dare intercept his own personal letter. Although it seemed abstract for an enfeoffed Prince to write a personal letter to the Emperor, it didn¡¯t mean he was unqualified to do so¡ªafter all, even as a Seignior, he was still the Sum Emperor¡¯s son.. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Why not let Bai stay to take care of me?_i Chapter 92: Chapter 92 Why not let Bai stay to take care of me?_i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen eventually accepted Qin Yushan¡¯s suggestion and directly wrote a family letter to the Sum Emperor. First, he complained in the letter about how terribly harsh the environment in North City was, and then he pretended to ask for aid, hoping the Sum Emperor could dispatch a large army as soon as possible to help him resist the Barbarian Tribe. It was near the end of the letter that Lu Chen mentioned his recent discovery of many iron tools unique to Great Sum on the grasslands. Lastly, he affected a very aggrieved demeanor in the letter to complain about how Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s trading caravans often appeared in North City, and, flaunting Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s backing, frequently avoided paying the transit tax. He hoped the Sum Emperor would punish Prince Lu Shuyun, tone down his arrogance and, ideally, make him pay all the transit taxes his caravans owed. The image Lu Chen presented in his letter was that of a coward, appearing as much a wimp as his usual image of someone who sought pleasure and was ignorant. Moreover, in this family letter, he did not directly say that the salt and iron of the Barbarian Tribe came from Prince Lu Shuyun, but he believed the Sum Emperor would surely see what he implied. After all, his father, proficient in the ways of the world, would not miss such a hint. Having finished the family letter, Lu Chen planned to have Qin Yushan send it to the Capital city posthaste. But at that moment, Qin Yushan said, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s not enough to only send a family letter, you also need to write an urgent military report about the movements of the Barbarian Tribe and send it to the Capital city.¡± ¡°It just so happens that our men have discovered that the North Fre King¡¯s soldiers have gathered at the Sky Wolf King¡¯s court. Using the Red Ribbon Messenger for this intelligence is completely unproblematic.¡± Lu Chen was startled, then asked, ¡°Is it really that troublesome?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s only a family letter being sent, the letter may not reach His Majesty immediately, but if it is sent with an urgent military report via the Red Ribbon Messenger, the messenger can deliver both the family letter and the report directly to His Majesty,¡± Qin Yushan explained. Although what Lu Chen wrote was a family letter, delivering it to the Emperor¡¯s hands would still require certain procedures. It was not an easy matter for anything to get into the Imperial Palace. However, an urgent military report was different. In Great Sum, a report by a Red Ribbon Messenger must reach the Emperor¡¯s hands immediately, and no one was permitted to block it, even if the Emperor was still sleeping, it was necessary to wake him up. Lu Chen also understood Qin Yushan¡¯s intention. He then wrote a military report and hoped the court could dispatch troops as soon as possible. Once both items were ready, Qin Yushan immediately arranged for a Red Ribbon Messenger to deliver Lu Chen¡¯s family letter and military report to the Capital city. At this time, Lu Chen was sitting in the study, silently looking at the map on the table. After the letter reached the Capital city, his father, the Emperor, would likely have Bai Qingqing, the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards, investigate the issue with the Barbarian Tribe in North City. By then, he could use it to his advantage, allowing Bai Qingqing to deliver some evidence of Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s collusion with the Barbarian Tribe. Of course, gathering evidence of Prince Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families colluding with the Barbarian Tribe was not easy. After all, the evidence was with the Barbarian Tribe itself. Therefore, the most important thing they had to do now was to defeat the Barbarian Tribe. Only then could they obtain evidence of Lu Shuyun¡¯s collusion with the Barbarian Tribe from them. Only then could such evidence serve as an excuse for the Sum Emperor to take action against the Aristocratic Families. As for what would ultimately happen to Prince Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families, Lu Chen didn¡¯t care one bit. These guys were unkind and unjust first, so they couldn¡¯t blame him. Just as Lu Chen was staring at the map and deep in thought, there was a knock on the door. Lu Chen came back to his senses. ¡°The door is unlocked, come in.¡± The next moment, Chu Yuqin pushed the door and entered the study. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s graceful figure, Lu Chen¡¯s serious expression vanished, and he asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, do you need something from me?¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you planning to let the people from the Prince¡¯s Mansion go south to Anping City this time?¡± ¡°You must keep some people around to take care of you, right?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thought for a while, then said, ¡°How about we let Bai stay behind to take care of me?¡± Hearing Lu Chen mention Bai Qingqing, Chu Yuqin cast a deep glance at him, knowing that Lu Chen would choose Bai Qingqing. Firstly, Bai Qingqing possessed a certain degree of strength, and though she had just arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion and Lu Chen had known her since childhood, they had been separated for many years, which gave Lu Chen a sense of novelty. Moreover, Bai Qingqing had grown even more cold and stunningly beautiful, and Lu Chen definitely liked her body. Chu Yuqin immediately asked, ¡°Just her alone?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you planning to keep that bitch from the Hundred Flowers Tower by your side?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen fell silent for a moment. Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°The third assassination attempt from Blood Moon Tower has already failed. I fear even the unusual Prince Lu Shuyun has noticed it. In my opinion, there¡¯s no need for her to stay at the Hundred Flowers Tower anymore.¡± ¡°Why not just arrange for her to be your female slave, serving you daily in the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± ¡°Besides, her strength is not bad; she might be able to protect you at a critical moment.¡± Chu Yuqin thought to herself, Wang Qingci, after all, was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist; if she were by Lu Chen¡¯s side, she could serve as a shield should any danger befall him. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°No need, let her follow you all to Anping City too.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin confirmed, ¡°So you¡¯ll really only keep Bai alone?¡± Lu Chen nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Bai alone is enough.¡± ¡°Besides, I¡¯m concerned about not being in Anping City. If that beast from the Capital City sends someone to trouble you, having Wang Qingci around, a Half-step Grandmaster, would provide an extra layer of security for Zixuan and the others.¡± Chu Yuqin was somewhat surprised at Lu Chen¡¯s words. Wang Qingci had already become a Half-step Grandmaster? Wasn¡¯t that the same level as her own realm? Thinking of this, Chu Yuqin felt somewhat annoyed; she had always been uncomfortable with that bitch. All of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines showed her respect, but only that bitch would always come before her and make remarks like ¡°The Prince is so mighty,¡± or ¡°The Prince can make people fly.¡± It seemed to the bitch that she and Chu Yuqin were the same, both Lu Chen¡¯s women, which is why she spoke so uninhibitedly in her presence. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Chen¡¯s sake, she would have acted against Wang Qingci long ago. After coming back to her senses, Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Madam won¡¯t ask too much about what you¡¯re going to do, but I still want to remind you that if you really face danger and cannot hold back the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s onslaught, you should flee south.¡± ¡°The situation in the Capital City is also quite unstable now. The Emperor will probably not dispatch many soldiers northward. You can only rely on yourself. Even if you fail to hold North City, the people of Great Sum won¡¯t laugh at you, at least you took the initiative to fight the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Lu Chen had become an object of ridicule in the hearts of the common people. Even if he did abandon North City and flee, the people of Great Sum would not find it surprising. On the contrary, Lu Chen¡¯s decision to fight a decisive battle with the Barbarian Tribe in Yan County might actually make the common people think that the North Prince still had some backbone, allowing his image to rebound from rock bottom. Listening to Chu Yuqin¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen smiled faintly, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Chu, 1 value my life quite a bit. If I truly cannot defeat the Barbarian Tribe, 1 know what to do.¡± Seeing Lu Chen respond in such a manner, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t say anything more. She turned around and said, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯m going to patrol. You¡¯re busy, so I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± After she spoke, Chu Yuqin turned and left the study. Two days later. At the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. The convoy heading south from the Prince¡¯s Mansion was ready. Lu Chen stood at the entrance of the mansion, bidding farewell to his wives and concubines one by one.. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Departure i Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Departure i Translator: 549690339 Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao lay in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, incessantly sobbing, with Youyou¡¯s eyes red from crying. Wiping away her tears, Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Prince, if we can¡¯t hold back the Barbarian Tribe, you must head south.¡± Youyou hugged Lu Chen around the waist, her head resting on his chest, ¡°Wuwuwu¡­ Prince, your concubine will wait in Anping City for your good news.¡± At that moment, Mu Zixuan, who stood to one side, also gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Prince, when your concubine leaves, you must take good care of yourself.¡± Hearing their words, Lu Chen spoke with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the war will be over soon, in no more than half a year.¡± At the mention of half a year before they could see Lu Chen again, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou cried even harder, and even Mu Zixuan¡¯s eyes reddened slightly, as if she was about to cry. Lu Chen comforted them and said, ¡°Alright, my darlings, no more crying. As soon as the war ends, I¡¯ll immediately send for you to return.¡± While Lu Chen comforted his wives and concubines, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t stand by him to say much; she had already spoken earlier what needed to be said to Lu Chen. She believed Lu Chen knew what he had to do; Yuqin approached Bai Qingqing and said, ¡°Little Bai, for the coming months, you¡¯ll be the only one by Chen¡¯er¡¯s side. I entrust Chen¡¯er¡¯s safety to you.¡± Yuqin spoke only of Bai Qingqing being by Lu Chen¡¯s side, which naturally referred to Lu Chen¡¯s women. The Prince¡¯s Mansion couldn¡¯t possibly be left empty; a substantial number of servants and maids were left behind. After all, Lu Chen would still reside in the Prince¡¯s Mansion; it wasn¡¯t feasible for all the maids and servants to leave¡ªif they did, who would take care of Lu Chen? After hearing Yuqin¡¯s words, Bai Qingqing softly ¡°Mhm,¡± without saying much else. Truth be told, Bai Qingqing hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to leave only her by his side, which added worry to her heart. Just thinking about the scenes of her and Lu Chen doing those intimate acts made Bai Qingqing feel a little agitated. Once Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines had left, she¡¯d be the only woman left. Wouldn¡¯t she have to cultivate a relationship with Lu Chen every day? Even though she was a Grandmaster, the mere thought of Lu Chen¡¯s fierceness made Bai Qingqing¡¯s slender legs tremble slightly. At this time, Wang Qingci approached Lu Chen. She was about to leave him and, as the one who had been most tormented by Lu Chen on a daily basis, she too felt extremely reluctant. Looking into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, she asked, ¡°Prince, are you really not considering letting your servant stay with you?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No need. Although you are my female slave, you are also my woman, and I don¡¯t wish to see any harm come to you.¡± Hearing this, warmth surged through Qingci¡¯s heart. She had always thought that Lu Chen only saw her as a tool for release, but it turned out he genuinely cared for her. Just then, something occurred to Lu Chen, and he said, ¡°Right, starting today, you are to leave the Misty Pavilion; no need to continue hiding there.¡± Hearing this, Qingci momentarily stiffened. She had always wanted to prove her value through her espionage in the Misty Pavilion. As long as Prince Lu Shuyun remained a threat to Lu Chen, she could obtain early intelligence, proving her worth. Lu Chen went on, ¡°After arriving in North City, I¡¯ve been the target of two assassination attempts by the Blood Moon Tower, and both times you were unharmed. Even Lu Shuyun, foolish as he is, would realize you¡¯ve turned against him.¡± Considering Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qingci found some logic in them. However, if she no longer acted undercover, how could she prove her worth? Was she really expected to stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side every day as his sheath? Seeing Qingci¡¯s disappointed expression, Lu Chen continued, ¡°After the war with the Barbarian Tribe is over, I will arrange a suitable job for you.¡± At this, Qingci¡¯s eyes brightened, and she immediately asked, ¡°Prince, are you serious?¡± Although unsure what job Lu Chen had in mind for her, she knew it was better than being idle. Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Although he hadn¡¯t yet thought of what work to assign to Wang Qingci, he didn¡¯t intend to let her idle away either. With such an enchanting and seductive woman like Wang Qingci around him, he found it very difficult to control himself. Even though the women by his side were all extremely beautiful, it was Wang Qingci alone who could drive him insane. After all, she was his female slave, and every time Lu Chen thought of that, he desired to push her to her limits. Such a woman wasn¡¯t suited to stay by his side forever. If Wang Qingci managed to deceive all his feelings, how could his other concubines bear him children? Meanwhile. From a distance, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun stood still, quietly watching Lu Chen say his farewells to his wives and concubines. This scene surprised them both, as Lu Chen was said to be a licentious prince, but his wives and concubines seemed to share a deep affection with him. Indeed, all the intelligence about the North Prince collected by their Mysterious Moon Palace was false; not a single piece matched the actual North Prince. Of course, Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t believe there was a problem with their palace¡¯s intelligence; she thought instead that the North Prince was incredibly cunning, not an ordinary man. Otherwise, the world wouldn¡¯t be filled with rumors that the North Prince was useless. At this moment, Lin Wanyun, beside Chen Wanrong, sighed and said, ¡°I hope the North Prince can successfully resist the southward invasion of the Barbarian Tribe and survive.¡± After all, Lu Chen was the son of her good friend, and Lin Wanyun genuinely hoped for his survival, regardless of her own position. As for using Lu Chen¡¯s blood to craft the Subtle Dragon Spell, that was a concern for later. Lin Wanyun glanced at Chen Wanrong, who was quietly observing Lu Chen, who was still saying goodbye to his wives and concubines. This scene reminded her of the day when her father emperor had sent them away from the Chen Nation capital. Back then, they were just as reluctant to leave. When she returned to the Chen Nation capital, everything had changed, and her father emperor and the royal relatives had all turned to dry bones. At this point, Chen Wanrong felt an urge to abandon the plan of using Lu Chen to create the Subtle Dragon Spell. She didn¡¯t want to shatter this beautiful tableau. Once everyone had said their farewells to Lu Chen, he declared, ¡°All right, let¡¯s set off and aim to reach Anping City as soon as possible!¡± Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao, after boarding the carriage, kept saying through the window, ¡°Prince, please take care of yourself!¡± ¡°Prince, your humble concubine will always wait for your news, sob, sob, sob¡­¡± Lu Chen, unlike his wives and concubines, who were crying their hearts out, smiled and waved goodbye to them. Watching the caravan gradually disappear into the distance, Lu Chen suddenly felt relieved. With his important people gone, he too could now prepare for the decisive battle against the Barbarian Tribe. Then, Lu Chen turned and headed back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. The caravan headed south with Mu Zixuan and the others was very large, comprising not only the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s coaches but also those from Mu Mansion, as well as some common citizenry. For their safety, Lu Chen had especially commissioned Mu Xingping to lead a detachment of the Brocade Guard to escort them southward and had also arranged for several Ninth Grade martial artists. Safety was certainly guaranteed. When the common folks of North City saw such a large caravan moving south, they understood that something significant must have happened in North City. Over the following few days, rumors spread throughout North City that the Barbarian Tribe was about to invade from the south and that, in order to save himself, the North Prince had abandoned the people of North City and fled.. Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Hasnt the North Prince Already Fled?_i Chapter 94: Chapter 94 Hasn¡¯t the North Prince Already Fled?_i Translator: 549690339 As for the rumors in North City, Lu Chen, who was at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, had naturally heard of them. Such a large convoy from the Prince¡¯s Mansion heading south was bound to catch the eyes of the common folk, and rumors were inevitable. Lu Chen didn¡¯t pay too much attention to the rumors; he was already busy preparing to defend against the Barbarian Tribe. Several days later. In order to get the people in the northern part of North City to cooperate with the scorched earth policy and evacuate the population, North Prince Mansion issued a proclamation directly, informing the commoners that the Barbarian Tribe was about to assemble three hundred thousand cavalry to head south, conquer North City, and even establish a country there. Once the proclamation was out, in less than half a month, it created an uproar. Not only did the commoners of North City become aware of this matter, but the whole of Great Sum, as well as the neighboring countries around Great Sum, also learned that the Barbarian Tribe was about to move south. The commoners had already heard rumors of the Barbarian Tribe moving south when North Prince Mansion¡¯s convoy was heading south; now that North Prince Mansion had issued the proclamation directly, that confirmed that the Barbarian Tribe indeed planned to head south. Some commoners thought that since even their Prince had fled, staying in North City meant a certain death, so they fled south. Of course, there were also some commoners who did not want to leave their homes where they had lived for generations. To ensure the commoners cooperate with the scorched earth policy, North Prince Mansion quickly issued another decree that any commoner who complied with the policy would be exempt from agricultural taxes for two years after the war ended when they returned to their original lands. The policy of exempting agricultural tax was initially planned by Lu Chen to promote the cultivation of new crops, but with no other choice and some of the northern commoners stubbornly refusing to leave, he had to bring out this policy in advance. If, under these circumstances, those commoners still refused to leave, Lu Chen had no intentions to interfere any further. He had to focus on training the new army and couldn¡¯t put all his efforts into the scorched earth policy. Early morning. Lu Chen got out of bed and glanced at the icy beauty in his arms. Bai Qingqing was also gazing at him, as she always woke up before he did. Seeing Lu Chen looking at her, a blush appeared on Bai Qingqing¡¯s cold and beautiful face, and she quickly turned her head to look away. Since Lu Chen¡¯s wives had left, he had been coming to her bed every night, and her body and mind already belonged entirely to Lu Chen, but she still couldn¡¯t dare to look directly into his eyes. Seeing Bai Qingqing¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen smiled faintly; after these days of exploration, he had figured out how to use the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell. The role of the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell was to accelerate one¡¯s own cultivation, to improve one¡¯s speed of absorbing Spiritual Energy, and also to allow the female partner to embark on the path of cultivation. In other words, the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell was a dual cultivation technique. Lu Chen planned to bring Mu Zixuan and the others back after the war with the Barbarian Tribe ended and cultivate the Dragon Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell together with them. Although the chances of becoming immortals were slim in this world where Spiritual Energy was scarce, the possibility of extending their lives or maintaining their youth and beauty was still achievable. At this moment, Lu Chen got up from the bed; he didn¡¯t plan to start his day with a morning greeting to Bai Qingqing since he had important matters to handle today. After getting up, Lu Chen ate something simple and then rode his horse to the new army¡¯s camp. When the commoners of Yan County saw Lu Chen riding his horse, they were all incredibly shocked and started talking among themselves. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it said that the North Prince has already fled?¡± ¡°Yeah, I saw the wives¡¯ carriages heading south with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Then why is the North Prince still in Yan County?¡± ¡°Could it be that this is a body double for the North Prince?¡± ¡°How could it be a double, I¡¯ve seen the North Prince several times, this is definitely the North Prince himself.¡± ¡°It seems then that the North Prince has merely sent his wives south to take refuge, he himself hasn¡¯t fled.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t expect the North Prince to have such integrity!¡± Hearing the commoners¡¯ discussions, Lu Chen didn¡¯t pay much heed; he had specifically ridden his horse to the new army¡¯s camp to let the commoners of Yan County know he had not left Yan County. Soon, Lu Chen arrived at the new army¡¯s camp. The new military camp was located outside the city, and to facilitate the testing of cannons, Lu Chen had people build the new military camp site at a location fairly distant from Yan County. When Lu Chen arrived at the new military camp, Mu Changtian and several other key generals immediately came to Lu Chen¡¯s front, ¡°We pay our respects to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, then asked, ¡°Have all the recruits for the new army been gathered?¡± Mu Changtian replied, ¡°Back to the Prince, they have all been gathered, exactly ten thousand men.¡± No sooner had Mu Changtian¡¯s voice faded than Li Feng spoke up, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve heard that the court has issued a Military Expansion Order to North City. North City can now have up to one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers. Why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to recruit some more soldiers?¡± After they reported the situation of the Barbarian Tribe moving south to the court, the court immediately issued a Military Expansion Order to North Prince¡¯s Mansion, but after so much time had passed, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t continued to recruit soldiers, and he appeared to have no intention of doing so. This left Li Feng and the others feeling somewhat baffled. Securing a Military Expansion Order from the court was no easy feat; everyone knew that the Sum Emperor had always been weakening the Seigniors¡¯ power. Being able to maintain a hundred thousand-strong army in North City was already quite an accomplishment. This time, had it not been for the internal instability within Great Sum¡¯s borders, making it inadvisable to mobilize the army casually, the Sum Emperor would never have agreed to issue a Military Expansion Order to North City. This Military Expansion Order was an opportunity for North City, for the North Prince, to swiftly boost their power. Yet, the North Prince did not take immediate action. Although North City¡¯s population was sparse, recruiting one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers was still not a big problem. Moreover, they were on the verge of war with the Barbarian Tribe. If they could recruit another hundred thousand new soldiers in a short time, their hope of defeating the Barbarian Tribe would be even greater. Hearing Li Feng¡¯s question, Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°The value of soldiers does not reside in their number, but in their quality.¡± ¡°Even if we were to recruit another hundred thousand new soldiers now, would you be able to train them in a short time?¡± ¡°If they were to enter the battlefield, they would likely be scattered by the Barbarian Cavalry¡¯s charge.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about new recruits. Even the imperial army often gets scattered when facing the Barbarian Cavalry, isn¡¯t that right, General Mu?¡± As he said this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Mu Changtian. It was time to discuss official matters, so Lu Chen did not address Mu Changtian as his father-in-law but referred to him directly as General Mu. Lu Chen looked at him as he spoke these words because Mu Changtian had fought the Barbarian Tribe many times and was experienced. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian said, ¡°What the Prince says is right; if we have the new recruits face the Barbarian Tribe head-on, they would probably be wiped out by a cavalry charge.¡± With this, Mu Changtian¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°However, Prince, these new soldiers do not necessarily have to confront the Barbarian soldiers head-on; they could also defend the city.¡± Since they were already the defending side, there was no need to clash directly with the Barbarian Cavalry. Soldiers were needed to defend the city, and even if the new recruits could not match the cavalry in combat strength, they could still play a significant role in city defense. Therefore, Mu Changtian leaned towards recruiting some more soldiers. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°I understand your thoughts, but don¡¯t worry. Since the court has issued a Military Expansion Order, naturally, 1 intend to expand the army, but not right now.¡± ¡°Also, in a few days, I shall give you all a surprise.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Changtian and the others exchanged puzzled glances, all curious about the surprise Lu Chen mentioned. Lu Chen continued, ¡°By the way, the tunnels you were ordered to dig, are they ready?¡± Li Feng answered, ¡°Back to the Prince, they have been completed.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Take me there.¡± Following this, Li Feng and the others led Lu Chen to the Artillery Camp¡¯s tunnel. Seeing the tunnel before him, Li Feng was very eager to ask Lu Chen what the purpose of having them dig tunnels was, but in the end, he held back. Since the North Prince had them dig tunnels, there must be a use for them, and probably the North Prince would soon reveal their purpose. Lu Chen did not hesitate, walking straight into the tunnel while saying, ¡°You all wait outside, and without my command, no one is allowed to enter.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone immediately halted in their tracks. Once Lu Chen was inside the tunnel, he opened the system backpack and took out a 122mm towed howitzer. He then glanced over the data of the howitzer. [Caliber: 122mm, Range: 18,000 meters, Initial Velocity: 690 m/s, Projectile Weight: 33.4 kg, Total Weight: 3400 kg, Fragmentation Shell Casualty Radius: 15-30 meters..] Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Test Firing i Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Test Firing i Translator: 549690339 After reviewing the data for the 122mm howitzer, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward. With such powerful weapons at hand, the cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Unfortunately, there were too few shells, only one thousand rounds. Two hundred howitzers and just one thousand rounds of ammunition, the system was really stingy. Although one thousand rounds might seem a lot, each howitzer only had five rounds. Not only that, he had to train the new army and let the soldiers see how the shells were fired. Teaching the soldiers to use the 122mm howitzers would waste some ammunition, by the time they reached the battlefield, there wouldn¡¯t be one thousand rounds left. At this moment, Lu Chen called out to the people outside, ¡°All right, come in.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice from deep within the cave, Mu Changtian and the others immediately entered. As everyone entered the cave and saw the howitzers before them, they were momentarily stunned. What is this? Were these things in the cave before? Unlike Mu Changtian and Mu Jingwu, Li Feng and the others had witnessed Lu Chen conjure weapons out of thin air, so they were not overly surprised by the sudden appearance of the howitzers in the cave. However, Li Feng and the others were still incredibly excited. They found that the design of the howitzer closely resembled the mysterious weapon previously in Lu Chen¡¯s hands, only much larger. In the eyes of Li Feng and his companions, the howitzer in the cave was simply a larger version of Lu Chen¡¯s Barrett. If the mysterious weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hands could kill a Master Level expert, then wouldn¡¯t this weapon be capable of killing even a Grandmaster? Mu Changtian was now scrutinizing the howitzer carefully before asking, ¡°Prince, what is this?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Howitzers. Have the soldiers pull them out, and I¡¯ll show you the power of this weapon.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone was momentarily taken aback, but very quickly several soldiers gathered around and began moving the howitzers outside. Although they didn¡¯t know what kind of weapon this was, they could tell from its weight and the metallic materials used that this weapon was definitely extraordinary. Mu Changtian and the others didn¡¯t dwell on how the weapon appeared in the cave, they just wanted to know the extent of its power. If they weren¡¯t mistaken, Lu Chen had specifically recruited ten thousand soldiers to form an artillery camp to wield this mysterious weapon. With the soldiers¡¯ effort, the howitzer was quickly wheeled out, and upon seeing the mysterious weapon before them, they all began discussing amongst themselves. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Could it be some kind of siege weapon?¡± ¡°It has wheels, could it be a siege vehicle?¡± ¡°Why did the Prince have them bring a siege vehicle here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a siege vehicle, look, it seems to be made entirely of metal, it would be too heavy if it were a siege vehicle.¡± Lu Chen ignored the soldiers¡¯ discussions and said to Mu Jingwu beside him, ¡°Captain Mu, gather the new recruits immediately, I want to demonstrate to the soldiers how to use this weapon.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Mu Jingwu quickly summoned the ten thousand soldiers, and then they pushed the howitzer to an open area. Once the howitzer was positioned, Lu Chen took out the instruction manual from the system space and adjusted the position of the howitzer according to the plain firing table. Then he said to the people behind him, ¡°Everyone, cover your ears!¡± Hearing this, the soldiers did not hesitate and immediately covered their ears with their hands. The next moment, an ear-splitting noise rang out, and the ground around them shook. Even though they had all covered their ears, they could still hear the tremendous sound. Following that, the shell fired by the howitzer exploded in the distant woods, instantly blasting a huge pit into the ground with dirt flying up several meters high, and some of the surrounding trees were directly shattered by the blast. Witnessing this scene, Mu Changtian and the others were dumbstruck. All faces were stunned; they had never seen such a terrifying weapon before. Just the act of firing caused the earth to shake, and the projectile that was launched was capable of creating a crater of about five meters in the ground in an instant. Had that projectile landed in their midst, it was uncertain how many of them would have perished. Could this be the mysterious weapon that the Prince had spoken of, Mu Changtian and the others couldn¡¯t help but wonder? If they possessed such a weapon, or could produce more of this mysterious weapon, what was there to fear from the Barbarian Tribe? Forget the Barbarian Tribe, even unifying the entire world wouldn¡¯t pose a problem! Mu Changtian and his son, Mu Jingwu, exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment in each other¡¯s eyes. They had already surmised that perhaps the North Prince had intentionally come to North City to lie in wait, primarily to accumulate strength in preparation for the unification of the world. Now that the North Prince had revealed such a fearsome weapon, it was almost certain their guess was correct. With such a weapon at their disposal, what fear was there of failing to unite the world? What kind of city gates could withstand the assault from such a weapon? No matter how strong the gates, they would likely be destroyed in a single strike, and even a Grandmaster Level warrior, if hit by the projectile that was just fired, could potentially be blasted into dozens of pieces. So, this was the North Prince¡¯s trump card! At that moment, Lu Chen turned to look at the people behind him, whose faces were so shocked they were speechless. ¡°General Mu, what do you think of my mysterious weapon? Can it withstand the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry?¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian finally recovered from his shock and immediately replied, ¡°Congratulations to the Prince on possessing such a Divine Artifact, the Prince¡¯s unification of the world is within reach!¡± This¡­ Lu Chen was taken aback; when had he ever declared his intent to unify the world? At this time, Mu Changtian continued to inquire, ¡°Prince, how many of these¡­ siege vehicles do you have at your disposal?¡± Mu Changtian did not know the name of this object and could only temporarily refer to it as a siege vehicle, after all, it did bear some resemblance to a siege vehicle, such as having wheels. Lu Chen did not correct Mu Changtian¡¯s term and responded, ¡°1 have a hundred howitzers at my disposal, with around eight hundred projectiles.¡± Lu Chen did not disclose the entire number of howitzers and projectiles he possessed. This battle against the Barbarian Tribe wouldn¡¯t require so many projectiles, nor so many howitzers. A hundred would be more than enough for deployment. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Mu Changtian said, ¡°Your Highness, are the projectiles you mentioned the same as the one that was just fired?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, the howitzer in front of us is merely a launching device, the actual effective part is indeed the projectile we just fired.¡± With that, Lu Chen crouched down, opened the wooden box storing the howitzer¡¯s projectiles, and then took out one of the projectiles. Witnessing the projectile in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, everyone fell into deep thought. It seemed that Great Sum did not have the technology to produce such projectiles. Where had the North Prince obtained this terrifying weapon from? At that moment, Mu Jingwu asked, ¡°Prince, can we produce these projectiles?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Not at the moment, but it won¡¯t be long before we can manufacture similar weapons.¡± Hearing this, everyone inside felt an immense excitement.. If they could mass-produce such terrifying weapons, who would be North City¡¯s opponent in the future? Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Is the Prince an Immortal? ! Chapter 96: Chapter 96 Is the Prince an Immortal? ! Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen¡¯s cannon testing gave the soldiers immense confidence. In their eyes, possessing such a terrifying weapon, there was nothing to fear from the barbarian cavalry. At this moment, Mu Changtian and others also understood why Lu Chen had planned from the start to lure the barbarian cavalry into the Wanning Valley. Only by gathering all the barbarian cavalry together could this powerful weapon exhibit its fullest potential. When the time came to bombard from both sides of the Wanning Valley hills, those barbarian cavalry would be utterly powerless to fight back. Lu Chen then put down the cannonball he was holding and said to Mu Jingwu, ¡°Captain Mu, from now on, the artillery camp will be in your and Su Wei¡¯s charge.¡± Hearing that Lu Chen was entrusting him with such an important weapon, Mu Jingwu was tremendously excited. He immediately responded to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, 1 will not fail your expectations. I will make sure the soldiers of the artillery camp quickly become familiar with how to operate this weapon!¡± Lu Chen then passed the howitzer manual to Mu Jingwu, ¡°This is the instruction manual for the howitzer. I will give you about fifty training rounds. Arrange as you see fit, and try to ensure that every soldier in the artillery camp understands how to operate this thing before the barbarian cavalry arrive.¡± Mu Jingwu said, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± As his words fell, Mu Jingwu took the howitzer manual from Lu Chen¡¯s hands and began to study it. Lu Chen thought to himself that operating the howitzer must certainly have a learning curve. But as long as the soldiers get familiar with the howitzer operations, even if they can¡¯t understand the firing tables¡­ At this thought, Lu Chen paused, then turned to Li Feng and said, ¡°General Li, draw a group of archers from your camp to the artillery camp. Going forward, the primary operation of the howitzer will be handled by the archers.¡± Lu Chen had just realized that not understanding the firing tables could indeed pose a significant problem for the soldiers. However, archers, who were accustomed to adjusting their angles when shooting arrows, would know how to adjust the firing angles of the howitzer even if they couldn¡¯t read the tables. As for the new recruits, they could still work in logistics, such as transporting and loading cannonballs Li Feng replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°General Li, go and gather the archers now. Since 1 am at the artillery camp today, if you have any questions about the howitzer, you may ask me.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Li Feng promptly turned around and rode away from the artillery camp to gather archers from another camp. For the rest of the day, Lu Chen stayed with the soldiers at the artillery camp. Lu Chen also found that, as he had thought, archers were indeed more adept at understanding the firing angles of the howitzer compared to average soldiers. Within just an afternoon, the archers brought by Li Feng had mainly grasped how to shoot, and some of them could even make sense of the firing tables Lu Chen had on hand. This allowed Lu Chen to breathe a sigh of relief. It seemed the ancients were not as slow to learn as he had imagined. Initially, he had been worried that the soldiers would not know how to use the howitzer because they couldn¡¯t understand the tables. Now it seemed he had worried over nothing. They might not understand the principles behind the howitzer, but they could quickly learn how to use it. By evening, Lu Chen let a few of the quicker-learning soldiers operate the howitzer themselves, and the results were very satisfying. Although the soldiers did not hit the exact designated spot, deviating by a few meters, the howitzer¡¯s range of destruction was 15 to 30 meters. Once the barbarian cavalry entered the Wanning Valley, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that even with eyes closed, they could still hit the target. Such a small margin of error was insignificant. After the soldiers finished their test firing, Lu Chen finally rode back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At this time, Mu Changtian and others stood on the hill, gazing silently at the large craters left by the howitzer testing in the distance. After a long while, Mu Changtian broke the silence and asked, ¡°General Li, where did the Prince obtain such a mysterious weapon? You have been with him since he came to North City, you must know something, right?¡± Li Feng said, ¡°1 don¡¯t know either.¡± At this moment, Mu Changtian laughed and said, ¡°General Li, 1 am no longer Duke Mu, we are now at the same level, so there¡¯s no need for you to call yourself a subordinate.¡± ¡°If the Prince knew about this, he might overthink it.¡± When Li Feng was in the Hu Ben Army, he indeed was Mu Changtian¡¯s subordinate, but now they were not in the Capital city anymore, and Mu Changtian was no longer the Duke Mu. Li Feng himself had been heavily relied upon by Lu Chen, so if he still considered himself Mu Changtian¡¯s subordinate, wouldn¡¯t that be suspected of forming cliques? Mu Changtian was certainly politically aware of this. Sovereigns do not wish for their subordinates to be too close to one another, as such closeness among subordinates can incite a sense of crisis in a ruler. Li Feng instantly understood what Mu Changtian meant, and he promptly corrected himself, saying, ¡°I understand, General Mu.¡± At this point, Li Feng continued, ¡°1 don¡¯t know where the Prince¡¯s weapons come from, but 1 have seen the Prince produce a mysterious weapon out of thin air before. It was similar to a grenade launcher, but smaller, could be held in the hand, and could also shoot something like a grenade.¡± ¡°The Prince once used that weapon to kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist on the spot. I heard that the Grandmaster from Blood Moon Tower was also instantly killed by that weapon last time.¡± <>Mu Changtian and Mu Jingwu fell into silence upon hearing Li Feng¡¯s words. To instantly kill Ninth Grade Martial Artists and a Grandmaster! Are the mysterious weapons in the hands of the North Prince so terrifying? At this moment, Mu Changtian suddenly thought of something, and then he asked, ¡°Wait, did you just say the North Prince produced the weapon out of thin air?¡± Li Feng said, ¡°Yes.¡± This¡­ Mu Changtian and his son Mu Jingwu exchanged a glance. Mu Jingwu said, ¡°Father, could it be that the Prince is¡­ an Immor¡­¡± Mu Jingwu didn¡¯t finish the word ¡°Immortal¡± because such news was too explosive. Mu Changtian said directly, ¡°Whether he is an immortal or not 1 do not know, but I am certain that no such weapon exists in this world!¡± At this moment, Li Feng spoke up, ¡°Actually, there have long been rumors in the camp that the Prince is an immortal, or that he has been blessed by an immortal, and is the Son of Destiny. They say all these weapons are gifts from the immortals to the Prince.¡± Hearing Li Feng¡¯s words, Mu Changtian slightly frowned, ¡°This is not necessarily good for the Prince.¡± The Sum Emperor was still alive and in the prime of life, yet people were saying that the North Prince was the Son of Destiny. If the North Prince was the Son of Destiny, then what did that make the Sum Emperor? However, saying that the North Prince was the Son of Destiny wasn¡¯t wrong. If he had no connection to the immortals, how could he produce such terrifying and mysterious weapons? At this time, Mu Changtian looked at Mu Jingwu and said, ¡°Jingwu, the Prince entrusting you with such an important weapon shows his confidence in our Mu Family, you must not fail the Prince¡¯s expectations!¡± Mu Jingwu replied, ¡°Rest assured, 1 will ensure the Artillery camp¡¯s soldiers master the grenade launcher before the Barbarian Tribe arrives.¡± After receiving Mu Jingwu¡¯s answer, Mu Changtian also left the Artillery camp with peace of mind. In their hearts, they had already accepted that Lu Chen was an immortal, or at least, someone touched by the divine.. Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Prince Lu Shuyun is Assassinated 1 Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Prince Lu Shuyun is Assassinated 1 Translator: 549690339 Half a month had flown by in the blink of an eye. In the Capital city, within the residence of Prince Lu Shuyun, the study. Lu Shuyun looked at the intelligence report he was clutching tightly in his hand, his teeth gritted so hard, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins. He was now so furious he couldn¡¯t speak. In the past, when he became angry, he would smash things, but today the information he received left him so enraged he even forgot to smash things; his body was shaking, and his face even started to break out in a cold sweat. He never imagined that the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower, leading so many Ninth Grade martial artists to assassinate a useless Prince, had actually failed!!! The Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower was a true Grandmaster! Even if there was a Mysterious Grandmaster in the North Prince Mansion, it was no problem at all for the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower to occupy him! Of course, what made Lu Shuyun even more infuriated was the matter of Wang Qingci¡¯s betrayal. Wang Qingci, an assassin who had been raised by the Wang Family since childhood, had now actually switched allegiance to the North Prince Mansion. Lu Shuyun tore the intelligence report in his hands to shreds and said with a cold laugh, ¡®Good, very good! No wonder the North Prince Mansion can each time evade the assassinations from Blood Moon Tower, it turns out there was a traitor!¡¯ ¡®My dear younger brother, you really are capable, to have won over an assassin that the Wang Family has nurtured from childhood!¡¯ ¡®I really did underestimate you!¡¯ Just as Lu Shuyun could not find a way to vent his anger, he suddenly heard a commotion outside. Then, a servant burst in, panic-stricken, and said, ¡®Your Highness, something terrible has happened!¡¯ As Lu Shuyun was seething with rage and was about to kill the servant to vent his anger, he heard the servant say, ¡®Your Highness, you must escape! Some masked assassins have broken in, and our people can¡¯t stop them at all!¡¯ Upon hearing this, Lu Shuyun was momentarily stunned. Masked assassins? Who would dare to assassinate a Prince in the Capital city? At this moment, Lu Shuyun didn¡¯t even consider Lu Chen as a possibility; after all, Lu Chen was far away in North City, and he only had one Mysterious Grandmaster by his side. It was impossible that he would send that Mysterious Grandmaster to the Capital city to carry out an assassination. The first thing that came to Lu Shuyun¡¯s mind was the other Princes involved in the succession struggle; with his death, they would have one less rival. But¡­ Would a Prince really dare to assassinate another Prince in the Capital city? If that were ever discovered, not to mention losing the right to contend for the throne, they might even be banished from the Capital city. However, now was not the time to think about these things. The attackers had already broken in, and he had to quietly find a place to hide. Fortunately, his residence had some underground passages, so escaping was not a problem at all; Lu Shuyun was not worried in the slightest that he would die. Lu Shuyun then entered the underground passage of his mansion and used it to escape. In the end, although those masked assassins had broken into the residence of Prince Lu Shuyun, and had killed many of his subordinates and some guests, they did not find any trace of the Prince himself. Of course, Prince Lu Shuyun wasn¡¯t the target of these assassins in the first place. By the time the Imperial Guard arrived, the masked assassins had already left. The news of Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s assassination attempt quickly spread throughout the entire Capital city. Since the Sum Emperor ascended the throne, such a heinous incident had rarely occurred, except for the last time when the remnants of Chen Nation had entered the Imperial Palace attempting to assassinate the Sum Emperor, which was seldom the case. A Prince, in his own mansion, had actually been targeted for assassination by a group of masked assassins. When the Sum Emperor learned of this incident, he was incredibly furious. Since he ascended the throne, few had dared to make such turmoil in the Imperial city. The last time the remnants of Chen Nation entered the Imperial Palace, it was mainly to seek certain items and were accidentally discovered by the guards. The Sum Emperor had only exaggerated the incident claiming he had been subjected to an assassination attempt. Then, using that as a reason, he had banished the entire Duke Mu family from the Capital city. That was not a true assassination. But this time was different. XXX On this occasion, the assassins boldly stormed through the main entrance of Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence, killing anyone they encountered, and directly bloodbathed Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s mansion. It was clear that the assassins were lawless, utterly disregarding imperial authority. Such an incident happening right under the Emperor¡¯s nose, how could the Sum Emperor not be furious. The Sum Emperor ordered that very night for the Ministry of Criminal Justice and the Imperial City Forbidden Army to immediately apprehend the assassins without letting a single one escape. The following morning. Xuanzheng Hall. Early in the day, officials had arrived at the Xuanzheng Hall to wait. They had all heard about last night¡¯s incident and were utterly shocked. No one had anticipated that assassins would have the audacity to bloodbath Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s mansion. After all, Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s mansion was guarded by a Grandmaster and numerous experts. At that moment, Lu Shuyun, dragging his weary body, entered the Xuanzheng Hall. His face was deathly pale, totally devoid of color, and he appeared as if his soul had been lost. Seeing Lu Shuyun in person, the ministers immediately gathered around him. ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?¡± ¡°Your Highness, are you injured?¡± ¡°Your Highness, those villains are despicable. They dared to invade Your Mansion. I believe His Majesty will never let those villains off.¡± Listening to the officials¡¯ warm inquiries, Lu Shuyun said nothing. Although he had escaped from the mansion uninjured the day before, last night¡¯s events had indeed frightened him. Only this morning did he learn that all the retainers from his mansion and the Grandmaster sent by the Wang Family to protect him had been killed. Furthermore, almost everyone in the mansion had perished, except for him and a few servants who managed to escape. Lu Shuyun had initially believed that the experts in his mansion could hold off the assassins with no problem. He had entered the mansion¡¯s underground tunnel just as a precaution, in case any assassins came directly for him. But he did not expect that the assassins¡¯ purpose was not just to assassinate a prince; his retainers were also targets. Just then, the eunuch¡¯s voice echoed through the hall. ¡°His Majesty has arrived!¡± The officials hurriedly returned to their places and saluted, saying, ¡°Long live, long live, long everlasting live His Majesty.¡± At this time, the Sum Emperor stood in front of the Dragon Throne without sitting down, looking down upon the officials below from a height. There seemed to be a heavy murderous intent in the Emperor¡¯s eyes, showing that last night¡¯s events had indeed angered him greatly. Then, Lu Shuyun dropped to his knees with a slap and said aloud, ¡°Father Emperor, you must seek justice for your son! From my grand mansion, only four people have survived!¡± As soon as Lu Shuyun finished speaking, the Sum Emperor remained silent, his eyes sweeping across the princes within the hall. Feeling the Emperor¡¯s gaze, sharp as if to kill, the princes felt immense pressure, and cold sweat began to bead on their foreheads. Although they were not responsible for this incident, it was a critical time for the fight for succession, and they were the most suspect, as Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s death reduced one powerful competitor for them. Yet they were not fools; how could they commit such an act of bloodbathing a prince¡¯s mansion right under the Emperor¡¯s nose. If this event were to be traced back to them, being sent away to a fiefdom was the least of their worries. If their imperial father, in a fit of rage, decided to demote them to commoners, that would be a disaster. The princes were frustrated; who would be the fool to commit such an act at this time? Could it have been a scheme orchestrated by Lu Shuyun himself? Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The North Princes Family Letter 1 Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The North Prince¡¯s Family Letter 1 Translator: 549690339 The atmosphere within Xuanzheng Hall was unbearably somber, with the ministers hardly daring to breathe. With such an incident occurring under the heavens, they did not know how angry the Sum Emperor was by now, and they certainly didn¡¯t dare to draw his ire at this moment. After a long while, the Sum Emperor finally spoke, ¡°Since my ascension to the throne, such a vile incident has occurred for the second time in the Capital city. It is a contempt for imperial authority, a provocation against me!¡± As he said this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s gaze fell upon the head of the Imperial Guards, ¡°Li Ming, have all the assassins from last night been captured?¡± Hearing this, the head of the Imperial Guards, Li Ming, suddenly knelt down with a thud and quickly said, ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, when your subordinate arrived at Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence last night, those assassins had already fled.¡± Li Ming¡¯s cold sweat was flowing freely as he feared that the Sum Emperor, in a fit of anger, might order him to be dragged out and beheaded on the spot. Hearing Li Ming¡¯s statement, the Sum Emperor coldly said, ¡°The last time, you allowed remnants from Chen Nation to infiltrate the Imperial Palace, and I did not punish you. This time, a bloodbath occurred in the Prince¡¯s residence within the imperial city, and you didn¡¯t even catch a glimpse of the assassins¡¯ shadows. What use is there for you as head of the Imperial Guards!¡± ¡°Effective immediately, relieve Li Ming of all duties and banish him to the frontier.¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, Li Ming breathed a sigh of relief and then kowtowed, saying, ¡°Thank you for your Imperial grace!¡± Although he had lost his position, at least his life was spared, and Li Ming felt somewhat lucky. At that moment, the Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Turn this case over to the Ministry of Criminal Justice for investigation. Within three days, 1 need a satisfactory answer!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the officials from the Ministry of Criminal Justice began to tremble with fear. This was not something they were able to investigate, nor dared to investigate. The assassins had directly slaughtered their way through Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence, even killing the Grandmaster there. This indicated that among last night¡¯s assassins there was at least one Grandmaster. To dispatch a Grandmaster, and daring to boldly bloodbath a Prince¡¯s residence, there must be a significant power behind it. It might even be the work of another Prince. Should they really find out it was another Prince who did it, that would be a hot potato for the Ministry of Criminal Justice. In Great Sum, the Ministry simply had no way or right to judge a Prince¡¯s crime. Although they knew it was a hot potato, the officials from the Ministry of Criminal Justice dared not refuse. With the Sum Emperor currently in a rage, they feared decapitation for even speaking out at such a time. Then, the Sum Emperor said to Lu Shuyun, ¡°Qi Prince, rise. I will see justice done for you.¡± Lu Shuyun hurriedly responded, ¡°This humble son thanks Father Emperor.¡± The Sum Emperor did not continue to dwell on this matter. Although the incident was extremely vile, the assassins had not yet been captured, and not even a shred of information about them was available. It was too early to discuss how to deal with them. Today, there were other matters for discussion. At this point, the Sum Emperor turned to the Minister of Revenue, ¡°Minister Wang, I hear you are withholding the provisions for the army heading to North City. Is there any truth to this?¡± Minister of Revenue, Wang Hai, quickly replied, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s not that your servant wishes to withhold the army¡¯s provisions, but the Ministry of Household is seriously in deficit. It is quite difficult to gather such a large sum of money in such a short time.¡± The Sum Emperor replied with indifference, ¡°Are you saying that if you cannot gather the money, the court should not send troops to North City to counter the Barbarian Tribe?¡± ¡°Wang Hai, could it be that you have colluded with the Barbarian Tribe, wishing for them to march unimpeded straight to the Capital city, intentionally delaying the army¡¯s departure?¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, Wang Hai¡¯s complexion turned ashen in an instant. Although the Wang Family did indeed have dealings with the Barbarian Tribe, he had not expected the Sum Emperor to directly bring it up. While the Sum Emperor seemed to be probing, Wang Hai couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the Emperor might know something. Wang Hai immediately knelt down and said, ¡°Your Majesty, your servant is earnestly preparing the army¡¯s provisions.¡± The Sum Emperor coldly stated, ¡°If within three days the army still cannot march north, then you will no longer need to serve as the Minister of Revenue.¡± Just as the Sum Emperor was about to continue, a voice suddenly echoed from the entrance of the grand hall. ¡°Urgent news from the North Land!¡± The next moment, a Red Ribbon Messenger hurried into the hall. Seeing the Red Ribbon Messenger, the faces of the ministers in the hall turned sour. If they were using a Red Ribbon Messenger at this time, did it mean that the Barbarian Tribe had already begun to move south? While the imperial court¡¯s army was still worrying about food and fodder, the cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe had already moved south. How were they supposed to defend North City? Could they really rely on that worthless Prince? Better not count on that. It¡¯s likely that the worthless Prince would flee back to the Capital City before the Barbarian cavalry even reached Yan County. At this point, the Red Ribbon Messenger said, ¡°The North Fre King of the Barbarian Tribe has already gathered a hundred thousand cavalry at the court of the Sky Wolf King and is about to move south!¡± ¡°This is a battle report from the North Prince, and in addition, the North Prince has also sent a personal letter to His Majesty.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was taken aback. A personal letter? A Prince writing a personal letter to the Emperor? This¡­ It seemed not entirely inappropriate. Although the North Prince had taken up his fief, he was, after all, the son of the Emperor, and there was a father-son relationship. However, since the establishment of Great Sum, it seemed there had never been an instance of a Seignior writing a personal letter to the Emperor; they always submitted official memorials. The eunuch by the Sum Emperor¡¯s side didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately approached the Red Ribbon Messenger, took both the battle report and the personal letter, and then presented them to the Sum Emperor. After receiving the battle report and the personal letter, the Sum Emperor first looked over the battle report. The report itself had no issues, and the North Prince also mentioned the arrangements for North City in it. What puzzled the Sum Emperor, however, was that Lu Chen actually planned to adopt a scorched-earth strategy, moving all the common people north of Yan County to the south and then leading the army to face off against the three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian Army in a decisive battle at Yan County. The Sum Emperor furrowed his brows. Whose strategy was this? He didn¡¯t believe that his good-for-nothing son had the audacity to do this. Setting aside whether the strategy was effective or not, it would require immense courage to dare to attempt it. Yan County currently had only thirty thousand, at most fifty thousand soldiers. It would not be easy for a single Yan County to hold back the Barbarian cavalry. Moreover, this would lead to Yan County being besieged by the Barbarian Army. He knew what character his son had, how could he not? The Sum Emperor was quite skeptical that Lu Chen would put himself in danger. After finishing the battle report, the Sum Emperor then opened Lu Chen¡¯s personal letter. Just seeing the beginning of the personal letter, the Sum Emperor snorted coldly. He just knew Lu Chen couldn¡¯t suddenly become so courageous; it turned out he wanted the Emperor to send reinforcements to North City as soon as possible. Seeing how Lu Chen lamented in a pitiful and despicable manner in the letter, the Sum Emperor felt like tearing the letter up immediately. However, he ultimately restrained himself and continued reading. When he reached the end, his expression darkened instantly, especially after seeing the last line of text, the Sum Emperor¡¯s brows immediately furrowed. He had actually long suspected that this southward move by the Barbarian Tribe was connected to the Aristocratic Families, something that didn¡¯t need investigation to guess. But he didn¡¯t know exactly who was colluding with the Barbarian Tribe. The fact that the weapons of Great Sumian standard mentioned by Lu Chen in the personal letter did nothing but confirm his suspicions. What truly caused the Sum Emperor to frown was the mention of Prince Lu Shuyun in the letter.. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 99 It seems that Prince Lu Chen has a master by his side i Chapter 99: Chapter 99 It seems that Prince Lu Chen has a master by his side i Translator: 549690339 Seeing the expression on the Sum Emperor¡¯s face grow increasingly ugly, the court ministers inside the great hall were all very curious about what content the North Prince had written in his family letter that could make the Sum Emperor look so angry. Hadn¡¯t the bloodbath at Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence left the Sum Emperor this angry? After finishing the content of the family letter, the Sum Emperor directly flicked his sleeve and then coldly said two words, ¡°Court dismissed,¡± before leaving the great hall straightaway. The court ministers inside the great hall were all bewildered, not knowing what had happened. Was court dismissed just like that? The Sum Emperor hadn¡¯t even mentioned the military reports from the North Land, had he? Moreover, this time he hadn¡¯t had anyone come to his study to discuss military affairs. This made the ministers even more curious about the North Prince¡¯s letter. What exactly was written in the letter that could make the Sum Emperor angrily leave the great hall? Awhile later, Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor came to the Royal Garden and directly handed the military reports and Lu Chen¡¯s family letter to the State Preceptor, Situ Ce. Situ Ce glanced at the military report, then looked carefully at Lu Chen¡¯s family letter, his expression becoming instantly more solemn. After a long while, Situ Ce finally spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that this family letter is more important than the military report.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite obvious that the North Prince only wrote this military report so he could send this family letter through the Red Ribbon Messenger.¡± Although from the content of the family letter it seems that the North Prince is just a useless coward, merely wanting the court to send troops to help him fend off the Barbarian Tribe, the two key points in the family letter were fully laid out by the North Prince. The first point was that the Barbarian Tribe was found with Great Sum-standard weapons and equipment, and the second point was that Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s merchant caravan appeared in North City. The appearance of Great Sum weapons in the North Land proves that there must be traitors within Great Sum. And, with North City being so poor, the fact that Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s merchant caravan went there to do business suggests that Prince Lu Shuyun might have issues. The North Prince¡¯s family letter was just short of directly naming Prince Lu Shuyun as the traitor to the nation. It¡¯s quite clear that the North Prince¡¯s intention was not just to simply complain about his situation in the family letter. Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor, with his hands behind his back, looked at the lotus pond and fell silent for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t believe Chen is capable of such scheming.¡± While Lu Chen was in the Capital City, he always seemed to be an ignorant pleasure-seeker. Even after he went to North City, he continued to neglect proper affairs, spending his days indulging in his Prince¡¯s Mansion. The Sum Emperor did not believe that Lu Chen suddenly had an epiphany and knew to use this method to remind him that there were traitors within the court. Of course, this family letter might indeed serve such a purpose, but it certainly wasn¡¯t written by Lu Chen himself, or rather, it was written under someone else¡¯s guidance. At this moment, Situ Ce lamented, ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that Prince Lu Chen has wise people by his side!¡± ¡°From the fact that His Highness was able to discern the movements of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court, it is evident that Prince Lu Chen must certainly possess an intelligence organization.¡± ¡°Otherwise, it would be impossible for all of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s moves to be in the hands of Prince Lu Chen.¡± The Sum Emperor once again fell into deep thought. Situ Ce was right; if Lu Chen could predict the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s southward invasion by three hundred thousand troops and even knew about traitors within Great Sum, and also knew about the North Fre King leading a hundred thousand cavalry to join forces with the Sky Wolf King, it proved that Lu Chen had an organization capable of gathering intelligence not weaker than the Shadow Guard. This made the Sum Emperor feel a hint of threat. His ignorant and useless son, Lu Chen, actually possessed such a powerful intelligence organization? What did he want to do? What did he dare to do? This made the Sum Emperor suspicious as to whether Lu Chen had always been hiding his capabilities while in the Capital City. But from his behavior, he didn¡¯t seem to be the type to conceal his talents, did he? He had lived in the Capital City for so many years, always under surveillance, and his behavior did not seem feigned at all. This made the Sum Emperor more suspicious that there might be forces behind Lu Chen intending to use him for some unspeakable purposes, especially the Mysterious Moon Palace. Lu Chen¡¯s status as the God¡¯s Son had always been a concern for the Sum Emperor. At that moment, the Shadow Guard commander appeared behind the Sum Emperor, ¡°Your Majesty, a secret report from Commander Bai.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor immediately turned and took the secret report from the Shadow Guard commander¡¯s hands and opened it. After reading Bai Qingqing¡¯s secret report, the Sum Emperor¡¯s expression turned even uglier. As he had suspected, the Mysterious Moon Palace had indeed sent people to North City, and it was the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace who had personally gone to North City. However¡­ According to the secret report, it seemed that the Mysterious Moon Palace had not actually aided the North Prince Mansion, and the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace had already headed south with Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines. Now there were hardly any people left by Lu Chen¡¯s side. This puzzled the Sum Emperor. If the Mysterious Moon Palace was not behind Lu Chen, then did he have other forces behind him? He did not believe that merely by relying on Lu Chen, one could establish an intelligence organization capable of infiltrating the courts of the Barbarian Tribe. It was a bit strange. The Sum Emperor did not suspect Bai Qingqing; he simply thought that Bai Qingqing must not have yet uncovered the true secrets of the North Prince Mansion or made contact with the people behind Lu Chen. Immediately, the Sum Emperor said to the Shadow Guard leader, ¡°Command Commander Bai to find a way into Chen¡¯s bed. 1 need more intelligence about Chen.¡± ¡°Additionally, have her expedite the investigation to confirm whether North City really has any of Shuyun¡¯s merchant caravans in contact with the Barbarian Tribe.¡± The Shadow Guard leader immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°This subordinate takes his leave.¡± After the Shadow Guard leader left, Situ Ce opened his mouth to ask, ¡°Your Majesty, aside from the matter of Prince Lu Chen, how do you intend to handle Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s situation?¡± The Sum Emperor indifferently replied, ¡°1 do not believe that he could have done this alone; there must surely be the shadow of an Aristocratic Family behind him.¡± ¡°Once the affair in North City is settled, and the Shadow Guard has collected enough evidence, that will be the time to deal with those parasites.¡± North Land. Sky Wolf King¡¯s court. An old man, clad entirely in beast skins and with wrinkled skin, was making merry with Sky Wolf King Xiao Hongbo over a drink. At that moment, Xiao Hongbo said to a slave beside him, ¡°Go, call the princess here.¡± The slave immediately got up and left the royal tent. At the same time, Xiao Wenyao was on a highland in the grasslands, gazing toward the direction of North City. Shortly afterward, the slave who had been by Xiao Hongbo¡¯s side earlier arrived behind Xiao Wenyao, ¡°Princess, the Great King summons you to the royal tent.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face instantly turned pale. She, of course, knew why her father was summoning her to the royal tent: it was to serve the North Fre King, to pour wine and wait on him. Xiao Wenyao had seen the North Fre King a few days prior and setting aside his ugly appearance, the stench that pervaded his entire being had nearly made Xiao Wenyao vomit. Though they both lived on the grasslands, their Sky Wolf tribe always valued cleanliness, unlike the North Fre King who seemingly never bathed in his life. Xiao Wenyao immediately retorted, ¡°I refuse to go!¡± ¡°Go back and tell my father that I feel unwell!¡± Hearing this, the slave hurriedly said, ¡°Princess, please don¡¯t make things difficult for me, if you don¡¯t go, the Great King will surely kill me.¡± Slaves had no status among the Barbarian Tribe; they could be killed on a whim. Though Xiao Wenyao felt a hint of pity for the slave, she still insisted, ¡°I am not going!¡± Having said this, Xiao Wenyao was ready to turn around and leave. However, just then, two personal guards of Xiao Hongbo appeared in front of Xiao Wenyao. ¡°Princess, the Great King has ordered us to escort you to the royal tent!¡± Xiao Hongbo likely had guessed that Xiao Wenyao might not comply, so he opted to have her forcibly taken there instead. Today he was seeking to improve relations with the North Fre King and wanted to show him what his future queen looked like. Seeing the two burly men clad in beast skins before her, Xiao Wenyao realized she could not escape and resignedly said, ¡°I understand.¡± Then, Xiao Wenyao followed them to the royal tent. Upon entering the royal tent, Xiao Wenyao immediately saw the repulsive old man. At that moment, Xiao Hongbo said with a beaming smile to the North Fre King beside him, ¡°North Fre King, this is my daughter and your future queen.¡± Upon hearing this, the North Fre King leered at Xiao Wenyao, his gaze lingering on her shapely figure, and he could not help but swallow his saliva. He had long heard that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s daughter was a rare beauty of the grasslands, and seeing her today, he realized she lived up to her reputation. She was far more beautiful than any of the women he had seized from Great Sum. Feeling the North Fre King¡¯s unabashed stare, Xiao Wenyao felt as if something was crawling over her skin. Xiao Hongbo then looked at Xiao Wenyao saying, ¡°Yaoyao, come here and pour wine for your future husband!¡± Hearing Xiao Hongbo¡¯s stern voice, Xiao Wenyao knew she had no choice but to comply. She prepared to approach the North Fre King to pour the wine. However, at that moment, her uncle, Xiao Pengthian, spoke up, ¡°Great King, Yaoyao has not yet officially married the North Fre King. It is not quite appropriate for her to pour wine for him now.¡± ¡°The queen once said that we should learn from Great Sum. Therefore, we should also adopt the rites of Great Sum, where a woman must not have contact with her future husband before marriage.¡± Upon hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, the North Fre King immediately felt displeased. Yet, Xiao Hongbo did not express anger; he smiled at the North Fre King and said, ¡°North Fre King, I think my subordinate makes some sense. How about we wait until we take over North City, and then Yaoyao can pour wine for you?¡± Seeing that Xiao Hongbo had spoken, the North Fre King could only reply, ¡°Alright then. On the day that my queen marries me, I will drink heartily with her.¡± As he said this, the North Fre King ogled Xiao Wenyao¡¯s body with lecherous eyes and licked his lips.. Chapter 100 - Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Who Made Me the Daughter of the Sky Wolf Kingi Chapter 100: Chapter 100 Who Made Me the Daughter of the Sky Wolf Kingi Translator: 549690339 After hearing what Xiao Hongbo and the others said, Xiao Wenyao was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. At that time, Xiao Hongbo said indifferently, ¡°Yaoyao, you should go out first.¡± Xiao Hongbo¡¯s tone was very cold, as if she was not his daughter at all. Xiao Wenyao walked out with a look of dejection. Although she did not pour wine for the North Fre King today, if she continued to stay in the royal court, she would inevitably become the North Fre King¡¯s woman one day. And that day was coming soon. As soon as North City was taken down, she would have to marry that old thing who never bathes in his lifetime. Thinking of this, Xiao Wenyao felt an indescribable pain in her heart. Not long after Xiao Wenyao left the royal tent, Xiao Pengthian followed her out. Seeing the lost and dispirited Xiao Wenyao, Xiao Pengthian immediately walked up to her and asked with concern, ¡°Yaoyao, are you alright?¡± Xiao Wenyao did not pay any attention to Xiao Pengthian but walked straight toward the distant grasslands. Seeing Xiao Wenyao like this, Xiao Pengthian sighed deeply, then continued, ¡°Yaoyao, your uncle has done everything he could.¡± It was only then that Xiao Wenyao spoke, ¡°Uncle, 1 don¡¯t blame you. Who made me the daughter of the Sky Wolf King?¡± The more Xiao Wenyao spoke, the more aggrieved she felt, and as she spoke, she began to cry with a ¡°woo woo woo.¡± Seeing how heartbroken Xiao Wenyao was crying, Xiao Pengthian sighed. Although he had some status in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, he could not change Xiao Hongbo¡¯s mind, after all, the tribe was still ruled by the Sky Wolf King. At that moment, the sobbing Xiao Wenyao suddenly thought of something and then, while crying, asked, ¡°Uncle, did my father really kill my mother?¡± At first, when Xiao Wenyao heard Xiao Pengthian say this, she was somewhat incredulous. After all, her mother and father seemed so in love before; how could her father possibly have killed her mother? But now, seeing how her father treated her, ignoring his daughter¡¯s happiness for the sake of his ambition, Xiao Wenyao could not help but suspect whether her father really killed her mother in order to marry the queen. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s question, Xiao Pengthian fell silent. Although he had told Xiao Wenyao about this matter before, it was only said in a moment of anger, as he really couldn¡¯t stand Xiao Hongbo¡¯s actions. However, he indeed suspected that his sister¡¯s death was closely connected to Xiao Hongbo. But seeing how sad Xiao Wenyao was, he was reluctant to tell her more about her own mother¡¯s affairs. After a moment of silence, Xiao Pengthian still said, ¡°1 only suspect it, as your mother was always well and had no illnesses; she couldn¡¯t have died suddenly, so 1 suspect that someone poisoned your mother.¡± ¡°The most likely person who did not want your mother to live was your father, because he wanted to marry the queen.¡± Xiao Wenyao wiped her tears and asked, ¡°But hasn¡¯t the queen already agreed to marry him?¡± In the Sky Wolf King tribe there has always been this custom, that is, the queen of the previous Sky Wolf King¡ªif she is still relatively young and capable of bearing children¡ªmust marry the next Sky Wolf King. Of course, this is provided that the next Sky Wolf King has no blood relation; but from the way new Sky Wolf Kings are chosen in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, many times the new Sky Wolf King has no blood relation to the previous one. The Barbarian Tribe is different from Great Sum, where succession is generally by primogeniture, while in the Barbarian Tribe the king is chosen by the Elders. Therefore, the children of the previous Sky Wolf King are not necessarily going to become the next Sky Wolf King, although generally, the children of the previous Sky Wolf King do become the next one, because they have a great advantage in the Elder¡¯s election in the Barbarian Tribe. Xiao Hongbo was not the child of the previous Sky Wolf King, so to consolidate his kingship, he needed to recruit the queen as his political ally. Saying ¡®recruit¡¯ is too polite. Considering Yelv Nanyan¡¯s current status in the Sky Wolf King tribe, ¡®ingratiating¡¯ might be more accurate. At that time, he already had a queen and it was impossible for him to take another queen. According to custom, Yelv Nanyan could at most become his woman. But with Yelv Nanyan having such great power and high status in the Sky Wolf King tribe, how could she settle for just being his woman? Her status as the queen was inevitably to be preserved. There was only one solution left, which was to depose Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother. However, deposing her directly would cause some dissatisfaction, especially among the people of Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother¡¯s lineage, which included Xiao Pengthian. Since deposing her directly wasn¡¯t an option, they might as well go all out and kill Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother. That way, Xiao Hongbo could remarry a queen with honor and legitimacy. Of course, this was only Xiao Pengthian¡¯s speculation at the moment; he had not yet found any related evidence. After hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian sighed and then said, ¡°Yaoyao, have you forgotten that the queen agreed to marry your father only after your mother had died?¡± Hearing Xiao Pengthian put it that way, Xiao Wenyao was completely stunned. After a while, Xiao Wenyao continued, ¡°Uncle, could it be that the queen killed my mother?¡± Xiao Pengthian did not immediately answer Xiao Wenyao¡¯s question. If one were to look at the motive, Yelv Nanyan could indeed have had the potential to kill Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother because to become queen, the current queen would have to be deposed or die. Considering the circumstances at the time, deposing her was not likely, leaving only a sudden death as the alternative. However, Xiao Pengthian did not believe that Yelv Nanyan needed to marry Xiao Hongbo to maintain her status, as she had already garnered the support of all the Elders in the Sky Wolf King tribe. Even if Yelv Nanyan had refused to marry the Sky Wolf King at that time, the Elders would not have objected. Moreover, given her contributions to the tribe, if she did not want to marry Xiao Hongbo, no one would have any say in it. Therefore, for Xiao Hongbo to gain Yelv Nanyan¡¯s support, he had to depose the position of Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother as the queen, and for Yelv Nanyan to maintain her power in the Sky Wolf King tribe, she simply needed to maintain good relations with the Elders, coupled with her own significant influence in the tribe, she had no need at all to marry Xiao Hongbo. The most crucial point was that it was initially Xiao Hongbo who actively proposed to marry Yelv Nanyan and wanted her to be his queen, which further confirmed Xiao Pengthian¡¯s suspicions. Seeing that Xiao Pengthian did not answer her question, Xiao Wenyao felt she already knew the answer in her heart. The queen had always been very kind to her since she was a child, treating her as her own daughter. Xiao Wenyao was very clear in her heart that the queen was not a wicked woman. Furthermore, her mother and the queen had always had a good relationship. It was said that when the queen first came to the Sky Wolf King tribe, she was nothing but a naive young girl, and her mother had taken care of the queen like a sister. The queen was able to stabilize her footing in the Sky Wolf King tribe so quickly, and a large part of that was because of her mother, so Xiao Wenyao found it hard to believe that the queen would do such a thing as to harm her mother. If it really was the queen who was responsible, Xiao Wenyao had nothing to say. Anyway, there were currently only two people with the most suspicion: her father and the queen. Of course, it was also very possible that her mother had suddenly died of some illness. But none of that mattered anymore. She was about to marry into the North Fre King tribe and would never know who killed her mother for the rest of her life. And even if she knew, she could not change anything. Her mother was dead and could not be brought back to life. At this thought, Xiao Wenyao could not help but start sobbing once again. Seeing her cry so sadly, Xiao Pengthian felt very distressed. Suddenly, he thought of something and then whispered, ¡°Yaoyao, your uncle has thought of a way that could prevent you from marrying the North Fre King, but I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re willing to do it.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s crying came to an abrupt halt. She immediately asked, ¡°Uncle, what is the way you¡¯re talking about?¡± Xiao Pengthian whispered into Xiao Wenyao¡¯s ear, ¡°After your father conquers North City, you quietly go and live in Great Sum, never to return to the grasslands again.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao was taken aback.. Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Wu Yuan: Ive Been Discovered? _1 Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Wu Yuan: I¡¯ve Been Discovered? _1 Translator: 549690339 Xiao Pengthian¡¯s suggested method of avoiding marriage to the North Fre King did seem to have some feasibility to Xiao Wenyao. However, there was a significant problem. That was the fact she had grown up on the grasslands and had never been to Great Sum, nor had she lived there. If she went to Great Sum alone, how would she survive? Although she wasn¡¯t a weak woman¡ªher realm had reached the sixth rank, giving her a certain ability to protect herself¡­ ¡­she was after all a person of the Barbarian Tribe, with significant differences from the people of Great Sum. It was possible that upon her arrival in Great Sum, she would be quickly recognized as part of the Barbarian Tribe. At that time, living in Great Sum might not be so easy. Seeing that Xiao Wenyao had not spoken, Xiao Pengthian continued, ¡°Once you get to North City, entering Great Sum will be much easier. Then, you can escape to Great Sum with Wu Yuan¡¯s merchant caravan.¡± ¡°But once you¡¯re in Great Sum, you¡¯ll need to change your behavior and tone of speech. You must not let anyone recognize that you come from the grasslands; otherwise, they will treat you as a spy of the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Xiao Pengthian was also worried that Xiao Wenyao might not survive after going to Great Sum. Although Xiao Wenyao had lived on the grasslands since childhood, her life wasn¡¯t much inferior to those daughters of noble families in Great Sum. Moreover, she had plenty of slaves to do everything for her. Once she got to Great Sum, she certainly wouldn¡¯t have it as good as she did now. Not only would she not have such treatment, but she would also have to be constantly on guard for Great Sum people discovering her identity. Perhaps after going to Great Sum, she would need to dodge and hide here and there. Of course, if she was set on not marrying the North Fre King, then fleeing to Great Sum was her only option. Now it was up to Xiao Wenyao to make her own choice. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian looked at Xiao Wenyao and asked, ¡°Yaoyao, you have about a month to think this over. If you have made up your mind, you can tell me, and 1 will find a way to arrange it for you.¡± ¡°But you must think it over carefully. Once you choose to go to Great Sum, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± Xiao Pengthian knew in his heart that if he helped Xiao Wenyao escape to Great Sum, he would be taking a huge risk. If Xiao Hongbo found out about it, he could be punished, or he might even be killed. After all, Xiao Hongbo would have to explain things to the North Fre King at that point. But Xiao Pengthian did not want to see his niece married off to a decrepit old man. He knew what kind of man the North Fre King was. If Xiao Wenyao married the North Fre King, she might as well be living a life worse than death. After hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao bit down on her silver teeth and then said, ¡°Uncle, I don¡¯t need a month. I¡¯ve decided¡ª1 want to go to Great Sum. It¡¯s better for me to die than to marry the North Fre King!¡± Determination shone in Xiao Wenyao¡¯s eyes. Though she didn¡¯t know what difficulties she would face in Great Sum, she believed that no matter how many hardships, they¡¯d be better than marrying that filthy old man who never bathed and was a cannibal. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian sighed again and said, ¡°Alright, I will find a way to arrange it, and have someone take you to Great Sum.¡± Xiao Wenyao did not ask Xiao Pengthian how he would manage to get her to Great Sum. She believed in her uncle¡¯s capabilities; after all, he was a general of the Barbarian Tribe. He could certainly handle this. An hour later. Wu Yuan¡¯s caravan was unloading cargo when Xiao Pengthian appeared behind Wu Yuan. ¡°Wu Yuan, come with me for a moment. I have something to discuss with you.¡± Upon hearing someone call his name, Wu Yuan stopped what he was doing and turned around. Realizing the person seeking him was Xiao Pengthian, Wu Yuan felt puzzled; what did Xiao Pengthian want with him? They didn¡¯t seem to have any connection, did they? Wu Yuan then asked, ¡°General Xiao, what do you want to see me for?¡± Xiao Pengthian glanced at the people unloading cargo, then said, ¡°This isn¡¯t the place to talk. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± As his voice fell, Xiao Pengthian turned and walked toward a high slope on the grasslands. Driven by curiosity, Wu Yuan hurriedly followed. Soon they reached the top of the slope, and seeing that there was no one around, Wu Yuan asked again, ¡°General Xiao, do you perhaps have some goods you need me to transport for you?¡± At that moment, Xiao Pengthian turned his head to look at Wu Yuan and said coldly, ¡°Wu Yuan, I¡¯ve discovered your activities.¡± Upon hearing this abrupt statement from Xiao Pengthian, Wu Yuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. However, his face showed no change. Wu Yuan couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that Xiao Pengthian had discovered his involvement in passing intelligence to the North Prince Mansion? If that was the case, then shouldn¡¯t Xiao Pengthian simply kill him on the spot, instead of bringing him here? Wu Yuan, with his expression unchanged, replied, ¡°General Xiao, what are you referring to?¡± Xiao Pengthian let out a cold laugh and then said, ¡°So calm? It seems you really believe your actions were foolproof.¡± Wu Yuan continued, ¡°General Xiao, 1 don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Xiao Pengthian cut to the chase, ¡°Wu Yuan, you don¡¯t think that the silver you¡¯ve been hiding has gone unnoticed, do you?¡± At these words, Wu Yuan furrowed his brows. Hiding silver? He wasn¡¯t hiding silver; when he passed intelligence, he usually placed the information inside a box filled with silver and then buried the box in a predetermined spot, waiting for his contacts to retrieve it. If Xiao Pengthian discovered the hidden silver, it¡¯s very likely he discovered the espionage as well. Of course, it¡¯s possible that Xiao Pengthian only found the box and not the intelligence within, since the box containing the intelligence had a secret compartment. The reason he put silver in the box was to ensure that those who stumbled upon the box by accident would focus on the silver and overlook the secret compartment within. To gauge how much Xiao Pengthian knew, Wu Yuan suddenly changed expression, appearing shocked and disbelieving, ¡°How¡­ how did you find out¡­¡± Seeing Wu Yuan¡¯s drastic change in expression and his body trembling, Xiao Pengthian huffed and said, ¡°The night before last, while I was on patrol, 1 caught you sneaking out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion with a box, and you buried it here under the slope.¡± ¡°I was curious about the contents of the box, and when 1 opened it, it was filled with shiny silver.¡± ¡°It seems that the silver the Princess Consort gave you for the merchant convoy has been significantly pocketed by you!¡± Wu Yuan fell to his knees with a thud and hastily said, ¡°General Xiao, please don¡¯t tell the Princess Consort about this. I am willing to hand over all the silver I¡¯ve embezzled to honor you!¡± Seeing that he had intimidated Wu Yuan, Xiao Pengthian indifferently said, ¡°I don¡¯t need your silver, just do one thing for me. Not only will 1 keep your embezzlement of silver a secret from the Princess Consort, but I will also return the box of silver I found to you.¡± Wu Yuan quickly said, ¡°General Xiao, what do you need done? As long as you don¡¯t disclose my embezzlement to the Princess Consort, 1 am willing to do anything.¡± Xiao Pengthian instructed, ¡°I need you to take someone to Great Sum in a month¡¯s time. If you handle this matter well, I¡¯ll give you a hundred thousand taels of silver.¡± Xiao Pengthian surely didn¡¯t have a hundred thousand taels at the moment, but that might change after conquering North City. However, he had no intention of really giving Wu Yuan a hundred thousand taels, as such affairs often necessitated silencing witnesses post-success. Curiously, Wu Yuan inquired, ¡°Who is this person?¡± Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°You¡¯ll find out in a month.¡± Wu Yuan immediately responded, ¡°I will make sure your task is accomplished, General.¡± Xiao Pengthian glanced at Wu Yuan, still kneeling on the ground, and declared, ¡°Your silver is still buried beneath the slope; I didn¡¯t touch it.¡± ¡°They say you Great Sum people are greedy for money, and now I¡¯ve seen it for myself.¡± Just as Wu Yuan was about to speak, Xiao Pengthian turned and began walking down the slope, saying over his shoulder, ¡°Try to be less greedy in the future.¡± Eagerly, Wu Yuan said, ¡°Yes, yes, I will definitely mend my ways.¡± Once Xiao Pengthian had left, Wu Yuan immediately went to the spot where he had buried the silver and opened the box to check. Fortunately, the encrypted letter was still there, and the secret compartment hadn¡¯t been tampered with¡ªthe multiple seals on the confidential letter were intact. Wu Yuan sighed with relief and thought to himself that he couldn¡¯t use this method to pass intelligence anymore.. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Barbarian Tribe is Coming? _1 Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Barbarian Tribe is Coming? _1 Translator: 549690339 The atmosphere in North City became increasingly oppressive as the dark clouds of war hung over its skies. After the North Prince Mansion issued the notice of ¡°clearing the countryside and strengthening the walls¡±, the people of Great Xia gained a new understanding of the North Prince. Nobody had expected the North Prince to actually consider leading thirty thousand soldiers to a decisive death battle against the three hundred thousand cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe in Yan County. The North Prince, once considered uneducated, lecherous, and incompetent, suddenly stood up, a fact that astonished the people of Great Xia, especially those officials at court. People could not help but wonder if the North Prince truly was prepared to fight to the death for North City. That¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry! How could thirty thousand possibly hold them off? Could it be that the uneducated, lecherous, and incompetent North Prince actually possessed great integrity? Although he indulged in wine and pleasure, could he actually be a good Prince? Meanwhile, the assassination of Prince Lu Shuyun was quickly overshadowed by the North Prince¡¯s declaration of life-and-death struggle, to the point where people seemed to think it no longer mattered who had attempted to assassinate the Prince. What the people of Great Xia now wanted to know was whether the North Prince could hold off the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand until the Imperial Army could send support from the north. As for the struggle for succession in the Capital city, most commoners did not really care; it could be said that Lu Chen¡¯s announcement had drawn everyone¡¯s attention to North City, and particularly to him. This was the first time since the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty that a Prince dared to lead thirty thousand soldiers into a decisive death battle with the Barbarian Tribe, and he was a Prince once deemed useless by the people. This made Prince Lu Shuyun exceedingly angry, for the North Prince had attracted all the attention to North City, leaving almost no one concerned about his own plight. His own mansion had been bloodbathed, yet people were indifferent; what was key was the Ministry of Criminal Justice had been investigating for so long and yet had found not a single clue about the assassins, as if they had vanished into thin air. Rumors even circulated that the whole affair was a stunt he had performed himself, merely to draw the Sum Emperor¡¯s attention ¡ª a pure act of self-mutilation. Upon hearing these rumors, Lu Shuyun was so furious he was nearly exploding; his own mansion had been bloodbathed, and even the Grandmaster sent by the Wang Family to protect him had been killed, yet there were those who claimed it was all an act of self-mutilation. Who would kill their own Grandmaster in an act of self-mutilation? A single Grandmaster was worth thousands of Martial Artists; only someone with a sickness in the head would sacrifice a Grandmaster to put on such an act. Great Xia Dynasty. Qi Prince¡¯s territory. An army in red armor was marching rapidly, drawing closer to Yan County. Having been delayed by the provision of supplies in the Capital city for so long, Lin Xiuming finally led the Imperial Army¡¯s seventy thousand elite troops to head north to resist the Barbarian Tribe. He had ordered his soldiers to march as quickly as possible, all to meet up with the North Prince before the Barbarian Tribe reached Yan County. With their seventy thousand soldiers and the several tens of thousands from North City, they would have at least a hundred thousand soldiers. Though they were no match for the Barbarian Tribe in open battle, they would have no problem defending a few key cities; as long as they held on, they could buy time for the armies of the various Seigniors from Great Xia to mobilize. Especially the Qi Prince, who was closest to North City. If the Qi Prince did not dispatch troops, then the Barbarian Tribe could directly enter his territory; thus, the Qi Prince was certain to be the first among the Seigniors to mobilize. With the Qi Prince¡¯s army, their chances of victory would be much greater. Lin Xiuming, riding on horseback, saw the distant mountain peaks getting closer and knew they were not far from North City. He felt some concern; he did not know what the situation was like in North City at the moment. Had the Barbarian Tribe already entered North City? Had the North Prince¡¯s soldiers held the cities? Had the North Prince been scared into fleeing? He was unclear of it all. Since departing from the Capital city, they had received no intelligence from North City, and so he was worried. If the North Prince had abandoned his people and fled south, and if the North Prince¡¯s soldiers had not held the cities, losing those key cities that were critical to stopping the southward advance of the Barbarian Tribe, then it was fantastical to think that their seventy thousand soldiers could still hold North City. Especially Yan County. X Yan County lay below Wanning Valley, and it was highly likely that the Barbarian Cavalry would pass through Wanning Valley if they headed south. If Yan County stood strong, they could defend it, preventing the Barbarians from heading south quickly, as taking a detour would require time. Should Yan County be lost, the Barbarians would be able to push forward unopposed, directly entering the domain of the Qi Prince. By that time, if Great Xia didn¡¯t assemble an army of hundreds of thousands, they simply wouldn¡¯t be able to drive the Barbarians out of North City. As Lin Xiuming worried over the situation in North City, a mounted soldier arrived before him with a bamboo tube containing intelligence reports. ¡°General, intelligence from North City.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming¡¯s mind went blank for a moment, and he snatched the bamboo tube from the soldier¡¯s hand, took out the intelligence reports, and read them carefully. Seeing that the North Prince had withdrawn all defenses north of Yan County, Lin Xiuming¡¯s face instantly turned pale. Had the North Prince lost his mind? To withdraw all defenses north of Yan County, with no cities to buffer them, meant that the Barbarians¡¯ spearhead would be pointed directly at Yan County. How could Yan County¡¯s mere garrison hold back the Barbarian¡¯s three ¨C hundred ¨C thousand ¨C strong army! That¡¯s not how you consolidate a defensive line. The Barbarian Cavalry is much faster than their march, and if the Barbarians reached Yan County without any resistance¡­ I¡¯m afraid by the time the Imperial Army arrives at Yan County, it won¡¯t be them defending the city, but the Barbarians. At this moment, Lin Xiuming felt as though he already witnessed the defeat in the North Land and his own ensuing punishment. Although he was the son of the Prime Minister, he couldn¡¯t shirk responsibility for the defeat in the battle, even if it wasn¡¯t his fault; the Sum Emperor would inevitably find someone to blame. The North Prince was royalty, representing the royal family¡¯s dignity; surely, they couldn¡¯t make him take the blame. In the end, the only one who could possibly be held responsible was himself, the General who led the troops north. Lin Xiuming was seething with anger at this point, truly wishing he could punch the North Prince upon seeing him. However, when Lin Xiuming saw in the intelligence that the North Prince was leading the soldiers of Yan County to fight a decisive battle to the death against the Barbarians, his resentment towards the North Prince vanished almost entirely in an instant. He furrowed his brow, his gaze repeatedly scanning over the intelligence report before him. A worthless Prince suddenly showing such determination was unbelievable to Lin Xiuming. If the North Prince truly fought to the death, perhaps when they arrived at Yan County, there might still be hope for him. If the North Prince¡¯s resolve faltered, shaking the army¡¯s morale, then his fate would be either death or capture by the Barbarians. After a while, Lin Xiuming snapped back to reality and then exclaimed loudly, ¡°Increase our march speed! We must meet with the North Prince before the Barbarians reach Yan County!¡± North City. Yan County, North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was in his study, seriously reviewing the intelligence reports sent by Wu Yuan regarding Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. The intelligence on Yelv Nanyan was of utmost interest to Lu Chen; a woman who could achieve such a high status in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe and have the Sky Wolf King heed her advice was clearly no ordinary woman. Just then, a soldier¡¯s voice suddenly rang out at the door of the study, ¡°Prince, there is terrible news!¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s urgent voice, Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°Come in.¡± The soldier then pushed the door open and entered.. Before Lu Chen could even ask, the soldier voluntarily said, ¡°Prince, a troop of Cavalry from Wanning Valley is quickly approaching Yan County! They are suspected to be the vanguard of the Barbarian Cavalry!¡± Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Black Cavalry i Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Black Cavalry i Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s words, Lu Chen did not show much reaction. At this time, Lu Chen asked the system in his mind, ¡°System, are my fifty thousand Black Cavalry almost here?¡± Counting the days, his Black Cavalry should have arrived, so Lu Chen did not believe that the cavalry mentioned by the soldier was the vanguard of the Barbarian Tribe. ¡°The host¡¯s fifty thousand Black Cavalry have arrived at Wanning Valley. To avoid misunderstanding with the Yan County garrison, the Black Cavalry have halted their advance. Please proceed to inspect them,¡± responded the system. After seeing the system¡¯s answer, Lu Chen thought to himself that they were indeed his Black Cavalry. He then instructed the soldier, ¡°Immediately transmit my command to all three armies, do not attack the cavalry at Wanning Valley. Wait for this prince¡¯s arrival before any further action.¡± Although the soldier did not understand why Lu Chen would issue such an order, he immediately complied. When Lu Chen¡¯s order reached the ears of generals like Mu Changtian, they were all very puzzled. They were already prepared for battle, and they had even rolled out the artillery camp¡¯s grenade cannons. But now the North Prince was asking them not to attack? Mu Changtian, originally the Great General of Great Xia, was very familiar with the armor of the Great Xia army. Mu Changtian knew that those cavalrymen in Wanning Valley were not from Great Xia¡¯s forces, as Great Xia¡¯s cavalry did not wear such full-body black armor. Not only were these cavalrymen clad in black armor, but even their warhorses were covered in black armor. Great Xia had never established a Heavy Cavalry force; it was highly likely that such heavy cavalry belonged to the Barbarian Tribe. But since the North Prince had already ordered them not to attack, he must have had his own strategy. Thus, Mu Changtian and the others could only stay with their soldiers in Wanning Valley and did not initiate any attack. To the surprise of Mu Changtian and the others, they did not initiate an attack, and neither did their adversaries. The cavalrymen in black armor stopped on a flat area of Wanning Valley, seemingly waiting for something. This led Mu Changtian and his men to suspect that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry was waiting for a larger force to arrive, and that Lu Chen¡¯s order to hold their attack was actually to let the entire Barbarian cavalry force enter Wanning Valley. Not long after, Lu Chen arrived on horseback before Mu Changtian and the others. Upon seeing Lu Chen, all the generals immediately said, ¡°We pay our respects to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly. At that moment, Mu Changtian said, ¡°Your Highness, that cavalry force must be the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Heavy Cavalry. Shall we not attack them? If we let them charge through, I fear the consequences will be unimaginable.¡± The charge of Heavy Cavalry, after all, could not be withstood by the infantry of North City, Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°General Mu, you worry too much.¡± ¡°They are not the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry, but my Black Cavalry.¡± Upon these words, the generals present were stunned. The North Prince¡¯s Black Cavalry? Since when did the North Prince have such a massive force of Heavy Cavalry? Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but think, wasn¡¯t the North Prince still discussing the training of a cavalry force for North City with him during their first meeting? Yet the North Prince already possessed his cavalry force? And it was not just any cavalry, but Heavy Cavalry. Even from a distance, a rough estimate would suggest there were indeed fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. With North City being so impoverished and the North Prince not having been there for very long, how could he possibly have established a force of Heavy Cavalry? To train a cavalry force takes several months at the very least, not to mention the time required to forge armor¡ªproducing so many sets of cavalry armor would be difficult to accomplish in less than a year. Yet there stood the Heavy Cavalry right before everyone. If these cavalrymen truly belonged to the North Prince, then it only meant one thing: the North Prince had already been clandestinely forming a force of Heavy Cavalry long before his arrival at North City. Thinking this, the generals had an even greater admiration for Lu Chen¡¯s foresight and were more convinced of what they believed to be the North Prince¡¯s grander ambitions. A prince without ambition wouldn¡¯t consistently act like a wastrel, all the while secretly training thousands of Brocade Guards and tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalrymen. The key point was that the court apparently had not a single official aware of the North Prince¡¯s actions. If the court knew that the North Prince was secretly building a Heavy Cavalry, they would likely have already deemed him as plotting a rebellion. Lu Chen ignored the shocked gazes of Mu Changtian and the others as he made his way directly towards the Black Cavalry. Seeing this scene, Mu Changtian and the others couldn¡¯t help but grow tense. Although Lu Chen had already said that these were his own heavy cavalry, Mu Changtian and his men had never seen this army before, and they were still worried that the army might disadvantage Lu Chen. At that moment, two burly men at the front of the Black Cavalry sped towards Lu Chen on horseback. As they approached him, the two sturdy men dismounted. They bent halfway toward Lu Chen and saluted, saying, ¡°General Wenren Lie and General Xuanyuan Chen pay their respects to Prince, long live the Prince for thousands and thousands of years!¡± Seeing that the leaders of the Black Cavalry actually saluted Lu Chen, Mu Changtian and the others stood dumbfounded in their place. Then they remembered that half a month ago, Lu Chen talked about giving them a surprise after half a month. Could this be the surprise from the North Prince? Originally, they thought that although they had the deadly weapon of the grenade cannon, once it was used, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry would surely be thrown into chaos. If the Barbarian Tribe cavalry decided to flee at that point, the few soldiers of North City wouldn¡¯t be able to stop them. But now things were different. With fifty thousand heavy cavalry, if those barbarians wanted to escape, this heavy cavalry could directly emerge from behind Wanning Valley and cut off their retreat in an instant, preventing them from fleeing Wanning Valley. Lu Chen glanced over the data of the two men. [Name: Wenren Lie] [Status: Great Yu Remnant, Black Cavalry Leader] [Strength: Master Realm] [Loyalty: 100] [Name: Xuanyuan Chen] [Status: Great Yu Remnant, Black Cavalry Leader] [Strength: Grandmaster Realm] [Loyalty: 100] Lu Chen then dismounted and, lending a hand to Xuanyuan Chen and resting a hand on Wenren Lie¡¯s shoulder, said, ¡°Generals, please rise. This Prince has been awaiting your arrival in Yan County for a long time.¡± At this moment, Mu Changtian and others came to stand behind Lu Chen. When Mu Changtian felt the aura emanating from Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. Two more Grandmasters! Did the North Prince already have so many Grandmasters at his disposal? Just the ones he knew of, including these two, there were already four Grandmasters, and at that time, Mu Changtian was unaware that there was actually another Grandmaster in the North Prince Mansion. If Mu Changtian knew that even Lu Chen¡¯s concubine maid was a Grandmaster, he would be even more astonished. The whole Great Sum had so few Grandmasters, and now, including Mu Changtian and Commander of the Brocade Guard Liang Zong who was still in the Capital city, North City already had six Grandmasters. Some small countries might not even have that many Grandmasters. Lu Chen then said with a smile, ¡°With the help of the two Generals, the cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe will surely have a one-way trip.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s return to the city. This Prince wants to personally give a feast to welcome and refresh the two Generals.¡± In order not to attract the attention of the city¡¯s residents and prevent news from leaking out prematurely, Lu Chen had the heavy cavalry stationed in a military camp outside the city which had been prepared in advance. He then only brought Wenren Lie and Xuanyuan Chen along with a few other important generals into Yan County. Of course, Lu Chen also provided good wine and meat to treat those Black Cavalrymen. After all, they had come from afar, braving the wind and rain, and it was proper to treat them to a good meal and drink.. Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 104: The Barbarian Tribe Moves Southl Chapter 104: Chapter 104: The Barbarian Tribe Moves Southl Translator: 549690339 After Lu Chen hosted Xuanyuan Chen, Wenren Lie, and a group of generals at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he inquired about matters concerning the Great Yu Remnants. After the war, Lu Chen planned to relocate all Great Yu Remnants to North City, as the construction of North City required a vast population. With just the current population of North City, there was not enough support for his plans to build the city. Although there were only five hundred thousand Great Yu Remnants, their relocation to North City would be a significant boost to the population. North City was vast with sparse population; many wilderness areas were still empty. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem to settle five hundred thousand people, even an additional three million could be accommodated. At the welcome feast, listening to Lu Chen and the Black Cavalry generals discussing, Mu Changtian and the others finally understood why they knew nothing about Lu Chen training such a large cavalry force. It turned out these Black Cavalry weren¡¯t even in North City but were stationed much further in North Land, a place that even had a population of five hundred thousand. North Land was home to Barbarian Tribes, and Great Sum¡¯s army rarely ventured into North Land, so few knew that North Land actually harbored half a million Great Yu Remnants. Mu Changtian and the others couldn¡¯t help but admire Lu Chen, who not only found these five hundred thousand Great Yu Remnants but also subdued these fifty thousand Black Cavalry. Indeed, Lu Chen was blessed by the gods; the allegiance of the Great Yu Remnants further convinced Mu Changtian and the others that Lu Chen truly was the Son of Destiny. Now the loyalty of these generals and soldiers, who were not summoned by the system, toward Lu Chen had basically reached 100. The North Prince¡¯s demonstrated strength and ambition genuinely made them see the possibility of unifying the world. They believed that by following the North Prince, one day they would become his honored subjects. After the welcome banquet, Lu Chen immediately took the generals to his study and then began to plan the war against the Barbarian Tribes. Several days later. North City, Tianguang City. A massive cavalry force surrounded Tianguang City. Mounted on his horse, Xiao Hongbo was spirited as he looked at the dilapidated city before him and proclaimed, ¡°North City, I have arrived!¡± ¡°From now on, North City will be my land!¡± If one could look from Tianguang City at that moment, just a short distance away, one would see a vast, endless sea of cavalry. However, it was a pity that Tianguang City was now deserted, and no one could behold this magnificent scene. Tianguang City was the closest city to North Land in North City, making it the first target for the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s assault. Currently, Xiao Hongbo¡¯s three hundred thousand strong army had not split up and was all outside of Tianguang City. Xiao Hongbo did not believe Tianguang City could withstand the iron cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe. He directly told the soldiers beside him, ¡°Immediately call out to the Great Sum defenders of Tianguang City; as long as they surrender, the North Prince will not only spare their lives but will also let them join my army. In the future, they will share in wealth and honor with me!¡± Before setting out, Yelv Nanyan had cautioned Xiao Hongbo that this military campaign should not always be about killing. Instead, they must try to reduce the local population¡¯s fear of the Barbarian Tribe as much as possible. The country they planned to establish would be difficult to build without the people of Great Sum. The Barbarian Tribe had always been nomadic tribes roaming the grasslands, with no experience in founding a nation. The people of Great Sum in North City were important to the Barbarian Tribe, so they must not overly aggravate the conflict between the people of Great Sum and the Barbarian Tribes. Of course, if the defenders of North City chose to resist to the end, they would still face a bloody suppression. At that moment, soldiers from the Barbarian Tribe rode up to Tianguang City and directly called out to the city¡¯s defenders to surrender. However, despite shouting with all their might, the soldiers received no response from the defenders of Tianguang City, and they did not even see any soldiers from the city appearing. Seeing this, Xiao Hongbo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the soldiers of Tianguang City were planning to wait for their army to approach and then suddenly launch a surprise attack. In past raids to the south for food and women, this was a tactic of the Great Sum defenders¡ªact as though the city was uninhabited and when the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s soldiers approached, they would unleash a barrage of arrows, often catching them off guard. Xiao Hongbo then sent a few more soldiers to call out at the foot of Tianguang City, and this time they were to get even closer, already less than twenty meters from the city gates. XXX But still, no one replied; Tianguang City seemed truly devoid of defenders. Xiao Hongbo furrowed his brow. He did not believe that the people of Great Sum had directly abandoned Tianguang City; in his view, the soldiers of Tianguang City had hidden themselves, waiting for the Barbarian Army to draw near then launch a sudden attack. At that thought, Xiao Hongbo felt a surge of anger. These Great Sum people really were bent on defiance! If they insisted on defending the city and refused to surrender, then death would be their only path. Immediately after, Xiao Hongbo picked up his massive axe and yelled towards Tianguang City, ¡°Attack!¡± The next moment, a dozen soldiers carrying horns sounded their horns, and the blare echoed across the entire grassland. Before long, the soldiers tasked with breaching the city used a siege vehicle to break through the gates of Tianguang City. For this operation to claim North City, the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had made ample preparations. They hadn¡¯t just brought an army of three hundred thousand cavalry; they were also fully equipped with siege machinery prepared in advance. This time it wasn¡¯t about plundering food or women, but a campaign of occupation, so having siege machinery was essential. Xiao Hongbo was utterly baffled to see the gates of Tianguang City so easily breached by the Barbarian soldiers, who also stood dumbfounded. Normally, it would take dozens of strikes from a siege vehicle to breach city gates, yet the gates of Tianguang City had been broken in an instant. How was this possible? Could it be that Tianguang City¡¯s soldiers planned to let the Barbarian Cavalry enter the city, to then fight them to the death? Considering this possibility, the Barbarian soldiers cautiously charged into Tianguang City. Xiao Hongbo, mounted on his horse, stood amidst the great army, silently waiting for news from inside Tianguang City. After a while, Xiao Pengthian emerged from Tianguang City on horseback, riding directly to Xiao Hongbo. ¡°My King! Tianguang City is empty!¡± ¡°There¡¯s not only a lack of Great Sum¡¯s defenders, but also not a single civilian has been found.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Hongbo paused for a moment, then laughed loudly, ¡°Hahaha, this king understands now. It must be the young North Prince, scared out of his wits at the news of my arrival, who hastily fled North City with all the civilians in tow!¡± At this moment, Xiao Pengthian reminded him, ¡°My King, the Queen ordered us to capture as many Great Sum civilians as possible when we took North City. If the civilians of Great Sum have all fled, we will have no one to work for us once we establish our nation.¡± Upon hearing this, the smile on Xiao Hongbo¡¯s face instantly froze, as he had forgotten about this detail. Immediately, Xiao Hongbo ordered, ¡°Xiao Pengthian, take a hundred thousand soldiers to Curve City in North City. Barbarian Iron, take fifty thousand soldiers to Desolate City.¡± Xiao Pengthian and another Barbarian General responded immediately, ¡°Yes, my King!¡± Quickly, the Barbarians split into three groups and continued their advance southward. However, they soon discovered that as they moved further south within North City, they encountered no Great Sum defenders and almost no civilians. Even the few civilians they did capture were the old, weak, sick, and disabled who refused to leave North City. This displeased Xiao Hongbo. He had marched south to conquer North City, seeking not only the land but also its people. But now that the civilians had all fled, even if they took over North City, they did not know how they would run it. Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Xiao Pengthians Intuition i Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Xiao Pengthian¡¯s Intuition i Translator: 549690339 The Barbarian Tribe has always been nomadic, with no permanent residence; they migrate with the water and grass, living pastoral lives. Now they¡¯re suddenly supposed to find a place to settle down, establish a country, and even farm the land¡ªhow could they possibly get used to that? Therefore, the common folk of Great Sum are crucial. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s idea is to ease the relationship between the Great Sum commoners and the Barbarian Tribe, then integrate the tribe into the agricultural culture of Great Sum. But as soon as the Great Sum commoners heard that the Barbarian Tribe was coming, they all fled. What use is it for the Barbarian Tribe to occupy North City if there are none of them left? Without the Great Sum commoners, could it be expected for these people, who are used to herding all year round, to farm the land? How can they, inexperienced, farm the land effectively? If they can¡¯t integrate into the farming culture, eventually, even if they occupy North City, they will still head south to plunder. Heading south to plunder will directly conflict with the core interests of Great Sum. Those Seigniors and Aristocratic Families who initially cooperated with the Barbarian Tribe will surely band together and send a large army north. By then, whether the Barbarian Tribe can hold North City remains uncertain. The Barbarian Tribe excels in Cavalry, with high mobility. If it comes to attacking a city, fine, but defending a city is something they have no experience in. This is very disadvantageous for them. At this moment, Xiao Hongbo was riding on horseback, standing on a grassy knoll, gazing in the direction of Yan County. After a while, a cavalry unit approached rapidly towards their main forces. It was Xiao Pengthian and his men returning. Xiao Hongbo quickly turned to look at the army led by Xiao Pengthian. Xiao Pengthian arrived in front of Xiao Hongbo with a rather solemn face. ¡°My King, all the cities we visited are deserted. The majority of the Great Sum commoners have already migrated southward,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ve captured some Great Sum commoners. According to them, the North Prince issued an order a while ago, instructing all commoners to move south. He plans to lead thirty thousand soldiers from North City to fight us to the death in Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Hongbo was stunned for a moment. Then he asked incredulously, ¡°North Prince wants to fight us to the death in Yan County?¡± Although Xiao Hongbo had never seen the North Prince, he had heard from the Great Sum merchants about what kind of person the North Prince was¡ªa Prince who was ignorant and indulgent, a wastrel. After the North Prince came to North City, he spent every day in the Prince¡¯s Mansion indulging in pleasure, never bothering about the affairs of North City. Moreover, it seems that the North Prince was only about 17 years old this year. Although 17 is considered an adult in these times, most 17-year-olds are still seen as children in other people¡¯s eyes. The North Prince was no exception in Xiao Hongbo¡¯s view. To him, the North Prince was just a bratty kid. He always thought that as soon as the North Prince heard of his march south, that young scoundrel would be so frightened that he would scamper away with his tail between his legs. Now Xiao Pengthian was telling him that the North Prince hadn¡¯t run away but instead was waiting in Yan County to fight them to the death. This worthless Prince actually dares to fight me to the death? To the iron cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe, what are thirty thousand soldiers? Nothing more than a herd of two-legged sheep with weapons. Xiao Pengthian then said, ¡°My King, this is what the commoners we captured said, and it was reportedly an imperial edict to the North Prince, ordering him to hold North City to the death and not to flee.¡± Of course, the commoners had no idea about any imperial edict ordering the North Prince to hold North City to the death¡ªit was all their own speculation. After all, the North Prince gave the impression of being nothing more than a wastrel Prince, and his sudden declaration of a decisive battle against the Barbarian Tribe in North City seemed utterly implausible. Therefore, the commoners believed that it must be an imperial command forcing the North Prince to stay in Yan County. After hearing what Xiao Pengthian said, Xiao Hongbo laughed and said, ¡°Hahaha, indeed, how could that young scoundrel possibly dare to confront my iron cavalry.¡± ¡°So the Sum Emperor is planning to completely abandon that useless Prince of his,¡± Xiao Hongbo accepted Xiao Pengthian¡¯s reasoning, and he, too, believed that it was a strict order from the Great Sum court to North Prince not to retreat, which was why North Prince was left with no choice but to stubbornly hold his ground at Yan County. To take the entire North City in a short amount of time, one must pass through Wanning Valley, and Yan County sat right below it, making it imperative for them to capture. Perhaps to Great Sum, the strategic location of Yan County was advantageous, and by having North Prince defend Yan County, they could block the Barbarian Tribe to the north of Yan County. In truth, this idea wasn¡¯t wrong, as in the past, it was highly unlikely that the Barbarian Tribe would directly attack Yan County. Because previously, the Barbarian Tribe mainly raided to the south for food and to abduct women, and the other cities north of Yan County could satisfy their needs. Moreover, in the past, they mainly deployed Cavalry without siege equipment; taking a city like Yan County with tens of thousands of soldiers would have been impossible without several months. But this time was different, as they were resolute in capturing the entire North City, and they had prepared siege equipment from the onset. Taking Yan County wouldn¡¯t be difficult at all. Xiao Hongbo then loudly ordered, ¡°Immediately send out the command, march to Yan County with utmost speed, 1 must capture that greenhorn North Prince! We can¡¯t let him escape!¡± Upon hearing Xiao Hongbo¡¯s words, the soldiers behind him immediately sounded the trumpets. At that moment, Xiao Pengthian cautioned, ¡°My king, it might be wise to exercise caution, with only thirty thousand soldiers, how could North Prince propose a decisive battle to the death with us?¡± ¡°In my view, we should first dispatch a vanguard to scout the situation, and then have the main army move south.¡± Xiao Pengthian always felt something was amiss, with strangeness apparent in every aspect of the situation. If North Prince really wanted to resist the southward invasion of the Barbarian Tribe, he wouldn¡¯t have dismantled the entire defense to the north of Yan County. Although the city walls north of Yan County weren¡¯t as solid as Yan County¡¯s, the Barbarian Tribe would still need time to conquer those cities. If the Barbarian Tribe spent time attacking those cities, it would buy enough time for Yan County. In turn, some Seigniors within Great Sum would have time to dispatch troops to aid North Prince against the Barbarian Tribe. Although the court of Great Sum didn¡¯t dare to deploy troops recklessly at this time, they would inevitably require the Seigniors to send forces, albeit those Seigniors tend to drag their feet. Logically, the longer North City could stall, the greater the possibility of North Prince defending it. Even if North Prince understood nothing, those generals and soldiers beside him surely must recognize the importance of those cities in the North Land, right? Yet, North Prince had withdrawn all the soldiers and civilians from those cities. This made Xiao Pengthian sense the scent of conspiracy. Hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, Xiao Hongbo burst into laughter and then said, ¡°Xiao Pengthian, you are just too cautious.¡± ¡°Do you know why the Elders didn¡¯t choose you to be the Sky Wolf King? It¡¯s because you¡¯re too indecisive and not decisive enough in your actions.¡± With those words, Xiao Hongbo rode his horse straight towards Yan County, leaving Xiao Pengthian alone in his place. Watching Xiao Hongbo¡¯s retreating figure, Xiao Pengthian just sighed. For some reason, he felt a deep unease in his heart, as if something terrible was about to happen.. Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Barbarian Tribe Arrives at Yan Countyi Chapter 106: Chapter 106 Barbarian Tribe Arrives at Yan Countyi Translator: 549690339 The Barbarian Tribe was rushing toward Yan County with their utmost speed, and the vast army of Great Sum, seventy thousand strong, was also marching at its swiftest pace, as if racing against time itself. However, from the grasslands to Yan County stretches a boundless plain, and no matter how fast Lin Xiuming¡¯s forces were, they couldn¡¯t possibly catch up to the speed of the Barbarian cavalry. In just a few days, the three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian Army had already drawn near to Wanning Valley. Early in the morning. Lu Chen got up amidst the gentle jade fragrance of Bai Qingqing, who took the initiative to dress Lu Chen herself. The once haughty and reserved Bai Qingqing had now transformed into a chilly young matron. She had completely embraced her role as a concubine maid, diligently caring for Lu Chen¡¯s daily needs. As soon as Lu Chen was dressed and left the room, a female guard hurried over and said, ¡°Prince, urgent news from the front, the Barbarian Tribe has reached Wanning Valley!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen replied with some surprise, ¡°So soon?¡± The arrival time of the Barbarian Tribe was obviously much earlier than Lu Chen and his people had anticipated from spy reports, but that wasn¡¯t a major issue since they had already made their preparations. Just the thought of the imminent decisive battle with the Barbarian Tribe made Lu Chen¡¯s blood surge with excitement. Although he had killed before and witnessed killings, he had never seen what a real battlefield looked like. Without even having breakfast, Lu Chen hurried to the tower of Yan County. By this time, Mu Changtian, with thirty thousand soldiers, was ready for battle, Mu Xingping had stationed the Artillery camp on both sides of Wanning Valley, and the Black Cavalry was also on the move; everything was waiting for the Barbarian cavalry to enter Wanning Valley. Just then, a scout soldier approached Lu Chen and said, ¡°Prince, the Barbarian troops haven¡¯t entered Wanning Valley immediately, but have encamped on the grassland outside the valley.¡± Upon hearing this, the soldiers on the city tower became tense all of a sudden. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the Barbarian cavalry had discovered something, or if their own deployments had been leaked. If that was the case, then it would indeed be troublesome. Not only might they fail to defeat the Barbarian cavalry, but the Artillery camps stationed on both sides of Wanning Valley could be stealthily eliminated by the Barbarian soldiers. If the howitzers, these devastating weapons, fell into the hands of the Barbarian Tribe, Yan County could be breached with a single attack, leaving no capability to resist. At this moment, Mu Changtian spoke up, ¡°Prince, why don¡¯t 1 lead the troops out of the city to lure the Barbarian Tribe into Wanning Valley?¡± After hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen didn¡¯t reply immediately. After thinking for a moment, he then asked the scouting soldier, ¡°When did the Barbarian army reach the outskirts of Wanning Valley?¡± The scout replied, ¡°This morning.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately commanded, ¡°Immediately have the soldiers of the Artillery camp on both sides of Wanning Valley conceal themselves, and do not reveal themselves before the Barbarian Army has entered the valley.¡± ¡°Furthermore, there is no need for us to hurry. Since the Barbarian soldiers have just arrived this morning, it is highly likely that they traveled through the night and are now resting in the camp.¡± ¡°Let the frontline scouts keep an eye on their movements. If the Barbarian Tribe sends soldiers to scout, let them enter Wanning Valley; ignore them.¡± The reporting scout quickly replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± After the soldier left, Mu Changtian spoke again, ¡°Prince, the Barbarian Tribe seems to be prepared for a long siege of Yan County.¡± ¡°Otherwise, they would not have set up camp outside Wanning Valley, but would have chosen to enter directly.¡± Lu Chen pondered before speaking, ¡°It seems Xiao Hongbo is no fool either; he knows Yan County won¡¯t be easy to take.¡± If Xiao Hongbo truly believed that the first wave of attack on Yan County could defeat the city, then why would they set up camp at all? They should just rest briefly and directly send the army into Wanning Valley. After taking down Yan County, wouldn¡¯t it be better to rest there? The Barbarian Tribe setting up camp outside Wanning Valley demonstrated, on one hand, their cautiousness towards the terrain of Wanning Valley, and on the other hand, indicated that they did not believe they could capture Yan County today. Just then, another scout soldier returned from the front line. ¡°Prince, the Barbarian Tribe has dispatched a scouting cavalry, which has already entered Wanning Valley and is headed straight for Yan County,¡± the soldier reported. Lu Chen asked, ¡°How many are there?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Only a few dozen people.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and said, ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them, continue monitoring.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince,¡± the soldier acknowledged. Outside Wanning Valley. Xiao Pengthian stood by the riverbank, looking at the terrain of Wanning Valley with a grave sense of crisis. Originally, Xiao Hongbo planned to lead an army of three hundred thousand directly into Wanning Valley and then to attack Yan County, aiming to capture it before midday. However, Xiao Pengthian, using various persuasive arguments, pointed out that the soldiers were exhausted from traveling all night and needed rest; he even brought up the Princess to strengthen his case, eventually convincing Xiao Hongbo to camp outside Wanning Valley for rest. Xiao Pengthian was well aware that Xiao Hongbo was severely dissatisfied with him. During their campaign southward to attack North City, he said many things that Xiao Hongbo did not want to hear, and even invoked the Princess¡¯s name several times. In fact, Xiao Hongbo¡¯s discontent with him was not a recent development. Back when they were with the Sky Wolf King tribe, a rift had already formed between them due to their similar strengths. Xiao Pengthian was the strongest contender against Xiao Hongbo for the title of Sky Wolf King. Nevertheless, following the mediation by the Princess, the Elders of the Sky Wolf King tribe ultimately bestowed the kingship upon Xiao Hongbo. Even though Xiao Hongbo had become the Sky Wolf King, having someone by his side who was a constant threat to his throne still made him uncomfortable. Xiao Pengthian was no fool; he could clearly see Xiao Hongbo¡¯s aversion towards him. However, to ensure that there were no issues during the Sky Wolf King tribe¡¯s campaign to take North City, he had to speak up. Considering the terrain of Wanning Valley, if their army of three hundred thousand charged directly in and failed to take Yan County, with the Great Sum troops potentially coming in from behind, they would all be trapped within Wanning Valley. Just then, a servant from Wu Yuan¡¯s trading caravan approached Xiao Pengthian and said, ¡°General Xiao, did you summon me for something?¡± They were escorting Wu Yuan¡¯s trading caravan on their campaign southward; after all, the plundered treasures needed to be transported, and Wu Yuan¡¯s caravan provided a convenient means. Xiao Pengthian inquired, ¡°Has your caravan picked up any information about the movements of the Great Sum court, such as whether they are sending a large army to reinforce North City?¡± The servant from Wu Yuan¡¯s caravan promptly replied, ¡°Yes, General, the court has dispatched an army of seventy thousand to support North Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Pengthian couldn¡¯t help but wonder, was he overthinking the situation? Only seventy thousand troops? It was highly probable that this force was meant to help North Prince defend Yan County and would not take the offensive, let alone encircle them from behind. If the Barbarian Cavalry charged, the seventy thousand troops would be scattered instantly. If the encirclement failed, those soldiers would instead be marching to their deaths. At that moment, a Barbarian soldier rode up to Xiao Pengthian and said, ¡°General, the King summons you..¡± Chapter 107 - Chapter 107: Chapter 107 What Mortar? This is a Catapulti Chapter 107: Chapter 107 What Mortar? This is a Catapulti Translator: 549690339 Upon receiving the order from Xiao Hongbo, Xiao Pengthian quickly arrived at Xiao Hongbo¡¯s tent. At this time, Xiao Hongbo was already arranging how the Barbarian Generals would attack Yan County. As Xiao Pengthian entered the tent, he opened with, ¡°Great King, did you call forme?¡± Seeing Xiao Pengthian, Xiao Hongbo¡¯s face instantly broke into a smile, and then he said with a laugh, ¡°Pengthian, I¡¯ve been seriously thinking about what you said to me before, and I find your words very reasonable.¡± ¡°If we charge directly into the Wanning Valley, and Great Sum soldiers appear behind us, we¡¯d be trapped in the Wanning Valley.¡± ¡°Therefore, I¡¯ve decided to give you a very important task. When dusk falls, I will lead twenty-five armies to directly attack Yan County, and you will stay behind with fifty thousand soldiers to guard against a surprise attack from Great Sum soldiers from behind.¡± As he said this, Xiao Hongbo laughed and patted Xiao Pengthian¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Pengthian, this task is very important. The safety of our rear is all entrusted to you.¡± Hearing this, a half-smile appeared on Xiao Pengthian¡¯s face, and he said, ¡°Thank you for your trust, Great King. I will certainly keep a good watch on our rear.¡± Xiao Pengthian was no fool; how could he not see why Xiao Hongbo had made these arrangements? He already held a status second only to Xiao Hongbo among the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, and if he made another remarkable contribution in the attack on Yan County, his achievements would overshadow his master¡¯s. Xiao Hongbo wasn¡¯t truly thinking he made a good point, it was clearly an excuse to keep him in the rear and out of the attacking action, preventing him from earning any merits. Xiao Pengthian didn¡¯t say much else; he would stay behind if that was the assignment. Besides, he, too, was concerned about a potential surprise attack from Great Sum soldiers. Just then, a soldier entered the tent. ¡°Great King, the scouts we sent out have returned.¡± Immediately, Xiao Hongbo commanded, ¡°Let him in.¡± No sooner had Xiao Hongbo¡¯s words faded, another soldier entered the tent, ¡°Great King, we have scouted ahead, and the gates of Yan County are tightly shut, and their soldiers have already setup catapults on the city walls!¡± With a smile, Xiao Hongbo said, ¡°It looks like, most likely, the North Prince is indeed waiting for me in Yan County!¡± ¡°Excellent, I have heard long ago that the North Prince likes beautiful women, and has kept countless beauties in his estate. Once Yan County is taken, I must enjoy myself thoroughly and experience the joys of the North Prince!¡± Yelv Nanyan wasn¡¯t there, so Xiao Hongbo openly revealed his true nature. He believed no one would dare tell Yelv Nanyan what he said and did. Meanwhile. Yan County, atop the city tower. Mu Changtian, looking at the grenade launchers on the city wall, said with some concern, ¡°Prince, displaying the grenade launchers like this ¨C if the Barbarian scouts see them, won¡¯t they suspect something?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then replied, ¡°Grenade launchers? What grenade launchers? These are catapults.¡± The Barbarian Cavalry have never seen grenade launchers, so how could they possibly recognize them? If the Barbarian Cavalry knew about such devastating weaponry as grenade launchers, they wouldn¡¯t dare approach Yan County. Therefore, Lu Chen was not worried about the grenade launchers being seen by the Barbarian scouts. Before the grenade launchers came into use, it was very possible that the Barbarians would mistake them for catapults. In fact, if viewed from a distance, the grenade launchers did bear a resemblance to catapults. Of course, that was where the similarities ended. Now everything was ready ¨C it was just a matter of the Barbarian Cavalry falling into the trap. For the rest of the day, Lu Chen stayed on the city walls, constantly watching the movements of the Barbarian Army. As time went by and the day was about to end, the sun began to touch the horizon, with vast swathes of fiery red twilight dominating the sky, casting everyone¡¯s skin in a bronze glow reflected by the twilight. At that moment, a scout soldier rode swiftly towards the city gate, shouting as he rode, ¡°The Barbarian Army has entered the Wanning Valley!¡± ¡°The Barbarian Army has entered the Wanning Valley!¡± ¡°The Barbarian Army has entered the Wanning Valley!¡± Hearing the scout soldier¡¯s report, the soldiers on the city wall didn¡¯t wait for Mu Changtian¡¯s orders to spring into action, swiftly preparing for battle. Soon the scouting soldier reached Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, the Barbarian Army has entered the Wanning Valley. They have divided into two groups; the front seems to have about two hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, while the remaining fifty thousand seem to be on alert in the rear.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen frowned. He had not anticipated that the Barbarians would split into two groups upon entering the Wanning Valley. If the Barbarian Tribe left fifty thousand to guard the rear, their fifty thousand Black Cavalry would find it very difficult to complete the encirclement of the Barbarian Army. At this moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Have the tens of thousands of troops from the Barbarian rear entered Wanning Valley?¡± The soldier immediately answered, ¡°They have, but they¡¯ve kept a certain distance from the large force at the front.¡± Hearing this from the soldier, Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. As long as they all entered Wanning Valley, that would be fine. He was afraid that the Barbarian¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army would leave a portion of their troops outside of Wanning Valley; in that case, the Black Cavalry would have to fight the Barbarian cavalry left outside to block the Barbarians¡¯ retreat. By the time the Black Cavalry eliminated the cavalry outside Wanning Valley, the Barbarian Army at the front might have already withdrawn from the Valley, and by then they could only let the Barbarian Army go. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Prepare for battle! Pass the order to the Artillery camp to open fire only after the Barbarian cavalry is about to reach Yan County!¡± With that command from Lu Chen, the defense of Yan County began, which was simultaneously the encirclement battle against the Barbarian Army. Under Xiao Hongbo¡¯s leadership, the two hundred and fifty thousand-strong army was soon to arrive below the city of Yan County. Although the people on the city walls of Yan County had not yet seen the Barbarian cavalry, they could already hear the thunderous sound of hooves. They even had the illusion that the earth itself was trembling. This was a three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian cavalry. The soldiers on the city wall were extremely tense; even though they had grenade launchers, facing three hundred thousand troops still exerted an enormous pressure on them. Together with the Black Cavalry, North City had only ninety thousand soldiers in total. Ninety thousand against three hundred thousand, the pressure was inevitable. Hearing the thunderous hoofbeats, Lu Chen felt his heart pounding wildly as if adrenaline was furiously secreting within his body, enlivening every cell. As the sound of hoofbeats grew louder and closer, the flags of the Barbarian Army gradually appeared within everyone¡¯s sight. Lu Chen stood on the city tower and quickly surveyed the generals at the front of the Barbarian Army. [Name: Xiao Hongbo] [Title: Sky Wolf King of the Barbarian Tribe] [Strength: Master Realm] [Loyalty: -100 (Hostile)] [Name: Barbarian Iron] [Title: General of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s Tribe] [Strength: Master Realm] [Loyalty: -100 (Hostile)] [Name: Xian Jia] [Title: General of the North Fre King¡¯s Tribe] [Strength: Master Realm] [Loyalty: -100 (Hostile)] After reviewing the data for these three individuals, Lu Chen then glanced over the other generals¡¯ information. In the end, counting among the vanguard of the Barbarian Army of more than two hundred thousand, there were approximately only three Grandmasters, five Half-step Grandmasters, and a dozen Ninth Grade warriors. Lu Chen still did not know whether there were any Grandmasters in the several tens of thousands of troops behind. If he didn¡¯t have grenade launchers this time, North City would unquestionably fall to the strength of the Barbarian Army. With a formation like the Barbarian¡¯s, let alone capturing North City, they would have no problem launching a war of destruction against some smaller nations. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Chapter 108 War Begins i Chapter 108: Chapter 108 War Begins i Translator: 549690339 Xiao Hongbo became incredibly excited when he saw the flag of the North Prince Mansion hanging on the walls of North City. He shouted to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Yan County lies before our eyes! Warriors of the Barbarian Tribe, follow your prince into the charge!¡± ¡°Whoever captures North Prince will be rewarded by me with ten beautiful women and a thousand cattle and sheep!¡± Hearing Xiao Hongbo¡¯s words, the Barbarian soldiers instantly became exuberant, and the Barbarian Army hastened its march. At the same time. When Xiao Pengthian saw that the Barbarian soldiers were marching so much faster ahead, he instantly felt a strong unease. It was too quiet! Wanning Valley was too quiet! The quietness was suffocating and oppressive. Even if North Prince was truly defending Yan County and waiting for the Barbarians¡¯ assault, there shouldn¡¯t be no obstacles at all in Wanning Valley to block the advance of the Barbarian Army. Xiao Pengthian had previously clashed with the army of Great Sum and knew their methods; when defending a city, they would certainly construct some barriers to impede the Cavalry¡¯s advance. In the past when they raided to the south, even the small cities they looted had obstacles constructed by the soldiers to stop the Barbarian Cavalry. It made no sense that the defenders of Yan County wouldn¡¯t do the same. Was that normal? Definitely not. Xiao Pengthian suspected that the defenders of Yan County were deliberately allowing them to get close or, perhaps, purposely letting them enter Wanning Valley. He hoped he was overthinking it, yet if the Yan County defenders were indeed allowing them into Wanning Valley intentionally, that would spell big trouble. At this moment, the Barbarian Army was nearly upon the city. The soldiers of Yan County had made their preparations, and the soldiers of the Artillery camp on both sides of Wanning Valley had adjusted the howitzers to the correct angle. Now, they waited only for Lu Chen to give the command. As the black mass of Barbarian Cavalry grew closer, the thunderous sound of their horses¡¯ hooves also grew louder. Under the influence of these sounds, everyone¡¯s heartbeats involuntarily quickened. Lu Chen personally approached one of the howitzers, then adjusted its angle, aiming it at the location of Xiao Hongbo. Lu Chen had no intention of adhering to any code of martial honor, nor did he plan to take Xiao Hongbo alive. If he could kill him with a cannon shot, that was the best option. Naturally, Xiao Hongbo also saw the howitzers on the city wall. However, they paid them no mind, believing them to merely be trebuchets. To these Master Level experts, such trebuchets posed no threat; a direct charge was all that was needed. Watching the Barbarian Army draw closer, Lu Chen felt the timing was almost right and immediately pulled the firing pin. The next moment, a 122mm howitzer shell soared into the sky and then plummeted toward several important figures of the Barbarians, leading the way for Xiao Hongbo. As a Grandmaster level expert, Xiao Hongbo naturally detected the shell, but to him, it was just a stone. Just as Xiao Hongbo readied himself to smash the stone with his axe, Xian Jia, a Grandmaster General among the Barbarians beside him, pushed off from his horse, leaping up more than ten meters into the air. Watching this scene, even Lu Chen was astonished. Was this the true power of a Grandmaster, to jump so high with just physical strength? However, at that moment, Xian Jia swung the giant axe in his hand toward the howitzer shell. In the following instant, the howitzer shell exploded. Boom¡­ With a deafening blast, the body of Xian Jia, the Grandmaster General of the Barbarian Tribe, was blown to pieces. As the howitzer exploded, the soldiers in front of Xiao Hongbo were instantly killed or wounded without number, and Xiao Hongbo, along with another Barbarian Grandmaster, were blown several meters away by the explosion. The originally exuberant Barbarian Army was instantly snapped awake by the blast. They finally realized something was amiss. The Barbarian Army, which had been marching at full speed, suddenly halted, and the whole army descended into chaos. ¡°My God! What on earth was that!¡± ¡°Grandmaster¡­ Grandmaster! Could there be a Grandmaster in Yan County!¡± ¡°The North Prince is injured!¡± ¡°We must avenge the North Prince!¡± ¡°Attack!!!¡± The already chaotic Barbarian Army hesitated for a moment before launching a charge, something Lu Chen hadn¡¯t anticipated. But this wasn¡¯t surprising as it had only been a single cannonball; they hadn¡¯t yet realized the terror of the grenade cannons. Lu Chen admired their bravery, though sometimes being too rash wasn¡¯t a good thing. Lu Chen then shouted loudly, ¡°Fire!¡± The next moment, the archers and artillery on the city walls initiated their attack together. Countless arrows rained down from above. And the grenade cannons exploded among the ranks of the Barbarian Army, shattering men and horses alike. Coupled with the narrowness of the Wanning Valley, a single blast caused widespread destruction. In an instant, uncountable numbers of barbarian soldiers were dead or injured. At the same time. The artillery camp, lying in ambush on both sides of the Wanning Valley, did not attack immediately; they were waiting for Xiao Pengthian and his fifty thousand soldiers to enter their firing range. At that moment, Xiao Pengthian realized that the Barbarian Army in front was suddenly thrown into disarray and immediately understood that something must have happened. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he turned around and said to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Be on guard at our rear! Prepare to charge!¡± Xiao Pengthian¡¯s reaction was remarkably quick; he even sensed they were about to be surrounded before the Black Cavalry revealed themselves. Seeing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s forces becoming alert, an artilleryman said to Mu Jingwu beside him, ¡°Captain Mu, if we don¡¯t attack now, the ammunition in Yan County will have all been expended soon.¡± Yan County didn¡¯t have many grenade cannons, and most of the cannonballs were allocated to the artillery camps on both sides of the Wanning Valley. Mu Jingwu glanced at Xiao Pengthian¡¯s fifty thousand soldiers and then shouted loudly, ¡°All units, prepare! Open fire!¡± At the command, dozens of shells fell into the midst of the Barbarian Army, blowing the limbs of the Barbarian Cavalry into the air. Soil flew up to heights of over a dozen meters, with some Barbarian Cavalry being buried alive by the blast-ejected earth. The explosion was not far from Xiao Pengthian and his forces, and the sight of the army¡¯s grim condition in front prompted the fifty thousand barbarian soldiers behind Xiao Pengthian to think of retreat. ¡°Wolf God, what kind of weapon is that!¡± ¡°Since when did Great Xia possess such terrifying weapons!¡± ¡°General, we¡¯ve been tricked!¡± ¡°General, we should retreat fast!¡± Seeing the Barbarian soldiers scattered in the air, Xiao Pengthian naturally understood they had been tricked. Right now, the most critical task was to protect the retreat route at the rear to ensure that their Barbarian Cavalry could withdraw from the Wanning Valley. Otherwise, under the bombardment of that mysterious weapon from Great Xia, their three hundred thousand Barbarian Cavalry might all meet their end in the Wanning Valley. Seeing Xiao Pengthian preparing to retreat with his fifty thousand troops, the artillerymen on both sides of the Wanning Valley grew anxious. They had nearly tens of thousands of Barbarian soldiers in their sights; they couldn¡¯t just let them escape. Immediately, some artillerymen adjusted the direction of the grenade cannons, targeting Xiao Pengthian¡¯s fifty thousand troops and firing away. When a shell exploded in the crowd, in that instant, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s fifty thousand strong force was thrown into complete disarray. Seeing this scene, Xiao Pengthian knew they had to retreat quickly, and he shouted loudly, ¡°Retreat! The entire army, retreat!¡± Following that, the Messenger Soldier took out the horn and sounded the signal for retreat. Wuuwuuwuu¡ª¡ª¨C !!!! Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Follow Me to Chargel i Chapter 109: Chapter 109: Follow Me to Chargel i Translator: 549690339 As the retreat horn sounded in Wanning Valley, the Barbarian soldiers at the front finally snapped to their senses. Immediately after, without even waiting for the severely injured Xiao Hongbo to issue a command, the few hundred thousand Barbarian Army at the vanguard also sounded the retreat horn. In fact, Lu Chen¡¯s few hundred cannon shots were simply incapable of killing all few hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers. But the Barbarian Cavalry was, after all, seeing such a terrifying weapon for the first time, which magnified the fear in their hearts. People are always most afraid of the unknown, and the Barbarian soldiers also had no idea how many of those exploding ¡°stones¡± Yan County actually possessed. Wu wu wu¡ª!!! Wu wu wu¡ª!!! The urgent retreat horn echoed through Wanning Valley, with the Barbarian soldiers running crazily toward the rear. The initial formation of the Barbarian soldiers also completely disintegrated as they only focused on their own escape. Soon a severe trampling incident occurred in Wanning Valley, and many of the Barbarian cavalry who were knocked down were stepped on by their own comrades, trampled to death. Seeing the Barbarian soldiers in complete disarray, Lu Chen finally understood what it meant to collapse like a crumbling mountain. If you really counted, the grenade launchers probably killed fewer than ten thousand Barbarian Cavalry, but the soldiers trampled to death by their own people were estimated by Lu Chen to be nearly ten thousand. At this moment, Mu Changtian, mounted on his horse, had already become incredibly impatient. The soldiers inside the city were already prepared to charge. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Signal the Artillery camp, fire all the cannonballs, don¡¯t hold back a single one!¡± As the flags conveyed the order, the artillerymen in Wanning Valley immediately began bombing the fleeing Barbarian soldiers. Seeing the Barbarian cavalry being blown sky-high, even the soldiers of the Artillery camp couldn¡¯t help but gasp in shock. Many in the Artillery camp were archers, veterans who had participated in defending North City against the Barbarian Tribe. But when had they ever witnessed such a scene? The once invincible Barbarian Cavalry, in face of the grenade launchers, could only be mercilessly annihilated. Just thinking of such a terrible weapon being used against themselves someday, the soldiers of the Artillery camp felt a chill and broke into a cold sweat. The soldiers couldn¡¯t help but feel fortunate that they were born in North City, were soldiers from North City, soldiers under the North Prince. Meanwhile. The severely injured Xiao Hongbo stood up with the help of his subordinates, his mind still foggy, having no clue about the current situation. All he knew was that suddenly a powerful force had flung him into the air. Seeing that Xiao Hongbo was still not dead, Lu Chen instantly took out the Barrett from his space system, loaded the bullet, and aimed at the distant Xiao Hongbo. At that moment, Mu Changtian came up from under the city wall, wishing to get Lu Chen to order an immediate pursuit of the fleeing Barbarian cavalry. But as soon as he approached Lu Chen, he found that Lu Chen held a black long stick in his hand, aiming at the far-off Xiao Hongbo. Before Mu Changtian could speak, a gunshot rang out. Bang¡­ Then, the still-confused Xiao Hongbo was instantly shot through the chest. Feeling the huge wound in his chest, Xiao Hongbo looked down slightly, his pupils contracted, revealing an unbelieving expression. Afterwards, Xiao Hongbo slowly collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness. Seeing this, Mu Changtian was slightly stunned. He remembered what Li Feng had told him not long ago, that the North Prince possessed a mysterious weapon capable of instantaneously killing a Grandmaster. This black long stick must be the mysterious weapon Li Feng spoke of. The North Prince¡¯s weapons were all too terrifying! From one kilometer away, it directly killed a Master Realm expert, a feat that even a Grandmaster would find difficult to achieve. Of course, no matter how terrifying the weapons in the North Prince¡¯s hands were, they were still not as horrifying as the grenade launchers. Just now, they had witnessed with their own eyes a single cannonball blowing a Barbarian Grandmaster into dozens of pieces. In terms of power, the grenade launchers were still far more formidable. After shooting Xiao Hongbo, Lu Chen came back to his senses and said to Mu Changtian beside him, ¡°General Mu, the task of exterminating the Barbarian Cavalry is up to you!¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian immediately replied loudly, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± As soon as he had spoken, Mu Changtian pushed off with his legs and jumped straight down from the city tower, landing firmly on his horse below. With a wave of his hand, Mu Changtian flung his robe aside and bellowed. ¡°Open the city gates!!!¡± With Mu Changtian¡¯s powerful voice, the gates of Yan County slowly opened. The next moment, Mu Changtian, leading the charge, dashed out of the city gates! ¡°Soldiers, follow me to kill!¡± ¡°Kill kill kill!!!¡± The morale of Yan County¡¯s soldiers was instantly rallied, and they left the city walls to pursue and kill the Barbarian cavalry. At the same time. After Xiao Pengthian¡¯s army of fifty thousand had been bombed, losing untold numbers, they finally managed to escape the range of the artillery. Seeing that there were no more explosive rocks falling from the sky, the soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief. But very soon, they sensed something was wrong. Suddenly, Wanning Valley became exceptionally quiet. Even quieter than before. So silent that they seemed to hear their own heartbeats, as if even the sound of the retreat horn had disappeared. Xiao Pengthian frowned, sensing that something was amiss. At that moment, a soldier beside Xiao Pengthian suddenly exclaimed, ¡°General, quick, look!!!¡± Xiao Pengthian immediately looked into the distance. The huge setting sun was facing their direction, seemingly blocking the entire Wanning Valley. Amidst the sunset, line after line of vast, dark shadows loomed closer to them. And then the earth began to tremble. It was only when the cavalry approached that Xiao Pengthian and his men could see clearly. The soldiers of that army were clad in black armor, even their warhorses covered in thick armor. In the light of the setting sun, they appeared as though they were an army emerging from hell. Xiao Pengthian¡¯s face turned pale in an instant. Heavy¡­ Cavalry!!! And there were at least tens of thousands of them! How was this possible!!! The Barbarian Tribes didn¡¯t have so many heavy cavalry units!!! Just crafting a single set of heavy cavalry armor could take an unimaginable amount of time. Yet Great Sum actually possessed such an enormous force of heavy cavalry!!! If on the open plains, these Great Sum heavy cavalry might not have been able to do much against them. After all, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s light cavalry was more mobile and faster, and these heavy cavalry could be relatively clumsy and might not catch up with them. But now it was different. This was Wanning Valley! Tens of thousands of heavy cavalry stationed in Wanning Valley were like an array of iron walls. Where could they run to? Heading towards Yan County now would mean getting blown to pieces, and if they charged straight at them, they would also get chopped down by this heavy cavalry. Xiao Pengthian gripped the axe in his hands tightly, his muscles bulging, straining against his armor. Finally, he made his decision. Xiao Pengthian raised the axe in his hands toward the direction of the sun, and with all his might, he shouted, ¡°Warriors of the Barbarian Tribe! Charge with me!!!¡± As his words fell, Xiao Pengthian rode his horse straight at the Black Cavalry, and the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s soldiers followed him like a tidal wave towards the iron walls beneath the setting sun.. Chapter 110 - Chapter 110: Chapter 110 The Combat Power of the Black Cavalryi Chapter 110: Chapter 110 The Combat Power of the Black Cavalryi Translator: 549690339 Under the glow of the setting sun, two fast-moving cavalry formations on the plains of Wanning Valley were charging towards each other with all their might. As the Barbarian Cavalry was about to close in on the Black Cavalry led by Wenren Lie, the Black Cavalry immediately shifted their formation into an offensive configuration. Soon after, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s cavalry charged into the midst of the Heavy Cavalry formation. The next moment, on the riverbanks of Wanning Valley, the clashing of weapons and thunderous roars of combat filled the air. Yet, not far away, the twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry led by Xuanyuan Chen stood still, without any movement. The Black Cavalry was divided into two parts: the front thirty thousand led by Wenren Lie, responsible for charging and killing, while the rear twenty thousand led by Xuanyuan Chen, tasked with blocking Wanning Valley to prevent any Barbarian Cavalry from breaking through. The Black Cavalry¡¯s fighting strength was extremely formidable; each Barbarian Cavalry that plunged into their ranks was chopped down from his horse. The weapons used by the Black Cavalry were incomparably sharp; any Barbarian Cavalry struck carelessly by a Black Cavalry sword would almost certainly meet death, both rider and mount. After a quarter of an hour of relentless combat, the Black Cavalry and the Barbarian Cavalry led by Xiao Pengthian finally parted. Only when Xiao Pengthian emerged from the Black Cavalry¡¯s formation did he realize that there was another detachment of Black Cavalry, which had made no move, coldly observing them. Those Black Cavalrymen were like emotionless ghosts, an army of specters from the depths of the underworld. Xiao Pengthian glanced at the sparse Barbarian soldiers behind him; nearly all of them were wounded, with many having their arms severed. A single charge, and fewer than ten thousand of their soldiers remained. Is this the might of Great Xia¡¯s Heavy Cavalry! Xiao Pengthian had never imagined that one day, Great Xia¡¯s Heavy Cavalry could crush the Barbarian cavalry. They had encountered their true adversaries! Xiao Pengthian observed the gash on his own armor and promptly stripped it off, casually throwing it onto the ground. In front of this cavalry, any armor proved worthless. At that moment, Xiao Pengthian didn¡¯t charge towards Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s unmoving Black Cavalry; instead, he turned around. Now they were surrounded, and even if they charged towards the setting sun¡¯s direction, they could not escape. Xiao Pengthian had already sensed his end; he was certain to die today. Rather than attempting to break through those immobile cavalrymen and escape, only to die a disgraceful death, it was better to perish on the battlefield. Xiao Pengthian¡¯s trembling hand raised the axe, and once more he shouted, ¡°To restore the Wolf God¡¯s glory, follow me and charge!!!¡± ¡°Kill!!!¡± Leading the remaining less than ten thousand Barbarian Cavalry, Xiao Pengthian charged once again towards the Black Cavalry led by Wenren Lie. A moment later, the two cavalries met again on the banks of Wanning River, and the sounds of battle once again echoed through Wanning Valley. The sun gradually set, only half of it still shining over Wanning Valley. The clanging noises became sparser, the cries of the battle grew less, and ultimately, a single man on horseback emerged from the Black Cavalry formation, his body laden with wounds. Xiao Pengthian, facing the direction of the sun, observed the indifferent Black Cavalry in the distance. Blood slid from his head, his vision obscured by the crimson hue. His entire world turned red, the color of blood. Countless memories flashed through Xiao Pengthian¡¯s mind; he recalled being orphaned from a young age, growing up with his elder sister. Amid the sunset, he perceived the vast expanse of white snow. He saw the cattle and sheep that had frozen to death, the yurts blown away by fierce winds. He also saw when the Barbarian Army swept south to plunder Great Xia¡¯s people, the people of Great Xia kneeling and begging for mercy only to be killed nonetheless. Xiao Pengthian, with his disheveled hair, burst into laughter and then mumbled to himself, ¡°Yaoyao, it looks like your uncle can¡¯t take you to Great Sum after all¡­¡± As the words fell, Xiao Pengthian raised his ax once more, using his last bit of strength, he hoarsely roared: ¡°Reforge the glory of the Wolf God! Kill!!!¡± Alone on his horse against the setting sun, his figure grew longer and fainter. Wenren Lie raised his hand, signaling the soldiers not to move. Immediately after, Wenren Lie picked up his hammer and charged directly towards Xiao Pengthian. Soon, the two met on the corpse-strewn riverbank, with Wenren Lie striking first with a swing of his hammer. Xiao Pengthian tried to defend, but found he had no strength left in his body. He was then hit by the hammer, sent flying, spewing out fresh blood, and completely lost consciousness. Seeing the fifty thousand cavalry clean up and stand still without any action or words, Xuanyuan Chen said in a tone devoid of emotion,¡± Continue advancing!¡± It seemed as though, in Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s eyes, the battle that just occurred might as well had never happened. Wenren Lie glanced at Xiao Pengthian on the ground and then ordered the soldiers beside him, ¡°Take him with us, hand him over to the Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± The soldier immediately approached Xiao Pengthian, tied him up, and placed him on the back of a horse. Before long, the fleeing Barbarian cavalry encountered Wenren Lie¡¯s Black Cavalry. As the sky had already darkened, the Barbarian cavalry initially mistook the Black Cavalry up ahead for Xiao Pengthian¡¯s troops guarding the rear. However, when the retreating Barbarian cavalry got closer, they suddenly realized that these were actually tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry. Without any hesitation, Wenren Lie and Xuanyuan Chen led the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry towards Yan County, leaving nothing but the bodies of Barbarian cavalry in their wake. The Barbarian cavalry, having been terrified by the earlier grenade cannons, had lost all will to fight. Moreover, with their king dead and no one to command them, the current Barbarian cavalry had virtually no fighting strength left. The advancement of the Black Cavalry was incredibly fast. It didn¡¯t take long before they entered the range of the Artillery camp, but by then, the Artillery camp had nearly run out of ammunition, so they didn¡¯t need to worry about friendly fire. Mu Jingwu stood on a protruding rock and observed the Black Cavalry¡¯s relentless push forward. He felt utterly astonished. Was this the combat power of the Heavy Cavalry! Wherever they passed, there were only bodies! The Black Cavalry slaughtered the Barbarians as if they were mere chickens. If the royal court knew about these fifty thousand Black Cavalry, Mu Jingwu believed the court would surely send troops north overnight, then station hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Qi Prince¡¯s territory. Mu Jingwu was very clear about what the Heavy Cavalry meant in this era. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder when the Prince would vie for that position. The twilight in the sky gradually dissipated, and a massive moon hung in the sky, its cold moonlight spreading across the ground, enabling people to see clearly ahead even at night. Regrettably, the Barbarian Army could not discern the direction back home. The sounds of slaughter echoed ceaselessly in Wanning Valley. Even within Yan County, one could faintly hear the sounds of battle. The civilians who had not left Yan County hid in their rooms, listening to the combat noises outside the city, spending the entire night without sleep.. Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Chapter ill Your Contributions Will Surely Go Down in History_i Chapter 111: Chapter ill Your Contributions Will Surely Go Down in History_i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen realized that in the end, he had still underestimated the brutality of war. Ever since Mu Changtian had led the troops out of the city, he had been waiting on the city tower for Mu Changtian¡¯s return. But as two hours passed after another, Lu Chen could only hear the sounds of slaughter coming from Wanning Valley, but he did not see Mu Changtian and his men returning. To be honest, at this point, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but start to worry. Although the Barbarian Army of three hundred thousand had been scattered and seemed to no longer have the capacity to fight, the Barbarians were still Barbarians after all. Caught in the pincer movement before and after Wanning Valley, it was very likely that the Barbarian Army would desperately fight back. He was not worried about the Black Cavalry; what concerned him were the tens of thousands of soldiers led by Mu Changtian, most of whom were infantry with relatively few cavalry. Hopefully, his tens of thousands of soldiers hadn¡¯t all been lost in combat. With concern, Lu Chen stood silently on the city tower, gazing in the direction of Wanning Valley. After an indeterminable amount of time, the sky gradually brightened, and before he knew it, an entire night had passed. At this time, a soldier covered in blood returned to the city wall on horseback. Despite his exhaustion, he excitedly exclaimed, ¡°Prince! We have won!¡± ¡°We have slain two hundred thousand Barbarians and captured a hundred thousand!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately shouted to the soldiers inside the city, ¡°Open the city gates!¡± Following that, the soldier entered the city and came before Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Prince, the battle has ended. General Mo invites you to inspect the aftermath!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard; go rest now.¡± ¡°For the Prince, for North City, it isn¡¯t hard work!¡± It was evident that the soldier was still in a very excited state. This was the most beautifully fought battle in the history of the Great Xia Dynasty, and as participants in this war, how could they not be excited. At this time, Lu Chen came down from the city tower and rode directly towards Wanning Valley. All along the way, Lu Chen saw countless bodies of Barbarian soldiers, and among them occasionally lay some from the North City forces. Seeing the ground littered with bodies, even Lu Chen, who had killed before, felt quite uncomfortable. The blood on the ground had even dyed the soil red, the air was filled with a thick scent of blood, and the sky was crowded with flocks of crows circling overhead. Lu Chen¡¯s expression became very solemn. Is this war? Lu Chen continued to advance toward the front of Wanning Valley. After a while, he noticed the bodies of North City soldiers on the ground were becoming more and more frequent. As he expected, after Mu Changtian had led the troops out of the city last night, the Barbarian soldiers had retaliated against Mu Changtian¡¯s forces, which was why there were so many bodies of North City soldiers. With a heavy heart, Lu Chen quickly arrived at where Mu Changtian and his men were located. The army led by Mu Changtian had already regrouped with the Black Cavalry. The Black Cavalry had surrounded the hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers, who were trembling and squatting on the ground, not daring to move. Almost all the Barbarian leaders had been killed, and among these hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers, not one was above the sixth rank in the Master Realm. Lu Chen glanced again at the North City soldiers behind Mu Changtian; there were now less than ten thousand North City soldiers remaining. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen frowned deeply. He had still underestimated this war. He had thought that with the grenade cannons, North City would not suffer heavy casualties, but even with grenade cannons, about twenty thousand North City soldiers had still fallen in battle. Lu Chen suddenly had a thought, if he had not allowed Mu Changtian to pursue those Barbarian Tribe soldiers outside North City, would those over twenty thousand North City soldiers still be alive? If he had not ordered the Black Cavalry to cut off the Barbarian Army¡¯s escape route, the Barbarian Army would have surely fled Wanning Valley, and thus they could have defended North City without losing a single soldier. It was precisely because he wanted to annihilate all thirty thousand soldiers of the Barbarian Army that the North City soldiers suffered casualties. Lu Chen also realized that by capturing these thirty thousand soldiers, he had laid a solid foundation for the future stable development of North City, ensuring that the Barbarians would not dare to invade the south for a long time to come. Whether the sacrifice of the North City soldiers was worth it would depend on how North City developed in the future. At that moment, Lu Chen looked at Xuanyuan Chen and his Black Cavalry again. Fortunately, the Black Cavalry seemed not to have lost many men. If the cavalry had been wiped out in this war, Lu Chen felt he would probably be filled with regret. At this time, Mu Changtian, Wenren Lie, and Xuanyuan Chen saw Lu Chen coming and immediately rode over on their horses, then dismounted to pay their respects, saying, ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded, ¡°Rise.¡± Then, Mu Changtian excitedly said, ¡°Prince, this is the greatest victory the Great Xia Dynasty has ever had over the Barbarian Tribe in history. Your achievements will surely go down in history!¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen did not feel much stirred inside and did not show any sign of happiness. Mu Changtian was a General; he had led troops to fight the Barbarian Army in the north several times before and was accustomed to the cruelty of war. Hence, the dead soldiers of North City were merely numbers in his eyes. What he saw was the victory of this war, and so he was very excited. The North City soldiers who had survived felt the same way. What they saw was the victory of this war and their roles as witnesses to the most fruitful battle in the history of the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s foreign wars. Therefore, they were all very excited; their faces showed no sorrow, as if those who died never existed. Seeing the soldiers so thrilled, Lu Chen did not want to dampen their spirits with his own emotions, and so he said, ¡°This victory is not my victory alone; it belongs to all the generals and soldiers of North City. You shall enter the annals of history with me! Immortalized forever!¡± Upon hearing these words, the morale of the soldiers surged even higher, and the voices of the soldiers rang out through Wanning Valley. ¡°Prince is mighty!!!¡± ¡°The Prince will unify the world and command respect from all corners!¡± Hearing the soldiers¡¯ cheers, Lu Chen felt a headache coming. He didn¡¯t know when it started, but in North City, both commanders and ordinary soldiers believed that his ambition was to unify the world. When had he ever said that he wanted to unify the world? Announcing the unification of the world at such a time was just asking for trouble. After all, his own father, the Emperor, was still alive; even his father had not claimed he wanted to unify the world, yet a mere Prince was declaring such ambition. Wasn¡¯t that openly inviting rebellion? However, Lu Chen did not correct their words, as he did not wish to crush the soldiers¡¯ morale at this time. Then, Wenren Lie said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, we have captured a Barbarian Tribe general.¡± Upon saying that, Wenren Lie commanded the soldiers behind him, ¡°Bring him forth.¡± The next moment, a soldier led a horse up to Lu Chen. A disheveled, shirtless strong man was sprawled over the horse¡¯s back, looking as if he might already be dead. Lu Chen immediately used the system to identify him. [Name: Xiao Pengthian] [Identity: Grand General of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s Barbarian Tribe, uncle to the Barbarian Princess Xiao Wenyao, captive of the North Prince.] [Strength: Master Realm (near death)] [Loyalty: o] Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Chapter 112 The Belated Imperial Army l Chapter 112: Chapter 112 The Belated Imperial Army l Translator: 549690339 Seeing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s information, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned, having not expected the existence of a Grandmaster Realm within the Barbarian Army. Thinking back on it, the tens of thousands of people following the Barbarian Army must have been under Xiao Pengthian¡¯s command. Wenren Lie saw that Lu Chen did not speak and took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Prince, what do you plan to do with him? He¡¯s still alive but severely injured and currently unconscious.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Have someone treat his injuries immediately and save him. Once he wakes up, this prince has some matters to inquire about with him.¡± ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± The soldiers then led the horse carrying Xiao Pengthian away for treatment. At that moment, Mu Changtian glanced at the one hundred thousand kneeling Barbarian captives and whispered to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, how do you plan to handle these captives? There are quite a lot of them, and Yan County doesn¡¯t have enough food to sustain them. Perhaps we should just¡­¡± Mu Changtian stopped there, not finishing his sentence. Lu Chen understood Mu Changtian¡¯s meaning; Mu Changtian felt that the one hundred thousand Barbarian captives were a burden and should all be killed. Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If we were not in North City, this prince might indeed have buried them all.¡± This¡­ Mu Changtian, hearing Lu Chen¡¯s apparent lack of intention to kill them, continued, ¡°Prince, are you thinking of subjugating them?¡± Such practices were quite common. Despite the Barbarian Tribe being a different race, the Imperial Army of the Great Xia Dynasty still incorporated many Barbarian soldiers. Back when Mu Changtian went north to battle the Barbarian Army, he captured many Barbarian soldiers, and after re-educating these Barbarian soldiers, he had them lead the way northward in search of the Barbarian royal courts. Although there were often cases of one race exterminating another, more often than not, deterrence and subjugation were employed. In this era, population was precious, and unless they truly couldn¡¯t sustain so many people, they wouldn¡¯t just kill them off. Lu Chen said, ¡°After the war is over, this prince will need a large workforce to build up North City. These one hundred thousand Barbarian captives have just solved the problem of an insufficient workforce.¡± Lu Chen had already acquired cement, and he had long planned to rebuild North City. However, as he had been conserving his strength, he had not taken any action yet. But after this war was over, he could no longer hide. Everyone would know that he commanded an extremely powerful army. Since he could no longer keep it a secret, there was no point in trying to. As North City was his fiefdom, it was time to properly develop it. As for the succession struggles in the Capital City, Lu Chen had no intention of meddling at all. As long as the Great Xia was not in chaos, he planned not to return to the Capital City and stay in North City instead, which was quite preferable. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s plan, Mu Changtian immediately understood and said, ¡°My Prince, that is a brilliant move! If these one hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers can be re-educated in time, we will have gained one hundred thousand more Slave Soldiers. No one will dare covet North City in the future!¡± Mu Changtian¡¯s thoughts were clearly different from Lu Chen¡¯s. Lu Chen intended to use these one hundred thousand Barbarian slaves to build up North City, while Mu Changtian thought Lu Chen wanted to keep these Barbarian soldiers for their strong combat capabilities, with the intention of using these one hundred thousand Barbarian Slave Soldiers to deter other forces. Lu Chen already had fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry at his command, and with his Military Expansion Order, the soldiers of North City would soon reach one hundred and fifty thousand. If the Barbarian Slave Soldiers were added, that would make two hundred and fifty thousand troops! With these two hundred thousand troops, not to mention attacking a small country, even directly assaulting the Great Xia Dynasty would not be out of the question. Of course, to win a war of conquest, it was not just about having more soldiers; logistics were also crucial. So, Mu Changtian believed that Lu Chen was planning to continue conserving his strength, waiting for the right moment. Just then, Mu Changtian suddenly thought of something and immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°My Prince, the war has ended. If the Imperial Court becomes aware that you command tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry, some might harbor designs on your wife and children. The most urgent task is to immediately send someone to bring the Princess and the others back to North City, or to send someone to Anping City to protect them.¡± Lu Chen immediately understood what Mu Changtian meant. Heavy Cavalry in this era not only symbolized combat power but also represented a strong comprehensive strength, because creating a Heavy Cavalry required many resources, and maintaining one also cost a great deal of money. The entire Great Xia did not have fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, yet just North City alone had so many, which would inevitably arouse the Imperial Court¡¯s fear. At that time, the Imperial Court might suggest that the Sum Emperor bring Lu Chen¡¯s wife or children to the Capital city as hostages to prevent Lu Chen from rebelling. Using a Seignior¡¯s children as hostages was the most common approach by the Imperial Court. Previously, the Sum Emperor would not do so because Lu Chen seemed inept, and there was no need to take his children as hostages. Now things were different, as the troops of North City, led by Lu Chen, not only killed two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers but also captured another hundred thousand from the Barbarian Army. This had reached the point where one¡¯s merits could overshadow their master. Even if Lu Chen was the Sum Emperor¡¯s son, the Sum Emperor would now be wary, and he might, taking advantage of Lu Chen being caught off guard, directly bring Lu Chen¡¯s wife and children from Anping City to the Capital city as hostages. Lu Chen then said to Xuanyuan Chen, ¡°General Xuanyuan, you immediately lead five thousand Black Cavalry, together with Captain Mu, and head south to bring back all members of my family to Yan County.¡± People in Anping City were still unaware that he possessed Heavy Cavalry, so they would likely be vigilant about Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s identity, thus Lu Chen planned to have Mu Jingwu also go south to bring back Mu Zixuan and the others, to prevent the Imperial Court from targeting his children later on. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s order, Xuanyuan Chen and Mu Jingwu immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± They then mounted their horses and rode away. At the same time. Lin Xiuming and his troops, numbering seventy thousand, were fast approaching Wanning Valley. In order to arrive at Yan County before the Barbarian Army did, they were traveling day and night, hardly resting at all. The soldiers were now beginning to doze off even as they marched. At that moment, a soldier spotting the city gates in the distance, immediately shouted, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived! We have finally reached Yan County!¡± Lin Xiuming¡¯s expression was stern as he frowned deeply; he did not relax despite having reached Yan County. Entering Yan County was the most crucial step, as no one knew if the city was already occupied by the Barbarian Tribe at this time. Lin Xiuming immediately shouted, ¡°Stay vigilant! Scouts, go scout ahead!¡± As his words echoed, several dozen Cavalry headed toward the south gate of Yan County. To defend against the Barbarians, most of Yan County¡¯s soldiers were at the north gate, leaving only a few at the south gate. When the soldiers guarding the southern gate saw the Imperial Army approaching, they were immediately alarmed. The soldiers of Yan County were not foolish; they knew very well that some things about the North Prince should not be displayed, as it could lead to serious trouble with the Imperial Court if it found out. The squad leader guarding the gate immediately said to his men, ¡°Quick! Go inform the Prince that the Imperial Army has arrived!¡± The guard did not hesitate to mount a fast horse and rode toward the north gate. Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Chapter 113 What? The War is Over?_i Chapter 113: Chapter 113 What? The War is Over?_i Translator: 549690339 | Before long, Lin Xiuming¡¯s scout cavalry arrived beneath Yan County¡¯s city walls, where one of the soldiers shouted, ¡°We are the reinforcement troops sent by the Imperial Court to aid the North Prince, our general is Lin Xiuming, please open the city gates immediately! Let us in!¡± Upon hearing this, the soldiers of Yan County were extremely tense. At that moment, a Colonel guarding the city gate promptly replied, ¡°The North Prince is currently holding off the Barbarian Army at the North Gate! Please wait a moment! We will go and report this!¡± Hearing this, a soldier instantly became irate, ¡°What¡¯s there to report? The Barbarian Army is already here, hurry up and let us in! If anything happens to the North Prince, can you gatekeepers take responsibility?¡± The Colonel spoke again, ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, this is a critical period, we need to confirm that you are indeed the Imperial Army.¡± Hearing this, the scout could only comply with the procedure, showing them official documents to confirm their identity to the soldiers at the southern gate. Seeing that the soldiers of Yan County seemed to be stalling, Lin Xiuming¡¯s expression grew increasingly grim. At that time, Lin Xiuming¡¯s deputy, Zhou Yu, said beside him, ¡°General, could it be that Yan County has already fallen to the Barbarian Tribe? I have a feeling that these soldiers guarding the city don¡¯t want to let us in.¡± Zhou Yu was a man from Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s side and naturally wouldn¡¯t mind seeing the North Prince captured by the barbarians. If Yan County were to fall, Zhou Yu wouldn¡¯t feel like it was a loss for Great Sum. After hearing Zhou Yu¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming just looked at the city in front of him expressionlessly, without saying a word. He could tell from Zhou Yu¡¯s tone that Zhou Yu seemed quite eager to see the North Prince in trouble, and Lin Xiuming was no fool. He knew Zhou Yu was Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s man as soon as he left the Capital city. As a child of the Prime Minister¡¯s household, Lin Xiuming had a profound understanding of the political situation in the court. Then Zhou Yu continued, ¡°General, if Yan County truly has been occupied by the barbarians, then we should retreat as quickly as possible. If we wait for the Barbarian Army to catch up, I¡¯m afraid all seventy thousand of us will be annihilated.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming coldly said, ¡°Deputy General Zhou, you seem quite eager to see the North Prince in trouble?¡± Zhou Yu hurriedly replied, ¡°General, you misunderstand me. I just feel that if Yan County has fallen, then there is no longer any need to defend North City.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xiuming turned to glance at Zhou Yu, then sternly said, ¡°Today we surrender North City to the barbarians, tomorrow we might as well give the Qi Prince¡¯s territory to them as well, then the day after tomorrow, should we surrender the entire Great Sum to the Barbarian Tribe?¡± Seeing Lin Xiuming grow angry, Zhou Yu immediately fell silent, not saying anything more. Lin Xiuming turned his gaze back to the city tower of Yan County; the flag of the North Prince was still displayed there. He guessed Yan County had not yet fallen and likely, as the soldiers guarding the city had said, the Barbarian Army was indeed already in the Wanning Valley. All they needed now was the North Prince¡¯s orders. Once the North Prince knew that the Imperial Army had arrived, he would definitely order them into Yan County immediately, to help defend the city against the barbarians. With their seventy thousand men, holding Yan County was most likely not going to be a problem. Lin Xiuming tried to think optimistically, and at this point, he could only think optimistically. If Yan County had indeed fallen at this time, then they would certainly not be able to recapture it, and most likely would have to retreat embarrassingly back to the Qi Prince¡¯s territory and then to the Capital city to accept punishment. About half an hour later, the city gates of the south finally opened. Seeing the city gates open, Lin Xiuming finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was already prepared for battle. At that moment, a soldier rode out from the city on horseback and then loudly said, ¡°The battle against the Barbarian Tribe has ended. The Prince has instructed me to inform you to proceed to Wanning Valley quickly to clean up the battlefield.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming and the other officers were stunned. What? The war is over? How is that possible! Could it be that Yan County really has fallen to the barbarians? Is this a trap? Do the barbarians want to wait for their seventy thousand men to enter the city and then annihilate them? While they were entertaining these thoughts, Lin Xiuming still took the lead, charging towards the city gates. ¡°Soldiers, follow me into the city!¡± However, whether Yan County had already been occupied by the Barbarian Tribe or not, Lin Xiuming needed to verify it personally, even if it meant his seventy thousand men might be attacked by the Barbarians in the process. These seventy thousand men had come to North City to resist the Barbarian Tribe, so how could they just run away without having even seen the Barbarians? Did that make any sense? Seeing Lin Xiuming set out, the soldiers also began to make their move, with the army slowly following Lin Xiuming into the city. But all the soldiers were very vigilant; this army of seventy thousand elite soldiers, all battle-hardened, still had their necessary caution. After entering the city, Lin Xiuming found that there were still sparse commoners on the streets. However, most of the commoners were inside their rooms, opening just half of their doors, stealthily watching the outside. The commoners naturally knew that the Barbarian Army was attacking Yan County, so they dared not go out. Just at this moment, a Messenger Soldier shouted loudly, ¡°Great victory in North City! Great victory in Yan County! North Prince has led the soldiers of North City, slain two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers, and captured one hundred thousand!¡± The Messenger Soldier shuttled nonstop through every street in the city, loudly announcing the outcome of the war. Soon, the Imperial Army that had entered the city all heard the announcements from the Messenger Soldier. Hearing the Messenger Soldier say that the North Prince had led the army of North City to kill two hundred thousand soldiers and had captured one hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers, the soldiers of the Imperial Army were astonished. The first thing they thought of was that this must be fake news! Most of the soldiers in the seventy thousand army that Lin Xiuming led had fought against the Barbarians before; they were well aware of the Barbarians¡¯ combat strength. Let alone three hundred thousand, if they were to fight fifty thousand of the Barbarian Army without the protection of a fortress, it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task for this seventy thousand to achieve victory. And now North City¡¯s Messenger Soldier was saying that the North Prince, with his troops, had defeated the thirty thousand-strong Barbarian Army? Not just defeated, but had also slain two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers and captured one hundred thousand, effectively annihilating them? Could that be possible? What a joke! How many soldiers did North City have? Forget beating the Barbarian Army, even defending North City itself was extremely difficult. If they truly had that strength, the Imperial Court would not have needed to dispatch seventy thousand troops for reinforcement. Lin Xiuming was puzzled; why would the North Prince spread such false news within the city. This sounded completely unbelievable upon hearing it. Anyone with a bit of sense would know that the North Prince could not possibly have defeated the thirty thousand-strong Barbarian Army. Moreover, the North Prince¡¯s fabricated news was too far-fetched; if he had said they repelled the Barbarians¡¯ attack, perhaps the common folk might have believed it. But claiming to have slain two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Army and captured another hundred thousand soldiers? Who would believe that? There¡¯s always a reason behind everything, and now Lin Xiuming really wanted to know what the North Prince was up to. He then said to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Pick up the pace, we must rendezvous with the North Prince as soon as possible.¡± About half an hour later, Lin Xiuming, leading the seventy thousand-strong Imperial Army, finally arrived at the northern gate of Yan County. At this moment, Lu Chen was standing on the city tower, gazing toward the north. A soldier from North City came to Lin Xiuming¡¯s side and said, ¡°General Lin, the North Prince is waiting for you on the city tower!¡± Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Letting the Imperial Army Clean Up the Battlefield_i Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Letting the Imperial Army Clean Up the Battlefield_i Translator: 549690339 | Seeing the North City soldiers before him soaked in blood, with the stains on their armor not yet dry, and their body armor everywhere marked with slashes, they looked as if they¡¯d just been through a great battle. Lin Xiuming¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that, before they entered the city, North City was really in battle with the Barbarian Tribe? Lin Xiuming didn¡¯t think too much about it. He immediately leaped up and landed directly on the walls of North City. However, just as Lin Xiuming had landed on the city walls, he saw the ground beyond the walls littered with the bodies of Barbarian Tribe members, and countless pits that couldn¡¯t be assessed quickly. Some of the Barbarian Tribe soldiers and horses had died particularly gruesome deaths, almost dismembered, with organs scattered all over. The ground outside the city was dyed red with blood. Seeing this scene, Lin Xiuming was completely stunned. He even forgot to walk up to Lu Chen to pay his respects. From this, it was evident that a great battle had indeed taken place before the Imperial Army entered the city. And judging by the many bodies the Barbarian Tribe had left behind, it seemed that the Barbarian Tribe had been repelled by the garrison of North City. Lin Xiuming was utterly astonished. He really wanted to know how so many soldiers from the Barbarian Tribe could have died, especially since it appeared that they had died before even getting close to the walls of Yan County. Especially those large pits on the open ground, Lin Xiuming found them very puzzling. What were those pits for? Of course, astonished as he was, Lin Xiuming still didn¡¯t believe the earlier reports they heard of North City soldiers killing two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers and capturing a hundred thousand were true. Lin Xiuming took a deep breath to quickly calm himself down, then lifted his head to look into the distance. At this moment, a young man in golden armor stood atop the walls, gazing into the distance. Lin Xiuming had seen Lu Chen, so he recognized him at a glance. However, for some reason, Lin Xiuming always felt there was something extraordinary about the aura emanating from Lu Chen, whose entire demeanor had undergone a drastic change. When Lu Chen had his wedding, Lin Xiuming attended his banquet, and Lu Chen did not have such a demeanor back then. Lin Xiuming hurried towards Lu Chen, and only after getting closer did he suddenly realize why he felt different about Lu Chen. It turned out that Lu Chen emitted the aura of a Martial Artist, and his presence bore a heavy killing intent, typical of Martial Artists who had killed a large number of people. The North Prince is actually a Martial Artist? How could this be possible? Lin Xiuming was even more confused. The North Prince he saw in the Capital was an absolute waste, someone without any strength and who was not adept in martial arts. How could he possibly be a Martial Artist? The key was that Lin Xiuming felt that Lu Chen¡¯s strength was not weak. At the very least, he had reached the realm of a Half-step Grandmaster, and even Lin Xiuming, a Grandmaster, felt some pressure in Lu Chen¡¯s presence. Lin Xiuming immediately bowed and said, ¡°Greetings, Prince. I failed to arrive in North City on time; please punish me, Prince.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t turn his head, his gaze fixed on the north. At that moment, he spoke indifferently, ¡°Punish? No, no, no, General Lin, you¡¯ve arrived just in time.¡± The previous night¡¯s battle had killed two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers, and now Wanning Valley was strewn with the bodies of Barbarian Tribe soldiers and horses. Although Lu Chen had considered having the captured Barbarian Tribe soldiers transport the bodies and clean up the battlefield. But since those Barbarian Tribe soldiers had just been captured, Lu Chen was worried they might harbor ulterior motives. So he didn¡¯t have them clean up the battlefield, but the battlefield did need cleaning. With so many bodies of Barbarian Tribe soldiers and horses, if they were left in Wanning Valley, a plague could very well break out. Moreover, there was the Wanning River in Wanning Valley. With so many corpses near the river, the entire river would be polluted. Where would Yan County get its water then? These bodies had to be dealt with. Since they couldn¡¯t let the Barbarian Tribe soldiers handle it, Lu Chen had thought of having the soldiers of North City or mobilizing the common folk do the job. He had someone go back to the city to announce the victory because he wanted to mobilize the people. But with the arrival of the seventy-thousand-strong Imperial Army, they did not need the common folk. It was just right to have this huge army clean up the battlefield. They had come all this way, and it wouldn¡¯t do to return without doing anything. At this moment, Lu Chen continued to address Lin Xiuming, ¡°General Lin, I¡¯ll leave the task of cleaning up the battlefield to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming was momentarily stunned. Cleaning up the battlefield? Had the Barbarian Army already retreated? Lin Xiuming then asked, ¡°Prince, has the Barbarian Army already retreated?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen simply said, ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you go out of the city to clean up the battlefield. When Lu Chen heard that the Imperial Army was coming to Yan County, he only brought a few people back with him, and now the soldiers of North City are still cleaning up the battlefield outside Yan County. Lin Xiuming and his men will know the situation outside once they go there.¡± Telling Lin Xiuming about the outcome of the war now would probably lead to disbelief, so it¡¯s better to let them, to let the Imperial Army, see it for themselves. Lu Chen had already ordered the artillery camp to withdraw the howitzers; now, even if Lin Xiuming and his men went out, they wouldn¡¯t see this kind of weapon. As for the Heavy Cavalry. It was fine for Lin Xiuming and the others to see them, after all, North City had achieved such a significant military victory and must have a reasonable explanation, otherwise, it would bring more suspicion. The Heavy Cavalry was a very good explanation. Once Lin Xiuming and his men saw the tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry of North City, they would most likely believe that North City¡¯s victory was due to these Heavy Cavalry. This would make it even easier to conceal the howitzers, and as for whether the Heavy Cavalry might cause concern from the Imperial Court, that was inevitable. However, Lu Chen also knew that the current court and his own father, the Sum Emperor, were not focused on dealing with him, the Seignior of North City. The Sum Emperor¡¯s primary concern was still purging the court and dealing with Aristocratic Families. Before removing the Aristocratic Families, it was unlikely he would take action against a Seignior. Moreover, the court had just issued a Military Expansion Order. As a Seignior who could recruit up to one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, maintaining a cavalry unit shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right? The Military Expansion Order did not prohibit the formation of cavalry troops. At this time, Li Feng arrived at the city tower. When he saw that the arriving general was Lin Xiuming, Li Feng was slightly startled, thinking it was fortunate that General Mu had also returned; otherwise, it would be troublesome if discovered by Lin Xiuming and his men later. Li Feng saluted Lu Chen and said, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen turned his head towards Li Feng and said, ¡°General Li, I will trouble you to lead General Lin and his men to clean up the battlefield.¡± ¡°I am feeling a bit tired, so I¡¯ll be heading back now.¡± Li Feng immediately said, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± After that, Lu Chen turned and left. Watching the departing figure of Lu Chen, Lin Xiuming paused for a moment, then turned to Li Feng next to him and said, ¡°General Li, has the Barbarian Army retreated?¡± Lin Xiuming had some recollection of Li Feng, after all, Li Feng had been a critical support for Mu Changtian in the Hu Ben Army. Hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s question, Li Feng said with a smile, ¡°General Lin, it¡¯s not just a simple matter of having repelled the Barbarians. Wait until we leave the city and you will see the great achievements our soldiers of North City have made under the leadership of the Prince.¡± Seeing that Li Feng was also playing coy, Lin Xiuming frowned slightly. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could it be that North City truly achieved a significant victory this time? Could they have been lucky enough to kill an important figure from the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court? Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Chapter 115: The Shocked Imperial Army_i Chapter 115: Chapter 115: The Shocked Imperial Army_i Translator: 549690339 | At this moment, Lin Xiuming still couldn¡¯t believe the battle report announced earlier by the Messenger Soldier in the city, after all, that was an army of three hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe. Not just anyone could defeat an army of three hundred thousand Barbarians, North City simply didn¡¯t possess that capability. He could only assume that North City had achieved some decent results while defending against the Barbarian onslaught, perhaps by luck, they had taken out an important figure from the Barbarians. Beyond that, he really couldn¡¯t think of any other significant results the tens of thousands of soldiers from North City could have achieved. Li Feng didn¡¯t offer much explanation to Lin Xiuming, knowing full well that until they saw the corpses of the Barbarian soldiers on the battlefield, Lin Xiuming and the others would be unable to believe the victory North City¡¯s soldiers had achieved. Li Feng then led Lin Xiuming and the others out of the city. After the Imperial Army exited the city, seeing the ground littered with Barbarian corpses, they were all incredibly incredulous. The blood on the ground hadn¡¯t even dried yet, clearly indicating a battle had erupted the previous night. Did North City really possess such terrifying combat power? How did they achieve this? The soldiers were having a hard time believing the scene before their eyes, especially when they saw that the bodies of the Barbarian soldiers and their horses were in pieces, they became even more curious about what kind of weapon North City had used to pulverize the bodies of men and horses alike. These seventy thousand men were mostly veterans of many battles, but this was the first time they had ever witnessed such a bloody battlefield, more sanguinary and ghastly than any battle they had experienced before. The armor on those Barbarian soldiers was as if it had been destroyed by something. in their previous battles, at least the soldiers had bodies that were somewhat intact, at most missing an arm or a leg or something. But the scene before them was utterly different, the bodies of some Barbarian soldiers were likely beyond reassembly, completely annihilated into fragments by something. A question arose in the soldiers¡¯ hearts. Just what happened at the north gate of Yan County last night? It wasn¡¯t just the soldiers who thought this way, Lin Xiuming and Zhou Yu were also incredibly shocked and speculating about what had happened the previous night. At this point, Lin Xiuming couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, so he took the initiative to ask Li Feng, ¡°General Li, why have these Barbarians¡¯ bodies become so¡­ fragmented?¡± Upon hearing this question, Li Feng replied, ¡°Oh, maybe they were hit by rocks.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xiuming instantly knew Li Feng was lying. Could rocks create a crater several meters wide? And pulverize Barbarian soldiers to such an extent? Moreover, why did some Barbarian bodies have so many bloody holes? Obviously, North City had employed some kind of mysterious weapon they had never witnessed before. Lin Xiuming was, after all, the commander of the Qilin Army and battle- seasoned, he was no fool. Although he didn¡¯t know what weapon North City had used, Lin Xiuming was very clear that this weapon was definitely not a trebuchet and was far more terrifying than one. But when he had gone up the city wall earlier, he had not seen any large-scale weapon capable of producing such lethal effects. What did this indicate? It showed that in the half-hour they had waited at the south gate, North City had already moved away all the weapons they had used the previous night, specifically to keep the Imperial Army from discovering them! Lin Xiuming¡¯s expression became somewhat grim. He had now understood that the North Prince was no longer the same North Prince he had seen in Capital city. From the martial aura he had sensed on the North Prince earlier, he could determine that a great change had occurred with the North Prince, and likewise, a significant change had happened in North City. A bold speculation suddenly emerged in Lin Xiuming¡¯s mind. The North Prince of the past had always been concealing his true capabilities! With this conjecture, Lin Xiuming led the Imperial Army to continue moving northwards toward Wanning Valley. Just then, the earth began to tremble. Distant rumbling of horse hooves approached. Subsequently, a mass of shadows rapidly moved toward Yan County. Seeing this, Lin Xiuming thought the Barbarian Army had arrived and immediately said, ¡°All troops on alert!¡± However, just as Lin Xiuming¡¯s words fell, Li Feng spoke up, ¡°General Lin, don¡¯t be nervous, those are North City¡¯s Cavalry.¡± After hearing Li Feng¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming was once again stunned. North City¡¯s Cavalry? Does North City actually have such a large scale of cavalry? As Lin Xiuming spaced out, his deputy, Zhou Yu, immediately reminded him, ¡°General, look quick! Those are heavy cavalry!¡± Hearing these words, Lin Xiuming looked towards the dark mass of cavalry ahead and was instantly dumbstruck. They were actually heavy cavalry! And it seemed that there were at least five thousand men! How is this possible? When did North City acquire so many heavy cavalry! A seignior could already be considered quite good if they could afford three thousand light cavalry, yet the North Prince actually had more than five thousand heavy cavalry! This¡­ Soon, the heavy cavalry led by Xuanyuan Chen appeared in front of Li Feng and his group. Although Lu Chen had ordered Xuanyuan Chen to immediately take his troops to Anping City to meet with the Prince¡¯s consort, they had just ended a war, and the soldiers were all exhausted. So, Xuanyuan Chen made some brief arrangements and then happened to run into Li Feng and his group. After giving a nod to Li Feng as a gesture, Xuanyuan Chen bypassed the Imperial Army and headed straight for Yan County. Seeing the imposing heavy cavalry, the soldiers of the Imperial Army felt their bodies trembling, the sound of hooves resonating with their hearts. After Xuanyuan Chen and his heavy cavalry left, Lin Xiuming turned his head and asked Li Feng, ¡°General Li, are those really the Prince¡¯s cavalry? If I¡¯m not mistaken, there must be at least five thousand heavy cavalry, right? How long has the Prince been in North City, and how could he have forged so many armors in such a short period of time?¡± To create a heavy cavalry force, one not only needs to forge armor for the soldiers but also battle armor for their horses and moreover, one needs to breed horses of exceptionally good quality. Lin Xiuming did not believe that the North Prince could have created such a force of five thousand heavy cavalry in such a short period of time, especially with a Grandmaster level officer leading them. Let alone whether the North Prince Mansion and North City had that much money, there simply wasn¡¯t enough time. Unless¡­ The North Prince had already been secretly having such a cavalry force made! To secretly construct such a force of heavy cavalry behind the Sum Emperor¡¯s back, what was the North Prince planning to do? It seemed to go without saying. At this moment, a smile involuntarily appeared on Zhou Yu¡¯s face, who stood beside Lin Xiuming. He truly hadn¡¯t expected that his visit to North City would reveal the North Prince¡¯s secret. If he were to report to the Imperial Court that the North Prince had privately constructed five thousand heavy cavalry, the North Prince might not be able to get away with it this time! At that time, Li Feng replied with a smile, ¡°The Prince¡¯s Mansion has many ? craftsmen, so the speed of crafting armors is quite fast, nothing surprising.¡± Having said that, Li Feng continued onward with Lin Xiuming and their group. Lin Xiuming also realized that Li Feng was not going to tell him about the North Prince, so he didn¡¯t ask further and followed Li Feng to continue northward. Gradually, Lin Xiuming and his men discovered more and more corpses of Barbarian Tribe soldiers and soon they came upon the Wanning River, dyed red with blood. At this moment, the Wanning River was like the River of Netherworld flowing out from the underworld! Seeing the pile of corpses on the river bank, the soldiers couldn¡¯t help but feel their scalps tingle. They had originally thought that the news of twenty thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers being slain, announced by the messenger soldier in the city, was false. But having seen the Wanning River turned red with blood, they realized that there were probably even more corpses of Barbarian Tribe soldiers upstream in the Wanning Valley. Perhaps the military achievement of slaying twenty thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers was real! Thinking that the North Prince, along with the soldiers of North City, had slain two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers, the Imperial Army soldiers felt a chill down their spines. How many people were there in North City¡­ To have slain two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers!!! This meant that the soldiers from North City had reached the strength of Eighth Grade, or even Ninth Grade, each!!! But was that possible? At that moment, the ground began to tremble again. More dark figures appeared in the distance once more. Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: Chapter 116: The North Prince is Going to Rebel !_1 Chapter 116: Chapter 116: The North Prince is Going to Rebel !_1 Translator: 549690339 Seeing the black figures in the distance, Li Feng frowned and shouted again, ¡°All troops, to arms!¡± The cavalry that had just passed by were from the North Prince, so surely these weren¡¯t his men, right? Therefore, Lin Xiuming believed that there was a high probability that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army had come for revenge. However, just as the soldiers braced themselves for an imminent battle, Li Feng spoke up, ¡°General Lin, no need to panic, these are also the Prince¡¯s cavalry!¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming and Zhou Yu were taken aback. How could that be? North City was such a poor place that it was already unbelievable that they could maintain five thousand Heavy Cavalry, and now Li Feng was actually telling them that the North Prince had another cavalry force! Just as Lin Xiuming felt his entire worldview being overturned, the cavalry led by Wenren Lie had already arrived before them. This time the cavalry formation led by Wenren Lie was even more astonishing because this time it wasn¡¯t just five thousand cavalrymen. Seeing such a vast number of Heavy Cavalry, Lin Xiuming, Zhou Yu, and the seventy thousand imperial soldiers stood frozen in place. By the time this force, consisting of tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry, drew closer, the imperial soldiers could not help but grip their weapons tighter. How intimidating could a force of Heavy Cavalry be? To put it this way, in the history of Great Sum, there had been an instance where three thousand Heavy Cavalry defeated a hundred thousand peasant soldiers, and they did so by chasing them down. The soldiers¡¯ fear of Heavy Cavalry was ingrained in their very bones, especially on such open ground. If it were a siege, even the mightiest Heavy Cavalry would have a hard time being effective, but once it came to open battle, that was a different matter altogether. The charge of Heavy Cavalry could quickly break the infantry formations. Once the infantry lines were disordered, their morale would plummet. In battle between two armies, morale is very important, especially during hand-to-hand combat where the braver force wins when encountering the enemy in a narrow path. Lin Xiuming watched the ten thousand Heavy Cavalry before him, dumbfounded. As a general, he could roughly estimate the number of soldiers in a formation. Even without Li Feng telling him how many men made up this force of Heavy Cavalry, Lin Xiuming suspected that there were at least twenty thousand men. If one included the Heavy Cavalry that had previously departed, North City would have nearly thirty thousand Heavy Cavalrymen! This¡­ How did North City sustain thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry? How much silver would that require? Lin Xiuming also knew about the North Prince Mansion¡¯s soap sales, the perfume business, and he understood these were lucrative, but even so, how could so many Heavy Cavalrymen have been raised so quickly? The entire imperial court of Great Sum had only slightly over twenty thousand Heavy Cavalrymen! Yet now, just North City alone had nearly thirty thousand Heavy Cavalrymen! Could anyone really believe that the North Prince harbored no other intentions? Probably as soon as news of North City reached the court, the court would station troops in Qi Prince¡¯s domain overnight to prevent the North Prince from moving south, or they would immediately bring the North Prince¡¯s wives and children from Anping City to the capital city as hostages to keep them under surveillance. The North Prince¡¯s Heavy Cavalry were much more intimidating than the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand warriors. With the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand moving southward, for now, it seemed that, at most, they would occupy North City. Perhaps in private, they even struck some deals with certain Aristocratic Families or Princes, and they wouldn¡¯t directly attack Great Sum¡¯s heartland. But if the North Prince¡¯s tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry moved south, their goal would likely not be just a single county, but the entirety of Great Sum! Zhou Yu, as Prince Lu Shuyun, felt cold sweat streaming down. He felt as though he had walked into a dangerous place. Having discovered the North Prince¡¯s secret today, he wondered if he would be able to leave North City. At that moment, one of Lin Xiuming¡¯s soldiers stammered, ¡°Gener¡­ General, look¡­look over there! There¡¯s¡­there¡¯s so many Barbarian Tribe soldiers!¡± Lin Xiuming quickly raised his eyes toward the distance. That was when they noticed the hands of the Barbarian Tribe soldiers, bound as they were being escorted in groups by the soldiers of North City toward them. At a glance, it seemed endless. People once again recalled the battle reports they had heard from the Messenger Soldier in Yan County. Twenty thousand Barbarian Tribe members slain¡­ Ten thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers captured¡­ This¡­ Could this be¡­ True? Good heavens! What kind of victory is this! North City is going to turn upside down! No, it should be said that the North Prince is going to turn everything upside down! Since the establishment of Great Sum, there has never been such a victory in foreign wars. When they exterminated the Chen Nation, and in the largest battle against Chen Nation, the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers only totaled two hundred thousand! And the Barbarian Tribe is not the same as the Chen Nation¡¯s soldiers! The fighting power of the Barbarian Tribe is even more ferocious! In the wars against the Barbarian Tribe, it was almost always the Barbarians who were the aggressors, while Great Sum was the defender, and each time, Great Sum suffered heavy losses. Heavy losses aside, at the end of each war, just when Great Sum was about to counterattack, the Barbarian Tribe would take their troops and leave without a trace, never giving Great Sum¡¯s army any opportunity to counterattack. Now, not only has North City defeated the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand, they have even captured a hundred thousand of their soldiers! Once this news is sent back to the court, I¡¯m afraid the Capital city will see a change of heaven! At this moment, the seventy thousand soldiers of the court hardly dared to breathe, all watching those captured Barbarian prisoners being escorted. Ten thousand Barbarian prisoners took half an hour just to walk past them, of course, mainly because the soldiers from North City, fearing they would cause trouble, had separated them, and this wasted some time. Watching the soldiers finally finish passing by after half an hour, Lin Xiuming and the seventy thousand soldiers from the court understood that the outcome they had heard in the city was true! As citizens of Great Sum, they should feel joyful. After all, this was the greatest victory in the history of wars against the Barbarian Tribe. But from general to colonel, down to the soldiers below, no one showed a smile. While Lin Xiuming and the court¡¯s soldiers were still dazed, urgent hoofbeats could be heard again in the distance. They saw yet another line of dark shadows approaching. Lin Xiuming felt completely numbed. Another several tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry!!! Where did North City get so many Heavy Cavalry! What is the North Prince trying to do! Is he trying to rebel??? After a rough estimate by Lin Xiuming, North City must have at least close to fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. With this fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, plus the hundred thousand Slave Soldiers from North City, and then recruiting some regular soldiers, North City would have the strength to attack any dynasty. As of now, the most a dynasty could mobilize is about one million soldiers, but a considerable number of them are not combat-ready. Those that can actually fight would definitely not reach one million, whereas North City¡¯s soldiers are all genuine, especially these Barbarian Slave Soldiers, who are practically perfect cannon fodder. The only thought in Lin Xiuming¡¯s mind at this moment was three words ¡ª ¡°Write a petition!¡± He had to write a petition and report it tonight! The power of North City is too immense, there is a risk of losing control, and the court must be informed of what happened in North City as soon as possible. Of course, the victory won by North City must also be made known to the court. So Lin Xiuming will use the opportunity to convey the victory to send the news of what happened in North City to the court using the Red Ribbon Messenger. As for whether the North Prince would allow the Red Ribbon Messenger to return to the court, that¡¯s another matter. The North Prince had always pretended to be useless, but now he suddenly revealed his true capabilities and stopped pretending. What does this indicate? It means that his wings are fully grown and he no longer needs to pretend. Intercepting the court¡¯s Red Ribbon Messenger would be a piece of cake for him. Lin Xiuming even suspects whether the North Prince would take this opportunity to collude with the Chu Family and directly usurp power. Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Showing Cards i Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Showing Cards i Translator: 549690339 | After the soldiers from North City had taken the Barbarian Tribe away from their sight, Li Feng said with a smile to Lin Xiuming, ¡°General Lin, let us continue moving forward. Soon we will arrive at the battlefield where last night¡¯s fighting was most intense.¡± Startled by Li Feng¡¯s voice, a dazed Lin Xiuming snapped back to reality. His mind had been entirely consumed with drafting the military report. ¡°Oh, right, okay.¡± With that, Lin Xiuming called out loudly to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Advance!¡± At the sound of Lin Xiuming¡¯s voice, the Imperial soldiers, whose minds had been a blank, were jolted back to their senses. The scene that had just unfolded before their eyes still seemed so surreal to them. They even wondered if they were, in fact, still en route to North City and if everything they had seen was just a dream they had on the way due to the exhaustion from the march, and in reality, perhaps Yan County might have already fallen to the Barbarian Tribe. Of course, they were aware that this was reality. In a short while, under Li Feng¡¯s lead, the Imperial Army of seventy thousand soldiers arrived at the place where Mu Changtian and the Black Cavalry had joined forces the previous night, which was also where the most Barbarian soldiers had died. The entire riverbank was covered with the bodies of Barbarian soldiers, as far as the eye could see. Even the Imperial soldiers, who had been mentally prepared just a short time ago, were stunned at the sight of so many Barbarian corpses. Compared to the horrific state of the corpses they had seen before, the bodies of the Barbarian soldiers here were in a more complete state, not so fragmented. But the scene of corpses stretching across the field was just as shocking as the bloody battlefield they had witnessed earlier. The bodies of the Barbarian soldiers had been piled up, and the water of the Wanning River was dyed very red, as if the entire river had turned into fresh blood. Two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers, the combat prowess of North City was truly terrifying! Lin Xiuming and the soldiers couldn¡¯t help but gasp in astonishment. It had been a long time since Great Sum had seen an army with such fierce combat ability! No, it should be said that Great Sum had never before seen a Seignior with this level of strength! Whether the Sum Emperor¡¯s decision to place the North Prince in North City was good or bad, Lin Xiuming couldn¡¯t tell. At this time, Li Feng said to Lin Xiuming, ¡°General Lin, I¡¯ll leave the cleanup of the battlefield to you. The soldiers of North City fought heroically through the night, covered in blood, and are now too exhausted to handle the cleanup.¡± Upon hearing Li Feng¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming once again came to his senses and immediately replied, ¡°Of course, General Li, you go and rest. We will take care of everything from here on.¡± Li Feng said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡± Lin Xiuming politely responded, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, this is our duty.¡± As soon as Lin Xiuming finished speaking, Li Feng turned his horse and left the battlefield. Watching Li Feng¡¯s retreating figure, Lin Xiuming fell into deep thought. It was a long time before Zhou Yu¡¯s voice sounded beside Lin Xiuming, ¡°General, how should we report the situation in North City?¡± The military achievements in North City were so astounding that even if they reported them, the Imperial Court might not believe it. After pondering for a moment, Lin Xiuming then said, ¡°Report it as it is.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu paused, then tentatively asked, ¡°General, are you sure we should report it exactly as it is?¡± Hearing Zhou Yu¡¯s question, Lin Xiuming turned to look at him and asked sternly, ¡°What, do you intend to take credit for something you did not do?¡± Zhou Yu hurriedly replied, ¡°General, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I¡¯m just concerned that if we report truthfully, we might offend the North Prince.¡± Zhou Yu thought to himself that he wouldn¡¯t dare claim such military achievements. If North City had merely repelled the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s invasion, perhaps they could¡¯ve exaggerated their own impact in the report, claiming how the Imperial Army of seventy thousand had played a significant role. But the situation now was different. The war between North City and the Barbarian Tribe had ended even before the Imperial Army arrived at Yan County. Not only had it ended, but it had ended with a crushing victory for North City. If they were to claim such military achievements, an investigation from above would surely lead to their exile or the execution of their entire families. Besides, after seeing the tens of thousands of North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry and the mountainous bodies of the Barbarian soldiers on the battlefield, who would dare to think of usurping military credits? The North Prince was clearly no ordinary individual. If one dared to usurp his military achievements, the North Prince might deal with them even before the Imperial Court could investigate. Although Zhou Yu was from Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s faction, after witnessing the might of North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry and the stacked bodies of Barbarian soldiers, he had no inclination to play any tricks. He wanted to stay alive and return to the Capital city. With the North Prince Mansion¡¯s power being so formidable, who would dare to engage in trickery under the North Prince¡¯s watch? After hearing Zhou Yu¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming thought for a while and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about the North Prince for now. Tonight, we¡¯ll send the battle report to the Imperial Court using a Red Ribbon Messenger. If the North Prince doesn¡¯t send anyone to intercept it, that¡¯s for the best. But if he does send someone to stop it, then I will personally go to the North Prince Mansion and discuss how to report to the Imperial Court.¡± Lin Xiuming was concerned that the North Prince might intercept their Red Ribbon Messenger since, once the military achievements of North City were reported to the Imperial Court, the North Prince¡¯s strength could no longer be concealed. ¡°Enough about that. Order the soldiers to begin cleaning up the battlefield!¡± As soon as Lin Xiuming gave his command, the Imperial Army of seventy thousand began the cleanup of the battlefield. Originally, these seventy thousand soldiers were the elite of the imperial court, all of them battle-hardened warriors, yet now they had been reduced to the men specifically responsible for cleaning up the battlefield. However, most soldiers harbored no complaints; compared to directly battling with the Barbarian Tribe soldiers, carrying their bodies was a more relaxed activity, and, what¡¯s more, it posed no threat to their lives. And, after witnessing the terrifying strength of North City, they were willing to clean up the battlefield for North City¡¯s soldiers. At dusk. Inside the tent. Lin Xiuming was leaning over the table, writing a military report, when a red- robed eunuch walked in; this eunuch was the Military Supervisor for this imperial army. He, just like Lin Xiuming and the others, was deeply shaken by the strength displayed by North City. At the same time, he harbored a worry in his heart, whether his military report could even be sent out of North City. The Military Supervisor and the Generals involved in combat each had to write a military report, and they were not allowed to communicate with one another, to prevent the Generals in charge of troops from inflating their military achievements. Originally, Wang had no need to seek out Lin Xiuming; he could directly send his report with a Red Ribbon Messenger. But the thought that his report might not be able to be dispatched had led Wang to Lin Xiuming¡¯s tent. Seeing the Military Supervisor enter his tent, Lin Xiuming asked, ¡°Eunuch Wang, do you have something on your mind?¡± With a worried face, Eunuch Wang asked, ¡°General Lin, have you finished writing your military report?¡± Lin Xiuming answered, ¡°I¡¯m in the process of writing it, Eunuch Wang. Surely you aren¡¯t here to collude with me regarding the report? That simply wouldn¡¯t be proper.¡± Eunuch Wang exclaimed, ¡°Aiyo, General Lin, at a time like this, you still have the mood to joke around.¡± ¡°General Lin, you can¡¯t possibly be unaware of our current predicament, right?¡± ¡°The North Prince hasn¡¯t even allowed us to enter the city but has had us camp in Wanning Valley. This shows he¡¯ s guarding against us. Whether our military reports can be dispatched is an issue!¡± Lin Xiuming calmly inquired, ¡°So what are you suggesting, Eunuch Wang?¡± Eunuch Wang replied, ¡°My thought is to first approach the North Prince to discuss this, to see what his stance is on what can and cannot be written, so we can have a clear idea in our minds.¡± Lin Xiuming commented, ¡°Eunuch Wang, do you intend to conceal North City¡¯s military achievements?¡± Eunuch Wang responded, ¡°It¡¯s not a question of whether we want to hide them; the key is whether the North Prince is willing to let the court know.¡± Lin Xiuming continued to focus on writing his report, while saying, ¡°Eunuch Wang, do you think that such astonishing military achievements can be kept from the court by the North Prince? Even if we inflate the reports, the court will soon learn of the events in North City.¡± ¡°The North Prince is not a fool. Slaying two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Tribe and capturing another one hundred thousand, this news has already spread through Yan County. It won¡¯t be long before His Majesty¡¯s Shadow Guards will know, and the events in North City will reach His Majesty¡¯s ears.¡± ¡°What the North Prince intends to let the imperial court know, he will let them know. We only need to write. If the North Prince does indeed intercept our reports, we can always go to North Prince Mansion to see him just the same.¡± After hearing what Lin Xiuming said, Eunuch Wang felt there was some sense to it and then said, ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll heed General Lin¡¯s opinion. General Lin, once your report is sent out, inform me so I can dispatch my Red Ribbon Messenger afterward.¡± Eunuch Wang wanted to first see if Lin Xiuming¡¯s report could be sent out. If Lin Xiuming¡¯s report could be dispatched, then he would send his own. But if Lin Xiuming¡¯s report was intercepted by North Prince Mansion, he would immediately seek out the North Prince, so as to avoid offending him. In the silence of the deep night. Prince¡¯s Mansion. Lu Chen had just finished bathing and was planning to visit Bai Qingqing¡¯s room to ¡°exercise.¡± At this moment, a female guard approached Lu Chen. ¡°Prince, Commander Qin has stopped the court¡¯s Red Ribbon Messenger. He instructs me to ask whether you wish to review their reports before letting them depart?¡± Lu Chen immediately replied, ¡°No need. If I were to do that and the court found out, I would simply be branded a traitor.¡± The Red Ribbon Messenger¡¯s reports went directly from the hands of the frontline Generals to the Emperor; the first person to open and examine them must be the Emperor. If a Seignior like him were to open and inspect the Red Ribbon Messenger¡¯s reports, and if it came to light, he would certainly be labeled a traitor, a thought not even worth contemplating. Besides, the military achievements of North City were too great to be concealed from the court, and Lu Chen had no intention of doing so. Playing the cards openly was his plan now; what was there to hide? With several tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry and one hundred thousand captured Barbarians, was there a need to be as timid as before? Not at all! Moreover, his father, the Emperor, was focused on the Aristocratic Families; he hardly had the mind to weaken his vassals. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the guard said, ¡°I understand your will, my Prince. I will let Commander Qin know to release the Red Ribbon Messenger immediately.¡± With that said, the female guard promptly turned and exited the courtyard. A few days later. Anping City. After arriving at Anping City, Mu Zixuan and her group were constantly worried about the situation in Yan County, frequently sending people from the Prince¡¯s Mansion to gather news. Chu Yuqin sat listlessly in the courtyard at that moment. She suddenly realized that without her Chen¡¯er, her entire being seemed devoid of spirit. Before, she always thought of maintaining a distance from Lu Chen to avoid unintended consequences, yet when they truly parted, she found herself deeply missing him. Chu Yuqin sighed deeply, ¡°Ah, when will I be able to see Chen¡¯er again?¡± Just then, a young maidservant entered the courtyard, ¡°Madam Chu, a lady outside is asking for you. She says she¡¯s your sister!¡± Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 119: Chener is a Man Capable of Creating Miraclesi Chapter 120: Chapter 119: Chen¡¯er is a Man Capable of Creating Miraclesi Translator: 549690339 Mu Zixuan did not understand military affairs, but she was not foolish either. She knew that Yan County was the fortress blocking the Barbarian Army¡¯s advance southward. If Yan County stood firm, the barbarians would have to take a much longer route to reach Anping City; it simply was not possible for them to arrive so quickly. There was only one scenario where the barbarians¡¯ cavalry could reach Anping City so fast: Yan County had fallen! The thought of Yan County falling, with Lu Chen¡¯s fate unknown, made Mu Zixuan feel like her world was collapsing. For a moment, the atmosphere in the courtyard became instantly oppressive and gloomy. Although Dazhou and Xiaozhou were supporting Mu Zixuan, they themselves could barely stand steady. If the North Prince really had met with disaster, what would become of all the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion? It was then that Chu Yuqin snapped back to her senses and immediately asked a maid, ¡°Has Captain Mu confirmed that they were the barbarians¡¯ cavalry?¡± Chu Yuqin refused to believe that Lu Chen had just met with an accident. Lu Chen was someone blessed by fate; considering his confidence in staying at Yan County, he must have been quite sure he could hold the fortress for a while, until the imperial army marched northward. It hadn¡¯t been long; how could Yan County have fallen already! Perhaps the cavalry was not from the Barbarian Tribe but from the imperial army instead. The maid said, ¡°Captain Mu has already ordered the city gates to be shut, and all soldiers within the city are prepared for battle. However, he did not say they were conclusively the barbarians¡¯ cavalry. He just said the cavalry came from the north and is most likely the barbarian cavalry, advising the princess to prepare herself mentally.¡± Mu Xingping, Mu Zixuan¡¯s second brother, had intended not to tell her about this matter, fearing she would not be able to bear the news. But in the end, Mu Xingping had someone inform the North Prince Mansion, thinking that giving Mu Zixuan some forewarning could provide her time to brace herself, as it was still uncertain the advancing cavalry were indeed the barbarians. If they waited until the North Prince¡¯s fate was confirmed before telling Mu Zixuan, she might be even less able to withstand the shock. Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan¡¯s complexion turned even paler. At that moment, Zhou Youyou¡¯s tears could not help but fall from her eyes, ¡°Wuu wuu wuu, has the Prince already¡­¡± Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Zixuan, don¡¯t panic, everyone. I¡¯ll go take a look and find out. Have you all forgotten that Chen¡¯er has a blessed destiny? He won¡¯t encounter misfortune so easily. Even if North City has indeed fallen, he would not be in trouble.¡± Hearing this, the other women came to their senses. Indeed, their Prince had a blessed destiny; how could he have died so easily? Thinking this, Mu Zixuan breathed a slight sigh of relief, yet she remained very worried. Chu Yuqin then went straight towards the exit of the courtyard. Seeing Chu Yuqin leave, Chu Qingli quickly got up and followed. Chu Qingli saw this as a good opportunity and said on the way, ¡°Sister, if the North Prince really has an accident, will you leave North City with me?¡± As soon as Chu Qingli finished speaking, Chu Yuqin immediately replied, ¡°Chen¡¯er won¡¯t have an accident!¡± Hearing the certainty in Chu Yuqin¡¯s tone, Chu Qingli thought she was in denial and did not say anything more. She thought to herself that it wouldn¡¯t be long before Chu Yuqin had to face reality, and there was no need for her to hurry. The Barbarian Army of three hundred thousand was moving southward, and Yan County had at most fifty thousand soldiers. It was clear to anyone with eyes that the North Prince could not hold out, yet Chu Yuqin still had faith in him. Chu Qingli found this somewhat laughable. She was eager to know what kind of enchanting potion the North Prince had given her sister, making her believe he could withstand the barbarians¡¯ southern invasion. After leaving the courtyard, Chu Yuqin immediately went to Ma Peng to get a group of horses and headed straight for the city gates. Chu Qingli also hurriedly followed with a group of horses from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Soon, the two of them arrived at the city gates, where the gates of Anping City were completely closed, and the catapults on the city walls were ready. Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli leaped up to the city wall. Seeing Chu Yuqin had come, Mu Xingping immediately approached and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen Madam Chu.¡± Chu Yuqin promptly asked, ¡°Captain Mo, what¡¯s the situation? Is it confirmed to be the barbarians¡¯ cavalry?¡± Since they were in front of the soldiers, Chu Yuqin still addressed Mu Xingping as Captain Mo to avoid detection of his true identity as part of the Mu family. And being in Anping City, closer to the core of Great Sum, called for extra attention to these details. Mu Xingping, frowning, answered seriously, ¡°It¡¯s not confirmed yet. They seem to be all Heavy Cavalry dressed in black armor. I have never heard my father mention such cavalry among the barbarians.¡± Mu Xingping did not have experience fighting the barbarians directly, but he had heard many things about them from Mu Changtian and had some understanding of them. However, it was his first time hearing about black- armored Heavy Cavalry from the Barbarian Tribes of the North Land. The barbarians of the grasslands lacked iron and would find it challenging to produce a Heavy Cavalry, so Mu Xingping was still unsure if they were definitely barbarians. As Mu Xingping spoke, dust kicked up in the distance, and a soldier immediately reminded, ¡°Captain Mo, Madam Chu, they¡¯re coming!¡± Chu Yuqin immediately turned to look at the cavalry charging straight towards Anping City from afar. Chu Yuqin and the others had left Yan County before the Black Cavalry arrived, so they were unaware that Lu Chen had a Heavy Cavalry in his command. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 119: Chener is a Man Capable of Creating Miracles_2 Chapter 121: Chapter 119: Chen¡¯er is a Man Capable of Creating Miracles_2 Translator: 549690339 | This also led them to misunderstand the approaching cavalry, believing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s men to be from the Barbarian Tribe. Fortunately, Mu Jingwu was also in Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s group, so the misunderstanding was easily cleared up. Just when the defenders of Anping City had readied themselves for battle, the Black Cavalry suddenly all stopped, with only one rider charging straight for the city gates. When that person approached, some soldiers on the city wall quickly recognized him, ¡°It¡¯s Captain Mo! Thank goodness, it¡¯s not an enemy!¡± ¡°Could this be the Prince¡¯s heavy cavalry?¡± ¡°Since when did the Prince have heavy cavalry? Weren¡¯t we just a few hundred light cavalry when we left Yan County?¡± ¡°Yes indeed, where did the Prince get heavy cavalry from?¡± ¡°Could it be the heavy cavalry of the royal court?¡± The soldiers on the city wall relaxed instantly upon seeing Mu Jingwu, but Chu Yuqin did not relax. She was still frowning, watching Mu Jingwu closely. North City did not have heavy cavalry, and now suddenly there were several thousand heavy cavalrymen; this was bound to raise suspicion. In the current situation, it was not possible to rule out the likelihood of Mu Jingwu having surrendered to the Barbarian Tribe. They needed to keep watching to see what would happen. At this moment, Mu Jingwu arrived below Anping City. He then shouted loudly, ¡°Great victory in Yan County! The North Prince led the soldiers of North City, and within one night killed two hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe and captured another hundred thousand. The Prince has sent me to welcome back the Princess!!!¡± Upon hearing Mu Jingwu¡¯s words, the soldiers on the tower were stunned. Killed two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers in one night??? And captured another hundred thousand??? This¡­ Is this even possible??? Even Chu Yuqin was taken aback. She knew that Lu Chen had chosen to stay behind because he was confident, but she had not anticipated this outcome. At this moment, Chu Qingli on the side of Chu Yuqin murmured, ¡°Impossible, how could North City have such strength? This is clearly false, the one under the wall must be a spy sent by the Barbarian Tribe, deliberately spreading false news to get you to open the gates.¡± Chu Qingli had been thinking that once that useless North Prince died, she could take her sister and leave North City for a life of leisure and joy, yet now she was told not only had Yan County not fallen, but North City had actually defeated the Barbarian soldiers, and it was a crushing victory. This instantly shattered her fantasy, and there was no way she could accept this result. After all, this news sounded too unreal. The state of North City was well known to the people of Great Sum, and Chu Qingli had also heard on her way to North City that the royal court had only dispatched seventy thousand soldiers to support the North. Putting aside whether that army of seventy thousand could reach North City in such a short period of time, even if they really arrived at North City, together with the soldiers of North City they would only number around a hundred thousand. A hundred thousand soldiers expecting to defeat the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand heavy cavalry? If it were merely to hold off the Barbarian Tribe and prevent them from moving south, there might be a slim possibility. But to kill two hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe and even capture another hundred thousand, how could anyone believe such an unprecedented military achievement in the history of Great Sum? However, no sooner had Chu Qingli finished speaking than a Commander of the Brocade Guard on the city tower said, ¡°I believe what Captain Mo has said, the Prince is the Son of Destiny; what are three hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers to him? They are nothing but chickens and dogs!¡± Just after the Commander of the Brocade Guard finished speaking, other soldiers echoed, ¡°Exactly, the Barbarian soldiers are nothing in front of the Prince, what Captain Mo has said must be true!¡± After hearing the soldiers on the wall, Chu Qingli was utterly astonished. Although there was no change in her expression, she could hardly believe that the soldiers of North City held the North Prince in such high regard. Wasn¡¯t the North Prince a loser? These soldiers actually said that three hundred thousand Barbarian heavy cavalry were no more than chickens and dogs in front of the North Prince? To say what, that the North Prince is the Son of Destiny? What kind of bewitchment has the North Prince cast on these soldiers! This reminded Chu Qingli of Chu Yuqin; Chu Yuqin must have been fed a bewitching potion as well. After contemplating for a moment, Mu Xingping directly said, ¡°Open the city gates!¡± Mu Xingping knew his elder brother well; even if Mu Jingwu truly betrays Great Sum, he would only consider joining another dynasty, not the Barbarian Tribe with whom they shared a deep-seated hatred, not to mention there were still their own Mu Family members within the city. Upon hearing Mu Xingping¡¯s orders, the soldiers opened the city gates without hesitation. Chu Qingli thought to herself that this was hopelessly foolish of them; they would regret it when the Heavy Cavalry outside stormed in shortly. However, she had no intention of interfering, for to her, this was actually an opportune moment-if the Heavy Cavalry really did storm into Anping City, she could simply take her sister and leave North City. For her, escaping was never a difficult task. Yet, the scenario Chu Qingli envisaged did not occur. Once Mu Jingwu entered Anping City, the Black Cavalry remained in place. They not only refrained from attacking but turned around and faced south, as if on alert. At this moment, Mu Xingping and Chu Yuqin came down from the city tower to greet Mu Jingwu. As Mu Jingwu entered the city, Mu Xingping hurried over and asked, ¡°Elder brother, is all that you¡¯ve said true? Did the Prince really slay two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers and capture another hundred thousand?¡± Mu Jmgwu replied, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all true. After you all left, a force of fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry arrived at Yan County. It is said that this Heavy Cavalry was secretly formed by the Prince, who also introduced a tremendously powerful secret weapon. Yan County had only a little over ten thousand casualties!¡± Upon hearing Mu Jingwu¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin instantly thought of the mysterious weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s possession that could instantly kill Martial Artists and Grandmasters of Ninth Grade. If Lu Chen had an even more terrifying weapon with greater power, then dealing with the Barbarian Tribe wouldn¡¯t be that difficult. But when did Lu Chen train a Heavy Cavalry? This was something she knew nothing about at all. Even the Brocade Guards could be overlooked, but this was an army! Maintaining a fifty thousand-strong Heavy Cavalry required many resources; surely the Prince¡¯s Mansion had to provide these soldiers with resources. Yet, Chu Yuqin had seen no expenditure related to this At this time, Mu Xingping cocked his head and glanced through the city gate at the distant Heavy Cavalry before asking, ¡°Elder brother, are those Heavy Cavalry under the command of the Prince?¡± Yes,¡± Mu Jingwu confirmed. ¡°They played a significant role in this battle. The combat power of these Black Cavalry is extremely fearsome, easily overpowering a hundred enemies each.¡± Out of curiosity, Mu Xingping asked, ¡°Why would the Prince send so many Heavy Cavalry to pick up the sisters?¡± Mu Jingwu glanced around, then whispered, ¡°The Prince was concerned that the south would learn of his victory and take the sisters there, so he deliberately had me bring five thousand Heavy Cavalry.¡± Although Mu Jingwu didn¡¯t specify whom they were guarding against, Mu Xingping instantly grasped his implication. ¡®South¡¯ referred to none other than the Capital city. Now that the North Prince had defeated the three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian iron cavalry and made a name for himself, coupled with tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry in his command, he had become the most militarily powerful Seignior in Great Sum in practice, and the court could not but guard against him. To secure the obedience of the North Prince, the court would likely take his children to the Capital city as hostages. Hearing Mu Jingwu¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin also felt that Lu Chen had taken the riglit action; it was indeed important to send someone to bring Mu Zixuan back to Yan County in a timely manner. At this time, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°You two catch up first; I must hurry back and inform Zixuan about this so they don¡¯t worry.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Chu Yuqin mounted her horse and immediately sped towards the temporary Prince¡¯s Mansion. Seeing this, Chu Qingli was taken aback for a moment. She quickly followed suit. After catching up with Chu Yuqin, Chu Qingli immediately asked, ¡°Sister, do you really believe what that man said is true?¡± While riding, Chu Yuqin smiled and responded, ¡°I know you suspect it¡¯s false, but in fact, Chen¡¯er is someone who can create miracles. Once you accompany your sister to Yan County, you¡¯ll understand.¡± This¡­ Chu Qingli was at a loss for words. She could only feel that Chu Yuqin was beyond help. Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Chapter 120 Queen of North Prince Heads Northi Chapter 122: Chapter 120 Queen of North Prince Heads Northi Translator: 549690339 Mu Zixuan and the others were still anxiously waiting in the courtyard, unable to believe that Yan County had been captured just like that. Of course, they also didn¡¯t dare to believe it. If something really happened to Lu Chen, then their sky would have fallen. At this moment, Zhou Youyou sobbed and said, ¡°Wuwuwu, Queen, the Prince will be fine, right?¡± Mu Zixuan sat on the stone bench with a vacant gaze, absentmindedly saying, ¡°I believe in the Prince. The Prince is an Immortal, and Immortals won¡¯t die so easily.¡± As the three ladies were beside themselves with worry, a maid rushed in and said, ¡°Queen, Madam Chu and the others are back!!!¡± Mu Zixuan immediately got up from the stone bench and then headed for the entrance of the courtyard, but before she reached the gate, Chu Yuqin walked in. Mu Zixuan immediately asked, ¡°Madam Chu, what¡¯s the situation, are those cavalry from the Barbarian Tribe?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Zixuan, you don¡¯t have to worry anymore; those cavalry are not from the Barbarian Tribe, but were sent by Chen¡¯er to escort you back to Yan County.¡± Hearing this, a huge weight lifted off the hearts of the three women. Zhou Youyou, while wiping her tears, said, ¡°Wuwuwu, that¡¯s such a relief. I thought Yan County had been captured by the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Unlike Xiaozhou and Dazhou, Mu Zixuan quickly sensed that something was amiss and immediately asked, ¡°Madam Chu, since when did North City have thousands of cavalry?¡± As a general¡¯s successor, even if Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t understand military affairs well, she was still sensitive to such information. When she left Yan County, she was very aware of the military situation there. The cavalry in Yan County were still being organized; there wasn¡¯t even a significant number of horses that could be used as warhorses, let alone thousands of cavalry. Where did these cavalry come from? Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s question, Chu Qingli felt somewhat pleased within. She couldn¡¯t help thinking that at last she had met someone sane. Unexpectedly, it was the Queen of North Prince who kept a clear head in the end. Indeed, only the person closest to someone can truly understand them. Everyone else had been bewitched by the North Prince. Just as Chu Qingli was looking forward to the Queen exposing the lies, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Zixuan, have you forgotten about the Brocade Guard?¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s question, Mu Zixuan snapped back to reality. That¡¯s right; she didn¡¯t even know when Lu Chen had created the Brocade Guard. The Brocade Guard was a massive intelligence organization; establishing such a structure couldn¡¯t have been done without a few years¡¯ time. If Lu Chen had a secret organization like the Brocade Guard, it meant that he had been organizing the cavalry for quite some time; they simply didn¡¯t know about it. The North Prince was always a man of mystery; it was normal for there to be a few little secrets she didn¡¯t know about. Thinking this, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Madam Chu, I understand what you mean. Let¡¯s get ready then, we¡¯ll set off for Yan County today!¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Qingli was stunned, her face betraying no emotion even as she felt extremely perplexed and confused internally. The Queen understood her sister so quickly? The Brocade Guard? What was that? Why did the mention of the Brocade Guard make the Queen accept the existence of thousands of cavalry in North City? Chu Qingli had thought that Mu Zixuan would come to her senses and see through the ¡°Barbarian Tribe¡¯s¡± scheme, but even Mu Zixuan ended up believing it in the end. Chu Qingli felt uneasy. If the North Prince Mansion really went with those outside cavalry, they might end up at the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s court instead of Yan County. Since all the women of the North Prince Mansion were somewhat beautiful; the Barbarian Tribe could have deliberately sent people to pose as North Prince¡¯s soldiers to deceive them into going to Yan County. Chu Qingli believed her guess was the correct one; after all, the North Prince was just a waste, how could he possibly defeat the great army of the Barbarian Tribe. Just as Chu Qingli was worrying that this was a trap set by the Barbarian Tribe, she had a sudden brainwave and realized something. If this was indeed a trap by the Barbarian Tribe, it might actually be a good thing for her. What did she have to be afraid of? When the time came, she could just take her sister and flee far away. Although thousands of Barbarian cavalry were daunting, they were all Heavy Cavalry, and her Qinggong was excellent; it¡¯s not certain they¡¯d be able to catch up with her. She had the capability to whisk away someone amidst a myriad of troops. With this thought, Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit excited, looking forward to the women of the Mansion heading north, so she would have her chance. Meanwhile, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s hurry up and prepare. Chen¡¯er has achieved a great victory in North City. If we delay and the news spreads to the south, the south will send people.¡± Mu Zixuan wasn¡¯t aware of the extent of Lu Chen¡¯s military exploits yet, but she understood what Chu Yuqin meant. Immediately, she instructed the maids in the courtyard, ¡°Notify everyone in the Prince¡¯s Mansion at once, pack up your belongings. We¡¯re setting off for Yan County before dusk.¡± Meanwhile. Inside a room of the temporary Prince¡¯s Mansion. A woman dressed in a red long skirt was tossing and turning uncomfortably on the beauty couch, her long, shapely legs seeming to have no place to rest, at one moment, the left leg over the right, soon after, the right leg over the left. The woman was wriggling her buttocks on the couch, reclining with her delicate hand propping up her head, displaying her shapely figure perfectly. It was a pity that her graceful figure had no admirers at this moment. Wang Qingci remained completely oblivious to everything happening in the yard, and hadn¡¯t experienced the panic that Mu Zixuan and the others just went through. Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Chapter 120 Queen of North Prince Heads North_2 Chapter 123: Chapter 120 Queen of North Prince Heads North_2 Translator: 549690339 | Ever since she followed Mu Zixuan and the others on their journey south, she spent almost every day inside her own room. Although she was Lu Chen¡¯s female slave, her relationship with Mu Zixuan and the others was still quite good. It was only that Chu Yuqin had always looked at her with displeasure, and Wang Qingci couldn¡¯t be bothered to compete with Chu Yuqin for favor in Lu Chen¡¯s absence, so she simply avoided joining them for chats and tea. At this moment, Wang Qingci lifted a hand, her fingers as delicate as jade, and raised the hem of her long red silk dress, revealing her snowy white legs, then she sighed and said, ¡°My Young Prince, when will this servant be able to see you again? I can no longer bear it.¡± Wang Qingci felt that her current life was extremely dull. She used to fear that Lu Chen would be harsh with her, but now that she hadn¡¯t seen him for so long, she actually felt uncomfortable. She began to think that she was truly lowly, that if Lu Chen didn¡¯t torment her severely, she felt uneasy inside. Just then, the voice of a maid rang outside the door. ¡°Miss Wang, the Queen of North Prince has ordered that everyone in the Prince¡¯s Mansion start packing immediately. We will return to Yan County by evening!¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci was momentarily stunned, then suddenly rose from her couch. She quickly walked to the door, opened it, and asked, ¡°What? Pack our luggage? The war has ended?¡± The maid responded, ¡°It is said to have ended. Everyone in the Prince¡¯s Mansion is talking about how the Prince killed two hundred thousand soldiers from the Barbarian Tribe in North City, and also captured another hundred thousand.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci was stunned once more. Was the Young Prince so fierce? She had always thought that his fierceness was only in bed. To have slain two hundred thousand from the Barbarian Army and captured another hundred thousand, how did he accomplish that? But then again, the Young Prince has always been a mysterious man. Since he dared to remain in Yan County, it meant he was confident from the start that he could hold back the Barbarians. Although the victories achieved were somewhat unbelievable, considering the Young Prince was behind it all, even the impossible seemed possible. With this thought, Wang Qingci¡¯s admiration for Lu Chen suddenly deepened, and for a moment, she felt her delicate body warming up. She even involuntarily squeezed her legs together, wishing she could be by her Young Prince¡¯s side right now. At the same time. In a pavilion of the temporary Prince¡¯s Mansion. Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were meditating when they felt the maids and servants around the mansion becoming busy, turning the once quiet Prince¡¯s Mansion lively. Both opened their eyes simultaneously. Chen Wanrong looked at the maids bustling in the courtyard and turned to a nearby maid to ask, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± The maid said, ¡°This servant is not sure, I will go and find out immediately.¡± After that, the maid left the pavilion to inquire among other servants and maids. She soon returned to Chen Wanrong¡¯s side. With a joyful expression, the maid excitedly said, ¡°Miss Chen, Miss Lin, the Queen has ordered us to pack quickly. We will be returning to Yan County before sunset.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun asked with confusion, ¡°We¡¯re returning to Yan County so soon? Has the war already ended?¡± The maid replied, ¡°It is said to have ended, and not just that, the Prince led the soldiers of North City to slay two hundred thousand Barbarian soldiers and captured another hundred thousand!¡± Upon receiving the maid¡¯s answer, both Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were taken aback. They looked at each other, seeing confusion in each other¡¯s eyes. To have slain two hundred thousand from the Barbarian Army? And captured another hundred thousand? Even if they were exaggerating their military achievements, this seemed too audacious, right? Even if the North Prince had indeed defended Yan County and North City and held back the Barbarians from advancing southward, it was still improbable that he had killed two hundred thousand Barbarians. The situation in North City was well known to their Mysterious Moon Palace. What was the North Prince up to? Such an exaggeration of military achievements, wasn¡¯t he afraid of the imperial court¡¯s blame? Of course, more astonishing to Chen Wanrong than the exaggerated achievements was the fact that the North Prince had actually managed to hold back the Barbarian Tribe with the meager forces of North City. One should know that the Barbarian Tribe had three hundred thousand soldiers, and all of North City combined with the seventy thousand soldiers supported by the imperial court totaled only over a hundred thousand. Moreover, the Barbarian soldiers were more fierce and valiant in battle. Apart from relying on the walls of Yan County, the soldiers of North City had no significant advantage. At that moment, Lin Wanyun said to Chen Wanrong, ¡°Palace Master, this news hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet. I will have the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace investigate the specifics.¡± Chen Wanrong simply hummed in response, not saying much else. This news was indeed shocking and definitely warranted a thorough check to ascertain the truth. After all, the intelligence network of their Mysterious Moon Palace was quite formidable, and they would soon find out what was really happening. After that, Lin Wanyun left the temporary Prince¡¯s Mansion to let the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace in the city investigate the matter. About half an hour later, the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace delivered the collected intelligence neatly compiled into a booklet to Chen Wanrong. Looking at the booklet in her hands, Chen Wanrong fell into deep thought. The North Prince had sent five thousand Heavy Cavalry to welcome the Queen back to Yan County? Since when did the North Prince have Heavy Cavalry? Could North City, so poor, afford to maintain five thousand Heavy Cavalry? One should know that the entire Great Xia had only just over twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry! Also, their Mysterious Moon Palace had never heard about Heavy Cavalry in North City, where even regular Cavalry were scarce, let alone Heavy Cavalry. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 120 Queen of North Prince Heads North_3 Chapter 124: Chapter 120 Queen of North Prince Heads North_3 Translator: 549690339 Where did these five thousand heavy cavalry suddenly come from? Are they truly soldiers under North Prince? Seeing Chen Wanrong holding the intelligence report yet remaining silent, Lin Wanyun spoke up, ¡°Palace Master, could those heavy cavalry be Barbarian Tribe members in disguise? Perhaps Yan County has already been captured, and they are masquerading as North Prince¡¯s soldiers, intending to lure the women of North Prince Mansion into Yan County, into the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court.¡± Any normal person, upon learning of the arrival of heavy cavalry to Anping City, would naturally think these were Barbarian Tribe members in disguise. That¡¯s because North City doesn¡¯t have heavy cavalry at all, and it simply can¡¯t afford to maintain such a large number of them¡ªthis is a force that has appeared out of nowhere. Could this heavy cavalry be deployed by the royal court for North Prince? This is even more improbable. In order to defend against the Barbarian Tribe moving southward, the court is only willing to deploy seventy thousand troops northward, so how could they possibly send heavy cavalry to North Prince, let alone five thousand of them? The twenty thousand heavy cavalry of the Great Xia Dynasty are the sharpest sword in the hands of Sum Emperor, and he would absolutely not use such a weapon for national defense at this time. After hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong came back to her senses. With a calm expression, she put down the intelligence report and said softly, ¡°If the Barbarian Tribe wants to deceive women of North Prince to Yan County, there¡¯s no need to send so many heavy cavalry to Anping City, at most two thousand cavalry would be enough.¡± Currently, there are five thousand heavy cavalry stationed outside Anping City. Let¡¯s not even discuss whether the Barbarian Tribe of the North Land can forge so much armor needed by such a large cavalry. Even if the Barbarian Tribe truly had five thousand heavy cavalry, they wouldn¡¯t dispatch such an important force to this location just to deceive a woman from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. This clearly doesn¡¯t make sense. This whole affair is shrouded in mystery from beginning to end. Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°Once we return to Yan County, we will know what this is all about.¡± Upon hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun expressed her concerns, ¡°Palace Master, we don¡¯t yet know if there is deceit with these five thousand heavy cavalry. If we simply follow the people of North Prince Mansion northward, I fear there may be danger.¡± Chen Wanrong, with an expressionless face, said, ¡°If there is danger, we will leave the convoy at the first opportunity. Five thousand heavy cavalry can¡¯t hold us back.¡± Lin Wanyun thought for a moment, feeling there was some truth to this. It indeed seemed unlikely that five thousand heavy cavalry could detain a Grandmaster, especially the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace. Lin Wanyun then said, ¡°I understand, I¡¯ll have someone pack our luggage right away.¡± By evening. The sun was gradually setting, the sky filled with evening clouds of various shapes, as a massive convoy slowly made its way out of Anping City. The common folk of Anping City had already heard the news of North Prince slaughtering two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Tribe and capturing another hundred thousand. At first, the common folk didn¡¯t believe it, as the achievement seemed too exaggerated. Moreover, their prince was deemed incompetent, and the military forces of North City were also not impressive. The limited military forces of North City capable of slaughtering two hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe? Even in dreams that didn¡¯t happen! However, when the common folk saw the convoy of the Prince¡¯s Mansion really leaving Anping City, preparing to head north, they suddenly felt that North Prince must have achieved great military success in Yan County. Even if they hadn¡¯t slaughtered two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Tribe, they likely held off the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s attack, or perhaps the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s forces had already left North City. Otherwise, how could the Queen and the others possibly head north at this time? The common people who had followed North Prince Mansion south were now again picking up their belongings and following North Prince Mansion northward. In the eyes of the common folk, North Prince wouldn¡¯t allow his women to be in danger. Since the Queen was heading north, it was certain that the crisis in North City had been resolved. As for slaying two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Tribe and capturing another hundred thousand¡ªthat was something to be taken with a pinch of salt and enjoyed as a pleasant fiction. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Chapter 121: Good News Arrives in the Capital City_i Chapter 125: Chapter 121: Good News Arrives in the Capital City_i Translator: 549690339 | When the convoy from the North Prince Mansion left Anping City, some people from the Prince¡¯s Mansion were actually a bit tense, as they all worried that the cavalry outside of Anping City were actually the cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe. However, once they left the city gate, they saw that the cavalry was still stationed in place, keeping guard, and had not done anything to the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s convoy; only then did everyone feel relieved. At this time, the curtain of a carriage within the convoy was lifted, and Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong carefully examined the heavy cavalry dressed in black armor through the carriage window. Seeing that the commander leading the troops was a Grandmaster, Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyebrows slightly lifted. Then, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°These people indeed do not look like those from the Barbarian Tribe, but they also do not resemble the heavy cavalry of Great Xia.¡± Chen Wanrong did not speak; she, of course, also noticed this point. The Barbarians and the people of Great Xia have some differences that make them easy to distinguish. The soldiers of this cavalry looked very much like people of Great Xia, but Great Xia apparently did not have heavy cavalry with black standard-issue armor. The heavy cavalry of Great Xia used silver gleaming armor, not black, so it was very likely that these heavy cavalry were not those of Great Xia either. This was strange. A heavy cavalry force of five thousand men, neither belonging to the Barbarian Tribe nor to Great Xia, where did they emerge from? Could the North Prince manifest an army out of thin air? Lin Wanyun again put forth a bold conjecture, ¡°Could these cavalry be from another dynasty?¡± Since they were not from Great Xia, nor from the Barbarian Tribe, and certainly not from North City, then there was only one other possibility, these cavalry were foreign reinforcements invited by the North Prince from another dynasty! At this time, Chen Wanrong softly said, ¡°Madam Lin, the Barbarian Tribe is to the north, Great Jue to the west, Great Xia to the south, and the great ocean to the east.¡± Chen Wanrong did not directly deny Lin Wanyun¡¯s conjecture, but her words clearly indicated that Lin Wanyun¡¯s guess was also unlikely. Firstly, besides Great Xia, the only dynasty bordering North City, the Da Yue Dynasty, did not have heavy cavalry; they were so poor they could barely survive, let alone lend heavy cavalry to North City. If this cavalry truly were borrowed by the North Prince from another dynasty, they would necessarily have to pass through either Great Xia or Great Jue. A heavy cavalry of five thousand men passing through any dynasty would certainly attract attention. This was fully armored heavy cavalry, not merely a force of five thousand regular soldiers; as soon as heavy cavalry were deployed, the surrounding countries or dynasties would quickly become aware of the movement of heavy cavalry. The North Prince surely couldn¡¯t have covertly transported this heavy cavalry force to North City across the sea, could he? Just at this moment, the commander of the Black Cavalry suddenly left the formation and headed straight for the convoy. Seeing this scene, Lin Wanyun immediately became nervous. The commander of this cavalry seemed extraordinary, as if he were a ferocious soldier who had stepped out of the underworld, his body laden with a heavy murderous aura, signifying the countless lives he must have taken. Fortunately, the Grandmaster level commander did not come to their carriage but instead went to the carriage of Queen Mu Zixuan. General Xuanyuan Chen dismounted and knelt in front of Mu Zixuan¡¯s carriage, saying, ¡°This lowly general, Xuanyuan Chen, pays his respects to the Queen!¡± Watching through the carriage window, Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°General Xuanyuan, please rise quickly!¡± At this moment, those in the carriages in front of and behind Mu Zixuan opened their curtains, poking their heads slightly out of the windows to look towards Mu Zixuan¡¯s side. After Xuanyuan Chen said ¡°Thank You, Queen,¡± he stood up from the ground. Curiously, Mu Zixuan then asked, ¡°General Xuanyuan, I heard that the Prince led the soldiers of North City to slay two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers, is this true?¡± Xuanyuan Chen immediately replied, ¡°In response to the Queen, this matter is absolutely true.¡± ¡°Not only that, we have also captured one hundred thousand soldiers of the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Upon hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s reply, Chu Qingli, originally expressionless inside her carriage, couldn¡¯t help but frown. From Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s attitude towards Mu Zixuan, it was as if Xuanyuan Chen truly was a general under the North Prince¡¯s command? Even if the Barbarian Tribe intended to deceive the Queen into heading north, now that the convoy of the North Prince Mansion had already left the city, they would have no need to continue the charade. Moreover, this appeared to be a General of Master Level. Chu Qingli could sense the killing intent on him and the daunting aura of a Martial Artist. Did a Grandmaster level Barbarian Tribe general need to act in front of the Queen of the North Prince? ¡°The warriors of the Barbarian Tribe¡± typically do not kneel to women, this was common knowledge even the people of Great Xia were aware of. But just now, Xuanyuan Chen knelt before Mu Zixuan, proving that Xuanyuan Chen was very likely not a general of the Barbarian Tribe. Chu Qingli¡¯s heart grew cold. She had been ready to flee with her sister, but then Xuanyuan Chen knelt directly in front of the Queen. Also surprised were Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong. The moment Xuanyuan Chen knelt before the Queen of the North Prince, it signified that the heavy cavalry belonged to the North Prince Mansion, otherwise, the general would not perform a half-kneel ritual before the Queen. ¡°In this era,¡± generally only soldiers who especially acknowledge a female head would perform a half-kneel in front of her. Speaking plainly, if Xuanyuan Chen had only acknowledged the North Prince, he had no need to offer a half-kneel to Mu Zixuan. Other generals of Great Xia, upon meeting Mu Zixuan, likewise did not need to offer a half-kneel but merely needed to bow and salute. By performing this ritual, it was to some extent as though he was saying, ¡°Seeing the Queen of the North Prince is as though I am seeing the North Prince.¡± At this time, Chen Wanrong murmured to herself, ¡°It seems the entire Great Xia has been deceived by the North Prince.¡± Lin Wanyun said worriedly, ¡°Palace Master, we should just leave North City directly. The North Prince is no fool; he must have realized that we are getting close to him with ulterior motives.¡± That the North Prince has amassed such a huge force in secret is enough to show his deep scheming. How could such a person not see that the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s approach is purposeful? If the North Prince learns that the Mysterious Moon Palace intends to control him with the Love Worm, he might deal with them harshly. At this time, Chen Wanrong spoke, ¡°People are easier to control when they have desires. He has amassed such an enormous force, surely for that position in the Capital city.¡± ¡°The Mysterious Moon Palace should indeed help him at this time.¡± Lin Wanyun instantly understood Chen Wanrong¡¯s meaning¡ªChen Wanrong intended to use Lu Chen as a puppet and have him fight a life or death battle with the Sum Emperor, allowing the Mysterious Moon Palace to reap the benefits in the end. Chen Wanrong¡¯s idea was simple: since the North Prince had already accumulated such a tremendous force, they should first control him, and then let him and the Sum Emperor duke it out. This would not interfere with their use of Lu Chen to refine the Subtle Dragon Spell either. Originally, Lu Chen was only valuable for refining the Subtle Dragon Spell, but now, in Chen Wanrong¡¯s mind, his value had risen to a new height. After hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun sighed inwardly and said no more. At that moment, the caravan continued onward. The Great Xia Dynasty. Capital city, Xuanzheng Hall. Today, as usual, the Sum Emperor was again in a thunderous rage in the court. ¡°You¡¯ve been investigating for so long and still haven¡¯t found a trace of the assassin, what use is the Ministry of Criminal Justice to Me!!!¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s bellow, officials from the Ministry of Criminal Justice shivered and didn¡¯t dare to breathe a word. The Sum Emperor had given the Ministry only a few days to investigate the massacre at Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence. Days had passed, and they hadn¡¯t found a bit of news about the assassin. Later, who knows who the brilliant one was who framed an assassin from Blood Moon Tower, alleging that the assassin harbored hatred against Prince Lu Shuyun and thus sought to kill him. But the Sum Emperor was not so easily duped; he soon received news that the Tower Master of Blood Moon Tower had already died in North City. Although it was unclear how he died, the existence of Blood Moon Tower in the Capital city was now in name only. Obviously, the Ministry of Criminal Justice had not found the real assassin, so they pinned the blame on Blood Moon Tower. Afterward, the Sum Emperor disposed of a group of officials from the Ministry and gave the remaining officials some more time to continue the investigation. Yet, there was still no trace to be found. The Ministry officials were all aware of the conflict between the North Prince and Prince Lu Shuyun, but the North Prince was useless; they couldn¡¯t just push the blame onto him. If they were to shift the blame onto the North Prince, they feared it would only incite further rage from the Sum Emperor. Just then, Left Minister Lin Gaoyuan said through gritted teeth, ¡°Your Majesty, finding the assassin who attempted to kill Prince Lu Shuyun is certainly important, but the current situation in the North Land is of the utmost importance.¡± Lin Gaoyuan cared more about the situation in the North Land than anyone else in the court, as his own son was the one leading the troops to battle. Upon hearing Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s reminder, the Sum Emperor calmed his emotions and then said to the officials from the Ministry of Criminal Justice, ¡°I will give you three more days. If you still can¡¯t find anything, you¡¯ll have to consider the consequences.¡± At this point, the Sum Emperor was ready to sit down when suddenly, a soldier¡¯s voice came from outside Xuanzheng Hall. ¡°Victory in the North Land!!!¡± Upon hearing this, the ministers within Xuanzheng Hall were all stunned. A great victory? How could there be a great victory at this time? The Capital¡¯s seventy thousand soldiers, along with the handful of old, weak, and sick from North City¡ªmerely holding North City would have been an impressive feat. How could there possibly be a great victory? It was obvious that the frontline generals were fabricating the good news to falsely report military achievements. Thinking that the person leading the troops to the north was the son of Left Minister Lin Gaoyuan, those associated with Right Minister Zhao Wenhan swallowed hard and moistened their throats, immediately preparing to impeach Lin Xiuming for falsifying military reports. However, when the Red Ribbon Messenger entered the hall, one statement from the messenger silenced the entire court, plunging it into a deathly quiet. After entering Xuanzheng Hall, the Red Ribbon Messenger immediately knelt down, holding up the battle report with both hands and shouting with all his might, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Prince led the soldiers of North City in a valiant battle, slaying two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers and capturing another one hundred thousand!¡± Upon hearing this, it was like a bomb had dropped; the entire court erupted with commotion. All the ministers were dumbstruck. They had seen falsified battle reports, but they had never seen one so blatantly fabricated! Slaying two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Tribe? What a joke! The mere forces from North City were already doing well just to withstand the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s invasion. And now to claim they had slain two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers? It would be more believable if two hundred thousand civilians had been slaughtered by the Barbarian Tribe! Who on earth wrote this battle report? This was not a battle report; this was akin to involving one¡¯s ten clans in the matter! Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 122: Sum Ancestor Climbs Out of the Imperial Mausoleum???_i Chapter 126: Chapter 122: Sum Ancestor Climbs Out of the Imperial Mausoleum???_i Translator: 549690339 For the ministers in the court, to what extent had the Red Ribbon Messenger¡¯s military report become fake? It had become so fake that they all dared not even open their mouths to question it! This was the first time in the history of Great Sum that someone had dared to report such a fake military report. If the Red Ribbon Messenger¡¯s report had claimed they killed tens of thousands and defeated the Barbarian Tribe, right now the ministers of Right Minister Zhao Wenhan¡¯s faction might have already started impeaching Lin Xiuming, accusing him of falsely reporting military achievements. But to say that the North Prince had slain two hundred thousand barbarians¡­ With such an obviously fake report, did they even need to impeach him? They didn¡¯t even dare to speak. This was not twenty thousand; it was two hundred thousand! And just now the Red Ribbon Messenger also claimed that North City captured a hundred thousand barbarian soldiers. What did this indicate? To a certain extent, it indicated that North City had annihilated the entire barbarian army of three hundred thousand marching south! If the North Prince truly accomplished this, then his contribution would already be on par with the Sum Emperor, and it could even be said that he overshadowed his sovereign! But was that possible? What kind of person was the North Prince, and who in the Capital city didn¡¯t know? That weak, incapable, greedy, and lustful waste could lead the army of North City to annihilate a barbarian army of three hundred thousand? What a joke! Why didn¡¯t the report say that Sum Ancestor climbed out from his mausoleum and killed two hundred thousand barbarians? If you said Sum Ancestor climbed out from his tomb, perhaps some would believe this military report to be true. At this moment, the entire court was silent; one could even hear people breathing. It took who knows how long before the court eunuch finally came to his senses. He stumbled over to the Red Ribbon Messenger, took the military report, and then proceeded to the Emperor, delivering the report to him. At this moment, the Emperor¡¯s face was dark, his complexion extremely unsightly. This was the fakest military report he had ever heard. He truly couldn¡¯t believe how Lin Xiuming dared to send back such a false military report to the Capital city. Even though Lin Xiuming¡¯s father was the Prime Minister of the court, no one could save him for fabricating such a blatantly false report, not even if Lin Gaoyuan was the Prime Minister. Lin Gaoyuan couldn¡¯t only not save his son Lin Xiuming; rather, his entire household was likely to be implicated by Lin Xiuming¡¯s actions. Seeing the military report handed over by the eunuch, the Sum Emperor came back to his senses. He promptly picked up the report and directly started to read it. Even if the report was false, he had to seriously read it; he wanted to see what Lin Xiuming was up to. As the Emperor started to carefully read the report, all the ministers¡¯ gazes were fixed on his face, eager to see his reaction. At this moment, some people in the court had begun to take pleasure in Lin Xiuming¡¯s misfortune. They had been pondering ways to take down Lin Gaoyuan and had not expected Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s son to make a mistake so quickly. And it was the mistake of falsely reporting military intelligence! Most importantly, this was military information that couldn¡¯t be faker! This time, even if the Lin Family were not exterminated and their property confiscated, they would at least be exiled, right? Using a Red Ribbon Messenger to report such a terrible fake piece of military intelligence, the Emperor simply could not overlook Lin Xiuming¡¯s action. Meanwhile. Lin Gaoyuan in the great hall was already sweating profusely; he had never dreamed that his own son would make such a grave mistake. Reporting false military intelligence was one thing, but to fabricate such an exaggerated report¡­ how could anyone believe it? Was he taking everyone to be a fool? Lin Gaoyuan couldn¡¯t help but think, his son shouldn¡¯t be that kind of person, so what was going on with this military report? Could it have been tampered with? Was someone out to harm the Lin Family? This seemed not entirely impossible. Once this thought occurred to him, Lin Gaoyuan immediately knelt down, ¡°Your Majesty, I have failed in educating my son and am willing to accept punishment!¡± In front of the Emperor, whether you are right or wrong, it¡¯s better to kneel and admit your mistake first. Admitting wrong could give a glimmer of hope; but if you were stubborn, what awaited the Lin Family could only be a fate like that of the Duke Mu Residence. At this moment, the Emperor paid no attention to Lin Gaoyuan. His gaze was still fixed on the military report in his hands. After flipping through the report for quite a while, the Emperor finally handed it to the eunuch and said, ¡°Read it out loud!¡± The eunuch nearby, trembling, took the military report and began to read aloud. ¡°On the seventh day of the twelfth month, I led a force of seventy thousand to Yan County, where the battle had already ended. The North Prince had fought bravely, commanding several tens of thousands of soldiers from North City to slay two hundred thousand of the barbarian tribe overnight and capture over a hundred thousand more. In Wanning Valley, barbarian corpses littered the fields, and their blood dyed the entire Wanning River red. As I learned, during the attack on Yan County, the Sky Wolf King of the Barbarians was shot dead by an arrow from the North Prince. Three days later, the North Prince will send someone to deliver the head of the Sky Wolf King to the Capital city.¡± Lin Xiuming¡¯s military report was rather simple, just describing the military achievements of North City. As the eunuch finished reading the military report, the ministers in the court were instantly dumbfounded. When they previously heard the Red Ribbon Messenger say that the North Prince led the soldiers of North City to kill two hundred thousand barbarians, they thought ¡°the soldiers of North City¡± meant that the North Prince led the Imperial forces and then added North City¡¯s troops, which could total over a hundred thousand. But according to Lin Xiuming¡¯s report, the Imperial army had not yet arrived at Yan County when the North Prince defeated the barbarian army of three hundred thousand with just North City¡¯s troops??? That means the Imperial Army of seventy thousand didn¡¯t even play a role??? Not even liberating the auxiliary forces??? What a joke! The handful of troops from North City could defeat a barbarian army of three hundred thousand? So Sum Ancestor has really risen from his mausoleum, is that it? Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 122: Sum Ancestor Climbs Out of the Imperial Mausoleum???_2 Chapter 127: Chapter 122: Sum Ancestor Climbs Out of the Imperial Mausoleum???_2 Translator: 549690339 | For a moment, the court ministers were dumbfounded. If the North Prince, that incompetent, had such ability, he might as well already be the Crown Prince by now, and he would not be in North City but atop the court and even standing at the forefront of all officials. A worthless prince being able to hold North City would have been more than enough, and now they were actually saying that he led the troops of North City to defeat the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand. Moreover, according to the battle report, they killed two hundred thousand barbarians overnight, which clearly was an overwhelming victory! What¡¯s most absurd was the battle report mentioning that the North Prince shot and killed the Sky Wolf King of the Barbarian Tribe with a single arrow!!! Although people were not very familiar with the current Sky Wolf King, the officials knew that at least every Sky Wolf King would be at the Master Realm. The North Prince, who couldn¡¯t even truss a chicken, who had been hollowed out by wine and lust, was able to shoot and kill a Grandmaster with one arrow? Bluffing shouldn¡¯t be this ludicrous!!! Although the officials were all stunned by this battle report, at this moment, one person breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Gaoyuan thought to himself, fortunately, Lin Xiuming did not take all these military credits for himself, but pushed them all onto the North Prince instead. Even if Lin Xiuming lied about the military situation, he would not be punished too severely, and they could also push everything onto the North Prince. After all, when Lin Xiuming arrived at North City, he was to be controlled by the North Prince. Once Lin Xiuming returned, he could fully claim that the battle reports were forced by the North Prince. Although the royal family might have Lin Xiuming take the blame to preserve the royal face, as a general and also the son of the Prime Minister, the Sum Emperor would likely punish him lightly, considering the stability of the court. After the eunuch had finished reading the battle report, the entire court was still silent as death, the officials looked at each other, no one daring to speak out. They also didn¡¯t know what they should say at this time. Such a fabricated battle report, no one believed it, nor would the Sum Emperor possibly believe it. The Sum Emperor at this time was likely already in a towering rage, and if they said anything now, it might very well provoke the Sum Emperor¡¯s ire; they did not want to take that risk at this time. At this moment, the Sum Emperor stood on the Dragon Platform, looking down at the ministers with an indifferent gaze. Seeing the ministers still as cicadas in winter, the Sum Emperor coldly said, ¡°Usually you all argue non-stop in the court, how come today you¡¯ve all turned mute?¡± No minister spoke up after the Sum Emperor dropped his words, not even the princes, and not even Prince Lu Shuyun, who was hostile towards Lu Chen, said a word. All of them simply bowed their heads, quietly waiting. They were waiting, and so was the Sum Emperor. They were waiting for the Sum Emperor to speak about how to deal with this matter. And what was the Sum Emperor waiting for? He was waiting for another battle report. In the imperial army, there was a Military Supervisor, generally a eunuch trusted by the Sum Emperor. Besides the eunuch, there were Shadow Guards, and he was also waiting for news from the Shadow Guards. Lin Xiuming¡¯s battle report was so shocking that even the Sum Emperor doubted its authenticity. If Lin Xiuming had claimed to have killed tens of thousands of barbarian soldiers, with the others fleeing in disarray, he might still believe Lm Xiuming was exaggerating his military achievements. But to claim twenty thousand barbarians were slain bordered on absurdity, it was so false it couldn¡¯t possibly be true. Lin Xiuming wasn¡¯t writing a battle report, he was writing fantasy! At this moment, the atmosphere in the great hall was exceptionally oppressive, and people could even hear their own thudding heartbeats. After who knows how long, finally a voice broke the silence outside the great hall. ¡°North City has achieved a great victory!!!¡± Hearing this voice, the ministers¡¯ hearts skipped a beat. Generally speaking, the first battle report is sent by the front-line general, and the second is from the Military Supervisor. Although the Military Supervisor and general are both on the front line, they do not see face to face. The Military Supervisor represents the eyes of the Emperor. Although there are occasional collusions between Military Supervisors and generals, such cases are rare in Great Sum because the eunuchs are very aware of how powerful the Shadow Guards beside the Sum Emperor are; most Supervisors dare not conspire with front-line generals. The first battle report was of a great victory; the second one from the Military Supervisor also mentioned a great victory??? Does that not mean that North City truly achieved remarkable battle results? How could this be possible? Could it be that Lin Xiuming¡¯s battle report was true? No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!!! They would rather believe that the Sum Ancestor had crawled out of the imperial tomb than believe the North Prince was capable of such a feat!!! Soon, the Red Ribbon Messenger sent by the Military Supervisor arrived in the great hall. He knelt on the ground and loudly proclaimed, ¡°Great victory in North City! The North Prince led the soldiers of North City, fought valiantly, and slew countless enemies! He has elevated the might of our Great Sum Country!!!¡± This time, the Red Ribbon Messenger did not specify the number of slain Barbarian Tribe soldiers, but from the second Red Ribbon Messenger¡¯s words, it was basically possible to judge that North City had truly achieved a great victory! The ministers nearly dropped their jaws in shock-had North City truly had a great victory? Had the Barbarian Tribe become so weak? However, it didn¡¯t take long for the ministers to recover. Killing a thousand Barbarian soldiers could be considered a great victory, as could killing ten thousand Barbarian soldiers! The second Red Ribbon Messenger did not mention how many Barbarian Tribe soldiers were killed this time, so it couldn¡¯t prove Lin Xiuming¡¯s battle report was true. Perhaps Lin Xiuming had really exaggerated the number of dead Barbarian soldiers! Moreover, Lin Xiuming said that the war had ended before they even reached Van County; what kind of great victory could the North Prince have achieved with his meager troops? It would be good enough if they managed to kill a few thousand Barbarian soldiers. At this moment, an eunuch quickly took the battle report from the second Red Ribbon Messenger at the foot of the Dragon Platform, then walked over to the Sum Emperor and handed it to him. The Sum Emperor did not hesitate to pick up the battle report and read it carefully. At this time, the ministers once again looked up, watching the Emperor¡¯s face, wanting to see how angry he would become. However, the scenario the ministers had anticipated did not occur. As the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes moved across the battle report, his brows furrowed more and more, quickly forming a ¡°JU¡± character. At this moment, the ministers did not see anger on the Sum Emperor¡¯s face; his expression showed more shock, confusion, and puzzlement. This time, the Sum Emperor did not have the eunuch read the battle report aloud. Unlike Lin Xiuming¡¯s concise report, the Military Supervisor accompanying the troops had described in detail what they had seen in their report. The Military Supervisor stated he saw Barbarian corpses everywhere, which matched Lin Xiuming¡¯s report, and he also mentioned in the battle report that he saw North City possessing at least fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Upon reading this, the Sum Emperor instantly felt that something was amiss. Where had these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry come from? just then, a Shadow Guard clad in black armor suddenly appeared at the foot of the Dragon Platform, and the ministers didn¡¯t know how he had arrived. Under normal circumstances, the Shadow Guards would not appear in the court; they would report to the Sum Emperor in private after the court session had ended. Unless it was a matter of great importance! At this point, the Shadow Guard spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, an urgent report from North City!¡± The eunuch immediately took the report from the Shadow Guard and presented it to the Sum Emperor. After reading the Shadow Guard¡¯s report, the Sum Emperor felt completely uneasy. From Lin Xiuming¡¯s battle report, to the Military Supervisor¡¯s report, and finally the Shadow Guard¡¯s intelligence, all had confirmed that the North Prince indeed had a force of nearly fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry and that the North Prince was no ordinary man. As for the matter of killing two hundred thousand Barbarians and capturing over a hundred thousand Barbarian prisoners, that was naturally true as well. The Sum Emperor suddenly felt that his worldview had been seriously shaken. His least favored son was now becoming his biggest threat? Seeing the Sum Emperor¡¯s grim expression, Right Minister Zhao Wenhan could no longer stay silent. He tentatively asked, ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask what the second battle report says?¡± Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s voice, the Sum Emperor came back to his senses. He adjusted his emotions and once again his expression turned icy cold. ¡°After corroboration from multiple sources, it is confirmed that the North Prince indeed led the army of North City, slaughtered two hundred thousand Barbarians, and captured an additional hundred thousand or more as prisoners.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the entire court exploded into turmoil. My heavens!!! So it¡¯s true!!! How is this possible!!! The North Prince, that good-for-nothing, has actually achieved the greatest military feat in the history of Great Sum!!! Not even the Sum Emperor himself had achieved such a feat when battling Chen Nation!!! And the North Prince was up against a Barbarian Army of three hundred thousand-a force whose combat power was generally stronger than Great Sum¡¯s! With the mere troops of North City, how had the North Prince managed to defeat the Barbarians!!! Could it be that the Sum Ancestor really crawled out of the imperial tomb and helped the North Prince defend Yan County??? Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 123 Why is everyone mute today?_1 Chapter 128: Chapter 123 Why is everyone mute today?_1 Translator: 549690339 | After hearing what the Sum Emperor had to say, all the ministers couldn¡¯t believe it because it completely overturned their understanding of the situation. Even if the North Prince wasn¡¯t useless, with the meager soldiers of North City, defending Yan County would be very difficult. And now they were being told that not only had the North Prince managed to hold Yan County, but he had also annihilated the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand!!! Who would believe that? At this moment, the princes at the court were utterly dumbfounded!!! Wasn¡¯t Prince Lu Chen supposed to be the most worthless among them, his body hollowed out by alcohol and women? Could he really lead the meager soldiers of North City to defeat the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand? Was this something this waste could accomplish??? Everyone at the court began to wonder if they were still dreaming, which is why they were witnessing such an absurd event. The court was comprised of people from Great Sum, who should have been overjoyed to hear such a world-shaking report of victory, but at the moment, not a single person in the court could feel happy. If what the Sum Emperor had said was true and could be confirmed, then it would mean Great Sum was about to undergo a massive change!!! Slain were two hundred thousand of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s warriors, with an additional hundred thousand captured¡ªthis achievement was comparable to the Sum Emperor¡¯s own feat of annihilating Chen Nation! With such a great merit, who would dare deny the North Prince the position of Crown Prince? The North Prince¡¯s achievement had even reached the level of overshadowing his sovereign! At that moment, everyone had one question on their minds: how exactly did the North Prince do it? Secondly, the ministers were very worried; the North Prince, who had always been deemed useless by them, couldn¡¯t really return to the Capital city to become the Crown Prince, could he? In the court, there was a faction for Prince Lu Shuyun and one for Prince Lu Yi, as well as other princes¡¯ power bases, but there were no officials from Prince Lu Chen¡¯s faction. Now even the officials from the Chu Family at court were with Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s faction. And at this time, they were being told that Prince Lu Chen might return to the Capital city to become the Crown Prince! This was like throwing all the ministers¡¯ investments down the drain. They absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing to happen. Seeing on the ministers¡¯ faces disbelief or, rather, unwillingness to believe, the Sum Emperor continued, ¡°According to various reports, the North Prince has at least fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry at his disposal; a few days ago, the North Prince sent five thousand Heavy Cavalry southward to bring back his wives, concubines, and children to Yan County.¡± As the Sum Emperor spoke these words, the court exploded once again. Fifty¡­ fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry??? How could that be possible!!! How could the North Prince possibly have so many Heavy Cavalry!!! The ministers knew all too well what Heavy Cavalry represented. When the Sum Ancestor was conquering the land, three thousand Heavy Cavalry chased down an army of a hundred thousand peasant soldiers. Now the entire Great Sum only had twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Heavy Cavalry required a vast amount of resources; each cavalryman needed at least three high-quality horses. Besides horses, the most important thing for Heavy Cavalry was their armor. It might take a craftsman a month to make a set of Heavy Cavalry armor, at least three months at the minimum. How could the North Prince have fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry when he had been in North City for such a short time? What did having fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry imply? It meant that the North Prince could declare independence from Great Sum and proclaim himself emperor without any problem! And if the North Prince truly had a hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe prisoners, it would mean that even if the court knew of his possible intent to rebel, at this moment they would still not dare to act against him; instead, they would have to prioritize appeasement. Logically, the North Prince hadn¡¯t had the time or resources to build fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, so where did they come from? Since intelligence from various sources has already confirmed the existence of these 50,000 heavy cavalry, the issue has indeed become critical. Once the North Prince displays his 50,000 heavy cavalry, it means that he is not only capable of rebellion but also possesses the intention to rebel. Within Great Sum¡¯s borders, especially when the Sum Emperor curtails the power of the regional kings each year, for a Seignior to build up 50,000 heavy cavalry can only mean an intent to rebel, can it not? At that moment, Zhao Wenhan could no longer hold back and directly asked, ¡°Your Majesty, may your servant boldly ask if it¡¯s true that the North Prince has 50,000 heavy cavalry?¡± The Sum Emperor replied coldly, ¡°This intelligence was relayed back by General Wang and has also been confirmed by my Shadow Guard.¡± Hearing this, the ministers all gasped in shock. Does this mean that the report is true? The North Prince actually has 50,000 heavy cavalry? No wonder the previous battle report mentioned that the North Prince led the soldiers of North City to slaughter 200,000 members of the Barbarian Tribe overnight! However, come to think of it, North City certainly cannot be so simple as to only have 50,000 heavy cavalry. Heavy cavalry hold overwhelming advantage against infantry, especially conscripted peasants, but their superiority is not as clear against the cavalry of the Barbarian Tribe and might even be at a disadvantage. Because heavy cavalry are clumsier than the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s light cavalry, making it difficult to catch up with them. If the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s soldiers wanted to flee, they could do so with ease. If the battle report about the North Prince leading his soldiers and slaying 200,000 Barbarian Tribe soldiers is true, then there must be something else in the North Prince¡¯s hands. As for whether this ¡®something¡¯ is weapons or an army, that is hard to say. At this moment, the imperial court fell into the silence of death once more. Logically, some should now impeach the North Prince for contemplating rebellion, but the timing of North City¡¯s heavy cavalry¡¯s emergence was just too perfect, coinciding with the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s 300,000 soldiers marching southward. Just as the North Prince has led the soldiers of North City to defeat the Barbarian Tribe, if someone steps forward now to accuse the North Prince of plotting rebellion, wouldn¡¯t that be akin to seeking death? Who would dare accuse the North Prince at this time? This is the greatest military achievement since Great Sum¡¯s founding! Who can accuse the North Prince? Seeing that none of the ministers spoke up again, the Sum Emperor said coldly, ¡°What now, did none of you eat breakfast before coming to court, not even having the strength to speak? You¡¯re usually so lively, so why is everyone mute today?¡± No sooner had the Sum Emperor¡¯s words fallen than Zhao Wenhan immediately knelt down and then kowtowed to the Sum Emperor, saying, ¡°His Highness Prince Lu Chen, brave and adept at war, has led the soldiers of North City to slay 200,000 Barbarian Tribe soldiers and captured another 100,000. He is indeed the third person since the venerable Sum Ancestor to achieve such a feat. With such a significant contribution from His Highness Prince Lu Chen, rewarding him with ordinary things would certainly not be fitting. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow Prince Lu Chen to return to the Capital City and to establish him as the Crown Prince!¡± Hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, some ministers inwardly cursed him as a sly fox, well aware that the young and robust Sum Emperor has been reluctant to appoint a Crown Prince for fear of the Crown Prince harboring other ambitions. Zhao Wenhan¡¯s move to propose the appointment of a Crown Prince at this juncture was clearly not about making the North Prince the Crown Prince. He was simply trying to sicken the Sum Emperor and to sow discord between the Sum Emperor and the North Prince, his son. After hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor did not immediately reply, instead, he scanned the ministers in the court. He was waiting. Waiting for someone else to speak. Lin Gaoyuan, kneeling on the ground, instantly understood the Sum Emperor¡¯s intention and immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, although His Highness Prince Lu Chen has made a tremendous contribution, the matter of appointing a Crown Prince is of significant importance and should not be made hastily.¡± The Sum Emperor still did not speak; his gaze fell upon the several princes in front of him. At that moment, the princes were sweating profusely, not daring to breathe loudly. Especially Prince Lu Shuyun. He was utterly awake now. At last, he understood why each of his assassination attempts had failed and who was responsible for the massacre at his residence. This younger brother of theirs had hidden too deeply! He had deceived everyone in Great Sum! Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 124:1 Intend to Make Him Crown Princei Chapter 129: Chapter 124:1 Intend to Make Him Crown Princei Translator: 549690339 The Sum Emperor glanced over the crowd and, seeing that no one seemed to have anything more to say, he spoke up, ¡°The matter of the Crown Prince concerns the very foundation of our nation and requires careful deliberation. We shall not discuss it today.¡± Upon hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, Zhao Wenhan did not continue to speak either; he had only been talking for the sake of it, and besides, he could not possibly support the North Prince. There were only a few court officials who would support the North Prince. Ordinary princes, even those not involved in the struggle for succession, might have some interactions with the ministers, but the North Prince was an oddity; he had no dealings with any minister, so who would support him? Apart from the Chu Family possibly being tempted, the support base of the other princes remained largely unchanged. After all, the North Prince did have blood ties with the Chu Family, and although they now supported Prince Lu Shuyun, that was because Prince Lu Chen was initially too weak to stand on his own. Now that Prince Lu Chen had made such great military achievements, even to the point where his merits overshadowed his sovereign, how could they not be moved? They might even support Prince Lu Chen once again. Of course, this presented a significant challenge to the other princes. First and foremost, the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry from North City! Without addressing the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry of North City, the North Prince would forever be a sword hanging over their heads. Even if they seized the throne in the future, such a formidable military power in North City could just as likely dethrone them. Without eliminating the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, without eliminating the North Prince, no Prince could rest easy! Almost instantly, all the princes involved in the struggle for succession united on the same front ¡ª that the North Prince was their greatest threat and must be brought down. At this point, the Sum Emperor continued, ¡°My esteemed ministers, the North Prince has made such great contributions, how do you think the court should reward him?¡± In the end, the Sum Emperor still left the question to the ministers. The North Prince¡¯s merits were indeed too substantial; even the Sum Emperor himself was at a loss as to how he should be rewarded; the position of Crown Prince was definitely not an option. He had never intended to appoint a Crown Prince so soon, let alone one who was the North Prince, a prince of whom, he wasn¡¯t even certain whether he was his own child; how could he possibly make him the Crown Prince. After hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s question, the ministers looked at one another, unsure of what to do. The merit was simply too great; it seemed that only the position of the Crown Prince could match this achievement; any other reward would seem insignificant by comparison. But obviously, the Sum Emperor was not going to give the position of Crown Prince to the North Prince, so what should be used to reward the North Prince? Certainly, it couldn¡¯t be nothing. To give nothing would not sit well with the people of Great Sum if they were to find out, and it would be unjustifiable. After all, the North Prince had been killing the Barbarian Tribe! The same Barbarian Tribe with which the people of Great Sum had deep-seated hatred. How could the people of Great Sum accept it if the North Prince killed so many Barbarians, and yet the court showed no sign of acknowledgment? At this moment, Lin Gaoyuan spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that due to the North Prince¡¯s enormous achievements, ordinary rewards can no longer compare.¡± Hearing this, Zhao Wenhan immediately retorted, ¡°Prime Minister Lin, isn¡¯t that just stating the obvious? His Majesty needs a concrete reward, not to hear you rattling on pointlessly.¡± Lin Gaoyuan ignored Zhao Wenhan and continued, ¡°I believe the Order of Expansion could serve as a reward for the North Prince¡¯s contributions this time.¡± This statement caused an uproar in the court. The Order of Expansion, as the name suggests, means to expand territories. When Great Sum was founded, Sum Ancestor granted many seigniors with the Order of Expansion, and the territories they conquered belonged to those seigniors. But soon, subsequent emperors of Great Sum realized this posed a huge threat because some seigniors¡¯ territories were growing too large and were nearly surpassing the actual territories controlled by the Sum Emperor. After the efforts of several generations of Sum Emperors, the Order of Expansion was eventually abolished, and several wars even erupted as a result of abolishing it. To the current Sum Emperor, further reduction of seignior power was achieved; nowadays, seigniors are basically assigned to fiefs by the court, and even if they conquered territories from other nations, those belong to the court, to the Sum Emperor, seigniors have no right to claim them as their own. If the Order of Expansion were to be granted to the North Prince, then in the future, his territory in North City could expand indefinitely, provided he had the strength. For the court, this wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing; if the North Prince possessed too much territory, his power could likely increase further, posing an even greater threat to Great Sum. However¡­ Upon hearing Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s suggestion, the Sum Emperor did not immediately reject the idea because he found it somewhat useful. Once the North Prince held the Order of Expansion, he would likely wage wars to enlarge his territory. Wars require money and resources; they need to consume strength. Besides, the North Prince was in North City, and if he wanted to expand his territory, there was only one choice: to expand northward. The north was the realm of the Barbarian Tribe, which meant that the North Prince¡¯s wars against the Barbarian Tribe would continue. For Great Sum, this weakened North City¡¯s strength and also mitigated the threat posed to Great Sum by the southward advances of the Barbarian Tribe to some extent. It was a good strategy. Just that once the Order of Expansion was used, it would likely only be reclaimed through war or by making the North Prince the next Sum Emperor. Once the North Prince held the Order of Expansion and expanded territory, he would certainly not surrender the land to the court; there was no need to even think about this. Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: Chapter 124:1 Intend to Make Him Crown Prince_2 Chapter 130: Chapter 124:1 Intend to Make Him Crown Prince_2 Translator: 549690339 The Sum Emperor pondered for a moment. Then he said, ¡°Draft an edict: North Prince has slain 200,000 from the Barbarian Tribe, captured more than 100,000, and has shot the Sky Wolf King on the battlefield. For his great achievement, he is especially rewarded with two million taels of silver, 200,000 bolts of cloth, and the Order of Expansion.¡± Seeing the Sum Emperor simply awarding the Order of Expansion like that left the ministers somewhat flabbergasted. It had not been easy for the previous generations of Sum Emperors to reclaim the Order, and now the current one was giving it away again. However, at this time, none of the ministers said anything because, compared to the Order of Expansion, people were more concerned with the position of Crown Prince. If they could exchange the Order for the position of Crown Prince, then they would still find it acceptable. After all, the north was the territory of the Barbarian Tribe, and the North Prince could only expand his territory further north. If he moved south, it would not be expanding his territory, but rebelling. As long as North Prince did not become Crown Prince, everything was negotiable, and there was no issue with giving him the Order of Expansion. At the same time. At the northern gate of the Capital city, a soldier bearing a small red flag was loudly shouting while riding a horse: ¡°Great victory in North City!!!¡± North Prince led the soldiers of North City to slay 200,000 of the Barbarian Tribe and captured another 100,000!!!¡± The soldier rode his horse towards the direction of the Imperial Palace, shouting as he went. This kind of great victory had to be shouted out, it had to be let known to the common people. It¡¯s just that Lin Xiuming and the Military Supervisor had instructed the Red Ribbon Messengers before dispatching them not to shout it out in the Capital city and to wait until they reached the Imperial Palace. Because the merits of North Prince were too significant, it was best for the common people to find out after the royal court had discussed and decided on how to reward North Prince. Otherwise, public opinion could definitely exert some pressure on the royal court. But Lu Chen didn¡¯t think so much about it. He figured that the common people were bound to learn of it sooner or later anyway, so he dispatched the Red Ribbon Messenger, instructing him to shout vigorously along the way and even specially prepared dozens of water bottles for him. Only when the common people of the Great Sum knew about North Prince slaying 200,000 from the Barbarian Tribe in North City would the royal court not dare to do anything to him. Such a great achievement, if the royal court did not reward him but thought instead of reducing his fief or accusing him of rebellion, it would surely lose the hearts of the people. At this moment, the common people of the Capital city, hearing the war report from the Red Ribbon Messenger, were stunned. Had they heard wrong? North Prince led the soldiers of North City to slay 200,000 of the Barbarian Army? Was it true? Wasn¡¯t North Prince a useless Prince? An effete Prince, his body hollowed out by indulgence in wine and women, could obtain such military exploits? This was so outrageous they dared not doubt its falsehood. Although the common people lacked political acumen, they were also aware that a war report so outrageously fake was actually unlikely to be false, because no one would dare transmit such a blatantly false report. Moreover, it was a message brought back to the Capital city by the Red Ribbon Messenger! For a time, all the common people in the Capital city were in a frenzy. Of course, most commoners were questioning the authenticity of the news. After all, the news seemed too preposterous to believe. A universally recognized useless person, merely changing his location, had undergone such a dramatic transformation¡ªit was obviously impossible. At the same time within the Capital city, spies from other nations or dynasties also heard the news delivered by the Red Ribbon Messenger. Although they were highly skeptical, their reaction was not the same as that of the common people. Upon hearing the news from the Red Ribbon Messenger, spies from other countries immediately made use of various connections to inquire about the movements on the high court. Those ministers would surely know if the event was true or not. Soon, spies from other countries found out that the war report delivered by the Red Ribbon Messenger was indeed true, which dumbfounded them. Having collected intelligence in the Great Xia Dynasty for so many years, they had never considered North Prince seriously, dismissing him as just a useless Prince not worth understanding. Such a worthless prince was never expected to become the Crown Prince of the Great Xia Dynasty. The result¡­ Once the war report was confirmed, it meant that all the intelligence they had collected about North Prince over the years was false. They had all been deceived by North Prince, who turned out to be the most promising and cunning Prince of Great Xia! Although some found it hard to accept this reality, the spies from various countries quickly relayed the intelligence they had gathered about North Prince back to their respective capitals. At the same time. Imperial Palace, Royal Garden. After arriving at the pavilion where Situ Ce was, the Sum Emperor asked, ¡°The State Preceptor should already know everything, correct?¡± Situ Ce replied, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡± When Situ Ce learned about what North Prince had been doing in North City, just like everyone else, he couldn¡¯t believe it. But after a Shadow Guard showed him the intelligence they had gathered, he gradually came to accept the news. At this moment, Situ Ce said, ¡°Congratulations to Your Majesty for having Prince Lu Chen, such a brave and skilled warrior.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor coldly said, ¡°State Preceptor, are you mocking me?¡± Situ Ce immediately replied, ¡°This subject would not dare! ¡± The Sum Emperor snorted and then said, ¡°Chen really hid his capabilities deep enough. Fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, even the court can¡¯t afford to maintain so many Heavy Cavalry, yet somehow North City has suddenly produced fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, just like that!¡± At this time, Situ Ce said, ¡°Your Majesty, it looks like Vice Commander Bai¡¯s intelligence wasn¡¯t wrong. It is highly probable that Prince Lu Chen did not collaborate with Mysterious Moon Palace, because he simply doesn¡¯t need to rely on them.¡± The Sum Emperor then said, ¡°Has the State Preceptor not considered where Chen¡¯s Heavy Cavalry came from?¡± ¡°You should be well aware of what North City is like. He has only been there for a short while, so how could he possibly create fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry?¡± Situ Ce asked, ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty suspects Prince Lu Chen of collusion with other dynasties, and that these Heavy Cavalry came from another dynasty?¡± ¡°However, as far as I am aware, apart from Great Xia, North City only borders the Da Yue Dynasty. If such a large force of Heavy Cavalry had passed through Da Yue, the Shadow Guard would certainly have some information.¡± Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor fell silent. What Situ Ce said was right; Heavy Cavalry are of great interest to all major dynasties. Any dynasty using Heavy Cavalry would be known to the others, and it wouldn¡¯t go completely undetected. Furthermore, no dynasty would willingly give away fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to others; that¡¯s simply an impossibility. That leaves only one possibility left¡ªthat the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry truly were created by the North Prince. But no matter whether it¡¯s time or resources, North City couldn¡¯t possibly have manufactured fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Could it be that this son of mine can summon soldiers out of thin air? At that moment, Situ Ce said, ¡°Your Majesty, I think this could very well be a good thing for you.¡± The Sum Emperor asked, ¡°Why does the State Preceptor think so?¡± Situ Ce answered, ¡°You do not know the origin of these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, nor do the court ministers, nor the Aristocratic Families.¡± At these words from Situ Ce, it dawned on the Sum Emperor. It meant he could pretend that the North Prince was someone he had supported since, after all, no one else knew how the North Prince had come by the Heavy Cavalry. The North Prince was appointed by him to North City, and it could be said that it was thanks to the Sum Emperor himself that the North Prince could achieve the military exploits he has today. Therefore, the Sum Emperor might have known what kind of person the true North Prince was, and also known that the North Prince had always been concealing his true abilities. Assigning the North Prince to North City was likely part of an important mission. Perhaps all of this was the Sum Emperor¡¯s grand scheme! Creating Heavy Cavalry requires a lot of resources, and it is not something that can be done in a day or two. North City didn¡¯t have those resources, and right now in the entire Great Xia, only one person could support the North Prince having fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry! That would be none other than the current Sum Emperor! At this time, the Sum Emperor asked, ¡°The State Preceptor thinks I can use Chen¡¯s Heavy Cavalry to confound the Aristocratic Families?¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Currently, only you could enable North City to have fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. No family or dynasty could have the capability to do so, and it was also you who personally sent the North Prince to North City.¡± With hands clasped behind his back, the Sum Emperor stared at the lotus pond in front of him, deep in thought for a long time. The fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry of North City could indeed be of some use, but after utilizing them, the question of how to deal with them afterwards would be another troublesome matter. After a long while, the Sum Emperor spoke, ¡°State Preceptor, I need you to make a trip to North City.¡± Situ Ce, expecting this, immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°After you arrive in North City, tell Chen that I am considering making him the Crown Prince and hope he will not let me down.¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°Your servant understands.¡± The Sum Emperor then turned around and said, ¡°Very well, State Preceptor, prepare for your journey to North City.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. This old servant shall take his leave.¡± Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 125: Reunion with the Princess Consort_i Chapter 131: Chapter 125: Reunion with the Princess Consort_i Translator: 549690339 The North Prince, leading the soldiers of North City, had crushed the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry. This news quickly spread throughout the Great Sum from the Capital city, and at the same time, people heard about the Order of Expansion that the Sum Emperor had rewarded the North Prince with, confirming the authenticity of the North Prince¡¯s military achievements. Overnight, the citizens of the Great Sum changed their view of the North Prince. In everyone¡¯s eyes, the North Prince¡¯s former reputation for being uneducated and indulging in pleasure-seeking was all an act. The thought of the North Prince having issued a notice seeking a concubine made countless families start to scheme, wanting to marry their daughters off to the North Prince. Meanwhile, the rise of the North Prince also put immense pressure on the Great Sum¡¯s major Aristocratic Families, just as Situ Ce had speculated. Now, every Aristocratic Family considered the North Prince¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to actually be the Sum Emperor¡¯s private army. Because only the Sum Emperor had the ability to create fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in North City. To the Aristocratic Families, the North Prince was very likely a significant piece positioned by the Sum Emperor in North City; after all, without being granted the fiefdom of North City by the Sum Emperor, the North Prince would not have been able to achieve such military exploits. The fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry seemed like a sword hanging over the heads of the Aristocratic Families, unsettling all of them greatly. Within the core region of the Great Sum, the soldiers and the Aristocratic Families could essentially be bribed with money, and even though the Sum Emperor had reformed the military by revoking military power, some forces within the army still contained the influence of the major Aristocratic Families. But the soldiers from North City were different. The major Aristocratic Families didn¡¯t even know when the North Prince¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry came into existence, let alone bribing its soldiers, which is why they suspected that this army had been specially crafted by the Sum Emperor for the North Prince in North City. Because just beyond North City to the north lies the grasslands, a natural horse pasture perfectly suitable for horse breeding. Moreover, since the Aristocratic Families paid no attention to North City or the North Prince, the sudden emergence of a fifty thousand-strong Heavy Cavalry went completely unnoticed by them. And now, why would the Sum Emperor want the North Prince to reveal these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry? In the eyes of the Aristocratic Families, this was because the Sum Emperor was preparing to strike, so he first let these Heavy Cavalry sharpen their blades on the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army, and then intimidate the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum. Indeed, the effect of intimidation had been achieved. Since learning about the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in North City, the voice of Aristocratic Families at the court had significantly diminished, and furthermore, they became much more compliant over the next long while. Several days later. North City. The convoy of the North Prince Mansion slowly entered Yan County, and right now Lu Chen was waiting at the city gate. Not long after, the carriage bearing Mu Zixuan and the others entered the city gate. Seeing Lu Chen personally there to receive them, Mu Zixuan immediately had the coachman stop, then descended from the carriage and ran straight toward Lu Chen, throwing herself into his embrace. ¡°Prince, your concubine has finally seen you again!¡± At this moment, Dazhou and Xiaozhou also came down from the carriage and ran over to Lu Chen, nestling in his embrace. Lu Chen, with a smile, comforted them, ¡°Alright, alright, so many eyes are upon us. Let¡¯s talk more after we return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± On hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan and Dazhou/Xiaozhou¡¯s faces turned red instantly. Having not seen their man for so long, naturally, they were thinking of certain matters. As soon as Lu Chen said they would talk, they instantly understood what he meant. At this time, Chu Yuqin was watching Lu Chen from a distance and did not come closer. After all, her sister was right there watching, and if she approached, no one knew what Chu Qingli would say about her. If it had been another time, she would have gone straight over. Being stared at so intently by Chu Qingli, Chu Yuqin felt some pressure and a bit guilty. Seeing Chu Yuqin just looking at him from atop her steed, Lu Chen was suddenly perplexed. What was going on? Why had Chu Yuqin become so distant after being separated from him just once? Why wasn¡¯t she coming over to show him concern? If it had been before, Chu Yuqin would have stripped him bare to inspect his body thoroughly before she would have been assured. Right then, Lu Chen caught sight of the cold and detached woman beside Chu Yuqin. Seeing that woman, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. The woman¡¯s eyes were fixed on him, seemingly filled with animosity towards him? Lu Chen was somewhat bewildered. Who was this beautiful young woman? Why did she look as though she bore some deep grudge against him? What was she doing beside Chu Yuqin? Lu Chen immediately used the system to identify her. [Name: Chu Qingli] [Status: Adopted daughter of the Chu Family, an assassin trained by the Chu Family, Ninth Grade Martial Artist, 26 years old, Chu Yuqin¡¯s non-blood- related sister, who has an abnormal attachment to Chu Yuqin, believing Chu Yuqin belongs to her. She considers the North Prince to have stolen her sister, hence her antagonism toward the North Prince.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 50 (affected by the ongoing influence of Dragon and Phoenix Tea)] Seeing the system¡¯s introduction in front of him, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment; he realized why Chu Yuqin was behaving so out of character today, not approaching him. It was due to the consideration of her sister. But then again, Chu Qingli had also consumed Dragon and Phoenix Tea; his queen was truly thoughtful. Thinking of this, Lu Chen affectionately tousled Mu Zixuan¡¯s hair. Afterward, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion first, we can discuss everything later.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, all three ladies said no more. Following that, Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan and the others boarded the carriage together. Inside the carriage, Mu Zixuan asked with concern, ¡°Prince, are you injured?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°My love, rest assured, I am alright.¡± At this point, Lu Chen asked, ¡°By the way, did Miss Chen and her companions come to Yan County with you?¡± Lu Chen was a bit worried that Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun, knowing his true strength, would have run off. They were both women of extraordinary beauty with very high ratings, and naturally, he didn¡¯t want to miss out on them. Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°They came with us, they are sitting in the carriage behind.¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s answer, Lu Chen breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Mysterious Moon Palace hadn¡¯t given up on him yet, and that was for the best. At this moment, Mu Zixuan suddenly thought of something. She stole a glance at Lu Chen with the corners of her eyes before cautiously saying, ¡°Prince, your concubine made a mistake in Anping City.¡± Lu Chen asked in confusion, ¡°What mistake did you make?¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Your concubine gave the Dragon and Phoenix Tea to Madam Chu¡¯s sister to drink.¡± Instead of getting angry, Lu Chen actually showed a slight smile. Then, with his arms around Mu Zixuan¡¯s delicate body, he said, ¡°My beloved concubine is so dedicated in selecting concubines for me, how could that be a mistake.¡± Seeing Lu Chen say this, Mu Zixuan finally relaxed a bit. She had been worried that Lu Chen might not like Chu Qingli and that she had arbitrarily brought women back for him. Afterwards, Mu Zixuan nestled into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, just quietly staying there. Before long, they returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Once everyone had disembarked from the carriages, Lu Chen saw Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun again. With a smile, Lu Chen said to Chen Wanrong, ¡°Miss Chen, Madam Lin, I thought you might find North City too dangerous and never come back to Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Prince, we are aware of what happened in North City. With the Prince here, how could North City be dangerous? It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that Yan County is now the safest place in Great Sum.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Lin, you exaggerate. The safest place could only be the Capital city.¡± At this moment, Lin Wanyun seemed to remember something and continued, ¡°By the way, Prince, our Palace Master intends to open a tavern in Yan County. I wonder if that would be acceptable?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Chen Wanrong, then said, ¡°Miss Chen wants to open a tavern in Yan County? If it is to make money, shouldn¡¯t you open a tavern in the Capital city? Yan County isn¡¯t really a place to make money, is it?¡± Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°With the Prince here, I believe Yan County will soon become even more prosperous than the Capital city.¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s voice was crisp and pleasant, like the girl next door, tickling Lu Chen¡¯s heart. Lu Chen, of course, understood what Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong meant. They weren¡¯t just planning to open a tavern in Yan County; they were probing him. The presence of a Mysterious Moon Palace tavern in Yan County would signify the palace¡¯s power moving into Yan County. In other words, Mysterious Moon Palace planned to support the North Prince and stand by his side. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Since Miss Chen has so much faith in me, I cannot disappoint Miss Chen. Mysterious Moon Palace can open as many taverns as it wishes in Yan County.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were somewhat relieved. They had been slightly worried the North Prince might refuse, but since he had agreed, things would be easier. Now all they needed to do was wait for an opportunity to control the North Prince. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced at Chen Wanrong. [Name: Chen Wanrong] [Identity: Scion of Chen Family, Princess of Chen Nation, Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, 21 years old, Master Realm, came to North City mainly to get close to the North Prince, control him with a Love Worm, and use the Prince¡¯s blood to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell against the Sum Emperor, to avenge Chen Nation; due to some reasons, she has developed complex feelings towards the North Prince] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 80 (She greatly admires your spirit of self-sacrifice in repelling the invasion of the Barbarian Tribe)] Seeing such a high favorability from Chen Wanrong took Lu Chen by surprise. Lu Chen then glanced at Lin Wanyun. [Name: Lin Wanyun] [Identity: Adopted daughter of the Great Sum Left Minister Lin Gaoyuan, later left the Lin Family to join the Mysterious Moon Palace, Half-step Grandmaster, 31 years old, she followed Palace Master Chen Wanrong to North City, intending to use the blood of the North Prince to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell against the Sum Emperor; influenced by various factors, she believes the North Prince to be a man of great character and has developed complex feelings for him] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 90] This¡­ One at favorability 80, the other at 90. Lu Chen thought to himself that he was certainly going to be busy from now on. Just then, a melodious voice rang out from behind Lu Chen. ¡°Prince, your humble servant has finally seen you.¡± Lu Chen turned his head and saw it was Wang Qingci, that bitch. Wang Qingci immediately came to Lu Chen¡¯s side and threw herself into his arms, saying, ¡°Prince, your humble servant has been thinking of you day and night in Anping City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly, then said, ¡°You¡¯re probably not thinking of me, but rather other things on my person, right?¡± At these words, Wang Qingci coquettishly rebutted, ¡°Prince, when did you become so naughty.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°All right, hurry inside. I¡¯ll have to talk to you all later.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°Your humble servant will wait for you in the room.¡± Having said that, Wang Qingci sashayed her waist into the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At this very moment, Chu Qingli, watching from a distance as Lu Chen interacted with a group of women, said coldly, ¡°I thought the North Prince was different from what the outside world rumored. It seems I was mistaken; he is still that North Prince!¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Qingli, what man doesn¡¯t like beauty? There¡¯s nothing wrong with Chen¡¯er liking pretty girls.¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t like beautiful girls, how would he carry on his family lineage?¡± ¡°Come with me, let me introduce you to Chen¡¯er.¡± With that, Chu Yuqin walked towards Lu Chen, and Chu Qingli followed reluctantly, If it weren¡¯t for her need to stay in the Prince¡¯s Mansion to monitor Chu Yuqin and prevent anything from happening between her and the Prince, she would not have come forward to be introduced to the North Prince. Arriving in front of Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let me introduce someone to you.¡± Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Chapter 126: Mu Zixuans Inner Worries i Chapter 132: Chapter 126: Mu Zixuan¡¯s Inner Worries i Translator: 549690339 | Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled slightly; he, of course, knew what kind of person Chu Yuqin intended to introduce to him. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then fell upon Chu Qingli, who was beside Chu Yuqin. Chu Qingli had a cold demeanor, dressed in a light blue garment, holding a sword in her hand. Her beauty was striking; tall and slender, with a waist so slight it seemed it could be encircled by one¡¯s hands, she was like a fairy from the heavens. She was similar to Bai Qingqing, both being the type of woman who had a cold aloofness about them. However, her coldness differed from Bai Qingqing¡¯s; Bai Qingqing¡¯s was solitary, a coldness devoid of emotional warmth, while Chu Qingli¡¯s was more of an arrogant coldness, her exterior icy, but what lay within her heart was uncertain. Lu Chen looked at Chu Qingli and said, ¡°Madam Chu, is this young lady beside you the one you wish to introduce to me?¡± Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°Yes, this is my sister; her name is Chu Qingli.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Madam Chu¡¯s sister? Should I also address you as ¡®Aunt¡¯ then?¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that; just call her Qingli.¡± Although by seniority, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong for Lu Chen to address Chu Qingli as ¡®Aunt¡¯, as a Prince, he couldn¡¯t possibly call everyone by such a term; a Prince has his own dignity to maintain. As for Chu Yuqin herself, Lu Chen had been calling her ¡®Aunt¡¯ since he was young, for over a decade, and she had been calling him ¡®Chen¡¯er¡¯ for just as long, so it was acceptable for the two of them to address each other in this manner, but it certainly wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for others to do the same. At that moment, Chu Qingli, somewhat reluctant, approached Lu Chen and performed a curtsy, saying, ¡°This humble girl pays her respects to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Qingli, we are all family here; there¡¯s no need for such formality.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Qingli inwardly found it amusing, thinking to herself, who would consider this lecher part of their family? Chu Yuqin then continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I would like Qingli to take up the position of Vice Leader of the Internal Guards in the Prince¡¯s Mansion; what do you think?¡± After all, the Prince¡¯s Mansion was Lu Chen¡¯s domain, and a position like a Commander would certainly require his approval. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen replied without hesitation, ¡°Good, no problem.¡± ¡°Bai would be perfect as my personal guard, so Qingli can take over Bai¡¯s former position.¡± Originally, Lu Chen had planned for Bai Qingqing to remain the Deputy Commander of the Internal Guards, but since Chu Qingli was coming in, he decided to let her take on that role. In Lu Chen¡¯s view, the more women he had in his inner court, the better, especially ones as beautiful as Qingli. At that moment, Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a look, then glanced at Chu Qingli out of the corner of her eye, before finally asking with concern, ¡°Chen¡¯er, 1 heard that you led the soldiers of North City in battle against an army of three hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe for an entire night. Did you sustain any injuries? Is there anywhere you feel uncomfortable?¡± Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Ah, Madam Chu, 1 was fine until you asked; now my Dantian is starting to hurt again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s because I¡¯ve used too much of my skill that I¡¯ve been feeling my Inner Strength has not been flowing smoothly these past few days. I feel listless, and I¡¯m even having difficulty breathing.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face immediately showed a worried expression, and then she asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to use that Cultivation Technique to regulate your body? Bai¡¯s skills should be superior to mine; didn¡¯t you ask her to help you with it?¡± The Cultivation Technique that Chu Yuqin was referring to was, of course, the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. However, since her sister Chu Qingli was present, she dared not say it out loud; after all, it was a dual cultivation technique, and mentioning it would expose her intimate contact with Lu Chen. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, have you forgotten that Bai is an emotionless being? Operating that Cultivation Technique requires someone who resonates with my heart and mind. No matter how strong she is, it¡¯s useless if that isn¡¯t the case.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin seemed to remember that Lu Chen had indeed told her from the beginning that only a woman who harbored thoughts of him could activate the effect of his special Cultivation Technique. Although Bai Qingqing was Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she lacked emotions, so even if she and Lu Chen were intimate, it was useless for operating his special Cultivation Technique, regardless of whether they had shared a bed. As Chu Yuqin pondered this, a blush crept across her face. Did this mean that she was the only one who could tend to Chen¡¯er¡¯s needs, and no other woman could? At that thought, strange feelings arose within Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart, a mix of satisfaction and embarrassment, a complex blend of emotions. Overhearing the conversation between Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin, Chu Qingli slightly furrowed her brows and looked at them with a suspicious glance. She always felt that there was an illicit affair between Chu Yuqin and Lu Chen. What kind of Cultivation Technique required two people to be emotionally connected? That didn¡¯t sound like any orthodox skill. Realizing her sister¡¯s suspicious gaze, Chu Yuqin coughed and quickly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯ll take Qingli back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion now to arrange her living quarters. We can discuss the rest later.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Hmm, okay.¡± Chu Yuqin then said to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, come with me. I¡¯ll show you to your room.¡± Without further thought, Chu Qingli followed Chu Yuqin into the Prince¡¯s Mansion. After all, she was now in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and her sister¡¯s every move would be under her surveillance. If her sister had any special relationship with the North Prince, she would eventually find out.. Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 126: Mu Zixuans Inner Worries ! Chapter 133: Chapter 126: Mu Zixuan¡¯s Inner Worries ! Translator: 549690339 | After everyone had entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen also turned around and entered the Mansion. Once back at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Mu Zixuan immediately handed the child over to the wet nurse and went to bathe herself. It seemed that all the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion had a tacit understanding, as the first thing they did upon returning was to bathe. By the time Lu Chen arrived at Mu Zixuan¡¯s room, she was tidying up her hair. Upon seeing Lu Chen enter, Mu Zixuan quickly got up, intending to salute him, but before she could steady herself, she was pulled into his embrace. Mu Zixuan¡¯s delicate body pressed tightly against Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest. Instantly, a man¡¯s scent wafted through her nostrils and entered her brain, throwing her into chaos and making her body tremble slightly. Blushing, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, my hair is not yet done.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, gently caressing Mu Zixuan¡¯s jade back, and then, embracing her, he walked towards the bed, saying as they moved, ¡°It¡¯s all right, it¡¯s going to get messy later anyway.¡± Lu Chen had long planned to practice the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill with his consorts. Several of his consorts were ordinary people, whose lifespans were around a hundred years at most. Lu Chen did not really want to witness the day they grew old and died. As his Realm continued to ascend, it was very likely that his consorts and children would all die before him. Therefore, Lu Chen had decided to start having his consorts cultivate as well. The Dragon-Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell could help those who had not practiced martial arts to possess Inner Strength and continuously improve their power. Once Mu Zixuan and the others obtained a certain level of Inner Strength, he would find suitable Cultivation Techniques for them to practice. As for how many years they could live, that was up to fate, but Lu Chen would try his best to allow them to live additional years. After reaching the bed with Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen first attended to the main affair with her and then, when it was nearly time, he used the Dragon-Phoenix Yin-Yang Skill. Although Mu Zixuan was an ordinary person, when she felt Inner Strength emerge within her, she realized that Lu Chen was transforming her body, and she cooperated with him even more. [The Host has cultivated feelings with Mu Zixuan once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value has increased by 20, Rejuvenating Skill experience value has increased by 20, Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill experience value has increased by 30.1 Meanwhile. Inside the Prince¡¯s Mansion. After arranging a residence for Chu Qingli, Chu Yuqin took her on a patrol around the inner courtyard. Since Chu Qingli was to be the Guard Commander of the inner courtyard in the future, she needed to familiarize herself with the different areas of the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. When Chu Yuqin brought Chu Qingli to Mu Zixuan¡¯s yard, Chu Yuqin said to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, this yard has three rooms, the one in the middle is the Princess¡¯s, where Chen¡¯er also sleeps at night.¡± ¡°In the room next door¡­¡± Chu Yuqin had not finished speaking when she faintly heard some odd noises coming from the room. As someone who often stayed in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she knew exactly what those sounds meant. At that moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned a shade of red. Chu Qingli naturally heard the sound as well. Being an assassin who often did the Chu Family¡¯s dirty work, especially killing men, she understood what the sound was about, even though she was still a virgin. Chu Qingli snorted coldly and said, ¡°He truly is a lecherous man.¡± The Princess had just returned to Yan County, tired from the journey, yet that lecherous man assaulted her. It seemed the rumors outside were absolutely true. The only mistake was that the North Prince, despite being lascivious, did have some abilities ¨C he was not a complete weakling. If he were a weakling, Yan County could not have been defended, nor could he have commanded an army of fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. But even if Lu Chen had strength, this could not change the fact that he was a lecherous man. Chu Qingli worried that if Chu Yuqin stayed in the Mansion, there might come a day when she too would be caught and brought to the North Prince¡¯s bed. As Chu Yuqin¡¯s sister, she would never allow such a thing to happen. She was determined to find a way to rescue her sister from danger. Chu Yuqin, now feeling awkward, said, ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere else¡­¡± The sounds from Mu Zixuan¡¯s room grew louder, and lingering to eavesdrop seemed improper. Then Chu Yuqin led Chu Qingli to another place. It was uncertain how much time had passed. Mu Zixuan got up to dress Lu Chen. She had no intention of keeping Lu Chen to herself for a whole day; after all, Lu Chen had other women to attend to. Moreover, if Lu Chen really were to stay with her all day, she doubted her body could withstand it. At this time, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, I just felt a warm current flow through my body. Is this you infusing me with Inner Strength again?¡± Being the daughter of a General, Mu Zixuan understood something about Inner Strength even without having practiced. Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, I have cultivated a special Cultivation Technique that allows us to practice it together while we do certain things.¡± Turning his head to look at Mu Zixuan, he then caressed her beautiful cheek and said, ¡°My love, you, Youyou, and Xiaoxiao are all ordinary people. If you three do not cultivate, you may live only a hundred years at most. I don¡¯t want to see you go before me.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart trembled. She had never thought about this issue before. Now thinking about it, ordinary people live at most a hundred years, while Grandmasters and Celestials of the Heavenly Human Realm have lifespans of at least several hundred years.. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 126: Mu Zixuans Inner Worries_3 Chapter 134: Chapter 126: Mu Zixuan¡¯s Inner Worries_3 Translator: 549690339 | That is to say, when Lu Chen was still in the prime of his youth, the three of them would have already become gray and old. The thought that Lu Chen might lose interest in them once they grew old filled Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart with immense anxiety. She had always been intoxicated by Lu Chen¡¯s tender affections, believing that she had married a good Prince and that life could go on like this forever. Now, she realized that although Lu Chen was so good to her at the moment, there might come a day when he would disdain them for growing old. Even if Lu Chen did not disdain them, the sight of their gray hair and aged appearance against Lu Chen¡¯s youthful vigor was distressing, and they would be unable to continue attending to him, which would undoubtedly give rise to all sorts of thoughts in their hearts. Coming back to her senses, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, 1 understand what you mean. I shall start practicing martial arts from tomorrow on.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and then stroked Mu Zixuan¡¯s hair, saying, ¡°My beloved doesn¡¯t need to deliberately practice martial arts, I will teach you Immortal Law, and you can cultivate with me.¡± Mu Zixuan was startled for a moment, before saying, ¡°Prince, Immortal Law is not to be imparted lightly. If the Immortals find out that you have taught it to us, it could very well sever your chance for Immortality.¡± In the eyes of the world, the chance for Immortality was sacred, and imparting the Immortals¡¯ knowledge to someone without their consent was a desecration that could provoke the Immortals¡¯ punishment. Mu Zixuan was very worried that Lu Chen might be punished by the Immortals as well. Lu Chen replied, ¡°Beloved, don¡¯t worry, the Immortal fate I¡¯ve received is different from the ordinary ones. Even if 1 teach you the Immortal Law, the Immortals will not reprimand me; on the contrary, they would appreciate my efforts in passing down the Immortal Law.¡± With Lu Chen having said this, Mu Zixuan felt relieved, ¡°I understand; I will definitely learn the Immortal Law that you pass down to me with great effort.¡± With that, Mu Zixuan tied Lu Chen¡¯s belt. After she finished dressing him, Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Prince, you should go to Xiaoxiao and the others now; they must be waiting for you in their room.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then embraced Mu Zixuan and kissed her before saying, ¡°I will come to accompany you tonight.¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s cheeks flushed as she softly uttered a ¡°mm-hmm.¡± Immediately after, Lu Chen turned and left Mu Zixuan¡¯s room. At this very moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao was in Zhou Youyou¡¯s room, with Zhou Youyou sitting in front of a copper mirror, and Zhou Xiaoxiao behind her, helping to put up her hair. Zhou Youyou then asked, ¡°Sister, do you think the Prince will come to our place during the day?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao replied, ¡°He probably will.¡± Zhou Youyou said, ¡°He should be off to accompany Sister Mu.¡± As Zhou Xiaoxiao arranged Youyou¡¯s hair, she said, ¡°Youyou, you know quite well how formidable the Prince is; how could Sister Mu possibly keep the Prince by her side the whole time?¡± Hearing Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s words, Zhou Youyou¡¯s delicate body couldn¡¯t help but tremble involuntarily. She remembered the time when Mu Zixuan and Zhou Xiaoxiao were pregnant, during which the Prince came to dote on her daily, making her feel as if her body wasn¡¯t her own anymore. While the two sisters were talking, the door to the room was pushed open. Seeing Lu Chen enter, the two sisters quickly stood up straight and said, ¡°We¡¯ve seen the Prince.¡± Lu Chen, wearing a smile, asked, ¡°Ladies, why do 1 hear that someone was discussing me just now?¡± ¡°Could you be talking behind my back?¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Lu Chen closed the door behind him and then approached Zhou Xiaoxiao, saying, ¡°What won¡¯t you dare? You¡¯ve talked behind my back not once or twice before, it seems that a good punishment is in order indeed.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, both sisters¡¯ faces instantly turned red; Lu Chen wasn¡¯t truly accusing them of anything, he simply sought an excuse to ¡°punish¡± them. Zhou Xiaoxiao then said, ¡°1 am willing to accept the Prince¡¯s punishment, as long as the Prince is willing to forgive me.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on the cute and petite Zhou Youyou, who blushed and said, ¡°I know I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have talked about the Prince behind his back. I am also willing to accept the Prince¡¯s punishment.¡± Lu Chen immediately embraced both women, ¡°Then my punishment begins now.¡± The two women subsequently fell silent, accepting Lu Chen¡¯s punishment.. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 127: Chu Qinglis Confusion_i Chapter 135: Chapter 127: Chu Qingli¡¯s Confusion_i Translator: 549690339 I Chu Yuqin, accompanied by Chu Qingli, patrolled the inner yard before they headed to the north courtyard. As they walked, she said, ¡°Qingli, Chen¡¯er is, after all, the Prince, so when you see him in the future, try not to keep such a stern face.¡± Chu Yuqin was still somewhat worried that Chu Qingli¡¯s strong hostility towards Lu Chen could cause greater conflict between Chu Qingli and Lu Chen. One was her own sister, the other her own Chen¡¯er; Chu Yuqin did not want any conflict between them. Chu Qingli replied expressionlessly, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m an assassin, this is how I¡¯ve always been, as you know.¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°Qingli, now that you¡¯ve left the Chu Family, your identity has changed, and you need to adapt quickly to your new role. You are no longer an assassin and cannot continue to see yourself as one.¡± ¡°If you keep a stern face and keep everyone at arm¡¯s length, what man would marry you? How will you ever marry off in the future?¡± Chu Qingli answered indifferently, ¡°I have no plans to marry. Having sister is enough forme.¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t know how to persuade Chu Qingli; Chu Qingli had always been stubborn, and once she set her mind to something, she rarely changed it. It was hard to sway her. As they talked, they entered the north courtyard, and at that moment, Chu Yuqin said to Chu Qingli, ¡°This is the north courtyard, Zhou¡­¡± ¡°Good brother¡­¡± ¡°Ah, darling, spare me!¡± Chu Yuqin hadn¡¯t finished speaking when she heard voices coming from a room. Chu Yuqin stopped mid-sentence. A look of disgust immediately appeared on Chu Qingli¡¯s face. This was the inner courtyard; those who would do such things here didn¡¯t need much consideration. This guy had just been with Mu Zixuan and now he had come over here. Does he think of nothing but women all day and night? What kind of beast is he? Chu Yuqin coughed and said, ¡°Qingli, let¡¯s go look somewhere else first.¡± As she finished speaking, Chu Yuqin turned and left the north courtyard. After leaving the north courtyard, Chu Qingli asked, ¡°Sister, the North Prince is a martial artist, right?¡± Chu Qingli had sensed the aura of a martial artist from Lu Chen at first glance. Even though Lu Chen didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary martial artist, Chu Qingli, as an assassin, had encountered all kinds of martial artists, and could easily tell if someone was one. Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Yes, Chen¡¯er is indeed a martial artist.¡± Chu Qingli continued, ¡°Aren¡¯t martial artists supposed to abstain from carnal pleasures? With so many women in his mansion, can he still practice martial arts?¡± For most martial artists, indulgence in sensual pleasures could sap their energy considerably, and except for those who followed the demonic path, most would exercise restraint and not frequently indulge in such pleasures. In this world, some women would rather their husbands be low-level warriors than high-quality warriors, for this very reason. The higher the quality of the warrior, the stricter they are in abstaining from carnal pleasures. There are many who refrain from touching women for not just a year, but a decade, and marrying such warriors is akin to living a life of celibacy. Chu Qingli could feel the strong flow of skill in Lu Chen; his strength was at least above the eighth rank, making him a high-quality warrior. For a high-quality warrior like him to have so many women in his mansion, and for him to appear so unrestrained, Chu Qingli found it puzzling. How could he be so lustful and still manage to become a warrior of above the eighth rank at the age of sixteen or seventeen? Blushing at Chu Qingli¡¯s question, Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°The martial arts that Chen¡¯er practices are a bit special; they don¡¯t require abstention from carnal pleasures.¡± Recalling the Immortal Law that Lu Chen cultivated, which not only allowed for indulgence but might be boosted by interactions with women, Chu Yuqin felt her face grow hot. Of course, she definitely could not tell Chu Qingli that, lest she think Lu Chen was practicing some evil martial arts. Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli appeared doubtful. What kind of martial arts didn¡¯t require one to abstain from carnal pleasures? Could it be true? She had never heard of such martial arts before. It couldn¡¯t be the yin-yang balancing arts, could it? Without asking any further, Chu Qingli decided to closely observe the situation in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, especially the condition of Lu Chen¡¯s women. If it indeed was that type of nefarious cultivation technique, she would instantly recognize the signs in Lu Chen¡¯s women. Yin-yang balancing techniques were extremely harmful to a woman¡¯s health, and since several of Lu Chen¡¯s consorts were ordinary people, they wouldn¡¯t withstand such methods and would soon fall ill. As long as Mu Zixuan and the others were being harmed in such a way, Chu Qingli would notice signs the next day. Chu Qingli thought that, if she confirmed the North Prince was using such techniques, she would have to whisk her sister away promptly; she did not want her sister to be harmed by the North Prince. [Host has cultivated feelings with Zhou Xiaoxiao once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 20, Rejuvenating Skill experience value increased by 20, Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill experience value increased by 30.] [Host has cultivated feelings with Zhou Youyou once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 20, Rejuvenating Skill experience value increased by 20, Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill experience value increased by 30, Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill breaks through to the second layer.] Lu Chen, with Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao in his arms, looked up at the system interface before him and thought that to gain more experience points, it seemed he¡¯d have to find that ¡°bitch.¡± Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao were, after all, ordinary people, and considering they were so, Lu Chen didn¡¯t dare to be too rough with them. But that ¡°bitch¡± was different; as someone nearly a half-step Grandmaster, Lu Chen could do as he pleased. Lu Chen swiped through the system interface and glanced over the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. After breaking through to the second layer of the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, he was able to infuse more inner strength into his wives and concubines, allowing their realms to be upgraded faster and also accelerate his own cultivation speed. Combined with the Qi Refinement Mantra, the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill should add even more experience points. Thinking of this, Lu Chen decided to give it a try. He glanced at Dazhou and Xiaozhou, and seeing that they were already very tired, Lu Chen didn¡¯t plan on troubling them further. Afterward, he slowly got up, preparing to find a certain bitch. Seeing Lu Chen getting up, the two sisters hurriedly helped him get dressed. Meanwhile, In a courtyard brimming with plum blossoms. The courtyard was very quiet, and there were no maids inside. Inside the room, a silhouette tepidly stepped into the bath with her jade-like feet. After soaking in the tub for a while, the graceful figure came out and then, swaying her hips, went back to her beauty couch. Admiring her long jade-like legs, the beauty sighed and said to herself, ¡°The Young Prince probably won¡¯t come today.¡± Lu Chen has three wives and concubines, and all are properly married to him. Wang Qingci thought that as a mere female slave, and with the princess only just back at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen would naturally want to accompany the princess. But just then, a familiar voice sounded at the door, ¡°Who says this prince wouldn¡¯t come today?¡± As the voice fell, Lu Chen pushed the door open and saw Wang Qingci half-reclined on the beauty couch in light gauze, he chuckled and said, ¡°As this prince¡¯s female slave, you dare call me the Young Prince, Qingci, you have grown quite bold!¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had come, not only did Wang Qingci not get up, she instead covered her mouth with her delicate fingers and said with a giggling smile, ¡°Whether the Prince is the Young Prince or not, doesn¡¯t this lowly one know?¡± Lu Chen then closed the door and went directly to the front of the bitch, wrapping his arm around her soft waist and flipping her body. ¡°The Young Prince, huh? This prince thinks you have been away from this prince for too long and need a lesson!¡± ¡°You should be properly disciplined, so you know what a female slave should say and what she shouldn¡¯t.¡± At that moment, Wang Qingci twisted her head, her brows brimming with flirtation, as she was about to provoke further, she was promptly silenced with a kiss. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chu Qingli had followed Chu Yuqin around the entire inner courtyard and planned to return to the room that Chu Yuqin had arranged for her. At that moment, as she passed by a courtyard blossoming with plum flowers and noticed such a unique scenery, Chu Qingli subconsciously stopped and lingered for a moment. However, at that time, she heard some faint sounds. Not having entered the courtyard, she couldn¡¯t make out exactly what the sounds were. Out of curiosity, Chu Qingli then stepped into the courtyard and listened carefully. ¡°Good brother¡­ this lowly one is wrong¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the Young Prince¡­ you are the Great Prince¡­¡± ¡°This lowly one is going to die¡­¡± Chu Qingli¡¯s expression suddenly darkened. She had initially thought it was some sort of sound, only to realize it was some animal indulging in wicked deeds again after all. This guy really doesn¡¯t do proper work, spending all day in the arms of women, right? Chu Qingli looked disdainfully at the room the sounds were coming from and then turned to leave. Not long after Chu Qingli had left, she encountered Mu Zixuan coming out of the courtyard. Chu Qingli immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the princess.¡± Mu Zixuan gave a slight smile and then asked, ¡°Qingli, did Madam Chu arrange a place for you to stay?¡± Chu Qingli replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, princess. Everything is arranged.¡± Chu Qingli then said, ¡°Princess, I will go on patrol now.¡± ¡°Hmm, alright.¡± Then Chu Qingli continued on her way to her room, passing by Mu Zixuan. As she walked, Chu Qingli wondered, why did Mu Zixuan not only appear unaffected by Yin-Yang Balance but seemed to have become even more beautiful? Her skin seemed to glow and had become more delicate, as if she had grown younger. Was it her illusion? Logically, someone who has been through Yin-Yang Balance should look exhausted and especially haggard, definitely not like Mu Zixuan. Could it be that the North Prince did not use some Yin-Yang Balance technique? If there were no Yin-Yang Balance, a martial artist like the North Prince who¡¯s always in the arms of women would probably have his strength drained in a matter of days, let alone practicing martial arts. Strange, how did he do it? Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 129: Princess, The Sky is Falling!!! _1 Chapter 138: Chapter 129: Princess, The Sky is Falling!!! _1 Translator: 549690339 | After a good while, Mu Changtian and Qin Yushan in the study finally came to their senses, both shocked by Lu Chen¡¯s ambition. However, Qin Yushan quickly calmed down, after all, in his eyes, Lu Chen was the Son of Destiny, who would one day unify the entire continent. But Mu Changtian was different, although he had also thought Lu Chen¡¯s ambition was to unify the world, his definition of the world did not include the North Land. The expanse of the North Land was so vast that even the Barbarian Tribe did not know its full extent, yet Lu Chen actually wanted to include the North Land into his domain. If Lu Chen truly did that, then the territory he owned would be larger than all the lands of the Great Xia, minus North City, combined. If a Seignior owned more territory than an emperor, could he still be called a Seignior? Of course, that wasn¡¯t the key point, the key was whether he could actually possess the North Land. If one merely drew a circle on the map and claimed the North Land belonged to the North Prince, that certainly wouldn¡¯t suffice. Barbarian Tribes wouldn¡¯t recognize your map. At that moment, Mu Changtian tentatively asked, ¡°Prince, if you plan to include the North Land in your fief, how will you defend against the invasions of the Barbarian Tribes?¡± ¡°Do you intend to build a Great Wall in the North Land?¡± Lu Chen countered, ¡°Barbarian Tribes? What Barbarian Tribes?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s retort, Mu Changtian suddenly felt his mind go blank. There were several Barbarian Tribe clans in the North Land, which the North Prince was surely aware of, and the Sky Wolf King¡¯s royal court was also there; how could the North Prince ask him what Barbarian Tribes? Lu Chen continued, ¡°What Barbarian Tribes are there? They are all my subjects.¡± This¡­ Lu Chen glanced at the map of the North Land and continued, ¡°Any Great Wall, no matter how splendid or sturdy, cannot hold back an internal enemy.¡± ¡°The Great Wall I want to construct is not an external one, but one in the heart, a Great Wall built in the enemy¡¯s heart. One day, I will make the enemy unconsciously retreat the moment they think of stepping into my domain, not daring to take a single step forward.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, both Mu Changtian and Qin Yushan were taken aback. Lu Chen had a strong desire for the land of the North Land. Not to mention that the North Land could serve as pastures to raise horses, cattle, and sheep for their North City, the vast land surely harbored abundant resources. Such as coal, oil, various metal ores. Although these things might not yet have a use or have been discovered, the larger the territory, the more likely it is to hold numerous resources; and he would eventually need these resources. The key was that the North Land was only inhabited by Barbarian Tribes, and even they were not the masters of the North Land. The North Land could quite honestly be considered ownerless land. Even the Da Yue Dynasty hadn¡¯t claimed the North Land as their territory. Lu Chen thought about how the system once hinted that as the number of children born to him increased, the rewards he would receive in the future would become more abundant. Although many resources couldn¡¯t be explored or mined now, as the rewards provided by the system grew, there would come a day when he would have the means to extract those resources. In short, the larger the territory, the potentially greater the resources; it was paramount to secure the land first. As for how to handle the Barbarian Tribes of the North Land, Lu Chen had a simple idea. Population is also a kind of resource. It had been quite some time before Mu Changtian recovered from what Lu Chen had just said. He immediately bowed and said, ¡°Prince, your ambition is great, and I wish to become the sword in the Prince¡¯s hand. Wherever the sword points, the army advances, and I am willing to build a Great Wall that the enemies will never be able to surpass for the Prince!¡± Lu Chen coughed slightly, then said, ¡°I have already felt General Mu¡¯s loyalty. Let¡¯s talk about serious matters now.¡± Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, continue leading the Brocade Guard to collect intelligence on the Sky Wolf King¡¯s royal court. You must always have their movements well in hand.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see Xiao Pengthian first; I have some words I want to say to him.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian and Qin Yushan promptly led the way for Lu Chen, and soon the three of them arrived at the prison in Yan County, where criminals were held. Xiao Pengthian sat on the ground, disheveled and listless. He had been medicinally stripped of his skill by the Brocade Guard and was now no different from an ordinary person. The prison room where Xiao Pengthian was held was fairly clean, with a bed and blankets, not at all like the filthy and chaotic other cells. Hearing the door open, Xiao Pengthian sensed someone was coming and looked up to see who was outside the cell. Seeing the visitor was a young man dressed in a Brocade Python Dragon Robe, with a white jade belt, Xiao Pengthian instantly guessed the man¡¯s identity. Xiao Pengthian scoffed and said, ¡°They say the North Prince is just a greenhorn, lustful and incompetent, a craven at heart. I never expected that in the end, it would be this greenhorn who led a mere tens of thousands of North City soldiers to annihilate our Sky Wolf Clan¡¯s army of three hundred thousand.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Before me, you call me a greenhorn, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll kill you?¡± Xiao Pengthian said with an air of indifference, ¡°What difference is there between me now and if 1 were dead?¡± Xiao Pengthian thought his skill was gone, that he was now a cripple, and with the Sky Wolf Clan¡¯s army of three hundred thousand wiped out by the North Prince, he had no face to return to the Sky Wolf Clan.. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Chapter 129: Princess, The Sky is Falling!!! _2 Chapter 139: Chapter 129: Princess, The Sky is Falling!!! _2 Translator: 549690339 Xiao Pengthian continued to ask, ¡°I wonder what brings the North Prince to such a filthy place to see me, is there something you want to extract from my lips?¡± Lu Chen offered a faint smile and then said, ¡°This prince may know more about your Sky Wolf King tribe than you do, do you think there is anything I need to learn from your mouth?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s mind was instantly filled with the image of one person. At first, he didn¡¯t take it seriously, thinking that Wu Yuan was merely hiding money in secret, but now he had basically understood what was going on. The erroneous information they had collected about the North Prince mostly came from the trade convoys of Wu Yuan and his associates, leading them to severely misjudge the situation in North City. If they had known about the roughly fifty thousand heavy cavalry in North City, they would never have dared to charge headlong into Yan County like this, even without those mysterious weapons that could explode, the fifty thousand heavy cavalry alone would be enough to meet their three hundred thousand-strong barbarian army head-on. Under such circumstances, even if they were to conquer North City, the Sky Wolf King tribe would suffer heavy losses, they might covet the land of North City, but they would never make such a huge sacrifice just for a piece of territory. With a sneer, Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°Is the North Prince here specifically to witness my plight, to take pleasure in it?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°This prince does not have such a hobby.¡± ¡°I am here to propose a deal to you.¡± Xiao Pengthian frowned. ¡°A deal? What kind of deal?¡± Lu Chen asked directly, ¡°Would you like to become the Sky Wolf King?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Xiao Pengthian seemed to understand something and then sneered coldly, ¡°Does the North Prince think I would betray the Sky Wolf King tribe just to cling to life? Ridiculous! As a warrior of the Barbarian Tribe, one can only die standing, never living on one¡¯s knees!¡± Lu Chen was not at all surprised by Xiao Pengthian¡¯s response and said indifferently, ¡°Indeed, death is the easier path, but have you considered, if you were to die, what would become of the hundred thousand barbarian captives, your wives and children in the Sky Wolf King tribe?¡± ¡°Without those hundred thousand barbarian men, the Sky Wolf King tribe would be left with nothing but the elderly, weak, and sick, wouldn¡¯t it? Ten years from now, it¡¯s hard to say if the Sky Wolf King tribe will even still exist.¡± At these words, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s mind shuddered. Instantly, familiar faces flooded his thoughts. If he and the hundred thousand barbarian captives were to die, there would truly be no men left in the Sky Wolf King tribe. While it might appear they had assembled a three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian Army, in reality, excluding the small contingent from the North Fre King, the Sky Wolf King tribe had called up almost all the battle-ready barbarian men to muster that army. This southern invasion constituted a gamble for them; in the eyes of the Sky Wolf King tribe, if they took North City, according to the queen consort¡¯s vision, they would no longer need to roam for pastures and would have endless supplies of food, never again fearing hunger or cold. So, almost everyone was particularly enthusiastic about moving south. They originally thought with the Aristocratic Families of Great Sum and Prince Lu Shuyun restraining the royal court, taking North City would be a piece of cake, but the outcome turned out to be the dire situation they faced now. Additionally, without the men, the winter would be even harder for the Sky Wolf King tribe. North Land is vast, and the Sky Wolf King tribe is not the only one there. Without the men, when winter comes, the other tribes will surely plunder the Sky Wolf King tribe. Especially the North Fre Tribe. Since the North Fre King was getting on in years, he did not join them in the southward campaign, and he was still alive. The North Fre King had long coveted the beauty of Xiao Wenyao, and if he learned that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army was gone, he would likely lead the soldiers of the North Fre Tribe straight to the royal court of the Sky Wolf King. By then, let alone Xiao Wenyao, even the queen consort might be captured by the North Fre King. If the Sky Wolf King tribe were to lose even their queen consort, then the tribe would truly be finished. With that thought, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s expression kept changing, and Lu Chen could tell he was struggling internally. After a long pause, Xiao Pengthian asked, ¡°If I agree to cooperate with you, will you release those hundred thousand barbarian soldiers?¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s out of the question.¡± Xiao Pengthian said with a cold laugh, ¡°What¡¯s the point of the North Prince telling me all this? Is he trying to amuse himself?¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Indeed, I have no intention of simply letting those hundred thousand captives go free, but I can relocate the entire Sky Wolf King Tribe to North City. Moreover, if among those captives there are those who perform well, the North Prince would consider allowing them to be reunited with their families.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Pengthian felt a jolt in his heart. What was the Sky Wolf King Tribe¡¯s ultimate goal in attacking North City? Wasn¡¯t it to take over the land of North City? To relocate there and settle down. If the North Prince really meant what he said, and that was his true intention, then even if Xiao Pengthian cooperated with the North Prince and became a traitor to the Sky Wolf King Tribe, he wouldn¡¯t feel there was anything wrong with it. Better than starving or freezing to death on the plains or being plundered by the North Fre King. Xiao Pengthian asked, ¡°How can I be sure you¡¯re not luring the Sky Wolf King Tribe to North City just to annihilate us, to cut the grass and remove the roots, to kill us all?¡± ¡®It seems that cutting the grass and removing the roots is something you people of Great Sum like to do the most.¡± Lu Chen had anticipated Xiao Pengthian¡¯s worries and replied directly, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t agree to cooperate with us, I can easily find the royal court of the Sky Wolf King. You¡¯ve heard of Wu Yuan, haven¡¯t you?¡± Hearing this, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s face darkened, and he said coldly, ¡°He is indeed your man! I should have split his head with an axe when I had the chance!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°General Xiao, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s meaningless to say these things now?¡± Xiao Pengthian fell into silence and said no more. Seeing that the conversation had reached its end, Lu Chen turned around and said, ¡°General Xiao can take some more time to think it over. I have plenty of time. Whenever you come to a decision, let me know. Also, I¡¯d like to remind General Xiao one more thing: winter is approaching, and your tribe doesn¡¯t have much time left.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen turned and left the prison cell. Meanwhile. In the North Land, the royal court of the Sky Wolf King. The beautiful Yelv Nanyan was reclining lazily on a couch, sighing lightly, ¡°Indeed, no matter how you furnish a tent, it can never match the comfort of a Great Sum bed.¡± ¡°Alas, I wonder if the King has taken North City yet.¡± Just then, Xiao Wenyao lifted the tent flap and entered, saying, ¡°Queen, have you received any news about my father and the others?¡± Xiao Wenyao was already planning her escape to Great Sum. The moment North City was taken, she intended to head straight to Great Sum, never to return to the North Land. She had prepared herself for hardship, preferring to endure in Great Sum rather than marry the North Fre King, the filthy old man who never bathed for life. Yelv Nanyan answered, ¡°There¡¯s no news for now, but it should be soon.¡± Yelv Nanyan remembered their deal with Prince Lu Shuyun. Since the Sum Emperor had to guard against rebellion from the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum, he would likely not send too many soldiers northward. Thus, the thirty thousand-strong army led by the Sky Wolf King could easily take over all of North City. At that moment, a man¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the tent. ¡°Queen, something terrible has happened!!!¡± Following the voice, a disheveled Wu Yuan entered the tent, knelt on the ground, and cried out, ¡°Queen, the sky is falling!!!¡± Seeing Wu Yuan in this state, Yelv Nanyan immediately had a bad premonition, her eyebrows knitting together as she hurriedly asked, ¡°Wu Yuan, what has happened?¡± Choking back tears, Wu Yuan reported, ¡°Our caravan was originally heading to Yan County to receive the King¡¯s spoils of war, but we heard that the King¡¯s army of thirty thousand has been defeated by the North Prince. The King died in battle under the walls of Yan County, twenty thousand soldiers have been killed, and another hundred thousand have been taken captive by the North Prince!!!¡± Upon hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s report, both Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were struck with immense shock, their faces turning deathly pale without a trace of color. Yelv Nanyan collapsed onto the couch, her hand trembling uncontrollably as she murmured to herself, ¡°How¡­ how is this possible¡­¡± Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: Chapter 130 Yelv Nanyans Plan t Chapter 140: Chapter 130 Yelv Nanyan¡¯s Plan t Translator: 549690339 | Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s news, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were both stunned for a long while. At that moment, the thought that her uncle might have also died in battle left Xiao Wenyao feeling so weak that she plumped down onto the ground. She felt little for her father, King of the Great Sum, especially since he had sent her to the North Fre King like a tool, so she wouldn¡¯t be overly saddened by her father¡¯s death. But she felt differently about her uncle, who had always treated her well and had even spoken before setting off of sending her to Great Sum after taking North City. Alas, now all those plans had vanished into thin air. Yelv Nanyan muttered to herself, ¡°How could there be a defeat¡­ There shouldn¡¯t have been many soldiers defending North City, even if they couldn¡¯t win, the king and his men shouldn¡¯t have been unable to escape¡­¡± As she spoke to herself, Yelv Nanyan suddenly looked up, staring intently at Wu Yuan, ¡°Are you sure the news you heard is true?¡± Still crying, Wu Yuan continued, ¡°My lady, I didn¡¯t just hear it; I also saw Great Sum¡¯s soldiers digging many large pits to bury bodies, and when I entered the city, I saw large numbers of Barbarian Tribe soldiers being tied up and taken somewhere.¡± Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan felt her mind go blank. If what Wu Yuan had said was true, it would be an immense disaster for the Sky Wolf King tribe. This southern expedition involved most of the tribe¡¯s able-bodied men, and with so many men gone, the Sky Wolf King tribe faced a catastrophic blow. With so many men gone, the Sky Wolf King tribe would worry less about food, but without men, other tribes on the steppe would certainly target them. Especially the North Fre King¡¯s tribe! The Barbarian Tribes were not harmonious with each other and often waged wars. If the Barbarian Tribes were harmonious, they wouldn¡¯t have splintered into several major tribes each with its own royal court. Although the North Fre King had initially lent tens of thousands of soldiers to the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, which appeared to show a good relationship between the two tribes, it was only because the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had promised many benefits in return, and the North Fre King sent the soldiers symbolically. Now that the Sky Wolf King was gone, and the tribe had lost so many men, the North Fre King would not be polite. He was very likely to lead his people to rob the Sky Wolf King tribe of food or women. If the North Fre King took all the food from the Sky Wolf King tribe, many of the elderly and children would not survive the winter. Perhaps by next spring, the Sky Wolf King tribe would no longer exist. What worried Yelv Nanyan even more was that if the North Fre King brought his troops to plunder the Sky Wolf King tribe, they might capture her and force her to become the North Fre King¡¯s woman. Yelv Nanyan knew well what kind of man the North Fre King was, and she certainly did not want to go to his royal court. Thinking this, Yelv Nanyan quickly collected herself; they needed to save themselves now. Regardless of the conditions, they had to redeem the hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers captured by North City. Among those soldiers might be men from the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, but with a hundred thousand captives, there would undoubtedly be tens of thousands from the Sky Wolf King tribe, even if all of the North Fre King¡¯s men survived. Also, Yelv Nanyan planned to ransom only the soldiers from the Sky Wolf King tribe. Having regained her composure, Yelv Nanyan immediately said, ¡°Call a meeting of the tribal elders at once!¡± ¡°Wu Yuan, you may leave for now; I¡¯ll call you if needed.¡± Wiping his tears with his sleeve, Wu Yuan obeyed, ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± Yelv Nanyan glanced at the listless Xiao Wenyao who sat on the ground, let out a sigh, and said, ¡°Yaoyao, you should go out too.¡± Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t respond. She slowly got up and left Yelv Nanyan¡¯s tent directly. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao was void of any emotion, her face expressionless, her eyes devoid of any sparkle; she seemed like a walking corpse. The news brought by Wu Yuan was too devastating for her; so much so, she now forgot how to grieve. Soon, the elders of the Sky Wolf King tribe appeared inside Yelv Nanyan¡¯s large tent. At this time, the elders did not know what had happened. They had just seen Wu Yuan leaving the lady¡¯s tent and thought they were summoned because the Sky Wolf King had conquered all of North City. The elders sat on the ground inside the lady¡¯s tent, and one of them asked, ¡°My lady, may I ask why you have called us? Could it be that the king has taken North City?¡± Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face was pale, and with a sigh, she said, ¡°You must be prepared for what I am about to tell you.¡± Seeing that Yelv Nanyan had not answered the question and instead said something so ominous, the elders were stunned and a bad feeling began to grow inside them. At that moment, another elder pressed, ¡°My lady, what has happened? Please, just tell us!¡± Yelv Nanyan then said, ¡°The king has been defeated, and two hundred thousand soldiers have been killed with another hundred thousand captured by North City; the king himself perished under the walls of Yan County.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a bolt from the blue. All the elders in the tent were stunned, their minds went blank, reacting just as Yelv Nanyan had when she first heard the news. Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Chapter 130 Yelv Nanyans Plan_2 Chapter 141: Chapter 130 Yelv Nanyan¡¯s Plan_2 Translator: 549690339 I They could neither believe nor dare to believe the words spoken by Yelv Nanyan. That was an army of three hundred thousand! And moreover, three hundred thousand cavalry! The most important thing was that this time there were several Grandmasters, and no one knew how many Ninth Grade Martial Artists there were, while North City only had thirty thousand soldiers. How could they possibly be defeated! Even if they could not conquer Yan County, their king would not have died in battle under the walls of Yan County. The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s three hundred thousand cavalry moved with such speed; if they wanted to flee, they could easily retreat back to their royal court. But now the queen had informed them that not only had two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers died, the remaining one hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers had all been captured by the people of Great Xia! How could this be possible!!! Yelv Nanyan saw their disbelief, and knew they dared not believe it, but the message was brought back by Wu Yuan, and soon they would be able to verify this news. In fact, from the lack of messages from the Sky Wolf King for so long, Yelv Nanyan had felt an ominous unease in her heart, but from the beginning, she had not imagined that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army would end up with such a fate. None of the three hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers managed to make it out of North City! What did this indicate? It indicated that North City must have been prepared, and it was highly likely that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army had been surrounded, which left them no chance to escape, otherwise those hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers wouldn¡¯t have ended up surrendering and becoming captives of Great Xia. Yelv Nanyan couldn¡¯t figure out what had gone wrong. At this time, two of the older Elders, upon hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s news, directly threw their heads back and fainted. The other Elders were brought back to their senses, and they quickly approached the two Elders. ¡°High Priest, Elder Fu, you must hold on!¡± ¡°High Priest, are you alright?¡± ¡°Elder Fu, wake up!!!¡± Seeing the tent turn into chaos, Yelv Nanyan did not stop them. After who knows how long, the High Priest and Elder Fu finally regained consciousness, and the elderly were gradually beginning to accept this cruel news. They were very clear in their minds that now was not the time for sorrow, nor the time to seek blame. The Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had suddenly lost hundreds of thousands of men, and moreover, many tribes knew the location of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s royal court. Once those tribes learned of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s death and the loss of hundreds of thousands of soldiers, they would surely send people to plunder them. Especially the North Fre King from the north. Therefore, the most important thing now was to move immediately; they could not continue to stay here. However, relocating the royal court would take a lot of time, and since their tribe now had hardly any men of age, it would take even longer. They were very worried that if the news were to leak out at this time, it would attract the attention of other tribes on the steppe prematurely. At this moment, the High Priest, with the support of the Elders, looked at Yelv Nanyan and asked: ¡°Queen, has the defeat of our king been confirmed?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°Not yet; this is the news Wu Yuan brought back from North City. However, I will arrange for someone to confirm it shortly.¡± ¡°For now, let¡¯s assume the news is true.¡± Thinking for a moment, the High Priest then asked, ¡°Queen, what should we do next?¡± This defeat was not blamed on Yelv Nanyan by the Elders; after all, it was an army of three hundred thousand cavalry. Such a large cavalry force being defeated by Great Xia could not possibly be the fault of a woman. Logically, even if they fell into a trap by the Great Xia Dynasty from the start, with an army of three hundred thousand moving south, it seemed implausible that the entire army would be annihilated; there must be other factors involved. The people who could become Elders of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe were all relatively clever, and they were well aware that now was not the time for accountability. After pondering for a moment, Yelv Nanyan said: ¡°We absolutely cannot let the ordinary people of our tribe know about this. After the council meeting later, you go out and tell our people that the king has conquered North City. Tell them to pack up immediately, we¡¯re moving to North City.¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, the Elders instantly understood the reason for her actions. If we tell the tribespeople about the defeat now, it will inevitably cause panic. Panic is one thing, but the main concern is the risk of the news leaking out. If the other tribes on the grasslands learn of their defeat, they will surely seize the opportunity to launch a surprise attack against them. On one hand, they tell the people that the Great King has conquered North City, while on the other, they prepare them to move to North City. Even if some tribes discover their plan to relocate the royal court, they might be deceived by their own people into thinking that they truly have conquered North City and that the relocation of the royal court there is imminent. But in fact, they are merely moving to a different place. Yelv Nanyan continued, ¡°Additionally, I will send Wu Yuan to North City to negotiate with the North Prince to see if we can use cattle and sheep to exchange for our soldiers.¡± ¡°A tribe cannot be without its able-bodied men.¡± Upon hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, the Elders fell into silence; now, this was the only course of action available to them. Meanwhile. Outside the tent. Xiao Wenyao sat on a grassy slope, gazing quietly in the direction of North City. At that moment, Wu Yuan came to her side and then said, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m not sure whether I should tell you this, but I found out that General Xiao hasn¡¯t died and is currently imprisoned in the dungeons of Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, a flash of brightness erupted in Xiao Wenyao¡¯s eyes. She immediately turned to look at Wu Yuan and, grabbing his collar, she asked, ¡°Wu Yuan, is what you¡¯re saying true?¡± ¡°My uncle isn¡¯t dead? He¡¯s really alive, right?¡± Seeing how agitated Xiao Wenyao was, Wu Yuan sniffled and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve learned that General Xiao is locked in the dungeons, enduring torment every day.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. If I had gathered more intelligence about North City, perhaps General Xiao wouldn¡¯t be in this situation today.¡± ¡°I deserve to die!¡± After hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao let go of his collar and then muttered to herself, ¡°That¡¯s great, my uncle isn¡¯t dead!¡± At this point, Xiao Wenyao suddenly thought of something and continued to ask, ¡°Wu Yuan, do you know what the North Prince likes? I must exchange for my uncle¡¯s return!¡± The exchange of prisoners between the Barbarian Tribe and the Great Xia Dynasty was actually a very common practice. Since its establishment, the Great Xia Dynasty had engaged in countless wars with the northern tribes. After every war, the Great Xia Dynasty and the Barbarian Tribe would exchange prisoners. If one side had no prisoners to offer, they would use resources for the exchange instead. Such as cattle, sheep, or provisions like grain, salt, and iron. If the Barbarian Tribe wanted to redeem their people, they would use horses, cattle, and sheep, while the Great Xia Dynasty would use salt and iron to retrieve their soldiers. Of course, even though the Great Xia Dynasty would retrieve their soldiers, those soldiers would not be relied upon as before. However, to prevent the common folk from losing heart, the Great Xia government would usually expend some resources to bring back their soldiers. It is precisely because of the frequent exchange of prisoners that Yelv Nanyan, upon learning of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s defeat, immediately thought of exchanging cattle and sheep for prisoners. Xiao Wenyao had also considered exchanging something to rescue her uncle. After hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s question, Wu Yuan sighed and then said, ¡°Alas, Your Highness, as far as I know, the North Prince seems to only like one thing, and that is the company of beautiful women.¡± ¡°Moreover, he favors only the most stunning women; only our Queen and you would be of the type the North Prince favors.¡± Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mind went blank, and she froze on the spot. After a long pause, Xiao Wenyao, unwilling to accept the situation, asked, ¡°Can¡¯t we use cattle and sheep to exchange for my uncle?¡± Wu Yuan said, ¡°If it were only ordinary soldiers, the North Prince might allow us to exchange them for cattle and sheep, but General Xiao is a Master Level Martial Artist. If he is released, the next Sky Wolf King could very well be him. The Great Xia will not let him return so easily unless we can present something that truly appeals to them.¡± After hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao fell silent. Just then, a Barbarian Tribe soldier approached Wu Yuan and said, ¡°Wu Yuan, the Queen requests your presence; she has a task for you.¡± Wu Yuan then said to Xiao Wenyao, ¡°Your Highness, I must go to the Queen now. Don¡¯t let your thoughts run wild, and please do not consider using yourself as a trade for General Xiao. The North Prince is a lecherous man; if you go to North City, who knows what sort of torments you would endure..¡± Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 131 We Negotiate in Person i Chapter 142: Chapter 131 We Negotiate in Person i Translator: 549690339 | Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s parting words, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. How had she not thought of this before? If North Prince liked beautiful women and she was his type, couldn¡¯t she also be used to exchange for her uncle¡¯s return? But- Xiao Wenyao remembered the reminder Wu Yuan had given her. The North Prince was a lecher and she herself was a woman from the Barbarian Tribe. If she really went to North Prince Mansion, she would likely only become one of North Prince¡¯s female slaves, and how he would torment her was unpredictable. She only knew that her father often sneaked Great Sum women into a certain tent behind the Queen¡¯s back, where he would torment them in various ways, often leaving those women wanting to die from their screams of agony. If her own father routinely tormented women from Great Sum, how could the North Prince treat the daughter of the Sky Wolf King kindly? At the thought, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s delicate body shook uncontrollably. However, when she thought of how kind her uncle had been to her since childhood and that, if she did not try to save him, he might die in a North City prison, her resolve strengthened. Now, he was her only remaining relative and she did not want to lose this last kin. Moreover, even if she did not go to North City, it was very likely that the North Pre King would come to take her away. Her father had originally offered her to the North Pre King and now that he had been defeated, once the North Pre King learned of this, he would certainly come to their Prince¡¯s Mansion to seize her. Compared to the North Pre King, Xiao Wenyao would rather suffer at the hands of the North Prince. After all, the North Prince was a man of Great Sum who did not have the habit of cannibalism and also bathed. Even if tortured, it would still be better than dealing with the still uncivilized North Pre Tribe. With this in mind, Xiao Wenyao made a silent decision. At the same time. Wu Yuan arrived at Yelv Nanyan¡¯s tent. As Wu Yuan entered and was about to speak, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°Wu Yuan, I have a very important task for you. I hope you won¡¯t let me down. If you can complete this task, I will give you a hundred thousand taels of silver!¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Yuan immediately knelt and said, ¡°It is my duty to serve the Princess, and I dare not take your silver.¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°If you can accomplish this task, you will have done a great service to the entire Sky Wolf King Tribe, and a hundred thousand taels of silver is what you deserve.¡± Wu Yuan quickly said, ¡°Please tell me, Princess, no matter what it is, I will try my best to complete it. I will exhaust my life in your service and die only after I have fulfilled my duties.¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°I need you to go to North Prince Mansion and negotiate with North Prince. We, the Sky Wolf King Tribe, plan to use horses or cows and sheep to exchange for our soldiers.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Yuan was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°Princess, 1 fear that I won¡¯t be able to play a decisive role in this matter.¡± Yelv Nanyan asked, ¡°Why is that? Are you worried that North Prince will find out you¡¯re working for the Barbarian Tribe and have you captured and killed on the spot?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t need to worry at all. We will not reveal a word of your involvement to North Prince. Just say that your caravan happened to have traded with the Sky Wolf King Tribe for cows and sheep; North Prince is likely not to trouble you then.¡± Many caravans in North City have had such transactions with the Barbarian Tribe, like fur trading and, of course, trading cows and sheep. If one were to be killed simply for transacting with the Barbarian Tribe, then caravans would probably stop coming to North City, and the city would become even poorer. North City is already so poor that a caravan¡¯s main purpose in coming there is to pass through and trade with the northern Barbarian Tribes. Yelv Nanyan believed that even if North Prince did not understand business, surely someone under him would understand this logic, and they would most likely not trouble Wu Yuan, the merchant. Wu Yuan said, ¡°Princess, that¡¯s not what 1 meant. What I¡¯m saying is that if North Prince truly wants to negotiate with the Sky Wolf King Tribe, he will likely only speak directly with you. I¡¯m just a merchant and at most can only relay a message.¡± With Wu Yuan¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan instantly understood his point. Now that the Sky Wolf King Tribe had few men left, North Prince would probably guess the situation of the tribe, and since they had proposed an exchange of prisoners, they would certainly need to talk terms. If she did not appear in person, North Prince might think the Sky Wolf King Tribe lacked sincerity. Besides, this was not a small number of captives, it was not a matter that could be settled in one or two discussions, and North Prince might even make exorbitant demands. Having Wu Yuan, a merchant, negotiate might not lead to terms the Sky Wolf King Tribe could accept. With this in mind, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Did she really need to meet North Prince herself? After a long contemplation, Yelv Nanyan eventually decided to take the initiative to represent the Sky Wolf King Tribe in negotiations with North Prince. She then said, ¡°Here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: you first convey our intention to negotiate to North Prince and see if he has any conditions. If he is willing to let our soldiers leave, then propose that we meet in person for negotiations.¡± Wu Yuan said, ¡°Yes, Princess, I will go to North City right away and convey your intentions to North Prince.¡± As he said this, Wu Yuan prepared to rise and leave the tent. At that moment, Yelv Nanyan suddenly thought of something and continued, ¡°Wait, when you go to North City this time, inquire whether any of our Barbarian Tribe generals are still alive..¡± Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Chapter 131 We Negotiate in Person_2 Chapter 143: Chapter 131 We Negotiate in Person_2 Translator: 549690339 | Wu Yuan immediately said, ¡°Replying to the Princess, this servant knows that General Xiao is still alive and is imprisoned in the jail of Yan County, and it seems that the North Prince has no intention of presenting the prisoner to the Great Sum court.¡± Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s answer, Yelv Nanyan was slightly excited, and she immediately asked, ¡°Are you sure General Xiao is still alive?¡± Wu Yuan answered, ¡°This servant only heard about it, and cannot be entirely sure. Moreover, this news seems to be known by many, and this servant bought the intelligence from a soldier in North City.¡± ¡°According to what that soldier from North City said, after the war ended, the soldiers of North City sent a general of the Barbarian Tribe to be imprisoned in the jail of Yan County, and the North Prince even had a physician treat him. Based on the description by that soldier, this servant deduced that the general he spoke of must be General Xiao.¡± Yelv Nanyan took a deep breath. Now that the Sky Wolf Tribe had no Master Level warriors left, if Xiao Pengthian was still alive, they must retrieve him at any cost. If the Sky Wolf Tribe lacked a powerful warrior to oversee them, it would be difficult to survive on the grasslands of the North Land. Having calmed her emotions, Yelv Nanyan continued, ¡°When you go to North City this time, you must gather more intelligence about General Xiao. Once it¡¯s confirmed that General Xiao is still alive, immediately have someone send us a message.¡± Wu Yuan said, ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Yelv Nanyan then said, ¡°Alright, make haste with your preparations and leave for North City immediately.¡± Wu Yuan bowed and said, ¡°This servant takes his leave.¡± Right after that, Wu Yuan turned and left the tent. Watching Wu Yuan¡¯s departing figure, Yelv Nanyan heaved a deep sigh. The royal court of the Sky Wolf Tribe had relocated many times, and she had followed the migration of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s court multiple times, until they finally chose this place near a river. She had thought that when they next moved the royal court, they would go straight to North City and would no longer live a nomadic life chasing water and grass. Little did she expect, they were about to embark on a life of constant upheaval once more. At this thought, images of the life her mother had described to her as a child came to mind. A life without worrying about hunger or cold, without fear of wolves and wild beasts, with bright lights in every household at night, streets and alleyways filled with food vendors, tasting delights wherever she walked, returning home at night to find a bath prepared by servants, bathing immediately, and sleeping in a warm, fragrant bed, waking up the next day to a beautiful and worry-free day. Perhaps she would never live such a life. Her mother, once a person of Great Sum, had not lived such a life since being brought to the Barbarian Tribe, and died without experiencing it again. How could she ever live such a wonderful life? Yelv Nanyan tried to calm herself, not to think too much. Right now, the most important thing was to ransom the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s able-bodied men and Xiao Pengthian. To protect the Sky Wolf Tribe first. If the Sky Wolf Tribe were lost, her fate would be even more tragic; she couldn¡¯t bear to live the miserable life she had as a child again. A few days later. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was examining intelligence reports from the Brocade Guard in his study when there was a knock at the door. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Come in.¡± Immediately, the door opened, and Qin Yushan entered the study. ¡°Your Highness,¡± he greeted. Lu Chen, looking at the intelligence in his hand, hummed in acknowledgment and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qin Yushan placed the intelligence in his hand on Lu Chen¡¯s desk, ¡°Your Highness, Wu Yuan has returned, and he brings news that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife wishes to negotiate with you in person. They plan to redeem the captives of the Barbarian Tribe and Xiao Pengthian with horses or livestock.¡± At these words, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback, then put down the intelligence in his hand and glanced over the report Qin Yushan had placed on the desk. Lu Chen had initially guessed that the Sky Wolf Tribe would concede, but he didn¡¯t anticipate that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife intended to negotiate with him in person. After all, negotiation is a dangerous matter; it¡¯s very possible that those coming to negotiate might never return. The Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife was braver than he had imagined. Truly worthy of a woman who could wield power within the Sky Wolf Tribe. Lu Chen had initially thought of making Xiao Pengthian the Sky Wolf King to divide the tribe, but now it seemed unnecessary. From the intelligence, Lu Chen learned that the royal court of the Sky Wolf King had already begun moving. This was clearly a precaution against the North Fre King and other Barbarian Tribe factions. It appeared their recent defeat had made them feel a great crisis, and there was no need to provoke them further with Xiao Pengthian. Whether Xiao Pengthian returned or not, in the eyes of the Sky Wolf Tribe¡¯s people, he was the next Sky Wolf King. Now, with no Master Level warriors in the entire Sky Wolf Tribe, even if reluctant, they could only acknowledge Xiao Pengthian as the new Sky Wolf King. So for them, acknowledging Xiao Pengthian as the Sky Wolf King actually won¡¯t serve to divide them; instead, they would try all means to ransom Xiao Pengthian back. At this point, Lu Chen put down the intelligence report on the desk and rose from his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s go take a look at Xiao Pengthian,¡± he said. With those words, Lu Chen left the study and headed to the prison where Xiao Pengthian was held. For the upcoming negotiations with the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife, Lu Chen planned to bring Xiao Pengthian along, intending to bring the entire Sky Wolf Tribe under the control of North City. Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Chapter 131 We Negotiate in Person_3 Chapter 144: Chapter 131 We Negotiate in Person_3 Translator: 549690339 | It all depends on what Xiao Pengthian has in mind now. If Xiao Pengthian agrees, North City will then have more Barbarian Tribe soldiers. When it comes to combat on the plains, it will be much easier to locate the other tribes of the Barbarian Tribe. Before long, Lu Chen appeared before Xiao Pengthian. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian was evidently in much better spirits compared to before. Although his hair was still a mess, he looked much cleaner overall. The jailer had granted him the best treatment available in the prison, a luxury those Barbarian Tribe captives outside couldn¡¯t enjoy. When Lu Chen arrived, Xiao Pengthian simply lifted his head to glance at him. He didn¡¯t rise from the bed but instead lowered his head and continued lying on his side, his eyes slightly closed, as if he were asleep. Lu Chen asked indifferently, ¡°General Xiao, what have you decided?¡± Xiao Pengthian didn¡¯t answer directly but instead said, ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that everything you¡¯ve said is true, nor can I guarantee that you will keep your promises.¡± If it were anyone else from Great Sum proposing that condition, perhaps he might have believed it was possible, but the offer to make him the Sky Wolf King came from the North Prince. How could he dare to trust a North Prince who had feigned incompetence to deceive the Barbarian Tribes and ensnared the three hundred thousand strong Barbarian army all at once? The North Prince¡¯s schemes ran too deep. Although the North Prince was only sixteen or seventeen years old, the current Xiao Pengthian couldn¡¯t dare to treat him as a child. If he viewed the North Prince as just a petty child as before, his Sky Wolf King tribe might suffer calamitous destruction. It sounded as though the North Prince had rejected his proposal, but Lu Chen, through Xiao Pengthian¡¯s loyalty level, discerned the inner turmoil in Xiao Pengthian. Name: Xiao Pengthian Status: Great General of the Barbarian Tribe Sky Wolf King tribe, prisoner of North City. Strength: Grandmaster Realm (Sealed State) Loyalty: 60 Xiao Pengthian¡¯s loyalty had reached a usable level; he must certainly want to agree to the proposal. After all, a stable life was something the Sky Wolf King tribe had always desired. If it weren¡¯t for the stability of life, to avoid starvation and the cold as before, they wouldn¡¯t have led three hundred thousand troops to attack North City this time; that was their primary goal. If Lu Chen truly agreed to allow the entire Sky Wolf King tribe to relocate to North City and settle down and also teach them how to cultivate, he would definitely agree. But the key point was that he didn¡¯t trust the North Prince. The North Prince¡¯s cunning was too profound. Xiao Pengthian, who had been outsmarted once before, was naturally very cautious. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°I have come today not only to ask about your decision but also to share some news with you.¡± Xiao Pengthian asked with curiosity, ¡°What news?¡± ¡°Your queen is planning to meet with me to negotiate. She wishes to exchange horses, cattle, and sheep for the release of your Barbarian Tribes¡¯ soldiers and you.¡± ¡°General Xiao, do you think I will agree?¡± Hearing this, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. But he quickly calmed down because he had already anticipated that the queen would do this. Now, besides negotiations, they had no other option. If it were anyone else from Great Sum, there would be a very high chance for negotiations, and maybe they could indeed exchange some horses and livestock to retrieve some Barbarian Tribe soldiers. But they were facing the North Prince! Xiao Pengthian could tell that this young man¡¯s eyes revealed immense ambition; he might not agree. No! Rather, he definitely wouldn¡¯t agree! If the North Prince was willing to negotiate, he wouldn¡¯t have offered Xiao Pengthian the position of the next Sky Wolf King. Seeing that Xiao Pengthian remained silent, Lu Chen continued, ¡°During these negotiations, I will take General Xiao with me. I believe that after the negotiations, General Xiao will immediately make a decision.¡± Xiao Pengthian frowned. Take him along? What was the intention behind that? Could it be that he was to be used as a bargaining chip to threaten the Sky Wolf King tribe? Just as Xiao Pengthian was about to speak, Lu Chen already turned and left. Lu Chen¡¯s main purpose in visiting the prison was to personally deliver the news to Xiao Pengthian, without the intention to waste too many words with him. The annexation of the Sky Wolf King tribe was a foregone conclusion. In the end, the Sky Wolf King tribe had no choice, unless they decided to seek shelter with other Barbarian Tribes. Otherwise, once the negotiations ended, Xiao Pengthian would have no choice but to agree to their terms. Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Chapter 133 You Must Stay by My Side as a Hostagei Chapter 147: Chapter 133 You Must Stay by My Side as a Hostagei Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen seemed utterly unaffected by the tense atmosphere surrounding him as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing into the distance at the Wanning River. ¡°Queen Yelv, I have a question for you. What was the initial reason you attacked North City?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s sudden question, Yelv Nanyan grew even more puzzled. What was the point in asking such a question at a time like this? She simply couldn¡¯t fathom what the young man, more than a decade her junior, was thinking. Nevertheless, Yelv Nanyan eventually responded, ¡°North City is surrounded by mountains, which block the northern winds, and it¡¯s rich in rivers. It¡¯s a treasure of land. Since Great Sum treats North Land with such disregard, why shouldn¡¯t we take it for ourselves?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s face remained calm as he said, ¡°Your answer has a flaw. It sounds like you¡¯re saying that you attacked North City for its land.¡± This¡­ When Lu Chen said this, some of the Barbarian Tribe Elders were confused. Weren¡¯t they attacking North City precisely for its land? How had the North Prince managed to suggest that their objective in attacking North City had somehow changed? At that point, Yelv Nanyan asked, ¡°Oh? Then, North Prince, what do you think our reason was for attacking North City?¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°You did it for a better living environment, for the chance to have the same beautiful life as Great Sum, and that¡¯s why you attacked North City.¡± This¡­ Yelv Nanyan did not rebut, for Lu Chen was right. If it had been in the past, the Barbarian Tribe would descend south to plunder mainly for food and women, but this time was different. This time they were establishing a nation to secure the same beautiful life as Great Sum. Lu Chen then said, ¡°This king can offer you an opportunity to change your living environment.¡± Hmm? Yelv Nanyan suddenly felt she was struggling to keep up with the young man¡¯s thoughts upon hearing this unexpected proposition from Lu Chen. Yelv Nanyan then asked, ¡°Would the North Prince be so benevolent?¡± Lu Chen went on to say, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that under Queen Yelv¡¯s leadership, the Sky Wolf King Tribe has been learning from Great Sum. Many people have adopted the same living habits as those in Great Sum, and the majority have even learned the language of Great Sum.¡± ¡± Out of benevolence, I believe you are worthy of becoming citizens of Great Sum. Therefore, I permit the Sky Wolf King Tribe to relocate and settle in North City.¡± His words exploded like a bombshell. The Barbarians behind Yelv Nanyan were instantly unsettled by this proclamation, bursting into a flurry of discussion. ¡°The North Prince is allowing us to move into North City? How is this possible?¡± ¡°It must be fake, definitely fake. He must be plotting to wipe us out in one fell swoop!¡± ¡°How could the North Prince possibly be so kindhearted!¡± ¡°Exactly, we just fought a battle against North City and lost so many lives. He couldn¡¯t possibly be so kindhearted!¡± Unlike the agitated Barbarian Tribe behind her, Yelv Nanyan fell into deep thought. After a long silence, Yelv Nanyan finally spoke up, ¡°The people of Great Sum often say that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Since the North Prince has allowed the Sky Wolf King Tribe to move into North City, what are the conditions?¡± Setting aside the possibility of any conspiracies for the moment, Yelv Nanyan decided to hear out the North Prince¡¯s conditions first. If the North Prince had already prepared the conditions, then they could discern from them whether he harbored any ulterior motives. After hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s question, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao before saying, ¡°Indeed, there¡¯s no such thing as free pies falling from the sky.¡± ¡°Ido have several conditions for allowing the Sky Wolf King Tribe to move into North City.¡± ¡°The first one concerns you and the Sky Wolf King¡¯s daughter.¡± Upon hearing this, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were both startled, their delicate bodies trembling slightly. They couldn¡¯t believe what they were hearing and stared at Lu Chen¡¯s eyes in disbelief. Regaining her composure, Yelv Nanyan asked with a smile, ¡°Is the North Prince jesting?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°As to what kind of person I am, Queen Yelv should be very clear. I have a fondness for beauty, which is common knowledge. Thankfully, Queen Yelv and the young princess beside you are just my type.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not the most important point. The most important thing is that you are the Sky Wolf King¡¯s queen and hold great power in the Sky Wolf King Tribe. You¡¯re one of the most important figures there, so you must stay with me as a hostage.¡± No sooner than Lu Chen had spoken these words did the Elders behind Yelv Nanyan start to protest. ¡°Queen, you must not agree!¡± ¡°Yes, Queen, if you¡¯re not in the tribe, our tribe will truly be finished!¡± ¡°Queen, don¡¯t fall for the North Prince¡¯s trick; he surely has ill intentions!¡± The significance of Yelv Nanyan was clear. The prosperity of the Sky Wolf King Tribe today couldn¡¯t be separated from Yelv Nanyan, although the defeat of the thirty-thousand-strong Barbarian Army at North City also had a lot to do with her decisions. However, the people of the Sky Wolf King Tribe had no intention of blaming Yelv Nanyan. On the contrary, at that moment, Yelv Nanyan became even more important to them¡ªshe was at the core of their power and the hope of the entire tribe. If Yelv Nanyan were to leave the Sky Wolf King Tribe, once the tribespeople learned of the defeat of the Barbarian Army, the morale of the whole tribe would collapse, and the Sky Wolf King Tribe wouldn¡¯t last much longer. Yelv Nanyan did not heed the words of the Elders behind her; she was contemplating the truth behind Lu Chen¡¯s words. After a while, Yelv Nanyan spoke up, ¡°Aside from the first condition, may I know what the other conditions are?¡± Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Chapter 133 You Must Stay by My Side as a Hostage_2 Chapter 148: Chapter 133 You Must Stay by My Side as a Hostage_2 Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen said, ¡°Since 1 have allowed your people to move into North City, from now on, every member of the Sky Wolf King Tribe is my subject. They must obey my commands, actively integrate into North City, and abide by the laws and regulations of North City.¡± Hearing this, Yelv Nanyan thought for a moment. If the Sky Wolf King Tribe were to really relocate to North City, obeying the commands of the North Prince was certain, but Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t think it would be that simple. After all, the Sky Wolf King Tribe was a Barbarian Tribe; how could the North Prince be at ease with them moving into North City? There must be other conditions. Just as Yelv Nanyan was about to ask if there was a third condition, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°That¡¯s right, once the Sky Wolf King Tribe moves into North City, they must settle separately. From then on, the Sky Wolf King Tribe will cease to exist.¡± Upon hearing these words, before Yelv Nanyan could say anything, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s High Priest, who stood behind her, immediately said, ¡°Impossible! We absolutely cannot agree to such a condition!!!¡± To move into North City, and even unsure if it was a plot by the North Prince, they had to dissolve the entire tribe. How could they possibly accept that? They would definitely not accept such conditions! Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face turned dark as well, just as she had thought; the North Prince wanted to dismantle the entire Sky Wolf King Tribe, erasing it from history completely. At that moment, Yelv Nanyan coldly asked, ¡°If we do not accept the North Prince¡¯s conditions, what will the North Prince do?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°If Queen Yelv does not accept, then 1 will have to learn from your Barbarian Tribe and simply take you back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion by force, making you my woman.¡± Hearing the blunt words of Lu Chen, Yelv Nanyan coldly said, ¡°Does the North Prince think I am just a weak woman?¡± As she spoke, Yelv Nanyan exuded the aura of a Martial Artist. Over the years, she had collected much of Great Sum¡¯s Martial Arts through various means, and she had been practicing martial arts in secret. Very few in the Sky Wolf King Tribe knew of her martial prowess. She rarely used her skills, but that didn¡¯t mean she was a weak woman. Yelv Nanyan thought to herself, she was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, and although the North Prince was very calculating, his strength was at most at around Fifth Grade. If they were to really clash, with the distance between them, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for her to capture the North Prince directly. At that moment, the soldiers behind Lu Chen stopped pretending and released their Martial Artist auras. Mu Changtian and the others even displayed their Protective Gang Qi directly. Lu Chen of course knew why Yelv Nanyan still had the confidence to speak to him like this; she was a concealed Ninth Grade Martial Artist, surely thinking she was not his match. To make Yelv Nanyan utterly despair, Lu Chen also directly released his own Protective Gang Qi. When Mu Changtian and the others, along with Lu Chen, released their Protective Gang Qi, the Barbarian Tribe soldiers immediately became restless. Even Yelv Nanyan showed an expression of disbelief. Four¡­ Four Grandmasters! The North Prince is also a Grandmaster!!! How is this possible? Isn¡¯t the North Price only sixteen or seventeen years old? Seeing Lu Chen release his Protective Gang Qi, all the Barbarian Tribe Elders wilted. No wonder their army of three hundred thousand fell at North City; even the North Prince, this boy of only sixteen or seventeen, was a Grandmaster. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian was also stunned in his place. He now understood why Lu Chen had told him a month ago in prison that after the negotiations ended, he would make a choice. A sixteen or seventeen-year-old Grandmaster; he no longer needed to consider anything, did he? This was an existence bound to become a Great Grandmaster, and might even break through to the Celestial Realm in the future. The rule on the grasslands was to bow to the strong, the strongest is the leader. To submit to a future possible Celestial realm power was not shameful at all. Feeling the formidable aura of the Martial Artist coming from Lu Chen, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s delicate body trembled slightly. She had no choice left. Either become this young man¡¯s woman, or have only a dead end. At this moment, a Barbarian Tribe soldier suddenly ran from behind to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s side, and with a panicked look, whispered something in her ear. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face turned even paler. Yelv Nanyan couldn¡¯t help but look up at the young man before her, her eyes filled with complex emotions. Lu Chen had already guessed what the Barbarian Tribe soldier had told Yelv Nanyan, so he took the initiative to say, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right, I forgot to tell you, half a month ago 1 had already sent word to the various tribes of the grasslands about the defeat of the Sky Wolf King. I believe by now the North Fre King must be searching the world over for your Sky Wolf King¡¯s royal court.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the Barbarian Tribe elders¡¯ faces changed drastically, knowing that once the North Fre King learned of their defeat, he would definitely search everywhere for them and then plunder their tribes. Lu Chen continued, ¡°You now have only two choices, either accept my terms and move all your people into North City, and your queen marries me, becoming my woman,¡± ¡°Or, you can retreat and fight the North Fre King in a battle to the death.¡± ¡°Additionally, the North Fre King might not know the location of your royal court, but I do. 1 believe this information would be of great value to the North Fre King.¡± At this moment, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s elders all wanted to curse Lu Chen for his despicable and shameless behavior, but like fish on a chopping board, they had no choice but to bow their heads. ¡°I have plenty of time and can wait for you to discuss this slowly, but before the sunset, I expect a definitive answer from you.¡± With that, Lu Chen turned and walked towards the Black Cavalry, but he did not leave. At that moment, the Black Cavalry brought out a table and immediately spread out all the food they had prepared onto it, and even poured a cup of wine for Lu Chen. Lu Chen sat at the table and sipped the fine wine. Meanwhile, Yelv Nanyan and a few elders of the Barbarian Tribe still hadn¡¯t spoken, remaining silent. It seemed they had reached a dead end already. No, to be more precise, they had embarked on a path of no return since the moment they decided to attack North City. They had chosen a foe they should never have engaged. Without doubt, the North Prince was the nemesis of their Sky Wolf King tribe, they hadn¡¯t faced anyone like him before. The end days for the Sky Wolf King tribe had indeed arrived. After a prolonged silence, Yelv Nanyan finally said, ¡°Setting aside whether we can leave this place today in front of four Grandmasters, even if we return, I fear we cannot withstand the North Fre King¡¯s slaughter.¡± The High Priest said, ¡°Queen, do we really have no choice but to disband our tribe?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°If the North Prince genuinely wants to take in our Sky Wolf King tribe, relocating to North City might not be a bad thing for us, but he would never allow us to keep the tribe intact. That would be a huge threat to North City, and he wouldn¡¯t permit such a threat to exist.¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, the High Priest of the Sky Wolf King tribe closed his eyes, appearing utterly exhausted. He then said, ¡°Queen, whatever you decide, we will follow.¡± Just then, Lu Chen said to Xiao Pengthian behind him, ¡°General Xiao, you can go and reunite with your people now.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian was slightly taken aback. He asked in disbelief, ¡°You dare let me go over there? Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll just run away?¡± Lu Chen took a sip of wine and then said, ¡°If you think you can escape, you¡¯re welcome to try.¡± Xiao Pengthian glanced at Wenren Lie not far away. It was Wenren Lie¡¯s hammer strike that had knocked him unconscious before, and he was still daunted by the thought of Wenren Lie¡¯s hammer. He let out a deep sigh, then walked towards Yelv Nanyan and the others. Seeing Xiao Pengthian coming from Lu Chen¡¯s side, Xiao Wenyao was extremely excited. She hurried over, grabbed Xiao Pengthian¡¯s hand, and sobbed, ¡°Uncle! Thank goodness you¡¯re alive!¡± Xiao Pengthian patted Xiao Wenyao¡¯s head and said, ¡°Yaoyao, don¡¯t cry, your uncle is fine, let¡¯s go over there first.¡± Xiao Wenyao nodded, and the two approached Yelv Nanyan. Xiao Pengthian, seeing Yelv Nanyan, bowed and said, ¡°My respects to the Queen.¡± Seeing that Xiao Pengthian was released by Lu Chen, Yelv Nanyan sighed and asked, ¡°General Xiao, what is your choice?¡± Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Chapter 134: From Now On, There is No More Sky Wolf King Tribe i Chapter 149: Chapter 134: From Now On, There is No More Sky Wolf King Tribe i Translator: 549690339 Xiao Pengthian was the only Grandmaster strength in the Sky Wolf King tribe, and although his Realm might have declined, there was still hope for him to recover to the level of Grandmaster Realm in the future. With Xiao Hongbo dead, Xiao Pengthian was the only one who could become the next Sky Wolf King. Now that the Sky Wolf King tribe had reached a desperate situation, Yelv Nanyan wanted to know what Xiao Pengthian planned to do. Upon hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s question, Xiao Pengthian fell silent for a moment. After a while, instead of answering Yelv Nanyan¡¯s question, Xiao Pengthian asked, ¡°Princess, if we return to the grasslands, will the North Fre Tribe let us go?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°No.¡± Xiao Pengthian continued, ¡°At that time, whether it¡¯s you, Princess, or Yaoyao, you will both be captured by the North Fre King to become his female slaves. Would the Princess rather be the North Prince¡¯s woman, or a female slave for the North Fre King?¡± Yelv Nanyan did not answer this question. If she had to choose between the two, Yelv Nanyan would inevitably pick that little man not far away; she would definitely not choose that old coot, the North Fre King. However, Yelv Nanyan also knew very well that in the Sky Wolf King tribe she was a Princess with power in her hands, and once she went to the North Prince Mansion and became the North Prince¡¯s woman, she would lose all her power, and by then, she would just be an ordinary member of the North Prince¡¯s harem. Moreover, she was already in her thirties this year, older and aging faster compared to the North Prince¡¯s women. Perhaps at the beginning, the North Prince might covet her beauty, but it might not be too many years before she grew old and faded, the North Prince would lose all interest in her, and she could only end her days alone in the North Prince¡¯s harem. But thinking about this was useless now; she already had no choice. Moreover, the life in Great Sum was something she had yearned for since childhood, and if she missed this opportunity, she might slip back into the previous life of wandering. She had had enough of living a nomadic life following the water and grass. Seeing that Yelv Nanyan did not reply to his question, Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°The North Prince is only seventeen years old at most this year, yet he is already a Grandmaster. I believe he has a strong chance of becoming a Heavenly Human Realm expert in the future. Since our tribe¡¯s inception, we have revered the strong, and since he is strong and has defeated us, we have no reason not to submit to him.¡± ¡°The Sky Wolf King tribe has achieved what it has today through constant warfare and the assimilation of smaller tribes. Now that we have lost, our fate is no different from those smaller tribes we once conquered, and I think it¡¯s not something difficult to accept.¡± Hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, the elders of the Barbarian Tribe fell into thought. Indeed, the reason the Sky Wolf King tribe had reached its current stature was through the constant warfare and assimilation of surrounding smaller tribes into its fold. Among these elders, some were originally from other small tribes, like Elder Fu, who was absorbed into the Sky Wolf King tribe after it had assimilated his former small tribe. If North City were seen as a larger Barbarian Tribe, then moving to North City seemed not so unacceptable. At this moment, the elders of the Barbarian Tribe were no longer strongly opposed to moving to North City, after all, they had no choice. If they returned to the grasslands and were discovered by the North Fre King, they would only face being conquered. And the people of the Sky Wolf King tribe had already grown to desire the lifestyle of Great Sum under the leadership of Yelv Nanyan over the years. Now with such a good opportunity before them, how they chose seemed to need no further discussion. At this point, the High Priest opened his eyes and said, ¡°Let¡¯s vote, those in favor of moving to North City raise your hands.¡± Upon hearing this, the High Priest was the first to raise his hand. The High Priest of the Barbarian Tribe held a pivotal position within the tribe, and since he agreed, the others could hardly disagree. Following suit, Elder Fu raised his hand, and soon after, the various elders raised their hands to vote for the relocation to North City. The moment the High Priest raised his hand essentially represented their agreement to move to North City. The High Priest was the most conservative person among the entire tribe, and since he had agreed, it was unlikely that others would not. But at this time, Yelv Nanyan did not raise her hand. Seeing that Yelv Nanyan had not raised her hand, Xiao Pengthian asked, ¡°Princess, what is this¡­?¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°I do not have the right to vote on the future of the Sky Wolf King tribe.¡± ¡°But since you all agree, General Xiao should go and convey this message to the North Prince.¡± Xiao Pengthian then said, ¡°I understand.¡± Afterward, Xiao Pengthian turned and walked towards Lu Chen and his group. Seeing Xiao Pengthian return, Lu Chen, with a smile on his face, said, ¡°It seems you have made a decision, but I¡¯m curious whether you have chosen survival or destruction.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen spoken than Xiao Pengthian immediately knelt on one knee, and with a salute, said loudly, ¡°This subordinate, Xiao Pengthian, pays respect to the Prince. From today onward, I wish to serve as the Prince¡¯s sword, to clear the path ahead for the Prince!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen glanced at Xiao Pengthian¡¯s Loyalty, which had reached 75, a not insignificant number. It appeared that the Sky Wolf King tribe had chosen to move to North City. Then, Lu Chen stood up and said, ¡°General Xiao, please rise.¡± Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°Thankyou, Prince!¡± As the words fell, Xiao Pengthian got up from the ground, and at that moment, Lu Chen walked directly towards Yelv Nanyan and her group. Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Chapter 134: From Now On, There is No MoreSky Wolf King Tribe_2 Chapter 150: Chapter 134: From Now On, There is No MoreSky Wolf King Tribe_2 Translator: 549690339 Soon, Lu Chen came back to the place where they had just negotiated. He once again seated himself on the fur carpet and then said to Yelv Nanyan, ¡°It seems that you have agreed to my conditions?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°but we have one more condition.¡± ¡°Oh, what is the condition?¡± Lu Chen asked. Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t answer directly, but instead asked, ¡°Does the Prince really not intend to release those one hundred thousand soldiers? If we join North City, those one hundred thousand soldiers will no longer be captives, but Your Highness¡¯s subjects.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately understood what Yelv Nanyan meant, and then said, ¡°I can release them, but not now.¡± ¡°I need them to do ten years of labor in North City. If their performance is good, I can release them early, and during this period, I will allow their families to visit them. If their performance is excellent, they can be temporarily allowed to return home and reunite with their families.¡± Hearing this, Yelv Nanyan sighed in her heart, thinking that this was probably the biggest concession the North Prince could make. Beyond this concession, they probably couldn¡¯t get any more favorable terms from the North Prince. Yelv Nanyan continued to ask, ¡°Once the Sky Wolf King Tribe migrates into North City, how does the North Prince plan to arrange things?¡± ¡°Once you arrive in North City, you will naturally find out,¡± Lu Chen replied. Yelv Nanyan asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Prince worried that our people will clash with the commoners of North City? The war has just ended, and because of this war, quite a few people must have died in North City, right? The hatred of the North City commoners towards us cannot be erased in just a day or two.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t discuss this topic further, only saying indifferently, ¡°North City is vast, and the population is sparse.¡± Compared with the other counties of Great Sum, North City was typically characterized by its vast land and sparse population. Even if all the Barbarian Tribes from the North Land were to migrate there, North City would still have the capacity to accommodate them. The key was that Lu Chen would soon bring the North Land under his territory, and at that time, his territory would continue to expand northward, and there would be even more land available. The population of the Barbarian Tribes was negligible in comparison. As for the hatred of the commoners, it was certainly not something that could be eradicated in a short period, and it would require a long time to blend in. Lu Chen then said, ¡°If you have any other questions, you can ask them all at once. I can personally answer them for you today.¡± After contemplating for a moment, Yelv Nanyan spoke up, ¡°When we get to North City, I would like to see our soldiers.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t even need to think about it and immediately answered, ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Lu Chen had actually been planning to take Yelv Nanyan to see those Barbarian Tribe captives anyway; mainly to stabilize the Barbarian Tribes and keep the captives from entertaining any extraneous thoughts. Since Yelv Nanyan had taken the initiative to ask to see them, Lu Chen had no reason to disagree. Yelv Nanyan then took a deep breath and said, ¡°Thankyou, North Prince, for making this possible. We have no further issues.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Since you have no further issues, then Queen Yelv and Princess Xiao will immediately accompany me back to North City.¡± Upon hearing this, the faces of the Barbarian Tribe elders showed an expression of immense pain, struggling with their emotions. If the Queen left and the Sky Wolf King Tribe moved into North City, it would mean the end of the Sky Wolf King Tribe. Although their lives might be better than before, their attachment to the Sky Wolf King Tribe wasn¡¯t something they could let go of overnight. At that moment, Lu Chen stood up and walked toward the Black Cavalry. Watching his retreating figure, Yelv Nanyan felt incredibly complex emotions. She never imagined that at her advanced age, practically old enough to be considered an elder to the North Prince, she would end up as the North Prince¡¯s woman. Yelv Nanyan then turned her head to look at Xiao Wenyao, who had been lost in her thoughts throughout the proceedings. ¡°Yaoyao, let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Wenyao, stunned, asked, ¡°Queen, are we really going to the North Prince Mansion?¡± ¡°Between the North Prince and the North Fre King, howwould you choose?¡± Yelv Nanyan countered. Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t answer, but said dejectedly, ¡°I understand.¡± Afterward, Xiao Wenyao walked toward where the Black Cavalry was positioned. After returning to the front of the Black Cavalry, Lu Chen said to Xiao Pengthian, ¡°General Xiao, the matter of settling the Sky Wolf King Tribe into North City will be entrusted to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Pengthian was momentarily stunned. He had only recently pledged his loyalty to the North Prince, and now he was tasked by the North Prince with this mission. Wasn¡¯t the North Prince afraid that he might have other intentions? Lu Chen didn¡¯t care what Xiao Pengthian was thinking; he said directly to Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, didn¡¯t you say you had some pill that could restore one¡¯s skill? Give one to General Xiao.¡± Qin Yushan didn¡¯t hesitate; he took out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Xiao Pengthian, saying, ¡°This is the Great Returning Pill. Just one is enough to help you regain your skill, and you should be able to return to the Master Realm within no more than half a month at most.¡± Seeing the small porcelain bottle in Qin Yushan¡¯s hand, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s heart was filled with immense excitement. He had always thought he was crippled for life, and that regaining his skill would be very difficult. He hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince to have such a miraculous medicine. Xiao Pengthian took the small porcelain bottle from Qin Yushan¡¯s hand and immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, your trust in your subordinate will certainly not be let down by me.¡± Having said that, Xiao Pengthian opened the bottle and swallowed the pill inside without hesitation. He did not even consider the possibility that it could be poison; even if it were, he would just have to accept it, for he was already crippled and had little chance of regaining his skill. Once Xiao Pengthian had taken the Great Returning Pill, he instantly felt his skill returning to his body, and a Protective Gang Qi even emerged around him. Although he did not know what the Great Returning Pill was, Xiao Pengthian knew that it must be extremely precious, and the fact that Lu Chen had given him such a valuable pill to consume showed how much Lu Chen valued him. For a moment, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s loyalty shot up rapidly, reaching 89 in an instant, nearly hitting 90. Seeing that Xiao Pengthian had regained his skill, Lu Chen continued, ¡°General Xiao, you should return to the Sky Wolf King Tribe with the elders of your tribe today.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Pengthian was once again stunned. Once he regained his senses, Xiao Pengthian immediately asked, ¡°Prince, aren¡¯t you afraid that your subordinate might just run away?¡± Now that he had regained ninety percent of his strength, if he were to be allowed to return to the Sky Wolf King Tribe, some people would probably just take to their heels and never come back to North City again. Xiao Pengthian did not understand why Lu Chen was so confident in him. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s the same as before. If you think you can escape, you¡¯re welcome to try.¡± With that, Lu Chen walked over to his horse and swung himself into the saddle. At that moment, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao approached the Black Cavalry. Wenren Lie led two horses over and said to Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, ¡°Ladies, please!¡± Hearing Wenren Lie call her ¡°Lady,¡± Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face instantly turned a shade rosier; she stole a glance at Lu Chen who was already on his horse. Xiao Wenyao did not believe that Lu Chen intended to marry her, nor did she consider herself marrying Lu Chen. In Xiao Wenyao¡¯s view, she was just Lu Chen¡¯s slave. Xiao Wenyao had grown up on the grasslands, which had shaped her understanding of the world. In the grasslands, the vanquished were always slaves; there was no room for human rights there. Yelv Nanyan did not think too much about it; she swiftly mounted her horse. Once Yelv Nanyan was on horseback, Xiao Wenyao came back to her senses and quickly mounted her horse as well. Being a slave was better than being married to the North Fre King, an old fool who devoured people without even bathing. With that thought, Xiao Wenyao accepted her fate and implanted in her mind the identity of being the little female slave of North Prince. From now on, the North Prince was to be Xiao Wenyao¡¯s master. At this time, Xiao Pengthian looked at Xiao Wenyao and then said, ¡°Yaoyao, your uncle is going back to the tribe for now, I¡¯ll come and check on you after a while.¡± Upon hearing this, both Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan were taken aback. They had not known beforehand about Lu Chen¡¯s plan to let Xiao Pengthian return to the Sky Wolf King Tribe. When she recovered, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s beautiful eyes were fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s back, as she tried to see through this young man. Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: Chapter 135: Great Ambition, But Uncertain If The Strength Matches Chapter 151: Chapter 135: Great Ambition, But Uncertain If The Strength Matches Translator: 549690339 Xiao Pengthian was the Great General of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe and also a candidate for the Sky Wolf King. At this time, Lu Chen dared to let him return to the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, something Yelv Nanyan could never have imagined. The audacity of the North Prince really didn¡¯t seem like something a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old child could possess, and for a moment, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s gaze involuntarily followed Lu Chen¡¯s figure, unable to move away. Honestly, Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t have much confidence in Xiao Pengthian; now that the Sky Wolf King had died in battle and she, as the core of power in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, had been taken away by the North Prince. Once Xiao Pengthian returned to the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, he would be the next center of power. He could very well lead the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe away from the North Land or choose to join the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, refusing to relocate to North City. Daring to release Xiao Pengthian back to the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe at this time took a kind of audacity not just anyone could muster. Yelv Nanyan saw absolute confidence in Lu Chen. This young man was the most confident and audacious man she had ever seen! Xiao Wenyao came back to her senses at this moment, and she cautiously asked, ¡°Uncle, does the North Prince plan to let you go back?¡± Xiao Pengthian nodded and said, ¡°The North Prince has entrusted me with the responsibility of relocating the tribe to North City.¡± Yelv Nanyan¡¯s eyes moved away from Lu Chen, and she looked at Xiao Pengthian, saying, ¡°General Xiao, it seems the North Prince holds you in high regard.¡± On hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian felt a mix of emotions. He gave a wry smile and said, ¡°I suppose that¡¯s an honor. With that, Xiao Pengthian looked at Xiao Wenyao and reminded her, ¡°Yaoyao, the North Prince Mansion is not a royal court; when you get there, you can no longer be as wilful as before.¡± Xiao Pengthian knew of Xiao Wenyao¡¯s penchant for mistreating slaves ¨C a practice that, within the royal courts, would not garner any criticism. But the North Prince Mansion was different; it was populated by people of Great Sum, and even the maids and servants were from Great Sum, while Xiao Wenyao was merely a hostage from the Barbarian Tribe. If she continued to mistreat the servants as she used to, she might very well provoke the North Prince. Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Uncle, I know what to do. In her heart, Xiao Wenyao had already resigned herself to being the North Prince¡¯s slave, and with her past experience of having so many slaves, she naturally knew how a slave should behave. After reminding Xiao Wenyao, Xiao Pengthian then looked at Yelv Nanyan and said, ¡°Madam, take care!¡± As his voice faded, Xiao Pengthian turned and walked towards where the Barbarian Tribe elders were located. Seeing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s return, seemingly also having recovered his strength, the elders of the Barbarian Tribe were extremely excited for a moment. Unbidden, some undue thoughts arose in their hearts, but Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words promptly chilled the elders. Elders, I have pledged my loyalty to the North Prince, and I will take full responsibility for the relocation to North City.¡± The High Priest sighed, turned, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, prepare to go back. He didn¡¯t want to say more; the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe was already on a path of no return, and Xiao Pengthian¡¯s return could do nothing to change that. Now the North Fre King was probably already leading his army all over the North Land in search of them, and even though Xiao Pengthian had returned, their tribe¡¯s small numbers were no match for a direct confrontation with the North Fre King. Moving south was their only way to avoid the North Fre King. Or they could directly join the North Fre King¡¯s tribe. However, most people from the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe likely would not join the North Fre King¡¯s tribe. Under Yelv Nanyan¡¯s leadership over the years, the lifestyle and habits of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had become more aligned with those of Great Sum, whereas the North Fre King¡¯s tribe was still one that had not fully civilized. Of course, there were those who still preferred the life on the grasslands. Upon hearing the High Priest¡¯s words, everyone fell silent. On the way back to their tribe, no one spoke a word. On the grasslands where the north wind howled, only the sound of the wind and horse hooves could be heard. Meanwhile. Lu Chen also set off for home with Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. On the journey, Lu Chen often found himself attracted to Yelv Nanyan, wanting to deal with her during their rest stops. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s mature beauty had an extremely powerful effect on men, and Lu Chen found that even though he had reached the Master Realm, he struggled to control himself in front of her. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s ability to maintain her integrity for decades within the Barbarian Tribe earned Lu Chen¡¯s deep respect. If Yelv Nanyan had not been using some skill or strength, she could not have preserved her integrity for so many years within a Barbarian Tribe. Fortunately, Lu Chen always had his personal guard Bai Qingqing by his side. Whenever he felt he couldn¡¯t control himself, he would go and chat with Bai Qingqing to cultivate their relationship. Even though Yelv Nanyan now belonged to Lu Chen, and he could completely possess her, they were still on the road home. Lu Chen elected to wait until they reached Yan County so his servants could properly take care of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao first. Before long. Lu Chen and his entourage finally arrived at Yan County. When the common folk of Yan County saw that Lu Chen had brought back the wife and daughter of the Sky Wolf King, they were ecstatic. In the eyes of the common folk, the North Prince had not only conquered the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe but also subdued the Sky Wolf King¡¯s women. Although this thought was somewhat indecent, for the simple commoners, it was indeed a very thrilling affair. In the past, it had always been the Barbarians coming south to snatch women from Great Sum, and now their Prince had finally vented some spleen and captured the Sky Wolf King¡¯s women and daughter. The idea of the North Prince fiercely tormenting the Sky Wolf King¡¯s women and daughter every night gave the common people great satisfaction. Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, riding their horses, felt somewhat at a loss as they watched the cheering common folk on both sides of Yan County. The reason the common people were cheering was because the North Prince had brought the two women with him, which immediately made them feel humiliated. Fortunately, it was not long before they reached the North Prince Mansion. When Lu Chen rode back to the North Prince Mansion, Mu Zixuan had already been waiting with Great Xiaozhou and Little Xiaozhou at the mansion¡¯s gateway. The Brocade Guard had long since informed Mu Zixuan of Lu Chen¡¯s return with two women, so she had arranged rooms for Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao in advance, and also prepared some maids and servants for them. After dismounting his horse, Mu Zixuan immediately approached, ¡°Prince, you¡¯ve returned.¡± Lu Chen gave a slight smile, then spoke, ¡°This half-month, with your lordship away from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, you have managed everything on your own. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°It¡¯s this concubine¡¯s duty, not at all difficult. At that moment, Mu Zixuan turned her head towards Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. With a beaming smile, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Prince, are these the two women that you had the Brocade Guard send a message to this concubine about?¡± Lu Chen turned his head towards Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, then introduced them to Mu Zixuan, ¡°This is the wife of the Sky Wolf King, and this is the Sky Wolf King¡¯s daughter.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan immediately went up to Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. Yelv Nanyan promptly said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the princess. When a princess meets a princess, there¡¯s generally no need for such formalities, but Yelv Nanyan knew her status was no different from that of a prisoner. If she wanted to have a good life in the North Prince Mansion in the future, she had to get along well with the wife of the North Prince. Seeing Yelv Nanyan paying her respects, the slow to react Xiao Wenyao quickly followed suit and said, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the princess.¡± Mu Zixuan smiled slightly and then, holding the jade hands of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, said, ¡°You two need not be so formal. From now on, we are family.¡± Then something seemed to occur to Mu Zixuan, who then asked, ¡°Right, I still don¡¯t know your names or your ages?¡± Since Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao had entered the North Prince Mansion, they would have to forsake their previous titles. It wasn¡¯t possible to still refer to them as ¡°princess¡± or ¡°queen.¡± Yelv Nanyan immediately responded, ¡°Returning to the princess, my name is Yelv Nanyan, and I am thirty-two years old.¡± Xiao Wenyao also hurriedly said, ¡°My name is Xiao Wenyao, and I am eighteen years old.¡± Mu Zixuan, with a smile, said, ¡°Thirty-two years old, much older than me. So from now on, I will call you Sister Nanyan.¡± Yelv Nanyan quickly replied, ¡°Princess, this is inappropriate. I am merely the prince¡¯s hostage, I am not worthy of you calling me sister.¡± Mu Zixuan said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it. The North Prince Mansion does not have so many rules.¡± Compared to the many formalities of Great Xia, the North Prince Mansion clearly did not have as many. Even Mu Zixuan, a princess, called Chu Yuqin ¡°Madam Chu¡± following Lu Chen¡¯s example, so calling Yelv Nanyan ¡°sister was not a big deal. The most important thing was that Yelv Nanyan was the wife of the Sky Wolf King. Though Yelv Nanyan had now left the Sky Wolf King Tribe, her status was still politically very important to Lu Chen. In the meantime, Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve had someone prepare rooms for the two of you. Please, come with me.¡± This¡­ Seeing the princess being so hospitable, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were both a bit stunned. The two of them were merely prisoners, and they had not expected the North Prince¡¯s wife to treat them with such courtesy. However, being older and having experienced more, Yelv Nanyan knew this was Mu Zixuan¡¯s way of winning people over. She just couldn¡¯t quite understand why Mu Zixuan would bother to win over her, the wife of the Sky Wolf King. At this moment, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao both turned to look at Lu Chen. They were now Lu Chen¡¯s women, and naturally, they had to read his mood. Lu Chen, with a smile, said to Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, ¡°You two follow my beloved consort inside.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had spoken, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao in unison said, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Then the two followed Mu Zixuan into the mansion. Lu Chen patted Bai Qingqing¡¯s bottom, signaling her to follow inside as well. Bai Qingqing¡¯s face flashed with a blush, but she said nothing and promptly went inside. Yelv Nanyan was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, and Xiao Wenyao was a Seventh Grade Martial Artist. Until he had completely secured control over the two women, Lu Chen remained a bit worried they could pose a threat to his people, so he still had to take precautions. Lu Chen certainly did not wish for unrest in his harem. After Mu Zixuan led Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao into the mansion, Lu Chen went straight to his study. Meanwhile. At the gates of Yan County. An old man with graying hair, dressed in coarse cloth, lingered in front of the city¡¯s notice board, quietly listening to the conversations of the passersby. The prince has indeed avenged us! It used to be the barbarians stealing our women, but today, it was finally our turn to take theirs!¡± The Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife is truly beautiful; the prince is fortunate indeed! And the Sky Wolf King¡¯s daughter is not bad either ¨C not only pretty, but also with a good figure and especially strong legs!¡± You lot, your heads are full of women. Don¡¯t you know that the North Prince is planning to relocate the Sky Wolf King Tribe to North City?¡± If you ask me, those uncivilized brutes should all be killed. The North Prince actually intends to move them to North City.¡± Kill? You understand nothing. Haven¡¯t you heard that the North Prince is planning to greatly expand construction, build roads and fortify towns? If those barbarians were all killed, who would do the heavy labor?¡± ¡°Tsk, the Sky Wolf King Tribe has already surrendered to the North Prince. If they are to move to North City, so be it.¡± I¡¯ve heard that the North Prince¡¯s plans aren¡¯t just about relocating the Sky Wolf King Tribe to North City. He intends to turn the entire North Land into his domain. Before long, all the barbarian tribes of the North Land will become the prince¡¯s subjects. Anyone who dares not submit will be attacked by his army!¡± The North Prince really has guts. Before, we wouldn¡¯t even dare to dream that the barbarians could have such a day.¡± Listenting to the townspeople¡¯s discussions, the old man muttered to himself, ¡°Great ambition, but it remains to be seen if he possesses the corresponding strength.¡± Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: Chapter 136: State Preceptor, What Brings You to North City?_i Chapter 152: Chapter 136: State Preceptor, What Brings You to North City?_i Translator: 549690339 Situ Ce arrived in North City half a month ago, but he didn¡¯t go directly to Prince¡¯s Mansion to find Lu Chen. He stayed in Yan County for half a month, looked around, and inquired about the local people¡¯s opinion of Lu Chen. As he expected, North Prince¡¯s reputation had completely reversed; now, the common people of North City greatly supported the North Prince. This was within Situ Ce¡¯s expectations and he didn¡¯t find it too surprising. During this time, Situ Ce heard an interesting opinion from the mouths of the locals in North City. Many of them said that the North Prince was the ¡°Son of Destiny,¡± a man blessed by immortals. After some investigation, coupled with intelligence collected by the Shadow Guard, Situ Ce quickly understood why the people thought the North Prince was the ¡°Son of Destiny.¡± Rumors said that on the day the Barbarian Tribe attacked North City, countless Heavenly Thunders fell from the sky, striking the Barbarian Army into a chaotic retreat. Although the common folk hadn¡¯t been on the battlefield, they had heard numerous accounts of what happened there. Of course, Situ Ce did not believe the rumors were true just because they were circulated among the people, but their persistence indicated that something related to Heavenly Thunder indeed occurred that day. At that moment, Situ Ce turned away from the notice board at the city gate and headed directly to the campsite where the Imperial Army was stationed. The Imperial Army was about to return to the Capital city, and Situ Ce planned to speak to Lin Xiuming before he led the Imperial Army back, in order to understand what they had seen after arriving in North City. At this time, Lin Xiuming was in his tent preparing the report about North City that he needed to present after returning to the Capital. Then, a soldier entered the tent and reported, ¡°General, there¡¯s an old man with white hair outside holding a jade pendant, claiming he has an urgent matter for you.¡± If it were an ordinary old man, the soldiers would generally not take notice and would likely send him away. However, since the man had produced a jade pendant granted by the Emperor, the soldier did not know whether it was real or fake and decided to show it to Lin Xiuming. The sound of the soldier¡¯s voice faded as he placed the jade pendant on the desk. Lin Xiuming, who was initially curious about who would come looking for him with a jade pendant, froze immediately upon seeing it. Ordinary people did not have the privilege to meet the State Preceptor, nor had many seen him, including some high-ranking ministers who had never met Situ Ce. But Lin Xiuming was different. As the son of the Left Minister, he had met the State Preceptor, Situ Ce, several times. And he also happened to know the jade pendant worn by Situ Ce. With one look at the pendant, Lin Xiuming knew it was Situ Ce coming to see him. However, he was extremely puzzled, as the State Preceptor was a pillar of Great Sum and usually would not leave the Capital city. How could he have come to North City in person? Coming back to his senses, Lin Xiuming immediately said, ¡°Please invite that old man in!¡± Lin Xiuming refrained from revealing Situ Ce¡¯s identity to the soldier. Since Situ Ce had come to North City, he must be on an important mission, and Lin Xiuming did not intend to expose his identity. Seeing Lin Xiuming¡¯s change in expression upon seeing the jade pendant, the soldier knew the old man¡¯s identity must be extraordinary. He immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ll invite the old man in at once!¡± As the soldier¡¯s voice fell, he turned and left the tent. Soon after, Situ Ce appeared in Lin Xiuming¡¯s tent. Lin Xiuming instantly instructed the soldier, ¡°Leave us for now, and have the soldiers outside move twenty steps away from the tent!¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± Once the soldier had left the tent, Lin Xiuming promptly bowed and said, ¡°Greetings, State Preceptor!¡± After the formalities, Lin Xiuming walked forward, holding out the jade pendant with both hands to give it back to Situ Ce, then asked, ¡°State Preceptor, what brings you to North City?¡± Stroking his beard, Situ Ce replied with a smile, ¡°I have come to North City on important matters, General Lin need not inquire further.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xiuming instantly realized that the State Preceptor had likely come for the North Prince. It was probable that the Sum Emperor had given the State Preceptor a task, which indeed was beyond a general¡¯s scope to inquire. Lin Xiuming quickly shifted the topic and asked, ¡°I overstepped. May I know the reason for your visit?¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°I would like to know what you all have seen after your arrival in North City.¡± Upon hearing this question, the vision of the gruesome scene outside Yan County flashed in Lin Xiuming¡¯s mind. Lin Xiuming had led the Imperial Army to stay in North City for almost two months and had strictly forbidden his soldiers from investigating, fearful of provoking the North Prince¡¯s wrath. Lin Xiuming was no fool; he could immediately tell that those huge craters and the horrific state of the barbarian corpses were caused by some sort of weapon. Obviously, it was not something he could get involved in. They were still in North City, under the scrutiny of the North Prince. If they made any misstep that was discovered by the North Prince, it might be uncertain whether he could even return to the Capital city. Thus, Lin Xiuming had instructed the soldiers in the camp to avoid discussing the scene they had witnessed since their arrival in North City. At this moment, Lin Xiuming looked a bit pale, but he replied solemnly, ¡°Upon our arrival at Yan County, we saw that the area outside the city was full of enormous craters, and the ground was littered with the limbs and body parts of the Barbarian Tribe. Those craters had a width of at least six or seven steps.¡± Hearing this, Situ Ce continued to ask, ¡°According to your judgment, General Lin, what caused those craters?¡± Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: Chapter 136: State Preceptor, What Brings You to North City?_2 Chapter 153: Chapter 136: State Preceptor, What Brings You to North City?_2 Translator: 549690339 Lin Xiuming replied, ¡°I also can¡¯t think of anything that could have caused such a huge crater, but it must have been some kind of special weapon.¡± ¡°Judging from the distribution of the barbarians¡¯ corpses, the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City played a significant role. However, without that mysterious weapon that routed the barbarian army of three hundred thousand, it would have been very difficult for the fifty thousand heavy cavalry alone to defeat the barbarian army.¡± Lin Xiuming, a general and a veteran of battlefields, needed only a glance at the distribution of the barbarians¡¯ remains to largely reconstruct the events that had taken place during the barbarians¡¯ attack on North City. The only thing he could not determine was the nature of that mysterious weapon, which was also the cause of his ongoing concern. At that moment, Lin Xiuming suddenly thought of something else and added, ¡°By the way, I heard that on the day the barbarians attacked Yan County, the common people there heard continuous booming thunder, so I suspect that those craters might be closely related to the sounds heard by the people of Yan County.¡± Upon hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s words, Situ Ce pondered for a moment. To create a crater six to seven steps wide, even a grandmaster wouldn¡¯t be able to do it¡ªit would require a great grandmaster like himself to exert such destructive force. With this thought, Situ Ce asked, ¡°Is it possible that a great grandmaster appeared in North City that day, and those craters were created by that great grandmaster?¡± Lin Xiuming said, ¡°I had considered that initially, but upon closer examination of the craters, I found they don¡¯t resemble the handiwork of a great grandmaster. The craters are very uniform in width, and what¡¯s more important, there is a large number of them, scattered from Yan County all the way to Wanning Valley.¡± ¡°If you were to strike, I believe you could indeed create craters like those, but to create hundreds of them¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± Lin Xiuming trailed off, knowing that Situ Ce was a great grandmaster, but not the specifics of his capabilities since Situ Ce rarely showed his power in front of others and had always been enigmatic. Yet Lin Xiuming still did not believe that Situ Ce could create hundreds of craters the likes of those in the Wanning Valley by human power alone. At this point, Situ Ce said, ¡°Indeed, the skill within me is insufficient to create so many large craters.¡± ¡°If these craters were not formed by human effort, then that presents a problem. If North City truly possesses a terrifying weapon with destructive power comparable to that of a great grandmaster, and word of this spreads, it may not be long before the major kingdoms join forces against Great Sum.¡± Nowadays, a grandmaster serves as the public pillar of each kingdom, and no matter how intense the war between nations becomes, they absolutely refrain from deploying anyone stronger than a grandmaster to the battlefield. But if a weapon emerged with killing power on par with a grandmaster¡¯s force, then the status of grandmasters would be completely undermined, and the balance among the great kingdoms would be disrupted. Once the other kingdoms learned of this, it was certain they would unite against the nation possessing such a mysterious weapon¡ªit was inevitable. After hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming¡¯s expression turned even more solemn, as he naturally understood the implications. Then Lin Xiuming asked, ¡°I have been troubled about how to report the battle of Yan County to the imperial court. Please advise me, State Preceptor.¡± As he said this, Lin Xiuming bowed in respect to Situ Ce. Although the Imperial Army led by Lin Xiuming had not arrived in time for the major battle between North City and the Barbarian Tribe, they had come to North City nonetheless. As the commander in charge of leading the Imperial Army northwards, Lin Xiuming would inevitably have to report his observations from North City to the imperial court, which made him feel quite uneasy. The heavy cavalry was less of a concern; the imperial court probably already knew about the North Prince¡¯s control over the heavy cavalry. But as for the mysterious weapon in the North Prince¡¯s possession, Lin Xiuming truly did not know whether to report it or not. A weapon with destructive power comparable to a grandmaster¡¯s strike¡ªif the imperial court were to learn of it, not only would the court itself be in an uproar, but it was likely that all the great kingdoms would immediately be thrown into turmoil. While Lin Xiuming was merely a military general, as the son of the Left Minister, he possessed a certain political savvy and realized the gravity of the situation. Well, now that the State Preceptor had arrived, he surely knew how to report it, didn¡¯t he? After some thought, Situ Ce said to Lin Xiuming, ¡°General Lin, do not mention those craters in your official report. Just state that a great grandmaster may have taken action in North City.¡± ¡°As for those craters, once I return to the Capital City, I will speak to His Majesty about them personally.¡± Lin Xiuming¡¯s eyes brightened, and he bowed again, saying, ¡°Thankyou, State Preceptor!¡± Situ Ce nodded slightly and continued, ¡°Has General Lin noticed anything else unusual during your time in North City?¡± Lin Xiuming responded, ¡°Not for the moment. I¡¯ve been cautious not to let the soldiers pay excessive attention to what has been happening in North City, fearing it might provoke the North Prince¡¯s displeasure.¡± Situ Ce stated, ¡°Mm, General Lin¡¯s approach is correct. Indeed, at this time, the Imperial Army cannot afford too many small movements.¡± With that, Situ Ce turned and said, ¡°That will be all for today, General Lin. I must now make my way to the North Prince Mansion.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming felt a jolt in his heart; the State Preceptor was indeed heading for the North Prince.¡± ¡°Safe travels, State Preceptor!¡± Situ Ce quickly left the encampment where the Imperial Army was stationed and went straight to the North Prince Mansion. Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: Chapter 136: State Preceptor, What Brings You to North City?_3 Chapter 154: Chapter 136: State Preceptor, What Brings You to North City?_3 Translator: 549690339 | Meanwhile, At the North Prince Mansion. After returning to the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen did not rush to seek out his woman for a romantic rendezvous. Instead, he sat on the stone bench in the pavilion of the outer courtyard, earnestly examining the new map of the North Land recently drawn up by the Brocade Guard. Since he intended to bring the entirety of the North Land under his domain, making it thoroughly his territory, it was certainly necessary to understand the extent of the North Land and its terrain. Just then, a young maid with flushed cheeks entered the outer courtyard. ¡°Prince, a white-haired elder has arrived at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion; he says he wishes to see you,¡± she reported. Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. ¡°A white-haired elder? Is he alone?¡± Under normal circumstances, Lu Chen, the Prince, was not someone whom just anyone could meet on a whim. Surely, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t personally receive every commoner who came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s gates insisting on an audience; otherwise, he¡¯d have no time for anything other than greeting commoners all day long. Ever since defeating the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand, there had always been some who brought gifts to the mansion hoping for an audience with him¡ªmost of these people were from the various powers within Great Xia. For example, members of Aristocratic Families, or envoys from certain Seigniors. However, Lu Chen had basically ignored them; he might accept the gifts, but there was no need to meet the bearers. He didn¡¯t have so much time to watch them flatter him to his face. Learning someone was looking for him, Lu Chen¡¯s first thought was that yet another power was sending someone to flatter him. But then, his focus shifted to the words ¡°white-haired elder.¡± If it was someone sent by a certain power to deliver a gift or to flatter him, it was unlikely they would send an old man. The young maid then said, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s by himself.¡± Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°He¡¯s not carrying any sort of token?¡± If an ordinary person came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion without a token or didn¡¯t state their identity and intentions, the servants of the mansion wouldn¡¯t bother informing Lu Chen of the visit; they would instead simply turn the visitor away. The maid answered, ¡°No.¡± At this point, the maid suddenly realized her mistake and quickly added, ¡°Prince, it was Commander Bai who instructed me to come and report to you.¡± The newly arrived maid, whose training was inadequate, had now realized that ordinary people didn¡¯t have the privilege of seeing the Prince, so she hurriedly mentioned that it was Bai Qingqing who had sent her to make the report. Bai Qingqing¡¯s position had not been removed; she was still the Guard Commander, although she no longer managed the inner courtyard on a daily basis. When Lu Chen heard the maid say that it was Bai Qingqing who had sent her, he immediately understood that the visitor must not be someone ordinary, otherwise Bai Qingqing wouldn¡¯t have allowed the maid to report to him. Glancing at the young maid before him, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Bring him to see me.¡± The maid promptly responded, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± She then quickly turned and made her way to the exterior of the courtyard. Watching the maid¡¯s departing figure, Lu Chen felt somewhat reflective. Back in the Capital City, his residence only had a few maids. Now, his residence probably had countless maids and servants. As one¡¯s status rises, indeed, everything else becomes easier to obtain. That young maid was clearly new, and she wasn¡¯t just any commoner¡¯s child. Lately, quite a few families had been thrusting maids toward the North Prince Mansion, attempting to get them into his bed. But his bed was not so easily climbed upon. It seemed he had to have a proper talk with his consort; they should not be accepting just any maid from now on. Putting aside whether those maids had nine out of ten marks in terms of quality, just by looking at their naive appearances, he wasn¡¯t the least bit interested. He preferred mature beauties like Chu Yuqin and Yelv Nanyan. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 137: What a Big Pie 1 Chapter 155: Chapter 137: What a Big Pie 1 Translator: 549690339 | Lu Chen waited in the pavilion for a while before an old man with white hair dressed in coarse clothes, followed a young maid into the courtyard. Seeing the white-haired elder before him, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. This old man looked just like an ordinary commoner and did not seem to be someone with a special identity. However, Lu Chen was no fool. Since Bai Qingqing had specifically sent the maid to inform him of this person¡¯s arrival, it was clear that this old man was not as simple as he appeared. Lu Chen then used the system to identify the old man. [Name: SituCe] [Identity: State Preceptor of the Great Sum Dynasty, one of the National Pillars, currently visiting North City partly to test the North Prince, and partly to deliver a message from the Sum Emperor.] [Strength: Grandmaster] [Loyalty: 50] Seeing the introduction from the system, Lu Chen frowned. A State Preceptor? As one of the National Pillars and a State Preceptor, what was he doing wandering around North City instead of staying properly in the capital city? At that moment, Situ Ce said to Lu Chen, ¡°This humble one pays his respects to the Prince. May the Prince live thousands and thousands of years!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen let out a chuckle and then said, ¡°State Preceptor, why are you wandering around North City pretending to be an ordinary old commoner? You don¡¯t think I wouldn¡¯t recognize you, do you?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had recognized him at a glance, Situ Ce was a little surprised. The princes of the Sum Emperor, with the exception of Prince Lu Yi, had not seen him, so theoretically the North Prince should not know that he was the State Preceptor. With a smile, Situ Ce then asked, ¡°How did the Prince recognize me?¡± Lu Chen calmly replied, ¡°Although you¡¯ve concealed your presence, in front of me, a master who is neither humble nor arrogant and can even pose a threat to me, there¡¯s probably no one else but you, a Grandmaster, in the entire Great Sum. At this, Situ Ce was taken aback once more. A master! The North Prince had actually reached the Master Realm! How was that possible? He remembered that when the North Prince left the capital city, he did not even have any Inner Strength and was just an ordinary person. Practicing martial arts is not the same as maneuvering through politics; a person can conceal their thoughts when involved in political intrigue, but it¡¯s different with martial arts. Whether you have Inner Strength or have trained in martial arts, it¡¯s easy for others to see through. Especially in front of someone whose realm is higher than your own, a martial artist of lower realm finds it difficult to hide their true strength. Just as Situ Ce doubted whether he had heard wrong, he sensed the martial aura emanating from Lu Chen. The martial aura on Lu Chen was very faint; an average person, or someone of the same realm as Lu Chen, would not be able to detect Lu Chen¡¯s realm. But Situ Ce was different; he was a Grandmaster. Even if Lu Chen had hidden his aura and strength, attempting to cover up the Inner Strength within his body, it would still be perceived by Situ Ce. That¡¯s why Lu Chen revealed right away that he was a master. There was nothing to hide in front of Situ Ce, the Grandmaster, and for the time being, he could not conceal his strength in front of a Grandmaster. Situ Ce quickly regained his composure and praised, ¡°Worthy of being the North Prince who defeated the thirty thousand-strong army of the Barbarian Tribe. At only seventeen, you¡¯ve broken through to the Master Realm. It seems that before long, the Great Sum will have a Celestial at the Heavenly Human Realm to stand guard.¡± Two hours ago, Situ Ce was still at the city gates, questioning whether the North Prince¡¯s personal strength could support his ambition-of course, the ¡®strength¡¯ he considered was the military strength of the entire North City as well as the personal strength of the North Prince himself. Now that he knew the North Prince had reached the Master Realm, Situ Ce instantly understood the confidence that underlay the North Prince¡¯s claim to the entire North Land as his personal territory. A seventeen-year-old master; this was a rare occurrence in the entire world, or rather, it had never happened before-there was no martial artist who had become a master before twenty, at least, not publicly known. To become a master at seventeen indicated that the North Prince possessed an extremely terrifying martial arts talent. Judging by the rate at which he was advancing through the realms, it was possible that he could become a Grandmaster before the age of twenty-five. He has great potential to become a Celestial in the Martial Arts World. This was even more terrifying than the Sum Emperor¡¯s martial arts talent Situ Ce had always believed the Sum Emperor to be the most talented martial artist he¡¯d ever seen, but he never imagined that the Sum Emperor¡¯s son would surpass him in talent. Keep in mind that when the North Prince was in the capital city, no one knew he knew martial arts. If the North Prince hadn¡¯t practiced martial arts while in the capital city but started learning martial arts after arriving in North City, then he could be said to be the most talented martial artist the Martial Arts World had seen in a thousand years. He couldn¡¯t be described merely as a ¡°genius.¡± He was a prodigy! After hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t believe the State Preceptor would travel a great distance to North City just to praise me with a few words.¡± ¡°If you have something to say, State Preceptor, please be straightforward.¡± Hearing this, Situ Ce immediately said, ¡°Before I discuss official matters, I would like to ask the Prince how he views the current state of the world?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen instantly realized that Situ Ce was testing him. Situ Ce was the State Preceptor and also a pillar of Great Xia; even the Sum Emperor held him in great respect. Indeed, he had the qualifications to test any Prince. Lu Chen then countered with a question, ¡°Does the ¡®world¡¯ referred to by the State Preceptor mean Great Xia, or does it include the other dynasties as well?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Situ Ce¡¯s mind paused for a moment. Clearly, he meant just Great Xia. Situ Ce had not expected anyone to step outside the scope he had envisioned; when people usually referred to ¡°the world,¡± they meant Great Xia, not the ¡¯ other dynasties or nations. After a moment, Situ Ce continued to ask, ¡°Does the Prince really think that all the dynasties and nations in the world combined constitute ¡®the world¡¯?¡± Hearing this question from Situ Ce, Lu Chen was somewhat perplexed. Why did everyone in Great Xia think that ¡®the world¡¯ referred only to ¡°Great Xia¡±? It might be understandable for ordinary people to think this way, but Situ Ce was after all the Great Xia¡¯s State Preceptor, and they clearly knew there were many other dynasties and nations beyond Great Xia. Lu Chen then said, ¡°It¡¯s somewhat difficult for this prince to understand why the State Preceptor would ask this question. Are not other dynasties and Great Xia under the same world, the same sky? Naturally, ¡®the world¡¯ should include all dynasties and nations.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Situ Ce showed a smile. He suddenly bowed to Lu Chen and said, ¡°This old man has learned a lesson.¡± This¡­ Lu Chen was taken aback. Just learned a lesson like that? He had merely explained his own understanding of ¡®the world.¡¯ Situ Ce continued, ¡°The Prince¡¯s thoughts have far surpassed this old man.¡± The North Prince¡¯s view of ¡®the world¡¯ was not Great Xia but the whole world. The North Prince¡¯s ambition was much greater than he had imagined! Even the former Sum Emperor did not have such ambition. Lu Chen felt that Situ Ce¡¯s words were somewhat baffling; he could not help thinking that perhaps it was due to Situ Ce¡¯s old age that his words seemed incomprehensible. At this moment, Situ Ce posed another question: ¡°This old man has one more question for the Prince. With such insight and martial arts talent, why did you choose not to participate in the struggle for succession when in the capital city? With the Prince¡¯s insight and martial arts talent, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to obtain the position of Crown Prince.¡± Indeed, with Lu Chen¡¯s martial arts talent, his insight, and the backing of the Chu Family, it would be very easy for him to acquire the title of Crown Prince; there was no need for him to come to the cold and barren North City to grow his influence. Hearing this from Situ Ce, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Does the State Preceptor think it is easier for a painter to create the desired effect on a blank canvas or to modify someone else¡¯s painting to achieve that effect?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s analogy, Situ Ce instantly understood his meaning. Then, Situ Ce said, ¡°So that¡¯s the reason. No wonder you agreed without hesitation when His Majesty asked you to come to North City.¡± Today¡¯s Great Xia was controlled by powerful aristocratic families. Any reform or order from the Sum Emperor would face their obstruction, but North City was different. It was too poor to have any significant aristocratic families, at most some minor clans. The North Prince¡¯s edicts could pass unimpeded in North City. The North Prince could do as he pleased in North City, like painting on blank canvas however he wished. Lu Chen said, ¡°Your words are not quite accurate; it wasn¡¯t for this prince to decide whether to come to North City or not, but His Majesty¡¯s decision.¡± Situ Ce acknowledged, ¡°The Prince speaks the truth.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s end the idle talk here. The State Preceptor must be here on behalf of His Majesty. Please tell this prince directly what His Majesty¡¯s command for me is.¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°His Majesty has instructed this old man to inform the Prince that he intends to make you the Crown Prince. You should strive hard and not fail His Majesty¡¯s expectations.¡± Hearing this from Situ Ce, Lu Chen chuckled. That was quite an offer, one that he was afraid he couldn¡¯t accept. Although that was his thought, Lu Chen did not say it in front of Situ Ce. Instead, he said, ¡°Thank you for coming all the way to North City to convey my father¡¯s words. Please tell him that I will certainly work harder and definitely not disappoint his expectations.¡± With a smile, Situ Ce said, ¡°Of course, this old man will definitely convey your words to His Majesty.¡± ¡°However, before I leave North City, I would like to say something from the heart to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Please speak, State Preceptor.¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°It is indeed not easy to achieve the desired effect when painting on someone else¡¯s canvas, but if someone is willing to offer the Prince a larger blank canvas, I hope the Prince has enough patience to wait. Surely then, the Prince¡¯s brush will more easily outline the ¡®world¡¯ envisioned in his heart on that canvas.¡± Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s veiled hint, Lu Chen glanced at his Loyalty value, discovering that it had actually reached eighty-five. That was a bit outrageous. Just after a few words, the loyalty of a Grandmaster toward himself had increased so much. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, State Preceptor. This prince will certainly keep it in mind.¡± Originally, Situ Ce wanted to probe into matters about those great pits, but in the end, he gave up. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s responses, what had caused those great pits no longer mattered. Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Chapter 138 Unrest in the Major Dynasties i Chapter 156: Chapter 138 Unrest in the Major Dynasties i Translator: 549690339 | Situ Ce arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion and exchanged a few words with Lu Chen before leaving directly, without lingering too long at the North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen suspected that Situ Ce¡¯s visit to North City was not as simple as just conveying a message; he had seen in Situ Ce¡¯s file that another purpose of his trip was to test him. With just a few questions asked, how could he probe his secrets? Lu Chen suspected that Situ Ce might have been in North City for some time without his knowledge, so he immediately summoned Bai Qingqing to the courtyard. Bai Qingqing, the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard, certainly would have received intelligence from other Shadow Guards upon her return to Yan County; asking her would likely reveal how long Situ Ce had been in North City. After a short while, Bai Qingqing arrived in the courtyard, and upon entering, she performed a courtesy and said, ¡°This servant pays respect to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen directly took Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade hand, helped her up, and said, ¡°Bai, do you know how long the State Preceptor has been in North City?¡± Bai Qingqing answered expressionlessly, ¡°Around half a month.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thought that it was indeed as he had suspected: Situ Ce had arrived in North City much earlier. However, he couldn¡¯t blame Situ Ce, as he himself had been away negotiating with the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe in the Northern grasslands for over half a month. At this time, Lu Chen continued to inquire: ¡°Since he has come to Yan County, he must have brought you a new mission as well.¡± While saying this, Lu Chen wrapped his arm around Bai Qingqing¡¯s slender waist and stood behind her, his hand wandering over her body. Being held like this by Lu Chen, Bai Qingqing¡¯s body involuntarily began to tremble, and a blush appeared on her usually cool face. ¡°The State Preceptor has instructed this servant to investigate evidence of Prince Lu Shuyun colluding with the Barbarian Tribe and then to send the collected evidence back to the Capital city.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smirked slightly. As expected, after the threat from the northern Barbarian Tribes had ended, his father, the Sum Emperor, was preparing to take action against the Aristocratic Families. Once the evidence of these families colluding with the Barbarian Tribes was obtained, it was likely that his father would use it as an excuse to directly purge their influence within the court. Situ Ce had also hinted to him earlier that Situ Ce¡¯s intention was clear: he hoped that Lu Chen would not rebel when the Sum Emperor dealt with the Aristocratic Families, as the position was likely to be his in the future, so Situ Ce was reminding him that purging the families would benefit him as well. In fact, there was no need for Situ Ce to specifically remind him, as Lu Chen had no intention of rebelling while the Sum Emperor was dealing with the Aristocratic Families. Times make heroes. Great Sum was turbulent under the surface, but it had not yet descended into complete chaos, and if he were to rebel at this moment, it would be suicide. Moreover, Lu Chen was no fool. He actually hoped the Sum Emperor would swiftly deal with the Aristocratic Families, as if not cleared, they would make a mess of things when he someday took control of the entire Great Sum. Each dynasty would give rise to powerful families, but many of the Aristocratic Families in Great Sum were no ordinary families; they controlled the court, a vast amount of resources, and could even be said to control the lifeline of Great Sum. These families were beyond comparison with newly emerging powerful clans. The families that the Sum Emperor intended to remove were precisely those that held sway in the court, and it was unrelated to some of the emerging clans. On the contrary, the Sum Emperor would not only refrain from suppressing these new powers but would also support them, allowing them to become a force to counter the old Aristocratic Families at court. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen decided to put aside the matters of the Capital city for the time being and focus first on the development of North City. With the ten thousand captives from the Barbarian Tribe and the newly acquired method of making cement, infrastructure development of the major roads in North City could begin. Just then, a maid came into the courtyard, ¡°Prince, the two ladies have finished washing up.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen came back to his senses. The two ladies the maid mentioned were naturally Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, who had just entered the North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen then let go of Bai Qingqing and gave her a pat on the buttocks, ¡°Bai, you can go attend to your matters.¡± A sense of shame suddenly washed over Bai Qingqing, and she couldn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen always liked to touch her buttocks. ¡°As you command, Prince.¡± Having spoken, Bai Qingqing quickly left. At that moment, Lu Chen said to the maid who had made the report: ¡°Which courtyard are the two ladies in? Lead me there.¡± The maid immediately responded: ¡°Yes, Prince. Please follow this servant.¡± Following that, the maid led Lu Chen to the courtyard of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. Their rooms were both located in the same courtyard, which was not very large, having only two rooms. Next door was the courtyard where Wang Qingci resided. At that moment, Wang Qingci was sitting above the courtyard wall, openly scrutinizing the two Barbarian beauties that Lu Chen had brought back. Then, as a man¡¯s figure appeared in the courtyard of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, the two promptly rose from the stone bench in the pavilion. ¡°We pay respect to the Prince.¡± Seeing the new attire of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, Lu Chen was momentarily dazzled. They had exchanged their clothes for those of Great Sum and, after the maids had carefully dressed them, looked significantly different from before. Yelv Nanyan wore a sheer long gown embellished with lotus patterns, with a belt cinched at the waist, perfectly showcasing her voluptuous figure. The sheer fabric clung to her skin, suggesting more than it revealed. As it tightly hugged her body, her shapely buttocks were even more pronounced, making the beautiful matron look seductive, noble, and opulent. Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Chapter 138 Unrest in the Major Dynasties ! Chapter 157: Chapter 138 Unrest in the Major Dynasties ! Translator: 549690339 | Lu Chen took another look at Xiao Wenyao. She was dressed in a white gown inside with a dark green robe over it, her black hair shining and draped at her waist, her head adorned with a single hairpin. She looked no different from a sheltered young lady from Great Xia. Standing together, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao resembled a mother and her daughter. Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen smiled slightly before saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you two to become even more beautiful after getting dressed up. It seems I am quite fortunate.¡± Hearing this, both Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s cheeks flushed with a hint of red. This was the first time they had dressed completely in the style of Great Xia, and they hadn¡¯t expected to become more beautiful in the attire of Great Xia. When they had looked at themselves in the bronze mirror earlier, they were immediately astounded by their own beauty. Previously, they would wrap themselves tightly in fur coats and occasionally wear fur hats, which totally concealed their figures and beauty. At that moment, Wang Qingci, sitting on a wall of the courtyard and brimming with a smile, said, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, on acquiring two new beauties!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen turned to look at Wang Qingci, who was sitting atop the courtyard wall, and replied, ¡°Mr. Wang isn¡¯t busy managing the affairs of the Rain-listening Pavilion and instead comes here for entertainment?¡± With an air of someone who couldn¡¯t be scalded by boiling water, Wang Qingci said, ¡°The Prince is so fierce; I am very scared.¡± ¡°I heard that the Prince took in two female slaves, so I wanted to come and see what my sisters look like.¡± Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao felt somewhat astonished by the dialogue between Wang Qingci and Lu Chen. The red-clothed woman, sitting so casually on the courtyard wall, was actually a female slave of the North Prince? Are the female slaves of the North Prince Mansion so bold as to speak to their master, the North Prince, in such a manner? Xiao Wenyao thought of the slaves at her own royal court; if any slave dared to speak to her in that way, they would not need to wait for her to act, as the other slaves would beat that disrespectful slave half to death. At this time, Wang Qingci glanced at Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, continuing with a smile, ¡°It seems the Prince still remembers what I mentioned before¡ª that the royal court of the Barbarian Tribe has beautiful women.¡± When Lu Chen first arrived in North City, he had asked if there were any beautiful women in North City. At that time, Wang Qingci informed him that there were beautiful women in the royal court of the Barbarian Tribe. At that time, Wang Qingci was the Tower Master of the Hundred Flowers Tower and the Saintess of the Misty Pavilion, dealing with a huge amount of information every day, so she had some understanding of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court and knew that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife was especially beautiful. Upon meeting them today, Wang Qingci was also amazed by Yelv Nanyan¡¯s appearance, feeling completely incomparable to her. The mature charm that Yelv Nanyan exuded was something she did not possess, and she was well aware that Lu Chen particularly fancied this kind of beauty, like that of Yelv Nanyan and Chu Yuqin. Whenever Chu Yuqin was mentioned in front of Lu Chen, he became as excited as if he¡¯d been injected with rooster¡¯s blood, turning extremely ferocious. Wang Qingci then hopped down from the wall, her light figure gracefully touching the ground; she then approached Lu Chen and whispered in his ear, ¡°Prince, has the Brocade Guard received any news about the Great Jue Dynasty? There have been some movements from the Great Jue Dynasty recently.¡± Wang Qingci came here not simply to idle chat with Lu Chen. As the Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion, she was responsible for collecting intelligence on various dynasties and nations for Lu Chen¡ªshe didn¡¯t have time to come here and chat about women with him. Startled by Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen paused for a moment. At present, most of the Brocade Guard were distributed within the territory of the Great Xia Dynasty, with few members in other dynasties, and he indeed had not heard about any unusual activities from the Great Jue Dynasty. The Great Jue Dynasty was close to North City, located in the southwest corner. Although it was a newly founded dynasty and quite poor and weak, it was still a neighbor to North City, and Lu Chen was bound to keep track of their movements. Lu Chen had been dealing with the affairs in North City recently and had almost paid no attention to the Great Jue Dynasty. Unexpectedly, the Rain-listening Pavilion had managed to infiltrate the Great Jue Dynasty in such a short time, reflecting Wang Qingci¡¯s high efficiency. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t sent any Brocade Guards to the Great Jue Dynasty yet. Tell me directly whatever movements they have.¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°The Great Jue Dynasty has been mobilizing troops continuously for half a month, and now they¡¯ve stationed two hundred thousand troops at the border between Great Xia and North City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°Is the Great Jue Dynasty under the impression that I want to attack them?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe that the Great Jue Dynasty would invade Great Xia at this time. The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand had just been annihilated by North City. As a recently established dynasty, the Great Jue Dynasty would not dare make a sudden move against Great Xia. The actions of the Great Jue Dynasty were most likely defensive against North City. With such a colossal entity appearing to their north, it was impossible for them not to be concerned at all. It wasn¡¯t just the Great Jue Dynasty¡¯s stationing of two hundred thousand troops¡ªinside Great Xia itself, the various seigniors were also stationing troops in areas adjoining North City. For instance, the Qi Prince had, just over a month ago, upon hearing that five thousand Heavy Cavalry sent by Lu Chen to pick up Mu Zixuan and the others had just left Anping City, immediately moved the fifty thousand troops from his territory to the northern border overnight. Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Chapter 138 Unrest in the Major Dynasties_3 Chapter 158: Chapter 138 Unrest in the Major Dynasties_3 Translator: 549690339 | The fifty thousand-strong army made no moves, simply remaining across from Anping City, monitoring North City. Clearly, the appearance of the fifty thousand heavy cavalry had deterred all dynasties, especially the powers surrounding North City. They feared that Lu Chen would suddenly send troops to attack them, so they hastily dispatched troops northward to guard against North City. Seeing that Lu Chen seemed unfazed, Wang Qingci said, ¡°Prince, I believe that Great Jue¡¯s troop movements northward are not only about defending against North City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. In his view, once the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City were deployed, there certainly wouldn¡¯t be any powers nearby daring to trouble him. If the Da Yue Dynasty¡¯s troop movements northward weren¡¯t for defending against North City, what were they for? Could it really be that they intended to attack North City? Lu Chen then said, ¡°Share your thoughts.¡± Wang Qingci promptly said, ¡°To my knowledge, it¡¯s not only Great Jue that is moving troops. The other major dynasties are secretly doing the same, and they are all stationing troops near the border with Great Sum.¡± ¡°Therefore, I believe it¡¯s unlikely that the Da Yue Dynasty¡¯s troop movements are solely for defending against North City. It¡¯s more like the major dynasties have reached some tacit agreement and are preparing to take action against Great Sum.¡± Lu Chen fell into deep thought. He had been paying attention to the happenings within Great Sum¡¯s borders, nearly unaware of the news of the major dynasties mobilizing troops. It¡¯s also possible that since he went to the North Land for half a month, the intelligence reports were piling up in his study. However, speaking of which, this was a good test of the Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s ability to collect information. At this point, Wang Qingci continued, ¡°After the fifty thousand heavy cavalry from North City appeared, the major dynasties probably believe that these heavy cavalry belong to His Majesty. Coupled with the court¡¯s existing heavy cavalry, Great Sum now commands nearly eighty thousand heavy cavalry, which likely led the other dynasties to mistakenly think that His Majesty has ambitions for outward expansion.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and agreed with Wang Qingci¡¯s words. Although these fifty thousand heavy cavalry were the Great Yu Remnants he had summoned through the system, others were not privy to these matters. What other dynasties saw was that Great Sum now had nearly eighty thousand heavy cavalry. The sudden addition of fifty thousand heavy cavalry by Great Sum surely signified something obvious. When the major dynasties are evenly matched and one suddenly begins to massively bolster its military forces, unbeknownst to others, they can only assume you are gearing up for war. Consequently, the major dynasties would tacitly think about eliminating the strongest one first. Thinking this, Lu Chen showed a hint of a smile. Then he said to Wang Qingci, ¡°Mr. Wang¡¯s intelligence work is well done. Continue the good work in the future, and pay more attention to the movements of the major dynasties.¡± Wang Qingci immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± At this point, Wang Qingci lightly leapt up and landed directly on top of the courtyard wall, ¡°Prince, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm, alright.¡± Afterward, Wang Qingci¡¯s figure quickly disappeared from view. At this moment, Lu Chen came back to his senses and looked at Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. Yelv Nanyan then spoke with neither humility nor arrogance, ¡°Prince, I would like to go see our Barbarian Tribe soldiers, if that¡¯s permitted?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No problem, come with me.¡± Lu Chen had intended to take Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao to meet those Barbarian Tribe soldiers anyway, to help them calm down completely and avoid harboring any inappropriate thoughts in their minds. Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Chapter 139 The Brutal Sky Wolf King and the Merciful North Prince i Chapter 159: Chapter 139 The Brutal Sky Wolf King and the Merciful North Prince i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen quickly arrived at the camp holding the Barbarian Tribe captives alongside Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. There were a hundred thousand captives from the Barbarian Tribe, and North City had put in a substantial amount of effort just to manage these captives. The camp for the Barbarian captives was stationed with ten thousand Heavy Cavalry men; aside from them, there were also regular soldiers responsible for managing the captives. Essentially, one North City soldier had to be responsible for more than a hundred Barbarian captives, which put significant pressure on the North City soldiers in charge of management. The majority of officers and soldiers from North City believed that killing these Barbarian captives would be the simplest solution. However, keeping these captives was an order from the North Prince, so the officers and soldiers did not comment further. As soon as Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao descended from their carriage, the laboring Barbarian captives exploded into commotion upon seeing them. ¡°Princess¡­ Princess!!!¡± ¡°Look, everyone, it¡¯s the Princess!!!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening! Why is the Princess showing up in Yan County!!!¡± ¡°Could it be that our tribe has been annihilated by the North Prince and even the Princess has been captured by him!!!¡± ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be! The Princess is so wise; once she knew we were defeated, she would surely have moved the royal court immediately. How could the North Prince so easily find the specific location of our tribe!!!¡± ¡°That person cannot be the Princess!!!¡± Seeing that the Barbarian captives could not believe the Princess of the Barbarian Tribe had come down from the carriage, a North City soldier looking after the captives sneered and said, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know yet, but your Princess has already agreed to marry our Prince. She is now our Prince¡¯s woman.¡± ¡± What¡¯s more, soon your Sky Wolf King tribe will be re-settled in North City. It¡¯s only because our Prince is merciful. If it were someone else, they would have slaughtered all you barbarians long ago.¡± Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s words, the Barbarian captives were stunned. How could their Princess choose to marry the North Prince? Had their royal court truly been located by the North Prince? Without the Princess with the Sky Wolf King tribe, did the Sky Wolf King tribe still have a future? For a moment, the mood among the Barbarian captives turned very somber, and the atmosphere at the scene was incredibly oppressive. At this time, a guard from the Prince¡¯s Mansion came before the captives, ¡°Those from the Sky Wolf King tribe stay behind; everyone from the North Fre King tribe may leave now.¡± Among these hundred thousand Barbarian captives, many were soldiers from the North Fre King tribe. Hearing the guard¡¯s words, quite a few North Fre King tribe captives turned and left, and soon only those from the Sky Wolf King tribe remained on the scene. By now, Yelv Nanyan, with a serene pace, approached the soldiers. Seeing not only the Princess but also the daughter of the Sky Wolf King, Xiao Wenyao, the soldiers had to accept reality. It seemed that the royal court of the Sky Wolf King tribe had indeed been found by the North Prince, otherwise their Princess and Princess wouldn¡¯t be here together. At that moment, the Barbarian captives kneeled down one after another, saying, ¡°Greetings, Princess!!!¡± Witnessing this scene, Lu Chen felt somewhat moved, astonished by the high regard the Barbarian captives held for Yelv Nanyan. Indeed, capturing her had been the right decision. Even if Yelv Nanyan had not been beautiful, without a ninety-grade beauty score, her strong political value made capturing her essentially the same as controlling the entire Sky Wolf King tribe. Of course, it must be said that he was lucky; Yelv Nanyan was indeed beautiful, surpassing a score of ninety, and what mattered most was that Yelv Nanyan was still pure, exactly his type. Yelv Nanyan, looking at the kneeling captives, felt a mix of emotions and sighed, ¡°I am no longer a Princess. Stand up, everyone. Like you, I am but a prisoner.¡± After hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, the Barbarian captives still did not rise. At this moment, one of the captives looked up and asked, ¡°Princess, has the Sky Wolf King tribe really been annihilated by the North Prince?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°The North Prince is merciful and has allowed the Sky Wolf King tribe to settle in North City. Your relatives will live in North City as citizens of Great Sum. In a sense, from now on, there will no longer be a Sky Wolf King tribe.¡± After Yelv Nanyan said this, the Barbarian captives had a hard time believing it. Weren¡¯t they attacking North City to claim its lands? Now that the North Prince had defeated them, not only did he refrain from destroying their royal court but also relocated their tribespeople to North City? Turning them into citizens of Great Sum? Then, what was the point of their initial attack on North City? Not only had they lost so many lives, but now they had also become captives, and their tribe was no more. In the end, the blood of two hundred thousand men was spilled in a completely meaningless war. At this moment, the Barbarian captives were silent, unsure of what to say. Yelv Nanyan sighed softly, then continued, ¡°The North Prince has asked me to tell you that you will labor in North City for ten years. If any of you perform well, the North Prince will allow you to visit home and may also offer you a chance to finish your labor early.¡± ¡°After the labor is over, whether you choose to stay in North City as citizens of Great Sum or return to the grasslands to continue a nomadic life, the decision will be yours to make.¡± Hearing these words, the captives of the Barbarian Tribe each lifted their heads, visibly reinvigorated. One of the soldiers then asked, ¡°Princess, is what you are saying true? Can we really return home to see our families?¡± Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 139 The Brutal Sky Wolf King and the Merciful North Prince_2 Chapter 160: Chapter 139 The Brutal Sky Wolf King and the Merciful North Prince_2 Translator: 549690339 Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°On the way here, I asked the North Prince, and he said each month he will grant one hundred of you the opportunity to return home to visit your families. However, you¡¯ll have to wait until half a year has passed, but the North Prince won¡¯t restrict your relatives from actively visiting you.¡± Upon hearing these words, the captives from the Barbarian Tribe became incredibly excited. They all had thought they would never be able to leave North City or see their relatives again, but unexpectedly, the North Prince was willing to let their relatives visit them. If that was the case, it probably wouldn¡¯t be long before they could see their relatives. However, it quickly dawned on some of the Barbarian Tribe captives that they owed this treatment to the sacrifices of their queen. At that moment, a captive asked, ¡°Queen Yelv, is this a condition you secured by agreeing to marry the North Prince?¡± Just as Yelv Nanyan was about to answer, she saw the faces of the Barbarian Tribe captives all intently staring at her, and she immediately fell silent. In reality, this had little to do with her, as she now had no bargaining power in the presence of Lu Chen. Seeing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s silence, the captives from the Barbarian Tribe took it as her default agreement. Instantly, the captives held even greater gratitude toward Yelv Nanyan, and her standing in their hearts rose yet another notch. Just then, another captive from the Barbarian Tribe suddenly asked, ¡°Queen Yelv, does this mean both you and the princess are to marry the North Prince?¡± Yelv Nanyananswered, ¡°Yes.¡± The captive continued, ¡°Then, the princess will become the North Prince¡¯s woman? If I tell the North Prince something about the princess¡¯s mother, would that be considered a meritorious deed?¡± Upon hearing the captive¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao was taken aback for a moment, then immediately said, ¡°Something about my mother? What is it?¡± The captive said, ¡°Replying to the princess, back then, your mother was poisoned to death by the Sky Wolf King, and several of his followers, including myself, are aware of this matter.¡± Although the Sky Wolf King was already dead, Xiao Wenyao was still alive, and was about to become the North Prince¡¯s woman. If she could be told of some disgraceful acts the Sky Wolf King had committed and grow to hate him, it would, to some extent, be helping the North Prince. After all, the North Prince was Xiao Wenyao¡¯s father¡¯s sworn enemy. If Xiao Wenyao bore no hatred for the Sky Wolf King, it wouldn¡¯t be good for the North Prince, and Xiao Wenyao might not wholeheartedly join the North Prince Mansion. But if Xiao Wenyao learned her mother was killed by the Sky Wolf King, it was very likely she would no longer care about her father¡¯s death at the hands of the North Prince, and it would be much easier for her to wholeheartedly join the North Prince Mansion. At that moment, another captive from the Barbarian Tribe spoke up, ¡°Princess, I am also aware of this, and what¡¯s more, I know that the poison used against your mother was personally administered by the Sky Wolf King!¡± At these words, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s complexion instantly turned deathly pale. She had long heard this suspicion from her uncle, but it was after all just speculation without evidence. She hadn¡¯t expected that, after her father¡¯s death, his former followers would stand up as witnesses. Her mother had indeed been poisoned by her own father! With that thought, Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Her father¡¯s heart was so malicious! To take another queen, he didn¡¯t hesitate to poison the wife who had always been by his side. If it weren¡¯t for her mother convincing her uncle to step down back then, her father might not have been able to become the king of the Barbarian Tribe. Yet, the first thing he did after becoming the Sky Wolf King was to poison her mother. Initially, Xiao Wenyao had felt a hint of sorrow over Xiao Hongbo¡¯s death, as he was her biological father and they were related by blood. But after hearing the revelations of her father¡¯s former subordinates, the last bit of kinship she felt for Xiao Hongbo vanished. She merely thought that Xiao Hongbo deserved to be killed by the North Prince¡ªit was as if the North Prince had avenged her mother¡¯s death for her. Meanwhile, Lu Chen approached from a distance. Seeing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s tears streaming down onto the ground, he said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, little princess, is your heart aching for the suffering of your tribal warriors?¡± Xiao Wenyao did not reply, merely wiping away her tears continuously. At that time, Yelv Nanyan spoke up from her side, ¡°Prince, a few former subordinates of the Sky Wolf King just confessed to Yaoyao that he had poisoned Yaoyao¡¯s mother to death.¡± Upon hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Lu Chen was taken aback. He had already heard about this matter in the intelligence collected by Wu Yuan, but he had only regarded it as a tidbit of gossip¡ªit didn¡¯t have much to do with him after all. But seeing Xiao Wenyao crying so heartbrokenly, she must have had an extremely close relationship with her mother. In that case, did he help Xiao Wenyao avenge her mother¡¯s death? Thinking of this, Lu Chen glanced at Xiao Wenyao¡¯s favorability and found that it had indeed increased by quite a lot, almost reaching eighty. At that moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something, then he turned to the captive Barbarian Tribe members and said, ¡°The Sky Wolf King, for his own ambition, did not even spare his wife¡¯s life. Not only did he kill his own wife, he also led you to North City to pillage and slaughter, committing so many sins.¡± ¡°Since some of you were once the Sky Wolf King¡¯s subordinates, you must know even more about the wrongs he committed. As long as you stand forward and reveal all his crimes, I will give you a chance to return home and visit your families!¡± The war had ended; there had to be a war criminal onto whom all the blame could be directed. This would facilitate Lu Chen¡¯s conquest of the entire Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe. By then, the people of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe would only think that it was their king¡¯s fault. Their king, driven by his own ambition, had led the entire tribe into an abyss. Compared to the Sky Wolf King, it was North Prince who was truly good to them. North Prince didn¡¯t just refrain from killing them; he also gave them a chance to redeem themselves, and he even relocated their families to North City. As time passed, these Barbarian Tribe members would only grow to hate the Sky Wolf King more and more. Lu Chen thought to himself that since the Sky Wolf King was already dead, let him serve a purpose one last time. Just as Lu Chen had anticipated, as soon as he finished speaking, a Barbarian Tribe captive stood up and said, ¡°I know that the Sky Wolf King would secretly imprison Great Sum women he had looted and torture them in a tent! He pretended to want to marry the Queen, claiming he loved her, but in truth he only coveted her beauty and the power she wielded. He was scum!¡± Upon hearing the captive¡¯s words, Lu Chen frowned slightly, feeling as if he had been implicated. Was it his imagination? However, since the captive was talking about the Sky Wolf King, Lu Chen did not pay too much attention to it. Once one came forward, others followed. Quickly another Barbarian Tribe soldier stood up and said, ¡°I know that Xiao Hongbo, to become the chieftain of our tribe, secretly murdered an elder who opposed him, and even cooked and ate the elder¡¯s entrails. Xiao Hongbo is a demon!¡± ¡°I know¡­¡± ¡°I also know¡­¡± For a time, the captive Barbarian Tribe members stood up one after another, exposing the crimes Xiao Hongbo had committed. At first, their statements were plausible, but as they continued, some began to fabricate outrageous tales. Such as Xiao Hongbo enjoying eating children, having relations with men, and even a taste for excrement came up. This was exactly the effect Lu Chen wanted. After all, the more the Sky Wolf King was despised by members of his tribe, the easier it would be for the Barbarian Tribe captives to submit to North City. When it felt about right, Lu Chen turned to Qin Yushan and said, ¡°Commander Qin, later on have someone list all of the Sky Wolf King Xiao Hongbo¡¯s crimes and then issue a proclamation to be distributed throughout all the cities in North City.¡± Qin Yushan immediately said, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen looked at Yelv Nanyan and said, ¡°Queen Yelv, it should be enough by now, we can head back.¡± Yelv Nanyan glanced at the Barbarian Tribe captives present, then looked at Xiao Wenyao, who was in a state of stupor and sighed softly, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Shortly afterwards, they returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. After Yelv Nanyan returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she sat on the wooden stool in her room, gazing out of the window at the courtyard, lost in thought. Just then, the voice of a maid from the Prince¡¯s Mansion came from outside the courtyard. ¡°My respects to the Prince!¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s voice, Yelv Nanyan was momentarily taken aback, then she quickly stood up. Just as she did so, Lu Chen pushed the door and entered the room. Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Chapter 140 Shall I call you Nanyan from now on_i Chapter 161: Chapter 140 Shall I call you Nanyan from now on_i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen had been holding back all the way since he left the North Land. He also held back when he went to the Barbarian Tribe prisoner camp, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. It was like placing a candy in front of a child, allowing them to look but not to taste. Who could endure that? As soon as Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the first thing he did was head straight for Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. When Yelv Nanyan saw Lu Chen enter her room, she was momentarily stunned. She was about to say something when she noticed Lu Chen closing the door behind him. Yelv Nanyan immediately became nervous, what was this young man going to do, running into her room and locking the door? At this time, Lu Chen gave a slight smile, ¡°Queen Yelv need not be afraid, this Prince has come to askyou about some matters.¡± Hearing this, Yelv Nanyan thought to herself in confusion, asking about matters, what matters? At that moment, Lu Chen sat down at the table inside the room. Yelv Nanyan then asked, ¡°May I know what the Prince wishes to inquire about?¡± Lu Chen glanced at the dignified and graceful Yelv Nanyan, ¡°Please have a seat first, Queen Yelv.¡± Yelv Nanyan had no choice but to sit down. Now there were only the two of them in the room, and Yelv Nanyan felt the atmosphere was a bit strange, especially with them sitting so close to each other. However, Yelv Nanyan thought that although Lu Chen was very powerful, he was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy. She was more than a decade his senior ¡ª what was there to fear? Moreover, from Lu Chen¡¯s demeanor, it appeared he genuinely had something to discuss with her, and besides, it was still broad daylight. After all, he was a Prince, so it was unlikely he would do something untoward. This thought quickly calmed Yelv Nanyan¡¯s heart. ¡°May I know what the Prince seeks from me?¡± Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°I noticed that Queen Yelv¡¯s appearance seems very similar to the women of Great Xia. Could it be that you are originally from Great Xia?¡± Upon hearing this question, Yelv Nanyan was taken aback, and Lu Chen¡¯s query brought her mother to mind. Yelv Nanyan fell into silence, not speaking for some time, while Lu Chen watched her eyes and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yelv Nanyan regained her senses and hastily said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just caught off guard.¡± ¡°Indeed, my mother was from Great Xia. When the Barbarian Tribe came south, they captured her and took her to their tribe, where she gave birth to me. I resemble my mother, so it¡¯s not strange that the Prince finds similarities between me and the women of Great Xia.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°I see, I hadn¡¯t realized there was such a story behind it. I thought Queen Yelv bore a strong resemblance to Great Xia¡¯s women.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to say something further, Yelv Nanyan spoke up, ¡°Prince, I have left the Sky Wolf King tribe and am no longer the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife. You don¡¯t have to call me Queen Yelv anymore, just my name will do.¡± They were now in the North Prince Mansion, where there could only be one official wife. If the North Prince continued to call her Queen, it could lead to unnecessary trouble. Yelv Nanyan was clear-headed about such matters. If she wanted to survive in the North Prince Mansion, she couldn¡¯t afford to offend Mu Zixuan, the legitimate wife. If Lu Chen kept addressing her as Queen, and Mu Zixuan, the legitimate wife, heard it, who knows what she might think. She would likely suspect Yelv Nanyan of trying to vie for favor. That would not be good for her or for Xiao Wenyao. Although Yelv Nanyan had never lived in Great Xia, influenced by her mother, she was very familiar with it. Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Alright, from now on I¡¯ll call you Nanyan.¡± Continuing, he asked, ¡°Nanyan, after your mother gave birth to you in the Barbarian Tribe, life must have been very hard, right?¡± After all, as a woman from Great Xia, being captured by the Barbarian Tribe, life must have been difficult. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Yelv Nanyan again seemed to drift into her memories. After a little while, she finally answered, ¡°Yes, my mother was treated as a slave by the tribe¡¯s Chief, made to serve him daily. She often suffered beatings from him, and ultimately, unable to bear the humiliation, she drowned herself when I was ten years old.¡± Speaking of this, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s expression turned forlorn, appearing immensely sad. Seeing this, Lu Chen reached out and directly grasped Yelv Nanyan¡¯s hand, comforting her, ¡°The dead cannot be brought back to life, mourn no more.¡± Yelv Nanyan¡¯s mature body involuntarily trembled when Lu Chen suddenly grabbed her hand, but Lu Chen made no further move, and she didn¡¯t take it to heart, assuming it was just an instinctive gesture from him. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Nanyan, actually, I am very similar to you in that I also lost my mother at a young age.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen¡¯s tone turned somewhat somber, sorrowful. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan was taken aback. She gazed at him, and for some reason, she began to feel an odd urge to comfort this young man, to tell him not to be so sad. Perhaps because Lu Chen was more than a decade younger than her, and knowing how painful life without a mother could be, stirred this sentiment. Thinking of Lu Chen as a Prince, Yelv Nanyan realized his days in the Imperial Palace after losing his mother must also have been difficult. Yelv Nanyan then said, ¡°Prince, don¡¯t be too sorrowful. Your mother, knowing of the achievements you¡¯ve made in North City, would surely be happy for you.¡± Chapter 162 - Chapter 140 Shall I call you Nanyan from now on 2 Chapter 140 Shall I call you Nanyan from now on 2 Translator: 549690339 ¡ª Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°If only my mother really knew my situation now.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen gently touched Yelv Nanyan¡¯s jade hand and continued ¡°Although my life is better than yours on the grassland, and I don¡¯t have to worry about food and clothing, I have been scorned by others since I was young because I had no mother. Even in the Imperial Palace, some maids and slaves dared to shout at me; my status was not even as good as that of some family bastards.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s heart rose with a new wave of sympathy and tenderness. She could empathize with what he was describing. After she lost her mother, she, too, was humiliated by members of her own tribe. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she had secretly practiced martial arts behind others¡¯ backs, she might well have become a female slave, tormented by the barbarians day and night. For some reason, Yelv Nanyan felt compelled to hold this young man in her arms at that moment, to offer him some comfort. Lu Chen managed to go from being a notorious good-for-nothing to a martial arts prodigy at only sixteen or seventeen. The journey must have been incredibly difficult and arduous. Looking back on her own life, Yelv Nanyan realized she and Lu Chen were indeed very similar. She, too, lost her mother at an early age and lurked within the barbarian tribe for many years. Ultimately, after she married the Sky Wolf King, she gained power from his hands and turned her fate around to become a ruler in her own right. Lu Chen was the same; after lurking in the Capital city for so many years, he arrived in North City and finally became a Seignior who commanded respect from all around, acquiring his current status and power. However, the biggest difference between the two was that she had eventually lost to Lu Chen and became a captive of this young man. At this moment, Yelv Nanyan was completely unaware that she had actually fallen into a trap set by Lu Chen. Just then, Lu Chen let out a deep sigh and then said, ¡°Nanyan, may I hold you? Seeing you, I¡¯m reminded of my own past.¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°lam now the Prince¡¯s captive; the Prince can do as he pleases.¡± In the depths of her heart, Yelv Nanyan also wanted to comfort the young man m front of her, after all, he too was someone who shared the same afflictions. Then, without hesitation, Lu Chen embraced Yelv Nanyan into his arms. Her body was hot and soft, making it very comfortable to hold her. However, sitting on the chair at that moment, the position was not very comfortable, putting some pressure on their legs. When embraced by Lu Chen, Yelv Nanyan seemed to detect a uniquely masculine scent that was new to her, the first such aroma she had come across in many years and the closest she had ever been to a man. Even with the former Sky Wolf King, she had never been in such close contact When she married the Sky Wolf King, he was already seriously ill, merely a patient; she was at most his caretaker, never as intimately close to him as she was now. Moreover, the scents she used to detect from men were at best those of death and sweat. The scent from Lu Chen was unusual; it wasn¡¯t a perfume scent. During her time in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she had also used the perfume produced by the North Prince Mansion, so she could instantly tell whether or not it was perfume. The aroma emanating from Lu Chen seemed to be his natural body scent. For some reason, upon smelling it, she felt her body heat up and become restless. At this moment, Lu Chen whispered into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Nanyan, your body is really soft.¡± Upon hearing these words, Yelv Nanyan felt startled, and then heat blew against her ear, causing it to burn hotly. A blush spread from her cheeks to her fair neck, making her look even more enchanting and attractive. Lu Chen had not given Yelv Nanyan any Dragon and Phoenix Tea; this reaction was completely her own. Feeling the change within herself, Yelv Nanyan quickly said, ¡°Prince, shouldn¡¯t it be enough by now?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s hold on for a little longer. Your embrace is so warm; it reminds me of an elder of mine.¡± Hearing this from Lu Chen, Yelv Nanyan gave a start. She thought Lu Chen was talking about Chu Yue, not realizing that he was actually referring to Chu Yuqin. Yelv Nanyan thought to herself that the North Prince was just a sixteen or seventeen-year-old child, and she shouldn¡¯t take it too seriously. With this thought, Yelv Nanyan made no further move, allowing Lu Chen to hold her. At this moment, Lu Chen, smelling the fragrance of Yelv Nanyan¡¯s body, felt himself at the edge of losing control. Though he was a Grandmaster possessing self-restraint, when faced with such a mature and elegant woman, Lu Chen still found it hard to suppress certain thoughts. Lu Chen whispered into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Nanyan, I heard that when you married the former Sky Wolf King, he was already bedridden, and you never consummated the marriage. Is that true?¡± Hearing this question while feeling Lu Chen¡¯s breath, Yelv Nanyan became somewhat panicked, and her heart began to pound wildly. However, Yelv Nanyan tried to keep herself calm and answered, ¡°Yes, I am still untouched.¡± Lu Chen asked in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°You haven¡¯t touched a man for decades. Don¡¯t you have any interest in men?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°Prince, I have practiced martial arts, so I can control my desires. I have long lost interest in men.¡± Lu Chen asked by Yelv Nanyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Is that so? Then why do I feel your body getting hotter and almost igniting me?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan was overwhelmed with shame; she didn¡¯t understand why this was happening. Clearly, as a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, she had a strong control over lascivious desires, but in front of the North Prince, this young man, she couldn¡¯t keep herself calm at all. Yelv Nanyan quickly adjusted her inner strength, trying again to calm herself down. Yelv Nanyan hadn¡¯t drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, so even within Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, she could still use her inner strength. However, after trying for a while, she found it to be useless; she continued to feel incredibly restless. Suddenly, Yelv Nanyan felt weak all over. Her beautiful eyes slightly opened, exuding a mesmerizing light. Yelv Nanyan was no fool; by this point, how could she not understand why Lu Chen had come to find her today? However, Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t struggle, for she was now a captive of the North Prince and would eventually become his woman. The thought that she would become the woman of this young man, more than a decade her junior, filled Yelv Nanyan with immense shame. At this moment, Lu Chen found their seating on the stool to be too restrictive for his movements, so he took the initiative to wrap his arms around Yelv Nanyan¡¯s slender waist and stood up. Lu Chen¡¯s sudden action made Yelv Nanyan¡¯s delicate body tremble. She quickly steadied herself and stood up as well. Lu Chen then gazed into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s eyes and discovered they seemed somewhat hazy, which greatly surprised him. This was his first encounter with Yelv Nanyan, and since she hadn¡¯t drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, for her to enter such a state so quickly was truly beyond his expectations. As Lu Chen looked at her with his burning gaze, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s cheeks grew hotter. Now that they stood up and their bodies were tightly embracing, Yelv Nanyan could feel Lu Chen¡¯s ardor, and what he intended to do was now unmistakably clear. The thought that it was still daytime and they might be discovered by people of the Prince¡¯s Mansion filled Yelv Nanyan with a sense of shame and indignation. Lu Chen then softly asked, ¡°Nanyan, are you willing to be my woman?¡± Fixated under Lu Chen¡¯s direct gaze, suddenly Yelv Nanyan felt his voice had a special seductive power, making her head dizzy, almost to the point of instability, despite being a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. With her face blushing, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°Prince, 1 am your captive now, you may do whatever you want with me.¡± Embracing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s soft and warm body, admiring her peerless beauty, and coupled with her enticing fair and flushed skin, Lu Chen felt he had completely run out of patience. He leaned in, kissed Yelv Nanyan¡¯s lips, and then, holding her body, began walking towards the bed. Chapter 163 - Chapter 141 That man is really too scary 1 Chapter 141 That man is really too scary 1 Translator: 549690339 | Xiao Wenyao, after returning from the barbarian tribe¡¯s camp where she had been held captive, stayed in her room at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, lying listlessly on the bed without moving. Her world now seemed entirely devoid of color, everything before her eyes was monochrome, and her mind was blank. She could never have imagined that her father, for the sake of his ambition, would go so far as to poison even his own wife. Her mother had grown up with him since childhood; if it were any ordinary woman, it would be one thing, but they grew up together and became husband and wife by mutual consent. Logically, their affection should have been deep-seated, and she had believed so in the past. However, all this was merely her wishful thinking. At that moment, a faint voice reached Xiao Wenyao¡¯s ears, growing louder, and she started to recover from her disoriented state. Upon hearing the voice that drifted in through the window, Xiao Wenyao was stunned. What was that sound? Before long, Xiao Wenyao realized that she had heard such a sound more than once inside a certain tent. Each time her father took a Great Sum woman to a certain tent, similar noises would emanate from inside; although she was still a virgin, she understood what caused such sounds. Xiao Wenyao perked up her ears and listened intently. She quickly identified that it was Yelv Nanyan making the noises, and the sounds were coming from the room next door. Xiao Wenyao was immediately stunned; if the sounds were made by Yelv Nanyan, did it mean that Lu Chen was torturing Yelv Nanyan in the next room? The thought made Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face pale. She hadn¡¯t experienced such things and was not familiar with them; she only knew that when women were tortured by men, they would produce such sounds. After all, it wasn¡¯t the first or second time she had heard such sounds; this was her conclusion based on her observations. But clearly, her understanding was insufficient; Xiao Wenyao still thought that Yelv Nanyan made such sounds out of pain. In Xiao Wenyao¡¯s view, if a person was not injured, not in pain, why would they cry out? It was only likely that someone hurt, feeling pain, would make such miserable screams. Thinking of the possibility that she too might be tortured by the North Prince like Yelv Nanyan, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s delicate body shuddered involuntarily. However, at that moment, Xiao Wenyao glanced at the lavishly decorated room, realizing that after entering the North Prince Mansion, perhaps she would no longer have to live as she did before, nor worry about being caught by the filthy old North Pre King. Though she might be tortured by the North Prince, it was still preferable to serving the North Fre King as a female slave in the North Pre tribe. Furthermore, Xiao Wenyao recalled seeing Wang Qingci, the North Prince¡¯s female slave, boldly sitting atop the courtyard wall and speaking with the North Prince; this showed that in the North Prince Mansion, even female slaves had certain freedoms, unlike the slaves in their barbarian tribe who had to keep their heads bowed even while speaking and walking. With this thought, Xiao Wenyao felt a bit better; if she was to be tortured by the North Prince, so be it, since women were always subject to torment by men, just as her mother had been in her father¡¯s tent. At this moment, Xiao Wenyao had already come to terms with her potential fate. She continued to lie on her bed, staring blankly at the room¡¯s ceiling beams. After an indefinite period, noises still emanated from the room next door, becoming more impassioned. Xiao Wenyao started to wonder why she felt that these sounds were not ones of pain? If she had wounds, she might cry out in pain, but would never make such melodious cries; these sounds rather seemed like those of pleasure and happiness. Xiao Wenyao sat up from the bed, wanting to check the neighboring room to see what was actually happening, to see how the North Prince was torturing Yelv Nanyan. Xiao Wenyao held some resentment towards Yelv Nanyan in her heart; in her mind, had it not been for Yelv Nanyan, her father might not have killed her mother to marry her and would not have attacked North City. Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s cries, Xiao Wenyao felt a strange sense of relief; she thought Yelv Nanyan deserved it, deserved the North Prince¡¯s torture. She wanted to see for herself what had become of Yelv Nanyan under the North Prince¡¯s hand, to appease the hatred in her heart. With this in mind, Xiao Wenyao quietly left her room and then went to the outside of the room next door. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao was shocked to find that the window of the neighboring room was wide open, not closed at all. Seeing this as an opportunity, Xiao Wenyao immediately crouched down and approached the window, stealthily peeking into the room. Upon seeing the scene inside the room, Xiao Wenyao was tremendously impacted. For a time, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mind went blank; it was only after an unknown duration that she came back to her senses, fearing being discovered, she hurried back to her own room. Xiao Wenyao, back in her room, hadn¡¯t calmed down yet, her heart pounding wildly. So that was the way the North Prince tortured Yelv Nanyan? How terrifying! The thought of facing such things herself made Xiao Wenyao feel weak all over. As time ticked by. The sun in the sky gradually set, and stars appeared along with a faint moon. Meanwhile, Chu Qingli was patrolling the inner courtyard; she had grown familiar with the patrol duties. After each patrol, she quickly located her sister, preventing her sister and Lu Chen from being alone together. Chapter 164 - Chapter 164 Chapter 141 That man is really too scary 2 Chapter 164 Chapter 141 That man is really too scary 2 Translator: 549690339 | In her view, the North Prince definitely harbored improper designs on her sister, which she could discern from the way he looked at her sister. Therefore, it would be best for her to know where her sister was at all times, what she was doing, and whether she was alone with the North Prince. After passing by Wang Qingci¡¯s courtyard, Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t help but glance at the Plum Blossom Courtyard full of flowers, and immediately thought of the commotion Lu Chen caused not long ago when doing bad things in Wang Qingci¡¯s room. Chu Qingli¡¯s face was cold as she involuntarily cursed, ¡°What a beast!¡± As her words fell, Chu Qingli continued to walk toward the front courtyard to carry on with her patrol. However, she had only taken a few steps when she heard a woman¡¯s voice from inside the courtyard. Chu Qingli was taken aback. Having been at the North Prince Mansion for so long, she could certainly guess what was happening. Chu Qingli turned her head to glance at the courtyard and muttered to herself again, ¡°Indeed a beast.¡± Chu Qingli knew that the North Prince had brought back two beauties from the Barbarian Tribe and they were confined in this courtyard. Her sister had also reminded her to be wary of the two Barbarian beauties, as both were Martial Artists with martial skills. After hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s melodious and graceful voice, Chu Qingli thought to herself that her sister was clearly overthinking things. With the beast Lu Chen around, let alone Ninth Grade, even if Grandmaster-ranked women arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, they would end up as his playthings. They wouldn¡¯t have the energy or opportunity to cause any trouble. Subsequently, Chu Qingli stopped pondering over it and quickly left the outside of the courtyard to avoid hearing any more vulgar language. At dusk. The sun was gradually setting, stars appearing in the sky along with the faint outline of the moon. The crimson glow of the evening sky cast everyone¡¯s skin in a bronzed hue. Chu Qingli patrolled once again to the courtyard where Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were staying. The inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion was not very large, requiring Chu Qingli to patrol the same areas dozens of times a day. Just passing the entrance of the courtyard, Chu Qingli heard Yelv Nanyan¡¯s voice again. Chu Qingli was somewhat speechless. How many hours had it been? Why was that beast still here? Without further thought, Chu Qingli once again moved away from the lovey- dovey courtyard. When Chu Qingli arrived at the north courtyard, she ran into Mu Zixuan and the others. Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Qingli, have you seen the Prince?¡± It was already dark, and Lu Chen would usually dine with them at this time. But as the sun was about to set, there was still no sign of him, and it was unknown where he had gone. Chu Qingli replied, ¡°Replying to the Princess, the Prince is currently in the rooms of those two Barbarian ladies. It¡¯s highly unlikely he will come over tonight.¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan, along with Dazhou and Xiaozhou, instantly understood what was happening. Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Since the Prince won¡¯t be coming, let¡¯s not wait any longer and start dinner.¡± Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao had just been brought back by Lu Chen, and he was certainly going to spend time to cultivate a relationship with them. Given Lu Chen¡¯s capabilities, there was no doubt he wouldn¡¯t leave their side tonight. So, Mu Zixuan decided not to wait for Lu Chen to come over anymore. Meanwhile. Xiao Wenyao lay on the bed, covering her ears with her hands in an attempt to block out the noises coming from outside the window. She felt extremely fearful. In the past, when she saw her own father tormenting women from Great Sum, those women would emerge from the tent in less than half an hour at most. But the North Prince had been in Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room for hours now, and he still hadn¡¯t come out. It was terrifying! The thought of soon having to endure the same fate made Xiao Wenyao shudder. But what puzzled Xiao Wenyao was why she felt both scared and inexplicably restless inside. She suddenly had the desire to be tormented by the North Prince, just like he was tormenting Yelv Nanyan. Xiao Wenyao felt like she had already been enslaved by the North Prince without having met him, harboring thoughts of wanting him to torment her as he did Yelv Nanyan. Xiao Wenyao shook her head, trying to cast away these inappropriate thoughts from her mind. The night was unusually long. The moon in the sky became brighter and brighter, then was obscured by dark clouds, time passed, and the moon reappeared in the sky. After several times of being hidden by the dark clouds, finally, a white light appeared on the horizon, the sun rose again, and the moon once again became faintly visible. Dawn. Xiao Wenyao lay sprawled on the bed, her eyes surrounded by thick dark circles, her hair a tangled mess, as if an animal had puffed up its fur. Xiao Wenyao felt she was on the brink of collapse. All night long! She hadn¡¯t slept a wink all night! Although it wasn¡¯t continuous, from time to time there would be sounds drifting in through the window, just as she was about to fall asleep, she¡¯d be awakened again. That person was really terrifying! At this moment, Xiao Wenyao closed her eyes and gradually drifted off to sleep, with only one thought in her heart: she must serve the North Prince well in the future, she must not anger the North Prince; otherwise, she might also be tormented by him and not let off even for a night. At this time, the warm sunlight outside the window spilled over the windowsill and shone onto the person inside the room. Lu Chen, lying on the soft body pillow, checked his system notification. [Congratulations, host, for acquiring a wife, rewarded with 100,000 catties of breeding sweet potatoes.] [The host and Yelv Nanyan developed their relationship once, adding 500 experience points to Qi Refinement Mantra, 500 experience points to Rejuvenating Skill, and 0 experience points to Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell; the host has triggered an Emotional Crit, thus gaining an additional 1500 experience points for both Qi Refinement Mantra and Rejuvenating Skill.] Seeing the system notification before him, Lu Chen¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but curl up slightly. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s chest was still pressed against Yelv Nanyan¡¯s jade back, and he had no intention of getting up at all. Even with Wang Qingci, he had never indulged himself like this before. Yelv Nanyan was already in her thirties this year, while Lu Chen was only in his teens. The two met at the fiercest times of their lives, and what would happen next did not need elaboration. Suddenly, Lu Chen felt Yelv Nanyan seem to move slightly, and something occurred to him, so he glanced at her Favorability score. At that glance, Lu Chen was stunned. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s Favorability towards him had reached 95! It should be known that Yelv Nanyan hadn¡¯t drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea; just after one night, her Favorability towards him had soared to 95. But on reflection, it made sense; he had used the Rejuvenating Skill many times, which could quickly repair the pain on someone¡¯s body. This meant that Yelv Nanyan hadn¡¯t felt any discomfort at all, and under such circumstances, it was impossible for her Favorability towards him not to rise. At this point, Yelv Nanyan already felt the person behind her had awakened, and she said with a hoarse voice, ¡°Prince, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll carry your child?¡± Lu Chen asked in her ear, ¡°Why should I be afraid?¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°I am a woman from the Barbarian Tribe; if I bear your child, I m afraid there will be a lot of gossip.¡± ¡°Moreover, if our child is born, they might also face all kinds of disdain. Does the Prince really want to see his own child looked down upon, just like the Prince in his childhood?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°You can be assured, apart from imperial power, I treat all my children equally. Even if it¡¯s a child you give birth to, they will have a happy childhood, not like mine when I was younger.¡± Hearing this, Yelv Nanyan asked in disbelief, ¡°Is what you say true, Prince?¡± Lu Chen gave her buttocks a pat and said, ¡°What do you think I brought you back for? Could it be that you really thought I just regarded you as a Female Slave?¡± ¡°With a body as good as yours, it would be a pity not to bear a few children for me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face flushed slightly; she finally understood why Lu Chen was so uninhibited with her last night, and even up to now, he hadn¡¯t left her side, continuously embracing her. Chapter 165 - Chapter 165 Chapter 142 The Aristocratic Family Visitor__i Chapter 165 Chapter 142 The Aristocratic Family Visitor__i Translator: 549690339 | Yesterday, during the day, Yelv Nanyan was still feeling somewhat sad, believing that she was now to be a female slave to the North Prince, and she felt incredibly pessimistic about her future. But after what happened last night, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s pessimism completely dissipated, and at this moment, she only felt an intense shame. She had trained in martial arts for several decades, yet she was defeated by a boy barely into his teens. However, if being a so-called female slave only meant being treated this way, then maybe becoming Lu Chen¡¯s female slave wasn¡¯t such a bad thing after all. But then again, Lu Chen the Grandmaster was definitely not an ordinary Grandmaster. Although it was Yelv Nanyan¡¯s first time experiencing those things, she was after all the Queen of Sky Wolf King, and was also in her thirties by now, so naturally, she understood what she was supposed to understand. Even if Lu Chen had the constitution of a Grandmaster, it still seemed impossible for him to be so fierce. At this moment, Yelv Nanyan tried to move, but was completely devoid of strength, her entire being had turned soft; it was unimaginable that a Ninth Grade martial artist could be so thoroughly ravaged by a Grandmaster. It could be said that her defeat was absolute. She lost in the war between the Sky Wolf King tribe and North City, and she lost again in her personal battle with the North Prince. She was not only defeated in battle, but her heart was also completely conquered by Lu Chen, and Yelv Nanyan was very clear that she might never be able to leave the North Prince from now on. Human desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain¡ªonce it starts, it¡¯s very hard to stop. If it had been before, if she hadn¡¯t encountered Lu Chen, she might have always remained disinterested in men. But Lu Chen had opened the door to a new world for her, and it would be very difficult for her to control herself now, especially whenever she thought of the North Prince, she likely wouldn¡¯t be able to stop thinking about the events of last night. Thinking this, Yelv Nanyan sighed softly and then asked, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s already daylight, aren¡¯t you going to get up?¡± Maintaining this state made Yelv Nanyan feel odd, almost like an animal. Lu Chen grinned slightly and then said, ¡°I was busy all of last night and didn¡¯t really rest, you can¡¯t possibly be thinking of sending me away now, can you?¡± Yelv Nanyan did not say more; fine, let the young man do as he wishes then. Afterward, Lu Chen held Yelv Nanyan, his big body pillow, and closed his eyes, quickly falling into sleep. Chu Yuqin was on patrol in the inner courtyard early in the morning, and upon not seeing Lu Chen, she went to the outer courtyard of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s residence and looked inside. At this time, Chu Qingli also arrived there. Seeing Chu Yuqin peering inside continuously, Chu Qingli immediately asked, ¡°Sister, what are you looking at?¡± After hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin coughed and then said, ¡°Hasn¡¯t Chen¡¯er gotten up yet?¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t patrol much yesterday; it was mainly Chu Qingli who did the patrolling, however, Chu Yuqin knew that Lu Chen had come to this courtyard. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli chuckled and said, ¡°After tossing and turning all night without sleep, how could he be up so early? What do you need him for?¡± Last night, Chu Qingli passed by this courtyard several times, and every time, she would hear sounds coming from inside; anyway, Lu Chen had firmly established the reputation of a beast in her heart. After hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°I see. Well, let him sleep a while longer then.¡± Chu Yuqin did have a matter to discuss with Lu Chen, but it was not a big deal, and Lu Chen¡¯s health was the most important; better let him rest well first. After looking at the courtyard once more, Chu Yuqin turned around and left. Chu Qingli also hurried to follow her, leaving behind this courtyard filled with sinful traces. It was nearly noon by the time Lu Chen left from Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. As soon as Lu Chen got up, Yelv Nanyan suddenly felt an emptiness in her body, and her heart began to feel an unexpected reluctance. However, thinking of what transpired yesterday, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s delicate body involuntarily started trembling, and she quickly circulated her inner strength, swiftly calming herself down. After Lu Chen left, Mu Zixuan had someone send over many nourishing gifts. Yelv Nanyan sat at the table, looking at the full table of nourishing items and felt an indescribable emotion. She had never heard that women needed such nourishment after engaging in that kind of activity. But she had to admit, the Queen was indeed treating her very well. It seemed that the North Prince Mansion wasn¡¯t the dangerous place she had imagined it to be, but she didn¡¯t know whether the North Prince and his Queen would still be so good to her when she got old and lost her beauty. At the same time. Lu Chen was in his study, sipping the replenishing porridge personally made by Mu Zixuan, while flipping through the intelligence reports delivered by the Brocade Guard from yesterday. At that moment, a knocking sound came from outside the door. Lu Chen took a sip of the porridge, then said, ¡°The door is unlocked, come in.¡± The next moment, Chu Yuqin, dressed in a long purple dress, pushed open the door and entered the study. Lu Chen looked up at the stunning beauty of Chu Yuqin and surprisingly, his heart didn¡¯t stir at all. This wasn¡¯t surprising; having not slept all night, his energy had been completely drained by Yelv Nanyan. ¡°Madam Chu, do you need me for something?¡± he asked. Chu Yuqin spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the Chu Family sent someone yesterday to look for me.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment. Ever since he arrived in North City, aside from Chu Qingli, the Chu Family had never sent anyone to him. And as for Chu Qingli, she wasn¡¯t particularly essential to his safety; if it weren¡¯t for his system, he would have died on his way to North City long ago. Chapter 166 - Chapter 166 Chapter 142 The Aristocratic Family Visitor_2 Chapter 166 Chapter 142 The Aristocratic Family Visitor_2 Translator: 549690339 | The Chu Family has sent someone now? What for? Could it be that the Chu Family plans to continue supporting me in the succession struggle? Lu Chen held no great resentment towards his maternal grandfather; after all, Chu Xiong had his own difficulties, and Chu Xiong allowing Chu Yuqin to stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side was a significant favor to him. What Lu Chen found intolerable were the other members of the Chu Family. He had recently learned through the Brocade Guard¡¯s intelligence of the internal division within the Chu Family. There were now two factions: one led by his maternal grandfather, the North Prince Faction, and the other was the Eighth Prince Faction. The Eighth Prince Faction currently held the upper hand within the entire Chu Family. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Chen¡¯s rise to power and his defeat of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand, no one from Chu Xiong¡¯s camp would have been sent to North City so easily. Chu Xiong¡¯s position in the Chu Family now was essentially equivalent to being a figurehead; his presence or absence as Family Head made little difference to the family. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the purpose of the Chu Family¡¯s visit this time?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°It¡¯s not just the Chu Family that¡¯s come, but also people from the Wang Family. They hope that you can reconcile with Prince Lu Shuyun.¡± ¡°The Wang Family says that both of you represent the interests of the aristocratic families in the South, and there¡¯s no reason for you two to fight to the death. Moreover, if Prince Lu Shuyun succeeds in the succession, it will be more beneficial for you. The Wang Family even hinted that Prince Lu Shuyun might eventually give you all of Qi Prince¡¯s territory, letting you establish your own nation.¡± ¡­?!? Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but laugh in exasperation. He had thought that the Chu Family had sent someone to continue supporting the succession struggle, yet it turned out to be people from the Eighth Prince Faction of the Chu Family. ¡°Ha¡­ haha, the Eighth Prince first sends assassins to kill me, and now he says there¡¯s no need for us to fight to the death?¡± ¡± What on earth is going on in the minds of these Wang Family people?¡± ¡°Even now, the Wang Family actually thinks of helping the Eighth Prince to win me over. Don¡¯t they know that my relationship with the Eighth Prince has reached a point where we¡¯re irreconcilable?¡± Lu Chen did not believe for a second that the Wang Family was unaware of the attempt on his life by assassins sent by the Eighth Prince. The Eighth Prince always had the protection of a Grandmaster from the Wang Family by his side, so whatever he did, the Wang Family was sure to know about it. To send assassins after him several times and then have the audacity to come and suggest reconciliation was nothing short of delusional. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s reaction, Chu Yuqin realized that he had no intention of making peace with the Eighth Prince. After all, who would want to be on good terms with someone who had repeatedly sent assassins after them, pretending nothing had happened? Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I fear your maternal grandfather has completely lost control over the Chu Family. The people they¡¯ve sent this time not only fail to speak up for you, but their stance actually supports the Eighth Prince in the succession dispute, and they seem to be more interested in persuading you to reconcile with him.¡± ¡°If your maternal grandfather still had control over the Chu Family, he certainly wouldn¡¯t hesitate to support you as Crown Prince at this crucial time.¡± After all, Chu Xiong is Lu Chen¡¯s maternal grandfather, and considering Lu Chen¡¯s recent military accomplishments in North City, numerous commoners have no idea how much they wish for Lu Chen to be Crown Prince. Chu Xiong would definitely stand up and side with Lu Chen now. Yet, the people sent by the Chu Family belong to the Eighth Prince faction, which indicates that Chu Xiong has completely lost control over the Chu Family, and now the entire Chu Family is probably dominated by people from the Eighth Prince faction. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Even if he has lost control over the Chu Family, it has little effect on me, as I had no intention of relying on the Chu Family. Nevertheless, the Wang Family¡¯s rush to have me reconcile with the Eighth Prince probably stems from their fear that their dirty dealings might be exposed.¡± The Wang Family and the Eighth Prince had maintained a close cooperation with the Sky Wolf King tribe even before the thirty thousand strong Barbarian Army marched south. The southward advance of the Barbarian Army led by the Sky Wolf King could not be separated from their collaboration. The Wang Family wanted to take advantage of the Barbarian Army¡¯s push south to force the Sum Emperor to refrain from taking action against the aristocratic families. The Sum Emperor was no fool; he certainly knew that if turmoil broke out within, the Barbarian Army was very likely to push directly southward, placing the entire Great Sum in jeopardy. Thus, the Sum Emperor would have to bow his head in the end. But what nobody expected was that, instead of merely holding North City, the North Prince completely annihilated the Barbarian Army of three hundred thousand. Now the external pressure on Great Sum had vanished in an instant, and the Sum Emperor, who had sharpened his blade for so long, might soon let it fall. Once the evidence of the Barbarian Tribe colluding with the Wang Family was transmitted to the Capital City, the Sum Emperor would definitely take action against the Wang Family first. At this time, the Wang Family could only send someone to seek peace with the North Prince. Thinking of this, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly upwards. He then said, ¡°It seems the Wang Family does not want me to hand over the evidence of their collusion with the Barbarian Tribe to my father the emperor. That¡¯s why they¡¯re sending envoys to seek peace. However, they¡¯re seriously lacking sincerity. Even at this point, they¡¯re still thinking of supporting Prince Lu Shuyun in the struggle for succession, while offering me pie in the sky, expecting me to establish a nation in the desolate North City?¡± ¡°They must take me for a fool.¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, they are still at the Mysterious Moon Tavern established in Mysterious Moon Palace. Do you want to meet them? If not, I¡¯ll send them away.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to meet them. I don¡¯t want them to spoil my mood.¡± Lu Chen actually couldn¡¯t wait for his father the emperor to make his move, to exterminate the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum, so as to not leave behind a mess for himself in the future. If the Aristocratic Families were not extinguished, it would be hard to consolidate imperial power, and that would not bode well for Lu Chen who was about to implement reforms. However, at present, Lu Chen implementing reforms in North City wouldn¡¯t face too much obstruction; fortunately, there were no major Aristocratic Families in North City. At this point, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll have them leave Yan County now.¡± After saying this, Chu Yuqin turned and left. Watching the charming silhouette of Chu Yuqin as she departed, Lu Chen rubbed his temples, his mind preoccupied with the thought that his father the emperor was about to take action. His opportunity was coming, and perhaps it was time to hasten the reforms in North City. Shortly after. In a private room in the Mysterious Moon Tavern, As soon as Chu Yuqin entered the room, a man dressed in blue immediately came forward and asked, ¡°Madam Chu, may I know if the Prince has agreed to see us?¡± Chu Yuqin replied indifferently, ¡°You may all leave. The Prince does not plan to meet with the Wang Family members for the time being.¡± Hearing this, Wang Yong was taken aback. Their main purpose for coming here was to reconcile the North Prince with Prince Lu Shuyun. If they couldn¡¯t even meet with him, how could they help mend their relationship? This was troublesome. Wang Yong then said, ¡°Madam Chu, did you not convey our words to the North Prince?¡± Chu Yuqin replied indifferently, ¡°I did convey them. The Prince thinks the Wang Family lacks sincerity, therefore he does not wish to see you.¡± This¡­ Wang Yong instantly understood the implication of Chu Yuqin¡¯s words. They had offered to support Prince Lu Shuyun in the struggle for succession, promising to give the North Prince some territory and let him build his own nation once Prince Lu Shuyun ascended the throne. If the North Prince thought that even this offer lacked sincerity, it only proved one thing: the North Prince¡¯s ambitions were grand, and he had his sights set on all of Great Sum. Thus, he had no interest in the land they promised. As a result, there was no room left for reconciliation between the North Prince and Prince Lu Shuyun. The Wang Family had sent envoys to North City because they believed that the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry there certainly weren¡¯t the North Prince¡¯s men, but rather they were a secret reserve force prepared by the Sum Emperor, with the North Prince being just a pawn. The Wang Family believed that nobody would be content with being a pawn, so they thought of using land as bait to win over the North Prince, thereby making him their man. This way, they could not only keep an eye on the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in North City, but also gain a powerful political ally. However, it seemed the North Prince had not recognized his position as a pawn, or could it be that the North Prince truly believed that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry were his? Upon this thought, those from the Chu Family and the Wang Family present found the idea somewhat laughable, thinking the North Prince did not know what was good for him. Chapter 167 - Chapter 167 Chapter 143: The Confused Chu Yuqin, Chu Family Changes Hands 1 Chapter 167 Chapter 143: The Confused Chu Yuqin, Chu Family Changes Hands 1 Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s response, Wang Yong chuckled lightly, then asked ¡°Madam Chu, could it be that the Prince thinks those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry truly belong to him?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin indifferently said, ¡°Whether those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry belong to the Prince or not seems to have little to do with your Wang Family, doesn¡¯t it? You¡¯d better hurry and leave Yan County, lest you provoke the Prince¡¯s anger.¡± Wang Yong snorted coldly and said, ¡°Madam Chu, oh no, I should address you as Lady Wang. You have already married into the Wang Family, you are a daughter-in-law of the Wang Family, and yet you actually speak in favor of the North Prince!¡± ¡°Could it really be just like the rumors out there, that the North Prince and you have some land of unspeakable relationship?¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s expression turned icy in an instant ¡°I am merely conveying the North Prince¡¯s message. If you want to leave, then leave- if you don¡¯t wish to go and something happens later on, it has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°As for whether I have a special relationship with the North Prince, the innocent are blameless, and it¡¯s none of your business either.¡± Wang Yong said, ¡°How is it none of our business? You are our Wang Family¡¯s daughter-in-law. Instead of properly staying at the Wang Family, you are by the side of another man every day. How do you think that makes outsiders view our Wang Family?¡± ¡°Lady Wang, as a daughter-in-law of our Wang Family, shouldn¡¯t you also return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Hearing Wang Yong¡¯s aggressive words, chu Yuqin replied indifferently, ¡°Since your Wang Family feels that I ant a disgrace to you, then simply issue a letter of divorce and rid yourself of me from now on, 1 will have nothing to do with the Wang Family.¡± Wang Yong laughed sarcastically, thinking how nice Chu Yuqin had it all worked out. If they really divorced Chu Yuqin, how then could they use her to control the North Prince? Their Wang Family had long been aware of the unusual relationship between the North Prince and Chu Yuqin, which is why they had never allowed her to return, so as to use her in the future. Now was the time. Wang Yong then said, ¡°Lady Wang, since you have married into our Wang Family, you belong to the Wang Family, whether you live or die. You don¡¯t think that by not returning to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, you can escape your identity, do you?¡± ¡°If you insist on staying by the North Prince¡¯s side, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be long before there are rumors that the North Prince has forcibly taken a civilian girl At that point, the reputation the North Prince has just managed to regain will be tarnished again, and I wonder what choice you will make then.¡± Chu Yuqin sneered, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Indeed, if such a matter were widely disseminated among the public, Lu Chen¡¯s reputation would probably be negatively affected. After all, Chu Yuqin was a widow, and the spread of rumors about snatching a widow would definitely be unsavory. The most crucial point was that the man Chu Yuqin initially married had died after contracting a strange poison while fending off an invasion from the Barbarian Tribe. If word got out that the wife of a hero who defended against the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s invasion had been taken over by the North Prince after her husband¡¯s death, the North Prince would surely be despised by many, which would greatly affect his reputation. Seeing that Chu Yuqin seemed angered, Wang Yong said with a smile, ¡°How dare I threaten Lady Wang? After all, Lady Wang is now the most important woman to the North Prince.¡± At this point, Wang Yong added, ¡°Lady Wang, when you return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, you should still advise the North Prince that wanting everything might lead to losing everything in the end.¡± ¡°If he wants to shake off the status of a pawn, then cooperating with the Aristocratic Family is his best option.¡± Having said this, Wang Yong had no intention of further wasting words with Chu Yuqin. He then turned to the people behind him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. Since the North Prince does not welcome us, we will not continue to stay in North City to bother him.¡± As their words fell, the people from the Wang Family and the Chu Family left together. The people dispatched by the Chu Family didn¡¯t engage in much conversation with Chu Yuqin, since she had already married into the Wang Family and was now their daughter-in-law. After Wang Yong and the others had left, Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyebrows knit slightly, and her expression showed a touch of melancholy. If she continued to stay at the North Prince Mansion, by Lu Chen¡¯s side, it would undoubtedly affect his reputation significantly. Judging from Lu Chen¡¯s recent actions, he was bound to contend for the throne m the Capital City in the future. Such a stain could pose a major threat to his ambitions. For a moment, Chu Yuqin felt lost. She questioned whether her continued presence at the North Prince Mansion was too selfish. If it had been before, she would still have needed to protect Lu Chen, but now Lu Chen had several Grandmasters by his side and no longer needed her protection. She had lost her original purpose at the North Prince Mansion. If she claimed now that staying at the North Prince Mansion was to protect Lu Chen, that would be purely an excuse. At that moment, something else occurred to Chu Yuqin. Although she had lost her initial purpose in the North Prince Mansion, there was still a role that she could play that no one else in the mansion, not even the Grandmasters, could replace ¨C she was able to help Lu Chen with his health. According to what Lu Chen had said, only a woman whose heart resonated with his would be able to help him with his health, and among all the women in the North Prince Mansion at present, they were either commoners or those without feelings for him. Only she had deep affection for Lu Chen, and as a Half, step Grandmaster, she was the only one capable of aiding with Lu Chen¡¯s health. With this thought, Chu Yuqin felt much more at ease. As long as she was still useful to Lu Chen, she could not possibly leave the North Prince Mansion, nor could she leave Lu Chen.. Chapter 168 - 168Chapter 143: The Confused Chu Yuqin, Chu Family Changes Hands_2 168Chapter 143: The Confused Chu Yuqin, Chu Family Changes Hands_2 Translator: 549690339 | Meanwhile, at Sufeng City, Chu Family. The Chu Family Council. Today, all the important members of the Chu Family had gathered, seemingly to discuss some crucial matter. At this moment, Chu Xiong was sitting at the highest seat in the hall, his face as dark as thunder, looking quite displeased. Just then, Chu Liang spoke up, ¡°According to the decision of the Family Head and the Elders, effective today, Chu Xiong will no longer hold the position of Family Head.¡± Upon hearing these words, Chu Xiong snorted coldly and addressed Chu Liang and Chu Song, ¡°Second brother, third brother, do you realize what you are doing?¡± Chu Liang said with a smile, ¡°Big brother, you can¡¯t still be planning to support that useless North Prince, can you?¡± Chu Xiong replied, ¡°Now that the North Prince has achieved illustrious military exploits in North City, you still regard him as useless, and you even collude with outsiders to strip me of my position as Family Head. You are leading the Chu Family into a bottomless abyss of calamity!¡± Chu Liang then said, ¡°Big brother, ask yourself, do you really believe that the North Prince could have raised fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in such a short time?¡± ¡°Are you truly clueless, or just pretending to be? The North Prince is clearly the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn; that fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry is the Sum Emperor¡¯s secret trump card, and yet you still have expectations for a mere pawn? Who exactly is bringing the Chu Family into a bottomless abyss of calamity?¡± When the members of the Chu Family first heard that the North Prince led his army to defeat the three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian Tribe, they truly believed that the North Prince had been feigning incompetence all along, and some members who favored Prince Lu Shuyun even considered repledging their loyalty to him. But soon they recognized the problem. How long had the North Prince been in North City, and given its poverty, how could it possibly have raised fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry? If they believed the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry belonged to the North Prince, then they¡¯d be complete fools. The North Prince was enfeoffed to North City by the Sum Emperor, and now that a sizeable Heavy Cavalry force suddenly appeared in North City, combined with the fact that in the entire Great Sum only one entity had the ability to raise such a force, there was no doubt, the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry were indeed the Sum Emperor¡¯s secret weapon! Not only the Chu Family, but all the Aristocratic Families had come to a sudden realization, as if they had seen the light. They finally understood why the Sum Emperor dared to take action against them at this time; he had fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry at his disposal, so why fear these Aristocratic Families? Therefore, for the members of the Chu Family, the rise of the North Prince in North City was not a blessing, but rather a curse. It proved that the North Prince had become the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn; the North Prince and the Sum Emperor were aligned. In order to decisively distance themselves from the North Prince, Chu Liang and Chu Song seized this opportunity to join forces with the Family Head and the Elders. They unanimously decided to strip Chu Xiong of his position as Family Head. After all, Chu Xiong was the North Prince¡¯s maternal grandfather, and by deposing him as Family Head, they were, to some extent, declaring their loyalty to Prince Lu Shuyun, indicating that from now on, the Chu Family was completely shifting its allegiance toward Prince Lu Shuyun. Upon hearing Chu Liang¡¯s words, frankly, Chu Xiong too was conflicted inside. He also found it hard to believe that the North Prince truly had fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, as it simply defied all reason. But to lean entirely towards Prince Lu Shuyun meant that the Chu Family, along with the Wang Family, was preparing for a rebellion. What did that imply? It meant that the Sum Emperor¡¯s blade would soon fall upon their heads. Although the Sum Emperor had long planned to move against the Aristocratic Families, he had not yet found the opportunity. But should you initiate a rebellion, it would be different. The Sum Emperor was waiting for the Aristocratic Families to rebel so he wouldn¡¯t need another excuse to strike. At that moment, Chu Song laughed and said, ¡°Big brother, calm down. You¡¯ve reached such an age; starting from today, you should just rest at home and not worry about the family affairs anymore. This might turn out to be a good thing for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Xiong snorted coldly and then said, ¡°If you insist on rebelling with the Wang Family, then I shall have no choice but to lead my branch of the Chu Family and break away from the main family.¡± No sooner had Chu Xiong finished his words than his son, Chu Hongfei, spoke up, ¡°Father, why are you so stubborn? You should listen to Uncle Two and Uncle Three. As for me, I won¡¯t follow you in leaving the Chu Family; if you want to leave, you can do so on your own. I will stay.¡± Hearing his son¡¯s words, Chu Xiong nearly choked with frustration. He had only this one son. If he were to leave the Chu Family, he would be left alone, and what could he do all by himself? Chu Xiong had not expected his son to speak out at this juncture. Hearing Chu Hongfei¡¯s statement, Chu Liang¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. He then said, ¡°Big brother, you see, even Hongfei disapproves of your actions. Perhaps you are not aware, but the Wang Family has already agreed to let Chu Yuqin return soon, to marry Hongfei.¡± Chu Xiong was momentarily stunned; he realized why his son had so swiftly sided with the Wang Family¡ªit was all part of his calculated plan. Chu Xiong immediately rose from his seat, then declared, ¡°Since you insist on courting death, go ahead and do as you please. From now on, I wash my hands of the Chu Family¡¯s affairs.¡± As soon as the words fell, Chu Xiong left the council hall directly. Chu Xiong¡¯s withdrawal signified that the Aristocratic Families of the South had completely united their front, all turning to support Prince Lu Shuyun. From now on, in the South, there would only be Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s faction. A few days later. In the North Land. Xiao Pengthian looked back at the endless line of livestock and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. By the time they reached North City, the Sky Wolf King Tribe would be no more. At that moment, not only he, but the entire Sky Wolf King Tribe was dispirited and looked immeasurably sad. Especially the women of the Barbarian Tribe, when they learned that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand had been defeated by North City, with two hundred thousand dead, many of the women collapsed to the ground outright. In the Barbarian Tribe, the labor of an adult man was of utmost importance; without men, it was very difficult for their women to survive on the boundless vast steppes. Although later they learned that they were being relocated to North City, and their days might be somewhat better than on the steppes, the entire tribe¡¯s mood was still very depressed. At this very moment, the migrating army of the Sky Wolf King Tribe was silently moving southward, with virtually no one speaking along the way. Then, a soldier on horseback came to Xiao Pengthian and said, ¡°Your Majesty, they have all left.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Pengthian sighed and then ordered, ¡°Convey my instructions to hasten the migration. We have now entered North City. Let¡¯s all put in more effort.¡± The ¡°they¡± the soldier referred to were those of the Barbarian Tribe unwilling to join North City. Although most of the Barbarian Tribe longed for a better life, some felt that joining North City was tantamount to living under someone else¡¯s roof and that they would become slaves to the people of Great Sum in the future. Therefore, these individuals were reluctant to go south with them. Xiao Pengthian did not make it difficult for them, as he had anticipated such resistance; therefore, he left considerable supplies for those who were reluctant to join North City. Of course, before their departure, to prevent these people from running off to the North Fre King¡¯s Tribe to snitch, Xiao Pengthian also left some to keep watch over them. Now that they had reached North City, and those from the Sky Wolf King Tribe who had stayed behind were just leaving. Even if they went to the North Fre King Tribe to snitch, it was too late. This posed no great threat to those in the midst of migration. Just then, a soldier rushed to Xiao Pengthian in a fluster and exclaimed, ¡°Your Majesty, disaster!¡± Seeing the soldier¡¯s panicked state, Xiao Pengthian immediately asked, ¡°What has happened?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the High Priest¡­ The High Priest has just drowned himself in the river!!!¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Pengthian was dumbstruck on the spot. Once he regained his wits, he quickly said, ¡°Where is he now? Take me there!¡± Following the soldier¡¯s lead, Xiao Pengthian soon arrived where the High Priest¡¯s body lay. The High Priest was lying there soaked, his face pale, clearly having died. The Elders of the tribe all stood around the High Priest in silence. The High Priest should have been the most conservative member of the tribe, likely to be firmly opposed to relocating to North City. He had, however, voted to join North City when the vote was taken. Now, as they were on the verge of entering North City, he chose to jump into the river and take his own life. The northerly wind howled against the faces of the people, who at that moment spoke no word, seemingly in mourning. After an indeterminate time, Xiao Pengthian had the High Priest¡¯s body buried on the steppes, and then they continued onwards, without further delay. Chapter 169 - 169Chapter 144: Sending Wives to the Men of North City i 169Chapter 144: Sending Wives to the Men of North City i Translator: 549690339 | The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s migration into North City, if they were directly moved to places where the common folk of Great Sum congregate, could easily lead to conflicts between the Barbarian Tribe and the people of Great Sum. But if there is no interaction between the two groups at all, it would be unlikely for the Barbarian Tribe to fully assimilate into Great Sum culture. Therefore, Lu Chen offered a compromise by setting up counties specifically for the Barbarian Tribe to reside in North City. Of course, each household had to be registered and strictly controlled; however, as long as they were granted permission, they could also enter cities inhabited by the Great Sum people. The most important point was that the relatives of the captured Barbarian Tribe members could directly visit them. This made the recently migrated Barbarian women in North City very happy. However, where there is joy, there also exists sorrow. The Barbarian women whose men had died, even if they arrived at the camps of the Barbarian captives, would no longer see their men. And there were many such women. The Barbarians practiced polygamy, not monogamy. Suddenly, two hundred thousand men perished, including some from the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, but there were also over a hundred thousand men who were no more, leaving one to imagine how many widows the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had left behind. The sudden increase of so many Barbarian widows in North City was not a good thing for the region. At dawn, after Lu Chen got up and quickly ate something, he headed to his study. In the past few days, he almost visited Yelv Nanyan every day. Although he was happy, Lu Chen didn¡¯t spend all his time indulging in Yelv Nanyan¡¯s tender land of warmth. Being a Seignior, he carried out his duties every day. The study in the outer court had now become his workplace. Basically, after getting up in the morning, he would go to the study to handle all kinds of political affairs. When Lu Chen first arrived in North City, he didn¡¯t feel busy. However, suddenly the affairs in North City became numerous, and Lu Chen spent almost every day in the study from morning to night, often taking his meals there as well. This made Lu Chen realize something¡ªhe simply had too few people working for him, or to be precise, too few Civil Officials. Although North City had its own administrative foundation, previously it did not require any reforms, with a governance of non-action most of the time. The officials of North City essentially did nothing and just waited for the court to distribute the provisions and salaries. Now that he intended to reform the entire North City, he first faced the issue of insufficient officials, followed by the problem that most of the officials lacked motivation to work, making it difficult to complete many tasks in a timely manner. At this moment, as Lu Chen looked at the information about the officials on his desk, he furrowed his brows. Corruption was commonplace; North City might have been poor, but those officials still found ways to line their pockets. Not only were they corrupt, but they were also idle ¨C these officials were no different from the good-for-nothing layabouts. A clean-up was necessary. Just then, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside the study. ¡°Prince, Lord Li and Lord Mo have arrived,¡± she said. Lu Chen calmly responded, ¡°Let them all come in.¡± As the words of Lu Chen fell, the door to the study opened slowly, and Li Rui, along with over twenty other people, entered the study. The study now seemed a bit crowded. Usually, a Seignior would have his own place for discussing affairs, but after Lu Chen came to North City, he initially hardly dealt with political matters and always stayed in the North Prince Mansion, so the Meeting Hall had not been built. Li Rui initially thought that since the North Prince did not handle affairs, constructing a Meeting Hall for him would cost a substantial amount of Silver. Therefore, embracing a frugal mindset, he simply didn¡¯t bother to build the Meeting Hall for the North Prince. However, the Li Rui of today realized that the North Prince was not uninvolved in affairs; it was just not the time yet. Soon, the North Prince would certainly take significant actions. Li Rui could no longer afford his previous perfunctory attitude, or else, sooner or later, the North Prince would remove him from his position as Prefecture Governor. After entering the study, everyone promptly greeted Lu Chen, saying, ¡°We greet the Prince, may the Prince live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, then said, ¡°Speak one at a time if you have something to say.¡± Unlike the court in the Capital city, Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°Small court¡± was still fairly orderly at present: speak about matters when required, without the buzzing commotion of flies from the start. At this time, Li Rui stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, as affairs in North City are gradually increasing, the study of the North Prince Mansion is no longer suitable as a place for discussing political matters, and it is time to build the Hall of Political Affairs.¡± In Great Sum, the Seigniors who are granted feudal statuses wield great power. Apart from their lands being nominally part of Great Sum, they possess almost any authority. The areas governed by the Seigniors are also called feudal states, and each Seignior has their own administrative staff and Hall of Political Affairs. Previously, it didn¡¯t matter whether Lu Chen managed affairs or not, but now things were different. With the increasing number of their administrative staff and the growing volume of affairs, it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to discuss political matters crammed into such a small study in the future. The study was already struggling to accommodate over twenty people; if the North Prince¡¯s Staff or subordinate officials continued to grow in number, then discussing political affairs might have to move outside into the courtyard. This was clearly unacceptable. Hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°Alright, Lord Li will take care of this matter.¡± Li Rui bowed and responded, ¡°As you command, Prince.¡± Chapter 170 - 170Chapter 144: Sending Wives to the Men of North City_2 170Chapter 144: Sending Wives to the Men of North City_2 Translator: 549690339 | Afterward, Li Rui returned to his place. Lu Chen then continued, ¡°By the way, let the Hall of Political Affairs be built next to North Prince Mansion. Don¡¯t allow it to be too far away.¡± Li Rui responded, ¡°Prince, rest assured. When North Prince Mansion was constructed, we had already reserved a space next to it for the Hall of Political Affairs.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen did not press Li Rui on why the Hall of Political Affairs hadn¡¯t been built initially; it was highly likely that officials like Li Rui from North City had assumed Lu Chen would have no use for the Hall, and thus simply did not bother to provide him with a venue for discussing political affairs. Lu Chen did not intend to dwell on these issues and continued, ¡°Does anyone else have a matter to report?¡± Mu Changtian stepped forward at this moment and said, ¡°Prince, the quantity of howitzer cannons is not abundant anymore. The soldiers in the Artillery camp mostly have nothing to do, and they cannot even proceed with training. I believe the Artillery camp should be dissolved and in the future, we should distribute the howitzer cannons among the regular troops.¡± There were only a thousand rounds for the howitzers, and after the battle against the Barbarian Tribe in Wanning Valley, the ammunition had almost entirely been used up. Being responsible for the Artillery camp, Mu Jingwu was unsure if Lu Chen still had any shells. They didn¡¯t even dare to use live ammunition for training now, fearing that if they used it all up, they¡¯d be completely out. Mu Jingwu thought that if they were indeed out of shells, maintaining an Artillery camp with ten thousand men seemed somewhat wasteful. It might be better to distribute these soldiers to other camps. That¡¯s why he had Mu Changtian bring up the Artillery camp to Lu Chen, to see what he thought about it. After hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment. This was indeed a problem. They did not have the capability to manufacture howitzer cannons. Although the system rewards with howitzer cannons had helped him through the crisis in North City, after using up the shells and if the system did not provide additional ammunition rewards, these howitzer cannons would just sit there collecting dust. At this thought, Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. It was only now that he remembered his women had not conceived for him for a long time. His system was the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings. Only through their pregnancies or childbirth could he receive more substantial rewards. Indeed, he hadn¡¯t been idle lately, almost every night involved a bout of hard work. Of course, the reason Mu Zixuan and the women from Great Yu and Dazhou weren¡¯t quickly pregnant was mainly that they had just given birth, so Lu Chen controlled the situation, intentionally preventing these three from conceiving, fearing harm to their health. Although his Rejuvenating Skill could help them recover from injuries, when it came to childbirth, who can foretell if there might be losses that couldn¡¯t be restored? So in this regard, Lu Chen exercised some restraint. However, for Wang Qingci, Bai Qingqing, and the recently arrived Yelv Nanyan, things were different; he took exceptionally good care of these three women. For instance, ever since Yelv Nanyan arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen even spent several hours on her every day. Lu Chen¡¯s expression changed continuously as he pondered for a long time, feeling that this could not go on. Wang Qingci, Bai Qingqing, and Yelv Nanyan were Martial Artists, and first and foremost, it wasn¡¯t easy for Martial Artists to conceive. Another issue was that Martial Artists could circulate their skill to expel the impurities in their bodies. In other words, if these three did not wish to carry his child, he had no way to force them to conceive. So, did that mean he had to shift his focus back to his wife and the women from Great Yu and Dazhou? Seeing that Lu Chen remained silent, Mu Changtian continued, ¡°Prince, if you still have ammunition for the howitzer cannons, the Artillery camp doesn¡¯t need to be dismantled. However, I believe we cannot allow them to remain idle everyday.¡± Mu Changtian thought to himself that likely, North Prince intentionally withheld the howitzer shells because, after all, these terrifying weapons of mass destruction had an enormous destructive capacity. If one were to fire at North Prince Mansion, the outcome would be self-evident. This type of weapon of mass destruction must definitely remain in the hands of North Prince. Lu Chen said, ¡°General Mu, set aside the Artillery camp matter for now. Does anyone else have any other matters?¡± Since Lu Chen had said as much, Mu Changtian said no more. ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± As he finished speaking, Mu Changtian returned to his seat. At this moment, Qin Yushan stood up and said, ¡°Prince, the Barbarian Tribe of the Sky Wolf King has already entered North City, and according to your plan, General Xiao has arranged them across the six counties of North City. However, General Xiao posed a question to his subordinates to relay to you.¡± ¡°With the sudden death of over a hundred thousand Barbarian men, there are now quite a few widows within the Sky Wolf King Tribe. If we were to build a house for each widow, that would require constructing twice as many homes as originally estimated.¡± ¡°Furthermore, after these Barbarian women have entered North City, they are not very familiar with life in Great Sum nor do they know how to farm, which makes it difficult for them to survive.¡± ¡°General Xiao hopes the Prince could think of a solution to deal with these Barbarian widows¡¯ issue.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said at once, ¡°I have also been considering how to solve this issue lately. Since you all are here today, why don¡¯t you discuss it and see if you can come up with a good solution.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the old fox Li Rui immediately responded, ¡°Prince, the common folk of North City are poor, and some single men have been unable to find wives. Barbarian women are hardworking and enduring, I believe those single men will surely be very fond of them.¡± ¡± Why don¡¯t we distribute these Barbarian widows to the single men of Great Sum? In doing so, we not only address the issue of the poor populace of North City being unable to find wives, but we also tackle the problem of the Barbarian widows¡¯ inability to survive.¡± No sooner had Li Rui finished speaking than Mu Xingping commented from the side, ¡°Lord Li, your idea is indeed good, but the common folk of Great Sum have long harboured hatred towards the Barbary Tribes. Would the common folk of Great Sum truly be willing to marry those widows from the Barbarian Tribes?¡± Hearing this, Li Rui chuckled and said, ¡°Captain Mo, are you a well-fed man who does not know the plight of the hungry? Those bachelors who have been single for a long time find even a cow to possess graceful features, much less caring whether their wives are Barbarian women.¡± ¡°Moreover, from their appearance, Barbarian women are no different from the women of Great Sum. Why wouldn¡¯t they marry them?¡± Unsure of how to counter Li Rui¡¯s argument, Mu Xingping simply chose to remain silent. At this time, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Lord Li¡¯s method is good, and I have been considering the same. Does anyone else have any other suggestions?¡± With that, Lu Chen scanned the others in the study, but not a single person spoke up. Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. There were over twenty people in the study, and only Li Rui and two of his subordinates could be considered Civil Officials; the rest were all Military Generals. He surely couldn¡¯t use Military Generals to govern North City! Lu Chen then said, ¡°Since no one has any other opinions, let¡¯s settle on this.¡± ¡°By the way, to motivate the common folk of North City to marry the Barbarian widows, I have decided to take Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao as side consorts in a few days.¡± At these words, Mu Changtian expressed his concern, ¡°Prince, if you take Barbarian women as side consorts, it is very likely to cause dissatisfaction in the court.¡± Having served in the Capital city for many years, Mu Changtian was very familiar with the court¡¯s situation. If Lu Chen were to do so, there would certainly be numerous ministers impeaching him. The ministers in the Capital city would undoubtedly argue that the North Prince, being a prince, should not disgrace the royal family by taking a woman from the Barbarian Tribes as a consort, and moreover, one being a widow. Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, then responded, ¡°The court will definitely be discontent with what I¡¯m doing in North City, but for the next few months, they will be too preoccupied to care about what I am doing in North City.¡± Mu Changtian immediately realized that the Sum Emperor was preparing to take action against the Aristocratic Families. The ministers of the court were, more or less, connected to the Aristocratic Families. As chaos approached Great Sum, the officials in the Capital city would certainly not overly concern themselves with what the North Prince was doing in North City. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s settle this and move on to the next matter.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen once again surveyed the room, his gaze finally resting on Wenren Lie and Xuanyuan Chen. ¡°General Xuanyuan, I wonder if you have relayed the discussion we had last time to Great Yu City. Are the common folk of Great Yu City willing to relocate to North City?¡± Chapter 171 - 171Chapter 145: Could it be that I was being paranoid?_i 171Chapter 145: Could it be that I was being paranoid?_i Translator: 549690339 | Currently, roughly 500,000 Great Yu Remnants reside in Great Yu City, these are the subjects the system assigned to Lu Chen. However, these subjects each have their own thoughts, and although they are fully loyal to him as the North Prince, it does not necessarily mean they are willing to leave the land where their ancestors have lived for generations. After defeating the Sky Wolf King, Lu Chen immediately communicated his ideas to Xuanyuan Chen and General Wenren, two Black Cavalry generals, hoping they would convey his thoughts to the people of Great Yu City. If those 500,000 people are willing to relocate to North City, then the development of North City¡¯s wastelands would become much easier by comparison. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s query, Xuanyuan Chen stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, I have conveyed your intentions to the people of Great Yu City, but to the best of my knowledge, most of the common folk are unwilling to leave Great Yu City.¡± ¡°Moreover, I believe, Prince, that there is no need to relocate the people of Great Yu City to North City. In the future, your territory will extend even further into the North Land, and Great Yu City will guard every inch of land for you in the North Land.¡± Upon hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s response, Lu Chen fell into thought for a moment. Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words weren¡¯t without merit; Lu Chen had already planned to incorporate the entirety of the North Land into his feudal state, and Great Yu City would become a frontier city in his territory. If it was going to be his land, it naturally needed to be defended, and the topography of Yan¡¯an Mountain, where Great Yu City was situated, was easy to defend and hard to attack, making it an excellent location to station troops. Consider this, Great Sum with its population of over ten million could only train twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry, while Great Yu City, with a mere population of 500,000, boasted fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Although Great Sum also had to support several hundred thousand regular troops, an area where Great Yu City couldn¡¯t compare, the fact that Great Yu City could train fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry alone spoke volumes about its potential for warfare. After some consideration, Lu Chen ultimately decided not to relocate those 500,000 people to North City. Instead, he resolved to let them remain in Great Yu City and would send troops there later to garrison and defend the entire North Land. While Lu Chen was lost in thought, General Wenren stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve heard that you plan to build a direct road connecting Yan County with all the counties and cities in North City. I believe, now that Great Yu City has become part of your territory and its inhabitants part of your subjects, a direct road should also be built to connect Great Yu City.¡± ¡°With such a road joining Great Yu City, North City¡¯s soldiers would be able to quickly reach Great Yu City, and henceforth, the entire North Land would be under your control.¡± After thinking it over, Lu Chen then said, ¡°General Wenren¡¯s suggestion is good, and I accept it.¡± If Great Yu City was to be treated as a military stronghold, it was indeed necessary to build a direct road there so that Lu Chen could swiftly dispatch troops to the North Land. Most importantly, this would encourage interaction between the people of Great Yu City and those from North City, and in the future, Great Yu City would no longer remain isolated. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s end this topic here. Does anyone else have anything else to discuss?¡± Commander Qin Yushan then stood up and said, ¡°Prince, currently the various kingdoms are frequently mobilizing troops. Great Jue has stationed 200,000 troops at the border with North City, but intelligence from the Brocade Guard has become outdated and we cannot ascertain the specific movements of the other kingdoms in realtime. I believe it is time to expand the Brocade Guard, we should recruit more agents to infiltrate the other kingdoms and gather intelligence.¡± A Brocade Guard force of five thousand, if solely tasked with gathering intelligence within Great Sum, would face no problems. However, collecting intelligence from other kingdoms, or states, would prove more challenging. The most critical issue is that the languages and scripts of the various countries are not necessarily the same; Brocade Guards from within Great Sum might not understand a word upon arriving in another kingdom, let alone gather intelligence. Lu Chen responded, ¡°Commander Qin, stay behind after this meeting to discuss this matter with me separately; we will not discuss it further at this moment.¡± After all, the Brocade Guard was a sharp knife in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, and he didn¡¯t intend to discuss matters pertaining to the Brocade Guard in front of everyone else, so as not to alarm others, especially Li Rui and the others who were not summoned through the system. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qin Yushan immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± As the sound of his voice faded, Qin Yushan returned to his place. Lu Chen asked again, ¡°Any other matters? If not, then today¡¯s meeting is adjourned. You may all leave.¡± Subsequently, everyone, in unison, voiced, ¡°We take our leave, may the Prince live for thousands, ten thousands of years!!!¡± Afterward, everyone left the study, leaving only Qin Yushan behind. In the following half an hour, Lu Chen and Qin Yushan discussed the expansion of the Brocade Guard. Meanwhile, elsewhere. In a courtyard of the North Prince Mansion. Two exceedingly beautiful women were sitting in a pavilion, watching the people who were about to leave the North Prince Mansion from the outside of the pavilion. This spot was not part of the inner court but was situated perfectly to observe the officials from North City as they passed by after leaving Lu Chen¡¯s study. The Mysterious Moon Palace had little presence in North City; Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun had been in North City for quite some time, yet Chen Wanrong had still not managed to administer the Love Worm to Lu Chen. At this moment, Lin Wanyun spoke, ¡°Palace Master, it seems the North Prince has all but forgotten about the two of us.¡± They had been living in the North Prince Mansion for quite a long time, yet aside from some initial conversation, the North Prince had since had no further interactions with them. Chapter 172 - 172 Chapter 145: Could it be that I was being paranoid?_2 172 Chapter 145: Could it be that I was being paranoid?_2 Translator: 549690339 After spending this period of time lying low in the North Prince Mansion, they had essentially figured out Lu Chen¡¯s daily routine. Lu Chen would rise early in the morning and go straight to his study to attend to various matters, occasionally leaving the North Prince Mansion to inspect the construction of the military forces. Once the day had ended, Lu Chen would randomly choose one of his wives or concubines¡¯ rooms to enter, and with that, his day would come to a close. Lu Chen¡¯s days were almost always like this. As such, it became even less likely for Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun to have any interactions with Lu Chen. They were still in the North Prince Mansion, but whether Lu Chen was in his study or in his inner court with his wives, the two guests couldn¡¯t possibly just barge into his study. The key issue was that they couldn¡¯t find an excuse to spend time with Lu Chen. Of course, the most important point was that the North Prince had never personally sought them out. Logically, given the North Prince¡¯s fondness for beauty, evidenced by his nightly efforts to cultivate relationships with his women, it should be clear that he couldn¡¯t live without the company of women. And yet, Chen Wanrong, a woman with the grace to bring a nation to its knees, failed to stir his heart in the slightest? Chen Wanrong even began to doubt if she was considered beautiful at all. If she continued to have no interaction with Lu Chen, how could she deploy the Love Worm? With Great Sum on the cusp of civil unrest, this was the prime time to strike against the Sum Emperor. If they didn¡¯t hurry to develop the Subtle Dragon Spell, they could miss the chance to kill the Sum Emperor. Chen Wanrong softly said, ¡°We can¡¯t continue to wait like this.¡± Instantly grasping Chen Wanrong¡¯s intent, Lin Wanyun realized that she was planning to take the initiative to seek out Lu Chen. However, this was far from an easy method. Lin Wanyun then spoke, ¡°Palace Master, if you personally go to seek the North Prince, he might very well be guarded against you.¡± ¡°Why not use my relationship with Chu Yuqin to seek her out first and see what the North Prince has been up to lately? If the North Prince has any problems he can¡¯t solve, we from the Mysterious Moon Palace could extend a helping hand. This might allow us to bridge the gap with the North Prince,¡± she suggested. By now, both understood all too well that although the North Prince was lustful, he was by no means mindless; his desires were restrained by his rationality. If he were the type to covet every beautiful woman he saw, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have refrained from actively seeking out the two of them for so long. Clearly, the North Prince was wary of them, so their next move was quite straightforward: they needed to make the North Prince lower his guard against them, against the Mysterious Moon Palace. Only then could Chen Wanrong truly get close to the North Prince and have a chance to place the Love Worm on him. Otherwise, their presence in the Prince¡¯s Mansion would serve no purpose. Upon hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s suggestion, Chen Wanrong thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do as Madam Lin said.¡± They certainly couldn¡¯t keep waiting; they had to take the initiative to find opportunities to get close to Lu Chen. At dusk. Lu Chen, after finishing a day¡¯s work, rose from his chair and stretched, then prepared to head to the main courtyard for dinner. As he was leaving the study, he noticed under the red glow of the sunset, two beautiful women holding hands, chatting and laughing about something. Seeing Chu Yuqin and Lin Wanyun talking, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly in a subtle smile. It seemed the two fairies from the Mysterious Moon Palace finally couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Then, Lu Chen glanced at Lin Wanyun¡¯s favorability towards him, which had already surpassed ninety, indicating it was almost time for the next step. With that in mind, Lu Chen walked directly towards Lin Wanyun and Chu Yuqin. Approaching the two women, Lu Chen smiled lightly and asked, ¡°Madam Lin, Madam Chu, what are you discussing?¡± Seeing that it was Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun felt a surge of joy within her heart, finally having an opportunity to converse with the North Prince. Lin Wanyun quickly said, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°Hey, Madam Lin, I¡¯ve already addressed you as ¡®aunt¡¯. There¡¯s no need for formalities in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the North Prince Mansion isn¡¯t so strict.¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°How can that be? One must not neglect etiquette. You are the Prince, and if a common woman must pay respects, then she should.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Lin, you wound me with such words. You¡¯re the sister of my mother¡¯s sworn sister, Jin Lan. I consider you my aunt, yet you seem to think we have no such connection. Could it be that my affections are all one-sided?¡± Madam Lin was slightly taken aback. She had not expected the North Prince to say such a thing. At that moment, Chu Yuqin cast a faint glance at Lu Chen. All this talk about Madam Lin, she didn¡¯t believe for a second that Lu Chen truly saw Madam Lin as an aunt. Just thinking about what he had done with his so-called Madam Chu, it was clear that the little rascal was always handsy with her, never treating her like an aunt. Given that even she, a woman who had lived by Lu Chen¡¯s side for so many years, was treated this way, how could Lu Chen possibly treat Madam Lin as an aunt? However, Chu Yuqin did not interrupt at this time. Once she came to her senses, Madam Lin said, ¡°It¡¯s the commoner woman¡¯s lack of understanding, failing to appreciate the Prince¡¯s kindness. From now on, in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, I will no longer perform courtesies to the Prince.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s more like it. Also, stop referring to yourself as a commoner woman in the future. Just calling yourself ¡®Aunt¡¯ will do.¡± Madam Lin felt somewhat at a loss. Unlike Chu Yuqin, although she too was a close sister to Lu Chen¡¯s mother, she had not lived with Lu Chen for decades. Suddenly having to refer to herself as ¡®Aunt¡¯ in front of Lu Chen made her uncomfortable. Nevertheless, since Lu Chen had said so, she had no choice but to pluck up her courage and say, ¡°Alright then, Aunt understands.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°By the way, Madam Lin, are you and Miss Chen settling well in the Prince¡¯s Mansion? Is there anything you lack? If you need anything, feel free to inform the staff of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Madam Lin responded, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Prince. The Palace Master and I have settled well into the North Prince Mansion. The servants and maids have been very kind to us and we lack nothing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Lu Chen. At this point, Chu Yuqin spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I was just discussing with your Madam Lin about having her join the inner court¡¯s defenders as well.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment, then turned with a smile to Madam Lin, ¡°Madam Lin, you belong to the Mysterious Moon Palace. Will becoming my inner court defender affect you?¡± Lu Chen had also realized that this was the second time the Mysterious Moon Palace was testing him. If he allowed Madam Lin, an elder from the Mysterious Moon Palace, to become an inner court defender, it would signify his acceptance of the Mysterious Moon Palace. After all, the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion is where his closest confidants and he himself lived. Once he agreed to let the people of the Mysterious Moon Palace into the inner court of the North Prince Mansion, they could fully commence their collaboration. Madam Lin quickly said, ¡°It won¡¯t affect me, not at all.¡± ¡°The Palace Master has noticed that Yan County has seen an influx of unwelcome guests lately, most aiming for the North Prince Mansion and you, Prince. Since we reside here, it¡¯s only right that we contribute to the security of the North Prince Mansion.¡± Lu Chen then showed an innocuous smile, ¡°I¡¯m pleased that Miss Chen has such thoughts. Very well, from now on, the safety of the North Prince Mansion will be entrusted to both Madam Lin and Madam Chu.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s approval, Madam Lin felt a rush of excitement, having made another step forward. Now, it would be much easier for them to interact with the North Prince. Moreover, the fact that the North Prince had asked her to be an inner court defender also meant that he had accepted assistance from the Mysterious Moon Palace. It looked like their Palace Master would soon have the opportunity to connect directly with Lu Chen. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t keep you from your conversation any longer, I¡¯m off to have my meal.¡± Madam Lin promptly replied, ¡°Ok then, Prince, take care.¡± Lu Chen then headed straight to the main courtyard. By this time, Mu Zixuan along with Dazhou and Xiaozhou had already been waiting with the children for Lu Chen¡¯s arrival. Seeing his three beautiful wives and their children in their arms, Lu Chen¡¯s face once again broke into a smile. After a long day¡¯s work, the feeling of having someone waiting for you at home was truly pleasant, especially when it¡¯s three beautiful wives. Chapter 173 - 173 Chapter 146: Mu Zixuan Is Pregnant Again_l 173 Chapter 146: Mu Zixuan Is Pregnant Again_l Translator: 549690339 | Seeing Lu Chen return, Mu Zixuan and the other two ladies quickly handed the children in their arms to the nannies and maids by their sides and immediately came over to attend to Lu Chen. Zhou Xiaoxiao hurriedly pulled out a chair, while Zhou Youyou brought over a basin of water for Lu Chen to wash his hands, and Mu Zixuan fetched a towel. Normally, these were tasks for the maids; the three of them, as Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines, didn¡¯t need to personally attend to him. However, they liked to serve Lu Chen this way because they believed attending to their man was a method of closing the distance between them. After Lu Chen had washed his face and hands, he sat down to eat. At this time, Mu Zixuan spoke up, ¡°Prince, Wang Qingci came to me earlier and said that in the future, the goods produced by the Prince¡¯s Mansion could be sold to other dynasties and countries through the Rain-listening Pavilion.¡± Mu Zixuan merely mentioned this matter without asking about the relationship between Lu Chen and the Rain-listening Pavilion. Currently, not many people were aware that the Rain-listening Pavilion belonged to the Prince¡¯s Mansion; even those within the mansion knew very little about it, as it was an organization Lu Chen used to gather intelligence¡ª the fewer who knew, the better. However, upon hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s mention of the Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s partnership with the Prince¡¯s Mansion to sell goods, Mu Zixuan roughly guessed to whom the Rain-listening Pavilion belonged. Wang Qingci herself was one of Lu Chen¡¯s women, and clearly, the Rain-listening Pavilion was associated with Lu Chen. Moreover, since their arrival in North City, a Brocade Guard agency had suddenly appeared, along with fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Another establishment like the Rain-listening Pavilion didn¡¯t seem surprising at all. While eating, Lu Chen said, ¡°The Prince¡¯s Mansion can do business with the Rain-listening Pavilion, but it must be done through public accounts.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan instantly understood his intention and immediately replied, ¡°I understand.¡± Clearly, Lu Chen did not want people to know that the Rain-listening Pavilion was an extension of North Prince Mansion¡¯s power. By dealing through public accounts, future transactions between the Rain-listening Pavilion and the Prince¡¯s Mansion would seem like business dealings with any other merchants. At this point, Lu Chen asked, ¡°By the way, how is the business in the Capital City doing now?¡± Some time ago, with Mu Changtian¡¯s family being exiled, North Prince Mansion¡¯s businesses in the Capital City were left unattended. As a result, many of their shops were smashed, forcing them to close temporarily. Who was behind it, Lu Chen knew very well¡ªthe perfume and soap business had made many people envious. Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°Since the end of the conflicts in North City, no one has vandalized the shops in the Capital City anymore. Now, the soap and perfume from the Prince¡¯s Mansion are in such high demand that the shops often run out of stock to sell.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen set down his chopsticks and fell into thought. Although perfume and soap were selling well, the business of the Prince¡¯s Mansion was still too narrow in scope. Most importantly, it was possible that other Aristocratic Families would be able to replicate these products before long. Moreover, the profit from these items was insufficient to sustain his large-scale development of North City. Despite having earned millions of silver taels, that money couldn¡¯t even produce the armor for twenty thousand sets of Heavy Cavalry if it were all invested in that endeavor. Of course, if he weren¡¯t so ambitious, several million silver taels would be more than enough for Lu Chen to live lavishly in North City. But how could he not be ambitious? Now with the system at his disposal, and with internal turmoil brewing within Great Sum, the era of many competing lords was approaching. There¡¯s a saying, ¡°Rowing against the current: if you don¡¯t advance, you will be pushed back.¡± He must strive forward; his feudal state had to become strong. Otherwise, even if he had no desire to be Emperor, trouble would find him someday. Lu Chen thought to himself that indeed, he needed to have Mu Zixuan and the others bear him more children¡ªsurely the system rewards would then grant him methods to make more money. With this in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to recruit more workers.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan expressed her concern, ¡°Prince, I have recently heard that other Aristocratic Families are already replicating soap and perfume. Although their products are not as good as those produced by North Prince Mansion, they are cheaper. If we continue recruiting workers and our business later falters, these people might find themselves without a place to go.¡± In North City, the concept of ¡°workers,¡± a term coined by Lu Chen, referred to ¡°people who labor.¡± Nowadays, both the Prince¡¯s Mansion and the merchants of North City referred to those manufacturing perfume and soap for the North Prince Mansion as workers. Most of these workers had previously been poor commoners, even including many displaced people. Initially, to ensure these individuals didn¡¯t sell the formulas of the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen had them sign servitude contracts. Even with a contract of servitude, these workers lived better than the average commoner: guaranteed lifelong employment and daily provisions. In ancient times, this was already more comfortable living than most common folks. This group of workers, in fact, were servants of the North Prince Mansion, and what Mu Zixuan was considering was the mass recruitment of workers during good business times. But what to do with these workers if business declined later? They couldn¡¯t possibly all be accommodated within the North Prince Mansion, which didn¡¯t need that many servants. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s concern, Lu Chen smiled lightly and then said, ¡°My beloved, you need not worry about this issue. Just go ahead and recruit the workers. I have even bigger business for you to manage in the future, and even if our business can¡¯t continue, there will always be a need for people to cultivate new fields in North City.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan remembered that a few days ago, while in bed, Lu Chen seemed to have mentioned acquiring a new crop called ¡°sweet potato,¡± which, like potatoes, yielded an extremely large harvest. Chapter 174 - 174 Chapter 146: Mu Zixuan Is Pregnant Again_2 174 Chapter 146: Mu Zixuan Is Pregnant Again_2 Translator: 549690339 | Now that Lu Chen had obtained such crops, he would definitely have the land reclaimed for fanning. Considering this, no matter how many workers the North Prince Mansion recruited, there was currently no need to worry about not having a place to arrange them. With this in mind, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°This concubine understands. I will continue to recruit workers tomorrow.¡± After the topic ended, they chatted about some household matters while eating. Once dinner was finished, Dazhou and Xiaozhou took the children and left. After dinner, it was time for Lu Chen to bathe, and as for whose room Lu Chen would visit after the bath, that was entirely up to his mood and did not require any deliberate arrangement. Lu Chen usually spread his attention evenly, and even though he had been visiting Yelv Nanyan every day recently, Mu Zixuan and the others were not at all worried that he would stop visiting them because of his favoritism for Yelv Nanyan. Any woman who knew Lu Chen was aware that Yelv Nanyan alone couldn¡¯t withstand Lu Chen¡¯s passion, even if she was a Martial Artist. Bai Qingqing and Wang Qingci were Martial Artists too, yet every time the duty of attending to him in bed was mentioned, they could not help trembling. Yelv Nanyan was already in her thirties; she could not hold up. Lu Chen did not go to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room tonight. After his bath, he came out of his room and happened to see Mu Zixuan taking care of the child. Lu Chen approached Mu Zixuan and, observing Lu Changfeng in her arms, said with a fatherly smile, ¡°Feng¡¯er, tonight Daddy is going to compete with you for Mother¡¯s attention again and even for the food. You won¡¯t be angry with Daddy, will you?¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan, who was coaxing the child, looked up at Lu Chen with a grievance in her eyes, ¡°Prince, what are you saying? Feng¡¯er is still young; he cannot understand these things.¡± Lu Chen raised his hand and wrapped his arms around Mu Zixuan¡¯s waist, then chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m not only speaking to Feng¡¯er. What do you think, my consort?¡± Hearing what Lu Chen had said, a blush appeared on Mu Zixuan¡¯s face. The implication of Lu Chen¡¯s words was that he intended to spend the night here. As one of Lu Chen¡¯s women, how could she not understand? At this moment, Lu Chen glanced out of the window at the night sky and then continued, ¡°My consort, it¡¯s late. Let¡¯s send Feng¡¯er to sleep, and we can talk about other matters.¡± With a hum in agreement from Mu Zixuan, she called the wet nurse to take the child to the next room. After the wet nurse left, Lu Chen stood behind Mu Zixuan, hugged her slender waist tightly, and pressed against her back, whispering in her ear, ¡°My consort, I have something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was interested in her but did not take immediate action, instead saying that he had something to discuss, Mu Zixuan¡¯s curiosity was piqued. With the atmosphere as it was, what could there possibly be to discuss at this time? Mu Zixuan then asked curiously, ¡°Prince, what is it that you want to talk about?¡± Lu Chen leaned in close to Mu Zixuan¡¯s ear and breathed into it, speaking in a low, magnetic voice, ¡°I feel that Feng¡¯er is too lonely by himself; he should have another brother or sister.¡± This¡­ If one were to be realistic, Lu Changfeng could never be lonely. After all, there were Dazhou and Xiaozhou¡¯s children in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, with Lu Huanhuan and Lu Changsheng both being his siblings. Furthermore, Mu Zixuan had a sisterly relationship with Dazhou and Xiaozhou, and they all got along very well, spending every day together. When Lu Changfeng grew up, he would certainly not be lonely. Besides, in the royal family, having too many brothers and sisters wasn¡¯t always a good thing. But Mu Zixuan quickly realized that Lu Chen was not at all concerned about Lu Changfeng being lonely; he clearly wanted her to bear another child. In other words, Lu Chen was speaking words of affection to her. She thought to herself, how could Lu Chen still be in the mood to discuss such matters at this time? This was nothing serious at all. Suddenly, Mu Zixuan, with her face flushed, said, ¡°Prince, whatever number of children you wish for me to bear, I have no objections.¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s response, Lu Chen¡¯s hand moved to the sash around Mu Zixuan¡¯s waist, and, while he untied it, he walked towards the bed. ¡°Since my consort has agreed, let us not waste any more time.¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Mu Zixuan felt completely weak, letting Lu Chen have his way with her. [Host and Mu Zixuan cultivated their relationship once ¨C Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 40, Rejuvenating Skill experience value increased by 40, Dragon-Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell experience value increased by 40.] [Congratulations, Host has made Mu Zixuan pregnant ¨C awarded with an advanced explosive formula and the technology to manufacture red artillery.] [The pregnancy reward is an encouragement award. Please make an effort to ensure the child¡¯s birth, as the child¡¯s birth will lead to even richer rewards.] Seeing the system notification in front of him, Lu Chen did not feel surprised at all. Ordinary women are indeed different from Martial Artists. For ordinary women, as long as he wishes to make them pregnant, they can easily conceive his children. Lu Chen was surprised that the system rewarded him with the formula for gunpowder and the technology to produce red-coated cannons. Previously, the weapons that the system had rewarded were given by the system itself, such as grenades, Barretts, and 122mm howitzers. Though these modern weapons were handy, there was one significant issue: ammunition and shells were limited. Once they were used up, there were none left except for waiting for the system to reward him again. Especially the howitzers¡ªif he ran out of ammunition, all he could do was let them gather dust in a cave. But having the formula for gunpowder and the technology to produce red- coated cannons changed everything. Even though homemade red-coated cannons surely weren¡¯t as effective as the 122mm howitzers rewarded by the system, shells could be produced without limitation in this world. With the gunpowder formula, from now on, he could manufacture as many shells as he wanted, and even simple explosives were usable. With gunpowder, he had the confidence. At that moment, Mu Zixuan was lying in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, her fair arms wrapped around his neck. Seeing Lu Chen stroking his belly and seemingly deep in thought, she asked, ¡°Prince, what are you thinking about?¡± Lu Chen had just used the Rejuvenating Skill to help Mu Zixuan recover, and now she was much more spirited, without the weariness that followed intercourse. Lu Chen said directly, ¡°Consort, you¡¯re pregnant with my child again.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan was startled. It wasn¡¯t that she minded carrying her husband¡¯s child; it just seemed too soon to her. Not long ago, Lu Chen had expressed his desire for her to bear another child, and now, just two hours later, she was pregnant? Of course, Mu Zixuan never doubted Lu Chen¡¯s words. After all, Lu Chen was an immortal who knew the Immortal Law and could easily check her condition. Then Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Prince, are you telling the truth?¡± As Lu Chen caressed Mu Zixuan¡¯s beautiful cheek, he smiled and said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, my love. You will have to endure another year¡¯s hard work.¡± Resting on Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest, Mu Zixuan tenderly said, ¡°Giving birth to children for the Prince is my duty. It¡¯s not a hardship.¡± As Lu Chen stroked Mu Zixuan¡¯s hair and comforted her, the two of them soon fell asleep. The next morning. After getting up and having breakfast, Lu Chen went straight to the study. Once in the study, he immediately sent for Qin Yushan, Wenren Lie, and Xuanyuan Chen to come. As the Commander of the Brocade Guard, Qin Yushan spent most of his time near the Prince¡¯s Mansion and arrived quickly. Soon after, he appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s study. Upon entering the study, Qin Yushan first paid his respects. ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± Then Qin Yushan asked, ¡°Prince, you wanted to see me?¡± Lu Chen did not beat around the bush and said directly, ¡°Commander Qin, I am entrusting you with a very important task.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yushan was taken aback. For the North Prince to use the words ¡°very important,¡± it suggested that the matter held significant weight in the North Prince¡¯s heart. Qin Yushan immediately said, ¡°Please instruct me, Prince. Even if it means climbing a mountain of swords or descending into a sea of flames, I shall not shirk death and will spare no effort to complete the task you assign to me.¡± Lu Chen, somewhat speechless, said, ¡°There is no need for a mountain of swords or a sea of flames. I simply need you to call back a thousand Brocade Guards to help me supervise the production of a type of weapon.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yushan¡¯s first thought was the howitzers. Carefully, he asked, ¡°Prince, could it be the howitzers?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°It¡¯s not the howitzers, but it is similar and also a weapon with immense destructive power. The principles behind it are not so different.¡± ¡°Naturally, the method to produce this weapon is also simpler.¡± The reason Lu Chen wanted the Brocade Guard to supervise the production of gunpowder and red-coated cannons was that he was worried about the technologies leaking out. The Brocade Guards were summoned through the system and were his steadfast loyalists; they would never betray him. Having them oversee the production was the only way for Lu Chen to feel assured. Chapter 175 - 175 Chapter 147 Confused Xiao Wenyao i 175 Chapter 147 Confused Xiao Wenyao i Translator: 549690339 | Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Qin Yushan couldn¡¯t help but think that it indeed sounded like a big killer weapon similar to artillery. Just imagining the shrapnel from artillery exploding, instantly blasting a Grandmaster into several large pieces, sent a chill down Qin Yushan¡¯s spine. Once such weapons were mass-produced, from then on, Grandmasters might not be much different from ordinary people, since even ordinary people using artillery could kill a Grandmaster. As a Grandmaster in the Martial Arts World, Qin Yushan was unwilling to see such weapons being mass-produced, as it would shake the very foundation of the Martial Arts World and the status of Grandmasters. However, as a subordinate of the Son of Destiny, he of course wanted to see the North Prince wielding these big killers to slaughter enemies far and wide, and then unify the entire continent. At this point, Qin Yushan said, ¡°Please rest assured, my prince. I will dedicate all my efforts to supervising the production of the weapons you mentioned and will absolutely prevent the manufacturing methods from being leaked to anyone.¡± Qin Yushan was well aware of the importance of such a weapon, after all, it was capable of killing a Grandmaster in an instant. The method for making this kind of big killing weapon absolutely couldn¡¯t be known by any power, otherwise, it would be a disaster for North City and the North Prince. But at this moment, Qin Yushan suddenly thought of something and then asked, ¡°My prince, the Brocade Guard doesn¡¯t have the craftsmen capable of manufacturing the weapon you mentioned. May I know from where these craftsmen should be summoned?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that for now, the craftsmen will be available soon.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than the voice of a maidservant came from outside, ¡°Your Highness, General Wenren and General Xuanyuan have arrived.¡± ¡°Let them in.¡± The next moment, Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie entered the study. Both men paid their respects simultaneously, saying in unison, ¡°Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Lu Chen gave a slight nod, ¡°Rise.¡± Xuanyuan Chen asked, ¡°Your Highness, may I know the reason for summoning us?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Great Yu City can forge fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. I believe Great Yu City must have a lot of craftsmen, right?¡± Hearing this, Qin Yushan at his side was momentarily taken aback, immediately understanding the meaning of Lu Chen¡¯s earlier statement that craftsmen would be available soon. At that time, Xuanyuan Chen replied, ¡°Replying to Your Highness, one can say that everyone in Great Yu City is a craftsman. Once children reach a certain age, they need to learn a craft, even girls are no exception.¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised; the people of Great Yu City¡¯s thinking was quite advanced indeed, demanding that everyone learn a craft, making him feel as though the Great Yu Remnants were all from the Mohist school. Lu Chen then said, ¡°It¡¯s like this. I plan to summon some of Great Yu City¡¯s craftsmen to North City to manufacture some weapons for me. I know the people of Great Yu City are reluctant to leave, but making these weapons, I must have trustworthy craftsmen.¡± ¡°The only craftsmen I can trust are in Great Yu City. Next, I¡¯ll trouble the two generals to write a letter to Great Yu City and dispatch one thousand craftsmen skilled in metal smelting to Yan County.¡± The five hundred thousand commoners of Great Yu City were also granted by the system and were absolutely loyal to Lu Chen, so for the manufacture of the artillery, he certainly would choose them over the craftsmen of North City. Besides, North City did not have many craftsmen who could assist Lu Chen in making the artillery. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chen immediately said, ¡°I will write to Great Yu City presently. Please rest assured, Your Highness, within one month, Great Yu City will send craftsmen to Yan County.¡± Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan, Wenren Lie, and Xuanyuan Chen, ¡°The task of making the artillery is entrusted to you three. You must remember, the manufacturing of such a weapon must not be known by anyone outside of those involved, not even the Mu family members.¡± Qin Yushan and the others immediately said, ¡°Please be assured, Your Highness, we will keep silent on the matter.¡± At that point, Lu Chen took out the gunpowder formula from the system space and placed it on the desk, ¡°Commander Qin, before the craftsmen from Great Yu City arrive, you can have the Brocade Guard collect the materials listed on this paper. Remember one thing, you must absolutely prevent anyone from knowing that it¡¯s you collecting these items.¡± Qin Yushan picked up the formula for making gunpowder that Lu Chen had given him and said, ¡°Understood, Your Highness. I will act cautiously and ensure that no other powers detect that it is the Prince¡¯s Mansion collecting these items.¡± Qin Yushan clearly understood what the contents of the paper he held signified; it was the materials for making artillery shells, and if others learned that the Prince¡¯s Mansion was collecting these items, even if they didn¡¯t know the formula for gunpowder, there might still be someone who could deduce the formula based on the materials being collected extensively by the Prince¡¯s Mansion. In short, the manufacturing of the artillery needed to be extremely cautious. ¡°Well then, you three may depart to make the preparations.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, Qin Yushan and the others said in unison: ¡°We take our leave, Your Highness!¡± Following this, the three of them left Lu Chen¡¯s study. Meanwhile. Spring Sound Court. This courtyard originally had no name, but every time the maidservants and servants from the Prince¡¯s Mansion passed by outside this courtyard, they would hear a certain kind of sound, and gradually, someone named it the Spring Sound Court, and thus it was called by everyone. After Xiao Wenyao woke up, she was dressed by her maidservants, freshened up, and enjoyed a hearty breakfast. Chapter 176 - Chapter 147 Confused Xiao Wenyao_2 Chapter 147 Confused Xiao Wenyao_2 Translator: 549690339 | Afterwards, she just sat in her room, with nothing to do. As she looked at the empty room and the monotonous courtyard outside, Xiao Wenyao felt somewhat lost. Ever since she arrived at the North Prince Mansion, Xiao Wenyao had regarded herself as the North Prince¡¯s Female Slave, believing that she would serve Lu Chen just like those slaves she had in the past. She was to serve Lu Chen, and also be tormented by him, just like he tormented Yelv Nanyan. But as the days passed, Xiao Wenyao realized that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t come to look for her even once. Furthermore, she discovered that her position as a Female Slave seemed to have a certain status in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Even though she was a Female Slave, the Prince¡¯s Mansion actually arranged servants and maids to take care of her daily needs. Shouldn¡¯t she be taking care of Lu Chen¡¯s daily needs along with these maids? Why did it seem like she had become the mistress of the Prince¡¯s Mansion now, with such good treatment? If the Female Slaves of the North Prince always received such treatment, then perhaps being the North Prince¡¯s Female Slave wasn¡¯t so bad? However, Xiao Wenyao used to ride horses and roam freely on the grasslands. She was accustomed to the life on the grasslands, and now, suddenly being confined to a courtyard, she was finding it very hard to adapt. She longed to get out, to be free. Xiao Wenyao was not unaware of her situation; she knew she was now Lu Chen¡¯s Female Slave and without the permission of her master, she could not roam around as she pleased. However, deep inside, she just couldn¡¯t let go of the feeling of freely galloping across the grasslands on horseback. Thinking of this, Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao rose from her seat. She went straight to the room next door where Yelv Nanyan was staying. Although she still harbored some resentment towards Yelv Nanyan, in the entire North Prince Mansion only the two of them were from the Barbarian Tribe. She felt so alone and isolated, the only way to alleviate her loneliness was to talk to Yelv Nanyan. At that time, Yelv Nanyan was sitting on a stool, learning needlework. Seeing Xiao Wenyao enter, Yelv Nanyan put down her work and greeted her with a warm smile, ¡°Yaoyao, are you getting used to life in the North Prince Mansion?¡± If you were to ask if Yelv Nanyan felt any guilt towards Xiao Wenyao, of course, she did. She was indirectly responsible for the death of Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother, but it was just a sliver of guilt since she was not the one who had poisoned Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mother. Yelv Nanyan had always been kind to Xiao Wenyao, treating her like a younger sister, especially after coming to the North Prince Mansion. Now that there were only the two of them from the Barbarian Tribe, she felt even more fond of Xiao Wenyao. They shared a bond of mutual pity. Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s question, Xiao Wenyao sat down at the table and, bowing her head, let out a sigh before saying, ¡°I suppose I¡¯m getting used to it, but Lady Yelv, are we truly the North Prince¡¯s Female Slaves?¡± Upon hearing Xiao Wenyao still address her as Lady Yelv, Yelv Nanyan quickly replied, ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m no longer the Sky Wolf King¡¯s consort. You can¡¯t call me that anymore.¡± ¡°There can only be one consort in the North Prince Mansion. If others heard you say that, they would certainly think we harbor ulterior motives. Then, both of us would be punished!¡± Seeing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s seriousness, Xiao Wenyao realized she had misspoken and her face instantly turned pale. Yelv Nanyan continued, ¡°Yaoyao, from now on, just call me Nanyan Sister.¡± Stumbling over her words, Xiao Wenyao responded, ¡°Oh, alright, Nanyan Sister.¡± Yelv Nanyan then added, ¡°Strictly speaking, we¡¯re not really the North Prince¡¯s Female Slaves. Have you ever seen slaves who are taken care of by maids and servants?¡± Xiao Wenyao agreed, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°From now on, we will both be concubines of the North Prince. Compared to Female Slaves, we do hold a certain status in the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡± But remember, Yaoyao, never think that our status allows us to act recklessly. After all, we are captives, and you must always regard yourself as the North Prince¡¯s Female Slave, not always as his concubine.¡± Xiao Wenyao responded, ¡°Nanyan Sister, I understand what you mean.¡± Then Xiao Wenyao glanced at the doorway and the courtyard, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Nanyan Sister, did the Prince not come to your room last night?¡± Since Xiao Wenyao hadn¡¯t heard any noise coming from Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room the night before, she assumed that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t visited. She knew that in the preceding days, she could almost always hear noises every night, and they would often last for several hours, even the whole night. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s delicate body could not help but tremble involuntarily. At first, Yelv Nanyan very much enjoyed the feeling of being with Lu Chen. But as Lu Chen visited every day, Yelv Nanyan began to feel overwhelmed, even though she discovered that Lu Chen was using a special cultivation technique to heal the wounds on her body, which made her feel almost no discomfort at all. However, these last few mornings when she got up, Yelv Nanyan still felt her mind was a mess, and her walking was all hazy, with legs that could hardly stand. She was always trembling. Yelv Nanyan now felt a deep fear of Lu Chen. Coming back to her senses, Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Wenyao continued to ask in a whisper, ¡°Nanyan, I have a question for you, and I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s okay to ask.¡± Seeing Xiao Wenyao so cautious, Yelv Nanyan asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± Xiao Wenyao leaned in and then whispered into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Nanyan, I¡¯ve heard your voice every night these past few days, but I always feel there¡¯s something strange about it. Is it really painful to be tormented by the Prince? Wiry do I feel like your voice doesn¡¯t seem to be from pain?¡± At this, Yelv Nanyan couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud. Unlike the women of Great Sum, the women of the grasslands knew little about matters between men and women before they got married, usually exploring such matters only after marrying their men. Xiao Wenyao was still ignorant and knew nothing about these things. Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°Yaoyao, you don¡¯t need to worry. The day the Prince goes to your room, you will understand what it¡¯s all about. But rest assured, I can tell you plainly, there is no pain involved.¡± After hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s answer, Xiao Wenyao was dumbfounded. Tormented by the North Prince but feeling no pain at all? Was that possible? Was Yelv Nanyan deceiving her? If there was no pain, would she really have screamed so miserably? Seeing the confusion on Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°Yaoyao, you¡¯ve never been with a man, so it¡¯s normal that you don¡¯t understand some things, but you can trust what I¡¯m saying. Sometimes, people shout not because they are in pain.¡± ¡°As a woman of the grasslands, you should know very well that sometimes, when we grassland people achieve some kind of victory, we often shout loudly. Do you say that¡¯s because they are in pain? They shout and cheer because they¡¯re happy, it¡¯s a joyful noise, not out of pain.¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan explain this, Xiao Wenyao seemed to understand something. Xiao Wenyao remembered that after the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe defeated other smaller tribes, those soldiers often yelled at the top of their lungs. They shouted and roared because they had achieved victory. They were cheering, shouts of joy, not because of pain. Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t help but think, so, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s moans were because she had achieved some kind of victory with the North Prince, and that¡¯s why she was shouting loudly? Some kind of victory? Xiao Wenyao now thought of the scene she had secretly witnessed before. Could it be because Yelv Nanyan had trapped the North Prince with her body? So, Yelv Nanyan felt victorious, and that¡¯s why she had been shouting loudly? Yes, that must be it. With that thought, Xiao Wenyao finally felt a stone lift from her heart, just then, a maid came in and said, ¡°Lady Yelv, Lady Xiao, the princess has invited both of you to the North Courtyard for tea.¡± Hearing this, both of them were stunned. Chapter 177 - Chapter 148: This King Intends to Attack North City in Winteri Chapter 148: This King Intends to Attack North City in Winteri Translator: 549690339 Mu Zixuan had been extremely kind to Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao from the day they entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, not treating them in the least as captives. She not only sent them delicious food every day, but also instructed the maids to take great care of them, especially to Yelv Nanyan, who almost received supplements from Mu Zixuan every morning. Sometimes Yelv Nanyan also wondered if Mu Zixuan¡¯s gifts were due to Lu Chen visiting her so often, perhaps arousing Mu Zixuan¡¯s dissatisfaction, and thus the supplements were a reminder for her to be mindful of her own status. However, as time went by, Yelv Nanyan realized that there was no sarcasm intended in Mu Zixuan¡¯s act of sending supplements; even the maidservants attending to her blushed as they assured her that the Princess Consort¡¯s gifts were sincerely meant. By now, Yelv Nanyan had thoroughly accepted Mu Zixuan¡¯s kindness and had come to understand why the Princess Consort was so good to her. Yelv Nanyan had initially thought that the harem of the Great Xia Emperor or that of the princes were full of intrigue, but such was almost non-existent in the North Prince Mansion, mainly because the master was too formidable, and no woman could withstand the love of the North Prince on her own. If a woman were to bewitch the North Prince completely, then her death would probably not be far away. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao whispered to Yelv Nanyan, ¡°Nanyan, should we go over?¡± Hearing this question, Yelv Nanyan reminded Xiao Wenyao, ¡°Yaoyao, you must always remember one thing: in the North Prince Mansion, aside from the North Prince, the Princess Consort has the utmost authority. Whatever the Princess Consort asks you to do, you must do it. If the Princess Consort invites us to tea, there isn¡¯t a special reason we could refuse¡ªdo you understand?¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s reminder, Xiao Wenyao immediately nodded, ¡°I understand.¡± Afterward, Yelv Nanyan set aside her embroidery, stood up, and walked toward the door, saying as she went, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re heading to the north courtyard.¡± Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao then proceeded to the north courtyard. When the two arrived at the north courtyard, they found that many ladies were already gathered inside the pavilion; Lu Chen¡¯s women were practically all there. Seeing Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao arrive, Mu Zixuan greeted them warmly, ¡°Nanyan, Yaoyao, you¡¯re here; please take a seat quickly.¡± Even though Mu Zixuan was enthusiastic, Yelv Nanyan still led Xiao Wenyao in a formal greeting, ¡°We¡¯ve seen the Princess Consort.¡± Mu Zixuan smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Nanyan, there aren¡¯t so many formalities in the North Prince Mansion; you don¡¯t need to greet me with such ceremony.¡± The atmosphere in the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion was much more relaxed compared to the outer courtyard. There was no need for constant formalities upon meeting, perhaps influenced by Lu Chen; once inside the inner courtyard, the sense of ritual in Mu Zixuan and the others immediately lessened significantly. After all, in the inner courtyard, the North Prince was supreme, and the others were his women. Yelv Nanyan said nothing further; she and Xiao Wenyao sat down in the pavilion, where a maid poured each of them a cup of tea. Mu Zixuan, smiling, said, ¡°This is a unique tea of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Give it a try.¡± Since it was the Princess Consort offering tea, it certainly had to be tried. Without a second thought, Yelv Nanyan picked up her teacup and took a gentle sip. Seeing Yelv Nanyan lift her teacup, Xiao Wenyao hurried to do the same, tasting a sip of the tea. Upon this first sip, both of them realized at once that their bodies felt much lighter, as if the tea could greatly relieve fatigue and anxiety. Yelv Nanyan then said, ¡°Thankyou for the tea, Princess Consort. This tea must be quite precious, mustn¡¯t it?¡± Both Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, being martial artists, sensed immediately the effect the tea had on them. Drinking this tea while practicing martial arts would be highly beneficial for them. This tea was certainly a priceless treasure, and they had not expected the Princess Consort to serve them with such tea. Mu Zixuan, with a smile, replied, ¡°The tea trees are planted right here in the mansion¡¯s garden. It¡¯s not considered precious for us. Of course, the Prince has a rule that this tea can only be drunk by his women or the Prince¡¯s most valued guests.¡± Yelv Nanyan responded, ¡°I see.¡± Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°If Nanyan likes this tea, you can have the maids pick leaves from the main courtyard to brew it. You are now one of the Prince¡¯s women too, so you can drink it freely.¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°Thankyou, Princess Consort.¡± Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°Nanyan, you¡¯re still not at ease, a bit too courteous. From now on, we are all one family; there¡¯s no need for such formality.¡± With that, Mu Zixuan glanced at Xiao Wenyao and asked, ¡°Yaoyao, are you getting accustomed to life in the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Xiao Wenyao, about to reach for the pastries on the table, withdrew her hand quickly upon Mu Zixuan¡¯s call, looking almost guilty. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m getting used to it, thank you for your concern, Princess Consort.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Afterward, they chatted over tea and pastries about various household matters, appearing to be particularly close. Yelv Nanyan wasn¡¯t sure if it was just her perception, but she found the harem of the North Prince to be even more harmonious than she had imagined. The children of Mu Zixuan and those of Dazhou and Xiaozhou were reared together, even helping to look after one another¡¯s children. Chapter 178 - Chapter 148: This King Intends to Attack North City in Winter_2 Chapter 148: This King Intends to Attack North City in Winter_2 Translator 549690339 This also made Yelv Nanyan once again feel the charm of the North Prince, a man who could keep the harem so harmonious was rare, not to mention Great Sum, even the harems of the Barbarian Tribes on the steppes were full of intrigue and strife. It reminded Yelv Nanyan of her childhood, when her mother, as a member of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s harem, would often suffer the insults of other Barbarian women. Enduring insults from other Barbarian women was one thing, but even the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s King would beat and kick her. At that moment, the harmonious scene in the North Court made Yelv Nanyan wish time could stop at this very instant. A few days later. In the camp of the North Fre King, the royal court. An old man with a large beard, wearing a fur coat, his skin layered with grime, sat upon the throne. This throne had been brought back by the soldiers of the North Fre King from the former royal court of the Sky Wolf Tribe. And the man sitting on the throne was none other than the North Fre King. At this time, the North Fre King had an extremely ugly look on his face; it was as if he was constipated, with dark skin reddening with anger, an appearance of furious indignation. The North Fre King was roaring at this moment. ¡°I lent so many soldiers, and to think they were defeated, defeat is one thing, but they even moved the entire Sky Wolf Tribe to North City!!!¡± ¡°What do they take me for!!!¡± He had originally felt some schadenfreude upon hearing the news of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s defeat, as he had long set his sights on conquering the Sky Wolf Tribe. The Sky Wolf King had always been dominant in the North Land, and his tribe would have to take a detour upon encountering the Sky Wolf Tribe. Now, seeing the decline of the Sky Wolf Tribe, he had wanted to consume it and become the most powerful Barbarian Tribe in the North Land. Most importantly, the North Fre King had always been fixated on the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife and Xiao Wenyao. Just the thought of those two great beauties made the North Fre King¡¯s mouth water uncontrollably, and the moment he heard of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s defeat, he had already considered the two women his own. But when his soldiers arrived at the Sky Wolf King¡¯s royal court, the people of the Sky Wolf Tribe had vanished without a trace. Moreover, he heard that Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao had been captured and taken to the Prince¡¯s Mansion by that brat from the south. Knowing well what those two great beauties would face in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, how could the North Fre King, as a man, be oblivious to that? The thought of the cooked duck flying away left the North Fre King especially infuriated. At that time, one of his subordinates in the royal tent suggested, ¡°Great King, why don¡¯t we attack North City, and make that little whelp hand over the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife and the Sky Wolf King¡¯s daughter!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, another Barbarian General also chimed in, ¡°Exactly, not only should we make that brat hand over those two women, but we should also get them to hand over all the people from the Sky Wolf Tribe! ¡± Hearing what his General had said, the North Fre King snorted coldly, ¡°Three hundred thousand troops were defeated, and you want me to attack North City? If you want to die, that¡¯s your business, but I don¡¯t want to die!¡± Although the North Fre King verbally scorned the Sky Wolf Tribe as worthless, he was no fool; North City was clearly not something their Barbarian Tribe could afford to provoke right now. To attack North City at this point would be courting death. However, at this moment, a General voiced a particularly unique opinion. ¡°Great King, think about it, although North City has won, to eliminate the Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand troops, they must have suffered heavy losses themselves!¡± ¡°Even if they won, it must have been a pyrrhic victory, and Great Sum also paid a great price. Moreover, they might still be immersed in the joy of defeating the Sky Wolf Tribe, certainly letting down their guard about the North Land. Right now, if we suddenly launch an attack on North City, they won¡¯t have time to react.¡± Considering the Barbarian General¡¯s analysis, the North Fre King suddenly felt there was a lot of sense to it. After all, the Sky Wolf King had led three hundred thousand troops to attack North City; it was impossible for Great Sum to have suffered no losses at all. Great Sum must have also lost many soldiers. At this moment, if they suddenly launched troops to attack North City, Great Sum¡¯s military wouldn¡¯t be able to send reinforcements to North City for a while. However, speaking of which, they initially gave the Sky Wolf King tens of thousands of soldiers, and now their tribe has hardly any able-bodied fighters left. If the soldiers from the North Fre King¡¯s tribal lands were all mustered together, the estimate is that only about tens of thousands of soldiers could be assembled. The North Fre King pondered for a long time, then said, ¡°Currently, the royal court only has tens of thousands of soldiers. If we send troops now, it would be disadvantageous for us. Issue a summoning order immediately, gather the Barbarian Warriors from the small tribes to the royal court. Two months from now, we will attack North City!¡± At that time, a Barbarian General said, ¡°My King, two months from now will be deep winter, taking troops south during winter might be very unfavorable for us.¡± Usually, when the Barbarian tribes raid southward, it is before winter begins, mainly to prepare enough food for winter. It is rare for them to attack Great Sum during the deep winter. Once winter arrives, fierce snowstorms hit the plains first. The cold is one thing, but being easily lost on the grasslands is another, even for the Barbarians who live there year-round, not to mention the challenge of dealing with the harsh winter. It can be said that heading south in winter is a poor choice. The North Fre King, undeterred, said, ¡°This King intends to attack North City during winter. By winter, that whelp in Great Sum and North City will certainly think we won¡¯t advance southward. If we strike southward unexpectedly at this time, we can catch them unprepared.¡± ¡°Then, the Great Sum imperial court will also be unable to support North City in time. Taking North City will be an easy task for us.¡± ¡°If you ask me, the Sky Wolf King is a fool, always rushing to attack North City so early every year. The people of Great Sum must have made preparations having been raided at the same time annually. They deserve to have their entire army decimated. This King will not follow in his footsteps.¡± Seeing the North Fre King speak so, his Generals had no choice but to stay silent. A few days later. North Prince Mansion. Today, the North Prince Mansion was festooned with lights and decorations. Upon hearing that the North Prince was to take a wife, many of the well-to-do from North City made their way to the North Prince Mansion to congratulate him. Most people already knew that the North Prince was to marry Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. Some thought that the North Prince was avenging the Great Sum people, since it had always been the Barbarian Tribe seizing the women of Great Sum, and at last, it was the turn of the Great Sum people to take the women from the Barbarian Tribe. Yet others thought that the North Prince was disgracing the royal family; after all, he is a Prince, how could he marry two Barbarian women? This was clearly against the rites and rituals. This wedding was personally managed by Mu Zixuan. Once the banquet was over, Lu Chen first went to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. Yelv Nanyan was dressed in a red robe, sitting quietly by the bed, not wearing a bridal veil. She glanced around at the room decorations, feeling as though she was in a dream. She had never imagined that one day she would have such a wedding. From a young age, she had heard from her mother about the wedding scenes of the Great Sum people and had longed for it, too. But she also clearly understood that what she longed for was just a pipe dream, almost certainly never to happen. What she never expected was that she would ultimately have the wedding she dreamed of. In a soft voice, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°Is this really not a dream?¡± No sooner had Yelv Nanyan finished speaking than Lu Chen pushed open the door and entered the room, smiling as he said, ¡°This is definitely not a dream.¡± Seeing Lu Chen enter, a blush crept across Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face. Lu Chen immediately came to the bedside and embraced Yelv Nanyan¡¯s soft body, though he did not immediately proceed to the next step. Lu Chen had spent the night with Yelv Nanyan the evening before, and he would usually leave only after exhausting all his energy with her, so at the moment, he was not in the mood for such activities. With his arms around Yelv Nanyan, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Nanyan, from now on you are my woman, and you must bear me many children. Hearing this, Yelv Nanyan replied with some embarrassment, ¡°Mmm, that is my duty.¡± For Yelv Nanyan, being held by this man who was over a decade her junior still felt strange, even though they had already consummated their marriage, and it still seemed odd to her. At that time, Yelv Nanyan suggested, ¡°Prince, since you spent last night with me, why don¡¯t you spend tonight with Yaoyao?¡± Chapter 179 - Chapter 149 Xiao Wenyaos Plan Succeedsi Chapter 149 Xiao Wenyao¡¯s Plan Succeedsi Translator: 549690339 | Seeing the blushing beauty, Lu Chen suddenly felt an urge to tease her. He stared into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°Nanyan, what do you mean? Today is our wedding day. Are you trying to drive me away?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice by her ear, Yelv Nanyan felt a bit restless inside. She quickly said, ¡°Prince, I didn¡¯t mean that, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Yelv Nanyan wanted to say that Lu Chen had been busy all night yesterday, and he shouldn¡¯t still be here today, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. Seeing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s flushed face and shy demeanor, Lu Chen¡¯s previously tranquil heart was suddenly filled with ripples. His arm then tightened further around her, hugging Yelv Nanyan closely, and from time to time, he whispered into her ear, making her incredibly uncomfortable under his seduction. Nonetheless, Yelv Nanyan persisted, ¡°Prince, I have already enjoyed your favor, but Yaoyao has not. She has just married you, and she must be eagerly waiting for you to dote on her.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just came to sit here for a while. I will go over there in a bit.¡± When Yelv Nanyan heard Lu Chen¡¯s words, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Chen had left her room only in the morning; if he were to come again, she couldn¡¯t bear to think what she would feel like tomorrow. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Nanyan, how do you feel about the wedding I prepared for you today? Did it meet the wedding you imagined?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for treating me, a captive, so well. I will definitely bear more heirs for the Prince in the future, to repay you.¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Lu Chen was very pleased. Finally, a Martial Artist understood, and he raised his hand, gently patting her buttocks, and then said, ¡°Nanyan understands better than the bitch next door, who has deceived me of so much affection, and still, to this date, hasn¡¯t conceived my child.¡± The ¡°bitch¡± Lu Chen was referring to was naturally Wang Qingci. Every time Lu Chen left her room, she would quickly expel all the impurities from her body, as if terrified of carrying Lu Chen¡¯s child. For Lu Chen, impregnating female Martial Artists had always been a challenge. Setting aside the fact that it was difficult for female Martial Artists to conceive, the bigger issue was that female Martial Artists could easily prevent pregnancy. Take Wang Qingci and Bai Qingqing, for example; if they didn¡¯t want to bear Lu Chen¡¯s children, no amount of his efforts would be useful. He certainly couldn¡¯t use his status as Prince to order them to get pregnant. If he really did that, it would probably be pointless. Since Martial Artists naturally had a hard time getting pregnant, they could easily claim it was due to their constitution, leaving Lu Chen uncertain if it was true or false. If female Martial Artists had the awareness of Yelv Nanyan and proactively wanted to bear children for Lu Chen, then the trouble would be halved. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face felt a bit hot. Being a woman in her thirties and being held in the arms of a younger man, being called ¡°my Nanyan¡± felt utterly embarrassing. Then, the two of them cuddled together, talking about the grassland and Barbarian Tribes migrating into North City. Although Lu Chen was flirtatious throughout, he did not take things any further with her. Meanwhile. In the next room. Xiao Wenyao, dressed in a red bridal gown, sat on the edge of the bed, pricking up her ears to eavesdrop on the neighboring room. Xiao Wenyao felt puzzled; she had clearly heard the maid outside say ¡°Greeting, Prince,¡± indicating that Lu Chen must have arrived and gone to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. But why was there still no sound after so much time? This didn¡¯t make sense. If it were the past¡­ Forget the past; even last night Lu Chen had gone to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room, and there was a significant commotion. Strange¡­ Could it be that Yelv Nanyan had succumbed to Lu Chen? Affected by Yelv Nanyan before, Xiao Wenyao had developed a unique line of thinking, believing that if she heard Yelv Nanyan¡¯s voice, it meant that Yelv Nanyan had bested Lu Chen and was cheerfully celebrating. Now, without any sound, did it mean that Yelv Nanyan was, in a sense, defeated by Lu Chen? That Yelv Nanyan was now undergoing torment? With this thought, Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Xiao Wenyao consoled herself that she was, after all, a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist. Although Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, as long as he was human, he had weaknesses, and Lu Chen had his. Yelv Nanyan had successfully trapped Lu Chen¡¯s weakness, and she should be able to do the same. Later, if Lu Chen dared to come to her room, she would also trap Lu Chen like Yelv Nanyan did and show Lu Chen how formidable she was. In her nervousness, she didn¡¯t know how long she waited, but finally, Xiao Wenyao heard the voice of a maid at the door. ¡°Greeting, Prince.¡± The next moment, the door was pushed open, and Lu Chen entered the room. Seeing the exceptionally handsome Lu Chen, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s heartbeat raced, and she instantly became extremely nervous, feeling as if even breathing had become difficult. Xiao Wenyao took a deep breath quickly. Steady, steady. Stay calm; you must stay calm. Nanyan has trapped him; I can too! Chapter 180 - Chapter 149 Xiao Wenyaos Plan Succeeds_2 Chapter 149 Xiao Wenyao¡¯s Plan Succeeds_2 Translator: 549690339 As long as I use the method Nanyan suggested, even the North Prince¡¯s strength will be useless when the time comes. With this thought, Xiao Wenyao calmed down slightly. Then, she began to speak with a stammer, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, you have arrived.¡± Though she was much calmer than before, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s heart was still incredibly nervous. Seeing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face flushed with nervousness, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Yaoyao, I heard that the women of the grasslands are particularly bold. Why are you so nervous to see me? Do you think I¡¯m going to devour you?¡± Xiao Wenyao immediately denied, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, I¡­ I¡¯m not nervous.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then walked straight to the bedside. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly draw near, Xiao Wenyao felt her heart begin to race again. Her body involuntarily wanted to flee the place, but just as she was about to move, Lu Chen¡¯s strong arms wrapped around her. In an instant, Xiao Wenyao caught a whiff of a unique masculine scent, strange but at the same time intoxicatingly pleasant to her. Her body unconsciously wanted to get even closer to Lu Chen. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, did you¡­ did you go to see Nanyan?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I just came from her place. Why? Are you unhappy because I didn¡¯t come to see you first?¡± Xiao Wenyao quickly said, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not unhappy.¡± Xiao Wenyao was still sensible enough not to express any dissatisfaction with what Lu Chen did. Although she was now married to Lu Chen, she was very aware that she was still his captive, still a female slave of the North Prince. Only by humbling herself could she survive better in the North Prince Mansion -a reminder Nanyan had given her, which Xiao Wenyao always held close to her heart. At this time, Lu Chen held Xiao Wenyao in his embrace and then pinched her body, laughing as he said, ¡°It seems you¡¯re quite different from Nanyan. Your muscles are more developed, making you appear stronger. Although Nanyan was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, thanks to the Martial Arts she practiced, her body didn¡¯t have too many evident muscles. Her body was primarily covered with fat, which was evenly distributed. An even distribution of body fat had a big advantage for a woman: it preserved beauty by making her look voluptuous without appearing fat. The entire body felt incredibly soft to embrace, and with fat being a good insulator, it gave a warm and passionate sensation. In comparison to Nanyan, Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t have as much fat on her body, which felt inferior to the touch. However, because of her habitual horseback riding, the muscles on her body were particularly firm, especially her long legs. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s assessment of herself, Xiao Wenyao quietly said, ¡°I¡­ I often ride horses, so my body is more toned¡­ more solid.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Being a bit toned is good too.¡± At that moment, blushing, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, let¡­ let me serve you and help you rest.¡± Then, Xiao Wenyao tried to assume the role of a female slave, even changing the self-referential ¡°I¡± to ¡°slave.¡± Among her Barbarian Tribe, slaves referred to themselves in this way. Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t wait to ensnare Lu Chen. She feared he would torment her, and only by capturing his weak spot could she avoid being tormented by Lu Chen. Suddenly, she felt that Nanyan¡¯s method was excellent, even admiring Nanyan a little. Although Lu Chen was a Grandmaster and their strength certainly couldn¡¯t match his, there was no doubt about it. But as long as they trapped Lu Chen, he would be powerless against them. To trap Lu Chen, she had to lower her stance and let Lu Chen drop his guard. At this moment, Lu Chen was completely unaware that the woman in front of him was already plotting how to deal with him, still thinking Xiao Wenyao was just an innocent girl from the grasslands. Seeing Xiao Wenyao so proactive, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Alright. He then laid Xiao Wenyao down on the bed, and she actively began to unbuckle his belt, thinking about quickly deceiving Lu Chen and then seizing the opportunity to learn from Nanyan¡¯s ways. Soon, Lu Chen ¡°fell into the trap.¡± Xiao Wenyao¡¯s plan was successful. But at the moment her plan succeeded, she finally realized something was amiss. ¡°Mmm¡­ liar¡­¡± ¡°[Congratulations, host, for acquiring another concubine. You have been rewarded with the breeding techniques of sorghum and the production methods of sorghum wine.]¡± ¡± [Host has cultivated a relationship with Xiao Wenyao once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience has increased by 60, Rejuvenating Skill experience has increased by 60, Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell experience has increased by 6o.J¡± At the same time. Outside the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Qin Yushan was hurriedly entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and upon seeing the lights and decorations, he hesitated. Today was a day of great joy for the Prince¡¯s Mansion; was it really suitable for him to seek out the Prince at this time? Upon seeing Qin Yushan¡¯s arrival, the ice-cold beauty Bai Qingqing said indifferently, ¡°Commander Qin, what¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Seeing Qin Yushan¡¯s genuinely anxious appearance, it must be something important requiring Lu Chen¡¯s attention. As Lu Chen¡¯s personal guard, it was natural for Bai Qingqing to inquire. Qin Yushan quickly said, ¡°I have intelligence from the North Land to report to the Prince, but today is his day of great joy.¡± Bai Qingqing, with a poker face, said, ¡°If it is intelligence that will not endanger North City within a day or two, just deliver it to the study. After thinking it over, Qin Yushan then said, ¡°Guard Bai, I understand. However, when the Prince comes out later, please remind him that there is intelligence from the North Land in the study, and ask him to take a look.¡± Bai Qingqing coldly uttered a ¡°Fine,¡± and then fell silent once more. Right after, Qin Yushan immediately delivered the intelligence he had just received to Lu Chen¡¯s study. In this moment. Great Sum, Capital city. Residence of the Eighth Prince. After leaving North City, Wang Yong did not return to the Wang Family but instead went straight to the Capital city, staying by Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s side. Today, the Eighth Prince¡¯s Mansion was once again filled with people. Although last time, Lu Shuyun¡¯s staff and servants were wiped out to the last, Lu Shuyun was, after all, a prince, and it didn¡¯t take long for a large group of staff and visitors to gather around him again. Inside the council hall, everyone¡¯s expressions were serious, as if they were discussing something important. Right then, Wang Yong spoke to Lu Shuyun, ¡°Your Highness, to my knowledge, the State Preceptor visited North City not long ago. Although this news isn¡¯t widely known, and there don¡¯t seem to be any special movements from the Imperial Palace, there are still whispers in the wind.¡± Situ Ce is a National Pillar of Great Sum, the foremost defender of Capital city¡¯s security and the most crucial person protecting the Imperial Palace. Should he leave the Palace, normally, the Palace would go under martial law and there would be significant commotion. But the Sum Emperor isn¡¯t foolish-if the Palace really did so, it would be tantamount to telling everyone that Situ Ce had left the Imperial Palace. To avoid disclosing Situ Ce¡¯s departure, the Capital city and the Imperial Palace have had no major personnel movements, maintaining an appearance of calm and tranquility. However, there are no walls in the world that do not let any wind through. After all, Situ Ce is a Grandmaster, and moreover, he had gone to the Imperial Army¡¯s camp in North City to meet Lin Xiuming. Those always watching the Capital city could find certain traces, and piecing together these traces, deduce that Situ Ce had left for North City. Of course, by now Situ Ce has most likely returned from North City. After all, as the State Preceptor and a National Pillar of Great Sum, he could not be away from the Capital city for too long. However, Situ Ce¡¯s visit to North City was enough to draw attention. Upon hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun¡¯s brow furrowed. He then said, . ¡°Could it be that my royal father is really considering giving the Crown Prince¡¯s position to my dear brother?¡± Lu Shuyun¡¯s tone clearly carried malice. Ever since the news of North Prince¡¯s victory against the thirty thousand-strong barbarian horde at Yan County reached the Capital city, Lu Shuyun had been suppressing his inner turmoil. At first, he truly believed that Lu Chen had been concealing his strength and was poised to leap high, taking the Crown Prince¡¯s position for himself. However, as time passed, Lu Shuyun gradually ¡°came to his senses.¡± Even if Lu Chen had always been concealing his strength, with his capabilities and the resources of North City, it was simply impossible to build an army of fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Chapter 181 - Chapter 150 Pawn_1 Chapter 150 Pawn_1 Translator: 549690339 How many people are there in the entirety of North City, and what is its annual tax revenue? Moreover, it¡¯s simply not possible to breed enough horses for fifty thousand heavy cavalry in less than a year. Most importantly, there is just no money. Though the business of the North Prince Mansion is profitable, no matter how you calculate it, it¡¯s still not enough to forge the armor required for fifty thousand heavy cavalry. Another thing is that North City doesn¡¯t have that many craftsmen. In the whole of Great Sum, there is only one person who can forge weaponry for fifty thousand heavy cavalry, only he has such resources. Who is that person? One could guess it without even thinking. That person is inside the Imperial Palace. After Lu Shuyun came to his senses, he realized how foolish he had been. He actually thought that North Prince had suddenly awakened, to the extent that he couldn¡¯t sleep at night, filled with panic every time he thought of the bloodbath at his mansion a while ago. Now thinking about it, Lu Shuyun feels it¡¯s a disgrace to fear the mere North Prince. At that moment, Wang Yong, who was beside Lu Shuyun, spoke, ¡°Your Highness, rest assured, in my opinion, the Sum Emperor doesn¡¯t have any intention of letting North Prince become Crown Prince. In the eyes of the Emperor, North Prince is nothing more than a chess piece.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear to everyone that the Sum Emperor is in his prime and has no plans of naming a Crown Prince. Now that North Prince has suddenly gained fifty thousand heavy cavalry, almost all factions and forces within Great Sum are keeping an eye on him. If North Prince is truly so favored by the Emperor, he would not let North Prince become a target for all.¡± Hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun¡¯s lips curled up slightly; he had the same thoughts. He no longer believed that his father, the Emperor, really liked his ninth brother that much. If he did like him, he would not have made North Prince stand out at a time when conflict with the Aristocratic Families was imminent. North Prince currently controls fifty thousand heavy cavalry. Once his father makes a move against the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum, these fifty thousand heavy cavalry are highly likely to become a knife at North Prince¡¯s throat, putting him in grave danger. His father had no intention of naming a Crown Prince so soon; how could he possibly let his preferred candidate for Crown Prince be exposed so early? That would make North Prince an easy target. As for whether his father was trying to temper North Prince, that was even less likely. At such a time, how could his father put his chosen Crown Prince through such trials? In today¡¯s turbulent undercurrents, one misstep could cost North Prince his life. So North Prince can only be a chess piece. And specifically, a chess piece used against the Aristocratic Families. The mother¡¯s family of North Prince is the Chu Family. By pushing North Prince forward, it¡¯s very likely to cause a rift in the Chu Family, which is the first effect. Secondly, North Prince is a dispensable royal. His death would not sadden the Sum Emperor, so he¡¯s the perfect pawn. At that time, Lu Shuyun sneered and said, ¡°I originally intended to reconcile with him and work together on great endeavors. I did not expect he would actually reject me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s laughable. He thinks that now he has our father¡¯s favor, the position of Crown Prince is his for the taking. Truly ignorant.¡± ¡°Since he has refused to drink a toast, he must drink a forfeit. He cannot blame me for not being courteous.¡± Wang Yong said, ¡°Your Highness, in my opinion, as all the princes are now guarding against North Prince, why don¡¯t we take this opportunity to join hands with the other princes and eliminate him first?¡± Lu Shuyun said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Initially, I wanted to kill him to make the Chu Family wholly support me. Now that all the Aristocratic Families in the South are backing me, whether North Prince is dead or alive has become irrelevant; after all, he is just a disposable chess piece to our father.¡± Wang Yong said, ¡°But the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City remain a huge threat to us. If we don¡¯t find a way to dissolve those fifty thousand heavy cavalry, it could greatly affect your Highness¡¯s ambitions.¡± What¡¯s most important is that I have heard that Shadow Guards have gone to North City. With the State Preceptor and the Shadow Guards appearing in North City at the same time, the Emperor probably has evidence of our dealings with the Barbarian Tribes. It won¡¯t be long before the Emperor uses the Wang Family¡¯s collusion with the Barbarian Tribes as an excuse to strike at us.¡± Hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun fell silent. He initially just wanted to compete for the throne through legitimate succession, never intending to directly start a rebellion. However, his own father held great bias against the Aristocratic Families and was evidently preparing to strike at them. Theoretically, he should distance himself from the Aristocratic Families at this time to avoid being implicated. But his mother is from the Wang Family. If the Wang Family were to rebel, it would definitely affect him, and he would lose his chance at the throne just the same. Furthermore, the Aristocratic Families are his biggest asset at the moment; his interests are already tied with theirs. He¡¯s reached a point where it¡¯s impossible to sever ties with the Aristocratic Families. If his father were to strike at the Aristocratic Families in the South, he would inevitably be affected. Thus, he¡¯s left with only one path-rebellion. However, a son rebelling against his father is bound to be condemned by the public. Leaving success aside, even if he were to succeed, he would likely be cursed for a thousand years. Even if he managed to govern Great Sum well, the fact that he rebelled would always be a stain on his reputation. If possible, Lu Shuyun would still prefer not to rebel directly but rather force his father through various pressures to abandon the idea of striking at the Aristocratic Families. After a moment of silence, Lu Shuyun spoke, ¡°If the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City were dismantled, would my father abandon his plan to strike at the Aristocratic Families?¡± Chapter 182 - Chapter 150 Pawn_2 Chapter 150 Pawn_2 Translator: 549690339 | Upon hearing this question, Wang Yong said, ¡°Your Highness, indeed there is such a possibility. The Emperor has long been plotting to eliminate our ancient families, but due to concerns over our power and influence, he has been able to suppress us only at court, never daring to directly lay hands on any ancient family.¡± ¡°Even after the Emperor reclaimed the military power, he still hesitated to take action against the families.¡± ¡°But with the fifty thousand heavy cavalry from North City, it¡¯s different. These troops are entirely the Emperor¡¯s own, and none of the families can intervene in matters of this cavalry, not even able to plant a single spy within. It can be said this is the Emperor¡¯s strongest card and the greatest confidence he holds in acting against the families.¡± ¡°Without this card, the Emperor would no longer have such confidence. If at this time our families were to unite with other dynasties to pressure the Emperor, he would ultimately be left with no option but to compromise.¡± After listening to Wang Yong¡¯s analysis, Lu Shuyun fell into thought for a moment, then said, ¡°In that case, our next step is to join forces with several of my brothers and find a way to dismantle the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City, ideally forcing my father to abandon his original plans.¡± ¡°Rising in rebellion is always the last resort. I believe my brothers are also very wary of that fifty thousand heavy cavalry.¡± Wang Yong echoed, ¡°What Your Highness says is true.¡± Subsequently, they gathered to discuss some plans on how to dismantle the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City. Meanwhile. Imperial Palace. Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor, clad in a yellow dragon robe, stood beside the lotus pond, watching the fish swim to and fro. At this time, Situ Ce was in the pavilion beside the lotus pond. The Emperor opened his mouth and asked, ¡°You met with Chen recently. What do you think of him?¡± Situ Ce answered in one sentence, ¡°He possesses the ambition of the Great Ancestor.¡± Hearing this, the Emperor¡¯s face immediately darkened, naturally averse to hearing Situ Ce¡¯s praise for Lu Chen, who was his least favorite child. Yet the Emperor did not delve deeper; he chuckled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the State Preceptor to hold Chen in such high regard.¡± Continuing, the Emperor asked, ¡°State Preceptor, having spent some time in North City, you must have learned something of its affairs. There are several points that puzzle me, and I would like to ask you to dispel my doubts.¡± Situ Ce replied, ¡°Please speak, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor went straight to the point and asked, ¡°Based on intelligence from various sources, I have a rough understanding of the battle at Wanning Valley, but I just can¡¯t fathom how Chen, even with the fifty thousand heavy cavalry, could so easily defeat the barbarian tribe¡¯s three-hundred-thousand strong army.¡± ¡°Moreover, according to General Lin¡¯s report, North City lost only twenty to thirty thousand soldiers, an unbelievable casualty rate when compared to the history of great dynasties. But the battlefield was indeed cleaned by the Imperial Army, and the number of dead counted by the Imperial Army, leaving no doubt as to its truth.¡± ¡°I am very curious as to what kind of troops Chen commands that he could defeat three hundred thousand barbarian cavalry with a mere casualty of twenty to thirty thousand, especially in Wanning Valley, terrain that limits maneuverability and necessitates a head-on confrontation.¡± ¡°State Preceptor, having been in North City for some time now, you must have seen Chen¡¯s cavalry and be familiar with their condition.¡± The Emperor had tasked Situ Ce to go to North City, evidently not just to relay a message to Lu Chen or entice him with grand promises; he wanted Situ Ce to see for himself what sort of demons and monters North City harbored, allowing the North Prince to raise fifty thousand heavy cavalry in such a short span of time. As a Grandmaster, it was easy for Situ Ce to infiltrate anywhere, and even if someone spotted him, he could leave effortlessly. Upon hearing the Emperor¡¯s words, Situ Ce smiled slightly, well aware of what the Emperor was seeking to know, and he said directly, ¡°Your Majesty, I indeed saw the heavy cavalry under the North Prince¡¯s command. And upon observation, the strength of most soldiers in this cavalry seemed to be above first tier.¡± On hearing this from Situ Ce, the Emperor¡¯s brow immediately knitted into a ¡°J l|¡± shape. Where had his son found so many Martial Artists to form a force of approximately fifty thousand first-tier soldiers? Situ Ce continued, ¡°Of course, I believe that Your Majesty is not really concerned about this heavy cavalry. What you truly care about is the possibility of a Grandmaster¡¯s presence in North City.¡± Indeed, what the Emperor really wanted to know was whether there was a Grandmaster in North City. General Lin Xiuming¡¯s report mentioned a suspected appearance of a Grandmaster on the battlefield, but he was unable to confirm it. If a Grandmaster truly emerged, the victory of the battle wouldn¡¯t seem so strange. But Grandmasters were not commonplace, so how could North City possibly have one? This was what the Emperor couldn¡¯t fathom. Moreover, the Emperor had already ordered the Shadow Guards to investigate. According to the intelligence he received, Mysterious Moon Palace had only begun making contact with his son and had provided no aid to North City. It could be said that Mysterious Moon Palace chose to invest in the North Prince due to his potential, not because it assisted him, which is why the North Prince augmented his power. This prompted the question¡ªif it was not Mysterious Moon Palace aiding Lu Chen, then what power was secretly assisting him, allowing him to suddenly command fifty thousand heavy cavalry and even leading to the suspected traces of a Grandmaster in North City. Chapter 183 - Chapter 150 Pawn_3 Chapter 150 Pawn_3 Translator: 549690339 | The Sum Emperor then asked, ¡°So, does the State Preceptor believe that a Grandmaster really did appear in North City?¡± Situ Ce answered, ¡°I dare not assert for certain, but judging from the situation on the battlefield, it is indeed possible that a Grandmaster was involved in the battle at Wanning Valley.¡± Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s response, the Sum Emperor fell into deep thought. Why did he now feel that his wretched son was becoming more and more mysterious? Could it be that he was truly not his child? At this thought, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face turned very ugly. Back when Lu Chen was born, he had suspected that Lu Chen was not his child. After all, he had never been fully conscious when he was with Chu Yue, their times together always shrouded in haziness. Who could say whether the child Chu Yue conceived was genuinely his? If it were not for the need to secure the support of the Chu Family, he would have never married Chu Yue, for he felt no affection towards her. Moreover, he could sense that Chu Yue did not wish to serve him either; their encounters had been extremely rare, making the chances of her conceiving his child very low. This made the Sum Emperor always suspect that Chu Yue had an affair with another man, and Lu Chen was that man¡¯s child. Yet he could never find proof. Over the years, he had dwelt on this matter persistently. Even after Chu Yue¡¯s death, he had the Shadow Guard continue investigating men who were close to Chu Yue, trying to identify Lu Chen¡¯s biological father, but to no avail. Fortunately, Lu Chen had always been rather useless, so the Sum Emperor simply assigned him to North City. However, once in North City, Lu Chen rose unexpectedly, even becoming a force that could threaten the Great Sum. This only deepened the Sum Emperor¡¯s suspicions. It was highly possible that Lu Chen was not his own, and the reason for Lu Chen¡¯s rapid rise might be the assistance of Lu Chen¡¯s biological father. Such thoughts made the Sum Emperor feel as though he had eaten excrement. Even though Chu Yue was already dead, he still felt greatly humiliated. Remembering how he had, due to the circumstances of the time, been compelled to marry a woman he did not love, and even accept a child conceived by another man in her womb¡ªa woman who ultimately caused the death of the woman he loved¡ªhe felt exceedingly tormented. Despite his torment, now was not the time to act against the North Prince. He had borne the humiliation for so many years; a few more would not matter. He would deal with Lu Chen after resolving the issues with the Aristocratic Families. For now, he still needed Lu Chen¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to intimidate those Aristocratic Families. Ever since word spread that North City had fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, almost all the Aristocratic Families believed that these soldiers belonged to him, the Sum Emperor, and they suddenly became much more compliant. With the deterrence of the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, if he were to discipline one Aristocratic Family, other families would have to carefully weigh their strength before considering rebellion. This was a good thing for him. Thinking this, the Sum Emperor sneered, ¡°Who would have thought that I, the Emperor, would end up relying on the power in my own son¡¯s hands to intimidate the Aristocratic Families? What an ineffectual Emperor I have become.¡± When the Sum Emperor suddenly stopped talking about the Grandmaster, Situ Ce, curious, asked, ¡°Does Your Majesty not wonder where the Grandmaster in North City came from?¡± The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Let matters of North City be set aside for now. The Shadow Guard has already gathered enough evidence of the Wang Family¡¯s collusion with the Barbarian Tribe.¡± ¡°I have suffered humiliations for so many years; it is time to put an end to it all!¡± Chapter 184 - Chapter 151: From now on, Ill surely help you punish Nanyan more Chapter 151: From now on, I¡¯ll surely help you punish Nanyan more Translator: 549690339 North Prince Mansion. Spring Sound Court, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s room. Xiao Wenyao lay sprawled all over the bed, her head buried in the pillow, not daring to lift her head and look at the man beside her. Seeing Xiao Wenyao like this, Lu Chen by her side, said with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao, now that you are my woman, why are you still so shy?¡± On hearing this, Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t speak; she still kept her head buried in the pillow. At this moment, Xiao Wenyao felt unbearably shy. She had believed what Yelv Nanyan had told her before: as long as she held on to Lu Chen¡¯s weakness, he would have no way to deal with her, and at that point, it would be her victory. Eventually, she used Yelv Nanyan¡¯s method, and it seemed as though she had trapped Lu Chen. But she quickly realized that this was not trapping Lu Chen at all; he was completely free to come and go as he pleased. Yelv Nanyan, that liar, had even told her that people cry out in victory. This had nothing to do with victory at all; she cried out simply because¡­ because¡­ As soon as she thought about how she had just become like Nanyan, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face felt scorchingly hot. Those so-called cries of victory, she couldn¡¯t control them at all. Yelv Nanyan, that wicked woman, actually deceived her, pure and kind as she was. Seeing that Xiao Wenyao still kept her head on the pillow, Lu Chen reached out and slapped her buttocks, then said, ¡°If you don¡¯t get up now, I¡¯ll have to do that thing we did just now again.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao quickly turned over, her eyes filled with Autumn waters as she looked at Lu Chen, then softly said, ¡°Prince¡­ Your Highness, this servant¡­¡± Before Xiao Wenyao could finish her sentence, Lu Chen directly pulled her body into his arms, and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s heart suddenly fluttered like a startled fawn. Although she was naive in the past, always thinking that her father was tormenting her mother and those Great Sum women, and always believed that Lu Chen had gone to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room merely to torment Yelv Nanyan, but after experiencing it herself, her mentality had fully matured, and she finally understood that it was not torment at all. Of course, it was also not as Yelv Nanyan had told her before, about how people cheer out loud upon victory. It was purely Yelv Nanyan deceiving her. And Yelv Nanyan was not trapping Lu Chen at his weak spot at all, Xiao Wenyao was also clear in her heart that Lu Chen had no weakness; the weakness lay in herself. No wonder her mother had always taught her not to expose her weaknesses to a man other than the one she liked. Now she understood why her mother so often said this to her. Even if she were formidable and held a high Realm, once she exposed her weakness, she could very well lose to the other party. For instance, after Lu Chen targeted her weak spot just now, she immediately felt powerless, not knowing North from South. Thinking about this, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face turned scorchingly hot again; she would only be able to expose her weaknesses to Lu Chen in the future to show her loyalty to him. If Lu Chen wanted to use her weakness against her, she would have to accept it. At this moment, Xiao Wenyao curled up in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, not daring to move. Lu Chen slapped Xiao Wenyao¡¯s buttocks again and said with a laugh, ¡°1 must say, you steppe women really do have well-developed leg muscles. Could it really have something to do with frequent horseback riding?¡± Xiao Wenyao replied softly, ¡°Hmm, it should be the case.¡± Listening to Xiao Wenyao¡¯s soft reply, Lu Chen chuckled, clearly aware that Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t understand his implication, but he didn¡¯t mind. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Yaoyao, do you still hate me?¡± ¡°After all, I was the one who killed your father. If your father was still alive, you would still be a princess of the Sky Wolf King tribe.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao was slightly stunned, but she quickly regained her composure and immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, this servant¡­ this servant has never harbored any hatred towards you in her heart. My father¡¯s death has nothing to do with Your Highness; he brought it upon himself for the sake of a woman, and even caused the death of over a hundred thousand people from the Sky Wolf King tribe.¡± Lu Chen stroked Xiao Wenyao¡¯s hair, saying with a smile, ¡°Oh? So, do you hold any grudge against Nanyan now?¡± Xiao Wenyao answered, ¡°This servant did indeed hate Sister Nanyan a few days ago, but 1 have let it go in my heart. Sister Nanyan is just a woman; she cannot decide her own fate.¡± ¡°If my father insisted on marrying her, Sister Nanyan had to accept. Sister Nanyan¡¯s previous declaration to marry my father only after defeating North City was merely an attempt to buy time.¡± After calming down, Xiao Wenyao realized that she and Yelv Nanyan were very similar, and that Yelv Nanyan had already experienced something she did not wish to experience; after all, she had yet to marry the North Fre King, but Yelv Nanyan had already married the former Sky Wolf King. The former Sky Wolf King was much like the North Fre King, an old lecher. Xiao Wenyao thought to herself that the reason Yelv Nanyan had made such a promise was just to discourage her father; who would have imagined that her father would actually assemble an army of three hundred thousand and come to attack North City, only to meet with a disastrous defeat. Moreover, Xiao Wenyao now felt only hatred for her father, for he had poisoned her beloved mother. In her heart, her father was a demon.. Chapter 185 - Chapter 151: Then Ill definitely help you punish Nanyan more (Part 2) Chapter 151: Then I¡¯ll definitely help you punish Nanyan more (Part 2) Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen had killed her father, the king, but in doing so, he had avenged her. Of course, there was another reason why Xiao Wenyao was particularly grateful to Lu Chen: he had helped her escape a life of suffering. She would no longer have to marry the North Pre King, that dreadful old man who devoured people and never bathed. Although ¡°North Fre King¡± and ¡°North Prince¡± differed by only one character in their titles, the difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth. She would rather expose her wealmesses to Lu Chen every day, letting Lu Chen scoff at her, than marry the North Fre King and become his queen. The North Fre King¡¯s queens had died in such numbers that she couldn¡¯t even count them. If she married the North Fre King, she couldn¡¯t imagine the treatment she would endure. Besides, life in the North Prince Mansion was something she had always longed for. Since arriving at the mansion, her days had been much more comfortable than those on the grasslands. Of course, there was a downside to living in the North Prince Mansion¡ªit wasn t as free. She couldn¡¯t run around wherever she wanted and had to stay in the mansion every day. She couldn¡¯t even go out riding whenever she wished. Thinking about it, she was now nothing but a female slave to the North Prince. How could Lu Chen possibly let her run around? What if she tried to escape? Although, she wouldn¡¯t really try to escape at all. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved up slightly. He couldn¡¯t be happier with her thinking this way after all, he had also been concerned that Xiao Wenyao might harbor resentment towards Yelv Nanyan. Now that both women were his, constant conflict in his harem, with mutual hatred, would certainly not be a pleasant situation for him. Xiao Wenyao being able to let go of her hatred for Yelv Nanyan filled Lu Chen with joy. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao, with blushing cheeks, said, ¡°Moreover, the Prince has already punished Nanyan for me. Even if I had any anger, it has dissipated.¡± Lu Chen instantly understood the punishment Xiao Wenyao referred to and followed up with, ¡°Then from now on, I¡¯ll make sure to punish Nanyan more for you, to vent your feelings.¡± ¡°I¡­ I thank the Prince,¡± Xiao Wenyao replied embarrassingly. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s consistent reference to herself as a female slave, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°You are also considered a concubine I have taken in. Why do you so enjoy considering yourself a female slave?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen leaned in close to Xiao Wenyao¡¯s ear and said in a low and magnetic voice, ¡°Could it be that you want me to treat you like a female slave?¡± As his voice trailed off, Lu Chen blew into Xiao Wenyao¡¯s ear, and she immediately felt her body break out in goosebumps. Xiao Wenyao was about to speak when suddenly Lu Chen wrapped his arms around her and turned her over. She hurriedly said, ¡°My Prince, I¡­¡± Xiao Wenyao hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she was cut off by Lu Chen, ¡°Since you love acting like a female slave, then I¡¯ll let you know what a female slave must do. Especially since that vixen next door has been frightened away by me and dares not return.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao instantly felt an ominous premonition and urgently said, ¡°My Prince, I¡­ mmm¡­¡± Before Xiao Wenyao could finish, Lu Chen again silenced her mouth. When Lu Chen went to his study, it was almost night, and a certain person who claimed to be a female slave had completely collapsed. In the end, it was Yelv Nanyan who had the maids come in to take care of her. As soon as Lu Chen arrived at the doorway of his study, he saw the cold and detached Bai Qingqing waiting at the door. Seeing Lu Chen approaching the study, Bai Qingqing immediately bowed and said, ¡°This servant greets the Prince.¡± Having completed the formalities, Bai Qingqing then said with an expressionless face, ¡°Commander Qin has been here, and he brought intelligence from the North Land; he reminded you to remember to look at it.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. He had intended to tease the ice-cold beauty before him, but as soon as the intelligence from the North Land was mentioned, Lu Chen immediately lost the inclination to do so. What important intelligence could there possibly be from the North Land now? This made Lu Chen somewhat curious. At present, the entire North Land only had the North Fre King¡¯s slightly larger barbarian tribe, right? Lu Chen immediately entered the study, picked up the intelligence sent by Qin Yushan, and looked over it carefully. Reading the content of the intelligence, Lu Chen was somewhat dumbfounded. The intelligence stated that the remnants of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe who had stayed on the grasslands were found by people from the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, who then issued them a summons to join in attacking North City during the winter. The result was that the people from the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe immediately objected, since it was their king¡¯s attack on North City that had ultimately led to the entire Sky Wolf King tribe being absorbed by North City, and they had continued their nomadic lifestyle on the grasslands precisely because they did not want to join North City. So when the North Fre King issued a summons at this time, intending to attack North City again, they thought it was a joke; they certainly did not want to perish in North City. Some barbarians from the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe immediately ran to North City and informed Xiao Pengthian of the North Fre King¡¯s plan to muster a large army to attack North City in the winter. Xiao Pengthian quickly ordered the Brocade Guard to deliver this intelligence to the North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. The North Fre King planning to attack North City in the winter? Was there something wrong with his brain? In the past, when the barbarian tribes headed south, it was mostly to snatch some food for the winter before the cold set in, and to capture some women to take back with them. Once winter arrived, blizzards would howl across the grasslands, making troop movements extremely difficult. The Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe dared not wander about in the winter in the past, yet the North Fre King now had such audacity. However, on second thought, if the North Fre King really did come, especially in two months, then he would absolutely welcome it. Now the entire North Land was left with only the North Fre King¡¯s powerful barbarian tribe; once the North Fre King was dealt with, the rest of the barbarian tribes in the North Land would be small and not worth fearing, making it easy to subdue them all. Lu Chen had actually long thought about when to deal with the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, but it was just a thought. Attacking the North Fre King¡¯s tribe presented one major difficulty: they were not very familiar with the grasslands. Of course, among the captured barbarian soldiers, there were members from the North Fre King¡¯s tribe who could lead the way, but now the North Fre King¡¯s court would have definitely already left its original location. The grasslands of the North Land were simply too vast; finding the North Fre King¡¯s court in a short period of time was not an easy task, and a rash advance into the grasslands with troops could lead to being encircled by the barbarians there. But now it was different; the North Fre King was planning to attack North City in the winter, and this was the best opportunity to take down the North Fre King. Lu Chen would definitely not miss this chance. The thought of the North Fre King walking into the trap made the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s lips almost reach the back of his head with glee. The North Fre King really was a talent, and for a long time afterwards, Lu Chen could not figure out how the North Fre King came up with the idea of leading troops south to attack North City in the winter.. Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: Chapter 152 Xuanyuan Yunqi 1 Chapter 186: Chapter 152 Xuanyuan Yunqi 1 Translator: 549690339 | Time passed quickly, and half a month vanished in the blink of an eye. Winter had already arrived, and now everyone was wrapped in thick fur clothing, even Lu Chen was no exception. Martial artists had a certain resistance to the cold, and as a Grandmaster, Lu Chen was not at all afraid of it; even if he didn¡¯t wear such thick clothes, he would have been fine. But not fearing the cold did not mean he couldn¡¯t feel it ¡ªthe chilling wind against his skin was somewhat uncomfortable. Most high-ranking martial artists were like this, such as Bai Qingqing and her companions; they, too, donned thick clothing. Winter was slightly annoying to Lu Chen, as his women had bundled up in thick furs, their graceful figures obscured by their garments, impossible to showcase their perfect physiques. But there was nothing he could do about it; after all, he couldn¡¯t change the weather. The arrival of winter also brought a number of problems to North City, and at this point, Lu Chen was completely unaware of the troubles that North City would face in winter. He had spent the recent half-month preparing for the North Fre King¡¯s invasion from the south, so he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the governance of North City. In the early morning, Lu Chen woke up amidst Yelv Nanyan¡¯s gentle jade fragrance, and after having breakfast with her, he headed to the study as usual. When he arrived at the entrance of the study, important officials and military generals of North City were already waiting. Now, every five days, they would collectively come to the study and report to Lu Chen the recent situation in North City, discussing events that had occurred. At first, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t set a rule for reporting, but gradually, people like Li Rui had formed a habit, so Lu Chen simply decided to discuss North City¡¯s significant matters every five days. Upon seeing Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Li Rui and the others immediately bowed and greeted him, ¡°Greetings to the Prince!¡± ¡°May the Prince live thousands of years, thousands of years, thousands upon thousands of years!¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly and entered the study, ¡°Come in, everyone.¡± The crowd then followed Lu Chen into the study, which seemed even more crowded today, as more people were involved in the discussion. Generally, once an official¡¯s loyalty reached ninety, and they held an important position in North City, Lu Chen would allow them to join the council. Seeing the increasingly packed study, Lu Chen thought to himself that it was a good thing that the construction of the Hall of Political Affairs had begun, and the temporary hall would be set up before long. Then, they wouldn¡¯t have to cram into this study anymore. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced over the crowd and then said, ¡°Old rules, speak one by one if you have any matters.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Rui was the first to step forward and said, ¡°Prince, winter has now arrived, and although North City successfully defended against the barbarian tribe¡¯s plundering this year, there are still many commoners lacking clothing and food. Should we distribute porridge this year?¡± The commoners of North City had always been poor, and despite Lu Chen having already exempted them from many agricultural taxes, they were still very much impoverished, with most struggling to feed themselves. This was why, whenever the North Prince Mansion recruited workers, there would always be many people desperately vying to become one of the mansion¡¯s laborers. Once inside the North Prince Mansion, becoming one of its workers, the commoners of North City would believe they would no longer fear hunger or the cold. Hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Continue distributing porridge. However, this year the North Prince Mansion will contribute some silver to buy food, and we will distribute it in the name of the mansion.¡± Immediately understanding Lu Chen¡¯s intention, Li Rui realized that Lu Chen was planning to win the hearts of the people. But there was no harm in that; after all, Lu Chen was now the Seignior of North City, and the entire area had become his feudal state. For the king of a feudal state, winning the people¡¯s hearts was quite normal. Li Rui then responded, ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± Lu Chen inquired, ¡°Lord Li, is there anything else you wish to discuss?¡± At this point, Li Rui glanced at the other military generals led by Mu Changtian, then continued, ¡°Prince, lately the common folk inside Yan County have been complaining about the scarcity of timber. They claim that Wanning Valley and some forests have been surrounded by Yan County¡¯s troops, and the woodcutters simply cannot enter to collect wood.¡± ¡°Now that winter has come, if there is not enough timber, this year North City may see many freeze to death.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. As a Grandmaster, although he felt the cold, he was not afraid of it. Because he did not fear the cold, he had no real notion of winter and had completely forgotten the fact that people could freeze to death during this season. Since it didn¡¯t directly affect him, Lu Chen rarely paid attention, but now that Li Rui had brought it up, Lu Chen quickly realized the significance. Warming up indeed posed a troublesome issue. As Li Rui finished speaking, Lu Chen looked over at Mu Changtian and the other military generals. At that moment, Mu Changtian stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, currently the forests around Yan County contain North City¡¯s military camps or conceal North City¡¯s secrets, so I¡¯ve ordered the soldiers from North City to seal off most of the areas.¡± Lu Chen was aware of this, especially since the artillery camp managed by Mu Jingwu took up a large area of forest, mainly to prevent spies from discovering any secrets of North City. Sealing off those forests was the right action. However, the issue of the commoners¡¯ heating still needed to be addressed. After some thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°General Mu, when you leave the North Prince Mansion later, open up some of the less critical areas to the common people. We can¡¯t let them freeze; if all the common people die from the cold, how are we going to develop North City next year?¡± Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Chapter 152 Xuanyuan Yunqi 2 Chapter 187: Chapter 152 Xuanyuan Yunqi 2 Translator: 549690339 | Mu Changtian said, ¡°Yes, Prince, after leaving the North Prince Mansion, I immediately ordered the soldiers to lift some of the restrictions on forest areas.¡± As his words fell, Mu Changtian stepped back, and at this time, Li Rui also returned to his original position. Lu Chen scanned the audience and asked, ¡°Does anyone else have matters to report?¡± Mu Changtian stepped forward again and said, ¡°Prince, we have now recruited fifty thousand new soldiers for the army, and together with the original soldiers of North City and the Black Cavalry, we now have a total of one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers. Should we continue to recruit more?¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s question about soldiers, Lu Chen pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for now, North City can¡¯t support too many soldiers.¡± The soldiers in North City were essentially farmer-soldiers, and strictly speaking, those recruited by Mu Changtian could hardly be considered a regular army. They merely trained occasionally and would return to their farm work during the planting season, possessing very weak combat capabilities. Lu Chen¡¯s plan was to professionalize the soldiers of North City in the future, turning them into career soldiers, just like the current Black Cavalry, who were fully supported by the North Prince Mansion. However, the financial pressure of supporting tens of thousands of professional soldiers was immense for both North City and the North Prince Mansion, and it was not feasible at the moment. In the end, it all came down to the issues of money and food. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian said, ¡°This servant understands.¡± Then Mu Changtian returned to the position where he had previously stood. After Mu Changtian stepped back, Xuanyuan Chen came forward and said, ¡°Prince, the craftsmen you requested have arrived in Yan County. When I came to the North Prince Mansion this morning, those craftsmen were already waiting at the city gate to meet you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°So soon?¡± Lu Chen was surprised; he had thought that these craftsmen would need at least a month or two to arrive in Yan County, but they had traveled from Great Yu City in just over half a month. Now, he could start preparing for a large- scale production of gunpowder and Red Tassel Spears. Perhaps he could even prepare a big surprise for the North Fre King when he led his army to North City. With this in mind, Lu Chen continued to Xuanyuan Chen, ¡°After the morning meeting ends, I will accompany you to meet them.¡± Having discussed the matter of the craftsmen, they went on to discuss other topics related to the development of North City, such as the promotion of potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as issues related to taxation. But throughout the meeting, Lu Chen never mentioned the topic of official dismissals. Lu Chen had long wanted to deal with the officials in North City, but he faced a significant practical issue-dismissing the current officials would essentially leave him with no one he could use, which was a dilemma for him. Although he despised the corrupt officials of North City, without them, who would do the work? His policies might not even be able to be conveyed down the chain of command, so Lu Chen could only endure the situation for the time being. After the morning meeting concluded, Lu Chen followed Xuanyuan Chen to the city gate. At this time, the area outside the northern gate of Yan County was filled with common people, who were curious about the identity of these individuals carrying large and small packages and pushing big and small carts. Someone let slip the phrase ¡°The Prince has arrived,¡± causing the common people to clear a path. Soon, Lu Chen arrived on horseback in front of the Great Yu City craftsmen. In front of the caravan stood two young men in their twenties or thirties, robust and strong, with their muscularity straining against their fur clothing and standing about one meter ninety tall. Lu Chen then identified these two men¡¯s profiles. [Name: Mo Fei] (Status: Current leader of North Prince Mansion¡¯s craftsmen, formerly a Great Yu City craftsman, who immediately led two thousand craftsmen to Yan County upon learning that the North Prince needed craftsmen.] [Strength: Fifth Rank] [Loyalty: too] [Name: Mo Xing] [Status: Current North Prince Mansion craftsman, younger brother of Mo Fei, and a former Great Yu City craftsman; followed his elder brother Mo Fei to Yan County to serve the North Prince.] [Strength: Fifth Rank] [Loyalty: too] Seeing the profiles of the two men, Lu Chen was taken aback-is their surname Mo? Could it be that this world truly has a Mohist school? After some time getting to know Great Yu City, Lu Chen found that many of the city¡¯s concepts were very similar to those of the Mohists, and now the appearance of two individuals with the surname Mo made him even more suspicious. However, whether they were Mohists was irrelevant. The most important thing was that these craftsmen were one hundred percent loyal to the North Prince Mansion, which reduced the risk of information leaks when they were asked to manufacture weapons. At this moment, Mo Fei and Mo Xing both approached Lu Chen and then respectfully greeted him, ¡°Commoner Mo Fei, commoner Mo Xing, we pay our respects to the Prince!¡± The other craftsmen also followed suit, greeting in unison, ¡°We pay our respects to the Prince!!!¡± ¡°Long live the Prince, long live, long live!!!¡± Lu Chen nodded, then with a smile said, ¡°Alright, rise.¡± Just then, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze was suddenly drawn to a figure in the distance. There had been too many people earlier for him to notice, but as the craftsmen all bowed their heads, Lu Chen abruptly saw, on a white horse not far away, a woman dressed in black and red armor. The woman had her hair tied back in a high ponytail, wore a red cloak, and held a Red Tassel Spear in her hands. She was very beautiful, with delicate features and an air of heroism between her brows, presenting a striking and spirited appearance. This¡­ Lu Chen felt very puzzled. He didn¡¯t recall ever seeing this woman among the Black Cavalry before, did he? Moreover, there weren¡¯t any white horses among the Black Cavalry, and most importantly, there were no women. Noticing the color of the horse, Lu Chen quickly discovered another detail: the horses ridden by the soldiers behind the woman were also white and not the black horses of the Black Cavalry. Out of curiosity, Lu Chen immediately used the system to identify the woman¡¯s information. [Name: Xuanyuan Yunqi] [Identity: Daughter of the Xuanyuan Family Head of Great Yu City, 23 years old, sister of Xuanyuan Chen, at the Master Realm. Hearing that Yan County needed craftsmen, she led three thousand light cavalry to escort the craftsmen to Yan County. Her feelings towards the North Prince are somewhat peculiar.] [Rating: 98] [Loyalty: too] [Favorability: 50] Seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s information, Lu Chen was again stunned. 9- 98 rating??? Indeed, Xuanyuan Yunqi was very beautiful, but her beauty was distinctive, unlike the beauty of any women Lu Chen had seen before. Not only was she so beautiful, but she was also a Grandmaster. This¡­ The system had never mentioned summoning a third Grandmaster. Could it be that Xuanyuan Yunqi was a reward given to him by the system? After all, the system considered the fifty thousand citizens of Great Yu City as a summoning reward, so Xuanyuan Yunqi should also be counted in, right? Lu Chen wasn¡¯t quite sure. After all, this surprise was too sudden. He could never have imagined that there was a female Grandmaster with a rating of 98 in Great Yu City. Of course, there was something else that surprised Lu Chen. That was the three thousand white horses of the light cavalry. The system had never mentioned these three thousand light cavalry; it had merely counted these cavalrymen as ordinary citizens of Great Yu City. Lu Chen had always thought the Black Cavalry represented all the combat- capable soldiers in Great Yu City. He had no idea Great Yu City also had three thousand light cavalry. From the beginning, he knew Great Yu City had great potential for war but had not expected its strength to be so substantial. At this moment, Lu Chen was curious as to why Xuanyuan Yunqi and the three thousand light cavalry she led did not come closer? While he was thinking this, he sawXuanyuan Yunqi with her three thousand light cavalrymen leaving directly. Lu Chen frowned. A female Grandmaster with a rating of 98 just showed up in front of him, took a glance, and then ran off like that? Could he really let her get away? Lu Chen quickly turned his head to Xuanyuan Chen and said, ¡°General Xuanyuan, who is that woman in the black and red armor who left with her soldiers without paying her respects to me first?¡± Hearing this, Xuanyuan Chen immediately replied, ¡°Prince, that woman is my younger sister; she is Great Yu City¡¯s city defense general, and those three thousand cavalrymen are the city¡¯s defense force. They were here to deliver the craftsmen to North City.¡± ¡°Now that they have delivered the people, they must hurry back to Great Yu City to avoid any chance of a Barbarian Tribe attack. As for why my sister did not pay her respects¡­¡± At this point, Xuanyuan Chen hesitated for a moment before he bit the bullet and continued, ¡°On behalf of my little sister, I apologize to the prince. My sister has been pampered since childhood and lacks courtesy; I hope the prince can forgive her.¡± ¡°The next time my sister comes to Yan County, I will make sure she kowtows in apology to the prince.¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. Lacks courtesy? Is it really just a lack of courtesy? Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Chapter 153 Cold Winter, Zhou Youyou Pregnant Again_i Chapter 188: Chapter 153 Cold Winter, Zhou Youyou Pregnant Again_i Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen wasn¡¯t sure whether it was his own misperception, he always felt that Xuanyuan Yunqi was not unaware of etiquette. After all, her loyalty to him was one hundred, which signified full loyalty. Even if she lacked etiquette, she should know to at least greet him, especially since he had entered her line of sight. Wait a moment¡­ A sudden thought struck Lu Chen. Typically, when he checked a woman¡¯s personal information, her interface would be as follows: [Name:] [Status:] [Rating:] [Favorability:] However, Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s personal information included an additional ¡°Loyalty,¡± which was only found in the data of subordinates. Her profile displayed the following: [Name:] [Status:] [Rating:] [Loyalty:] [Favorability:] Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s loyalty to Lu Chen was too, but her favorability was only 50, which he found somewhat off. In his past understanding, a woman¡¯s favorability towards him was also a reflection of her loyalty. A one-hundred favorability meant one-hundred loyalty; that was how Lu Chen understood it. But now, an anomaly like Xuanyuan Yunqi had appeared. With a loyalty of 100 and a favorability of only 50, what did this mean? Lu Chen immediately queried the system in his mind, ¡°System, why does Xuanyuan Yunqi show both favorability and loyalty? Shouldn¡¯t these two be unified?¡± [For ordinary women, favorability and loyalty are unified. However, as Xuanyuan Yunqi is a character summoned by the system, summoned characters have one hundred percent loyalty to the host, but this does not mean they have a special liking for the host.] Upon hearing the system¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen quickly understood that favorability and loyalty were not unified in women summoned by the system. So did this mean that if he wanted Xuanyuan Yunqi to be his woman, he couldn¡¯t just look at her loyalty but also find a way to increase her favorability towards him? But if she was absolutely loyal to him, was there a necessity to increase her favorability? Xuanyuan Yunqi was, after all, his subordinate. Couldn¡¯t he simply issue an order for her to become his woman? She would likely have no choice but to agree. With this thought, Lu Chen quickly cast the notion aside, deciding against such a course of action. Other people might do it, but Xuanyuan Yunqi was his subordinate. How could he exploit such an unspoken rule? He was not one of those men who relished workplace exploitation. Seeing Lu Chen looking somewhat troubled and silent, Xuanyuan Chen started to feel nervous. He quickly spoke up again, ¡°Prince, I will immediately bring my younger sister back and have her apologize to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chen looked as though he was about to chase after Xuanyuan Yunqi, but Lu Chen came back to his senses and coughed to interject, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I was merely curious and asking casually.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen showed a hint of a smile. He patted Xuanyuan Chen on the shoulder and continued, ¡°General Xuanyuan, your younger sister has reached the Grandmaster Realm at only her twenties. Truly a woman who does not pale in comparison to men.¡± Xuanyuan Chen was taken aback for a moment before saying, ¡°Thank you for your praise, Prince.¡± Lu Chen went on to say, ¡°Next time I see your younger sister, I must truly seek her guidance on martial arts skills. I have the skill but lack the ability for actual combat.¡± ¡°Alt¡­ this¡­¡± Xuanyuan Chen hesitated. Was his prince truly planning on seeking martial arts guidance from his younger sister? Why did he feel something seemed suspicious? Although Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s loyalty to Lu Chen was a full one hundred percent, he still had his own thoughts. He was now quite clear about what kind of person the North Prince was, and he had the impression that the North Prince harbored other intentions towards his younger sister. Nonetheless, as his sovereign, Xuanyuan Chen didn¡¯t feel it was his place to say anything. Lu Chen then turned to say, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Mo Fei and the others have traveled from afar, and they must be weary. Let¡¯s arrange for them to have a place to rest and recover for a few days.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mo Fei immediately replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Prince!¡± Lu Chen did not say anything further and proceeded to take the craftsmen to the accommodations that had been prepared for them in advance. Fortunately, Lu Chen had asked Qin Yushan to prepare extra houses in anticipation that the craftsmen¡¯s families might also come to North City, so having more houses was no harm done. To his surprise, where he had only requested a thousand craftsmen, Mo Fei brought over two thousand to North City. This should pose no significant problem for the production of cannons. Lu Chen spent nearly a day in the craftsmen¡¯s quarters, as he wanted to understand what they could do to better arrange their work. Seeing how much care the Prince took for the craftsmen, Mo Fei and the others felt their favorability towards Lu Chen greatly increase. Even though Great Yu City was relatively independent, they were quite informed about the outside world and aware of the situation in Great Sum. They also knew that in Great Sum, craftsmen held little status, making Great Yu City, where everyone was a craftsman, a true anomaly. In Great Sum, four words sufficed to describe the status of craftsmen: ¡°ingenious but frivolous skills.¡± In this era, most people believed advancements in tools were nothing more than clever tricks, unsuitable for serious consideration. Craftsman ranks were considered lowly, and few paid attention to this group. Chapter 189 - Chapter 189: Chapter 153 Cold Winter, Zhou Youyou Pregnant Again_2 Chapter 189: Chapter 153 Cold Winter, Zhou Youyou Pregnant Again_2 Translator: 549690339 | At first, Mo Fei was somewhat worried that the North Prince¡¯s treatment of them would be the same as that of the people from Great Xia, but now it looked as if the North Prince actually cared a great deal for them craftsmen, not considering them as inferiors at all. Evening. The evening wind howled as it blew. It was getting dark early now, so although Lu Chen had set out to return quite early, by the time he got to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it was almost completely dark. When Lu Chen dismounted, he saw that the lanterns at the entrance of the North Prince Mansion had been extinguished by the cold wind, and at the moment, the servants of the mansion were making an effort to light the candles inside them again. Seeing Lu Chen return, the servants and guards at the door hurriedly greeted him, saying, ¡°We pay our respects to Your Highness!¡± Lu Chen nodded, ¡°Mhm, carry on with your work.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The servants continued to light the lanterns. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at the servants and the guards at the gate; although they were dressed quite warmly, their bodies continued to tremble nonstop. Even with the Prince present, they couldn¡¯t control their composure and kept shaking uncontrollably. Lu Chen slightly frowned. It was understandable for the servants. The servants of the mansion were mostly ordinary people, so it was normal for them to fear the cold, but the guards of the mansion were mostly martial artists of fifth rank or higher. Should martial artists of such rank also feel so cold, shivering continuously? Lu Chen then turned to one of the soldiers and asked, ¡°Are you very cold?¡± Seeing Lu Chen focusing on him and asking this question, the soldier was suddenly frightened. He instantly realized his inappropriate behavior, quickly knelt halfway, and said, ¡°Your Highness, it was my lapse of conduct, please punish me!¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°Get up. I didn¡¯t mean to blame you. I only wanted to know what rank a martial artist must be to withstand the bitter cold.¡± Relieved by Lu Chen¡¯s words, the soldier had thought the North Prince was observing his uncontrollable shivering, deeming it disrespectful and would punish him for it. The soldier then got up from the ground, ¡°Thank You, Your Highness, for forgiving your subordinate.¡± Continuing on, the soldier said, ¡°Your Highness, as far as your subordinate knows, only those above the seventh rank can be fearless of severe cold.¡± ¡°Martial artists below the seventh rank, even if they wear fur clothes, will still feel the chill when outside.¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s answer, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. Although he could feel the cold, he did not tremble like the others. For Lu Chen, who had attained the status of a Grandmaster, cold was merely a sensation. Lu Chen thought to himself, if soldiers of the fifth rank, despite wearing fur, were shivering from the bone-chilling cold, what about the common folks without any skill? Wouldn¡¯t they suffer even more? It was no easy task to develop North City, especially so. Just this winter chill alone made the commoners huddle in their homes, shivering, too afraid to step outside. Let alone economic development, for the twelve months of the year, construction and production could probably only be managed for a few months. Better leave these thoughts aside for now. Lu Chen ceased his wandering thoughts. At present, he could only take things one step at a time. Having come to North City, it would now serve as his stronghold. No matter how challenging the local conditions might be, he had to develop it well, for only then could North City become a stepping stone for him. When Lu Chen arrived at the main hall of the main yard, Mu Zixuan and the women of his harem were all waiting for him to come back for dinner. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, both of whom were joining them for dinner for the first time that day. After Lu Chen came back, Mu Zixuan and both the young and elder Zhou busied themselves serving Lu Chen, while the other two seemed somewhat at a loss, unsure of what to do. Lu Chen then asked with a smile, ¡°Nanyan, Yaoyao, is dining with us here much more lively than what you¡¯ re used to at Spring Sound Court?¡± Before, they ate whatever the maids prepared for them, ate a little, and then rested. They certainly didn¡¯t gather to dine as they did now. Moreover, Great Sum originally adopted a separate dining system and did not sit together to eat. Of course, sitting together like this was certainly lively, anyway it was much more lively than eating alone in their rooms. Yelv Nanyan immediately said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, the Princess Consort allowed me to attend the feast at the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°This can hardly be counted as a feast. If you two have no other matters, come here for dinner every evening. It¡¯s livelier with family.¡± Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao said in unison, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After washing his hands, Lu Chen glanced at the braziers burning not far from the hall. There were three braziers in the entire hall, and with them, the temperature inside the room rose considerably. However, Lu Chen found that even clad in fur clothes, Zhou Xiaozhou and Zhou Youyou¡¯s delicate bodies still trembled slightly. It was indeed still too cold. Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were martial artists, capable of withstanding a certain amount of cold. Mu Zixuan had recently practiced the Dragon-Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell with him, which transformed her body to a certain extent. Her constitution had greatly improved from before, enhancing her cold resistance as well. But Zhou Xiaozhou and Zhou Youyou were different; they were completely ordinary people. During the meal, Lu Chen looked at Zhou Xiaozhou and Zhou Youyou, asking, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Youyou, do you get cold when sleeping at night? Upon hearing this question, the sisters were taken aback. Zhou Xiaoxiao then answered, ¡°Reporting to the Prince, we have maids responsible for burning firewood all night, so it¡¯s not very cold. Hearing this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think that the ordinary people of North City had been living there for so many years, yet their heating method was still braziers, without even a kang bed-stove. It was the same when building the North Prince Mansion. Basically, the entire structure of the North Prince Mansion was the same as that in the Capital city, all wooden houses with drafty windows and also without kang bed- stoves. It would be strange if ordinary people weren¡¯t freezing at night. It seemed he needed to come up with a solution to this problem. After dinner. Lu Chen took a hot bath and then went directly to the northern courtyard. At this moment, Xiaozhou was warming herself by the brazier while holding a child. Seeing the door open, Xiaozhou immediately stood up, ¡°Prince, you have arrived.¡± Lu Chen walked over to Youyou and hugged her delicate body. With her height of only one meter sixty, she appeared very petite next to Lu Chen. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Youyou, you must be too cold sleeping alone at night. Let me help you warm up.¡± Hearing this, Youyou and the maidservant responsible for the firewood immediately blushed. How could they not understand the implication of Lu Chen¡¯s words? immediately, Youyou handed the child over to the wet nurse to be taken to her sister, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s room. Their rooms were in the northern courtyard and next to each other. Usually, when Lu Chen visited Youyou¡¯s room, she would hand over the child to Xiaoxiao to look after, and when he went to Xiaoxiao¡¯s room, she would do likewise with Youyou. After the child was taken away, Youyou whispered in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ll go warm the bed for you first.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, then swept up the petite and exquisite Youyou in a bridal carry, heading straight toward the bed, ¡°No need, I¡¯m not cold.¡± ¡± Instead, my precious Youyou has been shivering all day. Let me help raise your temperature.¡± Youyou, feeling shy, buried her head in Lu Chen¡¯s chest. Even though she was already Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she still felt very timid in front of him, perhaps because he was so formidable. Afterwards, Lu Chen indeed helped raise Youyou¡¯s temperature, and soon she no longer felt the cold. Instead, she was so warm she broke out in a sweat. (Host cultivated affection with Zhou Youyou once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience increased by 60, Rejuvenating Skill experience increased by 60, Dragon-Phoenix Yin-Yang Spell experience increased by 60.] [Zhou Youyou successfully conceived the host¡¯s child, rewarded with coal mining and processing technology.] [The pregnancy reward is an encouragement, hoping the host will ensure the child¡¯s safe birth. A richer reward will be granted upon the safe delivery of the child.] Upon hearing the system prompt, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes brightened. The system was indeed giving him what he needed just when he was worrying about how to solve the heating problem for ordinary people in winter. He had not expected that the system would reward him so quickly with coal mining and processing technology. Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Chapter 154: War Breaks Out i Chapter 190: Chapter 154: War Breaks Out i Translator: 549690339 I Early in the morning, at the break of dawn. The sky was still a dusky grey. Lu Chen rode his horse straight to the area where the craftsmen lived and handed over some materials on coal mining and processing to Mo Fei for research. Afterwards, Lu Chen discussed the construction of heated kang beds and heated rooms with Mo Fei, delving into the details for an entire day with the craftsmen. This once again made the craftsmen of Great Yu City feel the sincerity of the North Prince; ordinarily, when the North Prince wanted to discuss something with them, he would simply have them come to the North Prince Mansion. Yet, early this morning, he braved the cold wind to come to their living quarters to discuss matters with them. A few days later. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was perusing intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard in his study when a maid¡¯s voice sounded from the doorway, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°Come in.¡± Following that, Qin Yushan entered, his body covered with snow, the cold having intensified today accompanied by a heavy snowfall. After stepping into the room, Qin Yushan gave a simple salute. ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± After bowing, Qin Yushan at once placed the bamboo tube containing intelligence on the desk, ¡°Prince, urgent dispatch from the Capital City!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen, who was looking through Da Yue intelligence, paused for a moment. Regaining his composure, Lu Chen swiftly brushed aside the other reports on the desk and promptly opened the bamboo tube, extracting the intelligence it contained. Commander Qin continued, ¡°Winter has arrived, and not a single homing pigeon from the Capital City has reached Yan County; they can only have the Brocade Guard deliver messages on horseback, so the intelligence from the Capital City has been delayed by many days.¡± After taking out the intelligence from the bamboo tube, Lu Chen scrutinized the contents carefully. As his gaze traveled down the page, his expression grew more solemn. Having read the content of the intelligence, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before saying to Commander Qin, ¡°Notify Li Rui and the others to come to the North Prince Mansion immediately to discuss important matters.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± An hour later. Li Rui and other officials along with a host of military generals from North City appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s study. They were all somewhat curious; today wasn¡¯t the day for a scheduled meeting. Why had the North Prince summoned them? Could it be that the North Fre King had already headed south? After everyone had arrived, Lu Chen did not speak immediately. His gaze was still scanning the map on the desk, seemingly contemplating something. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s serious expression, everyone also kept silent, simply standing in the study watching Lu Chen, waiting for him to speak first. Awhile later, Lu Chen realized that everyone had assembled. He glanced at them and then said, ¡°The intelligence I¡¯ve just received is that Great Xia and Great Wu have gone to war.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone was shocked still. How could this be? The great dynasties had been at peace for countless years, although there had been constant friction, there had never been a major war. Why would Great Wu and Great Xia suddenly erupt into war at this time? Mu Changtian immediately asked, ¡°Prince, was it Great Wu that initiated the attack?¡± It was clear to anyone with eyes that the Sum Emperor¡¯s next move was to deal with the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum, so the Sum Emperor would definitely not initiate a war at this time. Therefore, the only possibility was that it was Great Wu that initiated the attack on Great Sum. Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s question, Lu Chen shook his head and then said, ¡°Strangely enough, it turned out that it was us, Great Sum, who started the war. The intelligence sent from the Capital city took me a moment to digest.¡± This¡­ Everyone in the study room looked at each other, uncertain of what to say. They also found it hard to believe that Great Sum would initiate a war at this time. Would the Sum Emperor still deal with the Aristocratic Families then? At this point, Li Rui spoke up, ¡°Prince, could there be an error in the intelligence? With the internal unrest already brewing within Great Sum, how could His Majesty choose to attack Great Wu at this time?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°The intelligence is most likely accurate. The problem lies with the one who provoked the war.¡± ¡°A month ago, the major dynasties had already been secretly mobilizing troops, with Great Jue Dynasty having stationed two hundred thousand soldiers at the border with North City.¡± ¡°I suspect that someone colluded with Great Wu Dynasty, intentionally provoking the war, thus giving Great Wu a pretext to attack Great Sum,¡± he said. With Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, everyone quickly understood. Indeed, the Sum Emperor would definitely not want to wage a war at this time. He intended to purge the Ancient Families within his realm. If a war were to be waged now, how could he carry out his plans against those Ancient Families? So, it was more likely that some Aristocratic Family had colluded with Great Wu to instigate the war. The Great Wu Dynasty might not necessarily aim to defeat the Great Sum Dynasty, but as long as they could pressure Great Sum sufficiently, those Aristocratic Families within would likely offer Great Wu many benefits. If faced with external pressure, the Sum Emperor would ultimately have to compromise with these families, abandoning the idea of purging the Ancient Families. However, Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe it was that simple. At that moment, Lu Chen turned to Mu Changtian and said, ¡°General Mu, although you are a Military General, you have served as an official in the Capital city for many years and are familiar with the political environment there. In your analysis, if it were the Aristocratic Families who instigated the war between Great Wu and Great Sum, what would the ultimate goal be?¡± On hearing this question, Mu Changtian answered, ¡°According to your subject, there are three possibilities.¡± ¡°The first possibility is naturally to use external pressure to coerce His Majesty, preventing him from taking major actions against the Aristocratic Families.¡± ¡°The second possibility is that the Aristocratic Families would like to take this opportunity to unite with other Princes and directly force His Majesty to abdicate the throne for a more compliant Emperor. However, this is the least likely, as current factions led by the Princes are still in existence, and no one will acknowledge the others at this time, so promoting any Prince to the throne could lead to the disintegration of Great Sum.¡± ¡°As for the third possibility¡­¡± At this point, Mu Changtian hesitated, but ultimately he continued, ¡°Lately, a popular argument I¡¯ve heard is that you, Prince, were sent to North City by the Emperor himself, so the fifty thousand Black Cavalry aren¡¯t actually yours but belong to the Emperor.¡± ¡°Even the common people of North City believe this, so those Aristocratic Families almost certainly think the same.¡± ¡°Therefore, I believe the Aristocratic Families might use this opportunity to convince His Majesty to deploy the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to the front lines to exhaust themselves against the Great Wu Dynasty,¡± he postulated. ¡°The Great Wu Dynasty is known for its aggressive militarism, maintaining an army of several million year-round, and their strength is not inferior to the northern Barbarian Tribe, and they might even be more difficult to deal with.¡± ¡°Although the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry are strong, if they were to be sent to the front lines to wage a war of attrition against Great Wu, within less than a year¡¯s time, they could potentially be completely depleted.¡± In fact, not only the common people and the Aristocratic Families, but even Mu Changtian had thought for a time whether Lu Chen was a chess piece specially sent by the Sum Emperor to North City, because Lu Chen did not have the ability to build fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in a short period. However, once Mu Changtian learned of the existence of Great Yu City, he dismissed the idea. But others in Great Sum didn¡¯t know about the existence of Great Yu City, so in their eyes, only the Sum Emperor had the capability to endow North City with fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Therefore, to others, these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry might as well be the private army of the Sum Emperor himself.. Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Chapter 155: The Princes Move is Beyond Wordsi Chapter 191: Chapter 155: The Prince¡¯s Move is Beyond Wordsi Translator: 549690339 Great Sum originally had over twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry, and the military power had already been concentrated in the hands of the Sum Emperor. Now, the Sum Emperor had another fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry at his disposal. The key point was that, in the eyes of the Aristocratic Families, these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry belonged entirely to the Sum Emperor and no one else could lay their hands on them. This situation prevented the Aristocratic Families of Great Sum from being able to sleep peacefully. Therefore, Mu Changtian believed that if the warfare between Great Wu and Great Sum was instigated by the Aristocratic Families, their ultimate goal was most likely to disintegrate these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. After listening to Mu Changtian¡¯s analysis, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. Of the three objectives Mu Changtian discussed, the second was the least likely, while the third had the greatest probability. It was certain that the Aristocratic Families wanted to replace the Sum Emperor, there was no doubt about that, especially since the current Sum Emperor was not obedient at all and even intended to eradicate the Ancient Families within Great Sum. But replacing the Emperor was not to be done at this moment. With various factions thriving, if they were to replace the Emperor, who would they choose as the new Emperor? Fearing that elevating any Prince to the throne would provoke dissatisfaction amongst many, the eventual outcome would be the splitting of Great Sum and the outbreak of a civil war. For the Aristocratic Families, the disintegration of Great Sum was incompatible with their interests, so they would rather let the Sum Emperor continue sitting in that position. What the Aristocratic Families needed to do now was to exchange interests with the various factions as much as possible, and then determine who the next Emperor would be. They would not move against the Sum Emperor¡¯s position before deciding on the next Emperor. As to why they were so quick to provoke warfare between the two countries, it was probably partly to pressure the Sum Emperor and partly to eliminate the forces under the Sum Emperor¡¯s control, possibly even aiming for the military power he held. Once war broke out between the two countries, the Sum Emperor was unlikely to personally lead the troops in the beginning. In doing so, a part of the military power in the Sum Emperor¡¯s hands would be handed over, rendering his earlier action of reclaiming military power fruitless. After some thought, Lu Chen continued to ask Mu Changtian, ¡°General Mu, if the imperial court orders North City to send troops, what do you think I should do?¡± North City might be Lu Chen¡¯s feudal state, but it still belonged to Great Sum, and Lu Chen remained a Seignior of Great Sum. If the imperial court ordered him to send troops, he had the obligation to do so. However, it was apparent that Lu Chen would not send his Black Cavalry to the frontline to be depleted in war. General Mu did not directly say what Lu Chen should do, but reminded him, ¡°Prince, North City is in the early stages of development, and you have only just gained a firm foothold there. If the imperial court issues an order and North City still does not send troops, it would be tantamount to rebellion. Raising troops at this time would bring no benefits to North City, or to you.¡± General Mu could also see Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts. The Black Cavalry constituted the most important military force of North City. How could Lu Chen bear to send the Black Cavalry to the front lines to be consumed by the enemy? But if the imperial court issued an order and Lu Chen still refused to send troops, there would be no difference between that and rebellion. Once North City rebelled, it would become even more difficult for North City to develop in the future. Most of North City¡¯s resources were transported from other parts of Great Sum, even the grain consumed in the North Prince Mansion was bought from within Great Sum. To rebel at such a time would result in the cutting off of various resource transfer channels, which would be extremely detrimental to the development of North City. At this point, General Mu said, ¡°Prince, in my opinion, if the imperial court truly issues a military command, you do not have to send all fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry over. Just send a portion of the soldiers, and then claim that most of the Heavy Cavalry were annihilated by the enemy on their way to the frontlines, leaving only those soldiers.¡± ¡°This approach would comply with the imperial court¡¯s military command without being considered a rebellion, and you would also avoid losing too many Black Cavalry.¡± Upon hearing General Mu¡¯s suggestion, everyone else in the study thought it was a feasible plan. In any case, it was an absolute must not to rebel at this time. Rebelling now would be tantamount to seeking one¡¯s own doom. Although North City possessed fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, having them did not make one invincible. Speaking realistically, the materials for producing gunpowder and cannons were all transported from other parts of Great Sum; if you rebelled now, even the production of gunpowder would become problematic. After reflecting for a moment, Lu Chen then turned his gaze to Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, dispatch the Red Ribbon Messenger immediately to seek aid from the imperial court.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone in the study was taken aback. Seek aid? What aid do they seek? Isn¡¯t the court requiring them to send troops? Why, at this time, is the North Prince sending a Red Ribbon Messenger to the Capital instead? What is the situation here? Even Qin Yushan was stunned in place at this moment. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Just say that the North Fre King¡¯s vast army is pressing on the border, and the last time we dealt with the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe severely depleted North City¡¯s forces, leaving North City unable to engage in battle. We hope the court can send more troops this time to assist North City in repelling the North Fre King¡¯s invasion from the south.¡± Ah, this¡­ Everyone quickly realized what was happening. The serious expression on Mu Changtian¡¯s face immediately dissipated, and then he said, ¡°Brilliant¡­ truly brilliant! The Prince¡¯s tactic is pure genius!!!¡± ¡°This way, all of our troops in North City are dealing with the North Fre King and simply have no strength left to support the court¡¯s forces. At this time, the court cannot fault us for anything, the Prince¡¯s move is simply indescribable genius!!!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, stop wasting time, send the Red Ribbon Messenger to the Capital at once, preferably before the court¡¯s military order reaches Yan County.¡± ¡°Additionally, I have already moved north to resist the Barbarian Tribes¡¯ invasion from the south. If anyone comes looking for me, they should be told that I am not here.¡± Everyone instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention: if the court¡¯s envoy did indeed arrive and could not find Lu Chen, they would have no way to deliver the military order into his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it there for today; you may all leave now. Remember my words, 1 am no longer in the North Prince Mansion from this point on,¡± he said. The group then bowed and said, ¡°Your subjects shall take their leave.¡± Following that, Qin Yushan indeed sent out the Red Ribbon Messenger. In order to make the situation appear more urgent, Lu Chen this time personally wrote a battle report. In the report, he cried and wailed, ¡°tears streaming down,¡± hoping the court would send troops to support North City. Meanwhile. In a private room of a tavern in the Mysterious Moon Palace. Chen Wanrong sat in a chair, her cold and stunningly beautiful face becoming a bit more serious as she looked at the newly received intelligence. Calculating the time, she and Lin Wanyun had been in North City for several months now, with Lin Wanyun even becoming the Deputy Commander of the inner guard at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Yet, they still had no way to get close to Lu Chen. Lu Chen¡¯s daily life was too routine: eating, sleeping, dealing with political affairs in the study, and then creating offspring with his women in his room. Although Lu Chen seemed to have accepted the Mysterious Moon Palace, the Palace was unable to assist him in any matter. It appeared that the North Prince Mansion didn¡¯t need any help from the Mysterious Moon Palace at all, leaving Chen Wanrong without a single opportunity to use the Love Worm on Lu Chen. At that moment, Lin Wanyun, dressed in a light blue long gown, entered the room with smooth steps. Chen Wanrong spoke softly, ¡°Madam Lin, Great Sum and Great Wu have gone to war.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun was slightly startled. This surely was an excellent opportunity for Chen Wanrong; as long as Great Sum¡¯s military power was greatly weakened, they could directly act against the Sum Emperor. Even the restoration of Chen Wanrong¡¯s country was not a problem.. Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Chapter 156: Chen Wanrongs Problem 1 Chapter 192: Chapter 156: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Problem 1 Translator: 549690339 | Since the day Chen Wanrong joined the Mysterious Moon Palace, she had been thinking about restoring her nation, but with Great Sum¡¯s powerful military, a short-term restoration was simply impossible. However, the opportunity had now arrived. As long as the war between Great Sum and Great Wu dragged on for a few more years, once Great Sum¡¯s national strength was almost depleted, if they could rally the former forces of Chen Nation, the restoration would have a significant chance of success. Lin Wanyun naturally saw through Chen Wanrong¡¯s intentions, but she still reminded her, ¡°Palace Master, the elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace have sent people to remind us several times to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace. If we do not go back soon, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Although Chen Wanrong was the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, the Palace wasn¡¯t solely under her control; the real power lay in the hands of those elders behind the scenes. The reason Chen Wanrong had become the Palace Master was due to her extremely high martial arts talent, but this did not mean she could act as she pleased. Lin Wanyun mentioned the elders directly, mainly to remind Chen Wanrong that if she wanted to restore the nation, there was a great possibility the elders would object. As the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, running off to restore a nation, especially using the power of the Mysterious Moon Palace, was something those elders could hardly accept. Moreover, the Mysterious Moon Palace rarely interfered with the matters of great dynasties and did not want to get involved with their complicated affairs. Very few in the Mysterious Moon Palace knew the purpose of Chen Wanrong¡¯s descent from the mountain. Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s reminder, Chen Wanrong spoke indifferently, ¡°I will take the time to place the Love Worm on North Prince. After the Love Worm is planted, I will return to the Mysterious Moon Palace and then descend the mountain again.¡± As long as she could plant the Love Worm on Lu Chen, he would be under her control from then on, and there would be no need for her to stay in North City. The only reason she remained in North City was that she had not found an opportunity to use the Love Worm on Lu Chen. After all, Lu Chen had too many women, and all of them were of stunning beauty. It was normal for him to show no interest in her, given his harem full of exquisite women. She needed to be more proactive. However, she had never pursued a man before and did not know how to make a man fall for her. Everywhere she went, the men captivated by her beauty would fall in love with her without her having to deliberately seduce anyone. Chen Wanrong was convinced that Lu Chen did have feelings for her; it was just that he was very good at restraining his desires. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t that he restrained his desires, but that he could release them at any time without any buildup in his heart. Therefore, he had no need to pursue her, a woman who obviously had designs on him. Thinking this, Chen Wanrong looked at Lin Wanyun and then asked, ¡°Madam Lin, do you know how to make a man fall for you?¡± Hearing this question from Chen Wanrong, Lin Wanyun was suddenly dumbstruck. To make a man fall for oneself? She was already in her thirties and had never had an intimate or ambiguous relationship with any man. How could she possibly know how to make a man like her? Nevertheless, Lin Wanyun had guessed why Chen Wanrong would ask such a question. She then said, ¡°Palace Master, I believe that with your beauty, even if you do nothing, North Prince will be moved by you.¡± Chen Wanrong said softly, ¡°I need to make him fall for me as quickly as possible.¡± This¡­ Lin Wanyun then said, ¡°Palace Master, I don¡¯t know much about men.¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong said no more. She also realized that Lin Wanyun had never actively seduced another man. Like her, Lin Wanyun was completely inexperienced in this regard, so even asking her was useless. Just as Chen Wanrong was contemplating how to make Lu Chen fall for her, a disciple of the Mysterious Moon Palace knocked on the door saying, ¡°Palace Master, there is new movement at the North Prince Mansion.¡± Chen Wanrong said coldly, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, a disciple of the Mysterious Moon Palace entered the private room. Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The disciple hurriedly reported, ¡°North Prince went to North Land, saying that he is there to resist the southward advance of the North Fre King, and he has also dispatched a Red Ribbon Messenger to seek aid from the Imperial Court. It seems another war is about to break out in North City soon.¡± Upon hearing this first report, both Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were momentarily startled. Chen Wanrong had just been pondering how to seduce Lu Chen, but in the next moment, he had run off to North Land. Wouldn¡¯t this mean that a lot of time would be wasted? Or should she also follow him to North Land? If that were the case, her intentions would be too apparent, and Lu Chen would surely become even more cautious of her. The biggest issue in getting Lu Chen to develop feelings for her now was his strong vigilance; he constantly guarded himself against her, which prevented her from finding a way into his heart. If she did anything unnecessary, it would just make Lu Chen even more wary of her. So she definitely couldn¡¯t follow him to North Land. However¡­ She feared that she would have to wait a long time in North City before she could use the Love Worm on Lu Chen. She could wait, but having been away from Mysterious Moon Palace for so long, the Elders there would surely be even more dissatisfied with her. With this in mind, Chen Wanrong eventually came up with a plan. ¡°Madam Lin, you continue to stay in North City. I will return to Mysterious Moon Palace for a while.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s decision, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Mhm, alright.¡± Lin Wanyun agreed with Chen Wanrong¡¯s decision to return to Mysterious Moon Palace first; after all, they had been out for several months and had made no progress whatsoever. Initially, they had misjudged Lu Chen¡¯s character, thinking that as long as they got close to Lu Chen, he would fall for Chen Wanrong. But they hadn¡¯t foreseen that although Lu Chen was fond of beauty, he was a man who was very cautious and careful; they had wasted so much time in North City for nothing. In the end, Chen Wanrong, along with some disciples from Mysterious Moon Palace, headed straight back to the Palace, leaving Lin Wanyun to continue serving as Guard Commander in Lu Chen¡¯s inner court. A few days later. In Great Sum, Capital City. On the way to Xuanzheng Hall, the ministers whispered among themselves, discussing the matter of the war with Great Wu. At that moment, Assistant Minister Wang Chengshuo of the Ministry of War and a group of people from the Eighth Prince Faction approached Prince Lu Shuyun, discussing something in hushed tones. An official whispered, ¡°The battlefront is tense, and it¡¯s about time His Majesty¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry were deployed.¡± Another official said, ¡°Now that Great Wu has declared war on Great Sum and other dynasties are eyeing Great Sum with predatory intent, if we do not strike a resounding victory now to intimidate our enemies, our future plight will likely be even worse.¡± Then Assistant Minister Wang Chengshuo of the Ministry of War spoke up, ¡°I will suggest to His Majesty that we directly deploy the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry from North City to the front line to alleviate the pressure on the Imperial Army.¡± Hearing the topics of discussion among the officials, Lu Shuyun could not help but slightly curl his lips upward, thinking that this war could not have come at a more opportune time. He had been discussing with the Wang Family how to dissolve these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry for some time but hadn¡¯t found the opportunity; unexpectedly, the chance had now presented itself so swiftly. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: Chapter 158 Where are there Barbarian Tribes moving south in winter_1 Chapter 194: Chapter 158 Where are there Barbarian Tribes moving south in winter_1 Translator. 549690339 | Hearing the words ¡°urgent report from the North Land¡± outside Xuanzheng Hall, everyone inside the grand hall was momentarily stunned. Especially the officials from the Southern aristocratic families who were aligned with Prince Lu Shuyun; their hearts skipped a beat, and they immediately had a bad feeling. An urgent report from the North Land? What could possibly happen in the North Land at this time? Not long ago, the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of 300,000 had just suffered a setback in Yan County, and there were rumors that the North Prince had already disbanded the entire Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe. The greatest threat from the North Land was already gone; how could there still be urgent reports from there? Could it be¡­ Has the North Prince rebelled??? Just as people were puzzled about what could have happened in the North Land, a Red Ribbon Messenger entered the grand hall and spoke aloud, ¡°The North Fre King is marching south with nearly two hundred thousand troops, North City is in imminent danger!!!¡± Upon hearing the words of the Red Ribbon Messenger, everyone in the grand hall was taken aback, even the Sum Emperor was momentarily startled. Isn¡¯t this too much of a coincidence? The court had just decided to dispatch the North Prince¡¯s 50,000 heavy cavalry to the front lines, and suddenly trouble erupted in the north. Just when the Sky Wolf King¡¯s 300,000-strong army had suffered a setback in North City, the North Fre King actually dared to lead an attack on North City? Is the North Fre King¡¯s head that hard? Doesn¡¯t he know about the 50,000 heavy cavalry in North City? Or does he simply not fear these 50,000 heavy cavalry? The eunuch below the Dragon Throne came to his senses, hurriedly took the battle report from the Red Ribbon Messenger, then approached Sum Emperor and handed over the report. Sum Emperor directly opened the battle report and read through the written military situation with a serious expression. At this time, all the ministers in the grand hall were watching Sum Emperor, eager to know what exactly was written in the report. After reading the entire battle report, Sum Emperor let out a cold huff and said, ¡°To come raiding again and again, they are truly too outrageous. With that, Sum Emperor scanned the ministers and then spoke, ¡°North Prince has requested reinforcements in the battle report, saying that after the battle at Yan County, North City has suffered heavy losses and is unable to contend with the North Fre King¡¯s army of two hundred thousand. He hopes the court can send a large army to help North City withstand the invasion of the Barbarian Tribe. My dear ministers, what are your opinions? This¡­ The ministers in the grand hall looked at each other, uncertain. They had just been considering sending the North Prince¡¯s 50,000 heavy cavalry to the front lines to fight against Great Wu, and now the North Prince was seeking aid from the court instead. Something didn¡¯t seem right. It¡¯s unheard of for the Barbarian Tribe to head south in winter. Their southern invasions are typically raids for food to last the winter and to capture some women, mostly taking place in autumn or at most just before winter sets in. Now that the North Land is covered in ice and snow, heading south at this time would just bring trouble upon themselves, wouldn¡¯t it? Has the North Fre King grown old and lost his wits? Or is there some other special reason behind this? Could it be that North Prince knew the court was planning to send the North City heavy cavalry to battle Great Wu, so he conspired with the North Fre King, creating this illusion of the North Fre King¡¯s southern raid? But the imperial court has just decided to dispatch North Prince to the front lines! Even the Sum Emperor¡¯s imperial decree has not been drafted yet; how did North Prince know in advance that the court would send him to fight against Great Wu? After a while, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War Wang Chengshuo stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I have never heard of the Barbarian Tribe invading the South in winter. Could there be a problem with the North Prince¡¯s intelligence?¡± Throughout the history of Great Sum, the Barbarian Tribe had invaded the South in spring, plundered in summer, and also in autumn, but they had never done so in the deep winter. This makes it hard to believe that this war report is true. The key issue is that not long ago, the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe was defeated by North Prince in North City, and nearly two hundred thousand Barbarians were killed; isn¡¯t North Fre King the least bit afraid they¡¯ll meet the same fate in North City? Moreover, this time North Fre King only has two hundred thousand men, even ten thousand fewer than what Sky Wolf King had when he attacked North City. If Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand men were defeated, how dare North Fre King, with only two hundred thousand men, attack North City in winter? Who gave North Fre King such courage? Hearing Wang Chengshuo¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor said with a poker-face, ¡°It is the duty of the Shadow Guards to verify the authenticity of the battle reports. What you need to discuss now is whether or not to send troops north to aid North Prince in resisting North Fre King¡¯s army.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Minister Chu Qinwu immediately retorted, ¡°Your Majesty, the frontline battle is pressing, and the court is already stretched thin with no troops to spare; if we send troops north now, we are likely to be unable to resist Great Wu¡¯s assault.¡± ¡°I believe that North City has fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, and North Prince is brave and good at fighting. Last time, when Sky Wolf King led an army of three hundred thousand down south, North Prince was able to achieve a glorious victory. This time facing North Fre King¡¯s army of two hundred thousand, there should not be too big of a problem.¡± Just after Chu Qinwu finished speaking, and before the Sum Emperor could say anything, the long-silent Left Minister Lin Gaoyuan finally stood up to speak. ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that the last time North City resisted Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand strong army, it already caused heavy losses to our forces, and the victory at Wanning Valley was solely due to North Prince¡¯s advantage of terrain.¡± ¡°The Barbarian Tribe has been fooled once; they may not make the same mistake again. Therefore, I believe we should send some soldiers north to join North Prince in resisting the Barbarians. Even if we decide not to send troops, we should at least send some supplies to North Prince.¡± ¡°If North City falls, Great Sum will be sandwiched between the attacks of both Great Wu and the Barbarian Tribe, and our situation will become even more perilous.¡± Hearing this, Minister Chu Qinwu was about to argue, but Right Minister Zhao Wenhan stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I agree with Prime Minister Lin¡¯s view. North City is mountainous, an excellent position to hold against the Barbarian Tribe. If North City falls, the entirety of Great Sum will be at the mercy of the Barbarian blade.¡± This¡­ Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, the officials from Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s faction were dumbfounded. Wasn¡¯t this old Zhao part of their camp? How come he¡¯s speaking in favor of North Prince now? They were actually hoping North Prince¡¯s Heavy Cavalry would be wiped out by North Fre King. Wiry dispatch troops to the north at such a time? At that moment, Zhao Wenhan continued, ¡°However, I believe that rather than focusing on North City, we should pay more attention to the warfare with Great Wu. Dividing our forces is extremely disadvantageous for the court, so I suggest sending only thirty thousand soldiers, along with some supplies northward. North City has the advantage of terrain, coupled with the bravery and skill of North Prince in battle; if it¡¯s just about holding North City, there shouldn¡¯t be too much of an issue.¡± After pondering for a while, the Sum Emperor then said, ¡°Ministers Wang, Minister Chu, Prime Minister Lin, and Prime Minister Zhao, stay behind. The rest are dismissed from the court.¡± As the words fell, the Sum Emperor rose from the Dragon Throne, then swished his robes and departed directly. Seeing the Sum Emperor leave, the hall of Xuanzheng immediately burst into discussions. There were still those who doubted the authenticity of the battle report from North City; North Fre King had not joined Sky Wolf King in the previous invasion of the South, only lending some troops to the Sky Wolf King, so how could he possibly lead a raid to the South on his own now? Especially in the dead of winter. Even more so, the timing of this event was too coincidental; the court was originally planning to send North Prince to the front lines to fight against Great Wu, and nowwith North Fre King¡¯s move, North Prince no longer needed to battle Great Wu. This coincidence inevitably raised suspicions that North Fre King s move southward was no mere chance. At this time, Chu Qinwu looked at Zhao Wenhan and asked, ¡°Minister Zhao, why did you still advise His Majesty to dispatch troops northward?¡± Hearing this question, the eyes of several ministers turned on Zhao Wenhan, who gave a cold laugh and said, ¡°North City is the gateway of Great Sum; without it, the entire realm will face the threat of the Barbarian cavalry. Even if I didn¡¯t advise His Majesty to dispatch troops, wouldn¡¯t His Majesty still send them north?¡± This¡­ Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Chapter 159 Lin Gaoyuans Little Scheme 1 Chapter 195: Chapter 159 Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s Little Scheme 1 Translator: 549690339 | Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, the crowd pondered and felt there was some truth to them. North City is indeed important for Great Sum, so the Sum Emperor couldn¡¯t possibly stand idly by as it fell; hence, the dispatch of troops northward was inevitable. Didn¡¯t the Sum Emperor send an army of seventy thousand north last time? At this moment, Zhao Wenhan glanced at Chu Qinwu and Wang Hai, then said indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s go, His Majesty is awaiting our discussion regarding important matters.¡± As his voice faded, Zhao Wenhan walked toward the side hall, with Chu Qinwu and Wang Hai exchanging a look before hurriedly following. At this time, Wang Chengshuo approached Lu Shuyun and, seeing Lu Shuyun squinting at Zhao Wenhan¡¯s retreating figure, Wang Chengshuo whispered, ¡°Your Highness, I think Prime Minister Zhao¡¯s approach is correct. Since we cannot prevent His Majesty from dispatching troops to the north, why not take the initiative to offer support for North City? By doing so, the number of troops sent north becomes a matter for the Ministry of War to discuss.¡± After hearing Wang Chengshuo¡¯s analysis, Lu Shuyun contemplated for a moment and found some merit in the idea. It seems Elder Jiang is indeed astute. If it were him, he would surely find a way to stop my father, the emperor, from sending troops to the north. With fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in North City, why send more troops there? They would rather see those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry dissolved; that kind of thinking reveals their impatience for quick success, which leads to inconsiderate decision making. Lu Shuyun felt somewhat relieved that the old fox Zhao Wenhan was on his side. Now, all that was left was to wait for the outcome of their discussions. About two hours later, Lin Gaoyuan was the first to exit the Sum Emperor¡¯s study. Today, he seemed much calmer, not as frustrated as he was last time over the matter of dispatching troops to the north. Lin Gaoyuan quickly returned home. Coincidentally, Lin Xiuming was also at home at that time. Upon seeing Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s return, Lin Xiuming proactively asked, ¡°Father, when can I go to the front lines?¡± Lin Xiuming¡¯s army of seventy thousand had only recently returned from North City, so when the conflict between Great Sum and Great Wu erupted, Lin Xiuming and those seventy thousand soldiers were repairing in the Royal Capital and had not been sent to fight Great Wu on the front lines. This made Lin Xiuming grow increasingly anxious. After all, which man doesn¡¯t wish to achieve great deeds and carve out a legacy, especially in a state war unlike the skirmishes in North City? The scale of this war was immense; Great Wu had already assembled an army close to eight hundred thousand strong, while Great Sum had sent over four hundred thousand. If Lin Xiuming could distinguish himself in this great battle, his prestige in the army would grow tremendously, and his status would be significantly elevated. Hence, Lin Xiuming eagerly hoped that the court would deploy him to the front lines as well. Upon hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s question, Lin Gaoyuan revealed a slight smile and then stroked his beard. ¡°You¡¯ll be going to the front line soon.¡± At this revelation, Lin Xiuming was stunned for a moment and then overjoyed, ¡°Really? How many soldiers is His Majesty planning to give me?¡± Lin Gaoyuan responded, ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too early. His Majesty is only planning to allocate twenty thousand soldiers to you, and your main task won¡¯t be fighting, but transporting supplies.¡± Lin Xiuming was dumbfounded. He, a General, not leading troops in combat but managing logistics instead? Seeing Lin Xiuming¡¯s astonishment, Lin Gaoyuan continued, ¡°Additionally, the front line I¡¯m talking about is not the conflict in the west but in the north.¡± ¡°The north¡­ North?¡± Lin Xiuming was full of confusion. Hadn¡¯t the northern conflict already ended? The Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe was dismantled by the North Prince, and he had only recently returned from North City. Why was there conflict in the north again? Who would dare provoke the North Prince, who commanded fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, at this time? Lin Gaoyuan went on, ¡°We just received the battle report during the court session. The North Ere King is leading an army of two hundred thousand southward. The North Prince has sent a Red Ribbon Messenger seeking Imperial support. Zhao Wenhan and the others believe the confrontation with Great Wu is of greater importance, so they plan to dispatch you to North City to transport some supplies and incidentally assist the North Prince in repelling the North Ere King¡¯s southern advance.¡± After hearing his father¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming was somewhat bewildered. So soon after returning from North City, I have to go there again? What¡¯s he going to North City for, to help the North Prince clean up the battlefield and carry bodies? Reliant on the soldiers from North City, the North Prince was able to defeat the grand army of three hundred thousand led by the Sky Wolf King; there¡¯s no need for the imperial court to send troops northward. Seeing Lin Xiuming seemed somewhat reluctant, Lin Gaoyuan directly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, you don¡¯t want to go?¡± Lin Xiuming came back to his senses, ¡°Dad, with those fifty thousand heavy cavalry in North City, there¡¯s surely no need for the imperial court to send additional troops, right?¡± Lin Gaoyuan said, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re being sent north to hold off the twenty thousand strong army of the North Ere King? The court is sending you there merely to stabilize the North Prince¡¯s position. After all, the North Prince has sent a Red Ribbon Messenger for aid. Who doesn¡¯t know of the North Prince¡¯s extraordinary strategies, suffice to say he doesn¡¯t need the help of the court. Your twenty thousand soldiers and the peasant soldiers of the transportation team are no different.¡± Lin Xiuming spoke unhappily, ¡°Then it¡¯s all the same no matter who is sent. Why must it be me? I still want to go to war with the Great Wu dynasty and earn more military exploits.¡± Lin Gaoyuan chuckled, then said, ¡°How old are you this year, why are you in such a hurry to earn military exploits? Look at Zhou Wangtian and Mu Changtian, did either of them end up with a good fate?¡± Hearing Lin Gaoyuan say this, Lin Xiuming was stunned for a moment, then realized indeed, having too many military exploits was not necessarily a good thing. Lin Gaoyuan stroked his beard and then said, ¡°Now, ministers of the court along with those aristocratic families generally believe those fifty thousand heavy cavalry are the Emperor¡¯s private troops, but based on the information you brought back from North City, to my understanding, the fact that the State Preceptor personally made a trip to North City and asked you so many questions means the Emperor doesn¡¯t really understand North City.¡± ¡°These fifty thousand heavy cavalry likely only obey the North Prince¡¯s commands. The North Prince is not a simple character, it wouldn¡¯t harm you to make more contact with him.¡± When Lin Xiuming heard this, he felt a sudden jolt in his heart. His father was extremely cautious about the issue of succession, treating every Prince who came to see him with the same attitude, that was to decisively not stand with anyone, adopting an attitude of staying well clear of the affair. But today, his father actually suggested he make more contact with the North Prince. Could this mean his father saw favorably the North Prince and that he was his father¡¯s choice for Crown Prince? Seeing Lin Xiuming looking at him with a surprised expression, Lin Gaoyuan said, ¡°What¡¯s with that look? Is there something on my face?¡± Lin Xiuming regained his composure, then said, ¡°Dad, do you really think the North Prince might eventually¡­¡± Lin Xiuming did not continue, as such matters were not convenient to discuss openly. Lin Gaoyuan said, ¡°Who can tell for certain? By the way, didn¡¯t you mention you saw Yun last time you were in North City?¡± Having stayed in North City for quite a while, Lin Xiuming naturally heard about the Mysterious Moon Palace opening an inn there; he had even met and spoken with Lin Wanyun. Lin Xiuming said, ¡°Yes, I heard she seems to have been staying in the North Prince Mansion.¡± Lin Gaoyuan pondered for a moment and then, with a smile on his face, said, ¡°Although I have no idea what the Mysterious Moon Palace hopes to gain from the North Prince, if your sister could become the North Prince¡¯s woman, it would be more than good for you.¡± Um¡­ that¡­ Lin Xiuming reminded, ¡°Dad, if I¡¯m not mistaken, Yun is already in her thirties this year. Some people her age have children almost as old as the North Prince¡­¡± Although he did not spell it out, what Lin Xiuming meant was clear: Lin Wanyun was old enough to be the North Prince¡¯s mother. Lin Gaoyuan glanced at Lin Xiuming, then said, ¡°What do you know, the North Prince lost his mother at a young age. People like him prefer mature women who are older than them. Look at Chu Yuqin, isn¡¯t the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife also of a significant age?¡± ¡°Enough talk, get ready quickly.¡± ¡°The supplies for the campaign have been prepared by the Ministry of Household; you¡¯ll be heading north in no more than five days.¡± Lin Xiuming sighed and said no more. Chapter 196 - Chapter 196: Chapter 160: The First Batch of Gunpowder Weapons_1 Chapter 196: Chapter 160: The First Batch of Gunpowder Weapons_1 Translator: 549690339 Half a month had flown by in the blink of an eye. North City. Tianguang City. Lu Chen, clad in brown armor, stood atop the city wall, gazing into the distance at the snowflakes swirling in the sky. Scouts from the North Land had already returned in considerable numbers, many of whom were soldiers of the Barbarian Tribe. It must be said that the barbarians had a significant advantage on the plains, especially in the area of scouting enemy movements. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian leaped from below the city tower and landed beside Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, judging by the rate at which the tribes of the North Land plains are gathering, it will probably take another month before they can head south.¡± ¡°Moreover, 1 have estimated that the North Fre King¡¯s call to arms will not rally more than one hundred and fifty thousand barbarian soldiers. Hearing this, Lu Chen pondered for a long while. One hundred and fifty thousand barbarian soldiers, daring to march south in the winter to attack North City? What on earth was the North Fre King thinking? At this time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Have our spies found out why the North tre King is choosing to march south in winter?¡± Upon hearing this question, Xiao Pengthian immediately replied, ¡°Back to you, Prince, indeed some soldiers have heard the reason for the North Fre King¡¯s march in some small tribes. However, they only heard it in small tribes, and 1 cannot vouch for its authenticity.1¡® The scouts they had sent out included many soldiers from the former Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe of the Barbarian Tribe. Aside from being familiar with the steppes, they had a significant advantage: they could communicate with other barbarian tribes, gathering more information about the various tribes on the plains. After hearing what Xiao Pengthian had said, Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°I will be the judge of its truth, you just tell me what you found out.¡± Xiao Pengthian immediately spoke, ¡°According to the soldiers who returned, the North Fre King is descending in winter because he believes you stole his queen-to-be. He cannot swallow that slight.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. If he had not defeated the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of three hundred thousand, Xiao Wenyao would indeed have been married off to the North Fre King. However, to wage war on North City over a woman, Lu Chen still found it somewhat far-fetched. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Is there no other reason? Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°There is another reason, and that is the North Fre King believes that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe¡¯s army of three hundred thousand severely weakened North City, and that North City is now powerless to defend against their march south.¡± As he spoke these words, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s emotions became complicated; he had once participated in the battle against North City, only to be captured by a General under the North Prince. Then, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°That¡¯s probably the real reason the North Fre King has in mind, no wonder they are marching south in winter. At first, Lu Chen could not fathom why the North Fre King would decide to march in winter¡ªas the barbarians had never done so before. Even the Sky Wolf King s tribe had never braved a blizzard to march across the steppe before; the decision of the North Fre King was indeed bold. If they were to march in winter, it was quite possible that many of the barbarian soldiers would die before even reaching North City, which would be extremely disadvantageous to the barbarian tribes. Just as Lu Chen was about to speak, a man dressed in a black and red Brocade Guard uniform approached him. ¡°1 greet you, Prince!¡± Seeing this Jinyiwei, the expression on Xiao Pengthian¡¯s face darkened instantly, and he even felt the urge to draw his sword. The Jinyiwei Guard standing before him was none other than Wu Yuan, the merchant who had been undercover in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe. Now that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had all relocated to North City, there would be no more Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe from now on. Due to his contribution in gathering information about the barbarians, and with the Brocade Guard recently expanding its recruitment, Wu Yuan had been promoted to the rank of a Jinyiwei Commander. Although Xiao Pengthian had already submitted to Lu Chen, and he and Wu Yuan were both Lu Chen¡¯s subordinates, Xiao Pengthian could not help but feel a surge of emotion whenever he thought of past events, an impulse to cut down Wu Yuan on the spot. Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°Prince, the craftsmen have made the first batch of what you need, and we have secretly transported it to North City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. It hadn¡¯t been long since the craftsmen from Great Yu City arrived at North City, and yet they had already produced the items he needed. Lu Chen immediately asked further, ¡°Have the Brocade Guards tested their power?¡± Wu Yuan answered, ¡°Yes, they have been tested. The power is not as great as that of the grenade cannons, but it is not far off. And according to your suggestion, we added a lot of metal fragments inside, the lethal effect will be much better.¡± Hearing the words ¡°grenade cannons,¡± Xiao Pengthian stiffened beside them. He had joined North City for a while now; how could he not know what ¡°grenade cannons¡± were? Although he still didn¡¯t have the clearance to access the grenade cannons, he knew the name of the terrifying weapon that had bombarded them before. Upon hearing that the North Prince had actually created weapons comparable to the grenade cannons in power, Xiao Pengthian felt a chill run down his spine. Was it indeed the end of the era belonging to martial artists? He also wondered where the North Prince had acquired such devastating weapons! If the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had known that North City possessed such weapons, they wouldn¡¯t have come to attack North City and would not have been annexed by it. But those matters were no longer of importance, Xiao Pengthian thought to himself with only a sense of reflection. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°General Xiao, come with me to see our new weapons.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen leaped down from the city wall. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Wu Yuan. Seeing Xiao Pengthian staring at him with eyes that seemed to wish they could flay him alive, Wu Yuan said with a smile, ¡°General Xiao, we¡¯re now on the same side. There¡¯s no need for you to look at me with such hatred, right? Xiao Pengthian snorted and said, ¡°Lackey!¡± As his words fell, Xiao Pengthian also jumped down from the city wall and followed Lu Chen to see the new weapons. Wu Yuan shrugged his shoulders, utterly unconcerned. The Brocade Guards were indeed the North Prince¡¯s lackeys, Xiao Pengthian wasn¡¯t wrong in saying that, and Wu Yuan didn¡¯t feel insulted by it at all. In the eyes of the Brocade Guards, being called a lackey of the North Prince was more of a compliment than an insult. Soon, Lu Chen and his companions approached the convoy transporting the military equipment. Lu Chen immediately ordered the chests to be opened, inspecting the gunpowder weapons brought by the Jinyiwei Guards. Since these were the first batch of gunpowder weapons crafted by the artisans, they appeared somewhat crude; basically, an iron ball wrapped around gunpowder accounted for a bomb. There were also no cannons yet; the launching could only be done using catapults. To create cannons, further development of materials was needed, something that couldn¡¯t be rushed, and Lu Chen was aware of this. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Take two to the grasslands, 1 want to test the effects myself.¡± It so happened that Tianguang City was now only a military fortress, devoid of civilians, with only stationed soldiers throughout the city. And outside Tianguang City was a vast expanse of grasslands, making it the perfect place to test out these gunpowder weapons. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s command, some Jinyiwei Guards immediately moved a bomb onto a wooden cart and started pulling it towards the grasslands. Seeing those round iron balls, Xiao Pengthian was somewhat baffled. Were these iron balls the ones that defeated the thirty thousand-strong army of the Barbarian Tribe at Wanning Valley? Isn¡¯t this just an iron ball? Why does it have such devastating power? Could it be that this iron ball contained the life¡¯s skill of a Grandmaster? Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 161 Thunderous 1 Chapter 197: Chapter 161 Thunderous 1 Translator: 549690339 The Brocade Guard transported a box of bombs to the grassland, and quickly brought in some cattle and sheep, wrapped in armor, to use them as experimental subjects. At this time, Lu Chen took out a bomb made of a two to three kilogram iron ball from the box, and glanced at the ignition fuse on it¡¯s tail. The current bombs did not have detonators, and needed to be ignited by hand. These bombs were very susceptible to moisture and would likely be unusable once dampened. However, these were the first batch of bombs, so they would make do for now. He believed that in the future, it would be possible to manufacture bombs with detonators. At that moment, Wu Yuan reminded him, ¡°Prince, the craftsmen said this is the simplest type of bomb made from gunpowder, the power might not meet your expectations.¡± The blueprints that the system provided Lu Chen weren¡¯t just one but a whole stack, and there were also more than ten types of gunpowder. Among these types of gunpowder, several were unattainable with the current conditions. The craftsmen from Great Yu City, although more inventive than those from Great Sum, still lacked modern chemical knowledge. There were things that they simply could not understand, they couldn¡¯t decipher the blueprints right away even if they had them. Hearing Wu Yuan mention the simplest gunpowder, Lu Chen immediately guessed that these bombs were probably filled with black gunpowder. If it were black gunpowder, so be it; it wasn¡¯t as if it couldn¡¯t be used. Lu Chen said at this point, ¡°It¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll make do.¡± At this time, Wu Yuan immediately took out a tinderbox and handed it to Lu Chen. Without any hesitation, Lu Chen ignited the fuse of the bomb and threw the bomb into the distance where a war simulation scenario had been set up. After all, the bomb had a fuse and did not explode immediately. Instead, after a while, it exploded with a loud ¡°booming¡± sound. Hearing this deafening noise and seeing the cattle and sheep drenched in blood at a distance, Xiao Pengthian shivered, his mind suddenly filled with the scene from Wanning Valley where the limbs of the Barbarian Tribe soldiers were blown to pieces by grenades. After the explosion, a large amount of white smoke was produced. Seeing so much white smoke, Lu Chen knew the power was probably not great. He immediately went to inspect the scene. Everyone quickly followed suit. When they got to the corpses of the cattle and sheep, Lu Chen found that the shrapnel from the recent explosion had pierced straight through the armor. However, there wasn¡¯t a large pit on the ground. With the same weight in grenades, one could definitely leave a big pit. The three-kilogram bomb he recognized just created a small dirt pit, and the area affected wasn¡¯t very big. Of course, they weren¡¯t using this weapon to create pits; as long as the shrapnel inside could effectively kill the enemy after the explosion, there was no problem. As for the size of the blast pit, that was not a concern. Thinking of this, Lu Chen said, ¡°Well, the power is good. When the North Pre King¡¯s army arrives, we¡¯ll properly test the power of this first batch of bombs.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Pengthian couldn¡¯t help but feel some sympathy for the North Pre King. Whom else to provoke but the North Prince? It was inviting death. Particularly since their Sky Wolf King Tribe had recently suffered a defeat in North City, yet the North Fre King still didn¡¯t learn the lesson and even advanced south to attack North City during winter. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian felt as if he could already see the inevitable end of the North Fre King. He couldn¡¯t help but feel sentimental; it seemed another great tribe of the grasslands was about to disappear, and afterwards, North Land would likely belong entirely to the North Prince. At that moment, a Jinyiwei Guard came before Lu Chen, handing him a bamboo tube for passing messages, ¡°Prince, intelligence from the Capital city.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately took the bamboo tube from the hand of the Jinyiwei Guard, then took out the intelligence and read it carefully. After reading the intelligence from the Capital city, Lu Chen chuckled, relieved that their response was quick. Those Aristocratic Families really did intend to dispatch him to the front lines to wage war against Great Wu, then wipe out all of North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry. If it hadn¡¯t been for the approach of the North Fre King from the south, he would indeed have found it difficult to find an excuse. At this time, the Jinyiwei Guard delivering the intelligence spoke up, ¡°Prince, the twenty thousand Imperial Army dispatched by the court has already reached North City, and is estimated to arrive at Tianguang City in less than ten days.¡± Lu Chen said in surprise, ¡°That fast?¡± The soldier answered, ¡°I set out with them from the Capital city, they only carried some supplies, and all these twenty thousand soldiers are cavalry.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen fell silent. It was evident that the court had not planned to send troops to help North City resist the North Fre King¡¯s attack; after all, he still controlled fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, so their reluctance to dispatch troops was to be expected. However, to be fair, the court sending some supplies was somewhat helpful. After all, North City was poor and lacking in everything; even a mosquito¡¯s worth of meat was still meat. Just then, Xiao Pengthian reminded from the side, ¡°Prince, if we let the Imperial Army come to Tianguang City, wouldn¡¯t that expose these weapons?¡± As Xiao Pengthian understood, it seemed that only the North Prince currently possessed such formidable weapons of mass destruction in the entirety of Great Sum. Clearly, the North Prince also had his own schemes and wouldn¡¯t hand over the weapons to the Great Sum court. Upon hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen pondered for a moment. The court¡¯s army was indeed a problem. The North Fre King¡¯s forces would take at least another month to reach North City, and if they encountered any dangers on the road, like severe blizzard conditions, the North Fre King¡¯s forces might even arrive later in North City. If the Imperial Army arrived at Tianguang City before the war, when the North City soldiers used these bombs against the North Fre King¡¯s army, wouldn¡¯t it expose North City¡¯s secret? Initially, Lu Chen had thought that the court would refuse to send troops to support North City on the grounds of the impending war with Great Wu, but he hadn¡¯t expected the court to still symbolically send twenty thousand cavalry. After some thought, Lu Chen said to the Jinyiwei Guard who delivered the message, ¡°Go to Yan County immediately, and tell Qin Yushan and Li Rui to find a way to keep the court¡¯s twenty thousand Imperial Army there. Let them stay on the second line of defense; there¡¯s no need for them to come to Tianguang City.¡± The one the court had dispatched this time was the son of the Left Minister, Lin Xiuming, a clever individual. Lin Xiuming had previously been to North¡¯ City and had behaved; he strictly controlled the seventy thousand soldiers of the court from wandering around aimlessly. It was apparent Lin Xiuming did not want to clash with him, the North Prince. Lu Chen believed that when Lin Xiuming heard his order to stay in Yan County, he would likely understand his motive and, not wishing to conflict with him, ¡¯ would probably obediently remain in Yan County. They didn¡¯t need the court¡¯s twenty thousand light cavalry for the war with the North Fre King. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the messenger replied at once, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± ¡°Alright, make haste and return to Yan County.¡± ¡°This subordinate takes his leave.¡± Having said this, the Jinyiwei Guard turned and quickly departed. Just as Lu Chen was about to turn and leave, Wu Yuan spoke up, ¡°Prince, these weapons still lack names. Why don¡¯t you give them one?¡± Considering Wu Yuan¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Our enemies often mistake us for calling down Heavenly Thunder, so from now on, these bombs will all be known as Thunderous.¡± ¡°That will be all for today¡¯s testing. Take these Thunderous to the arsenal, and make sure they¡¯re kept moisture-free.¡± Lu Chen was very pleased with the power of this batch of bombs. He felt that no further testing was needed; now, all that remained was to wait for the arrival of the Sky Wolf King. He was sure the Sky Wolf King would be moved to tears by the surprises he had prepared.. Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Chapter 162 Of course, we must obey the command of the North Prince 1 Chapter 198: Chapter 162 Of course, we must obey the command of the North Prince 1 Translator: 549690339 Lin Xiuming, leading twenty thousand cavalry, had reached Yan County in less than a month; unlike the last time, the speed of their march was evidently much faster. Once again at the southern gate of Yan County, Lin Xiuming¡¯s heart was filled with a myriad of emotions; the last time they had rushed to Yan County, they had even prepared for defeat. But upon entering the city, they realized that the North Prince had already dealt with the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s massive army of three hundred thousand, and the seventy thousand soldiers he had brought were merely porters. Looking at the opening of the southern gate of Yan County and the common folk bustling to and fro on the road, a soldier beside Lin Xiuming said, ¡°General, why do I feel like North City doesn¡¯t seem to have experienced a war at all?¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s remark, Lin Xiuming fell silent. When they had come to Yan County the last time, the city gates were closed tight, and on the road, it was hard to see even a mouse, let alone people. How could Yan County look so calm today? There was no serious atmosphere of war. Could it be that they had arrived late again and the war had already ended? Could his twenty thousand men have become a corpse removal squad? Just then, a stout man dressed in black and red clothes and a man in coarse blue clothes appeared at the city gate. At this moment, the man in black and red spoke, ¡°By the North Prince¡¯s command, this subordinate has been waiting for the General in Yan County for some time.¡± Upon hearing the man¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming immediately dismounted and approached Qin Yushan and Li Rui, whom he had met during his last visit to Yan County. Qin Yushan often conveyed messages for the North Prince, so Lin Xiuming was somewhat familiar with him and knew that Qin Yushan was a very important Grandmaster at the side of the North Prince. Lin Xiuming then politely said, ¡°Lord Li, Grandmaster Qin, wasn¡¯t it said that the North Fre King was leading an army of two hundred thousand south? Why does it seem like all of North City is tranquil, not at all like there had been any conflict?¡± Li Rui, wearing a full-faced smile, said, ¡°General Lin, the North Fre King did indeed intend to lead an army of two hundred thousand southward, but the Prince chose to set the battlefield at Tianguang City, which is why Yan County appears serene.¡± Lin Xiuming said, ¡°So that¡¯s the case, I thought the war had ended already.¡± ¡°By the way, I am here under the imperial court¡¯s orders with some provisions and supplies for the cold; this is the supply list for you to check.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve verified the supplies and there are no issues, I¡¯ll then lead the twenty thousand cavalry behind me straight to Tianguang City to assist the Prince in resisting the North Fre King¡¯s army.¡± Hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s words, Li Rui glanced at Qin Yushan beside him, clearly waiting for Qin Yushan to speak. Qin Yushan then said, ¡°General Lin, the Prince instructed me to tell you that the imperial court¡¯s twenty thousand troops should stay in Yan County, which is the second line of defense against the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s incursion southward; its importance is paramount. One needs courage, strength, strategy, and¡­¡± Before Qin Yushan could finish, Lin Xiuming quickly interjected, ¡°Stop, stop, stop, Grandmaster Qin, I understand the Prince¡¯s wish. Later, I¡¯ll lead the twenty thousand soldiers behind me to the same campsite we used during our last stay in Yan County.¡± Seeing how understanding Lin Xiuming was, Qin Yushan did not say much more; at this point, Li Rui, with a smiling face, said, ¡°General Lin, if there¡¯s anything you need, you can send someone to find me directly, and I will certainly do my best to fulfill your needs.¡± Lin Xiuming said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble Lord Li.¡± Afterward, not indulging in further small talk, Lin Xiuming once again led his troops to the campsite they had used during their previous visit to Yan County Seeing the traces they had left from their prior encampment, Lin Xiuming was awash with emotions. He just knew that after coming to North City, there would be nothing for him to do. The imperial court might as well have sent him to fight against Great Wu. In North City, he couldn¡¯t earn any military merit, only able to stay in the barracks every day. At this moment, one of Lin Xiuming¡¯s confidants asked in a low voice, ¡°General, are we really going to be stationed here? The imperial court did issue military orders for us to assist the North Prince in repelling the southward invasion of the Barbarian Tribe. If the imperial court learns that we¡¯ve been staying behind in Yan County all this time, without even seeing a Barbarian Tribe soldier, I¡¯m afraid a number of officials will impeach you.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xiuming smiled and then said, ¡°It¡¯s true that the imperial court ordered us to assist the North Prince in repelling the Barbarian Tribe, but the military orders also stated that after arriving in North City, we must obey the North Prince¡¯s command. Since the North Prince has ordered us to stay in Yan County, of course, we should follow his orders.¡± Hearing this, the soldiers behind Lin Xiuming thought about it and felt there was some sense to it. However, being stuck in the barracks all the time was intolerable for them. The twenty thousand soldiers assigned by the imperial court to Lin Xiuming this time happened to be the cavalry from that previous group of seventy thousand. They had stayed in North City for so long last time, doing nothing but staying in the barracks every day. To avoid conflict with the North Prince and refrain from letting them wander around, the soldiers had never felt such tedium, even during battle. They felt as though they were imprisoned in the barracks. Having been confined for so long last time, they had only returned to the Capital City for a short while, and now they were to be locked up in the barracks again. Truthfully, this was something the soldiers found hard to accept internally; they would rather take to the battlefield and earn their glory by killing enemies. Although most people do not like war, not everyone is afraid of death, the twenty thousand men Lin Xiuming brought with him are who? They are the elites of Great Xia! They are veterans of battlefields, many of whom even took part in the war that annihilated Chen Nation. To confine such people to the barracks, doing nothing, would only make them more irritable. At this time, one of Lin Xiuming¡¯s confidants could not bear it any longer and said, ¡°General, you¡¯re not planning to have us stay in the barracks again, are you?¡± Lin Xiuming thought for a moment and felt that confining the soldiers all the time didn¡¯t seem like a good idea, so he said, ¡°During your stay in Yan County, after drills are completed, you may enter Yan County to relax. However, I must remind you, if anyone causes trouble in Yan County, I will not show mercy and will hand you directly over to the North Prince Mansion for punishment.¡± Seeing Lin Xiuming allowing them to relax in Yan County, the soldiers immediately responded with an elevated voice, ¡°Yes, General!¡± Although they couldn¡¯t go to the front lines to kill enemies and earn merit, being able to enter Yan County for food and drink was still better than being confined to the barracks every day. The soldiers were very happy, finally not having to be shut in the barracks every day like last time. Meanwhile. In the Great Wu Dynasty, at the Li Zheng Palace. A middle-aged man with graying hair, but who looked only to be in his thirties or forties, was standing in front of all the officials, addressing the Martial Emperor. At this moment, his was the only voice in the entire hall, echoing ceaselessly. ¡°Your Majesty, twenty years of foreign wars have already caused countless people to be displaced from their homes, families torn apart. Now there is widespread public outrage among the common folk. If this continues, Great Wu is in danger of collapsing!¡± ¡°In the past, Great Wu¡¯s foreign wars were only against some minor nations, but the Great Xia Dynasty is a thousand-year-old empire. Even though they are rife with internal strife, the military strength of Great Xia is still not far off from that of Great Wu. Even if it is a sick tiger, as long as its teeth remain sharp, we should not provoke it.¡± ¡°I humbly request Your Majesty to rein in the warlike tendencies and send envoys to Great Xia as soon as possible. Sign a treaty with Great Xia to end the war!¡± Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: Chapter 163: Wu Junwan_1 Chapter 199: Chapter 163: Wu Junwan_1 Translator: 549690339 | As the words of Prime Minister Chai Jiliang fell, the court of the Great Wu Dynasty was incredibly quiet. All the officials looked at Chai Jiliang, who stood at the forefront, with disbelief on their faces; evidently, no one had anticipated that Chai Jiliang would actually advise the Martial Emperor to end the war. Ever since the Martial Emperor ascended to the throne, he had been constantly waging wars. Now, the territory of the Great Wu Dynasty had increased by a third, all thanks to the Martial Emperor¡¯s accomplishments, which he always proudly boasted about. And yet, someone dared to step forward and advise him against initiating more wars, even warning that the Great Wu Dynasty faced the risk of collapse-was this not akin to seeking death? Although Chai Jiliang was the Prime Minister, within the Great Wu Dynasty, this was not a secure position. Since the Martial Emperor¡¯s accession, no one knew how many Prime Ministers had been dealt with, and some even suspected the Martial Emperor planned to abolish the position altogether, henceforth discontinuing the appointment of a Prime Minister. Chai Jiliang¡¯s head really was made of iron! The war between Great Wu and Great Xia had just begun, and he dared to jump out and advise the Martial Emperor to end the war. How could the Martial Emperor possibly agree to ending the war? The conflict had only just started, and Great Wu had already seized two counties from Great Xia. It was clear that Great Xia was no match; to a king obsessed with territorial expansion, this was a golden opportunity. How could he possibly stop now? At this moment, the Martial Emperor, dressed in a black robe with golden dragon embroidery, was staring intently at Chai Jiliang from his throne. The atmosphere in the hall was exceedingly oppressive; sweat trickled continuously from the bodies of the officials below the throne, and the stifling air made it difficult for people to breathe. After what seemed like an eternity, the Martial Emperor finally chuckled and said, ¡°Chai Jiliang, it seems that after a few years as Prime Minister, you have begun to lose sight of your position.¡± ¡°Since my accession, I have conquered so much land for our future generations. In your eyes, Chai Jiliang, have I become a tyrant who cares not for the people¡¯s lives and only knows how to wage wars?¡± Hearing these words, Chai Jiliang continued with neither humility nor arrogance, ¡°Your Majesty has indeed conquered numerous lands for posterity, and at first, the common people praised you greatly. But the continuous wars year after year have now wearied the people of Great Wu. No matter how much more land you conquer, there will be no smiles on the people¡¯s faces. Your Majesty, you are moving too fast, and the common people can no longer keep pace with you.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, it is time to rest!¡± ¡°You need to rest, the Great Wu Dynasty needs to rest, and the common people need it even more!¡± Hearing these words from Chai Jiliang, the Martial Emperor scoffed. As the Martial Emperor¡¯s expression grew darker, Minister of Rites Geng Chengguang stood up and said, ¡°Prime Minister Chai, surely you haven¡¯t been bribed by the Great Xia Dynasty to advise His Majesty to end the war, have you?¡¯ ¡°Now, who doesn¡¯t know that Great Xia is riddled with internal strife and has considerably weakened? If we don¡¯t annihilate them now, we may not have such an opportunity in the future.¡± Chai Jiliang said coldly, ¡°Minister Geng, perhaps you are the one who has been bought with money. I have long heard that you are closely associated with the Chu Family of Great Xia, receiving quite a number of gifts from them every year, while the Sum Emperor has long wanted to eradicate the Chu Family.¡± ¡°You have repeatedly urged His Majesty to attack Great Xia without regard for the lives of the people of Great Wu; you know your own motives best.¡± Geng Chengguang immediately retorted, ¡°Prime Minister Chai, do not casually tarnish someone¡¯s reputation! Everything requires evidence!¡± Just as Chai Jiliang was about to speak, the Martial Emperor atop the throne commanded in a booming voice, ¡°Enough!¡± After his word, the Martial Emperor looked at Chai Jiliang and said indifferently, ¡°Prime Minister Chai is unwell. From today onwards, stay home and take good care of yourself. The position of Prime Minister will be temporarily assumed by Geng Chengguang.¡± Hearing this, Chai Jiliang immediately bowed and said, ¡°I thank Your Majesty for his graciousness.¡± The Martial Emperor, not wanting to waste more words, stood up and with a wave of his sleeve declared, ¡°Court is dismissed!¡¯ After that, the Martial Emperor left Li Zheng Palace. No sooner had he left than some officials began to take pleasure in Chai Jiliang¡¯s misfortune, making snide remarks. ¡°Mr. Chai, what necessity was there for this? Now look, you¡¯ve lost your position because of it.¡± ¡°Mr. Chai, I think His Majesty is absolutely right; you¡¯ve been Prime Minister for a few years, and you¡¯ve forgotten your place.¡± ¡°Our Great Wu army is about to reach the capital city of Great Xia, and Mr. Chai dares to oppose His Majesty. If they say you haven¡¯t been paid by Great Xia, I certainly don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Mr. Chai, you might as well go home and recover. Better yet, see a doctor about your head,haha!¡± Hearing the officers¡¯ sneers and jeers, Chai Jiliang didn¡¯t take it to heart and headed straight for the exit of the grand hall. In Great Wu, the Prime Minister was merely a workhorse, and while he did wield some power, it was indeed limited. The extent of that power was evident from the mocking Chai Jiliang had just endured; his influence was virtually negligible. His authority could be stripped away at anytime, so few court officials were afraid of him as the Prime Minister. Great Wu. Imperial Palace, Green Cloud Hall. A woman clad in a purple gown sat on a couch, her long legs crossed elegantly. She was stunningly beautiful, with a visage that could topple kingdoms and a complexion like ice and jade, seemingly radiating a holy glow. Presently, she held a bamboo slip in her hands, her gaze intently focused on it. At that moment, a maid entered the hall and said, ¡°Princess, Prime Minister Chai is here.¡± The woman softly replied, ¡°Let him in.¡± Her mature and melodious voice was like a warm spring breeze to the ear. Soon after, Chai Jiliang entered the hall. ¡°Your servant greets Princess Junwan.¡± Wu Junwan uttered a sound of acknowledgment, then asked, ¡°What brings Prime Minister Chai to my Green Cloud Hall today?¡± Chai Jiliang spoke frankly, ¡°Your Highness, today I advised His Majesty to end the war with Great Xia and angered him. As a consequence, he has stripped me of my position as Prime Minister, and I am no longer in that role.¡± Upon hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan slightly raised her eyes and could not help but let out a soft laugh. ¡°Ending the war, Mr. Chai? You do have quite a sense of humor.¡± With that, Wu Junwan fixed her gaze on Chai Jiliang before continuing, ¡°Speak up, what brings you to me? Do you perhaps intend to have me persuade my father to end the war?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what Mr. Chai believes, then you might as well leave now.¡± Chai Jiliang immediately responded, ¡°You misunderstand, Princess. I am here to ask that you use your connections to keep the Yue Emperor mindful of the situation in the north at all times.¡± Wu Junwan was clearly puzzled upon hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s request. ¡°The north?¡± ¡°Our relations with the Yue Emperor are indeed good, but why should I prompt the Yue Emperor to pay attention to the north?¡± Chai Jiliang explained, ¡°To the north, Great Xia has fifty thousand heavy cavalry. If these troops were to pass through Great Jue, they could potentially cut off Great Wu¡¯s military supply lines.¡± Wu Junwan maintained her smile upon hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words. ¡°Is Mr. Chai referring to the North Prince of Great Xia¡¯s fifty thousand heavy cavalry?¡± Wu Junwan was no ordinary princess; she wielded considerable power and was well-versed in the affairs of all great dynasties and nations. She was also aware of what Chai Jiliang meant by the fifty thousand heavy cavalry. Chai Jiliang affirmed, ¡°Exactly.¡± Wu Junwan then dismissed the concern, ¡°There is no need for Mr. Chai to worry. Those fifty thousand heavy cavalry won¡¯t be able to pass through Great Jue. To prevent the Barbarian Tribes from moving south, Great Jue has dispatched two hundred thousand soldiers to the north.¡± ¡°Even setting aside the Yue Emperor of the Great Jue Dynasty¡¯s likely refusal to allow the North Prince passage, even if they tried to sneak across the land of Great Jue, those two hundred thousand troops would stop them. Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Chapter 164: This Palace is Quite Interested in the North Prince i Chapter 200: Chapter 164: This Palace is Quite Interested in the North Prince i Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Chai Jiliang said, ¡°Since Princess Junwan has spoken thus, your servant feels at ease.¡± At this moment, Wu Junwan gave Chai Jiliang a glance and then continued, ¡°This palace is curious, Mr. Chai, why do you wish to have my imperial father end the war? Could it be that Mr. Chai has accepted silver from Great Sum?¡± Chai Jiliang immediately replied, ¡°Princess, the reason why your servant has advised His Majesty to end the war is purely because Great Wu can no longer bear the dire consequences of the conflict.¡± ¡°The people of Great Wu are now struggling to survive. With an army maintained at over a million men year-round, the number of peasants available for farming is ever decreasing. If the war drags on, it may not only incite a rebellion among the people, but Great Wu may also soon face a widespread famine.¡± ¡°The commoners have grown weary of the war, and so have the soldiers. Even with the acquisition of more land, there is no joy on their faces¡ªonly numbness and exhaustion.¡± Hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan let out a clear, ringing laugh, ¡°Mr. Chai truly worries for the nation and its people, no wonder your hair has nearly turned white, though you are hardly much older than this palace.¡± ¡°However, this palace advises Mr. Chai it would be best not to defy my imperial father. He still tolerates you now, but if you continue to oppose him, Mr. Chai, stripping you of your position as Prime Minister might be the least of your concerns.¡± ¡°Since his accession to the throne, there have been five Prime Ministers, and none of them met with a good fate. Mr. Chai, you do not want to follow in their footsteps.¡± Bowing deeply, Chai Jiliang said, ¡°Thankyou for the warning, Princess. Your servant will be mindful in the future.¡± At that time, Wu Junwan thought back to the earlier topic and continued, ¡°Mr. Chai, what is your view on Great Sum¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in the North Land? Many officials in court currently believe that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry are the Sum Emperor¡¯s private force, but from what this palace has gathered, it seems the Sum Emperor has always disliked the North Prince, and this dislike stems from the prince¡¯s mother¡ªit does not seem feigned.¡± ¡°This palace finds it hard to believe that the Sum Emperor would entrust such an important force of Heavy Cavalry to a son he does not favor.¡± Upon hearing this, Chai Jiliang pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Your servant also thinks the appearance of these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry is somewhat sudden. Even if they are the Sum Emperor¡¯s private force, producing armor for fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry would surely have attracted the attention of the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum. However, as far as your servant is aware, right before these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry appeared in North City, the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum were completely unaware of them.¡± ¡°Moreover, North City does not have the capacity to produce armor for fifty thousand men, not to mention it¡¯s virtually impossible for the North Prince to have done so within just a year or so since arriving in his fief.¡± In Chai Jiliang¡¯s view, the Sum Emperor¡¯s every move was under the scrutiny of the Aristocratic Families. If it were just a few thousand sets of armor, perhaps the Aristocratic Families could be unaware. But producing the armor required by fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry is different; it requires a great number of craftsmen and a substantial amount of resources. The Aristocratic Families of Great Sum control the economic lifeline of the empire and hold sway over its various resources; it is impossible that they would have not noticed the Sum Emperor creating armor for fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Even if they had not noticed directly, there would always be some traces to follow. But according to the intelligence collected by Great Wu, those Aristocratic Families of Great Sum were completely taken by surprise by the existence of a fifty thousand man Heavy Cavalry unit under the Sum Emperor¡¯s command. Hearing this analysis from Chai Jiliang, Wu Junwan placed the bamboo slip she held on the table and then stood up. At this moment, a breeze blew by, making her purple gown flutter and dance in the wind. Wu Junwan, with a thoughtful look, asked, ¡°So, Mr. Chai, you too believe that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry are not the Sum Emperor¡¯s private troops but rather under the North Prince¡¯s command?¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°Your servant does not think these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry are the North Prince¡¯s private troops either. If the Sum Emperor were producing armor for Heavy Cavalry, it would be noticed by the Aristocratic Families. It doesn¡¯t make sense for the North Prince to produce fifty thousand sets of Heavy Cavalry armor without the Aristocratic Families catching wind of it. Therefore, your servant believes that the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry under the North Prince¡¯s command may well come from another dynasty.¡± With a smile, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Mr. Chai¡¯s conjecture is indeed interesting.¡± ¡°However, have you considered, Mr. Chai, if these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry came from another dynasty, how did they reach the North Land?¡± ¡°North of North City lies the Barbarian Tribe, the southwest corner is Great Jue, and to the east is the great sea. It is impossible that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry could head to North City without any news at all.¡± Chai Jiliang said, ¡°Your servant has also been pondering this question recently. According to my analysis, it is most likely that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry come from somewhere north of the North Land.¡± ¡°Only the Barbarian Tribe is in the North Land. What lies beyond the north of the North Land, even the major dynasties do not know. We have never explored it either. Hence, your servant suspects that there exists another kingdom to the north of the North Land, one that we simply do not know of.¡± Hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan fell into deep thought, murmuring, ¡°The land north of the North Land¡­¡± ¡°This indeed is a place worthy of attention.¡± ¡°The winters in the North Land have even driven the Barbarian Tribe away, so I am rather curious about what kind of race could survive in the area north of the North Land, even to the extent of establishing a nation.¡± ¡°But then again, since both Mr. Chai and I do not believe these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry are under Great Sum¡¯s control, Mr. Chai need not worry that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry will appear on the battlefield between Great Sum and Great Wu.¡± Chai Jiliang said, ¡°Princess Junwan, even though your servant does not believe these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry are completely under Great Sum¡¯s control, considering that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry helped North City defeat a thirty thousand strong army of the Barbarian Tribe, clearly the master behind these Heavy Cavalry is biased toward Great Sum. Therefore, your servant still believes that these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry will appear on the battlefield, and Great Sum¡¯s Aristocratic Family will certainly find a way to send these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to the battlefield.¡± Just at this moment, a maid entered the palace and walked straight to Wu Junwan¡¯s side, whispering, ¡°Princess Junwan, intelligence from Great Sum.¡± With that, the maid handed over the intelligence to Wu Junwan. Wu Junwan immediately took the report and glanced at it carefully, then, smiling at Chai Jiliang, she said, ¡°Mr. Chai, now you need not worry about those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry appearing on the battlefield. My people have sent news that the North Fre King is leading two hundred thousand troops southward, and the North Prince still needs those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to resist the North Fre King¡¯s army.¡± This¡­ Chai Jiliang was stunned for a moment. He then asked with a skeptical tone, ¡°Princess Junwan, how could the North Fre King head south in the winter?¡± Wu Junwan replied indifferently, ¡°This I do not know, but the Great Sum court has already dispatched twenty thousand Cavalry along with supplies to go north to support North City. This information has been confirmed by multiple sources.¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan said so, Chai Jiliang felt somewhat relieved. At this time, Wu Junwan said, ¡°However, speaking of which, I am quite interested in this North Prince.¡± ¡°Despite being seen as a good-for-nothing by everyone, he manages to hold everyone¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°To my knowledge, besides these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, someone from the Mysterious Moon Palace also went to North City, and it was none other than the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± ¡°If he did not bear special value, the nation behind these fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry would not possibly dispatch fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry to North City to help the North Prince withstand a three hundred thousand strong Barbarian army.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s even less likely for the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace to make a personal visit.¡± I really want to know what kind of value he holds.¡± Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 165 The Battlefield is Not a Place for Pleasurei Chapter 201: Chapter 165 The Battlefield is Not a Place for Pleasurei Translator: 549690339 After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Chai Jiliang also felt there was some truth to them and immediately responded, ¡°Princess Junwan¡¯s speculation is not without reason, however, the North Prince is the God¡¯s Son of the Mysterious Moon Palace. It¡¯s highly likely that the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace went to North City for this reason.¡± Wu Junwan walked to the center of the great hall and gazed at the light rain drifting outside the hall before saying, ¡°Mr. Chai, do you really think the God¡¯s Son matters that much to the Mysterious Moon Palace? In my view, as long as Chu Yue, the Goddess, is alive, the North Prince can be considered the God¡¯s Son. If Chu Yue were to die, then to the Mysterious Moon Palace, the North Prince would just be an ordinary Prince.¡± ¡°If the Mysterious Moon Palace still acknowledges the North Prince as the God¡¯s Son, then it can only mean that the North Prince possesses something the Mysterious Moon Palace wants to obtain.¡± ¡°Something that a superpower nation and the Mysterious Moon Palace both want, Mr. Chai, aren¡¯t you curious as to what it could be?¡± The superpower that Wu Junwan was referring to was evidently the mysterious nation that had provided the North City with fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. A country that could produce fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry in a flash and was willing to back the North Prince with them must undoubtedly possess formidable strength. They should know, even their martially esteemed Great Wu Dynasty didn¡¯t have fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, so it was no exaggeration for that mysterious nation to be termed a superpower. Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s analysis, Chai Jiliang pondered deeply for a long time. Wu Junwan continued, ¡°I am now even more curious as to what value the North Prince holds. It seems I must arrange for some people to go to North City.¡± As she spoke, Wu Junwan glanced at Chai Jiliang and then asked, ¡°Mr. Chai, do you have anything else?¡± Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s mature and gentle voice, Chai Jiliang instantly snapped back to reality and quickly replied, ¡°This official has nothing further.¡± ¡°This official will take his leave now.¡± Having said that, Chai Jiliang turned and left. Watching Chai Jiliang¡¯s retreating figure, Wu Junwan seemed to be lost in thought. After Chai Jiliang had left the great hall, a maid spoke up beside Wu Junwan, ¡°Princess Junwan, this servant heard that Mr. Chai recently turned down another marriage proposal.¡± Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°Too talkative.¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan seemed angry, the maid quickly shut her mouth. At that moment, Wu Junwan murmured to herself, ¡°I truly envy the Yue Emperor, I wonder when I will be able to be like her.¡± In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. Lu Chen had been waiting in Tianguang City for a month and had lost more than ten pounds. He had never had to wait this long for anyone before. Though Lu Chen was a Prince, and his treatment was better than that of an ordinary soldier, the conditions in Tianguang City couldn¡¯t compare to Yan County. Furthermore, the road between Tianguang City and Yan County was difficult, and after the snowfall, transporting supplies became even more challenging. The food, amenities, and lodging in Tianguang City couldn¡¯t compare to those in Yan County, but fortunately, Lu Chen was adept at adapting to his environment. Moreover, he was, after all, a Prince who had led his troops on a mission; if he complained about the poor conditions, what battles would they fight in the future? At this moment, Lu Chen was warming himself by a stove, examining this stove that had been sent from Yan County. Mu Jingwu said, ¡°Prince, this subordinate has heard that some common folks were picking up black rocks to burn instead of firewood, but the next day they were found poisoned to death at home. Are we really going to use these black stones as a substitute for firewood?¡± What was burning inside the stove was treated coal that the craftsmen had processed. Although Lu Chen was no longer in Yan County, he had made arrangements for his work at the North Prince Mansion. The making of stoves and the mining of coal were activities that commenced after Lu Chen left Yan County. As for coal, people in this world didn¡¯t understand it and still thought it was stone. Now, the citizens of Yan County referred to coal as black rock. At first, the common people didn¡¯t know that black rocks could be ignited. Half a month ago, the Prince¡¯s Mansion introduced a kind of fuel and stove called ¡°coal,¡± which could burn all night once ignited. Ever since these specially made stoves and coal became available, people hardly needed to get up at night to add wood to their braziers. The coal and stoves from the North Prince Mansion quickly became popular throughout North City, and then some common people discovered that the material used to make coal was black rock. Thinking to save wherever possible, some commoners quietly started using black rocks as fuel, only to result in many of them being poisoned to death by the fumes produced by the burning rocks. This also caused some common people to worry whether coal might also poison to death. Although the North Prince Mansion had already posted notices explaining to the common people that coal had been treated with certain substances to remove the poisonous materials and also reminding everyone to maintain ventilation, there were still those who dared not use coal. It wasn¡¯t just the common people¡ªsome officials in North City were also afraid to use coal, including Mu Jingwu standing before me. After hearing what Mu Jingwu had said, Lu Chen responded, ¡°Captain Mu, hasn¡¯t the Prince¡¯s Mansion already issued notifications detailing the precautions for using coal? Why do you still harbor a psychological aversion to coal?¡± Mu Jingwu replied, ¡°I just feel that the smoke from the burning coal is irritating to the nose and might be harmful to the body.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°That is normal. The coal briquettes we are using are very different from ordinary black rocks. The toxic gases released upon burning these briquettes have been greatly reduced. As long as ventilation is maintained, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± ¡°North City will rely on what you call black rocks to get through the winters from now on. You all need to get used to them quickly. If even you officials are afraid to use coal, how could the common people dare to use it?¡± Mu Jingwu said sheepishly, ¡°What the Prince says is true.¡± Just then, Xiao Pengthian entered the room, ¡°Prince, Yan County has sent a few maidservants over, saying they have come to take care of you.¡± Lu Chen, being a Prince, held a prestigious status and was not like ordinary people. Some in the North Prince Mansion feared that Lu Chen might suffer hardships in Tianguang City, so they had specifically sent some maidservants to care for his daily needs. Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s brows furrowed. While their concern was certainly a good thing, he was currently leading troops in battle¡ªhow could he indulge in such special treatment? He immediately said, ¡°Send them back, tell them the Prince needs no one to look after him.¡± This¡­ Mu Changtian interjected from the side, ¡°Prince, after all, you are a Prince, and the conditions in Tianguang City are harsh. How could you be without someone to take care of you?¡± Lu Chen said sternly, ¡°This is a battlefield, not a place for pleasure-seeking. Nobody should seek special treatment, not even the Prince.¡± Even though Bai Qingqing had been by Lu Chen¡¯s side throughout the month, he had not once touched her. If he had been in the rear, in Yan County, he could do as he pleased, but not on the battlefield. Lu Chen had plans to reform the military camps in the future, and if the Prince himself behaved inappropriately at the front line, other officers would follow suit. If the officers followed his example, the soldiers might well be led astray, so no matter how much Lu Chen restrained himself, he would not touch Bai Qingqing. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s serious expression, Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain admiration for him. It was no small feat for someone as fond of pleasure as Lu Chen to have abstained from women for so long in Tianguang City. Military discipline in the Great Sum army had always been rather poor, and it was much the same with the armies of other great dynasties. After a moment of surprise, Xiao Pengthian immediately said, ¡°I will send them back right away.¡± Thereupon, Xiao Pengthian turned and left. At that moment, Lu Chen addressed those in the room, ¡°Remember my words, from today onward, there must be no women like military prostitutes in the camps at the front lines. After the war, when the soldiers return to the rear, they can do as they please. But at the front, everyone must behave themselves.¡± Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 166 North Fre Kings Army Advances Southwardl Chapter 202: Chapter 166 North Fre King¡¯s Army Advances Southwardl Translator: 549690339 At this moment, Lu Chen was actually somewhat angry. Lu Chen was no fool, why had he been in Tianguang City for over a month and the North Prince Mansion hadn¡¯t sent a maid to him, only to do so now? It was quite obvious that someone had tipped them off, saying he was having a hard time in Tianguang City, which was why the North Prince Mansion had someone send a maid to take care of him. Did the people who leaked the information really do it because he was the Prince and they were afraid he would suffer in Tianguang City? One could only say perhaps not. These past days, Lu Chen had also heard some rumors, some of the soldiers from North City were talking about how he had transferred Bai Qingqing to another camp and did not keep any women around him. Not even the Prince kept women by his side, which made these soldiers hesitant to even touch the women who came to the camp to sell themselves. This made Lu Chen suspect, could it be that someone wanted him to set a precedent, so they could follow suit, thus freeing themselves from any pressure. Seeing Lu Chen get angry, Mu Changtian immediately realized his mistake and promptly knelt halfway and said, ¡°Prince, it was I who sent word to the Princess, telling her about your life in the camp, I am at fault, please punish me, Prince!¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen scoffed in his heart, he knew there had to be someone tipping them off. Lu Chen then said, ¡°General Mu, I will let it pass this time, but do not let it happen again.¡± ¡°Rise.¡± Mu Changtian then responded, ¡°Thankyou, Prince, for your forgiveness.¡± As his voice fell, Mu Changtian stood up, and after Mu Changtian had risen, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Recently, I have noticed that quite a number of women have come to Tianguang City, I wonder if you are aware of this.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention; Lu Chen had already made it clear that no women like army prostitutes were to appear in the camp in the future. Although the women who ran to Tianguang City weren¡¯t army prostitutes, their purpose in coming to Tianguang City was to sell their bodies. As long as the soldiers gave them money, they would spend the night with them, so there was no real difference between them and army prostitutes. Mu Changtian immediately said, ¡°Prince, I will have those women driven out of Tianguang City at once!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Now is a good opportunity to be clear about some things. When you go back, relay my words to the soldiers as well. My army must maintain strict military discipline, and on the battlefield, all efforts must be directed towards the war effort, instead of being consumed with indulgence.¡± ¡°Of course, this is not directed only at the soldiers, but also at you.¡± At this time, Mu Changtian said, ¡°Prince, I understand your intentions, but given the mix of good and bad in the ranks, it will not be easy to get them to fully comply with the orders and refrain from seeking out women.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen was not surprised at all; what Mu Changtian said was correct, the makeup of the current army in North City was completely different from the one Lu Chen had envisioned. Then, Lu Chen looked at Mu Changtian and asked, ¡°General Mu, how do you find my Black Cavalry?¡± Mu Changtian said, ¡°They obey orders and maintain strict military discipline.¡± Lu Chen spoke with a smile, ¡°If the Black Cavalry can achieve this, can¡¯t the North City army achieve it too?¡± This¡­ After thinking for a moment, Mu Changtian came to the realization that it made sense, but this would require reorganizing the army, and likely many soldiers would have to be discharged. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I intend to establish a new army with strict military discipline after this war. Soldiers with criminal records, those who have transgressed, or vagrants, will all be barred from joining my new army.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than Li Feng reminded him, ¡°Prince, with many vagrants in North City, if we do not recruit vagrants into the army, and they have nowhere else to go, gathering together, they are probably prone to causing trouble.¡± Historically, many criminals and vagrants had been in the army, seen by the Emperor as cannon fodder, expendable in war, so they were deemed most suitable for the battlefield. If North City did not recruit vagrants into the army, and their numbers surged, this would have a considerable impact on the public order in North City. Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°General Li¡¯s concern has its merits; however, I have already found places for those vagrants.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged glances, no longer saying anything. They probably had guessed what kind of place Lu Chen was referring to for the vagrants. Construction had begun on the roads of North City, and coal mines were being extensively exploited; both required labor, and the number of vagrants in North City was negligible compared to the shortage of labor. At this time, Lu Chen continued, ¡°The military¡¯s mindset must change; we cannot accept just anyone. If the army is filled with ruffians and hoodlums, how could the common people ever trust my troops?¡± ¡°If the people can¡¯t even trust the army under my command, how could they trust me? The army of North City is tethered to me; we share in both disgrace and honor.¡± ¡°If the mentality within the army remains restless, if soldiers join only with thoughts of promotion and wealth rather than to protect and defend the nation, then such an army might fare well in victory, but upon facing the slightest adversity, the soldiers will prioritize their interests first, and the entire force could quickly lose its fighting spirit. I do not wish to see, in my lifetime, an army under my command crumble upon the enemy¡¯s first assault.¡± Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Chapter 166: The North Fre Kings Army Marches South_2 Chapter 203: Chapter 166: The North Fre King¡¯s Army Marches South_2 Translator: 549690339 At this moment, Mu Changtian and the others were quietly listening to Lu Chen¡¯s speech, and they all felt a bit surprised that the Prince, who spent most of his days in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, had such insights on the construction of the army. Lu Chen continued, ¡°General Mu, from now on, you will be in charge of the construction of the new forces in North City. Remember my words, the soldiers recruited for the new forces must all be the best, and the construction of the new forces should measure up to the Black Cavalry. None of those crooked and evil practices previously found in the barracks are allowed to appear again.¡± Mu Changtian immediately replied, ¡°Yes, my Prince!¡± At this time, Lu Chen rose from his seat, ¡°That will be all for today. I¡¯ll go up to the city walls to get some air. Think over what I just said and ponder the upcoming construction of the new forces in North City.¡± As his voice fell, Lu Chen left the room, and everyone said in unison, ¡°We bid farewell to the Prince!¡± After Lu Chen left, the generals in the room looked at each other, and after a long pause, Mu Jingwu finally spoke, ¡°Father, the Prince just said that the new forces should recruit only the best. Isn¡¯t war just a consumption? If all the talented people are lost in battle, won¡¯t North City be left with nothing but ruffians and thugs in the future?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s concept was slightly ahead of its time in this era. Although the armies of Great Sum also stressed strict military discipline, no matter how much it was emphasized verbally, it was hard for the armies of Great Sum to be as obedient and prohibitive as the Black Cavalry. It could be said that the Black Cavalry was the most loyal and disciplined force Mu Changtian had ever seen, and the regular armed forces of North City were no match for the Black Cavalry. And Mu Jingwu was not wrong. In the eyes of the rulers and high-ranking officials in the court, war was meant to cause deaths, so they preferred to send criminals and vagrants to fight. That way, they would not feel distressed if those criminals died. But Lu Chen had said that he wanted the best people to join the army. Mu Changtian thought for a moment and then said, ¡°I think I understand what the Prince means.¡± Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, everyone turned to look at him, hoping he could clear up their confusion. Few of those present understood Lu Chen¡¯s thinking, and they were now curious as to why the Prince had such thoughts. Mu Changtian stroked his beard and then said, ¡°The Prince¡¯s reformation of the army is probably in preparation for that position.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s hearts skipped a beat. That position? Although Mu Changtian did not specify, they could guess what Mu Changtian meant by ¡®that position¡¯¡ªit was obviously the throne. Mu Changtian continued his analysis, ¡°The armies of the Seigniors have poor discipline and have committed their fair share of burning, killing, and plundering, which has led the common folk to distrust the Seignior¡¯s armies, seeing those soldiers as no different from bandits.¡± ¡°The Prince also said that he and the army of North City are tied together; whatever the army does will ultimately affect his reputation.¡± ¡°Thus, the Prince wants to reform the barracks so that North City¡¯s army will not be associated with thugs and ruffians anymore, earning the common people¡¯s trust in his forces.¡± ¡°Think about it¡ªif there comes a day when the disciplined and non-looting army of the North Prince attacks a foreign country, and the common people of that enemy nation hear about the discipline and non-plundering nature of the North Prince¡¯s army, what do you think those common people will choose?¡± Mu Changtian¡¯s words were like an awakening for those in a dream; everyone in the room began to understand Lu Chen¡¯s intentions. Although Mu Changtian hypothesized about attacking a foreign country, everyone knew that it would not be easy for the North Prince to capture the throne, and a civil war within Great Sum might one day erupt. If the disciplined and non-looting army of the North Prince appeared on the lands of other Seigniors, the common people of other districts would surely welcome their arrival. Not every commoner would have the chance to meet the North Prince, nor would they necessarily understand what kind of person the real North Prince was. However, they would definitely come into contact with the North Prince¡¯s army, and the common people could then roughly judge what kind of monarch the North Prince is, based on his army¡¯s conduct. If a civil war truly broke out in Great Sum, whether a region¡¯s common people would welcome a disciplined and non-looting army or the bandit soldiers of other Seigniors seemed to require little thought. Mu Changtian went on to say, ¡°Actually, the Prince¡¯s approach has another advantage. Without rogues and ruffians in the army, it will be much easier to enforce discipline. Most of the trouble in the barracks now is caused by those who have committed crimes or come from the dregs of society.¡± ¡°The court¡¯s army has always emphasized strict discipline, but since His Majesty ascended the throne, no matter how much he tries to reform the barracks, the results have been minimal, mainly due to the problematic backgrounds of the soldiers composing the army.¡± ¡°If an army has only a couple of thugs, those few black sheep won¡¯t be able to cause much of a stir in the face of strict discipline. But if an army is filled with a group of ruffians, no amount of emphasis on discipline from the higher-ups will be effective, which is akin to the way aristocratic families cover for each other in the imperial court.¡± At this point, Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°Prince, this method is truly brilliant! Why didn¡¯t I think of selecting soldiers based on their background from the very beginning?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the combat prowess of the new army.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s analysis, the other generals in the room all looked forward to the performance of the new army, and they had even greater admiration for Lu Chen, amazed that he had pinpointed the crux of the Great Xia army¡¯s problems¡ªan issue they had never considered before. After all, the North Prince was only sixteen or seventeen years old this year, and he seldom led troops in battle, having spent just the last month within the military camp. These old hands who had spent years in the military had not thought of a good way to rectify military discipline, yet the North Prince figured it out after just one month. Truly, he is a Son of Destiny with a divine fate! Meanwhile. On the city walls. Lu Chen stood amid the wind and snow, gazing into the distance. Just then, he suddenly sensed a faint trembling of the earth, and shadowy figures seemed to appear through the blizzard. As a Grandmaster, Lu Chen¡¯s perception had greatly improved, so he detected the approach of the North Fre King¡¯s army before anyone else on the wall. Observing the vague shadows in the distance, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upwards, Having waited for a full month, they had finally arrived. He had never waited this long for anyone before. At the same time, Xiao Pengthian, also a Grandmaster, perceived the approach of the North Fre King¡¯s army and immediately shouted, ¡°The enemy is here! All troops, prepare for battle!¡± Upon hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, the Messenger Soldier instantly beat the drums. The next moment, the sound of drums echoed over Tianguang City, awakening Mu Changtian and the others from their reverie under Lu Chen¡¯s wise influence. They hurried out of the room and onto the city tower. At this point, all the soldiers in Tianguang City were in combat mode; those on the city walls began to move the Thunderous and catapults into position, quickly deploying them for use. Everyone was ready for the impending battle. As the sound of horse hooves drew closer, the figures in the distance became clearer. Seeing the vast army of the North Fre King, Li Feng couldn¡¯t help but remark, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the North Fre King to really come.¡± Although they had long heard that the North Fre King planned to move south in winter, everyone had wondered if the North Fre King would ultimately decide against the invasion. The weather was getting colder, with snow already falling in North City. The steppes must be even colder, and under such conditions, it was indeed possible that the North Fre King might abandon the journey south. But the North Fre King had come nonetheless. At this time, Lu Chen, with a smile on his face, looked at the distant Barbarian Army and said, ¡°If he hadn¡¯t come, I would have had nowhere to send all these gifts I¡¯ve prepared. I was actually afraid he wouldn¡¯t show up.¡± Then, Mu Changtian asked, ¡°Prince, Tianguang City¡¯s terrain is rather open. If we use the Thunderous at the start, we might frighten away the Barbarian Army immediately. If they decide to flee, I¡¯m afraid it will be difficult to keep them here.¡± The reason they managed to annihilate the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of three hundred thousand was entirely due to the landscape of Wanning Valley. Once the army of the Sky Wolf King entered Wanning Valley, the Black Cavalry blocked the valley entrance, and with mountains on both sides, the Barbarian Cavalry had nowhere to run. But Tianguang City is different. The area around Tianguang City is mostly grasslands. Once the North Fre King¡¯s army collapses, relying solely on fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry and the several tens of thousands of regular infantry from North City, it will be very difficult to capture them. Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Chapter 167 North Prince Disregards Martial Morality_1 Chapter 204: Chapter 167 North Prince Disregards Martial Morality_1 Translator: 549690339 Hearing Mu Cliangtian¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen glanced over the endless grassland in the distance. What Mu Changtian said was true, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to keep all of North Pre King¡¯s hundred thousand plus men. Once the Barbarian Army was defeated, they could escape in any direction, and since the Barbarians were light cavalry, the Black Cavalry, being heavy cavalry, didn¡¯t have much advantage in pursuing the enemy and would most likely fail to catch up with the soldiers of North Pre King. At this moment, Lu Chen looked at the walls of Tianguang City and had an idea. If the army of North Pre King could be lured entirely into Tianguang City, then he could block the gates and catch them all in a trap, leaving the soldiers no means of escape. However, North Pre King had well over a hundred thousand men; luring them in would not be easy, and they might not fall for it. North Pre King wasn¡¯t a fool; he wouldn¡¯t just march into the city because the gates were open¡­ At that thought, Lu Chen hesitated. Would a man who dared to lead his troops south to attack North City in winter be afraid of a little Tianguang City? If it were North Pre King, he might indeed be tempted into the city. Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Open the gates, everyone hide immediately!¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention. Lu Chen was planning to lure the king into the pot and then close the gates to trap him inside. But it was unknown whether North Pre King would take the bait. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Send out a cavalry unit right away, pretend to retreat.¡± Mu Changtian replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Consequently, the soldiers on the city walls all hid themselves, with only lookouts keeping watch outside the city. Mu Changtian also deliberately arranged for some cavalry to wait at the eastern gate, ready to feign a panicked retreat as soon as North Pre King¡¯s army approached. Before long, North Pre King, leading the ten thousand plus Barbarian Cavalry, appeared not far outside Tianguang City. Seeing that the city walls were empty except for catapults and that the gates were wide open, North Pre King laughed, ¡°It seems that the defenders of Tianguang City heard of our arrival and simply decided to retreat.¡± Just then, a trusted general of North Pre King said, ¡°Great King, I¡¯ve heard that when Sky Wolf King marched south to attack North City, North City also didn¡¯t defend Tianguang City, and North Prince withdrew all his troops to Yan County.¡± ¡°As a result, Sky Wolf King was ambushed in Wanning Valley, leading to the annihilation of his three hundred thousand men.¡± Right then, a scout soldier of the Barbarian Tribe returned and reported, ¡°Great King, a unit of Great Sum cavalry was spotted at the eastern gate, they¡¯re fleeing straight south!¡± Hearing this, one of the trusted generals of North Pre King immediately said, ¡°Great King, I¡¯ll take our men and pursue those Great Sum cavalry right away! I¡¯ll make sure none of them escape!¡± North Pre King raised his hand to stop him and said, ¡°No need, let them run, they¡¯re just small fry.¡± ¡°That youngster from Yan County probably wants to use the same tactics against us as he did against Sky Wolf King, but he underestimates me far too much.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll rest in Tianguang City for a few days, then find a way to attack Yan County.¡± North Fre King glanced at Tianguang City, noting that even the flag of North Prince Mansion was absent from the city walls. North Fre King then ordered, ¡°Enter the city!¡± In North Fre King¡¯s view, the soldiers of Great Sum were scared of him, hence they had all fled south, and he didn¡¯t want to waste time sending scouts into the city to gather information. It was better to just go directly inside. Having traversed the grassland, his soldiers were incredibly exhausted and urgently needed rest. Camping and resting outside of Tianguang City was not as good as taking over and using the city to light fires and cook food. When it came to warding off the cold, their tents couldn¡¯t compete with the earthen houses of Great Sum people. For North Fre King¡¯s army at this moment, Tianguang City was highly tempting. At this time, through his lookouts, Lu Chen observed that North Fre King was indeed leading his army straight into the city, and he was momentarily taken aback. Without sending even a scout, they marched right into the city, displaying complete disregard for North City. North Fre King¡¯s arrogance knew no bounds. No wonder he dared to lead an offensive south against North City in the dead of winter¡ªit aligned perfectly with his audacious character. Lu Chen then said to those around him, ¡°Prepare for battle.¡± He had been worried that North Fre King wouldn¡¯t fall for the trap, but to his surprise, the latter didn¡¯t harbor a shred of suspicion and confidently strode into the city. Now that their guest had arrived, it was time to present the gift they had prepared. Meanwile, North Fre King was wholly unaware of the impending danger. As he passed through the gates of Tianguang City and looked at the deserted buildings within, he said, ¡°Great Sum really does breed cowards, for they were scared off before we even blew our horns.¡± ¡°Sky Wolf King lost to such an enemy; he truly was incompetent!¡± ¡°Had I commanded those three hundred thousand troops, I might have already reached the Royal Capital of Great Sum by now!¡± The more North Fre King spoke, the angrier he became. He had lent several thousand soldiers to Sky Wolf King and got nothing in return, while the woman he had his eyes on was taken by that youngster from North City¡ªhow could this sit well with him. At that moment, a trusted general of North Fre King said, ¡°Great King, after we conquer North City, shall we establish our own nation there?¡± North Fre King scoffed and replied, ¡°Found a nation? What nation to found? I¡¯m not like the foolish Sky Wolf King, always indulging in daydreams..¡± Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Chapter 167 North Prince Disregards Martial Morality! Chapter 205: Chapter 167 North Prince Disregards Martial Morality! Translator: 549690339 ¡°If I truly conquer North City, then Great Sum will inevitably use its national strength to attack me. My coming to North City was merely to take back what the Sky Wolf King promised me.¡± Unknown years have passed since the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe migrated to the North Land, and every year they would plunder the south, yet they never conquered North City. The North Fre King also knew that Great Sum valued land tremendously, so he didn¡¯t believe he could occupy the lands of North City forever. Once the Great Sum court reacted, a great army would undoubtedly be dispatched to the north. Thus, the North Ere King¡¯s purpose for this expedition was very simple: to seize women, grain, and supplies. As long as he achieved his goals, he would retreat immediately, without staying in North City for too long. Once back in the North Land, the Great Sum troops would be powerless against them. At this moment, a vanguard Barbarian Tribe soldier approached the North Pre King, ¡°Great King, we discovered horses within Tianguang City, they didn¡¯t even take the horses with them!¡± Hearing this, the North Pre King laughed loudly, ¡°Hahaha, the people of Great Sum are truly a bunch of rubbish.¡± ¡°It seems they fled so hastily that they left all the resources of Tianguang City behind, which will serve as our supplies just fine.¡± ¡°Come, take me to their barracks and let¡¯s see what good things they¡¯ve left for me.¡± No sooner had the North Pre King led his great army toward Tianguang City¡¯s inner city when suddenly the grand gates of Tianguang City closed. The Barbarian Tribe soldiers quickly spotted the North City soldiers at the gates, and sensing something was amiss, they immediately sounded the war horns. Upon hearing the war horn blasts from behind, the North Pre King paused for a moment, then turning his horse around, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Before anyone could answer the North Pre King¡¯s question, iron balls started dropping from above. The Barbarian Tribe soldiers quickly realized what was happening. ¡°Enemy attack!!!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been tricked; the Great Sum soldiers haven¡¯t run away!!!¡± ¡°Watch your heads!!!¡± In an instant, the North Pre King¡¯s several hundred thousand army was thrown into chaos. By this point, the North Pre King had come to his senses, and realizing not only had the Great Sum army not fled but had encircled them, he sneered, ¡°Cowards are cowards, do they think such deceitful tricks can defeat my great army?¡± Suddenly, the North Pre King bellowed, ¡°All troops on guard, follow me and charge!!!¡± As his voice fell, the Messenger Soldier beside the North Pre King took out a war horn and started blowing it. Wooo¡ª Wooo¡ª The sound of the horns echoed through the skies above Tianguang City. Soon after that, the soldiers of North Pre stabilized, but before they could locate the enemy, those iron balls dropping among them exploded with a thunderous roar. Countless iron fragments from the Thunderous blasts pierced through the Barbarian Tribe soldiers¡¯ furs and clothes. With each explosion, a large swath of Barbarian Tribe soldiers fell. Seeing this spectacle, the North Pre King was struck dumb, and once again, his great army plunged into utter chaos. ¡°Heavens! What kind of weapon is this!¡± ¡°Heavenly Thunder, it¡¯s Heavenly Thunder, North City has an Immortal!!!¡± ¡°Run for your lives!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die!!!¡± Watching the disarray of his troops and the flying limbs, the North Pre King¡¯s mind went blank. What exactly was this iron ball weapon, and why was its power so immense! Realizing the dire situation, the North Pre King quickly commanded, ¡°Break out with me!¡± Immediately after, the North Fre King¡¯s army turned direction and charged towards the city gates, intending to break out of Tianguang City. Even if the North Fre King was slow to grasp the situation, by now he must have realized why the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of three hundred thousand fell at North City, at the hands of the North Prince. Such terrifying weapons simply could not be defeated by manpower! The North Prince has no martial honor! At this moment, the sounds of horns still lingered above Tianguang City, mixed with the earth-shaking drumbeats and the explosive noises of the Thunderous, making the Barbarian Tribe soldiers feel as if they had gone deaf. They only heard a buzzing in their ears and couldn¡¯t hear any other sounds. Scared witless, the Barbarian Tribe soldiers madly collided with the North City soldiers at the gateway. Unfortunately, the highest concentration of Thunderous blasts was at the gateway, not to mention the grenade launchers that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t used up last time. The power of the 122mm grenade launcher was much greater than that of the Thunderous. Regardless of how many Barbarian Tribe soldiers charged, they would fall en masse, and soon their corpses piled up into a small hill. Due to the explosion sounds of the Thunderous, the horses of the Barbarian Tribe soldiers were so frightened that they were no longer under control, quickly disrupting their cavalry formation. A large-scale stampede erupted within Tianguang City, similar to the one that happened during the Sky Wolf King¡¯s assault on North City. Many Barbarian Tribe soldiers were thrown to the ground by their mounts, only to be directly trampled by other soldiers¡¯ warhorses, leaving countless Barbarian Tribe soldiers disfigured beyond recognition by their own mounts. Seeing limbs flying in all directions, the North Fre King¡¯s entire mind was in a state of shock, unable to comprehend why Great Sum had such terrifying weapons. He had never heard of Great Sum possessing such devastating war machines. Meanwhile, atop the city walls, Lu Chen looked indifferently at all that was unfolding before him. By Lu Chen¡¯s side, Xiao Pengthian stared intently at the battlefield before him, but his mind was continuously replaying the memories of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand strong army attacking Yan County.. Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Chapter 167 North Prince Disregards Martial Morality_3 Chapter 206: Chapter 167 North Prince Disregards Martial Morality_3 Translator: 549690339 | That evening, the barbarian soldiers were also blasted to pieces. Just thinking of that scene, those memories, Xiao Pengthian¡¯s robust body couldn¡¯t help but tremble, with cold sweat continuously breaking out on his forehead. Why on earth did they provoke the North Prince? Was this really war? This could no longer be considered a war! At the very least, it wasn¡¯t the war he had in mind! This was a one-sided massacre! The Barbarian Army, bombarded by Thunderous, had no strength to fight back at all; they could only flee in terror like humans slaughtering chickens and ducks. Lu Chen then turned to look at Xiao Pengthian beside him and noticed that Xiao Pengthian¡¯s Loyalty had shot up to 95. Seeing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s pale face staring at the distant battlefield, Lu Chen asked, ¡°General Xiao, are you feeling cold? Why is your body constantly shaking?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian came back to his senses and immediately responded, ¡°Your Highness, I am not cold.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Indeed, your forehead is sweating; you shouldn¡¯t be cold. After all, as a Grandmaster, even in the coldest of weather, you can use Protective Gang Qi to fend off the chill.¡± Xiao Pengthian swallowed and said, ¡°The Prince speaks the truth.¡± All of a sudden, Xiao Pengthian thought of something and immediately knelt on one knee, saying, ¡°Your Highness, I humbly request to join the battle. I will take the North Fre King¡¯s head and present it to you!¡± Ever since the Sky Wolf King tribes joined North City, Xiao Pengthian had been looking for ways to prove his loyalty. He certainly did not want to be bombed with weapons like the Thunderous again. Previously, there was no war, and nothing significant happening in North City, so he couldn¡¯t find the opportunity to show his loyalty. Now the opportunity had arrived, and by killing the North Fre King, he could show his loyalty to the North Prince. Hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, and then he said, ¡°General Xiao¡¯s kind offer is appreciated by this Prince, but there¡¯s no need for such trouble.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen immediately turned his head to Mu Jingwu, who was busy fiddling with a grenade cannon nearby, and said, ¡°Captain Mu, take aim at the North Fre King for this Prince, fire!¡± Mu Jingwu immediately shouted, ¡°Received!!!¡± Right after, Mu Jingwu had his soldiers load the cannon, adjusting the grenade launcher towards the North Fre King¡¯s position. Meanwhile, Lu Chen conjured up a Barrett out of thin air, pointing it straight at the North Fre King. Seeing Lu Chen conjure something out of nowhere, Xiao Pengthian froze again, and for some reason, upon seeing the black stick-like object in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, he felt his soul shiver. Clearly, this was a weapon as terrifying as the grenade cannon; he just did not know what kind of weapon it was. At that moment, Mu Jingwu took aim at the North Fre King¡¯s location and pulled the firing pin. The next second, a grenade landed right on the North Fre King¡¯s head. Despite being a Grandmaster, the North Fre King sensed the impending danger instantly. Seeing the cylindrical metal object approaching closer above his head, he immediately thought of the exploding metal balls from before. He hurriedly shielded his body with Protective Gang Qi, then leaped up from his horse, vaulting backwards. Just when he thought he had dodged the attack, a gunshot rang out with a thunderous ¡°Bang,¡± and he suddenly felt an icy cold sensation in his chest. The North Fre King, in disbelief, looked down at his chest to find a huge bloody hole had appeared. Before the North Fre King could comprehend what had happened, he fell from the sky to the ground, dead with his eyes wide open. Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Chapter 168 Zero Casualties War 1 Chapter 207: Chapter 168 Zero Casualties War 1 Translator: 549690339 | Seeing the North Fre King slain by a single spear thrust from Lu Chen, Xiao Pengthian suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Indeed, it was just as he had thought¡­ The strange weapon in the North Prince¡¯s hands was as terrifying as the Thunderous Heavenly Thunder. Although the North Fre King was quite old, he was still a Grandmaster! A Grandmaster had been killed from such a distance without even seeing the face of his enemy. How terrible! Too terrible!!! At this moment, Xiao Pengthian felt somewhat relieved, grateful that he had already submitted to the North Prince. Had he harbored any wayward thoughts when leaving North City to return to the Sky Wolf King Tribe, such as declaring himself king within the tribe and making a run for it without coming to North City, he might have one day encountered the North Prince¡¯s army on the battlefield. Perhaps the North Prince would have then given him a spear just like that. Just thinking of the huge bloody hole in the chest of the North Fre King caused Xiao Pengthian to feel a sharp pain in his own chest. He certainly didn¡¯t want to be bombarded by those terrifying weapons of North City again. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to Xiao Pengthian and said, ¡°General Xiao, I¡¯ll trouble you to take care of the aftermath.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Xiao Pengthian finally snapped out of his shock. He hastily knelt halfway and said, ¡°Your servant obeys!¡± After joining North City, Lu Chen had recruited some warriors from the Barbarian Tribe of the Sky Wolf King, not many, but still about seven or eight thousand. Among these seven or eight thousand, many were Scouts, mainly to help Lu Chen monitor every move in the vast grasslands of the North Land, but there were also five thousand light cavalry. Xiao Pengthian had already submitted to him after all; Lu Chen couldn¡¯t leave him without any soldiers and let him be a commander without troops. How would he then prove his loyalty? Thus, Lu Chen assigned the five thousand Barbarian light cavalry to Xiao Pengthian¡¯s command. Lu Chen had also noticed that Xiao Pengthian and the five thousand Barbarian soldiers were looking for an opportunity, a chance to prove their loyalty. Originally, Lu Chen could have simply ordered the Black Cavalry to charge in and end the battle, but he ultimately decided to give Xiao Pengthian and his men a chance. Only with blood of the Barbarian Tribe on their hands could they feel at peace and allow the people of North City to feel the same, easing the integration of these Barbarian light cavalry into the army of North City. After receiving orders from Lu Chen, Xiao Pengthian leapt up and jumped straight down from the city wall, leading his five thousand light cavalry straight towards the Barbarian Army of the North Fre King. By this time, the soldiers on the city wall had stopped tossing the Thunderous Heavenly Thunders, and the infantry phalanx of North City began to close in, while Wenren Lie and Xuanyuan Chen led the Black Cavalry but did not enter the battlefield. The Black Cavalry they commanded simply stood guard at the city gate, coldly observing everything unfolding before them. The soldiers of the North Fre King, seeing their king dead and themselves encircled by the soldiers of North City, turned pale with fear, uncertain of what to do. At this moment, when they saw a troop of light cavalry charging out from a distance, the Barbarian soldiers of the North Fre King knew they had no escape. Just as the five thousand Barbarian light cavalry led by Xiao Pengthian were about to make contact with the Barbarian Army of the North Fre King, one of the Barbarian Generals of the North Fre King suddenly shouted, ¡°We surrender!!! Don¡¯t kill us!!!¡± Hearing these words, Xiao Pengthian almost couldn¡¯t stop his horse. He was about to draw his sword when the other side surrendered??? Upon hearing the Barbarian General¡¯s words, the other Barbarian soldiers quickly realized what was happening. They hurriedly threw down their weapons and dismounted, kneeling on the ground. This!!! Xiao Pengthian was immediately filled with rage. Logically, the surrender of the Barbarian Tribe should be great news for North City, as it meant they could reduce casualties and avoid further deaths. After all, it¡¯s war, and no matter how great the advantage on the battlefield, close combat inevitably leads to deaths. In the battle at Wanning Valley, North City still suffered the loss of tens of thousands despite their large advantage. If the North Fre King¡¯s army hadn¡¯t surrendered, let alone tens of thousands, deaths of a few thousand were certain. Such a dramatic reduction in casualties was certainly good news for Lu Chen as a ruler, but Xiao Pengthian and his five thousand light cavalry didn¡¯t look pleased. Damn it, they were about to kill Barbarians to show their loyalty to the North Prince, but this bunch just surrendered. If they surrendered, how could they get their hands stained with Barbarian blood to show their loyalty to the North Prince? With a darkened face, Xiao Pengthian looked at the Barbarian General in front of him. Although unhappy, he still said, ¡°You have made the right choice!¡± Having said that, Xiao Pengthian snorted coldly, then addressed the soldiers behind him, ¡°Clean up the battlefield!¡± Seeing the Barbarian soldiers laying down their weapons, Mu Changtian and the others on the city tower couldn¡¯t help but sigh. This was the change brought about by gunpowder warfare. If it were the old days, even if the army of ten tens of thousands from the North Fre King was surrounded, they would certainly struggle to the death, trying to break out of the encirclement. But now things were different. After being bombarded by the Thunderous Heavens, they only had fear in their hearts, with no will to fight left. Such a grand battle ended with zero casualties for North City. Such a result, if reported, the imperial court probably wouldn¡¯t believe it. It wasn¡¯t just the imperial court that would be in disbelief, even the soldiers of North City standing on the city tower felt as if they were dreaming. Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Chapter 168 Zero Casualties War_2 Chapter 208: Chapter 168 Zero Casualties War_2 Translator: 549690339 | This is a horde of more than a hundred thousand soldiers from the Barbarian Tribe! And not a single one of them died! Such a thing has never happened in history. At this time, Mu Changtian came before Lu Chen and then asked, ¡°Prince, how should this war report be written?¡± If news of zero casualties were to reach the imperial court, the officials there would certainly not believe it, there¡¯s no need to think twice about that. Whether they believe it or not is beside the point, if the imperial court really finds out about their zero casualties, they will surely try every means to find out how North City managed to face an army of more than a hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe and still have no casualties¡ªthis is not good for North City. So writing this war report is not going to be easy. Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s question, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Strip those Barbarian soldiers of their clothing and dress them all in the uniform of North City soldiers.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen turned his head and said to a Brocade Guard Commander standing beside, ¡°Go to Yan County and have Lin Xiuming bring twenty thousand cavalry from the imperial court to Tianguang City half a month later. Tell them the war was extremely brutal and that they are needed for assistance.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± As the words fell, the Brocade Guard Commander left the city wall. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian and the others were somewhat perplexed. What was the Prince planning to do? Just then, Wenren Lie and Xuanyuan Chen leaped directly from the horses outside the city and onto the city wall. At this point, Lu Chen then said to Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie, ¡°General Xuanyuan, General Wenren, you are to directly escort these Barbarian prisoners back to the Yan County garrison with forty thousand Heavy Cavalry.¡± Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°North Pre King led an army of two hundred thousand south, I led fifty thousand Black Cavalry to fight bitterly against the Barbarian Army, with over forty thousand of the Black Cavalry wounded or killed, and countless normal soldiers injured or dead. In the end, I managed to hold North City with difficulty, and North Fre King retreated with his surviving troops back to the grasslands.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, everyone instantly understood his intention; Lu Chen was planning to conceal the military situation! They looked at me and I looked at them. When others conceal military information, they wish they could report their military exploits as magnificently as possible, claiming to have killed hundreds of thousands of Barbarian soldiers. But they were concealing military information by fabricating massive casualties of their own soldiers. At that moment, Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°If the North Land doesn¡¯t have some enemies, my days ahead will not be easy.¡± With that said, Lu Chen glanced at the prisoners from North Fre King¡¯s Barbarian Tribe in the distance. The Sky Wolf King tribe of the North Land was gone, and now the army of North Fre King has also been defeated. There are no longer any significant enemies in North City. If North City no longer has any enemies, does it still need an army of a hundred and fifty thousand? Once they report that North Fre King has been defeated by them, the next thing the imperial court will definitely do is find a way to reduce the number of soldiers in North City. Therefore, they definitely cannot report this military achievement truthfully. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian and the others also realized what he meant. Indeed, if North City no longer had North Fre King as an enemy, without the threat of the Barbarian Tribe, the size of North City¡¯s army of a hundred and fifty thousand would become a thorn in the side of the imperial court, and the court would find ways to reduce the number of troops in North City. Of course, they could choose to hide their army and underreport its numbers, but Lu Chen was not planning to let it be so troublesome¡ªeven if they hid the numbers, as long as North City had no enemies, the imperial court¡¯s attention would be on them. When others are focusing on you, no matter how much you conceal the strength of your army, it is futile. The best solution is to keep those idle officials at the imperial court from constantly watching the troop count of North City. Now, by reporting that North City lost forty thousand Heavy Cavalry, the imperial authorities will certainly not be thinking about North City still having tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry anymore. Even if their heavy armors remain, training Heavy Cavalry also requires a lot of time; it¡¯s not as if simply donning heavy armor will enable one to exert the combat power of Heavy Cavalry. Furthermore, with the Barbarian Tribes still present in the North Land, the imperial court naturally won¡¯t pay much attention to North City any longer, and soon people will shift their focus elsewhere. At this time, Mu Changtian said, ¡°Prince, Lin Xiuming may well be able to tell that those dressed in Great Sum¡¯s uniform are Barbarians.¡± Mu Changtian still thought that Lu Chen had switched the dead Barbarian soldiers¡¯ clothing with their own, and then was sending Lin Xiuming with an army of twenty thousand to clean up the battlefield and dispose of the bodies. If that¡¯s the case, wouldn¡¯t Lu Chen¡¯s plan be exposed? Although the Barbarian Tribe and the people of Great Sum look similar, there are slight differences. People like them, who have fought against the Barbarian Tribe, can tell at a glance whether someone is a Barbarian soldier. Lin Xiuming, despite his youth, had fought several battles against the Barbarians of the North Land, so even if he stripped a Barbarian of their clothes, he could still identify whether the person was from the Barbarian Tribe. If Lin Xiuming realized this, and later wrote a battle report to send up the chain, wouldn¡¯t Lu Chen¡¯s plan be ruined? Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°General Mu, you surely don¡¯t think I asked Lin Xiuming and the Imperial Army of twenty thousand to come just to collect the corpses, do you?¡± Mu Changtian was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t it so? If General Lin Xiuming, dispatched by the court, didn¡¯t personally inspect the dead, who would believe their battle report? Mu Changtian had thought that Lu Chen was deliberately having Lin Xiuming and the Imperial Army clean up the battlefield, just to let them know that many of their soldiers had died. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that trouble, just bury all these bodies.¡± ¡°I asked Lin Xiuming to come over only to let the court know that the situation in North City is not optimistic.¡± ¡°The snow is falling heavier, piling up everywhere. For Lin Xiuming to lead the Imperial Army of twenty thousand to Tianguang City, it would be impossible without ten days to half a month. Plus, I already asked Lin Xiuming to come to Tianguang City half a month later, so it will take a month before he can reach Tianguang City.¡± ¡°By the time they get to Tianguang City, these Barbarian soldiers¡¯ bodies will have already frozen into ice lumps. How could I let them come to clean up the battlefield? If they want to verify the battle report from North City as true or false, let them dig graves. I don¡¯t believe they can still tell that the buried bodies for a month are the corpses of Barbarian soldiers.¡± Even though winter has come and the rate of decay for bodies becomes extremely slow, there will be changes to bodies buried in the ground, after all. By the time Lin Xiuming and his men really run to dig graves, and if they dig up the bodies of the Barbarian Tribe, the surface of the bodies will have been destroyed, or contaminated with soil. Since the difference between the people of the Barbarian Tribe and those of Great Sum is already slight, if they really dig up the bodies of the Barbarian Tribe, would Lin Xiuming dare to claim they are the bodies of the Barbarian Tribe? Moreover, respecting the dead is paramount, not to mention these soldiers are nominally from North City and died for Great Sum. How could Lin Xiuming dare to dig their graves? At this point, Lu Chen turned to Wenren Lie and Xuanyuan Chen and said, ¡°Both Generals, when escorting the Barbarian prisoners back to Yan County, try to march at night as much as possible so that the ordinary people in Yan County won¡¯t notice your movements.¡± Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Your Highness can rest assured. At that time, I will disguise these Barbarian prisoners as if they were Barbarian captives who were already in Yan County, making them look as though they are being sent to the mines.¡± Reassured by Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Right, remember to take off your heavy armor when you return, so as not to be recognized.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± replied Xuanyuan Chen. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Good, that¡¯s it then. Everyone return to your duties.¡± As Lu Chen finished speaking, Mu Changtian and the other commanders returned to their respective soldiers to direct the cleanup of the battlefield. Half a month later. In a tavern in Mysterious Moon Palace. Lin Xiuming sat in a private room of the tavern, drinking by himself and watching the heavy snow outside the window. As a general assigned to support North City against the southward invasion of the Barbarian Tribe, he was completely unaware of the current situation in Tianguang City. He felt like he was on a taxpayer-funded vacation to admire the snow scenery of North City. Lin Xiuming sighed. If he had led his troops to fight against Great Wu, he would have already established numerous military achievements by now. It was a waste of his talents to be sent to North City. With the Heavy Cavalry of the North Prince in North City, there was no need for him. As Lin Xiuming sighed, a mature woman¡¯s voice sounded from behind him. ¡°So you feel wronged being sent to North City and end up drinking in the tavern every day?¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming turned his head and saw that it was Lin Wanyun. Curiously, Lin Xiuming asked, ¡°Yun, why are you still in North City? Didn¡¯t the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace already return?¡± Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: Chapter 169 Guilty Lin Wanyun 1 Chapter 209: Chapter 169 Guilty Lin Wanyun 1 Translator: 549690339 | Hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s question, Lin Wanyun spoke softly, ¡°What does it matter to me if the Palace Master returns? I¡¯m not the master of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± At this point, Lin Wanyun glanced at Lin Xiuming and then continued, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the North Prince treat you well in Yan County, running to the tavern in Mysterious Moon Palace every day to drown your sorrows in wine?¡± Lin Xiuming laughed and said, ¡°Yun, you are a woman, you don¡¯t understand a man¡¯s thoughts. If I could, I wouldn¡¯t want to come to North City.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about me anymore. I have something else I need to discuss with you.¡± Lin Wanyun asked with curiosity, ¡°What is it?¡± Lin Xiuming asked with a smile, ¡°You are still at the North Prince Mansion, right?¡± Although Lin Wanyun was only a foster daughter adopted by Lin Gaoyuan, the relationship between Lin Xiuming and Lin Wanyun was relatively harmonious; Lin Wanyun had even taught Lin Xiuming martial arts in the past. Even though Lin Wanyun had left the Lin Mansion and joined the Mysterious Moon Palace, when the two met, they could speak openly and frankly without feeling distant from each other. Lin Wanyun answered, ¡°I am now the Deputy Guard Commander in the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion.¡± Hearing this, Lin Xiuming was somewhat surprised; he did not expect Lin Wanyun, who was from the Mysterious Moon Palace, to become the Deputy Guard Commander in the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion. Although she was only a deputy commander, this was enough to prove how much trust the North Prince placed in Lin Wanyun, in the Mysterious Moon Palace, as Lin Wanyun was a protector of the Palace, representing its interests. Lin Xiuming said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the North Prince to trust the Mysterious Moon Palace so much, there must be some kind of cooperation between the North Prince and the Mysterious Moon Palace, right?¡± Immediately alert, Lin Wanyun quickly asked, ¡°Xiuming, you¡¯re not asking these questions because my foster father sent you to probe for information, are you?¡± Lin Gaoyuan was now the Left Minister of the court, a member of the Great Sum Dynasty, and with Lin Xiuming being his son, Lin Xiuming¡¯s sudden inquiries about the Mysterious Moon Palace couldn¡¯t help but make Lin Wanyun suspect whether her foster father wanted to find out something. Or was it the Sum Emperor who wanted to know something and sent Lin Xiuming to test her? Lin Xiuming immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s not it; I was just curious and asking casually.¡± ¡°Right, Dad told me to tell you that you¡¯re already in your thirties, it¡¯s time to marry, and he thinks the North Prince is a good match.¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect since you¡¯re the Guard Commander in the inner courtyard; you could use the opportunity to connect and develop a rapport with the North Prince.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s beautiful eyes lifted, her brows slightly furrowed, and she said with a feeling of speechlessness, ¡°Does my foster father really think this?¡± ¡°The North Prince is only seventeen years old, and I¡¯m already in my thirties this year; how could I possibly marry the North Prince? The mother of the North Prince and I are sworn sisters, and if I married him, wouldn¡¯t our generational rankings be a mess?¡± ¡°What is my foster father thinking, how could he have such a preposterous idea?¡± Seeing such a strong reaction from Lin Wanyun, Lin Xiuming laughed and said, ¡°Yun, the Sky Wolf King¡¯s consort is also much older, isn¡¯t she? And yet she married the North Prince.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the big deal about being in your thirties? Dad said the North Prince has been deprived of love since he was young, and he likes mature women who are older. Look at Chu Yuqin; she¡¯s quite advanced in age too and stays at the North Prince Mansion all the same.¡± Lin Wanyun immediately said, ¡°Whatever my foster father thinks, go back and tell him to drop this ridiculous idea as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve chosen to join the Mysterious Moon Palace, I have no plans to marry in this lifetime, let alone to a man more than ten years my junior like the North Prince.¡± Lin Xiuming shrugged his shoulders and then said, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll tell Dad when I get back that you don¡¯t wish to marry the North Prince.¡± At this point, Lin Xiuming reminded her, ¡°Yun, even though you are now with the Mysterious Moon Palace, I still want to warn you: Dad is planning to support the North Prince, so if the Mysterious Moon Palace intends to harm the North Prince, you should decide for yourself.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun was momentarily stunned and asked in confusion, ¡°I remember my foster father never gets involved in matters related to the succession struggle, so why would he support the North Prince?¡± Lin Xiuming spoke indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. Perhaps he sees greater potential in the North Prince compared to the others, which is also one of the reasons he wants you to marry the North Prince.¡± ¡°Of course, now that you have left the Lin Family, who you marry is not for Dad to decide. At most, the Lin Family can be regarded as your maternal home when you get married.¡± Lin Wanyun, as Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s adopted daughter and having left the Lin Mansion, had full power to decide her own life¡¯s major events. Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s wish for her to marry Lu Chen was merely his personal desire. Whether Lin Wanyun was willing was entirely up to her. However, if Lin Wanyun truly agreed to marry Lu Chen, she would surely marry off from Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s household as his daughter, which would turn into a political marriage for the Lin Family. Hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun felt fortunate that she had already left the Lin Mansion and become a protector of the Mysterious Moon Palace. If she were still in the Lin Mansion, her marital life might not be hers to decide. Just as Lin Wanyun was about to say more, a soldier knocked on the door and said, ¡°General, someone from the Prince¡¯s Mansion is looking foryou!¡± Hearing this, Lin Xiuming paused; he had been in North City for so long, and the North Prince had never sent someone to seek him out before. Could it be that the war in the north had ended, and the North Prince wanted him to return? Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Chapter 169 Guilty Lin Wanyun_2 Chapter 210: Chapter 169 Guilty Lin Wanyun_2 Translator: 549690339 | With these thoughts, Lin Xiuming immediately said, ¡°Let him in.¡± As Lin Wanyun was about to leave, Qin Yushan pushed the door open and entered. He glanced at Lin Wanyun, obviously not taking her into consideration, and then turned his head to address Lin Xiuming, ¡°General Lin, the situation in Tianguang City is not optimistic. The Prince has ordered you to lead twenty thousand imperial troops north immediately to defend against the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Upon hearing this, both Lin Wanyun and Lin Xiuming were stunned. The situation wasn¡¯t optimistic? How could that be possible? Last time, the North Prince led fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry and annihilated the Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand army. How could it be that they couldn¡¯t deal with the North Fre King¡¯s two hundred thousand army? Was this true? Immediately, Lin Xiuming asked, ¡°Senior Qin, what exactly is the situation in Tianguang City right now?¡± Qin Yushan directly stated, ¡°The Prince¡¯s Black Cavalry suffered over forty thousand casualties. They only managed to repel the North Fre King¡¯s army, but the enemy¡¯s forces still launch occasional attacks from the south, harrying Tianguang City.¡± ¡°The city¡¯s garrison is exhausted and in dire need of replacement troops.¡± This¡­ Lin Xiuming felt bewildered after hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words. The North Prince¡¯s Heavy Cavalry had been annihilated? What a joke! Though Heavy Cavalry didn¡¯t have much of an advantage over light cavalry on the plains, they surely wouldn¡¯t be at a significant disadvantage. It was nearly impossible for the North Fre King¡¯s army to defeat a fifty thousand strong Heavy Cavalry force. How could there be over forty thousand casualties? Over forty thousand casualties meant that this Black Cavalry had been effectively wiped out. Could that be possible? Qin Yushan¡¯s words were filled with eeriness, but Lin Xiuming couldn¡¯t be sure they were false. Although the Heavy Cavalry was indeed formidable, anything could happen in war. The situation could change in the blink of an eye. For instance, they had never expected the North Prince to defeat the thirty thousand strong Barbarian Tribe army. Therefore, to ascertain the truth of this news, they would have to go to Tianguang City. Since the North Prince had already ordered them northward, they would soon find out whether the news was true or false. Lin Xiuming immediately stood up and said, ¡°I will lead the troops north at once.¡± Having said this, Lin Xiuming took out some silver and placed it on the table, then promptly returned with his men to their temporary encampment. After Lin Xiuming left, Lin Wanyun hurriedly sent this critical piece of news to the Mysterious Moon Palace. Fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry were gone just like that. North City had just started to gain power again and now was back to its former state so quickly. This could be a major blow to North City, but for the Mysterious Moon Palace, for Chen Wanrong and the others, it was an incredible piece of good news. It was finally an opportunity for the Mysterious Moon Palace to assist the North Prince. Previously, the North Prince ignored the Mysterious Moon Palace because North City already had fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry, and a robust military strength, so there was no need to rely on the Mysterious Moon Palace. Lu Chen had the power to participate in the struggle for succession on his own. But now, things were different. The North Prince had lost his Heavy Cavalry. While the armor for the Heavy Cavalry might still be there, training a powerful new Heavy Cavalry would take a considerable amount of time, not just a month or two or even a year or two. During the time when the Black Cavalry is being rebuilt, North City would be relatively vulnerable. The Great Sum court, as well as other Seigniors, would definitely not allow the North Prince to rebuild his Black Cavalry. Under pressure, the North Prince would likely choose to collaborate with the Mysterious Moon Palace. That way, Chen Wanrong would get the chance to get close to Lu Chen and administer the Love Worm to him. However, for some reason, after sending out the message, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart did not feel elated as she expected. At that moment, Lin Wanyun looked out at the falling snow through the window, her mind replaying memories of Lu Chen. Recently, she had been pondering one question: Did she really want to help Chen Wanrong restore her country and, in the process, harm the biological son of her dear sister? Even though Lu Chen was not as important to her as Chen Wanrong, if something were to happen to Lu Chen, could she face Chu Yue after her death? Years ago, had it not been for Chu Yue, she might have died long ago; she would not have become the adopted daughter of Lin Gaoyuan. Her background was very similar to Bai Qingqing¡¯s. Both were picked up by Chu Yue from the streets¡ªmore accurately, Bai Qingqing¡¯s situation resembled hers, as she encountered Chu Yue earlier than Bai Qingqing did. The only difference between her and Bai Qingqing was that she was sent to Lin Mansion, becoming Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s adopted daughter, while Bai Qingqing was taken to the Imperial Palace to serve as a maid to Lu Chen. Although she and Bai Qingqing went to different places, Chu Yue¡¯s treatment of her was not much different from that of Bai Qingqing. During her days in Lin Mansion, Chu Yue often visited her, and their relationship was extremely close. Chu Yue saved her life and treated her as her own younger sister, but now she found herself in a position to harm her biological son. Just thinking about it filled Lin Wanyun with a profound sense of guilt. At this moment, amidst the swirling snow, Lin Wanyun thought she saw the figure of Chu Yue, who seemed to be saying something to her. Lin Wanyun stood still, trying to make out what Chu Yue was saying to her. In her dazed state, she thought she really heard Chu Yue¡¯s voice. ¡°Wanyun¡­ help me¡­ take good care¡­ of Chen¡¯er¡­¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She suddenly snapped back to reality. The snow still fell thickly outside the window, but the figure of Chu Yue was no longer there. Lin Wanyun sighed softly and rubbed her temples. The stress had been too great recently, causing her to experience hallucinations and even auditory hallucinations. After returning to the military camp, Lin Xiuming immediately summoned the soldiers. After a roll call, they set out northward through the night. He didn¡¯t know the exact situation in Tianguang City, but since the North Prince had ordered him to head north, it likely indicated that the situation there was indeed dire. He was a man of the court, representing the court. With so many secrets in North City, his moving north could expose them to him and the Imperial forces. That¡¯s why the North Prince initially had them remain in Yan County. If it wasn¡¯t for a particularly urgent situation, the North Prince would definitely not risk exposing the secrets of North City by ordering him to move north. At this moment, Lin Xiuming seriously suspected whether the North Prince¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry had truly been wiped out. If they had, he had to hurry northward immediately; this was an excellent opportunity for him to earn military distinction. Last time he went to North City to retrieve corpses for the North Prince, upon his return to the Capital City, he was ridiculed by many friends, who called him a ¡®corpse hauler¡¯. This time, on his visit to North City, he had to earn some military honors to bring back. If he returned to the Capital City empty-handed again, wouldn¡¯t he be mocked as a ¡®transport worker¡¯? As for whether Tianguang City was in danger, that was no longer Lin Xiuming¡¯s concern. There was no such thing as a war without danger. How could a true man be afraid of going to battle because of a little danger? Just as Lin Xiuming was full of fervor, eager to head north to earn military honors, he discovered that the roads north had been covered by heavy snowfall. Although they were Cavalry, it was still difficult for them to advance. Looking at the army¡¯s snail-pace progress, Lin Xiuming was dumbfounded. It made him want to curse. How much shit was in the brain of the North Fre King for him to think of moving south to attack North City in the middle of winter? With this heavy snow, could the North Fre King¡¯s forces even move? At this moment, one of Lin Xiuming¡¯s trusted soldiers approached and said, ¡°General, at our current pace, it will be tough to reach Tianguang City in less than a month. Is the situation in Tianguang City truly urgent?¡± Lin Xiuming, frowning, replied, ¡°We must accelerate our pace. Advance as quickly as possible; it¡¯s highly likely that Tianguang City is really in trouble.¡± There was no choice; under these circumstances, they could only try their best to reach Tianguang City. Just then, a Scout Soldier came to Lin Xiuming and announced, ¡°General, there is a situation up ahead!¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming immediately demanded, ¡°Take me there!¡± The Scout Soldier quickly led Lin Xiuming to the place where the anomaly was reported. The ¡®anomaly¡¯ the Scout referred to was the footprints and wagon tracks in the snow. Although the heavy snow had covered those marks, they were still faintly discernible, and it was highly likely that they had been made in the past two days. Looking at the endless snow-covered horse tracks before him, Lin Xiuming¡¯s expression kept changing. Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Chapter 170 Speechless Lin Xiuming 1 Chapter 211: Chapter 170 Speechless Lin Xiuming 1 Translator: 549690339 | Although Lin Xiuming was young, he had led troops in quite a few battles. He rarely waged war in winter, but he had some understanding of the battlefield conditions in rainy weather. In front of him, the numerous wagon ruts and horse prints, albeit covered by heavy snow, allowed him to approximate the number of people based on the footprints. Given the repeated trampling in the snow, it was clear that a large number of people had passed through here. Most of the footprints in the middle were from humans, while those on the sides were from horse hooves, indicating a cavalry unit had been transporting something. To be precise, it wasn¡¯t something being transported, but given the multitude of footprints, it seemed they were escorting people. At that moment, a soldier beside Lin Xiuming said, ¡°General, look at the black rock fragments in the snow. If I am not mistaken, this should be coal slag.¡± They had been stationed in Yan County for almost two months now and were aware of major events there, such as the stoves and coal introduced by the North Prince Mansion. Their camp had relied on stoves from the North Prince Mansion to get through this winter. Without the coal and stoves from the North Prince Mansion, they didn¡¯t know how they would have survived the cold. The soldiers were familiar with ¡°coal,¡± the material for the charcoal balls, and everyone knew the charcoal balls from the North Prince Mansion were made of coal. Looking at the scatterings of coal slag in the snow, the soldiers immediately identified it as coal slag. Hearing his subordinate¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming dismounted and squatted down, grabbing some of the black rock fragments from the ground and sniffing them. ¡°Hmm, indeed it¡¯s coal slag,¡± he confirmed. Lin Xiuming then tossed the coal slag from his hand to the ground, stood up, and glanced at the intermittent trail of coal slag in the snow. The soldier beside Lin Xiuming continued, ¡°These must be the North Prince Mansion¡¯s soldiers escorting the Barbarian Tribe slaves transporting coal ore.¡± Lin Xiuming did not respond and pondered over the coal slag on the ground. Indeed, the scattered coal slag on the ground suggested the transport of coal by the North Prince Mansion¡¯s Barbarian Tribe slaves, however¡­ Lin Xiuming swept his gaze toward the direction in which the tracks extended, and from their alignment, it seemed that these people had come from the north. Were there coal mines of the North Prince Mansion in the North Land? Lin Xiuming was not familiar with the distribution of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s coal mines, and the first thing that came to his mind wasn¡¯t coal mines, but Tianguang City to the north. From the horseshoe prints, the cavalry escorting these people was numerous. Lin Xiuming knew that the whole of North City had only those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry. Although North City did have light cavalry, their numbers were scant, probably not even reaching ten thousand men. But judging from the horse prints in the snow, the cavalry that had come from the north was definitely more than ten thousand strong. Wasn¡¯t it said that North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry had suffered casualties of over forty thousand, nearly annihilated? How could the North Prince still have so many cavalry? Seeing that Lin Xiuming kept staring at the horseshoe prints as if in a daze, the soldier beside him asked in confusion, ¡°General, have you discovered something?¡± Lin Xiuming returned to his senses and then replied, ¡°Nothing, I was just thinking about something. Alright, let¡¯s continue on our way. We can use these footprints to head north.¡± These footprints had compressed the snow, making it thinner and in contact with the ground, easing their progression forward ¡ª a fortunate thing for Lin Xiuming and his troops on their march. Afterward, Lin Xiuming led the court¡¯s twenty thousand soldiers, following the footprints left by Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s southward march to go northward. Although the prints were quickly covered by the heavy snowfall, they still managed to use these footprints to travel a great distance, saving considerable time. Without these footprints, they might indeed have needed a whole month to reach Tianguang City. During the journey to Tianguang City, Lin Xiuming paid close attention to those footprints. He had the feeling that the situation in Tianguang City was not as he had heard, that the North Prince must have concealed the true state of the warfare. They might not really be heading north to withstand the southward advance of the Barbarian Tribe; it was more likely just a pretense. Seeing so many horseshoe prints, Lin Xiuming could only think of those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry from North City. Lin Xiuming had more or less guessed Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts, but he didn¡¯t intend to reveal them; he just pretended to be oblivious. Since his father had already decided to support the North Prince, he certainly needed to incline towards the North Prince too, so playing along with the North Prince¡¯s act would suffice. Originally, Lin Xiuming had felt considerable pressure about heading north. Although the desire to achieve military exploits lingered in his heart, he had only twenty thousand court cavalry under his command. Considering that the Black Cavalry had been annihilated, he doubted whether his twenty thousand cavalry could withstand the grand army of the North Fre King. But upon seeing the footprints on the ground, Lin Xiuming suddenly saw things clearly ¡ª it was probably not the Black Cavalry that got wiped out, but the North Fre King¡¯s grand army. He thought, how could the North Prince possibly be defeated by the North Fre King? In his hands, the North Prince held weapons capable of blowing Barbarian soldiers to smithereens in an instant. Although he had never seen the North Prince¡¯s army use such weapons, his last visit to Yan County allowed him to surmise the might of those mysterious weapons from the craters left behind. With such weapons, not just the Barbarian Tribe, even Great Wu would only face a sound defeat in North City. After more than half a month¡¯s journey, Lin Xiuming and his men finally arrived at Tianguang City. This year, the winter in North City was colder than usual, with heavier snowfall, reducing visibility to less than five meters even during the daytime. Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: Chapter 170 Speechless Lin Xiuming_2 Chapter 212: Chapter 170 Speechless Lin Xiuming_2 Translator: 549690339 I When General Lin Xiuming led the Imperial Army of twenty thousand men to the south gate of Tianguang City, Li Leng rode out to greet them on horseback. Looking at General Lin Xiuming and the Imperial Army of twenty thousand, Li Feng pretended to be very excited and said, ¡°General Lin, you have finally arrived. If you had been a few days later, I¡¯m afraid we wouldn¡¯t have been able to hold on.¡± Seeing Li Feng¡¯s excited expression as if he was about to cry, a sneer crossed General Lin Xiuming¡¯s mind. His performance was quite convincing. General Lin Xiuming asked with concern, ¡°General Li, 1 hope the Prince is alright?¡± Li Feng sighed deeply, his expression one of sorrow, ¡°The Prince is unharmed physically, but he¡¯s been in low spirits these past few days due to the annihilation of the Black Cavalry, unable to eat or drink.¡± ¡°Enough of this, the snowstorm outside is severe, let¡¯s hurry into the city.¡± After that, Li Feng led General Lin Xiuming and the Imperial Army into Tianguang City. Knowing that General Lin Xiuming and the Imperial Army would be coming, Mu Changtian and his two sons had all left Tianguang City, as in Great Sum they were already considered dead. It would be somewhat problematic if General Lin Xiuming saw them. However, the three of them did not return to Yan County, as Lu Chen had arranged a rather special task for them. After General Lin Xiuming entered Tianguang City, he surveyed everything inside. At this time, he noticed that the soldiers from North City seemed to have low morale. Almost every soldier from North City he encountered was sighing and looked as if they had truly been defeated. Seeing them like this, even General Lin Xiuming began to doubt whether his own guesses on the journey had been wrong. The low spirits of these soldiers seemed truly genuine, not feigned at all. General Lin Xiuming frowned slightly, then asked, ¡°General Li, has the Black Cavalry really been completely wiped out?¡± Li Feng sighed deeply, ¡°They haven¡¯t been completely annihilated, but only a few thousand are left, and all are injured. They likely won¡¯t have much combat strength in the future.¡± ¡°This time we have suffered a great loss. No one expected the North Fre King¡¯s forces to be so formidable; we underestimated the enemy.¡± As he spoke, Li Feng sighed again. From the moment General Lin Xiuming had seen him, Li Feng kept sighing incessantly. This left General Lin Xiuming utterly confused. He couldn¡¯t help thinking that perhaps the Heavy Cavalry of North City truly had been wiped out. General Lin Xiuming asked no further questions, quietly following Li Feng to the temporary residence of Lu Chen. However, when they arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s command post, they didn¡¯t see Lu Chen, only Bai Qingqing. Li Feng immediately asked, ¡°Commander Bai, where has the Prince gone?¡± Bai Qingqing replied expressionlessly, ¡°He went to see the Black Cavalry.¡± As General Lin Xiuming was about to ask something, Li Feng turned to him and said, ¡°Recently, the Prince often goes alone to the burial site of the Black Cavalry to be lost in thought. Let me take you there.¡± This¡­ General Lin Xiuming thereafter ordered the Imperial Army to rest within the city, then he alone followed Li Feng to the burial site of the Black Cavalry. In a short while, they arrived at the foot of a small hill outside the city. Amid the snowstorm, the silhouette of a young man appeared faintly visible. The young man stood on the hill, gazing into the distance as if reminiscing about something. By now, snow had piled upon the young man¡¯s head and shoulders, showing he had been standing there for a long time. General Lin Xiuming was momentarily stunned. If this were an act, it was too convincing. Then Li Feng approached Lu Chen and said in a low voice, ¡°Prince, General Lin has arrived with twenty thousand soldiers of the Imperial Army.¡± Upon hearing Li Feng¡¯s words, Lu Chen heaved a deep sigh and then turned to walk towards General Lin Xiuming. General Lin Xiuming hurriedly greeted him, saying, ¡°I pay my respects to the Prince!¡± Lu Chen, looking at General Lin Xiuming with a solemn expression, said, ¡°General Lin, I¡¯ve finally waited for you. If you had arrived even a few days later, I fear Tianguang City would have fallen to the Barbarian Tribe.¡± With a puzzled look, General Lin Xiuming asked, ¡°Prince, has the Barbarian Army not retreated?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No, they occasionally still send troops to attack Tianguang City.¡± ¡°See the hoofprints over there? They came this morning, but they didn¡¯t launch an attack this time.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, General Lin Xiuming turned to look at the snowy ground in the distance; indeed, there were numerous hoofprints that looked like those of a Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry. General Lin Xiuming gave another glance at the large mound of earth before him; he still harbored doubts and couldn¡¯t believe that the Black Cavalry of North City was no more. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Now that General Lin has arrived, the defense of Tianguang City will be in the hands of the Imperial Army.¡± Upon hearing this, General Lin Xiuming was taken aback. In the hands of the Imperial Army? Was the North Prince planning to return to Yan County? Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, the wind and snow here are harsh. Let¡¯s talk about anything else back inside the city.¡± Then the three of them went back into the city. After returning to the city, Lu Chen gave General Lin Xiuming some instructions and then led the majority of the soldiers from North City back to Yan County without delay. General Lin Xiuming did not inquire about the fate of the Black Cavalry from Lu Chen; regardless of whether the Black Cavalry was truly destroyed, it wouldn¡¯t be proper for him to ask about the details of the battle if he was standing on Lu Chen¡¯s side. If the Black Cavalry had indeed perished, asking the North Prince about the details would be like rubbing salt into his wounds. If the Black Cavalry had not perished, then there was even less reason for him to inquire about the details, since his father had already decided to side with the North Prince. If the North Prince claimed the Black Cavalry was annihilated, it was likely to conceal the military strength of North City and to avoid constant scrutiny by the Imperial Court.. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 170 Speechless Lin Xiuming_3 Chapter 213: Chapter 170 Speechless Lin Xiuming_3 Translator: 549690339 | After seeing Lu Chen off, Lin Xiuming returned to the city and, gazing at the heavy snowfall above, couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the North Fre King¡¯s army had really not retreated. With such heavy snow, did the North Fre King still insist on attacking North City? Was there something wrong with his head? Just then, Lin Xiuming¡¯s confidant approached him and said, ¡°General, we¡¯ve found something.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming immediately responded, ¡°Take me there to see.¡± Lin Xiuming then followed his confidant to the northern part of Tianguang City. Many buildings in the North City had collapsed, and although the heavy snow had masked the traces of battle, a closer look still revealed the signs of a massive conflict in Tianguang City. The large craters amidst the ruins immediately reminded Lin Xiuming of the ones he had seen in Wanning Valley. Looking at the battered North City, Lin Xiuming chuckled to himself and muttered, ¡°A convincing act, they almost had me fooled. Just one glance at the battlefield was enough for Lin Xiuming to reconstruct what the scene of the conflict at Tianguang City¡¯s North City must have been like. Obviously, the North Prince had employed a strategy of luring the enemy in deep, first drawing the North Fre King¡¯s army into Tianguang City, then bombarding them with North City¡¯s mysterious weapons, and finally sending out troops to deal with the North Fre King¡¯s forces. At this moment, Lin Xiuming took another look at the North City gate and concluded from its intact state that the North Prince had intentionally let the North Fre King into Tianguang City. The war that occurred in Tianguang City was nearly identical to the battle at Wanning Valley, where the enemy was lured into a narrow space, leaving the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry with no escape, and then annihilating them. Lin Xiuming thought back to the footprints they had seen on their way north and guessed whom those footprints belonged to. in the battle at Wanning Valley last time, the North Prince had captured more than a hundred thousand Barbarian prisoners, and it was likely that a vast number of Barbarian soldiers were captured this time as well. Right then, Lin Xiuming¡¯s confidant asked, ¡°General, how should we report the demise of the Black Cavalry to the court? We weren¡¯t present during the war and have no idea what actually happened. Lin Xiuming indifferently said, ¡°Just report the truth, whatever the North Prince says, we report that.¡± This time was different from before; this time they had headed north with only twenty thousand men and hadn¡¯t brought a Military Supervisor, so it was just Lin Xiuming writing the battle report. He could write it however he liked, as long as it wasn¡¯t too outlandish. Just then, the sound of urgent drumming suddenly filled the air from the city walls, causing Lin Xiuming¡¯s heart to skip a beat. At that moment, Li Feng came running in a frenzy and exclaimed, ¡°General Lin, something terrible has happened- the Barbarian cavalry has returned!¡± Lin Xiuming¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as he quickly ordered his soldiers, ¡°Assemble the troops, prepare for battle!¡± Afterward, Lin Xiuming joined Li Feng on the city tower of Tianguang City. The snowstorm was intensifying, and all they could see was a dark mass in the distance. It was some time before Lin Xiuming could make out the details of the shadows; judging by the furry clothes they wore, they were indeed Barbarian cavalry. Lin Xiuming frowned could it be that the North Prince had spoken the truth? The Barbarians hadn¡¯t retreated? How could that be possible? He had just seen the traces of war in the North City and thought that the North Fre King¡¯s army had been annihilated by the North Prince, yet no sooner had the North Prince left North City than the Barbarian army appeared again. Narrowing his eyes, Lin Xiuming estimated the size of the Barbarian cavalry outside. Their numbers weren¡¯t overwhelming-about five thousand-but that was still not enough to capture Tianguang City, especially since he had just led an imperial army of twenty thousand to Tianguang City. Just as Lin Xiuming was about to command his soldiers to shoot arrows, one panicked soldier came up to him and said, ¡°General, disaster has struck¡ª Tianguang City has run out of arrows and we have only trebuchets left, with no rocks to throw. Each of our soldiers has only a few arrows; they¡¯re completely unprepared to resist the Barbarians laying siege! They had been in a hurry when heading north. Moreover, the supplies they¡¯d transported to North City had already been turned over. Apart from some hand-to-hand combat weapons, they hardly had any arrows left. If they were to defend the city, then they could only rely on Tianguang City¡¯s own weapons for defense, but upon arriving, the soldiers discovered a complete lack of long-range weaponry, which terrified them. Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming was stunned- how could Tianguang City have no arrows or rocks? How was this possible? How were they supposed to defend without long-range weapons? Lin Xiuming turned to Li Feng and queried, ¡°General Li, how could Tianguang City be out of arrows? Even after a major battle, a fair number of usable arrows can be salvaged from the battlefield, right?¡± With a cough, Li Feng replied, ¡°Well, perhaps the Prince took them when he left. We have to defend not only Tianguang City but also several other cities to the west. The Prince probably assumed that with General Lin¡¯s well-equipped army, which carries its own weaponry, there was no need for Tianguang City¡¯s arsenal, so he took it all, planning to send it to the other cities.¡± ¡°You know, General, North City is rather poor and short on resources, especially military supplies, so we have to shift them around as needed.¡± Hearing this farfetched explanation, Lin Xiuming was so furious he felt like cursing. The military supplies they had initially brought from the Capital had long been handed over to North City; where else would they have obtained any weapons or equipment? This was the first time he¡¯d heard of a relief force arriving at the front line only to take all the weapons away. It wasn¡¯t just arrows that were gone; even the stones meant for hurling had been removed. What kind of joke was this? Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: Chapter 171 Finally Back 1 Chapter 214: Chapter 171 Finally Back 1 Translator: 549690339 | Seeing Lin Xiuming almost driven mad with frustration, Li Feng hastily said, ¡°General Lin, don¡¯t be anxious, there¡¯s no need for us to be too tense.¡± ¡°There are at most five thousand Barbarian soldiers in the distance, and even if they attack the city, they won¡¯t be able to breach it.¡± ¡°Moreover, it¡¯s very likely they¡¯re not here to attack the city.¡± Seeing Li Feng acting so nonchalant, Lin Xiuming asked with suspicion, ¡°General Li, how can you be so sure they¡¯re not here to attack the city?¡± Li Feng answered, ¡°After the North Fre King¡¯s army was repelled by us, they¡¯ve occasionally sent a few thousand men to harass us, but they usually just shout provocations and don¡¯t actually attack the city, probably hoping to wage psychological warfare.¡± ¡°I guess they¡¯re at least going to wait until next spring before the North Fre King¡¯s army makes another move south to attack Tianguang City.¡± Hearing Li Feng¡¯s answer, Lin Xiuming looked at him with a face full of skepticism. At this time, Li Feng said to Lin Xiuming¡¯s soldiers, ¡°Don¡¯t attack yet, we¡¯re currently short on bows and arrows, so let¡¯s conserve them for when the Barbarians do attack the city.¡± No sooner had Li Feng finished speaking than a Barbarian soldier rode up to the city and shouted in the Great Sum language with a Barbarian accent, ¡°Our king has spoken, he demands the North Prince immediately hand over his queen and compensate us with ten million tales of silver, otherwise, next spring, the North Fre King tribe will assemble an army of one million to move south.¡± ¡°By then, wherever the Barbarian warriors go, not a blade of grass will be left standing, and rivers of blood will flow.¡± No sooner had the Barbarian soldier shouted than the thousands of Barbarian Cavalry in the distance stood and chanted, ¡°Not a blade of grass will be left standing, rivers of blood will flow!¡± ¡°Not a blade of grass will be left standing, rivers of blood will flow!!!¡± Afterward, the Barbarian soldier uttered some very unpleasant words, insulting the people of Great Sum as sheep on two legs, with small courage, who dare not come out, and only dare to stay in their pens. The imperial soldiers brought by Lin Xiuming, upon hearing those words, all wished they could shoot that Barbarian soldier dead with a single arrow, but they did not act rashly. After all, the General had not given the order, and attacking on their own would likely result in military law punishment. At this moment, Lin Xiuming noticed a strange phenomenon. Li Feng had been in a fluster when looking for him earlier, as if the Barbarian Army was about to breakthrough, but now he was standing on the city wall as if nothing was the matter. Not only was he like this, but so were the soldiers left behind in North City. Only the soldiers he brought felt like they were facing a formidable enemy. It made it seem as though the Barbarian assault had nothing to do with the soldiers from North City. Weird, too weird¡­ Lin Xiuming simply gave up trying to figure it out and directly handed over battlefield command to Li Feng, letting Li Feng decide whether to attack or not. Li Feng just stood there on the city wall until the Barbarian soldier finished shouting and left. For a long time afterward, the Barbarian Cavalry would come to Tianguang City every now and then, but they just shouted provocations and never attacked. Eventually, Lin Xiuming, upon hearing reports of Barbarian attacks, couldn¡¯t be bothered to pay attention anymore. Lin Xiuming was no fool; he too had realized that those Barbarians had no real intention of attacking Tianguang City, and it wasn¡¯t even certain if they were actually Barbarians. However, as the general dispatched by the Great Sum imperial court to provide support, Lin Xiuming still documented everything he witnessed in battle reports and sent them to the Capital City. Of course, he did not include some of the more trivial details in the reports. Half a month later. Tianguang City. Li Feng was organizing things in his room when a soldier from North City entered, speaking softly, ¡°General, the Prince truly has divine foresight, there really are people digging up graves.¡± Hearing this, Li Feng was taken aback, then after scanning the doorway to ensure only North City soldiers were present, he asked, ¡°How much soil was overturned?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°I took a look, sir, and there seem to be more than twenty spots; each covers an area of about one square meter.¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s answer, Li Feng said, ¡°The imperial court really doesn¡¯t trust North City, but this likely isn¡¯t General Lin¡¯s doing. It¡¯s probably the work of spies the court has planted within our army.¡± The reason Lu Chen had all the clothes on the bodies of the Barbarian corpses switched to those worn by Great Sum people was mainly to prevent people from digging up the graves to verify the identities of the dead. Frankly, Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe the army brought by Lin Xiuming would do such a thing, nor did he think Lin Xiuming would desecrate graves to verify the identities of the bodies. No matter whether the mounds contained North City soldiers or not, at least nominally they were the Black Cavalry of North City, and nominally, they had died for North City, for Great Sum. If it became known that their graves had been dug up, it would certainly be a bad look. Lu Chen had bodies dressed in new clothes purely to anticipate the worst in the soldiers of Lin Xiuming¡¯s forces; in his view, even if Lin Xiuming did not intend to verify the bodies as Black Cavalry, it was very possible that someone among his men would. As a result, not half a month since Lu Chen had left Tianguang City, and even before he had returned to Yan County, the graves had indeed been tampered with; but now, verifying whether those buried were Great Sum people might not be so easy. Although bodies don¡¯t decompose easily in winter, being buried in the ground still brought some changes, and even ice-frozen corpses, once coated with soil, would not easily reveal whether the soldiers were Barbarians or Great Sum people. At this juncture, the soldier asked, ¡°General, is there anything we need to do?¡± Chapter 215 - Chapter 215: Chapter 171 Finally Back_2 Chapter 215: Chapter 171 Finally Back_2 Translator: 549690339 | Li Feng said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be done; just let our people watch their own mouths. Don¡¯t talk recklessly. If anyone slips up, they know the consequences.¡± The soldiers from North City who were still in Tianguang City had been handpicked by Lu Chen himself. These soldiers were highly loyal and would not easily betray North City. On the surface, they were assisting Lin Xiuming in defending Tianguang City, but in reality, their role was to surveil the imperial army of twenty thousand troops. Of course, their most important function was to coordinate with those soldiers from North City who were impersonating the Barbarian Tribe. The soldiers who came to the outskirts of Tianguang City daily to curse were actually troops from Great Sum. Since the war had ended and there was nothing to do in the winter, Lu Chen arranged for Mu Changtian, his son, and Xiao Pengthian to occasionally harass the imperial army in Tianguang City, creating the illusion that the North Fre King was not yet dead. Meanwhile. Yan County. Riding on horseback and looking at the north gate of Yan County, Lu Chen sighed to himself, ¡°I am finally back.¡± The heavy snow had blocked the roads, and what should have been a journey of just a few days took Lu Chen and the North City soldiers half a month to complete. Lu Chen no longer felt like cursing the North Fre King, who was already dead by then. At that moment, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think that if all the Barbarian Tribes were as foolish as the North Fre King, controlling the tribes in the North Land in the future would be much easier. Just as Lu Chen was lost in thought, Qin Yushan and Li Rui led the officials of Yan County to the city gate to welcome him. ¡°Welcomeback, Prince, in triumph!¡± Although they told the outside world that the Heavy Cavalry of North City had been destroyed, most of Lu Chen¡¯s people knew that the Black Cavalry had encountered no harm; they had achieved a great victory in North City without any casualties. Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen rode swiftly to the city gate, and while riding, he asked Qin Yushan beside him, ¡°Commander Qin, has anything significant happened in Yan County these past few days?¡± Qin Yushan followed beside Lu Chen¡¯s horse and reported on the status of Yan County. ¡°Nothing significant has happened in Yan County recently, Prince,¡± replied Qin Yushan. ¡°However, there is some information that I didn¡¯t send to Tianguang City in time. I¡¯ll report it to you first.¡± ¡°Recently, a number of merchants from Great Wu have appeared in Yan County, and there has also been a notable increase in the disciples from the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Because the heavy snow had blocked the roads, it took time for the reports from the Brocade Guard to reach Tianguang City, so Lu Chen was unaware if anything had transpired in Yan County in the last few days. Riding slowly forward, he listened to Qin Yushan¡¯s briefing. By the time Lu Chen reached the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Qin Yushan had nearly finished reporting his information. Lu Chen glanced at his wives waiting at the mansion¡¯s entrance and slightly turned his head to Qin Yushan, saying, ¡°Commander Qin, go attend to your duties.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince, I shall take my leave,¡± responded Qin Yushan. Once Qin Yushan had left, Lu Chen immediately dismounted and walked towards the entrance of the mansion. Mu Zixuan immediately led Lu Chen¡¯s women forward, with herself, Xiaozhou, and Dazhou throwing themselves into Lu Chen¡¯s arms. ¡°Prince, you¡¯re finally back. We¡¯ve been very worried about you ever since we heard about the demise of the Black Cavalry,¡± said Mu Zixuan. Feeling the gentle jade fragrance of the women in his embrace, Lu Chen smiled slightly, soothingly patting the backs of the three beauties as he spoke, ¡°My ladies, rest assured, I am fine.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Lin Wanyun, who was standing at a distance. Although her eyes were fixed on him, as if scheming something, she appeared hesitant to approach. After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Lu Chen had guessed what the Mysterious Moon Palace was planning next. The Mysterious Moon Palace saw the annihilation of the Black Cavalry as an opportunity, a chance to get closer to the North Prince Mansion. It seemed it wouldn¡¯t be long before they would seek to negotiate a partnership with him. His gaze swept past Lin Wanyun and then settled on Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin looked at him worryingly; clearly, she wanted to come closer and inquire about his well-being, but with Chu Qingli standing near her sister, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t dare to come too close to avoid her sister¡¯s misgivings. Seeing the women gathered in front of him, Chu Yuqin felt a hollow sensation inside. In her mind, memories of the times they had spent together in the Capital City resurfaced. Back then in the Capital City, there weren¡¯t so many women around Lu Chen. Every time Lu Chen returned from outside, it was she alone who would warmly greet and care for him. Times had changed. Now, Lu Chen had grown up, made a family, surrounded by many wives and concubines, and she, who had always been by his side, had become an outsider, unable to approach him. As she thought of this, Chu Yuqin felt overwhelmed with melancholy. Then, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze moved from Chu Yuqin back to Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. While Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao had also come forward, they seemed somewhat hesitant and just stood beside Mu Zixuan and the others, not as bold as Mu Zixuan, Xiaozhou, and Dazhou who had thrown themselves directly into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. Having recently married into the Prince¡¯s Mansion, although their affection for Lu Chen was already profound, they refrained from rushing forward out of respect for Mu Zixuan and the others, to avoid any impression of competing for favor. Aware of their own status, they restrained their inner impulses. Gazing at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face, Yelv Nanyan smiled slightly. Upon hearing of the destruction of the Black Cavalry, she had feared for the safety of North City. But in the end, nothing came to pass. Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Chapter 171 Finally Back_3 Chapter 216: Chapter 171 Finally Back_3 Translator: 549690339 | To be honest, she didn¡¯t believe the North Fre King had the strength to defeat the Black Cavalry of North City, even the Sky Wolf King¡¯s three hundred thousand troops were no match for North City and those Black Cavalry, how could the North Fre King possibly be North City¡¯s opponent? She still had some understanding of the strength of the North Fre King¡¯s tribe. At a glance, one could tell that this little man was plotting some sort of scheme. And judging by his manner, he didn¡¯t look like someone who had suffered defeat. Now that Yelv Nanyan had fully integrated into the North Prince Mansion, if Lu Chen really had been defeated, she would have felt the opposite of happy, after all, this little man was already her darling. Moreover, the life in the North Prince¡¯s Mansion had always been what she longed for, and she did not want to see her beautiful life destroyed. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My wives, I have returned from the war, you won¡¯t keep me out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, will you?¡± Mu Zixuan and the other important women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion had all arrived at the entrance, and the maids and servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were also standing at the entrance. This made the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion entrance crowded with people, leaving Lu Chen no way to get in. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan, who was in his arms, suddenly came to her senses and quickly told the servants and maids at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°Disperse, go about your own business.¡± ¡°Prince, let¡¯s go backto the main hall first,¡± she said, ¡°the renovation of the Prince¡¯s Mansion is now complete.¡± Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°The renovation is complete? Does that mean we now have heated rooms?¡± Before heading north, Lu Chen had told Mo Fei and others about his plan to renovate the Prince¡¯s Mansion, intending to have them help oversee the renovation of the heated rooms in the mansion. Counting the time, it had been over two months since they went north, so the renovation of the heated rooms should also be completed. Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Yes, most of the rooms in the Prince¡¯s Mansion are no longer cold, especially the main hall, which is very warm.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want to see if the renovation of the heated rooms has met my expectations.¡± Then Lu Chen led his wives and concubines to the main hall. As soon as he entered the hall, he felt a warm current, and the cold feeling instantly dissipated, making the entire hall very warm. The reason why the main hall was so warm was that there was a smoke passage underneath and a coal-burning room outside, similar to the principle of a heated bed, only the main hall was much larger, consuming more coal each day. Lu Chen turned to Xiaozhou and asked, ¡°Youyou, is your room also renovated?¡± The main hall was where Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan lived. If only this place was renovated, his other women wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy it. Zhou Youyou answered, ¡°Prince, most of the residential rooms in the Prince¡¯s Mansion have been turned into heated rooms, including the northern courtyard.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said, ¡°Then I am relieved.¡± Upon entering the main hall, Mu Zixuan and the others knelt on the ground and sat around Lu Chen. He huddled with them and chatted about some affairs of Tianguang City. At this time, Chu Yuqin stood outside the courtyard of the main hall, looking at the warm scene inside, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh involuntarily. Chu Qingli looked at Chu Yuqin with a puzzled face and asked, ¡°Sister, what are you sighing about?¡± Chu Yuqin snapped back to reality and quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just thinking about some things from the past.¡± ¡°All right, there¡¯s nothing to do now, you can go on patrol too.¡± Chu Qingli eyed Chu Yuqin suspiciously, but didn¡¯t think too much about it. Although Lu Chen, that lecherous man, had returned, there were so many women around him, so her sister couldn¡¯t have a moment alone with Lu Chen, thus Chu Qingli was temporarily relieved about Chu Yuqin. After chatting with his wives and concubines for a while, Lu Chen went to his study. The study had accumulated a lot of intelligence reports, though most were from the Rain-listening Pavilion, unlike the Brocade Guard whose reports were usually delivered immediately into Lu Chen¡¯s hands, but most of the Rain- listening Pavilion¡¯s intelligence ended up in Lu Chen¡¯s study. Lu Chen was eager to know the current movements of the major dynasties, especially what the Da Yue Dynasty was up to recently. Just as Lu Chen approached the entrance of the study, he saw a figure with an impressive bearing. Her face showed a touch of worry, a hint of anticipation, and a sense of bewilderment. She hovered at the entrance of the study as if she was on patrol, but she seemed more like she was waiting for someone to arrive. Chapter 217 - Chapter 217: Chapter 172 Auntie will help you to regulatei Chapter 217: Chapter 172 Auntie will help you to regulatei Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin¡¯s hair was elegantly swept up into a cloud-like bun, and her blue Cloud Attire wrapped around her voluptuous and graceful figure, making her appear dignified, mature, and exuding the charm that comes with being a wife and mother. Although she was yet to be with any man and still chaste, her age was now apparent, and with her constant care for Lu Chen, her temperament was similar to that of many beautiful married women. As a Half-step Grandmaster, Chu Yuqin was far more resistant to the cold than most people, hence she didn¡¯t need to wear the thick cotton-padded clothes like Mu Zixuan and the others. As such, her stunning figure was fully accentuated. Seeing the mature and enchanting Chu Yuqin at the door of the study, Lu Chen immediately harbored improper thoughts. During his trip to the north, even though Bai Qingqing was by his side, he hadn¡¯t done anything with her, so he had been restraining himself. For someone used to a rich diet to suddenly switch to nothing but vegetables for over two months was too much for him to bear. Earlier, since his women were around, the thoughts in his heart hadn¡¯t been stirred, but now the study was only occupied by him and Chu Yuqin. With fewer people around, one¡¯s desires could magnify in an instant. At the sight of Chu Yuqin¡¯s stunning beauty and her alluring body, Lu Chen was instantly enticed. After lingering for a while in Lu Chen¡¯s study, Chu Yuqin was about to leave when she turned around and saw Lu Chen. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, did you know I was coming to the study and decided to wait here for me?¡± Surprised by Lu Chen¡¯s actual presence in the study, Chu Yuqin was momentarily taken aback and suddenly felt guilty, though she quickly regained her composure. She looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said softly, ¡°What are you thinking? I¡¯m just patrolling the study, after all, there are many important items here that need to be watched over.¡± As Lu Chen slowly approached, Chu Yuqin¡¯s anxiety heightened, and the Inner Strength within her became increasingly chaotic. Not understanding why she felt this way, Chu Yuqin quickly tried to regulate her breathing to calm the abnormal reaction in her body. She hurriedly changed the subject, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯ve just returned. Wiry aren¡¯t you with Mu Zixuan and the others?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve come from afar, and must be tired from the journey. You should rest well today.¡± Lu Chen gazed into Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful eyes and said, ¡°Madam Chu, I came expressly to find you.¡± ¡°During the more than two months in Tianguang City, I¡¯ve been practicing martial arts. Maybe I was too eager, which caused a problem with my Dantian. Although I¡¯ve broken through to the Master Realm, I still can¡¯t clear the blockage of energy in my Dantian. I have no choice but to come and ask for your help.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, a blush spread across Chu Yuqin¡¯s face. Her unexpected arrival at the door of the study was indeed inspired by her thoughts that Lu Chen had not seen her for more than two months and might have encountered some issues with his martial arts practice. Since she had helped him with his body conditioning in the study before, she subconsciously came to the study door, which also explained why she felt guilty when she saw Lu Chen. Learning that Lu Chen needed her assistance, Chu Yuqin¡¯s initial confusion and desolation dissipated in an instant. As long as Lu Chen still needed her, she would not leave the North Prince Mansion. Blushing, Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go into the study first. I¡¯ll help you adjust your condition.¡± Chu Yuqin took the initiative to turn around, opened the door to the study, and walked in. Chu Yuqin had just entered the study when Lu Chen followed, quickly closed the door behind them, and even locked it. Startled by the sound of the door closing, Chu Yuqin turned around to say something, but Lu Chen was already right beside her. Chu Yuqin instinctively stepped back, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you can¡¯t mess around this time. If you do, I won¡¯t condition your body for you anymore.¡± Seeing the embarrassed expression on the beautiful woman before him, something seemed to switch on inside Lu Chen, and he became extremely eager. Without another word, Lu Chen took Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade hand, pulled her into his embrace, and said, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t worry, I know my limits. Hurry and help me with my condition. I feel my Dantian is getting more and more congested.¡± Suddenly enveloped in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, Chu Yuqin¡¯s body trembled lightly. She inhaled his masculine scent, which caused her body to heat up intensely. Chu Yuqin wanted to escape from Lu Chen¡¯s arms, but remembering that his cultivation was suffering, she refrained from moving, letting him hold her tender frame. Perhaps because he hadn¡¯t been close to a woman for over two months, embracing Chu Yuqin, a stunning beauty, made Lu Chen all the more restless. The faint scent of Chu Yuqin¡¯s body continuously assailed Lu Chen¡¯s nostrils. Her body was also incredibly soft, akin to cotton. Plus, due to the winter season, her body radiated an even greater warmth, making Lu Chen feel as if he were holding a fluffy comforter. Merely holding her made Lu Chen feel incredibly comfortable. Suddenly, his hands moved to Chu Yuqin¡¯s round hips. Feeling him act inappropriately, Chu Yuqin said in a fluster, ¡°Chen¡¯er, don¡¯t forget what I just told you!¡± Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Chapter 172 Auntie will help you to regulate_2 Chapter 218: Chapter 172 Auntie will help you to regulate_2 Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen whispered in Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I definitely won¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s voice was low and magnetic, and its proximity to her ear made Chu Yuqin feel as if his voice was directly entering her brain, causing a tingling sensation to spread throughout her body from her mind. Chu Yuqin struggled against the strangeness in her body, not forgetting her intention to help Lu Chen adjust his body. At this moment, she attempted to channel her Inner Strength into Lu Chen¡¯s body to check the condition of his Dantian. However, she quickly realized that not only was she feeling weak all over, but the skill in her body had also disappeared, just like when she had been with Lu Chen before. Chu Yuqin sighed inwardly. Sure enough, as before, whenever this little rascal held her, her skill would vanish. It seemed highly likely it had something to do with the Immortal Law he practiced. Unless they engaged in closer contact, allowing Lu Chen to transfer some of his skill to her, only then would she be able to use her Inner Strength to check Lu Chen¡¯s Dantian. But the mere thought of Lu Chen taking liberties with her in the study, kissing her red lips, left Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind in turmoil. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to ask Lu Chen to let go of her so she could check his Dantian, Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Madam Chu, it seems this method of adjusting the body isn¡¯t working anymore. If it¡¯s just holding each other, I don¡¯t feel anything, and the mass of energy in my Dantian is still blocked up, with no signs of dissipating.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind froze for a moment before she hurriedly asked, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, do you remember what we did in the study last time? It seems only by closer contact, allowing the skill in our bodies to form a cycle, can we clear the energy blockage in my Dantian.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, the image of Lu Chen¡¯s forceful kiss flooded Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind, and she immediately said, ¡°No! We mustn¡¯t make the same mistake again!¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s response, Lu Chen unhesitatingly released her delicate body. Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned. Lu Chen then said with a worried face, ¡°Since you are unwilling, Madam Chu, let¡¯s forget it. I¡¯ll find another way to deal with the blockage in my Dantian. Who asked me to practice the Immortals¡¯ cultivation technique beyond my limits? Whatever the consequences, I should bear them alone. Indeed, this has nothing to do with you, Madam Chu. I can¡¯t ruin your purity.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s tender heart was instantly touched. But the thought of engaging in such intimate acts with Lu Chen caused great resistance within her. After all, she was Lu Chen¡¯s aunt! Though not by blood. Nevertheless, she was still the sworn sister of Lu Chen¡¯s mother, Jin Lan. How could they indulge in such intimate acts? If word got out, it would surely affect Lu Chen¡¯s reputation. Lu Chen was someone who aspired to contend for the throne; his reputation couldn¡¯t be tarnished because of her. The Wang Family and others with ulterior motives were already planning to use her to trouble Lu Chen. If she were to engage in intimate acts with Lu Chen, the people would certainly see him as a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. At that moment, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, it¡¯s not that your aunt isn¡¯t helping you, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Chu Yuqin trailed off. Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t say anymore. I understand. Even though you and the man you married have not consummated your marriage, you are technically married to him. Public opinion is dreadful, and you fear that your reputation will be ruined by me¡­ I¡­¡± Lu Chen hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Chu Yuqin interrupted him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, it¡¯s not like that, your aunt doesn¡¯t think that way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that people will use me to ruin your reputation. After all, I am a widow. If the public finds out about what happened between you and me, how will they view you?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen turned to look into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, which showed a hint of panic, clearly afraid of being misunderstood as a selfish person. Then, with a smile on his face, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, let¡¯s not talk about these disheartening things. You go about your business, and I¡¯ll endure this on my own. This is the consequence I ought to bear.¡± IIJ II Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s bitter smile, Chu Yuqin felt as if her heart was being twisted by a knife. At this point, Chu Yuqin thought to herself that her purpose in staying by Lu Chen¡¯s side was to be of use to him, and now she was the only one who could help adjust his body, yet she was reluctant to do so. If she was unwilling, who else could adjust Lu Chen¡¯s body? If he truly suffered problems from his cultivation, she couldn¡¯t explain herself to her dear sister Chu Yue, even in death. Moreover, it was just a kiss, not the consummation of a marriage. Even if kissed, that shouldn¡¯t count as losing her purity, especially since they had already kissed once before. Having thought it through, Chu Yuqin finally made up her mind and promptly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, don¡¯t speak so despondently. Your aunt promised your mother to guard you for life and to protect your safety.¡± ¡°If that kind of action is necessary to help adjust your Dantian, then your aunt will surely agree to it. However, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to control yourself and all of a sudden might start thinking¡­¡± Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Chapter 172 Auntie will help you to regulate_3 Chapter 219: Chapter 172 Auntie will help you to regulate_3 Translator: 549690339 Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t continue speaking. Her face became hotter and hotter, increasingly flushed with embarrassment. Seeing that Chu Yuqin was willing, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t worry. Although I am fond of beauty, I still have a certain level of self-control. I absolutely won¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± ¡°If I dare to overstep, just slap me twice to bring me to my senses.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed softly and then said, ¡°Alright, then come here.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to pull Chu Yuqin back into his embrace. Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart began to beat frenziedly. Last time in the study, it was Lu Chen who had forcibly kissed her, but this time it was her own consent. Although it was willingly, Chu Yuqin still felt uneasy, fearing that Lu Chen couldn¡¯t control himself¡ªafter all, he was a man, and she a woman. A man and a woman alone in a room, engaging in such intimate acts¡ªif sparks were to fly, what would they do if something actually happened? After pulling Chu Yuqin into his arms, Lu Chen kissed her directly. Chu Yuqin could only let out muffled sounds, soon finding herself breathless from the kissing, completely limp in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. If he hadn¡¯t been holding her up, she might have collapsed onto the floor. Gradually, Chu Yuqin felt her body heating up more and more, her consciousness increasingly muddled. She tried hard to steady her restless emotions, only to find that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn¡¯t control herself. Lu Chen had always wanted to conquer Chu Yuqin, but because she was already someone¡¯s widow, she held very traditional views on morality and had been avoiding him. Especially after Chu Qingli came to North City, Chu Yuqin, fearing that Chu Qingli might suspect something, tried even harder to avoid him. The more Chu Yuqin avoided him, the more Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts about her grew. The emotions that had built up over time erupted at this moment. The study, already converted into a warm room, grew even hotter. The firewood burned fiercely, threatening to rage out of control. Just then, Chu Yuqin suddenly regained clarity. She realized with a shock that Lu Chen was intending to¡­ Chu Yuqin quickly twisted her waist, trying to break free from Lu Chen, in an attempt to bring him back to his senses too. As they struggled, they accidentally bumped into a bookshelf, sending books tumbling down with a clatter. Lin Wanyun, who was patrolling outside at that moment, immediately approached the study upon hearing the noise. The study was where the North Prince dealt with official affairs. Although it was not part of the inner court, this was also a place where not just anyone could enter, and the study was guarded by the inner court security. Hearing activity in the study, Lin Wanyun thought someone had sneaked in, perhaps to steal something. But just as Lin Wanyun arrived at the doorway, she halted. She was from the Mysterious Moon Palace, and although she was now the Guard Commander of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, this didn¡¯t mean that the North Prince trusted her completely. If she were to rashly enter the study, she might be misunderstood by the North Prince, suspecting that she had some ulterior motive for being there. Therefore, it was inconvenient for her to enter. Lin Wanyun then called out towards the study, ¡°Who¡¯s in there?¡± Upon hearing the voice from outside the study, Lu Chen, who was overtaken by desire, gradually came to his senses a bit. Looking at the beautiful woman in his arms, Lu Chen felt somewhat helpless. At this moment, Chu Yuqin had affectionate eyes, a flushed face, and a weak, yielding body. If things continued, there was no telling whether he might indeed make Chu Yuqin his woman. Unfortunately, the opportunity was missed again, as Chu Yuqin had already come back to her senses, making it inappropriate to continue. And this was the study, a place too small and crowded for his liking; he felt rather constrained. This was not the right place. Then, Lu Chen coughed and said, ¡°Madam Lin, it¡¯s me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice coming from inside, Lin Wanyun was taken aback for a moment, and she felt somewhat relieved. It was good that she didn¡¯t barge in, or else it would have been hard to explain. After Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Chen¡¯er inside. I thought a thief had entered the study. Since there¡¯s nothing amiss, I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Although calling Lu Chen ¡°Chen¡¯er¡± still felt a bit awkward to Lin Wanyun, Lu Chen had already discussed the matter of addressing him, and now she could only call him that. If she called Lu Chen by his title, the North Prince, he would probably say that she was intentionally keeping her distance from him. For her, calling Lu Chen by his childhood name was not bad, as it could bring her closer to him, facilitating further cooperation with the Mysterious Moon Palace when the time came. After Lin Wanyun left the doorway of the study, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze returned to Chu Yuqin in his arms, their eyes meeting with neither uttering a word for a long while. Feeling that Lin Wanyun had moved away, Chu Yuqin finally spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you should feel much better now, can you let go of Auntie?¡± Chu Yuqin felt that Lu Chen was close to losing control. If she didn¡¯t quickly distance herself from him, they might make a mistake soon. Lu Chen said, ¡°Some of the stagnant qi in my Dantian has dissipated, but I am still feeling uncomfortable in some places.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin rolled her eyes at him disapprovingly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, go find Zixuan or the others, let me go right now.¡± Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by "serving"?_1 Chapter 220: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by ¡°serving¡±?_1 Translator: 549690339 How could Chu Yuqin not know Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts? This little rascal just wanted her body. Thankfully, she regained her consciousness at the crucial moment or they might have been involved in some scandalous affair right there in the study. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s look of bashful anger, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but laugh and say, ¡°Madam Chu, I haven¡¯t even mentioned where I¡¯m uncomfortable yet. How do you know I was going to say it¡¯s there?¡± Chu Yuqin ignored Lu Chen¡¯s words, her face flushing as she said, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve already helped you regulate your condition. Come back to me when there are issues with your cultivation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving today.¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin tried to free herself from Lu Chen¡¯s embrace and leave. However, she had no skill in her body at the moment, and combined with how Lu Chen had left her feeling weak all over, it wasn¡¯t easy for her to break away from his arms. Chu Yuqin twisted her waist, but she was still held tightly in Lu Chen¡¯s arms. She was forced to look up into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯re fine now, please let your aunt go. If Qing Li comes on patrol, there¡¯s a chance she¡¯ll discover us.¡± With a nonchalant expression, Lu Chen said, ¡°So what if she discovers us? We haven¡¯t done anything indecent. You were just helping me with my body, what can she say?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin pouted. Why did it feel like they were doing something indecent right now? She, a widow, in Lu Chen¡¯s study, hugging and embracing him¡ªwasn¡¯t this something that couldn¡¯t be seen? Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, I think you care too much about what others think. Are their opinions really that important? To me, it doesn¡¯t matter if we¡¯re hugging and embracing, or even if we¡¯ve consummated our relationship; no one has a right to say anything. After all, your husband has already passed away.¡± Lu Chen decided to continue instilling some foundational thoughts into Chu Yuqin, wanting her to accept him sooner. It was time to say things he hadn¡¯t been able to say before. Otherwise, if he continued dragging this out, who knows when he¡¯d finally win Chu Yuqin over. Chu Yuqin was stunned upon hearing these words. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to be so bold today, to actually voice such thoughts. It would have been one thing if he had just played some minor tricks or taken advantage at most, but if these words were overheard, they could directly affect him. Chu Yuqin hurriedly said sternly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I forbid you to talk like this. I¡¯m your aunt. How can you have such thoughts?¡± Lu Chen, looking unconcerned, said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; we¡¯re not related by blood. You and my mother have no familial ties.¡± Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Even if we¡¯re not related by blood, you can¡¯t have those thoughts. I¡¯m a widow. How can you harbor thoughts about a widow? You¡¯re going to be the Emperor, you can¡¯t have any blemishes on your reputation.¡± ¡°Chen¡¯er, you can¡¯t ruin your own reputation because of your aunt.¡± Listening to Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen gazed at her beautiful face and asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ve noticed that each time you avoid me, you¡¯re always looking out for me, seeming very afraid that I¡¯ll tarnish my reputation because of you.¡± ¡°What if I didn¡¯t care about my reputation, could I then do those things to you?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words made Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart skip a beat; she suddenly became flustered. Indeed, she had never considered rejecting Lu Chen from her own perspective. Each time, she would tell Lu Chen about the consequences his actions might have for him, without considering the consequences for herself. From Lu Chen¡¯s perspective, he was someone who paid no mind to his reputation. If Lu Chen himself didn¡¯t care about it, then neither of them cared about the reputation. If both of them cared for no reputation, then what couldn¡¯t be done? Just as Chu Yuqin was about to speak, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ve never believed that marrying a widow is a blemish. Moreover, historically, emperors were rarely paragons of private virtue. Some emperors even coveted their brothers¡¯ or sons¡¯ wives, and that was when their husbands were still alive.¡± ¡°Madam Chu, your husband has been dead for so long, isn¡¯t it completely normal to find another man? There are many cases of widows remarrying in the common folk, and the people don¡¯t make much fuss about it. Are you planning to remain a widow your whole life for a husband you never met?¡± ¡°Besides, even if the people did say something, at most, they would think I lack private virtue, but that doesn¡¯t really concern them.¡± ¡°The people of Great Xia already know that I¡¯m a lecherous person. If I took your body, in the eyes of the common folk, it would be considered nothing extraordinary.¡± ¡°Since the common people can accept it, Madam Chu, what do you have to worry about?¡± With that said, Lu Chen raised his hand and gently swept the hair away from Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheek. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words left Chu Yuqin utterly flustered. She found that he actually made a lot of sense. Initially, Lu Chen¡¯s reputation was not very good to begin with, and the battle at Wanning Valley only just barely improved his reputation a bit. But many people still saw Lu Chen as a lecher, though to them, that wasn¡¯t such a big deal¡ªlechery wasn¡¯t considered a stain. Which man wasn¡¯t lecherous? Chapter 221 - Chapter 221: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by "serving"?_2 Chapter 221: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by ¡°serving¡±?_2 Translator: 549690339 In the eyes of the common folk, Lu Chen was the very essence of a hero. So even if Lu Chen really married a widow, the people still had a great tolerance for him. Lu Chen married the Sky Wolf King¡¯s queen, and neither the citizens of North City nor those of Great Sum said a word about it; so what if he married a widow. But no matter what, she was still the widow of a hero who fought against the barbarians. If Lu Chen forcibly married her, it would inevitably bring about some adverse influence. Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed, and she said in a panic, ¡°Chen¡¯er, stop it, I am your aunt, I won¡¯t allow you to have such thoughts!¡± Feeling the intensity of Lu Chen¡¯s gaze, Chu Yuqin knew he genuinely coveted her body. No matter what, she had to hold her ground; she couldn¡¯t make a mistake, nor could she let Lu Chen cross the line. Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Let go of your aunt quickly. If you don¡¯t let go of me now, I will get angry.¡± Chu Yuqin felt something was off about the atmosphere; although Lu Chen had previously harbored thoughts about her body, he had never spoken them out loud. Now that he did, it meant he was ready to take the next step. What was the next step? Did she even need to think about it? He certainly intended to dominate her body. If this went on, she might really lose her chastity to Lu Chen. Unlike the last time, Lu Chen did not let go this time. His arms remained firmly wrapped around Chu Yuqin¡¯s delicate form. Chu Yuqin raised her jade hand to push against Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest, trying to push him away, but no matter how hard she pushed, it was futile. Lu Chen glanced at Chu Yuqin¡¯s favorability level, which was still at 99 without the slightest decrease. Lu Chen knew that there was a barrier in Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart, and as long as she couldn¡¯t get past it, she would be unable to accept becoming his woman. Previously, he had tried to gradually get Chu Yuqin used to him by using the technique akin to slicing sausages, but Chu Yuqin would always suddenly come to her senses at critical moments. Seeing Lu Chen hadn¡¯t let go, Chu Yuqin began to twist her waist, trying to evade him and maintain distance. But no matter how much she struggled, she couldn¡¯t break free. Chu Yuqin then lifted her head, looking into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. Her eyes were foggy, her face flushed with a rosy glow, making her even more enchanting. Chu Yuqin said softly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you already have so many women, please spare your aunt, okay?¡± Lu Chen did not speak. There seemed to be flames burning fiercely in his eyes. The sight of this beautiful woman before him looking so pitiful sparked an agitation in Lu Chen¡¯s heart that reached an uncontrollable edge. Without thinking of the consequences, Lu Chen leaned down once more, aiming to kiss Chu Yuqin. When she saw this, Chu Yuqin quickly turned her head to dodge, but Lu Chen easily immobilized her and pressed his lips to hers. While kissing, his restless hand wandered over Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous body. Chu Yuqin suddenly felt her mind go blank; she wanted to struggle, but she had completely lost her strength and could only let Lu Chen have his way. All that remained in Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart was one thought: it¡¯s over, she was completely about to be overpowered by this little scoundrel. Uncertain of how long they kissed, Lu Chen suddenly noticed something. He reluctantly ended the kiss and at that moment, he noticed that tears were involuntarily streaming down Chu Yuqin¡¯s face. Seeing this, Lu Chen¡¯s mind instantly sobered up, and the restlessness in his heart was immediately quelled. Chu Yuqin began to sob. Lu Chen was dumbfounded, completely unsure of how to comfort Chu Yuqin. For a moment, Lu Chen was like a child who had done wrong. He quickly said, ¡°Madam Chu, it¡¯s my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have said such things to you. Please don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± Chu Yuqin, still sobbing, said, ¡°Boo hoo hoo, you know to consider me as your aunt, but what kind of bullying is this?¡± ¡°I am the sister of your mother, who is sworn sisters with Jin Lan. How can you harbour those thoughts about me? What do you take me for, boo hoo hoo¡­¡± IIJ II Lu Chen, holding Chu Yuqin¡¯s soft waist, didn¡¯t know what to say. After what seemed an eternity, Chu Yuqin finally calmed down. She wiped her tears and, seeing that Lu Chen was looking at her with an innocent face, she said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let¡¯s pretend nothing happened today. Please spare your aunt, okay? We really can¡¯t do that kind of thing.¡± Lu Chen sighed softly, then said, ¡°Yuqin, do you truly not like me?¡± Hearing this question, Chu Yuqin was taken aback. Lu Chen did not call her Madam Chu this time, but called her by her name, instantly drawing their relationship much closer. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s melancholic expression, Chu Yuqin fell silent. She didn¡¯t know how to answer Lu Chen¡¯s question. To say she didn¡¯t like him would be to blatantly contradict her own feelings. Lately, she had been dreaming of Lu Chen every night and occasionally nurturing thoughts that she shouldn¡¯t have. Like the incident today in the study, she had imagined it more than once. But those were all fantasies. She had always remembered her identity strictly and restrained herself from such thoughts. But if she admitted her liking, their relationship was right there, clear as day¡ª they were never meant to engage in that sort of thing. Chapter 222 - Chapter 222: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by "serving"?_3 Chapter 222: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by ¡°serving¡±?_3 Translator: 549690339 She could not overcome the hurdle in her heart no matter what, and if she truly made a mistake that impacted Lu Chen¡¯s great undertaking, she might regret it for the rest of her life, feel guilty for the rest of her life. Lu Chen gazed into Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful eyes and continued, ¡°Yuqin, I admit, I do desire your body.¡± ¡°But my affection for you is not solely because I desire your beauty. I have liked you since I was a child. Do you remember what my mother once said? She told me that when I grew up, she would marry you off to me, for you to become my woman, to look after me for a lifetime. Since that time, I¡¯ve always thought of you as my wife.¡± ¡°Yet afterward, you became engaged to the Wang Family. The day I learned you were going to marry someone else, my heart felt as if it were being twisted by a knife. For a long time, I couldn¡¯t eat, I even thought about having someone snatch you away in a bridal raid, to bring you back.¡± ¡°Fortunately, you didn¡¯t marry that man from the Wang Family, as he perished suddenly for some reason. If he hadn¡¯t died, I would have lost you forever.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what my life would have become without you.¡± ¡°It was not easy for you to remain, but because you are a generation older than me, you¡¯ve always treated me as a child.¡± ¡°I am more than tired of having the person I love right in front of me, yet being unable to be together just because of a man-made generation gap.¡± ¡°My mother, in your presence, promised you to me for when I grew up, and you agreed. You care so much about my mother¡¯s words, yet you¡¯ve completely forgotten about this matter.¡± Chu Yuqin was left speechless by Lu Chen¡¯s torrent of words. Chu Yuqin remembered a sunny and pleasant afternoon in a pavilion in the Imperial Palace, holding the one or two-year-old Lu Chen, who had just learned how to speak. Seeing that Lu Chen seemed to love staying in her arms, Madam Chu said to him, ¡°Chen¡¯er, since you adore Yuqin so much, when you grow up, Mother will marry her off to you, to be your woman, to take care of you for a lifetime, alright?¡± The Lu Chen in Chu Yuqin¡¯s arms joyfully replied, ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Madam Chu looked toward Chu Yuqin, ¡°Yuqin, are you willing to marry Chen¡¯er and take care of him on my behalf for a lifetime?¡± Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°Yue, of course I¡¯m willing. Chen¡¯er is so adorable; what woman wouldn¡¯t like him?¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin bent down and rubbed her forehead against Lu Chen¡¯s continuously, while saying, ¡°Little Chen¡¯er, I will be your woman in the future; you mustn¡¯t bully me, all right?¡± Time had passed for so long that Chu Yuqin had almost forgotten the words she had said back then, considering that Lu Chen was only one or two years old at the time. Moreover, she had always remembered that she had been married and did not deserve to be Lu Chen¡¯s woman, so she forcibly assumed the role of an elder in Lu Chen¡¯s life. When a mask is worn for too long, it cannot be removed, and she indeed always regarded Lu Chen as her junior. At this moment, the study was engulfed in silence. After what seemed an eternity, Chu Yuqin stuttered, ¡°Chen¡­ Chen¡¯er, I¡­ I have been married¡­¡± Lu Chen, looking into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, said, ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t know what to say, freezing again. Seeing that Chu Yuqin remained silent, Lu Chen knew it was almost enough and said, ¡°Madam Chu, let it be. I will act as if none of this has happened. From now on, you are still my aunt and I am your Chen¡¯er.¡± With that, Lu Chen let go of Chu Yuqin. All of a sudden, being released from Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, Chu Yuqin felt as if she had lost something inside. She panicked, even more flustered than when Lu Chen was doing bad things to her, although she herself didn¡¯t understand why she was panicking. A wave of guilt immediately took over her brain; Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she was being too selfish. Although she claimed that she was doing it for Lu Chen¡¯s sake, she never considered that Lu Chen might truly like her. Avoiding Lu Chen all the time, wasn¡¯t she hurting him? ¡°Chen¡­ Chen¡¯er¡­ I¡­¡± Chu Yuqin cut herself off, unsure what to say. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, you don¡¯t need to take my previous words to heart. I¡¯ve come to understand¡ªeveryone has their choices. If you¡¯re unwilling, I won¡¯t insist. You will still be my aunt in the future, and I will continue to treat you as such. Our relationship will not change.¡± Although Lu Chen said this, Chu Yuqin felt as if they could never go back to how things were. It seemed that a rift had formed between her and Lu Chen. Lu Chen did not say anything further and simply turned to leave. Seeing Lu Chen about to leave the study, Chu Yuqin¡¯s internal turmoil erupted, and she quickly grabbed his hand. Lu Chen was taken aback, turning his head to look at Chu Yuqin. At this moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face was full of confusion, but she still mustered the courage to say, ¡°Chen¡¯er, give your aunt some time, alright¡­¡± Hearing her words, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. This time, he had intended to cut ties abruptly, although the cut turned out to be a bit deeper than expected. His main goal was to remind Chu Yuqin of the promise she had made to his mother to marry him. He hadn¡¯t expected the shackles in Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart to loosen. Surprised, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, what kind of time are you talking about?¡± Chu Yuqin, with a flushed face, replied, ¡°I certainly can¡¯t marry you; the Wang Family won¡¯t easily let me go, but I can attend to you¡­¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice became fainter; she felt her face growing hotter and had not expected herself to speak these words. Lu Chen was also stunned by Chu Yuqin¡¯s words and remained silent. After a moment, Lu Chen recovered from his shock and tentatively asked, ¡°Madam Chu, when you say attend to me, what do you mean exactly?¡± Chu Yuqin with a red face said, ¡°However Zixuan and the others attend to you, I will attend to you in the same way¡­¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin wished she could find a crevice to crawl into, and then she added, ¡°Don¡¯t ask anymore; just give your aunt some time to calm down¡­¡± Chapter 223 - Chapter 223: Chapter 174 Xiaoxiao is Pregnant_i Chapter 223: Chapter 174 Xiaoxiao is Pregnant_i Translator: 549690339 | Seeing Chu Yuqin already so embarrassed she wished she could dive into a hole, Lu Chen didn¡¯t press her any further. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Madam Chu, I will always be waiting, waiting for you to accept me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s entire body, then let go of his arm and said, ¡°You¡­ you should go find Zixuan and the others.¡± Chu Yuqin knew Lu Chen was barely holding back, so she no longer clung to him. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll leave first,¡± Lu Chen said. Lu Chen thought since Chu Yuqin¡¯s inner chains had begun to loosen, his first stage task was also considered complete. After some more time, Chu Yuqin would be able to accept him completely, nothing further was needed for today. The recent hugging and kissing with Chu Yuqin had left him on fire; he desperately needed somewhere to cool off. With that in mind, Lu Chen turned and left the study. Watching Lu Chen¡¯s retreating figure, Chu Yuqin sighed softly. What had she just said? She had actually offered to serve Lu Chen. Although she had taken care of Lu Chen since they were young, what she just said about serving him was clearly different from usual care. Was she really going to be with him¡­ As she thought this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks burned even hotter. She had often dreamed of doing bad things with Lu Chen in bed, but after all, those were just dreams. No one would know about the things in dreams unless she spoke of them, but if her dreams turned into reality, they might get exposed eventually. Moreover, her sister had been watching her closely; she might get found out any day. With this thought, Chu Yuqin sighed again. She would have to take it one step at a time. Anyway, there was still time. She had already told Lu Chen to give her some time to cool off, and she didn¡¯t specify how long, so stalling a bit longer wouldn¡¯t matter. After leaving the study, Lu Chen went straight to the northern courtyard and entered Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s room. At that moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou were holding their children and talking about something. Seeing Lu Chen come in suddenly, they both hurriedly said, ¡°We greet the Prince!¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Ladies, what are you discussing?¡± Zhou Youyou replied, ¡°Prince, we were discussing Huanhuan. Sister said she likes to move around a lot and will surely be a very lively girl in the future.¡± Hearing Zhou Youyou¡¯s words, Lu Chen approached Zhou Xiaoxiao, bowed his head, and glanced at Lu Huanhuan in Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms. Seeing Lu Chen, Lu Huanhuan smiled and lifted her hands as if asking to be held. This sight soothed the restlessness within Lu Chen, his daughter¡¯s smile almost melted his heart. He immediately took Lu Huanhuan from Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s arms, then said, ¡°Huanhuan, let Daddy hold you.¡± As soon as Lu Chen held Lu Huanhuan, she started babbling something¡ªshe hadn¡¯t learned to speakyet, so she could only make babbling sounds. Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Little Huanhuan, you¡¯re not scolding Daddy, are you?¡± ¡°Could it be that you already know that Daddy is going to compete with you for your mother today?¡± Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face flushed with a hint of red. So that was why Lu Chen came here¡ªit was to do bad things with her. At this moment, Zhou Youyou seemed to understand something, then said, ¡°Prince, let this concubine take Huanhuan next door to rest.¡± It was time for Lu Chen to get serious with Zhou Xiaoxiao, so naturally, Huanhuan shouldn¡¯t be left there to see. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll hold my dear daughter a bit more,¡± Lu Chen said, still smiling. At that moment, Lu Huanhuan continued to babble, raising her little fist to hammer Lu Chen¡¯s chest. Seeing her behavior, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but laugh. Seeing that Lu Chen was so fond of Lu Huanhuan, Zhou Xiaoxiao also smiled. She had always been worried that Lu Chen might distance himself from her because she hadn¡¯t given him a son. Although Lu Chen had always said it didn¡¯t matter whether it was a girl or a boy in the North Prince Mansion, the era prioritized sons over daughters, and his words hadn¡¯t dispelled Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s worries. However, judging by how Lu Chen treated Lu Huanhuan, he genuinely seemed to like his daughter, or else he wouldn¡¯t be so willing to hold her. As long as Lu Chen didn¡¯t resent having a daughter, it was fine. After playing with Lu Huanhuan for a while, Lu Chen handed her over to Zhou Youyou. Next, he was about to steal Huanhuan¡¯s ¡°food¡±, and of course, she couldn¡¯t be around to witness that. Once Zhou Youyou left Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s room with the nursemaid and two children, Zhou Xiaoxiao then said, ¡°Prince, allow me to undress you.¡± As she spoke, Zhou Xiaoxiao started to reach for Lu Chen¡¯s belt, but Lu Chen quickly grabbed her wrist. Looking into Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s eyes, he smiled and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, what are you doing, unbuckling my belt in broad daylight?¡± Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face reddened even more. Lu Chen was clearly teasing her. He came all the way here and still asked her why she was untyling his belt. Zhou Xiaoxiao whispered, ¡°Prince, you¡¯ve worked hard defending against the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s invasion to the north. Let me help you relax.¡± Seeing Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen lifted her delicate chin with his hand, gazed into her eyes, and said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, why do I feel it¡¯s not you who¡¯s helping me relax, but rather me helping you relax?¡± Chapter 224 - Chapter 224: Chapter 174 Xiaoxiao is Pregnant_2 Chapter 224: Chapter 174 Xiaoxiao is Pregnant_2 Translator: 549690339 | ¡°It¡¯s been over two months since we last saw each other, do you miss me that much?¡± Being stared at so directly by Lu Chen, Zhou Xiaoxiao felt her body becoming more restless. A watery gleam quickly surfaced in her eyes, and with a blush heating her cheeks, she said, ¡°Prince, stop teasing your consort, let me serve you.¡± Lu Chen immediately wrapped his arms around Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s slim waist and whispered in her ear, ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager, Xiaoxiao, I won¡¯t hold back.¡± Then Lu Chen captured Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s red lips, fostering a deep connection with her. Originally, Lu Chen had planned to go see Yelv Nanyan ¨C earlier in the study, Chu Yuqin had ignited a fire within him. Since becoming a Grandmaster, he had never felt so agitated. Zhou Xiaoxiao was just an ordinary person, and Lu Chen did not want to seek her out in his almost frenzied state, lest she couldn¡¯t withstand it. However, after giving it some thought, he realized that precisely because Zhou Xiaoxiao was an ordinary person, she was more likely to get pregnant. If he were to go to Yelv Nanyan, even if he stayed with her for a night, it was quite possible that she wouldn¡¯t conceive his child. Hence, Lu Chen simply decided to come to Zhou Xiaoxiao. His main goal in teasing his daughter just now was to calm himself down and soothe the wild emotions inside him so that Zhou Xiaoxiao could withstand what was to come. But soon, Lu Chen discovered that even though he had calmed down a bit just now, as soon as he thought about what had happened in the study before, his emotions became agitated once again. [Host has developed a deeper relationship with Zhou Xiaoxiao once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 60, Rejuvenating Skill experience value increased by 60, Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell experience value increased by too.] [Congratulations, Host, Zhou Xiaoxiao is pregnant with your child, and you have been rewarded with 50,000 tons of breeding corn.] [The pregnancy reward is an encouragement. It is hoped that the Host will ensure the child¡¯s safe birth as much as possible, as a safe birth will lead to even richer rewards.] Upon hearing the system prompt, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly. It was indeed not a wasted trip; coming to Dazhou was the right choice. Even though the reward wasn¡¯t much, as long as Zhou Xiaoxiao was pregnant with his child, that was all that mattered. The rewards for the birth would be most significant. And the breeding corn was good too. When North City opened up new farmland next year, it would be the perfect time to plant corn. He now had potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn ¨C three types of staple crops. Once North City sowed these crops, the food problem would be solved. Agriculture is the foundation, and the people must not go hungry, or else his next step in the industrial plan would be completely impossible to execute. As for the sorghum seeds he had obtained not so long ago, they could also be planted next year. Sorghum could be used to brew alcohol, and with so much land in North City, especially the wasteland, he could plant whatever he desired. At this moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao lay in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, and she could clearly feel that he wasn¡¯t fully satisfied. She then whispered softly, ¡°Prince, your consort¡­ your consort can still continue¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t easy for Lu Chen to visit, so how could he be content with just that? Zhou Xiaoxiao feared disappointing Lu Chen and that he might not return next time. Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou were daughters of a convicted official, so both of them were very cautious around Lu Chen and always rather sensitive. They both had a pleasing-type personality, with everything centered around Lu Chen. Hearing Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly, gently caressing her jade back, ¡°No need, you¡¯re already pregnant with my child.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao was taken aback. Pregnant? So soon? Although she didn¡¯t understand the specifics of pregnancy, she knew it took some time for a woman to conceive; they had just made love and she was already pregnant? Zhou Xiaoxiao asked in disbelief, ¡°Prince, am I truly pregnant?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, you are. I am a disciple of the immortal, trained in Immortal Law, so I can accelerate your pregnancy.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen mention ¡®immortal,¡¯ Zhou Xiaoxiao immediately realized, that made sense. Lu Chen was an immortal, and anything related to him naturally seemed logical. Zhou Xiaoxiao was now reassured, and the thought of carrying Lu Chen¡¯s child again filled her heart with immense joy. Last time, she hadn¡¯t been able to bear Lu Chen a son, which had always troubled her. Now that she was once again pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child, she was determined to give birth to a son for him this time. Although Lu Chen did not care whether he fathered a son or a daughter, it mattered greatly to her. Without a son, she always felt that she had no standing in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Just then, Zhou Xiaoxiao suddenly thought of the warm current that had appeared in her body and curiously asked, ¡°Prince, there was a warm current in my body just now. Is that related to you?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, starting today, you, Zixuan, and Youyou will be able to practice the Immortal Law as well.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Zhou Xiaoxiao wore a look of disbelief. She got up and gazed at Lu Chen, who was lying on the bed, and asked, ¡°Prince¡­ Are¡­ Are you serious? Can I too become an immortal?¡± Women are extremely concerned about their age; everyone is afraid of growing old, especially the women in the North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was already a Grandmaster and a disciple of an immortal. He had a great chance of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm and might even become an immortal someday; perhaps he would remain youthful forever. Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s constant worry was that she would grow old one day and that once old, Lu Chen would no longer fancy her. No one knew what her future would be like then. So, when she heard Lu Chen say that she could practice the Immortal Law, the first thing Zhou Xiaoxiao thought of was becoming an immortal, forever youthful and beautiful. Seeing Zhou Xiaoxiao so excited, Lu Chen lifted his hand and caressed her cheek, answering, ¡°Becoming an immortal isn¡¯t easy. I might not become one either, but ensuring you live a few hundred more years and remain youthful and beautiful should still be possible.¡± After listening to Lu Chen¡¯s words, Zhou Xiaoxiao was not disappointed. Living a few hundred more years and maintaining her youth and beauty was already quite satisfactory; she knew that only a Grandmaster could live for hundreds of years. Zhou Xiaoxiao immediately said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for bestowing the chance of immortality upon me!¡± ¡°I shall endeavour to practice diligently from now on¡­¡± As she was speaking, Zhou Xiaoxiao paused. Although Lu Chen had said she could practice the Immortal Law, she had no idea how to go about it. Then Zhou Xiaoxiao curiously asked, ¡°Prince, how shall I practice the Immortal Law?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Weren¡¯t we just practicing it a moment ago?¡± This- Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s face flushed a deeper red, spreading to her neck. So that was practicing the Immortal Law¡­ Wiry did she feel this Immortal Law was somewhat indecent? Lu Chen then pulled Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s delicate body into his arms and, holding her, said, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± Seeing that was all Lu Chen had to say, Zhou Xiaoxiao softly hummed an affirmation and said no more. After a while of intimacy, the voice of a maidservant sounded at the door. ¡°Prince, Lady Wang is looking for you.¡± Hearing the words, the pair that was cuddled close snapped back to reality. Zhou Xiaoxiao immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, if Sister Wang is looking for you, it must be for something important. You should go and tend to it.¡± Lu Chen stood up, kissed Zhou Xiaoxiao on the lips, and then said, Alright, my treasure. Rest well; I shall take my leave.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao then helped Lu Chen dress. Once he was clothed and stepped out, he saw a seductive figure at the entrance of the northern courtyard. Wang Qingci was dressed in a red Cloud Attire with a white fur over her shoulders. She leaned slightly against the doorpost, exuding allure. Upon seeing Lu Chen emerge, Wang Qingci immediately said, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s my fault. I didn¡¯t know you were busy. Why don¡¯t you continue what you were doing, and I can report to you later?¡± After a glance at Wang Qingci¡¯s voluptuous figure, Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°No, your timing is perfect. Let¡¯s go to your room; I have matters to discuss with you as well.¡± Chapter 225 - Chapter 225: Chapter 175 Are You Trying to Rebel?_i Chapter 225: Chapter 175 Are You Trying to Rebel?_i Translator: 549690339 | Prince¡¯s Mansion, Spring Sound Court. Snowflakes flutter down in the courtyard, creating a tranquil atmosphere. Yelv Nanyan sat in the room, with a steaming pot of tea in front of her. She sipped the tea and listened to noises coming from the next courtyard. ¡°Prince, spare me¡­¡± ¡°Prince, your servant knows she was wrong¡­¡± ¡°Prince¡­ darling¡­ dear brother¡­¡± At this moment, Xiao Wenyao whispered, ¡°Nanyan, the woman next door is also one of the Prince¡¯s women, right?¡± Yelv Nanyan took a gentle sip of her tea and replied, ¡°Everyone living in the inner court belongs to him.¡± Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Oh.¡± After thinking for a while, Xiao Wenyao continued, ¡°But I rarely see the Prince visit next door.¡± Yelv Nanyan explained, ¡°She¡¯s different from us. She has responsibilities outside and is not often in the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao sighed and then said, ¡°I wish I had some responsibilities, too. It¡¯s so boring being in the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day.¡± Yelv Nanyan smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Wait until the Prince goes to your room later, then you won¡¯t be bored.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s body trembled, and she blushed as she said, ¡°Nanyan, what are you talking about? The Prince is still doing bad things next door, how could he possibly come to find me?¡± Xiao Wenyao was still somewhat hopeful, after all, it had been more than two months since she last played the horse-riding game with Lu Chen. However, she also knew that Lu Chen had many women, and it was not certain when he would come to her. Even if Lu Chen did come to Spring Sound Court, he would likely visit Yelv Nanyan first. Once Lu Chen entered Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room, there was not a night when he would definitely not leave. It was always like this, and Xiao Wenyao had already discerned the pattern. Lu Chen seemed to enjoy attacking Yelv Nanyan¡¯s weaknesses. Xiao Wenyao was curious why Lu Chen always managed to stay so long in Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. Was it because Yelv Nanyan was a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, and Lu Chen needed more time to suppress her to make her submit? Seeing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s blushing face, Yelv Nanyan smiled again and then said, ¡°Yaoyao, bear the Prince a chubby little son early, and maybe in the future, you¡¯ll be able to go out whenever you want.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°Really?¡± Yelv Nanyan said softly, ¡°The people of Great Sum value offspring. If you bear the Prince an heir, your status in the North Prince Mansion will be elevated, and naturally, you¡¯ll be able to go out at will.¡± Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°But I heard it¡¯s very difficult for Martial Artists to get pregnant, it¡¯s not so easy to have children.¡± Yelv Nanyan said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s easy, just take good care of the Prince and let him visit you a few more times. Perhaps, one lucky day, you¡¯ll find yourself with child.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao pouted. She really didn¡¯t want Lu Chen running to her place often. Though being pressed by Lu Chen wasn¡¯t uncomfortable for her, if Lu Chen frequented her place, she certainly couldn¡¯t endure it. It wasn¡¯t just her; no woman in the entire inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion could withstand Lu Chen seeking their company too often. She felt conflicted about Lu Chen. She was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t come to her, yet also feared that he would come every day. In her heart, the best scenario was for Lu Chen to visit her once every seven or eight days. While Xiao Wenyao was lost in thought, the sounds from next door grew louder. Yelv Nanyan laughed and said, ¡°It seems the Prince is quite fiery today, isn¡¯t he?¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t help but clench her legs together, thinking that she must behave herself in front of Lu Chen in the future, otherwise, she might end up being dealt with by the Prince like the woman next door. Time passed, unknowingly. The snow in the sky grew thicker, and the sounds within the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were gradually muffled by the blowing wind and snow. As time went by, only the whistling sound of the wind and snow remained. Meanwhile. In a certain room. Wang Qingci lay sprawled across the bed, her hair disheveled, looking despondent. At this time, Lu Chen was looking through the intelligence about Great Jue that Wang Qingci had given him. The snow fluttered in through the window, but the room had been transformed into a warm chamber, free from any chill. Had the room not been warmed, there wouldn¡¯t have been an issue; Lu Chen could also use manpower to make the room warm, and then Wang Qingci would be sweating all over her body. Lu Chen glanced at the glaring white expanse beside him and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wang, weren¡¯t you here to report intelligence to me? Why are you lying still?¡± ¡°You have a serious work attitude problem. You dare to be so lazy before this Prince.¡± ¡°It seems I need to properly discipline you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci slightly rolled over and, lying on her side, gazed mournfully into his eyes. ¡°Prince, you really like to accuse others first. It¡¯s clearly you who won¡¯t let your servant report properly,¡± she said. ¡°Next time you do this, I¡¯ll have someone else deliver the intelligence and never return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion again.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Oh? As this Prince¡¯s female slave, you dare not come back in person to report to me?¡± ¡°Are you thinking of rebelling?¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci uttered somberly, ¡°Prince, you are so fierce; how could your servant dare to rebel?¡± Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s mournful expression, Lu Chen raised his hand and smacked her buttocks before saying, ¡°Mr. Wang, remember, serving me is also part of your job.¡± Chapter 226 - Chapter 226: Chapter 175 Are You Trying to Rebel?_2 Chapter 226: Chapter 175 Are You Trying to Rebel?_2 Translator: 549690339 | ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Lu Chen turned his head again to look at the intelligence in his hand, ¡°let¡¯s get down to business.¡± The anger in his heart had almost dissipated, and it was time to discuss serious matters. Wang Qingci then said, ¡°Prince, the business of the Rain-listening Pavilion has already expanded to the Great Wu Dynasty. However, gathering information about the Great Wu Dynasty is not an easy task.¡± ¡°I have heard that the Princess Junwan of Great Wu is extremely formidable. She controls an intelligence network that spans the entire Great Wu. Any intelligence agencies from other dynasties that try to enter would be discovered by her.¡± ¡°Even though the Rain-listening Pavilion has successfully opened a few taverns and inns in Great Wu, 1 dare not let them inquire about anything.¡± Hearing this from Wang Qingci, Lu Chen¡¯s interest was piqued, ¡°Oh? A princess can control such a vast intelligence network? Doesn¡¯t Great Wu have any princes? How can they allow a woman to manage such an extensive network?¡± This was an era that favored men over women; even the princesses of the royal family usually had little power. They were mostly political tools used by the emperor to maintain governance. An intelligence network that spanned the nation was nearly on par with the Shadow Guards held by the Sum Emperor. It was indeed hard to believe that a princess of a dynasty could possess an intelligence organization similar to the Shadow Guards. Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Of course, Great Wu also has princes, and not just a few. However, Princess Junwan of Great Wu is not simple¡ªnone of those princes are a match for her.¡± At this point, Wang Qingci seemed to think of something and then continued, ¡°Speaking of women in power, I am reminded of another person, and that woman is relatively close to North City.¡± Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°Who?¡± Wang Qingci answered, ¡°The new Yue Emperor.¡± ¡°The Yue Emperor?¡± Lu Chen repeated, though he had not been very familiar with the Da Yue Dynasty that bordered North City initially. However, recently the Rain-listening Pavilion had collected quite a bit of intelligence about the Da Yue Dynasty, but there was little information about the Yue Emperor in these reports. Wang Qingci continued, ¡°It is said that the new Yue Emperor is also a woman, but for some reason, there is very little intelligence about her from other dynasties.¡± ¡°Moreover, there are no voices within the Da Yue Dynasty opposing the Yue Emperor.¡± ¡°Logically, a woman becoming Emperor would definitely cause upheaval in the dynasty, discontent among various powers, but Da Yue¡¯s interior is unusually quiet; there is absolutely no discussion about whether the Yue Emperor should or shouldn¡¯t be the ruler.¡± Listening to Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Now that is truly interesting¡ªa female Emperor. I never thought that there would be such a presence in this world.¡± Wang Qingci went on, ¡°What¡¯s coincidental is that I have heard Princess Junwan of Great Wu and the Yue Emperor of the Da Yue Dynasty are old acquaintances and have a very good relationship.¡± ¡°The Da Yue Dynasty¡¯s stationing of two hundred thousand troops at the border with North City could likely be because Great Wu sought help from the Yue Emperor to guard against North City¡¯s fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry.¡± ¡°However, all this is just my speculation and lacks evidence.¡± After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Your speculation is not without merit.¡± ¡°Great Wu was able to gather hundreds of thousands of troops to attack Great Sum the moment conflict erupted, indicating they were already prepared. This also suggests they might have alerted their allies or friendly dynasties, which is why Da Yue¡¯s two hundred thousand troops were moved in advance to the border with North City to monitor the Heavy Cavalry.¡± ¡°Of course, speculation is still just speculation.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen looked into Wang Qingci¡¯s beautiful eyes and said, ¡°Since it¡¯s easy to be exposed when gathering intelligence in Great Wu, you should not collect overly sensitive information, only what you hear from the common people.¡± ¡°In the next step, have the Rain-listening Pavilion focus on the Da Yue Dynasty, I am quite interested in that Empress there.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci playfully chided, ¡°Prince, you wouldn¡¯t be planning to abduct that Empress to bear your children, would you?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then gave Wang Qingci¡¯s buttocks a slap, causing her to let out an involuntary yelp. ¡°What do you know? A woman who can hold such great power and having no man oppose her becoming an Empress certainly means she is very capable and resourceful. Besides, the Da Yue Dynasty borders our North City. Wanting to understand her is only appropriate, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°By the way, how old is this new Yue Emperor?¡± Just when Wang Qingci had started to believe what Lu Chen said, she heard him ask about the age, and she immediately looked at him skeptically. Nevertheless, she answered, ¡°She is only in her thirties, I think. I¡¯m not too sure about her exact age. Since she and Princess Junwan are friends, their ages shouldn¡¯t be too far apart.¡± Wang Qingci then reminded, ¡°Although I am not sure what you are thinking, Prince, I must remind you, I have heard the Yue Emperor has quite a few male favorites; she is not as untarnished as your women.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen looked at Wang Qingci and said, ¡°Why do you tell me this? You don¡¯t really think 1 am interested in the Yue Emperor in that way, do you?¡± ¡°Even if I were foolish, I would not be interested in an Empress. When a woman has such power, she will inevitably rely on men to some extent. Even male Emperors secure their positions through marital alliances, let alone a woman as an Emperor..¡± Chapter 227 - Chapter 227: Chapter 175 Are You Trying to Rebel?_3 Chapter 227: Chapter 175 Are You Trying to Rebel?_3 Translator: 549690339 | ¡°The only reason I want to understand her is because I¡¯m worried she might become a great enemy of North City in the future.¡± ¡°Mr. Wang, you actually think of me as the kind of man who only thinks with his lower half; you¡¯re maliciously speculating about me.¡± In this era, the status of women is quite low, and they are expected to follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, but this is all relative. All rules are made by those with power in their hands, and when women hold power, they can completely disregard those rules. Men in this era may have three wives and four concubines, and women with power can have several men just the same. Not to mention the Empress, even the married princesses of the Capital city of Great Sum indulge in affairs, and keeping male consorts is nothing out of the ordinary. As for the princess¡¯s husbands, they dare not speak out unless they are from great families; otherwise, they just have to bear it and move on. Even a princess, used by the Emperor as a tool for political marriage, keeps male consorts. What more can be said about an Empress of a dynasty? An Empress of a dynasty has such great power that she can have any man she wants. If someone says she is still pure and untouched by men, who would believe that? Especially since the Yue Emperor is already in her thirties, unless she¡¯s entirely devoted to martial arts training. Only martial artists would abstain from sexual desires, and even they do so for a lifetime. However, Lu Chen doesn¡¯t believe the Yue Emperor is the type to abstain. A woman at the center of power, surrounded by such temptations, could she abstain from men? That¡¯s highly unlikely. It was clear that Lu Chen did not visit the Yue Emperor for her beauty, but Wang Qingci actually thought of him as a man who would have improper thoughts as soon as he heard of a woman, which greatly angered Lu Chen. He, a gentleman, was actually being mistaken for a lecher. Such insolence from a mere female slave, to dare to slander him; she must be severely punished! If she dares to slander him today, who knows what she might do tomorrow! Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci¡¯s face changed slightly, and she quickly said, ¡°Prince, this slave knows her mistake¡­ mmm¡­¡± Lu Chen, without a second thought, tossed the intelligence report aside, then leaned over and sealed Wang Qingci¡¯s red lips. The snow outside the window was still falling, though it had lessened significantly. The servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion had begun to clear the snow when they heard noises coming from a certain courtyard, and wisely chose to avoid that courtyard. Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were still in the room tasting Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Hearing the noise from next door, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Nanyan, do you think that girl will be killed by the Prince?¡± Yelv Nanyan took a gentle sip of her tea and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the Prince knows his limits. This is just the beginning, the night has not yet fallen.¡± Xiao Wenyao¡¯s voice carried a hint of regret as she said, ¡°Oh.¡± It seemed that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t be visiting any other courtyards today, probably not even their Spring Sound Court. Winter is a long season for most, with many only able to stay indoors; this era lacks entertainment. But for Lu Chen, time flies quickly because the political affairs in North City are less during winter. He spends his mornings reviewing intelligence in his study, then goes to teach Xiao Wenyao how to ride a horse at Spring Sound Court and tastes tea with Yelv Nanyan. He would stay there the entire day. In the evenings, Lu Chen would return to his main courtyard to sleep with his beloved consort, living every day to the fullest. Half a month later. Great Sum, Capital city. Imperial Palace. While North City is covered in snow, the Capital city of Great Sum still feels like autumn, with no signs of winter¡¯s approach. The Sum Emperor, dressed in a yellow dragon robe, stood in a pavilion in the Royal Garden, frowning as he listened to the report from the leader of the Shadow Guards. After the Shadow Guard leader finished reporting, the Sum Emperor turned to a eunuch and said, ¡°Go see if the two Prime Ministers have arrived.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± At that moment, in the pavilion, State Preceptor Situ Ce said, ¡°Your servant believes that this news is very likely to be true.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor replied, ¡°Are you joking, State Preceptor? Last time at Wanning Valley, North City was able to defeat Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of three hundred thousand. Now, facing the North Ere King¡¯s army of two hundred thousand, not only did they fail to win, they even lost fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry.¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°Your Majesty, have you forgotten the last incident at Wanning Valley where a Grandmaster was suspected to have appeared?¡± ¡°Your servant believes that if North City truly has a Grandmaster, it¡¯s very unlikely that he would stay in North City all the time.¡± ¡°The great victory at Wanning Valley could be largely due to that Grandmaster¡¯s aid. Without the Grandmaster, North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry is still vulnerable.¡± ¡°These Heavy Cavalry have only appeared recently. Their combat effectiveness and whether they can compare with the court¡¯s Heavy Cavalry is still an unknown. We focused too much on their armor and thus overlooked their true strength.¡± ¡°Even if North City has the armor for Heavy Cavalry, training an effective Heavy Cavalry force is not something that can be done overnight, something Your Majesty should be well aware of.¡± The Sum Emperor didn¡¯t say a word after hearing Situ Ce¡¯s statement, but his expression kept changing. Situ Ce¡¯s words were sensible; they were all taken in by the sudden appearance of the Heavy Cavalry in North City, mainly because they subconsciously equated North City¡¯s Black Cavalry with the well-trained two thousand Heavy Cavalry of Great Sum. Although they had received intelligence about the Black Cavalry of North City, neither Lin Xiuming¡¯s battle report nor Bai Qingqing¡¯s intelligence mentioned the strength of these Black Cavalry. They never considered whether these newly formed Heavy Cavalry had the same combat effectiveness as the Heavy Cavalry of the Great Sum court. Now, thinking about it, if those Heavy Cavalry were not soldiers directly entering North City from other forces but were recruited from North City and simply donned heavy armor to form a Heavy Cavalry unit, then their combat power definitely couldn¡¯t match that of real Heavy Cavalry.. Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Chapter 176: The Sum Emperors Ulterior Motives_i Chapter 228: Chapter 176: The Sum Emperor¡¯s Ulterior Motives_i Translator: 549690339 | When the Sum Emperor was involved in the struggle for succession, he also secretly trained a unit of heavy cavalry. He was very clear in his mind about how long it would take to train a heavy cavalry unit to be combat-ready. Lu Chen had only been in North City for a little over a year. If the heavy armor in North City was given to Lu Chen by others and was not crafted by him, and the heavy cavalry of North City was also set up by him, then it would definitely take several years for the North City heavy cavalry to become battle-worthy. Simply having soldiers don armor and then considering them heavy cavalry doesn¡¯t necessarily mean they are strong in battle. In a short period of time, if heavy cavalry are well-trained, they might be stronger than regular infantry, but if the training methods are inappropriate, the heavily armored cavalry might end up being chased around by light cavalry. Thinking that the heavy cavalry of North City might just be a facade, the Sum Emperor¡¯s emotions suddenly became very complex. He had originally planned to use the heavy cavalry of North City to intimidate those aristocratic families, but he hadn¡¯t expected the heavy cavalry of North City to be destroyed so quickly. However, on second thought, the destruction of the heavy cavalry in North City was a good thing for him. After all, he had been considering dealing with the issues of the aristocratic families first before handling the affairs of North City. Lu Chen and North City were both potential threats to him. Even if Lu Chen was truly his own son, he would never allow a prince who could threaten his position to exist during his lifetime. Moreover, behind Lu Chen was the support of the Mysterious Moon Palace and some mysterious force. Clearly, Lu Chen was a pawn, with someone intending to use him against Great Sum, against him. At this moment, Situ Ce asked, ¡°Your Majesty, what do you plan to do next?¡± ¡°Will you send a large army northward, or will North Prince continue to defend the north?¡± The Sum Emperor said expressionlessly, ¡°Since Chen has a mysterious force and the help of Mysterious Moon Palace behind him, it shows that those people still see value in using Chen. They won¡¯t just watch Chen disappear. Let Chen continue to guard the North; I really want to see what kind of force is behind Chen.¡± Just then, the eunuch who had left earlier came into the pavilion, Your Majesty, Prime Minister and the others have arrived; they are waiting for you in the study room.¡± The Sum Emperor didn¡¯t continue the conversation with Situ Ce and headed straight for the study room. After a while. Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room. Several key ministers of the court had already gathered in the study room, waiting. Everyone glanced at the people in the room and instantly had a rough idea of why the Sum Emperor had summoned them. In addition to the two Prime Ministers, the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of War were also present, and several generals promoted by the Sum Emperor, including the Assistant Minister of War, were in the study room. Clearly, the Sum Emperor had something military to tell them, and it was likely that there had been some changes in the war between Great Sum and Great Wu. At this moment, the voice of an eunuch rang at the doorway. ¡°His Majesty has arrived!¡± The people inside the study room immediately stood in two rows, waiting for the arrival of the Sum Emperor. After the Sum Emperor entered the study room and settled at his desk, all the ministers immediately greeted him, ¡°We greet Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long may you reign!¡± The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities. Right Minister Zhao Wenhan stepped forward first and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, have you summoned us at this time because there¡¯s been a change in the front-line warfare?¡± As the Prime Minister held a certain status, they could take the initiative to ask the Sum Emperor questions at such times. The Sum Emperor answered expressionlessly, ¡°There has indeed been a change in the front-line warfare, but it¡¯s not in the west; it¡¯s in the north.¡± Hearing this, the ministers inside the study room were taken aback. The north? Wasn¡¯t that North City? Could it be that North Prince had already led the heavy cavalry of North City to annihilate the advancing army of the North Ere King? Really? Could that be true? Was the North Prince that powerful? Last time, the North Prince had already defeated the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of three hundred thousand. If he had now annihilated the North Fre King¡¯s army of two hundred thousand, then the North Prince would truly be in a position of power that overshadowed the emperor¡¯s. As people were lost in their wild guesses, the Sum Emperor handed the report in his hand to the eunuch, ¡°Pass it down for them to see.¡± The eunuch immediately took the military report and then handed it to Lin Gaoyuan. Seeing the military report written by his own son, Lin Gaoyuan was instantly stunned. The annihilation of North City¡¯s fifty thousand heavy cavalry? How could this be possible?! At that moment, so as not to waste time, the Sum Emperor spoke directly, ¡°News from the North Land reports that the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City, in a decisive battle with the large army of the North Fre King at Tianguang City, were ultimately annihilated, leaving only a few thousand wounded. Meanwhile, the army of the North Fre King has retreated to the steppes but continues to send cavalry south from time to time to harass Tianguang City.¡± Hearing the words of the Sum Emperor, all the ministers were immediately dumbfounded. The annihilation of North City¡¯s fifty thousand heavy cavalry? How could that be possible? They were heavy cavalry! Although heavy cavalry lacked the mobility of light cavalry on the steppes and likely couldn¡¯t catch up with light cavalry, they wore heavy armor. It shouldn¡¯t be so easy for them to be wiped out by the army of the Barbarian Tribe. The first thought in the ministers¡¯ minds was that this news must be false, surely it was deception by the Sum Emperor to divert their attention and to make them forget that North City had fifty thousand heavy cavalry. Lin Gaoyuan also thought this way, but he felt something was amiss. After all, this was a military report sent back by his son. Even though his son might withhold some information, it was unlikely he would send back a false report. Chapter 229 - Chapter 229: Chapter 176: The Sum Emperors Ulterior Motives_2 Chapter 229: Chapter 176: The Sum Emperor¡¯s Ulterior Motives_2 Translator: 549690339 Moreover, the Sum Emperor¡¯s response was too direct; those were fifty thousand heavy cavalry, how could they be wiped out so easily? Others ministers, as well as the aristocratic families, will hardly believe such news when spoken aloud. It was precisely because the message was too direct that Lin Gaoyuan felt it might not be false. Just like the initial annihilation of three hundred thousand from the Barbarian Tribe in North City, the more something seemed like false information, the more it became likely not to be. Snapping back to reality, Zhao Wenhan immediately stood up and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, has it been confirmed that the news is true? After all, that was fifty thousand heavy cavalry; how could they be so easily defeated?¡± The Sum Emperor indifferently replied, ¡°My Shadow Guard has confirmed the truth of this news. I too was unwilling to believe it at first, but the State Preceptor reminded me that, although North City has fifty thousand heavy cavalry, these forces were newly established and not very strong in battle.¡± ¡°When facing the Barbarian Tribe, their greatest advantage was only their heavy armor. It is very normal for these fifty thousand heavy cavalry to be destroyed by the army of the North Ere King.¡± ¡°However, it cannot be said that they were defeated. The North Fre King has already retreated to the grasslands, and North City is now safe. The mission of the fifty thousand heavy cavalry is thus considered complete. The royal court can now focus all its attention on the war with Great Wu.¡± Although the Sum Emperor said this, all the ministers present knew very well that they had not been concerned with the warfare in the north; they had been focused on the hostilities between Great Sum and Great Wu from the very beginning. As for what happened to North City, it was of no concern to them; in their view, the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City were the Sum Emperor¡¯s private forces. Their combat effectiveness was supposed to be very strong, and they should have had no significant problem dealing with the North Fre King, so the ministers had not bothered with events in the north. But now the Sum Emperor was telling them that the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City had been almost entirely annihilated, leaving only some wounded soldiers behind. Of course, to most of those present, this was good news, but they were not yet able to confirm whether the Sum Emperor¡¯s assertion was true or false. If it was true, in the eyes of the Aristocratic Families, the Sum Emperor would have lost a power base, and after the war between Great Wu and Great Sum ended, the Sum Emperor would not have the courage to act against the Ancient Families. The key was the reliability of this news. If true, the Aristocratic Families would all rejoice. But if it was false, it would mean that the Sum Emperor was hiding his strength, proving he hadn¡¯t given up and still aspired to act against the Ancient Families. He probably just felt that he might not have a chance in the following years, so he chose to bide his time. The Sum Emperor¡¯s greatest skill was enduring humiliation and biding his time. He had compromised with the Aristocratic Families countless times, but after each compromise, his hatred for them deepened, increasing his desire to eliminate the Ancient Families. The Ancient Families naturally understood that the Sum Emperor could no longer tolerate them after multiple compromises. But even though the Sum Emperor could no longer tolerate them, he still needed strength. He couldn¡¯t eradicate all the Ancient Families alone; without weapons, they would not be afraid of him. At this point, the Minister of War, Chu Qinwu, said, ¡°Your Majesty, the western front is under severe pressure. Now that the northern warfare is concluded, should we consider recalling General Lin?¡± The Sum Emperor glanced at Chu Qinwu, just about to say something, when Lin Gaoyuan suddenly spoke up, ¡°Although the North Fre King¡¯s army has withdrawn to the grasslands, according to the reports from the North Land, soldiers of the North Fre would still periodically attack Tianguang City.¡± ¡°Now the North Prince hardly has any soldiers left under his command, and Tianguang City is defended by twenty thousand troops of the royal court. Relocating these forces now would be tantamount to abandoning the north.¡± As Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s words fell, he passed the campaign report he was holding to Zhao Wenhan. Zhao Wenhan took it from Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s hands and read it carefully. At this moment, officials from the Aristocratic Family faction eyed Zhao Wenhan, wanting to gauge his reaction. After giving the campaign report a quick browse, Zhao Wenhan remarked, ¡°If what General Lin¡¯s report states is true¡ª that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry still sporadically attack from the south¡ªthen the royal court¡¯s twenty thousand soldiers indeed should not be recalled so promptly.¡± The Sum Emperor then said, ¡°Enough about the northern warfare; I have summoned you today mainly to discuss peace talks with Great Wu.¡± In name, the war between Great Sum and Great Wu was instigated by Great Sum. Since it was Great Sum who initiated it, it is naturally up to Great Sum to propose an end to the hostilities by initiating peace talks. Although the Sum Emperor was reluctant to engage in peace talks, if the war were to continue like this, Great Sum¡¯s military strength would be further weakened, and then how could he take care of the Aristocratic Families within Great Sum? Even though quite a few Seigniors had dispatched troops to the front line, their soldiers were one worse than the other with hardly any combat ability. The western front was currently being held solely by Great Sum¡¯s troops. If only the Seigniors¡¯ forces were left on the front line, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Great Wu¡¯s million-strong army would advance towards the Capital city of Great Sum. For Great Sum at the moment, the best outcome would indeed be peace talks. The Sum Emperor also understood that engaging in peace talks meant that he would have to compromise once again with the Aristocratic Families. It was highly likely that this war had been initiated by the Chu Family in collusion with the Great Wu dynasty. The Chu Family belonged to the Aristocratic Families of the South, and by now, they had completely sided with Prince Lu Shuyun. His compromise would likely result in declaring Prince Lu Shuyun as the Crown Prince. Chapter 230 - Chapter 230: Chapter 176: The Sum Emperors Ulterior Motives_3 Chapter 230: Chapter 176: The Sum Emperor¡¯s Ulterior Motives_3 Translator: 549690339 Although he was unwilling to do so, the Sum Emperor had no choice but to stop the fighting. Continuing the battle would deplete the reserves he had accumulated with great difficulty. In the following two hours, they discussed the matter of negotiations. Zhao Wenhan and some officials were somewhat confused; if they were to discuss negotiations, it should be done in the Great Court. Why had the Sum Emperor today only called the officials who were related to the frontline warfare to discuss the negotiations, while other officials were not involved in the discussion? As the discussion went on, Zhao Wenhan noticed a detail: nearly all the officials in the study were from the Aristocratic Families of the South. The Military Generals and the officials from the South had completely different attitudes towards the negotiations. The Military Generals in the study were strongly opposed to the negotiations, whereas the officials from the Aristocratic Families of the South were wholeheartedly in favor. They could gain more benefits from the Sum Emperor¡¯s compromises only if the negotiations happened. By bringing these two parties together, the officials from the Aristocratic Families of the South would find excuses to describe how the warfare at the front was of a certain nature, insisting that they should prioritize the people, and attacking the Military Generals for only seeking to achieve military merits. The Military Generals believed that His Majesty¡¯s suggestion of negotiations was forced by these officials from the Aristocratic Families of the South, which invisibly sparked the discord between the Military Generals and the Aristocratic Families of the South. The Military Generals certainly sought to achieve military merits¡ªwho among Generals would not wish for that? Especially since most Generals of Great Sum were recently promoted and had little to no military achievements. The result was that the Aristocratic Families of the South insisted on negotiations, making it impossible for the Military Generals to be happy about it. In the end, the matter of negotiations was discussed for a long time without reaching any concrete results. Then, the Sum Emperor decided to discuss it again at the Great Court Assembly. After leaving the study, the officials from the Aristocratic Families¡¯ faction all gathered around Zhao Wenhan. Chu Qinwu asked curiously, ¡°Master Zhao, why would His Majesty discuss the matter of negotiations with us and a bunch of Military Generals? Shouldn¡¯t this be discussed at the Great Court Assembly?¡± Touching his beard, Zhao Wenhan¡¯s eyes revealed a light as if he had seen through everything. He said, ¡°In my opinion, His Majesty plans to stir up conflict between the Aristocratic Families of the South and the Military Generals.¡± Upon saying this, Zhao Wenhan turned his head to glance at the officials following him, then continued, ¡°Look who came today among the Civil Officials besides Lin Gaoyuan. How many are from factions other than ours? Most of you are officials from the Aristocratic Families of the South, aren¡¯t you?¡± Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, everyone immediately came to their senses. It turned out the Sum Emperor knew the war could not continue much longer, so he set a trap for the Aristocratic Families of the South in advance. Not long ago in the study, they had been arguing with the Military Generals, insisting on putting an end to the war. In their view, the war had reached an adequate stage, and if it continued, it might corner the Sum Emperor into a tight spot, possibly undermining the interests of the Aristocratic Families of the South. War is just an extension of politics; it is not always beneficial for them if the battle drags on. Chu Qinwu was about to say more when Zhao Wenhan, still touching his beard, said, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this matter for now. Better you have your people investigate whether the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry of North City were truly annihilated.¡± ¡°If the Heavy Cavalry of North City are indeed gone, His Majesty¡¯s subtle maneuver today won¡¯t have much effect.¡± Without the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry of North City, even stirring up conflict between the Aristocratic Families of the South and the Military Generals would be futile. Could it be that the Sum Emperor is planning to act against the Aristocratic Families of the South after the war between Great Wu and Great Sum ends? Zhao Wenhan did not believe the Sum Emperor would dare to do that. The more the Sum Emperor engaged in petty actions, the more it showed his insecurity and reluctance to directly confront the Ancient Families. After listening to Zhao Wenhan¡¯s reminder, the officials from the Aristocratic Families of the South immediately returned to their respective Families to convey the day¡¯s news and then utilized their various resources to investigate whether the Black Cavalry of North City had indeed been annihilated. Chapter 231 - Chapter 231: Chapter 177: Chen Wanrongs Master, Lu Chens Troublesi Chapter 231: Chapter 177: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Master, Lu Chen¡¯s Troublesi Translator: 549690339 In the quiet and elegant courtyard, tendrils of white mist lingered. The brook in the yard flowed endlessly, making a babbling sound. At this moment, a bone-chilling coldness was released from a room of the courtyard, and in an instant, all within the courtyard was frozen, as if this place were in the polar regions. A graceful figure then appeared at the entrance of the courtyard. Chen Wanrong, dressed in a white plain robe, walked with light steps across the ice-covered stone pathway to the door of the room. Chen Wanrong did not enter directly, instead, she bowed at the door and said, ¡°Disciple pays respect to the master.¡± At that moment, the voice of a cold woman came from inside the room. ¡°Come in!¡± As the voice faded, the wooden door of the hut opened instantly, and a gust of cold wind blew out from the room, causing Chen Wanrong¡¯s long dress to flutter incessantly. After the cold wind had passed, Chen Wanrong crossed the threshold and entered the room. Inside, the room was like a millennia-old ice cave, with everything encased in frost. At that moment, Chen Wanrong¡¯s gaze was drawn to a figure on the nearby bed, a woman with long silver-white hair who was slowly opening her beautiful eyes. The woman was like a fairy from heaven, her beauty so transcendent it seemed out of place in reality. Though her hair was completely white, her skin was exceptionally delicate and smooth, without a single wrinkle, just like a young woman who had just come of age. She exuded a sacred radiance, and her frigid aura was too intense for anyone to approach. At that time, the woman fixed her gaze on Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes and spoke, ¡°Recently, quite a few Elders have come to me complaining that you are not dedicating your mind to cultivation and have sent many disciples to North City.¡± The woman¡¯s voice was pure, refined, and intensely penetrating, as if it was transmitted directly into one¡¯s brain. With an expressionless face, Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°To the master, this is indeed the case.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s response, the white-haired woman said, ¡°In this world, there are very few who are fated for the Immortal path. Countless people bleed and fight over an elusive immortal chance, yet you who possess such a fate do not know to cherish it.¡± Chen Wanrong replied with neither humility nor arrogance, ¡°Disciple¡¯s worldly attachments remain unresolved; thus, she has no heart for cultivation, disappointing the master.¡± The woman sighed and said, ¡°So be it, everyone has their own choices.¡± ¡°The reason I summoned you this time is to tell you that I am about to enter seclusion. This seclusion might last a hundred years, or perhaps five hundred.¡± ¡°Once I am in seclusion, I entrust all of Mysterious Moon Palace to you and those Elders.¡± ¡°I must remind you that although this world cannot accommodate the existence of Immortals, Mysterious Moon Palace is not invincible. There exist powers beyond the Heavenly Human Realm. Should there ever arise a being that surpasses the Heavenly Human Realm, you and those Elders might not be their match.¡± ¡°So I still hope that once you have settled all worldly matters, you would cease causing further trouble and return to Mysterious Moon Palace to cultivate in peace, breaking through the Heavenly Human Realm as soon as possible. I do not wish to emerge from seclusion only to find your grave.¡± ¡°I have already lost one disciple; I do not wish to lose another.¡± Chen Wanrongbowed again and said, ¡°Disciple understands.¡± The white-haired woman spoke, ¡°That is all, then.¡± After these words, the woman¡¯s body astonishingly fragmented into countless pieces, and then vanished without a trace. As the white-haired woman disappeared, the ice which had sealed the room dissolved instantly, and the sound of the flowing water outside the courtyard could be heard once more. After the white-haired woman had left, Chen Wanrong turned and exited the courtyard. Her master had entered seclusion, her greatest worry had been alleviated, and now, no one could stop her from restoring her kingdom. It was time to return to North City. Just then, the image of Lu Chen involuntarily appeared in her mind. For some reason, in recent times, the image of Lu Chen had been appearing in her mind from time to time. Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t dwell on it much at the time, guessing that perhaps it was because she had been constantly thinking about planting the Love Worm in Lu Chen, which is why he kept coming to mind. North City. Inside the Spring Sound Court of the North Prince Mansion. ¡°Achoo!!!¡± ¡°Achoo!!!¡± ¡°Strange, aren¡¯t I a Grandmaster already? Why am I still sneezing? Could it be that some woman is thinking of me?¡± Lu Chen had just finished exercising, sitting on the edge of the bed and resting, when a series of sneezes took him as he stood up. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Xiao Wenyao, who lay collapsed on the bed with tears in her eyes, looking pitiful. Seeing Xiao Wenyao gazing at him resentfully, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Little pony, what¡¯s that expression for? You weren¡¯t cursing me in your heart just now, were you?¡± Xiao Wenyao whispered softly, ¡°This Female Slave wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Lu Chen laughed and then smacked her buttocks, saying, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare? You, who wished to ride me like a horse¡ªwhat wouldn¡¯t you dare?¡± ¡°I think your audacity has been growing lately.¡± Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t dare to speak, only whimpering in her heart. What she wanted to ride was a real horse, one that could gallop across the plains, yet every time Lu Chen twisted her words, treating her as if she were the horse. Lu Chen glanced out the window, noting that the snow had stopped. He then stood up and said, ¡°You just rest well; I have matters to attend to and must leave now.¡± Seeing Lu Chen getting out of bed, Xiao Wenyao also hurriedly got up, helping him get dressed. By now, Xiao Wenyao had also learned how to serve others, for after all, she was Lu Chen¡¯s little Female Slave, and this was something she was expected to learn. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 177: Chen Wanrongs Master, Lu Chens Troubles_2 Chapter 232: Chapter 177: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Master, Lu Chen¡¯s Troubles_2 Translator: 549690339 Lu Chen left the Spring Sound Court and made his way to the study. The weather was nice today, with the first clear skies after the snow. When Lu Chen arrived at the entrance of the study, he didn¡¯t immediately enter but stood in the courtyard to bask in the sun for a while. In the recent half month, he had either been cultivating his relationship with Yelv Nanyan in bed, teaching Xiao Wenyao how to ride a horse, or practicing spear with the Grandmaster Bai Qingqing. It had been a long time since Lu Chen had the chance to enjoy the sun. As Lu Chen was soaking up the sun, a maid approached and said, ¡°Prince, Lord Li is requesting an audience.¡± Lu Chen indifferently responded, ¡°Let him come over.¡± Soon after, the maid led Li Rui to Lu Chen. Li Rui greeted him, saying, ¡°Greetings to the Prince, may the Prince live for thousands and thousands of years!¡± Lu Chen, while sunbathing, replied, ¡°Hmm, dispense with the formalities.¡± ¡°Speak, what¡¯s the matter.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui hesitated for a moment without speaking. Seeing that Li Rui remained silent, Lu Chen, curious, turned his head to look at him, ¡°Why has Lord Li become so indecisive today?¡± Li Rui coughed before saying, ¡°Prince, the issue I have come to discuss with you mainly concerns officier salaries.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused, then inquired, ¡°Officer salaries? What¡¯s this, the officials in North City want to raise their salaries?¡± Li Rui replied, ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± Li Rui stopped mid-sentence. Seeing Li Rui speaking so hesitantly today, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Lord Li, speak your business. If you have nothing else, go back to your duties.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen seemed displeased, Li Rui quickly said, ¡°Previously, the salaries of officials in North City were provided by the court, but according to the court¡¯s regulations, the salaries of the officials in the Seignior¡¯s territory are to be paid by the Seignior himself.¡± ¡°The court has already stopped the disbursement to North City half a year ago, so¡­¡± Li Rui did not continue speaking but looked up at Lu Chen. His meaning was simple and clear: North City was out of money, and it was up to the North Prince Mansion to pay the officials¡¯ salaries. When Lu Chen heard what Li Rui said, he laughed and then spoke, ¡°Doesn¡¯t North City collect taxes every year? I remember, according to the court¡¯s rules, the Seignior does not need to pay taxes to the court for the first ten years after being enfeoffed.¡± ¡°Could it be that the taxes in North City are not enough to support the officials there?¡± Li Rui said, ¡°Your Highness, North City is impoverished, and since you came to North City, you have waived much of the taxes, so indeed there is not much silver left in the coffers.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve calculated, and if we disburse this year¡¯s salaries to the officials, there will likely be no money left to complete the Hall of Political Affairs.¡± The finances of the North Prince Mansion and the Prefectural Government were separate, with the North Prince Mansion¡¯s money always managed by the Mansion itself, while the tax revenue of North City was managed by the Prefectural Government. Without the court¡¯s disbursement, the modest sum managed by Li Rui would quickly deplete, and what¡¯s more, the funds for building the Hall of Political Affairs were also coming from the coffers of the Prefectural Government. Having waived so many taxes in North City and without the court¡¯s disbursement, the finances managed by the Prefectural Government were essentially only dwindling, with money going out but not coming in, and naturally, this could not be sustained for long. After hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell silent for a moment as if pondering something. After a while, he asked, ¡°How much more is needed for this year¡¯s officer salaries in North City?¡± Li Rui cautiously replied, ¡°Your Highness, no more than one hundred thousand silver.¡± At that, Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed and he continued, ¡°Give me the exact amount.¡± Li Rui answered again, ¡°Around fifty thousand taels or so.¡± Just fifty thousand taels, certainly the North Prince Mansion could afford that. But this was only part of North City¡¯s officer salaries; maintaining the Black Cavalry and the Barbarian Tribe captives also cost Lu Chen an unknown sum of silver each month. Although the North Prince Mansion had many profitable businesses, if expenditures were excessive, the earnings would definitely not keep up with the spending. Lu Chen then told Li Rui, ¡°You go back first. The household accounts are not managed by me. I need to consult with the Princess Consort first. As for the officers¡¯ salaries, I will make the disbursement in a few days. You don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± With Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui was reassured. He knew that the North Prince Mansion was not lacking in funds, for the businesses that the Mansion was engaged in were very lucrative, easily netting over a hundred thousand taels of silver in a month. The key was the attitude of the North Prince. Some Seigniors often delayed the salaries of officials upon reaching their fiefdoms, something that occurred in every territory. Initially, Li Rui¡¯s main concern was that Lu Chen might deliberately delay officer salaries. If Lu Chen were to delay officer salaries, then the officials of North City would first think of complaining to him, the Prefecture Governor, not to Lu Chen, the Prince. Fortunately, Lu Chen had no intention of delaying the salaries. Li Rui then said, ¡°I take my leave, Your Highness.¡± After Li Rui left the Prince¡¯s Mansion with peace of mind, Lu Chen didn¡¯t proceed to the study but went straight to the main courtyard to find Mu Zixuan. Mu Zixuan was sitting on a wooden chair in the main hall. Although most people in Great Sum still preferred to kneel and sit, Lu Chen was worried that such a posture might affect a fetus, should his concubines become pregnant, so he had specifically commissioned craftsmen to make many chairs. Mu Zixuan was showing signs of pregnancy, with her belly a bit rounded, though not very noticeable, mainly due to her loose clothing. After arriving at the main hall, Lu Chen saw Mu Zixuan examining account books. He immediately brought a chair over to sit beside her, then wrapped an arm around her slender waist and whispered in her ear, ¡°My love, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 177: Chen Wanrongs Master, Lu Chapter 233: Chapter 177: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Master, Lu Chen¡¯s Troubles_3 Translator: 549690339 | Seeing Lu Chen come to find her at this time, Mu Zixuan was a bit puzzled. Usually, after she became pregnant, Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t come to snuggle up with her during the day since he had to practice horsemanship and marksmanship with Xiao Wenyao and Bai Qingqing, leaving him no leisure to visit her. Quickly setting aside the account book in her hand, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°My Prince, do you need something from your concubine?¡± Without beating around the bush, Lu Chen said directly, ¡°In the future, the North Prince Mansion will have to support the officials of North City, and I¡¯m afraid we will have to allocate a considerable portion of our funds for this purpose.¡± Mu Zixuan immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s implication and said, ¡°Indeed, it is time to separate the state treasury and the private treasury.¡± In Great Sum¡¯s feudal system, once enfeoffed, seigniors were granted feudal states, and the court would no longer allocate funds to a seignior¡¯s domain unless there was a war or a particularly significant event. Typically, a seignior upon reaching his domain, would differentiate between the mansion¡¯s private treasury and the state treasury, aiming to channel the majority of the tax revenue directly into the private treasury for his own enjoyment. Of course, North City was different, currently on the verge of poverty, with little tax revenue. Lu Chen didn¡¯t need to syphon the tax revenue from the people, and the establishment of separate treasuries in the North Prince Mansion was merely for the sake of convenience in fund allocation. Continuing, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°However, whom should we entrust with the management of the state treasury? Does my Prince have a suitable candidate in mind?¡± The purse strings naturally needed to be in the hands of someone we trust. Once the private and state treasuries were divided, the state treasury could no longer be managed by the Prefectural Government. Although the Prince¡¯s Mansion was quite wealthy now, who knows if one day the state treasury would have more silver than the private treasury, especially after North City¡¯s development and increased tax revenue; it was highly likely that the state treasury would become richer than the private treasury of the North Prince Mansion. So, it was best to keep a firm grip on the purse strings from the start. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s question, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, ¡°I haven¡¯t found a suitable person yet.¡± First and foremost, the person managing the state treasury must be one hundred percent loyal to him, and secondly, that person must have some experience. Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about the state treasury for now; the current official structure of North City is almost like a makeshift troupe¡ª there are hardly any useful people. It looks like we¡¯ll need to adjust the official structure of North City first.¡± A feudal state was called a state precisely because the seignior within had a lot of autonomy, including the power to appoint and dismiss officials. Usually, upon arriving at their domain, one of the first things a seignior did was establish his own base, also known as a small court. Just as the court had six ministries, a feudal state also had six ministries. Lu Chen had been in North City for over a year, and not even the six ministries had been established, unclear in their duties and responsibilities, North City was still being managed in the same old fashion. Of course, the most important reason was the lack of capable people in North City. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t find enough civil officials to establish the six ministries. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced down at Mu Zixuan¡¯s belly then extended his hand and gently stroked it, thinking that both times Mu Zixuan and Zhou Youyou were pregnant, the system rewarded him with talents. Once it was a member of the Brocade Guard; another time, it was a member of the Black Cavalry. This indicated that the pregnancy rewards were likely to be talents. In this way, what Mu Zixuan and the others were carrying was not just their children but potentially the civil officials he desired. He hoped that when Mu Zixuan and the others gave birth again, the system would reward him with some capable people, for North City was in dire need of civil officials. At this point, Mu Zixuan suggested, ¡°My Prince, perhaps we could temporarily entrust the state treasury to sister Nanyan.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. Yelv Nanyan did indeed have extensive management experience, and with her favorability towards him having reached one hundred, it was impossible for her to betray him now. However, since Yelv Nanyan was formerly the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife, entrusting her with the state treasury would definitely cause dissatisfaction among some people. Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Now, sister Nanyan is one of your women, my Prince. Moreover, she has recently assisted in handling Mansion affairs, and I have found that her accounting abilities are hardly inferior to mine. If she is only to manage the treasury temporarily, I think there should be no problem.¡± ¡°Besides, given my Prince¡¯s charm, I believe you will soon find suitable talent to take over the treasury, so leaving it in her hands is only a temporary measure.¡± ¡°I also think that entrusting her with the treasury has another significant advantage, that is in placating the tribes of North City. If the Barbarian Tribe learns that sister Nanyan, who was once the wife of the Sky Wolf King, is entrusted with such responsibility, it will prove that you do not discriminate against the tribes, and they will see hope.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s marriage to Yelv Nanyan did have a significant political function, which was to calm the tribes of North City, especially those of the Sky Wolf King Tribe. Although Lu Chen genuinely lusted for Yelv Nanyan¡¯s body, marrying her wasn¡¯t due to his lust, it was a political marriage. It was equivalently a political alliance between the Sky Wolf King Tribe and the North Prince Mansion. Of course, even if Yelv Nanyan hadn¡¯t been the wife of the Sky Wolf King, Lu Chen would still have desired to possess her upon seeing her. A political alliance was secondary in his consideration. After pondering for a while, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My beloved concubine, by letting Nanyan manage the treasury, aren¡¯t you afraid that when she gams power, her status in the Mansion will surpass yours?¡± Mu Zixuan replied with a smile, ¡°The status of women in the North Prince Mansion is not up for competition, it is given by my Prince. Whoever you wish to elevate will have high status.¡± If this were elsewhere, a woman with power in her hands might indeed dominate the master. But in the North Prince Mansion, it was different. Lu Chen held absolute authority, and all the women of the inner court were centered around him. Mu Zixuan knew the effects of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, so she wasn¡¯t worried at all that Yelv Nanyan would have a higher status than herself because she had power, unless Lu Chen wanted Nanyan to surpass her. If Lu Chen truly wanted to raise Yelv Nanyan¡¯s status above hers, even to the point of deposing her as his wife, that was not something Mu Zixuan, a daughter of a convicted man, could prevent. However, after living together for over a year, Mu Zixuan believed that Lu Chen was not that kind of person. Her trust in Lu Chen was absolute, which was also a benefit of one hundred percent favorability¡ªthere was no scheming between husband and wife. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 178: Must Let Her Sister See the Evil Side of This Man_l Chapter 234: Chapter 178: Must Let Her Sister See the Evil Side of This Man_l Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s response, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. He appreciated a wise and virtuous wife like Mu Zixuan who could discern right from wrong and wouldn¡¯t succumb to jealousy in significant matters. In terms of beauty, Mu Zixuan had a score of 93, which was still somewhat less compared to Chu Yuqin, but Lu Chen¡¯s affection for her wasn¡¯t based on any system rating. As long as they were women he liked, they were very important to him, and not something a mere system rating could influence. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll temporarily let Nanyan take charge of the national treasury to see how she manages, and when I find a suitable candidate, I¡¯ll replace her.¡± As the words left him, Lu Chen reached out with his other hand, sidling up to loop an arm around Mu Zixuan¡¯s slender waist. Even though Mu Zixuan was pregnant, it did not prevent them from hugging and embracing each other. Suddenly recalling something, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Speaking of which, Your Highness, isn¡¯t the construction of the straight road scheduled to start next spring? I heard that you asked people to produce a lot of cement.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm.¡± Mu Zixuan, deep in thought, commented, ¡°Then we¡¯ll need a considerable amount of grain next year, and with Great Sum and Great Wu at war, grain prices inside Great Sum territory have skyrocketed.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment; since he had delegated the procurement of grain to Mu Zixuan, he wasn¡¯t aware of the current grain prices in Great Sum. However, upon her mention, Lu Chen could roughly guess that the current grain prices within Great Sum territory must be extraordinarily inflated. Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Moreover, grain prices are manipulated by the aristocratic families of the South, and the price of white rice within Great Sum territory has already risen to nearly six silver per dan.¡± Lu Chen was stunned by her words; he might not be responsible for buying grain, but he had a rough understanding of past rice prices in the Capital city, which used to fluctuate between 0.5 to 0.6 silver. If the price of a dan of white rice had climbed to six silvers, that meant the price of grain had increased tenfold. ¡°Six¡­ Six silvers?¡± ¡°That expensive?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°If the conflict between Great Sum and Great Wu continues, grain prices may rise further, and by the time the Great Wu army reaches the Capital city, I fear that the common people will¡­¡± Mu Zixuan suddenly realized that she was being too outspoken and immediately stopped speaking. Seeing that Mu Zixuan had abruptly ceased talking, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My consort, you don¡¯t need to be so restrained in front of me; speakyour mind.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re not wrong; if grain prices continue to rise, the common people might indeed rebel. But they still have surplus grain at home, enough to last another half a year or a year without much issue. Besides, I suspect the war will be over soon.¡± War invariably leads to rising grain prices, whether Great Sum initiates it or not. It¡¯s inconceivable that upon the mere onset of war and rising grain prices, the populace would instantly revolt. For the common people to revolt, it usually takes them being on the brink of subsistence. And the war has only been going on for a few months, not long enough for Great Sum¡¯s population to be at such a point. But Lu Chen surmised that the war was likely drawing to a close. Although warfare spikes grain prices, the conflict between Great Sum and Great Wu had just begun and was nearing a stalemate. The price hike of Great Sum¡¯s grain should not have been so outrageous. A tenfold spike in the price of rice clearly indicated the aristocratic families of the South were putting pressure on the Sum Emperor. On one hand, they manipulated grain prices to exert pressure; on the other, they used the external war. It was very likely that the Sum Emperor was on the verge of conceding. The only question was what form that concession would take. Given that his father, the Emperor, was young and strong, abdicating was out of the question, but designating an heir was a possibility. However, if the Sum Emperor were to capitulate to the aristocratic families of the South and decide to proclaim Prince Lu Shuyun as the Crown Prince, other factions in the Capital city would not stand for it. A bitter round of political strife would erupt once again within Great Sum. At the thought, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Fortunately, he had been enfeoffed to North City, so whatever happened in the Capital city mattered little to him; he just had to focus on his own development. Let them fight, preferably to the death. That way, he could swoop in and benefit from the chaos. Then, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°My consort, in a few days, allocate seventy thousand silver to the Prefectural Government for Li Rui to distribute officials¡¯ salaries and have my Hall of Political Affairs repaired.¡± Although Li Rui had only requested fifty thousand silver and obviously exaggerated his request, Lu Chen didn¡¯t intend to quibble over these details. Instead, he even added an extra twenty thousand silver for Li Rui. He decided to sweeten the situation for the officials of North City first, as he was preparing to take major actions. The principle of ¡®combining a carrot with a stick¡¯ was something Lu Chen certainly understood. Mu Zixuan responded, ¡°I understand. I will have seventy thousand silver transferred from the treasury to the Prefectural Government right away.¡± Lu Chen pondered for a moment, and then said, ¡°As for the grain issue¡­¡± He hesitated as he spoke. Indeed, the grain price was a major concern. Prices in Great Sum were controlled, and North City, being the most affected due to its poverty, nearly exclusively purchased grain from outside. Paying six or seven silver for a dan of rice made Lu Chen question if there was something wrong with his own mind. However, crops like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn had not yet been popularized. Spreading new agricultural crops takes time; it doesn¡¯t mean you can harvest immediately after planting. Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 178: Must Let Her Sister See the Evil Side of This Man_2 Chapter 235: Chapter 178: Must Let Her Sister See the Evil Side of This Man_2 Translator: 549690339 Furthermore, the first crop of agricultural produce still needs to be reserved for seeds, and it will be at least a few years before North City can truly resolve its food security issues. In those years, North City will still have to rely on purchasing grain from the outside. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Let the Prince¡¯s Mansion temporarily halt grain purchases. I¡¯ll ask Wang Qingci about the current grain prices in other kingdoms, and then we¡¯ll use the Rain-listening Pavilion to buy grain from other kingdoms.¡± Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Prince, won¡¯t this expose the relationship between the Rain-listening Pavilion and the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Just falsify the accounts. The Rain-listening Pavilion can claim that the price they sold grain to the North Prince Mansion is similar to that in Great Sum.¡± ¡°The Rain-listening Pavilion is, after all, a commercial entity. It should serve its purpose to some extent.¡± Although the main function of the Rain-listening Pavilion is to gather intelligence, its overt function is to engage in commerce. There is nothing that the Rain-listening Pavilion does not offer for sale. It is perfectly normal business practice for the Rain-listening Pavilion to resell grain to North City and profit from the markup, given the shortage of grain there. Mu Zixuan responded, ¡°This servant understands.¡± After being intimate with Mu Zixuan for a while, Lu Chen left the main hall and headed to his study. Just as he arrived at the study, he said to a Brocade Guard, ¡°Summon Mr. Wang for me. I have business with her.¡± Wang Qingci had been rarely seen in the North Prince Mansion for the past half month. It was unclear whether it was because of the severe scolding last time that had left her scared, scared enough not to dare to return. However, she was ultimately his female slave. If she did not come back, he would simply have someone call her. As long as she had not left Yan County, she was obligated to come to the North Prince Mansion and report to him. Lu Chen didn¡¯t wait long in the study before he heard Wang Qingci¡¯s voice outside, ¡°Prince, your servant has arrived.¡± Sitting at his desk and writing a reform proposal for North City with a brush, Lu Chen said, ¡°Come in.¡± Wang Qingci then pushed the door and entered the room. Seeing Lu Chen busy with his work, Wang Qingci breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that perhaps Lu Chen had called for her to satisfy some of his other desires. But then she thought, with so many women in the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion, even if she did not return, Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t be idle; he didn¡¯t need her to satisfy him. And Lu Chen had no reason to have the Brocade Guard find her specially for that kind of matter; probably, he had something important to discuss. Wang Qingci proactively asked, ¡°Prince, what business do you have with your servant?¡± Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°I want to know which kingdom or country currently has relatively lower grain prices. The North Prince Mansion is planning to stockpile some grain.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intent. Working in intelligence, she knew all too well how frightening the recent rise in Great Sum¡¯s grain prices had been. She had already scouted out which kingdom had lower grain prices for Lu Chen. Wang Qingci promptly said, ¡°Prince, your servant has already inquired for you. Currently, the grain prices in the Da Yue Dynasty are relatively low. However, the main grain crop of the Da Yue Dynasty is wheat.¡± The people of Great Sum favored rice, while those from Da Yue, primarily living in the northwestern regions, preferred wheat-based foods. Most of their grain was also wheat. Despite North City being even further north than Da Yue, its people had only migrated from Great Sum in recent years, so most of them still primarily ate white porridge. After hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Wheat will do as long as the price is relatively low.¡± Habits can be changed. With rice prices today in Great Sum rising to six taels per stone, it is good enough just to fill one¡¯s stomach. Is there any need to distinguish between wheat and rice? Wang Qingci said, ¡°Alright then. I¡¯ll have the trade caravan hurry to purchase the grain.¡± At this point, Wang Qingci glanced at the writing on Lu Chen¡¯s desk, then tentatively asked, ¡°Prince, if there¡¯s nothing else, your servant will get busy with her tasks.¡± Lu Chen set down his brush, smiled slightly, and gazed into Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes before asking, ¡°Has Mr. Wang been very busy lately? Busy enough to not visit the North Prince Mansion even once in half a month? How come I heard that Mr. Wang hasn¡¯t left Yan County?¡± Upon hearing this from Lu Chen, Wang Qingci¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Lu Chen¡¯s treatment of her was different from his treatment of the other women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Typically, when discussing official matters with her, he would refer to himself as ¡°I¡±, not as ¡°the Prince¡±. In these past times, whether Lu Chen was playing a role or not, he would refer to himself as ¡°the Prince¡± and call her ¡°Mr. Wang¡± when he had wicked intentions toward her. As long as she heard Lu Chen referring to himself as ¡°the Prince¡± in her presence, followed by addressing her as ¡°Mr. Wang,¡± it signified he had bad intentions for her. Wang Qingci hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, your servant was solely focused on gathering intelligence about other kingdoms more quickly to help you, that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Your servant meant nothing else by it.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Is that so? Mr. Wang, you haven¡¯t forgotten one of your responsibilities, have you?¡± Hearing this question from Lu Chen, Wang Qingci knew she couldn¡¯t escape what was coming. She gave Lu Chen a resentful look, then said, ¡°Prince, your servant has been injured from martial arts training recently, so I hope that today you will not be so rough.¡± With these words, Wang Qingci, swaying her slender waist, came directly to Lu Chen¡¯s side. Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s seductive figure, Lu Chen spoke no further. He promptly rose from his seat and pressed her onto the desk for a thorough handling. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 178: Must Let Her Sister See the Evil Side of This Man_3 Chapter 236: Chapter 178: Must Let Her Sister See the Evil Side of This Man_3 Translator: 549690339 If it had been a matter of leaving Yan County to carry out missions, that would have been fine, but Wang Qingci stayed in Yan County for half a month and did not leave at all. Staying in Yan County for half a month without returning to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she clearly did not regard him as the master at all, so a punishment was definitely in order. During this time, Chu Qingli had completely accustomed herself to life in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Moreover, she gradually found herself unwilling to leave the North Prince Mansion. Originally, she came to convince her sister to leave the North Prince Mansion with her and lead a life for just the two of them. Instead, she began entertaining the idea of staying herself. This made Chu Qingli somewhat unable to accept; she always felt that she was being seduced by some mysterious power. Otherwise, how could she possibly have such thoughts? Chu Qingli patrolled while analyzing what power might be seducing her. Before long, she patrolled to the entrance of the study. Without even approaching the study, she heard some groaning noises. While Chu Qingli was deep in thought about why she wanted to stay, the sounds made her furrow her brows slightly, and her expression suddenly turned exceedingly cold. That lecherous fiend was up to no good again. She really did not understand how he could have such boundless energy every day; since her arrival at the North Prince Mansion, she had not seen that scoundrel quiet down even for a day. Yet from her observations, not a single woman in the mansion seemed to be troubled. Not only were they untroubled, but they appeared even more radiant and beautiful the day after being with that scoundrel. Although she did not understand the specific principles involved or what was going on, Chu Qingli was very clear that what Lu Chen was practicing could not possibly be some Devilish Skill like the Happy Union Skill. If Lu Chen practiced Devilish Skill with his abilities, the women of the inner court of the mansion would probably have turned into dried corpses long ago. At this moment, Chu Qingli¡¯s mind blanked. Ever since her arrival at the mansion, she had always heard that Lu Chen was someone blessed by the Immortal. If the Cultivation Technique that Lu Chen was practicing was an Immortal Law that only brought benefits and no harm to people, then that could explain the situation with Lu Chen and his concubines. With this thought, a new association suddenly appeared in Chu Qingli¡¯s mind. If Lu Chen truly had a destiny with the Immortal, then the Immortal Technique he obtained couldn¡¯t possibly only be one kind, right? He had done so many bad things to his women, yet none of his concubines bore any resentment towards him. Moreover, Lu Chen¡¯s women seemed to be extremely fond of him, as if they were under hypnosis. Could there be a possibility that among the Immortal inheritance Lu Chen received, there was an Immortal Technique capable of hypnotizing others into willingly staying? She¡¯s cracked the case! The reason she wanted to stay must undoubtedly be because of that lecherous fiend! In truth, Chu Qingli was speculating about Lu Chen with the utmost malice, but her intuition was a bit too on the nose, inadvertently guessing part of the reason for her psychological change. Lu Chen obviously had no knowledge of hypnotism, Chu Qingli thought this way mainly because of her experience in the Jianghu (martial world). Being an assassin, she was well aware there were Cultivation Techniques in the martial world capable of hypnotizing people¡ªit¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t know them personally. Chu Qingli now thought it must be that lecherous fiend who had surreptitiously used some form of hypnotism on her, otherwise how could she ever think of staying? That¡¯s right, his women were tormented by him day after day; how could they possibly not harbor any resentment towards him? It turned out he was using such despicable means! No, she had to make her sister see the evil side of this man! Of course, the most important thing was to help her sister escape this sea of misery and elope far away with her. Having thought this through, Chu Qingli cast a glance at the study and began to plot how to break Lu Chen¡¯s hypnotism. Chapter 237 - Chapter 237: Chapter 179 Is There Something Wrong with This Guys Body?_1 Chapter 237: Chapter 179 Is There Something Wrong with This Guy¡¯s Body?_1 Translator: 549690339 After Lu Chen had sorted out Wang Qingci, he tossed her onto another chair and then continued to work on the reform proposal for North City. At this time, Wang Qingci was slumped in the chair, her gaze fixed on the hardworking Lu Chen, and she couldn¡¯t help but admire him a little. Wang Qingci said in a faint voice, ¡°Prince, how can you be so energetic? You just did that to me, and now you can calm down to work on other things.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled while writing and then said, ¡°Sorting out a female slave hardly exhausts any of my energy.¡± If it were someone else hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, they might have felt hurt, but Wang Qingci felt nothing of the sort, considering her status was indeed that of Lu Chen¡¯s female slave. However, Wang Qingci said somewhat unconvinced, ¡°The Prince is a Grandmaster, and speaks so assertively. When your servant breaks through to the Master Realm one day¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen put down his pen, looked up at Wang Qingci sitting in the chair, and asked, ¡°When you break through to the Master Realm, what are you planning to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re considering rebellion?¡± At this point, Lu Chen revealed a trace of a kind smile. Wang Qingci pursed her lips and then said, ¡°Once your servant breaks through to the Master Realm, I will serve you even better.¡± Wang Qingci also felt somewhat uncertain; although breaking through to the Master Realm would greatly enhance her strength and physical fitness, and she might be able to spar with Lu Chen, it wasn¡¯t beyond possibility. But this guy Lu Chen couldn¡¯t be judged by ordinary standards; who knew if he had more powerful moves up his sleeve that he hadn¡¯t yet used, and she might be subdued again quite quickly. By the time she reached the Master Realm, Lu Chen might already be a Grandmaster. The gap between a Grandmaster and a Master was enormous. Lu Chen was already so fierce, so powerful; if he were to break through to the Grandmaster Realm, who knew how much stronger he would become. Just thinking about Lu Chen breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm and the significant improvement in his physical strength, Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body couldn¡¯t help trembling. But fortunately, Lu Chen had so many women; although she was Lu Chen¡¯s female slave, she had her own matters and didn¡¯t have to stay in the Prince¡¯s Mansion to serve him every day. It seemed she shouldn¡¯t provoke Lu Chen anymore in the future. Just then, the voice of a Jinyiwei Guard came from outside the study, ¡°Prince, a letter has arrived from Tianguang City.¡± After hearing this, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Xiao Huan, bring it in.¡± Since the study had just been the site of a great battle, Jinyiwei guards were not allowed in. The maid at the door of the study immediately went to the Jinyiwei Guard, took the intelligence report from his hands, and then brought it into the study. Lu Chen took the bamboo tube from the maid¡¯s hand, pulled out the intelligence report, and started to read it seriously. Seeing the content on the report, a smile spread across Lu Chen¡¯s face once again. He had initially instructed the soldiers of Tianguang City to dress the corpses of the dead Barbarian Tribe captives in Great Sum attire, mainly as a precaution; he did not truly believe that Lin Xiuming would have nothing better to do than to go digging up graves. Unexpectedly, there indeed were spies within the Imperial Army who went to excavate the graves to confirm whether the bodies of North City soldiers were buried inside. It seemed that for a while, he wouldn¡¯t be able to let the Black Cavalry show themselves in North City; the concealment of the bodies could only be temporary, and sooner or later others would come to Yan County to inquire about the Black Cavalry. If the Black Cavalry were seen around at this time, it would be noticed that North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry hadn¡¯t been wiped out. North City was about to undergo reforms; in the coming time, it was essential to be as low-key as possible to avoid drawing the attention of the Imperial Court. As for whether the reforms in North City would catch the attention of the Imperial Court, Lu Chen believed that those people wouldn¡¯t have the leisure to concern themselves with a Seignior messing around in his own territory. After setting aside the intelligence, Lu Chen continued writing the reform strategy for North City. In the following days, Lu Chen essentially spent all his time in the study; he didn¡¯t ride or practice spear for several days, and the women of the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion noticed Lu Chen¡¯s unusual behavior. They sensed that something significant was bound to happen in North City soon; otherwise, Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t have stayed in the study for several consecutive days. About seven days later, the North Prince Mansion directly issued a royal decree, calling for the officials of North City to come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion for a council. Upon receiving the royal decree from the North Prince Mansion, the officials in North City were somewhat bewildered. Typically, lower-ranking officials did not qualify to participate in the council, but the North Prince was summoning all ranked officials to the Prince¡¯s Mansion for a council. What was he planning to do? The North Prince wasn¡¯t planning to purge the officials of North City, was he? Once the royal decree was issued, some corrupt officials instantly felt extremely guilty and panicked. Some of them were so frightened that they immediately fled North City, but those who ran were quickly recaptured by Lu Chen¡¯s Jinyiwei Guard. In fact, Lu Chen had no intention of dealing with the corrupt officials; North City was short of Civil Officials, short of managerial talents, and if he struck at the corrupt officials now, he wouldn¡¯t have many people left to work for him. However, for those who were more severely corrupt, he still intended to make an example of a few, and those scared enough to run were, for the most part, the more seriously corrupt ones. Early the next morning. Lu Chen had just gotten up and after washing up and finishing his porridge, a maid came to tell him that Li Rui and some other officials from Yan County had already arrived at the door of the study, waiting for him. Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 179 Is There Something Wrong with Chapter 238: Chapter 179 Is There Something Wrong with This Guy¡¯s Body?_2 Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing the maid¡¯s words, Lu Chen immediately went to the study. Seeing a crowd of people standing at the entrance to the study, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Lord Li, it is still several days until the time for my political discussions, isn¡¯t it? Why have you all come today?¡± Upon Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Li Rui and a group of other officials from Yan County promptly saluted, ¡°We greet Your Highness, may the Prince live for ten thousand, ten thousand years!¡± After completing the salute, Li Rui spoke up, ¡°Your Highness, your Brocade Guard have been zealously arresting officials from North City. Now North City is in a state of panic, with quite a few officials having already submitted their resignations to me, planning to return home.¡± Most officials in North City were not locals. Before the Sum Emperor granted North City to Lu Chen, the officials in North City were all dispatched there by the court from other places. Now, hearing that Lu Chen was to cleanse the bureaucracy, some officials were so frightened that they were hurrying to flee. According to the rules, after a Seignior arrived in his fief, the officials arranged by the court all had the right to submit their resignations. Moreover, without the need for the Seignior¡¯s consent, those officials could leave the Seignior¡¯s territory directly. This was a trap set by the previous Sum Emperor for the Seigniors. If a Seignior did not position his own people on his land, not only could the court-appointed officials monitor him, but they could also render him powerless. Furthermore, the court could use these officials to discipline any recalcitrant Seigniors. Under normal circumstances, if all the officials of a fiefdom fled, the area would quickly fall into chaos. There was once a Seignior who did not obey, and the court directly reassigned all the officials away, instantly leaving the Seignior¡¯s territory without any competent individuals. Even though the court¡¯s officials were reassigned, it appeared as though the Seignior had gained power and the fiefdom¡¯s authority had transferred to him, but most Seigniors who were newly granted their fiefdoms did not have their own administrative base. For instance, Princes like Lu Chen, who at first knew only to indulge in pleasure, did not have their own administrative base when they arrived in North City. If the court were to transfer away all the officials of North City at that time, Lu Chen would only have been able to look on helplessly, inheriting a complete mess in North City, with no way to keep the whole area operational with just the few people he initially had. Hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°No wonder you all rushed over to the Prince¡¯s Mansion so early in the morning. It turns out it¡¯s because of this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about this. Those whom the Brocade Guard are arresting are all corrupt officials and embezzlers.¡± Upon hearing this from Lu Chen, Li Rui and the group of officials became even more panicked. Corrupt officials and embezzlers? Being in the bureaucratic field, how many of the officials present could claim to be clean, even Li Rui himself had accepted silver from others. If Lu Chen was really going to purge all the corrupt officials and embezzlers, then arguably not a single official in North City would be spared. According to the Great Sum court¡¯s standards, the poorer the place and the fewer the population, the less salary officials received. North City was an impoverished area, and the salaries provided by the court to the officials sent there were minimal. Therefore, the first thing that most officials did upon arriving in North City was to look for ways to make money. With such limited salaries, how could they lead a good life without resorting to corruption and bribery? This group of people joined the officialdom for status and money. Now, with Lu Chen attacking the corrupt and the embezzlers, it was like he was planning to wipe them all out in one go. When Lu Chen first came to North City, they had been worried, but seeing him indulging in pleasure at the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day, they thought that Lu Chen would be easy to handle. But unexpectedly, Lu Chen had been hiding his blade all this time, and it had only now been revealed. Li Rui hurriedly responded, ¡°Your Highness, North City is poor, and according to the court¡¯s regulation, officials in North City receive less than half the salary of those in places like the South. The salaries provided by the court are hardly enough to support an official¡¯s family. Therefore, more or less every official in North City has accepted some extra benefits.¡± ¡°If Your Highness intends to arrest all the corrupt officials, I¡¯m afraid not a single official in North City will be exempt. Please reconsider, Your Highness!¡± No sooner had Li Rui finished speaking than the group of officials behind him also promptly bowed and entreated, ¡°Please reconsider, Your Highness.¡± Although many officials thought that the Black Cavalry had truly been destroyed, Lu Chen still had the Brocade Guard at his disposal. To arrest all of North City¡¯s officials, Lu Chen did not need his Black Cavalry at all ¡ª the Brocade Guard alone could take care of arresting them all. At the present moment, not one official in North City was unafraid of Lu Chen. Li Rui continued, ¡°Your Highness, North City¡¯s officials are all appointed by the court. If you strike against the corrupt officials, some officials may become frightened and could possibly flee North City without even submitting their resignations. This could lead to difficulty in implementing certain policies and orders among the common folk.¡± ¡°I implore Your Highness to give those officials an opportunity to rectify their mistakes and reform themselves over time.¡± Hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen spoke with an expressionless face, ¡°Lord Li, you wouldn¡¯t be threatening me now, would you?¡± Realizing the grave tone, Li Rui instantly broke into a sweat and quickly said, ¡°I dare not, Your Highness. I am merely discussing the actual situation.¡± ¡°North City is destitute, and talented individuals are naturally reluctant to come here. If even the court-appointed officials all leave, this could very well affect Your Highness¡¯s grand legacy.¡± Li Rui¡¯s words were not only to protect the other officials of North City but also himself, as nobody could predict whether Lu Chen¡¯s blade might fall on him next. Chapter 239 - Chapter 239: Chapter 179 Is There Something Wrong with This Guys Body?_3 Chapter 239: Chapter 179 Is There Something Wrong with This Guy¡¯s Body?_3 Translator: 549690339 At this moment, the atmosphere in the courtyard was oppressively somber, with small snowflakes still drifting from the sky. Li Rui and a group of officials stood motionless within the courtyard. The officials didn¡¯t dare to take deep breaths, feeling a chill on their backs as cold sweat broke out all over their bodies. Now, it all depended on what North Prince would do. If North Prince had set his heart on striking down the corrupt officials, it was likely none of them would escape. Lu Chen scanned the loyalty of Li Rui and these officials, seeing that Li Rui, the Prefecture Governor, had the highest loyalty at ninety-five, while the other officials had loyalty scores around seventy to eighty. Loyal they might be, but each had their own ulterior motives. After a moment of contemplation, Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°This prince has no intention of conducting a major purge. The reason 1 have summoned you all to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to deliberate is merely because 1 intend to announce a reform plan. Some officials from North City panicked at the call to council and fled overnight with the silver they embezzled.¡± ¡°Times of need are when North City requires its officials the most, yet those officials embezzled so much silver and the moment trouble arose, they fled with the money. If such people are not arrested, then this prince would indeed be too lenient.¡± Upon hearing this, the officials felt a jolt in their hearts. The meaning of the North Prince seemed to be¡­ They had embezzled so much money without offering any to him, instead fleeing with it, leaving nothing behind, and that is why he had the Brocade Guard apprehend the fleeing officials? It seemed they were not completely without options. Once they returned, if they handed over the embezzled silver, then maybe North Prince wouldn¡¯t trouble them, right? At that time, Lu Chen continued, ¡°You may all go back. If this prince wanted to arrest you, you would have been in Yan County¡¯s prison by now.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui seemed to understand the message; Lu Chen was making an example out of a few to warn other officials in North City. He probably wouldn¡¯t be affected, as he had immediately relinquished his authority when North Prince first came to North City. Although at that time, North Prince had only taken over military power, his initial attitude must have pleased North Prince. The authority he now held was also granted by North Prince. If the prince wanted to move against him, he could easily crush him. Lu Chen posed no threat to him and was unlikely to deal with him for that reason. With that thought, Li Rui finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then Li Rui politely said, ¡°Your servants will take their leave.¡± After Li Rui and the officials left the Prince¡¯s Mansion, one of them immediately asked, ¡°Lord Li, is the prince really not going to settle accounts with the officials from North City?¡± Li Rui replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t the prince just say it? He ordered the Brocade Guard to arrest those people because they were taking the silver they had embezzled and attempting to flee North City; that¡¯s why he caught them.¡± ¡°If you do not harbor such intentions, the prince is unlikely to bother you. If the prince wanted to settle accounts with the officials from North City, I m afraid everyone here, including myself, would have already been arrested. With that, Li Rui glanced at the officials and continued, ¡°The prince will be reforming North City next, so you should all be diligent from now on, not like before, doing as little as possible each day.¡± ¡°The prince has great ambitions, and if you hold him back, even if he has not settled accounts with you now, you will eventually end up in prison.¡± At this moment, an official asked in a low voice, ¡°Lord, what should we do about the silver we have received in the past?¡± Since North Prince had said he would definitely arrest anyone trying to flee with the silver, it was quite likely that these officials who remained in Yan County wouldn¡¯t be able to escape. If even small county officials could be arrested by the North Prince¡¯s Brocade Guard, how could they, right under the nose of the Brocade Guard, possibly escape? Given that, the silver they had embezzled in the past seemed to burn in their hands, as no one knew when the embezzled silver might become evidence that would land them in jail. Li Rui said, ¡°That¡¯s simple. When you all return, bring all the ¡®gifts¡¯ of silver you have received over the years to my residence, and I will deliver them collectively to North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°Ah, and a word of advice: the prince¡¯s Brocade Guard is formidable. They can easily find out how much money you have taken if they wish to investigate, so I urge you not to hold onto any hope of luck.¡± Upon hearing this, some officials who had thoughts of secretly hiding their money quickly abandoned the idea. They had had plenty of dealings with the Brocade Guard and knew its fearsomeness. Lord Li was right; if the Brocade Guard really decided to examine them, they could indeed be stripped bare. In the dead of night, Lu Chen was still busy in his study. The study was brightly lit, and as Chu Qingli patrolled to the door of the study and noticed it was still lit, she found it incredible. Not long ago, Lu Chen was misbehaving daily with the women of the Prince s Mansion. Why had he suddenly become so well-behaved these past few days? It seemed she hadn¡¯t seen Lu Chen engaged in any misdeeds with that woman for several days now. Could it be that he was having problems with his body, and he wasn¡¯t able to perform anymore? Given his nature, if he didn¡¯t indulge in pleasures with women one day, he certainly wouldn¡¯t feel good. Hmm! It must be that his body can¡¯t take it anymore! What did it matter if he had a magical fate, after all, he was still human. Indulging in carnal pleasures day in and day out would take a toll on anyone. This guy must be hiding in the study every day, probably so that his women wouldn¡¯t notice that he¡¯s lost his ability, preserving his pride by hiding away in the study and not returning at night. While Chu Qingli was contemplating the light in the study, a gentle voice appeared behind her, ¡°Qing Li, what are you looking at?¡± Chu Qingli quickly snapped back to reality, turned around, and saw Chu Yuqin, then promptly said, ¡°Nothing much, I was just thinking about something.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s gaze also turned toward Lu Chen¡¯s study, and seeing the light there, she muttered to herself, ¡°Chen¡¯er has indeed grown up.¡± As she spoke, a blush involuntarily spread across Chu Yuqin¡¯s face, her thoughts suddenly returning to an incident that had recently taken place in the study.. Chapter 240 - Chapter 240: Chapter 180 North City Reform 1 Chapter 240: Chapter 180 North City Reform 1 Translator: 549690339 | Hearing her sister¡¯s words, Chu Qingli said expressionlessly, ¡°Since Sister also knows he has grown up, why do you still linger by his side?¡± ¡°He has so many powerful people around him now, even that woman surnamed Bai is stronger than Sister. Sister, you are now an expendable presence in the North Prince Mansion.¡± Upon hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s memories vanished in an instant, and she turned her head to look at Chu Qingli and said, ¡°Qingli, you¡¯ve been in the North Prince Mansion for so long, yet I feel like you still haven¡¯t given up?¡± Chu Qingli¡¯s gaze turned towards the study as she said, ¡°As long as Sister has not extricated herself from suffering, it¡¯s impossible for me to give up.¡± After hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin let out a slight sigh and then said, ¡°To me, Chen¡¯er is the most important person. I will never leave his side and 1 don¡¯t think it¡¯s suffering for me to be there.¡± Chu Qingli spoke indifferently, ¡°The reason Sister thinks this way is merely because you¡¯ve been hypnotized by him.¡± ¡°One day, 1 will wake Sister up, and you¡¯ll see the evil side of this man.¡± ¡°I believe that by then, even if 1 don¡¯t say anything, Sister will leave the North Prince Mansion on her own.¡± Seeing that Chu Qingli was still stubborn, Chu Yuqin simply discontinued the topic as she felt anything else she said would be futile. But then again, with her sister constantly in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, how was she supposed to attend to Lu Chen? At that thought, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face grew a little hot. She had asked Lu Chen for some time the last time, and before she knew it, so much time had passed without fulfilling her promise. She feared that if she continued to procrastinate, Lu Chen might think she had broken her word. It seemed like she needed to find an opportunity to send her sister away. Only once her sister had left the Prince¡¯s Mansion could she fulfill her promise and attend to Lu Chen. But how should she send her away? After thinking for a while, Chu Yuqin then said to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, life in the North Prince Mansion might be somewhat dull for someone who¡¯s always running around like you, causing you to overthink things. Why don¡¯t you leave the North Prince Mansion temporarily, go out to clear your mind, and perhaps after some time, you won¡¯t overthink anymore.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli immediately showed a skeptical expression, and then she said, ¡°Sister, are you trying to send me away so that you can do indecent things with that man?¡± Seeing that her sister had instantly seen through her thoughts, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flared up even hotter, and she felt incredibly ashamed. Without a good reason, it was indeed difficult to send her own sister away. Chu Yuqin then stubbornly said, ¡°Qingli, I am Chen¡¯er¡¯s aunt, how can you think such thoughts!¡± ¡°Forget it, there¡¯s no use in saying more to you, since you won¡¯t listen anyway.¡± Saying this, Chu Yuqin turned and left, or more accurately, fled from the place. She felt that if she stayed any longer, her sister might discern even more, her intuition was too sharp, somehow guessing right away that she wanted to send her away. At the moment, Chu Yuqin regretted having allowed Chu Qingli to enter the North Prince Mansion. It¡¯s easy to invite the divine but hard to send it away; now that she had let her in, it would not be easy to make her leave. Watching the retreating figure of Chu Yuqin, Chu Qingli always felt Chu Yuqin and Lu Chen had done some indecent things. But she had no evidence, only conjecture. At that moment, Chu Qingli turned her head again toward the study not far away. The man in the study was the root of all evil. If she could handle the man in the study, perhaps her sister could free herself from suffering. With that thought, Chu Qingli headed straight for the study, feeling it was time for a serious talk with Lu Chen. However, just as she reached the door of the study, a Jinyiwei Guard hurried to the study, and before she could speak, the Jinyiwei Guard spoke first, ¡°Prince, the Prefectural Government has sent several hundred thousand taels of silver, saying it is for the road repairs the Prince wanted, and the officials have volunteered to donate this money for the construction.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen, who was writing reform plans in the study, was momentarily stunned. Coming to his senses, he immediately put down his brush and came out the door. Upon opening the door of the study, Lu Chen first glanced at Chu Qingli, then his gaze fell on the Jinyiwei Guard. ¡°Where is the silver?¡± The Jinyiwei Guard answered, ¡°In the outer courtyard, just arrived.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Bring the silver to the grand hall of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, I want to have a look.¡± With these words, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze turned back to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, did you need something from me?¡± Chu Qingli was taken aback, indeed she had intended to talk to Lu Chen, but after being interrupted by the Jinyiwei Guard, her desire to talk dissipated instantly. She suddenly felt as if she were possessed, how could she ever think of seeking a private talk with Lu Chen? Chu Qingli replied, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just patrolling the area.¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Oh, is that so? Then, I shall leave first.¡± Chu Qingli hastily stepped aside, ¡°Prince, take your time.¡± After that, Lu Chen went to the outer courtyard¡¯s hall where, not long after, the Prince¡¯s Mansion servants carried several large chests of silver into the hall. Seeing the chests in the hall, Lu Chen¡¯s face revealed an odd smile, whether of joy or something else. He then said, ¡°Open up the chests..¡± Chapter 241 - Chapter 241: Chapter 180 North City Reform_2 Chapter 241: Chapter 180 North City Reform_2 Translator: 549690339 | The servants immediately opened the wooden chests, which were full of shimmering silver. Looking at the silver, Lu Chen muttered to himself, ¡°Trading 70,000 taels of silver for several hundred thousand, this business isn¡¯t losing out at all.¡± He had only allocated 70,000 taels of silver to the officials of North City for their salaries, but before the salaries had even been distributed, the officials of North City had handed over several hundred thousand taels of silver. Lu Chen crouched down, picked up a silver ingot from one of the wooden chests, and then continued, ¡°Li Rui really isn¡¯t honest, just the officials from Yan County can hand over several hundred thousand taels of silver, yet he came to me for salary just a few days ago.¡± With that said, Lu Chen turned his head and said to the servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°Count it, see how much silver there is.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion immediately began to count the silver. Lu Chen didn¡¯t stay in the great hall of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. He had a maid fetch Mu Zixuan to take care of the silver, and then he himself returned to his study to continue drafting the reform proposal for North City. When Mu Zixuan saw the several hundred thousand taels of silver in the great hall of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she was incredibly shocked. Inquiring about its origins only added to her surprise; the poverty-stricken North City¡¯s officials had managed to embezzle four or five hundred thousand taels of silver. However, Mu Zixuan did not discuss this matter further with Lu Chen afterward. After all, it was a matter of state affairs, and it was Lu Chen¡¯s responsibility to deal with it. As for the silver, it was all to be placed in the royal treasury, as they were about to set one up soon. A few days later, the minor assembly of North City officially began. Since the Hall of Political Affairs hadn¡¯t been completed yet, Lu Chen had no choice but to use the outer court¡¯s grand hall of the Prince¡¯s Mansion as the venue for the assembly. Not only did all the officials from North City attend this meeting, but the military generals also participated. In the morning, after Lu Chen got up and had a simple breakfast, he headed to the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s great hall, where the officials and military generals had already arrived. Facing this meeting, the officials of North City were very nervous, while the military generals stood around as if nothing was bothering them, casually watching the officials discuss the meeting. At that moment, the voice of a Jinyiwei Guard was heard from the entrance, ¡°The Prince has arrived!¡± Upon hearing this, the originally noisy great hall of the Prince¡¯s Mansion fell silent in an instant, as people shut their mouths in anticipation. Lu Chen then made his way through the crowd and took his seat directly opposite the main door. Li Rui immediately took the lead and said, ¡°I pay my respects to the Prince, long live the Prince, long live, long live!¡± Lu Chen indifferently replied, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Then Lu Chen said, ¡°I believe everyone has heard that 1 have summoned you all to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to discuss politics, mainly for the matter of reform in North City.¡± ¡°I have been in North City for over a year, and as is customary, I ought to establish my own team. However, due to other matters and the Southern incursion of the Barbarian Army on two occasions, I haven¡¯t had the time until now.¡± ¡°After contemplating these past few days, I have decided to make some adjustments to North City.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen turned his head to a Jinyiwei Guard by his side and ordered, ¡°Read it.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s command, the Jinyiwei Guard took out a lengthy scroll and began to read. ¡°Effective immediately, North City is officially disbanded. North City will be known as North Country, and North Country will establish the Ministries of Personnel, Household, Rites, War, Criminal Justice, Works, Commerce, and Education. North Country will adopt a policy of separating military and civil governance. The Ministry of War will be managed solely by the North Prince, and the military forces of North City will also undergo reform. The military reform of North City is as follows¡­¡± As the Jinyiwei Guard read the ¡°reform measures,¡± the hall was quiet, with everyone listening intently to what closely concerned them. After half an hour passed, the Jinyiwei Guard finally finished reading the contents of the scroll. Once the Jinyiwei Guard stopped reading, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Now, if you have any questions about the reform measures, or if there¡¯s something you disagree with, feel free to bring it up.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the civil officials looked at each other, but none of them stood up. Of course, they had many questions internally, but most of them were minor officials. How could they dare to speak out about such reform measures? Just then, Li Rui stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, since ancient times the court has had six ministries, so why does North City need to add the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Education? I¡¯ve heard what the Jinyiwei Guard read, and 1 find that the Ministry of Commerce could be merged into the Ministry of Household and the Ministry of Education into the Ministry of Rites. There is no need to set up two additional ministries. If two more ministries are established, I believe it will lead to an excess of officials.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Education are set up in anticipation of North City¡¯s future needs. They will be managed by me alone for the time being.¡± Hearing this, Li Rui no longer dwelt on the issue. Since they were preparatory departments, it didn¡¯t involve him. However, another issue concerned Li Rui greatly. He promptly said, ¡°Prince, among your reform measures, there is a rule stating that all the land in North Country legally belongs to you, the Prince. No one has ownership, only the right to use. This could provoke protests from the common people.¡± The issue of land consolidation was something every dynasty paid a great deal of attention to, but no dynasty had dared to directly proclaim all the soil of the realm to revert to the court or to be handed over to the Emperor. While nominally the entire country belonged to the Emperor, it was only in name. Taking back the ownership of the land would certainly displease the landlords, and the common people would not agree either.. Chapter 242 - Chapter 242: Chapter 180 North City Reform s Chapter 242: Chapter 180 North City Reform s Translator: 549690339 | Li Rui felt that Lu Chen¡¯s measure was simply too bold, and it might lead to dissatisfaction among the common people. Lu Chen said, ¡°Reclaiming the ownership of the land is first to avoid the issue of land annexation and second to prepare for the future development and construction of North City.¡± ¡°The reason 1 dare to do this is that 1 naturally have reasons to be so bold. Firstly, there are currently not many large landlords in North City, and from today onward, all agricultural taxes in North City are abolished. As long as the common people are willing to farm, they can keep what they sow, and they can also apply for land from the North Prince Mansion. By paying a small land fee, they could contract a large plot of land. This is the benefit I¡¯m offering to the common people after reclaiming the land.¡± Li Rui was taken aback upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words. Abolishing all agricultural taxes? Isn¡¯t that a bit too bold? In this era, agricultural tax is a major source of income for a country! At this point, even Mu Changtian, the military general, couldn¡¯t help but stand up and say, ¡°Prince, isn¡¯t the policy of abolishing all agricultural taxes too radical? Without agricultural taxes, how would the national treasury of North Country have money in the future?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The agricultural taxes collected by North City aren¡¯t even enough to cover the officials¡¯ salaries. What¡¯s the point of such a meager amount of tax? Moreover, the Prince¡¯s Mansion has a large area of land for food cultivation. 1 don¡¯t need the common people to deliver food to me.¡± ¡°As for where the newly established treasury of North Country should collect its money, naturally, it should come from increased commerce taxes. From now on, any goods entering or leaving North Country will have to pay commerce taxes. In addition, I will divest some of the industries from the North Prince Mansion and hand them over to the Ministry of Commerce. The money earned by those industries will all go to the national treasury.¡± After hearing these words from Lu Chen, the officials were stunned again, not expecting the North Prince to be so generous. One should know that the industries of the North Prince Mansion are highly profitable, especially the recently emerging coal industry. The common people in Qi Prince¡¯s territories have been buying coal in a frenzy, and this winter, the North Prince Mansion has made an untold amount of silver. If the North Prince Mansion hands over industries to the Ministry of Commerce, then the national treasury of North Country will certainly not be short of money in the future. This makes the Ministry of Commerce seem extremely important, after all, it¡¯s the department that makes money. At this time, an official from Yan County asked, ¡°Prince, wouldn¡¯t this action potentially lead to a conflict of interest with the people?¡± Lu Chen wasn¡¯t angry about this question. He answered indifferently, ¡°How would it lead to a conflict of interest? Did the common people ever own those industries of the North Prince Mansion? By divesting those industries and handing them over to the Ministry of Commerce and then hiring workers for those industries to provide food for the common people, isn¡¯t that providing benefits to them? Who dares to accuse me of competing with the people for profit?¡± ¡°Unless someone wants my industries and uses that argument because the money is going into the national treasury, not their pockets. As far as I know, only the Aristocratic Families would think that way.¡± ¡°However, there shouldn¡¯t be an Aristocratic Family bold enough to snatch nationally managed industries under my nose in North City, right?¡± With Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone in the hall fell silent. Indeed, if the industries divested by the North Prince Mansion were to actively recruit workers, then the vagrants of North City would have work and food in the future. That would be granting benefits to the common people, not competing with them for profit. Of course, the common people include the Aristocratic Families too. The money the Aristocratic Families can¡¯t make, if earned by the Ministry of Commerce and the North Prince Mansion, they will surely claim that the mansion is competing with the people for profit. But it is unlikely that such a voice would emerge in North City. At this moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°By the way, I¡¯d like to ask General Mo and Lord Li, is it possible to change the name of my feudal state? You two are more familiar with court regulations and should know this.¡± As far as Lu Chen knew, the name of a feudal state couldn¡¯t be changed at will; it usually followed the title of the prince. Since he was the North Prince, his feudal state was consequently North Country. However, Lu Chen always felt uncomfortable with the name North Country; it seemed too informal. His father, the Sum Emperor, had disdained him and carelessly conferred upon him the title of a prince, causing even his state¡¯s name to follow suit. Mu Changtian replied, ¡°Prince, as far as this servant is aware, it is possible to change the name. There is precedence for it in Great Sum, but it demands that the prince write to the emperor to request a change of title before the state¡¯s name can be changed.¡± ¡°However, as the title was conferred by the emperor, who showers us with grace like thunder and rain, although there are precedents, if the prince requests a title change from the emperor, the emperor will surely reclaim some things.¡± ¡°Moreover, based on precedents, the prince who proposes a title change is likely to be relocated from their feudal state to another place.¡± Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Then forget it. Let¡¯s end this topic here.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe that the Sum Emperor would grant him a new piece of land upon seeing his application; he felt instead that the emperor would take back many of his possessions, such as the Military Expansion Order. If it was going to be so troublesome, then it was better not to change it. North Country would remain North Country. The name would have to be changed sooner or later anyway. ¡°If you have other questions, please continue to raise them. I¡¯ve instructed the servants to prepare lunch, and we have ample time today to discuss the reform measures I¡¯ve proposed.¡± At this point, Li Rui continued, ¡°Prince, your reform measures, when viewed in the long term, are beneficial to North Country, and these reforms are unlikely to face obstacles here. However, I believe the greatest obstacles may not lie within North Country, but in the imperial court.¡± Let¡¯s set aside whether Lu Chen¡¯s establishment of the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Education violates ritual propriety. Just the reclamation of land ownership by the North Prince Mansion alone is enough to provoke denunciation from the court officials. Land issues have always been sensitive in a feudal dynasty. Currently, North City has few common people and no large landlords, so Lu Chen can easily implement the decree with some pressure. But within the confines of Great Sum, it¡¯s a different story. The land held by the Aristocratic Families and officials tends to be the most extensive. A prince reclaiming all land ownership is like setting a dangerous precedent. Even though this matter has yet to affect them, they would never allow anyone to set this precedent. If a prince can do this today, even the Sum Emperor might follow suit tomorrow.. Chapter 243 - Chapter 243: Chapter 181 What does that little man want to do?_i Chapter 243: Chapter 181 What does that little man want to do?_i Translator: 549690339 Upon hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen immediately understood his meaning. The court was now controlled by the Aristocratic Families, who had the most land and were the most sensitive group toward land issues. At this moment, if Lu Chen were to implement land reforms, it would inevitably touch the nerves of the Aristocratic Families, and they would definitely impeach him like crazy, trying every means to trouble him. Not only the Aristocratic Families, but the Scholar Officials would surely criticize him as well. In a word, whoever had more land would possibly jump out to trouble him. Lu Chen then said, ¡°The reason why I am reforming now is that the court¡¯s attention is all on the war with Great Wu.¡± ¡°Even if they become aware of the reforms in North City, as uncomfortable as it may be for them, they don¡¯t have the energy to attend to North City at this time.¡± ¡°By the time those in the court have the energy to care about North City¡¯s affairs, the reforms there will have mostly been completed, everything will already have settled, and by then it will be too late for them to oppose.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui thought it over and felt that Lu Chen was right. If the reforms were to be tackled after Great Sum¡¯s war with Great Wu had ended, the resistance they would face would definitely be countless times greater than now. The best time to carry out reforms is now, even if some officials from the Aristocratic Families in the court wished to stop the reforms in North City, they wouldn¡¯t be able to divert much energy to make trouble for North City. The war between Great Sum and Great Wu had entered a white-hot stage. Currently, both sides were continually sending reinforcements to the front line, and Great Sum had already lost two counties¡¯ worth of land; how could the court possibly have the energy to care about a Seignior¡¯s meddling in his own territory? For Great Sum at the moment, as long as the Seignior doesn¡¯t rebel or add fuel to Great Sum¡¯s situation, that¡¯s already quite good. As for what reforms they undertake, that¡¯s not a focal point of their concern. Lu Chen continued, ¡°There¡¯s absolutely no need to worry about the court¡¯s obstruction to the reforms in North City, if you have any questions about the reform measures, bring them up now. Don¡¯t wait until the implementation stage when you don¡¯t know what to do.¡± At this time, the officials in the hall looked at each other, none of them spoke again. They were clear in their minds that Lu Chen¡¯s reform measures were bound to continue, so whatever they said actually had little effect. In fact, deep down, they had many questions about the reforms, such as the separation of military and civilian governance. The separation meant that from now on, North City¡¯s military power would be entirely in the hands of the North Prince Mansion, in the hands of the North Prince; they, as Civil Officials, would be unarmed. If the North Prince wanted to clean them up, he could do so easily. This was even more terrifying than the Sum Emperor revoking military power, for the Sum Emperor¡¯s revocation was only nominal. In fact, during wartime, the Sum Emperor would still have to discuss military affairs with certain military officials. Moreover, the current Ministry of War in Great Sum was not solely dictated by the Sum Emperor. But North City was different; the separation meant that the Ministry of War and other departments would not interact at work. From now on, the work of the Ministry of War would only be connected with the North Prince, leaving almost no possibility for other departments to intervene with the military. The key point is that there are no positions such as Prime Minister in North City¡¯s reform to lead the officials, and even the power of Li Rui, who once was the Prefecture Governor, has been greatly weakened. However, this made Li Rui¡¯s position somewhat awkward. He used to be the manager of all officials in North City, and now, after the reform, he did not even know where he should be. Li Rui did not inquire about Lu Chen¡¯s arrangements for him, as it was not appropriate for him to bring it up. He believed that Lu Chen must have considered a suitable position for him, and it was better not to ask. At this moment, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°From now on, apart from the Ministry of War, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Education which I will manage directly, the remaining five ministries will be managed by Li Rui for the time being. Above the five ministries, a Minister of State Affairs will be appointed, and the first Minister of State Affairs will be temporarily served by Li Rui.¡± Hearing this, Li Rui breathed a sigh of relief. Although he had never heard of the title Minister of State Affairs before, this position was above the five ministries, and furthermore, he would be managing the five ministries. This position was not much different from that of the Prime Minister or his previous position as Prefecture Governor. After Lu Chen arrived at North City, he handed over the military power of North City to Lu Chen and since then had only been responsible for civil affairs. Although North City had reformed, the subsequent civil affairs would still be his responsibility, which was basically the same as before. At this moment, Li Rui asked, ¡°Prince, 1 wonder who you plan to put in charge of the treasury?¡± The Ministry of Commerce was directly managed by Lu Chen, but the treasury was not, so Li Rui paid great attention to the choice of manager for the treasury. This was the money bag, which everyone wanted to hold in their own hands. Upon Li Rui¡¯s query, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°From now on, the treasury will be renamed as North Country Bank, and the head of the bank will be called the President, appointed and dismissed by me personally.¡± Li Rui was stunned, thinking to himself that the North Prince was indeed unwilling to hand the treasury over to anyone else. They did want to make the treasury independent of the North Prince Mansion, but currently, the civil officials of North City did not have the capability to snatch the money bag from the North Prince¡¯s hands. Lu Chen then continued, ¡°As for the first President of North Country Bank, I plan to appoint Yelv Nanyan as the first bank President.¡± On hearing this, the hall instantly erupted. Li Rui quickly said, ¡°Prince, this must not be done!¡± Lu Chen spoke calmly, ¡°Are you trying to suggest that because she is a woman, a woman is not fit to hold office?¡± ¡°I am simply looking for someone to manage my finances. As long as she can handle the money and is absolutely loyal to me, it doesn¡¯t matter whether they are a man or a woman to me.¡± ¡°As for her previous identity, my reliance on her is the perfect opportunity to appease the Barbarian Tribe of North City, letting them know that 1 treat the Barbarian Tribe without discrimination.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Oh, right, she was recommended to me by my wife.¡± Upon hearing what Lu Chen had said, Li Rui and the others were stunned. If even the Princess Consort recommended Yelv Nanyan to manage the treasury, then it seemed they had nothing more to say. Moreover, Yelv Nanyan was now a woman of the North Prince. If they continued to oppose this, it would appear as though they were objecting to someone from the North Prince Mansion managing the treasury, which would be a clear sign of competing with the North Prince Mansion for control of the finances -a thought Li Rui dared not entertain, and he didn¡¯t bother to say anything further. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Mu Changtian. ¡°General Mo, you¡¯ve rushed back from Tianguang City amidst considerable hardship. Do you really have no issues with the military reforms in North City?¡± Mu Changtian had originally been on a special mission near Tianguang City, but when Lu Chen thought of reform, he had someone notify him to come back in advance. Upon receiving the order, Mu Changtian traveled day and night amidst snowstorms, only returning to Yan County last night. To come such a long distance and not offer any suggestions, wouldn¡¯t that be a wasted trip? After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s remarks, Mu Changtian replied, ¡°Prince¡¯s military reforms can greatly improve the soldiers¡¯ combat abilities. 1 believe the Prince¡¯s reform measures are already perfect and lack no drawbacks.¡± At this, Lu Chen chuckled. He then said, ¡°Perhaps the reform measures for North City were read out too quickly just now, and you didn¡¯t manage to remember them.¡± ¡°Next, let¡¯s discuss each measure one by one. If you have any issues, bring them up.¡± Lu Chen then signaled the Jinyiwei Guard to continue reading the reform measures, and they spent the whole next day discussing his reforms. Meanwhile. In the Great Wu Dynasty, Imperial Palace, Green Cloud Palace. Princess J unwan lay sideways on a couch, holding a piece of intelligence in her hand, reading it over and over with great focus. She then turned to address the man kneeling in the hall, who had delivered the intelligence, ¡°Have you confirmed whether the Heavy Cavalry of North City has truly been annihilated?¡± The man kneeling in the middle of the hall immediately replied, ¡°Princess Junwan, there are many military restricted areas in North City that are difficult for our people to infiltrate, so we have not been able to confirm it for the time being.¡± ¡°However, I have heard that the Great Sum Imperial Court has not recalled the Imperial Army but has instead appointed Lin Xiuming to take over Tianguang City. Therefore, I believe that Great Sum has indeed confirmed the annihilation of the Heavy Cavalry and chose not to recall Lin Xiuming but let him stay in North City.¡± After hearing the man¡¯s words, Princess Junwan chuckled softly and then said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case.¡± The annihilation of the Heavy Cavalry in North City was somewhat too peculiar, which made Princess Junwan raise her guard. The Sky Wolf King¡¯s army of three hundred thousand couldn¡¯t defeat the Heavy Cavalry of North City, yet the rumor was that the North Fre King¡¯s army of two hundred thousand had annihilated the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry of North City? Is that possible? The spies of Great Wu haven¡¯t even confirmed if the North Fre King truly marched south, and suddenly news comes out of North City saying that the Heavy Cavalry is gone? Wasn¡¯t the annihilation of North City¡¯s Heavy Cavalry too swift? It gave one the feeling that North City was deliberately concealing troops to have this force carry out some special mission. Now, with the war between Great Sum and Great Wu intensifying, the sudden disappearance of a Heavy Cavalry force from Great Sum was bound to draw extra attention from Great Wu. Princess Junwan continued, ¡°Send more spies immediately to North City; I demand precise information about that Heavy Cavalry unit.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess Junwan.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Once the man had left the hall, the corners of Princess Junwan¡¯s mouth subtly lifted; then, with a smile on her face, she murmured to herself, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious to see what that young man is up to..¡± Chapter 244 - Chapter 244: Chapter 182 Chu Xiongs Observations ! Chapter 244: Chapter 182 Chu Xiong¡¯s Observations ! Translator: 549690339 I The reform in North City was unstoppable; although spring had not yet arrived, the reform announcements had already plastered every city under North City¡¯s jurisdiction, and North City¡¯s military was paving the way. When the common people heard that North City had proclaimed itself a sovereign nation, they were overjoyed, as it meant the North Prince had formally taken over North City. However, their happiness soon faded when rumors spread that the North Prince intended to reclaim all land in North City for the North Prince Mansion, leaving the common people with only the right of use, and no ownership rights. For most commoners, land was their lifeline. Seizing the land all of a sudden, how could the people feel secure? The commoners flocked to where the announcements were posted, listening intently to the Jinyiwei Guards explaining the reform measures. In order to make the common people of North City understand the benefits of reclaiming the land use rights, Lu Chen mobilized the majority of North City¡¯s military might. Besides the Black Cavalry and artillery camp, both the Brocade Guard and North City¡¯s soldiers were called to action. This reform was extremely important for North City and for Lu Chen, but he was not trying to establish a world of equality; rather, he was preparing for the industrial development of North City. As a modern-era transmigrant, Lu Chen was well aware of the importance of land. If the problem of land annexation was not solved, a dynasty could not last long, and land annexation would severely hinder future industrial development. For instance, if you wanted to build a road and it was on private land, you would have to spend a substantial amount of money compensating others, but now the situation was different. By law, all lands of the North Country were deemed property of the North Prince; henceforth, no one could obstruct road construction by the North Prince Mansion, nor dare dispute over land when the North Prince Mansion decided where to develop any industry. Yan County. Today, like in previous days, Yan County¡¯s city gate was crowded with people, and under the control of North City¡¯s soldiers, only a main thoroughfare to the city inside was left open. Without the control of North City¡¯s soldiers, the main entrance to the city would probably have been blocked by the commoners. At that moment, an elderly man with white hair arrived at the city gate. He had originally come to Yan County by coach, but seeing so many commoners gathered at the city gates, he grew curious and told the coach to go on without him while he joined the crowd at the city gate¡¯s announcement board. Then, a Brocade Guard dressed in black and red clothes stood on a table beside the announcement board and loudly read out, ¡°Under the expansive sky, all land is the king¡¯s; to the edges of the realm, all are the king¡¯s subjects. Effective today, all land ownership rights within North City legally belong to the Prince, and no person shall sell the land ownership rights¡­¡± Upon hearing the Brocade Guard¡¯s words, Chu Xiong¡¯s heart trembled. Such a bold move! It was the first time he heard the saying, ¡°Under the expansive sky, all land is the king¡¯s; to the edges of the realm, all are the king¡¯s subjects.¡± He originally thought the Sum Emperor was radical enough, given that the Sum Emperor had been determined to undermine the Aristocratic Families, but unexpectedly, his own grandson was even more radical than the Sum Emperor ¡ªreclaiming all the land and thus cutting off the roots of the Aristocratic Families completely. Although there were no major Aristocratic Families in North City yet, with the North Prince¡¯s policies in place, the possibility of the emergence of Ancient Families like those in the Great Xia was almost nil. At this moment, Chu Xiong¡¯s expression turned gloomy, and his emotions were incredibly complex. He had actually been supportive of his grandson becoming Emperor, yet it had never occurred to him that his grandson would be even harsher on the Aristocratic Families. If the Sum Emperor were to step down and his grandson took the throne, his grandson would likely be more intent on eliminating the Ancient Families than the Sum Emperor. Chu Xiong couldn¡¯t help but wonder if he had been mistaken? Was pledging allegiance to Prince Lu Shuyun the right choice? After all, Prince Lu Shuyun was on the side of the Aristocratic Families of the South; if Prince Lu Shuyun ascended to the throne, he would probably have few conflicts with the Ancient Families, and it would continue to be a world governed by both the Prince and the Ancient Families. But his grandson was different. Looking at his grandson¡¯s policies, it was clear he aimed to prevent land annexation and the formation of powerful families in North City. Without land, Aristocratic Families were like fish without water, unable to last for long. Thinking this, Chu Xiong sighed deeply in his heart. Despite feeling somewhat distressed, Chu Xiong decided to meet with his grandson. After all, they were related by blood, and his grandson had called him grandfather when he was little. At this point, the crowd started to grow restless, and a commoner shouted, ¡°How can the Prince do this? If all the land is taken back, how will we commoners survive!¡± As these words were spoken, the crowd instantly became noisy and agitated. ¡°Exactly! We cleared that land ourselves, by what right does it belong to the North Prince Mansion!¡± ¡°The Prince is too overbearing! I absolutely will not hand over my own land.¡± ¡°Whoever wants my land will have to fight me for it!¡± Facing the impassioned common folk, the expressions on the Jinyiwei Guard¡¯s faces were very calm. They had been disseminating the news for several days now, and the initial reactions of the commoners were all like this; they had grown accustomed to it. At this moment, one of the Jinyiwei Guard said, ¡°Since the day the Great Xia Dynasty was founded, the lands of Great Xia have belonged to the Emperor. Now, the Emperor has granted North City to the North Prince, so the lands of North City should rightfully belong to the Prince. The Prince is merely enforcing the laws strictly to prevent the arbitrary sale of land.¡± ¡°The land that you originally possessed will still belong to you for use. The Prince has no intention of taking back your rights to use it.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the Prince has said that from now on, all agricultural taxes are to be waived. Whatever you harvest, you will keep!¡± ¡°Not only that, but next year the North Prince Mansion will also distribute seeds for high-yield crops. I believe you all have already heard about the North Prince Mansion having grains that yield several thousand pounds per acre, have you not? Just give it one year, and none of you here today will have to worry about hunger or cold again.¡± Upon hearing the Jinyiwei Guard mention the exemption of all agricultural taxes, the common folk immediately became incredibly excited. ¡°Is that true? Is the Prince really going to waive all agricultural taxes?¡± ¡°Is this policy permanent?¡± ¡°The Prince wouldn¡¯t be deceiving us, would he?¡± ¡°Where do we go to receive the North Prince Mansion¡¯s grain seeds?¡± For a moment, the entrance to Yan County was a clamor of voices. Chu Xiong squeezed out of the crowd alone and watched the excited commoners from a distance. He found it incredibly unbelievable. The policy of waiving all agricultural taxes was simply too radical, almost equivalent to legally determining land ownership to be under the North Prince. Was this idea his own grandson¡¯s, or did it come from the Sum Emperor¡¯s wishes? The Sum Emperor, as a traditional ruler, although he held immense hatred for the Ancient Families, would he have ever come up with a policy like waiving all agricultural taxes? Agricultural tax was an important source of revenue for the national treasury. Without this tax, the Great Xia Dynasty might not even be able to pay its officials¡¯ salaries. Initially, Chu Xiong had begun to wonder if his grandson could truly be a pawn of the Sum Emperor, but as soon as this policy was announced, he immediately felt his grandson had no relation to the Sum Emperor whatsoever. The waiving of the agricultural tax would have a very negative impact on the rest of the Great Xia¡¯s territories. In the future, when the commoners see that North City has waived the agricultural tax, they would surely think, as people of the Great Xia, if North City has waived it, why should they not have their taxes waived as well? This could lead to instability within the Great Xia, and over time, it would inevitably result in discontent among the commoners, so the Sum Emperor would never allow such a policy to come into effect. At this moment, Chu Xiong¡¯s mind was full of questions. He felt he could only unravel the doubts in his heart after seeing his own grandson. He did not linger any longer and headed straight for the city gates. Just then, a lavishly decorated carriage passed by Chu Xiong. A gust of wind blew, lifting the curtains of the carriage. Chu Xiong¡¯s gaze just happened to meet the eyes of the woman inside the carriage. He did not recognize who the woman in the carriage was, but he instantly discerned from her aura that she was a Grandmaster. After the carriage passed him by, Chu Xiong frowned as he looked at the emblem on the back of the carriage. ¡°Mysterious Moon Palace? Could the woman inside the carriage be the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± ¡°It seems the situation in North City is more chaotic than I imagined..¡± Chapter 245 - Chapter 245: Chapter 183: The Immortal Artifact of the Chapter 245: Chapter 183: The Immortal Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace_i Translator: 549690339 I After entering Yan City, Chu Xiong did not immediately head to the North Prince Mansion. Instead, he wandered around Yan City to catch up on the recent situation. Back in Sufeng City, he had heard about the annihilation of the Heavy Cavalry of North City, and so he was very curious about this news. He went around inquiring about the state of the Black Cavalry, wanting to know if the Black Cavalry had truly been destroyed. However, his inquiries also drew the attention of the Jinyiwei Guard in Yan City. It didn¡¯t take long for the news of Chu Xiong¡¯s presence in Yan City to reach Lu Chen¡¯s ears. Upon hearing that his grandfather had come, Lu Chen felt somewhat surprised. He had not expected Chu Xiong to come looking for him in North City after losing the position of Family Head. In the study, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before saying to the Jinyiwei guards by his side, ¡°Arrange it, I wish to meet my grandfather.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Meanwhile. Chu Xiong had already checked into an inn run by Mysterious Moon Palace. He planned to spend a few more days touring before going to the North Prince Mansion to see his grandson. Although Yan City could not compare to the prosperity of Sufeng City, its potential was tremendous. He discovered that there were quite a few merchants in Yan City, nearly rivaling those of Sufeng City. In this era, emphasizing agriculture over commerce, only in some cities where aristocratic families congregated would such bustling trade and commerce occur. Chu Xiong hadn¡¯t expected to see caravans coming and going in Yan City, and he was keen to understand what the business environment in Yan City was like. After settling into the inn, Chu Xiong sat in his room drinking tea and resting when there was a knock at the door. Thinking it was the inn¡¯s attendant, he asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Immediately, a man¡¯s voice came from outside the room, ¡°Master Chu, my master wishes to meet with you.¡± Upon hearing this, the teacup in Chu Xiong¡¯s hand suddenly halted in midair. Master Chu? They¡¯ve recognized me? I¡¯ve just arrived in Yan City, and already I have been identified? Chu Xiong set down his teacup and asked, ¡°Who is your master?¡± The person outside replied, ¡°If Master Chu follows me, you will find out. Please rest assured, Master Chu, our master is someone you know.¡± Someone I know? Chu Xiong was curious. He didn¡¯t seem to have any acquaintances in Yan City, right? Those he knew were all in the North Prince Mansion. Such as Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli. But he didn¡¯t remember them creating any forces or becoming someone¡¯s master. Clearly, the person outside was referring to someone else. Without giving it further thought, Chu Xiong got to his feet. Since he had already been recognized by someone, there was no point in hiding any longer. He wanted to see for himself which acquaintance had also come to Yan City. Chu Xiong then opened the door and saw a Jinyiwei guard dressed in black and red standing at the entrance. He was taken aback for a moment. He was unaware of the Jinyiwei as an organization, but he had seen similarly dressed individuals at the city gate announcing the reform, which indicated that this person was likely from the North Prince Mansion. If it was someone from the North Prince Mansion, who else could the master of the house be? Realizing this, Chu Xiong had a moment of clarity. He had intended to visit the North Prince Mansion a few days later, but his grandson had already discovered him shortly after he entered the city. Well, then. It was time to meet his grandson earlier than planned. With that in mind, Chu Xiong followed the Jinyiwei guard to a restaurant next to the inn, run by Mysterious Moon Palace, and then they entered a private room. Upon entering the private room, Chu Xiong immediately saw a face that was unfamiliar yet familiar. Seeing Chu Xiong, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Grandfather, it¡¯s been a while. How come you didn¡¯t tell me, your grandson, that you were coming to Yan City?¡± Chu Xiong was startled for a moment and quickly bowed, saying, ¡°This commoner pays respects to Your Highness.¡± Lu Chen stepped forward and, supporting Chu Xiong by his arms, said, ¡°Grandfather, what¡¯s the meaning of this? We are meeting privately, there¡¯s no need for such formality between us.¡± Chu Xiong replied, ¡°Your Highness, propriety cannot be discarded.¡± Lu Chen smiled without dwelling on the topic and used the system to identify Chu Xiong¡¯s information. [Name: Chu Xiong] [Identity: Former Chu Family Master, 86 years old, extremely fond of his daughter. Ever since Chu Yue¡¯s death, he transferred this affection to the North Prince. Having been stripped of his position as Family Head, he came to Yan City to see how his grandson was faring, as well as to verify whether his grandson really was the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn.] [Strength: Master Realm] [Loyalty: 95] Seeing Chu Xiong¡¯s personal information, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Chu Xiong to value his grandson from outside the family so highly. This also proved that Chu Xiong indeed held great affection for his mother; otherwise, his feelings for Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t be so deep. In an era that favored sons over daughters, to think there was a ¡°daughter slave,¡± was something Lu Chen hadn¡¯t anticipated. After looking through Chu Xiong¡¯s personal information, Lu Chen sized up Chu Xiong once more. Chu Xiong had gray hair and a long white beard, and his face was lined with many wrinkles. However, his body appeared very robust. The muscles on his body even stretched the gray robes he was wearing tight against his frame, evidence that he was someone who practiced martial arts regularly. As for Chu Xiong, his grandfather, Lu Chen honestly didn¡¯t know what to do with him. For starters, he was like the Sum Emperor in the fact that he wasn¡¯t fond of the aristocratic families. However, Chu Xiong was his grandfather after all, and he had been quite good to Lu Chen. While Lu Chen was examining Chu Xiong, Chu Xiong was also looking at Lu Chen. At this moment, Chu Xiong felt a flood of emotions in his heart. He looked so much like her! His grandson bore a striking resemblance to his daughter, and their temperaments were also very similar. His daughter herself leaned towards a more masculine demeanor, exuding a dashing and spirited presence; and Lu Chen, being a man, resembled Chu Yue even more. At that time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Grandfather, did you come to Yan County this time specifically to find me?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Chu Xiong returned to his senses and immediately said, ¡°I¡¯m no longer the Chu Family Head. With nothing pressing to attend to, I simply wanted to visit you in North City.¡± ¡°Oh no, it shouldn¡¯t be called North City anymore but North Country.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯ve already heard about what happened to you with the Chu Family. Honestly, you could have sided with Prince Lu Shuyun. There¡¯s no need to worry about me¡ªI¡¯m just a seignior banished to the borderlands, and it¡¯s very likely that I¡¯ll have trouble returning to the Capital City. The position of Crown Prince will likely have nothing to do with me.¡± Hearing this, Chu Xiong sighed and said, ¡°Prince, this has little to do with you. Even if I sided with Prince Lu Shuyun, my other two brothers would find a way to edge me out of the Chu Family, related to the conflict between the Mysterious Moon Palace and the Chu Family.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. Related to the Mysterious Moon Palace? He had always thought Chu Xiong was ostracized from the Chu Family because he was his grandfather and tended to support Lu Chen¡¯s claim to the throne, leading to his expulsion. What did this have to do with the Mysterious Moon Palace? Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Grandfather, I heard that you were deposed as the family head because you didn¡¯t support Prince Lu Shuyun, and others joined forces against you. How is this related to the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°Your mother became the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace. She brought back an extremely potent weapon from there, which was reportedly an Immortal Artifact used by immortals. Some people in the Chu Family wanted to claim that weapon for themselves, believing the Mysterious Moon Palace to be an insignificant sect force, unworthy of fear.¡± ¡°At that time, I did not agree. Moreover, I believed that weapon could potentially bring disaster to the Chu Family. So, I had your mother return the weapon temporarily. However, while your mother was handing that mysterious weapon back to someone from the Mysterious Moon Palace, some people from the Chu Family betrayed me and ambushed the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace behind my back.¡± ¡°The result was that the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace not only survived but also eliminated those from the Chu Family who had attacked them mid-way. Some in the Chu Family believed your mother was the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace, so they thought I, the Family Head, had betrayed them, leading to the failure of their plan.¡± ¡°Since then, the seeds of discord had been sown. They had always wanted to strip me of my position as Family Head. Ten years ago, they even tried to join forces with the elders of the family to take my place, but ultimately, they failed.¡± ¡°This time they repeated their tactics, finding an additional excuse, and finally, they succeeded. It was a struggle for power within the Chu Family and had nothing to do with who I supported.¡± Hearing Chu Xiong¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into thought. An Immortal Artifact used by immortals? What kind of weapon was that? He remembered the system saying that it was difficult for immortals to emerge in this world, right? How did an immortal¡¯s Immortal Artifact end up in this world? Could it be some kind of firearm? The Barrett and Desert Eagle in his possession were referred to as immortal artifacts by the soldiers of the North Prince Mansion. The people of this world did not understand the principles behind firearms; they only knew that firearms were very powerful, that¡¯s why they considered them immortal artifacts. Was there a possibility that the so-called Immortal Artifact his mother brought from the Mysterious Moon Palace was also a firearm? Could it be that, besides himself, there were others in this world who also possessed firearms? With that thought, Lu Chen furrowed his brow, then he asked, ¡°Grandfather, could you describe what my mother¡¯s Immortal Artifact from the Mysterious Moon Palace looked like?¡± Chu Xiong thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°That Immortal Artifact looked like a long box, and the light that flew out of the box could instantly pierce through a small mountain.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned. That sure as hell sounded like a laser weapon. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°With such a powerful weapon, why didn¡¯t you have my mother keep it in the Chu Family?¡± Standing in the position of Master Chu, he would definitely want the Chu Family to be as strong as possible. Yet, he showed no desire for that mysterious and powerful weapon, even letting his own daughter return it to the Mysterious Moon Palace, which made Lu Chen somewhat perplexed. Chu Xiong said, ¡°An innocent man incurs no blame, but possession of the jewel makes him guilty. I understand that principle. Your mother is the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and I have some understanding of the Mysterious Moon Palace. As far as I know, the Mysterious Moon Palace might have a power beyond the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°Since the Mysterious Moon Palace dared to entrust that weapon to your mother, it proved that they had the capability to retrieve it..¡± Chapter 246 - Chapter 246: Chapter 184: Lu Chens Recruitment_i Chapter 246: Chapter 184: Lu Chen¡¯s Recruitment_i Translator: 549690339 I Hearing Chu Xiong¡¯s words, Lu Chen reflected, and his grandfather¡¯s considerations seemed not entirely unreasonable. Since this immensely powerful weapon was entrusted to his mother to bring out, it indicated that the Mysterious Moon Palace likely did not fear the weapon falling into the hands of the common people. He wouldn¡¯t dare to let others use weapons like the one in his hand, the Barrett, or the Desert Eagle, fearing that if someone carelessly lost them, he wouldn¡¯t be able to retrieve them. In light of this, Chu Xiong¡¯s decision to let his mother return the terrifying weapon was, in fact, the correct choice. If such a frightening weapon stayed with the Chu Family, it would inevitably attract the covetous eyes of many forces in the martial world, and even that person in the Capital city might take an interest. By then, the Chu Family would become a target for all, and its annihilation would likely be only a matter of time. But such a decision would definitely lead to dissatisfaction among some members of the Chu Family. In the eyes of some, obtaining such a formidable weapon would make them significantly more powerful, whereas Chu Xiong not only didn¡¯t keep the weapon but also returned it to the Mysterious Moon Palace, causing the Chu Family to miss the opportunity to become even more powerful. At this point, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Grandfather, I have another question. How did my mother actually die?¡± Lu Chen had the Brocade Guard investigate many things about his mother and had a rough idea that her death was likely related to his father, the Sum Emperor, but he still did not know how she died, whether she was poisoned or killed. The Brocade Guard hadn¡¯t found these details. All he knew was that one morning, when he got up, the palace maids in the courtyard were all crying, and then his mother in this world was gone. Chu Xiong responded, ¡°I am not clear about the circumstances of your mother¡¯s death either, but it¡¯s highly probable that it was related to your father, the Sum Emperor.¡± As he said this, Chu Xiong paused, looking at Lu Chen¡¯s reaction, wanting to gauge his thoughts. If Lu Chen were truly a chess piece of the Sum Emperor, hearing his words would certainly make Lou Chen dissatisfied with him. Because if the Sum Emperor wanted Lu Chen to be a pawn, he would have surely fostered a secret relationship with Lu Chen; hence, upon hearing someone speak ill of his father, the Sum Emperor, Lu Chen would naturally defend him. However, Chu Xiong noticed that Lu Chen seemed completely indifferent to what he had just said. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°I also know it¡¯s related to my father, the Sum Emperor, but I want to know more details about this matter.¡± Chu Xiong then said, ¡°Prince, the past is the past, and your mother would probably not wish for you to be trapped by the events of the past while she rests beneath the nine springs.¡± ¡°As the ruler of a country now, it would be better for you to look forward.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Smiling, Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Grandfather, how long do you plan to stay in North City during this visit? What if I give you a residence here, so you can spend your old age in North City from now on? After all, the Chu Family has stripped you of the position of Family Head, and there¡¯s no need for you to return.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Xiong realized that his grandson was trying to win him over. Chu Xiong did indeed plan to stay in North City for a while, but it was meant to be a short stay; he still intended to return. Chu Xiong then said, ¡°I came to North City mainly to see you and will return to the Chu Family in a month or two. Although I am no longer the Chu Family Master, I am still a member of the Chu Family, and I cannot stand idly by if the Chu Family is in trouble.¡± Hearing Chu Xiong¡¯s reply, Lu Chen frowned slightly. It seemed that his grandfather still sided with the Aristocratic Family, which conflicted with his own stance toward those families. After all, his grandfather was a member of an Aristocratic Family, while he himself held the same position as the Sum Emperor; their stances were opposed to each other. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Grandfather, you should be very clear about the current predicament of the Chu Family. If you return to the Chu Family, you might be taken down by my father, the Sum Emperor, just like the Chu Family. Why put yourself through that?¡± Chu Xiong did not respond to Lu Chen¡¯s words, instead saying, ¡°Prince, I want to ask you a question.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Chu Xiong then directly asked, ¡°The Aristocratic Families see the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry of North City as the private army of the Sum Emperor, and they see you as the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn. I want to know if this is really the case?¡± Without beating around the bush, Lu Chen answered, ¡°Rest assured, Grandfather, I am not a pawn of my father, the Sum Emperor. As for how those fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry came to be, I cannot tell you that for now. All I can tell you is that I have the support of a very mysterious and powerful force behind me, a force so formidable that even the Mysterious Moon Palace is but a minor player in comparison.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Xiong was momentarily stunned. This grandson of his had another powerful force backing him? Could this be real? But observing the tone and expression of his grandson as he spoke, it seemed that he was not lying. Could it be true that there was another mysterious force behind him? But surely there were not many forces in this world stronger than the Mysterious Moon Palace? Lu Chen was actually claiming that to this mysterious force behind him, the Mysterious Moon Palace was no more than a minor character? Chu Xiong came to his senses and asked with certainty, ¡°Has the Prince not deceived me?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course not. For my father, the Sum Emperor, to create fifty thousand suits of heavy armor right under the Aristocratic Families¡¯ noses is simply impossible. It¡¯s ludicrous that they actually believe the fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry at North City are my father¡¯s private troops.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, Chu Xiong thought it over and found it quite reasonable. Now the entire Great Sum is under the control of the Aristocratic Families. Currently, the Sum Emperor only retains control over the military, while the court and the economy of Great Sum are predominantly under the Aristocratic Families¡¯ control. If the Sum Emperor were to create heavy armor, it would be impossible for them not to hear anything about it, especially when it¡¯s fifty thousand sets, not just five hundred. Five hundred might be concealable, but once the numbers reach into the thousands, it would be impossible not to leave any trace. Moreover, producing fifty thousand sets of heavy armor is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Under the surveillance of the Aristocratic Families, the fact that not a single piece of information about the Sum Emperor creating fifty thousand sets of heavy armor has leaked is obviously against common sense. At this point, Chu Xiong furrowed his brows and then said, ¡°Prince, if that mysterious power provided you with fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry all at once, I fear they may have ulterior motives.¡± All of Great Sum has only twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry, yet that mysterious power is treating a nominal wasteful Prince so generously, offering fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry right from the get-go. If there weren¡¯t any ulterior motives, I doubt anyone would believe it. Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Grandfather, there are some things I cannot discuss in detail with you. However, you can rest assured that this mysterious power does not harbor any designs against me, at least not at the moment, and I have absolute control over this mysterious power.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Xiong was once again taken aback. His own grandson has absolute control over that mysterious power? Could it be true? That represents a massive power capable of providing fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry! If Lu Chen truly has absolute control over that mysterious power, doesn¡¯t that mean he himself is an important figure within that power? But isn¡¯t Lu Chen only seventeen this year? How did he manage to connect with such a vast power in the shadows in just a few short years? Chu Xiong found it hard to believe. But at the same time, he felt that Lu Chen really did not intend to deceive him. He is no longer the Family Head of the Chu Family, so there¡¯s nothing to gain from deceiving him. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯ve heard that a significant portion of the Chu Family actually supports you. Why not have those people also come to North Country?¡± ¡°I have a premonition that once the war between Great Sum and Great Wu concludes, civil war in Great Sum is inevitable. My father has endured for so many years mainly because he lacked military authority, but now that he holds it, and considering that the Aristocratic Families have instigated this war in the shadows, it¡¯s highly likely that he has been provoked to the limit and can no longer endure.¡± A divided Chu Family poses no threat to Lu Chen. Moreover, once the Chu Family moves to North Country, Lu Chen would be able to legitimately marry Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli. Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli are officially members of the Chu Family, and as for Chu Yuqin¡¯s arranged marriage to the Wang Family, all that would be needed is for Chu Xiong to publicly annul the marriage. Whether the Wang Family accepts it or not doesn¡¯t matter to them. Chu Yuqin never even saw the face of the man she was supposed to marry back then, so how could such a marriage count? With Chu Xiong bringing forth another branch of the Chu Family, that marriage arrangement would be easy to annul; moreover, Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli are nominally Chu Xiong¡¯s adopted daughters. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Xiong pondered for a while before saying, ¡°Prince, let me think it over. I will give you an answer in half a month.¡± Chu Xiong¡¯s heart wavered; he actually did not wish to openly confront the Sum Emperor. A civil war would be detrimental both to the Chu Family and to Great Sum. Most people who support his faction were initially against starting a war, but his two brothers still incited a war between Great Wu and Great Sum in secret. Chu Xiong even felt that their true goal might not be as simple as provoking war; they might actually aim to force the Sum Emperor to abdicate. Following the Wang Family¡¯s reckless schemes would inevitably lead to ruin one day. However, Chu Xiong couldn¡¯t fully trust his grandson either. He wanted to observe the situation in North Country further before deciding. If North Country lacked potential, then it would be better for the Chu Family to relocate to Great Wu or Great Jue. That would surely be better than staying in Great Sum. At this thought, Chu Xiong¡¯s emotions grew complex; when had his own thoughts begun to align with those of his undutiful son? His son had thought the same way before: should a civil war break out in Great Sum, he would immediately take Chu Yuqin and escape to Great Wu or another dynasty. And now, he too had the idea of fleeing Great Sum. Seeing Chu Xiong¡¯s hesitation, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°No problem, Grandfather. Whenever you decide to settle in North Country, you can let me know anytime. North Country¡¯s gates will always be open for you..¡± Chapter 247 - Chapter 247: Chapter 185 Chu Qinglis Inner Decision 1 Chapter 247: Chapter 185 Chu Qingli¡¯s Inner Decision 1 Translator: 549690339 ¡ª Lu Chen and Chu Xiong talked for an entire afternoon, only returning to North Prince Mansion when dusk fell, while Chu Xiong still stayed at an inn opened by Mysterious Moon Palace. By the time Lu Chen came back to North Prince Mansion in the evening, it was already completely dark. It was winter now, and night fell early. At this moment, Chu Yuqin stood at the entrance of Prince¡¯s Mansion, seeming to wait for someone. Upon seeing Lu Chen¡¯s return, Chu Yuqin became incredibly nervous, and her pretty face flushed with heat. She quickly turned her head, pretending not to see Lu Chen, ready to leave the entrance of Prince¡¯s Mansion in a hurry. Lu Chen had already noticed that graceful figure at the entrance. Seeing that Chu Yuqin wanted to dodge him, he immediately coughed and then said, ¡®Madam Chu, wait a moment, I have some good news to tell you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was taken aback for a moment, then she still pretended that she hadn¡¯t seen Lu Chen return moments before and said, ¡°Oh? Chen¡¯er, how come you¡¯re coming back from outside?¡± ¡± What is the good news you speak of?¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s clumsy acting, Lu Chen burst into laughter, as she was clearly waiting at the entrance for his return, and yet she pretended not to have seen him. Lu Chen immediately dismounted, handed the reins to a guard, and then approached Chu Yuqin. Seeing this grown young man draw ever closer to her, Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart throbbed uncontrollably. If it had been before, she wouldn¡¯t have been nervous even if they were close, let alone if she touched Lu Chen¡¯s body. But times had changed. Ever since Lu Chen had openly expressed his desire for her body, every time she saw Lu Chen, she became so nervous. Whenever he came near, she remembered the words she had said in the study not long ago. As soon as she thought about having to serve Lu Chen with her body, that little rascal, she couldn¡¯t help but shiver uncontrollably. After Lu Chen approached Chu Yuqin, he noticed her face was flushed, and he said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, why are you so red? You¡¯re not running a fever, are you?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen raised his hand to touch Chu Yuqin¡¯s forehead. She instinctively wanted to step back but was caught by Lu Chen by the wrist and had to stand still. After touching Chu Yuqin¡¯s forehead, Lu Chen muttered, ¡°As I thought, very hot. You must have a fever.¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a faint look, then spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what are you doing? This is still at the entrance of Prince¡¯s Mansion; it¡¯s not good to be seen by others. How can a prince behave so frivolously?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°All, I forgot about that. It¡¯s just that I was too worried about your health, Madam Chu. That¡¯s my fault.¡± Chu Yuqin, with a face full of tender resentment, said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had some good news? Why¡¯d you walk over and not say it?¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°My grandfather came to North City to see me, and we talked for an entire afternoon.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s, asking in disbelief, ¡°Really? How did he come to North City?¡± Chu Yuqin had a general understanding of the current situation of Chu Family. With the Sum Emperor and the Aristocratic Family at loggerheads, it surprised her that Chu Xiong would leave the Chu Family and run to North City. Lu Chen replied, ¡°He said he wanted to come to North City to see his grandson.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°That does match his way of doing things.¡± At this point, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Then where is he staying now?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°He¡¯s staying in an inn opened by Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve already planned to give him a residence to live in, and he can move to a different place tomorrow.¡± Then Lu Chen, holding Chu Yuqin¡¯s smooth and delicate hand, said, ¡°The wind is strong outside, let¡¯s go in and talk, Madam Chu.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s hand caressed hers, Chu Yuqin immediately felt a tingling sensation, as if a strange feeling was spreading throughout her body. Lu Chen, regardless of the servants¡¯ eyes, directly pulled Chu Yuqin by the hand into the courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let go of your aunt, it won¡¯t be good if others see.¡± What Chu Yuqin meant by ¡®others¡¯ was not the servants of Prince¡¯s Mansion, but specifically Chu Qingli. She wouldn¡¯t have minded being seen by the servants at the entrance of the mansion, but it would be problematic if her sister saw it. Lu Chen, holding Chu Yuqin¡¯s hand tightly, said, ¡°So what if they see? My aunt¡¯s hand is so cold, what¡¯s wrong with me warming it for my aunt? I¡¯d like to see who dares to gossip.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen not only didn¡¯t let go, but he also raised his other hand, holding both of Chu Yuqin¡¯s hands in his palms. As the cold wind blew, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t feel cold in the least. Instead, she only felt her body becoming hotter and hotter. At that moment, Chu Yuqin suddenly remembered something and then said with a flushed face, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I forgot to tell you, Miss Chen has come to North City again. I arranged for her to stay in the same room as last time.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, if she has come, let her be.¡± After entering the courtyard of Prince¡¯s Mansion, the two stood in the snow without moving forward, as Chu Yuqin¡¯s hands were both held by Lu Chen, which also made it inconvenient to walk. Chu Yuqin felt this was improper, so she said again, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯ve been busy with reform work these days, and you¡¯re tired. You should go back to your room and rest early.¡± ¡°Your aunt is going on patrol now, you¡­ you let go of your aunt¡­¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice grew softer as she spoke. Seeing her blush and feel her warm hands, and witnessing this beautiful woman¡¯s expressive demeanor, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling restless. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, have you forgotten what you said to me in the study not long ago?¡± Hearing Lu Chen bring up the study, Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart began to beat even faster, and her breathing became labored. She quickly whispered, ¡°Your aunt remembers, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Pausing for a moment, she looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, can you give your aunt some more time?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, winter is about to pass, and before the spring warmth blossoms, you should be ready. As you know, when spring arrives, men get rather restless. Now that Zixuan and the other two are pregnant, and Qingci and Bai are often not in the Prince¡¯s Mansion during this time, only Nanyan and Yaoyao are serving me. I¡¯m afraid those two won¡¯t be able to handle it.¡± When Lu Chen brazenly spoke these words, Chu Yuqin was so embarrassed she wished she could crawl into a crevice in the ground. At this moment. Behind a rockery in the outer courtyard. Someone was staring intently at the two people at the entrance of the outer courtyard Chu Qingli watched the pair from a distance with a cold expression, and said icily, ¡°I knew those two were having an affair; today, I finally caught them in the act.¡± After finishing her patrol, Chu Qingli had intended to find Chu Yuqin in her room, but discovered she wasn¡¯t there. She thought Chu Yuqin might have gone to Lu Chen¡¯s study, so she checked there too, but still didn¡¯t see Chu Yuqin. Just as she was about to ask the guards at the entrance if her sister had left the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she found her sister being pulled around by that lecherous man in the outer courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Seeing her sister¡¯s flushed face and shy expression, she looked completely like a new bride. Previously, she had only been suspicious without evidence, but today she finally caught them red-handed. Her sister must have been hypnotized by that lecherous man. Otherwise, how could her sister have such an expression? She has always regarded herself as Lu Chen¡¯s aunt! As his aunt, would she be pulling and dragging with Lu Chen? Clearly, her sister was completely confused now, utterly unaware of what she was doing! No, this couldn¡¯t go on any longer! She had to rescue her sister! But¡­ How should she rescue her? Her sister was hypnotized, at least she¡¯s willing to stay in the Prince¡¯s Mansion for now. Until the hypnosis was lifted, even if she used various means to take her sister out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, her sister would eventually return to the North Prince Mansion. So if she wanted to take her sister away from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, there was only one way to do it: deal with Lu Chen and make him voluntarily lift the hypnosis on her sister. Only then would her sister come to her senses and be willing to leave with her. Thinking this, Chu Qingli silently made up her mind. After Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin pulled and tugged at each other in the outer courtyard for a while, Lu Chen let Chu Yuqin go. Then he did not return to the inner courtyard, but instead headed to his study; he had some government affairs to deal with. No sooner had Lu Chen entered the study and closed the door than he heard the young maid at the entrance speaking to someone. ¡°Chief Chu, the Prince has just arrived at the study.¡± ¡°I have something to discuss with him, let him know.¡± ¡°Certainly, Chief Chu, please wait a moment.¡± Then the maid knocked on the door and said, ¡°My lord, Chief Chu is seeking an audience.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately opened the door of the study again. Looking at Chu Qingli standing at the doorway, he asked with confusion, ¡°Qingli, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Chu Qingli did not immediately answer Lu Chen¡¯s question, but instead told the maid at the door of the study, ¡°Stand guard at the entrance of the courtyard. I have important matters to discuss with the Prince, and no one is allowed to come in.¡± Upon hearing these words, the maid hesitated. Generally speaking, Chu Qingli was not in a position to send her away; only the Prince had that right. The maid then turned to look at Lu Chen to see what he would say. Upon hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Lu Chen was filled with puzzlement. Important matters to discuss with him? What could be so important coming from her? She spent her days aimlessly wandering the inner courtyard and was unlikely to have any important matters. Nevertheless, Lu Chen still told the maid, ¡°Xiao Huan, listen to Chief Chu and stand guard at the courtyard entrance.¡± Seeing Lu Chen say so, the maid promptly replied, ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The maid then left the entrance to the study. After sending the maid away, Chu Qingli walked straight towards the study. Lu Chen promptly stepped aside to let Chu Qingli enter the study. Once she was inside, Lu Chen closed the door again and continued to ask, ¡°Qingli, what is this important matter you mentioned?¡± Chapter 249 - Chapter 249: Chapter 187 Everything is for My Sister 1 Chapter 249: Chapter 187 Everything is for My Sister 1 Translator: 549690339 | For Lu Chen, there was no reason not to indulge in a delicacy that presented itself at his door. Chu Qingli¡¯s threat today completely caught him off guard, but it no longer mattered. Now that Chu Qingli had entered his study, he didn¡¯t intend to let her leave in one piece. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Qing Li, what kind of price do you think you¡¯ll have to pay for me to agree to lift the hypnotism on Madam Chu?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s eyes firmly fixed on her body, Chu Qingli suddenly felt an odd sensation. She wasn¡¯t the same as Bai Qingqing. Although both were considered cold beauties, Bai Qingqing initially had a kind of emotionless coldness, while Chu Qingli did have emotions within her. However, Chu Qingli was an assassin who had long concealed her feelings, which gave her that chilly demeanor. Having emotions, combined with the catalytic effect of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, made her heart rate unconsciously quicken for a moment. Under Lu Chen¡¯s burning gaze, she felt as though she was a little white rabbit in the snow being targeted by a big, grey wolf. Although Lu Chen had yet to say anything, she could already sense the sinister thoughts in his heart. This lecher¡¯s intent gaze clearly signified his desire for her body. The thought made Chu Qingli¡¯s delicate body involuntarily tremble. Trying to suppress the abnormality in her body, Chu Qingli said indifferently, ¡°As long as you lift the hypnotism on my sister, I¡¯ll do anything you ask.¡± Chu Qingli thought to herself that sacrificing a little was nothing if it could free her sister from this demon. She was determined to help her sister escape from the lecher¡¯s mansion. Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s response, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted again. He walked toward her, saying, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± As Lu Chen drew closer, panic surged in Chu Qingli¡¯s heart, and a hint of alarm appeared on her otherwise cool facade. When Lu Chen stopped just a step away from Chu Qingli, he looked into her beautiful eyes and said with a smile, ¡°Qing Li, you¡¯ve been at the North Prince Mansion for quite some time now. You should understand me very well, what kind of person I am, what I like.¡± ¡°My only hobby is to discuss feelings with my wives and concubines, so women are very important to me.¡± ¡°In my heart, Madam Chu is one of my women, and you¡¯re thinking of taking her away from me, which I¡¯m afraid is not acceptable.¡± ¡°Unless¡­¡± At this point, Lu Chen trailed off, his predatory gaze sweeping over Chu Qingli¡¯s graceful body once more. Although Chu Qingli was incredibly tense, she still managed to say expressionlessly, ¡°Unless what?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Unless you take her place.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Qingli¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, this lecher was thinking exactly that, coveting her body. But for the sake of her sister, in order to ensure her freedom and happiness, she was willing to take the risk. With that in mind, Chu Qingli swiftly said, ¡°I agree to your terms. As soon as you lift the hypnotism from my sister, I will become your woman in her stead and serve you.¡± Seeing Chu Qingli¡¯s righteous demeanor, Lu Chen let out a chuckle. Was she truly doing this just for her sister? For some reason, Lu Chen found it suspicious. He knew about Chu Qingli¡¯s unusual feelings for Yuqin. He had seen Chu Qingli¡¯s emotional profile the first time he laid eyes on her, thanks to the system¡¯s introduction. But now that Chu Qingli¡¯s favorability toward him was nearly at one hundred, did she still harbor those unusual feelings for Yuqin? To the extent that she would sacrifice herself for her sister? This made Lu Chen doubt. At this moment, Lu Chen had a hypothesis in mind that he planned to test. He then said with a smile, ¡°Good, since you have agreed, I can promise to lift the hypnotism on Madam Chu, but it¡¯s not so easy to remove hypnotism.¡± ¡°My control over the art of hypnotism isn¡¯t very skilled; removing it requires some time.¡± Chu Qingli coldly stated, ¡°When you¡¯ve lifted the hypnotism from my sister, that¡¯s when I will become your woman.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t do.¡± Chu Qingli coldly asked, ¡°Why not?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Do you really think that by serving me once, I¡¯d be willing to release your sister from hypnosis?¡± ¡°Qingli, you think too highly of me. You should know that I¡¯m a despicable and shameless man.¡± ¡°I can resort to dirty tricks like hypnosis; how could I possibly let your sister go after just one time?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Qingli¡¯s hand tightened slightly into a fist. Chu Qingli continued to ask, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± Lu Chen raised a hand and held up a single finger to represent the number one. Chu Qingli asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°One hundred times.¡± Chu Qingli was stunned for a moment, then said, ¡°You¡¯ll release the hypnosis on my sister if I serve you one hundred times?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Qingli asked, ¡°What if you go back on your word by then?¡± Lu Chen, looking into Chu Qingli¡¯s eyes with a smile, asked, ¡°Do you think you have a choice?¡± ¡°It seems the initiative is mine, isn¡¯t it? If you¡¯re unwilling, you can leave right now.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Qingli was at a loss for words. Indeed, she couldn¡¯t overpower Lu Chen, and her sister was still under hypnosis. Even if she could beat Lu Chen, what if something happened to him and her sister died out of heartbreak? Seeing a trace of conflict on Chu Qingli¡¯s icy face, Lu Chen continued, ¡°You only have one chance. If you don¡¯t agree today, then your sister will stay in the North Prince Mansion forever.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen turned around as if to leave. In a panic, Chu Qingli hastily said, ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± Chu Qingli thought to herself that as long as her sister could regain her freedom, everything she did was worth it, she would just consider it being bitten by a dog. Seeing Chu Qingli¡¯s agreement, a playful smile spread across Lu Chen¡¯s face. Was the ploy of women in this era already this sophisticated? Chu Qingli wouldn¡¯t be making up an excuse about doing this for her sister¡¯s sake and then come to let him do that kind of thing to her, would she? Whether that was the case or not, he would soon find out. Once he entered her heart, he would know what she was thinking. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve agreed, let¡¯s begin.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Qingli said in confusion, ¡°Begin what?¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°Serving me.¡± Chu Qingli froze. Although she had seen and heard a lot, she had never experienced it; she had no experience at all. How was she to serve him? Seeing Chu Qingli standing there dumbfounded, Lu Chen said, ¡°Never mind, you probably haven¡¯t served someone like this before. Let me personally teach you.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen took Chu Qingli¡¯s hand directly. Suddenly grasped by a man, Chu Qingli became extremely nervous. She tried to pull away, only to find that Lu Chen was strong and had pulled her into his embrace. Before she could even speak, he took her first kiss. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chu Qingli¡¯s mind was thrown into panic, and the more she thought about the sounds she had heard in the North Prince Mansion, the more fearful she became. She tried to break free but discovered that her inner strength had vanished. Chu Qingli thought to herself, it¡¯s over, she must have been hypnotized by this lecher too! Forget it, everything is for her sister. Soon, Chu Qingli allowed Lu Chen to kiss her, her mind getting foggy from the kisses. She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when Lu Chen finally let her go. Just when she thought it was all over, she heard the sound of fabric tearing, followed by a chill on her buttocks, and the next moment, she became Lu Chen¡¯s woman. Chapter 250 - Chapter 250: Chapter 188 Come in, lets have a good talk 1 Chapter 250: Chapter 188 Come in, let¡¯s have a good talk 1 Translator: 549690339 [Congratulations, Host, for gaining a wife. Reward: Improved Paper-making Technique, Printing Technique, Simple Pen-making Technique.] [The Host and wife have cultivated feelings once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 300, Rejuvenating Skill experience value increased by 300, Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell experience value increased by 400, Host triggered an Emotional Crit, all Cultivation Technique experience values doubled.] [The Host and wife have achieved a heart-to-heart connection, special reward Absorption Technique, with an additional gift of 100 Barrett bullets.] Lu Chen paid no attention to the system¡¯s notification sound; he devoted all his energy to Chu Qingli. The beauty known as the ice mountain always has a unique flavor, and Lu Chen spent the entire night in the study. The study had been thrown into complete disarray by them. The night passed quickly, but the noise inside the study had not faded away. Early morning. Upon rising, Mu Zixuan noted that Lu Chen had not returned the entire night. At first, she thought that he might have spent the night at Yelv Nanyan¡¯s place since Lu Chen had so many women, it was impossible for him to come home to sleep beside her every night. However, after breakfast, Yelv Nanyan and the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion came to the main courtyard to enjoy some tea. At this point, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Nanyan, did the Prince go to Spring Sound Court last night? I had someone prepare porridge to send over there.¡± Yelv Nanyan answered, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± Upon hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s response, Mu Zixuan turned her gaze towards both Xiaozhou and Dazhou; Zhou Xiaoxiao immediately said, ¡°The Prince didn¡¯t come to our place last night either.¡± Mu Zixuan muttered to herself, ¡°Could he have gone to Bai or Qingci¡¯s place?¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°There was no sound from the neighboring courtyard last night, so he probably didn¡¯t go to Qingci¡¯s place.¡± If Lu Chen had gone to the courtyard next to Spring Sound Court, there would have been noise. He was quite rough with his female slaves, so it was impossible for there to be no sound. Just as Mu Zixuan was thinking about where to have the porridge sent, Bai Qingqing and Chu Yuqin passed by the courtyard. Seeing the two, Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Bai, Madam Chu, did you see the Prince last night? It seems like he didn¡¯t come back.¡± Upon hearing this, both of them stopped in their tracks. Bai Qingqing, expressionless, said, ¡°Replying to the Princess, this slave did not see him.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s question, Chu Yuqin instantly thought of what had happened the night before. A blush surfaced on her face, and she then answered, ¡°Last night he went to the study, he must have been busy with something until dawn.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°So he was in the study.¡± ¡°Xiao Rou, have someone take the porridge to the study.¡± The maid next to Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin and Bai Qingqing left one after another, with Chu Yuqin heading directly to the study to see if Lu Chen was still there. Chu Yuqin had only just reached the entrance of the study¡¯s courtyard when a maid dressed in pink clothing was shivering at the door. Chu Yuqin paused, then asked, ¡°Why are you standing here?¡± Usually, maids would stand at the entrance of the study during the day, but at night, if Lu Chen was still in the study, the maids would enter the study as well because it would get extremely cold outside, maids wouldn¡¯t be able to stand for long, and they also had to keep an eye on the lamp to ensure it didn¡¯t go out and affect Lu Chen¡¯s work. The maid quickly answered, ¡°Last night, when changing shifts, Xiao Huan told me that the Prince and someone inside the study were discussing important matters and that we must not approach the study, so I have been standing here all night.¡± Upon hearing the maid¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin looked puzzled. Discussing important matters? What matter could take an entire night to discuss? Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t ask further and directly entered the courtyard, heading towards the study. Ordinary people couldn¡¯t just enter the study, but she was no ordinary person. In the entire North Prince Mansion, apart from Lu Chen, she could go anywhere she pleased; this was the privilege Lu Chen had granted her. Shortly, Chu Yuqin arrived at the entrance of the study, tentatively calling out, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you still in the study?¡± Hearing the voice from outside, the drowsy Chu Qingli instantly sobered up. She hurriedly got up to hide, but as soon as she rose, Lu Chen pushed her back down. Hmm? Seeing that Lu Chen didn¡¯t immediately respond, Chu Yuqin was taken aback. What was going on? Afterward, Chu Yuqin heard muffled sounds coming from inside the room. At this moment, Chu Qingli¡¯s face was flushed with shame, and her heart was filled with extreme fear. She was terrified that her sister would walk in and see everything; how could she face her sister in the future if she discovered that Chu Qingli was actually having an affair with Lu Chen? Chu Qingli twisted her waist again, trying to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s grasp, but the more she struggled, the tighter Lu Chen held onto her slender waist. Having stayed up all night, Chu Qingli was already out of strength; it was completely impossible for her to escape Lu Chen¡¯s hold now. Perhaps it was because Chu Yuqin was outside, Lu Chen suddenly felt extremely excited. Seeing no response from the study, Chu Yuqin spoke up again, ¡°Chen¡¯er, may your aunt come in?¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli¡¯s face turned deathly pale with fright. It¡¯s over, it¡¯s over, her sister was coming in! Chu Qingli became so nervous that the fear in her heart maxed out, causing every muscle in her body to tighten. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply, knowing he couldn¡¯t go on like this. Then he coughed and said, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯m discussing important matters with someone. Please come back later.¡± Chapter 251 - Chapter 251: Chapter 188 Come in, lets have a good talk 2 Chapter 251: Chapter 188 Come in, let¡¯s have a good talk 2 Translator: 549690339 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Chu Yuqin¡¯s hand poised to push the door stopped mid-air. She felt a touch of curiosity, wondering what kind of matter could necessitate an entire evening of discussion. Could it be¡­ The Immortal? Had Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Master come? The thought made Chu Yuqin increasingly nervous inside. It must be so. Otherwise, why would Lu Chen stay in the study all night without returning? Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, then I won¡¯t disturb you, take your time chatting.¡± After saying this, Chu Yuqin turned to leave. Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli and Lu Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps because Chu Yuqin had startled them earlier, Lu Chen was now filled with negative emotions and immediately transferred all his negative feelings onto Chu Qingli. Chu Yuqin had just stepped out of the courtyard when she heard a woman¡¯s voice coming from the study. As she was wondering what Lu Chen¡¯s master looked like, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the voice coming from inside the room. Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind stalled, and a trace of bitterness crossed her face. She then huffed lightly and muttered, ¡°I thought his Immortal Master had come. Turns out he¡¯s doing something shady in there, no wonder he didn¡¯t go back to his room all night.¡± After she spoke, Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly. She suddenly realized that the study seemed like quite the appropriate place. The study wasn¡¯t part of the inner courtyard, and although Chu Qingli would patrol the inner courtyard, she typically just glanced at the study before leaving. The guard duties for the outer courtyard and the study were now primarily Bai Qingqing¡¯s responsibility, so Chu Qingli didn¡¯t pay excessive attention to the study. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t impossible for Lu Chen to stay in the study all night without returning. Didn¡¯t Lu Chen just spend the previous night in the study? With this thought, Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart suddenly became frantically unsettled. How could she think about such things? She truly was shameless. Immediately, Chu Yuqin shook her head and hurriedly tried to stop herself from continuing down this train of thought. The best way to avoid being discovered by her own sister was to send her sister away. It wouldn¡¯t be right to sneak around in the study doing that sort of thing, making it seem like they were stealing away for something indecent. Thinking of her stubborn little sister, Chu Yuqin sighed. Right then, Chu Yuqin heard the sounds in the study getting louder, which added to her confusion. Why did that voice sound somewhat like Qing Li¡¯s? Chu Yuqin rubbed her temples, convincing herself that it must be an auditory hallucination. Having been thinking of ways to send her sister away these past few days, even reaching her dreams, it was normal to experience auditory hallucinations. It was highly probable that it was that shameless vixen with the surname Wang in the study. Only she would behave so disgracefully. Every time she came to report intelligence to the study, she¡¯d end up doing something unsavory with Lu Chen. This thought stirred a sour feeling in Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart. Looking at the study once more, she snorted coldly and muttered, ¡°Damn bitch, so shameless!¡± The study was clearly a place for Chen¡¯er to deal with government affairs, and that woman would always come to do such indecent things, making it lose its sanctity. Although she felt uncomfortable, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t rush to the study to drag out the woman inside and instead left the courtyard fuming. Chu Yuqin had left, but Lu Chen¡¯s work in the study was far from done, and he continued to be busy for an unknown amount of time. Winter was about to pass, and the snow on the rooftops began to gradually thaw and drip down. The weather today was pleasant, with bright sunshine. At this moment, a beautiful woman adorned in a pink and turquoise Lotus Cloud Dress was heading toward the study. Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong had discussed throughout the previous night. Chen Wanrong believed that now, with Great Sum dealt a heavy blow by Great Wu, drastically reducing its strength, and with the destruction of the North Prince¡¯s Black Cavalry, it was the perfect opportunity to close ranks with Lu Chen. Meanwhile, by employing the Love Worm on Lu Chen to control him, they could then concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell. Of course, the Subtle Dragon Spell was just one aspect. Besides that, controlling Lu Chen had another significant upside¡ªMysterious Moon Palace would then become the de facto ruler of North City. Although North City was still quite destitute, it had great potential, especially the money-making schemes of the North Prince Mansion, which could rapidly accumulate a substantial amount of silver for Mysterious Moon Palace. Restoration of the state required silver. With silver, they could easily smooth things out, buy people¡¯s loyalty, and likewise, manufacturing weapons also required silver. Therefore, Chen Wanrong decided to take action against Lu Chen; she wanted to have him completely under her control, at her service. Lin Wanyun¡¯s task for today was to serve as the intermediary. She was now Lu Chen¡¯s Madam Lin, and she also had a position as a Guard Commander in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which allowed her to approach Lu Chen readily, making her the perfect connector. Just as Lin Wanyun was about to reach the study, she suddenly caught sight of a figure swiftly passing by right in front of her. Lin Wanyun focused her eyes. It was Chu Qingli. Chu Qingli¡¯s clothes were torn, as if she had been through a fierce battle, and she used her Qinggong skills to quickly flee back to her room. Lin Wanyun was startled by the sight. As they brushed past each other, a breeze came through, and soon Lin Wanyun smelled a strange scent. Lin Wanyun was puzzled, what was this smell? Why did it seem so odd? Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t dwell on it, as now was not the time to ponder such matters. She had a more important task ahead of her today: to have a straightforward discussion with Lu Chen. Chapter 252 - Chapter 252: Chapter 188 Come in, lets have a good talk_3 Chapter 252: Chapter 188 Come in, let¡¯s have a good talk_3 Translator: 549690339 Afterwards, Lin Wanyun turned her head and continued to walk towards the study. Meanwhile. Lu Chen was checking the system prompts from last night. He had not expected that after taking down Chu Qingli, the system would reward him with such a great set of things. The Paper-making Technique and Printing Technique were too important for the future education of North City; with these two capabilities, his educational plans could finally be fully rolled out. Albeit the current era had its own Paper-making Technique and Printing Technique, the efficiency was very low. Especially for white paper, only the wealthy could afford it, and ordinary people could not afford to use white paper at all. Once these two techniques were improved, the prices of white paper and books would be driven down in the future. By then, the poor could also afford to use white paper and buy books. As for the Simple Pen-making Technique, this tool could be considered dispensable. Of course, if pens could be widely promoted, there would no longer be a need for pages and maids to grind ink in the future, and writing with a pen might be faster than with a brush, which could also potentially enhance cultural transmission efficiency. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on the third row of system prompts. ¡°The hearts and minds of wives and concubines are in alignment?¡± Hadn¡¯t this notification not appeared for quite some time? He remembered that on the night he slept with Dazhou and Xiaozhou in the Capital city, it was the first time the system prompted him that his heart and mind were in alignment with his wives and concubines, and then it rewarded him with a Barrett and twenty bullets. He had not thought it would appear again after more than a year. Lu Chen was curious about how this notion of heart and mind alignment actually emerged, and what constituted as being in alignment? With this thought, Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°System, how is the alignment of hearts and minds with one¡¯s wives and concubines determined?¡± Since being in alignment could also earn system rewards, Lu Chen planned to strive for heart-mind alignment with his wives and concubines in the future. [Both parties entering into the same state at the same time is considered alignment of hearts and minds.] This¡­ Hearing the system¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. Is this how heart-mind alignment comes about? Not thinking too much of it, he then opened the details of the Absorption Technique. What truly caught his interest was this particular ability. [Absorption Technique: After cultivation, one can absorb another¡¯s skill and convert it into one¡¯s own. This Absorption Technique is the complete version, converting all absorbed skill into a power that the host can assimilate without conflict within the body.] Upon reading the introduction to the Absorption Technique, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. This Cultivation Technique¡­ Was somewhat terrifying¡­ Not long after. Lin Wanyun arrived at the entrance of the study. Just as she reached the entrance of the study, she found Lu Chen coming out with a contented look. Seeing the buxom beauty before him, Lu Chen smiled and proactively asked, ¡°Madam Lin, is there something you need me for?¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Chen¡­ Chen¡¯er, the Palace Master sent me to discuss something with you.¡± Lin Wanyun still felt somewhat guilty inside, after all, the young man before her was Yue¡¯s son. If something really happened to him, how could she face her sister Yue in the afterlife? Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen was inwardly startled. Discuss something? Chen Wanrong must be getting impatient. Good, he was also getting impatient. Having devoured Chu Qingli clean last night, Lu Chen¡¯s inner desires were once again magnified. Having received so many rewards so suddenly last night, Lu Chen¡¯s eagerness to procreate had been spurred into action. Then Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, come in, let¡¯s have a good talk.¡± Chapter 253 - Chapter 253: Chapter 189: Madam Lin, Youre Not Fooling Me, Are You?_1 Chapter 253: Chapter 189: Madam Lin, You¡¯re Not Fooling Me, Are You?_1 Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t think much and with a slight wriggle of her hips, she entered the study. As soon as she entered the study, she smelled an odd odor. This odor was the same as the one she had just smelled by Chu Qingli. The scent was somewhat pungent, making it a bit uncomfortable to smell. Moreover, this smell was strange, as the more she sniffed, the more an uncontrollable blush appeared on her face. Not only that, her heartbeat began to inexplicably quicken, and her body became restless. What was going on? While Lin Wanyun was puzzled about the smell, Lu Chen¡¯s words brought her back to her senses, ¡°Madam Lin, what did Miss Chen ask you to tell me?¡± Lin Wanyun no longer paid attention to the strange smell and turned her head towards Lu Chen, saying, ¡°The Heavy Cavalry of North City has been annihilated; rebuilding it will take a long time. And with the North Fre King Tribe threatening North City at all times, the Palace Master has sent me to tell you that she is willing to dispatch disciples from the Mysterious Moon Palace to help stabilize the current situation in North City.¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly. Then, Lu Chen spoke directly, ¡°Madam Lin, at this point, let¡¯s lay our cards on the table. What is the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s real purpose in coming to North City?¡± ¡°You are the sworn sister of my mother; I believe you won¡¯t deceive me.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was so straightforward, Lin Wanyun also felt there was no need to continue probing. Since they would have to confront the truth sooner or later, she simply said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, actually¡­¡± Though she had resolved to be upfront, Lin Wanyun still hesitated for a moment, but after a brief pause, she continued, ¡°The Palace Master believes you are a descendant of the Goddess, the God¡¯s Son, so you are naturally different from ordinary people. You have a grand destiny, an emperor¡¯s fate, so she wants to collaborate with you from now on and help you seize that position.¡± ¡°Great Sum has been targeting the Mysterious Moon Palace in various ways for years, and the Palace Master is already very displeased with your father, the Sum Emperor.¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly; of course, he knew that what Lin Wanyun had said was false. When he first met Chen Wanrong, he had looked into her background; Chen Wanrong planned to plant a Love Worm in him and then use his blood to concoct something called the Subtle Dragon Spell. To Chen Wanrong, he was nothing more than a tool; how could she ever recognize him as God¡¯s Son? At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°I see, my grandfather told me yesterday when he arrived in North City that my mother was once a Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace. I was somewhat surprised, so my mother really was a Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen looked into Lin Wanyun¡¯s eyes, pretending to be unaware, and continued, ¡°Does this mean that as God¡¯s Son, I hold a fairly high status in the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± Seeing Lu Chen as if believing her lie, Lin Wanyun continued, ¡°Your mother was a disciple of an Honorable of the Mysterious Moon Palace, with a status even above the Palace Master¡¯s. As her child, you naturally hold a certain standing within the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°If the Mysterious Moon Palace helps me take that position, will they demand anything of me?¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°They won¡¯t ask you to do anything specific, just to allow the Mysterious Moon Palace to recruit disciples within Great Sum¡¯s territory in the future. The Mysterious Moon Palace values its lineage and actually has little interest in worldly affairs.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°It seems I misunderstood Miss Chen.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun tentatively asked, ¡°Does Chen¡¯er think the Palace Master has other intentions for coming to North City?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and replied, ¡°I had thought she came to North City because she was interested in my body.¡± This- Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun suddenly did not know what to say. But if she thought about it carefully, what Lu Chen said was actually true. Chen Wanrong¡¯s primary objective in coming to North City was to plant a Love Worm in Lu Chen, turning him into her puppet, who would then willingly bleed for her to create the Subtle Dragon Spell. In another sense, this also could be considered showing an interest in Lu Chen¡¯s body. Yet clearly, that was not what Lu Chen meant. Lin Wanyun wasn¡¯t sure whether to call him narcissistic or just too self- assured. Lu Chen then lowered his voice, whispering, ¡°Madam Lin, may I ask you a question?¡± Seeing Lu Chen suddenly speak in a hushed, secretive manner, Lin Wanyun asked curiously, ¡°What question?¡± Lu Chen inquired, ¡°Does Miss Chen fancy any man?¡± Stunned by the question, Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind went blank. Asked in this way, was Lu Chen implying¡­? He¡¯s taken an interest in Chen Wanrong? This was great news for Chen Wanrong. Once Lu Chen took an interest in her, especially if he fell for her, then Chen Wanrong would have the chance to plant the Love Worm in him. Previously, Lu Chen had kept his distance; Chen Wanrong had been in the North Prince Mansion so long without any opportunity to get close to him. Now that Lu Chen was inquiring about Chen Wanrong¡¯s romantic interests, it meant that he wanted to try and pursue her. Lin Wanyun then said, ¡°The Palace Master has always been focused on her cultivation. To my knowledge, she has never taken a liking to that man.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Lin Wanyun trailed off, then looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°But she seems to have some interest in you, Chen¡¯er.¡± Lin Wanyun was here today to play matchmaker, so she had to find a way to get Lu Chen to take an interest in Chen Wanrong. Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Madam Lin, you must be joking with me. How could a fairy like Miss Chen take an interest in a mundane man like me?¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°Chen¡¯er, don¡¯t sell yourself short. Although you are a man of the mortal world, your spirit is something she greatly admires, especially the spirit you showed when you chose to defend Yan County despite knowing that a three hundred thousand-strong Barbarian Army was advancing south. The Palace Master really admires that.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Palace Master has mentioned more than once in front of me that you are very handsome. I feel that she does harbor some feelings for you.¡± Lu Chen feigned a skeptical look, staring into Lin Wanyun¡¯s eyes and asking, ¡°Really? Madam Lin, you¡¯re not trying to deceive me, are you?¡± Lin Wanyun responded, ¡°Why would I deceive you? Think about it, if the Palace Master had no interest in you, she might not have returned to North City after returning to Mysterious Moon Palace. Yet, she came back to North City shortly after her return. What does this tell you? It shows that she values you greatly.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m only guessing. What she really thinks, probably only she knows. But I do think she might have taken a liking to you.¡± Lu Chen feigned curiosity as he probed, ¡°Madam Lin, can disciples of Mysterious Moon Palace marry?¡± Lin Wanyun answered, ¡°Mysterious Moon Palace doesn¡¯t forbid male and female disciples from being together, nor has it ever opposed disciples finding partners. They just can¡¯t have children.¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen said softly, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that if Miss Chen is willing, I could marry her? As long as she doesn¡¯t bear my children, that¡¯s fine?¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t say anything more; he pretended to be lost in a dreamy imagination. Seeing Lu Chen lost in thought, Lin Wanyun felt hopeful. It looked like Lu Chen was interested, and with a little more guiding, they might meet the conditions for planting the Love Worm. With that in mind, Lin Wanyun hinted, ¡°Chen¡¯er, although the Palace Master can have a partner too, she is different from ordinary women. She¡¯s not the kind that can be approached casually.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Madam Lin, I understand what you mean. You mean I shouldn¡¯t be too crude or too eager in front of her, right?¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°That¡¯s more or less it.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Lin. Although I have a good impression of Miss Chen, I will definitely not be reckless with her as I would with my other wives and concubines.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun sighed internally; it seemed they had managed to make a connection. She hoped the Palace Master would spare the North Prince¡¯s life for Yue¡¯s sake. The North Prince, though the child of the Sum Emperor and somewhat licentious, had proven to be a ruler who loved his people as his children over time. Such rulers were rare in the world today. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered, ¡°Madam Lin, you wouldn¡¯t object to me pursuing Miss Chen, would you?¡± A slight smile graced Lin Wanyun¡¯s exquisite cheeks. ¡°Why would I object? In fact, I¡¯d like to see the Palace Master with a partner. Most Mysterious Moon Palace disciples eventually find partners. The path of cultivation is too lonely. I don¡¯t want to see the Palace Master continue to be so alone.¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°And what about you, Madam Lin? When do you plan to find a partner?¡± Caught by the question, Lin Wanyun was stunned for a moment. She had come today purely to help Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen connect, never considering her own matters. After coming back to her senses, Lin Wanyun sighed and said, ¡± I¡¯m already in my thirties; nobody wants me anymore.¡± Lu Chen, gazing at Lin Wanyun¡¯s mature and beautiful visage, said, ¡°How is that possible? Any man would be moved by a beautiful woman like Madam Lin.¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t my aunt, I would have married you already.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun¡¯s brain paused briefly, then her heart began to race uncontrollably. Chapter 254 - Chapter 254: Chapter 190 North Prince Must Not Stay i Chapter 254: Chapter 190 North Prince Must Not Stay i Lin Wanyun had not anticipated that Lu Chen would say such things, which brought to her mind the words her sworn younger brother had said to her not long ago. Her adoptive father wanted her to marry this young man before her and become his woman. Once Lin Wanyun recovered, she hastily said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, such words must not be spoken recklessly.¡± Seeing Lin Wanyun¡¯s body tremble slightly, as if she had been startled, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Lin, you have been at the North Prince Mansion for a while now and should know me quite well. I have often visited Spring Sound Court recently, favoring Yelv Nanyan far more than my other wives and concubines.¡± ¡°This is because I prefer mature women with charm, just like Yelv Nanyan.¡± ¡°And Madam Lin, you are precisely such a woman.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s blatant words, Lin Wanyun felt as if her heart was ready to leap out of her chest, and she even began to suspect that Lu Chen might have already started to take an interest in her. Lin Wanyun was somewhat relieved that she had become sworn sisters with Yue, or else Lu Chen might really have harbored intentions towards her. Lin Wanyun then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let¡¯s not talk about this. Let¡¯s discuss the cooperation between North City and the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Alright.¡± Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°What kind of people do you need? You can tell me, and I will convey it to the Palace Master later so that she can send some disciples down the mountain.¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen replied, ¡°I need some people who can read. Do Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s disciples know how to read?¡± Lin Wanyun was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. Read and write? Why does Lu Chen need literate people? Now that North City had lost its Heavy Cavalry, and with Lu Chen radically reforming the region, his measures had already affected the interests of many. His current situation was extremely perilous, and yet the first thing he asked for from the Mysterious Moon Palace was not powerful disciples but literate ones. Literate people could not protect him. Curious, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°The majority of disciples at the Mysterious Moon Palace can read and write, but what do you need literate people for?¡± Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve discovered that the commoners of North City are mostly uneducated, barely able to read or write. They can¡¯t even understand public notices without someone to explain them to them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve decided to find some people to specifically teach them to read and write.¡± This¡­ Lin Wanyun was somewhat speechless. Do ordinary commoners need to read and write? Of course, they don¡¯t. She always felt that Lu Chen might be taking on a bit too much. Although she could see that Lu Chen was quite kind to the commoners, going so far as to abolish all farm taxes, his benevolence seemed excessive; he was even planning to hire someone to teach the commoners to read and write. Lin Wanyun, like others of her time, believed it unnecessary for ordinary commoners to be literate. Not everyone could achieve scholarly honors; it was enough for them to live quietly as commoners all their lives. Although she thought this way, Lin Wanyun still responded, ¡°Then all right, I will speak to the Palace Master later and ask her to send some disciples down the mountain who can read and write.¡± This was the first collaboration with North City, and also the closest she had come to Lu Chen, so the Mysterious Moon Palace must seize this opportunity, no matter how peculiar Lu Chen¡¯s request, they ought to agree. Still, Lin Wanyun felt that Lu Chen¡¯s request was too modest for the Mysterious Moon Palace, so she probed further, ¡°Chen¡¯er, is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°Perhaps intelligence or something of the sort?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t need that for now, I have my own network of informants.¡± Even though the resources of the Mysterious Moon Palace were considerable, Lu Chen had no plans to truly rely on them at this stage, not until he had won over Chen Wanrong. Then, Lu Chen whispered, ¡°Madam Lin, I wish to pursue Miss Chen, and I certainly need your help in this matter.¡± Lin Wanyun smiled slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will definitely put in a good word for you in front of her.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then I shall trouble Madam Lin.¡± At this point, Lu Chen started to feel drowsy. Having practiced with his spear all through the previous night, even he, a Grandmaster, felt a bit overwhelmed. He then continued, ¡°Madam Lin, if there is nothing else, I will go back to sleep now. I did not sleep last night as I was busy in the study.¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Go ahead, Chen¡¯er, you should rest.¡± Without further comment, Lu Chen returned straight to the main compound. On his way back, he noticed that all his wives and concubines were sitting in the main hall of the compound, sipping tea. Upon Lu Chen¡¯s return, he saw Chu Yuqin looking at him with a look of silent reproach. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s expression, Lu Chen felt puzzled; could it be that she had discovered something? At that moment, Mu Zixuan said with a beaming smile, ¡°Prince, I had the servants prepare some porridge. Would you like to have it now?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes.¡± He then took a seat to the side. No sooner had he sat down than he noticed his women gazing intently at him. Chu Yuqin then remarked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the study can be quite cold at night. If you have matters to attend to, it¡¯s better to return to your bedroom. Spending a whole night in the study could expose you to the cold, which might adversely affect your cultivation.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± Chapter 255 - Chapter 255: Chapter 190 North Prince Must Not Stay_2 Chapter 255: Chapter 190 North Prince Must Not Stay_2 At the same time. In Chu Qingli¡¯s room. Chu Qingli sat in the bathtub, scrubbing her body over and over again. Every time she thought about what had happened last night, her delicate body couldn¡¯t help but tremble involuntarily. She had actually made such shameful noises and even hugged Lu Chen on her own initiative¡ªhow could she have behaved like that! All that was merely a transaction, and yet she had actually taken pleasure in it. Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t forgive herself. At this moment, Chu Qingli¡¯s eyebrows lifted as if she had realized something. Hypnosis! It must have been hypnosis! If it weren¡¯t for hypnosis, how could she have become such a shameless woman? It must have been Lu Chen who hypnotized her. This devil, always resorting to despicable means. Sooner or later, she would take her revenge on him. Although she was no match for him now, the future was uncertain; she must work hard to become stronger and one day make Lu Chen pay a heavy price. With this thought, Chu Qingli felt much better in her heart. Even though she had lost her virginity, it was all for the sake of her sister. As long as she served Lu Chen ninety-nine more times, her sister could regain her freedom. If she served Lu Chen once a day, then in just three months at most, Lu Chen would have to remove the hypnosis from her sister. It was just three months; she could grit her teeth and get through it. Thinking of her sister regaining her freedom made Chu Qingli feel that everything she was doing was worth it. So what if she was bedded by Lu Chen? There was nothing she couldn¡¯t accept. Although her body would feel strange, she didn¡¯t feel any pain. Moreover, she found that her skills would return as soon as she left Lu Chen. With this in mind, even though she had lost her virginity, there weren¡¯t too many other losses. With these thoughts, Chu Qingli murmured, ¡°Ninety-nine more times, Sister, I will definitely free you as soon as I can!¡± The reforms in North City were extensive, and the news quickly spread to the Capital city. Lu Chen was the first Seignior to stipulate through law that the land ownership rights in his fief belonged to him alone. Land was already a sensitive topic; as soon as he touched on land ownership rights, the news became known to all. One stone stirred up a thousand waves; when the news reached the Capital city, the discussions about the war between Great Wu and Great Sum died down, and the topics among the common folk were almost all about the reforms in North City. At Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence. Many representatives from the Aristocratic Family had arrived today, among them the disgraceful Chu Hongfei from the Chu Family. He was representing the entire Chu Family this time. Although Chu Xiong had lost his position as the Family Head, because of his alliance with Prince Lu Shuyun, Chu Hongfei retained a status within the Chu Family that was not much different from before. This time, they had gathered at Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s residence mainly to discuss the war between Great Wu and Great Sum. The Sum Emperor was already considering compromises; the war was nearing its end. Now was the time to discuss the terms. First, Great Wu needed the Chu Family¡¯s mediation to end the war, and Great Sum would also have to pay a hefty price. If Great Wu agreed to end the war, what would follow was a process of bargaining between the Aristocratic Family and the Sum Emperor. This time, it was clear that the Aristocratic Family had instigated the war, and if the Sum Emperor wanted to end it, he naturally had to show some sincerity. At this moment, Chu Hongfei felt a surge of pride. Back when his father was the Family Head, he hadn¡¯t been given much responsibility, but now that his father had been stripped of the position, he, as the former Family Head¡¯s son, had ironically become more valued. This time he was representing the entire Chu Family; if they didn¡¯t value him, they wouldn¡¯t have sent him. In the past, his father always criticized him for being indulgent and ignorant, so he was never allowed to get involved in the family¡¯s major affairs, which had long caused him to feel dissatisfied. After all, he was the son of the Family Head, yet he held less power than the side branches of the Chu Family. Now, things were different. Since his father stepped down, he had been involved in virtually all major affairs of the Chu Family. It was evident that the Chu Family valued him greatly, and just thinking about the possibility of becoming the next Family Head filled Chu Hongfei¡¯s heart with immense excitement. Wanting to strengthen his ties with Prince Lu Shuyun, Chu Hongfei suggested, ¡°Your Highness, I think this is an excellent opportunity for you. Now that His Majesty has already shown signs of compromise, our Aristocratic Families from the South should push further and force His Majesty to appoint you as the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Once you become the Crown Prince, you will have greater authority, and none of the other princes will be able to contend with you.¡± Hearing Chu Hongfei¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun smiled lightly and then said, ¡°Brother Chu¡¯s idea certainly sounds pleasant, but the position of Crown Prince is not a desirable one, especially at this moment in time.¡± Lu Shuyun also coveted the position of Crown Prince, but after some thought, he realized that if he were to force his father the Emperor to appoint him as the Crown Prince now, it would place him not only against his own father but against all his brothers as well. The seat of the Crown Prince would likely prove too hot to hold; it was doubtful he could secure it firmly. Speaking on behalf of the Wang Family, Wang Yong said, ¡°Your Highness is right. It is absolutely the wrong time to discuss the position of Crown Prince with His Majesty. If His Majesty were to name Your Highness as the Crown Prince now, it would basically be telling everyone that our Aristocratic Families from the South have instigated the conflict between Great Wu and Great Sum, and that the Emperor is compromising with us, hence the reason why Your Highness would be appointed as the Crown Prince. The Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, Wang Chengshuo, then spoke with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not entirely impossible to bring it up.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone turned to Wang Chengshuo. Wang Yong asked, ¡°Cousin, what are your thoughts?¡± Wang Chengshuo said, ¡°Right now, His Highness has no notable achievements. If suddenly he becomes the Crown Prince for no apparent reason, it will surely provoke dissatisfaction among many.¡± ¡°However, the conflict between Great Wu and Great Sum has not yet ended. If His Highness can earn distinguished merit in this war, then his ascension to Crown Prince would be justified.¡± As Wang Chengshuo spoke, everyone quickly grasped the point. Indeed, the war is not over, and Prince Lu Shuyun still has the chance to earn military honors. If Prince Lu Shuyun becomes the pivotal figure in changing the course of the war between Great Wu and Great Sum, that would amount to a tremendous service, silencing other powers within the court when suggesting him for the Crown Prince. Now that the Sum Emperor was ready to compromise with the Aristocratic Families from the South, as long as they suggested dispatching Prince Lu Shuyun to the frontlines, the Emperor would understand their intentions and have no choice but to agree to their conditions. Hearing Wang Chengshuo¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun felt a stir of excitement within him ¨C how had he not thought of this himself? If he became the one to turn the tide of the conflict, his path to becoming the Crown Prince would naturally unfold. The mere thought of that long-coveted position filled Lu Shuyun with sheer exhilaration. Just then, Lu Shuyun¡¯s trusted aide suddenly approached him, whispered something in his ear, and then handed him a piece of intelligence. Lu Shuyun opened the report, skimmed through its contents, and his expression shifted from curiosity to a frown before revealing a trace of a smile. He then passed the report to Wang Yong standing beside him. Wang Yong was curious about what intelligence had made Lu Shuyun so happy. When he opened the report, he found it concerned the reform issues in North City. After reading the content, Wang Yong scoffed and said, ¡°Under all the heavens, is the land not the king¡¯s land? On its shores, are the people not the king¡¯s subjects? The North Prince is indeed audacious! Isn¡¯t he afraid that biting off more than he can chew will lead to his own demise? With that said, Wang Yong handed the report to the others in the hall. All those in the hall were members of Aristocratic Families, and their faces turned sour at the North Prince¡¯s intentions to reclaim all land ownership rights. This wasn¡¯t merely reclaiming land ownership; this was threatening the very lives of their Aristocratic Families. Although Chu Hongfei didn¡¯t understand politics very well, when he saw the reforms proposed in North City as outlined in the report, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°The North Prince is courting death, boldly trying to reclaim the land ownership!¡± At that moment, Wang Yong added, ¡°Your Highness, the North Prince must not be left alive. If this precedent is set, it will surely spell disaster for the Aristocratic Families.¡± Even though the North Prince¡¯s reforms were localized to his dominion and the policies of North Country were unlikely to immediately affect the rest of Great Sum, it was like a small flame that could ignite a great disaster for the Aristocratic Families if allowed to spread. Almost simultaneously, all members of the Aristocratic Families developed a deep desire to kill Lu Chen. Anyone who dares touch the right to land ownership must die! Chapter 256 - Chapter 256: Chapter 1911 Admire His Courage 1 Chapter 256: Chapter 1911 Admire His Courage 1 Upon hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun said with a smile, ¡°It seems my ninth brother really dares to touch anything, but then again, this might well be the intention of our father, the Sum Emperor.¡± Lu Chen is merely a Seignior after all. Lu Shuyun didn¡¯t quite believe that Lu Chen could have said such things as ¡°Under the heavens, all land belongs to the King; along the edge of the land, all are subjects of the King.¡± Wang Yong said, ¡°Your Highness, regardless of whether this is the North Prince¡¯s own idea or His Majesty¡¯s wish, as long as anyone dares to initiate this precedent, we Aristocratic Families will never let them off easily.¡± ¡°The person who came up with this reform measure is malicious in intent; they are aiming to completely eradicate our Aristocratic Families.¡± It¡¯s no wonder Wang Yong reacted so fiercely, for the land reform measures in North City had clearly touched the most sensitive nerve of the Aristocratic Families. The current Aristocratic Families are all beneficiaries of land accumulation, and suddenly someone had the idea to reclaim the ownership of the land to the supreme ruler, or to turn it over to the state, and to even prohibit future land trades¡ªisn¡¯t this digging at the roots of their Aristocratic Families? Although this is still just a spark, the Aristocratic Families would absolutely not allow such a trend to emerge. At this moment, Lu Shuyun said, ¡°Since I have already received the news, I estimate that others have too. It seems that tomorrow¡¯s imperial court will be extremely lively.¡± The powerholders of land do not only include those Aristocratic Families but also the Scholar Official class, those officials¡¯ families, not one without tens of thousands of acres of fertile fields. The North Prince openly reclaims the land ownership of his fief to himself, a Seignior¡ªand if he dares to do so, might the Sum Emperor also follow suit in the future? Therefore, the officials will inevitably oppose the North Prince¡¯s actions, even if the North Prince only does this within his own fief. Lu Shuyun seemed to have already foreseen the scene of the entire court condemning Lu Chen. At the same time. In the Great Xia Imperial Palace, within the Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor looked over the report in his hands again and again, his gaze not moving from the report for a long while. Murmuring to himself, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°Under the heavens, all land belongs to the King; along the edge of the land, all are subjects of the King¡­¡± ¡°Domineering¡­ quite domineering¡­¡± ¡°Could this really be something Chen could say?¡± At this point, the Sum Emperor threw the report in his hand toward Situ Ce in the pavilion, who casually caught the report thrown by the Sum Emperor and then glanced over it. After seeing the contents of the report, Situ Ce understood why the Sum Emperor had stood in place after reading the report and why his gaze kept sweeping over it. Undoubtedly, the North Prince¡¯s sentence ¡°Under the heavens, all land belongs to the King; along the edge of the land, all are subjects of the King¡± would definitely cause a stir in Great Sum. Although nominally the Great Xia Dynasty was founded by the royal house of Great Sum and all land under heaven belongs to the Emperor, it is only in name. Not a single emperor has dared to directly legislate that all land in Great Sum belongs to the Emperor, because if anyone dared to act on this, their imperial throne would likely come to an end. No one in this world, no King, has ever said, ¡°Under the heavens, all land belongs to the King; along the edge of the land, all are subjects of the King.¡± The general meaning of this sentence is that all the land under heaven belongs to the King, and all commoners are subjects of the King. While this principle holds, you, as a King, as the ruler, must never utter this sentence. If all the land under heaven belonged to the royal family, those who had fought alongside Sum Ancestor to establish the dynasty would have labored in vain. It is precisely because this sentence has never been uttered that the Sum Emperor felt such an immense shock upon seeing it. Especially after reading about the reform measures in North City in the report, he found the North Prince to be a thousand times more radical than himself as the father. Although he is still not sure whether Lu Chen is his own biological son, the sentence instantly filled him with a favorable impression of Lu Chen. Since the very beginning of the Great Xia Dynasty, many Emperors ascended the throne full of ambition, planning to emulate the Sum Ancestor in expanding the empire¡¯s territory and achieving greatness, thereby making the Great Xia the most powerful dynasty in the world. However, they all ended up constrained by various powers, obstructed by the Aristocratic Families, and eventually, the court was controlled by these families, leaving the Emperors with no outlet for their talents and ambitions. They could only indulge in the pleasures of the Imperial Palace and finally die of old age. When Lu Xingqiu took the throne, he too was full of passion, believing he would surely become another Emperor like the Sum Ancestor who expanded the empire¡¯s borders. He managed to expand the territory indeed, having wiped out the Chen Nation, but afterward, he realized that his orders were increasingly disregarded. Whatever he wanted to do would constantly be met with resistance from the Aristocratic Families in the court. As an Emperor, to actually be unable to control the entire court was an immense humiliation for him, and he finally understood one thing: as long as the Aristocratic Families weren¡¯t eliminated, the Great Xia would never truly be his; he was merely a puppet they had elevated to power. Seeing his Princes mingle with those Aristocratic Families, Lu Xingqiu was deeply disappointed in them. He also thought that if this continued, it was likely that the next Sum Emperor, and the one after that, generation after generation, would still be puppets of the Aristocratic Families. At this moment, the Sum Emperor had some complex emotions. He never expected that the first Prince who dared to openly confront the Aristocratic Families would be the one he had the least faith in, the one he disliked the most. After reviewing the intelligence in his hands, Situ Ce put it down on his desk and then asked, ¡°This old servant once said that the North Prince has the ambition of the Sum Ancestor, Your Majesty did not believe it; do you now believe what this old servant said before?¡± Hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor scoffed, ¡°He dares to say this, and I admire his courage, but exposing his intentions without having the strength is a foolish act. Next, he will not only face collective impeachment from the Aristocratic Officials and Scholar Officials but also endless assassination attempts.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s reform measures in North Country had already aggravated the Aristocratic Families and the Scholar Official class; they would not let him continue to live, even if the Sum Emperor might be behind him. Land interests are their fundamental interests; they would not allow anyone to touch their core interests, not even the Seignior, let alone the Sum Emperor himself. It is for this very reason that the Sum Emperor greatly admired Lu Chen. Lu Chen stepping forward to raise the issue of land ownership was almost akin to disregarding his own life and death. At the same time, the Sum Emperor was also curious; with the destruction of the Heavy Cavalry of North City, why would Lu Chen dare to reform North City at this time, and not only reform, but even address land ownership rights. Did the mysterious force behind Lu Chen not fear him being killed? Or did they have such confidence in their strength that they believed they could protect him? Hence, they let him act recklessly? At that moment, the Sum Emperor looked at Situ Ce and asked, ¡°State Preceptor, what do you think I should do about the impeachment of Chen by the Aristocratic Officials tomorrow? Should I order a halt to the reforms in North City, or should I directly strip him of his Seignior title?¡± Lu Chen had touched on a taboo, and impeachment was inevitable; the key was how he, the Emperor, should respond. If there were no punishment for Lu Chen¡¯s actions, the officials would certainly think he shared the same ideas as Lu Chen. He had already offended the Aristocratic Families; if he further angered the Scholar Official class, it would not bode well for his reign as Emperor. Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s question, Situ Ce smiled faintly, and then said, ¡°The Seignior is reforming within his own fiefdom, which is legitimate and proper.¡± Dissatisfied with Situ Ce¡¯s response, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°State Preceptor, you¡¯re pretending to be confused while understanding the situation perfectly.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a problem for him to reform within his own fiefdom, but he has touched upon the issue of land ownership. If we do not provide an explanation to the Aristocratic Families and Scholar Officials, I fear it might cause instability in the Great Xia.¡± Situ Ce replied, ¡°Then Your Majesty can recall back the twenty thousand Imperial Army from North City, leaving the North Prince to defend the north alone, and declare that no further aid or supplies will be given to the North Prince. Without a secure environment, his reforms will naturally be unable to proceed.¡± While he said this, Situ Ce did not actually believe it. In his view, since the North Prince had already raised the issue of land, he must have prepared to deal with the Aristocratic Families and Scholar Officials. This also indirectly suggested that the Heavy Cavalry of North City was very likely unharmed, and all of this was a smokescreen released by the North Prince; otherwise, he would not dare to take such action. Thus, even if the Imperial Army was recalled, it would not affect North City in any way. In his heart, Situ Ce greatly approved of Lu Chen¡¯s actions. He believed that not only were Lu Chen¡¯s reform measures without fault, but they were also introduced at just the right time, because the court simply didn¡¯t have the resources to concern itself with whatever he was stirring up in North City. Of course, in the coming period, it was likely that a lot of assassins would head to North City to cause trouble for Lu Chen. However, Situ Ce believed that Lu Chen, the young Grandmaster, should have no problem coping with the assassination attempts by the Aristocratic Families. The Sum Emperor thought over Situ Ce¡¯s words and agreed that this method could indeed be a temporary solution. Being in a war period with two great dynasties, if the Seignior¡¯s title were stripped, it might very well push the Seignior to rebel. Using the war as a pretext, a slight punishment for the North Prince would suffice, just to make a show of it. With the war serving as an excuse, those Aristocratic Families and Scholar Officials, uncomfortable as they might be, would not complain. If they forced the Seignior into rebellion and caused a greater crisis for the Great Xia, those officials would not be able to bear the responsibility. Chapter 259 - Chapter 259: Chapter 193: Mu Changtians Reminder i Chapter 259: Chapter 193: Mu Changtian¡¯s Reminder i After news that North City had reclaimed land ownership rights back to North Prince Mansion spread throughout Great Sum, Lu Chen suddenly acquired countless enemies. Many forces and organizations were already stirring, with some even offering a bounty for Lu Chen¡¯s head. Lu Chen was after all a Seignior, a son of the Sum Emperor, and yet there were people daring to put a price on his head. This fully demonstrated how much Lu Chen¡¯s recent actions were hated and also indirectly proved how little deterrence the current Sum Emperor held anymore. Most crucially, the imperial court had no reaction whatsoever to this, and the Sum Emperor showed no intention of protecting Lu Chen. The trouble was caused by Lu Chen himself, and it was only right that he should solve it. As for any royal dignity, what dignity could they claim when even he, the Emperor, was forced to compromise by the Aristocratic Families? Only by annihilating all the Aristocratic Families would those powers supported by them stop their arrogance. One month later. North City. Lu Chen was dealing with government affairs in his study when Li Rui and Mu Changtian arrived to report on the recent reform situation in North City. North City had a relatively small population, and through the propaganda of Brocade Guards and local soldiers, the common people were mostly reassured about the land issue. Several commoners even obtained more arable land, leading them to believe that the North Prince was not deceiving them. The reforms were also moving forward smoothly. There were no significant issues with military reforms either. North Country¡¯s laws stipulated that every adult had the duty to serve in the military. However, they were conscripts, different from recruited professional soldiers. After serving for a few years as conscripts, soldiers had the opportunity to become professional soldiers. The treatment for professional soldiers was very good, and now many former soldiers in North City had become professionals. Now, professional soldiers not only received land, but also a substantial allowance from the North Prince Mansion the moment they became professionals. Lu Chen even decreed that the descendants of professional soldiers could attend school for free, which instantly elevated the status of soldiers. At that moment, Mu Changtian said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, I think the promotion channels from conscript to professional soldier are still too few. According to the current reform plan, conscripts must serve several years before they can become professional soldiers. This may have limited motivational effect on the ordinary conscripts, and in the future, some might just want to serve out their time.¡± ¡°Therefore, I suggest that we increase the promotion channels, such as by improving their treatment based on military merits.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°This Prince has also had such thoughts, but recently there have been too many things to attend to, and this Prince hasn¡¯t written detailed promotion rules yet. Since you have had the same thought, when you return, write down your ideas and submit a report. This Prince will take a look.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Lu Chen had not overlooked the welfare of the conscripts. He intentionally created a disparity in treatment between conscripts and professional soldiers, mainly to motivate conscripts to strive to become professionals. If there was only one promotion pathway, it was obvious it wouldn¡¯t be enough to extensively motivate the ordinary conscripts, so Lu Chen was also considering perfecting the system of military merit. After finishing discussing the soldiers¡¯ promotion matters, Mu Changtian and Li Rui continued to report on some problems they encountered in the reforms recently. About half an hour later, the voice of a maid sounded at the door of the study, interrupting their report. ¡°Prince, Commander Qin has arrived.¡± Qin Yushan was assigned to weapon manufacturing and had rarely come to report to Lu Chen personally lately. It was mainly the Commanders of the Brocade Guards who reported to Lu Chen about recent occurrences in Great Sum. But since he came, it meant that there must be something important. Li Rui and Mu Changtian immediately stood aside and stopped talking. At this time, Lu Chen said to the maid at the door, ¡°Let him in.¡± Qin Yushan then pushed the door and entered the study, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen grunted in acknowledgement, his gaze falling on the bamboo tube Qin Yushan was holding. ¡°Commander Qin, has something significant happened in Capital City?¡± Qin Yushan approached Lu Chen, passed him the bamboo tube with the letter, and then said, ¡°Prince, many Aristocratic Families have secretly sent numerous assassins to North City, intending to harm you.¡± ¡°According to information from Commander Liang, just the ones they know of, there are three groups of assassins that have come to North City, and these assassins are all strong. Every group has Master Level Martial Artists, and there are even some who are at the Master Realm.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen just smiled. He took out the letter from the bamboo tube and glanced over it seriously. Lu Chen had basically anticipated the events that would unfold later. He had touched the nerves of the Aristocratic Families, who certainly did not want him alive. Although he was far in North City, the initiative he took was enough to incite the Aristocratic Families to wish for his death. Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Mu Changtian immediately stood up and said, ¡°Prince, I will strengthen the guard in Yan County when I return and try my best to prevent those strong unfamiliar Martial Artists from entering Yan County.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± ¡°They have countless methods to enter Yan County; walls cannot stop them.¡± ¡°Let all of them come. This Prince just happens to need some challenging Martial Artists to practice against.¡± Lu Chen had already begun practicing the Absorption Technique. Since obtaining it, he had been going to Spring Sound Court every day. The Absorption Technique was now at the first level. However, he had not yet used this technique. Staying within North Prince Mansion, he had no enemy contacts. Now that these assassins were showing up at his doorstep, it was the perfect opportunity for him to test the Absorption Technique¡¯s power. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian thought for a moment, and it seemed true that Lu Chen didn¡¯t need to fear those assassins. Lu Chen himself was a Grandmaster, and he also possessed many mysterious weapons. For those assassins to target Lu Chen would be suicidal. However, although Lu Chen wasn¡¯t afraid, other people were different. With this thought, Mu Changtian said, ¡°Prince, although you are now a Grandmaster, and ordinary martial artists naturally cannot harm you, your wives and children in North Prince Mansion are a different matter.¡± ¡°If those assassins find it difficult to assassinate you, they may turn to target those close to you instead.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into contemplation. This indeed posed a problem. Mu Zixuan and the boys from Great Wu and Xiaozhou were just ordinary people, and his children were ordinary as well, they would have no fighting power if faced with martial artists. Lu Chen said, ¡°I will have General Xuanyuan guard the Prince¡¯s Mansion afterward to avoid assassins infiltrating the mansion.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had already considered a candidate to protect the people of North Prince Mansion, Mu Changtian didn¡¯t say anything more. Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie were both immensely strong, as they both had achieved the Master Realm, which was no small feat. With them guarding North Prince Mansion, plus the mansion¡¯s mysterious weapons, fending off assassin attacks would not be a problem. Of course, it¡¯s easier to dodge the clear spear than to guard against the hidden arrow. If the people from North Prince Mansion were to leave the mansion, then it would be a different story. However, Mu Changtian believed that for the next while, Lu Chen would likely ask the women from North Prince Mansion to refrain from leaving the premises as much as possible. Mu Zixuan was Mu Changtian¡¯s daughter, and now she was also the North Prince¡¯s wife, so Mu Changtian, compared to Lu Chen, was even more concerned about the safety of North Prince Mansion. If something happened to his daughter, the relationship between the Mu Family and North Prince would no longer be as close. At this moment, Qin Yushan continued, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s another piece of news.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan speak, Lu Chen realized that he held two sets of intelligence in his hand, with another one yet to be reviewed. Lu Chen then unfolded the first piece of information to check the contents of the second report. Qin Yushan continued, ¡°Great Wu has rallied an army of a million and launched a full-scale attack on Xiwu County, and Prince Lu Shuyun has been dispatched by His Majesty to the front line to battle Great Wu¡¯s forces.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°It seems the war should be coming to an end, eh? My eighth brother has even gone to the front lines to gather military achievements. Is he planning for our father the Emperor to appoint him as the Crown Prince?¡± Mu Changtian said, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve heard that the Chu Family Master has come to North City. If you¡¯re willing, perhaps you could try to win over the Chu Family to prevent the aristocratic families of the South from uniting. That might be even more advantageous for you.¡± Lu Chen, setting aside the report, said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s useless. My maternal grandfather is no longer the Chu Family Master, and now only a small part of the Chu Family supports him. The Chu Family is essentially leaning toward my brother, Prince Lu Shuyun.¡± Just then, a maid¡¯s voice came from the doorway, ¡°Prince, Commander Wu is here.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Let him in.¡± Wu Yuan then entered the study, ¡°I pay respect to the Prince!¡± Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wu Yuan responded, ¡°Prince, General Lin has already led the court¡¯s twenty-thousand soldiers to withdraw to Yan County, and they should be leaving Yan County by sunset.¡± The punishment measures from the court against Lu Chen came to North City half a month ago, and that was the withdrawal of twenty-thousand court soldiers, leaving North Country to deal with the barbarian tribes from the steppes on their own. To Lu Chen, the punishment from the court was trivial, and he hadn¡¯t taken it seriously. Lu Chen said, ¡°Let them leave; don¡¯t bother with them.¡± Wu Yuan said, ¡°Prince, General Lin wishes to meet with you privately, if you would deem it convenient.¡± On hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s interest was piqued, ¡°Oh, a private meeting with me? That is quite interesting.¡± ¡°Then arrange it, I¡¯ll meet him around dusk.¡± Wu Yuan immediately said, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± ¡°I take my leave.¡± Lin Xiuming¡¯s father was the Left Prime Minister, and if Lin Xiuming wanted a private meeting, it indicated that Left Prime Minister Lin Gaoyuan was considering taking Lu Chen¡¯s side. Otherwise, Lin Xiuming would not seek a private meeting with Lu Chen on the eve of his departure from North City. As a general of the court, meeting privately with a seignior was a major taboo. If the court were to find out, there would be trouble for both Lin Xiuming and Lin Gaoyuan. After Wu Yuan left, Qin Yushan also soon exited the study, and Mu Changtian, along with Li Rui, continued to report on the reform situation in North City. At dusk. Arranged by the Brocade Guard, Lu Chen went to a restaurant. Since Lin Xiuming wanted to meet him, it was certainly inappropriate for Lin Xiuming to come to the North Prince Mansion. Therefore, they specifically arranged for a secluded room in Rain-listening Pavilion. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Lin Xiuming felt an overwhelming pressure. He was taken aback. Indeed, as he had sensed previously, the North Prince was a martial artist, and no less skilled than himself, even possibly stronger. Chapter 263 - Chapter 263: Chapter 195 Opportunity in the North Countryi Chapter 263: Chapter 195 Opportunity in the North Countryi After hearing his father¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming felt like he understood, but not quite. He was just a military general who normally spent most of his days training troops, rarely getting involved in politics, so he didn¡¯t understand many things. However, he believed his father¡¯s choice was correct. His father wouldn¡¯t likely lead the Lin Family into an abyss. Lin Xiuming continued, ¡°Father, there¡¯s another thing. I suspect that the North Country¡¯s heavy cavalry has not been annihilated.¡± ¡°Instead, it¡¯s possible that the North Fre King was wiped out by the North Prince.¡± Hearing this, Lin Gaoyuan laughed and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never believed from the start that North Country¡¯s heavy cavalry was annihilated. If the heavy cavalry of the North Country had truly been obliterated, the North Prince wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to reform North Country.¡± At this point, Lin Gaoyuan looked at Lin Xiuming, ¡°Tell me about what you saw in North Country, and why you suspect the heavy cavalry hasn¡¯t been annihilated.¡± Lin Xiuming then recounted what he had seen and heard in North Country to Lin Gaoyuan. After listening to his son, Lin Gaoyuan fell into deep thought. It took a while before Lin Gaoyuan came back to his senses and said, ¡°The North Prince¡¯s approach is faultless; now is indeed the time to conceal strength. Those barbarian cavalrymen you saw in Tianguang City are likely real barbarians, but they¡¯re not from the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, instead, they belong to the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe.¡± ¡°The North Prince intends to blur the lines, making you believe that the North Fre King still exists.¡± As a cunning old fox who had spent decades in the court, Lin Gaoyuan immediately grasped the actual situation in North Country. At that moment, Lin Xiuming spoke, ¡°Father, if we can discern that the North Country¡¯s heavy cavalry might still exist, other people probably can too.¡± ¡°By concealing North Country¡¯s military strength at this time, won¡¯t people become aware of the North Prince¡¯s intentions?¡± Lin Gaoyuan replied indifferently, ¡°Even if they become aware, what can they do? With so many unresolved matters within Great Sum, the Sum Emperor would not possibly focus his attention on him.¡± ¡°Right, for the time being, you should stay at home. If there is no assignment, try not to interact with outsiders, especially those from aristocratic families.¡± ¡°Lately, quite a few large ships have been heading south. I reckon the emperor is almost ready.¡± Hearing Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming asked curiously, ¡°Almost ready for what?¡± Lin Gaoyuan glanced at Lin Xiuming and then said, ¡°The Southern aristocratic families sparked this war, causing the emperor to lose so much land. Do you think the emperor would just tolerate that and do nothing?¡± Lin Xiuming instantly understood, then said, ¡°If the emperor sends troops South, then the Southern aristocratic families should have noticed by now, no?¡± Lin Gaoyuan snorted and said, ¡°The officials from the Southern faction are still immersed in the joy of victory. They think that the emperor has compromised and don¡¯t have time to pay attention to the merchant ships at sea. If it weren¡¯t for my responsibility in managing the grain prices, I probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed the sudden increase in merchant ships either.¡± ¡°Of course, concealing these merchant ships must require the cooperation of some Southern aristocratic family. Otherwise, the sudden appearance of so many merchant ships would likely have been noticed by other families. As for who is helping the emperor, we will only find out after everything is over.¡± ¡°All right, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. You must be tired from the journey, so rest well today.¡± With that, Lin Gaoyuan stopped discussing further with Lin Xiuming. Meanwhile. North Country. Winter had passed and spring had arrived. The ice and snow began to melt, and the weather grew increasingly warmer. It was yet another sunny day. Lu Chen stood in the yard, basking in the sun while looking at the ledger in his hands. At that moment, Mu Zixuan, dressed in a purple cotton garment, came to Lu Chen¡¯s side. With a smile, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Consort, I never expected that in just one winter¡¯s time, you¡¯ve earned me ten million taels of silver.¡± Compared to a few months ago, items like perfumed soaps were no longer profitable. The true earnings came from coal and stoves; the carbon balls made by the North Prince Mansion this winter sold as many as were made. Mu Zixuan also established a commercial guild during the winter, allowing any caravan that joined the guild to buy goods from the North Prince Mansion at low prices to resell to other countries or domains. Because of the guild¡¯s establishment, the North Prince Mansion¡¯s earnings accelerated, and caravans from Yan County kept coming in droves. Now, the roads leading to North City were firmly packed by the wheels of carriages. Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to the Prince¡¯s methods of making money, not so much due to me.¡± Embracing Mu Zixuan¡¯s delicate body and caressing her slightly swollen belly, Lu Chen said, ¡°How can it not be related to you? Even with the ways to make money, someone has to know how to use them.¡± ¡°With so much silver, North Country can finally thrive in construction.¡± Seeing Lu Chen so happy, Mu Zixuan felt very joyous inside as well. Being needed by the North Prince brought her great satisfaction. Just then, a maid entered the courtyard and said, ¡°Prince, Commander Wu is looking for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately let go of Mu Zixuan, ¡°Consort, you rest well; I must be going.¡± Mu Zixuan replied softly, ¡°Mhm, take care, Prince.¡± Lu Chen then headed to the study, where Wu Yuan was already waiting at the doorstep. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Wu Yuan first saluted, then handed over the intelligence report he was holding. Lu Chen took the report and, after a glance, couldn¡¯t help but reveal a hint of a smile. ¡°Indeed, I guessed right, the war has truly ended.¡± ¡°Three counties¡¯ lands, my imperial father is indeed generous.¡± At this point, Lu Chen said to Wu Yuan, ¡°Immediately gather Li Rui and the officials of Yan County, since the Hall of Political Affairs has been built, it should be put to use.¡± Wu Yuan immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± About one and a half hours later, the officials of Yan County were all present in the newly built Hall of Political Affairs. The Hall of Political Affairs was very large, spanning hundreds of square meters, and currently, there were very few officials in North Country, with most of them holding several positions at once. Thus, the hall seemed very spacious. After Lu Chen sat down on the throne at the top, the officials immediately performed a salutation and said, ¡°Greetings to the Prince, long live the Prince, long, long live!¡± Lu Chen ¡°hmm¡±ed, then said, ¡°Everyone, please sit.¡± Lu Chen did not follow the customs of the Great Sum¡¯s court. At the Great Court Assembly, officials had to stand, but they could sit when discussing state affairs, of course, they would kneel as they sat. After the officials had taken their kneeling seats, Lu Chen directly said, ¡°The imperial court has already negotiated a truce with Great Wu. To my knowledge, the conditions include the two counties currently occupied by Great Wu plus Xiwu County.¡± Upon hearing this, the officials in the hall immediately started discussing among themselves. Many of them had thought that the war between the two great dynasties would continue, and were surprised that it had ended so quickly. At that moment, Li Rui said, ¡°Prince, this is good news for North Country!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Lord Li, why do you say that?¡± Li Rui replied, ¡°Xiwu County has been Great Sum¡¯s land since its creation. Its population consists mainly of Great Sum¡¯s common folk, and they hold deep affection for Great Sum. Moreover, with Great Wu engaging in war year after year, their soldiers looting and plundering without restraint, the moment Xiwu County¡¯s common folk learn that the imperial court plans to cede them to the Great Wu Dynasty, many will surely seek to migrate eastwards!¡± ¡°But there is no spare land in the east for them, and once they leave their homeland, they will become refugees.¡± ¡°And it just so happens that North Country is in need of more people!¡± At this point, Mu Changtian also said, ¡°This is indeed a good opportunity for North Country to attract more people.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± ¡°I believe North Country should not be overly eager to take in refugees.¡± ¡°Xiwu County will undoubtedly experience a massive eastward exodus, putting tremendous pressure on other Seigniors¡¯ lands. When that time comes, Seigniors will naturally beseech North Country to take in refugees.¡± Then, Lu Chen looked towards Qin Yushan and asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what is your opinion on this matter?¡± Now that there were too few civil officials, with only a handful able to speak up, Lu Chen had no choice but to involve Qin Yushan as well. Qin Yushan pondered and then said, ¡°Prince, your servant thinks what General Mo said makes sense. We need not be overly hasty in taking in refugees, but we can first send people to the three counties soon to be ceded to Great Wu to spread the benefits of joining North Country.¡± ¡°For instance, if they join North Country, they can receive land and seed grain. Your servant believes that upon hearing they can get land for joining North Country, the common folk of those three counties will definitely choose to come to North Country.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Very well, let¡¯s do as Commander Qin suggested.¡± ¡°Additionally, I have convened you for some matters regarding reform that need discussion.¡± At this point, Lu Chen looked towards Mu Changtian, ¡°General Mo, I have reviewed your military reform proposal, and I have made some additions and adjustments to your suggestion. The military officers present should listen to my reform proposal, and if there is anything unclear, feel free to raise questions¡­¡± Then, Lu Chen spoke to a Jinyiwei Guard by his side, saying, ¡°Read.¡± Immediately afterward, the Jinyiwei Guard took out a scroll and began to read. For the following hour, they discussed several issues concerning North Country¡¯s reform. Meanwhile. In Yan County, a tavern opened by Mysterious Moon Palace. In a private room by the window, a man clad in coarse clothes was drinking and waiting for someone. In a short while, a man wearing a bamboo hat entered the room. After closing the door of the private room, the man in the bamboo hat walked straight over and sat down across from the man in coarse clothes. The man in the bamboo hat then spoke up, ¡°There¡¯s more than one Grandmaster in the North Prince Mansion. Today, I saw two Grandmasters entering and leaving the North Prince Mansion. Although they were deliberately concealing their aura, I still detected them.¡± ¡°It might be difficult to make a move.¡± Upon hearing the bamboo hat man¡¯s words, Su Teng finished the cup of wine in his hand and then chuckled, ¡°Since I, the Pavilion Master, have personally arrived, the mission cannot fail. Just two Grandmasters, they are of no consequence.¡± ¡°The Wang Family can hardly wait anymore. We must take action tonight.¡± Chapter 264 - Chapter 264: Chapter 196: After Tonight, No More North Prince Mansioni Chapter 264: Chapter 196: After Tonight, No More North Prince Mansioni After the morning court session, Lu Chen had not left the Hall of Political Affairs when a Jinyiwei Guard hurried over and delivered a piece of intelligence to him. Lu Chen took the intelligence from the Jinyiwei Guard¡¯s hand, glanced at it, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Martial artists of Master Level such as Su Teng were spotted by the Brocade Guard upon entering Yan County, so no matter where Su Teng and his group went, they would be closely monitored by the Brocade Guard scattered throughout the county. Every move they made was under the watchful eye of the Brocade Guard. Su Teng¡¯s information had already been in Lu Chen¡¯s study for half a month. The Brocade Guard had infiltrated all walks of life; finding out what tasks Spirit Martial Tower had recently accepted was not difficult. Lu Chen glanced at the intelligence in his hand again, and then muttered to himself, ¡°It seems those fellows can¡¯t wait any longer. Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s take care of them before anything else.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen turned to the Jinyiwei Guard who had brought the intelligence and said, ¡°Summon General Mu, General Wenren, and General Xuanyuan to my study. Also, tell General Xuanyuan to mobilize some Black Cavalry to seal off Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, the Jinyiwei Guard reminded, ¡°Prince, deploying the Black Cavalry might expose the fact that the Black Cavalry of the North Country has not been destroyed. Recently, many spies from enemy states have arrived in Yan County.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Just mobilize a portion of the Black Cavalry. 1 have never told the court that the Black Cavalry was completely annihilated.¡± When Lu Chen wrote the battle report, he only mentioned that over forty thousand of the North City¡¯s Black Cavalry had died in battle, not that the entire Black Cavalry was wiped out. It was to ensure that he could use the Black Cavalry at a critical moment. Of course, to others, the death of over forty thousand Black Cavalry soldiers, with only some wounded left, was virtually no different from annihilation. The Jinyiwei Guard said no more, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Afterward, the Jinyiwei Guard turned and went to deliver the orders. The morning court session had just ended, and military generals like Mu Changtian and Xuanyuan Chen had not gone far. Upon hearing that Lu Chen needed to see them, they immediately returned to North Prince Mansion and came to Lu Chen¡¯s study. Upon seeing Lu Chen again, Mu Changtian asked curiously, ¡°Prince, what has happened?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°The assassins sent by the Aristocratic Families have already arrived in Yan County, and they plan to attack the North Prince Mansion tonight.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian was taken aback, but he quickly realized that ever since Lu Chen enacted the law to reclaim landownership rights, he knew that this day would come. The Aristocratic Families would never allow the emergence of a trend whereby land within Great Sum returned to royal ownership. Only with the North Prince dead would they find peace. Mu Changtian asked, ¡°Prince, the Brocade Guard must have confirmed the assassins¡¯ location, right?¡± Since Lu Chen had raised the fact that the assassins had already reached Yan County, it meant the Brocade Guard had discovered their whereabouts. Otherwise, Lu Chen would not have gathered all these military generals. Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Their location has been confirmed. 1 had intended to deal with them when they attacked the North Prince Mansion tonight.¡± ¡°However, upon further thought, I have pregnant wives and children in the mansion. The commotion will frighten them if it gets too big, so I¡¯ve decided to take action ahead of time and eliminate them all.¡± Mu Changtian said, ¡°Prince, where are those assassins now? Let¡¯s take our troops and deal with them right now.¡± Lu Chen promptly called over the Jinyiwei Guard who was monitoring the assassins and then assigned tasks to Mu Changtian and the others. There were three groups of assassins in Yan County now, and to avoid alerting them, Lu Chen planned to take care of them all in one fell swoop. At this moment, Qin Yushan said, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s still daylight. If we move now, some of your weapons might not be usable, and they could be seen by spies from other countries or the common people.¡± Qin Yushan knew that Lu Chen had powerful weapons like grenades and the Barrett at his disposal, which certainly would be used against these assassins. Using such things in broad daylight in the city would inevitably be noticed by the public. As the word spread from one to ten, and from ten to a hundred, the secrets of North Country would be revealed. Qin Yushan continued, ¡°1 suggest arranging soldiers to ambush on their inevitable path, then act at night.¡± Lu Chen thought it over. The news he had received indicated that the assassins would act at night, so ambushing them then would indeed be the best choice. Lu Chen said, ¡°Commander Qin¡¯s consideration is reasonable. Let¡¯s deploy the soldiers first and make our move tonight. However, this might catch the assassins¡¯ attention, so be very cautious when moving the soldiers.¡± Mu Changtian said, ¡°Rest assured, Prince. 1¡¯11 have soldiers disguise themselves as merchants entering the city. There have been many merchant caravans in Yan County lately, so it¡¯s unlikely the assassins will notice anything unusual.¡± ¡°Even if they do sense something¡¯s off, they¡¯ll probably assume these soldiers disguised as merchants are just like them, here to assassinate you.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Alright, go and prepare.¡± Together they responded, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± After they left, Lu Chen immediately went to the courtyard where Chen Wanrong resided. At that time, Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were sitting in the pavilion drinking tea. The Dragon and Phoenix Tea from the Prince¡¯s Mansion was very good, and it had both a refreshing and mind-awakening effect. They had grown fond of the flavor of Dragon and Phoenix Tea after drinking it.. Chapter 265 - Chapter 265: Chapter 196: After Tonight, No More North Prince Mansion ! Chapter 265: Chapter 196: After Tonight, No More North Prince Mansion ! The two were sipping tea when suddenly, the voice of a maid came from the entrance to the courtyard, ¡°Greetings to the Prince!¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s words, they thought they were hallucinating, as Lu Chen had never before visited this yard. At that moment, they saw a figure at the courtyard entrance and realized it was indeed Lu Chen, swiftly rising from their stone stools. They were very surprised, never expecting Lu Chen to actively visit their courtyard. What was Lu Chen planning to do? Could it be that he had encountered some trouble and sought help from the Mysterious Moon Palace? Chen Wanrong took the initiative to greet him, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the Prince.¡± Lu Chen gave a slight smile, then said, ¡°Miss Chen, there¡¯s no need for formalities.¡± At that point, Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, do you need the Palace Master for anything?¡± While Lin Wanyun had already helped Chen Wanrong get acquainted with Lu Chen, the two hadn¡¯t had a recent meeting, and Lu Chen, who had many women, seemed not to have focused his attentions on Chen Wanrong. Chen Wanrong, lacking experience in seducing men, also didn¡¯t know how to stir Lu Chen¡¯s heart, leaving their relationship at an impasse. Looking at Chen Wanrong with a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Miss Chen, I have a favor to ask you, if that¡¯s possible.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were taken aback. Having been in North Country for so long, Lu Chen had never proactively asked for their help. The last time Lu Chen wanted the Mysterious Moon Palace to send disciples to teach North Country¡¯s common people to read, it was Lin Wanyun who took the initiative to approach Lu Chen. Had she not done so, Lu Chen might not have asked for their help. Unexpectedly, today Lu Chen actively sought their assistance, which was a great opportunity for them as it meant they could finally interact more closely with Lu Chen, who had lowered his guard. Chen Wanrong stated impassively, ¡°Please speak, Prince.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Recently, a number of assassins have arrived in North City, and I would like to ask Miss Chen to protect North Prince Mansion for a while.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong replied without hesitation, ¡°Alright.¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s reply was so straightforward that it left Lu Chen unsure what to say next. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble Miss Chen for this.¡± ¡°I have other matters, so I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen turned to leave, and Chen Wanrong, still with no expression, said, ¡°I bid farewell to the Prince.¡± Overhearing their conversation, Lin Wanyun was instantly stunned. This¡­ So plain and direct, with no further conversation. How could a relationship develop this way? However, Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t be blamed, for she had never interacted much with men before, nor did she have such experience. Her manner of speaking had always been like this, consistent with everyone, a habit long since formed. After Lu Chen left the courtyard, Lin Wanyun hurriedly followed him. Lu Chen had just planned to find Bai Qingqing to arrange tonight¡¯s guard duty when Lin Wanyun¡¯s voice came from behind him. ¡°Chen¡¯er, wait a moment.¡± Hearing it was Lin Wanyun, Lu Chen immediately turned around, looking at her with puzzled eyes. ¡°Madam Lin, is there something else?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing major,¡± Lin Wanyun said. ¡°I just wanted to remind you that you should have spoken with the Palace Master a bit more just now. It¡¯s not easy to find opportunities for face-to-face conversation.¡± Showing a look of regret, Lu Chen responded, ¡°Sigh, I actually wanted to talk more with Miss Chen, but as you saw, we both tend to be rather direct speakers.¡± ¡°Moreover, I get particularly nervous in her presence and don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Lin Wanyun thought it over. Indeed, this was a significant issue. It seemed she would have to have a good talk with the Palace Master when she got back, advising her to be less terse when speaking with Lu Chen in the future. While she had no experience cultivating romantic feelings with men, she also knew that to develop a relationship, there should be more communication. Such brief interactions were clearly not conducive to fostering feelings. If Chen Wanrong continued in this manner, she feared it would be very difficult to afflict Lu Chen with a Love Worm. With this thought, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try to create more opportunities for you two to have face-to-face interactions in the future.¡± ¡°You may have nothing to talk about now due to unfamiliarity, but perhaps it will get better after you get to know each other.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Lin is right.¡± ¡°Madam Lin, I have other matters to attend to now, so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Alright, go ahead with your business, I won¡¯t hold you up any longer.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen turned and left. Watching him leave, Lin Wanyun turned back to the courtyard to work on Chen Wanrong¡¯s mindset. ¡°Palace Master, this won¡¯t do. It took so much effort for the North Prince to approach you, but you only exchanged a few words. If this continues, he will definitely think you have no interest in him, and he might even give up eventually.¡± Upon hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong¡¯s face still showed no expression, ¡°Madam Lin, I don¡¯t know how to communicate with him.¡± Since leaving Chen Nation, Chen Wanrong had become silent, her facial expression rarely changing, as if she were indifferent to everything in the world. Lin Wanyun was momentarily stunned by Chen Wanrong¡¯s response. That made sense¡­ Chen Wanrong lacked experience in this regard, and her interactions with men were minimal. Even when she did interact, it was only to issue orders to the male disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace. She held a high position in the Mysterious Moon Palace and spoke to the male disciples in a commanding tone, using very few words. Asking her to speak as an equal with a man was indeed a difficult task. But if things did not change, it would be hard for Lu Chen to fall completely for her. Her aloofness might even cause the North Prince to feel alienated. After all, he was a man of certain status and identity. How could he possibly feel good about her if she communicated with such a superior attitude? Lin Wanyun thought to herself that she needed to find a way to give Chen Wanrong some training. The reason Chen Wanrong remained this way was mainly due to her limited interaction with men. So, it made sense to increase her exposure to men rather than letting her stay in the courtyard all day. Of course, as the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t just interact with any man. The best practice partner would be Lu Chen. Their goal was to make Lu Chen fall for her anyway, so they should find excuses for Chen Wanrong to be alone with him more often in the future. That way, not only would Chen Wanrong be interacting with a man, but there was also the possibility that Lu Chen would become infatuated with her. With this in mind, Lin Wanyun started to plan opportunities for the two of them to be alone together. After Lu Chen left the courtyard where Chen Wanrong lived, he found Bai Qingqing and arranged for her to guard the North Prince Mansion that night. Although they planned to take the offensive, there could still be some that slip through the net. Better safe than sorry, so they must ensure the defense of the North Prince Mansion was solid, not allowing any assassins to find opportunities. Dusk approached. The setting sun slanted westward. Inside the tavern. Su Teng still sat by the window, drinking and looking in the direction of the North Prince Mansion. He said with a smile to the man wearing a bamboo hat opposite him, ¡°It seems there are quite a few who want to assassinate the North Prince.¡± Su Teng, after all, was an Extreme Realm Master, and he could easily recognize the warriors disguised as merchants in the streets. He didn¡¯t believe those people were coming for them. In his view, they were most likely fellow professionals, also aiming to assassinate the North Prince. The North Prince had offended the entire Aristocratic Family and Scholar Officials class of Great Sum, so naturally, there were many who wanted him dead. Su Teng knew of no less than three forces with the same objective as them. The man in the bamboo hat said indifferently, ¡°Of course. How about we don¡¯t take action tonight and let those people test the waters first? Blood Moon Tower has failed against the North Prince Mansion multiple times, proving that the North Prince Mansion does possess some strength.¡± Su Teng lifted the cup in front of him, downed the wine in one go, and then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. Since everyone shares the same goal, we might as well join forces.¡± ¡°Seeing how those people are in such a hurry, they¡¯re likely to take action tonight.¡± ¡°If multiple forces act together, the North Prince Mansion will have no way to resist. By the time the troops from outside Yan County come in, everything will be over.¡± At that moment, the man in the bamboo hat said, ¡°The Pavilion Master is right.¡± As he finished speaking, the man in the bamboo hat looked up at the setting sun outside the window, and continued, ¡°After tonight, there will be no more North Prince Mansion.¡± Su Teng chuckled, picked up the knife by the table, and stood up, ¡°The sun has set, it¡¯s time for us to get ready too.¡± Chapter 266 - Chapter 266: Chapter 197: Somethings wrong! Very wrong!_1 Chapter 266: Chapter 197: Something¡¯s wrong! Very wrong!_1 After nightfall, some people dressed in black clothes were constantly running through the streets, their speed was very fast, and almost every one of them had the strength above Ninth Grade. Lu Chen stood in the room, glanced down at his all-black attire, and then said with a smile, ¡°I never thought I, a prince, would stoop to wearing the kind of clothes a thief would wear.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you really going out?¡± Chu Yuqin was also aware of tonight¡¯s operation and was somewhat worried inside because she had heard that among the people coming to assassinate Lu Chen, there might be an Extreme Realm Master. An Extreme Realm Master was the closest existence to a Grandmaster, and once they made their move, even a Grandmaster might sometimes suffer at their hands. Lu Chen turned his head to look at Chu Yuqin and said, ¡°Madam Chu, rest assured, I won¡¯t make the first move. Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie will take action when the time comes.¡± ¡°Besides, there¡¯s only one Extreme Realm Master on the other side, it¡¯s not a big problem.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed slightly, not knowing what to say. She hated that her own strength was still too weak to protect Lu Chen. At that moment, Chu Yuqin thought of Bai Qingqing and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let Bai come with you. In case of any danger, Bai can still block for you.¡± Lu Chen, while adjusting his cuffs, said, ¡°No need, it¡¯s better for Bai to stay and protect Zixuan and the others in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. What I fear most is that an assassin might slip in.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen gazed into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Madam Chu, I leave everything in the Prince¡¯s Mansion to you. I¡¯m going now.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright, rest assured, I will protect Zixuan and the others.¡± Lu Chen said no more, immediately covered his mouth with a piece of black cloth, and in an instant, he turned into the appearance of a black-clothed assassin. Since the operation was on the streets rather than inside the Prince¡¯s Mansion tonight, Lu Chen was also worried about being recognized, so they all dressed uniformly in black nightclothes. However, they had white cloth strips on their wrists, allowing them to be easily identified as allies. The moonlight was very bright tonight; even without the brightness of lanterns, people could still see the road clearly. At this moment, some shadows were swiftly moving across the rooftops of the common people¡¯s houses, and just as these shadows were about to reach the North Prince Mansion, suddenly, some other individuals in black stopped these shadows in their tracks. The two groups descended from the rooftops and faced off in the street. Seeing those people in black at a distance, Su Teng directly said, ¡°Gentlemen, our goal is likely the same, so why don¡¯t we act together?¡± ¡°We just need the North Prince dead. As for the disposal of his body, you can do as you please.¡± Most assassins needed to bring back the heads of their targets to complete their tasks, but the Spirit Martial Tower didn¡¯t need the North Prince¡¯s head, they just needed him dead. So, Su Teng was offering up the body to avoid conflict with these people. However, after hearing Su Teng¡¯s words, those in black remained unmoved. Su Teng immediately felt that something was amiss; even if these people didn¡¯t agree with his proposal, it didn¡¯t make sense for them to say nothing at all. Something was seriously wrong! Big trouble! Just then, on the rooftops far away, suddenly appeared some individuals in black wielding bows and arrows. Before Su Teng could speak, those in black loosed their arrows. Looking at the sky filled with arrows, Su Teng instantly realized that these people in black clothes were not assassins coming to kill the North Prince, they were likely his protectors. Su Teng immediately said, ¡°We¡¯ve been discovered, attack with full force!¡± Upon hearing Su Teng¡¯s words, the assassins of Spirit Martial Tower immediately rushed toward the people in black not far away, but those in black didn¡¯t immediately counterattack. Instead, they pulled out some round iron balls and threw them at the assassins of Spirit Martial Tower. The assassins from Spirit Martial Tower thought these were some kind of hidden weapons and, as they were about to split the iron balls in half with their swords or kick them back, the iron balls exploded with a thunderous roar, instantly taking down a large number of Spirit Martial Tower assassins, even Ninth Grade martial artists were killed on the spot. Seeing this, Su Teng frowned, he hadn¡¯t expected these iron balls to be so terrifyingly powerful. Something was off! Very off! After all, Su Teng was the Pavilion Master of Spirit Martial Tower, and he didn¡¯t reach his position solely through strength. Su Teng immediately said, ¡°Retreat!¡± Hearing Su Teng¡¯s command, the assassins from Spirit Martial Tower quickly began to retreat, no longer intending to press forward. Su Teng had basically guessed why North City had been able to defeat three hundred thousand soldiers of the Barbarian Tribe, and how Blood Moon Tower had suffered a setback at the North Prince Mansion. North City had already obtained a terrifying weapon, and it was one that could easily kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. If it were a matter of human strength, even a Grandmaster might not be able to easily kill a Ninth Grade Martial Artist. Looking at the other side, it seemed that even ordinary people could use this weapon, the lethality and killing effect of which were far above those of a Grandmaster-level fighter. Su Teng felt like cursing inside. He had thought this would be an extremely simple mission, yet he had stumbled upon the North City¡¯s big secret. Now he was in trouble; having seen North City¡¯s secret weapon, they certainly wouldn¡¯t let them leave easily. Even though he felt somewhat troubled, Su Teng was not overly worried in his heart. After all, he was a fighter of the Master Realm, and even if he couldn¡¯t assassinate the North Prince, he still could escape with ease under these circumstances. Seeing Su Teng and the assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower trying to flee, the soldiers from the North Country immediately followed them and continued to throw grenades at them. Su Teng felt that if things continued this way, maybe they wouldn¡¯t even reach the city gates before all the assassins he brought were killed by that mysterious weapon. He immediately said to the assassin beside him, ¡°Give me all the broken silver you have on you.¡± Hearing this, the assassins around him immediately took out their broken silver and handed it to Su Teng. Su Teng took their broken silver, then turned his head and, with his fingers pinching the pieces, he seemed to throw them casually. The next moment, all the grenades flying towards them exploded in midair. Seeing this, Lu Chen not far away was stunned. Was this the power of an Extreme Realm Master? It was terrifying. He had also reached the Master Realm, so why didn¡¯t he possess such strength? In fact, if it had been Lu Chen, he could have easily knocked down those flying grenades with stones. However, Lu Chen had depleted his physical strength on his wives and concubines and had hardly experienced real combat. Therefore, he did not understand his own strength at all. Seeing those people getting further and further away, Lu Chen frowned slightly. This wouldn¡¯t do. If that guy could knock down all those grenades with silver, could he also dodge his Barrett bullets? Thinking of this, Lu Chen glanced at the assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower. Along with Su Teng, there were a total of three Grandmasters. It seemed that the Aristocratic Family had really invested heavily this time. Lu Chen then took out his Barrett. Su Teng, being an Extreme Realm Master, could definitely dodge the bullets, but the other two ordinary Grandmasters might not be able to. Lu Chen planned to deal with the other two Grandmasters first and then take care of Su Teng. After taking out his Barrett, Lu Chen quickly aimed at a Grandmaster beside Su Teng and immediately pulled the trigger. The Grandmaster had very strong perception. After experiencing the power of the grenades, he sensed the danger and dodged immediately, without trying to catch or deflect the bullet with his hand or knife. The next moment, the bullet from the Barrett hit the ground, creating a huge hole. Seeing the hole in the ground, Su Teng said coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect someone to be using hidden weapons from afar. It seems they had guessed we would come, so they laid an ambush here.¡± Seeing the first Grandmaster dodge, Lu Chen didn¡¯t rush. He continued to aim at that Grandmaster. It was no surprise that a Grandmaster with strong perception could dodge a bullet. To hit a Grandmaster, either the Grandmaster had to be arrogant, or the Grandmaster had to be restrained by others, unable to use all of their attention to sense the dangers around them. The assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower were obviously not arrogant. If they had been, they wouldn¡¯t have retreated as soon as they saw the grenades. Since grenades and Barrett bullets couldn¡¯t harm them, it was time for Qin Yushan and his men to enter the scene. Just as the assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower were about to run out of the street they were on, suddenly, at the intersection of this street and another, a man dragging a big saber walked out slowly. The man didn¡¯t wear the black night clothes like Lu Chen¡¯s; under the moonlight, his face was clearly visible. Seeing the man not far away, Su Teng¡¯s heart jolted. He immediately ordered everyone to stop. At that moment, Qin Yushan spoke, ¡°Pavilion Master Su, when did you start liking to hide? Is it because the scar on your face is too obvious, and you¡¯re afraid of being seen by others?¡± Hearing this familiar voice, Su Teng tore off the cloth from his face and looked at Qin Yushan, sneering, ¡°Blood Demon Mad Blade, interesting. You sure have a big life, not even dying after falling off a cliff!¡± The two had fought before, and the scar on Su Teng¡¯s face was caused by Qin Yushan. After that battle, Qin Yushan fell off a cliff, disappearing from the martial world ever since. Everyone thought Qin Yushan was dead, and that was what Su Teng believed, too. After all, with so many wounds and falling from such a high cliff, it was impossible to survive. Su Teng never expected to see Qin Yushan again in the North Country. Qin Yushan put the big saber on his shoulder and said, ¡°The heavens didn¡¯t let me die, what could I do?¡± Su Teng replied coldly, ¡°Last time I didn¡¯t kill you, this time I¡¯ll send you on your way!¡± As he spoke, the knife in Su Teng¡¯s hand emitted a sonorous sound, and Qin Yushan¡¯s big saber on his shoulder, as if sensing it, resonated and also started to tremble nonstop. Seeing this, Lu Chen suddenly became interested. He was no longer in a rush to shoot and simply squatted on the rooftop, watching. Chapter 267 - Chapter 267: Chapter 198: Golden Silk Soft Armor i Chapter 267: Chapter 198: Golden Silk Soft Armor i Su Teng and Qin Yushan did not immediately set out. In a duel between experts, victory or defeat often comes in an instant. Their blades seemed to tremble ceaselessly in their hands, looking as if they were about to fly out of their grasp. At that moment, a cold wind blew by, wildly fluttering their clothes. Then, at a certain instant, both of them moved at the same time, kicking back and creating pits in the ground, their bodies turning into afterimages as they charged at each other. The next moment, the two afterimages intersected, sparks flying from where they met, with their blades reflecting the cold moonlight and dazzling onlookers¡¯ eyes. Witnessing the flashes of blades darting past swiftly, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°What fast blades!¡± Both their blades moved extremely quickly; if Lu Chen hadn¡¯t reached the Master Realm, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to see the slashes they wielded. In just a matter of seconds, they unleashed blades at each other a hundred times over. After a brief exchange, they both unleashed their strongest techniques almost simultaneously. Thousand Waves!!! Ten Thousand Lights Slash!!! The blade energy Qin Yushan released was like successive waves rolling sideways towards Su Teng, while Su Teng¡¯s blade energy was like countless blades of light chopping vertically at Qin Yushan. The collision of their blade energies created an invisible wave that sent them both flying backward. Both of them half-knelt, using their blades thrust into the ground to stabilize their bodies. In less than a minute, both had suffered serious injuries. It was then that Su Teng spit out blood and said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that, not only did falling off the cliff not kill you, but it actually increased your strength.¡± ¡°But do you honestly think you can stop us alone?¡± No sooner had Su Teng finished speaking than two other Masters behind him also took action, sprinting towards Qin Yushan, preparing for a two-on-one assault. However, just at that moment, the street suddenly grew eerily silent, and a chilling breeze swept through, raising goosebumps. The two Masters immediately halted their advance, feeling a sense of immense crisis within them. Clearly, there was another powerful figure nearby. At that moment, from the end of a forked street, came the ¡°clippity-clop¡± of horse hooves. The sound grew closer, but no one could be seen at the end of the street. Yet as the sound of hooves became clearer, a tall dark figure emerged in the distance; just then, a massive hammer flew out of nowhere, striking one of the Masters in the chest before he could react, sending him flying. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised, not expecting Wenren Lie¡¯s hammer to be so formidable that even a Master Level Martial Artist couldn¡¯t dodge it. As the assassin from the Spirit Martial Tower was sent flying, Wenren Lie, mounted on a tall black horse and clad in black armor, appeared before everyone. On seeing Wenren Lie, Su Teng felt a chill run down his spine. He didn¡¯t recognize the burly man before him, but he felt a profound threat from him. The man was even more muscular than he was; his armor bulged with his muscles, making him appear almost twice Su Teng¡¯s size. The aura emanating from this man was also unnerving; although Su Teng could sense the man was only a Grandmaster, his presence seemed more formidable than his own. Spitting out another mouthful of blood, Su Teng stood up from the ground, knowing that they were likely to meet their end here today. To escape, he realized they would have to fight with all they had. It was at this moment that Lu Chen came down from the rooftop. If Barrett can¡¯t hit from afar, then close the distance. The street was now dead silent, with both sides seeming to have entered a standoff. Then, a series of clapping sounds echoed not far away. Soon after, a young man dressed in a dark nighthawk suit entered Su Teng¡¯s and the others¡¯ line of sight. As the young man clapped, he said, ¡°Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!¡± Hearing this, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the young man. Seeing the young man, Su Teng¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Another Grandmaster! Three Grandmasters appeared at once! At first, they had thought North Prince Mansion only had two Grandmasters. Su Teng had thought that with his own Extreme Realm Master strength, he could easily hold off those two Grandmasters, but unexpectedly, Qin Yushan alone was able to match him evenly. This was serious trouble! North Prince Mansion had hidden its capabilities too deeply. Wait a second, are these people really from North Prince Mansion? With this thought, Su Teng then said, ¡°Blood Demon Mad Blade, I¡¯m curious, how did someone as proud as you become a dog for North Prince Mansion, following a useless Prince?¡± ¡°You should be well aware that North Prince has offended every Aristocratic Family and Scholar Officials in Great Sum; his days are numbered.¡± Upon hearing Su Teng¡¯s words, Qin Yushan coldly replied, ¡°North Prince is my lord; how dare you, a band of thieves, insult him at will!¡± As he spoke, Qin Yushan gripped his blade tightly, ready to engage Su Teng in a final battle to the death. Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯swords, Su Teng was taken aback. So they really were from North Prince Mansion? He had initially thought that Qin Yushan was seeking revenge, and that these people had no connection with North Prince Mansion. However, Qin Yushan¡¯s response pretty much confirmed that they were indeed North Prince Mansion¡¯s people. Chapter 268 - Chapter 268: Chapter 198: Golden Silk Soft Armor_2 Chapter 268: Chapter 198: Golden Silk Soft Armor_2 At this moment, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Commander Qin, it¡¯s time to end this.¡± Lu Chen never liked to dilly-dally, and no one knew if there might be assassins heading to the North Prince Mansion soon. He planned to deal with these people and then return immediately. Qin Yushan immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Su Teng paused when he heard Qin Yushan address the young man as His Highness. His Highness? Does that mean the young man is the North Prince? How could that be possible? The North Prince is only seventeen this year, isn¡¯t he? How could he become a Grandmaster at such a young age! The martial arts prodigies he knew of were at most Eighth Grade at the age of seventeen. No way, this young man is definitely not the North Prince. It must be Commander Qin making things up, pretending this young man is the North Prince in order to lure them into attacking him. Regardless, if they wanted to leave this place, they would have to attack this young man. Just then, more men in black, with white cloths tied around their wrists, appeared behind Lu Chen ¨C all of their strengths were above Fifth Grade, including quite a number of Ninth Grade Martial Artists. Lu Chen said calmly, ¡°Take action!¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s men immediately took out grenades and threw them at Su Teng and his group. Su Teng, just as before, easily blew up the grenades in mid-air using the broken silver on his person. After the explosion of the grenades, the Spirit Martial Tower assassins were still unharmed. With a cold snort, Su Teng said, ¡°You can¡¯t think that with such weapons, you could harm us. No matter how powerful a weapon is, it¡¯s useless if it can¡¯t hit its target. A weapon that doesn¡¯t injure is just scrap metal.¡± Seeing that Su Teng easily blew up all the grenades, Lu Chen had no choice but to say to Wenren Lie, ¡°General Wenren, it¡¯s up to you now.¡± If the enemy could easily block the grenades, they had to resort to close combat. No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than Wenren Lie, mounted on his horse, charged directly at Su Teng and his men. Seeing Wenren Lie charge over solo on horseback, Su Teng and his group didn¡¯t underestimate him. Even though they had never clashed with Wenren Lie before, they could roughly gauge his strength from the martial aura he emitted. Su Teng immediately gripped his knife and faced Wenren Lie head-on. Regardless of the muscular man¡¯s strength, they had to defeat him if they wanted to leave this place today, or else they would all end up staying here. Wenren Lie, having retrieved the hammer he had thrown earlier, swung it toward Su Teng. Su Teng did not dodge; instead, he chopped down with his knife, and the collision caused sparks to fly. When Wenren Lie and Su Teng engaged in combat, a Grandmaster behind Su Teng said, ¡°Follow me and attack!¡± As soon as the Grandmaster spoke, the Spirit Martial Tower assassins bypassed Su Teng and Wenren Lie and charged toward Lu Chen and his men. Qin Yushan gripped his knife tightly and led the soldiers behind him to meet the charge. At that moment, a Grandmaster who had been struck to the ground by Wenren Lie¡¯s hammer stood up. Looking at Lu Chen, who stood still, motionless, a daring idea suddenly came to him. Although he faintly sensed that Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, Lu Chen¡¯s aura was somewhat restrained, making him seem not very powerful. As incredible as it sounded, a seventeen-year-old Grandmaster was plausible since the North Prince had managed to grow to his current position in North City, proving he did have some strength. Perhaps the North Prince could indeed be a young Grandmaster. Moreover, since everyone else was taking action and only the young man remained in place, this indicated that the young man was the leader. Regardless of whether the young man was the North Prince or not, if they could defeat the leader, they would have a chance to use the young man to escape this place. With that thought, Tian Yan¡¯s legs kicked off the ground, and his body shot out instantly like a cannonball heading straight for Lu Chen. The North Prince Mansion¡¯s soldiers were already clashing with the Spirit Martial Tower assassins, but Tian Yan didn¡¯t pay any attention to those soldiers; his target was solely the young man in the distance. In the blink of an eye, Tian Yan appeared in front of Lu Chen and thrust his sword at him. At this time, Lu Chen had his face covered with a black cloth, so Tian Yan couldn¡¯t see his expression. Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curled into a brilliant smile. The distance had been too great earlier, and it was impossible to hit his target. Now, with only a few steps between them, he didn¡¯t believe the other party could still dodge. Seeing the young man standing motionless on the spot, Tian Yan felt that something was amiss. The youth had no weapon in his hands, and there was no sign that he intended to dodge, as if he didn¡¯t regard Tian Yan¡¯s existence at all. Could it be¡­ Is there a stronger presence nearby? As Tian Yan was thinking this, he saw something like a black stick suddenly appear in the hands of the youth across from him. While he was wondering what kind of weapon it was, a ¡°thud¡± resounded. In the next moment, Tian Yan¡¯s Protective Gang Qi was instantly shattered, and his body was sent flying backward. However, what surprised Lu Chen was that the scenario he had anticipated didn¡¯t happen; Tian Yan¡¯s chest didn¡¯t have a bloody hole. If it had been a typical Grandmaster hit by a Barrett, their body would definitely have a huge bloody hole, and they might even be blown to pieces, but this man was unharmed? Isn¡¯t the opponent just a Grandmaster? How could he withstand a bullet from a Barrett at such close range? He had used the Barrett to snipe Grandmasters before and thought that Grandmasters had no defense against the Barrett. While Lu Chen was puzzled, he noticed that Tian Yan was lying on the ground, continuously spitting blood from his mouth, unable to get back up. By this time, Tian Yan¡¯s chest clothes had been torn apart, and there seemed to be something golden and shimmering at his chest. Realizing this, Lu Chen instantly understood. This guy was wearing an armor! Moreover, the material used to make this armor was extraordinary! The Barrett is an anti-materiel sniper rifle, capable of piercing through a car in an instant, yet it hadn¡¯t penetrated this man¡¯s body. So what exactly was this material made of? Lu Chen¡¯s curiosity was immediately piqued. Lu Chen then aimed the Barrett at Tian Yan¡¯s head again. Since the chest couldn¡¯t be penetrated, he would aim directly at the head¡ª he didn¡¯t believe Tian Yan¡¯s head was that hard. However, just as Lu Chen raised his gun, Tian Yan passed out entirely. Although the armor on Tian Yan¡¯s chest helped him withstand the bullet from the Barrett and prevented it from passing directly through him, his internal organs had suffered a tremendous impact, and all his ribs were broken. Seeing Tian Yan pass out, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. This was an excellent opportunity to test the Absorption Technique. Lu Chen immediately went over to Tian Yan, grabbed his head, and tried to channel his Inner Strength. In the next moment, he felt a vortex forming in the palm of his hand, followed by streams of warm currents flowing into his body, making Lu Chen feel exceptionally refreshed. While absorbing the skill, Lu Chen¡¯s mind was filled with images of Tian Yan practicing his swordsmanship. He was surprised to find that by absorbing a person¡¯s skill, he could also acquire all the Cultivation Techniques and Swordsmanship they had learned. From now on, he wouldn¡¯t need to personally learn any martial techniques or Cultivation Techniques to have real combat experience. The Absorption Technique was incredibly useful! He hadn¡¯t expected that after taking down Chu Qingli, the system would reward him with such an amazing item. After the events of tonight were over, he would definitely have to reward her properly. Before long, Tian Yan¡¯s complexion turned snow-white, as if smeared with a layer of flour. Tian Yan was still alive initially, merely having passed out, but because all the skill within his body had been absorbed by Lu Chen, and without the protection of the skill, Tian Yan soon breathed his last, utterly devoid of life. Seeing that there was no more skill to absorb from Tian Yan¡¯s body, Lu Chen threw his corpse on the ground, then stripped off the clothes from his chest. By this time, the soldiers of the North Prince Mansion and the assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower were engaged in a bloody battle, completely unaware of what Lu Chen was doing. After stripping off Tian Yan¡¯s armor, Lu Chen found the armor to be very soft, not at all like something that could withstand bullets. Lu Chen then asked the system, ¡°System, can you identify what this is?¡± [The armor is made from Extraterrestrial Materials. Upon contact with Gang Qi or Spiritual Energy, it becomes incredibly firm.] The system did not provide a detailed explanation, but Lu Chen didn¡¯t ask further, as he already knew what he wanted to know. Afterward, he attempted to channel Spiritual Energy into the armor. The next moment, the Golden Silk Soft Armor instantly became taut and extremely hard.. Chapter 269 - Chapter 269: Chapter 199: The Origin of the Golden Silk Soft Armor_i Chapter 269: Chapter 199: The Origin of the Golden Silk Soft Armor_i Looking at the Golden Silk Soft Armor in his hands, Lu Chen¡¯s emotions were complicated, feeling both joy and worry. He was happy to have obtained such a fine piece of protective armor, which would ensure his safety even more in the future. His worry stemmed from the possibility that if the materials used to make this protective armor were widely available in this world, it wouldn¡¯t be good news for North Country. The armor could even withstand Barrett¡¯s bullets, so ordinary firearms wouldn¡¯t be able to pierce through it at all. He had originally thought that possessing hot weapons would make him invincible in this world, only to encounter armor that could resist Barrett bullets today. At this moment, Lu Chen thought to himself that since the system had mentioned the armor was forged from extraterrestrial materials, they must be incredibly rare, and there probably wouldn¡¯t be too many of these armors around. Comforted by this thought, Lu Chen felt slightly relieved-if there weren¡¯t many of these armors, then they wouldn¡¯t have too much impact on the hot weapons of North Country. Even if someone made armor out of this material, it could only protect certain parts of the body and not everywhere; if he had targeted Tian Yan directly with a shot from the Barrett earlier, Tian Yan would still have died. He didn¡¯t believe that anyone would waste such rare extraterrestrial materials to make full-body heavy cavalry armors-people wouldn¡¯t squander resources on something so precious, using them only for protective gear on vital areas. Lu Chen didn¡¯t think too much about it and looked up at Wenren Lie and Su Teng not far away. In front of Wenren Lie, Su Teng had no power to fight back and was basically being suppressed heavily. If Su Teng hadn¡¯t been seriously injured earlier, perhaps he could have barely resisted Wenren Lie¡¯s sledgehammer. Seeing that nearly all the fallen ones on the ground were assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower, Su Teng knew they would soon be annihilated if this continued, so he had no choice but to use the Blood Ignition Skill. Although after using the Blood Ignition Skill, he might become useless, it was still better than dying here. The next moment, an intense bloody scent seemed to emit from Su Teng¡¯s body, his eyes turned blood-red, and his upper garments were torn apart by the force of his body, as a powerful energy burst forth from within him. Then, Su Teng swung his blade at Wenren Lie. ¡°Ten Thousand Lights Slash!!!¡± Wenren Lie didn¡¯t dodge the countless blades; instead, he swung his hammer in reverse, seemingly compressing the air, which produced a sonic boom in the sky, and all the blades dispersed, while Su Teng was knocked away by Wenren Lie¡¯s hammer, crashing through the yard and house of a commoner. The commoners hiding inside the house shivered in the corner of the wall after witnessing this. Wenren Lie didn¡¯t give Su Teng a chance to escape; he leaped from the ground, jumped more than ten meters high in one bound, and instantly arrived in front of Su Teng, then brought down the hammer again. Su Teng, lying on the ground, gripped his blade tightly and blocked in front of himself, attempting to resist Wenren Lie¡¯s attack. However, Wenren Lie¡¯s strength was immense, and even in the Blood Burning State, Su Teng was no match for him. With Wenren Lie¡¯s hammer strike came another thunderous sonic boom, and he quickly knocked Su Teng out cold. Watching this from the rooftop, even Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling some admiration; Wenren Lie wasn¡¯t just a Grandmaster, he had to have the strength of a Grandmaster. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he could see Wenren Lie¡¯s personal information, he might really have believed Wenren Lie was a Grandmaster. The system truly provided one formidable military general after another. After knocking Su Teng unconscious, Wenren Lie grabbed his head with his large palm, lifted his body up like an eagle grabbing a chicken, and then with a bound, he leaped directly onto the street. Seeing Su Teng in Wenren Lie¡¯s hands, the assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower immediately panicked; their Pavilion Master was an Extreme Realm Master, and he had just used the Blood Ignition Skill, yet he was defeated in such a short time! How could the North Prince Mansion have such terrifyingly powerful martial artists! The Grandmaster, who was locked in a closely matched fight with Qin Yushan, saw that even Su Teng had been defeated and realized they could no longer escape. He immediately ceased fighting and said, ¡°Don¡¯t kill me, I surrender!¡± Seeing that the only conscious Grandmaster had surrendered, the other assassins from the Spirit Martial Tower also threw down their weapons and surrendered. Lu Chen jumped down from the rooftop and approached Wenren Lie and Su Teng. He glanced at Su Teng, who had passed out, then looked at his chest and indeed found a piece of golden soft armor there. Lu Chen had been thinking that since that Tian Yan had a Golden Silk Soft Armor, it was impossible for Su Teng, the Pavilion Master of the Spirit Martial Tower, not to have one. And it turned out he really did. Lu Chen then turned his head to look at the Grandmaster not far away and directly asked, ¡°How did you come by the Golden Silk Soft Armor you¡¯re wearing?¡± Upon hearing this question, the Grandmaster knelt down with a thud and quickly replied, ¡°Replying to the Prince, the Golden Silk Soft Armor we¡¯re wearing was all forged by our own Spirit Martial Tower.¡± Forged by yourselves? Lu Chen frowned again and continued to ask, ¡°Where does the Spirit Martial Tower get the materials to forge such Golden Silk Soft Armor?¡± That Grandmaster trembled as he answered, ¡°Replying to the Prince, the material for forging the Golden Silk Soft Armor comes from meteoric iron that fell from the sky.¡± Lu Chen asked again, ¡°Does the Spirit Martial Tower still have such meteoric iron?¡± ¡°No more. We only forged three pieces of Golden Silk Soft Armor, and they¡¯re all worn by us three Grandmasters.¡± After hearing the Grandmaster¡¯s words, Lu Chen finally felt relieved, and his brows gradually smoothed. Just then, Su Teng suddenly came to, and upon opening his eyes and seeing Lu Chen right in front of him, his expression twisted as he said, ¡°Kid! You¡¯re going to die with me!¡± Upon hearing this, Wenren Lie instantly sensed something was wrong and immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, get away quickly! He¡¯s going to self- destruct his Dantian!¡± Before Wenren Lie could finish speaking and throw Su Teng out, they saw Lu Chen suddenly reach out and grab Su Teng¡¯s face. In the next instant, the energy in Su Teng¡¯s body crazily surged towards Lu Chen. Su Teng screamed in pain as he felt the energy within him rapidly draining, and he was no longer able to gather energy in his Dantian to self- destruct. Witnessing this scene, everyone present was stunned. The movement of energy within Su Teng was too obvious, and any Martial Artist could feel it. Even the people from the North Prince Mansion were scared by Lu Chen. The North Prince actually had such a terrifying ability? To directly absorb the energy of the opponent? My God, what kind of Cultivation Technique is this? It¡¯s too horrifying! Before long, all of Su Teng¡¯s energy had been drained by Lu Chen. Seeing this spectacle, the Grandmaster who had just surrendered trembled in fear, never having imagined that the North Prince possessed such an ability. He was a Grandmaster too; surely the North Prince wouldn¡¯t take an interest in his body as well? The very thought made that Grandmaster break out in cold sweat, feeling a chill down his spine. Chapter 270 - Chapter 270: Chapter 200: Im Happy to Help You i Chapter 270: Chapter 200: I¡¯m Happy to Help You i After Lu Chen had absorbed all of Su Teng¡¯s skill, Su Teng, having lost his power, could no longer endure the pain of his injuries and passed out from the agony once again. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon the Grandmaster who had just surrendered. Seeing Lu Chen looking at him, the Grandmaster hurriedly kowtowed and begged for mercy, ¡°Prince, please spare my life, I confess everything. It was all orchestrated by the Wang Family. I was just forcibly brought to North Country by Su Teng, I never wanted to assassinate you.¡± The scene just now was terrifying: Su Teng, an Extreme Realm Master, had his entire skill drained by Lu Chen. The Grandmaster kneeling on the ground was afraid he would be the next one. If he lost his skill, he would be nothing but an ordinary person. To the North Prince, a surrendered ordinary person was even more useless, which meant his death was undoubtedly imminent. Therefore, the first thing he had to do was ensure the North Prince would not absorb his skill. Seeing the Grandmaster knocking his head on the ground frantically, Qin Yushan approached Lu Chen and whispered, ¡°Prince, this man holds a high position in the Spirit Martial Tower. If we could control him, we might be able to control the entire Spirit Martial Tower in the future. The Spirit Martial Tower has many craftsmen, and those craftsmen are very valuable to our North Country.¡± It was evident to everyone in North Country how much Lu Chen valued craftsmen. The Spirit Martial Tower was a force specializing in forging weapons and equipment, and they started by trading these items. They trained a large number of craftsmen, especially blacksmiths. Although the North Prince Mansion currently had over two thousand craftsmen, for the North Prince Mansion, this number was still not enough. North Country was about to undertake massive construction projects; naturally, the more craftsmen, the better. After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then told Qin Yushan, ¡°Then leave this person to you. Don¡¯t let him escape.¡± Qin Yushan immediately replied, ¡°Rest assured, Prince. I will administer medicine to seal his skill later.¡± At that time, Lu Chen said to the Grandmaster, ¡°Take off the Golden Silk Soft Armor you wear.¡± Hearing this command, the Grandmaster hesitated not a moment before stripping off his clothes and removing the Golden Silk Soft Armor, placing it on the ground. Lu Chen then had someone strip off Su Teng¡¯s Golden Silk Soft Armor as well. He picked up the two pieces of armor and examined them, discovering that they truly were forged from the same material and had the same effect¡ªbecoming indestructible upon contact with Spiritual Energy. This material was indeed interesting. Just then, two groups of people emerged from both sides of the cross-street. One was led by Mu Changtian, and the other by General Xuanyuan¡¯s soldiers. They quickly converged, and after arriving beside Lu Chen, Mu Changtian reported, ¡°Prince, I accidentally killed the leading Grandmaster.¡± Their mission that night had been divided; Mu Changtian and General Xuanyuan had each led their men to deal with two other assassin organizations. Lu Chen had originally wanted them to capture the leading Grandmaster alive and not kill him, but when Master Level Martial Artists fought, it was sometimes hard to control the intensity, and accidentally killing an opponent was not unusual. Lu Chen responded, ¡°If he¡¯s dead, let it be.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen turned to look at General Xuanyuan, who was holding a man covered in blood. This man was also a Grandmaster, who by then was barely alive and appeared to be on the verge of death. General Xuanyuan then threw the man to the ground, saying to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, I interrogated him briefly and learned that he is an assassin sent by the Chu Family.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. The Chu Family? Although he knew the identity of the force behind the assassins, the Brocade Guard had not uncovered who had dispatched them. Lu Chen had not anticipated that the Chu Family would also send someone to assassinate him. Frowning, Lu Chen then squatted down, placed his palm on the man¡¯s head, and directly absorbed all the skill from his body. Mu Changtian had not been present earlier to witness Lu Chen absorbing another¡¯s skill. Thus, seeing this scene, he stood completely dumbfounded. Actively absorbing someone else¡¯s skill? What Cultivation Technique was the North Prince practicing? Mu Changtian suddenly seemed to realize something¡ªas if a lightbulb had gone off. No wonder the North Prince had become a Grandmaster in such a short time; he could absorb others¡¯ skill and make it his own. How did this look anything but like an Evil Cultivation technique? After Lu Chen had drained all the skill from the man on the ground, the man still hadn¡¯t died. Lu Chen then instructed General Xuanyuan, ¡°Take this man to my grandfather and tell him what happened tonight.¡± General Xuanyuan promptly replied, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Then Qin Yushan spoke up, ¡°General Xuanyuan, you may not know where the Prince¡¯s grandfather lives. I will have someone guide you there.¡± General Xuanyuan responded, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll trouble Commander Qin.¡± Qin Yushan immediately summoned several Jinyiwei Guards and had them lead General Xuanyuan to the residence where Chu Xiong currently lived. After General Xuanyuan departed, Lu Chen scanned the Spirit Martial Tower assassins lying on the ground. Although these assassins had surrendered, their strength was not low, and frankly, Lu Chen was somewhat concerned that Qin Yushan and the others wouldn¡¯t be able to control them. It was then that Qin Yushan instructed the Jinyiwei Guards to feed the surrendered Spirit Martial Tower assassins a certain pill. Noticing this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what are you feeding them?¡± Chapter 271 - Chapter 271: Chapter 200: Im Happy to Help You_2 Chapter 271: Chapter 200: I¡¯m Happy to Help You_2 Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Prince, this is a kind of drug that can seal all the meridians in the body. As long as you take this drug, a martial artist¡¯s skill will be sealed, and they will be unable to use their inner strength, much like an ordinary person.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thought to himself, if someone had given him this drug that day, would his skill also be sealed? With this thought, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Does this pill have any other side effects?¡± Qin Yushan was startled. He had not expected Lu Chen to ask this question, as they themselves did not consume the pill¡ªit was meant for their enemies. As to whether it had any specific side effects, they really did not know. Qin Yushan then said, ¡°This subordinate is not sure about that, but usually, we just need to give them the antidote, and they can quickly recover their skill.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Give a pill to this prince to try. Qin Yushan hastily said, ¡°Prince, you absolutely must not! Qin Yushan had not expected Lu Chen to actually be interested in this pill. After all, Lu Chen was a prince; how could he just casually consume something? Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, you also have the antidote on hand. Just give one to this prince to try.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen insisted on trying the pill, Qin Yushan said no more; he immediately took out a pill and handed it to Lu Chen. Lu Chen swallowed it in one gulp, and as soon as he did, he felt as though the pill dissolved within his body, and Qin Yushan watched nervously, afraid that something might happen to Lu Chen. Realizing that the pill had no effect inside his body, Lu Chen reacted instantly. Oh, it seems he has a Poison Immunity Body; all the poisons in the world have no effect on him, and this pill is considered a poison. His Poison immunity Body had not been utilized for such a long time that he had almost forgotten he possessed this ability. Seeing that Lu Chen seemed to be fine, Qin Yushan was stunned. No effect? This pill could seal the skill of even an Extreme Realm Master upon consumption, yet there was no effect at all when the North Prince took it. Carefully, Qin Yushan asked, ¡°Prince, do you need the antidote?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°This pill is of no use to this prince. When you are guarding those assassins, don¡¯t always think that a single pill will make them obedient.¡± Qin Yushan felt a bit awkward. He had not anticipated that there would be someone in the world completely immune to the poison of such a pill. Qin Yushan then said, ¡°The Prince is right; this subordinate will ensure that the Brocade Guard soldiers keep a strict watch and will not let them have a chance to escape.¡± Lu Chen glanced over the crowd and then said, ¡°Now that everything has been resolved, this prince should return. The rest is up to you. ¡°The houses of the common people that were damaged have to be compensated with silver. 1 believe these assassins should have quite a bit of silver on them¡ª they were even throwing silver to use grenades, clearly, they are wealthy.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, he turned around and departed, and Qin Yushan and the others immediately said, ¡°We see the Prince off!¡± Lu Chen had just walked a few steps when he heard Qin Yushan¡¯s voice from behind, ¡°Hand over all the silver you have on you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled faintly. He believed that Qin Yushan and the others would handle the compensation issue for the common people¡¯s houses well. Inside the North Prince Mansion, the main hall. Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were sitting in the main hall at this moment, waiting for Lu Chen to return. Unlike the last time, when the North Prince Mansion was attacked by an assassin and they all hid in the underground passage, this time, with Bai Qingqing and Chen Wanrong, two Grandmasters protecting them, they did not have to hide underground. Although they knew Lu Chen had changed and possessed great strength now, Mu Zixuan, along with Xiaozhou and Dazhou, still showed worried expressions. Seeing their worried expressions, Chu Yuqin comforted them, ¡°Zixuan, you don¡¯t need to worry, Chen¡¯er will be fine.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Madam Chu, I believe the Prince will definitely be alright.¡± At that moment, Chen Wanrong swept an indifferent glance over the women in the great hall, and on seeing these women, she couldn¡¯t help but think to herself that it was no wonder Lu Chen had not sought her out. With so many beautiful wives and concubines, reveling night after night, and changing partners daily, even the most lascivious of men would not be able to withstand it. Lu Chen would have no inclination to come find her. It seemed she would have to be more proactive. Her Love Worm had been ready for some time, yet there had been no opportunity. If this continued, her worm might well starve to death. Just as Chen Wanrong was thinking about having Lin Wanyun create an opportunity for her to be alone with Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin said to her, ¡°Miss Chen, we¡¯re troubled by this matter.¡± Chen Wanrong responded indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s only right.¡± Lin Wanyun added, ¡°Yuqin, since we reside in North Prince Mansion, and Chen¡¯er has treated us so well, it¡¯s only natural that we should step forward to help when North Prince Mansion is in need.¡± Although Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong intended to send disciples from Mysterious Moon Palace to aid Lu Chen, he had only asked the two of them to keep watch over North Prince Mansion and did not request that the Mysterious Moon Palace send people to act with him. Of course, even so, it pleased both women to some extent, because it meant Lu Chen had, to a degree, accepted the Mysterious Moon Palace and accepted them. All they needed to do was take one step further, and then they could begin to implement their plan. No sooner had Lin Wanyun finished speaking than a maid rushed in hurriedly, ¡°Your Highness, the Prince has returned!¡± On hearing this, Mu Zixuan immediately stood up and handed over her child to the wet nurse. After a short while, a tall and burly young man appeared at the doorway. On seeing Lu Chen return, his wives and concubines all surged forward. Mu Zixuan asked with concern, ¡°Prince, you haven¡¯t been injured, have you?¡± Lu Chen took Mu Zixuan¡¯s jade hand and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m fine. The more formidable assassins have mostly been dealt with. There may still be some assassins hiding in the shadows that we haven¡¯t discovered, but they don¡¯t pose a great threat to North Prince Mansion. It¡¯s sufficient to intensify patrols.¡± At this point, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Chen Wanrong, ¡°Miss Chen, I¡¯m very grateful to you for this time.¡± Chen Wanrong still maintained an expressionless face as she replied, ¡°Ihere s no need to thank me.¡± Lin Wanyun hurriedly tugged at Chen Warning¡¯s dress, signaling her to be less curt in her speech. Chen Wanrong caught on to the concern and then, still expressionless, added, ¡°I¡¯m glad to be of help to you. Lin Wanyun sighed internally. That response would have to do, she supposed. Chen Wanrong rarely conversed with men, so it was quite something for her to say even this much. Lin Wanyun glanced at Mu Zixuan and the others and then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, since most of the assassins have been taken care of, if there¡¯s nothing else, the Palace Master and I will head back first.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, alright.¡± What followed was time for Lu Chen and his wives and concubines. As outsiders from Mysterious Moon Palace, it wasn¡¯t quite appropriate for them to remain there, so Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong left the great hall together. After Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun left, Lu Chen soothed his wives and concubines and then had them return to their respective rooms. Once they were all gone, Lu Chen did not spend the night in Mu Zixuan¡¯s room. After absorbing the skill of three Grandmasters, he felt his body was tremendously restless, completely devoid of sleepiness, and his vitality surged exceptionally strong. Since Mu Zixuan was already pregnant, given his current condition, he definitely could not stay with her. He had to either visit Spring Sound Court or spend the night in Chu Qingli¡¯s room. Lu Chen decisively chose Chu Qingli¡¯s room. After reaching an agreement with Chu Qingli last time, they had only been intimate once, as he had not found an opportunity since then. The main reason was that Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli lived in the same courtyard, with their rooms adjacent to one another. Whenever he wanted to visit Chu Qingli to foster their relationship, he would see Chu Yuqin, making it somewhat difficult for him to make a move. But this evening, Chu Yuqin was on duty in the inner court, which afforded him an opportunity. Chu Qingli had been in the main hall at first, but after Lu Chen told them to return, she went back to her own room. It was her sister¡¯s turn to watch over the inner court that night, so she didn¡¯t need to stay outside. Back in her room, Chu Qingli slowly removed her outer garment, revealing her smooth skin. She planned to take a bath and then go straight to sleep. However, just then, she suddenly heard the sound of the door being pushed open from outside.. Chu Qingli instantly became alert, ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Chapter 272 - Chapter 272: Chapter 201 - Sister, Im Fine_l Chapter 272: Chapter 201 ¨C Sister, I¡¯m Fine_l After sensing the movement at the door, Chu Qingli hurriedly put her clothes back on, but just then, the door opened, and a familiar figure appeared inside her room. Seeing it was Lu Chen, Chu Qingli was stunned for a moment. In her mind, the events that had occurred in the study before flashed before her eyes. Ever since she had struck a deal with Lu Chen, she had been thinking of completing the transaction with him as soon as possible, preferably serving Lu Chen once a day so that, after three months, her sister would be able to regain her freedom. But Lu Chen had too many wives and concubines, and with her sister frequently patrolling the inner court, it was very difficult for her to find an opportunity to be alone with Lu Chen. The key issue was that Lu Chen himself didn¡¯t come looking for her. She even began to suspect that after Lu Chen had gotten her body, he was preparing to go back on their deal by reneging on their agreement. Seeing Lu Chen appear in her room, Chu Qingli thought to herself that it seemed Lu Chen acknowledged their deal, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have come to find her. At that moment, Chu Qingli said coldly, ¡°1 pay my respects to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen closed the door behind him and approached Chu Qingli as he spoke, ¡°Qingli, 1 wonder if you still remember the transaction we made in my study last time.¡± Chu Qingli said with an expressionless face, ¡°I remember.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Since you remember, then why haven¡¯t you come looking for me during this time? Don¡¯t you want your sister to regain her freedom sooner and leave the North Prince Mansion?¡± ¡°It seems you don¡¯t care about your sister as much as 1 thought. Hearing this, Chu Qingli was taken aback. She would never allow anyone to say she didn¡¯t care about Chu Yuqin. So she said, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid that my sister will discover it.¡± Having said that, Chu Qingli unhesitatingly stripped off her outer garment once again, revealing her smooth and delicate shoulders, and declaring with a righteous demeanor, ¡°Come on then.¡± Seeing this scene, Lu Chen chuckled, as if they were indeed on a mission. Chu Qingli was too direct and it was no fun. Lu Chen then moved to her side, lifted her turquoise outer garment, and covered her shoulders. Chu Qingli was stunned by this, she had thought that Lu Chen had come to do that sort of thing with her; she had already taken off her clothes, yet now Lu Chen was pulling them back up. Chu Qingli then coldly asked, ¡°What do you mean by this?¡¯ Seeing Chu Qingli¡¯s icy face, Lu Chen felt even more agitated inside. Perhaps it was because he had absorbed too much skill just before, and his body wasn¡¯t able to convert it instantly, which caused him to feel somewhat out of control. Without hesitation, Lu Chen hugged Chu Qingli¡¯s delicate body from behind, pressing his own against her backside. Chu Qingli was somewhat speechless; this man was clearly here to do something bad, yet he was putting on the airs of a gentleman, such a hypocrite. Who doesn¡¯t know what he wants to do? What¡¯s with the pretense? Lu Chen rested his head on Chu Qingli¡¯s shoulder and whispered in her ear, ¡°Qingli, you are truly beautiful.¡± Being embraced by Lu Chen like this, Chu Qingli felt her body starting to heat up, and that odd sensation she had experienced last time began to return. Suddenly, a blush appeared on Chu Qingli¡¯s snow-white skin, even tainting her delicate, fair collarbones red. Chu Qingli felt her body growing hotter and hotter, and her mind kept replaying the events that took place in the study. Biting her silver teeth, Chu Qingli tried hard to control her body, attempting to stay alert and not be like the last time. At that moment, Chu Qingli said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t think that by using hypnosis on me, you will win my heart. You can only have my body; beyond that, you¡¯ll get nothing from me. I won¡¯t be hypnotized by you!¡± Chu Qingli¡¯s tone was very determined. In her view, all the unusual sensations in her body were caused by Lu Chen¡¯s hypnosis; otherwise, she couldn¡¯t possibly feel this way. Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but laugh. He liked seeing Chu Qingli being stubborn, though she couldn¡¯t keep it up forever. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Qing Li, turn your head towards me.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s deep voice, Chu Qingli felt as if her body was being controlled, and she actually turned around as if possessed by a ghost. At this moment, Chu Qingli¡¯s cool and elegant cheeks were already suffused with the blush of spring, and her eyes shimmered like pools of autumn water, but she still tried to control herself and not to let her mind wander. Seeing the ice-cold beauty¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen could no longer restrain himself and directly bent down to capture her red lips with a kiss. After several rounds of patrolling the inner courtyard, Chu Yuqin patrolled to her own residence. She hadn¡¯t planned to enter, but just then, some strange noises caught her attention. Chu Yuqin immediately entered the courtyard, quickly pinpointing the source of the noises coming from Chu Qingli¡¯s room. Chu Yuqin thought Chu Qingli might be in trouble, so she hurried to Chu Qingli¡¯s door and asked, ¡°Qing Li, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, Chu Qingli suddenly snapped back to reality, her body tensing up at once. Lu Chen inhaled sharply, thinking that Chu Yuqin¡¯s timing couldn¡¯t be any worse. Chu Qingli quickly said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m fine.¡± Chu Yuqin asked curiously, ¡°I just heard you crying out. Are you experiencing qi deviation due to your martial arts practice? Do you need me to help you adjust?¡± When she mentioned ¡°adjusting,¡± Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help but picture Lu Chen in her mind, the scene of her adjusting him in the study replayed in her mind, and at the thought, she felt her cheeks grow warm. Hearing her sister offering to come in, Chu Qingli became even more panicked and her muscles tensed up even tighter. Chu Qingli quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ve adjusted myself already, sister. You don¡¯t need to worry. Um! Go on with your¡­ Ah¡­ own things.¡± Noticing Chu Qingli speaking intermittently, Chu Yuqin knitted her brows slightly. ¡°Qing Li, are you really all right?¡± Chu Qingli wished she could sever her connection with Lu Chen with a single cut. Clenching her teeth, she struggled to keep her breath steady and said, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m really¡­ okay¡­¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin continued walking toward the door again. Something is off¡­ Very off¡­ There must be something wrong with Chu Qingli. Feeling the footsteps at the door getting closer, Chu Qingli¡¯s tense nerves were completely taut. Chu Qingli hurriedly said again, ¡°Sister¡­ although the Prince has dealt with many assassins, this is precisely the time when the Prince¡¯s Mansion cannot afford to relax its vigilance. You¡­ should go back to patrolling. ¡°I¡­ just experienced qi deviation while practicing¡­ Air¡­ it¡¯s an old problem, 1¡¯11 be fine soon.¡± Chu Yuqin felt there was some truth to Chu Qingli¡¯s words, although Lu Chen had indeed dealt with many an assassin in Yan County. Yet there were still more assassins lurking in Yan County, and who knew if those assassins would take advantage of the North Prince Mansion lowering its guard to assault Lu Chen. With this in mind, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright then, if you¡¯re really feeling unwell, just tell your sister. There¡¯s no need to endure silently. If I can¡¯t fix it, you can also ask Chen¡¯er for help. Chen¡¯er has medical skills; he can easily cure you.¡± Chu Qingli said, ¡°Um, I¡­ understand.¡± Without giving it further thought, Chu Yuqin turned and left directly.. Chapter 273 - Chapter 273: Chapter 202 Becoming a Grandmaster i Chapter 273: Chapter 202 Becoming a Grandmaster i Chu Yuqin had just turned to leave when Chu Qingli¡¯s tightly wound emotions reached a critical point, suddenly releasing, her mind going blank and her consciousness blurring completely. If not for a large hand encircling her slim waist, her delicate body might have fallen straight down. The moon was beautiful tonight, and the night was long. Spring had arrived, melted ice water trickled down from the rooftops, pitter-pattering onto stones. The night at North Prince Mansion was not so quiet; apart from the pitter- patter of dripping water, there were occasional calls of special animals, sounds that were sometimes cheerful, sometimes shrill, making it impossible to discern what they were. Lu Chen had noticed that whenever someone was about to discover them, that person¡¯s emotions and body would become tense in an instant, and he would fly straight into the sky, no need to describe how. This gave Lu Chen a little idea, in the future, he must trade with Chu Qingli more often, preferably in places where they could easily be seen by others. After an unknown amount of time, the moon¡¯s light gradually dimmed, and a streak of white appeared in the distant sky, signaling the break of day. By that time, the skill that Lu Chen had absorbed from the three individuals yesterday had basically been completely converted into his own. Just at that moment, the system notification sound suddenly rang out. [Ding! Host Lu Chen cultivates a bond with Chu Qingli, Qi Refinement Mantra experience increased by 600, Rejuvenating Skill experience increased by 1000, Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell experience increased by 1000, Absorption Technique experience increased by 1000. Host has triggered a super Emotional Crit, all cultivation techniques¡¯ experience quadrupled.] [Congratulations to the host, Qi Refinement Mantra breakthrough to the fourth level, host¡¯s realm advanced to Grandmaster, Rejuvenating Skill breakthrough to the third level, Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell breakthrough to the second level, Absorption Technique breakthrough to the first level.] With the system voice sounding, Lu Chen felt a strange power infuse his body, followed by his brain becoming incredibly clear, and his perception greatly enhanced; everything around him seemed to be within his senses. Lu Chen tried closing his eyes to test his perceptual abilities, and in the instant he closed his eyes, he could notice the drip of water from the eaves outside the door, and everything around him appeared in his mind. Even without his eyes, just relying on his perception alone, he could see this world clearly. Is this the strength of a Grandmaster? Lu Chen was astonished. At that moment, a bold guess suddenly arose in his heart: could it be that the higher the martial arts realm, the more it evolves toward cultivation? Could the so-called Celestial Realm actually be the Qi Refining stage of cultivators? In this world, there is an end to martial arts. The strongest known in martial arts is the Celestial Realm, and beyond that, no one knows what realm lies above it. With Lu Chen¡¯s breakthrough to Grandmaster, his body was also reshaped, becoming even more robust. Chu Qingli also clearly felt the changes in Lu Chen. When she sensed the martial artist¡¯s might emanating from him, she was completely stunned. She had never seen a Grandmaster, nor knew their strength, but she had seen an Extreme Realm Master. Lu Chen had been one, so she knew what an Extreme Realm Master¡¯s martial artist might was like. The martial artist¡¯s might that Lu Chen was now releasing was clearly not that of an Extreme Realm Master. In other words, Lu Chen was no longer an Extreme Realm Master; he had likely broken through the Grandmaster rank to become a Grandmaster. Chu Qingli was somewhat dazed. Grand¡­ Grandmaster??? Could it be¡­ When Lu Chen was still a Grandmaster, she was no match for him, and if he had broken through to Grandmaster¡­ Chu Qingli could hardly believe what she would encounter next. Grandmaster and Grandmaster are completely different concepts; a Grandmaster relies on Protective Gang Qi to fend off attacks, while a Grandmaster can withstand hits with just the strength of their body, without even using Protective Gang Qi, demonstrating the terrifying resilience of a Grandmaster¡¯s body. Lu Chen became a Grandmaster, which meant that his physical strength had once again greatly increased, his stamina dramatically improved. Before he could keep up with her all night, now he might be able to keep going for days on end without a problem. Thinking of this, Chu Qingli¡¯s drenched and pallid face went white, never having expected this man to break through to Grandmaster so swiftly. How exactly does this man cultivate? How could his strength increase so rapidly? At this time, Lu Chen looked down from his high position at the ice beauty before him. Seeing Chu Qingli¡¯s pale face, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Qing Li, why has your face turned so awful?¡± ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Let me treat you.¡± That said, Lu Chen placed his hand on her and started to heal her with Rejuvenating Skill, and soon Chu Qingli felt a warm current entering her body. This warm current could not only heal some of her minor injuries but also quickly calm her frantic heart; once Chu Qingli quieted down, her expression turned cold again, and she gazed straight at Lu Chen saying, ¡°This is the third time!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed and then replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you thinking a bit too beautifully? We haven¡¯t been apart since last night, so how can it be counted as the third time?¡± Chapter 274 - Chapter 274: Chapter 202 Becoming a Grandmaster_2 Chapter 274: Chapter 202 Becoming a Grandmaster_2 Just as Chu Qingli was about to speak, she saw Lu Chen bend down once again and then directly kissed her red lips, leaving Chu Qingli only capable of making ¡°mmm ininm mmm¡± sounds. At first, Chu Qingli thought to herself that since Lu Chen had already broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, if they continued with their previous method of calculation, wouldn¡¯t she be at a great loss? If Lu Chen took several days at a time, when would she be able to rescue her sister from the North Prince¡¯s Mansion? So, she wanted to change the counting rules to count anything beyond one day as one occurrence. However, it was clear that the decision was not hers to make, and she couldn¡¯t change the counting rules just because she wanted to. At this moment, Lu Chen had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm and was looking to test his physical abilities, leaving Chu Qingli to suffer the consequences. The light from outside gradually penetrated the room; although the doors and windows were closed, they were pasted with paper in this era, and light easily seeped through. Seeing that it was already daylight outside, Chu Qingli realized her sister would soon return and quickly lifted her jade hand, pushing against Lu Chen¡¯s chest, trying to push him away. If her sister returned, that would be troublesome. Her sister had already been suspicious of her the previous night, and if she stayed in the room during the day without leaving, it was likely that her sister would come in directly. If she came in and saw this scene, then everything would be ruined. Unfortunately, at this time, Chu Qingli was completely drained of strength, her inner skill was also sealed, and she was unable to push Lu Chen away. With no other option, she had to continue developing her relationship with Lu Chen. Early in the morning. Chu Yuqin stood on a rooftop of the North Prince¡¯s Mansion, her gaze sweeping over the entire estate. She was thinking that they had dragged on for so long, it couldn¡¯t go on any longer. If they continued to delay, Lu Chen might become angry with her. Thus, she planned to find a suitable hiding place within the North Prince¡¯s Mansion and then fulfill her promise. After scanning the architecture of the North Prince¡¯s Mansion, Chu Yuqin realized there was no suitable place to hide; as long as Chu Qingli was patrolling, she would practically visit every place inside the mansion. Previously, she had thought about serving Lu Chen in the study, but as Lu Chen¡¯s state affairs became increasingly burdensome, more and more people frequented the study, making it an inappropriate place. Currently, Chu Yuqin could feel her face growing hotter and hotter. What was she doing thinking about these things standing on the rooftop so early in the morning? She really was an indecent woman, thinking in her heart about finding a place where she could secretly be intimate with a man. After a moment of self-deprecation, Chu Yuqin¡¯s gaze landed on the courtyard where she lived, prompting a jolt in her heart. The most dangerous place could also be the safest. Every time Chu Qingli left the courtyard where she lived, she would hardly return for the whole day, instead wandering around the inner courtyard. If that was the case, then next time she helped Lu Chen with his physical conditioning, she could perhaps have Lu Chen come to her boudoir, and, while conditioning, casually fulfill her promise. With this thought, Chu Yuqin firmly decided in her heart. Spring had arrived, and it was time for her to take that step. Thinking this, Chu Yuqin came down from the rooftop; night had passed, and another would be patrolling during the day. She intended to go and relieve Chu Qingli from her shift. Just as she returned to her own courtyard, Chu Yuqin faintly heard from Chu Qingli¡¯s room the same kind of sounds as last night, causing her to hesitate. A whole night had passed, and Chu Qingli still hadn¡¯t recovered? It seemed the situation was quite serious. Chu Yuqin quickly went to Chu Qingli¡¯s room door. ¡°Qingli, are you okay?¡± ¡°If you really feel uncomfortable, I will go find Chen¡¯er to help you.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, a groggy Chu Qingli suddenly became alert, a strange emotion flooding her heart, and her body instantly tensed. Lu Chen thought to himself, sure enough, it was the secrecy that made it thrilling. Chu Qingli quickly controlled her voice and said to Chu Yuqin at the door, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m fine.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face showed a hint of worry before she said, ¡°How can you be all right? You were bewitched by your cultivation last night and have yet to recover. If this continues, you could not only lose all your skill, but it could even threaten your life.¡± At this point, Chu Yuqin walked to the door, put her hands on it, and then said, ¡°Qingli, why don¡¯t you let your sister give you a treatment? Sister is coming in.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli¡¯s inner panic instantly peaked, and Lu Chen sharply inhaled. Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t help but wail, ¡°Ah! Sister¡­ go find the Prince quickly! Let¡­ ow¡­ let the Prince come help me¡­¡± At the door, Chu Yuqin hesitated for a moment. She thought Chu Qingli must be quite severely bewitched, which is why she asked her to find Lu Chen. Chu Yuqin said hurriedly, ¡°Sister, wait, I¡¯ll go find Chen¡¯er right away.¡± With that, Chu Yuqin¡¯s hands left the room door, and she turned and headed straight to the main court, still thinking that Lu Chen had spent the night at Mu Zixuan¡¯s place. After Chu Yuqin had left, Chu Qingli¡¯s entire body slumped, becoming as if a puddle of mud. Knowing that Chu Yuqin would be back soon, Lu Chen didn¡¯t stay long either. He stood up and straightened his clothes. Seeing Chu Qingli with eyes brimming like autumn water, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Qingli, if you don¡¯t get up quick, your sister will be back in here.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Qingli snapped awake and quickly got dressed. Meanwhile. Chu Yuqin had already reached the main court. She happened to run into Mu Zixuan coming out of her room, and Chu Yuqin said urgently, ¡°Zixuan, has Chen¡¯er gotten up? I need him for something important.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s question, Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Madam Chu, the Prince didn¡¯t stay in my room last night.¡± As soon as Mu Zixuan finished speaking, Chu Yuqin used Qinggong to head towards the northern courtyard, only to find Lu Chen was not there either. She quickly proceeded to Spring Sound Court, but Lu Chen wasn¡¯t there as well. Then Chu Yuqin asked the servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and they said Lu Chen hadn¡¯t gone to the study either. Chu Yuqin was incredibly anxious and decided to help Chu Qingli recover first. Becoming bewitched in cultivation was a very serious matter and could not be left to linger. Soon Chu Yuqin returned to the courtyard where she lived, only to find Lu Chen opening the door to Chu Qingli¡¯s room and coming out. Seeing this, Chu Yuqin was stunned. She had never expected to see Lu Chen coming out of Chu Qingli¡¯s room, but then, seizing the moment, Lu Chen cleverly spoke, ¡°Madam Chu, you never told me Qingli was bewitched by her cultivation last night. If I hadn¡¯t heard noises from her room early this morning and rushed in to treat her, she might have been in mortal danger.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin suddenly came to her senses, chastising herself for her wild imaginations. She had actually thought Lu Chen spent the night in Chu Qingli¡¯s room. It was ridiculous. She knew what kind of person Chu Qingli was. How could she have such thoughts? It was as if she assumed others would behave as she would. This was clearly Lu Chen hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s screams of agony, then entering to use an Immortal Technique to help her recover. Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, how is Qingli doing now?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°She¡¯s fine now; she just needs some rest.¡± Relieved by Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin sighed, ¡°Then that¡¯s good.¡± Feeling somewhat guilty, she continued, ¡°Ah, I heard Qingli in pain last night, but I didn¡¯t take it seriously. I should have come to find you then.¡± Lu Chen responded with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t blame yourself. Just be more careful next time. I have other things to attend to, so I must go now.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Mm, alright, take care of your tasks.¡± After that, Lu Chen left the courtyard of the two sisters, feeling quite satisfied. Chapter 275 - Chapter 275: Chapter 203 The Simple Chu Yuqin_1 Chapter 275: Chapter 203 The Simple Chu Yuqin_1 After Lu Chen left, Chu Yuqin hurried into Chu Qingli¡¯s room and closed the door behind her. As soon as she entered the room, she smelled a strong, strange scent, one she had encountered many times before, especially in Lu Chen¡¯s study, but she still did not understand what it was. Chu Yuqin did not dwell on it, her gaze instead falling on Chu Qingli, who was lying on the bed under the covers, looking rosy-cheeked and as though nothing was amiss. Chu Qingli turned her head to look at Chu Yuqin and said, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m all right now.¡± Chu Yuqin then sat down beside the bed, straightened out Chu Qingli¡¯s messy hair on her forehead, and said while doing so, ¡°Qingli, I know you¡¯re somewhat dissatisfied with Chen¡¯er and don¡¯t want him to treat you, but you¡¯re currently the Guard Commander of the inner court in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. If you¡¯re injured, how will you protect the North Prince Mansion?¡± ¡°If you lose all your skill and can¡¯t serve as the Guard Commander of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, what value would you have if you stayed in the North Prince Mansion? You wouldn¡¯t want to be driven out by the Prince, would you?¡± Feeling weak, Chu Qingli said, ¡°Sister, I understand. You don¡¯t need to say any more. It¡¯s my mistake this time.¡± Chu Qingli rushed to concede, hoping to have Chu Yuqin finish her lecture and leave her room. If Chu Yuqin continued to stay, she might discover something. Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s dismissive words, Chu Yuqin sighed and continued, ¡°Qingli, Chen¡¯er probably only healed the injuries on your body. Your meridians may not have been completely cleared. Let sister check for you again.¡± Chu Qingli quickly said, ¡°Sister, no need. I¡¯m really fine.¡± Chu Yuqin, however, did not heed Chu Qingli¡¯s protests; she lifted the blanket, causing Chu Qingli¡¯s face to turn deathly pale instantly. Upon lifting the blanket, Chu Yuqin noticed that Chu Qingli¡¯s bedsheets were wet and carried a very strange scent. Without giving it much thought, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Qingli, you¡¯ve expelled a lot of impurities from your body. You should change the sheets and take a bath before resting.¡± Chu Yuqin thought that everything on Chu Qingli¡¯s bedsheets was the impurities expelled from her body during her training. Seeing that Chu Yuqin seemed completely clueless, Chu Qingli breathed a sigh of relief. At the same time, an idea dawned on Chu Qingli. If sister doesn¡¯t know even this, could it be that she and Lu Chen have not done that deed? Encouraged by this thought, Chu Qingli was somewhat happy, guessing that at most Lu Chen had only hugged and embraced her sister, and probably they hadn¡¯t gone through with the act between a man and a woman. Otherwise, how could her sister not recognize that smell? Chu Qingli said, ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll get up and take a bath immediately.¡± Just as Chu Qingli was about to get up, Chu Yuqin suddenly said, ¡°Wait.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she felt her heart pound uncontrollably. Was she discovered? That shouldn¡¯t be possible, right? Didn¡¯t her sister just believe these were impurities expelled from training? Chu Qingli cautiously asked, ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Chu Yuqin, eyeing the red scars on Chu Qingli¡¯s pale neck, heaved a sigh and said, ¡°The backlash from your training last night was too severe, leaving scars all over your body.¡± Chu Qingli¡¯s pale neck bore many red scars, which led Chu Yuqin to believe that they were the result of the dangerous training practice Chu Qingli underwent the previous night. Stunned by her words, Chu Qingli paused. Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Qingli, take off your clothes so that sister can see how many such scars you have. Later, I¡¯ll speak to Chen¡¯er and see if his medical techniques can remove the scars.¡± Chu Qingli quickly replied, ¡°Sister, there¡¯s no need.¡± Chu Qingli heaved another sigh of relief internally, thinking Chu Yuqin had found nothing substantial when, in fact, Chu Yuqin had only noticed the red marks on her neck. Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Qingli, don¡¯t think these scars are nothing. You are not yet married, so having these scars isn¡¯t an issue now, but what will your future darling think when he sees them? These scars must be removed.¡± Saying this, Chu Yuqin took matters into her own hands and started to peel off Chu Qingli¡¯s outer garments from her shoulders. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli felt a swell of emotions, not towards her sister, but directed at a certain bad man, feeling resentful towards him. The scars had all been left by him, marking her body with so many, yet he hadn¡¯t used his Immortal Technique to heal her. It¡¯s incomprehensible what that bad man was thinking. Lu Chen could heal the wounds on her body, not letting her feel any pain, so it was impossible that he couldn¡¯t deal with such small scars. He was clearly doing it on purpose, intentionally leaving the scars. When Chu Yuqin peeled back some of Chu Qingli¡¯s clothes, she saw the multitude of red scars that adorned her pale, delicate body almost entirely. Frowning, Chu Yuqin remarked, ¡°Qingli, you cannot withstand the backlash of your training like this anymore. Look at all these scars on you.¡± Chu Qingli responded, ¡°Sister, these scars will fade away on their own. It¡¯s fine.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed again, ¡°I will still tell Chen¡¯er afterward, so that he can help you remove all these scars.¡± Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 203 The Simple Chu Yuqin_2 Chapter 276: Chapter 203 The Simple Chu Yuqin_2 ¡°Alright, go take a bath. I¡¯ll have the maids change your sheets,¡± Saying this, Chu Yuqin stood up and walked directly towards the door. Seeing that Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t seem to suspect anything at all, Chu Qingli finally breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that her sister had not discovered anything; otherwise, she had no idea how she would face her in the future. The thought of that demon made Chu Qingli involuntarily clench her fists. She was a decent person herself, it was only because of that demon¡¯s hypnosis that she had become like she was yesterday, and now just thinking of him made her body react in strange ways. She might never be able to break free from this man for the rest of her life. Chu Qingli bit down on her lower lip, reassuring herself that as long as her sister could regain her freedom, everything would be worth it, and enduring some hardship was nothing. It had already been two times, with only ninety-eight left¡­ At the thought of the ninety-eight times, Chu Qingli¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but shudder. Lu Chen had already broken through to the level of a Grandmaster. With ninety-eight times left, how was she going to manage¡­ At the same time. In Chu Xiong¡¯s courtyard. Chu Xiong sat in the courtyard, sighing as he looked at the corpse on the ground. The body on the ground was that of the assassin sent by the Chu Family to kill Lu Chen. Last night, Xuanyuan Chen had delivered the corpse and told Chu Xiong about the previous night¡¯s events. Since then, Chu Xiong sat in the courtyard all night without sleep. He had never imagined that after he left the Chu Family, they would actually send someone to assassinate his own grandson. But then again, it made sense. His grandson had crossed the bottom line of the Aristocratic Families, and the Chu Family was also one of the South¡¯s Aristocratic Families; they couldn¡¯t tolerate Lu Chen, even if he was the grandson of the former Chu Family Master. Now that he had lost his position as the Family Head, the Chu Family was completely out of his control. Chu Xiong understood why Lu Chen had sent the body here¡ªit was a reminder to him, the grandfather, that the Chu Family was now in a hostile state with him, and the North Prince Mansion and the Chu Family were bound to be enemies, forcing him, the grandfather, to make a choice. Either choose the North Prince Mansion or choose the Chu Family. Of course, there was another option: to take those in the Chu Family who supported him and leave Great Xia to go to the Da Yue Dynasty or the Great Qian Dynasty. After pondering in the courtyard for the whole night, Chu Xiong finally made a decision. He had been staying in the North Country for some time now and had come to understand Lu Chen¡¯s North Country quite well. Although the North Country was still poor, he had noticed that following Lu Chen¡¯s policies, within ten years, the North Country would definitely become the strongest feudal state within the Great Xia Dynasty. The reason other feudal states couldn¡¯t develop much was largely because their lands were under the control of the Aristocratic Families and local power groups, which meant the Seigniors could do nothing without being restrained by these families. But the North Country was different. Currently, the North Country was dominated solely by the North Prince Mansion. Whatever the North Prince Mansion decided to do, the people below must strictly obey. This had its disadvantages¡ªif the North Prince¡¯s policies were wrong, it could impede the development of the North Country. However, there was also a significant advantage: the commands of the North Prince could go directly to the common people. As long as the North Prince remained wise, the North Country would quickly grow to become a strong feudal state, perhaps even the most prosperous. If the Chu Family moved to the North Country, they would face a significant issue¡ªthey would have no land there. Traditional Aristocratic Families were based on land ownership. Without land, an Aristocratic Family would be like a fish without water. However, during his time in the North Country, Chu Xiong saw a different model of development. If the Chu Family were to side with the North Prince to avoid extinction, they could also pursue commerce. Transitioning from a land-based Aristocratic Family to a commercial one was also viable, especially since the North Country had much uncultivated land they could take on lease at this time. Although they would not own the land, they would have the right to use it. According to the North Prince¡¯s regulations, the Aristocratic Families could utilize these lands during the lease period. Most importantly, with the North Prince Mansion leading the way in commerce, the status of merchants was changing. In the future, in the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, merchants would no longer be at the bottom. The business environment in the North Country is very good now, with caravans from various countries constantly coming in and out of Yan County. If the Chu Family can seize this opportunity, within less than fifty years, they¡¯re bound to become a great family once again. Of course, Chu Xiong was also aware that an aristocratic family in the North Country would inevitably be suppressed, and his grandson wouldn¡¯t possibly allow the Chu Family to become the kind of family that could control the economic lifeline again. At that moment, Chu Xiong rose from the stone stool and directly said to the servant in the yard, ¡°Prepare the carriage, this old man is going to the North Prince Mansion.¡± Right now, Lu Chen was enjoying the porridge personally made for him by Mu Zixuan, his face always wore a smile when drinking the porridge. Seeing how good Lu Chen¡¯s mood was, Mu Zixuan smiled and asked, ¡°Prince, which sister served you so happily last night?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My consort, take a guess.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Could it be Nanyan?¡± Lu Chen took a sip of porridge and said, ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it someone from Spring Sound Court?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No, keep guessing.¡± Mu Zixuan thought for a moment; there were only two people in Spring Sound Court, Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. Since it wasn¡¯t someone from Spring Sound Court, it must be from the northern court, but both Great Jue and Xiaozhou from the north court were already pregnant. That left only Wang Qingci and Bai Qingqing. Mu Zixuan said with a smile, ¡°This consort guesses it¡¯s either Wang sister or Little Bai.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen raised his hand and playfully flicked Mu Zixuan¡¯s nose, then said, ¡°Who guesses like you do? I don¡¯t have that many women.¡± ¡°However, unfortunately, you¡¯ve still not guessed correctly.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Mu Zixuan was momentarily stunned. If it wasn¡¯t one of the women known to Lu Chen, could it be Chu Yuqin? But Chu Yuqin had only come to the main courtyard to find Lu Chen this morning; surely last night Lu Chen wasn¡¯t with Chu Yuqin. That left only Chu Qingli and the two women from Mysterious Moon Palace. Those two from Mysterious Moon Palace likely hadn¡¯t made their moves so quickly, so by process of elimination, the only one left was Chu Qingli. But wasn¡¯t Chu Qingli harboring some resentment towards Lu Chen? Seeing Mu Zixuan seriously contemplating, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°All right, my consort, don¡¯t fret over it anymore, you¡¯ll find out who it was in due time.¡± Mu Zixuan snapped back to reality, her smile reappearing as she said, ¡°Even if the Prince doesn¡¯t say, this consort has already guessed. Congratulations to the Prince for acquiring another beauty.¡± Just then, a maid entered the hall, ¡°Prince, there is an elder outside looking for you.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Lu Chen instantly guessed who it was; he had anticipated that Chu Xiong would come looking for him last night. Then Lu Chen put down his bowl and said, ¡°Take him to the study.¡± Yes, Prince.¡± Chapter 277 - Chapter 277: Chapter 2041, the prince, have a very important message to tell you i Chapter 277: Chapter 2041, the prince, have a very important message to tell you i When Lu Chen arrived at the study, Chu Xiong was standing at the door of the study. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Chu Xiong immediately said, ¡°This humble one pays respects to the Prince!¡± Lu Chen quickly came over to support Chu Xiong by the arms and said, ¡°Grandfather-in-law, what are you doing? There¡¯s no need for formalities like this when we meet in private.¡± Chu Xiong was about to say something about the indispensability of courtesy, but Lu Chen interrupted him and continued, ¡°Grandfather-in-law, I presume you have already seen the assassin from last night?¡± Hearing this question from Lu Chen, Chu Xiong sighed and then said, ¡°I did see him. I never expected that after I left the Chu Family, they would do such a monstrous and unrighteous thing.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°What I have been doing in the North Country has touched their bottom line; it¡¯s not surprising that they would do such a thing. After all, the Chu Family is one of the Aristocratic Families, and even the largest one in the South.¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°The Chu Family has already fallen apart and can no longer be considered a top Aristocratic Family of the South.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Grandfather-in-law, about the matter I discussed with you before, have you considered it?¡± ¡°If the members of the Chu Family who wish to follow you are willing to come to the North Country, I can give them a piece of land for free. Of course, under the laws of the North Country, the Chu Family would only have the right to use it.¡± ¡°However, you must understand, Grandfather-in-law, that once the reforms in the North Country are complete, land will no longer hold the same importance as before, and the future development of the Chu Family doesn¡¯t necessarily have to rely on land.¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°I¡¯m planning to return to Suf eng City tomorrow, but if I were to lead the people of the Chu Family to the North Country, there would likely be significant resistance.¡± After all, he was the former Chu Family Master. There would definitely be many people following him, and if he were to leave, the Chu Family¡¯s strength would be significantly weakened. First of all, the new Family Head would certainly not agree. Furthermore, it is a crucial time for the Aristocratic Families of the South to band together against the Emperor. If so many people from the Chu Family were to leave all at once, it would equate to the weakening of the strength of the Southern Aristocratic Families. If it were in the past, these Southern Aristocratic Families would have been more than happy to see the strength of the Chu Family diminish. But times have changed, and if the power of the Southern Aristocratic Families were to weaken, the Sum Emperor might set his sights on them. So at the very least, the strength of the Aristocratic Families of the South cannot be weakened for now, and other families would definitely not allow the Chu Family to leave the South, to leave Sufeng City. If Chu Xiong were to lead his clan out of Sufeng City, there could be another potential resistance, namely the Sum Emperor, who might not be pleased to see the Chu Family running off to the North Country. Even though part of the Chu Family running off to the North Country means the weakening of the Southern Aristocratic Families, the Sum Emperor is quite suspicious by nature and might wonder if there is some other ulterior motive behind the Chu Family¡¯s move to the North Country. In short, it¡¯s not an easy task for the Chu Family to leave the South. Hearing Chu Xiong¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Grandfather-in-law, if you encounter any difficulties, you can seek help from my people. They will assist you throughout the process of moving to the North Country.¡± Currently, the Brocade Guard is throughout Sufeng City, and the intelligence work in the Southern area is very well done. If there are any movements from other families, the Brocade Guard will soon be aware of it; they would be able to cover and assist the Chu Family in leaving Sufeng City to some extent. Chu Xiong replied, ¡°Then I will trouble you with this.¡± ¡°I will head back today. Before we move to the North Country, I will send someone to inform you.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Fine.¡± Afterward, Chu Xiong left the North Prince Mansion. Not long after Chu Xiong had left, a ¡®bitch¡¯ appeared at the yard entrance of the study, leaning against the doorframe with her body showcasing her S-curved waistline to perfection. ¡°Prince, such a big event happened last night, and you didn¡¯t even say a word to me. If I hadn¡¯t heard about it from the servants today, I wouldn¡¯t have known that such a big incident had happened in Yan County last night.¡± Seeing that it was Wang Qingci who had come back, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°A big event? What big event? It was just dealing with a bunch of petty thieves; nothing to make a fuss about.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen glanced at Wang Qingci¡¯s graceful figure and continued, ¡°Is there any intelligence you have for me today?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Indeed, there is a piece of very important intelligence, and it is likely to affect Great Sum.¡± Hearing her words, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Affect Great Sum? Once Lu Chen came to his senses, he immediately made his way to the study. He and Chu Xiong had been talking in the yard, not even entering the study. ¡°Come in, and let me know in detail what it¡¯s all about,¡± he said. Afterwards, Wang Qingci followed Lu Chen into the study. Once inside, she proactively shut the door, then took out an intelligence report from her sleeve and placed it on Lu Chen¡¯s desk. Lu Chen picked up the report, opened it, and read it carefully. His lips gradually curled into a smile, but soon his expression turned serious again as he finally understood why Wang Qingci had said this intelligence could affect Great Sum. At that moment, Wang Qingci said, ¡°It¡¯s quite normal for Great Wu to experience rebellion due to their constant waging of wars. If it weren¡¯t for their recent declaration of war against Great Sum, it might not have led to a rebellion so soon. Following this, Great Wu will likely have no capacity to deal with Great Sum anymore.¡± The content of the intelligence detailed recent events in the Great Wu empire, where revolts had erupted in two counties of the southwestern part, with the support of the regular Great Wu army. The regular army and the rebel farmers united and marched towards the Martial Emperor¡¯s city under the banner of ¡®ching-kun-tsai¡¯, vowing to rid the emperor of ¡°evil¡± ministers. Chapter 278 - Chapter 278: Chapter 2041, the prince, have a very important message to tell you_2 Chapter 278: Chapter 2041, the prince, have a very important message to tell you_2 If it were just two counties, it wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem, but now many counties in the Great Wu Dynasty are restless, especially those Seigniors. Before long, civil war in Great Wu would break out. To be precise, it had already erupted the moment the peasant uprising began. Lu Chen felt some joy upon seeing civil war erupt in Great Wu, but he quickly realized that once Great Wu descended into civil war, Great Xia would lose all external pressure. Without external pressure, I¡¯m afraid his own father, the Sum Emperor, would prepare to make a move against the Aristocratic Families. With Great Wu in chaos, Great Xia would be next. ¡°Apart from the Great Wu Dynasty, I have another piece of intelligence here. However, it¡¯s not as significant as the outbreak of civil war in Great Wu, and it has not been confirmed yet; it¡¯s just some rumors.¡± As she finished speaking, Wang Qingci took out another piece of intelligence from her sleeves and placed it on Lu Chen¡¯s desk. Lu Chen opened the second piece of intelligence Wang Qingci had given him, glanced over it, and his serious expression was swept away, he then said with a smile, ¡°It seems that the window of opportunity for North Country¡¯s development has arrived. Fortune really does favor me!¡± The second piece of intelligence from Wang Qingci recorded some rumors heard by the Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s trade caravan within the borders of the Great Qian Dynasty, that an epidemic had broken out to the south of Great Qian Dynasty, and to prevent the spread of the disease, they had redeployed their armies to the south for quarantine. However, this matter was still under wraps, and while people have heard whispers, there is no way to confirm if the news is true. At that moment, Wang Qingci continued, ¡°Although we have not confirmed the veracity of this intelligence, the fact that the Great Qian Dynasty has moved its soldiers away from the Great Xia border suggests that something significant has indeed happened in the south.¡± Originally, all the major dynasties had troops stationed on the borders of Great Xia, but after war broke out, the Da Yue Dynasty remained stationary, and the Great Qian Dynasty actually redeployed its soldiers back home, leaving only Great Wu to launch an attack on the Great Xia Dynasty. And now that Great Wu no longer has the luxury of dealing with Great Xia, only Da Yue remains, but considering the current situation in Da Yue, they re unlikely to expand externally anytime soon. The Empress of Da Yue had only recently ascended to the throne, and like North Country, they also face the threat of the Barbarian Tribe in the north. If Da Yue tries to expand south now, it¡¯s uncertain whether they¡¯d be able to hold onto their capital when the Barbarian Tribe descends from the north. Now that all three major dynasties bordering Great Xia are preoccupied with their own affairs, all of Great Xia¡¯s external pressures have vanished. Once the external pressures are gone, the internal conflicts that were being suppressed are bound to erupt. For North Country, widespread chaos is a great opportunity. Being on the periphery, the turmoil of other kingdoms won¡¯t have much impact, the only likely effect being a possible influx of refugees. But refugees fleeing to North Country is exactly what Lu Chen wants to see. As North Country¡¯s population is relatively small, the refugees would be a population boost. Of course, managing them might present significant challenges. So, in the end, the biggest problem North Country currently faces is a shortage of Civil Officials. Once the Chu Family arrives, Lu Chen plans to employ some of its members as officials. A fragmented Chu Family poses little threat, and he isn¡¯t worried about them forming a new significant force in North Country. After arriving in North Country, the Chu Family will have no support and will have to stand with the North Prince Mansion. Utilizing people from the Chu Family shouldn¡¯t pose too much of an issue. The key point is that North Country¡¯s military power and economic lifelines are controlled by the North Prince Mansion, which is why Lu Chen has such confidence. If he were just a Prince with nothing to his name, employing people from the Chu Family as officials could lead to them overshadowing him, much like the predicament Great Xia is currently facing. This is what¡¯s happening in the current court, where Aristocratic Family officials are employed and the Sum Emperor¡¯s orders can¡¯t even make it out of the Capital city. In that moment, Lu Chen, looking at the two pieces of intelligence on the table and pondering for a while, then said to Wang Qingci, ¡°Continue to send people to gather information on Great Qian Dynasty¡¯s situation. I want to get accurate news to see if Great Qian really is in trouble.¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± At this point, Wang Qingci gave Lu Chen a serious look. For some reason, she suddenly felt as though Lu Chen had become even more handsome today, and also seemed taller and more robust. Was it her imagination? Wang Qingci couldn¡¯t help thinking-could it be because she hadn¡¯t returned for so long that she felt there had been a change in Lu Chen¡¯s physique? As Wang Qingci was thinking this, Lu Chen looked up at her. He noticed that her eyes were fixated on him. Originally, he had intended to have the maids outside inform the Brocade Guard and call for the officials of Yan County to discuss state affairs in the Hall of Political Affairs. However, seeing the affection in Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes as she looked at him gave Lu Chen some ideas. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wang, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?¡± Caught in her daydream by Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci snapped back to reality and quickly said, ¡°Not at all, this one was just thinking about something.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Oh? Thinking about something? What could be so engrossing? Tell me about it.¡± Wang Qingci spoke softly, ¡°This one was wondering why the Prince seems to have grown taller again.¡± Lu Chen said lightly, ¡°I am at the age of growing, isn¡¯t it quite normal to get taller?¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°The Prince is right. If the Prince has no other matters, then this one will take her leave.¡± Wang Qingci, afraid that Lu Chen might have other ideas about her, planned to make a quick escape. Lu Chen said, ¡°Mr. Wang, don¡¯t be in such a hurry to leave. I have important news to tell you, and this news is even more important to you personally.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words made Wang Qingci pause. News that was extremely important to her? What could that be? The tone of Lu Chen¡¯s voice didn¡¯t seem to suggest he was discussing serious matters. What could be so important? When Lu Chen had official business with her, he wouldn¡¯t address her as Mr. Wang. Although she guessed it probably wasn¡¯t anything serious, her curiosity got the best of her and Wang Qingci asked, ¡°May I ask what news the Prince has to tell?¡± Lu Chen said with a slight smile, ¡°Come closer to me. Not many people know of this matter yet. I¡¯ll tell you quietly.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s harmless smile, Wang Qingci¡¯s legs trembled involuntarily. Did he truly have important news to tell her? Or could it be he wanted to¡­ Wang Qingci then sashayed over to Lu Chen and, with a look of aggrievement, said, ¡°Prince, if you want to be naughty, just say so directly. Why make excuses about having important news to tell this one?¡± After Wang Qingci arrived by Lu Chen¡¯s side, prepared to be pressed down on a table by him, Lu Chen did not make any moves but instead whispered in her ear, ¡°Not many people know about this yet, Mr. Wang. Do not let the secret slip, or you will receive a very severe punishment from me.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t made any advances, Wang Qingci¡¯s curiosity grew. Could it be that Lu Chen actually had some news to tell her? She had thought that Lu Chen would, as before, call her Mr. Wang with his lips and then, the next moment, have her pressed against a table and deal with her. Wang Qingci promptly said, ¡°Please speak, Prince. This one will keep your secret and not let a third person know.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°I have already broken through to be a Grandmaster. My body has become even more robust than before. Before it was a big deal to stay up all night, but now it¡¯s not a problem for me to stay awake for several days and nights.¡± At this point, Lu Chen paused, then leaned closer to Wang Qingci¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°Do you consider this news important to you, Mr. Wang?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s last sentence, Wang Qingci turned pale, and her delicate body began to tremble uncontrollably. Chapter 279 - Chapter 279: Chapter 205: Heaven Really Helps Me 1 Chapter 279: Chapter 205: Heaven Really Helps Me 1 Grandmaster¡­ When Wang Qingci heard Lu Chen say those words, she was completely dumbfounded. In the entire Great Sum, there were only a few known Grandmasters, and they were all basically in the Capital city. Becoming a Grandmaster wasn¡¯t an easy feat. Ordinary martial artists spent their whole lives training; becoming a Master was already quite an achievement, and there were even fewer Extreme Realm Masters. Lu Chen was only seventeen this year. How was it possible for him to become a Grandmaster!!! Soon, however, Wang Qingci realized something. That¡¯s why when she saw Lu Chen today, she always felt that he had become more robust, emanating a more powerful aura than before. She couldn¡¯t believe Lu Chen had already become a Grandmaster! Wait a second¡­ What did it mean for Lu Chen to be telling her this news first? And he even emphasized how his body became stronger and that he could go days and nights without sleep¡­ Wasn¡¯t this indirectly telling her that he could handle her for days and nights without any problem? Just thinking about it, Wang Qingci couldn¡¯t help but break out in a sweat, and she turned her pale face to look at Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen was smiling at her with a devilish grin, making Wang Qingci feel a chill run down her spine. Wang Qingci quickly put on a pitiful look, gazing into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Prince, I¡¯m but a weak woman, please don¡¯t be so fierce with me in the future.¡± Seeing Wang Qingci coquettishly using a whiny voice on him, Lu Chen chuckled, wrapped one arm around her slim waist, placed his other hand on her hip, pressed his body against hers, and said with a smile, ¡°A weak woman? I remember Mr. Wang being quite arrogant in front of me before, always calling me Young Prince and provoking me. How come you¡¯re a ¡®weak woman¡¯ today?¡± Wang Qingci continued to act coquettishly, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve never provoked you, I was just cooperating with your act.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s hand wandered over Wang Qingci¡¯s body as he said, ¡°Then how about this, you bear a child for me, and I will forgive your previous disrespect. Otherwise¡­¡± He paused, and with a sudden slap on Wang Qingci¡¯s hip, she let out a soft yelp. Then she said, ¡°Prince, I¡¯m only a female slave, I¡¯m not worthy of bearingyour offspring.¡± ¡°Even if I were really to bear your child, the child would later suffer from the scorn of others because of my status. Would you bear to see your own child being humiliated in the future?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You need not talk to me about this. I know you just don¡¯t want to bear my child. Having stayed in the North Prince Mansion for so long, you can¡¯t be unaware of my attitude towards my children.¡± ¡°I even dote on my daughter, holding her in the palm of my hand. How could I possibly bear to see my children suffer?¡± ¡°You little siren, monopolizing my body for the longest time, deceiving my affections, and yet refusing to bear my child. It seems like you¡¯re just trying to rebel against me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci continued to feign a pitiful appearance, ¡°Prince, how would I dare deceive your feelings? I am a Ninth Grade martial artist after all. Even if I wanted to bear your child, it wouldn¡¯t be that easy to get pregnant.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s simple. From now on, you¡¯ll come back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day. I¡¯ll visit your room daily, and I don¡¯t believe I, a Grandmaster, can¡¯t get a Ninth Grade martial artist pregnant.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci froze. Visiting her room daily, she would die, right¡­ Ying ying ying¡­ Coming back to her senses, Wang Qingci hurriedly said in a coquettish tone, ¡°Prince, I also have to help you oversee the Rain-listening Pavilion, you have yet to achieve your great cause, and I still have to work for you. I wouldn¡¯t want to fall behind on my duties because of pregnancy. Let¡¯s wait until the North Country is stable, and then I can bear children for you.¡± Hearing that, Lu Chen lifted her delicate chin with one hand, looked into her eyes, and with a smile said, ¡°Why do I feel like you just don¡¯t want to have my child? Could it be that you despise me for only being a prince, not worthy enough for you to bear my children?¡± Wang Qingci immediately said, ¡°How could I possibly think that?¡± At this point, Wang Qingci fluttered her peach-blossom eyes and continued to play coy and pitiful. Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s seductive appearance, Lu Chen felt like pinning her down on the desk and giving her a good lesson, but having stayed up all night yesterday and already having dealt with Chu Qingli after getting up, he didn¡¯t have such strong urges now. So he let go of Wang Qingci and then said, ¡°Alright, I was just teasing you. I¡¯m not insistent on you bearing my child right now.¡± Hearing that, Wang Qingci breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn¡¯t that she was unwilling to bear Lu Chen¡¯s child; she was mainly concerned about her low status as only a female slave to Lu Chen. If she bore a child, her child could likely suffer unjust treatment. Even though Lu Chen treated her well and frequently doted on her, she was clear about her own position. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°For today, you¡¯d better go back. Let the trading caravan of the Rain-listening Pavilion continue to keep an eye on the happenings in the Great Qian Dynasty.¡± ¡°Alright, Prince,¡± said Wang Qingci. Just then, something crossed Wang Qingci¡¯s mind, and she asked with certainty, ¡°Prince, have you really reached the Grandmaster Realm?¡± Wang Qingci still found it hard to believe that there could be a seventeen-year- old Grandmaster in this world. Even though Lu Chen¡¯s aura was so formidable, she always felt it defied common sense, a bit too exaggerated. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°What? You don¡¯t believe it? Why not test it out yourself?¡± Wang Qingci quickly replied, ¡°No, no, this servant shall take her leave.¡± Having said that, Wang Qingci hurriedly fled. If Lu Chen had truly broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, his physical prowess must have become incredibly strong. Coupled with his young age, now, when his vigor was at its peak, how could she, a frail woman, withstand it? It was better to quickly leave this dangerous place. Watching Wang Qingci¡¯s panicked retreat, Lu Chen chuckled. This little enchantress, she has now submitted completely. She used to provoke him often, but now she¡¯d probably tremble at the sight of him in the future. After Wang Qingci left, Lu Chen said to the maid at the door of the study, ¡± Inform the Brocade Guard to summon all officials from Yan County to the Hall of Political Affairs.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Meanwhile. In the Great Sum Capital City, within the Imperial Palace. The Sum Emperor, upon hearing the Shadow Guard¡¯s report, could not help but reveal a satisfying smile. ¡°Excellent, excellent, excellent!!!¡± ¡°The Great Wu Dynasty is reaping its own consequences.¡± The Rain-listening Pavilion collected only some public information. Whatever intelligence the Rain-listening Pavilion could gather, the Sum Emperor¡¯s Shadow Guard could also obtain. The Sum Emperor was also aware of the peasant uprising that had erupted in the Great Wu Dynasty. The moment he heard of the peasant uprising in the Great Wu Dynasty, the Sum Emperor¡¯s mouth almost curved into a sideways grin. It was the happiest he had laughed in a long time. At this moment, Situ Ce asked, ¡°How does Your Majesty plan to deal with Xiwu County?¡± Now that Great Wu was embroiled in internal strife, although the terms for peace had already stated that Xiwu County was to be ceded to Great Wu, it was unlikely that Great Wu had the capacity to occupy Xiwu County anymore. Thus, it was entirely possible for Great Sum to go back on its word. The Sum Emperor then said, ¡°Since a pact has been signed, Xiwu County must naturally be granted to them.¡± The Sum Emperor was no fool. Although Great Wu was now in chaos, the internal strife had not shaken the foundation of the Great Wu nation. If he were to go back on his word at this time, the large army that Great Wu had amassed in Xiwu County might very well advance eastward again. Since signs of internal conflict had already appeared within Great Wu, it was now especially imperative not to give Great Wu an excuse to wage an external war. Internal conflicts can generally be deflected through external wars, and it was vital not to give the Martial Emperor a chance to distract from domestic troubles. Great Sum could temporarily sacrifice Xiwu County for now. Once Great Wu fell into complete chaos, Great Sum could always retake Xiwu County in the future. Furthermore, even if Xiwu County was handed over to Great Wu, amidst the internal turmoil, it was uncertain whether Great Wu¡¯s troops could completely occupy it. At most, they would send soldiers to raid Xiwu County before returning to Great Wu. Xiwu County was but a minor matter. The internal turmoil of Great Wu presented the Sum Emperor with an opportunity. With the external threat gone, it was time for him to take action. Having tolerated humiliation for so many years, he finally saw an opportunity. Just then, another Shadow Guard appeared in the Royal Garden, kneeling before the Sum Emperor and raising the intelligence in his hands, ¡°Your Majesty, there is news from Great Qian!¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor grabbed the intelligence from the Shadow Guard¡¯s hand, glanced over it, and then burst into laughter, ¡°Hahahaha, truly, heaven helps me!¡± ¡°Who could have expected this!¡± Seeing the Sum Emperor so excited, Situ Ce knew that there must also be trouble within Great Qian. It seemed that the civil war within Great Sum was about to start. With this thought, Situ Ce envisioned Lu Chen in his mind. Once the civil war erupted in Great Sum, it would inevitably create many refugees, and most likely, these refugees would pour into the North Country, signaling the start of a window of opportunity for development. If the Sum Emperor emerged victorious from the civil war, successfully purging the Aristocratic Families, then the Great Sum that the North Prince would inherit would inevitably become even stronger. Situ Ce¡¯s expectations began to rise. At first, he had not been too supportive of the Sum Emperor¡¯s purge of the Aristocratic Families, as Great Sum faced external pressures. Now that there was no external threat, he naturally supported the Sum Emperor. Chapter 282 - Chapter 282: Chapter 207 Qin Mei, Beautiful Scenery, Even More Beautiful People_1 Chapter 282: Chapter 207 Qin Mei, Beautiful Scenery, Even More Beautiful People_1 Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the Hall of Political Affairs immediately became as noisy as a marketplace. ¡°Prince, if the court doesn¡¯t provide grain, we absolutely must not accept those refugees.¡± ¡°The court is going too far. There are close to a million refugees from the three counties. If they don¡¯t provide grain, how can the North Country possibly support them?¡± ¡°Exactly. The North Country is already so poor, and yet they send so many refugees over. In the end, the North Country will be even poorer. It seems like the court is deliberately trying to weaken the North Country through these refugees.¡± Seeing the officials in the great hall looking indignant, Lu Chen revealed a faint smile. The officials of the North Country had essentially completed their transition; in the past, they looked at issues from Great Sum¡¯s perspective, but now they all considered matters from the North Country¡¯s standpoint, focusing on the interests of the North Country. After the officials in the great hall had discussed for a while, Li Rui once again spoke up, ¡°Prince, does the North Country really have to accept these refugees?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°According to the intelligence this prince has received, the court¡¯s stance is that accepting those refugees is a duty the North Country must fulfill as a feudal state, so the North Country cannot refuse.¡± This¡­ The officials within the hall were dumbfounded. Not being able to refuse? This was treating the North Country like an easy mark. If the court didn¡¯t give grain and they dumped all those refugees on the North Country, wouldn¡¯t the refugees rise up in rebellion immediately if there was nothing for them to eat upon their arrival? At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°This prince will write a memorial and send it to the capital city later. If the court doesn¡¯t provide grain, and these refugees arrive in the North Country and don¡¯t wish to stay, then it will no longer be the North Country¡¯s concern. After all, these refugees are citizens of Great Sum; this prince cannot restrict their freedom.¡± ¡°If the court insists on doing this and a peasant uprising like the one in Great Wu erupts, the court will have to find a solution themselves.¡± The North Country is very poor, which is something all of Great Sum¡¯s common people know. If the refugees are sent to the North Country without providing grain, it is as good as trying to starve the refugees to death. When the common people hear about this, they will undoubtedly be extremely disappointed with the court. At that moment, Lu Chen rose from the throne, waving his sleeve as he said, ¡°Today¡¯s meeting concludes here. Commander Qin, come to my study.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Soon after, Lu Chen went to his study, with Qin Yushan following closely behind. ¡°Prince, do you have any tasks for this subordinate?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Write a letter later and notify Commander Liang to mobilize all the Brocade Guards within Great Sum¡¯s borders to spread the news that the court isn¡¯t giving grain to the North Country, especially to the refugees.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yushan immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, ¡°Understood, Prince. This subordinate will convey the message to Commander Liang right away.¡± As Qin Yushan¡¯s voice faded, he prepared to leave the study, but Lu Chen then said, ¡°Wait a moment, this prince has another matter.¡± Qin Yushan stopped and said, ¡°Please speak, Prince.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°How are things being handled with the Spirit Martial Tower?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°The Spirit Martial Tower has sent quite a few spies to Yan County recently to search for their Pavilion Master. However, most of those spies have been captured by us. We are trying to draw the craftsmen of the Spirit Martial Tower to the North Country, but they are too cautious and absolutely no one is willing to come.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Find a way to control a person, then release that Grandmaster back, and nurture him to become a member of the Brocade Guard.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Prince, making a Grandmaster obey is likely not so easy, and it might require Your Highness to personally meet with the Grandmaster.¡± While it is indeed possible to use certain drugs to control a Grandmaster, martial artists of the Master Realm generally don¡¯t give in so easily. They might submit on the surface, but once out of danger, they would find ways to break free from control. To make a Grandmaster truly submit, they need to be convinced in both heart and voice. Otherwise, once the Grandmaster learns how to neutralize the drug controlling them, they will inevitably betray you. Ordinarily, where there is a controlling poison, there is an antidote. In a situation with an antidote, it is impossible for only one party to possess it. Even if Qin Yushan poisoned the Grandmaster from the Spirit Martial Tower, the Grandmaster would likely try to find an antidote after returning to their own group. Therefore, Qin Yushan¡¯s plan was for Lu Chen to meet the Grandmaster directly, to display Lu Chen¡¯s true strength. Apart from Wang Qingci, Lu Chen had not revealed to others that he had already broken through to the Grandmaster Realm. However, the followers summoned through the system could easily sense the changes in the aura exuding from Lu Chen. They were well aware that Lu Chen had become a Grandmaster. At that moment, Qin Yushan knew that Lu Chen had already become a Grandmaster. Qin Yushan thought that a seventeen-year-old Grandmaster was enough to deter the master from Spirit Martial Tower and make them willingly follow Lu Chen. Of course, this could also potentially reveal Lu Chen¡¯s strength; it would all depend on how Lu Chen himself decided. After pondering for a bit, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Good, I will meet that master later.¡± ¡°You go ahead with your business.¡± Qin Yushan immediately performed a ritual salute and said, ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± Following that, Qin Yushan left the study. Once Qin Yushan had gone, Lu Chen went to sit down at his desk to start dealing with government affairs. Lately, there had been an increasing number of matters in North Country that required Lu Chen¡¯s personal attention, which had made him very busy. Lu Chen wanted to delegate power but thought that the officials of North Country, being locals of this world, might not understand some of his policies and could act contrary to his intentions. So, he felt compelled to take care of matters personally. Of course, although his work was busy, Lu Chen did not forget to relax. Lately, he often visited Chu Qingli¡¯s room to find relaxation with her, and he always found these visits particularly exhilarating. At this time, Lu Chen suddenly heard a faint sound of a zither playing in the distance. Despite the distance, his hearing was far better than an average person¡¯s since he was a Grandmaster, and he could hear it very clearly. Lu Chen put down his pen and listened attentively. The music from the zither was flowing and melodious, making one feel extremely relaxed and comfortable. Lu Chen grew curious about who was playing the zither and decided to rise and walk in the direction from which the music came. After a short while, Lu Chen stopped at the entrance to the courtyard where Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun lived. As soon as he arrived at the courtyard entrance, the scene before him was touching. Clad in a white long dress, Chen Wanrong sat in the pavilion. Her slender hands hovered over the wooden zither, gently plucking the strings. As her delicate fingers danced over them, the flowing, melodious sounds reached Lu Chen¡¯s ears. At this moment, Chen Wanrong seemed to blend into one with the whole world, her being seemingly radiating a holy light, like a fairy descended from heaven, giving an immensely warm feeling. The zither was beautiful, the scenery was beautiful, and the person even more so. Lu Chen was no stranger to beautiful women; his inner palace was full of lovely ladies of various types. However, few women made him feel the beauty in the way that Chen Wanrong did, yet his heart could not rise with any improper thoughts. If Wang Qingci and Chu Qingli were to play the zither before him like this, it¡¯s quite possible that Lu Chen would have taken them right there and then. But Chen Wanrong was different. Hearing the zither music and admiring Chen Wanrong¡¯s beauty, Lu Chen¡¯s heart became incredibly peaceful. The scene before him was like a beautiful painting. Lu Chen stood at the entrance to the courtyard, listening for quite a while, until the music finally subsided, which was when he came back to his senses. Just then, Lin Wanyun came in from outside. Seeing Lu Chen standing at the entrance and looking continuously at Chen Wanrong in the pavilion, her heart leaped with joy and she immediately said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, do you enjoy listening to the Palace Master play the music?¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s voice behind him, Lu Chen was startled for a moment, then turned his head to look at Lin Wanyun and said with a smile, ¡°I do. The sound of the zither brings peace to my heart.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Miss Chen¡¯s zither music to have such an effect.¡± At that moment, Chen Wanrong in the pavilion also noticed Lu Chen at the entrance and rose to salute, saying, ¡°Your Highness, greetings.¡± Chen Wanrong then took the initiative to say, ¡°If Your Highness enjoys the music of this commoner girl, you are welcome to come and listen more often.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Finally, their Palace Master was becoming wise and actually took the initiative to invite the North Prince. Chapter 283 - Chapter 283: Chapter 208 Our Child Will Become the Next Emperor of Chen Nation 1 Chapter 283: Chapter 208 Our Child Will Become the Next Emperor of Chen Nation 1 Although Chen Wanrong had long been determined to take the initiative and make Lu Chen develop feelings of affection for her, so she could then use the Love Worm on him, she just couldn¡¯t find the opportunity to get close to Lu Chen. Lu Chen was busy dealing with state affairs during the day, and at night, he was occupied with sorting out his women. He was truly a busy man, leaving her no chance at all. Today, Lu Chen had taken the initiative to come to the entrance of her courtyard, finally presenting Chen Wanrong with an opportunity that she could not afford to miss. After hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be quite appropriate. After all, I am a man, and if I frequently enter the courtyard where Miss Chen resides, I¡¯m afraid it could damage Miss Chen¡¯s reputation.¡± At this point, Lin Wanyun chimed in, ¡°Chen¡¯er, we are staying at the North Prince Mansion and have received such great care. We should indeed do something for you.¡± ¡°The playing of the Palace Master indeed has the power to allow one to relax. You have been preoccupied with state affairs recently and must be extremely fatigued every day. If you could listen to the Palace Master¡¯s music every day, it would be of great benefit to both your body and mind.¡± ¡°Moreover, you would only be in the courtyard to listen to the Palace Master¡¯s music, not entering her boudoir, so there should be no idle gossip.¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen gazed into Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes as if waiting for her response. At this moment, Chen Wanrong, with an emotionless face, said, ¡°If Prince wishes to hear me play, I can play the Prince¡¯s favorite pieces every day.¡± Seeing Chen Wanrong agree, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Since Miss Chen has consented, it would seem ungrateful of me to refuse. Very well, if I am too exhausted from dealing with state affairs, I will come to this courtyard to listen to Miss Chen¡¯s performance.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, both Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were visibly stirred. Having stayed in the North Prince Mansion for so long, they finally found an opportunity to employ the Love Worm on Lu Chen. As long as Lu Chen was willing to visit the courtyard they resided in frequently, it might not take long before they could use the Love Worm on him. Once the Love Worm was in place, the entire North Prince Mansion would fall under the control of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and Chen Wanrong¡¯s restoration of her nation would become much easier. At this moment, Chen Wanrong took a glance at Lu Chen and, for some reason, suddenly found that he seemed to have become even more handsome recently, and his aura had undergone significant changes. She wondered if it was just her imagination. Then Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Lin, Miss Chen, I still have matters to attend to, so I will not disturb you further.¡± ¡°I will come another day.¡± With those words, Lu Chen turned and left. Chen Wanrong then said, ¡°Prince, take care.¡± Before long, Lu Chen returned to his study to continue handling state affairs. After Lu Chen had left, Lin Wanyun said to Chen Wanrong, ¡°Palace Master, it seems that it won¡¯t be long before you can use the Love Worm.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong showed no emotion on her face as she looked towards the entrance, seemingly lost in thought. Lin Wanyun continued, ¡°Palace Master, if possible, I hope that in the end you won¡¯t harm him. After all, he is the child of your senior sister and is also considered the God¡¯s Son of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Chen Wanrong then slowly sat down and gently placed her jade hands back on the guqin, ¡°Madam Lin need not worry, I will not kill him.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong say this, Lin Wanyun breathed a sigh of relief. Though Lu Chen was the bloodline of the Sum Emperor, he was also Chu Yue¡¯s child. If something were to happen to Lu Chen, she would surely feel guilty for the rest of her life. Since Chen Wanrong had already stated she would not kill him, Lin Wanyun assumed that, after using Lu Chen, Chen Wanrong would probably release him. While Lin Wanyun was thinking this, Chen Wanrong spoke up, ¡°After the restoration of Chen Nation, I will need a child. His conditions are not bad, suitable to be my husband. I will have a child with him, and our child will become the next Emperor of Chen Nation.¡± Lin Wanyun was completely stunned by Chen Wanrong¡¯s words. Is this what Chen Wanrong was thinking? She had always assumed that Chen Wanrong simply wanted to use Lu Chen to create the Subtle Dragon Spell, kill the Sum Emperor, restore her nation, and then discard Lu Chen once he had served his purpose. To think that Chen Wanrong also had designs on Lu Chen¡¯s body! But on second thought, Lu Chen was handsome and dashing. Although somewhat lecherous, his qualities were not lacking in any aspect. Plus, with the control of the Love Worm, Lu Chen would absolutely obey Chen Wanrong¡¯s commands. In the future, whatever Chen Wanrong wanted Lu Chen to do, he would have to comply. His lecherous nature would also change eventually. Collecting herself, Lin Wanyun hurriedly said, ¡°Palace Master, there is a rule in the Mysterious Moon Palace that disciples are not allowed to have children.¡± Although the Mysterious Moon Palace allowed men and women to become partners, to avoid worldly trouble, disciples were forbidden from having children. Chen Wanrong said indifferently, ¡°Once my child inherits the throne of Chen Nation, I will return to the Mysterious Moon Palace to meditate and cultivate in seclusion, and will no longer concern myself with worldly affairs.¡± This¡­ Lin Wanyun thought for a moment. After all, Chen Wanrong was a disciple of the Honorable, and even if she truly had a child, the current elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace would not have the authority to punish her, only the Honorable would have that right. But with the Honorable in seclusion, who knew how long it would be before he emerged? It could be that they all turned to dust while the Honorable remained in seclusion. So for now, there was no one who could stop whatever Chen Wanrong wanted to do. Chapter 284 - Chapter 284: Chapter 208 Our Child Will Become the Next Emperor of Chen Nation_2 Chapter 284: Chapter 208 Our Child Will Become the Next Emperor of Chen Nation_2 For some reason, Lin Wanyun always felt that Chen Wanrong regarded Lu Chen as more than just a tool¡ªcould it be that she truly had feelings for Lu Chen? Lin Wanyun dared not to think further. After all, Lu Chen was the child of Chen Wanrong¡¯s enemy, if Chen Wanrong really fell for Lu Chen, who knows what kind of torment she would suffer in her heart. Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another month had passed. In the Capital city of Great Sum, at Xuanzheng Hall. Today¡¯s Great Court Assembly was rather noisy. Recently, a series of incidents had occurred in Great Sum, causing the officials much distress. At this moment, an official from Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I accuse the Crown Prince of neglecting his duties, idling away his days. The affairs entrusted to the Crown Prince by Your Majesty have not been completed on time. The Crown Prince does not deserve his position and should be dismissed.¡± The official¡¯s attack was very aggressive; he was short of pointing at Lu Shuyun¡¯s nose and calling him useless. No sooner had he finished speaking than another official stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I too accuse the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince has allowed refugees to wander aimlessly, leading to frequent murders in Great Sum recently.¡± After the two officials finished speaking, other officials stood up, all voicing accusations against Lu Shuyun. At this time, Lu Shuyun¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, and his face looked very grim. The Sum Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne, watching indifferently the events unfolding below. After a long while, he finally opened his mouth and said, ¡°Crown Prince, the first task I assigned you, you have handled so poorly, how can I trust you with the whole of Great Sum in the future.¡± Hearing this, Lu Shuyun quickly knelt down and said, ¡°Father Emperor, your son admits his mistake, please grant your son more time.¡± At that moment, Right Minister Zhao Wenhan stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the fact that the Crown Prince has been slow to deal with the refugee issue doesn¡¯t have much to do with him.¡± ¡°Recently, among the refugees, there have been frequent rumors saying that the court does not provide North Country with food, and that sending the refugees to North Country is to let them die there. This has made the refugees uncooperative with the government¡¯s work; they are unwilling to go to North Country.¡± ¡°I believe that these rumor mongers have ulterior motives and sinister intentions, they are the real culprits behind the Crown Prince¡¯s inability to address the refugee problem, and it has nothing to do with the Crown Prince¡¯s personal ability.¡± Just as Zhao Wenhan finished speaking, the Sum Emperor was about to speak when Lin Gaoyuan stood up and said, ¡°Rumors? It¡¯s probably no rumor that the court doesn¡¯t provide North Country with food. Your Majesty has long said that he would no longer aid North Country with any supplies, how can Prime Minister Zhao claim they are rumors.¡± ¡°North Country has no food, to push such a large number of refugees there is just to let them fend for themselves; the common people are not fools.¡± Having said this, Lin Gaoyuan looked at the Sum Emperor and continued, ¡°I believe that sending all the refugees to North Country is a mistake to begin with; failing to provide North Country with aid in food is an even greater error. The decision of His Highness the Crown Prince has been wrong from the very start.¡± ¡°If these refugees arrive in North Country and find no food, once they gather, unrest will inevitably arise. What¡¯s happening in Great Wu might very well unfold in our Great Sum too.¡± ¡°His Highness the Crown Prince did not even consider this before hastily deciding to send all the refugees to North Country, and this is neglecting the welfare of the nation, seeking only convenience.¡± Seeing Lin Gaoyuan standing up to criticize him, Lu Shuyun¡¯s complexion instantly darkened. Lin Gaoyuan, this Left Minister, had always been neutral, never siding with any Prince. How come now that he himself had become the Crown Prince, Lin Gaoyuan actually came out to speak against him? Could it be that this old fox Lin Gaoyuan had been won over by Prince Lu Yi? At this time, Zhao Wenhan said, ¡°Prime Minister Lin¡¯s words are somewhat alarmist. They¡¯re just some unarmed refugees; what kind of insurrection can they stir up?¡± ¡°Moreover, now only North Country has a vast amount of land. If not for North Country, where else can these refugees go? Does Prime Minister Lin intend to offer his own lands to these refugees?¡± Seeing the two Prime Ministers arguing, the other officials in the hall suddenly fell silent, now just watching the two of them debate. After the two had argued for a while, the Sum Emperor finally spoke, ¡°North Country has many wastelands, indeed a suitable place for these refugees. However, I have already stated that I will no longer provide North Country with any aid.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a word that I, myself, have already spoken, I won¡¯t take it back.¡± ¡°The matter of the refugees was the first state affair Prince Lu Shuyun dealt with after becoming the Crown Prince. It¡¯s a trivial issue, so I will not provide any assistance. If even this matter can¡¯t be settled properly, he won¡¯t be qualified to inherit my position in the future.¡± ¡°Shuyun, I¡¯ll only give you two more months. You must quell this refugee unrest within this time.¡± Lu Shuyun immediately knelt and said, ¡°Thank you, Father Emperor!¡± The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Moreover, recently quite a few officials have petitioned, saying that many people in remote areas of Great Sum can¡¯t afford salt. The government offices don¡¯t care, and the court doesn¡¯t inquire. They hope that I will decentralize the salt monopoly to let trading caravans¡­¡± Before the Sum Emperor could finish, Lin Gaoyuan hastily said, ¡°Your Majesty, that must not be done. Salt is essential to the nation¡¯s economy and the people¡¯s livelihood and has always been run by the court. How can we decentralize its management rights?¡± ¡°Once the management rights are released, there will inevitably be merchants who will drive up the price of salt. Then, it won¡¯t be just the people in remote mountainous areas who can¡¯t afford it; even the common people in more prosperous areas won¡¯t be able to.¡± Once the monopoly on salt is released, it could very well shake the foundations of the state, not to mention it would greatly reduce the revenue of the national treasury. Lin Gaoyuan simply couldn¡¯t understand why the Sum Emperor would bring up such a matter in court. As soon as Lin Gaoyuan finished speaking, an official from an aristocratic family stood and said, ¡°I agree with decentralizing the management rights of the salt industry. Currently, the price of salt is generally high as it¡¯s monopolized by the court; therefore, salt production has always been low.¡± ¡°I believe that if the salt industry¡¯s management rights are decentralized, more merchants will produce salt, which could actually help decrease the price of salt and allow the common people to access cheaper salt.¡± No sooner had this official from the aristocratic family finished speaking than another from the same class also stood up, ¡°I also agree with decentralizing the management rights of the salt industry¡­¡± Afterwards, even more officials expressed their stance, all in favor of decentralizing the salt industry¡¯s management rights. Seeing this unfold, Lin Gaoyuan frowned. The aristocratic families would be the first to benefit from opening up the salt industry. Of course, they couldn¡¯t wait to decentralize the management rights of the salt industry. What mattered next was what the Sum Emperor thought. He has always been uncomfortable with the aristocratic families, finding them an eyesore. Surely he wouldn¡¯t really open up the salt industry now by heeding the words of these officials? However, just when Lin Gaoyuan thought the Sum Emperor would never agree to open up the salt industry, the Emperor addressed the court, ¡°The advice of my loving subjects is beneficial. Merchants pursue profit. Once the salt industry is opened up, surely more merchants will join the salt-making industry, and the price of salt will fall, allowing more of Great Sum¡¯s common people to afford salt.¡± ¡°I have decided that from today on, the management rights of the salt industry will be decentralized.¡± Upon hearing these words, Lin Gaoyuan was entirely dumbfounded. When had the Sum Emperor become so foolish? He was actually decentralizing the management rights of the salt industry? Wasn¡¯t he the one who hated the aristocratic families most? And the Sum Emperor had already been preparing to make a move against the aristocratic families in secret. Why would he make such a concession to them at this time? Appointing Prince Lu Shuyun as the Crown Prince could still be explained as an attempt to stabilize the aristocratic families, to prevent them from sensing what the Sum Emperor planned to do next. The policy of decentralizing the management rights of the salt industry couldn¡¯t possibly bring any advantage to the Sum Emperor. Although baffled, Lin Gaoyuan said no more. Internal strife was impending. The aristocratic families wouldn¡¯t be able to make trouble much longer. Let the Sum Emperor do as he pleased. After the Great Court Assembly had adjourned, Lu Shuyun, accompanied by a group of low-ranking officials of his own faction, arrived at the East Palace. His Father Emperor had only given him two months. He had to act quickly to deal with those refugees; otherwise, his reputation would suffer enormously. Within the grand hall of the East Palace, the atmosphere seemed oppressive. Lu Shuyun had faced a barrage of impeachment attempts by ministers at the court assembly, leaving him in a very foul mood. After a long silence, Lu Shuyun said, ¡°Let¡¯s discuss it. How should we resolve this matter with the refugees? They have come to know that the court won¡¯t provide grain to the North Country, and since all the land there is owned by the North Prince Mansion, they wouldn¡¯t have land even if they went to the North Country. It¡¯s even less likely they would go there voluntarily.¡± Chapter 285 - Chapter 285: Chapter 209: The Aid of the Crown Prince_1 Chapter 285: Chapter 209: The Aid of the Crown Prince_1 Upon hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s words, the people in the hall did not immediately respond. The majority of them had initially agreed to drive the refugees to the North Country. They had not anticipated what they thought would be an easily resolved issue becoming so troublesome. After a while, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Household spoke up, ¡°His Majesty¡¯s stance is clear. The court will absolutely not provide food to the North Country. The only solution now is for us to gather food ourselves and send it to the North Country, ensuring those refugees have something to eat once they arrive there.¡± ¡°However, this would likely require the cooperation of the major aristocratic families in the South.¡± Handling the refugee matter should have been the responsibility of the court, but now Sum Emperor had completely dumped it onto Crown Prince Lu Shuyun. If Lu Shuyun failed to manage the refugee issue properly, he feared his tenure as Crown Prince would be short-lived. If he couldn¡¯t handle the first state affair properly, the officials from other princely factions wouldn¡¯t miss the opportunity to strike. His position as Crown Prince had been shaky to begin with. If it weren¡¯t for Sum Emperor¡¯s compromise with the Southern aristocratic families, he might not have been able to become Crown Prince at all. Now with internal turmoil in Great Wu as well as in Great Qian, Great Sum was free from external pressures. It would be easy for Sum Emperor to depose him as Crown Prince. If the officials from the other Imperial Prince Factions applied pressure, Sum Emperor could simply go with the flow and dispose of the Crown Prince. At that time, the Southern aristocratic families wouldn¡¯t be able to say much, since Lu Shuyun indeed hadn¡¯t managed the refugee crisis well. After hearing the Assistant Minister¡¯s words, Wang Yong, speaking on behalf of the Wang Family, said, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured. The Southern aristocratic families absolutely support His Highness the Crown Prince. We are willing to donate food to the refugees to help the court resolve the refugee crisis.¡± Seeing that the representative of the Wang Family had spoken, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Household immediately said, ¡°If the Southern aristocratic families are willing to donate food to the refugees, then we can tell the refugees that, if they are willing to go to the North Country, they will receive a year¡¯s worth of rations.¡± Lu Shuyun thought for a moment and said, ¡°This is indeed a solution.¡± If the Southern aristocratic families were willing to donate food to the refugees, then they would earn a good reputation, and Lu Shuyun would resolve the refugee crisis, which would be a favorable outcome for everyone. However, Lu Shuyun then had another thought and continued, ¡°Relying on the food donated by the Southern aristocratic families might not be enough. It would be best to find a way to lure these refugees to other feudal states, having the seigniors there help resolve the refugee crisis.¡± Hearing this, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Household said, ¡°Your Highness, this is a good method. I¡¯ve heard that Qi Prince, in order to resolve the refugee problem within his feudal state, spared no effort in sending refugees to the North Country, not only offering lower grain prices but also providing a year¡¯s worth of rations for those refugees.¡± ¡°Since these refugees are unwilling to go to the North Country, we¡¯ll send them to other feudal states. Once they go to other feudal states, the seigniors there will naturally find a way to send the refugees on to the North Country.¡± ¡°By doing this, the pressure on His Highness the Crown Prince would also be greatly reduced.¡± After hearing the words of the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Household, the look of worry on Lu Shuyun¡¯s face gradually dissipated. Now that they had a plan, it was just a matter of carrying it out. Over the next half month, Lu Shuyun did as they had discussed. On one hand, he publicly promoted the Southern aristocratic families¡¯ donation of food to the refugees; on the other, under the guise of the seigniors fulfilling their duties, he sent some of the refugees to other feudal states. Once those feudal states took in the refugees, the first thing they did was send envoys to the North Country to negotiate the acceptance of refugees. At first, Lu Chen had only wanted a small amount of food for the refugees, but when he found that quite a few seigniors were approaching him, he demanded more terms, especially concerning the trading conditions for North Country goods. Lu Shuyun¡¯s strategy had inadvertently done a great favor for the North Country. For a long time thereafter, every time Lu Chen thought of Lu Shuyun¡¯s cunning maneuvers, he couldn¡¯t stop laughing. If the North Country was to develop, it would decidedly be thanks in part to Lu Shuyun¡¯s significant contribution. Spring was gradually passing, and summer was nearing. The population in the North Country was growing, and almost the entire spring, Lu Chen was occupied with handling the refugees¡¯ affairs. North Prince Mansion. The study. Lu Chen was dealing with the paperwork for the resettlement of displaced people when a Brocade Guard at the entrance said, ¡°Prince, there is intelligence from Sufeng City.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Bring it in.¡± The Brocade Guard then entered the study and placed the newly arrived intelligence in front of Lu Chen, who opened it and glanced over it. The next moment, a smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t expected the Chu Family to let Chu Xiong and the others leave so easily; he had thought the Chu Family would do everything possible to prevent their departure, fearing a weakening of their strength. Instead of preventing them, the Chu Family even allowed Chu Xiong to take the food they donated to the displaced people up north. But on second thought, this move was beneficial for the Chu Family. On one hand, the opposing forces within the Chu Family had disappeared, and now with only one voice, things could not be more perfect for the new Family Head of the Chu Family. On the other hand, by letting Chu Xiong take the donated food north, the Chu Family also seized the opportunity to promote themselves. After all, Chu Xiong was the former Family Head. With the former head of such a notable Aristocratic Family personally leading so much food up north to be donated to those in need, the Chu Family¡¯s actions instantly maxed out their favorability with the common people. Just then, another voice sounded outside the study. ¡°Prince, are you in the study? I have some intelligence that you might be very interested in,¡± said the voice. Hearing the familiar voice, Lu Chen promptly told the nearby Brocade Guard, ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± As the voice fell, the Jinyiwei Guard turned and left the study. Seeing the Guard open the door and exit, Wang Qingci immediately entered the study and closed the door behind her. As Lu Chen sat at his desk, stamping the documents, he asked, ¡°Tell me, what intelligence might that be which interests me?¡± Wang Qingci said with a smile brimming with mischief, ¡°It¡¯s about the Princess Junwan of the Great Wu Dynasty. Do you have any interest in it, Prince?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily startled, and the hand holding the seal stopped mid-air as he looked up at Wang Qingci. Today, Wang Qingci was dressed in a red gown that hugged her shapely body, the silk fabric revealing just enough to set the imagination alight. Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°Princess Junwan of the Great Wu Dynasty? What has she done lately?¡± ¡°I recall you mentioned recently she went to the Da Yue Dynasty, right?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°She indeed was in the Da Yue Dynasty a month ago, but¡­¡± She paused, leaving her sentence hanging. Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s hesitation, Lu Chen said flatly, ¡°But what? Finish your sentence. It seems you haven¡¯t been disciplined by me for a while, and your ¡®hide¡¯ is itching again.¡± Since Lu Chen had become a Grandmaster, Wang Qingci hadn¡¯t returned to the North Prince Mansion except to report intelligence. Furthermore, with Lu Chen¡¯s focus lately being on Chu Qingli and Yelv Nanyan, Wang Qingci had not yet experienced how formidable Lu Chen had become since becoming a Grandmaster. Chapter 286 - Chapter 286: Chapter 210: Princess Wu of Great Wu in North Countryi Chapter 286: Chapter 210: Princess Wu of Great Wu in North Countryi After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci put on a delicate facade and said, ¡°Prince, you¡¯ve changed, become so fierce. You never used to be like this.¡± Lu Chen chuckled. This bitch really hadn¡¯t been taken care of by him for too long. Wang Qingci then continued, ¡°The Princess Junwan from the Great Wu dynasty might have come to Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen suddenly froze. What? The Princess of the Great Wu dynasty had come to his feudal state? A princess of a dynasty, and moreover, a power player, actually came to the territory of an enemy state without any notice. This Princess Junwan of Great Wu was really too bold, wasn¡¯t she? After snapping out of it, Lu Chen frowned. This Princess was a hot potato, being a power player of the Great Wu dynasty. If something were to happen to her in North Country, Great Wu would certainly send troops to invade Great Sum. The key issue was that this Princess also had a good relationship with the Great Yue Empress. Should anything happen to her, it was possible that the Great Yue Empress might also lend a hand. Currently, Great Yue still had an army of two hundred thousand stationed at the border between North Country and Great Yue. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Is this news accurate?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°It¡¯s not one hundred percent confirmed yet. The other party came to North Country under the guise of being Miss Qian from the Qian Family. She also plans to meet with the person behind Rain-listening Pavilion and discuss a cooperation with them.¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. She came to North Country to seek a cooperative relationship with Rain- listening Pavilion? Could it be that the Princess of Great Wu has discovered the connection between North Prince Mansion and Rain-listening Pavilion? That shouldn¡¯t be the case. There are many people associated with Rain-listening Pavilion who are not even aware of their connection to North Prince Mansion, and whenever Wang Qingci appears at Rain-listening Pavilion, she uses an alias and disguises herself. How could she have been found out by that Princess so quickly? If she really did find out that North Prince Mansion is behind Rain-listening Pavilion, then she would be even less likely to want to meet the person behind it, since the mastermind behind Rain-listening Pavilion is him, the North Prince. It would be highly inappropriate for Great Wu¡¯s Princess to come and secretly meet with him, the Seignior. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°How many experts did she bring with her to North Country this time, and how capable are they?¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°She came following the Qian sea merchant fleet. I¡¯m not clear about the exact number of experts she has with her, but there are two elders by her side that give me palpitations. In their presence, I feel as if I¡¯m seeing you, Prince.¡± Hearing this from Wang Qingci, Lu Chen frowned again. The fact that Wang Qingci felt like she was seeing him indicated that the two elders might have strength comparable to his own. In other words, they were very likely Grandmasters. It made sense, after all; a princess of a dynasty wouldn¡¯t dare to venture privately into enemy territory without strong protectors by her side. However, there is an unspoken rule among the nations that Grandmasters usually do not take action. Great Wu¡¯s Grandmasters coming to Great Sum without prior notice was not much different from provoking a war. It seems that this Princess Junwan of Great Wu doesn¡¯t put Great Sum in her eyes at all. At that moment, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Prince, do you plan to meet with this Princess?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen her foryou; this Princess is certainly very beautiful. Her looks might even compare to the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace and definitely match your taste.¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Daring to tease this Prince, Mr. Wang seems to have grown quite arrogant lately.¡± ¡°Come here to this Prince!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, ¡°Prince, that Princess of Great Wu is still waiting for my response. I will head back first today. Whenever you want to meet the Princess, just tell me, and I¡¯ll arrange a time for you.¡± As she said this, Wang Qingci was planning her escape. She hadn¡¯t yet experienced just how formidable Lu Chen had become as a Grandmaster, but she knew well enough that the current Lu Chen was even more powerful than before. Lu Chen hadn¡¯t yet become a Grandmaster, but he was already capable of disciplining her to the point of crying and screaming. If she were caught by Lu Chen now, wouldn¡¯t she be pulverized by him? Just as Wang Qingci was about to make her escape, she suddenly realized she could no longer move her body. Wang Qingci was stunned. What was happening? Lu Chen looked at her with a smile and said, ¡°Mr. Wang, daring to defy this Prince¡¯s orders. Are you ready to accept your punishment?¡± While speaking, Lu Chen raised his hand and channeled all his Spiritual Energy, and in the next moment, a powerful suction force released from the palm of his hand, pulling Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body directly in front of him. What Lu Chen used wasn¡¯t the Absorption Technique but simply the Release of Spiritual Power, which anyone in the Grandmaster Realm could use. Soon, Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body was completely controlled by Lu Chen¡¯s large hand, held in his embrace. Wang Qingci simply gave up struggling, as she knew she wasn¡¯t getting away today. Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s resigned demeanor, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Mr. Wang running now?¡± Wang Qingci turned her head to look at Lu Chen and said with a demeanor of someone unfazed by threats, ¡°The Prince has me under control, how could I run away?¡± Lu Chen raised his hand and slapped her bottom with a smack. Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body trembled, and she let out a soft cry. Chapter 287 - Chapter 287: Chapter 210: Princess Wu of Great Wu in Chapter 287: Chapter 210: Princess Wu of Great Wu in North Country_2 Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Wang Qingci¡¯s slender waist, whispering in her ear, ¡°It has been a long time since I¡¯ve been in contact with Mr. Wang¡¯s body; I didn¡¯t expect you to still be so sensitive.¡± At this moment, a blush appeared on Wang Qingci¡¯s face, her eyes filled with the mist of autumn water, and she then said, ¡°Prince, you just like to bully me.¡± Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s pitiful appearance, Lu Chen completely lost his self-control and pressed her down onto the desk. Meanwhile. At a certain restaurant opened by Rain-listening Pavilion. Inside a private room, a stunningly beautiful woman was quietly sipping her tea. The woman was dressed in a red garment, bordered with golden thread embroidery. Her hair was done up in a bun, adorned with golden hairpins, making her appear noble and elegant. At that time, an old granny in the private room said to the woman, ¡°Your Highness, do you think the woman we met earlier isn¡¯t the true owner behind Rain-listening Pavilion?¡± Wu Junwan smiled slightly and then set down her teacup, saying, ¡°She is merely a Half-step Grandmaster. A Half-step Grandmaster cannot be running such a large power. After all, Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s business extends across several dynasties, with traces even in the Great Qian Dynasty.¡± The old granny asked curiously, ¡°Then why does Your Highness think that the real owner behind Rain-listening Pavilion must be in the North Country?¡± Wu Junwan extended her delicate jade-like hand, softly picked up the teapot, and poured herself another cup of tea. While pouring the tea, she said, ¡°Although Rain-listening Pavilion engages in all sorts of business, they started from the North Country. Based on my palace¡¯s judgment, the true owner behind Rain-listening Pavilion is likely connected with the superpower supporting the North Prince Mansion.¡± At this point, Wu Junwan picked up the teacup from the table and sipped her tea once more. In her heart, Wu Junwan thought that this superpower must be plotting something, which is why she wanted to make contact with this force in advance to test their true intentions. As a key figure in control of intelligence work within the Great Wu Dynasty, she needed to be aware of potential enemies¡ªnot just to know about them, but to understand their ins and outs and identify their weaknesses. Only in this way, when facing this enemy in the future, the Great Wu Dynasty could come up with countermeasures more swiftly. At this moment, another old man with white hair in the room asked, ¡°Your Highness, how can you be sure that the real owner behind Rain-listening Pavilion will agree to meet with you?¡± Wu Junwan smiled lightly, then said, ¡°Whether he wants to see me or not is irrelevant. My request to meet their Tower Master is ostensibly for the purpose of business cooperation.¡± No sooner had Wu Junwan¡¯s words fallen than a portly man entered the private room. Upon entering, he immediately bowed and said, ¡°This subordinate pays respects to Princess Junwan! May Your Highness live for a thousand, a thousand, a thousand more years!¡± Wu Junwan nodded and then said, ¡°President Qian, starting today, you will stay in the North Country. I¡¯ve discovered that there are many good things in the North Country, and the commercial environment is also very favorable. The North Prince is not like the other Seigniors; he values commerce highly, which is very beneficial for Qianhai Commercial Association.¡± Qian Dahai immediately said, ¡°Yes, Princess Junwan.¡± At that time, Qian Dahai said, ¡°Princess, will you be meeting with the North Prince during your visit to the North Country?¡± ¡°Our company often interacts with the North Prince Mansion. If you wish to meet the North Prince, Qianhai Commercial Association can provide the connection.¡± Qianhai Commercial Association, on the surface, is just a regular business association, but in actuality, it is an intelligence organization operated by Wu Junwan. Like Rain-listening Pavilion, Qianhai Commercial Association does business across several dynasties and also collects intelligence everywhere. After hearing Qian Dahai¡¯s words, Wu Junwan thought for a moment and then said, ¡°No need. Making a pointed effort to get close to the North Prince may expose my identity too easily.¡± ¡°My main purpose in coming to the North Country is to see for myself what the reformations here really entail.¡± Actually, Wu Junwan also wanted to meet the North Prince, but as he is now an important piece of that superpower, the superpower would certainly have people protecting the North Prince. If she approached the North Prince rashly, it was highly likely her identity would be discovered by others. At this time, Wu Junwan was unaware that her identity had already been found out. From the moment Wu Junwan left the Great Wu Dynasty, Rain-listening Pavilion had been monitoring their movements. While they apparently returned to the Great Wu after leaving the Da Yue Dynasty, they had secretly come to the North Country. They had not expected Rain-listening Pavilion to find out about their little maneuver. Furthermore, with the two Grandmasters behind Wu Junwan, Wang Qingci was almost certain that this so-called Miss Qian was actually the Princess of Great Wu. Wang Qingci had a good eye for people; even without having seen the Princess of Great Wu, she could deduce from the aura exuding from Wu Junwan that the so-called Miss Qian was someone of high status. Someone with Wu Junwan¡¯s distinguished and noble temperament couldn¡¯t possibly belong to a daughter of a commercial family. Whether it was her speech or her every action, she emanated the aura of a superior, clearly someone with great authority. In the Great Wu Dynasty, the only woman holding great power was their Princess Junwan. At first, Wang Qingci actually couldn¡¯t believe her own guess, but then she thought about it, this woman was protected by two martial artists whose aura was nearly as strong as Lu Chen¡¯s. Even upon coming to North Country, North Country might have no way to deal with her, so it was normal for her to dare to come to North Country. Although she didn¡¯t know what the woman was doing by stealthily coming to North Country, there must be some special purpose since she had come. As for whether she was really the Princess Junwan of the Great Wu Dynasty, that would have to be left for Lu Chen to judge. At this very moment, Wang Qingci was enduring the endless rage of Lu Chen in his study. Lu Chen had not disciplined Wang Qingci for too long, and today his anger was especially intense. A mere female slave, actually daring to disobey him, was simply looking for a rebellion, and needed to be severely punished. The little maid at the study¡¯s entrance blushed as she listened to the sounds coming from inside, her ears turning red. At that moment, the figure of a beautiful woman appeared outside the study. As the beautiful woman entered the courtyard, she heard the noises coming from the study. Seeing the maid¡¯s blushing face, she immediately understood what was happening. Chu Yuqin suddenly felt a sour jealousy in her heart and snorted, mumbling to herself, ¡°Bitch! Coming in broad daylight to disturb Chen¡¯er with his official duties, truly a calamity brought by a beautiful face!¡± Even though Chu Yuqin felt somewhat uncomfortable hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s voice, she didn¡¯t leave the courtyard and just quietly waited outside. After an unknown amount of time, the sound inside the study finally subsided. In a little while, Wang Qingci emerged from the study, limping. She didn¡¯t even glance at Chu Yuqin and used her qinggong to run away as if fleeing for her life. After Wang Qingci left, Chu Yuqin walked straight towards the study. With the door still open, seeing Chu Yuqin at the entrance, Lu Chen quickly adjusted his clothes and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, when did you arrive?¡± Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen somberly, then spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, with so many official duties to handle every day, how can you do such things with that bitch during the daytime?¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin entered the study without closing the door, standing at the entrance as if to guard against Lu Chen. Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Ah, Madam Chu, you may not know, but recently I¡­¡± Lu Chen hesitated, looking at the open study door, and then continued, ¡°Madam Chu, please close the door first, I have a secret to tell you.¡± Seeing the secretive look on Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin¡¯s curiosity was piqued. A secret? What secret? Could it be about immortals? With this thought, Chu Yuqin turned and closed the room door, but as soon as the study door closed, a pair of restless hands wrapped around her slender waist. Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind paused, just about to say something, when she heard Lu Chen whisper in her ear, ¡°Madam Chu, you might not know yet, but I have already broken through to the Grandmaster Realm.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was completely stunned. Grandmaster? How is that possible? Lu Chen is only seventeen years old, right? A seventeen-year-old Grandmaster? Others who want to break through to the Grandmaster Realm, even martial arts geniuses, would have to be at least in their forties or fifties. He¡¯s already a Grandmaster at seventeen! Chu Yuqin quickly collected herself; after all, Lu Chen was someone with a destiny linked to immortals, so him becoming a Grandmaster so quickly didn¡¯t seem too strange. Chapter 288 - Chapter 288: Chapter 211 Young Prince, You Wait for Your Sisteri Chapter 288: Chapter 211 Young Prince, You Wait for Your Sisteri Chu Yuqin regained her composure, and with a slight twist of her waist, she turned her head toward Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you are someone with a destiny for immortality, so it¡¯s not surprising that you could advance to the Grandmaster level so quickly.¡± ¡°Based on your current speed of cultivation, I¡¯m afraid it wouldn¡¯t take many years for you to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°If Sister Yue were aware down below, she would certainly feel happy for you.¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled slightly, his eyes reflecting his gaze at Chu Yuqin as he said, ¡°Is it that only my mother would be happy for me? Madam Chu, wouldn¡¯t you rejoice for me as well?¡± Feeling the heat of Lu Chen¡¯s intense gaze, Chu Yuqin found her heart becoming restless and her throat a bit dry, ¡°Madam is, of course, also happy for you.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Although breaking through is certainly a good thing, ever since I reached the Grandmaster level, I¡¯ve found my vigor growing increasingly robust, making it utterly impossible for me to calm down and deal with political affairs.¡± ¡°Now that Zixuan, along with Xiaozhou and Dazhou, are pregnant, neither Nanyan nor Yaoyao can help me release this energy, and even occasional visits to Bai are of no use.¡± ¡°Madam Chu, you must have noticed that recently Nanyan seldom leaves Spring Sound Court.¡± At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s deep eyes were intently fixed on Chu Yuqin. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, and feeling his bodily agitation, Chu Yuqin instantly understood what he meant. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to speak, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Chu, several months have passed, do you still remember what you said in my study?¡± Blushing, Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°Madam remembers, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°Madam also wants to help you, but now that Qing Li is the Deputy Commander of the guards at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she frequently patrols everywhere. If you were discovered by her serving me, there¡¯s a good chance she would harbor resentment towards you,¡± Chu Yuqin said. ¡®Qing Li grew up with me and holds special affection for me. I fear that if she finds out about us, she might take extreme actions, to your detriment.¡± ¡°You can see that once she sets her mind on something, nothing anyone says can change her mind; she has a personality that can easily become extreme.¡± Having heard this, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°So you mean, as long as I can send Qing Li away from the North Prince Mansion for a while, Madam Chu would then be willing to help me?¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks blazed with heat, and her body burned, thrown into disarray under Lu Chen¡¯s gaze. She quickly averted her eyes to the side, daring not to meet his gaze anymore. Chu Yuqin hastened to change the subject, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the other reason I came to you today is about Qing Li. Recently, she¡¯s had issues with her training; there are many scars on her body that won¡¯t go away. Since you know Immortal Techniques, could you maybe help remove those scars.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Although my Immortal Technique can heal wounds on the body, eliminating those kinds of scars is not easy. I also tried to help Qing Li to remove those scars, only to find out that it takes a lot of effort, and even when removed, the next day Qing Li would have even more scars. I am at a loss.¡± ¡°Unless Qing Li can stop practicing martial arts for a while, even if I use Immortal Techniques each day to remove the scars, it will not be effective.¡± Upon hearing what Lu Chen said, Chu Yuqin took a deep breath and then proposed, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll temporarily relieve her duties as Deputy Commander for a while and let her rest. You can call Bai back to the inner courts to take over her post.¡± Close to Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, Lu Chen inquired, ¡°Does this mean that after Qing Li is relieved of her duties, Madam Chu will come to my room at night?¡± In a soft voice, Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°That won¡¯t work either. Even though she¡¯ll be relieved from her duties, she will still be in the inner courts, and there is still a chance she might discover us. It would be better to have Qing Li leave the North Prince Mansion for a while.¡± Understanding her concern, Lu Chen said, ¡°I see. I will find something new for Qing Li to do, to make her leave the North Prince Mansion for a bit.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin was feeling weak all over, her legs barely able to hold her upright. If not for being firmly embraced by Lu Chen¡¯s strong arms, she might have collapsed. Remembering that Chu Qingli had duty during the day, Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, today is Qing Li¡¯s turn for patrol duty. If she comes this way and there¡¯s nothing else, Madam will take her leave first.¡± Saying this, Chu Yuqin struggled lightly, wanting to leave Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, but his grasp was too tight for her to escape. Lu Chen then said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, ever since I ascended to the Grandmaster level, I have been feeling a dull pain in my Damian. How about you help me regulate it?¡± At his words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned even more flushed, like a ripe red apple about to drip with moisture. Before she could speak, Lu Chen leaned down and captured her tempting red lips in a kiss. Then, Lu Chen¡¯s hand snuck into Chu Yuqin¡¯s clothes, boldly roaming her body Unlike before, this time Chu Yuqin did not resist, but instead actively went along with him. In her heart, she was already prepared to serve Lu Chen; her only worry now was whether Chu Qingli would detect them sneaking around in the study. After kissing for a while, Lu Chen broke away from Chu Yuqin¡¯s lips. He had no intention of going any further, as he had other matters to attend to shortly. At this moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes were misty with spring, her beauty magnified as she leaned into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. Chu Yuqin¡¯s body was incredibly soft and warm, like holding a fluffy wad of cotton, very much akin to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s physique. Most mature women were like this, their body fat evenly distributed, making them neither seem chubby nor too thin, their touch was simply delightful. After a brief moment, Chu Yuqin came to her senses, and upon thinking how she had just actively cooperated with Lu Chen, she felt an immense shame wash over her, truly a woman without integrity. Having been married already, yet still, she engaged in such secret affairs with a much younger man inside a study. Right then, Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°Madam Chu, thank you for helping me recover my body; I am feeling much better now.¡± Chu Yuqin spoke in a voice as tiny as a mosquito¡¯s, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Lu Chen then let go of Chu Yuqin, ¡°Alright.¡± She immediately turned and exited Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, opened the door to the room to get some air, that strange smell in the study was suffocating her. At that moment, Chu Qingli¡¯s figure appeared just by the courtyard entrance; Chu Yuqin, like a thief caught in the act, hurried out of Lu Chen¡¯s study, terrified her sister might notice something. However, at this point, Chu Qingli already noticed Chu Yuqin at the entrance of the study; seeing Chu Yuqin, her face flushed as she came out, such suspicions sprang up instantly within her. She coldly eyed the study, thinking to herself that the lecher still had his designs on her sister. The very thought of what the lecher had done to her recently made Chu Qingli¡¯s delicate body tremble involuntarily, her legs going weak. In recent times, they had ¡°transacted¡± twenty times, with eighty more to go. She had wanted to push through and finish the transactions within three months, but Chu Yuqin staying in the inner court had made it difficult to find the opportunity to be alone with Lu Chen. Most importantly, Lu Chen¡¯s strength had improved to the Grandmaster Realm, and she could hardly withstand it; each transaction with him required her to rest for several days to recover. Moreover, this detestable man always enjoyed leaving marks on her snow- white body, which troubled her immensely. Lucidly, her sister was oblivious to how these marks came about; otherwise, her relationship with Lu Chen might be in danger of being exposed. Meanwhile, Lu Chen appeared at the doorway of the study, locking eyes with Chu Qingli at the courtyard entrance. Chu Qingli glared coldly at Lu Chen after seeing him. Lu Chen smiled, utterly undisturbed, remembering how she had called him daddy the night before, and now she scorned him; women truly are fickle, not recognizing him once they¡¯re dressed. But he was magnanimous by nature; he wasn¡¯t mad at all, for he knew that come evening, Chu Qingli would revert to her last night¡¯s state. Simultaneously, Wang Qingci returned to her residence, instructed her maids to ready some hot water, and peeled off her torn clothes before plunging into the bath. As she wiped her body, she used her Inner Strength to expel the impurities from within. Wang Qmgci still felt a sense of dread; she hadn¡¯t expected that little deviant to become so formidable after breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm. It was fortunate that it had happened in the study, and during the day when he had to deal with state affairs, for if it had taken place in her room, and moreover at night, she shuddered to think what would have become of her. At this moment, Wang Qingci gently touched her lower belly, noting it had already begun to swell, and couldn¡¯t help but hum softly, ¡°Young Prince, you just wait for your sister, once I break through to the Grandmaster¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence. Once she broke through to the Grandmaster Realm, Lu Chen would have likely already ascended to the Celestial Realm, or even above that realm; she would stand even less of a chance against him then. Thinking of this infuriated Wang Qingci; she hated that she couldn¡¯t match Lu Chen, allowing him to be so arrogant. Even though she was a Female Slave, she, too, had aspirations to become the one in control, to pin Lu Chen beneath her. At that moment, Wang Qingci sighed; it was better to focus on expelling the impurities from her body with her practice, or else there would be consequences later on. And so, Wang Qingci continued with her practice. After bathing, Wang Qingci changed into a purple dress, and as evening approached, she took Lu Chen with her to visit Wu Junwan¡¯s place of stay. Chapter 289 - Chapter 289: Chapter 212 Cooperation 1 Chapter 289: Chapter 212 Cooperation 1 As evening approached and the sun dipped in the west, a fiery red sun hung in the sky, accompanied by vast spreads of crimson sunset clouds. At this moment, with the glow of the sunset reflecting on their faces, even the whitest skin took on a tawny hue. When Lu Chen entered the private room of the tavern where Wu Junwan was, he was slightly taken aback by the sight of Wu Junwan near the window. Dressed in a striking red garment that hugged her figure, Wu Junwan exuded a serene yet charming aura of a mature woman. She was stunningly beautiful, as if she were a goddess descending from the heavens, noble and graceful. At that moment, Wu Junwan turned her head to look toward the entrance where Lu Chen stood, his face obscured by a mask. Still, from Lu Chen¡¯s attire and skin tone, one could tell the newcomer was a young man in his twenties at most. Seeing such a young visitor who could exert a sense of pressure, Wu Junwan involuntarily raised her eyebrows slightly, though the movement was subtle and barely noticeable. The two elders in the room tensed up instantly. They had not expected that the North Country would have a Grandmaster, especially one so young. Having regained his composure, Lu Chen used his system to identify Wu Junwan¡¯s personal information. Wang Qingci had suggested that the woman before him was the Princess of Great Wu, but that was only speculation; it would take a system check to confirm its accuracy. The next moment, Wu Junwan¡¯s personal details appeared before Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. [Name: Wu Junwan] [Identity: Princess Wu of Great Wu, daughter of the Martial Emperor, friend of the Yue Emperor, 30 years old this year, possesses extremely high martial arts talent, having reached the pinnacle of the Master Realm. She is very interested in the North Prince, so she took the opportunity of a diplomatic mission to the Da Yue Dynasty to sneak into the North Country, wanting to see what the North Prince was up to and to test the Rain-listening Pavilion, to see if the shadowy power behind the North Prince Mansion is indeed the same superpower that supports it.] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 10] Seeing the information before him, Lu Chen chuckled to himself. Well, well, she really is the Princess of Great Wu! Wang Qingci¡¯s intuition, the wily bitch, was indeed accurate. If it were someone else, it¡¯s likely they would not have guessed that this woman was the Princess of Great Wu, and she could have come and gone from Yan County without the Prince being any the wiser. The fact that the Brocade Guard hadn¡¯t reported any information about Wu Junwan showed that she and her companions were adept at concealing their presence; even the Brocade Guards in the city failed to detect the formidable strength of the three individuals in the room. Normally, once the Brocade Guards discovered a martial artist of the Master Realm entering Yan County, they would report to the North Prince Mansion immediately, whether they recognized the individual or not, in accordance with the rules set by Lu Chen. Thinking this, it became clear to Lu Chen that the Brocade Guards had their limitations; they were unable to detect martial artists who were adept at hiding their presence when they entered Yan County. This gave Lu Chen a sense of crisis. If these three had escaped the Brocade Guards¡¯ detection, were there other powerful figures in Yan County that had also gone unnoticed? Such individuals might not pose a threat to the military, but if they were to carry out assassinations, launch surprise attacks, or covertly infiltrate significant places to uncover the secrets of the North Country, it was certainly possible. There was no other choice but to strengthen the alert level. With this in mind, Lu Chen glanced again at the two elders standing behind Wu Junwan. [Name: Pei Hong] [Identity: Protector of Wu Junwan, 105 years old.] [Strength: Grandmaster] [Loyalty: 0] [Name: Hu Shu] [Identity: A martial artist sent by the Great Yue Empress to protect Wu Junwan, 120 years old.] [Strength: Grandmaster] [Loyalty: 0] Lu Chen frowned slightly, Wang Qingci¡¯s instincts were not wrong; there indeed were two Grandmasters. What Lu Chen didn¡¯t know at this moment was that, compared to his wariness of the trio, Wu Junwan and her companions were even more apprehensive of him. A Grandmaster in a feudal state, and such a young one at that, signaled massive backing; a Grandmaster was nothing remarkable to the superpower behind the scenes, otherwise they would not have sent one to the North Country. Moreover, the youth¡¯s early achievement as a Grandmaster was virtually unheard of. If he could reach the Grandmaster level at such a young age, he might breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm by his middle age. Most Grandmasters from the major dynasties had reached the Grandmaster Realm around the age of a hundred, with the exception of one woman. After a brief moment of astonishment, Wu Junwan quickly recovered and, with a warm smile and unassuming grace, said, ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am the daughter of the President of Qianhai Merchant Association, named Qian Wanyun. I am here to visit the Rain-listening Pavilion primarily to discuss a commercial alliance. May I know if that¡¯s possible?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Of course it is.¡± Then he walked toward the window. As Lu Chen drew closer, Pei Hong and Hu Shu immediately tensed up. Both were Grandmasters, and although it¡¯s often said that old ginger is hotter than young, this young man had reached the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age, which indicated his extraordinary martial arts talent. It was impossible to say just how formidable his strength might be. Just as there are gaps between Masters, there are disparities between Grandmasters as well. Pei Hong and Hu Shu were afraid that the young man might suddenly attack Wu Junwan upon approaching her. However, it was clear that Lu Chen had no such intention; he simply took a seat by the window and then said, ¡°Allow me to introduce myself as well. My name is Chen Lu, and I am the true Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion.¡± Chapter 290 - Chapter 290: Chapter 212 Cooperation_2 Chapter 290: Chapter 212 Cooperation_2 Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan smiled and said, ¡°I was thinking from the start that the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion, whose business spans across several dynasties, could not possibly be just a Half-step Grandmaster. It seems I have guessed right.¡± ¡°Only a Grandmaster like Master Chen could have the capability to expand Rain-listening Pavilion to its current scale.¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan directly pointed out his strength, Lu Chen was not surprised at all. Although he was trying hard to conceal his aura, the imposing presence of a Grandmaster still lingered, making it easy for others to discern his true strength. Unless he could cultivate a technique that completely concealed his realm, no matter how much he tried to hide his aura, it would always be detectable by others. Especially in front of Grandmasters and Grandmasters, a Grandmaster needs not to be mentioned, for as a Grandmaster, one can easily sense the realm of another Grandmaster. And in front of some particularly sensitive Grandmasters, as long as they felt a sense of crisis, or discomfort throughout their body, they could easily determine that the person in front of them was a Grandmaster. No sooner had Wu Junwan finished speaking than Pei Hong, who stood to the side, said, ¡°Master Chen really is young and promising. I have never before heard of such a young Grandmaster. Master Chen must certainly possess exceptional martial arts talent and a vast wealth of resources for cultivation. It seems Rain-listening Pavilion is even richer than we imagined.¡± Pei Hong¡¯s words were clearly probing Lu Chen. A Grandmaster so young was truly astonishing, and without a vast wealth of resources for cultivating martial arts, even with high talent, Pei Hong did not believe that one could break through to the Grandmaster Realm in their youth. In his view, there might very well be a superpower behind the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion, like what Wu Junwan had guessed. Whether this superpower was the one supporting the North Prince Mansion, they could not yet ascertain. However, they had come with the intention of gathering information and naturally wanted to probe the other party further. Lu Chen smiled lightly, then said, ¡°You flatter me, elder. Rain-listening Pavilion is but a small trade association, and it has been established only recently. How could it be wealthy?¡± ¡°If we¡¯re talking about wealth, Qianhai Commercial Association is far richer. Not only is the daughter of the chairman an Extreme Realm Master, but they also have two Grandmasters. As far as I know, the Great Xia Dynasty has but one Grandmaster, yet the Qianhai Commercial Association alone has two sitting Grandmasters. I¡¯m afraid when it comes to wealth, no force is qualified to compare with Qianhai Commercial Association.¡± At this moment, Wu Junwan smiled and said, ¡°Master Chen, let¡¯s leave the compliments here and discuss the cooperation instead.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No problem. How does Miss Qian propose we collaborate?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°As I understand it, Master Chen has always been keen to do business in the Great Wu Dynasty. Only due to some obstacles, Rain-listening Pavilion has been unable to enter the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Yes, my people came back and told me that the princess of the Great Wu Dynasty is very domineering. The tavern we opened in the Great Wu Dynasty was shut down within days by the princess, citing threats to the dynasty¡¯s security.¡± ¡°Our Rain-listening Pavilion caravans also can¡¯t enter the Great Wu Dynasty, often being excessively scrutinized by the soldiers of the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes sparkled with a smiling gaze fixed on Wu Junwan. For a moment, the atmosphere inside the room grew tense. Pei Hong and Hu Shu both prepared themselves for action. They couldn¡¯t help but suspect that, by mentioning the princess of Great Wu at this time, Lu Chen might have already discovered Wu Junwan¡¯s identity. This was not good. After all, they were in a foreign land, and they had come to North Country discreetly. If their identities were exposed, it could not only potentially reignite conflict between the two great dynasties, but Wu Junwan might also be in danger. Before coming to North Country, they had never thought that North Country would have any presence capable of threatening Wu Junwan¡¯s safety¡ªuntil they met the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion. To cultivate such a young martial artist into a Grandmaster proved the power of Rain-listening Pavilion. Perhaps there were even more Grandmasters behind Rain-listening Pavilion, which made them wary of Lu Chen. Wu Junwan didn¡¯t pay much attention to Lu Chen¡¯s words, speaking indifferently, ¡°What if I said that I could help Rain-listening Pavilion establish a presence in the Great Wu Dynasty, and even without being scrutinized?¡± Lu Chen feigned a puzzled expression, ¡°Oh? Miss Qian, you have a way?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Princess of Great Wu is a very unreasonable woman. Once she sets her mind on something, no one can persuade her otherwise. Moreover, she holds real power. There are hardly a few on the entire court of Great Wu who dare to challenge her.¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, and a faint line of annoyance appeared on her forehead, as if angered, but she still sat gracefully, smiling as she said, ¡°Master Chen may not be aware, but our Qian Family has a very special relationship with the Princess.¡± ¡°The reason Qianhai Commercial Association has been able to grow to its current size is inseparable from the Princess¡¯s support. If Rain-listening Pavilion can reach a cooperation with Qianhai Commercial Association, then naturally the Princess won¡¯t trouble Rain-listening Pavilion again.¡± Lu Chen looked skeptically at Wu Junwan¡¯s mature and beautiful face, ¡°Really? But I¡¯ve heard that the Princess of Great Wu is a key figure in controlling national intelligence, holding a status second only to the Martial Emperor in the Great Wu Dynasty. If she has decided that Rain-listening Pavilion is a threat to the Great Wu Dynasty, would she really allow us to cooperate with Qianhai Commercial Association?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because our Princess holds such a high position in Great Wu that whether Rain-listening Pavilion is a threat to the Great Wu Dynasty is merely a matter of her say-so.¡± ¡°If Rain-listening Pavilion can offer enough benefits, I believe our Princess would allow Rain-listening Pavilion to do business in Great Wu.¡± Continuing, Wu Junwan said, ¡°And with the guarantee from Qianhai Commercial Association, Master Chen can be completely at ease.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen appeared pensive. After a moment, he said, ¡°If it¡¯s possible to allow Rain-listening Pavilion to establish a presence in the Great Wu Dynasty, certainly, we¡¯ll grant the benefits we should. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m unsure how Miss Qian plans to cooperate with Rain-listening Pavilion.¡± Seeing Lu Chen agree, Wu Junwan smiled and said, ¡°Our cooperation is simple. In the future, Rain-listening Pavilion and Qianhai Commercial Association will establish a new commercial association. All of Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s business in the Great Wu Dynasty will be managed by the new association, and both parties will hold a fifty percent share.¡± ¡°Master Chen shouldn¡¯t misunderstand. Of the fifty percent stake that Qianhai Commercial Association holds, forty percent will go to the Princess. That¡¯s the only way she might agree to let Rain-listening Pavilion enter the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen let out a chuckle. Well, Wu Junwan is looking to deploy a reverse infiltration strategy, huh? By forming a new commercial association through cooperation between the two, Rain-listening Pavilion would be in a position of constant surveillance while doing business in the Great Wu Dynasty. Besides, it¡¯s possible for people from the Great Wu Dynasty to glean some internal information about Rain-listening Pavilion in return. The Princess of Great Wu certainly plays a shrewd game. However, that said, although it seems greatly advantageous for Wu Junwan, Lu Chen still decided to agree. He was very interested in forging ties with the royalty of Great Wu, a connection they would inevitably need sooner or later. Thereupon, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, no problem. I¡¯ll leave the matter with the Great Wu Princess up to the Qian Family.¡± Seeing how straightforwardly Lu Chen agreed, Wu Junwan was momentarily taken aback. She had thought that Lu Chen would ask them some questions, like why they wanted to cooperate, or perhaps demand more conditions. Instead, this man didn¡¯t ask anything. At this point, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Master Chen curious why Qianhai Commercial Association wants to cooperate with Rain-listening Pavilion?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Your reason is quite apparent, isn¡¯t it? Qianhai Commercial Association is a commercial group from the Great Wu Dynasty and has a very good relationship with the Princess of Great Wu. Qianhai Commercial Association wants to enter Great Xia and North Country to do business, and it¡¯s best to find a partner for cooperation. Otherwise, Qianhai Commercial Association might face the same obstacles Rain-listening Pavilion has encountered in Great Wu.¡± ¡°Moreover, Qianhai Commercial Association must have already realized that North Country holds great business potential, and the products manufactured by the North Prince Mansion have high commercial value as well, so you too want a share of the profits.¡± ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I, Miss Qian?¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fixed on Wu Junwan¡¯s beautiful eyes. Chapter 291 - Chapter 291: Chapter 213: Wu Junwan Hurries to Leave North Countryi Chapter 291: Chapter 213: Wu Junwan Hurries to Leave North Countryi Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward, a hint of a smile appearing on her face. Lu Chen had indeed hit the mark. She had indeed planned to use the words Lu Chen mentioned as an excuse. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Master Chen is right, our Qianhai Commercial Association indeed sees great commercial potential in the North Country, and we also see great commercial value in the products manufactured by the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°Of course, these are not the most important things, the most important is that the products made by the North Prince Mansion are also used by our Princess Junwan, and she likes them very much.¡± ¡°It is for this reason that we wish to collaborate with the Rain-listening Pavilion to sell the goods of the North Country in the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°In that case, I wish us a pleasant cooperation.¡± ¡°As for the details of the collaboration, I¡¯ll leave it to Miss Qian and our Vice Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion to discuss, as I have other matters to attend to and must take my leave now.¡± ¡°Miss Qian, if you need anything during your time in the North Country, feel free to contact us at the Rain-listening Pavilion, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.¡± Wu Junwan smiled slightly and said graciously, ¡°Thank you, Master Chen.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, after all, we will be partners from now on, and the Rain-listening Pavilion naturally wants to take good care of Miss Qian during her stay in Great Xia.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen stood up, ready to leave, ¡°Then Miss Qian, that will be all for today.¡± Wu Junwan also stood up promptly, ¡°Master Chen, please take care.¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, without saying anything further, and turned to leave the private room directly. Even though Lu Chen had left, Wang Qingci did not; Lu Chen¡¯s appearance was merely a formality. As the true owner behind the Rain-listening Pavilion, he naturally did not need to engage in the specifics of business collaboration, especially since the person from Qianhai Commercial Association was not their president. In name, Wu Junwan was merely the daughter of the President of Qianhai Merchant Association, not the president herself, so her status was a bit lower than that of the Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion. Thus, handing over the task of receiving Wu Junwan to Wang Qingci, the nominal Vice Tower Master, was sufficient, and all Lu Chen needed to do was to make a stance. After Lu Chen left, Wu Junwan and her party finalized the details of the collaboration with Wang Qingci, establishing a new merchant association called ¡°Tinghai,¡± which would be mainly responsible for conducting business within the Great Wu Dynasty territory, diverting business from other dynasties to the association. Once the collaboration was officially established, both parties decided on the two individuals who would manage the Tinghai Merchant Association. In terms of managing the association, Wu Junwan made some concessions, allowing the person appointed by the Rain-listening Pavilion to become the official president, while their representative from the Qianhai Commercial Association would assume the role of vice president. After everything had been negotiated, the sky had completely darkened. Nighttime. Wu Junwan sat in the private room of an inn, adjusting her Inner Strength. After a little while, her beautiful eyes opened, looking at the two elderly people before her. Hu Shu said at this moment, ¡°Princess Junwan, we should hurry and leave the North Country; it is more dangerous than we anticipated.¡± As someone sent by the Empress of Da Yue to protect Wu Junwan, she was very concerned about Wu Junwan¡¯s safety. If anything happened to Wu Junwan, she would not know how to explain it to the Empress of Da Yue. Hearing Hu Shu¡¯s words, Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°We will leave the North Country early tomorrow morning.¡± Wu Junwan had no intention to prolong her stay in the North Country as she now felt the waters there were a bit too deep. Not only had the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace come to the North Country and stayed for several months without leaving, but now such a young Grandmaster had also appeared in the North Country. In addition, there were the heavy cavalry of the North Country, which made Wu Junwan sense that the North Country was a land fraught with strife. As the Princess of the Great Wu Dynasty, it was better for her to leave this place of conflict as soon as possible. Initially, she had planned to stay in the North Country for a while to see what the North Prince was up to and to investigate the situation with the North Country heavy cavalry. Now it seemed that leaving the North Country as soon as possible was the best decision. Relieved by Wu Junwan¡¯s words, both Hu Shu and Pei Hong, the Grandmasters, heaved a sigh of relief. It was good as long as Wu Junwan was willing to leave; the concern was that she might be too confident and unwilling to leave the North Country so soon. At this moment, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Grandma Hu, Senior Pei, if you were to confront that Chen Lu, would you be confident in defeating him?¡± Upon hearing this question, Hu Shu and Pei Hong were taken aback for a moment. Pei Hong was the first to answer, ¡°Your Highness, without having fought, it is very difficult for us to judge his exact strength, but someone so young achieving the status of a Grandmaster must be extremely profound in the martial arts.¡± ¡°Furthermore, in his presence, I felt a very strong sense of danger, and if it came to a fight, I very well might not be his match.¡± Pei Hong had once clashed with Situ Ce, and he had never felt the kind of danger he did in front of Situ Ce as he did just now. Even though he sensed that Chen Lu¡¯s realm was not much different from his own, deep inside he always felt as though he was being targeted, as if a fierce beast had set its sights on him, which made him very uncomfortable. Therefore, Pei Hong surmised that Chen Lu¡¯s strength was likely greater than his own, and if it really came to a fight, he would probably not be a match for the young man, possibly not even able to withstand for half an hour. Surprised by Pei Hong¡¯s words, Wu Junwan had not expected even Pei Hong to lack confidence in defeating Chen Lu. Her gaze then fell on Hu Shu, who began to speak, ¡°I share the same view as Mr. Pei; if I were to confront that Chen Lu on my own, it is highly likely that I would not be his match.¡± Chapter 292 - Chapter 292: Chapter 213: Wu Junwan Hurries to Leave Chapter 292: Chapter 213: Wu Junwan Hurries to Leave North Country_2 Hearing Hu Shu¡¯s words, Wu Junwan also realized the terror of Lu Chen. She was merely an Extreme Realm Master and, while she could sense the powerful presence emanating from Lu Chen, she was unable to determine how strong he truly was, only that he was a Grandmaster. However, the words of Pei Hong and Hu Shu made her understand that this Chen Lu¡¯s strength was even more terrifying than she had imagined. It seemed his background was not simple. Given the consideration, Rain-listening Pavilion likely had some connection with the power behind North Prince Mansion, though it was unclear what they aimed to achieve in North Country or what they hoped to gain from the North Prince. As such, Wu Junwan grew even more intrigued by this North Prince Lu Chen. What sort of value did he possess that warranted such support from so many forces? But for the near term, answers to these questions would elude her; her only option was to leave the Qianhai Commercial Association in North Country and slowly dig for useful information. At that moment, Wu Junwan continued to ask, ¡°Elder Pei, Old Madame Hu, do you think that this Chen Lu has realized my true identity?¡± Pei Hong answered, ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that he¡¯s aware. Qianhai Commercial Association, despite its wealth, couldn¡¯t possibly have two Grandmasters; however, he may not know that you¡¯re the Princess of Great Wu. He might think you¡¯re someone sent by the princess.¡± After all, Wu Junwan was the Princess of Great Wu, a figure with actual authority. Normally she would not stealthily visit another dynasty without prior notice, as that would compromise her stature. Also, the number of people who had seen Wu Junwan was quite limited, even within the Great Wu Dynasty few knew what their princess looked like. Thus, Pei Hong believed that the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion might not recognize Wu Junwan as their princess. At most, he might guess that the three of them were connected to the Princess of Great Wu. Of course, this was just what Pei Hong thought. At this time, Hu Shu also spoke, ¡°Elder Pei is right, I share the same view.¡± Wu Junwan fell into deep thought and said no more. Early the next morning. As dawn began to break, Wu Junwan journeyed back to the Great Wu Dynasty in a carriage arranged by the Qianhai Commercial Association. Upon hearing that Wu Junwan had left North Country so quickly, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t surprised in the slightest. After all, given her position as the Princess of Great Wu, her safety was paramount. With a threat capable of endangering her life now present in North Country, it was natural she wouldn¡¯t stay long. In the morning, after finishing the porridge personally prepared by Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen headed to the Hall of Political Affairs for a minor court meeting. The topics discussed that day were still related to the arrangements for the refugees of North Country. Lately, nine out of ten minor court meetings had revolved around matters of the refugees. During the meeting, after discussions on refugee-related matters had concluded, Li Rui stood and said, ¡°Prince, North Country¡¯s population is growing too rapidly. The current number of officials is severely insufficient to manage such a multitude. This official suggests increasing their number.¡± Almost every civil official at the court held several positions. While holding multiple posts meant receiving more subsidies according to North Country s current administrative system, it also meant an overwhelming increase in workload. Previously they were used to slacking off, but now, overwhelmed with much more work, these officials simply couldn¡¯t adapt. After a recent punitive action as a lesson to others, these officials were loyal indeed, but lacking in capability. The need to increase the number of officials was now urgent. Hearing Li Rui¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen replied, ¡°I, too, have been considering adding more officials, but North Country is impoverished, and most common folk are illiterate. Scholars from other areas within Great Xia are unwilling to become officials in North Country, making it difficult to increase the number of officials at present.¡± Li Rui said, ¡°This official has heard that a branch of the Chu Family has already moved to North Country. The Chu Family, being an Aristocratic Family for a thousand years, has many scholars. This official recommends allowing members of the Chu Family to enter the North Prince Mansion and assume important positions.¡± Li Rui was well aware of Lu Chen¡¯s relationship with the Chu Family and also knew Lu Chen¡¯s generally suppressive stance towards Aristocratic Families, but given the dearth of talented individuals in North Country, they had to temporarily employ members of the Chu Family. If the shortage of officials persisted, it would definitely impede Lu Chen s reform progress. Upon hearing Li Rui¡¯s words, Lu Chen considered for a moment, then replied, ¡°That is possible; however, from now on, anyone seeking an official post must undergo an examination. The questions for the examination will be personally set by me. Only those who pass may qualify to become officials of North Country.¡± After the matter of the officials was concluded, Li Rui stepped aside, and Lu Chen continued, ¡°I have an announcement to make today. Yan County is too small, too dilapidated, and can no longer satisfy the growing commercial needs of North Country. I intend to build a new city, and henceforth, the North Prince Mansion shall move there.¡± Hearing these words, the officials in the hall immediately started a buzzing discussion. Building a new city posed two primary challenges: The first was sourcing the funds, and the second was labor. With so many refugees in North Country, labor was not an issue, but money certainly was. Lu Chen continued, ¡°You¡¯re worried about funding, but many merchant associations will actively participate in the construction of the new city, and most of the major funding will come from the coffers of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡¯ At Lu Chen¡¯s words, the officials ceased their discussion, since the Prince¡¯s Mansion would be financing the construction, they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about raising funds themselves, and that was a relief. Their greatest fear was that the Prince¡¯s Mansion would expect them, the officials, to secure the funding. With North Country being so impoverished, they had no means to raise money, and their only resource was through various taxes. However, Lu Chen had exempted the agricultural tax, which was a major source, and current tax categories in North Country were strictly defined by the North Prince Mansion, so they didn¡¯t have the authority to invent new taxes. Lu Chen then continued, ¡°The location for the new city has not been decided yet. Discuss among yourselves where the new city should be built.¡± Upon hearing this, discussion once again filled the hall. Meanwhile. Inside the North Prince Mansion. After completing her patrol, Chu Yuqin returned to her courtyard, planning to have a proper talk with Chu Qingli. Chu Qingli was in her room, regulating her Inner Strength. Having been frequently trained by Lu Chen recently, she had significantly improved her skill, but the rapid growth was something she was struggling to adapt to. Chu Yuqin knocked on the door, ¡°Qing Li, are you in there? Sister is coming in. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, Chu Qingli quickly pulled up her clothes. While practicing, she had been left with only an undergarment that exposed a lot of skin. Her body was covered in red marks, and if Chu Yuqin saw them, she would surely comment on it later. After hastily getting dressed, Chu Qingli coldly said, ¡°I¡¯m inside, sister, please come in.¡± Responding to Chu Qingli¡¯s answer, Chu Yuqin pushed the door open and saw Chu Qingli meditating, apparently having just been regulating her Inner Strength. Chu Yuqin sighed softly. In Chu Yuqin¡¯s perspective, Chu Qingli had been training so strenuously lately, probably in an effort to quickly advance her strength to surpass Lu Chen, and then forcibly take her sister away from the North Prince Mansion. Chu Qingli looked at Chu Yuqin and asked, ¡°Sister, did you need something from me?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Qing Li, your recent training often leads you to deviate, which shows your mind is in turmoil. If you keep training this way, disaster is inevitable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken with Chen¡¯er, for the next few months Bai will handle the security work of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, so you should take some time to rest.¡± At these words, Chu Qingli was momentarily stunned, then hurriedly responded, ¡°Sister, I¡¯m fine.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Fine? Look at those red scars on your body. Chen¡¯er has mentioned that those red scars are very difficult to eliminate. If they deepen further one day and even Chen¡¯er can¡¯t remove them, how will you marry?¡± ¡°Moreover, these scars are the least of the problems. If you deviate and lose all your skill, will you still be able to stay in the North Prince Mansion?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Qingli faltered. She wanted to say the scars had nothing to do with deviation but the lie had already been told, and there was no taking it back. If she claimed the scars weren¡¯t related to her deviation, then how did they come about? How was she to explain this to Chu Yuqin? Chapter 293 - Chapter 293: Chapter 214 The White Wine of the North Prince Mansioni Chapter 293: Chapter 214 The White Wine of the North Prince Mansioni At this moment, Chu Qingli¡¯s heart was filled with resentment toward a certain bad thing. If that bad thing hadn¡¯t left so many scars on her body, she wouldn¡¯t have had to lie that the scars were the result of practice backfiring. The key point was that the bad thing clearly had the means to erase these scars, but he just refused to help her remove them. He insisted on keeping the scars there as if she were his possession, and he was stamping his mark on her body. Having no choice, Chu Qingli could only say, ¡°Well, then, I¡¯ll take some time to rest.¡± Seeing Chu Qingli agree, Chu Yuqin immediately said, ¡°Qingli, I¡¯ve told you before, you are an assassin by nature. You were always on the move in the past, so it¡¯s not suitable for you to stay in one place all the time.¡± ¡°The frequency of your practice backfiring recently is probably related to your constant presence at the North Prince Mansion. ¡°Why not take advantage of this time to rest, leave the North Prince Mansion, go out for a walk, and relax your mind? Maybe when you come back, your practice won¡¯t backfire anymore.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli immediately said, ¡°No need.¡± She was planning to quickly complete the trade with Lu Chen and then save her sister and leave the North Prince Mansion. How could she leave the North Prince Mansion at this time? How would she trade with Lu Chen if she were not there? At that moment, Chu Qingli suddenly thought of something, her gaze fixed on Chu Yuqin¡¯s flawless face, and then suspiciously asked, ¡°Sister, are you trying to send me away so you can do something with that lecherous man?¡± Chu Qingli often made excuses to send Chu Yuqin away and then engage in secret trades with Lu Chen, so she was very sensitive to such matters. At this time, Chu Yuqin replied with a guilty conscience, ¡°Qingli, do you really see your sister as such a shameless person in your heart?¡± Chu Qingli said, ¡°Then why does Sister always want to send me away?¡± Chu Yuqin said angrily, ¡°What do you mean by sending you away? I¡¯m doing this for your own good. You at least call me Sister, how could I bear to see you get hurt?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli thought to herself: I¡¯m sorry, Sister, but for you, I can¡¯t leave the North Prince Mansion under any circumstances right now. With that thought, Chu Qingli said, ¡°Sister, I will not leave the North Prince Mansion unless you leave with me. I don¡¯t feel at ease with Sister alone in the North Prince Mansion.¡± Seeing how obstinate Chu Qingli was, Chu Yuqin felt helpless, and as expected, Chu Qingli would not leave the North Prince Mansion. If Chu Qingli did not leave the North Prince Mansion, would the thing she promised Lu Chen keep dragging on? How would Lu Chen view her then? Would he think she was just using Chu Qingli as an excuse and didn¡¯t want to attend to him? Chu Yuqin sighed deeply and then said, ¡°Forget it, you won¡¯t listen to me no matter how much I say.¡± Chu Yuqin decided not to continue persuading. She didn¡¯t know how many times she had already tried to persuade Chu Qingli, who refused to leave the North Prince Mansion. She even started to suspect that Chu Qingli had an ulterior motive for staying. To get Chu Qingli to leave the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen would have to think of a way. Lu Chen could use the Prince¡¯s power to directly transfer Chu Qingli out of the mansion, which would then give her the opportunity to attend to Lu Chen. She had already discussed this with Lu Chen, and what came next would depend on what he did. It would be best if Chu Qingli were transferred to a location several hours¡¯ travel from the mansion, giving her enough time to help Lu Chen relax. With that thought, Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks became incredibly hot¡ªshe really was a woman without shame, trying all means to drive her own sister out of the North Prince Mansion just to secretly steal some¡­ moments with a man. At this very moment. The morning court had already ended. Lu Chen was coming out of the Hall of Political Affairs and was planning to return to his study when a maid from the inner court approached and said, ¡°Prince, the Princess Consort would like you to visit the inner court when you¡¯re free. The sorghum wine is ready.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s heart leaped for joy, and he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll go right away.¡± Then, Lu Chen hurried to the inner quarters of the mansion. In the main hall, Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were gathered around a half- meter-tall jar of wine, discussing something. Soon, Lu Chen entered the hall. Seeing Lu Chen return, Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan quickly made way. Lu Chen walked up to the wine jar, looking at the clear white liquor inside and smelling the strong fragrance in the air, and then he said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed strong!¡± At that moment, Mu Zixuan, who was pregnant, said with a smile, ¡°Prince, with this wine, the Prince¡¯s Mansion will have another profitable venture. Soon the treasury of the mansion may not be able to hold all the silver.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily the case. The silver from the mansion is about to be spent. I have decided to build a new city, and the little silver in the mansion might not even be enough for that.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to build a new city, which meant that the silver earned by the mansion would likely be spent very quickly. After all, it was money they had earned, and Mu Zixuan felt somewhat reluctant to part with it, but soon she let go of these feelings. After all, silver is meant to be spent. What use is there in keeping it in the treasury? This silver could be used where it¡¯s meant to be, only then her earnings would truly be meaningful. At this moment, Lu Chen picked up a bamboo tube scoop beside the wine jar and scooped out a ladle of white liquor from inside. He brought the scoop closer, sniffed the fragrance of the alcohol, and while sniffing, he asked, ¡°Is there a bowl? Give me a bowl, I¡¯d like to taste how this liquor is.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao immediately passed over a bowl, ¡°Prince, the bowl.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to take the bowl from Xiao Wenyao¡¯s hands, her body swayed, and Lu Chen ended up grabbing at thin air. Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment, and as he turned his head to look at Xiao Wenyao, he realized only then that her face was flushed red, reeking of alcohol, with some of her hair sticking out. This¡­ Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao, did you fall into the wine vat or something?¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao, face redolent of alcohol, responded, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, I just had a little¡­¡± At this point, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s body started to sway again, and Yelv Nanyan, who was nearby, quickly supported her. Lu Chen suddenly noticed that not only was Xiao Wenyao affected, but even Yelv Nanyan¡¯s cheeks were rosy, and it was clear that the two of them had been drinking. At that time, Zhou Youyou, covering her mouth, giggled from the side, ¡°Prince, just now Yaoyao and Nanyan said they are from the grasslands, champions of drinking, claiming that no liquor could intoxicate them. So the two of them downed a bowl each in one go, only to find themselves tipsy within a few breaths.¡± Hearing Zhou Youyou¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°You actually dared to drink such strong liquor straight from a bowl?¡± The beautiful Yelv Nanyan felt exceedingly embarrassed, her cheeks turning even more crimson. She hadn¡¯t expected the liquor to be so potent, nor its potency to have such a strong aftereffect. It had been too long since she had drunk liquor at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and the rich aroma overwhelmed her restraint ¨C she hadn¡¯t anticipated this liquor was nothing like the grain alcohol they used to drink. In the meantime, Xiao Wenyao once again extended the bowl towards Lu Chen, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, the bowl.¡± Lu Chen took the bowl, then poured the liquor from the scoop into the bowl and took a gentle sip. A burning sensation instantly surged through his throat; this liquor was evidently extremely strong ¨C it was best diluted. Not many could withstand it straight. However, thinking it over, Lu Chen realized that once the liquor entered his stomach, it would evaporate immediately. The alcohol did not enter his bloodstream to circulate. This¡­ Lu Chen instantly understood what was happening ¨C clearly, his Poison Immunity Body was at work. The alcohol was regarded as a toxin by his Poison Immunity Body, so as soon as it entered his stomach, it was neutralized. The alcohol had no effect on him whatsoever. That meant, from now on, no matter how much he drank, it wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t sure whether this was good or bad. The primary effect of alcohol is to numb the nerves, but now that the alcohol he drank wouldn¡¯t enter his blood circulation, he wouldn¡¯t even know what getting drunk felt like in the future. After seeing Lu Chen take a sip of the liquor before him, Mu Zixuan asked with concern, ¡°Prince, how do you find the taste?¡± Lu Chen pursed his lips and replied, ¡°It has a high alcohol content, not really suitable for consumption as is. It¡¯s best to dilute it to lower its alcohol content.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan responded, ¡°I understand, my lord. I will speak with the workers who brew the liquor and tell them to lower the alcohol content of the liquor.¡± The method of sorghum liquor brewing was provided by Lu Chen, so Mu Zixuan had learned many things about it ¨C and not just her; even the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s workers knew what ¡°alcohol content¡± meant. Previously, when people drank liquor, they only spoke of it being strong or mild without the concept of alcohol content. With the notion of alcohol content, from now on they would be able to more accurately describe how strong a liquor was and to what extent it was potent. After tasting the sorghum liquor, Lu Chen returned to his study to draft content for the officials¡¯ examinations. A few days later. The Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s newly released sorghum liquor sold like hotcakes, with numerous merchant caravans coming to the North Prince Mansion to place orders. The backlog of pre-orders had already extended three to four months out. In fact, most people of this era were not accustomed to high-alcohol-content sorghum liquor, yet there was a peculiar mentality at play ¨C wanting to outdo others and feel superior. As the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s sorghum liquor entered the major taverns, it became the go-to choice for drink-offs, instantly replacing the earlier rice wine, since the sorghum liquor¡¯s higher alcohol content made it easier to get drunk on. Now in the taverns, a saying was prevalent: only women drink rice wine; a real man drinks the white liquor brewed by the North Prince Mansion. In the following half a month, even before the North Prince Mansion could name its white liquor, its fame had already spread across Great Xia and the surrounding dynasties. When Chu Yuqin realized how potent and intoxicating the North Prince Mansion¡¯s white liquor was, an idea flashed through her mind ¨C the white liquor might provide her ample time to attend to Lu Chen. If she could just get Chu Qingli drunk, then she wouldn¡¯t be able to constantly keep an eye on her, right? Chapter 294 - Chapter 294: Chapter 215: Come to Your Aunts Room Tonighti Chapter 294: Chapter 215: Come to Your Aunt¡¯s Room Tonighti Chu Yuqin thought of a way to fulfill her promise without being discovered by Chu Qingli, and immediately began to prepare. She knew that Chu Qingli was a sensitive person, so to get her drunk, she couldn¡¯t be too direct; she needed to find a seemingly reasonable excuse. However, before getting Chu Qingli drunk, she had to ask Lu Chen a question. Early morning. Gentle sunlight spilled in through the window, casting a bright patch on the bed. The person sleeping soundly on the bed gradually began to wake up, and after opening his eyes, Lu Chen buried his head into the soft pillow and took a deep breath. This pillow had a milky fragrance, quite nice indeed. When Lu Chen got up, he saw Yelv Nanyan looking at him with a grievance on her face. He raised his hand, stroked Yelv Nanyan¡¯s cheek with a smile, and said, ¡°Nanyan, what¡¯s with that look? Are you angry with me?¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°The Prince is my darling, how could I possibly be angry?¡± ¡°Lately, the Prince seems to have an even more majestic aura, I wonder if your realm has advanced?¡± As a Ninth Grade martial artist, Yelv Nanyan had vaguely perceived the increase in Lu Chen¡¯s martial prowess. With him being stronger and more vigorous than before, she suspected that his realm might have advanced. But Lu Chen had long been a Grandmaster; if his realm had advanced further, wouldn¡¯t that make him a Grandmaster? A seventeen-year-old Grandmaster? Yelv Nanyan dared not think so. She had some understanding of the major dynasties and had never heard of a seventeen-year-old Grandmaster. Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s question, Lu Chen looked into her eyes with a smile and answered, ¡°Whether my realm has advanced or not, can¡¯t you feel it yourself?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s rhetorical question, Yelv Nanyan was stunned for a moment. Had Lu Chen¡¯s realm really advanced? Was he a Grandmaster? A seventeen-year-old Grandmaster? Good heavens¡­ Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face turned red with astonishment. No wonder Lu Chen looked more imposing and his body stronger; it turned out he had indeed broken through to the Grandmaster Realm. It seemed that the next time Lu Chen came to the Spring Sound Court, she would have to bring Xiao Wenyao along. But she was getting on in years, and there were some matters she was too embarrassed to mention, afraid that people would accuse her of being shameless. Seeing Yelv Nanyan momentarily lost in thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°Indeed, I am now a Grandmaster, Nanyan, there¡¯s no need to be surprised.¡± Yelv Nanyan snapped back to reality and tentatively said, ¡°Prince, how about taking a few more concubines?¡± If it had been previously, Yelv Nanyan wouldn¡¯t have said such a thing, as it was primarily the wife¡¯s affair when the Prince took concubines, and as a side concubine, she had no place to say such things. However, she was already very familiar with Lu Chen, and wasn¡¯t as cautious as before. The environment in the Prince¡¯s Mansion was quite harmonious, it was unlikely that asking Lu Chen to take a concubine would cause the wife to trouble her. Even when Lu Chen was still a Master, the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s inner courtyard could no longer satisfy his needs. Now Mu Zixuan and the other two were pregnant, and Lu Chen had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm. For Lu Chen¡¯s sake, and for the sake of the women of the inner courtyard, Lu Chen should indeed take on a few more concubines. Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Nanyan, what do you mean by that? Are you saying you no longer want to serve me, so you want me to take concubines, to have someone else serve me?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen reached out and lifted Yelv Nanyan¡¯s chin with his thumb and index finger, gently rubbing them together. Yelv Nanyan said with a flushed face, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. The Prince is too formidable, and I¡­ I¡¯m somewhat¡­¡± Yelv Nanyan trailed off. Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the matter of taking concubines. When it¡¯s time to take concubines, I will naturally do so.¡± With that said, Lu Chen patted Yelv Nanyan¡¯s plump buttocks with his hand and continued, ¡°If you think you can¡¯t handle it, then hurry up and get pregnant with my child, that way you won¡¯t have to worry about me coming here every day.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan was somewhat helpless. She too wanted to get pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child as soon as possible, but it was extraordinarily difficult for high-grade warriors to conceive. She had been in the Prince¡¯s Mansion for so long, and Lu Chen had favored her countless times, yet she had not become pregnant, and neither had Xiao Wenyao. At that moment, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°I understand, I will try my best to conceive the Prince¡¯s child.¡± Then, Lu Chen let go of Yelv Nanyan¡¯s body and got out of bed while Yelv Nanyan quickly got up to help Lu Chen dress. After dressing, Lu Chen prepared to return to the main courtyard for breakfast, but just as he walked out of the Spring Sound Court, he saw a mature and beautiful woman. Chu Yuqin was wearing a light blue long dress, with a waistband that perfectly showcased her figure. She paced back and forth at the entrance of the Spring Sound Court, looking somewhat nervous. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, are you waiting for me?¡± At the sound of Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Chu Yuqin snapped out of her thoughts, her face involuntarily blushing. She looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I wanted to ask you about something.¡± Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Chu Yuqin inquired, ¡°Can your Immortal Technique help sober someone up?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment. Chapter 295 - Chapter 295: Chapter 215: Come to Your Aunt鈥檚 Room Tonight_2 Chapter 295: Chapter 215: Come to Your Aunt¡¯s Room Tonight_2 Why would Chu Yuqin ask such a question for no reason? Lu Chen looked at Chu Yuqin in confusion and said, ¡°Could it be that Madam Chu has had some wine this morning?¡± Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°No, I¡¯m just asking.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Of course, my Immortal Technique can sober a person up, but I don¡¯t understand why you are asking this, Madam Chu.¡± Chu Yuqin then leaned closer to Lu Chen and whispered in his ear, ¡°Chen¡¯er, come to my room tonight, I have something to discuss with you.¡± As Chu Yuqin drew suddenly near, Lu Chen instantly smelled a faint fragrance, which stirred him greatly; it was the scent of an aroused woman. Lu Chen seemed to understand what Chu Yuqin intended; it appeared she had finally made up her mind. However, her question about sobering up still confused him. Did their doing that thing have anything to do with wine? It surely didn¡¯t seem necessarily related, did it? After Chu Yuqin had spoken, she felt unprecedented shame, her cheeks flushing with redness that spread to her fair, swan-like neck and even her ear tips. Seeing this shy beauty, the fire that had died down the night before in Lu Chen rose again. Still, Lu Chen did not take advantage of the situation. He controlled the agitation inside him and said, ¡°I understand.¡± Chu Yuqin then turned and left, or more precisely, fled the place as if she longed to burrow into a hole and hide. A widow who had been married, she had actually invited Lu Chen to her room. If word got out, she could not imagine what others would say about her. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s retreating figure, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward, indicating that something good was bound to happen tonight. At this very moment. Sufeng City. The Dongfang Family¡¯s meeting hall. In the main seat of the hall, directly facing the door, sat a middle-aged man in a gray robe with a long beard. To the right of the man sat a recent favorite of the Crown Prince, Wang Yong, known as one of the five talented young masters from the South and also the most likely to become the next Family Head of the Wang Family. At that moment, Dongfang Yi asked, ¡°May I know the reason for Mr. Wang¡¯s visit to our Dongfang Family this time? Does it come with some directive from the Crown Prince?¡± Wang Yong picked up a teacup from the side, took a sip, and then smilingly said, ¡°Not exactly. I came mainly to inquire about a matter on behalf of the Crown Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Dongfang Yi asked with curiosity, ¡°Oh, do tell, Mr. Wang.¡± Wang Yong went straight to the point, ¡°Miss Dongfang is still unwed, isn t she?¡± Hearing this, Dongfang Yi¡¯s brow furrowed and his expression seemed to darken somewhat. He then asked, ¡°Is the Crown Prince perhaps interested in my daughter?¡± Wang Yong continued, ¡°Of course, Miss Dongfang is accomplished in both literature and martial arts; there is no man who wouldn¡¯t be fond of her. Ever since the Crown Prince saw Miss Dongfang once at a poetry meeting in the South, he hasn¡¯t stopped thinking about her.¡± Dongfang Yi said, ¡°Mr. Wang, my daughter is quite vivacious and has a rather difficult personality. I fear she may not be the most suitable match for the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Being ever in the Capital city, the Crown Prince has no real understanding of her. But you, Mr. Wang, should be well aware, considering how many young talents from the South have had their legs broken by my daughter. I don¡¯t even know how much I¡¯ve had to pay each year to compensate for such incidents.¡± Dongfang Yi¡¯s daughter, Dongfang Longyue, was indeed a great beauty, even being called the number one beauty of the South. Not only was she well-versed in poetry and literature, but she also possessed a high talent for martial arts. In Sufeng City, almost any man who had seen her developed some improper thoughts towards her. Moreover, many had come to propose marriage, but without exception, all were rejected, and directly by Dongfang Longyue herself. When it came to marriage, even Dongfang Yi, as her father, had no say in the matter, Dongfang Longyue said she wouldn¡¯t marry, and that was that. Unable to succeed by direct proposal, some elegant scholars tried to use their talents to move Dongfang Longyue. These men tried various ways to get closer to her, but in the end, their attempts to approach her resulted in having their legs broken by Dongfang Longyue. Of course, even so, many men were still smitten with Dongfang Longyue. Precisely because she was so staunch with other men, those scholars found her even more intriguing, speculating that perhaps her chastity was maintained for someone special. It could be said that the scholars of the South were utterly bewitched by Dongfang Longyue. Of course, the Dongfang Family was the third largest aristocratic family in the South. Even if someone coveted Dongfang Longyue¡¯s body, they wouldn¡¯t dare to resort to any underhanded tactics. Dongfang Yi couldn¡¯t understand why the Crown Prince would be interested in his daughter; even he found her a headache. If she were to marry into the Crown Prince, she might turn his household upside down. Moreover, their family was somewhat unique compared to the usual aristocratic families of the South. His daughter was not quite suitable for marriage into the royal family of Great Sum, as their family had a special mission. Upon hearing Dongfang Yi¡¯s words, Wang Yong slightly smiled and then said, ¡°Miss Dongfang is clever and quick-witted. I believe that after marrying the Crown Prince, she will know to restrain herself.¡± Seeing Dongfang Yi¡¯s reluctance, Wang Yong continued, ¡°Dongfang Family Master, although Miss Dongfang cannot be the principal wife after marrying His Highness the Crown Prince, her status will still be far from low. This is a great opportunity for the Dongfang Family.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s principal wife is generally designated by the Emperor, and on one hand, the Sum Emperor is unlikely to match a woman from the southern aristocratic families with the Crown Prince as the Crown Princess Consort. On the other hand, the Wang Family wouldn¡¯t allow Dongfang Longyue to become the Crown Princess Consort. After all, the Wang Family wished to send a daughter of their own to Lu Shuyun¡¯s side to someday become the Empress. Hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Dongfang Yi sighed and said, ¡°Mr. Wang, my daughter is honored by the Crown Prince¡¯s affection, but her temperament really isn¡¯t suited for the Imperial Palace. If she were to enter the palace, she might one day bring disaster upon the entire Dongfang Family. I hope Mr. Wang can convey this to His Highness the Crown Prince, so he might understand our position.¡± Dongfang Yi could tell that the Wang Family was so eager to marry Dongfang Longyue to the Crown Prince primarily to firmly ally the Dongfang Family with their own cause. Although the Dongfang Family was part of the southern aristocracy, they were quite unique. The family¡¯s attitude towards the royal family was somewhat fickle, making the Wang Family a bit uneasy. If they could marry Dongfang Longyue to Lu Shuyun, they would be in the same boat, and then the Dongfang Family would have to move forward or retreat with them. Wang Yong continued to speak, ¡°Dongfang Family Master, your family relocated to Sufeng City a hundred years ago and doesn¡¯t have much land in the South. You¡¯ve primarily focused on trade, and your foundation isn¡¯t stable. Haven¡¯t you ever thought about taking your family to the next level, to solidify your family¡¯s status?¡± ¡°The Crown Prince is very fond of Miss Dongfang. When His Highness succeeds the throne, even if Miss Dongfang cannot be the Empress, he will surely favor the Dongfang Family and grant you many benefits due to his affection for her.¡± ¡°Dongfang Family Master, I know your family has always wanted to enter the court but has lacked an opportunity. Now that the opportunity has arrived, you must seize it.¡± Hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Dongfang Yi said, ¡°I need to discuss this matter with my daughter to see what she thinks, as it concerns her lifelong happiness, and naturally, she should make the final decision. Hearing Dongfang Yi¡¯s words, Wang Yong¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; it was clear that Dongfang Yi was trying to buy time. In this era, parents¡¯ orders and matchmakers¡¯ words were the norm; there was no need to seek a child¡¯s opinion, especially in matters of marrying off a daughter, where the woman¡¯s thoughts were usually not considered. Nevertheless, not wanting to offend Dongfang Yi, Wang Yong did not persist in his persuasion and stood up, saying, ¡°Very well, if Dongfang Family Master and Miss Dongfang come to a decision, please send someone to inform me. I will not leave Sufeng City for the time being.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave today.¡± With these words, Wang Yong turned and walked out of the hall. At this point, Dongfang Yi called out, ¡°Take care, Mr. Wang. Once my daughter has made up her mind, I will have someone notify you.¡± Before long, Wang Yong had left the Dongfang residence. Once Wang Yong¡¯s figure had completely disappeared from Dongfang Yi¡¯s view, his expression darkened instantly. He then went to the back yard to tell his daughter Dongfang Longyue about the matter. Chapter 296 - Chapter 296: Chapter 216 Dongfang Longyue 1 Chapter 296: Chapter 216 Dongfang Longyue 1 In a certain courtyard of the Dongfang Family, a woman dressed in a purple cloud attire was standing in a pavilion, holding a brush and painting on a sheet of paper. The woman¡¯s hair was styled high into a cloud-like bun, with her black hair cascading down to her waist like a waterfall, making her stand as gracefully as jade, as beautiful as a fairy. At this moment, Dongfang Yi, who stood to one side, spoke, ¡°Yue¡¯er, tell dad, what are you thinking?¡± Dongfang Longyue didn¡¯t stop her brush as she continued to paint and asked, ¡°Dad, you should know that he won¡¯t be Crown Prince for much longer, right?¡± Dongfang Yi replied, ¡°Although he won¡¯t be Crown Prince for much longer, he is still the Crown Prince now. I estimate there are at least six more months before the Sum Emperor takes action against the Wang Family.¡± The Dongfang Family is quite special, having knowledge of some insider information, so they were not optimistic about Lu Shuyun, considering his glory to be fleeting. Once the Wang Family was eradicated, Lu Shuyun¡¯s position as the Crown Prince was certain to be revoked. Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°The Wang Family probably doesn¡¯t want to see other aristocratic families marrying their daughters to the Crown Prince, but Wang Yong took the initiative to come as the Crown Prince¡¯s lobbyist. This indicates that they have sensed something and want to firmly bind our family with the southern aristocratic families.¡± ¡°Our family has been involved in commerce for generations, controlling almost all of the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s economic lifelines. Once we are firmly bound to the southern families, the Sum Emperor will inevitably become even more wary of them.¡± Dongfang Yi sighed and said, ¡°I also think the Crown Prince¡¯s declared interest in you is just a pretext, but even if it¡¯s a pretext, it¡¯s not easy for us to refuse.¡± If we directly refuse, it could easily arouse their suspicion, which would not be conducive to our dealings with others and, moreover, our family has its own mission; we can¡¯t afford any issues at this time.¡± At this moment, Dongfang Longyue put down her brush, looked up at Dongfang Yi, and said, ¡°Dad, how about this: you pretend to agree to the Crown Prince for now, but find an excuse to delay for a while. I will find a way to leave Sufeng City.¡± Although the Dongfang Family is one of the southern aristocratic families, they have businesses operating in all the major dynasties. It wouldn¡¯t be a big problem for Dongfang Longyue to leave Sufeng City and find refuge in another dynasty. Later, the Dongfang Clan could claim that Dongfang Longyue had acted on her own volition, not willing to marry, and then secretly fled to another dynasty. Seeing Dongfang Longyue so decided, Dongfang Yi sighed again and then said, ¡°It seems this is the only option we have for now.¡± ¡°Yue¡¯er, sorry to put you through this,¡± he added. Dongfang Longyue calmly replied, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do.¡± Dongfang Yi then said, ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you any further.¡± With that, Dongfang Yi turned and left the courtyard, ready to send a message to Wang Yong. Night fell. North Prince Mansion. The moonlight tonight was cold and enchanting. The moonbeams spilled onto the ground like water, causing the shadows to ripple and dance in the light breeze like the waves on the water¡¯s surface. At this moment, in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room at the North Prince Mansion, Chu Yuqin was kneeling on a mat, with a jar of wine and some food laid out before her. Chu Qingli and Chu Yuqin sat facing each other. Chu Yuqin poured herself a cup of wine, then drank it in one gulp before saying to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, this is a new wine brewed by the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and it has a very good flavor. The orders from the Prince¡¯s Mansion are backed up for months. I managed to get a jar from Zixuan, have a taste.¡± ¡°They say this wine can help with detoxification and is very beneficial for cultivation. Recently you¡¯ve been suffering from cultivation deviation, which left so many scars on your body. Those scars are most likely caused by toxins. Why not try a bit and see?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli didn¡¯t suspect Chu Yuqin of any ulterior motive, especially since Chu Yuqin had just had a drink herself. Moreover, she had indeed heard that the white liquor recently produced by the North Prince Mansion was very popular, and now many guards within the Prince¡¯s Mansion were eager to try it. Chu Yuqin then poured a small cup for Chu Qingli. Chu Qingli immediately picked up the cup and gently sipped. After one sip, Chu Qingli found the liquor to be quite strong. Had it not been for her high martial arts skill and the abundance of inner strength that gave her some resistance to strong alcohol, she probably couldn¡¯t have handled it. At that moment, Chu Yuqin poured herself another cup. She slightly shifted her hips and switched her position from kneeling to sitting on the ground, her plump buttocks pressing against the mat below, squeezing the flesh of her hips together. Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Qingli, what do you think of this liquor?¡± Qingli replied expressionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s a bit strong, but the aroma is quite rich.¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin poured her another cup and then said, ¡°If you like it, drink more. Perhaps the alcohol will even help expel some impurities from your body later.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s plan was simple: to get Chu Qingli drunk. To avoid raising Chu Qingli¡¯s suspicion that she was trying to intoxicate her, Chu Yuqin drank along with her. She figured that Lu Chen would later come to her room anyway, and his Immortal Technique could sober her up. Once Lu Chen arrived and found her drunk, he¡¯d surely help her sober up willingly. By then, she would be awake, and her younger sister would be unconscious from the intoxication, allowing her to confidently serve Lu Chen tonight, fulfilling her promise. Until the morning light, Chu Qingli wouldn¡¯t necessarily notice. By the time Chu Qingli woke up again, she and Lu Chen would have finished their business. Seeing Chu Yuqin lift her cup again and take another sip, Chu Qingli suddenly thought of something. During this time, her sister had grown suspicious of her, especially since Lu Chen was always in her room, and her daily fits of martial frenzy were insufficient explanations. These past few days, she hadn¡¯t traded with Lu Chen, mainly for fear of being discovered by Chu Yuqin. Now that the North Prince Mansion suddenly had such strong liquor, her opportunity had arrived. If she could get her sister drunk, she could meet with Lu Chen while her sister was unconscious, without her sister ever finding out. She wouldn¡¯t need to be as cautious and fearful of being caught by her sister as before. However, to prevent her sister from realizing she wanted to get her drunk, it would be best to drink along with her. With that thought, Chu Qingli picked up her cup and slowly took a sip. At this moment, the two sisters, connected in underhanded intentions, each aimed to get the other intoxicated. The pair chatted about trivial things while drinking. Meanwhile, the lights in Lu Chen¡¯s study were still brightly shining. After an indeterminate amount of time, a cloud drifted in front of the moon, blocking its light. Lu Chen rose from his seat, stretching leisurely and rotating his neck. Suddenly remembering that Chu Yuqin had invited him to her room tonight, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth involuntarily curled into a subtle smile. However, he quickly remembered a troublesome matter. Chu Qingli was living right next to Chu Yuqin¡¯s room, and she had recently taken a leave from her position as Deputy Commander of the Prince¡¯s Mansion guards. If he went to Chu Yuqin¡¯s room now, there was a high probability that Chu Qingli would see him or become aware of his presence. Chapter 297 - Chapter 297: Chapter 217: An Assassin Enters Chu Yuqins Roomi Chapter 297: Chapter 217: An Assassin Enters Chu Yuqin¡¯s Roomi As soon as he thought of being seen by Chu Qingli, Lu Chen felt utterly confused inside. Chu Yuqin must have been aware of this, too. As long as Chu Qingli was still in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she would constantly keep an eye on Chu Yuqin. So, what did Chu Yuqin want him to do in her room? With Chu Qingli watching over, Chu Yuqin wouldn¡¯t allow any mischief, so they couldn¡¯t possibly have any proper business to take care of. Could it be they were just going to sit in her room doing nothing? After thinking it over, Lu Chen still couldn¡¯t figure out why Chu Yuqin had a.k.sed him to visit her room tonight. However, since it was Chu Yuqin herself who had extended the invitation, it was definitely worth checking out, no matter what it was about. Soon after, Lu Chen got up and headed to the courtyard where Chu Yuqin¡¯s room was located. Before even entering the courtyard, Lu Chen noticed flickering candlelight coming from Chu Yuqin¡¯s room, along with the sound of voices. This¡­ Were there other people in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room? This made Lu Chen even more puzzled about why Chu Yuqin wanted him to come to her room. Weren¡¯t there other people in the room? Lu Chen then approached the door and knocked. ¡°Madam Chu, may I come in?¡± Inside the room at this moment, two women were sprawled on the floor, possibly overheated from too much drink, their Cloud Attire had slipped down, revealing their white necks, delicate collarbones, and a vast expanse of snow- white skin. After Lu Chen¡¯s voice was heard, the room suddenly fell silent, the sounds ceasing altogether. This¡­ Lu Chen stood frozen at the doorway for a moment. He had clearly heard voices in the room just now, so why had they suddenly stopped? Could something have happened inside? An assassin? With that thought, Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed and he immediately pushed open the door. As soon as the door swung open, what met his eyes was the erotic scene of two beauties embracing each other. Seeing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. The next moment, a strong scent of alcohol drifted into Lu Chen¡¯s nostrils. Lu Chen instantly understood what was going on. It turned out that Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli had been drinking in the room, and what they had been drinking was the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s potent sorghum liquor. At this time, Lu Chen glanced at the two on the ground; Chu Yuqin was lying down, and Chu Qingli was by her side, still somewhat groggy. A slight grin appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s lips; there were no assassins, the only assassin was himself. Could it be that earlier today, Chu Yuqin wanted him to visit her room at night to openly disclose their affair to Chu Qingli? He had simply arrived a bit late, and now the two beauties were drunk, both collapsed on the floor. At this moment, Lu Chen still thought that Chu Yuqin had made her peace with it and no longer intended to hide their relationship. Clearly, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t guessed Chu Yuqin¡¯s real intentions. Now, Lu Chen entered the room and closed the door behind him. Upon hearing the door close, Chu Qingli, who had been in a dazed state, looked up to see who had come in. When she saw that the big bad guy had entered, her brain suddenly cleared up a bit, but because she had drunk so much, it would take some time for her to force the alcohol out with her skill. She was still in a drunken state, weak all over. Seeing Lu Chen directly walking toward Chu Yuqin, Chu Qingli tensed up. Chu Yuqin¡¯s clothing had completely fallen away, revealing her snowy white shoulders. In order not to let Lu Chen¡¯s eyes see what they shouldn¡¯t, Chu Qingli used all her strength to lift her hand and slowly pulled Chu Yuqin¡¯s clothes up, while saying to Lu Chen, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t look¡­¡± Seeing this, Lu Chen laughed softly. He hadn¡¯t expected Chu Qingli to still be so lucid, refusing to let him get close to Chu Yuqin even in her drunkenness. Lu Chen then said with a smile, ¡°Chu Qingli, it¡¯s cold on the ground. You might catch a cold if you sleep here, let me help you both to the bed.¡± Chu Qingli hastily put her hand on Chu Yuqin, glaring at Lu Chen with a drunken face, ¡°You¡­ get out¡­¡± She knew all too well what sort of man this devil was. Now there were two drunk beauties right in front of him, completely defenseless, and she didn¡¯t believe for a second that he didn¡¯t have other intentions. She had to get this man out of there, otherwise, nobody knew what he might do next. Seeing that she was trying to prevent him from touching Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen said, ¡°Chu Qingli, that¡¯s too much. It¡¯s one thing for you to sleep on the ground, but how can you let Madam Chu sleep there with you?¡± ¡°The ground is so cold, what if Madam Chu catches a cold?¡± With that, Lu Chen grabbed Chu Qingli¡¯s hand, removing her arm from Chu Yuqin¡¯s body. Despite what Lu Chen said, Chu Qingli didn¡¯t trust him at all, and she immediately grabbed his arm, attempting to continue stopping him. However, she was intoxicated, and her skill was temporarily blocked upon contacting Lu Chen. With her skill disabled and the alcohol taking over, she became even weaker and her head swirled. Then, she could only watch helplessly as Lu Chen picked up Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous body and walked straight to Chu Yuqin¡¯s large bed. Seeing this, Chu Qingli thought Lu Chen was going to do that sort of thing to Chu Yuqin, and with all her might, she said, ¡°If you¡­ if you dare touch my sister, I¡¯ll cut you¡­¡± Chapter 298 - Chapter 298: Chapter 217: An Assassin Enters Chu Yuqins Chapter 298: Chapter 217: An Assassin Enters Chu Yuqin¡¯s Room_2 Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and then placed Chu Yuqin on the bed, covering her with the blanket. Seeing that Lu Chen didn¡¯t make any untoward move towards Chu Yuqin, Chu Qingli finally let down her guard. But soon she was startled into a cold sweat again as she saw Lu Chen, having put down Chu Yuqin, walking towards her once more. After reaching Chu Qingli¡¯s side, Lu Chen squatted down, intending to scoop her up in a princess carry. Chu Qingli thought that Lu Chen was going to do something to her right there, so she immediately started to struggle, not wanting to let Lu Chen touch her body. However, as soon as Lu Chen touched her body, she lost her strength. Even though she continued to struggle, Lu Chen still managed to lift her in a princess carry and walked to the bedside. After Chu Qingli struggled for a while, Lu Chen reached the bedside and laid her face down on the bed as well. Seeing that Lu Chen had brought her to the bed too, Chu Qingli was stunned for a moment. Could it be that she had misunderstood this lecher? She had thought he was about to do something to her, but he was apparently just bringing her to bed to sleep. It made sense, after all, her sister was right there; he wouldn¡¯t dare do that sort of thing to her right now. With this thought, Chu Qingli breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. At this moment, Lu Chen stood by the bed, glancing at Chu Qingli lying there. Chu Qingli was wearing a purple gauze dress that draped over her, blending with her body as if they were one, perfectly highlighting her behind. Even though the scent of alcohol on Chu Qingli was somewhat off-putting, the sight still stirred something in Lu Chen. And this was in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room. In the past, when they secretly did naughty things, just hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice would make Chu Qingli¡¯s body tense up completely. What if they were right beside Chu Yuqin? Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue the thought. Anyway, he was not planning to leave today. This woman, Chu Qingli, actually dared to stop him from doing those things with Chu Yuqin. She must be taught a lesson. He wanted to completely tear apart her facade, strip away her sense of shame, and see if she would keep watching him and Chu Yuqin. Just then, Chu Qingli saw that Lu Chen seemed not to have left the room. She turned her head towards him at the bedside, and said with an icy expression, ¡°You¡­ can go out now.¡± At these words, a surge of anger rose in Lu Chen¡¯s heart. The next moment, a ripping sound was heard. Chu Qingli immediately felt a chill on her behind and realized what was happening, her face turning pale instantly. This was in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room! And right beside Chu Yuqin! No! She absolutely could not let this man have his way! Chu Qingli quickly mustered all her skill, but the next moment, Lu Chen leaned over and grabbed her wrist, sealing her skill once again, and she was left powerless once more. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± The clouds in the sky gradually dispersed, and bright moonlight once again illuminated the earth. A gentle breeze blew at that moment, rustling the leaves. Summer was approaching, and the evening breeze was exceedingly tender, bringing immense comfort to anyone it caressed. At this time, a woman dressed in white sat on the rooftop, overlooking everything in the North Prince Mansion. Tonight, it was Bai Qingqing¡¯s turn to stand night watch. She generally did not patrol around, as a Grandmaster only needed to stand in a relatively high place to sense any disturbance in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Just then, she felt some slight noise coming from Chu Yuqin¡¯s room, surrounded by the calls of animals. Bai Qingqing paid it no mind; she continued to stand on the rooftop, gazing into the distance. The only one who could cause this sort of commotion in the Prince¡¯s Mansion was the man she served. However, it was surprising that the sound was coming from Chu Yuqin¡¯s room. It was her first time hearing any noise from there. Normally, at night, it was the animal cries from the Spring Sound Court that were prevalent. After an unknown period, the moonlight was once again obscured by clouds, and following a phoenix¡¯s cry, the noise from a certain room ceased abruptly. Although Ninth Grade martial artists could get drunk, they had skill protecting their bodies, which meant alcohol was broken down very quickly. The noise in the room was simply too loud, and Chu Yuqin, in a daze, opened her eyes. For some reason, she vaguely saw two figures overlapping each other. ¡°Chen¡¯er, don¡¯t bully Qing Li¡­¡± Chu Yuqin murmured. When Chu Yuqin opened her eyes, Chu Qingli was nearly scared out of her wits. She froze, her body tensed. As she came to her senses, she wanted to quickly explain something to Chu Yuqin, but at that moment a pair of large hands reached down and covered Chu Qingli¡¯s mouth. Chu Qingli instantly understood and immediately stopped moving, and the room fell silent. You could even faintly hear the buzzing of mosquitoes. After what felt like an eternity, Chu Yuqin closed her eyes again, muttering, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t Chen¡¯er arrived yet? Could it be that he has forgotten¡­¡± After saying this, Chu Yuqin closed her eyes and once more fell into a deep sleep. Seeing Chu Yuqin close her eyes and fall back to sleep, Chu Qingli let out a sigh of relief. The next moment, a surge of anger welled up inside her. This damn bastard! Then Chu Qingli prepared to settle the score with a certain villain, but as she turned her head, she found herself pinned down, and the next moment, her mouth was gagged. The assassin had come again¡­ Thinking of the assassin looking at Chu Yuqin¡¯s stunning face while attacking her, Chu Qingli felt immensely indignant. This detestable assassin was definitely full of thoughts about her sister by now, and he had begun to conflate her with her sister as well. Early in the morning. Bai Qingqing, who had been standing on the rooftop all night, came down. She was supposed to go to Chu Yuqin¡¯s room to take over the shift, as Chu Yuqin was in charge of the guard duty within the Prince¡¯s Mansion today. However, she didn¡¯t go to find Chu Yuqin but headed straight to Lin Wanyun¡¯s courtyard to hand over the guard duty to her. At this moment. Sunlight streamed into the room, and the disheveled Chu Yuqin woke up from her sleep. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chu Yuqin made a mumbling sound and then opened her bleary eyes. It was then that she suddenly heard an ¡°Alt!¡± from beside her. Chu Yuqin came to her senses abruptly and hurriedly turned her head to look, only to find Chu Qingli sprawled beside the bed and Lu Chen standing at the bed, with Chu Qingli¡¯s Cloud Attire torn into several pieces. Seeing this scene, Chu Yuqin was dumbfounded. She was about to speak when Lu Chen calmly said to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, do you still want to be healed? If these scars on your body don¡¯t go away, how will you ever get married in the future?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen straightened his clothes while Chu Qingli stood in front of Chu Yuqin, blocking part of her view. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stupefied. At that point, Lu Chen looked at Chu Yuqin and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, you¡¯re awake. 1 just heard Chu Qingli screaming in the room, so I came in to check. It turns out she had another demonic episode. 1 planned to treat her, but she kept struggling, even accusing me of wanting to take advantage of her body, so 1 had no choice but to step in.¡± ¡°Look at the new scars on her neck.¡± This¡­ Hearing what Lu Chen said, Chu Yuqin finally understood. She thought to herself how Lu Chen and Chu Qingli could possibly do such a thing in front of her. Her thoughts had grown increasingly dirty; she had actually believed they were engaging in that sort of act. It was obvious that Lu Chen was treating Chu Qingli. Seeing Chu Qingli¡¯s clothes torn to shreds, Chu Yuqin looked reproachfully at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I know you need to treat Qingli, but you can¡¯t just tear a lady¡¯s clothes like that!¡± ¡°If you have seen Qingli¡¯s body, then she will only be able to marry you from now on.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli quickly said, ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t want to marry this bastard at all. Chu Qingli had already come to her senses by now and was full of resentment towards Lu Chen.¡± When Chu Yuqin heard Chu Qingli curse Lu Chen as a bastard, her eyebrows knitted slightly, and she immediately said, ¡°Qingli, how can you curse Chen¡¯er? After all, he is a Prince.¡± ¡°Besides, he is treating you out of kindness!¡± Chapter 299 - Chapter 299: Chapter 218: Chen鈥檈r, Aunts Promise..._i Chapter 299: Chapter 218: Chen¡¯er, Aunt¡¯s Promise¡­_i At this moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face was unmistakably serious, and she appeared to be genuinely angry. She knew that Chu Qingli had always had grievances with Lu Chen, but regardless, Lu Chen was the ruler of a feudal state, a Seignior; how could he be insulted at will by others. Seeing the darkening expression on Chu Yuqin¡¯s face, Chu Qingli felt a pang in her heart, realizing that she had perhaps gone too far. Although Lu Chen was indeed a scoundrel, it was fine for her to curse him in bed, but she couldn¡¯t curse him in front of others. Even a Prince needed to save face. Chu Qingli then had no choice but to say, ¡°Sister, I know I was wrong.¡± Chu Yuqin then said sternly, ¡°Qingli, you must apologize to Chen¡¯er immediately.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli reluctantly looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Prince, I¡¯m sorry, I know I was wrong.¡± Even as she mouthed an apology, Chu Qingli¡¯s heart still harbored a strong resentment. She had been rebuffed all of last night, and now early this morning, she had to apologize to this lecher. This guy not only had his fill of pleasure, but he was probably thrilled in his heart too; he likely wanted to see her apologizing and admitting her mistake. Despicable man, actually using her sister to make her apologize to him; if they ever had a chance to be alone again, she would definitely get her revenge on this guy. Upon hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words of apology, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Madam Chu, it¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t mind at all.¡± ¡°I was also at fault earlier; I shouldn¡¯t have torn Qingli¡¯s clothes and caused her embarrassment.¡± Seeing Lu Chen also admitting his mistake, Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you are now the sovereign of a nation; you can¡¯t just admit fault so lightly outside.¡± Although a Seignior wasn¡¯t as grand as an Emperor, he was still a symbol of power; how could he casually admit fault? Casually admitting fault would suggest that he, as a Seignior, was not up to par, always doing things wrong. This was similar to an Emperor issuing an edict admitting personal guilt; the more powerful one is, the less they can afford to apologize and admit fault lightly. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, I understand your meaning, and I would only say this within the inner courtyard; I would not casually apologize to others outside.¡± ¡°And indeed, I was the one at fault earlier.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin sighed, then addressed Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, Chen¡¯er is treating you for your own good; don¡¯t refuse his kindness.¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin gave Chu Qingli a thorough look and noticed many red marks on her neck. She continued, ¡°Sister shouldn¡¯t have let you drink last night. I didn¡¯t expect you to fall into deviance again. Thankfully, Chen¡¯er found out.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t worry. Although Qingli fell into deviance, it hasn¡¯t had much of an impact on her body. The biggest problem is the scars appearing on her body.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°These scars can have a considerable impact on a woman. Qingh is still a virgin and has not yet married; with such marks, it might be difficult for her to find a husband. No man would want to see so many scars on his wife¡¯s body.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s alright; if it comes to it, Qingli can just stay in the North Prince Mansion for the rest of her life.¡± Hearing this, a chill went through Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart, and she cast Lu Chen a deep look. This little scoundrel, he indeed had designs on Qingli. She had suspected from the beginning that once Qingli entered the North Prince Mansion, it would be very difficult for her to ever leave. After being looked at reproachfully by Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen gave an awkward smile and said, ¡°Qingli, don¡¯t move; I will continue the treatment for you.¡± With that, Lu Chen raised his hand and used the Rejuvenating Skill, pretending to treat the marks on her neck. Afterward, some of the scars on Chu Qingli¡¯s neck began to fade away. However, Lu Chen did not completely remove them; after all, these were marks he had left, which shouldn¡¯t be erased so casually. Chu Qingli¡¯s expression was cold at this time, yet a faint blush still graced her indifferent face. Seeing that Chu Qingli¡¯s face seemed to flush with anger, Chu Yuqin sighed inwardly once again. It seemed that changing Chu Qingli¡¯s attitude toward Lu Chen was not going to be a matter of a day or two. As Chu Yuqin was reflecting on this, she suddenly smelled an odd scent in the air, one she had detected countless times before, but she could never quite place what it was. Suddenly, Chu Yuqin realized that every time Chu Qingli fell into deviance, this scent would linger in her room. Could it be¡­ Could it be the impurities expelled from her body after falling into deviance? Yes, that must be it; otherwise, why would there always be such a strange odor on Chu Qingli? Chu Yuqin no longer dwelled on the thought. Just then, Lu Chen raised his hand and said to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qingli, I have treated you a little, but your scars need several more treatments to heal. Whenever you have the time, come to me for treatment. Last night, your deviance caused you to sweat out many impurities. You should go take a bath first.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Qingli glared coldly at him, then turned and walked away. As Chu Yuqin watched Chu Qingli¡¯s retreating figure, droplets of murky sweat fell from her body as she moved. Chu Yuqin thought to herself that it appeared Qingli¡¯s body had indeed expelled many impurities; she wondered what the root cause of her deviance was. Could it be due to the environment? Qingli¡¯s practice of martial arts shouldn¡¯t have led to such frequent bouts of deviance, right? If a martial artist were to suffer from deviance so often during training, they would probably have lost all their skill and become incapacitated by now. But Chu Qingli hadn¡¯t. Every time she fell into deviance, she would recover swiftly. This rapid recovery could be attributed to Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Technique, after all, his technique could easily heal even wounds on the body. However, the frequent instances of deviation during practice were difficult to explain. Could it be because she harbored deep resentment towards Lu Chen, yet was powerless against him, leading her to become agitated while cultivating and thus causing her to deviate from the correct path? For martial artists, a disturbed mind was the most taboo; once disturbed, it was very likely to lead to deviation during cultivation. Chu Qingli¡¯s frequent deviations must have had their reasons, and perhaps it might really be due to this. The thought made Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart waver with indecision. If that really was the reason, then the affair between her and Lu Chen must be kept from Chu Qingli at all costs. If Chu Qingli were to learn that she had been physically tending to Lu Chen, wouldn¡¯t that make her even more susceptible to deviation during practice? At that thought, Chu Yuqin felt a swell of worry in her heart. But just then, something occurred to Chu Yuqin. Hadn¡¯t she asked Lu Chen to come to her room last night? Did Lu Chen actually come? With that in mind, Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, didn¡¯t I ask you to come to my room last night? Did you¡­¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t finish her sentence. As she spoke, her pretty face began to burn with heat. For some reason, she had been constantly thinking about serving Lu Chen lately. Perhaps it was because her promise had gone unfulfilled for so long and she feared Lu Chen would think she wasn¡¯t keeping her word, or perhaps it was for some other reason. Whatever the exact reason, she didn¡¯t know. She simply wanted to find various ways to spend time alone with Lu Chen. Yet whenever she thought of her sister, her heart would again feel incredibly conflicted. Lu Chen turned to look at Chu Yuqin, whose cheeks were now flushed. He had been ready to conquer Chu Yuqin last night, but who would have thought Chu Qingh would also be in the room and, moreover, awake? With no other choice, he had to deal with Chu Qingli. And watching Chu Yuqin, with her goddess-like beauty, handle Chu Qingli was indeed a different experience. Lu Chen didn¡¯t feel that he was at a loss. Judging by his progress with subduing Chu Qingli, it was only a matter of time before she accepted his relationship with Chu Yuqin. Sooner or later, he would be openly cultivating a relationship with Chu Yuqin in front of Chu Qingli, and he was confident she wouldn¡¯t have anything to say about it. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I came last night, but seeing Madam Chu drunk and lying on the ground, I had to help Qing Li get you to bed to sleep. Then I went back.¡± ¡°I wanted to come and see how you were doing early this morning, but I didn¡¯t expect to run into Qing Li deviating during her practice.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed inwardly with a tinge of regret in her tone, ¡°I see.¡± Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, did you have something to tell me last night?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Yuqin hesitated. She simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to admit that she had sought Lu Chen last night to serve him. After a pause, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°I¡­ wanted to ask you to use the Immortal Technique to check on Qing Li and see why she keeps deviating during her practice¡ªwhether there¡¯s something wrong with her body.¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flush, Lu Chen knew she wasn¡¯t telling the truth. Drawing closer, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Madam Chu, Qing Li is no longer in the room, you can tell the truth now, right?¡± ¡°Did you seek me out yesterday to confess our relationship to Qing Li while under the influence of alcohol?¡± This¡­ Seeing that Lu Chen had misunderstood, Chu Yuqin breathed a sigh of relief, then said, ¡°Aunt did have that idea at first, but as you¡¯ve seen, Qing Li is still unable to accept you. I suspect her frequent deviations during cultivation are because she cannot accept you, leading to distracting thoughts. Why don¡¯t you find a reason to send her somewhere else?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, I¡¯ll find a way to get her to accept me soon. You saw the scars on her body; I still need to treat those. She can¡¯t be too far from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. If those scars aren¡¯t healed, they may stay forever.¡± Hearing this, something stirred in Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart. Scars had a very significant impact on a woman, as all women valued beauty. Moreover, Chu Qingli was an unmarried maiden; she certainly couldn¡¯t afford to have so many scars on her body. Lu Chen assured with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Madam Chu, it won¡¯t be long before Qing Li can accept me. She¡¯s just a tough talker with a soft heart. She may seem strong, but both her body and mind are quite tender.¡± Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°Now all we can do is hope she can accept you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin timidly looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Aunt¡¯s promise¡­¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s statement hung in the air, followed by her silence, too ashamed to continue. Gazing into Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful eyes, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, I will try to control myself for now.¡± Flushed, Chu Yuqin suggested, ¡°Then perhaps Zixuan can find you a concubine for now.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°That¡¯s not necessary. Now that I am a Grandmaster, an ordinary woman may not last long with me.¡± Chu Yuqin acknowledged, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Alright, Madam Chu, I have state affairs to attend to and must leave now,¡± said Lu Chen. Chu Yuqin softly hummed in acknowledgment, and the next moment, Lu Chen turned and walked away. As he left, Lu Chen thought how fortunate he was to be clever enough to have put on his clothes just before dawn, showing just enough to prevent Chu Yuqin from discovering what he had done earlier. But to speak of it, that feeling was incredible, truly thrilling. And this wasn¡¯t about any psychological thrill but rather a physical stimulation. After this incident, he didn¡¯t believe Chu Qingli would have the face to prevent him and Chu Yuqin from being together. Chapter 300 - Chapter 300: Chapter 219: Officially Entering the Age of Firearms_1 Chapter 300: Chapter 219: Officially Entering the Age of Firearms_1 Great Xia Dynasty, Capital city. East Palace. Lu Shuyun was in the courtyard testing the improved Piercing Cloud Bow made by the craftsmen. The Piercing Cloud Bow was Lu Shuyun¡¯s second achievement after becoming the Crown Prince. Made of special materials, its power was immense, and when paired with the custom-made Piercing Cloud Arrow, it could easily penetrate the armor of Heavy Cavalry. With the Piercing Cloud Bow, the Great Xia Dynasty would no longer fear the enemy nation¡¯s Heavy Cavalry on the battlefield, or in future internal strife within Great Xia, the forces aligned with them need not fear the secretly prepared armor of his brothers. Looking at the Piercing Cloud Bow in his hands, a smile appeared on Lu Shuyun¡¯s face. The materials for making the Piercing Cloud Bow and the Piercing Cloud Arrow were very special and currently only available to their Aristocratic Family in the South; furthermore, some of the production techniques were kept secret. Even the craftsman in the Ministry of Works might not know the techniques, only their faction was privy to it. Thus, the Piercing Cloud Bow could not only serve as an achievement for the Crown Prince but also to a certain extent prevent their rivals from acquiring the production methods and materials. As for whether other factions in the royal court would get the Piercing Cloud Bow, there was no need to worry about that. Once the Piercing Cloud Bow was brought out, it would certainly end up in the hands of people from other factions, but they would only obtain a few. Currently, the Ministry of Works could only forge a very limited number of Piercing Cloud Bows each day, and they were far from mass production. As long as they kept a tight leash on the quantity, even if others acquired the Piercing Cloud Bow, they would not obtain many. Meanwhile, the people on the Crown Prince¡¯s side had already been secretly mass-producing them. In terms of the quantity of Piercing Cloud Bows, his rivals would definitely not be able to compare with them. Just as Lu Shuyun was immersed in joy, a maid hurried to him and said, ¡°Crown Prince, Mr. Wang has returned!¡± Hearing this, Lu Shuyun snapped back to reality and immediately said, ¡°Bring him to see me.¡± ¡°Yes, Crown Prince.¡± The maid then went out and brought Wang Yong before Lu Shuyun, ¡°Greetings to the Crown Prince, long live, long live, long long live!¡± After Wang Yong finished his salute, Lu Shuyun eagerly asked, ¡°What did Dongfang Yi say? Did he agree to give Dongfang Longyue to me in marriage?¡± Wang Yong replied, ¡°He agreed, but¡­¡± Wang Yong hesitated. Seeing Wang Yong¡¯s response, a smile appeared on Lu Shuyun¡¯s face. As long as he could firmly bind the Dongfang Family to their side, then the entire Aristocratic Families of the South would truly be united as one. As for Dongfang Longyue the woman, he had seen her a few times and indeed liked her beauty, but more than Dongfang Longyue¡¯s beauty, what Lu Shuyun cared about was the Dongfang Family standing behind her. At this point, Lu Shuyun asked, ¡°But what?¡± Wang Yong answered, ¡°But as soon as Miss Dongfang heard she was to marry you, she immediately jumped into the river to commit suicide. Though she was rescued, she has been seeking death persistently. If she is set on dying, I fear no one will be able to stop her.¡± ¡°If this gets out, it could seriously damage Your Highness¡¯s reputation. Left with no choice, Dongfang Yi asked me to convey to the Prince that Dongfang Longyue will not marry you for the time being. Instead, it will be determined after you marry the Crown Princess Consort. He wants to continue persuading Dongfang Longyue.¡± Hearing Wang Yong¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun¡¯s expression darkened instantly; he had not expected Dongfang Longyue to be so staunchly opposed. Although he had known from the start that Dongfang Longyue was a woman of difficult temperament¡ªmany talented young men from the South had their legs broken by her, which said plenty about her character¡ªhe had thought that being the Crown Prince, the future successor to the throne, even if Dongfang Longyue was temperamental, she would restrain herself once she knew she was to marry the Crown Prince. There wasn¡¯t a woman in the world who wouldn¡¯t want to marry a man wielding great power. But unexpectedly, Dongfang Longyue had resorted to attempting suicide by jumping into the river. If word got out, wouldn¡¯t the officials in the court accuse him of forcing a virtuous woman into dishonor? Seeing Lu Shuyun¡¯s face darken, Wang Yong continued, ¡°Crown Prince, please rest assured, although Dongfang Longyue is currently unwilling to marry, as long as Dongfang Yi has agreed to this marriage, it means he has already sided with us.¡± Lu Shuyun thought for a moment and realized it was true. Dongfang Longyue¡¯s stance was not important; as long as they could stabilize her for the time being and prevent her from committing suicide, that would suffice. Lu Shuyun then said, ¡°Send a letter to Dongfang Yi, telling him my undying affection for Dongfang Longyue. I was devastated to hear of her attempted suicide, so I have decided to first confirm our engagement. After I have married the Crown Princess Consort, I will come to marry her. I hope Dongfang Yi can persuade Dongfang Longyue to accept me soon.¡± Although Dongfang Longyue was beautiful, Lu Shuyun was not an impatient man. If he really drove her to death, their connection with the Dongfang Family could be severed. The Dongfang Family only had one daughter; Dongfang Longyue could not die. Moreover, if she were driven to death, it would have a significant negative impact on his reputation. Thus, the best course was to delay¡ªthe engagement would be set first, then use it as a political tie. The timing of Dongfang Longyue¡¯s marriage to him was not important. After hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s words, Wang Yong said, ¡°Yes, Crown Prince. I will send the letter to Dongfang Yi right away.¡± Chapter 301 - Chapter 301: Chapter 219: Officially Entering the Age of Firearms_2 Chapter 301: Chapter 219: Officially Entering the Age of Firearms_2 ¡°Your subordinate is leaving.¡± Following that, Wang Yong turned and left the yard. Meanwhile, Lu Shuyun continued to test the power of the Piercing Cloud Bow. Wang Yong¡¯s letter arrived at the Dongfang Family in less than half a month, and Dongfang Yi went straight to Dongfang Longyue¡¯s courtyard after reading it. At this moment, Dongfang Longyue was holding a small porcelain bottle to her nose, sniffing it repeatedly. Upon seeing Dongfang Yi enter her courtyard, Dongfang Longyue put down the porcelain bottle and asked, ¡°Father, is there something you need from me?¡± Dongfang Yi handed over the letter, ¡°Wang Yong has written, saying the Crown Prince plans to first confirm the engagement with you, as for the wedding, there¡¯s no rush, wait until the Crown Prince has married the Crown Princess Consort.¡± ¡°Given the Sum Emperor¡¯s personality, he probably won¡¯t grant the Crown Prince a marriage anytime soon.¡± Dongfang Longyue took the letter from Dongfang Yi¡¯s hand, glanced at it, and smiled slightly before saying, ¡°Father, I plan to take a trip to North Country.¡± Hearing this, Dongfang Yi was startled, then asked, ¡°What are you going to do in North Country?¡± The Crown Prince and the North Prince have a very poor relationship, if he finds out you¡¯ve run off to North Country, he will probably be very angry. Dongfang Longyue said indifferently, ¡°This is exactly how we can let the Crown Prince know that the daughter has completely fallen out with the Dongfang Family, then you can comfortably tell the Crown Prince that all of this was my own decision.¡± ¡°The main reason for my trip to North Country is for those goods at the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯ve heard about the North Prince Mansion¡¯s white liquor?¡± Upon hearing this, Dongfang Yi paused, then said, ¡°Of course, now you can¡¯t even buy the North Prince Mansion¡¯s white liquor in Sufeng City with money.¡± Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°I plan to do business with the North Prince Mansion, transporting their goods to sell in Sufeng City, especially the North Prince Mansion¡¯s white liquor.¡± ¡°The Dongfang Clan is already a commercial family, if the Crown Prince gets angry over this, he will instead fall out with the Dongfang Family. Therefore, I believe that even if the Crown Prince is uncomfortable, he won¡¯t say anything.¡± After thinking it over, Dongfang Yi said, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°However, once you¡¯re in North Country, be as cautious and prudent as possible. After all, we are part of the Aristocratic Family of the South, and in the eyes of the North Prince, we are the Crown Prince¡¯s people, he might not welcome people from the South Aristocratic Family into North Country.¡± Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Father, I know the limits.¡± At this point, Dongfang Longyue suddenly thought of something and asked, ¡°Father, is there any news about that matter?¡± Dongfang Yi sighed, shook his head, and said, ¡°No, I asked your great-grandfather, and he also said he hasn¡¯t received any news.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say whether our generation will be able to wait for it.¡± Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this. Since you are going to North Country, start preparing early. I will arrange for a Grandmaster to protect you.¡± In the blink of an eye, a month passed. In the past month, there had been constant strife within several dynasties, but the Great Xia Dynasty suddenly became exceedingly tranquil, as if all internal conflicts had vanished, and the Sum Emperor¡¯s temperament had mellowed a great deal, as though he had completely capitulated to the Aristocratic Family. The main struggle on the Great Xia imperial court now was between the factions of the various Princes and the Crown Prince¡¯s party. The Sum Emperor seemed to have become irrelevant, essentially remaining as a spectator, as if nothing had to do with him. Lu Chen was in his study organizing recent intelligence. Reviewing the reports delivered by the Brocade Guard, Lu Chen was somewhat bewildered. What exactly is his father the emperor doing? Not only did he establish Lu Shuyun as the Crown Prince, but he even went on to deregulate the salt industry, which had always been government-run, and lately, he had completely withdrawn from court disputes, as if ready to wash his hands of it all. Lu Chen knew this was the calm before the storm, but he couldn¡¯t quite understand what the Sum Emperor was planning. Now that every major dynasty had their own internal issues to deal with, it was the perfect opportunity to tackle the Aristocratic Families. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t believe that the Sum Emperor had no intentions regarding those Aristocratic Families at such a time. The Sum Emperor¡¯s attitude of apparent decline was clearly an act. What mattered was what he had done while pretending to neglect affairs. According to intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard, the Sum Emperor seemed not to be busy with any serious matters. He was simply biding his time, waiting for the various princes¡¯ factions and the Crown Prince¡¯s supporters to fight among themselves. Lu Chen even suspected his imperial father intended to swoop in and reap the benefits once they inflicted serious damage on one another. While Lu Chen was staring blankly at the reports on the table, the voice of a maid rose at the doorway, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin is seeking an audience.¡± Lu Chen indifferently responded, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, Qin Yushan entered the study, ¡°Your subordinate pays respect to Your Highness, long live the Prince.¡± Lu Chen looked at the intelligence on the table and nodded slightly as he asked, ¡°Hmm, what brings you here, Commander Qin?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°Reporting to Your Highness, the cannons have been made. Moreover, the craftsmen have discovered a material that easily ignites. In the future, the Heavenly Thunder bombs will no longer need to be lit manually. One will only need to pull out the safety plug and strike the bottom to directly ignite the internal fuse.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was astounded. Were the craftsmen of Great Yu so skilled? They had so quickly created a bomb that did not require manual ignition? Didn¡¯t this mean that the North Country had officially entered the Age of Firearms? Following that, Lu Chen said, ¡°Prepare the camions and the Thunderous bombs immediately. I want to test them personally.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s urgency, Qin Yushan took out an envelope with intelligence from his sleeve and said, ¡°Your Highness, here is some more intelligence. Perhaps you would like to look at it first?¡± Lu Chen took the intelligence from Qin Yushan¡¯s hand, glanced over it after opening it, and then smiled. ¡°Piercing Cloud Bow? Piercing Cloud Arrow?¡± ¡°The names are somewhat interesting.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen folded the intelligence in his hand and placed it on the table, ¡°With firearms, these types of cold weapons pose no significant threat to the North Country. However, I am more concerned about the materials used to make the Piercing Cloud Bow. Try to procure some of the bows and arrows.¡± Qin Yushan said, ¡°These bows and arrows are strictly controlled. Commander Liang is already trying to figure out a way.¡± As he said this, Qin Yushan shifted the topic, ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s another matter. On my way here to the North Prince Mansion, the Jinyiwei Guards reported that the eldest daughter of the Dongfang Family recently arrived at Yan County. The Dongfang Family has already reached an engagement agreement with Prince Lu Shuyun not long ago. Dongfang Longyue is considered to be Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s fiancee, despite not yet being married.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen looked at Qin Yushan with a peculiar expression, then he asked, ¡°Commander Qin, why do I feel like you have another purpose for telling me this?¡± Qin Yushan quickly said, ¡°Your Highness is mistaken. I only wanted to ask whether Your Highness would want to pay special attention to Dongfang Longyue to prevent her from doing anything that might harm the North Country.¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Indeed, we should pay special attention to her. Let me know if there¡¯s any news about her.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s drop this matter for now. I want to go test the cannons invented by the Mo Brothers.¡± Qin Yushan promptly said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Immediately after, Lu Chen, with Qin Yushan leading the way, went to the important military area to the east of Yan County. The military area in the east was protected by two layers; the outer layer was guarded by the Black Cavalry and the inner by the Brocade Guard. Not even the ordinary armies of the North Country could enter this military spot, for it was an arsenal, currently the most significant military secret of the North Country. After Lu Chen entered the arsenal, Mo Xing immediately put down his work to greet him. ¡°I pay my respects to Your Highness!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Dispense with the formalities, Mo Xing. I have heard that the cannons have been made?¡± Mo Xing replied, ¡°They were made half a month ago, but, to avoid any issues during Your Highness¡¯s test, I¡¯ve made some improvements to the cannons. Moreover, they were enhanced with reference to Your Highness¡¯s Grenade Cannons. In the end, we settled on three types of cannons.¡± Hearing Mo Xing¡¯s answer, Lu Chen was already impatient and immediately said, ¡°Bring out those cannons, and let me test them.¡± ¡°Please follow me, Your Highness.¡± Mo Xing then led Lu Chen to a specialized testing area for the cannons. In the middle of the forest, there was a barren area full of craters, void of any vegetation. The area was used daily for bomb testing, which prevented any plant growth. Before long, the Jinyiwei Guards brought several wooden carts pulled by horses to Lu Chen¡¯s presence. As the boxes were opened, the cannons made by Mo Xing and his team appeared before Lu Chen. Chapter 302 - Chapter 302: Chapter 220: Firearms Beyond Lu Chens Chapter 302: Chapter 220: Firearms Beyond Lu Chen¡¯s Expectations_i Mo Xing and his team produced three types of cannons, one kind with wheels was the red-cloak cannon, one was a mortar, and the last one no longer belonged to the category of cannons, being only the size of a rifle and resembling one more closely. The red-cloak cannon was very similar to Lu Chen¡¯s 122mm howitzer, although not as large and complicated in structure, but from the cylindrical shape of the cannonball, it was clear that this red-cloak cannon was different from the ones in his blueprints. Lu Chen caressed the muzzle, carefully sizing it up, this cannon was about three meters long, apparently firing cannonballs around 75mm in diameter. He then lifted the cannon¡¯s wheels slightly, easily lifting them with one hand, and estimated the weight to be around three to four hundred kilograms. This heavy cannon had a rather rough exterior and a thick barrel, obviously thickened due to the insufficient strength of the materials. In the North Country, which had no industrial foundation whatsoever, creating such a cannon was quite an accomplishment, and Lu Chen wasn¡¯t the least bit bothered by the cannon¡¯s unsightly appearance. He squatted down to take another look at the loading port and discovered that the firing principle of this cannon was pretty much the same as his 122mm howitzer, where both operate by triggering the detonator at the base of the cannonball to ignite the fuel inside and launch it. This¡­ Wasn¡¯t it a bit too advanced? All he wanted was to make red-cloak cannons. Traditional red-cloak cannons used a fuse ignited by fire to then launch the cannonball. The heavy cannons made by Mo Xing and his team could be essentially considered a replica of the howitzer. It was evident that these craftsmen had almost completely grasped the firing principle of the howitzer, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, who says ancient people were foolish? Given a howitzer, they were able to create a miniature version, which might be smarter than some modern people. If he had the same number of people, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to produce a similar cannon. Of course, looking similar was one thing, but the key was whether it could actually be fired. Afterward, Lu Chen picked up a cannonball from the side and discovered it also resembled a scaled-down version of the 122mm howitzer¡¯s cannonball. Then, Lu Chen loaded the cannonball into the chamber and proceeded to fire the cannon at a distant target himself. Accompanied by a thunderous ¡°boom,¡± the cannonball was fired, quickly followed by another ¡°boom¡± as it exploded in the distance. The explosion wasn¡¯t as powerful as that of the 122mm howitzer, due to the gunpowder used, but this cannon was basically sufficient for the Martial Arts World. As long as there were no Grandmaster Martial Artists from the opposing side, carrying this type of heavy cannon, the soldiers of the North Country could essentially overpower any dynastic army, even Grandmasters being of no use. After trying out the first type, the improved version of the red-cloak cannon, Lu Chen then checked the second type, the mortar. The basic principle of the mortar was the same as the heavy cannon, using gravity to drop the cannonball, which then triggers the firing pin inside the barrel upon impact. At that moment, Lu Chen was extremely excited inside, he hadn¡¯t expected that by just providing one howitzer for Mo Xing and his team to disassemble, not only did they reproduce an improved version of the red-cloak cannon but also invented a portable mortar. Lu Chen had never taught Mo Xing and his team how to create a mortar. Lu Chen didn¡¯t test the mortar, he just glanced at the mortar¡¯s cannonballs and then shifted his gaze to the so-called ¡°small cannon¡± Mo Xing and his team had made. What they called a small cannon, Lu Chen saw as a rifle, only firing steel balls and having a separate detonator, and only being able to load one bullet at a time. However, this was just the first version of the firearm, so it was normal for it not to be very effective. Moreover, there was no complete industrial base in the world at the moment, so the fact that they could make such a simple firearm was quite impressive. Even though the firearm wasn¡¯t very practical at the moment, compared to those that required manual loading of gunpowder, Mo Xing and his team¡¯s firearm was evidently much easier to use. They had included the firing gunpowder in a container, eliminating the need for manual loading, which made it very convenient to carry, and most importantly, the gunpowder was less prone to moisture. Lu Chen picked up the ¡°small cannon,¡± loaded it with bullets and priming powder, and then personally tested the firelock. Bang! As the gunshot sounded, steel pellets propelled by the exploding gunpowder shot out and, the next moment, bore directly into the trunk of a tree dozens of meters away. The power was quite decent. If it could be further improved, transforming the steel pellets into pointed bullets, the power could be enhanced even more. After testing the firelock, Lu Chen turned his head and, pointing at the improved Red Cloth Cannon and the mortar, said to Mo Xing, ¡°Next, we¡¯ll mass-produce these two types of cannons, at least three hundred of each.¡± Mo Xing asked, ¡°Prince, should we manufacture the small cannons as well?¡± The small cannon Mo Xing referred to was naturally the firelock, which he had figured out himself, inspired by the launching principle of the shell-firing cannon. He believed that the cannonballs were too heavy, not nearly as convenient to carry as the small cannon, and moreover, if the small cannon were used on the battlefield, their soldiers would no longer need to carry so many arrows. Upon hearing Mo Xing¡¯s question, Lu Chen pondered for a moment. Although this was only the first version of the firelock and not yet very handy, their firelocks would surely become more advanced in the future, so it was essential to get the soldiers accustomed to it in advance. With this thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s first make a thousand of the small cannons. Oh, and from now on, this small cannon will be renamed¡ªstop calling it a small cannon, call it a firelock.¡± Mo Xing was very pleased to hear that Lu Chen wanted to manufacture the small cannon and had specially changed its name. He immediately said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen looked at the firelock and asked, ¡°Who designed this firelock?¡± Mo Xing replied, ¡°Your Highness, it was designed by this humble one.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment, then smilingly said, ¡°Well then, from now on, this firelock will bear your name. It shall be called the Mo Xing Firelock.¡± Excited, Mo Xing said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness!¡± Being able to name a weapon after himself made Mo Xing feel highly valued by Lu Chen. To be esteemed by the Son of Destiny was such an honor. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Although the first version of the firelock is already usable, it is still not convenient enough. I hope you can further improve it and create an even more user-friendly Mo Xing Firelock.¡± Mo Xing said excitedly, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I will definitely not disappoint your expectations!¡± Lu Chen glanced again at the improved Red Cloth Cannon and the mortar, then said, ¡°From now on, this heavy cannon shall be called the Fire God Cannon, and the second type of mortar shall be called the Wind Thunder Cannon.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen turned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s end the testing here for today. Hurry up with the production; I want to equip the army with these weapons within a year.¡± ¡°Commander Qin, take me to see the place where the cannons are cast.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness, please follow me.¡± Qin Yushan then led the way and escorted Lu Chen to inspect the entire armory. By the time Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion after inspecting the armory, it was already dark. Lu Chen was delighted today; the firearms had taken shape, and now all he needed to do was wait for these weapons to be mass-produced. With the deployment of these firearms, coupled with the army¡¯s reforms, the soldiers of the North Country would undoubtedly become very powerful in battle. By then, there might be no dynasty in the world that could defeat the North Country. Thinking of this, Lu Chen was filled with high spirits, full of anticipation for the future. In the following months, as the new city began construction, Lu Chen was very busy every day. If he wasn¡¯t handling government affairs in his study, he was overseeing the construction of the new city. Occasionally, he would also visit the armory to check on the progress of the firearms production. Lu Chen¡¯s three consorts were also showing more each day; in the blink of an eye, it was Mu Zixuan¡¯s time to give birth. Chapter 303 - Chapter 303: Chapter 221: The Birth of the Fourth Child l Chapter 303: Chapter 221: The Birth of the Fourth Child l North Prince Mansion. Outside the main courtyard. The women of Lu Chen waited anxiously at the doorway. Chu Yuqin glanced at Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou, both with prominent bellies, then said, ¡°Xiaoxiao, Youyou, with your own pregnancies, there¡¯s no need for you to stand here waiting. Better go back and rest.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao said, ¡°Madam Chu, we¡¯re fine.¡± No sooner had Zhou Xiaoxiao finished speaking than a pained cry came from within the room. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s cries, Chu Yuqin quickly turned to a female guard at the courtyard door and asked, ¡°Has the Prince not returned yet?¡± Though Mu Zixuan could give birth with the help of a midwife, childbirth was a very painful process. Chu Yuqin had already sent someone to notify Lu Chen, urging him to come back quickly and use his Immortal Technique to alleviate Mu Zixuan¡¯s pain. The female guard at the door replied, ¡°Madam Chu, the Prince has gone to the new city. I have sent a Brocade Guard to inform him, and he should be back soon.¡± At this, Chu Yuqin sighed. Without Lu Chen, Mu Zixuan had no choice but to endure the pain. They, who did not know Immortal Technique, could only stand outside and wait helplessly. At this moment, Mu Zixuan¡¯s heartrending screams came from the birthing room again. However, just then, a tall and majestic figure appeared at the entrance of the courtyard. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s return, the people outside the birthing room quickly made way. Chu Yuqin said anxiously, ¡°Chen¡¯er, go in quickly and check on Zixuan. She¡¯s giving birth.¡± Lu Chen, wearing a smile, said, ¡°Mm, alright.¡± There was no urgency on Lu Chen¡¯s face; with his return, Mu Zixuan would be fundamentally safe. In ancient times, childbirth was risky for women, with frequent occurrences of childbirth complications leading to both mother and child perishing. But in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, with Lu Chen present, his wives and concubines were safe from such complications. Lu Chen strode into the birthing room, where Mu Zixuan lay on the bed, drenched in sweat, her complexion deathly pale, with her wet hair clinging together on her forehead. Seeing Lu Chen enter, a smile surfaced on Mu Zixuan¡¯s pale face. With this man¡¯s return, nothing was a problem. Lu Chen walked over to the bed, took Mu Zixuan¡¯s hand, and immediately started to use the Rejuvenating Skill to take away her pain. Mu Zixuan wanted to speak, but as the child had not yet been born, she needed to focus her strength. She swallowed her words before they could leave her mouth. Lu Chen then infused Mu Zixuan with Spiritual Power, which, once inside her, separated the baby from her body. The baby was enveloped in a cocoon of energy, its skin becoming smooth, and it slipped out effortlessly. The next moment, the sound of the baby¡¯s crying filled the birthing room. The midwives immediately began to take care of the newborn. Lu Chen chuckled to himself, finally understanding why the system had rewarded him with the Rejuvenating Skill¡ªits greatest use was aiding women in childbirth. After the child¡¯s birth, Lu Chen continued using the Rejuvenating Skill to treat Mu Zixuan until she regained her strength and her complexion became rosy. Now, Mu Zixuan gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Prince, thank you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly, raised his hand to caress her forehead, and brushed aside the messy strands of hair. ¡°We are husband and wife; there¡¯s no need for such formalities.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the child instead.¡± By this time, the midwives had finished caring for the baby. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, one of them immediately brought the child over. Lu Chen sat on the bed, laid the baby down, and looked him over carefully. It was a boy. And a hefty one at that, weighing at least ten pounds. Mu Zixuan also slowly sat up and looked down at the male infant on the bed. ¡°Prince, the child has no name yet. Give him a name,¡± she said. Lu Chen was about to speak when suddenly the system¡¯s voice resounded in his mind. [Congratulations to the host for gaining an heir, rewarded with one Grandmaster Literature Saint and five thousand talents of Civil Officials.] Lu Chen paused. His guess was right. Months before, he had pondered whether not only his children rested in their mothers¡¯ wombs but also the talents he desired. It turned out the system did indeed reward him with civil officials. The governance of North Country desperately needed talent. In recent months, Lu Chen had been overwhelmingly busy, handling everything personally to the point of frustration. By nature inclined towards enjoyment, he suddenly found himself bogged down with numerous responsibilities, with his only leisure being the cultivation of relationships with his women in the inner court. Over time, even that grew tedious. Now, with the addition of five thousand talented civil officials, there were finally others to handle affairs of state, freeing him from having to attend to everything personally. Moreover, the talents rewarded by the system were one hundred percent loyal, so he had no worries of backstabbing and intrigue. As for the possibility of officials vying with one another, that didn¡¯t concern him much. The stone that had hung heavy in Lu Chen¡¯s heart for nearly a year finally fell. Returning to the present, Lu Chen, gazing at the infant on the bed, smiled and said, ¡°How about we call him Lu Ziming?¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin and the other women entered the birthing room. Thanks to Lu Chen¡¯s treatment, Mu Zixuan had nearly recovered and did not need to rest like other women after childbirth. Chapter 304 - Chapter 304: Chapter 221: The Birth of the Fourth Child_2 Chapter 304: Chapter 221: The Birth of the Fourth Child_2 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the baby who had been moving restlessly on the bed gradually calmed down, and a smile seemed to appear on his small face. Mu Zixuan smiled and said, ¡°Prince, it seems that Ming¡¯er really likes the name you picked for him.¡± Lu Chen lifted his hand and gently touched Lu Ziming¡¯s small face, smiling as he said, ¡°Ziming, you have really helped daddy a great deal.¡± Seeing this harmonious scene, Yelv Nanyan couldn¡¯t help but touch her own belly. She also wanted to have a child with Lu Chen, but nearly a year had passed, and there was still no response from her belly. She began to wonder if she was too old and had lost the ability to conceive. At this thought, Yelv Nanyan sighed softly in her heart. Lu Chen stayed in the delivery room for about two hours. Once Mu Zixuan had fully recovered both physically and mentally, he then left the delivery room and went to his study. Entering the study, Lu Chen opened the system panel again to check where the talents he needed were located. [Literature Saint Grandmaster implanted identity: Universal Academy¡¯s headmaster Zhuge Zhongguang, who has already received your information. He is currently in the Great Wu Dynasty and will soon head to Da Yue. Should you require his immediate presence in the North Country, host can issue a direct command once.] [Five thousand civil officials¡¯ talents implanted identity: They are currently tutors and students at the Universal Academy in the Great Qian Dynasty. If their immediate presence in the North Country is needed, the host can issue a direct command once.] Seeing the system interface, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Universal Academy? As someone who had transmigrated to this world since childhood, Lu Chen was naturally aware of this academy¡¯s name. It was said that the students of this academy harbored very lofty ideals, aiming for a world of great unity, which put them at odds with the typical ruling class. Although the Universal Academy was within the borders of Great Qian, the royal family of the Great Qian Dynasty had always had reservations about it and had wanted them to leave the dynasty for good. If not for a Grandmaster Literature Saint at the academy, the royal family of the Great Qian Dynasty would¡¯ve probably dissolved it with military force long ago. The Universal Academy certainly had many talents, and in recent years, they had also engaged in politics, but no ruling class of any dynasty favored them. Even if they held official positions, they wouldn¡¯t hold significant ones. Those with the notion of ¡°a world of great unity¡± were considered outliers in the current world, unlikely to be accepted by rulers. If the world achieved such unity, what would sustain the ruling class¡¯s power? Therefore, the status of the Universal Academy in this world has always been somewhat awkward. Despite the abundance of talents in the Universal Academy, they were not put to significant use, which led to a decline in popularity over the years. There were fewer and fewer people willing to go there to study. After entering the Universal Academy, the students held ideologies that contradicted those of the ruling class. It was impossible for those in power to let them hold office; hence, they were not put to significant use. All their learning amounted to naught. Reflecting on his understanding of the Universal Academy, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly upward. A world of great unity¡­ This ideal was indeed too advanced for its time; no wonder the ruling class was unwilling to let the students of the Universal Academy become officials. To be honest, if these students of the Universal Academy were not arranged by the system, Lu Chen, as the seignior of a feudal state, would not want to employ these literati whose heads were full of visions of a world of great unity. In an era with such low productivity, how could one achieve a world of great unity? To achieve such a world would mean that the ruling class must cede their interests and share their resources with the common people. How then could the ruling class enjoy life? Lu Chen himself was a beneficiary of the status quo. He could never uphold the idea of a world of great unity. Yet, he still needed officials who would fight for the interests of the common people. Only by having officials serve them would the people of the North Country trust him as their North Prince, and his rule would be more secure. Thus, while to other ruling classes the people of the Universal Academy might be a cancer, to Lu Chen, they were a treasure. With this in mind, Lu Chen immediately said to the system, ¡°Send out the summoning order, have them relocate to the North Country within half a year.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the system¡¯s notification sounded once more. [The summoning order has been issued, and all members of the Universal Academy have received your command.] Meanwhile. In a tavern within the Great Wu Dynasty. A woman dressed in a purple gown with a stunningly beautiful countenance was seated at a table, and facing her was a white-haired, elderly man. Although the old man¡¯s hair and beard were completely white, he appeared to be very spirited and did not look like someone who is one hundred fifty years old at all. At this time, the woman spoke, ¡°Grandmaster Zhuge, since the Great Qian Dynasty cannot accommodate you, why not move the Universal Academy to the Great Wu Dynasty?¡± ¡°The doors of the Great Wu Dynasty are always open to the Universal Academy.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Zhuge Zhongguang smiled faintly, stroking his snow-white beard. How could Zhuge Zhongguang not know what Wu Junwan was plotting? Wu Junwan had no interest in the Universal Academy; what she truly wanted was to use it to garner the support of him, the Literature Saint and Grandmaster. Zhuge Zhongguang then replied, ¡°I appreciate Princess Junwan¡¯s kindness, and I take it to heart. However, the Universal Academy advocates peace, and the Great Wu Dynasty wages war every year, which is inconsistent with the Academy¡¯s ideology.¡± ¡°If the Universal Academy were to move to the Great Wu Dynasty, there could be conflicts between the scholars of the Academy and some people of the Great Wu due to ideological disagreements.¡± Seeing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s polite refusal, Wu Junwan was still somewhat unreconciled and continued, ¡°Grandmaster Zhuge, as far as I know, the situation at the Universal Academy is quite bad at the moment. There are rumors in the Great Qian Dynasty that the Academy is not abiding by rituals and respect for the Rites, leading to heavenly calamities, and the common people are all calling for its abolition.¡± ¡°If the Universal Academy does not move out of the Great Qian Dynasty, it will eventually be abolished one day. Why does Grandmaster Zhuge insist on staying in the Great Qian Dynasty?¡± Upon hearing these words, Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s face still bore a smile. As he was about to speak, suddenly, his mind blanked, and he paused as if he had remembered something important. Wu Junwan naturally noticed the change in Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s expression and tentatively asked, ¡°Grandmaster Zhuge?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang quickly regained his composure and once again revealed a benevolent smile, and this time, his smile was even more pronounced, indicating he had indeed recalled something pleasant. ¡°Again, I thank the princess for her invitation, but I have made up my mind and will not be leaving the Great Qian Dynasty for the time being. As for whether the Universal Academy will move out of the Great Qian in the future, that is a matter for another time.¡± Having said this, Zhuge Zhongguang stood up and continued, ¡°Princess Junwan, I will now be heading to the Da Yue Dynasty and will no longer delay in the Great Wu.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately said, ¡°In that case, I shall not keep you any longer. Safe travels, Grandmaster Zhuge!¡± Afterwards, Zhuge Zhongguang left the tavern and led the disciples of the Universal Academy straight to the Da Yue Dynasty. Watching the hurried carriage downstairs, Wu Junwan furrowed her brow slightly. She indeed wanted the Universal Academy to move to the Great Wu Dynasty for the sake of winning over Zhuge Zhongguang, the Literature Saint and Grandmaster, but it seemed that he was unlikely to come to the Great Wu Dynasty. With this in mind, Wu Junwan sighed and said, ¡°It seems that Zhuge Zhongguang has no interest in the Great Wu at all.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, her protector Pei Hong reminded her from behind, ¡°Your Highness, Zhuge Zhongguang broke through to the Grandmaster Realm decades ago, and he must be close to reaching the Heavenly Human Realm by now. A powerhouse like him tends to have a stubborn personality and is not so easily swayed.¡± Wu Junwan calmly said, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not necessarily a good thing for the Universal Academy to move to the Great Wu anyway. If we can¡¯t win them over, then so be it.¡± ¡°He just mentioned going to the Da Yue Dynasty, from the look of it, he probably plans to move the Universal Academy there. I have a good relationship with the Yue Emperor. If the Universal Academy really moves to the Da Yue, I still might have a chance to win him over in the future.¡± With these thoughts, Wu Junwan¡¯s mood improved somewhat. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 222: Wang Qingci: The Prince has Changed_i Chapter 305: Chapter 222: Wang Qingci: The Prince has Changed_i Ever since Mu Zixuan gave birth to her child, Lu Chen has hardly ventured outside for a while, neither inspecting the new city¡¯s construction nor visiting the armory, spending most of his time in the Prince¡¯s Mansion handling state affairs. The construction of the new city was proceeding methodically, and the first batch of weapons produced by the armory was about to be completed. Lu Chen was mainly waiting for the arrival of the Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang. Of course, in addition to Zhuge Zhongguang, Lu Chen was also waiting for the children in the bellies of the two Xiaozhou to be born; he was eager to find out what kind of surprises these two children could bring him. Early morning. Lu Chen came out from Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room with a beaming face, his whole being feeling very delighted after spending the previous night cultivating affections with Yelv Nanyan. After leaving the Spring Sound Court, Lu Chen planned to eat breakfast in the main courtyard first, but at that moment, a maid came walking towards him. ¡°This servant pays her respects to the Prince, long live the Prince!¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, intending to continue toward the main courtyard, but the maid did not step aside and instead said, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin is looking for you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you in the study.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily startled. Qin Yushan was looking for him so early in the morning; could it be some important intelligence? Lu Chen then skipped breakfast and went straight to the study to see what Qin Yushan needed. By the time Lu Chen arrived at the courtyard of the study, he found that not only Qin Yushan but also Wang Qingci was standing at the entrance of the study. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Qin Yushan immediately performed a greeting, saying, ¡°I pay my respects to the Prince, long live the Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded, then directly walked into the study, saying as he went, ¡°Come in.¡± Following closely behind, Qin Yushan and Wang Qingci entered the study. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what brings you to seek me out so early in the morning?¡± Qin Yushan took out a piece of intelligence from his sleeve and placed it on the desk, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s movement in the Capital city!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s mind jolted. In recent months, he had been waiting for his father, the Sum Emperor, to act against those Aristocratic Families. Only if turmoil arose in Great Xia could the court¡¯s attention be completely diverted, allowing him to annex the North Land into the North Country. If he were to annex the North Land into the North Country now, it would inevitably attract the court¡¯s scrutiny, which would be highly disadvantageous for him. However, after waiting several months, there had been no movement from the Capital city, making Lu Chen doubt whether his father had truly given up on striking down those Aristocratic Families. Both Great Wu and Great Qian had already descended into internal strife, and yet after such a long delay without action, if he didn¡¯t promptly eliminate those Ancient Families within the Great Xia Dynasty, Great Xia would miss a golden opportunity once Great Wu and Great Qian recovered their strengths. After several months, there was finally some activity. Lu Chen immediately opened the intelligence on the table and read it earnestly. Having read the intelligence on the desk, a slight smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face; it seemed that Great Xia¡¯s civil war was about to erupt. A few days ago, the Sum Emperor had purged some Aristocratic Family officials from the court and began to mobilize troops on a large scale, claiming that there was an epidemic in the Great Qian Dynasty to the South. He planned to send troops southward to guard the southern border, to prevent the contagion from spreading into the Great Xia Dynasty. Even a fool could see this was an excuse. First, he purged some officials from the South¡¯s Aristocratic Families, then mobilized a large army southward¡ªthis was obviously aimed at the Aristocratic Families of the South. It was true that the Great Qian Dynasty was experiencing an epidemic, but even with the outbreak, with Seigniors guarding the borders, it would not be so easy for the epidemic to spread into Great Xia. Although the military force in a Seignior¡¯s domain was limited, at least each domain had fifty thousand soldiers. Couldn¡¯t fifty thousand soldiers defend a border? The Great Qian Dynasty was not waging war, so the soldiers of the domain merely needed to prevent the population infected with the epidemic from fleeing to Great Xia. This minor matter definitely didn¡¯t necessitate the court deploying a large army southward; the Sum Emperor¡¯s intentions were all too obvious. Lu Chen now found his father quite baffling. He had previously refrained from acting, and instead of acting, he had established Lu Shuyun, that fellow, as the Crown Prince. Later, he even opened up the management rights to the salt industry, causing the salt prices within Great Xia to continue to rise, fattening up those salt-producing Aristocratic Families of the South. After such a long time, he¡¯s now remembered to purge the Aristocratic Families, and with such overt moves. Even the dimmest Aristocratic Families from the South could guess that the Sum Emperor was planning to send troops southward to deal with them, could they not? Considering the current situation, it probably wouldn¡¯t be long before news of the Aristocratic Families¡¯ rebellion would arrive. After reviewing the intelligence in hand, Lu Chen said, ¡°Send a message back to Commander Liang, telling him to keep a close eye on the movements of the Aristocratic Families in the South.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± ¡°Prince, if there are no other matters, then your subordinate will take leave.¡± With Wang Qingci still standing by, Qin Yushan certainly knew how to take his leave. Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Alright, go attend to your duties.¡± As soon as the words fell, Qin Yushan turned and left the study. After Qin Yushan¡¯s departure, Lu Chen looked up at Wang Qingci standing before him. Thanks to Lu Chen¡¯s nurturing over time, Wang Qingci¡¯s figure had become even more enchanting, and her whole demeanor even more seductive. Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Mr. Wang, what brings you to seek me out so early in the morning?¡± Wang Qingci took out a piece of intelligence and placed it on Lu Chen¡¯s desk, speaking lightly, ¡°Prince, there is a rumor that the Grandmaster from Universal Academy has gone to the Da Yue Dynasty, and has privately met with the Yue Emperor about something. It seems they might be planning to relocate Universal Academy to the Da Yue Dynasty.¡± Chapter 306 - Chapter 306: Chapter 222: Wang Qingci: The Prince has Changed_2 Chapter 306: Chapter 222: Wang Qingci: The Prince has Changed_2 Hearing this, Lu Chen gave a faint smile. He picked up the intelligence report from the desk and glanced over it. Clearly, Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s visit to the Da Yue Dynasty was merely a smokescreen; his real objective was North Country. After all, with so many students at Univeral Academy, it was impossible to move to North Country all at once; the process would require some time. As for the meeting between Zhuge Zhongguang and the Yue Emperor, this was not at all surprising. After all, Zhuge Zhongguang was a Literature Saint Grandmaster, and a grandmaster would be respected in any dynasty. It was highly likely that the Yue Emperor wanted to win over Zhuge Zhongguang, to have him join the Da Yue Dynasty, which is why he would meet with Zhuge in secret. However, unfortunately for the Yue Emperor, Zhuge Zhongguang would never join the Da Yue Dynasty. At this moment, Wang Qingci reminded, ¡°Recently, the situation for Univeral Academy in the Great Qian Dynasty has been poor. Some say that the reason the Great Qian Dynasty is suffering from the plague is because the students from Univeral Academy do not abide by rituals, nor respect gods and spirits; hence, the heavens have sent down the plague as a punishment for the Great Qian Dynasty.¡± ¡°As the head of Univeral Academy, Zhuge Zhongguang visiting other dynasties at this time is likely in search of a new location for the academy. Prince, don¡¯t you think this is an opportunity?¡± Wang Qingci could also see what North Country was lacking the most right now. For the past few months, Lu Chen hardly engaged in that kind of activity with her inside the study; most of the time, it was because Lu Chen was too busy. North Country did not have that many officials, and many matters required Lu Chen¡¯s personal attention, which led to him being in a state of high-intensity work upon entering the study, leaving him no time to seek relaxation with Wang Qingci. It used to be Lu Chen who took care of Wang Qingci in the study, but ever since Lu Chen¡¯s workload increased, it had been Wang Qingci who went back to the inner court by herself, luring Lu Chen to her room on his way to Spring Sound Court at night. Not cultivating feelings with the Young Prince for a long time, Wang Qingci would pine for him, so she would occasionally return to the inner court to find Lu Chen for relief. Although every time she returned, she would wake up the next day with her head in a fog, it wasn¡¯t too much of a problem as long as it wasn¡¯t a daily occurrence. What Wang Qingci was thinking now was that, since Univeral Academy was so unpopular, why not take advantage of this opportunity to attract Univeral Academy to North Country? Putting aside the fact that Univeral Academy¡¯s students were all fit to be officials, having Zhuge Zhongguang, a Literature Saint Grandmaster, alone was worth Lu Chen welcoming the entire Univeral Academy. With Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang, North Country¡¯s deterrence would grow significantly, and even if North Country wanted to become independent in the future, the court would not dare to act rashly. So far, no feudal state of a Prince in the Great Xia Dynasty had a Grandmaster. Secretly, perhaps, but at least not publicly. North Country already had Lu Chen, a Grandmaster; with another grandmaster, that would be two Grandmasters. A feudal state with two Grandmasters could completely disregard the imperial court¡¯s commands. Of course, this was just Wang Qingci¡¯s personal idea. She also knew that those scholars from Univeral Academy were filled with impractical ideas in their heads, so it remained to be seen whether Lu Chen, the ruler, would be willing to accept these scholars. After all, no ruler so far had been willing to embrace scholars filled with the ideology of a great unity. After hearing what Wang Qingci said, Lu Chen smiled and then asked, ¡°Opportunity? What opportunity?¡± ¡°In your view, Qingci, do you think the scholars from Univeral Academy are of great use to North Country?¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Wang Qingci thought he looked down on the scholars from Univeral Academy like other rulers and replied, ¡°Prince, although those scholars are filled with unrealistic ideas, their principles are good for the common people. If the students from Univeral Academy could come to North Country to serve as officials, I believe they would wholeheartedly work for the people.¡± ¡°If the officials work wholeheartedly for the people, the people will surely credit their achievements to you. This would increase the people¡¯s trust in North Prince Mansion and consolidate your rule.¡± Having listened to Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and then asked, ¡°Have you not considered that if these people all come to North Country, they might one day sideline me, the Prince, and decide everything in North Country, or even demand that I hand over the properties of North Prince Mansion?¡± This¡­ Wang Qingci thought about it; if it were those people from Univeral Academy, they might indeed try to have the ruling class surrender their benefits to the common folk. So, these people were indeed a threat to Prince Lu Chen, and it was not surprising that he did not want them. Then Wang Qingci said, ¡°The Prince is right, I was being fanciful.¡± Just when Wang Qingci thought Lu Chen had no interest in Univeral Academy, Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°No, you were not being fanciful. If it were an ordinary Prince, indeed he would not want the scholars from Univeral Academy, nor would he worry about those people coming to his feudal state and sidelining him.¡± ¡°But I am different from other Princes.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci was taken aback, then she asked, ¡°Does the Prince mean to attract Zhuge Zhongguang and the students from Univeral Academy?¡± Chapter 307 - Chapter 307: Chapter 222: Wang Qingci: The Prince has Changed_3 Chapter 307: Chapter 222: Wang Qingci: The Prince has Changed_3 ¡°Recruitment?¡± Lu Chen smiled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much, I have no intention of recruiting them.¡± This¡­ If Lu Chen isn¡¯t going to recruit them, how could they possibly come to North Country? It was clear that Lu Chen was still not very interested in Universal Academy. It made sense, after all. Lu Chen was the supreme ruler of North Country. Although he said he wouldn¡¯t be too opposed to them, deep down he surely wasn¡¯t very interested in the scholars from Universal Academy. Just as Wang Qingci was thinking this, Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°Universal Academy is already mine; there is no need for me to recruit them.¡± What? Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci was completely stunned. She seriously wondered if there was something wrong with her ears, causing her to hallucinate. After recovering her wits, Wang Qingci immediately asked, ¡°Your Highness, you aren¡¯t joking with me, are you? Universal Academy is yours?¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°What, are you surprised?¡± ¡°This slave¡­¡± Wang Qingci hesitated, lost for words. This was no longer a matter of being surprised or not. Universal Academy was located within the Great Qian Dynasty, and the whole academy belonged to Lu Chen? As far as she knew, Universal Academy¡¯s history seemed to precede Lu Chen¡¯s age by quite a bit, didn¡¯t it? Universal Academy had been around for decades, founded by Zhuge Zhongguang in his youth. How could it now all belong to Lu Chen? Curious, Wang Qingci inquired, ¡°Your Highness, is Zhuge Zhongguang also one of your people?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°His trip to the Da Yue Dynasty wasn¡¯t to pledge allegiance to them but to come to North Country.¡± ¡°In a few days, Zhuge Zhongguang will arrive in Yan County.¡± This¡­ Although it seemed unbelievable, Wang Qingci quickly came to accept this shocking news. After all, she was dealing with Lu Chen, a miraculous man who had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm at the mere age of seventeen. Nothing seemed impossible with him. After thinking for a moment, Wang Qingci then said, ¡°Since Universal Academy is under your influence, this slave will no longer pay attention to its affairs.¡± ¡°No, you should still keep a close eye on Universal Academy¡¯s situation. Universal Academy is still within Great Qian¡¯s borders and hasn¡¯t moved to North Country yet. If something happens to Universal Academy, Rain- Listening Pavilion can provide appropriate assistance from the shadows.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°This slave understands. If there¡¯s nothing else, I shall take my leave now.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead. You have things to do.¡± As his voice faded, Lu Chen lowered his head and picked up the intelligence report that Qin Yushan had brought earlier, reading it carefully. Seeing this, Wang Qingci pursed her cherry lips. Lu Chen¡¯s recent changes were indeed significant. If it had been before, he would have surely reprimanded her in the study. But now, Lu Chen didn¡¯t scold her in the study anymore, making her feel quite uncomfortable. With a soft sigh, Wang Qingci felt that the Young Prince was becoming too serious, which wasn¡¯t necessarily a good thing. Just as Wang Qingci was feeling sentimental, Lu Chen noticed that she did not leave the study immediately. He looked up at her and asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you have something else on your mind?¡± Wang Qingci quickly responded, ¡°No¡­ nothing, this slave is leaving now.¡± With that, she turned around and left the study. Wang Qingci thought to herself, the absurd things Lu Chen had done in the past were due to his youth, being only sixteen or seventeen years old. As Lu Chen grew older, his temperament would become more mature. The mature Lu Chen might not do those absurd things anymore. For some reason, she didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to grow up. In the past, she could act like an older sister in front of him, then provoke him, spurring him to give her a good punishment. But in the future, it likely wouldn¡¯t be the same. Once a person matures, their thoughts change as well. If she continued to tease Lu Chen like before, it might not excite him but instead could make him dislike her. The thought made Wang Qingci feel extremely dejected. She had realized that this day would come, but she hadn¡¯t expected it to come so quickly. Within a year¡¯s time, there had been such a great change in Lu Chen, becoming so mature, so manly. She still preferred the Young Prince who would carelessly lay hands on her, always thinking about treating her roughly. The more Wang Qingci thought about it, the more suffocated she felt. Lu Chen also sensed something was off with Wang Qingci. He always felt that Wang Qingci had something on her mind. Lu Chen then accessed Wang Qingci¡¯s personal profile. [Name: Wang Qingci] [Status: The North Prince¡¯s favorite female slave, the North Prince¡¯s concubine, Tower Master of the Rain-Listening Pavilion, Half-step Grandmaster. She has noticed that the North Prince has changed recently; he has become more serious, mature, and no longer treats her as he used to, which makes her feel very despondent, feeling that the North Prince is tired of playing with his female slave and might abandon her at any moment.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 100] This- Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s latest profile, Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. Indeed, he hadn¡¯t been treating Wang Qingci in the same way lately. One reason was that he was so occupied with endless affairs of state that he hardly had any thoughts about women when he was in his study, so whenever Wang Qingci came to the study, he talked about business. Despite rarely engaging in such acts with Wang Qingci in the study, he would still visit her room occasionally at night and role-play with her. So Wang Qingci thought he had changed? And even felt despondent about it? Could it be that, in Wang Qingci¡¯s mind, his previous way of treating her indicated care, and now that he had suddenly become so serious, it meant he no longer liked her? Heh¡­ This M¡­ Chapter 310 - Chapter 310: Chapter 224 Zhuge Zhongguang Arrives 1 Chapter 310: Chapter 224 Zhuge Zhongguang Arrives 1 When Lu Chen arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, apart from those responsible for patrols, nearly all important military figures were already present. Upon seeing Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, everyone uniformly saluted and said, ¡°Greetings to the Prince, long live the Prince!¡± After the salutations, Mu Jingwu immediately spoke up, ¡°Prince, the Artillery camp has already completed its assembly.¡± Lu Chen nodded, his gaze resting on Mu Changtian who then spoke, ¡°Prince, the thousand new recruits you requested are ready as well. They have all been trained exactly according to the methods you provided.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Since everything is ready, let¡¯s set out.¡± Then, under the lead of the Jinyiwei Guards, everyone proceeded to the military strategic area near the munitions factory. This was a place Mu Changtian and the others had never been to before. They only knew that it was shrouded in mystery, guarded solely by the Black Cavalry; ordinary soldiers were not allowed to enter, not even Mu Changtian himself. After the Artillery camp and the new army had arrived at the designated spot, Lu Chen then addressed Mu Changtian and the others, ¡°You should know that I¡¯ve brought you here today mainly because the army is about to be equipped with new-style weapons.¡± ¡°These new weapons are similar to howitzer cannons. Although their power is not as great as that of the howitzer, they boast a much larger quantity. Moreover, these are weapons that the North Country is now able to mass- produce.¡± Upon hearing this, a jolt went through Mu Changtian and the others. Mass-production? Wouldn¡¯t that mean the military strength of the North Country could soon surpass other dynasties? The last time they saw the howitzer, it made a profound impression on everyone. Back then, they were thinking that if such weapons could be mass- produced, then Lu Chen¡¯s ascension to the supreme position would be utterly effortless. However, at the time, people thought they were using Immortal weapons, which would not be available in large numbers and would be gone once used up. It had been a while since the Artillery camp¡¯s soldiers last touched a howitzer, and Mu Jingwu even wondered if the camp might be disbanded. Unexpectedly, the North Country had already started manufacturing similar weapons, which meant that the Artillery camp would play a crucial role on the battlefield in the future. At this moment, Lu Chen said to Mo Xing, ¡°Let the Jinyiwei Guards bring out the weapons.¡± ¡°As you command, Prince.¡± With the assistance of the Black Cavalry, soon three hundred cannons and over a thousand mortars were presented before the soldiers. Seeing such a vast arsenal, Mu Changtian and the others were stunned. At that time, Lu Chen said to Mu Jingwu, ¡°Captain Mu, starting today, the Artillery camp will train with live ammunition. I need you to become thoroughly familiar with these new cannons within two months.¡± Mu Jingwu immediately replied, ¡°As you command, Prince!¡± The Artillery camp¡¯s soldiers had long been eager to handle the real McCoy. Ever since the howitzer ammunition was used up, they had primarily been studying theoretical knowledge, which, no matter how thoroughly taught, does not compare to hands-on learning. At that moment, Li Feng noticed the stick-like weapons placed on the wooden boards, and his mind instantly conjured the scene where Lu Chen used a Barrett to kill a high-quality warrior. Li Feng couldn¡¯t help thinking, could these stick-like weapons be the same type of formidable arsenal that Lu Chen had previously used? With this thought, Li Feng immediately asked, ¡°Prince, are these stick-like weapons also considered cannons?¡± Before Lu Chen could respond, Mo Xing answered from the side, ¡°General Li, these are not cannons, they are muskets.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°From now on, the new army should gradually abandon bows and arrows and switch to using muskets. Mo Xing, demonstrate the use of the musket for them.¡± ¡°Very well, Prince.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Xing picked up a musket, efficiently loading the primer and a steel ball bullet. Next, he raised the musket and pulled the trigger at a distant tree. With the sound of a gunshot, the steel ball was shot out, instantly embedding itself into the tree. Witnessing this, Li Feng and the others were taken by surprise; the weapon indeed resembled the mysterious black weapon previously used by the Prince. However, it seemed to be less powerful than that mysterious weapon of Lu Chen¡¯s. After Mo Xing demonstrated the use of the musket, he told everyone, ¡°The musket¡¯s bullet and primer are smaller in size, making them more convenient to carry than arrows.¡± ¡°In battle, a soldier can easily carry several hundred bullets on his person.¡± ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not the most critical aspect. The most important thing is that even an ordinary person can use this musket, and the musket¡¯s bullets can easily penetrate armor.¡± Hearing this, those present were again stunned. If they were using bows and arrows, soldiers without training might not even be able to draw the bow, and even if they could, the arrows lacked force and certainly couldn¡¯t pierce an enemy¡¯s armor. But once equipped with muskets, it meant that from then on, any ordinary person could join the army of the North Country; all they needed to learn was how to use a musket. An average person proficient with a musket would possess a strength comparable to that of a Second Grade warrior. Mu Changtian sighed inwardly. Indeed, the era of warriors was coming to an end. After Mo Xing finished speaking, Lu Chen reminded them from the side, ¡°These are training guns; the bullets and primers are separate, and not yet convenient for carrying. I have already instructed the craftsmen to improve the muskets and produce ammunition that combines the primer and bullet.¡± ¡°Such muskets will be more powerful, and not even a Ninth Grade warrior can withstand their bullets.¡± Chapter 311 - Chapter 311: Chapter 224 Zhuge Zhongguang Arrives_2 Chapter 311: Chapter 224 Zhuge Zhongguang Arrives_2 At this point, Lu Chen looked towards Mu Changtian. ¡°The new army must quickly learn how to use muskets.¡± Mu Changtian snapped back to reality and said, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Additionally, I have one more thing to say. After we enter the Age of Firearms, some martial artists might feel they are no different from ordinary people. But I must remind you all that no matter how formidable firearms are, there exist people who cannot be killed by them.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen immediately took a Mo Xing musket, loaded it with a bullet, and aimed it at his own head. Seeing this scene, everyone was shocked, their faces turning pale with fright. ¡°Prince!!!¡± ¡°Prince, you mustn¡¯t!!!¡± Before anyone could stop Lu Chen, he had already fired the gun at himself. The result was that just as the steel bullet was about to touch Lu Chen¡¯s head, a powerful force exploded from his body. In the next instant, the steel bullet turned into powder. This¡­ Once again, everyone was stunned. The pressure emanating from Lu Chen made it hard for everyone present to breathe, even Mu Changtian who was a grandmaster felt the weight of a mountain upon him. Lu Chen had never told them that he had become a Grandmaster, but the pressure he was now releasing was clearly that of a Grandmaster. The summoned martial artists naturally knew that Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, but Mu Changtian and the others did not know, and the ordinary soldiers were also unaware. By revealing this power, Lu Chen not only demonstrated the importance of martial arts but also showcased his Grandmaster strength. The soldiers and others found it somewhat unbelievable. Grandmaster? Was their prince a Grandmaster? A seventeen-year-old Grandmaster? Indeed, their prince was the Son of Destiny favored by immortals! If their prince had not been favored by immortals, how could he possibly have produced such a terrifying weapon, and how could he have broken through to the Grandmaster realm in such a short time! Given their prince¡¯s rate of growth, perhaps before he turned thirty, their prince would become a Celestial powerhouse. It was rumored that Celestial powerhouses possessed strength close to that of immortals, capable of summoning the wind and calling the rain! Thinking of this, the soldiers were boiling with excitement. At that moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°As you all have seen, with absolute power, even a musket cannot harm the body. So, do not be disheartened, martial arts remain very important. Moreover, practicing it can indeed prolong one¡¯s life, so do not abandon the path of martial arts just because firearms have emerged.¡± Lu Chen had already noticed that since the grenade cannon had shown great prowess on the battlefield, the military martial artists had been feeling lost. Some soldiers even thought that martial arts had become useless, and even Mu Changtian began entertaining such thoughts. The advent of firearms would certainly impact martial artists. They would definitely think, if an ordinary person could easily kill a Ninth Grade martial artist, what was the point of practicing so hard for decades? Although Lu Chen knew firearms were powerful, he would never say martial arts were useless. On the contrary, with the emergence of firearms, martial arts might become even more important than before. Because only by reaching the Grandmaster realm can one easily block bullets. In order not to be threatened by firearms, people will inevitably strive to improve their own realm, ensuring they won¡¯t be easily taken down by an ordinary person with a musket. Lu Chen glanced over the soldiers and then said, ¡°Alright, take these weapons away with your men. Great Sum will fall into chaos, and we must prepare.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian and the others felt a jolt of apprehension. Great Sum will fall into chaos? Why would the North Prince say such a thing, could it be¡­ Was the North Prince planning to take up arms directly? While Mu Changtian and the others were lost in their wild thoughts, Lu Chen had already gone to inspect the armory. Since he was there, he might as well check the progress of the new gun¡¯s research. The development of the new gun was going smoothly. The bullet and primer had been combined, no longer steel projectiles, and the tip of the bullet had turned into a cone shape. Mo Xing and his team were able to finalize the bullets so quickly mainly because Lu Chen had provided them with the Desert Eagle and Barrett bullets for reference. However, their bullets had a significant issue, in this era of extremely weak industrial foundations, the bullets they manufactured were too rough and prone to barrel explosion. To prevent barrel explosions from causing trouble for the users, Mo Xing thickened the gun barrel so that even if the bullets did explode, they wouldn¡¯t destroy the firearm and wouldn¡¯t harm the user. But this led to a major problem: as the barrel thickness increased, so did the weight. The weight of an ordinary rifle had already caught up with Lu Chen¡¯s Barrett. Indeed, the gun was rather heavy for ordinary people, but for the martial artists of this world, this weight was not an issue. Lu Chen found that what he had said earlier was correct, martial artists were indeed still very important in the North Country. For instance, their newly produced firearms required at least a Ninth Grade martial artist to use them with ease, and in the future, these new types of firearms could be provided to martial artists above Ninth Grade ahead of time. Of course, this was only a temporary measure; the current industrial foundation was poor and the materials inadequate, so they had to resort to thickening the gun barrels. Once the North Country developed a certain industrial base, the firearms they manufactured wouldn¡¯t explode as easily, and even ordinary people would be able to use new firearms with ease. About half an hour after inspecting the armory, Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. No sooner had he arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion than a Brocade Guard Commander hurriedly approached Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, something terrible has happened!¡± Seeing the anxious look on the Brocade Guard Commander¡¯s face, Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°What happened?¡± The Brocade Guard Commander answered, ¡°A Grandmaster has arrived at the southern gate of Yan County; now, the merchants passing by are all gathered outside, watching. It is said that this Grandmaster is the Literature Saint of the Great Qian Dynasty.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. He had arrived in Yan County so soon? Lu Chen thought that Zhuge Zhongguang would stay in the Da Yue Dynasty for a while and then come to Yan County quietly to avoid detection. The Brocade Guard Commander continued, ¡°The Grandmaster had just arrived at the gates of Yan County when he was recognized by the people. Now, the southern gate is completely blocked, as everyone wants to catch a glimpse of the Grandmaster.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen frowned. Was Zhuge Zhongguang making too much of a stir? But on second thought, it made sense. After all, Zhuge Zhongguang was known as the Literature Saint, and he was the person most likely to break through the Heavenly Human Realm in the last few decades. It was normal for him to be so popular. Lu Chen said, ¡°Take me there to have a look.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen rode his horse directly to the south of the city. Zhuge Zhongguang was the Literature Saint and also a Grandmaster; even the emperors of various dynasties had to show him some respect, so it was only proper for Lu Chen, as Prince, to personally go to greet him. It wasn¡¯t long before Lu Chen arrived at the southern gate. By then, the inside and outside of the city gate were crowded with people, all eager to see the legendary Literature Saint Grandmaster. At that moment, guards from the Prince¡¯s Mansion shouted loudly, ¡°The Prince has arrived!!!¡± Hearing this, the frenzied commoners reluctantly made way. With the appearance of the North Prince himself, the commoners became much more subdued. Shortly after, Lu Chen on horseback arrived in front of a carriage drawn by four horses. In the next moment, under the watchful eyes of everyone, an old man with white hair slowly descended from the carriage. Nowadays, Yan County had become a commercial hub, with merchant convoys from all the major dynasties coming to do business, especially goods from the North Prince Mansion, which were their most important trade items. The merchants had broader knowledge, many of whom had seen Zhuge Zhongguang, especially those from the Great Qian Dynasty. ¡°Look everyone! It¡¯s really the Literature Saint!¡± ¡°Why has the Literature Saint appeared in the North Country?¡± ¡°What is he doing in Yan County? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to move the Universal Academy to the Da Yue Dynasty?¡± ¡°Does the North Country have something that attracts him?¡± ¡°Da Yue and the North Country are close; maybe he just came to the North Country to have a look.¡± While people were discussing fervently, Zhuge Zhongguang approached Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen also dismounted from his horse. Then Zhuge Zhongguang, bending at the waist, bowed and said, ¡°Zhuge Zhongguang, Headmaster of the Universal Academy, pays respects to the Prince!¡± Chapter 312 - Chapter 312: Chapter 225 Chen Wanrongs Special Tactic s_1 Chapter 312: Chapter 225 Chen Wanrong¡¯s Special Tactic s_1 Upon hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, the scene instantly buzzed with discussion. ¡°A greeting? Did I hear that wrong?¡± ¡°Why would the Literature Saint pay respects to the North Prince?¡± ¡°Did the Literature Saint misspeak?¡± The term ¡°to greet¡± should not be used lightly; it is generally reserved for when someone of lower status presents their respects to someone of higher status, yet Zhuge Zhongguang is the Literature Saint. Wherever he goes, emperors of every dynasty personally receive him. As for the status, the North Prince¡¯s cannot possibly be higher than Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s. Although the North Prince is a prince, at most he is but a Seignior. It is well known that Zhuge Zhongguang does not need to pay respects in the presence of the emperors of dynasties. And yet today Zhuge Zhongguang was actually taking the initiative to pay respects to a Seignior? What was going on? Was this elder truly Zhuge Zhongguang? Just as people were puzzled as to why Zhuge Zhongguang would offer a greeting to Lu Chen, Lu Chen immediately stepped forward, took Zhuge Zhongguang by the arms, and said, ¡°Dean Zhuge need not be so courteous.¡± At that moment, Zhuge Zhongguang spoke, ¡°If the Prince does not mind, how about we share a carriage?¡± Even though Lu Chen had come on horseback, if he, a prince, rode back on a horse while his subject, Zhuge, took a carriage, it would seem disrespectful. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then the younger generation shall humbly accept the offer.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen followed Zhuge Zhongguang onto the carriage. Seeing this scene, the surrounding commonfolk were immediately shocked. The Literature Saint not only paid his respects to the North Prince but even treated him so courteously? Were they seeing things? After all, the Literature Saint is a Grandmaster and, moreover, an entity on the verge of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Was there any need for him to be so polite to the North Prince? He even invited him to share a carriage! Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Lu Chen boarded Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s carriage, and afterward, the carriage slowly headed into the city, leaving behind a stunned crowd. Within the crowd, a fat middle-aged man clad in gold-threaded brocade watched the carriage as it gradually receded into the distance, then muttered to himself, ¡°It appears that the North Prince might truly become my future lord.¡± The man was still uncertain about whom to pledge his allegiance to, but considering the recent events of the past two years, only the North Prince seemed to stand out as an anomaly in this world, as if he didn¡¯t belong. The more unique the North Prince¡¯s existence seemed, the more it indicated that he might be the Son of Destiny the man was to serve; the Son of Destiny was bound to be unlike ordinary people. With this in mind, the middle-aged man revealed a slight smile, his chubby cheeks creasing and his eyes narrowing into slits; indeed, coming to the North Country had been the right decision. He just needed to wait in the North Country from then on; he believed that it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Son of Destiny gave him his orders. At this very moment. Inside the carriage. Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Prince, a part of the students from Universal Academy is already on their way to the North Country; by now, they should have reached Great Xia territory. I wonder how you plan to arrange for them?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The North Country is currently in dire need of officials; I plan to have some of the learned students take office.¡± ¡°In addition, I have already had someone build a new academy in the city. Once Universal Academy moves to the North Country, they can immediately begin their scholastic activities.¡± Hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang expressed his thanks, ¡°Thankyou, Prince.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen contemplated that Zhuge, who was a Literature Saint and a sage granted to him by the system, had lived for so many years and must be an extremely intelligent person. He had recently been troubled by some doubts. Since Zhuge was so clever, perhaps he could shed light on the matters that had been puzzling him. With this in mind, Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Dean Zhuge, there are a few questions in my heart; may I ask if you can help me find the answers?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang then responded, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. I shall spare no effort in answering to the best of my knowledge.¡± Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°You must be aware of some recent events that have taken place in the Great Xia Dynasty, aren¡¯t you? Zhuge Zhongguang answered, ¡°I have heard a bit.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°At first, my father, the Emperor, did not take action against the Aristocratic Families of the South, but instead waited until now to dispatch the troops southward. In your opinion, is this troop deployment for the purpose of dealing with the Aristocratic Families of the South or to prevent the plague from the Great Qian Dynasty from spreading into the Great Xia Dynasty?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°In my view, it is very likely that the Sum Emperor intends to take action against the Aristocratic Families of the South.¡± Lu Chen remarked, ¡°Logically, a few months ago would have been the perfect opportunity to act. Why didn¡¯t my father initiate action then, instead of waiting until now? Isn¡¯t this a bit too late?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang asked in return, ¡°Prince, you must be aware of the Great Xia imperial court¡¯s decision to open up salt trade rights, correct?¡± Although Zhuge was in the Great Qian Dynasty, the decision by Great Xia to open up salt trade rights was major news for all dynasties. Salt was incredibly important in that era, and all dynasties managed it through official channels. Great Xia was the first dynasty to dare to liberalize salt trade rights. Over the past year, Zhuge had frequently heard discussions about Great Xia¡¯s move to open up salt trade rights. Lu Chen responded, ¡°That is certainly true. I have also been very curious about this matter. Opening up the salt trade rights equates to handing over the lifeblood of Great Xia to the Aristocratic Families. If in the future everything is operated by the Aristocratic Families, they will hold the entirety of Great Xia¡¯s economy in their hands. Then, if my father ever tries to eliminate the Aristocratic Families, the outcome would be the collapse of Great Xia¡¯s economy. My father couldn¡¯t afford the consequences of such an act..¡± Chapter 313 - Chapter 313: Chapter 225 Chen Wanrongs Special Tactics 2 Chapter 313: Chapter 225 Chen Wanrong¡¯s Special Tactics 2 Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Although I was not in Great Xia before, I also knew about the Sum Emperor¡¯s determination to eliminate the Aristocratic Families; in my view, the Sum Emperor would definitely not completely compromise with the Aristocratic Families.¡± ¡°Since the Sum Emperor would not fully compromise with the Aristocratic Families, every action he takes must be driven by his own interest considerations.¡± ¡°I believe that when the Sum Emperor handed over the salt industry management rights, it was not to compromise with those Aristocratic Families, but to trade with a certain Aristocratic Family.¡± ¡°Even though the salt industry management rights, once released, would benefit most Aristocratic Families, within this, there must be one family that gains the most.¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang say this, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and then said, ¡°Dean Zhuge means that my imperial father does not plan to eliminate all the Aristocratic Families, but intends to ally with some in order to first deal with those he most wants to remove?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°This is just my personal speculation, your Highness should just listen to it; as to whether it is truly the case, I am not sure, especially since I was always in the Great Qian Dynasty in the past and I¡¯m not particularly familiar with the internal situation of the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s Aristocratic Families.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Dean Zhuge¡¯s speculation has reminded me. I couldn¡¯t understand why my imperial father would make some seemingly compromising moves, but now it seems that he may have been scheming all along.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that it was not for nothing that he was awarded a sage by the system; unexpectedly, the person saw through the current situation of Great Xia at a glance. If Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s speculation is correct, then his imperial father is probably already working with a certain Aristocratic Family or some interest groups in secret. Thinking this way, has he not made a move against the Aristocratic Families of the South for nearly a year because he was secretly rallying some people? Now that he suddenly dispatched troops south, is it because he has negotiated the distribution of benefits with certain interest groups? Lu Chen smiled knowingly. So that¡¯s how it is ¨C it seems his mind is still not flexible enough, he hadn¡¯t thought of this at all. He had previously wondered whether his imperial father had completely given up on taking action against the Aristocratic Families, intending to indulge in pleasures within the Imperial Palace like emperors before him, then just muddle through life that way. Many emperors in history were like this, starting with ambitious intent and harboring all sorts of grand aspirations. Yet, once they faced slightest hindrances, they would begin to degenerate, staying in the Imperial Palace indulging in pleasures until they grew old and died. On his way back to the North Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen took the opportunity to ask Zhuge Zhongguang several questions. The answers from Zhuge Zhongguang enlightened him greatly. Lu Chen lacked political wisdom, and he hadn¡¯t been involved in politics in his previous life, so he did not understand the rules of politics, making it hard for him to comprehend some of the sly actions of the old foxes. But with Zhuge Zhongguang, it was different. If he had any questions in the future, he could directly ask him. The arrival of Zhuge Zhongguang made Lu Chen very happy, and he personally held a banquet in the Prince¡¯s Mansion to entertain both Zhuge Zhongguang and the students from Universal Academy who accompanied him. This event quickly spread throughout Yan County. The common people of Yan County, as well as the secret agents from various powers, found it somewhat unbelievable. The famous Literature Saint actually came to the North Country, and it was said that he was very courteous to the North Prince. What in the North Country could attract the Literature Saint? Could it be that the Literature Saint is planning to move the Universal Academy to the North Country? Various speculations and rumors circulated among the people. As for the news that the Literature Saint appeared in Yan County, not only outsiders were surprised, but even members of the North Prince¡¯s Mansion were somewhat incredulous; after all, the Literature Saint was a Grandmaster, and how could such a Grandmaster come to such a remote place as the North Country. At this moment. Yunrong Courtyard. The name Yunrong Courtyard is what the servants of the North Prince¡¯s Mansion called this place. Previously, this courtyard had no name, but because Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong had been living here for a long time, the servants, for the sake of differentiation, gave this courtyard its name. Just like with Spring Sound Court ¨C it was also the maids and servants of the North Prince¡¯s Mansion who first called it that, and then Mu Zixuan and the others simply adopted the name. At this moment, Chen Wanrong was sitting in the pavilion, her delicate fingers placed on the guqin, preparing to play a tune when Lin Wanyun rushed into the courtyard in a fluster. ¡°Palace Master, there is trouble.¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong was taken aback. What could make Lin Wanyun so flustered? Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°Madam Lin, what has happened?¡± Lin Wanyun did not immediately answer. She walked over to Chen Wanrong and whispered in her ear, ¡°Just now, the Literature Saint Zhuge Zhongguang came to our Prince¡¯s Mansion, and the North Prince held a banquet to receive him.¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Literature Saint? If she remembered correctly, her master once told her that among all the known grandmasters in the world, Literature Saint Zhuge Zhongguang was the most likely to breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm. It wasn¡¯t because Zhuge Zhongguang was older that he was most likely to be the first to breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm, but because the cultivation technique Zhuge Zhongguang practiced was not an ordinary martial arts technique. According to her master, Zhuge Zhongguang could no longer be considered merely a martial artist; among those who were grandmasters, several of them together might still not be a match for Zhuge Zhongguang. How could such a formidable person come to the North Country, this remote place? Wasn¡¯t Zhuge Zhongguang in the Great Qian Dynasty? With the distance from the Great Qian Dynasty to the North Country, what was a grandmaster like him doing here, seemingly finding nothing better to do? Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, and she instantly understood why Lin Wanyun said it was bad news just now. Zhuge Zhongguang was no ordinary person. If they used the Love Worm on Lu Chen at this time, it was very likely Zhuge Zhongguang would discover it, and if Zhuge Zhongguang had not left the North Prince Mansion by then, it would ruin their big plan. This was indeed a big problem. With the limited forces of Mysterious Moon Palace in the North Country, they had no way to shake a grandmaster, let alone one who was about to breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm. Chen Wanrong asked perplexed, ¡°Madam Lin, why has he appeared in the North Country?¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°I just eavesdropped on the conversation between him and the North Prince, it seems he plans to relocate the Universal Academy to the North Country, and he will reside in the North Country from now on.¡± At these words, a chill immediately emanated from Chen Wanrong¡¯s body. This was the last thing she wanted to see. If Zhuge Zhongguang stayed in the North Country, then everything Mysterious Moon Palace had done there would have been in vain. Why would a grandmaster, who could stay in the Great Qian Dynasty and enjoy their offerings, come to this secluded North Country to run a school? Lm Wanyun looked at Chen Wanrong and said, ¡°Palace Master, what should we do next?¡± ¡°If we continue to wait, I¡¯m afraid all of our efforts over this past year will have been wasted. Zhuge Zhongguang is not an ordinary person, and if we use the Love Worm on the North Prince by then, he is very likely to detect it.¡± Chen Wanrong did not immediately answer Lin Wanyun¡¯s question. She sat in the pavilion, falling into deep thought. After a while, Chen Wanrong took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve, then said to Lin Wanyun, ¡°Madam Lin, find a way to get the powder inside this bottle into the water that Lu Chen drinks.¡± Chen Wanrong decided she could not wait any longer. Initially, she did not want to resort to this method, but there was no alternative. If they continued to delay, all their efforts might come to nothing. After Lin Wanyun took the bottle from Chen Wanrong¡¯s hand, she asked puzzled, ¡°Palace Master, what is in this bottle?¡± Chen Wanrong replied expressionlessly, ¡°It¡¯s powder from the wings of Pair- Wing Butterflies.¡± This¡­ Hearing this response, Lin Wanyun was momentarily stunned. The Pair-Wing Butterfly was a rather special butterfly, whose female powder from the wings could attract male Pair-Wing Butterflies to mate. After men come into contact with the powder from the Pair-Wing Butterfly wings, they would develop strong feelings for the women who had been in contact with the female Pair-Wing Butterfly powder. Chen Wanrong then continued, ¡°Add a little at a time, try not to let him notice.¡± This powder was not poisonous and wouldn¡¯t harm the human body, so it would be difficult to detect. Of course, Pair-Wing Butterflies were extremely rare, and powder from their wings was even harder to collect. Even members of cults rarely used Pair-Wing Butterflies for misdeeds. Chen Wanrong had managed to collect so much powder because her master had raised a group of Pair-Wing Butterflies. Chapter 314 - Chapter 314: Chapter 226 Curiosity of Wu Junwan i Chapter 314: Chapter 226 Curiosity of Wu Junwan i As a member of the Mysterious Moon Palace, Lin Wanyun was naturally aware of the effect of the Pair-Wing Butterfly, it was just that she hadn¡¯t expected Chen Wanrong to actually resort to using this tactic. This was a desperate move that injured the enemy while causing self-harm, once Chen Wanrong consumed the powder from the female Pair-Wing Butterfly, she would likewise develop a strong interest in the man who had taken the male Pair-Wing Butterfly powder, which was why Chen Wanrong initially refrained from this approach. Of course, another major reason she hadn¡¯t used it before was that it had taken the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace a considerable amount of time to collect the powder from the Pair-Wing Butterfly, only recently had the disciples sent over the collected Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder to the North Prince Mansion. Although the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder could influence people, with Chen Wanrong¡¯s strength, she was fully capable of using her skill to expel the consumed Pair-Wing Butterfly powder from her body, however, by doing so, she would lose her allure to Lu Chen. Therefore, in order for the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder to be effective, she had to endure the strange sensations in her body and also ensure that the powder from the wings of the Pair-Wing Butterfly remained inside her. Once Lu Chen could no longer endure it and came seeking her out, she would take that opportunity to directly implant the Love Worm into Lu Chen¡¯s body. Lin Wanyun looked at the vial in her hand, then glanced at Chen Wanrong again, and asked with certainty, ¡°Palace Master, are you sure you want to resort to this method? Once the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder is used, you too might develop feelings for the North Prince.¡± Chen Wanrong replied expressionlessly, ¡°We¡¯re out of time. Even if we can¡¯t control him for a long time, we must refine the Subtle Dragon Spell before Zhuge Zhongguang discovers our intentions. Great Sum will be in chaos, this is my last chance.¡± Lin Wanyun sighed and said, ¡°Alright, I will seize the opportunity to serve him tea and water to slip the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder into his drink.¡± Having said that, Lin Wanyun turned around and left the courtyard. After Lin Wanyun departed, Chen Wanrong took out another small porcelain bottle and looked at the female Pair-Wing Butterfly powder in her hand. A faint change came over Chen Wanrong¡¯s frosty expression, as if she had made some determinations The Imperial Army of Great Sum was about to head south, and the internal war was about to begin; she needed to hurry and refine the Subtle Dragon Spell, then take advantage of Great Sum¡¯s internal strife and the weakened defenses of the Capital city to strike directly at the Imperial Palace and seek revenge for her parents¡¯ death by killing the Sum Emperor. After the Sum Emperor¡¯s death, the common people from the former territories of Chen Nation would surely be invigorated, and then she would reveal her identity as the Princess of Chen Nation and lead the old officials of Chen Nation to restore the country. All plans had already been fermenting in the heart of Chen Wanrong, this plan had been brewing for nearly a year, and now it was time to implement it. The incident today in Yan County quickly spread to other dynasties, and the people from the various dynasties were very surprised when they heard about it. North Country was clearly just a remote feudal state. Why would Zhuge Zhongguang, the Literature Saint, go there, and why was he so courteous to the North Prince, a mere Seignior? Could it be that Zhuge Zhongguang was planning to move the Universal Academy to North Country? While the Universal Academy was indeed not well-liked, Zhuge Zhongguang was nevertheless a Grandmaster and securing the Universal Academy would mean gaining the allegiance of Zhuge Zhongguang. Now that the Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang had gone to North Country, it made the rulers of the Great Qian Dynasty very uncomfortable. Even though the Qian Emperor disliked those self-righteous scholars of the Universal Academy and the court ministers had been wanting to shut it down, the Qian Emperor had refrained from taking action against the Universal Academy for the sake of the Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang. And now, Zhuge Zhongguang had actually gone to the Great Xia Dynasty, and he seemed to be considering moving the Universal Academy there, which made the Qian Emperor very uncomfortable inside. This was all the fault of those ministers who spread rumors among the populace every day, offending the Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang. To win back Zhuge Zhongguang, the Qian Emperor quickly sent envoys to North Country, wanting to persuade Zhuge Zhongguang to stay in the Great Qian Dynasty, and he also promised that in the future he would provide opportunities for the scholars of the Universal Academy to hold official positions. At this moment, the Qian Emperor still thought that Zhuge Zhongguang had left in a huff and was completely unaware that Zhuge Zhongguang had already sided with Lu Chen. The Great Wu Dynasty. The Green Cloud Palace. The breathtakingly beautiful Wu Junwan, dressed in a gold-trimmed bright red robe, lay half-reclining on the Phoenix Chair, seeming somewhat listless. In the grand hall, a middle-aged man was speaking, and after hearing the man¡¯s words, Wu Junwan yawned indolently before saying, ¡°Prime Minister Chai, as a chancellor you are not very competent, are you? Almost a year has passed, and yet the civil unrest in the southwest has not been settled.¡± ¡°My father granted you a chance, if it still cannot be resolved soon, he will have to deploy the army to suppress the rebellion by force.¡± ¡°I have heard that Great Xia has already sent troops southward to target the Aristocratic Families in the South, at this time Great Xia has no leisure to come and trouble Great Wu.¡± After the uprising broke out in the Great Wu Dynasty, the Martial Emperor quickly dispatched a large army to suppress it. Initially, the Martial Emperor and all the courtiers of Great Wu thought that the rebel peasants were just ordinary people, and the rebel forces would disperse in fear once Great Wu¡¯s army arrived; they wouldn¡¯t even need a month to resolve the rebellious troops. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, until now, Great Wu hadn¡¯t settled the unrest in the southwest, and the Imperial Army had even been brought to a standstill with the rebel forces. Chapter 315 - Chapter 315: Chapter 226 Curiosity of Wu Junwan_2 Chapter 315: Chapter 226 Curiosity of Wu Junwan_2 This made the Martial Emperor, who always preferred to solve problems with military force, feel extremely angry inside. The rebel army was nothing more than a few hundred thousand peasant soldiers, with hardly any martial artists among them. Yet, these few hundred thousand peasants had managed to hold against the Imperial Army for so long. If it were not for the fear that Great Sum might retaliate against Great Wu at this time, the Martial Emperor might have directly transferred those elite soldiers from the Great Sum border to attack the southwest rebels. Chai Jiliang belonged to the peace faction in the imperial court; he intended to resolve the southwest turmoil with the least cost and peacefully. In his view, the reason why those commoners rebelled was because the Martial Emperor had been waging wars abroad for years, making life difficult for the common people. This allowed some schemers to exploit the situation, stirring up the commoners¡¯ hatred towards the imperial court. Therefore, if the Martial Emperor wanted to resolve the civil unrest, the best way would be for him to first issue a self-incriminating edict and make some promises to the commoners, pacifying those among the rebels and persuading some who were on the fence about rebelling to abandon their cause. However, it was very unfortunate that the Martial Emperor would absolutely not publish a self-incriminating edict. He never believed he was in the wrong, and as the Emperor, how could he admit his mistakes so readily. But in order to resolve the unrest in the southwest, the Martial Emperor still heeded some of Chai Jiliang¡¯s suggestions and sent envoys to convey some peaceful intentions to the rebels. The Martial Emperor¡¯s envoys told the rebels that as long as they surrendered and stopped rebelling, he would pardon all their crimes, and he could even confer the rank of general upon the rebel leaders. It was a common method to quell rebellions by using interests to entice the leaders of the rebels and then persuade them to lay down their weapons. Nonetheless, it seemed the rebel leaders were not swayed by what the Martial Emperor offered. They had greater appetites and wanted much more, which resulted in many envoys being sent to negotiate with them without reaching a satisfactory result for both sides. This made the Martial Emperor somewhat impatient. As an Emperor, he had already made such significant concessions, yet these obstinate people were still not content, still wanting even more. If negotiations failed, then it was simply time to fight. Just then, they received news that Great Sum had deployed troops to the south. Anyone could see what Great Sum intended by sending troops southward; it was evident that Great Sum would soon be in great turmoil, and at that time, Great Wu would not need to worry about retaliation. Moreover, Great Qian was currently impacted by an epidemic and could not spare the effort to trouble Great Wu. As for Great Jue, the relationship between the Yue Emperor of Great Jue and Wu Junwan was like that of sisters, very close. And with the Barbarian Tribe putting pressure on from the north, it was unlikely that Great Jue would take advantage of someone¡¯s predicament at this time. Since there were no external threats, the Martial Emperor had nothing to worry about; he planned to recall those elite soldiers guarding against Great Sum and resolve the southwest rebellion within two months. The Martial Emperor¡¯s decision put Prime Minister Chai, very much in an awkward position, since he had initially advocated for a peaceful resolution to the turmoil in the southwest. After dragging on for half a year, it had come down to a military solution in the end. After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Chai Jiliang said, ¡°If Your Majesty really uses force to suppress the rebellion, it will only create opportunities for the Seigniors within Great Wu¡¯s territory. The ones who most want to revolt are not the commoners, but those Seigniors with control over substantial forces. The reason the southwest turmoil remains unresolved is precisely because someone is causing trouble in the shadows.¡± ¡°If Your Majesty cannot keep his composure and sends troops now, it¡¯s very possible that those Seigniors will also choose this moment to rise.¡± Wu Junwan gave a soft laugh, then said, ¡°My father the Emperor isn¡¯t burdened with as many concerns as Prime Minister Chai. Anyone who dares to make a move, their end will surely be heads rolling on the ground.¡± Just as Wu Junwan¡¯s voice fell, Chai Jiliang was about to say something when a maid entered the hall, ¡°Princess Junwan, intelligence from North Country!¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately stood up, straightened her body, ¡°Bring it here.¡± The next moment, the maid presented the intelligence from North Country to Wu Junwan, who took it and quickly glanced over the document. Her brows furrowed, and she muttered to herself, ¡°I thought Zhuge Zhongguang would go to Great Jue, but he unexpectedly went to North Country¡­¡± Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s expression darken, Chai Jiliang asked, ¡°Princess, what has happened? Why does your face look so troubled?¡± Without responding, Wu Junwan folded the intelligence in her hand and sent it flying towards Chai Jiliang. Chai Jiliang caught the intelligence that came flying from Wu Junwan and after quickly scanning it, he sunk into contemplation. Wu Junwan said with a smile, ¡°Prime Minister Chai knows so much, so why don¡¯t you analyze for this palace why Zhuge Zhongguang refused me and didn¡¯t stay in Great Jue but went to North Country instead?¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s question, Chai Jiliang regained his focus and directly said, ¡°This official does not know.¡± The current situation in North Country is very peculiar, not only might there be a mysterious superpower there, but Mysterious Moon Palace is also in North Country, and nobody knows how long the Palace Master has stayed there. Now that Literature Saint Zhuge Zhongguang has also gone to North Country, nobody knows what they want to get from it. Wu Junwan said teasingly, ¡°It¡¯s unexpected that there¡¯s something in the world that Prime Minister Chai doesn¡¯t know about, this is indeed surprising to this palace.¡± At this point, Wu Junwan stood up and walked slowly to the center of the hall. Looking out at the sky beyond the hall, she said, ¡°With Zhuge Zhongguang added to the equation, there are now two Grandmasters in North Country. It wouldn¡¯t be surprising to me if the North Prince declared independence, but I am curious, what exactly is it about North Country that makes them come one after another.¡± Having said this, Wu Junwan told the maid, ¡°Write to Qianhai Commercial Association immediately, and tell them they may get a bit more active.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Chai Jiliang expressed his dissatisfaction, ¡°Princess, the rebellions within Great Wu have not yet been resolved; is there a need to concern ourselves with the affairs of North Country?¡± Wu Junwan asked with a smile, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious, Prime Minister, about what North Country has?¡± Chai Jiliang said, ¡°If there truly is something in North Country that attracts all the major powers, it won¡¯t be long before news leaks out. The most important matter for Great Wu at the moment is to quell the rebellion.¡± ¡°If the Princess desires that position, quelling the rebellion is the best opportunity. Unless enemy nations invade Great Wu, what happens in other countries right now isn¡¯t important.¡± Listening to Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan stated indifferently, ¡°Prime Minister is right, then I will trouble you to come up with a way for this palace to get involved in this matter.¡± Chai Jiliang said unhurriedly, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry, Princess, the opportunity will present itself soon.¡± Chapter 316 - Chapter 316: Chapter 227 Lin Wanyun Poisons i Chapter 316: Chapter 227 Lin Wanyun Poisons i After Zhuge Zhongguang arrived in the North Country, Lu Chen directly appointed him as the Minister of the Ministry of Education, to oversee the entire education work of the North Country, and also conferred upon him the title of Great Scholar, allowing him to participate in discussions of any major military or state affairs in the future. Although Zhuge Zhongguang obtained such a high position upon his arrival in the North Country, not a single official within the North Country had any objections, including Li Rui, who was acting as the de facto Prime Minister with the powers of a Vice Minister over state affairs. The authority of Great Scholar Zhuge Zhongguang far surpassed that of Li Rui, his status was clearly above Li Rui¡¯s, and yet Li Rui showed no temper whatsoever. Zhuge Zhongguang was a Literature Saint Grandmaster, and moreover, he was one who had the potential to break through the Heavenly Human Realm; who would dare vie with him for power? If they couldn¡¯t surpass him in literature, and he was still a Grandmaster in the martial realm, Li Rui had no choice but to concede most of his power. Having a Grandmaster in the Small Court of the North Country brought much harmony to the official scene, since everyone knew that beneath the Prince, Zhuge Zhongguang wielded the greatest power; no matter how hard they tried to climb, it would be futile, as the Grandmaster¡¯s status was set in stone. Moreover, Lu Chen did not only arrange for Zhuge Zhongguang to hold an official position. He also made arrangements for each of the scholars who had followed Zhuge Zhongguang to the North Country; however, most of them started at the grassroots level. Lu Chen did not immediately arrange very important positions for them, even if the students from the Universal Academy were his own people. For Lu Chen, loyalty was indeed important, but capability was equally vital. If he only wanted loyalty without requiring others to have abilities, then the North Country would not be currently in need of officials. Lu Chen¡¯s idea was simple; he first wanted to send the scholars from the Universal Academy down to the grassroots to temper them and rectify their predisposition to idle talk. Once they had accumulated a certain amount of experience, he would then promote them. Fortunately, their loyalty was one hundred percent. With the students from the Universal Academy placed at the grassroots level, Lu Chen could easily grasp the situation at the lower levels, even from a high position. Additionally, with the surveillance of the Brocade Guard, his control over the grassroots far exceeded that of other rulers. The construction of the new city was booming, and nearly half of the construction of the main roads was completed. Now, the politics, economy, and military of the North Country had entered a stage of stable development. After firearms were integrated into the army, the troops of the North Country began to practice new tactics relentlessly. Still, the North Country was most lacking in food supplies. Although Lu Chen had obtained high-yield crops like corn and sweet potatoes, time was limited, and only one round had been planted, which had not yet spread throughout the entire North Country. To solve the food problem in the North Country and ensure it wasn¡¯t affected by famines, it would take at least two to three years. Before that time, the North Country would need to purchase grain from other dynasties. Luckily, the commerce of the North Country was already very developed, and the merchant caravans of various dynasties kept coming in a continuous stream. Even if the merchant caravans from the North Prince Mansion did not actively go to other dynasties to purchase grain, those caravans would bring grains from other dynasties to sell in the North Country, which somewhat alleviated the food shortage. Seeing everything in the North Country developing in a favorable direction, Lu Chen had recently felt much less pressure. He delegated many of his tasks to Zhuge Zhongguang. Although Zhuge Zhongguang was a person from ancient times, he was hardly less intelligent than modern people. Lu Chen didn¡¯t need to explain much, for Zhuge Zhongguang was able to accurately implement Lu Chen¡¯s policies, which greatly relieved Lu Chen. With Zhuge Zhongguang and the scholars from the Universal Academy, Lu Chen no longer needed to toil as he had before. He just needed to continue with his plan of propagating his progeny and quietly wait for opportunities. North Prince Mansion. In the evening, the study. The lights in the study were bright; Lu Chen had stayed a bit late at work today, as a lot of intelligence from the Capital City had arrived in the evening, and he was sorting through this information. The conflict between his father, the Sum Emperor, and the Aristocratic Families of the South, had become increasingly apparent. The Sum Emperor wished to send troops southward, but the official members of the South Aristocratic Families strongly obstructed him, and the contradiction between the two parties had become public. The Aristocratic Families of the South likely realized by now that the Sum Emperor intended to take action against them. Therefore, they didn¡¯t hold back any longer and directly used various means to stop the Sum Emperor from deploying troops. Enraged, the Sum Emperor had already beheaded several officials from the Aristocratic Families. In the past, the Sum Emperor feared the Aristocratic Families, so he rarely executed their officials. Even if those officials committed some wrongdoing, at most, they would be stripped of their official hats. Now that he had started executing officials from the Aristocratic Families, it meant he had reached the limits of his patience. The atmosphere in the Capital City was especially tense, with a sense of an impending storm brewing. Lu Chen sat at his desk, continuously flipping through the intelligence that had arrived at the North Prince Mansion tonight, while Qin Yushan still stood in front of Lu Chen, not immediately leaving. After Lu Chen looked through some of the intelligence on the desk, he asked, ¡°How is the investigation, ordered by this Prince for Commander Liang to carry out, going?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Your Highness, ever since the Emperor opened up the salt industry rights, the Dongfang Clan from the South Aristocratic Families has profited most from salt production. Even before the court had opened up the rights to operating the salt industry, they had already purchased a lot of coastal land for salt production, and they were smuggling salt into the Great Qian Dynasty.¡± ¡°Ever since the court liberalized the salt industry rights, the Dongfang Clan has been selling the previously smuggled salt openly to the whole country. In less than a year¡¯s time, they¡¯ve earned nearly ten million pieces of silver, and this is only the data we were able to find.¡± Chapter 317 - Chapter 317: Chapter 227 Lin Wanyun Poisons_2 Chapter 317: Chapter 227 Lin Wanyun Poisons_2 ¡°If we include the data we couldn¡¯t find, my estimate is that the Dongfang Clan must have earned over ten million taels of silver,¡± said Qin Yushan. Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen stopped the action of flipping through the reports and fell into deep thought. Since the Dongfang Clan was the biggest profiteer, did that mean there was some sort of deal between the Dongfang Clan and the Sum Emperor? Seeing that Lu Chen had sunk into thought, Qin Yushan did not continue further. After a while, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°What else have they found about the Dongfang Clan, Commander Liang and the others?¡± Qin Yushan went on to say, ¡°The Dongfang Clan has always wanted to enter the court, but they are not like other aristocratic families. They migrated to the Great Xia from another dynasty and do not possess much land here. Moreover, having been merchants for generations, they have always been looked down upon by other families. Although they have some say in the court, it is extremely difficult for members of their family to get positions there.¡± ¡°In the past year, the Dongfang Clan¡¯s trade with the Capital City has been very frequent; their merchant ships have hardly ever stopped.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, a smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face. Could it be that the chess piece his father, the Emperor, had planted among the southern aristocratic families was most likely the Dongfang Clan? Although the Dongfang Clan was considered an ancient family, they only had wealth but not the matching political status, so strictly speaking, they were different from the typical ancient families. If the Dongfang Clan desired political status and wanted to secure positions in the court, the Sum Emperor could fully take advantage of this opportunity and reach a covert agreement with them. They could eliminate the other families first, then raise the status of the Dongfang Clan afterward. However¡­ Would the Sum Emperor really keep his promise? If the Dongfang Clan was indeed a chess piece of the Sum Emperor, would he discard them after making full use of them? After all, in the eyes of the Sum Emperor, the aristocratic families were the root cause of the chaos in Great Xia, and he personally detested them greatly. He might not necessarily honor his promises. If they only eliminated a batch of ancient families and then supported another batch, it was very likely that the Great Xia Dynasty would fall into a historical cycle. Perhaps in not too many years, it would again reach the current situation of Great Xia. Lu Chen was very curious about what his father the Emperor would do eventually. With these thoughts in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°Have Commander Liang keep a close watch on the Dongfang Clan. Every move they make should be written in a memorial and sent to the North Country.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s already so late. If there¡¯s nothing else, you should go back.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± With those words, Qin Yushan turned and left Lu Chen¡¯s study. After Qin Yushan had left, Lu Chen continued to sift through the reports on his desk. He felt very pleased with the current state of the world. All major dynasties and nations had their own problems, and solving these issues would take at least two or three years based on the intelligence he had gathered before the world would stabilize. By the time the other dynasties had sorted out their internal strife, the North Country would already have grown. Now that the commercial trade of the North Country was developing more and more, if they could accomplish the primitive accumulation of capital in the next few years, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t be long before they could embark on the road to industrialization. Just as Lu Chen was contemplating the future, a maid¡¯s voice sounded from outside, ¡°Prince, Commander Lin is here.¡± On hearing this, while still looking through the reports, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let her come in.¡± The next moment, Lin Wanyun pushed the door open, carrying a multi-tiered food box. Upon entering the study, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, this is the supper Zixuan just made for you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen looked up at Lin Wanyun and then glanced at the food box, ¡°Thankyou, Madam Lin.¡± With a smile, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all, this is what I should do. Have something to eat first.¡± At this point, Lin Wanyun placed the lunch box on the desk, then opened it and served out all the food inside. Lu Chen moved all the intelligence reports to one side of the desk and then looked at tonight¡¯s supper. He found that, as usual, it was a soup brewed from various kinds of nourishing ingredients. In fact, these things were of no use to Lu Chen, who was already a Grandmaster, with abundant physical strength and energy, and did not need these supplements. It was completely unnecessary for Mu Zixuan to prepare these tonics for him. However, this was a gesture of kindness from his consort, and Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t say anything about it. Moreover, having some tonics wouldn¡¯t do any harm, and although his physical strength was bountiful, he needed something like this for cultivating affection with his wife and concubines. With that thought, Lu Chen picked up a spoon, ready to take a sip of the soup. Just then, his mind reeled and he suddenly felt that something was amiss. Even though Lin Wanyun had now become the head of the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she was, to a certain degree, still an outsider. Outsiders usually didn¡¯t have the right to bring food to Lu Chen. The food was typically brought to him by the closest maids of Mu Zixuan, and Mu Zixuan would not have given the food to Lin Wanyun to deliver. Mu Zixuan was a clever woman. How could she fail to see that Lin Wanyun had ulterior motives concerning Lu Chen? Moreover, Mu Zixuan had already told Lu Chen that Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun might have some purpose in choosing to stay at North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen smiled faintly, suspecting that tonight¡¯s supper might have an extra ingredient. Thinking this, Lu Chen glanced at Lin Wanyun. Lin Wanyun was wearing a purple dress today, looking enticing and voluptuous, her ample figure filling out the clothes, which made her appear quite mature and charming. Lu Chen used the system to identify Lin Wanyun¡¯s personal information. [Name: Lin Wanyun] [Identity: Adopted daughter of the Great Xia Left Minister Lin Gaoyuan. Later left the Lin Family to join the Mysterious Moon Palace, a Half-step Grandmaster, 32 years old. She followed Mysterious Moon Palace Master Chen Wanrong to North City, intending to use the blood of the North Prince to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell against the Sum Emperor. Sensing the impending chaos in Great Xia and feeling pressured by Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s arrival, Chen Wanrong decided to use the Love Worm on the North Prince in advance. In order to succeed with the enchantment, Chen Wanrong had Lin Wanyun add Male Paired-wing Butterfly Powder into the North Prince¡¯s food, so that once the North Prince consumed the Male Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder, he would fall under the influence of Chen Wanrong, who had ingested the Female Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder, which they believed would greatly increase the success rate of the enchantment.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: too] Seeing the update on Lin Wanyun¡¯s personal information, the smile on Lu Chen¡¯s face grew even brighter. He wondered why Lin Wanyun had taken the initiative to bring him supper today¡ªso this was Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun¡¯s plan to drug him. However, speaking of which, the effect of the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder seemed to be similar to that of the Dragon Phoenix Tree. Lu Chen was somewhat uncertain whether this thing could affect him, so he asked in his mind, ¡°System, can the Poison Immunity Body neutralize the Pair- Wing Butterfly Powder?¡± [Yes, the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder is a type of spring poison.] Hearing the system¡¯s reply, Lu Chen felt reassured. Since he was immune to poison, there was nothing to worry about. Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun no longer wanted to wait, and coincidentally, he didn¡¯t want to wait either. It was time to add two more women to his life, as he had always been coveting the body of this beautiful woman in front of him. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly stop his spoon, Lin Wanyun felt a pang of unease and began to have a bad premonition. She worried whether Lu Chen had discovered the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder in the soup. Lin Wanyun immediately tried to reassure herself. She had only added a little powder today; Lu Chen should not be able to detect it, plus the Pair-Wing Butterfly Powder wasn¡¯t exactly poison, and it was tasteless. Then Lin Wanyun tentatively asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Chen pretended to sigh and said, ¡°Alas, why did Zixuan prepare so many nourishing foods for me again? If I eat these at night, how can I possibly sleep?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun breathed a sigh of relief¡ªthankfully, he hadn¡¯t noticed. Chapter 320 - Chapter 320: Chapter 229 I Agree to Your Terms_1 Chapter 320: Chapter 229 I Agree to Your Terms_1 Seeing that Lu Chen had already seen through all their scheming, Lin Wanyun no longer hid her intentions. She looked at Lu Chen with cold eyes and asked, ¡°Since you already know what the Palace Master and I intend to do, why did you still drink the soup just now?¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Madam Lin, you may not know this, but I have a Poison Immunity Body. The powder of the Pair-Wing Butterfly is useless to me, so why wouldn¡¯t I drink it?¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun was taken aback and said subconsciously, ¡°Impossible¡­¡± She refused to believe that anyone in this world could be immune to all poisons. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Believe it or not, that¡¯s up to you.¡± Lin Wanyun also stopped discussing this topic. Her beautiful eyes stared straight into Lu Chen¡¯s as she asked, ¡°What do you plan to do with us?¡± At this point, Lin Wanyun was ready to take action. She planned to rush out immediately and then take Chen Wanrong away from North Prince Mansion. Now that their plans had been exposed, there was no longer any reason for them to stay at North Prince Mansion. Just as Lin Wanyun was thinking this, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Deal with you? Why should I deal with you?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun was slightly stunned. They had planned to use the Love Worm on Lu Chen, then control him, and also intended to use his blood to refine the Subtle Dragon Spell. Could it be that Lu Chen wasn¡¯t the least bit angry? Lin Wanyun found it hard to believe what Lu Chen was saying, as she didn¡¯t think he was so magnanimous. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Lin, you¡¯ve been in North Prince Mansion for over a year now. Don¡¯t you understand what I am like yet?¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s eyebrows knit slightly as she asked coldly, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lu Chen smiled and explained, ¡°You wanted to enchant me with the Love Worm because you thought I was a lecher who could be seduced by a beauty, didn¡¯t you? How come you don¡¯t know now what I want to do?¡± When Lu Chen said this, Lin Wanyun immediately understood his meaning. Lu Chen wanted to keep the two of them and make them his women. Lin Wanyun snorted lightly and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, if you want to keep us to have your children, you¡¯ll have to see if you have the ability.¡± As she spoke, Lin Wanyun swung a palm toward Lu Chen. An invisible palm force struck directly at him, knowing she might not be able to defeat Lu Chen, she didn¡¯t plan to engage in battle. As long as she could leave the study and let Chen Wanrong know that their plan had been exposed, they should be able to escape North Prince Mansion easily. Although Chen Wanrong was a Grandmaster, she was no ordinary Grandmaster. Even if North Prince Mansion had several Grandmasters, they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep them there. Lin Wanyun was very confident in Chen Wanrong¡¯s strength, after all, she was the disciple of an Honorable and did not practice ordinary martial arts skills. Just as Lin Wanyun thought she could repel Lu Chen, she found that her palm force had no effect on him upon contact with his body. Her palm force seemed to disappear into thin air. Seeing this, Lin Wanyun was startled for a moment, then she struck again, aiming another palm at Lu Chen. Currently a Half-step Grandmaster, although her skill was nearly at the Master Realm, she was not well-versed in the use of Spiritual Energy. Since relying on palm force was ineffective against Lu Chen, she had no choice but to confront him directly. Watching the jade palm coming straight at him, Lu Chen also made no attempt to dodge. Lin Wanyun was slightly stunned; she couldn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen wasn¡¯t defending himself, even though his skill was at the Master Realm, and she was after all a Half-step Grandmaster. If she, a Half-step Grandmaster, struck him, even a Grandmaster would be injured. Just as Lin Wanyun¡¯s hand was about to touch Lu Chen¡¯s chest, he suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. Then, with blinding speed, Lu Chen twisted Lin Wanyun¡¯s hand behind her back, pinning her. Lin Wanyun¡¯s left hand slapped out towards Lu Chen in an attempt to break free. However, Lu Chen easily caught her left wrist and then pressed both of her hands down on her buttocks. Now, Lin Wanyun¡¯s hands were under Lu Chen¡¯s control. With her back against Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun tried to kick backwards, only to discover that the skill within her body had suddenly vanished, and her body had softened. Lin Wanyun was stunned. This¡­ How could this be??? Lin Wanyun couldn¡¯t remember eating anything that day that would dissipate her skill. All of this must have something to do with the young man controlling her from behind. Lin Wanyun hurriedly twisted her waist, attempting to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s grasp. Lu Chen held her jade hand tightly against her backside, and no matter how much she struggled, it was useless. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s body pressing tightly against hers, Lin Wanyun became immensely panicked. She quickly said, ¡°Let me go¡­¡± ¡°I was just trying to escape, I didn¡¯t really mean to hurt you.¡± With one hand holding Lin Wanyun¡¯s wrist, Lu Chen used his other hand to encircle her slender waist, and rested his arm on her neck, whispering in her ear, ¡°I knew all along what you were planning to do. Did you really think I was unprepared?¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s body was exceptionally soft, and Lu Chen found holding her waist quite comfortable. Coupled with the mature scent of a woman coming from her, this made Lu Chen¡¯s heart grow even more restless. Chapter 321 - Chapter 321: Chapter 229 I Agree to Your Terms_2 Chapter 321: Chapter 229 I Agree to Your Terms_2 He had been coveting Lin Wanyun, this beautiful woman, for some time, but due to the numerous reforms in the North Country, he hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to make a move on her. To his surprise, she took the initiative to come to him today. Since she had presented herself to him, there was nothing more to say. When a delicacy is delivered to your door, there¡¯s no reason not to indulge. Feeling the scorching heat of Lu Chen¡¯s body, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart became even more frantic. She exerted all her strength to continue twisting her waist and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, stop this, I never intended to harm you, I only wanted to help Rongrong refine the Subtle Dragon Spell for revenge.¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart pounded faster and her body felt hotter. For some reason, she faintly smelled a very particular scent that enlivened every cell in her body. She felt that if this continued, she might get lost in it. Feeling Lin Wanyun¡¯s soft and increasingly hot body, Lu Chen felt as though he was holding a soft, burning piece of cotton, his own rationality becoming more difficult to maintain. However, Lu Chen took a deep breath at that moment, then circulated the spiritual power within his body to soothe the restlessness inside. Lu Chen blew a breath by Lin Wanyun¡¯s ear, then said in a low voice, ¡°Do you remember what I said to you earlier?¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s face felt unbearably hot, and her body had become completely soft, but she was still trying to twist her waist, trying to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s control. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun absentmindedly asked, ¡°Wha¡­ What words?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Surely you don¡¯t want Miss Chen to become my forbidden delicacy, my female slave for life, do you?¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun felt a shock, and her body stopped struggling. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Sometimes the hunter appears in the form of the prey. You have had your sights on me, and I have had my sights on you. Did you really think I did nothing during the one year and more you have been in the North Prince Mansion?¡± A bad feeling suddenly arose in Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart. She asked tentatively, ¡°What¡­ what have you done?¡± Lu Chen leaned in close again to her ear and whispered, ¡°Haven¡¯t you felt the dissipation of your skill within your body?¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°It really was your doing!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You wanted to use the Love Worm on me and even drain my blood. Isn¡¯t it quite normal for me to take some small measures to protect myself?¡± ¡°You had not been in the North Prince Mansion for long when I poisoned you. With a slight exertion of my skill, your skill can be suppressed. Most importantly, this poison can never be removed. Once poisoned, you will never be able to advance your realm in the future, and there might even be a risk of deviation during your practice.¡± ¡°The reason you haven¡¯t felt the poison¡¯s effects is because I have been periodically releasing the antidote into your courtyard.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun¡¯s face showed a new wave of panic, and she immediately asked, ¡°Has Rongrong also been poisoned by you?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Of course.¡± Flushed with anger, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°How am I despicable? You were also trying to use the powder of the Pair-Wing Butterfly on me just now. I simply made the first move, that¡¯s all. What we¡¯re doing is essentially the same.¡± With that said, Lu Chen blew on Lin Wanyun¡¯s earlobe again, then said in a deep voice, ¡°The poison I used is undetectable, and no one other than me can produce the antidote.¡± ¡°In other words, both Miss Chen and you, once you leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion for too long, will experience the poison¡¯s onset.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun felt somewhat terrified; she did not believe Lu Chen was lying to her. Though they did not notice when they had been poisoned, something had indeed been off with her body for some time. She always felt a restlessness, especially during cultivation, when Lu Chen¡¯s image would always appear in her mind. If they really were poisoned as Lu Chen had said, and if an antidote could not be found, wouldn¡¯t they be forever unable to leave the North Prince Mansion? How could Chen Wanrong then seek revenge or restore her nation? While Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind was racing with chaotic thoughts, she suddenly felt an immense pressure from behind, so overwhelming that even she, a Half-step Grandmaster, could hardly breathe. Lin Wanyun was stupefied for a moment. This oppressive force obviously couldn¡¯t belong to a Master Level, as Chen Wanrong was a Master herself. Lin Wanyun, having spent much time with a Master, was acutely aware of what their oppressive aura was like, and the pressure she felt at the moment was that of a Grandmaster Level. How could this be¡­ Lu Chen was actually a Grand¡­ a Grandmaster!!! Wasn¡¯t he just seventeen this year, and even if he was to turn eighteen in a few months, at most he would still be considered a youth. How could it be possible for him to break through to the Grandmaster Realm at such an age??? At this moment, Lu Chen continued to speak in Lin Wanyun¡¯s ear, ¡°I forgot to tell you, I am now a Grandmaster. Even if you got someone from Mysterious Moon Palace, it would be impossible for them to take the antidote from me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun snapped back to reality and said with feigned calm, ¡°Rongrong is the junior of your mother¡¯s teacher, do you really intend to harm her?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Since she is the junior of my mother¡¯s teacher, I should take even better care of her. The best way to take care of her is to make her my woman.¡± Lin Wanyun said coldly, ¡°Rongrong¡¯s master is an Honorable who has surpassed the Celestial Realm. If you dare harm Rongrong, she will surely kill you. Do you really want to throw away your life for a fleeting pleasure?¡± Lu Chen said carelessly, ¡°To die under the peony flower, even as a ghost I would be romantic.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was not afraid to die, Lin Wanyun panicked completely. She twisted her waist again, trying to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s control, and as she struggled said, ¡°If you touch us, you won¡¯t end well.¡± Lin Wanyun writhed against Lu Chen¡¯s body, which greatly enraged him. Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s be direct then. If you want me to spare Miss Chen, it¡¯s not impossible, but you will need to pay a price.¡± Lin Wanyun stopped struggling and asked, ¡°What price?¡± ¡°Quite simple. Become my woman, and bear my children.¡± Lin Wanyun immediately said, ¡°Impossible, I will never marry you.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then there is no way around it. If you don¡¯t agree, then both you and Miss Chen will stay in the North Prince Mansion to bear my children.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Lin Wanyun hesitated. At this point, Lu Chen once again whispered temptingly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say earlier how important Miss Chen was to your heart? Now that she¡¯s about to be harmed, don¡¯t you want to protect her?¡± ¡°It seems that what you said before was all to deceive me; she is not at all important to you.¡± ¡°Since you won¡¯t agree, then forget it. Having just broken through to the Grandmaster level, I have energy to spare. After I make you my woman, I¡¯ll go find her and make her mine too.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun said in panic, ¡°No¡­ don¡¯t¡­¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words, like the whispers of a devil, kept seducing Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart. Lin Wanyun clenched her teeth, trying once more to feel the skill within her body, only to find that it had completely disappeared; no matter how she tried to sense it, there was nothing. It seemed she was now unable to escape Lu Chen, the devil, and Lin Wanyun thought to herself, she must not let Lu Chen harm Rongrong. Rongrong hadn¡¯t yet gotten her revenge, hadn¡¯t yet restored her country, and there were still so many things left undone; she could not be trapped in the North Prince Mansion as a female slave. This time, it was her turn to protect Rongrong. With that thought, Lin Wanyun steeled her resolve to sacrifice herself. Then Lin Wanyun said, ¡°How can I know you won¡¯t go back on your word? What if, after you have taken me, you still don¡¯t intend to spare her?¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Do you think you still have the right to choose?¡± Feeling frustrated and defiant, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°You!¡± Lin Wanyun knew that nothing she said now would make a difference, then like a deflated balloon, she said listlessly, ¡°Fine, I agree to your terms, to be your woman, as long as you¡¯re willing to let her go. You can ask me to do anything.¡± Chapter 322 - Chapter 322: Chapter 230 I Will Not Yield_1 Chapter 322: Chapter 230 I Will Not Yield_1 Chen Wanrong was picked up by Lin Wanyun, and she had always treated Chen Wanrong as her own daughter; therefore, she did not want to see Chen Wanrong get hurt. Although she didn¡¯t know if Lu Chen would go back on his word, she had no other options now, as both she and Chen Wanrong had been poisoned by Lu Chen¡¯s toxins. Moreover, she had no way to get away from Lu Chen; in this situation, she could only choose to sacrifice herself. She thought to herself, even if Lu Chen reneged in the end and was unwilling to hand over the antidote, it was alright; she could take advantage of their intimate encounter to search for the antidote to the poison they had been afflicted with. Lu Chen had previously said that they hadn¡¯t suffered from the effects of the poison because he occasionally sprinkled the antidote around the courtyard where they lived. Lu Chen would likely continue to do so, and as long as she stayed near Lu Chen for a long enough time, one day she would be able to find where Lu Chen kept the antidote hidden. As Lin Wanyun thought this, she suddenly felt Lu Chen¡¯s hands tugging at her waistband. The thought of becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman filled Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart with an immense sense of shame. While she had a good impression of Lu Chen and would often sneak glances at him, appreciating his handsome appearance, Lu Chen was still a generation younger than her; she was already 32 years old, while Lu Chen was at most 18 years old. There was a full 14-year gap between them. In her eyes, Lu Chen had always been a big boy, not yet a man. This wasn¡¯t because Lu Chen was too immature. Lu Chen, now a Grandmaster, had a physique and presence that far surpassed those of his peers; he was already quite mature. It was just that Lin Wanyun often viewed him from the perspective of an elder, as Lu Chen was the son of her sworn sister, Jin Lan. Now, being held by this big boy, Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun¡¯s face was flushed, her body burning hot, and a strange sensation echoed in her heart. Right then, she could hear her own heart pounding wildly; her blood felt like it was boiling, causing an itchy feeling in her chest. This feeling was very peculiar, something she had never experienced before, as she had never been so close to a man. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Since you¡¯ve agreed, let¡¯s begin.¡± Upon hearing these words, the foggy-headed Lin Wanyun instantly sobered up. Begin? Begin what? Could it be that Lu Chen wanted to engage in intimate acts with her right here in the study? No! Absolutely not! This was the study, after all. At night, the patrol would surely pass by the study. What if someone saw them? She did not want Chen Wanrong to find out about this. With that thought, Lin Wanyun immediately started to struggle again, saying while struggling, ¡°Not here!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If not here, then let¡¯s go to your room.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun felt a shock in her heart. If they truly went to her room, Chen Wanrong would notice immediately. Lin Wanyun bit her silver teeth, if it had to be done here, so be it; as long as she didn¡¯t make a noise, the patrolling person might not notice what was happening inside the study. With that thought, Lin Wanyun snorted coldly and said, ¡°If you go back on your word later, I¡¯ll self-detonate my Dantian and perish together with you.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t seem to care about Lin Wanyun¡¯s threats at all. He rested his head on Lin Wanyun¡¯s fragrant shoulder, deeply inhaling her body scent. Lu Chen¡¯s heart was already in turmoil, but he didn¡¯t immediately act, merely holding Lin Wanyun in his embrace. Lin Wanyun felt uncomfortable in her body and started to move slightly again. She wasn¡¯t trying to escape, as she could no longer escape at this point. After a while, she realized that Lu Chen was just holding her, continuously sniffing the scent from her neck, which made Lin Wanyun confused. What was Lu Chen doing? Why wasn¡¯t he making a move? Lin Wanyun dared not speak; she wondered if perhaps Lu Chen¡¯s conscience had kicked in and he had decided to spare her. Thinking about it, she was, after all, more than a decade older than Lu Chen; past her prime, he probably didn¡¯t have much interest in her body. The words he spoke before might have just been to scare her. Moreover, she and Lu Chen¡¯s mother were very close friends; perhaps Lu Chen would spare her for the sake of Chu Yue. At that moment, Lin Wanyun still harbored a bit of hope, but she quickly felt something amiss. The hot breath from Lu Chen on her neck made her nerves extremely sensitive, awakening every cell in her body. Although Lu Chen hadn¡¯t done anything yet, she felt increasingly wrong; the flush on her face had spread to her snow-white neck. She felt as though she was about to be ignited. Holding Lin Wanyun¡¯s plump and rounded body, Lu Chen had long been unable to restrain himself, but he still contained his urges. After all, there was plenty of time tonight; he didn¡¯t need to rush. However, if he continued to merely embrace her, that wouldn¡¯t suffice either. Afterwards, Lu Chen¡¯s hands began to wander over Lin Wanyun¡¯s body. As Lu Chen caressed her, Lin Wanyun¡¯s body trembled, becoming even more sensitive and even hotter to the touch. For a moment, Lin Wanyun was at a loss. She had never had such intimate contact with a man, nor did she know that such closeness would elicit these feelings. This was her first time experiencing such unusual sensations. Chapter 323 - Chapter 323: Chapter 230 I Will Not Yield_2 Chapter 323: Chapter 230 I Will Not Yield_2 Lin Wanyun couldn¡¯t understand why her body was reacting this way, when had she become the kind of shameless woman. After a while, Lin Wanyun¡¯s body uncontrollably began to squirm, and at that moment, the voice of the big boy rang in her ear, ¡°Wanyun, why has your body become so burning hot.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s cheeks became even hotter, she snorted coldly and didn¡¯t speak. She tried to control herself, to calm the restlessness in her heart. But no matter how hard Lin Wanyun tried to quell the turmoil inside her, it was in vain, and gradually, her consciousness began to blur. Lin Wanyun clenched her teeth. No, she had to stay alert, she couldn¡¯t fall for this little rascal¡¯s tricks! Lin Wanyun gradually realized why Lu Chen hadn¡¯t made a move immediately. He probably wanted to wait until she couldn¡¯t bear it and then beg him for that kind of thing. This little rascal wanted to humiliate her, she had to endure it. As she thought this, Lu Chen suddenly released the hand that bound her wrists and then turned her body around. When Lin Wanyun turned to face Lu Chen, he saw her eyes shimmering with tears. Startled by being turned around by Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun paused for a moment. After her hands were set free, she instinctively wanted to attack Lu Chen, but her arms were so weak that she couldn¡¯t lift them at all. Lin Wanyun was stunned. How could this be¡­ At that moment, Lin Wanyun looked up at Lu Chen, and through her hazy vision, she seemed to see Lu Chen looking at her with a mischievous smile, making her feel even more ashamed. Then, Lu Chen leaned down, and Lin Wanyun¡¯s head immediately twisted to one side, trying to dodge. But Lu Chen¡¯s large hand firmly held her head in place and then captured her lips. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Lin Wanyun raised her hand and pounded on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, trying to push him away, but it was all to no effect. Soon Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind went blank, completely lost in Lu Chen¡¯s kiss, and in the last moment of complete blur, Lin Wanyun knew it was over for her, fearing she would never be able to get rid of Lu Chen again. In the end, the little rascal had his way. Nobody else could be blamed, she could only blame herself for trying to scheme against Lu Chen. Not only did she fail to do so, but Lu Chen also discovered it. As Lin Wanyun¡¯s last lucid consciousness faded, she was completely conquered. ¡­ The moonlight tonight was exquisite, casting a ripple-like glow on the ground, where the shadows of trees swayed as if the ripples were undulating. Summer had arrived, and the cool breeze of the night rustled the leaves. At that moment, a maid at the entrance of the study¡¯s courtyard was watching the shadows cast by the window. Seeing the overlapping shadows moving about, the little maid¡¯s face flushed red. She was actually accustomed to such sights since she often saw them as a maiden on duty in the study. However, it was her first time seeing Lin Wanyun appear in the study, which surprised her. She had previously thought Lin Wanyun was just a Guard Commander of the inner court and hadn¡¯t expected Lin Wanyun to have such duties as well. As the little maid was engrossed in her thoughts, suddenly a figure appeared behind her, ¡°Xiao Huan, has Chen¡¯er returned yet?¡± Startled by the voice, the maid quickly turned around to find Chu Yuqin standing there, and she breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°Madam Chu, the Prince is still handling affairs in the study.¡± Upon hearing the maid¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin immediately prepared to head toward the study, but before she had taken two steps, she heard the sound of an animal crying out. This¡­ Chu Yuqin was taken aback for a moment. Then she looked towards the window, only to see two overlapping shadows clearly visible. She realized then, Lu Chen clearly wasn¡¯t handling state affairs; he was busy doing something naughty. Chu Yuqin glanced at the two shadows, scoffed coldly in her heart, and thought it must be that bitch returning. She could have just gone back to her room at night; why did she come to the study to do this? What did she take the study for, such shamelessness. Chu Yuqin stood still, watching the writhing shadows for a while. At that moment, a confusion rose in Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart. The voice coming from inside the study was not that of the infamous bitch; she was very familiar with that woman¡¯s voice, and her tone wasn¡¯t like this. The current voice sounded deeper, and it seemed as if the woman was deliberately suppressing her own voice, not allowing it to carry outside. If it were Wang Qingci, that shameless bitch, she wouldn¡¯t care about these minor details. Wang Qingci would be shouting loudly, as if afraid others wouldn¡¯t hear her. Could it be that the person in the study wasn¡¯t Wang Qingci? With this thought, Chu Yuqin turned her head towards the little maid with a flushed face and began to ask, ¡°Inside the study is¡­¡± Before Chu Yuqin could finish, a woman¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Is it Madam Chu¡¯s turn on duty tonight?¡± Hearing this enchanting voice, Chu Yuqin was startled, then she turned to see that it was Wang Qingci, the bitch. Since Wang Qingci was still outside, that meant the person inside was indeed not her; it¡¯s not like Wang Qingci could be in two places at once. Chapter 324 - Chapter 324: Chapter 230 I Will Not Yield_3 Chapter 324: Chapter 230 I Will Not Yield_3 If it wasn¡¯t Wang Qingci, then who was thoughtless enough to disturb Lu Chen while he was attending to state affairs by running into the study, and even doing that sort of thing with him. Having arrived at the entrance of the courtyard, Wang Qingci intended to continue speaking, but suddenly heard a series of strange noises. Then she looked up at the study windows and, upon seeing two shadows, said with a smile, ¡°I never would have guessed Madam Chu has such a hobby.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s the point of eavesdropping? To experience something once is worth more than eavesdropping a hundred times.¡± Upon hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin snorted coldly and then, without asking which maidservant was inside, she turned around and left. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s departing figure, Wang Qingci smiled slightly. Although she didn¡¯t know if Chu Yuqin had ever done that sort of thing with Lu Chen, in her view, not a single woman in the inner court could escape from the palm of Lu Chen¡¯s hand, aside from the maidservants and lower servants. After Chu Yuqin¡¯s figure disappeared from view, Wang Qingci turned her head to the maidservant and asked, ¡°Which lady of the Prince¡¯s Mansion is inside?¡± Startled by the question, the little maidservant hesitated¡ªthough Wang Qingci was also one of Lu Chen¡¯s women, it was the first time Lin Wanyun had appeared in the study, so she wasn¡¯t sure if it was permissible to divulge such matters. Seeing the little maidservant hesitating without answering immediately, Wang Qingci instantly guessed that the woman in the study must not be one of Lu Chen¡¯s usual women, and it was highly likely that he had conquered another one. Was it Chu Qingli? Or possibly Lin Wanyun, or Chen Wanrong? Judging by the voice, it didn¡¯t sound like Chu Qingli or Chen Wanrong; the voice seemed subdued, clearly that of someone older and with a strong sense of shame. Then it could only be Lin Wanyun. Wang Qingci covered her mouth and chuckled. She didn¡¯t feel jealous at the thought of Lu Chen having one more woman. On the contrary, her heart was somewhat pleased that Lu Chen had added another woman. Her feelings towards Lu Chen were always complex; she was afraid both of Lu Chen not seeking her out, and of him seeking her every single day. It was better for Lu Chen to have more women; that way, he wouldn¡¯t have to watch her, a mere female slave, all the time. With this thought, Wang Qingci said to the maidservant Xiao Huan, ¡°Xiao Huan, once the Prince finishes his business, tell him I came looking for him, and have someone come to my courtyard to remind me.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Wang,¡± replied the maidservant immediately. Subsequently, Wang Qingci turned and left. At dawn, the crowing of roosters sounded over and over, yet Lu Chen was still savoring the delectable encounter from yesterday. At that time, Lu Chen felt somewhat regretful; he thought he should not have done those things in the study yesterday, but rather should have found a bedroom. Lin Wanyun and Yelv Nanyan were of the same type, with extremely supple bodies. Supple bodies are the most comfortable to hold while sleeping, and since one can¡¯t sleep in the study, it felt a bit wasteful. While Lu Chen was occupied, a timid voice came from the doorway, ¡°Prince, the Princess has made breakfast and brought it for you.¡± Hearing this voice, Lin Wanyun woke as if from a dream, trying to extricate herself from Lu Chen, only to be firmly pinned down by him and unable to move. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Wanyun, don¡¯t rush; we still have plenty of time.¡± Lin Wanyun turned her head, her cheeks flushed with shame and indignation, and cursed, ¡°You devil, I will not submit!¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then said to the maidservant outside, ¡°Take the breakfast back, tell the Princess I¡¯ll eat later when I come back.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince,¡± the maidservant replied. After the maidservant left, Lu Chen bent down again and kissed Lin Wanyun¡¯s lips once more. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Chapter 325 - Chapter 325: Chapter 231 Lu Chens Proposal_1 Chapter 325: Chapter 231 Lu Chen¡¯s Proposal_1 [Congratulations, Host, on acquiring another wife and concubine, you¡¯ve received the reward of the salt production technique.] [The Host has bonded with a wife and concubine once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience value increased by 500, Rejuvenating Skill experience value increased by 200, Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill experience value increased by 600, Absorption Technique experience value increased by 300. The Host has triggered an Emotional Crit, tripling all skill experience values.] [The Host and wife have achieved a spiritual connection, especially rewarding the Light Skill Shifting Shadow.] Looking at the system interface before him, Lu Chen smiled slightly, then turned his head to look toward the beautiful woman who was ceaselessly fixing her clothes nearby. Lin Wanyun, her hair disheveled, her hair bun completely undone, her dress torn, and her snow-white neck bore some red marks. At this moment, Lin Wanyun also noticed Lu Chen¡¯s gaze, and with a resentful look on her face, she said, ¡°When do you plan on giving us the antidote?¡± Lu Chen indifferently replied, ¡°What¡¯s the rush, at the very least you should wait until you are carrying my child.¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Although she had spent a night in the study, tormented throughout, she was well aware that the higher the realm of a martial artist, the harder it is to conceive a child, and just one night¡¯s time would not lead to her bearing Lu Chen¡¯s child. She was a Half-step Grandmaster, and Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, making it even more difficult for the two of them to produce offspring. If she had to wait until she was pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child to get the antidote from him, then Chen Wanrong might very well miss the best opportunity for revenge. Not only might Chen Wanrong lose the chance to avenge herself, but she might also miss the opportunity to reclaim the throne for her nation. With this thought, Lin Wanyun¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, determined she could not wait to bear a child before leaving the Prince¡¯s Mansion. She must find another way to get the antidote from Lu Chen. At that time, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°I hope you¡¯ll keep your word.¡± Having said this, Lin Wanyun prepared to turn around and leave the study, but after just a few steps, she felt uncoordinated and wobbled, hastily stabilizing her body. It wasn¡¯t that she was feeling uncomfortable, rather the sensations before had been too intense, causing her brain to still feel foggy, and she hadn¡¯t yet recovered. Lin Wanyun gritted her teeth, struggling to regain lucidity as quickly as possible. After regaining some clarity, Lin Wanyun once again stepped forward, ready to leave this place. However, with one step forward, her body suddenly lost its balance, and she was pulled back by Lu Chen, falling into his embrace. Lin Wanyun thought Lu Chen was going to do that sort of thing to her again, so she immediately began to struggle. ¡°What¡­ what do you want to do!¡± Lin Wanyun was somewhat afraid; it was broad daylight now, and people often came to Lu Chen¡¯s study. If they were to do something disgraceful in the study room again, others would surely find out. If this matter reached Chen Wanrong¡¯s ears, what would Chen Wanrong think of her? It¡¯s very likely that Chen Wanrong would think she had betrayed her. Lu Chen held Lin Wanyun¡¯s tender body tightly and whispered in her ear, ¡°Madam Lin, the truth is I know you can¡¯t bring yourself to harm me.¡± Hearing these words, Lin Wanyun was momentarily stunned. Indeed, she didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to get hurt; lately, she had been dreaming about Chu Yue frequently, dreaming about Chu Yue¡¯s past care for her. But she had no choice; she too had her loyalties. Chen Wanrong was someone she had cared for since she was a child, almost like her own daughter. Compared to Lu Chen, a child of someone else, she would obviously side with her ¡°daughter.¡± Furthermore, Chen Wanrong had stated that she wouldn¡¯t kill Lu Chen, not only that but would also have a child with him who would inherit the throne of Chen Nation in the future. It was because of Chen Wanrong¡¯s intentions that Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t feel too guilty. If Lu Chen was only to lose some blood without risking his life, then she hadn¡¯t wronged Chu Yue too much. Besides, Chu Yue¡¯s death was most likely caused by the Sum Emperor. Their use of Lu Chen to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell was also, to some extent, seeking vengeance for Chu Yue. At that time, Lin Wanyun scoffed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself.¡± Seeing Lin Wanyun¡¯s hard stance, Lu Chen blew gently into her ear, then said, ¡°Last night you didn¡¯t say that.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s face instantly became burning hot. She had never imagined that she would one day become that kind of shameless woman, especially as she was already in her thirties. All because of this little rascal. Lin Wanyun immediately twisted her waist, trying to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s arms. However, no matter how Lin Wanyun struggled, she was still unable to break free; her skill remained in a sealed state within her body, making her nearly as capable as an ordinary person. How could an ordinary person escape the control of a Grandmaster? At this time, Lu Chen continued to whisper in her ear, ¡°Madam Lin, although I am quite lecherous, I genuinely like you and Miss Chen. I feel there¡¯s no need for us to be so adversarial.¡± ¡°I know Miss Chen also has some feelings for me. Since we both have feelings for each other, why can¡¯t we be together?¡± ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t have a good relationship with my father, the emperor. He caused the death of my mother, so whatever you want to do to him doesn¡¯t concern me.¡± ¡°Since we have no direct conflict and share affection for each other as well as a common enemy, why can¡¯t you marry me, become my women, and bear my children?¡± Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 231 Lu Chens Proposal_2 Chapter 326: Chapter 231 Lu Chen¡¯s Proposal_2 This¡­ Lin Wanyun was taken aback. Hearing Lu Chen say this, it seemed like there was absolutely no problem with what Lu Chen had said. Although they indeed wanted to use the Love Worm to control Lu Chen, they didn¡¯t plan to kill him, and Chen Wanrong even planned to have a child with him. The reason why they were always afraid of being discovered by Lu Chen was mainly because they felt that Lu Chen would not cooperate with them in refining the Subtle Dragon Spell, and certainly would not let them kill his father, the Sum Emperor, after all, Lu Chen was also the son of the Sum Emperor. Seeing Lin Wanyun fall silent, Lu Chen continued to lure her with his words beside her ear, ¡°Judging by your performance last night, you have been longing for my body for quite some time, you just didn¡¯t show it. Now that you are my woman, there¡¯s no need for us to hide anything from each other anymore.¡± ¡°You were afraid that I would reject you after knowing your intentions, so you didn¡¯t dare tell me your plans. Now that we have had an open talk, why don¡¯t we formally start to collaborate?¡± With a flushed face, Lin Wanyun retorted, ¡°You shameless scoundrel, who¡¯s longing for your body!¡± Lin Wanyun, having her thoughts exposed by Lu Chen, felt immensely ashamed. She had indeed been thinking about Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face lately, always unable to stop herself from looking at him, sometimes feeling strange sensations in her heart. Although she had been deliberately trying to avoid these feelings, there was no doubt in her mind that she harbored romantic feelings for Lu Chen, and she knew this well. But she stoutly denied it, after all, she was already thirty-two years old this year, how could she have feelings for a man much younger than herself. What Lu Chen did last night completely tore apart the facade she had kept up in her heart. Lin Wanyun continued, ¡°What collaboration? You just want mine and Rongrong¡¯s bodies, that much is clear. I will never agree to that. Rongrong has her own mission; she cannot stay in the North Prince Mansion to bear your children. You¡¯d better give up on that idea.¡± Lu Chen, with his arm around Lin Wanyun¡¯s waist, said, ¡°You¡¯re right, I do want your bodies, but I¡¯m also serious about the collaboration. The two aren¡¯t mutually exclusive.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t agree now, no matter. I will give you time to think it over, and when you have made up your mind, let me know your decision.¡± With those words, Lu Chen let go of Lin Wanyun. Lin Wanyun immediately headed towards the exit of the study room, or rather, she fled towards it. She was afraid that if Lu Chen took a fancy once more, she would be pressed against the desk again. After Lin Wanyun left, Lu Chen quickly glanced over the Qinggong technique ¡°Shadow Shifting¡± he had just acquired. This Qinggong was very useful for him; it could allow him to move to a different place in the blink of an eye. Having mastered this Qinggong, he would easily be able to dodge others¡¯ attacks in the future. After examining the cultivation technique, Lu Chen took a quick look around his study, which was now a complete mess. The pillow he had used last night was too soft; he had lost some control, and his actions had been a bit rough, causing the desk in the study to collapse. This was the desk he had just had specially made a few days ago, in case Wang Qingci would occasionally come to his study to relax, worrying that the desk might not withstand it. He hadn¡¯t expected that in just a short while, the desk would be ruined. It seems better not to engage in such activities in the study in the future. Thinking of this, Lu Chen straightened his clothes, then left the study as well. Meanwhile. Yunrong Courtyard. Chen Wanrong woke up early in the morning and started to meditate in the pavilion. Suddenly, a disheveled figure appeared in the courtyard. Seeing Lin Wanyun with her hair in disarray, stumbling as she walked, Chen Wanrong immediately stood up and asked, ¡°Madam Lin, what¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Although Chen Wanrong¡¯s face was expressionless, the fluctuation in her tone was obvious. She was clearly very concerned about Lin Wanyun. If it hadn¡¯t been for Lin Wanyun taking her to the Mysterious Moon Palace all those years ago, and caring for her ever since, it was questionable whether she would have survived at all, let alone achieved what she had today. Even though she always addressed Lin Wanyun as ¡°Auntie¡±, in her heart, she had long regarded Lin Wanyun as her own mother. Fearing that Chen Wanrong might notice something amiss, Lin Wanyun hastily said, ¡°I¡¯m fine. An assassin came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion last night, and I exchanged a few moves with him. Just my clothes got a bit torn, I¡¯m not hurt. I¡¯m going to take a bath now.¡± With that, Lin Wanyun hurried off to her room. Watching Lin Wanyun¡¯s receding figure, Chen Wanrong did not harbor much suspicion, as she had absolute trust in Lin Wanyun. She believed that Lin Wanyun wouldn¡¯t lie to her. However¡­ Chen Wanrong felt she smelled a sharp, pungent odor, the likes of which she couldn¡¯t recognize ¡ª it was her first time encountering such a scent. After catching a whiff of this odor, the image of that man involuntarily surfaced in her mind. Chen Wanrong immediately regulated her Inner Strength to calm her inner turmoil, preventing herself from continuing down the path of intrusive thoughts. Not long after, Lin Wanyun stripped off her tattered clothes and submerged herself in the bath, scrubbing her body over and over again. At that moment, the words said by Lu Chen seemed to echo in her ears. Unable to discern whether Lu Chen¡¯s words were true or false, she dared not trust him. If Lu Chen were sincere in seeking an alliance, then perhaps it could be considered¡­ But then, how would she face Chen Wanrong? Could she really expect herself and Chen Wanrong to marry Lu Chen? Such a preposterous notion. Only that little devil could come up with such an idea. Lin Wanyun sighed. The priority was to find the antidote first, then consider other matters. Just then, she began to circulate her Cultivation Technique, intending to expel the impurities from her body. But the next moment, she froze, feeling the roundness of her belly, and suddenly realized that if she couldn¡¯t conceive Lu Chen¡¯s child soon, how would she obtain the antidote from him? At this thought, Lin Wanyun had to abandon her Cultivation Technique. The idea of bearing a child for Yue¡¯s son filled her with such inner shame, it felt like dying was a better option¡ªhow had she, of her age, come to have an affair with a man over a decade her junior? All because of that little devil! Every time she thought of that demon¡¯s face, Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind was once again filled with the scenes from last night. To halt her chaotic thoughts, she immediately submerged herself, burying her head entirely in the water. Chapter 330 - Chapter 330: Chapter 233: The Birth of the Fifth Child_1 Chapter 330: Chapter 233: The Birth of the Fifth Child_1 Lu Chen had stayed for a while in Zhou Youyou¡¯s birthing room when her belly began to move incessantly. At that moment, the midwife reminded him, ¡°Prince, Madam Xiaozhou is about to give birth.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I know.¡± Then Lu Chen took hold of Zhou Youyou¡¯s hand and said to her with a smile, ¡°Youyou, don¡¯t be nervous, it will soon be over.¡± Zhou Youyou, with a relaxed expression, said, ¡°With the Prince here, your consort is not nervous.¡± All of Lu Chen¡¯s women knew that he was capable of using Immortal Technique, and with Lu Chen¡¯s help, giving birth was not difficult for them, as was proven with Mu Zixuan¡¯s childbirth. The moment Zhou Youyou finished speaking, a severe pain surged from her lower body. Seeing Zhou Youyou¡¯s face suddenly change, Lu Chen knew it was about time. Immediately, Lu Chen used the Rejuvenating Skill and sent a stream of green spiritual power into Zhou Youyou¡¯s body. In just an instant, the pain she had been feeling vanished. Lu Chen didn¡¯t release her hand. He continued to infuse Zhou Youyou with spiritual power, and soon, the green spiritual power entering her body converged near the fetus and enveloped it. Before Zhou Youyou could even react, the child shot out from her body, and the next moment, the room filled with the baby¡¯s cries of ¡°wah, wah, wah.¡± The midwives hurriedly took care of things afterward, bathing the baby, cutting the umbilical cord, and so on. Zhou Youyou, lying in bed, was stunned. She had felt pain only briefly before her child was born? Was it really that easy? Although she knew that with Lu Chen present childbirth shouldn¡¯t be too painful, this seemed too easy, even easier than when she had given birth the last time. Put crudely, it was even easier than relieving herself, as she had hardly felt anything when the child came out. Seeing Zhou Youyou with a bewildered look, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Youyou replied in a daze, ¡°Prince¡­ my Lord, has your consort given birth just like that???¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°What? Would you have preferred our child to stay in your belly longer? It¡¯s been nearly ten months. It was time to come out.¡± Zhou Youyou then, still in a daze, said, ¡°Thank you, my Lord.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°What are you thanking me for? You are my woman; this is what I should do.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen glanced at his hand, the corners of his mouth slightly curving upwards, thinking to himself that he was getting more and more proficient with the Rejuvenating Skill. From the moment Zhou Youyou felt the child come out, not even two minutes had passed. The Rejuvenating Skill truly lived up to its name. In the future, naming it Saint Doctor wouldn¡¯t be wrong. It was then that the system voice echoed in Lu Chen¡¯s ears. [Congratulations, Host, on the birth of a child, rewarding two major vassal families. From now on, these two families will share life and death with the North Prince Mansion. If the North Prince Mansion prospers, so will they; if the North Prince Mansion perishes, so will they. They will follow you unconditionally.] [The more children you have, the greater the rewards. Host, keep up the good work and strive to have descendants all over the world soon.] Hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. What¡¯s this? Two families as a reward this time? Not an army? Nor talents? What use are two families to him? Knowing how much he despises aristocratic families, why would the system reward him with families? While Lu Chen was lost in thought, the midwife came over carrying the child, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, Madam Xiaozhou has given birth to a Commandery Princess for you.¡± Everyone in the North Prince Mansion knew that Lu Chen did not favor boys over girls. His fondness for them, especially for Lu Huanhuan, was evident. Snapping back to reality after hearing the midwife¡¯s words, Lu Chen took the child and smiled at her. The little girl, who had been wailing loudly, suddenly stopped crying. Lu Chen then placed the baby girl on the bed. At this time, Zhou Youyou slowly propped herself up and turned to look at her daughter on the bed. Zhou Youyou said, ¡°Prince, please give her a name.¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Let¡¯s name her Lu Lingxiu.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Youyou murmured, ¡°Lingxiu, Lingxiu, born with grace and elegance. The name the Prince has chosen is so beautiful.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then placed his hand on Lu Lingxiu, using the Rejuvenating Skill to check her for any illnesses and to treat her as necessary. Lu Chen stayed with Zhou Youyou for about half an hour in the room before leaving for his study. Entering the study, Lu Chen immediately opened the system to check the rewards he had just received. Since these two families were awarded to him by the system, their loyalty to him would be one hundred percent. It was unrealistic to expect his domain not to have any major families, and if a dynasty inevitably produced them, then why not make his own people stronger? In the future, he could use these two families to coordinate with him, putting on a show as if they were against the North Prince Mansion, then use them as bait to lure out other families that wanted to cause trouble. Thinking about this made Lu Chen feel slightly more at ease. He then checked what these two families were known for. [Qian Family: Remnants of the Great Shang, with a population of thirty thousand. Located in the capital city of the Great Wu dynasty, the current family head is Qian Dahai. They have close connections with Princess Wu and are ostensibly supported by her, but in truth, they serve only the Son of Destiny.] Chapter 331 - Chapter 331: Chapter 233: The Birth of the Fifth Child_2 Chapter 331: Chapter 233: The Birth of the Fifth Child_2 [Dongfang Family: Great Shang adherents, with a population of forty thousand, the family is located in Sufeng City of the Great Xia Dynasty. The current family head is Dongfang Yi. They secretly reached a cooperative agreement with the Great Xia Emperor, planning to eliminate the aristocratic families of the South, and thereafter, pledge loyalty to the Sum Emperor. However, in reality, they only serve the Son of Destiny.] [The heads of the two major families as well as their clan members have all received information that you are the Son of Destiny. You have one opportunity to issue a direct command to them. What command would you like to issue?] Seeing the system prompt before him, Lu Chen was barely able to suppress a smirk. After all, the Dongfang and Qian families were his own people; it was likely that neither Wu Junwan nor his own father had anticipated this. What surprised him the most was actually the Dongfang Family. The Dongfang Family had truly reached an agreement with his father, the Emperor. Although he had guessed that there were traitors among the aristocratic families of the South following reminders from Zhuge Zhongguang, and he had also sensed it might be the Dongfang Clan, he could not be certain it was them. Now, with the system prompt out, he could be almost one hundred percent certain. Unfortunately for the Dongfang Family, they were not his father¡¯s people, but his. He wondered what expression his father would have if he knew the Dongfang Family was on his side. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to the system, ¡°Have them hold their positions, and tell the people from both major families to contact me as soon as possible.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, the system prompt sounded again. [The Dongfang Family and the Qian Family have received your command.] Meanwhile. Rain-Listening Pavilion. On the loft above, Wang Qingci, dressed in a red gown, was gazing at the distant scenery, with a portly middle-aged man seated in front of her. Wang Qingci said, ¡°President Qian, I¡¯m somewhat curious. Since you are interested in the North Prince Mansion, why not make direct contact with them? Why seek out Mr. Wang to inquire about the affairs of the North Prince Mansion instead?¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, just as Qian Dahai was about to reply, a surge of information flooded into his brain. Qian Dahai was taken aback, then a smile appeared on his face. He had long suspected it might be the North Prince, which is why he had been actively inquiring about him. To his surprise, it was indeed the North Prince. Now that he was certain of who his master was, there was no need to continue dragging out discussions with the Rain-Listening Pavilion. Qian Dahai got up and said, ¡°Mr. Wang, I suddenly remembered I have urgent matters today, so I¡¯ll take my leave. As for what I just mentioned, please pretend you never heard it.¡± With that, Qian Dahai walked directly down from the loft. Seeing Qian Dahai hastily leaving, Wang Qingci paused, puzzled. What was going on? She didn¡¯t recall saying anything that could have made him sensitive. Why did he suddenly leave? She had been planning to learn more about the Great Wu Dynasty from Qian Dahai by reversing the flow of the conversation. But their talk had only just started, and he was already on his way out. Wang Qingci frowned slightly; Qian Dahai¡¯s rush to leave the Rain-Listening Pavilion must be due to some extremely important matter. She needed to relay this information to Lu Chen without delay. Thinking this, Wang Qingci also promptly got up, preparing to return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At this very moment. With a courtyard. Dongfang Longyue was in a pavilion painting. Suddenly, her mind went blank and her hand trembled, ruining the painting with a stroke of her brush. If anyone were here, they would surely recognize the person in the painting as the North Prince. Dongfang Longyue remained frozen in place for a long time, not snapping back to reality. She never imagined that simply to avoid the Crown Prince and casually expand the Dongfang Family business, she would actually encounter the Son of Destiny. The Son of Destiny turned out to be the North Prince? This¡­ Didn¡¯t seem all that surprising, actually. Since arriving in the North Country, the North Prince not only defeated the barbarians of the North Land but also brought so many novel and strange things to the North Country. Most importantly, the reforms in the North Country were out of sync with this world. As Dongfang Longyue came back to her senses, she glanced at the portrait before her. She had simply felt like painting today, and it was just a casual attempt, yet the man she ended up painting was none other than the North Prince. It seemed that the heavens indeed had their own intentions. Dongfang Longyue told her maid, ¡°Get ready, I¡¯m going to the North Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± Lu Chen had been in the study for only a short while when the maid¡¯s voice rang out at the door of the study, ¡°Prince, the President of the Qianhai Commercial Association wishes to visit you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Bring him to the study.¡± Not long after, Qian Dahai appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s study. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Qian Dahai quickly knelt down and greeted him, ¡°Lowly merchant Qian Dahai pays homage to the Prince, may the Prince live for ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Stand up.¡± Qian Dahai then stood up and said, ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡± Lu Chen did not intend to waste time and directly said, ¡°President Qian, I¡¯ve heard that you are particularly skilled in commerce. I have a government position here, and I wonder if you might be interested?¡± Upon hearing this, Qian Dahai said with a smile, ¡°Prince, you are our Qian Family¡¯s master. Whatever you ask me to do, that I shall do.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, then the position of Minister of Commerce will be yours in the future. However, how do you plan to resolve the situation with Great Wu?¡± Qian Dahai replied, ¡°Your Highness, you might not be aware that Princess Wu has actually been very keen for the Qianhai Commercial Association to infiltrate the North Country and gather intelligence.¡± ¡°If You want me to be the Minister of Commerce, I just have to mention it to Princess Wu, and she is probably more than eager for me to join the small court of the North Country.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Qian Family is still in Great Wu, so she should not suspect me.¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°That¡¯s still not safe. Your Qian Family should still find a way to relocate to the North Country first, and after that, I will hand over the position of Minister of Commerce to you.¡± Lu Chen worried that in time, Wu Junwan would sense something and directly take action against the Qian Family. At this time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Is there any difficulty for the Qian Family to move to the North Country?¡± Qian Dahai continued, ¡°Prince, there is not the slightest difficulty for the Qian Family to leave Great Wu. Princess Wu, in order to earn the North Country¡¯s trust in the Qianhai Commercial Association, has actually been wanting the Qian Family to move to the North Country for a long time.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°She has such confidence in you, isn¡¯t she afraid that you will betray her?¡± Qian Dahai replied, ¡°Although she will agree to the Qian Family¡¯s relocation to the North Country, it¡¯s likely that my two sons will still remain as hostages at the Qianhai Commercial Association in Great Wu. Moreover, Princess Wu has an extremely formidable assassination organization at her disposal, so she is not worried at all that we will betray her.¡± Although the Qianhai Commercial Association appears to belong to the Qian Family, in reality, the person in control is Wu Junwan, and the headquarters of the Qianhai Commercial Association is also in Great Wu. Most importantly, the Qianhai Commercial Association controls the Qian Family¡¯s wealth, so even if the entire Qian Family relocates to another dynasty, Wu Junwan is not afraid that the Qian Family will betray. She does not believe that the wealth-loving Qian Dahai will abandon his riches in the Qianhai Commercial Association. Furthermore, with his two sons kept as hostages by the Qianhai Commercial Association in Great Wu, she is very confident in Qian Dahai and the Qian Family. Lu Chen said, ¡°Then go back and hasten the Qian Family¡¯s relocation here.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen¡¯s words fallen when once again the voice of the maid came from the doorway of the study, ¡°Prince, Lady Wang is looking for you.¡± Lu Chen directly said, ¡°Let her in.¡± The next moment, Wang Qingci pushed the door open and entered. As soon as she walked in, she immediately prepared to inform Lu Chen about Qian Dahai looking for her, ¡°Prince, Qian Dahai just now¡­¡± Wang Qingci¡¯s words were not finished when she froze in place. For she saw Qian Dahai himself in front of her. With a smile, Qian Dahai said, ¡°So Mr. Wang is also the Prince¡¯s person. I was wondering how Rain-listening Pavilion could have developed so quickly.¡± Wang Qingci was somewhat bewildered. From what Qian Dahai implied, was he also Lu Chen¡¯s person? For months, Rain-listening Pavilion and Qianhai Commercial Association had been at each other¡¯s throats, only to discover they were all on the same side? Wang Qingci then turned to Lu Chen and said, ¡°Prince, are you making fun of your servant like this?¡± Chapter 332 - Chapter 332: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_1 Chapter 332: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_1 Wang Qingci felt a sense of grievance in her heart, having led the Rain-listening Pavilion in a constant struggle against the Qianhai Commercial Association, tirelessly contriving to extract their intelligence, only to discover that the President of the Qianhai Commercial Association was one of Lu Chen¡¯s people. Why didn¡¯t Lu Chen tell her sooner? She suddenly felt that Lu Chen didn¡¯t trust her, which was why he didn¡¯t share this information with her. It was even possible that Lu Chen had deliberately sent Qian Dahai to test her. Seeing Wang Qingci seemed somewhat unhappy, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wang, I myself only learned today that President Qian is one of my people.¡± This¡­ Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci was taken aback for a moment. Learned only today? Was he trying to fool a fool? Qian Dahai was his man; how could he have possibly only learned of that today? At that moment, Qian Dahai said to Wang Qingci, ¡°Mr. Wang, the Prince is correct. I too found out only today that the Prince is my master.¡± ¡°Previously, when I sought information about the North Prince Mansion from you, it was mainly to verify my own suspicions.¡± Wang Qingci looked at Lu Chen doubtfully. Lu Chen claimed Qian Dahai was his man but then said he only found out that day? Did that not imply that there had been no prior contact between Lu Chen and the Qianhai Commercial Association? So how did Qian Dahai become Lu Chen¡¯s man? Wang Qingci felt a bit muddled in her thoughts, but ultimately, she chose to believe what Lu Chen had said. She felt that there really was no need for him to send someone to test her, considering that the Rain-listening Pavilion was filled with Brocade Guards watching her every move. At that moment, Qian Dahai tactfully said, ¡°Prince, if there¡¯s nothing else, I shall take my leave.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, go attend to your affairs.¡± After Qian Dahai left the study, Lu Chen, his face full of smiles, stared at Wang Qingci and said, ¡°So, you thought I had sent Qian Dahai as a spy to test you after hearing he was my man?¡± Wang Qingci pursed her lips and said nothing. She had indeed thought so at first, but after a moment, she realized that Lu Chen really had no reason to test her. Her entire being belonged to Lu Chen, both body and spirit molded into his shape. There was nothing left to test. At that moment, Lu Chen explained, ¡°The situation with the Qianhai Commercial Association is a bit peculiar. Indeed, I only found out today that Qian Dahai is my man. He was not sent to test you, you can be assured of that.¡± Filled with curiosity, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Why did the Prince only find out today that Qian Dahai is your man?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Having spent so much time in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, you must know about my Immortal Master.¡± Practically all the women in the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion knew that Lu Chen was a man blessed with an immortal fate, having experienced the so-called fairy skill treatments after sharing his bed. They were thoroughly convinced of his destined connection with immortality. Not only the women of the inner court but also the soldiers of the North Country¡¯s army firmly believed that Lu Chen was a Son of Destiny, protected by an Immortal. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci¡¯s mind froze for a moment, then swiftly concocted an explanation, ¡°So it turns out that Qian Dahai was a man prepared by the Prince¡¯s Immortal Master for him.¡± Wang Qingci thought to herself, it made sense why Lu Chen had only now learned of Qian Dahai as one of his own. It appeared that Qian Dahai had not previously made any contact with Lu Chen, hence neither knew of their connection. If Qian Dahai was indeed a man prepared by Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Master, everything fell into place. After hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You are correct, Qian Dahai is indeed a talent prepared by my Master. There are many more like him.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°This servant thought it odd that Qian Dahai has been inquiring about Your Highness recently. I feared he sought to gather intelligence on the North Prince Mansion. Now it seems he was confirming whether his master was indeed Your Highness.¡± With that, Wang Qingci felt much more at ease, so long as it was clear that Lu Chen had no suspicions about her. He still trusted her. Then, Wang Qingci said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, this servant will take her leave.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Yes, you may go.¡± Today, Lu Chen was much more behaved and had no intention of doing anything inappropriate in the study. Another person was expected to visit him soon, so he continued to sit in the study, waiting. Sure enough, it didn¡¯t take long before he heard a maid¡¯s voice once again at the door of the study, ¡°Prince, the young miss from the Dongfang Family wishes to see you privately.¡± Lu Chen said coolly, ¡°Bring her to the study.¡± ¡°As you wish, Prince.¡± Soon enough, a maid from the Prince¡¯s Mansion led a woman dressed in a simple white garment into the study. Upon seeing the woman before him, Lu Chen felt as if dazzling rays of light were shining on him. The woman was extremely beautiful, seemingly radiating specks of starlight, stirring something inside Lu Chen with just a glance. Dongfang Longyue greeted Lu Chen with a bow and said, ¡°This commoner Dongfang Longyue pays her respects to the Prince. May the Prince have a long life of a thousand, thousand years!¡± Snapped back to reality by Dongfang Longyue¡¯s voice, Lu Chen responded, ¡°Rise.¡± Then Lu Chen recognized Dongfang Longyue¡¯s personal details through the system. [Name: Dongfang Longyue] [Identity: Daughter of Dongfang Yi, the Family Head of the Dongfang Family, 26 years old, Master Realm.] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 50] [Loyalty: 100] Seeing Dongfang Longyue¡¯s details, Lu Chen was once again stunned. He did not anticipate that Dongfang Longyue¡¯s displayed information would be similar to that of Xuanyuan Yunqi, with favorability and loyalty being separate. Chapter 333 - Chapter 333: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_2 Chapter 333: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_2 Having come back to his senses, Lu Chen took another look at Dongfang Longyue. Dongfang Longyue wore a white belt around her waist, perfectly accentuating her curvaceous figure. Her temperament was very similar to that of Chen Wanrong, both of whom were the epitome of women with an Immortal Aura. However, she gave Lu Chen a different feeling. When he was in front of Chen Wanrong without having made any physical contact with her, it was difficult for Lu Chen to harbor even the slightest inappropriate thought about her. But the moment Lu Chen saw Dongfang Longyue, he conceived the desire to have relations with her, to have her bear his children, and he felt an incomparable restlessness within him. With a smile on her lips and peerlessly beautiful features, Dongfang Longyue seemed like an intelligent elder sister, which reminded Lu Chen of the neighbor¡¯s elder sister from his previous life. Of course, Dongfang Longyue was not the neighbor¡¯s elder sister from his previous life, although they bore a striking resemblance. He remembered that the first time he ever felt an urge toward a woman in his previous life was because of his neighbor¡¯s elder sister, wanting to engage in certain activities with her¡ªa phase every man goes through. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think that, despite already being a father of several children, he could still feel such a stirring in his heart. It seemed that the pressure he had been under recently was too great, and he hadn¡¯t taken the time to relax properly. If he had relaxed, he probably wouldn¡¯t feel such impulses. After regaining his composure, Lu Chen coughed and said, ¡°My Prince has heard that the Dongfang Family has cooperated with my father, the Sum Emperor, recently. Is it true or not?¡± Dongfang Longyue answered calmly, ¡°Replying to the Prince, my father plans to bring the Dongfang Family into the imperial court. Therefore, he has chosen to pledge allegiance to His Majesty actively, preparing to cooperate with His Majesty in eradicating other Aristocratic Families.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t your father afraid that my father, the Sum Emperor, will turn against him once his purpose is served?¡± Dongfang Longyue responded, ¡°The Dongfang Clan has a Grandmaster, as well as numerous merchant ships. Furthermore, the Dongfang Clan does not own much fixed land in Great Sum, and can leave the Great Xia Dynasty at any time. From my father¡¯s perspective, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult for the Dongfang Family to break away from the Great Xia Dynasty.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was briefly taken aback. The system had not told him just now about the existence of a Grandmaster within the Dongfang Family. If he included himself, wouldn¡¯t that mean that the North Country already had three Grandmasters? Some dynasties didn¡¯t even have three Grandmasters openly, and he hadn¡¯t expected his own feudal state to have acquired three Grandmasters so quickly. At this moment, Dongfang Longyue asked, ¡°Prince, does the Dongfang Family need to relocate to the North Country?¡± Since the Son of Destiny had already appeared, their family should follow their mission and assist the Son of Destiny. Currently, the Dongfang Family resided in Sufeng City, which was quite distant from the North Country. If Lu Chen needed anything, they could not mobilize the full strength of the family to assist him in a timely manner, so it would be better to move the entire family to the North Country. Of course, if they truly made such a move, they were likely to offend many people, including several Aristocratic Families and the Sum Emperor. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for now. By the way, since the Dongfang Family is cooperating with my father, you should have a rough idea of when he plans to make his move, right?¡± Dongfang Longyue replied, ¡°Yes, it is scheduled for the early part of next month. His Majesty plans to force the Crown Prince and others to retreat to Sufeng City, to coerce them into rebelling, and then take action against them.¡± ¡°His Majesty has long used the Dongfang Clan¡¯s merchant ships to transfer tens of thousands of elite soldiers to the southeastern coast. Once the Aristocratic Families of the South and the Crown Prince rebel, His Majesty will send troops immediately. With a pincer attack from both sides, the Southern Aristocratic Families will likely not last half a year without the support of other Seigniors.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled. He truly had not expected his father, the Sum Emperor, to be so well-prepared. It appeared he had underestimated his father¡¯s capabilities. Lu Chen glanced at Dongfang Longyue¡¯s flawless face and then continued to ask, ¡°Is it possible that those Aristocratic Families might also have a Grandmaster? If a Grandmaster appears, what does my father intend to do?¡± ¡°I am not certain,¡± Dongfang Longyue replied, ¡°but I have heard that in order to completely eliminate the major Southern Aristocratic Families, His Majesty has sent envoys not only to Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain but even to Peach Blossom Valley.¡± Hearing Dongfang Longyue mention these three places, Lu Chen pretty much guessed what his father intended to do. It was rumored that a Grandmaster existed in each of these places. His father sending people there clearly meant he sought to collaborate with the Grandmasters from these locations. If these Grandmasters supported his father, it would be much easier for his father to annihilate the Southern Aristocratic Families. Of course, if the Grandmasters from these places chose to remain neutral, it would still be a good outcome for his father. At that moment, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. Once rebellion occurred in the South, if the other Seigniors took no action, then his father should have no problem in eradicating the Southern Aristocratic Families. But the key issue was that some Seigniors had been suppressed too harshly and had long been considering rebellion. If the Southern Aristocratic Families and the Crown Prince rebelled, then it was possible that other Seigniors might also leap into action. If these two forces were to converge, his father¡¯s well-laid plans might come to naught. While Lu Chen pondered this, his gaze swept back and forth across Dongfang Longyue. Being stared at so intently by Lu Chen, Dongfang Longyue felt an unusual sensation stir within her. Chapter 334 - Chapter 334: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_3 Chapter 334: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_3 Her loyalty to Lu Chen was naturally one hundred percent, but that did not mean she particularly liked Lu Chen, she had long heard that Lu Chen was a rake, fond of beautiful women, not even sparing his own aunts. Even though Lu Chen was no longer the waste of rumors, it did not mean he was not lecherous anymore, Dongfang Longyue couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Lu Chen was staring at her so intently because he was taken by her body. When she was in Sufeng City, that was how those men were, just a few glances at her, and they wanted to marry her. At this moment, Dongfang Longyue thought to herself that Lu Chen was the Son of Destiny, and if Lu Chen truly desired her body, it was likely that the entire Dongfang Family would approve, so was she going to be married off to the North Prince Mansion to become one of Lu Chen¡¯s concubines? Although she could not say she disliked Lu Chen very much, such an arranged marriage still made her somewhat uncomfortable. At this time, Dongfang Longyue sized up Lu Chen, his cheekbones were very handsome, sharp, and distinct, and between his eyebrows seemed to emanate an imperial aura that involuntarily made one want to submit. If it were only about appearance, marrying him wouldn¡¯t be so bad, it was just that she was used to being free, and did not particularly want to marry into an imperial family. Someone like Lu Chen, destined to become the Emperor, and not just any Emperor at that, if she became his woman, not to mention the harem¡¯s scheming and strife, she feared she would only be confined to the Imperial Palace until her death. After pondering for a while, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Miss Dongfang, I heard you are engaged to the Crown Prince?¡± Dongfang Longyue answered, ¡°Yes, my primary reason for coming to the North Country was to escape the engagement to the Crown Prince.¡± Seeing Lu Chen bring up the matter of the engagement made Dongfang Longyue even more certain that Lu Chen was interested in her. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Miss Dongfang does not wish to marry the Crown Prince, is it because you have someone else in your heart?¡± Dongfang Longyue responded, ¡°I have no favored suitors at the moment.¡± Having said this, Dongfang Longyue continued, ¡°Prince, just calling me Longyue is fine.¡± Now that the entire Dongfang Family was a vassal of the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen had no need to be so respectful to her; his excessive courtesy only added to her pressure. Lu Chen said, ¡°Very well, from now on I will call you Longyue.¡± ¡°Longyue, when you go back later, write a letter to your father, telling him that I have placed Brocade Guards in Sufeng City. If you need anything, you can directly contact the Brocade Guard, or through them, keep in contact with me.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen took out a Brocade Guard token and placed it on the desk, ¡°This is the identity token used by the Brocade Guard, deliver it to Sufeng City along with your letter.¡± Hearing this, Dongfang Longyue glanced at the identity token on the desk, then stepped forward and picked up the Brocade Guard¡¯s token. This token was a blank identity token, mainly so that Dongfang Yi could identify the Brocade Guard, without any other purpose. ¡°I understand,¡± she acknowledged. Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Well, if there is nothing else, you may go back.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince, I shall take my leave,¡± she said. Once again, Dongfang Longyue gave her respects and turned to leave; seeing her graceful figure as she departed, Lu Chen scoffed at himself with a self-deprecating laugh. He had become debased, desiring any beautiful woman he saw, was this the change that came with power? Lu Chen rubbed his temples and tried to think no more of it. Meanwhile. In Great Sum, the Capital city. The East Palace. Today, the East Palace was not as lively as usual, many officials had come to the East Palace before, but now far fewer. On one hand, it was because the court officials had realized the Sum Emperor¡¯s intent to depose the Crown Prince, and on the other, Lu Shuyun had sensed the impending events, thus advising officials close to him to visit less. At this moment, inside the great hall, it was mostly people from the aristocratic families of the South. Sitting atop the hall, Lu Shuyun glanced at everyone when the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, Wang Chengshuo, spoke, ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor¡¯s decision to deploy troops is final, no matter how we try to stop it, it is futile.¡± ¡°Recently, the Universal Academy and some citizens of Great Qian entered Great Sum, bringing with them the plague from Great Qian, regardless of whether the plague spreads, the Emperor will use this as an excuse to send out troops.¡± ¡°We must prepare in advance,¡± he said. After hearing Wang Chengshuo¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun fell silent. Of course, he understood that his father, the Emperor, had decided to act against the southern aristocratic families, but his position was rather awkward. Firstly, he was the Sum Emperor¡¯s son, and secondly, his ties with the southern aristocratic families were extremely close. If he did not rebel with the southern aristocratic families, once they were destroyed, his position as the Crown Prince would undoubtedly be revoked without question. Initially, he became the Crown Prince purely because his father had compromised with the southern aristocratic families, without their support, how could he possibly keep his position? But if he rebelled with the southern aristocratic families, setting aside how his disloyal act would be despised, the possibility of their success was very slim, and if they failed in the end, his fate would be no better. After much deliberation, Lu Shuyun finally made a decision. The southern aristocratic families were irrevocably tied to him, so he could not back down now. If he could not ascend, his fate would be even worse in the end. Chapter 335 - Chapter 335: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_4 Chapter 335: Chapter 234: The Storm that Swept Over Great Xia Arrives_4 Seeing that Lu Shuyun remained silent for a long time without speaking, Wang Yong said at his side, ¡°Crown Prince, His Majesty is forcing you to rebel. We have no way out. If the Aristocratic Families of the South are gone, your position as Crown Prince will also be abolished.¡± The Sum Emperor did not directly send troops south, but continuously applied pressure. His aim was to force Lu Shuyun to go south. Anyone with clear eyes could see that the Sum Emperor wanted to find a justified reason to eradicate the Aristocratic Families of the South. Now the conflict between the Sum Emperor and the Aristocratic Families of the South had been laid bare. War was bound to break out. Even if the Aristocratic Families didn¡¯t rebel, what awaited them was only the slaughter. The plague in Great Qian was the perfect excuse. The Sum Emperor could use the plague of Great Qian as a reason to send troops south and also use the infection to eradicate the Aristocratic Families of the South. By then, the Sum Emperor could simply claim that those Aristocratic Families had been wiped out by the plague. Even if people knew that the plague was just an excuse, it wouldn¡¯t have any effect, since the Aristocratic Families would already be gone. It would serve as a stark warning to any others, making it uncertain whether any Aristocratic Families would dare oppose the Sum Emperor in the future. If any Aristocratic Families did come forward, the Sum Emperor could just as easily wield the sharp blade he had prepared. Now that the several empires each had their own issues to resolve, with Great Sum free of external strife, the Sum Emperor could do whatever he wished. After hearing what Wang Yong said, Lu Shuyun stood up from his seat and said, ¡°Tomorrow morning at the imperial court, I will ask Father Emperor to allow me to lead troops south to control the plague.¡± Upon hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s words, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. The Crown Prince had finally made up his mind. Their biggest worry was that Lu Shuyun would back down at this time. Lu Shuyun was the Sum Emperor¡¯s son. He naturally still had a way out. If he did not rebel, at most he would lose his position as Crown Prince and then be put under house arrest. But it was different for the Aristocratic Families of the South. Without the backbone of the Crown Prince, they wouldn¡¯t be able to rally support even if they wanted to rebel. With the Crown Prince, they could march north under the banner of ¡°rid the emperor of ¡®evil¡¯ ministers,¡± pull the Sum Emperor from his throne, and then install Lu Shuyun to the position. The next morning at the imperial court, Lu Shuyun took the initiative to propose to the Sum Emperor that he wanted to lead troops south to help the people of the South resist the plague. The Sum Emperor agreed without even thinking about it. Most officials already knew what was going to happen next. Many officials connected to the Aristocratic Families of the South handed in their resignations and left their posts for various reasons. These officials were merely the spokespersons for the Aristocratic Families. The Sum Emperor did not deal with them directly. They were minor characters. What the Sum Emperor was waiting for was Lu Shuyun to start a rebellion. Once Lu Shuyun started a rebellion, there would be plenty of justification. As for how much suffering the war would bring to people and how many homes it would destroy, these were not considerations for the Sum Emperor. At this time, the Sum Emperor could not wait for Lu Shuyun to drag a few more Aristocratic Families down with him, so he could then deal with them all at once. The situation now was that Lu Shuyun knew that his father emperor sending troops south was pressuring them to rebel, and the Sum Emperor also knew that Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families of the South had guessed that him sending troops south was to force them into rebellion. But still, Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families of the South had no choice but to rebel. If they did not rebel, the Sum Emperor¡¯s blade would fall directly on them. As officials from the Aristocratic Families of the South one by one left the imperial court, the storm that had been sweeping across Great Sum finally arrived. The Sum Emperor had no way out; neither did Lu Shuyun nor the Aristocratic Families of the South. Most officials remaining in the imperial court did not rush to take sides. For them, it did not matter whether it was Lu Shuyun or Lu Xingqiu who was the Sum Emperor. Chapter 336 - Chapter 336: Chapter 235 Crown Princes Rebellion_1 Chapter 336: Chapter 235 Crown Prince¡¯s Rebellion_1 Conspiracies often can only target an individual or a small group; to conspire against a massive collective, to destroy a formidable power, simple scheming is insufficient. Since the Sum Emperor ascended the throne, he had been plotting, constantly calculating against those Aristocratic Families, sowing discord among them. However, despite all the plotting, those families remained tightly knit, with none being outmaneuvered by him. For Ancient Families like the Wang Family, without using physical extermination, they simply cannot be eradicated. Any policy suppressing the Aristocratic Families is just a minor annoyance to them; they not only can distort the Emperor¡¯s policies but can also use new policies to seek even more benefits for themselves. The Sum Emperor had long seen through the tactics of the Aristocratic Families, and he was very clear in his mind that none of the measures were as effective as directly chopping off those people¡¯s heads. Years of contending with the Aristocratic Families in the imperial court had cemented a notion in the Sum Emperor¡¯s heart, that is, only military force could resolve everything. As the Crown Prince Lu Shuyun headed to the South, the imperial army also made preparations to move southward. Though it was claimed to be a measure to contain the spread of plague, those Military Generals knew their southward march was certainly not about controlling the epidemic; or perhaps, in the eyes of the Sum Emperor, those Aristocratic Families were the epidemic itself. After arriving at Sufeng City, with the help of the families of the South, Lu Shuyun quickly took control of the counties in the region. The South had always been the territory of its local Aristocratic Families. There were no Seigniors appointed by the court in this area, and with surrounding counties all staffed by officials from Aristocratic Families, it was very easy for Lu Shuyun to take control; it hardly required much effort. Of course, controlling the counties was one thing, but having command over the local troops was the main aspect. Without an army to resist the imperial forces, mere control over the local counties would be futile. On one hand, Lu Shuyun was integrating the private armies of the local Aristocratic Families in the South, and on the other hand, he sent people to win over those Generals of the court. To launch a rebellion, relying solely on these Aristocratic Families was not enough. Only with the support of more people, more forces, would they have the possibility of success. The seventh day of the sixth month. News of the Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion spread throughout the Great Sum, with Lu Shuyun gathering several hundred thousand troops to march northward, claiming to rid the emperor of ¡°evil¡± ministers. Lu Shuyun pointed the finger at Lin Gaoyuan, accusing him of being a treacherous official that had led to the Great Xia Dynasty¡¯s defeat to the Great Wu Dynasty, and was also responsible for the loss of territory and reparations paid by the Great Sum. The Capital city, Great Sum. Lin Mansion. Lin Gaoyuan was in his study, sipping tea while busy writing a letter to Lu Chen, when Lin Xiuming burst in without even knocking, rushing directly into the study, ¡°Father, disaster has struck!!!¡± Seeing Lin Xiuming¡¯s agitated state, Lin Gaoyuan furrowed his brows and paused his writing, ¡°You¡¯re an adult, how can you still be so flustered.¡± Lin Xiuming ignored Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s reprimand and handed him a sheet of yellow paper, ¡°Father, the Crown Prince has rebelled. He has issued a proclamation to hunt down the traitors, claiming he wants to rid the emperor of ¡®evil¡¯ ministers and has named you as the main culprit behind Great Sum¡¯s defeat.¡± Upon hearing this, not a trace of surprise appeared on Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s face. Smiling, he stroked his beard and then said, ¡°Just as I thought. I knew the Crown Prince would choose me as their ostensible target.¡± Most officials at the court were those that Lu Shuyun could pull to his side, and if Lu Shuyun indeed succeeded in the end, he would still be able to employ those officials. But Lin Gaoyuan was different. Since Lu Shuyun became the Crown Prince, Lin Gaoyuan had opposed him multiple times. He was clearly not on the same side as Lu Shuyun; most importantly, Lu Shuyun needed to pick an official who was well-known to the common people. Ordinary officials, people had hardly ever heard of them, even those at the level of high-ranking ministers were almost unrecognizable to the average citizen. But it was different for the Prime Minister. Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan had been Prime Ministers for so many years that the common people were already familiar with their names. Moreover, Zhao Wenhan himself leaned towards Lu Shuyun, so it was certain that Lu Shuyun would not choose Zhao Wenhan as the ¡°treacherous official¡± to denounce; that left only Lin Gaoyuan. From the moment Lu Shuyun left the Capital city, Lin Gaoyuan had been prepared to be labeled as the ¡°treacherous official¡± by him. Seeing Lin Gaoyuan unmoved and even smiling, Lin Xiuming said, ¡°Father, how can you still smile at a time like this? What if the Emperor decides to hand you over later on?¡± Lin Gaoyuan chuckled and then said, ¡°Hand me over? I tell you to read more books, but you don¡¯t listen. How could the Emperor possibly hand me over? Just think about it.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t possibly believe that the Crown Prince¡¯s so-called campaign to rid the emperor of ¡®evil¡¯ ministers truly means to eliminate our Lin Family, do you? The Crown Prince¡¯s intention to purge is directed at the Emperor himself; he¡¯s simply using me as a target.¡± ¡°If the Crown Prince claimed to purge the Emperor, wouldn¡¯t that be tantamount to a son rebelling against his father? Even if he succeeded, he would surely be scorned by the people. And if he dared to target the Emperor directly, how could he rally the support of the people at that time?¡± Lin Xiuming then said, ¡°Father, of course I know the Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion is not simply about purging the Emperor. I¡¯m just worried that if the imperial army can¡¯t hold on, the Emperor might use our Lin Family to buy time.¡± Chapter 337 - Chapter 337: Chapter 235 Crown Princes Rebellion_2 Chapter 337: Chapter 235 Crown Prince¡¯s Rebellion_2 ¡°A few months ago, the East Palace came up with the Piercing Cloud Bow, and the Crown Prince must have had similar weapons quietly manufactured in abundance around the South by now. When the Imperial Army faces those rebels, it¡¯s not guaranteed that they will have the upper hand,¡± he said. Lin Xiuming, after all, was the son of Lin Gaoyuan; having been exposed to political matters, he had some sensitivity in this regard. Of course, he was clear that ¡®rid the emperor of evil ministers¡¯ was not as simple as just removing so-called treacherous officials. His real worry was about what fate would befall their Lin Family if the Imperial Army were to suffer a defeat. Hearing Lin Xiuming¡¯s words, Lin Gaoyuan spoke sternly, ¡°You are, after all, a commander of the Qilin Army, a general. How can you have such little faith in the imperial military?¡± Lin Xiuming said, ¡°I have used the Piercing Cloud Bow and I know its terrifying power. The Piercing Cloud Arrow can easily penetrate the armor of the Heavy Cavalry. By then, the deployment of the Imperial Army¡¯s twenty thousand Heavy Cavalry might not be very effective.¡± Lin Gaoyuan said indifferently, ¡°The outcome of a war is not determined solely by the power of the weapons but also by various other factors. The power of the Piercing Cloud Bow is indeed great, but not every soldier is capable of using it. Moreover, His Majesty has been planning for so long, he must have placed his pieces among the aristocratic families in the South. The likely outcome of this war is His Majesty¡¯s victory. You needn¡¯t worry excessively.¡± With that, Lin Gaoyuan picked up his pen again and continued to write the letter, speaking as he wrote, ¡°The North Prince has recently written to me. He plans to marry your sister, and your sister has agreed.¡± At these words, Lin Xiuming¡¯s heart jolted. His sworn sister had agreed? Really? He remembered when he spoke to her about that matter in the North Country, she had been very resistant, so how could she have suddenly agreed? While Lin Xiuming was lost in thought, Lin Gaoyuan abruptly added another statement. ¡°If His Majesty does indeed suffer a defeat, we¡¯ll head directly to the North Country.¡± This¡­ Lin Xiuming was stunned, now understanding why his father wasn¡¯t worrying at all¡ªit seemed he had long considered a way out for the Lin Family. However¡­ If the Imperial Army truly suffered defeat, could their Lin Family really escape the Capital City so easily and make their way to the North Country? Lin Xiuming remained skeptical about that. ¡­ Meanwhile. North Country, Hall of Political Affairs. Li Rui was presenting the current situation of land reclamation in the North Country to the court. The North Country had vast lands but fewer people, with many areas still uncultivated. Ever since the reforms in the North Country began, there had been continuous encouragement for the citizens to reclaim land. Despite Lu Chen reclaiming all land ownership rights in the North Country, the locals remained enthusiastic about land reclamation. They were grateful for Lu Chen¡¯s policy of abolishing the agricultural tax; such a policy was simply too progressive for that era. The locals had never before experienced reaping exactly what they sowed. Although they did not own the land, the thought of being able to cultivate it for many years without paying an agricultural tax motivated them. They knew that after several years of extra planting, the labor they invested in reclamation would be insignificant. Under the land policy of the North Country, many citizens volunteered to reclaim land, and in addition, many refugees from the three counties ceded by Great Sum settled in the North Country. These landless refugees, eager for stability, also joined the efforts to reclaim land. After hearing Li Rui¡¯s report, Lu Chen said, ¡°Continue to encourage the citizens to reclaim land and tell them that the North Prince Mansion will distribute high-yield crop seeds regularly for the next three years. They needn¡¯t worry about lacking crops to plant after reclaiming the land.¡± Li Rui replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± At this time, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Additionally, I plan to incorporate the North Land into the North Country. Starting today, the map of the North Country needs to be revised.¡± Upon hearing these words, everyone in the great hall was momentarily stunned. Annexing the North Land into the North Country? Although Lu Chen had mentioned this idea before, at that time he had merely been thinking about it and had not taken any concrete action. The North Land no longer had large tribes like the Sky Wolf King¡¯s, but was made up of smaller tribes, which could easily be driven out of the North Country by a slight show of military force. At this moment, Xiao Pengthian stood up and asked, ¡°May I know how the Prince plans to deal with the Barbarian Tribe on the grasslands?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°On my land, naturally, they are my subjects. After the North Land is incorporated into the North Country, these Barbarian Tribes must all register, and every member of the tribes must obtain a North Country identity card. They can continue their nomadic life on the grasslands of the North Land or give up nomadism and settle down in the South.¡± ¡°For those Barbarian Tribes who choose to settle in the South, the North Prince Mansion will allocate some land to them and send people to teach them how to farm.¡± As for dealing with the Barbarian Tribes, Lu Chen already had experience: after moving the Sky Wolf King and the North Fre King¡¯s tribes into the North Country, he had sent people to teach them farming. Moreover, Lu Chen had specially hired people who could speak both Great Sum and the Barbarian languages to teach the Barbarians to speak the language of Great Sum. In the Barbarian community, the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had initially integrated well with Great Sum, so they assimilated into Great Sum faster than those from the North Fre King¡¯s tribe. Now the people of the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had become a bond of integration for the Barbarians into the North Country. The captured Barbarian soldiers from before were now thoroughly loyal to Lu Chen, so much so that they would return on their own even if they were released without anyone to watch over them. Furthermore, many men in Great Sum had married Barbarian widows, and now the integration between the Barbarians and the common folk of the North Country was relatively good. After listening to Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian immediately knelt halfway and said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for your mercy.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°I will set up a Barbarian Management Bureau specifically to deal with matters related to the Barbarian Tribes.¡± ¡°Alright, General Xiao, rise. Let¡¯s leave this matter here. Next, you all should consider how many districts should be created in the North Land after its annexation into the North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, the hall erupted into discussions. The North Land was truly vast; setting aside the extent of it that they were unaware of, even the known area of the North Land would likely surpass Great Sum in size were it to be incorporated into the North Country. If a feudal state were to exceed the size of its suzerain, it might invite apprehension from the Imperial Court, and the North Prince might even be wrongly accused of rebellion. As for how many districts the North Country should be divided into, it was not an easy decision; the majority of the North Land were grasslands with few people. If the divisions were made according to Great Sum¡¯s districting, some districts might have no inhabitants at all, making it tricky for the appointed officials to even find a place to reside. While the officials were fiercely debating in the great hall, a Brocade Guard Commander entered the hall, approaching Lu Chen from a side hall, and whispered, ¡°Prince, Prince Lu Shuyun has rebelled.¡± As these words fell, the Brocade Guard Commander handed over the intelligence report to Lu Chen. Lu Chen opened it and read it carefully. The noise of discussion inside the hall gradually subsided, and the attention of the officials turned to Lu Chen¡¯s face, which showed varying expressions. Generally, the Brocade Guards would only enter the Hall of Political Affairs during a minor court session for significant intelligence, and if it was not of utmost importance, the Brocade Guards would deliver the intelligence directly to Lu Chen¡¯s study. Therefore, seeing the Brocade Guard Commander enter the Hall of Political Affairs, the officials knew that a significant event must have occurred in Great Sum. After reading the intelligence in his hands, Lu Chen addressed the officials in the great hall, ¡°I have received news that Prince Lu Shuyun, under the pretense of moving South to combat the epidemic, has conspired with the Aristocratic Families of the South and raised an army in rebellion.¡± At these words, the hall fell into absolute silence. The people had long speculated there would come such a day. They had recently heard frequent news of the Sum Emperor purging the court and planning to dispatch troops to the South, which was obviously forcing Prince Lu Shuyun and the Aristocratic Families of the South into rebellion. Now Prince Lu Shuyun and the Southern Aristocratic Families had indeed rebelled. With their rebellion, the opportunity for the North Country had arrived. At this time, if the North Country were to annex the North Land, the Imperial Court officials would definitely not object. With the main focus being on quelling the rebellion, they would have no capacity to intervene in the affairs of the North Country. This presented a significant opportunity for the development of the North Country. Chapter 338 - Chapter 338: Chapter 236: Anxious Lin Wanyun_1 Chapter 338: Chapter 236: Anxious Lin Wanyun_1 Seeing that the officials were not at all surprised by the news of Lu Shuyun¡¯s rebellion, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Prince Lu Shuyun is using the slogan of ¡®rid the emperor of evil ministers,¡¯ claiming that the Left Prime Minister Lin Gaoyuan is a traitorous official who has deceived my father the Sum Emperor, leading to Great Sum¡¯s defeat in the war, the ceding of territory and payment of indemnities, and finally bringing the people of Great Sum to the brink of destitution.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the officials from the North Country also remained calm and were similarly unsurprised. Throughout history, most rebellions have used the slogan of ¡®rid the emperor of evil ministers,¡¯ of course, even though it¡¯s about ¡®cleansing the court,¡¯ it¡¯s always that ¡¯emperor¡¯ who ends up being cleansed. Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°What do you think, if the royal court calls upon me to enter the capital and support the emperor, should I go or not?¡± Hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang, who had remained silent during the small court meeting today, stood up. For a Grandmaster like Zhuge Zhongguang, in other dynasties, even in Great Sum, there would be no need to attend court meetings, but this is the North Country. Though he is a Grandmaster, in the presence of Lu Chen, the Son of Destiny, his status as a Grandmaster isn¡¯t considered all that significant. Court meetings must be attended when required, even though he is 150 years old this year. Of course, a person of his level usually wouldn¡¯t get involved in discussing trivial matters; he would only speak up when it¡¯s a matter of great importance. And what constitutes a matter of great importance? The question now asked by Lu Chen is such a matter. Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Your Highness has been planning for many years. Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s move to the South and the rebellion of the aristocratic families in the South were both caused by Your Highness¡¯s coercion. Therefore, this old official believes that Your Highness¡¯s preparations are quite sufficient. If no other forces interfere, the royal court is very likely to win the civil war without the need for seigniors from other regions to enter the capital and support the emperor.¡± ¡°If one day the royal court asks your highness to enter the capital and support the emperor, then your highness should be more cautious.¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°According to Your Highness¡¯s strategy, dealing with the rebel forces in the South isn¡¯t a major problem. However, if under these circumstances, Your Highness still calls upon the seigniors to support the emperor in the capital, it would mean that Your Highness¡¯s initial target was not the aristocratic families in the South.¡± Upon hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen instantly understood his meaning. It seemed to Lu Chen that in Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s view, the Sum Emperor might be preparing a chain of schemes. On the surface, he is targeting the aristocratic families in the South, but it is possible that he wants to coerce the seigniors into revealing themselves, and then solve them all in one go. However¡­ Isn¡¯t that a bit too ambitious? Lu Chen asked, ¡°Does the Great Scholar think that if His Majesty calls the seigniors to enter the capital and support the emperor, he is considering reducing their power? With the current military strength of the royal court, it seems impossible to reduce the seigniors¡¯ power while quelling the rebellion, right?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said indifferently, ¡°This old official has heard that His Majesty has sent people to Fixed Wind Mountain, Four Directions Mountain, and Peach Blossom Valley.¡± ¡°In the old official¡¯s view, if His Majesty only wanted to eliminate the aristocratic families in the South, there would be no need to send people to these three places. His Majesty has hidden pieces in the South, and by using them, he could easily deal with the aristocratic families. Besides, the imperial Grandmasters of Great Sum would not consist of only the State Preceptor. Since His Majesty has been planning to eradicate the aristocratic families in the South for a long time, he surely has made preparations for confronting their Grandmasters, and would not wait until the moment of action against the families to visit these three places.¡± After listening to Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s analysis, Lu Chen immediately grasped the implication and slightly knitted his brows. He had also recently heard from Dongfang Longyue that the Sum Emperor sent people to Fixed Wind Mountain, Four Directions Mountain, and Peach Blossom Valley. At that time, he thought his father was soliciting the help of the Grandmasters from those places to counter the Grandmasters of the aristocratic families. But on further thought, was it not too late for his father to be seeking aid from those Grandmasters at this juncture? If he wanted their assistance, he should have sought it much earlier. And Zhuge Zhongguang was right; it is improbable that there¡¯s only one Grandmaster in the imperial family. Situ Ce, the State Preceptor, is merely the publicly known Grandmaster. Reminded by Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen suddenly felt that his father intended to resolve the issue of the seigniors as well and that persuading the Grandmasters from those sects was probably the true reason for the outreach. Going to several sects suspected of harboring Grandmasters, just to deal with the aristocratic families in the South, did indeed seem like overkill. The more Lu Chen thought about it, the more something seemed amiss. If the imperial family¡¯s Grandmasters were to address any potential Grandmaster within the Southern aristocratic families, then whom were the Grandmasters that the Sum Emperor was inviting from those sects meant to confront? Grandmasters generally do not take action lightly; when a Grandmaster takes action, they are likely to be challenging another Grandmaster. Now, among the seigniors, only the North Country had a known Grandmaster taking a stand for it, and crucially, the timing of the Sum Emperor¡¯s envoys to those sects seems to coincide with Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s arrival in the North Country. This meant that the Grandmasters the Sum Emperor was inviting from those sects may very well be intended to confront Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge Zhongguang himself, being a Grandmaster, would thus be particularly sensitive about matters related to Grandmasters. At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s expression grew even grimmer. It couldn¡¯t be that his adoptive father really intended to act against him, could it? Hopefully, he was just overthinking it. Perhaps his father had sought the Grandmasters from those sects merely as a precaution. With this thought in mind, Lu Chen said to the officials in the grand hall, ¡°You all go back and think about how the prefectures and counties of the North Country should be divided. In tomorrow¡¯s small court meeting, we will finalize the regional divisions of the North Country.¡± Chapter 339 - Chapter 339: Chapter 236: Anxious Lin Wanyun_2 Chapter 339: Chapter 236: Anxious Lin Wanyun_2 ¡°The small court meeting concludes here today. If there is anything important that still needs to be reported, come directly to my study,¡± ¡°Also, Commander Qin, come to my study.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen rose and left the Hall of Political Affairs, heading to his study. The reminder from Zhuge Zhongguang made Lu Chen feel somewhat uneasy¡ªthose minor reports he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to until now. Unexpectedly, piecing together these details gave the impression of a grand conspiracy unfolding behind the scenes, something he had never considered his father, the Sum Emperor, would initiate against the North Country at this time. After all, with the troubles the Aristocratic Family already causing the Sum Emperor such headaches, how could he possibly act against the Seignior, especially now when the North Country was a feudal state guarded by a Grandmaster? To think about eliminating the Aristocratic Family and then immediately moving to curb the power of the Seignior, and specifically that of the North Country, represented a significant challenge to the national strength of Great Sum. However, whether Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s warning turned out to be true or not, Lu Chen decided to take precautions and thoroughly investigate the current situation in the Capital city. He was curious what his father was up to. After reaching his study, Lu Chen ordered Qin Yushan to immediately dispatch assignments to all Brocade Guards throughout Great Sum, urging them to swiftly gather intelligence about troop movements within the realm. ¡­ At this very moment. In the North Prince Mansion, within Yunrong Courtyard. Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun had also received the report of Lu Shuyun¡¯s rebellion. As Chen Wanrong read the report, she felt a slight stir in her heart. After all these years of waiting, the opportunity for her revenge and the restoration of her country had finally arrived. After reviewing the intelligence in her hands, Chen Wanrong passed the report to Lin Wanyun and asked, ¡°Madam Lin, how much powder of the Pair-Wing Butterfly have you used on him?¡± Lin Wanyun took the report from Chen Wanrong and was taken aback for a moment. The outrageous things she had done with Lu Chen recently flashed through her mind. Regaining her composure, Lin Wanyun lied, ¡°Almost half of it is gone.¡± Lin Wanyun was well aware that the closer it got to crunch time, the less she could afford to let Chen Wanrong discover her affair with Lu Chen. She knew she had to hurry to get the antidote from Lu Chen, but despite her many attempts recently, she hadn¡¯t found the antidote for the poison Lu Chen mentioned. She even began to suspect that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t poisoned them at all and was simply deceiving her. However, she quickly dismissed the thought that Lu Chen was tricking her. She realized that whenever she was away from Lu Chen for too long, she would become agitated and restless. Each time she practiced her training, thoughts of Lu Chen would intrude, hinting at the danger of going mad from her infatuation. This suggested that Lu Chen had likely not lied, and indeed, they had been poisoned by him. Chen Wanrong then said, ¡°Madam Lin, find a way to add more Pair-Wing Butterfly powder to his food soon. The Love Worm has matured; we can¡¯t delay any longer. If we do, the Love Worm will turn into a butterfly.¡± The worm that Chen Wanrong had chosen was cultivated from the larva of the Pair-Wing Butterfly. She had been suppressing the growth of the worm because if it grew too quickly, it would turn into a butterfly, and then it would no longer be usable as a worm. Feeling guilty, Lin Wanyun responded, ¡°I understand. In the next few days, I¡¯ll find a way to add Pair-Wing Butterfly powder to his food.¡± With that said, Lin Wanyun thought to herself that she must either cling to Lu Chen in the following days, coaxing him to help her conceive a child quickly and thus obtain the antidote, or she must find a way to steal the antidote from him. Time was running out, and she could wait no longer. ¡­ ¡°` Evening. The study of Lu Chen was brightly lit, as he stood before his desk, examining the maps of the North Land drawn by the Brocade Guard. By now, the maps of the North Land had been essentially completed, though these were only rudimentary versions. Lu Chen was mainly interested in figuring out the appropriate divisions for counties and prefectures. Just then, the voice of Lin Wanyun sounded at the door, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you there?¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s voice, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, Lin Wanyun pushed the door and entered. At that time, Lu Chen raised his head and glanced at the dignified and elegant Lin Wanyun. Seeing Lin Wanyun visit his study late at night, Lu Chen had guessed what she wanted to do¡ª they had done plenty of mischievous things in the study before. However, Lu Chen now said with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, I still have government affairs to deal with tonight, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t have time for that sort of thing.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun was slightly stunned. Then she said, ¡°I can wait for you to finish.¡± For her, time was of the essence, so she did not want to wait another day. If Lu Chen was occupied with government affairs tonight, he would certainly be busy tomorrow, and the day after he might be with his wives and concubines. If this went on, when would she be able to bear his child? If she couldn¡¯t bear his child, how could she obtain the antidote from him to save Chen Wanrong? Seeing Lin Wanyun¡¯s urgency, Lu Chen had basically guessed the reason. He teasingly asked, ¡°Madam Lin, since when have you become so eager?¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s pretty face turned incredibly hot, her cheeks flushing with red that quickly spread to her delicate collarbone. She knew how shamelessly forward she appeared, but she was out of options. With the Crown Prince in rebellion and Great Sum in turmoil, her time was running out. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Lin, you must have heard about the rebellion of my brother, Shuyun, by now, which is why you¡¯re in such a rush.¡± ¡°But thinking about it, what good does your haste do? Even if Miss Chen leaves the North Prince Mansion, without the so-called Subtle Dragon Spell, she would likely still fail to kill my father, wouldn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been scheming and hiding out in the North Prince Mansion for so long just for the Subtle Dragon Spell¡ªit must be very important to you.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun, with her face still red, said, ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°You just need to keep your promise.¡± Lu Chen smiled and started to tidy up the map on the desk. After rolling it up and putting it aside, he slowly walked towards Lin Wanyun. When he reached Lin Wanyun, he wrapped his arms around her full figure from behind, and whispered in her ear, ¡°Since you so desire to have my child, naturally, I should fulfill your wish.¡± Lin Wanyun turned her head to look at Lu Chen, about to say something, when the next moment, Lu Chen sealed her lips with a kiss. ¡°Mmm mmm¡­¡± After that, the room filled with sounds that were all too familiar to the maidservants of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s inner court. ¡°` Chapter 340 - Chapter 340: Chapter 237 Discovered_1 Chapter 340: Chapter 237 Discovered_1 In the cold moonlight, Chen Wanrong, dressed in a black long dress, sat in the pavilion. Even in the plain black garb, she radiated an otherworldly luminosity, like that of a fairy. The moonlight shone upon her, accentuating her icy demeanor, and the temperature around her seemed to drop noticeably; a layer of frost appeared to coat the benches and stone table within the pavilion. Chen Wanrong seldom wore black, but she had donned this particular dark outfit for her clandestine visit to the North Prince Mansion. Her white garments were far too conspicuous, so she had someone tailor a black one especially for this occasion. The worm of the Love Worm was close to hatching. Chen Wanrong decided to try bewitching Lu Chen in advance. Since Lu Chen had already ingested the powder of the Male Paired-wing Butterfly, his affection for her should have deepened. If she could successfully infect Lu Chen with the Love Worm ahead of time, nothing would be better. If his feelings for her had not yet reached the necessary intensity for the influence of the Love Worm, allowing the worm to get accustomed to Lu Chen¡¯s scent now would also come at no loss. As the moon reached the center of the sky, Chen Wanrong rose and headed towards where Lu Chen might be. She had long since had Lin Wanyun scout the situation; recently, Lu Chen had been dealing with official matters in his study every night until late before going to sleep, so Chen Wanrong decided to check the study first. Meanwhile. Xiao Huan, the maid guarding the study, not wanting to disturb Lu Chen while keeping watch for him, was walking towards the courtyard entrance. Maid Xiao Huan had noticed that Lu Chen¡¯s affair with Lin Wanyun was a secret to almost everyone in the inner court, and since they always sneaked around in the study, she believed that Lu Chen did not intend to let more people know about it. As one of Lu Chen¡¯s personal maids, she naturally needed to keep his secret and keep watch for him. However, just as Xiao Huan approached the entrance of the courtyard, darkness suddenly overwhelmed her vision. Her consciousness vanished in an instant, and she fainted. After knocking out Xiao Huan, Chen Wanrong placed her against the wall inside the courtyard. She then activated the Cultivation Technique her master had taught her to conceal her presence, and in the next moment, it was as if she had merged into the courtyard itself. Chen Wanrong then arrived at the study window and heard a woman¡¯s voice inside. Her brows lifted slightly. If someone else was in the study, it would not be so easy to work her magic on Lu Chen. Although it seemed unlikely to apply the Love Worm tonight, she could still let the worm she was cultivating become familiar with Lu Chen¡¯s scent. She could plan to lure Lu Chen to her own quarters in a few days and then use the Love Worm on him. With that thought, Chen Wanrong raised her delicate hand and gently pricked a small hole in the papered window of the study, then peered inside with one eye. What she saw inside the study caused her to freeze, her mind went blank, and a look of astonishment appeared on her normally expressionless face. She had never imagined that Lin Wanyun would be inside the study, and moreover, that she had formed such a relationship with Lu Chen. How could this be¡­ The cool composure on Chen Wanrong¡¯s face turned ugly; she could not accept what she had seen. At this moment, the voices of two people talking came from inside the study. ¡°Wanyun, how could you become so shameless?¡± ¡°Do you really want to bear my child that much?¡± ¡°If Miss Chen saw you like this, I wonder what she would think. Should we just tell her about our relationship sooner?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s ridicule, Lin Wanyun, with a dazed look in her eyes, protested: ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Please, no¡­¡± Hearing the conversation between the two, Chen Wanrong¡¯s face darkened, the air around her felt as if it dropped by a dozen degrees, and frost began to form on the window. Chen Wanrong felt betrayed at this moment. The always dignified and elegant Lin Wanyun had changed into the person before her. She had never seen Lin Wanyun show such demeanor. She even doubted whether the woman in the room was really Lin Wanyun or some bitch in disguise. Chen Wanrong was unaware that Lu Chen had already reached the Grandmaster Realm. Although she had learned the technique of concealing her presence from her master, the perceptiveness of a Grandmaster far exceeded that of an average martial artist. The moment Chen Wanrong arrived in the courtyard of the study, Lu Chen had sensed her presence, but he did not care about her arrival. Instead, her presence stirred a beast within him, making him more ferocious. Unlike Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun had no idea that Chen Wanrong had come. Her mind was blank, and she had long forgotten even her own family name. Not knowing for how long, Chen Wanrong eventually left the study. After returning to her own quarters, she couldn¡¯t calm down. The scenes from the study kept replaying in her mind. She simply couldn¡¯t make sense of why Lin Wanyun would betray her, become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, and engage in such indecent acts with him in the study. When Chen Nation had been destroyed, she had escaped the imperial city. If not for running into Lin Wanyun, she might well have died. It was Lin Wanyun who took her to Mysterious Moon Palace and treated her like her own daughter. Her growth to this day, her current status, were all inseparable from Lin Wanyun. Chapter 341 - Chapter 341: Chapter 237 Discovered_2 Chapter 341: Chapter 237 Discovered_2 She had never once thought that Lin Wanyun would betray her. But now¡­ Chen Wanrong suddenly felt her heart twitch, her body became unstable, she quickly braced herself on the stone table, then sat calmly in the pavilion and began to regulate her inner strength. After a while, the turmoil inside Chen Wanrong had calmed, and so had she. She had been blinded by the anger of betrayal, so she could not think rationally for a moment. But now it was different, after calming down, her mind began to analyze why Lin Wanyun would do such a thing, why she would debase herself with Lu Chen. She still did not believe that Lin Wanyun would betray her, after all, they were as close as mother and daughter, she did not believe that all the feelings Lin Wanyun had for her in the past were false. If Lin Wanyun had not betrayed her, and instead had chosen to do that sort of thing with Lu Chen, it was very likely that it was to poison Lu Chen, and she had no choice but to sacrifice her beauty to get close to him. Thinking this, Chen Wanrong had a sudden realization. Thinking about it, all that Lin Wanyun had done was for her, and she had even doubted her? At this realization, a deep sense of guilt arose in Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart. To take care of her, Lin Wanyun had remained without a partner until now, and Lin Wanyun was already in her thirties, she was a woman, and she had needs too. Chen Wanrong was very clear in her heart that women in the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, once they had even a little to do with Lu Chen, could easily succumb; she had long overhear the maids and servants in the Prince¡¯s Mansion talk about the miraculous aspects of Lu Chen. Lin Wanyun, who had suppressed herself for decades, suddenly came into contact with such a handsome man, and moreover, a man very skilled at dealing with women, it was not strange that she would become the way she did earlier. Although Chen Wanrong had never experienced the matters of men and women, she was, after all, the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace; she was also knowledgeable about these things. The Mysterious Moon Palace did not prohibit disciples from finding partners, they simply forbade disciples from having children, and in order not to let the disciples become pregnant due to the matters of men and women, the library of the Mysterious Moon Palace contained books that taught about these matters, especially contraception, which Chen Wanrong had also learned about. At this moment, the air in the courtyard seemed to grow colder, and Chen Wanrong¡¯s face became colder as well, her body seemed to release a chill to the surroundings. Her dignified and virtuous Madam Lin, had just now been handled like livestock by that man. Even though she understood that everything Lin Wanyun did might have been for her, she still felt somewhat unable to forgive Lu Chen in her heart. She had stood outside the study door for a while and eavesdropped on their conversation; judging from their dialogue, this was not the first or second time they had acted inappropriately. Moreover, Lu Chen¡¯s intentions were far from pure. Lu Chen did not just want to possess Lin Wanyun¡¯s body; his real aim was to impregnate her, and having children in the Mysterious Moon Palace was a taboo. Moreover, Lin Wanyun was already in her thirties this year, and Lu Chen still wanted her to have his child. What was on this man¡¯s mind, only breeding? With such a desire to breed, once she successfully restored her country in the future, she would confine him in the Imperial Palace and find him a few hundred palace maids to let him breed day after day. At this thought, Chen Wanrong clenched her delicate fist. An unusual emotion stirred within her, she herself did not know what kind of emotion it was, but it made her feel restless. Even though she had calmed down a moment ago, her heart was soon again occupied by that restlessness. Chen Wanrong adjusted her inner strength once more, trying to stabilize her emotions again. And so, Chen Wanrong sat in the pavilion for an entire night while Lin Wanyun was also being pressed for an entire night in Lu Chen¡¯s study. When the first rays of the morning sun touched the earth, a weary Lin Wanyun returned to the courtyard, and as soon as she entered, she saw Chen Wanrong in the pavilion. After having just done the deed, Lin Wanyun felt guilty at the sight of Chen Wanrong, and tried to act as if nothing had happened, heading towards her own room. But at that moment, Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°Madam Lin, where were you last night?¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun stopped in her tracks, her mind went blank. Having come to her senses, Lin Wanyun immediately lied, ¡°It was my turn to be on duty last night.¡± Chen Wanrong glanced at Lin Wanyun¡¯s slightly disheveled hair and her somewhat torn dress. In the end, she held back and didn¡¯t continue to question her. From their childhood to the present, Lin Wanyun had almost never lied to her. Yet, because of that man, she had lied to herself, which made Chen Wanrong feel somewhat sad inside. Seeing Chen Wanrong¡¯s frosty face, Lin Wanyun started to panic inside. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could it be that Chen Wanrong had noticed something? While Lin Wanyun was thinking this, Chen Wanrong said indifferently, ¡°Madam Lin, you may go rest.¡± Afterward, Chen Wanrong closed her eyes and continued meditating. Seeing that Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t say anything, Lin Wanyun breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought that Chen Wanrong had discovered something, which had given her quite a scare. Then, Lin Wanyun returned to her room, had a maid bring water, took a bath, and went straight to sleep. Meanwhile. Elsewhere, a refreshed Lu Chen left the study and saw the maid Xiao Huan leaning against the courtyard wall. Lin Wanyun was the first to leave the study just before, and she had also seen Xiao Huan. She thought Xiao Huan had fallen asleep against the wall, a common occurrence among maids. Coupled with her urgency to take a bath so as not to be caught in that kind of relationship with Lu Chen, she didn¡¯t pay attention to Xiao Huan. Lu Chen approached Xiao Huan and then used the Rejuvenating Skill to wake her up. Upon awakening, Xiao Huan looked at Lu Chen with heavy, sleepy eyes. The next moment, her eyes flew open, and she jumped up from the ground. ¡°Prince¡­ this servant¡­ this servant¡­¡± Xiao Huan was somewhat unsure of how to explain herself, fearful that Lu Chen would suspect her of dozing off and falling asleep the previous night. ¡°Prince, someone knocked me out last night, this servant¡­¡± Xiao Huan was close to tears. She had no idea who wanted to harm her by knocking her out and leaving her there, and now she was at a loss for how to explain. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°This prince knows who knocked you out. You don¡¯t need to overexplain. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± Hearing this from Lu Chen, Xiao Huan was stunned for a moment. She hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Chen would actually know who was behind it. But since Lu Chen had said so, she figured she wouldn¡¯t be punished. With that thought, Xiao Huan breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Chen then turned and walked towards the main courtyard, planning to take a bath first, then have breakfast before heading to the Hall of Political Affairs. There were many tasks to handle today, including finalizing the delineation of counties in North Country. As for Chen Wanrong¡¯s visit outside the study last night, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t worried it would lead to any adverse consequences. Chen Wanrong¡¯s favorability towards him had long since maxed out at a hundred. Even if she saw him with Lin Wanyun, she wouldn¡¯t harbor any hatred towards him. The matter between Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun was left for the two women to resolve on their own. By the time Lu Chen had taken his bath, eaten breakfast, and arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, the officials of North Country had mostly assembled. Without wasting time, Lu Chen brought out the map drawn by the Brocade Guard and hung it on the pillars of the great hall, then allowed the officials to speak their minds. He wanted to hear their thoughts on delineation first, before making his own decisions on the matter. After a morning of discussion, the new map of North Country was finally determined, dividing it into six jurisdictions and eighteen counties, with all the grasslands from Tianguang City to Great Yu City included within the borders of North Country. Once the map was confirmed, Lu Chen estimated the area and realized that, excluding the original North Country, the current territory of North Country had now surpassed the entire Great Xia Dynasty. Of course, North Country was nominally also a part of the Great Xia Dynasty, so this was considered a territorial expansion of the Great Xia Dynasty. Now that the map of North Country was set, Lu Chen had no intention of keeping it a secret. The North Land was originally ownerless, and if it were to be claimed, sovereignty must be declared. In the following days, the North Prince Mansion issued an announcement to inform the citizens of North Country about the incorporation of the North Land into North Country. Furthermore, Lu Chen personally wrote a memorial to be submitted to the Great Xia Imperial Court. Chapter 342 - Chapter 342: Chapter 238: Dongfang Clan Plans to Flee_1 Chapter 342: Chapter 238: Dongfang Clan Plans to Flee_1 Great Xia Capital city, Imperial Palace. Imperial Study Room. The Sum Emperor was reviewing memorials when he suddenly saw the one submitted by Lu Chen. He paused. Besides the times when Lu Chen had submitted memorials when the Barbarian Tribe moved south, Lu Chen hardly ever sent memorials to the court. Especially since the Great Xia court declared that they would no longer aid the North Country with any supplies, Lu Chen had not submitted any memorials to the court thereafter. What was the purpose of him submitting a memorial this time? Out of curiosity, the Sum Emperor opened Lu Chen¡¯s memorial and started to read it carefully. Seeing the content within the memorial, the Sum Emperor¡¯s expression turned sour. He scoffed and said, ¡°Swallowing the whole North Land, such grand ambition, not afraid of choking to death!¡± ¡°It seems that since Zhuge Zhongguang went to the North Country, he has become even more inflated.¡± ¡°After dealing with the Aristocratic Families of the South, it¡¯s time to take care of this hidden threat.¡± The Sum Emperor had thought that even with the support of a certain power behind him, North Country¡¯s development wouldn¡¯t be too fast, but with the ongoing reforms in North Country, he began to have an uneasy feeling. North Country was developing too quickly, and the refugees it absorbed did not become a burden to North Country but instead helped it gain a vast labor force. Moreover, Univeral Academy had openly declared its intention to join North Country, which further unsettled the Sum Emperor. He even suspected that the initial power supporting North Country was this very Univeral Academy. When Lu Chen went to North Country, he was merely a useless Prince without anyone¡¯s support. It could be that Univeral Academy took advantage of this and seized the opportunity to control Lu Chen. Univeral Academy¡¯s ideals had always been loathed by the great dynasties, especially the royal families. The Sum Emperor had reason to suspect that Zhuge Zhongguang intended to bring Univeral Academy¡¯s ideals to Great Xia, and that the strange reforms in North Country might well be the work of Univeral Academy. After Situ Ce¡¯s return from North Country, he mentioned traces of a Grandmaster. Now, thinking about it, that Grandmaster is very likely Zhuge Zhongguang. Just thinking about Zhuge Zhongguang, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face darkened as he muttered to himself, ¡°This world should not have Celestials.¡± Above the realm of Grandmaster is the Heavenly Human Realm, which has long kept the Grandmasters of the martial world from taking a breath. Over the years, Grandmasters from all dynasties have been low-key, avoiding action if possible. It was all thanks to a Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace from years ago, who killed many Grandmasters, including those from different dynasties. After that individual retreated into seclusion in Mysterious Moon Palace and never emerged again, decades have gone by, but what the Celestial did still instills deep fear among the Grandmasters. The events of those years led all the Grandmasters of the Great Xia royal family to take a step back and haven¡¯t come forth in decades. Now, people generally only know of the State Preceptor Situ Ce as a suspected Grandmaster, with few aware that there are still Grandmasters in the royal family. Just one Celestial has kept the Grandmasters of all the dynasties from raising their heads. If another Celestial were to appear, the Grandmasters might never dare to show themselves again. What¡¯s more crucial is that this Grandmaster on the brink of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm had come to the Great Xia Dynasty, causing the Sum Emperor even more unease, to the point of losing sleep at night, haunted by memories of when the Grandmasters of his royal family were slain by the Celestial of Mysterious Moon Palace with a single stroke. The Sum Emperor did not wish to have another sword hanging over his head after resolving the Aristocratic Families. If the Great Xia Dynasty was to grow stronger, there could be no force on Great Xia¡¯s land more formidable than the Great Xia royal family. At that moment, the Sum Emperor turned to the eunuch beside him and handed over the memorial, directing, ¡°Take this memorial to the State Preceptor for review.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± After the eunuch took Lu Chen¡¯s memorial away, a cold glint flashed in the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes. Aristocratic Families, Sects, Univeral Academy¡ªall these powers, he would erase from the land of Great Xia. Even the Dongfang Clan would not be spared; as far as he was concerned, the Dongfang Clan was just a pawn, to be discarded once its use had ended. Although the Dongfang Clan was a commercial family, differing significantly from traditional Aristocratic Families, the fact that the Dongfang Clan sought to extend its reach into the court had already crossed the Sum Emperor¡¯s red line. While he had outwardly agreed to their request, he would never allow past occurrences to be repeated in the court. The more the Dongfang Clan tried to reach into the court, the more the Sum Emperor felt their ambition was too great, no different from the Ancient Families. How could the Sum Emperor possibly allow such an ambitious family with such profound impact on Great Xia¡¯s economy to remain? Of course, for now, the Aristocratic Families of the South had not yet been annihilated, and other families were still present in the court, so the Sum Emperor would not move against the Dongfang Clan just yet. At least until the Ancient Families in the court were eradicated, he would not touch the Dongfang Clan. ¡­ Meanwhile. Sufeng City. Wang Family. Today, the Family Heads of the Aristocratic Families from the South had all arrived at the Wang Family¡¯s residence. Ever since Lu Shuyun came to the South, he had been staying with the Wang Family. The primary reason for the Family Heads of the major Aristocratic Families coming to Wang Family was because of Lu Shuyun¡¯s presence there. Chapter 343 - Chapter 343: Chapter 238: Dongfang Clan Plans to Flee_2 Chapter 343: Chapter 238: Dongfang Clan Plans to Flee_2 In fact, some families were somewhat uncomfortable with Lu Shuyun staying with the Wang Family, for although the Wang Family was the family of Lu Shuyun¡¯s mother, it was not the only one supporting him, Lu Shuyun. Why should Lu Shuyun reside with the Wang Family? By residing with the Wang Family, Lu Shuyun instantly elevated their status to a new height; their standing in the South was already high, and now with Lu Shuyun staying there every day, the Wang Family¡¯s status went even further up. After Lu Shuyun raised troops in the South, many of the generals leading these forces were also from the Wang Family. Where there were people, there was the martial world. Even if the Aristocratic Families of the South openly supported Lu Shuyun, they felt discontent with Lu Shuyun¡¯s actions in their hearts. They merely didn¡¯t speak out about it at this critical time for confronting the Imperial Court. In the middle of the great hall, Lu Shuyun sat facing the entrance. He swept his gaze over the Family Heads of the various major families seated on both sides before he spoke, ¡°Family Heads, I am delighted that you all stand with me at this critical moment.¡± ¡°Today, I have called you here primarily because I have received intelligence that the Grandmaster of the royal family has ended his seclusion, information delivered by none other than Prime Minister Zhao.¡± Upon hearing this, the hall erupted with discussion. ¡°A Grandmaster? This complicates things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think any of our Aristocratic Families in the South boasts a Grandmaster, do they?¡± ¡°Not necessarily, the Wang Family puts such emphasis on Martial Arts; it¡¯s possible they have a Grandmaster within their ranks.¡± ¡°Gentlemen, no need to worry. Our Qin Family has a Grandmaster. Even if the royal family¡¯s Grandmaster really shows up on the battlefield, there is no cause for fear.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten the incident a few decades ago when a certain powerhouse of the Heavenly Human Realm slaughtered the royal family¡¯s Grandmaster? The Grandmaster of the royal family has been quiet all these years because they fear the reappearance of that Celestial powerhouse. Even if the royal family sends out the Grandmaster, he won¡¯t dare to act rashly, for who knows if that Celestial power will strike again?¡± ¡°Master Zhao is right, a Celestial, given his lifespan of several hundred years, wouldn¡¯t die so soon. If he hears of the royal Grandmaster acting, he may very well make an appearance again.¡± ¡­ Over the years, one major reason why the great Aristocratic Families have become increasingly unrestrained is that they know the royal Grandmaster generally does not act wantonly, or more correctly, dares not to act lightly. They even suspect the royal Grandmaster might have been annihilated by that Celestial powerhouse decades ago. Although they do not know why the Celestial strongman from decades ago wanted to kill the royal Grandmaster, they can infer that the Celestial did not wish for the Great Sum¡¯s royal family to grow any stronger. As for Situ Ce, the State Preceptor, the Aristocratic Families feared him even less. Situ Ce was not a royal kin; at best, he was loyal to the Great Sum royal family, but not to any one Emperor. As far as Situ Ce was concerned, as long as it was someone of the Lu lineage and the Great Sum was not overthrown, it made no difference to him which member of the Lu family sat on the throne. This could be seen from his non-involvement in the previous generation Prince¡¯s struggle for succession. Back when Lu Xingqiu vied for the throne, he secretly disposed of many of his brothers. Situ Ce, already the State Preceptor during the prior Sum Emperor¡¯s reign, could have interfered if he chose to, and Lu Xingqiu might not have become Emperor. Listening to the discussion of the Family Heads in the hall, Lu Shuyun then continued, ¡°Everyone, this is a critical time for the lives and survival of the Aristocratic Families of the South. If any of your families have a Grandmaster, now is not the time to remain hidden.¡± ¡°My father the Emperor has already sent a Grandmaster southward. If we do not have a Grandmaster to hold them in check, our mere few hundred thousand soldiers might not even reach the Capital city, let alone ¡®rid the emperor of ¡°evil¡± ministers.''¡± ¡°Initially, I came south for your sakes. If anyone still harbors other intentions or is not fully committed, you should not blame me for turning my face and becoming unrecognizable once I find out.¡± Hearing this, Dongfang Yi sat unmoved in the hall. The Dongfang Family had a Grandmaster, but the Dongfang Family¡¯s Grandmaster would absolutely not come forward. Whether standing with the Sum Emperor or with the North Prince, there was no need to bring out their Family¡¯s Grandmaster in this war. It was then that Lu Shuyun directly asked, ¡°Master Chu, your family has always been the most powerful among the South¡¯s Aristocratic Families. I have heard that your family has even had conflicts with the Mysterious Moon Palace and dared to confront them. Surely, your family must have a Grandmaster, right?¡± Smiling at the question posed by Lu Shuyun, Chu Liang replied, ¡°Of course. Please be reassured, Crown Prince. Our Chu Family stood with you from the beginning; we will not engage in any scheming behind your back. Should the Crown Prince need the help of a Grandmaster, our Chu Family will surely send one to protect you.¡± Lu Shuyun was very pleased with Chu Liang¡¯s response. When he convened these Family Heads, he had already had people secretly inquire if any of the South¡¯s Aristocratic Families might have a Grandmaster. The Wang Family certainly had one, as did the Qin Family; now with the Chu Family also saying they would send a Grandmaster to assist, they would have three Grandmasters on their side. If the royal family¡¯s Grandmaster truly appeared on the battlefield, with these three Grandmasters, the Imperial Army might not fare well at all. Chapter 344 - Chapter 344: Chapter 238: Dongfang Clan Plans to Flee_3 Chapter 344: Chapter 238: Dongfang Clan Plans to Flee_3 ¡°` The most crucial point was that they still had the Piercing Cloud Bow. If a Grandmaster used the Piercing Cloud Bow, there was a chance to kill the royalty¡¯s Grandmaster. Their advantage was immense. With this thought, Lu Shuyun¡¯s lips curved slightly upward, and he couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, ¡°My dear father, Emperor, you will soon regret letting me leave the Capital. You¡¯ve occupied that position for so many years, it¡¯s about time you let me sit in it for a while.¡± Having finished discussing the Grandmaster, Lu Shuyun then began to arrange their tasks. Although they had already assembled hundreds of thousands of troops, among these soldiers were many private armies belonging to various families. These private soldiers had not fully integrated and were basically fighting on their own. Lu Shuyun had no intention of disrupting these soldiers and reorganizing them, because doing so would mean interfering with the interests of the Aristocratic Families. He needed the help of these Aristocratic Families for the rebellion and didn¡¯t dare meddle with their interests at such a time. Since it was not feasible to disband and reorganize the private armies of these Aristocratic Families, the only option was to assign them tasks. Lu Shuyun, according to the current situation, assigned the private armies of the Aristocratic Families to some important counties in the north to defend against attacks from the imperial army. At that moment, Lu Shuyun turned his head to Dongfang Yi and said, ¡°Dongfang Family Master, your family has been in commerce for generations and owns many merchant ships, and your private soldiers are mostly adept at naval warfare. Therefore, the defense of the southeast coastal areas will be entrusted to you, lest the imperial army attacks from the sea.¡± Dongfang Yi immediately responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Crown Prince, the Dongfang Family will surely hold the southeast coast and not allow any imperial soldiers to come ashore.¡± Upon hearing Dongfang Yi¡¯s words, Lu Shuyun felt very satisfied. However, he suddenly remembered something and then said, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve heard that Longyue has run off to the North Country and has yet to return?¡± Dongfang Yi sighed deeply and with a helpless expression, he said, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s all my fault for not raising her properly from a young age, which has resulted in her becoming so willful. I¡¯ve sent people several times to bring her back, but she has escaped every time. She¡¯s adamant about not returning home. Please forgive me, Your Highness. After the war is over, I will make sure she is brought back to kowtow and apologise to you.¡± Lu Shuyun said, ¡°That¡¯s alright, the South is about to go to war anyway, so it¡¯s fine for her to stay in the North Country for the time being.¡± Lu Shuyun brought up Dongfang Longyue primarily to remind Dongfang Yi that they were now in an alliance through marriage, so he wanted the Dongfang Family to wholeheartedly support him. That evening. Dongfang Yi returned home. As soon as he arrived, he was informed by the servants that the core members of the Dongfang Family had gathered in the council hall waiting for him. Dongfang Yi then proceeded to the council hall. At that moment, an elderly man with white hair was seated facing the entrance. As Dongfang Yi returned, the elder spoke up, ¡°Yi¡¯er, what are your plans moving forward?¡± Hearing the elder¡¯s address, Dongfang Yi¡¯s lips twisted slightly, feeling somewhat discontented in his heart. He was of such an age, yet the old man still insisted on calling him ¡°Yi¡¯er.¡± However, these were minor matters. Dongfang Yi then said, ¡°The Crown Prince intends for our Dongfang Family to guard the southeast coast to prevent an attack from the imperial army by sea. I plan to take the opportunity, while defending the southeast coast, to send some family members to the North Country aboard our merchant ships.¡± Although the Dongfang Family was an inside agent for the Sum Emperor in the South, the uncertainties of war were great. Dongfang Yi didn¡¯t want to get too involved and planned to escape to the North Country and seek asylum with the Son of Destiny, the North Prince. As for the war between the court and the Southern Aristocratic Families, they no longer needed to intervene. The Dongfang Family had already secretly moved a number of elite soldiers to the southeast coast on behalf of the court. Assuming there were no major surprises, once the war started, the rebels would be caught in a pincer attack, and it was highly likely that Lu Shuyun and his forces would suffer a bitter defeat. Whether the Aristocratic Families¡¯ Grandmaster in the South could turn the tide was uncertain; after all, the Sum Emperor had prepared for such a long time and would have been aware of the existence of a Grandmaster among the Aristocratic Families. Therefore, it was likely that he had long been ready to deal with the Grandmaster of the Aristocratic Families. After hearing Dongfang Yi¡¯s plans, the patriarch Dongfang Qi stroked his white beard and then spoke, ¡°With the Son of Destiny now revealed, we indeed should not continue to be involved in the conflict between the court and the Aristocratic Families.¡± They had initially chosen to cooperate with the Sum Emperor and side with the court mainly because they had their own mission. Rebellion carried too many uncertainties. If they wanted to play it safe, they needed to hedge their bets. Now that the Son of Destiny had appeared in the North Country, why should they bide their time any longer? They might as well flee to the North Country. What was the point of serving the court and the Southern Aristocratic Families anymore? The Dongfang Clan was a commercial family, and the mission of a commercial family was to make money for the Son of Destiny. Staying in Sufeng City and meddling in the conflict between the court and the Southern Aristocratic Families would only delay fulfilling their family¡¯s mission. Seeing that the patriarch had spoken, Dongfang Yi added, ¡°Since you, father, have said so, then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll make the preparations. Once the battle up front breaks out, we¡¯ll take our merchant ships and head for the North Country by sea.¡± This was still the Land Power Era, and people did not pay much attention to the seas. Only the Dongfang Clan had built several large merchant ships. If they were to head for the North Country by sea, it was highly unlikely the Southern Aristocratic Families would notice, unless they were under constant surveillance by them. However, the Brocade Guard of the North Country had already infiltrated the South, so the Dongfang Family would be able to receive advance notice of any movement by the Aristocratic Families through the Brocade Guard, so there was no need to worry too much about being discovered. As for resupplying the merchant ships en route to the North, that was even less of a concern. The Dongfang Family had already reached an agreement with the Sum Emperor, and their ships could stop at ports governed by the court during their journey northward. ¡°` Chapter 345 - Chapter 345: Chapter 239: The Birth of the Sixth Child_1 Chapter 345: Chapter 239: The Birth of the Sixth Child_1 The Qian Family, in one of the separate courtyards. Inside the courtyard, birds chirped, and flowers bloomed while various colored carps swam back and forth in the pond, shuttling non-stop among the lotus leaves. A woman dressed in a red phoenix robe stood in the pavilion of the separate courtyard, quietly watching the carp in the pond. At that moment, a corpulent man entered the yard and, upon arriving outside the pavilion, immediately bowed and said, ¡°This humble one greets Princess Junwan!¡± Wu Junwan responded indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± Qian Dahai promptly got up. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°President Qian, you should know why I personally left the palace to see you this time, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Qian Dahai immediately said, ¡°Presumably Princess Junwan is here because the North Prince wants this commoner to serve as the Minister of the Ministry of Commerce in the North Country.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t turn around; she continued looking at the koi swimming in the pond. ¡°President Qian, you are very clever. It is because of your cleverness that the Qian Family has been able to develop to this point, and that the Qianhai Commercial Association has become the wealthiest commercial association in Great Wu.¡± Hearing this, Qian Dahai pretty much guessed why Wu Junwan came to see him personally¡ªit was clearly a warning, but he didn¡¯t mind at all. ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Princess.¡± Wu Junwan then asked, ¡°In your letter, you only mentioned that the North Prince met you alone and mentioned what benefits he planned to offer you. I am very curious, did the North Prince promise you any benefits?¡± Qian Dahai said, ¡°The North Prince told this commoner that the North Country is different from all other dynastic nations; it is a country that emphasizes commerce, where the status of merchants will be greatly elevated. In North Country, everyone is important, there is no hierarchical ranking like scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants.¡± ¡°As long as this commoner joins North Country, the future will see North Country prosper because of this commoner, and this commoner will have his name remembered in history because of North Country. Furthermore, the North Prince has promised this commoner that after the Qian Family moves to North Country, some of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s industries will be transferred to the Qian Family, making the Qian Family even more prosperous in the future.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan chuckled lightly, ¡°This little man is quite interesting, trying to steal people right from under my nose.¡± The smile on Wu Junwan¡¯s face was natural, with no hint of anger. At this point, Qian Dahai expressed his loyalty, ¡°Princess, the Qian Family is what it is today because of your care; this commoner will definitely not betray you. On the fourth day after the North Prince met with this commoner alone, this commoner immediately returned to Great Wu; this commoner will not leave Great Wu just because of some small profit promised by the North Prince.¡± Hearing Qian Dahai¡¯s words, Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°Betrayal? The Qian Family joining the North Country is in my interest; how can that be called betrayal?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Qian Dahai feigned a stunned look. At this moment, Wu Junwan turned her head to glance at Qian Dahai, then said, ¡°From today on, you are a man of the North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, Qian Dahai immediately knelt down and, with a face full of fear, said, ¡°Princess, this commoner does not wish to go to North Country. The Qian Family has been in Great Wu for over a hundred years; our roots are in Great Wu. How could the Qian Family move to North Country? Did this commoner do something to displease the Princess, so you wish to expel the Qian Family from Great Wu?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°President Qian, there is no need to be nervous; I do not mean that. The Qian Family will naturally still be the Qian Family of Great Wu. However, I need you to join North Country, to gather more intelligence about North Country for me.¡± ¡°Would President Qian be unwilling to do so?¡± Qian Dahai hurriedly said, ¡°If this is your highness¡¯s will, this commoner will naturally obey.¡± Wu Junwan continued, ¡°President Qian, rest assured, even if the Qian Family moves to North Country, I will not abandon you. If President Qian is worried, you may leave your eldest and second sons in Great Wu to continue managing the entire Qianhai Commercial Association.¡± Hearing this, Qian Dahai was not at all surprised; he had already guessed this would be the outcome. Although Wu Junwan verbally expressed trust in him, her heart most certainly still feared a complete betrayal by the Qian Family. However, Qian Dahai didn¡¯t care. Leaving his eldest and second sons in Great Wu could actually help Lu Chen obtain more intelligence about the Great Wu Dynasty, which would be a good thing for the North Country and the North Prince. At this time, Wu Junwan continued, ¡°President Qian, hurry and pack your belongings, and head for North Country at once. If there¡¯s anything in the future, I will have someone notify you.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Wu Junwan left without further words and departed from the Qian Family. ¡°Safe travels, Princess!¡± After Wu Junwan left the Qian Family, she said to a soldier beside her, ¡°Go and invite the two sons of the Qian Family to the Snowstorm Tavern.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess,¡± replied the soldier, immediately mounting his horse and heading for the Qianhai Commercial Association. Although Wu Junwan planned to keep two hostages from the Qian Family in Great Wu, she still had some worries about the Qian Family. To ensure that Qian Dahai would obediently follow her orders, Wu Junwan intended to directly win over the two brothers of the Qian Family. Only by making the two brothers of the Qian Family wholeheartedly pledge loyalty to her could she better control the Qian Family. However, what Wu Junwan did not know was that the Qian Family¡¯s loyalty to Lu Chen was absolute, even that of the two brothers; thus, all her efforts were doomed to be in vain. No matter how she tried to win over the two brothers of the Qian Family, she would not be able to secure their true loyalty. Chapter 346 - Chapter 346: Chapter 239: The Birth of the Sixth Child_2 Chapter 346: Chapter 239: The Birth of the Sixth Child_2 About half a month later, the Qian Family began the gradual move to North Country. With substantial holdings in the Great Wu Dynasty, it certainly wasn¡¯t an easy task to relocate to North Country overnight; the Qian Family¡¯s move would take several months. However, Qian Dahai didn¡¯t focus his efforts on the move. He had already taken some family members and set off swiftly on horseback for North Country. Meanwhile. In North Country, at the North Prince Mansion. Today was the day Zhou Xiaoxiao was due to give birth. Lying in bed, she was calm and collected with Lu Chen sitting beside her. Zhou Xiaoxiao felt no urgency whatsoever. She¡¯d already heard from her sister about her experience giving birth last time. As long as the Prince was by their side, they wouldn¡¯t experience any pain during childbirth, and within an instant, the child would be born. Thus, Zhou Xiaoxiao was very relaxed. Still, she had a nagging worry. She feared giving birth to another daughter. Although Lu Chen¡¯s affection for his daughters was well-known, deep inside, she couldn¡¯t overcome a personal barrier. After all, in this era, her mind had been steeped in the idea of prioritizing male heirs, and changing such a mindset wasn¡¯t easy. At that moment, Lu Chen stroked Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s cheek and smiled, ¡°Xiaoxiao, no need to be nervous, it will be over soon.¡± Zhou Xiaoxiao also revealed a hint of a smile, ¡°With the Prince here, your consort isn¡¯t nervous.¡± No sooner had Zhou Xiaoxiao spoken than a pained expression suddenly crossed her face and her complexion turned ashen. Seeing this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to use the Rejuvenating Skill on Zhou Xiaoxiao. Soon after, just as when Lu Chen helped Zhou Youyou give birth last time, his spiritual power entered Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s body and the gentle spiritual power wrapped around the child in her womb. Quickly after, the infant slid out from Zhou Xiaoxiao¡¯s body. In the next moment, the room echoed with the child¡¯s tearing cries as the midwife and maids hurried to bathe the baby and cut the umbilical cord. Feeling considerably lightened, Zhou Xiaoxiao was a bit dazed. Although she had heard from her sister how easy childbirth was with the Prince present, this was her first experience. She didn¡¯t expect it to be so effortless, the baby really born in an instant. Lu Chen continued to treat Zhou Xiaoxiao, and a short while later, the midwife approached him with the child and said, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, it¡¯s a son.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao, lying on the bed, let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, it was a boy this time. Lu Chen then took the infant boy from the midwife¡¯s hands and placed him beside Zhou Xiaoxiao. Before she could ask about a name, he said, ¡°From today on, your name will be Lu Zi¡¯an.¡± The infant boy, originally crying loudly, suddenly fell silent upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, even smiling. Seeing this, Zhou Xiaoxiao said contentedly, ¡°Prince, An¡¯er seems to like the name you picked too. Look, he stopped crying as soon as he heard it.¡± Lu Chen smiled but didn¡¯t reveal the real reason. Lu Zi¡¯an had stopped crying not because of his name, but because Lu Chen had used the Rejuvenating Skill to calm him. The infant¡¯s skin was still rather sensitive. As soon as he felt the gentle spiritual power, Lu Zi¡¯an felt incredibly comfortable and therefore stopped crying, instead showing a smile. Of course, these were trivial matters. There was no need for Lu Chen to voice them out. At that moment, he was more interested in what reward the system would bestow upon him. This was his sixth child. The system had once mentioned that the more children he had, the richer the reward could potentially be. He wondered what the system would reward him with this time. While Lu Chen was thinking this, a system notification chimed in his ear. [Congratulations to the host for gaining an heir. Reward: two Master Level Military Generals, one hundred thousand soldiers proficient in aquatic operations, with a bonus reward of six hundred thousand civilians.] Surprised by the reward, Lu Chen paused. He hadn¡¯t expected to be rewarded with a population again. However, considering his current situation, the hundred thousand soldiers proficient in water didn¡¯t seem to have much immediate use. It was the Land Power Era, after all, where wars mostly occurred on land, with few opportunities to employ a Navy. Nevertheless, since the system had rewarded him, it was best to accept it. Afterward, Lu Chen set that matter aside. He spent some more time with Zhou Xiaoxiao until she had fully recovered, then left her room and went to his study alone. Arriving at his study, Lu Chen immediately opened the system to review the rewards. ¡°System, where are these hundred thousand soldiers and six hundred thousand civilians now?¡± [These seven hundred thousand individuals have been given the identity of Great Shang Adherents and are currently located on an island in the eastern sea of North Country called Wind Cloud Island.] The sea? No wonder the system mentioned their proficiency in water. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Are the Master Level Military Generals granted as rewards also on Wind Cloud Island?¡± [Yes, those two Grandmasters lead that military force.] [The host has one opportunity to issue a direct command. Would you like to issue an order?] Lu Chen responded without hesitation, ¡°Have them bring some soldiers to North Country immediately. There¡¯s no need for everyone to come, just a few thousand will suffice; the rest can stay quartered on Wind Cloud Island.¡± Chapter 347 - Chapter 347: Chapter 239: The Birth of the Sixth Child_3 Chapter 347: Chapter 239: The Birth of the Sixth Child_3 [The host¡¯s command was conveyed, and Military General Wei Siyuan had led ten thousand soldiers to set sail on warships to the North Country.] After hearing the system notification, Lu Chen immediately spoke to the maid outside the door, ¡°Have someone call for Wu Yuan to come here.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Before long, Wu Yuan appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s study, ¡°I pay respects to the Prince. What commands do you have for your subordinate, Prince?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You take some of the Brocade Guards to the seaside to meet the army returning by sea to the Prince.¡± ¡°The General leading them is named Wei Siyuan.¡± Wu Yuan was not too surprised, as it was normal for people to come to pledge allegiance to the Son of Destiny, and he promptly said, ¡°Your subordinate obeys.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°All right, you may go.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± After Wu Yuan left, Lu Chen also planned to leave the study, but just at that moment, a seductive figure appeared at the door of the study. Wang Qingci said with a charming demeanor, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, for gaining another descendant.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you also have one for me some day?¡± Qingci replied somberly, ¡°This one is already a Half-step Grandmaster; it¡¯s not so easy for me to become pregnant.¡± At this point, Qingci walked into the study, placed the intelligence report in her hand on the table, and then said, ¡°The Princess Junwan of Great Wu personally led troops to suppress the remaining rebels in the southwest who refused to surrender. It is heard that her prestige in the Great Wu army is very high, and it¡¯s possible that there might be another Empress in the future.¡± Hearing Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen opened the intelligence report that Qingci had placed on the table and glanced at it quickly. Qingci continued, ¡°The conflict between Great Yue and the Barbarian Tribe has ended. The Great Yue Empress led her army into battle personally, and it¡¯s rumored that the Barbarian Army crumbled and fled at the mere sight of the Great Yue Empress¡¯s countenance on the battlefield.¡± ¡°The Prince should pay attention to the situation in the North Land these days.¡± Hearing Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen furrowed his brows and then curiously asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that the Barbarian Tribe had assembled nearly five hundred thousand troops? How did they fall so quickly?¡± Qingci said, ¡°The exact situation on the battlefield has not been thoroughly investigated by our people, but one thing we can confirm is that the Barbarian Tribe indeed suffered a great defeat. The Great Yue Empress is formidable; this one surmises that her strength is very likely above that of a Grandmaster.¡± Lu Chen fell into deep thought, recognizing that the Great Yue Empress was not a simple character since she was able to defeat several large Barbarian tribal coalitions in such a short time. Moreover, the Da Yue Dynasty didn¡¯t have the advanced weaponry that North Country possessed. Capable of defeating the Barbarian Army so quickly with cold weapons alone meant that Great Yue was a fearsome opponent, especially since Great Yue bordered the North Country at its southwestern corner. Originally, when Great Yue had stationed more than two hundred thousand troops at the border of the North Country, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t considered the Da Yue army a threat, seeing the Da Yue Dynasty as newly founded and lacking real strength. Now it seemed he had underestimated the Da Yue Dynasty. It appeared that in the future, he would have to be wary of the Da Yue Dynasty. Of course, now was not the time to focus on the Da Yue Dynasty. With the Barbarian Tribe suffering defeat at the hands of Great Yue, it was likely that some of the Barbarians would migrate to the North Land. Furthermore, there was another possibility: the Barbarian Tribe might try to regain their confidence by taking it out on someone else. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t familiar with the situation in the west, but the Da Yue and North Country¡¯s borders were adjacent to the area where the Barbarian Tribe was active. If the Barbarian Tribe didn¡¯t move west but instead came east, then it was highly likely they would attack North Country. This was not impossible¡ªthe Barbarian Tribe from the northwest had attacked Great Sum in the past. Having suffered a defeat in Great Yue, losing face, Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe those Barbarians would just let it be. If the Barbarian Tribe decided to advance eastward, if they reached North Land, or if they set out to attack North Country, it would be the perfect opportunity to drill the troops. At this thought, Lu Chen immediately said to the maid outside the door, ¡°Xiao Huan, notify the generals that they are to come to the Hall of Political Affairs for a military meeting at dawn tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± At this moment, Qingci said, ¡°Prince, if there is nothing else, this one shall take her leave first.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen teased, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat your fill before you go back?¡± Qingci gave Lu Chen a resentful look and then said, ¡°With the Prince being so busy recently, this one would not want to bother you, lest a certain jealous one starts to nag this one again.¡± Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Very well, then. Today I will let you go, but next time you visit, I will make sure to feed you until you¡¯re full.¡± Qingci pouted and did not say much more before she left the study. Just as Qingci departed, Qin Yushan entered the study. Seeing that Qin Yushan was holding a bamboo tube used to transmit intelligence, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Is it intelligence from the Capital City?¡± Qin Yushan placed the newly arrived bamboo tube on the desk, ¡°Yes, the Brocade Guards from the Capital City have run into some issues recently. Our people seem to have been discovered by the Shadow Guards, and the Shadow Guards are conducting a thorough search for the Brocade Guards.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. Lu Chen had known for a long time that the Brocade Guard would eventually be exposed. Previously, when the Brocade Guard was inactive, very few people were aware of its existence. However, since the Brocade Guard had been put into operation, it had been gathering all kinds of intelligence, and additionally, the number of people in the Brocade Guard had increased significantly in this period. Once the numbers increased, problems with management could arise, and it wasn¡¯t surprising that the Brocade Guard in the Capital City was detected by his father¡¯s Shadow Guard. Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen opened the intelligence report from the Capital City and looked at it carefully, while Qin Yushan continued, ¡°The imperial army has already marched southward, and according to observations by Commander Liang, the court has sent at least three Grandmasters to the South this time, not including Situ Ce.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Lu Chen was not too surprised, as there were Grandmasters among the Aristocratic Families in the South. If his father wanted to eliminate the Aristocratic Families in the South, he would surely need to send Grandmasters with the army. Lu Chen spoke while reading the report, ¡°Is there any other intelligence?¡± Qin Yushan said, ¡°Recently, the remnants of Chen Nation within the Great Sum territory have become more active and appear to be gathering towards North Country.¡± Chapter 348 - Chapter 348: Chapter 240 The Door is Open, Come on In_1 Chapter 348: Chapter 240 The Door is Open, Come on In_1 Upon hearing Qin Yushan mention the remnants of Chen Nation, Lu Chen immediately set aside the intelligence report he was holding, lifted his head to glance at Qin Yushan, then continued, ¡°Gathering towards the North Country? Is their number large?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Many. The Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace has issued a call to arms, planning to take advantage of the Great Sum¡¯s internal strife to restore their nation.¡± At this point, Qin Yushan looked at Lu Chen and then asked, ¡°Prince, do we need to stop those people from Chen Nation from coming to the North Country?¡± Qin Yushan knew that the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace had been living in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and it was clear to any discerning eye that Lu Chen was definitely interested in the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace. Unsure whether Lu Chen had succeeded with Chen Wanrong, Qin Yushan found the affair regarding Chen Nation somewhat difficult to deal with through the Brocade Guard. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Since they wish to come, then let them come.¡± Lin Wanyun had been thoroughly bamboozled by him by now; she could no longer leave him and had become his person, and Chen Wanrong was close behind. Mu Zixuan and the two Xiaozhous had already been pregnant twice, so Lu Chen no longer intended to let them have more children. He planned to let them rest for a few years, focusing next on the women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion who possessed inner strength, with Chen Wanrong being one of them. Chen Wanrong was too saintly, which is why he never entertained those thoughts in front of her. Lu Chen knew very well that to entertain wicked thoughts in front of Chen Wanrong, a ¡°fairy,¡± he would need to become close to her. Next, he would look for opportunities to get close to Chen Wanrong. Finding an opportunity to get close to Chen Wanrong was very easy because she too was looking for such an opportunity to bewitch him with her gu; they were both eagerly rushing towards each other. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Any other intelligence?¡± Qin Yushan continued, ¡°The Dongfang Family plans to move directly to the North Country. I am not sure if the Dongfang Family Master¡¯s letter has reached your hands, Prince.¡± Because the Brocade Guard made extensive use of the Pigeon Letter, their intelligence was often quicker than that delivered by horse. Even as Dongfang Yi¡¯s letter was still en route, Qin Yushan was already aware of the Dongfang Family¡¯s plan to migrate to the North Country. Upon hearing this from Qin Yushan, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Move to the North Country at this time? War has already broken out in the South, how can they extricate themselves?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°Their plan is to use the Dongfang Family¡¯s large merchant ships to come directly by sea to the North Country.¡± After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen realized that, as rumored, the Dongfang Family¡¯s large merchant ships were even bigger than the warships of the Great Sum court and could transport a great many things. The Sum Emperor, in order to catch the aristocratic families of the South off guard, even borrowed the Dongfang Family¡¯s merchant ships to transport some imperial soldiers to the South. If they were to come by sea, indeed, they would not be easily discovered. With this thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°Dongfang Yi¡¯s letter should still take a few days to arrive. If they wish to migrate here, then let them. As long as they are not discovered, that will suffice.¡± Lu Chen had originally planned to have the Dongfang Clan act as undercover agents, lying dormant on his father emperor¡¯s side, and then one day, when he needed them, he would have them switch to his side. But seeing how eager the Dongfang Family was to flee to the North Country, Lu Chen had mostly guessed the Dongfang Family¡¯s thinking. They probably believed that the Sum Emperor might end up killing the donkey after the milling is done, so they decided to escape in advance, letting the imperial army and Jiangnan¡¯s aristocratic families, led by Lu Shuyun, slowly fight it out. At this point, Qin Yushan said, ¡°That¡¯s all the intelligence for now. If the Prince has no other orders, your subordinate will take his leave.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Mhm, you may go.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± Qin Yushan then turned and left the study. ¡­ After the Great Sum¡¯s imperial army headed south, fierce battles broke out with the rebel forces led by Lu Shuyun. In just a short month¡¯s time, hundreds of thousands perished. The war was more brutal than people had anticipated, with many commoners choosing to head north to avoid being swept into the conflict. Lu Chen had the Brocade Guard spread quite a bit of information to the South about redistribution of land in the North Country. The common people knew that the land in the North Country wouldn¡¯t belong to them, but the crops they grew on it did, and there were no agricultural taxes to pay. Just for that alone, the North Country wasn¡¯t a loss; it was certainly better than being affected by the war and dying in it. For the refugees to travel to the North Country, they would have to pass through Qi Country, which gave the Qi Prince a major headache. When Great Sum had ceded three provinces to Great Wu, a large influx of refugees had already poured into Qi Country. Now, with Great Sum¡¯s civil war, more refugees were running to Qi Country. With no better options, the Qi Prince had no choice but to send envoys once again to North Country and transferred all those refugees to the North Country. This further bolstered the population of the North Country. When Lu Chen ordered a new population count, the North Country¡¯s population had already exceeded five million. With such a sudden surplus in labor, the North Country was poised for rapid development. Meanwhile. Great Sum, Capital city. Within the Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor was playing chess with the State Preceptor, Situ Ce. The hand that Situ Ce used to hold the chess piece paused above the board as he scrutinized the entire game, then asked, ¡°Your Majesty, you are willing to abandon such an important piece?¡± The Sum Emperor responded indifferently, ¡°To me, as long as I can achieve the final victory, nothing is irreplaceable.¡± No sooner had the Sum Emperor uttered these words than the leader of the Shadow Guard appeared outside the pavilion, ¡°Your Majesty, the Brocade Guard in the Capital city have almost entirely vanished overnight, and those we captured have all taken poison to commit suicide.¡± Chapter 349 - Chapter 349: Chapter 240 The Door is Open, Come on In_2 Chapter 349: Chapter 240 The Door is Open, Come on In_2 Upon hearing the Shadow Guard Commander¡¯s report, the face of the Sum Emperor instantly darkened. He said coldly, ¡°To have those Brocade Guards willingly take poison and commit suicide, Chen has quite the skill!¡± Generally, those who are caught and immediately commit suicide can be considered devoted soldiers. What the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t expect was that Lu Chen had cultivated so many loyal to death. The Sum Emperor had only recently learned about the Brocade Guard; not long before, the Shadow Guard had accidentally discovered their existence while investigating matters related to Lu Shuyun. Further inquiries by the Shadow Guard revealed that the Brocade Guard was a massive intelligence organization similar to the Shadow Guard, and their information-gathering capabilities had even surpassed those of the Shadow Guard. The Shadow Guard immediately reported this matter to the Sum Emperor. When the Sum Emperor learned of the Brocade Guard¡¯s existence, he flew into a rage. He had established the Shadow Guard mainly to collect intelligence throughout Great Sum, to monitor officials, and most importantly, to conduct dirty deeds on his behalf. He had never anticipated that someone else had set up a similar organization. The Sum Emperor immediately ordered the Shadow Guard to investigate the Brocade Guard. To his dismay, upon investigation, it turned out that the Brocade Guard was actually an intelligence agency of the North Country, and furthermore, it was publicly known. This infuriated the Sum Emperor even more. He wasn¡¯t even dead yet and Lu Chen had created an organization akin to the Shadow Guard. What was he trying to do, stage a coup? In a fit of anger, the Sum Emperor ordered all Brocade Guards within the Capital City to be eradicated. However, the result was not very effective. Knowing they had been exposed, the Brocade Guards immediately went into hiding. The Brocade Guards were essentially contacted through individual channels, making it difficult to capture all of them through one person. The most critical point was the Brocade Guards¡¯ absolute loyalty to the North Prince; even if one was captured, they would not reveal anything. Because of the Brocade Guard¡¯s actions, the Sum Emperor promptly gave up on Bai Qingqing, the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard. This was the important chess piece that Situ Ce had just mentioned as having been sacrificed. The Sum Emperor had already noticed that although Bai Qingqing had been relaying intelligence about the North Country to the Imperial Court and to him, she had completely omitted some critical information about the North Country in her reports. Most crucially, the Brocade Guard was a publicly known intelligence agency of North Country, but Bai Qingqing, the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard, had never once reported on the Brocade Guard in her intelligence briefings from beginning to end. Bai Qingqing had already climbed into Lu Chen¡¯s bed, becoming his confidante, yet she still knew very little about Lu Chen¡¯s affairs. The Sum Emperor did not believe that Bai Qingqing, having shared a bed with Lu Chen for so long, had failed to uncover any useful intelligence. It was evident that Bai Qingqing had defected. Although he didn¡¯t know why Bai Qingqing had betrayed the Imperial Court, the Sum Emperor was certain that he would no longer trust the intelligence she sent back in the future. The fact that Lu Chen had managed to subjugate an emotionless Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard deepened the Sum Emperor¡¯s wariness of Lu Chen or, to be exact, of the power behind him. At this moment, the Sum Emperor said to the Shadow Guard Commander, ¡°Bai Qingqing was selected and trained by you. Since she has betrayed the Shadow Guard, you will take care of it.¡± The Shadow Guard Commander immediately responded, ¡°Your subordinate obeys.¡± The Sum Emperor said, ¡°Go now. Leave not a single Shadow Guard hidden in the North Country.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± Afterwards the Shadow Guard Commander left the Royal Garden. After the departure of the Shadow Guard Commander, the Sum Emperor no longer continued his game of chess. He rose from his seat and walked out of the pavilion, hands clasped behind his back, as he watched the fish swimming leisurely in the lotus pond. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Lu Chen could be the illegitimate son of Zhuge Zhongguang and Chu Yue. However, Zhuge Zhongguang had already been over a hundred years old decades ago, and Chu Yue was in the prime of her youth; it seemed inconceivable that she would fancy an old man. If Lu Chen wasn¡¯t the illegitimate child of Zhuge Zhongguang and Chu Yue, then why would Zhuge stand by Lu Chen, even moving the entire Universal Academy to North Country? As the Sum Emperor¡¯s thoughts were in utter disarray, a Shadow Guard soldier entered the Royal Garden, ¡°Your Majesty, merchant ships of the Dongfang Clan have recently been transporting grain to North Country. Should we intercept them?¡± His eyebrows furrowed at these words, his expression turning even grimmer. It seemed as if gusts of cutting wind rose in the air, and the carps in the lotus pond, as if startled by something, dived deep into the water. The Dongfang Clan had already reached a cooperation agreement with him, yet at this moment, instead of focusing on assisting the Imperial Army in eradicating the rebels, they were conducting business. The Sum Emperor didn¡¯t suspect that the Dongfang Clan¡¯s merchant ships heading to North Country had any ulterior motives. In his eyes, merchants were profit-driven, and with the current internal strife in Great Sum jacking up the price of grain several times over, it didn¡¯t surprise him at all that the Dongfang Family was looking to make money in these times. However, the actions of the Dongfang Family greatly displeased him. After a moment, the Sum Emperor finally said, ¡°If the Dongfang Family¡¯s merchant ships require supplies, provide them with whatever they need. In addition, assign someone to escort the Dongfang Family¡¯s merchant ships to North Country.¡± Although the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t believe the Dongfang Family would turn around and head north with the rebels at this time, it was best to be cautious when necessary. Chapter 350 - Chapter 350: Chapter 240 The Door is Open, Come on In_3 Chapter 350: Chapter 240 The Door is Open, Come on In_3 ¡°Yes, your subordinate has understood.¡± ¡°Your subordinate shall take his leave.¡± As the words fell, the Shadow Guard soldier left the Royal Garden. After the Shadow Guard soldier had left, a trace of icy light flashed in the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes. In his view, the Dongfang Family dared to conduct business at this time because they relied on having established a cooperative relationship, believing the royal family wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to them, which was why they were so brazen. The behavior of the Dongfang Family clearly showed that they did not regard him, the Emperor, highly. The Dongfang Family was already acting this way before entering the court; who knew what they would be like once they did. However, the Sum Emperor would not act against the Dongfang Family over this small move. The Dongfang Family did not belong to the Ancient Families and lacked a stable power base. Once the other aristocratic families in the South were eradicated, the Dongfang Family would lose their foothold. Eradicating an aristocratic family without any foundation is the easiest. For now, let the Dongfang Family indulge for a few days. Once the aristocratic families of Great Sum have been dealt with, he would slowly take care of the Dongfang Family. ¡­ North Country. North Prince Mansion, Yunrong Courtyard. At dusk, the fiery red sunset filled the sky, and the red glow bathed the world in a bronze hue. At this moment, Chen Wanrong in the pavilion was looking at the intelligence report in her hand, her face devoid of any fluctuations. At that time, her gaze lightly glanced at Lin Wanyun, who was sorting the intelligence. In recent days, Lin Wanyun had been leaving every night, and she would not return until daylight. As for what she was doing outside, Chen Wanrong had more or less guessed in her heart. Clearly, Lin Wanyun was having an affair with Lu Chen. Every time Lin Wanyun returned at dawn, she appeared very tired, and her clothes were often torn. For some reason, Chen Wanrong felt that Lin Wanyun was becoming more mature, more dignified and virtuous, and there was a significant change in her demeanor; she now more closely resembled a married woman. Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this was because she had been defiled by Lu Chen, which was why there was such a great change in her temperament? At this point, Lin Wanyun finished sorting the intelligence and looked up at Chen Wanrong, saying, ¡°Palace Master, Wei Siyuan should arrive at Yan County within a few days.¡± Upon hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong snapped back to reality and said emotionlessly, ¡°Hmm.¡± Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Palace Master, who is this Wei Siyuan? I remember you used to correspond with him frequently through letters?¡± Lin Wanyun was not from Chen Nation and therefore did not have a deep understanding of it, even less of its former powers. She guessed that this Wei Siyuan was probably from Chen Nation; otherwise, Chen Wanrong would not correspond with him so frequently through letters. Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°He is a descendant of the loyal and good of Chen Nation. After Chen Nation was destroyed, the Wei Family escaped and took refuge on a small island known as Wind Cloud Island. They developed their forces on Wind Cloud Island, waiting for the day Chen Nation would be restored.¡± Lin Wanyun revealed, ¡°I see.¡± At that time, Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Madam Lin, I need to go out tonight.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun was momentarily stunned, then she asked, ¡°Where are you going, Palace Master?¡± Lin Wanyun thought about the fact that she still hadn¡¯t found the antidote from Lu Chen; what if Chen Wanrong had a poison outbreak while out and about? Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°Some of the former officials of Chen Nation have already arrived at Yan County. I¡¯m going to meet with them tonight.¡± Lin Wanyun suggested, ¡°Then I¡¯ll accompany you.¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Madam Lin, you haven¡¯t been feeling well these past few days. You should rest well tonight.¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. In fact, it wasn¡¯t that she was unwell, but rather that being roused every day left her brain slightly fuzzy, sometimes making her walk as if she were floating. Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Alright then.¡± Lin Wanyun planned to ask Lu Chen in the evening about how long Chen Wanrong could last outside the Prince¡¯s Mansion without the antidote. With this in mind, Lin Wanyun continued to ask, ¡°Palace Master, where will you be meeting tonight?¡± Lin Wanyun thought that if Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t endure the poison for an entire night, knowing where Chen Wanrong was going would allow her to rush to the scene immediately if necessary. Chen Wanrong answered indifferently, ¡°The tavern in the southern city of Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°I understand. Palace Master, if anything happens, remember to notify me right away.¡± Chen Wanrong softly uttered ¡°Hmm¡± and then said no more. After nightfall, Chen Wanrong took a carriage to the southern city, while Lu Chen, having finished dinner, planned to go to the study to handle some affairs. He just happened to see Chen Wanrong leaving the North Prince Mansion. Seeing Chen Wanrong leave the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen changed his route and headed for the Yunrong Courtyard. At that time, the light in Lin Wanyun¡¯s room was still on; seeing this, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved up slightly. Working overtime there wasn¡¯t really working; he decided not to go to the study to work overtime tonight, but to Lin Wanyun¡¯s room instead. With that thought, Lu Chen made his way to Lin Wanyun¡¯s room. At that moment, Lin Wanyun was sitting in her room, sewing clothes, and judging by the size, they were clearly intended for a child. Although Lin Wanyun had not yet conceived Lu Chen¡¯s child, she understood that if she didn¡¯t bear Lu Chen a child, he would likely not let her be. Thus, she planned to prepare several sets of clothes for her future child, as she had time on her hands. As Lin Wanyun was sewing intently, a knock on the door suddenly sounded, jolting her into alertness, ¡°Who is it?¡± Chen Wanrong had already left the North Prince Mansion, so at this hour, no one should be visiting her room. Just then, the familiar voice of a young man reached her ears. ¡°Madam Lin, it¡¯s me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Lin Wanyun¡¯s plump body involuntarily trembled slightly. Soon after, Lin Wanyun regained her composure, quickly put down the clothes she was working on, and stuffed them all into a bamboo basket, which she then hid in the cupboard. After finishing all this, Lin Wanyun spoke, ¡°The door is unlocked, come in.¡± Chapter 351 - Chapter 351: Chapter 241 I really suffered_1 Chapter 351: Chapter 241 I really suffered_1 Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen pushed the door open and entered. After entering the room, he casually closed the door and slid the bolt into place. Having done all this, Lu Chen turned his head to look at the beautiful woman not far away. At this moment, Lin Wanyun¡¯s pretty face was slightly red, and she looked tense, as if she was afraid of something being discovered. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, I just saw Miss Chen leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Where is she going tonight?¡± Lin Wanyun replied with a blushing face, ¡°The Brocade Guard are all over Yan County, so how could you possibly not know where she is going.¡± Lu Chen walked up to Lin Wanyun, naturally placing his large hand on her buttocks before embracing her slender waist. Touched by Lu Chen in this way, Lin Wanyun¡¯s delicate body trembled once again. Although she had indulged in that kind of fleeting affair with Lu Chen many times, she couldn¡¯t help but feel especially nervous every time they were in contact. On one hand, it was because she felt extremely ashamed, and on the other hand, she was very afraid of her affairs being discovered by Chen Wanrong, harboring a deep sense of guilt inside. At that moment, Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°How long will it generally take for the poison in the Palace Master to take effect?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯t take effect so easily. Without taking the antidote, ten days to half a month won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun felt a bit relieved. If it wasn¡¯t going to be a problem for ten days to half a month, then it would likely not affect Miss Chen too much, considering she was only out for one night. Just then, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, I¡¯ve noticed that you seem to have gained quite a bit of weight recently, and there¡¯s more and more flesh on your body.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hand gently pinched Lin Wanyun¡¯s waist. Hearing this, Lin Wanyun gave a cold hum with an icy expression and did not speak. Lu Chen went on to say, ¡°What were you doing in the room just now? Why did I find you looking very panicked when I came in?¡± Lin Wanyun quickly said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t doing anything.¡± She didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to know that she was preparing clothes for the child. If this little rascal found out, he might think she had completely submitted to him, that she had fallen for him in her heart, and then he would become even more unrestrained. Seeing Lin Wanyun¡¯s face showing panic again, Lu Chen knew she must be hiding something from him. Then, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist and directly picked her up, carrying her onto the bed. Lin Wanyun did not struggle, knowing what was going to happen next. After laying Lin Wanyun on the bed, Lu Chen pressed her beneath him, lifted his upper body, and looked down at her blushing cheeks from above. ¡°Do you remember what I told you before? Why don¡¯t you and Miss Chen both marry me, that way you won¡¯t have to worry about me harming Miss Chen.¡± Lin Wanyun stared into Lu Chen¡¯s profound eyes, her heart pounding uncontrollably, her mind filled with images of their indulgent activities, but she was still lucid at this moment. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun replied without hesitation, ¡°Impossible, I will never agree to that.¡± ¡°You wish to possess Rongrong¡¯s body, only over my dead body.¡± Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen at all, even though she knew she couldn¡¯t live without him and would likely spend her life in the North Prince Mansion. But she would never allow Chen Wanrong to end up like her. Chen Wanrong had her own affairs, her own future¡ªhow could she stay in the North Prince Mansion bearing children for Lu Chen? Even if Lu Chen were to be Emperor one day, it wouldn¡¯t do. Chen Wanrong was the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, and cultivation was what she should focus on. The mundane matters of this world were merely a part of her life¡¯s experience. Lu Chen, this little rascal, he already had so many women and still wasn¡¯t satisfied. He even wanted Chen Wanrong to bear his children. Seeing Lin Wanyun¡¯s strong reaction, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Making you die is easy.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She thought Lu Chen had grown tired of her, so to prevent her from interfering with his relationship with Chen Wanrong, he intended to make a fatal move against her. After all, they had started on opposite sides; Lu Chen¡¯s words were unreliable, so killing her would be quite normal. At this moment, Lin Wanyun felt for her own Inner Strength, realizing it had disappeared just as it had before when she was with Lu Chen¡ªclearly, he had sealed it away. She was just a Half-step Grandmaster; against a Grandmaster, she had no chance of winning. With this thought, Lin Wanyun closed her eyes and put on a resigned expression. ¡°Do it then!¡± Seeing this, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. How could he possibly kill Lin Wanyun? She clearly had the wrong idea. Then, Lu Chen leaned in close and whispered in her ear, ¡°There are many ways to die¡ªfor instance, dying beautifully¡­¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun was somewhat puzzled. Dying beautifully? What kind of death was that? Before Lin Wanyun could understand the meaning of Lu Chen¡¯s words, she felt her lips covered by a warm presence, ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± After Lu Chen kissed Lin Wanyun, he began to get handsy. Since Lin Wanyun wanted to experience the feeling of death, he¡¯d fulfill her wish. ¡­ Meanwhile. In a tavern opened by the Mysterious Moon Palace in the south of Yan County. Chen Wanrong, dressed in white, sat on a bed on the second floor. Downstairs were some old ministers from the Chen Nation. Chapter 352 - Chapter 352: Chapter 241 I really suffered_2 Chapter 352: Chapter 241 I really suffered_2 Ever since they heard that their princess was still alive, they had been extremely excited, with some people rushing to the North Country overnight and arriving at Yan County. At this time, a former official from Chen Nation said, ¡°Your Highness the Princess, now that you are the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, with its support, our hopes of restoring the kingdom are just around the corner.¡± Another person spoke up, ¡°Now that Great Xia is in internal turmoil, even if the Great Xia imperial army defeats the rebels in the South, Great Xia¡¯s strength will be greatly weakened. Moreover, there is news of rebellion within the Great Wu dynasty as well, and their troops have already withdrawn from the former territory of Chen Nation. At this moment, all Your Highness needs to do is return to the capital of Chen Nation, reveal your identity, and then the people of Chen Nation will surely support you and restore the kingdom.¡± Next to the Xiwu County of Great Xia are the two counties that make up the former territory of Chen Nation. After the outbreak of war between Great Xia and Great Wu, these two counties were occupied by Great Wu, and troops were also stationed there. But due to the internal strife in Great Wu, the Martial Emperor, in order to quickly deal with the southwestern rebels, has pulled back the elite troops from those two counties, leaving only some ordinary soldiers behind. For the Mysterious Moon Palace, dealing with these ordinary soldiers is not too difficult. In the eyes of Chen Nation¡¯s former officials, as long as these ordinary soldiers are dealt with, and Chen Wanrong publicly announces her identity, she would be able to call upon the masses. By the time they could organize a new army for Chen Nation, Great Wu and Great Xia would realize that Chen Nation had already been restored. Moreover, the internal conflicts within the two great dynasties have already weakened their strength, so even if they see the restoration of Chen Nation, it is highly unlikely that they will send troops to attack Chen Nation at that point. At this moment, the former officials from Chen Nation on the first floor were all very excited, all thinking eagerly of Chen Wanrong returning to the old territories to restore the kingdom. However, at this point, an elderly man with white hair said, ¡°Your Highness the Princess, I believe that restoring the kingdom in the former territories of Chen Nation is not prudent. The main territories of Chen Nation have now been occupied by Great Wu, which venerates martial power, especially the Martial Emperor who prefers solving problems with force.¡± ¡°If we try to restore the kingdom now, once Great Wu deals with the southwestern rebels, they are very likely to send troops to attack us.¡± Hearing this, another former official of Chen Nation said, ¡°What¡¯s there to worry about? General Wei is about to return from Wind Cloud Island. The Wei Family has been developing Wind Cloud Island these years and has trained a hundred thousand elite troops there. With these elite troops, I don¡¯t believe Great Wu would dare make a move on us while they are weakened.¡± Just as the white-haired elder was about to say something, Chen Wanrong, who had been quiet upstairs, spoke up, ¡°The matter of restoring the kingdom is of great importance. Let¡¯s not discuss it today. We will wait for General Wei¡¯s arrival in the North Country before making further discussions.¡± Seeing that Chen Wanrong had said so, the former officials of Chen Nation didn¡¯t say any more. Although they were former officials of Chen Nation, they didn¡¯t have much backing. Although they all wanted to restore the kingdom, they could only talk; they could not contribute significantly to the restoration. Only people like Wei Siyuan, who had troops at their command, could play a significant role in restoring the kingdom. Without troops, shouting about restoration was futile. Afterward, they stopped discussing the restoration and instead talked about what preparations they should make next. About four hours later, Chen Wanrong returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion from the tavern. Originally, she had planned not to return tonight, but somehow after leaving the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she felt rather unsettled. Once Chen Wanrong reached Yunrong Courtyard, she intended to go to her own room when she heard the sound of animals crying out in their wild state upon entering the courtyard. Hearing these noises, Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. That man had actually come to Yunrong Courtyard to do such a thing. Chen Wanrong then activated her skill, concealing her presence before stealthily approaching Lin Wanyun¡¯s room door. Next, she poked a small hole in the room¡¯s paper window to check what exactly was happening inside. Seeing the two overlapping figures, Chen Wanrong¡¯s face turned exceedingly cold. She had only been out for one night, and they had rushed to this courtyard to engage in such acts. Chen Wanrong felt a sense of oppression in her chest as she found the distasteful scene unbearable to continue watching. She prepared to turn around and leave, but as she was about to do so, Lin Wanyun said weakly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡­ I beg you, give the antidote to Rongrong.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong was slightly stunned. Antidote? What antidote? Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Wanyun, you can¡¯t be thinking of other things at a time like this.¡± Lin Wanyun continued, ¡°Ah¡­ Rongrong still has her own mission, martial artists¡­ ah¡­ it is difficult for martial artists to conceive. Yelv Nanyan has been married into the Prince¡¯s Mansion for so long without conceiving.¡± ¡°If we wait for me to conceive¡­ haah¡­ your child before giving her the antidote, the civil war in Great Xia would be over.¡± As Lin Wanyun said this, Chen Wanrong heard a series of hurried sounds, and it took a long time before Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s not going to be so easy for me to give her the antidote.¡± Lin Wanyun pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m asking you¡­ if you give her the antidote and let her leave the North Prince Mansion, I will stay in the North Prince Mansion forever after. Whether you want me to serve you or bear your children, I am willing.¡± Chapter 353 - Chapter 353: Chapter 241 I really suffered_3 Chapter 353: Chapter 241 I really suffered_3 ¡°` Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong had pretty much guessed what Lin Wanyun meant. Chen Wanrong¡¯s expression became even colder. She had always thought that Lin Wanyun was involved with Lu Chen to help her feed him the powder of the Pair-Wing Butterfly, and secondly because she herself had certain needs. But now, listening to their conversation, it was not the case at all. From their discussion, it seemed that Lu Chen had poisoned both of them, which was why Lin Wanyun had surrendered herself to Lu Chen, hoping to obtain an antidote from him, then help herself detoxify and leave the North Prince Mansion. When it came to poison, Chen Wanrong felt very confused; she never felt like she had been poisoned. But if she hadn¡¯t been poisoned, then Lin Wanyun should not have been threatened by Lu Chen, nor would there have been the exchange they just had. What exactly was going on? Could it be that Lu Chen had deceived Madam Lin? Or was it that the poison was exceptionally unique, and she was poisoned without even knowing it? Lu Chen then said with a laugh, ¡°How do I know if your word is your bond? What if I give her the antidote, she runs away, and you run away with her?¡± Lin Wanyun responded, ¡°Just give one antidote, you don¡¯t have to give me mine.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If you¡¯re set on dying, and after she takes the antidote and detoxifies, leaving the North Prince Mansion, you commit suicide, then wouldn¡¯t I be at a great loss?¡± Blushing deeply at these words, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°I¡­ I won¡¯t¡­ commit suicide¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already¡­ grown unable to leave you¡­¡± As she said this, Lin Wanyun turned her head away, so ashamed she wished she could hide away in a crack in the ground. Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I, of course, know you can¡¯t leave me, but that does not mean you won¡¯t seek death.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen still didn¡¯t trust her, Lin Wanyun simply said, ¡°My heart¡­ has been taken by you. Even if you didn¡¯t coerce me, I would still be willing to be your woman.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. He hadn¡¯t expected the woman who had always been so resolute to say such a thing today. Of course, he knew she was telling the truth; her favorability towards him had long since reached one hundred percent. But the likelihood of Lin Wanyun saying something like this was probably still for Chen Wanrong¡¯s sake. Like Chu Yuqin, Lin Wanyun was a traditional beauty with a gentler nature, typically reserved, usually finding it difficult to speak of love and affection. Chen Wanrong felt like her heart was being pricked by needles upon hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words. So, did that mean Lin Wanyun had truly betrayed her? No, it wasn¡¯t right to call it a betrayal. If she truly liked Lu Chen, then as a child whom Lin Wanyun had brought up, she should wish her happiness, not consider it a betrayal. But Chen Wanrong felt an inexplicable emotion inside, leaving her somewhat agitated and confused; she couldn¡¯t clarify what this emotion was. Shortly after, a series of hurried sounds came from the room. It was a long time before Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°I never thought that there would come a day when my Wanyun would speak such words. So, does this mean you truly wish to bear my child?¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s shame had peaked, her entire body flushed red, and her pale neck also blushed deeply. Even she herself had never imagined that one day she would utter such shameful words. Lin Wanyun thought to herself, just consider it for Rongrong¡¯s sake. If being shameless allowed her to obtain the antidote from Lu Chen, able to help Chen Wanrong leave the North Prince Mansion, then whatever she did was worthwhile. Just as Lin Wanyun harbored this thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°Wanyun, what do you think Miss Chen would feel if she knew you became like this for her sake? Would she feel heartbroken for you, or would she be extremely angry, thinking you betrayed her?¡± With a weak voice, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°What¡­ do you mean?¡± ¡°` Lu Chen smiled and said no more, continuing with his busy work. Chen Wanrong stopped eavesdropping on their conversation; she only felt an uncomfortable feeling in her heart and then turned around to leave the doorway. ¡­ Early in the morning, Lin Wanyun tried several times to drive Lu Chen out of the Yunrong Courtyard. She feared that Chen Wanrong would come back and discover what had happened between them, but no matter how much she struggled, she couldn¡¯t push Lu Chen away. Fortunately, it was the day of the small court assembly in the North Country, and after half an hour of effort, Lu Chen finally left her room contentedly, leaving the Yunrong Courtyard. After Lu Chen left, Lin Wanyun quickly straightened her clothes and came out. Not seeing Chen Wanrong in the courtyard and finding it empty, Lin Wanyun finally breathed a sigh of relief. What Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t know was that Chen Wanrong had returned last night and was now meditating in her room. Seeing the empty courtyard, Lin Wanyun sighed. What a sin, she had clearly come to help Chen Wanrong control Lu Chen and then use Lu Chen to create the Subtle Dragon Spell, but she ended up becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman and even fell in love with him. This nemesis, Lu Chen, how could he be so adept at dealing with women. Lin Wanyun muttered to herself, ¡°Ah, Yue, how did you give birth to such a little rascal? You¡¯ve made me suffer.¡± ¡­ As time passed day by day, the war between the Great Sum Imperial Court and the southern rebels had intensified; both sides were continuously reinforcing their troops and fighting more fiercely. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, with the war having reached this point, why were the seigniors still without any action? The Sum Emperors of the past few generations have all been reducing the power of the seigniors, and although they still retained a lot of autonomy for the seigniors, anyone could see that reducing the power of the seigniors was a governance direction of the Great Sum imperial family. The aristocratic families and the seigniors colluded with each other and belonged to the same interest group. Many times, the aristocratic families could use the seigniors¡¯ autonomy to gain more benefits for themselves without falling under the direct control of the Imperial Court. If the Sum Emperor were to annihilate the ancient families, then cutting back the seigniors¡¯ power might be next. While the Imperial Army was fighting with the southern rebels, in reality, many aristocratic families from other regions were already aiding the southern rebels. They understood the principle of shared fate very well. Even the families outside the South were supporting the southern rebels, but the seigniors remained inactive, which inevitably led to suspicions that the seigniors were intending to benefit from the conflict like the fisherman who profits from the fight between the snipe and the clam. Lu Chen had always paid close attention to the civil war in Great Sum, and this war had allowed the North Country to gain a significant increase in population and more benefits. As the Great Sum Imperial Court completely ignored the North Country, Lu Chen simply stopped pretending and began to aggressively expand his army. Thanks to the population increase, Lu Chen¡¯s new round of military expansion added a hundred thousand soldiers. These hundred thousand were not the soldiers of Wind Cloud Island but soldiers recruited from the North Country itself. If we include the soldiers from Wind Cloud Island, the North Country now had nearly four hundred thousand troops. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen¡¯s study. Lu Chen looked at the military expansion plan on the table, a satisfied smile on his face. It was at this moment that the voice of a maid sounded at the door of the study, ¡°Prince, Commander Wu has brought a man surnamed Wei to the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s smile became even brighter. ¡°Finally, he has arrived.¡± Then he said to the maid, ¡°Let them come to the study.¡± Chapter 354 - Chapter 354: Chapter 242: The North Prince You Mentioned, Is It Lu Chen?_1 Chapter 354: Chapter 242: The North Prince You Mentioned, Is It Lu Chen?_1 Wu Yuan, accompanied by Wei Siyuan, arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s study, and Wei Siyuan immediately knelt halfway and said to Lu Chen, ¡°General Wei Siyuan presents his respects to the Prince, long life and prosperity to the Prince, may you live thousands and thousands of years!¡± Lu Chen immediately rose from his seat and then, holding onto Wei Siyuan¡¯s shoulder, said, ¡°General Wei, please rise quickly, I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival.¡± After Wei Siyuan stood up, he said, ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± Once Wei Siyuan stood up, Lu Chen asked, ¡°General Wei, do you know how many large warships there currently are on Wind Cloud Island?¡± Upon hearing this question, Wei Siyuan was startled for a moment, then he replied, ¡°Prince, the ships on Wind Cloud Island are mostly medium-sized vessels; there aren¡¯t many large ones, and they hardly qualify as warships.¡± After arriving in the North Country, Wei Siyuan saw the Dongfang Family¡¯s large merchant ships. The Dongfang Family engaged in maritime trade for their business, hence they built especially large ships. Before seeing the Dongfang Family¡¯s large merchant ships, Wei Siyuan had always thought the ships of Wind Cloud Island were the biggest. But upon reaching the North Country, he saw merchant ships that were a whole size bigger than theirs. It suddenly made him feel as though the ships they had built on Wind Cloud Island were nothing but fishing boats. Now, Wei Siyuan felt embarrassed to tell Lu Chen that they had been building warships ¨C how could warships look like little fishing boats next to merchant vessels? In this era, it was believed that the size of a ship corresponded to its strength. If this were modern times, it would be normal for merchant ships to be larger than warships; however, they still lived in an era where tonnage was a measure of combat power. After hearing Wei Siyuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought for a moment, it seemed that if he were to build a navy in the future, he would need shipbuilding know-how, but they did not yet possess the technology to build large ships. He would have to ask the Dongfang Family later on. Given that the Dongfang Family built such large merchant ships, they must have skilled craftsmen and shipbuilding technology. Just then, Wei Siyuan asked, ¡°Prince, when I reached the North Country, I heard that the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace is residing in the North Prince Mansion?¡± Wei Siyuan¡¯s question took Lu Chen aback. What did the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace staying in the North Prince Mansion have to do with Wei Siyuan? Why would Wei Siyuan ask such a question? Lu Chen, curious, asked, ¡°Why do you bring up this question?¡± Wei Siyuan directly inquired, ¡°I wonder if the Prince is aware that the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace is actually a princess of Chen Nation?¡± If Wei Siyuan were acting on behalf of the remnants of Chen Nation, he naturally would not have disclosed anything about Chen Wanrong to Lu Chen. But now that the Wei Family had awaited the birth of the Son of Destiny, the North Prince would be their new master, and they need not remain loyal to the Chen royal family anymore. Wei Siyuan decisively betrays Chen Wanrong¡¯s identity; after all, Chen Wanrong is a princess of Chen Nation, and Lu Chen is a Seignior of Great Sum. A princess of Chen Nation residing in the North Prince Mansion would be instantly suspect of plotting something nefarious. As a subordinate of Lu Chen, Wei Siyuan naturally had to disclose this, and also had to make sure if Lu Chen was aware of these matters. Hearing Wei Siyuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen was stunned once again. How could Wei Siyuan, a man from Wind Cloud Island, know about this? Not many knew of Chen Wanrong¡¯s true identity as a princess of Chen Nation, even the women in the inner courtyards of the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen¡¯s women, were unaware of it. Most of them thought Chen Wanrong was just the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace. Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen, still curious, asked, ¡°How did you come to know of her identity?¡± Wei Siyuan responded, ¡°To not conceal it from the Prince, the Wei Family had a good relationship with the Chen royal family and were highly favored by them. After the downfall of Chen Nation, the Wei Family then moved to Wind Cloud Island and has been awaiting the Prince¡¯s orders.¡± ¡°Initially, the Wei Family intended to support the restoration of Chen Nation, and over the years, I have continuously corresponded with the princess of Chen Nation.¡± ¡°However, since we have now received the Prince¡¯s orders, our natural course of action is to assist the Prince in achieving his great ambition. Hence, the matter of restoring Chen Nation no longer concerns the Wei Family.¡± Smiling, Lu Chen then said, ¡°So that is the case.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, it was unexpected that Chen Wanrong¡¯s people had now become his; he wondered what she would think once she learned of this. At that moment, Wei Siyuan continued, ¡°Prince, the princess of Chen Nation must have had a motive for coming to the North Prince Mansion, you should be wary.¡± To this, Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about that; before long, she will become my Side Concubine and bear my children.¡± ¡°You, the former ministers of Chen Nation, needn¡¯t be overly concerned either.¡± This¡­ Wei Siyuan was momentarily stunned. Honestly, Wei Siyuan did not wish to see conflict arise between Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen; the Wei Family had enjoyed excellent relations with the Chen royal family, and their prosperity today was supported by them. Without the help of the Chen royal family, it was doubtful whether the Wei Family would have been able to await the appearance of the Son of Destiny. If the princess of Chen Nation could unite with the Son of Destiny, that would be ideal. Regaining his composure, Wei Siyuan said, ¡°I understand.¡± Lu Chen went on, ¡°Moreover, later you shall inform her about the Wei Family pledging allegiance to me. It¡¯s also time for me to lay my cards on the table with her.¡± Wei Siyuan replied, ¡°I understand.¡± Lu Chen contemplated that having delayed for so long, this was a good opportunity. The Wei Family was certainly an important force for Chen Wanrong, and now that the Wei Family had pledged themselves to the North Country, it would be a considerable blow to Chen Wanrong, causing her to lose hope in restoring her nation. Chapter 355 - Chapter 355: Chapter 242: The North Prince You Mentioned, Is It Lu Chen?_2 Chapter 355: Chapter 242: The North Prince You Mentioned, Is It Lu Chen?_2 Moreover, Chen Wanrong was already aware of the affair between him and Lin Wanyun. Her spying on his trysts with Lin Wanyun wasn¡¯t just a day or two¡¯s matter; Chen Wanrong must have guessed that her secret with Lin Wanyun was known to him as well. Once she found out that the former officials of Chen Nation were coming to seek sanctuary with him, Chen Wanrong would definitely explode with anxiety and couldn¡¯t help but come to find him directly. He just needed to wait. Wei Siyuan then reported the situation on Wind Cloud Island to Lu Chen. After roughly finishing the report, Wei Siyuan was led by the servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to Yunrong Courtyard. At this very moment. Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were discussing the matter of the former Chen Nation officials in the pavilion. Chen Wanrong said, ¡°The Wei Family should arrive at Yan County in the next few days.¡± Lin Wanyun asked with concern, ¡°Palace Master, can we really trust these Wei Family members? After all, Chen Nation has been gone for so many years and people¡¯s hearts can change. Moreover, they now have a force of one hundred thousand elite troops on Wind Cloud Island, and they might have developed some inappropriate intentions.¡± Historically, when royal power waned, Military Generals with army control would often entertain the thought of becoming Emperor themselves. Especially since Chen Nation had long since fallen, and the royal family of Chen Nation had nothing left but a princess, without even having a prince. With no prince, why would others aid you in restoring the nation? They might as well become Emperor themselves and forcibly take the royal princess for marriage. Chen Wanrong said, ¡°The Wei Family has always been loyal to the Chen royal family. For the sake of Chen Nation, many Wei Family members died on the battlefield. I was able to escape the capital of Chen Nation thanks to the Wei Family. Now that I am the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, with its power behind me, they will not waver.¡± Chen Wanrong naturally understood Lin Wanyun¡¯s concerns. If she were just a princess with no power or influence, the Wei Family might well use the pretense of restoring the nation and, after Chen Nation was restored, force marriage upon her and then usurp the throne, with a Wei ending up as Emperor. But she was not a powerless princess. She had the entire Mysterious Moon Palace behind her. The Wei Family would certainly be aware of what kind of power the Mysterious Moon Palace represented, and with such a formidable sect behind her, Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t believe the Wei Family would dare harbor any thoughts of usurpation. Having heard Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun considered them and felt there was some truth to them. After all, Chen Wanrong was the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, and she herself was a Grandmaster. Perhaps the Wei Family would still remain loyal to the Chen Family, loyal to Chen Wanrong. Just as Lin Wanyun was thinking this, a maid from the Prince¡¯s Mansion suddenly entered Yunrong Courtyard. Seeing the maid enter, both Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were startled and immediately became vigilant. Usually, without their permission, the maids of the Prince¡¯s Mansion would not enter Yunrong Courtyard directly. The two of them had quite special identities in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, being guests there, so the maids usually stood outside Yunrong Courtyard. At this time, the maid said, ¡°Master Chen, a guest surnamed Wei requests an audience.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s brows knitted slightly. A guest surnamed Wei? That could only be Wei Siyuan. Why would Wei Siyuan come to the North Prince Mansion to see her? Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun looked at each other, and Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Palace Master, you didn¡¯t invite him to come find you here at the North Prince Mansion, did you?¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t respond. This was the North Prince Mansion after all; how could she possibly have Wei Siyuan, a former official of Chen Nation, come here to find her? If she had let him come here, wouldn¡¯t that mean Lu Chen had found out? Lu Chen had already seen through their plans. If he also discovered that Chen Nation still had one hundred thousand elite soldiers on Wind Cloud Island, who knew what he might do. When things don¡¯t go as usual, there must be something amiss. Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t believe that Wei Siyuan, a man in his forties, could lack such basic sense. Him coming to the North Prince Mansion to find her must mean something had happened. Chen Wanrong then asked the maid, ¡°Where is he now?¡± The maid answered, ¡°He¡¯s here in the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Chen Wanrong immediately said, ¡°Bring him here.¡± ¡°Yes, Master Chen.¡± After that, the maid turned and left. It wasn¡¯t long before a middle-aged man appeared at the gates of Yunrong Courtyard. Seeing Wei Siyuan¡¯s appearance, Chen Wanrong was taken aback once again. Although more than a decade had passed since she had last seen Wei Siyuan, she could still recognize him at a glance. The middle-aged man in front of her was indeed Wei Siyuan, the very same who had helped her escape the capital of Chen Nation. Wei Siyuan looked much the same as he had fifteen years ago; other than having grown more facial hair and appearing more mature, there was little change in him. After entering the courtyard, Wei Siyuan also recognized Chen Wanrong immediately. Despite the many changes from when she was a young girl to a grown woman, Chen Wanrong bore a strong resemblance to the former Empress of Chen Nation, making her easy to identify. Wei Siyuan immediately walked to the outside of the pavilion, knelt halfway, and said, ¡°Your humble servant Wei Siyuan greets the princess¡ªlong live the princess, for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years!¡± Hearing this, a flicker of shock passed through Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun¡¯s hearts. This was the North Prince Mansion, and Wei Siyuan shouldn¡¯t have shown such a gesture. Although ¡®palace master¡¯ and ¡®princess¡¯ sound similar, when you add ¡°long live for a thousand autumns and ten thousand years¡± after it, others could instantly infer that it was ¡®princess¡¯ being addressed. Chen Wanrong was puzzled. How could Wei Siyuan be so lacking in vigilance? Chen Wanrong responded coldly, ¡°Rise.¡± Wei Siyuan immediately got up from the ground and said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness the Princess.¡± Chapter 356 - Chapter 356: Chapter 242: The North Prince You Mentioned, Is It Lu Chen?_3 Chapter 356: Chapter 242: The North Prince You Mentioned, Is It Lu Chen?_3 ¡°` Hmm? ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong¡¯s willow brows lifted again. It was one thing to be called Princess, but to add ¡°Your Highness¡± on top of that¡ªdid she fear others might not know she was a princess? ¡°` ¡°` At that moment, Chen Wanrong spoke, ¡°It¡¯s been over a decade since we last met, Mr. Wei. You¡¯ve changed a great deal.¡± ¡°` ¡°` Wei Siyuan replied, ¡°Compared with Your Highness, my changes are insignificant.¡± ¡°` ¡°` Seeing Wei Siyuan repeatedly address her as Princess Your Highness, Chen Wanrong could hardly bear it any longer and asked directly, ¡°Mr. Wei, why have you come to the North Prince Mansion to find me? Has something happened?¡± ¡°` ¡°` Smiling, Wei Siyuan answered, ¡°Your Highness, I did not come here specifically for you. I just happened to have business at the North Prince Mansion and took the opportunity to pay my respects to you.¡± ¡°` ¡°` This¡­ ¡°` ¡°` Hearing Wei Siyuan¡¯s response, both Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun immediately felt an ominous premonition. ¡°` ¡°` Wei Siyuan has business in the North Prince Mansion? What business could a subject of the Chen Nation possibly have at the North Prince Mansion? ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong quickly deduced the meaning behind Wei Siyuan¡¯s words and said coldly, ¡°You, have you betrayed the Chen Nation?¡± ¡°` ¡°` As she spoke, a chill emanated from Chen Wanrong¡¯s body, and the entire courtyard turned extremely cold, as though a layer of frost had formed inside and outside the pavilion. ¡°` ¡°` Still smiling, Wei Siyuan replied, ¡°What are you saying, Your Highness? I have never betrayed the Chen Nation. After all, the Wei Family and I have been with the North Prince from the very beginning.¡± ¡°` ¡°` This¡­ ¡°` ¡°` At Wei Siyuan¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were both stunned. ¡°` ¡°` Especially Chen Wanrong, who was incredibly shocked in her heart. ¡°` ¡°` The North Prince¡¯s man? ¡°` ¡°` Lu Chen¡¯s man? ¡°` ¡°` How old is Lu Chen this year? ¡°` ¡°` How could Wei Siyuan have possibly been Lu Chen¡¯s man from the start? ¡°` ¡°` Of course, Wei Siyuan knew Chen Wanrong would be baffled as to why he would say such a thing, given that Lu Chen was only eighteen this year, and the Wei Family had been in the Chen Nation since its inception, with a history in the Chen Nation that was almost a century old. ¡°` ¡°` Even though Chen Wanrong was perplexed, there were some secrets that Wei Siyuan could not casually reveal to her. His main purpose was to clarify his stance to Chen Wanrong. Other matters were not his to disclose to her. ¡°` ¡°` After Wei Siyuan finished speaking, the Yunrong Courtyard became eerily silent, and the sound of fish flipping over the water¡¯s surface in the lotus pond seemed exceptionally loud. ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong had never imagined that Wei Siyuan would turn out to be Lu Chen¡¯s man. ¡°` ¡°` After a long pause, Chen Wanrong confirmed, ¡°The North Prince you mentioned, is it Lu Chen?¡± ¡°` ¡°` What Chen Wanrong was thinking was that perhaps the North Prince Wei Siyuan spoke of was not Lu Chen but someone else. The title of North Prince was just a princely title that anyone could use, and perhaps there had been a North Prince from Great Sum whom they did not know about. ¡°` ¡°` However, at that moment, Wei Siyuan said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°` ¡°` Seeing Wei Siyuan confirm it, Chen Wanrong¡¯s expression grew even colder. The loyal retainer of the Chen Nation she always believed in, the crucial force she had been waiting for to help her restore her country, now came to tell her they were Lu Chen¡¯s men? ¡°` ¡°` What kind of joke was this? ¡°` ¡°` After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, Chen Wanrong finally spoke coldly, ¡°The Wei Family almost faced extermination for the sake of the Chen Nation, and now you tell me that from the start you have been the North Prince¡¯s men? Was the North Prince even born at that time?¡± ¡°` ¡°` Wei Siyuan sensed Chen Wanrong¡¯s anger and the mounting chill, yet his expression remained unchanged. Smiling, he replied, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s true the Wei Family has sacrificed much for the Chen Nation. However, that was merely to repay the Chen Nation. There are some matters I cannot reveal to Your Highness, but I can tell you this¡ªthe Wei Family has only ever had one master from the beginning: the North Prince.¡± ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong stated, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that when I arrived in the North Country, the Wei Family told the North Prince everything about me?¡± ¡°` ¡°` Wei Siyuan replied, ¡°That¡¯s not the case. This is the first time I have been to the North Prince Mansion, and today is also the first time I have met the North Prince. However, from my earlier conversation with the North Prince, he indeed knew about your identity long ago.¡± ¡°` ¡°` ¡°It was the North Prince¡¯s wish that I meet with you now.¡± ¡°` ¡°` The silence lingered once again. ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong did not believe Wei Siyuan would take her for a fool with his bizarre tale. Lu Chen had not even been born when the Wei Family became his people. Such a story could only fool a simpleton. ¡°` ¡°` Yet with Lu Chen, the more it defied common sense, the more likely it was to be true. ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun had been in the North Country for so long, and had witnessed Lu Chen¡¯s many miracles. They had also heard the rumors about Lu Chen being a disciple of an immortal. ¡°` ¡°` Combined with Chen Wanrong¡¯s own experience of having an exceptionally skilled mentor and having seen many of the world¡¯s wonders, she was quick to accept Wei Siyuan¡¯s words. ¡°` ¡°` If what Wei Siyuan said was true, then it meant someone was paving the way for Lu Chen even before his birth. ¡°` ¡°` Thinking this over, everything that occurred after Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in the North Country seemed to be orchestrated by an invisible hand. Lu Chen might not be just an ordinary prince, and with the rumors of him being a disciple of an immortal, his identity seemed even more extraordinary. ¡°` ¡°` What kind of force lay behind Lu Chen? ¡°` ¡°` Chen Wanrong suddenly felt helpless, as if she had hit a thick wall. ¡°` ¡°` The closest person to her, Lin Wanyun, had been manipulated by Lu Chen, and now Wei Siyuan was telling her that the important force she had been awaiting for the restoration of her country was also Lu Chen¡¯s men. ¡°` ¡°` Ever since arriving in the North Country, she felt as if the world revolved around this man, Lu Chen. ¡°` ¡°` Seeing that Chen Wanrong remained silent for a long time, Wei Siyuan continued, ¡°Your Highness, there is no need for you and the North Prince to be adversaries. Although he is the child of the Sum Emperor, he is not only the Sum Emperor¡¯s child. You share many common interests, and as far as I know, his mother is the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and he is the God¡¯s Son of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± ¡°` ¡°` At these words, Chen Wanrong¡¯s voice turned icy, ¡°You needn¡¯t advocate for him. You may leave now.¡± ¡°` Chapter 360 - Chapter 360: Chapter 244 Love Worm Turns into Butterfly_1 Chapter 360: Chapter 244 Love Worm Turns into Butterfly_1 North Prince Mansion. Tonight was Lin Wanyun¡¯s duty. After patrolling the courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion several times, she returned to Yunrong Courtyard. She had wanted to find Lu Chen to talk, to ask him what he planned to do. However, when she had gone to the study earlier, she found no candlelight there; Lu Chen must have gone to one of his wives or consorts to sleep. Not having found Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun had no choice but to return to Yunrong Courtyard. She sat in the pavilion, watching the moonlight this evening and couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Lu Chen was Chu Yue¡¯s son; Chu Yue was her sworn sister through a pact of sisterhood, and Chen Wanrong was the child she had picked up and raised. Now she had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman. The relationships among them were far too complicated, and she did not wish to see anyone get hurt. But she was well aware of the deep hatred Chen Wanrong harbored in her heart for the Sum Emperor who had led his troops in annihilating Chen Nation and slaughtered its royal family. With such deep-seated vengeance, it was not so easy for Chen Wanrong to let go. Thinking of this, Lin Wanyun sighed again in her heart, and at that moment, she turned her head to look at Chen Wanrong¡¯s room. To her surprise, there was no candlelight in Chen Wanrong¡¯s room tonight. What could this mean? Under normal circumstances, the candle in Chen Wanrong¡¯s room would burn from evening until morning. Only when Chen Wanrong was not in her room would there be no light. The thought crossed Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind¡ªcould it be that Rongrong had gone out? Immediately, Lin Wanyun approached the entrance to Chen Wanrong¡¯s room and tentatively called out, ¡°Palace Master, are you in there?¡± No answer came from the room after her words fell. Lin Wanyun called out once more, but still, no response. Clearly, Chen Wanrong was not inside. Anxiety surged in Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart. Where could she have gone at this late hour? ¡­ Meanwhile. Mysterious Moon Tavern, south of the city. In a room on the third floor, two figures overlapped, and after an indiscernible amount of time, Lu Chen slowly got up and looked at Chen Wanrong as she was now. Chen Wanrong¡¯s beautiful eyes seemed to contain springs of crystal-clear, glistening water, pure and moving. Her tender, beautiful face, paired with pink lips, delicate nose, and exquisite chin, bore a touch of flush, irresistibly provoking one¡¯s desire to conquer her. But Lu Chen had not engaged in the act of man and woman with her just now; he had only kissed her. As Lu Chen got up, Chen Wanrong¡¯s mind became significantly clearer. This was her first time being so close to a man. She thought that Lu Chen would directly do that with her, the way he had done to Lin Wanyun in the study. However, Lu Chen did not directly take ownership of her body, but rather, his hands roamed over her and he kissed her fervently. Even though they did not go through with that act, her body experienced unusual sensations. The moment she came into contact with Lu Chen¡¯s body, her face became extremely hot, her blood boiled, and her heart pounded madly. Realizing the abnormality in her body, Chen Wanrong immediately tried to harness her skill to calm herself down, only to discover that the skill within her had vanished without a trace. Without her skill, she was totally unable to resist those strange sensations. Seeing Chen Wanrong with seductive eyes, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Chen Wanrong was different from the former Bai Qingqing. Both were ice beauties, but Bai Qingqing had lost her emotions and thus always had an expressionless face. Chen Wanrong was different. Although she always appeared cold, it was due to the deep hatred in her heart and living in a place like Mysterious Moon Palace that caused her to show no other expressions; it did not mean she lacked feelings at all. If Chen Wanrong were truly devoid of emotions, she wouldn¡¯t have thought of revenge. It was precisely because she was an emotional being, combined with Lu Chen¡¯s methods of dealing with women, that Chen Wanrong¡¯s mind quickly became muddled. Now she only felt extremely uncomfortable in her body. Seeing Lu Chen stare at her so intently, with a hint of a playful smile on his face, Chen Wanrong realized the reason why Lu Chen did not directly do that act with her. With a flushed face, she said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re humiliating me.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Humiliate? How could this be called humiliation? I am just proving that women are like men.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen reached out and stroked Chen Wanrong¡¯s exquisite chin. Chen Wanrong immediately turned her face away, saying no more. Seeing Chen Wanrong still so defiant, Lu Chen chuckled and then straightened her head to kiss her once again. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± At this very moment, in a corner of the room, a caterpillar slowly made its way onto the table, raising its head to feel the cool moonlight streaming through the window. After a while, the caterpillar ceased its movement; its skin hardened into a shell. Soon, a pair of beautiful wings burst forth, aglow with myriad colors, and the caterpillar ¨C now a magnificent Pair-Wing Butterfly ¨C took to the air. The butterfly flitted through the air, its shimmering wings scattering luminous, golden dust, just like the stars in the sky. At the next moment, beside the pillow on the bed, a little porcelain bottle¡¯s lid was nudged open, and another caterpillar crawled out from it. Chapter 361 - Chapter 361: Chapter 244 Love Worm Turns into Butterfly_2 Chapter 361: Chapter 244 Love Worm Turns into Butterfly_2 The butterfly in the room, upon seeing that caterpillar, immediately flew to the head of the bed and then took the caterpillar into the moonlight. Before long, the caterpillar also transformed into a stunning butterfly, its body radiating even more beautiful light. Afterward, the two butterflies fluttered about the room, their wing powder filling the entire space. Lu Chen, who was fervently stirring Chen Wanrong¡¯s emotions at that moment, also noticed the anomaly in the room. He got up again and turned his head to look aside. Seeing two iridescent butterflies flitting about in the room, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback. Could these butterflies be some kind of poisonous insects? Lu Chen then asked in his mind, ¡°System, what is the name of these butterflies?¡± ¡°Pair-Wing Butterfly, the powder on the Pair-Wing Butterfly¡¯s body can cause men and women to become lost in the cultivation of feelings for each other.¡± Hearing the system¡¯s notification, Lu Chen thought to himself, so these are the Pair-Wing Butterflies. He had initially thought that Chen Wanrong was preparing some poisonous insect again, still not giving up on using it against him. After returning to his senses, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Chen Wanrong. At this time, her snowy white neck had also turned crimson, her eyes foggy. She bit her silver teeth lightly, her delicate body twisting nonstop, as if she was enduring something. Lu Chen paused for a second, unable to help but wonder, could it be that the powder from the Pair-Wing Butterflies has affected her? Even though the powder of the Pair-Wing Butterflies was ineffective on him, anyone who was touched by the Pair-Wing Butterfly powder would be attracted to another who had also been touched by it. Now, these two butterflies were flying about in the room, and their wing powder had already been scattered over his body, while Chen Wanrong had also come into contact with it. Seeing this, Lu Chen smiled. He then leaned down and whispered into her ear, ¡°Rongrong, tell me, what do you want to do?¡± As soon as Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, Chen Wanrong suddenly raised her jade arm, wrapped it around his neck, and kissed him, taking him by surprise. Chen Wanrong¡¯s kiss completely stripped away Lu Chen¡¯s last shred of rationality. ¡­ At dawn, the sun rose in the east. Yunrong Courtyard. Lin Wanyun sat in the pavilion with a worried expression on her face. She had been waiting there all night, but Chen Wanrong had still not returned. She had no idea where she had gone. In the past, even if Chen Wanrong went out, she would definitely tell her where she was going, but she hadn¡¯t last night, which made Lin Wanyun very anxious. Lin Wanyun couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that Rongrong went to find Lu Chen last night? After all, Lu Chen had already let Wei Siyuan convey those words to Chen Wanrong, which means he was ready to clear the air. Chen Wanrong must have known what Lu Chen was thinking. At that moment, a maid entered the Yunrong Courtyard, ¡°Commander Lin,¡± she greeted. Lin Wanyun came back to her senses, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The maid asked, ¡°Commander Lin, did you see the Prince last night? The Princess prepared porridge for the Prince, but after searching the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion, the Prince is nowhere to be found. Commander Chu asked me to inquire with you.¡± The ¡°Commander Chu¡± the maid referred to was naturally Chu Qingli. Both Lin Wanyun and Chu Qingli were very clear that they were both Lu Chen¡¯s women. Therefore, Chu Qingli supposed that if Lu Chen was not in any of his concubines¡¯ rooms, he was probably in the Yunrong Courtyard seeking pleasures. After hearing the maid¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It¡¯s over¡­ Rongrong isn¡¯t in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, neither is Lu Chen¡­ They have most likely found a place to negotiate. That scoundrel Lu Chen, faced with such a beautiful woman like Chen Wanrong, how could he possibly resist? Moreover, Lu Chen is a Grandmaster, and Chen Wanrong is only a Grandmaster. If Lu Chen were to force himself, she might not be able to fight back. Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart became even more anxious. But being anxious now seemed to be of no use since she had no idea where they went to negotiate last night. Lin Wanyun then said to the maid, ¡°I don¡¯t know where the Prince has gone, but he must have had something to do to leave.¡± The maid then said, ¡°Understood. I apologize for the disturbance, I shall take my leave.¡± Afterward, as the maid turned and left, Lin Wanyun, with a solemn look, muttered to herself, ¡°You little bastard, if you dare to do that kind of thing to Rongrong, I will never let you off.¡± What Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t know at that moment was that Lu Chen was struggling with all he had. The fairy¡¯s moans completely overwhelmed his senses. ¡­ The sun gradually moved to the center of the blue sky, its golden rays filtering through the gaps in the windows into the room. The sunlight passing through the gaps formed beams of light, within one of which the Pair-Wing Butterflies that had hatched last night were positioned tail to tail, with one butterfly overlapping the other. At the same time. On the bed. Lu Chen slowly got up, looking at the fairy with whom he had cultivated feelings all night long. Chen Wanrong looked at Lu Chen with a flushed face and cold indifference, then coldly said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you getting up yet?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°The matter isn¡¯t over; I can¡¯t get up yet.¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t pay attention to Lu Chen¡¯s words, instead she asked, ¡°When do you plan to let Madam Lin leave?¡± Lu Chen shamelessly said, ¡°She¡¯s already my woman; I can¡¯t possibly let her go.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, ¡°Are you going back on your word?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I never claimed to be a good person. It¡¯s normal for me not to keep my word. I will not only not let her leave, but from today on, you won¡¯t be able to leave either.¡± Chapter 362 - Chapter 362: Chapter 244 Love Worm Turns into Butterfly_3 Chapter 362: Chapter 244 Love Worm Turns into Butterfly_3 For the fairy before him, Lu Chen¡¯s possessiveness had reached its peak. Yesterday, he still harbored thoughts of letting her go but after he touched Chen Wanrong, the idea of letting her leave vanished completely from his heart. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong was slightly stupefied; she hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to be so shameless. Just as she was about to say something, Lu Chen leaned down and kissed her again. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Chen Wanrong made sounds of protest with her mouth, but soon she gave up struggling. ¡­ Noon. Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Chen Wanrong¡¯s slender waist, lying on his side, and buried his head in her lush hair. Chen Wanrong felt helpless against Lu Chen. She thought that, as a Grandmaster herself, she could withstand the pressure from Lu Chen, but her skill was sealed. With her skill gone, she couldn¡¯t shield any of her sensations, and even though she tried to control herself, she eventually became just like Lin Wanyun. In a powerless voice, Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°What do you want ¡­?¡± A whole night had passed, and now a morning, yet Lu Chen still wouldn¡¯t let her go. Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen just quietly held her delicate body, making no other moves. Lu Chen felt he had fallen, completely intoxicated by the land of tenderness. Chen Wanrong, with a beauty score of ninety-eight, was indeed a fairy; anyone who touched her found it impossible to extricate themselves. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen finally whispered in Chen Wanrong¡¯s ear, ¡°I want you to stay by my side until you carry my child.¡± Hearing that, Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid my master will find out about this?¡± Yesterday, Lu Chen said he was afraid of her master, but today he began acting shamelessly, refusing to let Lin Wanyun leave, and even coercing her to stay herself. As Lu Chen gently caressed her jade back, he said, ¡°It¡¯s better to die under a peony flower and be a ghost of love. From now on, you shall be my wife.¡± Seeing Lu Chen so determined, Chen Wanrong felt completely out of options. She then spoke, ¡°The Sum Emperor and I have a blood feud. Keeping me in the North Prince Mansion is not good for you.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°How is it not good? Haven¡¯t I already benefited now?¡± Chen Wanrong did not speak again; she understood that Lu Chen would not let her go. After last night¡¯s events, she gradually came to believe that the Love Worm poison Lu Chen spoke of might truly exist. If there was no Love Worm, how could touching Lu Chen render her powerless and make her act shamelessly like Lin Wanyun? But for the person she had become, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. Her body had already been taken by this shameless man; why should she care about the Love Worm? At this moment, she also discovered a serious problem. The hatred that had been suppressed in her heart seemed to have dissipated like smoke, and even her desire to seek revenge on the Sum Emperor had faded considerably. Chen Wanrong began to doubt if she had been confused; she couldn¡¯t believe that sleeping with Lu Chen for one night could so easily erase her past hatreds. This man¡¯s methods of dealing with women were truly terrifying. No wonder Lin Wanyun sneaked around time and again to do those unspeakable acts with him. But as the hatred faded, Chen Wanrong felt lost. She had grown up sustained by the hatred in her heart, but now that it had faded, she wondered what the meaning of all her years of effort was if not for revenge, if not to restore her nation. Amidst Chen Wanrong¡¯s confusion, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Look at the Pair-Wing Butterflies on the table. Don¡¯t they resemble us now?¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s gaze shifted to the table in the room, and when she saw the two Pair-Wing Butterflies, she was momentarily stunned. Why were there Pair-Wing Butterflies in this room? No wonder she had acted so crazed last night that she forgot her own surname; it turned out that a Pair-Wing Butterfly had appeared in the room. With her skills restricted, she was unable to resist the effects of the powder from the butterfly wings, which was why she had become so shameless. Wait a second¡­ These Pair-Wing Butterflies¡­ Chen Wanrong suddenly felt that the aura of these two butterflies was somewhat familiar. Were these the Love Worms she had cultivated? How had they hatched? Her master once told her, if the Love Worm turned into a butterfly, it might backlash against the person who deployed it. Initially, her master taught her how to cultivate the Love Worm so that in the future, she wouldn¡¯t be trapped by love. If she fancied a man, she could just use the Love Worm to take him back with her. Unexpectedly, the first time she cultivated the Love Worm and used it on someone, it turned into a butterfly. Continuing to tempt her with his words beside her ear, Lu Chen said, ¡°Your Love Worm failed, but you can become the worm, making me unable to leave you.¡± ¡°You are the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, and I am God¡¯s Son of the Mysterious Moon Palace. In terms of status, there doesn¡¯t seem to be anything wrong with us being together.¡± At this point, Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°My master was right, men are adept at sweet talk.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°This is not sweet talk.¡± Chen Wanrong, expressionless, said, ¡°The Love Worm cannot leave its host for life. Do you want to trap me by your side forever?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I don¡¯t have such thoughts. Whether you want revenge or to restore your nation, I don¡¯t care. You can still do what you want to do, but the condition is, you must bear my children.¡± Chen Wanrong reminded him, ¡°The Sum Emperor is your biological father.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s no kinship in the royal family, and my mother¡¯s death wasn¡¯t without his involvement. To tell you the truth, his life or death doesn¡¯t concern me much.¡± Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°Then what if I want to use your blood to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell? Would you agree?¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°You have to tell me what the Subtle Dragon Spell is first.¡± The two of them chatted back and forth, and for a while, Chen Wanrong seemed to forget that they were still engaging in the same act as the Pair-Wing Butterflies. Chapter 363 - Chapter 363: Chapter 245: The Flowers I Picked from Yunrong Courtyard_1 Chapter 363: Chapter 245: The Flowers I Picked from Yunrong Courtyard_1 When Lu Chen first met Chen Wanrong, he learned of the Subtle Dragon Spell through her personal files, but he never understood in detail what the Subtle Dragon Spell actually was. He just knew that the Subtle Dragon Spell was meant to be used against his own father, the Emperor. Seeing Lu Chen inquiring about the Subtle Dragon Spell, Chen Wanrong then counter-asked, ¡°How much do you know about your father, the Emperor?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I can¡¯t say I understand him.¡± Lu Chen only knew that the Sum Emperor was an ambitious Emperor; beyond that, he had no impression of him. He had seen the Sum Emperor only a few times from childhood to adulthood, and he had even almost forgotten what the Emperor looked like now. At this time, Chen Wanrong said, ¡°He is a Grandmaster.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s mind went blank. Grandmaster? The Sum Emperor is a Grandmaster? How is that possible? In this world, Grandmasters are generally in their eighties, nineties, or over a hundred. How old is the Sum Emperor this year, and how could he possibly be a Grandmaster? Lu Chen found it hard to believe. Although Lu Chen himself was a Grandmaster, after all, he was a man with a system. The Emperor was a native of this world, and without a system, how could he have broken through to the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age? Speaking of the Emperor, Lu Chen thought of another individual, the mysterious Great Yue Empress, who was also rumored to possibly be a Grandmaster. That Empress was even younger. If she could be a Grandmaster, then it was not particularly strange for the Sum Emperor to be one as well. With this in mind, Lu Chen accepted the news, but he still felt extremely surprised. He had always thought that the Sum Emperor was a Master, at most at the peak of the Master Realm. It wasn¡¯t just him; almost everyone on the Great Sum court believed he was only a Master. It turned out that the Emperor had kept such a deep secret. Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°How did you find out?¡± No one on the court of the Great Sum knew that the Emperor¡¯s Realm was that of a Grandmaster, but the Mysterious Moon Palace did, which made Lu Chen very curious about where they got their intelligence from. Chen Wanrong did not directly answer Lu Chen¡¯s question. She started by saying, ¡°The Emperor has a Sacred Artifact from the Mysterious Moon Palace in his possession. The person who obtains this Sacred Artifact will see a significant improvement in strength. He plotted to kill your mother back then to acquire this Sacred Artifact.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen thought to himself, a Sacred Artifact? How many good things does the Mysterious Moon Palace have? He had heard from his grandfather that his mother brought back a very terrifying weapon to the Chu Family years ago. Because of that weapon, the Chu Family was torn apart; he hadn¡¯t realized that in addition to such a deadly weapon, the Mysterious Moon Palace also had something that could directly enhance someone¡¯s strength. The origins of the Mysterious Moon Palace must not be simple. Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°Besides being able to help someone gradually improve their strength, that Sacred Artifact can also significantly boost a Martial Artist¡¯s strength in the short term. The Emperor is already at the Grandmaster Realm, and once he uses the Sacred Artifact, his strength can at least temporarily rise to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°The Subtle Dragon Spell can restrict his inner skill. As long as the Subtle Dragon Spell is cast on him, his skill will be sealed. Even if he uses the Sacred Artifact, he will not be able to unleash his true strength.¡± Hearing what Chen Wanrong said, Lu Chen finally understood why she was willing to stay so long in the North Prince Mansion and wanted to obtain his blood to refine the Subtle Dragon Spell. However, it made him somewhat conflicted. No matter what, the Sum Emperor was his biological father. Although this biological father never cared about his life or death and even killed his mother, he was still related to him by blood. If he were to help Chen Wanrong and the others refine the Subtle Dragon Spell, wouldn¡¯t that be a little too ¡°devotedly filial¡±? But if he did not help Chen Wanrong and the others, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were going to be his women in the future, his own people, even without blood ties. Once they entered the North Prince Mansion, they would be his for life. As Chen Wanrong¡¯s darling, he was supposed to help her with her vengeance. After thinking it over, Lu Chen finally said, ¡°I can¡¯t help you with refining the Subtle Dragon Spell, but if you want to seek revenge against my father, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong fell silent; she had guessed that Lu Chen would definitely not want to cooperate with them. No matter how the Emperor treated the North Prince, the Emperor was still the North Prince¡¯s biological father. Now it seemed that if she wanted to refine the Subtle Dragon Spell, she could only go to the South to find Lu Shuyun. Lu Shuyun had already rebelled; he was surely aiming for the throne. For Lu Shuyun to obtain the throne, defeating the imperial army wasn¡¯t enough; he had to overcome this final hurdle with the Emperor. If the Emperor didn¡¯t die and used the power of the Sacred Artifact to reach the Heavenly Human Realm, he could easily suppress the rebellion. By that time, even if the rebels entered the Capital city, their efforts would likely be in vain. At this point, Chen Wanrong said, ¡°I can bear you children, as long as you allow me to go to the South.¡± As she spoke these words, Chen Wanrong felt her cheeks getting hot. She hadn¡¯t imagined there would come a day when she would use bearing children as a bargaining chip. Hearing what Chen Wanrong said, Lu Chen chuckled, then whispered in her ear, ¡°Are you planning to seek cooperation with Lu Shuyun?¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t hide any longer. She said directly, ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°I won¡¯t let you leave for the time being. You have to stay in the North Prince Mansion for the next six months.¡± Chapter 364 - Chapter 364: Chapter 245: The Flowers I Picked from Yunrong Courtyard_2 Chapter 364: Chapter 245: The Flowers I Picked from Yunrong Courtyard_2 Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too domineering?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Domineering? You were my enemy before, and now that I¡¯ve captured you, it¡¯s only natural for me to confine and punish you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chen Wanrong said no more. She knew that anything she said was useless; this man had never intended to let her go from the start. Now, she could only wait for the elders of Mysterious Moon Palace to rescue her. Although she was not on the same side as those elders, she was, after all, the Palace Master, and as a disciple of an Honorable, they would likely come to her aid, given that she had not returned for so long. Just as Chen Wanrong was thinking this, Lu Chen said, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need for you to concoct the Subtle Dragon Spell to deal with my father. As long as your strength is sufficient, neither a Grandmaster nor someone in the Heavenly Human Realm would be your match.¡± Chen Wanrong remained silent. Lu Chen was stating the obvious. If she truly had that power, would she still need to concoct a Subtle Dragon Spell? She would have already stormed into the Great Sum Imperial Palace and killed the Sum Emperor. For her to surpass the Sum Emperor¡¯s strength could take decades, not to mention whether or not the Sum Emperor¡¯s power might further increase. To wait decades for her revenge was torture to her. Even now, she was haunted in her dreams by the massacre of Chen Nation¡¯s capital city every night. If she gave up on revenge, she might never be able to let go of the events she experienced as a child. Unable to settle the affairs of the mortal world, she found it impossible to quiet her mind for cultivation. She could clearly feel that her progression had nearly stalled. In fact, she had broken through to the Master Realm years ago, but since then, her level had remained stagnant, and her cultivation was always interrupted by memories of the massacres. Without resolving her hatred, how could she advance any further? Seeing that Chen Wanrong remained silent, Lu Chen wrapped his arm around her waist, flipped over, and pinned her down once more. Chen Wanrong was stunned for a moment. Was Lu Chen even human? Although it was her first time being intimate with a man, she had learned all sorts of knowledge in the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s library. She couldn¡¯t understand men like Lu Chen. While Chen Wanrong helplessly tolerated Lu Chen¡¯s actions, suddenly, she felt a surge of power enter her body. The skill that had disappeared from her body was instantly revived; however, she still couldn¡¯t use it to counter Lu Chen and was forced to endure everything he was doing. But the circulation of skill in her body quickly caused her Realm to fluctuate, and as she was already at the peak of the Master Realm, if her level rose any further, she would reach the Grandmaster Realm. Chen Wanrong was utterly astounded. How could this be possible? Although she was curious about how Lu Chen did it, she was now past caring, as Lu Chen took control of her body again. The two were unaware that Lin Wanyun was already worried sick. Neither had returned for a whole night, and now a morning had passed without their return. Even if Lin Wanyun was naive, she could guess what Lu Chen was doing. But guessing was of no use; she had no idea where the two had gone. After an unknown amount of time, a chill suddenly erupted from Chen Wanrong¡¯s body, causing Lu Chen, who was embracing her, to shiver with cold. In order to alleviate the cold, Lu Chen could only hold Chen Wanrong tightly. Chen Wanrong was somewhat dazed at this time. Her consciousness had fully returned, and seeing the man lying on top of her, Chen Wanrong was a bit lost. How did he do it? Why was he able to help her break through to the Grandmaster Realm? It wasn¡¯t that Lu Chen stumbled upon her breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm by chance, but rather, he had sensed the accumulation of Spiritual Power within her, what Martial Artists often referred to as skill. Chen Wanrong was already on the verge of the Grandmaster¡¯s strength; she was just one step away from breaking through, so Lu Chen decided to help her. The Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill was indeed effective, helping Chen Wanrong break through with ease. At that moment, Lu Chen propped up his upper body, looked into Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes with a smile, and said, ¡°Now that I¡¯ve helped you break through to the Grandmaster Realm, as a way to thank me, shouldn¡¯t you bear me a few dozen children?¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong blushed and remained silent, yet she still gazed at Lu Chen¡¯s eyes tenderly, not avoiding him this time. The fairy who was cold as ice yesterday now resembled a delicate little wife. Lu Chen continued, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m somewhat regretting helping you reach the Grandmaster Realm. The higher the Realm, the harder it is to conceive children. Now that we¡¯re both at the Grandmaster Realm, it could take years of cohabitation before it¡¯s possible for us to have a child.¡± Chen Wanrong felt a shock in her heart upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words. Grandmaster¡­ No wonder the Love Worm had no effect on Lu Chen last night; it turned out Lu Chen had already broken through to the Grandmaster Realm. She knew something was different about Lu Chen recently; his aura had changed significantly. At this point, Chen Wanrong asked with a blushing face, ¡°Just who are you exactly?¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and then replied, ¡°Your darling!¡± ¡°My dear wife, now you surely won¡¯t think about leaving the North Prince Mansion, right?¡± Chapter 365 - Chapter 365: Chapter 245: The Flowers I Picked from Yunrong Courtyard_3 Chapter 365: Chapter 245: The Flowers I Picked from Yunrong Courtyard_3 Chen Wanrong countered, ¡°Are you really not going to stop me from seeking revenge?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s definitive answer, Chen Wanrong finally made a decision. She gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s profound eyes and said calmly, ¡°After the child turns fifteen, I will return to Mysterious Moon Palace to continue my cultivation.¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s words carried two pieces of information: one, she would not marry Lu Chen, and two, she was willing to have a child with him. Honestly, Lu Chen didn¡¯t care at all about whether Chen Wanrong wanted to return to Mysterious Moon Palace or not. Once his strength was strong enough, even stronger than the Honorable One of Mysterious Moon Palace, he could visit Mysterious Moon Palace every day to cultivate his relationship with Chen Wanrong without any issues. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then what if our first child isn¡¯t yet fifteen and you become pregnant again? What then?¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s complexion became even more flushed. She turned her head away and then said, ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it when the time comes.¡± Seeing the fairy¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t resist. He leaned down once again and kissed her tender red lips. At that moment, a trace of resentment appeared in Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart. This man was truly too domineering; he¡¯d been like this with her the first time, and she didn¡¯t know how he would play with her in the future at the North Prince Mansion. Now, not only had her plan failed, but she had also gotten herself involved. She couldn¡¯t help wondering if her decision to come to the North Prince Mansion had been right or wrong. ¡­ When Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen returned, it was already around two or three in the afternoon. Lu Chen¡¯s prolonged absence had caused all the women in the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to become anxious. He usually wouldn¡¯t leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion for so long. It was one thing for him to be away for a night, but now it was almost evening, and Lu Chen had yet to return. Moreover, not many people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion knew where he had gone. Previously, Lu Chen would always inform someone at the Prince¡¯s Mansion about his destinations so that Mu Zixuan and the others, when they asked, could have an idea of his whereabouts and be reassured. At this moment. All of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were waiting anxiously in the main hall of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Zhou Youyou, holding a child, said, ¡°The Prince is so powerful; surely nothing could have happened to him, right?¡± Yelv Nanyan spoke up, ¡°Whenever the Prince went somewhere in the past, he would remind Xiao Huan or tell a maid, but this time, he didn¡¯t inform anyone. I¡¯m afraid something must have happened to him.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan¡¯s expression showed her worry. However, Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chen¡¯er will be fine. Currently, in the North Country, there are very few people who can harm him. He probably had some important matter and left in a hurry, which is why he forgot to tell a maid about his whereabouts.¡± Lu Chen was now at the Grandmaster Realm. There was nobody in this world who could silently take away a Grandmaster unless he left of his own accord. Clearly, Lu Chen had left the North Prince Mansion on his own. Just as Mu Zixuan and the others were worrying about and comforting one another regarding Lu Chen, a maid rushed into the great hall and said, ¡°Madam, the Prince has returned!¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan immediately handed the child she was holding to the wet nurse and then led Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines outside. At that moment, Lu Chen was standing at the entrance of the main courtyard, checking the system notifications from the previous night and thinking about how to surprise his wives and concubines. [Congratulations, Host, for adding a new wife and concubine. Reward: Glassmaking technology.] [For cultivating feelings with a wife and concubine, Qi Refinement Mantra experience increases by 10,000, Rejuvenating Skill experience increases by 10,000, Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill experience increases by 10,000, Absorption Technique experience increases by 10,000, Shadow Shifting experience increases by 10,000, Shadow Shifting breaks through to the third level. The host receives an Emotional Crit, doubling all experience points.] [For being spiritually attuned with a wife and concubine, reward: 10 Preserving Beauty Pills.] Seeing this full page of system notifications, Lu Chen¡¯s smile was radiant. With the glassmaking technology, the paper windows of the Prince¡¯s Mansion could be replaced. From now on, it would not be so easy for someone to peep into the rooms by poking through the paper windows. Of course, this was just one use of glass. Glass had various applications, such as glass cups, bottles, and the creation of various exquisite glass products, making it a profitable technology. While glass had many uses, what excited Lu Chen even more were the Preserving Beauty Pills. Lu Chen then checked the effects of the Preserving Beauty Pills. [Preserving Beauty Pill: Upon consumption, one can remain forever young, only the hair will turn white.] No woman doesn¡¯t wish to stay forever young and beautiful. These Preserving Beauty Pills were extremely important to the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, especially the ordinary people like Mu Zixuan and the sisters from Dazhou and Xiaozhou. Yelv Nanyan and the others were Martial Artists. As Martial Artists progress to a certain Realm, they don¡¯t age as easily. But ordinary people are different; without skill within their bodies, they age very quickly. Although Lu Chen had recently been using the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill to help Mu Zixuan and the others cultivate, their cultivation speed was relatively slow. Mu Zixuan had always been worried about what to do if her Cultivation State hadn¡¯t improved and she could no longer maintain her youthful beauty before aging set in. Now with the Preserving Beauty Pills, they no longer had to worry about aging. While Lu Chen was absorbed in the system interface, Mu Zixuan appeared in front of him with a group of his wives and concubines. At that moment, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, you¡¯ve finally returned.¡± Chu Yuqin added from the side, ¡°Chen¡¯er, when you go out, you should at least inform someone in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Zixuan and the others have been extremely worried.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen snapped back to reality and said with a smile, ¡°Sorry, I was in a bit of a rush when I went out last night and forgot to tell someone. Just then, Mu Zixuan suddenly caught a whiff of a faint fragrance on Lu Chen, a scent she was particularly sensitive to, and immediately realized that it didn¡¯t belong to any of the women present. Gazing at Lu Chen with a wistful expression, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince, with so many sisters in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, why did you go out to pick wildflowers?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected Mu Zixuan¡¯s sense of smell to be so sharp. Then Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°What wildflowers? What I picked was from the Yunrong Courtyard.¡± Chapter 366 - Chapter 366: Chapter 246 Rumor_1 Chapter 366: Chapter 246 Rumor_1 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, the women were taken aback for a moment, before they quickly realized what was happening. Yunrong Courtyard? Isn¡¯t that Chen Wanrong? Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, on gaining another beauty.¡± Lu Chen just smiled. Chu Qingli was staring at Lu Chen with a deep gaze at that moment. She couldn¡¯t help but think, another beauty? This scoundrel hasn¡¯t just gained one beauty; he had already devoured Lin Wanyun completely, and now he had taken Chen Wanrong as well. Now Lu Chen had added two more women to his list. This scoundrel truly is audacious to the extreme, even daring to touch the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace. The Mysterious Moon Palace is not just any power; there are rumors that the Mysterious Moon Palace has long had beings who have broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Lu Chen really isn¡¯t afraid of death. If he brings Chen Wanrong¡¯s master here, I¡¯d like to see how he manages that situation. No, I must hurry and complete the transaction with Lu Chen, then take my sister and run away, to avoid being implicated by this scoundrel. Thinking this, Chu Qingli began to calculate in her heart how many times she had already traded with Lu Chen. After thinking for a while, Chu Qingli was slightly stunned; she seemed to have forgotten just how many times she had traded with Lu Chen. This¡­ How could she have forgotten such a thing? Now she was in trouble. What if she had already fulfilled the hundred times without knowing it and foolishly went to Lu Chen for another trade? Chu Qingli inwardly blamed herself for not remembering such an important matter. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, you all go and attend to your own tasks. I¡¯m going to take a bath, and later I still have state affairs to deal with.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen headed straight for his own room, and the maids of Prince¡¯s Mansion hurriedly set about preparing hot water for him. After Lu Chen left, Mu Zixuan and the others didn¡¯t disperse; instead, they returned to the main hall to continue enjoying their tea and pastries. Meanwhile, In Yunrong Courtyard. Lin Wanyun had finally waited for Chen Wanrong to return. Seeing Chen Wanrong at the entrance of the courtyard, Lin Wanyun hurriedly got up and walked towards her, ¡°Palace Master, where did you go last night? Are you alright?¡± As soon as she approached Chen Wanrong, Lin Wanyun felt the tremendous pressure emanating from her, and she suddenly froze. Grandmaster!!! Lin Wanyun said with joy, ¡°Palace Master, have you broken through to the Grandmaster Realm?!¡± Chen Wanrong was only in her twenties this year. To have broken through to the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age meant she might be able to break through to the Celestial Realm before she was forty or fifty. As far as Lin Wanyun knew, the only other person who had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age besides Lu Chen was Chen Wanrong. Lin Wanyun was genuinely happy for Chen Wanrong from the bottom of her heart. With Chen Wanrong¡¯s breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm, the chances of succeeding in their revenge had increased, and perhaps they could defeat the Sum Emperor without resorting to the Subtle Dragon Spell in the future. If they didn¡¯t refine the Subtle Dragon Spell, there wouldn¡¯t be a major conflict between them and Lu Chen. Chen Wanrong responded with a light ¡°Hmm,¡± not saying much, and she headed straight for the pavilion in the courtyard. Lin Wanyun quickly followed into the pavilion. After settling down, Chen Wanrong began, ¡°Madam Lin, I already know about the matter between you and Lu Chen.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and then her complexion turned ashen. Lin Wanyun hastily said, ¡°Palace Master, I¡­¡± Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t know how to explain. Since Chen Wanrong had not returned all of last night and brought up such a matter upon her return, it certainly meant that Chen Wanrong had seen Lu Chen last night, and he had told her everything about their affair. At this moment, Lin Wanyun was unaware that Chen Wanrong had already witnessed their indiscretions with her own eyes. ¡°Palace Master, don¡¯t believe what Lu Chen says, I had absolutely no intention of betraying you!¡± Seeing Lin Wanyun still trying to argue, Chen Wanrong, with an expressionless face, said straight away, ¡°I had already seen the two of you in the study engaging in that act a long time ago.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Lin Wanyun was at a loss for words, completely unable to argue, since Chen Wanrong had seen everything with her own eyes. Lin Wanyun was sorely anxious inside; she feared that Chen Wanrong might think she had betrayed her. At that moment, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Palace Master, I did all this out of a desperate situation.¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Madam Lin, you don¡¯t need to explain; I know you did it to get the antidote for me.¡± Relieved that Chen Wanrong knew of her dilemma, Lin Wanyun heaved a sigh of relief. As long as Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t think she had betrayed her, that was enough. Lin Wanyun breathed deeply and then asked, ¡°Palace Master, what should we do next? You must have met with him last night, right?¡± Chen Wanrong ¡°Hmm¡±ed again and continued, ¡°I have become his woman.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun was momentarily stunned, then anger surged within her. ¡°How¡­ How could this be!¡± ¡°That little scoundrel went back on his word; he had clearly promised to spare you!¡± Lin Wanyun then started walking out of the pavilion, saying as she went, ¡°I¡¯m going to seek justice from him! He¡¯s a Prince, his word should be as good as gold, yet he went back on it!¡± It was then Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Madam Lin, there¡¯s no need to be so angry; it was I who willingly gave myself to him.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Lin Wanyun was stunned yet again. She hadn¡¯t imagined that Chen Wanrong would make such a decision. Chen Wanrong went on to say, ¡°I was able to break through to the Grandmaster Realm thanks to his help.¡± A look of disbelief crossed Lin Wanyun¡¯s face as she asked, ¡°How could he possess a method to enhance someone¡¯s strength?¡± Chapter 367 - Chapter 367: Chapter 246 Rumor_2 Chapter 367: Chapter 246 Rumor_2 Chen Wanrong said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but I do know that the path he¡¯s taken is not that of a martial artist, but the path of cultivation.¡± ¡°To break through to the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age is only possible through the Daoist Immortality.¡± Lin Wanyun sighed again. Well, now both of them had been hoodwinked by that little rascal, who really seems to pick up every beautiful woman he sees. How could his vigor be so inexhaustible? Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Palace Master, has he agreed to let us leave the North Prince Mansion yet?¡± Chen Wanrong shook her head, her expression indifferent as she said, ¡°After I bear him a child, he will let me leave.¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ¡°But what about the Mysterious Moon Palace? If we don¡¯t return for a long time, I¡¯m afraid the Elders will have opinions. We have already stayed at the North Prince Mansion for such a long time.¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°I will ask him again after some time.¡± Lin Wanyun said no more. At that moment, Chen Wanrong looked at Lin Wanyun and asked, ¡°Madam Lin, what do you think? Last night he told me that he has already made contact with your Lin Family, intending to have you marry into the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± After a moment of thought, Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t know how to respond; she was equally confused. She always felt that the age gap between her and Lu Chen was too much, marrying him seemed inappropriate, and yet, it was precisely older women that this little rascal favored. Looking at the ages of the women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it seemed that every one of Lu Chen¡¯s women was older than him, even the youngest Zhou Youyou and Xiao Wenyao were older than Lu Chen. There was also Yelv Nanyan in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, who was about the same age as him. Chen Wanrong said, ¡°If you are unwilling to marry him, I will find a way to help you leave.¡± Although Chen Wanrong currently could not persuade Lu Chen to let Lin Wanyun leave the North Prince Mansion, she believed that one day she would find a condition that touched Lu Chen¡¯s heart, getting him to agree to let Lin Wanyun go. Hearing these words, Lin Wanyun hesitated for a moment, but eventually mustered the courage to say, ¡°There¡¯s no need, Palace Master. I¡¯ve decided to stay at the North Prince Mansion to bear him sons and daughters.¡± Chen Wanrong was slightly stunned; she had indeed guessed that Lin Wanyun might have developed feelings for Lu Chen, yet hearing Lin Wanyun express her decision to stay caught her by surprise. Chen Wanrong then said, ¡°I understand.¡± Since Lin Wanyun had decided to stay and bear Lu Chen¡¯s children, Chen Wanrong had nothing to prevent, as long as Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t let her down. However, Chen Wanrong still harbored some worries. Given Lu Chen¡¯s current trajectory, he would definitely become Emperor in the future, and Chen Wanrong worried that once Lin Wanyun entered the Imperial Palace, she might be neglected by Lu Chen and spend her whole life within its walls. Right now, apart from noticing that Lu Chen was quite lustful, it was still hard to discern his other characteristics, so it was difficult to say whether he would abandon his women or not. But then again, there¡¯s not much use worrying so much at this point, only when Lu Chen becomes the Emperor and possesses supreme power, can they really determine what kind of person he truly is. ¡­ Two hours later. Having bathed and changed his clothes, Lu Chen arrived at his study to deal with state affairs. Even though he had enjoyed himself last night without sleeping, Lu Chen still didn¡¯t feel too fatigued and remained energetic. Just then, the voice of a maid resounded at the door of the study, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen said directly, ¡°Let him in.¡± The next moment, Qin Yushan pushed the door and entered the study. Lu Chen asked faintly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Prince, in recent days, rumors have spread among the people of the North Country that you¡¯ve monopolized the widow of a hero who fought against the barbarians, and there are also rumors claiming you don¡¯t even spare your own aunt.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback, then put down what he was holding and looked up at Qin Yushan with a serious expression, asking, ¡°Have the sources of these rumors been clarified?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°They have, from the Chu Family.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s response, Lu Chen¡¯s face immediately darkened as he continued to ask, ¡°The Chu Family from the South, or from the North Country?¡± The Chu Family had already split, and there was now also a Chu Family in the North Country. Qin Yushan answered again, ¡°The North Country Chu Family.¡± Lu Chen fell silent. Thinking about it, it made sense. The aristocratic families of the South were currently at war with the Imperial Army under Lu Shuyun¡¯s leadership; they wouldn¡¯t have the time to send people to the North Country to spread rumors. Most likely, it was the work of the North Country Chu Family. But the North Country Chu Family had already pledged allegiance to him, and Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe that his maternal grandfather would spread such talk. It was quite clear that Chu Xiong supported the idea of Chu Yuqin becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman. If Chu Yuqin became his woman, it would create another connection for the North Country¡¯s Chu Family, even though Chu Yuqin and the Chu Family were not related by blood. This was similar to the situation with Lin Wanyun and the Lin Family: Lin Wanyun had no blood relation to the Lin Family, but Lin Gaoyuan still wanted Lin Wanyun to be a link to the North Prince Mansion. After thinking for a while, Lu Chen said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Don¡¯t hand this matter over to the Brocade Guard to investigate. Go to the Chu Family yourself, and tell them what you¡¯ve found. My maternal grandfather will know what to do.¡± Qin Yushan said, ¡°Your subordinate understands. I will go now.¡± Chapter 368 - Chapter 368: Chapter 246 Rumor_3 Chapter 368: Chapter 246 Rumor_3 ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± As the words fell, Qin Yushan turned and left. Watching Qin Yushan¡¯s retreating figure, Lu Chen thought to himself, why would the Chu Family be spreading such rumors at this time? It¡¯s probably the work of people sent by the Chu Family from the South, isn¡¯t it? The likelihood is that there are spies from the Southern Chu Family within the North Country Chu Family. The Southern Aristocratic Family is doing this partly to sow discord between the North Prince Mansion and the North Country Chu Family and partly to ruin his personal reputation. While Lu Chen was pondering this matter, the maid¡¯s voice came again, ¡°Prince, Commander Lin is seeking an audience with you.¡± His train of thought interrupted, he said, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, the mature and dignified Lin Wanyun entered the study. Lu Chen looked at the furiously angry Lin Wanyun at the door and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, who has angered you? Why do you look so displeased?¡± Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise me that you would let Rongrong go? Why are you still taking possession of her body?¡± Lin Wanyun initially did not want to come to Lu Chen, but she considered that if Chen Wanrong did not leave the North Prince Mansion, how could she avenge herself, and how could she reclaim her country? Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen just smiled faintly and then said, ¡°It seems you know everything.¡± Lin Wanyun continued, ¡°You are, after all, a prince, and someday you will be an emperor. How can you speak without¡­¡± Before Lin Wanyun could finish her sentence, her body suddenly lost control and was drawn into Lu Chen¡¯s arms with a palm strike. Lin Wanyun immediately began to struggle, ¡°Let me go¡­¡± Holding her plump body, Lu Chen whispered into her ear, ¡°I never said I wouldn¡¯t let her go. She willingly became my woman. Such a beautiful fairy, what man wouldn¡¯t be moved? If I wasn¡¯t moved at all, would I still be a man?¡± Lin Wanyun was both angry and annoyed, ¡°You¡­¡± Lu Chen said in a low voice, ¡°Wanyun, you came here to confront me; could it be jealousy that¡¯s driving you?¡± Lin Wanyun¡¯s face flushed, and just as she was about to say something, Lu Chen kissed her to silence, ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Lu Chen couldn¡¯t be bothered to say anything more. Since she was angry inside, he would let her vent her anger first. Making her get over her anger wasn¡¯t difficult. Before long, Xiao Huan outside of the study heard Lin Wanyun¡¯s voice, and she silently walked to the entrance of the courtyard, standing guard for Lu Chen. Two hours later, Lin Wanyun¡¯s anger had completely dissipated; she was straddling Lu Chen¡¯s legs, her whole body leaning on his shoulder, motionless. Not just her anger gone, but her soul seemed to have flown away. She no longer had the strength to confront Lu Chen. Now, Lin Wanyun said weakly, ¡°What exactly will it take for you to let Rongrong go?¡± Holding her delicate body, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°She must have told you, right? As long as she bears me a child, after the child turns fifteen, she can return to the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°She¡¯s the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace. She can¡¯t stay in the North Prince Mansion forever. If the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace find out, they will definitely come for her. Are you planning to go to war with the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± ¡°The Mysterious Moon Palace is not just any force. Although you are a Grandmaster, there are not a few Grandmasters at the Mysterious Moon Palace. Even if you and Zhuge Zhongguang joined forces, you could not possibly be a match for those Elders.¡± After hearing Lin Wanyun say this, Lu Chen thought for a moment. That could indeed be the case. If Chen Wanrong was kept at the North Prince Mansion for ten or even dozens of years without being allowed to return, and it lured the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace here, then the trouble would be significant. At this thought, Lu Chen¡¯s hand gently caressed Lin Wanyun¡¯s jade back before he said, ¡°So, Wanyun, you came to remind me about this matter. And here I thought you were really coming to punish me.¡± ¡°It seems that you do care about me after all.¡± Lin Wanyun huffed lightly, ¡°Who would care about you, you little scoundrel! Such a lecher, you won¡¯t let any pretty woman slip by. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll fall because of a woman.¡± Lu Chen said nonchalantly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t fall because of a woman, it¡¯s only women who fall for me, and haven¡¯t you and Rongrong fallen for me?¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Lin Wanyun spoke indignantly, lowering her voice, ¡°We are just unlucky to have met a little bastard like you.¡± Right then, Lu Chen suddenly heard the sound of a maid talking with someone outside the courtyard. ¡°Commander Chu, the Prince is busy; please don¡¯t go inside.¡± Chu Qingli said, ¡°Busy with what?¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s voice, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth turned up slightly, and then he called out loudly, ¡°Qingli, come in.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun, who was clinging onto Lu Chen, was dumbfounded. She whispered angrily, ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Lu Chen paid no attention to her protest. Seeing that Lu Chen in the study had spoken up, the maid Xiao Huan didn¡¯t say anything more. She thought, after all, Chu Qingli was a frequent visitor to the study; adding one more person probably wouldn¡¯t matter. Chu Qingli had no idea there was already someone in the study, and she walked straight towards it. However, as soon as she opened the door to the study, she was stunned by the scene before her. Lin Wanyun was struggling to escape but was pressed down on the desk by Lu Chen, completely unable to break free. Chu Qingli exclaimed with shock on her face, ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t finish her words. A blush quickly appeared on her face, as she had long known about the affair between Lu Chen and Lin Wanyun, but she had never expected that Lu Chen, that bad guy, would let her walk in at this moment. Although she indeed came for a trade with Lu Chen, the study was already occupied. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Qingli, aren¡¯t you going to close the door? Do you want everyone outside to see?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli hurriedly turned around to close the door. After closing it, she turned back and glared at Lu Chen with resentment. Lu Chen resumed his busyness, and while doing so, he asked, ¡°What did you want to see me about?¡± Chu Qingli glanced at the gasping Lin Wanyun, then said, ¡°Our trade should be reaching its end soon, right? Isn¡¯t it time to let my sister leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Ah¡­ that matter¡­ um¡­ I¡¯ll come to find you to talk about it tonight.¡± Chu Qingli then said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave first. Tonight is my sister¡¯s patrol night; I¡¯ll be waiting for you in my room.¡± Lu Chen ¡°Mhm¡± in response, and then concentrated all his attention on Lin Wanyun. As Chu Qingli was leaving, she glanced at Lu Chen and Lin Wanyun, thinking to herself, this guy didn¡¯t come back all last night and is now up to no good again; by the time he comes to find me tonight, he probably won¡¯t be in the mood for anything else. Hopefully, he¡¯ll keep his word this time and let my sister leave. After all, she had recently heard quite a few rumors about her sister in Yan County. Chapter 369 - Chapter 369: Chapter 247 The Matter is Exposed_1 Chapter 369: Chapter 247 The Matter is Exposed_1 North Country, Chu Family. At dusk, the red sunset cast its glow upon the earth, the red light resembling fresh blood spilling over the land. Chu Xiong sat in the courtyard, savoring the high-proof liquor brewed by the North Prince Mansion as he reviewed the latest intelligence gathered about the Chu Family in the South. Although he had already led part of the Chu Family to side with his grandson, he still couldn¡¯t completely let go of the Chu Family in the South, considering his ungrateful son was still there. When he saw in the intelligence that the rebels were continuously defeated by the Imperial Army, Chu Xiong couldn¡¯t help but sigh; he had anticipated this outcome from the start. Despite the fact that the aristocratic families in the South possessed formidable weapons like the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows, the strength of the court was undoubtedly greater. Moreover, it was the Sum Emperor who had forced the southern aristocratic families into rebellion; since he dared to press them into revolt, it proved that the Sum Emperor had already prepared to deal with them. Lu Shuyun¡¯s aspiration for the throne was not as easy to realize as he had thought. While Chu Xiong was sighing, a servant entered the courtyard, ¡°Family Head, a member of the Brocade Guard is looking for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Xiong was startled. The Brocade Guard? What would the Brocade Guard want with him? Could it be that Lu Chen had something to communicate to him? Having been in the North Country for quite a while now, Chu Xiong had basically figured out the political structure of the North Country and had a rough idea about the key people around the North Prince. Chu Xiong was well aware that the Brocade Guard was one of the most important institutions around Lu Chen. If a Jinyiwei Guard sought him out, it most likely meant they brought orders from Lu Chen. Chu Xiong then said to the servant, ¡°Quickly, invite them in!¡± Soon after, the servant led Qin Yushan into the Chu Family courtyard. Upon entering, Qin Yushan greeted him with a smile, ¡°Master Chu, I pay my respects.¡± Seeing that the visitor was Qin Yushan, Chu Xiong was taken aback. Qin Yushan was the Commander of the Brocade Guard. As far as he knew, besides the North Prince, the highest authority over the Commander of the Brocade Guard was the Commander himself. The Commanders of the Brocade Guard were always busy; why would one personally visit the Chu Family unless there was a matter of great urgency? A foreboding feeling surged within Chu Xiong, and he directly asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what wind has blown the Prince¡¯s favored one to my doorstep?¡± Qin Yushan responded with a smile, ¡°What favored one? I am merely a loyal hound raised by the Prince.¡± At this point, Qin Yushan glanced at the servants inside the courtyard and then added, ¡°The Prince sent me to discuss a matter with you. This is not the place for such a conversation.¡± Chu Xiong instantly understood Qin Yushan¡¯s implication and immediately replied, ¡°Commander Qin, please follow me.¡± Chu Xiong then led Qin Yushan to his study. Once inside, he shut the door of the study and asked, ¡°May I know what the Prince has instructed?¡± Qin Yushan produced a piece of intelligence from his sleeve and said, ¡°There are no specific instructions, but the Prince asked me to show you this intelligence.¡± At those words, Chu Xiong, curiosity piqued, took the paper intelligence from Qin Yushan and began to read seriously. With just one glance, Chu Xiong¡¯s brows furrowed instantly, and his expression turned increasingly somber. He had not expected that among the members of the Chu Family who had accompanied him to the North Country, there would indeed be a traitor. His biggest concern had always been the possibility of a betrayal within the Chu Family. They had come to the North Country seeking the support of the North Prince. If there were traitors among these Chu Family members, it could lead to the North Prince distrusting them, or even suspecting that they had not joined the North Country in good faith, but with ulterior motives. However, Chu Xiong could also see that Lu Chen had sent Qin Yushan to personally deliver this intelligence without raising any alarm, which likely meant that he wanted Chu Xiong to take care of the traitor issue himself. For the time being, Lu Chen was not apt to doubt them over a few traitors. Chu Xiong promptly said, ¡°Please convey my message to the Prince, Commander Qin. I will surely deal with those who spread rumors, and furthermore, I will ascertain who is the mastermind behind it all.¡± Qin Yushan acknowledged, ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°I shall not disturb you any further.¡± With these words, Qin Yushan turned and left the study. Chu Xiong quickly said, ¡°Commander Qin, take care.¡± After Qin Yushan left the Chu Household, Chu Xiong immediately began an investigation based on the intelligence Qin Yushan had shown him to determine who was spreading rumors. In just two hours, Chu Xiong had identified several individuals who were spreading the rumors. Looking at the kneeling servants in the courtyard, Chu Xiong¡¯s face was ashen. He then demanded, ¡°Speak, who instructed you to do this?¡± Realizing their actions had been exposed, the servants hastily kowtowed, pleading, ¡°Family Head, spare us! It was all at the order of the Second Young Master!¡± Hearing the servants¡¯ words, Chu Xiong felt no surprise; he had long suspected his disobedient son was behind this mischief. Chu Hongfei had always coveted Chu Yuqin, and he had long wished to have Chu Yuqin taken back to Sufeng City. However, the North Prince¡¯s strength had suddenly increased, and the North Country had become the most militarily powerful among the feudal states; this had forced Chu Hongfei to abandon the plan of forcibly taking Chu Yuqin back to the Chu Family. But this did not mean Chu Hongfei had given up. At this moment, Chu Xiong¡¯s expression fluctuated, as if he was contemplating something. The southern rebels were currently engaged in battle with the Imperial Army, and Chu Hongfei, as a member of the Chu Family in the South, should have focused on assisting Lu Shuyun. Instead, he was instigating rumors and causing trouble in the North Country. Chu Xiong then inquired, ¡°When you all followed me to the North Country, was it also on his behest?¡± Chapter 370 - Chapter 370: Chapter 247 The Matter is Exposed_2 Chapter 370: Chapter 247 The Matter is Exposed_2 The servant kneeling on the ground hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, the second young master asked us to note down everything that happened in the North Country and write to inform him.¡± Chu Xiong sighed, no need to investigate further, it was certain that the two brothers of the Chu Family had used Chu Hongfei. On one hand, they wanted to gather intelligence on the North Country; on the other, they intended to use someone else to do their dirty work. No wonder the Chu Family had so readily agreed to split the family assets back then. If the traitor in the Chu Family was not discovered, they could continuously provide the South Chu Family with intelligence about the North Country. If they were discovered, then the North Prince would surely suspect the North Chu Family, and once a ruler harbors suspicion against a family, the Chu Family in the North Country would have a difficult time in the future. The few chess pieces the South Chu Family had planted in the North Chu Family had a significant influence on them, regardless of their actions. Chu Xiong thought to himself that it seemed he would have to personally visit the North Prince Mansion early in the morning to apologize to Lu Chen. At this thought, Chu Xiong instructed the family guards in the courtyard, ¡°Take these people away and deal with them.¡± Upon hearing this, the servants were so frightened that they wet themselves on the spot. ¡°Family Head, please spare our lives!!!¡± ¡°Master, please spare our lives!!!¡± ¡°We were forced to do this!!!¡± ¡­ The guards paid no heed to the wails of the traitors and dragged them away, later dealing with them in the back courtyard of the Chu Family. ¡­ Night had fallen. The sky was dotted with stars, and the moon shone like water. Lu Chen, after processing and reviewing some documents in his study, began to feel a hint of fatigue. He had spent the previous night laboring and had not slept, and he hadn¡¯t rested during the day either. Just a while ago, he had worn out Lin Wanyun in the study and then had dealt with government affairs for such a long time. Even for a Grandmaster, it was time to feel tired. Lu Chen had intended to take a bath and then head to Spring Sound Court to sleep holding that soft, large pillow, but then he suddenly remembered he had arranged to meet with Chu Qingli. With this in mind, Lu Chen stood up, stretched, yawned, and muttered to himself, ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be getting any sleep tonight.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than he left the study. As soon as he stepped out, he encountered Chu Yuqin, who was on duty patrolling that night. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin hesitated for a moment but then asked with concern, ¡°Chen¡¯er, why haven¡¯t you gone to rest yet?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°I was just about to go to sleep.¡± Now, Chu Yuqin was no longer as flustered as she had been around Lu Chen some time ago, even though she had long agreed to serve him. But since Lu Chen had never made a move on her, she simply stopped worrying about it, thinking that with so many women around Lu Chen, she would not be the one to serve him, as he could alternate among them daily. Of course, if Lu Chen made such a request, she would certainly not refuse now, as long as she could find a way to distract Chu Qingli without letting her find out. At that moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, have you heard the rumors about me circulating among the common folks recently?¡± Chu Yuqin was taken aback by this question. Of course, she knew what rumors Lu Chen was referring to. Wasn¡¯t it said that Lu Chen had claimed her, a widow, and wouldn¡¯t even spare his own aunt? Just thinking about this so-called rumor brought a blush to Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks. Her initial fear of Lu Chen making a move on her stemmed from the concern that it would lead to slanderous talk, affecting the reputation of him as a prince. Lu Chen was someone who would be Emperor in the future, and he couldn¡¯t afford to have too many stains on his record. At that moment, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Qing Li has already told me about it, I¡­¡± Words reached her lips, but Chu Yuqin hesitated, uncertain of what to say. Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t feel pressured. In a few days, these rumors will vanish. They were all spread by the Chu Family, and my grandfather should already be handling it.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was stunned. Why would the Chu Family spread such rumors? Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Is it the South Chu Family?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Investigators found it to be people from the North Chu Family, but I suspect those who spread the rumors are probably spies planted by the South Chu Family in the North Chu Family all along.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed faintly without saying a word. At that point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ll go ahead and get some rest now.¡± Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°Mm, alright.¡± After that, Lu Chen headed straight for the courtyard where Chu Qingli was. Since Chu Yuqin was out on patrol, it was the perfect opportunity to go to Chu Qingli for a transaction. Before long, Lu Chen arrived at Chu Qingli¡¯s room. Just as he entered, before she could react, he scooped her up in a princess hold and placed her on the bed, then pinned her beneath him, gazing down at her from above. Chu Qingli, looking into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, said coldly, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? You were mixed up with the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace all last night, and just now you bullied Lin Wanyun in your study. What¡¯s the use of being in such a hurry? I don¡¯t believe you still have any energy left.¡± On hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment before responding with a laugh, ¡°Previously, a certain bitch often provoked me like this. She hasn¡¯t dared to return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion these past few days.¡± Chu Qingli, with an indifferent look on her face, replied, ¡°Your words don¡¯t scare me, I¡­ mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Before Chu Qingli could finish her sentence, Lu Chen leaned in and kissed her red lips. Truth be told, Chu Qingli wasn¡¯t trying to provoke Lu Chen; she genuinely felt that after he had been busy all day and night, even a Grandmaster should be out of energy by now. Chapter 371 - Chapter 371: Chapter 247 The Matter is Exposed_3 Chapter 371: Chapter 247 The Matter is Exposed_3 Chu Qingli ultimately suffered the consequences of her own actions. The night was very long, and after Chu Yuqin had patrolled the inner courtyard several times, she planned to sit in the yard for a while. It was then that she saw Bai Qingqing, dressed in white, standing on the rooftop and gazing into the distance. Chu Yuqin was somewhat curious. It wasn¡¯t Bai Qingqing¡¯s turn to be on duty tonight, so why hadn¡¯t she gone to sleep and instead was standing on the rooftop? Chu Yuqin then used her Qinggong to leap onto the roof in a few steps, approaching Bai Qingqing, ¡°Bai, it¡¯s not your turn to stand guard tonight, how come you haven¡¯t gone back to your room to sleep?¡± After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s question, Bai Qingqing answered expressionlessly, ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin asked with curiosity, ¡°Do you have something on your mind? Perhaps if you talk about it, you¡¯ll feel much better.¡± In her mind, Chu Yuqin thought that since Bai Qingqing had been emotionless since childhood, logically, she shouldn¡¯t have any troubles that would prevent her from sleeping. Why would she have a sleepless night? This made Chu Yuqin feel a bit strange. At this point, Bai Qingqing said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any troubles, I just can¡¯t sleep.¡± Chu Yuqin was slightly stunned; without any troubles, how could she not sleep? But she didn¡¯t keep pressing the matter. Everyone has their secrets, and Bai Qingqing was no exception. If she didn¡¯t want to talk about it, that was fine. At that moment, Chu Yuqin also turned to look in the direction Bai Qingqing was looking. She thought to herself that since Bai Qingqing couldn¡¯t sleep, she might as well stay on the rooftop with her for a while. Just as Chu Yuqin was thinking this, she suddenly faintly heard the sound of an animal¡¯s distressed cry. Hearing this sound, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. In the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it was normal for such sounds to appear. Every night when she patrolled, she could almost always hear similar sounds. As for who made these sounds, it was quite obvious. Who else could it be other than that little rascal? Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t intend to search for the source of these sounds. She continued to stand on the rooftop, keeping Bai Qingqing company in the breeze. Gradually, an hour passed, and the sounds from the inner courtyard grew louder. Chu Yuqin suddenly felt that something was not quite right. Although she regularly heard such sounds in the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, for some reason, she always felt like the sounds were similar to Chu Qingli¡¯s voice. Having always been around the wives and concubines of Lu Chen, she was very familiar with their voices. Even though their voices would change a bit when they cried out, she could still discern some differences. This time, the sounds from the inner courtyard didn¡¯t seem to be those of Lu Chen¡¯s wives or concubines. Chu Yuqin turned her head to glance at Bai Qingqing and then said, ¡°Bai, I¡¯m going to patrol again.¡± Bai Qingqing responded expressionlessly, ¡°Hmm.¡± Chu Yuqin then jumped down from the rooftop and followed the direction from which the sound was coming. As she walked, she found herself at the entrance to her own courtyard. Chu Yuqin was immediately stunned, and at this point, Chu Qingli¡¯s voice became even louder. Chu Yuqin suddenly realized, recalling that during the recent period of diligent practice, Chu Qingli had fallen into devilment. She must have been possessed again. The thought had barely crossed her mind before Chu Yuqin hurried toward Chu Qingli¡¯s room, quickly arriving at her door, just as Chu Qingli¡¯s voice suddenly took on an even stranger tone. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Chu Yuqin, thinking that Chu Qingli¡¯s possession was extremely severe, pushed the door open in desperation and blurted out, ¡°Qingli, are you alright? Hang in there, I¡¯ll go immediately to¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the scene before her eyes dumbfounded her, and she stood frozen in place, staring with shock at the two people inside the room. She had been about to say, ¡°I¡¯ll go call Chen¡¯er right away,¡± but then she realized there was no need for that. Wasn¡¯t Lu Chen right there in the room? The previously confused Chu Qingli snapped back to reality upon seeing Chu Yuqin bursting in, her anxiety peaking in an instant, leaving her utterly dumbstruck. After regaining her composure, Chu Qingli frantically stammered, ¡°Sister¡­ listen to my explanation, it¡¯s not what you¡­ ah¡­ think you saw¡­¡± Lu Chen, unfazed by Chu Yuqin¡¯s intrusion, continued with his actions. Noticing Chu Qingli attempting to get up, he pressed her down instead, preventing her from escaping. Seeing Lu Chen continue his misdeeds in her presence, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed red with embarrassment, then she hastily retreated from the room, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you two carry on, I¡¯ll come back to find you later.¡± Once Chu Yuqin had left the room, Chu Qingli felt both shamed and annoyed. Turning to look at Lu Chen, she scolded, ¡°You¡­ jerk!¡± Lu Chen did not care about her reproach. Let her scold; the affair had already been exposed anyway. Now, it was a good opportunity to confront Chu Yuqin. Chu Qingli continued to struggle, but the more she resisted, the more she fueled Lu Chen¡¯s inner rage, ultimately backfiring on Chu Qingli herself. After Chu Yuqin stepped out of the room, her mind was completely blank. She had always thought the noises coming from Chu Qingli¡¯s room were due to a cultivation deviation. She didn¡¯t notice anything between the two, even last time when Lu Chen appeared in her room. But now it seemed¡­ The issue wasn¡¯t cultivation deviation at all; it was that scoundrel Lu Chen who had completely devoured Chu Qingli. Thinking about it, had Lu Chen misbehaved with Chu Qingli more than just this once? It dawned on her, with a flicker of anger in her heart, that she had previously suggested moving Chu Qingli away from the North Prince Mansion, and he seemed somewhat reluctant. She had thought it was because he was worried Chu Qingli would be left untreated if she got possessed again. Little did she know, he had such intentions. Cultivation deviation indeed¡­ What a great excuse! Hearing the continued commotion inside the room, Chu Yuqin curled her lip in disdain. Despite being caught in the act, that scoundrel carried on with his misdeeds, completely unbothered. No wonder Chu Qingli¡¯s possession kept relapsing; with Lu Chen ¡°treating¡± her like that, it would be odd if she got better. With a sigh, Chu Yuqin reflected on the situation. She had long suspected that Lu Chen had feelings for Chu Qingli and that one day he would make a move on her. However, she never imagined that Lu Chen would clandestinely engage in mischief with Chu Qingli. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s apparent indifference to being discovered, it seemed he was ready to come clean. Chu Yuqin then walked over to the pavilion in the courtyard to sit and wait for them to come out and confront her. Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 248 Madam Chu, You Were So Convincing Just Now_1 Chapter 372: Chapter 248 Madam Chu, You Were So Convincing Just Now_1 Chu Yuqin thought that Lu Chen and Chu Qingli would come out to confront her soon, since their affair had already been exposed, and she had caught them in the act. However, what surprised Chu Yuqin was that she sat in the pavilion for a full four hours, the sky beginning to whiten, and yet the two of them had not come out from the room. All she heard was Chu Qingli¡¯s voice becoming more and more peculiar, and she could tell that Chu Qingli was trying her best to suppress her own voice, but still couldn¡¯t control it. This rendered Chu Yuqin somewhat speechless; this little rascal really was relentless. In fact, it was not because Lu Chen had a particularly perverse mentality, but rather, he did this deliberately. As a Grandmaster, he could naturally sense that Chu Yuqin was sitting outside in the pavilion waiting for them. But they couldn¡¯t just go out like that, because he wanted to completely dismantle Chu Qingli¡¯s self-esteem so that she would not dare to oppose him and Chu Yuqin in the future. As for the effect, it would soon become apparent. At dawn, the sunshine cast upon the earth, and Chu Yuqin, sitting in the pavilion, had a flushed face, feeling somewhat uncomfortable in her body. This jerk, really tormenting people. The sun had risen, and they still hadn¡¯t let Chu Qingli out. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to arrange the protective work for the inner court, the door of Chu Qingli¡¯s room finally opened. Lu Chen, beaming, came out from the room, with Chu Qingli behind him, her face flushed red, not daring to face Chu Yuqin directly. The once ice-queen beauty now seemed like a child who had done something wrong. Upon seeing Chu Yuqin in the pavilion, Lu Chen greeted her with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, good morning.¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a resentful glance, then her gaze fell on Chu Qingli, who was hiding behind him. At that moment, Chu Yuqin let out a cold huff. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s cold snort, Chu Qingli¡¯s delicate body suddenly trembled. Chu Yuqin then coldly said, ¡°What a case of demonic possession, I was wondering how someone could suffer from such possession day after day while practicing their skill!¡± ¡°Qingli, tell me, what kind of demon has possessed you?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli frantically said, ¡°Sister¡­ Sister, I had no choice¡­ I¡­¡± Chu Qingli was cut off by Chu Yuqin before she could finish, ¡°No choice? What excuse is that? You spend the entire night without showing up after I caught you, and now you say you had no choice?¡± ¡°I¡­ ¡± Now Chu Qingli hated Lu Chen, this jerk, to death. She had wanted to come out last night, but that jerk, Lu Chen, had held her back, refusing to let her leave the room. What could she do? Her skill had been sealed, and with Lu Chen being a Grandmaster, she was but a weak woman in front of him. Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Qingli, I always thought you were trying to stop me from serving Chen¡¯er for my own good. But to think, you climbed into Chen¡¯er¡¯s bed yourself. Could it be that you stopped me from serving Chen¡¯er because you wanted to monopolize him?¡± Chu Qingli immediately said, ¡°Sister, it¡¯s not like that, I did it to save you¡­¡± Chu Yuqin scoffed, ¡°To save me you climbed into Chen¡¯er¡¯s bed? Your excuse is no different from being possessed during practice!¡± Chu Qingli did not know how to explain, and she immediately looked at Lu Chen, then said, ¡°Prince, please help me explain! Our agreed number of transactions should have been enough, you should fulfill your promise now!¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Transaction? What transaction? I don¡¯t recall any transaction.¡± ¡°You were with me just because you were lusting after my body, weren¡¯t you?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen actually deny it, Chu Qingli instantly became furious. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Despicable!¡± At this moment, Lu Chen said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, Qingli and I are truly in love. You sat outside in the pavilion all night, and you should have heard that if we weren¡¯t truly in love, she wouldn¡¯t have made those sounds.¡± Chu Qingli felt both ashamed and infuriated, blurting out, ¡°You scoundrel! Who¡¯s truly in love with you!¡± Chu Yuqin huffed again, ¡°Truly in love? Qingli, I really misjudged you. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this kind of woman!¡± Having said that, Chu Yuqin stood up, looking as if she were about to leave the courtyard. Seeing this, Chu Qingli panicked; if she couldn¡¯t explain herself today, Chu Yuqin would definitely think that she was willing to be Lu Chen¡¯s woman, and that her own interference between them was out of a desire to monopolize Lu Chen. Chu Qingli quickly ran out from behind Lu Chen, charging towards Chu Yuqin, ¡°Sister, listen to my explanation, I was forced, it was all that bastard¡¯s doing!¡± ¡°Sister, don¡¯t listen to his nonsense!¡± Soon, Chu Qingli grabbed Chu Yuqin¡¯s arm, preventing her from leaving. Chu Yuqin stopped walking, her face cold as she said, ¡°Forced? I don¡¯t think anyone makes such joyful noises when being forced!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Qingli did not know how to explain. How could anyone control themselves in such a situation? It was impossible to hold back, especially with Lu Chen¡¯s many methods; how could she keep totally silent? It¡¯s all that damn jerk¡¯s fault! What to do now? How could she explain? Chu Yuqin then turned to look at Lu Chen and asked coldly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Qingli has been pure before entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion and was never engaged to anyone. Now that you have done this to her, what do you plan to do?¡± Chapter 373 - Chapter 373: Chapter 248 Madam Chu, You Were So Convincing Just Now_2 Chapter 373: Chapter 248 Madam Chu, You Were So Convincing Just Now_2 Lu Chen replied, ¡°Since we¡¯ve consummated the marriage, then of course I¡¯ll take her as my concubine and marry her into the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Chu Qingli angrily said, ¡°Who wants to marry you, you scoundrel!¡± Chu Yuqin reprimanded, ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Qingli immediately closed her mouth; she had never seen Chu Yuqin this angry before. It seemed her sister was truly furious. It¡¯s all over now¡­ How could she explain things so that her sister would believe her! Chu Yuqin continued speaking to Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, since you have already planned to take her as your concubine, then go to the Chu Family to propose properly, instead of sneaking around.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu is right; I will go to the Chu Family to propose tomorrow.¡± In name, Chu Qingli was still a member of the Chu Family. Even though she had no blood relation with the Chu Family, if Lu Chen wanted to take Chu Qingli as his concubine in an honorable manner, it would be best to propose directly to the Chu Family. At this moment, Chu Yuqin turned to Chu Qingli and said, ¡°Qingli, you have disappointed me.¡± After dropping this statement, Chu Yuqin shook off Chu Qingli¡¯s arm and left the courtyard directly. Watching Chu Yuqin¡¯s retreating figure, Chu Qingli felt a sinking despair and her body suddenly weakened, and just as she was about to fall to the ground, Lu Chen immediately embraced her willow waist from behind. With Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, the anger within Chu Qingli erupted instantly, and she struggled while speaking, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault, you scoundrel! Let go of me!¡± ¡°You faithless creature, I¡¯ll fight you!¡± Lu Chen held firmly onto Chu Qingli¡¯s willow waist, rendering her struggles futile, her skills had been sealed, and she had no way to break free. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu has already caught us in the act and there is no explaining it; you might as well marry me obediently and become my concubine.¡± Chu Qingli coldly said, ¡°In your dreams! I will expose your deceit to my sister! I will definitely let her see what kind of man you really are!¡± In her ear, Lu Chen whispered softly, ¡°The more you do this, the more Madam Chu will think that you are scheming to tarnish my reputation, all to keep me for yourself.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli was stunned into silence. What now? If she didn¡¯t find a way to stop them from being together, wouldn¡¯t Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin indeed end up committing an unforgivable act? But if she interfered further, her sister would definitely think she was selfish. Damned be! This scoundrel had never planned to keep his word from the start! Chu Qingli then said, ¡°As a prince, to be so faithless, do you not have a shred of moral conscience?¡± Lu Chen laughed lightly and said, ¡°Morals? You¡¯ve even forgotten our transaction count, which shows that you never intended to trade with me. If you don¡¯t care about it yourself, why should I uphold our original agreement?¡± ¡°You!¡± Chu Qingli was speechless. Indeed, she herself had forgotten how many transactions there were; how could she expect Lu Chen to keep their agreement? Chu Qingli then said, ¡°I won¡¯t listen to your nonsense, let me go now.¡± Having said this, Chu Qingli began to struggle again. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°Have you considered that if you marry into the North Prince Mansion, you can always monitor your sister and me? If I were to do improper acts to your sister, you¡¯d be the first to find out.¡± ¡°Before, you were merely a stewardess in the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, many places were off limits to you, and your movements restricted. But once you marry me and become my concubine, you¡¯ll have free access wherever you want, making it easier to watch over your sister and me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Chu Qingli paused for a moment, then she actually felt it made sense? After all, her sister had already discovered her relationship with Lu Chen, and nothing she said now would matter. It might be better to just marry Lu Chen. Chu Qingli then said, ¡°Alright, I agree to marry you.¡± Seeing that Chu Qingli had agreed, Lu Chen did not say more; Chu Qingli was typically rash. Lu Chen then released Chu Qingli, ¡°Since you¡¯ve agreed, then prepare yourself these next few days. I¡¯ll take you as my concubine in a few days.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and soothe your sister so she won¡¯t be angry with you.¡± With that, Lu Chen headed towards the courtyard entrance. Watching Lu Chen¡¯s departing figure, Chu Qingli somehow felt she had been fooled by him again. Just as Lu Chen left the courtyard, a maid came up to him and said, ¡°Prince, the Chu Family Master seeks an audience.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Have him wait in the study for me, I need to take a bath first.¡± He had been active all of last night and now had a strong smell clinging to him; it was definitely not an appropriate state to discuss matters with anyone. Afterwards, Lu Chen returned to the main wing to take a bath. After cleaning up briefly, he headed to the study. As soon as he arrived in the study, Chu Xiong came forward and said, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen quickly supported Chu Xiong¡¯s shoulders and said, ¡°Grandfather, how many times have I told you? You need not be so formal with me when we¡¯re alone; I am not so rigid.¡± Chu Xiong immediately responded, ¡°Customs should not be discarded, after all, you are the prince.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Grandfather, you came to see me this time about the rumors among the civilians of the North Country, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chu Xiong promptly said, ¡°It is my fault for not managing the Chu Family well. Here, I apologize to you, Prince. I have already taken care of those who spread the rumors, and I have also found out who was behind it all.¡± Chapter 374 - Chapter 374: Chapter 248 Madam Chu, You Were So Convincing Just Now_3 Chapter 374: Chapter 248 Madam Chu, You Were So Convincing Just Now_3 Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Grandfather, is my uncle the one behind the scenes?¡± Lu Chen had already learned through the Brocade Guard that Chu Hongfei was interested in Chu Yuqin. Although Lu Chen had not instructed the Brocade Guard to continue investigating the rumors, it was likely that Chu Hongfei was the one spreading them at this time. Chu Xiong sighed and said, ¡°I have failed in my discipline and raised such an unfilial son.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Grandfather, rest assured, I haven¡¯t taken this matter to heart. It¡¯s good that you came today because I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°You say it, as long as it¡¯s something our Chu Family can do, we will do our utmost to accomplish it.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°I plan to have the Chu Family of the North Country act as Madam Chu and Qing Li¡¯s parental home, then marry the two of them into the North Prince Mansion.¡± Hearing this, Chu Xiong was stunned for a moment but he quickly came to his senses and understood what Lu Chen meant by that. If it was about marrying Chu Qingli, that would be an easy matter. However, Chu Yuqin¡¯s status was different; she had once been betrothed to the Wang Family, and although the man had been poisoned before she could marry into the Wang Family, by name, she was still that man¡¯s wife. If Lu Chen wanted to marry Chu Yuqin, he had to first sever her ties with the Wang Family. The marriage arrangement had been set by Chu Xiong himself, and now that he was in the North Country, it was fitting for Chu Xiong to annul Chu Yuqin¡¯s engagement with the Wang Family for her. It was just a matter of breaking off a marriage alliance, and since the Wang Family had become traitors, breaking off the marriage wouldn¡¯t really matter anymore. Chu Xiong immediately said, ¡°I understand; in a few days, I will send someone to the South to call off the marriage.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for such trouble, just write the annulment letter first, and I¡¯ll have someone fetch it from the Chu Residence when I need it.¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°Alright, after I return, I will write the annulment letter.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to continue, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Prince, Madam Chu is looking for you.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Chu Xiong realized that Lu Chen might still have matters to attend to, so he immediately said, ¡°Prince, if there¡¯s nothing else, I will take my leave for today.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Grandfather, take care, I won¡¯t see you out.¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°I take my leave.¡± Right after leaving the study, Chu Xiong saw Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin was surprised to see Chu Xiong coming out of Lu Chen¡¯s study early in the morning. She was curious about what could have brought Chu Xiong to see Lu Chen so early. Seeing Chu Yuqin, Chu Xiong¡¯s face revealed a kindly smile. He said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Yuqin, you have worked hard these years.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was perplexed, wondering why Chu Xiong would suddenly say such a thing. Chu Yuqin asked in confusion, ¡°Father, what do you mean by that?¡± Chu Xiong said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, nothing. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± As he spoke, Chu Xiong left the courtyard. Seeing Chu Xiong¡¯s retreating figure, Chu Yuqin was suddenly struck with an ominous premonition. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t think too much about it; she went straight into the study then instinctively closed the door behind her. Turning to Lu Chen, she asked: ¡°Chen¡¯er, what were you and Grandfather talking about just now? He seemed very happy.¡± Lu Chen smiled and answered, ¡°Nothing much, you¡¯ll find out in a few days.¡± With that, Lu Chen approached Chu Yuqin and without hesitation embraced her soft body. Being held by Lu Chen like this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart rate sped up and her cheeks flushed. Lu Chen didn¡¯t do anything bad; he just held Chu Yuqin in his arms. ¡°Madam Chu, you were very convincing just now; Qing Li really thought you were angry with her.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin cast a deep look at Lu Chen and then said, ¡°You have the nerve to bring that up with me, you little rascal. You¡¯ve already had your way with Qing Li. Why haven¡¯t you told me!¡± ¡°I really thought her cultivation was going haywire and I worried about it every day!¡± Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°It wasn¡¯t the right time before.¡± Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°So what do you plan to do next?¡± Lu Chen whispered in Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, ¡°Next, of course, is to marry you two beauties and have you bear my children.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin instantly felt even hotter all over. She immediately said, ¡°No, the rumors among the people are very detrimental to you. I can serve you, bear your children, but you cannot marry me.¡± As a woman, Chu Yuqin also wanted to marry a man uprightly, but Lu Chen had a special status as a prince, and would become the Emperor in the future; he could not have any blemishes. She would rather humble herself and silently guard Lu Chen for a lifetime than cause him to face reproach from the common people because of her. Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°I know what you are worried about. Rest assured, those rumors among the people will soon disappear.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s confidence, Chu Yuqin asked with curiosity, ¡°Really? What are you planning to do?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I cannot tell you that for now; you will know when the time comes.¡± Seeing Lu Chen act so mysteriously, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t ask further. Since Lu Chen said he could get rid of the rumors, he must have a plan. But if he really did dispel the rumors, would she really have to marry him? Thinking about this, Chu Yuqin was incredibly conflicted, considering that Lu Chen was Chu Yue¡¯s son¡­ Though she was still somewhat torn, Chu Yuqin soon let go of her hesitations. Chu Yue had asked her to take care of Lu Chen and never specified how. Plus, when she was little, Chu Yue had said that she was to be married to Lu Chen, to serve him for a lifetime. If Lu Chen could truly dispel the rumors, marrying him wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The more Chu Yuqin thought about it, the redder her face became, and her body grew hotter. Remembering the scene she saw the night before, Chu Yuqin felt all the more odd. Lu Chen naturally noticed Chu Yuqin¡¯s unusual behavior, but after having been at war for two days, he really wasn¡¯t in the mood for certain activities. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, I still have matters to attend to later. You should go about your business.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin suddenly became lucid and quickly said, ¡°Oh, right, I won¡¯t disturb you then.¡± Afterward, Chu Yuqin hastily left the study, fearing that if she lingered, she might embarrass herself. Chapter 375 - Chapter 375: Chapter 249: The Common Girl Will Definitely Ask the Prince for Advice_1 Chapter 375: Chapter 249: The Common Girl Will Definitely Ask the Prince for Advice_1 After Chu Yuqin left the study, Lu Chen yawned again. After being busy for two days, Lu Chen was distinctly feeling weary. This won¡¯t do, I need to sleep for a while. With that thought, Lu Chen left the study and said to the maid at the door, ¡°Tell the Jinyiwei Guard on duty to have Dongfang Longyue come to my study after noon.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After instructing the maid, Lu Chen headed straight for the Spring Sound Court. When he arrived at the Spring Sound Court, Yelv Nanyan was planning to go to the main hall. Seeing Lu Chen enter the room, Yelv Nanyan was momentarily taken aback. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My lady is up so early?¡± Yelv Nanyan gave Lu Chen a deep look. His coming to find her early in the morning probably did not bode well. This little man, whenever he comes to Spring Sound Court, is likely to do naughty things to her. ¡°Your concubine has seen the Prince.¡± Lu Chen, upon reaching Yelv Nanyan¡¯s side, directly embraced her soft and warm body, as if embracing cotton. Then, as he walked towards the bed with Yelv Nanyan in his arms, he said, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a good sleep these past two days, so I¡¯ll need my lady to be my pillow.¡± Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°It is my honor to serve the Prince.¡± Without further words, once they were on the bed, Yelv Nanyan began to help Lu Chen undress. Although it was just for sleeping, Yelv Nanyan knew Lu Chen¡¯s preferences¡ª he liked to sleep unencumbered, and without the obstruction of clothes, their bodies pressed together allowed Lu Chen to feel her warmth more directly. Once both were lying in bed, Lu Chen held Yelv Nanyan tightly by her waist, nestled in her Gentle Jade Fragrance, and soon fell into a deep sleep. Seeing that Lu Chen had fallen asleep, Yelv Nanyan looked down at him gently and raised her hand to lightly stroke his jet-black hair. Looking at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome profile, an involuntary smile crept onto Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face. When she initially came to the North Prince Mansion, she had all sorts of worries, afraid that the North Prince would be someone who would treat her roughly. But now, it seemed that all her prior concerns had been unnecessary. True, Lu Chen could be rough with her, but since he practiced Immortal Technique, her body had never felt discomfort. Though she no longer held the same power as she did in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, she had gained much more at the North Prince Mansion¡ª such as the life she wanted, the happiness she longed for, things she could never have had on the grasslands. At that moment, the sunlight crept over the windowsill, shining into the room and onto Lu Chen¡¯s face. Lu Chen¡¯s eyelids fluttered involuntarily. Seeing this, Yelv Nanyan immediately raised her hand to shield the direct sunlight from his eyes. Seeing Lu Chen sleeping so soundly, Yelv Nanyan couldn¡¯t help but wish that such days could continue forever. Yelv Nanyan was well aware that Lu Chen¡¯s ambitions surely extended beyond being a mere Seignior; he was bound to become Emperor one day. If there came a day when Lu Chen became Emperor, she would have to share him with even more concubines, and whether he would still cherish her as much was uncertain. Moreover, people change. The proverbial heart of an unfeeling Emperor¡­ the day when Lu Chen became Emperor, his heart might undergo great changes, and whether he would still treat the Harem beauties as he did then was questionable. These thoughts brought a tinge of anxiety into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s heart. Lu Chen, holding Yelv Nanyan¡ªhis soft pillow¡ªslept through the morning. By this time, Dongfang Longyue had already arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s study, waiting for him. Dongfang Longyue was curious about what urgent matter the North Prince had for summoning her at this time. However, after waiting for half an hour, Lu Chen had not appeared. Meanwhile. Spring Sound Court. Although he had only slept for a few hours, Lu Chen was already feeling much less fatigued. He slowly opened his eyes and noticed Yelv Nanyan gazing tenderly at his face. Lu Chen asked, ¡°What time is it now?¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°It¡¯s noon. According to the timing method you¡¯ve invented, it should be one o¡¯clock in the afternoon now.¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s reply, Lu Chen realized Dongfang Longyue was probably waiting in the study. He quickly got up from her body. Lu Chen still appeared somewhat sleepy. Yelv Nanyan gently asked, ¡°Would the Prince like to sleep a little longer?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I have an appointment to discuss matters in the study, so I¡¯ll not sleep any longer.¡± As he said this, something seemed to strike Lu Chen, and he smiled at Yelv Nanyan, ¡°I will come to Spring Sound Court again tonight.¡± Hearing this, a blush emerged on Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face, ¡°Your concubine will be waiting for my Prince.¡± Lu Chen did not linger, getting up from the bed immediately, and Yelv Nanyan quickly helped him dress. Before long, a refreshed Lu Chen appeared in the study. Upon Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Dongfang Longyue promptly greeted him, ¡°Commoner girl pays her respects to the Prince!¡± With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Longyue, sorry to have kept you waiting.¡± Dongfang Longyue replied, ¡°I¡¯ve only just arrived.¡± Lu Chen took a seat at his desk and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve summoned you because I have an important assignment for you.¡± Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°Please instruct me, Prince. I will do my utmost to accomplish your assignment.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I plan to establish a newspaper office under the Dongfang Family.¡± Chapter 376 - Chapter 376: Chapter 249: The Common Girl Will Definitely Ask the Prince for Advice_2 Chapter 376: Chapter 249: The Common Girl Will Definitely Ask the Prince for Advice_2 Hearing this, Dongfang Longyue paused slightly, murmuring to herself, ¡°Newspaper agency¡­¡± ¡°Prince, forgive my ignorance, but could you please explain what a newspaper agency is?¡± Dongfang Longyue, a native of this world, had naturally never heard of a newspaper agency. Lu Chen then explained, ¡°Let me put it this way, in the future, whenever anything happens in this world or if there are any interesting pieces of news, you¡¯ll compile them and then promptly write them all down on a sheet of paper. Have the printing factory of the North Prince Mansion print them, and finally, sell them at a fair price to those who can read, letting more people know about the news you¡¯ve compiled. This type of paper that is printed with various news is called a newspaper, and the place where you distribute newspapers is known as a newspaper agency.¡± Upon hearing this, Dongfang Longyue instantly grasped what Lu Chen meant by the term ¡®commercial newspaper¡¯. It was something similar to announcements from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, though naturally, those announcements were only about matters concerning the Prince¡¯s Mansion, or about some reforms in the North Country, and didn¡¯t involve any monetary transaction. This so-called newspaper actually already had a prototype in this world. Some powers that specialized in gathering intelligence would sell their information to specific people, which was similar to newspapers. However, the newspaper Lu Chen was talking about was intended for everyone, including the common populace, allowing the literate to quickly learn about events occurring in the world. Once the newspapers were introduced, as long as the price was right, the literate would certainly be very interested. But¡­ There was another issue with newspapers. Dongfang Longyue immediately spotted a drawback of newspapers; if someone were to spread false news through them, it could incite public unrest. Hearing this, Dongfang Longyue immediately spoke up, ¡°Prince, we must be cautious. The matter of newspapers should be controlled by the North Prince Mansion. If they proliferate unchecked, some with ulterior motives will surely publish false news and cause unrest among the people.¡± Seeing that Dongfang Longyue had identified the potential problems with newspapers in an instant made Lu Chen smile faintly, ¡°Longyue, I¡¯m pleased that you can see the downsides of newspapers. But rest assured, not just anyone can start a newspaper agency.¡± ¡°I plan to establish two types of newspaper agencies, one for the public and one for officials.¡± ¡°The official newspapers will naturally be created by the North Prince Mansion. However, the public newspapers cannot be organized by the North Prince Mansion. They need to document the happenings in the world through the eyes of the common people.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s an official or a public newspaper, they both will need to be audited by the North Prince Mansion before any newspaper agency can be established. And currently, aside from the North Prince Mansion, no one else in the North Country has control over the technology for mass printing.¡± Since acquiring the paper-making and printing techniques, Lu Chen had immediately had several paper-making workshops and printing factories built in the North Prince Mansion. Before paper-making and printing technology becomes widespread among the populace, mass printing of newspapers isn¡¯t an easy task unless they collaborate with the North Prince Mansion. Having heard Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, Dongfang Longyue thought it over and agreed that, given the current situation, only the North Prince Mansion could mass produce newspapers¡ªnone of the Ancient Families of the other great dynasties could manage that. Furthermore, if the North Prince Mansion could control the newspaper agencies well, exploiting the newspapers to spread false news wouldn¡¯t be such an easy feat. At that moment, Dongfang Longyue also realized why Lu Chen differentiated between official and public newspapers instead of solely running official ones. The so-called public newspapers at their core were still official. After all, the Dongfang Family was a vassal of the North Prince Mansion and would surely stand on Lu Chen¡¯s side. When the common people lost trust in the official newspapers, the public newspapers run by the Dongfang Family would still serve to guide public opinion in the direction the North Prince Mansion desired. Having understood Lu Chen¡¯s intentions, Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°I understand the Prince¡¯s meaning. As soon as I return, I will immediately start working on establishing a newspaper agency.¡± ¡°However, this will be my first time dealing with such matters. If there¡¯s anything I don¡¯t understand, I hope I can come to the North Prince Mansion to consult with the Prince whenever necessary. May I?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course. I will teach you everything¡ªwhat content to write, how to title it, and how to format it. If you have any questions, you can come straight to the North Prince Mansion to find me.¡± With that said, Lu Chen emphasized, ¡°The newspaper agency is extremely important to me, to the North Prince Mansion, and to the North Country. So, if you¡¯re unsure about anything, you must ask me more questions and not hesitate.¡± As his words concluded, Lu Chen glanced at the stunning beauty before him. Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°I will definitely seek the Prince¡¯s guidance often.¡± Lu Chen then spoke, ¡°You may go back and begin preparations for today.¡± ¡°This humble girl takes her leave.¡± After that, Dongfang Longyue turned and left the study. Not long after Dongfang Longyue left, Lu Chen also rose from his seat, intending to leave the study, when suddenly he heard the voice of a maid at the door of the study, ¡°Prince, Commander Bai is seeking an audience with you.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Let her in.¡± Bai Qingqing entered the study, and Lu Chen, looking at her frigidly beautiful countenance, asked curiously, ¡°Bai, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Bai Qingqing seldom sought him out on her own, generally only when there was some intelligence about the Capital City. However, recently the Shadow Guards in the Capital City had completely cut off contact with Bai Qingqing. It was apparent that her betrayal was now known to his father, the Emperor, who no longer trusted Bai Qingqing. Consequently, Bai Qingqing found it difficult to obtain intelligence about the Capital City through the Shadow Guards any longer. Chapter 377 - Chapter 377: Chapter 249: The Common Girl Will Definitely Ask the Prince for Advice_3 Chapter 377: Chapter 249: The Common Girl Will Definitely Ask the Prince for Advice_3 ¡°` Bai Qingqing answered expressionlessly, ¡°Most of the Shadow Guards in the North Country have been dealt with. I suspect His Majesty has sent people to the North Country to eliminate traitors.¡± The Shadow Guards are the Sum Emperor¡¯s most important force; he definitely could not tolerate any treason within their ranks. Although it was Bai Qingqing who was betrayed, and not related to those guards responsible for relaying messages, those guards were in the North Country as well. The Sum Emperor could no longer trust them. Upon hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen was slightly startled. He slowly walked over to Bai Qingqing¡¯s side and embraced her delicate body, ¡°Do you mean someone will make a move against you soon?¡± Bai Qingqing lightly hummed in affirmation, not adding anything more. She had actually considered last night whether or not to tell Lu Chen about it. After all, the Shadow Guards¡¯ elimination of traitors was certainly meant to remove her, and they wouldn¡¯t make a move against Lu Chen. After pondering the whole night, Bai Qingqing ultimately decided to inform Lu Chen. She had a premonition that the person coming this time was extremely powerful and that she was unlikely to be their match. If it were before, she wouldn¡¯t have sought help from anyone else, even when facing a formidable enemy. But now things were different; she had a man, and her man was so powerful that she didn¡¯t need to face it alone. Lu Chen was silent for a moment, then continued to ask, ¡°Have the Shadow Guards in Yan County been removed?¡± Bai Qingqing answered, ¡°No.¡± Upon reflection, Lu Chen thought that if the Shadow Guards in Yan County hadn¡¯t been dealt with, it likely meant the other party didn¡¯t want to startle the snake. This didn¡¯t mean that his father¡¯s envoy hadn¡¯t arrived in Yan County yet. On the other hand, if Bai Qingqing was always in the North Prince Mansion, his father¡¯s envoy probably wouldn¡¯t dare to come to the North Prince Mansion to trouble Bai Qingqing, right? Lu Chen then said, ¡°Starting today, you will stay by my side at all times. Wherever I go, you go, even when sleeping, until the person my father has sent is found by me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Bai Qingqing¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, feeling somewhat warm. Bai Qingqing then said, ¡°This servant understands.¡± Lu Chen wasn¡¯t sure if the other party would come to the North Prince Mansion to directly trouble Bai Qingqing, but with him, a Grandmaster, in the North Prince Mansion, it would be a trap for anyone who dared to come. However, this also made Lu Chen feel somewhat uneasy. What if, when he left the North Prince Mansion in the future, someone sent people to trouble his wives and children? In the past, those who troubled them were at most at the Master Realm. The North Prince Mansion now had Grandmasters, even several of them, and could temporarily withstand a Grandmaster. But as the North Country continued to grow stronger, there might come a day when someone would send a Grandmaster to trouble them. Although Chen Wanrong was already a Grandmaster, as the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, she was very likely to return to the palace one day. As for the agreement they made that Chen Wanrong wouldn¡¯t return to the Mysterious Moon Palace until their child was fifteen, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t taking it seriously now. After hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, he felt it was improbable to keep Chen Wanrong against her will. If Chen Wanrong truly wished to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace, he would certainly let her go. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said to the maid at the door, ¡°Xiao Huan, go invite the Great Scholar. I need to see him.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Now, the place where Zhuge Zhongguang lived was quite far from the North Prince Mansion. If anything happened in the North Prince Mansion, it would be difficult for Zhuge Zhongguang to arrive promptly. Therefore, Lu Chen planned to have Zhuge Zhongguang, a Great Grandmaster on the verge of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm, move next to the North Prince Mansion. With Zhuge Zhongguang, a Great Grandmaster close to entering the Heavenly Human Realm by his side, Lu Chen felt slightly more at ease. Half a month later. In North Country, Hall of Political Affairs. Sitting on the throne, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Speak if there¡¯s any matter, otherwise dismiss the meeting.¡± Since some students from Univeral Academy and people from the Chu Family entered the officialdom, there wasn¡¯t much left in North Country that required Lu Chen¡¯s personal attention. The recent minor court sessions had been about trivial matters; North Country¡¯s reform was progressing vigorously. With the guidance of Great Scholar Zhuge Zhongguang, few matters concerning reforms ever reached the court for discussion. Lu Chen also felt that the minor court sessions were being held too frequently. Currently, they were held every three days, and hardly any significant issues accumulated in such a short period. He had initially set the meetings at this frequency because North Country had just started reforms, and officials were facing a variety of issues. But now it was different. North Country had generally stabilized, and even with a constant stream of refugees from Great Sum¡¯s internal strife entering North Country, lower level officials could easily accommodate them. Just when Lu Chen was contemplating whether to reset the minor court sessions to every seven days or every half month, an official from the Universal series stood up and said, ¡°Prince, yesterday on the street, I saw some people selling something called ¡®newspapers.¡¯ I bought a copy and found that this so-called newspaper records the recent events in Great Sum.¡± ¡°Eventually, I learned that these newspapers were sold by a shop called Eastern Newspaper Agency.¡± ¡°The newspaper allows civilians to acquire information about other places quickly, but I believe that if it¡¯s not controlled, certain ill-intentioned individuals will surely use it to spread rumors, leading to civil unrest.¡± ¡°Therefore, I propose to shut down the so-called Eastern Newspaper Agency!¡± After this official spoke, Li Rui also stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, I also purchased those newspapers a few days ago. They contain a myriad of vague and uncertain messages; ordinary people indeed cannot discern the truth. Hence, I also suggest shutting down the newspaper agency.¡± Once Li Rui finished speaking, many other officials in the hall also stood up and proposed to shut down the newspaper agency, believing that such an influence on social stability should not be allowed to appear in North Country. Seeing the officials¡¯ aversion to the newspaper agency, Lu Chen had a rough idea of some of their reasons. Some officials were genuinely concerned that the newspaper would lead to unfavorable public opinions about North Country, but certainly some had personal agendas. To attract the public¡¯s attention, Lu Chen had specifically instructed Dongfang Longyue to record some quirky stories about officials in the initial few issues of the newspaper. After the officials saw this content, they naturally felt very uncomfortable. It was no wonder they wanted to shut down the newspaper agency. ¡°` Chapter 378 - Chapter 378: Chapter 250: The Chu Familys Cancellation of Engagement Letter_1 Chapter 378: Chapter 250: The Chu Family¡¯s Cancellation of Engagement Letter_1 Seeing that most officials in the great hall were suggesting the shutdown of the newspaper agency, Lu Chen revealed a faint smile. He was about to say something when Zhuge Zhongguang spoke first, ¡°To the best of this old official¡¯s knowledge, currently, the only one capable of mass-printing paper books and documents is the North Prince Mansion.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words were not directed at Lu Chen, but were a reminder to those officials in the hall who advocated for the newspaper¡¯s closure, signaling that the newspaper could not have started without the North Prince¡¯s approval. Upon hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, the officials instantly realized the implication. At this moment, Li Rui spoke up, ¡°Prince, although it is possible that some with ulterior motives might use the newspaper to spread statements detrimental to the North Country, as long as we regulate properly, the newspaper can also become an important tool for our internal and external propaganda.¡± ¡°Therefore, I believe there is no need to shut down the newspaper agency.¡± Seeing how quickly Li Rui changed his stance, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Lord Li, your speed in changing faces is truly extraordinary.¡± With that, Lu Chen scanned the other officials in the hall and continued, ¡°The Dongfang Family had approached this prince before creating the newspaper. Their agency was established with the permission of the North Prince. As for the disadvantages you all mentioned earlier, this prince has already considered them. However, I believe the benefits of establishing a newspaper outweigh the drawbacks.¡± ¡°In addition, to avoid private newspaper agencies from leading public opinion, I intend to establish an official newspaper. From now on, any significant events in the North Country will be published in this official newspaper, and announcements from the North Prince Mansion will also be made there.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Aside from creating an official newspaper, I also plan to set up a culture agency. From now on, the review of books and periodicals will be the responsibility of this culture agency.¡± At this point, Lu Chen looked towards Zhuge Zhongguang, ¡°Great Scholar, the establishment of the culture agency will trouble you.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang immediately responded, ¡°As you command, Prince.¡± Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Is there anything else for today?¡± After Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the officials in the hall looked at each other, but none spoke again. Lu Chen said, ¡°Since there is nothing else, I have one more matter to address. From now on, the minor court meetings will be held once every seven days.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the officials in the hall felt very pleased. Meeting every three days for minor court sessions when there was little to discuss felt unnecessary. Unlike the Great Xia royal court, which engaged in daily court sessions where ministers would often bicker over trivial matters if there was nothing else to discuss. In North Country¡¯s minor court meetings, there was basically no scenario of ministers constantly fighting each other. The officials were well aware that Lu Chen was a practical man who did not take kindly to hearing their pointless prattle. Not speaking nonsense during the minor court meetings also meant that most of the time, there truly wasn¡¯t anything to discuss, so meeting every three days was indeed excessive. Shifting to every seven days was just right. If something particularly important occurred, they could directly go to the study at the North Prince Mansion to find the North Prince. Seeing no opposition from the officials in the hall, Lu Chen rose from his throne, waved his sleeve, and announced, ¡°Then, let today¡¯s minor court meeting conclude thus.¡± After this, Lu Chen left the Hall of Political Affairs. Once the minor court meeting was over, Lu Chen had other state affairs to handle, so he went straight to his study. Just as he arrived at the study, Qin Yushan followed close behind. ¡°Prince, the Family Head of the Chu Family asked me to deliver this letter of marriage annulment to you.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen glanced at the annulment letter in his hand and then accepted it, quickly looking it over. The content of the annulment letter was quite straightforward, mainly stating that since the Wang Family had turned traitor, the Chu Family of the North Country would sever all ties with them, and the marriage between Chu Yuqin and Wang Han was accordingly nullified. With this annulment letter, Chu Yuqin was now nominally a free woman. Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°Take this annulment letter to Dongfang Longyue, and let her publish the content on the front page of tomorrow¡¯s newspaper.¡± Qin Yushan took back the letter, ¡°Yes, Prince. I will go at once.¡± ¡°I take my leave.¡± Watching Qin Yushan¡¯s departing figure, Lu Chen thought to himself that it was time to make Chu Yuqin his bride. Initially, Lu Chen only wanted to possess Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, but as more women came into his life, his attention became divided, and his intense desire for Chu Yuqin¡¯s body had waned. This allowed him to cool down a bit. Now, aside from desiring Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, he also wanted to give her a proper status, allowing her to rightfully bear his children, without any need for secrecy. ¡­ The next day. At dawn. Chu Yuqin rose from her bed, stretching her graceful figure, when a hasty voice came from outside the door. ¡°Sister, there¡¯s great news!¡± Before Chu Yuqin had a chance to react, the door was pushed open. Chu Qingli entered, holding a large sheet of paper, looking extremely excited. Chu Yuqin, curious, asked, ¡°What news has got you so delighted?¡± Chu Qingli replied, ¡°Sister, when I went out this morning, I bought a newspaper on the street, and I found that it actually had our family¡¯s annulment letter published!¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was slightly taken aback. An annulment letter? What annulment letter? Just as Chu Yuqin was about to ask Chu Qingli what was going on, Chu Qingli approached with the newspaper and opened it up before her. Chapter 379 - Chapter 379: Chapter 250: The Chu Familys Cancellation of Engagement Letter_2 Chapter 379: Chapter 250: The Chu Family¡¯s Cancellation of Engagement Letter_2 Chu Yuqin then glanced at the content of the newspaper and realized that the first article on it was the North Country Chu Family¡¯s annulment letter. After roughly looking through the content of the annulment letter, Chu Yuqin stood frozen on the spot for a long while, unable to return to her senses. She wasn¡¯t a fool, and in her heart, she had already guessed who had the Eastern Newspaper Agency publish this annulment letter. Clearly, it was not the Chu Family, but Lu Chen. By using this annulment letter, Lu Chen directly restored her freedom. From now on, she would no longer be the bride of the Wang Family. But then again, would the common folks acknowledge this annulment letter? After all, she was the female party. From ancient times, it has always been the male party being dissatisfied with the bride and then canceling the marriage. There had never been an instance of the female party initiating an annulment, much less making it public instead of privately. Seeing Chu Yuqin staring blankly at the newspaper, Chu Qingli continued, ¡°Sister, from now on, you¡¯re free. You are no longer a bride of the Wang Family!¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin sighed lightly and then replied, ¡°Qingli, this matter is not so simple. Although the Chu Family has publicly called off the engagement, the common folks might not acknowledge this annulment letter. Perhaps in their eyes, I am still considered a bride of the Wang Family.¡± Chu Qingli immediately spoke up, ¡°Sister, rest assured. I just heard people discussing on the streets that everyone says the Wang Family rebelled and committed unforgivable crimes. The Chu Family should have severed ties with the Wang Family long ago.¡± ¡°In the eyes of the common people, you are just an unfortunate woman. They will recognize this annulment letter.¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart also felt a ripple of emotion. If what Chu Qingli said was true, then she would no longer be a bride of the Wang Family and could directly marry into the North Prince Mansion. At this moment, Chu Yuqin recalled what Lu Chen had said to her sometime ago, that he wanted to marry her into the Prince¡¯s Mansion openly and honorably. From now on, they would not need to sneak around, nor fear idle gossip. With this thought, Chu Yuqin felt an intense warmth in her heart. Seeing Chu Yuqin fall silent again, seemingly deep in thought, Chu Qingli inquired doubtfully, ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve regained your freedom. Are you not happy?¡± Although Chu Yuqin had never consummated her marriage with Wang Han, she was always identified as the Wang Family¡¯s bride. In the eyes of others, she was like a widow. Now that her identity had been removed, Chu Yuqin was free, and she could marry whomever she wished to pursue her own happiness. Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t understand why Chu Yuqin still seemed somewhat discontent. Chu Yuqin then looked into Chu Qingli¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Qingli, do you really think this annulment letter was published by the Chu Family prompting the Eastern Newspaper Agency?¡± Chu Qingli replied without hesitation, ¡°Of course, isn¡¯t the Family Head¡¯s name written at the end of the annulment letter?¡± Chu Yuqin smiled faintly, without saying anything. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s smile, Chu Qingli felt a thump in her heart and instantly realized what it meant. If Chu Yuqin was no longer a bride of the Wang Family, it meant that a man could now possess her body openly and honorably. As to which man that might be, did it really need any guessing? It was some brute from the North Prince Mansion. Thinking this way, it was highly probable that that scoundrel had the Eastern Newspaper Agency publish the letter, with the clear purpose of monopolizing Chu Yuqin. Realizing this, Chu Qingli said, ¡°Sister, you don¡¯t mean to suggest that the North Prince had the Eastern Newspaper Agency publish this letter, do you?¡± Chu Yuqin remained silent and, seeing that she did not deny, Chu Qingli became indignantly vocal, ¡°If that scoundrel dares to set his sights on you, Sister, I¡¯ll fight him to the end!¡± ¡°Rest assured, Sister, I will definitely find a way to save you!¡± Listening to Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin asked indifferently, ¡°Qingli, tell me honestly, when you say it¡¯s all for your sister, is it because you want to monopolize Chen¡¯er all to yourself?¡± Chu Qingli was momentarily stunned, panic rising within her heart. Ever since her affair with Lu Chen was discovered by Chu Yuqin, Chu Qingli had always been worried that Chu Yuqin would harbor such thoughts. Chu Qingli hastily said, ¡°I didn¡¯t, everything I¡¯ve done was to set you free, Sister.¡± Chu Yuqin said coldly, ¡°You speak prettily of my freedom.¡± ¡°After climbing into Chen¡¯er¡¯s bed, you¡¯ve probably even forgotten your own name, let alone think of your sister. Do you take me for a fool?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Qingli faltered, not knowing how to explain. Then, biting her teeth in determination, she blurted out the bargain she made with Lu Chen, ¡°Sister, I really started it all to save you from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. I agreed with the North Prince that as long as I served him a hundred times, he would let you leave the North Prince Mansion. But unexpectedly, he broke his promise. The number of times I¡¯ve served him¡­¡± Before Chu Qingli could finish, Chu Yuqin interrupted her, ¡°What? You¡¯ve secretly been with Chen¡¯er over a hundred times doing that sort of thing behind my back?¡± ¡°Over a hundred times, and you still tell me you did it for me, Sister?¡± ¡°Qingli, do you believe your own lies?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Chu Qingli froze once again. She had been in the North Prince Mansion for a little over a year and had traded with Lu Chen a hundred times. Lu Chen never even visited some of his other consorts¡¯ chambers that often. Chapter 380 - Chapter 380: Chapter 250: The Chu Familys Cancellation of Engagement Letter_3 Chapter 380: Chapter 250: The Chu Family¡¯s Cancellation of Engagement Letter_3 Chu Qingli felt at this moment as if her own words were a lie, yet she had indeed made such an agreement with Lu Chen. Chu Qingli now had a feeling, a sense of being manipulated by Lu Chen. Chu Qingli cursed in her heart, this damned bastard, to think he had been plotting from the very beginning! Previously, she thought that a hundred transactions over three months would be the end. After the transactions, her sister would gain her freedom, and she herself would also leave the North Prince Mansion. But now she realized, things couldn¡¯t be that simple. She was already completely unable to leave Lu Chen, even if she cursed Lu Chen as a bastard, she¡¯d involuntarily think about him at night after a few days without transactions. Not only was she unable to leave Lu Chen, but revealing the matter of their transactions made her sister disbelieve her due to the high number, thinking she was shameless and indulging in pleasures instead. Seeing Chu Qingli fall silent without speaking, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Qingli, speak, what exactly are you planning?¡± Chu Qingli¡¯s face flushed as she replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Chen¡¯er say he wanted to take you as a concubine?¡± Chu Qingli had wanted to retort with ¡°Who would marry that bastard,¡± but swallowed her words before they could leave her mouth. No matter how much she denied it, in her sister¡¯s eyes, she would always appear insincere, especially since her sister had personally witnessed her and Lu Chen together, not just witnessed, but listened to them from the courtyard for an entire night, leaving her no room for defense. Were she to claim she didn¡¯t like Lu Chen, her sister would surely retort, ¡°If you don¡¯t like him, why then make such sounds?¡± and that she had stealthily carried out the same deed a hundred times. Chu Qingli felt that even if she jumped into the Great Sea to the east of North Country, she could never cleanse herself, and now married she must be. Chu Qingli was silent for a while before saying, ¡°Sister, marrying Lu Chen is my business, but you have your own happiness¡­ This man¡­¡± Chu Qingli didn¡¯t finish her sentence before Chu Yuqin interrupted, ¡°Qingli, are you trying to say that Chen¡¯er is despicable and shameless, with indecent and dirty methods?¡± ¡°Humph, at this point, are you still trying to stop me from serving Chen¡¯er?¡± Chu Qingli didn¡¯t know what to say anymore, feeling anything she¡¯d say would be useless. Eventually, she took a deep breath and said, ¡°Sister, I will no longer concern myself with your affairs with him in the future. Whatever you two wish to do, so be it.¡± Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin felt a surge of joy, finally getting Chu Qingli to relent. At this moment, Chu Qingli thought to herself, since she couldn¡¯t prevent Lu Chen from taking over her sister, she might as well stay in the North Prince Mansion and watch over them. If one day Lu Chen betrayed her sister, she would definitely avenge her sister and make Lu Chen regret his actions. ¡­ Meanwhile. At Yan County, within a private room of a tavern. More than a dozen men in bamboo hats were drinking when a man in grey cloth entered the room and whispered to the man sitting by the window, ¡°Commander, she¡¯s been staying in the North Prince Mansion this whole time, hardly ever going out. Zhuge Zhongguang lives right next to the North Prince Mansion, so if we take action, we¡¯ll definitely alert Zhuge Zhongguang.¡± With the strength of a Grandmaster, and one close to breaking into the Heavenly Human Realm at that, Zhuge Zhongguang was obviously not an easy adversary, which made Wang Jiantao somewhat troubled. Bai Qingqing was likely to have betrayed the Sum Emperor. The Sum Emperor tolerated no betrayal, and she had to be dealt with, being a Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard. If she were to live, how could he intimidate the other Shadow Guards in the future? Wang Jiantao then asked, ¡°Has the Shadow Guard¡¯s letter been sent into the Prince¡¯s Mansion again?¡± The grey-clothed man replied, ¡°It has been sent, but she¡¯s unlikely to pay any attention to it.¡± Wang Jiantao hadn¡¯t eliminated the Shadow Guards from Yan County before solely so they could lure out Bai Qingqing. But in these past days, they had used the old Shadow Guards to pass on several pieces of intelligence to Bai Qingqing, none of which had managed to draw her out. Wang Jiantao then said, ¡°Seems like she has sensed that His Majesty is eliminating the traitors. We need to find another way to lure her out.¡± ¡­ At this very moment. In North Land. On the vast grasslands, the sound of horns echoed. A large barbaric tribe Cavalry, clad in beast hides, was swiftly advancing eastward. The size of this Cavalry was massive, stretching so far that the end was nearly out of sight. A man clad in black-gold metal armor, carrying a huge ax, gazed towards the east. Soon, their scouts returned. The scouts immediately dismounted and saluted the man, saying, ¡°Great King, the Sky Wolf King tribe and North Fre King tribe have been destroyed by North Country. According to our intelligence, North Land has already been annexed by the Great Sum North King.¡± Hearing this, the man immediately said, ¡°Those two tribes have shamed our Barbarian Tribe. When I initially allowed them to join me, they refused, only to be annihilated by a flock of sheep! Ridiculous! Truly ridiculous!¡± At this point, a confidant next to the man said, ¡°Great King, shall we vanquish North Land, or march south to attack North Country?¡± Tianqi King laughed, ¡°What good is there in North Land for us to go there? If we go, we should go to North Country!¡± ¡°To have destroyed both the Sky Wolf King and North Fre King tribes, this North King of Great Sum does have some strength. I would like to see what makes North Country so special after all!¡± Another confidant by his side then cautioned, ¡°Divine Envoy instructed us to occupy North Land first and not to act rashly. If she learns that we went to attack Great Sum, she might be displeased.¡± Hearing the reminder, Tianqi King¡¯s face darkened instantly. The thought of that breathtakingly beautiful woman set his heart aflame, yet he was no match for her, having suffered several losses at her hands. Tianqi King snorted coldly, ¡°Is she your queen, or am I your king?¡± Seeing Tianqi King angered, his confidant Generals said nothing further. In their hearts, everyone knew that Tianqi King had suffered defeat when fighting Great Jue and was feeling disgruntled, urgently needing to vent on some power. Chapter 381 - Chapter 381: Chapter 251: The Tianqi Kings army advances eastward_1 Chapter 381: Chapter 251: The Tianqi King¡¯s army advances eastward_1 After the Chu Family¡¯s annulment letter was published in the newspaper, word of the annulment quickly spread throughout the North Country. However, the focus of the people was not on Chu Yuqin, the sacrificial pawn in the family alliance, but rather on the severance between the Chu Family and the Wang Family. Of course, the lack of public attention on Chu Yuqin was a good thing for Lu Chen. The fewer people talked about it now, the less gossip there would be when Chu Yuqin married into the Prince¡¯s Mansion in the future. By then, people would only remember that Chu Yuqin was merely a sacrificial pawn used by the Chu Family for an alliance. On yet another warm and breezy morning, Lu Chen rose from the Gentle Jade Fragrance of Yelv Nanyan, casting a glance at the beautiful woman he had embraced all night. During this time, Lu Chen had primarily devoted his attention to the few women with martial skill like Yelv Nanyan. Mu Zixuan and the other two ordinary women had already born him two children each, so it was time for them to rest. But speaking of which, it was exceedingly difficult for a martial artist to conceive. No matter how cooperative Yelv Nanyan was or what methods he tried, she just couldn¡¯t get pregnant. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just a problem with Yelv Nanyan alone. All the women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion who had martial skill faced the same issue. Lu Chen began to wonder if a woman¡¯s body structure changed after practicing martial arts, which was why it was so hard to conceive. He had checked them with his Rejuvenating Skill and everything seemed normal compared to ordinary women. Aside from well-developed meridians and their martial skill, there didn¡¯t seem to be any changes in their physical structure. Seeing Lu Chen awake, Yelv Nanyan with her cheeks flushed said, ¡°Prince, there is no morning court today, why don¡¯t we sleep in a bit longer?¡± Gazing upon the bright expanse before him, Lu Chen truly did wish to sleep in, but he remembered he had to check on the construction of the new city today. With that in mind, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Nanyan, there must be moderation in all things. We can¡¯t be too indulgent.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s fingers gently glided over Yelv Nanyan¡¯s soft body. Blushing even more at Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan knew he was teasing her, yet thinking about what happened last night made her heart flutter. Just then, the voices of maids discussing outside Paradise Spring Court could be heard, ¡°Commander Bai, is the Prince in Paradise Spring Court? Commander Qin is looking for him on an urgent matter.¡± ¡°The Prince is still asleep, let him wait a while.¡± ¡°Commander Qin seems quite anxious; it must be something important.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll call the Prince for you.¡± Subsequently, Bai Qingqing arrived outside Yelv Nanyan¡¯s bedroom, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin is seeking you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen directly responded, ¡°Tell Commander Qin to wait for me in the study, I will be there shortly.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Lu Chen then rose from bed, and upon his getting up, Yelv Nanyan hurriedly did the same, helping Lu Chen to dress. The clothing of this era required wrapping and tying of belts, and as someone like Lu Chen who had attendants, dressing was an easy affair. However, for ordinary people, dressing took some time. Watching Yelv Nanyan tying his belt, Lu Chen thought to himself that it might be time to guide the clothing style of the people in the North Country. He didn¡¯t mind wearing these ancient-style clothes; women looked like ethereal immortals in these long gowns, which he found very attractive. But Lu Chen thought that in some situations, such as in the army, the clothing of this time was too time-consuming to put on. Lu Chen considered that he should find an opportunity to discuss with Mu Zixuan about setting up a garment factory, so in the future, the soldiers¡¯ clothes in the army could be changed into a style that could be donned in an instant. When Yelv Nanyan finished tying his belt and noticed that Lu Chen was daydreaming, she asked with curiosity, ¡°Prince, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Snapping back to reality at the sound of Yelv Nanyan¡¯s voice, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just suddenly thought of something.¡± With that, Lu Chen cradled Yelv Nanyan¡¯s cheek, bent down, and then gave her a deep kiss. It was Lu Chen¡¯s habit to kiss the woman who had shared his bed the previous night upon waking up in the morning. Though no one knew where this habit came from, his women always indulged him. After their kiss, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I have to get going now. You should rest a bit longer.¡± As Lu Chen turned to leave, Yelv Nanyan promptly said, ¡°Take care, Prince.¡± Soon after, Lu Chen appeared in the study, only to find Qin Yushan handling a bow and several arrows as soon as he arrived at the courtyard of the study. ¡°Qin Yushan, is that the Piercing Cloud Bow in your hands?¡± Lu Chen had known about the court¡¯s commissioning of the Piercing Cloud Bow quite early. Under the guidance of Lu Shuyun, the Ministry of Works had crafted this special weapon, which reportedly had immense power and could easily kill any martial artist below the eighth rank. Lu Chen had instructed the Brocade Guard to acquire a few sets of Piercing Cloud Bows for the North Country a long time ago, but the weapon was strictly controlled, and even Grandmaster Liang Zong couldn¡¯t get his hands on it. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Qin Yushan immediately set the bow on the desk and bowed, saying, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen nodded and replied, ¡°At ease.¡± Chapter 382 - Chapter 382: Chapter 251: The Tianqi Kings Army Advances Eastward_2 Chapter 382: Chapter 251: The Tianqi King¡¯s Army Advances Eastward_2 Qin Yushan continued, ¡°The Prince guessed correctly; these are the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows.¡± ¡°Commander Liang sent a message back, saying that half a month ago, the Imperial Army and the rebels used the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows for the first time during battle. The Brocade Guard took this opportunity to acquire a set.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen immediately went to the desk, picked up the Piercing Cloud Bow, and examined it closely. He pulled the bowstring and found that it was very elastic. However, the power of a bow and arrow is not determined solely by the quality of the bow, but also by the arrows. Lu Chen then picked up the Piercing Cloud Arrow from the desk and scraped its tip with his finger. With just that scrape, Lu Chen¡¯s fingertip was cut, skinning a layer off. Seeing this, Lu Chen frowned slightly. What material was used to make the tip of these Piercing Cloud Arrows? How could they be so sharp? He was a Grandmaster, after all. Although he had not used his Spiritual Energy, a weapon would need to be quite sharp to cut the skin of someone at the Grandmaster level so easily. Lu Chen then asked the system in his mind, ¡°System, can you identify the materials used to make the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows?¡± [Detected: The materials used in constructing the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows are extraterrestrial and do not belong to this world.] Lu Chen was left feeling speechless; this was basically the same as not saying anything at all. In his heart, he had already guessed that the materials for making the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows were unlikely to be from this world. At this time, Lu Chen said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Have you tried the power of the Piercing Cloud Bow?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°After receiving these two items, I came straight to the North Prince Mansion and haven¡¯t had the chance to test the power of the Piercing Cloud Bow yet.¡± Lu Chen then took the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows and said, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to the backyard and test it.¡± They then proceeded to the Training Ground in the backyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, where Lu Chen had the servants prepare several sets of armor worn by the Black Cavalry and lined those sets up in a row. Next, Lu Chen drew the bow and released an arrow. With the strength of a Grandmaster like Lu Chen, he easily drew the Piercing Cloud Bow. The moment he released his hold, the Piercing Cloud Arrow shot out with a boom. The next moment, the line of armor was completely perforated by the Piercing Cloud Arrow. Fortunately, Lu Chen had anticipated the arrow¡¯s power might be substantial and had placed steel plates behind the armor; otherwise, the Piercing Cloud Arrow would have pierced through the courtyard wall and could have injured people outside. At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s face became serious. There was a sonic boom the moment he released the arrow. Could the rebound force of the Piercing Cloud Bow¡¯s string actually be greater than the kinetic energy produced by gunpowder explosion? Could it be that exaggerated? Considering himself a Grandmaster and knowing that even using a regular bow and arrow, the force would be huge. He then handed the Piercing Cloud Bow to Qin Yushan beside him, ¡°Commander Qin, you try to see how powerful this Piercing Cloud Bow is.¡± Qin Yushan immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, took the bow and arrow, picked up a Piercing Cloud Arrow, and shot towards the distant armor. Lu Chen found that Qin Yushan did not draw the bowstring to its fullest, indicating that even a Grandmaster could not fully draw it, which meant that the bow was obviously not for ordinary people¡¯s use. It seemed that a minimum strength equivalent to a Fifth Grade Martial Artist was needed to use the Piercing Cloud Bow. At this moment, Qin Yushan released the string, and the Piercing Cloud Arrow flew out with a whistle, but this time, the power of the Piercing Cloud Arrow was not as great¡ªit only pierced through six sets of armor. After seeing this, Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said to a nearby Seventh Grade Prince¡¯s Mansion guard, ¡°You try it.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The guard immediately took the Piercing Cloud Bow from Qin Yushan¡¯s hand, picked the last arrow, and aimed at the sets of armor. By this time, Lu Chen noticed that the Seventh Grade guard was clearly struggling to draw the bow. It matched his expectations: the Piercing Cloud Bow was a weapon crafted for Martial Artists, and ordinary people or low-tier Martial Artists couldn¡¯t handle it. As the Prince¡¯s Mansion guard released the string, the Piercing Cloud Arrow flew out again with a whistle but this time pierced through only three sets of armor. In his mind, Lu Chen thought that if that force had these powerful bows and arrows, they would no longer need to fear even the Heavy Cavalry. The armor of the Heavy Cavalry was perforated in an instant. Before the Heavy Cavalry could engage at close range, they would turn into hedgehogs. Lu Chen felt somewhat relieved that the North Country had entered the Age of Firearms, meaning they wouldn¡¯t need to fear facing such Piercing Cloud Bows. In battle, if they encountered an insurmountable foe, they could simply cover the area with heavy firepower. The dynamics of future warfare were bound to change, even in a world with Grandmasters. No matter how formidable a Grandmaster, they could only deal with so many enemies, and the skill within a Grandmaster¡¯s body could be depleted. Against the continuous bombardment of cannons, even the most formidable Grandmasters couldn¡¯t withstand it, unless they were of the Heavenly Human Realm. However, currently, the major dynasties hardly made public appearances, let alone Celestial-level fighters. At this time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what is the current situation of the battle in the South?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Currently, the Imperial Army has the upper hand, and the Southern rebels are retreating steadily. This is also why the Southern rebels resorted to using the Piercing Cloud Bow.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that after the battle with Great Wu, the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Army is still so formidable.¡± Qin Yushan added, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not that the Imperial Army is too strong but rather the Southern rebels are too weak. Now, the Southern rebels are fighting as individual families, each with its own territory, and they are unhappy with other family forces entering their lands. Under such circumstances, it¡¯s difficult for them to be a formidable force.¡± Chapter 383 - Chapter 383: Chapter 251: The Tianqi Kings Army Advances Eastward_3 Chapter 383: Chapter 251: The Tianqi King¡¯s Army Advances Eastward_3 Lu Chen said, ¡°That is true, I have overestimated those Aristocratic Families.¡± Just then, a guard from the Prince¡¯s Mansion entered the rear courtyard and said, ¡°Prince, Commander Wu of the Brocade Guard requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Let him come directly to the rear courtyard.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Soon, Wu Yuan appeared in the rear courtyard. After glancing at Qin Yushan, he said to Lu Chen, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Wu Yuan took out a piece of paper intelligence from his sleeve and said, ¡°We¡¯ve just received news that people from the South¡¯s Aristocratic Families have been spotted in Qi Country. It seems that the Southern rebels are trying to win over the Qi Prince to lead troops south.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen, while taking the intelligence from Wu Yuan¡¯s hand, asked, ¡°How did the Qi Prince treat those people?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°The Qi Prince has arranged for them to stay at the best tavern in Qi Country and has met with them several times. As for the Qi Prince¡¯s attitude, the Brocade Guard has not been able to find out yet.¡± Lu Chen opened the intelligence in his hand and skimmed through it quickly. Lu Chen did not believe that the Qi Prince would rebel along with the South¡¯s Aristocratic Families. Although the Seigniors of Great Xia had long been dissatisfied with the royal family, the current power of the Seigniors was no longer what it used to be. If they rashly decided to rebel, not only would their current wealth and honor be lost, but they also risked losing their lives. However, this was not certain; power is so tempting that no one could be sure whether the Qi Prince harbored imperial dreams. But if the Qi Prince were to rebel, he would surely send envoys to the North Country. The North Country, bordering Qi Country, had now become an entity that Qi Country could not ignore. Most of Qi Country¡¯s troops were positioned in the north, clearly to guard against the North Country. If Qi Country wanted to transfer troops south to attack the Capital city, the Qi Prince would have to consider the possibility of the North Country marching south to support the Emperor. Just as Lu Chen was about to return to the study, a guard from the Prince¡¯s Mansion brought in a soldier bearing a red flag into the Prince¡¯s Mansion. The Red Ribbon Messenger, upon seeing Lu Chen, immediately knelt halfway and handed over the intelligence contained in a bamboo tube, ¡°Prince, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Tianqi King is leading an army of four hundred thousand troops eastward, and some of the vanguard Cavalry has already arrived in the North Land. In less than half a month, they¡¯ll reach the North Country!¡± Hearing this, the faces of everyone in the courtyard instantly turned stern. Lu Chen quickly took the bamboo tube from the Red Ribbon Messenger and removed the intelligence, then said to Wu Yuan and Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, Commander Wu, go immediately to the Hall of Political Affairs and summon the Military Generals from Yan County.¡± Both men said in unison, ¡°As you command, Prince!¡± Afterward, they promptly left the North Prince Mansion, while Lu Chen stood in place, seriously reading the battle report from the front. After finishing the intelligence from the North Land, something suddenly occurred to Lu Chen. This so-called Tianqi King had also attacked the Da Yue Dynasty not long ago, but was defeated by the Empress of the Da Yue Dynasty. Unexpectedly, after being repelled by the Da Yue Dynasty, they didn¡¯t settle down; instead, they moved to the North Land, and there was even a possibility they were planning to attack the North Country. With an army of four hundred thousand marching to the North Land, Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe they were just there for sightseeing; it¡¯s more likely that the Tianqi King felt humiliated by the defeat in the Da Yue Dynasty and wanted to regain confidence from Great Xia. Moreover, the Barbarian Tribe has always had a penchant for raiding the south. Having not plundered much of what they needed from the Da Yue Dynasty, they naturally would look to raid other places, and Lu Chen assessed that there was a high probability that the Tianqi King was targeting the North Country. Recently, from intelligence gathered by Wang Qingci, he knew that since the Da Yue Dynasty had defeated the alliance of the Barbarian Tribes, they had been on guard against the Barbarian Tribes advancing from the northwest. He hadn¡¯t expected them to actually come, and with an army of four hundred thousand, no less. Their ability to gather such precise intelligence was all thanks to those Barbarian Tribes living in the North Land; it seemed his initial decision to incorporate the North Land Barabarians into the North Country proved to be very useful. After reading the urgent intelligence in his hands, Lu Chen immediately went to the Hall of Political Affairs to await the arrival of the Military Generals. Meanwhile, not far from North Prince Mansion, some people were watching the entrance of the mansion closely. These people belonged to the Shadow Guard. Wang Jiantao had been looking for an opportunity to assassinate Bai Qingqing recently, but he dared not directly infiltrate the North Prince Mansion because he was wary of Zhuge Zhongguang. Though he practiced a Cultivation Technique that allowed him to conceal his presence, he was not confident that he could escape the detection of Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang after eliminating Bai Qingqing. If it were an ordinary Grandmaster, perhaps he might have attempted it, for an average Grandmaster might not detect him in his stealth state. But Zhuge Zhongguang was a Grandmaster on the verge of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm. While killing Bai Qingqing might be easy, after doing so, Wang Jiantao was likely to end up staying in the North Prince Mansion permanently. Wang Jiantao thought that he was only there to eliminate a traitor, not to be a suicide attacker, so there was no need to risk his life sneaking into North Prince Mansion for an assassination. Just as Wang Jiantao was staring blankly at the entrance of North Prince Mansion, one of his Shadow Guards whispered a reminder, ¡°Leader, look quickly, two Grandmasters have arrived at the entrance of the North Prince Mansion!¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Jiantao¡¯s gaze instantly fixated on the two people at the entrance of the mansion. Those two men rode black horses, cloaked in thick armor, and exuded the aura of Grandmasters from their beings. Wang Jiantao frowned slightly, sensing that these two Grandmasters were not ordinary in strength; in fact, they seemed even stronger than the Grandmaster who had just left the mansion, which made him feel a tremor in his heart upon seeing them. He himself was someone who did the Emperor¡¯s dirty work, and many had died by his hand, but the murderous aura he possessed was nothing compared to those two, who seemed as though they had emerged from the underworld, their killing intent so intense that he felt uncomfortable even at this distance. At that moment, Xuanyuan Chen dismounted at the Prince¡¯s Mansion entrance and then turned to look in a certain direction, lingering without entering the mansion. Seeing this, Wenren Lie, who had already stepped through the gates, asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xuanyuan Chen then turned and said, ¡°I just felt as if someone was watching us.¡± Wenren Lie said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s normal. Every day, many petty thieves keep an eye on the North Prince Mansion.¡± The North Country was no longer what it used to be, and the North Prince was no longer the North Prince of old, so it was common for many foreign spies to monitor every move of the North Prince; there was nothing new about it. As Xuanyuan Chen walked toward the mansion, he said, ¡°True, let the Brocade Guard deal with those petty thieves. The main matter is what¡¯s urgent.¡± Chapter 384 - Chapter 384: Chapter 252: Luring out the Shadow Guard_1 Chapter 384: Chapter 252: Luring out the Shadow Guard_1 Only after seeing the two Grandmasters dressed in black armour enter the North Prince Mansion did Wang Jiantao breathe a sigh of relief; his heart had almost leapt into his throat just moments before. One of the Grandmasters had glanced in their direction, and they had felt the threat of death, sending a chill down their spines. In the North Country, aside from Zhuge Zhongguang, the Great Grandmaster, there was actually another terrifyingly powerful Grandmaster-level military general! Just as Wang Jiantao was recovering, a Shadow Guard beside him exclaimed, ¡°Another Grandmaster has appeared!¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Jiantao immediately looked toward the entrance of the North Prince Mansion. At that moment, a robust man in plain clothes dismounted his horse, handed it over to a servant of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and then proceeded to enter. Although the aura of the robust man wasn¡¯t as terrifying as that of the two men in armor, the power emanating from him made it clear that he too was a Master Level powerhouse. Shadow Guards have been trained from a young age and often carry out various tasks in secret; they were generally able to easily gauge the approximate realm of a martial artist. At this moment, Wang Jiantao furrowed his brows in concern. The North Prince Mansion actually housed four Grandmasters, something they hadn¡¯t anticipated at the start. While Wang Jiantao was pondering how to report this information about the North Country to the Sum Emperor, he suddenly saw yet another Grandmaster appear at the entrance. Wang Jiantao¡¯s eyes suddenly widened in disbelief as he stared at the man at the entrance of the North Prince Mansion. Was that¡­ Mu Changtian??? How was this possible! Wasn¡¯t Mu Changtian killed during his exile in the northwest? How could he appear in this place? Wang Jiantao¡¯s expression immediately darkened, certain he had not mistaken the man; the individual entering the North Prince Mansion was indeed Mu Changtian himself. Counting Mu Changtian, there were now five Grandmasters in the North Prince Mansion! The presence of five Grandmasters wasn¡¯t the important issue; what mattered was that the man the Sum Emperor wanted to eliminate had not died and had even appeared in the North Country. The North Prince most certainly knew who Mu Changtian was, yet he dared to harbor him. And Mu Changtian¡¯s presence here also meant that many of the soldiers who had died in the inn previously were likely killed by the North Prince¡¯s own men. Was the North Prince planning a rebellion? At a time when the Imperial Army was critical in suppressing the rebellion, if the North Prince led the North Country¡¯s army south to coordinate with the rebels, then the Capital City would be in jeopardy. With this in mind, Wang Jiantao immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s leave!¡± Everything they had seen today had to be swiftly reported to the Sum Emperor so that he could prepare for what was to come. After Wang Jiantao and his group left, Wei Siyuan arrived at the North Prince Mansion. If Wang Jiantao had seen another Grandmaster arriving, he would have felt even more unsettled. About half an hour later, except for the military generals defending Yan County, all the important military generals of the North Country had arrived at the North Prince Mansion. Inside the Hall of Political Affairs. Lu Chen sat in the prince¡¯s chair, with Zhuge Zhongguang by his side. Seeing that most people had arrived, Lu Chen spoke directly, ¡°I just received urgent military intelligence from the North Land. The Tianqi King has led an army of four hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe troops eastward, seemingly with the intent to attack the North Country.¡± Hearing this, everyone in the hall looked at each other. The military generals of the North Country were not like the civil officials; they were more composed. Although the news sounded very urgent, none of the military generals showed signs of panic on their faces. On the contrary, they were somewhat eager to head north. Ever since the North Country equipped its troops with firearms, they had been continuously training in their use. Now, their proficiency with firearms had reached an exquisite level, and they had even developed several tactics related to the use of firearms. Though war meant death, these military generals had a strong desire for battle. And not only the generals, but under the North Country¡¯s existing military merit system, many soldiers were also longing for a fight as it was the only way for them to acquire substantial military merit. At this time, Mu Changtian spoke up, ¡°Prince, the North Country¡¯s troops are already prepared to fight against our enemies. They are just waiting for your command to head north without hesitation.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°An army is maintained for a thousand days to be used for a moment. The North Country¡¯s troops have trained for so long; it¡¯s time to put them to the test.¡± Wei Siyuan then asked, ¡°Prince, do we need to call over the hundred thousand troops from Wind Cloud Island? They should have already arrived in the North Country.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Not for now. Let them stay stationed by the sea. I have already instructed people to build a military base there.¡± Although the Barbarian Tribe had four hundred thousand troops, Lu Chen did not believe that they would pose a significant challenge to the North Country¡¯s army. For the time being, there was no need for the hundred thousand soldiers from Wind Cloud Island, as they had not learned how to use firearms or undergone the relevant training. Bringing them over now would not be of much use. Just then, Zhuge Zhongguang spoke up, ¡°Prince, I suggest we station the soldiers from Wind Cloud Island in Yan County.¡± ¡°Once the North Country¡¯s army moves north, our rear will be exposed. If Great Jue or Qi Country has other designs, the North Country might face threats from both front and back, and the hundred thousand troops could have a deterrent effect.¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen realized he had just received news of the aristocratic families from the South visiting the Qi Prince, and he had forgotten about Qi Prince. If the North Country¡¯s army moved north, Qi Prince might see it as an opportunity. It was entirely possible that Qi Prince could mobilize troops within Qi Country to head south and attack the Capital City. Chapter 385 - Chapter 385: Chapter 252: Luring out the Shadow Guard_2 Chapter 385: Chapter 252: Luring out the Shadow Guard_2 Indeed, part of the two hundred thousand troops that the Great Yue Dynasty had recently moved away had returned to the border regions adjacent to the North Country and stationed there. It seemed that the Great Yue Empress was always on guard against the North Country. There was no telling whether the Great Yue Dynasty might take advantage of the North Country¡¯s weakened rear and suddenly send troops to attack. It was truly uncertain. Thinking of this, Lu Chen said, ¡°The Great Scholar makes sense. General Wei, if those one hundred thousand soldiers have already reached the coast, have them rush to Yan County as quickly as possible.¡± Wei Siyuan replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Xuanyuan Chen then asked, ¡°Prince, how many Black Cavalry do you plan to send northward?¡± After pondering for a while, Lu Chen knew that inside the Great Sum¡¯s territory, the Piercing Cloud Bow had appeared, capable of threatening Heavy Cavalry. But this time, they were not dealing with the royal court or the rebel forces from the south; their enemies were the Barbarian Tribes coming from the northwest, who most likely did not possess any weapons to counter Heavy Cavalry. Before the widespread availability of such a powerful cold weapon as the Piercing Cloud Bow, Heavy Cavalry could still play a powerful role in battle. With this thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s send forty thousand Black Cavalry northward and leave ten thousand to defend Yan County.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen looked towards Xiao Pengthian. ¡°General Xiao, might you have heard of the Tianqi King from the Barbarian Tribe?¡± Xiao Pengthian answered, ¡°Back to you, Prince, I have heard of him. During the old Sky Wolf King¡¯s time, Tianqi King had sent people to the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, attempting to recruit the tribe under his command. I¡¯ve also heard that Tianqi King had sent envoys to the North Fre King¡¯s tribe, but ultimately both our tribes refused.¡± ¡°Rumor has it that Tianqi King has reached the Grandmaster Realm, and his ambition is vast. He believes he is favored by the Barbarian God, which is why he changed his title to Tianqi King. He also wishes to unite all the Barbarian Tribes and become the Barbarian Emperor.¡± Hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s words, Lu Chen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. Grandmaster? This was the first time North Country faced an enemy Grandmaster entering the battlefield. In this case, they too must bring a Grandmaster with them. Although Grandmasters might not necessarily withstand the barrage of cannons, they could still disrupt their formations and destroy their cannons. Should a Grandmaster get close to their cannon-armed positions, their cannons were likely to be destroyed by the Grandmaster. Think of this, Lu Chen said, ¡°For this battle against the Tianqi King¡¯s army, I shall personally lead the troops northward.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Prince, this is not appropriate. You are a Prince of the North Country, tasked with managing the entire North Country. You should not appear on the battlefield.¡± Lu Chen is the Son of Destiny; how could he be in a dangerous place? If something were to happen to him, how could he continue to lead this world? From Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s personal perspective, he definitely did not want to see Lu Chen head to the battlefield. Lu Chen said, ¡°The firearms are also considered my invention, and this will be the soldiers¡¯ first time using firearms in combat. How could I not go to the front lines to guide the soldiers in using them?¡± ¡°This matter is not up for discussion, this Prince must go to the front.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s resolute attitude, Zhuge Zhongguang had no choice but to say no more. ¡°If the Prince insists on going, this old minister will also accompany the Prince northward.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°That¡¯s not an option. The North Prince Mansion and Yan County still need the Great Scholar for protection. Once I leave Yan County, it is very likely that some petty thieves will target the North Prince Mansion.¡± What Lu Chen was most concerned about were his wives and concubines. Although the North Prince Mansion already had the Grandmaster Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen still felt it was not entirely safe. Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Prince¡­¡± Seeing Zhuge Zhongguang was about to say something more, Lu Chen suddenly realized that this would be his first confrontation with a Grandmaster, and he was uncertain if he was a match for that Grandmaster. Therefore, to be safe, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be overprepared. Since Zhuge Zhongguang was set on protecting the North Prince Mansion and could not be moved, then Chen Wanrong could certainly join him in heading north. As things currently stood, Mysterious Moon Palace was unlikely to come to Yan County to take Chen Wanrong away. With that in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°The Great Scholar knows I¡¯m worried about my safety. How about this, I will bring a Grandmaster with me, that way there is no need for the Great Scholar to worry.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Prince, to my knowledge, doesn¡¯t the North Country lack a third Grandmaster?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why not? It¡¯s just that you, Great Scholar, are not aware. The Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace is a Grandmaster, having only recently made the breakthrough.¡± ¡°I am a Grandmaster myself, and with another Grandmaster, that should surely set the Great Scholar¡¯s mind at ease, right?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°If another Grandmaster accompanies the Prince northward, then this old minister will be relieved.¡± At that moment, Mu Changtian spoke from the side, ¡°Prince, should we inform the common people about this northern expedition?¡± ¡°After all, the enemy has four hundred thousand troops. Although the North Country has already defeated two Barbarian Tribes, if the common people learn of this, it would still likely cause panic.¡± Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°This time as we march north, we should indeed let the common people know. Not only should they be aware, but we should also continuously promote it, making the common people of the North Country understand that North Country¡¯s soldiers are heading north to battle the Barbarian Tribes in order to protect them.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s idea was simple: if the common people didn¡¯t know that the North Country¡¯s soldiers were risking their lives against the Barbarian Tribes for their safety, how could they possibly respect those soldiers? As for causing panic, Lu Chen was not overly concerned. Certainly, some civilians would be afraid, fear being a common human emotion, but the North Country had frequently faced raids from Barbarian Tribes in the past, and many civilians were already accustomed to it. Chapter 386 - Chapter 386: Chapter 252: Luring out the Shadow Guard_3 Chapter 386: Chapter 252: Luring out the Shadow Guard_3 Therefore, letting the common people know that the Barbarian Tribe was moving south, in Lu Chen¡¯s view, would not bring too much trouble to the North Country, even if the common people felt panic. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Changtian thought for a moment and felt there was some truth to them. At this time, Lu Chen unfolded the map in front of him, then said, ¡°Everyone gather around, let¡¯s not discuss the trivial matters for now. The Tianqi King¡¯s army will soon arrive in the North Country, we must make haste to deploy.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the military generals in the great hall immediately gathered around the table in front of the throne to discuss the deployment strategy. After the military meeting ended, Lu Chen allowed Mu Changtian and the others to return to the military camp and gave the soldiers a day off to say goodbye to their families. Although war was imminent, it was still necessary to allow the soldiers a chance to say goodbye to their families, lest the soldiers die on the battlefield and their families remain unaware of where they went, or if they would return. In addition to allowing the soldiers to go home and bid farewell to their families, Lu Chen also ordered Qin Yushan to clean up the spies in Yan County; they were soon to move northward, and without Lu Chen in Yan County, those spies might cause trouble, so it was better to have the Brocade Guard clean up beforehand. Speaking of cleaning up spies from other countries, Lu Chen thought of what Bai Qingqing mentioned some time ago, that the Sum Emperor had already sent people to eliminate the traitors among the Shadow Guards, and it was very likely that those who wanted to assassinate Bai Qingqing were still in Yan County. Lu Chen planned before moving north to lure out these Shadow Guards and then eliminate them. If he let them be in Yan County, once he left, they would definitely make a move against Bai Qingqing. This time he was heading north without intending to take Bai Qingqing with him, and with the Sum Emperor¡¯s Shadow Guards in Yan County, Lu Chen was very concerned, fearing that these guards would create trouble. Having decided on the next actions, the entire Yan County became busy. In the morning, Lu Chen held the military meeting, and by the afternoon, all the common people in Yan County had learned of the approaching southward invasion of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s four hundred thousand strong army. Of course, this news was released by the newspapers at Lu Chen¡¯s behest, as he intended to make extensive propaganda for this war. Upon hearing that the Barbarian Tribe was moving south again, the people of Yan County became panicked in an instant, some even considering running away. However, more people chose to trust the North Prince, believing in the North Prince¡¯s army. The victories in the previous two wars had given the common people of North Country great confidence. Although there were rumors that the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry was annihilated during the battle with the North Fre King, the soldiers of North Country still managed to defend Tianguang City and prevented the North Fre King from moving south. For most living in the North Country, as long as the soldiers held the north, preventing the Barbarian Cavalry from moving south was considered a great victory. At this very moment. Inside a private room of a certain tavern. Wang Jiantao looked at the newspaper in his hand, pondering for a long time. He now understood why there had been so many Grandmasters going to the North Prince Mansion that morning; they were probably discussing how to resist the southward invasion of the Tianqi King¡¯s four hundred thousand army. At that moment, a Shadow Guard said, ¡°Commander, subordinates have learned that soon the North Prince will be heading to the military camp on the eastern side of Yan County for an inspection, and Bai Qingqing had always liked to follow the North Prince closely. She¡¯ll probably accompany him this time too, which presents a great opportunity for us.¡± Wang Jiantao thought for a while and remained silent. Zhuge Zhongguang is a Grandmaster, and someone at the level of Grandmaster should not be following a prince around everywhere. If Bai Qingqing indeed accompanies the North Prince to the military camp and Lu Chen doesn¡¯t have many high-level martial artists with him, then it would certainly be an excellent opportunity for them to eliminate Bai Qingqing, and they might even directly make a move against the North Prince. Of course, dealing with the North Prince was not something he should undertake now; without a clear order from the Sum Emperor, even though he knew that the North Prince was now a major concern for the Sum Emperor, as a commander of the Shadow Guard, he could not act against Lu Chen. After a brief pause, Wang Jiantao picked up the conical bamboo hat on the table, ¡°Set out!¡± ¡­ At this time, Wang Jiantao and the Shadow Guards were unaware that the news of Lu Chen inspecting the military camp was deliberately released by Lu Chen. His plan was to draw out those Shadow Guards who wanted to kill Bai Qingqing, and then directly deal with them, preventing them from causing trouble for Bai Qingqing after his departure, or from creating chaos in Yan County. Around four in the afternoon, Lu Chen sat in a carriage while Bai Qingqing rode a horse, casually taking a few guards and heading out of the city towards the eastern military camp. The military camp on the eastern side of Yan County was some distance away from the city, and part of the journey went through a forest. Forests provided an excellent location for assassins like the Shadow Guards to strike. Lu Chen was convinced that the Shadow Guards would make a move. Before long, Lu Chen¡¯s carriage entered the area where the Shadow Guards were ambushed. Seeing that Lu Chen had only brought Bai Qingqing and a few fifth-level guards, Wang Jiantao found it strange. Logically, Bai Qingqing should have already noticed that the Sum Emperor was eliminating the Shadow Guards in North Country, and she was one of the targets. So why did Bai Qingqing still dare to let Lu Chen bring just a few skilled men along? Could it be that Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t tell Lu Chen about the Shadow Guard situation? Or perhaps Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t take the Shadow Guards seriously from the start, thinking no one would dare to attack her? After all, she was a Grandmaster, and killing her was indeed not an easy matter; her confidence was normal. Seeing that Wang Jiantao had yet to give an order, a Shadow Guard next to him said, ¡°Commander, if we let them pass a bit further, they will see North Country¡¯s military camp, and it will be too late for us to make a move!¡± Hearing this, Wang Jiantao asked a Shadow Guard who had been trailing the carriage from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°Xiao Qi, are you certain that only the North Prince is inside the carriage?¡± ¡°I am certain, I saw the North Prince get on the carriage with my own eyes,¡± replied the subordinate. Wang Jiantao thought to himself that if it were only the North Prince, plus a few guards, indeed there was nothing to fear. Although the North Prince was rumored to be a martial artist, his age was evident and he could not be overly strong no matter what. With that in mind, Wang Jiantao no longer hesitated. ¡°Attack!¡± Chapter 387 - Chapter 387: Chapter 253: The Woman of This Prince_1 Chapter 387: Chapter 253: The Woman of This Prince_1 Wang Jiantao and his companions weren¡¯t there to assassinate Lu Chen, so they didn¡¯t start with a surprise arrow attack on Lu Chen¡¯s carriage. Instead, they stepped out in the open and surrounded both the carriage and the guards from the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At that moment, Bai Qingqing said expressionlessly, ¡°Who are you?¡± Wang Jiantao and the others were wearing cloaks and their faces were covered with cloth, concealing their full visage. However, Bai Qingqing obviously knew who they were and her question was purely rhetorical. Having grown up in the training grounds of the Shadow Guards, Bai Qingqing was, after all, a disciple of Wang Jiantao. She was very familiar with the martial aura Wang Jiantao exuded. The moment Wang Jiantao made his appearance, she knew it was him. Wang Jiantao then said coldly, ¡°Commander Bai has been quite busy lately, so busy that you¡¯ve forgotten your own duties.¡± After hearing the commotion outside, Lu Chen lifted the curtain of the carriage and, with a smile, asked Bai Qingqing beside the carriage, ¡°Bai, do you recognize them?¡± Without any expression, Bai Qingqing answered, ¡°Your Highness, I do not!¡± Upon hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s response, Wang Jiantao scoffed, ¡°Commander Bai is indeed forgetful of old acquaintances, forgetting even your own foster father.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve chosen to betray the organization, I believe you are already prepared for death.¡± In the midst of speaking, Wang Jiantao drew the blade from his waist. Without hesitation, Bai Qingqing also drew her sword and then said to the guards of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°Protect the Prince!¡± As her words fell, Bai Qingqing charged towards Wang Jiantao who was not far off. Besides Wang Jiantao, the other Shadow Guards did not join the fray, continuing to encircle the guards and the carriage without any intention of attacking Lu Chen. Their presence was solely to eliminate Bai Qingqing, the traitor. Although the North Prince was also a thorn in the Sum Emperor¡¯s side, the Emperor hadn¡¯t ordered them to act against the North Prince, so they had no choice but to separate him from Bai Qingqing. Meanwhile, Lu Chen stepped out from the carriage and sat beside the coachman¡¯s seat, simply watching the fight between Bai Qingqing and Wang Jiantao unfold. Having listened to the conversation between Wang Jiantao and Bai Qingqing, Lu Chen realized that this Wang Jiantao was likely the one who trained Bai Qingqing into a Shadow Guard. To cultivate a Shadow Guard devoid of emotions, Bai Qingqing must have endured much suffering as a child. Thus, Lu Chen wanted to give Bai Qingqing a chance to seek her own vengeance. If Bai Qingqing truly was no match for Wang Jiantao, Lu Chen would intervene. As a Grandmaster, he was acutely aware of every subtle movement in his vicinity. Should Bai Qingqing be in danger, he could save her in an instant. Just as Bai Qingqing was about to reach Wang Jiantao, he pushed off with his legs with ease, leaping into the air and kicking off a nearby tree, flying straight towards Bai Qingqing with a slash that sent an invisible wave of sword Qi her way. Mounted on her horse, Bai Qingqing remained unflustered. She leaped off and swung her sword at Wang Jiantao, her Sword Qi colliding with his, slicing the surrounding trees in half as ripples of force passed through them. From the initial exchange, Wang Jiantao sensed something was amiss; he realized Bai Qingqing¡¯s strength might have surpassed his own. How could that be? When Bai Qingqing left the Capital city, she had only recently broken through to the Master Realm. Her strength shouldn¡¯t exceed his. From their brief clash, Wang Jiantao could clearly feel that Bai Qingqing¡¯s realm had reached the pinnacle of the Master Realm, markedly different from an ordinary Master. Wang Jiantao landed from the air, then chuckled, ¡°It seems that Commander Bai¡¯s strength has improved rapidly during your time in the North Prince Mansion. I wonder what benefits the North Prince gave you to provoke your betrayal.¡± Bai Qingqing ignored Wang Jiantao¡¯s words and turned into a blur as she rushed straight at him. The next moment, a cold glint of her sword aimed directly for Wang Jiantao¡¯s neck. However, Wang Jiantao did not panic; a smirk briefly crossed his lips, and in the blink of an eye, his figure simply vanished from the spot. Seeing this spectacle, even Lu Chen was momentarily surprised. His gaze had been fixed on Wang Jiantao and Bai Qingqing, and he hadn¡¯t expected Wang Jiantao to disappear so swiftly under his watch. But after all, as a Grandmaster, it wasn¡¯t long before Lu Chen sensed Wang Jiantao¡¯s presence again; by then, Wang Jiantao had already reappeared behind Bai Qingqing. A blade of light swept towards Bai Qingqing¡¯s waist, and just as she seemed bound to be struck, and Lu Chen was about to intervene, Bai Qingqing reacted, arching her body back to gracefully dodge Wang Jiantao¡¯s blade. Then Bai Qingqing counterattacked with a sword strike, but again, it inflicted no damage as Wang Jiantao¡¯s figure disappeared once more. Wang Jiantao continuously attacked with elusive movements, putting Bai Qingqing on the defensive. Lu Chen recognized that Wang Jiantao¡¯s techniques were incredibly tricky, bearing a striking resemblance to Shadow Shifting, allowing him to easily evade enemy strikes. Even though Bai Qingqing was on the back foot, she was, after all, an Extreme Realm Master and her reaction speed was sufficiently fast. It was not easy for Wang Jiantao to catch her off guard, as she was able to anticipate each attack. At that moment, Lu Chen, eyeing the Cloaked Shadow Guards who were still surrounding his guards and carriage, said teasingly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you all going to join the fight? What are you doing encircling my carriage?¡± Chapter 388 - Chapter 388: Chapter 253: The Woman of This Prince_2 Chapter 388: Chapter 253: The Woman of This Prince_2 Hearing this, the Shadow Guards did not speak; they remained standing in place, surrounding the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s carriage. It was at that moment Wang Jiantao realized that no matter how he attacked, he couldn¡¯t kill Bai Qingqing¡ªshe always managed to react in time. Since Wang Jiantao had taught Bai Qingqing¡¯s swordsmanship himself and was extremely familiar with it, he originally thought he could easily eliminate Bai Qingqing, the traitor. However, to his surprise, she had achieved a breakthrough to the Master Realm in such a short period of time, which put him at a disadvantage. No, he couldn¡¯t drag this out any longer; if he delayed until the Grandmaster from the Prince¡¯s Mansion arrived, it was very likely that his mission would fail. He was one of the Sum Emperor¡¯s few remaining Shadow Guard leaders who had never failed, because all those who had failed were already dealt with by the Sum Emperor. If he didn¡¯t complete the mission this time, death was the only thing waiting for him. At that moment, Wang Jiantao took a pill from his sleeve and stuffed it into his mouth. Seeing Wang Jiantao take the pill, Bai Qingqing¡¯s brows raised slightly. As the Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guards, Bai Qingqing also knew that the Shadow Guards had a kind of Blood Burst Pill. Once this pill was consumed, a Martial Artist¡¯s skill would greatly increase in a short period, similar to entering the Blood Burning State. However, the side effects of using the Blood Burst Pill were very small, taking only a month or two to recover. Clearly, what Wang Jiantao had just used was the Blood Burst Pill. The next moment, Wang Jiantao¡¯s knife technique suddenly became sharper, and his strikes grew much stronger. Wang Jiantao, who had been trying to use stealth to attack, was now directly engaging Bai Qingqing head-on. Blades clashed and sparks flew; trees around them fell one after another, causing a great commotion. At this point, Bai Qingqing was beginning to feel overpowered. Her swordsmanship, taught by Wang Jiantao, was very familiar to him. She was barely able to fend off Wang Jiantao¡¯s attacks by relying on her Realm. But as Wang Jiantao¡¯s skill inside his body increased, Bai Qingqing couldn¡¯t hold up at all and could only keep retreating. Then, with a slash from Wang Jiantao, a huge blade force instantly sent Bai Qingqing flying. Although she blocked part of the attack with her sword, she was still knocked back more than ten meters and spat out a mouthful of blood, obviously sustaining internal injuries. Seeing that Bai Qingqing was no match for Wang Jiantao, Lu Chen didn¡¯t plan to stand by and watch anymore; he immediately jumped down from the carriage. Seeing Lu Chen heading towards Bai Qingqing, the knife-wielding Shadow Guards immediately surrounded him, and then a Ninth Grade Shadow Guard said, ¡°North Prince, if you come any closer, don¡¯t blame us for attacking you!¡± Hearing the Shadow Guard¡¯s threat, Lu Chen let out a cold laugh, ¡°You¡¯re the first person to dare threaten me this year.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, the Shadow Guard¡¯s body involuntarily flew towards Lu Chen, struggling to break free but to no avail. Soon after, the Shadow Guard felt Lu Chen grabbing his neck, and he felt his skill rapidly draining from his body. Seeing this, the other Shadow Guards sensed something was wrong¡ªthe North Prince¡¯s strength was obviously underestimated by them. Then, a Shadow Guard shouted, ¡°Attack!¡± Although they hadn¡¯t received orders to kill the North Prince, if he intended to stop them from completing their mission, they wouldn¡¯t be polite. Meanwhile, not far away, Wang Jiantao noticed what was happening near the carriage. Seeing the Shadow Guards suddenly charging towards Lu Chen, he frowned. Just then, an aura of great power suddenly emanated from Lu Chen, centered on his body, pushing all the Shadow Guards to the ground. Feeling the terrifying aura coming from Lu Chen, all the Shadow Guards were stunned, even Wang Jiantao was taken aback. ¡°Grandmaster!!!¡± How is this possible?! The North Prince had been in the North Land for less than four years; how could he become a Grandmaster?! No wonder the North Prince only brought a few people with him on this trip¡ªhe was already a Grandmaster, how could he possibly be afraid of being assassinated? Wang Jiantao quickly came to his senses and inwardly cried out ¡°bad.¡± They had been tricked! It was clearly a trap set by the North Prince, designed to draw them out, those who wished to eliminate Bai Qingqing. Now they were in trouble. Facing a Grandmaster, they had no capacity to fight. At that moment, Wang Jiantao glanced over at Bai Qingqing, who had suffered injuries. Could it be that today they could only retreat? No! If he didn¡¯t complete the mission, he would face death upon his return! With this thought in mind, Wang Jiantao immediately gripped the knife in his hand and charged at Bai Qingqing; he intended to take advantage of Lu Chen¡¯s momentary distraction to kill her and then use his shadow shifting technique to escape. Even though Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, he was still so young; Wang Jiantao was very confident in his movements, believing that even a Grandmaster couldn¡¯t capture him. Suddenly, Wang Jiantao appeared in front of Bai Qingqing and swung his knife at her. Seeing this, Lu Chen snorted coldly, actually daring to kill someone before him. The next moment, using Shadow Shifting, Lu Chen¡¯s body appeared beside Bai Qingqing without any warning, pinning Wang Jiantao¡¯s knife between two fingers. Wang Jiantao was shocked. ¡°Such speed!¡± Chapter 389 - Chapter 389: Chapter 253: The Woman of This Prince_3 Chapter 389: Chapter 253: The Woman of This Prince_3 Lu Chen used his fingertips to snap the knife from Wang Jiantao¡¯s grip, causing Wang Jiantao to swiftly backpedal several steps. At that moment, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Wang Jiantao, you have some nerve, daring to kill my woman right in front of this Prince!¡± Having said this, Lu Chen immediately embraced Bai Qingqing, who had already been injured, and then healed her using the Rejuvenating Skill. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, a rosy flush appeared on Bai Qingqing¡¯s pale face, particularly at Lu Chen¡¯s words ¡°this Prince¡¯s woman,¡± which made her heart race uncontrollably. Seeing that Lu Chen had directly mentioned his own name, Wang Jiantao said, ¡°Prince, now that you know my name, you must have been told everything by Bai Qingqing. If you wish to avoid bringing disaster upon yourself, it would be best to hand Bai Qingqing over.¡± Lu Chen indifferently remarked, ¡°People who threaten this Prince usually meet with a very unpleasant fate.¡± Upon saying this, the martial presence around Lu Chen surged, imposing a heavy oppressive force that made Wang Jiantao, standing at a distance, struggle to breathe. Wang Jiantao thought to himself that today¡¯s assassination attempt had definitely failed, and he would have to find another way to kill Bai Qingqing. He couldn¡¯t afford any further delays; if he did wait, his own escape might become impossible. With that thought in mind, Wang Jiantao¡¯s body vanished on the spot as he made his escape. Seeing Wang Jiantao attempt to flee, Lu Chen chuckled, then let go of Bai Qingqing. His figure flashed, and he threw a punch at a certain spot; the next moment, Wang Jiantao reappeared, his body flying backward and crashing through over a dozen trees. Wang Jiantao coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood and lay on the ground, looking at the distant Lu Chen with disbelief. ¡°How¡­ how could you possibly have tracked my movements!¡± Wang Jiantao had always been confident in his agility. In his view, unless someone was a Grandmaster about to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm like Zhuge Zhongguang, catching him was impossible. Lu Chen was still so young, and even if he had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, his strength should not be that formidable. And yet, he had managed to pinpoint Wang Jiantao¡¯s position instantly, throwing Wang Jiantao into a state of utter panic. As Lu Chen walked towards Wang Jiantao, he said, ¡°Commander Wang, you hit this Prince¡¯s woman and thought you could leave without paying any price? Aren¡¯t you underestimating this Prince a bit too much?¡± As Lu Chen drew nearer, Wang Jiantao immediately said, ¡°North Prince, I am a man of the Sum Emperor, and it was he who sent me. If you dare to lay a hand on me, once the Emperor finds out, he will surely accuse you of rebellion!¡± Lu Chen, with a face full of indifference, said, ¡°Rebellion? If you die, then no one will know that it was this Prince who did all this, will they?¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen raised his hand. Seeing that Lu Chen was really going to strike, Wang Jiantao immediately stirred up all his skill, used the Blood Ignition Skill, and made another attempt to flee. Wang Jiantao knew his own limitations; even after using the Blood Ignition Skill, he didn¡¯t believe he could match a Grandmaster. The key issue was that Lu Chen was a Grandmaster who could detect his presence. What Wang Jiantao feared most was a Grandmaster who could not only discern his location but also keep up with his speed¡ªand Lu Chen was precisely such an individual. Seeing Wang Jiantao flee again, Lu Chen did not hesitate and used Shadow Shifting once more. At that moment, Wang Jiantao looked back to see that he could no longer see Lu Chen and the others, and he breathed a sigh of relief, only for a clawed hand to suddenly grip Wang Jiantao¡¯s neck the next second. Wang Jiantao¡¯s entire being froze. How could this be possible! It was then that Wang Jiantao realized the cultivation technique Lu Chen was using was very similar to his own, capable of entering a stealth state to make the body disappear from sight. But Lu Chen was clearly faster. After all, Lu Chen was already a Grandmaster, and no matter how much Wang Jiantao tried to run, he could never escape from Lu Chen¡¯s grasp. Just as Wang Jiantao was about to plead for mercy, he suddenly felt the skill inside his body flowing endlessly towards Lu Chen. Wang Jiantao became even more terrified. What kind of martial arts is this! Why had he never heard of any skill in the martial world capable of siphoning away another¡¯s skill? In desperation, Wang Jiantao managed to beg, ¡°Spare¡­ spare my life¡­¡± After absorbing half of Wang Jiantao¡¯s skill, Lu Chen threw him to the ground. Wang Jiantao hastily knelt and pleaded for mercy, ¡°Your Highness, spare my life! I was only ordered by the Emperor to eliminate Bai Qingqing, I harbored no intentions of lifting a finger against you!¡± Lu Chen let out a cold snort and said, ¡°Bai is this Prince¡¯s woman. To strike her is to strike at this Prince!¡± Wang Jiantao continued, ¡°Your Highness, spare me, I know some secrets about the Emperor. If you don¡¯t kill me, I will share all of these secrets with you!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen commented thoughtfully, ¡°Oh? You know secrets about my royal father?¡± Lu Chen had refrained from killing Wang Jiantao outright because he felt that Wang Jiantao might still be of use. As the leader of the Shadow Guard and someone close to the Sum Emperor, Wang Jiantao had done plenty of dirty work for him, making him the person most likely to know the Emperor¡¯s secrets. Fearful that Lu Chen might not believe him, Wang Jiantao hurriedly said, ¡°Your Highness, your mother¡¯s death was orchestrated by His Majesty himself. The Emperor has always believed you are not his biological son, which is why he has always neglected you and sent you to this impoverished North City.¡± Upon hearing Wang Jiantao¡¯s words, Lu Chen was taken aback. He of course suspected that his mother¡¯s death was very likely the Sum Emperor¡¯s doing, but what he did not expect was that the Emperor believed he wasn¡¯t his biological son? What was this about? Had his mother deceived the Sum Emperor? Frowning, Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Why would my royal father think that I am not his biological son?¡± Wang Jiantao hastened to answer, ¡°Because every time His Majesty visited Consort Yue, he would wake up the next day with a splitting headache, with no recollection of what happened the previous night.¡± ¡°The Emperor suspects that Consort Yue was unfaithful, and that you are the child of another man. Over the years, His Majesty has been ordering the Shadow Guard to investigate who your biological father is. Back then, the young men who had any dealings with Consort Yue were all discreetly dealt with by the Shadow Guard.¡± Chapter 390 - Chapter 390: Chapter 254 Rongrong, Youre So Beautiful!_1 Chapter 390: Chapter 254 Rongrong, You¡¯re So Beautiful!_1 Hearing Wang Jiantao¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. He wondered why the Sum Emperor treated him so poorly, thinking all emperors were emotionless. Plus, being Chu Yue¡¯s child, he assumed the Sum Emperor simply didn¡¯t care about him, to the point of ignoring assassination attempts on his life. It turned out that in the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes, he wasn¡¯t his child at all. What on earth did his mother do back then to make the Sum Emperor believe he wasn¡¯t his child? After giving it some thought, Lu Chen felt a headache coming on. But then again, all men are similar in that they can¡¯t tolerate being cuckolded. As a man himself, Lu Chen could understand the Sum Emperor¡¯s feelings. But for the Sum Emperor to determine whether he was his son, there had to be enough evidence, right? Could it be that the Sum Emperor thought that forgetting what happened at night equated to not having shared a room with his mother? This matter, he feared, would have to be clarified with Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin was her mother¡¯s maidservant, and she should know quite clearly what happened before his birth. At this moment, Lu Chen looked at Wang Jiantao and asked, ¡°Does my royal father have any other secrets?¡± Wang Jiantao immediately said, ¡°His Majesty plans to summon Grandmasters from all over to assassinate Zhuge Zhongguang.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s face turned instantly grim, now aware of such a matter. So, Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s premonition was correct. The Sum Emperor¡¯s targeting of forces suspected to have Grandmasters was not to deal with the Aristocratic Families of the South but to take on the North Country. Truly worthy of a sage summoned by the system, Zhuge Zhongguang had foreseen this. Just as Lu Chen was about to ask more, he suddenly noticed Wang Jiantao¡¯s face turning red, and then his body seemed to expand. Lu Chen instantly sensed danger. He swiftly used Shadow Shifting to get away from where he was. Wang Jiantao was now clutching his throat, a look of unwillingness on his face as he hoarsely growled, ¡°His¡­ Majesty¡­¡± As his voice fell, Wang Jiantao¡¯s body instantly exploded, destroying all the surrounding trees and leaving a huge crater, with Wang Jiantao¡¯s body turned into countless pieces. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen, who was at a distance, was stunned. What was going on? Why did Wang Jiantao suddenly self-destruct like this? From Wang Jiantao¡¯s prior attitude, it seemed that he didn¡¯t wish to die, and the self-destruction was likely against his wishes. So why would he self-destruct? Before his death, Wang Jiantao shouted the words ¡°His Majesty¡±. Could this be the Sum Emperor¡¯s doing? Lu Chen immediately returned to Bai Qingqing¡¯s side. He needed to ask her what was going on, for if this was indeed the Sum Emperor¡¯s doing, it meant that the Shadow Guards might also have something in them that could cause self-destruction, potentially including Bai Qingqing. Upon reaching Bai Qingqing¡¯s side, without a word, Lu Chen grabbed Bai Qingqing¡¯s delicate hand and used Rejuvenating Skill to examine her body. Seeing Lu Chen return with such a serious expression, and having heard the distant explosion, Bai Qingqing asked in confusion, ¡°Prince, is he¡­ dead?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Wang Jiantao self-destructed, but it seemed he didn¡¯t wish to die. I can¡¯t understand how he self-destructed.¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing said, ¡°The Shadow Guards all take a certain poison. It could be related to that.¡± After examining Bai Qingqing¡¯s body, Lu Chen said, puzzled, ¡°Strange, I didn¡¯t find any signs of poisoning in your body?¡± Bai Qingqing was a Shadow Guard, too, and even the Deputy Commander. If the Sum Emperor had taken measures against betrayal with Wang Jiantao, it was unlikely he hadn¡¯t done the same with Bai Qingqing. So why was she unaffected? Lu Chen¡¯s expression grew even more grave. Wang Jiantao¡¯s sudden self-destruction made him anxious; he didn¡¯t understand how the Sum Emperor, from such a distance, knew about Wang Jiantao¡¯s betrayal and then made Wang Jiantao¡¯s body explode. Of course, Wang Jiantao¡¯s death was one thing; he was worried about Bai Qingqing. Bai Qingqing was also a Shadow Guard, and the Deputy Commander. If the Sum Emperor could make the traitorous Wang Jiantao explode, logically, he could do the same to Bai Qingqing. At this time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Bai, are you sure all Shadow Guards take the same poison?¡± Bai Qingqing responded affirmatively with a hum. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Does my royal father periodically give you an antidote?¡± Bai Qingqing answered, ¡°It is a poison that doesn¡¯t need an antidote.¡± This¡­ Bai Qingqing, sensing what Lu Chen was worried about, continued, ¡°In the past, there have been Shadow Guards on missions who would suddenly self-destruct. They typically took a Blood Burst Pill and eventually used the Blood Ignition Skill right before self-destruction.¡± Lu Chen suddenly understood, then said, ¡°It seems the poison my royal father had you take is a primer. When certain conditions are met, the Shadow Guard will self-destruct to prevent betrayal.¡± Lu Chen had more or less guessed the cause of Wang Jiantao¡¯s self-destruction. The Sum Emperor first administered the so-called poison as a primer. Later, when Shadow Guards encountered formidable opponents during missions¡ªfoes that could make them take a Blood Burst Pill and use the Blood Ignition Skill simultaneously¡ªthe Shadow Guards would immediately self-destruct. Perhaps in the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes, by the time Shadow Guards resorted to the Blood Burst Pill and Blood Ignition Skill, they were already likely to fail their mission, and to prevent any chance of betrayal, the Sum Emperor devised such a failsafe measure. Chapter 391 - Chapter 391: Chapter 254 Rongrong, Youre So Beautiful!_2 Chapter 391: Chapter 254 Rongrong, You¡¯re So Beautiful!_2 Lu Chen was not sure whether his guess was correct. At this time, he glanced at the distant Shadow Guards who had not yet died. Although he had injured those Shadow Guards with his spiritual power, several of them had not died instantly. Lu Chen then walked over and looked at a Shadow Guard who was still struggling on the ground, and then asked, ¡°Do you want to live?¡± The Shadow Guard hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, spare my life!¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I will give you a chance to live. Just consume your Blood Burst Pill and then use the Blood Ignition Skill, and I will let you go.¡± Hearing these words, the Shadow Guard lying on the ground felt puzzled as to what Lu Chen wanted to do, but still, he quickly took out a Blood Burst Pill from his chest pocket and swallowed it. After swallowing the Blood Burst Pill, the Shadow Guard also used the Blood Ignition Skill. In the next moment, his eyes turned blood-red, but because his skill had been enhanced, the pain from his injuries seemed much less severe than before. He suddenly felt a lot more comfortable. At this point, he got up from the ground and asked cautiously, ¡°Prince, may I leave now?¡± Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°You may leave.¡± Seeing that the North Prince really let him go, he was incredulous, but to avoid Lu Chen changing his mind, he immediately ran towards the distance. However, he had not gone far when his body suddenly exploded, scattering into countless pieces, meeting the same fate as Wang Jiantao before him. Lu Chen laughed softly; he could now basically confirm the condition that caused their self-destruction. As long as they used the Blood Burst Pill and then used the Blood Ignition Skill, they would explode and die. He hadn¡¯t expected his father to have such a method. Lu Chen then went back to Bai Qingqing¡¯s side, grabbed her hand again, and checked her body for the second time. Still, he found no unusual substances in her body. Bai Qingqing¡¯s body was very healthy and showed no signs of poisoning. Lu Chen thought with confusion, Bai Qingqing had not consumed poison, but for something to act as a trigger for one¡¯s self-destruction, that substance should continuously be present in the body. Why had he found nothing inside Bai Qingqing¡¯s body after several checks? At that moment, Lu Chen had a bold guess and asked the system in his mind, ¡°System, can my Poison Immunity Body help others detoxify?¡± [Yes, the body fluids of the host also possess the ability to detoxify.] Hearing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen immediately understood what was going on. No wonder there was nothing unusual in Bai Qingqing¡¯s body. It turned out to be this. Then, Lu Chen went to another Shadow Guard, grabbed his body, and while absorbing the Shadow Guard¡¯s skill, he searched for the poison that Bai Qingqing mentioned. Soon, Lu Chen found a mass of black substance in the Dantian of the Shadow Guard. He turned his head to Bai and said, ¡°Bai, do you have any Blood Burst Pills on you?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Bai Qingqing immediately took out a bottle of Blood Burst Pills from her sleeve and threw it to Lu Chen. Lu Chen caught the bottle, opened the cap, and shoved several Blood Burst Pills into the mouth of the Shadow Guard, then said to him, ¡°If you want to live, use the Blood Ignition Skill.¡± The Shadow Guard was already close to death, and to survive, he used the Blood Ignition Skill without hesitation. The next moment, the black substance inside him spread throughout his body and merged with the Blood Burst Pills he had just ingested. Right after, the Shadow Guard¡¯s body began to swell. Lu Chen kicked the Shadow Guard away with a foot. Because Lu Chen had already nearly drained the Shadow Guard of his skill, the Shadow Guard didn¡¯t explode like Wang Jiantao and the other Shadow Guard. At most, it was an internal explosion, with a large amount of blood spewing out from his orifices. Seeing this, Lu Chen was essentially certain of the means by which his father controlled the Shadow Guards. Anyway, as long as the Shadow Guards used the Blood Burst Pills and executed the Blood Ignition Skill, they were undoubtedly destined to die. But then again, had his father never considered the possibility of them actively betraying? For example, Bai Qingqing was actively betraying. Active betrayal did not require a desperate fight, thus the conditions for self-destruction could not be triggered. Of course, even if Bai Qingqing now used the Blood Burst Pill and the Blood Ignition Skill simultaneously, she would not self-destruct because the black substance was no longer in her body. She had been overpowered by Lu Chen so many times, the poison inside her had long been purified completely. At this time, Lu Chen directly used the Absorption Technique to absorb all the skills from the Shadow Guards on the ground into his body. After Lu Chen dealt with these Shadow Guards, a guard asked, ¡°Prince, shall we head to the military camp now?¡± Lu Chen was about to say they should continue to the military camp, but he suddenly noticed his body was unbearably hot. It wasn¡¯t a big problem; it was just that he had absorbed too much skill at once and couldn¡¯t digest it for the moment, which caused this condition. It had been like this in the past when he absorbed skills. The solution was simple. Lu Chen glanced at Bai Qingqing in the distance. But he restrained himself and did not ask Bai to come into the carriage. He then returned to the carriage and said to the guards, ¡°Send two people to inform the military camp and have the soldiers clean up the surrounding corpses. We are returning to the Prince¡¯s Mansion!¡± Chapter 392 - Chapter 392: Chapter 254 Rongrong, Youre So Beautiful!_3 Chapter 392: Chapter 254 Rongrong, You¡¯re So Beautiful!_3 ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Following that, Lu Chen and Bai Qingqing returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. As soon as Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he went straight to Yunrong Courtyard. The reason he did not strike Bai Qingqing was mainly that he had business with Chen Wanrong, and his skill could also help Chen Wanrong strengthen her abilities. When the time came for Chen Wanrong to journey northward with him, the stronger her abilities, the greater their chance of defeating the Tianqi King of the Barbarian Tribe. Upon arriving at Yunrong Courtyard, Lu Chen happened to see Chen Wanrong sitting in the pavilion, her slender jade hands resting on the strings of the instrument, gently plucking them. Chen Wanrong, as usual, was dressed in white garments purer than snow, exuding a cool and distant aura, like a noble fairy. In the past, whenever Lu Chen saw Chen Wanrong, there were few if any improper thoughts in his heart, as he always felt an aura of sanctity emanating from her which purified his soul. However, since he had exchanged words with Chen Wanrong once, his feelings when seeing her had changed. Gazing at this cool and distant fairy, Lu Chen found himself harboring a wicked desire to conquer her, a desire for her to fall from grace as she had before. Chen Wanrong, who was playing the instrument, also sensed someone entering the courtyard. She then stopped playing and lifted her head to see Lu Chen entering. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Chen Wanrong asked with no expression on her face, ¡°What matter does the Prince have?¡± This wasn¡¯t Chen Wanrong giving him the cold shoulder; it was simply her character. Even though she was now Lu Chen¡¯s captive, it wasn¡¯t possible for her to suddenly change her demeanor and greet Lu Chen with a smiling face. At this moment, Lu Chen spoke with a smile, ¡°Miss Chen, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you. May I have some of your time?¡± Chen Wanrong asked curiously, ¡°What matter does the Prince wish to discuss with me?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°This isn¡¯t a good place to talk. Let¡¯s go inside the room.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong glanced at Lu Chen. She always felt that Lu Chen was up to no good, but since he referred to her as ¡°Miss Chen¡± instead of calling her Rongrong, it seemed he truly had a serious matter to discuss with her. With this thought, Chen Wanrong stood up and headed towards her room, saying as she walked, ¡°The Prince may follow me.¡± Lu Chen followed without hesitation. Soon Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen had both entered the room. As soon as they were inside, Lu Chen closed the door. At this moment, Chen Wanrong turned her head to look at Lu Chen, ¡°I wonder what the Prince wishes to speak of¡­¡± Before Chen Wanrong could finish speaking, Lu Chen could no longer restrain the restless skill within him and wrapped his arms around Chen Wanrong¡¯s soft waist. Then he sealed her red lips with a kiss. ¡°Mmmh¡­¡± Chen Wanrong was completely taken aback. She had thought Lu Chen had some real business with her, but as soon as they entered the room, he revealed his true colors. However, Chen Wanrong did not struggle violently, for she quickly realized that Lu Chen was transferring his skill to her. As Lu Chen kissed Chen Wanrong, he pushed her body toward the bed. When she could retreat no further and reached the bed, Lu Chen slowly pushed her down onto the bed and looked down dominantly at the cold fairy beneath him. At that moment, a blush spread across Chen Wanrong¡¯s face. Although her complexion remained cold, the shy blush on the ice beauty only made Lu Chen¡¯s heart stir even more. Chen Wanrong said coldly at this moment, ¡°Has the Prince summoned me just for this affair?¡± Without answering Chen Wanrong¡¯s question, Lu Chen leaned down once again, and this time, his hands began to loosen Chen Wanrong¡¯s clothing. Since that night at the Mysterious Moon Tavern in the southern city with Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen had not touched her again, yet he had long been wanting to discuss the meaning of life with this fairy once more. Chen Wanrong did not refuse Lu Chen either. After all, she had already been intimate with him, and by now, she was his captive; whatever Lu Chen wished to do to her, he would do. When she came into contact with Lu Chen¡¯s body, the skill within her was sealed, leaving her no way to resist. ¡­ Time passed, unbeknownst how much of it. Outside Yunrong Courtyard. Lin Wanyun and Chu Yuqin were discussing the eastward march of the Barbarian Army. They chatted while walking toward Yunrong Courtyard. Chu Yuqin let out a sigh and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Barbarian King who has come to the North Land this time is a Grandmaster. I wonder if the North Country¡¯s army can stand against them.¡± Lin Wanyun consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Yuqin. Isn¡¯t Chen¡¯er also heading north this time? With him there, nothing bad will happen.¡± Chu Yuqin expressed her concern, ¡°What I worry about the most is Chen¡¯er¡¯s safety.¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin suddenly had an idea and said to Lin Wanyun, ¡°Lin, why don¡¯t you and Miss Chen head north together to protect Chen¡¯er?¡± Presently Chu Yuqin was only a Half-step Grandmaster, and she knew her abilities were limited. Even if she accompanied Lu Chen to the North Land, she would only be able to care for his daily needs, not protect him. She might even become a hindrance to him. But Chen Wanrong was different. She possessed sufficient strength, and with the Mysterious Moon Palace behind her, if Chen Wanrong were to accompany Lu Chen north, they could then utilize the power of the Mysterious Moon Palace to contend with the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Tianqi King. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lin Wanyun smiled slightly and then said, ¡°You, your mind is always full of thoughts about your Chen¡¯er.¡± ¡°Even if the Palace Master and I wanted to follow him to the North Land, he might not allow us to go.¡± As Lin Wanyun finished speaking, Chu Yuqin was about to respond when they suddenly heard a faint sound, prompting a puzzled Chu Yuqin to say, ¡°What sound is that?¡± They then became silent, listening intently, and immediately realized the sound was coming from Chen Wanrong¡¯s room. Lin Wanyun initially thought something might have happened to Chen Wanrong, and anxiously hurried toward her room, with Chu Yuqin quickly following to check. But as they approached Chen Wanrong¡¯s room, they heard her delicate, bashful voice from inside. ¡°Darling¡­ don¡¯t¡­ like this¡­ mmm¡­ah¡­¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin and Lin Wanyun exchanged glances, both women stood frozen in place. They were not fools; they could almost guess the situation at hand. Just then, a mischievous voice also emerged from the room, ¡°Rongrong, you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, both women felt their cheeks burning and a rosy blush spread across their faces. As if linked by telepathy, they turned simultaneously and left Yunrong Courtyard. Chapter 393 - Chapter 393: Chapter 255 You Will Regret It_1 Chapter 393: Chapter 255 You Will Regret It_1 ¡°` Chu Yuqin and Lin Wanyun both walked out of the Yunrong Courtyard at the same time, each appearing somewhat awkward and unsure of what to say. Although Chu Yuqin had long guessed that Lu Chen had thoroughly conquered Chen Wanrong, it was the first time she had encountered such a scene. Lin Wanyun felt the same way. She also knew that Chen Wanrong had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, but she hadn¡¯t expected the always cold Chen Wanrong, blinded by hatred, to show such a side. Was this little rascal truly the bane of all women? As the two beautiful women thought more about it, their faces grew redder. Lin Wanyun then coughed and said, ¡°Yuqin, I¡¯m off to patrol. Don¡¯t worry about Chen¡¯er¡¯s matters, if he wants the Palace Master to accompany him northward, I¡¯m sure she will agree.¡± Since Chen Wanrong had already ¡°tussled in bed¡± with Lu Chen, with their current relationship, it was unlikely that she would refuse to accompany him northward. Chu Yuqin, with a flushed face, said, ¡°Oh, okay, Sister Lin, you go ahead and busy yourself.¡± After Lin Wanyun turned and walked towards the other side of the courtyard, Chu Yuqin muttered to herself, ¡°This little rascal, she¡¯s the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace after all, how could he do such things to her before nightfall¡­¡± ¡­ After transferring some of his skill to Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen instantly felt much better. At that moment, he embraced Chen Wanrong as they faced each other candidly. Having recovered her composure, Chen Wanrong thought about her behavior just moments ago and instantly felt a mix of shame and anger. With a flushed and emotionless face, she said coldly, ¡°You can leave now.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, his hands continuing to roam recklessly over her body. He laughed and said, ¡°Just now, I don¡¯t know who was calling me darling. My dear wife, why have you changed your tune so quickly?¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t say a word and turned her head away, unwilling to look at the scoundrel before her. Chen Wanrong felt that if she continued this way, she might well be corrupted. Originally, she had only intended to bear Lu Chen a child, but she hadn¡¯t expected some things to be addictive. This was not a good sign. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Come on, my dear Rongrong, don¡¯t be angry. I truly came to you with a serious matter; I want you to accompany me northward.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong stiffened for a moment, then turned her head to look at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°You want me to help you against the Tianqi King?¡± Chen Wanrong was also among the first to know about the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s eastern invasion, as it was no small matter. The disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace had immediately told her after reading the news from the Eastern Newspaper Agency. Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, although I am also a Grandmaster, I¡¯ve never fought against another Grandmaster before and lack combat experience. Just to be cautious, I plan to take you with me northward.¡± Chen Wanrong asked icily, ¡°Do you always like to treat people you seek help from this way?¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°It¡¯s just that my dear Rongrong is too beautiful, I couldn¡¯t help myself. And you should have noticed that I¡¯ve transmitted a lot of skill to you, further enhancing your power. This is a good thing for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chen Wanrong was silent, knowing that improving her power was naturally a good thing. However, the fact that this guy had done such things to her in broad daylight, causing everyone in the Prince¡¯s Mansion to hear it, irked her. Although her power was sealed at the time, she was very perceptive while Lu Chen was instilling skill into her. Now a Grandmaster, she was well aware of Lin Wanyun and Chu Yuqin¡¯s visit to Yunrong Courtyard. Both of them had heard her voice. The thought alone stirred emotions within Chen Wanrong. She hadn¡¯t minded before because it happened at the Mysterious Moon Tavern, but this time it occured at Yunrong Courtyard, and even Lin Wanyun heard it. She, too, had a sense of shame. After a while, Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Fine, I will accompany you northward.¡± Seeing her agreement, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°My wife is the best.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen leaned in to kiss Chen Wanrong again, but she raised her hand, stopping Lu Chen¡¯s mouth, and continued, ¡°If I accompany you northward, it may draw the Elders¡¯ attention at the Mysterious Moon Palace. Consider it carefully.¡± In the North Country, the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace left Chen Wanrong alone because they saw no danger in her actions. To the Elders, the North Country was just a remote feudal state with no powerful martial artists, so they allowed her to act freely there. However, it would be a different matter if Chen Wanrong appeared on the battlefield. If she led the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace to fight against the Barbarian Tribe, and especially against a Grandmaster of the Barbarian Tribe, the Elders, upon knowing it, would surely become agitated. The Elders would then probably say that she was, after all, the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace and shouldn¡¯t be meddling in worldly affairs, let alone putting herself in danger. Eventually, they may come to the North Country, demanding Chen Wanrong to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace. Although the Elders didn¡¯t want a Grandmaster dictating to them, Chen Wanrong was the disciple of an Honorable, who had already lost one disciple. If another died, specifically the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, the Elders might be held accountable by the Honorable, and they would certainly intervene. ¡°` Chapter 394 - Chapter 394: Chapter 255 You Will Regret It_2 Chapter 394: Chapter 255 You Will Regret It_2 Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Although we previously agreed to wait until our child turns fifteen before I would allow you to leave North Country, I have thought it over and decided that since you are already my woman, I should trust you and not limit your freedom. In the future, if you wish to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace, I won¡¯t stop you, as long as you come back to me.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong paused, scarcely believing what she heard, and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that once I leave North Country I may never come back?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say that you are now my woman? That¡¯s why I choose to trust you. I don¡¯t believe you would abandon your darling.¡± With that, Lu Chen raised his hand and gently caressed her cool and lustrous cheek. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong said expressionlessly, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this.¡± Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°I won¡¯t regret it. If one day you really don¡¯t return from the Mysterious Moon Palace back to North Prince Mansion, then I¡¯ll just have to go there and take you back by force.¡± At these words, Chen Wanrong fell silent; her heart was racing much faster than usual. Even though she thought Lu Chen¡¯s words were just sweet nothings, for some reason they still touched her heart. The most terrifying thing about this man was exactly that; not only did he possess numerous ways to handle women, but he could also make them fall for him. Almost any woman who approached him would lose both body and soul. Having stayed in North Prince Mansion for so long, she had already noticed this. Almost all of Lu Chen¡¯s women were deeply in love with him, and even Lin Wanyun had become unable to leave him. Seeing that Chen Wanrong remained silent, her face flushed yet her expression still cold, Lu Chen¡¯s heart grew restless once more. He continued, ¡°We still have plenty of time. I¡¯ll help you increase your strength a bit more, and when we reach the North Land, we¡¯ll have a greater chance of defeating the Tianqi King.¡± With that, Lu Chen immediately grasped the jade hand that Chen Wanrong had been using to cover her lips and leaned in once again to kiss her. Although Chen Wanrong was slightly emotional inside, in the end, she cooperated with Lu Chen. Improving her skills was indeed very rapid when together with Lu Chen, although she didn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen had such methods of enhancing strengths. She had always thought that these methods were only used by those from the Demon Sect and must carry some harm. But having practiced with Lu Chen in this way twice, she had not detected any harm to her body, proving that these methods were entirely different from those practiced by the Demon Sect. Chen Wanrong became more at ease once she considered Lu Chen¡¯s mysterious background and the possibility that behind him was an existence like her Grandmaster. Perhaps these methods for enhancing skills were all taught to Lu Chen by the person behind him; maybe that person was an Immortal, for it was often said in North Prince Mansion that Lu Chen was the disciple of an Immortal, which was likely not a baseless rumor. ¡­ Early in the morning. When Lu Chen woke up, he found Chen Wanrong staring at his face expressionlessly. Lu Chen cracked a slight smile, ¡°My dear, you¡¯re awake so early?¡± Chen Wanrong said icily, ¡°It¡¯s time for you to get up.¡± As Chen Wanrong¡¯s voice fell, Lu Chen suddenly wrapped his arms around her delicate body, flipped over, and pinned her beneath him. Chen Wanrong thought this scoundrel was up to no good again and instantly her face turned crimson. She quickly raised her jade hand to push against Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest, ¡°No¡­ ¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to lead the troops north soon; you should have many things to handle.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My dear makes a good point.¡± ¡°But before I get up, I like to kiss my dear. Let me have a kiss, and I¡¯ll get right up.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong looked at him skeptically. She felt Lu Chen might renege on his words, as he was a bad man and particularly thick-skinned, so reneging would be nothing odd for him. But Lu Chen was just as shameless; if she didn¡¯t agree, Lu Chen might very well refuse to get up. With that thought, Chen Wanrong finally released her jade hand, and Lu Chen, without hesitation, leaned down to give Chen Wanrong a deep kiss. Just when Chen Wanrong was dazed by Lu Chen¡¯s kisses, Lu Chen got up from the bed. Seeing Lu Chen genuinely getting up, Chen Wanrong felt somewhat surprised inside; she hadn¡¯t expected this man to keep his word sometimes. As Lu Chen dressed himself, he said, ¡°You¡¯re tired from last night too. Lie down and rest a little longer.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong felt a flutter of emotion inside; the man seemed to know that she could get tired. For Martial Artists to conceive was already quite difficult, and for two at the Grandmaster Realm like them, having offspring was even less likely, not something that could be achieved in a day or two. And yet, this fellow acted as if he wouldn¡¯t be satisfied until she was pregnant within a day. She seriously suspected that this scoundrel wasn¡¯t doing it for the sake of having children, but rather indulging in pleasure. After Lu Chen finished dressing, he left Chen Wanrong¡¯s room, and upon stepping out, he saw Lin Wanyun walking around in the yard with a flushed face. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Madam Lin, you weren¡¯t eavesdropping by the wall last night, were you?¡± Caught off-guard by the question, Lin Wanyun¡¯s cheeks turned even rosier as she spoke indignantly, ¡°Who was eavesdropping? Don¡¯t project your interest in such dirty activities onto everyone else.¡± Chapter 395 - Chapter 395: Chapter 255 You Will Regret It_3 Chapter 395: Chapter 255 You Will Regret It_3 Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°Who was it that used to come to my study every day to engage in such filthy acts?¡± Lin Wanyun snorted coldly, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about this with you. What I want to know is, do you plan on having the Palace Master accompany you to the north?¡± Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°That¡¯s indeed my intention.¡± Lin Wanyun continued to ask, ¡°Did the Palace Master agree?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°She agreed.¡± Lin Wanyun reminded him, ¡°If the Palace Master appears on the battlefield, it¡¯s very likely that the Elders of Mysterious Moon Palace will find out and they might make her return. Have you thought this through?¡± Lin Wanyun was also aware that Lu Chen had a very powerful presence backing him, no ordinary person, but with his current level of strength, he wasn¡¯t yet capable of contending with the entire Mysterious Moon Palace. Although those Elders of Mysterious Moon Palace seldom or almost never interfere in secular matters, the situation would be different when it involved their Palace Master. The Palace Master represented the face of Mysterious Moon Palace; if those Elders saw Chen Wanrong in danger, they would likely order her to return immediately. Lu Chen said, ¡°I have already thought this through. After this war is over, if she wants to return to Mysterious Moon Palace, then she will be free to go.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was actually willing to let Chen Wanrong leave the North Country, Lin Wanyun was somewhat incredulous. Lu Chen then gazed at the dignified and plump Lin Wanyun and said with a smile, ¡°She can leave, but you cannot.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Wanyun snapped back to reality, her face changing color as she said coldly, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I wanted to leave.¡± Having said that, Lin Wanyun headed straight for Chen Wanrong¡¯s room. Lu Chen didn¡¯t stay any longer at Yunrong Courtyard. He returned to the main hall for breakfast. As soon as he reached the main hall, Mu Zixuan had the maids serve Lu Chen¡¯s breakfast in front of him. Lu Chen glanced at the maids and then said, ¡°Go call Madam Dazhou and Madam Xiaozhou. The Prince has something to discuss with them.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Mu Zixuan, cradling a child in her arms, asked, ¡°Your Highness, is it about you leading the troops northward that you want to talk about?¡± The news of Lu Chen leading troops northward had already spread throughout Yan County, naturally reaching Mu Zixuan¡¯s ears. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Indeed, I am going to lead troops northward. However, that¡¯s not what I want to discuss. I have a gift for the three of you.¡± Hearing about a gift, Mu Zixuan was taken aback, then glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s body, her gaze uncontrollably falling to the area around Lu Chen¡¯s crotch, her cheeks turning a slight red as she asked, ¡°The gift you¡¯re talking about¡­ it isn¡¯t going to be a child, is it?¡± Lu Chen often said he was going to give them gifts during their intimate moments, and everyone understood what those ¡®gifts¡¯ from Lu Chen ended up being. It was no wonder Mu Zixuan¡¯s thoughts wandered; after all, Lu Chen was a bad man who often said such things in bed. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen said speechlessly, ¡°My love, what are you thinking about? All that fills your head are such filthy thoughts. If I say it¡¯s a gift, then it must certainly be a real gift.¡± Realizing that her mind had gone astray, Mu Zixuan¡¯s face grew even redder, but she retorted without showing weakness, ¡°That¡¯s Your Highness¡¯s fault. Who made you always say in bed that you were going to be a giver of children and gifts to your concubine?¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°Alright, alright, my fault.¡± Although Lu Chen couldn¡¯t easily admit his faults outside, within his inner court it was different. In front of his women, he was a man who actively admitted his errors. Soon, Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao came to the main hall. Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My love, hand the child over to the wet nurse, and ask the maids to step out for a moment.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan immediately handed the child in her arms to the wet nurse, and then the wet nurse along with the maids departed to the adjacent room. Once only the four of them remained in the grand hall, Lu Chen took out three small porcelain bottles from his system space and passed them to Mu Zixuan and the other two women. Mu Zixuan, curious, asked, ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s inside these?¡± Lu Chen teased mysteriously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a guess?¡± The three women took the small porcelain bottles from Lu Chen¡¯s hands. Mu Zixuan opened a bottle, sniffed it, and found only a faint scent. Mu Zixuan poured the bottle into her palm, tipping out the pills inside, and seeing the faintly glowing green pills in her hand, all three women were momentarily startled. Yet they still couldn¡¯t guess what it was. Suddenly, Mu Zixuan had a thought, recalling that Lu Chen had been using the yin-yang harmony method to enhance her skills, so she hazarded a guess, ¡°Your Highness, could this be an Immortal Pill for improving skills?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen burst out laughing and then said, ¡°How could I possibly have such precious Immortal Pills right now?¡± Lu Chen had once taken a pill that enhanced his skills in the Capital city, and since then, the system had not awarded him any more pills of that kind. Lu Chen knew such pills were most certainly precious, so it would likely be only when he was more advanced, when he had more children, that the system would use them as a reward, because it seemed he didn¡¯t need any such pills to improve his skills for the time being. Seeing Lu Chen dismiss her guess, Mu Zixuan grew even more curious about the pills before her. At this moment, Zhou Youyou timidly asked, ¡°Your Highness, these pills aren¡¯t Poison Pills, are they?¡± Hearing Zhou Youyou¡¯s inquiry, Lu Chen found himself speechless. He said, ¡°Youyou, it seems I haven¡¯t visited your room for a while, and now you¡¯re out of line. How could I possibly give my own women Poison Pills? What kind of person do you think I am?¡± Seeing Lu Chen upset, Zhou Youyou hastily apologized, ¡°Your Highness, I am in the wrong. I was just talking nonsense. If Your Highness is angry, I am willing to be punished tonight.¡± Lu Chen chortled, ¡°Xiaoyouyou, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so cunning. Seems like you actually want me to visit your room tonight, deliberately talking nonsense.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s comment, Zhou Youyou¡¯s cheeks instantly flushed a deep red, spreading to her earlobes. She had no such intention; everyone knew how formidable Lu Chen was, and she wouldn¡¯t dare to play tricks in such matters. Chapter 396 - Chapter 396: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_1 Chapter 396: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_1 Seeing that Mu Zixuan and the others couldn¡¯t guess, Lu Chen directly said, ¡°The pill in your hands is called the Preserving Beauty Pill. By the name, you should know what it is for, right?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the three women were stunned at the same time. When their gazes returned to the pill in their hands, their eyes seemed to emit a fervent glow. With disbelief on her face, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, does that mean after taking the Preserving Beauty Pill, we won¡¯t age so quickly?¡± Mu Zixuan only dared to speculate that the pill was for slowing aging; she didn¡¯t even dare to think about eternal youth, as that was something all women dream of. She truly couldn¡¯t believe that such a miraculous pill existed in the world. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My beloved concubine, your guess is too conservative.¡± ¡°As long as you take the Preserving Beauty Pill, you will never age. With the passage of time, at most your hair might turn white.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the three women were utterly astonished. Looking at the Preserving Beauty Pill in their hands, they were desperate to pop it into their mouths right away. No woman doesn¡¯t wish for eternal youth, and Mu Zixuan and the others were no exception; the temptation was simply too great for them. After coming back to her senses, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, such an Immortal Pill must be extremely precious. Are you truly going to give it to us?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Of course, all of you are my women, isn¡¯t it right for me to give you gifts?¡± Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for bestowing me the Immortal Pill.¡± Seeing Mu Zixuan expressing her gratitude, Dazhou and Xiaozhou also hastily said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for bestowing the Immortal Pill.¡± Although she was very happy, Mu Zixuan still asked, ¡°Prince, such an Immortal Pill is so precious, what about the other sisters¡­¡± Mu Zixuan paused mid-sentence because this kind of Immortal Pill was something everyone wanted; she was worried that Lu Chen only had these three pills, and giving them to the three of them could cause imbalance among the other women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Lu Chen said, ¡°The reason I¡¯m giving these three Preserving Beauty Pills to you first is mainly because they are Martial Artists. Martial Artists do not age as quickly. If their Realms should reach the Heavenly Human Realm in a short period of time, they too can maintain their youth indefinitely and might not need the Preserving Beauty Pill.¡± ¡°Moreover, rest assured, I have more than three Preserving Beauty Pills. When someone needs one, I will give it to her immediately.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°With that, I feel assured.¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s biggest worry was that the women in the mansion would grow jealous over certain matters, leading to intrigue and plots within the household. Since Lu Chen had more than one pill, he would presumably give them to the other women when he visited their rooms in the future. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, go ahead and take them now, let¡¯s see how effective they are.¡± After hearing this, the three women didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately swallowed the Preserving Beauty Pills. After swallowing the pills, they felt their bodies become incredibly refreshed, and their spirits were noticeably lifted. Then, Lu Chen noticed Mu Zixuan and the others¡¯ skin peeling away at a visible rate, although they felt no pain. Lu Chen then lifted his hand and gently took a piece of peeling skin from Mu Zixuan¡¯s face, revealing the smooth, tender skin beneath; from now on, the three women wouldn¡¯t even need to wear light makeup. Mu Zixuan and the others also became aware of what was happening to their faces, and not just their facial skin, but all over their bodies, the skin was shedding like a snake¡¯s. Mu Zixuan peeled away the dead skin from her hand and discovered her arm had become incredibly smooth and fair, which excited her greatly. Indeed worthy of the name Immortal Pill, it went to work the moment they took it. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My beloved concubines, why don¡¯t you go wash away the dirt from your bodies? After bathing, take a look in the mirror; I¡¯m sure you will be very surprised.¡± Mu Zixuan excitedly said, ¡°Yes, Prince,¡± ¡°Your concubine will take her leave now.¡± Immediately thereafter, Mu Zixuan told the maids to prepare hot water, and she bathed with Dazhou and Xiaozhou. Next to the main hall was a hot water pool, which had been constructed at Lu Chen¡¯s behest since his arrival in the North Country. The three women bathed in it. Once they had washed off all the dead skin and filth, their skin had become smooth as porcelain, as tender as a baby¡¯s, with a fair complexion slightly flushed with a soft glow. If Lu Chen were there, he surely would not have been able to suppress the stirrings within his heart. Xiaoxiao, thrilled, said, ¡°Sister Zixuan, you¡¯ve become so beautiful, I can hardly recognize you!¡± Zixuan said, ¡°You too, I never expected the Preserving Beauty Pill the Prince gave us would make us even more beautiful!¡± At this moment, Youyou said childishly, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, from now on I won¡¯t need to apply rouge to my face anymore.¡± All three women felt overjoyed inside. After their bath, they immediately went to look in the recently made glass mirror in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. As soon as they saw themselves in the mirror, they were captivated by their own beauty and didn¡¯t want to leave for quite some time. It took a while before Zixuan and the others snapped out of it and remembered they had to thank Lu Chen. However, by the time they returned to the main hall, Lu Chen was already occupied with state affairs. They were due to head north soon, and there would be a lot to handle in the coming days, including preparations for provisions and weapons. A few days later. Lu Chen held a military review outside the walls of North City. This review did not showcase the firearms of the North Country, instead, it was mainly to boost morale. Chapter 397 - Chapter 397: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_2 Chapter 397: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_2 Upon hearing that North Country was going to hold a military parade, spies from various nations mingled among the crowd, eager to gather intelligence. Rumors had been circulating that North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry had been annihilated, and spies from all nations were keen to find out if there was any truth to them. North Country was about to send troops northward, and this parade would surely feature most of its military forces. There was no need for concealment, allowing the spies to roughly estimate North Country¡¯s military strength. Early in the morning, Lu Chen got up and donned his black-gold armor, then went to the city wall of North City. By this time, the various camps of North Country had already completed their assembly, and after the parade, they would return to their camps to move weapons and then head to North Land for defensive positioning in the afternoon. Around nine in the morning, there was a sea of people outside North City with the populace eagerly awaiting the start of the parade. As the drumbeat sounded, followed by the ¡°woo woo woo¡± of horn calls, North Country¡¯s soldiers began to enter the arena. The first to appear were the infantry, who carried not firearms, but cold weapons like long halberds. The infantry marched in perfect unison, a highly entertaining spectacle for the civilians, but the informed spies discerned from their stride the presence of a strictly disciplined army. As the infantry slowly passed through the city gate, the next soldiers in line were from the Artillery camp, each carrying a bow and arrows, with bows slung across their backs. Since Lu Chen had decided not to showcase firearms and wanted to boost morale, he had no choice but to substitute them with other cold weapons. For some reason, after the bowmen of North Country entered the arena, the troops seemed even more different, more excited than those carrying long halberds before them. As the bow-armed artillery came beneath the city gate, they shouted in unison, ¡°Those who violate North Country will be pursued and annihilated, no matter the distance!¡± ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!!!¡± ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!!!¡± ¡­ Now inside North Country¡¯s army, the majority of soldiers were eagerly anticipating war, with the artillery craving it the most intensely. Their aura was distinctly different. After the Artillery camp passed, the last troop made its entrance: North Country¡¯s most mysterious Heavy Cavalry. Everyone, including all the foreign spies, held their breath. Right then, the ground began to tremble, and hearts rose into throats as, not long after, a dark mass became visible in the distance. A terrifying aura emanated from afar, shaking some civilians to the point of unsteadiness. The Black Cavalry¡¯s aura was incredibly heavy, and with each of them a Martial Artist above the fifth rank, even the forty thousand Heavy Cavalry that Lu Chen dispatched formed an oppressive, high-pressure force when gathered together. As the Black Cavalry drew closer, people found it increasingly difficult to breathe. The heavy thud of their hooves seemed to trample directly on the spectators¡¯ hearts, causing them to throb wildly. As the Black Cavalry passed through North Country¡¯s North City gate, they roared in unison, ¡°Where the great king points his sword, there we direct our spears!!!¡± ¡°Those who offend North Country shall be executed without mercy!!!¡± ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!!!¡± ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!!!¡± ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!!!¡± ¡­ The momentum of the Black Cavalry overwhelmingly eclipsed the bow-armed artillery from earlier. As the Black Cavalry passed by, some people shuddered non-stop. This army felt as if it had emerged from the netherworld, its murderous aura so thick that breathing was nearly impossible. The spies from all nations were utterly intimidated by the Black Cavalry. Although there were rumors that North Fre King had decimated the Black Cavalry during his southern invasion of North Country, there were still doubts that it was a ploy by North Country to hide its military might. But contrary to expectations, North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry indeed remained. People didn¡¯t believe that North Country could have trained an army with such a heavy killing aura in such a short time; this Heavy Cavalry was surely the same force that had defeated Sky Wolf King¡¯s three-hundred-thousand strong army. With two Master Level generals leading and the remaining forty thousand Heavy Cavalry all being Martial Artists above the fifth rank, such an army was not easily destroyed. North Country¡¯s military might was truly terrifying! Although this parade featured only three main divisions, the sheer number of troops meant that the event lasted over two hours. After the parade ended, Lu Chen returned to North Prince Mansion to bid farewell to his wives and concubines. Standing at the gate of North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen swept a glance over his worried wives and concubines and said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, the war will be over quickly.¡± Hearing these words, Mu Zixuan wiped away her tears and said, ¡°Prince, I am waiting for your triumphant return!¡± Chu Yuqin, standing to the side, said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, why don¡¯t you also take Bai along? You should have someone to take care of you.¡± Lu Chen was taking only Chen Wanrong, a woman, on his trip to the north, but as the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, even though she was now Lu Chen¡¯s woman, her status meant she could not demean herself as his servant. Thus, Chu Yuqin still wanted Bai Qingqing to accompany Lu Chen. Lu Chen smiled faintly, then said, ¡°After I leave, Yan County will likely not be peaceful, so Bai should stay there to protect you all.¡± ¡°I am going to the north to fight, not to enjoy life, so there is no need for anyone to wait on me.¡± Chapter 398 - Chapter 398: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_3 Chapter 398: Chapter 256 Marching Northward_3 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin let out a faint sigh; she had guessed that Lu Chen might say something like that. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, Madam Chu, I forgot to tell you something.¡± Chu Yuqin asked curiously, ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Chen then leaned close to Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°When I return, I will marry you. You just wait to bear my children.¡± Blushing at Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin turned her head to glance at Lu Chen¡¯s other wives and concubines before saying with a touch of resentment, ¡°You¡¯re not being serious!¡± Just then, Chu Qingli, who was standing nearby, saw Lu Chen suddenly lean close to her sister and whisper something that made her sister¡¯s face turn red. She immediately gave Lu Chen a glare. Lu Chen just smiled faintly, saying nothing more. After saying goodbye to each of them, Lu Chen then led the North Country¡¯s two hundred thousand troops as they set off to march northward. Clearly, the number of soldiers in the North Country had now exceeded the maximum number stipulated by the imperial decree on limiting troop numbers. Yet, Lu Chen had stopped pretending and openly displayed the strength of the North Country¡¯s soldiers during the military parade. Lu Chen felt there was no longer any need for pretense. A few days earlier, he had learned from Commander Wang Jiantao that the Sum Emperor was planning to join forces with various grandmasters to kill Zhuge Zhongguang. Lu Chen did not believe his father the emperor aimed solely at Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge Zhongguang was now a person of the North Country and its second-in-command. Targeting him was an attack on the entirety of the North Country. Furthermore, based on the Sum Emperor¡¯s various actions, it seemed that once the emperor had dealt with the aristocratic families of Great Sum, the next step would be to weaken the vassals, with the North Country likely being the first to be targeted. Having prepared the grandmasters for the kill, it was impossible for the emperor to leave the North Country for last. This was why Lu Chen thought there was no longer any need to continue the charade. ¡­ Half a month later. The news of the North Country¡¯s military parade had shocked all of the major dynasties; no one had anticipated that the North Country could have developed such formidable military power in such a short time. The Sum Imperial Court was the most shocked, but because the court was deeply engaged in an intensifying war with the rebel forces of the South, it had no time to address the happenings in the North Country, so the matter did not spark much discussion in the imperial assembly. However, when the Sum Emperor saw the reports in his hands, his expression turned extremely ugly, to the point of being described as contorted. In the Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor stood by the lotus pond, looking at the reports in his hands, silent for a long time. The next moment, sharp Sword Qi burst from his body, slicing every structure in the Royal Garden in half, instantly dismembering all the eunuchs and maids below the Ninth Grade. Seeing such a furious outburst from the Sum Emperor, Situ Ce guessed that something must have happened in the North Land. The Sum Emperor then spoke coldly, ¡°Good, very good indeed, such a good son I have!!!¡± The Sum Emperor had always believed that the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry had been destroyed, yet when the Barbarian Tribe moved eastward, the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry had emerged once again. Adding to that the messages previously transmitted back by Commander Wang, the Sum Emperor had realized that the North Country¡¯s rate of growth far exceeded his estimations. He had previously thought that the refugees would hinder the North Country¡¯s development, but now their military might had become so formidable. Especially those Heavy Cavalry, according to messages from the Shadow Guard, the strength of those Heavy Cavalry was mostly above Fifth Grade, and their leading Military General was even suspected to be an Extreme Realm Master. The North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry strength had far outstripped the Great Sum Imperial Court¡¯s Heavy Cavalry. When the North Fre King had moved south, he had thought the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry were just a bunch of heavily armored weaklings, hence they were so easily defeated. Now, he was being told that those Heavy Cavalry were all above the Fifth Grade! At this time, the Sum Emperor said to the trembling grandmaster Shadow Guard kneeling on the ground, ¡°Is there still no news of Wang Jiantao?¡± The kneeling Shadow Guard promptly responded, ¡°None. The Shadow Guards we dispatched to the North Country reported that upon their arrival, they couldn¡¯t find Commander Wang and the others; they seemed to have completely vanished.¡± The Sum Emperor had sent additional Shadow Guards to the North Country because he worried that Wang Jiantao might be incompetent. The military parade news he had just received was from the latter group of Shadow Guards sent out. These Shadow Guards had tried to locate Wang Jiantao upon reaching Yan County, but all the Shadow Guards in the city had disappeared without a trace. At this moment, the Sum Emperor understood what had happened. He said coldly, ¡°Stop searching. Consider them all dead. From today on, you will temporarily assume command of the Shadow Guards.¡± Hearing this, the kneeling Shadow Guard immediately kowtowed and said, ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s grace!¡± Then, the Sum Emperor sent the report flying to the destroyed pavilion where Situ Ce was; although the pavilion was ruined, he was surrounded by a sphere of outwardly projecting Gang Qi, holding up the remnants of the pavilion from collapsing. The report sent by the Sum Emperor pierced through Situ Ce¡¯s Gang Qi barrier without surprise, and Situ Ce caught it without any ripple of emotion in his heart. He had long known that the North Prince was no ordinary person, and that the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry could not have been truely annihilated. It seemed that the North Prince had become aware of the Sum Emperor¡¯s actions, and thus had decided to hold a high-profile military parade, no longer intending to remain concealed. Just then, a soldier rushed into the Royal Garden, shouting, ¡°Report!¡± The soldier kneeled halfway before the Sum Emperor and the emperor said coldly, ¡°Speak!¡± The soldier immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Dongfang Family has disappeared! The imperial soldiers behind the rebel lines planned to seek the Dongfang Family¡¯s help, only to find their docks devoid of merchant ships, and the Dongfang Family itself deserted!¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Gone? What was going on? The Dongfang Family had agreed to assist him in eliminating the South¡¯s aristocratic families. Could it be they were reconsidering? The Sum Emperor¡¯s expression darkened further, then he asked, ¡°How can they be gone? Did you find out where they went?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°No, not just our soldiers are looking for them, even the South¡¯s rebel forces are searching.¡± Chapter 399 - Chapter 399: Chapter 257: A Mere Two Hundred Thousand Troops, Nothing to Fear_1 Chapter 399: Chapter 257: A Mere Two Hundred Thousand Troops, Nothing to Fear_1 Hearing the soldier¡¯s reply, the Sum Emperor fell into silence, his expression constantly changing. The Dongfang Family¡¯s interest in joining the court and cooperating with the Emperor was undoubtedly the best choice. Allying with a group of rebels was, to begin with, very unlikely to succeed, and should they fail, the entire Dongfang Family would be finished. The Sum Emperor believed that since the Dongfang Family chose to cooperate with him in the first place, it showed that they also thought the aristocratic families in the South were bound to be eliminated, so why had they suddenly disappeared? If the aristocratic families in the South were all looking for the Dongfang Family, that would be even more bizarre. Logically, if the Dongfang Family regretted their decision and didn¡¯t want to collaborate with the Imperial Court, thinking the Imperial Army was no match for the southern rebels, then the Dongfang Family should have actively sought to join Lu Shuyun. Instead, both the court and the southern rebels were now searching for them. Upon hearing the dialogue between the soldier and the Sum Emperor, Situ Ce had pretty much guessed what was going on, and he spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, hasn¡¯t the Dongfang Family¡¯s merchant fleet been going north frequently lately?¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s mind jolted, and his face grew even more grim as he spoke in a cold voice, ¡°You mean to say that the Dongfang Family has neither planned to cooperate with the court nor to join the rebels, but has instead chosen to join the North Country?¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°The Dongfang Family has likely seen your determination to eradicate the ancient families, and the Dongfangs themselves are one such ancient family, and moreover one controlling Great Sum¡¯s economy. They probably don¡¯t believe that after eliminating the Southern families, you would spare theirs.¡± ¡°Nowadays, the North Country values commerce, and joining them could be a good choice for them.¡± The Sum Emperor pondered for a moment, thinking there might be some truth to Situ Ce¡¯s speculation. Could it be that the Dongfang Family had really run off to the North Country? No wonder the Dongfang Family still ventured north to do business with the North Country while the court and southern rebels were at war. He had initially thought that, as merchants are profit-driven, with Great Sum embroiled in civil strife and prices soaring, the Dongfang Family went to the North Country to profit from the war. But in fact, they had directly fled there. At that moment, the Sum Emperor was in a terrible mood. He had expected the Dongfang Family to collaborate with the Imperial Army in the South, making it easier to get intelligence on the rebels and even attack them from behind. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that they would flee the scene so cunningly. The Sum Emperor snorted coldly, ¡°What I hate the most is betrayal. Do they think they can live in peace after fleeing to the North Country?¡± He had originally intended to deal with the Dongfang Family last, but now it seemed these people were so eager for death. So after dealing with the southern rebels, he would immediately seek a way to eliminate them. However, it was still uncertain whether the North Country would last until the end of Great Sum¡¯s civil war. The Tianqi King was no ordinary barbarian. According to the intelligence they had gathered, the Tianqi King had long been a Grandmaster, and his tribe was a main branch derived from the royal line of the barbarian tribes. Their overall strength far surpassed that of the Sky Wolf King and the North Fre King, two tribes from the North Land. This time, the Tianqi King had brought four hundred thousand troops to march eastward, and ¡­ Meanwhile. In a military tent of the Great Wu dynasty. Wu Junwan, clad in silver-white armor, was intently reading a letter. As she read the contents, her brows lightly furrowed. She had suspected from the beginning that the heavy cavalry of the North Country had not been defeated by the North Fre King¡¯s forces, and that the North Country claimed their cavalry had been destroyed merely to conceal their military strength. To her amazement, her suspicions had been confirmed; the North Country¡¯s heavy cavalry was indeed still around, and not only that, it was even stronger than they had imagined. With two Extreme Realm Masters as military generals and over four thousand Fifth Grade Martial Artists, this heavy cavalry unit was clearly stronger than the main forces of various dynasties. Even the heavy cavalry of the Great Wu dynasty couldn¡¯t achieve having all soldiers be Fifth Grade Martial Artists; such warriors were distributed across different military units. At that moment, she looked at the person who had delivered the intelligence and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Zhuge Zhongguang follow the North Prince up north?¡± The person in front of Wu Junwan replied, ¡°No, he is still in Yan County. Right now, the political affairs of the North Country are managed by him.¡± After hearing the intelligence operative¡¯s reply, Wu Junwan fell into deep thought. As far as she knew, the Tianqi King was a Grandmaster, and to confront him, the North Country would need at least one Grandmaster on their side. Moreover, the Tianqi King had led four hundred thousand troops on an eastern campaign, but the North Country only had two hundred thousand. Even though the North Country¡¯s heavy cavalry were all above Fifth Grade Martial Artists, with tremendous strength, the strength of the Tianqi King¡¯s forces was not to be underestimated. Without a Grandmaster overseeing the situation, relying solely on their heavy cavalry, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for the North Country to defeat the Tianqi King. What was that young man thinking? Why didn¡¯t he allow Zhuge Zhongguang to follow him up north, instead choosing to lead the troops himself? Could it be that the North Prince Mansion has more than one Grandmaster? At this thought, Wu Junwan instantly remembered the Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion she had met when she entered Yan County as a member of the Qian Family. The Tower Master was a Grandmaster, and his strength was nothing short of formidable. Wu Junwan thought to herself, if the Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion had also gone north with Lu Chen, that would explain why Lu Chen didn¡¯t take Zhuge Zhongguang with him. She hoped the Tianqi King¡¯s troops would greatly weaken the military power of the North Country, especially those heavy cavalry. It would be best if those heavy cavalry units could be annihilated. Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 257: A Mere Two Hundred Thousand Troops, Nothing to Fear_2 Chapter 400: Chapter 257: A Mere Two Hundred Thousand Troops, Nothing to Fear_2 Now, the chaos within the Great Wu Dynasty was unceasing, and with such commotion, the morale of Great Wu¡¯s civilians had become unstable, and its military power would also be greatly weakened in the future. The emergence of a military monster so powerful at Great Wu¡¯s side made Wu Junwan very uneasy. At this moment, a soldier burst into the tent with excitement, ¡°Princess Junwan, good news, the rebel leader plans to surrender! He wants to negotiate with you personally!¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan put down the intelligence in her hand. The affairs of the North Country could wait; she would first quell the internal turmoil within Great Wu. Her purpose in leading troops this time was to thoroughly suppress the rebellion in the southwest. Through her various means, there were not many rebels remaining now; most of the rebels had already chosen to surrender to the Great Wu court. Of course, in name they were surrendering to the Great Wu court, but in reality, these surrendered troops had essentially become the private soldiers of Princess Junwan. They were not surrendering directly to the court, but to Wu Junwan. ¡­ The Da Yue Dynasty. The Empress¡¯s Bedchamber. Inside the bedchamber, red curtains fluttered in the wind, and deep within the chamber, the silhouette of a woman wearing a red Phoenix Robe could be seen now and then. At this time, a maid entered the bedchamber. ¡°Your Majesty, Sir Wang requests an audience.¡± The woman spoke indifferently, ¡°Let him in.¡± Her voice was crisp, cold, and penetrating, as if it directly reached one¡¯s brain. As the woman finished speaking, a man wearing an official hat entered the bedchamber. ¡°Your servant greets Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long may you reign!¡± The woman then asked, ¡°What is it?¡± The official immediately took out an envelope, then said, ¡°Your Majesty, this is intelligence from a North Country spy.¡± As he finished speaking, the intelligence in the official¡¯s hand flew up and ¡°whooshed¡± into the curtains. Inside the curtains, the woman glanced at the contents recorded in the intelligence and then said with a smile, ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°It seems the Tianqi King couldn¡¯t gain any favors from us and is a little unwilling to accept that.¡± The kneeling official asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do we need to do anything?¡± ¡°The rapid growth of the military power of the North Country is extremely disadvantageous to us in Da Yue.¡± Hearing this, the woman chuckled and then said, ¡°What, does Sir Wang intend for our soldiers to march northward at this time and attack the North Country?¡± Seeing the woman¡¯s tone was somewhat off, the official did not speak further, although that was indeed his thought. The North Country bordered Da Yue, and it was not in Da Yue¡¯s interest to watch the North Country grow stronger. Moreover, the North Country was a feudal state of the Great Xia Dynasty, and its strength also meant the strengthening of Great Xia. However, hearing the tone of the Empress, it was clear she had other ideas, so the man did not speak further. At this point, the woman said, ¡°Sir Wang is not wrong, we indeed should do something. Send an embassy immediately to the North Country, tell them, whatever the North Country needs, they can turn to Da Yue.¡± ¡°If the North Country cannot resist the Barbarian Tribe, they can also ask Da Yue for help, and I will surely send troops to assist them immediately.¡± Hearing the Empress¡¯s words, the man kneeling on the ground was stunned. Help the North Country? Why? To Da Yue, wasn¡¯t the North Country an enemy? If North Country became stronger, how would that benefit Da Yue? At this moment, the woman said, ¡°Sir Wang, the North Country is key to splitting Great Xia. Do not be so shortsighted.¡± Hearing this, the man¡¯s heart thumped, and he instantly understood the Empress¡¯s plan. Indeed, if the North Country was considered part of Great Xia, then the rapid increase in its military power was indeed bad news for the Da Yue Dynasty. But if the North Country was viewed as an independent entity, that changed everything. The swift rise in the North Country¡¯s military power clearly indicated that the North Prince was an ambitiously Seignior. In the future, it was highly probable that the North Country would rebel. Even if they did not, the Sum Emperor would definitely not allow such a powerful feudal state to exist, so he would certainly seek to reduce its power. If the Sum Emperor sought to diminish their power, the North Country wouldn¡¯t passively wait to be targeted; the inevitable outcome would be a civil war. Currently, Great Xia was fighting against the rebels in the South, and once the internal strife ended, its strength would surely be weakened. If a war between the Great Xia court and the North Country were to break out afterwards, it would lead to great suffering among the people of Great Xia, and the Seigniors were bound to have all sorts of thoughts. That was why the Empress intended to establish friendly relations with the North Country and then further provoke the Sum Emperor. The North Country was merely a feudal state and had no right to have independent foreign relations with a dynasty. If it did so, it would mean the North Country was seeking independence, planning to rebel. With this in mind, the man said, ¡°Your Majesty is correct, it is my lack of foresight. I earnestly request that Your Majesty allow me to lead the mission to the North Country.¡± The woman¡¯s voice came from within the curtains, ¡°Granted.¡± ¡°Thank Your Majesty, your servant takes his leave!¡± As his words fell, the man left the Empress¡¯s bedchamber. Then, the woman in the bedchamber murmured to herself, ¡°North Prince, I hope you do not disappoint me.¡± ¡­ North Land. Ningbei City. Lu Chen stood on the city wall, feeling the breeze from the grasslands. At this moment, Chen Wanrong, wearing a white garment, stood beside him. Throughout the journey, Chen Wanrong, having followed Lu Chen to the north, harbored numerous doubts, especially concerning the many strange things within Lu Chen¡¯s army. She had never seen such things before, did not know their use, and was even less understanding of why Lu Chen and his men had gone to such great lengths to transport these objects to the North Land. Chapter 401 - Chapter 401: Chapter 257: A Mere Two Hundred Thousand Troops, Nothing to Fear_3 Chapter 401: Chapter 257: A Mere Two Hundred Thousand Troops, Nothing to Fear_3 At this moment on the city walls, soldiers were setting up cannons. Seeing the huge metal tube beside her, Chen Wanrong finally couldn¡¯t help but ask directly, ¡°What is this?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ll know once the war starts.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen didn¡¯t answer directly and instead put on an air of mystery, Chen Wanrong felt a bit emotional. She was already his woman, and yet he was still so guarded against her. She would be by his side for the time to come, and when these things were used, she would be there to see them, so what was there to hide? Telling her now would be no different. Just then, Mu Changtian and other military generals arrived on the watchtower, Mu Changtian holding a map in his hands. A soldier immediately brought over a table, and Mu Changtian laid the map on it. ¡°Prince, the scouts report that the Tianqi King has not divided his forces. Their main army is following behind the vanguard cavalry.¡± ¡°And their cavalry are heading straight for Ningbei City. They could reach Ningbei City in just a few days at most. As for the main army, it won¡¯t take half a month for a high likelihood of their arrival at Ningbei City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen approached the map, glanced at it, and the current positions of the Tianqi King¡¯s army were already roughly marked on the map. Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°I thought the Tianqi King¡¯s army would reach Ningbei City before us. It looks like I have overestimated their marching speed.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian replied, ¡°Prince, the marching speed of the Barbarian Tribe is already not slow. It¡¯s just that they need to find water sources for supplies in the grasslands, hence their delay in arriving.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That is true, water sources indeed pose a problem.¡± At this, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. Initially, he was considering whether they should pursue the Tianqi King¡¯s army should they retreat after being defeated. Mu Changtian¡¯s words suddenly calmed Lu Chen down. In the grasslands, the situation was complicated, and supplies were hard to come by. It was better not to rashly give chase. Just then, a Jinyiwei Guard came before Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, intelligence from Yan County.¡± Lu Chen took the envelope from the Jinyiwei Guard, opened it, and after scanning the intelligence in his hands, he said, ¡°It seems that after the civil war within Great Sum is over, the North Country will face a true test.¡± Curious, Mu Changtian asked, ¡°Prince, is there some movement from the court?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Hmm, the court has dispatched troops to the north, to be stationed in Qi Country.¡± At this, everyone was momentarily stunned before Mu Changtian said, ¡°The Qi Prince surely won¡¯t allow it, right?¡± When they were heading north, the envoys from the Aristocratic Families of the South were still in the Qi Prince¡¯s territory, hoping to persuade Qi Country to send troops south and flank the Imperial Army in a pincer move with the southern rebels. And now, in such a short time, the court was actually planning to send troops north and be stationed in Qi Country. If the troops were stationed there, would the Qi Prince still consider rebellion? Moreover, the court now has to deal with the southern rebels. How could it spare the forces to be stationed in Qi Country? Continuing, Lu Chen said, ¡°This matter has not been settled yet. However, the court has already issued an imperial edict, requesting Qi Country to cooperate with the stationing of the army.¡± At this point, Xiao Pengthian spoke from the side, ¡°Prince, in your view, will the Qi Prince rebel this time?¡± With North Country having dispatched troops northward to resist the Barbarian Tribe, Qi Country has no need to worry that North Country will march south to support the king in time. At this juncture, they certainly could march south to attack the Capital City. Moreover, if one Seignior begins to rebel, it is highly probable to trigger a chain reaction, and the other Seigniors itching for a revolt will likely follow suit. Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. The Qi Prince has shown no signs of movement yet, and it¡¯s unclear whether he will rebel. If he doesn¡¯t rebel, he will certainly agree to the court¡¯s request and allow the troops to be stationed in Qi Country.¡± ¡°Now, we can¡¯t worry about so much. Let¡¯s first drive the Tianqi King out of the North Land.¡± Lu Chen was curious in his heart. The court wanted to station troops in Qi Country at this time. Was it to guard against North Country, or to probe Qi Country? If it was to guard against North Country, he was now leading an army of two hundred thousand to the North Land to fight the Barbarian Tribe, posing no immediate threat to the court. Moreover, the court was at a critical moment in quelling the southern rebellion, and there was no need to dispatch a large force to station in Qi Country at this point. So Lu Chen had an inkling that the Sum Emperor was testing Qi Country, wanting to see whether the Qi Prince harbored rebellious intentions. If Qi Country rejected the stationing of troops, it would mean the Qi Prince had agreed to the southern rebels¡¯ proposition and intended to rebel. However, if Qi Country accepted the court¡¯s stationing of troops, it would prove Qi Country did not intend to rebel, at least not yet. Of course, all these matters were not of great significance to him for now, as their immediate primary task was to resist the eastward advance of the Barbarian Tribe. Meanwhile. In the grasslands of North Land. A gigantic eagle was circling in the sky, and beneath the clear blue, there were countless military tents. In a short while, the eagle descended, landing on the shoulder of a robust man who then removed the fur tied around the eagle¡¯s leg and proceeded towards the Main Commander¡¯s tent. Inside the Main Commander¡¯s tent, the Tianqi King and his men were drinking and feasting, not seeming to be in any particular rush. In their view, the wealth and women of North Country were already within their grasp, merely waiting for them to come and take possession. Thus, their lack of urgency. ¡°Great King, a missive from the scouts up front!¡± The robust man handed the fur that was just untied from the eagle to the Tianqi King. After receiving it, the Tianqi King opened the fur and scanned the content written on the inside. Then, bursting into laughter, he declared, ¡°A mere two hundred thousand soldiers, aspiring to halt the advance of this king, are utterly delusional!¡± While Lu Chen and his men were gathering intelligence on the Barbarian Tribe, the Barbarian Tribe too was collecting information about North Country. The news of North Country¡¯s military review had spread throughout the region, and the spies of the Barbarian Tribe naturally learned about Lu Chen leading an army of two hundred thousand northward. To the Tianqi King, that posed no significant threat. In his eyes, the people of Great Sum had always been weak. Before the establishment of the Da Yue Dynasty, their Barbarian Tribe had directly attacked Great Sum, even occupying many of its cities. The Great Sum people had paid a hefty price to redeem their lands back. However, that was before the division of the Barbarian Tribe. Afterward, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court declined and split into several factions, with the North Land falling under the dominion of the Sky Wolf King, which prevented the Tianqi King¡¯s tribe from moving eastward. Even though the Barbarian Tribe had fragmented, the impression of Great Sum¡¯s people being weak was still entrenched in the Tianqi King¡¯s mind, so he didn¡¯t consider North Country a serious threat. A mere two hundred thousand soldiers, nothing to be afraid of. Chapter 402 - Chapter 402: Chapter 258: Its time for her to let it go_1 Chapter 402: Chapter 258: It¡¯s time for her to let it go_1 Although every major dynasty had its internal issues to varying degrees, they were all more or less focused on the situation in the North Country. Ever since the North Country¡¯s military parade ended, people had been eager to know just how much combat power this 200,000-strong army really possessed and whether it could withstand the Tianqi King¡¯s forces. The Tianqi King was not like the Sky Wolf King, nor the North Fre King, the Tianqi King was a true Grandmaster, and he had quite a few Grandmasters under his command, not to mention a large number of high-quality warriors. Though the Tianqi King had suffered defeat within the Da Yue Dynasty, this did not mean that his strength was weak. The Heavy Cavalry of the North Country were indeed formidable, but they seemed somewhat insufficient when faced with the Tianqi King¡¯s 400,000-strong army. For the time being, the only ones not focusing on the North Country were the rebels of the South from Great Xia, who, led by Lu Shuyun, had been under tremendous pressure lately. Their forces were simply no match for the Imperial Army, and upon entering the battlefield, they were generally crushed by the Imperial forces. The Southern rebels were constantly being pushed back, losing key cities they once held, and now they were forced by the Imperial Army to keep shrinking their defensive line. Even the use of the Piercing Cloud Bow had not given them much advantage on the battlefield, causing great concern for Lu Shuyun. It was now clear to him why his royal father had not been worried at all about his rebellion, even forcing him to come to the South and lead these Aristocratic Families in revolt. These Aristocratic Families were reluctant to give up their own interests, and even when united, they formed a loose alliance. Fighting each for their own, with endless scheming and rivalry, they were fundamentally impossible to lead. Lu Shuyun was beginning to regret coming to the South to rebel. Had he not, at worst he would have been stripped of his title as the Crown Prince. Now he had put himself in a situation where retreat was impossible; once the bow was drawn, there was no turning back. He had no choice but to face the Imperial Army head-on. The Wang Family. The Council Hall. Sitting in the Wang Family Head¡¯s seat, Lu Shuyun looked down at the Family Heads of the Southern Aristocratic Families and asked, ¡°Has there still been no sign of the Dongfang Family?¡± Upon hearing this question, not a single person in the Council Hall spoke up. The disappearance of the Dongfang Family was so abrupt that they did not even know when the Dongfangs had vanished; perhaps others had already fled, and they were simply unaware. At this moment, the Head of the Qin Clan spoke up, ¡°Crown Prince, it¡¯s likely that the Dongfang Family has already defected to the Imperial Court. The Dongfangs have been a mercantile family for generations, with not much land in the South to begin with. For them, it makes no difference where they are; they had no need to take such a great risk.¡± Upon hearing this, the Wang Family Head snorted coldly, ¡°Do they really think that by defecting to His Majesty they will be spared? His Majesty has long wanted to eradicate all ancient Aristocratic Families within the Great Xia territory. Though the Dongfang Family doesn¡¯t have as much land as we do, with their commercial operations spread across Great Xia, manipulating prices would be effortless for them. I don¡¯t believe His Majesty would let them off in the end!¡± It was then that Chu Liang said, ¡°The Dongfang Family likely left by sea. Their merchant ships are so large that they could have transported all the Dongfangs away in a short time without any issue.¡± The mention of merchant ships gave Lu Shuyun a bad feeling. If the Dongfangs could transport their own people away so quickly, they could just as easily sneak Imperial soldiers behind their lines without anyone noticing. If the Dongfang Family had indeed betrayed them and defected to the court, they would certainly look to demonstrate loyalty to his royal father by aiding the Imperial Army in attacking them. Thinking this, Lu Shuyun¡¯s face turned dark in an instant, looking quite displeased. Just then, a soldier rushed in, flustered, ¡°Crown Prince, something terrible has happened. Imperial troops have been spotted to the southeast.¡± Lu Shuyun¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. His premonition had come true; he knew that if the Dongfang Family had betrayed them, they would definitely help the Imperial Court transport soldiers to their rear. ¡­ Several days later. Ningbei City. The vanguard Cavalry of the Tianqi King¡¯s forces had finally arrived at Ningbei City. However, they were only there to scout the way, and upon reaching the outskirts of Ningbei City, they did not launch an attack but simply surveyed the surrounding area. Ningbei City was relatively isolated because it was surrounded by prairies and lacked any geographical advantages, not even a moat. Such an isolated city, if besieged, would likely leave its soldiers trapped and doomed. After scouting out the situation at Ningbei City, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s vanguard immediately relayed the information to the Tianqi King. Hearing that the North Country¡¯s 200,000-strong army was mostly stationed in Ningbei City, the Tianqi King was overjoyed. It was perfect that the North Country¡¯s forces were all in one place. Their Barbarian Army could defeat the North Country in one decisive battle, and after the collapse of the 200,000-strong North Country army, they could enter and plunder the North Country without hindrance, which was an excellent opportunity for them. To prevent the North Country¡¯s 200,000-strong army from dividing their forces at this time, the Tianqi King quickly ordered his soldiers to hasten their march, fearing that if the North Country split up their forces, they would have to siege city after city. Lu Chen stood on the city walls, gazing into the distance at the camp of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s vanguard Cavalry, a slight smirk on his lips. In a few days, the North Country army¡¯s premiere show of firepower would begin. Chapter 403 - Chapter 403: Chapter 258: Its time for her to let it go_2 Chapter 403: Chapter 258: It¡¯s time for her to let it go_2 At that moment, Xiao Pengthian approached Lu Chen and said, ¡°Prince, should I take some men and wipe out the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s vanguard?¡± Xiao Pengthian was extremely eager for military achievements. After all, he was from the Barbarian Tribe, and to earn Lu Chen¡¯s trust, he had to be even more proactive and work harder. Xiao Pengthian¡¯s Barbarian cavalrymen shared the same thought. Lu Chen indifferently replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so hasty. If we destroy the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s vanguard so quickly and scare off the Tianqi King¡¯s army, what then?¡± The firearms they were using were too powerful. If they didn¡¯t annihilate all the cavalry, the escaping barbarian soldiers would certainly report what happened here to the Tianqi King. If the Tianqi King were scared off by the firearms and simply didn¡¯t come, how would they fight this battle? How would they test the combat capability of their army? Seeing that Lu Chen wanted to wait longer, Xiao Pengthian could only respond, ¡°You¡¯re right, Prince. I was too impatient.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°General Xiao, there¡¯s no need to rush. Your time to achieve great merit will come. You command the light cavalry. If the Barbarian Tribe is routed, I will need you and your cavalry to pursue them.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xiao Pengthian felt invigorated once again. Last time they defended against the North Fre King¡¯s army, their light cavalry didn¡¯t play a significant role, mainly because they lured the barbarian soldiers into Tianguang City, and a cannonade had the barbarians surrendering in terror. But this time was different. There were an entire four hundred thousand soldiers in the Barbarian Army, and it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to use the same tactic of ¡°inviting the enemy into the pot.¡± With the vast grasslands, the light cavalry of North Country would certainly be needed to pursue the enemy if the Barbarian Army were defeated in open field, giving Xiao Pengthian and his light cavalry a chance to shine. At that moment, Mu Changtian arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s tower, ¡°Prince, everything is ready. We are now just waiting for the Tianqi King¡¯s army to arrive.¡± Lu Chen, looking at the distant barbarian tents, said with a smile, ¡°I hope our friends from afar will appreciate the gift we have for them.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong watched Lu Chen with puzzlement from a distance. For some reason, she always felt that in recent days Lu Chen seemed to be especially looking forward to the Barbarian Army attacking North Country. War meant the loss of life, and this time North Country had brought only two hundred thousand troops to march north, while the Tianqi King had an army of four hundred thousand. In terms of numbers, North Country was at a disadvantage. The formidable force of North Country was its Black Cavalry, but no one could be certain whether the Tianqi King¡¯s army also contained Heavy Cavalry with strength comparable to the Black Cavalry. The Tianqi King was a mainline successor of the Barbarian King¡¯s lineage, and their power far surpassed that of the Sky Wolf King tribe and the North Fre King tribe. North Country may have defeated the Sky Wolf King and the North Fre King tribes, but it wasn¡¯t certain they could overcome the Tianqi King. Yet Lu Chen could still smile so cheerfully at this moment. It was also uncertain whether the person behind Lu Chen would appear this time. Chen Wanrong had almost confirmed that Lu Chen was not an ordinary person; undoubtedly, there was a Grandmaster behind him. If North Country lost this battle, it was unlikely that the person behind Lu Chen would just stand by and watch. Chen Wanrong was very curious to see who exactly was behind Lu Chen, who could allow Lu Chen to advance to the Grandmaster Realm in such a short time and bring about earth-shattering changes to North Country. ¡­ Time flew by rapidly. Finally, ten days later, the horns of the Barbarian Army sounded outside Ningbei City. Hearing the barbarian horns, Lu Chen immediately went up the city tower, gazing into the distance at the dark mass of troops. The soldiers of North Country were boiling with excitement; they had prepared for so long just for this moment. Advanced firearms filled them with confidence, and they were no longer able to suppress the impulse in their hearts to unleash cannon fire upon the barbarians. When the Tianqi King reached the outskirts of Ningbei City, he glanced at the flag of the North Prince Mansion atop the city wall, then said with a laugh, ¡°These people of Great Sum do indeed have some backbone. I remember when I was a child, accompanying my father on raids down south, those Sum soldiers would abandon the common people and flee without even defending their cities.¡± ¡°I did not expect these North Country people not only to lead an army of two hundred thousand north but also to wait for me here in Ningbei City.¡± ¡°Good. I want to see just what abilities North Prince of Great Sum has to be able to eradicate the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe.¡± ¡°Form up! Prepare to attack!¡± As the Tianqi King¡¯s words fell, the horns of the Barbarian Tribe sounded once more. Seeing that the barbarians were ready to attack, Lu Chen also directly ordered his soldiers, ¡°Beat the drums! Load the cannons!¡± The next moment, thunderous drumbeats reverberated through the sky above Ningbei City, and all the cannons on the city walls were ready to fire. Witnessing this, Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t help but speculate that those iron balls were probably similar to the ones used for defending cities, but it seemed doubtful that they could stop the barbarian advance with just those. The first assault by the Barbarian Tribe would mean who knows how many North Country soldiers would die. Chen Wanrong had experienced the brutality and bloodshed of the battlefield as a child and knew that once the war started, there would be corpses everywhere. At that time, Chen Wanrong realized that the soldiers of North Country were all extremely excited, seemingly not afraid of death at all. This was very strange. She remembered when as a child she had seen people from Chen Nation defending the imperial city; the expression on their soldiers¡¯ faces was only one of exhaustion, despair, and fear, completely different from the current state of the soldiers from North Country. Chapter 404 - Chapter 404: Chapter 258: Its time for her to let it go_3 Chapter 404: Chapter 258: It¡¯s time for her to let it go_3 Why are the soldiers of the North Country so excited? Chen Wanrong was curious, what exactly had Lu Chen done to train this army that the soldiers harbored no fear of death? Just as Chen Wanrong was lost in thought, a grandmaster military general from the Tianqi King¡¯s camp led the Barbarian Army in a charge. As Chen Wanrong watched the Barbarian Army get closer and closer to the walls of Ningbei City, the soldiers of North Country still did not release their arrows. It was only when the Barbarian Army was almost at the city gates that the drums sounded again, and with the first beat, thunderous blasts consecutively followed. Chen Wanrong immediately sealed her ears with Gang Qi, puzzled by why these ¡°metal trebuchets¡± could make such loud noises. It was then that the iron balls erupted mid-flight among the barbarian soldiers. With each explosion, bodies were torn asunder, limbs flew everywhere, and witnessing this scene left Chen Wanrong completely stunned. Though the Mysterious Moon Palace had even more powerful Divine Artifacts, after all, a Divine Artifact was a Divine Artifact. Their numbers were limited; not just anyone could create a Divine Artifact. But these metal trebuchets of the North Country¡ªone could tell they were made by the North Country themselves. And with so many exploding iron balls, it was clear they were mass-produced by the North Country. The North Country actually possessed so many of these terrifying weapons!!! No wonder the faces of the North Country¡¯s soldiers showed no fear but excitement instead. With such terrifying weapons at their disposal, what enemies would North Country need to fear? Chen Wanrong glanced at the soldiers operating the cannons and noticed that most of them were Ninth Grade martial artists, and some were not even martial artists but commoners. And when those iron balls burst, they could directly blast a high-quality warrior of the Barbarian Army into pieces. Ordinary soldiers easily killed high-quality warriors; it seemed that the future of the Martial Arts World would be upended. Seeing the scene before him, Mu Changtian and other military generals sighed continuously, just as they had at Tianguang City. Although Lu Chen had told them that Martial Arts were still important when he equipped the army with firearms, it was hard for them to believe that the Martial Arts World would continue to flourish seeing the way those high-level experts were blown apart in the sky. The Grandmaster leading the Barbarian Army¡¯s siege was completely dumbfounded after watching the limbs and torsos rain down. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just him; every barbarian soldier was dumbfounded. My god!!! What kind of weapon is this??? How can its power be so terrifying!!! Can such weapons truly exist in this world??? ¡­ Finally, a barbarian soldier in the crowd was so frightened that he turned and fled. In an instant, the sounds of the cannons and the barbarian soldiers¡¯ screams merged into one. At this moment, even the Tianqi King himself was stunned. He watched his defeated Barbarian Army in disbelief, unable to grasp what had just happened before his eyes. This was the first time in his life that he had seen such a terrifying weapon! The explosion from those iron balls was almost on par with an attack by a Grandmaster. The multitude of exploding iron balls was like a multitude of Grandmasters attacking them. The Tianqi King murmured to himself, ¡°How could this be¡­¡± He had believed that defeating the two hundred thousand North Country soldiers would only take a few days, but their first siege had met with such a blow. How could Great Sum have such terrifying weapons! These must be Divine Artifacts already, right? Could a dynasty possess so many Divine Artifacts? The collapse of the Barbarian Army was swift, but the Tianqi King soon regained his senses. Since they were Divine Artifacts, their use couldn¡¯t be unlimited. Or perhaps using a Divine Artifact incurred a great cost¡ªhe didn¡¯t believe Great Sum could continue using those Divine Artifacts indefinitely. With this thought, the Tianqi King immediately led the Barbarian Army in retreat, but it wasn¡¯t a true withdrawal. He intended to stabilize the morale of the barbarian soldiers first, let them rest for a while, and then continue the siege. The scene earlier had terrified the barbarian soldiers. If they were made to attack now, they would surely lack the courage, thus a temporary retreat was the only option. Seeing the barbarian soldiers had retreated, Xiao Pengthian asked from the sidelines, ¡°Prince, should we pursue?¡± Lu Chen looked at the Barbarian Army¡¯s slow retreat in the distance and smiled, ¡°No need for now, the Tianqi King likely hasn¡¯t given up yet¡ªthey will attack again.¡± The North Country¡¯s cannons were not so easy to transport, especially across the plains. The main force of the barbarians was still intact; if they pursued now, they could only send the cavalry. If the cavalry caught up and clashed with the barbarians, it would be too much of a loss. Thus, the Tianqi King¡¯s first siege ended in less than half an hour. At that time, Lu Chen approached Chen Wanrong and asked, ¡°Master Chen, what do you think of our North Country¡¯s weapons?¡± Chen Wanrong inquired, ¡°Were these weapons manufactured by North Country?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Chen Wanrong then stated coldly, ¡°Your ambition is too great and will bring disaster to this world.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Master Chen, where did you see that I have great ambition?¡± Chen Wanrong responded indifferently, ¡°To possess a sharp weapon is to give rise to the intent to kill. I hope one day you will not make an enemy of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± As her words fell, Chen Wanrong turned and left. At this moment, Chen Wanrong realized the complete futility of her dreams of restoring her nation. Firstly, she could no longer separate herself from Lu Chen emotionally. Even if she were to leave Lu Chen, it was unlikely he would allow her to restore her nation. With such terrifying weapons in North Country¡¯s possession, capable of mass production, Lu Chen must surely harbor strong ambitions. Perhaps uniting the entire world was this man¡¯s ambition. If that was indeed the case, then under this man¡¯s ambitions, he would never allow her to restore her nation. If the entire world was united, how could there be a Chen Nation? Chen Wanrong felt a heavy blow to her heart at this realization. All her efforts, her preparations over more than a decade, had yielded nothing but a man, and her hopes of a restored nation were now dashed. Perhaps her master was right, all the pursuits of this mortal world are nothing but illusions, the more one seeks, the less one attains. It was time for her to let go. Chapter 405 - Chapter 405: Chapter 259 Night Raid on Barbarian Tribe Camp_1 Chapter 405: Chapter 259 Night Raid on Barbarian Tribe Camp_1 After the Tianqi King¡¯s massive army retreated to a safe distance, they no longer continued the retreat. Although the Barbarian Tribe soldiers were terrified by the scene they had just witnessed, with the Tianqi King present, they did not dare to flee directly. The Tianqi King immediately ordered his soldiers to set up camp, as he still had no intention of giving up on attacking North Country. Inside the Main Commander¡¯s tent. The Tianqi King and his accompanying Military Generals were seated on the ground, and for a long time, no one spoke. After a while, a Master General under the Tianqi King finally broke the silence, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Country soldiers did not pursue us, which proves that the weapon they used, although powerful, is difficult to move or perhaps the explosive iron spheres they have are extremely limited in number.¡± ¡°If we capture Ningbei City, the weapons used by North Country will fall into our hands. With such weapons, no dynasty¡¯s citadels could withstand our Cavalry.¡± Upon hearing these words, the Tianqi King said, ¡°You make a good point. I¡¯m thinking the same way. North Country¡¯s weapon is something I¡¯m determined to obtain.¡± ¡°Let the soldiers rest for two days; in two days¡¯ time, we will continue our attack on Ningbei City.¡± The Tianqi King was certainly not willing to just retreat like this. They had just suffered a setback in the Da Yue Dynasty, and if they were to hit a snag again in the Great Xia Dynasty and return without any achievements, wouldn¡¯t other Barbarian Tribes laugh at them? Taking hundreds of thousands of men out only to wander around, losing so many lives, and in the end, gaining nothing¡ªhow could he stand firm among the Barbarians thereafter? Meanwhile. Inside the Main Commander¡¯s quarters in Ningbei City. Mu Changtian and others were discussing how to fight this battle. The plains were too vast, it was difficult to surround and annihilate the Tianqi King¡¯s army of four hundred thousand. Moreover, from the first attack by the Barbarians, they could basically tell that the Tianqi King was a cautious person. For the first siege, the Tianqi King only sent out a Grandmaster Military General with about a hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers and did not rush in all at once. Their methods of attacking with divided forces also made it impossible for Lu Chen and his men to eliminate the four hundred thousand Barbarian Army in a short period of time. Just then, the scouts sent out by Lu Chen returned, ¡°Prince, as expected, the Tianqi King has not retreated; they have already set up camp.¡± Upon hearing the scout¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°It seems the Tianqi King is quite reluctant to give up.¡± At that moment, Xiao Pengthian said, ¡°Prince, if the Tianqi King has settled in camp, then this is an excellent opportunity for us. We can take advantage of the night to move out the cannons, bombard their camp, and then launch a Cavalry attack on the fleeing Barbarian soldiers.¡± Hearing Xiao Pengthian¡¯s suggestion, Li Feng also said on the side, ¡°Prince, I think General Xiao¡¯s plan is good. The Barbarian Army has marched such a long way to reach Ningbei City, and the Barbarian soldiers are tired. Most of them will be sleeping deeply, so tonight is the most suitable time to attack the Barbarian camp.¡± Xuanyuan Chen advised, ¡°After being attacked by the cannon in broad daylight today, they are probably still cautious about Ningbei City. If we attack the enemy camp by leaving the city under the cover of night, I feel it¡¯s not quite appropriate.¡± After contemplating for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°General Xuanyuan is right. Tonight will certainly be when the Barbarians are most vigilant. If we attack tonight, our soldiers might be discovered by the Barbarian scouts just as they leave Ningbei City.¡± ¡°Since the Tianqi King has not retreated, they are certainly going to continue the attack on Ningbei City. So, we don¡¯t need to be too anxious; we can think of a way to deceive them, to make them gradually lower their guard.¡± War is not a matter to be rushed. Although Lu Chen may not have much military talent, he understood that haste does not bring success. Lu Chen continued, ¡°For the next few days, if the Barbarians continue to attack, we¡¯ll use fewer cannonballs each day and also deploy catapults and archers, to make them think our cannonballs are running low and to make them relax their vigilance as much as possible.¡± Hearing this, everyone spoke in unison, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Two days later. Seeing that his soldiers had recovered, the Tianqi King once again led the vast army to the outskirts of Ningbei City, intending to launch another attack. Of course, it was still a probing attack. He wanted to know if North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons had run out. If they had not, why, after setting up camp not far from Ningbei City for two days, had the North Country forces not pursued them? Surely, it meant that the weapon was running out or there weren¡¯t many left, which is why the North Country soldiers did not dare to counterattack rashly. Lu Chen stood on the city wall, looking out at the dark mass of the Barbarian Army in the distance, the corners of his mouth curving upwards slightly. It seemed their guess was right; the Tianqi King truly hadn¡¯t been scared off by their cannons. They were still intent on attacking Ningbei City. Just then, the horns of the Barbarian Army sounded, and a General under the Tianqi King led a hundred thousand Barbarian troops to launch the attack again. As the Barbarian Army approached the city gates, the cannons of Ningbei City roared to life once more. Cannonballs exploded among the Barbarian soldiers, mercilessly reaping their lives. However, amidst the cannonballs, there were also stones and arrows¡ªnot like the last time the Barbarians besieged the city, which was completely with cannon fire. Seeing this, the Tianqi King rejoiced. He laughed and said, ¡°I knew it; North Country couldn¡¯t possibly have too many of such terrifying weapons. It looks like I guessed correctly. They¡¯ve used stones and arrows this time, most likely because those iron balls are running low.¡± Chapter 406 - Chapter 406: Chapter 259 Night Raid on Barbarian Tribe Camp_2 Chapter 406: Chapter 259 Night Raid on Barbarian Tribe Camp_2 At this point, the Tianqi King turned to a General beside him and said, ¡°You lead a hundred thousand troops and attack from the East City. I want to see how long they can hold out!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The Grandmaster Martial Artist by the Tianqi King¡¯s side then swiftly led a hundred thousand soldiers from the Barbarian Army towards the East City to launch an assault on Ningbei City¡¯s eastern gates. Of course, the attack by the Barbarian Tribe was merely a probing siege, so they didn¡¯t achieve significant success; tens of thousands of barbarian soldiers were killed in explosions, and the camp suddenly saw an influx of injured soldiers missing arms and legs. A day soon came to an end, and inside the Main Commander¡¯s tent, the generals of the Barbarian Tribe were exceedingly excited, celebrating with swigs of liquor and large bites of meat. ¡°Your Majesty, your prediction was indeed correct. The North Country hardly has any of those iron balls left. This afternoon, when we attacked again, they mainly used rocks and arrows, resorting to those iron spheres only when our soldiers approached the gates!¡± Another General of the Barbarian Tribe added, ¡°If we keep this pace, it shouldn¡¯t take us long to exhaust their supply of those mysterious iron balls.¡± Upon hearing what the generals had said, the Tianqi King laughed and responded, ¡°They think such iron balls can stop my march? Pure fantasy!¡± Then, a curious General from the Barbarian Tribe said, ¡°But come to think of it, we don¡¯t even know what those glowing iron balls are made of. If we could make them ourselves, your unification of the Barbarian Tribes would be imminent!¡± After taking a drink, the Tianqi King replied, ¡°According to my guess, crafting those iron balls might require the use of a living Fifth Grade Martial Artist.¡± Hearing this, a shudder went through the hearts of the Generals in the tent. The Tianqi King continued, ¡°As far as I know, Central Plains Warriors often use a special Cultivation Technique that allows them to concentrate all their skill into the Dantian, causing their bodies to explode. When they do explode, those nearby will also be affected, killed or injured in the blast.¡± ¡°The way those iron balls explode resembles a Martial Artist¡¯s self-destruction. I suspect they¡¯ve found a way to seal the Martial Artist¡¯s skill inside the iron balls and then use them as weapons.¡± A General from the Barbarian Tribe responded, ¡°Then to make so many iron balls, wouldn¡¯t that mean killing a lot of Martial Artists?¡± The Tianqi King laughed and said, ¡°That just goes to show the people of Great Sum know they can¡¯t beat us and have resorted to this suicidal method to stop our advance.¡± ¡°I would like to see just how many Martial Artists they are willing to sacrifice to halt my advance. If this continues, the Martial Artist soldiers in the North Country army will sooner or later rebel. We just need to keep wearing them down!¡± In the Tianqi King¡¯s view, since living people were being used as weapons, it was possible that the Martial Artists in North Country¡¯s army would fear they too might one day be turned into weapons. Should the pressure from the Barbarian Tribe be sufficient, the Martial Artist soldiers within Ningbei City would eventually revolt. When that time came, with cooperation from the rebelling soldiers inside and the Barbarian Army outside, it would be easy to rout North Country¡¯s two hundred thousand strong army. Over the subsequent half-month, the Tianqi King intermittently led his Barbarian soldiers in assaults on the city. Still, they remained exploratory in nature and were not fully committed. The Barbarian soldiers soon noticed that Ningbei City¡¯s terrifying iron ball weapons were being used less frequently, and later on, the city¡¯s defenders relied almost exclusively on arrows and rocks. On several occasions, Barbarian soldiers even reached the city gates, making the Tianqi King and all his Generals more confident in their assumption that Ningbei City¡¯s stockpile of iron ball weapons was likely depleted. It would not be long before they conquered Ningbei City. This belief rapidly spread among the Barbarian soldiers, who gradually lost their fear of Ningbei City¡¯s terrifying iron balls. They became less tense than they had been after the first battle. In recent days, Lu Chen noticed the increased eagerness of the Barbarian soldiers in their sieges, feeling that the time was ripe. At dusk, Lu Chen immediately convened a military council with his generals, preparing for a decisive battle with the Tianqi King that very night. Looking at the Military Generals in the room, Lu Chen began, ¡°The time is right. Tonight, we strike at the Barbarian camp!¡± Upon hearing this, the officers were immensely excited, having been waiting for this moment. Over the past half-month, Lu Chen had limited their use of cannons, leaving them with a pent-up eagerness since they could not finish off the Barbarian soldiers even as they stormed the ramparts. Now that an attack was finally in order, they were free to fully utilize their firearms. Lu Chen continued, ¡°The assault will commence at midnight. Even if the Barbarians¡¯ scouts discover us, and they awaken the soldiers immediately, they won¡¯t be able to react in time.¡± At that point, Mu Changtian reminded, ¡°Prince, be careful. The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster. He may come after you personally during the battle.¡± Once the full-scale war broke out that night, if the Grandmaster Tianqi King became enraged, there was a good chance he would seek out Lu Chen himself. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°With Master Chen here, I will be fine.¡± Then, turning to Chen Wanrong at the doorway, Lu Chen said, ¡°Master Chen, I entrust my safety to you tonight.¡± Without a word, Chen Wanrong remained still, thinking to herself that it was finally going to end. Chapter 407 - Chapter 407: Chapter 259 Night Raid on Barbarian Tribe Camp_3 Chapter 407: Chapter 259 Night Raid on Barbarian Tribe Camp_3 In the past half-month, she had watched the soldiers of the North Country use cannons, always feeling very uneasy. It wasn¡¯t that she sympathized with the Barbarian Tribe being bombarded; she was just worried that one day Lu Chen would turn the cannons towards Mysterious Moon Palace. Although the power of the cannons was not as great as the Divine Artifacts of Mysterious Moon Palace, the fact that cannons could be manufactured and had a vast quantity of ammunition was undeniable. The Divine Artifacts of Mysterious Moon Palace could not be utilized a second time without knowing how long they would need to be set aside after use, and their usage conditions were very stringent; they simply could not withstand so many attacks from cannons. Lu Chen continued speaking to Mu Changtian and the others, ¡°After the battle begins tonight, the cannons will first target the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s camp and bombard them for half an hour; then the cavalry will chase down those Barbarian Tribe soldiers who have not fled too far.¡± ¡°Alright, everyone go and get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Subsequently, the Military Generals left the room to prepare for tonight¡¯s operations. At the same time. After attacking the city for a day, the Barbarian Tribe soldiers were very tired and had begun to rest. They were still dreaming that once the terrifying iron spheres of Ningbei City were depleted, they would storm into Ningbei City to massacre and plunder. At this moment, the Barbarian Tribe soldiers were unaware that the soldiers of North Country in Ningbei City had started transporting ammunition and were preparing to set off fireworks for them at night. The wait through the night was long, and for the first time, the soldiers of North Country felt time pass so slowly, feeling that the few hours were longer than the half-month they had spent in Ningbei City. The soldiers could no longer contain the excitement in their hearts and were eager to give gifts to the guests from afar. Nearly at midnight, the large army of Ningbei City mobilized, and the soldiers quickly rolled out the cannons; Prince Lu Chen even helped push a heavy cannon out. Although the cannons were heavy, for a Martial Artist, their weight was not too great; Lu Chen, as a Grandmaster, could lift a heavy cannon crafted by North Country with ease. However, since the Artillery camp was mainly comprised of regular soldiers, the transportation of cannons was still a challenge. But to facilitate tonight¡¯s operations, Lu Chen specifically ordered the Black Cavalry¡¯s Fifth Grade Martial Artists to transport the cannons first, and once the cannons were put in their designated spots, they were to don their heavy armor. With the cooperation of the Black Cavalry, the cannons and ammunition were quickly transported to the designated positions. To prevent the cannon positions from being overrun by the Barbarian Tribe soldiers who might recover from the surprise, the Artillery camp divided the cannon positions into three locations, so that if one was compromised, the others would not be affected. There was no moonlight tonight, and everything was shrouded in darkness as if the heavens were aiding Lu Chen and his men. The Barbarian Tribe soldiers on night patrol had not discovered North Country¡¯s movements initially, and since it was now midnight, they did not believe that North Country¡¯s soldiers would leave Ningbei City at this time, leading them to lower their guard. Once everything was ready, a massive drumbeat suddenly shattered the silent night, followed by the deafening sound of cannon fire. In an instant, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s camp was a scene of blazing fire, with sleeping soldiers blasted into the air. Soon, the thunderous sound of cannons awoke the Barbarian Tribe soldiers, and before long, the sound of cannons was mingled with the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s horn calls resounding through the darkness of the night. The Tianqi King awoke from his sleep upon hearing the sound of cannons, and immediately left his tent. Seeing the scattered bodies of Barbarian Tribe soldiers, the Tianqi King was stunned. At that moment, a Barbarian Tribe Master General rushed to the Tianqi King¡¯s side, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s terrible! The North Country army is attacking!!!¡± The Barbarian Tribe General had barely finished speaking when a cannonball landed beside him, startling him and turning his face pale. The Tianqi King leaped and stood in front of the Barbarian Tribe General. The next moment, the cannonball exploded, but it didn¡¯t harm the Tianqi King or the Barbarian Tribe General. Around their bodies, a golden shield appeared, blocking all the cannonball fragments outside of the golden shield. Enraged, the Tianqi King blurted out, ¡°Despicable Great Sum people! I will kill you all!¡± He then loudly commanded, ¡°Gather the soldiers, follow me in a counterattack!¡± ¡°Since they dare to come out, then they shall not think about going back alive!¡± Amid the bombardment, some Barbarian Tribe soldiers quickly assembled and followed the Tianqi King out of the bombarded area. After bursting out of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s camp, the Tianqi King soon saw the cannon positions of North Country¡¯s soldiers and immediately ordered, ¡°Follow me and attack!¡± The horn calls immediately rose, ¡°Ooo-ooooo¨C¡± Seeing the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry had actually broken through, Mu Jingwu, who was at the cannon positions, immediately instructed the Artillery camp¡¯s cavalry to adjust the cannons¡¯ aim towards the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s cavalry. Following that, the cannon positions under Mu Jingwu bombarded the Tianqi King¡¯s cavalry with relentless fury. In no time, men and horses were shattered to pieces, with countless Barbarian Tribe Cavalry blasted to death or sent flying. Yet, even as cannonballs fell around the Tianqi King, he remained unscathed. Witnessing this scene from a distance, Mu Changtian could no longer restrain himself. The Tianqi King was a Grandmaster, and if he reached the cannon positions, would any of the soldiers there survive? But just then, Mu Jingwu addressed the soldiers of the Artillery camp, ¡°Aim the cannons at the Tianqi King, fire!¡± As his words fell, Mu Jingwu personally manned a heavy cannon and took aim at the Tianqi King¡¯s position. The next moment, a dozen cannonballs exploded around the Tianqi King but as the smoke and flames subsided, the Tianqi King was still standing. By then, the Tianqi King¡¯s horse had been killed, but there was still a golden shield around his body, leaving him entirely unharmed, without even a scratch. Seeing this, Lu Chen from a distance paused for a moment. Is this the power of a Grandmaster? It seemed that cannonballs were indeed of little use against a Grandmaster. It appeared that he and Chen Wanrong would have to take on the Tianqi King themselves, otherwise, the Tianqi King would not only be invincible but also bring a great number of casualties to their side. While Lu Chen was contemplating this, Mu Jingwu continued to command the soldiers at the cannon positions, aiming a dozen cannons continuously at the Tianqi King. Chapter 408 - Chapter 408: Chapter 260: Absorbed Too Much Skill_1 Chapter 408: Chapter 260: Absorbed Too Much Skill_1 Facing the artillery of the North Country, the Tianqi King was completely infuriated; he grasped his axe, wanting to charge into the artillery camp and destroy all those cannons. ¡°You wretched mice of Great Xia, this king will exterminate all of you!!!¡± While speaking, the Tianqi King headed straight for the artillery camp where Mu Jingwu was, but at that moment, countless cannonballs rained down upon him. The Tianqi King immediately summoned his Protective Gang Qi to block the fragments of the cannonballs, yet the shockwaves generated by the explosions kept pushing him backwards. Although the cannonballs had not caused any harm to his body for the time being, they prevented him from getting anywhere near the Great Xia artillery camp. The expression on the Tianqi King¡¯s face became extremely twisted, his eyes filled with bloodshot rage as he desperately wanted to rush forward and chop down the people of Great Xia; however, the power of the cannonball explosions forced him to constantly deploy his Protective Gang Qi to defend, and he realized that the True Qi within him was depleting very quickly. The explosive power of these cannons was already comparable to a Grandmaster¡¯s strike. Continuously using Gang Qi to fend off the ¡°Grandmaster¡¯s¡± attack, the True Qi in his body was naturally draining rapidly. If this continued, it was very likely that he would die of exhaustion here. At this moment, the Tianqi King gnashed his teeth and glared at the artillery camp not far away. His heart was unwilling to accept this; he had led hundreds of thousands of troops, not only facing defeat at the hands of the Da Yue Dynasty but now encountering such terrifying weaponry while attacking Great Xia. How infuriating! If he retreated like this, how could he ever stand his ground among the Barbarian Tribe in the future! That woman would surely say it was because he disobeyed her order and acted on his own that led to their crushing defeat. No! He absolutely couldn¡¯t just return like this! With that thought, the Tianqi King gathered all his strength to move forward. He had already been targeted by a dozen or so cannons in the distance, however, and the bombardment rendered it impossible for him to advance a single step. The cannonballs from the North Country were not falling at a single point but were aimed within a range, with explosions continuously pushing him back. The shockwaves from the explosions kept pushing him back, and he had to wastefully expend his skill on Protective Gang Qi, rendering his speed utterly incapable of picking up or breaking out of the bombardment zone. At that time, Lu Chen, mounted on his horse, was also stunned by this spectacle. He had just seen the Tianqi King easily withstand the bombardment of the cannonballs and thought that artillery was now useless against a Grandmaster, that artillery in the future could only deal with martial artists below the level of Grandmaster. He didn¡¯t anticipate that once Mu Jingwu and his team aimed their cannons at the Tianqi King, he would be completely unable to charge through. So it turned out that cannons could still be used against Grandmasters; it¡¯s just that Grandmasters weren¡¯t so easily killed by them. Seeing the Tianqi King resisting the exploding cannonballs in the bombardment area, Mu Changtian and the rest of the military generals once again sighed in admiration. The Grandmasters they once thought could stabilize a nation were now being bombarded by artillery, leaving them without the power even to strike back, forced to defend desperately just to survive. When had a Grandmaster ever been so helpless! Indeed, a Grandmaster was not so easily killed, but the True Qi within a Grandmaster¡¯s body was continuously being drained. If they couldn¡¯t be killed now, what about with even more cannonballs? They could wear a Grandmaster down to death with attrition! Grandmasters are human too; they are not invincible. A single cannonball was almost equivalent to a Grandmaster¡¯s attack. With so many cannonballs, how long could a Grandmaster hold out? Seeing the Tianqi King amidst the gunfire, nearly all the generals were silent at this moment, except for the soldiers from Mu Jingwu¡¯s Artillery camp who, like madmen, kept stuffing cannonballs into their artillery pieces, furiously bombarding the location of the Tianqi King. The majority of the Artillery camp were ordinary soldiers. On any normal day, let alone a Grandmaster, even a fifth-ranked martial artist could easily crush them. But today, they were operating the artillery, pinning down a Grandmaster, and this made them uncontrollably excited. After who knows how long, Chen Wanrong finally spoke to Lu Chen, ¡°It¡¯s enough, tell your soldiers to cease fire. It¡¯s not that easy to kill a Grandmaster with your weapons.¡± The power of artillery was great, but killing a Grandmaster, one with Protective Gang Qi, through attrition wasn¡¯t going to happen in a moment¡¯s time. To kill a Grandmaster, it¡¯s best for another Grandmaster to take action personally. Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Do you plan to take action to kill him?¡± Chen Wanrong replied coolly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to take action, I won¡¯t.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t want you to act. I can¡¯t wait for you to do it personally. Although I am also a Grandmaster, I¡¯ve never fought before; I don¡¯t have any battle experience.¡± With that, Lu Chen immediately said to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Beat the drums, tell Mu Jingwu to stop bombarding the Tianqi King.¡± As the drum sounds echoed, Mu Jingwu was taken aback; he didn¡¯t expect to be ordered to cease fire so soon. At that moment, the flames and smoke around the Tianqi King once again dispersed, and his figure emerged into view. The Tianqi King held a colossal axe, and his body seemed to be radiating a crimson glow, indicating that he was extremely angry. Seeing that the artillery had stopped, the Tianqi King thought that the North Country¡¯s cannonballs had been depleted. He stamped hard on the ground with both feet, and his body shot like a cannonball towards Mu Jingwu¡¯s artillery camp. But at that moment, a cold glint struck, and the Tianqi King quickly leaned back to dodge the sword light. Chapter 409 - Chapter 409: Chapter 260: Absorbed Too Much Skill_2 Chapter 409: Chapter 260: Absorbed Too Much Skill_2 The next moment, the Tianqi King found a stunningly beautiful woman in white appear before him. Although the woman was incredibly beautiful, the King no longer had any mind to appreciate her appearance. The Tianqi King coldly said, ¡°So the rat of Great Sum finally dares to face me directly? After killing so many of my soldiers, I will have you smashed into pieces as a burial sacrifice for my warriors!¡± As he spoke, the Tianqi King gripped his axe and swung it towards Chen Wanrong. With a light dodge, Chen Wanrong evaded the Tianqi King¡¯s strike, and the next moment, her figure appeared at his right side, sweeping her sword horizontally. The Tianqi King blocked Chen Wanrong¡¯s attack with a backhanded swing of his axe. The clash of axe energy and Sword Qi resulted in a loud explosion, creating a huge pit in the ground, and both of their bodies were blasted backward. Seeing this, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised. Is this what fighting between Grandmasters looks like? That enormous pit must be at least a dozen meters deep, right? How much gunpowder would it take to create that? It seemed he had still underestimated the strength of a Grandmaster. After both Chen Wanrong and the Tianqi King were sent flying, the Tianqi King immediately knelt on one knee, vomiting a mouthful of blood. He had been bombarded by cannon fire for quite a while, and the True Qi in his body had already been nearly exhausted. Although Chen Wanrong had only recently become a Grandmaster, her Cultivation Technique was quite special, and she had easily mastered the power of a Grandmaster. Before Chen Wanrong, the Tianqi King was no match at all. The Tianqi King realized this as well, and slowly stood up from the ground before saying coldly, ¡°Despicable people of Great Sum, if you want to take this king¡¯s life, let¡¯s see if you¡¯re worthy!¡± In the midst of talking, the Tianqi King¡¯s eyes seemed to emit two red beams, making him look extremely terrifying. Lu Chen frowned slightly; he wondered if the Tianqi King had entered some kind of berserk state to temporarily increase his skill. While he pondered this, the Tianqi King kicked off the ground and his body shot forward. Just as he was about to reach Chen Wanrong, he swung his axe ¨C sending a massive wave of axe energy straight for her. Chen Wanrong, sensing that the Tianqi King¡¯s strength had increased significantly, did not try to block his attack and hurriedly dodged. The next moment, the ground was cleaved open, creating a long gash about a dozen meters deep and two meters wide. Seeing this chasm created by the Tianqi King, Lu Chen¡¯s perception of a Grandmaster¡¯s power was once again shattered. At that point, like a madman, the Tianqi King launched another axe attack at Chen Wanrong, who again chose to evade. Afterward, the Tianqi King chased after Chen Wanrong, swiftly creating countless ravines on the ground. Lu Chen could tell that Chen Wanrong planned to exhaust the Tianqi King¡¯s strength first, waiting until his True Qi was nearly depleted before striking back at him. This strategy seemed sound, but the Tianqi King probably realized he couldn¡¯t continue attacking mindlessly forever. Just then, the Tianqi King lunged forward once more, but instead of continuing the pursuit, he charged towards Lu Chen and the others. The Tianqi King¡¯s plan was simple: if you¡¯re not going to fight me, then I don¡¯t need to waste my time on you. I¡¯ll just go after those distant onlookers, killing one by one. Once enough are dead, that Great Sum woman will have to come out and fight. Chen Wanrong had seen through the Tianqi King¡¯s intention as well and flashed in front of him, blocking his path. The Tianqi King¡¯s mouth curled slightly, ¡°Keep dodging! Why are you not dodging now?¡± As he spoke, the Tianqi King brought his axe down again, but this time, the strike was clearly different from the previous ones. ¡°One Axe Opens Mountain!!!¡± A flicker of concern crossed Lu Chen¡¯s mind ¨C this was the use of a Cultivation Technique, so this axe swing would likely be much more powerful than the previous ones. This time, however, Chen Wanrong did not dodge; she struck with her sword. ¡°Snow Flower Sword!!!¡± The next moment, the surroundings seemed to be enveloped in ice, and snow appeared to fall from the sky, mixed with countless white flower petals. Witnessing this, Lu Chen was immensely astonished. Surely, this can no longer be considered mere Martial Arts? Could Chen Wanrong also be practicing cultivation? As Lu Chen contemplated this, the Tianqi King¡¯s axe energy and the white Sword Qi collided, instantly exploding. The earth shook and a white cloud of smoke spread rapidly, as if a Cloud Explosion Bomb had been detonated. Chen Wanrong and the Tianqi King were once again sent flying by the blast wave. Once the smoke cleared, it appeared as if real snowflakes were falling from the sky. Lu Chen reached out his hand to catch them. He looked up again at the distant Tianqi King, who was half-kneeling on the ground, supported by his axe, spitting blood incessantly. Chen Wanrong¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t much better ¨C she wasn¡¯t bleeding, but her complexion was deathly pale, clearly a result of excessive depletion of her Spiritual Energy. At that moment, seeing that Chen Wanrong seemed injured too, the Tianqi King immediately got up and with a kick, dashed straight for her again. ¡°Even if this king must die, I will take these despicable Great Sum people with me!¡± Hearing this, everyone¡¯s faces turned pale; the Tianqi King was planning to self-detonate his Dantian and perish together with them!!! Mu Changtian immediately warned, ¡°Run! He¡¯s going to take us all down with him!¡± Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter 260: Absorbed Too Much Skill_3 Chapter 410: Chapter 260: Absorbed Too Much Skill_3 ¡°` A Grandmaster¡¯s self-destruction is no joke; it¡¯s far more powerful than any bomb. If a Grandmaster self-destructs his Dantian, he could blow an entire mountain top away. If someone is at the center of the explosion, death is almost certain, even another Grandmaster might be killed by the blast. Seeing that the Tianqi King actually wanted to drag them down with him, Lu Chen dismounted at this moment. Chen Wanrong immediately turned to Lu Chen and said, ¡°I¡¯ll hold him off, get away quickly!¡± As she spoke, Chen Wanrong once again gripped her sword tightly, ready to launch another attack at the Tianqi King. However, just as the Tianqi King was almost upon them, Lu Chen¡¯s figure suddenly appeared behind him, and almost no one saw how Lu Chen got there. The Tianqi King also sensed someone behind him and hastily turned around to swing his axe. Yet, Lu Chen easily caught the axe with his hand and then placed his other hand directly on the king¡¯s chest. After feeling the powerless slap from Lu Chen, the Tianqi King sneered and said, ¡°Is the rat of Great Sum trying to tickle me?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m just helping you cool off, don¡¯t get so heated.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen immediately employed the Absorption Technique. The Tianqi King instantly felt all his skill flowing toward the young man before him and was momentarily stunned. He hastily attempted to self-destruct his Dantian, wanting to perish together with the young man in front of him, but found that he couldn¡¯t gather his skill in his Dantian to self-destruct at all. The Tianqi King¡¯s face changed dramatically, ¡°Who¡­ who exactly are you¡­¡± Smiling, Lu Chen said, ¡°Pleased to meet you, I am the North Prince of Great Sum!¡± The Tianqi King said in disbelief, ¡°No¡­ Impossible!!!¡± Before coming to the North Land, the Tianqi King had already learned a bit about the North Prince through the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s scouts. The North Prince was just a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth; how could he possess such terrifying strength and use such bizarre tactics! The Tianqi King immediately began to struggle, trying to free himself from Lu Chen¡¯s palm. But he suddenly found his body as if rooted to the spot, completely immobile, forced to watch helplessly as his internal power crazily surged toward the youth before him. At this moment, Chen Wanrong, not too far away, also witnessed this scene. It was the first time she had seen Lu Chen absorb someone¡¯s skill, and she stood frozen in place. She had never imagined that a technique to directly absorb another¡¯s skill could exist in this world; she had only ever heard of transferring skill to others. What cultivation technique had Lu Chen cultivated? How could it look so sinister, as if only those in a Cult would use it? After a while, the Tianqi King¡¯s skill had been completely absorbed by Lu Chen. The Tianqi King was a Grandmaster, and the lifetime of skill from a Grandmaster entering Lu Chen¡¯s body all at once made him very uncomfortable, as if his body was about to burst into flames, his face turning red. Lu Chen immediately threw the Tianqi King¡¯s body aside and drew out a Barrett, aiming it at the king¡¯s head. The Tianqi King was now at death¡¯s door, staring at the dark muzzle when he mustered all his strength to say, ¡°The Goddess¡­ will one day¡­ avenge me¡­¡± No sooner had the Tianqi King finished speaking than Lu Chen shot him in the head. Even as a Grandmaster, without the support of internal skill, he was no different from an ordinary person. With that single shot, the Grandmaster Tianqi King fell. Seeing the Tianqi King perish, Mu Changtian and the others hastily rode their horses to Lu Chen¡¯s side. By this time, Mu Changtian noticed Lu Chen¡¯s flushed face and chaotic breathing, sensing that his martial artist¡¯s presence was somewhat out of control. He asked anxiously, ¡°Prince, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Lu Chen also felt he had absorbed too much skill and that his body was struggling to digest it. Without speaking, he hurried to steady his body, trying to calm the rampant power inside him. It was then that his martial artist¡¯s presence further spiraled out of control. As a Grandmaster, the release of his presence could be so oppressive that it might suffocate an ordinary person. Suddenly, everyone around felt breathing difficulties, and it became evident that something was wrong with Lu Chen¡¯s body. ¡°Distance yourselves from me immediately. I¡¯ve absorbed too much skill and it¡¯s causing me to lose control,¡± he said. He murmured to himself, ¡°It seems I will have to break military discipline today.¡± Realizing Lu Chen¡¯s intent, Mu Changtian promptly said, ¡°The Prince has been gravely injured on the battlefield and now needs medical attention, which naturally isn¡¯t a breach of military discipline.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled, then said, ¡°General Mu, you¡¯re good at giving me an out.¡± ¡°Alright, you all continue the pursuit of the Barbarian Tribe soldiers. I must return now. If there is anything important, send someone to report to me immediately,¡± he instructed. The soldiers chorused in unison, ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± Then, Lu Chen said to Chen Wanrong, ¡°Master Chen, would you be so kind as to give me a ride back on your horse?¡± Chen Wanrong, realizing something was wrong with Lu Chen as well, quickly mounted her own horse and said, ¡°Get on.¡± Without a word, Lu Chen jumped onto Chen Wanrong¡¯s horse and then laid his head on her back. Right after, Chen Wanrong spurred her horse towards Ningbei City. Watching their retreating figures, Li Feng asked with confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Prince?¡± Mu Changtian said indifferently, ¡°General Li, it¡¯s better to know less about things that one shouldn¡¯t know. You just need to remember that the Prince has been severely injured and has left the battlefield early. As of now, the frontline conflict has nothing to do with the Prince.¡± Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Li Feng and the others grew even more curious. How could the battle have nothing to do with the Prince, who was the Main Commander? But they refrained from asking more. Following this, Mu Changtian ordered the Tianqi King¡¯s body to be collected, then he led his troops directly to the Barbarian Tribe camp, and soon the quiet of the night was again disrupted by the sound of gunfire. The Black Cavalry led by Xuanyuan Chen and Wenren Lie, and the light cavalry headed by Xiao Pengthian, also joined the battlefield. At this very moment. Chen Wanrong rode her horse, carrying Lu Chen back as fast as she could, with him leaning on her back, his arms encircling her waist. Chen Wanrong was incredibly puzzled. What was going on with Lu Chen? She had clearly seen that he hadn¡¯t been injured just now. And she found that Lu Chen now seemed very restless, as he was bold enough to grope her while on horseback. ¡°` Chapter 411 - Chapter 411: Chapter 261 Mysterious Barbarian Tribe Goddess_1 Chapter 411: Chapter 261 Mysterious Barbarian Tribe Goddess_1 The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s camp had been scattered by the artillery fire, and in the darkness, the barbarian soldiers had no idea where to run. They fled around like headless flies, but in the end, they were all cut down one by one by the armies of the North Country. Even when facing Ninth Grade barbarian soldiers who still had the strength to fight, the muskets of the North Country soldiers could kill them instantly. The surviving barbarian soldiers couldn¡¯t regroup to counterattack; they didn¡¯t even know that their great king was already dead. Some barbarian soldiers saw that all was lost and they were undoubtedly doomed. Combined with the previous bombardment that had terrified them, they simply surrendered outright. Meanwhile. After Chen Wanrong brought Lu Chen back to his residence, she immediately dismounted from her horse. Her complexion was a bit flushed, and she seemed somewhat unhappy. Then she said coldly to Lu Chen, who was still on horseback, ¡°We¡¯re here, go inside by yourself.¡± This guy had been making trouble behind her back all the way, grabbing with his paws everywhere, stirring emotions within Chen Wanrong. At that moment, Lu Chen dismounted and said to the soldier at the gate, ¡°Take the horse away.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen walked up to Chen Wanrong with a smile and said, ¡°Master Chen, I still need your help.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°What help?¡± Without another word, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around her and, with a princess carry, lifted her up. Chen Wanrong was momentarily stunned, she quickly raised her arms to wrap around Lu Chen¡¯s neck to prevent herself from losing balance and falling. Chen Wanrong asked somewhat angrily, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Asking for your help!¡± With that, Lu Chen, holding Chen Wanrong, immediately headed to his own room. Once in the room, Lu Chen laid Chen Wanrong on the bed and then pressed down on top of her. Seeing that Lu Chen had brought her all the way to his room, Chen Wanrong could very well guess what he wanted to do. She said coldly, ¡°The Prince¡¯s soldiers are fighting on the battlefield, isn¡¯t it somewhat improper for the Prince to be doing this in the rear?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t General Mu just say that I¡¯ve suffered serious injuries and now need to heal? The matters of the battlefield are temporarily unrelated to me.¡± Chen Wanrong then turned her head aside, not looking at Lu Chen anymore, displaying a resigned attitude. This guy had already put it that way, what else could she do? Let him do whatever he wanted, after all, she was already his woman. Seeing Chen Wanrong¡¯s snow-white neck, Lu Chen could no longer resist, he bent down and kissed her tempting red lips. Lu Chen had no choice, for the skill he had just absorbed was too much for him to digest all at once. He could only share some of the skill with Chen Wanrong and use the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill to speed up the absorption of the skill. Soon, Chen Wanrong also felt the rapid increase of skill within her body, and she guessed what the previous anomaly with Lu Chen had been. Lu Chen had absorbed the skill of a Grandmaster while he himself was still only a Grandmaster, not yet at the point of breakthrough. Absorbing more skill couldn¡¯t help him break through, and so the accumulated skill within his body, which he couldn¡¯t digest all at once, made him extremely uncomfortable. Thus, Lu Chen urgently needed to release some of this skill. Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or angry at this point. On one hand, this scoundrel had transferred his skill to her, which was a good thing since it helped to improve her strength. On the other hand, after being tormented by this guy, she still felt a bit of minor irritation in her heart. The soldiers of the North Country fought in the Barbarian Tribe camp throughout the night. Although the barbarian soldiers had completely lost the capability to resist, they still numbered in the hundreds of thousands. Even if it were hundreds of thousands of pigs, capturing them would take some time. And so had Lu Chen also fought through the night. Only as dawn broke did Lu Chen rise from Gentle Jade Fragrance. After getting up, he took a glance at Chen Wanrong¡¯s fair skin, which was faintly blushing with splashes of light pink. At this moment, Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes were fixed on Lu Chen, her gaze somewhat resentful. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I owe this one to you. Otherwise, I really wouldn¡¯t have known how to quickly digest so much skill in such a short time yesterday.¡± As Lu Chen finished speaking, Chen Wanrong said with a blushing face and without expression, ¡°Thank you.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong thank him, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. He had not expected her to take the initiative to thank him. Regaining his composure, Lu Chen said, ¡°No need to thank me.¡± He of course understood why Chen Wanrong was thanking him. Having transferred so much skill to her, helping her to enhance her strength, it was only natural for her to thank him. Chen Wanrong then continued, ¡°After the war is over, I need to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace for a visit.¡± Her appearance on the battlefield would surely spread to the ears of the Elders of Mysterious Moon Palace soon, so she must return there to stabilize them first, and ensure the Mysterious Moon Palace didn¡¯t develop a conflict with the North Country because of her. She had witnessed the military strength of the North Country firsthand. Although Mysterious Moon Palace also had Grandmasters, and even Celestial-level powerhouses, nobody knew if Lu Chen and his people could produce even more powerful weapons. Becoming enemies with the North Country was unwise. After hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought for a while, and he surmised that when Chen Wanrong proposed returning to the Mysterious Moon Palace, it was probably to stabilize the Elders there, and Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe that Chen Wanrong would not come back after returning to the Mysterious Moon Palace. Chapter 412 - Chapter 412: Chapter 261 Mysterious Barbarian Tribe Goddess_2 Chapter 412: Chapter 261 Mysterious Barbarian Tribe Goddess_2 But then again, seeing such a fairy depart was something Lu Chen found rather hard to let go of. At this moment, Lu Chen rested his large hand on Chen Wanrong¡¯s slender, fair leg, gently caressed it, and said, ¡°Okay then, but when do you plan to return to the North Country?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have my child yet, we still need to work harder on that.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°Once those Elders are stabilized, I¡¯ll return to the North Country.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll wait for your return.¡± Seeing how readily Lu Chen agreed, Chen Wanrong looked into his eyes and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that once I go back, I¡¯ll never return?¡± Upon hearing this question from Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen gently smiled, then leaned in closer, shifting his body towards her. He raised his hand to stroke her beautiful cold cheek and, gazing into her eyes, said, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you a long time ago that I¡¯ve poisoned you with love? If you don¡¯t come back, can you bear to live without me?¡± Chen Wanrong did not avoid Lu Chen¡¯s gaze and continued to say, ¡°I can force out the love poison you¡¯ve given me with my cultivation.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, replied, ¡°Then you can try.¡± ¡°But I think I told you before I came to Ningbei City, if you really don¡¯t come back, I will go to the Mysterious Moon Palace and snatch you back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite domineering after all. Once you¡¯re my wife for a day, you¡¯ll be my wife for life, it won¡¯t be so easy to get rid of me.¡± Chen Wanrong was unimpressed, responding icily, ¡°Eventually, you¡¯ll get tired of me.¡± In Chen Wanrong¡¯s view, although Lu Chen still fancied her beauty now, he already had so many women, each one extremely beautiful and mesmerizing. Plus, with Lu Chen¡¯s growing strength, he would undoubtedly marry even more women in the future. Once the number of Lu Chen¡¯s women reached a certain point, it was highly likely that he would become weary of the ones from the past. The joys of men and women are all transient. His women are all so beautiful; whether it was with her or any other, it was all the same for Lu Chen. Perhaps after they had been intimate many times, he would lose interest in her. Lu Chen just laughed upon hearing this from Chen Wanrong. He then wrapped his hand around her slender waist and said, ¡°Tired? I won¡¯t get tired. Bullying a beauty such as you, how could I ever feel weary?¡± With an expressionless face, Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°That¡¯s just what you say now.¡± Seeing that Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t believe his words, Lu Chen said, ¡°How about this, let¡¯s make a bet. If I never grow tired of you in the future, then you¡¯ll stay by my side forever. As long as you¡¯re by my side, I¡¯ll visit your room at least once a month. What do you think?¡± Hearing Lu Chen say that, Chen Wanrong¡¯s originally rosy cheeks flushed even redder. She stopped speaking and didn¡¯t agree to the bet proposed by Lu Chen. Anyway, whether Lu Chen grew tired or not had nothing to do with her; she only planned on giving birth to a child for him. Once their child was grown, she would return to the Mysterious Moon Palace to continue her cultivation, waiting for her master¡¯s seclusion to end. Seeing that Chen Wanrong had nothing more to say, Lu Chen lowered his head and kissed her red lips, deeply kissing her for a while. Chen Wanrong did not push Lu Chen away as she had grown used to being intimate with him. After a moment, their lips parted. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I¡¯m going to check on the battlefield, continue to rest.¡± Chen Wanrong softly hummed in acknowledgment without saying much more. Lu Chen then got up, dressed, and left the room, heading straight for the battlefield. At this time, the troops of the North Country were still clearing the battlefield in the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s camp. Even though a night had passed, the soldiers were still bustling with activity. Riding his horse around the perimeter of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s camp, Lu Chen soon encountered Mu Changtian and other generals who approached him and greeted, ¡°We pay our respects to the Prince!¡± Lu Chen nodded and inquired, ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± Mu Changtian reported, ¡°Aside from some Barbarian Tribe soldiers who managed to escape under the cover of darkness, the Tianqi King¡¯s forces have been virtually annihilated by us. The soldiers did a rough count of the Barbarian Tribe bodies; we killed two hundred thousand enemies last night and captured eighty thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers.¡± While the Tianqi King¡¯s army had a total of four hundred thousand, Mu Changtian¡¯s report only mentioned two hundred thousand Barbarian Tribe soldiers, but considering the casualties during the half-month of battle leading up to this, this number basically aligned with the size of the forty thousand-strong Barbarian Tribe forces. Of course, under such darkness last night, there would have undoubtedly been some who managed to escape. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Send out scouts to check the hoof prints on the grasslands and continue the search for Barbarian Tribe soldiers who escaped last night.¡± Mu Changtian assured him, ¡°Please rest easy, my Prince. General Wenren and General Xiao have already dispatched cavalry to search for those fleeing Barbarian Tribe soldiers.¡± Lu Chen ordered, ¡°Take me to see the Barbarian Tribe captives who surrendered.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat concerned about the final words of the Tianqi King before his death; he wanted to find some Barbarian Tribe soldiers to inquire about this so-called Goddess. ¡°Please follow me, Your Highness,¡± said Mu Changtian. Afterward, Mu Changtian led Lu Chen to the temporary camp where the Barbarian Tribe captives were held. When Lu Chen appeared at the temporary camp of the Barbarian Tribe captives, each one of them became incredibly fearful, having sensed the aura of a Martial Artist emanating from Lu Chen. Some slightly stronger Barbarian Tribe soldiers immediately deduced that this young man was a Grandmaster. Chapter 413 - Chapter 413: Chapter 261 Mysterious Barbarian Tribe Goddess_3 Chapter 413: Chapter 261 Mysterious Barbarian Tribe Goddess_3 At first, the soldiers of the Barbarian Tribe were unaware of where their King had gone, thus they harbored a sliver of hope, wishing for their King to save them. However, when they saw this young Grandmaster, their hearts instantly turned cold. The North Country had sent a Grandmaster this time, and their King had been absent for an entire night. Did that mean it was very likely that their King had encountered misfortune? This was a total disaster. Lu Chen swept his gaze over the captured barbarians and saw a Master Realm Barbarian Tribe General among the crowd. This Barbarian Tribe General was adept at concealing his strength; his body barely emitted any martial artist aura, appearing to be just an ordinary Barbarian Tribe soldier. But no matter how much he hid, it was futile in front of Lu Chen with his system. Lu Chen immediately said to the Barbarian Tribe General hiding in the crowd, ¡°Huyan Tong, do you really think you can hide among the Barbarian Tribe soldiers and no one will recognize you?¡± Upon hearing the young man call his name, Huyan Tong was shocked. How could anyone in the North Country recognize him!!! That¡¯s not right, the youth must be bluffing him. He must have learned about Huyan Tong¡¯s existence within the Barbarian Tribe army through some soldier, which is why he said so to the crowd. The young man probably had not recognized him. Huyan Tong thought that he looked no different from any ordinary Barbarian Tribe soldier and, having cultivated the Cultivation Technique given by the Goddess, had concealed his martial artist aura. He looked just like any other ordinary soldier and couldn¡¯t possibly be recognized. As long as the surrounding Barbarian Tribe soldiers did not betray him and pointed him out, he would be able to blend in safely. Once the youth had left, he would find an opportunity to slip away and report what happened in Ningbei City to the Goddess. While Huyan Tong thought this way, Lu Chen chuckled to himself and then raised his hand, using his Spiritual Power to drag Huyan Tong out from the crowd. Huyan Tong was stunned; he had assumed the youth was only trying to bluff them, but the youth had actually singled him out. Which bastard had betrayed him! If he found out, he would definitely slaughter that traitor! Seeing Lu Chen pull out a Barbarian Tribe soldier who did not look robust and was dressed in worn fur clothes, Mu Changtian curiously asked, ¡°Prince, do you know this man?¡± Lu Chen casually remarked, ¡°This man is a Master Level military general under the Tianqi King.¡± At these words, Mu Changtian froze in place, his eyes in disbelief as he scrutinized Huyan Tong. Huyan Tong did not seem like a Master Level military general at all. First, there was no martial artist aura about him, and second, his body wasn¡¯t as burly as the usual Barbarian Tribe soldier. He looked nothing more than cannon fodder among the barbarians. This man was a Master Level military general under the Tianqi King??? Coming back to his senses, Mu Changtian frowned and said, ¡°Prince, could it be that you¡¯ve made a mistake? This man doesn¡¯t look like a Barbarian Tribe General at all.¡± Lu Chen laughed and then said, ¡°Huyan Tong, do you truly think that by concealing your martial artist aura, you can deceive my eyes?¡± ¡°If you continue this act, I¡¯ll send you down to meet your King.¡± Upon hearing this, Huyan Tong was taken aback. Send him down to meet the King? So, did that mean that their King had truly died? Could it be that the young Grandmaster in front of him had killed him? Filled with fear at the thought, Huyan Tong quickly changed his tune, ¡°I am Huyan Tong, the Tianqi King¡¯s Barbarian Tribe General, spare my life, great lord. Whatever you wish to know, you may ask me; I will tell you anything.¡± Seeing Huyan Tong immediately confess his identity, Mu Changtian felt somewhat speechless; it was his first time seeing a Barbarian Tribe General act so cowardly. Not only had he hidden among the Barbarian Tribe soldiers, but he was also afraid to acknowledge his own identity. He hadn¡¯t expected the Tianqi King¡¯s subordinates to include such a Barbarian Tribe commander. Lu Chen then asked directly, ¡°You said that your King mentioned, before he died last night, that your Goddess would seek revenge upon me. I am quite interested in your Goddess, tell me, what kind of woman is she?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Huyan Tong was momentarily stunned. Seeing that Huyan Tong did not answer immediately, Lu Chen continued, ¡°What, as a Master General, do you not even know of your Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Goddess?¡± After snapping out of it, Huyan Tong quickly responded, ¡°Of course I know her; I just wasn¡¯t sure what you wanted to learn about the Goddess.¡± Lu Chen then inquired, ¡°What is the strength of your Goddess?¡± Huyan Tong answered, ¡°I am not clear on that. I only know that even our King is no match for her; the Goddess could pin our King to the ground with just a flick of her finger.¡± At Huyan Tong¡¯s response, Lu Chen and Mu Changtian¡¯s hearts skipped a beat. The Tianqi King was already formidable, yet the Barbarian Tribe Goddess could pin him to the ground with just a flick of her finger? How terrifying must the strength of this Barbarian Tribe Goddess be? Could she be a Celestial of the Heavenly Human Realm? Could it be that the Barbarian Tribe also had a Celestial of the Heavenly Human Realm? This was not good news for their North Country! The North Country currently had at most three Grandmasters, and the gap between a Grandmaster and someone of the Heavenly Human Realm was vast¡ªas different as earth and heaven. If the Barbarian Tribe Goddess came knocking, it was uncertain if the North Country could withstand the attack. Chapter 414 - Chapter 414: Chapter 262: The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster!!!_1 Chapter 414: Chapter 262: The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster!!!_1 After hearing Huyan Tong¡¯s response, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t intimidated by the strength of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess. Although the goddess was powerful, the more potent she was, the less likely she would personally stoop to demeaning acts. Under normal circumstances, even a Grandmaster would not easily appear on the battlefield, let alone a warrior from the Heavenly Human Realm. Moreover, even if the goddess of the Barbarian Tribe really wanted to trouble the North Country, Lu Chen didn¡¯t have to worry too much. Zhuge Zhongguang was about to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm, and Lu Chen believed that Zhuge could successfully make the breakthrough before the goddess came looking for trouble. Even without relying on Zhuge Zhongguang, he could accelerate his cultivation speed and strive to enhance his own Cultivation State, hoping to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm as soon as possible. Lu Chen then continued to ask, ¡°Why did the Tianqi King march eastward? Was it to relocate to the North Land, or specifically to attack the North Country?¡± Huyan Tong replied, ¡°Initially, the goddess intended for the Tianqi King to relocate to the North Land and not act rashly for the time being. However, the king, in a foul mood after being defeated by the Da Yue Dynasty, wanted to vent his anger, and thus led us to attack the North Country.¡± At this point, Huyan Tong immediately knelt down, ¡°It was all the Tianqi King¡¯s decision, it has nothing to do with me. I was forced to follow him to attack the North Country, I beg for mercy, sir!¡± Hearing Huyan Tong¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into contemplation. He originally thought that the Tianqi King had his own reasons for coming to the North Land, but it turned out there was someone pushing him from behind. What did the goddess of the Barbarian Tribe want the Tianqi King to do in the North Land? Was there something in the North Land that the goddess cared about? Thinking of this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Do you know why your Barbarian Tribe Goddess had the Tianqi King come to the North Land?¡± Huyan Tong replied, ¡°I¡¯m just a leader of a small tribe, how could I possibly know the thoughts of the goddess.¡± Upon hearing Huyan Tong¡¯s answer, Lu Chen suddenly regretted killing the Tianqi King so quickly. Before he acted last night, his thought was to avoid prolonging the matter and to kill the Tianqi King early to prevent any mishaps. But by killing him so quickly, he had just deprived himself of a lot of intelligence. It seemed that he needed to hesitate a bit before taking action in the future¡ªbeing too decisive wasn¡¯t always a good thing. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced over the captured members of the Barbarian Tribe and then his gaze fell back on Huyan Tong, ¡°Do you know anything else about your goddess? For example, how was your goddess born, or what kind of abilities does she possess?¡± Huyan Tong responded, ¡°My lord, I have told you all I know. I have only seen the goddess a few times, I really don¡¯t know much about her.¡± At this time, Mu Changtian approached Lu Chen and whispered in his ear, ¡°Prince, how should we deal with this Barbarian Tribe General?¡± After some thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°First, seal his skill, then take him back to Yan County for further use. He might still be useful.¡± Mu Changtian responded, ¡°Understood.¡± Lu Chen then said to Huyan Tong, ¡°If you wish to live, be honest. If you dare to play any tricks, I will send you straight to meet your king.¡± Huyan Tong replied, ¡°Rest assured, my lord, I will be completely honest and won¡¯t attempt to escape!¡± Lu Chen no longer wasted words with Huyan Tong. He didn¡¯t plan to interrogate other Barbarian Tribe soldiers about the goddess; given that even Huyan Tong knew so little about her, it was likely that the others had even less contact with her, probably knowing even less. Lu Chen then turned and left. No sooner had Lu Chen left the temporary camp of the captured Barbarians than Xiao Pengthian returned with Cavalry, bringing in a group of Barbarian Tribe soldiers who had fled the previous night. Seeing Xiao Pengthian, Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°General Xiao, come here for a moment; I have something to ask you.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Pengthian promptly came before Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, what do you need from me?¡± Lu Chen went straight to the point, ¡°Have you ever heard of your Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Goddess?¡± Lu Chen thought that since Xiao Pengthian grew up among the Barbarian Tribe, and his status within the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe was not too low, he should know some intelligence about the goddess. Startled by Lu Chen¡¯s question, Xiao Pengthian paused before saying, ¡°Prince, when did the Barbarian Tribe have a Goddess? I have no knowledge of this.¡± Realizing something from Xiao Pengthian¡¯s response, Lu Chen immediately reflected that the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had relocated to the North Land quite early. It was possible that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess was born after the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had moved, and the tribe might not know anything about a goddess at all. Lu Chen waved his hand, ¡°Never mind then, carry on with your duties.¡± This¡­ Xiao Pengthian paused again and then said, ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± After touring the battlefield of the previous night several times, Lu Chen returned to Ningbei City. As Lu Chen was about to have the Brocade Guard send the latest battle report to Yan County, Wu Yuan came before him, handing him an envelope, ¡°Prince, there is intelligence from Yan County.¡± Lu Chen first took the envelope from Wu Yuan, opened it, and read through the intelligence inside. Seeing that the intelligence mentioned the Da Yue Dynasty sending an envoy to the North Country, Lu Chen¡¯s expression grew serious. What did the Da Yue envoy want by coming to the North Country at such a time? The intelligence stated that the envoy of the Da Yue Dynasty offered help, saying that if the North Country had any needs, they could turn to Da Yue, which would surely assist. Chapter 415 - Chapter 415: Chapter 262: The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster!!!_2 Chapter 415: Chapter 262: The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster!!!_2 Help? So charitable? North Country and the Da Yue Dynasty had never had official dealings, after all, North Country was just a feudal state within the Great Xia Dynasty, and feudal states had no right to establish diplomatic relations with a dynasty. Da Yue¡¯s sudden dispatch of an envoy to aid North Country obviously carried ill intentions. I¡¯m afraid Da Yue intended to sow discord, provoking the Sum Emperor to believe that North Country planned to declare independence, hence secretly establishing diplomatic ties with the Da Yue Dynasty. It¡¯s unclear if this was the Empress¡¯s idea. If it was indeed the Empress¡¯s idea, it would prove that she was an exceedingly restless sovereign, possibly harboring ambitions to expand her territory. Lu Chen temporarily didn¡¯t take this matter to heart. He said to Wu Yuan, ¡°Go back to Yan County immediately and report last night¡¯s military achievements to the Eastern Newspaper Agency, instructing them to promote it heavily in the newspapers.¡± An Imperial Army of two hundred thousand had utterly defeated the Barbarian Army of four hundred thousand, even killing a Grandmaster in the process. This was the first time in hundreds of years that a Grandmaster had died on the battlefield; previously, whether in dynastic wars or any other conflicts, Grandmasters never took to the field, which is why none had ever died there. Lu Chen believed that such significant military success would suffice to deter some with ulterior motives from coveting North Country. Of course, this would also make certain individuals even more wary of North Country, accelerating their plans to eliminate him, the North Prince, such as his own father¡ªthe Emperor. At that moment, Wu Yuan asked, ¡°Prince, when I came to Yan County, the Great Scholar asked me to inquire if you wish to meet with Da Yue¡¯s envoys?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen countered, ¡°What did the Great Scholar say?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°The Great Scholar said it¡¯s entirely up to you.¡± Currently, North Country definitely couldn¡¯t continue to just survive passively; after all, its strength had already been exposed, and the Sum Emperor was already considering moving against North Country. Thus, Zhuge Zhongguang believes that it¡¯s not necessary for North Country to rely on the Great Xia court¡¯s opinion to establish diplomatic relations with that dynasty. If the North Prince is willing, they could set up an official channel of communication with the Da Yue Dynasty. Moreover, the rebel forces in the South are still holding out, and the Great Xia court doesn¡¯t have the energy to pay attention to the happenings in North Country. Although they disapprove of North Country, they won¡¯t break off relations at this point. North Country is already the most powerful feudal state; breaking off relations prematurely wouldn¡¯t benefit the Great Xia court. If they plan to deal with North Country, they would make their move after preparing for war. The way the Sum Emperor handled the Aristocratic Families of the South shows that he was a cautious sovereign; he forced Lu Shuyun to head south only when there were no external threats and ample preparations were made. Moreover, North Country is not like the Aristocratic Families of the South; since Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in North Country, he had achieved victory in three successive battles. The Aristocratic Families of the South were loose sand, unable to band together even in rebellion. The Imperial Army easily dealt with them, but facing North Country, which has accumulated nearly a million casualties among enemy ranks, the Sum Emperor would certainly be even more cautious¡ªthis was beyond doubt. Once the Sum Emperor learns of the battle at Ningbei City and reassesses North Country¡¯s strength, there is a high likelihood he would choose to continue maintaining relations with North Country. After thinking for a while, Lu Chen then said to Wu Yuan, ¡°Go back and tell the Great Scholar to have Da Yue¡¯s envoys stay in North Country for a while longer. I will return in half a month.¡± ¡°Your subordinate understands.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, you may attend to your duties.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± ¡­ Seven days later. Yan County. The latest edition of the Eastern Newspaper Agency was immediately sold out as soon as it was released. Dongfang Longyue instantly had the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s printing press rush to print another batch of newspapers, which again sold out in less than a quarter of an hour. The news of North Country annihilating the Tianqi King¡¯s army of four hundred thousand and slaying the Tianqi King himself shook the entire Yan County in an instant. People found it hard to believe the news, especially the spies of various dynasties and powers. The Tianqi King was a Grandmaster!!! And he was just killed like that? It should be remembered that before attacking North Country, the Tianqi King had joined forces with the Barbarian Tribe to attack the Da Yue Dynasty, and even with the Empress leading the campaign personally, the Tianqi King managed to retreat from the battlefield unscathed¡ªbut ended up falling in North Country. Mysterious Moon Tavern. Inside a private room. A woman dressed in black and white plain clothes, exceptionally beautiful, with a bewitching allure, sat at a table, looking over a note in her hand. Several elders stood before her, and among them was Wang Maoxue, who had volunteered to be an envoy to North Country for the Great Yue Empress. She then asked, ¡°What did Zhuge Zhongguang say?¡± Upon hearing the woman¡¯s question, Wang Maoxue spoke up, ¡°Lord Murong, Zhuge Zhongguang suggests we wait a bit longer, until the North Prince returns, as he intends to meet with us personally.¡± Hearing this, the woman voiced her doubts, ¡°Wait for the North Prince to return?¡± ¡°The North Prince is currently engaged in battle with the Barbarian Army at Ningbei City. Can he really afford to leave at this time?¡± ¡°Could it be that the North Prince plans to let his subordinates hold Ningbei City while he returns alone to Yan County?¡± Wang Maoxue noted, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that. Perhaps the Barbarian assault isn¡¯t too fierce, and the North Prince believes they are only probing our defenses, not truly intending to attack North Country.¡± Just then, a knock at the door suddenly rang out, and the woman spoke softly, ¡°The door isn¡¯t latched, come in.¡± Chapter 416 - Chapter 416: Chapter 262: The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster!!!_3 Chapter 416: Chapter 262: The Tianqi King is a Grandmaster!!!_3 The next moment, a man from the Great Jue delegation entered the room, holding a newspaper that had just been published by the Eastern Newspaper Agency. He said, gasping for breath, ¡°Big¡­ big news, the Barbarian Tribe¡­ forty thousand strong Barbarian Army has been annihilated, the Tianqi King¡­ huff huff¡­ has been defeated¡­ and killed¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, everyone in the room was stunned. In an instant, the room fell into a deathly silence, and the sounds from the street outside became excruciatingly piercing. After a while, Wang Maoxue came to his senses and asked with disbelief, ¡°Where did you get this information from? The Tianqi King had an army of four hundred thousand men; how could they be defeated so easily?¡± The man immediately handed over the newspaper he was holding to Wang Maoxue, who grabbed the paper and quickly scanned the content. Today¡¯s newspaper from the Eastern Newspaper Agency focused on only one thing, which was the North Country¡¯s annihilation of the Tianqi King¡¯s army. The agency described how over the past half-month, the Barbarian Army of the Tianqi King had been assaulting Ningbei City and how the North Prince, undaunted by danger, deceived the enemy and then decisively struck out, wiping out the Tianqi King¡¯s army overnight. Of course, the Eastern Newspaper Agency didn¡¯t record anything about firearms. Without the existence of firearms, the paper seemed particularly fake. Two hundred thousand soldiers launching a night raid on the Barbarian camp, destroying the Tianqi King¡¯s four hundred thousand strong army, and even killing the Tianqi King, a Grandmaster? Could it really be that easy? What a joke! Even if the Barbarian Army was asleep at night, once they reacted, they would still be formidable in combat. Moreover, the Tianqi King¡¯s Army comprised a major tribe that had branched out from the past Barbarian King. Their soldiers possessed extraordinary fighting abilities; how could they collapse instantly in an ambush? Could this news be false? But from the intelligence gathered by Great Jue, the Eastern Newspaper Agency was established with the approval of the North Prince Mansion. They shouldn¡¯t be spreading false news on their own, especially not about a matter related to war. After frowning for a moment, Wang Maoxue immediately passed the newspaper to a woman, saying, ¡°Lord Murong, please take a look.¡± The woman took the newspaper from Wang Maoxue¡¯s hand and read the content carefully. After reviewing the content of the newspaper, Murong Xue¡¯er frowned slightly before saying to the people in the room, ¡°I remember that North Country also has an official newspaper. Go and buy a copy of today¡¯s official newspaper right away.¡± Hearing this, the man who had just delivered the newspaper immediately turned around and said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll go buy the official newspaper immediately.¡± After the man left the room, Wang Maoxue asked, ¡°Lord Murong, how credible do you think this news is?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Completely credible.¡± At her words, everyone in the room was taken aback. An official from the delegation asked, ¡°Lord Murong, why do you believe the content of the newspaper so much? This news seems fake no matter how you look at it.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°To print newspapers, the Eastern Newspaper Agency must get the approval of the North Prince Mansion, so naturally, this news has been reviewed by the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°This indicates that the North Prince Mansion intentionally released this news.¡± ¡°Ever since the North Prince came to North Country, the two battles he has faced have not ended in defeat. During the battle for Tianguang City, although North Country claimed that they lost over forty thousand Heavy Cavalry, these Heavy Cavalry reappeared in a North Country military parade a month ago. This proves they were only concealing their true strength; they definitely defeated the North Fre King¡¯s army in the battle for Tianguang City.¡± ¡°From these two battles, it¡¯s clear that North Country¡¯s military strength is not weak.¡± At this point, Wang Maoxue interjected, ¡°Lord Murong, the Tianqi King¡¯s tribe is a major tribe that branched out from the Barbarian King¡¯s court. The Barbarian soldiers under the Tianqi King are stronger than those barbarians from the North Land.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Sir Wang is also aware of the strong military power of the Tianqi King-led Barbarian Army. Wouldn¡¯t Sir Wang then think that North Country has been concealing its true strength from the start?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Wang Maoxue paused, then said, ¡°The North Prince has only been in North Country for a few years¡­¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°When the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army was pressing down on Yan County, how long had the North Prince been in North Country?¡± ¡°To speculate on North Country¡¯s military strength, one obviously cannot view it through normal eyes.¡± ¡°No one knows what kind of power lies behind the North Prince, except for the North Prince himself, not even the Empress can see through him.¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words, everyone once again fell into silence. Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Once the official newspaper of North Country comes out, we will know whether this news is true or false.¡± At this moment, Wang Maoxue murmured, ¡°No wonder Zhuge Zhongguang asked us to wait a bit longer today; it turns out he already knew about the great victory of the North Country army.¡± The feelings of the people present were complex. Originally, they had come to North Country with the intention of aiding it, hoping to make North Country owe a favor to the Da Yue Dynasty. They did not expect the war to end so promptly. After waiting in the room for about fifteen minutes, a member of the delegation returned with the official newspaper. When everyone saw the news of the great victory at Ningbei City published in the North Country official newspaper, they basically believed that North Country had indeed defeated the Tianqi King-led Barbarian Army. This realization posed a new question to the delegates: the Tianqi King was a Grandmaster, so to defeat him, the Grandmaster, there had to be at least one other Grandmaster on the battlefield. Zhuge Zhongguang had always been in Yan County and had never left, which implied that there was another hidden Grandmaster in North Country? A small feudal state with two Grandmasters? Could that still be considered a feudal state? Perhaps when the North Prince returned to Yan County, he would have plans to proclaim himself Emperor. Otherwise, why would Zhuge Zhongguang say the North Prince wanted to meet with the delegation from the Da Yue Dynasty personally? The news of North Country defeating the Tianqi King¡¯s army was so explosive that it spread throughout the several dynasties in less than half a month. Of course, it also reached the ears of the Sum Emperor. However, when the Sum Emperor and the court officials learned of this news, it wasn¡¯t through rumors. Instead, it was through the Red Ribbon Messenger from North Country. Great Xia Dynasty. Xuanzheng Hall. The court was unusually lively today, with officials discussing how to handle Lu Shuyun. The civil war within Great Xia was nearing its end. Although Lu Shuyun had not been captured yet, the court had encircled Sufeng City, where Lu Shuyun, once the Crown Prince, was now at his wits¡¯ end. As the heated discussion continued, a resounding voice came from outside, ¡°Urgent report from North Country!!!¡± Upon hearing this, the entire court went silent in an instant. North Country? What urgent report could come from North Country? Could it be that North Country¡¯s two hundred thousand soldiers had been defeated by the Tianqi King? Chapter 417 - Chapter 417: Chapter 263 He is Already a Grandmaster_1 Chapter 417: Chapter 263 He is Already a Grandmaster_1 Although the court officials had been focusing their attention on the military affairs in the South recently, they were still aware of some news about the North Country. In particular, the news of North Country¡¯s troop review alarmed officials, realizing that the North Country had grown beyond control with the appearance of its two hundred thousand-strong army. However, with the Southern rebels yet to be eliminated, they lacked the energy to pay attention to what was happening in the North Country. Before the Southern rebels were put down, going after the North Country could very likely lead to being caught between two fronts. Therefore, the court officials had a very clear stance on the North Country: they chose to ignore it, pretending it did not exist. Furthermore, upon hearing that forty thousand of Tianqi King¡¯s troops had marched eastward, they believed that a battle between the North Country and Tianqi King was inevitable and that the Tianqi King¡¯s formidable presence would inevitably weaken North Country¡¯s strength. But, on reflection, though they wished Tianqi King to further weaken the North Country, they were not willing to see it collapse completely at the hands of Tianqi King. Now that their focus was on the South, if the North Country were to fall to Tianqi King, it would become another problem for Great Xia¡ªa formidable enemy, given Tianqi King was a Grandmaster, and his tribe had branched out from a former Barbarian Tribe kingdom, with each of his barbarian soldiers being exceptionally strong. If the North Country were to be conquered by Tianqi King¡¯s army, it would be akin to a sharp sword hanging over Great Xia¡¯s head, extremely unfavorable for the empire. Just when all the court officials were speculating that something had happened to the North Country, the Red Ribbon Messenger loudly announced, ¡°Victory in the North Country!!! The North Prince led a two hundred thousand-strong army and achieved a great victory in Ningbei City, slaying three hundred twenty thousand barbarians, capturing eighty thousand barbarian soldiers, and even slaying Tianqi King at the hands of one of our Generals!¡± Upon hearing these words, the great hall fell even quieter, and some officials couldn¡¯t help but gasp in shock. They had just assumed that it was the North Country that had fallen to Tianqi King, but the outcome turned out to be the North Country defeating Tianqi King¡¯s four hundred thousand-strong army and even killing the Grandmaster Tianqi King. This¡­ How is this possible¡­ How did North Country achieve this? To their knowledge, North Country¡¯s Grandmaster Zhuge Zhongguang had always been in Yan County and had not gone to Ningbei City. To kill a Grandmaster, the North Country would need a Grandmaster of its own. If Zhuge Zhongguang had not gone to the battlefield, did that not hint at another hidden Grandmaster in the North Country? Two Grandmasters in a mere feudal state? Can it still be considered just a feudal state? Even the Great Xia imperial family had only one publicly known Grandmaster¡ªthe State Preceptor Situ Ce. Yet North Country had two, which made it hard to believe that North Country had no intention of rebelling, didn¡¯t it? This led those who previously thought the North Prince was but a pawn of the Sum Emperor to doubt: could the North Prince truly be the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn? Did the Emperor need to place two Grandmasters next to a mere pawn? When a pawn has the power to leap out of the chessboard, is it still a pawn? At this moment, the court was filled with a grave atmosphere, as if they could already feel the imperial pressure exuding from the Sum Emperor. The officials did not even dare to breathe too heavily. It took a long while before the eunuch beside the Sum Emperor snapped out of it. He quickly approached the Red Ribbon Messenger, took the battle report from their hands, and then shakily returned to the Sum Emperor, presenting the report with both hands. The Sum Emperor then took the report, glanced over its content, and remained silent for a long time. When he first heard about Tianqi King¡¯s eastward advance, he too thought that the North Country was inevitably facing a great crisis. Even if the North Country could withstand Tianqi King¡¯s onslaught, its might would be significantly weakened. Yet now, the battle report told him that North Country not only had triumphed over Tianqi King¡¯s four hundred thousand troops but had also killed Tianqi King, the Grandmaster. Had North Country¡¯s power grown so strong in such a short period? The key was, according to intelligence from the Shadow Guard, Zhuge Zhongguang had not gone to the battlefield. This meant that North Country had at least another Grandmaster. Initially, he thought Zhuge Zhongguang was the person backing Lu Chen, but now it seemed Zhuge might truly not be the mastermind behind the changes in North Country. As he looked at the content of the battle report, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face darkened, growing very displeased. As North Country was a vassal of Great Xia, the Sum Emperor, as the Great Xia Emperor, should be pleased with its victory. However, when a vassal state grows too powerful, it poses a serious threat to the court and even to his position as the Emperor. It appeared that North Country was verging on being out of control, and evidently, the Great Xia court could no longer rein it in. Measures must be taken to address the situation in North Country. After an indeterminate period of time, the Sum Emperor finally spoke coldly, ¡°My loyal subjects, the North Prince has shown great bravery in battle and achieved such glory. How do you think I should reward him?¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s icy tone, not a single official in the great hall dared to speak. Clearly, the Sum Emperor was very displeased with the outcome. A Seignior with such formidable military might was a huge threat to the court. At that moment, Right Minister Zhao Wenhan stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, although the North Prince has earned immense military merits, he has violated the decree limiting military forces, expanding his troops to two hundred thousand without authorization. Such unauthorized expansion is a grave offense. However, considering that this army marched north and protected Great Xia from the invasion of foreign enemies, I believe his merits offset his offenses, so there is no need to reward the North Prince further.¡± Chapter 418 - Chapter 418: Chapter 263 He is Already a Grandmaster_2 Chapter 418: Chapter 263 He is Already a Grandmaster_2 Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s remark, the Sum Emperor chuckled coldly, ¡°No reward, isn¡¯t that inappropriate? If nothing is awarded, wouldn¡¯t that chill North Prince¡¯s heart?¡± Zhao Wenhan then clasped his hands and continued, ¡°It all depends on Your Majesty¡¯s decision.¡± As soon as the words fell, Zhao Wenhan returned to his original position. Zhao Wenhan was merely facilitating conversation for the Sum Emperor; he could tell that the Sum Emperor had no intention of rewarding the North Prince. To say nothing of a reward, the Sum Emperor probably wished deep down that the North Prince would drop dead. With the North Country suddenly possessing such strong military power, by the time they finished suppressing the rebellion in the South, it was likely that the court would have to start weakening the power of the vassals again. The North Prince still expected a reward? A reward of poisoned wine might be more fitting. At that moment, the Sum Emperor¡¯s gaze fell upon Lin Gaoyuan, ¡°Lin, what do you think I should reward the North Prince with?¡± When Lin Gaoyuan heard the Sum Emperor inquire of him, he slowly stepped out from the line, then bowed and said with his hands clasped, ¡°Your Majesty, my thoughts align with those of Prime Minister Zhao.¡± Although Lin Gaoyuan was on Lu Chen¡¯s side, now was not a good time to speak up for Lu Chen. Anyone with clear eyes could see the big change in the Sum Emperor¡¯s attitude toward Lu Chen. The court officials no longer simply viewed the North Prince as the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn. North Country¡¯s development had obviously escaped the Sum Emperor¡¯s control. Being a traditional emperor, he would never allow those from the Universal Academy to come to Great Sum and stir up trouble. Perhaps the North Prince might have been the Sum Emperor¡¯s pawn in the past, but certainly not now. The Sum Emperor glanced over the people on the court floor and then asked, ¡°Does anyone else have different thoughts?¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than the court hall became quiet again, not a single person speaking. The Sum Emperor then said, ¡°It seems this is what you all think.¡± ¡°Since none of you want me to reward the North Prince, then I won¡¯t reward him.¡± ¡°However, considering the North Prince¡¯s great merits, even if there is no physical reward, a verbal commendation is still needed. Zhao, I will trouble you to take a trip to North Country for me to convey a few words on my behalf.¡± Hearing this, Zhao Wenhan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He really didn¡¯t want to go to North Country, which was no different from a dangerous place. It was clear to everyone that North Country could revolt at any moment. If he happened to arrive just as North Country started its uprising, wouldn¡¯t he end up without even a body to be found? However, since this was the Sum Emperor¡¯s will, Zhao Wenhan dared not disobey. He had no choice but to respond, ¡°Your servant, acknowledges the decree.¡± The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Aside from the matter of the South¡¯s warfare, do any of my beloved officials have other matters? If not, we will conclude today¡¯s early court, for I am weary.¡± No minister in the great hall spoke up, as it was evident that the Sum Emperor was in a very foul mood, and no one dared to stir the pot at this time. Seeing that no minister spoke up, the Sum Emperor got up from the Dragon Throne and flicked his sleeve, ¡°If there are no matters, then let it be.¡± After the words were uttered, the Sum Emperor departed. All the ministers immediately paid their respects, saying, ¡°We respectfully send off Your Majesty!¡± Once the Sum Emperor left the Xuanzheng Hall and returned to his study, his expression turned sour. But this time, he didn¡¯t lash out at his surroundings with his Gang Qi. Instead, he spoke to the shadow behind the bookshelf, ¡°Have those two old men from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain agreed?¡± Someone from within the shadow of the bookshelf responded, ¡°Your Majesty, they are still hesitating.¡± The Sum Emperor said in a cold voice, ¡°A bunch of cowardly rats.¡± For the Sum Emperor at this moment, it didn¡¯t matter how North Country developed, but Zhuge Zhongguang absolutely must not break through to the Heavenly Human Realm. No matter how North Country developed, it was only a mundane power, but should a Celestial of Heavenly Human Realm appear in North Country, then it would be beyond what Great Sum could handle. The Heavenly Human Realm was the highest realm of martial arts known to people. Before the discovery of Immortals, the Heavenly Human Realm was almost synonymous with being an Immortal. Other countries or dynasties didn¡¯t have Immortals; if an Immortal emerged in North Country, how could it still be seen just as a mundane power? The disciples from the Mysterious Moon Palace did as they pleased in all the major dynasties, but there were few powers that dared to target the Mysterious Moon Palace. The reason was that the Mysterious Moon Palace had a Celestial, who had slain many Grandmasters. This made the major dynasties remain in fear of the Mysterious Moon Palace. Only those hard-headed powers dared to target the Mysterious Moon Palace, such as the Chu Family from the South. The Chu Family once sought to provoke a Mysterious Moon Palace disciple over a Divine Artifact, and had it not been for Chu Yue being the Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace, the world might no longer remember the Chu Family. At that point, the Sum Emperor continued to inquire, ¡°What about Peach Blossom Valley?¡± The shadow behind the bookshelf replied, ¡°The Valley Master of Peach Blossom Valley agreed. If Your Majesty wishes to make a move against Zhuge Zhongguang, she can contact her anytime.¡± Relieved to hear this, the Sum Emperor loosened up. It was okay as long as someone had agreed. Zhuge Zhongguang was not an ordinary Grandmaster, and killing him would certainly not be easy. The Sum Emperor had to enlist the help of several Grandmasters before he could be at ease. Thinking about this, a sharp gleam flashed in the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes. He asked in a somber voice, ¡°How goes the investigation into the matter I asked you to look into?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I still haven¡¯t found any evidence of Consort Yue being involved with any other man. I have already investigated everyone in the palace, and my subordinates have also been to the Chu Family residence. Currently, we just haven¡¯t investigated the Mysterious Moon Palace. If Your Majesty suspects Consort Yue of being involved with another man, then it¡¯s most likely that the man is from the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Chapter 419 - Chapter 419: Chapter 263 He is Already a Grandmaster_3 Chapter 419: Chapter 263 He is Already a Grandmaster_3 Hearing this, the Sum Emperor fell into deep thought, then he said, ¡°Back then, Chu Yue had a maid by her side; she should know many things unknown to others.¡± From behind the bookcase, a shadow spoke, ¡°Chu Yuqin is now in the North Prince Mansion, my subordinates are unable to contact her for the moment.¡± The Sum Emperor frowned slightly, then said, ¡°Continue the investigation.¡± Although all the evidence from various sources indicated that Chu Yue had not been in contact with any other man for over a year before her pregnancy, the Sum Emperor still didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen was his child. Every time he visited Chu Yue¡¯s room, he never regained consciousness, how could he believe that something had happened between him and Chu Yue. If it hadn¡¯t been for the need to stabilize the throne and the reluctance to offend the Chu Family, he probably would have turned against them long ago. Moreover, making such a matter public wasn¡¯t a good thing for an emperor; it was a disgrace. Even though he knew for certain that Lu Chen couldn¡¯t possibly be his child, he couldn¡¯t say it out loud. The reason he was still having people investigate this matter after more than a decade was mainly that he couldn¡¯t get over it. Because of this matter, the Shadow Guard had killed no small number of men related to Chu Yue, but he was still restless without finding Lu Chen¡¯s biological father. ¡­ Meanwhile. In a military camp of the Great Wu Dynasty. Wu Junwan, clad in silver-white armor, was talking with the leader of a rebel faction, already the fourth one to choose surrender to her. The reason for Wu Junwan¡¯s smooth suppression of the rebellion was primarily her strategy of encirclement without attack, using military force as a deterrent on the one hand, while on the other, sending envoys to persuade surrender, and employing various means to buy off the people around the rebels. Wu Junwan controlled the Qianhai Commercial Association, and she also held the strongest intelligence agency in Great Wu. With money and connections at her disposal, it was an easy task for her to precisely buy off the people around the rebel leaders. After negotiations with Wu Junwan concluded, the rebel leader left the tent with a smile. Watching the back of the departing rebel leader, Wu Junwan¡¯s smile instantly solidified, then she asked the person next to her, ¡°This should be the last persuadable rebel leader, right?¡± The Military General beside Wu Junwan immediately replied, ¡°Yes, the remaining rebels are mainly supported by the Aristocratic Families of the Southwest Region, and they¡¯re highly unlikely to surrender.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan coldly said, ¡°Find a way to get rid of that man in a few days.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess Junwan.¡± Wu Junwan cared about the rebels, not the rebel leaders. She bought off the people around the rebel leaders to help her take control of the rebels. As for those who bargained with her, such as the rebel leaders, they were better off dead. Just then, a soldier entered the tent, presenting an envelope to Wu Junwan, ¡°Your Highness, there is intelligence from North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately took the envelope from the soldier, opened it, and glanced at the contents. As Wu Junwan read about North Country¡¯s annihilation of Tianqi King¡¯s army of four hundred thousand, her expression turned very stern. At that moment, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Is this information confirmed?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°This news has been published in the official reports of North Country, and our people have learned that the North Prince is already on his way back to Yan County. He will soon receive the envoys from Da Yue Dynasty, so there is a high likelihood that this news is true.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan murmured to herself, ¡°I thought it would be impressive enough if North Country could hold off Tianqi King¡¯s invasion, but they¡¯ve gone and annihilated Tianqi King¡¯s army outright. North Country is growing faster than I imagined.¡± At that point, Wu Junwan suddenly remembered the intelligence report mentioning that the Da Yue Dynasty sent envoys to North Country. She looked at the intelligence again and a smile smoothed over her features. She also realized why her good sister would send envoys to North Country at this time. Clearly, the Yue Emperor planned to use North Country to divide Great Sum. Despite North Country¡¯s strength, its rise was not good for the Great Sum court, nor for the Sum Emperor. Once the Sum Emperor had dealt with the matter of the Southern Aristocratic Families¡¯ rebellion, he would probably move to weaken the vassals next. If she could incite war between North Country and the Great Sum court, the division of Great Sum could be expected in no time. North Country had a proven military might, definitely not as fragile as the Southern rebels; a rebellion by North Country would be a disaster for Great Sum, but for other kingdoms, it would be a most welcome event. Without Great Sum, a powerful adversary, they could not only expand opportunistically, but external pressures would also be greatly reduced in the future. Wu Junwan thought to herself, now that Da Yue Dynasty had made a move, Mr. Chai, the Prime Minister, should also know what to do. Since Da Yue wanted to establish official communications with North Country, then Great Wu must also get involved. This would more easily provoke the Great Sum court. Once North Country established diplomatic relations with other kingdoms, it wasn¡¯t far from de facto independence. When that time came, Great Sum would definitely take action against North Country. Now what the Great Wu Dynasty needed to do was to fan the flames and make the fire burn even brighter. Thinking this, Wu Junwan said, ¡°I will write a letter to Mr. Chai later; come to my tent to collect it in two hours.¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Understood, Princess Junwan.¡± ¡­ Half a month later. North Country, Yan County. Today the North Gate of Yan County was packed with people, for it was the day of the North Prince¡¯s triumphant return. The citizens of Yan County spontaneously headed to the North Gate to welcome the North Prince. To confirm if the North Prince had really defeated Tianqi King, spies from various countries were also mixed in with the crowd, waiting for the North Prince¡¯s return. The envoys from the Da Yue Dynasty also found a place to wait for the North Prince¡¯s entourage. Suddenly, the dashing figure of the North Prince appeared in the distance. As the North Prince rode slowly down the Avenue of Entrance to the city, the surrounding citizens of North Country immediately burst into cheers. In the middle of the crowd, Murong Xue¡¯er in her black and white attire glanced at Lu Chen on horseback and muttered to herself, ¡°Indeed, a man of exceptional handsomeness.¡± ¡°It seems we have underestimated the North Prince, he is already a Grandmaster.¡± ¡­ Chapter 420 - Chapter 420: Chapter 264 Murong Xueer_1 Chapter 420: Chapter 264 Murong Xue¡¯er_1 Lu Chen slowly passed through the main road into the city, and soon the people saw that behind him, on the cart, there was a wooden rack, and hanging upon that rack, a corpse. Behind that corpse was a long procession of barbarian captives. Seeing the body hanging from the wooden rack, spies from other nations were almost all stunned. Although most of the spies had never seen Tianqi King in person, they all had his portrait to verify whether the news of Tianqi King¡¯s death at the hands of North Country was true or not. The corpse hanging from the rack looked almost identical to Tianqi King¡¯s portrait. The spies from various countries couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that North Country really did defeat Tianqi King¡¯s forces? At this moment, Wang Maoxue, who was by Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s side, spoke up, ¡°Lord Murong, you have accompanied Her Majesty the Empress in the war against the Barbarian Tribe and should have seen Tianqi King.¡± Even though Wang Maoxue hadn¡¯t asked if the body hanging there was truly Tianqi King, Murong Xue¡¯er knew what he wanted to ask by saying this, and she promptly said, ¡°That body is indeed Tianqi King¡¯s body. The news of the annihilation of Tianqi King¡¯s army can basically be confirmed as true now.¡± ¡°Moreover, the North Prince is not as simple as we imagined; he is a Martial Artist with Martial Arts Talent no less than that of Her Majesty the Empress.¡± Upon hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s latter statement, the officials from the Da Yue embassy were instantly stunned. A Martial Arts Talent no less than their Empress¡ªcould that not mean that North Prince was a Grandmaster¡­ How could this be possible? The information they had collected on North Prince all indicated that he had previously never practiced martial arts. How long had he been in North Country? Even if he started practicing martial arts now, it wouldn¡¯t be possible to break through to the Grandmaster Realm in such a short time, would it? Keep in mind that their Empress had started practicing martial arts from childhood and also had a highly powerful Master, making her strong as she was now. In just a few years, had North Prince reached the Grandmaster Realm? At this time, Wang Maoxue said, ¡°Lord Murong, you couldn¡¯t have seen it wrong, right?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er casually said, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it wrong. He indeed has become a Grandmaster. Although he¡¯s concealing his Martial Artist aura, this cannot deceive everyone.¡± Upon hearing what Murong Xue¡¯er said, everyone felt it was unbelievable. North Prince¡¯s growth rate was way too fast. Could they be facing a very powerful enemy in the future in their Da Yue Dynasty? The Empress had sent them to foster good relations with North Country¡ªit was unclear whether this was a good or bad thing. ¡­ Amidst the cheering of the common people, Lu Chen returned to the North Prince Mansion. By this time, his wives and concubines were already waiting at the entrance of the North Prince Mansion. When they saw Lu Chen return, smiles crossed the faces of his women. They had thought Lu Chen would be away from Yan County for months and hadn¡¯t expected the war to end so quickly. Lu Chen dismounted and said to the women with a smile, ¡°My ladies, your darling has returned. Why don¡¯t you seem excited?¡± The previous times Lu Chen had gone on long journeys and reunited with them, they had been very excited, but today, Mu Zixuan and the others seemed much calmer. At that moment, Mu Zixuan approached Lu Chen and said with a smile, ¡°My Prince, our excitement is all inside.¡± Lu Chen gave a naughty smile and said, ¡°Oh, is that so? Then, I need to check to see if my lady is truly excited on the inside.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen immediately pulled Mu Zixuan into his embrace, as if he were about to examine her body. Blushing, Mu Zixuan softly protested, ¡°My Prince, the sisters are all watching.¡± Lu Chen laughed and did not truly inspect Mu Zixuan¡¯s body, then continued, ¡°Well, let¡¯s go back.¡± Without much further conversation, they headed towards the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At this moment, two graceful silhouettes lingered behind the group. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s back, Chu Qingli¡¯s heart was in utter turmoil. She too had thought that it would be months or even half a year before Lu Chen returned. Yet in so little time, he had annihilated Tianqi King¡¯s army and returned to Yan County. Now that Lu Chen had returned to Yan County, did that not mean she and her sister were going to marry Lu Chen? Her sister had told her not long ago that Lu Chen would marry them once he returned and had told her to mentally prepare herself. How could this man come back so soon when she wasn¡¯t yet mentally prepared? At this moment, Chu Yuqin beside Chu Qingli was also feeling somewhat flustered. Her heart was racing; she vaguely remembered the words Lu Chen whispered in her ear before he left¡ªwhen he returned, he would marry her. Now that there were no obstacles to Lu Chen marrying her, did that mean she would become Lu Chen¡¯s woman before long? Although she had lived in the inner court and heard many stories, she had never been intimate with Lu Chen; she was still a virgin. The thought of being with Lu Chen and becoming like his other women made Chu Yuqin feel her face heat up and her heart become a chaos of emotions. Then, within her heart, Chu Yuqin comforted herself: wasn¡¯t it just becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman? What was there to be nervous about? They had hugged and kissed before; doing that wasn¡¯t any different from hugging and kissing, and there was no need to be this nervous. Chapter 421 - Chapter 421: Chapter 264 Murong Xueer_2 Chapter 421: Chapter 264 Murong Xue¡¯er_2 But the more Chu Yuqin thought about it, the faster her heart raced. After Lu Chen entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he asked, ¡°My consort, there haven¡¯t been any incidents in the Prince¡¯s Mansion recently, have there?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°My Prince, all is well in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and no major events have occurred.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s response, Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I was worried that after my departure from Yan County, some people with ulterior motives might harm the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and then said, ¡°By the way, my wife, there is something I want to discuss with you?¡± Mu Zixuan asked curiously, ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I am thinking of taking two Side Concubines.¡± Side Concubines and concubines are different; in ancient times, concubines had little status, but royal Side Concubines were different. Of course, in the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen didn¡¯t maintain such a strict hierarchy; his women held essentially the same status in the North Prince Mansion and even called each other sisters. Even Wang Qingci, a female slave, had a not-so-low status in the North Prince Mansion. However, this was after all Lu Chen¡¯s idea, and by thinking of taking Side Concubines, it meant that, to some extent, he was shaking Mu Zixuan¡¯s position as his wife. Therefore, he still had to ask her¡ªor rather, simply leave the matter to Mu Zixuan to handle. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan smiled slightly and immediately said, ¡°Whomever my Prince wishes to marry, you may do so without consulting me.¡± Mu Zixuan did not care at all about whom Lu Chen married. She was very clear that in the North Prince Mansion, unlike other places, there was no room for manipulation and scheming in the inner court. Lu Chen had absolute control over his harem¡ªeven an Emperor couldn¡¯t achieve that. Furthermore, Mu Zixuan owed her current position to Lu Chen¡¯s existence, and the survival of the Mu Family was also thanks to him. How could she possibly interfere in Lu Chen¡¯s affairs? Now, she only wanted to be a good consort for Lu Chen; everything else was of no concern to her. Whoever Lu Chen wished to marry, let him do so. If Lu Chen intended for that child to inherit his position in the future, she likewise had no intention of meddling. Seeing that Mu Zixuan agreed, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Since you agree, then I am relieved.¡± Mu Zixuan glanced at Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli standing behind her with the corner of her eye and then asked, ¡°I wonder which family¡¯s daughter the Prince intends to marry this time?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Naturally, it would be the daughters of the Chu Family.¡± Upon hearing ¡°the daughters of the Chu Family,¡± both Chu Qingli and Chu Yuqin¡¯s complexions grew even more flushed and hotter. Mu Zixuan instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention and then said, ¡°Prince, allow me to handle the wedding preparations.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then I will trouble my consort with this.¡± Mu Zixuan responded, ¡°It is my duty to do so.¡± Lu Chen returned to the main hall and after chatting with Mu Zixuan and the others about the events in Ningbei City, he went directly to his study. He didn¡¯t immediately indulge in pleasures; he still had one more thing to do that day, which was to meet with the delegation from the Da Yue Dynasty. Upon arriving at his study, Lu Chen found the desk piled with a good amount of intelligence. However, he didn¡¯t flip through them one by one. Then, a demoness wearing a red dress and curvaceous figure appeared at the doorway of the study. When Lu Chen noticed the seductress, he asked, ¡°Mr. Wang, have you missed me so much because you haven¡¯t seen me for a long time? I have only just arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and you are already here to see me.¡± Wang Qingci said with a charming smile, ¡°My Prince is my master; naturally, I, as your female slave, must come to see you upon your return.¡± Lu Chen then sat down at his desk and swept a glance at Wang Qingci. Wang Qingci was holding an envelope in her hand, clearly here to report intelligence. Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Mr. Wang, do you have any intelligence to report? Just speak up, I have matters to attend to shortly.¡± Wang Qingci asked with curiosity, ¡°My Prince has only just returned to Yan County, what urgent matter could there be?¡± While she spoke, she approached the desk and placed the envelope on top, then continued, ¡°This contains information about each member of the Da Yue delegation. I¡¯m not sure if you might need it, but since the traders had collected it, I had someone compile it and bring it here.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately took the envelope from Wang Qingci and opened it to review the information about the members of the Da Yue delegation. When Lu Chen¡¯s eyes fell on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s information, he paused for a moment. Murong Xue¡¯er was a female official close to the Empress of Da Yue. According to the intelligence, the Empress of Da Yue valued Murong Xue¡¯er highly, and she held the title of ¡°Inner Palace Prime Minister.¡± She had a voice in major military and national affairs, and could even occasionally influence the Empress¡¯s decisions. Of course, Murong Xue¡¯er herself didn¡¯t hold any significant official position, but it was her value to the Empress that granted her such a high status within the Da Yue Dynasty. Even the highest-ranking officials had to address her as ¡°Lord Murong.¡± Reading the content on the dossier, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think how interesting it was to have a female Emperor and a female Prime Minister be so similar. Quite fascinating. Seeing Lu Chen staring at the information about Murong Xue¡¯er, Wang Qingci said with a dripping smile, ¡°It seems that you are quite interested in this Murong Xue¡¯er, my Prince. Let this female slave remind you that Murong Xue¡¯er is a cold beauty. You will surely like her very much, my Prince.¡± Chapter 422 - Chapter 422: Chapter 264 Murong Xueer_3 Chapter 422: Chapter 264 Murong Xue¡¯er_3 Hearing this, Lu Chen extended his claw and smacked it down on Wang Qingci¡¯s buttocks, then said, ¡°The bitch starts to slander me again, does she? It seems like Your Highness has been away from home too long, and you¡¯ve become too bold.¡± Wang Qingci, after being hit, let out a ¡°yiying¡± sound and hurriedly said, ¡°How would this one dare to slander the Prince? I am merely reminding the Prince.¡± Today, Lu Chen didn¡¯t press Wang Qingci onto the desk right away. Instead, he glanced again at the intelligence report about Murong Xue¡¯er in his hand, before saying, ¡°Since you mentioned she is beautiful, then she must indeed be quite the beauty. Now, I have to meet her.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen spoke to the maidservant outside the study, ¡°Xiao Huan, go and tell the State Preceptor that the Prince wants to host a noon banquet at the Hall of Political Affairs to receive the delegation from the Da Yue Dynasty.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After the maidservant went to relay the message to Zhuge Zhongguang, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°The matter the Prince just spoke of, is it about this, right?¡± Lu Chen pulled Wang Qingci into his arms, making her sit on his lap, then embraced her slender waist and said, ¡°What else do you think it would be about? Do you think I will go to foster relationships with my wives and concubines later on?¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°This one wouldn¡¯t dare to make such a claim.¡± ¡°However, the Prince has indeed been working hard in Ningbei City lately, and you should truly relax on your return.¡± At this point, Wang Qingci¡¯s jade hand began to roam around Lu Chen¡¯s body recklessly. In his heart, Lu Chen chuckled silently, this sly fox. Lu Chen said, ¡°I had intended to let you off, but since Mr. Wang insists on challenging me, don¡¯t blame me for not being courteous.¡± In the midst of speaking, Lu Chen stood up, holding Wang Qingci, and directly pushed her onto the desk. Then, with a wave of his hand, two streams of spiritual energy closed all the windows and doors of the study, and it was time for Lu Chen to relax. ¡­ At noon, after taking a bath, Lu Chen headed to the Hall of Political Affairs. The noon banquet was also attended by some important officials of North Country. When Lu Chen appeared in the Hall of Political Affairs, members of the Da Yue delegation had already taken their seats. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er, with the delegation members, all stood up. Together, they said in unison: ¡°We pay our respects to the North Prince!¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°You are too kind, everyone, please take your seats.¡± At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Murong Xue¡¯er. [Name: Murong Xue¡¯er] [Identity: A lady-in-waiting by the Empress of Da Yue¡¯s side, the only daughter of the Murong Family, at the Extreme Realm Master level, 24 years old. The year the Empress of Da Yue ascended to the throne, the Murong Family was executed for opposing her, leaving only Murong Xue¡¯er alive. The Empress of Da Yue took her into the palace and raised her as her confidant. This time, she has come to North Country, having received orders from the Empress of Da Yue to see what kind of person the North Prince is.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 50] Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s information, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback; why did he have such a strong sense of deja vu? How could Murong Xue¡¯er, whose family was killed by the Empress of Da Yue, become the confidant of the Empress? Though surprised, Lu Chen quickly regained his composure. It wasn¡¯t particularly strange after all. Murong Xue¡¯er had been a child when brought to the palace, so she probably didn¡¯t harbor any hatred towards the Empress. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce from the fact that Murong Xue¡¯er had attained the Master Realm at only twenty-four that she must have received excellent care from the Empress, being given abundant resources to train in martial arts, which allowed her to break through to the Master Realm by the age of twenty-four. After reviewing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s information, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes took a few more sweeps over her. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s appearance was indeed as Wang Qingci had said, somewhat aloof. Dressed in simple black and white clothes with a matching hairband, her ink-wash style made her look like a talented woman. Noticing Lu Chen¡¯s continual gaze, Zhuge Zhongguang realized that if Lu Chen kept looking, it might be embarrassing. Zhuge Zhongguang promptly coughed and said, ¡°Prince, since everyone is here, shall we start the banquet?¡± Lu Chen then came to his senses and quickly said, ¡°Oh, of course, let everyone please take a seat, we¡¯ll chat while we eat.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er also noticed that Lu Chen had been staring at her face, and she couldn¡¯t help but think that the rumors on the outside were correct, the North Prince truly did fancy beautiful women. But with his penchant for beauty, how did he manage to breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm? Martial arts usually required abstinence, and even the Empress of Da Yue was no exception. Their realms improved so quickly in part because of their abundant resources, and also because of their abstemiousness. It was indeed peculiar for the North Prince, a man who kept so many wives and concubines in the Prince¡¯s Mansion and even had six children, to have advanced to the Grandmaster Realm in such a short time. As Murong Xue¡¯er puzzled over how Lu Chen¡¯s strength had increased so rapidly, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Envoy of the Great Jue, I am delighted that you would visit North Country as guests. I regret not having met you all at the first opportunity; that was my negligence. Today, I hope you enjoy yourselves to the fullest.¡± ¡°Play the music, dance!¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, a group of dancers appeared in the grand hall, and the melodious sound of the guqin echoed throughout. At this moment, Wang Maoxue spoke out, ¡°North Prince, you speak too modestly. Not long ago, you were in Ningbei City fighting against the armies of the Tianqi King, and not receiving us was purely that king¡¯s fault, not related to the Prince.¡± ¡°On the contrary, it is our honor that the Prince, having just returned to Yan County, was willing to meet with us.¡± Upon hearing these words, Lu Chen smiled and then asked directly, ¡°May I know why the Yue Emperor has sent you all to North Country?¡± Wang Maoxue replied, ¡°To not keep the North Prince in the dark, originally we came here to help North Country ward off the invasion of the Barbarian Tribe. However, unexpectedly, North Country was strong enough not to need our help and handled the trouble with the barbarians effortlessly.¡± Chapter 423 - Chapter 423: Chapter 265 Early Departure and Return_1 Chapter 423: Chapter 265 Early Departure and Return_1 Hearing Wang Maoxue¡¯s words, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, took a sip of wine, and then said, ¡°It¡¯s not that North Country is so powerful, but rather that Tianqi King underestimated his enemy, and our North Country¡¯s army won by luck.¡± Wang Maoxue said, ¡°North Prince is being modest, the Tianqi King¡¯s tribe is the main branch that split off from the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s royal court, and their soldiers are all very strong in battle. And Tianqi King himself has long been a Grandmaster. It¡¯s not just luck that can defeat Tianqi King and his four hundred thousand strong army.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then said, ¡°The Yue Emperor has sent you all to North Country, surely not just to aid North Country. There must be other motives, right?¡± Wang Maoxue said, ¡°North Prince¡¯s guess is correct, our Empress wishes to establish relations between Great Jue and North Country, it¡¯s just that we don¡¯t know whether North Prince is willing.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°To establish relations, huh? North Country is just a small feudal state under the Great Xia Dynasty; we don¡¯t have the qualifications to have diplomatic relations with a dynasty.¡± Wang Maoxue said, ¡°North Country has at least two Grandmasters, and moreover, with its strong military force, it can no longer be judged as just a feudal state. In our Empress¡¯s eyes, North Country is already an independent dynasty.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Yue Emperor to think so highly of North Country.¡± Lu Chen saw right through the Great Jue Dynasty¡¯s intentions; establishing relations with Great Jue meant that North Country would be independent. This was clearly an instigation for North Country to engage in a civil war with the Great Xia Imperial Court so that the Great Jue Dynasty could benefit from the conflict. This is certainly unacceptable. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I¡¯m honored that the Empress thinks so highly of North Country, but North Country is a feudal state of Great Xia and cannot have diplomatic relations with the Great Jue Dynasty.¡± Hearing this, Wang Maoxue was slightly taken aback; it seemed that North Prince had seen through their intentions. But thinking it over, for North Prince to develop North Country to this state in such a short time, he must have some brains; it was normal to be seen through. However, Wang Maoxue didn¡¯t intend to give up just yet, and continued saying, ¡°North Prince, pardon this outsider for saying something unpleasant, even if you are now loyally devoted to the Great Xia Imperial Court, the Imperial Court, and your father the Sum Emperor may not truly trust you.¡± ¡°You now have a two hundred thousand strong army that is so powerful, and you not only defeated the barbarians of the North Land and brought North Land under North Country¡¯s control but even defeated Tianqi King¡¯s army of four hundred thousand and killed Tianqi King the Grandmaster. In such a situation, it¡¯s hard for people not to believe that you have other intentions.¡± ¡°If you can establish relations with the Great Jue Dynasty in advance, then if the Great Xia Imperial Court dares to send troops against North Country, we Great Jue will definitely help you proactively. That would be a good thing for you, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Lu Chen gave a faint smile upon hearing Wang Maoxue¡¯s words. If it were any other seignior, perhaps they might have been persuaded by Wang Maoxue¡¯s words, but it was different for him; he had his own ideas, his own plans for the future. As the son of the Sum Emperor, he definitely would not rebel on his own initiative unless the Sum Emperor pushed him to do so. Now was not yet the time to rebel; North Country still needed time to develop. At the moment, North Country depended on imports for its grain and didn¡¯t have a large population¡ªit was still quite vulnerable and couldn¡¯t afford such disturbances. Lu Chen then said, ¡°You are right; it¡¯s indeed possible that my father the emperor doesn¡¯t completely trust me, but whether he trusts me or not is not important. All I need to do is to keep a clear conscience.¡± ¡°As for whether the imperial court will send troops to attack North Country, that is a matter for the future. Currently, the strife with the aristocratic families in Great Xia hasn¡¯t settled yet, and the Imperial Court doesn¡¯t have the capacity to concern itself with what is happening in North Country.¡± ¡°North Prince has taken to heart the Yue Emperor¡¯s kindness.¡± Seeing Lu Chen reject the offer again, Wang Maoxue knew that it was highly likely that North Prince would not agree to establish relations. This North Prince was no fool; he probably still planned to continue accumulating power. Just as Wang Maoxue thought that their mission to North Country might return without success, Murong Xue¡¯er spoke up, ¡°North Prince truly is a loyal and righteous man.¡± Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er speak, Wang Maoxue hurriedly said, ¡°I forgot to introduce to North Prince, the lady beside me is Murong Xue¡¯er, the personal attendant of our Empress.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze once again fell on Murong Xue¡¯er, he smiled lightly and then said, ¡°Worthy of being the personal attendant of the Empress, not only possessing beauty that could overthrow cities but also an extraordinary demeanor.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er gave a slight smile, then said, ¡°Thank you for the compliment, North Prince.¡± At this point, Murong Xue¡¯er suggested, ¡°Since North Prince is concerned that establishing relations between our two countries could bring trouble to North Country, why not sign a trade cooperation agreement instead to strengthen commercial and trade contacts between our two countries?¡± ¡°During my time in North Country, I¡¯ve observed that commercial trade is very prosperous, which is enough to show that North Prince values commercial trade.¡± ¡°Fortunately, our Empress also places great importance on commerce. On the streets of Yan County, I saw plenty of food made from flour, proving that the common people of North Country and the Da Yue Dynasty have similar dietary habits, and our Great Jue is a major producer of wheat. Our people also like many goods from North Country. In such a case, why not strengthen our trade relations? It would be beneficial for both North Country and Great Jue.¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er say this, there was a moment of surprise in Lu Chen¡¯s heart; this woman¡¯s observations were indeed meticulous. Chapter 424 - Chapter 424: Chapter 265 Early Departure and Return_2 Chapter 424: Chapter 265 Early Departure and Return_2 They even understand the eating habits of Yan County thoroughly. Since Lu Chen had Rain-listening Pavilion procure large amounts of wheat in the Great Jue Dynasty, he promoted the making of steamed buns and mantous. Although the traditional staple food in North Country remained rice, the shops in Yan County were already selling buns and mantous, and the common people had grown accustomed to eating them. To avoid alerting the Great Jue Dynasty to the fact that Rain-listening Pavilion was an intelligence agency of the North Prince Mansion, the Pavilion adopted very complicated procedures when purchasing wheat from the Great Jue Dynasty. Moreover, when transporting the wheat out of the Great Jue Dynasty, the country levied a significant amount of tariff. If a trade agreement could be signed with the Great Jue Dynasty, North Country would be able to procure wheat directly under the name of the North Prince Mansion and possibly reduce tariffs significantly, even to zero. This would greatly alleviate the food scarcity issue in North Country. It must be said, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s point of entry was excellent, and indeed, Lu Chen was tempted. Coarse grains like corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes were already being promoted continuously in North Country, but it would take years of cultivation before they could fully spread and thoroughly alleviate the food issues. The food issue would still be a major problem that North Country had to face in the coming years. Lu Chen thought to himself that this Murong Xue¡¯er, being called the ¡°Inner Palace Prime Minister,¡± had indeed grasped the lifeline of North Country. At this time, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Miss Murong, I do place great importance on the commercial trade of North Country. Your proposal is indeed good, but I¡¯m not sure whether your delegation can represent the Yue Emperor.¡± At this point, Wang Maoxue spoke up, ¡°Prince, please be assured. Miss Murong is here representing the Empress. The Empress said that once in North Country, every word Miss Murong speaks is her will.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°It seems that the Yue Emperor values Miss Murong very highly.¡± ¡°A trade agreement can certainly be drafted, but its clauses need further discussion. Today¡¯s luncheon is to entertain our guests; it is not suitable for discussing this matter. Let¡¯s discuss the specific terms of the trade agreement tomorrow.¡± Upon Lu Chen¡¯s agreement, the members of the delegation also sighed with relief. Although no diplomatic relations were established, if both sides could sign a trade agreement, it would be no different from establishing diplomatic relations. Their mission to North Country was not in vain. Afterward, everyone continued to enjoy the delicacies and appreciate the music and dance performances. In the meantime, Lu Chen inquired about some matters regarding the Great Jue Dynasty from the members of the delegation, albeit casually, as small talk. After the luncheon ended, the people from the delegation returned to their inn, while the officials of North Country stayed in the Hall of Political Affairs to discuss the trade agreement with the Great Jue Dynasty. Lu Chen, who valued commerce highly, would certainly be pleased if he could open up the Great Jue market and sell North Country-made goods there while reducing a significant amount of tariffs. Most officials of North Country also agreed with signing a trade agreement with Great Jue. They faced many problems purchasing food from Great Xia, and although they had previously signed some agreements with the Aristocratic Families within Great Xia allowing them to buy food from feudal states at a low price during the refugee acceptance, as time passed, some feudal states began to regret their decision. This included Qi Country, the closest to North Country. The Qi Prince once sent envoys to North Country, lamenting that he could no longer control the Aristocratic Families within his borders. Regretting their decision to sell food at low prices, they simply broke the agreement, and the price of food that used to be a few coins soared to several tens of coins. And this was when North Country had not yet fallen out with the Great Xia imperial court. Once the day comes when the conflict between Great Xia and North Country becomes public, North Country would definitely be unable to purchase food from within Great Xia¡¯s borders. Apart from the Great Xia Dynasty, North Country only bordered the Great Jue Dynasty. Even if it would buy food from other dynasties, it would mostly have to go through the Great Jue Dynasty. Now, improving relations with Great Jue would only benefit North Country without any downside. Lu Chen spent the afternoon in the Hall of Political Affairs, discussing the clauses of the trade agreement with the officials of North Country, and they did not adjourn until evening. As the sun set, Lu Chen returned to his private quarters and had a simple meal in the main hall before heading straight to Yunrong Courtyard. Chen Wanrong would soon leave the North Prince Mansion to return to Mysterious Moon Palace, and Lu Chen intended to enjoy her company a few more times before her departure. Upon arriving at Yunrong Courtyard, Lu Chen saw the ethereal Fairy Chen sitting in the pavilion, gently strumming the zither strings and playing a touching piece, while the beautiful Lin Wanyun also sat beside Chen Wanrong. When Lu Chen entered Yunrong Courtyard, Chen Wanrong¡¯s fingers paused, and the music stopped. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why have you stopped? Continue playing, I love listening.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong¡¯s delicate fingers once again struck the zither strings, and the sound echoed through the courtyard anew. Lu Chen then sat slowly behind Chen Wanrong and wrapped his arms around her slender waist. Seeing this, Lin Wanyun blushed slightly. What is this mischievous fellow doing? Can¡¯t he see Rongrong is playing the zither? How could she continue with him sitting behind her, reaching out and touching her? Chapter 425 - Chapter 425: Chapter 265: Leave Early, Return Early_3 Chapter 425: Chapter 265: Leave Early, Return Early_3 At this moment, Chen Wanrong was unaffected, her guqin music still melodious. However, it didn¡¯t take long before Lu Chen¡¯s hands became restless, and soon a blush crept across Chen Wanrong¡¯s usually cold face. Shortly after, Chen Wanrong could no longer bear it. Her fingers suddenly swept across the guqin, producing a jarring sound that was quite unpleasant to the ears. Turning her head to look at Lu Chen, Chen Wanrong asked with an icy tone laced with a tinge of embarrassment, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then responded, ¡°I apologize, your guqin music is just so enchanting that I couldn¡¯t help myself.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun snorted coldly from the side. Enchanting guqin music? He simply couldn¡¯t contain his mischief, it seemed. Lin Wanyun then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, people from the Mysterious Moon Palace came by today. The elders are asking when the Palace Master will be able to return.¡± As she spoke, Lin Wanyun gazed at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face, looking for his reaction. She was uncertain whether Lu Chen would let Chen Wanrong leave the North Prince Mansion. Hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment before saying, ¡°So soon?¡± He then leaned his head on Chen Wanrong¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°If you wish to return, you can go back to the Mysterious Moon Palace first thing tomorrow morning. The sooner you go, the sooner you¡¯ll return. I¡¯ll be waiting for you to come back and have our child.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen agreed, Lin Wanyun felt slightly surprised, she had thought that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t let her go so easily, but he had consented without hesitation. Just as Chen Wanrong was about to thank him, Lu Chen tightened his embrace around her waist, supported her head with another hand, and kissed her. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chen Wanrong immediately struggled faintly. It wouldn¡¯t have bothered her if it were just the two of them, but Lin Wanyun was still watching, and yet he dared to do this to her. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly kiss Chen Wanrong, Lin Wanyun was also stunned. This little rascal was doing such things to Chen Wanrong right in front of her! This left Lin Wanyun unsure what to do, whether to go and pull away this rascal Lu Chen or to silently leave the pavilion and let them continue their intimate moments there. Lu Chen, completely unconcerned about Lin Wanyun¡¯s presence, continued as he pleased, and after kissing Chen Wanrong for a while, she stopped struggling and instead began to respond to Lu Chen. Watching this scene, Lin Wanyun¡¯s face turned beet red, her ears burning. She could no longer bear it and quickly stood up, leaving the pavilion alone. After Lin Wanyun left, Lu Chen slowly parted his lips from Chen Wanrong¡¯s, caressed her beautiful cheek lovingly, looking into her charming eyes, he smiled and said, ¡°My lady, you will be leaving the North Prince Mansion tomorrow. I do not know when you will be able to return, so tonight, you must serve your husband well.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong softly hummed in affirmation. Overwhelmed by her shy beauty, Lu Chen could no longer restrain himself, lifting her in a bridal carry with ease, he then leaped to the door of Chen Wanrong¡¯s boudoir, pushed the door open, and placed her on the bed. This time, Chen Wanrong made no move to resist, surrendering to the whims of this bad man. After a while. In the room next door. Lin Wanyun, listening to the sounds coming from the adjacent room, let out a soft sigh and murmured to herself, ¡°Who knows what will happen in the future.¡± After all, Chen Wanrong was the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace and also the disciple of the Honorable. Should she have Lu Chen¡¯s child and the Honorable found out, it¡¯s likely they would both be punished. Although behind Lu Chen there might also lie a powerful force, or perhaps Lu Chen himself might have a mighty mentor, it wasn¡¯t certain whether Lu Chen¡¯s backing could rival that of the Honorable from the Mysterious Moon Palace. As of now, the most powerful person Lin Wanyun knew of in this world was the Honorable from the Mysterious Moon Palace. If that Honorable were to get angry, the consequences would be unimaginable. Lu Chen was too impulsive, utterly incapable of controlling his own body. Chen Wanrong might be beautiful, but no matter what, she was not a woman he should lay a finger on. Lu Chen could oppress himself all he wanted, she was at most just a protector in the Mysterious Moon Palace, and even if she bore Lu Chen¡¯s child, the most she would face was expulsion from the Mysterious Moon Palace. Chen Wanrong was different; her status was far too exalted. What would they do if Chen Wanrong were to become pregnant? ¡°Ah¡­ I hope Rongrong¡¯s master won¡¯t finish her seclusion too quickly,¡± she sighed. Now all Lin Wanyun could do was hope that the Honorable¡¯s retreat went smoothly and that nothing went wrong with her cultivation ¨C if her cultivation ran into issues and she left seclusion early, the matter of Chen Wanrong¡¯s lost chastity would definitely be discovered by her, which would be troublesome. Lu Chen had stayed in Chen Wanrong¡¯s room for an entire night and didn¡¯t sleep a wink. With such a fairy beside him, how could he possibly fall asleep? Chen Wanrong was leaving today, and he naturally wanted to indulge his wife to the fullest before that. At dawn, sunlight streamed in through the window sill and shone upon the bed, casting a bright gleam over it. Seeing the glaring sunlight on Chen Wanrong¡¯s snow-white skin, Lu Chen sighed. He gently caressed her skin, smooth and delicate as jade. This fairy was about to leave him for a short while, yet he had still not managed to impregnate her. It seemed he could only wait for her return. He truly didn¡¯t want to part with her. Right then, Chen Wanrong slowly got up, gazing into Lu Chen¡¯s deep eyes, and said, ¡°I should go.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, his face clearing of reluctance, before saying, ¡°Come back early.¡± Without another word, Chen Wanrong simply hummed in response, then rose and began to dress. Lu Chen just sat on the bed, watching her get dressed. Once Chen Wanrong was dressed and had tied her messy hair back into a bun, she turned her head to gaze into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes again. For some reason, she found she couldn¡¯t tear her gaze from Lu Chen¡¯s body. For a moment, she seemed paralyzed, appearing to be very reluctant to leave the man before her. Seeing Chen Wanrong staring at him, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°What is it? Can¡¯t bear to leave your husband?¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s expression was icily impassive, and she remained silent. Lu Chen seemed to understand something, got up from the bed, walked over to Chen Wanrong, encircled her waist, and captured her red lips in a kiss. After a long kiss that lasted a quarter of an hour, lips finally parting, Chen Wanrong spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll come back early.¡± Lu Chen smiled softly and whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± As his words faded, Chen Wanrong turned and left the room. Chapter 426 - Chapter 426: Chapter 266: So, the North Prince has taken a liking to your beauty?_1 Chapter 426: Chapter 266: So, the North Prince has taken a liking to your beauty?_1 Chen Wanrong left and returned to the Mysterious Moon Palace. Even though Lu Chen was reluctant, he still let her go. Lu Chen was a scoundrel, for he liked all the beautiful women in his inner courtyard, yet he was also a hopeless romantic. He had profound feelings for Chen Wanrong, this fairy-like woman, and suddenly the Prince¡¯s Mansion felt empty without her, which he found quite unsettling. For a long time after Chen Wanrong¡¯s departure, Lu Chen would occasionally visit Yunrong Courtyard to reminisce about the days when she was there. If he happened to encounter Lin Wanyun there, he would pin her down and have his way with her. Half a month flew by. During this time, Lu Chen was negotiating the terms of a trade agreement with the delegation from the Da Yue Dynasty on one hand and preparing for his wedding with Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli on the other. Since it was a marriage to a Side Concubine, it naturally had to be a grand and public affair, not done quietly like bringing in a mere concubine. After half a month of discussion, the terms of the trade agreement between the North Country and the Da Yue Dynasty were essentially settled, and what followed was the formal signing of the agreement. Morning. After getting up from bed, Lu Chen started to dress with the assistance of Lin Wanyun. Though Lin Wanyun¡¯s hands were busy helping Lu Chen with his clothes, her eyes carried a hint of resentment. That scoundrel had visited Yunrong Courtyard many times in the past half a month. Even though she was now the only one living in Yunrong Courtyard, she didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen had come for her. She always felt that the scoundrel came to Yunrong Courtyard and treated her as if she were Chen Wanrong. At that moment, Lin Wanyun asked, ¡°Do you see me as Rongrong?¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s question, Lu Chen was taken aback. He turned his head to look at Lin Wanyun and, with a smile, said, ¡°Madam Lin, why would you think that?¡± ¡°Although I am not a good person, I would not stoop to such indecency. How could I possibly see you as Rongrong? She is her, and you are you.¡± At this point, Lin Wanyun pulled Lu Chen¡¯s belt tightly, fastening it properly for him and while doing so, spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in your mind.¡± Lu Chen, smiling, asked, ¡°Madam Lin, could it be that you are jealous?¡± Lin Wanyun coldly said, ¡°You flatter yourself.¡± With that, Lin Wanyun fell silent and continued to help Lu Chen dress. Lu Chen, thinking of something, then said, ¡°I will be getting married soon; how about you marry into the Prince¡¯s Mansion with me?¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished his words than Lin Wanyun rejected the offer, ¡°There¡¯s no need. After all, I belong to the Mysterious Moon Palace and am not suitable for marriage. Besides, I have no objections to bearing your children secretly, as long as others remain unaware.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Lin Family is still in the Capital City. If I were to marry you, and people came to know that I am the adopted daughter of Prime Minister Lin, it could endanger the entire Lin Family.¡± Nowadays, the North Country was the strongest feudal state within the Great Sum, and Lu Chen was the most powerful among the seigniors. The conflict between the North Country and the imperial court was becoming increasingly acute, and it was only a matter of time before war would break out. If others were to learn now that the adopted daughter of Lin Gaoyuan lived in the North Prince Mansion, the Sum Emperor might suspect that the Lin Family had defected to the North Prince Mansion. The Lin Family would likely face dire consequences; thus, Lin Wanyun thought it best to keep a low profile in the North Prince Mansion and avoid public appearances. Lu Chen, with a smile, replied, ¡°That¡¯s true. I will just have to trouble you for a while. Once things in the Great Sum have stabilized, I¡¯ll give you a proper status.¡± Lin Wanyun curled her lip, ¡°No need. At my age, what good is a status? Just treat Rongrong well and don¡¯t let her down; that¡¯s enough for me.¡± Lin Wanyun thought to herself that by the time Great Sum stabilized and Lu Chen ascended the throne, she would likely be in her forties or fifties. By then, she would be old, and it would be a miracle if Lu Chen still favored her. As long as Lu Chen treated Chen Wanrong well and took care of the children they might have, she would be very happy. As for herself, she planned to stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side and help Chen Wanrong take care of the children. Lu Chen said, ¡°You must be given a status, and your age is certainly not an issue. Nanyan is in her thirties and is still my Side Concubine.¡± Lin Wanyun didn¡¯t say more and began to arrange Lu Chen¡¯s hair. However, she thought to herself that maybe this scoundrel had a bit of a conscience after all. She had assumed that Lu Chen was only interested in her body, and that once some time passed, he would lose interest and not hold himself responsible for her. At this thought, Lin Wanyun¡¯s heartbeat quickened slightly. She indeed hoped to stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side forever, taking care of him for her sister Yue. ¡­ After getting dressed and having a quick breakfast, Lu Chen went to the Hall of Political Affairs. By the time Lu Chen arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, the envoys from the Da Yue Dynasty and officials from the North Country were mostly in attendance. With a wave of his sleeve, Lu Chen took his seat on the throne, addressing the kneeling delegation from the Da Yue Dynasty below, ¡°Miss Murong, I wonder if you have any additions to the trade agreement. If there are none, let us sign it according to the content we settled upon previously.¡± Once the agreement was signed, goods from the North Country would enter the Da Yue Dynasty tax-free, and similarly, Da Yue Dynasty¡¯s grain would enter the North Country without tariffs. For Lu Chen, the greatest benefit was that, from now on, the North Country could purchase grain directly in large quantities in the name of the North Prince Mansion, no longer having to do so surreptitiously through Rain-listening Pavilion. Chapter 427 - Chapter 427: Chapter 266: So, the North Prince has taken a liking to your beauty?_2 Chapter 427: Chapter 266: So, the North Prince has taken a liking to your beauty?_2 However, once this trade cooperation agreement is signed, from then on the Da Yue Dynasty will have to dispatch a diplomatic mission to permanently reside in Yan County of the North Country, and the North Country will also have to send a diplomatic mission to permanently reside in the Capital City of the Da Yue Dynasty. In name, they claim it is for the sake of trade cooperation and to prevent issues from arising with the trading caravans on each other¡¯s territory, which would leave no one to resolve them. The mutual dispatch of diplomatic missions means that, should any commercial issues arise, they can be communicated in a timely manner. Although it¡¯s said to be for the sake of trade, anyone with a discerning eye could see that this was no different from establishing diplomatic relations, just short of the two sides publicly and directly doing so. Murong Xue¡¯er smiled at this moment and said, ¡°Replying to the North Prince, we have no further objections regarding the content of the trade cooperation agreement and can sign it today.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Good, since that¡¯s the case, then bring in the trade cooperation agreement.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, two Jinyiwei guards entered the grand hall, each carrying a scroll. One Jinyiwei guard placed a scroll on the table in front of Murong Xue¡¯er, and the other placed one on the table in front of Lu Chen. After opening the scroll, they revealed black silk cloths inscribed with yellow characters that recorded the terms of the trade cooperation between the North Country and Da Yue. Although the North Country was already capable of mass paper production, for treaties signed with other countries, silk cloth was still used. Textiles, compared to paper, were not as easily damaged and this also signified respect for the Da Yue Dynasty, as no other dynasties had yet adopted paper for the signing of bilateral agreements. Once the scroll was opened, Lu Chen took out the King Seal from his hand and stamped it directly onto the scroll, and Murong Xue¡¯er likewise took out a seal from her sleeve to stamp. After the seals were stamped, the parties exchanged the scrolls. When the scroll from Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s hand was placed before Lu Chen, he noticed that the seal she used was actually that of the Prime Minister of the Da Yue Dynasty. Lu Chen chuckled to himself, as he originally thought of Murong Xue¡¯er as merely referred to as the Inner Palace Prime Minister of the Da Yue Dynasty. Now it seemed this title was not so simple; with the Prime Minister¡¯s seal in her hands, what difference was there between her and the actual Prime Minister of Da Yue. Without dwelling on the thought, Lu Chen continued to stamp the scroll with the King Seal, and after the stamping was completed, the scrolls were exchanged once again. In this way, the trade cooperation agreement between the two countries was considered complete. At this time, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°North Prince, now that the trade cooperation agreement has been signed, our mission should return to Da Yue. Please determine the members of the North Country¡¯s diplomatic mission within these two days, and dispatch them to return to Da Yue with us.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No problem.¡± ¡­ Two days later, the Da Yue diplomatic mission left three people from the Da Yue Dynasty in the North Country. The rest returned to Da Yue with Murong Xue¡¯er, and of course, Lu Chen also dispatched several North Country officials to accompany the Da Yue mission back to the Da Yue Capital City. No sooner had the Da Yue mission left Yan County than the envoy sent by the Great Sum court arrived. To Lu Chen¡¯s surprise, this time his father, the Sum Emperor, did not send Situ Ce to find him but dispatched Right Minister Zhao Wenhan instead. Lu Chen had not had much interaction with Zhao Wenhan; even when he was in the Capital City, he had never spoken a word to Zhao Wenhan and had only seen him a few times. The Sum Emperor sending Zhao Wenhan to the North Country had a similar purpose to the last time he had sent Situ Ce; it was nothing more than to relay messages to Lu Chen, saying that the princes of the court were incompetent and then praising the North Prince as both literary and martial, possessing the aura of an emperor. Lu Chen, of course, understood that the Sum Emperor was trying to stabilize his allegiance by having Zhao Wenhan come to speak these words. He did not believe that the Sum Emperor would one day give that position to him. The Sum Emperor already doubted whether Lu Chen was his biological son, so how could he possibly pass the throne to him? What worried Lu Chen the most now was whether the Sum Emperor¡¯s plan had progressed to that stage, with the Sum Emperor already preparing to join forces with Grandmasters to assassinate Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge was an important figure in the North Country, and Lu Chen did not want to see anything happen to him. The reason he could remain so relaxed, with time to cultivate relationships with his wives and concubines every day, was because after Zhuge Zhongguang came to the North Country, he took over most of the state affairs. If Zhuge Zhongguang was gone, Lu Chen doubted he would have any time left to cultivate relationships with his wives and concubines. Unlike the North Country¡¯s mission, Zhao Wenhan only stayed in Yan County for two days. After delivering the Sum Emperor¡¯s message to Lu Chen, he hastily departed from Yan County. Zhao Wenhan also feared death; he was afraid that the North Country would suddenly rebel, and then he would be killed as a declaration of war. After sending Zhao Wenhan away, Lu Chen also welcomed the event he most looked forward to, which was marrying Chu Yuqin. ¡­ Da Yue Dynasty. Empress¡¯s Bedchamber. Behind the red curtains, the fair jade back of a woman was faintly visible. Outside the curtains, a woman was kneeling on the ground, the very Murong Xue¡¯er who had just returned from the North Country to the Da Yue Dynasty. From within the curtains, the woman chuckled lightly and said, ¡°So it seems, the North Prince has taken a fancy to your beauty?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s expression shifted slightly, ¡°Your Majesty, this servant has never seduced the North Prince. It was entirely him who kept staring at this servant.¡± The Yue Emperor paid no attention to Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words, and instead spoke indifferently, ¡°A man given to lust, yet capable of reaching the Grandmaster Realm at the tender age of seventeen or eighteen. It seems his cultivation technique is quite extraordinary.¡± Chapter 428 - Chapter 428: Chapter 266: So, the North Prince has taken a liking to your beauty?_3 Chapter 428: Chapter 266: So, the North Prince has taken a liking to your beauty?_3 The Yue Emperor continued, ¡°Since he has taken a liking to you, you will need to visit the North Country a few more times in the future.¡± This¡­ Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was immediately stunned. Could it be that the Yue Emperor was planning to use her to employ a honey trap against the North Prince? Murong Xue¡¯er did not believe that a honey trap would work on Lu Chen, for although Lu Chen enjoyed the company of beautiful women, the women around him were all very pretty, and it was probably just a spontaneous interest that made him take a few more glances at her. Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er did not speak, the Yue Emperor¡¯s tone suddenly turned somewhat icy, ¡°What, are you unwilling?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er hastily replied, ¡°Your Majesty, this servant is willing. Whatever Your Majesty commands this servant to do, this servant will do.¡± The Yue Emperor then continued, ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve kept quite a few male pets outside. Is this true?¡± At these words, Murong Xue¡¯er was so frightened that she quickly prostrated on the ground and hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, that is absolutely not the case. This servant seldom leaves the palace; how could I keep male pets outside? Moreover, this servant is still a virgin and has never been involved with any man.¡± The Yue Emperor said, ¡°So you are saying that someone has slandered you. Who do you think would spread such rumors?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°This servant does not know.¡± The Yue Emperor went on, ¡°You do not know? Is there anything that you, as the Inner Palace Prime Minister, do not know?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s delicate body trembled incessantly, and her cheeks beaded with cold sweat. At that moment, no more sound came from behind the curtains. Several maidens came out from behind the curtains, flustered, while the red Phoenix Robe of the Yue Emperor became faintly visible. Apparently, the Yue Emperor had just been dressing. After a while, the Yue Emperor spoke again, ¡°Although the matter of you keeping male pets outside has been falsely attributed to you, for the sake of your purity, I think it should be thoroughly examined.¡± As she spoke, a gust of wind blew from inside, and the red curtains were swept aside, revealing an alluring face that could captivate all living beings. In the next moment, Murong Xue¡¯er, who was prostrate on the ground, suddenly flew up; her body shot straight into the curtains. Immediately following, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s clothes were shattered, and her fair skin was exposed. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s entire form appeared unobstructed before the Yue Emperor. The Yue Emperor glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body and then said, ¡°The Virgin Mark is still there; it seems you have indeed been slandered.¡± As she spoke, the Yue Emperor lightly lifted her hand, and a golden silk blanket from the bed flew into her hand. She then threw the blanket over Murong Xue¡¯er, covering her white, jade-like body. The Yue Emperor continued, ¡°You may go.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er hastily wrapped herself in the blanket, covering her body, and while doing so, she bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± She then turned and left the Empress¡¯s bedchamber. When Murong Xue¡¯er came out, she found herself covered in sweat beads that kept seeping out, even the blanket that the Yue Emperor had just draped over her was dampened by sweat. Murong Xue¡¯er exhaled a sigh of relief at this moment and then adjusted her emotions before returning to her own room. Meanwhile. In the Da Wu Dynasty. Inside a city in the southeast, a group of people knelt before Princess Junwan begging for mercy, ¡°Princess Junwan, spare our lives, and from now on, whatever you command us of the Zhang Family to do, we will do. We will be your dogs.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan smiled and then said, ¡°Zhang Family Head, why didn¡¯t you think of today before? I gave you ample time to surrender, but not only did you not cherish it, you even rallied more rebels, fantasizing about becoming king.¡± The man kneeling before Wu Junwan was about to say more, but Wu Junwan cut him off, ¡°Take him away and behead him.¡± Then a number of soldiers came and dragged away those who were kneeling before Wu Junwan, pulling them towards another place. ¡°Princess, spare us!¡± ¡°Princess, Princess, spare us!¡± ¡°The Wu¡¯s, you will not die a good death. I will not let you Wu Family go even as a ghost!¡± ¡­ Soon the distant voices gradually quieted down. At this time, Wu Junwan murmured, ¡°Having been out for so long, it¡¯s time to return. I wonder if my dear brothers have missed me.¡± With the fall of the largest Aristocratic Family in the southeast, the Zhang Family, the internal strife of Da Wu also came to an end. In this civil war, there was no doubt that Princess Junwan played the most critical role. She persuaded most of the rebel leaders to surrender and led her troops to annihilate the remaining rebels, as well as dealt with the insurgents who initiated the rebellion. Before her, a few of her brothers also led troops to quell the rebellion. Initially, the Martial Emperor thought to allow her brothers to accumulate some military merit, but contrary to expectations, her brothers were of no use at all, not only falling for the rebels¡¯ traps, losing many great Wu soldiers but also nearly failing to return. It was only after Prime Minister Chai Jiliang¡¯s repeated advice that the Martial Emperor agreed to let Princess Junwan, the Family Head, lead the troops in quelling the rebellion. This was the first time in Da Wu that a woman was allowed to lead troops, and naturally, there was much opposition in the court. However, despite the contention, those ministers were well aware that Princess Junwan, Wu Junwan, definitely had the capability to quell the revolt. Their opposition was not due to Wu Junwan¡¯s personal abilities. The very fact that Wu Junwan had been named Princess by the Martial Emperor attested to her robust capabilities, and if the court officials opposed Wu Junwan¡¯s leadership, it was mainly because she was a woman. Furthermore, Wu Junwan had a very close relationship with the Empress of the neighboring Da Yue Dynasty. Now that she was leading troops to suppress the rebellion and accumulating military merits, coupled with the vast intelligence network she controlled, it was clear what she might aim to do in the future. The officials of Da Wu certainly did not want to see the rise of an Empress in Da Wu. At this very moment, Wu Junwan was preparing to order the great army to return to the Da Wu Capital City, just when a soldier came before her, handed over a letter with both hands, kneeled halfway, and said, ¡°Princess Junwan, this is a letter from Prime Minister Chai; he asks that you return to the capital city as soon as possible.¡± Chapter 429 - Chapter 429: Chapter 267 Chu Yuqin is pregnant_1 Chapter 429: Chapter 267 Chu Yuqin is pregnant_1 Hearing the soldier¡¯s words, Junwan took the letter from the soldier¡¯s hand, opened it, and glanced over it. The content of the letter was quite simple: Chai Jiliang had already persuaded the Martial Emperor to send envoys to the North Country, attempting to establish trade relations and thereby further provoke the Great Xia Imperial Court. The Martial Emperor¡¯s idea was to send one of his own princes as the envoy to the North Country. Chai Jiliang¡¯s intention was that since Junwan had already dealt with the rebels, the opportunity of being the envoy to the North Country should not be given to anyone else. If one could instigate civil strife within Great Xia, it would be a tremendous achievement. If Junwan wanted to compete for that position, she must seize this chance to be the envoy. After reading Chai Jiliang¡¯s letter, Junwan¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. She had just quelled the rebellion in the southeast, and now to immediately compete with her brothers for merit might incur the Emperor¡¯s displeasure. Any somewhat intelligent person could see that the reason the Emperor wanted to choose one of his princes to be the envoy to the North Country was to let his sons accumulate some merits and thereby balance the court. Now that her, the Princess, held somewhat too great a power in court, especially after the quelling of the Southeast rebellion, her influence had further expanded. Although the Martial Emperor had appointed her as Princess, bestowing upon her the appearance of great importance, it wasn¡¯t necessarily true that he intended to leave her his position. The Great Wu dynasty was an extremely military-oriented dynasty with a severe preference for men over women; the emergence of an Empress might well lead to chaos. Of course, external conditions are unimportant; what matters is what the Martial Emperor thinks. If the Martial Emperor didn¡¯t want a female emperor in Great Wu, then Junwan, this Princess, would sooner or later be deposed. Junwan feared that racing back to compete with her brothers for merit might anger the Emperor, and if she managed to upset him, and he decided to suppress her power from all sides, cutting off her wings, it would be a loss not worth the gain. However, on second thought, Junwan didn¡¯t believe that Chai Jiliang, such an intelligent man, would fail to see that the Emperor was trying to balance the court. She had just made such a significant contribution, and it was necessary for his sons to gain some merits as well; otherwise, some ministers would start to suspect whether the Emperor was intentionally cultivating the Princess to become the Empress. Since Chai Jiliang could also understand this point, why would he still want her to return to the Capital so soon to compete with her brothers for merit? Junwan was puzzled and didn¡¯t know what Chai Jiliang was thinking. Chai Jiliang hadn¡¯t explained in the letter why he wanted her to do this; only after returning to the Capital and seeing Chai Jiliang would she know exactly what this astute man was scheming. After thinking it over, Junwan decided to return to the Capital first and see how things go. After all, she had already quelled the Southeast rebellion, and she was supposed to return to the Capital to hand over military authority and report back. Once back in the Capital and having met Chai Jiliang, she would know what Chai Jiliang intended to do. ¡­ A few days later. North Country, Yan County. The North Prince Mansion was decorated with lanterns and streamers, hanging large red lanterns everywhere, looking like they were preparing for a festival. Of course, this was not for any festival, but because Lu Chen was about to take a Side Concubine. These last few days, Lu Chen had sent people to pay close attention to the public opinion of the common people in the North Country, wanting to see what they thought about him marrying Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli. According to reports from the Brocade Guards, it seemed that the common people didn¡¯t care at all about whom he married; to most of them, Lu Chen was inherently a lascivious Prince, so it didn¡¯t matter how many women he married. As for Chu Yuqin¡¯s status, the public didn¡¯t pay attention to that, either. Now that the Chu Family and the Wang Family from the South were trapped by the Imperial Army in Sufeng City and their meddling was gone, who cared whether Chu Yuqin had been married before? The North Prince had even married the Sky Wolf King¡¯s consort, so what difference did it make if he married a Great Xia widow? Hence, the common people simply didn¡¯t care. The reason Lu Chen was so concerned about public opinion was not that he cared much about his own reputation; he was worried that Chu Yuqin would struggle mentally to accept it, as women tend to be more sensitive to face. He feared that public opinion might affect Chu Yuqin¡¯s resolve to marry him. It was particularly important not to encounter any issues at this critical juncture. Once he and Chu Yuqin had consummated the marriage, no matter what the common folk said, at that point, with raw rice cooked into a meal, Chu Yuqin would have no choice but to stay with him no matter what. But for the moment, there couldn¡¯t be even a slight problem. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and the day for Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli to leave as brides finally arrived. In that era, whether for a commoner¡¯s marriage or a Prince¡¯s taking of a Side Concubine, the bridal sedan chair could not enter through the main gate, but the North Prince Mansion was different. Mu Zixuan directly allowed the bridal sedan chairs of Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli to enter the Prince¡¯s Mansion through the main gate, and they were wearing red bridal gowns, which looked no different from a formal wedding. However, as Mu Zixuan, the lady of the house, had no objections to these arrangements, others did not dare to say much, though some officials of the North Country privately reminded Lu Chen that such a way of marrying was against ritual propriety. After the wedding ceremony was completed, Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli went to their bridal chamber, which was the Southern Courtyard where they had always lived. At this moment, Chu Yuqin sat on the bridal bed with utter chaos in her heart, feeling her heart thump wildly. She had never once imagined the day she would actually marry Lu Chen. Chapter 430 - Chapter 430: Chapter 267 Chu Yuqin is pregnant_2 Chapter 430: Chapter 267 Chu Yuqin is pregnant_2 She felt as if she were dreaming, somewhat surreal. She watched Lu Chen, this little rascal, grow up, and now she was even going to bear him children, which always made her feel somewhat ashamed deep down. Even though Lu Chen, the little rascal, didn¡¯t mind her being older, and he had several other women who were older, Chu Yuqin always felt there was something odd about marrying Lu Chen. She had always treated Lu Chen as her junior, and now she suddenly had to change her address to call this rascal darling. It wasn¡¯t easy for her to switch identities so quickly. While Chu Yuqin¡¯s thoughts were in tumult, the maid¡¯s voice came from the door, ¡°Paying respects to the Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s heart rate suddenly accelerated, beating even faster, her face flushed, her whole body seemed to be ignited, not knowing whether it was anticipation or extreme nervousness. Shortly after, the sound of the door opening was heard. Although Chu Yuqin was under her bridal veil, she could clearly feel Lu Chen gradually approaching the bed, making her tremble uncontrollably. Right at that moment, she felt the bed sink slightly as Lu Chen sat beside her, then he lifted her veil with his jade ruyi. Once the veil was lifted, what met his eyes were Chu Yuqin¡¯s blushing cheeks, her face was so red it nearly dripped with color. Chu Yuqin stuttered, ¡°Chen¡­ Chen¡¯er, why have you come so soon?¡± After all, Lu Chen was the groom, and he still needed to entertain the guests and drink with them at the banquet. Even if he was to visit the bridal chamber, it would be at night. Chu Yuqin was somewhat surprised Lu Chen had come to consummate their marriage so soon. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen then embraced her voluptuous body and, looking into her eyes, smiled and said, ¡°Still calling me Chen¡¯er? Shouldn¡¯t you be calling me darling now?¡± Chu Yuqin was caught off guard, constantly avoiding his gaze, not daring to look into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. After a moment, she finally whispered, ¡°Dar¡­ darling¡­¡± Saying this address, Chu Yuqin felt shame as if she wanted to die. She couldn¡¯t get used to her new role so quickly. Then Chu Yuqin said, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s still broad daylight, shall we¡­ shall we wait till night to do¡­¡± Chu Yuqin hesitated, stopping herself from continuing. Seeing the bashful expression on the beautiful woman before him, Lu Chen was barely able to restrain the impulses in his heart, and he asked with a smile, ¡°What shall we do at night?¡± ¡°Why not say what you want to say, my dear?¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin was feeling somewhat peculiar. Lu Chen hadn¡¯t even started touching her, and yet her body was already restless. She simply bowed her head, saying no more. Seeing that Chu Yuqin had fallen silent, Lu Chen didn¡¯t feel like teasing her anymore and immediately laid her down on the bed. After casting a downward glance at the woman he had yearned for over a decade, Lu Chen hesitated no more. He leaned down, claimed her red lips, and launched a relentless conquest until Chu Yuqin, the beautiful woman, fully became his. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the neighboring room. Chu Qingli sat on her bed, listening to the sounds coming from next door, her heart feeling incredibly heavy. She had always feared her sister would be ruined by that rascal, trapped in the North Prince Mansion for life. She had striven to save her sister, only to let that rascal succeed in the end. Not only had she let that rascal succeed, but she had also gotten herself involved. Hearing her sister¡¯s sounds, Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t help but think that her sister must truly like that rascal. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t make such noises. But then again, it seemed that any woman who had contact with Lu Chen would end up like that, hadn¡¯t she herself once¡­ At this thought, Chu Qingli¡¯s mind was flooded with memories of over a hundred times she had ¡®transactions¡¯ with Lu Chen. Those images played over and over in her head. The more she thought about it, the hotter Chu Qingli¡¯s face became, her entire body feeling unbearably warm. She could no longer stand it and directly removed the red veil from her head. Seeing this, the maid beside her was terrified. According to custom, the Prince was supposed to lift the veil himself; how could Chu Qingli do so on her own? The maid quickly said, ¡°Young Lady Chu, you shouldn¡¯t lift the veil. If the Prince comes and sees, he will surely get angry.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Chu Qingli snorted coldly and then said, ¡°Wait for later? I doubt he will come to my room tonight.¡± She knew very well how formidable Lu Chen¡¯s endurance was; she didn¡¯t believe he would visit her room so soon. If Lu Chen didn¡¯t come all night, was she expected to wear the veil the entire afternoon and night? She would suffocate. Considering the relentless sounds from next door already made her feel unbearably hot, wearing the veil would surely drench her wedding dress in no time. The maid continued to plead, ¡°Young Lady Chu, even if the Prince doesn¡¯t come, you can¡¯t just lift it. What if someone finds out?¡± Chu Qingli said nonchalantly, ¡°If you don¡¯t speak and I don¡¯t speak, then nobody will know.¡± ¡°This servant¡­¡± Chapter 431 - Chapter 431: Chapter 267 Chu Yuqin is pregnant_3 Chapter 431: Chapter 267 Chu Yuqin is pregnant_3 ¡°` The maidservants were all baffled by Chu Qingli¡¯s insistence, and seeing that she was determined to proceed in this manner, they could only stop advising against it. Now, all they hoped was that this matter would remain unknown to the Prince, otherwise, they feared that they might also face punishment. Time ticked away, second by second. In the afternoon, as Mu Zixuan and Lu Chen¡¯s concubines passed by the southern courtyard, they couldn¡¯t help but lift the corners of their mouths into smiles upon hearing the faint sounds that drifted from within. The women of the inner palace were all aware of Lu Chen¡¯s attraction to Chu Yuqin, and now that Lu Chen had finally had his way, his concubines also rejoiced on his behalf. At the same time, the addition of two sisters to Lu Chen¡¯s harem was good news for them too, since it meant there were two more people to share the responsibilities. ¡­ Happy times always fly by quickly, and the afternoon soon passed, but Lu Chen¡¯s happiness was far from over. Mu Zixuan and Lu Chen¡¯s concubines were still enjoying tea in the main courtyard when they noticed the crimson glow in the sky. With a smile, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°It should be over by now, right?¡± ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to compensate the Prince well tonight.¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, the other women knew exactly what she meant. Yelv Nanyan said with a laugh, ¡°Based on what I know of the Prince, I¡¯m afraid he will be having his dinner in Yuqin¡¯s room tonight.¡± Yelv Nanyan had the best understanding of Lu Chen¡¯s capabilities. Although Mu Zixuan was the first to marry Lu Chen and had spent the longest time with him, she, along with Xiaozhou and Dazhou, were ordinary people. When interacting with these three, Lu Chen never brought his full strength to bear against them. But Yelv Nanyan was different¡ªalready a Half-step Grandmaster¡ªcombined with her body, which was as soft and warm as cotton, Lu Chen seldom concealed his true power when visiting her. Hence, Yelv Nanyan believed that there was a high probability that Lu Chen was still in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room. After hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s comments, Mu Zixuan thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Whether the Prince has come out or not, let¡¯s prepare in advance.¡± Continuing, Mu Zixuan instructed a maidservant: ¡°Xiao Rou, go tell the kitchen to prepare some extra nourishing dishes for the Prince.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± After Xiao Rou departed, Mu Zixuan ordered another maidservant: ¡°Qing¡¯er, go to the southern courtyard and check if the Prince is finished.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± Having instructed the maidservants, the women continued to drink tea. After a short while, Qing¡¯er returned and said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My Lady, the Prince is still occupied.¡± Hearing the maidservant¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan murmured, ¡°It seems the Prince won¡¯t be leaving the southern courtyard tonight.¡± ¡­ Mu Zixuan was not mistaken; Lu Chen indeed did not leave the southern courtyard all night, not only that, he didn¡¯t even step out of Chu Yuqin¡¯s room. Next door, Chu Qingli was so agitated that she wanted to rush in with a sword and chop Lu Chen to pieces. After listening for an entire night in her room, she was utterly tormented, yet Lu Chen did not come to her, instead choosing to afflict her sister. At dawn. After Mu Zixuan got up, she had the kitchen prepare breakfast, planning to have the maidservants deliver it directly to the southern courtyard once Lu Chen woke up. Mu Zixuan, holding her child, stood in the pavilion enjoying the morning breeze. Then a maidservant approached her and said, ¡°My Lady, the Prince is still occupied.¡± This¡­ ¡°` After hearing the maid¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan was taken aback. It had already been an afternoon and an evening, and Lu Chen still hadn¡¯t finished his work? Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°Let the kitchen send the prepared meals to the other courtyards, and make another one for the Prince.¡± Since Lu Chen was still busy, the previously prepared meals obviously couldn¡¯t be left for him anymore. As the Prince, he naturally deserved the freshest food. Noon. After Mu Zixuan finished her lunch, she thought of Lu Chen again and said to the maid, ¡°Xiao Rou, go see if the Prince has woken up.¡± Upon hearing this, the maid hurriedly went to the southern courtyard. In a short while, the maid Xiao Rou came back. With a blush on her face, Xiao Rou said, ¡°My lady, the Prince is still busy.¡± Hearing this, both Dazhou and Xiaozhou sitting beside Mu Zixuan were stunned. Still busy? Hasn¡¯t it been a whole day? Zhou Youyou whispered, ¡°Sister Zixuan, could there be a problem?¡± Mu Zixuan thought for a moment, and said with some uncertainty, ¡°The Prince should know his limits. I guess there shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± Just like that, the women didn¡¯t take the matter to heart. Evening. At dinner time, the women remembered Lu Chen, who was still in the southern courtyard. Usually, they all waited for Lu Chen to come back before eating dinner together. Looking at the nutritious foods on the table, Mu Zixuan once again said to the maid, ¡°Qing¡¯er, go and see if the Prince has woken up.¡± No sooner had Mu Zixuan spoken than Yelv Nanyan entered the main hall from outside. With a smile on her face, she said, ¡°Qing¡¯er, there¡¯s no need to go check. I just passed by the southern courtyard, and the Prince is still busy.¡± ¡°The Prince he¡­¡± Mu Zixuan wanted to say something, but swallowed the words before they could leave her mouth. After a moment, she finally said, ¡°Since the Prince won¡¯t be coming back tonight, let¡¯s eat first. Later, I¡¯ll have the kitchen continue making fresh food for the Prince.¡± Meanwhile. Southern Courtyard. The southern courtyard had quieted down. After a night and a day of noise, it now seemed especially peaceful. Lu Chen was sprawled on Chu Yuqin¡¯s back, checking the system¡¯s notifications. [Congratulations to the host for acquiring a wife and being rewarded with the Steel Smelting Technology 2.0 Version.] [The host and wife cultivated affection, acquiring 1000 experience points for Qi Refinement Mantra, 1000 for Rejuvenating Skill, 1000 for Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell, 1000 for Absorption Technique, 1000 for Shadow Shifting, a surge in the host and wife¡¯s affection boosts all experience tenfold, Absorption Technique breakthrough to the second layer, elevating the host¡¯s strength to the Grandmaster¡¯s Zenith Realm.] [Congratulations to the host for helping Chu Yuqin conceive a child, rewarded with Steam Machine Manufacturing Blueprint.] [Host and wife achieved mind and heart synchrony¡Á20, rewarded with Train Manufacturing Blueprint, Fertilizer Manufacturing Technology, and 20 Essence Pills.] Seeing the flood of text, Lu Chen was somewhat stunned. He had been busy with urgent matters all day yesterday and had completely ignored the system¡¯s notification sound. He hadn¡¯t expected that after finishing the urgent matters, he would have acquired so many things. Chapter 432 - Chapter 432: Chapter 268: Has Lu Chen Fallen From Grace?_1 Chapter 432: Chapter 268: Has Lu Chen Fallen From Grace?_1 Upon seeing the Essence Pill on the system interface, Lu Chen was curious about what the pill was for, so he promptly clicked to view its information. [Essence Pill: Taking it can temper meridians and accelerate the strength enhancement of martial artists.] Upon reading the description of the Essence Pill, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. Was it really that simple? It only mentioned the acceleration of a martial artist¡¯s strength enhancement, without specifying by how much, providing no reference. How was he to know exactly how precious this pill was? Forget it, once someone uses it, then he would know how precious the pill was. The effects of the Preserving Beauty Pill they used before were so good, so the effects of this Essence Pill should not be too far off. At this time, Lu Chen gently stroked Chu Yuqin¡¯s hair, a brilliant smile appearing on his face. It¡¯s said that martial artists have difficulty becoming pregnant, and his other powerful wives had yet to conceive his child up to now. But Chu Yuqin was completely different from them. Now a Half-step Grandmaster herself, Chu Yuqin had conceived his child the very first time they were intimate. It seemed that there really was a great difference in constitution between martial artists, and perhaps some women are simply more prone to pregnancy. Chu Yuqin, who was sprawled on the bed, felt her hair being disturbed and spoke in a feeble voice, ¡°Chen¡­ Chen¡¯er¡­, enough¡­ enough already¡­¡± Although Lu Chen had always used the Rejuvenating Skill to treat Chu Yuqin, and she had not felt any pain, the depletion of her physical energy was very real. She was only a Half-step Grandmaster; how could she be a match for a Grandmaster. At this point, Chu Yuqin felt her mind was entirely muddled, incapable of pondering any questions. Now she finally understood why, when she used to patrol the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she always heard certain noises. So this was the reason. Chu Yuqin felt that if this continued, she might completely lose consciousness. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen laughed, then whispered into her ear, ¡°Yuqin, what did you just call me?¡± ¡°Calling the wrong name deserves a punishment, you know.¡± Feeling the voice in her ear, Chu Yuqin¡¯s delicate body involuntarily trembled. Punishment? What punishment? Could it be¡­? Scared, Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Darling, I was wrong¡­¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin suddenly get flustered, Lu Chen hugged her slender waist tightly and didn¡¯t proceed with his mischief, saying, ¡°If you really can¡¯t change your ways, you can continue to call me Chen¡¯er in the future. I like that name; it has a nice ring to it.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face immediately flushed with intense heat, realizing Lu Chen¡¯s teasing intent¡ªthis little rascal just wished to humiliate her. If she continued calling Lu Chen ¡®Chen¡¯er,¡¯ it meant she was still looking at Lu Chen from the perspective of an elder. For an elder to behave in that manner before Lu Chen, wouldn¡¯t it signify that she lacks propriety? Chu Yuqin huffed at that moment, then said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know what naughty ideas are going through your mind.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then responded, ¡°What bad thoughts could I possibly have?¡± That¡¯s when Chu Yuqin spoke up, ¡°Come on, get up already. Qing Li is waiting for you next door.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°The night has just fallen; there¡¯s no need to rush.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin immediately felt a bit of annoyance and promptly said, ¡°What do you mean night has just fallen? Do you take me for a fool? It¡¯s already the next evening.¡± Although from yesterday afternoon till just before Lu Chen finished his mischief, she had been mostly groggy, she had somewhat regained consciousness a few times and knew it was now the next day. Chu Yuqin could also guess why she had managed to hold on until now; this bad guy¡¯s Immortal Technique could heal injuries without her feeling the least bit unwell¡ªpersisting till now was only too normal. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s emotional tone, Lu Chen chuckled and whispered in her ear, ¡°I thought my wife had already lost her mind and didn¡¯t realize it was already the next day. I didn¡¯t expect you to find out.¡± At that moment, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Qing Li also married you after all. Letting her wait in her room alone for a day and a night¡ªshould word get out, it would affect her reputation. You better go to her room quickly.¡± A woman marrying a man, yet the master doesn¡¯t enter the bridal chamber for an entire day and night¡ªif word of this spreads, people might think the woman had something amiss, which kept the master from the bridal chamber all day and night. Lu Chen remarked, ¡°Alright then, you rest well. I¡¯ll go to her room right now.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen finally agreed to part with Chu Yuqin. After he got up from Chu Yuqin, he prepared to get dressed. Just then, Chu Yuqin slowly turned over, attempting to get up and help Lu Chen dress, but as soon as she moved a bit, she realized she had no strength in her body. Seeing Chu Yuqin prop herself up only to collapse back down, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°My dear wife, you better rest up. Don¡¯t overexert yourself.¡± Hearing that, Chu Yuqin snorted coldly, looking at Lu Chen with a face full of reproach, ¡°It¡¯s all your doing; I don¡¯t have any strength left.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, not teasing Chu Yuqin further. He quickly dressed and then headed straight to Chu Qingli¡¯s room next door. When Lu Chen arrived at Chu Qingli¡¯s room, she was already fast asleep on the bed, and Chu Qingli¡¯s maidservants had fallen asleep leaning against the bed. Chapter 433 - Chapter 433: Chapter 268: Has Lu Chen Fallen From Grace?_2 Chapter 433: Chapter 268: Has Lu Chen Fallen From Grace?_2 Seeing this scene, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, realizing that neither of them must have slept last night. Just then, the maid suddenly awoke and seeing Lu Chen inside the room, she was almost scared out of her wits. After all, she was a maid brought over as part of a dowry, responsible for Lu Chen and Chu Qingli¡¯s marital affairs, and yet before the male master entered the bridal room, she herself had fallen asleep by the bed. The maid instantly became very panicked, and hurriedly kneeled on the ground, wanting to beg Lu Chen for forgiveness. But just as she was about to kneel, she found her body being dragged up by an incomprehensible force, and her mouth unable to make a sound, as if invisible hands were covering her mouth. The maid was desperate, thinking that the North Prince was angry and about to dispose of her on the spot. However, it was at this moment that she saw the North Prince raise his finger to his lips, and make a ¡°shush¡± gesture. Realizing this, the maid understood that the North Prince didn¡¯t intend to kill her, but rather, he didn¡¯t want her to make noise and wake up Chu Qingli who was deeply asleep in bed. The maid¡¯s heart relaxed. Lu Chen then whispered to the maid, ¡°You go rest first.¡± The maid didn¡¯t speak, but she bowed to Lu Chen and then quietly tiptoed out of the room. After the maid left, Lu Chen glanced at Chu Qingli on the bed; she was wearing a red wedding dress, lying there, completely unaware of his presence. Generally speaking, a high-quality warrior could sense approaching danger even while asleep, and would quickly open their eyes to dodge an attack. If Lu Chen were anyone else, Chu Qingli should have already woken up by now. The reason Chu Qingli hadn¡¯t woken up and was sleeping so soundly was largely because in her subconscious, Lu Chen was already not considered a threat, therefore, even as Lu Chen approached, Chu Qingli wasn¡¯t alerted to any danger. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. He had played with Chu Qingli hundreds of times already, and her body and mind already belonged to him; it was normal for her not to sense danger in her sleep. Since she didn¡¯t sense any danger, then he, the rascal, was going to take advantage of her. With that thought, Lu Chen went straight to the bed and gently pressed down. Even at this stage, Chu Qingli still didn¡¯t open her eyes, sleeping very deeply. However, she was vaguely aware of something as she talked in her sleep, ¡°Lu Chen, you bastard, leave my sister alone, if you dare¡­ come at me¡­¡± At this, Chu Qingli turned her head to the side and continued sleeping. Hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s sleep talk, Lu Chen chuckled, so you¡¯re challenging me to come at you, huh? Alright, I¡¯m coming at you now. Then Lu Chen began to carefully remove Chu Qingli¡¯s wedding dress. At this point, no matter how gentle Lu Chen¡¯s movements were, they still made Chu Qingli aware of something. But every time Chu Qingli was about to wake up, Lu Chen stopped and remained completely still, and waited until she fell back into a deep sleep before continuing. Because Lu Chen was touching Chu Qingli¡¯s body, the skill within her was sealed, and when a martial artist is devoid of their skill, their perception greatly decreases. Additionally, since Chu Qingli no longer saw Lu Chen as a threat, she didn¡¯t wake up even when he had removed her clothes. Time passed, and after a while, Lu Chen glanced over Chu Qingli¡¯s whole body and smiled to himself, realizing that she had been prepared for his arrival all along. Since that was the case, he might as well work overtime; no sleep for him tonight. Then Lu Chen moved closer and captured Chu Qingli¡¯s red lips with his own. Now, Chu Qingli gradually felt that something was amiss. She abruptly opened her eyes, only to find that Lu Chen, the scoundrel, was doing bad things on top of her. Chu Qingli struggled immediately, but Lu Chen didn¡¯t mind her and continued with what he was doing. After struggling for a while, Chu Qingli completely gave up. Forget it, after all, she was already this man¡¯s woman, and she had officially married this scoundrel yesterday. Whatever he wanted to do to her now was his right. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the next room. Chu Yuqin lay on the bed while several maids entered the room to clean up the bed. The sheets were already soaked through; things that needed changing had to be changed. At this moment, Chu Yuqin heard noises from the next room, hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s voice, she was momentarily stunned. She had thought that the scoundrel, after being busy all day and night, would go to Chu Qingli¡¯s room and finally sleep. But unexpectedly, he was not behaving himself even after going to Chu Qingli¡¯s room, not resting, and continuing to abuse Chu Qingli. Chu Yuqin sighed, ¡°This scoundrel, he¡¯s really not taking care of himself more and more.¡± In Chu Yuqin¡¯s view, even if Lu Chen had become a Grandmaster, he still needed rest. Nowadays, Lu Chen was completely overexerting himself. Chu Yuqin thought to herself that now she too was Lu Chen¡¯s woman, and soon there would be no elders of Lu Chen in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he would probably become even more unrestrained in his actions. Chapter 434 - Chapter 434: Chapter 268: Has Lu Chen Fallen From Grace?_3 Chapter 434: Chapter 268: Has Lu Chen Fallen From Grace?_3 This was not a good thing, and it seemed that she had to continue calling him Chen¡¯er. Even if she wasn¡¯t managing him, when Lu Chen heard her addressing him this way, it always gave him the feeling that he still had an elder, and perhaps he would restrain himself a little. As for whether it was effective, only time would tell. ¡­ As the saying goes, ¡°The tender homeland is the grave of heroes,¡± Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli¡¯s first half month after marrying into the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen spent every day in the southern courtyard, nearly reaching the state of blissful neglect of his duties, even government affairs were nearly abandoned. This made Chu Yuqin very worried. She was determined once again that Lu Chen must have an elder to manage him; otherwise, who knew how much longer he would continue to waste away. Finally, one morning after Lu Chen got up from the gentle jade fragrance of Chu Yuqin¡¯s embrace, she directly spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, there¡¯s something your aunt must tell you off about.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s tone as that of an elder once again, Lu Chen immediately showed a smile. Most young people dislike being lectured by their elders, but Chu Yuqin wasn¡¯t an ordinary elder. Her status was somewhat special, which could be understood as role-playing, and Lu Chen actually liked this approach. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, what is it that you wanted to tell me?¡± Chu Yuqin was still calling herself ¡®aunt¡¯, so she directly said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve recently thrown all the government affairs onto Zhuge Zhongguang and haven¡¯t been doing anything yourself. Now there are rumors outside that you have completely degenerated.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then, Madam Chu, do you think I¡¯ve degenerated?¡± This¡­ Seeing Lu Chen asking her, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t know what to say. This bad guy¡¯s degeneration was quite obvious, wasn¡¯t it? He was coming to her place every day, often staying up all night, then sleeping during the daytime. Seeing Chu Yuqin not speaking, Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°I haven¡¯t degenerated. I just wanted to see if, without me, the Prince managing things, my reform policies could continue without any problems. That¡¯s why I let the Great Scholar take over all the government work.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin looked at him doubtfully, then she said, ¡°When you led the troops to Ningbei City to resist the Tianqi King¡¯s army, didn¡¯t you leave all government affairs to Zhuge Zhongguang for a month or two? Wasn¡¯t that enough to test what you wanted to verify?¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen simply stopped pretending and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come clean. I just wanted to do wicked things to you every day and throw the governmental affairs to Zhuge Zhongguang.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen actually admitted it directly, Chu Yuqin was stunned again, ¡°You¡­ ¡± Chu Yuqin sighed softly and then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you are, after all, the Prince, and you should prioritize state affairs. How can you waste your energy on your aunt every day? If this continues, I¡¯m afraid people will start saying your aunt is a femme fatale.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If I don¡¯t focus my energy on you, how can I make you pregnant with my child?¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t know at the time that she was already pregnant. She continued, ¡°Children can¡¯t be forced, and you know martial artists are not easy to get pregnant. Look at how you visited Yelv Nanyan every day before, and she still hasn¡¯t gotten pregnant.¡± Hearing her words, Lu Chen leaned close to Chu Yuqin¡¯s head and whispered in her ear, ¡°I have good news for you. You¡¯re actually pregnant.¡± At those words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s whole person froze instantly. Pregnant? She was carrying this bad guy¡¯s child? Could that be true? How come she didn¡¯t feel it at all? Chu Yuqin, in disbelief, asked, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not lying to me?¡± Lu Chen, looking into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, teased, ¡°How could I dare to deceive my Madam Chu?¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned bright red in an instant, and she said in a soft voice, ¡°You¡­ you should stop calling me Madam Chu.¡± Chu Yuqin had intended to use her status as an elder to persuade Lu Chen to put his mind on the right path, but she didn¡¯t expect to become pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child so quickly. If Lu Chen continued to call her ¡®aunt¡¯, what would they call each other after the baby was born? Wouldn¡¯t that throw everything into confusion? Chu Yuqin felt puzzled. How did she get pregnant with this little bad guy¡¯s child so quickly? Lu Chen had been visiting Yelv Nanyan every day before, and she hadn¡¯t gotten pregnant with his child either. Seeing Chu Yuqin with a flushed face, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just find it so natural to shout ¡®Chen¡¯er, Chen¡¯er¡¯ before, and now all of a sudden, you¡¯re telling me not to call you ¡®aunt¡¯?¡± Feeling ashamed, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Anyway, you shouldn¡¯t call me that from now on.¡± Lu Chen then embraced her and said, ¡°Alright, I understand. From now on, I¡¯ll just call you my wife.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Actually, you got pregnant the very first night of our marriage. However, I worried if I only touched you once and then never again, you might think that I had started to despise you, so these past few days I simply stayed in the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day, intending to do all that we planned to do during your pregnancy.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin felt even hotter, not expecting that she would conceive the first time they did such a thing. She seemed too easily pregnant, being a Half-step Grandmaster. This gave her a strange feeling¨Cit was as if her body had been ready to conceive Lu Chen¡¯s child all along, and Chu Yuqin felt immensely embarrassed. Lu Chen said, ¡°I still have to go to the armory later, so I should get up now. You go back to sleep a little longer.¡± With that, Lu Chen got up and dressed. Chu Yuqin was about to help him with his clothes but realized she had no strength at all. With no choice, she had to call in the maidservant to help Lu Chen dress. After leaving Chu Yuqin¡¯s room, Lu Chen had a simple breakfast in the main courtyard before heading to the armory to find the Mohist brothers. The steam engine blueprint was ready, and so was the train blueprint. If these two things could be constructed, they would surely bring a cross-era change to the North Country. Chapter 438 - Chapter 438: Chapter 270 The Rumors in the Capital City of Great Xia_1 Chapter 438: Chapter 270 The Rumors in the Capital City of Great Xia_1 Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines anxiously waited at the entrance of the academy, all fearing that something had happened to Lu Chen in the study, as they, too, were witnessing such an extraordinary phenomenon for the first time. As the women were on tenterhooks, the door to the study opened, and Zhuge Zhongguang and Lu Chen emerged one after the other. At that moment, Mu Zixuan quickly approached and asked with concern, ¡°Prince, are you all right?¡± Seeing so many people standing outside the study, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the Great Scholar had an epiphany and broke through just now. The commotion was a bit loud, and it worried you all.¡± Lu Chen merely stated that there had been a breakthrough, without revealing to which Realm Zhuge Zhongguang had ascended. His words could not be considered a lie, for indeed Zhuge Zhongguang had advanced from the Grandmaster to the Zenith of the Grandmaster Realm¡ªit was a breakthrough nonetheless. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, however, the crowd gathered at the door of the study was instantly dumbstruck. A breakthrough? Zhuge Zhongguang had a breakthrough? Wasn¡¯t Zhuge Zhongguang already a Grandmaster? If he were to break through again, wouldn¡¯t that mean¡­? Heaven¡­ the Heavenly Human Realm??? The very thought left everyone speechless. A strong person from the North Country had reached the Heavenly Human Realm? Didn¡¯t that mean that no one would dare to provoke the North Country anymore? Seeing everyone at the door stunned, Lu Chen and Zhuge Zhongguang exchanged smiles. Zhuge Zhongguang hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, I have political affairs to attend to, so I must leave now.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Alright, take care.¡± After Zhuge Zhongguang left, the women finally came to their senses. Mu Zixuan then asked disbelievingly, ¡°P¡­ Prince, did the Great Scholar really br¡­ break through?¡± Although Mu Zixuan was still a commoner, she was well aware of what it meant for the North Country to have someone in the Heavenly Human Realm. The news was truly shocking. Lu Chen said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the pillar of light that shot up to the sky just now? With such a great event, how can you still not believe he has broken through?¡± ¡°Do you think an ordinary Grandmaster could cause such a commotion?¡± Upon hearing this from Lu Chen, the women felt it made sense. A Grandmaster couldn¡¯t possibly create such a disturbance; the sky had been covered with dark clouds, as if it were about to collapse. Only the Heavenly Human Realm, which people referred to as the realm of pseudo-Immortals, could cause such changes in celestial phenomena. Seeing the excitement of his wives and concubines, Lu Chen helplessly revealed a smile. If only Zhuge Zhongguang had truly ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm. ¡­ By the afternoon, news of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough had spread throughout Yan County, instantly stirring the civilians, and leaving the spies of Yan County taken aback. Even the most ordinary civilians knew what the Heavenly Human Realm signified. The Heavenly Human Realm was also known as that of pseudo-Immortals. Before having witnessed real Immortals, those who possessed the strength of the Heavenly Human Realm were regarded as Immortals. Now, the common folk were all abuzz with tales of Zhuge Zhongguang becoming an Immortal, asserting that the pillar of light they had seen at noon marked the moment Zhuge Zhongguang ascended during his tribulation. Spies from various countries were stunned by this news, and they dispatched their agents to gather information to verify its authenticity. Following the investigations by spies from different countries, the official reports of the North Country did not mention Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough. The official reports merely discussed the advancement of universal education, while the Eastern Newspaper Agency¡¯s reports did carry news of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough. However, the reports from the Eastern Newspaper Agency did not specify his ascension to the Heavenly Human Realm. But since Zhuge Zhongguang was already at the Grandmaster Realm, according to people¡¯s understanding, the only realm above a Grandmaster is the Heavenly Human Realm; there are no other realms between Grandmaster and Heavenly Human. Since the Eastern Newspaper Agency reported on Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough, didn¡¯t that imply that Zhuge Zhongguang had indeed become a strong person of the Heavenly Human Realm? A feudal state in the North Country had given rise to a Celestial!!! Spies and merchant caravans from various countries sensed that the world was on the verge of monumental changes. Under the Heavenly Human Realm, all are mortals; a single individual of the Heavenly Human Realm could easily annihilate hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Now that the North Country had a Celestial, would they remain content being a mere feudal state? One stone stirred up a thousand ripples. In less than a week, the news of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s ascension to the Heavenly Human Realm had spread across all the major dynasties, and each dynasty was shaken by the news. The Heavenly Human Realm! To date, no dynasty had overtly seen a strong person of the Heavenly Human Realm. The strongest known were merely Grandmasters, and as for the rumored Celestial of the Great Xia Dynasty, that individual was from the Mysterious Moon Palace, a Sect not considered part of the mortal world¡¯s strength and thus not counted as a Celestial of the Great Xia Dynasty. Soon enough, several dynasties began to consider how to interact with the North Country. Of course, they had to verify the truthfulness of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s supposed breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm. But until then, it did not hinder them from seeking good relations with the North Country. Spies from various countries had witnessed the changes in celestial patterns in Yan County, so to most people, the news of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm seemed very likely to be true. As the news spread across all the major dynasties, it quickly reached the ears of the Sum Emperor. In the Great Xia Dynasty, within the Imperial Palace. In the Royal Garden. The Sum Emperor, having just read the war dispatch delivered by the Red Ribbon Messenger from the South, couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of relief. The heavy burden of the Aristocratic Families in the South, which had been weighing on his mind, seemed finally about to be shattered by him. Chapter 439 - Chapter 439: Chapter 270 The Rumors in the Capital City of Great Xia_2 Chapter 439: Chapter 270 The Rumors in the Capital City of Great Xia_2 As long as the aristocratic families of the South were eradicated, the other aristocratic families within Great Sum¡¯s territory posed no real threat. In fact, these families had tried to aid the Southern aristocratic families through various means, but the Southern rebels still lost disastrously. Now, they could only shrink back within Sufeng City, awaiting their doom. This was a clear sign that the era of Great Sum¡¯s ancient families was coming to an end. The Grandmaster of Great Sum¡¯s royal family was already waiting outside Sufeng City. The final battle would be between the Grandmasters of the royal family and the Grandmasters of the major aristocratic families. Once the royal Grandmaster triumphed over the Grandmaster from the Southern aristocratic family, the war would be thoroughly concluded. With the death of the Grandmaster from the Southern aristocratic family, no one would be able to resist the imperial army. At that time, the Southern aristocratic family would be completely eradicated from this world. As Sum Emperor read the battle report in his hand, he thought that once the Southern aristocratic family was dealt with, he would immediately join forces with the Grandmasters of various dynasties and then eliminate Zhuge Zhongguang. Without Zhuge Zhongguang, even if North Prince had exceptional abilities, he would not be able to stir any trouble. Just as Sum Emperor was contemplating this, suddenly a dark figure appeared before him. A Shadow Guard soldier knelt on the ground, holding up a letter, ¡°Your Majesty, an urgent report from Yan County!¡± Upon hearing that it was an intelligence report from Yan County, Sum Emperor didn¡¯t hesitate. He took the envelope directly, then opened it to check the contents of the report. After viewing the contents of the envelope, the Sum Emperor was struck as if by a bolt from the blue, rendered utterly stunned. The content of the report was simple, just one line: ¡°Zhuge Zhongguang has broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm!¡± This¡­ How is this possible? Since when has breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm become so easy? Although people always said that Zhuge Zhongguang was about to break through the Heavenly Human Realm, this statement had been repeated for decades without any sign of him actually achieving it. And now Zhuge Zhongguang had not been in North Country for long, and he had already broken through? The Sum Emperor couldn¡¯t accept this piece of news. If Zhuge Zhongguang were one of Great Sum¡¯s court, one of his own, then it would be a different story. But Zhuge Zhongguang belonged to North Country, he was that most unwelcome person who may very well not be his biological son. A feudal state with a Celestial-level powerhouse, what it would do next was almost self-evident. Seeing the Sum Emperor staring at the letter in his hand for a long time, unable to recover, and looking as if he had been petrified, Situ Ce in the nearby pavilion seemed to understand something. Although he did not know what had happened, something that could cause Sum Emperor to lose composure like this must be no small matter in North Country. After a long time, Sum Emperor finally came back to his senses and said, ¡°Investigate, have the Shadow Guards in Yan County investigate immediately. I want to know the exact news!¡± Heavenly Human Realm is the pinnacle of Martial Arts, a realm of pseudo-Immortals, an existence not to be offended. Once North Country had a Celestial-level powerhouse, even the Sum Emperor¡¯s throne might become unstable. At this point, Sum Emperor no longer cared whether he was acting undignified. What he feared most was the recurrence of the incidents from his childhood. Back then, the Celestial-level powerhouse from Mysterious Moon Palace had killed numerous Grandmasters, to the point that there are still Grandmasters hiding in the deep mountains and forests, not daring to emerge. If Zhuge Zhongguang were like that Celestial-level powerhouse, would it be possible that the royal Grandmasters would be slaughtered again? The key issue was that he himself was now a Grandmaster. If Celestial-level powerhouses were to slay Grandmasters, then it was very likely that he, the Emperor, would die at the hands of a Celestial-level powerhouse. At this moment, for the first time, Sum Emperor felt the fear of death, as those terrifying memories of his childhood once again enveloped his mind. Seeing Sum Emperor so distraught, Situ Ce could no longer hold back and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, may I know what has happened?¡± Without responding, Sum Emperor simply threw the letter to Situ Ce. Situ Ce caught the letter and glanced at its contents. Upon seeing those words, Situ Ce was also taken aback. The Heavenly Human Realm¡­ That is the level many Grandmasters yearn for their entire lives, a threshold most Grandmasters cannot even reach until their deaths. Since his birth, the only person he knew who had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm was that one from Mysterious Moon Palace. If Zhuge Zhongguang were to be counted as another, that would make two people. But¡­ Has Zhuge Zhongguang really broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm? Just then, a soldier hurriedly approached Sum Emperor and reported, ¡°Your Majesty, there is activity in North Country!¡± Hearing this, both Sum Emperor and Situ Ce were taken aback. The Sum Emperor immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The soldier responded, ¡°North Country has assembled an army of a hundred thousand at the border with Qi Country, claiming that if the court has difficulty dealing with the Southern rebels, they can move south at any time to assist in quelling the rebellion.¡± Upon hearing this, Sum Emperor¡¯s face turned dark on the spot. Now that the Southern rebels were almost wiped out and were cowering within Sufeng City, North Country was talking about sending troops southward. What was the intention of North Country, one might easily guess? Sum Emperor couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Zhuge Zhongguang had indeed broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Otherwise, why would that brat be so eager to send troops southward? It was clear that the brat could hardly wait to claim his throne. The more Sum Emperor thought about it, the angrier he became, and the next moment, he suddenly began coughing violently. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­ Pfft¡­¡± As he coughed, a mouthful of fresh blood suddenly sprayed out. Seeing this, Situ Ce hurried out of the pavilion and rushed to Sum Emperor¡¯s side, quickly placing his hand on the Emperor¡¯s back to help regulate his breathing. Chapter 440 - Chapter 440: Chapter 270 The Rumors in the Capital City of Great Xia_3 Chapter 440: Chapter 270 The Rumors in the Capital City of Great Xia_3 ¡°Your Majesty, please do not be enraged, take care of your dragon body!¡± The Sum Emperor also realized that if he continued to be angry, he might indeed suffer from qi deviation, so he quickly stabilized his breath and calmed himself down. After a while, the Sum Emperor¡¯s heart had slightly settled. However, at this moment another shadow appeared in front of the Sum Emperor. He was about to report intelligence when Situ Ce furrowed his brows, fearing that the news from this Shadow Guard was another piece of bad news that would anger the Sum Emperor. He hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty is not feeling well at the moment; whatever it is, report it tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing the State Preceptor¡¯s words, the subsequent Shadow Guard swallowed back the words he was about to say. At that time, the Sum Emperor, having calmed down, spoke up, ¡°No need, speak.¡± He did not believe that any news that followed could be worse than the news that Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. In his view, there was no news that could be worse than that. Seeing that the Sum Emperor had allowed him to speak directly, the Shadow Guard did not hesitate and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Valley Master of Peach Blossom Valley has sent a message that she is going into closed-door cultivation. She may not come out for ten years, and if you have any matters, please seek her after ten years.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor snorted coldly without saying a word. Obviously, the Valley Master of Peach Blossom Valley had also heard the news of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough and was scared into hiding. What nonsense closed-door cultivation, all but a bunch of cowardly old antiques afraid of death. The Sum Emperor then said, ¡°Issue a decree, have Zhao Quan speed up and quickly settle the rebel forces in the South, and capture Shuyun back.¡± Although the Sum Emperor still found it somewhat unbelievable that Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm, he knew some preparations had to be made in advance. The North Country had already stationed a hundred thousand troops at their border with Qi Country, clearly showing that the little beast had set his sights on something. If he wanted to remain secure on the throne, he had to rapidly quell the turmoil in the South and then shift all his elite forces to the north. Some time later. A rumor spread in the streets and alleys of the Great Sum Capital city. Some said that the royal family of Great Sum had obtained a Sacred Artifact from Mysterious Moon Palace, claiming this artifact could temporarily raise a person¡¯s strength to the level of the Heavenly Human Realm. Once the rumor spread, it immediately caused a stir, with many people doubting its credibility. After all, if such a thing truly existed, why would Mysterious Moon Palace give it to the Great Sum royal family? The Goddess of the Mysterious Moon Palace may have married the Sum Emperor, but their ending was not a happy one; the palace had long fallen out with the Great Sum royal family, and they wouldn¡¯t give the emperor anything valuable, let alone their sacred artifacts. Meanwhile. North Country. Lu Chen had already embarked on his inspection journey to Great Yu City. This trip to the north was rather leisurely and without much danger, so Lu Chen took Xiao Wenyao with him. Xiao Wenyao had always wanted to gallop on a horse across the grasslands, right? During the journey to the north, the endless grasslands offered the perfect opportunity. During the day, Xiao Wenyao would ride freely on the prairie, and at night, it was Lu Chen¡¯s turn to relax on horseback. Although Lu Chen had traveled north, their convoy was not particularly fast, and any news from the Brocade Guard could still catch up with Lu Chen¡¯s convoy. In the evening, Lu Chen¡¯s convoy had already set up camp. Just as he was about to have someone call for Xiao Wenyao, a Jinyiwei Guard approached him, ¡°Prince, there is intelligence from the Capital!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately took the intelligence from the hands of the Jinyiwei Guard and scanned it. Seeing the rumor from the Great Sum Capital, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly. He had already learned of the Sum Emperor¡¯s possession of the Mysterious Moon Palace Sacred Artifact from Chen Wanrong. However, the fact that this news had spread and was circulating throughout the Great Sum Capital was quite thought-provoking. It was most likely not Mysterious Moon Palace that released the news; they didn¡¯t want people to know that their Sacred Artifact was in the hands of the Sum Emperor. It would not sound good for such a powerful Sect Force as Mysterious Moon Palace to have lost their Sacred Artifact, only for it to end up in the hands of a secular royal family. Moreover, that Sacred Artifact must have some importance to Mysterious Moon Palace. If too many people knew it was in the hands of the Great Sum royal family, what would they do if more people covet the Sacred Artifact? Since the news did not come from Mysterious Moon Palace, who could have released it? To guess who released the news, one must consider that there surely aren¡¯t many who know that the Great Sum royal family possesses the Mysterious Moon Palace Sacred Artifact, so it definitely wasn¡¯t spread by a commoner. Secondly, whose interests would be served by releasing this news? Lu Chen¡¯s mind instantly pictured the Sum Emperor. The news of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm had spread to all dynasties, plus, to make the act more convincing, Lu Chen had ordered Wei Siyuan¡¯s army of a hundred thousand to be stationed near the border with Qi Country, portraying a posture ready to advance southward, causing unrest in Great Sum. Without a doubt, the Sum Emperor was also scared. The Sum Emperor truly feared that the North Country would rebel by leveraging the Heavenly Human Realm. Thus, to prevent North Country from actually rebelling, he had no choice but to release information about possessing the Sacred Artifact from Mysterious Moon Palace, creating an impression that Great Sum¡¯s royal family had a secret weapon capable of fighting at the level of the Heavenly Human Realm. With that, if the North Country contemplated rebelling or marching south to attack the Capital, they would have to consider whether Great Sum¡¯s royal family really possessed a Sacred Artifact that could elevate someone to the Heavenly Human Realm. Essentially, it was a deterrence against North Country. After reading the intelligence, Lu Chen said to the Jinyiwei Guard in front of him, ¡°Go tell Wei Siyuan to have his troops also make a move, show their faces more near the Qi Country border.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, you may leave.¡± ¡°This subordinate takes his leave.¡± The Jinyiwei Guard had just left when Xiao Wenyao, who had been riding all day, returned. She was very relaxed, hardly having been so happy in a long time. At that moment, Lu Chen asked Xiao Wenyao with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao, how do you feel?¡± Xiao Wenyao gratefully responded, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for allowing this servant to accompany you to the north.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°You must be tired from riding all day. Come, join me in the tent, and I¡¯ll help you ease the fatigue.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, a blush flashed across Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face; after all, she had indeed let Lu Chen ¡®ride¡¯ enough for the day. Xiao Wenyao spoke softly, ¡°This servant will join you shortly.¡± ¡­ Chapter 441 - Chapter 441: Chapter 271: Lu Shuyun Wants to Run Away_1 Chapter 441: Chapter 271: Lu Shuyun Wants to Run Away_1 Great Xia, Sufeng City. Outside the city, the Imperial Army of Great Xia had assembled, countless trebuchets set up in a row, while archers were poised and ready. Inside Sufeng City chaos reigned, as no one had anticipated that the Imperial Army would be able to defeat the combined forces of the great families so quickly and besiege Sufeng City. Now, their last opportunity was to have the Grandmasters of the great families take action together against the Imperial Army. Of course, they also anticipated the presence of the Imperial Grandmaster within the army¡¯s ranks, so what would follow was a contest between the Grandmasters of the aristocratic families and the Grandmaster of the Court. If the Grandmasters of the aristocratic families could overcome the Imperial Grandmaster, perhaps they of the South still had a glimmer of hope. But if their Grandmasters were defeated, then it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Imperial Army could storm the city. At the forefront of the Imperial Army, the Great General Zhao Quan was mounted on his horse, surveying the gates of Sufeng City, before loudly commanding, ¡°Attack!!!¡± The next moment, the horn sounded overhead Sufeng City, followed closely by the advance of the Imperial Army. Countless trebuchets launched massive stones, which smashed into the city walls, pitting them everywhere. On their part, Sufeng City was also employing trebuchets, with just as many massive stones crashing into the midst of the Imperial Army. Of course, these stones were of little use against the elite troops of the Court, as an average elite solider could easily dodge both the large stones and arrows. Meanwhile. At the Wang Family. The heads of the South¡¯s aristocratic families had once again gathered in the Wang Family¡¯s reception hall. The Crown Prince, Lu Shuyun, sat at the head of the family, his expression dark and foreboding. He seemed to see his future, poisoned by wine, laid out before him. After hearing the horn echo over Sufeng City, everyone knew the Imperial Army had initiated their assault. Now, their only hope lay with the Grandmasters of their own families. If their Grandmasters were defeated, they would likely find themselves with no avenues for escape, only a path to death. The reception hall was deathly quiet, every face was grim, and not a single person spoke. It was at this moment that Chu Hongfei could hold back no longer. He outright said, ¡°Your Highness, we should try to escape. As long as we keep our base, we need not fear running out of fuel. If we perish now, there will be nothing left.¡± Chu Hongfei had no desire to die there; he was still so young, and he had many ambitions and ideas yet to fulfill. His mind was on Chu Yuqin, that beauty who could topple empires. In his heart, Chu Hongfei thought, seeing as his father had already secured a foothold in the North Country, if only he could escape Sufeng City and slip quietly into the North Country, he would once again be a hero. Moreover, he was his father¡¯s only son. If he made it to the North Country, he would still be the young master of the Chu Family there. Once he took his leave, he would eventually become the Chu Family Master. Of course, all this was secondary to the fact that being in the North Country would give him the chance to pursue Chu Yuqin. Just the thought of Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous figure made Chu Hongfei¡¯s fear of death recede a little. Upon hearing Chu Hongfei¡¯s words, Chu Liang immediately scolded, ¡°Hongfei, do not speak carelessly. The Grandmasters of our families have not yet taken action. How could you know we are not a match for the Imperial Army?¡± Hearing Chu Liang¡¯s words made Chu Hongfei somewhat disgruntled. Although he had begun by standing with his two uncles, betraying his own father for more power within the Chu Family and to shake off the shackles placed by his father. Now that the Imperial Army was at the gates, if they waited until the forces entered the city, the entire Chu Family would be doomed. His father had already prepared such a good exit strategy in the North Country, and he had no intention of staying and dying with the rest in Sufeng City. Though Chu Hongfei was displeased, he held his tongue out of respect for Chu Liang being his uncle and considering the Crown Prince and so many heads of aristocratic families were present. He closed his mouth and ceased to speak, but in his heart, he was already planning his escape from Sufeng City. At that time, Lu Shuyun spoke, ¡°As the Crown Prince, having chosen this path, I will surely stand with all of you till the end. How could I possibly flee at a time like this?¡± Lu Shuyun could see that what the heads of the aristocratic families feared the most was his potential flight. The Imperial Army was already besieging the city, and the people within were in a state of panic. If the pillar that was the Crown Prince ran, the morale of Sufeng City¡¯s populace would likely crumble in an instant. And indeed, Lu Shuyun was the one most easily able to escape because he had no estate in Sufeng City. He had come empty-handed and could just as easily leave unburdened. But the aristocratic families were different. Their family legacies spanned generations within Sufeng City; they had no path to retreat. If they fled, the work of dozens of generations would be lost. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just about their legacies. Lu Shuyun was a single man, perhaps with a few attendants, but these aristocratic families, wasn¡¯t each one comprised of thousands of clan members? How could they all possibly escape? If Lu Shuyun were to take a few attendants and slip away amidst the chaos, he might indeed go undetected, but it would not be the same for the aristocratic families. With so many people, such a large target, any attempt at escape would certainly be discovered. Therefore, by declaring his intention to stay, Lu Shuyun was also stabilizing the resolve of the heads of the great families, preventing them from harboring any further thoughts on the matter. Chapter 442 - Chapter 442: Chapter 271: Lu Shuyun Wants to Run Away_2 Chapter 442: Chapter 271: Lu Shuyun Wants to Run Away_2 But Lu Shuyun was clearly not really thinking that way. He was the Crown Prince. Why should he have to die alongside these aristocratic families? He already had a premonition that if he were captured, his father the Emperor certainly wouldn¡¯t spare him just because he was a Prince. Instead, he would surely be given poisoned wine or bestowed a white silk noose. So if he wanted to live, he could not allow himself to be captured by the Imperial Army outside the city. He must find a way to leave Sufeng City. Since this Chu Hongfei was also thinking of escaping, he might as well make use of him. Chu Hongfei was from the Chu Family in the South, having grown up in Sufeng City, and having spent so many years there, he should be quite familiar with the city. Perhaps he could find a way to escape from it. Of course, this wasn¡¯t the sort of thing one could openly talk about. At that moment, Lu Shuyun continued, ¡°With the city in a state of panic, sitting here, none of the family heads can think of a good solution. It¡¯s best for everyone to return home now and calm your clanspeople. Only with people¡¯s hearts at ease can we hope to survive this crisis.¡± Hearing this, the heads of the aristocratic families thought it over and admitted that indeed, they were merely sitting around, unable to come up with any good ideas. They could only wait for the outcome of the Grandmaster¡¯s war and then learn whether they could defeat the Imperial Army. At that time, the Head of Qin Clan stood up and said, ¡°The Crown Prince is right. In this situation, even if we sit here, we can only fret needlessly. It would be better to return to our own families and soothe our clanspeople.¡± Seeing the Head of Qin Clan speak so, the Head of Wang Clan sighed and said, ¡°Very well, everyone should go back for today.¡± The family heads thought that if Sufeng City was really breached by the Imperial Army, they would only be waiting for their deaths in the Wang Family¡¯s place, and it would be better to lead their clanspeople in a last desperate struggle afterward. Moreover, once the Imperial Army entered the city, they were bound to split their forces. The noble families were scattered throughout Sufeng City, and once the Imperial Army divided their troops, it might be possible, amidst the chaos, for some family to take their clanspeople and break out of Sufeng City. Although everyone spoke of unity, in their hearts, they had all made the worst contingency plans. Most did not believe they could win. If there was any real chance of victory, they would not have been defeated so thoroughly up to this point. Afterward, the family heads left the Wang Family and returned to their respective clans. Once they had all departed, Lu Shuyun went to a tavern in Sufeng City and had someone secretly bring Chu Hongfei to meet him. When Chu Hongfei heard that the Crown Prince wanted to see him alone, he was overjoyed. If he could meet with the Crown Prince in private, he would have a chance to persuade him to escape together. Chu Hongfei had also considered escaping from Sufeng City on his own, but realized that he had no real strength, nor did he have any powerful subordinates in the Chu Family. If he attempted to escape alone, should he be discovered by the Imperial Army outside, he would likely be caught immediately. If he had masters by his side, it would be different; they could hold off the Imperial soldiers while he made a getaway. Without a doubt, collaborating with Lu Shuyun was the most appropriate option. Lu Shuyun had Master Realm experts by his side. If they escaped together, even if they were accidentally discovered by the Imperial soldiers, there would be powerful individuals to cover their retreat, greatly increasing their chances of leaving Sufeng City successfully. Before long, Chu Hongfei appeared in Lu Shuyun¡¯s room. Upon seeing Lu Shuyun, he immediately paid his respects, ¡°This humble one pays his respects to the Crown Prince!¡± Lu Shuyun, smiling, replied, ¡°Brother Chu, please get up. There¡¯s no need for such courtesy.¡± Seeing Lu Shuyun being so polite, Chu Hongfei felt encouraged, and then he asked, ¡°Crown Prince, may I know why you have summoned this humble one?¡± Lu Shuyun sighed and then said, ¡°The great families are all harboring their own schemes, which ultimately led to this war and our defeat. Although the Imperial Army has not yet breached Sufeng City, the city¡¯s fall is inevitable.¡± ¡°I recall receiving a letter from a family in Qi Country not long ago, saying that as long as I go to Qi Country, my Uncle would surely find a way to keep me safe. When my father the Emperor passes away, my Uncle would spare no expense to support my accession to the throne.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Hongfei¡¯s heart surged with excitement. From what Lu Shuyun implied, Lu Shuyun also planned to discreetly escape from Sufeng City, and moreover, head north? Did this mean they were kindred spirits? Chu Hongfei immediately said, ¡°Crown Prince, if there is anything you require, please tell this humble one. Should I be able to assist, I will not hesitate even if it costs me my life!¡± Lu Shuyun, still smiling, replied, ¡°Death is not necessary. I just want to know, having lived in Sufeng City for so many years, you must be very familiar with it and aware of some ways to leave the city.¡± ¡°If I manage to safely reach Qi Country, you will be the first to be credited. When I ascend to that position, I shall appoint you as a Duke!¡± Hearing the promise Lu Shuyun offered, Chu Hongfei¡¯s heartbeat accelerated. After pondering for a moment, he felt there was still hope for Lu Shuyun to turn things around. Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Chapter 271: Lu Shuyun Wants to Run Away_3 Chapter 443: Chapter 271: Lu Shuyun Wants to Run Away_3 Qi Country was not weak, and if the Qi Prince supported Lu Shuyun, and Lu Shuyun kept a low profile in Qi Country, when the Sum Emperor passed away, the Qi Prince might really be able to help Lu Shuyun ascend the throne. At that time, as the person who had saved Lu Shuyun¡¯s life, he would be sure to receive the title of a great contributor, and the position of a Duke was definitely within reach. Thinking this, Chu Hongfei immediately said, ¡°Your Highness, rest assured, I will definitely find a way to ensure your safe exit.¡± Hearing Chu Hongfei¡¯s response, Lu Shuyun said with a smile, ¡°Chu, do you know of a place where we can leave Sufeng City without anyone noticing?¡± Chu Hongfei said with a smile, ¡°But of course, if Your Highness is ready, we could leave Sufeng City tonight.¡± Lu Shuyun said, ¡°Very well, I will trouble you with this matter, Chu. We will leave Sufeng City under the cover of night.¡± At this point, Lu Shuyun suddenly thought of something and continued, ¡°One more thing, Chu, please don¡¯t tell anyone else from the Chu Family about this. If we have too many people, we will be a big target and easily reveal our whereabouts. Even if we escape Sufeng City, we could still be discovered by the Imperial soldiers.¡± Chu Hongfei laughed and said, ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t worry, I will bring just two or three attendants. I will tell no one else from the Chu Family.¡± Lu Shuyun said, ¡°Good, then please make preparations promptly. Come find me at the tavern tonight.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± As his voice fell, Chu Hongfei left the tavern with a happy expression. Watching Chu Hongfei¡¯s retreating back, a murderous intent flashed in Lu Shuyun¡¯s eyes. He planned to dispose of Chu Hongfei, the fool, once they were out of Sufeng City. By the time the Imperial Army broke through Sufeng City, and the Chu Family was destroyed, Chu Hongfei would naturally be of no use anymore. Lu Shuyun thought to himself, hoping tonight¡¯s action would go smoothly. If they were discovered, whether by the Aristocratic Families within the city or the Imperial soldiers outside, it would be very difficult for them to escape. It was best to succeed at the first attempt. Meanwhile. Outside Sufeng City. Just as the Imperial Army was about to scale the city walls, suddenly the Imperial soldiers on the walls were struck by an invisible force and flung away; then, the siege ladders of the Imperial forces were also destroyed. The next moment, three Grandmasters appeared atop the walls. Upon seeing this, the morale of Sufeng City¡¯s rebel soldiers soared. Their Grandmasters had finally taken action. With the help of Grandmasters, the Imperial Army, no matter how formidable, would not be able to breach the city. At that moment, the soldiers were still unaware that their leader, Lu Shuyun, was planning his escape. Seeing the three Grandmasters atop the city tower, the Imperial Great General Zhao Quan immediately said to his soldiers, ¡°Retreat!¡± As his voice fell, the sound of horns filled the air, and the Imperial Army promptly withdrew. Seeing the Imperial Army retreat, the soldiers of Sufeng City immediately cheered, believing that they had won, and that the Imperial forces were scared off by their side¡¯s Grandmasters. Little did they know, a sneer appeared on Zhao Quan¡¯s face after ordering the Imperial soldiers to pull back. They were not truly retreating; instead, the second phase of warfare was commencing. It was a war between Grandmasters, and the conflict between Grandmasters inevitably affected those nearby, which was why he immediately ordered the Imperial soldiers to pull back. While the soldiers of Sufeng City were indulging in their fantasies, three elderly men riding horses emerged slowly from the retreating Imperial Army. Upon seeing the three elders, the soldiers of Sufeng City immediately sensed that something was amiss. The Imperial Army had clearly retreated, so why would they send out three elders at this time? Could it be¡­ Were these three elders also Grandmasters? Before people could ponder further, the three elders rode their horses straight toward the city gates. Witnessing this scene, the three Grandmasters from the Aristocratic Family did not just stand by; they leaped down from the city wall. Following that, the second battle of Sufeng City began. It was evident that the three Grandmasters from the Imperial Army were stronger than those from the Aristocratic Family, who were beaten back step by step, a fact that the Aristocratic Family¡¯s Grandmasters could hardly believe. From where had the Sum Emperor found such powerful Grandmasters, capable of such strength? If they remembered correctly, when they themselves were Family Heads, the Grandmasters of the Great Sum royal family were once hunted by Celestials from the Heavenly Human Realm. By all accounts, the Great Sum royal family should no longer possess such strong Grandmasters. It was already quite an achievement for the State Preceptor Situ Ce to have broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, yet the royal family now had three more Grandmasters, and their strength was formidable. Could it be that these three Grandmasters were the ones from the royal family who had survived by chance, avoiding the pursuit of that Celestial? Despite their shock, such thoughts were useless now. Before long, one of the Aristocratic Family¡¯s Grandmasters was seriously injured, and the three had no choice but to retreat temporarily. After seeing the three Grandmasters of the South¡¯s Aristocratic Family withdraw, the Imperial Army¡¯s three Grandmasters also departed without joining the fray. The Imperial Army was not so desperate as to use Grandmasters against mere foot soldiers. Of course, another reason was that the three Grandmasters from the Imperial Army had also expended a great deal of their strength. If they used up all their power fighting the soldiers of Sufeng City, they would likely be no match for the three Grandmasters should they reappear. So typically, in wars between dynasties, it was Grandmaster against Grandmaster, and Grandmasters did not engage in battles beneath their level. This war was no exception. At that moment, General Luo Zhao Quan said, ¡°Charge again!¡± As his voice fell, the sound of the bugle rose once more, and the Imperial Army besieged the city again. However, by the end of the day, the Imperial Army had not managed to take Sufeng City; the defending rebels of Sufeng City were still very strong. After nightfall. In the inner courtyard of a tavern in Sufeng City, dozens of shadows gathered around a well. A man¡¯s voice asked, ¡°Can we leave Sufeng City through this well?¡± Another man replied, ¡°Yes, this well leads to the seaside. If we go through this well, we can reach the sea directly.¡± The man said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not waste any more time. Chu, please lead the way.¡± Chu Hongfei replied with a smile, ¡°Certainly. I will take the Crown Prince out of Sufeng City.¡± With those words, Chu Hongfei grasped the rope and slowly descended into the well, followed by Lu Shuyun and the others at the rim. Chapter 444 - Chapter 444: Chapter 272: Three Hundred Years Old Ah!_1 Chapter 444: Chapter 272: Three Hundred Years Old Ah!_1 Chu Hongfei, with Lu Shuyun and several dozen followers, walked for over two hours before they finally reached the mouth of the cave. As they were about to reach the exit, they heard the whooshing sound of the sea at the entrance of the cave. Lu Shuyun¡¯s heart leaped with joy, as he hadn¡¯t expected Chu Hongfei to actually lead them to escape. It was great, as long as he could get to Qi Country, he¡¯d have a chance for a comeback. Before long, they had left the cave, and by the time they emerged from the underground, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Looking at the vast ocean before him, Lu Shuyun¡¯s ambition reignited in his heart. At that moment, Chu Hongfei spoke up, ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince, we should hurry on our way. We are not far from Sufeng City, and if the Imperial Army realizes you have escaped, they might send someone to look for us here.¡± After hearing Chu Hongfei¡¯s voice, Lu Shuyun snapped back to reality and immediately signalled to a master at his side with a glance. Now that they had escaped, Chu Hongfei was no longer of use. The master understood Lu Shuyun¡¯s intent instantly, drew his sword, and thrust it through Chu Hongfei¡¯s chest. Chu Hongfei suddenly felt a chill on his back, followed by waves of intense pain. He spat out a mouthful of blood, then looked down in disbelief at the sword blade sticking out of his chest. Soon after, he glared at Lu Shuyun with eyes full of unwillingness and said, ¡°Your Highness¡­ you¡­¡± Before Chu Hongfei could finish his sentence, the Grandmaster protecting Lu Shuyun kicked him off the cliff and into the sea. Having dealt with Chu Hongfei, Lu Shuyun was also preparing to leave when suddenly a man¡¯s voice came from behind him, ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince, Chu Hongfei, after all, helped us escape. Is it really appropriate to kill him like this?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this a bit too ungrateful?¡± ¡°If Your Highness treats your own subordinates like this, always biting the hand that feeds, who will dare to follow Your Highness in the future?¡± Hearing this, Lu Shuyun was stunned for a moment. He hadn¡¯t expected anyone to speak to him this way. He immediately turned his head to see that his followers had surrounded someone. The person they had surrounded was none other than Liang Zong, who had always helped him amass wealth. Lu Shuyun thought that after he got to Qi Country, he would definitely need to accumulate some money to bribe court officials and couldn¡¯t rely solely on his Uncle, which is why he had brought Liang Zong along. But now, unexpectedly, Liang Zong, this slave, dared to speak to his master in such a manner. Lu Shuyun asked coldly, ¡°Liang Zong, do you know to whom you are speaking?¡± Hearing this, Liang Zong simply smiled and then said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking to a rebel leader now.¡± Seeing Liang Zong actually referring to himself as a rebel leader, Lu Shuyun was instantly enraged and declared, ¡°Since you¡¯re seeking death, then I shall grant it!¡± With that, Lu Shuyun said to a master nearby, ¡°Kill him!¡± In Lu Shuyun¡¯s eyes, Liang Zong was nothing more than an ordinary person skilled at making money, no different from squashing an ant. Upon hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s command, the Grandmaster at his side immediately took action, swinging his sword at Liang Zong¡¯s head. Just when everyone thought Liang Zong¡¯s head was about to fall, all of a sudden, Liang Zong pulled out a soft sword strapped to his waist and swiftly beheaded the master who had attacked him. Seeing the bloody scene unfold before him, Lu Shuyun was dumbfounded. His protector, a Grandmaster, was so easily killed. How could this be??? Lu Shuyun looked incredulously at Liang Zong, ¡°You¡­ you actually know martial arts!¡± Lu Shuyun had always thought Liang Zong was an ordinary person; he hadn¡¯t expected that Liang Zong could easily kill a master. To be able to strike so swiftly, so fast that even a master couldn¡¯t react, Liang Zong¡¯s strength must be at least at the Master Level or above. Fear instantly filled Lu Shuyun¡¯s heart. A ¡®normal¡¯ person by his side for so many years, now displaying Master Level strength¡ªwhat did that imply? It suggested that this person had always been lurking by his side for some purpose, and now that his rebellion had failed, and he only had a few dozen followers left, Liang Zong¡¯s sudden revelation of his strength meant that he was about to make a move against him. At this time, Liang Zong said with a smile, ¡°Crown Prince, I never said I couldn¡¯t perform martial arts, it¡¯s you who always assumed I couldn¡¯t.¡± Lu Shuyun involuntarily took a step back, ¡°You¡­ who exactly are you?¡± Liang Zong smiled and said, ¡°Someone to send off His Highness, the Crown Prince.¡± Hearing this, Lu Shuyun hurriedly said to his followers, ¡°Kill him! Kill him for me!¡± As soon as Lu Shuyun¡¯s command fell, the crowd took action. With a flick of Liang Zong¡¯s soft sword and a series of clanging sounds, his attackers were swiftly dealt with. Seeing this, Lu Shuyun knew his followers were no match for Liang Zong. He turned and ran, hoping to have his remaining followers delay Liang Zong for a while. Unfortunately, his followers did not buy Lu Shuyun much time. Before Lu Shuyun had gone far, Liang Zong had already killed all of his followers. Seeing Lu Shuyun running away, Liang Zong smiled faintly, kicked a stone with force, and it flew straight towards Lu Shuyun, knocking him to the ground. Chapter 445 - Chapter 445: Chapter 272: Three Hundred Years Old Ah!_2 Chapter 445: Chapter 272: Three Hundred Years Old Ah!_2 After collapsing, Lu Shuyun turned around and retreated nonstop. While retreating, he said, ¡°Whose person are you? If you come over to my side, once I go to Qi Country, I will surely have my Uncle grant you ten thousand taels of gold. If I ascend to the throne someday, I will make you a Duke!!!¡± Hearing Lu Shuyun¡¯s words, Liang Zong laughed and said, ¡°Crown Prince, I¡¯m not Chu Hongfei¡ªI won¡¯t be easily swayed by the grand promises you paint.¡± At this, Liang Zong was about to take action when Lu Shuyun quickly said, ¡°I am the Crown Prince! You can¡¯t kill me! Even if I have rebelled, I am still the Crown Prince appointed by the Sum Emperor. If you kill me, you won¡¯t meet a good end!¡± Liang Zong paid no attention to Lu Shuyun¡¯s words and brought his sword down in a swift arc. The flash of the sword passed, and Lu Shuyun¡¯s body slowly fell to the ground, though he still retained a sliver of consciousness. At that moment, Liang Zong said, ¡°Allow me a final introduction. I am Liang Zong, Commander of the Brocade Guard from North Country. Crown Prince, may you have a good journey ahead!¡± Lu Shuyun spat out blood, his body slowly collapsing as he uttered a faint voice, ¡°You¡­ you are¡­ Lu Chen¡¯s man¡­¡± After his last words, Lu Shuyun lost consciousness completely, and Liang Zong wasted no more time and departed. With Lu Shuyun dead, his infiltration mission also came to an end. It was time to report back to the North Prince in North Country. Ever since the North Prince had started using the Brocade Guard, he hadn¡¯t reported in person to the North Prince even once, not a sign of commendable servitude. After Lu Shuyun fled, the major Aristocratic Families in Sufeng City quickly realized that Lu Shuyun had vanished, but no matter how they searched, they couldn¡¯t find him. Two days later, the Imperial Army breached Sufeng City. The Grandmasters of the South clashed with the Imperial Grandmasters once again. In the end, the Grandmasters of the South were completely annihilated, and three of the Imperial Grandmasters were seriously injured. Some Aristocratic Family members took this opportunity to rush out of Sufeng City with their relatives. Although the Imperial Army attempted to block the city gates, the foundations of the Aristocratic Families were still strong, and they had a considerable number of capable people, including numerous Grandmasters, so many of them did manage to escape. Of course, Zhao Quan also sent Imperial soldiers to chase down those fleeing Aristocratic Family members immediately. Though they killed quite a number who had fled, some still slipped through the net. However, that was no longer important. Most of the elite of the Sufeng City Aristocratic Families were beheaded, executed on the spot, and all their wealth was confiscated. Without land or money, those that fled could no longer stir up any waves in the future. Zhao Quan had wanted to capture Lu Shuyun and bring him back for the Sum Emperor¡¯s personal judgment. Upon hearing that Lu Shuyun had escaped two days before the capture of the city, he had to send people to search for Lu Shuyun again. They did find him, but it was only a corpse. With no other choice, he ordered the body to be properly laid out and transported back to the Capital city. Thus, the disturbance in the South came to a close. Not long after, the Sum Emperor received news that Lu Shuyun had taken his own life by the seaside. He wasn¡¯t particularly pleased, not because he felt any guilt toward Lu Shuyun¡¯s death. Lu Shuyun was merely one of his children; to him, if one died, then they died. He could not be pleased because the movements in the north were becoming increasingly frequent. The soldiers from North Country were very aggressive, even provoking the Imperial Army stationed at the border of Qi Country. Clearly, North Country wished to provoke the Imperial Court into starting a war, then find an excuse to strike back. Fortunately, he had issued a strict order to the Imperial Army at the Qi Country border: no matter what, as long as the North Country soldiers didn¡¯t attack Qi Country, they were not to attack the soldiers from North Country. Recently, the Sum Emperor had also received a report from the Shadow Guard about whether Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Celestial Realm. While there was no direct evidence that Zhuge Zhongguang had reached the Celestial Realm, as they had never seen him in action, the beam of golden light that shot straight into the sky from the North Prince Mansion and the swirling clouds that appeared overhead had been witnessed by every resident of Yan County. This phenomenon clearly wasn¡¯t something a Grandmaster could produce, so it was very likely that Zhuge Zhongguang had indeed broken through to the Celestial Realm. Coupled with the intentional provocations by North Country soldiers at the Qi Country border, it further confirmed the speculation. The Sum Emperor grew more and more worried. He soon transferred the elite soldiers of the Imperial Court from the South to the north, preparing for the event that North Country would indeed rebel. Meanwhile. In the North Land. In Great Yu City. After a long journey, Lu Chen and his group finally arrived at Great Yu City. The common folk of Great Yu City had been informed in advance of Lu Chen¡¯s arrival and had decorated their homes with lanterns and streamers as soon as they heard their King was coming. The citizens of Great Yu City, along with the City Lord, personally came to the city gates to welcome Lu Chen¡¯s procession. When Lu Chen reached the gates of Great Yu City, he came out directly from the carriage. After all, to meet his subjects, he couldn¡¯t stay inside the carriage. Riding his horse, Lu Chen slowly made his way through the entrance road, with crowds of people lining both sides, all very excited. When Lu Chen reached the city gates, he saw an old man standing there, waiting respectfully. Lu Chen then dismounted from his horse, and at that moment, the old man knelt down. ¡°Your servant, Xuanyuan Chaoge, pays respects to the King!¡± As Xuanyuan Chaoge knelt, the common folk lining the road also knelt down, saying, ¡°We pay respects to the King! May the King live for thousands of years!¡± Chapter 446 - Chapter 446: Chapter 272: Three Hundred Years Old Ah!_3 Chapter 446: Chapter 272: Three Hundred Years Old Ah!_3 Hearing the name Xuanyuan Chaoge, Lu Chen paused for a moment, then used the system to identify him, and discovered that the City Lord of Great Yu City was indeed called Xuanyuan Chaoge. Chaoge, this name¡­ Lu Chen thought to himself that it must be a coincidence, and then he didn¡¯t dwell on it any longer. He glanced at Xuanyuan Yunqi, who was standing next to Xuanyuan Chaoge. Xuanyuan Yunqi was dressed, just as she had been the last time she went to Yan County, in black and gold armor, with her hair tied up in a high ponytail, revealing her pale forehead, both beautiful and imparting a sense of heroic spirit. However, it seemed that her Favorability toward him had risen considerably. [Name: Xuanyuan Yunqi] [Identity: Daughter of Xuanyuan Chaoge, the Family Head of the Xuanyuan Family in Great Yu City, 23 years old this year, sister of Xuanyuan Chen, at the Master Realm. She heard you were coming to Great Yu City and went out to welcome you with her father.] [Rating: 98] [Loyalty: 100] [Favorability: 60] The Favorability had increased, but why only by this much? Lu Chen thought to himself, if his memory served him right, when Xuanyuan Yunqi saw him last time in Yan County, her Favorability was at 50, right? That¡¯s only a 10-point increase. Am I, the North Prince, really doing so poorly that even virtual characters summoned by the system have only this much Favorability toward me? Without dwelling on it any further, Lu Chen promptly walked up to Xuanyuan Chaoge, then took hold of his arms to help him up, saying, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, please rise!¡± Continuing, Lu Chen also addressed the surrounding commoners, ¡°Everyone, please stand.¡± Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chaoge was the first to say, ¡°Thank the Great King!¡± Then the commoners around them also followed, saying, ¡°Thank the Great King!¡± Straight after, Xuanyuan Chaoge rose from the ground, and with a touch of excitement, he said, ¡°Great King, you have finally arrived!¡± Lu Chen could tell that Xuanyuan Chaoge was truly excited about his arrival; Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s body trembled with excitement, and even his eyes brimmed with tears, as if he had waited for this day for countless years. Lu Chen saw the signs of age etched onto Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s face. Again, almost subconsciously, Lu Chen used the system to check Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s personal details. [Name: Xuanyuan Chaoge] [Identity: City Lord of Great Yu City, 300 years old this year, he is very happy about your arrival.] [Strength: Grandmaster] [Loyalty: 100] Lu Chen was a bit stunned, a whole 300 years old! Wait a minute, if he¡¯s 300 years old, why is his daughter Xuanyuan Yunqi only in her twenties? And his son Xuanyuan Chen is just a few decades old. Children born in his old age? Isn¡¯t that way too old? Having children after over two hundred years? That moment, Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, you just let this king stand here; won¡¯t you show me around your city?¡± Snapping back to reality, Xuanyuan Chaoge hurriedly replied, ¡°Please mount your horse, Great King, your servant will lead it for you.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No need, I¡¯d rather walk; it¡¯s good for the health to walk more.¡± He then handed the horse¡¯s reins to a soldier at his side. ¡°Let¡¯s get going,¡± Lu Chen said. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s insistence on walking, Xuanyuan Chaoge didn¡¯t say anything further. He then led Lu Chen into Great Yu City. Upon entering Great Yu City, Lu Chen could immediately sense the city¡¯s opulence and order. The streets of Great Yu City were very clean, although this didn¡¯t discount the possibility that they had been swept again because of his planned visit. As Lu Chen walked through the city after entering, he noticed that the integrity of the buildings in Great Yu City was far superior to those in Yan County. Yan County still had earthen houses, with some of the commoners¡¯ homes pitted and uneven, but it was different in Great Yu City. The homes there were all built from stone and wood, and the houses along the streets were in neat rows, looking orderly, unlike the chaotic layout of Old Yan County. Just by the architecture of Great Yu City, one could glean that the lives of the common people there were much better than those in Old Yan County. Great Yu City was further to the north, with longer winters that were also colder, yet the days of its commoners seemed even better than those in Yan County, enough to show how strong the leadership of City Lord Xuanyuan Chaoge must be. At this time, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, may I ask your age this year?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge answered, ¡°In response to the Great King, I am exactly 300 years old this year.¡± Lu Chen exclaimed, ¡°300 years old! You have worked hard these years.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge answered, ¡°For the Great King, it is not hard work.¡± Afterward, Xuanyuan Chaoge took Lu Chen around Great Yu City for inspections. Come evening, Xuanyuan Chaoge arranged for Lu Chen to stay in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, even giving him the largest hall for his residence. Looking at the magnificent hall in front of him, Lu Chen thought to himself that the specifications of this hall were rather high. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao, after having bathed, came to Lu Chen¡¯s side wearing a cyan, semi-transparent cicada-wing robe. She sat down next to Lu Chen, leaning into his embrace. Instead of immediately getting handsy with her or being affectionate, he glanced around the hall, then his gaze fell upon the maids of the hall. He directly asked, ¡°Does anyone usually live in this hall?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, the maid of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion immediately replied, ¡°In response to the Great King, this hall has been specially prepared for you. Normally, no one resides here.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback, prepared for him? Lu Chen then continued asking, ¡°Your City Lord is already 300 years old, how come his son and daughter are only a few decades old? Do you know the reason?¡± The maid answered, ¡°In response to the Great King, the City Lord actually has many children. However, most of them have only average Martial Arts Talent and thus a lifespan of only several decades at best, so the majority have already passed away.¡± ¡°The City Lord feared that he might not live to see your arrival. Therefore, he continuously tried to have more children and finally, in his two hundreds, Madam Mo bore him a son of an extremely high Martial Arts Talent, the young master Chen. Later, Madam Mo gave birth to Yunqi, and Miss Yunqi also possesses an exceptional Martial Arts Talent.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thought for a moment. He had not expected that the characters the system arranged for him were already waiting for his emergence long ago. The Dongfang Family was like this, the Wei Family was like this, the Qian Family was also like this, and the Xuanyuan Family was even more so. 300 years old¡­ Xuanyuan Chaoge had been waiting since birth, no wonder he was so excited to see him today. Chapter 447 - Chapter 447: Chapter 273: The Ashamed Xuanyuan Yunqi_1 Chapter 447: Chapter 273: The Ashamed Xuanyuan Yunqi_1 Lu Chen hugged Xiao Wenyao and asked the maidservants of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion many questions about Xuanyuan Chaoge and Great Yu City. Seeing how much Lu Chen cared about the matters of Great Yu City and his exceptionally serious demeanor, Xiao Wenyao obediently sat in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace without moving a muscle, feeling the hard seat becoming somewhat uncomfortable. Through Lu Chen¡¯s inquiries, he had come to understand the situation in Great Yu City quite thoroughly; it had developed even better than he had anticipated. Initially, he had thought that Great Yu City was merely wealthier than Yan County, but as he came to understand, he found that the lives of the common people in Great Yu City far surpassed those in the Great Xia Capital city, thus it was no wonder that these commoners had no desire to go to Yan County. However, on another note, Great Yu City really provided a suitable environment for industrial development. Firstly, craftsmen were abundant, and Xuanyuan Chaoge encouraged the common people to be hands-on, unlike other places in the Great Xia Dynasty that still had divisions among scholars, farmers, artisans, and traders. Some of the officials in Great Yu City were of craftsman origin, so the status of craftsmen in Great Yu City was relatively high, without the strict divisions of scholars, farmers, artisans, and traders. Lu Chen now felt that sending Mo Xing back to Great Yu City to construct steam engines and trains had been an utterly correct decision. To develop industry in Great Yu City one would benefit from a relatively stable environment, where numerous craftsmen were present, and importantly, these craftsmen¡¯s acceptance of new things far exceeded that of the common folk of Great Xia. While Lu Chen was lost in such thoughts, suddenly he felt the delicate beauty in his arms squirming. Lu Chen came back to his senses and asked at Xiao Wenyao¡¯s ear, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s face flushed with heat as she whispered back, ¡°Prince, your servant¡­ your servant feels somewhat uncomfortable.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately realized and said with a smile, ¡°I apologize, I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I will make it up to you right now.¡± With that said, Lu Chen directly hugged Xiao Wenyao¡¯s delicate body and placed her on the large bed before gently pressing down upon her. The next morning, bright and early. After getting up, Lu Chen enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast. The arrangements Xuanyuan Chaoge made for him were of the highest standard, whether it was the food, the amenities, or the accommodations. It must be said that the systems in place were truly loyal. After breakfast, Lu Chen planned to visit the northern cattle ranch of Great Yu City. A significant reason for the city¡¯s high standard of living was because Great Yu City had long engaged in large-scale ranching. Though the common people of Great Yu City couldn¡¯t have meat in every meal, they at least ate more meat annually than the commoners in average cities. At that moment, Lu Chen said to Xuanyuan Chaoge, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, you have official duties to attend to, so there¡¯s no need to accompany this Prince today.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately thought of the look Lu Chen gave Xuanyuan Yunqi the day before, and promptly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty, since it¡¯s your first visit to Great Yu City and you are not yet familiar with it, how about I have my daughter show you around?¡± At this, Xuanyuan Chaoge turned to a servant at his side and instructed, ¡°Go call Yunqi and have her show the way for the Prince.¡± Seeing how understanding Xuanyuan Chaoge was, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble Yunqi.¡± Hearing Lu Chen call Xuanyuan Yunqi as ¡°Yunqi,¡± so intimately, Xuanyuan Chaoge knew there was a chance. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that his daughter, born when he was more than two hundred years old, could potentially catch the eye of the future Human Emperor. It seemed destiny itself wished for the revival of the Xuanyuan Family! A moment later. City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s boudoir. As Xuanyuan Yunqi donned her black and gold armor and picked up her Red Tassel Spear, preparing to head to the military camp outside the city, a maid hurried to her side. ¡°Miss, the master has instructed that you accompany the Prince around today.¡± Hearing this, Xuanyuan Yunqi was taken aback. Frankly, she did not have a particularly good impression of Lu Chen. Upon learning of the appearance of the Human Emperor, she had used various channels to inquire about Lu Chen, only to discover that their future Human Emperor was quite the philanderer, with a harem full of women. While it was normal for a man to have multiple wives and concubines, even her father had more than one wife. But her father¡¯s motivation to have children was not solely driven by lust. He was just worried about leaving no successor until the coming of the Human Emperor, which was why he desired a child with exceptional Martial Arts Talent to take up the mantle. Moreover, her father didn¡¯t marry many women at once; he only took another wife after the passing of the previous one. This North Prince, on the other hand, was different. According to letters sent back by her brother, the North Prince¡¯s harem already contained many beautiful women, and he had fathered six children. In her view, this future Human Emperor was simply fond of beauty. Of course, even though she knew of the Human Emperor¡¯s proclivity for beauty, she didn¡¯t harbor too much contempt for him. After all, he was the future Human Emperor, the one her father and his predecessors had awaited for centuries. The Xuanyuan Family¡¯s mission was to assist the Human Emperor in achieving great feats. Moreover, Xuanyuan Yunqi also saw that despite Lu Chen¡¯s fondness for the opposite sex, always having beautiful wives and concubines by his side and unable to live without women, he was still quite kind to the people of North Country. It was also indeed possible that the North Prince had managed to annihilate two powerful Barbarian Tribe clans in North Land and even defeat the Tianqi King, a Grandmaster. Chapter 448 - Chapter 448: Chapter 273: The Ashamed Xuanyuan Yunqi_2 Chapter 448: Chapter 273: The Ashamed Xuanyuan Yunqi_2 She too admired the strong, and so her opinion of Lu Chen had improved slightly, though it was just that¡ªslightly. Regarding the Human Emperor¡¯s lustfulness, she still felt this should be corrected. After all, the Human Emperor is the Human Emperor, who should prioritize the grand affair of ruling the world. How can he devote all his energies to women? How can a martial artist who does not abstain from sensual pleasures continue to practice martial arts? Even though she had sensed yesterday that Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, she still held on to her view. In her eyes, the Human Emperor was a sacred leader, the lord of the world. A leader must behave like a leader and must pay attention to their conduct. She did not believe that Lu Chen must have only one wife, but she did think that there were simply too many women around Lu Chen. Xuanyuan Yunqi wasn¡¯t a fool. When she heard that her father wanted her to guide the North Prince, she vaguely sensed that her father was trying to ¡®sell¡¯ her. She also had an elder brother, who logically should be the guide if one were needed. Yet, it was she, a daughter, who was tasked with guiding the North Prince. Her father¡¯s intentions did not need to be guessed. Xuanyuan Yunqi sighed softly, then said to the maid who came to call her, ¡°Lead the way.¡± Soon after, the maid brought Xuanyuan Yunqi to Lu Chen. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Xuanyuan Yunqi promptly paid her respects, saying, ¡°Your subordinate greets Your Majesty!¡± Upon seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi dressed in black-and-gold armor, Xuanyuan Chaoge was startled, and then he quickly said, ¡°Yunqi, delegate your military duties to your elder brother for now. You don¡¯t need to be on duty today; go change your clothes first.¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi glanced at Lu Chen and said with neither servility nor arrogance, ¡°Father, I am responsible for His Majesty¡¯s safety, given that I am guiding him. I must protect His Majesty; how could I possibly remove my armor?¡± This¡­ Xuanyuan Chaoge was somewhat frustrated; he didn¡¯t believe his daughter couldn¡¯t sense that Lu Chen had already become a Grandmaster. Their monarch was already a Grandmaster¡ªthere was no need for a martial artist of lesser rank to protect him. Moreover, the citizens of Great Yu City were His Majesty¡¯s subjects; who would harbor ill will against him? Besides, this place was so remote that ordinary enemies couldn¡¯t find it. Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s excuse was clearly just that¡ªan excuse. Xuanyuan Chaoge was somewhat worried. Through Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s words, he could tell that his daughter seemed not to be very interested in their monarch. This wouldn¡¯t do at all¡ªhe was counting on Xuanyuan Yunqi being able to marry Lu Chen and bear him children. Xuanyuan Chaoge was about to continue speaking when Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, Yunqi makes a good point. Let her wear the armor. Moreover, I find that this armor suits Yunqi extremely well. It makes her look valiant and impressive. Perhaps changing into another attire wouldn¡¯t give her the same presence.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Yunqi was startled internally, but she quickly recovered and respectfully responded, ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen smiled lightly, ¡°Alright, now that Yunqi is here as well, let us set off.¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Following that, Xuanyuan Yunqi led Lu Chen and the others towards the pastures of Great Yu City. Along the way, Xuanyuan Yunqi and Lu Chen did not interact much. Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s face was expressionless, and she appeared meticulous, seemingly alert to every sign of movement around her, as if she really was protecting Lu Chen. Lu Chen glanced at her a few times and then looked at her Favorability towards him¡ªFavorability 63, an increase of 3 points since yesterday. At that moment, while riding his horse, Lu Chen asked, ¡°General Xuanyuan, did your father teach you all your martial skills?¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi was briefly taken aback when she heard Lu Chen call her General Xuanyuan. Her favorability towards him rose again. After recovering, she immediately answered, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, asked, ¡°May I ask General Xuanyuan a rather personal question, if that is alright?¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi responded, ¡°Please do, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Does General Xuanyuan wish to stay in Great Yu City for a lifetime, protect Great Yu City, and then find a good family to marry when the time comes, or does she want to take her Red Tassel Spear, charge through the battlefield, accomplish great feats, and become a respected female general admired by thousands?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s mind went blank. She had not anticipated such a question from Lu Chen. At this moment, she involuntarily pictured a battlefield crowded with warriors, filled with the unceasing din of battle, where she rode a war horse, charging into the fray. Indeed, her dream was to become a Great General revered by thousands. However, she also knew this was nearly impossible. She had inquired about the outside world: not just in Great Sum, but in all the great dynasties, the society valued men over women, and the military was almost devoid of women. Forget the external situation, even Great Yu City was much the same. If her father were not the City Lord of Great Yu, she might not even be able to join the city¡¯s army, let alone command one of its military units. Seeing that Xuanyuan Yunqi had not answered for a while, Lu Chen continued, ¡°General Xuanyuan, have you thought it through?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Yunqi came back to her senses, she immediately said, ¡°To your question, Your Majesty, your subordinate wishes to become a Great General!¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s answer, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. He glanced again at Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s Favorability¡ªher Favorability had jumped to seventy-five. Chapter 449 - Chapter 449: Chapter 273: The Ashamed Xuanyuan Yunqi_3 Chapter 449: Chapter 273: The Ashamed Xuanyuan Yunqi_3 Lu Chen then said, ¡°I can offer you a chance to become a Great General, but you must accompany me to Yan County. Are you willing?¡± This¡­ Xuanyuan Yunqi suddenly felt something was amiss. Why did it feel like the North Prince was trying to lure her to Yan County to make her his woman? Despite her concerns, she also thought that without the North Prince¡¯s offer, there would be no possibility of her becoming a Great General. If she didn¡¯t seize this opportunity, there might never be another chance. With this in mind, Xuanyuan Yunqi then said, ¡°Your Highness, I am willing to follow you!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Good! Starting today, General Xuanyuan will stay by my side!¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi was bewildered. Staying by his side was not the same as becoming a Great General. How could she lead troops in battle if she was by the North Prince¡¯s side? The North Prince was the future Human Emperor, a leader. Although he had led troops into battle before, as more generals gathered around Lu Chen, it was certain he would not lead the troops himself in the future. If she stayed by his side, she feared she might not even step onto the battlefield. Xuanyuan Yunqi was startled, realizing she had been duped! It wasn¡¯t about becoming a Great General at all; the North Prince clearly wanted to deceive her into going to Yan County! Xuanyuan Yunqi felt a bitterness in her heart, and she didn¡¯t dare to say more since Lu Chen was the future Human Emperor. Seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s troubled expression, Lu Chen knew what she was thinking and continued, ¡°General Xuanyuan, not just anyone can lead troops on the battlefield. Maybe you could barely manage ten thousand soldiers, but what about a hundred thousand, a million? Could you command an entire army then?¡± ¡°To become a true Great General, learning is indispensable. In Yan County, there are many Military Generals, and your brother is there too. We often discuss military matters together. If you stay by my side, you could learn many military strategies and knowledge that you don¡¯t yet know. This will greatly assist you in becoming a Great General in the future.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s mind went blank for a moment. She had actually suspected that the North Prince was deceiving her. How could she doubt the future Human Emperor? Although the North Prince was indeed a bit lecherous, after all, he was the future Human Emperor, their sovereign, whose word was bond. Anything he promised to do would be done; how could he possibly deceive her? Xuanyuan Yunqi then said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for giving me this opportunity!¡± Lu Chen smiled and once again glanced at Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s Favorability, which had risen to eighty. There¡¯s hope. Someday he would make Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s Favorability reach one hundred without relying on the Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Of course, he intended to keep the promises he had made. Since Xuanyuan Yunqi wanted to be a female general, he would give her that chance. In Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, Xuanyuan Yunqi was a woman who looked even more beautiful dressed in armor. Each woman had her own uniqueness, and Lu Chen had no intention of erasing their individual traits. If all women became the same, only beautiful without any distinctiveness, what would be the difference between them and inflatable dolls? Afterward, Xuanyuan Yunqi first took Lu Chen and his entourage to the livestock farm and then to Great Yu City¡¯s largest workshop, the Mohist Workshop. The rest of the day, Lu Chen spent at the Mohist Workshop, discussing the construction of steam engines and trains with the craftsmen, from the materials to the principles of the steam engine, and then on to which industries the steam engine could be applied. When the city¡¯s craftsmen heard that their sovereign had gone to the Mohist Workshop, they trickled in one after another to see what was happening, and soon the workshop was surrounded inside and out by curious onlookers. Lu Chen¡¯s discussions with the craftsmen at the Mohist Workshop opened the door to a new world for them and showed the citizens of Great Yu City the esteem he held for craftsmen, thereby laying the ideological foundation for the future industrial development. Seeing Lu Chen discuss a certain machine with the craftsmen, looking very approachable, Xuanyuan Yunqi suddenly felt incredibly ashamed. She suddenly thought, maybe it was fine for the future Human Emperor to be a bit lecherous, as he was very amiable towards the common people and took good care of his subjects. If the Human Emperor liked beauties and had more children with his concubines, and if the royal family flourished, perhaps it would have a positive effect on stabilizing the entire world. In the evening, when Lu Chen and the group returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he was surprised to find that Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s Favorability had reached ninety. He didn¡¯t expect that just by having Xuanyuan Yunqi accompany him for one day, her Favorability nearly maxed out. However, it was a pity that there were still ten points short of one hundred. Moreover, Xuanyuan Yunqi was a special case; even if her Favorability reached one hundred, he couldn¡¯t let her have children right away. He had promised to make her a general, and if he let her get pregnant too quickly, he would be going back on his word. On this matter, Lu Chen had no intention of breaking his promise. When Lu Chen and his group arrived at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, Lord Xuanyuan was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing Lu Chen¡¯s return, Lord Xuanyuan immediately approached, saying, ¡°Your Highness, I apologize for any trouble my daughter may have caused you.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, replied, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan jests. General Xuanyuan has been diligent and responsible; she hasn¡¯t troubled me at all.¡± ¡°By the way, Lord Xuanyuan, General Xuanyuan and I have agreed that from now on, she will follow me. When I return to Yan County, she will also accompany me.¡± Upon hearing this, Lord Xuanyuan was first taken aback, then overjoyed inside, and immediately said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for valuing my daughter so highly!¡± What Lord Xuanyuan had in mind was for Lu Chen to marry Xuanyuan Yunqi. He had been worried about Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s attitude towards Lu Chen, fearing she might resist. To his surprise, after just one outing, the matter seemed settled. Truly worthy of being the Son of Destiny, the Human Emperor ¨C no woman could resist his charm. Seeing her father so excited, Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s lips twitched slightly; she instantly deciphered her father¡¯s thoughts. But she was accompanying the North Prince down south to become a Great General, not to start a family with him. This was likely to disappoint her father. Chapter 450 - Chapter 450: Chapter 274: When Can This Palace Return to My Hometown..._1 Chapter 450: Chapter 274: When Can This Palace Return to My Hometown¡­_1 Great Wu Dynasty. Green Cloud Palace. Wu Junwan, dressed in a red palace attire, reclined on a couch, and as the years passed, her temperament became increasingly dignified and luxurious. At this moment, as Wu Junwan looked at the red phoenix robe she was wearing, the image of the Yue Emperor¡¯s phoenix robe appeared in her mind. Just the thought of draping that phoenix robe over herself made her feel utterly contented. Unfortunately, she couldn¡¯t wear such a phoenix robe yet. At least, she had no opportunity to wear one for fifty years. Just then, a maid entered the grand hall, ¡°Princess Junwan, Mr. Chai requests an audience!¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t rise from her couch. She said lazily, ¡°Let him in.¡± After a while, the maid brought Chai Jiliang into the Green Cloud Palace. Upon entering, Chai Jiliang instantly felt that the Green Cloud Palace had changed greatly from before. Red curtains had been added to the hall, allowing only faint glimpses of the figures within. The Green Cloud Palace used to be without curtains, and he could directly see Wu Junwan whenever he came. Chai Jiliang was somewhat puzzled. Why had Wu Junwan changed the Green Cloud Palace to look like this? What was the meaning of such a change? Naturally, Chai Jiliang didn¡¯t understand the reason behind Wu Junwan¡¯s doings, but if there was an official from the Da Yue Dynasty present in the Green Cloud Palace, they would surely realize that the current arrangement of the palace was modeled after the Yue Emperor¡¯s sleeping quarters. Then, Wu Junwan¡¯s languid voice came from behind the curtains, ¡°Mr. Chai, we haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time. I am quite curious why Mr. Chai is in such a hurry for me to return to the capital.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe Mr. Chai is unable to see that my Imperial Father intends to balance the court.¡± Chai Jiliang said, ¡°Princess Junwan, I naturally understand His Majesty¡¯s thoughts, but the North Country is key to dividing Great Sum. So even if this may trigger His Majesty¡¯s displeasure, I believe we cannot allow others to claim this achievement.¡± ¡°His Majesty has always been focused on expansion. Once Great Sum falls into internal strife, it will present an opportunity for Great Wu to expand further. His Majesty will not let this chance slip by, and at that time, the territory of Great Wu will increase once more.¡± ¡°The Princess must be well aware that in Great Wu, princes who achieve great military success in expanding the territory eventually become strong contenders for the throne.¡± ¡°You, being a woman, have to acknowledge that there has never been a precedent for a woman to ascend to the supreme position in Great Wu. If you desire that position, you must indeed accrue far more achievements than the average prince. If you allow others to take credit for such important accomplishments, do you believe you still have a hope of reaching that position?¡± ¡°Furthermore, Zhuge Zhongguang has already broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Although the news is not yet confirmed, considering intelligence from various sources, it is very likely to be true.¡± ¡°With the ambition of the North Prince, he probably doesn¡¯t want to remain in the impoverished corner of the North Country. The North Country might wage war against Great Sum at any time, meaning, whoever convinces the North Country to attack Great Sum and contributes to its division will have the credit fall onto their shoulders. This is an achievement that can be quickly realized. Don¡¯t you intend to seize this opportunity?¡± Upon hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan was taken aback, her brows furrowed momentarily. She suddenly felt that Chai Jiliang made a lot of sense. Indeed, though it wasn¡¯t yet confirmed if Zhuge Zhongguang truly had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm, the recent provocations by the North Country¡¯s army of a hundred thousand at the border of Qi Country suggested that the North Country was prepared for war with Great Sum. The confidence of the North Country indicated that they might truly have a Celestial warrior, giving the North Prince the audacity to act in such a manner. The behavior of the North Prince also showed that he was probably no longer satisfied with his current position and coveted the throne of the Sum Emperor, hence his scheming to instigate war. If at this time an envoy from Great Wu was sent to the North Country, able to incite the Sum Emperor or persuade the North Country to directly attack Great Sum, then the division of Great Sum would be at hand. Once Great Sum divided, such tremendous credit would immediately fall upon the envoy of Great Wu sent to the North Country, a reward that could be reaped in the short term. Indeed, she shouldn¡¯t just cede it to her brothers. With this in mind, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Mr. Chai speaks of it lightly, but I don¡¯t believe my Imperial Father would assign me the task of an envoy to the North Country.¡± Chai Jiliang spoke indifferently, ¡°Please rest assured, Princess. I will find a way to persuade His Majesty to let you take on the mission to the North Country.¡± Wu Junwan had recently quelled the southeastern rebellion in Great Wu. It was clear to any discerning observer that though she was a woman, the Martial Emperor regarded her highly; therefore, Chai Jiliang could use this fact as leverage. To be an envoy to the North Country, one must show sincerity, naturally by sending someone of significant standing. Nowadays, the Emperor¡¯s sons lacked luster and were of no use at all. They had failed to quell the southeastern rebellion even with the court¡¯s elite forces. Sending such people as envoys to the North Country would be an insult. Wu Junwan was different. She had easily resolved the southeastern rebellion with the army, and as the Martial Emperor¡¯s long-established Princess Junwan, her importance was evident. Since she received such attention and was such a significant figure in Great Wu, naturally, the responsibility of being an envoy to the North Country should be hers. Only in this way could they show the North Country that Great Wu was serious about establishing amicable relations. Chapter 451 - Chapter 451: Chapter 274: When Can This Palace Return to My Hometown..._2 Chapter 451: Chapter 274: When Can This Palace Return to My Hometown¡­_2 Of course, this was just the excuse Chai Jiliang had prepared to deal with the Martial Emperor. Chai Jiliang had also guessed what the Martial Emperor would eventually decide. It was highly likely that the Martial Emperor would agree to let Wu Junwan go on a diplomatic mission to the North Country, but he would also send a prince he valued to accompany her, attempting to share some of her merits and keep Wu Junwan in check. After all, Wu Junwan had just quelled the turmoil in the southeast and was currently in the limelight. If she were to destabilize Great Sum as well, such a great accomplishment falling into Wu Junwan¡¯s lap, she might just soar to the heavens. Seeing Chai Jiliang so confident, Wu Junwan lazily said, ¡°Then it¡¯s all up to Mr. Chai.¡± Chai Jiliang then said, ¡°If Your Highness has no other matters, your servant will take his leave first.¡± Wu Junwan responded, ¡°Very well, Mr. Chai. Go and attend to your own affairs.¡± ¡­ Northwestern lands. Ruins of the Barbarian Tribe royal court. A woman dressed in light gauze, shimmering in gold, stood atop the ancient city wall, gazing into the distance. Her figure was enchanting, her long jade legs faintly visible beneath the gauze and revealing her soft, fair waist that one could encircle with a hand. Unfortunately, her face was covered with a red veil, obscuring her unparalleled beauty. If Lu Chen were here, he would definitely feel that this woman exuded an exotic charm. At that moment, a robust man dressed in animal fur clothes approached the woman and handed her a fur scroll, ¡°Goddess, this is the intelligence we have just acquired!¡± The woman took the scroll from the man, unrolled it, glanced at its contents, and her brows instantly furrowed. ¡°Foolish creature, to act on your own without heeding my commands.¡± Her voice was cold yet carried a hint of allure. Although she sounded angry, her voice was strangely comforting to those who heard it. The robust man then said, ¡°The other tribes have also received news of the Tianqi King¡¯s death. They believe the Tianqi King was an important ally of ours, and we must avenge this grievance. If we do not, wouldn¡¯t it look like we are letting those two-legged sheep belittle us?¡± The woman replied indifferently, ¡°They don¡¯t even know how the Tianqi King was defeated, and they¡¯re rushing to their deaths so quickly. With brains like theirs, the Barbarian Tribe is bound to perish.¡± Hearing this, the man scratched the back of his head and then said, ¡°Goddess, I initially thought we should seek revenge too. After all, the Tianqi King was a branch of our royal lineage, and his death at the hands of the Great Sum people is a disgrace for our Barbarian Tribe royal court.¡± The woman spoke lightly, ¡°You still know of the royal court? The royal court has long been fractured. Which tribe doesn¡¯t have its own royal court now?¡± Hearing the woman¡¯s words, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s robust man said nothing more. The woman continued, ¡°First, send someone to infiltrate Great Jue, and then through Great Jue go to the North Country. Gather information on how the Tianqi King was defeated.¡± ¡°He was, after all, a Grandmaster, and he also had an army of four hundred thousand. He shouldn¡¯t have been defeated so thoroughly.¡± The Barbarian Tribe¡¯s robust man said, ¡°I understand. I will find a way to send someone to infiltrate Great Jue.¡± As the sound of his voice faded, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s robust man turned and left. The woman, looking at the red sunset in the sky and the geese flying in a ¡°human¡± formation, murmured to herself, ¡°When can I return to my homeland¡­¡± ¡­ After inspecting Great Yu City and arranging the construction of the steam engine and railway, Lu Chen returned to Yan County with Xuanyuan Yunqi. He had just returned to Yan County and hadn¡¯t even had the chance to take a bath when a maid came looking for him, ¡°Prince, Lady Wang is looking for you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. He had just arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and that bitch was already seeking him out? Did she really want to be dealt with that badly? Lu Chen inquired, ¡°Where is she now?¡± The maid replied, ¡°The study.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Tell her to wait for me in her room. I need to take a bath first.¡± ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± The maid then turned and left. Subsequently, Lu Chen returned to the main hall and instructed Mu Zixuan to prepare hot water. He then enjoyed a comfortable hot bath in the bathing pool. After finishing his bath, Lu Chen went to find Wang Qingci. The moment he pushed the door and entered the room, he found Wang Qingci half-reclining on the bed in a vulnerable state. Then Wang Qingci said in a coquettish tone, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve been ill recently. Could you please help me heal?¡± Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s provocative tone, Lu Chen did not indulge her. He entered the room, waved his hand, pressed her down on the bed, and treated her well. Thanks to Lu Chen¡¯s treatment, Wang Qingci soon recovered completely, and her body was as good as new. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen hugged Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body and asked, ¡°Now, tell me, what do you need?¡± ¡°I highly doubt you were so eager to come back to see me just for this.¡± Although Lu Chen knew that bitch Wang Qingci needed to be dealt with by him regularly to be comfortable, she most likely brought information each time she came to him. She wouldn¡¯t come to him without any intelligence. In Wang Qingci¡¯s view, if she didn¡¯t have any intelligence to offer, she wasn¡¯t worthy of sharing his bed, so she always had to bring back some intelligence. Underneath Lu Chen, Wang Qingci weakly extended her hand, searched beneath the pillow, and withdrew an envelope. Then, lifting her hand, she handed it over to Lu Chen behind her. Chapter 452 - Chapter 452: Chapter 274: When Can This Palace Return to My Hometown..._3 Chapter 452: Chapter 274: When Can This Palace Return to My Hometown¡­_3 Lu Chen received the envelope from Wang Qingci and opened it to see the contents. Upon seeing what was inside, Lu Chen chuckled to himself. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s laughter, Wang Qingci teased, ¡°Is the Prince delighted because he knows that the great beauty Wu Junwan is coming, and he can¡¯t help but laugh out loud?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°You little minx, you actually dare tease your master, it seems you haven¡¯t been disciplined enough by me?¡± Wang Qingci snorted with laughter, then responded, ¡°This humble one is already used to it, no matter how the Prince treats me, I am fearless.¡± Facing Wang Qingci¡¯s challenge, Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± ¡°Then until tomorrow evening, I will be in my room, having a heart-to-heart with Mr. Wang.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen used his spiritual energy to tear the intelligence report in his hand to shreds, then bent down again and continued his earnest conversation with Wang Qingci. Inside the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Lin Wanyun paced back and forth outside the main courtyard, seemingly anxious about something. Just then, Chu Yuqin came to the main courtyard looking for Mu Zixuan for some matter and saw Lin Wanyun walking back and forth at the entrance. Out of curiosity, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Lin, do you have something you wish to discuss with Chen¡¯er?¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, Lin Wanyun paused and then turned to look at Chu Yuqin, saying, ¡°Um, I¡¯m not sure if I should bring it up with him.¡± Chu Yuqin quickly caught on, almost guessing what it might be. The only thing that could make Lin Wanyun this concerned would probably have to do with Chen Wanrong. It was highly likely that something had happened to Chen Wanrong after she returned to the Mysterious Moon Palace. With that in mind, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Is it about Miss Chen?¡± Lin Wanyun nodded, her expression full of worry, but she said nothing. Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er is not in the main courtyard. I just heard some noise coming from that bitch Wang Qingci¡¯s room; he might be disciplining that female slave.¡± Lin Wanyun replied, ¡°I understand.¡± After that, Lin Wanyun turned and left the main courtyard, but instead of heading towards Wang Qingci¡¯s quarters, she went in the opposite direction, apparently deciding not to disclose Chen Wanrong¡¯s situation to Lu Chen for the time being. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t give it much thought and entered the main courtyard directly, seeking Mu Zixuan to inquire about prenatal care methods. The next morning. A jade hand lingered on the door of a room, only to be swiftly pulled back by another hand. Then, sounds of Wang Qingci repeatedly begging for mercy could be heard by Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao in the neighboring courtyard. At that time, Xiao Wenyao was having breakfast in Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. After taking a bite of a steamed bun and a sip of porridge, she said, ¡°It must be that Wang angered the Prince last night.¡± ¡°The Prince isn¡¯t usually so fierce.¡± This time Xiao Wenyao accompanied Lu Chen to Great Yu City, serving him every day. Although he had been harsher with her compared to Mu Zixuan and the others, he had never been so brutal as to make her cry out in despair. Wang Qingci was different; from last night¡¯s continuous wailing until this morning, even the people in the next courtyard could hear her. In Xiao Wenyao¡¯s opinion, this was clearly the Prince¡¯s anger showing, which was why he was being so fierce. Smiling faintly at Xiao Wenyao¡¯s remark, Yelv Nanyan then said, ¡°It¡¯s not about being provoked or not; this is simply the Prince¡¯s way of getting along with his sister Wang.¡± ¡°The Prince has a different way of getting along with each of his wives and concubines. He adopts an approach that matches our personalities.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it always like this when he visits sister Wang¡¯s room?¡± Xiao Wenyao considered it for a moment, then tossed the rest of the bun into her mouth, chewed it a few times, and said, ¡°That¡¯s true. Every time the Prince visits sister Wang¡¯s room, it¡¯s never a pleasant experience for her.¡± Just then, Wang Qingci¡¯s voice suddenly became loud, startling Xiao Wenyao. With a somewhat schadenfreude expression, Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Fortunately, the Prince is relatively gentle with me; he has never been that cruel to me.¡± ¡­ At dusk. The setting sun cast a glow. Reddish rays of twilight crept over the windowsill into the room, bathing the sweat-drenched skin of the occupants in a bronze hue. At this time, Lu Chen sat on the edge of the bed, turning to glance out the window, then looking at Wang Qingci sprawled on the bed before saying, ¡°I keep my word, is Mr. Wang satisfied with the Prince¡¯s punishment?¡± ¡°If Mr. Wang feels wronged, feel free to speak up, I would be happy to keep you company.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci hastily said, ¡°Master, you are the most formidable, your humble servant was ignorant and dared to challenge you, please have mercy on me¡­¡± Lu Chen snorted with amusement, patted her derriere, then got up to dress and promptly left the room. As Lu Chen stepped out of the room and looked at the evening sky, he thought to himself that it wasn¡¯t good to be so decadent on his first day back from Great Yu City. However, it was a pity; he had assumed that if he had more time, and Wang Qingci had no chance to expel the impurities from her body with her practice, he could have made her fall prey just as Chu Yuqin had last time. Unfortunately, his plan failed this time. It seemed he would have to wait for another opportunity to test on Yelv Nanyan, perhaps by dragging out the time longer, he might succeed. Lu Chen didn¡¯t dwell on it. He walked towards the grand hall, planning to go back for dinner. After being busy all day and night, he was also hungry. When he arrived at the grand hall, several of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were already seated at the dining table. Seeing Lu Chen arrive, they all gazed at him intently. Smiling, Lu Chen said, ¡°Why are you all staring at me like that? Is there something on my face?¡± As he spoke, he sat down, and then Chu Yuqin said quietly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, yesterday Lin came to the main courtyard looking for you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°Looking for me? What for?¡± Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°Judging by her troubled expression, it¡¯s most likely about Miss Chen.¡± At those words, the smile on Lu Chen¡¯s face instantly froze. He immediately got up and said, ¡°Go ahead and have dinner; don¡¯t wait for me.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen went straight to Yunrong Courtyard. Chapter 456 - Chapter 456: Chapter 276 Yun Xianxian_1 Chapter 456: Chapter 276 Yun Xianxian_1 Although Palace Master Yun Xianxian would always speak as if all men were alike, appearing to despise them, she had never forbidden romantic relationships between the male and female disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace, let alone prohibited their intimate relations. On one hand, she was well aware that humans have the seven emotions and six desires, and the Tao of Cultivation is the loneliest journey; repressing one¡¯s emotions and desires for a long time will inevitably lead to an accumulation of negative emotions, which can easily cause a cultivator to deviate during practice. On the other hand, of course, she told Chen Wanrong that she wanted to see if any disciple of the Mysterious Moon Palace could comprehend the Dual Cultivation Skill. As of now, not a single disciple had grasped the Dual Cultivation Skill, but certain disciples with Dao companions had noticeably faster cultivation speeds after obtaining Dao companions compared to those without, a phenomenon that Yun Xianxian had long noticed. Naturally, compared to some ascetic disciples, those with Dao companions found it hard to stand out significantly. For example, a woman she once brought up the mountain focused all her energy on cultivation; unlike Chen Wanrong, who was her direct disciple, she just gave the woman her Cultivation Technique and offered some guidance. Originally, she wasn¡¯t optimistic about the female disciple, yet she managed to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm in a short period of time. Of course, even though abstinence could accelerate cultivation speed and enable one to go farther, Yun Xianxian never considered forbidding the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace from seeking Dao companions. In her view, some people are simply not meant to travel far on this path. However, this did not include her two direct disciples, one being Chu Yue and the other Chen Wanrong. Yet, both of her direct disciples disregarded her words and insisted on finding men, which greatly annoyed her. After examining Chen Wanrong¡¯s body and confirming there was no Evil Yin Energy within her, Yun Xianxian was pretty sure that Lu Chen practiced some authentic Dual Cultivation Skill, which somewhat relieved her. As long as Lu Chen was not using the crooked paths of demonic cultivation, not exploiting women¡¯s Primordial Yin for his own cultivation, it would be acceptable. No wonder Chen Wanrong had just said that Lu Chen treated his women well; the Dual Cultivation Skill requires harmony of mind and spirit between man and woman, so naturally, Lu Chen would be good to his wives and concubines. Being able to achieve such harmony also implied, from another perspective, that Lu Chen likely truly cherished his wives and concubines; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be able to use the authentic Dual Cultivation Skill. At this thought, Palace Master Yun reflected that Yue¡¯er¡¯s child turned out to be a man of great affection. At this moment, Chen Wanrong spoke, ¡°Master, since I and the North Prince practice the authentic Dual Cultivation Skill, may I resign my position as the Palace Master and marry the North Prince to cultivate in the North Prince Mansion?¡± Seeing that Chen Wanrong was still thinking about going to the North Country, Palace Master Yun said coldly, ¡°Even if you practice the authentic Dual Cultivation Skill, what of it? The greatest taboo of the Dual Cultivation Skill is inconstancy of affection. He, as a Seignior, has so many wives and concubines ¡ª how much of his heart can be on you? Sooner or later, he will deviate.¡± Confronted with Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong was despairing inside. It seemed she was destined to be confined to the Mysterious Moon Palace by her own master. She wondered if Lu Chen had been serious when he spoke those words, telling her that if she did not return, he would come and take her back by force. She actually hoped that Lu Chen wasn¡¯t serious, for although she might never see Lu Chen again in her life, she was even less eager for a conflict to arise between the North Country and the Mysterious Moon Palace. Just as Chen Wanrong thought she might never see Lu Chen again in her life, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Enough; what¡¯s done is done. Since your Pure Yin Body has been broken, there is no other way but to accept the mistake as it is.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong could hardly believe her ears; she gazed at Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy face and then asked, ¡°Master, do you mean you¡¯ll allow me to leave the mountain?¡± Yun Xianxian snorted and replied, ¡°You¡¯re thinking too highly of yourself. Since you¡¯ve been appointed by me as the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, you¡¯re to keep that position.¡± ¡°Once my strength recovers somewhat, I myself will go to test that lover of yours. If he has feelings for you, I can permit you to enhance your Cultivation State through the Dual Cultivation Skill in the future. But if he¡¯s only fond of your body, without real affection, then you will stay in the Mysterious Moon Palace for good, never thinking of going to him again.¡± This¡­ Chen Wanrong was anxious inside; she hadn¡¯t expected her master to actually consider going to test Lu Chen. If her master found Lu Chen to be a lecherous libertine, preoccupied with women instead of proper affairs, wouldn¡¯t that mean the end of her relationship with him? To be honest, at this point, Chen Wanrong had no confidence in Lu Chen at all; she didn¡¯t believe for a second that he could withstand her master¡¯s test. After spending time with Lu Chen, she saw him as thoroughly lecherous. Although he indeed could improve his skill through the Dual Cultivation Skill, to Chen Wanrong, it seemed Lu Chen was more interested in the pleasures than in cultivation. She didn¡¯t think Lu Chen had his mind set on dual cultivation. Despite her anxiety, Chen Wanrong dared not say no outright. If she strongly resisted her master¡¯s decision to go down the mountain and test Lu Chen, her master would surely conclude that something was wrong with him. Chapter 457 - Chapter 457: Chapter 276 Yun Xianxian_2 Chapter 457: Chapter 276 Yun Xianxian_2 Now, all she could hope for was that during the time her master Lu Chen descended from the mountain, he would focus all his attention on his rightful duties and not spend his days indulging with his wives and concubines. At that moment, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Alright, go busy yourself with your affairs.¡± Following those words, Chen Wanrong rose to her feet, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± As her voice faded, Chen Wanrong turned around and walked towards the grand hall¡¯s entrance. Just when she was about to reach the door, Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°If he is exceptionally talented, just like your senior sister, then I might also consider taking him as my personal disciple.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong was slightly stunned. If her master truly accepted Lu Chen as a personal disciple, then her relationship with Lu Chen would become legitimate. Chen Wanrong instantly understood her master¡¯s intention. Her master had essentially agreed to their relationship, and now it all depended on whether Lu Chen could pass her master¡¯s test. Chen Wanrong then turned back to Yun Xianxian and bowed respectfully, ¡°Thank you, Master, for granting this favor.¡± Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Quickly get out; your presence is vexing to me.¡± ¡°Disciple bids farewell.¡± After saying this, Chen Wanrong turned once again and left the grand hall. Watching Chen Wanrong¡¯s departing figure, Yun Xianxian let out a soft sigh and muttered to herself, ¡°The path of cultivation is destined to be lonely. The advancements brought by the Dual Cultivation Skill are ultimately fleeting. I hope you won¡¯t regret it in the future.¡± Afterwards, Yun Xianxian closed her eyes, and a chill emanated from her body. The entire grand hall became further encased in ice as she continued to speak to herself, ¡°A Celestial Realm powerhouse has appeared up north. The energy signature this time does not seem to be the same as the one who previously triggered the heavenly phenomenon.¡± ¡°The North Prince, blessed with fortune in the way of the immortals, is also in the North Country. Could there be some causal connection between these events?¡± ¡°It seems I must hasten to recover my strength and find time to visit the North Country.¡± ¡­ Half a month later. North Country. At dawn, Lu Chen was lying in Yelv Nanyan¡¯s Gentle Jade Fragrance, appearing utterly relaxed. Xuanyuan Chaoge was already on his way to Yan County and would probably arrive there soon. Ever since learning that Xuanyuan Chaoge had broken through to the Celestial Realm, Lu Chen felt no pressure at all. With a Celestial Realm powerhouse present, he could boldly do as he wished, as long as he did not provoke any other Celestial Realm strongmen. It was then that Lu Chen suddenly remembered the Essence Pill and propped himself up, looking into Yelv Nanyan¡¯s eyes, he said, ¡°Right, Nanyan, I have a question for you.¡± Yelv Nanyan asked curiously, ¡°What would you like to ask, Prince?¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°I have two types of pills here. One kind can make you stay forever young, and the other can enhance your strength. If you had to choose one, would you choose eternal youth or enhanced strength?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Yelv Nanyan suddenly thought of something she had observed recently. Mu Zixuan, Xiaozhou, and Dazhou seemed to have become much more beautiful, and their skin appeared to be more tender. In fact, the three of them were now stepping out without any makeup, apart from arranging their hair in the morning, their faces were completely free of rouge. Yelv Nanyan thought to herself that it seemed the reason the princess and Xiaozhou, Dazhou had become more beautiful was due to taking the pill that granted everlasting youth. At this time, Yelv Nanyan asked, ¡°Prince, when you say ¡®eternal youth,¡¯ do you mean one will never get old?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, aside from hair turning white, there will be no other changes; your face will remain wrinkle-free.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°I choose the pill that grants eternal youth.¡± Surprised by Yelv Nanyan¡¯s choice, Lu Chen said, ¡°I thought you would choose the pill that enhances strength.¡± Yelv Nanyan smiled faintly and then said, ¡°If I were still in the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, I would likely choose the pill that enhances strength.¡± If it were before, Yelv Nanyan, despite caring about her beauty, would have preferred to enhance her strength in order to protect herself in the harsh environment of the grassland. But now that she was the North Prince¡¯s woman, her living environment had changed; she no longer needed to possess great strength. She, of course, understood that greater strength meant slower aging, but even with slow aging, one would still get old. She was already in her thirties, and in a few years, she would be forty. With her strength, perhaps she could still maintain her charm at forty, but by fifty, signs of aging would be inevitable on her body. Moreover, now that her heart harbored affection for someone, women who fall in love tend to become particularly concerned about their appearance. In Yelv Nanyan¡¯s eyes, even if the growth in strength could delay the aging process temporarily, she didn¡¯t believe she could improve much more; she lacked confidence in herself. One option promised certain everlasting youth, while the other required effort and carried great risk, and ultimately, aging was inevitable. Between these, there was no need for much consideration in choosing. Initially, Lu Chen thought that Yelv Nanyan was quite an independent woman and that she would likely choose the Essence Pill. This was why he presented the choice to her, allowing Yelv Nanyan to decide for herself. Chapter 458 - Chapter 458: Chapter 276 Yun Xianxian_3 Chapter 458: Chapter 276 Yun Xianxian_3 However, it¡¯s no surprise that Yelv Nanyan would choose the Preserving Beauty Pill, that woman covets beauty. Lu Chen smiled, then conjured a small porcelain bottle out of thin air and said to Yelv Nanyan, ¡°Inside this is the Preserving Beauty Pill that can keep a woman eternally youthful.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, Yelv Nanyan asked with slight surprise, ¡°Prince, is there really such a pill in this world?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course, there is. However, it is an Immortal Pill, exceedingly precious.¡± Upon saying this, Lu Chen placed the small porcelain bottle amid the Gentle Jade Fragrance, then added, ¡°This is for you. After taking it, impurities will be expelled. Later, have your maids prepare some hot water for you to bathe with.¡± Immediately, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°Thank you for bestowing the pill upon me, Prince!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen got up from Yelv Nanyan¡¯s side, glanced at her voluptuous body, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh internally. Having a Martial Artist become pregnant was indeed difficult. Another half a month passed and there was still no reaction in the bellies of Yelv Nanyan and the other Martial Artists. Only Chu Yuqin became pregnant almost immediately. Lu Chen didn¡¯t think too much about it and got off the bed. Yelv Nanyan also quickly got up and helped Lu Chen dress. An hour later. Hall of Political Affairs. The main topic for today¡¯s early court was discussing Princess Wu¡¯s mission to North Country. Regarding this matter, a great number of officials from North Country held an opposing stance. As an important figure in Great Wu, if Princess Wu was coming to North Country, there had to be a hidden agenda, one which was certainly no secret to anyone. It was apparent that Great Wu was aiming to incite an internal war between North Country and Great Sum so that it could capitalize on the resulting division within Great Sum for its own benefit. It was then that an official from the Universal Academy faction said, ¡°Prince, I believe North Country doesn¡¯t yet have the capacity to stand independently. Although North Country has signed trade agreements with Great Jue and engaged in commerce with other dynasties, many of our important resources still come predominantly from other regions of Great Sum, particularly the ores related to weapons production.¡± ¡°If we become estranged from the Great Sum imperial court now, and if the court decides to cut off relations completely with us, North Country will struggle to find means to obtain those resources in a short time.¡± ¡°Although North Country now possesses masters of the Heavenly Human Realm, nobody knows whether His Majesty has a trump card capable of countering a Celestial. I heard just a while ago that the royal family acquired a Sacred Artifact from Mysterious Moon Palace, capable of temporarily elevating a Grandmaster¡¯s prowess to match that of the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± Officials from the Universal Academy faction knew much, since being insiders meant that Lu Chen usually tasked them with the procurement of materials for weapons production, giving them insight into the current situation of North Country. To the Universal Academy officials, an immediate war with Great Sum would not only preclude the North Prince from seizing the throne in short order but might also cause the loss of methods to acquire many resources due to the outbreak of war. Moreover, with Great Wu having recently quelled the unrest in the southeast and eyeing North Country covetously, a war between North Country and Great Sum at this time would play straight into Great Wu¡¯s hands. The key consideration was North Country¡¯s possession of a Celestial master, while the Great Sum imperial court also had means to contend with Celestials. A collision between two powerful forces could likely result in mutual destruction, which would only benefit a third party. Lu Chen¡¯s agreement with Great Jue had already provoked the imperial court, and further close relations with Great Wu might provoke Great Sum¡¯s court even more to take drastic actions. Although North Country now possessed a certain strength, it was not yet mighty enough to overturn a dynasty, which is why most officials believed that it was not a good idea to permit Princess Wu¡¯s visit at this time. Seeing that the Universal Academy faction¡¯s officials held this opinion, Li Rui stepped forward, ¡°Prince, I also believe that now is indeed not the right time to further provoke the imperial court.¡± Although the presence of Heavenly Realm masters had bolstered the confidence of North Country officials, most officials remained clear-headed, and it was evident that Lu Chen had no immediate plans for direct confrontation with the imperial court. After hearing their views, Lu Chen smiled faintly, then looked towards Zhuge Zhongguang and asked, ¡°Great Scholar, what is your opinion?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°Old subject believes that since Princess Wu of Great Wu wishes to come, we should let her. Prince, did you not mention that not only is she coming, but Prince Wu Ming of Great Wu is also accompanying her?¡± ¡°If Great Wu seeks to agitate the relationship between North Country and the Great Sum court, North Country can also stir up the relationship between their Princess and the Prince.¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s comments, Lu Chen pondered, then said, ¡°The Great Scholar makes a good point. In that case, let them come.¡± Lu Chen also saw through the Martial Emperor¡¯s intention behind allowing Prince Wu Ming to accompany Princess Wu to North Country; it was to keep her in check and prevent her from monopolizing all the merit. As a woman, Princess Wu was always contending with the princes for achievements, and the princes of Great Wu surely resented her for it. Given the situation, it would be possible to exploit this and stir up tension between the princes of Great Wu and Princess Wu, ideally intensifying Great Wu¡¯s political infighting. Seeing Zhuge Zhongguang and Lu Chen agreed on allowing Princess Wu¡¯s visit, the court officials said no more, and the matter was settled. The following task was preparing for the reception. Princess Wu¡¯s delegation was different from that of Great Jue¡¯s, and as a princess with significant power in Great Wu, the reception standards had to be high. A half month quickly passed, and the delegation from Great Wu finally arrived at Yan County in North Country. Sitting inside the carriage, Princess Wu thought about the last time she hastily left Yan County and couldn¡¯t help but feel amused. When she left back then, she thought she wouldn¡¯t be coming back to North Country any time soon, and yet here she was, returning to Yan County so quickly. Opening the carriage window curtain, Princess Wu glanced at the welcoming crowd outside and felt a sense of anticipation. Last time, she left Yan County in a hurry and didn¡¯t have the chance to see what the North Prince was like. Now, at last, she had the opportunity to meet him face-to-face. Talking to herself, Princess Wu said, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Chapter 459 - Chapter 459: Chapter 277: Wu Junwans Mission to the North Country_1 Chapter 459: Chapter 277: Wu Junwan¡¯s Mission to the North Country_1 ¡°` Princess Wu Junwan had taken an interest in Lu Chen a long time ago. As a teenager, he led a handful of people to the North Country, and in a short period of time, endowed the impoverished North Country with the strength to defeat a 300,000-strong army from the Barbarian Tribe. Moreover, he made the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, who resided in North Prince Mansion, unwilling to leave. All this aroused Princess Wu Junwan¡¯s curiosity. She wondered what was so special about Lu Chen, or what value he possessed that could attract the superpower supporting him, as well as the Mysterious Moon Palace, and even the Univeral Academy to the North Country. In the past, she had only heard about what kind of person the North Prince was but had never met him personally. Princess Wu Junwan was well aware that much of the information that reached her was hearsay, but she didn¡¯t know the actual situation. To find out what the real North Prince was like, she needed to meet him in person, and now the opportunity had come. When Princess Wu Junwan¡¯s convoy arrived at the southern gate of the North Country, Lu Chen rode out to the gate on horseback to welcome them personally. Princess Wu Junwan was the Princess of the dynasty, while Lu Chen was just a Seignior. It was only natural for him to come out of the city to welcome her, but something felt amiss to Princess Junwan¡ªwas the reception standard of the North Country a bit too high? Not only did the North Prince personally come out to greet her, but the roadsides were also packed with the city¡¯s common folk. The level of reception seemed excessively high. As the convoy stopped, Princess Wu Junwan lifted the carriage curtain, and an attractive face came into view. Though his skin looked somewhat youthful, the North Prince already possessed the aura of a mature man, especially his eyes, which were bright and extraordinarily profound. With just one glance, Princess Wu Junwan found her gaze captivated by his appearance. Princess Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly¡ªthe reports were indeed accurate; the North Prince was indeed a rare beauty. While she was lost in thought, Princess Wu Junwan suddenly sensed something wrong. She quickly regained her senses¡ªthough Lu Chen was deliberately concealing his martial artist¡¯s aura, she still felt it. They were standing more than ten meters apart, yet she felt a sense of oppression. Lu Chen clearly had reached the Grandmaster Realm. This¡­ How is this possible¡­ The North Prince was only seventeen or eighteen years old, and already a Grandmaster? Was there something wrong with her perception? Princess Wu Junwan even began to doubt her own vision. After all, even though she was quite talented, it had taken her over twenty years to break through to the Master Realm, whereas the North Prince was only seventeen or eighteen and already a Grandmaster. This was way too exaggerated! At that moment, Pei Hong, standing beside the carriage, whispered a reminder, ¡°Your Highness, the North Prince is very strong; he is a Grandmaster!¡± After hearing what Pei Hong said, Princess Wu Junwan confirmed that her senses were not mistaken. The young man nearby was indeed a Grandmaster. Is he really the North Prince? Could it be that the North Prince just randomly sent someone to meet them? After all, she had never seen what the real North Prince looked like. Just then, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Welcome, Princess Wu, to the North Country as a guest. I have been waiting for you for a long time!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Princess Wu Junwan frowned slightly. My Prince? So, the young man was indeed the North Prince himself? The North Prince¡¯s martial arts talent was terrifying! At the rate of the North Prince¡¯s progress, he might breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm by the age of fifty, or even before thirty! A thirty-year-old in the Heavenly Human Realm! Princess Wu Junwan dared not even think of it! Among those she knew, not even the Empress of Da Yue, a martial arts prodigy, could compare with the North Prince! She had always thought that the Empress of Da Yue was the person with the highest martial arts talent in the world, believing no one could be more gifted than her. But now, there was the monstrous existence of the North Prince! It seemed that the rumors of the North Prince being a womanizer were false. To break through to the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age, he must have worked harder than most, even with his talent. The Empress of Da Yue did just that¡ªdecades ago, she sealed off all her emotions and desires to vie for her position, focusing all of her efforts on martial arts, to achieve the strength she has today. Others may not know how formidable the Empress of Da Yue is, but Princess Wu Junwan was clear about it. Of course, even someone like the favored daughter of heaven, the Empress of Da Yue, paled in comparison to Lu Chen in the eyes of Princess Wu Junwan at that moment. In her heart, Princess Wu Junwan instantly identified Lu Chen as the number one enemy of the Great Wu dynasty. Compared to the Great Xia Dynasty and the Great Qian Dynasty, Lu Chen was Great Wu¡¯s real enemy. The North Prince was growing too fast¡ªhe was young enough, and his ambitions were great. The North Prince had kept his strength very well hidden! After defeating the Sky Wolf King¡¯s 300,000-strong army in the North Country, people said the North Prince knew martial arts, but no one ever specified how skilled he was. In the eyes of many, the North Prince¡¯s success was due to the heavy cavalry supporting him, or the power behind him that supported the North Prince. Without that support, he wouldn¡¯t have his achievements today. Now it seemed that everyone might have been mistaken. The North Prince might have relied on his backing, but he was definitely not simple himself. Princess Wu Junwan thought to herself that it was no wonder the superpower behind Lu Chen supported him, the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace came to the North Country and stayed for a long time, and even Zhuge Zhongguang had arrived in the North Country. ¡°` Chapter 460 - Chapter 460: Chapter 277: Wu Junwans Mission to the North Country_2 Chapter 460: Chapter 277: Wu Junwan¡¯s Mission to the North Country_2 The North Prince¡¯s strength improved so rapidly partly because he undoubtedly possessed exceptional martial arts talent and, perhaps, because he harbored a secret. Moreover, Zhuge Zhongguang had not broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm for so many years, yet within less than a year of arriving in North Country, he managed the breakthrough, which inevitably raised suspicions of the North Prince¡¯s involvement. Wu Junwan grew increasingly curious about the young man not far from her, desiring to unravel the secrets he might carry. At this moment, with a smile, Wu Junwan said, ¡°It is rumored that the North Prince is exceptionally handsome, and seeing him today, he indeed lives up to his reputation!¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s praise, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Princess Junwan, for your compliment.¡± ¡°It is an honor for the North Prince to have Princess Junwan and the delegation visit North Country. I have already arranged a luncheon. Let us discuss matters there while we dine,¡± he added. With those words, Lu Chen turned his horse around and then said, ¡°To the city!¡± As his voice fell, the welcoming procession entered the city, and Wu Junwan¡¯s carriage followed behind the delegation, continuing forward. At that moment, Pei Hong, watching the North Prince¡¯s departing figure, felt his silhouette seemed familiar, especially his voice, which for some reason, sounded like he had heard it somewhere before. Pei Hong thought to himself that this was his second visit to North Country, and he had never met the North Prince before, so how could the voice feel familiar? While Pei Hong was pondering where he might have heard that voice, Wu Junwan¡¯s voice came from inside the carriage, ¡°Does Mister Pei also feel that the North Prince¡¯s voice sounds familiar?¡± It wasn¡¯t just Pei Hong who had this feeling; even Wu Junwan experienced it. As someone involved in intelligence gathering, she was particularly attentive to details and could remember small nuances quite distinctly. She always felt the North Prince¡¯s voice was very familiar, and she had a nagging sense that he resembled someone she had met before. Pei Hong¡¯s eyebrows furrowed when he realized that Wu Junwan shared his sentiments. Suddenly, he felt this probably wasn¡¯t just their imagination. If one person thought the North Prince¡¯s voice sounded familiar, that might be dismissed as an illusion, but now that both of them felt the same, it likely meant they had indeed heard Lu Chen¡¯s voice somewhere before. Pei Hong¡¯s mind raced through the people they met the last time they came to Yan County, concluding that if the voice felt familiar, and considering the North Prince resided in North Country, they might have heard it during their previous visit to Yan County. After only a brief thought, Pei Hong instantly recalled where they had heard a voice similar to the North Prince¡¯s. At this point, Pei Hong¡¯s expression turned grim, and he then said to Wu Junwan in the carriage, ¡°Your Highness, I fear the North Prince is the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion!¡± Although they hadn¡¯t seen the face of the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion during their last visit to Yan County, since he wore a mask, they had discerned from his voice and stature that he was a very young man. At the time, they suspected that the Tower Master was a person from a mysterious force behind the North Prince. Now, it seems that the influence behind the scenes at Rain-listening Pavilion wasn¡¯t some figure behind the North Prince, but rather the North Prince himself. They had all been deceived by the North Prince! After hearing Pei Hong¡¯s hint, Wu Junwan also thought back to the scene when they met the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion in Yan County. With such reflection, she too realized that the North Prince¡¯s voice was identical to that of the Tower Master, and their figures largely matched as well. Critically, both the Tower Master of Rain-listening Pavilion and the North Prince were notably young! Wu Junwan¡¯s expression became stern, and she murmured, ¡°It seems that the North Prince recognized us during our last visit to Yan County.¡± By that logic, the North Prince probably also knew long ago that the Qianhai Commercial Association was her force, and by allowing Rain-listening Pavilion to collaborate with Qianhai Commercial Association, he aimed to gather intelligence on Great Wu in return. At this realization, Wu Junwan felt a discomfort in her heart, aggrieved by the fact that she had been outmaneuvered. More uncomfortable than Wu Junwan, and with even greater resentment, was another individual¡ªPrince Wu Ming from Great Wu. Prince Wu Ming¡¯s carriage trailed behind Wu Junwan¡¯s, and at this very moment, he sat inside with a contorted expression and clenched fists, his anger refusing to subside. As the Second Prince of Great Wu and accompanying Princess Junwan on a diplomatic mission to North Country, he arrived only for the North Prince to extend a welcome exclusively to Princess Junwan, effectively forgetting about his presence. Prior to their diplomatic visit, Great Wu had informed North Country, which meant North Country could not possibly be unaware of his accompanying Princess Junwan. Yet, the North Prince had not so much as mentioned his name, as if he held no regard for him. It seemed that in Princess Junwan¡¯s presence, or whenever he was put alongside her, his title of Second Prince became negligible. Prince Wu Ming also noticed that the high standard of reception in North Country was entirely for Princess Junwan, and none of it related to him as the Second Prince. Despite being a woman, why should she receive such high-level treatment! He was the prince, the legitimate heir to the throne, and yet he had been ignored! Chapter 461 - Chapter 461: Chapter 277: Wu Junwans Mission to the North Country_3 Chapter 461: Chapter 277: Wu Junwan¡¯s Mission to the North Country_3 Wu Junwan was nothing but a woman, so what gave her the right to steal the limelight from a prince like him! It was bad enough that she snatched credit for quelling the rebellion, but this time on a diplomatic mission to the North Country, she was at it again, trying to snatch the credit. From the beginning, his royal father had only planned for him to represent Great Wu on the diplomatic mission to the North Country. When he heard about it, he was very excited. In his eyes, this was his father showing faith in him, wanting him to accumulate more achievements. Then, unexpectedly, along came Wu Junwan. It was all because of that wretch Chai Jiliang. If not for Chai Jiliang persuading his royal father, how could his father have allowed Wu Junwan to join him on the mission to the North Country? The more Wu Ming thought about it, the angrier he became. Eventually, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and blurted out cursing, ¡°This pair of dogs!¡± No sooner had Wu Ming¡¯s words fallen than the old man sitting in the carriage with him reminded him, ¡°Your Highness, watch your words.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming calmed down a bit. Shortly after. Lu Chen and his party arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, and the envoys from Great Wu took their seats as well. Once seated, Lu Chen had the dancing girls and musicians perform. But the attention of the envoys from Great Wu was not on the performance; they kept scanning around the Hall of Political Affairs, as if they were searching for something. Their subtle movements did not escape Lu Chen¡¯s notice, and he knew what they were looking for. Clearly, they wanted to see if Zhuge Zhongguang had attended today¡¯s luncheon, to ascertain whether Zhuge Zhongguang had managed to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Lu Chen certainly didn¡¯t give them that opportunity, as Zhuge Zhongguang did not attend this luncheon. At this time, Lu Chen also noticed the neat and clean-looking young man sitting next to Wu Junwan. The young man was dressed in white brocade with golden threads, his demeanor highly noble, looking the very picture of a young master. Although Lu Chen naturally knew who the person was, he still feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°Princess Junwan, who is this gentleman sitting next to you?¡± Hearing this question, Wu Junwan was slightly taken aback. Regaining her composure, she answered with a smile, ¡°I forgot to introduce him to the North Prince. This gentleman is the Prince Wu Ming from Great Wu.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen said smilingly, ¡°So, it¡¯s Prince Wu Ming. I¡¯ve long admired your reputation!¡± Hearing the conversation between the two, Wu Ming felt a surge of indignation. The North Prince actually couldn¡¯t recognize that he was the Prince Wu Ming from Great Wu. He needed this woman, Wu Junwan, to introduce him! If Wu Junwan hadn¡¯t introduced him, would the North Prince even be aware that he came on the diplomatic mission to the North Country? No, this mission to the North Country was his opportunity to accumulate merit, and he absolutely couldn¡¯t let this woman beside him snatch all the credit. He must take initiative. Even though there was always an inexplicable sense of oppression in front of Wu Junwan, for the sake of the Crown Prince position, he must not be suppressed by Wu Junwan, a woman, to the point of not being able to hold his head high. With this thought, Wu Ming said smilingly, ¡°The North Prince jokes. I have little popularity in Great Wu. How would the North Prince have heard of me? Instead, the North Prince¡¯s great renown has already resounded through all of Great Wu. Now, almost every household in Great Wu knows of a great hero from the Great Sum who repelled the southward charges of the Barbarian Tribe many times!¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then replied, ¡°What kind of hero am I? I am merely trying to protect my own patch of land, that¡¯s all.¡± Just as Wu Junwan was about to say something, Wu Ming suddenly interjected, ¡°I hear that Elder Zhuge now holds a key position in the North Country, but today we haven¡¯t seen Elder Zhuge. Why is that?¡± Lu Chen answered indifferently, ¡°You should also know that he has only recently broken through, and his Realm is not yet stable, which is why he has been in seclusion for cultivation lately.¡± Wu Ming said, ¡°Speaking of Elder Zhuge, it just occurred to me that I haven¡¯t yet congratulated the North Prince on recruiting such a Celestial Realm powerhouse.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled but did not continue the topic further. About Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s affair, he wasn¡¯t inclined to mention more. He wanted to maintain Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s air of mystery, letting them guess whether Zhuge Zhongguang had really broken through to the Celestial Realm. At this moment, Wu Junwan noticed that Wu Ming seemed to be in a rush to make an impression on Lu Chen, trying to seize every opportunity to speak more. She smiled slightly and then said, ¡°North Prince, you must have received the letter I sent you, right?¡± Before the formal diplomatic mission to the North Country, aside from the official letter from Great Wu, there was also a letter from Wu Junwan. Of course, the content of the letter was mainly about some topics that Great Wu intended to discuss during the mission. As for why Wu Junwan would write a letter to Lu Chen in advance, the purpose was obvious. At this point, Lu Chen replied, ¡°Certainly.¡± Upon hearing the conversation between the two, Wu Ming was taken aback in his heart. A letter? What letter? That despicable woman, Wu Junwan, had actually written a letter to the North Prince in advance! He didn¡¯t know anything about it! Nor did he know the content of the letter. How was he to interject? Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Now that the North Country has a Celestial Realm powerhouse, the military strength of the North Country has surpassed that of the Capital city of Great Sum. Does the North Prince have any plans for the throne of the Capital city? If the North Prince desires that position, Great Wu is willing to support the North Prince with all its strength!¡± Seeing Wu Junwan speak so directly, Lu Chen said, ¡°I thought Princess Junwan would be a bit more tactful. I didn¡¯t expect the Princess to be so straightforward.¡± Wu Junwan spoke, ¡°The rise of the North Country is apparent to everyone. It is only a matter of time before the North Prince ascends to the supreme position. So I think some things need not to be concealed; it is better to speak openly.¡± ¡°Once the North Prince ascends to that position, Great Wu is willing to sign an alliance with Great Sum and maintain good relations with Great Sum for generations.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen sipped his wine and then smilingly asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t Great Wu sign an alliance with Great Sum now?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°If we sign an alliance with the Court of Great Sum now, once the North Prince ascends to that position, the alliance would be void. Since the North Prince will soon ascend to that position, it is only natural for Great Wu to discuss the alliance directly with the North Prince.¡± Chapter 462 - Chapter 462: Chapter 278: This Prince Fell for Miss Qian at First Sight_1 Chapter 462: Chapter 278: This Prince Fell for Miss Qian at First Sight_1 Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly before responding, ¡°Princess Junwan, you must have misunderstood; I have never coveted that position in the Capital City.¡± ¡°My father, the Sum Emperor, loves his subjects as his own children and is benevolent and wise. He is especially caring and considerate towards his own children, and I am his proudest child. How could I possibly commit such disloyal acts of seeking power and usurping the throne?¡± After listening to Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan chuckled softly and then said, ¡°North Prince really knows how to jest. If your relationship with the Sum Emperor is truly as harmonious as you describe, the court of the Great Sum wouldn¡¯t have stationed troops in Qi Country, nor would North Country have dispatched a hundred thousand troops to the border of Qi Country to face off against the army of the Da Yue Dynasty.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to discuss this topic; I am absolutely not going to provoke a civil war in Great Sum. I¡¯d like to thank Great Wu for the kind intentions here.¡± Seeing how Lu Chen bluntly shut down the conversation, Wu Junwan essentially understood that there was a high probability that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t instigate a civil war in Great Sum in the short term. If Lu Chen truly was the Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion, that would mean he had been deeply concerned about intelligence work from the start. Now, with the Rain-listening Pavilion spread throughout several dynasties, gathering intelligence would be easy. The more a ruler values intelligence from the various dynasties, the more shrewd they are, and not so easily influenced. Moreover, since the Qianhai Commercial Association began cooperating with the Rain-listening Pavilion, it¡¯s likely that the pavilion has already gathered quite a bit of insider information about Great Wu through them. The objective of their current mission to North Country had probably been made crystal clear to the North Prince early on, thus trying to incite the North Prince to engage in a civil war with the Da Yue Dynasty at this time was virtually impossible. The fisherman benefits when the snipe and clam grapple; it isn¡¯t so simple for Great Wu to be that fisherman. Now, the only option was to fall back on plan B, which was to strike some kind of deal with North Country and then prod the court of Great Sum to send troops against them. Then, Wu Junwan said with a slight smile, ¡°I have heard that the North Prince has signed a trade agreement with the Da Yue Dynasty, enhancing trade relations between the two sides. It seems you must value commercial development highly, North Prince. In my view, Great Wu also has commodities that North Country needs. I wonder if Great Wu could, like the Da Yue, sign a trade agreement with North Country?¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen knew she hadn¡¯t given up on disrupting Great Sum. However, he didn¡¯t mind it in the slightest. If Great Wu wanted to sign a trade agreement with them, then so be it. For North Country at present, importing some resources was still overly reliant on a single source. Although North Country now included North Land within its own maps, they hadn¡¯t started large-scale mining of the resources available in North Country. They hadn¡¯t even located some ore resources, let alone knew where to mine, so for now, they remained dependent on trade. Great Wu was vast and rich in resources, so if they were willing to engage in trade cooperation, it would certainly be a great boon for North Country. With this, North Country wouldn¡¯t be as reliant on the resources of Great Sum. Of course, this was merely a transitional period for North Country, which wouldn¡¯t last too long. Lu Chen then spoke with a smile, ¡°This is certainly no issue. However, Princess Junwan has only arrived in North Country today, and it isn¡¯t suitable to discuss too many political matters. Let¡¯s leave the issue of the trade agreement until tomorrow, shall we?¡± Just as Wu Junwan was about to say something, Lu Chen continued, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that it was Princess Junwan¡¯s merit that Great Wu was able to quell the internal strife in the dynasty. Having a woman who is talented in both literature and military in Great Wu is indeed the dynasty¡¯s good fortune!¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan smiled lightly and then said, ¡°North Prince makes jest. It was the soldiers, fighting for Great Wu against the rebels, who stabilized the southeast insurgency. How could I steal credit from the soldiers?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Princess Junwan is too modest. Even excellent soldiers need a competent commander to unleash their combat power. I¡¯ve heard that before Princess Junwan led the troops, there were two princes of Great Wu who, with the dynasty¡¯s elite, attempted to suppress the rebels. As a result, not only did the two princes fail to eradicate the rebels, they even caused Great Wu to lose a number of elite soldiers.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s remark, Wu Ming¡¯s face beside Wu Junwan turned dark in an instant. One of those princes Lu Chen mentioned was Wu Ming himself, making him feel that Lu Chen was taking a dig at him. Although he was irritated, considering that they had a purpose in visiting North Country, he had to swallow his discomfort, no matter how uneasy he felt. At that moment, Wu Junwan also realized Lu Chen¡¯s intentions. She didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen was unaware that Wu Ming was one of those two princes. Yet, Lu Chen had chosen this moment to bring up the matter, and even compared her, a woman, to Wu Ming. Clearly, Lu Chen was trying to sow discord between her and Wu Ming. In order not to let Lu Chen continue to foment dissension, Wu Junwan hastily said, ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something I forgot to mention to the North Prince. I¡¯ve heard that the North Prince has a fondness for beauties, so for this visit to North Country, I have specially prepared a magnificent gift for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Oh? Is the grand gift Princess Junwan has prepared for me a beauty?¡± Wu Junwan smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Not just one, but ten exquisite dancers. May I let them come in?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Of course.¡± After hearing this, Wu Junwan then said to the members of her entourage, ¡°Go and bring them in.¡± Chapter 463 - Chapter 463: Chapter 278: This Prince Fell for Miss Qian at First Sight_2 Chapter 463: Chapter 278: This Prince Fell for Miss Qian at First Sight_2 Before long, members of Wu Junwan¡¯s diplomatic corps entered the great hall with ten exquisite dancers in tow. Wu Junwan asked, ¡°What does North Prince think of them?¡± Lu Chen did not immediately reply. His gaze swept over the women, using a system to rate them. He found that their scores were mostly above eighty, but none reached ninety. The highest score was just eighty-nine, failing to meet the system¡¯s standards. While the dancers were certainly beautiful, they were of little use to him. Lu Chen then smiled and said, ¡°These dancers are indeed beautiful, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± At this point, Lu Chen paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Only, they¡¯re not the type of women I prefer. I appreciate Princess Junwan¡¯s kind gesture.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s outright rejection, Wu Junwan was momentarily stunned. She had thought that even if Lu Chen did not fancy these dancers, he would still accept them since they were a gift from the Great Wu mission. She did not expect Lu Chen to refuse them. However, this also showed that Lu Chen was different from the rumors; he wasn¡¯t a lecher. After all, if he were such a man, how could he have achieved the Grandmaster Realm at his age? While Wu Junwan was contemplating this, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°I do, however, fancy a lady from Great Wu.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan came back to her senses, smiling as she inquired, ¡°May I know who this lady is who caught North Prince¡¯s eye? Once I return to Great Wu, I will surely send her to the North Prince Mansion.¡± Lu Chen sighed, his face a portrait of sorrow, ¡°I once met the daughter of President Qian of the Qianhai Commercial Association. I was smitten with Miss Qian at first sight. Alas, beauty is fragile, fated to fade. After making arrangements for the Qian Family to move to North Country, I was told by President Qian that his daughter had already passed away.¡± The moment these words were spoken, Pei Hong, who sat behind Wu Junwan, clenched the hilt of his sword, and Wu Junwan¡¯s brows subtly rose. Although she had guessed that Lu Chen was the Tower Master of the Rain-listening Pavilion upon entering the city, she did not expect him to bring up this matter now, especially claiming to have fallen for her at first sight. Was North Prince making a mockery of her? Wu Junwan chuckled to herself. A seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy was attempting to mock her, a woman in her thirties. Fascinating. Then Wu Junwan said, ¡°Please, North Prince, accept my condolences. There are countless beautiful women in the world. With your skills, North Prince, you can have any beauty you desire. There¡¯s no need to mourn a lost love.¡± Lu Chen took a sip of wine and then said, ¡°Princess Junwan is right. It seems I have been too sentimental.¡± ¡°However, speaking of which, I find you bear a remarkable resemblance to Miss Qian.¡± Wu Junwan felt little emotion stir within her and spoke indifferently, ¡°Perhaps, North Prince, you¡¯re simply missing Miss Qian too much, leading to an illusion.¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°Well, this is the Princess¡¯s first visit to North Country. Let¡¯s not dwell on such melancholic subjects. Rather, let¡¯s continue drinking and enjoying the delicacies.¡± With that, Lu Chen addressed the musicians and dancers in the great hall, ¡°Proceed with the music, carry on the dance.¡± The luncheon lasted around two hours, a period which seemed unbearably long for Pei Hong, who was constantly worried that North Prince might do something detrimental to Wu Junwan. Wu Junwan also felt Lu Chen¡¯s gaze on her from time to time, especially after he had declared his love at first sight for Miss Qian. His eyes seemed to constantly roam over her. Wu Junwan suspected that her nerves were causing her to see things that weren¡¯t there. As the luncheon ended, she mockingly thought to herself that it was ridiculous for her to be so anxious over a few words spoken by a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy. Clearly, Lu Chen was reminding her that he knew she owned Qianhai Commercial Association and warning her not to play any tricks. As for ¡°falling for Miss Qian at first sight,¡± that was obviously a ruse. After the luncheon had ended. The North Prince Mansion arranged for the Great Wu delegation to be accommodated in a residence in the northern part of Yan County, where they would stay for the next few days. At that moment, Wu Junwan was seated in the pavilion of the courtyard, deep in thought when Pei Hong beside her spoke, ¡°Your Highness, I fear we can no longer trust the Qian Family.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan pondered for a moment before replying, ¡°Not necessarily.¡± ¡°Although North Prince knew from the start that Qian Dahai was my man, he still dared to use him. It shows that North Prince is very confident in himself. Now, since Qian Dahai has moved all of the Qian Family to North Country, it seems they have completely sided with North Country. This might lead North Prince to believe he has successfully turned Qian Dahai away from me.¡± ¡°Of course, whether the Qian Family can be trusted still depends on what kind of information they can provide us.¡± ¡°Now, Qian Dahai¡¯s two sons are still with Qianhai Commercial Association, and Qian Dahai can only adhere to my wishes. I believe he wouldn¡¯t dare betray me proactively. We just have to see whether North Prince will allow Qian Dahai access to North Country¡¯s secrets.¡± In Wu Junwan¡¯s view, since she still held Qian Dahai¡¯s two sons, who had already secretly sworn their loyalty to her, Qian Dahai was unlikely to betray her lightly. What was key was seeing North Prince¡¯s attitude and whether he truly trusted Qian Dahai. Chapter 464 - Chapter 464: Chapter 278: This Prince Fell for Miss Qian at First Sight_3 Chapter 464: Chapter 278: This Prince Fell for Miss Qian at First Sight_3 If the North Prince truly trusted Qian Dahai, then the Qian Family would still be able to play its part; if the North Prince didn¡¯t trust him, the Qian Family would still be able to help Qianhai Commercial Association manage various businesses in the North Country. In other words, for Wu Junwan, whether or not Qian Dahai could extract more intelligence from the North Prince Mansion, Qian Dahai and the Qian Family were still of great use to her, and she had no plans to give up on the Qian Family for the time being. After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Pei Hong also realized that the Qian Family was still useful to her, so he stopped bringing up the matters of the Qian Family. At this moment, he thought of the words the North Prince had said at the luncheon, and then he reminded her, ¡°Your Highness, I saw the North Prince staring at you several times during the luncheon, and he also mentioned falling in love with Miss Qian at first sight. I think he may truly covet your beauty, and we¡¯d better be wary of him.¡± The reputation of the North Prince was not very good to begin with; everyone said he was a lecher, and even the common folk of the North Country considered the North Prince quite worldly. Wu Junwan offered a faint smile, then said, ¡°Pei Hong is overthinking it, his words at the luncheon were just to remind me that he already knew Qianhai Commercial Association belonged to me, warning me not to cause trouble in the North Country using the association.¡± Pei Hong didn¡¯t continue the conversation and fell silent. Initially, Pei Hong had also thought that Lu Chen¡¯s words were a warning to them not to cause trouble in the North Country with the commercial association, but as someone experienced, he always felt something was off about the way Lu Chen looked at Wu Junwan. Perhaps he was overthinking it. At this moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°What we should be most vigilant about now is the North Prince taking this opportunity to drive a wedge between the relationship between myself and Prince Wu Ming.¡± Wu Junwan had realized during the luncheon that Lu Chen had constantly belittled Wu Ming. It was clear that he was sowing discord in an attempt to make Wu Ming resent her. As a woman not only leading this visit, but also being compared in various ways to Wu Ming, who was part of the delegation, Wu Ming was certainly very displeased. Pei Hong offered a suggestion, ¡°To prevent Prince Wu Ming from harboring any grudges against you, I think it would be better if you had a few words with His Highness, to avoid any sabotage from him when we finalize the trade agreement with the North Country.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°There are people watching over him; he wouldn¡¯t go so far as to trip me up over this matter unless¡­ ¡± Wu Junwan had not finished speaking when a soldier from the delegation hurriedly entered the courtyard, ¡°Princess, something¡¯s wrong. Prince Wu Ming has gone to the North Prince Mansion to meet with the North Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s face instantly darkened, her brows furrowed slightly, then she asked, ¡°Did that elderly man follow him there?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°He went too.¡± Wu Junwan pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°It seems that the Emperor still doesn¡¯t want me to accumulate too much merit.¡± ¡°Well, since that elder is also with Wu Ming, he probably won¡¯t do anything detrimental to Great Wu.¡± Wu Junwan did not recognize the elder with Wu Ming, but she had found out through various channels that the man was a Grandmaster sent by her father to protect Wu Ming. Of course, while protecting him, he was also keeping an eye on Wu Ming to prevent him from doing anything unseemly. At this time, Pei Hong said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming is being a bit too hasty.¡± They had just arrived in Yan County today, and the luncheon had just ended, yet Wu Ming had rushed to find the North Prince. What could Wu Ming be doing with the North Prince? Obviously, he was discussing the trade agreement; he wanted to take credit for it. Being so eager to seek the North Prince gave the impression that they were desperate for the North Country to sign the trade agreement. Meanwhile. In a pavilion in the outer courtyard of the North Prince Mansion. Wu Ming and Lu Chen were sitting opposite each other. Lu Chen poured a cup of tea for Wu Ming, then said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Wu Ming to come to see me so soon. You¡¯re here to discuss the trade agreement, aren¡¯t you?¡± Wu Ming said, ¡°It seems the North Prince had anticipated my visit.¡± Lu Chen picked up the tea cup from the stone table, took a gentle sip, and then said, ¡°With such a domineering Princess, the life of you brothers must be quite difficult.¡± Wu Ming said, ¡°The North Prince seems to be quite knowledgeable about Great Wu¡¯s affairs?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say extremely knowledgeable, but I do know a bit.¡± Then, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Tell me, what does Prince Wu Ming want me to do for him?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Wu Ming was taken aback. Help? The North Prince offered to help him? There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. Although he wasn¡¯t as capable as Wu Junwan, he wasn¡¯t naive. Wu Ming said, ¡°Perhaps the North Prince should state his conditions first.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t have many demands. I¡¯m just troubled by your Princess, and frankly, I don¡¯t like her much.¡± With that, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Prince Wu Ming should know who is behind Qianhai Commercial Association, right?¡± Wu Ming replied, ¡°Of course.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Princess Wu has allowed Qianhai Commercial Association to infiltrate the North Country and boldly probe for our secrets, making me feel uncomfortable.¡± Wu Ming said, ¡°I feel like you consider her a tough woman to deal with, and that¡¯s why you want to cooperate with me?¡± Lu Chen gave a smile and then said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming can think of it that way. Compared to a woman skilled in scheming, I prefer straightforward dealings with an honest man like Prince Wu Ming.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words immediately made Wu Ming feel insulted, but he didn¡¯t mind. Since the North Prince was wary of Wu Junwan, it was a good thing for him; he could use this to his advantage and reach an agreement with the North Prince, then snatch the credit for this mission to the North Country. Lu Chen continued, ¡°In this trade agreement, I will instruct it to be signed by Prince Wu Ming. What does Prince Wu Ming think of this?¡± Wu Ming was taken aback; if he could sign the trade agreement, the outcome of this mission would essentially be his. Wu Ming immediately said, ¡°Then I thank the North Prince.¡± Chapter 465 - Chapter 465: Chapter 279 Sooner or Later She Will Become His Woman_1 Chapter 465: Chapter 279 Sooner or Later She Will Become His Woman_1 Wu Ming had spent an hour at the North Prince Mansion, discussing the content of the trade cooperation agreement with Lu Chen. After Wu Ming left the North Prince Mansion, his heart was still incredibly excited. Sitting in the carriage, he felt much more relaxed. At that moment, he remembered the words that Lu Chen had previously said, and he couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists. Then he muttered to himself, ¡°A mere feudal seignior dares to insult me in such a way, when I ascend to that position, the first I will annihilate is North Country.¡± Wu Ming also hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Chen would actually reveal North Country¡¯s fears about Wu Junwan, and in front of him, no less. North Country was wary of Wu Junwan, so they chose to cooperate with him, the second prince. Wasn¡¯t this revealing that to North Country, he, the second prince, posed no threat at all? The more Wu Ming thought about how the North Prince had praised him as an honest man, the angrier he became inside. What nonsense about an honest man! The North Prince just meant to say he, Wu Ming, was a fool! As if he couldn¡¯t tell! Wu Ming¡¯s anger grew the more he thought about it, and the joy from earlier gradually dissipated. He continued to mutter to himself, ¡°Today¡¯s humiliation, I will surely return a hundredfold in the future!¡± ¡­ The next morning, Lu Chen sent someone to tell Wu Junwan that for this trade cooperation agreement, they needed Wu Ming to sign it. Wu Junwan instantly guessed Lu Chen¡¯s motive; it was clear he intended to sow discord between her and Wu Ming. Feeling that this couldn¡¯t go on, Wu Junwan went straight to Wu Ming, planning to have a serious talk to prevent Wu Ming from being exploited by Lu Chen. When Wu Ming heard that Wu Junwan wanted to see him, he almost guessed what it was about, but he still went to her courtyard. After entering the courtyard, Wu Ming asked, ¡°I wonder what matter brings sister to seek me out?¡± Although they were not from the same mother, Wu Ming still acted quite humbly in front of Princess Junwan and even refrained from referring to himself as ¡°this prince,¡± instead using ¡°I.¡± Junwan spoke indifferently, ¡°Did you meet with the North Prince alone yesterday?¡± Wu Ming answered with a smile, ¡°Nothing can be hidden from sister.¡± Junwan continued, ¡°The North Prince just sent someone to tell me that for this trade cooperation agreement, he specifically wants your signature.¡± Wu Ming showed a surprised expression, ¡°Really?¡± Junwan went on to say, ¡°Third brother, you should understand the reason the North Prince is doing this is to undermine the relationship between you and me, thereby gaining more benefits. If you consent to his terms just to sign on the trade cooperation agreement, that would be tantamount to betraying Great Wu.¡± Faced with Junwan¡¯s warning, Wu Ming didn¡¯t take it to heart. Smiling, he said, ¡°Sister, there¡¯s no need to scare me. Besides, I am a prince of Great Wu. I know well what I should and should not do. With Father¡¯s men watching my every move, how could I possibly do something to betray Great Wu?¡± ¡°The North Prince¡¯s proposal for me to sign the trade agreement is perhaps because I am a man, right?¡± Wu Ming¡¯s words were blunt, implying that Junwan, being a woman, had no claim to the throne, and naturally, in signing any kind of treaty with a country, one would choose someone with the right to succession. On hearing Wu Ming¡¯s words, Junwan wasn¡¯t angered; she simply smiled and said, ¡°It seems I have misunderstood you, third brother. As long as you have done nothing to betray Great Wu, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± At this point, Wu Ming said, ¡°If sister has no other matters, I¡¯ll take my leave. Yan County is bustling, and I wish to have a look around.¡± Junwan replied, ¡°Very well.¡± Wu Ming then turned and left. Watching his retreating figure, Pei Hong, standing beside Junwan, said, ¡°Maybe the North Prince did not propose any additional conditions.¡± Junwan spoke up, ¡°To the North Prince, even obtaining many favorable terms in the trade cooperation agreement is not as profitable as throwing Great Wu¡¯s dynasty into chaos.¡± Pei Hong asked, ¡°Your Highness, are you really willing to let all the credit for this diplomatic mission to North Country fall into Prince Wu Ming¡¯s hands?¡± After reflecting for a moment, Junwan replied, ¡°Send someone to tell the North Prince that this palace wishes to speak with him alone.¡± Although Junwan knew Lu Chen aimed to drive a wedge between her and Wu Ming, to avoid the diplomatic achievements from the mission to North Country falling into Wu Ming¡¯s hands, she had to talk to Lu Chen. If the North Prince liked to create divisions, let him do so. After all, as a woman trying to claim the supreme position, the Chen Family wouldn¡¯t be easy to deal with, and not just Wu Ming¡ªGreat Wu¡¯s other princes would also become her enemies on the way forward. Sooner or later, she and her brothers were bound to come into conflict, and this didn¡¯t require Lu Chen¡¯s instigation. As for the diplomatic achievements from this mission to North Country, they definitely couldn¡¯t fall into Wu Ming¡¯s hands. ¡­ North Prince Mansion. Study. Lu Chen was dealing with official documents when Wu Yuan came in to report, ¡°Prince, Xuanyuan Chaoge has arrived in Yan County.¡± Hearing Wu Yuan¡¯s words, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth slightly lifted. At last, he had arrived; now he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Mysterious Moon Palace coming to trouble him. Wu Yuan continued to inquire, ¡°Would you like to meet with him, Prince? He has already settled into the residence you arranged for him.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Have him come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. There are some questions this prince wishes to ask him.¡± Chapter 466 - Chapter 466: Chapter 279 Sooner or Later She Will Become His Woman_2 Chapter 466: Chapter 279 Sooner or Later She Will Become His Woman_2 ¡°Yes, I will send someone to notify him immediately.¡± Wu Yuan then turned and left the study. Before long, Wu Yuan arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s study with Xuanyuan Chaoge in tow. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately performed a courtesy and said, ¡°This old official pays respects to Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, please dispense with the formalities.¡± Lu Chen then directly asked, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, I am quite curious, how did you break through to the Heavenly Human Realm?¡± ¡°I remember that to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm, one must withstand the trials of this world. Without passing the trials of this world, it would be impossible to break through.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chaoge paused for a moment, then said, ¡°The trials of the world? Your Majesty is not incorrect, but we usually call this achieving Unity.¡± ¡°Although everyone follows the path of Martial Arts, there are many branches along the way, and each person has their own path. Only by comprehending one¡¯s own path can one break through to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°After Your Majesty came to inspect Great Yu City, the old knot in this old official¡¯s heart finally unraveled, and I grasped my own path, hence successfully achieved Unity and reached the Unity of Heaven and Man.¡± Upon hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought to himself that Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s breakthrough into the Heavenly Human Realm truly had something to do with himself. Lu Chen continued, ¡°There is a Grandmaster at the Zenith Realm in Yan County who recently caused a heavenly phenomenon but did not succeed in achieving Unity. Instead, he only perceived a method that could enable his breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm. What is going on here?¡± ¡°Since he already knows how to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm, logically, he should have comprehended his own path. Then why hasn¡¯t he been able to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°Your Majesty must be speaking of Zhuge Zhongguang! I have also heard about his situation.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge had heard of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s feats while he was still in Great Yu City. Given the frequent interactions between Great Yu City and Yan County, with the trade caravans entering and exiting Yan County nearly every day, Xuanyuan Chaoge had quickly learned of the occurrences there. Initially, he thought a Celestial Realm powerhouse had emerged in Yan County, but upon entering the city, he did not sense the presence of any such Celestial beings. He soon realized that this was merely a strategy of the North Prince. Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Yes, it is him.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge continued, ¡°His ability to cause a heavenly phenomenon shows that he was close to achieving Unity. The reason he could not attain Unity with Heaven and Man might be due to his insufficient understanding of the path he is pursuing.¡± ¡°When this old official heard that Your Majesty was in the North Country, a heavenly phenomenon was also induced. At that time, a voice told this old official that to break through the Heavenly Human Realm, I had to manage Great Yu City well.¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, feeling it all seemed too mystical. Lu Chen more or less understood that from the first rank of Martial Artist to the Grandmaster Realm, one could continue to break through realms as long as their skill accumulated. But from Grandmaster to Celestial Realm, advancement in skill was useless; the breakthrough to this Realm required insight. As for the specifics of how to break through, it was mysterious and varied, with each person being different. Initially, he and Zhuge Zhongguang thought breaking through to the Celestial Realm required the world¡¯s recognition. Now it seemed, that was merely their own assumption. Lu Chen rubbed his temples, ceasing to ponder any further. Never mind, thinking on this now was futile. After all, he just needed to know that breaking through to the Celestial Realm was not easy. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I will have Palace Great Scholar Zhuge go learn from you later. Share your experience of breaking through to the Celestial Realm with him, and see if he can comprehend anything.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°As Your Majesty wishes.¡± Just then, Xuanyuan Chaoge inquired, ¡°Your Majesty, what role shall this old official undertake in Yan County?¡± Although he had already broken through to the Celestial Realm, a person of Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s status no longer needed to work. However, as a city lord accustomed to management, remaining idle was unsettling. Hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s question, Lu Chen mused for a moment before saying, ¡°I initially wanted you to serve as Palace Great Scholar, but thinking it over, it is not yet prudent to reveal your existence. I must trouble you for a while longer; you will manage North Country¡¯s armament production including steam engines and the manufacture of trains.¡± Before Zhuge Zhongguang broke through to the Celestial Realm, Xuanyuan Chaoge was a trump card. Since a trump card should be played last, naturally Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s existence should not be revealed so hastily. Xuanyuan Chaoge eagerly said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all. Being needed by Your Majesty is my honor.¡± Just then, a servant at the doorway of the study said, ¡°Your Highness, Princess Wu from Great Wu has sent a letter.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Bring it in.¡± The maid then delivered Wu Junwan¡¯s letter to Lu Chen. After opening it and scanning the contents, he smiled, and then told the servant at the door, ¡°Tell the messenger to inform Princess Junwan that Your Highness will be available at the ninth hour today.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡­ In the afternoon. In a pavilion in the outer courtyard of the North Prince Mansion, Wu Junwan, dressed in a long violet dress, sat on the stony bench, eyeing Lu Chen, who was opposite her at the stone table. She then smiled sweetly and said, ¡°This princess¡¯s younger brother must have been sitting right where I am just yesterday, right?¡± Chapter 467 - Chapter 467: Chapter 279 Sooner or Later She Will Become His Woman_3 Chapter 467: Chapter 279 Sooner or Later She Will Become His Woman_3 Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Princess Junwan guessed wrong; he sat on the stone stool to your right.¡± Lu Chen then asked, ¡°May I know what matter brings Princess Junwan to meet with me alone?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°The North Prince Faction sent someone to the place where I reside, specifically ordering that my brother sign the trade cooperation document. And now you¡¯re asking what brings me here? Isn¡¯t this asking what you already know?¡± With a faint smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming is the second prince of Great Wu, and he has the qualification to succeed the throne. There should be no problem with me having him sign the document, right?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan displayed no expression on her face, as she clearly picked up on Lu Chen¡¯s implication that she, being a woman, had no qualification to succeed the throne. Wu Junwan then remarked, ¡°Does the North Prince truly believe that only a man can become the future Emperor of Great Wu? Great Jue also had an Empress. Since Great Jue had one, why can¡¯t Great Wu have one too?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Whether the Emperor of Great Wu is a man or a woman is of no concern to me. Since Princess Junwan wishes to sign the trade cooperation document, you need to show sincerity.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan smiled slightly and then said, ¡°What kind of sincerity does the North Prince wish to see?¡± Lu Chen smiled, picked up the teacup from the stone table, took a sip of tea, and then slowly said, ¡°Does Princess Junwan still remember Miss Qian of the Qian Family whom I mentioned during yesterday¡¯s midday banquet?¡± At this, Wu Junwan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, unsure why Lu Chen was bringing up Miss Qian at this time. The situation being what it was, and Lu Chen still putting on an act¡ªthe so-called Miss Qian was nothing but a false identity she had created during her last visit to Yan County. Without delay, Wu Junwan said, ¡°North Prince, at this point, why don¡¯t we speak frankly and directly about our business?¡± With a light smile, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Although the Qian Family informed me that Miss Qian has passed away, I¡¯ve learned through some minor channels that Miss Qian is, in fact, not dead but is at the Qianhai Commercial Association of Great Wu. I fell for Miss Qian at first sight, and I quite fancy her. I wonder if Princess Junwan would be willing to let go of such affection and allow Miss Qian to become my concubine?¡± Wu Junwan looked serious as she stared into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, trying to detect from his gaze whether his last statement was a mere jest. However, with a smile on his face, Lu Chen too gazed into her eyes, showing no sign of jesting. Wu Junwan remarked, ¡°It is said that the North Prince is a playboy who loves beauty, and I did not believe it at first. Seeing it today, it seems the reputation is indeed well-deserved.¡± Wu Junwan had thought that because Lu Chen managed to break through to the Grandmaster Realm at such a young age, he wouldn¡¯t be too interested in the allure of beauty, but here he was, speaking such flirtatious and frivolous words to her, the epitome of a wastrel. This man actually had the audacity to set his sights on her, the esteemed Princess Wu! Lu Chen said, ¡°A fair lady is a gentleman¡¯s favourite pursuit. I am not of lascivious nature, but I do like beautiful things.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen even compared her to an ¡°object,¡± her impression of him grew even worse. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°You should know that Miss Qian is unlikely to marry you, so please propose another condition, North Prince.¡± ¡°Princess Junwan has gathered a lot of information about me through the Qianhai Commercial Association, so you should be very clear, the only hobby I have is women. Whatever condition Princess Junwan suggests, in my eyes, none are more valuable than Miss Qian.¡± Upon hearing these words, Wu Junwan felt a swirl of anger rising inside her, and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. This young man, barely seventeen or eighteen years old, was he truly making his moves on her? Wu Junwan then stated, ¡°Miss Qian is already in her thirties, which is not quite suitable for the North Prince.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Several women of mine are already in their thirties, and one is even carrying my child. My favorite type is mature women in their thirties, just like Miss Qian.¡± Coldly, Wu Junwan said, ¡°I kindly ask that the North Prince stop jesting.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°Since Princess Junwan is unwilling to give Miss Qian to me, let us drop the matter. You may leave now, Princess.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had dismissed her, Wu Junwan thought to herself, could it be that the North Prince never intended to negotiate terms with her, using this conversation as a ruse? She knew it; how could the North Prince possibly fancy her for her beauty. Wu Junwan immediately stood up and left the pavilion. Watching her graceful figure leave, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly. Princess of Great Wu, right? One day she will be his woman. Chapter 468 - Chapter 468: Chapter 280: Retaliate against me? Great!_1 Chapter 468: Chapter 280: Retaliate against me? Great!_1 Wu Junwan left the North Prince Mansion with some anger still lingering in her heart. Although she thought that Lu Chen¡¯s provocative words were only meant to dissuade her, she couldn¡¯t help feeling uncomfortable. This young man had actually teased her, the Princess of Great Wu¡ªand she was already in her thirties, old enough to be his mother. Just as Wu Junwan was pondering how to make Lu Chen agree to let her sign the document, Pei Hong¡¯s voice came from outside the carriage. ¡°Princess Junwan, do you feel it?¡± Wu Junwan lifted the carriage curtain and asked with confusion, ¡°What is it, Sir Pei?¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan seemed to have felt nothing, Pei Hong frowned and then said, ¡°Just now at the North Prince Mansion, I felt my true qi became extremely chaotic, and a great sense of oppression arose in my heart, so heavy that I could hardly breathe.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was stunned. Why didn¡¯t she have such a feeling just now? Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Strange, why did I not experience this feeling?¡± Pei Hong pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Could it be Zhuge Zhongguang exerting pressure on me?¡± When Pei Hong put it that way, Wu Junwan also realized that if Zhuge Zhongguang truly was already a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse, then such a being could indeed lock onto someone within their perceptive range, without having seen that person, and exert pressure on them. Thinking of this, Wu Junwan¡¯s eyebrows slightly knitted together, and then she said, ¡°Does that mean Zhuge Zhongguang has really broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm?¡± Pei Hong said, ¡°It is very likely. If it were only a Grandmaster, even when Zhuge Zhongguang was still a Grandmaster, he could not have imposed such a sense of oppression on me. I fear only a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse could exert such a formidable pressure.¡± After Pei Hong said this, Wu Junwan fell into silence. Now, with the North Country having a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse, and with the North Prince being a man of immense martial talents and ambitions, it seemed inevitable that there would be a war between North Country and Great Wu in the future. The North Country would become the greatest threat to Great Wu. It seemed that upon her return, she would have to persuade her father, the Emperor, to send an envoy to the Great Sum. With the North Country boasting a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse, Great Wu could not compete with the North Country in single combat, especially as the North Country was in a period of rapid development. Although currently the North Country¡¯s population was not large, if one day Lu Chen conquered the entirety of Great Sum and became the next Sum Emperor, controlling all of Great Sum, then Great Wu would hardly be a match for them. Although they wanted to stir up trouble between the North Country and the Great Sum court, inciting war between them, Wu Junwan did not want to see the Great Sum court easily defeated by the North Country. If the Great Sum court fell, Great Wu would face an even stronger enemy, a disaster for Great Wu. The Great Sum court still had the capability to contend with the North Country; hadn¡¯t there been recent rumors that the royal family of Great Sum had means to counter a Heavenly Human Realm being? Since Great Sum and North Country had the strength to fight each other, it was best for Great Wu to side with the Great Sum court, aiding them against the North Country. Of course, the best outcome would be if the Great Sum court and North Country both suffered, allowing the Great Wu dynasty to reap the benefits. In the evening. Lu Chen was reviewing documents in his study when a voice rang out from outside the door, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s news from Rongrong.¡± On hearing this, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback, then set down his pen and said to Lin Wanyun at the door, ¡°Madam Lin, please come in.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than Lin Wanyun entered the study. She was wearing a long green dress this evening, wrapping her voluptuous figure, radiating the charm of a mature woman. After Lin Wanyun entered the study, she closed the door and then brought a letter to Lu Chen. Seeing the letter in Lin Wanyun¡¯s hand, Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°This letter¡­¡± Lin Wanyun answered, ¡°This is a letter that Rongrong had someone bring down from the mountain.¡± Lu Chen was surprised in his heart. Chen Wanrong was imprisoned by her master, yet she still managed to have a disciple bring a letter down from the mountain? Lin Wanyun extended her jade hand and passed Chen Wanrong¡¯s letter to Lu Chen, who immediately took it and read it attentively. After reading the contents of the letter, Lu Chen was even more startled, and amidst his surprise, he felt a touch of happiness¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected Chen Wanrong¡¯s master not to be truly against her being his woman. However¡­ Seeing Lu Chen staring blankly at the letter, Lin Wanyun asked curiously, ¡°What did Rongrong say in the letter?¡± Lin Wanyun had come directly to Lu Chen after receiving the letter and didn¡¯t know its contents. Lu Chen replied, ¡°She told me that her master has no intention of stopping me from being with her. However, her master will personally come down the mountain to see what kind of person I am after some time. She warned me to try not to focus too much on women during the time her master visits North Country.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Lin Wanyun asked in astonishment, ¡°Really? The Honorable has actually agreed to your relationship?¡± To Lin Wanyun, their Honorable was quite a strict person, especially concerning Chen Wanrong. Ever since the incident with Chu Yue, their Honorable had frequently reminded Chen Wanrong not to entertain relationships with men, even declaring that all men are no good. Chapter 469 - Chapter 469: Chapter 280: Retaliate against me? Great!_2 Chapter 469: Chapter 280: Retaliate against me? Great!_2 Lin Wanyun had thought that upon hearing of Chen Wanrong¡¯s calamity caused by Lu Chen, the Honorable would rush to Yan County to harass Lu Chen. Unexpectedly, not only did the Honorable not trouble Lu Chen, they even agreed to their union. Lu Chen said, ¡°Rongrong also mentioned in the letter that her master said if I have talent, her master is even considering taking me as a disciple.¡± Lin Wanyun excitedly said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then nothing could be better. In this way, the relationship between you and Rongrong will be justified.¡± If Lu Chen became the Honorable¡¯s disciple, then Lu Chen would be one of Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s own. With Chen Wanrong choosing a partner from within Mysterious Moon Palace, surely no one in the palace would object anymore, right? At this point, Lu Chen, looking at the letter in his hands, fell into deep thought. To be honest, he couldn¡¯t be certain whether the contents of the letter were true, for he had never seen Chen Wanrong¡¯s handwriting. Moreover, Chen Wanrong was still at Mysterious Moon Palace. He didn¡¯t know whether she had been imprisoned or not, and since the letter was sent from Mysterious Moon Palace, it could also have been written by someone else using Chen Wanrong¡¯s name. With this in mind, Lu Chen handed the letter to Lin Wanyun and said, ¡°Madam Lin, could you see if the handwriting on this letter is Rongrong¡¯s?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Lin Wanyun instantly understood his concerns. She promptly took the letter from Lu Chen¡¯s hand, glanced over it, and said, ¡°This is indeed Rongrong¡¯s handwriting.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Did you ask the disciples of Mysterious Moon Palace about Rongrong¡¯s current situation there?¡± Lin Wanyun answered, ¡°I did. The disciples of Mysterious Moon Palace told me that after Rongrong returned, she met with the Honorable alone several times. It seems the Honorable hasn¡¯t punished her. She is still the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, and she is currently managing all affairs within the palace.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that since Chen Wanrong¡¯s master had not punished her, did that mean the content of the letter was most likely true? Was Chen Wanrong¡¯s master truly enlightened? They actually agreed to their union so readily; he had thought her master would be extremely angry. Lin Wanyun could see what Lu Chen was worried about and followed up, ¡°In fact, it¡¯s not surprising that the Honorable agreed. When your mother married the Sum Emperor, she was initially opposed to it but ended up having to agree in the end.¡± ¡°You and Rongrong have ¡®cooked the raw rice¡¯ already; what has happened has happened. Her opposition at this point would be pointless, so it¡¯s normal for her to agree to your union.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± However, Lu Chen still had some concerns, and he inquired to Lin Wanyun, ¡°What kind of person is Rongrong¡¯s master?¡± In response to this question, Lin Wanyun did not know how to answer right away. She pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°A true fairy.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I mean, what is her personality like?¡± Lin Wanyun answered, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her many times and don¡¯t particularly understand her. However, I¡¯ve heard from Rongrong that the Honorable is quite a strict person.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, well, anyway, Chen Wanrong¡¯s master would be coming to Yan County sooner or later. He¡¯d face the trouble when it came. By then, he would know what kind of person Chen Wanrong¡¯s master was. He wasn¡¯t too keen on conflict with Mysterious Moon Palace, after all. Given that the palace possessed a weapon capable of destroying an entire mountain peak, the Honorable¡¯s background must not be simple. If direct conflict with Mysterious Moon Palace were to arise, the North Country might not be able to defeat them. At that moment, Lin Wanyun continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er, if there is nothing else, I will go ahead and leave. You continue with your work.¡± Lu Chen, coming back to his senses, said, ¡°Hmm, alright.¡± After Lin Wanyun turned around and left the study, Lu Chen also rose from his seat and went back to the main hall for dinner. After dinner, Lu Chen¡¯s wives went their separate ways, each returning to their own rooms. Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli also returned to the courtyard where they stayed. Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t help thinking that now her sister had spoiled the scoundrel¡¯s progeny, that scoundrel probably wouldn¡¯t be spending the night in her sister¡¯s room anymore, so she decided to stay with Chu Yuqin for the night. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t say much, and after the two sisters entered the room, Chu Qingli curiously asked, ¡°Sister, what does it feel like to be pregnant?¡± Upon hearing this question, Chu Yuqin smiled and then said, ¡°When you also carry Chen¡¯er¡¯s child, won¡¯t you know what it feels like to be pregnant?¡± As she said this, Chu Yuqin teased, ¡°Qingli, you¡¯re suddenly asking me this question ¨C could it be that you want to have a child?¡± Chu Qingli hastened to say, ¡°I don¡¯t want to bear that scoundrel¡¯s child at all, I¡¯m just asking casually.¡± ¡°As for you, sister, you¡¯re already married to him, you¡¯re now his woman, and still you call him ¡®Chen¡¯er¡¯ every time. Don¡¯t you feel ashamed?¡± Hearing this from Chu Qingli, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed slightly. She had been married to Lu Chen for some time now and, although she had thought about changing how she addressed Lu Chen, for some reason, every time she addressed him, she couldn¡¯t help but call him ¡°Chen¡¯er.¡± The key point was that no one in the Prince¡¯s Mansion corrected this form of address, so she had unconsciously continued to use it without realizing. Although she was already married to Lu Chen, she still looked like an elder to Lu Chen in the mansion. Chapter 470 - Chapter 470: Chapter 280: Retaliate against me? Great!_3 Chapter 470: Chapter 280: Retaliate against me? Great!_3 In fact, Chu Yuqin felt more shame in calling Lu Chen ¡°darling¡± than calling him ¡°Chen¡¯er.¡± Even though she had accepted Lu Chen, deep down she still couldn¡¯t get over the age difference, mainly because they had lived together for too long, and it wasn¡¯t something that could be changed in a short time. At that moment, Chu Qingli continued to ask, ¡°Sister, how come you got pregnant with that scoundrel¡¯s child so easily? Yelv Nanyan and the others have been with him so many times, and yet there¡¯s no sign of their bellies growing.¡± Chu Yuqin said with flushed cheeks, ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure myself.¡± Recently, Yelv Nanyan had repeatedly pulled her aside to quietly ask her how she got pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child, even wanting to find out the details of her intimate encounters with Lu Chen. Now, within the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she was the only female martial artist to carry Lu Chen¡¯s child, and it had happened on the first try, which naturally aroused the curiosity of the other women. Although it is normal to fall pregnant after intimacy between man and woman, just the thought that she was the only female martial artist to bear Lu Chen¡¯s child made Chu Yuqin feel somewhat ashamed. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion were speculating whether she and Lu Chen had done something particularly special for her to conceive so effortlessly. At this time, Chu Qingli looked at Chu Yuqin¡¯s rosy cheeks with a suspicious expression and said, ¡°Sister, you didn¡¯t sleep with that scoundrel a long time ago, did you? That¡¯s why you got pregnant with his child so quickly.¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Do you think I¡¯m like you?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli pouted. She wanted to say that she had done it initially for Chu Yuqin¡¯s sake, but the words stayed at the tip of her tongue, as even she no longer believed that excuse. Chu Qingli had since come to her senses. She realized that her agreement to transact with Lu Chen was nothing short of a voluntary offer of herself. She had once thought of Lu Chen as a contemptible person, and yet she had believed his words and agreed to a transaction of a hundred times with him, which was akin to seeking her own misery. However, it was meaningless to discuss this now. Now that she had become one of the members of the Harem, no amount of words would change anything. Like her sister, she could no longer escape the clutches of that scoundrel for the rest of her life. At this moment, Chu Qingli raised her hand and caressed Chu Yuqin¡¯s belly. Chu Qingli murmured to herself, ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a boy or a girl.¡± Chu Yuqin smiled faintly and then replied, ¡°Whether it is a boy or a girl, I believe Chen¡¯er will love the child.¡± Chu Qingli said, ¡°That¡¯s uncertain. Who knows if he just says he likes it, but deep down he¡¯s full of disdain.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s better to bear him sons. Didn¡¯t he say he treats all his children equally? Sister, just bear him a few more sons, divide his inheritance, and take revenge on him for bullying the two of us sisters.¡± Just as Chu Qingli finished speaking, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came from the doorway, ¡°Take revenge on me? Great! I can¡¯t wait for you to take revenge.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen pushed the door and entered. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s unexpected arrival, Chu Qingli was taken aback. Lu Chen then closed the door and said with a smile, ¡°Qingli, what kind of skill is it to incite your sister to take revenge on me? Why don¡¯t you personally bear me a few dozen children to take your revenge?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli snorted lightly and said, ¡°I can¡¯t get pregnant. If I could, I wouldn¡¯t mind giving birth to dozens or even hundreds for you to see. I¡¯d have my children carve up your estate, and then I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯d provide for so many children.¡± Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback by Chu Qingli¡¯s words. Of course, he knew that what Chu Qingli said was just said out of anger; regardless of how capable she was, Chu Qingli couldn¡¯t possibly bear hundreds of children for him alone. However, Chu Qingli¡¯s words did remind Lu Chen that indeed, if one day he had more and more children, arranging for their future would indeed be a concern. With his Realm determining he would not be limited to just the few women he had now and ensuring that he would not have only six children ¨C and given that as the children grew up, they too would have children, and their children would continue to have more children ¨C it was likely that Lu Chen would live to see many generations of his descendants. Of course, tonight was not the time to think about that. He had come to ask Chu Yuqin some questions today. Afterwards, Lu Chen walked straight to the bed and sat down next to Chu Qingli. Seeing herself in the way of Lu Chen and her sister, Chu Qingli immediately got up, planning to yield her place to them and leave the room. ¡°Sister, I won¡¯t disturb you guys,¡± she said. At this point, Chu Qingli was ready to leave, but just as she got up, Lu Chen grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her tender body into his embrace, making Chu Qingli sit on his lap. Lu Chen whispered in Chu Qingli¡¯s ear, ¡°Qingli, what are you doing? I didn¡¯t say you could go. So why are you leaving?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to bear my child to take revenge? If you leave so quickly, how will you get pregnant?¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli was stunned, and her cold face instantly flushed with red, her heart racing with the thought that the scoundrel might actually intend to do that sort of thing in front of her sister. Chu Yuqin¡¯s face also turned even redder, suspecting that Lu Chen¡¯s insistence on keeping Chu Qingli from leaving was probably driven by such thoughts. Chu Qingli quickly said, ¡°Sister is pregnant, Prince. If you want to, please go to my room instead.¡± Being alone with Lu Chen, Chu Qingli would not feel anything amiss, but in the presence of her own sister, she could not accept it internally. She didn¡¯t want to let her sister witness her in her moments of disgrace. Lu Chen replied, ¡°No need. We¡¯ll stay in this room. I have something to discuss with your sister.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hands moved to Chu Qingli¡¯s belt and directly pulled it out. Seeing Lu Chen was actually serious, Chu Qingli immediately struggled, ¡°No, my sister is right here!¡± Without another word, Lu Chen stood up, placed Chu Qingli on the bed, then leaned down and sealed her lips with a kiss. Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Chapter 281: Lu Chens Mother and Grandmother_1 Chapter 471: Chapter 281: Lu Chen¡¯s Mother and Grandmother_1 Great Sum, Capital city. After nightfall, the streets of the capital city had lost the bustle of the daytime. Because it was a special period, the capital city had implemented a curfew policy. If it had been before, the nightlife in the Great Sum¡¯s capital city would have still been quite rich. Just when everyone was getting ready to sleep, suddenly a golden light burst forth from the Imperial Palace, piercing straight into the sky. At this moment inside the Imperial Palace, a man dressed in white undergarments excitedly exclaimed, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, that¡¯s how it is!!!¡± Seeing a golden light from the direction of the Imperial Palace shooting into the sky and illuminating the entire capital city, the officials in the capital instantly thought of the incident that had occurred in the North Country not long ago. Instantly, the hearts of the officials in the capital filled with immense anxiety. Although the golden light signified that the royal family might now have a Celestial of the Heavenly Human Realm among them, it also meant that the Sum Emperor would continue to strengthen his control over the court. It must be known that the Sum Emperor had not yet finished clearing out the Ancient Families within the Great Sum¡¯s territory, and the officials from the Ancient Families still in the capital felt disaster looming over them. The family of the South was such a huge interest group, and the Sum Emperor had taken action against them as he pleased. Now, the remaining Ancient Families were like scattered sand; if another Celestial emerged from the royal family, what could they use to contest the Sum Emperor? ¡­ North Country, North Prince Mansion. Inside the room, the candlelight flickered. Chu Yuqin, standing to the side, watched the scene in front of her, slightly entranced, her cheeks somewhat flushed. Although she felt that such things were normal, to witness Lu Chen assault Chu Qingli still shocked her. Mu Zixuan had actually mentioned to her before to convince Lu Chen to increase the number of women attending the Prince in his chamber during the night. The reason Mu Zixuan asked Chu Yuqin to speak to Lu Chen was mainly due to Chu Yuqin¡¯s special status; she was the only person with a senior identity. If she were to speak to Lu Chen, he would probably listen to her advice. However, Chu Yuqin had always felt too embarrassed to speak to Lu Chen about it; she had not yet mentioned it to Lu Chen when he directly pulled Chu Qingli into doing bad things in his own room. To avoid disturbing Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin then stood up and sat down on a stool by the bed. After an unknown amount of time had passed, Lu Chen finally raised his upper body and then asked, ¡°Madam Chu, how much do you understand about my mother?¡± Initially, Chu Qingli saw Lu Chen raise his upper body and was ready to continue struggling, but when she heard Lu Chen asking her sister about serious matters, she paused for a moment then let Lu Chen have his way with her. Chu Yuqin felt odd watching Lu Chen doing bad things while asking about Chu Yue; nevertheless, she replied, ¡°I have been following your mother since I was young; perhaps there is no one in this world who understands your mother better than I do.¡± Lu Chen suppressed Chu Qingli while saying, ¡°Madam Chu, do you know how my mother died?¡± Upon hearing this question, Chu Yuqin was startled; she had not expected Lu Chen to inquire about the cause of Chu Yue¡¯s death. After a moment of silence, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Your mother¡¯s death was greatly related to your father the Emperor. At that time, he forced your mother to go to the Mysterious Moon Palace to borrow the Divine Artifact. On her way back, she was surrounded and attacked by assassins. With her last breath, your mother managed to eliminate all those assassins, but by the time she returned to the Imperial Palace, she was beyond help.¡± ¡°Perhaps your mother had sensed that she would encounter danger when she went to the Mysterious Moon Palace, which is why she didn¡¯t take me with her that time.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen took a deep breath and continued to ask, ¡°Did my mother bring back that Mysterious Moon Palace Divine Artifact to the capital city?¡± Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°No.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°How did the Sacred Artifact from the Mysterious Moon Palace end up in my father the Emperor¡¯s hands?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°On her way back to the capital city, your mother discovered that someone wanted to snatch the Sacred Artifact, so she hid it. After your mother¡¯s death, the Sum Emperor¡¯s people found that Sacred Artifact.¡± After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen took another deep breath and then suddenly turned fierce. After a moment, he asked again, ¡°Madam Chu, I have one last question; since you were always by my mother¡¯s side, you should know the answer to this next question.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin glanced at him as he was assaulting Chu Qingli. She vaguely felt that Lu Chen¡¯s mood seemed somewhat off. Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Ask away, I will tell you everything I know.¡± Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Am I the biological child of the Sum Emperor?¡± Upon hearing this question, Chu Yuqin froze. Seeing that Chu Yuqin did not answer immediately, Lu Chen knew she must know something about this. At this moment, Lu Chen flipped Chu Qingli over and pressed down on her again, then said, ¡°Madam Chu, just tell me the truth; I can accept whatever the result is.¡± Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°Your mother once warned me, under no circumstances was I to reveal your origins to you.¡± ¡°However, your mother did so only to ensure that you could live your life in peace, which is why she did not want you to know.¡± ¡°Now that you have found your immortal fate and are no longer a commoner, I think it shouldn¡¯t matter if I tell you now.¡± Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Chapter 281: Lu Chens Mother and Grandmother_2 Chapter 472: Chapter 281: Lu Chen¡¯s Mother and Grandmother_2 ¡°When your mother was in her teens, she obtained a bead that emitted a green light. I have no idea where she got that bead from. Afterward, she married the Sum Emperor, and every time the Sum Emperor visited her room, she used his essence blood to nourish the bead until one day, she implanted the bead into her own body. A few months later, you were conceived in her womb.¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s answer, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment and stopped his movements. He had thought his biological father was someone else. Who would have imagined he came to be in such a manner? It was all too fantastical. Chu Qingli was feeling very uncomfortable at the moment, but she overheard the conversation between Lu Chen and her sister and knew they were discussing something very important, so she didn¡¯t dare to move a muscle. She also hadn¡¯t expected the origin of this scoundrel to be so special. No wonder her sister was unwilling to leave Lu Chen no matter what. It seemed her sister had promised Chu Yue to always protect this scoundrel. After a while, Lu Chen resumed his activity and said while he busied himself, ¡°So does that mean I¡¯m truly the Sum Emperor¡¯s flesh and blood? After all, that green bead absorbed my father¡¯s essence blood.¡± Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin suddenly remembered something and continued, ¡°By the way, while your mother was pregnant, she would sometimes say some strange things to her belly, like how she often mumbled to herself that it would be great if you were really her child.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think. From the sound of it, could it be that in his mother¡¯s eyes, he wasn¡¯t her real child? Although he wasn¡¯t conceived through normal means, he did, after all, come from his mother¡¯s womb. How could his mother think that he wasn¡¯t her child? Lu Chen then caught his breath and asked, ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­ Did she say anything else strange?¡± Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°She also said she truly wished to see you grow up, hoping you could live like an ordinary person.¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin¡¯s emotions dipped slightly. She sighed and said, ¡°Thinking about it now, your mother probably said those words because she had already anticipated her own fate.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thought to himself that his mother must not have been simple; she probably knew something about him. It was a pity that his mother was no longer in this world. He couldn¡¯t ask her about his origins. It seemed he would need to find an opportunity to ask his maternal grandfather, maybe he knew something about his mother. With this in mind, Lu Chen started to vigorously attend to Chu Qingli. At this time, Chu Yuqin, who was beside them, glanced at Lu Chen and Chu Qingli and thought to herself that Chen¡¯er must have been stirred by what she had said, which caused him to vent his negative emotions on Qing Li. That might be for the best. Once Lu Chen had released all his negative emotions, he wouldn¡¯t feel so distressed anymore. Time passed, and eventually, Chu Qingli lay limp on the couch. Lu Chen then turned his head to look at Chu Yuqin and smiled, saying, ¡°My dear, it¡¯s so late, why aren¡¯t you coming to bed?¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned red. The scene that had just occurred was still echoing in her mind. Sadly, she was already with child and couldn¡¯t engage in such activities. Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a reproachful look and then said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t make room for you, would you have been able to stretch out?¡± As she spoke, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face became incredibly hot, as if she wished she could vanish into a crack in the ground. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s so late, come and get some rest.¡± Since Lu Chen had said so, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t say anything more. She slowly approached the bed, then untied her robe, revealing the white undergarment beneath. Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate, he pushed Chu Qingli aside, then drew Chu Yuqin into his arms and kissed her. Although they couldn¡¯t do anything too naughty, hugging and kissing were still fine. ¡­ The next morning. When Lu Chen woke up, he saw Chu Qingli looking at him with a resentful expression, her eyes like those of a scorned woman. Lu Chen, holding Chu Yuqin¡¯s soft body, then asked, ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± Chu Qingli huffed but said nothing. The little rascal had made her lose face in front of her sister. He was utterly despicable. What would her sister think of her now? She would surely see her as a shameless woman! Detestable Lu Chen! If it hadn¡¯t been for Lu Chen bullying her while talking to her sister about Chu Yue yesterday, she would have certainly fought back with all her might. Then, Chu Yuqin, who was tightly held in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, if you want to know more about your mother, go ask your maternal grandfather. He has always doted on your mother since she was a child, and he probably knows a lot that I¡¯m unaware of.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Mm, I will go later.¡± As they spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hands began to gently roam over Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, and then he whispered in her ear, ¡°My dear wife, your body is so soft and warm, it feels so nice to hold you.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face turned red once again. This little rascal, always teasing her, knowing full well that she was with child and couldn¡¯t share pleasures with him, yet still arousing her like this. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flush and her eyes misting, Lu Chen stopped teasing her and got up. Chapter 473 - Chapter 473: Chapter 281: Lu Chens Mother and Grandmother_3 Chapter 473: Chapter 281: Lu Chen¡¯s Mother and Grandmother_3 Chu Yuqin immediately got up to help him get dressed. An hour later, Lu Chen appeared at the Chu Family residence. When he arrived at the Chu Family, he found the door covered in white paper with black characters, as if a funeral was being prepared. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen immediately asked the Chu Family¡¯s servant, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Who has died?¡± The servant replied, ¡°Your Highness, the Family Head is holding a funeral for the young master.¡± After Liang Zong returned, he informed Lu Chen of Chu Hongfei¡¯s death, but Lu Chen had not immediately told Chu Xiong about it. However, a few days ago, Lu Chen found out that Chu Xiong had been sending people to the South to look for Chu Hongfei. Lu Chen thought for a moment, although the rebels in the South had already been wiped out, and Aristocratic Families there had been ransacked and exterminated, many of their members had still managed to escape. Perhaps in Chu Xiong¡¯s eyes, Chu Hongfei had also taken the opportunity to flee. But instead of letting Chu Xiong wait for a person who would never return, it would be better to tell him directly, so Lu Chen had Liang Zong inform Chu Xiong of how Prince Lu Shuyun had kicked Chu Hongfei into the sea. No matter how rebellious Chu Hongfei had been, he was still Chu Xiong¡¯s son. Chu Xiong had already lost his daughter, and now his son as well, leaving him looking rather lonely. Soon, the Chu Family¡¯s servant led Lu Chen to the Chu Family¡¯s drawing-room, where at the moment Chu Xiong appeared particularly haggard. Lu Chen said, ¡°Grandfather, please accept my condolences. I also blame myself for not having Liang Zong save my uncle at the time.¡± Chu Xiong sighed and said, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s not Your Highness¡¯s fault. It is all Hongfei¡¯s own doing. I had long told him not to stay in the South, but he wouldn¡¯t listen and insisted on following those madmen.¡± ¡°Enough, it¡¯s useless to talk about it now.¡± At this point, Chu Xiong looked at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°May I know the reason for Your Highness¡¯s visit today?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I want to know some things about my mother.¡± Hearing this, Chu Xiong appeared a bit stunned. Seeing Chu Xiong¡¯s momentary lapse, Lu Chen thought that perhaps, considering his grandfather was grieving over the loss of his son, it might not be appropriate to ask about his mother and stir up more pain? With this thought, Lu Chen stood up and said, ¡°Grandfather, if it¡¯s not convenient today, I can come back another time.¡± Chu Xiong came back to his senses and quickly replied, ¡°It¡¯s fine, go ahead and ask whatever you want to know.¡± Encouraged by Chu Xiong¡¯s words, Lu Chen sat back down and asked directly, ¡°I want to know if my mother is really your birth daughter?¡± Hearing this, Chu Xiong was stunned again, not expecting Lu Chen to ask such a question. Chu Xiong asked with curiosity, ¡°Why would Your Highness ask such a question?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I feel that my mother might not be an ordinary person, so I want to know if she was really born into the Chu family.¡± Chu Xiong fell silent and did not immediately answer; after a while, he finally said, ¡°Your mother is indeed my child, but when her mother conceived her, it wasn¡¯t through ordinary means.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately remembered what Chu Yuqin had said the night before¡ªthat his birth had a lot to do with that green pearl. Could it be that his mother was also conceived in the same way? Then, Chu Xiong continued, ¡°Years ago, when I went hunting in the mountains, I encountered an injured girl. I fell for her at first sight, so I brought her back to the Chu Family and healed her wounds.¡± ¡°Eventually, that girl married me and became my first wife, your grandmother. On our wedding night, your grandmother told me she was not an ordinary person and did not possess the normal reproductive capabilities of a woman, requiring a special method to become pregnant. She asked me if I was willing to have a child that way.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think too much and agreed to your grandmother. Then she took out a yellow pearl, nourished it with my essence, and finally implanted it into her body, and then she conceived your mother.¡± ¡°However, not long after your grandmother gave birth to your mother, she passed away.¡± At this point, Chu Xiong¡¯s mood became incredibly low and filled with sorrow. Hearing Chu Xiong say this, Lu Chen thought to himself that, indeed, his birth method was the same as his mother¡¯s. His mother was indeed not an ordinary person, and neither was his grandmother. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°What illness led to my grandmother¡¯s death?¡± Chu Xiong tried to compose himself and, after a long pause, replied, ¡°I do not know what illness she had. One morning she suddenly told me that she was leaving. Afterward, she lay in bed and never got up again. I called for almost every doctor in Sufeng City to the Chu home, but not one could diagnose her illness. A few days later, she died.¡± As his words fell, the drawing-room fell silent. Lu Chen was lost in thought, and Chu Xiong in silence; neither spoke for a long while. Lu Chen wondered if his mother had indeed anticipated that she would die before he grew up? Although her death seemed to be connected to the Sum Emperor, it might also be because her life had reached its natural end. Could it be that the mission of both his grandmother and his mother was to breed a descendant through that special pearl, and once the descendant was born, their mission was accomplished, and their deaths were not far behind? But how did his mother know her mission? Since his grandmother died shortly after his mother¡¯s birth, presumably, no one told his mother what she was supposed to do? Suddenly, Lu Chen felt that his existence in this world was probably not just a simple matter of soul transmigration; if it were only that, there wouldn¡¯t be such a thing as a system. It was as if everything in this world had been prearranged. After some contemplation, Lu Chen felt that pondering further was useless at the moment. Better to have more children, obtain more rewards, and continue to increase his strength. No matter what conspiracy lay behind the system, once he grew to a certain point, the mastermind behind it would inevitably come forward. Worrying so much now was pointless. After all, he had enjoyed his life; even if he were to die, he would have no regrets. Chapter 477 - Chapter 477: Chapter 283: North Prince, What Do You Mean?_1 Chapter 477: Chapter 283: North Prince, What Do You Mean?_1 Ever since the Sum Emperor fell ill, the struggle among the Princes had intensified. Although the Sum Emperor temporarily ceased to attend court sessions, officials were still obligated to attend the regular Great Court Assembly. The Great Court Assembly was usually presided over by Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan. In the absence of the Sum Emperor¡¯s oversight, the Assembly had become a battleground for the factions of various Princes to launch attacks against each other. Whenever the Great Court Assembly convened, the court officials would argue from the beginning until the end of the session. Even though the factions had reached a point where they were incompatible as fire and water, the Sum Emperor still did not appear in court. Now, apart from the State Preceptor and those who served the Sum Emperor personally, only the Left and Right Prime Ministers were able to see the Sum Emperor after the court was dismissed. Very few knew the exact condition of the Sum Emperor¡¯s health; the only thing people were aware of was that his illness had become more severe and that he was near the end. Xuanzheng Hall. The morning court session today was as chaotic as always until an official from Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction stepped forward and addressed Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan, ¡°Prime Minister Zhao, Prime Minister Lin, now that His Majesty is bedridden and state affairs are piling up like a mountain, it is time to persuade His Majesty to establish a Crown Prince.¡± Upon hearing this statement, the previously noisy crowd in the great hall instantly fell silent, their gazes unanimously turning towards Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan. As the only ones with access to the Sum Emperor at the moment, only these two knew the Sum Emperor¡¯s exact condition. Even the Princes were kept in the dark about how their father¡¯s health was faring, especially since the Sum Emperor had explicitly forbidden any Prince from visiting him. To establish a Crown Prince at such a time, it could only be done by persuading the Sum Emperor through Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan, the Left and Right Prime Ministers. At that moment, an official from the faction of the third Prince stood up as well, ¡°Indeed, the court cannot go a single day without someone to direct the grand affairs. If the current situation continues, it could very likely lead to unrest. The Seigniors throughout the land are already restless. Establishing a Crown Prince early would help to stabilize the foundation of the state.¡± After this person finished speaking, other officials also stood up one after another. Regardless of which Prince¡¯s faction they belonged to, they all hoped to establish the Crown Prince as soon as possible. Of course, the Crown Prince they had in mind was the Prince they supported, signifying that the battle for succession had reached its most intense stage. If the Sum Emperor¡¯s illness continued to deteriorate and the Crown Prince¡¯s seat did not go to the Prince they supported, then they could overturn the table. At this moment, Lin Gaoyuan spoke to the restless crowd, ¡°His Majesty has his own plans; there is no need for everyone to be so anxious.¡± Zhao Wenhan then added, ¡°Prime Minister Lin and I have discussed this matter, and we will bring up the issue of establishing a Crown Prince to His Majesty shortly.¡± It was at this moment that Prince Lu Yi asked, ¡°Prime Minister Zhao, Prime Minister Lin, may I know how my father¡¯s health is faring?¡± Zhao Wenhan replied, ¡°Prince Lu Yi need not worry. His Majesty has simply caught a cold, and should recover after some time.¡± Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s statement, the Princes and court officials¡¯ first reaction was to think he was lying, even suspecting the Sum Emperor¡¯s illness had grown worse. If it were merely a common cold, how could it be that he had not attended court for so long? He might have already recovered by now. Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan had both met with the Sum Emperor, and as Left and Right Prime Ministers, it was natural for them to stabilize the court. Thus, even if the Sum Emperor were truly on his deathbed, they would only say that his health was not of concern. The more they insisted the Sum Emperor¡¯s health posed no issue, the more it indicated that the situation was pessimistic. Instantly, people at court began to ponder their next steps, especially the Princes, who could scarcely contain their inner turmoil. Originally, they had thought the Sum Emperor was in good health and in his prime, believing that it would be decades before it was their turn to ascend to power, at most jockeying for the position of Crown Prince. Even as Crown Prince, they would have to tread carefully, for a single misstep could lead to attacks from officials of other Princes¡¯ factions. Lu Shuyun served as an example of this. But if the Sum Emperor were indeed not long for this world, they would only need to become Crown Prince, and soon after, they could ascend as Emperor. Once enthroned as the supreme ruler, they could leverage the royal family¡¯s power to purge the other Princes and secure their position. At this time, Lin Gaoyuan said, ¡°If there is nothing else to report today, then we shall adjourn. Prime Minister Zhao and I will go and inform His Majesty of recent developments.¡± As his words fell, Lin Gaoyuan scanned the people in the great hall. Seeing that no one continued to speak, Lin Gaoyuan said, ¡°Let it be so.¡± After that, Lin Gaoyuan turned and headed towards a side hall, with Zhao Wenhan following closely behind. Seeing both Prime Ministers leaving, the officials in the great hall looked at each other and departed one after another. However, as the officials left, they tended to group together, with the officials of each Prince¡¯s faction following their respective Prince. At this time, Lin Xiuming felt somewhat awkward. Looking around, he noticed that nearly all the courtiers had chosen their sides, even the Military Generals, leaving him, a Military General, walking alone at the rear. As the commander of the Qilin Army, Princes had indeed tried to win him over. Being the son of Lin Gaoyuan, winning him over would essentially be like securing the entire Lin Family, and consequently, the support of Lin Gaoyuan, the Left Minister. Chapter 478 - Chapter 478: Chapter 283 North Prince, What Do You Mean?_2 Chapter 478: Chapter 283 North Prince, What Do You Mean?_2 Lin Xiuming thought to himself that even the military generals had chosen sides; it was likely that the Capital city would fall into internal strife. Military generals generally refrained from taking sides easily. If they expressed a political stance, it indicated that the Princes had obtained military power. If every Prince controlled military forces, a bloody power struggle for the throne would be inevitable in the end. Just at that moment, an official from the faction of the eldest Prince approached Lin Xiuming, ¡°Prince Qin invites you to a banquet at the Spring Moon Restaurant at noon today and hopes that General Lin will attend.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Xiuming smiled. Nowadays, drawing people over had become brazen. In the past, Princes would never dare to invite a general with troops under his command to a banquet, as it would make people suspect they harbored thoughts of rebellion. Lin Xiuming then said, ¡°I appreciate Prince Qin¡¯s kind invitation, but I have other engagements at noon today and must decline.¡± Hearing this, the official wasn¡¯t surprised. Lin Xiuming¡¯s status was rather special; attracting him was not an easy task to begin with. Afterward, the official returned to the Crown Prince¡¯s side, ¡°Your Highness, General Lin says he has engagements at noon and won¡¯t make it.¡± The Crown Prince said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s already come to this point, and we haven¡¯t seen the Lin Family take a stand. Could it be that Prime Minister Lin is waiting for a result before making a choice?¡± At this remark, the Crown Prince chuckled, ¡°Quite the crafty old fox, but fence-sitters ultimately won¡¯t be entrusted with important tasks.¡± The Crown Prince didn¡¯t dwell on it further. He regarded the Lin Family as fence-sitters, not committed to supporting any Prince. It was somewhat advantageous for him if Lin Gaoyuan remained neutral. It meant Lin Gaoyuan would not side with him but also would not support other Princes, preventing them from growing stronger. As Left Minister, Lin Gaoyuan held significant prestige in the court and led his own faction. If he explicitly aligned with a Prince, officials from his faction were likely to follow suit and support that Prince. Now that Lin Gaoyuan hadn¡¯t explicitly indicated his support for anyone, the Crown Prince saw an opportunity to win over officials from Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s faction. Meanwhile. Nurturing Heart Hall. The Sum Emperor lay on his bed, pallid, his complexion bloodless, looking as though he was on his deathbed. Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan stood outside the dragon bed, reporting the latest developments. At that moment, the Sum Emperor asked, ¡°Any news from the North?¡± Upon hearing this question, Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan understood the Sum Emperor was inquiring about the North Prince¡¯s actions. Zhao Wenhan answered, ¡°Your Majesty, it has been reported that the North Country has been discussing trade cooperation agreements with the Great Wu dynasty recently.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor suddenly coughed violently, as if angered by the news. Seeing this, Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan exclaimed in unison, ¡°Your Majesty, please take care of your health!¡± After coughing twice, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°I am fine.¡± Continuing, the Sum Emperor snorted coldly and added, ¡°Signing a trade cooperation agreement, what¡¯s the difference between that and establishing independent relations with Great Wu? That unfilial son is increasingly disregarding me!¡± The Sum Emperor then asked again, ¡°Have the troops from the South been moved to Qi Country?¡± Zhao Wenhan answered, ¡°They¡¯ve been moved to the border of Qi Country and will enter its territory in a few days.¡± The Sum Emperor said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors lately in the Capital city that Zhuge Zhongguang has not truly broken through the Heavenly Human Realm. Have you heard about this rumor?¡± Hearing this, Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan exchanged glances. They were uncertain why the Sum Emperor was raising this matter now. Could it be that he was planning to take action against the North Country? Take action at this time? The Sum Emperor himself was critically ill, his life hanging by a thread, and yet he still contemplated eliminating the North Country? Zhao Wenhan immediately said, ¡°I have indeed heard such rumors, but I believe they must have been deliberately spread to make the imperial court lower its guard.¡± The Sum Emperor commanded, ¡°True or not, have the frontline troops ready to suppress a rebellion at any moment.¡± Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan responded in unison, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± At that moment, Zhao Wenhan spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, there is unrest in the court, and senior officials have suggested establishing the Crown Prince early to stabilize the court.¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor coughed violently again. As Zhao Wenhan was about to say something, the Sum Emperor fiercely retorted, ¡°Establish the Crown Prince, always about establishing the Crown Prince. Shuyun has just rebelled, and now you prompt me to appoint a Crown Prince, as if you wish for my early demise!¡± Zhao Wenhan hastily knelt down and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I did not mean this. I am merely concerned that continued chaos in the court may lead to greater disasters.¡± After hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor snorted, ¡°Disasters? What disasters? Is someone else planning to rebel?¡± ¡°Both of you go back and tell those ministers that I am not dead yet. I won¡¯t be establishing a Crown Prince so soon. Tell them to keep their petty thoughts to themselves.¡± Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan said together, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± The Sum Emperor waved them off, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡± ¡°We take our leave!¡± After Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan spoke, they turned and left Nurturing Heart Hall. Watching their departing figures, the Sum Emperor murmured coolly, ¡°Finally, some can no longer sit still. I¡¯m curious to see how many will show themselves at this time.¡± ¡­ Within the realm of Great Sum, in the capital of Zhao Country. A man sat upon the throne in the great hall, listening to a kneeling soldier¡¯s report, and then burst into a wild laugh. Chapter 479 - Chapter 479: Chapter 283: North Prince, What Do You Mean?_3 Chapter 479: Chapter 283: North Prince, What Do You Mean?_3 ¡°Hahaha, my dear brother, the Emperor, is finally on his last legs. After sitting on that throne for so many years, it¡¯s time for him to step down.¡± ¡°Send out the order for Qin Feng to immediately assemble the army. I¡¯m going to the Capital to see my dear brother, the Emperor.¡± At this moment, one of the ministers in the hall hurriedly cautioned, ¡°Your Highness, you must not. The current situation is still unclear. Whether His Majesty is truly near the end of his life, no one knows. If we send out troops now, we may very well fall into a trap set by the Imperial Court.¡± Hearing this, Zhao King dismissively said, ¡°A trap? What kind of trap could there be? The elite soldiers of the court have all been dispatched to Qi Country to defend against the North Country. If we don¡¯t seize this opportunity to take down the Capital now, should other Seigniors take the lead, I fear that I will have no connection to that seat at all.¡± The minister continued, ¡°Your Highness, there have been rumors circulating lately that phenomena identical to those observed in the North Country have appeared in the Imperial Palace, and a Celestial from the Heavenly Human Realm has emerged within. If this is true, and there is a Celestial from that Realm present, even if we enter the Capital, it will be very difficult to defeat that Celestial!¡± Upon hearing this, Zhao King said with disbelief, ¡°A Celestial from the Heavenly Human Realm? Ha! Don¡¯t tell me you actually believe that a Celestial has emerged in the Capital?¡± ¡°That is clearly fake news put out by my brother, the Emperor. He is on his deathbed and fears that the Seigniors of the world will raise an army and rebel, so naturally, he would fabricate lies about a Celestial emerging in the royal family to deter the feudal states.¡± ¡°I know him too well!¡± ¡°The Heavenly Human Realm is not common cabbage; attaining it is not so easily achieved!¡± ¡°Moreover, if indeed someone from the royal family has broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm, it can only be one of the few old members of the royal family. Those old ones will not care who the next Sum Emperor is. As long as the kingdom of Great Sum retains the Lu surname, they will not intervene rashly. Back when my brother fought for the throne, he killed many of his brothers and sisters, but none of those old immortals showed their faces.¡± Upon saying this, Zhao King spoke resolutely, ¡°You need not say more. You only need to do as I say!¡± Seeing how adamant Zhao King was, the other ministers in the hall no longer said anything. Subsequently, Zhao Country began preparations, not only blatantly expanding their forces in defiance of the troop-limitation edict but also continuously amassing supplies and provisions. The movements of Zhao Country were too significant; other feudal states noticed what they were doing, and upon seeing Zhao Country¡¯s troop build-up, it immediately dawned on them what Zhao Country intended to do. Since Zhao Country was expanding its forces, if they did not follow suit, wouldn¡¯t they miss such an excellent opportunity? The Seigniors of the different countries believed that even if the Sum Emperor turned out to be fine, he would not punish them. After all, the law does not punish the masses, and with so many Seigniors expanding their forces, surely the Sum Emperor couldn¡¯t dismiss them all, could he? If the Sum Emperor really did that, then Great Sum might very well crumble into pieces. Of course, the Seigniors¡¯ main goal in expanding their military was not just to increase their forces; they also wanted to try their hand at seizing the throne of the Capital. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be Emperor, the supreme position? In a short time, the activities of the Seigniors throughout the land grew more extensive, and Great Sum was on the brink of turbulence. Yet, there was no sign from the Sum Emperor, who not only had yet to appoint a Crown Prince but had also not issued orders to stop the Seigniors from expanding their forces, as if his illness had become so severe that he could no longer give commands. Some even started to doubt whether the Sum Emperor was already too ill to speak. Otherwise, it would be unlike his temper to let those Seigniors run rampant with such impunity. ¡­ North Country, Hall of Political Affairs. Today was the day for North Country to sign the trade agreement with Great Wu. At this time, Wu Ming, who sat beside Wu Junwan, was somewhat excited. The delegation from Great Wu had finally agreed to North Country¡¯s terms, and he thought the credit for this diplomatic mission to North Country was slipping through his fingers. Thinking this, Wu Ming turned his head slightly, glancing at Wu Junwan out of the corner of his eye. His lips curved slightly, showing a smug smile. However, just then, Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°Since Princess Junwan has no further objections to the treaty of the trade agreement, I would trouble the Princess to sign her name on it.¡± As these words fell, the soldiers in the hall placed the scroll of the trade agreement in front of Wu Junwan. Seeing this scene, Wu Ming was momentarily stunned. What was going on? Hadn¡¯t the North Prince agreed to let him sign? After snapping back to reality, Wu Ming burned with anger, immediately challenging, ¡°North Prince, what are you trying to do? Didn¡¯t you say that I was to sign? Why the sudden change of mind?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°I apologize, Prince Wu Ming, but the terms of this agreement were mainly negotiated between myself and Princess Junwan, and they don¡¯t concern you greatly. Considering this, I thought it would be more fitting for the Princess to sign to make it official.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming immediately understood the situation. Obviously, Wu Junwan and the North Prince had reached some agreement in private, hence the last-minute change in the designated signatory. Thinking this, Wu Ming turned to look at Wu Junwan, filled with fury. This detestable woman! The credit for this diplomatic mission to North Country was supposed to be his, and now she had stolen it from him! No, he couldn¡¯t just let it go! If Wu Junwan could use various means to delay the signing of the trade agreement at first, why couldn¡¯t he do the same? With this thought, Wu Ming then said, ¡°I have objections to the terms of the trade agreement!¡± ¡°I believe some of the terms severely harm the interests of Great Wu, and they need further discussion.¡± As soon as Wu Ming finished speaking, Wu Junwan, who was reviewing the trade agreement, said expressionlessly, ¡°Younger brother, don¡¯t make trouble!¡± Just as Wu Ming was about to continue, an elder next to him spoke up, ¡°Your Highness, since the trade agreement was jointly drafted by Princess Junwan and the North Prince, there surely can¡¯t be any issues with it. I trust that the Princess would not betray the interests of Great Wu.¡± Chapter 480 - Chapter 480: Chapter 284: Hope We Never Meet on the Battlefield_1 Chapter 480: Chapter 284: Hope We Never Meet on the Battlefield_1 Upon hearing the old man beside him, Wu Ming¡¯s entire demeanor sank, for this elder was sent by his father, the emperor, to protect him but also to watch over him. The attitude of this elder represented his father¡¯s stance; since the elder said that Princess Wu, Wu Junwan, could not possibly betray the interests of Great Wu, it implied that in the elder¡¯s view, there was nothing wrong with the trade cooperation document. The elder was clearly reminding him not to act rashly and to stop making a fuss. Wu Ming also knew that if he continued making trouble and caused the trade agreement to not be signed, he would surely face trouble from his father upon his return to Great Wu. With this thought, Wu Ming let out a cold snort and then said, ¡°Fine, very well, this prince will remember this incident!¡± Having said that, Wu Ming sat down abruptly and then fell silent, saying no more. Seeing Wu Ming¡¯s anger, Lu Chen simply smiled faintly; this was precisely the effect he had wanted. He had never intended to let Wu Ming sign the trade cooperation document. Lu Chen¡¯s suggestion that Wu Ming should sign was to make him believe that the credit he thought within easy reach had been snatched away by the despicable tactics of Princess Wu, Wu Junwan, thereby exacerbating the conflict between them and intensifying the infighting within Great Wu. Great Sum was in a rather pessimistic situation, and Great Wu needed to be thrown into chaos as well. Only if Great Wu was in disarray would Great Sum, despite an internal war, face only internal strife without external threats. Without external threats, even fierce internal conflicts within Great Sum would still be a matter among its own people. If Great Wu had no issues internally when Great Sum was engulfed in civil war, then Great Wu would be likely to launch an attack against Great Sum, and the simultaneous internal and external pressures could potentially lead to Great Sum¡¯s downfall. Although Lu Chen planned to continue keeping a low profile, he did not wish to see Great Sum be destroyed by Great Wu at this time. At this moment, Princess Wu, Wu Junwan, had signed her name on the trade cooperation document and then stamped it with the seal of Princess Wu. On Lu Chen¡¯s side, the King Seal had already been affixed. The two parties then exchanged scrolls; after both had signed and stamped the second document, they exchanged them again for safekeeping. Lu Chen then smiled and said, ¡°Princess, let¡¯s wish for a pleasant cooperation between Great Wu and the North Country!¡± Princess Wu, Wu Junwan, smiled graciously and replied, ¡°Yes, a pleasant cooperation.¡± Hearing their conversation, Wu Ming inwardly cursed, ¡°Damn couple!¡± Though he felt uncomfortable inside, Wu Ming did not cause trouble at this time. Once the trade cooperation document was signed, Lu Chen held another banquet in the Hall of Political Affairs to entertain the members of the Great Wu delegation. After the lunch banquet was over, Princess Wu, Wu Junwan, and her entourage prepared to return to Great Wu, having spent so long in the North Country, it was time to head back. Just as Princess Wu was about to leave, a soldier approached her and said, ¡°Princess, my lord, the Prince, wishes to meet with you alone.¡± At these words, Princess Wu was slightly taken aback. The trade cooperation document was already signed; what was the point of meeting alone now? Nevertheless, Princess Wu decided to give the North Prince this opportunity. She wanted to see what this young man intended to do. Afterward, Princess Wu said, ¡°Alright, lead the way.¡± The soldier from the Prince¡¯s Mansion then led Princess Wu to the outer courtyard of the mansion, with Pei Hong following closely behind her. As they were about to enter the courtyard, the Prince¡¯s Mansion soldier addressed Pei Hong, ¡°Your Excellency, please wait at the entrance. The Prince intends to have a private conversation with the Princess.¡± At this, Pei Hong was momentarily stunned. He frowned and said, ¡°I am the Princess¡¯s Protector. Wherever she goes, I naturally follow to ensure her safety.¡± The previous two times Lu Chen met with Princess Wu had been in private, and each time Pei Hong had been extremely anxious. But those times they hadn¡¯t signed the trade cooperation document yet, and now that they were about to return to the Great Wu Dynasty, who knew what the North Prince might do to Princess Wu. At this point, Princess Wu said, ¡°Protector Pei, don¡¯t worry. You just wait here for a while. The North Prince is unlikely to have anything important to discuss with me, I will come out shortly.¡± Seeing that Princess Wu had spoken, Pei Hong had no choice but to respond, ¡°Alright, Your Highness, please be careful.¡± Princess Wu then proceeded directly into the courtyard. At this time, Lu Chen was already seated in the pavilion. Seeing Princess Wu enter the courtyard, Lu Chen smiled faintly and said, ¡°I thought the Princess might not come.¡± With that, Lu Chen gave Princess Wu a once-over. Like last time, Princess Wu donned a purple gown. The sheer fabric draped over her full figure, suggestive yet veiled, sparking infinite imaginings. Her entire presence exuded a mature and dignified air that attracted Lu Chen, just like Chu Yuqin, Lin Wanyun, and Yelv Nanyan¡ªtheir aura was irresistibly appealing to him. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s gaze lingering on her, Princess Wu¡¯s brows knitted slightly. She had always been held in high regard, later becoming a princess recognized by the Martial Emperor, and in this world, there were very few who dared to look at her the way the North Prince did, especially in the Great Wu Dynasty where those who dared to gaze at her so directly were even fewer, let alone with such suggestive eyes. Princess Wu took a seat at the stone table, gracefully sitting down as her curves slightly sank into the seat. She then asked directly, ¡°May I know why the North Prince has sought to meet with me?¡± Lu Chen poured her a cup of tea and then said, ¡°It¡¯s simply because the Princess is returning to Great Wu. I cannot bear the parting, so I wished to see the Princess one last time. I also wonder when I will have the chance to see the Princess again.¡± Chapter 481 - Chapter 481: Chapter 284: Hope We Never Meet on the Battlefield_2 Chapter 481: Chapter 284: Hope We Never Meet on the Battlefield_2 At this point, Lu Chen glanced at Wu Junwan¡¯s personal profile. [Name: Wu Junwan] [Identity: Princess Wu of Great Wu, daughter of the Martial Emperor, friend of the Empress of Great Jue, target of the North Prince¡¯s interest from North Country. She is 30 years old this year and has reached the Master Realm. Her visit to North Country is to stir up trouble between North Country and the Great Sum court, but deep down she also wants to see the North Prince, to find out what is so special about him that attracts so many people to North Country. Now she is even more interested in the North Prince.] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 85] Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s favorability towards him, Lu Chen thought that it wouldn¡¯t be long before her favorability could be raised to 100. At this moment, Wu Junwan, upon hearing what Lu Chen had said, responded indifferently, ¡°The North Prince really knows how to joke. I don¡¯t think the North Prince would meet with me alone for that reason.¡± What Wu Junwan was thinking was that with so many women in Lu Chen¡¯s harem, even if he found her beautiful, he wouldn¡¯t just straightforwardly ask to meet her. After all, she was the esteemed Princess of Great Wu, and she also held actual power. Lu Chen should know that it was impossible for them to be together. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°The Princess might be overthinking it. The reason I asked to meet with the Princess is indeed because I¡¯m afraid that if too much time passes without seeing the Princess, I will miss you terribly, which is why I wanted to meet the Princess for one last time.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen¡¯s deep eyes stared intently at Wu Junwan. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words and seeing the affectionate look in his eyes, Wu Junwan was immediately stunned. Is this for real? Does this young man truly have feelings for her? Wu Junwan bluntly said, ¡°Unfortunately, the Princess and the North Prince are doomed not to be involved. Not only are we not involved, but we may also end up as enemies. I hope that one day we will not meet on the battlefield.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Indeed, we will not meet on the battlefield because the Princess will sooner or later get married into the North Prince Mansion. I hope the Princess can wait for me for a few more years after returning to Great Wu.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s confidence, Wu Junwan not only was not angry but actually scoffed, ¡°Hmph, the North Prince is really confident. Does the North Prince really think my father, the Emperor, would marry me off to someone who poses such a great threat to Great Wu?¡± Lu Chen said nonchalantly, ¡°Nothing is impossible. As long as North Country is strong enough, all is possible.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Then I will wait in Great Wu. If one day my father really does such a thing, I will have no objections and will come straight to North Country to be your woman.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that by that time, I¡¯m afraid I will have grown old and lost my looks, and the North Prince won¡¯t care for me anymore.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That will not happen. With the Princess¡¯s martial arts talent, you might be able to break through to the Grandmaster Realm soon, and the Princess¡¯s beauty will remain for decades.¡± ¡°And what I like the most is a mature and dignified woman like the Princess. The older the age, the more charming they are.¡± Upon hearing these words from Lu Chen, Wu Junwan understood that this young man was indeed not joking with her; he was blatantly making a move on her, wanting her as a person. Wu Junwan didn¡¯t plan on wasting any more words with Lu Chen. In her heart, she acknowledged that Lu Chen was indeed very handsome and to her liking, but she was very clear about their stances. She is someone who aspires to be Empress like her good friend, how could she let such a romance hinder her path? Her stance determined that she and Lu Chen would likely only become enemies in the future, and they would probably only meet on the battlefield, at last. Moreover, she had great confidence in herself. With the power she held in the Great Wu dynasty, the Martial Emperor would simply not consider marrying her off to the North Prince. This young man is somewhat delusional. Then, Wu Junwan stood up and said directly, ¡°The North Prince will need to put in a lot more effort if you want me to be your woman.¡± ¡°Since the North Prince has nothing else, I will be returning to Great Wu. I just hope the next time we meet, it won¡¯t be on the battlefield.¡± Immediately, Wu Junwan turned and walked towards the entrance of the courtyard. Watching her swaying hips, Lu Chen smiled lightly, thinking that of course, it wouldn¡¯t be on the battlefield. The next time they met, it could only be in bed. To make the Martial Emperor willingly marry off Wu Junwan to him, Lu Chen thought it was not difficult at all. The Emperor was a rather traditional ruler, and Great Wu was a traditional dynasty. In time, the Emperor would naturally look for ways to clip Wu Junwan¡¯s wings. If one day North Country grows strong enough to intimidate the major dynasties, then Lu Chen could directly propose a marriage alliance to Great Wu. By then, those in Great Wu who opposed Wu Junwan would do everything to send her to North Country, and the Emperor might use this opportunity to completely erase Wu Junwan¡¯s aspiration to become Empress. Of course, North Country could not remain idle. Now that the trade agreement has been signed, North Country¡¯s merchants would be able to enter Great Wu. North Country could then make good use of the power of money to turn Great Wu¡¯s officials against Wu Junwan¡¯s administration. At that moment, Lu Chen murmured to himself, ¡°It¡¯s so simple to be an Empress. Just come to my room, and I¡¯ll let you be Empress every day.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s voice was quite low, and Wu Junwan, who was already far away, naturally could not hear it anymore. Chapter 482 - Chapter 482: Chapter 284: Hope We Never Meet on the Battlefield_3 Chapter 482: Chapter 284: Hope We Never Meet on the Battlefield_3 Lu Chen also rose from the stone bench at this time, preparing to leave the pavilion. Just then, Liang Zong entered the courtyard and came straight to Lu Chen, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Before Lu Chen could speak, Liang Zong handed him a letter, ¡°Prince, urgent news from the Capital City!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen, without a word, took the envelope from Liang Zong¡¯s hand and began to read it intently. As he read the contents of the letter, Lu Chen¡¯s face instantly turned immensely serious. At that moment, Liang Zong added, ¡°After the third Prince was assassinated and died, Prince Lu Yi also encountered an assassin late that night. Now the whole Capital City is in a state of panic, and Seigniors from all over are frantically expanding their armies, yet the court has made no move.¡± Lu Chen fell into deep thought. He had actually guessed that Sum Emperor was feigning illness, and the Capital City could very well descend into chaos, but he did not expect the disorder to come so swiftly. Another Prince had been assassinated so quickly; had the final stage of the struggle for the succession finally begun? Previously, between the Princes, direct assassinations of other Princes were rare¡ªit was only Prince Lu Shuyun who had once sent an assassin in order to extinguish the hopes of the Aristocratic Families from the South, hence he targeted Lu Chen, the supposedly unimportant ninth Prince. The reason the Princes dared not act was mainly for fear that their father, the Emperor, would find out and strip them of their eligibility. The one thing most taboo to the royal family was fratricide. Yet now, in the Royal Capital of Great Sum, a Prince had been assassinated, and not somewhere else, but right in the Capital City. The dead Prince was one of the most competitive for the throne. This indicated that those Princes were no longer worried about being discovered by their father, the Emperor; they believed it was the final moment. As long as they eliminated all those who threatened them, they could ascend to that supreme position. The most brutal moment of the succession struggle had arrived. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°My father, the Emperor, hasn¡¯t shown any sign at all?¡± Liang Zong answered, ¡°No orders have been issued from the palace, only Lin Gaoyuan ordered the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Criminal Justice to investigate the assassination attempts on the third Prince and Prince Lu Yi.¡± Lu Chen thought, his father, the Emperor, was indeed ruthless¡ªhe allowed one of his sons to be killed and still feigned illness, not coming out to take charge. Could it be that he was waiting for his sons to kill each other off before stepping in? Moreover, with Seigniors from every corner expanding their armies, if things continued this way, it wouldn¡¯t be long before an internal war broke out within Great Sum, followed by Seigniors marching to the Royal Capital to vie for the throne. What exactly was his father, the Emperor, planning? While Lu Chen was deep in thought, Qin Yushan rushed in with a slip of paper, ¡°Prince, this just arrived from the Capital City by Pigeon Letter!¡± Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°What has happened now?¡± Qin Yushan replied directly, ¡°A message from the palace states that His Majesty has appointed Prince Lu Yi to temporarily take on the Crown Prince¡¯s position and to handle all national affairs for the time being.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What about military affairs?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°It wasn¡¯t mentioned; we have to wait for detailed reports from the Capital City in a few days to know.¡± Pigeon Letters can only carry a small slip of paper, conveying very limited information. Typically, they carry particularly important intelligence. However, within a few days after a Pigeon Letter, the Brocade Guard usually sends detailed reports. Just a few days¡¯ wait will clarify the situation in the Capital City, At this time, Lu Chen thought that his father, the Emperor, was also concerned that the situation would continue to escalate. But the decision to let Prince Lu Yi temporarily take on the Crown Prince¡¯s duties without making him the actual Crown Prince seemed likely to intensify the struggle for succession. This way, Prince Lu Yi would become the target of many arrows, and eventually, all the Princes would turn against him. Prince Lu Yi¡¯s position was not an easy one to hold. For now, he would wait for the detailed report from the Capital City to see if his father, the Emperor, would grant Prince Lu Yi control over military affairs. If he was only to handle national affairs, that wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue since Sum Emperor hadn¡¯t attended court for a long time, and there was indeed a backlog of state affairs needing someone to address. But military affairs were different¡ªif they involved military matters, Prince Lu Yi would have the opportunity to take command of the military forces. Once he held military power, it would be much easier for him to rebel. His father, the Emperor, was not likely to hand over military affairs to Prince Lu Yi so readily. No matter what, the upcoming storm would be more intense than the rebellion of the Aristocratic Families from the South. After all, the Seigniors were already restless. If these matters weren¡¯t dealt with by Sum Emperor, Great Sum might just fall apart. Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan and Liang Zong, ¡°Continue to monitor the movements of the Capital City and the various Seigniors.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen turned and headed toward the residence of Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge Zhongguang lived next to North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen, using his Qinggong, arrived in Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s courtyard within a minute. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Zhuge Zhongguang, seated on a stone bench, quickly rose and said, ¡°Greetings, Prince, may I know what brings you here to see this old subject?¡± Lu Chen rarely sought out Zhuge Zhongguang, it was usually Zhuge Zhongguang who came to him, after all, Lu Chen was the sovereign, and Zhuge Zhongguang was the subject. If Lu Chen had taken the initiative to find him, it meant that there must be some grave matter. Lu Chen replied, ¡°I just received intelligence that the third Prince has been assassinated and died, and Prince Lu Yi was also targeted by an assassin. Subsequently, my father, the Emperor, appointed Prince Lu Yi to temporarily take on the position of the Crown Prince and oversee all national affairs.¡± ¡°I truly cannot fathom what my father, the Emperor, is scheming. Now, with Seigniors in various places expanding their armies and a civil war imminent, if things continue this way, Great Sum might very well splinter.¡± ¡°I do not believe my father, the Emperor, would like to see Great Sum fragment.¡± ¡°So I wish to ask the Great Scholar, how do you view the recent events in Great Sum?¡± Chapter 483 - Chapter 483: Chapter 285 Beauty Trap_1 Chapter 483: Chapter 285 Beauty Trap_1 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Zhuge Zhongguang smiled slightly, stroked his beard, and then said, ¡°According to this old minister, there are three possibilities.¡± ¡°The first possibility is that His Majesty feels that after the elimination of the Aristocratic Families in the South, the Ancient Families no longer pose much of a threat. The greatest threat is from the various Seigniors across the lands, so he wants to use this opportunity to eradicate all the Seigniors within the Great Sum territory in one fell swoop.¡± Upon hearing the first possibility, Lu Chen said with confusion, ¡°Since ancient times, emperors have weakened the Seigniors gradually. My father has enticed all the Seigniors to expand their forces, and when the time comes, the Imperial Army may not be a match for those Seigniors.¡± There are more than a dozen Seigniors in Great Sum. If all the Seigniors were to expand their troops, their soldiers added together would definitely outnumber the Imperial Army¡¯s. At that time, the Imperial Army might be unable to suppress the rebellion, and the Sum Emperor¡¯s actions might misfire disastrously. Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Just like how His Majesty forced Prince Lu Shuyun to rebel by heading south, since His Majesty dares to arrange such a scheme, he must have already made the necessary preparations. Perhaps in his view, those Seigniors are not to be feared.¡± Lu Chen thought about it and felt there was some reason to that; perhaps his father had already figured out how to deal with those Seigniors. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°What about the second possibility?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°The second possibility is that His Majesty might indeed be sick.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s the least likely.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°This old minister thinks so too.¡± Lu Chen asked again, ¡°What is the third possibility?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang answered, ¡°The third possibility is that His Majesty¡¯s real intention might be to lure North Country into launching an attack, and then eliminate North Country, this significant concern.¡± ¡°The Imperial Army has already been deployed to the Qi Country border, clearly ready for a conflict with North Country. From the rumors in the Capital city, it¡¯s likely that His Majesty has guessed that this old minister hasn¡¯t broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°Perhaps in his view, Prince, you sending out a hundred thousand troops non-stop to probe the Imperial Army actually signifies that you have the intention to rebel, lacking only a good opportunity. Therefore, by deliberately falling ill, His Majesty is giving Prince a chance to rebel.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen fell into contemplation. After pondering for a moment, he then said, ¡°If my father really thinks this way, then he greatly misunderstands me.¡± At this point, Zhuge Zhongguang mentioned, ¡°In fact, this old minister has thought of another possibility, although it¡¯s even less likely.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Great Scholar, please share your thoughts.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°Does Prince remember the abnormal phenomena that appeared in the Capital city?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°This old minister suspects that His Majesty has also entered the state of Pseudo-Celestial Realm. According to Senior Xuanyuan, this means that His Majesty is very likely already at the Unity Realm.¡± ¡°Considering His Majesty¡¯s life experiences, he is a monarch with immense ambition. The trials His Majesty faces in achieving Unity might likely involve gaining complete control over all of Great Sum. For this, he must eliminate all the Seigniors. By enticing the Seigniors to grow their forces and rebel, His Majesty then has the justification for weakening them.¡± ¡°Perhaps His Majesty can¡¯t wait any longer, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s pretending to be ill now, tempting those Seigniors to break the rules and expand their forces on their own. This old minister even believes that the very first Seignior to expand his troops might also be His Majesty¡¯s man, helping in stirring the other Seigniors.¡± Lu Chen was stunned by Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s speculation. Had Zhuge thought so far ahead? He had never considered these points. He thought that Zhao King¡¯s initiative in expanding his troops was merely because he saw the Sum Emperor¡¯s critical illness and hence wanted to rebel, that¡¯s why he was frantically expanding his troops. But in Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s view, could Zhao King possibly be the Sum Emperor¡¯s man? Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°His Majesty had previously cooperated secretly with the Dongfang Family well in advance in order to eliminate the Aristocratic Families in the South. If His Majesty is really pretending to be ill and ignoring the Seigniors¡¯ expansion, then there must be allies among the Seigniors who are His Majesty¡¯s supporters.¡± After listening to Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen sorted out his thoughts and then asked, ¡°According to the Great Scholar, what should I do, and what should North Country do next?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°According to this old minister, Prince now only needs to manage North Country well and pay no attention to the events happening in Great Sum.¡± ¡°Once Great Sum truly falls into civil unrest, North Country will welcome a new period of development.¡± Every time Great Sum experiences war, a great number of refugees will flee to North Country for asylum. Now, North Country has a population of just a few million, too few to support the development of North Country. If North Country wants to grow stronger, it needs a larger workforce.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang then cautioned, ¡°Moreover, Prince should take the initiative to guard against the Great Wu dynasty. This old minister suggests that during Great Sum¡¯s internal chaos, Prince should actively seek to exchange or purchase territory bordering Great Wu from Qi Prince, enabling North Country to swiftly deploy troops against Great Wu.¡± Currently, North Country¡¯s southwest borders Great Jue, the south borders Qi Country, and western Qi Country borders Great Wu. If North Country were to launch an attack on Great Wu, it would have to go through either Great Jue or Qi Country. If it could swap for a piece of land from Qi Country that borders Great Wu directly, North Country¡¯s army could then directly head south and attack the Great Wu dynasty. Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that North Country really intends to attack Great Wu. By doing so, North Country is simply deterring Great Wu. If Great Wu dares to send troops against Great Sum during its internal strife, North Country can seize the opportunity to launch an offensive against Great Wu. Chapter 484 - Chapter 484: Chapter 285 Beauty Trap_2 Chapter 484: Chapter 285 Beauty Trap_2 After hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°All right, I will send someone to Qi Country to buy a piece of land from my uncle, the prince. However, the imperial army has already been stationed in Qi Country, so the Qi Prince might not be in a position to decide.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°Your Highness can try first, and if it doesn¡¯t work out, we can think of another solution.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That works.¡± ¡°Then I shall not disturb you, Great Scholar,¡± said Lu Chen. With that, Lu Chen turned and left. ¡°Prince, take care,¡± Zhuge Zhongguang called after him. In a little while, Lu Chen used his qinggong to return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Just as he was about to head to the study, he saw Wu Yuan and Wang Qingci on his way there. Upon seeing Lu Chen descend from the rooftop, Wu Yuan quickly greeted, ¡°Your Highness, I pay my respects!¡± Lu Chen nodded his head and then turned to Wang Qingci, who said directly, ¡°Your Highness, there is intelligence from Great Jue.¡± Lu Chen continued toward the study, saying as he walked, ¡°Everyone, come to the study.¡± The two followed behind Lu Chen to the study. Once inside the study, Lu Chen looked at Wu Yuan, ¡°Wu Yuan, you speak first. What is it?¡± Wu Yuan replied, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan has sent word that the steam engine and train have been built and successfully tested. Next, they plan to construct rail tracks directly from Great Yu City to Yan County and hope for Your Highness¡¯s support.¡± Surprised by the news, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help exclaiming, ¡°So soon?¡± He had initially thought it would take a long time to build the train and steam engine. Unexpectedly, Mo Xing and his team had achieved it in less than half a year since their arrival in Great Yu City. This was the advantage of Great Yu City having a large number of craftsmen. Regaining his composure, Lu Chen told Wu Yuan, ¡°Go and tell Lord Xuanyuan that the rail tracks from Great Yu City to Yan County will be funded by the Prince¡¯s Mansion. I will also send a batch of barbarian slaves to assist them.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Wu Yuan responded. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Very well, if there¡¯s nothing else, go and relay the message to Lord Xuanyuan now.¡± Wu Yuan bowed and said, ¡°Your servant takes his leave.¡± With that, Wu Yuan turned and left the study, thoughtfully closing the door behind him. Once Wu Yuan had gone, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze swept over Wang Qingci. Wang Qingci was wearing a red chiffon long dress, with her fair skin faintly visible beneath the fabric. Her hair was piled high, revealing a snowy white neck and delicate collarbones, oozing allure. Since becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman, Wang Qingci had blossomed like a nourished flower, becoming increasingly beautiful and charming. At this point, Lu Chen asked Wang Qingci, ¡°What is the movement in Great Jue?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°The Empress of Da Yue has sent Murong Xue¡¯er to the North Country. It is said that Murong Xue¡¯er offended the Empress and has been sent to the North Country as a trade envoy.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then said, ¡°It seems the Empress of Da Yue is also very wary of the North Country!¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was a favored person by the Empress¡¯s side and was also known as the Inner Palace Prime Minister. To be dispatched to the North Country by the Empress was slightly surprising to Lu Chen. However, Lu Chen felt that Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s posting to the North Country wasn¡¯t because she had offended the Empress, but rather, the Empress wanted to monitor the North Country to prevent it from taking actions unfavorable to Great Jue or to gauge the North Country¡¯s real strength. That¡¯s why such an important figure like Murong Xue¡¯er was sent here. Lu Chen then inquired, ¡°Have you found out why Murong Xue¡¯er offended the Empress of Da Yue?¡± Wang Qingci answered, ¡°It is said that Murong Xue¡¯er was found by the Empress to have a lover outside the palace, and in a fit of anger, the Empress banished her to the North Country.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback at this revelation. A lover? High-status women with power often couldn¡¯t stand being alone and would nourish pretty boys. If this was true, it would indicate that Murong Xue¡¯er was promiscuous. Lu Chen felt a sudden regret. Murong Xue¡¯er was a woman who scored over ninety points, and her beauty met Lu Chen¡¯s tastes perfectly. It was a pity, though, for if Murong Xue¡¯er had already had relations with other men, he would lose interest in her. Lu Chen was a man with a love for purity, favoring women who were unblemished. Seeing that Lu Chen had fallen silent, Wang Qingci spoke with a playful smile, ¡°Is Your Highness very disappointed?¡± At that, Lu Chen chuckled lightly, then replied, ¡°Disappointed about what?¡± Wang Qingci remarked, ¡°Such a beautiful and enchanting woman has already been with other men. Are you not disappointed, Your Highness?¡± With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Mr. Wang, teasing me comes with a price, are you prepared to pay it?¡± Wang Qingci quickly replied, ¡°How dare I tease Your Highness.¡± But Lu Chen paid no heed to what Wang Qingci was saying. Raising his hand, in the next moment, Wang Qingci¡¯s body uncontrollably flew into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. Without struggle, Wang Qingci looked up into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and pleaded with a pitiful demeanor, ¡°Your Highness, I have not been feeling well lately, please spare me.¡± Lu Chen laughed softly. This bitch was claiming to be unwell but was actually trying to seduce him. Chapter 485 - Chapter 485: Chapter 285 Beauty Trap_3 Chapter 485: Chapter 285 Beauty Trap_3 Lu Chen immediately placed his large hand on top of her buttocks and gave her a smack, ¡°Not feeling comfortable, are you? Then this Prince shall give Mr. Wang a proper treatment.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen scooped Wang Qingci up into a princess carry and walked toward the bookshelf. Seeing Lu Chen carrying her towards the bookshelf, Wang Qingci felt somewhat perplexed. What was Lu Chen doing taking her to the bookshelf? Previously, whenever Lu Chen wanted to do naughty things to her, he¡¯d simply press her against the desk, tear off her clothes, or lift her skirt. While Wang Qingci was curiously pondering, she noticed Lu Chen lift his hand. The next moment, the bookshelf in the study slowly moved aside, revealing another room in front of them. Carrying Wang Qingci, Lu Chen entered the room directly and, as soon as they were inside, the bookshelf closed slowly on its own. Upon seeing the secret chamber before her, Wang Qingci was momentarily stunned. At this moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu kept saying it was indecent for me to engage in such activities in the study, so I had someone specially construct this secret chamber. What do you think of it?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Wang Qingci glanced around the chamber. It contained a large bed, some racks, and a few peculiar tables and chairs. Swallowing, Wang Qingci carefully asked, ¡°Your Highness, why do I feel like this is more of a prison cell?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°What prison cell? This is where I rest.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve been too busy recently and didn¡¯t have the opportunity to use this place. Since you¡¯re here today, let¡¯s together experience the comfort of this room.¡± Wang Qingci said meekly, ¡°Your Highness, let¡¯s go back to the study instead. It¡¯s too dark in here, and I¡¯m a little scared.¡± Lu Chen then laid Wang Qingci down on the big bed and leaned over, saying, ¡°You have nothing to fear with me here.¡± Wang Qingci pursed her lips, thinking to herself that it was precisely because of this bad egg that she was scared. In such a pitch-dark place, who knew what this bad thing, Lu Chen, might do to her. Without wasting any more time, Lu Chen immediately sealed Wang Qingci¡¯s lips with his own. Left without a choice, Wang Qingci could only share the experience of the chamber¡¯s comfort with Lu Chen. ¡­ A few days later, Murong Xue¡¯er arrived in Yan County with some companions. Murong Xue¡¯er was a trade envoy sent by Great Jue to reside in North Country. As an external official, her first duty upon arriving in North Country was to meet with Lu Chen, the ruler of this feudal state. When Lu Chen heard that Murong Xue¡¯er was coming to see him early in the morning, he made sure to get up early as well. Inside the Hall of Political Affairs. As Lu Chen slowly made his way to the throne, he glanced at the great hall and noticed that Murong Xue¡¯er and the delegates from Great Jue had already arrived. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er stood up and said, ¡°Subordinate Murong Xue¡¯er pays her respects to the North Prince!¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°You may dispense with the formalities.¡± Gazing at the chilly yet breathtakingly beautiful Murong Xue¡¯er, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel regretful. Such a lovely woman, how could she raise male pets? It was such a waste. The first time he had met Murong Xue¡¯er, he had wanted to claim her for himself. He should have made his move then. Now it was too late. As these thoughts passed through Lu Chen¡¯s mind, he subconsciously used his system to identify Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s personal details, wanting to see if she had other motives for coming to North Country. [Name: Murong Xue¡¯er] [Identity: A female officer by the side of the Empress of Da Yue, the only daughter of the Murong Family, a Master Realm practitioner, twenty-four years old. In the year the Empress of Da Yue ascended to the throne, the Murong family was executed for opposing her, leaving only Murong Xue¡¯er behind. The Empress of Da Yue took her into the palace and nurtured her into a close confidante. This time, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mission to North Country was to carry out an order from the Empress of Da Yue, to use a beauty strategy to approach the North Prince and take the opportunity to steal North Country¡¯s secrets. Murong Xue¡¯er likes the appearance of the North Prince and believes that offering her virginity to the North Prince is not a loss.] [Rating: 95] [Favorability: 70] Upon seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s personal information, Lu Chen was taken aback. Wasn¡¯t it said that Murong Xue¡¯er kept male pets? How was she still a virgin? Does that mean the information that Wang Qingci had collected about Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s male pets was merely a rumor among the people of Da Yue and not true? At this thought, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. A beauty strategy, was it? He quite enjoyed when his enemies used a beauty strategy against him, especially if it meant more women with ratings above ninety being sent his way. Lu Chen took another look at Murong Xue¡¯er, dressed in black-trimmed white clothes, exuding the temperament of a learned woman as if she had always been immersed in a sea of books. Lu Chen thought to himself, this woman was no good woman, lusting after his body. He didn¡¯t remember ever having served Dragon and Phoenix Tea to Murong Xue¡¯er, yet her favorability towards him had already reached seventy. At that moment, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Miss Murong, long time no see!¡± Murong Xue¡¯er showed a slight smile on her cool face, ¡°During my tenure in North Country, I hope for the North Prince¡¯s continued support.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Of course.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°Then I shall thank the North Prince in advance!¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No need to thank me. It¡¯s only right.¡± At this, Lu Chen feigned curiosity and asked, ¡°But tell me, aren¡¯t you from the Empress¡¯s inner circle? How could the Empress bear to send you to North Country as an envoy?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°I made a mistake in Da Yue and angered the Empress. She doesn¡¯t wish to see me temporarily and has hence dispatched me to North Country.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Miss Murong need not worry. You are the Empress¡¯s right-hand woman. It¡¯s likely just a fit of anger. Maybe after a while, she will call you back.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°I hope your words prove true, Your Highness.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Miss Murong, should you encounter any troubles in Yan County, or if you need anything, feel free to come to the North Prince Mansion to find me.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.¡± Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: Chapter 286: Yongan County Can Be Sold, But Not Sold in Entirety_1 Chapter 486: Chapter 286: Yongan County Can Be Sold, But Not Sold in Entirety_1 The situation in Great Sum deteriorated very quickly. In less than a month, voices emerged suggesting Seigniors wanted to visit Sum Emperor in the Capital city. Clear-sighted people could all see that those Seigniors were not only expanding their armies but also stockpiling food and forage. They weren¡¯t planning to visit Sum Emperor; they were clearly aiming to compete for that position. In fact, most Seigniors temporarily harbored no intentions of becoming Emperor themselves, especially those whose blood ties to the royal family were separated by several generations. They were well aware that lacking legitimacy would hinder their aspirations to become Emperor. Therefore, a portion of the Seigniors proactively contacted the princes in Capital city, secretly forming collaborative relationships with them. In their fight for succession, the princes agreed to the Seigniors¡¯ terms, further complicating Great Sum¡¯s already chaotic situation. As Great Sum plunged into disarray, Great Wu wasn¡¯t idle either. After Wu Junwan returned from North Country, Great Wu began to deploy troops and commanders, shifting elite soldiers to the borders adjoining Great Sum, ready to seize the opportunity to act. ¡­ Qi Country. Meeting Hall. A corpulent man sat on the throne. The throne was spacious, but due to the man¡¯s size, it seemed quite cramped in his presence. Qi Prince swept a look over the envoy from North Country in the hall and said with a smile, ¡°What a rarity. I didn¡¯t expect my nephew to send someone to my feudal state.¡± Continuing, Qi Prince asked, ¡°Speak, what purpose does my nephew have in sending you to Qi Country?¡± North Country¡¯s envoy Zhou Tongguang answered unassumingly, ¡°Qi Prince, my king wishes to purchase the entirety of Yongan County.¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Prince and the chancellors in the hall were all taken aback; they had not anticipated that North Country¡¯s envoy came to Qi Country with the intention of buying land, let alone an entire county. Qi Prince¡¯s expression grew a few shades more serious as he studied Zhou Tongguang in the hall for a long while before speaking, ¡°North Prince isn¡¯t joking with me, is he?¡± Zhou Tongguang responded, ¡°My king indeed intends to purchase the entirety of Yongan County. If Qi Prince finds a transaction with silver unsatisfactory, we can also exchange land for land. If there is any land in North Country that catches Qi Prince¡¯s eye, feel free to name it.¡± Hearing this, Qi Prince snorted internally. He was no fool; how could he possibly exchange Qi Country¡¯s land for North Country¡¯s, especially when North Country was so impoverished compared to the wealth of Qi Country? Such an exchange would surely be a loss. Nevertheless, why did North Prince think of buying Yongan County at this time? Qi Prince was puzzled and called to the soldiers in the hall, ¡°Bring the map.¡± As he spoke, a large map held up by bamboo rods was brought into the middle of the hall, allowing a clear view of the entire map at a glance. Qi Prince glanced at the location of Yongan County and found that it lay on the western border adjacent to the Great Wu dynasty, not only abutting Great Wu but also the territories controlled by the Great Sum royal family. This meant that as long as North Country acquired Yongan County, its army could bypass Qi Country via this corridor and directly access the realms controlled by the Great Sum royal family. After locating Yongan County, Qi Prince asked with a smile, ¡°I am curious as to why North Prince would wish to purchase Yongan County. This position seems rather sensitive.¡± Zhou Tongguang replied with a smile, ¡°I believe Qi Prince must have heard of the trade agreement signed between North Country and the Great Wu Dynasty. From now on, North Country will be able to do business with Great Wu. However, the lands of Great Jue and Qi Country lie between North Country and Great Wu, making it somewhat troublesome for goods from North Country to reach Great Wu. Therefore, my king thought of acquiring Yongan County, to border directly with Great Wu.¡± ¡°This way, whether it¡¯s goods from North Country going into Great Wu, or goods from Great Wu being transported to North Country, it will be much more convenient.¡± Qi Prince laughed and said, ¡°The reasoning seems quite sound. However, I¡¯m afraid North Prince¡¯s intentions are not limited to simply doing business with Great Wu, are they?¡± Zhou Tongguang countered, ¡°Then what does Qi Prince think my king is purchasing Yongan County for?¡± Faced with Zhou Tongguang¡¯s question, Qi Prince was momentarily stumped. Inside, Qi Prince mused, for what reason? Wasn¡¯t it simple? It was to bypass Qi Country at an opportune moment, then dispatch a large army to attack the cities controlled by the royal family, wasn¡¯t it? Qi Prince then spoke up, ¡°If Yongan County were sold to North Prince, then North Country¡¯s land would border the territory controlled by the Great Sum court. If anything were to happen at that time, should North Country send troops directly into the cities under the court¡¯s control, I¡¯m afraid I would have to bear the responsibility.¡± ¡°Moreover, land transactions between Seigniors require approval from the court; even if I agree, it¡¯s useless without the court¡¯s consent.¡± Zhou Tongguang maintained a pleasant smile as he spoke, ¡°Qi Prince worries too much. My king is a prince of the Emperor, and North Country would never dispatch troops into the domains controlled by the court without explicit orders. Moreover, with several hundred thousand soldiers stationed by the court in Qi Country, any movements by North Country can be immediately responded to by the court. And since Yongan County is merely a passageway, Qi Prince always has the power to shut it down.¡± ¡°Should a day come when it¡¯s necessary for the armies of North Country to head south, my king would directly request passage from Qi Prince, not through occupancy of Yongan County.¡± Hearing this, Qi Prince¡¯s expression darkened instantly. He was no fool; how could he fail to understand Zhou Tongguang¡¯s implication? Zhou Tongguang meant that if North Country truly intended to move south, Qi Country would be the first to be attacked. Yongan County is a passageway, should North Country truly send troops from Yongan County, Qi Country¡¯s soldiers could at any time cut off the supply lines of North Country¡¯s troops. Therefore, if North Country wishes to send troops south, they must first occupy Qi Country to prevent Qi Country from causing trouble from behind. Of course, to the ears of Qi Prince, Zhou Tongguang¡¯s words were nothing but a threat to Qi Country. If Qi Country does not sell Yongan County to North Country, when North Country raises troops to march south, they will inevitably attack Qi Country. Qi Prince snorted coldly, then said, ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Zhou Tongguang replied, ¡°I dare not, I am merely stating the facts.¡± Qi Prince then said, ¡°If North Country truly wishes to purchase Yongan County, it is not impossible. However, you must first speak with the imperial court. Once the imperial court agrees, then you may come to me to discuss the price for the purchase of Yongan County.¡± Feudal states generally have the obligation to defend the frontier. Qi Country borders the Great Wu dynasty to the west, and when the Great Wu dynasty invades Great Sum, Qi Country must bear the burden of repelling the invasion by Great Wu. If they sell Yongan County, which borders Great Wu, to North Country, then it will be North Country that borders Great Wu, and the duty to defend against foreign enemies will fall upon North Country. Qi Prince is more than willing to offload Yongan County to North Country. The last time Great Wu and Great Sum went to war, and the imperial court requested that the various seigniors send troops, Qi Country lost many soldiers. This led to a situation where, later, when the imperial court said they would station troops in Qi Country, Qi Prince had no choice but to agree. If Qi Country still had a standing army of fifty thousand soldiers at that time, the court¡¯s decision to garrison troops in Qi Country would have been met with more resistance from Qi Prince; he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to the court¡¯s request so easily. Hearing Qi Prince¡¯s words, Zhou Tongguang instantaneously understood the implication. Qi Prince was shifting all responsibility to the imperial court. By doing so, he neither offended North Country nor could be blamed by the imperial court if North Country actually sent troops from Yongan County to march south. Of course, the most important point was that Qi Country currently had hundreds of thousands of the imperial court¡¯s troops stationed there. They truly dared not make any rash moves. Although it was said that Sum Emperor was gravely ill and various seigniors were frantically increasing their troops, only Qi Country dared not make any moves. With tigers to the north and dragons to the south, Qi Country, sandwiched between the two, could only tremble in fear. Any rash action could mean the instantaneous disappearance of Qi Country. Zhou Tongguang said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I will write to my king immediately and have him report this matter to the court forthwith.¡± ¡°If Qi Prince has no other issues, I will take my leave.¡± As soon as these words fell, Zhou Tongguang turned and left directly. After Zhou Tongguang had walked out of the Meeting Hall, Qi Prince, who had been suppressing his emotions, could no longer hold back. He swept everything off the table in front of him with one swipe of his hand, scattering it all onto the floor, then roared, ¡°This is simply outrageous! One after another, they treat Qi Country as if it were nothing!¡± At that moment, a minister stepped forward and said, ¡°Prince, are we really going to sell Yongan County to North Country? If we sell Yongan County, we may no longer be able to have direct dealings with Great Wu, right?¡± Hearing this, Qi Prince fell into silence. Indeed, although Yongan County borders Great Wu, and Qi Country has to share part of the duty to repel Great Wu¡¯s invasions in times of war, if they lose Yongan County, it would be difficult for Qi Country¡¯s merchant caravans to directly interact with Great Wu during peacetime. In the future, they would have to pass through areas controlled by the imperial court, which wouldn¡¯t be advantageous for Qi Country. Some of Qi Country¡¯s business dealings with Great Wu aren¡¯t exactly legal; if they had to go through areas controlled by the imperial court, it would be easy for others to detect something suspicious. But if they don¡¯t sell Yongan County, North Country¡¯s envoy had just now issued a threatening declaration. If they do not sell, and one day North Country marches south, they will surely move against Qi Country. With their conventional army strength not even amounting to fifty thousand, Qi Country is now fundamentally incapable of resisting North Country¡¯s southward advance. After a moment, Qi Prince thought of a good solution and said, ¡°Yongan County can be sold, but not in its entirety, only half of it to North Country. That way, not only will North Country be unable to directly reach the areas controlled by the imperial court, but Qi Country¡¯s own merchant caravans will also be able to continue trade with Great Wu.¡± Hearing this, a sigh of relief went through the ministers in the Meeting Hall. The ministers present were mostly from Qi Country¡¯s Aristocratic Families, and nearly every one of them had some form of trade with the Great Wu dynasty. If the trade routes to Great Wu were truly cut off, it would certainly not be a favorable outcome for them. Half a month later, news of North Prince¡¯s intent to purchase Yongan County reached the ears of the officials of the Great Sum court. In the court, officials buzzed with discussions about the matter. At this time, Prince Lu Yi, sitting on a chair beside the Dragon Throne, asked, ¡°Gentlemen, you must have all heard about North Country¡¯s intention to buy Yongan County from Qi Country, right?¡± With Prince Lu Yi temporarily assuming the Crown Prince¡¯s position and managing the affairs of the nation, it was up to him to make a decision on this matter. No sooner had Prince Lu Yi finished speaking than an official stood up and said, ¡°Your Highness, this matter must not be agreed to!¡± ¡°If we approve Qi Country selling Yongan County to North Country, then North Country will directly border the lands controlled by the imperial court. If North Prince harbors ulterior motives, North Country¡¯s troops could drive straight through Yongan County and attack the Capital City!¡± As these words fell, another minister also spoke up, saying, ¡°North Prince¡¯s actions reveal his cunning and ambitious nature; we must stop North Prince and prevent Qi Country from selling Yongan County to North Country!¡± Prince Lu Yi then said, ¡°Qi Prince has submitted a memorial stating that if Qi Country does not sell Yongan County to North Prince, North Country might very well send troops south and conquer Qi Country.¡± Hearing this, the great hall instantly erupted into chaos. ¡°North Prince is completely lawless now, how dare he!¡± ¡°This is troublesome. With various seigniors expanding their forces, now North Country is also preparing to march south.¡± ¡°North Prince really does not take the court¡¯s four hundred thousand troops seriously. If you ask me, we should send our troops directly to quell the rebellion.¡± ¡°Send troops? Are you mad? If we send troops now, the seigniors from the southern regions will definitely lead their armies northward, directly threatening the Capital City!¡± ¡­ Chapter 487 - Chapter 487: Chapter 287: Busy and Fulfilling Lu Chen_1 Chapter 487: Chapter 287: Busy and Fulfilling Lu Chen_1 ¡°` Seeing that the officials had been engaged in intense discussion in the grand hall for half a day without reaching any conclusion, Prince Lu Yi directly looked at Zhao Wenhan and asked, ¡°Mr. Zhao, what is your opinion?¡± Ever since Prince Lu Shuyun started a rebellion in the South, Zhao Wenhan had sided with Prince Lu Yi. It has always been the system for the eldest legitimate son to inherit the throne; however, the struggle for the Sum Emperor¡¯s throne had been fierce for several generations, and it had been a long time since an eldest legitimate son became Emperor, so Zhao Wenhan was not initially optimistic about Prince Lu Yi¡¯s prospects. But now, with the Aristocratic Families of the South having been eliminated, only Prince Lu Yi¡¯s power remained the strongest. Also, the majority of those who supported Prince Lu Yi belonged to the Scholar Officials class, not the traditional Ancient Families. With this class¡¯s support, it was not impossible for Prince Lu Yi to become the Crown Prince and eventually ascend the throne. Prince Lu Yi first asked Zhao Wenhan for his opinion because Zhao Wenhan was currently aligned with his faction. At this moment, Zhao Wenhan spoke up, ¡°Your Highness, in my view, whether or not Yongan County is sold to North Country, it won¡¯t have much impact on Great Sum.¡± Upon hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, the grand hall instantly fell quiet. Most officials thought Zhao Wenhan would object, but unexpectedly, Zhao Wenhan didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Prince Lu Yi inquired, ¡°Oh? Why is that?¡± Zhao Wenhan continued, ¡°Yongan County is situated in the northwest. If North Prince intends to march his troops southward from the northwest, it would require a significant detour, with the constant risk of supply lines being cut off. If North Prince truly harbors rebellious intentions, instead of taking such a roundabout path, it would be better to directly attack Qi Country and then head south after occupying it.¡± Prince Lu Yi thought for a moment and felt there was some truth to this. Prince Lu Yi then looked towards Lin Gaoyuan and asked, ¡°Mr. Lin, what do you think is North Country¡¯s purpose in buying Yongan County?¡± Lin Gaoyuan answered, ¡°Not long ago, North Country signed a trade cooperation agreement with Great Wu Dynasty, and there is no direct border between North Country and Great Wu Dynasty. To transport goods from North Country to Great Wu, the route must pass through Qi Country or Great Jue, which is disadvantageous to the trade between North Country and Great Wu. Therefore, I believe that North Country¡¯s purchase of Yongan County is likely meant to establish a direct border with Great Wu to facilitate smoother movements for trading caravans.¡± Prince Lu Yi asked, ¡°Then, in Mr. Zhao and Mr. Lin¡¯s view, should the Court approve this land transaction between Qi Country and North Country?¡± Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan simultaneously said, ¡°It should be approved.¡± Seeing both men agreed with the land transaction, Prince Lu Yi¡¯s gaze fell on Zhao Wenhan, who continued, ¡°Your Highness, at this moment, the Princes in the South are already restless. Under no circumstances can we afford to offend North Prince. If North Prince initiates a rebellion, it will certainly incite the Princes in the South to follow suit. Should the Court¡¯s troops be occupied in the north battling North Country, with the South Princes taking advantage of the situation, the Capital City might face the risk of falling.¡± ¡°Therefore, I believe it¡¯s best to stabilize North Prince for now.¡± It wasn¡¯t that Zhao Wenhan was taking sides with North Prince; he genuinely felt that a direct conflict with North Country should be avoided at this time. If the Court engaged in war with North Country, the Princes led by Zhao King would surely raise their armies. In Zhao Wenhan¡¯s view, stabilizing North Prince was the most crucial task at the moment. Once the Sum Emperor passed away and Prince Lu Yi ascended the throne, they would have many previously unavailable tactics at their disposal. After listening to Zhao Wenhan¡¯s argument, Prince Lu Yi¡¯s attention turned to Lin Gaoyuan, who said, ¡°I agree with Mr. Zhao¡¯s statement. Indeed, it¡¯s not suitable to provoke conflict with North Country at this time. Stabilizing North Country is most important.¡± Prince Lu Yi then said, ¡°Qi Prince mentioned in his memorial that, to avoid North Prince from directly sending troops southward through Yongan County, Qi Country only plans to sell a part of it to North Country. This way, the area controlled by North Country and the Court will still not border each other.¡± ¡°Moreover, I will station troops in the southern part of Yongan County to be on alert for North Country¡¯s army.¡± After hearing Prince Lu Yi¡¯s words, the ministers in the grand hall ceased to speak, for not getting into a conflict with North Country was indeed the best strategy. Prince Lu Yi scanned the officials in the grand hall and then said, ¡°Does anyone have other opinions on this matter? Feel free to express them.¡± ¡°If there is no objection, I will approve this land transaction.¡± At that moment, the grand hall was silent, with no one speaking. The ministers understood that the current situation was severe, and the priority was to stabilize North Prince. Seeing no one voiced an opinion, Prince Lu Yi said, ¡°Since no one has spoken against it, then it is settled. We will now discuss the issue of Princes arbitrarily expanding their forces.¡± Upon hearing this, the grand hall became even quieter. The bureaucrats of the Court, including the Princes, had ties to some of the Princes, so nobody wanted to express too much on this topic. Besides, if the question was raised about who expanded their forces first, it was North Prince of North Country who expanded his army first. North Country was initially only permitted to maintain a force of one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, but during the military parade, two hundred thousand soldiers appeared. Although the Sum Emperor did not pursue North Prince¡¯s responsibility at the time, simply offsetting it with his merits, the Emperor, by doing so, set a bad precedent. If North Prince went unpunished, the other Princes expanding their forces was not an issue. If the discussion on how to deal with those Princes who expanded their forces were to take place now, it should start with how to deal with North Prince. If North Prince was unpunished, it would certainly not be convincing. Ultimately, the issue of how to deal with Princes who expanded their forces without permission also came to nothing. Soon, the Imperial edict reached Qi Country. Once Qi Prince learned of the Court¡¯s approval for North Country to purchase land from Qi Country, he immediately summoned the North Country envoy Zhou Tongguang. The negotiation over the price of Yongan County was not protracted. Qi Prince had no intention of exploiting the situation at this time. North Country had ten thousand soldiers at the border of Qi Country, and North Country¡¯s military had defeated the Barbarian Army three times. Qi Prince dared not make exorbitant demands in the face of North Country. Eventually, Qi Country sold the northern part of Yongan County to North Country at a very low price. After the transaction was completed, Zhou Tongguang quickly returned to North Country to report back. North Country. Inside Lu Chen¡¯s study at the North Prince Mansion. After listening to Zhou Tongguang¡¯s report on his mission to North Country, Lu Chen smiled at Zhou Tongguang and said, ¡°You¡¯ve done well. You have been in Qi Country for a long time; it¡¯s been hard work. I will give you five days off. Spend some quality time with your family.¡± Zhou Tongguang immediately replied, ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± ¡°If there is nothing else from the Prince, your subordinate will take his leave,¡± Zhou Tongguang said. Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°Very well.¡± After Zhou Tongguang paid his respects, he left Lu Chen¡¯s study. Once Zhou Tongguang had left, Wu Yuan entered the study, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± ¡°` Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Have the slaves from the Barbarian Tribe already been allocated to Lord Xuanyuan?¡± Wu Yuan answered, ¡°They have already been allocated to Lord Xuanyuan.¡± Lu Chen did not continue this topic and said to the maid at the door, ¡°Xiao Huan, have someone call for General Wenren.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After saying this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Wu Yuan as he continued, ¡°Commander Wu, I intend to give you a task.¡± Wu Yuan immediately said, ¡°Please tell me, Prince. Your subordinate would die a thousand times before failing to complete the Prince¡¯s task.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Starting today, you¡¯ll be working with Lord Xuanyuan on the railway construction. If Lord Xuanyuan needs anything, you must inform me at once.¡± Hearing this, Wu Yuan was startled. He had not expected Lu Chen to assign him this task. The task was not especially difficult; in fact, it seemed too easy, with hardly anything to do. As a member of the Brocade Guard, he was usually responsible for gathering intelligence. Now he was being asked to work on infrastructure, and Wu Yuan couldn¡¯t help feeling he might have done something to displease the North Prince. Lu Chen seemed to see what Wu Yuan was thinking and continued, ¡°The railway is extremely important to the North Country, and I am concerned that some ill-intentioned individuals may sabotage its construction. In addition to assisting Lord Xuanyuan in building the railway, you must also prevent those wishing to destroy it, particularly spies from other dynasties.¡± After some thought, Wu Yuan grasped that if the train really started operating, Yan County would have an even tighter grip over the entire North Country. Their soldiers could also reach the frontiers more quickly, so indeed, the railway was critical for the North Country. It seemed he had misunderstood the North Prince. By entrusting him with such a crucial task, the Prince was clearly showing his trust in him. Wu Yuan then said, ¡°Your subordinate will perfectly complete the task given by the Prince.¡± At this time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Anything else?¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Yuan recalled the purpose of his visit to the study. He quickly took out a piece of intelligence from his sleeve and said, ¡°Prince, this is intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard about the collusion between various princes and the seigniors.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen took the intelligence from Wu Yuan¡¯s hand and glanced at it. Lu Chen chuckled, surprised to find that apart from Prince Lu Yi, all princes in the Capital city with the right of inheritance had secretly colluded with seigniors from outside territories, with Prince Wu Ming even garnering the support of two seigniors. It appeared these seigniors understood that even if they invaded the Capital city, they had no chance to ascend to the supreme throne. There were still some old members of the royal family, and unless they had the power to kill all those old members or gained their recognition, all their scheming would be in vain. Since securing that position was unlikely, it was better to support a puppet monarch to ascend the throne. With a puppet emperor, they could manipulate many things, and perhaps, in the future, they could even coax the puppet emperor to abdicate in their favor. At that moment, Wu Yuan said, ¡°If the Prince has no other matters, your subordinate will take his leave.¡± Lu Chen uttered a sound of acknowledgment, his eyes on the intelligence in his hand, and said no more. Wu Yuan then left the study. About half an hour later, General Wenren arrived at the study, puzzled. Previously, if there was anything to discuss, Lu Chen would have both him and Xuanyuan Chen come together. Why had Lu Chen summoned only him today? Could it be that Lu Chen had a task for him and him alone? While General Wenren was pondering this, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°General Wenren, tomorrow you will take thirty thousand heavy cavalry to garrison in Yongan County.¡± Hearing this, General Wenren was taken aback and asked, ¡°Prince, what should this subordinate do upon arriving in Yongan County?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Just guard against spies from enemy countries. You don¡¯t need to do anything else.¡± General Wenren said, ¡°This subordinate understands.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Prepare and set out early tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Yes, your subordinate will take his leave.¡± After General Wenren left, Lu Chen leaned back in his wooden chair, eyes closed, massaging his temples. As the Great Sum became increasingly chaotic, his responsibilities grew. He could entrust the domestic affairs of the North Country to Zhuge Zhongguang, but he had to handle matters concerning other dynasties personally. At that moment, the red twilight light spilled over the windowsill, illuminating the room with a muddy yellow glow, and a familiar voice entered the room. ¡°Chen¡¯er, it¡¯s time for dinner.¡± Chu Yuqin stood at the doorway, blocking the red twilight. Seeing Chu Yuqin¡¯s dignified and graceful figure, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Though his days were busier, he felt quite fulfilled. Then, Lu Chen rose from his chair and walked to the study door. Upon reaching it, he wrapped his arms around Chu Yuqin¡¯s slender waist. Blushing, she said, ¡°Others are watching.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen glanced at the maid beside them, and the maid quickly turned her face away. With a shy expression, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Alright, we should head to the main courtyard. Zixuan has prepared many nourishing dishes for you tonight.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°Alright.¡± The two spoke no further and went straight to the main courtyard. ¡­ Chapter 488 - Chapter 488: Chapter 288: I am Willing to Give Up the Position of Prime Minister_1 Chapter 488: Chapter 288: I am Willing to Give Up the Position of Prime Minister_1 ¡°` Great Wu Dynasty. Li Zheng Palace. The Martial Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne, casting a glance over the ministers in the great hall. At that moment, a eunuch beside the Martial Emperor spoke up, ¡°All those with memorials to present, step forward; all others, withdraw from the court.¡± As the eunuch¡¯s voice faded, a minister stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, now that the southeast is pacified, seigniors in various parts of Great Sum are expanding their forces. Great Sum is on the eve of disintegration. I believe we should redeploy our troops eastward. Once Great Sum descends into civil war, we shall attack.¡± No sooner had this minister finished speaking than another one interjected, ¡°Now is the best opportunity to eradicate Great Sum. Once Great Sum falls, Great Wu will become unprecedentedly powerful, and Your Majesty will be the most meritorious emperor since the founding of the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± Following that, even more ministers stood up, their ideas fundamentally the same: that Great Wu should launch an all-out war and directly annihilate Great Sum. Hearing the ministers¡¯ suggestions, the Martial Emperor laughed without restraint. After chuckling for a while, he said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect that you all would be even more anxious than I am!¡± ¡°However, putting that aside, Great Sum indeed should disappear from this world,¡± he added with a sigh. ¡°How time flies! I still remember when Lu Xingqiu came to Great Wu, proclaiming his grand ambitions to me. Little did I expect that while I am still in my prime, Lu is nearly finished.¡± ¡°Since he¡¯s scarcely capable now, I might as well do a good deed and help him achieve his once lofty aspirations, hahaha¡­¡± While the Martial Emperor laughed heartily, suddenly, a soldier, specialized in relaying urgent military intelligence, entered the hall, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Country is showing unusual activity!¡± The laughter of the Martial Emperor came to an abrupt halt. However, his face was soon filled with confusion¡ªwhat did the North Country¡¯s movements have to do with them? The North Country didn¡¯t share a border with Great Wu. Could it be that they were rebelling, ready to march south and attack Great Sum? If that were the case, it would be more than welcome. At this moment, the eunuch quickly went over to the soldier, took the intelligence report from his hands, and briskly walked to the Martial Emperor¡¯s side, handing him the report. The Martial Emperor¡¯s expression darkened the instant he read the intelligence. Originally, he assumed the North Country had already marched south to attack the Great Sum court. To his surprise, the North Country had actually purchased Yongan County from Qi Country, which meant its territory now bordered directly with the Great Wu Dynasty. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just simple border contact; the North Country immediately stationed thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry in Yongan County. What was the North Country planning to do? To station thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry in a mere Yongan County? This was clearly aimed at the Great Wu Dynasty! Seeing the Martial Emperor¡¯s distressed expression, the ministers inside the great hall grew curious. What had the North Country done to make the Martial Emperor look so troubled? At that moment, the Martial Emperor said, ¡°The North Country has purchased Yongan County from Qi Country and stationed thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry there.¡± Upon hearing this, the hall erupted with discussion. ¡°What? The North Country actually bought Yongan County from Qi Country¡ªso they now border Great Wu?¡± ¡°What are their intentions?¡± ¡°The moment they acquired Yongan County, they immediately stationed thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry there. They must be targeting Great Wu!¡± ¡°Did not Princess Junwan just sign a trade cooperation agreement with the North Country? Why would they do something like this?¡± ¡­ Listening to the officials¡¯ discussions in the hall, the Martial Emperor said, ¡°What do you all believe is the intention behind the North Prince¡¯s actions?¡± Hearing this, a minister stood out and said, ¡°Your Majesty, it is very possible that the North Prince wishes to purchase Yongan County and then march south directly from there, bypassing Qi Country to attack the Great Sum court.¡± Following the minister¡¯s speculation, the Martial Emperor continued, ¡°I didn¡¯t explain fully just now: although the North Country purchased Yongan County, they only bought half of it, and the half they bought does not border the regions controlled by the Great Sum court.¡± This¡­ Hearing the Martial Emperor¡¯s words, the ministers were momentarily stunned. Most had assumed that with the North Country buying Yongan County, they planned to target the cities controlled by the Great Sum court. Now, learning that the North Country only bought half of it and only bordered Great Wu, the implication was clear that they were truly targeting Great Wu. That was thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry, and these were the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry. Although they had not witnessed the might of the North Country¡¯s army firsthand, ever since the North Prince went to the North Country, the Barbarian Tribes had not fared well against the North Country¡¯s forces. If the North Country¡¯s thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry entered the Great Wu Dynasty, Great Wu would need to deploy at least a hundred thousand soldiers just to cope. At this moment, the Martial Emperor¡¯s gaze fell upon Chai Jiliang, ¡°Chai, what is your view on this matter?¡± Chai Jiliang pondered for a moment before responding, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that the North Country¡¯s purchase of Yongan County and the stationing of troops there is mainly to deter Great Wu and prevent us from attacking Great Sum amid its internal chaos.¡± The Martial Emperor said, ¡°The Sum Emperor is already on his last legs, and the North Prince isn¡¯t thinking of seizing the throne. Why would he guard against Great Wu instead?¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°Perhaps the North Prince does not plan to immediately vie for that position. Although the North Country has strong military capabilities, it isn¡¯t wealthy. When the North Prince arrived there, the North Country had nothing, not even the basics. That the North Country has come this far is largely because the North Prince values commerce, using trade to alleviate the country¡¯s shortage of food and clothing.¡± ¡°` Chapter 489 - Chapter 489: Chapter 288: I am Willing to Give Up the Position of Prime Minister_2 Chapter 489: Chapter 288: I am Willing to Give Up the Position of Prime Minister_2 ¡°The North Country is still quite fragile at the moment, and if a large-scale war were to break out, with the North Country¡¯s material reserves, it would be very difficult to support the Northern army in conquering the entire Great Xia.¡± ¡°So, for the North Prince, the best move is to wait and stabilize the development of the North Country, waiting until the various seigniors within Great Xia have fought amongst themselves and weakened each other, then the North Country can reap the benefits.¡± Hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, the Martial Emperor spoke, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that the North Prince¡¯s thoughts are actually the same as mine?¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°Your servant believes so.¡± The Martial Emperor snorted coldly and said, ¡°No wonder the North Prince had just acquired Yongan County and immediately dispatched thirty thousand heavy cavalry there.¡± ¡°In this way, if we want to send troops to Great Xia, we have to get past the North Country first.¡± At this point, the Martial Emperor fell into deep thought, and the ministers who had just been advocating for sending troops to Great Xia also lapsed into contemplation. Under the current circumstances, if Great Wu sends troops to Great Xia, the North Country will surely send troops to attack Great Wu. The military strength of the North Country is not weak, and fighting on two fronts would be highly disadvantageous for Great Wu. We must think of a solution, preferably one that could win over the Da Yue Dynasty. After a long while, the Martial Emperor turned to a eunuch beside him and commanded, ¡°Go inform Princess Junwan that after the court session, she is to come to the Imperial Study Room. I have matters to discuss with her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Once the eunuch departed, the Martial Emperor spoke again, ¡°To extinguish Great Xia, relying solely on Great Wu is somewhat difficult. I plan to align with Da Yue and form an alliance to jointly attack the Great Xia Dynasty.¡± Upon hearing the Martial Emperor¡¯s words, the Minister of Rites stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, your plan is truly excellent! By having Da Yue hold back the North Country, then our Great Wu can attack Great Xia with ease. Since Da Yue has been able to withstand the southward advance of the Barbarian Tribe coalition, they surely can handle a small North Country without any problem.¡± After hearing this, the Martial Emperor said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s just uncertain whether Princess Junwan will be able to persuade Da Yue.¡± At this remark, the Martial Emperor glanced across the room at the officials present, ¡°Do my esteemed subjects have any other matters to address? If there are none, then this morning¡¯s court session is concluded.¡± Upon these words, an official stood out and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Junwan has already reached the age suitable for marriage¡ªit is time to select a noble consort for her.¡± As the words were spoken, the entire court turned silent, the sound of breathing audible, and all the ministers¡¯ gazes fell upon the Martial Emperor as if waiting for his response. The marriage of Princess Junwan has always been a matter of great concern among the court ministers. Now that Princess Junwan remains single, many fear that the Martial Emperor plans to groom her as a successor and have her take a husband into the imperial family. Now, quite a few ministers are thinking that if they can have the princess marry off early, they could use her married status as a reason to gradually chip away at her power. To the imperial clan, it is abnormal that the princess, in her thirties, is still unwed, implying she must be plotting something. As long as she remains unwed, they feel uneasy, always fearing that she might become the next emperor of Great Wu. Seeing someone raise the issue of Wu Junwan¡¯s marriage, the Martial Emperor said with a smile, ¡°It seems that you all care about Junwan¡¯s lifelong happiness more than I do.¡± ¡°However, I once promised her that only when she wishes to marry, will I help her select a husband.¡± ¡°Since she is not keen on marriage now, let¡¯s drop this matter.¡± Hearing this, an elder member of the imperial family could no longer hold back; he immediately stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, since ancient times, the women of Great Wu have wed by the age of sixteen. It is unheard of for a woman to remain unwed into her thirties.¡± ¡°If the princess continues to refuse marriage, it will inevitably lead other women to follow suit. If the women of Great Wu no longer wish to marry, our population may significantly diminish, undermining the very foundations of our nation!¡± ¡°As a princess of the royal family, even if Your Majesty has appointed her as Princess Junwan, she should not have special privileges. Please, Your Majesty, find a noble consort for the princess at your earliest convenience.¡± Upon hearing these words, the Martial Emperor¡¯s expression darkened, for how could an emperor not know what these people were thinking? They clearly feared that he would pass the throne to Wu Junwan. The reason he had appointed Wu Junwan as Princess Junwan years ago was due to some special circumstances, but that did not mean he would go against the ancestral teachings and bequeath the throne to a woman. The Martial Emperor then said, ¡°We will discuss this matter with Junwan later. Do my subjects have any other matters? If not, you are dismissed from the court session.¡± Seeing that the Martial Emperor did not give a clear answer, the ministers understood that it was very likely he still had no intention of marrying her off. Just then, Chai Jiliang suddenly stood up, boldly saying, ¡°Your Majesty, I have long admired Princess Junwan. I humbly request that Your Majesty grant marriage between her and myself.¡± At these words, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence. The relationship between Chai Jiliang and Princess Junwan was not ordinary, something already known by many. Yet, no one had expected that Chai Jiliang would dare to take the initiative to ask the Martial Emperor for Princess Junwan¡¯s hand in marriage. The thought crossed the minds of the ministers: Had Chai Jiliang gone mad? Instead of continuing his role as the Prime Minister, he actually desired to marry Princess Junwan! Throughout history, the husbands of princesses in Great Wu were never entrusted with important duties; even those who held official positions were stripped of them after marrying into the royal family, as a measure to prevent them from seizing power. Chapter 490 - Chapter 490: Chapter 288: I am Willing to Give Up the Position of Prime Minister_3 Chapter 490: Chapter 288: I am Willing to Give Up the Position of Prime Minister_3 Princesses¡¯ husbands generally can¡¯t be heavily relied upon, let alone the Princess Royal. Given the Princess Royal¡¯s status and position, whoever marries her essentially signs the end of his official career. Chai Jiliang, however, is the Prime Minister, and if he were to marry the Princess Royal and his post were not to be forfeited, the Princess Royal¡¯s strength in the court would be immense. Therefore, once Chai Jiliang truly married the Princess Royal, he would have to resign from his position as Prime Minister. Some were puzzled, not understanding what had gotten into Chai Jiliang. However, at this moment, the Martial Emperor revealed a trace of a smile, then he said, ¡°Chai, you are my most esteemed minister. Think carefully, you are now the Prime Minister. If you really marry Junwan, you probably won¡¯t be able to enter the gates of Li Zheng Palace every day.¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°Your Majesty, I have considered it thoroughly. For the Princess Royal, I am willing to give up the position of Prime Minister.¡± Hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, the ministers in the hall thought to themselves that this man must have a problem in his head, actually giving up his official career for a woman. Although the position of Prime Minister is a high-risk occupation in the Great Wu dynasty, with nine out of ten meeting a bad end, the Prime Minister is still the Prime Minister, holding considerable power. And yet, this man speaks so lightly of giving it up. Just then, a noble minister stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Mr. Chai is exceptionally talented and has dedicated himself to the service of Great Wu. He is certainly worthy of the Princess Royal. Since Mr. Chai is willing to give up his position as Prime Minister for the Princess Royal, I boldly request that Your Majesty grant him the marriage.¡± This time, the Martial Emperor was not angry. He then said, ¡°Chai, I am aware of your intentions, but I have also said that Junwan¡¯s marriage is for her to decide. Let¡¯s do this; I will find an opportunity to ask her what she thinks.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave this matter here. My ministers, is there anything else? If there is nothing else, you may leave the court.¡± Hearing these words from the Martial Emperor, some ministers immediately realized they had been played. It¡¯s true that Chai Jiliang is fond of the Princess Royal, and their relationship has always been good. Everyone knows that Chai Jiliang is a member of the Princess Royal¡¯s faction, so he would continue to stay in the court for her, and it¡¯s highly unlikely that he would bring up marrying the Princess Royal. By raising this issue now, he was signaling to others that Chai Jiliang had his sights set on the Princess Royal, and the rest should step aside. Knowing that Chai Jiliang is a trusted minister of the Martial Emperor, the emperor definitely would not agree to marry the Princess Royal to Chai Jiliang. The ultimate result would be that the marriage discussion continues indefinitely and comes to nothing. Once the ministers understood why Chai Jiliang proposed to marry the Princess Royal, they immediately felt a burning hatred towards him. This incident would undoubtedly spread quickly to the ears of the common people. Soon, they would all know that Chai Jiliang admires the Princess Royal. One being the emperor¡¯s crucial minister, and the other the pearl in the emperor¡¯s palm, they are so well suited for each other, who would dare to interfere? But if the Martial Emperor doesn¡¯t grant the marriage, their relationship will stay uncertain, with the Princess Royal remaining single and Chai Jiliang still the Prime Minister. ¡­ Meanwhile. After leaving the Li Zheng Palace, the Martial Emperor went to the Imperial Study Room, where Wu Junwan was already waiting. Seeing the Martial Emperor enter, Wu Junwan immediately saluted and said, ¡°Greetings to Father Emperor.¡± The Martial Emperor spoke directly, ¡°Junwan, I have a mission for you.¡± The Martial Emperor in fact did not wish to continue allowing Wu Junwan to accumulate too many merits, but sending an envoy to Great Jue to persuade the Yue Emperor to form an alliance to conquer Great Sum could only be done by Wu Junwan. Wu Junwan¡¯s relationship with the Yue Emperor was very good, and only she might have a chance to persuade the Yue Emperor. Sending someone else to Great Jue might more likely end in failure. Chapter 491 - Chapter 491: Chapter 289: This Palace Advises You to Best Put Away Your Schemes_1 Chapter 491: Chapter 289: This Palace Advises You to Best Put Away Your Schemes_1 Hearing the words of the Sum Emperor, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Father Emperor, do you intend to send your daughter on a diplomatic mission to Great Jue?¡± Wu Junwan, with the largest intelligence agency in Great Wu hands, had long known about the North Country¡¯s purchase of land in Yongan County and the stationing of thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry there. Therefore, she had also basically guessed what the Martial Emperor was planning to do next. Now that the North Country was already bordering Great Wu and had stationed thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry in the border area, if Great Wu were to make a move against Great Sum at this time, it was likely that the North Country would immediately send troops against Great Wu. The recent direction of the court discussions centered on sending troops against Great Sum, and with her understanding of her own Father Emperor, Wu Junwan knew he would not easily give up on military action against Great Sum. Thus, it was very likely that her Father Emperor¡¯s next move would be to seek an alliance with Great Jue to attack Great Sum jointly. Seeing that Wu Junwan had already guessed his intentions, the Martial Emperor said, ¡°It seems you already know.¡± ¡°Now that the North Country has stationed thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry in Yongan County, if Great Wu were to send troops against Great Sum, it is very likely that the North Country will attack Great Wu, and this greatly worries your Father Emperor.¡± ¡°The plan for now is to coax Great Jue into helping Great Wu contain the North Country. Only by doing this, will Great Wu have a chance to annihilate Great Sum.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Father Emperor, your daughter understands your intentions. I will head to Great Jue tomorrow.¡± Hearing this, the Martial Emperor looked at Wu Junwan with a smile and then, still smiling, said, ¡°Then I shall trouble you.¡± At this juncture, the Martial Emperor sighed and continued, ¡°It¡¯s only Junwan who can help alleviate some of your Father Emperor¡¯s burdens. Those brothers of yours, each is more useless than the last. Your Father Emperor often thinks how good it would be if you were a man.¡± Wu Junwan instantly detected the underlying message in the Martial Emperor¡¯s tone¡ªit was a reminder that she was merely a woman, not a man, and should not entertain impractical thoughts. Even though she picked up on the hidden meaning in the Martial Emperor¡¯s words, Wu Junwan did not take it to heart; she had long recognized her Father Emperor¡¯s attitude. Although her Father Emperor had granted her the title of Princess Junwan, significantly elevating her status, he was also attempting to balance court power and was avidly grooming her brothers. The fact that her Father Emperor had had Wu Ming accompany her to the North Country showed he had no intention of passing the throne to his daughter. At this moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Father Emperor, your daughter understands your meaning. All of this is my duty. As the Princess of Great Wu, I should bear these responsibilities.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, the Martial Emperor smiled and said, ¡°If you can understand your Father Emperor¡¯s hardships, it pleases me greatly. Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may go and make preparations.¡± Wu Junwan then bowed and said, ¡°Yes, your daughter takes her leave.¡± With that, she turned and left the Imperial Study Room. By the time Wu Junwan returned to the Green Cloud Palace, a maidservant entered excitedly, ¡°Your Highness, there is great news!¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan asked with puzzlement, ¡°What great news?¡± The maidservant answered, ¡°This morning at the early court session, someone proposed that His Majesty select a husband for you. Mr. Chai immediately stepped forward and requested His Majesty to marry you off to him.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s face darkened instantly, and she said coldly, ¡°This is what you call great news?¡± Hearing the displeasure in Wu Junwan¡¯s tone, the maidservant quickly knelt on the ground and began to kowtow, saying, ¡°Your Highness, this servant was wrong. I should not have presumed your thoughts. This servant deserves death. Please, Your Highness, punish me.¡± Chai Jiliang often visited the place where Wu Junwan resided, and after numerous visits, nearly all the maidservants and eunuchs in the Green Cloud Palace believed that Chai Jiliang and Wu Junwan shared a very good relationship, perhaps even an affection for one another. Chai Jiliang, despite his age, had yet to marry¡ªnot even taking a concubine¡ªmaking it clear to anyone seeing that he was interested in Princess Junwan. The maidservants and eunuchs thought that since the Princess was already in her thirties and still unmarried, it must surely be because of Chai Jiliang. Now that Chai Jiliang had so proactively stepped forward to request His Majesty to marry Princess Junwan to him, it was naturally good news to the maidservant as she believed that Princess Junwan and Prime Minister Chai would finally be united in matrimony. What they did not know was that, in Wu Junwan¡¯s eyes, Chai Jiliang was nothing more than a political partner. She had never felt even the slightest attraction toward Chai Jiliang. Wu Junwan was no fool; she knew exactly the path she was walking. The path she chose strictly forbade romantic entanglements, and thus she had long sealed her heart, essentially immune to feelings for men. Wu Junwan swept a cold glance over the maidservant on the ground and then said, ¡°If there¡¯s a next time, you can go back to your room and hang yourself.¡± Upon hearing this, the maidservant immediately said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for your mercy. I will certainly hold my tongue from now on.¡± Just then, a mature man¡¯s voice came, ¡°Your Highness seems quite unhappy today?¡± Seeing Chai Jiliang had arrived, Wu Junwan asked directly, ¡°I heard you requested my Father Emperor for an arranged marriage in court today?¡± Hearing the tone of Wu Junwan¡¯s voice, Chai Jiliang knew she was upset and promptly said, ¡°Princess Junwan, this subject did it to buy you time.¡± ¡°You should understand that His Majesty would never marry you off to a subject like me. By doing so, others will know of my admiration for you and hence would stop urging His Majesty to find you a suitor on the court.¡± Wu Junwan scoffed coldly and then said, ¡°Mr. Chai, I advise you to keep your ulterior motives in check.¡± With that, Wu Junwan turned and walked away. Wu Junwan was no fool; Chai Jiliang¡¯s actions indeed bought her some time, with no ministers likely to bring up her marriage in the near future. However, this move also tied her to Chai Jiliang. Once their story spread among the people, they would surely be celebrated as a talented man and a beautiful woman destined for one another. And if Wu Junwan were to ascend to the supreme position in the future, how should she then deal with Chai Jiliang? Their affair had already spread among the people, should she grant Chai Jiliang a status? If she did not grant Chai Jiliang a status, what would the common folk say about her? Most likely, they would accuse her of being unfeeling and disloyal, the traditional indifference of an emperor¡¯s heart. Having dealt with Chai Jiliang for so many years, Wu Junwan knew all too well what kind of person he was, he always had a long-term vision and was not someone to focus solely on the immediate gains and losses. At this moment, Wu Junwan was indeed very angry, Chai Jiliang even schemed against her. Watching Wu Junwan¡¯s departing figure, Chai Jiliang muttered to himself, ¡°It seems I went a bit too far this time.¡± ¡­ Half a month later. North Country. Hall of Political Affairs. Lu Chen sat on the throne, full of vigor. With a smile, he said, ¡°This is our last time discussing important matters in this Hall of Political Affairs. Gentlemen, if you have any issues to discuss, bring them up quickly.¡± ¡°If not, let¡¯s talk about the city relocation.¡± Thanks to the tremendous efforts of the common folk of North Country and the slaves of the Barbarian Tribe, the new city of North Country had been built. It was constructed mainly of steel and concrete, with very wide streets. There was also a Prince¡¯s Mansion in the new city, with a very large area. Lu Chen was already eager to move there. The current Prince¡¯s Mansion was somewhat too cramped for him; he felt constricted. Once he moved to the new city, he and his wives and concubines could live as they pleased. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Rui took the initiative to stand and say, ¡°Prince, although the new city has been constructed, the houses there are expensive, and the general populace can hardly afford them. It is feared that few people from Yan County will move to the new city to live.¡± The new city was already built, but it was constructed using steel, concrete, and red bricks, all of which were almost exclusively produced by the North Prince Mansion and were considered new and costly materials. As one could imagine, the prices of the homes built with these were quite high. Despite the growing prosperity of commerce in Yan County since Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in North Country, enabling the locals to make some money through trade, the particularly wealthy among them made up probably less than one percent of Yan County¡¯s populace. If only the North Prince Mansion moved to the new city, and the civilians of the old city remained, what use would the new city serve? Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I anticipated this issue early on, which is why I had the Jinyiwei Guard register the population of Yan County. Currently, there are a total of one hundred thousand original inhabitants, each household only needs to pay five hundred wen to own a house in the new city.¡± ¡°Those who truly can¡¯t afford it can owe the amount temporarily, as long as it¡¯s repaid within ten years.¡± Hearing this, the officials in the great hall thought it over, and if it was just five hundred wen, most of Yan County¡¯s locals should be able to afford it. The key was that the North Prince offered a ten-year repayment period. Although the people of North Country were previously quite poor, since the North Prince arrived, the North Prince Mansion had created quite a few industries. These industries required a large labor force, and although the core industries all involved signing lifetime contracts, the North Prince Mansion employed a hiring system for certain simple handicrafts, meaning the people of Yan County could earn five hundred wen by working for the North Prince Mansion¡¯s industries. Even if they did not work in industries established by the North Prince Mansion, with the flourishing trade in Yan County today, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for the locals to find some work to make money. And even stepping back ten thousand steps, if the Yan County locals didn¡¯t work for anyone else, but merely leased some land to farm, paying off five hundred wen within ten years wouldn¡¯t be an issue at all. Therefore, the price set by Lu Chen was fairly reasonable. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Of course, this price is only for the locals of Yan County. If outsiders wish to buy houses in Yan County, that would be a different price.¡± At this moment, an official asked, ¡°Prince, what if the Yan County locals sell their houses to others at a high price?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°The first house owned by Yan County locals is not allowed to be traded.¡± Hearing this, Li Rui returned to his spot, ¡°Your servant has no further questions.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Do any of you have other questions? You may also raise any issues related to the relocation now.¡± Seeing no one spoke up, Lu Chen said, ¡°Since all of you have no questions, then I will go over the arrangements for the city relocation.¡± As his voice fell, a Jinyiwei Guard beside Lu Chen took a small booklet and walked to the center of the great hall, then began to read from the contents of the booklet. The booklet addressed the arrangements for the city relocation and how the new city should be managed. Two hours later, after the discussion about the city relocation was complete, Lu Chen returned to his study. Sitting on a chair in the study, Lu Chen glanced over the entire room, a hint of reluctance rising in his heart. This study held many beautiful memories for him. He had flirted with Chu Yuqin in this room, had retorted Wang Qingci, made deals with Chu Qingli, and even carried out mischievous deeds with Lin Wanyun in secret. He never thought he would soon have to leave this place. As Lu Chen was immersed in his memories, a familiar voice called out, ¡°Prince, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you daydreaming in the study.¡± Lu Chen snapped back to reality, looked up at the doorway of the study, and saw Wang Qingci¡¯s S-shaped enchanting figure. Chapter 492 - Chapter 492: Chapter 290: What are the beautiful memories the Prince mentioned?_1 Chapter 492: Chapter 290: What are the beautiful memories the Prince mentioned?_1 Wang Qingci was wearing a red gauze dress today, the upper part loosely revealing a vast expanse of snowy white skin. The lower part of the skirt had a slit, exposing her long, white legs. Standing at the doorway, her slim and charming figure was made even more enticing by the light from outside. Seeing Wang Qingci appear at the doorway of the study, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. If he hadn¡¯t remembered wrongly, the most frequent acts they performed were in that study. Since Wang Qingci had come, it would be the perfect ending to wrap things up with her. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wang, do you have any important intelligence to report today?¡± Wang Qingci entered the study and conscientiously closed the door before swaying over to the side of the desk and placing a letter on it. ¡°Great Wu has sent Wu Junwan as an envoy to the North Country to prepare for an alliance with Great Jue against Great Xia, aiming to start a war of annihilation.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback before he picked up the intelligence on the desk, opened it, and scanned the contents. After reading the content, Lu Chen frowned slightly. If Great Wu truly allied with Great Jue, then it was likely Great Jue could tie down North Country. In that case, North Country would be unable to stop Great Wu from deploying troops against Great Xia. This was indeed a troublesome issue. Seeing Lu Chen silently reviewing the intelligence, Wang Qingci reminded him, ¡°Wu Junwan and the Yue Emperor are very close, referring to each other as sisters. Once Wu Junwan arrives at Great Jue, the likelihood of their alliance is very high.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen came back to his senses, thinking that unless Great Jue were unwilling to get involved, preventing the alliance between the two great dynasties would indeed be quite challenging. After the annihilation of the Great Xia Dynasty, Great Jue would gain a large swath of land and population, becoming even more powerful. It was likely that the Yue Emperor might be tempted. North Country can expect some difficult times ahead. They need to become stronger faster. With this in mind, Lu Chen glanced at Wang Qingci beside him and said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wang, now that the various dynasties are aware of your identity and the relationship between Rain-listening Pavilion and the North Prince Mansion, there¡¯s no need for Rain-listening Pavilion to keep hiding its affiliation.¡± Wang Qingci paused upon hearing this. Ever since Wu Junwan returned from her mission to North Country, news that Rain-listening Pavilion belonged to the North Prince Mansion had spread throughout the various dynasties, and now almost all of them were aware of the association between Rain-listening Pavilion and the North Prince Mansion. Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s ability to gather intelligence was no longer as easy as before. Clearly, the leak of the relationship between Rain-listening Pavilion and the North Prince Mansion was done intentionally by that woman, Wu Junwan. She did not want North Country to develop smoothly, hindering their ability to gather intelligence from other dynasties. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci thought he was planning to disband Rain-listening Pavilion and felt somewhat disappointed internally. Rain-listening Pavilion was established from the ground up by Wang Qingci herself, and she had used it to collect a considerable amount of intelligence from the various dynasties. It was through the Rain-listening Pavilion that she had been able to realize her value by Lu Chen¡¯s side. If Rain-listening Pavilion ceased to exist, what else could she do in the future? Deep down, Wang Qingci was concerned and afraid that Lu Chen would ask her to return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to attend to him. Attending to Lu Chen wasn¡¯t really an issue for her; she enjoyed their time together, but she had her own stubborn streak. She didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to see her only as someone to fulfill certain desires. At this moment, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Does the Prince intend to disband Rain-listening Pavilion?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Why would you think that? What reason would I have to disband Rain-listening Pavilion without just cause?¡± This¡­ Wang Qingci paused, then asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t the Prince say that Rain-listening Pavilion has been exposed¡­¡± Wang Qingci hesitated, not continuing further. Rain-listening Pavilion, as an intelligence organization, is generally abandoned once exposed. Since its affiliation has been revealed, it will surely be closely watched, making it much harder to collect intelligence undercover from that point on. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Although Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s relationship with the North Prince Mansion has been exposed, it can still continue to serve its purpose.¡± ¡°Now with Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s business reaching all the great dynasties, the commercial scale of the North Prince Mansion would not be what it is today without Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s assistance.¡± Wang Qingci instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention; he wanted Rain-listening Pavilion to continue playing its commercial role, aiding the North Prince Mansion in selling various goods. Wang Qingci felt somewhat excited internally. Although Rain-listening Pavilion could no longer collect intelligence as it did in the past, as long as Rain-listening Pavilion still existed, she could continue to demonstrate her value. Then, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Even if Rain-listening Pavilion is exposed, it can still collect intelligence overtly.¡± ¡°Now that the various dynasties are aware that Rain-listening Pavilion belongs to the North Prince Mansion, they will not directly move against Rain-listening Pavilion before they fall out with the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°Moreover, we have already signed trade agreements with both Great Jue and Great Wu. Even when Rain-listening Pavilion conducts business in Great Jue and Great Wu, they are following the trade agreements, so neither can raise any objections.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s idea was straightforward. Now that Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s backing power had been exposed, it should openly become another commercial group of the North Prince Mansion. In the past, Rain-listening Pavilion collected intelligence secretly; once it turned official, it would gather intelligence openly. With the North Prince Mansion¡¯s backing, Rain-listening Pavilion would not likely be targeted publicly in non-war times, but rather face minor underhanded tactics. Chapter 493 - Chapter 493: Chapter 290: What are the beautiful memories the Prince mentioned?_2 Chapter 493: Chapter 290: What are the beautiful memories the Prince mentioned?_2 No matter the tricks the great dynasties use, it¡¯s fine as long as Rain-listening Pavilion can still do business with each of them. At this moment, Wang Qingci revealed a seductive smile, ¡°Hearing Prince speak like this, this slave can rest easy. I was afraid I might lose my job.¡± Lu Chen reached out, pulled Wang Qingci next to the desk into his arms, then hugged her slender waist tightly, and whispered in her ear, ¡°My capable female slave, everyone else could lose their job, but it¡¯s impossible to let you become unemployed.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci¡¯s voice turned coquettishly soft, ¡°Prince is so good to this slave.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, this bitch. ¡°By the way, I have something to tell you.¡± Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Please speak, Prince.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s hand caressed her jade legs through the red gossamer skirt as he said, ¡°Soon we will be relocating to the new city. The construction is complete, and from now on, we¡¯ll be moving there.¡± Caught off guard by his words, Wang Qingci was stunned for a moment. She had also heard that the new city was nearing completion, but she hadn¡¯t taken it to heart. Now that Lu Chen suddenly mentioned moving, she felt a sudden sense of loss, an unwillingness to leave. The old city held too many of her memories, memories of the first time she saw Lu Chen, of being conquered by him, and of the absurd things they did together in the study. She hadn¡¯t expected to leave this place so soon. At that moment, Wang Qingci¡¯s gaze involuntarily swept over the whole study, and the events that had taken place there flashed before her, replaying over and over in her mind. Gradually, Wang Qingci¡¯s face flushed more and more, and it was then that Lu Chen, smiling, asked, ¡°Are you also reluctant to leave the current North Prince Mansion?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°This slave is Prince¡¯s female slave, wherever Prince goes, this slave will follow. Wherever Prince is, that is this slave¡¯s home, there¡¯s nothing to be reluctant about.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± ¡°I thought you had some affection for the current North Prince Mansion, but it seems I thought too much.¡± With a sigh, Lu Chen continued, ¡°I, for one, am quite reluctant to leave the current North Prince Mansion.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci responded with a teasing smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Prince to be a nostalgic person.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s hand slapped on Wang Qingci¡¯s derri¨¨re with a smack as he said, ¡°What, did you think I was someone who grew tired of the old and loved only the new?¡± Wang Qingci let out a ¡°mmn¡± and shivered slightly. ¡°This slave never said that.¡± Lu Chen then said with a laugh, ¡°Since we¡¯re leaving here, let¡¯s create even more beautiful memories before we depart.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hand slid beneath Wang Qingci¡¯s robe, caressing her soft and delicate skin. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci knew he was about to be up to no good again, but she didn¡¯t do anything, just quietly sat on his lap, waiting for Lu Chen to have his way with her. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Once we move to the new city, I will give you a proper status, especially now that Rain-listening Pavilion is known to be part of the North Prince Mansion.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci¡¯s mind went blank, and then she said, ¡°This slave is but Prince¡¯s female slave, how dare I hope for a status.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll keep you in the North Prince Mansion, making you serve me every day, and not allow you to go out, aren¡¯t you?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Serving Prince is this slave¡¯s duty, I dare not harbor such thoughts.¡± Lu Chen squeezed her with his strong hand, and Wang Qingci let out another ¡°mmn.¡± ¡°Rest assured, even if I give you a status, Rain-listening Pavilion will still be yours to manage, and you will still be able to leave the North Prince Mansion. I won¡¯t keep you caged up like a canary.¡± At that moment, Wang Qingci, being caressed by Lu Chen, was blushing and restless. She wriggled a bit in his arms, then asked weakly, ¡°Is what Prince says true?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Look, my wives and concubines in the inner court are often out and about, aren¡¯t they?¡± With Lu Chen¡¯s clarification, Wang Qingci suddenly realized it indeed seemed to be the case. Not to mention how Mu Zixuan, the princess consort, often went out to manage the Prince Mansion¡¯s industry, Lu Chen¡¯s other wives and concubines also left the mansion from time to time. In the whole North Prince Mansion, it seemed only Xiao Wenyao remained in the inner court all the time, even Xiaozhou and Dazhou, who usually had little to do, frequently left the mansion. It was clear that Lu Chen didn¡¯t impose many restrictions on his women, unlike typical Aristocratic Families or other princes who strictly forbade their wives and concubines from making public appearances. At this point, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Prince is so confident in his women, aren¡¯t you afraid they¡¯ll go looking for other men?¡± Upon hearing this question, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°What? Are you doubting my charm?¡± Then came the sound of tearing in the study. Noticing yet another robe being ruined, Wang Qingci glared at Lu Chen, then said, ¡°Prince, this dress was a gift from the princess consort to this slave.¡± Lu Chen, smiling, replied, ¡°Wait a while, and I¡¯ll tell Zixuan to send you a few more.¡± Before Wang Qingci could say anything more, Lu Chen picked her up and placed her on the desk. He then leaned in closer and continued, ¡°I¡¯m quite confident in my charm, and of course, I¡¯m also confident in my women. I believe none of you would betray me.¡± Chapter 494 - Chapter 494: Chapter 290: What are the beautiful memories the Prince mentioned?_3 Chapter 494: Chapter 290: What are the beautiful memories the Prince mentioned?_3 Wang Qingci knew she was definitely going to be dealt with by Lu Chen today. Her delicate, jade-like hands reached out toward Lu Chen, and then she fixed her gaze on Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face and asked, ¡°This humble woman is very curious, from where does the Prince derive his confidence, may the Prince be willing to enlighten this humble woman?¡± As she spoke, Wang Qingci sent Lu Chen a seductive glance, her eyes brimming with unspoken promise, and a coquettish air spread across her face. Seeing Wang Qingci provoke him again, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Qingci, are you so eager to create more beautiful memories with me?¡± Wang Qingci¡¯s cheeks flushed crimson, her eyes sultry like silk. She smiled and said, ¡°This humble woman doesn¡¯t quite understand what kind of beautiful memories the Prince is referring to.¡± Lu Chen could no longer restrain himself at the sight of Wang Qingci¡¯s tempting appearance, and he leaned in, kissing her rosy lips. This bitch needed to be put in her place more often, or else she would become insufferably arrogant in just a few days. Before long, Wang Qingci experienced what Lu Chen meant by beautiful memories. Although she had gone through similar situations countless times before, Wang Qingci still felt that this time with Lu Chen was something she would cherish even more. Lu Chen also clearly sensed that Wang Qingci was different today; she seemed to become even more proactive. ¡­ Meanwhile. When Mu Zixuan and the others heard that they were moving, they immediately instructed the maids and servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to start packing. There were many items in the North Prince Mansion, and it was certain they couldn¡¯t be moved in a single day. Therefore, before the official move, they needed to transport most of the belongings to the new city. Only then, on the actual moving day, could they settle into the new North Prince Mansion within one day. The servants bustled in and out of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, packing items under Mu Zixuan¡¯s watchful eye, while her gaze remained fixed on a tree not far away in the pavilion. Could it be that tree? Mu Zixuan fell into thought, knowing the purpose of the Dragon Phoenix Tree, she was well aware of its significance. The Dragon Phoenix Tree had grown to about seven or eight meters tall by now and its trunk was incredibly thick. Moving such a tree to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion would likely be troublesome. Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes fixed on the Dragon Phoenix Tree not far away, Zhou Youyou asked, ¡°Sister Mu, why are you staring at that tree all the time?¡± Hearing Zhou Youyou¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan snapped back to reality and replied, ¡°This tree has grown so big, it¡¯s not easy to transplant it to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion, and as it¡¯s a Fairy Tree, I don¡¯t know if it can be moved easily.¡± Zhou Youyou said, ¡°This tree was planted by the Prince, he should know the most about it. Why not ask the Prince about it and see if it can be moved to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Mu Zixuan thought that made sense, as the tree was so important to Lu Chen, he would probably find a way to relocate it. She decided to ask Lu Chen during dinner how he intended to handle the Dragon Phoenix Tree. At dusk. When all of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines arrived at the main hall to prepare for dinner, they found that Lu Chen had not yet returned. Usually, if Lu Chen was not back for dinner, it was likely that he was up to no good with one of his wives or concubines. Mu Zixuan scanned the hall and saw that nearly all of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were present. She then turned to her maid behind her and said, ¡°Xiao Rou, go check the study and see if the Prince is there.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± The maid then went to the study. A short while later, the maid Xiao Rou came back to the main hall with a flushed face. Seeing her red-faced maid, the women all understood what was happening. Maid Xiao Rou said, ¡°My lady, the Prince says he will not return tonight, he has already eaten.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan smiled and said to Chu Yuqin and the others, ¡°Since the Prince won¡¯t be coming back, let us eat first.¡± The women stopped waiting and began dining while talking about the topic of moving the city. Chapter 495 - Chapter 495: Chapter 291 Wang Qingci Is Pregnant_1 Chapter 495: Chapter 291 Wang Qingci Is Pregnant_1 Great Xia Dynasty. Capital city, Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping palace. The Sum Emperor lay on the bed, looking as if he was on his last breath. At this moment, Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan were reporting the latest movements of the major dynasties. A little while later, the Sum Emperor suddenly began coughing violently. A maid hurried over with a yellow silk handkerchief; in the next moment, the Sum Emperor coughed up fresh blood onto the handkerchief, dyeing the yellow silk a deep red. Seeing this scene, Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan both frowned slightly, their eyes darting with different thoughts, each plotting their own schemes. After a while, the Sum Emperor spoke, ¡°I never thought that as soon as I fall, the major dynasties would surround us like vultures.¡± Saying this, the Sum Emperor glanced at Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan, then asked, ¡°Zhao, Lin, in your opinion, which prince can succeed my position?¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan immediately knelt on the ground, and said in unison, ¡°Your servants would not dare to speak carelessly!¡± Some things must not be spoken lightly, especially on the matter of appointing a successor. The Sum Emperor coughed a few more times, then said, ¡°Do not worry; speak freely. I absolve you of any blame. The two remained prostrate on the ground, not daring to lift their heads. Seeing that they still would not speak, the Sum Emperor snorted coldly, ¡°The esteemed Prime Ministers, yet you dare not declare your stance on the matter of succession, what kind of Prime Ministers are you?¡± After another long pause, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°Enough, both of you stand up. If you do not dare to say, I won¡¯t force you.¡± After hearing this, Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan finally stood up. At that moment, the Sum Emperor continued, ¡°Since its establishment, the Great Xia has practiced the tradition of the eldest legitimate son inheriting the throne. However, as the interference from the Aristocratic Families over the throne has become increasingly severe, most of the recent legitimate eldest sons have not lived past thirty years of age, and the transfer of the throne has always been accompanied by heavy bloodshed.¡± ¡°Now that the Southern Aristocratic Families have been destroyed and the Ancient Families have become much more restrained, it is time to return to the tradition of the eldest legitimate son¡¯s succession.¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan had a sudden realization. Could it be that the Sum Emperor was planning to appoint Prince Lu Yi as the Crown Prince? After coming to his senses, Zhao Wenhan was inwardly overjoyed. Fortunately, after Prince Lu Shuyun¡¯s rebellion, he had promptly sided with Prince Lu Yi. If Prince Lu Yi could smoothly succeed, he would still be heavily utilized. At this time, the Sum Emperor went on to say, ¡°I plan to appoint Prince Lu Yi as the Crown Prince. What do you two think of this decision?¡± Zhao Wenhan and Lin Gaoyuan said in unison, ¡°We fully abide by your Imperial decision!¡± Although Lin Gaoyuan was somewhat surprised by this outcome, he was not uncomprehending; after all, the Sum Emperor was nearing his end, and a successor had to be chosen without further delay. If talking about capability, Prince Lu Yi could indeed be considered competent. Key is, Prince Lu Yi is the legitimate eldest son and was supposed to inherit the throne to begin with. It¡¯s just that for the past few generations, the excessive interference of the Aristocratic Families had made the legitimate eldest son¡¯s right to the throne in name only. However, Lin Gaoyuan did not believe that Prince Lu Yi could inherit the throne so smoothly. He was quite familiar with the current political landscape of the court and knew that almost all princes were backed by several factions, and most critically, most princes had the backing of Seigniors. Once the Sum Emperor appointed Prince Lu Yi as the Crown Prince and passed the throne to him, it was very likely that Prince Lu Yi would not be able to suppress the other princes, let alone the Seigniors of Great Xia. At that point, Prince Lu Yi could very possibly be pulled down from the throne. Lin Gaoyuan did not have much faith in Prince Lu Yi; in his view, the North Prince remained the most suitable candidate for the throne. He was well aware of the North Country¡¯s development, which was progressing very rapidly, and the Northern military strength had also become increasingly powerful. At present, no feudal state in Great Xia had a military might as formidable as the North Country. Should the Seigniors across the land rise in rebellion, it would inevitably lead to a fight to the death. Once the North Country saw its opportunity, given its military capability, the North Prince would undoubtedly be able to ascend to that position smoothly. Nonetheless, Lin Gaoyuan was currently somewhat worried about the Great Wu and Da Yue Dynasties. If Great Xia truly fell into internal strife, these two great dynasties would not just sit by idly. But now was not the time to think about these matters; there was no solution to be found at the moment, and he could only wait and see how events unfolded. At this time, the Sum Emperor, looking wan and sapped, said, ¡°Zhao, Lin, you may leave. The words I have spoken to you today must not be spread carelessly.¡± The two responded in unison once more, ¡°We understand.¡± ¡°We shall take our leave.¡± Afterward, they both turned and left the Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping palace. After they had gone, a shadow emerged from behind a pillar in the room. At that moment, the Sum Emperor stood up from the bed, hands clasped behind his back, looking out the window. He was a completely different person from the sickly image he had portrayed moments ago; now, he looked entirely unafflicted. Then, the Sum Emperor asked in a cold voice, ¡°Who does Lin Gaoyuan support?¡± Hearing the question, the shadow behind the pillar answered, ¡°There is no evidence yet; he maintains a distance from every prince and appears to wish to remain neutral.¡± The Sum Emperor chuckled, ¡°That old fox; he probably has seen through my feigned illness.¡± With most of the court officials already taking sides, Lin Gaoyuan, as the Left Prime Minister, had yet to choose a prince he favored amidst a possible change of rulers, which appeared suspicious. If he did not take a stand now, when the struggle for the throne finished, the Lin Family would no longer enjoy their current prosperity, and it¡¯s uncertain whether Lin Gaoyuan could continue as Prime Minister. The Sum Emperor did not believe Lin Gaoyuan was neutral. In his opinion, Lin Gaoyuan must have discovered something. ¡°` However, even if Lin Gaoyuan had discovered something, the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t care; his plan had been very successful. All the Seigniors across the Great Xia had entered the game, and now it was just a matter of whether the one in the North would take the bait. If the one in the North also took the bait, then he could solve the problem once and for all. Just then, a Shadow Guard appeared at the doorway, ¡°Your Majesty, there is a disturbance in the North Country!¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor paused for a moment before taking the report from the Shadow Guard¡¯s hands and carefully reading it. Seeing that the North Country had stationed thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry in Yongan County, the Sum Emperor slightly furrowed his brow. He didn¡¯t quite understand what the North Country was up to; if the North really planned to head south, they would likely attack the Qi Country directly. To pass through the Qi Country would be the logical strategy¡ªwhat use would it be to station thirty thousand Heavy Cavalry in the northwest at Yongan County? Moreover, the North Country had only a total of fifty thousand Heavy Cavalry¡ªthirty thousand constituted a significant military force. Placing such a force on the border with the Great Wu Dynasty could potentially provoke the Great Wu. The Sum Emperor thought for a moment but still found the actions of the North Country perplexing and then told the Shadow Guard, ¡°Go summon the State Preceptor to see Us!¡± The Shadow Guard before the Sum Emperor immediately replied, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± Before long, Situ Ce appeared in the Sum Emperor¡¯s bedchamber, and the Sum Emperor handed the report he was holding directly to Situ Ce, then asked, ¡°The North Country is not sending troops southward but has instead moved the Heavy Cavalry to Yongan County, what does the State Preceptor make of this?¡± Caught off guard by the question, Situ Ce took the report from the Sum Emperor¡¯s hand and scrutinized it carefully. After a while, Situ Ce finally answered, ¡°Your Majesty, your humble servant believes that the North Prince is trying to deter the Great Wu and prevent them from launching an attack on the Great Xia during its internal strife.¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face darkened, and he said somewhat displeased, ¡°He has moved such an important military force to Yongan County. Are you implying that he has no designs on the Capital at all?¡± If the North Prince truly had his sights set on the throne, like the other Seigniors, he would either be expanding his forces or mustering troops, waiting for the right moment. But the North Country had directly relocated its most capable Heavy Cavalry to ward off the Great Wu Dynasty. This indicated that the North Prince had no intentions of heading south; otherwise, he would never deploy such an important force to guard against the Great Wu. At that point, Situ Ce said, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Prince is absolutely loyal to the court. In your humble servant¡¯s opinion, the North Prince will not revolt unless there comes a day when the Capital cannot hold and Your Majesty orders the North Prince to move south; that might be when the North Prince would lead his troops southward.¡± The Sum Emperor snorted coldly upon hearing Situ Ce¡¯s words, then retorted, ¡°Since when has the State Preceptor also started taking Chen¡¯s side?¡± Situ Ce replied, neither humbly nor arrogantly, ¡°Your servant merely speaks the truth.¡± The Sum Emperor spoke lightly, ¡°We do not believe that the North Country will stay out of the game.¡± All of his scheming was for the North Country. If the North Country didn¡¯t fall for it, wouldn¡¯t all his efforts be in vain? He had to compel the North Country to advance southward. At that moment, the Sum Emperor said to Situ Ce, ¡°We are tired, State Preceptor. You may attend to your own affairs.¡± Knowing the Sum Emperor had wholly disregarded his counsel, Situ Ce realized the Sum Emperor was determined to persist in his course, insistent on removing the North Country. Situ Ce did not say anything further; he simply bowed and said, ¡°Your servant will take his leave.¡± Situ Ce believed that with Zhuge Zhongguang in the North, the Sum Emperor¡¯s schemes would come to naught. Even if the North Prince did not understand politics or cunning strategies and could not see through the Sum Emperor¡¯s scheming, as long as the North Prince was adept at heeding Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s advice, the Sum Emperor¡¯s schemes would ultimately fail. ¡­ In the North Country. In the North Prince Mansion, the study. Today, Lu Chen and Wang Qingci created even more wonderful memories together. Wang Qingci was so utterly spent by these delightful moments that she had gone limp; if Lu Chen hadn¡¯t been hugging her, she would have probably fallen to the ground unable to get up. Lu Chen then picked Wang Qingci up and proceeded towards the secret chamber of the study. Seeing that Lu Chen was actually carrying her into the secret chamber, Wang Qingci suddenly remembered all the things Lu Chen had done to her in there last time. She quickly mustered her remaining strength to plead, ¡°Prince, please have mercy on your servant¡­¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°We shall spend the night here.¡± At the mention of spending the night, Wang Qingci¡¯s face turned deathly pale. But after Lu Chen placed Wang Qingci on the bed of the study¡¯s secret chamber, he just lay down on the bed, letting Wang Qingci rest in his embrace and didn¡¯t continue to do anything else to her. Seeing that Lu Chen made no further move, Wang Qingci paused. She had thought Lu Chen would continue to ¡®torture¡¯ her, but it turned out he just wanted to sleep. Thank goodness, thank goodness. Just as Wang Qingci breathed a sigh of relief, Lu Chen¡¯s lips slightly curved in a barely perceptible smirk. At this moment, Lu Chen looked up at the system interface, feeling incredibly contented. [Congratulations, Host, for making Wang Qingci pregnant. You have received the reward of the steamship blueprints.] [The pregnancy reward is an encouragement. Please ensure the child is born safely, and upon the child¡¯s safe birth, you will receive a richer reward.] ¡°` Chapter 496 - Chapter 496: Chapter 292: What do you think about marrying you off to the Prince?_1 Chapter 496: Chapter 292: What do you think about marrying you off to the Prince?_1 Early morning. After Lu Chen woke up, he continued to create some beautiful memories with Wang Qingci, so much so that Wang Qingci felt she couldn¡¯t hold any more memories inside her. However, Lu Chen seemed much gentler today and did not tidy up Wang Qingci as he had before. This made Wang Qingci somewhat unaccustomed, but she didn¡¯t pay much mind to it. At this moment, Wang Qingci was completely unaware that she had fallen for his trap. Once she returned to her bedroom, she immediately had her maid draw water for a bath, cleaned herself, and expelled the impurities from her body through her cultivation. Wang Qingci thought it would be just like before, without any issues. Meanwhile, Lu Chen, beaming with joy, returned to the main courtyard. Mu Zixuan was there, gazing at the Dragon Phoenix Tree beneath it, pondering how to transport this Dragon Phoenix Tree to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion. Seeing Mu Zixuan standing under the Dragon Phoenix Tree, staring intently at it, Lu Chen came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her slim waist, and whispered in her ear, ¡°My love, what are you looking at?¡± Upon seeing Lu Chen¡¯s return, Mu Zixuan immediately said, ¡°Prince, we are about to move soon. What are your plans for this Dragon Phoenix Tree? Surely you cannot leave it here, can you?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen paused. He hadn¡¯t considered this issue at first. Lu Chen looked up at the lush Dragon Phoenix Tree. It had grown rapidly at first, becoming a large tree in just a few days. Although the growth of the Dragon Phoenix Tree had slowed down, it was now as tall as a several-story building, with a thick trunk. To relocate the Dragon Phoenix Tree to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion was indeed a huge project, but not an insurmountable problem. As long as the roots were dug out and more people were found, the tree could be transplanted to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion. What worried him was whether the Dragon Phoenix Tree could be transplanted at all. Then Lu Chen asked in his mind, ¡°System, can this Dragon Phoenix Tree be transplanted?¡± If the Dragon Phoenix Tree couldn¡¯t be transplanted, then it would have to stay put. In that case, he would need to assign someone to guard it, to prevent any harm to the tree. At this moment, the system¡¯s voice echoed in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. [It can.] Relieved by the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen then heard the system speak again. [After the host transplants the Dragon Phoenix Tree to the new location, you need to feed it with your blood again.] Lu Chen thought that was no big deal, as long as the Dragon Phoenix Tree could be moved. He then said to Mu Zixuan beside him, ¡°In a few days, we¡¯ll get some more people to trim the branches of the Dragon Phoenix Tree, collect the branches and leaves, and then have someone dig up the roots and transplant it to the new Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Mu Zixuan continued to ask, ¡°Can a Fairy Tree also be transplanted like this?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It is precisely because it is a Fairy Tree that it has a stronger vitality. It¡¯s easier for it to survive the transplant than ordinary trees.¡± Relieved by Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan realized she had been overly concerned¡ªthere was no issue with moving the tree after all. At this moment, Mu Zixuan smiled and said, ¡°Prince, you must have been busy all night long. You must be hungry by now. I have already asked the servants to prepare breakfast.¡± At this time, Lu Chen bore a very fragrant scent on him that Mu Zixuan could immediately recognize as that of Wang Qingci, which clearly indicated that Lu Chen had spent the previous night with Wang Qingci in the study. As for what Lu Chen did in the study with Wang Qingci, there was no need to guess; a man and a woman alone in a room is self-evident. Lu Chen replied with a slight smile, ¡°My love understands me well, I am indeed a bit hungry.¡± With that, Lu Chen, holding Mu Zixuan¡¯s slender waist, walked toward the main hall. As Lu Chen had breakfast, Mu Zixuan sat by his side watching. Suddenly, Lu Chen thought of something and spoke up, ¡°I plan to give Wang Qingci a proper status after we move to the new residence. What do you think, my love?¡± Mu Zixuan smiled slightly, ¡°If the Prince wishes to grant her a status, then do so. There¡¯s no need to ask for my opinion.¡± ¡°Wang has been with you for some time now; indeed, it¡¯s time to afford her some recognition.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Since my love agrees, I¡¯ll leave the matter of the formal recognition to you. She is already carrying my child, so I intend to give her a complete wedding ceremony.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan was taken aback, then she said, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, on another heir!¡± Wang Qingci was a Martial Artist, and a high-quality one at that, which made her very unlikely to become pregnant. In the entire North Prince Mansion, only Chu Yuqin was an exception, succeeding on her first attempt. Besides Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen, Wang Qingci, and even Yelv Nanyan, these high-quality warriors did not know how many times they had been with him without conceiving. Now that Wang Qingci, the Half-step Grandmaster, was pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child, it was indeed a cause for celebration. With one child on the way, there would likely be a second and a third; with Wang Qingci pregnant, it should be possible for Lu Chen¡¯s other women too. At this point, Lu Chen put down his chopsticks and reminded, ¡°By the way, she does not yet know that she is carrying my child. You should keep it to yourself for now.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan asked with a puzzled look, ¡°Why is that?¡± Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: Chapter 298: The Seventh Child is Born_1 Chapter 511: Chapter 298: The Seventh Child is Born_1 ¡°` When Wang Qingci snapped back to reality, she stared into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes with unabated disbelief, searching his face for any trace of teasing. However, at that moment, Lu Chen wore only a faint smile, and one of his hands was gently caressing her belly, nothing at all resembling someone making a joke. Wang Qingci still couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe it. She remembered that the last time they were intimate had been in the study of the old Prince¡¯s Mansion, and she had immediately expelled all impurities from her body the day after returning¡ªhow could she possibly have been impregnated? Moreover, she hadn¡¯t felt anything unusual in her body during this period. If she had truly been impregnated, she should have noticed something. With these thoughts, Wang Qingci looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°My Prince, you wouldn¡¯t lie to me, would you?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Do you think I would joke about this kind of matter with you?¡± ¡°But I clearly¡­¡± Wang Qingci faltered. She wanted to say that she clearly expelled all impurities from her body, so how could she have been impregnated, but considering Lu Chen¡¯s persistent desire for her to bear his child, Wang Qingci found it difficult to openly discuss her actions. Seeing that Wang Qingci had stopped midway, Lu Chen immediately guessed what she was about to say and spoke up, ¡°Are you about to say that after you returned, you expelled all impurities from your body, so how could you still be impregnated?¡± Wang Qingci pursed her lips and remained silent. At that moment, Lu Chen lifted his right hand, pinched Wang Qingci¡¯s smooth and delicate chin, and said, ¡°Did you think that would prevent you from carrying my child? You underestimate me.¡± ¡°Are you not aware that there are those in the Prince¡¯s Mansion who became pregnant after spending just one night with me?¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci immediately thought of Chu Yuqin. Although she seldom stayed in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she was aware of what happened there and knew how easily Chu Yuqin had become pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child. Wang Qingci thought to herself that it seemed she really was pregnant, but she wasn¡¯t ready to be a mother yet. It was all this scoundrel¡¯s fault, undoubtedly because he had been intimate with her all night, preventing her from immediately expelling impurities from her body, which led to her becoming pregnant. When she was with Lu Chen, she couldn¡¯t actively use her skill, but could only be at his mercy. Usually, she would wait until after Lu Chen was finished to cleanse her body. Wang Qingci felt like she was waking from a dream; no wonder the man sometimes didn¡¯t release her after his nefarious deeds. He had deliberately suppressed her internal skill so she couldn¡¯t detoxify in time, and his plan had succeeded. This scoundrel, so cunning! Wang Qingci sighed inwardly but eventually accepted the reality: she was pregnant. The courtyard she was currently residing in was quite large; it wasn¡¯t just suitable for raising one child but several. Wang Qingci then said, ¡°My Prince, today is the day I marry you, and even if I can¡¯t consummate the marriage with you, there are still things that must be done.¡± That¡­ Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. Things that must be done? She was already pregnant, how could they ¡®do¡¯ anything? He wouldn¡¯t want to do anything that could harm his child. As Lu Chen was thinking this, Wang Qingci suddenly raised her slender hand to press against his chest, then swiftly slid her hands around his waist, embraced him, flipped over, and brought him beneath her. Lu Chen did not stop Wang Qingci, so she succeeded in an instant. Now sitting astride Lu Chen, she heard him chuckling, ¡°Mr. Wang, you are quite bold to treat me this way!¡± ¡°My little female slave, you dare to ride atop me. Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll punish you?¡± Wang Qingci replied with a grin, ¡°Now that I carry your child, my Lord, would you still bear to punish me? Aren¡¯t you afraid I might harm the child of yours?¡± Lu Chen laughed lightly, ¡°Are you trying to blackmail me with the child?¡± Wang Qingci replied cheekily, ¡°I¡¯ve finally caught your Achilles¡¯ heel, so of course I must make good use of it. After all, you always oppressed me and plotted to have me carry your child.¡± With that, Wang Qingci¡¯s hands began to undress Lu Chen, her actions becoming more mischievous. Lu Chen didn¡¯t stop Wang Qingci¡ªafter all, what could he do when Wang Qingci carried his child? Today, he would indulge her a little. ¡­ Gazing at the big red lanterns hanging in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lin Wanyun sat on the flowerbed in the outer courtyard, sighing softly. For some reason, she felt a profound sense of loss. Although she had long been Lu Chen¡¯s woman and was prepared to go without official status for life, witnessing another woman getting married into the Prince¡¯s Mansion stirred a bit of envy within her. At that moment, Chu Yuqin came to sit beside Lin Wanyun. Seeing the dejected look on her face, Chu Yuqin asked with concern, ¡°Sister Lin, are you worried about Miss Chen?¡± Lin Wanyun snapped back to attention and said with a smile, ¡°No, I¡¯m just resting for a bit.¡± Chu Yuqin then suggested, ¡°Sister Lin, you¡¯ve been Lu Chen¡¯s woman for a long time. Why not find an opportunity for Lu Chen to give you a title too?¡± ¡°` Chapter 513 - Chapter 513: Chapter 298: The Seventh Child is Born_3 Chapter 513: Chapter 298: The Seventh Child is Born_3 Although Murong Xue¡¯er was still very confident in her own beauty, she was well aware that it wasn¡¯t easy to attract the North Prince with her looks alone. The North Prince, despite his fondness for the company of women, already had so many that he was probably too busy to seek more affairs outside. Murong Xue¡¯er pondered how she could get close to the North Prince. Just as she was lost in thought, a maid entered her room and placed an invitation in front of Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Lord Murong, a son from Great Qian is holding a poetry gathering in Yan County, and he invites you to participate.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly taken aback. A poetry gathering? This could be a good pretext. Since Yan County had become a trading hub, many merchants and scholars had also come to Yan County. There had been frequent occasions where wealthy sons organized poetry gatherings or meetings of scholarly friends, inviting people of status from Yan County. North Country had not interfered with such activities, which in turn enriched the cultural atmosphere of Yan County even further. Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself that the North Prince had been recently promoting universal education. By paying such close attention to literacy among the common people, it showed that the Prince greatly valued learning. The North Prince must be someone well-versed in poetry and literature. Usually, the policies of a ruler are closely linked to their personal interests. The North Prince¡¯s strong push for universal education might very well align with his hobbies. If she could use the poetry gathering as an excuse to invite the North Prince, it was likely that he would come. By doing so, wouldn¡¯t she have the opportunity to build a relationship with the North Prince? Having made up her mind, Murong Xue¡¯er started to devise her plan. In the blink of an eye, another half-month had passed. Wu Junwan returned from her mission to Great Jue without any achievements, which caused a number of ministers in the court to view her with great dissatisfaction. Some thought that with Wu Junwan¡¯s good relationship with the Yue Emperor and considering that Great Sum was at its weakest, it was entirely possible for the two great dynasties to join forces and wipe out Great Sum. Yet Wu Junwan had failed to persuade the Yue Emperor to form an alliance with Great Wu, which was seen as a testament to her incompetence. The failure to form an alliance with Great Jue also made some ministers in Great Wu more conservative. Some believed that without someone to keep North Country in check, Great Wu would likely find itself in crisis if it engaged in a two-front war. From Yongan County of North Country to the Imperial City of Great Wu, the landscape was almost entirely flat plains. North Country¡¯s heavy cavalry could directly penetrate the heartland of Great Wu. If Great Wu were to deploy troops against Great Sum, they would need to station a significant force in the north for defense, which would greatly reduce the main combat forces available for the offensive against Great Sum. Even the Martial Emperor, who favored the use of force, was becoming indecisive. He was unsure whether to go to war. Days passed by, and the world seemed to regain its former peace. Although the Seigniors of Great Sum were still actively preparing for war, incessantly expanding their armies, and daily quarrels erupted in the court, no one dared to be the first to mobilize their troops. Everyone was waiting. Waiting for the news of the Sum Emperor¡¯s death. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, this waiting lasted nearly a year. During these months, almost all of Great Sum¡¯s state affairs were handled by Prince Lu Yi. The Sum Emperor had been ill in his bedchamber and hadn¡¯t appeared before others. Some even suspected that the Sum Emperor might have already died, his demise known only to Prince Lu Yi and the two Prime Ministers, yet not publicly announced. Several months ago, there had been rumors in the palace that the Sum Emperor was on his deathbed, but so much time had passed without his death. Some Princes were beginning to grow impatient. At this very moment. In North Country. Within North Prince Mansion, the room outside Chu Yuqin¡¯s chamber was filled with people, all awaiting the birth of her child. Just then, a tall and handsome man entered the courtyard, prompting the maid to quickly announce, ¡°The Prince has arrived!¡± At these words, the crowd immediately cleared a path. Lu Chen entered the birthing room without delay. Chu Yuqin lay quietly on the bed, her complexion somewhat pale, but upon seeing Lu Chen enter, a faint smile appeared on her lips. Lu Chen sat down beside the bed, grasping Chu Yuqin¡¯s hand, and with a smile said, ¡°Yuqin, did you ever think that after taking care of me growing up, you would also care for our child?¡± At his words, Chu Yuqin glared at Lu Chen and then retorted, ¡°You scoundrel, you have the audacity to say that. You already have so many women, and yet you couldn¡¯t leave me be, insisting on having me bear your child.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and gently brushed Chu Yuqin¡¯s hair at her temples with his other hand. Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°When will the child be born?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That depends on when he is ready to come out.¡± Chu Yuqin persisted, ¡°Have you thought of a name for the child?¡± Lu Chen suggested, ¡°What about Lu Chengwang?¡± Chu Yuqin curiously inquired, ¡°Just one name? What if it¡¯s a girl?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°I sense that it¡¯s a boy.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s Rejuvenating Skill was now so profound that he could accurately gauge the condition within a person¡¯s body, which meant he knew very well whether the child in Chu Yuqin¡¯s womb was a boy or a girl. Chu Yuqin murmured softly, ¡°So it¡¯s a boy.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin talking to herself, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Would you have preferred a girl?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°I don¡¯t want my child to go through the same things you did. A girl would be nice.¡± Lu Chen immediately understood her meaning and, squeezing her hand firmly, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our child will never face a situation of fraternal strife.¡± With a smile, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± No sooner had Chu Yuqin finished speaking, her complexion changed dramatically; Lu Chen quickly infused Spiritual Power into her body, and the next moment, the pain that had been there vanished entirely. Seeing the green glow around Chu Yuqin, the midwives and maids of the Prince¡¯s Mansion sprang into action, well-experienced by now, knowing that Chu Yuqin¡¯s child would soon arrive. The next moment, the room was filled with the ¡°wah-wah-wah¡± cries of the newborn. Chapter 516 - Chapter 516: Chapter 301: Successful Train Test Run_1 Chapter 516: Chapter 301: Successful Train Test Run_1 North Country. New Yan County. Train station, entrance. By now, the train station entrance was packed with people, as the newspapers of North Country had already published articles about the invention of the train the day before. The common folk didn¡¯t understand what a train was; it was their first time hearing about it. However, after seeing the introduction to the train in the newspapers, they all developed a strong interest in it. At the moment, the common folk at the scene were fervently discussing the content of yesterday¡¯s Yan County newspaper. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s true that there is a carriage that can move without horses pulling it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said to be invented by the North Prince Mansion. I think it might be true. Look, the Prince is here. If it were fake, wouldn¡¯t the Prince be embarrassed?¡± ¡°The newspaper says this train can travel two hundred kilometers in a day and it doesn¡¯t need to rest. Two hundred kilometers a day, without horses? It seems a bit too far-fetched.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, we¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± ¡­ While the common folk were discussing, the sound of a steam train¡¯s whistle came from afar. ¡°Toot~~~!¡± The people, who had never heard the sound of a train whistle before, instantly became restless. However, when the common folk saw that the North Prince remained calmly standing on the train platform, they quickly quieted down. If the North Prince wasn¡¯t panicking, then it probably wasn¡¯t anything serious. At that moment, the crowd suddenly became agitated again. ¡°Look over there!¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming; it¡¯s coming; it¡¯s really a carriage with no horses!¡± ¡°My heavens! This carriage is so big and long; how much stuff can it haul in one trip!¡± ¡°If the North Country had such carriages connecting all its cities in the future, wouldn¡¯t we be able to easily travel to other cities?¡± ¡°What carriage? Didn¡¯t you read the newspaper yesterday? This is called a train!¡± ¡­ At this moment, the minds of the members of the various major merchant groups in the crowd were racing. They made money mainly through regional differences or timing differences. Now that the North Country had such a convenient mode of transport, their horse-drawn carriages were bound to become obsolete. If the railroads of North Country could be extended to the major dynasties in the future, and if they continued to cooperate with the North Prince Mansion, their goods would not need to take months to reach other places ¨C only a few days or at most about ten days. This transportation tool named ¡°train¡± could certainly lead the world towards revolution. Only¡­ Would the North Prince Mansion really agree to cooperate with them? After all, this train looked so mysterious and its hauling capacity was terrifying, not to mention its speed. It was obviously intended for military purposes. With such trains, the ability of the North Country to transport troops towards a certain place in the future would be greatly enhanced. No matter what happened on the North Country¡¯s border, as long as there were railway tracks, the North Country¡¯s army could reach the location in the shortest time possible. In this era of warfare, what they valued was the speed of troop deployment. Although it was uncertain whether the North Prince would use the train for civilian transportation, people from various major trade caravans still planned to try and talk with the North Prince Mansion. What if the North Prince agreed? At this moment. In the crowd, a cold-looking woman dressed in white with black trimmings quietly observed the black train not far away. Her pupils slightly contracted. She was clearly shocked by the North Country¡¯s train. Murong Xue¡¯er muttered to herself, ¡°Who exactly is the North Prince to create such a thing?¡± The train was obviously not of this world, or rather, this world should not have such things. Furthermore, according to the intelligence, there were mysterious weapons in the North Country. It was apparent that the North Country still had many things that the people of this world had never seen before. Murong Xue¡¯er now even believed that the rumors of the North Prince being a disciple of the immortal might be true. Otherwise, how could those things created by the North Prince Mansion appear in this world? All the major dynasties had developed for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, and they had never seen anything like those created by the North Prince Mansion. Yet, it wasn¡¯t long since the North Prince arrived in the North Country, and the North Prince Mansion had already created various things that had never existed in this world before. At this time, Murong Xue¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but doubt whether she could complete the task given by the Empress. She had been in the North Country for some time now, almost a year, but she still couldn¡¯t get close to the North Prince. Given the current rate of development in the North Country, it probably wouldn¡¯t be long before the overall strength of the North Country completely overwhelmed the Da Yue Dynasty. Although the North Country still imported a large amount of food from Great Jue, Murong Xue¡¯er had also heard that the North Country had developed many high-yield food crops. Watching the steel behemoth slowly approaching in the distance, Murong Xue¡¯er made up her mind to take the time to contact Lu Chen. She must dig out all the secrets of Lu Chen. In the future, he would be the Empress¡¯s greatest enemy. They must uncover the secrets of the North Country¡¯s strength so they could find a way to cope. Lu Chen stood on the platform, looking at the train drawing closer. He turned his head and smiled at his wives beside him, ¡°What do you think of my train?¡± At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s women were still in a daze. Although they had long heard about this kind of horseless train, seeing it with their own eyes still left them immensely shocked. Mu Zixuan then snapped back to reality, looked at Lu Chen, and said, ¡°Your Highness, will all cities have a direct train to Yan County in the future?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, in the future, if we want to go to any city in the North Country, it will only take a few hours by train, at most a day or two.¡± ¡°Of course, the railway will not only be laid in the North Country. Someday, the railway will cover the important cities of Great Sum and span the major dynasties.¡± Upon hearing these words, the women felt a jolt in their hearts. It seemed for the first time they were truly aware of Lu Chen¡¯s ambition. Although they had long known that Lu Chen was ambitious and would achieve great feats in the future, he rarely showed it in front of them. The image Lu Chen presented to them was merely that of a libertine. Now that Lu Chen spoke of extending the railway to the major dynasties, did that not mean that he intended to unify all dynasties one day? In fact, Lu Chen thought that once the people of this world realized the various uses of the train, they would inevitably seek to cooperate with the North Country and then the major dynasties would follow suit by laying railways. His previous words showed no sign of his ambition; it was completely his wives who were overthinking. As the train gradually arrived at the station, some craftsmen from Great Yu City got off, and the first to disembark was Mo Xing. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Mo Xing excitedly approached him, ¡°I bow before Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Mo Xing, you have made a great contribution. Your name will go down in history!¡± Hearing this, Mo Xing replied, ¡°I dare not take credit. All of this is Your Highness¡¯s achievement. Without Your Highness¡¯s blueprints, I could not have built this era-transcending vehicle!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I plan to establish a Bureau of Transportation. You will be the director of the bureau from now on. You will be responsible for all the railway construction and train upgrades in the North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, Mo Xing was momentarily stunned, then, realizing what it meant, knelt again, ¡°I will surely not let down Your Highness¡¯s expectations!¡± ¡­ Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Chapter 302: This Young Man is Not Old, But He is Quite Ambitious_1 Chapter 517: Chapter 302: This Young Man is Not Old, But He is Quite Ambitious_1 ¡°` The appearance of the fire train instantly set ablaze the interest of various dynasties, with people unanimously agreeing that the fire train was certainly not of this world. Furthermore, with the emergence of the fire train, the rumors about Lu Chen¡¯s mystical fate once again widened. As the news of the fire train spread across all the dynasties, the words Lu Chen spoke on the train platform to his wives and concubines also circulated throughout the kingdoms. This made people realize once again the extent of Lu Chen¡¯s ambition. If the various dynasties were not united, it would be nearly impossible for Lu Chen to lay train tracks across all of them for the North Country to run fire trains. Quite clearly, Lu Chen¡¯s statement was an indication that one day he intended to annihilate all the dynasties to establish a unified one, and then he would spread the train tracks across the entire world. Da Yue Dynasty. Empress¡¯s Bedchamber. Within the red curtains, the Yue Emperor was clothed in a red golden-threaded phoenix robe, her head adorned with a glittering golden phoenix hairpin, her stunningly cold jade cheeks looking indifferently at the intelligence in her hands. ¡°Desiring to lay train tracks across all the great dynasties, this young man is not old, yet his ambitions are indeed not small,¡± she mused. ¡°This is the first time I have encountered someone with such ambition.¡± At that moment, outside the red curtains, several ministers were kneeling. Then, one of them spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, your servant suggests an alliance with Great Wu, to swiftly eliminate Great Sum and North Country. Having such an ambitious person near Da Yue, if we wait until North Country grows stronger, it will inevitably become a disaster.¡± Another minister agreed, ¡°Your servant also believes we should get rid of the North Prince as soon as possible. Recently, a lot of intelligence has emerged from Great Sum, indicating that the North Country¡¯s Heavenly Human Realm might not exist at all. It¡¯s probable that the North Country¡¯s show of force is merely a bluff to buy time for their development.¡± ¡°Now that North Country already possesses such formidable military strength, if we allow them to continue growing, they will become a great scourge!¡± ¡­ Hearing the words of the ministers, the Yue Emperor fell into deep thought. Indeed, North Country posed a tremendous threat to Da Yue, even greater than the Barbarian Tribe to the north. If they did not eradicate this threat promptly, Da Yue would eventually succumb to North Country. After pondering for a while, the Yue Emperor said coldly, ¡°North Country is indeed a significant menace to Da Yue¡¯s well-being, but, with the Barbarian Tribe being quite active to the north and showing signs of moving south, it is not appropriate for us to be at odds with North Country for the time being.¡± ¡°However, we must find a way to obtain that secret weapon of North Country and the so-called fire train. Inform Murong Xue¡¯er that I will give her three more months to get close to the North Prince at any cost and acquire North Country¡¯s secret weapons and the blueprints for the fire train,¡± she commanded sternly. Upon hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, the ministers outside the curtains refrained from saying anything further. Indeed, it was not suitable to make an enemy of North Country at the moment, especially since they had yet to attain North Country¡¯s secret weapon. The weapon was what they currently feared most. If they couldn¡¯t secure it and rashly attacked North Country, they too might suffer greatly. As she spoke, the Yue Emperor suddenly thought of something else and continued, ¡°Moreover, tell Murong Xue¡¯er to find a way to confirm whether North Country truly lacks a Heavenly Human Realm expert.¡± News that North Country lacked Heavenly Human Realm masters had been out for months, and various powers had sent people to investigate its veracity. However, since no one had managed to make contact with Zhuge Zhongguang, almost no one could confirm the authenticity of the news. People had to assume that Zhuge Zhongguang had indeed broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. If Da Yue intended to take action against North Country, they needed to determine North Country¡¯s true strength. If Zhuge Zhongguang had really reached the Heavenly Human Realm, then the difficulty of eradicating North Country would climb another step. ¡­ Great Wu Dynasty. Green Cloud Palace. Wu Junwan leaned on a beauty couch, listening to female guards in the grand hall report on North Country¡¯s intelligence. ¡°` After hearing the specific introduction of the train, Wu Junwan¡¯s willow eyebrows slightly frowned, and then she asked, ¡°How much cargo can this train pull at one time?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°Not sure, but our people found out that many carriages can be added behind this train. If all these carriages are used to transport people, ten carriages can carry at least two thousand people.¡± Hearing the female guard¡¯s reply, Wu Junwan fell into silence. Trains did not need to rely on animal power, and hardly required rest, covering two hundred kilometers in six hours, which meant four hundred kilometers in one day. What was most important was that as long as the railway existed, trains could continuously transport troops to the war front, faster than traditional cavalry. If the border towns of the North Country were all equipped with train tracks in the future, the military transport capability of North Country would greatly increase. Of course, this was not the most important. If North Country only treated the train as a means of transportation, Wu Junwan would not feel there was anything special about it. What she cared about most were the words that North Prince had said on the day of the train¡¯s test run. After coming back to her senses, Wu Junwan continued to ask, ¡°Did North Prince really say that he intends to extend the train tracks to all the major dynasties?¡± The female guard answered, ¡°That¡¯s the rumor. Whether it¡¯s true or not, we cannot judge.¡± Wu Junwan muttered to herself, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the phrases ¡®All under heaven is the king¡¯s land¡¯ and ¡®The shores of the land within his realm all belong to the king¡¯ were also his words.¡± The female guard said, ¡°Indeed, he said that. Those phrases were even published in the announcement issued by North Country at that time.¡± Wu Junwan talked to herself, ¡°This young man actually has such great ambition. In that case, Qingrou should be feeling uneasy now.¡± North Country shared a border with Great Jue, being so close; if North Country grew stronger, North Prince would inevitably choose to eradicate the Da Yue Dynasty first to fulfill his own ambitions. Thinking of this, Wu Junwan said to the female guard, ¡°Wait here for a moment, I will write a letter to the Yue Emperor. You will send this letter to the Yue Emperor later.¡± The last alliance failed because the Yue Emperor had no immediate plans to confront North Country, believing that North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons were too fearsome. Now that North Prince had once again shown his ambition, Wu Junwan did not believe the Yue Emperor could remain seated still. Her good sister, she should agree to form an alliance with Great Wu this time, right? The ministers in the Great Jue court hall could probably also see what North Prince might do next; they should now support the Yue Emperor to form an alliance with Great Wu, right? ¡­ North Country. Hall of Political Affairs. Lu Chen sat on the throne, listening to officials reporting in the grand hall. The official currently reporting was from the Agricultural Bureau under the Ministry of Household, detailing the year¡¯s pioneering of new land and the promotion of high-yield crops. After listening to the Agricultural Bureau official¡¯s report, Lu Chen said, ¡°It seems that the promotion of high-yield crops is progressing quicker than I anticipated.¡± Hearing this, the Agricultural Bureau official said, ¡°For the rapid promotion of high-yield crops, the commoners almost all went out to buy grain for consumption, leaving about eighty percent of this year¡¯s harvest for seeding.¡± The commoners knew that the high-yield crops promoted by the Prince¡¯s Mansion had particularly high yields, and in order to live without the fear of hunger as soon as possible, they spontaneously left a large amount of seed. The high-yield crops harvested this year were mostly saved for planting the following year. This led to a very rapid promotion of high-yield crops in North Country. At this rate of promotion, within no more than three years, North Country¡¯s food problem could be completely solved. Chapter 518 - Chapter 518: Chapter 303: Murong Xueers Invitation_1 Chapter 518: Chapter 303: Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Invitation_1 Agriculture was developing in an orderly fashion, while industry had also begun to show some signs of emergence. Now, Great Yu City had nearly become an industrial city. With the advent of the train, the connection between Great Yu City and Yan County had become much tighter. Some of the commoners from Great Yu City were finally willing to come to Yan County, which in turn, accelerated the development pace of Yan County once more. At this moment, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough about agriculture. Does anyone else have any other matters?¡± Then Mu Changtian stood up and said, ¡°Prince, the Zhao King has already started a war against the Ren Prince. I¡¯m afraid we too must start preparing sooner rather than later.¡± The civil war in Great Xia had already begun a month ago, with the Zhao King taking the lead in deploying troops to attack the Ren Prince, who hadn¡¯t had time to react before the majority of his territory was captured by the Zhao King. This war was somewhat peculiar; the imperial court did not interfere at all, allowing them to fight amongst themselves. Indignant, the Ren Prince sought to ally with the Huai Prince in hopes of eliminating Zhao Country. Once a war begins, it¡¯s not easy to stop. The Zhao King¡¯s sudden assault on the Ren Prince likely indicated that the princes could no longer contain themselves and wanted to directly establish victory or defeat, vying for the throne. Most princes had established connections with the seigniors. When seigniors act impulsively, it also means that the struggle between princes has reached a life or death stage. Mu Changtian felt that if the North Prince wanted to vie for that position, he had to act quickly, heading south as soon as possible to take the supreme seat and then quell the internal strife. As it stood, only the North Country had the strength to suppress other seigniors within Great Xia¡¯s borders. If the seigniors were allowed to keep fighting, Great Xia might be ruined by their hands, which would not be a good thing for the North Prince. If he delayed going south and the North Prince became Emperor, he might face a mess of problems and a nation in disarray. If Great Xia was ruined, rebuilding it would take far more time and effort. The North Prince¡¯s ambition was to destroy other dynasties and establish a unified empire. If he wasted time and effort on rebuilding Great Xia, achieving his ambition would take forever. Of course, that was just what Mu Changtian thought. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let them fight if they like to fight. As long as the Imperial Army remains in Qi Country and doesn¡¯t mobilize, we¡¯ll continue to watch the drama unfold.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, Li Rui replied, ¡°Prince, the situation in the Capital is becoming more and more severe. If the princes continue their struggle, Great Xia is in danger of fragmentation.¡± ¡°Once Great Xia fragments, it would be difficult to unify it again in the future.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Zhuge Zhongguang, who was sitting in the front row of the great hall. ¡°What does the Great Scholar think?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang began to say, ¡°This old subject believes that the North Country should not take up arms for the time being. However, the Prince is after all His Majesty¡¯s child, a seignior of Great Xia, and has the duty to stand up when Great Xia faces a crisis.¡± ¡°Therefore, this old subject believes that the Prince must make a statement to the court and to the seigniors of Great Xia. Only after the Prince declares his position openly, might the seigniors across the land possibly calm down a bit.¡± At present, no matter how the seigniors within Great Xia expanded their troops, their military strength could not possibly match that of the North Country. Once the North Prince stepped forward and spoke a few words of deterrence, some seigniors would naturally behave more docilely. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen felt there was some merit to this and then said, ¡°In a moment, I will draft a memorial to submit to the court.¡± ¡°Does anyone have other matters?¡± At this time, Liang Zong stood up and said, ¡°Prince, the activities of spies from various empires within the North Country are becoming more and more frequent. I believe that with the current number of Jinyiwei Guard, it is no longer sufficient to monitor the spies from other countries, so I suggest we continue to expand the Jinyiwei Guard ranks.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. If it were just a minor increase in Jinyiwei Guard numbers, Liang Zong and Qin Yushan would have the authority to do so without having to report it. If Liang Zong was the one suggesting an increase, it signified that he intended to recruit a particularly large number of people this time. Only if the expansion exceeded a certain scale would there be a need to proactively report it. Lu Chen came back to his senses and asked, ¡°How many people does the Brocade Guard plan to recruit?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°By my estimate, the Brocade Guard needs to recruit at least ten thousand people.¡± Upon hearing Liang Zong¡¯s words, some ministers in the great hall instantly darkened their expressions. Even though the current Brocade Guard had not caused any conflicts with the ministers of the North Country, everyone knew that the Brocade Guard were the dogs of the North Prince, closely watched by him at all times. The Brocade Guard were already numerous; now, with the recruitment of another ten thousand, they feared the North Prince would know when they so much as took leave for personal matters. The ministers¡¯ loyalty to the North Prince was still not in question, but loyalty is one thing, and that did not mean they were devoid of personal schemes. Moreover, they felt uncomfortable being watched all the time while conducting their affairs. After hearing Liang Zong¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment. The Rain-listening Pavilion had already been discovered by various dynasties as a force under the North Prince Mansion, making gathering intelligence not as easy as before. Professional tasks should be left to professionals; it would be better to transfer all the intelligence channels of the Rain-listening Pavilion to the Brocade Guard and have them collect information from the various dynasties. If the Brocade Guard were to be dispatched, then recruiting an additional ten thousand people indeed would not be excessive. With this in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°Agreed.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s approval, some ministers in the great hall felt quite depressed, but they dared not say much. The Brocade Guard were the dogs of the North Prince, and to strike the dog one must consider the owner. If they attacked the North Prince¡¯s dogs, it would imply that they harbored other intentions. At this moment, Lu Chen spoke to Liang Zong, ¡°When recruiting the Jinyiwei Guard, try to use people from Great Yu City as much as possible.¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± The people of Great Yu City were incredibly loyal to the North Prince and thus were most suitable for the Brocade Guard, which valued loyalty above all. Lu Chen then scanned the great hall once more and, seeing that no one else stepped forward, he spoke up, ¡°If there are no other matters, let us conclude for today.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen stood up, flicked his sleeves, and left the Hall of Political Affairs directly. When Lu Chen reached the gate of the study¡¯s courtyard, a female guard from the Prince¡¯s Mansion approached him in a flurry, ¡°Greetings to Your Highness the Prince!¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°An envoy from the Da Yue Dynasty has brought an invitation, inviting you to attend a poetry gathering at the Hundred Flowers Tower in three days.¡± As she spoke, the female guard handed over the invitation to Lu Chen. Lu Chen received the invitation from the female guard, glanced at it, and then the corners of his mouth slightly turned upwards. The one inviting him to the poetry gathering was Murong Xue¡¯er; it seemed that the Da Yue Dynasty could not wait any longer, desiring Murong Xue¡¯er to get close to him as soon as possible to probe the secrets of the North Prince Mansion. The female guard then continued, ¡°The Da Yue envoy¡¯s messenger is still waiting at the mansion gate for Your Highness¡¯s reply. Do you plan on attending the poetry gathering?¡± Lu Chen answered directly, ¡°Go and tell the messenger that this prince will surely attend Miss Murong¡¯s poetry gathering in three days.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Watching the female guard¡¯s departing figure, Lu Chen thought to himself that since Murong Xue¡¯er was willing to come to him, there was no need for him to prolong leaving her in suspense. Chapter 519 - Chapter 519: Chapter 304 As long as youre beautiful, age is not a problem_1 Chapter 519: Chapter 304 As long as you¡¯re beautiful, age is not a problem_1 Lu Chen glanced at the invitation in his hand and, without further thought, continued towards the study. Just at this moment, the figure of a beautiful, mature woman appeared at the doorway of the study. Lin Wanyun was dressed in a green Cloud Attire, her voluptuous body clinging tightly to the dress, flesh where there should be flesh, slim where it should be slim, with a slender waist and ample hips, radiating the charm of a mature woman. Seeing Lin Wanyun waiting for him at the entrance to the study so early, Lu Chen immediately guessed there must be some movement from the Mysterious Moon Palace and asked first, ¡°Madam Lin, are you searching for me because there¡¯s news from Rongrong?¡± Upon seeing Lu Chen, Lin Wanyun immediately said, ¡°Yes, she had a disciple from the Mysterious Moon Palace bring over a letter.¡± Lu Chen then pushed open the door to the study and said, ¡°Come in and talk.¡± Lin Wanyun did not overthink it and directly followed Lu Chen into the study. No sooner had she stepped foot into the study than Lu Chen snapped his fingers. Subsequently, the doors and windows of the study closed, leaving just the two of them alone in the room. Lin Wanyun¡¯s heart trembled slightly, but considering she was there to discuss serious matters with Lu Chen, she thought he probably wouldn¡¯t engage her in that sort of thing and hence didn¡¯t overthink it. She handed the letter she was holding to Lu Chen. Lu Chen took the letter and began to read it carefully. Lin Wanyun spoke from the side, ¡°Rongrong says the Honorable¡¯s strength has already recovered substantially, and it won¡¯t be long before she comes to the North Country. The Honorable is someone who can disguise themselves, and her disguising technique is quite formidable, very few people in this world can see through her disguises. So, in the coming period, try as much as you can not to casually flirt with beautiful women outside, especially those who seem to have an exceptional demeanor, as they are very likely to be the Honorable.¡± After reading the content of the letter and hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try my best not to provoke women outside for the time being.¡± Hearing Lu Chen agree, Lin Wanyun¡¯s mind slightly relaxed. She was afraid that Lu Chen, by chance, might provoke the Honorable in disguise. If that happened, not only would Lu Chen face big trouble, but perhaps Chen Wanrong would also be unable to come down from the mountain thereafter. But then again, even though Lu Chen had agreed to temporarily abstain from flirting with women outside, his harem already contained so many women. What if, once the Honorable arrives at Yan County, she discovers that Lu Chen has so many women, seeing him indulging with his women daily, will she view Lu Chen as a licentious man, unworthy of Chen Wanrong¡¯s lifelong commitment and then decide to cut off all ties with them upon her return? Considering this, Lin Wanyun¡¯s face revealed a trace of worry. After finishing reading the letter from Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen scanned Lin Wanyun¡¯s face again. Lin Wanyun¡¯s brows were slightly furrowed, seemingly anxious about something. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Madam Lin, what are you worried about?¡± Lin Wanyun was about to answer when Lu Chen reached out and pulled her soft body directly into his arms. Lin Wanyun was stunned for a moment, about to struggle, but in the end, she refrained from moving and allowed Lu Chen to embrace her. ¡°I¡¯m worried that once the Honorable arrives in Yan County and discovers you have so many women, she might form a bad impression of you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen leaned down, resting his face against her snow-white neck, and whispered softly, ¡°I am, after all, a seignior, a ruler of a feudal state. It¡¯s nothing unusual for me to have a few wives and concubines. I believe Rongrong¡¯s master will understand the ways of us worldly folks.¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Not necessarily. The Honorable treats Rongrong as if she were her own daughter. If she learns Rongrong is just a concubine in your presence, she might very well get angry.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s large hand rested on Lin Wanyun¡¯s hips, smiling as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t you also treat Rongrong like your own daughter? And yet, in the end, you accepted me.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s large hand started to wander. Lin Wanyun turned her head slightly to look at the man who was hugging her waist from behind, ¡°Who has accepted you!¡± A blush spread over Lin Wanyun¡¯s face, and she felt a scorching heat on her cheeks, her body growing increasingly restless. In the presence of this scoundrel, she couldn¡¯t endure it at all. There was nothing to be done; every time she and Lu Chen hugged, he would do that sort of thing to her, and now it had become a habit. As soon as Lu Chen embraced her, she would feel affectionate. Lu Chen said at this time, ¡°Rongrong¡¯s master will be coming to Yan County in a few days, and after that, I won¡¯t be able to do as I please anymore.¡± ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we indulge ourselves in advance?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth drew near Lin Wanyun¡¯s ear, gently blowing a breath into it. ¡°Wanyun, what do you think?¡± Just as Lin Wanyun was about to speak, Lu Chen sealed her red lips with his own. ¡°Mmmmmm¡­¡± Lin Wanyun cursed in her mind, this little bastard, I really thought he had become much more serious lately, that he wouldn¡¯t do anything bad in the bookroom, but it turns out he hasn¡¯t changed at all. Lu Chen¡¯s kissing soon made Lin Wanyun¡¯s body soften, and she completely lost her strength. She knew she couldn¡¯t resist, so she could only go along with Lu Chen¡¯s misdeeds. Lu Chen was thinking, ever since Wang Qingci became pregnant with his child, he hadn¡¯t done anything bad in the bookroom for a long time. Now, the new bookroom in the Prince¡¯s Mansion was much bigger than the old one, with a lot more open space, allowing them to romp around at will. Lu Chen truly adored Lin Wanyun, this beautiful woman with a soft body and a good temperament who also knew how to cooperate. In his heart, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help wondering what Chen Wanrong¡¯s master looked like. From Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong¡¯s descriptions, Chen Wanrong¡¯s master was also a peerless beauty. If both of them said that woman was beautiful, then maybe she really was exceptionally beautiful, scoring over 90 points should be no problem at all. Next, he should think about how to make a good impression in front of that ¡°fairy.¡± If he could win over that ¡°fairy,¡± then it would be like owning the entire Mysterious Moon Palace. That way, he could eliminate one more enemy. The Mysterious Moon Palace was already within the Great Xia territory, and according to the original development path, once he became the Great Xia Emperor in the future, there was bound to be a war between him and the Mysterious Moon Palace. Having such a powerful force as the Mysterious Moon Palace existing in Great Xia was like having a state within a state, key to the fact that it was uncontrollable and could meddle freely. He would definitely not allow any uncontrollable forces to exist within his ruling domain. Of course, if he could establish a kinship with the Mysterious Moon Palace in advance and become one family, then things would be much easier. Being one family, there would be no need for two separate sides; the Mysterious Moon Palace could still operate within the Great Xia territory. At that moment, Lu Chen pressed Lin Wanyun down on the desk and then pressed on top of her, asking, ¡°How old is Rongrong¡¯s master now?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, the dazed Lin Wanyun sobered up a bit and replied, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯ve heard others say¡­ uh¡­ the Honorable seems to be an Immortal, at least¡­ um¡­ several thousand years old.¡± Lu Chen thought about Lin Wanyun¡¯s answer for a moment¡ªseveral thousand years, huh. Never mind, several thousand years it is then. As long as she is beautiful, age is not a problem. Chapter 520 - Chapter 520: Chapter 305 Murong Xueer Seeks Guidance_1 Chapter 520: Chapter 305 Murong Xue¡¯er Seeks Guidance_1 Wang Qingci, with her big belly, was helped to the study door by a maid. She was looking for Lu Chen to tell him that she was about to give birth soon, and that she didn¡¯t have the energy to manage the Rain-listening Pavilion, so she wanted to temporarily hand over its management to other sisters in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. However, just as she reached the door of the study, she saw the maid there blushing, and at that moment the maid said, ¡°Lady Wang, the Prince and Madam Lin are discussing important matters and it¡¯s not convenient to see anyone else at the moment.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci instantly understood what was going on. Although pregnant Wang Qingci still exuded a bewitching charm, her pregnancy had brought out more of her maternal nature, and she no longer felt any jealousy towards Lu Chen¡¯s actions. Listening to the faint sounds coming from the study, Wang Qingci stroked her big belly and lowered her head to say to it, ¡°You must not learn from your daddy. He¡¯s a bad thing who can¡¯t stay away from women all day long.¡± At this moment, Lu Chen was already deeply mired and couldn¡¯t extricate himself. Although he was aware that Wang Qingci was outside looking for him, at this point, he had no way of leaving. Wang Qingci didn¡¯t continue to wait at the door of the study either. She believed that Lu Chen should know that she had been there and would come to look for her after he finished his business. After Wang Qingci left, Lu Chen stayed busy for who knows how long until a disheveled Lin Wanyun came out of the study, holding her torn dress. Lin Wanyun felt that she needed to be more cautious around Lu Chen in the future; even if there were matters to discuss, she would try to avoid going to the study to consult with Lu Chen. The study was not a good place; after all, Wang Qingci used to fool around with Lu Chen every day in the old Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s study, and Lu Chen apparently liked to do bad things there. After Lin Wanyun left, Lu Chen called for the maid to clean the study, and then he continued to stay inside, composing a memorial to the court. Time flew, and three days for Lu Chen was but the blink of an eye. Today was the day Murong Xue¡¯er hosted a poetry gathering at the Hundred Flowers Tower; the Hundred Flowers Garden was already filled with many eminent scholars. To win the heart of the talented Murong Xue¡¯er, they each displayed their own literary brilliance. Although Murong Xue¡¯er had been an envoy in Yan County for several months, most people knew that she was an important minister beside the Empress of Da Yue, the Empress¡¯s most trusted confidant, and that it would be just a matter of time before she got called back by the Empress. Moreover, many literary scholars had heard that Murong Xue¡¯er was a promiscuous woman, who was sent to the North Country by the Yue Emperor because she kept male consorts. This gave some hope to these scholars; in their eyes, as long as they could win Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s favor, they might become her favored guest, so the scholars in the Hundred Flowers Garden were even more eager to perform. At this moment, dressed in white with black trim, Murong Xue¡¯er walked up to the second floor of Hundred Flowers Tower and glanced over the scholars below. Today, like always, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s simple and elegant attire highlighted her cool detachment and literary talent, her aura attracting the gaze of all the literati in the garden, unable to help but focus on her. At this time, Murong Xue¡¯er began to speak, ¡°Thank you all for coming to the poetry gathering I¡¯m hosting. For today¡¯s event, there are several themes, and I¡¯ve specifically invited the Poetry Immortal Wei Li to appraise everyone¡¯s poems.¡± At these words, the crowd stirred. People hadn¡¯t expected that Murong Xue¡¯er would actually invite Wei Li, who, like Zhuge Zhongguang, was an object of admiration among all literati. However, in recent years, Wei Li had almost no fixed residence, being seen in any dynasty, and he hardly ever accepted invitations from the great dynasties or participated in events. The poems that people knew of Wei Li were those from before he became famous; there were barely any new works from the present Wei Li. Of course, this didn¡¯t hinder Wei Li¡¯s sacred image in the hearts of literati. Just then, an elderly man with white hair approached Murong Xue¡¯er, causing another stir among the crowd. ¡°It really is the Elder Wei Li!¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard that Elder Wei Li is attending such a privately organized poetry gathering?¡± ¡°Who would have thought that Miss Murong could even invite Elder Wei Li; does that mean Elder Wei has decided to join the Da Yue Dynasty?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Elder Wei say in the past that he would not join any dynasty?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe he¡¯s tired of traveling around and plans to settle down somewhere.¡± ¡­ While people were abuzz with discussion, the white-haired elder spoke softly to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Miss Murong, are you sure the North Prince will attend such a gathering?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er smiled lightly and then said, ¡°The North Prince has already promised. He will definitely come today.¡± Wei Li said, ¡°Then I¡¯m entrusting my matter to you.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Please rest assured, Elder Wei. I will do my best to help you find out about Elder Zhuge¡¯s affairs.¡± Wei Li and Zhuge Zhongguang, held as two sacred mountains in the hearts of literary scholars, with Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s fame always overshadowing Wei Li. Wei Li had been unwilling for decades to be inferior to Zhuge Zhongguang, so he had tried every means, striving to surpass him, but no matter what he did, Zhuge Zhongguang remained the Literature Saint in people¡¯s hearts. Chapter 521 - Chapter 521: Chapter 305 Murong Xueer Seeks Guidance_2 Chapter 521: Chapter 305 Murong Xue¡¯er Seeks Guidance_2 In front of Zhuge Zhongguang, the so-called ¡°Poetry Immortal¡± title seemed to him no more than a joke. Afterwards, Wei Li gave up as well, and these past years he started traveling through various countries, attempting to find a way to breakthrough before Zhuge Zhongguang. Unexpectedly, Zhuge Zhongguang managed to breakthrough before him once again, delivering a heavy blow to Wei Li. Both he and Zhuge Zhongguang walked the path of entering the Dao through literature, so he constantly compared himself to Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s advance to the Heavenly Human Realm was something he could not accept, no matter what. However, he recently heard rumors suggesting that Zhuge Zhongguang hadn¡¯t really made a breakthrough and that he entered only a Pseudo-Celestial Realm, far from the true Heavenly Human Realm, which reignited Wei Li¡¯s hope to surpass Zhuge Zhongguang. It so happened that Murong Xue¡¯er sought out Wei Li, inviting him to her poetry gathering. After guessing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s intentions, Wei Li planned to use her to probe the North Prince for the current true condition of Zhuge Zhongguang. He was eager to know whether Zhuge Zhongguang truly hadn¡¯t reached the Heavenly Human Realm. Soon, the poetry gathering began. To win Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s favor, the literati from the Hundred Flowers Garden pulled out all the stops, trying hard to display their talents. Unfortunately, Murong Xue¡¯er wasn¡¯t paying them any attention, even though she was seated the entire time on the second floor. Her thoughts were consumed with worry over whether Lu Chen would attend. As the poetry gathering reached its midway point, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s certainty that Lu Chen would come turned into worry. The North Prince had assured the invitation messenger he would arrive, so why hadn¡¯t Lu Chen appeared yet, despite it being so late? Could it be that something had happened in the North Country, or that there was some major action underway, preventing the North Prince from coming? At this time, seeing Miss Murong¡¯s expression seeming somewhat displeased, the literary gentlemen in the Hundred Flowers Garden thought perhaps they had performed poorly, displeasing her. After all, despite rumors of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s frivolousness and fondness for keeping male companions, given her high noble status, the men she paid attention to were undoubtedly exceptional. Naturally, her standards would be especially high. In order to make Miss Murong smile, the literary gentlemen from the Hundred Flowers Garden tried even harder, and after an unknown amount of time, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a soft sigh as she watched the group of men strenuously showcasing themselves. The poetry gathering was nearly over, and yet the North Prince still hadn¡¯t arrived. It seemed he probably wouldn¡¯t be returning today. If one wanted to get close to the North Prince, it looked as though they would have to find another opportunity. At that moment, Wei Li spoke up from the side, ¡°It seems Miss Murong has misjudged today.¡± Just as Wei Li finished speaking, a voice suddenly came from the entrance of the Hundred Flowers Garden, ¡°The Prince has arrived!¡± At these words, everyone inside the garden froze. The Prince? In the North Country, the only one directly addressed as ¡°Prince¡± could only be the North Prince. After all, the North Country is his fiefdom where, if any other Seignior visited, people would call them by their titles, like calling out ¡°Qi Prince has arrived¡± if the Qi Prince visited. Wasn¡¯t the North Prince always busy? Either managing the North Country or reveling in pleasures within his North Prince Mansion. Why did he take interest in attending this kind of poetry gathering today? And to think, now that the poetry gathering was nearly over, what was the point of the North Prince¡¯s late arrival? Before long, a tall and handsome man in white robes, with a ponytail, entered the Hundred Flowers Garden. Seeing Lu Chen appear, Murong Xue¡¯er breathed a sigh of relief. He had come after all; she had thought he wasn¡¯t going to make it today. As soon as Lu Chen entered the Hundred Flowers Garden, a maidservant hurriedly approached him, ¡°Prince, my lady invites you to join her on the second floor.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen looked up towards the second floor and caught Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gaze, as she smiled at him. Witnessing this scene, the literati inside the Hundred Flowers Garden were instantly displeased. They had been trying all this time to make Murong Xue¡¯er smile, yet she hadn¡¯t. But as soon as the North Prince arrived, without even doing anything, just with one look from the North Prince, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s face showed a smile. Then, Lu Chen followed the maidservant to the second floor. Upon arriving on the second floor, Murong Xue¡¯er immediately performed a respectful greeting, ¡°I¡¯ve seen the North Prince.¡± Wei Li also followed up with, ¡°This old one greets the North Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s dispense with the formalities.¡± Lu Chen then continued with a smile, ¡°Miss Murong, I apologize for the tardiness. There were some matters in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, so I¡¯m late. I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all. For the Prince to attend the poetry gathering I organized, I¡¯m already deeply honored. How could I possibly take offense?¡± As Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words ceased, a man from down below in the garden couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He directly addressed Lu Chen on the second-floor balcony, ¡°Prince, I¡¯ve heard your scholarship is profound, and you¡¯re well-versed in poetry and literature. Could we be fortunate enough today to witness the Prince¡¯s talent?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was about to speak for Lu Chen, but Lu Chen himself simply said, ¡°Profound scholarship?¡± ¡°Who told you that I have profound scholarship?¡± ¡°As far as I know, to the common people, I¡¯ve always been someone without learning, indulging only in the pursuit of beauty.¡± Chapter 522 - Chapter 522: Chapter 305 Murong Xueer Seeks Guidance_3 Chapter 522: Chapter 305 Murong Xue¡¯er Seeks Guidance_3 Lu Chen¡¯s words directly rendered the person who had been speaking just now speechless. At this moment, another man opened his mouth and said, ¡°Today is the poetry gathering hosted by Miss Murong. Since the Prince has also joined, how about the Prince composes a poem as well?¡± People were thinking that the North Prince was a man lacking in scholarly learning. What kind of poem could he create? If the North Prince failed to come up with a poem, or wrote something nonsensical, perhaps it would reverse Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s impression of him. Just as people were thinking this, Lu Chen, with a smile on his face, said, ¡°I¡¯m here to attend the poetry gathering today, but not to compose poetry.¡± Then people from other kingdoms said, ¡°If the Prince attends the poetry gathering but isn¡¯t here to compose poems, then what is he here for?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Murong Xue¡¯er, his mouth curving up slightly, ¡°The old drunkard¡¯s interest isn¡¯t in the wine, but in the beauty¡¯s embrace.¡± As soon as these words came out, everyone in the Hundred Flowers Garden was immediately furious. Although they too had come for Murong Xue¡¯er, they had at least abided by the rules and did not voice their inner thoughts directly. Yet, as soon as the North Prince arrived, he spoke such words. Crude! It was simply crude! Even though the North Prince was crude, they dared not say things like kicking him out; after all, this was on the North Prince¡¯s feudal territory, and the North Prince was not a soft persimmon. The scholars and literati could only swallow their anger. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m just here to enjoy the festivities. You all carry on with the poetry gathering.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er started, ¡°Next, with ¡®snow¡¯ as the theme, compose a poem.¡± Once Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice fell, the talented men continued to compose poetry. Although they found the North Prince¡¯s presence somewhat intrusive, they had no choice but to carry on. In their view, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s smile at the North Prince was probably just because he was the Lord of the North Country. Being courteous to the North Prince on his own territory was understandable. Furthermore, Murong Xue¡¯er had invited the North Prince to the poetry gathering merely to add prestige to the event; she did not harbor any affection for the North Prince in her heart. How could a vulgar person like the North Prince ever capture the heart of the talented Murong Xue¡¯er? They were simply overthinking it. Thinking this way, the scholars and litterateurs felt much better, and the poetry gathering continued. However, the gathering ended quickly, and to the disappointment of the men of letters, Murong Xue¡¯er did not keep any of them behind. Meanwhile, Lu Chen was invited to a room on the third floor. Murong Xue¡¯er had not yet arrived on the third floor at that time, and Lu Chen sat down inside the room, glancing at the decorations. The room was filled with flowers and plants, and the walls were adorned with numerous ink paintings and calligraphy pieces, filling the entire room with a scholarly aura. Lu Chen then took a seat at the table, and the next moment, a maid entered the room with a pot of hot water. After pouring a cup of tea for Lu Chen, she said, ¡°Please wait, Prince. Our Miss has gone to bathe and will be up shortly.¡± Lu Chen replied with a faint smile and said, ¡°Tell your Miss to take her time bathing, no rush.¡± The maid replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After pouring the tea, the maid said, ¡°This servant will take her leave.¡± Once the maid left, Lu Chen looked at the tea cup in front of him, suspecting that it surely contained something. Without hesitation, Lu Chen picked up the tea cup and gulped it down. The next moment, he felt all his spiritual power focusing on his Dantian, and the water he had just drunk began to evaporate rapidly. Lu Chen could now analyze the components of drugs simply, and he immediately determined that this was an aphrodisiac, which would likely render any man unable to control himself if ingested. It appeared that Murong Xue¡¯er was planning to apply a beauty trap directly to him, and for this, she had already prepared herself for sacrifice. A while later, Murong Xue¡¯er finally entered the room. At that moment, Lu Chen was looking at a painting, and he turned his head to look at Murong Xue¡¯er as he heard the door open. Murong Xue¡¯er was dressed the same as before, still wearing white clothes with black trim, maintaining her aloof aura. Seeing that Lu Chen was examining a painting, Murong Xue¡¯er asked with a smile, ¡°Does the Prince also appreciate ancient paintings?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m fond of them, but I am somewhat interested.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Miss Murong invited me to the poetry gathering, there must be a reason, right?¡± Upon hearing this question, Murong Xue¡¯er smiled faintly and then replied, ¡°I heard the Prince is actively promoting universal education, allowing all children in the North Country to read and write. I thought the Prince was someone who fancied poetry and literature.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°It seems I have disappointed Miss Murong.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°However, speaking of which, I do not have much interest in poetry and literature, but I am somewhat interested in calligraphy.¡± At these words, Lu Chen approached a piece of calligraphy hanging in the room. Murong Xue¡¯er then walked up beside Lu Chen and glanced at the calligraphy in front of him, then offered, ¡°If the Prince likes this calligraphy, I will gift it to the Prince?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°How could I accept such a gift?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°The Prince need not be polite. During my time in Yan County, I received the Prince¡¯s care; a piece of calligraphy is nothing.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then, thank you.¡± At that moment, something occurred to Murong Xue¡¯er, and she suggested, ¡°Since the Prince likes calligraphy, I presume the Prince¡¯s own handwriting must also be quite unique. I would like to request that the Prince write a piece for me, if that would be possible?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No problem.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er offered, ¡°Then I will grind the ink for the Prince myself.¡± Following that, Murong Xue¡¯er went to the desk in the room and began grinding ink for Lu Chen. As she bent slightly over the task, from Lu Chen¡¯s perspective, he had a clear view of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s buttocks. Witnessing this scene, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback; Murong Xue¡¯er truly knew how to tantalize a man. Chapter 523 - Chapter 523: Chapter 306 Heavenly Dao Rewards the Diligent_1 Chapter 523: Chapter 306 Heavenly Dao Rewards the Diligent_1 Unlike Wang Qingci, when Wang Qingci flirted with Lu Chen, she was very direct, either showing off her figure or being handsy with Lu Chen. But Murong Xue¡¯er was different, she appeared much more reserved, and coupled with her scholarly aura, her whole image was that of an unmarried talented woman. Moreover, Murong Xue¡¯er did not seduce Lu Chen outright, but rather, she enticed him through certain movements, that kind of push-and-pull feeling was indeed what fascinated men the most. After grinding the ink for a while, Murong Xue¡¯er straightened up and turned to look at Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, the ink is ready. Please bestow your writing.¡± Lu Chen then approached the writing desk, took the brush handed to him by Murong Xue¡¯er, and wrote the words ¡°Heavenly Dao rewards the diligent¡± on the white paper in a shaky, slanted fashion. Seeing these four characters, Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback, she hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen¡¯s handwriting to be so ugly. If she remembered correctly, when she had been signing the trade agreement with the North Country, the name Lu Chen had written on the trade papers hadn¡¯t been this ugly. Ugly as it was, Murong Xue¡¯er definitely wouldn¡¯t say so directly. She smiled and said, ¡°The Prince¡¯s writing is truly unique.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then turned to Murong Xue¡¯er and said, ¡°You¡¯re trying to say my writing is really ugly, aren¡¯t you?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er immediately replied, ¡°The Prince is overthinking it; in my eyes, the writing of the Prince is indeed quite distinctive.¡± Lu Chen turned to look at the four characters he¡¯d written on the table, then ran his hand over the paper and said, ¡°This paper must be made by the North Prince Mansion, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s somewhat too rough. When I write on rough paper, the characters don¡¯t turn out very well.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er thought Lu Chen was worried about his face. ¡°It¡¯s my fault; the next time I ask for writing from the Prince, I will prepare paper smoother than the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s xuan paper.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You have misunderstood my meaning. There is little paper in this world that is absolutely smooth. When I say smooth, I mean as smooth as a lady¡¯s skin. I rather enjoy writing on a woman¡¯s body, for then, the characters I write appear far more beautiful.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was momentarily stunned. She hadn¡¯t thought she had yet to begin her charm offensive when Lu Chen had already started hinting at her. After hesitating for a moment, Murong Xue¡¯er eventually said, ¡°I would love to see what the Prince¡¯s most beautiful characters look like. May I?¡± With that, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gaze fixed on Lu Chen. Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to find a lady with smooth skin.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er asked with a smile, ¡°I wonder if I could be suitable?¡± Lu Chen gave Murong Xue¡¯er a once-over and then said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that might not be very appropriate, what if it ruins Miss Murong¡¯s reputation?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Prince to be so considerate, but you should have heard about my affairs. In the eyes of many, I am a promiscuous woman who likes to keep male pets. Even if such a thing were to spread, others wouldn¡¯t find it strange.¡± ¡°But on the other hand, if this were to leak, might it not affect Your Highness¡¯s reputation?¡± At this, Murong Xue¡¯er spoke in a provocative tone, ¡°Is the Prince afraid to write on my body because he fears for his reputation?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I won¡¯t trouble the Prince any further.¡± Lu Chen chuckled to himself, this woman, she really knows how to play her cards, employing the provocative approach, eh? Then Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, since Miss Murong is not afraid, then I shall willingly comply.¡± With that, Lu Chen picked up the brush again and then said to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Miss Murong, please take a seat and lift your skirt to reveal your lower leg.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er unhesitatingly sat down on a wooden chair in the room, took off her white embroidered shoes, then revealed her delicate feet, and slowly lifted up her white dress to expose her fair and smooth lower leg. This single movement alone would have been enough to make most men lose control and pin Murong Xue¡¯er down, if they did not possess the kind of immense willpower Lu Chen had. It had to be said, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s grasp of the small details was impeccable; Lu Chen could now hardly tell whether it was intentional on her part or if it was simply in her nature to behave so. After Murong Xue¡¯er exposed her white, smooth left lower leg, she brushed the hair beside her ear and looked at Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Prince, it¡¯s ready, you can begin writing.¡± Lu Chen forced himself to calm down, then said, ¡°Miss Murong, forgive me.¡± Once he finished speaking, Lu Chen was ready to write on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s leg, but her leg was bent. He then got a stool and placed it in front of her. ¡°Miss Murong, please raise your leg.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Prince, I¡¯m not sure how to position it. Why don¡¯t you arrange my leg yourself? That way you can write more comfortably.¡± Lu Chen laughed to himself; if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he could see Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s identity and personal information through his system, he might have really believed she was accustomed to keeping a multitude of male pets. Subsequently, Lu Chen did not hesitate. He reached out his hand, took hold of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s delicate ankle, lifted her leg, and placed it on the stool so her left leg lay straight. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s feet were extremely delicate and smooth, like polished white jade. Of course, this did not excite Lu Chen. He had seen it all before, and while Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body was indeed attractive to him, he spent his days among his beauties and had great self-control. Lu Chen then lifted his brush and began to write on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s leg. When the tip of the brush touched Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s leg, she suddenly felt an odd sensation and could not help but let out a soft moan. Upon hearing this voice, Lu Chen immediately stopped his writing and asked with concern, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Prince, please feel free to proceed.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen continued writing. Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly felt a tickling and numbing sensation spread from her leg, which was very peculiar. Fortunately, Lu Chen only wrote for a short while and did not persist for too long. After a while, Lu Chen stopped writing, and Murong Xue¡¯er finally breathed a sigh of relief, as the previous sensation had been far too tormenting. She looked down at her leg and saw that Lu Chen had still written the four characters for ¡°Heavenly Dao rewards the diligent.¡± What surprised Murong Xue¡¯er was that Lu Chen¡¯s earlier words were true; the characters he wrote this time were very neat and attractive. Even though her leg was rounded and not flat, this did not affect the quality of Lu Chen¡¯s handwriting. Murong Xue¡¯er then started to wonder if the North Prince had been setting her up all along. Could it be that the North Prince had deliberately written the characters all crooked on the paper, then used it as an excuse to write on her body? At that moment, Lu Chen smiled at Murong Xue¡¯er and asked, ¡°Miss Murong, what do you think of the characters I wrote this time?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that what the Prince said would actually be true. I underestimated you.¡± Lu Chen sighed softly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that I was only writing on the calf. There isn¡¯t much flesh there, and it¡¯s not flat enough, which is why the characters are still somewhat crooked.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er seemed to understand something. She continued to lift her skirts further up, saying as she did so, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s more flesh on my thigh. How about writing the characters there? What do you think?¡± Lu Chen pretended to be startled for a moment before replying, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a bit improper?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°I, a woman, don¡¯t mind. Would the Prince actually mind?¡± In the midst of their conversation, Murong Xue¡¯er lifted her skirts up to the root of her thighs, presenting her long, luminous legs right in front of Lu Chen. Lu Chen thought to himself that this woman really meant business, then he said, ¡°Well then, I shall continue writing.¡± After a pause, he asked, ¡°But what should I write this time? Should I write ¡®Heavenly Dao rewards the diligent¡¯ again?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°The Prince may write as he pleases.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What characters would Miss Murong like to see?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°Whatever the Prince wishes is fine by me; please don¡¯t concern yourself with my preference.¡± Since Murong Xue¡¯er had said this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hold back. He immediately picked up the brush and began to write. As soon as Lu Chen¡¯s brush touched her skin, Murong Xue¡¯er experienced that previous sensation, only this time it was even more intense. Given that the thigh is riddled with sensitive nerves, the brush¡¯s contact sent the sensation straight to her brain, making it hard for Murong Xue¡¯er to control the restlessness in her heart. Thankfully, Lu Chen only wrote four characters this time as well, but the act of writing these four characters made Murong Xue¡¯er feel as if time was dragging on endlessly. Once Lu Chen finished writing, he glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er and noticed a hint of red on her cool face. With a slight smile, as someone who had interacted with many women, he obviously knew what was affecting Murong Xue¡¯er. While writing, he had deliberately infused a bit of Spiritual Power into the brush¡¯s tip, which when in contact with Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s leg, would stimulate her sensitive nerves even more. Lu Chen then asked with concern, ¡°Miss Murong, are you alright?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Really? Your face is quite red.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for the Prince to worry, I¡¯m fine. It may be due to the room being a bit warm.¡± Lu Chen stated, ¡°As long as you are alright.¡± ¡°Miss Murong, take a look at the characters I wrote this time.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er looked down slightly at the four characters on her thigh. Looking at these four characters, she felt something odd about them. While Lu Chen¡¯s handwriting was becoming more attractive, what did the characters for ¡°The Great Way of Life¡± mean? Murong Xue¡¯er did not ask further; she simply praised, ¡°The Prince¡¯s handwriting is becoming more and more attractive.¡± Lu Chen responded with a laugh, ¡°Writing on the leg is still not flat enough; if I could write on an even flatter surface, I believe the characters I craft would be even better.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er covered her mouth and laughed, her laughter clear and melodious like the chirping of a bird. After laughing for a while, Murong Xue¡¯er looked into Lu Chen¡¯s fervent eyes, her own gaze brimming with mirth, and teased, ¡°Surely the Prince doesn¡¯t expect me to take off my clothes now, does he?¡± Chapter 525 - Chapter 525: Chapter 308: Im Really Sorry, I Wrote Quite a Bit_1 Chapter 525: Chapter 308: I¡¯m Really Sorry, I Wrote Quite a Bit_1 Murong Xue¡¯er was experiencing close contact with a man for the first time. Previously, as the personal maid of the Great Yue Empress, she was often embraced and held by the Yue Emperor, but no matter how they cuddled in the past, she had never felt the strange sensations she did today. She had thought it would be no different from her embraces with the Yue Emperor, believing she wouldn¡¯t feel any discomfort. But today she discovered that she herself had become somewhat odd, her entire body blazing hot, her heart pounding faster and faster, and all her skill seemed to become chaotic. She had absolutely no strength to push away the man standing before her. Murong Xue¡¯er was quickly bewildered by Lu Chen¡¯s kiss, having no idea what she was doing. In her dazed state, she thought she heard the sound of tearing, followed by the sensation of something. The next moment, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyebrows sharply furrowed, and she could only let out muffled ¡°mmph mmph¡± sounds. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the Imperial Palace of the Great Xia Dynasty. The Sum Emperor sat on the dragon throne, listening to the report from a Shadow Guard inside the room. After a moment, he asked, ¡°Has the Zhao King already defeated the Ren Prince¡¯s army?¡± The Shadow Guard in the room replied, ¡°Yes, the Ren Prince¡¯s army has been completely scattered, and many soldiers have chosen to surrender to the Zhao King. The Zhao King now commands at least three hundred thousand troops.¡± The corners of the Sum Emperor¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, and then he said, ¡°Good, the time has come.¡± With that, he instructed the Shadow Guard in the room, ¡°Immediately spread the news that the State Preceptor has entered the Pseudo-Celestial Realm and will soon break through to the true Heavenly Human Realm. Once the State Preceptor breaks into the Heavenly Human Realm, he can use a special method to extend my life, and there¡¯s even a possibility of my full recovery.¡± The Shadow Guard promptly responded, ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± As the Shadow Guard¡¯s figure gradually merged into the darkness, the Sum Emperor muttered to himself, ¡°If Chen doesn¡¯t fall for it, then I shall personally head north. I hope Chen does not disappoint me.¡± ¡°In no more than one year, I shall break through to the true Heavenly Human Realm. At that time, Great Xia will have no rivals!¡± The Zhao King¡¯s actions have already begun, and it won¡¯t be long before all the seigniors muster their armies and march toward the capital city. It¡¯s almost time to draw in the net. The Sum Emperor was very confident in his current self, as if he had already seen the future when nations would come to pay homage and envoys from great dynasties would tremble before him. At this very moment. In Zhao Country. The Zhao King¡¯s bedchamber. The Zhao King was resting when a dark figure suddenly appeared behind a pillar in the bedchamber. The Zhao King¡¯s eyes shot open. The next moment, a letter flew towards the Zhao King, who immediately raised his hand to catch it, then carefully read through it. The shadow then spoke, ¡°If this plan succeeds, Your Majesty will use the Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace to elevate your skill to the Grandmaster Realm.¡± The Zhao King immediately replied, ¡°Please tell Yi that I will spare no expense in helping him achieve his dominance!¡± As the Zhao King¡¯s voice fell, the figure once again merged into the shadows. Feeling the departure of the figure, the Zhao King shredded the letter in his hand, then tossed it into the brazier in the room. ¡°It seems Yi is nearly ready. If his plan succeeds this time, there will no longer be any seigniors in Great Xia.¡± With that, the Zhao King sighed, ¡°It seems I too must prepare; once the war is over, I shall relinquish my military authority.¡± ¡°Although we are born of the same mother, people¡¯s hearts always change¡­¡± The Zhao King was acutely aware of the true strength of the Sum Emperor, which is why he had never thought of wrestling that position away from him, especially since the two of them were brothers of the same mother. Although brotherly affection is rare among royal siblings, often virtually nonexistent, the memory of the Sum Emperor caring for him in their youth still aroused some gratitude in the Zhao King. The Zhao King was actually reluctant to part with his power, but he was very clear about what kind of person his elder brother, the Sum Emperor, was. Growing up together, he was familiar with his elder brother¡¯s ideals; his elder brother would stop at nothing to achieve them. Being a blood brother of the Sum Emperor, the Zhao King ultimately chose to stand by his side. ¡­ North Country. Hundred Flowers Tower, third floor. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice undulated, rising and falling. Though she tried to contain it, she couldn¡¯t fully suppress her sounds. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er was sprawled across the writing desk, while Lu Chen picked up a brush. As he busied himself with his work, he wrote characters on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s snowy white back. The tip of the brush, infused with Lu Chen¡¯s spiritual power, traced over Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s back, eliciting an unspeakable, strange sensation within her. She felt her body becoming increasingly peculiar. Then, Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, what are you writing¡­ ah¡­ writing on my back?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Guess?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°It¡¯s a pity it¡¯s on the back, I¡­ ah¡­ can¡¯t see it¡­¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s easy to fix.¡± He then turned Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body around, laying her on the desk. In the next moment, Murong Xue¡¯er and Lu Chen locked gazes. Her hair was disheveled, her bun had come undone, her usually cool cheeks were flushed red, and she was exuding charm. Murong Xue¡¯er looked down slightly, only to see a scene she did not wish to see. At that moment, Lu Chen dipped his brush into the ink and started to write on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen, asking as he wrote, ¡°Right, once your Virgin Mark has disappeared and the Yue Emperor checks for it upon your return, won¡¯t you be punished?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er laughed and said, ¡°Prince, you¡¯ve already removed my Virgin Mark, and now you remember to worry about this? Isn¡¯t it a bit late?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then replied, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°How about this? Since you have to be checked by the Yue Emperor for the Virgin Mark when you return, why not just stay here in North Country?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Is the Prince planning to keep me here in North Country as your concubine?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen pressed harder with the brush tip, inscribing three characters onto Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen. Murong Xue¡¯er felt a jolt run through her body as if she were electrified. She propped up her upper body slightly to look at the characters on her abdomen. Muttering to herself, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Flesh¡­ Prince, do these three characters have any¡­ hmm¡­ special meaning?¡± Lu Chen put the brush back on the inkstone and, with a smile, said, ¡°You¡¯ll soon understand what they mean.¡± Then Lu Chen reached under Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s back, lifting her body with ease. After all, as a Grandmaster, even a cannon dressed in red robes could be lifted with one hand, so the weight of a woman was nothing to him. Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback and quickly wrapped her legs around Lu Chen¡¯s waist to avoid falling. Then she hung on him as he carried her to the bed. ¡­ Towards evening. Lu Chen got up and glanced over at Murong Xue¡¯er in the bed, as well as the characters written all over her. Although the ink would blur when mixed with perspiration, because Lu Chen had used spiritual power to fix the ink, the characters were quite clear. Lu Chen straightened his clothes and said with a smile to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Miss Murong, my apologies for having written so much. It will trouble you to wash it off.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er lay collapsed on the bed, speaking weakly, ¡°No harm done, Prince, please take your leave. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t see you out.¡± Lu Chen smiled, then left the study satisfied. Chapter 526 - Chapter 526: Chapter 309: This Damned Lecher_1 Chapter 526: Chapter 309: This Damned Lecher_1 Watching Lu Chen leave the room, Murong Xue¡¯er, who had slumped onto the bed, tried to rise only to be struck by waves of pain, rendering her incapable of moving. To prevent Murong Xue¡¯er from discovering his healing abilities, Lu Chen had not treated her wounds. For the past few hours, Murong Xue¡¯er had been relying solely on her Master Level body to endure. Alas, no matter how resolute she was, she could never be a match for Lu Chen. After all, he was a Grandmaster, not to mention someone who had taken the Dragon and Tiger Pill. Murong Xue¡¯er had just lost her virginity, how could she possibly bear it? At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er broke out in a cold sweat; even she could not hold back, cursing through gritted teeth, ¡°This damnable lecher!¡± Immediately after, Murong Xue¡¯er hastily summoned the servant girls of the embassy, and with their assistance, she slowly washed off the words Lu Chen had written on her body. While bathing, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind replayed the events that had transpired with Lu Chen. She couldn¡¯t help wondering how the North Prince possessed such terrifying strength. Thinking of this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s cheeks once again flushed with heat. Then, looking at the character ¡°Õý¡± between her legs, she suddenly grew curious. Lu Chen had written several ¡°Õý¡± characters between her legs, but she did not understand their meaning, nor had Lu Chen explained them to her, including the three characters on her abdomen. She always felt these characters had some special significance. After pondering for a moment, Murong Xue¡¯er still couldn¡¯t figure out the meaning of these characters, so she stopped thinking about them. Regardless, she had succeeded in getting close to Lu Chen. It would be relatively easier to extract information from him in the future. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly remembered something and quickly activated her inner strength, expelling all the impurities from her body. Soon, the water in the bath became extremely murky. Murong Xue¡¯er hurriedly had the servant girls replace the water with a fresh bucket. After washing herself again, she still felt unclean despite already having bathed twice, so she bathed once more for a total of three times. After the bath, Murong Xue¡¯er returned to her bed, and sighing softly, she saw the faint red on the sheets. She had long guessed her fate, that the Empress would one day use her as a tool, but she did not expect her first time to be with someone from another dynasty. Murong Xue¡¯er consoled herself, thinking that it wasn¡¯t such a loss. The North Prince, as a man, was more handsome than most and possessed even greater strength. To have lost her virginity to him could be considered a stroke of luck within misfortune. It was just a pity that they would ultimately become enemies. ¡­ Meanwhile. On his way back, Lu Chen sat in the carriage and opened up the system prompt. ¡°[Congratulations host, for obtaining a woman, reward: Heart Controlling Skill.]¡± ¡°[As the host and his concubines share a heartfelt connection, reward: a top-grade Realm Breaking Pill.]¡± ¡°[Host has cultivated feelings with Murong Xue¡¯er once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points added¡­]¡± Surprised by the rewards before him, Lu Chen had not expected to gain cultivation techniques. But what was this Heart Controlling Skill? With that thought, Lu Chen immediately clicked to read the introduction of the Heart Controlling Skill. ¡°[Heart Controlling Skill: Using the Heart Controlling Skill, one can control an enemy to a certain extent, forcing them to answer questions they wish to know. When perfected, it can even control an enemy, making them take their own life.]¡± Reading about this cultivation technique, Lu Chen was stunned; this was a skill for manipulating others. In the future, if they captured spies or the like, wouldn¡¯t it be much easier to interrogate them and get the information they wanted? This skill would prove extremely useful. Having read the introduction of the Heart Controlling Skill, Lu Chen glanced at the Realm Breaking Pill¡¯s description. [Realm Breaking Pill: Upon consumption, it allows an Extreme Realm Master martial artist to advance directly to the Grandmaster Realm.] Seeing the description of the Realm Breaking Pill, Lu Chen felt extremely surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected the pill to be so powerful. He regretted leaving so quickly just now; he should have seized the opportunity to test his connection with Murong Xue¡¯er a few more times, to see if he could achieve mind and spirit communion again. Thinking of this, Lu Chen rubbed his temples. He had not used the Rejuvenating Skill to heal Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s minor injuries. Hoping to achieve mind and spirit communion several more times seemed rather unlikely. Forget it, what¡¯s done is done. From now on, he would just have to try harder with his other wives and consorts. Perhaps, next time, he might have a chance of getting another Realm Breaking Pill. But then again, who should he give the Realm Breaking Pill to? Most of the people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion were only Half-step Grandmasters, not even Grandmasters. Only Bai Qingqing and Dongfang Longyue were Extreme Realm Masters. Administering the pill to them could make the North Prince Mansion possess another Grandmaster immediately. However, after some thought, Lu Chen decided to give the Realm Breaking Pill to Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin had taken care of him since his childhood, eventually married him, and even bore him children. His feelings for Chu Yuqin were the deepest. Once Chu Yuqin broke through to the Grandmaster Realm, her lifespan would increase by several hundred years, allowing her to accompany him for a longer time. Soon, Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. It was now evening, and the red glow of the sunset shone on Lu Chen, casting a long shadow behind him. Chu Yuqin was in the courtyard soothing the child when she suddenly noticed a shadow blocking the sunlight. She looked up in the direction of the setting sun. Seeing that it was Lu Chen returning, Chu Yuqin smiled sweetly and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯ve heard from Qing Li that you went to a poetry gathering?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, it was hosted by Murong Xue¡¯er.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Now that you are a prince, indeed you should participate more in such elegant events.¡± As soon as Chu Yuqin finished speaking, Chu Qingli exposed the truth, ¡°What elegance? Murong Xue¡¯er held the poetry gathering at the Hundred Flowers Tower. How elegant could that place be? She clearly wanted to seduce a certain bad guy.¡± ¡°Someone is returning so late; he must have snuck some treats.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°Qing Li understands me better.¡± Lu Chen did not deny it. His attendance at Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s poetry gathering was not really about the poetry; he went for the sake of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s favor. At that moment, Lu Chen walked over to Chu Yuqin, slipped his hand around her waist, and after glancing at the child in her arms, he said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, hand the child over to Qing Li for a moment, I have something important to tell you.¡± Curious, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it in the room; it¡¯s about your Realm.¡± Chu Yuqin then said to Chu Qingli, ¡°Qing Li, please take care of Wang¡¯er for me.¡± Chu Qingli hurriedly took the child from Chu Yuqin¡¯s hands and gave Lu Chen a resentful look. She was no fool; how could she not know why Lu Chen asked her to take care of Chu Yuqin¡¯s child? This bad guy, just back from the Hundred Flowers Tower, and now he¡¯s come to find her sister. Such a beast. Chapter 527 - Chapter 527: Chapter 310 My Good Wife, You Couldnt Be Jealous, Could You?_1 Chapter 527: Chapter 310 My Good Wife, You Couldn¡¯t Be Jealous, Could You?_1 After handing over the child to Chu Qingli, Chu Yuqin followed Lu Chen into the room. As soon as he entered the room, Lu Chen immediately embraced the delicate and voluptuous body of the beautiful woman before him. Before Chu Yuqin had a chance to speak, Lu Chen sealed her lips with his, ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± After being forced to kiss Lu Chen for a while, they slowly parted lips, and Chu Yuqin, with a blushing face, looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°You have the scent of another woman on you, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve really had your way with Murong Xue¡¯er?¡± Chu Yuqin was especially sensitive to the scent of women from the Prince¡¯s Mansion; if it was from a woman there, she could identify it instantly. The fragrance on Lu Chen¡¯s body obviously didn¡¯t belong to any woman from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which meant there was only one possibility; Chu Qingli was right, Lu Chen had snuck around outside. Lu Chen laughed and then said, ¡°My dear wife, you couldn¡¯t possibly be jealous, could you?¡± Chu Yuqin rolled her eyes and then said, ¡°Murong Xue¡¯er is a favorite of the Great Yue Empress, and though she seems to have been demoted to the North Country, I always feel like she has come with a mission from the Empress.¡± ¡°Perhaps she came to the North Country specifically to get close to you.¡± ¡°If you sleep with her, aren¡¯t you afraid she might glean some secrets of the North Country from you and then report them back to Great Yue?¡± While embracing Chu Yuqin¡¯s waist and leading her towards the bed, Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, any woman who has been intimate with me will never betray me in the end.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er¡­ darling, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m nosy, but although your techniques of charming women are indeed impressive, some women won¡¯t fall for your ways.¡± ¡°You should know, it¡¯s rumored that Murong Xue¡¯er herself is a licentious woman; even if you satisfy her in some aspects, she might not necessarily fall in love with you.¡± Chu Yuqin obviously misunderstood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning; she thought that Lu Chen was referring to his ability being so formidable that any woman who had slept with him would fall in love with him. In fact, Lu Chen¡¯s intention was not to conquer Murong Xue¡¯er with his body, but to have her take Dragon and Phoenix Tea, thus making her completely loyal to him. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t foolish enough to believe that just by sleeping with Murong Xue¡¯er once, she would completely submit to him; Murong Xue¡¯er was a favorite of the Great Yue Empress, it was not that easy to sway her. However, Lu Chen didn¡¯t explain any further to Chu Yuqin, and by now they had reached the bedside. Lu Chen gently laid Chu Yuqin¡¯s body down on the bed, then he removed the hairpin that held up her hair, and the next moment, her coiffure came undone, her fine hair spilling out over the bed. Chu Yuqin, with affection in her eyes, gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s, ¡°The important matter you mentioned, is it this kind of thing?¡± Chu Yuqin had genuinely thought Lu Chen had something important to discuss with her, but the naughty fellow started to get handsy as soon as he entered the room. While undressing Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen said, ¡°Of course not, didn¡¯t I mention it earlier when we were outside? It¡¯s about your Realm.¡± Chu Yuqin asked curiously, ¡°It¡¯s about my Realm?¡± At this point, visions of their previous naughty acts in bed flashed through Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind, and she suddenly remembered that Lu Chen practiced a Dual Cultivation Skill, which could speed up her Realm advancement. Thinking of those scenes, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face became redder and hotter. Lu Chen continued, ¡°My master gave me a Realm Breaking Pill; just by taking it, one could break through from the Master Realm to the Grandmaster Realm directly.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin was stunned for a moment, then said, ¡°I¡¯m not an Extreme Realm Master yet, so this pill won¡¯t be of any use to me, will it?¡± ¡°This pill should be taken by Bai or Longyue.¡± Laughing, Lu Chen said, ¡°It would indeed be useless now, but what if I help you advance to the Master Realm?¡± Upon hearing these words, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°It is not so easy to break through to the Master Realm.¡± As soon as Chu Yuqin finished speaking, Lu Chen took out an Essence Pill, then said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, take this Essence Pill first.¡± Seeing the pill in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Chu Yuqin was stunned for a moment. Not long ago, Lu Chen had given her an Essence Pill, so she was very clear about its purpose. Chu Yuqin hastily said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I have already taken one. You should give this one to someone else instead, don¡¯t waste it.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If it can help you break through to the Grandmaster Realm as quickly as possible, then this pill will not be wasted.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Although the Essence Pill does aid in enhancing my realm, to break through to the Master Realm in a short time isn¡¯t as simple as just taking a pill.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Of course I know that, so I plan to help you speed up the advancement of your realm.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Help? How?¡± Before she could finish, Chu Yuqin noticed that Lu Chen had undone her waist belt and lifted her blue Cloud Attire, directly exposing her white undergarment. Seeing this scene, Chu Yuqin seemed to understand something. This little rascal intended to use that method to help her swiftly enhance her realm¡­ But they had practiced together before, and she hadn¡¯t noticed any acceleration in the advancement of their realms. In fact, this had little to do with the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell. Dual Cultivation Skill focuses on the cooperation between both parties, and is not merely about pursuing certain desires. In the past, when Lu Chen was with his wives and concubines, he seldom truly practiced the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell, concentrating more on enjoyment. Although the spell was in motion, it didn¡¯t play a significant role, making the outcome not particularly apparent. Lu Chen planned to be more serious today, not chasing after certain sensations but instead fully concentrating on cultivation, to help Chu Yuqin ascend to the Master Realm as soon as possible. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to speak, Lu Chen put the Essence Pill into his own mouth, then bent down and directly sealed Chu Yuqin¡¯s red lips, feeding her the Essence Pill. Seeing Lu Chen act so domineering, Chu Yuqin sighed inwardly, not struggling and letting him have his way. Although she didn¡¯t think she could break through to the Master Realm quickly, it was Lu Chen¡¯s good intention, and naturally, she would accept it. Soon, Chu Yuqin noticed something was off. She could feel the skill within her body accelerating significantly, as if controlled by something, rushing through the meridians inside her body. Chu Yuqin was astonished; she had not expected this method of cultivation to actually work, and to be so effective at that. When Lu Chen did bad things to her in the past, why hadn¡¯t the effect been so pronounced? While Chu Yuqin pondered this, she encountered another issue; she managed to remain clear-headed, which would have unlikely been the case before, as she would have already become dazed by now. Chu Yuqin quickly realized what was going on. It must be this little rascal¡¯s single-minded pursuit of mischief, never earnestly practicing the Immortal Law, focusing all his thoughts on such matters, which resulted in the limited efficacy of that method of cultivation. Realizing this, Chu Yuqin felt a slight stir of emotion, but she didn¡¯t plan to reprimand Lu Chen. Soon, she entered a meditative state, the skill in her body becoming more abundant, and her realm reached the threshold of breakthrough. After an indeterminate time, two streams of spiritual power burst forth from their bodies simultaneously. Chapter 528 - Chapter 528: Chapter 311 Did I Break Through Just Like That?_1 Chapter 528: Chapter 311 Did I Break Through Just Like That?_1 Feeling her realm break through to the Master Realm, Chu Yuqin was somewhat bewildered. Was that a breakthrough just now? The practice session with Lu Chen couldn¡¯t have lasted more than two hours, could it? Could the breakthrough have happened so quickly? Is this the terrifying aspect of Immortal Law? After sensing Chu Yuqin¡¯s breakthrough, Lu Chen immediately stood up, placing his hands on either side of her head and stared into her eyes, saying, ¡°Madam Chu, how are you feeling now?¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face was flushed as she, too, stared intently back into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, ¡°Before, did you actually never focus on your cultivation?¡± Lu Chen smiled and then denied it, saying, ¡°Madam Chu, why would you think that? I have been practicing diligently every day.¡± Chu Yuqin cast him a resentful glance, ¡°Do you take me for a fool? Before, you must have focused all your attention on enjoying life, which is why your cultivation techniques were of little use to me. Today, since you focused all your attention on cultivating, that¡¯s what accelerated my training speed.¡± Lu Chen countered, ¡°Madam Chu, you¡¯re mistaken. The reason you¡¯ve cultivated so quickly this time is because you took the Essence Pill. Moreover, you were already on the verge of breaking through, so it may look like your realm improved exceptionally fast. An average person would simply not achieve such an effect.¡± Lu Chen certainly didn¡¯t want to be supervised by Chu Yuqin in his cultivation whenever he would come seeking her company in the future. If Chu Yuqin were to discover that he had never earnestly practiced before, then the next time he came to her, she¡¯d surely expect him to concentrate fully on cultivation. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s retort, Chu Yuqin stared straight into his eyes, trying to discern from his gaze whether he was lying. However, seeing the brightness in Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, Chu Yuqin thought to herself that maybe she was overthinking it. Perhaps it really was the effect of the Essence Pill that made her cultivation speed so fast. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, Madam Chu. Please take the Realm Breaking Pill.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen took out the Realm Breaking Pill and handed it to Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t continue to object. She directly took the Realm Breaking Pill, put it in her mouth, and swallowed it. Chu Yuqin¡¯s thoughts were simple: Lu Chen already had many strong protectors by his side, so he no longer needed her. However, Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t always stay in the North Prince Mansion. As Lu Chen¡¯s strength grew stronger and the North Country¡¯s power increased, it was inevitable that the North Country would go to war with other dynasties or with Great Sum. In the future, Lu Chen would likely leave Yan County again, and it was possible that those protectors would also leave Yan County. Thinking that she wouldn¡¯t be able to protect Lu Chen anymore, Chu Yuqin decided she would protect his wives, concubines, and children instead, since she would likely spend her days with them from now on. If she were stronger, Lu Chen could have some peace of mind, even if he went off to lead troops into battle. After Chu Yuqin took the pill, green Spiritual Energy quickly gathered around her body. The energy was very faint, but with the help of the Realm Breaking Pill, it was sufficient to help her break through to the Grandmaster Realm. In the next moment, Chu Yuqin¡¯s body erupted with a wave of Spiritual Power, followed by profuse sweating as she expelled all the toxins and impurities from her body. Chu Yuqin hurriedly sat in meditation to stabilize the power within her body. At that time, Lu Chen stood up and simply sat on the side watching. After an indeterminate amount of time, Chu Yuqin finally opened her eyes. She stood up to find herself drenched in sweat and quickly said to Lu Chen, ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± Upon saying that, Chu Yuqin entered the room next door. The bedrooms in the new Prince¡¯s Mansion were different than before, each being adjacent to a bathroom and restroom. Whenever the master of the house visited a woman in the bedroom, the maids in the courtyard immediately began heating water to fill the baths next door, ensuring there was always hot water available in the tubs. In an era without electricity and water heaters, only someone of Lu Chen¡¯s high status could enjoy the luxury of constant access to hot water. After a quick rinse, Chu Yuqin submerged herself in the bath, intending to soak for a while, when Lu Chen suddenly walked in. Seeing Lu Chen enter the bathroom unobstructed, Chu Yuqin spoke softly, ¡°What are you doing? Go out, I¡¯ll be done soon.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°We¡¯re an old married couple. What¡¯s there to be shy about?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen, with a shameless grin, waded into the bath and wrapped his arms around Chu Yuqin¡¯s waist. Chu Yuqin was just about to warn Lu Chen about fooling around in the bathtub when he said, ¡°Yuqin, now that you have broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, the safety of the Prince¡¯s Mansion is in your hands.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Hmm, I will take good care of the Prince¡¯s Mansion for you.¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve noticed that Zixuan, Xiaoxiao, and Youyou seem to have cultivated some skill. That must be thanks to your Cultivation Technique, right?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Ordinary people with skill can live longer. Don¡¯t just think about enjoying yourself when you visit their rooms in the future; help them raise their Realm as well.¡± While Lu Chen¡¯s hands roamed over Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear. I¡¯m always fair to my women. One day, I will help them become Grandmasters as well.¡± Chu Yuqin remarked at his words, ¡°It might be difficult for ordinary people to become Grandmasters.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Your darling is no ordinary man.¡± Realizing what he meant, Chu Yuqin thought, that¡¯s right, Lu Chen was a man blessed by Immortal Law. Helping an ordinary person ascend to a higher Realm might be difficult for others, but not for him. Hadn¡¯t he helped her make the leap to the Grandmaster Realm in one go? Chu Yuqin conceded, ¡°That¡¯s true, then I can rest easy.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, enough of this talk. Now that you are a Grandmaster and your physical condition has improved significantly, tonight is a good time to test your enhanced Grandmaster strength from the Realm Breaking Pill.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin thought Lu Chen wanted to spar with her, but in the next moment, he pinned her against the edge of the bath, and then the bathwater stirred violently. Meanwhile. Chu Qingli was outside in the courtyard, cuddling Lu Chengwang, who seemed to really like her, calm and content in her arms. Seeing Lu Chengwang smiling at her, Chu Qingli¡¯s maternal instincts surged. Suddenly, she also wanted a child of her own. It was just unfortunate that, being a high-quality martial artist, she found it hard to conceive. Since sharing a room with Lu Chen, she had stopped purging impurities from her body through cultivation, yet she still hadn¡¯t conceived. It¡¯s not easy to get pregnant, and in the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion, it seemed only her sister, also a martial artist, had managed it on the first try. Chu Qingli wondered how much Chu Yuqin must¡¯ve suffered under Lu Chen to bear his child and, coming to her senses, she quickly stopped her wandering thoughts. How could she want his child! That bad man had not only monopolized her sister but also tricked her into giving herself to him; he was a despicable villain through and through. She didn¡¯t want to carry that bastard¡¯s child. Chapter 529 - Chapter 529: Chapter 312 North Prince Delivers Tea_1 Chapter 529: Chapter 312 North Prince Delivers Tea_1 A week flew by in the blink of an eye. Murong Xue¡¯er still hadn¡¯t left her bed since that incident with Lu Chen; she spent every day recuperating in bed. Initially, Murong Xue¡¯er thought that encountering such a strong man wasn¡¯t entirely a loss. But then, the thought struck her¡ªif every time she got close to Lu Chen, she had to spend seven or eight days in bed afterward, wouldn¡¯t that be a colossal waste of time? At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er slowly rose from the bed. Seeing her get up, the maid in the room hurried over to help her before assisting her with dressing and grooming. Murong Xue¡¯er still felt a faint soreness and clenched her teeth thinking: it had been seven days since that man had taken her, and he hadn¡¯t come to see her even once, nor had he sent anyone to express his concern. Truly, a man who doesn¡¯t recognize you once his pants are back on. She wondered whether she had managed to seduce him at all. If the North Prince was just after a new thrill, then she was in trouble. In that case, she would not only have lost her innocence, but also failed in her mission. Worried, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind raced with these thoughts. Just then, a maid at the doorway spoke, ¡°Lord Murong, the North Prince has sent over a jar of tea leaves, claiming it¡¯s beneficial for martial arts training.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was momentarily stunned. She had just been fretting over whether the North Prince was the kind to forget her after the act, and suddenly, there was a gift from him. What did sending tea signify, though? She responded, ¡°Bring it in.¡± The maid then pushed open the door to enter, placing a white porcelain jar before Murong Xue¡¯er, who glanced at the jar and then personally removed the lid. The moment the lid was opened, Murong Xue¡¯er was enveloped by a strong tea aroma that invigorated her spirits. Murong Xue¡¯er was astonished; she hadn¡¯t even tasted it yet, but just the scent of the tea had revitalized her so significantly¡ªthis tea was no ordinary tea! She then instructed the maid, ¡°Take some tea leaves and brew them immediately.¡± Hearing her command, the maid who had just brought in the tea quickly said, ¡°The servant from the Prince¡¯s Mansion mentioned that the tea leaves do not need boiling, just steeping in hot water will do.¡± Following that, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Then fetch a kettle of hot water.¡± Upon this instruction, the maid turned and swiftly left the room. Murong Xue¡¯er scooped up some tea leaves from the jar and sniffed them again, finding the aroma increasingly enchanting. She slowly realized that this tea offered more than mere alertness and clarity of mind. After smelling the tea, the skill coursing through her body also flowed more smoothly, as if the scent of the tea accelerated her cultivation rate. Murong Xue¡¯er grew increasingly excited, not only astonished by the effects of the tea but also delighted that the North Prince had sent her something so precious. For the North Prince to gift her such a valuable item implied he had taken a liking to her; otherwise, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have sent her anything. Now that the North Prince seemed to fancy her, she didn¡¯t have to worry about failing her mission. The next time she shared a room with the North Prince, she planned to extract the secrets of the North Prince Mansion from him. At that thought, the corners of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mouth curved upward in a slight smile. Not long after, the maid returned with a hot kettle, and Murong Xue¡¯er personally prepared the tea. Once the tea was ready, she took a slow sip. The very next moment, her internal power surged noticeably. Murong Xue¡¯er was once again thrilled; the tea was indeed extraordinary, capable of directly enhancing a person¡¯s skill. If the North Prince had sent her such a treasure, did that not mean he was quite satisfied with her body? Murong Xue¡¯er proceeded to drink the entire kettle of brewed tea, not once considering that the tea could be problematic in any way. The reason Murong Xue¡¯er experienced such a notable effect after drinking the Dragon and Phoenix Tea was mainly because she harbored favorable feelings for Lu Chen. The Dragon and Phoenix Tea was designed for women who have a fondness for Lu Chen. When these women drink the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, not only does it enhance their affection for Lu Chen, but it also significantly increases their skill. The higher the favorability, the more pronounced the effects. Although Lu Chen is the ruler of an enemy state to Murong Xue¡¯er, he meets all her criteria for a man, so her fondness for him is not low. Moreover, her body was taken by Lu Chen at the Hundred Flowers Tower, where she felt his strength firsthand, which further increased her favorability towards him. Of course, the current Murong Xue¡¯er only knows that the tea from the Prince¡¯s Mansion can increase her skill, and is completely unaware of the tea¡¯s other effect. Meanwhile. North Prince Mansion, study room. Lu Chen sat in front of the desk, earnestly reading the intelligence in his hands. After finishing, he spoke up and asked, ¡°Are you certain that Zhao King has truly mobilized his troops and is not attacking any other feudal states?¡± Liang Zong, seated opposite Lu Chen, replied, ¡°Your Highness, it is true. He has indeed led his troops and is heading straight for the Capital.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Strange, my memorial should have also reached the royal court by now. How dare they make a move? Aren¡¯t they afraid that I will also lead my troops southward?¡± At that moment, Lu Chen suddenly recalled what Zhuge Zhongguang had told him¡ªthat Zhao King seemed to be his father emperor¡¯s secret collaborator. Therefore, his mobilization of troops was likely not genuine, but rather a means to provoke other Seigniors into rebellion. As long as other Seigniors led their armies to the Capital, his father emperor would have a reason, an excuse, to directly deal with all of the Seigniors at once. However, by now, each Seignior had expanded their military to some extent, and with the continuous power struggles within the court, it was questionable whether the royal army still maintained its combat effectiveness. Was his father emperor truly confident he could take down all the Seigniors at once? If his father emperor failed, what might await Great Sum could very well be the disaster of national extinction. After pondering the situation, Lu Chen turned to Liang Zong and instructed, ¡°Continue to monitor the situation. Inform me immediately if there is any news.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. This subordinate takes his leave.¡± Liang Zong, having spoken, turned and left the study. After Liang Zong¡¯s departure, Lu Chen muttered to himself, ¡°I hope my stance can temporarily stabilize the situation in Great Sum. It¡¯s not yet the right time.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen quickly realized that if he only submitted his memorial, once his father emperor became aware of it, his own stance would surely be suppressed. His father emperor would prefer to see Seigniors rise in rebellion; how could he allow anyone to disrupt his plans? Merely submitting a memorial was likely pointless. Thinking of this, Lu Chen immediately called out to the maid at the doorway of the study, ¡°Go to the Eastern Newspaper Agency, ask Ms. Dongfang to come here, and tell her that I need to see her about an important matter.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡­ A few days later, the official gazette of the North Country released an article titled ¡°North Prince¡¯s Announcement to the People of Great Sum.¡± The content was quite simple and easy to understand. In it, Lu Chen reminded all the commoners of Great Sum that the current situation was chaotic and that if war broke out in Great Sum, they could immediately head to North Country to avoid the turmoil. Moreover, Lu Chen clarified his position, firmly supporting Prince Lu Yi as the Crown Prince, and directly mentioned in the announcement that should anyone with ulterior motives dare to take advantage of the chaos, he would lead his troops southward to quell the rebels. After the ¡°North Prince¡¯s Announcement to the People of Great Sum¡± was published by the North Country official gazette, the Eastern Times quickly released a series of analyses concerning the current situation. In these articles, it was repeatedly mentioned that North Country was suspected to have a military force of six hundred thousand. The release of Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°North Prince¡¯s Announcement to the People of Great Sum¡± swiftly deterred those Seigniors who were restless. With the North Country¡¯s military strength being so formidable, it was clear that the North Prince was not making empty threats. He said he would mobilize troops, and indeed it was a real possibility. Some Seigniors, after evaluating their own strength, decided to stand down and let Zhao Country clash with North Country first. Chapter 530 - Chapter 530: Chapter 313: Trash, all a bunch of trash!_1 Chapter 530: Chapter 313: Trash, all a bunch of trash!_1 Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°North Prince¡¯s Announcement to the People of Great Sum¡± not only made the seigniors within Great Sum¡¯s territory feel extremely upset but also annoyed the major dynasties. Just as Great Sum was about to be thrown into chaos, about to start fighting, out came the ¡°North Prince¡¯s Announcement to the People of Great Sum¡± from North Prince, which directly intimidated the seigniors within Great Sum. For a time, only Zhao King raised troops and headed north, with no other seigniors responding. This also made Zhao King so angry he wished he could charge to the North Country and slaughter Lu Chen himself, watching as his plan was about to succeed, only for this brat to pull such a stunt. Although there were rumors among the common folk that ¡°the North Country does not have a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse,¡± most seigniors dared not gamble on this possibility. In the eyes of those seigniors, North Country already possessed a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse. If North Prince truly led his troops south, it was highly probable that they, the seigniors, would not be a match for him. Since North Prince had already made it clear that he supports Prince Lu Yi, the best method was still to eliminate Prince Lu Yi. In this way, the struggle for succession was once again confined within the Capital city¡¯s limits, and the seigniors could only offer some superficial help, such as providing assassins to murder Prince Lu Yi. Great Xia Dynasty. Capital city, Imperial Palace. Sum Emperor was meditating on his bed with his eyes closed, listening to the Shadow Guard¡¯s report. After hearing the Shadow Guard¡¯s report, Sum Emperor suddenly opened his eyes, staring ahead with wide, furious eyes, and cursed, ¡°Good for nothings, all of them are good for nothings!¡± ¡°Someone just issued an announcement, and it completely scared all of them, what a bunch of useless cowards!¡± The ¡°good for nothings¡± Sum Emperor referred to were evidently those seigniors. He had hoped that those seigniors would rebel and give him enough reason to eliminate them. The most crucial point was that once they started causing trouble, it would surely weaken everyone¡¯s strength. Moreover, his original plan was to lure those seigniors to lead their troops into the Royal Capital. This way, Zhao King¡¯s troops could act from behind and take the opportunity to ambush those seigniors¡¯ feudal states. His plan seemed to be on the verge of success as seigniors from all over had already become restless, all of them thinking of leading their armies into the Royal Capital, being the first to control the city, then to command the other lords by holding the Emperor hostage. But the result was that the announcement from North Prince directly intimidated all the seigniors within Great Sum¡¯s territory. Apart from the chess piece that was Zhao King, not a single seignior decided to rebel, all of them stayed within their own areas, watching the show unfold. The more Emperor thought about it, the angrier he became. However, Sum Emperor soon calmed down. North Prince, unlike those seigniors itching for action, openly declared his support for Prince Lu Yi to be Crown Prince and directly threatened the seigniors, asserting that if any dared to rebel, he would be the one to attack them. This was obviously a move to stabilize the situation in Great Sum. Does this not also mean that North Prince, at heart, really has no plans to head south now to snatch the throne? It looks like Zhuge Zhongguang truly didn¡¯t Break through the Heavenly Human Realm. Otherwise, with North Country¡¯s so-called massive army of five hundred thousand, North Country could totally head south or choose to move south while the seigniors were rebelling, but North Prince did not do so. Instead, he used this threatening method to temporarily stabilize Great Sum¡¯s situation. With this realization, Sum Emperor felt somewhat relieved. As long as Zhuge Zhongguang hadn¡¯t broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm, once he himself broke through, North Country could be destroyed in the blink of an eye. Yet now, all the seigniors within Great Sum¡¯s territory had been cowed by North Prince, and to rouse them into action again to march north would probably not be so easy. The best course of action now was to work from the angle that Zhuge Zhongguang hadn¡¯t broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. The main reason the seigniors feared North Country was due to the presence of a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse. Although North Country¡¯s military might was strong, as long as one could control all of Great Sum, with its foundation, it was fully possible to engage in a war of attrition against North Country. However, the presence of a Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse changed everything. One side with a Heavenly Human being could completely crush the other. The seigniors thought that even if they later occupied the Royal Capital and installed a puppet Emperor, once North Prince marched south, all their efforts would be in vain. Therefore, they preferred not to rebel and wait to see how things would unfold. Sum Emperor¡¯s idea was simple, if he could make the seigniors from various places believe that North Country currently didn¡¯t have a Heavenly Human powerhouse, they would likely be agitated and choose to rebel. However, how could he convince those seigniors that North Country didn¡¯t have a Heavenly Human powerhouse? This matter requires careful planning¡­ ¡­ Several days had passed. Murong Xue¡¯er felt the urgency of time growing, as the Yue Emperor had sent people to hasten her to complete the task. She also wanted to finish the task quickly, but Lu Chen had been staying inside the North Prince Mansion. Before, Lu Chen would still go out to inspect, but these past few days he simply hadn¡¯t come out at all, which made it impossible for her to get close to Lu Chen. In the last few days, Lu Chen had also sent people to deliver her food, necessities, and clothing, as if he truly treated her as a concubine he kept outside. Murong Xue¡¯er felt that she couldn¡¯t go on like this, being so passive and waiting for Lu Chen to take the initiative to find her would be like waiting for an eternity. Since Lu Chen wasn¡¯t taking the initiative to see her, then she would take the initiative to go to the North Prince Mansion to find Lu Chen. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was busy dealing with official documents in the study when the maid¡¯s voice sounded outside the study. ¡°Prince, Miss Murong requests an audience.¡± Hearing this, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly; the cold and aloof woman had finally succumbed to loneliness. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Bring her to the study to see me.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Before long, Murong Xue¡¯er, dressed in white garments with black edges and a black headband, exuding an aura of cool elegance, appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s study. As Murong Xue¡¯er entered Lu Chen¡¯s study and saw him working on official documents, she glanced over the mountainous pile of papers on his desk. Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself, no wonder the North Prince was always staying inside the North Prince Mansion and not going out. With so many documents to process, when would he finish? Perhaps even the Empress couldn¡¯t handle so many in a single day. In the Da Yue Dynasty, most of the official documents were directly handled by the ministers below, only the specially important ones were submitted to the Empress for review. While Murong Xue¡¯er was lost in thought looking at the documents on the desk, Lu Chen put down his fountain pen and looked up at Murong Xue¡¯er, saying, ¡°Miss Murong, you¡¯ve come. My apologies for not noticing earlier. I was deeply focused.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Prince, by coming to see you, have I disturbed you from your duties?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Not at all, I have actually been hoping Miss Murong would come to see me.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen rose from his chair and walked straight towards Murong Xue¡¯er. Upon approaching Murong Xue¡¯er, he didn¡¯t touch her but said, ¡°Miss Murong, please follow me; let¡¯s talk somewhere else.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself, that made sense; the North Prince¡¯s study likely contained many secrets, so he didn¡¯t want to meet with her there to avoid her stealing any secrets from the North Prince Mansion. Murong Xue¡¯er immediately replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Then Lu Chen walked toward the lounge next to the study. Although the study¡¯s lounge was cleaned and had its bedding changed daily by the maids, it hadn¡¯t been used for quite some time. Since Murong Xue¡¯er had taken the initiative to come to him that day, it seemed appropriate to make use of the lounge. If it remained unused, wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of the servants¡¯ hard work? Chapter 531 - Chapter 531: Chapter 314: Prince, Please Trouble Yourself_1 Chapter 531: Chapter 314: Prince, Please Trouble Yourself_1 Murong Xue¡¯er had no idea what Lu Chen was thinking; she even assumed that Lu Chen was merely taking her to some pavilion to enjoy tea. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Murong Xue¡¯er to realize that something was amiss, after all, they hadn¡¯t left the study but had moved from the study to another room. After Murong Xue¡¯er followed Lu Chen into the resting room, she glanced around the entire space, noting that the layout of this resting room was no different from a bedroom. Curious, Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°Prince, do you usually sleep in this room?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Not really, this is just a resting room adjacent to the study. When I feel tired from dealing with official documents, I would take a short rest here.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen walked up to the round tea table, picked up the teapot from the table, poured a cup of tea for Murong Xue¡¯er, and then asked, ¡°Miss Murong, I wonder if you have tried the tea I sent you?¡± Upon hearing this question, Murong Xue¡¯er immediately said, ¡°I¡¯ve tried it, thank you, Prince, for giving me such precious tea.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I injured Miss Murong last time at the Hundred Flowers Tower, so this tea serves as my compensation.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen picked up the tea cup from the table and placed it in front of Murong Xue¡¯er, then carefully lifted his own cup and took a delicate sip of the tea. After taking a sip, Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°Miss Murong, may I ask what brings you to see me this time?¡± Upon hearing this question, Murong Xue¡¯er smiled wryly, then asked, ¡°Must I have serious business to come see the Prince?¡± Lu Chen gazed into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s clear eyes and said with a smile, ¡°Of course not. Miss Murong is welcome in the Prince¡¯s Mansion at any time, however¡­¡± At this point, Lu Chen paused, then continued, ¡°However, as an emissary of Great Jue, being too close to me may affect your reputation if word of it gets back to Great Jue.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the Prince cared for me so much.¡± ¡°But rest assured, Prince, I wore a veil when I came to the North Prince Mansion, and very few people know about it.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then I am relieved.¡± At this time, Murong Xue¡¯er took the initiative to say, ¡°Prince, I came to see you because the Empress has summoned me to return for a debriefing. Therefore, I wanted to admire your calligraphy once more before I leave North Country. Is that possible?¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words, Lu Chen was momentarily startled, then he asked, ¡°Return to Great Jue for debriefing?¡± ¡°Will you come back to North Country?¡± Lu Chen thought, this woman had finally gotten close to him, and without obtaining any secrets of the North Prince Mansion, was she willing to leave just like that? Murong Xue¡¯er answered, ¡°I am not sure about that; it will depend on Her Majesty¡¯s wishes.¡± Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°Now that your Virgin Mark is gone, if you go back and the Yue Emperor inspects you, won¡¯t she find out that you lost your virginity in North Country?¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Murong Xue¡¯er immediately sighed and pretended to worry, ¡°I have also been concerned about this matter for the past few days.¡± ¡°If the Empress finds out I¡¯ve lost my virginity, she might never let me return to North Country or might even dispose of me. The Empress detests impurity the most.¡± Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Actually, I have an idea that might help you deceive the Yue Emperor.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Please tell me, Prince, what is it?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. Since the Virgin Mark is gone, why not just paint another one?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Murong Xue¡¯er hesitated to say more. It must be said, Lu Chen¡¯s imagination was quite rich. The Virgin Mark wasn¡¯t something simply painted on; if it were, a bath would wash it away. Could it be that she hadn¡¯t bathed since returning to Great Jue? Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Prince really has a way with words. A painted Virgin Mark cannot even touch water. Does the Prince expect me not to bathe for the entire time I am back in Great Jue?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Miss Murong misunderstands, although the Virgin Mark is painted on, I have special ways to ensure it does not fade easily.¡± ¡°Does Miss Murong remember when at Hundred Flowers Tower last time, the words I wrote on Miss Murong¡¯s body didn¡¯t blur despite Miss Murong being drenched in sweat?¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er realized what he meant. After Lu Chen left the Hundred Flowers Tower last time, she immediately asked her maidservant to bring hot water for bathing, yet the words Lu Chen wrote on her body took great effort to wash off. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Although I can paint the Virgin Mark, I have forgotten what it looks like; does Miss Murong still remember it?¡± ¡°If Miss Murong has also forgotten, then this matter becomes troublesome.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°I naturally remember the Virgin Mark. Please provide me with paper and brush, and I can draw it right now.¡± No sooner had Murong Xue¡¯er finished speaking than Lu Chen raised his hand and performed an act of telekinesis, and in the next moment, a full set of paper, ink, brush, and inkstone flew to the table in front of them from inside the study. Murong Xue¡¯er did not hesitate and picked up the brush to begin drawing the Virgin Mark on the pure white paper. Murong Xue¡¯er was very aware that, although the Yue Emperor meant for her to seduce the North Prince with her body and tease out the secrets of the North Prince Mansion, she knew if she lost her virginity, the Yue Emperor would certainly feel disgust towards her. Having been with the Yue Emperor since she was young, how could she not know what kind of person the Yue Emperor was. Therefore, she truly hoped that Lu Chen could paint a convincing Virgin Mark, one that could deceive the Yue Emperor. In doing so, she could use her beauty to tempt Lu Chen to complete her mission without alienating the Yue Emperor. In the future, when she returned to Great Jue, she would still be able to receive the Emperor¡¯s favor. It just wasn¡¯t certain if the Virgin Mark Lu Chen painted could fool the Yue Emperor. Murong Xue¡¯er quickly finished drawing the Virgin Mark on paper. Seeing the Virgin Mark on the paper, Lu Chen said with a smile to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Miss Murong, please disrobe, and I will paint the Virgin Mark on you now.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er did not hesitate either, starting to undress in front of Lu Chen, as they had already been intimate before, and he had seen all of her; she felt indifferent about it now. She came today intending to use her body to extract information about the North Prince Mansion from Lu Chen. It wasn¡¯t just a matter of him looking; before long, Lu Chen would also be getting hands-on. She was a woman of awareness, so she undressed with resolve and as Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gown slipped from her shoulders, revealing her white undergarments gradually parting, her flat and fair belly appeared before Lu Chen. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s jade-like body, Lu Chen, who was originally calm, instantly stirred. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er made her way to the bed and slowly lay down, ¡°Prince, you have the trouble now.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and after scanning the exquisite view before him, he began to move the brush infused with his spiritual power slowly across Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s belly. Lu Chen was earnest with every stroke, and it wasn¡¯t long before Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Virgin Mark reappeared on her belly¡ªalbeit a painted one, serving no real purpose. Chapter 532 - Chapter 532: Chapter 315 Are You Ready with the Reward_1 Chapter 532: Chapter 315 Are You Ready with the Reward_1 After finishing the Virgin Mark, Lu Chen¡¯s hand gently caressed the snow-white and smooth skin in front of him, and Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly felt a warm current enter her body, causing her heart to feel incredibly agitated. When Lu Chen was using the brush to paint the Virgin Mark, her body had already been stimulated, but she had been holding herself together. She hadn¡¯t expected that just having Lu Chen paint on her flesh would provoke such a strange reaction. At this moment, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Miss Murong, it¡¯s finished. Take a look and see if it resembles the original. If it doesn¡¯t, I can redraw it.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er slowly propped herself up and looked towards her abdomen. The moment she looked, her gaze didn¡¯t fall on her lower abdomen but instead lingered on Lu Chen. Seeing something unusual about Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er chuckled softly and then teased, ¡°Prince, it seems your mind wasn¡¯t fully on the painting just now, was it?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Regardless of whether my mind was on the painting or not, I have finished. You should check if it resembles the original first.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er then redirected her gaze back to her lower abdomen, and at that moment, she saw that the Virgin Mark had been completely restored, looking no different from the original one. However, there was one significant problem¡­ Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°Your painting is very similar indeed, Prince, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Just what?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°The Virgin Mark is supposed to be red, but the one drawn with ink is black.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s simple. The day before you return to the Great Jue Dynasty, I¡¯ll have someone prepare some red pigment, and then I can repaint it for you.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Prince.¡± As she spoke, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gaze once again swept across Lu Chen¡¯s form. ¡°Prince, I would like to admire your calligraphy again. I wonder¡­¡± Before Murong Xue¡¯er could finish, Lu Chen directly tossed the brush aside and then pressed down on her, looming over her formidably. The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly, revealing a hint of a wicked smile, ¡°Miss Murong, to see my writing, you need to provide some compensation. I wonder if you are ready to offer it.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, how could Murong Xue¡¯er not understand what he was implying? She raised her delicate hand to cover her mouth, smiling playfully, ¡°Since I¡¯ve come to the Prince myself, naturally I am prepared with compensation. Please, take whatever you desire as payment.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself that she would first accommodate Lu Chen, and when he was completely spent, she would then start asking him some questions, seeking to draw some information out of him. If she were to ask directly now, it would easily arouse Lu Chen¡¯s suspicions, and it was unlikely to yield any crucial information either. When Lu Chen was spent, his vigilance would diminish, and that would be the time to ask him questions, which he might not notice then. It was clear that Murong Xue¡¯er had yet to realize the true extent of Lu Chen¡¯s power. Although she had felt a portion of his strength during their last encounter at the Hundred Flowers Tower, she thought that was his limit and she was still underestimating him. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er still smiling, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation, Lu Chen slowly undressed while saying with a laugh, ¡°Since Miss Murong has prepared the compensation, I won¡¯t be courteous. I just hope you won¡¯t regret it later.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Having the chance to observe the Prince¡¯s writing is an honor for me. How could I feel at a loss?¡± As Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice faded, Lu Chen bent down and captured her red lips with his own. Unlike last time at the Hundred Flowers Tower, this time Lu Chen used the Rejuvenating Skill to help heal Murong Xue¡¯er, planning to foster a deep relationship with her, ideally until the next morning. He had not healed Murong Xue¡¯er at the Hundred Flowers Tower previously because he was afraid she would reveal his abilities. Now that Murong Xue¡¯er had drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, he no longer feared her intentionally exposing his powers, and this time he used the Rejuvenating Skill right from the start. With the continuous use of the Rejuvenating Skill, the healing wasn¡¯t particularly noticeable. Murong Xue¡¯er might even be unaware of her body being healed throughout the process, so she would feel no discomfort afterward. As Lu Chen¡¯s kisses persisted, Murong Xue¡¯er was becoming somewhat dazed. She enjoyed the sensation and thought to herself that since she had already lost her virginity, she might as well relax and enjoy it as long as she could awaken quickly afterward. With this thought in mind, Murong Xue¡¯er began to actively reciprocate Lu Chen¡¯s kisses, raising her long jade arms to wrap around his sturdy waist. Both had now completely let go of any thoughts, pursuing only the purest of pleasures. After an unknown length of time, Murong Xue¡¯er was thoroughly lost, completely forgetting the purpose of her visit. ¡­ Meanwhile. Within Great Sum territory. Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain almost simultaneously experienced odd phenomena, two beams of light shooting from these mighty forces into the sky, followed by billowing dark clouds, as if the heavens were about to collapse. Witnessing this scene, the disciples of Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain were ecstatic, believing it was their ancient ancestor breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Although Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain had kept a low profile recently, their disciples were often seen traversing the Great Sum territory, well aware of events occurring within it. According to their intelligence, the appearance of light pillars and strange occurrences typically signified the birth of a Celestial Realm powerhouse. After the phenomenon in the North Country, Zhuge Zhongguang had his breakthrough to the Celestial Realm. Following the odd occurrence at the Imperial Palace, it was rumored in the Capital City that someone from the Sum Emperor¡¯s royal family had reached the Celestial Realm. Now, the same phenomena have appeared on their own turf, meaning that they, too, supposedly had a Celestial Realm powerhouse to preside over them. The idea that their Sect Forces had a Celestial Realm powerhouse at their helm made the disciples restless, having held back for far too long. Ever since the Mysterious Moon Palace boasted a Celestial Realm powerhouse, all the Sect Forces within the Great Sum territory had been incredibly cautious, fearing to provoke Mysterious Moon Palace. For years, their secular forces had been oppressed by Mysterious Moon Palace, and in the end, they could only suffer in silence. But now, with a Celestial Realm powerhouse of their own, they would no longer fear the disciples of Mysterious Moon Palace. The news of phenomena at Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain spread to many forces overnight. Not only the disciples from these two mountains, but other forces as well, mistakenly thought that these two Sect Forces now simultaneously possessed Celestial Realm powerhouses. People couldn¡¯t help but be curious. It had been years since the Celestial Realm powerhouse of Mysterious Moon Palace had appeared, with no others emerging in the meantime. How come since Zhuge Zhongguang attained Celestial Realm status, so many others had suddenly become Celestial Realm powerhouses? Chapter 533 - Chapter 533: Chapter 316: North Prince, that bastard, is a real beast!_1 Chapter 533: Chapter 316: North Prince, that bastard, is a real beast!_1 Lu Chen still had no idea what had happened on Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain, as all his focus was now on Murong Xue¡¯er, trying to make her fall into his trap. At this point, Murong Xue¡¯er had completely fallen from grace. Her mind was a blank slate, having given up even the thought of thinking. It wasn¡¯t until the next morning when she came to her senses that she realized it was already the next day and she had not completed her mission. Originally, she had intended to seduce Lu Chen in order to probe into the secrets of the North Prince Mansion, but she had spent all night immersed in that matter. No¡­ that wasn¡¯t it. It wasn¡¯t because she had been immersed in that matter all night, but because she simply had no opportunity to ask Lu Chen about the secrets of the North Prince Mansion. That guy, Lu Chen, had not given her any time to breathe, her mind was always in a haze; she was in no state to think about probing the secrets of the North Prince Mansion. At this thought, Murong Xue¡¯er clenched her teeth. The North Prince was such a bastard, a real beast! After cursing Lu Chen in her heart, Murong Xue¡¯er looked down at her body and saw, just like that last time at the Hundred Flowers Tower, it was covered in writing. Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat taken aback; the beast had managed to do those things to her while also covering her body with so much writing. She seemed completely oblivious when he was writing on her. She wasn¡¯t sure if he wrote all that while he was misbehaving last night or after she had fallen asleep. But none of that mattered now. Murong Xue¡¯er scanned the room, Lu Chen was nowhere to be seen, and she was alone in the resting room. Murong Xue¡¯er felt a small surge of emotion. It seemed that in the eyes of the North Prince, she had truly become nothing more than a concubine for him to vent his desires on. Used and discarded, he had vanished without a trace. Murong Xue¡¯er sighed. She would have to return to report for her duty soon and wondered if she could complete part of her mission before going back to Great Jue. If she could not unearth anything before her return, she would likely be punished by the Empress. After all, she had been in the North Country for so long without bringing back any information, the Empress would surely consider her incompetent. While Murong Xue¡¯er was sighing, a figure suddenly appeared in the room. Seeing Lu Chen reappear, Murong Xue¡¯er finally relaxed, thinking this asshole at least knew to come back; she had thought he had left for good after taking advantage of her. Lu Chen gave Murong Xue¡¯er a quick glance and with a smile said, ¡°Miss Murong, what do you think of my handwriting?¡± Hearing this question, Murong Xue¡¯er was irritated, but she still smiled at Lu Chen, ¡°Your Highness, your words are as majestic as a dragon, strong and upright.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Thank you for the compliment, Miss Murong.¡± At this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Miss Murong must be hungry by now. I have had some food prepared. Why not eat something before you go?¡± Go? Hearing these words from Lu Chen, a surge of anger welled up inside Murong Xue¡¯er. She had come to uncover the secrets of the North Prince Mansion and instead, had been consumed by Lu Chen for a whole day and night without finding out anything, and now she was just supposed to leave? She suddenly felt incredibly shortchanged. Murong Xue¡¯er quickly replied, ¡°No need, I still have important matters to attend to, thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.¡± As she spoke, Murong Xue¡¯er got up to get dressed. Right now, she felt particularly dirty and needed to hurry back for a bath to wash away all the filth from her body. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er getting dressed, Lu Chen didn¡¯t try to keep her. Instead, he reminded her, ¡°Before Miss Murong returns to Great Jue to report for duty, come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion once more. I will make sure to restore your Virgin Mark.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied indifferently, ¡°Then I shall trouble you, Your Highness.¡± With that, Murong Xue¡¯er fastened her sash and then walked towards the door of the resting room, saying, ¡°Your Highness, unless there is anything else, I will be leaving for today.¡± ¡°` Lu Chen said, ¡°Good, I will have someone take you there.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen ordered the maids to prepare a carriage and used it to send Murong Xue¡¯er back to the Great Jue Mansion. Upon returning to the mansion, Murong Xue¡¯er quickly had someone bring hot water for a bath. As she scrubbed her body, she exercised her internal energy to expel the impurities from within. At this moment, her mind replayed the events of the previous night. Although she had been almost incapable of coherent thought then, the memories of those sensations lingered in her mind. Murong Xue¡¯er felt puzzled. As a grandmaster, how could she lack all self-control, completely led by Lu Chen¡¯s whims? This simply wouldn¡¯t do. If she were to lose control like this each time she visited the North Prince, how would she gather intelligence? How could she fulfill her mission? Yet, judging from last night¡¯s events, as soon as she was in Lu Chen¡¯s bed, she completely lost the initiative, her actions no longer her own to decide. That beast of a North Prince, so adept at handling women¡ªshe had already experienced it once at the Hundred Flowers Tower, and now again last night, she would no longer underestimate the North Prince. Murong Xue¡¯er fell into deep thought, planning that the next time she saw Lu Chen, she would try to obtain the information she wanted while still clear-minded and not so easily give her body away again. She had to find a way to keep Lu Chen on the hook. ¡­ Half a month later. In the North Country, Hall of Political Affairs. The atmosphere in the hall today was tense. The officials had been silent for a long time, and even Lu Chen, the Prince, sat on his throne in contemplation. After a while, Lu Chen finally broke the silence, ¡°It seems it¡¯s time for me to tell you all the truth.¡± At these words, the officials were momentarily startled. The truth? What truth? Had the Prince deceived them about something? Why would the Prince need to deceive them without cause? As the court officials puzzled over the meaning of Lu Chen¡¯s words, he continued, ¡°Just as the recent rumors among the populace, Zhuge Zhongguang has indeed not achieved a breakthrough into the Heavenly Human Realm. His current realm is that of the Pseudo-Celestial Realm.¡± As soon as this was said, everyone in the hall was stunned. Zhuge Zhongguang hadn¡¯t broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm? So the rumors outside were true. No wonder the North Prince had not marched south to vie for the throne; the North Country did not, in fact, have a Celestial-level expert in residence. Does this mean that when the North Prince announced Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s alleged breakthrough, it was simply a ruse to intimidate Great Sum? Recently, news of individuals breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm in Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain had spread throughout Great Sum and several other empires. But soon, there were messages claiming that the elders of Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain had not achieved a breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm at all. They merely possessed the opportunity to make the breakthrough and still needed to pass the trials of the Heavenly Dao. Once this news was disseminated, people quickly associated it with the anomalies observed in the North Country and the Imperial Palace of Great Sum. If the elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain hadn¡¯t broken through, could it be that neither had Zhuge Zhongguang of the North Country nor that member of the Great Sum imperial family? This news spread rapidly; in just a few days, it was common talk among the people of the North Country that Zhuge Zhongguang had not truly reached the Heavenly Human Realm. Lu Chen was no fool; he had already guessed who was behind the spread of this information. Seeing that the officials of the North Country were doubting the authenticity of the news, Lu Chen decided not to pretend any longer and directly disclosed that Zhuge Zhongguang had not achieved the breakthrough. ¡°` Chapter 534 - Chapter 534: Chapter 317: Time to Show Off Muscles_1 Chapter 534: Chapter 317: Time to Show Off Muscles_1 Since Lu Chen dared to speak out, he obviously wasn¡¯t afraid of the consequences that the news might bring; after all, the North Country now truly had a Celestial Boundary Powerhouse in residence. More and more people now had the opportunity to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm, and it was obvious that Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s situation could no longer be concealed. Someone in the Great Sum Imperial Palace had embarked on the Path of Unity, and the old ancestors from both Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain had also begun this path. Unless they were fools, there was no way they couldn¡¯t guess what Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s current situation was. Continuing to hide it was nothing more than deceiving their own people. Lu Chen initially claimed that Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm in order to strategically deceive potential enemies, not their own people. Now that Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s situation was about to be exposed, there was no further need for secrecy. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, it took a while for the officials in the great hall to recover their senses. If North Country were to lose a Celestial Boundary Powerhouse, it would no longer be able to deter Great Sum, nor the Seigniors within its borders; maybe it wouldn¡¯t be long before a civil war would erupt in Great Sum. Not to mention, North Country could likely fall into crisis itself. During this period, other dynasties had already perceived the threat that a future North Country could pose. The main reason they had not dared to do anything against North Country was because they believed it had a Celestial Boundary Powerhouse in place. If they were to learn that North Country didn¡¯t have a Celestial Boundary Powerhouse, they would probably think of eliminating the major threat of North Country immediately. At this point, Li Rui stood up and said, ¡°Prince, we cannot let the other dynasties, especially Great Wu Kingdom, know about this.¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°It can no longer be concealed. Now that Grandmasters who have stepped onto the Path of Unity appear in Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain, other dynasties will sooner or later guess that North Country is bluffing.¡± ¡°Instead of thinking about how to continue hiding it, we might as well start preparing early for the trouble that is likely to come.¡± Hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang, who was seated in front of the officials, spoke up, ¡°The Prince is right, venerable one; there is indeed no need to continue hiding the fact that I have not broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°If we keep hiding it, it might lead some forces to believe that today¡¯s North Country is strong on the outside but weak on the inside, and can only deter other forces with lies.¡± In Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s view, North Country had already passed its most difficult time. The reason they had gone to great lengths to hint that Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm was mainly out of fear that, after dealing with the Aristocratic Families, the Sum Emperor would immediately lead his army north to attack North Country; at that time, North Country was not ready for a war with the court, so they had to resort to this method to deter the Great Sum court. Now with the various Seigniors in the Great Sum court getting restless, and the succession crisis reaching a fever pitch, the Sum Emperor, before thinking of attacking North Country, had first to subdue the other Seigniors within Great Sum, and then suppress the succession crisis. With so much on the Sum Emperor¡¯s plate, there was no time to deal with North Country; as for whether the other dynasties would take action against North Country at this time, Zhuge Zhongguang wasn¡¯t worried at all. On the contrary, Zhuge Zhongguang believed that during this time when the Sum Emperor was too preoccupied to handle North Country, North Country should have a few confrontations with potential hostile forces. Only by truly drawing one¡¯s sword could they let the others realize what North Country¡¯s strength really entailed. North Country has developed so rapidly that it can no longer be concealed; it is impossible to continue living in a corner of the world, so the best approach is to show off muscle, to display one¡¯s own strength. Moreover, even though he had not managed to break through the Heavenly Human Realm, North Country still had a Celestial Boundary Powerhouse in presence, so there was no need to worry about North Country not being able to match these hostile forces. After hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, when Mu Changtian also stood up and said, ¡°Prince, I believe the Great Scholar makes a lot of sense. Great Wu Kingdom was already planning to join forces with Great Jue to oppose Great Sum. Once Great Wu finds out North Country doesn¡¯t have a Celestial Boundary Powerhouse in command, they might take the initiative to attack North Country, wishing to eliminate it directly, to prevent North Country from becoming a threat to Great Wu in the future.¡± ¡°Even if we do not initiate the war, Great Wu is quite likely to wage war. Since this is the case, we should make preparations in advance.¡± Mu Changtian represented the soldiers from the North Country who had later joined the army. These soldiers were thirsty for achievements and honors, longing for military glory; hence, they were the faction most supportive of waging war. The current military was also divided into two factions. One faction consisted of soldiers systematically summoned, who staunchly supported all of Lu Chen¡¯s decisions. The other faction was the radical group represented by Mu Changtian. Upon hearing that the Great Scholar, Zhuge Zhongguang, intended to go to war, Mu Changtian was the happiest, because only then could they prove their worth and verify the combat capabilities of their army. In the past, they had always been the defenders. For them, defending was much easier compared to taking the offensive. Although they had defeated the Tianqi King¡¯s army last time, the soldiers from Mu Changtian¡¯s faction felt that their true fighting power had not been fully utilized. Therefore, they were eager for the North Country to wage war once again. Lu Chen was clearly aware of this situation but was not concerned about the consequences this group of soldiers might bring; an army needed to have fiery blood with a majority of hawks. If all the soldiers in an army were doves, then what was the point of battling at all? At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Starting today, the North Country enters a state of martial readiness. The border troops must stay alert to the situations at the Great Jue and the Great Wu borders at all times.¡± ¡°If Great Wu and Great Jue decide to make a move against the North Country, then indeed, it¡¯s time for us to flex our muscles.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s declaration, the pro-war faction within the hall was extremely excited. After the small morning court session ended, Lu Chen returned to his study and summoned all the generals of the North Country to further discuss military deployment. By the time the military conference concluded, it was already midday. It was then that a maid guarding the door entered the study and said to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, Miss Murong has visited.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback before asking, ¡°Where is she now?¡± The maid answered, ¡°Miss Murong has already left. She said she would visit you when you are free, but she left a message for you. She said she would be returning to Great Jue in a few days to report back on her duties.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that it seemed Murong Xue¡¯er had come to bid him farewell and, incidentally, to gather some intelligence from him. With that in mind, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Send someone to the Great Jue Mansion. Tell Miss Murong that I will be free this afternoon and, if possible, she can come to see me then.¡± The maid said, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± After the maid had left, Lu Chen did not stay in the study any longer as it was time for lunch. The afternoon. The Eastern Newspaper Agency published an article about the Martial Arts Realm. For the first time, the article introduced the realm of Grandmaster at the Zenith, a realm lying below the Heavenly Human Realm but above that of a Grandmaster. The news that Zhuge Zhongguang had not broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm spread rapidly in Yan County, and it was only now that people realized the Eastern Newspaper Agency and the official newspaper of the North Country had played a trick on the populace. Both newspapers had announced Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough, but they never specified that he had reached the Heavenly Human Realm. Now, people suddenly discovered the existence of the Zenith Realm above the Grandmaster, feeling as though they had been hoodwinked. Chapter 535 - Chapter 535: Chapter 318: From now on, treat the Princes Mansion as your own home_1 Chapter 535: Chapter 318: From now on, treat the Prince¡¯s Mansion as your own home_1 Following the Eastern Newspaper Agency¡¯s article on the Martial Arts Realm distinctions, nearly everyone in Yan County came to believe that the North Country didn¡¯t have anyone in the Celestial Realm and had always been bluffing. For a time, spies from various countries were overjoyed, and they immediately relayed the news that Zhuge Zhongguang had not broken through to the Celestial Realm back to their respective forces or nations. Murong Xue¡¯er also read the article published by the Eastern Times at the first opportunity. Although she too felt that it might be true that the North Country lacked a Celestial Realm powerhouse, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that something was amiss. Lately, indeed, many in the Great Xia Dynasty had been spreading the word that Zhuge Zhongguang had failed to break into the Celestial Realm and had only entered the Pseudo Celestial state, needing to pass some Heavenly Dao test to become a true Celestial. Their evidence was that neither of the two old ancestors from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain had managed the breakthrough either. It appeared that nobody from the Great Sum royal family had reached the Celestial Realm as well. Facing the same phenomenon, and with three of them failing to break through to the Celestial Realm, by what reasoning could Zhuge Zhongguang have succeeded? Thus, more and more people doubted the authenticity of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s realm. But those were still just rumors, and whether Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through was something people could only guess at. Now the Eastern Times from the North Country had suddenly published an article on the classification of the Martial Arts Realm. Wasn¡¯t it telling the people that the previous report from the Eastern Times about Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough was just because he reached the Zenith Realm of a Grandmaster, and not the Celestial Realm? Murong Xue¡¯er was puzzled, for articles in the Eastern Times had to be reviewed by the North Prince Mansion, and the fact that this piece on the Martial Arts Realm distinctions was published meant it had been approved by the North Prince Mansion. Why would the North Prince Mansion release such material that seemed disadvantageous to the North Country? Even if people harbored doubts about Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s breakthrough to the Celestial Realm, as long as the North Prince Mansion didn¡¯t officially clarify the matter, people wouldn¡¯t dare to bet on it. But now that the North Prince Mansion had allowed the Eastern Times to release the article on realm distinctions, weren¡¯t they indirectly telling people that Zhuge Zhongguang indeed hadn¡¯t become a true Celestial? The North Prince couldn¡¯t be unaware of the impact this would have. For a country like the North Country, with its rapid growth, enormous potential, and immense threat, the moment it was without a Celestial to stand guard, other dynasties would never tolerate its continued existence. For these reasons, Murong Xue¡¯er felt even more that something was amiss. In her view, this article on the Martial Arts Realm distinctions shouldn¡¯t have appeared in the newspaper at all; the North Prince Mansion wouldn¡¯t have allowed the Eastern Newspaper Agency to publish such a thing. For a moment, Murong Xue¡¯er sensed the aroma of conspiracy. Luckily, Lu Chen had asked her to come see him in the afternoon, which would provide her with an excellent opportunity to inquire. Perhaps she might uncover some intelligence about Zhuge Zhongguang. The afternoon arrived. Lu Chen was busy in his study, handling official documents. Since the news about Zhuge Zhongguang not being a Celestial was out, the North Country would soon face various challenges, so Lu Chen had to prepare in advance. The next few days were bound to be hectic for him. As Lu Chen was immersed in his paperwork, the voice of a maid came through, ¡°Prince, Miss Murong requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen put down his pen and stretched lazily before responding, ¡°Let her in.¡± The next moment, the door to the study opened, and Murong Xue¡¯er entered. Seeing her cool and stunningly beautiful face, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. In the past, whenever he was tired from dealing with documents in the study, it had been Wang Qingci who would come to ease his fatigue and help him relax. Now that Wang Qingci was pregnant, she rarely visited the study, and it seemed that Murong Xue¡¯er was the one who relieved his stress. Whenever Lu Chen considered that Murong Xue¡¯er was a high-ranking minister next to the Empress and was known as the Inner Palace Prime Minister, a conquering desire stirred in his heart. To Lu Chen, identity was an asset. For instance, the identity of Chen Wanrong as Princess of the Defeated Country, the status of Wang Qingci as a Female Slave, or the title of Yelv Nanyan as a Prince¡¯s wife¡ªall these identities were thrilling to him. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er greeted him politely, ¡°This commoner pays respect to the North Prince!¡± Lu Chen immediately walked over to her, took her arm, and said, ¡°Miss Murong need not be so formal. In the future, when you come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, consider it as your own home.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er inwardly sneered. The North Prince truly regarded her as his concubine. At this moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Miss Murong has come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion this time, surely to have me restore the Virgin Mark, right?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Indeed, I wonder if the Prince has prepared the pigment? I must return to Great Jue to report in a few days.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I have had it prepared long ago. Rest assured, Miss Murong. Today I will fully restore your Virgin Mark, ensuring that once you return, the Yue Emperor will not detect anything.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen headed toward the rest area beside the study, speaking as he walked, ¡°Please follow me, Miss Murong.¡± Watching the broad back of Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er hesitated for a moment, her mind instantly recalling what had happened in that rest area some time before. Apprehension began to grow in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart. She feared that in a moment¡¯s time, she might again forget her true concerns; this man was very skilled in dealing with women. Once she fell into his hands, it wasn¡¯t certain that she could remain lucid. She had to find out the information she was seeking before Lu Chen did that sort of thing with her. With this thought, Murong Xue¡¯er made up her mind that before she obtained the intelligence she sought, she absolutely could not let the North Prince touch her. Afterward, Murong Xue¡¯er followed Lu Chen into the rest area. Entering the rest area, Lu Chen picked up the teapot from the table and poured Murong Xue¡¯er a cup of tea, then asked, ¡°Miss Murong, after you return this time, when will you come back to North Country again?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er answered, ¡°I¡¯m not certain; it depends on whether His Majesty is still angry with me.¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s reply, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I would rather hope that the Yue Emperor continues to be angry with you; that way, you would return to North Country once more.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er grinned and then said, ¡°It seems the North Prince really does consider me your concubine.¡± Looking into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen said, ¡°Concubine? Miss Murong misunderstands; I have never regarded you as a concubine. In my eyes, Miss Murong can now be counted as my wife.¡± These words stunned Murong Xue¡¯er. Wife? Did this man really think this way? Laughing, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°That may not be the case. If the Prince truly considered me your wife, why then would you have anything to hide from me?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er saw an opportunity; she could continue along this line of conversation and meanwhile take the chance to gather some information about Zhuge Zhongguang from Lu Chen. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Hide? Miss Murong, what do you believe I have concealed from you?¡± At this, Lu Chen approached Murong Xue¡¯er, and she immediately felt the pressure. She was very worried that Lu Chen would suddenly make a move on her. If she didn¡¯t acquire the information she sought before Lu Chen made any moves, there was a high chance that she would, like last time, lose herself and then be unable to stay lucid afterward. Just then, Lu Chen suddenly whispered into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s ear, ¡°Miss Murong, I know that you were sent by the Yue Emperor to approach me on purpose.¡± ¡°Speak, whatever you want to know, I can tell you.¡± ¡­ Chapter 536 - Chapter 536: Chapter 319: Why is the Prince So Confident?_1 Chapter 536: Chapter 319: Why is the Prince So Confident?_1 Murong Xue¡¯er was about to return to the Great Jue, and Lu Chen had also decided to stop performing this charade with Murong Xue¡¯er. When Murong Xue¡¯er entered the study, he glanced at her favorability. The favorability of Murong Xue¡¯er towards him had already reached ninety-five; continuing the act was meaningless. It was better to be straightforward and lay his cards on the table. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, a jolt went through Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart. She had not expected Lu Chen to have always been so aware of her true purpose. But then again, she herself was a favorite of the Empress, and suddenly she was sent to the North Country. Moreover, she had found a way to get close to the North Prince, and had so easily given herself to him. It was only natural that the North Prince would harbor some suspicions. Although she realized her purpose might have been perceived by Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er still wanted to continue the pretense. She wasn¡¯t certain if Lu Chen was attempting to deceive her. What if Lu Chen was bluffing? If she simply admitted it, wouldn¡¯t she be falling for his trick? Being a person close to the Empress, she was quick-minded. Besides, Murong Xue¡¯er had an exceptionally strong mental fortitude. She quickly steadied her mind and didn¡¯t seem nervous at all. When ordinary people are exposed, they would likely become extremely flustered, yet Murong Xue¡¯er maintained a calm demeanor and said, ¡°Prince, are you doubting me?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It is not doubt; I am quite certain you are a spy sent by the Yue Emperor.¡± With a smile, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Since the Prince believes I am sent by the Emperor, why didn¡¯t you refuse my invitation from that night at the Hundred Flowers Tower? Aren¡¯t you afraid of leaking the secrets of the North Prince Mansion?¡± At that moment, Lu Chen lifted his hand, cupping Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s chin, and while looking into her eyes, said, ¡°You all have used the beauty trap; do you not know that I am a lecherous man?¡± ¡°Since a beauty has presented herself at my doorstep, why would I refuse?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er gradually realized that something was off. Lu Chen probably had indeed discovered the reason for her presence in the North Country. Nevertheless, she could not admit it, even if Lu Chen had already guessed. Soon after, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a soft sigh and said, ¡°I simply admire the Prince, attracted by your heroic stance, never expecting to be misunderstood by you as having ulterior motives. Prince, you truly hurt my feelings.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the Prince consider that with my sensitive identity, if I truly were sent by the Emperor to get close to you, wouldn¡¯t it have been immediately obvious to you? How could I possibly carry out the task of stealing secrets from the North Prince Mansion?¡± Lu Chen chuckled to himself; Murong Xue¡¯er was trying to reverse the psychological warfare on him. Then Lu Chen wrapped an arm around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s waist, pulling her close from behind. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s delicate body trembled slightly. Initially, she had wanted to keep her distance from Lu Chen, but now that he had guessed her purpose in the North Country, she could not afford to act rashly. If she were to act rashly at this moment, it would confirm her ulterior motives for coming to the North Country. During this time, Lu Chen continued to whisper in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s ear, ¡°Xue¡¯er, regardless of whether the Yue Emperor sent you or if you offered yourself to me, it doesn¡¯t matter to me. I just want you to stay, to become my woman.¡± At the sound of Lu Chen¡¯s endearment, Murong Xue¡¯er felt a tremble in her heart and an overwhelming sense of numbness throughout her body. As Murong Xue¡¯er came back to her senses and was about to keep up her deception, Lu Chen continued, ¡°I have no intention of continuing this charade with you. Not only do I know you were sent by the Yue Emperor, but I am also aware that the Yue Emperor sent you to find out about North Country¡¯s secret weapons and to ascertain whether Zhuge Zhongguang has broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. And your visit today is mainly to verify if the rumors among the common folk are true.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly; she had thought that Lu Chen might at most guess that she had approached him to spy on the secrets of the North Prince Mansion. She had not expected him to know not only the mission she carried but even the purpose of her visit that day. Was the North Prince¡¯s intelligence network so effective? This was troublesome. Now that her purpose had been exposed, she feared that staying in North Country was meaningless. Once back in Great Jue, the Yue Emperor probably wouldn¡¯t allow her to return to North Country. She had not expected that her visit to North Country would turn out to be such a loss, not only did she lose her body, but she failed to complete her mission as well. At this point, Murong Xue¡¯er no longer intended to keep up her act. With a smile on her face, she said, ¡°Now that the Prince has uncovered my purpose, what does the Prince plan to do with me? Do you intend to treat me as a spy and kill me directly?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled, then wrapped his arm around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s slender waist and slowly moved his hand upward. While caressing her body, he said, ¡°Kill? Why would I kill you? You¡¯re my woman. The biggest trait about me is that I treat my women particularly well. I don¡¯t have enough time to pamper you, so how could I possibly kill you?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Does the Prince mean you do not intend to let me return to Great Jue?¡± ¡°I am an envoy sent by Great Jue. If the Prince does not let me go back, I¡¯m afraid it would be difficult to explain to the Empress.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I never said I wouldn¡¯t let you go back. Where you wish to go is your freedom.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat incredulous. She continued, ¡°Prince, you need to think carefully. If I return to Great Jue this time, I might never come back again.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No, you will definitely come back.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er asked curiously, ¡°Why is the Prince so confident?¡± Just as Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice fell, Lu Chen¡¯s hand wandered to a certain spot, ¡°Because you already have me in your heart, you can¡¯t leave me.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback for a moment, then said, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Prince think he¡¯s being a bit too confident?¡± ¡°I admit the Prince is indeed extraordinary and indeed the type I like. But does the Prince really think that just because we have slept together a few times, I would completely submit to you?¡± Lu Chen tightened his embrace around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s waist and whispered in her ear, ¡°I know you are a very independent woman, who won¡¯t rely on anyone and it¡¯s difficult for you to develop feelings for someone, but making women like you fall for me is what I¡¯m best at.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t feel it now because you are still in North Country, but once you return to Great Jue, you will quickly understand how agonizing it is to be away from me.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about that for now.¡± ¡°Since you came to North Country on a mission, naturally you have to take back some useful intelligence, otherwise you would have trouble explaining yourself to the Yue Emperor.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was momentarily stunned. From the North Prince¡¯s implication, was he intending to proactively disclose some intelligence about North Country to her? However, why would the North Prince be so kind as to reveal intelligence to her? It was very likely he was giving her false intelligence to deceive Great Jue and to distract its attention. While Murong Xue¡¯er was pondering this, Lu Chen openly stated, ¡°The rumors outside are true; Zhuge Zhongguang indeed has not broken through to the true Celestial Realm.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat, not expecting Lu Chen to actually divulge information about Zhuge Zhongguang to her. Lu Chen continued, ¡°As for the secret weapons of North Country, I can only tell you that these weapons are all made by North Country. North Country can have as many as it wants, and if a war breaks out between Great Jue and North Country, without a Celestial on Great Jue¡¯s side, its troops will only be defeated.¡± At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er laughed softly, then said, ¡°Does the Prince tell me these things because he wishes to use me to send false intelligence to the Empress and Great Jue?¡± Chapter 537 - Chapter 537: Chapter 320: Turncoat Murong Xueer_1 Chapter 537: Chapter 320: Turncoat Murong Xue¡¯er_1 Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s disbelief in his words, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°In a few days, Zhuge Zhongguang will make a public appearance, and then you will be able to confirm whether this information is true or false.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. The North Prince was willing to let Zhuge Zhongguang make a public appearance? Could it be that Zhuge Zhongguang really hadn¡¯t broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm? Then why would the North Prince reveal at this time that Zhuge Zhongguang hadn¡¯t made the breakthrough? Considering the situation of North Country, the country should be trying to conceal this matter, allowing other forces or dynasties to speculate whether Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm or not. Only with ambiguous intelligence would no power dare to harm North Country. How could North Country simply because of some rumors, be unable to withstand the pressure, and then take the initiative to publish the news that Zhuge Zhongguang hadn¡¯t broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm? This all seemed very wrong to Murong Xue¡¯er. Just as Murong Xue¡¯er was pondering what exactly the North Prince was scheming, Lu Chen suddenly tightened his embrace around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body, and then, pushing her slowly towards the bedside, he said while walking, ¡°My dear Xue¡¯er, since you¡¯re going back, I don¡¯t know when we will meet again. I must make sure you leave satisfied today.¡± Upon hearing these words, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She seemed to foresee the torment she would receive later on. After all, the North Prince had laid his cards on the table with her. There was no need for him to be friendly towards her any longer. He could do as he pleased, considering she was nothing but a spy from Great Jue. At this moment, Lu Chen slowly placed Murong Xue¡¯er on the bed before he pressed down on her. Murong Xue¡¯er was about to say something, but Lu Chen instantly sealed her lips with his. Murong Xue¡¯er eventually gave up struggling. She could feel the strength of Lu Chen was immense, and she clearly understood that at this moment, any attempt to resist him would be futile, so it was better to submit to him. Perhaps after Lu Chen had his way, he would release her. Although she was dispatched to North Country to gather intelligence for Great Jue, her official identity was as an envoy for Great Jue. As long as North Country didn¡¯t intend to directly fall out with Great Jue, the North Prince wouldn¡¯t threaten her life, so her safety was not an issue. However, she feared that she would have to suffer some hardship afterward. Soon Murong Xue¡¯er became dazed from Lu Chen¡¯s kisses, eventually letting him do as he pleased. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen suddenly lifted her body. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s consciousness regained some clarity. Fearing that she might fall, she hastened to wrap her legs around Lu Chen¡¯s body. Lu Chen walked to the desk and placed her body on it. Then, raising his hand, he summoned items through the air. The next moment, red pigment and a brush flew onto the table from within the study. At this time, Murong Xue¡¯er was lying stiff on the table, her eyes hazy as she looked at Lu Chen. Then she asked, ¡°Huh¡­ Prince¡­ what are you doing?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m drawing the Virgin Mark. Didn¡¯t I tell you? I will definitely restore the Virgin Mark onto your body.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a feeble snort of derision and then said, ¡°We¡¯ve already reached this point, does the Prince think whether or not there¡¯s a Virgin Mark important?¡± Lu Chen had already seen through her intention to get close to him. After she returned to report to the Empress on North Country¡¯s situation, the Yue Emperor would most likely not let her come back to North Country again. Furthermore, her failure in this mission might lead the Yue Emperor to stop trusting her in the future. She had been in North Country for so long, gathering only such scant intelligence, and yet she had been so easily uncovered by the North Prince. The Empress would probably be very disappointed in her. In the future, she might no longer be trusted and favored by the Empress, so whether or not there was a Virgin Mark was already irrelevant. No sooner had Murong Xue¡¯er finished her sentence than Lu Chen pressed down firmly, causing Murong Xue¡¯er to utter ¡°uh-ah¡± twice. Lu Chen picked up the brush, then spoke, ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious. If I remember correctly, all your family members, including your parents, were executed for opposing the Yue Emperor, which implicated the entire clan.¡± ¡°Logically, the Yue Emperor should be your greatest enemy. Yet, I¡¯m curious why you seem so loyal to her?¡± Upon hearing this question, Murong Xue¡¯er took two deep breaths, and then said, ¡°My¡­ Although my parents died because of the Yue Emperor, I was still young at the time. If it weren¡¯t for the Yue Emperor taking me into the palace to raise and protect me tenderly, I would not have lived to see today, nor would I have my current power. So, I should thank the Yue Emperor.¡± Hearing her words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re treating a thief as your parent, oh no, it should be as your mother.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°My family has long passed away, and whatever I do, they won¡¯t come back to life. Does the Prince think I should avenge my family, only to repeat their mistakes and lose everything I have now?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Unfortunately, even if you don¡¯t avenge your family, if you fail in your mission this time and return to Great Jue, I fear the Yue Emperor won¡¯t value you anymore.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er fell silent after hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, as she was indeed worried about this. It was then that Lu Chen began to draw on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s lower abdomen. As he drew, he said, ¡°How about this? Let¡¯s cooperate. When you go back this time, don¡¯t tell the Yue Emperor that I¡¯ve uncovered this matter. Just report normally the intelligence you¡¯ve gathered in North Country. This way, you can still be held in high esteem by the Yue Emperor. How about it?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er let out a light chuckle, then said, ¡°Is the Prince trying to make me betray His Majesty?¡± Lu Chen responded with a smile, ¡°From the moment you climbed onto my bed, you had already betrayed your Emperor.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er fell silent again, emitting only a humming sound from her throat. After a while, Lu Chen continued, ¡°It¡¯s not that I am making you betray your Emperor. It¡¯s that you have no choice but to be with me.¡± ¡°Your failure in this mission will inevitably lead to the Empress¡¯s disappointment in you. Moreover, being the daughter of a criminal, do you think you will ever be valued again?¡± ¡°There is another thing. I think you might be misunderstanding something. I want you to be mine, not because I value your identity or plan to use it for any purpose. I merely want you as a person; I desire your heart.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er let out a soft snort at this point, saying, ¡°Does the Prince really think I am a naive girl who will believe his sweet nothings?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Sweet nothings? I am quite sincere with my words.¡± At this point, the two fell into a prolonged silence. The sensations in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body prevented her from thinking rationally. She didn¡¯t know what to do now; betraying the Yue Emperor was difficult for her, as she had been raised by the Emperor since she was a child. She had no memory of her parents, no emotional attachment. In her eyes, the Yue Emperor seemed more like her mother. The thought of betraying her felt incredibly difficult. But¡­ Should she really return and reveal that she had been exposed, perhaps she would no longer be valued. Moreover, now that North Prince had taken her virginity, without her pure reputation, she would find it hard to continue staying by the Yue Emperor¡¯s side. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er was anxious. In her anxiety, her consciousness became more and more blurred, until she gradually sank into certain matters. Who knows how much time passed, but eventually, Lu Chen finished restoring Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s virgin mark. He then picked up the completely limp Murong Xue¡¯er and returned to the bed. He was still very confident in himself, and he believed that Murong Xue¡¯er would ultimately choose to cooperate with him. Chapter 538 - Chapter 538: Chapter 321 Murong Xueer Leaves_1 Chapter 538: Chapter 321 Murong Xue¡¯er Leaves_1 Early morning. A sliver of sunlight filtered into the resting room, shining on the bed with a dazzling brightness as if bathed in a holy light. As Murong Xue¡¯er drifted in and out of consciousness, she felt as if she had completely become Lu Chen¡¯s wife, involuntarily calling him ¡°darling¡± under her breath. It was at that moment that Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly awoke with a start. The next moment, she found it somewhat difficult to breathe. Feeling the weight of the ¡°bad thing¡± atop her, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s emotions became complicated. Her purpose had been uncovered; if she reported back truthfully this time, she might never see the North Prince again. The thought of the events from the previous day caused a flicker of reluctance to arise within her. This was her first man. Even though she had given herself to him for the sake of her mission, she still developed some strange feelings for him in her heart. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind blanked for a moment. What on earth was she daydreaming about? She had actually thought of staying by this man¡¯s side forever. How could she entertain such thoughts! With this in mind, Murong Xue¡¯er glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s head. At that moment, Lu Chen was sprawled on top of her, his head resting on her fragrant shoulder. Murong Xue¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but raise her hand, wishing she could smack the ¡°bad thing¡¯s¡± pig-headedness and take the opportunity to get rid of him. Although that¡¯s what she thought, when her hand came down, it merely stroked Lu Chen¡¯s black hair. Murong Xue¡¯er sighed inwardly, whispering softly, ¡°Goodbye¡­¡± She had decided in her heart, once back, she would tell the Yue Emperor everything that happened in the North Country and never return to the North Country again. She was genuinely worried that if she came to the North Country again, she might truly be completely conquered by this ¡°bad thing.¡± The North Prince met all her criteria for choosing a man. Most importantly, the North Prince was extraordinarily skilled at handling women. She found it overwhelming and feared that, if her heart softened one day, she might genuinely betray the Empress and become the North Prince¡¯s wife. Lu Chen, deep in sleep, seemed to hear Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice and shifted his head slightly. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s movement, Murong Xue¡¯er hurriedly moved her jade hand from his head, pretending as if nothing had happened. Just then, Lu Chen slowly lifted his upper body, his eyes bleary as he gazed at Murong Xue¡¯er. Murong Xue¡¯er looked straight at Lu Chen, who smiled and said, ¡°Xue¡¯er, what have you decided? Will you cooperate with me?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied emotionlessly, ¡°I can cooperate with you.¡± Although she had already resolved to report truthfully to the Yue Emperor, she was still in Yan County, still in the North Country. She definitely couldn¡¯t outright refuse the North Prince. She would pretend to agree for now and wait until she was back in Great Yu to discuss further, to avoid the North Prince using any measures to forcibly keep her. Something about the atmosphere in the North Country felt amiss; Murong Xue¡¯er couldn¡¯t quite grasp what the North Country was planning next. Perhaps the North Prince would take a wild notion to become enemies with Great Yu and detain her, an emissary of significant status. Stabilizing the North Prince first was always a no-fault approach. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s agreement, Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Then I will wait for you here in the North Country for your return. I believe we will meet again soon.¡± Watching Lu Chen¡¯s smile, Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself, ¡°Never again.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er raised her hand and pushed against Lu Chen¡¯s chest, ¡°Prince, it is time for you to get up.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Thinking of you leaving the North Country makes it hard for me to let go. How about you stay with me for one more day?¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s complexion instantly turned pallid. Although she didn¡¯t feel any discomfort, she detested the thought of her body being under someone else¡¯s control. Furthermore, if she continued like this, she might indeed fall from grace. Her willpower, she distinctly sensed, was faltering. Murong Xue¡¯er hastily said, ¡°Prince, please show some self-respect!¡± Lu Chen, however, did not heed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words. He seized her wrists and pushed them to either side of her head before leaning down to capture her lips once more. ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± Murong Xue¡¯er cursed inwardly, calling him a bastard and a beast! ¡­ After what seemed like ages, Lu Chen finally let Murong Xue¡¯er leave the North Prince Mansion. As Murong Xue¡¯er returned, her steps felt weightless, her mind still hadn¡¯t cleared. After stepping out of the North Prince Mansion, Murong Xue¡¯er turned for another look at the mansion¡¯s plaque. With myriad thoughts racing through her mind, she could not bring herself to board the carriage that awaited her. After a while, the coachman asked, ¡°Lord Murong, is there something else you need?¡± Only then did Murong Xue¡¯er snap back to reality, and turning, she boarded the carriage, ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡± On the way back to the estate, the recent events replayed incessantly in her mind, leaving a hollow sensation in her heart. She could not pinpoint the feeling, but it suffocated her, making her breaths come hard. Unconsciously, her hand moved to her lower abdomen, gently caressing it. In a mutter, she said, ¡°North Prince, I will always remember you, you bastard¡­¡± ¡­ A few days later, Murong Xue¡¯er left Yan County, left North Country, and set out on her journey back to Great Jue. Murong Xue¡¯er was merely returning to Great Jue to report on her duties, but to some, this signaled that Great Jue might be planning some special maneuvers. Thus, they called back the envoy stationed in North Country. Soon after Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s departure, Zhuge Zhongguang made a public appearance at the newly constructed academy in North Country, presiding over the opening ceremony. His appearance immediately drew the attention of spies from all the major forces. The spies quickly realized that while Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s aura was indeed powerful, it could not match that of a Celestial. Even though most of the spies had never seen a Celestial, they knew that a being of such stature would possess devastating powers beyond comprehension, hence their aura would naturally be formidable, unlike Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s. The aura that emanated from Zhuge Zhongguang aligned more with what the Eastern Times reported¡ªthe Zenith Realm of a Grandmaster. This led the major forces to more or less confirm that Zhuge Zhongguang was indeed not a Celestial and that North Country truly lacked a practitioner of the Heavenly Human Realm. Soon, this news spread to every dynasty and faction. Once the news broke out, certain powers began to stir restlessly. The threat from North Country was simply too great; if not eliminated, nobody could predict whether North Country might one day pose a threat to them. As days went by, Lu Chen kept a close eye on the happenings within the various dynasties. One day, as Lu Chen was in his study receiving a report from Qin Yushan, a soldier suddenly announced at the door, ¡°Prince, troops from Great Yu City have arrived at the old city with an army of two hundred thousand.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately set aside the intelligence report, a smile spreading across his face, ¡°It has finally arrived!¡± Turning to Qin Yushan, he continued, ¡°That will be all for today. The Brocade Guard must continue to closely watch the Capital city.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Yes, Prince, I shall take my leave.¡± After Qin Yushan departed, Lu Chen too quickly headed to the old city, to see the polar regions¡¯ army of two hundred thousand. Chapter 539 - Chapter 539: Chapter 322: The Eighth Child is Born_1 Chapter 539: Chapter 322: The Eighth Child is Born_1 Lu Chen arrived at the old city and met the two Grandmasters he had been longing to see. These two Grandmasters were dressed in white fur coats, their muscles bulging beneath the fabric, giving off a powerful aura. Upon seeing Lu Chen approaching from a distance, the two quickly advanced towards him and, arriving in front of Lu Chen, immediately knelt down and said, ¡°Subordinate Dongmen Feiyue, subordinate Song Xuelin, pay respect to Your Majesty! Long live the King, long live, long live forever!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment, then he hurriedly said, ¡°I am currently merely a Seignior within Great Sum, entitled to ¡®thousand years¡¯ only. Do not chant ¡®long live forever¡¯ in front of others, lest it be heard by those with ulterior motives.¡± Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue instantly realized their mistake, and Song Xuelin immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, it was our lack of consideration. We are willing to accept punishment.¡± Lu Chen walked up to the two men and, with one hand on Song Xuelin¡¯s shoulder and the other on Dongmen Feiyue¡¯s, he quickly said, ¡°Generals, please rise. You have just come from the polar regions and are unfamiliar with the situation in Great Sum; it is understandable. However, do be careful not to speak carelessly next time.¡± Dongmen Feiyue and Song Xuelin said in unison, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Then the two robust men got up, and at that moment, Lu Chen glanced at the two hundred thousand troops standing behind Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue. Compared to the soldiers recruited locally in North Country, these troops were more robust, and even more so than those of Great Yu City. Lu Chen revealed a trace of a smile. With these two hundred thousand troops, North Country¡¯s military strength would once again climb a notch. Of course, compared to these two hundred thousand troops, Lu Chen was actually more concerned about the one million population of the polar regions. Lu Chen was quite curious about how the polar regions could sustain one million people because it was cold year-round, with only a few months of direct sunlight, and hardly any crops could be grown. With this in mind, Lu Chen turned his gaze back to Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue. ¡°The climate of the polar regions is cold, and the environment is harsh. I am quite curious as to how the polar regions manage to sustain a population of one million people.¡± Upon hearing this question, Song Xuelin immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the polar regions are near the sea, and the fishing industry is very developed there, with inexhaustible fishery resources.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, no wonder they are able to sustain one million people; it is by relying on the sea for their livelihood. Lu Chen continued, ¡°North Country is currently in a period of development and needs a large population. I wonder if the commoners of the polar regions are willing to move south?¡± Song Xuelin replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the majority of the commoners in the polar regions are willing to move south. Although in the north they do not need to worry about not having enough to eat, it is exceedingly cold. The people of the polar regions have long wished to relocate southward, but due to many concerns, they have never taken that step.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen felt reassured. Once the railway between Great Yu City and the polar regions was completed, it would be much easier for the people of the polar regions to migrate south, and they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about losing the land they had lived on for generations. With this in mind, Lu Chen once again looked over Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue, the two Grandmaster Military Generals, and then said, ¡°Generals, you have undertaken a long and arduous journey to Yan County. I have already arranged for a military camp for you and the two hundred thousand troops behind you. Go and get acquainted with the new environment.¡± Upon hearing this, both men saluted and said in unison, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Then, led by North Country soldiers, Dongmen Feiyue and Song Xuelin, along with the two hundred thousand troops from the polar regions went to the military camp. Just at that moment, a guard from the Prince¡¯s Mansion arrived on horseback in front of Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, Lady Wang is about to give birth.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately entered the carriage he had arrived in, and then said to the driver of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, ¡°Back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± For Lu Chen, his child was more important. He was very eager to know what kind of surprise this child would bring him. Before long, Lu Chen returned to the North Prince Mansion. Just as he entered, he saw a maid waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing Lu Chen come in, the maid hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, the situation with Lady Wang is not looking good.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t say another word and leaped up immediately, using his Qinggong to swiftly jump into Wang Qingci¡¯s courtyard, which by then was already crowded with people. Seeing Lu Chen arrive, the crowd didn¡¯t say much but quickly made way for him to enter. When Lu Chen entered the room, Chu Yuqin was transferring her skill to Wang Qingci to alleviate her pain. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin quickly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, come over here and look; I don¡¯t know what happened, but her skill flow suddenly met with resistance. If this continues, both the child and the adult will be in danger.¡± Although Chu Yuqin usually disapproved of Wang Qingci, whom she saw as nothing but a bitch who did nothing but cling to and drain Lu Chen, Wang Qingci was still Lu Chen¡¯s wife and concubine, and moreover, she was carrying Lu Chen¡¯s child. At this moment, Chu Yuqin put aside all grievances. Lu Chen hurried to the bedside, glanced at Wang Qingci, who had her eyes closed, sweat beading and dripping unceasingly from her forehead, her appearance one of extreme pain. She had her eyes closed, and although she vaguely knew Lu Chen had returned, she still couldn¡¯t open her eyes. Without another word, Lu Chen immediately took Wang Qingci¡¯s jade-like hand and infused his spiritual power into her body, using the Rejuvenating Skill to check her condition. Once the spiritual power entered Wang Qingci¡¯s body, she immediately felt much more comfortable, prompting Chu Yuqin to yield her position willingly. Lu Chen then sat on the stool Chu Yuqin had just vacated, and while treating Wang Qingci, he checked on her condition. Soon, Lu Chen discovered why Wang Qingci was in such discomfort. It turned out that the skill within her body had been absorbed by the child in her womb. However, the child could not transform those skills; as they accumulated inside her belly and could not circulate, the buildup became more and more severe, affecting both child and mother. Realizing the state of Wang Qingci, Lu Chen chuckled and then said to her belly, ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯re thinking of becoming a peerless warrior even before you come out, huh? Even siphoning your mother¡¯s skill.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen used the Rejuvenating Skill to unblock Wang Qingci¡¯s meridians, and before long, her skill flow was smooth once again. Seeing Wang Qingci¡¯s brow seem to relax, Chu Yuqin asked curiously, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what happened to her just now?¡± Lu Chen replied simply, ¡°The child inside was absorbing her skill, causing her to almost lapse into demonic deviation.¡± Chu Yuqin was somewhat surprised. The child hadn¡¯t even been born yet and was already absorbing the mother¡¯s skill; could it be that the child would grow up to be a Martial Arts prodigy? By then, Wang Qingci, who had been in too much pain to open her eyes, finally opened them. Her hair, wet from sweat, clung to her cheeks, and Lu Chen raised his other hand to help her push the strands aside. Wang Qingci, with a smile, said, ¡°Thank you, Prince. If it were not for your timely arrival, I might have already lost my life.¡± Although Wang Qingci appeared extremely weakened, her smile still managed to be incredibly enticing. Lu Chen smiled back and then said, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t talk now; prepare yourself, the child is about to be born.¡± Wang Qingci didn¡¯t speak anymore, and not long after, the cry of a child could be heard in the room. While the midwives were cleaning the child, Lu Chen continued to treat Wang Qingci to help her recuperate. Chu Yuqin reminded, ¡°Chen¡¯er, have you thought of a name for the child?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve thought about it for a long time, call him Lu Hongzhi.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Wang Qingci murmured, ¡°Hongzhi¡­Hongzhi¡­ what a pity¡­ it¡¯s a boy¡­¡± Chapter 540 - Chapter 540: Chapter 323 Black Dragon Country_1 Chapter 540: Chapter 323 Black Dragon Country_1 Although Lu Chen had previously told Wang Qingci that he treated all his children equally, regardless of whether they were his wife¡¯s or his concubine¡¯s children, they would all enjoy nearly the same resources, barring inheritance rights. But in Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes, a girl would be better. Being in the royal family, there were many inevitable matters, and she didn¡¯t want her own child to get dragged into certain struggles. To her dismay, Lu Chen even named their child Lu Hongzhi¡­ What if, when her child grew up, he started having some inappropriate thoughts because of the name his father had chosen for him? At this thought, Wang Qingci became exceedingly worried. While Wang Qingci was contemplating this, Lu Chen spoke up and continued, ¡°Qingci, it seems you¡¯re not satisfied with the name? If you are not, just say it, and I will think of another.¡± Wang Qingci hurriedly replied, ¡°No need, Prince, the name is quite good.¡± After all, Lu Chen was the Prince, and once the words had been spoken, how could he take them back? At that moment, the midwife came over, holding the baby and handed him to Lu Chen. After Lu Chen took the baby, he first used his spiritual power to enhance the child¡¯s resistance, wrapping the baby with spiritual power, and then placed him on the bed. By now, Wang Qingci had mostly recovered, she propped herself up to take a glance at the child on the bed. Wang Qingci sighed softly; truth be told, she still wasn¡¯t prepared to be a mother. It was all the fault of that scoundrel, the North Prince, who had insisted on getting her pregnant. But the child had already been born, and it was no use regretting it now. Wang Qingci reached out and gently touched Lu Hongzhi¡¯s little face, then she said, ¡°Zhi¡¯er, you have really put your mother through so much.¡± Although she said this, a smile appeared on Wang Qingci¡¯s face, her smile tinged with a touch of maternal warmth. Ever since she became pregnant, her personality had changed a lot; she was no longer as tumultuous as before. At this time, Wang Qingci picked up Lu Hongzhi and then said to the Prince, ¡°Prince, I am alright now, you should go attend to your matters.¡± Wang Qingci was also aware of the complicated situation in the North Country, and with Lu Chen as its leader, he had many matters to attend to; she didn¡¯t want to keep him for too long. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, rest well today.¡± ¡°I will come to see you again tonight.¡± With these words, Lu Chen got up and left the birthing room. Once Lu Chen had gone, Wang Qingci¡¯s gaze fell on Chu Yuqin, and she said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Madam Chu, for saving my life today.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin huffed lightly and then said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Chen¡¯er¡¯s child in your belly, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered saving you, bitch.¡± ¡°Now that you have a child too, take good care of the baby once you¡¯ve recovered; try not to bother Chen¡¯er too much.¡± With that, Chu Yuqin also turned and left the room, and after Chu Yuqin had departed, Lu Chen¡¯s other wives and concubines flocked in, greeting Wang Qingci with warmth and concern. Meanwhile. Lu Chen headed to the study. The first thing he did upon entering the study was to open the system and check the rewards it had given. Given the nature of the system, it usually awarded population and military forces for having a child, so Lu Chen guessed he probably received population and military forces this time as well. Just as Lu Chen was thinking this, he suddenly froze. [Congratulations to the host for having a child. You¡¯ve been rewarded with one Celestial realm warrior, one hundred thousand Black Dragon Guards, and an additional two million people.] [The Black Dragon Guards are currently located in the Black Dragon Country to the west of the Great Jue. The host can issue one command to the Black Dragon Country.] ¡°Heavenly¡­ Heavenly Human Realm?¡± Lu Chen felt somewhat incredulous. Although he knew that as his understanding of this world deepened, he would come into contact with increasingly powerful figures, and martial artists of the Master Realm would become less valuable. After all, many strong individuals never left their seclusion in the deep mountains and ancient forests, so their existence was unknown to him. Lu Chen had simply not anticipated that by receiving rewards, he could actually obtain the service of warriors from the Heavenly Human Realm¡ªa realm of celestial beings. The Heavenly Human Realm was the ultimate limit of Martial Arts in this world as far as he knew, and he hadn¡¯t expected to acquire two Heavenly Human Realm subjects so quickly. Lu Chen did not immediately issue orders to Black Dragon Country. He checked the system¡¯s marked location of Black Dragon Country. Black Dragon Country was to the west of Great Jue, nearing the territory of the Barbarian Tribe. Lu Chen thought for a moment. It seemed unrealistic to have the Black Dragon Country¡¯s army cross Great Jue to reach North Country right now. If the Black Dragon Country¡¯s troops entered the territory of Great Jue, it would mean declaring war on them. Considering the current circumstances, the one hundred thousand Black Dragon Guards of Black Dragon Country could not be mobilized. However, on second thought, with these one hundred thousand Black Dragon Guards, it might be possible to intimidate Great Jue should they send troops against North Country. Black Dragon Country could then stab them in the back. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to the system, ¡°Tell Black Dragon Country to refrain from hasty actions for the time being, and moreover, have them send someone to make contact with this prince and establish a channel for information exchange.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice faded, the system¡¯s voice rang out. [Black Dragon Country has received the host¡¯s command. The sovereign of Black Dragon Country is dispatching someone to North Country.] After seeing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen came to the desk, sat down, and opened the world map drawn by the Brocade Guard, examining it intently once again. ¡­ Murong Xue¡¯er returned to Great Jue and went to see the Yue Emperor immediately. At this moment, within the Empress¡¯s Bedchamber, only the cool voice of Murong Xue¡¯er could be heard. Outside the red curtains, Murong Xue¡¯er was reporting the intelligence she had gathered in North Country. Moments later, a gust of wind blew through from the inside, causing the red curtains to flap continuously. The Yue Emperor asked, ¡°So, has Zhuge Zhongguang truly not advanced to the Heavenly Human Realm?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Indeed.¡± The Yue Emperor chuckled lightly, then spoke, ¡°The North Prince is quite the deceiver. However, I¡¯m curious, given that they have concealed this from the public for so long, why would they choose to reveal it now? Isn¡¯t it better to keep other forces guessing?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°This servant has yet to uncover the specific reason that prompted the North Prince to suddenly decide to disclose this matter.¡± Just then, Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly thought of something else and quickly added, ¡°This servant has another matter to report.¡± The emotionless voice of the Yue Emperor immediately conveyed, ¡°Speak.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was about to reveal to the Yue Emperor that her purpose in North Country had been seen through by the North Prince, but she found herself inexplicably unable to speak. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but they just wouldn¡¯t come out. Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er did not continue, the Yue Emperor¡¯s displeased voice came through, ¡°What is it? Do you have some unspeakable difficulty?¡± After hesitating for a moment, Murong Xue¡¯er clenched her teeth and said, ¡°The North Prince is already on guard against this servant. This servant suspects that the prince might have already discovered the purpose behind this servant¡¯s approach.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er ultimately could not bring herself to say it. The Yue Emperor said indifferently, ¡°That is exactly what you should let him know. You must not only let him be aware of your purpose, but also that I have lost trust in you.¡± Chapter 541 - Chapter 541: Chapter 324 Yue Emperors Plan_1 Chapter 541: Chapter 324 Yue Emperor¡¯s Plan_1 Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected the Yue Emperor to require her to intentionally disclose her own purpose. At this time, the Yue Emperor continued, ¡°If you do not reveal your purpose, how can you gain the North Prince¡¯s trust?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er instantly realized that from the beginning, the Yue Emperor was not worried about her purpose in going to the North Country being exposed, because only if her purpose was disclosed could she use her background to gain pity, creating a portrayal of herself as being coerced by the Yue Emperor, with no choice but to offer her body in exchange for intelligence. The Yue Emperor then asked, ¡°Furthermore, how is your investigation into the mysterious weapon going?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er regained her composure and hurriedly answered, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Country does indeed possess a special weapon, and they are manufacturing it in large quantities. However, since I have not yet obtained the North Prince¡¯s approval, I am still unaware of the extent of those mysterious weapons¡¯ power.¡± Just as Murong Xue¡¯er finished speaking, the red curtains were torn open by a wild gust of wind, revealing the Yue Emperor¡¯s breathtakingly beautiful visage to Murong Xue¡¯er. The next moment, Murong Xue¡¯er involuntarily flew towards the Yue Emperor. Just as she was about to speak, the Yue Emperor clasped her throat in one hand. The Yue Emperor coldly said, ¡°How long have you been in the North Country, and you can¡¯t even find out this bit of information?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was gasping for air, unable to speak, her face turning red. ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, I¡­ I¡­¡± Before Murong Xue¡¯er could finish her words, the Yue Emperor continued, ¡°Are you afraid of losing your virginity, and that¡¯s why you haven¡¯t approached the North Prince?¡± At this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s clothes were suddenly torn to shreds by a force, and the Virgin Mark on her lower abdomen was revealed. Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Virgin Mark was still intact, the Yue Emperor hurled Murong Xue¡¯er to the ground, making her cough involuntarily. The Yue Emperor continued, ¡°You¡¯ve been in the North Country for so long and yet the Virgin Mark is still present ¨C it seems you have not focused on the task at all.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, I know my mistake. Please give me another chance!¡± The Yue Emperor then turned and walked towards her phoenix bed, saying as she walked, ¡°Return to the North Country in a few days. I need you to find out why the North Prince would disclose that Zhuge Zhongguang is not from the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°I will certainly complete the mission.¡± Just then, the Yue Emperor stopped in her tracks, without turning her head, and said, ¡°I hope you remember that your life was saved by me.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er immediately knelt on the ground and said, ¡°I have always remembered, and I am willing to do anything for Your Majesty in this life.¡± The Yue Emperor said indifferently, ¡°You may leave.¡± As the Yue Emperor¡¯s words fell, the blankets on the Empress¡¯ bed flew up and came to rest on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body, after which she turned and left the Yue Emperor¡¯s Palace. After Murong Xue¡¯er left the Imperial Palace, she sighed deeply, suddenly feeling uncertain about the future. She had initially planned to tell the Yue Emperor everything about her experience in the North Country, but when it came time to speak, she was unable to say anything. Furthermore, the Yue Emperor wanted her to intentionally disclose her purpose of approaching the North Prince, then use this to gain the North Prince¡¯s trust. If she truly pretended to defect to the North Prince, would the Yue Emperor still trust and employ her upon her eventual return to the Da Yue Dynasty? Most likely not. No one could say for sure whether she truly defected to the North Prince or if her act turned genuine. She didn¡¯t believe the Yue Emperor would trust her that much. Although she was full of worries about the future, Murong Xue¡¯er ultimately decided to do as the Yue Emperor said. The words the Yue Emperor spoke before she left the palace bedroom were true¡ªhad it not been for the Yue Emperor, she might have already been dead by now. Over the years, actually, many people had wished for the death of this daughter of a condemned official, but under the protection of the Yue Emperor, not only did she survive, but her status grew increasingly higher. Even though the Yue Emperor was harsh with her, without the Yue Emperor, she wouldn¡¯t have achieved what she had today. Political struggles are extremely complex matters. Although the Murong family was exterminated for opposing the Yue Emperor, in reality, it wasn¡¯t the Yue Emperor who took action but the officers who supported her. That¡¯s also why those officers wanted this daughter of a criminal so eagerly dead. The higher her status became, the greater the threat to those who had harmed her family in the past. The reason why there were many rumors about her indecent conduct among the people was because some did not wish the Empress to value her so highly. As for the Yue Emperor asking her to willingly offer herself to the North Prince, Murong Xue¡¯er actually didn¡¯t care¡ªcompared to the things she desired, her chastity seemed insignificant in her eyes. The only trouble was that after losing her virginity, it was possible that the Yue Emperor might no longer be as close to her as before. In the past, she was the bed-warming maid of the Yue Emperor. If she were to lose her virginity, given the character of the Yue Emperor, she would most likely no longer be allowed to serve. Her present status, it was all because she was by the side of the Yue Emperor¡ªshould the Yue Emperor no longer allow her to be by her side, Murong Xue¡¯er doubted her continued favor. ¡­ Shortly after Murong Xue¡¯er left the Yue Emperor¡¯s palace, some ministers appeared outside the curtains of the Yue Emperor¡¯s palace, discussing matters concerning the Black Dragon Country. At that moment, a minister spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that the threat from the Black Dragon Country is substantial and we should dispatch troops to annihilate it.¡± No sooner had this officer finished speaking than another minister said, ¡°The Black Dragon Country has at most a population of two million; what threat could they pose? In my view, the real threat now comes from the North Country. There are rumors in the North Country that Zhuge Zhongguang hasn¡¯t broken through to the Celestial Realm. I think that since the North Country lacks a Celestial presence, Great Jue should eliminate this great threat of the North Country ahead of time.¡± ¡°If we wait until Zhuge Zhongguang truly breaks through to the Celestial, then it won¡¯t be so easy to obliterate the North Country anymore.¡± At this juncture, the Yue Emperor, half-reclining on a phoenix bed, spoke up, ¡°Hasn¡¯t there been word that many merchant caravans from the Black Dragon Country have entered Great Jue?¡± Upon hearing this, a minister outside the red curtains said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Yue Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Has it been made clear what they¡¯ve come to Great Jue to do?¡± A martial officer dressed in black and red spoke up, ¡°It¡¯s been made clear. Their primary motive for entering Great Jue is to purchase goods from the North Country.¡± The Yue Emperor thought for a moment, then said, ¡°The Black Dragon Country likely harbors Celestial Realm powerhouses. The Barbarian Tribe has been defeated multiple times in their attacks on the Black Dragon Country¡ªit is indeed a substantial threat. However, compared to a small country like the Black Dragon Country, which maintains its existence on the fringes, I am more concerned about the North Country.¡± Hearing this, everyone understood at once that the Yue Emperor¡¯s focus was still on the North Country. Although the Black Dragon Country had long been established, it hadn¡¯t made much noise since its establishment, unlike the North Prince who caused so much upheaval upon arriving in his domain and even proclaimed plans to extend the railways across the entire world. Then, a minister said, ¡°Your Majesty, since you too see the North Country as a great threat, why don¡¯t we agree to form an alliance with Great Sum to first extinguish the North Country?¡± ¡°Given the internal turmoil in Great Sum, even if we extinguish the North Country, Great Sum would hardly dare to complain.¡± The Yue Emperor said dispassionately, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Greater than our desire to eliminate the North Country is that of Great Wu. The Martial Emperor is highly likely unable to sit still. Let them test the strength of the North Country first.¡± Although Wu Junwan was the good friend of the Yue Emperor, friends were friends, and countries were countries. She would not consider Great Wu a natural ally simply because of Wu Junwan. She would prefer Great Wu to take the initiative in dispatching troops, ideally to ascertain the true strength of the North Country. Chapter 543 - Chapter 543: Chapter 326: Wu Junwans Second Mission to Great Jue_1 Chapter 543: Chapter 326: Wu Junwan¡¯s Second Mission to Great Jue_1 Upon hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan did not immediately respond. Seeing that Wu Junwan remained silent, Chai Jiliang thought she was worried about the Piercing Cloud Bow and continued, ¡°Your Highness, although the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow are powerful, the materials required to make these two weapons are extremely scarce, and the North Country¡¯s army cannot equip them on a large scale.¡± At that moment, Wu Junwan came back to her senses and said with concern, ¡°If it were only the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow, this palace would not be worried. From what I understand, the mysterious weapons possessed by the North Country are not just the so-called Piercing Cloud Bow and Arrow.¡± ¡°The Piercing Cloud Bow and Arrow are weapons manufactured by the Aristocratic Families of the South of Great Su, and while they are very powerful, they are not easy to use.¡± ¡°But the rumored weapons of the North Country are different; it seems that even ordinary people can use them, and their power is not much less than that of the so-called Piercing Cloud Bow.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan say this, Chai Jiliang¡¯s mind went blank for a moment, and then he frowned, ¡°This would mean that the North Country poses an even greater threat than we had anticipated.¡± ¡°Indeed, His Majesty should completely eradicate the North Country before it has a chance to grow. Otherwise, once the North Country has developed, it is likely to turn around and attack other dynasties.¡± Originally, Chai Jiliang was opposed to attacking the North Country because he always felt that the North Country had some conspiracy afoot. But upon hearing that even the common people of the North Country have weapons as powerful as the Piercing Cloud Bow, he felt a great sense of crisis. Recently, an agent from Great Wu had obtained a Piercing Cloud Bow and several Piercing Cloud Arrows from Great Su, and Chai Jiliang personally tested the power of these weapons. An arrow shot from the Piercing Cloud Bow could easily kill a Grandmaster, and if the common people of the North Country possessed the strength to kill Grandmasters, once the North Country¡¯s arsenal grew, Great Wu¡¯s situation would become very dangerous. Moreover, the North Prince had long exposed his ambition to conquer the world. With such grand ambitions, and possessing such terrifying weapons, once the North Country grew in power, it would certainly not hesitate to wage war. Therefore, it would be best for Great Wu to eliminate this threat at all costs. If it cannot be eliminated now, Great Wu might never again have the chance to do so. Just as Wu Junwan was about to speak, suddenly, a maid¡¯s voice rang out at the entrance, ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty invites you to visit his study.¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan had matters to attend to, Chai Jiliang immediately said, ¡°Since Your Highness has business to attend to, then this servant shall not intrude any further. I shall take my leave.¡± As his voice fell, Chai Jiliang turned and left the Green Cloud Palace. After Chai Jiliang left, Wu Junwan slowly rose from her chair. She had the maid tidy her clothes, and then she headed to the Martial Emperor¡¯s study. Wu Junwan had pretty much guessed why her father had summoned her at this time. Clearly, her father wanted her to make another trip to Da Yue and continue to seek an alliance with Great Jue. When Wu Junwan arrived at the study, the Martial Emperor cut straight to the point. He spoke of attacking the North Country and expressed his hope that she would once again go on a diplomatic mission to Great Jue to join forces with them to annihilate the North Country. As Great Wu¡¯s Princess Junwan, Wu Junwan of course had to partake in important matters concerning Great Wu. Without hesitation, she agreed to his request. If she could facilitate an alliance between Great Jue and Great Wu this time, it would certainly elevate her prestige further. However, Wu Junwan was somewhat worried. Even though she and the Yue Emperor were good friends, the Yue Emperor of today was no longer the same as before. The Yue Emperor¡¯s most important identity was still that of the ruler of Great Jue. The current Yue Emperor surely viewed issues not just in terms of personal relationships. Judging from the last time the Yue Emperor refused to form an alliance with her and Great Wu, it was clear that for the current Yue Emperor, their friendship was obviously not as important as the national interests of Great Jue. Wu Junwan was not certain that this mission to Great Jue would definitely result in an alliance. But even if she could not forge an alliance with Great Jue, she would still find a way to negotiate for Great Wu¡¯s troops to pass through Great Jue¡¯s territory. The Da Yue Dynasty and the North Country shared an extensive border. If they wanted to attack the North Country, it wouldn¡¯t be sufficient to only advance from Yongan County. Yongan County was too small and guarded by the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry. If war broke out, the North Country would surely send reinforcements to Yongan County to reinforce their defenses there. The best strategy to defeat the North Country would be to bypass Yongan County, pass through Great Jue¡¯s territory, and then directly invade the North Country¡¯s homeland. Since Yongan County was heavily defended, they should deploy troops to hold off these soldiers and prevent them from reinforcing their positions. Therefore, the mission to Great Jue this time was quite important for Wu Junwan, no matter what, she had to secure the support of Great Jue. Several days later, Wu Junwan set out on a mission to Great Jue once again. ¡­ North Country. Today, Lu Chen had finished dealing with the official documents early. The documents sent to him now were all quite significant, and most of the other matters had been delegated to Zhuge Zhongguang. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t as busy as before. After handling the documents, Lu Chen went straight to Wang Qingci¡¯s courtyard. He hadn¡¯t even entered the courtyard when he heard Wang Qingci¡¯s voice, cooing at the child held in her arms. Upon entering the courtyard, it seemed Wang Qingci didn¡¯t notice his arrival, as she continued to soothe the child in the pavilion. At that moment, Wang Qingci said to the child in her arms, ¡°Zhi¡¯er, when you grow up, you must behave properly. Don¡¯t be like your daddy, flirting and causing trouble everywhere.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°When have I ever flirted and caused trouble everywhere? Lady Wang, you¡¯re tarnishing my reputation in front of the child!¡± Only after hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice did Wang Qingci¡¯s maids snap back to reality, promptly curtsying and saying, ¡°Greetings to the Prince!¡± Wang Qingci also hurriedly held the child and said, ¡°This servant pays respects to the Prince.¡± Wang Qingci didn¡¯t seem to care at all about the words she had just spoken. If Lu Chen heard them, so be it. While holding the child, Wang Qingci said, ¡°The Prince must have misheard. I was just telling Zhi¡¯er to learn more from the Prince in the future.¡± Lu Chen smiled and then approached Wang Qingci, wrapping an arm around her waist, he said, ¡°Really? So I must have heard things?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hand began to wander over Wang Qingci¡¯s body. ¡°Mr. Wang has been resting for quite some time. I wonder how well you have recovered? There is a lot of work I intend to hand over to Mr. Wang.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Wang Qingci knew what this rascal was hinting at, and quickly said, ¡°Thank you for your concern, my Prince. This servant has almost fully recovered.¡± With Lu Chen¡¯s help, Wang Qingci had recovered her health almost to what it was before childbirth. Lu Chen considered that the child was still young and needed Wang Qingci¡¯s care, so he had not sought her out. But now the child was being looked after by a wet nurse, and Wang Qingci had some free time. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Is that so? Then I shall have to inspect thoroughly.¡± With that, Lu Chen said to the wet nurse in the pavilion, ¡°Take good care of the child. The Prince and Mr. Wang need to have a talk.¡± Upon hearing this, the wet nurse immediately stepped forward to Wang Qingci, ready to take the child. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wang Qingci sighed inwardly, and, feeling helpless, still handed the child over to the wet nurse. No sooner had she passed the child to the wet nurse than Lu Chen swept up Wang Qingci¡¯s soft, delicate figure with a princess carry and headed straight for the room. This caused the cheeks of the maids in the pavilion to turn red, and the wet nurse laughed softly to herself. In their eyes, this was a display of the deep affection between the Prince and his lady. Chapter 544 - Chapter 544: Chapter 327: You Cant Say Things Like This Anymore_1 Chapter 544: Chapter 327: You Can¡¯t Say Things Like This Anymore_1 ¡°` After Lu Chen carried Wang Qingci to the room, he placed Wang Qingci on the bed and then hovered over her, looking down at her from above. Lu Chen didn¡¯t immediately start to caress her; instead, he gazed into Wang Qingci¡¯s eyes, a slight smile curling up at the corners of his mouth as he teased, ¡°Who would have thought that after giving birth, Mr. Wang would become even more mature and alluring.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci raised her jade hand to her mouth and with a smile said, ¡°Your servant seems to have discovered one of the Prince¡¯s peculiar inclinations. It seems that the Prince has a special fondness for women who have given birth.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback, then he said, ¡°Oh? Why would you think that? Even before you gave birth, I invested quite a bit of energy on you.¡± Wang Qingci said, ¡°Your servant recently heard that the Prince seems to be neglecting Sister Nanyan and Yaoyao, often visiting the chambers of concubines who have children.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since your servant gave birth, yet the Wang Family came looking for your servant. Doesn¡¯t this prove the Prince¡¯s predilection?¡± Lu Chen laughed. Indeed, he had been frequently visiting Mu Zixuan and both Xiaozhou and Dazhou lately, but not because they had children. He was doing so to use the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell to enhance their strength. However, in Wang Qingci¡¯s view, it seemed he preferred the company of mothers, hence his frequent visits to the three of them. At this point, Lu Chen said, ¡°If you put it that way, wouldn¡¯t it cause the women who have not conceived my children to feel anxious and sad?¡± In this era, the concept of valuing a mother for her child was deeply ingrained, and it was also rather difficult for martial artists to become pregnant. If such rumors reached Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan, as well as other concubines who had not yet conceived, what would they think? They would surely feel that because they had not yet borne the Prince¡¯s children, they had not provided heirs and thus he had developed an aversion to them, to the extent of not seeking their company in bed anymore. Then, Lu Chen seriously said to Wang Qingci, ¡°Qingci, you must not speak such words in the future.¡± Seeing how serious Lu Chen looked, Wang Qingci immediately realized the potential consequences of her earlier words and quickly said, ¡°Your servant realizes her mistake and is willing to accept the punishment.¡± With that, Wang Qingci¡¯s peach blossom eyes looked up at him with a hint of playfulness. Upon hearing her words, Lu Chen promptly turned Wang Qingci¡¯s body over and then slapped her buttocks with a smack. The next moment, Wang Qingci¡¯s delicate body trembled, she let out a whimper, her face flushing red, her body growing restless. Lu Chen said, ¡°I think you¡¯ve been pregnant for too long, and without proper discipline from me, you seem a bit too self-satisfied, which led you to speak carelessly.¡± ¡°It would be fitting to properly punish you.¡± At this moment, Wang Qingci, lying on the bed, said, ¡°Although what your servant said earlier was inappropriate, the Prince indeed did as mentioned. Lately, your servant often hears such talk around the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Lu Chen, puzzled, asked, ¡°What talk?¡± With boldness, Wang Qingci said, ¡°Your servant heard that the Prince is like a child who hasn¡¯t grown up, snagging food from his own children, leaving them unable to eat their fill.¡± Uh¡­ This¡­ Lu Chen immediately fell silent and did not continue to speak. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly fall silent, Wang Qingci on the bed let out a soft laugh and then said, ¡°Hehehe, Prince, it seems your servant has spoken truly, otherwise why would the Prince suddenly fall silent?¡± ¡°` Lu Chen came back to his senses at that moment, and he lifted his palm again and smacked it hard on Wang Qingci¡¯s buttocks, then he said furiously, as if ¡°flustered and exasperated,¡± ¡°How dare you frame me, I think you¡¯re just asking to be put in your place.¡± ¡°Fine, since in your eyes I¡¯m already that kind of person, if I don¡¯t commit that kind of act today, wouldn¡¯t I have been wronged for nothing!¡± Wang Qingci slightly turned her head to look at Lu Chen behind her and said softly, ¡°Prince, remember to hire a few more wet nurses for Zhi¡¯er tomorrow.¡± Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°I know.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen flipped Wang Qingci¡¯s body over again, and before Wang Qingci could say anything more, he bent down and sealed her red lips with his own. In the end, Wang Qingci paid a heavy price for her slip of the tongue. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Chen finally ceased his harsh punishment of Wang Qingci. He then lay beside her ear and asked, ¡°Qingci, do you plan to continue managing the Rain-listening Pavilion?¡± Upon hearing this question from Lu Chen, Wang Qingci¡¯s consciousness instantly sharpened, and she promptly replied, ¡°Does the Prince wish for me to stay at home and take care of the children forever?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°I was just asking; the workload of Rain-listening Pavilion might increase significantly. You¡¯ve just had a child, and you need to manage the Rain-listening Pavilion affairs and spend time with the child, which might take up more of your time and energy.¡± Wang Qingci replied with a smile, ¡°Then from now on, I¡¯ll spend the time I used to accompany the Prince with the child¡­ Ouch¡­¡± Before Wang Qingci could finish speaking, the smile on her face disappeared instantaneously, and she faced Lu Chen¡¯s stern punishment once again. Lu Chen then said, ¡°As my consort, attending to me is your duty. You actually consider not attending to me; you¡¯re becoming bolder and bolder.¡± At that moment, Wang Qingci turned her head, her eyes misty, and she pleaded pitifully, ¡°I know I was wrong, Prince, please forgive me.¡± Lu Chen chuckled inwardly at the thought. What a sly fox. Then he set aside the matter he had been discussing earlier and continued to punish Wang Qingci. A good while later, Lu Chen resumed speaking, ¡°Now that the news that Zhuge the Great Scholar is not a Celestial has spread throughout the major dynasties, there is sure to be major moves from them. The Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s trade caravans need to pull out of the dynasties before they take action against the North Country.¡± Although Rain-listening Pavilion was originally established to gather intelligence on the major dynasties, it has now become a massive commercial entity. If Rain-listening Pavilion does not withdraw in time from the dynasties, once a dynasty declares war on the North Country, they¡¯ll surely target Rain-listening Pavilion first, which would lead to significant financial losses for the North Prince Mansion. Wang Qingci had been paying close attention to outside affairs during her pregnancy, so she was very clear about the current situation. After catching her breath, she said, ¡°Prince, rest assured, I will ensure that the Rain-listening Pavilion¡¯s influences withdraw from the hostile dynasties as soon as possible.¡± Relieved by her words, Lu Chen took a deep breath as if he had relaxed completely. At that moment, Wang Qingci asked, ¡°Prince, is there anything else?¡± Holding Wang Qingci¡¯s waist tightly, Lu Chen replied, ¡°No, this was the only matter I came to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop this topic. Let¡¯s first consider the matter of giving Zhi¡¯er a brother or sister.¡± Hearing this, Wang Qingci cursed inwardly. This bad egg used tricks last time to get her pregnant; now he planned to use the same tactic again, and she was not about to let this man have his way. One child was enough for her; there was no need to have another. Whether she could even protect her current child in the future was uncertain; having another would make it even harder to protect them. However, it was clear that this was not for Wang Qingci to decide. In the end, she still succumbed to the various tricks of Lu Chen. Chapter 545 - Chapter 545: Chapter 328: Murong Xueer Returns to the North Country_1 Chapter 545: Chapter 328: Murong Xue¡¯er Returns to the North Country_1 Early in the morning, Lu Chen got up from the gentle jade fragrance of Qingci and found that she was giving him a resentful look. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Wang, why are you looking at me with those eyes?¡± Qingci said gloomily, ¡°No wonder the princess told me to be wary of the Prince a bit, lest my own child goes hungry.¡± Lu Chen, thick-faced, said, ¡°I still know my limits, and I will find a few more nannies for Zhi¡¯er later.¡± Qingci gave Lu Chen a glare, but said nothing more. At this time, Lu Chen got up and stretched leisurely. Qingci also hurriedly got up, picked up Lu Chen¡¯s clothes, and prepared to dress him. Lu Chen grabbed Qingci¡¯s wrist and wouldn¡¯t let her continue, ¡°I¡¯ll dress later, I want to take a bath first.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qingci stopped what she was doing. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at Qingci¡¯s snowy white body and said with a smile, ¡°Madam sweated quite a bit yesterday, you should also take a bath.¡± Qingci said gloomily, ¡°Prince, you go wash first.¡± Qingci immediately saw through Lu Chen¡¯s little scheme; she suspected Lu Chen intended to drag her into bathing together, but she didn¡¯t want to join Lu Chen in the bath, who knows what else he might do while washing. At this moment, Lu Chen asked the maidservants in the room, ¡°Go check if the hot water is ready.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± The maidservant entered the shower room afterward. Soon, the maidservant returned from the shower room, ¡°Prince, the hot water is ready.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen scooped Qingci up into a princess carry and headed straight toward the bathroom, walking and laughing as he went, ¡°We¡¯ve been husband and wife for so long, there¡¯s nothing to be shy about.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had lifted her up, Qingci quickly wrapped her arms around Lu Chen¡¯s neck and said no more, resigning to her fate that the bath was inevitable. Shortly after, the sound of splashing water echoed from the bathroom, and when Qingci came out, she was completely drained of energy, lying on the bed with no desire to get up. With the assistance of a maidservant, Lu Chen dressed himself and glanced at Qingci on the bed, chuckling, ¡°Mr. Wang, you¡¯ve become even more tempting after having a child.¡± Hearing this, Qingci, who was lying on the bed, turned her head to look at Lu Chen and then said, ¡°Prince, you should spend more time in the room next door, these days Nanyan and Yaoyao have been missing you.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I understand the concept of ¡®impartial favor¡¯. I¡¯ve been visiting them these past days to help Zixuan and the others improve their skill.¡± ¡°Now that Zixuan and the others have officially started on their path of cultivation, I don¡¯t need to go there every day anymore.¡± ¡°You rest well, I¡¯ll take my leave for today.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen walked out of the room. Qingci just lay on the bed, watching Lu Chen¡¯s figure from the side without getting up to see him off, ¡°Have a safe journey, Prince.¡± After leaving Qingci¡¯s courtyard, Lu Chen planned to return to Wind Cloud Court for breakfast when a maidservant hurriedly came before him, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin seeks an audience.¡± Hearing this, without a word, Lu Chen directly headed to the study. Upon reaching the door of the study, he saw Qin Yushan and Liang Zong standing there. The simultaneous presence of both suggested they had very important intelligence to report. As they saw Lu Chen approaching, they promptly bowed and said, ¡°Subordinates greet the Prince!¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t stop but continued toward the study, saying as he walked, ¡°Come in and we¡¯ll talk.¡± The two immediately followed Lu Chen into the study. Upon entering the study, Qin Yushan took out a report that had just arrived in Yan County that morning and handed it to Lu Chen. After receiving the report, Lu Chen opened it and glanced over it. At this moment, Qin Yushan spoke, ¡°News from the Imperial Palace suggests that only a Celestial can now possibly heal His Majesty. To treat His Majesty¡¯s illness, the State Preceptor has invited the old ancestors from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain to the Capital city to discuss how to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°This is probably a trap set for them.¡± Lu Chen also realized that the Sum Emperor did not wish for other Celestials to appear within Great Sum¡¯s borders. The two old ancestors from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain had already reached the Unity Realm, which is the Pseudo-Celestial Realm. Once their cultivation in the Unity Realm concluded, they could become true Celestials. At that time, Great Sum would face two more powerful adversaries. His father most likely wanted to invite them to the Imperial Palace and then set up an ambush to eliminate them. As Lu Chen was looking at the report in his hands, he said, ¡°The two old ancestors from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain shouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to go to the Capital city at this time¡­¡± Lu Chen hadn¡¯t finished his sentence when he noticed that the report stated that the two old ancestors from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain had immediately accepted the invitation from the Imperial Palace upon receiving it. Seeing this, Lu Chen frowned. Those two old guys shouldn¡¯t be fools. Can¡¯t they see that this is a trap? Or did his own father use some tactic to make them unable to refuse the invitation to the Capital city? Qin Yushan continued, ¡°According to our investigation, the State Preceptor must have promised some conditions to the two old ancestors from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain, which is why they agreed without hesitation. However, our people have not yet been able to discover what those specific conditions are.¡± Lu Chen fell silent, laying down the report in his hand and slowly tapping his fingers on the desk. After a while, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Liang Zong, ¡°Commander Liang, do you have something to report?¡± It was then that Liang Zong finally spoke up, ¡°A spy from the Great Wu dynasty has sent a message. Great Wu has decided to send troops to attack North Country two months from now. Princess Wu has once again been dispatched to Great Jue, apparently in an attempt to persuade Great Jue to join forces in attacking North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was not surprised. Great Wu and North Country shared only a small border at Yongan County. If Great Wu wanted to annihilate North Country, they would need to pass through Great Jue. Moreover, for Great Jue, North Country was also a threat, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that Great Wu sent Wu Junwan as an envoy to Great Jue. Furthermore, it was highly probable that they would come to some kind of cooperation this time. Even if they did not form an alliance, Great Jue would certainly agree to let their troops pass through. Now it all depended on whether Murong Xue¡¯er would return or not. If Murong Xue¡¯er still planned to return to North Country, it would indicate that the Yue Emperor was not very keen on military action against North Country at this time. While Lu Chen was thinking this, a soldier at the door said, ¡°Prince, Miss Murong has returned to the mansion!¡± Hearing this, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth slightly curved upward. It seemed that the Yue Emperor still harbored some fear of North Country. In this case, Great Jue probably would not join Great Wu in sending troops but would at most agree to let them pass. After musing for a while, Lu Chen first addressed Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, have someone keep a close watch on every move in the Imperial Palace. Inform me immediately of any news.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Lu Chen then turned to look at Liang Zong, ¡°Commander Liang, activate the spies from Great Wu. Use silver to bribe their ministers, and get them to impeach their Princess more in court.¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may all leave.¡± Qin Yushan and Liang Zong said in unison, ¡°This subordinate takes their leave.¡± Chapter 546 - Chapter 546: Chapter 329: Let Her Come to the Study_1 Chapter 546: Chapter 329: Let Her Come to the Study_1 Lu Chen was particularly concerned about the State Preceptor¡¯s invitation to the two elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain to the Capital city, and what was most important was that those two old fellows had actually agreed to it. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t figure out what his father, the Sum Emperor, was planning next. He then summoned Zhuge Zhongguang, intending to ask him what he thought. After Zhuge Zhongguang arrived at the study, Lu Chen passed him the piece of intelligence Qin Yushan had just given him, and asked Zhuge Zhongguang to read it first. Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s gaze fell on the intelligence in his hands, and he did not move his eyes away for a long time. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Great Scholar, what do you think my father, the Emperor, is going to do next?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang didn¡¯t answer immediately. After pondering for a moment, he said, ¡°Being able to make the two elders from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain agree to the State Preceptor¡¯s invitation without hesitation must involve Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s mind went blank for a moment, and he instantly understood the implication of Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words. The Mysterious Moon Palace was also within the territories of Great Sum, and it posed a significant threat to all the major forces. Over the years, Mysterious Moon Palace had been suppressing other powers because they had a Celestial being and everyone from the major forces was angry but dared not speak out. Now, the two elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain both had hopes of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Coupled with the deep-seated contradictions between the Great Sum royal family and Mysterious Moon Palace ¨C a Celestial being of the Mysterious Moon Palace had killed many Grandmasters of the Great Sum royal family ¨C this further weakened the power of the royal family, and the power of the Aristocratic Families greatly increased. For a long time, the Sum Emperor found himself in a somewhat hollowed-out position. Now, someone in the Imperial Palace had entered the Unity Realm, and the two elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain had also reached the Unity Realm. If they could break through to the Heavenly Human Realm together, they might well hope to annihilate the Mysterious Moon Palace in the future. Lu Chen then said, ¡°So, according to you, my father, the Emperor, is planning to unite with Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain to annihilate the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and then continued, ¡°With the current chaotic situation in Great Sum, isn¡¯t my father, the Emperor, being a bit too hasty?¡± In the Capital city, the struggle for succession was becoming more intense. When the Princes heard that Zhuge Zhongguang was not a Celestial, they became restless again. The Seigniors were also constantly recruiting troops and buying horses. The situation in Great Sum was chaos in the Capital city, chaos in the localities, almost a complete mess. And yet, his father, the Emperor, was still thinking about dealing with the Mysterious Moon Palace? Zhuge Zhongguang then said, ¡°Prince, in the view of this old servant, His Majesty is not in a hurry to deal with the Mysterious Moon Palace, but to break through to the Heavenly Human Realm as soon as possible.¡± ¡°The arrival of the two elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain in the Capital city at this time should only be to assist His Majesty¡¯s smooth breakthrough.¡± Lu Chen instantly reacted, ¡°This Prince understands now.¡± What Zhuge Zhongguang meant was that although his own father, the Emperor, and those from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain all intended to deal with the Mysterious Moon Palace, with their current strength, they naturally were not a match for the Mysterious Moon Palace. Therefore, Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain would first help the Sum Emperor settle the chaos within Great Sum, aid the Emperor in breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm, and then they would deal with the Mysterious Moon Palace. Recalling that Zhuge Zhongguang had previously speculated that the condition for the Sum Emperor to break through the Heavenly Human Realm was to eliminate all the Seigniors of Great Sum, Lu Chen connected everything that happened in the Capital city in his mind. The Sum Emperor most likely believed that Zhuge Zhongguang was not a Celestial and that North Country had no Celestial. Hence, he wanted to utilize the power of Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain to eliminate Zhuge Zhongguang, then destroy all the Seigniors of Great Sum, ultimately making himself a Celestial. Once he became a Celestial, he would then help the two elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain become Celestials, and the three of them would join forces to eliminate the Mysterious Moon Palace. Of course, whether his own father, the Emperor, would honor his promise and sincerely cooperate with the two elders from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain was a matter for later. Lu Chen, in any case, felt that given his father, the Emperor¡¯s character, he probably would not truly cooperate with the two. It was possible that the two were also well aware of this and that they were only cooperating on the surface while having their own schemes behind the scenes. At that time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s set aside the matters of the Capital city for now. This Prince has summoned the State Preceptor here for another reason. According to our spies, in two months, Great Wu will send troops to attack North Country, and they have also dispatched Wu Junwan on a diplomatic mission to Great Jue, intending to ally with them and jointly send troops.¡± Hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang pondered for a while and then asked, ¡°Prince, this old servant heard earlier that the envoy of Great Jue had returned to their residence. If Great Jue also plans to send troops against North Country, they should not continue to send envoys here.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s what this Prince was thinking as well. I¡¯m just puzzled as to why the Yue Emperor doesn¡¯t plan to form an alliance with Great Wu to deal with North Country together.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°The Yue Emperor is a cautious person. In the view of this old servant, she wants Great Wu to test the strength of North Country first. If North Country is not as formidable as she has anticipated, she will likely still deploy troops to attack North Country.¡± ¡°If the Prince wishes for North Country to have a lengthy period of peaceful development in the future, the best course of action would be to completely crush the armies of Great Wu.¡± Although Lu Chen also wanted to show off his muscles, the purpose of doing so was to ensure a period of peaceful development for the North Country, not just to show off for the sake of it. Any military action is backed by political motives. Lu Chen pondered for a bit before discussing some matters about the upcoming war with Zhuge Zhongguang. Two hours later, Zhuge Zhongguang left the study, and just as Lu Chen was about to leave as well, a soldier at the door said, ¡°Prince, the envoy from Great Wu said they are returning to Great Wu to report and have already left the North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen smiled faintly. The envoy from Great Wu really fled quickly; it seemed they already knew about Great Wu¡¯s plans to deploy troops against the North Country and were afraid of what the North Country might do to them, so they hurriedly made their escape. Lu Chen said, ¡°If they want to go, let them go. Don¡¯t bother with them.¡± Although the North Country and Great Wu were set to go to war in two months, Lu Chen was not about to do something like killing another country¡¯s envoy. He was no longer a political novice; he had a clear grasp of what should and should not be done. Upon receiving Lu Chen¡¯s command, the soldier at the door immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± The soldier then turned and left the entrance of the study. At that moment, Lu Chen walked to the doorway and glanced outside, just as a maid from the Prince¡¯s Mansion hurriedly approached the study. Seeing Lu Chen standing at the doorway, the maid quickly bowed and said: ¡°This servant greets the Prince!¡± Lu Chen nodded, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The maid answered, ¡°Prince, Miss Murong seeks an audience.¡± Lu Chen was not too surprised and said, ¡°Let her come to the study.¡± The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. He had been planning to go back to the main courtyard for something to eat, but now it seemed he could only ¡°eat¡± her. During the time Murong Xue¡¯er was away, he had been constantly thinking about her. ¡­ Meanwhile. At the southern gate of Yan County, a woman dressed in white riding her horse was rapidly approaching the city gate. The woman was stunningly beautiful, with long black hair fluttering in the wind and an air of immortal aura enveloping her, drawing the gazes of all those she passed by. ¡°Who is this woman? So¡­ so beautiful¡­¡± ¡°Could she be one of the Prince¡¯s consorts?¡± ¡°How have I never seen her before?¡± ¡­ While everyone on the road was captivated by her, the soldiers at the city gate decisively blocked the woman¡¯s path. ¡°Miss, please dismount and register!¡± The woman paid no attention to the several soldiers at the city gate; at that moment, a chill emanated from her body. In the next instant, the soldiers who had blocked her path seemed to be controlled, their eyes lifeless as they consciously made way for her, then said with expressionless faces, ¡°Miss, please come in.¡± Chapter 547 - Chapter 547: Chapter 330 Once the Door and Window are Closed, You Are My Woman_1 Chapter 547: Chapter 330 Once the Door and Window are Closed, You Are My Woman_1 North Prince Mansion, main gate. After alighting from the carriage, Murong Xue¡¯er gazed at the plaque of the North Prince Mansion, her thoughts swirling. She had believed that in this lifetime, she might never return to North Country, to Yan County, or see the North Prince again. Yet, unexpectedly, not much time had passed before she was sent back by the Yue Emperor. Murong Xue¡¯er sighed softly. Merely thinking about the incidents that had occurred in the Prince¡¯s Mansion with the North Prince some time ago made her delicate body involuntarily tremble slightly. After returning to Great Jue, she had someone investigate the average prowess of men in bed, and the final result of the investigation showed that none were as fierce as the North Prince. Her actions, including such an investigation, led to impeachment by certain officials at Great Jue¡¯s imperial court who looked down on her, accusing her of promiscuity and a lack of propriety in her private life. Of course, with the Yue Emperor¡¯s protection, even if she faced impeachment, nothing would happen. When Murong Xue¡¯er left Great Jue for North Country, those ministers of Great Jue still thought their impeachment had taken effect, that the Yue Emperor had distanced himself from Murong Xue¡¯er once more, sending her to North Country. Remembering the information she had gathered in Great Jue about men, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s cheeks flushed; it was at this moment that the voice of the servant girl from the Prince¡¯s Mansion came through, ¡°Miss Murong, please follow me.¡± Upon hearing the servant girl¡¯s voice, Murong Xue¡¯er snapped back to reality, quickly stopping her wild thoughts. She would have to find a way to extract information from Lu Chen later; how could she indulge in such impure thoughts? If her mind were preoccupied with the matters of men and women, how would she gather intelligence from the North Prince? Guided by the servant girl, Murong Xue¡¯er quickly arrived at the study and came before Lu Chen. Seeing Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er greeted him, saying, ¡°This subordinate pays her respects to the North Prince.¡± Lu Chen glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er, who was dressed, as always, in white clothes with black trim, exuding a cool and authoritative aura that was involuntarily heart-stirring. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since we last saw each other, yet Xue¡¯er seems so distant now.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er responded expressionlessly, ¡°Prince, I am an envoy of Great Jue, representing the entire Great Jue, so I kindly ask that the Prince show me some respect.¡± As soon as Murong Xue¡¯er finished speaking, Lu Chen gestured with a wave of his hand, and in the next moment, all the doors and windows of the study closed. Murong Xue¡¯er was about to say something when she found herself enveloped in Lu Chen¡¯s arms. She tried to struggle, but realized she had no strength at all and was completely incapable of pushing Lu Chen away. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°With the doors and windows open, you are an envoy of Great Jue; once closed, you are my woman.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t panic; after all, her body had long since been claimed by the man before her, one given to lascivious pursuits. She said expressionlessly, ¡°Prince, you are perhaps being a bit too overbearing.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t respond to Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s remarks. Instead, he asked, ¡°When you returned this time, did the Yue Emperor see through the Virgin Mark I drew for you?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°No.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said, ¡°It seems my drawing skills are quite good after all, the Yue Emperor really didn¡¯t recognize it.¡± At this point, Lu Chen swept Murong Xue¡¯er up in a princess carry, which took her by surprise. Before she could react, he headed straight for the resting area inside the study room. Murong Xue¡¯er felt somewhat helpless; she didn¡¯t know how to respond. She was a spy sent by the Yue Emperor, an agent under his command, supposed to keep a certain distance from Lu Chen. Yet Lu Chen didn¡¯t seem to care about any of that, acting as if she truly were his woman. Of course, this arrangement did have its advantages. Her mission to the North Country was to get close to the North Prince, and now that he treated her as his woman, it would be even easier to extract information from him in the future. However, there was a strange feeling in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart; she felt completely incapable of refusing Lu Chen. Within moments, Lu Chen had laid Murong Xue¡¯er down on the bed in the resting room and loomed over her, gazing down at her stunning, delicate features. Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°What sort of information did the Yue Emperor send you back to gather? Ask me directly, and I might just give you the answers now.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er peered into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, as if trying to discern something from his gaze, but his eyes were so clear that it was impossible to tell if he was joking with her. Then Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°His Majesty wants me to find out why you chose this time to reveal that Zhuge Zhongguang is not a Celestial. Announcing it now brings a lot of trouble to the North Country.¡± The trouble Murong Xue¡¯er spoke of was clearly about Great Wu. On her way to the North Country, she had learned of Great Wu¡¯s movements. Great Wu was already mobilizing troops northward, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before they would likely wage war against the North Country. This upcoming war had a very direct connection with Lu Chen¡¯s revelation about Zhuge Zhongguang not being a Celestial. If Lu Chen had not sent Zhuge Zhongguang out and about, maintaining an ambiguous status and leaving others to speculate, Great Wu would not have dared to dispatch troops so openly. Lu Chen said, ¡°So that¡¯s the issue. It¡¯s simple. Because the North Country¡¯s strength has grown formidable, we no longer fear any dynasty, so I see no need to continue hiding our power.¡± ¡°If anyone wishes to attack the North Country, isn¡¯t the North Country also willing to use a war to deter those hostile forces?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was momentarily taken aback, then she asked, ¡°Does the Prince mean that the North Country no longer relies on a Celestial to deter hostile forces and can contend with the whole world on the strength of its military alone?¡± Lu Chen lifted his hand, caressing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s exquisite, snowy chin, ¡°To contend with the entire world goes too far, but to withstand the assault of one or two dynasties is no problem at all.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er quickly assessed the truthfulness of Lu Chen¡¯s words in her mind. Confirmed by his gaze, she felt that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t lie to her. Lu Chen went on, ¡°For the North Country to develop peacefully, relying on the deterrence of a Celestial won¡¯t suffice. With more and more Grandmasters entering the Unity Realm, Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s true nature not being a Celestial was bound to come out. Knowing this, it¡¯s better to just have a war and establish the North Country¡¯s position.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Prince think this is a bit too risky? After all, the Prince has only been in the North Country for a few years. If a dynasty were to attack the North Country with all its might, it¡¯s highly likely that the North Country wouldn¡¯t hold.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t directly mention the impeding assault by the Great Wu dynasty on the North Country, believing that the North Prince must already be aware of it. Lu Chen gazed into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gem-like eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied indifferently, ¡°The Prince is overthinking it.¡± With that, Murong Xue¡¯er turned her gaze away, avoiding Lu Chen¡¯s direct look. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s hand moved to Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s belt, speaking as he began to undo it, ¡°High risk can lead to high return. Only those who dare to draw their swords can deter the enemy. Only after the sword is swung can some be deterred from drawing theirs.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat speechless. How could Lu Chen manage to speak so earnestly while his hands were undressing her? Although she was aware of what might transpire next, she did not stop Lu Chen. In her heart, Murong Xue¡¯er thought of it as her recompense to Lu Chen for extracting information. Chapter 548 - Chapter 548: Chapter 331: How Naive!_1 Chapter 548: Chapter 331: How Naive!_1 Lu Chen had not been intimate with Murong Xue¡¯er for far too long. Facing this serene and stunning older woman, Lu Chen found himself somewhat carried away. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind was a bit muddled. She began to doubt herself. Was coming to the North Prince Mansion really about gathering intelligence? Gently caressing the pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen, Lu Chen said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the tattoo to still be there. Drawing it with my method, it seems to preserve for a longer time indeed.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er slowly came to her senses. Lying on the bed, her gaze lowered slightly, and the next moment, her eyes widened as if pricked by a needle, and she immediately lifted her gaze, staring intently at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face. Lu Chen continued, ¡°However, the Virgin Mark crafted by the Yue Emperor is quite beautiful.¡± The pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body consisted of a peach heart surrounded by some symmetrical designs, looking exceptionally exquisite. Lu Chen was somewhat curious. Why would the Yue Emperor craft such a design as a Virgin Mark? With the Virgin Mark sand already existing in this world as a means to discern if a woman had lost her virtue, there was no need to make it so complex. The Virgin Mark took up a significant portion of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen, and its creation must have taken a lot of effort. When Lu Chen was giving Murong Xue¡¯er a Virgin Mark some time ago, it had already taken up much of his time, let alone the fact that his marking had no actual effect, purely being ornamental. If a mere painting took up so much of Lu Chen¡¯s time, then the creation of a real Virgin Mark would definitely be more troublesome. Why would the Yue Emperor bother to do so? Listening to Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er just looked at him quietly, without saying anything. At this time, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Does this Virgin Mark have any special meaning?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er took a deep breath and replied, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡± Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°Does every woman beside the Yue Emperor have such a Virgin Mark?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Murong Xue¡¯er instantly became vigilant. Although they were presently engaged in illicit activities, she wasn¡¯t so muddled as to casually divulge matters related to the Yue Emperor. Murong Xue¡¯er, looking into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, said, ¡°You wish to¡­ Hmm¡­ through me¡­ to inquire¡­ about His Majesty?¡± Lu Chen smiled. He hadn¡¯t expected Murong Xue¡¯er to be so sensitive. His question was merely casual. He spoke lightly, ¡°I¡¯ve said that I want to keep you in the North Country, not for any political purposes. I simply desire your body.¡± ¡°I was just curious about anything special about the pattern. There¡¯s no need for you to be so sensitive.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then don¡¯t.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, which were fervent at the moment, as though his mind indeed hadn¡¯t been on anything else just then. After a while, Murong Xue¡¯er finally said, ¡°Only¡­ only I have the Virgin Mark¡ªother Palace Maids simply have the Virgin Mark sand.¡± Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er answered, Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°It seems you are quite special in the heart of the Yue Emperor. But I don¡¯t understand. If you are so special, why would she be willing to send you to be by my side?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t she afraid of throwing meat buns to the dogs, never to return?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t respond to Lu Chen¡¯s question. His query made her feel profoundly ashamed. She believed that the Yue Emperor had entrusted her with such an important task mainly due to trust. Since she arrived in the North Country and slept with the North Prince a few times, her conviction started to falter. Now she even doubted whether she was inherently a promiscuous woman. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s silence, Lu Chen did not go on. His gaze fell once again on the Virgin Mark on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen as he continued to study the pattern. After a while, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and curiously asked his system in his mind, ¡°Can this pattern really determine whether a woman has lost her chastity?¡± [Yes, the Curse Pattern is known as the Love-lock Mark. Once a man deflowers a woman with this Curse Pattern, the mark will enter the man¡¯s body. From that moment onwards, he will fall deeply in love with the woman, and the Curse Pattern will disappear from the woman¡¯s body.] Seeing the system¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen was stunned, his actions coming to a standstill. What? The Love-lock Spell? This is actually a curse? Impossible to guard against indeed! How could someone place a curse here? When I deflowered Murong Xue¡¯er, doesn¡¯t that mean I was already afflicted? But I don¡¯t seem to have any anomalies, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with my body; could there be a time limit? As Lu Chen was utterly puzzled, the system¡¯s notification sounded once again. [The Love-lock Spell needs the substance from the Curse Pattern to be triggered, which is a poisonous material. However, it cannot harm the host with the Poison Immunity Body.] Hearing the system¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen instantly understood what was going on. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s lips couldn¡¯t help but curve upwards slightly; no wonder the Yue Emperor sent Murong Xue¡¯er, a woman so important and valued, to his side. The Yue Emperor intended to use Murong Xue¡¯er to control him. Thinking this, the Yue Emperor must be a woman with great ambitions; otherwise, why would she send Murong Xue¡¯er, who she has specially cultivated for so many years, to the North Country? The Yue Emperor probably aims to turn me into her pawn and then achieve some unspeakable goals. I just don¡¯t know what this woman wants to do. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly stop and gaze at her, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly stunned, and the next moment her expression appeared rather urgent. Murong Xue¡¯er tried hard to control her emotions and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Nothing, I was just thinking that if your Emperor loses both the lady and the troops, I wonder if she will be very angry.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t understand the meaning of Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°losing both the lady and the troops,¡± and she looked at Lu Chen with a flush of red on her face, full of confusion. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this. You¡¯ve finally come back, let¡¯s catch up properly.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something; his lips curled up, ¡°This pattern is quite nice, how about I draw another one on your back as well?¡± Without waiting for Murong Xue¡¯er to respond, Lu Chen flipped her over; then he raised his hand, and the next moment, the pigments and brushes from the study flew to him. Lu Chen then drew a similar pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s buttocks. Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t know what Lu Chen was up to, but it didn¡¯t harm her, so she did not stop him. However, once Lu Chen finished the drawing, she distinctly felt him become much more irritable. Murong Xue¡¯er comforted herself inwardly; everything was for the Yue Emperor, all for extracting intelligence from the North Country. Lu Chen and Murong Xue¡¯er stayed in the resting room for a day. When Murong Xue¡¯er left, she was in a daze, foreseeing the events upon entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Moreover, the Yue Emperor¡¯s intention was to have her approach the North Prince in this manner, and she had already fully accepted these facts. It¡¯s just that she still didn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen was so trusting of her; could the North Prince truly believe that one could win a woman¡¯s heart in such a way? Thinking of Lu Chen¡¯s confidently handsome smile, Murong Xue¡¯er in the carriage couldn¡¯t help but snort softly. ¡°So naive!¡± Chapter 549 - Chapter 549: Chapter 332 I Still Need to Observe More_1 Chapter 549: Chapter 332 I Still Need to Observe More_1 Murong Xue¡¯er left when it was already time for dinner. Lu Chen stretched lazily in his study and thumped the sides of his lower back. Lu Chen found that whenever he got intimate with a woman, his ambition would strengthen notably. Murong Xue¡¯er had just left, and he had felt somewhat hungry, but now he didn¡¯t feel like going back to the main courtyard for dinner at all. All he wanted to do was deal with the official correspondence piled up on his desk. Just then, a maid at the door asked, ¡°Prince, the princess consort sent me to ask if you¡¯re coming back for dinner tonight?¡± Seeing someone had come to ask, Lu Chen finally decided to go back for dinner first and think about it after. Then Lu Chen said, ¡°This prince will be there shortly.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen walked towards the Wind Cloud Court. As he just arrived at Wind Cloud Court, and before he even entered the courtyard, a maid called out to him from behind, ¡°Prince, Master Xuanyuan requests an audience!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. He stopped in his tracks, turned his head to glance at the maid behind him, and asked with confusion, ¡°What does he want with me so late at this hour?¡± The maid answered, ¡°This servant does not know.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Where is he now?¡± The maid said, ¡°He¡¯s already in the study, waiting for the prince.¡± Lu Chen felt somewhat helpless; he had just come from the study, and now he was to return there. Lu Chen then said to the maid at the entrance of the courtyard, ¡°Go and tell the princess consort that this prince has suddenly been called away on urgent matters. Have them start dinner without me; there¡¯s no need to wait.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen returned again to the study. At this moment, Xuanyuan Chaoge was standing at the doorway of the study, appearing somewhat anxious and restless. As soon as Xuanyuan Chaoge saw Lu Chen approaching, he immediately went up to greet him, ¡°Greetings to the great king!¡± Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°What brings Lord Xuanyuan here so late?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge said, ¡°Great King, may I have a word in private?¡± Lu Chen directly headed towards the study, ¡°Follow me.¡± After entering the study, Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately closed the door and said straight away, ¡°Great King, I suddenly felt a tremendous oppressive force earlier. It made me extremely anxious and uncomfortable, as if all the strength in my body was being restrained.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s brow immediately furrowed, and his expression turned extremely serious. Xuanyuan Chaoge was a Celestial. If something could make a Celestial feel undue pressure and sensations of their power being restrained, that indicated the arrival in the North Country of an extremely powerful being. Moreover, that person must be aware that Xuanyuan Chaoge was a Celestial and had intentionally tested him. The sudden appearance in the North Country of a being capable of threatening a Celestial was troubling for Lu Chen. Currently, the most powerful beings in the North Country were the Celestials. If someone stronger than a Celestial had arrived, they would have no way to confront them. Firearms might deal with Grandmasters, but even killing a Grandmaster was difficult, let alone confronting a being ¡°Above Celestials.¡± Who could it be? Lu Chen then asked, ¡°In your opinion, why did you feel that way?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge answered, ¡°I suspect a Celestial being has entered the North Country. That person must have detected my presence and deliberately tested my strength.¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s answer, Lu Chen fell silent. After a while, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something, and his lips involuntarily curled upwards as he was struck with a realization. It seemed he needed to work diligently during the coming period and could no longer indulge in daily dalliances in bed with his women. Only by performing well could he leave a good impression on that person. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to Xuanyuan Chaoge, ¡°Pay more attention to the surroundings of the Prince¡¯s Mansion in the coming period. I¡¯ve already guessed who the visitor might be. As long as that person does not do anything harmful to the Mansion, you don¡¯t need to concern yourself with her.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chaoge was slightly startled, realizing the visitor was someone the Prince knew, which meant there wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. Xuanyuan Chaoge thought the visitor had a status similar to his and had come to seek allegiance to the future Human Emperor. If that was the case, the visitor should not pose a threat to the North Country, even if she were stronger than himself. With this, the Prince had inadvertently gained yet another strong ally, once again bolstering the strength of the North Country. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately responded, ¡°This old servant understands.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, you may go back for today. If there¡¯s anything, I will summon you.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°Yes, my lord. This old servant shall take his leave.¡± As his voice fell, Xuanyuan Chaoge turned and left the study. After Xuanyuan Chaoge had left, Lu Chen sat in his study chair and fell into deep thought, pondering to himself. If it really was her who had come, she would likely not appear immediately, but rather, observe him from the shadows. He wondered whether that woman would set some sort of test for him. Enough of that for now. Better to go and have dinner. When the time comes, that woman will surely show herself. With that thought, Lu Chen stood up and returned to the Wind Cloud Court. By this time, his concubines were already having their evening meal. Seeing him return, they all hurried to their feet, some carrying basins of water, others serving rice, and some pouring wine. After Lu Chen took his seat, he chatted with his concubines about some affairs of the North Country while dining. The whole family sat in the grand hall, presenting a picture of happy harmony. Meanwhile, On a rooftop, a woman in flowing white garb watched the Wind Cloud Palace with an expressionless face. Seeing Lu Chen laugh and chat with his women, the woman murmured to herself, ¡°He truly is a fickle man. Yet, it seems he treats his women quite well.¡± ¡°However, this alone is not enough to prove he is a good person. I still need to observe him more.¡± ¡­ After dinner, Lu Chen went to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s chamber. As soon as he entered, Yelv Nanyan began to undress him. Almost every night, Lu Chen engaged in that sort of activity, so it had become a habit for her. As soon as Lu Chen arrived, she would take the initiative to undress him and attend to him. What Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t expect was just as she began to undress Lu Chen, he took hold of her jade hand and said, ¡°Nanyan, I¡¯m going to take a bath first. Let¡¯s turn in early tonight.¡± At these words, Yelv Nanyan was slightly taken aback and didn¡¯t quite understand why Lu Chen was behaving this way today, but she didn¡¯t ask further and responded, ¡°This concubine understands.¡± Lu Chen then took his clothes and went to the neighboring shower room. The servants had intended to enter the bath to help Lu Chen with his bath, but he stopped them. For someone of Lu Chen¡¯s esteemed status, having maids assist him with his bath was the norm. Usually, when Lu Chen bathed, it was either the maids scrubbing his back or his concubines bathing him. Yet today, he acted out of character, choosing to bathe alone. This left Yelv Nanyan even more puzzled¡ªwhat was going on with Lu Chen today? After bathing, Lu Chen went to sit on Yelv Nanyan¡¯s bed, then said to her, ¡°Nanyan, it¡¯s your turn to take a bath.¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Afterward, Yelv Nanyan went to the bathroom for a bath. When she came out, dressed only in a white undergarment, the sight of the gentle beauty before him still somehow stirred Lu Chen¡¯s heart. However, he always felt as if a pair of eyes was watching him, which made him unusually well-behaved. When Yelv Nanyan returned to the bed, Lu Chen simply embraced her soft body and then closed his eyes, falling asleep immediately. Chapter 550 - Chapter 550: Chapter 333 Something Seems Off with You Lately_1 Chapter 550: Chapter 333 Something Seems Off with You Lately_1 ¡°` Seeing Lu Chen do nothing but hold onto the delicate body to sleep, Yelv Nanyan felt somewhat dazed inside. Just sleeping? Isn¡¯t it still quite early? The long night stretches on, not doing a bit of something? Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t believe she had done anything to anger Lu Chen, which would cause him not to touch her. If Lu Chen truly had any complaints about her, he wouldn¡¯t have come directly to her bedroom to sleep. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s snoring, Yelv Nanyan was fairly certain that Lu Chen had indeed fallen asleep. Soon, Yelv Nanyan realized that it must have been because Lu Chen had done something with some woman in the study today, which was why he wasn¡¯t in the mood at night. Although most of the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were present in the main hall during the evening meal, Lu Chen had many women, and it wasn¡¯t only within the Prince¡¯s Mansion that he had women; there were women outside it too, and perhaps Lu Chen already had a new favorite. Thinking this, Yelv Nanyan didn¡¯t continue to pursue the thought further and soon closed her eyes to sleep as well. The next morning when Yelv Nanyan woke up, she saw a fuzzy figure standing by the bed. She rubbed her eyes and discovered that it was Lu Chen. Lu Chen getting up so early was truly surprising for Yelv Nanyan. Previously, when Lu Chen visited her, nine out of ten times he would linger in bed, not getting up early, as Lu Chen loved to embrace her fervent body. Why did he get up so early today? While Yelv Nanyan was deeply puzzled, Lu Chen turned his head and looked at Yelv Nanyan, smiling as he said, ¡°Nanyan, you¡¯re awake. It¡¯s still early, go back to sleep for a little while.¡± Having said this and dressed, Lu Chen didn¡¯t wait for Yelv Nanyan to get out of bed and left the room immediately. Yelv Nanyan quickly said in bed, ¡°My respects as you depart, Prince.¡± Watching Lu Chen¡¯s retreating figure, a trace of worry flashed through Yelv Nanyan¡¯s beautiful eyes. There was something very strange about today¡¯s Lu Chen. As for what was strange¡­ Too formal? Yes, that was it, too formal. The Lu Chen of the past was never this formal. Lu Chen was naturally quite fond of beauty; as long as he held her, his hands would roam over her, and in the morning, they would always share kisses. But today, Lu Chen had simply left. Definitely something was amiss¡­ After thinking for a while, Yelv Nanyan still couldn¡¯t figure out why Lu Chen had become so formal. Finally, she could only guess that he must have had a lot on his mind recently, so he had no inclination to indulge in matters between men and women. Now that the news of Zhuge Zhongguang not being a Celestial had spread to all the major dynasties, it was normal for the North Country to face various troubles, and it was normal for Lu Chen to feel the pressure at such a time. With this in mind, Yelv Nanyan stopped her wild speculations. After getting out of bed at Yelv Nanyan¡¯s place, Lu Chen went to the main courtyard for breakfast. Even Mu Zixuan found it incredibly unbelievable to see Lu Chen up so early. It was well-known that of all the people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen had the greatest fondness for lounging in bed, preferring to nestle in a woman¡¯s embrace. No one had expected that today Lu Chen would get up so early, and even come on his own to have breakfast. Most of the time, Mu Zixuan would have breakfast sent to the study by the maidservants. ¡°` Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t think too much, as she guessed that Lu Chen must have had something on his mind today, which was why he had gotten up so early. After breakfast, Lu Chen headed to the study to deal with political affairs. Basically, he spent the entire day in the study handling official documents, even eating lunch there, looking exceptionally serious. At dusk, Lu Chen repeated the routine of the previous day, returning to the main hall for dinner, and then casually chose one of his wives or concubines to sleep with. Lu Chen¡¯s life continued in this manner for the next few days. He would get up very early in the morning, wash up, eat, and after breakfast, go to the study to handle political affairs. Occasionally, he would go out to inspect the housing construction around Yan County. Then every night, he would definitely have dinner with his wives and concubines. After dinner, he would choose one of them to go to bed with. In choosing which wife or concubine to sleep with, Lu Chen did not show favoritism towards any woman, switching companions daily, appearing every bit the role of a good man. At dawn. Lu Chen woke up from Chu Yuqin¡¯s Gentle Jade Fragrance. Just as he was about to get out of bed, he noticed her eyes intently watching him. With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°My lady, why are you awake so early?¡± With a suspicious look, Chu Yuqin said to Lu Chen, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡¯ve been acting a bit off lately.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Off? In what way?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°I heard from Zixuan and the others that you¡¯ve suddenly become a lot more subdued these past few days. You go to bed as soon as the night falls, and you get up at the crack of dawn.¡± Lu Chen, a man known for his lust, had suddenly become so subdued. It would be impossible for his women not to notice since they knew him through and through. The change in Lu Chen was too apparent to them, and it puzzled all of his wives and concubines. At first, they thought Lu Chen might be growing weary, as he had hardly rested any day. No man in this world was as diligent as Lu Chen, which explained why there was so much harmony among the many women in his harem. Mu Zixuan and the others thought that Lu Chen must be feeling aesthetic fatigue, doing the same things every night, hence his sudden turn towards a more subdued behavior, simply falling asleep as soon as he hit the bed. Latterly, a few of the women gathered together to discuss their observations, only to realize that Lu Chen was treating all his women the same; over these past few days, he hadn¡¯t touched a single one of them. They then suspected that perhaps Lu Chen was having an affair in the study, causing him to lose interest at night. However, when they summoned the maids from the study and inquired, they found out that no woman had entered Lu Chen¡¯s study recently, and he had been seriously dealing with political affairs the whole time. This only deepened the bewilderment within Mu Zixuan and the others; they even began to worry whether Lu Chen was impotent or had fallen ill, and were quite concerned about his condition, eventually deciding that Chu Yuqin, the ¡°senior¡± among Lu Chen¡¯s women, should ask Lu Chen directly. Chu Yuqin had the closest relationship with Lu Chen; if she asked him, he was likely to answer. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen let out a sigh and said, ¡°In two months, Great Wu will attack the North Country, and there will be a lot of matters to attend to in the coming days. I currently have no desire for those things.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Yuqin also sighed. ¡°I thought so. Zixuan and the others said you¡¯ve been behaving oddly lately, and I suspected that something big was happening in the North Country, that you¡¯re under a lot of stress.¡± ¡°Chen¡¯er, I believe that the North Country can overcome this difficulty too. Don¡¯t put so much pressure on yourself, and the more stressed you are, the more you should let it out. Keeping it bottled up can lead to obsession, and it¡¯s very easy to harm yourself.¡± Continuing, Chu Yuqin sighed again, ¡°As a woman, there¡¯s not much I can do about these things. If the pressure gets too much for you, then let me help you relax a bit.¡± As she spoke, her hand from under the covers began to move downwards. Hastily, Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for now. I have things to do today, so I need to get up early.¡± With that, Lu Chen quickly threw off the blanket, got out of bed, and then looking into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, he said, ¡°My lady, rest assured, if I truly can¡¯t bear the pressure anymore, I¡¯ll let you help me relax.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen picked up his clothes and began dressing himself. Seeing that he had spoken so, Chu Yuqin no longer said anything. She too quickly got up from the bed and helped Lu Chen with his clothes and belt. Chapter 551 - Chapter 551: Chapter 334: Its Time to Meet Him_1 Chapter 551: Chapter 334: It¡¯s Time to Meet Him_1 Lu Chen left Chu Yuqin¡¯s room with a frown, looking extremely grave. For some reason, he still felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him, Lu Chen was unsure if this was merely his own illusion. This sensation had persisted for several days now, regardless of his actions, the feeling remained, even while bathing or at the privy, he sensed someone¡¯s gaze upon him. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could that woman be a pervert, watching even as he bathed and attended to nature¡¯s call? At this moment, Lu Chen truly couldn¡¯t ascertain if that woman was indeed surveilling him; he¡¯d inquired with Lin Wanyun, and Lin Wanyun said that the Mysterious Moon Palace had no new messages coming to the North Country. In his heart, Lu Chen wondered, could he have guessed wrong, and the person observing him wasn¡¯t that woman but someone else? Or was this all a figment of his imagination, from the start there wasn¡¯t any powerful being that had come to the North Country, and the pressure emanating from Xuanyuan Chaoge was due to a new understanding that led to the restrictions of heaven and earth? Honestly, having been repressed for so many days, playing the role of a well-behaved man, Lu Chen felt he was nearly bursting. Used to lavish meals, now abstaining for so many days, eating vegetarian dishes while delectable meats were placed before him, it was unbearable. This couldn¡¯t go on any longer. At that moment, Lu Chen thought, forget it, he should just endure a bit more, perhaps that woman had truly arrived, having held on for so many days, a few more wouldn¡¯t matter. With this thought, Lu Chen once again returned to the Wind Cloud Court for breakfast and after finishing his meal, he headed to his study to attend to state affairs once more. After Lu Chen went to the study, his wives and concubines gathered at the pavilion in the Wind Cloud Court. At this moment, all the women¡¯s gazes turned towards Chu Yuqin. Mu Zixuan initiated the conversation, ¡°Chu, have you found out anything?¡± Chu Yuqin sighed softly, then responded, ¡°Chen¡¯er said that Great Wu will launch a military campaign against the North Country in two months. He¡¯s under a lot of pressure lately and not in the mood for other matters.¡± Upon hearing this, the women were taken aback. So a significant event was about to take place in the North Country, no wonder Lu Chen had been acting like a different person lately. Great Wu¡¯s impending attack on the North Country was indeed a matter of great concern, and it was uncertain whether the North Country would be able to withstand it this time. With this thought, worry colored the faces of the women. At this point, Chu Yuqin, with a smile on her face, reassured the women, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much. If Chen¡¯er is under too much pressure and needs to vent, and truly can¡¯t hold back anymore, he will surely turn to you all. He won¡¯t keep it all in.¡± ¡°As for Great Wu¡¯s attack on the North Country, I believe the North Country¡¯s army can withstand the invaders. The North Country now is not the North City of a few years ago.¡± After hearing these words from Chu Yuqin, the women felt somewhat better. Indeed, the military strength of the North Country was now so formidable. Although Great Wu was a dynasty and had to guard against other dynasties around it, hence they can¡¯t possibly direct all their forces to attack the North Country. It was highly likely the North Country would withstand the siege. At this very moment, atop a certain rooftop, a woman looked on emotionlessly at the events unfolding within the pavilion of the Wind Cloud Court. Upon witnessing Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines living together harmoniously, the woman murmured to herself, ¡°Being able to maintain such harmony in the Harem, the North Prince indeed has some skills, it¡¯s time to meet him.¡± She did not plan to stay in North Country for too long; she was simply there to ascertain what kind of man the North Prince was. After observing him for a few days, she formed a general impression of the North Prince and decided it was time to return. As evening approached, Dongfang Longyue visited Lu Chen¡¯s study, where she asked him about some issues concerning newspapers. Lu Chen explained everything to her meticulously and in detail. In front of Lu Chen, Dongfang Longyue stood very close to him. After restraining himself for these past few days, he was finding it increasingly difficult to control himself. Right now, he really wanted to press Dongfang Longyue against the desk and engage in some joyful activities with her, but he couldn¡¯t. At that moment, Lu Chen vaguely sensed that feeling of being watched growing stronger, as if the person who had been monitoring him all this time was right in the room, yet he could not detect the person¡¯s presence. After explaining everything to Dongfang Longyue, Lu Chen took a deep breath, trying his best to control his restless emotions. Dongfang Longyue also noticed the change in Lu Chen¡¯s demeanor. Being a member of the North Prince Mansion, she had heard about Lu Chen¡¯s recent strangeness. This time, Dongfang Longyue tentatively asked, ¡°Prince, if you wish, I can¡­¡± At this point, Dongfang Longyue¡¯s face grew hot with embarrassment. Thinking that she was one of Lu Chen¡¯s women, it was natural for her to serve Lu Chen. However, to take the initiative to suggest such things was still difficult for her. Seeing Dongfang Longyue¡¯s blush, Lu Chen immediately understood what she meant and quickly coughed, smiling as he said, ¡°No need, if you don¡¯t have anything else, you may leave first. I still have some matters to attend to.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had politely refused, Dongfang Longyue did not insist any further. She then said, ¡°This concubine understands, I will take my leave.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Dongfang Longyue turned and left the study. After Dongfang Longyue had left the study, Lu Chen sighed. When would this kind of life come to an end? It was truly unbearable. The person who had been observing him in secret for so many days should come out by now. Even if that person was not Chen Wanrong¡¯s master but someone else, after observing him for so many days, they should reveal themselves and their intentions. Lu Chen massaged his temples. Forget it, it¡¯s better not to think too much. He would hold out for another five days. If the person hiding in the shadows still did not appear, he would stop pretending and go back to doing whatever he needed to do. With this in mind, Lu Chen stood up, ready to return to Wind Cloud Court for dinner. But just as he reached the door, he suddenly felt an intense bone-chilling coldness engulf him. It was then that Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s voice suddenly appeared in the study, ¡°Your Highness, be careful!!!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen whirled around, only to see Xuanyuan Chaoge already standing in front of him. As a Celestial, he had sensed a powerful presence in the Prince¡¯s Mansion and immediately rushed to the study. Right now, seated on the chair where Lu Chen had just been, was a woman dressed in white. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful, with a cold air about her, and an Immortal Aura lingering around her. Lu Chen only took one glance at the woman and felt as though he had fallen into an eternal icy cavern, his body seemingly frozen in place. Yet, within this cavern of millennia-old ice, appeared to be a field of white snow lotuses, extraordinarily beautiful. Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. He had long heard from Lin Wanyun that Chen Wanrong¡¯s master was a true fairy, extremely beautiful, but he had not expected this woman to be so stunning. Her silver-white hair cascaded down to her waist, secured at the head with a jade hairpin in a bun, and her white gown clung tightly to her body, her skin as pure as snow. Chapter 555 - Chapter 555: Chapter 336: What a Good Name for Wind Cloud Palace_1 Chapter 555: Chapter 336: What a Good Name for Wind Cloud Palace_1 At this moment, Lu Chen was feeling somewhat puzzled. He and Yun Xianxian had done nothing, and they were several meters apart, but his internal skill had burst forth. What was going on? How had Yun Xianxian managed to do it? Deep in his heart, Lu Chen had already taken note of what Yun Xianxian had done to him today, and he secretly resolved that one day, he would transfer all the skill he had wasted today back into Yun Xianxian¡¯s body. Yun Xianxian acted very fast. As soon as Lu Chen¡¯s skill was drawn out, it was frozen into snowflakes by waves of cold air. Watching the snowflakes falling in the room, Yun Xianxian still showed no change in facial expression. By then, Lu Chen had realized that in Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, he truly was no different from livestock such as pigs, cows, and sheep. Even if she saw him in his entirety, she wouldn¡¯t be moved in the slightest. Would humans feel embarrassed and blush at the sight of the naked bodies of pigs, cows, and sheep? No. In reality, humans wouldn¡¯t feel anything at seeing animals mounting each other, let alone seeing their bodies. This was the behavior of a higher animal looking at a lower one. At this moment, Yun Xianxian¡¯s gaze was one that regarded a lower animal. Perhaps in Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, immortals were higher beings, and humans were lower ones. At that time, Lu Chen¡¯s face turned red with anger. He said resentfully, ¡°Master, this Cultivation Technique is not supposed to be practiced like this, it requires bodily contact to cultivate properly.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, ¡°What, do you want to engage in the act between men and women with me?¡± Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy demeanor, Lu Chen truly wanted to press her down, but unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t strong enough yet. Lu Chen thought furiously that this woman had better not fall into his hands, otherwise if she didn¡¯t bear him a hundred children in this lifetime, he would never let her off. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Master, since you¡¯ve already verified the Cultivation Technique, isn¡¯t it time you released your disciple?¡± As Lu Chen finished speaking, Yun Xianxian paid no attention to him and continued maintaining the circulation of the Cultivation Technique between them. Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. What did this woman mean? Hadn¡¯t she already verified the feasibility of the Cultivation Technique? Why wouldn¡¯t she let him go? As time ticked away second by second, the more Lu Chen looked at the woman with silver-white hair and purple pupils before him, the hotter his heart grew. Yun Xianxian¡¯s snow-white skin, delicate collarbones, voluptuous figure, and tempting red lips constantly provoked Lu Chen¡¯s deepest desires, inflaming his passions to boundless extents. Lu Chen thought to himself, this despicable woman, having seen all of him, wouldn¡¯t even let him touch her, using such contemptible means to incite his passions for her. Lu Chen had almost figured out why Yun Xianxian could operate the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. Although their bodies hadn¡¯t touched and were separated by several meters, Yun Xianxian had used some special method to amplify his innermost desires and captivated his heart. Then they met the conditions for dual cultivation, and the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill was successfully operated. Still, Lu Chen was somewhat perplexed. Logically speaking, the Cultivation Technique should only be effective if Yun Xianxian also had such thoughts towards him. However, judging by Yun Xianxian¡¯s indifferent expression, although her favorability towards him had reached ninety, she harbored no romantic feelings for him. If there were no romantic feelings, then why could this dual cultivation technique still be used between them? Just as Lu Chen was puzzled, that same sensation of something rushing towards his crown chakra came again. Lu Chen felt somewhat helpless, as he had become no different from Yun Xianxian¡¯s plaything. So be it, he thought, if he had to suffer a bit of a loss, then he would. He definitely remembered today¡¯s humiliation anyway, and he would one day take his revenge. Meanwhile, Yun Xianxian saw that Lu Chen still appeared very excited and furrowed her brows slightly. What was going on? Yun Xianxian was puzzled, but she didn¡¯t take it seriously. This was a good opportunity for her to restore some of her strength. She realized that this dual cultivation technique was perfect; it restored her strength very quickly when she cultivated with Lu Chen, offering her only benefits and no drawbacks. As for Lu Chen, he would not suffer any harm, at most he would expend some energy. Moreover, this would also be beneficial for Lu Chen. Although it would not help him Break through the Heavenly Human Realm, it could still help him further enhance his strength. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen¡¯s consciousness grew blurry, and he felt as if he was engaging in the act between man and woman with Yun Xianxian, which, of course, was impossible. It was all an illusion. However, illusion or not, the sensations were real. He didn¡¯t know what methods Yun Xianxian had used to give him the same feelings he¡¯d only experienced during intimate moments with his wives and concubines. The night grew deep, and the light was still on in the study, from where Lu Chen¡¯s voice could occasionally be heard. Mu Zixuan and a group of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were waiting for him to return to the Wind Cloud Court for dinner, but Lu Chen did not come back. Mu Zixuan then decided to send a maid to hurry him along. Soon, the maid returned with a crimson face. Seeing the maid¡¯s flushed complexion, everyone seemed to understand what had happened, and they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lu Chen had been abnormal for so many days, and they were all worried that the pressure inside him was too great, which could affect him and even lead to him becoming possessed by devils. Fortunately, Lu Chen could no longer hold back. They guessed he was probably in the study clashing with that woman again. Chapter 556 - Chapter 556: Chapter 336: What a Good Name for Wind Cloud Palace_2 Chapter 556: Chapter 336: What a Good Name for Wind Cloud Palace_2 Mu Zixuan and the others did not know that Lu Chen had been standing as a punishment all night long. The next morning, when he saw the light outside the window, Lu Chen finally sobered up a bit. He was still extremely excited, his blood boiling within him. At this moment, Yun Xianxian, who was sitting in meditation, suddenly opened her eyes. After a night of cultivation, her skill had recovered a great deal; so much so that she wouldn¡¯t even need to enter seclusion anymore. This came as a very pleasant surprise to Yun Xianxian. She hadn¡¯t expected this disciple to be so useful¡ªno, that wasn¡¯t quite right¡ªit was the Cultivation Technique courtesy of this disciple that proved so beneficial. She had previously planned to go into closed-door cultivation for fifty, a hundred, or even five hundred years, without any intention of coming out. Now, she had no need for it at all. The lack of abundant Spiritual Energy in this world meant one had to enter prolonged seclusion to restore strength. Now that she had found an alternative, Yun Xianxian felt some joy in her heart. Cultivation Techniques of the Heaven Rank are indeed useful. This also confirmed one thing for Yun Xianxian: it was very likely that Lu Chen was not someone who had crossed over from the Lower World. Possessing such a flawless cultivation technique, he was likely from a world with complete rules. Presently, Yun Xianxian had no intention of dwelling on who Lu Chen really was. After all, this man was now her disciple and was destined to be the companion of another disciple of hers. As his mentor, there should be no issue using his body to restore her strength, right? By now, Lu Chen had also recovered a bit of consciousness. He spoke up, ¡°Mentor, it¡¯s been a night. Shouldn¡¯t it be about time?¡± Lu Chen was no fool. At this point, how could he not have understood Yun Xianxian¡¯s purpose? This woman was using him for cultivation¡ªfreeloading off his Cultivation Technique. Yun Xianxian glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s body once more and found that his condition was still the same as the day before, still extremely excited. Yun Xianxian was startled inwardly once again. This man¡­ Something was not right¡­ Yun Xianxian, who had lived for three thousand years, had never engaged in romantic affairs due to her cultivation pursuits, but she was very knowledgeable about them. She had spied on many a romantic encounter, but she had never seen any man like Lu Chen. Yun Xianxian wondered to herself, could it be due to some special physical constitution? Later, Yun Xianxian sensed with her immortal power and discovered that Lu Chen¡¯s body didn¡¯t seem much different from the average person¡¯s. At that moment, Yun Xianxian stood up from her chair and approached Lu Chen directly. Seeing Yun Xianxian, the cold fairy who had tormented him all night long, walking towards him, Lu Chen¡¯s excitement heightened even more. But it wasn¡¯t because Lu Chen had any special preferences for torment; he simply wanted to overpower this woman. Unfortunately, his body still could not move. He was still too weak. This was the first time since arriving in this world that he had encountered a woman he couldn¡¯t handle. After walking up to Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian raised her delicate hand and touched his chest lightly, then, treating him like an animal, she felt here and peeked there. After an indeterminate amount of time, Yun Xianxian considered that perhaps it was due to the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill that his physical condition remained so stable. With this thought, Yun Xianxian decided not to waste more time. She then said, ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯ve recovered the majority of my strength. You may make a request of me. As long as it¡¯s not excessive, I can grant it.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that his request would be to devour her completely. Of course, he couldn¡¯t actually say that. Lu Chen then responded, ¡°Disciple hasn¡¯t decided yet. I will make my request once I have given it some thought, Mentor.¡± Yun Xianxian replied indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s acceptable.¡± Just then, Lu Chen suddenly had an idea and said with a slight smile, ¡°Mentor, since you have come to the North Country, why not stay a little longer? It would allow your disciple to properly honor you.¡± Yun Xianxian responded without expression, ¡°There¡¯s no need. I cannot be away from the Mysterious Moon Palace for too long.¡± Lu Chen felt a pang of displeasure. This woman wanted to leave after draining him dry. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Mentor, I suspect my father, the emperor, is conspiring with Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain to harm the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Yun Xianxian replied without concern, ¡°In the past, perhaps I would have been worried. But now that I¡¯ve regained much of my strength, should they dare to act against the Mysterious Moon Palace, only destruction awaits them.¡± With that, Yun Xianxian scanned Lu Chen¡¯s body once more. Now, he did not feel even a shred of shame at being looked at¡ªlet it be. He would consider it a display of his strength, showcasing his assets. Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°Your body is well-suited to this Cultivation Technique. However, I must remind you not to become addicted to the pleasures of the flesh. Once you succumb to it, you will find yourself unable to think of anything else, and it¡¯s very easy to be led astray.¡± ¡°With just a little trick from me, you indulged in it all night, unable to extricate yourself. Fortunately, I did not desire your life. If it were someone with ulterior motives, you would probably be dead by now.¡± Though Lu Chen was inwardly unconvinced, he replied politely, ¡°Disciple will heed Mentor¡¯s teachings.¡± Yun Xianxian declared, ¡°Good. It¡¯s time for me to leave.¡± Just as Yun Xianxian was about to leave, something suddenly occurred to her. In the next moment, her hand held a blue pigeon. Chapter 557 - Chapter 557: Chapter 336: What a Good Name for Wind Cloud Palace_3 Chapter 557: Chapter 336: What a Good Name for Wind Cloud Palace_3 ¡°This is a Spirit Dove. If you encounter any confusion in your cultivation in the future, you can write a letter and use the Spirit Dove to send a message to me,¡± Lu Chen cast a glance at the dove in Yun Xianxian¡¯s hand, about to say something, when suddenly, Yun Xianxian¡¯s body disappeared on the spot, leaving only the blue dove behind. After Yun Xianxian vanished, the restriction on Lu Chen¡¯s body was lifted. He quickly bowed his head to check his body and, finding everything in order, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the Spirit Dove left behind by Yun Xianxian on the desk, Lu Chen felt a surge of anger in his belly. What he wanted to do most now was to kill this Spirit Dove and make soup out of it to vent his frustration. Of course, he didn¡¯t actually do that. He glanced again at the white snowflakes on the ground, all of which had been frozen by the cold Spiritual Energy released by Yun Xianxian. Lu Chen sighed. What an ordeal¡ª he had been tormented by a woman all night long and ended up without even a kiss or an embrace. Nevermind, in the end, he had passed the test of Yun Xianxian, not only could he freely indulge in mischief with the fairy Chen Wanrong, but he also gained the Mysterious Moon Palace as a backing. His status in this world was thus increasingly stable. With this in mind, Lu Chen immediately turned and walked towards the resting room of the study. Upon entering, he took out a set of clothes from the cabinet and got dressed. Dawn. Mu Zixuan was watering the Dragon Phoenix Tree. The tree had sprouted new branches, and Mu Zixuan was particularly attentive to it, as one of the people who knew the secrets of the Dragon Phoenix Tree. At that moment, Lu Chen rushed into the courtyard. Seeing him, Mu Zixuan said with a smile, ¡°Prince, your servant has already prepared breakfast for you, all nourishing foods!¡± Before Mu Zixuan could finish speaking, she suddenly lost her balance. Lu Chen, seeing Mu Zixuan in her tight red dress, had his eyes gleaming with golden light. He promptly used Shadow Shifting, appearing instantly in front of Mu Zixuan, then scooped her up in a princess carry. Having been punished to stand all night in the study, although he managed to dissipate the stagnant skill within his body, everything he experienced last night was an illusion; it wasn¡¯t real enough. Lu Chen could no longer bear it. Mu Zixuan, having lost her balance, was momentarily stunned and let out a startled cry, ¡°Ah! Prince!¡± Before Mu Zixuan could say anything more, Lu Chen carried her off to the Wind Cloud Palace. Then he turned to the maid at the doorway and ordered: ¡°Xiao Rou, go call Madam Xiaozhou and Madam Dazhou. Tell them the Prince wants to discuss some matters with them.¡± Without waiting for the maid to respond, Lu Chen entered the Wind Cloud Palace, tossing Mu Zixuan onto the soft large bed. Mu Zixuan was still a bit dazed. She had just thought that Lu Chen, not having returned the previous night, must have spent a flirtatious night in the study. But in the next moment, she became the prey of Lu Chen. Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t think too much about it; after all, as Lu Chen¡¯s wife, it was her duty to attend to him. However, she quickly realized something was amiss. Lu Chen seemed particularly fiery today, and she suspected that he might have been provoked in some way. Fortunately, Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao arrived at the Wind Cloud Palace just in time. In the mornings, Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines would usually gather in the Wind Cloud Court for conversation and tea. Today was no exception. When Chu Yuqin arrived at the Wind Cloud Court, she found Yelv Nanyan and the others sitting quietly in the pavilion without a word. Chu Qingli watched the Wind Cloud Palace with a strange look on her face. Chu Yuqin walked into the pavilion and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± At this point, Chu Yuqin noticed that Mu Zixuan, Zhou Youyou, and Zhou Xiaoxiao were all absent. On any regular day, the two Zhous would be the first to arrive in the courtyard, as they were the most idle in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. All the other women in the mansion had tasks to a greater or lesser extent, but their main duty was to take care of the children. Yet today, they hadn¡¯t shown up even though it was getting late. Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Have Youyou and Xiaoxiao gone out? Why haven¡¯t I seen them?¡± ¡°Now is a critical time; it¡¯s best to take more people when going out.¡± Soon, Great Wu would declare war on North Country, and Yan County was surely filled with Great Wu¡¯s spies. No one could be certain that those spies wouldn¡¯t harm Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines. Chu Qingli then said, ¡°Sister, you¡¯re already a Grandmaster; are your ears still that bad? Just listen to what¡¯s happening in the Wind Cloud Palace.¡± Upon hearing Chu Qingli¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned before she tuned into the situation inside the Wind Cloud Palace. In the next moment, she could hear the intermittent voices. And clearly, Mu Zixuan along with Big Zhou and Little Zhou were all there. Chu Yuqin then realized and said, puzzled, ¡°Didn¡¯t Chen¡¯er stay in the study all of last night without coming back? How come this early in the morning¡­¡± ¡°Who knows what kind of madness has taken him,¡± replied Chu Qingli. Chu Yuqin frowned slightly, then said, ¡°Qingli, I¡¯ve told you many times, Chen¡¯er is the Prince, and now that you¡¯re his woman, you should show him more respect!¡± At this moment, Yelv Nanyan covered her mouth and laughed, saying, ¡°Little Chu might just be resentful because she hasn¡¯t been favored by the Prince for so long, hence the reaction to the sounds inside.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli¡¯s complexion changed, and she quickly retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense; I¡¯m not that kind of woman.¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t continue to lecture Chu Qingli, but her gaze turned towards Wind Cloud Palace, and her face showed a hint of worry. Although Lu Chen now seemed to have reverted to normal, becoming the lecher he used to be, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the pressure on him had increased today. Otherwise, why would he have Mu Zixuan and both Big Zhou and Little Zhou go to the Wind Cloud Palace to do such deeds? Chu Yuqin felt a vague sense of shame when she thought that she couldn¡¯t share Lu Chen¡¯s worries, even though she was already a Grandmaster and still couldn¡¯t alleviate his burden. At that moment, Chu Yuqin suddenly thought of something. She might not be able to share Lu Chen¡¯s worries about the matters of North Country, but she could bring him peace of mind. With that thought, Chu Yuqin resolutely headed toward the Wind Cloud Palace. Seeing this, Chu Qingli was taken aback and quickly asked, ¡°Sister, what are you doing?¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed as she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to check if anything has happened to Chen¡¯er, you guys continue chatting.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli silently watched Chu Yuqin. Without saying more, Chu Yuqin quickly entered the Wind Cloud Palace. Yelv Nanyan took a sip of tea and then remarked indifferently, ¡°The name ¡®Wind Cloud Palace¡¯ really is well-chosen; the Prince indeed has foresight.¡± Chapter 558 - Chapter 558: Chapter 337: Disciple Thanks Master for His Fulfillment_1 Chapter 558: Chapter 337: Disciple Thanks Master for His Fulfillment_1 After venting all his anger towards Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen finally felt much more relaxed. However, deep down, he had etched into his memory the humiliation she had caused him, and he was determined to take his revenge. Just as he had originally thought, if this woman did not bear him a hundred children, he would not rest until he had his way. She had drained him all night long, made him stand in the study for an entire night, and then simply ran off as if nothing happened. It wasn¡¯t going to be that easy; he had never suffered such a loss at the hands of any other woman before. Afternoon. Lu Chen had originally not planned on going to the study to deal with official affairs. Having dealt with so much these past few days, he felt somewhat annoyed and had intended to rest for the day. However, just as he was cultivating his relationship with Chu Yuqin and the others in the Wind Cloud Palace, an untimely voice appeared at the entrance of the Wind Cloud Palace, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin seeks an audience.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately ceased his actions and sighed. At this critical period, there was no room for relaxation. Subsequently, Lu Chen had no choice but to stand up, took a quick bath, and then headed to the study. After entering the study, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Commander Qin, what brings you here?¡± Seeing the serious expression on Lu Chen¡¯s face, Qin Yushan realized he might have come at an inopportune time, and he hurriedly said, ¡°Prince, Great Wu¡¯s trade caravans have already withdrawn, and moreover, Great Wu has mobilized an army of three hundred thousand to march northward. The pace of this army¡¯s advance is incredibly swift, as they are carrying virtually no logistical supplies with them.¡± Under normal circumstances, a nation waging war must first ensure the logistics of its military forces. There¡¯s a saying, ¡°The soldiers do not move until the grain and fodder go forth,¡± but Great Wu¡¯s actions were clearly unusual. That was an army of three hundred thousand, yet they were moving north without any food and supply; what would they eat once they reached the front line? Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen also felt that something wasn¡¯t quite right. He immediately picked up the intelligence report that Qin Yushan had placed on the desk and scanned it carefully. The intelligence indeed confirmed what Qin Yushan had said; their spies in Great Wu had indeed not seen any of the three hundred thousand-strong northern army carrying any grain or supplies. Humans, after all, are not stones; they need to eat. Even if Great Wu was in a rush to attack North Country, it was impossible not to bring any supplies at all. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said to Qin Yushan, ¡°Investigate why this army of three hundred thousand has not brought any supplies.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Our people are already gathering information, but it might take some time to find out the exact reason.¡± Lu Chen then recalled something and asked, ¡°Right, how many chambers of commerce have been won over from this return to Great Wu?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°Your Highness, we have covertly won over four chambers of commerce, and these chambers have virtually no connection with Wu Junwan; they are not part of her faction. We have already established preliminary contact with some of the Great Wu ministers.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm, good, hurry with winning over Great Wu¡¯s ministers. As long as Wu Junwan has not formed an alliance with Great Jue, let them impeach her.¡± Qin Yushan responded, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Getting the ministers of Great Wu to impeach Wu Junwan was just laying the groundwork. Lu Chen was not na?ve enough to believe that just a few ministers¡¯ impeaching Wu Junwan would be enough to strip her of her power. What Lu Chen truly intended was, after the war had ended, to have Great Wu deliver Wu Junwan, the Princess, to North Country. Lu Chen then said, ¡°All right, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡± Qin Yushan immediately responded, ¡°Yes, I shall take my leave.¡± Qin Yushan left the study quickly and without any delay. After Qin Yushan had left, Lu Chen sat in his chair, glanced at the map on his desk, and then murmured to himself, ¡°The real war is about to begin.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile. In the Imperial Palace of Great Sum. The Sum Emperor sat on the dragon throne, listening to the report from a Shadow Guard, when he suddenly broke into a smile and burst into laughter. ¡°Who would have thought, who would have thought, that Great Wu would actually be willing to remove the thorn in my side that is North Country!¡± The Sum Emperor had been pondering how to deal with the malignant tumor that was North Country, and now he was told that there was no need for him to act, as Great Wu had already planned to send troops against North Country. The Sum Emperor was no fool; he was fully aware of the reasons behind Great Wu¡¯s move against North Country. Clearly, Great Wu intended to take advantage of Great Sum¡¯s civil unrest to annihilate North Country, to prevent them from intervening in a future campaign meant to conquer Great Sum. With North Country gone, without the threat from the north, Great Wu could then confidently and boldly initiate a war of conquest against Great Sum. Moreover, North Country posed a significant threat to other dynasties too; the North Prince¡¯s personal ambitions were simply too grand. He not only spoke of dominating under heaven and claiming every subject within its borders but also talked of laying railways across the entire world. Such great ambition, coupled with North Country¡¯s growing military strength, meant Great Wu could not possibly allow North Country to continue developing. At this moment, the Sum Emperor felt extremely content. Initially, his plan was merely to draw North Country into the fray and lure Lu Chen back, then eliminate all the Seigniors. Although he failed, this instead indirectly prompted Great Wu¡¯s idea of taking action against North Country. Because of the current civil strife within Great Sum, Great Wu had entertained the idea of sending troops against North Country. If Great Sum were still under the direct rule of the Sum Emperor without internal chaos, even if Great Wu was fully aware of the great threat North Country represented, they would not have moved against North Country at this time. Chapter 559 - Chapter 559: Chapter 337: Disciple Thanks Master for His Fulfillment_2 Chapter 559: Chapter 337: Disciple Thanks Master for His Fulfillment_2 This is the case of the old saying, ¡°Flowers don¡¯t bloom when planted intentionally, but willows grow into shade when planted casually.¡± At this moment, the Sum Emperor calmed his emotions. Since Great Wu had decided on a military campaign against the North Country, he had to accelerate his plans and could no longer afford to delay. After Great Wu helped the Sum Imperial Court defeat North Country, the Sum Emperor planned to give the Martial Emperor a big surprise. With formidable military strength, the Sum Emperor believed North Country would last a considerable time, which would not only deplete Great Wu¡¯s military might, exacerbate its internal contradictions, but also rid Great Sum of this trouble with North Country. Once Great Wu eliminated the nuisance of North Country, the internal problems of Great Sum would be nearly resolved. The Sum Emperor believed by that time, he would have likely ascended to the Heavenly Human Realm. With him as a Celestial holding the fort, what would Great Wu count for then? As the Sum Emperor was contemplating this, the voice of a soldier came from outside the sleeping quarters, ¡°Your Majesty, two venerable ancestors from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain have arrived, and they are waiting outside the palace gate.¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor promptly rose from his dragon bed and said, ¡°Bring them in. Also, send for the State Preceptor.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Not long after, the Sect Hierarch of Four Directions Mountain and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist of Fixed Wind Mountain appeared in the Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping quarters. As they entered the Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping quarters, they saw the Sum Emperor himself looking spirited, not at all like the dying man rumored by the outside world. Seeing the Sum Emperor so lively, both were stunned. They quickly noticed the Sum Emperor carried the same aura as them¡ªcould it be that the Sum Emperor was also a Pseudo Celestial at the Unity Realm? This¡­ The Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the Sect Hierarch, crafty characters who had lived for over a century, knew full well what was happening, even at this point. Clearly, the supposed invitation from the State Preceptor was merely a ruse to deceive outsiders; it was the Sum Emperor himself who had invited them, and it was he who was the royal ancestor that had ascended to the Unity Realm. The Sect Hierarch of Divine Communication then said with a smile, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ve hidden your true strength deeply. Everyone outside has been fooled by you.¡± Since Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain were already major powers, the Sect Hierarch and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist did not show excessive deference to the Sum Emperor. The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°If some people knew that I was about to become a Celestial, wouldn¡¯t that put me in great danger? I had no choice but to act this way.¡± The Eternally Mysterious Taoist said, ¡°Your Majesty, since you¡¯ve already summoned us both, let¡¯s skip the formalities. Just tell us directly how we can help you break through to Celestial status.¡± The Sum Emperor said, ¡°The condition for my breakthrough to Celestial status is quite simple; it is to kill all the seigniors of Great Sum. Once they are all dead, I will be able to become a Celestial.¡± Upon hearing this, the Sect Hierarch and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist were taken aback. They did not expect the condition for the Sum Emperor to become a Celestial to be so straightforward. Compared to their own conditions to become a Celestial, the Sum Emperor¡¯s requirement was trivial. There seemed to be only nine seigniors with bestowed fiefs in the entirety of Great Sum. Considering the power of Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain, aside from the seignior of North Country who posed a challenge, the rest could be easily dealt with. At once, an ominous feeling arose in both of them. If they so easily helped the Sum Emperor eliminate those seigniors, would the Sum Emperor turn his sights on Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain after his breakthrough to Celestial status? And would the Sum Emperor assist them in ascending to Celestial status? They certainly didn¡¯t have it as easy as the Sum Emperor in becoming Celestials. For a moment, both lapsed into silence. The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°I know what you both are worried about. I can assure you that once I reach the Heavenly Human Realm, I will absolutely not lay a hand on Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain. Besides, we have a common enemy.¡± The Eternally Mysterious Taoist said with a laugh, ¡°We dare not trust Your Majesty¡¯s assurances. Although we share a common enemy, how can you be so certain that once you become a Celestial, we will be able to defeat the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± ¡°Even though the Mysterious Moon Palace has a Celestial, and that person has been in that state for many years now, Your Majesty may not necessarily be a match for them.¡± The Sum Emperor said lightly, ¡°Though the Mysterious Moon Palace does have a Celestial, it is very possible that this Celestial has been injured or encountered some difficulty.¡± At the Sum Emperor¡¯s conjecture, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist and Sect Hierarch felt a jolt, and the former immediately asked, ¡°Oh? Why does Your Majesty believe so?¡± The Sum Emperor responded, ¡°Hasn¡¯t there always been a rumor outside that the royal family has obtained the Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± The Sect Hierarch inquired, ¡°Could it be that this is not just a rumor?¡± The Sum Emperor affirmed, ¡°It is not merely a rumor, I have indeed obtained the Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace. However, the Mysterious Moon Palace has not sent anyone to seize the artifact, which indicates they are not confident in their own strength. This also proves that the condition of their Celestial is not very stable.¡± ¡°If in the future you both ascend to Celestial status and someone seizes your faction¡¯s treasured artifact, would you ignore it indefinitely?¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, the Sect Hierarch and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist fell silent. If their precious treasures were taken, they would spare no effort to retrieve them, especially given their status as Celestials. As Celestials, they would already be immortals of this world; how could they still fear those mundane forces. Chapter 560 - Chapter 560: Chapter 337: Disciple Thanks Master for His Fulfillment_3 Chapter 560: Chapter 337: Disciple Thanks Master for His Fulfillment_3 If what the Sum Emperor said was true, and the sacred artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace was indeed in the Great Sum Imperial Palace, then it was likely that something had indeed happened to the Celestial of the Mysterious Moon Palace, possibly a mishap in cultivation which led to severe injuries. If the Celestial of the Mysterious Moon Palace had truly encountered trouble, then this would be an incredible opportunity for Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain to rise, as their chance had come. Once the Mysterious Moon Palace was eliminated, they would no longer need to cower and hide in the mountains. However, they couldn¡¯t fully trust the Sum Emperor. Since the Sum Emperor had already revealed to them the conditions for becoming a Celestial, it would be very easy for them to constrain him. They could secretly protect a certain Seignior, then observe the Sum Emperor¡¯s situation. Once they confirmed that the Sum Emperor had no intent to strike against them, they would quietly kill that Seignior to aid the Sum Emperor in ascending to Celestial status. At this time, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist and The Master of Divine Communication certainly did not anticipate that the Sum Emperor hadn¡¯t told them the whole truth. To become a Celestial, the Sum Emperor did indeed need to kill some Seigniors, but not all of them. Subsequently, the Sum Emperor discussed his plans with The Master of Divine Communication and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist. He planned to carry out his scheme when Great Wu attacked the North Country. This way, neither the North Country nor Great Wu would pose a threat to his plans. ¡­ Meanwhile. Mysterious Moon Palace. After Yun Xianxian had recovered some of her strength, she flew directly back to the Mysterious Moon Palace, and the people of the palace didn¡¯t even know she had left. Upon returning to her thatched cottage, Yun Xianxian immediately summoned Chen Wanrong to the cottage. Chen Wanrong thought Yun Xianxian was calling her to speak about descending the mountain; she arrived at the thatched cottage quickly. When Chen Wanrong reached the entrance of the cottage, she bowed respectfully and said, ¡°Disciple pays respects to the master.¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s voice was cold as she said, ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Yun Xianxian finished speaking, Chen Wanrong pushed open the door of the thatched cottage and went inside. Within the cottage, Yun Xianxian sat cross-legged, holding a teacup, and was sipping the tea delicately. At this moment, Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°May I know why the master has summoned her disciple?¡± Yun Xianxian stated indifferently, ¡°I have met with the North Prince a few days ago.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart tightened. She hadn¡¯t expected that Yun Xianxian had silently descended from the mountain, and she was completely unaware of such a development. All was lost; without her having warned Lu Chen, given his character, he was certainly indulging in a life of profligacy daily, perhaps entangled with women every evening. Her master must have witnessed Lu Chen and his wives committing transgressions daily. Now, her master would probably not agree to let her be with Lu Chen. While Chen Wanrong was thinking this, Yun Xianxian said lightly, ¡°I¡¯ve checked the North Prince for you, to see what kind of man he is. Although he is somewhat lustful, as you have said, he is indeed a man of deep emotions and loyalty; he treats his women well.¡± ¡°Even in the face of my threats, he would not abandon his women easily.¡± Hmm? Chen Wanrong was slightly taken aback by the tone of Yun Xianxian¡¯s voice. Why did it sound as if her master was praising Lu Chen? Could it be that Lu Chen passed her master¡¯s test? Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°I have accepted Lu Chen as a disciple. From now on, he is also a member of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and his status as the Saint Heir remains valid.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong was stunned once again. She had been so worried, yet unexpectedly, Lu Chen had passed her master¡¯s examination without any warning from her, and she wondered how he had managed it. Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t continue to ponder and quickly said, ¡°Disciple thanks the master for making this possible!¡± Although she didn¡¯t know how Lu Chen had passed the master¡¯s test, the fact was he had passed. Since he had passed, there was no need to inquire about the process. Yun Xianxian went on, ¡°Although I have agreed to let you be together, I want to remind you that you are still the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace. If there¡¯s no important matter, you should not leave the mountain at will, and the affairs of the Mysterious Moon Palace, both great and small, will still be managed by you.¡± This¡­ Chen Wanrong paused, initially assuming that after Yun Xianxian¡¯s agreement for her to be with the North Prince, she would be allowed to leave the Mysterious Moon Palace and that another Palace Master would be chosen, given that there were many in the palace stronger than her, selecting a new master should not be an issue. However, her master still had no intention of letting her leave. Yun Xianxian added, ¡°Each year, I will give you one or two opportunities to leave the mountain, and if the North Prince comes to the mountain, I will not hinder your time together.¡± Chen Wanrong thought to herself that perhaps her master was worried she would become lost in the pleasures of love and forget about cultivation, hence the decision. One or two times a year? That was acceptable. Chen Wanrong responded, ¡°Disciple understands.¡± After finishing the discussion about Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian savored another sip of her tea. Then she asked, ¡°By the way, I remember that this Spiritual Tea was sent to you by Lu Chen, right?¡± Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°Yes, master.¡± During this time, Lu Chen had sent several servings of Dragon and Phoenix Tea to Chen Wanrong through the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace. The Dragon and Phoenix Tea could aid the cultivation of Lu Chen¡¯s women. Moreover, after the Dragon Phoenix Tree had been pruned, a wealth of Dragon and Phoenix Tea had been dried in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, so Lu Chen sent several pounds of tea leaves to Chen Wanrong. Chen Wanrong, unable to finish the Dragon and Phoenix Tea by herself, offered some of it to her master, thinking it could help her cultivation and assist her master in recovering strength. After trying the tea brewed from the leaves sent by the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Yun Xianxian became infatuated with this particular tea. Murmuring to herself, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I forgot to ask Lu Chen about the origin of this Spiritual Tea when I went to the North Country; I didn¡¯t expect the effects of this Spiritual Tea to improve so much. The next time I go to the North Country, I¡¯ll have to inquire with Lu Chen about the source of this tea.¡± ¡­ Chapter 561 - Chapter 561: Chapter 338: Wanyan, Are You Longing for a Man!_1 Chapter 561: Chapter 338: Wanyan, Are You Longing for a Man!_1 Great Wu Dynasty. Li Zheng Palace. Today, the court was occupied by some figures that were not usually seen. At the moment, two elderly men clad in armor, with graying hair and beards, stood at weapons in hand at the center of the grand hall. Although they appeared to be of a particularly old age, their bodies were still very robust, nearly two meters in height, and most importantly, their muscles filled out their armor, exuding a sense of power. Typically, when ministers attended court, they were not allowed to wear armor or carry weapons, not even military officials, but these two were exceptions due to their special statuses, which allowed them to come to court in armor, bearing arms. At this moment, on top of the hall, the Martial Emperor spoke, ¡°For the attack on the North Country, I plan to have both Xu and Zhan lead the troops together!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, a buzz spread through the grand hall. Some of the ministers could hardly believe it. Just to attack a feudal state under another dynasty, two Grandmasters were to be deployed. In the past, no matter how intense a war became, unless one nation reached another¡¯s capital, Grandmasters would not be deployed. A Grandmaster was a trump card, and no dynasty would use it right from the start. Furthermore, not using Grandmasters was an unspoken agreement among the major dynasties. If one dynasty broke this practice, more and more Grandmasters would appear on the battlefield in the future, making wars even more brutal, with more soldiers dying. This was the same for all sides. As long as a Grandmaster joined the battle, regular troops would almost stand no chance, so no dynasty would deploy a Grandmaster in external wars in the past. It was only during the civil war within the Great Xia that the royal family deployed Grandmasters to exterminate the remaining forces of the South¡¯s aristocratic families. Besides that occasion, Grandmasters were rarely seen in action. At that time, a minister stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Country is just a small nation. Why send Generals Xu and Zhan to attack it? If we deploy Grandmasters to the battlefield, I fear that other dynasties will follow suit in their external conflicts.¡± Once the standard is broken, more and more people will disregard the ¡°rules.¡± If deploying Grandmasters becomes the norm, Great Wu will inevitably face other dynasties¡¯ Grandmasters in future external wars, leading to greater casualties, which is not a good thing. Upon hearing this, Zhan Hong, clearly displeased, said, ¡°What a pedantic person. Once the North Country is eradicated, the next target will be the entire Great Xia Dynasty. Do you really think that when His Majesty launches a war of annihilation against Great Xia, they won¡¯t send a Grandmaster to the battlefield?¡± Ever since Zhan Hong had become a Grandmaster, he had handed over all military control and sat around idly at the General¡¯s office. The Martial Emperor had finally dredged him up, giving this Grandmaster a chance to emerge again. He did not want anyone spoiling this opportunity. And indeed, his words were not incorrect. Not to mention the military prowess of the North Country, even when it comes time to conquer Great Xia in the future, Great Wu will deploy Grandmasters. Since they would be deployed sooner or later, why continue the old tacit agreement? The rule that Grandmasters should not enter the battlefield was about time to be abolished. Moreover, there was another key point: the North Country had once eradicated an army of the Barbarian Tribe with Grandmasters, and the North Country itself also possessed Grandmasters, certainly more than one. How could Great Wu defeat the North Country without deploying Grandmasters? After Zhan Hong finished speaking, Xu Xingwen added from the side, ¡°The North Country itself has Grandmasters. To defeat them without dispatching our own, are you suggesting that you Civil Officials go and defeat the North Country¡¯s Grandmasters?¡± At these words from Xu Xingwen, the Civil Officials in the grand hall instantly fell silent, and no one continued the discussion about deploying Grandmasters. Indeed, they had almost forgotten that their mission was to destroy the North Country, which would use all its power to fight to the death against Great Wu, including deploying its own Grandmasters. If they did not dispatch Grandmasters, how could they possibly defeat the North Country? Seeing that the Civil Officials had nothing more to say, the Martial Emperor spoke, ¡°To defeat the North Country, we must undoubtedly deploy Grandmasters, but I still have some concerns.¡± As he said this, the Martial Emperor¡¯s gaze fell on Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, ¡°Zhan, Xu, are you confident you can defeat Zhuge Zhongguang?¡± Upon hearing this, Zhan Hong burst into a big laugh, then said, ¡°Zhuge Zhongguang attained Dao through scholarship, merely a scholar. Even if he has become a Grandmaster, he couldn¡¯t possibly possess the true strength of one. Your Majesty can rest assured, Zhuge Zhongguang won¡¯t be a match for us.¡± ¡°In terms of strategy, General Xu and I surely are not Zhuge¡¯s equals, but when it comes to martial force, I alone am more than enough to defeat Zhuge Zhongguang.¡± ¡°Before absolute strength, all strategies are insignificant. I shall annihilate the North Country within four months and present the North Prince¡¯s head to Your Majesty.¡± Hearing Zhan Hong¡¯s confident words, the Martial Emperor showed a hint of a smile. ¡°Seeing General Zhan so confident leaves me assured,¡± he said. That¡¯s when Chai Jiliang stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ve heard that you bypassed the Ministry of War, sending directly three hundred thousand troops northward, without even preparing provisions.¡± Hearing this, the Martial Emperor said indifferently, ¡°I only worry that the North Country, upon learning that Great Wu intends to attack, might take the initiative to send troops. Thus, I dispatched three hundred thousand troops northward as a precaution. How about it, Chai, do you find this inappropriate?¡± Chapter 562 - Chapter 562: Chapter 338: Wanyan, Are You Longing for a Man!_2 Chapter 562: Chapter 338: Wanyan, Are You Longing for a Man!_2 Chai Jiliang immediately asked, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re quickly summoning an army of three hundred thousand to head north, but what will this army eat if the logistics can¡¯t keep up?¡± The Martial Emperor replied, ¡°I have already issued commands to several counties in the north to gather provisions for that army of three hundred thousand, so you need not worry, Chai.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a fool; I wouldn¡¯t let my soldiers go hungry.¡± Hearing this, Chai Jiliang frowned. Chai Jiliang then said, ¡°Your Majesty, the north has suffered a great drought these past two years, and the people are already living in hardship. After paying their agricultural taxes, they barely have any grain left. If we continue to collect provisions from the north at this time, I fear it may cause resentment among the people in those northern counties.¡± Gathering provisions in the north was, by all accounts, definitely going to involve taking grain from the people, and those Aristocratic Families in the north would certainly not volunteer to donate their grain. These Aristocratic Families collude with the local officials. They only need to give some benefits to the officials, and then they won¡¯t have to contribute any grain. To gather the army¡¯s needed provisions, the officials of the counties will surely demand that the people hand over the grain from their homes, inevitably increasing the people¡¯s hostility towards the imperial court. In recent days, Chai Jiliang had been working late into the night to gather provisions for the campaign against the North Country. His greatest worry was that the Martial Emperor would command the army to requisition grain in the north, and just when he hadn¡¯t yet completed gathering the supplies, the Martial Emperor dispatched an army of three hundred thousand to head straight north. After listening to Chai Jiliang, the Martial Emperor was somewhat displeased, but he calmly said, ¡°War thrives on speed, and to conquer the North Country, some price must be paid.¡± At this moment, Zhan Hong said to Chai Jiliang, ¡°Prime Minister Chai, rest assured, I know what you¡¯re concerned about. You¡¯re worried that if the people see the army requisitioning grain locally, they will become dissatisfied with His Majesty, right?¡± Chai Jiliang did not speak. This was an obvious concern. Seeing Chai Jiliang silent, Zhan Hong continued, ¡°The three hundred thousand troops summoned to the north were once under my command. Upon their arrival in the north, they will requisition grain in my name. Rest assured, the people won¡¯t blame His Majesty.¡± ¡°His Majesty is correct. In warfare, speed is essential. How could we possibly wait for you to gather provisions slowly before advancing? By that time, the North Country would have already reacted.¡± ¡°The people of the northern counties are His Majesty¡¯s subjects, and it is their duty to contribute grain to Great Wu. Prime Minister Chai, you need not be too concerned. Let the people endure some hardship, I will take the blame.¡± Seeing that Zhan Hong had spoken thus, Chai Jiliang did not say more. At this point, nothing he said would matter. The three hundred thousand troops were already en route to the north, so it was impossible to recall them now. The only option was to hasten and find a way to fill the gaps in logistics and avoid having the three hundred thousand army requisition grain throughout the north. At this time, the Martial Emperor said, ¡°My beloved ministers, is there anything else for today? If not, let us conclude today¡¯s court session.¡± Seeing no one in the great hall spoke again, the Martial Emperor stood up, waved his sleeve, and said, ¡°Court is dismissed.¡± ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty!¡± ¡­ The Da Yue Dynasty. Wu Junwan was in the bath, scrubbing the Yue Emperor¡¯s body, whose skin was snow-white and smooth. In the bath, with the mist rising, only the silhouettes of two fair bodies could be vaguely seen. As Wu Junwan scrubbed the Yue Emperor¡¯s back, she said, ¡°Qingrou, are you really not considering forming an alliance with Great Wu?¡± The Yue Emperor replied, ¡°Junwan, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, it¡¯s that the ministers in court won¡¯t allow it.¡± ¡°I also want to help you. After all, the North Country is also a thorn in Da Yue¡¯s side, and I too wish to eliminate the North Country. Unfortunately, the people of Da Yue have finally achieved their current standard of living and they no longer wish to experience war.¡± The Da Yue Dynasty was only recently established, and before that, Da Yue was a place of chaos. The people living there were constantly worried about losing their lives any day. It wasn¡¯t until the Yue Emperor¡¯s father arrived that the region began to see some order and a semblance of peace. Thus, the people of Da Yue truly do not wish for war, but while the commoners are commoners, the ministers of Da Yue are well aware of how great a threat the North Country is, and many of them initially agreed with the decision to send troops against the North Country. Wu Junwan was no fool ¡ª she guessed that the Yue Emperor still harbored some wariness towards the North Country, or rather, wanted Great Wu to probe the North Country¡¯s strengths first before deciding. Wu Junwan sighed slightly. Although she and the Yue Emperor were good friends, close as sisters, they were born into different dynasties after all. The Yue Emperor had her own dynastic interests to consider and could no longer afford to make decisions based on personal feelings; Wu Junwan understood this in her heart. If she were to become the Empress of Great Wu and Da Yue faced any troubles in the future, she wouldn¡¯t simply help Da Yue. At most, she would only intervene if the Yue Emperor¡¯s life was in danger. At that moment, the Yue Emperor in the bath turned around, wrapped an arm around Wu Junwan¡¯s voluptuous body, lifted her chin with the other hand, and gazed into her eyes, saying, ¡°Even though Da Yue can¡¯t form an alliance with Great Wu for now, I can persuade the ministers to allow Great Wu¡¯s troops passage through Da Yue to enter the North Country directly.¡± Chapter 563 - Chapter 563: Chapter 338: Wanyan, Are You Longing for a Man!_3 Chapter 563: Chapter 338: Wanyan, Are You Longing for a Man!_3 Wu Junwan had guessed such an outcome would occur from the moment she set off, and as expected, it was quite similar to her expectations¡ªthe Yue Emperor had only agreed to granting passage. Just as Wu Junwan was about to say something, the Yue Emperor continued, ¡°Moreover, should the Great Wu army encounter any issues, Great Jue will dispatch a large force eastward at once to intimidate North Country and prevent their soldiers from entering Great Wu.¡± Upon hearing these words, Wu Junwan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. From the sound of it, did her good sister actually hold little faith in the Great Wu¡¯s forces? The Yue Emperor seemed to sense Wu Junwan¡¯s thoughts and lightly smiled before saying, ¡°Junwan, don¡¯t overthink it; what I said was merely an ¡®if¡¯.¡± Despite her words, Wu Junwan could sense that her good sister truly had little faith in Great Wu; no wonder she refused an alliance, preferring instead to let Great Wu test the waters with North Country. At that moment, Wu Junwan thought of someone and then asked, ¡°Qingrou, has that maidservant who looks very much like me returned from North Country?¡± Li Qingrou replied, ¡°She returned once, but I sent her back to North Country to gather more intelligence.¡± The Yue Emperor¡¯s words almost confirmed Wu Junwan¡¯s speculation, the Yue Emperor indeed held little faith in the forces of Great Wu. The Emperor probably saw North Country¡¯s power as almost equal to that of an entire dynasty. The Yue Emperor said nothing more, her delicate hands continuing to gently caress Wu Junwan¡¯s body. After a moment, the Yue Emperor said with a smile, ¡°Junwan, your body becomes all the more enthralling with time. I wonder which man will be fortunate enough to savor your grace.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan chuckled and then replied, ¡°I have long resolved never to marry; no man shall have the privilege of touching my body.¡± Li Qingrou held Wu Junwan close, whispering in her ear, ¡°A vow never to marry doesn¡¯t mean you won¡¯t have a man.¡± ¡°If you have no man, where will the child come from? And without a child, how can you control the entire Great Wu dynasty?¡± How could Li Qingrou not understand Wu Junwan¡¯s mind? As her close sister, she had long noticed that Wu Junwan aspired to become an Empress of a dynasty, just like her. It was just that the situation in Great Wu was complicated, coupled with the fact that Wu Junwan was not as powerful as she was, making it difficult for Wu Junwan to ascend to that supreme position in Great Wu. Especially considering that Wu Junwan was a woman, the issue of a successor was significant. Stunned by Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Wu Junwan indeed pondered as Li Qingrou suggested. If she were to become the Empress of Great Wu one day, to whom would she pass the throne if she had no child? But these were concerns for later. Her father, the emperor, was in his prime, and her ambitions would likely remain unfulfilled for decades. With this thought, Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but sigh and then said, ¡°Qingrou, let¡¯s not talk about me anymore. Whether I can even take that position is uncertain.¡± ¡°You¡¯re different¡ªyou are now the Empress of Great Jue. And with your family¡¯s scarce progeny, if you don¡¯t find a man soon to bear a child, to whom will you pass your throne?¡± The Empress smiled faintly, ¡°I still strive to reach a higher Realm in Martial Arts. I wouldn¡¯t dream of having a child at this point. And given my lifespan, ruling over Great Jue for a millennium won¡¯t be an issue. So, there¡¯s no need to worry about a successor so soon.¡± ¡°Besides, the number of men who could catch my eye is most likely quite small.¡± At this point, the Yue Emperor¡¯s head rested on Wu Junwan¡¯s fragrant neck, taking a deep breath, ¡°No man smells as sweet as my Wanyan. Oh, if only you were a man.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan just smiled. For some reason, as they discussed men, the image of North Prince suddenly surfaced in her mind. Thinking of the North Prince made Wu Junwan¡¯s body grow restless, a warmth spreading through her. She still remembered the words the North Prince said to her when she left North Country¡ªthat one day he would make her his woman, adding also that Great Wu would send her willingly to North Country. At that thought, Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. To be honest, she quite liked the North Prince¡¯s appearance; unfortunately, they were enemies. It was then that a bold idea formed in Wu Junwan¡¯s mind¡ªif Great Wu managed to conquer North Country this time, could she persuade her father to leave North Prince to her to deal with? Maybe she could imprison him for her use? The North Prince was so powerful; any child of his would surely be strong as well. If she could have a child with the North Prince and then raise the child in secrecy, Great Wu¡¯s succession problem would be solved. With this in mind, Wu Junwan resolved that should they conquer North Country, she would find a way to detain North Prince. If her father refused to hand him over, she would simply take North Prince covertly and find a place to keep him confined. The more Wu Junwan thought, the hotter her body burned, and as she pressed closely to the Yue Emperor, even she began to notice an unusual warmth radiating from Wu Junwan. At that moment, the Yue Emperor said with a laugh, ¡°Wanyan, are you thinking of a man? Your body is so warm; come on, tell me, who were you just thinking about?¡± Startled by the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, Wu Junwan regained her composure and retorted, ¡°Qingrou, what nonsense are you talking about? The water is hot; soaking for a while naturally warms the body.¡± ¡°I too strive for a higher Martial Arts Realm, how could I possibly be thinking of men.¡± The Yue Emperor laughed and said, ¡°Wanyan, if you truly find a man you like in the future, you must tell me about him, and I¡¯ll help you check him out.¡± Feeling guilty, Wu Junwan gave a noncommittal ¡°Hmm¡± and stayed quiet after. She calmed her emotions and made an effort not to dwell on that young man any longer. If her thoughts lingered, her body might react in even stranger ways, creating more abnormalities for her good sister to notice, which would be undesirable. Chapter 564 - Chapter 564: Chapter 339 But you must also pay a price_1 chapter 564: chapter 339 but you must also pay a price_1 the north country had basically entered a state of total war, and now, the merchant caravans from north country had become increasingly scarce, as those merchants had sensed that great wu was about to move against north country. merchants are always the most sensitive to warfare, and although some contemplated profiting from the war in north country, considering the military strength of the great wu dynasty, most merchants believed north country was no match for them and thus hurried to leave north country to avoid being caught up in the conflict should the two states go to war. yan county was no longer as prosperous as it used to be, and even though there were still quite a few horse-drawn carriages on the main street, the number of merchant caravans had decreased by at least two-thirds compared to before. the merchant caravans still willing to come to north country were mostly from within the boundaries of great sum, as well as merchants from within north country itself. the necessary deployments had been essentially completed in north country, with fifty thousand heavy cavalry stationed outside yongan county, and lu chen had also mobilized mu changtian¡¯s led two hundred thousand north country troops to yongan county. of course, lu chen did not believe that great wu¡¯s forces had to engage in a decisive battle with north country¡¯s army in yongan county, so he had the two hundred thousand troops from the polar regions guard the border area adjacent to great jue and north country. the two hundred thousand troops from the polar regions were not yet familiar with the use of firearms, so it was only fitting for them to defend the north country¡¯s homeland. as for the two hundred thousand strong army led by mu changtian, they would likely take the initiative to counterattack great wu when the time came. one feeds the troops for a thousand days to use them for one moment, and after the firearms were equipped, north country¡¯s troops trained almost every day, and it was about time for them to show their effectiveness. in the afternoon, lu chen was reviewing the latest intelligence on great wu sent by the brocade guard in his study, when suddenly a jinyiwei guard at the door said, ¡°prince, a merchant caravan from black dragon country has requested to see you.¡± upon hearing this, lu chen paused for a moment. had they come so quickly? he immediately responded, ¡°bring their leader straight to the study.¡± ¡°yes, prince.¡± great jue was not likely to get involved in the conflict between great wu and north country, but should north country defeat great wu¡¯s army, it was possible that great jue would intervene to prevent north country¡¯s counteroffensive. thus, lu chen needed black dragon country to restrain great jue. at that time, black dragon country would not need to do much, only to transfer their troops to the border area adjacent to great jue and take a stroll, with black dragon country¡¯s constraint, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for great jue to directly send troops to stop north country¡¯s counterattack against great wu. before long, the jinyiwei guard brought the envoy sent by black dragon country to the study. the visitor was dressed in a long green robe, tall and thin, and seemed quite frail. lu chen quickly glanced over the information about this individual. [name: liu yu] [identity: son of liu zhengchu, the ruler of black dragon country, and a subject of north prince.] [strength: ninth grade] [loyalty: 100] upon seeing lu chen, liu yu immediately performed a ritual salute and said, ¡°your subject, liu yu, pays his respects to the great king! long live the great king!¡± lu chen smiled and responded, ¡°rise, and besides, i am but a seignior of great sum. refrain from using the word ¡®ten thousand¡¯ in front of others in the future.¡± hearing lu chen¡¯s words, liu yu quickly caught on and said hastily, ¡°your subject acknowledges his error, please punish me, great king.¡± lu chen replied indifferently, ¡°this is your first visit to north country; it¡¯s a minor matter. now, hurry and tell me about the current situation in black dragon country.¡± liu yu then said, ¡°thank you, great king.¡± after that, liu yu stood up and laid out a map he had prepared in advance on lu chen¡¯s desk, ¡°great king, this is the territory currently controlled by black dragon country.¡± upon receiving the map, lu chen scrutinized it closely, and liu yu then reported on the current situation in black dragon country. after understanding the state of black dragon country, lu chen swiftly wrote a letter for liu yu to deliver to liu zhengchu. after liu yu left the north prince mansion, he had the pigeon that they had brought with them immediately released to send a pigeon letter, instructing his father to prepare the troops for an advance to the east. subsequently, black dragon country also established a residence in north country, though of course, this residence would not be made public. after all, black dragon country belonged to lu chen, and it was only a matter of time before it would become part of north country¡¯s territory. there was no need for black dragon country to establish a residence; setting one up now was merely to deceive others and prevent anyone from discerning the truth. once liu yu had departed, lu chen¡¯s official duties for the day were nearly finished. now that everything was ready, all that remained was for great wu to send out their troops. at this moment, lu chen rose from his chair, stretched lazily, and then rotated his neck. even as a grandmaster, sitting for too long still led to a sense of mental fatigue. considering the current amount of government affairs in north country, lu chen couldn¡¯t imagine what lay ahead. just as lu chen was about to return to the inner court, the voice of a maid came from the doorway, ¡°prince, general xuanyuan requests an audience.¡± lu chen said, ¡°let him in.¡± as soon as the words were spoken, xuanyuan chen entered the study and bowed, ¡°greetings, prince!¡± lu chen nodded, ¡°mhm, what¡¯s the matter?¡± xuanyuan chen rarely sought him out lately, as he was commanding fifty thousand heavy cavalry stationed in yan county, certainly with not much of significant concern. after hearing lu chen¡¯s question, xuanyuan chen hesitated for a moment, seemingly with something difficult to express. lu chen asked in puzzlement, ¡°what is it?¡± xuanyuan chen had never been so hesitant before. xuanyuan chen swiftly said, ¡°your¡­ prince, am i not going to the front lines?¡± realizing what was being implied, lu chen understood that, more or less, every north country general had some task or another, leaving only xuanyuan chen leading the heavy cavalry to remain in yan county, making him restless. Chapter 565 - Chapter 565: Chapter 339 But you must also pay a price_2 chapter 565: chapter 339 but you must also pay a price_2 lu chen smiled and asked, ¡°general xuanyuan, don¡¯t tell me you want to go to the frontline?¡± xuanyuan chen quickly replied, ¡°your subordinate was just asking.¡± lu chen said, ¡°general xuanyuan, you don¡¯t think that because i¡¯ve left you to guard yan county with fifty thousand heavy cavalry, you should do nothing, do you?¡± ¡°your task is of great importance. great wu sending troops to attack north country is unlikely to concentrate its main forces in yongan county; it is very possible they will pass through great jue to enter north country.¡± ¡°if by any chance the troops of great wu manage to bypass our defensive line and directly assault yan county, you all would be the crucial force protecting me.¡± or do you not wish to protect me?¡± xuanyuan chen quickly said, ¡°prince, forgive me, i had no such intention. it is my honor to protect you, prince.¡± ¡°the reason i thought of going to the frontline is mainly because of my sister. she said that there¡¯s no chance for her to engage in battle in yan county, and she wants to go to the frontline. so i thought i¡¯d inquire and see if there¡¯s a chance for me to go.¡± upon hearing this, lu chen was taken aback. ever since he had brought xuanyuan yunqi to yan county, he had placed her with xuanyuan chen¡¯s black cavalry and had her learn about firearms and various battle tactics. the original intention of lu chen was to take xuanyuan yunqi for himself; he was quite fond of such a valiant and beautiful woman. but there were already many women in the prince¡¯s mansion, and lu chen had no inclination to deliberately increase his harem, so he simply kept letting xuanyuan yunqi learn in xuanyuan chen¡¯s army, never having her come to his side. he hadn¡¯t expected xuanyuan yunqi to become restless so quickly. lu chen fell into deep thought. after a long while, lu chen finally spoke up and asked, ¡°general xuanyuan, how do you think general yunqi is doing in her military studies?¡± xuanyuan chen answered, ¡°she has learned what she needs to learn; the only thing lacking is real combat experience.¡± lu chen said, ¡°go back and tell her that if she truly wants to go to the frontline, have her come to the prince¡¯s mansion to see me tomorrow. i want to see how determined she is.¡± xuanyuan chen was stunned for a moment, then asked, ¡°prince, do you really intend to send her to the frontline?¡± xuanyuan chen could clearly see the prince¡¯s intentions. their prince obviously lusted after his sister¡¯s body and had long coveted her, otherwise, the prince wouldn¡¯t have lured her to yan county. since it was a matter of coveting her body, how could he possibly send her to such a dangerous place? lu chen smiled and said, ¡°it depends on her determination. if she¡¯s truly set on going to the frontline, i will arrange for her to go to yongan county immediately.¡± xuanyuan chen said, ¡°your subordinate understands. i will go back and tell her right away.¡± ¡°your subordinate asks to be excused.¡± lu chen nodded his head without saying anything more. following that, xuanyuan chen turned and left the prince¡¯s mansion, heading straight for the place where xuanyuan yunqi was staying. having nothing else to attend to, lu chen got up from behind his desk, preparing to head back to his private quarters for dinner. just as he reached the doorway, the voice of a maid was heard from outside. ¡°prince, miss murong requests an audience.¡± without responding, lu chen walked directly to the door to see murong xue¡¯er dressed in plain black and white garments standing in the courtyard. seeing lu chen come out, murong xue¡¯er was momentarily taken aback, then quickly said, ¡°have i disturbed the prince with my visit?¡± lu chen smiled and asked, ¡°miss murong, coming to the prince¡¯s mansion so late, do you have something important to discuss?¡± murong xue¡¯er was slightly startled. although she came to gather information, showing up at the prince¡¯s mansion at such a late hour indeed seemed inappropriate. it was already dinner time, and after that, it would be time for bed. had she come to the north prince mansion at this time with the intention of surrendering her body? not that she had intended to come so late, but she had just passed by the north prince mansion and suddenly thought that since great wu was about to wage war against north country, she should seek out the north prince to pry some information about the military deployments of north country. without thinking, she had come directly to the north prince. murong xue¡¯er felt her mind had become muddled. how could she have approached the north prince at such a time, especially when she hadn¡¯t even prepared an excuse to see him? approaching the north prince at this time would make it immediately obvious to him why she was there. just then, a moment of inspiration struck murong xue¡¯er, and quickly, she concocted an excuse. with a smile and a calm voice, she said, ¡°do i need to have a matter to come and see you, prince?¡± the corners of lu chen¡¯s mouth also lifted slightly, and then he walked straight up to murong xue¡¯er. with no heed to the presence of the maids and servants in the courtyard, he gently whispered in murong xue¡¯er¡¯s ear, ¡°of course, you can come to see me anytime.¡± ¡°you¡¯ve come at just the right time, as i am about to have dinner. come with me.¡± hearing these words, murong xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat. dinner? was it the dinner she understood, or was she the dinner? she didn¡¯t know why, but ever since that man had taken her virginity, unclean thoughts always seemed to find their way into her mind. she was, after all, a talented lady; how could she entertain such thoughts? at that moment, lu chen, with his arm around murong xue¡¯er¡¯s slender waist, walked towards the wind cloud court. operationalerror: (2003, ¡°can¡¯t connect to mysql server on ¡®127.0.0.1¡¯ (10061)¡±) murong xue¡¯er then asked, ¡°aren¡¯t you worried about being seen by your wives and concubines, prince?¡± lu chen said with a smile, ¡°my wives and concubines are very tolerant towards me, plus they already know you¡¯re my woman. even if they saw us, they wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Chapter 566 - Chapter 566: Chapter 339 But you must also pay a price_3 chapter 566: chapter 339 but you must also pay a price_3 murong xue¡¯er continued to ask, ¡°isn¡¯t the prince curious about what i came here to do?¡± lu chen replied, ¡°didn¡¯t i just say, you can come to the prince¡¯s mansion anytime, you can even consider the prince¡¯s mansion as your own home and stay here without any problems.¡± hearing lu chen¡¯s words, murong xue¡¯er felt somewhat uneasy inside. the less he seemed to care, the more uneasy she felt. she said directly, ¡°this time, my visit to the prince¡¯s mansion is mainly because the empress gave me an order to find out what weapons the north country has.¡± this was the excuse murong xue¡¯er had just thought of. since she didn¡¯t have a good excuse, she might as well make up something that seemed reasonable. after all, she and lu chen had already crossed the line. her body had been played with by this man so many times. if she pretended to defect and to have feelings for him, he probably wouldn¡¯t see through it, right? hearing murong xue¡¯er¡¯s lie, lu chen just smiled. when he saw murong xue¡¯er earlier, he had already glanced at the system update regarding murong xue¡¯er¡¯s profile, which clearly stated that murong xue¡¯er had come this time to inquire about the north country¡¯s defense plans and then hand them over to great wu to coordinate an attack on the north country. but lu chen wasn¡¯t too concerned about murong xue¡¯er¡¯s lies. he wanted this woman to personally admit her purpose for coming to the north prince mansion in bed later. for now, he pretended to believe what murong xue¡¯er had said. at this moment, lu chen said with a smile, ¡°so that¡¯s why, miss murong isn¡¯t planning to become my woman, so why are you now actively passing information to me?¡± hearing lu chen¡¯s teasing, murong xue¡¯er¡¯s face flushed slightly. murong xue¡¯er then said, ¡°prince, don¡¯t flatter yourself. i am merely cooperating with you and have not agreed to truly become your woman.¡± ¡°i can no longer return to great jue, and the only way to obtain more intelligence in the north country and earn some merits is like this. only by doing so will i have the hope of returning to great jue and be reused by the empress.¡± lu chen replied, ¡°i see.¡± ¡°so, miss murong has no feelings for me whatsoever?¡± murong xue¡¯er said expressionlessly, ¡°does the prince really think that after sleeping with him a few times, i would develop feelings for him?¡± ¡°isn¡¯t the prince underestimating me a bit too much?¡± lu chen said, ¡°alright then, it seems i¡¯ve been overthinking it. since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s only talk about transactions and not about feelings.¡± ¡°i can provide you with some intelligence to help you achieve merits, to help you return to great jue, to return to the empress¡¯s side.¡± ¡°however, you must also pay a price.¡± murong xue¡¯er frowned slightly, ¡°what price?¡± lu chen stopped in his tracks, stretched out his hand, and lifted murong xue¡¯er¡¯s delicate chin, looking at her beautiful face as he said, ¡°the price is your body; whenever i want you to serve in my bed, you must come to the prince¡¯s mansion immediately.¡± hearing this, murong xue¡¯er was not angry; on the contrary, she was quite happy inside. of course, murong xue¡¯er was not happy because her body was going to be played with by lu chen¡ªit was because she now had a legitimate reason to frequently interact with the north prince and come to the north prince mansion regularly, and it was the north prince who had brought it up. murong xue¡¯er said with an indifferent face, ¡°aren¡¯t the many women in the prince¡¯s mansion enough for the prince to play with?¡± lu chen replied, ¡°i¡¯ve recently taken a liking to calligraphy, so i wanted you to come to the prince¡¯s mansion to practice writing with me.¡± murong xue¡¯er replied, ¡°i understand. if the prince wants to practice calligraphy in the future, you may send someone to my residence to fetch me anytime.¡± lu chen said, ¡°alright, enough of that, the meal should be ready by now.¡± with that, lu chen wrapped his arm around murong xue¡¯er¡¯s waist and continued walking towards wind cloud court. soon, they arrived at the entrance of wind cloud palace. when lu chen appeared at the doorway with his arm around murong xue¡¯er¡¯s slender waist, the numerous wives and concubines inside wind cloud palace were taken aback for a moment, as was murong xue¡¯er herself. she had thought that dinner meant a bedchamber feast and hadn¡¯t expected that lu chen¡¯s invitation to dinner was actually about eating a meal, and moreover, a meal with all his wives and concubines. this confused her¡ªcould it be that meals in the prince¡¯s mansion always involved the whole household dining together? ordinarily, in a grand prince¡¯s household like this, at meal times, each person would eat separately; they wouldn¡¯t gather together to dine like this. after a brief pause, mu zixuan quickly regained her composure, stepped forward briskly, and said with a smile, ¡°prince, is she our new sister? if i¡¯m not mistaken, this should be miss murong, right?¡± at this moment, lu chen spoke, ¡°my beloved consort mustn¡¯t speak carelessly. i was just discussing matters with miss murong in the study, and it happened to be mealtime, so i invited her to join us for a meal.¡± hearing this, all the women smiled. as if they would believe lu chen¡¯s words. they knew very well who lu chen was. how could he let someone like murong xue¡¯er, a cold and talented beauty, slip by, especially since the two of them had already done those things in the study. however, they didn¡¯t make it explicit, as if to spare murong xue¡¯er some dignity to prevent her from feeling embarrassed later. no matter what, murong xue¡¯er was an envoy sent by great jue; an envoy from great jue becoming the north prince¡¯s woman¡ªsuch a rumor could potentially impact murong xue¡¯er¡¯s reputation. mu zixuan then said, ¡°i see, my mistake; i shouldn¡¯t have spoken carelessly.¡± on saying this, mu zixuan turned to murong xue¡¯er and said, ¡°miss murong, i¡¯m truly sorry, i misunderstood you; i apologize to you.¡± murong xue¡¯er then said, ¡°there¡¯s no need, consort; it¡¯s normal for you to misunderstand given my presence in the inner court.¡± at this point, mu zixuan stepped in front of murong xue¡¯er, took her hand, and said, ¡°enough about that; dinner is ready. miss murong, please take your seat.¡± Chapter 567 - Chapter 567: Chapter 340: Murong Xueers Complete Compromise_1 chapter 567: chapter 340: murong xue¡¯er¡¯s complete compromise_1 pulled to the dining table by mu zixuan, murong xue¡¯er felt strangely out of place, as she had never faced such a scene before. from childhood, she had never encountered a situation where so many people sat together for a meal. when in the imperial palace, she would eat alone, a simple meal, followed by work or practicing the cultivation techniques imparted by the empress. at this moment, mu zixuan and others fussed over murong xue¡¯er, as if she truly became a member of the prince¡¯s mansion, as if she had become one of lu chen¡¯s consorts. murong xue¡¯er quickly realized something was amiss. she wasn¡¯t one of lu chen¡¯s consorts, so why was she chatting with them as if they were sisters? indeed, all of this was a plot of the north prince, who intended to make her familiar with the people of the prince¡¯s mansion in advance, subtly shaping her into his woman. unfortunately for him, she had already seen through his little tricks; there was no way she would fall for them. during dinner, murong xue¡¯er noticed another issue: the women of the prince¡¯s mansion seemed to be somewhat disrespectful in front of lu chen. a few women even drank wine on their own, appearing to disregard the prince completely. although these women belonged to lu chen, he was still a prince. they should have paid some attention to their conduct, but these women did not seem to take it seriously. from this, it was evident how indulgent lu chen was with his women. murong xue¡¯er, amidst this harmonious setting, faintly felt as though she had become a part of it. just then, mu zixuan¡¯s voice rang in murong xue¡¯er¡¯s ears, ¡°prince, should miss murong stay over tonight? your concubine will immediately arrange a room for her.¡± upon hearing mu zixuan¡¯s voice, murong xue¡¯er suddenly snapped back to reality, stopping herself from slipping further into fanciful thoughts. she was here on a mission; how could she allow the environment to affect her? she couldn¡¯t be bewitched by the scene before her; everything between her and the north prince was fake, all for the sake of completing her mission. it was then that lu chen, to the side, said, ¡°no need, miss murong and i have matters to discuss in the study tonight, and it may go on until dawn.¡± hearing this, wang qingci gave lu chen a white look. he still enjoyed committing his misdeeds in the study room, clearly having plenty of empty rooms in the prince¡¯s mansion but opting to go to the study for mischief. mu zixuan said with a smile, ¡°i understand.¡± then, mu zixuan turned to murong xue¡¯er and asked, ¡°miss murong, did the meal suit your taste tonight?¡± murong xue¡¯er replied, ¡°yes, the meals at the prince¡¯s mansion are quite delectable.¡± mu zixuan responded, ¡°i¡¯m relieved you liked them.¡± afterward, the women chatted with murong xue¡¯er about mundane matters, such as the dietary and cultural customs of the great jue and the north country. after dinner, a maid brought lu chen hot water. he quickly washed his face and wiped his mouth, then said to murong xue¡¯er, ¡°miss murong, let¡¯s head to the study now.¡± hearing lu chen¡¯s voice, murong xue¡¯er came back to her senses and promptly stood up, saying, ¡°alright.¡± at this time, with a smile, mu zixuan said to murong xue¡¯er, ¡°miss murong, feel free to visit the prince¡¯s mansion whenever you have time.¡± murong xue¡¯er responded nonchalantly, ¡°hmm.¡± following that, murong xue¡¯er followed lu chen to the study, and as they walked away, wang qingci chuckled softly and then addressed chu yuqin, ¡°madam chu, you always said that i bothered the prince in his study, hindering him from handling state affairs. now that murong xue¡¯er will be spending the whole night in the study with the prince, why don¡¯t you say something about her?¡± chu yuqin huffed, then retorted, ¡°you are you, she is her; she doesn¡¯t come to the prince¡¯s mansion every day.¡± ¡°besides, it is nighttime, the time for rest; unlike you, this bitch, who runs to bother chen¡¯er in broad daylight.¡± with that, chu yuqin stood up and left the wind cloud palace, unwilling to continue bickering with wang qingci, that seductive bitch. soon afterward, lu chen and murong xue¡¯er arrived at the study. upon entering the study, lu chen did not rush to do anything to murong xue¡¯er. both entered the resting room, where lu chen first brewed a pot of dragon and phoenix tea, then poured murong xue¡¯er a cup, ¡°miss murong, let¡¯s chat while we sip tea.¡± hearing this, murong xue¡¯er looked at him with a hint of bewilderment; he had always been direct in his approach before, so why had he suddenly become so well-behaved today? murong xue¡¯er didn¡¯t dwell on it, sitting down at the table and then taking a light sip from a cup of dragon and phoenix tea. murong xue¡¯er inquired, ¡°what would the prince like to discuss?¡± smiling, lu chen countered, ¡°do you know why the yue emperor didn¡¯t choose anyone else but specifically picked you to come to the north country and even instructed you to use your beauty to get close to me?¡± hearing this question, murong xue¡¯er was momentarily taken aback. she had never given much thought to this question because, in her view, the yue emperor was the emperor, the ruler of a nation. whatever he wished to do, he did, and if he wanted her to get close to the north prince, then she was not in a position to refuse or to be skeptical. moreover, murong xue¡¯er was aware of her own beauty, perhaps in the emperor¡¯s eyes; she was attractive and matched the north prince¡¯s preferences, and that might be why she was sent to the north country. Chapter 568 - Chapter 568: Chapter 340: Murong Xueers Complete Compromise_2 Chapter 568: Chapter 340: Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Complete Compromise_2 Having come to her senses, Murong Xue¡¯er said expressionlessly, ¡°This is the Emperor¡¯s decision. As Her Majesty¡¯s maidservant, I only need to obey her command, without contemplating the whys.¡± Lu Chen snorted with laughter, then also picked up his teacup and took a sip. ¡°You really are a handy tool for the Yue Emperor, not thinking about anything.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er then asked, ¡°In your view, Prince, why would the Emperor send me to the North Country?¡± No sooner had Murong Xue¡¯er finished speaking than Lu Chen put down his teacup, raised his hand, and, pinching Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s chin, gazed at her cold, stunningly beautiful face. ¡°The reason the Yue Emperor sent you is because you are beautiful enough to pique my interest, and beyond that, there¡¯s another very important reason.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°What reason?¡± Lu Chen smiled, then let go of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s chin and stood up, walking over to the bed. Arriving at the bedside, Lu Chen sat on the edge of the bed. Seeing this scene, Murong Xue¡¯er paused for a moment, thinking Lu Chen would continue their conversation. She hadn¡¯t expected him to just drink some tea before his thoughts turned to such matters. Lu Chen then patted the bed beside him. ¡°Miss Murong, come sit here. Let me tell you why the Yue Emperor sent you instead of someone else.¡± Without overthinking, Murong Xue¡¯er slowly got up and sat down beside Lu Chen. As soon as she did, Lu Chen¡¯s large hand encircled her slender waist, his fingers sliding under her clothes, caressing her lower abdomen as he spoke, ¡°The most important reason the Yue Emperor sent you lies in that Virgin Mark on your stomach.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback and, out of curiosity, she asked, ¡°The Virgin Mark? What does this have to do with the Virgin Mark?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t answer Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s question. Instead, he turned his head and kissed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s red lips, then gently laid her down on the bed, her hairpin falling out, freeing her hair to spread out over the bed. Seeing Lu Chen take action, Murong Xue¡¯er set aside his earlier words. She thought to herself that she should first take good care of Lu Chen before finding a way to obtain the military deployment maps of the North Country from him. As their clothes became fewer and fewer between them, they finally bared themselves to each other. At that moment, however, Lu Chen did not proceed further. He propped himself up and gently caressed the Virgin Mark on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s lower abdomen, ¡°This Virgin Mark of yours is not an ordinary one.¡± By then, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes were brimming with spring, hardly able to focus on Lu Chen¡¯s words as she writhed softly on the bed. ¡°Prince, my Virgin Mark has long been broken. What¡¯s the point in talking about it now? Please, don¡¯t let the important matters wait.¡± As she spoke, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s hand reached up, seemingly trying to grab Lu Chen¡¯s arm to pull him back down to her. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s comportment, Lu Chen chuckled and continued, ¡°Your Virgin Mark is in fact a Curse Pattern. Once a man breaks your virginity, the Curse Pattern will affect him. He will then fall in love with you forever, unable to leave you, obeying your commands, even allowing you to manipulate him as you wish.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er, who had been in a daze, instantly sobered up, looking at Lu Chen with disbelief. If it were true as Lu Chen said, since he was the one who broke her virginity, didn¡¯t that mean he was now affected by the Curse Pattern, essentially becoming her slave? Regaining her wits, Murong Xue¡¯er looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Prince, please don¡¯t joke like this. It¡¯s just a common Virgin Mark, after all. If it really possessed the ability you mentioned, wouldn¡¯t you be completely in love with me by now, at my beck and call?¡± ¡°But as far as I can see, Prince, you only seem to like my body, and don¡¯t seem to be cursed at all.¡± As he caressed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Virgin Mark, Lu Chen said, ¡°The reason I am unaffected by this Curse Pattern is because my body is special.¡± ¡°As for whether I have fallen in love with you, even without a Curse Pattern, I would still fall for you, and I¡¯d still abduct you to the North Prince Mansion to make you mine.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er fell into silence, just lying quietly on the bed, looking up into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, searching for any sign that he was toying with her. But Lu Chen¡¯s gaze was especially firm, not suggestive of a lie. He continued, ¡°You are a maidservant close to the Yue Emperor, whom she trusts and values greatly. To her, you are a very useful tool. Have you not considered that such a useful tool, why would she just discard it so easily?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er still did not speak. Lu Chen went on, ¡°It is precisely because you are the tool she values most that she wants to use you to control me, to make me one of her chess pieces, too. Unfortunately for her, she didn¡¯t anticipate that I wouldn¡¯t be affected by the Virgin Mark.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er almost believed Lu Chen¡¯s words, thinking to herself how the Yue Emperor could send her to the North Country. The Da Yue Dynasty was not small. There were certainly many beautiful women who could appeal to Lu Chen, yet the Yue Emperor had specifically chosen her. Being one of the Yue Emperor¡¯s capable maidservants, her presence certainly made it less arduous for the Emperor to handle state affairs. Chapter 569 - Chapter 569: Chapter 340: Murong Xueers Complete Compromise_3 Chapter 569: Chapter 340: Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Complete Compromise_3 The North Prince was right; she was such a useful tool that the Yue Emperor shouldn¡¯t have sent her out unless he found her more useful in the North Country than remaining in Great Jue. The North Prince was an ambitious and capable man. If he could use her to control the North Prince, he could be very useful in the future. But then again, even if that were true, it wouldn¡¯t matter anymore. Lu Chen had already seen through the Yue Emperor¡¯s conspiracy and knew the purpose of the Virgin Mark. Most importantly, the Virgin Mark was useless to Lu Chen, which meant the Yue Emperor¡¯s plan had failed. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Originally, the Yue Emperor planned to use you to control me, but now you¡¯ve lost your innocence, and the Virgin Mark didn¡¯t work on me. If the Yue Emperor knew the Virgin Mark had no effect, do you think he would still trust you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple logic. You haven¡¯t controlled me, but instead, I took your virginity. The end result might be that you are controlled by me. Once the Yue Emperor finds out the Virgin Mark is ineffective, you¡¯ll be useless to him.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly dazed. No wonder the Yue Emperor hadn¡¯t told her about the Virgin Mark in the beginning. If it were ineffective, she would definitely worry about becoming useless to the Yue Emperor and might betray him. At this time, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°What¡¯s your purpose in telling me all this?¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°To make you completely devoted to me and become my true woman.¡± With that, Lu Chen leaned in and kissed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s red lips again. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± After a futile resistance, Murong Xue¡¯er had no choice but to cooperate with Lu Chen¡¯s mischief. Thinking about what Lu Chen had said, anxiety took hold within Murong Xue¡¯er. The physical sensations and her restlessness made her want to forget all her worries completely. After who knows how long, Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly felt a cool breeze on her back. Her consciousness clearing slightly, she turned her head and saw Lu Chen, the scoundrel, actually holding a brush and writing on her back. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er was burning hot, barely able to endure it. Lying there in front of Lu Chen, he was not attending to the matter at hand but writing on her back with a brush instead. Then Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Prince¡­Prince, there¡¯s plenty of¡­time to practice¡­writing during the long night. Can¡¯t we finish the main business first?¡± Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er in such a seductive state, Lu Chen stopped his writing. ¡°You want me to attend to the main business, then tell me the true reason you came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion tonight.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Her lies had been seen through by the North Prince. No, it was more accurate to say that the North Prince had never believed her. Struggling against the discomfort in her body, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Prince, haven¡¯t I already told you¡­ I came because of the Emperor¡­ ¡± Lu Chen cut her off, ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling to reveal your true purpose, then don¡¯t speak. I¡¯m going to continue practicing my writing.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er bit her lip in frustration. This bastard was toying with her, using harsh methods to extract information! Having no other choice, Murong Xue¡¯er finally said, ¡°The Emperor¡­ asked me to extract the military deployment map of the North Country.¡± No sooner had Murong Xue¡¯er finished speaking than Lu Chen threw the brush aside and leaned down to kiss her red lips once again. ¡­ At dawn. When Lu Chen woke up, he felt refreshed. Murong Xue¡¯er had already gotten up, standing by the bed and looking toward her waist. Her clothes only covered half of her body, giving off an alluring, hazy charm. Seeing Lu Chen wake up, Murong Xue¡¯er had a complex look in her eyes. Last night, under Lu Chen¡¯s intense interrogation, she revealed the purpose of her visit to the North Prince Mansion. Now she was in trouble. She couldn¡¯t fulfill the Empress¡¯s mission. Lu Chen already knew she came to get the military deployment map, so he certainly wouldn¡¯t tell her the actual military deployment, nor would he show her the real map. It didn¡¯t matter anyway. This was just to assist Great Wu in testing the North Country. Even if she hadn¡¯t obtained the deployment map, the Yue Emperor probably wouldn¡¯t blame her. With that thought, Murong Xue¡¯er continued to dress, not saying a word to Lu Chen throughout. Watching Murong Xue¡¯er quietly get dressed, Lu Chen lay in bed, observing her perfect figure, and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± With an expressionless face, Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°In front of the Prince, my words are not my own. I don¡¯t want to speak.¡± Lu Chen chuckled; Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s so-called ¡°words are not my own¡± probably referred to last night. In his room, Murong Xue¡¯er indeed had no choice but to obey him. Then Lu Chen said, ¡°I will give you a part of the North Country¡¯s military deployment map, so you can report back to the Yue Emperor.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied indifferently, ¡°The Prince intends to use a false military deployment map to deceive Great Wu¡¯s army, right?¡± The military deployment map was critical in war, a military secret. No one would hand it over so easily, unless someone planned to set a trap for the enemy with a fake map. Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen would give her the real map. Lu Chen said, ¡°I do plan to hand over the military deployment map to Great Wu through you, but part of this map is real.¡± With that, Lu Chen waved his hand, and a Map Scroll from his study flew into the room, hovering in front of Murong Xue¡¯er. Looking at the floating map in front of her, Murong Xue¡¯er ultimately couldn¡¯t resist, took the map, and glanced over the military deployment on it. This map indeed depicted the North Country¡¯s military deployment, but it lacked specific troop numbers, significantly reducing the intelligence¡¯s value. Whether a military stronghold was defended by a hundred soldiers or a hundred thousand, the enemy would face drastically different challenges in trying to capture it. Laughing, Lu Chen asked, ¡°How is it? I¡¯ve been quite generous to you, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Are you satisfied with this transaction?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er turned to look at Lu Chen, who lay on the bed openly meeting her gaze, and said faintly, ¡°Thank you, Prince.¡± ¡°I shall leave today. If the Prince needs me again, you can send for me.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er had surrendered in her heart. After all that had happened, there was nothing she could do about this man. Chapter 570 - Chapter 570: Chapter 341 The Impeachment Storm in Great Wu_1 Chapter 570: Chapter 341 The Impeachment Storm in Great Wu_1 Murong Xue¡¯er donned her clothes and left the Prince¡¯s Mansion, leaving behind the place that had brought about her downfall. Upon returning to her residence, Murong Xue¡¯er immediately ordered Great Jue¡¯s men to send the military deployment maps to Great Jue, regardless of whether those maps were real or fake; she had to send them out. If Great Jue showed no initiative at all, the Yue Emperor might start to become suspicious of her. After finishing the official business, Murong Xue¡¯er returned to her room, ordered her maids to bring hot water, and bathed in the tub filled with hot water. Seeing the words on her body, Murong Xue¡¯er thought of the events from the previous night and then remembered the words Lu Chen had spoken. Murong Xue¡¯er felt an unparalleled chaos in her heart. If the matter of the Virgin Mark were true, once the Yue Emperor learned that the North Prince had deflowered her without being held accountable, he probably wouldn¡¯t trust her anymore. Someone like her, once fallen out of the emperor¡¯s favor, would be targeted by countless people trying to get rid of her. Her survival thus far had been due to the attention the Yue Emperor had paid her. Was she really going to betray the Yue Emperor? The word ¡°betrayal¡± pierced her heart painfully. She had never before contemplated betraying the Yue Emperor, even when he often punished her and made her do all kinds of things, she always believed it was justified and never harbored any resentment towards him. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er raised her arm, splashed the water in the tub, and let the sound of the water stop her from continuing to think wildly. If she kept thinking, her body would start feeling strange again. Murong Xue¡¯er sighed softly, lifted her jade legs, and looked at the words written on her legs. Talking to herself, she said, ¡°Sigh, that bastard is really my nemesis.¡± ¡­ Afternoon. Lu Chen was in his study examining the improved designs for firearms when he heard the voice of a maid, ¡°Prince, Miss Xuanyuan wishes to see you.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Let her in.¡± The next moment, Xuanyuan Yunqi entered the study. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze remained on the blueprints on the table, not shifting to look at Xuanyuan Yunqi. Xuanyuan Yunqi then asked, ¡°Prince, did you summon me for a matter?¡± Although Xuanyuan Yunqi appeared very calm on the surface, her heart was throbbing with excitement. Her brother had told her the previous night that if she performed well today and answered the Prince¡¯s questions earnestly, he might agree to let her go to the front line. Going into battle was something she had always dreamed of. Upon hearing Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s words, Lu Chen still didn¡¯t look up. He shuffled through the firearm blueprints on the table and in a low voice while looking asked, ¡°Yunqi, I¡¯ve heard from your brother that you wish to go to the front line?¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi answered, ¡°Yes, Prince, I¡¯ve learned almost everything I should learn. What I lack now is practical combat experience.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°The battlefield is a place where people die; it¡¯s not as simple as you think. Are you truly prepared?¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi replied without hesitation, ¡°I have long been ready to join the battlefield, please rest assured, Prince.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen looked up at Xuanyuan Yunqi. Xuanyuan Yunqi was clad in black and red armor, which fully enclosed her curvaceous figure. She wore a high ponytail, exposing her fair, smooth forehead. She looked spirited and vibrant, full of energy and vitality. Lu Chen spoke directly, ¡°I can let you go to the front line, but I have one condition.¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi said, ¡°Please state it, Prince.¡± ¡°After the war, you will return to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to be my personal guard.¡± This¡­ Xuanyuan Yunqi was momentarily stunned and then she said, ¡°I agree to the Prince¡¯s condition.¡± For Xuanyuan Yunqi, this was hardly a concern. When she first came from Great Yu City to Yan County, she had agreed to be Lu Chen¡¯s guard and learn by his side, but was then assigned to the military corps led by his brother. Thinking to herself, Xuanyuan Yunqi figured the Prince would probably do the same as before and assign her to a military corps once she returned to Yan County. With so many women already in Lu Chen¡¯s harem, he wouldn¡¯t likely be interested in her. The current Xuanyuan Yunqi had abandoned her former wild thoughts, but her feelings for the North Prince had grown deeper. Seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi agree, Lu Chen said, ¡°Good, in a few days, someone will transport provisions to Yongan County. You will accompany the supply convoy. I will write a letter to General Mu to have him find a position for you.¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi knelt halfway in excitement and said, ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, rise. Go prepare yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince, this subordinate takes her leave!¡± As the words fell, Xuanyuan Yunqi left the study cheerfully. Lu Chen felt a hint of reluctance in his heart as he watched her retreat. However, seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi in that armor, Lu Chen still felt that the battlefield was where this woman belonged. Forcing her to stay at the North Prince Mansion was not suitable; it would crush her individuality. ¡­ Half a month later, Wu Junwan returned to Great Wu. As soon as she arrived, she faced the censure of many ministers in the court, which caught Wu Junwan¡¯s attention. Her inability to persuade the Yue Emperor to form an alliance with Great Wu could be a sign of her insufficient capabilities, but she shouldn¡¯t have been subjected to this level of censure. With her power growing, those ministers, despite their private grievances, would not have dared to boldly unite and impeach Wu Junwan. Wu Junwan suspected that someone was pulling strings behind the scenes, so she immediately used her power to investigate what had happened in Great Wu recently, wondering how such a significant shift in the court¡¯s attitudes could have taken place while she was away. Who exactly was behind this, manipulating the winds to target her? Inside the Green Cloud Palace, the voice of a female guard echoed throughout the hall, as Wu Junwan reclined on a luxurious couch, quietly listening to the guard¡¯s report. After a while, the female guard finished reporting all the major events that had occurred during Wu Junwan¡¯s absence from Great Wu. No sooner had the guard finished speaking than Wu Junwan let out a cold snort, ¡°Someone fetch Mr. Chai for me.¡± Just as Wu Junwan finished speaking, Chai Jiliang¡¯s voice was heard from outside the hall, ¡°Princess, there¡¯s no need for summoning, I am already here.¡± After entering the hall, Chai Jiliang, separated by a red curtain, bowed to Wu Junwan and said, ¡°Your subordinate pays respects to the Princess.¡± At this moment, Wu Junwan spoke, ¡°Mr. Chai, you seem to have been quite busy recently.¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°His Majesty plans to dispatch troops against the North Country, naturally, I have had many matters to attend to.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Mr. Chai should be aware that many ministers in the court have been slandering me recently.¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°Your Highness, please quell your anger. The recent turn of events is indeed unfavorable for you, but it is clear that someone is instigating this behind the scenes, and it shouldn¡¯t cause you too much trouble.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Who does Mr. Chai think is most likely the instigator behind this?¡± ¡°Is it one of my brothers, or could it be ¡®him¡¯?¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t specify, but Chai Jiliang understood that by ¡°him,¡± she was referring to someone in particular. It was obvious she meant the Martial Emperor ¨C it was quite possible that he had started to distrust her and wanted to suppress her influence to prevent her power from expanding further. Her failure to form an alliance with Great Jue was indeed a prime opportunity. At this point, Chai Jiliang said, ¡°In my view, it¡¯s likely that the Princess¡¯s brothers can no longer sit still and see this as an opportunity to impeach you.¡± Wu Junwan let out a cold huff, ¡°I have been running around for the good of Great Wu, and yet they are colluding to slander me.¡± At this moment, neither Chai Jiliang nor Wu Junwan had any inkling of who might be the instigator behind the scenes. Now was a critical time for the war between Great Wu and the North Country, and it never crossed their minds that the North Prince would have any reason to coax Great Wu¡¯s ministers to impeach her, a princess of an enemy nation. After all, it was the Martial Emperor who initiated the war, not Princess Junwan. Even if the impeachment was effective, which was in question, the loss of her Princess title would not affect the conflict between Great Wu and the North Country. Wu Junwan and Chai Jiliang could only consider where the interests lay to determine who was causing trouble behind the scenes. Whoever benefited from the impeachment was likely the one stirring things up. Clearly, if she were suppressed, it would be extremely advantageous for her brothers. Therefore, Wu Junwan and Chai Jiliang¡¯s first thought was those useless Princes must have conspired with the ministers. Just then, Wu Junwan suddenly thought of something, furrowing her brows she said, ¡°I feel this matter is not so simple. Even if it truly was my brothers, with my father¡¯s abilities, he could completely prevent them from continuing their foolishness.¡± Wu Junwan felt a strong sense of crisis, sensing that her father might have started to distance himself from her; otherwise, how could he possibly allow those ministers to defame her? With her father¡¯s abilities, stopping those ministers from speaking out of turn was not an issue at all. His lack of action indicated that he might also be thinking of suppressing her, which is why the trend of impeaching her could have persisted for so long in the court. After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Chai Jiliang was silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s best not to think too much about it.¡± Chai Jiliang, being as astute as he was, could not have failed to grasp the Martial Emperor¡¯s thoughts. Princess Junwan had indeed been rather active over the past year, which had significantly threatened the positions of the Princes. So much so that these Princes had become increasingly less noticeable in Great Wu. Nowadays, the common people of Great Wu only knew of the Princess of Great Wu and had almost no impression of the Princes of Great Wu. Wu Junwan thought to herself that it seemed she had elicited her father¡¯s displeasure, and that she would need to keep a lower profile from now on. ¡­ At the very same moment, The household of Great Wu¡¯s Imperial Censor received a particular visitor today. In the main hall, sitting opposite the Imperial Censor Zhang Yuanbai was a middle-aged man who was fat, dressed in silk robes, with a thick gold chain around his neck, radiating an aura of wealth. Zhang Yuanbai spoke with a smile, ¡°Qian Xingchang, you have made the right choice. I could never have imagined that you would offer your allegiance to Prince Wu Ming.¡± Qian Xingchang replied with a smile, ¡°The Princess is just a woman, and no matter how capable she is, she has no chance of inheriting the throne. Following her leads nowhere.¡± Zhang Yuanbai inquired, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Princess Junwan will find out you¡¯ve already given your loyalty to Prince Wu Ming?¡± ¡°The Princess does not tolerate sand in her eyes,¡± noted Qian Xingchang with a smile. ¡°As long as you, Sir Zhang, don¡¯t reveal it, how could the Princess possibly know that I¡¯ve already sided with Prince Wu Ming?¡± As he said this, Qian Xingchang produced a stack of banknotes from his sleeve, placing them in front of Zhang Yuanbai, ¡°Sir Zhang, this is a token of my sincerity; please accept it with a smile.¡± Zhang Yuanbai glanced briefly at the stack of banknotes beside him, his eyes gleaming, but he quickly concealed the shine, stroking his beard and responding with a beaming smile, ¡°Of course, of course, I will certainly speak well of you to Prince Wu Ming.¡± At that moment, Qian Xingchang took another stack of papers from his sleeve, saying with a grin, ¡°Sir Zhang, these documents contain some of the shady dealings that Princess Junwan had people carry out over the years. I believe they will prove extremely useful to Prince Wu Ming.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanbai¡¯s heart skipped, hurriedly taking the papers from Qian Xingchang¡¯s hands, glancing over them briefly before storing them away as prized possessions. ¡°The Prince will surely reward you for these.¡± Qian Xingchang said obsequiously, ¡°It¡¯s what I ought to do.¡± Chapter 571 - Chapter 571: Chapter 342 War Begins_1 Chapter 571: Chapter 342 War Begins_1 Yongan County. On the border line, there are rows of trenches, and with the change of weapons, the form of warfare has also transformed accordingly. The wars North Country would face in the future are no longer defensive battles hunkered down in cities. Mu Changtian¡¯s army of two hundred thousand was ready for a head-on clash with Great Wu¡¯s military. At the same time. West of the border line, the three hundred thousand strong army of Great Wu also prepared to attack. A tall man clad in black armor rode his horse to a small hill near the border line and looked in the direction of Yongan County, followed by many soldiers. At that moment, a deputy general said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what ghosts the soldiers of North Country are up to, digging so many trenches. Do they really think they can stop the cavalry of Great Wu with these ditches?¡± Another deputy general said, ¡°Deputy General Xue should not underestimate the soldiers of North Country. They were able to wipe out the Barbarian Tribes of the North Land and also defeat the Tianqi King¡¯s army; they do have some strength.¡± Hearing this, Deputy General Xue snorted coldly, ¡°Defeating those brainless barbarians is nothing to brag about; we are not like those barbarians in the north.¡± At this point, some soldiers began to echo the words of Deputy General Xue. ¡°North Country is just a feudal state; how could it possibly match our Great Wu dynasty.¡± ¡°In my opinion, in less than three months, we will be able to crush the defense of Yongan County and invade North Country.¡± ¡°Three months? What are you thinking about? Within three months, we could have annihilated the entire North Country, not just invaded Yongan County.¡± ¡­ The soldiers discussed how long it would take to defeat North Country, as if to them, the downfall of North Country was already a certainty. Just then, the Main Commander in black armor, Ying Feiyu, spoke up: ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited too soon. In this attack on North Country, it is highly likely that we won¡¯t be the main force.¡± Upon hearing Ying Feiyu¡¯s words, the deputy generals behind him were taken aback. They knew how significant the achievement of annihilating North Country was. If they could be the main attacking force into North Country, they would definitely earn a lot of military merit. But now, their Main Commander was telling them that they were probably not the main force. At this time, a deputy general, puzzled, said, ¡°General, after all, we are at the very front line bordering North Country. How could we not be the main force? Didn¡¯t His Majesty move us here ahead of time to breach the defense of Yongan County?¡± Ying Feiyu replied indifferently, ¡°Most of North Country¡¯s forces are concentrated in Yongan County. Do you think His Majesty would commit all our forces to a war of attrition with North Country in Yongan County?¡± ¡°If attacking a small North Country already causes us to lose a large number of soldiers, how are we going to annihilate Great Sum in the future?¡± Hearing Ying Feiyu¡¯s words, everyone paused in thought. Indeed, although they verbally dismissed North Country¡¯s strength, they were well aware that North Country, having defeated the northern Barbarian Tribes and even a Great Grandmaster¡¯s army, did possess some means. If they engaged in a head-on collision with North Country¡¯s forces in Yongan County, Great Wu would inevitably suffer significant soldier casualties. Great Wu¡¯s goal of annihilating North Country was preparation for taking down Great Sum. If too many losses were incurred while defeating North Country, it would be a Pyrrhic victory for Great Wu. Therefore, it was very likely that the Martial Emperor would not put all forces into Yongan County. Ying Feiyu went on, ¡°In my view, the real main forces will surely be those led by General Zhan and General Xu. They may use Great Jue as a path to bypass Yongan County and attack North Country. Our role here is simply to hold North Country¡¯s defending forces in Yongan County.¡± Hearing this, some soldiers thought about it and felt their General had a point. This made the soldiers feel somewhat disheartened. If they weren¡¯t the main force, it meant that Great Wu would not send more troops to them afterward. If they couldn¡¯t break through Yongan County, then the credit for conquering North Country would have little to do with them. Even though they were containing the enemy, they were, after all, not the first to invade North Country. They were only serving a containment role, and would certainly not get as much credit as the forces invading North Country. Moreover, another key concern was that if they could not invade North Country promptly, then the wealth of North Country would have nothing to do with them. By then, the main force that invaded North Country would have already plundered it, leaving these three hundred thousand troops to look on helplessly. Seeing that the soldiers behind him seemed unhappy, Ying Feiyu chuckled and said, ¡°Even if we¡¯re not the main force, as long as we can take down Yongan County and invade North Country, we will still be the main force.¡± While it was highly probable that the imperial court would have them contain North Country¡¯s main force, if they defeated North Country¡¯s main force and invaded it, their merit would be significant. And as long as they could invade North Country before the imperial court¡¯s main forces, they could still make a fortune. After hearing Ying Feiyu say this, the soldiers behind him were once again invigorated. North Country had so many exotic treasures, and if they could invade it before the imperial court¡¯s main forces, those treasures would be theirs. With this in mind, the soldiers found new motivation. Although this was what they thought, until the imperial court¡¯s orders were issued, they could only stay within Great Wu¡¯s territory, waiting for the commands from the imperial court. Half a month later. Yan County. Lu Chen and Zhuge Zhongguang stood in front of a map, discussing how the upcoming battle with Great Wu should be conducted. Chapter 572 - Chapter 572: Chapter 342 War Begins_2 Chapter 572: Chapter 342 War Begins_2 Lu Chen at this time said, ¡°Great Scholar, do you think we should attack Great Wu¡¯s territory this time?¡± Lu Chen had great confidence in the combat capabilities of the North Country¡¯s army. In his opinion, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem at all for North Country to defeat Great Wu¡¯s forces. However, defeating Great Wu¡¯s army would be easy, but the follow-up matters would be more troublesome, such as counterattacking Great Wu. Lu Chen was still tangled in his heart about whether to counterattack Great Wu and occupy their land. Although Lu Chen already had experience in governing North Country, after all, it was his feudal state, and if he were to occupy Great Wu¡¯s land, he might not be able to manage the common people there effectively. Governing the common people of another country is a complex matter and not an easy task. As North Country was still developing, Lu Chen did not wish to create chaos in his own country by occupying foreign lands. Zhuge Zhongguang at this time said, ¡°Prince, in the humble opinion of this old servant, not only should North Country counterattack Great Wu, but we should also seize Youping County, which borders Yongan County.¡± ¡°Only by counterattacking Great Wu can we better deter other dynasties and buy more time for North Country¡¯s development.¡± ¡°And by occupying Youping County, it would allow North Country to border the lands directly controlled by the Great Sum court.¡± ¡°Most importantly, Youping County has a large population, and these common people have grown resentful towards the Great Wu court in the past two years due to droughts and taxation issues. If North Country¡¯s policies are introduced to Youping County, we can quickly win over the hearts of its common people, and North Country is also in need of this population.¡± When Zhuge Zhongguang initially came to North Country, he traveled through many places in Great Wu, including Youping County, so he had some understanding of the situation there. When North Country was buying Yongan County from Qi Country, they only purchased half of it, and the other half just so happened to block a direct border between North Country and the lands controlled by the Great Sum court. But Great Wu¡¯s Youping County just happens to border the region controlled by the Great Sum court, so if North Country were to move against Great Sum one day, they could launch their troops directly from Youping County, bypassing Qi Country and other feudal states to attack cities controlled by the Great Sum court. Of course, if North Country were to march south to attack the Capital city one day, they could also choose to advance straight through, but having an additional route into the region controlled by the Great Sum court simply means having more options. Just as Great Wu would not concentrate all of its military might in Yongan County when attacking North Country but would also pass through Great Jue, entering North Country from there. Moreover, occupying Youping County has other benefits, such as caravans being able to bypass Qi Country and save on some taxes, but of course, these are all trivial benefits. For North Country, the real benefit is the population, as the development of North Country relies on its populace, particularly for industrial advancement. Lu Chen looked at the map before him and pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Alright, once General Mu and his troops have crushed Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand soldiers in Youping County, we will immediately launch the counterattack.¡± Just then, the voice of a soldier rang out from outside, ¡°Prince, urgent report from a Great Wu scout!¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, a Jinyiwei Guard entered the study and handed the intelligence report to Lu Chen. Lu Chen opened it and read carefully, then passed the report to Zhuge Zhongguang who was beside him. Zhuge Zhongguang took the report, glanced over it, and then said, ¡°It seems that there¡¯s going to be a fight over at Yongan County.¡± Lu Chen then immediately picked up a pen and began writing military orders, stating in the orders that once Great Wu¡¯s forces attacked Yongan County, Mu Changtian would lead troops in a counterattack against Great Wu, seize Youping County in the shortest time possible, and cut off the logistics of Great Wu¡¯s main force, preventing supplies from reaching the main army entering Great Jue. Immediately, Lu Chen handed the military orders to a Red Ribbon Messenger, instructing them to deliver the orders to Yongan County with utmost speed. After handing over the military orders to the Red Ribbon Messenger, Lu Chen wrote another set of orders, instructing Song Xuelin from Yingyang County and Dongmen Feiyue to prepare to face Great Wu¡¯s main force directly. The intelligence that Lu Chen had just received was precisely the news that Great Wu had sent three hundred thousand troops through Great Jue. Since Great Wu had already sent two Grandmaster Military Generals and three hundred thousand troops into Great Jue, it was certain that Yongan County would be the first to see action; Great Wu would attempt to tie up the soldiers of North Country there and buy time for the main force led by the two Grandmaster Military Generals. In essence, Great Wu had mobilized a total of six hundred thousand troops for the campaign against North Country. This news not only reached North Country but also quickly made its way to the Sum Emperor who was immensely pleased upon learning that Great Wu had mobilized six hundred thousand troops to exterminate North Country, as it meant his own plans could soon commence. A few days passed in the blink of an eye. The citizens of Yongan County had essentially all left already; in order not to involve them, Lu Chen had issued an announcement early to have them evacuate. Now on the roads of Yongan County, one could hardly see anyone other than soldiers. Just at that moment, the excited voice of a soldier rose up outside the tent, ¡°General, they¡¯re here, they¡¯re here!!!¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian immediately stood up. The next moment, that soldier entered the tent and after catching his breath he said, ¡°General, the enemy general Ying Feiyu is leading an army of three hundred thousand towards our defenses. They claim their soldiers were killed last night and have come to demand justice from us!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone in the tent broke into smiles. After such a long wait, the enemy had finally committed troops, and they couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Mu Changtian promptly said, ¡°Prepare the horses, meet the enemy!¡± As his words fell, Mu Changtian headed towards the outside of the tent with large strides. After Mu Changtian left the tent, the sky above Yongan County resounded with continuous drumbeats. Before long, both armies had arranged their battle formations. However, when the soldiers of Great Wu caught sight of the army of the North Country, they were all incredibly puzzled. Their confusion wasn¡¯t because the army of the North Country dared to leave the city to engage in battle; they were puzzled as to why the soldiers of the North Country looked so few in number? In reality, the majority of the soldiers from the North Country had already been on standby at their respective positions¡ªfor instance, the artillerymen were already at their stations, and soldiers armed with guns were already waiting in the trenches. The army behind Mu Changtian was the force that would surge forward to scatter Ying Feiyu¡¯s troops after the initial clash. When Ying Feiyu saw a burly man draped in a red cloak emerge from the North Country¡¯s side, he knew it must be the North Country¡¯s leading general. He immediately gathered his energy and shouted loudly, ¡°Last night, soldiers from North Country infiltrated Great Wu¡¯s territory and killed our soldiers. Today, this general has especially come to seek justice!¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian chuckled and then, gathering his energy as well, shouted back, ¡°Ying Feiyu, cut out the nonsense. If you have the capability, bring your soldiers and fight us!¡± Upon hearing the familiar voice, Ying Feiyu was taken aback for a moment. Then he furrowed his brow and took a serious look at Mu Changtian in the distance. The next moment, he suddenly realized who it was. But before he could say anything, someone behind him intervened, ¡°Mu Changtian, the North Country¡¯s leading general is Mu Changtian!¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t Mu Changtian already eliminated by the Sum Emperor long ago? Why would he appear here!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡­ Once Ying Feiyu came back to his senses and didn¡¯t care too much about who the leading general was, he continued, ¡°So you¡¯re not dead. When I heard in Great Wu that you had been killed, I even felt sorry for you. But not only are you not dead, you¡¯ve become the Great General of North Country.¡± ¡°Good, this general has long wanted to see for himself what General Mu is capable of!¡± Ying Feiyu and Mu Changtian could be considered old acquaintances after all, belonging to the same generation, and they had met before. This was why, upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s voice, Ying Feiyu immediately recognized him. However, even though he recognized Mu Changtian, it did not affect Great Wu¡¯s decision to send troops against North Country in the slightest. War was imminent! The next moment, Ying Feiyu shouted loudly, ¡°Attack!¡± As his voice died away, the sound of drums rose from the ranks of Great Wu¡¯s army, and both the archers and spear-carrying soldiers swiftly shifted their positions. Seeing them arranging their formation, the corners of Mu Changtian¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but lift slightly. In the past, it took some time for two armies to arrange their formations before a battle. But the times had changed. No matter how good the battle formation was, it couldn¡¯t withstand the bombardment of cannons. The army of Great Wu was swiftly arranging its formation, but the soldiers of North Country didn¡¯t budge; mounted on their horses, they stood still. Chapter 573 - Chapter 573: Chapter 343: The Defeat in War, Its All That Womans Fault!_1 Chapter 573: Chapter 343: The Defeat in War, It¡¯s All That Woman¡¯s Fault!_1 Seeing that the soldiers of the North Country still stood in place, Ying Feiyu sensed something was amiss. In battle between two armies, had the opponent really not arranged their formations? Mu Changtian was an old hand at this; how could he possibly be unaware of the importance of military formations? Soldiers without formation were nothing but loose sand, could it be that Mu Changtian intended to lead this mass of loose sand against their Great Wu¡¯s army of three hundred thousand? The scene already showed the North Country¡¯s soldiers in fewer numbers, roughly estimated at only tens of thousands. Tens of thousands against three hundred thousand had no chance of winning to begin with, let alone the fact that these soldiers of the North Country weren¡¯t defending a city, but had come out to face Great Wu in a head-on clash. In open field battles, the most crucial aspect when two armies squared off was the changing of the military formations; the side without a formation was basically doomed to collapse. Feeling that something was off, Ying Feiyu considered that Mu Changtian wasn¡¯t a fool. How could he possibly not arrange his troops into formation? What was North Country doing? Although he couldn¡¯t figure out what Mu Changtian had up his sleeve, since North Country had exposed such a huge flaw, Ying Feiyu had no plans to be polite. Under the beat of drums, Ying Feiyu¡¯s army quickly formed their battle array, yet at that moment, the drumbeats from the side of North Country also began. Hearing the drumbeats starting from the North Country, Ying Feiyu initially thought that Mu Changtian¡¯s forces were just now organizing their formations. A slight smile curled the corners of his mouth, and he muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s already too late!¡± The next moment, Ying Feiyu prepared to lead a charge, but just then, a deafening sound came from the distance, so loud it drowned out the drums of both sides. Before Ying Feiyu could react to what had happened, a huge iron ball fell among Great Wu¡¯s troops. Normally, soldiers within a formation would be tightly packed, and it was not hard to imagine the consequences of a cannonball falling directly into such a crowd. Just as people thought the iron ball was nothing more than a stone hurled by a catapult from North Country, the ball exploded in an instant, and the next moment, soldiers around it were blasted to the ground. The violent explosion brought Great Wu¡¯s soldiers to their senses, including Ying Feiyu. However, Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand soldiers, seasoned as they were, did not immediately fall into chaos. Just as Ying Feiyu was about to issue new orders, another continuous rumble echoed from afar. At the North Country artillery positions, the soldiers had entered into battle status, ceaselessly firing their cannons at Ying Feiyu¡¯s army. With each cannonball exploding in Ying Feiyu¡¯s ranks, Great Wu¡¯s soldiers¡¯ limbs began to fly through the air. Ying Feiyu finally understood why North Country had so easily conquered the North Land and defeated the Tianqi King¡¯s army that had a Grandmaster. He immediately gave the command, shouting loudly, ¡°Disperse!¡± Although he did not know what the exploding iron balls were, he was very clear that if they maintained their dense formation, his army of three hundred thousand would soon be annihilated. Upon hearing Ying Feiyu¡¯s command, the Messenger Soldiers frantically waved the flags. However, just then, a piercing sound passed by Ying Feiyu, and in the next moment, he sensed a threat to his life and quickly dodged. He might have dodged, but the Messenger Soldier behind him fell down instantly. Ying Feiyu looked back to see a small hole in the Messenger Soldier¡¯s forehead as if struck by a hidden weapon. Shortly after, numerous heads emerged from the trenches dug by the North Country, followed by a torrent of bullets pouring out. North Country¡¯s musket bullets weren¡¯t very accurate for now, but Ying Feiyu¡¯s ranks had yet to disperse and the soldiers were so densely packed, it was as good as facing a firing squad. Facing the barrage of incoming bullets, Ying Feiyu immediately said, ¡°The entire army, retreat!!!¡± As his words fell, the drumbeats sounded once more¡ªthe Messenger Soldiers in the ranks desperately waved their flags, and Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand soldiers just like that began to retreat, not even enduring a quarter of an hour. It wasn¡¯t due to the loss of many men, but because they had never seen the weapons used by North Country. The shock brought by the cannons and muskets instilled immense fear in their hearts. Humans always fear the unknown, and Ying Feiyu was afraid that if they continued, the three hundred thousand he led would be decimated here. They must retreat now. The weapons used by North Country were too terrifying; they had to figure out exactly what those weapons were. Until he understood what weapons North Country used and how they were acquired, Ying Feiyu did not plan to engage again with North Country¡¯s troops. However, that was just his personal thought; Mu Changtian and his forces wouldn¡¯t give Ying Feiyu¡¯s forces any time as they saw Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand army retreat in disarray. At Mu Changtian¡¯s command, the North Country¡¯s army launched a full counterattack, and Wenren Lie¡¯s Heavy Cavalry units also began to move. Seeing the North Country army counterattacking, Ying Feiyu who was retreating immediately ordered a deputy general to stay behind with fifty thousand troops to hold back the North Country army. Though reluctant, it was, after all, a battlefield where orders were absolute. The deputy general stayed, ready to have his soldiers loose arrows to stop the North Country army, only to be greeted by relentless bombing. Before Great Wu¡¯s fifty thousand troops could organize an effective defense, their soldiers were blasted into the air by the cannons. Chapter 574 - Chapter 574: Chapter 343: The Defeat in War, Its All That Womans Fault!_2 Chapter 574: Chapter 343: The Defeat in War, It¡¯s All That Woman¡¯s Fault!_2 Even the battle-hardened soldiers of Great Wu were terrified by those dreadful cannons, and at this point, no matter how loudly the drums sounded or how the Messenger Soldiers implored them to return, they were resolutely unwilling to go back. The soldiers¡¯ fear had reached its peak, and now, not even military law could restrain their determination to flee. Seeing the fifty thousand soldiers crumble so quickly, Ying Feiyu felt a violent rage inside, but he was helpless in his fury. The weapons of the North Country were truly terrifying; the explosion from a single cannonball was almost as powerful as an attack from a Grandmaster. One cannonball equaled a strike from a Grandmaster, ten cannonballs were like ten strikes, and a hundred were like a Grandmaster striking a hundred times. Nobody could withstand the onslaught of a hundred Grandmasters; even if Great Wu¡¯s main forces were here, they likely wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the bombardment of the North Country. Ying Feiyu only wanted to flee to Lingyun City and then attempt to use the city walls to fend off the counterattack of the North Country¡¯s massive army. At that moment, one of Ying Feiyu¡¯s deputy generals exclaimed in terror, ¡°It¡¯s the Heavy Cavalry! The Heavy Cavalry of the North Country has mobilized!!!¡± Hearing this, Ying Feiyu quickly turned to look behind him, and his gaze immediately locked onto the Heavy Cavalry battalion of the North Country. Those black armors, the soaring murderous aura, made Wenren Lie, a veteran Great General, shudder with fear. If they were in a proper formation, Ying Feiyu wouldn¡¯t be entirely afraid to face the charge of the Heavy Cavalry. Ordinary formations indeed could not withstand the charge of Heavy Cavalry, but Great Wu¡¯s formations had evolved through real combat experiences and could be quite effective against the onslaught of the Heavy Cavalry. But now, their formations had been completely broken by those cannonballs of the North Country, and in their current state of disarray, they simply couldn¡¯t defend against the slaughter of the Heavy Cavalry. The key issue was that most of Great Wu¡¯s troops were infantry, and no matter how fast these infantrymen ran, they could not outrun the mounted Black Cavalry. Seeing the North Country¡¯s Black Cavalry ruthlessly reaping the lives of Great Wu¡¯s soldiers, Ying Feiyu¡¯s face turned exceedingly grim, yet he was without any solution. All his soldiers were terror-stricken; there was no chance to form up and resist the Black Cavalry¡¯s onslaught now, not to mention the terrifying cannonball weapons of the North Country. Even if they did form up, their ranks would be shattered by the blasts in an instant. At this moment, Ying Feiyu said coldly, ¡°Pick up the pace!¡± The soldiers lagging behind were all considered expendable by Ying Feiyu. He would rather have the Heavy Cavalry of the North Country focus on them, to give the others more time to escape. About two hours later, the outskirts of Yongan County were littered with corpses, the bodies of Great Wu soldiers lay everywhere. Meanwhile, Ying Feiyu managed to lead the remaining forces to Lingyun City. The city gates were wide open, with the common folk coming and going, completely unaware of what had happened. Seeing suddenly a number of soldiers appearing in the distance, the citizens of Lingyun City were stupefied, and some began to complain. ¡°Another war is upon us, and it¡¯s always us who suffer.¡± ¡°Those Aristocratic Families haven¡¯t contributed a grain of rice, always conscripting from us poor families.¡± ¡°Life is unbearable these days, I say we might as well move to the North Country.¡± ¡°I heard that as soon as you become a person of the North Country, you immediately get a large piece of land, and what¡¯s more, you¡¯re exempt from agricultural taxes forever.¡± ¡°Have you all gone mad, discussing such things? Aren¡¯t you afraid of those military lords overhearing?¡± ¡­ As the people were all talking at once, Ying Feiyu¡¯s retreating soldiers directly rushed towards the city gate. The common folk had no time to dodge and were instantly knocked to the ground by the horses, with subsequent mounts trampling over those already down. In an instant, the entrance to the city became incredibly chaotic, and many commoners were trampled to death. Before those who had avoided the army could recover, Ying Feiyu¡¯s voice suddenly echoed, ¡°Close the gates!!!¡± The Great Wu common folk at the gate were dumbfounded by the sudden order to close the gates of Lingyun City. Right at that moment, a cloud of dust rose again in the distance. At this time, a Great Wu commoner who had visited the North Country immediately recognized that it was the Black Cavalry of the North Country and urgently shouted, ¡°It¡¯s the Heavy Cavalry of the North Country!!!¡± A single stone stirred a thousand ripples; the Great Wu commoners immediately panicked. In their eyes, soldiers from any country were all the same, all capable of murder and plunder. ¡°The North Country¡¯s forces have come!!!¡±¡± ¡°Run!!!¡±¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kill me!!!¡± ¡­ Watching the chaotic scene at the city gate, Wenren Lie raised his hand, and the soldiers behind him immediately halted. Now, with the Black Cavalry at a standstill, the Great Wu commoners by the city gate didn¡¯t continue to run. They were trapped between the Black Cavalry and the city walls, with nowhere to escape; they could only wait quietly and apprehensively for the next move of the Black Cavalry. At that moment, Wenren Lie swept a glance over Lingyun City and, harnessing his skill, loudly addressed the Great Wu commoners at the gate, ¡°The Martial Emperor disregards the life and death of Great Wu¡¯s common people, levies taxes oppressively, and has sent troops to attack the North Country with the delusion of annihilating it. Now, the Martial Emperor¡¯s plans have been thwarted, and the three hundred thousand strong army of Great Wu has been dissolved by the North Country.¡± Chapter 575 - Chapter 575: Chapter 343: The Defeat in War, Its All That Womans Fault!_3 Chapter 575: Chapter 343: The Defeat in War, It¡¯s All That Woman¡¯s Fault!_3 ¡°North Prince is merciful,¡± he promised that he would not harm any of the Great Wu commoners who voluntarily surrendered to North Country, and the soldiers of North Country would not trouble any of the commoners, nor would they take as much as a needle or thread from the poor people. They would only confiscate the wealth of the landlords and the aristocratic families.¡± Upon hearing this, the people of Great Wu at the city gate of Lingyun City looked at each other uncertainly, their hearts actually not daring to believe the words of Wenren Lie. What kind of soldier doesn¡¯t loot and plunder? Just then, one of the commoners said, ¡°I have been to North Country, and the current North Country is very rich; they probably don¡¯t fancy the little money we poor people have. Even if they were to plunder, it would be the wealth of the landlords and aristocratic families.¡± Another person added, ¡°I think so too, and the general even said he would not make it difficult for us.¡± At this moment, other voices emerged from the crowd, ¡°Do you really believe what he is saying? The war was started by our emperor, and now that Great Wu has lost, with the soldiers of North Country coming in, how could they possibly do nothing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over, we¡¯re all going to die here.¡± Just as the commoners at the city gate were filled with concern, Wenren Lie turned and led the Black Cavalry away directly. Ying Feiyu at the city gate breathed a sigh of relief at this sight and hurriedly ordered a Pigeon Letter be sent to the capital city for reinforcements. Meanwhile, the commoners of Great Wu saw the Black Cavalry of North Country just walk away and suddenly felt it was unimaginable. Many of them were merchants in the caravans, and yet the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry came all the way to them, and none of the soldiers came to plunder their goods. Could it be true, as the general from North Country said, that they really had no intention of giving a hard time to these ordinary commoners? Although some people had come to believe Wenren Lie¡¯s words, there were still many commoners who quickly rushed back home to prepare to flee Youping County with their families once the Black Cavalry left. Soon after Wenren Lie withdrew, he met up with Mu Changtian, who led the troops into Youping County. Wenren Lie was in command of the Cavalry, and his main task was to chase down fleeing enemies, while the task of sieging was left to the large forces led by Mu Changtian. Mu Changtian had artillery at his disposal, and there was no way the ramshackle gates of Lingyun City could hold. Ying Feiyu, who had already been resting in the county magistrate¡¯s office, suddenly heard the rumbling sounds outside. Shortly after, a soldier rushed into the courtyard, exclaiming, ¡°General, General, it¡¯s bad!!! The army of North Country is coming!!!¡± Ying Feiyu slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground and said with a furious expression, ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°What are the intelligence organizations under the Princess¡¯s command doing? They¡¯re all useless!!!¡± ¡°North Country has such terrifying weapons, and the Princess didn¡¯t know anything at all!!!¡± ¡°The defeat in this war is all that woman¡¯s fault!!!¡± Ying Feiyu became emotionally agitated, and by the end, he referred to the Princess not by her title, but simply as ¡°that woman.¡± People tend to become angry when they are afraid, and Ying Feiyu had reached the peak of his rage, putting all the blame onto Wu Junwan. In his eyes, Wu Junwan was in charge of Great Wu¡¯s intelligence agencies, yet she had no understanding of the weapons owned by North Country and had not provided the imperial court with relevant intelligence, leading to the defeat of their 300,000-strong army. At that moment, a deputy general approached Ying Feiyu and suggested, ¡°General, let¡¯s withdraw from the back door!!!¡± With such powerful weapons, Lingyun City¡¯s gates might not hold, and if the North Country army surrounds the whole city, we won¡¯t be able to retreat later on. Hearing this, Ying Feiyu came back to his senses; he tried to calm his emotions and collect himself. He then reflected that Youping County lay between Great Jue and Great Wu, and if he fled directly, abandoning Lingyun City, the main forces entering Great Jue would likely be cut off from logistical support. Even if he managed to escape to the capital city, he would face military justice. With this in mind, Ying Feiyu clenched his fists and then said, ¡°We can¡¯t retreat! If we retreat now! If we lose Youping County, if we lose Youping County, this general will lose his head when he returns!¡± ¡°I refuse to believe the North Country army can break through!¡± With that, Ying Feiyu took up his sword and made his way to the gates of Lingyun City. The siege battle had already begun. Many cannonballs landed on the city wall, causing craters everywhere. The soldiers of Great Wu were terrified by the cannon fire but continued to counterattack with catapults and bows, although these had little effect on Mu Changtian¡¯s forces. The range of North Country¡¯s cannons had basically exceeded that of regular archers, and unless they were Ninth Grade or above, it was very difficult to hit the North Country soldiers at a distance. After arriving at the city wall, Ying Feiyu saw the shattered remains everywhere, his face turning ashen. But soon, he noticed something. Although the weaponry of North Country was very powerful, it seemed that it was now in far less supply than before, and before long, the cannon fire became sparse, allowing the soldiers to anticipate the impact points and evade attacks in advance. Realizing that the number of shells had suddenly dropped, Ying Feiyu laughed and said, ¡°The more powerful a weapon, the more precious it is. These iron balls have such immense power but must be difficult to manufacture; surely there is a limited supply.¡± ¡°North Country¡¯s attack turning this flimsy proves the weapon must soon run out, we just need to hold off until the reinforcements from the imperial court arrive, and then there will certainly be a chance for a counterattack.¡± Inspired by Ying Feiyu¡¯s words, his military generals and soldiers were all invigorated. Indeed, a weapon so powerful must be incredibly difficult to produce and couldn¡¯t possibly be in large supply. North Country¡¯s forces had already used so many, so it should be about depleted. Even if they used those iron balls to blast open the city gates, as long as the Great Wu soldiers could defend the breach, North Country¡¯s soldiers would still not be able to enter. Chapter 577 - Chapter 577: Chapter 345 Impeach Princess Junwan - 1 Chapter 577: Chapter 345 Impeach Princess Junwan ¨C 1 ¡°` Upon hearing the noise that echoed from outside the grand hall, the ministers within instantly became excited. A rush report from Youping County? Youping County borders Yongan County. Does this battle report coming from Youping County not mean that Great Wu¡¯s army has already taken Yongan County? But then again, is the North Country¡¯s army really that useless? At this moment, Chai Jiliang¡¯s brow furrowed, and his expression turned sour, a shade of worry crossing his face. He did not believe that Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand troops could have taken Yongan County so soon after the battle began. Yongan County was defended by fifty thousand heavy cavalry, and the North Country had stationed several hundreds of thousands of soldiers there. Moreover, if Great Wu¡¯s army had indeed taken Yongan County so quickly, it would indicate that the North Country¡¯s forces there must have been insufficient. Consequently, it¡¯s highly likely that the North Country¡¯s troops had moved to other locations. The easier Yongan County was to capture, the greater the resistance the North Country¡¯s main troops would encounter elsewhere. No matter how one looks at it, the battle report from Youping County can¡¯t be good news. As Chai Jiliang was thinking this, the Messenger Soldier now entered the grand hall; he quickly knelt on the ground and in the midst of the ministers¡¯ expectant gazes, he loudly reported, ¡°Pigeon Letter from Youping County: General Ying¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army has been defeated by the North Country¡¯s army. General Ying has retreated to Lingyun City, and the current situation is unknown!¡± Upon hearing these words, the grand hall erupted into an uproar. They all thought that the North Country had been defeated, but it turned out to be Great Wu¡¯s defeat instead. How could this be? After all, Ying Feiyu was a battle-hardened military general, and their Great Wu soldiers were all elite¡ªhow could they have been defeated in such a short time? It¡¯s been only a few days. What exactly happened in Yongan County? Now it¡¯s a Pigeon Letter; Pigeon Letters are generally used for urgent messages and don¡¯t tend to be very detailed. They will only know the full situation once the official war report reaches the Capital City. However, regardless of the details, a defeat is a defeat. The outcome is now almost certain. Ying Feiyu¡¯s defeat means that Lingyun City is likely in jeopardy. If Lingyun City falls, then the occupation of Youping County by the North Country is not far off. Youping County is the vital route for the logistics of the main armed forces. If Youping County is taken, Great Wu¡¯s main forces will be completely cut off logistically. But if the main forces fail to take down the North Country promptly and their logistics are disrupted, their morale will inevitably suffer. At this moment, the court was hushed, the atmosphere oppressively somber, not a single person spoke, and cold sweat involuntarily appeared on many foreheads. The war had just begun a few days ago, and already Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong force was defeated. Although they had not expected this army to achieve significant victories, at the very least they were supposed to tie down the North Country¡¯s forces stationed in Yongan County. Yet, the defeat came so swiftly¡ªwouldn¡¯t the North Country¡¯s army soon be able to send reinforcements? Once the North Country¡¯s troops from Yongan County started to reinforce, it was very likely that Great Wu¡¯s main forces would fail to breach Yan County. In such a case, Great Wu¡¯s plans would fail. At this time, the ministers dared not speak, fearful of provoking the Martial Emperor. After who knows how long, the Martial Emperor finally exclaimed furiously, ¡°Useless, all of you are useless!¡± ¡°Ying Feiyu, that waste, couldn¡¯t even hold out for half a month before his defeat! What use is he to me! And to think he is a veteran general who has experienced numerous battles!¡± Seeing the Martial Emperor¡¯s temper flare, the ministers within the hall dared even less to breathe a word. After venting his anger, Chai Jiliang stood up and said directly, ¡°Your Majesty, now is not the time for anger. General Ying¡¯s army has been defeated. We do not know how many soldiers he has left. We must send someone to Youping County promptly to clarify the situation and dispatch reinforcements.¡± ¡°If the North Country occupies the whole of Youping County, Great Wu¡¯s main forces will be cut off from their logistics, and the frontline soldiers¡¯ morale will surely be affected.¡± Seeing Chai Jiliang daring to speak up at such a time, the ministers within the grand hall couldn¡¯t help but admire him. It was just like Chai Jiliang to dare to provoke the ire of the Martial Emperor at such a moment. After listening to Chai Jiliang, the Martial Emperor also quickly calmed down. Although he was still very upset, the situation took precedence. They must hold Youping County at all costs; they absolutely could not allow the North Country¡¯s soldiers to mount a counterattack. Youping County, no matter what, must not be lost. If Youping County were lost, it would be a complete collapse across the board. With that thought, the Martial Emperor immediately commanded, ¡°Have Tang Ming lead two hundred thousand troops to reinforce Youping County at once; they must hold it at all costs. Also, issue an order to Ying Feiyu to return to the Capital City immediately. I want to know exactly how he was defeated!¡± Although the Martial Emperor internally still couldn¡¯t accept the fact of Ying Feiyu¡¯s defeat, he was no fool; Ying Feiyu was after all a battle-hardened veteran. He had participated in many foreign wars, routing many enemy armies. When he attacked Great Sum, it was under his command as well. How could he have been defeated this time so suddenly? There must have been problems they hadn¡¯t anticipated. The Martial Emperor knew that the war report would reach the Capital City in a few days, but he was more intent on hearing the description from Ying Feiyu himself. At this juncture, the Martial Emperor stood up, threw his sleeve, and without declaring the court adjourned, walked off to the side. Seeing the Martial Emperor leave, the ministers quickly said, ¡°We respectfully bid farewell to Your Majesty!¡± ¡°` Chapter 578 - Chapter 578: Chapter 345 Impeach Princess Junwan - 2 Chapter 578: Chapter 345 Impeach Princess Junwan ¨C 2 After the Martial Emperor left, the grand hall immediately descended into chaos. People were abuzz with discussions about the war in Youping County, still unable to believe it was true. How could Ying Feiyu have been defeated so quickly? That was an elite army of three hundred thousand soldiers, yet they couldn¡¯t hold on for even half a month. The combat prowess of the North Country soldiers is too terrifying, isn¡¯t it? They had originally thought that the North Country¡¯s defeat of the barbarian tribes of the North Land and Tianqi King¡¯s army might have been due to some luck, and if it had been Great Wu¡¯s army in their place, North Country would only be humiliated. Now, it seems they had seriously underestimated the military strength of the North Country. It wasn¡¯t long before that. Inside the Green Cloud Palace, amidst curling wisps of smoke, Wu Junwan¡¯s expression was very unsightly within the red silk chambers. She had also received news from the frontlines immediately. Although she had long sensed that the North Country would not be easily defeated, she had not anticipated that Great Wu¡¯s army would collapse so quickly. At that moment, Chai Jiliang entered the grand hall. ¡°Your servant pays respects to Princess Junwan!¡± Wu Junwan coldly asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Mr. Chai should already know about the incident that occurred in Youping County, right?¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°Your servant learned of it while in court.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Mr. Chai, what do you make of this matter?¡± Chai Jiliang answered, ¡°If Great Wu¡¯s army could have held Youping County and continued to stall the several hundred thousand troops of North Country in Yongan County, there would still be hope for victory if General Zhan and the others could breach into North Country.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Chai Jiliang did not continue. Wu Junwan inquired at that time, ¡°Why has Mr. Chai stopped?¡± Chai Jiliang then continued, ¡°But judging from the swift defeat of Youping County¡¯s three hundred thousand troops, the military capability and the combat prowess of North Country soldiers have far exceeded our estimates. No one knows what other cards North Country may hold. Even if General Zhan and his forces were to penetrate into the homeland of North Country, they may not necessarily be able to smoothly advance to Yan County and eradicate North Country.¡± The battle between Yongan County and Lingyun City had directly shattered Chai Jiliang¡¯s confidence. With such a formidable Great Wu army defeated in just a few days, it was not only Chai Jiliang who lacked confidence; few in court still harbored great hope for the war launched by Great Wu. Listening to Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, Wu Junwan fell into contemplation for a moment before murmuring, ¡°It seems my palace will face quite a few troubles ahead.¡± Wu Junwan thought to herself that it must have been the mysterious weapons of North Country that had caused Great Wu¡¯s army to be defeated so quickly. She had failed to investigate those weapons beforehand. With the war turning sour, inevitably some would seize on this to raise issues, then impeach her. Thinking of this, Wu Junwan felt uneasy, her mind already working on how to avoid this crisis. If anyone targeted her, she really wouldn¡¯t have much to say, as the one in charge of intelligence. She had provided absolutely no information on the terrifying weapons of North Country, contributing to the disastrous defeat of Great Wu¡¯s army, a failure she could not shrug off. After pondering for a while, Wu Junwan came up with an idea; there was no other way now but to make the Qian Family the scapegoats. She could cast all the blame onto the Qian Family, then claim that she was deceived by them, which was why she failed to provide intelligence on North Country. Although she would still bear responsibility, she could shift most of the blame and appear merely to have been misled by her subordinates. Thinking this, Wu Junwan immediately said to a female guard in the palace, ¡°Xiao Yu, immediately send someone to arrest the entire Qian Xingchang family. We can¡¯t let the Qian family escape!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The female guard immediately turned and left the grand hall to arrest the ¡°chief culprits.¡± Witnessing this, Chai Jiliang instantly realized what Wu Junwan was doing. The Princess was preparing to shift the blame. Wu Junwan then said to Chai Jiliang, ¡°Mr. Chai, in the coming days, my palace might face impeachment by many ministers. I would trouble you to handle that for my palace.¡± Chai Jiliang promptly replied, ¡°Your Highness can rest assured. Your servant will not let any scoundrel tarnish your reputation.¡± Chai Jiliang would never allow Wu Junwan to be engulfed in an affair that could lead to her dethronement. Even if Wu Junwan truly fell into crisis, he would stand by Princess Junwan¡¯s side, unwaveringly. After all, this woman represented not only his political interests but was also the object of his affection. Hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s commitment, Wu Junwan smiled faintly then said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble Mr. Chai with this.¡± Chai Jiliang replied, ¡°It is your servant¡¯s duty.¡± ¡­ A few days later, the true report of the battle entered the Capital city. By this time, Great Wu¡¯s reinforcement army of two hundred thousand had already set out for Youping County. In the court of Great Wu, there was silence, not a single minister dared to speak, and even Chai Jiliang had lapsed into quiet. They all knew the latest battle reports had reached the Capital city. Only the Martial Emperor had seen the reports thus far, and having them summoned to court likely meant they were to discuss the report. At that time, the Martial Emperor pulled out a battle report and began, ¡°A battle report personally written by General Ying has arrived in our hands.¡± ¡°According to Ying Feiyu, the North Country has unveiled a kind of mysterious weapon. These weapons, resembling iron spheres, are hurled using catapults. Once an iron ball lands among soldiers, it immediately explodes. And when an iron ball explodes, it is as if a Grandmaster has struck.¡± ¡°North Country has a vast number of such weapons. Faced with these iron balls, Great Wu¡¯s military formations could not withstand even a quarter of an hour before collapsing!¡± Chapter 579 - Chapter 579: Chapter 345 Impeach Princess Junwan - 3 Chapter 579: Chapter 345 Impeach Princess Junwan ¨C 3 Upon hearing these words, the great hall was suddenly in uproar. ¡°As if a Grandmaster made his move?¡± What kind of weapon is this? How can its power be so immense? The more powerful the weapon, the more difficult it is to use, and the rarer they should be. How could the North Country possess such a large number of these mysterious weapons? Could it be that Ying Feiyu was defeated and is now trying to shift the blame in his haste? If the North Country really possesses such weapons, then Great Wu¡¯s campaign against the North Country is bound to fail without a doubt. A single iron ball is like the strike of a Grandmaster; if the North Country had tens of thousands of them, how could Great Wu possibly stand against the North Country. For this campaign against the North Country, Great Wu dispatched only two Grandmasters. While the ministers in the great hall were abuzz with discussion, suddenly, the voice of a Messenger Soldier came from outside, ¡°Urgent report from Lingyun City!!!¡± Upon hearing this voice, the Martial Emperor¡¯s face turned even grimmer. If what Ying Feiyu reported in the dispatch was true, then it was very likely that Lingyun City had fallen. Just then, the Messenger Soldier entered the great hall, knelt in the center, and tremblingly lifted the latest dispatch over his head, saying, ¡°Lingyun City has fallen, our army of three hundred thousand has been annihilated, General Ying¡¯s life or death is unknown!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the great hall gasped in shock. The Martial Emperor¡¯s dispatch had arrived not long before, and now the second dispatch had come, bringing news of the fall of Lingyun City. This proved that Lingyun City had been lost within a single day, and Ying Feiyu hadn¡¯t even managed to hold it for one day. Had the military strength of the North Country¡¯s army already reached such a terrifying level? After a moment of stunned silence, the eunuch by the Martial Emperor¡¯s side quickly approached the Messenger Soldier, took the dispatch, and promptly delivered it to the Martial Emperor. The Martial Emperor took the dispatch, quickly scanned it, and said nothing. His expression was somber; it was apparent he was in great distress. Ever since his ascension to the throne, he had launched numerous wars and had almost never been defeated. Each war had managed to expand Great Wu¡¯s territory, bringing in a lot of land. But this time, he had not only failed to gain any land, but he had also lost such an important city in such a short period. If everything was as described in the dispatch, then Youping County would inevitably fall to the North Country¡¯s army within half a month. Think about it, an army entirely composed of ¡°Grandmasters¡±; how many countries could stand against them? No matter how sturdy their city walls, they couldn¡¯t possibly withstand the joint assault of hundreds, perhaps thousands of Grandmasters. Although ¡°Grandmaster¡± is merely a metaphor, the use of the North Country¡¯s weapons in battle indeed resulted in a unilateral massacre. Now, one could only hope that the main force of the North Country was in Yongan County and that their main forces could successfully invade the North Country¡¯s homeland and capture the North Prince. Otherwise, with the North Country¡¯s military strength, if Great Wu couldn¡¯t annihilate the North Country this time, they would soon be overthrown by the North Country instead. The Martial Emperor¡¯s expression kept changing, as he couldn¡¯t understand why such terrifying weapons existed in the world. He now finally realized why the North Country was able to annihilate the barbarians of the North Land and defeat the Tianqi King¡¯s army in such a short time. With such devastating weapons, isn¡¯t the North Country capable of annihilating whomever they please? Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand elites were defeated in a day; what could those barbarians possibly amount to? At this moment, the great hall was profoundly silent; not a single minister spoke. The sound of people¡¯s breathing could even be heard, and just then, the Imperial Censor Zhang Yuanbai suddenly spoke out, ¡°This minister impeaches Princess Junwan for her negligence, disregard for human life, and abuse of power!¡± Chapter 580 - Chapter 580: Chapter 346 Junwan Loses Power_1 Chapter 580: Chapter 346 Junwan Loses Power_1 Hearing the words of Imperial Censor Zhang Yuanbai, all the officials in the great hall were stunned; no one had anticipated Zhang Yuanbai would choose this moment to impeach Princess Junwan. Although Zhang Yuanbai was the Imperial Censor, Great Wu had just suffered a defeat, and the Martial Emperor was still furious; Zhang Yuanbai¡¯s actions at such a time risked having his head chopped off by the Martial Emperor. At this moment, the eyes of the ministers turned to the face of the Martial Emperor, wanting to see how he would react now. However, the Martial Emperor did not show anger. He merely asked indifferently, ¡°Does Zhang consider himself to know what he is talking about?¡± Cold sweat began to bead on Zhang Yuanbai¡¯s forehead; he calmed his emotions and then continued, ¡°Your servant knows what he is saying!¡± ¡°This military defeat is entirely due to our lack of understanding of the mysterious weapon possessed by the North Country, and Princess Junwan, who controls Great Wu¡¯s intelligence service, didn¡¯t even know about the North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons, let alone provide any information about them.¡± ¡°In addition, some spies under Princess Junwan have recently started gravitating towards your servant, submitting ample evidence of her abuse of authority to eliminate dissidents and her extensive embezzlement.¡± ¡°I believe that Princess Junwan is no longer suitable to manage the intelligence service, and even her title should be stripped away as well!¡± After hearing Zhang Yuanbai¡¯s speech, the officials on Prince Wu Ming¡¯s side immediately seized the opportunity, and other officials also began to stand up in support of Zhang Yuanbai. ¡°Your servant also impeaches Princess Junwan, the Princess¡­¡± ¡­ Soon, more voices calling for impeachment arose in the court, and Zhang Yuanbai kept his gaze on any change in the Martial Emperor¡¯s expression. Seeing the Martial Emperor so composed, Zhang Yuanbai guessed that the Martial Emperor must also have grievances against Wu Junwan. Under normal circumstances, the Martial Emperor would have stopped people from continuing at this point, but today, he did nothing. In fact, the Martial Emperor¡¯s heart was indeed wavering. Just then, Chai Jiliang could no longer bear to watch; he immediately said, ¡°Master Zhang keeps accusing Princess Junwan of negligence, reckless killings, and abusing power, but where is the evidence?¡± ¡°Would the evidence rely solely on Master Zhang¡¯s words?¡± Hearing this, Zhang Yuanbai sneered and then said, ¡°If I had no evidence, I naturally would not impeach the Princess.¡± Having said this, Zhang Yuanbai gave a bow to the Martial Emperor and then requested, ¡°Your Majesty, please allow your servant to summon witnesses!¡± Hearing this, the face of the Martial Emperor finally showed a slight change. He furrowed his brows and then commanded, ¡°Granted!¡± Seeing the Martial Emperor actually agreeing to Zhang Yuanbai¡¯s request, the hearts of officials like Chai Jiliang who were on the side of Princess Junwan chilled by half. If the Martial Emperor still trusted Princess Junwan, he definitely would not have allowed Zhang Yuanbai to bring the evidence, or witnesses, to the court; the fact that he agreed now proved that the Martial Emperor also wanted to curb Princess Junwan¡¯s power. Zhang Yuanbai immediately had someone bring Qian Xingchang and others to the court. Upon seeing members of the Qian Family appear in court, the faces of Chai Jiliang and the ministers from Princess Junwan¡¯s camp instantly turned extremely unsightly. They were well aware that Wu Junwan had intended to use the Qian family members as scapegoats. They had started to capture the Qian family members initially, so how could they appear here? The Qian Family was also core to the intelligence service, after all, the Qianhai Commercial Association of the Qian Family provided a large amount of funding for the intelligence service, and many spies operated under the guise of the Qianhai Commercial Association among various dynasties. The members of the Qian Family held many pieces of evidence unfavorable to Princess Junwan! This was trouble! After arriving in the great hall, Qian Xingchang immediately knelt down and said, ¡°Commoner Qian Xingchang pays his respects to Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live Your Majesty!¡± The Martial Emperor asked coldly, ¡°I remember your Qian Family has always had some form of cooperation with the intelligence service.¡± Qian Xingchang answered, ¡°Your Majesty, indeed, Princess Junwan initially reached out to us in order to build the intelligence network.¡± At that moment, a hint of murderous intent flashed in the eyes of the Martial Emperor, ¡°Do you realize what fate befalls those who betray their masters?¡± In this era of strict hierarchical systems, servants who betrayed their masters generally met with dire fates, and Great Wu¡¯s laws explicitly prescribed decapitation for servants who betrayed their masters. However, Qian Xingchang was not intimidated by the Martial Emperor¡¯s words, and he said at this time, ¡°Your commoner knows that the intelligence service is directly under Your Majesty¡¯s control. Your Majesty is the commoner¡¯s master, and the commoner has never betrayed Your Majesty!¡± Hearing this, the Martial Emperor couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Then the Martial Emperor continued, ¡°Tell me, what things did Princess Junwan have you do?¡± At this point, Qian Xingchang glanced at Zhang Yuanbai, who then said, ¡°Qian Xingchang, have no fear, speak freely, His Majesty will protect you.¡± Thereafter, as Qian Xingchang knelt on the ground, he revealed all the deeds Wu Junwan had done, one by one, piece by piece. After all, Wu Junwan was a woman infatuated with power, which led her to commit many secretive acts, and in fact, most incidences were known to others, they had just not been exposed before, and many were even known to the Martial Emperor himself. Once Qian Xingchang finished exposing all the deeds of Wu Junwan, the eyes of the ministers all turned to the Martial Emperor, waiting for him to speak. Yet at this moment, an official from Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction suddenly knelt down, ¡°Princess Junwan, royal Princess appointed by His Majesty, neglects her duties day by day, indulging in trade and commerce, even abusing her authority, which led to the intelligence service¡¯s severe lack of information about the North Country, causing the failure of this northern campaign. This servant earnestly requests that His Majesty revoke the title of the Princess!¡± Chapter 581 - Chapter 581: Chapter 346 Wu Junwan Loses Power_2 Chapter 581: Chapter 346 Wu Junwan Loses Power_2 Now was the best opportunity to bring down Princess Junwan; the ministers of the other imperial prince factions could no longer restrain themselves, and they immediately reached an unspoken agreement. No matter which prince¡¯s faction they belonged to, they agreed to first kick that woman out of the game. She was too domineering; with her presence, the princes they supported found it difficult to rise to prominence. Following the voices calling for the revocation of her title, even more ministers stepped forward. ¡°We beseech the Emperor to revoke Princess Junwan¡¯s title!¡± ¡°We beseech the Emperor to revoke Princess Junwan¡¯s title¡­¡± ¡­ Soon after, a large group kneeled in a rustling wave in the great hall. Seeing this scene, Chai Jiliang realized the seriousness of the issue. He originally wanted to say something more, but at this moment, the Martial Emperor spoke up. ¡°Princess Junwan has abused her power, leading to the failure of the northern campaign. From this day forth, her title of Princess Junwan is revoked; she is to be confined to Green Cloud Palace and without my command, she shall not leave.¡± In Great Wu, ¡°Princess Junwan¡± denotes the legitimate eldest daughter of a prince, who does not have the right to meddle in politics, whereas the title ¡°Princess Junwan¡± requires an imperial decree, codifying substantial authority. Once titled, they could intervene in affairs of the court. When the Martial Emperor pronounced these words, a thrill of excitement surged within the hearts of the court ministers of the imperial prince factions and those repulsed by the idea of women in politics; they had not expected this military defeat would eradicate the ominous cloud that loomed over their heads. The ministers also realized that the Martial Emperor had completely lost faith in Princess Junwan, oh no, she was now just Princess Junwan. It would no longer be so easy for this woman to meddle in the court¡¯s affairs. Not long after. Wu Junwan, who was in Green Cloud Palace, received the news from the court. At first, she scarcely could believe it, but when the imperial edict arrived, she realized that her father had thoroughly abandoned her. With Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army annihilated, and even the possibility that Great Wu¡¯s main forces could suffer a setback, someone had to be made the scapegoat. Though the war was initiated by her father, the Emperor could not be held responsible; the Emperor could do no wrong, so the fault must lie with someone else. Therefore, the Martial Emperor planned to make her bear the blame. As the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, Wu Junwan slumped powerlessly onto the ornate couch, her gaze listless and wandering. After a while, Wu Junwan snapped back to reality and hastily exclaimed, ¡°Fetch Prime Minister Chai for me immediately!¡± No sooner had Wu Junwan spoken than the female guard at the door said, ¡°Your Highness, the Emperor has already ordered the lockdown of Green Cloud Palace, and no outsiders are permitted to enter.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan was slightly stunned; she had been placed under house arrest. She had never imagined there would come a day like this for her. Some time passed before Wu Junwan collected herself and then said to the female guards inside the great hall, ¡°Go and call Elder Pei!¡± Pei Hong was her Protector, and if someone of the Grandmaster Realm like him spoke on her behalf, perhaps he could stabilize her father for the time being. However, as Wu Junwan was thinking this, suddenly a female guard entered the great hall, knelt tremblingly on the ground, and said, ¡°Your Highness, Elder Pei has sent me to give you a message. From today onwards, he will no longer be your Protector; he hopes that the princess will cultivate in peace within Green Cloud Palace and break through to the Grandmaster Realm as soon as possible.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was struck as if by thunder; she had not expected Pei Hong, her Protector, to distance himself from her as well. Thinking about it, it made sense; Pei Hong had been placed by her mother by her side since a young age, and so many years after her mother¡¯s death, it was likely that Pei Hong¡¯s loyalty to her had already waned. Plus, with everyone turning against her now that she had fallen, Pei Hong likely saw no future in following her and thus might have decided to switch allegiance to another prince. Once the balance of power was broken, it was easy to tip completely. Back then, Pei Hong had been aligned with Wu Junwan¡¯s mother, which naturally put him on Wu Junwan¡¯s side as her Protector. After the death of Wu Junwan¡¯s mother¡ªthe Empress¡ªwho had amassed a significant following, Pei Hong did not betray her immediately, since the governing influence of his former allegiance was considerable. And Pei Hong, being of the Grandmaster Realm, also drew the Emperor¡¯s wariness. Considering the support from a Grandmaster behind Wu Junwan and the fact that the Emperor genuinely needed a formidable power backing him to strengthen his court presence, the Emperor then made Wu Junwan Princess Junwan. Moreover, due to the Emperor designating Wu Junwan as Princess Junwan, Pei Hong, staying by her side, ended up acquiring more privileges, hence his continued presence. The Emperor had long felt that his daughter¡¯s power was becoming too great, completely suppressing the development of the other princes, but there had been no way to deal with it; he dared not hastily depose her from her title as Princess Junwan because he was unsure of Pei Hong¡¯s loyal extent to her. But this time was different. The failed campaign against the North Country, with the loss of hundreds of thousands due to a lack of intelligence, provided the Emperor a justifiable reason to temporarily strip Wu Junwan of her title, and those of the Princess Junwan faction had nothing to say about it. With Wu Junwan stripped of power, Pei Hong, the Grandmaster, had no reason to stay by her side any longer; he could ally with anyone, as someone of the Grandmaster Realm would be welcomed by any party. Wu Junwan losing her position caused a domino effect; with Pei Hong leaving Wu Junwan, those who had aligned with Junwan¡¯s faction for the sake of Pei Hong, the Grandmaster, would inevitably turn to others, leaving Wu Junwan¡¯s side quickly devoid of people. Chapter 582 - Chapter 582: Chapter 346 Wu Junwan Loses Power_3 Chapter 582: Chapter 346 Wu Junwan Loses Power_3 Wu Junwan was not a fool, she knew exactly what would happen once she lost the power in her hands. Before long, the court¡¯s power dynamics would be completely redrawn, and she had been thoroughly cast out of the game. Deeply regretful, Wu Junwan lamented that she should not have underestimated her brothers in the past. It was precisely because she had not taken her brothers seriously that she had failed to detect their movements early on, leading to her current loss of power. Even now, Wu Junwan was still unaware of who was orchestrating everything behind the scenes. As evening approached, the Qian Family. After returning to the Qian residence, Qian Xingchang immediately went to the backyard and jumped into the well. Before the servants of the Qian Family could react, a great fire erupted and engulfed the entire estate. Late into the night, the Martial Emperor was still in the Imperial Study Room, not yet retired, when a soldier entered and reported the situation at the Qian residence. Although Qian Xingchang claimed to serve the Emperor, the Martial Emperor certainly did not acknowledge such a subordinate. Traitors like Qian Xingchang were destined to die. Moreover, the Martial Emperor did not need to act himself; naturally, someone would take care of the Qian Family. What the Martial Emperor didn¡¯t know, however, was that the Qian Family had not perished. As the sunset, the shadows of a merchant caravan stretched long in the red light. Qian Xingchang, who had once jumped into the well, was now in a carriage, looking toward the North Country and said indifferently, ¡°My mission is completed; at last, I can go to North Country and meet with the king.¡± ¡­ At this very moment, in the Great Xia Dynasty. In the Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping palace, the Sum Emperor was meditating in cultivation when suddenly, a shadow appeared in the room. The Sum Emperor immediately opened his eyes. ¡°What is it?¡± The shadow reported, ¡°Great Wu¡¯s army of three hundred thousand has been defeated. Ying Feiyu intended to lead his soldiers back to defend Lingyun City, but by nightfall, the city was besieged and conquered by the North Country¡¯s army. The North Country wiped out Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand troops in just one day.¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s entire being stiffened in shock. In one day!!! The Sum Emperor knew of Ying Feiyu; when Great Wu and Great Xia had clashed, it was Ying Feiyu who led the troops against Great Xia. Great Xia¡¯s forces were driven back defeat after defeat, eventually losing two counties, and later on suffered a major defeat against Great Wu¡¯s main force. And now, such an experienced veteran had been utterly defeated by North Country¡¯s forces within a day? How could this be possible? Had North Country¡¯s military strength grown so formidable? Wait¡­ The Sum Emperor suddenly thought of something, and then asked, ¡°Did the North Country dispatch a Grandmaster?¡± To defeat an experienced army so swiftly could only mean that they had sent a Grandmaster. But then the shadow spoke, ¡°According to the scouts, North Country did not dispatch a Grandmaster to Yongan County.¡± ¡°Great Wu¡¯s forces were so swiftly defeated because North Country used a mysterious weapon. This weapon, resembling an iron ball, explodes with power akin to a Grandmaster¡¯s self-detonation of their Dantian. It¡¯s said that Great Wu¡¯s formations couldn¡¯t withstand this mysterious weapon for even a quarter of an hour.¡± At these words, the Sum Emperor frowned, his face turning dark in an instant. What kind of weapon was so terrifying? The force of an iron ball was comparable to a Grandmaster¡¯s self-destruction of their Dantian? The Sum Emperor continued, ¡°How many of these mysterious weapons does the North Country possess?¡± The shadow replied, ¡°It¡¯s unclear. It¡¯s rumored that North Country used at least a thousand of these iron balls on the battlefield in Yongan County. Even the walls of Lingyun City were blasted apart by them. Grandmasters and Martial Artists below their rank are no match at all. A direct hit from one of these would tear a body into several pieces.¡± After the shadow finished speaking, the Sum Emperor fell silent. If the news was true, then North Country¡¯s military power might far surpass that of the other great dynasties. How did North Country come to possess such a terrifying weapon? With this kind of weapon, how could the other dynasties stand a chance against North Country? How would he deal with the turmoil in North Country then? After coming to his senses, the Sum Emperor immediately commanded, ¡°Investigate! Find out where this mysterious weapon came from, and whether North Country can manufacture more of them!¡± At this juncture, the Sum Emperor was greatly concerned. If North Country was to march south with such weapons and attack Great Xia, could Great Xia¡¯s troops withstand even a single day like Great Wu did? The very thought filled the Sum Emperor with dread. No, this wouldn¡¯t do! He had to breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm as quickly as possible! Yet to make that breakthrough, his wayward son must die! Finally, the Sum Emperor entertained the idea of directly sending someone to kill Lu Chen; whereas before, he had left Lu Chen to his own fate, secretly hoping he would soon perish, but never actively sending someone to assassinate him. But things were different now; Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in North Country had suddenly bolstered such a tremendous military force, posing a serious threat to his reign. Moreover, without Lu Chen¡¯s death, he might never breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm. Realizing this, the Sum Emperor called to the shadow, ¡°Fetch the Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the Master of Divine Communication.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡­ The next day. Da Yue Dynasty. In the court, ministers were discussing the war between North Country and Great Wu. Naturally, the ministers hoped that Great Wu would eliminate the threat of North Country, but they all felt that their Emperor did not seem to share this sentiment, The Yue Emperor, clad in a red Phoenix Robe, sat upon the Phoenix Chair, surveying the court ministers, before saying faintly, ¡°Do My subjects truly believe that Great Wu can exterminate North Country?¡± Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, the ministers were stunned. Just then, a Military General stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Great Wu has a formidable army. For this campaign against North Country, they dispatched six hundred thousand elite troops, including two Grandmasters¡­¡± The Military General had not yet finished when the Yue Emperor interrupted, but the Emperor understood the implication: in the eyes of the ministers, despite North Country¡¯s ambition and threat, it was, after all, just a feudal state¡ªhow could it possibly stand against a dynasty like Great Wu. ¡°My ministers, you still do not understand North Country.¡± As the Yue Emperor uttered these words, an armored female guard entered the hall from outside, walked up to the Phoenix Platform, and presented a report to the Yue Emperor. Chapter 583 - Chapter 583: Chapter 347 Disturbance in Black Dragon Country_1 Chapter 583: Chapter 347 Disturbance in Black Dragon Country_1 The Yue Emperor took the intelligence report from the hands of her female guard, opened it and glanced briefly, her expression becoming quite serious. Seeing the grave look on the Yue Emperor¡¯s face, the courtiers in the great hall surmised that perhaps Great Wu¡¯s army genuinely couldn¡¯t stand up to the North Country. At this point, the Yue Emperor handed the intelligence report to the female guard beside her, then said with an icy tone, ¡°Read.¡± After receiving the intelligence from the Yue Emperor, the female guard immediately read, ¡°On the ninth day of the tenth lunar month, Great Wu dispatched three hundred thousand troops to Yongan County, but was defeated by a mysterious weapon of the North Country. This weapon is shaped like a sphere that, when it explodes, yields the power comparable to a Martial Artist at the Master Realm self-detonating their Dantian. The North Country hurled thousands of such weapons at Great Wu¡¯s forces, instantly breaking their formation. Ying Feiyu led the soldiers in a retreat to Lingyun City. By the evening, Lingyun City had fallen and Ying Feiyu fled with a hundred cavalry.¡± Upon hearing the intelligence read by the guard, all the ministers were stunned in an instant. Had Great Wu actually been defeated? And in just one day! That was an army of three hundred thousand! How could this be possible? How did North Country have such formidable military power? And what was the mysterious weapon mentioned in the report? That upon explosion, it possesses the power of a Grandmaster blowing up their Dantian! If it truly is as the report says, then not to mention Great Wu¡¯s army, even an army with Grandmasters wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the force of this weapon, right? Where on earth did North Country get such terrifying weapons? No weapon of such destructive power had ever appeared in this world before, had it? If North Country could mass-produce such weapons, would Martial Artists still have a place in this world in the future? The previous order based on Martial Artists would be utterly overturned, and the age of the Martial Artist would be no more! After a long moment, the ministers in the great hall regained their composure. At that time, a minister said, ¡°Your Majesty, if the report is true, given the current situation, Great Wu¡¯s main forces will likely also fall to North Country. We must make preparations, lest North Country uses the pursuit of the remnants of Great Wu¡¯s forces as an excuse to enter Da Yue¡¯s territory.¡± Though according to the intelligence, most of North Country¡¯s soldiers are in Yongan County, the sudden appearance of such a powerful mysterious weapon in not insignificant numbers makes it hard to predict who will win and who will lose. Although Great Wu¡¯s main forces include two Grandmasters, North Country has its own Grandmasters, and this mysterious weapon has the power of a Grandmaster¡¯s exploding Dantian. Such a weapon would be effective even against Grandmasters. Facing Great Wu¡¯s main forces, North Country could just bombard Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army in a relentless barrage, leaving no chance for Great Wu to resist. At such a time, Da Yue must take action. We must send troops to the border to deter North Country and prevent their soldiers from entering Da Yue. Just then, suddenly a voice from outside the great hall shouted, ¡°Urgent news from the northwest!!!¡± The ministers¡¯ hearts jolted again. Urgent news from the northwest? What could have happened in the northwest at this time? Could it be that the Barbarian Tribes have once more assembled their armies, prepared to march south and attack Da Yue? Hadn¡¯t they learned their lesson last time? As the ministers pondered what could have transpired in the northwest, a Messenger Soldier entered the center of the great hall, immediately knelt on the ground, and with both hands raised a message tube, saying, ¡°Black Dragon Country has dispatched an army of a hundred thousand, approaching Da Yue with unclear intentions!¡± Hearing this, the ministers in the great hall were stunned momentarily. Black Dragon Country? Why would Black Dragon Country send a large force to Da Yue¡¯s borders at this time? Black Dragon Country is merely a small state. If you consider overall national strength, the Da Yue Dynasty doesn¡¯t fear Black Dragon Country one bit. The main thing is that the King of Black Dragon Country is a bit unique. People speculated that the King of Black Dragon Country might be a Celestial from the Heavenly Human Realm, though of course, there is no evidence for this; it¡¯s merely conjecture. For Black Dragon Country to establish a nation in the barren northwest¡ªcompletely undaunted by Barbarian Tribe attacks¡ªalready proves it¡¯s no ordinary small country. In theory, there shouldn¡¯t be any conflict between Da Yue and Black Dragon Country, as Black Dragon Country rarely seeks expansion or creates trouble. Most significantly, it seems the King of Black Dragon Country had established his power in the present territory of Black Dragon Country long ago. Even before the Da Yue Dynasty was founded, the influence of what would become the Black Dragon Country already existed. It just wasn¡¯t called Black Dragon Country at that time. But at the time, their King had not sought outward expansion, nor had he seized the land that now belongs to the Da Yue Dynasty, which indicates that the King of Black Dragon Country didn¡¯t harbor grand ambitions. But now, why suddenly consider sending troops to Da Yue¡¯s borders? Is this looking for trouble with Da Yue? At that moment, the Yue Emperor¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, then she spoke to a military general in the hall, ¡°General Qin, you must immediately proceed to the northwest border to ascertain why Black Dragon Country is sending troops near Da Yue.¡± Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s command, a tall and burly man immediately stood and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Then the military general turned and left the great hall. The sudden movement of troops from Black Dragon Country towards Da Yue felt off to the Yue Emperor. Recently, Black Dragon Country had been too active. Not too long ago, a large number of merchant caravans from Black Dragon Country appeared in Da Yue. Although they seemed merely engaged in trade and did nothing else to threaten Da Yue. Chapter 584 - Chapter 584: Chapter 347 Disturbance in Black Dragon Country_2 Chapter 584: Chapter 347 Disturbance in Black Dragon Country_2 But the more it seemed like that, the more the Yue Emperor distrusted the Black Dragon Country. If the Black Dragon Country were to deploy troops against Great Jue at this time, Great Jue would send forces to the northwest border. By then, if North Country¡¯s remnant forces from the defeat of Great Wu were to flee into Great Jue¡¯s territory, and a conflict erupted between Great Jue and North Country, it would be extremely disadvantageous for Great Jue. The Yue Emperor was still not certain if his plan had succeeded. If Murong Xue¡¯er had already taken down the North Prince, already controlling the North Prince, then the North Prince would be an excellent pawn for her. If the loss implied that the North Prince was not under control, and North Country deployed troops against Great Jue at this time, it was highly likely that Great Jue¡¯s army would not be a match for that of North Country. Great Jue would have no way to cope with those mysterious weapons of North Country. What followed would depend on whether the main force of Great Wu could attack into Yan County and whether Murong Xue¡¯er could control the North Prince. ¡­ Meanwhile. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were still completely oblivious to the events that had transpired in Yongan County; they had entered North Country proper through Great Jue and had arrived at Yingyang County near Great Jue. There were not many cities in Yingyang County, only one key city, Cloud City. Once Cloud City fell, the main force of Great Wu could drive straight in, attacking directly into the core territory of North Country. For North Country, the fall of Cloud City would practically leave Yan County exposed to the main force of Great Wu. Arriving outside Cloud City, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were still entirely unaware of what was about to happen. Looking at the tightly shut gates of Cloud City, Zhan Hong laughed and said to Xu Xingwen, ¡°General Xu, how long do you think it will take us to capture Cloud City?¡± Xu Xingwen glanced at the crumbling earthen walls of Cloud City and then replied, ¡°Three days!¡± Zhan Hong chuckled and said, ¡°Three days? You¡¯re giving the North Country¡¯s garrison too much credit. In my opinion, it will only take one day to take Cloud City!¡± Having said this, Zhan Hong then ordered the troops behind him, ¡°Set up camp immediately; we attack at dawn tomorrow!¡± As Zhan Hong¡¯s words fell, the soldiers of Great Wu began to set up camp. At this moment, on the watchtower of Cloud City, Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue looked emotionlessly at the distant army of Great Wu. They harbored no fear in their hearts for the army of Great Wu. Although they had only two hundred thousand troops, twenty thousand fewer than Great Wu, they possessed cannons and howitzers prepared for them by North Country. Before the army of Great Wu had arrived at Cloud City, Dongmen Feiyue and Song Xuelin had soldiers familiarize themselves with the use of firearms. Although they had yet to develop specific tactics, bombarding the enemy with cannon fire would surely throw the enemy forces into disarray, negating the need for any tactics. At this moment, Dongmen Feiyue remarked, ¡°I wonder where our king got such terrifying weapons. These don¡¯t seem like they belong to this world.¡± Both came from the polar regions, and they were not particularly familiar with firearms. After witnessing the terrifying power of firearms, they were both awed by their might. As Grandmasters, they were actually somewhat resentful inside because the appearance of such firearms significantly impacted their status as martial artists. Therefore, the two simply let themselves be targets during the cannon testing to see how they fared. After their tests, they discovered that although the cannons could not directly kill a Grandmaster, they could suppress their attacks. In the face of the cannons, they had to exert all their strength just to withstand the bombardments, making it difficult to counterattack. After their assessments, they eventually came to accept the facts. They thought to themselves that cannons were, for the time being, only possessed by North Country. They would be the ones bombarding others with cannons, not others bombarding them. Therefore, they had no need to be too concerned. Moreover, with the use of such weapons as cannons, their king could unify the world much faster. From this point of view, as his subjects, they should not harbor negative opinions about cannons. Hearing Dongmen Feiyue¡¯s words, Song Xuelin said indifferently, ¡°Who cares? For now, only North Country has such weapons. By the time other kingdoms or powers acquire these cannons, our king may have already unified the entire continent.¡± Dongmen Feiyue sighed at that moment, ¡°With such powerful weapons, we won¡¯t be as important to our king in the future.¡± Hearing this, Song Xuelin laughed and then said, ¡°General Dongmen, why worry about such things? Weapons are just weapons, no matter how powerful ¡ª they still need people to operate them. Our king needs to expand his territory, to unify the entire continent, and he will still need us. How can you think that we will become less important?¡± Dongmen Feiyue answered, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± After Song Xuelin¡¯s reassurance, Dongmen Feiyue felt somewhat better. A few days earlier, during the cannon tests, Dongmen Feiyue was so shellshocked by the cannons that he lost all temper, and it greatly impacted his morale. During the tests, the cannons were operated by ordinary people, not even martial artists. Yet there he was, a Grandmaster, struggling to even defend himself in front of ordinary folks, which led to some negative thoughts, such as whether the North Prince might no longer need Grandmasters. Song Xuelin, looking at the distant soldiers of Great Wu, said, ¡°Those must be Great Wu¡¯s main forces. Let¡¯s launch a preemptive strike tonight and strive to end this battle soon.¡± Chapter 585 - Chapter 585: Chapter 347 Disturbance in Black Dragon Country_3 Chapter 585: Chapter 347 Disturbance in Black Dragon Country_3 The main forces of Great Wu had come from afar and were already exhausted. Now, with two hundred thousand troops inside Cloud City and the support of cannons, if a surprise attack were launched at night, the three hundred thousand forces of Great Wu simply had no way to cope. This was the first battle that Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue participated in since arriving in North Country from the polar regions, so they paid extra attention to this fight. Now that North Country had the terrifying weapon of the cannon, the status of Grandmasters had become less important than in the past. Therefore, in their view, if they wanted to gain the King¡¯s attention, they had to achieve more military exploits. In this battle, they not only had to win but also had to achieve a more perfect victory. Night fell. In the camp of Great Wu, fires still burned, and generals like Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen did not relax just because they had reached Cloud City. They were in their tents, looking at the map of North Country and making plans for what to do next. The plan they were formulating now was how to act after taking Cloud City. In their eyes, Cloud City was already in the bag, the broken-down city hardly a challenge at all. At this moment, Xu Xingwen spoke up, ¡°Although Zhuge Zhongguang is known for his scholarly pursuits, few have seen him in action. His actual strength is likely much stronger than our estimates.¡± Hearing this, Zhan Hong laughed heartily and then said, ¡°General Xu, this isn¡¯t like you, to be afraid of a feeble scholar.¡± Xu Xingwen continued, ¡°According to the intelligence gathered by Princess Junwan in Great Sum, above the Grandmaster is the Grandmaster in the Zenith Realm. When a Grandmaster enters the Zenith Realm and triggers an extraordinary phenomenon, he can enter the Pseudo-Celestial Realm. Though it¡¯s not being a True Celestial, their strength could likely increase dramatically.¡± ¡°North Country once witnessed such a phenomenon, indicating that Zhuge Zhongguang has also entered the Pseudo-Celestial Realm. We have never crossed hands with an enemy from the Pseudo-Celestial Realm before.¡± ¡°General Zhan, it¡¯s better to be careful.¡± Hearing this, Zhan Hong smiled and still did not take Xu Xingwen¡¯s words seriously, ¡°Even if Zhuge Zhongguang is a Pseudo Celestial, even if he¡¯s a True Celestial, I¡¯m not afraid of him!¡± ¡°General Xu, when have you ever¡­¡± Zhan Hong had not finished speaking when a loud ¡°boom¡± erupted outside the tent, causing the generals inside to hear a ringing in their ears. Realizing that something might have happened, Xu Xingwen immediately went to the tent entrance and asked the soldiers outside, ¡°What happened?¡± No sooner had Xu Xingwen finished speaking than another boom sounded nearby, and Xu Xingwen saw some soldiers¡¯ bodies being blown away. The next moment, the voices of the soldiers rose up in the camp. ¡°Enemy attack!!!¡± The sounds of horns converged into a single torrent. Soldiers poured out of their tents, weapons in hand, ready to fight. Zhan Hong led the true elite of Great Wu, whose soldiers responded incredibly quickly. They were ready for battle just shortly after the horns began to sound. At this moment, Zhan Hong emerged from his tent, looking somewhat incredulously at the scene before him. They had only just arrived at Cloud City, not yet launched an attack, and the enemy had taken the lead in mounting a sneak attack on them. The soldiers of North Country must have underestimated them, perhaps thinking that after a long and exhausting trek, they would quickly fall into disarray faced with a surprise attack? Hah, ridiculous! This army of three hundred thousand was the best of the elite from Great Wu. Even in the face of a sneak attack, they could quickly react and organize a counterattack. They had initially planned to let the defenders of Cloud City live one more night, but since they didn¡¯t know any better, they couldn¡¯t blame them for what came next! Chapter 586 - Chapter 586: Chapter 348: Lu Chen, Driven by the Times_1 Chapter 586: Chapter 348: Lu Chen, Driven by the Times_1 Just as Zhan Hong inwardly mocked the Cloud City defenders for not recognizing a good situation, he soon discovered that the truly na?ve one was himself. At that moment, he was about to issue instructions to a messenger soldier, when suddenly, an iron ball flew down from the sky. Zhan Hong, unimpressed, drew his sword and slashed at it, sending a burst of Sword Qi directly towards the iron ball in the air. However, just as the Sword Qi was about to make contact with the iron ball, it exploded instantaneously. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen realized something was wrong in a flash. Xu Xingwen shouted loudly, ¡°Not good!¡± At that moment, both grandmasters simultaneously used Protective Gang Qi. After the iron ball exploded, countless pieces of iron flew out, and nearly all the soldiers around them, except for Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong, were either wounded or killed by the blast. Seeing this bloody scene, Zhan Hong was completely stunned. What kind of weapon was this? How could it be so powerful? There were several Ninth Grade martial artists by his side, and they were all killed by the explosion. Just a moment ago, if they hadn¡¯t used their Protective Gang Qi, they probably would have been seriously injured as well. Even as a grandmaster, Zhan Hong was shaken by the sight of the explosion. After regaining his composure, his face darkened and his brows furrowed. What exactly was that iron ball! How could its power be so tremendous! They had never seen such a weapon before. At this point, Xu Xingwen said to Zhan Hong, ¡°General Zhan, something doesn¡¯t seem right!¡± No sooner had Xu Xingwen finished speaking when several more shells dropped from the sky. Zhan Hong quickly swung his sword, attempting to cut down the shells, but as soon as his Sword Qi made contact with the shells, they exploded on impact. Even though the shells were quite far from the camp this time, the fragments from the explosions still killed and wounded many soldiers on the ground. Seeing this, the expressions on Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen¡¯s faces turned even uglier. They hadn¡¯t expected that after being destroyed, these iron balls could still unleash such terrifying power. No, they could not just sit around waiting to die. If the North Country had a vast number of such iron balls, then perhaps before they had a chance to retaliate, their army of three hundred thousand would have been almost entirely obliterated by the blasts. Immediately, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, risking the bombardment, began to assemble soldiers for a retreat. With the North Country wielding such terrifying weapons, it was absolutely impossible to confront them head-on at this time. Under the artillery barrage, Great Wu¡¯s soldiers quickly assembled and retreated in several groups. Since heavy artillery has a limited range, the soldiers of Great Wu retreated quickly. Before Song Xuelin and his troops could attack, Great Wu¡¯s soldiers had abandoned the camp and had run far off into the distance. Dongmen Feiyue immediately led his soldiers forward to attack, but Zhan Hong left tens of thousands of men in position for a counter-ambush. Fortunately, Dongmen Feiyue¡¯s troops brought some light cannons, which quickly routed the tens of thousands of Zhan Hong¡¯s soldiers left behind. However, those tens of thousands had bought significant time for the main forces of Great Wu to retreat. In the darkness of night, looking at the scattered torches nearby, Song Xuelin approached Dongmen Feiyue and said, ¡°It¡¯s no wonder Great Wu¡¯s main force is formidable; such quick responsiveness is not simple. I didn¡¯t expect their soldiers to be able to react even at this late hour.¡± Dongmen Feiyue frowned and then asked, ¡°Are we pursuing them?¡± Song Xuelin replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need to chase. The heavy artillery can¡¯t keep up, and Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand are elite. Even if we caught up, we would suffer heavy losses. The Prince only told us to hold them off, not to take the initiative to attack.¡± Although they also wanted to annihilate Great Wu¡¯s main force and earn military merits, their mission was not to launch a counterattack. Moreover, their two hundred thousand-strong army had just been brought over from the polar regions. If they incurred heavy losses in this battle, it would instead leave a bad impression with the North Prince. After hearing Song Xuelin¡¯s words, Dongmen Feiyue did not order his soldiers to continue the pursuit. He promptly led his troops to retreat and begin clearing the scattered Great Wu soldiers. By dawn, when the sky was gloomily bright, the soldiers of North Country were still clearing up the spoils of war in the campsite of Great Wu¡¯s army from last night. The so-called spoils of war comprised food supplies and weapons of Great Wu. If this were one or two years ago, these items would be somewhat useful to North Country, but now that North Country had obtained firearms as a significant weapon, Great Wu¡¯s armaments were basically of little use to them. At this time, a soldier approached Dongmen Feiyue and Song Xuelin and reported, ¡°General Song, General Dongmen, last night we eliminated about eighty thousand of the enemy forces and captured more than twenty thousand prisoners!¡± Upon hearing this, Dongmen Feiyue¡¯s expression turned somewhat unsightly, and he said with furrowed brows, ¡°Unexpectedly, even with the help of firearms, we let nearly two hundred thousand Great Wu soldiers escape. I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be easy to explain to the great king.¡± After all, this was their first battle since arriving in North Country, and they had let the enemy escape. This made Dongmen Feiyue feel somewhat uneasy, fearing that their king would think them incompetent. Just then, from a distance, a soldier with a small flag on his back riding a horse galloped towards them. Arriving in front of them, the soldier dismounted and handed a message container to Song Xuelin. ¡°The king¡¯s military order!¡± Hearing this, Song Xuelin quickly took the message container from the Red Ribbon Messenger, opened it, and took out the military order for a quick glance. Impatiently, Dongmen Feiyue asked, ¡°What are the king¡¯s orders? Are we launching a counterattack?¡± Chapter 587 - Chapter 587: Chapter 348: Lu Chen Pushed by the Times_2 Chapter 587: Chapter 348: Lu Chen Pushed by the Times_2 Last night we failed to annihilate Great Wu¡¯s army of three hundred thousand, which left Dongmen Feiyue feeling somewhat uneasy. He thought that if their King allowed a counterattack, they would seize the opportunity to pursue Great Wu¡¯s soldiers directly. After glancing at the military order in his hand, Song Xuelin handed it over to Dongmen Feiyue and said, ¡°The King has no intention of taking action against Great Jue for the time being. He has instructed us not to enter Great Jue¡¯s territory. If Great Wu¡¯s soldiers flee into Great Jue, let them escape.¡± Upon receiving the military order from Song Xuelin¡¯s hand and glancing over it, Dongmen Feiyue felt immensely frustrated. Seeing Dongmen Feiyue furrowing his brows and looking very displeased, Song Xuelin said, ¡°General Dongmen need not worry. The King must have his reasons for such arrangements. There will be opportunities for us to distinguish ourselves in the future.¡± Dongmen Feiyue sighed and said nothing more. Indeed, as Song Xuelin said, Lu Chen¡¯s decision not to pursue Great Wu¡¯s remnants or enter Great Jue was indeed based on his own considerations. A few days later. Yan County. In his study, Lu Chen was discussing the battle with Zhuge Zhongguang. He was already aware of what happened in Cloud City; Dongmen Feiyue and his men had not been able to annihilate Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand-strong army. To Lu Chen, this was to be expected¡ªthe three hundred thousand soldiers were the elite of Great Wu and would not be easily conquered. Zhuge Zhongguang, gazing at the map hanging on the wall of the study, said, ¡°Prince, the two hundred thousand-strong army of Great Wu has retreated to Great Jue. It¡¯s highly unlikely they will launch another offensive but will instead withdraw to Great Wu. However, if they do withdraw, they would inevitably pass through Youping County, which could lead to a conflict with our soldiers. Although we possess firearms, the army is led by two Grandmasters. It would be best to immediately dispatch a Grandmaster to Youping County.¡± Firearms could indeed suppress a Grandmaster and continuously wear down their strength, but killing a Grandmaster wouldn¡¯t be so easy. Zhuge Zhongguang was worried that if the two hundred thousand-strong army made it to Youping County, and if Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, the two Grandmasters, decided to strike Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie directly, Mu Changtian and the others would definitely be no match for the two Grandmasters. If Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie were killed, the North Country¡¯s army might very well become leaderless. In such a situation, even with firearms, the North Country¡¯s army might face defeat. If Zhan Hong and his men were to seize the firearms of the North Country and use them against the North Country in the future, that would be disastrous. The reason they had managed a crushing victory over Great Wu¡¯s large army was mainly due to Great Wu¡¯s ignorance of firearms¡ªthe thunderous boom of the cannons had terrified the soldiers of Great Wu. If Great Wu¡¯s soldiers obtained the firearms of the North Country and managed to disassemble and study them, they would gain a certain understanding of the weapons, which would make it difficult to replicate the element of surprise in future wars. Thus, at this stage, Great Wu must not be allowed to get their hands on firearms. Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Upon receiving the battle report from Cloud City, I immediately sent people to Youping County. Should Great Wu¡¯s soldiers retreat there, they will surely be crushed. Great Scholar need not worry.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s confidence, Zhuge Zhongguang immediately thought of someone. When it came to dealing with Grandmasters most easily, the natural choice was to send a Celestial. It seemed that Xuanyuan Chaoge had already left Yan County. Since Lu Chen had already made advance arrangements in Youping County, Zhuge Zhongguang did not elaborate further. At that moment, Lu Chen stood before the map, his gaze sweeping back and forth over it. After a long while, he posed an important question to Zhuge Zhongguang. ¡°Great Scholar, do you think the North Country can continue to remain peaceful in the future?¡± Hearing this question, Zhuge Zhongguang seemed to understand what Lu Chen was getting at, and then he replied, ¡°No, from the moment firearms were introduced, it became impossible for North Country to maintain long-term peace unless the Prince can eliminate all dynasties and unify the entire continent.¡± The power of firearms was too great. With the advent of firearms, Lu Chen had essentially made enemies of all martial artists and threatened all dynasties. Although the war between North Country and Great Wu was able to deter the various dynasties in the short term, in the long run, the dynasties would inevitably form alliances to jointly confront the North Country. And every major dynasty would try to find a way to manufacture firearms. Once all the great dynasties had firearms, the situation for North Country would be even more difficult. Lu Chen actually understood this concept as well. Recently, he had been considering that he actually didn¡¯t like the endless waging of war. He wasn¡¯t a war fanatic before, he wasn¡¯t one now, and it¡¯s unlikely he would ever be one. But even if he didn¡¯t want to initiate wars, he couldn¡¯t stop anymore. Firearms had been exposed, and in the future, many would want his life. Furthermore, his emergence posed a great threat to the world¡¯s major dynasties, so even if he did nothing, those dynasties would try by all means to eliminate him as a threat. Therefore, he was being pushed forward by the era. If he wanted to live a peaceful life, he would need to annihilate the other dynasties, and only then could long-lasting peace be maintained. At this moment, Lu Chen gazed at the map on the wall and zoned out for a while. After some time passed, Lu Chen spoke up again and asked, ¡°If we¡¯re to achieve unification, which dynasty should we start with?¡± With North Country¡¯s small population, it was impossible to wipe out all the major dynasties at once. There had to be a starting point, in other words, someone to cut down first. Zhuge Zhongguang answered, ¡°This servant believes we should start with Great Sum.¡± Before Lu Chen could ask why, Zhuge Zhongguang began to explain, ¡°Prince is the child of the Sum Emperor and inherently has the right to inherit the Great Sum¡¯s throne. If Prince could succeed to the throne, he could use Great Sum as a base to continue increasing strength. Then, when the time is ripe, eradicate the rest of the great dynasties.¡± ¡°Prince is a Prince. Even if Prince controls the entire Great Sum, it would not lead to much resistance from the Sum people.¡± ¡°If we do not destroy Great Sum first but rather the other dynasties, Prince would face significant ruling pressure. The people of other dynasties might not submit to your rule. With North Country¡¯s population still too small, if those dynasties were to rise in chaos, it would be difficult for North Country to suppress the unrest on their lands.¡± Lu Chen instantly understood Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s point, which was to use Great Sum as a base, first secure the support of the people of Great Sum, then leverage Great Sum¡¯s resources to strengthen himself, and when strong enough to wipe out the other dynasties, use the people of Great Sum to rule over their lands. With North Country¡¯s current population, even if they took down all the great dynasties, they wouldn¡¯t be able to govern them well and would end up with a big mess. This was actually the order of proceeding from the easy to the difficult, Great Sum being the easiest to control; therefore, they should start with Great Sum. Lu Chen fell silent for a moment, then continued to ask, ¡°In Great Scholar¡¯s opinion, when would it be best to move south? What Lu Chen referred to as moving south was, in fact, seizing power and the throne. Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°According to this servant, the time has already matured.¡± ¡°Great Sum is already in constant civil war, and the common folk wish to see someone appear who can quickly bring an end to Great Sum¡¯s internal strife.¡± ¡°Additionally, there is a rumor among the common people that the Sum Emperor hasn¡¯t much longer to live, and the court ministers as well as the princes also believe the Sum Emperor will not last much longer. Although Prince is aware of what the Sum Emperor is planning, we can completely act as if he is truly on his deathbed.¡± Lu Chen pondered for a moment. Zhuge Zhongguang meant that they could use the rumors of the Sum Emperor¡¯s impending death as a pretext to provide an excuse for them to move south. As to whether the Sum Emperor was truly ill, that didn¡¯t matter. Even if the Sum Emperor was not ill, once the army moved south, the Sum Emperor would certainly become ill. Not only ill¡ªthere was even the possibility that he might directly pass away. Seeing Lu Chen frown, Zhuge Zhongguang realized he might have misspoken and quickly said, ¡°Prince, please forgive this servant for speaking out of turn.¡± After all, Lu Chen was the Sum Emperor¡¯s son, and Zhuge Zhongguang was but a servant. For a servant to speak in front of Lu Chen about the ¡°Sum Emperor not having long to live¡± indeed sounded quite treasonous. Lu Chen then snapped out of it, and with an air of indifference, he said, ¡°No matter, I do not care about these matters.¡± ¡°I have given it some thought and find Great Scholar¡¯s words to be very reasonable. Once the conflict between Great Wu and North Country concludes, I shall prepare for the move south.¡± Chapter 588 - Chapter 588: Chapter 349: Lu Chens Trial to Become a Celestial_1 Chapter 588: Chapter 349: Lu Chen¡¯s Trial to Become a Celestial_1 Lu Chen chatted with Zhuge Zhongguang a lot in the study, and Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words made Lu Chen realize that many things couldn¡¯t simply be as he wished. When he appeared in this world, he had already become part of its historical process, and he would inevitably be propelled forward by the wheels of history. The moment he took out the firearms and started producing various modern industrial products, even if he didn¡¯t want to initiate war, he would still have to face it. This world would force him to make choices. Lu Chen quickly came to a realization; after all, he had the system. Since he had come to this world and acquired the system, that decided he could not lead an ordinary life, he was destined to embark on a great enterprise. Wanting to live a peaceful life was simple, he thought. Once he eliminated all his enemies and broke through to the Heavenly Human Realm, he would pass the throne to his son, and then he could live peacefully every day. Lu Chen stopped pondering; he returned to his desk and continued dealing with military affairs. This time, he did not go to the front lines for the battle. Although he was still somewhat worried, he was, after all, a Prince, and could not possibly do everything personally as before, not just this time, but he reckoned he wouldn¡¯t be too involved in future wars either. Just then, Lu Chen suddenly found his body emitting a golden light, and before he could react, a beam of golden light shot out from his body and pierced into the sky. The next moment, thick clouds gathered in the sky above Yan County, and when the common people saw this, they instantly remembered the portent they had witnessed over the old city. Initially, they thought the portent was because Zhuge Zhongguang had broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. Of course, now people knew this was not a sign of breaking through to the Heavenly Human Realm, but no matter what, it meant that North Country had gained another individual even more powerful than a Grandmaster. At this time, the women in the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion saw that the golden light was coming from the study, so they all went there, wanting to see who had made a breakthrough. At this moment, Lu Chen entered a mysterious state, feeling as if he had merged with the entire world. After a while, Lu Chen seemed to hear a voice telling him that once he unified the major dynasties, he would become a Celestial. A thought struck Lu Chen¡¯s heart. Was this the enlightenment that Zhuge Zhongguang had spoken of? That is to say, was the test for him to become a Celestial the unification of the major dynasties? Lu Chen pondered for a long time and then asked the system, ¡°System, can I not break through to become a Celestial through cultivation?¡± [No, unifying the major dynasties is also a system task. The host must complete this task to continue advancing the Realm through cultivation.] Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°So, is my Realm¡¯s stagnation only temporary, and as soon as I overcome this Realm, can I resume cultivation in the original manner?¡±] [Yes.] Lu Chen thought to himself, he truly was being pushed along by this world. Now he had no choice but to wage war even if he didn¡¯t want to. Shortly afterwards, the golden light on Lu Chen¡¯s body disappeared, and the portent in the sky above Yan County quickly dissipated as well. Just then, the voice of a maid rang out from outside the door, ¡°Prince, Commander Qin requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Come in.¡± Right away, Qin Yushan pushed the door open and entered the study, ¡°Greetings to the Prince!¡± After completing the formalities, Qin Yushan glanced at Lu Chen, having seen the golden light himself. With concern, Qin Yushan asked, ¡°Prince, are you alright?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°This prince is fine, I had a realization just now and have made a breakthrough.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen looked at Qin Yushan and asked, ¡°Any recent movements in the Capital?¡± Qin Yushan was currently responsible for the intelligence gathering within Great Sum. His seeking Lu Chen meant that something new had happened within the borders of Great Sum. Qin Yushan immediately handed an envelope to Lu Chen, and at the same time began to report, ¡°Recently, several Seigniors in Great Sum have been assassinated. As soon as those Seigniors died, the Zhao King immediately sent troops to take over their territories with almost no resistance.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°It seems the Great Scholar had guessed correctly; the Zhao King is indeed a pawn of my Imperial Father.¡± With that, Lu Chen seriously examined the intelligence he held. Seeing that the report mentioned the old ancestors of Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain entering the Imperial Palace multiple times, Lu Chen thought that those assassinated Seigniors were probably killed by these two forces. He didn¡¯t know what benefits his Imperial Father had offered these two factions to agree to cooperate with the royal family. Those faction heads were truly ruthless, not afraid that later, his Imperial Father would dispose of them once their usefulness ended. Lu Chen then indifferently told Qin Yushan, ¡°Continue to keep an eye on things.¡± This intelligence was not very valuable to Lu Chen; he had already roughly guessed what his Imperial Father intended to do through Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s previous analyses¡ªnothing more than to get rid of all the Seigniors in Great Sum and then accomplish a substantial unification. As for whether his Imperial Father could break through to become a Celestial after the unification of Great Sum, that was something that only the future would tell. Seeing that Lu Chen seemed not to care much about this news, Qin Yushan said, ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± With that, Qin Yushan turned to leave the study when Lu Chen suddenly remembered something, ¡°Right, pay close attention to the movements of the two old ancestors of Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain. It would be best if you could find out where they have been and where they are planning to go.¡± Chapter 589 - Chapter 589: Chapter 349: Lu Chens Trial to Become a Celestial_2 Chapter 589: Chapter 349: Lu Chen¡¯s Trial to Become a Celestial_2 ¡°Especially pay attention to whether there have been any suspicious Great Sum merchant caravans going to Qi Country recently, and then entering North Country from there.¡± Now that Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain had joined hands with the Sum Emperor, they had begun to target and eliminate the Seigniors of Great Sum. Lu Chen suddenly realized he was also a Seignior of Great Sum. Although he was the Sum Emperor¡¯s son, given the current situation, among all the Seigniors, he posed the greatest threat. Additionally, with Great Wu¡¯s bitter defeat, North Country¡¯s threat had become even more evident, so Lu Chen suspected that his father might very well send someone to assassinate him. The relationship between him and his father was devoid of any familial affection. Although the Sum Emperor had not sent anyone to kill him in the past, the Sum Emperor had always wished someone would kill him sooner rather than later. Whether the Sum Emperor would send someone to assassinate him was merely a matter of the Emperor¡¯s impulse. Qin Yushan instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning and said immediately, ¡°Yes, your subordinate will ensure that the Brocade Guard keeps a close watch on their movements.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t watch them too closely, after all, they are Pseudo Celestials. If we watch them too closely, it¡¯s easy for them to notice they¡¯re being monitored, which might spook them instead.¡± ¡°All right, you may go now.¡± Qin Yushan bowed again and said, ¡°Your subordinate will take his leave!¡± After Qin Yushan left the study, Lu Chen thought to himself, hoping his father wouldn¡¯t really send someone to kill him, for he had been born at least with the use of the Sum Emperor¡¯s essence. Although he didn¡¯t want to admit it, the Sum Emperor was his biological father in this world. If the Sum Emperor indeed sent someone to assassinate him, then he would only be able to fight back. Father and son turning against each other was a scene Lu Chen did not want to witness, as it might be a bad influence on his own child. Now that Lu Chen was a father himself, he had begun to focus on the upbringing of his children, understanding the importance of leading by example. As Lu Chen was lost in thought, the voice of a maid rang at the door again, ¡°Prince, the Princess and the others have arrived.¡± Lu Chen snapped back to reality. The commotion just now had been somewhat loud, and now his wives and concubines were probably very worried. He got up immediately and walked toward the door of the study. As soon as Lu Chen came out, Chu Yuqin approached him with concern and asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, are you all right?¡± Lu Chen glanced at his wives and concubines with a smile and replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just had a breakthrough.¡± Upon hearing this, the women were startled. They instinctively thought Lu Chen had broken through to the Celestial Realm, but they quickly realized their mistake, remembering the incident with the phenomenon triggered by Zhuge Zhongguang last time. At that moment, Xiao Wenyao tentatively whispered, ¡°Prince, have you become a Celestial?¡± Xiao Wenyao was rather naive; she was thinking that when Lu Chen was a Grandmaster, he already tormented her to no end. If he had become a Celestial, she could not imagine how terrifying Lu Chen¡¯s strength might have become. Spending her days within the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Xiao Wenyao, this pure white mare from the prairies, had been tainted by Lu Chen. She always thought of matters between men and women first. Lu Chen chuckled and glanced at the women again, as they all looked at him expectantly. He then said, ¡°I¡¯ve let you down. I haven¡¯t become a Celestial yet. It¡¯s not easy to become a Celestial; one has to pass the trials of this world. For now, I can only be considered a Pseudo Celestial.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, the women felt a bit disappointed, having thought he had already become a Celestial. At that moment, Wang Qingci asked with a charming smile, ¡°Prince, what¡¯s the difference between a Pseudo Celestial and a Grandmaster?¡± Lu Chen replied seriously, ¡°Besides a slight increase in strength, there doesn¡¯t seem to be much of a difference.¡± Chu Yuqin said in confusion, ¡°You¡¯ve advanced a Realm, how can there be no difference? Even if you haven¡¯t officially entered the Celestial Realm, you should have some abilities that only a Celestial would possess, right?¡± Then Wang Qingci spoke flirtatiously, ¡°Why don¡¯t you come to my room tonight, my Lord. I could help you see what the differences between a Pseudo Celestial and a Grandmaster truly are.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin snorted coldly, ¡°Bitch!¡± They were discussing serious matters, yet this bitch had only one thing in mind¡ªto seduce Lu Chen. What a shameless woman. Hearing Wang Qingci¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and then replied, ¡°Alright, tonight I¡¯ll go to your room and test how much my physical condition has improved.¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a sidelong glance and then said, ¡°Since you¡¯re all right, Chen¡¯er, we won¡¯t disturb you with your official duties.¡± With that, Chu Yuqin turned around and said to Mu Zixuan and the others, ¡°Zixuan, let¡¯s go back.¡± Mu Zixuan looked at Lu Chen and then said, ¡°Prince, since you¡¯re all right, we¡¯ll return to the inner court first.¡± Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± Then the women turned and left for the inner courtyard. Wang Qingci gave Lu Chen a coquettish glance before leaving. Watching her sway as she walked, Lu Chen chuckled, still so seductive after having a child. But since Wang Qingci wanted to test his strength as a Pseudo Celestial, he would indulge her. Tonight, he would go to Wang Qingci¡¯s room and let her thoroughly test him. After Chu Yuqin and the others had left, Lu Chen returned to his room and sat down to continue managing military affairs. About an hour later, the maid¡¯s voice was heard at the door again. ¡°Prince, Miss Murong requests an audience!¡± Chapter 590 - Chapter 590: Chapter 349: Lu Chens Trial to Become a Celestial_3 Chapter 590: Chapter 349: Lu Chen¡¯s Trial to Become a Celestial_3 Hearing this, Lu Chen did not feel surprised. The appearance of that great golden light from the North Prince Mansion just now meant that Murong Xue¡¯er, sent by the Yue Emperor as an undercover agent to the North Country, would naturally come to inquire about the situation and see who had made a breakthrough. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, Murong Xue¡¯er, dressed in plain white clothes, entered the room. Her hair was tied with a black-and-white hair band, and the color of her clothes also alternated between black and white, which instead of appearing monotonous, actually highlighted the icy temperament of Murong Xue¡¯er. Lu Chen only glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er before continuing to bury himself in governmental affairs. Because of the previous golden light, a large hole had appeared in the roof of the study, and at this moment, the sunlight was shining through that hole right onto the desk. Seeing that hole, Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself that it seemed the golden light had indeed shone forth from the study. At this time, without lifting his head, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Miss Murong, what brings you here?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s cold tone, Murong Xue¡¯er was stunned for a moment. Lu Chen had not been like this before; whenever she came, he would always be all over her as if he hadn¡¯t seen a woman in a long time. How had he become so serious all of a sudden today? Could it be¡­ He had grown tired of her? This thought caused Murong Xue¡¯er to feel an immense sense of crisis. Now that she could not go back, she did not control Lu Chen, and the Empress might not trust her in the future. If she wanted to regain the Yue Emperor¡¯s trust, she would need the cooperation of the Prince. But if the Prince had grown tired of her body, it was certain that he would not help her, and she would end up being discarded by both sides; not only abandoned by the Great Jue, but she would also have no place to stand in the North Country. As Murong Xue¡¯er was feeling anxious, Lu Chen, seeing that she had not spoken, looked up at her and then asked with a smile, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er snapped out of it and said expressionlessly, ¡°I just saw a golden light over the Prince¡¯s Mansion, so I came to check out what happened here.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You want to see who has made another breakthrough, don¡¯t you?¡± Although Lu Chen had guessed her intention, Murong Xue¡¯er did not mind; she knew she could not hide anything from this man. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er looked up at the hole in the roof and then said, ¡°It seems that the North Country has gained another powerful individual approaching the strength of a Celestial.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°You speak as if you are an outsider, ¡®you guys in the North Country.¡¯ You are my woman now, you should be saying ¡®our North Country.''¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said coldly, ¡°There is only a transaction between you and me, I will never become your woman.¡± Despite what she said, Murong Xue¡¯er felt the uncomfortable feeling in her heart vanish instantly upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words just now. She had thought that Lu Chen was tired of her, but it seemed she had been overthinking. It was probably because of the war between the North Country and Great Wu recently, so Lu Chen had not been interested in affairs of men and women, which explained his coldness towards her. Lu Chen did not dwell on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words. He asked with a smile, ¡°Do you want to know who has just made a breakthrough?¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er grew tense. She looked at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face. Of course, she wanted to know who had made the breakthrough; after all, she was there to gather intelligence. But then Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°You surely won¡¯t tell me.¡± Anyone approaching the strength of a Celestial would, of course, be a trump card for the North Country. As the North Prince, how could he possibly reveal his ace so easily? As Murong Xue¡¯er was thinking this, Lu Chen got up from his chair and walked towards her. Seeing Lu Chen approaching, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body could not help but tremble slightly. She had a complex array of feelings towards this man. If not for him, she would probably still be serving the Yue Emperor in the Great Jue, not in this place, nor in her current predicament. At the same time, she was fearful; on one hand, she was afraid of the man before her taking liberties with her, and on the other, she feared that he had tired of her and would soon cast her aside. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body trembled slightly, but Lu Chen did not notice her discomfort. After approaching her, he said, ¡°The one who has just broken through, is me.¡± ¡°This piece of information should please your Emperor, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± At these words, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind was slightly shocked. Lu Chen had made another breakthrough? If he was already a Grandmaster, and his strength had now approached that of a Celestial, didn¡¯t that mean¡­ he had become even stronger? For some reason, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind was suddenly filled with scenes of Lu Chen bullying her. Murong Xue¡¯er quickly stopped herself from letting her thoughts run wild. Then she congratulated him with an emotionless tone, ¡°Congratulations to you, Prince, on your breakthrough.¡± Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s cold demeanor, Lu Chen lifted his hand and, caressing her icy cheek, said while stroking her, ¡°Miss Murong, I have given you such important information, what do you intend to offer in return?¡± Without answering, Murong Xue¡¯er basically had an idea of what Lu Chen wanted to do. Lu Chen continued, ¡°By the way, the Yue Emperor has asked you to try to get your hands on some firearms, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Hearing this question, Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback; indeed, nothing could be hidden from Lu Chen. The Yue Emperor had indeed given her a command to try and get firearms from the North Country, preferably the method of making them as well. But Murong Xue¡¯er did not believe that Lu Chen would hand over something so important to her. Thus, she never really believed this mission could be completed. And indeed, things were as Murong Xue¡¯er thought; Lu Chen would never give Murong Xue¡¯er the firearms and their manufacturing methods. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°If the Prince isn¡¯t practicing calligraphy today, then I will leave.¡± Although Lu Chen had guessed her recent task, Murong Xue¡¯er did not intend to admit it. Firearms were a core secret of the North Country. If she truly approached Lu Chen with inquiries, it might provoke his displeasure. Therefore, she simply brushed aside Lu Chen¡¯s question. Chapter 591 - Chapter 591: Chapter 350: This is Your Illusion_1 Chapter 591: Chapter 350: This is Your Illusion_1 Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er about to leave, Lu Chen directly grabbed her wrist and then pulled her delicate body into his arms. Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t struggle, and Lu Chen said at that time, ¡°Practice, why not practice? It has been a long time since I last practiced calligraphy, my handwriting is getting uglier, it¡¯s time to seriously practice.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen walked towards the resting room with Murong Xue¡¯er in his arms, laughing as he walked, ¡°Miss Murong¡¯s body is getting softer and softer.¡± Hearing these words, a blush appeared on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s indifferent face. She tried hard to control her emotions, attempting not to be carried away by Lu Chen¡¯s words. Soon, they arrived at the resting room, where Lu Chen gently placed Murong Xue¡¯er on the bed and then lightly pressed down upon her but did not hurry to start undressing her. He gazed at Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s face, which was coldly beautiful with a hint of blush, and said with a smile, ¡°Miss Murong, I feel our trade isn¡¯t fair.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat puzzled and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Think about it, in our trade, I provide you with the most secretive information from the North Country, and you just have to practice calligraphy with me.¡± ¡°Although it seems like a fair trade, each time we practice calligraphy, I not only expend physical energy but also mental effort, and end up making you comfortable. Tell me, is this trade equal?¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback. The shameless wretch of the North Prince actually had the nerve to say he was at a loss after taking advantage of her. Although her emotions were stirred, Murong Xue¡¯er did not argue directly with Lu Chen, but said coldly, ¡°What else do you want then?¡± Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Since it¡¯s a trade, naturally, you should serve me, not the other way around.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er felt her heart skip a beat, seemingly understanding what he meant, and her cheeks became unbearably hot. Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°You practice your writing, how should I serve you?¡± After all, Lu Chen was truly practicing his writing, and not constantly doing other things. Lu Chen then whispered into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s ear, ¡°You should understand, I¡¯m not talking about writing. Although I need to practice, we can always stop while we¡¯re practicing, right?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Murong Xue¡¯er wanted to speak but hesitated. Indeed, as Lu Chen had said, although he would write on her, he did not write continuously; most of the time, they engaged in certain activities, so it was not impossible for her to serve him. But she had grown up in the Imperial Palace of the Great Jue and had only ever served the Yue Emperor, a woman; she had never served a man before. Suddenly being asked to serve a man, she was completely at a loss as to what to do. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er silent, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not willing, then you should go back today.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er snapped back to reality and quickly said, ¡°Fine.¡± Although she didn¡¯t know how to proceed, having visited the Prince¡¯s Mansion many times and having done many bad things in this room with Lu Chen, she had some experience. She worried that if she did not agree to Lu Chen¡¯s demands, he might no longer trade with her in the future, and it would not be so easy to obtain information about the North Country from him; therefore, she had to meet all of Lu Chen¡¯s conditions. With this in mind, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°You¡­ you get up first.¡± Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er had agreed, Lu Chen smiled faintly, very pleased with himself, and then got up, took off his shoes, and lay down on the side of the bed. Seeing Lu Chen lying straight on the bed, eyes fixed on her, Murong Xue¡¯er felt somewhat at a loss. In her previous visits to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it had always been Lu Chen who had taken the lead in everything, and she had practically done nothing from start to finish. Now that she was supposed to serve Lu Chen, she had no idea how to serve this thick-skinned fellow. Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er was only looking at him, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er paused for a moment, then immediately got up, took off her embroidered shoes, and raised her delicate hands to start undressing Lu Chen. Seeing this, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Are you in such a hurry?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s hands stopped, and she asked, ¡°How do you think I should proceed, Prince?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er had no idea what to do, other than to undress him. And yet this man had the audacity to say she was being hasty. Now that they were in bed, if not to undress, what else could be done? This troublemaker was clearly teasing her. Lu Chen said, ¡°Besides undressing, there are actually many other things we can do.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen raised his hand, grabbed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s wrist, and pulled her body down, making her sprawl on top of him. Then, while guiding her hands in what to do, he kissed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s red lips. Seeing Lu Chen initiate the kiss, Murong Xue¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but think, overkill. If this scoundrel had his own ideas, why bother making her serve him? They could just go along with his plan. Although a bit annoyed, under Lu Chen¡¯s kiss, Murong Xue¡¯er soon forgot all the displeasure of a moment ago. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen lifted his arms, supporting Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s fragrant shoulders to raise her body, and their lips finally parted. Chapter 592 - Chapter 592: Chapter 350: This is Your Illusion_2 Chapter 592: Chapter 350: This is Your Illusion_2 Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes were shrouded in mist, and she appeared somewhat bewildered. Clearly, she had entered into a certain state of mind, and she hadn¡¯t anticipated that Lu Chen would push her away at this moment. Lu Chen gazed into her eyes and said with a smile, ¡°The master leads the student through the door, but cultivation depends on the individual. From now on, it¡¯s up to you. Do whatever you think you should do.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly stunned, but then she began to disrobe Lu Chen once more, and this time, she did so with much more urgency. This time, Lu Chen didn¡¯t stop her, and under Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s tentative efforts, she finally managed to complete the basic task of serving him. Lu Chen had originally planned to practice calligraphy, but Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t give him the opportunity, as if she was possessed. ¡­ Meanwhile. Youping County. Mu Changtian was arranging the defenses in Lingyun City. They had already heard about the defeat of Great Wu¡¯s main forces, and North Prince had also conveyed in his latest military order that they should try to intercept the retreating troops of Great Wu. At this moment, Mu Changtian felt immense pressure. According to the intelligence reports, there seemed to be two Grandmasters among Great Wu¡¯s main forces. Here, they had no Grandmasters at all, only Wenren Lie was somewhat stronger. Though they had firearms, killing a Grandmaster wasn¡¯t just a matter of using guns. Standing on the city wall, Mu Changtian gazed at the distant forest, his heart filled with worry. Just then, Wenren Lie also arrived at the city wall. Mu Changtian asked, ¡°General Wenren, are you confident in facing a Grandmaster?¡± Wenren Lie said indifferently, ¡°Yes.¡± Hearing the calm tone of Wenren Lie, Mu Changtian could only smile bitterly in his heart. All the soldiers who came from the north were much like Wenren Lie, supremely confident at all times, and he wondered where their confidence stemmed from. It seemed Wenren Lie sensed what Mu Changtian was worried about, so he directly asked, ¡°Is General Mu worried that we are no match for those two Grandmaster Military Generals?¡± Mu Changtian answered straightforwardly, ¡°Yes, even with cannons, it¡¯s very difficult to breach a Grandmaster¡¯s Protective Gang Qi.¡± ¡°Both of us are only at the Master Realm; to kill a Grandmaster will probably be very difficult.¡± Wenren Lie said without worry, ¡°General Mu, you don¡¯t need to worry. The Prince has tasked us with holding this position and preventing Great Wu¡¯s defeated troops from retreating, he will surely send a powerful warrior.¡± Hearing what Wenren Lie said, Mu Changtian was momentarily stunned. That¡¯s right, North Prince had taken part in the battle with Tianqi King; he couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware that Grandmasters can withstand cannon fire, he surely knew very well that a Master is no match for a Grandmaster, so he must have arranged for someone to come. But, who exactly had he sent? Mu Changtian thought about it; there were not many Grandmasters in North Country, other than Zhuge Zhongguang, the only Grandmasters he knew of were North Prince himself. But, given that North Prince was a Seignior, he certainly would not lightly enter the battlefield anymore unless it was absolutely necessary. Could it be that North Prince sent Zhuge Zhongguang this time? If it was just one Grandmaster, it was uncertain whether he would be a match for Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen. As Mu Changtian contemplated this, he suddenly felt a breeze brush by. The next moment, he faintly sensed that someone had appeared beside them. Mu Changtian swiftly turned, alert, and said, ¡°Who goes there!¡± Before he could finish, he saw Wenren Lie greeting the suddenly appearing elder, ¡°Master, you have arrived.¡± At this, Mu Changtian was taken aback. He looked at the elder before him; he had seen this man at North Prince Mansion, but since he was mostly in the military camp, he didn¡¯t know much about this man, only that he belonged to North Prince Mansion. Mu Changtian felt puzzled; he couldn¡¯t detect any aura of a Martial Artist from the elder, as if he were just an ordinary person. However, the fact that Wenren Lie addressed the elder as ¡°Master¡± suggested that the old man¡¯s strength was likely above Wenren Lie¡¯s. Mu Changtian was perplexed, thinking that even if a Grandmaster concealed his aura, he should still be able to sense a faint Martial Artist aura. Moreover, the man had appeared abruptly on the city wall, and he hadn¡¯t even seen how the man ascended. To suddenly appear before them, what kind of strength did this person possess? Then Wenren Lie looked at Mu Changtian and said, ¡°General Mu, you might not yet be acquainted with Master Xuanyuan. Allow me to introduce you. Master Xuanyuan was originally the City Lord of Great Yu City. Later, the Prince assigned Master Xuanyuan to Yan County, to oversee North Country¡¯s road construction.¡± Hearing this, Mu Changtian was taken aback. So, this person was the City Lord of Great Yu City; no wonder Wenren Lie called him Master. Wenren Lie had come from Great Yu City, and indeed it was right to address his former superior as Master. Mu Changtian then looked at Xuanyuan Chaoge and asked, ¡°Master Xuanyuan, I hope you forgive my boldness in asking, are you a Grandmaster?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge didn¡¯t answer directly but said calmly, ¡°General Mu, rest assured, if the King has sent me here, there is good reason for it.¡± Although Xuanyuan Chaoge did not respond directly, Mu Changtian discerned from Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s tone that he didn¡¯t consider those two Grandmaster Military Generals as threats at all, leading Mu Changtian to think that this man must be even more powerful than he had imagined. Chapter 593 - Chapter 593: Chapter 350: This is Your Illusion_3 Chapter 593: Chapter 350: This is Your Illusion_3 Could it be¡­ a Celestial? Thinking of this possibility, Mu Changtian¡¯s heart was filled with indescribable excitement. If this old man was indeed a Celestial, then Great Wu¡¯s two Grandmaster Military Generals would be no threat at all. The strength of a Celestial was to that of a Grandmaster as heaven is to earth; even ten Grandmasters together might not match up to a Celestial. However, if North Country had a Celestial, why wouldn¡¯t the North Prince let people know? Initially, didn¡¯t the North Prince have Zhuge Zhongguang pose as a Celestial simply to intimidate the various dynasties? If North Country had a Celestial, why would there be a need for Zhuge Zhongguang to impersonate one? Could it be¡­ This old man achieved the breakthrough to become a Celestial later on? Mu Changtian also thought back to when Lu Chen had recently taken the initiative to clarify that Zhuge Zhongguang was not a Celestial. The North Prince¡¯s initiative to clarify that Zhuge Zhongguang was not a Celestial directly led to Great Wu¡¯s decision to deploy troops to attack North Country. If North Country had a Celestial, Great Wu would definitely not dare to initiate an attack against them. Mu Changtian suddenly understood. The North Prince Mansion clarifying that Zhuge Zhongguang was not a Celestial was, on one hand, to lure other dynasties to deploy troops against North Country, and on the other hand, because North Country already had a real Celestial. Therefore, there was no longer a need for Zhuge Zhongguang to continue impersonating one. Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but think that this was the case. He originally thought that the North Prince Mansion clarifying Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s status was because the North Prince felt their North Country had grown and thus no longer feared the other dynasties. He hadn¡¯t expected that the real confidence of the North Prince lay with this old man. Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but admire Lu Chen once again. Back when he was in the Capital city, he really misjudged the situation, thinking that the North Prince was just a prodigal son. He hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince to be so formidable, to the point where even a Celestial would willingly serve him. At the same time, Mu Changtian felt somewhat fortunate. Heaven truly wanted to rejuvenate their Mu Family. ¡­ At this moment. Murong Xue¡¯er continued to serve Lu Chen in her own way, and although it was said to be serving, Lu Chen realized that Murong Xue¡¯er was merely satisfying her own desires. With a chuckle in his heart, Lu Chen then lifted his hands and firmly grasped Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s buttocks, preventing her from moving around. After Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body was restrained by Lu Chen, she froze for a moment. She tried to twist her body to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s grip, but considering Lu Chen was a Pseudo Celestial, how could Murong Xue¡¯er possibly be his match? Upon finding herself immobilized, Murong Xue¡¯er felt extremely uncomfortable. Just then, she slightly raised her upper body, looking down at Lu Chen from above. Her eyes were misty with a veiled layer, her face filled with a seductive charm, ¡°What¡­ what are you doing¡­¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°I asked you here to practice calligraphy, and how can I write with you behaving like this?¡± Hearing these words, Murong Xue¡¯er twisted her body, once again trying to struggle out of Lu Chen¡¯s grip. Murong Xue¡¯er spoke, ¡°Practice writing¡­ let¡¯s do that later¡­¡± What was this time for practicing writing, Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself with great urgency. Lu Chen smiled lightly, then said, ¡°Call me ¡®darling,¡¯ and I¡¯ll let you go.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking, Murong Xue¡¯er called out shyly and ashamed, ¡°Darling¡­¡± Lu Chen also kept his promise and let go of Murong Xue¡¯er, allowing her to do as she pleased. As evening approached. Murong Xue¡¯er lay on the bed with an expressionless face. Lu Chen, lying beside Murong Xue¡¯er, turned to his side, then lifted his hand and gently stroked her cheek, smiling as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t make a move on you today, so why do you seem a bit unhappy?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Of course, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t made a move because she had been the one in control all day long. She had never imagined she would become like that. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er bit her silver teeth and cursed herself in her heart. She really was a shameless woman! If it had been before, her disgraceful behavior upon coming to the Prince¡¯s Mansion could have been attributed to being forced by this man. Being the oppressed party, she had no way to resist. But today was different; everything was her own initiative. She couldn¡¯t understand how she could have become like that. Was she inherently a woman without any sense of shame? After a long while, Murong Xue¡¯er finally spoke in a cold voice, ¡°I apologize for taking up your time today, Prince. If you wish to practice your calligraphy next time, you may send someone to fetch me. I will be leaving for today.¡± Having said this, Murong Xue¡¯er prepared to get up, dress, and leave the North Prince Mansion, feeling as though she had lost all face. She feared that in the North Prince¡¯s heart, she was no different from those women of the brothel. However, just as Murong Xue¡¯er was about to get up, Lu Chen rolled over and pinned her beneath him. He lifted his chest and propped his hands on either side of her head, looking down at her panicked eyes from above. ¡°Xue¡¯er, I discovered a problem today, have you noticed? You seem to be even more proactive than I am?¡± At these words, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s cheeks turned even redder, becoming hotter as if they were about to start emitting smoke. Then, trying to justify herself, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°That¡¯s your illusion.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smile, and he reached out to lift Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s chin, staring straight into her beautiful eyes. Being gazed at so intently by Lu Chen¡¯s profound eyes, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart became even more flustered. She had realized why this man had wanted her to serve him today. The reason was simple: he wanted to humiliate her, to make her see clearly what kind of woman she really was. Without a doubt, Lu Chen had succeeded, and she felt like someone driven by desire, no different from an animal, completely unable to control her inner lust. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°An illusion, huh?¡± After saying so, Lu Chen did not continue but just kept looking into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes. With Lu Chen gazing at her like that, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes kept darting away. After a short while. Lu Chen continued to tease, ¡°I never would have thought that Great Jue¡¯s most famous talented lady, the Inner Palace Prime Minister, would turn into such a person on my bed.¡± Chapter 594 - Chapter 594: Chapter 351: Is Yue Emperor a Celestial?_1 Chapter 594: Chapter 351: Is Yue Emperor a Celestial?_1 Shamed to the core by Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was overwhelmed with humiliation. Despite being insulted by this detestable man, she couldn¡¯t say anything in return because, after all, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t done anything today¡ªhe had merely been lying there the whole time. After a long while, unable to bear the humiliation any longer, Murong Xue¡¯er chose to completely fall from grace. With a cold laugh, she said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, have I disappointed the Prince?¡± ¡°I am such a woman. If the Prince dislikes someone as shameless as me, he just needs to stop seeking me out to practice calligraphy.¡± Because of her humiliation, Murong Xue¡¯er became angry at this point. Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°Are you flying into a rage out of humiliation? Have you not considered that if I don¡¯t seek you out for calligraphy practice anymore, how will you extract information from North Prince Mansion in the future?¡± With that said, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, if Lu Chen grew tired of her and stopped seeking her out, it was very likely that she would be cast aside by the Yue Emperor, and then she would have nowhere to call home. Hateful man! Murong Xue¡¯er felt she was completely under this man¡¯s control. Soon after, Murong Xue¡¯er asked coldly, ¡°What exactly do you want?¡± Looking into Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen said, ¡°Great talent, it¡¯s not about what I want, but what you want. Ask your own heart, can you ever live without me in the future?¡± Having said that, Lu Chen leaned forward and captured Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s red lips with his own, taking the initiative this time. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind was in utter chaos. She was still lost, unsure of which path to take for the future. She also realized that she couldn¡¯t live without Lu Chen, but she didn¡¯t trust him. In her eyes, the reason Lu Chen slept with her was partly because of her beauty, and partly because of her identity¡ªhe wanted to use her to achieve some purpose. She was just a pawn to Lu Chen. As a pawn, one is bound to be discarded one day, just as it was with her and the Yue Emperor. If the Yue Emperor learned that she had failed to control Lu Chen, she would certainly be discarded by him as well. Caught between the Yue Emperor and the North Prince, Murong Xue¡¯er could see no future for herself. The most terrifying thing was that she had actually fallen for the North Prince, this bad man. Everything she had done before had made it clear that she was deeply infatuated with the North Prince. After an indeterminate amount of time passed, the evening glow in the sky had gradually faded, and the whole world sank into the blackness of the original night. Lu Chen slowly stood up, gazing at the seductive cheeks of Murong Xue¡¯er. He was about to speak when Murong Xue¡¯er interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m just your pawn, right?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed, ¡°To be honest, you indeed serve a very important purpose for me, but I have never regarded you as just a pawn.¡± ¡°Rather than treating you like a pawn, I¡¯d much prefer to make you mine, turn you into my collectible.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said weakly, ¡°The rumors in the outside world are indeed true; you are a lustful rogue.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that already?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er fell silent. Lu Chen continued, ¡°What do you say, would you like to marry into North Prince Mansion and become my true woman?¡± ¡°After all, you cannot go back anymore.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°I can never marry you, even if the Yue Emperor has already discarded me.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said flatly, ¡°You have too many women; you will grow tired of me one day.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°All the women in my Prince¡¯s Mansion had this fear before entering, but after a while, they stopped worrying about it.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°Your ambition is too great. One day, you will become the overlord of the world, and then your women can only live in the Imperial Palace for the rest of their lives.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er wasn¡¯t foolish. Having stayed in North Country for so long, she had felt its rapid development and power. The North Prince, as a ruler, indeed had significant flaws, namely his lecherous nature, but this did not prevent Lu Chen from becoming a sovereign who could dominate the world. The battle between Great Wu and North Country already showcased North Country¡¯s power and exposed the North Prince¡¯s ambition. Murong Xue¡¯er had a premonition that the North Prince would eventually unify the great dynasties. Though the future held many uncertainties, she firmly believed in her judgment. Lu Chen said, ¡°I don¡¯t recall ever restricting my women from leaving the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°What is now, is now, and what is later, is later.¡± At this point, Murong Xue¡¯er looked into his eyes and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me what you think, I want to make one last trade with you.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What trade?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°I can betray the Yue Emperor and help you collect information about the Great Jue, but if one day you annihilate the Da Yue Dynasty, you must grant me freedom and let me leave.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er understood that she could no longer stay away from this man, yet she did not believe that Lu Chen would truly like her, so she simply treated it all as a trade. Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er say this, Lu Chen smiled. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s favorability towards him had long reached a full one hundred. Unfortunately, favorability is just that, and Murong Xue¡¯er did not trust him, nor did she believe he could develop feelings for her. He had not given Murong Xue¡¯er a sense of security. But then again, the absence of a sense of security now didn¡¯t mean there wouldn¡¯t be one in the future. Lu Chen believed that as long as Murong Xue¡¯er stayed by his side for long enough, she would eventually come to trust him. Thinking this, Lu Chen smiled and said to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± Seeing Lu Chen agree, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mental knot finally unraveled. She had been struggling with what to do recently, but now that she had spoken her mind, she felt incredibly at ease. As for betraying the Yue Emperor, she had no choice. Even though the Yue Emperor had protected her for so many years, she was, after all, just a chess piece to him and would be discarded by the Yue Emperor eventually. She desired her own life, not one as a mere chess piece. Whether Lu Chen would honor their deal in the end was something she would have to wait and see. She didn¡¯t hold out much hope for him. Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°The Yue Emperor is a Celestial. If you want to swallow the Great Jue in the future, your North Country will also need to have a Celestial power.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. This news was indeed explosive for him; if he remembered correctly, the Yue Emperor was only in her thirties. How could she be a Celestial? Regaining his composure, Lu Chen asked, ¡°You¡¯re not deceiving me, are you? She¡¯s only in her thirties. Can someone that age really be a Celestial?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°You¡¯re not even twenty years old and you¡¯re already at the Grandmaster Zenith Realm. Compared to the Yue Emperor, Prince, your martial arts talent is even more fearsome.¡± ¡°You and the Yue Emperor both have grand ambitions. Although your realm is currently lower than the Yue Emperor¡¯s, with enough time, your strength will definitely surpass hers. Given your current pace of improvement, it¡¯s not impossible for you to break through to the Celestial Realm before you¡¯re thirty.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°So you think highly of me.¡± With an expressionless face, Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know if the North Country has a Celestial power. If not, and my virgin mark is indeed a curse pattern used to control you, then you better pretend to be under my control and temporarily act as the Yue Emperor¡¯s chess piece.¡± Lu Chen instantly understood Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s meaning. If the North Country lacked a Celestial power and she couldn¡¯t control him, the Yue Emperor might personally make a move to eliminate him as a major threat. Thus, if there were no Celestials in the North Country and he had not yet broken through to the Celestial level, pretending to be controlled by Murong Xue¡¯er was indeed a way to avoid the Yue Emperor making a move against him. Only¡­ Lu Chen smiled faintly, then said, ¡°I¡¯m not accustomed to being someone else¡¯s chess piece.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words and seeing the indifferent smile on his face, Murong Xue¡¯er immediately guessed something, ¡°It seems your North Country already has a Celestial.¡± She had just revealed to Lu Chen that the Yue Emperor was a Celestial, yet Lu Chen was not frightened at all, implying that the North Country must have a Celestial. That¡¯s why Lu Chen dared not to take the Yue Emperor seriously. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to deceive and outwit me by telling me fake intelligence?¡± ¡°Is the Yue Emperor really a Celestial?¡± Lu Chen did not distrust Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words. He could tell that Murong Xue¡¯er had completely sided with him. However, he still had some doubts. If the Yue Emperor was indeed a Celestial, she could easily control him by coming to the North Country in person. Why would she need to send Murong Xue¡¯er to use her beauty and curse him? Murong Xue¡¯er said indifferently, ¡°I have told you about the Yue Emperor¡¯s strength. Whether you believe it or not is up to you.¡± Deep down, Murong Xue¡¯er felt somewhat upset. She had already made up her mind to stand by Lu Chen¡¯s side, yet this man doubted her words. If he didn¡¯t believe her, so be it. Lu Chen also felt Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s emotional tone and smiled, then said, ¡°It¡¯s my mistake; I shouldn¡¯t question you.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that perhaps Murong Xue¡¯er considered the Yue Emperor a Celestial but, in reality, the Yue Emperor wasn¡¯t a true Celestial, or maybe she was like him, a Pseudo Celestial. No matter how you put it, it was indeed quite exaggerated for someone in their thirties to be a Celestial in this world. If true, Lu Chen would even wonder if the Yue Emperor was from his homeland. Of course, if the Yue Emperor was indeed a Celestial, then her decision not to eliminate the threat of the North Country but instead to have Murong Xue¡¯er control him made some sense. It just went to show that the Yue Emperor was ambitious, and not just slightly so. This also matched what Murong Xue¡¯er had said earlier about both Lu Chen and the Yue Emperor having grand ambitions. Chapter 595 - Chapter 595: Chapter 352 The Movements of Great Wus Remnant Forces_1 Chapter 595: Chapter 352 The Movements of Great Wu¡¯s Remnant Forces_1 Regardless of whether the Yue Emperor is a Celestial, his strength is incredibly formidable. Lu Chen decided that from now on, he would treat the Yue Emperor as a Celestial and would not launch an attack on the Da Yue Dynasty without absolute certainty. The information that Murong Xue¡¯er had told him was quite important. Lu Chen caressed her cheek and then gently toyed with the locks of hair on her face as he said, ¡°Thank you for telling me this intelligence.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er turned her gaze away and said coldly, ¡°All of this is just a transaction.¡± With a silent chuckle in his heart at the sight of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s icy demeanor, Lu Chen thought to himself how quickly women change their faces. This woman had just been coquettishly alluring, but now she had turned into a cold, unemotional statue. Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°I hope you will keep your promise and let me leave in the future.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen said, ¡°I will keep my promise¡­¡± As if! Lu Chen silently finished the sentence in his mind. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er pushed against Lu Chen¡¯s chest and added, ¡°I should go back now, that¡¯s enough for today.¡± Lu Chen immediately turned and made room for her. He had no intention of keeping Murong Xue¡¯er overnight, especially since he had an appointment in Wang Qingci¡¯s room later that night. After getting up, Murong Xue¡¯er began to dress, while Lu Chen still lay in bed, taking in her graceful figure. After Murong Xue¡¯er had dressed, she turned to look at Lu Chen still lying in bed and said, ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Lu Chen then raised his hand, using Spiritual Power to gently pull towards himself. In the next moment, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body uncontrollably fell into his arms. Without struggling, Murong Xue¡¯er let Lu Chen embrace her tender body, and then he kissed her red lips. After kissing for a while, Lu Chen slowly released Murong Xue¡¯er. Although a flush of red reappeared on her face, her expression remained as cold as ever. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll have someone escort you.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said indifferently, ¡°No need. The carriage from the mansion is waiting for me outside the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Without further words, Murong Xue¡¯er turned and walked towards the door of the resting room. Just as she reached the doorway, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Next time you come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, just spend the night here. I¡¯ll have a courtyard prepared for you within the mansion.¡± Stopping in her tracks, Murong Xue¡¯er turned to face Lu Chen on the bed and said, ¡°My relationship with you is merely a transaction, Prince. There is no need for you to do this.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°If you frequently spend the night at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it will make the Yue Emperor believe that I¡¯ve fallen for your beauty scheme, which benefits us as well.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°I understand,¡± and turned to step out of the room. After Murong Xue¡¯er left, Lu Chen got out of bed, dressed, and headed straight to Wind Cloud Court for dinner. During dinner, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My love, I plan to have Murong Xue¡¯er stay at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Have the servants prepare a courtyard.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan smiled slightly. They had long been aware of what was going on between Lu Chen and Murong Xue¡¯er. ¡°I have already had a courtyard prepared,¡± she said. Hearing that, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You truly are my beloved, you understand me so well.¡± Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, Murong Xue¡¯er is an envoy from the Great Jue, isn¡¯t it improper to have her stay at North Prince Mansion?¡± Lu Chen said lightly, ¡°There¡¯s nothing improper about it. Her main purpose for coming to North Country is due to the Yue Emperor¡¯s mission. Having her stay at North Prince Mansion can confuse the Yue Emperor, and this is to our advantage.¡± Chu Yuqin seemed to understand and said, ¡°Alright, but you should still be cautious of her, she is ultimately one of the Yue Emperor¡¯s people.¡± Although Chu Yuqin also knew that Lu Chen was adept at dealing with women and almost every woman he came into contact with couldn¡¯t help but fall for this bad guy, there are always exceptions. She still had her reservations about Murong Xue¡¯er. Just as Chu¡¯s words fell, Wang Qingci, sitting opposite her, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sister Chu. You¡¯re not unaware of the Prince¡¯s skills. I believe Murong Xue¡¯er has long fallen in love with the Prince, and she¡¯s probably already unable to part with him by now.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin snorted and said, ¡°Not everyone is like you.¡± Lu Chen laughed softly and said, ¡°Chu, rest assured, Murong Xue¡¯er has already pledged her loyalty to me, and she is now one of my people.¡± Suddenly, Lu Chen remembered something else and said, ¡°These are critical times, and everyone should try not to go out. I have a premonition that there will soon be assassins coming to North Country from the Capital city.¡± At these words, the women were taken aback. Chu Yuqin, pondering, said, ¡°The Capital city? Chen¡¯er, do you suspect your father the Emperor¡­?¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t finish her sentence, as it was unpleasant for a father and son to be involved in such matters. Lu Chen nodded, ¡°That possibility cannot be ruled out. The strength of North Country is growing rapidly, and so is the threat I pose. In my father¡¯s eyes, I was never his son, and there is no familial affection between us. It¡¯s quite normal for him to want me gone.¡± ¡°Of course, this is just speculation,¡± he added. Chapter 596 - Chapter 596: Chapter 352 The Movements of Great Wus Remnant Forces_2 Chapter 596: Chapter 352 The Movements of Great Wu¡¯s Remnant Forces_2 Chu Yuqin¡¯s face showed a trace of worry. She also thought that Lu Chen¡¯s conjecture wasn¡¯t impossible. The Sum Emperor had always been a heartless and unprincipled man, he had even harmed his own woman to death. What would killing another child count for his own purposes? However, now both Lu Chen and she were Grandmasters. Even if the Sum Emperor were to send assassins to North Country, at most he could send a Grandmaster. With the two of them as Grandmasters, plus Zhuge Zhongguang, North Prince Mansion should be safe from danger. ¡­ After dinner, Lu Chen first took a bath in Wind Cloud Court before heading to Wang Qingci¡¯s room. At that time, Wang Qingci was still coaxing the child. After Lu Chen entered the room, she handed the child in her arms over to the wet nurse. Wang Qingci twisted her enchanting body over to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, it is my first time doing ¡®that¡¯ with a Celestial. Please be gentle with me.¡± Seeing Wang Qingci flirting and trying to seduce him, Lu Chen laughed. It seemed he hadn¡¯t been here for too long, and this bitch had forgotten the pain once her wound had healed. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I am not a Celestial yet.¡± A Pseudo Celestial is far from a true Celestial. At most, a Pseudo Celestial could be considered at the Zenith Realm within the Grandmaster¡¯s Zenith Realm. A Celestial is known as an ¡®Immortal,¡¯ not something a Pseudo Celestial could imitate. Wang Qingci spoke with a smiling voice, ¡°In my eyes, a Pseudo Celestial is also a Celestial.¡± As she spoke, Wang Qingci raised her delicate jade hand and started to caress Lu Chen¡¯s chest. Lu Chen caught her wrist in one move and then said with a laugh, ¡°Although I¡¯m not a Celestial, my strength is more than enough to deal with you, bitch.¡± As soon as his words fell, Lu Chen scooped Wang Qingci up in a princess carry, threw her onto the bed, and pressed down on her. It wasn¡¯t until dawn that Lu Chen finally let Wang Qingci go. Several days later. Youping County. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were leading the soldiers of the North Country to retreat back to Great Wu through Youping County. Zhan Hong had already faintly sensed that something was amiss. He said to Xu Xingwen at his side, ¡°Our supply of food and fodder has been cut off for so many days. I¡¯m afraid that something has happened to Youping County.¡± After witnessing the mysterious weapons of North Country, they also realized the strength of North Country. Zhan Hong did not believe Ying Feiyu could defeat the garrison of Yongan County with an army of 300,000, given the frightening power of those iron spheres. At that time, Xu Xingwen said to someone beside him, ¡°Deputy General Wang, take a thousand cavalry immediately to scout the situation in Youping County.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± Thereupon, Deputy General Wang led a thousand cavalry scouts to investigate the entire situation of Youping County, while Zhan Hong and the others rested with their troops on site. After an unknown amount of time, the thousand men Xu Xingwen had sent out started to return one after another. Soon Deputy General Wang also returned, and the faces of the returning soldiers were all filled with panic. Xu Xingwen immediately asked, ¡°Deputy General Wang, what is the situation in Youping County?¡± Deputy General Wang replied, ¡°General, Youping County has been occupied by the North Country.¡± Hearing this, everyone¡¯s hearts sank. Sure enough, the thing they least wanted to occur had still happened. It looked like Ying Feiyu had already been defeated. At this time, everyone on site fell into silence, and both Generals Zhan and Xu did not speak for a long while. After some time, the voice of a soldier from behind came, ¡°General, the envoy of Great Jue has arrived!¡± Hearing this, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen immediately looked towards the direction of the voice. At this moment, a person from Great Jue approached Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, ¡°I¡¯ve seen both Generals. This is the intelligence our emperor has given to you.¡± Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong looked at each other, then Xu Xingwen took the intelligence from the envoy of Great Jue. After looking at it carefully, his eyebrows knitted together. He immediately understood why the Yue Emperor was still providing them with intelligence on North Country at this time. The Yue Emperor intended to use the army of Great Wu to continue testing the strength of the North Country army. After all, they were cut off from their retreat, and if they wanted to return to Great Wu quickly, they would have to pass through Youping County. Of course, they could also take a detour, but detouring would present many problems. If they detoured to the west to return to Great Wu, it would waste more time, and once North Country was aware of it, it might also send out troops to intercept them. Seeing Xu Xingwen frowning, Zhan Hong asked, ¡°What is written in the Yue Emperor¡¯s letter?¡± Xu Xingwen handed the letter to Zhan Hong, ¡°According to the intelligence gathered by the scouts of Great Jue, there are only two Master Level Military Generals stationed in Youping County. The intention of the Yue Emperor is that if we can kill these two generals, it might throw the North Country army into chaos, and then Great Wu could take the opportunity to seize the weapons used by North Country.¡± Zhan Hong sneered after glancing at the intelligence Xu Xingwen had handed over, then said, ¡°This woman really knows how to play her gambits. She just wants us to take the risk.¡± Xu Xingwen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°If there really are only two Master Level Military Generals in Youping County, then indeed, if both of us take action, there is a chance we could kill them.¡± Hearing Xu Xingwen¡¯s words, Zhan Hong said, ¡°To deal with two Masters, I alone am enough. But to get close to the two of them will not be easy.¡± Just then, Deputy General Wang who had gone to gather information earlier stepped forward and said, ¡°General Zhan, based on the intelligence I¡¯ve just gathered, Youping County is not under martial law. It seems that North Country intends to occupy the entire county, so their troops have not looted or killed the common people of Youping County. More than that, they are even free to move around Youping County. Lingyun City still has an endless stream of caravans coming and going.¡± Chapter 597 - Chapter 597: Chapter 352 The Movements of Great Wus Remnant Forces_3 Chapter 597: Chapter 352 The Movements of Great Wu¡¯s Remnant Forces_3 Hearing this, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were overjoyed. Zhan Hong said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we can first locate where those two Grandmaster Military Generals from the North Country are, and then disguise ourselves as a merchant convoy to get close to them.¡± ¡°As long as we can get close to those two Grandmaster Military Generals, killing them will be easy.¡± ¡°Without those two Grandmaster Military Generals, the North Country¡¯s army stationed in Youping County will be like headless flies. We might even have the opportunity to counter-attack.¡± Just thinking about this, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen felt extremely excited. Afterward, Zhan Hong said to Deputy General Wang, ¡°Send someone immediately to disguise themselves as a merchant convoy and investigate in each city. Once you find out where those two North Country Grandmaster Military Generals are, come back and report as soon as possible.¡± As soon as Zhan Hong¡¯s words ended, some of Great Wu¡¯s soldiers started to prepare. They took off their armor and disguised themselves as merchants, heading to various cities in Youping County to gather information. The twenty thousand-strong army of Great Wu then moved to a forest in Youping County to await the opportunity. Zhan Hong and his comrades¡¯ subtle movements were quickly detected by Mu Changtian and his group. When the North Country¡¯s army entered Youping County, the Brocade Guard had already spread throughout the whole county. It might seem that Mu Changtian and his group did not declare martial law in Youping County, but that was because they planned to use the opportunity to weed out those in the county who didn¡¯t submit to the North Country¡¯s rule, paying only lip service to loyalty while secretly being disloyal. A few days later. Lingyun City, the Prefectural Government. Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie were discussing the interception of Great Wu¡¯s remnants when a Brocade Guard wearing black and red clothes entered the hall. Both Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie were part of the military system, and the Brocade Guard reported directly to Lu Chen, which meant neither of them had the authority to use the Brocade Guard for their tasks. However, Lu Chen had already issued orders for the Brocade Guard to cooperate with the North Country¡¯s garrison in Youping County to figure out the movements of Great Wu¡¯s remnants. As the Brocade Guard entered the hall, he immediately bowed to Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian, saying, ¡°Commander Liu Huaiming of the Brocade Guard, at your service, Generals.¡± Seeing that it was a Commander of the Brocade Guard, Mu Changtian swiftly asked, ¡°Commander Liu, have you located movements of Great Wu¡¯s remnants?¡± Liu Huaiming replied, ¡°Yes, there have been some people disguised as merchant convoys in Youping County recently.¡± Who are the Brocade Guard? They are specialists in espionage, their greatest skill being the ability to read people. The Great Wu¡¯s soldiers, disguised as merchants, were immediately distinguishable by the Brocade Guard as not genuine merchants. Liu Huaiming continued, ¡°These fake merchants seem to be inquiring about the whereabouts of you two Generals. It¡¯s my guess that they are intending to find out where you are now to carry out an assassination.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Changtian¡¯s brow furrowed. But he quickly remembered that there was a Celestial in the Prefectural Government; they had nothing to fear from those two Grandmaster Military Generals. Just as Mu Changtian was about to speak, Wenren Lie addressed Liu Huaiming, ¡°Commander Liu, please have the Brocade Guard spread word that General Mu and I are in Lingyun City.¡± ¡°Since they are looking for our location, let¡¯s inform them proactively. If we can draw Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen here, that would be best.¡± Hearing this, Liu Huaiming turned his head towards Mu Changtian. Mu Changtian stated, ¡°My thoughts align with General Wenren¡¯s.¡± Liu Huaiming then bowed and said, ¡°Then please be prepared, Generals. I will spread the news of your whereabouts in Lingyun City immediately.¡± ¡°If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now.¡± As his words fell, Liu Huaiming turned and left the Prefectural Government. Chapter 598 - Chapter 598: Chapter 353 The First Phase of the War Concludes_1 Chapter 598: Chapter 353 The First Phase of the War Concludes_1 The Brocade Guard quickly spread the news that Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie were in Lingyun City. To avoid arousing suspicion from Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong, there was a noticeably larger number of soldiers stationed near Lingyun City than usual. At this time, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were still unaware that Lingyun City was a trap. Upon learning that Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie were there, they were very pleased, as they were just about to pass through Lingyun City. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen immediately began to prepare. They selected some elite soldiers and then disguised themselves as merchants, heading towards Lingyun City. To make themselves look more like merchants, they directly robbed a merchant caravan and even killed all of the caravan¡¯s people. Perhaps it was because their caravan did have goods, when they passed through the gates of Lingyun City, the soldiers only briefly checked and then let them through. Seeing how easily they had entered Lingyun City, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen felt somewhat strange. It was a time of war; shouldn¡¯t there be strict inspections? Instead, why were they allowed to pass through so easily? As they were puzzled, they overheard the conversation of the North Country soldiers at the gate. ¡°Recently, more and more merchant caravans have been coming to Lingyun City.¡± ¡°Yeah, the shortage of supplies in Lingyun City will soon be resolved.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really enviable for these merchants, wherever there¡¯s war, that¡¯s where they go to make big money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Now that Youping County is under our North Country¡¯s control, the Prince won¡¯t let them raise prices at will.¡± ¡­ Hearing the discussion of the North Country soldiers, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen realized why the soldiers had so easily let them in; it turned out that Lingyun City was facing a recent shortage of supplies. This made sense. After all, following the outbreak of the war, the merchants and aristocratic families would have fled with their belongings. Previously, the merchants and aristocratic families played a role in the distribution of goods, and their departure would inevitably lead to a shortage of supplies in the city. After the North Country occupied Youping County, in order to rule over it, they couldn¡¯t afford to ignite the anger of the common people, so they sought ways to restore prices to their previous levels. To bring prices back down, naturally there was a need for merchants to transport supplies, such as food, from other places. The reason the North Country soldiers inspected so loosely was likely to speed up the entry of merchant caravans into the city and suppress the prices within the city. With this in mind, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen did not suspect anything further and then blended into Lingyun City, staying at an inn. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were confident in their strength, but to be cautious, they planned to take action at night. In the event of any mishaps, with the strength of the two Grandmasters, they would be able to easily escape from Lingyun City. Their caution was mainly due to their worry that the North Country might possess weapons even more formidable than cannons. In the evening. Inside the Prefectural Government, Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian sat in the pavilion in the courtyard, with Xuanyuan Chaoge sitting beside them, engaged in discussion. At this time, Liu Huaiming of the Brocade Guard entered the courtyard and approached the three of them, ¡°Master Xuanyuan, Generals, the fish have entered the net.¡± Upon hearing this, the three men showed a hint of subtle smiles. Eliminating Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong, the two Grandmaster Military Generals, would be an absolute disastrous blow to Great Wu. The remaining troops led by Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen would also quickly disperse due to the lack of leadership. Xuanyuan Chaoge then said, ¡°I need to hurry back to Yan County, so let¡¯s not waste any more time and take action now.¡± Upon hearing this, Wenren Lie said, ¡°Master Xuanyuan, if we take action now, I¡¯m afraid it will reveal your Celestial powers.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge casually replied, ¡°There are not many people in this world who have seen a Celestial. Besides, those people disguised themselves as merchants to enter Lingyun City, and no one knows that there are Grandmasters among them.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge thought, as long as they could deal with those two swiftly, no one would know that the slain Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were Grandmasters. If people do not know they were Grandmasters, how could they deduce that the one who acted was a Celestial? Mu Changtian said, ¡°Senior Xuanyuan makes sense. We are in your hands then.¡± As soon as the words fell, Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie immediately led their troops to the inn where Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong were staying, giving the reason that spies had infiltrated and they were there to capture them. The common people of Lingyun City, seeing the soldiers coming and going, did not take it to heart, as they had observed the conduct of the North Country soldiers in recent times. Besides targeting some of the aristocratic families, the North Country soldiers hardly made life difficult for small merchants and peddlers, and the ordinary common people had not suffered at the hands of those soldiers. This convinced the people of Lingyun City that the initial claims of North Prince¡¯s benevolence, made by Wenren Lie, were true. At this moment, Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong were still on the second floor of the inn, discussing how they would proceed that night when they suddenly heard the clamor of armor outside. Then, a soldier by the window immediately said, ¡°It¡¯s not good, the soldiers of Lingyun City have surrounded the inn!¡± Hearing this, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were taken aback. They had only just entered Lingyun City, and they did not expect that their lodging would be surrounded so quickly. Chapter 599 - Chapter 599: Chapter 353 The First Phase of the War Concludes_2 Chapter 599: Chapter 353 The First Phase of the War Concludes_2 Could it be that they¡¯ve already been discovered? Xu Xingwen said, ¡°Let¡¯s not make any rash moves yet, let¡¯s see what the situation is first. It¡¯s possible they¡¯re not here for us.¡± No sooner had Xu Xingwen spoken than the shouts of North Country soldiers came from outside, ¡°Spies inside, you are surrounded. Come out and surrender immediately, or face death without mercy!¡± With those words, all the guests who were still in the inn ran out. At that moment, the Shopkeeper rushed to Wenren Lie¡¯s side and asked, ¡°My lord, what¡¯s happened?¡± Mu Changtian said indifferently, ¡°Some spies have infiltrated and we¡¯ve discovered them. Quickly get everyone out. Once we start fighting, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll be implicated.¡± ¡°As for the inn, any damages will be fully compensated by the North Prince Mansion.¡± This¡­ The innkeeper was somewhat stunned. He had not expected spies to run to his inn, and although he was not sure whether the North Prince Mansion would indeed compensate him, under these circumstances, he could only cooperate and have everyone in the inn come out. At this moment, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen still hadn¡¯t moved; they still fancied that the soldiers outside might not be looking for them. Just then, Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong suddenly felt a strange force sweep through their bodies, causing great discomfort, though the force vanished very fast. Xuanyuan Chaoge then said, ¡°They are on the second floor. Move in!¡± As he spoke, the soldiers in the street, holding grenades and fire guns, greeted the second floor of the inn. Following the explosion of several iron balls in their room, Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong realized that they had indeed been discovered. Since they had been discovered, there was no point in hiding. They both jumped straight out of the second floor. The North Country soldiers below immediately attacked them with fire guns, but the bullets only hit their Protective Gang Qi, to no effect. At that moment, Zhan Hong¡¯s gaze instantly locked onto Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian. He could sense that these two were at the Master Realm, and their armor, so different from regular soldiers¡¯, along with the capes they wore, clearly indicated the attire of a General. Thus, he deduced that these two men must be Generals of the North Country army, and the very targets of their mission. Zhan Hong immediately said to Xu Xingwen, ¡°Old Xu, we¡¯re in luck, our targets have delivered themselves to us!¡± Xu Xingwen also noticed the realm of Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian, and immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s finish them off fast!¡± As soon as Xu Xingwen finished speaking, the two charged toward Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian. They completely failed to notice an old man beside Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie. Celestials could easily conceal their presence, and to everyone else, Xuanyuan Chaoge seemed no different from an ordinary person. Thus, they had no idea that the decrepit old man beside their targets was a Celestial. In the blink of an eye, Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong appeared right next to Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian. Their lips curved up slightly, thinking their mission was accomplished. With these two dead, Lingyun City would surely descend into chaos. However, just as they were about to make their move, a mighty oppressive force suddenly descended. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen felt as if a mountain weighed upon them, and although they struggled, they found they were completely immobilized. At that moment, their Protective Gang Qi shattered like glass with a ¡°crack,¡± and before they even understood what was happening, Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie struck. Mu Changtian drew his sword, beheading Xu Xingwen in one stroke, while Wenren Lie raised his hammer, smashing it onto Zhan Hong¡¯s head, causing brains to splatter instantly. Two Grandmasters were thus easily dispatched by two Master Level Military Generals. Of course, it was not solely their effort. The ease with which Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie disposed of Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen was entirely due to Xuanyuan Chaoge, the Celestial who had suppressed the power of Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, shattering their Protective Gang Qi and temporarily leaving their bodies defenseless. Without the help of Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie, they would not have stood a chance against the Grandmasters. Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen had not anticipated a Celestial in Lingyun City. Had they known, they would have been much more cautious and not died so easily. Although Celestials are powerful, they are not invincible. Suppressing two Grandmasters for just a few breaths had also exhausted a significant amount of spiritual power from Xuanyuan Chaoge. If not for the sudden turn of events, Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong might have reacted in time to break free from Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s restraint. However, in the world of masters, victory and defeat are often decided in an instant; it was in these few breaths that Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen lost their lives. With these two Grandmasters gone, the rest of the Great Wu soldiers in the other inns were quickly dealt with by the North Country soldiers. The soldiers from Great Wu within the inn had at most Half-step Master strength and could not resist the power of firearms. Seeing the corpses of Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, two Grandmasters, Mu Changtian felt somewhat emotional. These were Grandmasters¡­ Once considered as ¡°strategic weapons¡± by various nations and pillars of the state, the Grandmasters had been killed by two Masters in the face of a Celestial. The power of a Celestial is truly fearsome! Chapter 600 - Chapter 600: Chapter 353 The First Phase of the War Concludes_3 Chapter 600: Chapter 353 The First Phase of the War Concludes_3 ¡°This world is truly about to change.¡± ¡°In the future, any dynasty that lacks a Celestial will surely face destruction. Grandmasters will no longer be the pillars of a nation; instead, Celestials will take their place and become the new foundation of a country or dynasty.¡± ¡°Thankfully, North Country possesses a Celestial!¡± Mu Changtian felt an immense relief that they had gone to North Country. It seemed that with the Celestial of North Country, it wouldn¡¯t be long before they could unify the world, and the North Prince would become the lord of all. Perhaps it was his overly joyous mood, but suddenly, Mu Changtian felt the skill within him growing rapidly. However, before he could say anything to Wenren Lie beside him, a surge of power burst forth from Wenren Lie¡¯s body, sweeping past everyone. The next moment, Mu Changtian realized that the martial presence emanating from Wenren Lie was significantly stronger than his own. But Wenren Lie¡¯s expression showed no change whatsoever, as if the whole event was not worth getting excited about. Tentatively, Mu Changtian asked, ¡°General Wenren, did you just break through to the Grandmaster Realm?¡± Wenren Lie responded indifferently, ¡°Hmm, somehow, I¡¯ve broken through.¡± This¡­ Seeing Wenren Lie¡¯s expression remain so calm, Mu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but admire him. He thought if it were him breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm, he wouldn¡¯t know how to contain his happiness. After all, the only realm now capable of withstanding firearms was the Grandmaster Realm. In the upcoming Age of Firearms, only Grandmasters would become the true divide between ordinary people and martial artists. Anyone below Grandmaster level was deemed ordinary, but upon reaching Grandmaster, one could face firearms without being killed by a commoner wielding them. At this moment, Xuanyuan Chaoge looked at Wenren Lie with a smile and said, ¡°General Wenren, you¡¯ve finally made the breakthrough. I¡¯ll report your success to the king as soon as I return. He will certainly be most pleased to hear it.¡± Mu Changtian asked from the side, ¡°Is Elder Xuanyuan planning to return?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge answered, ¡°Yes, now that Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen are dead, my mission is complete. Besides, with General Wenren becoming a Grandmaster, having a Grandmaster stationed in Youping County means there should not be any issue wiping out the remnants of Great Wu.¡± ¡°In these turbulent times, it is most important for me to return quickly and protect Yan County and the North Prince Mansion.¡± Mu Changtian replied, ¡°What you say is true, Elder.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge then said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not linger any longer. Everything henceforth will be left in your two capable hands. I will take my leave now.¡± As his voice fell, Xuanyuan Chaoge disappeared from the spot in an instant. Mu Changtian and Wenren Lie then came back to their senses and began directing the soldiers present to clean up the site. In the following days, Wenren Lie and Mu Changtian led their troops to clear out the Great Wu soldiers within Youping County. The 200,000 soldiers soon learned the news of their generals¡¯ failed assassination attempt. When the Great Wu soldiers first heard of their generals¡¯ defeat, they couldn¡¯t believe it. After all, Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen were Grandmaster level Military Generals. Grandmasters did not die easily, especially when their targets were merely at the Master level. But as time passed, and the North Country¡¯s army continued to track the movements of their 200,000-strong force, plus the fact that their generals did not return, they pretty much confirmed the failure of Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen. However, before the return of Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, they dared not make any moves. Eventually, the 200,000-strong Great Wu army stayed hidden in the forest for nearly half a month. Later, due to a shortage of provisions, some soldiers could no longer bear it and deserted. Once the deserters were captured by North Country soldiers, the whereabouts of the 200,000 troops were quickly ascertained. When North Country soldiers besieged the 200,000 Great Wu troops, the Great Wu soldiers had already lost all will to fight. Even though they were elite troops, the bombardment by cannons, lack of logistical supplies, and the disappearance of their generals had worn down their fighting spirit entirely. Ultimately, a Master Level vice general stepped forward, leading the 200,000 Great Wu soldiers to surrender. With this, the initial phase of Great Wu and North Country¡¯s battlefield engagement came to an end, and it was now North Country¡¯s turn to play their hand. Chapter 601 - Chapter 601: Chapter 354 Does the Prince Have a Hostage Candidate in Mind?_1 Chapter 601: Chapter 354 Does the Prince Have a Hostage Candidate in Mind?_1 Under the cover of night, a unit of soldiers clad in heavy armor was rapidly advancing northward. As they passed through a forest, suddenly a soldier on horseback appeared in the distance, galloping wildly. The soldier collided head-on with the heavy cavalry, tumbling directly off his horse, appearing to be at death¡¯s door. The leader of the heavy cavalry immediately raised his hand to stop his soldiers from moving forward, and hastily dismounted, approaching the fallen soldier. ¡°I am He Ran, commander of the Azure Dragon Guard. Tell me, what happened in Youping County?¡± Upon hearing this, the soldier on the ground hurriedly produced an intelligence report from his bosom and said, ¡°Generals Zhan and General Xu have met with disaster.¡± After speaking, the soldier fainted. It was evident that he had hardly rested in his rush to deliver the report. After listening to the soldier¡¯s words, He Ran¡¯s expression darkened instantly. He immediately said to a nearby soldier, ¡°Take him to rest, and make camp right here.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, He Ran opened the report that the Messenger Soldier had just handed to him. Seeing He Ran scrutinizing something, the soldiers quickly brought over torches to provide better light for him to see more clearly. Reading the content of the report, He Ran was immediately shocked. Their unit of heavy cavalry was heading north primarily to cover the retreat of Great Wu¡¯s main forces. Unexpectedly, both Generals Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen, two Grandmasters, had gone missing, and those two hundred thousand soldiers of Great Wu had actually surrendered. If this news were to reach the Capital City, the Martial Emperor would most likely fly into a furious rage. Though the report said that Generals Zhan and Xu were merely missing, He Ran immediately guessed they must have encountered foul play. The report also mentioned that their mission to Lingyun City was to execute a beheading plan to kill two of North Country¡¯s Master Level Military Generals. They entered the city but never came out again, which could only mean they had met with misfortune. He Ran could not believe that these two loyal subjects of Great Wu, Generals Zhan and Xu, would defect to the North Country. But to kill two Grandmasters, at the very least, North Country would need Grandmaster level forces in Lingyun City, or perhaps North Country already had weapons capable of killing a Grandmaster. If that were the case, North Country¡¯s true strength might be even more terrifying than they had estimated. With this thought, He Ran couldn¡¯t help but look back at the heavy cavalry behind him. The twenty thousand heavy cavalry he led, even if they reached the frontline, would probably just be crushed by the North Country¡¯s forces. This information had to be reported to the court immediately. Thinking this, He Ran quickly started writing a report and gave it along with the earlier letter to several soldiers, instructing them to send the news of the misfortune that befell Generals Zhan and Xu back to the Capital City overnight. Several days later. The Great Wu court. Today, the Great Wu court was unusually quiet. The Martial Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne with a gloomy face, his mood worsening as he saw the ministers keeping silent. ¡°Normally you ministers love to quarrel in court. Why have you become mute at such a critical moment, unable to utter a single word?¡± The most important issue for discussion in today¡¯s morning court was whether to continue fighting or to seek peace with the North Country. Most ministers on the court favored peace negotiations, given the terrifying nature of North Country¡¯s secret weapons. If the war continued, Great Wu would sustain numerous casualties without any guarantee of victory. If victory was not assured, they may as well seek peace quickly and find a way to steal the secrets of manufacturing those weapons from North Country. Once Great Wu also possessed weapons like those of North Country, they could then launch an offensive against them. Although this was what the ministers thought, no one dared say it outright, well aware that the Martial Emperor was a hardliner who would never compromise with the enemy. If anyone suggested peace negotiations at this time, it would likely enrage the Martial Emperor. So the ministers simply kept quiet, dragging out the issue. At that moment, the Martial Emperor¡¯s gaze fell upon Chai Jiliang. Ever since Princess Junwan¡¯s status had been revoked, Chai Jiliang hadn¡¯t been as proactive in his petitions as before. Nowadays, officials from Princess Junwan¡¯s faction had largely defected to other princes, leaving Chai Jiliang¡¯s side noticeably depleted. However, it was precisely Chai¡¯s officials who were the doers, and with Junwan¡¯s fall, the number of active workers had significantly diminished. The Martial Emperor then asked, ¡°Chai, do you think the war should go on, or should we actively seek peace with the North Country?¡± Hearing this question, Chai Jiliang stepped to the center of the hall and, bowing with his hands folded, said, ¡°Your Majesty, at present, our only option is to seek peace.¡± Hearing this, the Martial Emperor¡¯s face grew even darker. Chai Jiliang continued, ¡°Your Majesty knows my deep respect for your ambition, but the power of North Country¡¯s weapons far exceeds that of Great Wu¡¯s. Continuing the war will only increase our casualties.¡± The Martial Emperor let out a mocking laugh and then said, ¡°Seek peace? Do all of you ministers really think that if Great Wu initiates peace talks, North Country will immediately cease hostilities?¡± At this point, Chai Jiliang said, ¡°Your Majesty, following the occupation of Youping County, the North Country¡¯s forces have not advanced south. If they truly intended to attack Great Wu, they would have sent troops southward long ago. Given North Country¡¯s current military strength, it¡¯s not impossible for their forces to capture several more counties.¡± Just then, a minister stood up and angrily rebuked, ¡°Mr. Chai, are you a subject of Great Wu or North Country? How dare you boost the morale of others while undermining the pride of Great Wu!¡± Chapter 602 - Chapter 602: Chapter 354 Does the Prince Have a Hostage Candidate in Mind?_2 Chapter 602: Chapter 354 Does the Prince Have a Hostage Candidate in Mind?_2 At this time, the Martial Emperor, his face dark with anger, stared at Chai Jiliang and demanded, ¡°So, Chai, in your opinion, why has North Country not continued its advance southward?¡± Chai Jiliang replied indifferently: ¡°The reason North Country has not continued south is that their strength is not yet sufficient to eliminate a dynasty. If North Country were to continue southward, it would inevitably make other dynasties even more wary of its existence. Eventually, several great dynasties might join forces to deal with North Country. Therefore, I believe that even if North Prince truly has ambitions to swallow the land, he would not actually attack Great Wu at this time.¡± ¡°North Prince dispatched troops to occupy Youping County mainly to deter the major dynasties and demonstrate to them that North Country already possesses the power to dominate.¡± ¡°In my view, if North Prince wishes to seek control over the world, he must first go after the throne of Great Sum.¡± Having heard this, the Martial Emperor¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, and he fell into deep thought. At that moment, the sound of a soldier¡¯s voice came from outside the grand hall, ¡°Urgent report from Youping County!!!¡± The grand hall immediately grew even quieter, and the faces of the ministers showed anxious expressions. They couldn¡¯t help but speculate whether the North Country army had already advanced southward. Soon, a Messenger Soldier entered the grand hall, knelt on the ground, and presented an envelope with both hands raised, ¡°Your Majesty, General Zhan and General Xu are missing, and Great Wu¡¯s two hundred thousand soldiers have surrendered to North Country!¡± Upon hearing this, the grand hall erupted into chaos. Missing??? What kind of joke is this? How could Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen just suddenly disappear? These two were the pillars of Great Wu¡ªtheir disappearance would be a crushing blow to the nation. After snapping back to reality, the eunuch beneath the Dragon Throne quickly took the envelope from the hands of the Messenger Soldier and presented it to the Martial Emperor. The Martial Emperor snatched the envelope from the eunuch¡¯s hands, tore it open, and began reading. After seeing the contents, the Martial Emperor fell silent once more. At this time, the atmosphere in the grand hall became incredibly oppressive, as if a tremendous pressure made it difficult for people to breathe. After what seemed like an eternity, the Martial Emperor finally spoke, ¡°After retreating to Youping County, Zhan and Xu intended to assassinate two of North Country¡¯s Grandmaster Military Generals, but upon reaching Lingyun City, they simply vanished. Without their leadership, two hundred thousand troops ultimately surrendered to North Country¡­¡± The Martial Emperor said this and slammed his palm down on the Dragon Throne. One side of the throne instantly shattered, and an aura of martial authority released from his body, knocking to the ground those Civil Officials in the court who lacked martial skill. The ministers bowed their heads, trembling, not even daring to breathe too loudly. After an indeterminate amount of time, the anger in the Martial Emperor¡¯s heart subsided somewhat. He then gathered his aura and said, ¡°My ministers, tell me, do you think Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen have defected to North Country or have they been slain?¡± No sooner had the Martial Emperor finished speaking than an official from the Imperial Prince Faction stood up, ¡°Your Majesty, the two venerable generals have shown undying loyalty and love for their country, claiming half the territory for Great Wu, and serving several monarchs. Moreover, their families are all still in Great Wu; they could not have possibly betrayed us!¡± Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong were both patrons of Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction. If they had betrayed Great Wu, countless associates of the Zhan and Xu families would be implicated. Even if they had indeed betrayed Great Wu, those of Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction could never admit it, so it must be that Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen died for their country¡ªand indeed, they were already dead. At this time, the Secretary of the Ministry of War also stood up and said, ¡°The two venerable generals must have fallen into a trap set by North Country and died for their country!¡± Then, many other ministers stood up to speak, all refusing to acknowledge that Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong had betrayed Great Wu. About half an hour later, the Martial Emperor¡¯s gaze once again fell on Chai Jiliang, ¡°Chai, do you also believe that the two generals died for their country?¡± Chai Jiliang stepped forward and said, ¡°Yes.¡± The Martial Emperor queried, ¡°Both were Grandmasters. If they wanted to escape, who could have stopped them?¡± Killing a Grandmaster is no easy feat, and if a Grandmaster is determined to flee, another Grandmaster may not necessarily be able to catch up. However, once Zhan Hong and Xu Xingwen entered Lingyun City, they vanished without a trace, as if they disappeared into thin air. This forced the Martial Emperor to suspect that they may have already defected. Chai Jiliang then spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, Great Wu has Grandmasters, and so does North Country. Combined with North Country¡¯s possession of so many mysterious weapons, and possibly other means we are unaware of, it¡¯s very likely the two venerable generals fell into one of North Country¡¯s traps and died for their country.¡± ¡°I believe that these two venerable generals could not possibly betray Great Wu, betray Your Majesty.¡± With both Xu Xingwen and Zhan Hong having thousands of family members still residing in Great Wu, how could they abandon their relatives and defect directly to North Country? If they did betray us, with the Martial Emperor¡¯s temperament, blood would inevitably run rivers in the Xu and Zhan households. Hence, the only possibility is that they are dead. The Martial Emperor fell silent once again. As seconds and minutes passed, the Martial Emperor¡¯s silence lasted for a full quarter of an hour, during which none of the ministers in the grand hall uttered a single word. Finally, it was as if the Martial Emperor had come to a realization. He stood up from the Dragon Throne and declared, ¡°Court is adjourned!¡± He then flung his sleeves and departed from the grand hall. In the half month that followed, the Martial Emperor did not hold court, and rumors circulated that he had fallen seriously ill. Chapter 603 - Chapter 603: Chapter 354 Does the Prince Have a Hostage Candidate in Mind?_3 Chapter 603: Chapter 354 Does the Prince Have a Hostage Candidate in Mind?_3 The Martial Emperor fell ill at this time, sending his councilors into a frenzy. The North Country¡¯s army was stationed in Youping County, poised to march south at any moment, and the emperor, the sovereign of the nation, ironically became an ¡°absentee landlord.¡± Fortunately, the Martial Emperor eventually issued an imperial decree, instructing Prince Wu Ming to lead a diplomatic mission northward to sue for peace with the North Country. When the imperial decree was announced, the officials aligned with Prince Lu Yi felt very pleased within. Seeking peace was hardly an enviable task. On one hand, the Martial Emperor was known for his hardline stance; he had waged many wars in his life and had never sought peace with any power before. This was his first time doing so, which, for the Martial Emperor, was a humiliation and a stain on his reputation. In the future, the Martial Emperor might see Prince Wu Ming and be reminded of this blot on his rule, and consequently harbor feelings of disgust toward the prince. That was on one front, but there was also the fact that Great Wu had been defeated in the war with the North Country, which would surely make hefty demands. Concessions of territory and indemnity were a given; if Prince Wu Ming failed to handle negotiations well and increased Great Wu¡¯s losses as a result, he could say goodbye to any chance of being the Crown Prince. After hearing that the Martial Emperor intended to send an envoy to the North Country, Wu Junwan tried every possible way to persuade the emperor to choose her for the mission. Despite all her efforts, the Martial Emperor completely ignored her, although Chai Jiliang mentioned it several times to him. Not only did the emperor not agree, but he also demoted Chai Jiliang. The reaction of the Martial Emperor left Wu Junwan in utter despair; it seemed that her father had lost hope in her, and she would never be allowed to participate in politics again. North Country. Today, the weather was fair and the winds were gentle. Lu Chen took the rare opportunity to enjoy afternoon tea with his wives and concubines in the courtyard. The first phase of the war had ended, and now it was time for peace talks. Lu Chen sat on a stone bench, sipped some Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and then playfully teased the child in Chu Yuqin¡¯s arms. At that moment, Dongfang Longyue, dressed in plain white clothes, entered the courtyard. She had been working at the newspaper office earlier that day. While writing, she suddenly thought of the peace talks between Great Wu and the North Country and hurried back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to find Lu Chen, wishing to discuss what demands North Country would propose during the negotiations. This is how political consultations work: when emissaries from one country are to visit another, both countries engage in maneuvering to gain the upper hand. With Great Wu¡¯s emissaries coming to North Country, it was time for the latter to shape public opinion and release some conditions for the peace talks to mentally prepare Great Wu. Dongfang Longyue held a notebook in her left hand and a pen in her right as she approached Lu Chen and asked, ¡°Prince, since Great Wu will soon be negotiating peace with North Country, may I know what terms North Country plans to propose?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That still needs to be discussed in the Hall of Political Affairs along with the officials, so nothing has been decided yet.¡± Although Lu Chen was a prince, such a matter of state still required the deliberation of the Small Court of North Country before any decisions could be made. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Dongfang Longyue quickly jotted something down in her notebook, then continued to inquire, ¡°What are the Prince¡¯s thoughts on the matter? What do you think Great Wu should offer to North Country in reparation?¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°As for reparations, gold comes first, and then land.¡± ¡°Of course, these two are just the basics. Additionally, I plan to demand that Great Wu open up more trading cities and that all trade between Great Wu and North Country from now on must be conducted with the currency that North Country is about to introduce.¡± Dongfang Longyue quickly took notes and, noticing that Lu Chen had stopped speaking, probed further, ¡°Are there any other conditions?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°To prevent Great Wu from seeking revenge against North Country in the future, Great Wu must send hostages to North Country.¡± At these words, Dongfang Longyue was taken aback, as were the women in the courtyard; none of them were fools. As soon as Lu Chen mentioned hostages, they thought of a certain person. Without missing a beat, Dongfang Longyue asked directly, ¡°Is the Prince going to decide who the hostage will be, or will Great Wu have a say in the matter?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Since the individual is to serve as a hostage, they must indeed fulfill the role of a hostage. If we leave it to Great Wu to decide, they might send someone of no importance to North Country, which would render the notion of a hostage meaningless. Therefore, the hostage must be chosen by North Country.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, the women in the courtyard became even more convinced of their suspicions. Dongfang Longyue pressed on, ¡°Does the Prince already have someone in mind for the hostage?¡± Chapter 604 - Chapter 604: Chapter 355: The Great Wu Delegation Arrives in North Country_1 Chapter 604: Chapter 355: The Great Wu Delegation Arrives in North Country_1 As Dongfang Longyue¡¯s words fell, the eyes of all the women in the courtyard fell upon Lu Chen. All the women were eager to know whether the hostage Lu Chen mentioned was the one they were thinking of. Seeing his wives and concubines staring at him, Lu Chen suddenly felt a little guilty. ¡°Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± he asked. At this moment, Wang Qingci said with a smile, ¡°Prince, the hostage you have in mind couldn¡¯t possibly be the Princess of Great Wu, could it?¡± Uh¡­ Lu Chen then said, ¡°I originally thought of the Prince Lu Yi as the hostage, but now that Qingci mentions it, I¡¯ve come to realize that if anyone has more capability and ambition in Great Wu, it is the Princess of Great Wu. She¡¯s more important to Great Wu, so I¡¯ve decided to make her the hostage.¡± ¡°Qingci, thank you for reminding me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the women chuckled inwardly, how could they not know what he was really thinking. In his heart, Lu Chen had probably thought of the Princess of Great Wu from the start. Just then, Wang Qingci spoke with a smile, ¡°However, as far as I know, Wu Junwan is no longer the Princess of Great Wu. Her title has been revoked, and many officials from her faction have already pledged allegiance to other princes. She shouldn¡¯t be that important to Great Wu anymore, should she?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Even though her title has been removed now, with her abilities, she will rise again sooner or later. She remains the most important person to Great Wu.¡± At that moment, Xiao Wenyao asked innocently and curiously, ¡°If the Princess of Great Wu becomes a hostage in the North Country, does that mean North Country is entering into a marriage alliance with Great Wu?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen gave Xiao Wenyao a speechless look; seeing through Lu Chen¡¯s ruse, the women couldn¡¯t help but cover their mouths and laugh. Soon, the courtyard was filled with a joyful atmosphere. At this time, Chu Yuqin offered an explanation for Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Yaoyao, a hostage is a hostage, and a marriage alliance is a marriage alliance; the two are different.¡± Xiao Wenyao, puzzled, asked, ¡°After the Princess of Great Wu comes to North Country, will she live in the North Prince Mansion?¡± This¡­ Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s question, Chu Yuqin paused and turned to look at Lu Chen. Knowing Lu Chen as she did, Chu Yuqin suspected that the day Wu Junwan arrived in North Country, Lu Chen would have her in his bed. Seeing Chu Yuqin did not answer, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s gaze fell back on Lu Chen. Lu Chen coughed and then said, ¡°In order to better monitor the hostage¡¯s every move, when Wu Junwan comes to North Country, she naturally has to live under my watchful eye to prevent her from doing anything detrimental to North Country.¡± Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°But if that Princess moves into the Prince¡¯s Mansion, won¡¯t she become the Prince¡¯s woman? If the Princess of Great Wu marries the Prince, doesn¡¯t that become a marriage alliance?¡± Uh¡­ this¡­ The women fell into silence. Upon reflection, it indeed sounded like a marriage alliance. ¡°Cough cough, Yaoyao, you¡¯re overthinking it. A hostage is about sending an important person to another country as a bargaining chip, and that person is expected to return home. A marriage alliance involves sending an important woman to marry into the other side, and that woman will ultimately become part of the other side and not return,¡± Lu Chen explained. At that moment, Zhou Youyou asked curiously, ¡°Then why did the Prince choose the Princess of Great Wu to be a hostage rather than directly enter into a marriage alliance? After all, once she enters the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she will become the Prince¡¯s woman and won¡¯t return to Great Wu, wouldn¡¯t a direct marriage alliance be better?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled, then raised his hand and used his spiritual power to sweep Zhou Youyou, who was sitting on a stone bench, into his arms. ¡°You daring Youyou, daring to slander me. Do you think in your eyes, any woman who enters the Prince¡¯s Mansion will be seized by me!¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen placed Zhou Youyou on his lap and lifted his hand to deliver a ¡°smack¡± on her bottom. After Zhou Youyou let out a ¡°yelp,¡± she quickly pleaded, ¡°Prince, your concubine shouldn¡¯t have spoken out of turn, your concubine realizes her mistake, wailing.¡± Seeing Zhou Youyou being spanked, Xiao Wenyao trembled slightly. She had also wanted to ask this question because in her eyes, any beautiful woman entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion, except for maids and servants, could hardly escape Lu Chen¡¯s grasp. Xiao Wenyao felt a small sense of relief inwardly, thankful she hadn¡¯t asked that question, or she would probably be the one getting spanked now. Being spanked in front of so many people, how embarrassing would that be. After admonishing Zhou Youyou, Lu Chen did not let her go, but instead held her in his embrace, letting her sit on his lap while his arms encircled Zhou Youyou¡¯s slender waist. ¡°Remember what Madam Chu just said, a hostage is a hostage, and a marriage alliance is a marriage alliance; one cannot conflate the two,¡± Lu Chen reminded everyone. As Lu Chen finished speaking, Yelv Nanyan said, ¡°The reason the Prince didn¡¯t choose a marriage alliance is probably to prepare for the future. If we were to enter into a marriage alliance with Great Wu, the Martial Emperor would become the Prince¡¯s father-in-law. Should North Country decide to wage war against Great Wu in the future, we would not hold the moral high ground.¡± Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s explanation, Xiao Wenyao had an epiphany and said, ¡°I see, now I understand.¡± Wang Qingci then asked with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao, what do you understand?¡± Xiao Wenyao answered, ¡°If it was a marriage alliance, the Princess of Great Wu would never be able to return to Great Wu. The Princess is so important to Great Wu, they surely wouldn¡¯t agree to that.¡± ¡°But by using the term ¡®hostage,¡¯ the Prince could first trick the Princess of Great Wu into coming here, then once that¡¯s done, turn ¡®raw rice into cooked rice¡¯ by making her his own. This way, he doesn¡¯t have to be related to Great Wu through marriage, and he can still possess the body of the Princess of Great Wu.¡± Chapter 605 - Chapter 605: Chapter 355: The Great Wu Delegation Arrives in North Country_2 Chapter 605: Chapter 355: The Great Wu Delegation Arrives in North Country_2 Upon saying this, Xiao Wenyao looked at Lu Chen and praised him, ¡°Prince, you¡¯re truly clever! The biggest trouble with Great Xia is all the nepotism!¡± Chu Yuqin: ¡°¡­¡± Yelv Nanyan: ¡°¡­¡± Wang Qingci: ¡°¡­¡± ¡­ Although Lu Chen might indeed have such thoughts, saying them directly was a bit improper¡­ Did she think Lu Chen hadn¡¯t visited her room for too long? At this moment, the gazes of all the women fell on Lu Chen, wanting to see his reaction. Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°Yaoyao, come to Youyou¡¯s room tonight.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao was momentarily stunned, unable to help but swallow her saliva and clench her legs together. Then, Lu Chen spoke to Dongfang Longyue, ¡°Longyue, these are my terms for now. Start spreading some rumors so that Great Wu¡¯s delegation gets wind of it.¡± Dongfang Longyue immediately set down her pen and said, ¡°Certainly, Prince.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll return to the agency for today.¡± Lu Chen nodded and replied, ¡°Hmm, good.¡± After Dongfang Longyue left, Chu Yuqin, worried, spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, that Princess Wu from Great Wu, she¡¯s a person with real power back in her homeland. Will she willingly become your woman once she arrives in North Country?¡± Before Lu Chen could even speak, Wang Qingci interjected, ¡°In the Prince¡¯s Mansion, which woman wasn¡¯t conquered by the Prince? With the Prince¡¯s capability, no woman can escape his grasp. Initially, there were some in the Prince¡¯s Mansion who were dead set against marrying the Prince, but now, aren¡¯t they all in bed calling ¡®darling, dear brother¡¯ non-stop?¡± At these words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s complexion instantly darkened, and she shot Wang Qingci a glare before saying, ¡°You shameless bitch, what do you know!¡± Chu Yuqin wasn¡¯t a fool; how could she fail to perceive that Wang Qingci was referring to her? Lu Chen, who was holding Zhou Youyou in his arms, caressed her delicate body while saying, ¡°She is indeed a very ambitious person, but as soon as she enters the Prince¡¯s Mansion her ambition will soon wear away.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s confidence, Chu Yuqin sighed softly and then said, ¡°As long as you have a plan.¡± Compared to Wang Qingci, who clung to Lu Chen daily like a possessive bitch, Chu Yuqin was more concerned about Wu Junwan, a person like her. Although both Yelv Nanyan and Wu Junwan were once figures with real power, Yelv Nanyan no longer had any backing. Wu Junwan, however, was different; she still had the support of the Great Wu dynasty behind her, and even if Great Wu did nothing, just the fact that Wu Junwan thought of them backing her might give rise to some inappropriate aspirations within her. At this moment, Zhou Youyou, lying in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, suddenly let out a light ¡°yng¡± sound, causing all the women to turn their eyes to Zhou Youyou. Zhou Youyou, feeling extremely embarrassed and blushing from the stares of the women from the Prince¡¯s Mansion, wished she could sink into the ground. After all, she was the mother of two children, yet here she was being held in Lu Chen¡¯s arms like a child. Lu Chen whispered in Zhou Youyou¡¯s ear, ¡°Youyou, you¡¯re not being good, letting your mind wander in front of so many people.¡± With that, Zhou Youyou¡¯s cheeks turned even redder, and she wished she could vanish into thin air. Fortunately, Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue to tease her. He then let go of Zhou Youyou and said, ¡°Alright, I have things to do, you all chat.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen stood up and walked straight out of the courtyard. The women unanimously said, ¡°Farewell, Prince.¡± Lu Chen had just left the Wind Cloud Court when a female soldier came rushing over, ¡°Prince, the Great Wu delegation has already arrived in Yan County.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen paused. He had not anticipated that the Great Wu delegation would arrive in Yan County so quickly. He then said, ¡°Tell Li Rui to arrange someone to receive the Great Wu delegation. I won¡¯t go.¡± Being the victor, Lu Chen naturally had no need to personally receive a delegation from the defeated Great Wu. Lu Chen not only had no intention of personally receiving them, but he also planned to ignore the Great Wu¡¯s envoy for the next few days, leaving them to cool their heels. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the soldier immediately said, ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± Then the soldier turned and left the courtyard. ¡­ A quarter of an hour later. The southern gate of Yan County. Wu Ming sat in the carriage, looking through the window at the crowds coming and going on both sides of the road, and seeing that the North Country had arranged no reception ceremony, feeling very disgruntled inside. This reminded him of the humiliation he suffered the last time he came to the North Country, thinking he would never come to the North Country again, but unexpectedly, he was once more en route to the North Country as an envoy. And this time, he was coming as the envoy of a defeated nation seeking peace, which made the unpleasantness in Wu Ming¡¯s heart deepen even more. Wu Ming thought to himself, it was all that woman¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for her incorrect intelligence, how would the Great Wu Dynasty have waged war against the North Country? Without the war, the Great Wu Dynasty wouldn¡¯t have faced this disastrous defeat, and without the defeat, he wouldn¡¯t be here as the emissary of the vanquished, seeking peace in the North Country. This status as an envoy would bring him significant trouble in the future; his emperor father would inevitably think of the defeat upon seeing him, and thus be unwilling to see him. He expected that this time the North Country would surely demand an exorbitant price, and if they failed to secure terms acceptable to Great Wu, he, upon his return to Great Wu, would likely be cursed by the people. This made the possibility of him becoming the Crown Prince even slimmer. Wu Ming even doubted whether his emperor father already considered him a pawn, intending to make Prince Lu Yi the Crown Prince, and that¡¯s why he was sent to the North Country to seek peace. As Great Wu¡¯s procession approached the city gate, Wu Ming saw several North Country officials standing at the gate waiting. At that moment, an official said to Wu Ming¡¯s carriage, ¡°Prince Wu Ming of Great Wu, I am the Prefecture Governor of Yan County, welcome to the North Country.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming¡¯s expression darkened instantly, they had only sent a local official to receive the Great Wu¡¯s delegation. Although he was displeased inside, Wu Ming knew well that as the envoy of the defeated nation, he had no right to complain, nor did he dare to complain. If he offended the North Country this time and caused them to demand even less favorable peace terms, upon his return to Great Wu, he would certainly face many impeachments. He had to endure patiently. With this in mind, Wu Ming calmed the anger inside and then said, ¡°Thank you for coming to receive us, Prefecture Governor.¡± The Prefecture Governor of Yan County continued, ¡°We have already arranged accommodation for the delegation. Please follow us into the city.¡± Under the Prefecture Governor¡¯s guidance, Great Wu¡¯s delegation entered Yan County. After arriving at their accommodations, Wu Ming sat in the courtyard and immediately sent people to gather intelligence on North Country officials. He planned to bribe some North Country officials before the negotiations so they might speak for Great Wu during the talks, perhaps reducing the price Great Wu would have to pay. By dusk. Wu Ming sat in the pavilion drinking tea; he was a restless person by nature, finding it hard to stay put. The last time he came to the North Country, he had his subordinates arrange plenty of women for his pleasure. But today was different. He sat alone in the pavilion until night fell without ordering his subordinates to arrange for female company. The key issue was that he was in no mood for it. He worried about the conditions the North Country might demand if they decided to ask for more than what his emperor father was prepared to concede. He wondered how he would deal with it upon his return. Just then, a guard from the delegation hurried into the courtyard, holding a newspaper, and said to Wu Ming, ¡°Your Highness, the Eastern Newspaper Agency has just published a paper mentioning some conditions the North Country might propose during the negotiations.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming immediately put down his teacup and snatched the newspaper from the guard¡¯s hand, then started reading it. As he read the content on the newspaper, Wu Ming involuntarily furrowed his brows. The newspaper only mentioned the main areas where the North Prince would propose negotiation terms, without specifying any explicit terms. Ceding territory and paying indemnities were the very basics; even without the paper saying so, Wu Ming knew the North Country would raise demands for territory and indemnities. It was purely a waste of words. However, at that moment, Wu Ming suddenly saw the last item. A hostage? Chapter 606 - Chapter 606: Chapter 356 Princess Junwans Fragile Health_1 Chapter 606: Chapter 356 Princess Junwan¡¯s Fragile Health_1 ¡°` Seeing the words ¡°hostage,¡± Wu Ming¡¯s face grew even uglier. In Wu Ming¡¯s view, if Great Wu were to send a hostage to North Country, it was very likely they would choose him. To any dynasty, a hostage was no different from a disposable piece; thus, they certainly wouldn¡¯t choose the most important prince. His father, the Emperor, valued Prince Lu Yi so much that he didn¡¯t even let Prince Lu Yi come on this mission to North Country, so his father would definitely not allow Prince Lu Yi to be a hostage in North Country. The Emperor naturally had several other sons, but compared to Prince Lu Yi and himself, those princes were essentially of little use, with Prince Lu Yi and himself, the Second Prince, being the most distinguished. If his father were to send another prince as a hostage to North Country, it was very likely that North Country would not agree. The North Prince wasn¡¯t a fool; how could he possibly allow Great Wu to send a prince of no significant importance to be a hostage in North Country. Just as Wu Ming¡¯s heart was wracked with anxiety, he suddenly saw the newspaper stating that North Prince¡¯s choice for hostage was Great Wu¡¯s Princess Junwan. A moment of stun washed over Wu Ming, followed by ecstasy. The North Prince actually wanted that woman to be a hostage in North Country! This was simply too good to be true! Although Wu Junwan had fallen out of favor by now, no one could guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t make a comeback one day. If Wu Junwan were to return to the court someday, she could still potentially regain great power, leaving the princes breathless under her weight. However, if Wu Junwan were to become a hostage in North Country, things would be different. A hostage was a disposable piece, and once Wu Junwan arrived in North Country, it would be much harder for her to re-enter the circles of the Capital City, let alone return to the center of power. As long as Wu Junwan was expelled from the place of power in Great Wu, it would be the same as her being completely eliminated from the game. Thinking this, a sense of exhilaration filled Wu Ming¡¯s heart. The princes of Great Wu had been oppressed by their imperial sister for far too long. They would all be delighted to have her removed from the center of power. However, Wu Ming quickly thought of a problem¡ªwould their father-king agree to let their imperial sister be a hostage in North Country? As everybody knew, the reason their imperial sister had so much power, enough to be named Princess Junwan, was entirely due to their father-king. If he did not wish for Princess Junwan to participate in governance, she could not possibly have been named Princess Junwan. If they could get their father-king to agree to North Prince¡¯s terms, that would be perfect. But how could they get their father-king to agree? Could they do it as they had done last time by having the court ministers collectively submit a petition? Wu Ming believed that if his faction¡¯s ministers submitted a petition for Wu Junwan to become a hostage in North Country, then Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction¡¯s ministers would definitely join in the petition as well. Although they were not of the same faction, when it came to dealing with Wu Junwan, all the officials from the prince factions could unite. Thinking this, Wu Ming immediately said to the guard beside him, ¡°Prepare pen and paper.¡± The guard hurried to bring pen and paper before Wu Ming, who directly began drafting a memorial inside the pavilion, incorporating some things he had heard upon arriving in North Country into the text. After finishing the memorial, he handed it to the nearby guard, ¡°Send this memorial back to Great Wu immediately.¡± Negotiations are a long-term process; they couldn¡¯t possibly be concluded in just a few days. If he hurried to send the memorial back to Great Wu now, the Emperor¡¯s royal decree would probably still arrive before the negotiations concluded. Then, Wu Ming would have a sense of his father¡¯s attitude towards the terms offered by North Country. Of course, the most important purpose of his memorial was to inform the ministers in court that North Prince intended to have Wu Junwan become a hostage. As long as those ministers were aware of this, surely many would follow suit in submitting petitions. Just as the guard by Wu Ming¡¯s side was about to turn and leave the pavilion, Wu Ming suddenly reminded him, ¡°Right, after the memorial is sent back to the imperial city, find someone to spread the news that the North Prince intends to make the Great Princess a hostage. Make sure all the court ministers know about this.¡± The guard immediately bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Alright, go.¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave.¡± With those words, the guard turned and left the courtyard. Evening. Dusk fell, and lanterns in the courtyard were lit one by one, with the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion blazing with lights. After dinner, Lu Chen spent some time in Wind Cloud Court, playing with the two children borne to him by Mu Zixuan, and then, feeling it was about time, he made his way to Zhou Youyou¡¯s room. Just as Lu Chen was about to enter the northern courtyard, a female soldier¡¯s voice rose from behind him, ¡°Prince, Wu Ming has seen this afternoon¡¯s edition of the Eastern Newspaper Agency and has written a memorial to be sent back to Great Wu. Should we intercept this memorial?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°No need, let them send the memorial back to Great Wu.¡± Even without intercepting Wu Ming¡¯s memorial, Lu Chen had a fair idea of what it likely contained. Evidently, Wu Ming intended to convey some of the information released by North Country back to the Emperor and Great Wu¡¯s ministers. After hearing the response, the female soldier said, ¡°Yes, Prince, your subordinate takes her leave.¡± The female soldier turned and departed from the inner courtyard, and at that moment, Lu Chen stepped into the northern courtyard and directly entered Zhou Youyou¡¯s room. Upon entering Zhou Youyou¡¯s room, Lu Chen found that she was alone, and he asked with a smile, ¡°Where are those two little rascals? Why aren¡¯t they here?¡± Blushing, Zhou Youyou, sitting at the bedside, replied, ¡°Prince, I have already sent the two of them to my sister¡¯s room.¡± Zhou Youyou had heard during the day that Lu Chen had asked Xiao Wenyao to come to her room, so she knew Lu Chen would undoubtedly come to favor her that night. Therefore, she had sent the children to the next room early on and sat on the bed alone, ready. Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly, and then sat down beside the bed, taking Zhou Youyou¡¯s delicate hand into his. Seeing Zhou Youyou¡¯s face flushed red, Lu Chen lifted his hand, gently caressing her cheek, ¡°Youyou, you¡¯re already the mother of two children, why are you still so shy?¡± ¡°` Zhou Youyou didn¡¯t know what to say, ¡°This humble one¡­ this humble one¡­¡± Seeing Zhou Youyou too embarrassed to speak, Lu Chen began making his advances and soon had her laid out on the bed, sealing her cherry lips with a kiss. Lu Chen had forgotten he had also called for Xiao Wenyao; he began to cultivate affection with Zhou Youyou directly. Although Zhou Youyou still remembered someone else had not come, she did not dare to say much. A quarter of an hour later. After bathing, Xiao Wenyao headed to the northern courtyard. Upon arrival, she quietly asked a maid there, ¡°The Prince hasn¡¯t arrived yet, has he?¡± The maid replied, ¡°Replying to Lady Xiao, the Prince has already been here for a while.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was she late? Would the Prince be angry with her later? With a heart filled with trepidation, Xiao Wenyao still went towards Zhou Youyou¡¯s room, and only after entering did she hear faint sounds. Xiao Wenyao¡¯s concern deepened; she really was late. This was trouble! Being late meant facing punishment. Since matters were being attended to inside, she didn¡¯t feel it was right to just barge in. She couldn¡¯t knock either, could she? Wouldn¡¯t that disturb the Prince? As Xiao Wenyao was pondering what to do, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came from inside, ¡°Yaoyao, why are you standing at the door? Come in.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Xiao Wenyao still hesitated for a moment before softly pushing the door open. Just as she was about to speak, a force pulled her in, dragged her onto the bed, and the door slammed shut behind her. Xiao Wenyao lay on the bed, stunned. Lu Chen and Zhou Youyou were not on the couch; instead, Lu Chen was with Zhou Youyou near the table¡­ Seeing what was happening, Xiao Wenyao didn¡¯t dare to speak. She quietly took off her shoes and lay alone on the bedchamber. She thought to herself that as long as she didn¡¯t speak, the Prince¡¯s attention wouldn¡¯t be on her later. However, in the next moment, Lu Chen appeared before her. He said with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao, you maligned me in the courtyard today. Let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll punish you tonight!¡± Xiao Wenyao¡¯s delicate body trembled as she weakly said, ¡°My Prince, your servant knows her mistake¡­¡± Before Xiao Wenyao could finish, Lu Chen kissed her red lips, and Xiao Wenyao was sternly reprimanded. Seeing Xiao Wenyao being taken care of, Zhou Youyou, who was resting nearby, didn¡¯t dare to breathe a word. She thought to herself that she must never anger the Prince in the future; the Prince¡¯s anger was truly frightening. ¡­ Half a month later. The Great Wu court. These past few days, there¡¯d been rumors throughout the Capital city saying that the North Country had proposed for Great Wu to send a hostage to their lands. Initially, the ministers of Great Wu, upon hearing this news, all presented memorials expressing opposition. Even though they had been defeated, the Great Wu dynasty was still a dynasty. How could a dynasty send a hostage to a feudal state within another dynasty? Wouldn¡¯t Great Wu become a laughingstock among the major dynasties from then on? Just as the ministers were filled with righteous indignation, more rumors spread that the North Country had chosen Princess Junwan as the hostage. This made the ministers in the court extremely pleased, and they resubmitted memorials to the Martial Emperor, stating that Great Wu should agree to this condition from the North Country. Now, the Martial Emperor¡¯s desk was piled with two kinds of memorials from the same ministers; one set opposing the sending of hostages to the North Country, and another set supporting the idea of sending Princess Junwan to the North Country as a hostage. It made those ministers seem as if they had split personalities. The Martial Emperor, sitting on the Dragon Throne, eyed the ministers below with a piercing gaze, as if he wished to kill them on the spot. The assembled ministers kept their heads low, not daring to utter a word. After a long pause, the Martial Emperor spoke, ¡°Have all my beloved ministers recently been stricken with amnesia?¡± ¡°First you submit memorials insisting that I must not agree to send a hostage to the North Country. Now, these past few days you¡¯ve been sending memorials urging me to send Princess Junwan to the North Country as a hostage!¡± ¡°Who can explain to me how your attitudes have changed so drastically in such a short time?¡± As the Martial Emperor¡¯s voice fell, the ministers dared not speak. However, at that moment, Chai Jiliang stood up. Despite being demoted, he still had access to the court; he had not been expelled from the center of power. Chai Jiliang was a man of action, and even though he had been demoted by the Martial Emperor, the latter could not directly banish Chai from the imperial city. If Chai, the man of action, were to be forced out, the ensuing troubles would likely be too much for anyone else to handle. Seeing Chai Jiliang step forward, before he could say anything, the Martial Emperor directly asked, ¡°What does the honorable Chai have to say?¡± Chai Jiliang immediately knelt on the floor and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Junwan is delicately constituted. It would be utterly improper to send her to the bitterly cold lands of the North to be a hostage!¡± Hearing Chai¡¯s words, the ministers from the Imperial Prince Faction were displeased. What did he mean by ¡®delicately constituted¡¯? Princess Junwan was the only one among the Martial Emperor¡¯s children to have broken through to the Master Realm. The other princes hadn¡¯t even reached the eighth level of the Realm, let alone the Master Realm. If anyone was ¡®delicately constituted¡¯, it was those princes. She, as a Grandmaster, was very robust. The entire court knew why Chai Jiliang didn¡¯t want Junwan to go to the North Country as a hostage. He fancied the Princess, and since he was already part of the Junwan faction, naturally he did not wish for Junwan to become a hostage in the North Country. Chapter 607 - Chapter 607: Chapter 357: One Day, She Will Seize That Position Herself_1 Chapter 607: Chapter 357: One Day, She Will Seize That Position Herself_1 Although the ministers from the Imperial Prince Faction very much wanted to refute Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, no minister on the court dared to stand up directly at this time. They were all waiting. Waiting for the Martial Emperor¡¯s attitude. After all, they had already submitted their memorials, and it all depended on the Martial Emperor¡¯s stance regarding this matter. If the Martial Emperor had completely given up on Princess Junwan, he would very likely choose to send Princess Junwan to North Country as a hostage, even if Chai Jiliang resorted to threats of death, it would be futile. Upon hearing Chai Jiliang¡¯s words, the Martial Emperor asked, ¡°Since Chai doesn¡¯t want Princess Junwan to go to North Country as a hostage, who, in Chai¡¯s opinion, would be the best candidate for hostage?¡± Faced with this question, Chai Jiliang did not answer immediately. Although he was quite anxious in his heart, fearing that the Martial Emperor would agree to send Wu Junwan to North Country as a hostage, he did not dare to answer this question rashly. If he suggested sending a certain prince to North Country as a hostage, he would inevitably offend the faction of that prince. Under the current circumstances, continuing to antagonize those ministers would bring more trouble. After pondering for a moment, Chai Jiliang finally spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe that whether it is Princess Junwan or the various princes, they are all Your Majesty¡¯s own flesh and blood. So, if Your Majesty must choose a hostage to send to North Country, the decision should be made by Your Majesty.¡± Upon hearing this, the Martial Emperor let out a laugh, Chai Jiliang really was watertight. Then the Martial Emperor continued, ¡°Since Aiqing also knows they are all my own flesh and blood, does Aiqing not think it is too cruel for me to personally choose one of my own children to suffer in the harsh lands of the north?¡± Chai Jiliang did not reply but merely knelt on the ground. Just then, the Martial Emperor continued, ¡°As the eldest daughter, Princess Junwan naturally should bear the responsibilities of being the eldest. If North Country insists on choosing a hostage, I can only send Princess Junwan to North Country as a hostage with a heavy heart.¡± At this statement, ministers within the grand hall were taken aback, including Chai Jiliang. Once everyone regained their senses, they unanimously exclaimed, ¡°Your Majesty is wise!¡± And just as the ministers¡¯ voices fell, Chai Jiliang immediately cried out loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, think again, please!¡± The Martial Emperor paid no heed to Chai Jiliang¡¯s words and went on, ¡°After court adjourns, I will personally talk to Princess Junwan regarding this matter. I believe she will understand my difficulties.¡± Chai Jiliang wanted to say more but was interrupted by the Martial Emperor, ¡°Enough, the matter of the hostage is settled. We will discuss it no further.¡± This¡­ For the rest of the morning court, Chai Jiliang was dispirited, paying no mind to the other matters the ministers discussed in court. He had not expected the Martial Emperor to truly be willing to send his eldest daughter to North Country as a hostage. Wu Junwan was a Grandmaster, after all, while those princes were good-for-nothings. Instead of sending the good-for-nothings as hostages, he had chosen one of the most formidable ones. Could it be that the Martial Emperor had truly completely abandoned Princess Junwan? After the morning court ended, the Martial Emperor sent someone to Green Cloud Palace to summon Wu Junwan to his study. He wanted to speak personally with his daughter about the matter. At that moment, inside Green Cloud Palace, Wu Junwan lay despondently on a lounge, her eyes devoid of the brilliance they once held. A person of great power, once deprived of that power, ages particularly quickly. It was then that a female guard entered Green Cloud Palace. ¡°Princess Junwan, the Emperor wishes for you to come to the Imperial Study Room right now.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan was initially stunned, then quickly rose from her lounge and asked, ¡°What does my father the Emperor want with me in the Imperial Study Room?¡± The female guard hesitated briefly before responding, ¡°I have heard that the Emperor intends to send Your Highness to North Country as a hostage, and he wishes for Your Highness to come to the Imperial Study Room, presumably regarding this matter.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was completely stunned. To go to North Country as a hostage? What kind of joke was this? If she left the Imperial City for North Country, she would completely lose any chance of a comeback. Was her father so heartless? As she thought this, Wu Junwan¡¯s fists clenched slightly, and in that moment, the image of a certain young man flashed in her mind, and the words he said to her during her last visit to North Country echoed in her ears, especially one sentence that she still remembered very clearly. ¡°There may be no need to conquer all of Great Wu. Once North Country¡¯s strength grows to a certain extent, someone from the Great Wu Dynasty will naturally deliver Miss Qian to North Country.¡± Though the North Prince referred to Miss Qian at the time, he was speaking of her. She never expected that the North Prince¡¯s words would become prophetic, turning into reality. Although reluctant, Wu Junwan decided to go to the Imperial Study Room to see what her father the Emperor still had to say to her. Soon after, she told her handmaidens, ¡°Help me change my clothes!¡± Shortly thereafter, Wu Junwan changed into a new outfit, combed her hair, and seemed much more spirited, although traces of dejection lingered on her face. Then Wu Junwan proceeded to the Imperial Study Room. When Wu Junwan entered the Imperial Study Room, the Martial Emperor was reviewing petitions. Sensing Wu Junwan¡¯s entrance, he put down his pen and looked at her. Wu Junwan immediately performed a courtesy and said, ¡°Daughter pays respect to Father Emperor!¡± The Martial Emperor nodded and said, ¡°Rise.¡± Wu Junwan directly asked, ¡°May I know why Father Emperor has summoned me?¡± The Martial Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Junwan, your father knows that you hold a deep resentment towards him for stripping you of your title, but you must understand, I had no choice but to do so. Great Wu¡¯s defeat in the war is inseparable from you, as if it weren¡¯t for the lack of intelligence, not knowing that the North Country possessed so many powerful weapons, Great Wu would not have suffered such a crushing defeat. Therefore, I must punish you.¡± Wu Junwan said expressionlessly, ¡°Daughter understands, and since it has already happened, I am willing to accept the punishment.¡± The Martial Emperor said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand my difficulties.¡± ¡°Now, North Country is prospering, and the mysterious weapons they possess are so powerful that they have become the greatest threat to the Great Wu dynasty.¡± ¡°Even if the peace talks succeed this time, in not too many years, the North Prince might well launch an offensive, intending to engulf the entire Great Wu.¡± At this point, the Martial Emperor rose from his chair, walked to the center of the study, came before Wu Junwan, looked into her eyes and said, ¡°You are the daughter I value the most. Therefore, I want to entrust you with a mission. Would you be willing to accept it?¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately guessed what her father emperor was about to say next. She was no fool, and it was impossible for her not to know that her father emperor was dangling a carrot in front of her. ¡°Please speak, Father Emperor!¡± The Martial Emperor then said, ¡°I hope you can go to North Country as a Hostage, and then find a way to obtain their secrets, especially the methods of manufacturing those North Country weapons.¡± ¡°If you can acquire the blueprints for the manufacture of those North Country weapons, once the term of your being a Hostage is complete and you return to Great Wu, I will reinstate you as Princess Junwan, and perhaps even as the Crown Princess.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s heart skipped a beat again. Although she was aware her father emperor would surely dangle a carrot, she hadn¡¯t expected it to be such a large one. What status was that of the Crown Princess? The Crown Princess, like the Crown Prince, was the heir to the Emperor. To reinstate her as the Crown Princess meant that her father emperor planned for her to take over his throne, in other words, he wanted her to be the next Martial Emperor. In the past, no matter how hard she tried or how well she performed, her father emperor would never have uttered such words, considering this a rather traditional country, where few people from top to bottom would want a woman to be the emperor. It took Wu Junwan some time to snap back to reality. Once she did, she said, ¡°Father Emperor, your daughter understands. I will certainly find a way to complete your mission,¡± Hearing this, the Martial Emperor showed a hint of a smile, then continued, ¡°I entrust everything to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all for now; you may go back. Once the delegation comes up with the peace negotiation terms with North Country, you must head there immediately.¡± Wu Junwan then performed another courtesy and said, ¡°Yes, Father Emperor, your daughter will take her leave.¡± As Wu Junwan turned to leave the Imperial Study Room and her figure was leaving, the smile on the Martial Emperor¡¯s face vanished in an instant. Crown Princess? How could he possibly entrust his throne to a woman? If it hadn¡¯t been to win over those on the Empress¡¯s side, he would not have appointed Wu Junwan as Princess Junwan. Now that those people around her had flocked to support other Princes, or directly to himself, the Emperor, he was even less likely to allow Wu Junwan to hold power. Though his daughter was outstanding, her excellence did not bestow her with the right to the throne. His earlier words had been spoken only out of concern that Wu Junwan, once sent to North Country, might give up on herself and would no longer support Great Wu. If he gave her a glimmer of hope, then Wu Junwan would surely think she could become the Empress of Great Wu in the future, thus continuing to work for Great Wu, and even with more motivation than before. The Martial Emperor murmured to himself, ¡°Junwan, you better not disappoint your father.¡± On her way back to the Green Cloud Palace, Wu Junwan¡¯s heart was not stirred. Although her father emperor¡¯s words had momentarily stunned her, she soon came to her senses. She did not believe her father emperor would truly make her the Crown Princess. If her father emperor had truly entertained that idea, he would have made her the Crown Princess a long time ago, not just now. Now that those who had followed her deceased mother had dispersed, even Pei Hong, who was a Grandmaster, had switched his allegiance directly to the Martial Emperor. She no longer had anyone she could rely on. To her father emperor, her only value now was probably as a Hostage to steal North Country¡¯s secrets for Great Wu. Clearly, her father emperor was trying to ensure her compliance, to prevent her from giving up or betraying Great Wu, and also to make use of her as a pawn in North Country. At that moment, a subtle smile appeared on Wu Junwan¡¯s face. Though she was aware that her father emperor was only leading her on with false promises, it also made her realize, she wasn¡¯t without hope. Someday, she would seize that position for herself. The image of that little man surfaced again in her mind. This debauchee wanted her to go to North Country, so she was going, and by being a dangerous woman in North Country for an extended period, this little man would one day regret it! Chapter 608 - Chapter 608: Chapter 358 Negotiations Begin_1 Chapter 608: Chapter 358 Negotiations Begin_1 After the delegation from Great Wu arrived in the North Country, Lu Chen didn¡¯t grant them an audience for over half a month, leaving the delegation from Great Wu just hanging there as if they did not exist at all. Wu Ming wasn¡¯t in a hurry, though; he was waiting for news from the court of Great Wu and the decree from his Father Emperor. If he could arrange for Princess Junwan to come to the North Country as a hostage this time, it would be worth spending a longer time in the North Country. Meanwhile. At the North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen sat at his desk, processing official documents while listening to Wang Qingci¡¯s reports at his side. Wang Qingci had now taken over the work for the Rain-listening Pavilion again. Although the Rain-listening Pavilion had been exposed and the major dynasties already knew it was under the influence of the North Prince Mansion, because the North Country had easily defeated Great Wu this time, the major dynasties did not dare to take action against the Rain-listening Pavilion. The Rain-listening Pavilion was now openly gathering information from the major dynasties, even in Great Wu. Even though the Rain-listening Pavilion had established branches in the imperial city of Great Wu, the Da Yue Dynasty currently dared not do anything to the Rain-listening Pavilion. For Lu Chen, the intelligence gathered by the Rain-listening Pavilion supplemented the information collected by the Brocade Guard. Of course, the Rain-listening Pavilion also had spies from the Brocade Guard, but they were part of two separate systems. The intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard was reported up through the Brocade Guard¡¯s ranks, while the intelligence gathered by the Rain-listening Pavilion was reported up through its own channels. With a smile, Wang Qingci said, ¡°Prince, it seems that before long, that great beauty from Great Wu will become your pet.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen stopped writing, then glanced at Wang Qingci and said indifferently, ¡°Qingci, it looks like you haven¡¯t been disciplined by me in a while and are itching for it again.¡± At these words, Wang Qingci sighed softly and said, ¡°Alas, the Prince has changed. Ever since Murong Xue¡¯er came, the Prince has lost interest in this one.¡± As she spoke, Wang Qingci raised her delicate hand, feigning to wipe away non-existent tears from the corners of her eyes, portraying the image of a fragile woman. Lu Chen chuckled. This bitch. In the next moment, Lu Chen raised his hand and directly used his spiritual power to pull Wang Qingci¡¯s soft frame into his embrace. Just as Lu Chen was about to take advantage of Wang Qingci, an attendant¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside, ¡°Prince, Commander Liang requests an audience.¡± Only then did Lu Chen let go of Wang Qingci. Seeing that Lu Chen had released her, Wang Qingci felt a slight sense of loss in her heart; she was just about to be dealt with by Lu Chen, and someone had interrupted them. It was becoming increasingly difficult to have intimate moments with Lu Chen in the study. Just as she had anticipated, with the North Country growing stronger, and its power increasing, Lu Chen would become busier with more affairs. The time he could spend with his women would become ever scarcer. Now, Lu Chen was only short of some rest time in his study. In the future, when his governmental affairs became numerous, even Lu Chen¡¯s sleeping time would be occupied, and with so many women around him, the time they could spend with Lu Chen would be even less. Wang Qingci knew this was inevitable, and she had no solution to it. After all, she had chosen to follow this man. Wang Qingci then stood aside and did not continue to seduce Lu Chen. In the next moment, Liang Zong entered the room and reported all the affairs of the major dynasties collected by the Brocade Guard. Many of the pieces of intelligence reported by Liang Zong overlapped with those collected by the Rain-listening Pavilion, but there were also some details that the Rain-listening Pavilion had not uncovered. Lu Chen did not consider this a waste of resources. Having two intelligence agencies was a good thing for Lu Chen because they could counterbalance and monitor each other. Although Lu Chen had not yet mastered the art of using people like an emperor, he was gradually forming his own method of using personnel. After listening to Liang Zong¡¯s report, Lu Chen thought that since the channels through the Great Wu court had already been cleared, it was time to start negotiations. However, there was something that needed to be done before the negotiations could begin. Lu Chen then ordered, ¡°Send a military order to Mu Changtian to lead two hundred thousand soldiers southward, to be stationed at the border between Youping County and Lingtu County. When there¡¯s nothing to do, fire off some cannons and make some movements.¡± Liang Zong immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention; Lu Chen was planning to create pressure on Great Wu to force them to make more concessions. Continuing, Liang Zong said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡­ At this very moment. In the Da Yue Dynasty. The Yue Emperor, wearing the Phoenix Robe, was meditating on the Phoenix Throne when a breeze passed through, causing the red curtains to flutter incessantly. At that moment, a female soldier appeared outside the red curtains, holding an envelope. She knelt down and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Wu has agreed to go to the North Country as a hostage.¡± Upon hearing this, the Yue Emperor, who had her eyes closed, immediately opened them. With a wave of her hand, the intelligence report in the female soldier¡¯s hand flew straight into the Yue Emperor¡¯s hands. The Yue Emperor tore open the envelope, her beautiful eyes scanning the information on the letter, and she muttered with some disbelief, ¡°Strange, why would Junwan agree to her Father Emperor¡¯s request?¡± Princess Junwan was a woman with pride. Having spent many years with her, the Yue Emperor knew her personality well. With Princess Junwan¡¯s character, she definitely wouldn¡¯t tolerate the role of a hostage. The Yue Emperor had even intended to have Princess Junwan brought directly to Da Yue, but unexpectedly, Junwan had agreed to go to the North Country as a hostage. Chapter 609 - Chapter 609: Chapter 358 Negotiations Begin_2 Chapter 609: Chapter 358 Negotiations Begin_2 After a moment, the Yue Emperor¡¯s reaction came swiftly, her lips curling into a slight smile before she spoke, ¡°It seems Junwan has not given up yet.¡± The Yue Emperor had pretty much guessed what Wu Junwan intended to do by volunteering to go to North Country as a hostage, most likely eyeing those mysterious weapons of North Country, along with its secrets. If Wu Junwan could uncover the secrets of North Country and obtain the blueprints for manufacturing its weapons, perhaps she would still have a chance to turn her fortunes around. It was just that¡­ At this moment, a look of concern appeared on the Yue Emperor¡¯s face. The North Prince was a lascivious man, and her dear friend was as beautiful as a celestial; sending her to North Country to be a hostage, she feared the North Prince might take an interest in her. The Yue Emperor had no desire to see her dear friend defiled by that despicable man. With this in mind, the Yue Emperor said to the female soldier kneeling outside the curtains, ¡°What has Xue¡¯er been doing lately?¡± The soldier immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, lately, Lord Murong has been frequently visiting the North Prince Mansion, but she returns here every evening.¡± Upon hearing this, a trace of displeasure appeared on the Yue Emperor¡¯s face, ¡°She returns in the evening?¡± In the Yue Emperor¡¯s eyes, if one wanted to control the North Prince, Lord Murong Xue¡¯er needed to engage in relations with him, yet if Murong Xue¡¯er was returning in the evenings, it meant she hadn¡¯t shared the North Prince¡¯s bed, and thus, had not yet secured control over him. The Yue Emperor had always assumed relations between men and women took place at night, so she believed that Murong Xue¡¯er and Lu Chen had not been intimate, but for her plan to succeed, it was imperative Murong Xue¡¯er sacrificed herself. At that time, the Yue Emperor said, ¡°Send a Pigeon Letter to Xue¡¯er, instructing her to find a way into the North Prince¡¯s bed.¡± Her dear friend was about to head to North Country, and she had to control the North Prince before Wu Junwan¡¯s departure in order to prevent any designs he might have on her. Just one night¡¯s sleep with Lu Chen, and he would fall deeply in love with Murong Xue¡¯er, thereafter losing interest in all other women. That way, by securing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s position, the North Prince could be manipulated for her use, Upon hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s command, the soldier kneeling in the sleeping chamber immediately said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty! This servant shall send a Pigeon Letter to Lord Murong at once!¡± The Yue Emperor said icily, ¡°Dismissed.¡± ¡°This servant shall take her leave!¡± The female soldier then rose and left the sleeping chamber. At this time, the Yue Emperor muttered to herself, ¡°I hope my Curse Pattern will work as intended. So long as there are no Celestials in North Country, it should remain undetected¡­¡± Several days later. North Country. In the Hall of Political Affairs. The Great Wu delegation, after almost a month¡¯s wait in North Country, finally got an audience with the North Prince. Unlike the last visit by Great Wu¡¯s envoys to North Country, this time there were no seats for them; they could only stand in the middle of the great hall, even Prince Wu Ming, as they were representatives of the defeated nation. Wu Ming stood in the center of the great hall, looking up at Lu Chen on the throne, his heart heavy with discomfort, his fists involuntarily clenching. After all, he too was a prince of an empire, even a contender for the Crown Prince, yet now he had to stand before a prince of a vassal state, a humiliation he had never before experienced. But as much as he felt aggrieved, Wu Ming neither acted impulsively nor spoke recklessly. Lu Chen also noticed Wu Ming¡¯s discomfort and said with a smile, ¡°Prince Wu Ming, I did not expect to meet you so soon again; your departure from North Country seems just like yesterday, and I have been looking forward to another conversation with you.¡± At these words, Wu Ming let out a cold laugh, struggling to control his emotions as he spoke, ¡°It seems the North Prince is unaware that the Great Wu delegation has been in North Country for some time. Had you known, I presume you would have met with us earlier.¡± Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°Alas, there has been so much to attend to lately; there¡¯s no helping it. Your emperor sent troops to attack North Country, causing significant destruction, and we have been busy with rebuilding everywhere.¡± Wu Ming immediately caught the implication in Lu Chen¡¯s words, sensing that negotiations were about to start. Without delay, Wu Ming said, ¡°North Prince, let¡¯s cut to the chase. What does North Country require to end this war and forgo a counter-attack against Great Wu?¡± Before Lu Chen could reply, Li Rui from within the hall spoke up, ¡°Prince Wu Ming certainly is impatient.¡± Negotiations of this sort did not necessitate the personal intervention of Prince Lu Chen; the officials from North Country present in the hall could handle the bargaining. If Lu Chen personally engaged in the bargaining, it would diminish his stature; it was sufficient for him to simply affirm or deny the results of the talks. Li Rui continued, ¡°Great Wu attacked North Country, causing a tremendous number of soldier deaths, destroyed many of our cities, resulting in significant losses for North Country, and forcing civilians into exile. If Great Wu sincerely wishes for peace, they must show genuine goodwill.¡± Without hesitation, Wu Ming said, ¡°Great Wu is willing to offer ten million taels of silver as compensation.¡± As soon as Wu Ming finished speaking, the Minister of Revenue from the small court stood up and said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming, you¡¯re not jesting with us, right? Ten million taels of silver is hardly enough to provide pensions for our fallen soldiers!¡± At that moment, an envoy from the Great Wu delegation stood up and said, ¡°North Country hasn¡¯t lost many men; there¡¯s no need for so much pension money.¡± Chapter 610 - Chapter 610: Chapter 358 Negotiations Begin_3 Chapter 610: Chapter 358 Negotiations Begin_3 As the discussion ended, an official from the North Country¡¯s Ministry of War stood up and said, ¡°We have not disclosed how many soldiers the North Country has lost, so how could Great Wu possibly know the extent of our casualties?¡± As the official finished, an envoy from Great Wu countered, ¡°With such terrifying weapons at the North Country¡¯s disposal, our soldiers were defeated before they even got close to the North Country¡¯s army. How could the North Country have sustained significant losses?¡± Although it was a humiliating admission, in order to minimize compensation, the members of the Great Wu delegation had no choice but to bring up these points. After the Great Wu envoy finished speaking, the officials from the North Country began to retort, and the whole hall turned into a bargaining scene between the North Country delegation and Great Wu¡¯s ministers, as noisy as a marketplace. Lu Chen sat on the throne, watching as if the whole affair had nothing to do with him. After what seemed like an eternity, Wu Ming finally took the initiative to say, ¡°25 million taels of silver, that¡¯s Great Wu¡¯s final bottom line!¡± Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent. Both the members of Great Wu¡¯s delegation and the officials from the North Country turned their heads to look at Lu Chen on the throne. With a slight upturn of his mouth, Lu Chen responded, ¡°25 million taels of silver? It seems that Great Wu does not want to take back those 200,000 surrendering Great Wu soldiers.¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming and the members of the delegation felt a jolt in their hearts. They definitely needed to get those 200,000 Great Wu soldiers back. They were the elite of Great Wu, and even though they were defeated by the North Country, it was simply because the North Country¡¯s weapons were too advanced. It had nothing to do with the soldiers themselves. If those 200,000 soldiers were not taken back, the power of the Great Wu dynasty would be greatly weakened. Wu Ming asked directly, ¡°North Prince, just name your price in silver.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°30 million taels of silver, without beating around the bush.¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming and the members of the Great Wu delegation breathed a sigh of relief. It was an increase of just 5 million taels, and although 30 million taels was a lot, paying an extra 5 million taels of silver to bring back 200,000 soldiers was a very worthwhile deal. Just as Wu Ming was about to say something, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Plus 5 million taels of gold!¡± Upon hearing this, the delegation from Great Wu exploded in uproar. 5 million taels of gold? What a joke! In that era, 5 million taels of gold was worth 50 million taels of silver. Adding to the previous 30 million taels of silver, the total cost would now be 80 million taels of silver. And gold was a scarce currency. If the Great Wu dynasty compensated the North Country with 5 million taels of gold, there wouldn¡¯t be much gold left in the Great Wu national treasury. The annual tax revenue of the Great Wu dynasty was how much? If they compensated nearly 80 million taels of silver at once, Great Wu would have some tough years ahead. With a dark expression, Wu Ming said, ¡°North Prince, don¡¯t you think the North Country is being a bit too greedy?¡± As Lu Chen was about to say something, a Jinyiwei Guard suddenly entered from the main entrance of the hall, circled around to his side, and bent down to whisper something in Lu Chen¡¯s ear. Lu Chen smiled slightly. Seeing this, Wu Ming and the members of the Great Wu delegation grew even more somber, anticipating that something must have happened. At that moment, an outside soldier announced, ¡°Prince, members from the Great Wu delegation request to enter the hall.¡± Many people had accompanied the Great Wu delegation, but not everyone had entered the hall to negotiate with the officials from the North Country. Some stayed outside, awaiting any news that might come from Great Wu at any moment. When Wu Ming heard that it was his delegation requesting entry, he knew that something must have happened in Great Wu; otherwise, the members of his delegation would not be asking to enter at this time. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Let them in!¡± The next moment, a member of the Great Wu delegation entered the hall, first bowing to Lu Chen on the throne, then quickly walked over to Wu Ming and handed him an envelope. Wu Ming hastily took the envelope and looked it over. Upon reading it, his face turned ashen. A few days earlier, the North Country had dispatched 200,000 troops to camp on the border between Lingtu County and Youping County, occasionally creating thunderous noises. Opposite the North Country¡¯s camp was the North Country¡¯s Heavy Cavalry camp. Although the North Country had no intentions of attacking, a certain general from Great Wu lost his senses, thinking the North Country had let down its guard¡ªand with a flatland ahead, he led his Heavy Cavalry to launch a night raid on the North Country camp. However, not only did the raid fail, but the 20,000 Great Wu Heavy Cavalry were defeated instead. The North Country¡¯s army seized the opportunity to move south, capturing several cities in Lingtu County. After reading the contents of the letter, Wu Ming couldn¡¯t help but crush the entire envelope into a ball. He cursed inwardly, fools, such fools! 20,000 heavy cavalry against 200,000, what gave them the courage! Didn¡¯t they know about the North Country¡¯s terrifying weapons? This turn of events once again put their negotiations at a disadvantage. Lu Chen then said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness Wu Ming, you seem to be looking a bit pale?¡± Wu Ming quickly replied, ¡°North Prince, I am feeling somewhat unwell today. May we discuss the peace terms further tomorrow?¡± Without hesitation, Lu Chen agreed, ¡°Since Your Highness Wu Ming is not feeling well, let¡¯s end it here for today. You must get some good rest.¡± With an act of thanks, Wu Ming said, ¡°I thank the North Prince!¡± Afterward, Wu Ming and the members of the Great Wu delegation turned and left the hall. Watching their receding figures, Lu Chen stood up with a chuckle, ¡°The people of Great Wu are indeed ¡®rich in martial virtue¡¯.¡± I guess they think it¡¯s still the olden days. If it were the previous era of cold weapons, 20,000 Heavy Cavalry launching a night raid on a 200,000-strong infantry camp indeed had a chance of success, given the advantage of their armor. But sadly, times have changed. Moreover, there was another reason for the failure of the Great Wu Heavy Cavalry¡¯s night raid: the caution of Main General Mu Changtian. If the North Country soldiers had truly become complacent, the night raid of Great Wu¡¯s 20,000 Heavy Cavalry might have had a chance to throw the North Country soldiers into disarray. But Mu Changtian, considering the crucial moment of peace talks, anticipated that Great Wu would attempt something to increase their bargaining power, so he remained vigilant. As a result, when Great Wu did indeed send troops to raid the camp, they were thwarted. Chapter 611 - Chapter 611: Chapter 359 The Prince Isnt Pretending At All_1 Chapter 611: Chapter 359 The Prince Isn¡¯t Pretending At All_1 Wu Ming returned to the Great Wu embassy where he stayed and flew into a violent rage, crazily smashing things around. ¡°Idiots! A bunch of idiots!!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t they know I¡¯m still in North Country? Who gave them the courage to launch a sneak attack on North Country soldiers at this time!!!¡± ¡°Are they trying to get me killed!!!¡± As a prince, he was still in another nation¡¯s territory, and yet the armies of his own dynasty had initiated an attack on that country. If this angered North Country, he might just be killed outright by them. Wu Ming now seriously suspected that there were people within the Great Wu dynasty who wanted him dead, so they deliberately let those twenty thousand heavy cavalry attack North Country¡¯s military camp, thereby infuriating the North Prince, and thus achieving their purpose of killing with a borrowed knife. ¡­ After the first round of negotiations ended, Lu Chen returned to the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. He knew that Wu Ming must have already learned about the attack by Great Wu¡¯s heavy cavalry on North Country¡¯s military camp, which was why he was so eager to leave the Hall of Political Affairs earlier. In the matter of negotiations, North Country was the least in a hurry; talking for a few months was not a problem. It all depended on whether Great Wu could withstand the pressure of North Country¡¯s army. The longer the negotiations dragged on, the more disadvantageous it was for Great Wu. As the situation became increasingly unfavorable for Great Wu, North Country would surely gradually increase its demands. On this sunny day, after Lu Chen returned to the inner court, he joined his wives and concubines for tea and chat. At this moment, Lu Chen noticed Yelv Nanyan holding a needle and thread, sewing something together. Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°Nanyan, are you sewing clothes?¡± The clothes of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were all made by a dedicated tailor, so there was no need for the people of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to sew themselves. Moreover, North Prince Mansion had already established a clothing factory, which could provide whatever clothes were needed. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Yelv Nanyan put down her needlework and then replied, ¡°Prince, this concubine thought of making one or two garments for the children while I do not yet have any of my own.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly and said, ¡°If you want any clothes, just tell the clothing factory. There¡¯s no need for you to sew them by hand.¡± Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°This concubine knows, but I am idle nonetheless.¡± Yelv Nanyan, who originally managed the treasury, had gradually transferred her power to the officials arranged by Lu Chen, leaving her with little to do. So, she thought that since she would eventually bear children for Lu Chen, why not use this idle time to hand-make a few sets of clothes for the children. Although she had not yet conceived Lu Chen¡¯s child, she believed that with enough persistence, she would eventually become pregnant with his child, especially since Chu Yuqin and Wang Qingci, the two martial artists, already had Lu Chen¡¯s children. At that moment, Chu Yuqin, not far away, said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the clothes we sew ourselves can¡¯t be compared with those from the clothing factory. Moreover, it¡¯s a mother¡¯s sentiment.¡± Chu Yuqin, as a mother, had experienced the sense of achievement that comes with sewing clothes for her child and knew that this feeling was something Lu Chen, as a man, could not understand. Mu Zixuan smiled gently from the side and then said, ¡°Prince, Sister Nanyan has even prepared clothes for the children. You should try a bit harder.¡± Hearing this, a blush suddenly appeared on Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face. Seeing the beautiful woman blush, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Nanyan, I will make an effort to visit your room more often in the coming days.¡± Yelv Nanyan, not knowing what to say, could only reply, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Just as everyone was joking, at this time a maid entered the inner court saying, ¡°Prince, Miss Murong requests an audience.¡± As the maid¡¯s voice fell, even before Lu Chen could speak, Mu Zixuan said to him, ¡°Prince, Miss Murong¡¯s courtyard has long been prepared. The maids have also been selected, but no one has yet moved in.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to her, and ask her to move into the North Prince Mansion from now on.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll talk to her about this matter later.¡± ¡°Take your time chatting, I¡¯ll be back shortly.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen stood and went directly to the study. As Lu Chen entered the courtyard of the study, he saw that ice-cold stunning woman, Murong Xue¡¯er, silently standing at the entrance of the study, like a snow lotus on a snowy mountain. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s frosty appearance, Lu Chen instantly became intrigued. As he walked towards the entrance of the study, he said, ¡°Xue¡¯er, you¡¯ve become more and more proactive lately.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Murong Xue¡¯er slightly turned her head to look at him, and her heart trembled a little when she saw Lu Chen, this tall, handsome man. For some reason, she felt that having not seen him for a few days, Lu Chen seemed to have become more handsome, and the masculine aura about him had also grown stronger. In Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind, suddenly the image of her first meeting with Lu Chen emerged. Although he already possessed the demeanor of a leader back then, he still had a youthful air, but the Lu Chen of today exuded the mature charisma of a grown man, no longer carrying that youthful air. This made Lu Chen all the more charming. Murong Xue¡¯er felt that she was becoming meaner by the day; just a few days without seeing Lu Chen, and upon seeing him again, her body began to stir with restlessness. She now doubted whether she could ever leave this bad man. Murong Xue¡¯er stated directly, ¡°His Majesty has sent a Pigeon Letter to me, urging me to hasten and become your woman, preferably before the arrival of Princess Wu from Great Wu.¡± As Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words ended, Lu Chen came in front of her. One of his large hands wrapped around her soft waist, pulling her toward the inside of the study while walking and saying, ¡°It seems your Emperor is afraid of what I might do to the Princess from Great Wu, huh?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been quite curious about the relation between the Yue Emperor and Wu Junwan. Come in and tell me exactly what sort of relationship they have.¡± Upon hearing this question from Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er did not directly answer. After Lu Chen, with Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s waist in his arms, entered the study, a wave of his hand closed all the doors and windows on their own. In an instant, the study took on an amorous atmosphere. Without any hesitation, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s slender waist, and before she could say a word, he bent down and claimed her red lips with his. Lu Chen was already well accustomed to such things, and Murong Xue¡¯er did not struggle. She lifted her jade arms and wrapped them around Lu Chen¡¯s neck, cooperating with him as they kissed for a moment. Murong Xue¡¯er had lost her former shyness. She had wholeheartedly accepted everything; after all, she had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, and to her, there was no difference between doing such things once or countless times. After kissing for a while, Lu Chen turned Murong Xue¡¯er around, making her face away from him. Then he reached his arms under her armpits to hug her slender waist from behind, his chest pressing against her jade back, and gently pushed her toward the study¡¯s resting room. Murong Xue¡¯er then said coldly, ¡°Prince, you¡¯re hardly being discreet at all.¡± Previously whenever she came to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Lu Chen would beat around the bush and chat about this and that before taking her to bed. This time, she came and Lu Chen started with his hands and mouth right away, without any prelude whatsoever. Chapter 613 - Chapter 613: Chapter 361 Just Take What You Need_1 Chapter 613: Chapter 361 Just Take What You Need_1 Great Xia Dynasty. Capital city, Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping chambers. The Sum Emperor sat cross-legged on the empty bed with eyes closed, meditating and cultivating. In front of the Sum Emperor was a bead emitting a green glow. If Lu Chen had been there, he would have found that the concentration of spiritual energy in the Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping chambers was hundreds of times denser than outside. The spiritual energy in this world was very thin, so, in theory, there should not be a place with such a concentration of spiritual energy. The reason why the Sum Emperor¡¯s sleeping chambers had such intense spiritual energy was mainly due to the bead in front of him, which was frantically absorbing the world¡¯s spiritual energy. After an indeterminate amount of time, the Sum Emperor suddenly opened his eyes, and the next moment, a shadow entered the sleeping chambers. ¡°Your Majesty, The Master of Divine Communication and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist have already arrived in the North Country. They are being cautious and have not directly made a move against the North Prince. They even skipped New City altogether and instead stayed in the Old City.¡± Although Yan County had built a New City, the Old City had not been demolished, so there were still quite a few common people living in the Old City, which was as prosperous as the New City. After arriving in the North Country, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist and The Master of Divine Communication went straight to the Old City and did not directly head for the New City. The two did not dare to act rashly before they were certain of the real strength of the North Prince Mansion. Especially after hearing that the North Country possessed secret weapons that defeated the Great Wu Dynasty, they became even more cautious. No one was sure whether the North Country might have even more powerful weapons. Upon hearing the shadow¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor let out a cold laugh, then said, ¡°Those two wouldn¡¯t be afraid of Zhuge Zhongguang, would they?¡± At that moment, the shadow said, ¡°The mysterious weapons that appeared in the North Country have made them somewhat wary of the North Prince. They fear the North Prince might have more powerful weapons.¡± The Sum Emperor fell into silence. Not just those two old fellows, he too was incredibly shocked and felt some fear towards the North Country when he heard that they had easily defeated Great Wu with those mysterious weapons, to the extent that Great Wu could only send an envoy to the North Country to seek peace. And even now, he could not fathom from where the North Country had obtained those mysterious weapons. After a long silence, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°Find a way to slip someone into Mysterious Moon Palace to check on what they¡¯ve been doing lately.¡± Hearing this, the shadow said, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m afraid that will be difficult. The spies we previously sent to Mysterious Moon Palace were almost always discovered soon after they entered.¡± The Sum Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Since it¡¯s not easy to send people in, then find a way to buy off the disciples of Mysterious Moon Palace. Everyone has desires, and I don¡¯t believe those who joined the Mysterious Moon Palace are truly doing it to attain enlightenment and become immortals.¡± The shadow immediately said upon hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will handle it at once.¡± The Sum Emperor then waved his hand, and the shadow continued, ¡°I take my leave, Your Majesty.¡± Soon after, the shadow gradually moved away from the room, and once the shadow had left, the Sum Emperor rose from the dragon bed. He walked to the window and looked out at the scenery, muttering to himself, ¡°Could the North Country¡¯s weapons come from Mysterious Moon Palace? If they indeed come from Mysterious Moon Palace, then exterminating the Mysterious Moon Palace in the future will not be easy¡­¡± The Sum Emperor recalled that last year, the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace left the mountain to spend a considerable amount of time in Yan County. A Palace Master abandoning their own sect to stay so long in the North Country was suspicious in itself. Now, the prime suspect was Mysterious Moon Palace. If everything the North Country possessed came from Mysterious Moon Palace, then the Mysterious Moon Palace might have even stronger weapons. With this thought, the Sum Emperor clenched his fist, a cold light flashing in his eyes, ¡°No matter if the North Country¡¯s weapons come from Mysterious Moon Palace or not, I will one day exterminate all the sects within the Great Xia boundaries. The Great Xia is my Great Xia!¡± ¡­ Lu Chen did not know that The Master of Divine Communication and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist had already come to the North Country. Although he had the Brocade Guard keep an eye on them very early on, these two were Pseudo Celestials after all, and it would be very easy for them to avoid surveillance and tracking by the Brocade Guard. Up to now, the Brocade Guard still have no information about those two leaving the Capital city; they still think the pair is in the Capital city. Nevertheless, that doesn¡¯t matter. The hesitation of Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the Master of Divine Communication caused them to miss the best opportunity to act, as Xuanyuan Chaoge has already returned to Yan County from Youping County. As long as the two Pseudo Celestials enter the new city, with Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s Celestial powers of perception, he will inevitably sense their presence. At this moment, Lu Chen lay on the bed with his eyes slightly narrowed, staring straight at Murong Xue¡¯er. Under the active circumstances from Murong Xue¡¯er, it didn¡¯t take long for her to become exhausted. Suddenly, she lay down, resting her entire body on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, her hurried breathing ringing in Lu Chen¡¯s ears nonstop. Lu Chen raised his hand, gently stroking Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s jade back, then smiled and said, ¡°Miss Murong, why do I feel like you¡¯ve turned me into your pet macaque?¡± After taking a few deep breaths, Murong Xue¡¯er then coldly said, ¡°We each take what we need.¡± Lu Chen chuckled lightly; it seemed Murong Xue¡¯er had thoroughly let herself go. Just then, Lu Chen suddenly embraced her willowy waist, flipped over, and placed her beneath him, looking down at her from above. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s face was flushed, her eyes misty, her body exuding an incredibly seductive fragrance, and Murong Xue¡¯er put up no resistance whatsoever. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Now that Miss Murong¡¯s affairs are settled, it¡¯s time to help me with my writing practice.¡± While he spoke, the writing brush and inkstone in the study flew straight to Lu Chen¡¯s side, and Murong Xue¡¯er turned her head away, adopting a posture of willing submission. Lu Chen picked up the writing brush, dipped it in ink, and began to write on her body. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er thought of something, ¡°After Wu Junwan arrives in the North Country, how will the Prince handle her?¡± While writing, Lu Chen said, ¡°Handle her? Why would I handle her?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°Wu Junwan is beautiful and dignified, enchanting in her grace. If she comes to the North Country as a Hostage, surely the Prince wouldn¡¯t pass her by.¡± The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curled up slightly, ¡°Is Xue¡¯er feeling jealous?¡± All of a sudden, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a small ¡°yelp¡± and then replied, ¡°I was just asking casually.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Indeed, I won¡¯t let her go. I will make her a member of my Harem, and then she¡¯ll bear my children.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°She¡¯s a woman with ambition, and she actively agreed to the Martial Emperor to come to the North Country as a Hostage. If she enters the Prince¡¯s Harem, aren¡¯t you afraid that she¡¯ll turn the North Prince Mansion upside down?¡± At that moment, Lu Chen lifted Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s leg, wrote the character ¡°Straight¡± on it, and then casually said, ¡°This spy sent by the Yue Emperor is daringly placed within the Prince¡¯s Mansion, do you think I would worry about her doing something detrimental to the North Country?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Wu Junwan is not me, nor is she like me, and I don¡¯t have the same level of ambition she does.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already warned you, if you end up being tripped up by a woman, don¡¯t blame others.¡± Lu Chen looked at Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s coldly beautiful face and said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Xue¡¯er to start worrying about me proactively, how gratifying.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er snorted coldly, without continuing the conversation. Then Lu Chen flipped Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body over and continued to write on her jade back. After a while, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something, then said, ¡°Right, in a few days come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to assist the tailor in making a Phoenix Robe that the Yue Emperor usually wears to court.¡± Curious, Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°Phoenix Robe? What do you want a Phoenix Robe for?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Wu Junwan aspire to be an Empress? I¡¯ll make her dreams come true.¡± Chapter 614 - Chapter 614: Chapter 362: Then Go Back and Have a Good Discussion_1 Chapter 614: Chapter 362: Then Go Back and Have a Good Discussion_1 After some time spent waiting, Wu Ming finally received a message from the court of Great Wu, as well as the imperial edict from his own father, the Emperor. However, to Wu Ming¡¯s surprise, the court of Great Wu hadn¡¯t really discussed the issue of how much the reparations should be. Without discussion, it meant that the amount of reparations was entirely based on whatever treaty the Great Wu delegation could reach with North Country. It seemed like the Great Wu delegation was given a lot of authority, allowing Wu Ming to make his own decisions, but on the other hand, if the reparations were too hefty, once Wu Ming returned to Great Wu, all the responsibility would fall solely on him. Seeing that the imperial edict sent from Great Wu didn¡¯t mention anything about the amount of reparations, not even a mention, Wu Ming was furious on the inside. His father, the Emperor, had shifted all the pressure onto him. At the very least, he should have been given an idea of the bottom line for the reparations. To say nothing at all, leaving him completely on his own in the negotiations, if the reparations negotiated were below the Martial Emperor¡¯s expectations, that would be one thing. But if they exceeded his expectations, and by a large amount, he might very well lose his chance at the Crown Prince title. Although agitated, Wu Ming nevertheless started the negotiations again. The North Country army already showed signs of continuing their push south. The war needed to end as soon as possible, which was also the intent of his father, the Emperor¡¯s edict. Wu Ming had originally planned to keep stalling, but now with his father, the Emperor¡¯s edict arriving, there was no way he could keep dragging his feet. North Country. Hall of Political Affairs. At the start of today¡¯s negotiations, the members of the Great Wu delegation proposed to reduce the indemnity. Upon hearing their suggestion, the officials of North Country immediately vetoed the proposal, believing that since Great Wu ambushed the North Country camp, the indemnity could only increase, not decrease. After a bout of commotion in the Hall of Political Affairs akin to that of a marketplace, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°Thirty million taels of silver and five million taels of gold are non-negotiable. If Great Wu is unwilling to pay such an amount, then the North Country army will have to personally make a trip to Great Wu for the money.¡± Upon hearing this, the grand hall instantly fell silent, and the members of the Great Wu delegation instantly lost their spirits. With the North Country army already intending to move south, aggravating the North Prince now could really lead to him sending troops southward, potentially causing even greater losses for Great Wu. Wu Ming, with a dark expression, said, ¡°Fine, we will adhere to the North Prince¡¯s terms. Great Wu will pay North Country the thirty million taels of silver plus five million taels of gold, but this money will not be delivered in one single payment.¡± Lu Chen had anticipated that Great Wu would propose to pay in installments, and responded, ¡°The first installment will be twenty million taels of silver plus three million taels of gold. The rest must be paid off by Great Wu within two years; otherwise, the North Country army will personally head south to seek the Martial Emperor for payment.¡± Wu Ming clenched his fists and said, ¡°Thank you, North Prince.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Since the matter of money is settled, let¡¯s now discuss the matter of land.¡± ¡°To prevent Great Wu from attacking the North Country again, I have decided to include Youping County and Lingtu County within the territory of North Country.¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming immediately protested, ¡°North Prince, North Country has already occupied Youping County. Why claim Lingtu County as well? Do you not think your appetite is a bit too large?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°At the beginning, I indeed had no designs on Lingtu County. However, Great Wu soldiers took advantage of the night to ambush the North Country camp, resulting in heavy casualties for our soldiers and causing huge losses to North Country. That I have not demanded reparations is already the extent of my leniency.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming cursed the Great Wu Heavy Cavalry once again in his heart. They just had to ambush the North Country camp during the peace talks, and now another county had been lost. All the important cities of Lingtu County were already occupied by the North Country soldiers, and even if they didn¡¯t agree to cede Lingtu County, it would only be a matter of time before North Country took over the entire county. It was not up to them at all. In order to end the negotiations as quickly as possible, Wu Ming conceded, ¡°Alright, Great Wu agrees to cede Youping County and Lingtu County.¡± Seeing Wu Ming agree so quickly this time, Lu Chen gave a faint smile and then asked, ¡°Prince Wu Ming agrees so readily? Don¡¯t you need to consult the Martial Emperor before making a decision?¡± Wu Ming responded, ¡°My father, the Emperor has entrusted the entire negotiation to me; I have the authority to decide.¡± Lu Chen remarked, ¡°Since Prince Wu Ming has the authority to decide, I won¡¯t belabor the point.¡± Immediately, Lu Chen said to the Jinyiwei Guard beside the throne, ¡°Pass the trade port treaty to Prince Wu Ming for his perusal.¡± Since the conditions of trade were numerous, Lu Chen had already written them down on paper from the start. When the trade treaty reached Wu Ming¡¯s hands, he began to read it earnestly, and his expression became extremely solemn upon seeing the clauses. To be honest, he was not particularly clear about the potential consequences of these clauses, such as settling trade transactions with North Country currency, or allowing North Country merchant caravans into Great Wu. He could only surmise that the North Country might send spies into Great Wu, but he was unable to fathom their deeper intentions. Although Wu Ming did not understand the potential outcomes these clauses might bring forth, he was no fool. He promptly passed the trade treaty in his hands to the members of his entourage to review. The members of his entourage were all high-ranking ministers from Great Wu¡¯s imperial court, and they would surely know what consequences these clauses could lead to. After the members of Great Wu¡¯s entourage read the trade treaty, their expressions grew serious. At that moment, a member of the entourage whispered something into Wu Ming¡¯s ear. Then Wu Ming said to Lu Chen, ¡°The trade treaty is too impactful, I must consult with my father, the Martial Emperor.¡± In his mind, Lu Chen thought that there were indeed smart people in the Great Wu delegation; they probably had already discerned that the North Country intended to control Great Wu economically. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Very well, we will skip over this clause for now. Let us discuss the matter of the hostage.¡± ¡°I believe Prince Wu Ming has already heard that I intend for Great Wu to send a hostage to the North Country.¡± Wu Ming feigned ignorance, asking, ¡°I wonder which prince does the North Prince intend to take as hostage?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I have heard that Prince Wu Ming has been frequenting the Flower Moon Building lately and is quite fond of the girls from the North Country. Since Prince Wu Ming likes the girls from the North Country so much, why doesn¡¯t Prince Wu Ming consider staying as a hostage in the North Country?¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming¡¯s face instantly turned pale. He did not want to be a hostage in the North Country; if he stayed as a hostage in the North Country, he would forever lose his chance at becoming the Crown Prince. Wu Ming immediately responded, ¡°North Prince, my status in Great Wu is not high, and if you make me a hostage in the North Country, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t serve the intended purpose of a hostage. Perhaps the North Prince should reconsider?¡± Seeing Wu Ming¡¯s apparent panic, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward. Seeing Wu Ming flustered and speaking without reserve, a member of the Great Wu entourage quickly stepped forward and said, ¡°North Prince, the foreign minister requests that today¡¯s negotiation end here, so that we may return and report the matter of the hostage to His Majesty the Martial Emperor.¡± Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Prince Wu Ming just said earlier that he has autonomy over this negotiation. It seems now that Prince Wu Ming cannot make decisions on his own.¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming said, ¡°The trade treaty proposed by the North Prince is too complicated, we need to discuss it before making a decision.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Very well, then go back and have a good discussion.¡± ¡°Two days from now, I expect a definitive response, the families of my fallen soldiers are still waiting for the compensation from Great Wu.¡± Wu Ming and the members of the Great Wu delegation subsequently left the Hall of Political Affairs. Watching their departing figures, Lu Chen smiled lightly. He believed that Wu Ming would soon seek him out, to make a deal in private. Chapter 615 - Chapter 615: Chapter 363: Trade_1 Chapter 615: Chapter 363: Trade_1 After the negotiations were paused, Lu Chen briefly discussed some recent affairs of the North Country with its officials before ending the brief court session. Just as Lu Chen had expected, hardly had he returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion when a guard came looking for him, reporting that Prince Wu Ming requested a private audience. Naturally, Lu Chen knew the reason Prince Wu Ming wished to see him, so he directed someone to bring Wu Ming to his study. Once Wu Ming entered the study, Lu Chen greeted him with a smile, ¡°Prince Wu Ming, please take a seat.¡± As the words left his mouth, Lu Chen moved to the area of the study reserved for rest and tea drinking, and Wu Ming promptly sat down at the tea table as well. At this time, Lu Chen addressed the maid at the door of the study, ¡°Xiao Qin, brew the tea.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Wu Ming, and with a smile, he asked, ¡°May I inquire what matter brings Prince Wu Ming to seek a private audience with me?¡± Wu Ming spoke directly, ¡°I want to ask the North Prince if he truly intends to have me remain in the North Country as a hostage.¡± Earlier, in the Hall of Political Affairs, Wu Ming had referred to himself as ¡°this prince,¡± but now, in front of Lu Chen, he was simply using ¡°I,¡± markedly lowering his stance. Hearing Wu Ming¡¯s tone, Lu Chen chuckled softly, then replied, ¡°Prince Wu Ming holds significant influence in Great Wu and is one of the contenders for the Crown Prince. When choosing a hostage, naturally, one must select someone important to Great Wu.¡± ¡°In my view, you are the most suitable.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming quickly responded, ¡°The North Prince flatters me too much. Although there are some ministers in Great Wu¡¯s court who support me, compared to Prince Lu Yi, I¡¯m truly insignificant.¡± ¡°My imperial father sent me here to the North Country; it¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t wish to tarnish Prince Lu Yi¡¯s reputation, proving that he is the most important in my imperial father¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°If the North Prince wishes to select a prince as a hostage, it ought to be Prince Lu Yi. If I were chosen, I fear I would not effectively serve the purpose of a hostage.¡± Lu Chen pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± ¡°But then again, if I were to choose Prince Lu Yi as a hostage, the Martial Emperor likely wouldn¡¯t agree, would he?¡± ¡°After all, you¡¯ve said that he is the most important in your imperial father¡¯s heart.¡± When Wu Ming heard Lu Chen¡¯s response, he was slightly taken aback. ¡°This¡­¡± After collecting his thoughts, Wu Ming stated, ¡°Given that the North Country¡¯s army is at our borders, I believe my imperial father would agree to any conditions you, North Prince, propose.¡± Lu Chen then inquired, ¡°Does that mean your imperial father would also agree to the trade agreement?¡± Wu Ming was momentarily confused; what did this have to do with the trade agreement? Weren¡¯t they discussing the issue of the hostage? While Wu Ming was muddled, he suddenly realized the connection. Subsequently, Wu Ming suggested, ¡°If the North Prince chooses another prince as a hostage, I believe my imperial father would definitely agree to the trade agreement proposed by the North Country.¡± Wu Ming didn¡¯t know what impact the trade agreement might have on Great Wu. However, representatives from the Great Wu delegation had reminded him that, in the current negotiation terms, the trade agreement proposed by the North Country appeared less obviously harmful than a loss of territory or financial indemnity, but its hazards were considerably greater, and it was very likely that the Martial Emperor would not consent. No wonder when they first came to the North Country, the newspapers had announced that Princess Junwan would be the hostage, only for there to be a sudden change to him, Prince Wu Ming. It turned out the North Prince wanted to leverage his power to gain his imperial father¡¯s approval for the trade agreement. It was essentially a trade¡ª if the trade agreement failed to pass, then he could likely be the hostage; if the trade agreement was ratified, another person would serve as the hostage. After hearing Wu Ming¡¯s answer, Lu Chen picked up his tea cup, took a gentle sip, and then stated, ¡°If Prince Wu Ming can persuade the Martial Emperor to agree to the trade agreement, then I shall choose your Princess Junwan as the hostage. However, if Prince Wu Ming is unsuccessful, then please remain in the North Country.¡± Wu Ming immediately said, ¡°North Prince can rest assured, I will definitely persuade Great Wu¡¯s entire court and my father, the Martial Emperor.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then I will wait for the good news from Prince Wu Ming. I hope Prince Wu Ming can act quickly, after all, the families of North Country¡¯s soldiers are still waiting for their pension.¡± Wu Ming then said, ¡°Please give me one more month, North Prince. After one month, I will definitely give you a satisfactory response.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Alright, I will give Prince Wu Ming one more month¡¯s time. I hope Prince Wu Ming does not make me wait in vain for a month.¡± Wu Ming said with a sycophantic smile, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°If the North Prince has no other matters, I will take my leave for today.¡± Having said that, Wu Ming got up directly from his chair, and Lu Chen also immediately stood up and said, ¡°Alright, Prince Wu Ming, please take your time. I will not see you out.¡± Without any further ado, Wu Ming stood up and left. ¡­ Several days later. In the Great Wu court. When the commercial treaty proposed by North Country was relayed back to Great Wu, it instantly caused a stir in the Great Wu court. Though most of the ministers in the Great Wu court were typically inactive, they were not fools. Being the cunning veterans that they were in political circles, the ministers immediately saw through North Country¡¯s intent. North Country was asking Great Wu not only to fully open all markets but even to conduct trades using North Country¡¯s currency. What a joke, to use North Country¡¯s currency! Imagine if North Country goods flooded in en masse, ?¡ªd merchants would then need to use North Country currency to buy North Country goods. Should the volume of goods increase, people might likely abandon Great Wu¡¯s currency in favor of North Country¡¯s. At this point, Chai Jiliang stood up and spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, Great Wu must not agree to this condition from North Country. Although North Country has not yet issued its own currency, their proposal of this treaty proves that they will release new currency before long.¡± ¡°Once North Country¡¯s goods and currency flood into Great Wu, it will be rare for people to use the currency issued by Great Wu.¡± Chai Jiliang, now reinstated to his former office, had once again become Great Wu¡¯s Prime Minister. The main reason Martial Emperor reinstated him was to stabilize Wu Junwan. The Martial Emperor needed Wu Junwan to infiltrate North Country, and to raise her morale, he had to show her a glimmer of hope. The Martial Emperor knew his daughter was intelligent; if her faction ministers were removed and she lost her voice in the court, she might suspect he was leading her on with false promises. Therefore, he immediately reinstated Chai Jiliang, an important figure from Wu Junwan¡¯s faction, to his former office. As Chai Jiliang¡¯s speech concluded, another minister stood up and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, the North Prince harbors ulterior motives. This treaty will harm Great Wu¡¯s long-term interests and must not be agreed upon.¡± Subsequently, a succession of ministers stood up to oppose the commercial treaty proposed by North Country. After the opposing ministers¡¯ voices had somewhat subsided, Martial Emperor scanned the great hall¡¯s ministers and then spoke, ¡°Does any other minister have a different opinion?¡± As Martial Emperor¡¯s words fell, a minister from Prince Wu Ming¡¯s faction stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I believe Mr. Chai¡¯s statement is completely unfounded. In my opinion, this commercial treaty will not harm Great Wu but is actually beneficial.¡± ¡°I believe everyone present here has used some products from North Country. Take white paper, for example. With white paper, Great Wu will no longer need to use bamboo slips and animal skins.¡± As the minister finished speaking, the ministers from Prince Wu Ming¡¯s faction, as if on cue, stood up and expressed their support for the trade agreement, claiming that North Country¡¯s currency would not pose any harm to Great Wu. Chapter 616 - Chapter 616: Chapter 364: Chener, What Are You Making the Phoenix Robe For?_1 Chapter 616: Chapter 364: Chen¡¯er, What Are You Making the Phoenix Robe For?_1 Seeing so many people in the court actually agreeing to the trade treaty proposed by the North Country, Chai Jiliang¡¯s face darkened. He glanced at those who stood up to agree with the North Country¡¯s trade treaty and found that most of them were from Prince Wu Ming¡¯s faction and other ministers without faction affiliation, while the ministers from Prince Lu Yi¡¯s faction had almost remained silent. Now that Prince Wu Ming was still in North Country, and the ministers of his faction had agreed to the trade treaty proposed by the North Country, it suggested that there was likely some deal between Prince Wu Ming and the North Prince, which accounted for the situation in court. At this time, the Martial Emperor looked at the ministers below but did not immediately make a decision. After a long time, the Martial Emperor finally spoke, ¡°Now that the North Country¡¯s great army has already moved south into Lingtu County, if we do not agree to this treaty, I fear the North Country¡¯s army will continue to press south.¡± While saying this, the Martial Emperor¡¯s fingertips tapped continuously on the Dragon Throne, and after a while, he said, ¡°The goods from the North Country are indeed of great use to Great Wu. With North Country in its prime, even if I do not agree to this trade treaty, the North Prince will not easily give up.¡± ¡°Given this, I shall agree to this treaty and put an end to this war as soon as possible.¡± Seeing the Martial Emperor actually saying such words, Chai Jiliang could hardly believe it. The Martial Emperor had always been a hard-liner, someone who belonged to the war faction, the type who would not turn back until hitting a wall. How could he capitulate so quickly today? In fact, the Martial Emperor also had his own considerations; he wanted to quickly conclude the peace talks and then send Wu Junwan to the North Country. As long as Wu Junwan managed to obtain the manufacturing methods and blueprints of the North Country¡¯s weapons, Great Wu would soon be able to restore its strength. By then, all they had lost, he would personally snatch back. He was still in his prime, with plenty of time, and he had a great chance to avenge the past humiliations. ¡­ Soon, the news that the Martial Emperor agreed to the trade treaty reached the North Country. With this, the peace negotiations between North Country and Great Wu were almost completed, with only the issue of the hostage remaining. In the Hall of Political Affairs of the North Country. Prince Wu Ming looked nervously at Lu Chen. Truth be told, he was not entirely certain that Lu Chen would keep his word. After all, his emperor father had already agreed to the trade treaty, and the North Prince could very well renege at this moment and continue to keep him as a hostage. At this time, Prince Wu Ming said, ¡°North Prince, now that the terms of the peace talks have been negotiated, should we not sign a pact?¡± What Prince Wu Ming called a pact was naturally not an alliance pact but a treaty of reparations. The term ¡°pact¡± was used merely for sounding more pleasant. Lu Chen, sitting on his throne, smilingly said, ¡°Of course we can.¡± Then, Lu Chen said to the Jinyiwei Guard next to him, ¡°Bring out the prepared pact.¡± Speaking of this, Lu Chen turned to Prince Wu Ming standing in the great hall and said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming, please be seated.¡± Prince Wu Ming and the members of the Great Wu delegation had been standing for many days now, always on their feet during negotiations, but today, since the treaty was to be signed, they couldn¡¯t be kept standing¡ªit¡¯s impossible to write while standing. As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the officials of North Country on the left of the great hall immediately vacated their seats, and then Prince Wu Ming and the people of the Great Wu delegation took their places. Soon, the Jinyiwei Guard brought two copies of the already drafted pact to Lu Chen and Prince Wu Ming respectively. When Prince Wu Ming saw that the name listed in the hostage section of the scroll was Wu Junwan, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the North Prince had honored the agreement and allowed Wu Junwan to be the hostage in North Country. At that moment, Prince Wu Ming¡¯s long-suppressed emotions seemed to relax, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily curved upward slightly. This woman was finally out of the game! He only needed to bring down Chai Jiliang, the core figure of Wu Junwan¡¯s faction, and then Wu Junwan¡¯s influence in Great Wu¡¯s court would be utterly shattered, and she would never have a chance for a comeback. Thinking of this, Prince Wu Ming felt an immense sense of satisfaction, and after glancing over the other terms of the treaty and finding no issues, he immediately signed and stamped it. Meanwhile, Lu Chen, while signing the scroll, said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming, I hope that upon your return, you will be able to send the hostage promptly.¡± Prince Wu Ming smilingly said, ¡°Please rest assured, North Prince, within a month, my royal sister will appear in Yan County.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It would be for the best.¡± Once the treaty was signed and all procedures completed, Prince Wu Ming immediately rose from his seat and, bowing with his hands clasped, said, ¡°Then we will take our leave.¡± Lu Chen smilingly said, ¡°Prince Wu Ming, you seem to fancy the ladies of North Country so much, don¡¯t you plan to stay in North Country for a while?¡± Wu Ming said, ¡°Thank you for the kind offer, North Prince, but I need to return to Great Wu to report to my father, the Martial Emperor, so I won¡¯t stay for too long.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Very well, safe travels.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Wu Ming swiftly left Yan County with the delegation from Great Wu. Wu Ming couldn¡¯t wait to leave Yan County, not wanting to stay a moment longer than necessary. After signing the treaty, Lu Chen returned to the inner court. He planned to rest well for the next few days before hurrying to father more children, hoping to have several more within a year as he was preparing to head south and seize the throne next year. When Lu Chen returned to the inner court, he was surprised to find Murong Xue¡¯er also there in the Wind Cloud Court. He stood momentarily stunned upon seeing Mu Zixuan and the others chatting with Murong Xue¡¯er. When did Murong Xue¡¯er get along so well with Mu Zixuan and the others? In the past, whenever Murong Xue¡¯er visited the Prince¡¯s Mansion, she would rarely enter the inner court and would usually just go to the study to engage in intimate relations with him. Today, in his absence, Murong Xue¡¯er not only entered the inner court on her visit to the Prince¡¯s Mansion but also struck up a conversation with his wives and concubines. At this moment, the women noticed Lu Chen¡¯s return. They immediately rose to their feet and said, ¡°Greetings, Prince.¡± Lu Chen smiled at Murong Xue¡¯er and inquired, ¡°Miss Murong, what brings you here?¡± Before Murong Xue¡¯er could speak, Mu Zixuan interjected, ¡°Prince, didn¡¯t you ask Miss Murong to help the Mansion¡¯s tailors make a few Phoenix Robes? Miss Murong is here today for that very reason.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen realized what the situation was about. Then, Chu Yuqin asked, puzzled, ¡°Chen¡¯er, why are you having Phoenix Robes made? I heard that the robes you¡¯re commissioning are to be made after the style worn by the Yue Emperor.¡± All the women turned their gazes to Lu Chen, curious about the issue. As a man, if he was interested in that position in the Capital City, it would be logical to have Dragon Robes made in preparation. What use would there be in having red Phoenix Robes made? Lu Chen replied with a light smile, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that among my women, quite a few thirst for power and aspire to be Empress. So I thought I¡¯d give them a chance to experience the joy of being an Empress.¡± As he said this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Yelv Nanyan, who went briefly blank. She quickly spoke up, ¡°Prince, I now only wish to bear sons and daughters for you, and have no other aspirations.¡± Yelv Nanyan thought Lu Chen was hinting that she should be more content with her lot. Lu Chen said, ¡°Nanyan, you¡¯ve misunderstood my intention.¡± Before Lu Chen could explain further, Wang Qingci chuckled and then questioned, ¡°The joy of being an Empress that the Prince speaks of, it wouldn¡¯t happen to be an experience shared in bed, would it?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s eyes landed on Wang Qingci, and he chuckled internally, finding that the wily vixen understood him well. Hearing Wang Qingci say this, the other women grasped Lu Chen¡¯s meaning, their cheeks reddened, and they looked at him with a blend of embarrassment and intrigue. Lu Chen cleared his throat and said, ¡°Wu Junwan is Princess Junwan and is greatly fixated on the idea of becoming an Empress. To ensure she remains content in North Country, her wish has to be fulfilled. And Rongrong is also a princess. Though she is currently in Mysterious Moon Palace, she too harbors dreams of being an Empress. As her darling, it¡¯s only right for me to help realize her dreams, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a reproachful look. ¡°You¡¯re not doing it for them. I think you¡¯re just fixated on the Empress Great Jue, so you want others to wear her Phoenix Robe and play her role.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, I swear, I have no such intentions.¡± Standing by, Wang Qingci said with a sly smile, ¡°The Prince loves role-playing, after all. Look, you already have children and yet you still call her ¡®Madam.''¡± Lu Chen snorted and replied, ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re ganging up to slander me, are you?¡± ¡°Qingci, tonight, you¡¯re to come to Madam Chu¡¯s room! I need to have a good talk with the both of you.¡± Before Wang Qingci could say anything, Chu Yuqin immediately protested, ¡°No way!¡± She and Wang Qingci had always had a poor relationship; she didn¡¯t want to share Lu Chen¡¯s attention with that wily vixen. Wang Qingci, covering her mouth and laughing, said, ¡°I would indeed like to admire Madam Chu¡¯s charm, but unfortunately, Madam Chu will not agree.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether she agrees or not, you must come tonight.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks flushed crimson as she exclaimed, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you!¡± At that moment, a female guard entered the yard and said, ¡°Prince, Master Xuanyuan requests an audience!¡± Lu Chen no longer continued his flirtatious banter with his wives and concubines. Instead, he immediately went to the study. Chapter 617 - Chapter 617: Chapter 365: They Are Preparing to Make a Move Against You_1 Chapter 617: Chapter 365: They Are Preparing to Make a Move Against You_1 Lu Chen had not yet reached the study when, having just left the inner courtyard, he saw Xuanyuan Chaoge. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Xuanyuan Chaoge first paid his respects and then immediately said, ¡°Prince, there¡¯s been a situation in the old city!¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s abrupt statement caught Lu Chen slightly off guard. A situation? What kind of situation? Xuanyuan Chaoge also realized that his statement was too vague, so he hurriedly explained, ¡°This old official chanced upon two powerful auras in the old city, so I took a stroll there, only to discover that there are many martial artists above the Master Realm, and even two individuals whose auras surpass that of a Grandmaster.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was startled for a moment, auras surpassing a Grandmaster? Celestials? Or Pseudo Celestials? Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°Their martial presence is stronger than yours?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°Their auras are actually much weaker than this old official¡¯s.¡± At this point, Xuanyuan Chaoge suddenly thought of something and continued, ¡°The aura they carry is very similar to that of Great Scholar Zhuge.¡± Upon hearing this from Xuanyuan Chaoge, Lu Chen suddenly thought of two people and said thoughtfully, ¡°So, these two individuals are Pseudo Celestials?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge said, ¡°It¡¯s highly probable. I was worried there might be a Celestial behind these two, so I came back to report to you first.¡± After becoming a Celestial, Xuanyuan Chaoge could subtly communicate with the heavens and earth, perfectly blending his aura into the environment, making it impossible for others to detect his true Realm. In his opinion, other Celestials should also possess this ability, so whether or not there are real Celestials behind these two Pseudo Celestials, he couldn¡¯t be certain. Therefore, he did not act rashly but chose to report the situation to Lu Chen first. Hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into deep thought and, after a long while, he finally said, ¡°This Prince has an idea of who these two might be.¡± Then, addressing Xuanyuan Chaoge, Lu Chen said, ¡°Have the Jinyiwei work with you to investigate their identities in the old city later. Once their identities are confirmed, don¡¯t do anything rash, just come back and report to me first.¡± Lu Chen had a system, and confirming those people¡¯s identities was actually quite simple; he merely needed to take a walk in the old city to ascertain them. But if he did that, he might well alarm them, so he planned to have Xuanyuan Chaoge and Liang Zong confirm those individuals¡¯ identities. Subsequently, Lu Chen said to the female guard at the door, ¡°Go and call Commander Liang.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen walked towards the study, continuing, ¡°Come with me to the study and wait for Commander Liang there.¡± Then, Lu Chen, accompanied by Xuanyuan Chaoge, went to the study to await the arrival of Liang Zong. A moment later, Liang Zong hurried to the study and seeing Xuanyuan Chaoge there as well, he became curious about what matter Lu Chen wanted to discuss with him. ¡°Paying respects to the Prince!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There have been auras of two Pseudo Celestials detected in the old city. Have your men work with Lord Xuanyuan to investigate the situation in the old city and find out if the people from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain have arrived.¡± Hearing this, Liang Zong was taken aback. The Brocade Guards of the capital city had been keeping a close watch on where those two old men resided and had not noticed them leaving the capital. If they had left the capital, intelligence from the Brocade Guards should have reached Yan County much earlier, surely not leaving them without any news at present. Just then, Liang Zong suddenly thought of something; some time ago, a Jinyiwei guard had reported to him that the number of people from the capital city who came to do business in Yan County had increased suddenly, and at that time, he had only conducted a rough investigation. Now that he reflected on it, it was likely that the others had disguised themselves as a merchant caravan when they arrived in Yan County, and they were very clever by only going to the old city instead of coming directly to the new city. The inspections in the new city were extremely stringent with Jinyiwei agents among the crowd. Although there were also some soldiers patrolling the old city, those soldiers were not as strict. As long as there were no violent fights or murders, the soldiers in the old city generally did not interfere much. Liang Zong then said, ¡°I will take some men and join Master Xuanyuan to the old city promptly.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Be discreet and avoid startling them.¡± Liang Zong immediately bowed and said, ¡°Understood.¡± Afterward, Xuanyuan Chaoge and Liang Zong set off for the old city, and as they approached it, they disguised themselves as a merchant caravan before entering the old city under that guise. In the following two days, Xuanyuan Chaoge and the Brocade Guard devised ways to gather information about the two individuals, although they did not do so overtly. Posing as merchants and conducting transactions with some of the businesses in the old city, they probed indirectly through their conversations. The disciples from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain were particularly adept at disguising themselves. They did not stay in the inn all the time; if they had, they might have aroused suspicion since, being there for business, it was not plausible to stay inside the inn without engaging in any activities. To avoid arousing suspicion about their identities, the disciples from Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain even opened a tavern in the old city. Using methods to hide his presence, Xuanyuan Chaoge had approached the two Pseudo Celestials and discovered that they hardly spoke anything about North Prince Mansion. Their daily conversations revolved around how great the products from North Country were or how good the wine tasted, as if they were truly merchants. The conversations between these two old men made Xuanyuan Chaoge doubt at times whether he had been discovered. After waiting two days without receiving any news from the Brocade Guard, Lu Chen was perplexed. Was it not just about confirming the identities of those individuals? Why couldn¡¯t it be determined even after two days? Inside the study, Lu Chen directly addressed the maid at the door, ¡°Xiao Rou, fetch a Jinyiwei Guard.¡± Just as the maid was about to confirm, Liang Zong entered the courtyard, ¡°Prince, Commander Liang requests an audience!¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Xiao Rou, you needn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± The next moment, Liang Zong entered the study. Before Liang Zong could even bow, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why has it taken two days to confirm their identities?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen seemed a bit angry, Liang Zong hurriedly explained, ¡°Prince, they have concealed themselves exceptionally well. They didn¡¯t wear the garments of Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain disciples, and they never talk about North Prince Mansion. Their identities are completely indiscernible.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen frowned, ¡°Does this mean their identities are still unconfirmed?¡± Liang Zong continued to reply, ¡°They are confirmed. Last night, one of their disciples, while visiting a brothel, got drunk and got into a conflict. He couldn¡¯t restrain himself and fought using Fixed Wind Mountain¡¯s cultivation technique.¡± Lu Chen was filled with question marks. They had hidden themselves so well, yet they were exposed because a disciple visited a brothel? Could this be too much of a coincidence? At that moment, the maid¡¯s voice once again resonated from the doorway. ¡°Prince, Master Xuanyuan requests an audience!¡± ¡°Come in!¡± Immediately after, Xuanyuan Chaoge entered the study. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness!¡± Lu Chen nodded in acknowledgment. Xuanyuan Chaoge continued, ¡°Your Highness, the two Pseudo Celestials are deeply concealed. This old official hasn¡¯t seen them mention anything about the North Prince Mansion.¡± After some contemplation, Lu Chen then addressed the maid at the door, ¡°Xiao Rou, summon the Great Scholar here.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Shortly after, Zhuge Zhongguang appeared in the study. ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Two Pseudo Celestials have appeared in the old city, suspected to be the old ancestors of Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain. Great Scholar, what do you think should be done about this?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang was taken aback, then asked, ¡°Prince, have their identities been confirmed?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°It¡¯s not certain yet. They are well hidden. I¡¯ve tasked Commander Liang and Lord Xuanyuan to investigate and they¡¯ve only found some traces.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang turned to look at Liang Zong, ¡°May I ask how Commander Liang verified their identities?¡± Liang Zong answered, ¡°One of their disciples went to a brothel to drink. When he became drunk, he ended up fighting and used a technique from Fixed Wind Mountain.¡± After listening to Liang Zong¡¯s reply, Zhuge Zhongguang stroked his beard, contemplating for a while before speaking to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, it seems those people have realized that their identities have been exposed. They are likely preparing to take action against you.¡± ¡­ Chapter 618 - Chapter 618: Chapter 366: Stay Safe, Ill Wait for You to Come Back_1 Chapter 618: Chapter 366: Stay Safe, I¡¯ll Wait for You to Come Back_1 Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, everyone else in the study was stunned for a moment. Lu Chen recovered his wits and asked, ¡°Why does the Great Scholar think so?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°Xuanyuan senior can conceal his presence so that others cannot detect it, but Commander Liang is different. The murderous aura on Commander Liang is too strong. Even if he uses Disguise Skills and others cannot recognize who he is, they can still tell by the murderous aura that he is a Grandmaster.¡± ¡°Those people have concealed themselves so well, yet they were exposed because of a Disciple. This is very likely because they discovered that the North Prince Mansion was investigating them, so they simply exposed themselves deliberately and then lured people to the old city to deal with them.¡± ¡°This old official speculates that they plan to use the strategy of luring the tiger away from the mountain, drawing the skilled experts from the new city to the old city, and then they will directly enter the new city to attack the Prince¡¯s Mansion!¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s reasoning, Lu Chen realized and said that these people had concealed themselves so deeply; how could they allow their Disciples to go to the brothel to drink and even get into a fight with others, using their power¡¯s Cultivation Technique. So, they were deliberately revealing their identities. In that case, were these people really planning to make a move on him? Of course, it could also be a coincidence, but the possibility Zhuge Zhongguang mentioned did seem more likely. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Then what does the Great Scholar think we should do?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang answered, ¡°If Fixed Wind Mountain and Four Directions Mountain are indeed targeting you, Prince, as long as North Prince Mansion sends people to encircle them, they will definitely leave someone in the old city to delay time, allowing another to bring people to the new city to attack the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± ¡°Therefore, Prince, you could let this old official go to the old city to probe, while you and Xuanyuan senior stay in the new city waiting for them to come.¡± After hearing this, Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll make our move tonight.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t want someone constantly threatening his safety. Although he had the strength of a Pseudo Celestial, the wives in his Prince¡¯s Mansion were not strong. If someday these people attacked his wives, they could very likely get hurt, so it was best to eliminate the threat in advance. Then, Lu Chen and Xuanyuan Chaoge began planning. At dusk. During dinner, Lu Chen suddenly said to Wang Qingci at the dining table, ¡°Qingci, I need to go out tonight, so you don¡¯t have to go to Madam Chu¡¯s room.¡± Upon hearing this, all the women at the table were taken aback. Go out? And at night? What was he going out for at night? Lu Chen rarely went out at night; even if he wasn¡¯t in the inner court, he would surely be in the study. Had something happened again? Or was Lu Chen going out to secretly meet a lover? Lu Chen had done similar things before, going out at night and not returning for a whole day, causing his women to worry immensely, only to find out later that he had gone to have a private meeting with Chen Wanrong. At this moment, Wang Qingci asked with a smile, ¡°Prince, whose beauty has caught your eye this time?¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°You¡¯ll know in a few days.¡± Lu Chen did not directly tell them what he was going to do tonight; he didn¡¯t want them to worry. Since Wang Qingci had misunderstood, he let the misunderstanding continue, so they wouldn¡¯t worry. Those assassins had come to kill him at the Prince¡¯s Mansion before; this time, Lu Chen intended to take care of the assassins outside the city, so they would not come and frighten his wives and children. Although Lu Chen said so, Chu Yuqin clearly felt something was off; Lu Chen did not seem like he was going out to meet some woman but instead had something important to do. Even though she had guessed that something significant would happen tonight, Chu Yuqin did not ask directly. She spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, remember to come back early.¡± Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be back early in the morning.¡± Then everyone continued with their meal. After dinner, Lu Chen took a bath and put on the Golden Silk Soft Armor that he had obtained from the hands of assassins. Then he prepared to head to the military camp in the new city. Lu Chen had just reached the door when he noticed the silhouette of a beautiful woman; Chu Yuqin stood under the lantern, seemingly waiting for his arrival. Seeing Chu Yuqin at the door, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, why are you standing here?¡± Chu Yuqin asked directly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, has something happened?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t plan to keep Chu Yuqin in the dark any longer, so he replied, ¡°Assassins have come to Yan County; I plan to deal with them outside the city.¡± ¡°I thought as much,¡± Chu Yuqin said. She had known Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t be absent from the Prince¡¯s Mansion at night without good reason. Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Be careful; I¡¯ll be waiting for your return.¡± She didn¡¯t ask further, knowing what Lu Chen was going out to do was enough. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to keep an eye on the Prince¡¯s Mansion tonight.¡± The main reason Lu Chen chose to tell Chu Yuqin about his plans for the night was to ensure she¡¯d be alert; although he believed they could easily take care of the assassins, there was also the possibility that some might slip through and launch a sneak attack on the North Prince Mansion. Now a Grandmaster, Chu Yuqin could be trusted to watch over the North Prince Mansion; Lu Chen felt somewhat more at ease knowing she was there. With a slight smile, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll protect the North Prince Mansion.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen headed straight for the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Yan County¡¯s night was bustling with activity. There was no curfew, with people and carriages coming and going. Just then, a squad of soldiers rode out from the military camp outside the city, heading straight for the old part of town. Yan County, the old town. Inside a certain tavern. The Master of Divine Communication and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist were sitting face to face. The Master of Divine Communication asked, ¡°Are you sure they will fall for it?¡± Stroking his beard and smiling, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist replied, ¡°Since they have already sent people to investigate, that means they are aware of our existence; they will surely send someone to wipe us out.¡± ¡°Zhuge Zhongguang is equal to us in strength; he won¡¯t fail to come. As long as one of us can hold off Zhuge Zhongguang, the other can easily enter the new district and wipe out the North Prince Mansion.¡± They had almost confirmed through their investigation that there was no one stronger than Zhuge Zhongguang in Yan County. Originally their plan was to join forces to deal with Zhuge Zhongguang, then make their move against the North Prince Mansion. But then they thought, there was no need for such trouble. Their target was the North Prince; why bother with the complicated task of dealing with Zhuge Zhongguang? Although, like them, he was only one step away from becoming a Celestial, that step was no easy feat. The conditions for the two of them to become Celestials were quite stringent, so they didn¡¯t believe Zhuge Zhongguang could merge with the Dao and become a true Celestial in a short time. After listening to the Eternally Mysterious Taoist, the Master of Divine Communication pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Who will go, you or this old man?¡± The Eternally Mysterious Taoist replied, ¡°Naturally, this old man should go. You are stronger than this old man; do you really expect me to hold off Zhuge Zhongguang?¡± The Master of Divine Communication snorted and said, ¡°You¡¯re quite clever, making this old man fight to death, while you take on such an easy task.¡± With a casual tone, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist said, ¡°Zhuge Zhongguang is just a scholar who entered the Dao through literature; how strong could he be? Are you, a Martial Artist, afraid of a scholar?¡± The Master of Divine Communication replied, ¡°You don¡¯t need to provoke this old man; once you¡¯ve dealt with the North Prince, hurry back to help me. Zhuge Zhongguang has never made a move; no one knows the extent of his strength.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said the Eternally Mysterious Taoist. Just then, a man¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Elders, there¡¯s trouble¡ªthe soldiers from Yan County are coming!¡± ¡­ Chapter 619 - Chapter 619: Chapter 367 This Person is Actually the North Prince!_1 Chapter 619: Chapter 367 This Person is Actually the North Prince!_1 Hearing the commotion outside, the Master of Divine Communication immediately rose to his feet. With a lift of his hand, a large saber by the table flew into his grasp, ¡°Alright, now that the fish has bitten the hook, let¡¯s make our move. Once the North Prince is dead, the Sum Emperor should have no obstacles left in becoming a Celestial.¡± The Eternally Mysterious Taoist spoke, ¡°I will take people to the new city immediately. Master of Divine Communication, I¡¯ll leave this place in your hands.¡± The Master of Divine Communication replied, ¡°Stop with the motherly concern and hurry up and kill the North Prince.¡± The Eternally Mysterious Taoist didn¡¯t waste any more words. He promptly left the tavern and, taking his disciples, exited through the North City gates and headed straight for the new city. Before long, the tavern where the Master of Divine Communication was located became surrounded by the soldiers of the North Country, but by this time, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist had already taken some disciples towards the new city. As soon as Zhuge Zhongguang surrounded the tavern, he immediately waved his hand and commanded, ¡°Prepare to attack!¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than the artillery and mortars of the soldiers were aimed at the tavern. At this moment, the voice of the Master of Divine Communication came from inside the tavern. He laughed loudly, ¡°The ways of the world are truly unpredictable, a Literature Saint has actually become the North Prince¡¯s dog.¡± Hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang didn¡¯t get angry. Stroking his beard, he said with a smile, ¡°Visitors are guests, why don¡¯t the two inside come out and meet us?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang had already guessed that the other person might have left the old city for the new city, intending to assassinate the North Prince, but he wasn¡¯t worried about the situation there in the slightest. He also realized that the Master of Divine Communication intended to stall for time, so let him stall. Zhuge Zhongguang actually hoped the people inside could delay a little longer. Zhuge Zhongguang was a scholar. Although he had entered into Dao through literature, his strength might still fall short when compared to a martial artist, and he wasn¡¯t sure he could defeat the Pseudo Celestial inside. It would be best to wait for the matter with Lu Chen to conclude, and then have Xuanyuan Chaoge, a Celestial, come over. After hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, the Master of Divine Communication laughed even harder, ¡°If the Literature Saint truly considers us guests, why would he bring so many soldiers to completely surround our tavern?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°The two inside, the North Prince has been informed of your arrival in the North Country, and has specifically asked me to invite you to the North Prince Mansion. Could it be that the two of you won¡¯t even grant the North Prince this courtesy?¡± The Master of Divine Communication disdainfully said, ¡°He¡¯s but a mere child with a gilded mouth. What qualifications does he have for us to give him any face?¡± Seeing Zhuge Zhongguang and the Master of Divine Communication engaging in a war of words, Liang Zong, who was beside Zhuge, couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Great Scholar, are we not going to take action?¡± To suppress the assassins from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain, they had even launched the heavy weaponry like artillery, with cannonballs already loaded, yet Zhuge Zhongguang was engaging in a war of words with their enemy instead. Liang Zong felt that talking to those inside was purely a waste of time. Zhuge Zhongguang said indifferently, ¡°No need to rush, let¡¯s wait for Xuanyuan, our senior, to come first.¡± Upon hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Liang Zong was taken aback for a moment, but he instantly understood Zhuge¡¯s intention. After that, Zhuge Zhongguang continued to verbally spar with the Master of Divine Communication inside the tavern. Meanwhile. The Eternally Mysterious Taoist, leading the disciples of Fixed Wind Mountain, soon reached the new city. However, just as they arrived in a forest far outside the city gates, the sound of horse hooves reached their ears. The Eternally Mysterious Taoist instantly realized something was amiss, but it was already too late. In no time at all, countless soldiers wielding torches had surrounded them. Seeing this scene, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s brow furrowed as he immediately understood the situation. Apparently, the North Prince had long been aware of their diversionary tactic. But¡­ Did that matter? No, it didn¡¯t! The North Country had only one Pseudo Celestial, Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge Zhongguang could only deal with one location at a time. If Zhuge Zhongguang was here, then the battle in the old city would end quickly, and then the Master of Divine Communication would swiftly lead the disciples from Four Directions Mountain to support them. And if Zhuge Zhongguang went to the old city, then the new city would be without a Pseudo Celestial to preside over it. Just relying on these soldiers, they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop their advance. Thinking this, the Eternally Mysterious Taoist instantly raised his hand and, with two fingers together, made a spell-casting gesture. The next moment, countless flying leaves in the forest converged. ¡°` But just at that moment, a young man wearing a python dragon robe appeared in front of those North Country soldiers. Seeing this scene, Eternally Mysterious Taoist hesitated for a moment. Because he sensed that the young man¡¯s strength was comparable to his own, and even the young man¡¯s aura faintly seemed to be surpassing his. Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s face darkened instantly. A Pseudo Celestial? Does North Country actually have more than one Pseudo Celestial! How is this possible? They had stayed in the old city for so long just to gather clear intelligence on North Country, and after their investigations over this period, they had confirmed that Zhuge Zhongguang was the only Pseudo Celestial there. How could there be another one now? And this Pseudo Celestial was so young, with a glance, Eternally Mysterious Taoist roughly guessed that the man in front of him was definitely not older than thirty. What a joke? A Pseudo Celestial not over thirty years old? Is there really a martial artist with such terrifying Martial Arts Talent? All these old foxes had practiced martial arts for decades and had barely entered the Unity Realm to become a Pseudo Celestial, yet someone under thirty had achieved it. The heavens are too unfair! At this moment, Eternally Mysterious Taoist was cursing the heavens for their injustice in his heart! Just then, Eternally Mysterious Taoist asked cautiously, ¡°Who are you? Why has this old man never heard of a martial artist who can enter the Unity Realm before the age of thirty in this world!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°You came to kill me, yet you do not recognize me. I really wonder why my father, the Sum Emperor, would send people like you.¡± Upon hearing this, Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the disciples from Fixed Wind Mountain immediately became as guarded as if facing a formidable enemy. North Prince!!! This person is actually the North Prince!!! How could the North Prince possess such high Martial Arts Talent!!! Considering his age, the North Prince seems not to have even reached twenty years old yet! He has actually entered the Unity Realm! Become a Pseudo Celestial! Eternally Mysterious Taoist was stunned for a moment; he had not expected that the young man he was facing was actually the target of their mission! After a while, Eternally Mysterious Taoist finally came back to his senses, thinking to himself. Although the North Prince possesses such high Martial Arts Talent, his realm has risen too quickly, which could mean that his foundation is unstable, and may not be able to exhibit the strength of a Pseudo Celestial. In which case, he could not possibly be a match for me. With this thought, Eternally Mysterious Taoist breathed a sigh of relief, he had almost been intimidated by the North Prince. Eternally Mysterious Taoist then said, ¡°It is unexpected, Your Highness, that you possess such high Martial Arts Talent, but unfortunately, a genius must be alive to be called a genius.¡± Lu Chen, with a neutral tone, said, ¡°Does that mean, Eternally Mysterious Taoist, that you believe I am bound to die tonight?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen directly stating his name, Eternally Mysterious Taoist was taken aback once again. He knew North Country had an intelligence agency named the Brocade Guard, but he had not expected them to be so capable as to have already learned his name. In fact, the Brocade Guard had nothing to do with it, for Lu Chen had identified Eternally Mysterious Taoist the moment he saw him with the help of his system. Now, Eternally Mysterious Taoist did not intend to waste any more words. The leaves around him continued to gather, and then he shouted, ¡°Let this old man test how strong Your Highness really is!¡± In the midst of speaking, countless flying leaves rushed towards Lu Chen. ¡°` Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: Chapter 368: Used Less Than 10% of Strength_1 Chapter 620: Chapter 368: Used Less Than 10% of Strength_1 Seeing these flying leaves, Lu Chen was unimpressed. Just as the leaves were about to touch Lu Chen¡¯s body, the surrounding space-time suddenly paused, and the leaves all hung in mid-air. A moment later, the leaves wilted down, fluttering through the sky before slowly falling to the ground. Seeing this, Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s face darkened. He hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to block his attack so easily; he hadn¡¯t even seen how Lu Chen made his move. No, to be precise, Lu Chen didn¡¯t make a move at all! What was going on? For a moment, Eternally Mysterious Taoist felt a strong sense of crisis. At this moment, the forest suddenly became eerily quiet, so quiet that it seemed one could hear their own heartbeat. Just then, Eternally Mysterious Taoist suddenly made a move again. Countless flying leaves merged into one, and a tangible current of air echoed around his body, swirling the leaves into more than a dozen tornadoes. The leaves spun steadily in the tornadoes, and soon sword lights appeared. Eternally Mysterious Taoist didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen could block his attack this time. Seeing Eternally Mysterious Taoist use this move, the disciples of Fixed Wind Mountain exclaimed one after another. ¡°Whirlwind!¡± ¡°This is the old ancestor¡¯s signature move!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that the North Prince can block it this time!¡± ¡°Such terrifying power¡­ I never thought I¡¯d see the old ancestor use Whirlwind in my lifetime!¡± ¡­ After the tornadoes flew towards Lu Chen, the sword lights inside trembled non-stop, and the power of the tornadoes was terrifying. Everywhere it passed, it ground trees into powder. This move indeed had great power, but Lu Chen still stood in place, unmoving. Seeing Lu Chen still standing, Eternally Mysterious Taoist was puzzled. He couldn¡¯t believe anyone could easily catch this move. Even if the other party was a Pseudo Celestial, even the Master of Divine Communication wouldn¡¯t dare to face this move head-on. Yet the North Prince was just standing there, unmoved! Could it be that the North Prince was so intimidated by this move that he forgot to dodge at first? While Eternally Mysterious Taoist was in a state of confusion, suddenly an elder walked up to Lu Chen¡¯s side. Only then did people realize that there was an old man who looked like an ordinary person next to Lu Chen. This¡­ What was this old man doing here? Just as Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the disciples of Fixed Wind Mountain were baffled, they saw the elder slowly raise his hand, and the next moment, an immense pressure released from the elder¡¯s body. Immediately after, a tangible force of Spiritual Power transformed into a huge palm print that shot toward those tornadoes. Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s face changed dramatically! This wasn¡¯t good! Before he could warn the people of Fixed Wind Mountain to take cover, the palm print had already quelled the Whirlwind. But it wasn¡¯t over; the palm print did not dissipate. In an instant, Eternally Mysterious Taoist felt an overwhelming sense of despair. He wasn¡¯t a fool. Anyone who could so easily block his Whirlwind and unleash such a terrifying pressure was definitely not an ordinary person, and certainly not a Pseudo Celestial like them. This elder¡¯s strength was undoubtedly Above Celestials. What realm is Above Celestials? That would be a Celestial! North Country actually had a Celestial! How was that possible! After the incident with Zhuge Zhongguang, people thought that North Country was merely bluffing under the guise of a ¡°Celestial,¡± that North Country couldn¡¯t possibly have a Celestial, which is why they dressed up Zhuge Zhongguang as one. The Celestial had actually appeared before them! If they had known that North Country possessed a Celestial, they would have never come to North Country, let alone cooperate with the Sum Emperor, or even leave the mountains in the first place. For a moment, Eternally Mysterious Taoist was filled with immense regret; they should never have come to North Country. Eternally Mysterious Taoist clenched his teeth and immediately circulated his full skill throughout his body. So what if it¡¯s a Celestial! He was, after all, a Pseudo Celestial! He refused to believe that a Pseudo Celestial had no chance of fighting back in the presence of a Celestial. With that thought, Eternally Mysterious Taoist converged all his skill into a roaring dragon. The dragon charged straight towards Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s palm imprint. As soon as the palm imprint made contact with the dragon, it exploded instantly, and the subsequent shockwave from the explosion sent warriors of lower realms flying. When the aftershocks of the explosion had subsided, people could finally see Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s condition; he was covered in blood, his clothes in tatters, hanging in strips. But he did not fall, still standing in his place, and he said with a laugh, ¡°Hahaha, this old man has blocked the attack of a Celestial!¡± ¡°What of Celestials! Even if this old man is not a Celestial, nobody can take this old man¡¯s life!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen asked Xuanyuan Chaoge who stood beside him, ¡°How much strength did you use?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°This old servant feared accidentally obliterating him, body and spirit, so I used less than ten percent of my strength.¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s reply, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Ten percent? The strength of Celestials was truly terrifying indeed. It seemed that although there was only a single word difference between Celestial and Pseudo Celestial, the disparity was as vast as heaven and earth. At that moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°You need not take action anymore; leave the rest to this prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chaoge hesitated for a moment, then quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, be careful, although he is severely injured, a cornered dog will leap over a wall, and if he plans to self-destruct his Dantian later, it will be difficult for you to avoid it.¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, before this prince, self-destructing his Dantian won¡¯t be so easy.¡± During the conversation, Lu Chen launched himself with a push of his legs, charging straight at Eternally Mysterious Taoist. Seeing Lu Chen take action, the disciples from Fixed Wind Mountain instantly panicked, and an Elder from Fixed Wind Mountain swiftly moved to shield Eternally Mysterious Taoist. He was at the Grandmaster level, and he thought that since the other party was only a Pseudo Celestial, he should be able to block it. However, as Lu Chen was about to reach them, he suddenly drew a longsword. Lu Chen rarely personally took action, but his moves were incredibly proficient. The next moment, Lu Chen swung his sword, sending countless beams of Sword Qi towards the Grandmaster Elder like surging waves, as the Elder hastily tried to defend himself with his skill. But in the next instant, he was sent flying, yet the Sword Qi did not hurt Eternally Mysterious Taoist, as a tangible protective shield appeared before him. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to still have some energy left!¡± Eternally Mysterious Taoist snorted coldly and said, ¡°You petulant child, to think you can kill me! Utterly delusional!¡± In the midst of speaking, Eternally Mysterious Taoist suddenly took out a stone. Seeing this, Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s face changed dramatically. He was about to warn Lu Chen when a terrifying power exploded instantly. Lu Chen reacted quickly, retreating speedily and then using his Protective Gang Qi to fend off the explosion. After the explosion had ended, Eternally Mysterious Taoist was nowhere to be seen, and Lu Chen immediately realized that the man had seen he couldn¡¯t win, so he had decided to escape. Lu Chen promptly said to Xuanyuan Chaoge, ¡°Lord Xuanyuan, bring him back!¡± No sooner had Lu Chen¡¯s words fallen than Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s body disappeared from the spot. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced at the people from Fixed Wind Mountain, noticing their loyalty was largely negative. Knowing he couldn¡¯t win them over, he directly instructed the soldiers behind him, ¡°Kill them all!¡± The next moment, the sounds of cannon and gunfire echoed through the woods, and soon only bodies were left scattered everywhere. Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Chapter 369: Eternally Mysterious Taoist Self-Destructs_1 Chapter 621: Chapter 369: Eternally Mysterious Taoist Self-Destructs_1 Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s figure continuously darted through the forest, cursing the Sum Emperor in his heart as he fled. If it weren¡¯t for the Sum Emperor, he wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this predicament. Fortunately, he still had an Exploding Spirit Pill on him. The blast it caused was so powerful that even if it hadn¡¯t injured the Celestial, it would at least hold him off for a moment. Eternally Mysterious Taoist believed in his heart that he could successfully escape. He had lived over a hundred years and faced many dangers, always turning them into blessings. He was certain this time would be no different. Just as Eternally Mysterious Taoist was comforting himself, suddenly a terrifying pressure descended from the sky, rendering his body immobile in an instant. Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s face changed drastically; he had not expected the other party to catch up so quickly. Luckily, the state of immobility was lifted in just a moment. As soon as Eternally Mysterious Taoist could move, he immediately counterattacked. More than a dozen tornadoes burst forth from either side of his body and continued to grow larger. Using Whirlwind again, the spiritual power inside Eternally Mysterious Taoist was nearly depleted. He knew that if he continued like this, he would certainly die here, so he immediately consumed a pill. The next moment, Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s skin turned bright red, and his eyes became blood-red. Seeing this scene, Xuanyuan Chaoge simply smiled faintly, ¡°So you¡¯re prepared to fight to the death?¡± Although Xuanyuan Chaoge did not know what potion Eternally Mysterious Taoist had taken, he could tell from his body that it must be a pill that temporarily increased his skill. Such pills, which boost skill in a short time, were usually forbidden. Consuming these could cause tremendous damage to one¡¯s body, some of which was irreversible. These kinds of drugs were generally used in desperate situations. At that moment, Eternally Mysterious Taoist shouted, ¡°So what if you¡¯re a Celestial! Today, I shall slay a Celestial beyond my own Realm!¡± As he spoke, all the leaves in the vicinity started to converge towards Eternally Mysterious Taoist. Soon, he was surrounded by those leaves. The next moment, a giant dragon made up of leaves charged straight at Xuanyuan Chaoge. Watching the incoming tornadoes and the giant leaf dragon, Xuanyuan Chaoge didn¡¯t show a trace of panic. He slowly raised his right hand. In an instant, the world seemed to freeze. Streaks of cold light flew out from Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s body. In just a brief moment, the tornadoes and the giant dragon were shattered by the cold light. Seeing this, Eternally Mysterious Taoist fell to pieces. ¡°How¡­ how is this possible¡­¡± Eternally Mysterious Taoist collapsed to the ground, unable to move. This was his last desperate strike, but it had been neutralized in an instant by the opponent. Is this what a Celestial is? Is a Celestial¡¯s power truly so vast? He was after all a Pseudo Celestial! Just one word difference, yet why is the gap so immense! He couldn¡¯t accept this! With great difficulty, he had become a Pseudo Celestial and was just one step away from becoming a true Celestial, and yet, he was about to die here! Just then, Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s blood-red eyes suddenly stared fixedly at Xuanyuan Chaoge. His body violently rose from the ground, then with a push of his legs, he rapidly charged at Xuanyuan Chaoge. Xuanyuan Chaoge was startled for a moment, but then quickly understood. He saw through Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s intent; Eternally Mysterious Taoist was planning to self-destruct his Dantian and perish together with him. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately struck with his palm, sending out a massive palm print directly towards Eternally Mysterious Taoist. As soon as the palm print touched Eternally Mysterious Taoist, his body exploded instantly. The self-destruction of a Pseudo Celestial was mightier than the cannons of the North Country. In just an instant, the trees in the center of the forest were destroyed. The earth shook and the aftershocks flew, carrying away the soldiers around Lu Chen. Feeling the disturbance from the heart of the forest, Lu Chen frowned. He had basically guessed what was happening; the power of the explosion suggested that the Eternally Mysterious Taoist had likely self-destructed his Dantian. Originally, he had been using the Absorption Technique to take the Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s skill, but it seemed his plan had gone awry. However, it didn¡¯t matter. Although the Eternally Mysterious Taoist was dead, as long as he hurried to the old city, he would still be able to absorb the Sect Hierarch¡¯s skill. Now, although absorbing other¡¯s skill no longer increased his Realm, the skills he absorbed could make him stronger, and any excess skill could be transformed and transferred to others. Mu Zixuan, Dazhou, and Xiaozhou had all become first-grade Martial Artists. They could now receive more of his skill, and by infusing them with more skill, their speed of Realm advancement would greatly accelerate. Hence, regardless of whether others¡¯ skills could enhance his own Realm, Lu Chen did not intend to waste them. Some time later, Xuanyuan Chaoge returned to Lu Chen. Despite the considerable power of a Pseudo Celestial¡¯s self-destruction, it was utterly impossible to kill a Celestial through such an act. However, when Xuanyuan Chaoge returned to Lu Chen, his clothes were somewhat tattered. His body could withstand the explosion, but his clothes could not. Seeing Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s disheveled state, Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge promptly responded, ¡°Your servant is incompetent and could not bring that person back alive.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, as long as he is dead.¡± ¡°How about you?¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°Your servant is unharmed; although the blast from his Dantian self-detonation was powerful, it didn¡¯t penetrate through your servant¡¯s Protective Gang Qi.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised; such a large explosion still hadn¡¯t breached a Celestial¡¯s Protective Gang Qi. Had the strength of Celestials already reached such a level? That being the case, would firearms be completely ineffective against a Celestial? And he wondered if nuclear weapons would work¡­ As Lu Chen was lost in thought, Xuanyuan Chaoge reminded him, ¡°My King, we should hurry to the old city. The noise just now was too loud, and I fear they¡¯re already alerted over there. If we¡¯re too late, those assassins might escape.¡± Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s go! To the old city at once!¡± Following that, Lu Chen led his soldiers towards the old city. ¡­ In the old city of Yan County. Zhuge Zhongguang and the Master of Divine Communication still hadn¡¯t taken action; both were still verbally confronting each other. At that moment, Zhuge Zhongguang tried to persuade, ¡°As the Son of Destiny, the North Prince will inevitably unite the world under one king. In the future, no matter the power, all will submit to the North Prince. Why don¡¯t you pledge allegiance now, make your mark and accomplish great deeds? Do you really have to wait until the North Country¡¯s cavalry flattens your strongholds before you bow your heads?¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, the Master of Divine Communication let out a laugh, then retorted, ¡°Ridiculous, Zhuge the old traitor, you being a dog is your own business, and yet you have the shamelessness to want us to be dogs with you.¡± Just then, a giant mushroom cloud appeared in the distance, followed by the earth shaking and mountains swaying. Approaching closer, a faint wave of Spiritual Power swept over everyone¡¯s body. Despite its severely weakened force, it almost knocked those ordinary people to the ground. Sensing the magnitude of this wave of Spiritual Power, the Master of Divine Communication¡¯s expression drastically changed. His eyes, fixed through the window on the mushroom cloud emanating red light in the direction of the new city, were filled with alarm. The Master of Divine Communication muttered, ¡°Such a massive blast¡­ could it be that a Pseudo Celestial has self-destructed?¡± ¡°Could that old thing Heng Yu have run into trouble?¡± Chapter 622 - Chapter 622: Chapter 370 That is a Celestial!!!_1 Chapter 622: Chapter 370 That is a Celestial!!!_1 Seeing the blood-red mushroom cloud from the explosion in the distance, Zhuge Zhongguang realized the affair at New City had ended. With Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s speed, he feared Chaoge would soon arrive at the old city. At this point, there was no need to continue wasting time with the pseudo-celestial inside. Thinking this, Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°It looks like the ones you sent to assassinate the Prince at New City have been executed. Next, it¡¯s your turn. I¡¯ll give you one last chance. If you refuse to surrender, then death is the only path left for you.¡± Upon hearing these words, the Master of Divine Communication¡¯s face turned ashen. How did Zhuge Zhongguang know they had sent people to New City? Could it be¡­ Had Zhuge Zhongguang and his team known about his and Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s plan from the very beginning, so they simply played along to bait the Eternally Mysterious Taoist into their trap? Even if that were the case, there was only one pseudo-celestial, Zhuge Zhongguang, in Yan County, and with him standing right here, shouldn¡¯t the Eternally Mysterious Taoist have been able to break into New City no matter what? They had considered the possibility that their plan could be discovered from the start. But considering they had two pseudo-celestials on their side against the single one in Yan County, with the most crucial point being that Zhuge Zhongguang was a scholar, at best he should have been able to only restrain one of them. So even if their scheming was discovered, it should have been no significant setback. How was the Eternally Mysterious Taoist driven to self-destruct? Was that blood-red cloud truly formed by the Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s self-destruction? Or was it the result of a mysterious weapon from North Country? North Country¡¯s weaponry was immensely powerful, creating scenes reminiscent of martial artists self-destructing their dantians. They had already known this. At this moment, the Master of Divine Communication could not be certain if it was the Eternally Mysterious Taoist who had self-destructed his dantian or if North Country had deployed a more potent weapon. Seeing no movement from within the tavern, Zhuge Zhongguang spoke indifferently, ¡°Gentlemen, I have given you a chance. Since you refuse to surrender, don¡¯t blame me.¡± Then Zhuge Zhongguang commanded, ¡°Attack!¡± The next moment, over a dozen cannonballs flew toward the tavern where the Master of Divine Communication was. Hearing the roar outside, he immediately snapped back to reality. He quickly said to the tavern¡¯s disciples, ¡°Watch out for those iron balls!¡± As soon as the Master of Divine Communication finished speaking, one of the iron balls exploded on the tavern¡¯s roof, blowing a huge hole in it instantly. One after another, countless cannonballs poured through the gaping hole in the roof. In an instant, the tavern was filled with continuous explosions, pained screams, and frantic cries. Witnessing this scene, the Master of Divine Communication could no longer hold back and charged at Zhuge Zhongguang with a great knife. Seeing a figure swiftly approach Zhuge Zhongguang, Liang Zong promptly warned, ¡°Great Scholar, be careful!¡± Liang Zong had hardly finished speaking when Zhuge Zhongguang suddenly raised his hand. Immediately, golden protective Gang Qi surrounded his body, with countless verses of poetry flowing within the golden Qi. The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s knife struck Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s protective Gang Qi. The Master of Divine Communication viciously said, ¡°I want to see just how formidable you, the Literature Saint, truly are!¡± As he spoke, the Master of Divine Communication concentrated his full skill and unleashed his ultimate technique. ¡°Heavenly Destruction Eighteen Slash!!!¡± Following that, a purple light directly struck Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s protective Gang Qi. When the purple blade Qi touched Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s protective Gang Qi, a crack immediately appeared. Seeing this, Liang Zong¡¯s complexion drastically changed. He thought to himself, Zhuge Zhongguang was only a scholar, and even though he was now a pseudo-celestial, when compared to martial artists, his strength would still be lacking. It was possible that Zhuge wasn¡¯t a match for this man in front of him. Liang Zong immediately made a move against the Master of Divine Communication. Zhuge Zhongguang was a Great Scholar of North Country, handling many of its government affairs. He couldn¡¯t afford an accident; if something happened to him, wouldn¡¯t the North Prince hold him, the Commander of the Brocade Guard, responsible? Just as Liang Zong was about to reach the Master of Divine Communication, a purple blade Qi swung out towards Liang Zong, approaching him at incredible speed. Liang Zong hadn¡¯t even reacted before the blade Qi closed in. Liang Zong hastily raised his knife to block, but the moment the purple blade energy touched him, both he and his knife were sent flying, and Liang Zong¡¯s body instantly crashed through over a dozen houses. Liang Zong immediately felt intense pain in his body as if all his bones had shattered. He couldn¡¯t help feeling utterly shocked inside. Was this the strength of a Pseudo Celestial? He had already exerted all his strength to block that strike, yet it had still not been enough to withstand it. At the same time, the Sect Hierarch of Divine Communication continued to furiously hack at Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s Protective Gang Qi. With each slash, the power increased tenfold, and as the cracks in his Protective Gang Qi grew larger, Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s face remained unpanicked. At that moment, he raised his hand, swung it, and then shouted loudly, ¡°Suppress!¡± A surge of Spiritual Energy burst forth from his body, and when that golden Spiritual Energy made contact with the body of the Sect Hierarch, the Hierarch suddenly felt completely paralyzed, as if something had bound him. Zhuge Zhongguang, who had taken the Literary path to the Dao, was indeed not as adept at killing as Martial Artists, which didn¡¯t mean he lacked power. The Sect Hierarch was momentarily dumbfounded. He hadn¡¯t expected Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s move to be so powerful as to instantly seal off all his skill. The Sect Hierarch quickly tried to break free from the restraint, at which point Zhuge Zhongguang made a flicking gesture with his hand and commanded, ¡°Attack!¡± The next moment, a beam of golden light shot out from Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s fingertip, instantly hitting the body of the Sect Hierarch, who was blasted away just like Liang Zong before him, crashing through over a dozen houses. However, this also allowed the Sect Hierarch to recover. Feeling the Spiritual Energy within his body again, he leapt to his feet. Although he had been wounded by Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s previous attack, his life was not in danger. The Sect Hierarch spat out a mouthful of blood, then, gripping the knife in his hand, he said, ¡°I truly did not expect, a weak scholar such as yourself, to possess such strength. I underestimated you!¡± ¡°I wonder if you can catch this next move!¡± As he spoke, the body of the Sect Hierarch disappeared on the spot, transforming into a lingering shadow, charging straight for Zhuge Zhongguang. Just as he was about to reach Zhuge Zhongguang, he suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure, and his body was immediately immobilized by this force. The Sect Hierarch was instantly stunned. Who had unleashed this pressure? How could there be such a terrifying presence? The next moment, Xuanyuan Chaoge and Lu Chen appeared in front of Zhuge Zhongguang. Seeing that the newcomers were a young man and an elder, both emitting a presence not inferior to that of a Pseudo Celestial, the Sect Hierarch was dumbfounded again. Two more Pseudo Celestials? How could North Country have so many who have reached the Unity Realm, when there had been only one anomaly in North Country? What was going on? Where had these Pseudo Celestials come from? No, that was wrong¡­ Just as the Sect Hierarch thought both the arrivals were Pseudo Celestials, he suddenly realized that the presence exuding from the elder was even more terrifying; it simply couldn¡¯t be the aura of a Pseudo Celestial. He himself was a Pseudo Celestial and was very clear about the kind of might a Pseudo Celestial could unleash. If the elder¡¯s presence could press down on him so heavily that he was left breathless, it meant the elder¡¯s strength far surpassed his own. A Celestial¡­ A Celestial!!! That was a Celestial!!! The face of the Sect Hierarch instantly turned pale! Chapter 623 - Chapter 623: Chapter 371: Impossible, How Could You Possibly Be the North Prince!!!_1 Chapter 623: Chapter 371: Impossible, How Could You Possibly Be the North Prince!!!_1 ¡°` North Country actually has a Celestial!!! How is this possible? The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s entire mind went blank; he had never considered the possibility of a Celestial appearing in the North Country. When he snapped back to reality, the Master of Divine Communication suddenly thought of something. Mysterious Moon Palace¡­ It must be Mysterious Moon Palace! The Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace stayed at North Prince Mansion for quite a long time, didn¡¯t she? This proves that the North Prince has a very good relationship with Mysterious Moon Palace, so this Celestial must have been sent by them! An idea to escape flashed through the Master of Divine Communication¡¯s mind instantaneously. He was already struggling to deal with Zhuge Zhongguang, and now, not only was there a Pseudo Celestial, but also a genuine Celestial. There was no way he could be their match. At this moment, the Master of Divine Communication gripped the knife in his hand and swung it fiercely. Heavenly Destruction Eighteen Slash!!! In the next instant, eighteen purple streaks of blade energy flew towards Lu Chen and the others. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately raised his hand and struck out with his palm, dispersing the eighteen blade energies instantaneously. But when the dust settled, the Master of Divine Communication had vanished without a trace. Seeing that the Master of Divine Communication was fleeing, Xuanyuan Chaoge was about to take action when Lu Chen said at his side, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, let¡¯s wait until he leaves the city.¡± The self-destruction of Eternally Mysterious Taoist just now was enough to destroy a city. If it weren¡¯t for its distance from New City, the New City would surely have been affected. If they were to attack the Master of Divine Communication now and push him into a corner, he might just detonate his Dantian just like Eternally Mysterious Taoist did. If it happened within the city, the common people would certainly not survive, so it would be best to take action outside the city. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reminder, Xuanyuan Chaoge instantly understood and promptly said, ¡°This old servant understands.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge then released his spiritual power, sensing the exact location of the Master of Divine Communication, but he did not pursue him immediately. After a short while, the Master of Divine Communication left the old city. With the speed of a Pseudo Celestial, it would take only the blink of an eye for him to cover several thousand meters. Feeling that the Master of Divine Communication was sufficiently far from the old city, Xuanyuan Chaoge spoke to Lu Chen, ¡°Great King, the Master of Divine Communication has left the old city. Even if he detonates his Dantian now, it will no longer affect the old city.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Good, let¡¯s set off then, and take me with you.¡± ¡°Yes, Great King.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Xuanyuan Chaoge placed his hand on Lu Chen¡¯s shoulder. In the blink of an eye, Xuanyuan Chaoge had brought Lu Chen to the Master of Divine Communication¡¯s front. At this moment, the Master of Divine Communication, thinking that no one was pursuing him, felt extremely exhilarated, believing he had escaped. Little did he know that Xuanyuan Chaoge and Lu Chen were already waiting for him ahead. The Master of Divine Communication then cursed, ¡°What a damn Celestial! Still couldn¡¯t catch up with me!¡± ¡°Lucky I ran fast enough, otherwise I would have ended up like Eternally Mysterious, that fellow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all Sum Emperor¡¯s fault. This is surely all a trap set by Sum Emperor. He wants to use the North Country Celestial to get rid of us. Once I make it back alive, I will definitely lead Four Directions Mountain to attack Great Sum!¡± As the Master of Divine Communication was muttering to himself, a voice came from afar, ¡°To lead Four Directions Mountain to attack Great Sum, I¡¯m afraid you no longer have that chance.¡± Hearing this voice, the Master of Divine Communication froze, halting in his tracks instantly. And that¡¯s when he violently realized that the young Pseudo Celestial and the Celestial were waiting for him up ahead. How could this be¡­ He had fled at full speed, using all his power, and he had not sensed anyone catching up to him just before. How could these two appear in front of him! The Master of Divine Communication immediately tightened his grip on the large knife, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± ¡°` Hearing this question, Lu Chen chuckled, it seemed The Master of Divine Communication was just as clueless as Eternally Mysterious Taoist about his own appearance. But that wasn¡¯t surprising, after all, he had always stayed in the North Prince Mansion and seldom came out. Then Lu Chen said, ¡°Isn¡¯t The Master of Divine Communication here to kill me? How come you don¡¯t even know who I am? You¡¯re not very competent as an assassin.¡± Upon hearing this, the same expression that had previously been on Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s face now appeared on The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s. He widened his eyes, looking at Lu Chen in disbelief. ¡°North¡­ North Prince¡­¡± ¡°Impossible, how can you be the North Prince? How old is the North Prince this year? How can he possibly become a Pseudo Celestial!!!¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Whether you believe it or not is unimportant, what matters is whether you want to live or die.¡± The Master of Divine Communication quickly came to his senses. He knew that escape was hopeless¡ªif he could have fled from a Celestial, then Eternally Mysterious Taoist should have been able to escape too, and he wouldn¡¯t have needed to self-detonate his Dantian. The fact that even after Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s self-detonation of his Dantian, neither Lu Chen nor the old man were significantly harmed proved that a Celestial¡¯s strength far surpassed that of a Pseudo Celestial. One character difference, but a world of difference in reality. Immediately, The Master of Divine Communication said, ¡°I want to live! This old man wants to live!!!¡± ¡°Whatever you want to know, my Prince, I will tell you, as long as you are willing to let this old man go!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen gave a slight smile, then spoke, ¡°It must have been my Imperial Father who sent you to assassinate me, am I right?¡± The Master of Divine Communication immediately said, ¡°Yes, he said that becoming a Celestial required the death of all the Seigniors. We took it as the truth, so this old man and Eternally Mysterious Taoist joined hands in preparation to assassinate you.¡± ¡°Little did I know, all this is a plot by the Sum Emperor; he simply wanted to use the North Country¡¯s hand to eliminate this old man and Eternally Mysterious Taoist!¡± At this point, The Master of Divine Communication clenched his teeth in rage, wishing he could rush back to the Capital city right now to settle the score with the Sum Emperor. If it wasn¡¯t for the Sum Emperor, how could they have ended up in the situation they faced today? They had already become Pseudo Celestials, just one step away from becoming true Celestials, and yet at this very moment, they faced a life and death crisis. Seeing the twisted expression of unwillingness on The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s face, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°You¡¯ve lived for over a hundred years and yet you¡¯re still so naive. How could you be so sure that what he said about becoming a Celestial was true?¡± ¡°The conditions for becoming a Celestial are vitally important for a Pseudo Celestial who is entering the Unity Realm. If these conditions were known, they could very well be obstructed by others with ulterior motives.¡± Generally speaking, to become a Celestial surely involves some difficulty. Zhuge Zhongguang initially speculated that the Sum Emperor¡¯s condition for becoming a Celestial was the unification of the entire Great Xia Dynasty. If that were the condition, it would definitely be a challenging task for the Sum Emperor. But if the Sum Emperor¡¯s condition to become a Celestial was merely the killing of all the Seigniors, such a condition would be far too easy in comparison, and obviously, couldn¡¯t be true¡ªthe Sum Emperor clearly wasn¡¯t telling the truth. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, The Master of Divine Communication paused for a moment, realizing they had been tricked. But by this point, such thoughts were futile; when it came down to it, surviving was what mattered most. If only he could survive, once he broke through to the Heavenly Human Realm, he would seek revenge against the Sum Emperor. The Master of Divine Communication then said, ¡°My Prince, this old man knows he was wrong. As long as you spare this old man, upon returning, I will lead the entire Four Directions Mountain to serve you!¡± Hearing The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s words, Lu Chen glanced at the personal information of The Master of Divine Communication. [Name: The Master of Divine Communication] [Identity: Ancestor of Four Directions Mountain] [Strength: Pseudo Celestial] [Loyalty: -50] Lu Chen chuckled. Originally, he had considered whether he could subdue The Master of Divine Communication and then bring the entire Four Directions Mountain over to his side, but upon seeing a negative loyalty, he dismissed the idea. If it had been zero, he might have accepted it, but negative meant no chance. Negative loyalty proved he had no intention of pledging allegiance to the North Country. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Very well, but you will need to sign a Blood Covenant with me.¡± Chapter 624 - Chapter 624: Chapter 372 Sum Emperor: How Could It Possibly Fail?_1 Chapter 624: Chapter 372 Sum Emperor: How Could It Possibly Fail?_1 After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, The Master of Divine Communication was momentarily stunned. A Blood Covenant? What Blood Covenant? Following that, The Master of Divine Communication asked, ¡°What is this Blood Covenant that the Prince speaks of?¡± Lu Chen indifferently replied, ¡°It¡¯s something that prevents you from betraying me. Once the Blood Covenant is established, as long as your strength is weaker than mine, you will never be able to betray me.¡± Upon hearing this, The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Seeing The Master of Divine Communication hesitating, Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately unleashed the Celestial pressure. In an instant, The Master of Divine Communication felt so crushed by this pressure that he could barely breathe, hastily saying, ¡°This old man agrees.¡± Although he did not want to be controlled by others, in such a situation, if he did not agree to the North Prince¡¯s terms, he might very well lose his life. He had no desire to self-destruct and die like the Eternally Mysterious Taoist had just moments before. It was just a Blood Covenant, after all. Just agree to it, he thought; based on the North Prince¡¯s description, this Blood Covenant didn¡¯t seem all that frightening. As long as one day he could break through to the Heavenly Human Realm, the Blood Covenant would become invalid, and he would be free from the North Prince¡¯s control. He believed that day would not be far off. As he thought this, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Well then, since you¡¯ve agreed, shall we proceed with forming the Blood Covenant?¡± With that, Lu Chen walked straight toward The Master of Divine Communication. As Lu Chen approached him, The Master of Divine Communication instantly became alert, but he took no aggressive action. With another Celestial by his side, he had entirely lost any desire to resist at this point. Moreover, as a Pseudo Celestial himself, he was in no position to take Lu Chen hostage. With the both of them being in the same realm, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to take Lu Chen hostage before the Celestial opposite him eliminated him. If Lu Chen weren¡¯t a Pseudo Celestial, if he were a martial artist below Master Level, then perhaps he might attempt to take Lu Chen as a hostage and use him to escape this place. The Master of Divine Communication felt a pang of unwillingness. Why should someone like Lu Chen, not yet thirty years old, be able to become a Pseudo Celestial? They had lived for over a hundred years before entering the Unity Realm. The heavens were unfair! At this moment, Lu Chen had already arrived in front of The Master of Divine Communication, who immediately asked, ¡°May I ask the Prince, how is the Blood Covenant formed?¡± Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°All you need to do is extend your hand.¡± Without further thought, The Master of Divine Communication immediately extended his right hand. The next moment, Lu Chen seized The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s right hand. Immediately after, The Master of Divine Communication felt the skill within his body rapidly draining. His face turned ashen. This was not a Blood Covenant at all; it was an absorption of his power. How could there be such an evil cultivation technique in this world! No wonder the North Prince was so young and had already reached the Unity Realm; he had been advancing his realm by absorbing the skill of others. The Master of Divine Communication bellowed, ¡°You¡¯re deceiving this old man!¡± Lu Chen chuckled but said nothing, continuing to use the Absorption Technique to frantically drain The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s inner skill. However, as a Pseudo Celestial, he still had some capability to resist. At that moment, The Master of Divine Communication raised his left hand, attempting to free himself from Lu Chen¡¯s grasp with a palm strike. But in the very next second, Xuanyuan Chaoge appeared in front of The Master of Divine Communication and seized his left hand, preventing him from moving. As the skill within him continued to be drained relentlessly, The Master of Divine Communication grew more and more panicked, urgently saying, ¡°What does the Prince mean by this? I have already agreed to serve the Prince, why must the Prince treat this old man so!¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Someone uncontrollable, no matter how powerful, is a threat to me. Do you think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s in your heart?¡± The Master of Divine Communication hurriedly pleaded for mercy, ¡°Prince, spare my life!!! Whatever you ask of me, I will do from now on!!!¡± The Master of Divine Communication realized that the loss of his skill was accelerating. Soon his strength had fallen to the Grandmaster Realm. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he became completely incapacitated. The fate of an incapacitated person goes without saying. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°For me, your biggest use is the skill within your body. Since you wish to serve me, then offer up all your skill to me!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s eyes immediately filled with countless bloodshot lines, and his entire eyes turned blood-red, as if they were about to explode. The Master of Divine Communication said viciously, ¡°Since you refuse to release me, let¡¯s die together!!!¡± As he said this, The Master of Divine Communication immediately tried to gather the skill in his body into his Dantian and then detonate it. However, the next moment he found that he couldn¡¯t gather the skill in his body to his Dantian at all. Although he could still manipulate the skill within his body, it was quickly absorbed by Lu Chen, making his attempt to detonate his Dantian utterly delusional. The Master of Divine Communication roared, ¡°Damn it! I won¡¯t accept this!¡± While he spoke, his body trembled, as if electrified, and soon, his appearance became increasingly aged. At his age, one¡¯s life is maintained by skill. Without it, one would quickly grow old, and that¡¯s what happened to The Master of Divine Communication. Seeing the life force in his body rapidly draining away, The Master of Divine Communication cursed, ¡°Even if I turn into a ghost, I will not let you go!!!¡± Amidst his roar, The Master of Divine Communication continued to try to mobilize all the skill in his body. Just then, his body suddenly began to swell. Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. Xuanyuan Chaoge also noticed something was wrong and quickly warned, ¡°Your Majesty, quickly get away!¡± Lu Chen, realizing the situation was awry, immediately used Shadow Shifting and left his original position. The next moment, The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s body exploded violently. Although the explosion was much less powerful than Eternally Mysterious Taoist¡¯s detonation of his Dantian, it still destroyed everything nearby, and the old city could feel the aftermath of the blast. Lu Chen, standing at a distance, was somewhat puzzled. Clearly, he had drained the skill within the man¡¯s body, preventing him from gathering all of his skill at his Dantian, so how could The Master of Divine Communication still detonate himself? Could it be because he was absorbing the skill too slowly, allowing him to gather it together? It seemed that absorbing the skill of a Pseudo Celestial was not an easy task. It would be best when they were beaten half to death, but by then, they might just detonate their Dantian, like the previously encountered Eternally Mysterious Taoist, and wouldn¡¯t give him the chance to absorb their skill. Looking at the huge crater created by The Master of Divine Communication¡¯s self-detonation, Lu Chen sighed. Well, although it was only a bit of skill, this skill was enough to help his wives advance several realms. At that moment, Xuanyuan Chaoge approached Lu Chen and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, are you alright?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine. I leave the rest to you. I¡¯m going back first.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡­ Several days later. Great Xia Dynasty. Inside the Imperial Palace, the Sum Emperor was cultivating when a shadow suddenly appeared in the room. ¡°Your Majesty, The Master of Divine Communication and Eternally Mysterious Taoist have failed,¡± it said. Hearing this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s mind went blank. Failed? How could they possibly fail? Two Pseudo Celestials couldn¡¯t defeat Zhuge Zhongguang, a mere scholar? Chapter 625 - Chapter 625: Chapter 373: The Palace Has Arrived_1 Chapter 625: Chapter 373: The Palace Has Arrived_1 After regaining his composure, the Sum Emperor immediately cursed, ¡°Waste, all a bunch of waste!!!¡± ¡°Two Pseudo Celestial martial artists, and they can¡¯t even deal with a literati! What use are they!¡± Having vented his anger, the Sum Emperor quickly calmed down, and then he asked, ¡°How did they fail?¡± The shadow replied, ¡°According to the spies¡¯ letters, Eternally Mysterious Taoist and The Master of Divine Communication had planned to use a stratagem to lure Zhuge Zhongguang away, but somehow, Eternally Mysterious Taoist ended up self-detonating his dantian.¡± Hearing the shadow¡¯s answer, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face darkened. How could he have self-exploded his dantian without reason? What kind of joke is this? If Eternally Mysterious Taoist had not encountered a formidable enemy, how could he possibly self-destruct his dantian? What exactly happened? The Sum Emperor then asked, ¡°What about The Master of Divine Communication, how is he?¡± The shadow answered, ¡°Your Majesty, after The Master of Divine Communication escaped from the old city of Yan County, he too self-detonated his dantian and died. However, our spies only observed the blood clouds formed by their self-destruction, without knowing what they encountered.¡± Although the Shadow Guard had been monitoring Eternally Mysterious Taoist and The Master of Divine Communication, they maintained a certain distance to avoid detection. The Yan County Shadow Guard only observed Zhuge Zhongguang going to the old city and ultimately the escape of The Master of Divine Communication. As for what happened outside the city, they had no knowledge whatsoever. Even the deaths of The Master of Divine Communication and Eternally Mysterious Taoist were mere conjectures by the Shadow Guard since, after the event, they didn¡¯t see either of them, and nearly all disciples dispatched from Four Directions Mountain and Fixed Wind Mountain to the North Country had perished, leading the Shadow Guard to guess that the two blood clouds were formed when Eternally Mysterious Taoist and The Master of Divine Communication self-detonated. After hearing the shadow¡¯s response, the Sum Emperor again cursed, ¡°They¡¯re all a bunch of good-for-nothings!¡± At that moment, the shadow suddenly remembered something and continued, ¡°The letter from the spy mentioned that when the soldiers of Yan County surrounded the tavern where The Master of Divine Communication and Eternally Mysterious Taoist were, the North Prince also appeared in the old city, and upon seeing the North Prince, The Master of Divine Communication immediately fled the old city.¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor frowned. He had sent them both to kill Lu Chen. Why, upon seeing Lu Chen, did The Master of Divine Communication think not of how to kill him, but chose to flee instead? He must have seen something. Being a Pseudo Celestial, only another Pseudo Celestial or beings Above Celestials could have threatened The Master of Divine Communication! Could it be¡­ A chill ran through the Sum Emperor¡¯s heart as he considered a possibility he least wanted to see. Could it be that the North Country had a Celestial? If the North Country had no Celestial, with the strength of The Master of Divine Communication and Eternally Mysterious Taoist, they should have been able to escape the North Country at all costs, not opt to self-detonate their dantian. The Sum Emperor¡¯s mind instantly flashed back to the recent messages from the North Country, and he immediately pieced those messages together into a coherent thread. The rebellious son used the false news of Zhuge being a Celestial to intimidate the Great Xia Dynasty, deterring it from launching any military actions against the North Country, and also instilling fear of the North Country in other dynasties. Although this false news was soon to be debunked, there was no need for the North Country to proactively clarify that the news about Zhuge being a Celestial was false. The North Country could have maintained a sense of mystery, letting the outside world speculate whether Zhuge had truly become a Celestial or not, but they did not do so. The North Prince could not be unaware of the trouble that would ensue from openly revealing that the North Country had no Celestial. Even if he was unaware, Zhuge Zhongguang, being the Literature Saint, would surely have known the consequences and would have advised the North Prince not to clarify this matter. Yet, the North Country chose to proactively clarify that Zhuge was not a Celestial. What does this indicate¡­ It indicates that the North Country is already prepared to deal with anything, including the acts of assassination against Lu Chen¡­ Therefore, they are not afraid of the news that the North Country has no Celestial being spread. Or perhaps, this is all a trap, the North Country wants those dynasties to attack them, wants the world¡¯s martial artists to try assassinating the North Prince. Indeed, the Great Wu Dynasty and Eternally Mysterious Taoist fell right into the trap in the North Country. Thinking this through, it is very likely that the North Country already has a Celestial, otherwise the North Prince would not have the confidence to publicly disclose the message that Zhuge is not a Celestial. Having realized all this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s face became extraordinarily grim. He suddenly recalled that Mysterious Moon Palace had long been in contact with North Country, and even Chen Wanrong, the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, had stayed in North Prince Mansion for a long period. Could it be that the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had gone to North Country, which is why that unfilial son now had so much confidence! Yes, it must be that the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had struck some deal with that unfilial son! Thinking of this, Sum Emperor clenched his fists, and his hatred for Mysterious Moon Palace surged once again. Sum Emperor forced himself to calm down. Then he said to the shadow in the room, ¡°Find a way to ascertain if The Master of Divine Communication and Eternally Mysterious Taoist really died by detonating their dantians!¡± ¡°Also, check if the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace has left the palace.¡± The shadow was about to say something when Sum Emperor said in a roaring voice, ¡°Even if you find nothing, keep looking!¡± To find out whether the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had ended the seclusion was extremely difficult for the Shadow Guards at the moment. Not to mention whether they could infiltrate Mysterious Moon Palace, even if they managed to establish connections within the palace, the disciples inside might not even know whether the Celestial had come out of seclusion or not. Unless they could win over the top echelons of Mysterious Moon Palace, such as those core Elders, only then might they be able to learn whether the Celestial had ended seclusion. At that moment, the shadow said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will investigate right away.¡± ¡°I take my leave!¡± As his voice faded, the shadow merged into the shadows of the furniture in the room and disappeared. Sum Emperor murmured to himself, ¡°No one can block my path! I will certainly become a Celestial!¡± ¡°You died but left an offspring to oppose me! If I had known this day would come, I should have smashed him to death the moment he was born!¡± ¡­ Half a month later. A massive caravan was majestically heading towards Yan County, stretching endlessly, so long that one could not see its end from the front to the back. In the middle of the caravan was a luxurious carriage drawn by eight horses, all adorned with gold and jewels. At that moment, the caravan suddenly stopped. As soon as the caravan halted, a cool voice came from inside the carriage, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The guard immediately replied, ¡°Princess Junwan, an old woman has blocked the way ahead.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was slightly startled. An old woman? Who would be stopping Great Wu¡¯s caravan at this time? Just then, the voice of the old woman could be heard in the distance. ¡°Princess Junwan, Empress has sent this old servant to protect your way.¡± Upon hearing that voice, Wu Junwan instantly knew who it was. She immediately said, ¡°So it¡¯s Elder Hu, then I¡¯ll have to trouble Elder Hu!¡± Although that fellow Pei Hong betrayed her, Yue Emperor would not betray her. The fact that Yue Emperor sent Grandmaster Hu Shu to protect her was the best proof. At that moment, Wu Junwan¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile. Little man, I¡¯ve arrived, and you will eventually pay a heavy price for your decisions! ¡­ Chapter 626 - Chapter 626: Idea 374: To meet with Her Majesty the Empress_1 Chapter 626: Idea 374: To meet with Her Majesty the Empress_1 Wu Junwan had not yet fully realized what would happen to her after she arrived in Yan County. In her heart, she believed that being a hostage for the North Prince was just that, and even if the North Prince really coveted her body, he wouldn¡¯t act inappropriately. After all, she was still the Princess Junwan of the Great Wu Dynasty, and no matter what, the North Prince wouldn¡¯t dare to do something that crossed the line. At most, he would only use his words to insult her. On the contrary, she was even more eager to get close to the North Prince because only by gaining his trust could she possibly obtain the secrets of the North Country from him. As long as she stole the secrets of the North Country, she would definitely have a chance to turn the tables. One day, she would wear a Phoenix Robe just like the Yue Emperor! Although Wu Junwan appeared cold at the moment, a fierce flame had already ignited in her heart. She hadn¡¯t felt as happy as she did today since the day she lost her power. The caravan soon entered Yan County, and after it did, the Prefecture Governor of Yan County and the accompanying personnel from Great Wu completed their handover, taking them to a large compound arranged by the North Country. However, just as Wu Junwan was getting off the carriage and preparing to enter the dwelling arranged by the North Country, the Prefecture Governor of Yan County spoke to her, ¡°Princess Junwan, your residence is not here. Please follow me.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was momentarily taken aback, and then she asked, ¡°All my attendants are staying here. Why am I not staying here?¡± Although Wu Junwan was a hostage, she still possessed the temperament of a noble; she would not lower her voice and succumb just because she had become a hostage. The Prefecture Governor of Yan County smiled and said, ¡°According to the Prince¡¯s request, your residence, Princess Junwan, is in the North Prince Mansion. Although this courtyard is also yours, you must stay in the North Prince Mansion.¡± Hearing these words, Wu Junwan¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly. Stay in the North Prince Mansion? What kind of joke was this? She was not a wife or concubine of the North Prince Mansion. How could she possibly stay there? What was the North Prince trying to do? Wu Junwan glanced at her attendants and seemed to understand something. Could it be that the North Prince was afraid she would cause trouble in the North Country, so he wanted to separate her from the attendants she had brought with her? If she stayed in the North Prince Mansion, then the North Prince would be able to monitor her constantly, and her movements would be restricted. Add to that the separation from her attendants, and it would be even more difficult for her to give them orders. With this in mind, Wu Junwan chuckled softly to herself. She didn¡¯t expect the North Prince to be so afraid of her. Just as Wu Junwan was about to say something, Hu Shu, standing beside her, spoke up, ¡°Princess Junwan, you mustn¡¯t. If you stay in the North Prince Mansion, and anything happens, we would not be able to come to your side immediately.¡± The North Prince Mansion was the North Prince¡¯s residence, and the wives and daughters of the North Prince all lived there. Therefore, the North Prince Mansion would definitely not allow Hu Shu, the Protector, to enter, which would mean Hu Shu couldn¡¯t protect Wu Junwan¡¯s safety all the time. If something happened to Wu Junwan, she wouldn¡¯t be able to report back to the Yue Emperor as well. After hearing Hu Shu¡¯s words, the Prefecture Governor of Yan County said, ¡°Princess Junwan, the alliance signed between Great Wu and the North Country clearly states that after the hostages from Great Wu arrive in the North Country, they must comply with the arrangements of the North Country. Do you intend to break this treaty?¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s expression turned extremely cold. She indeed remembered this treaty, and when she saw it, she felt something was amiss. Then, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Fine, I will go to the North Prince Mansion as you wish.¡± Saying this, Wu Junwan turned to Hu Shu and added, ¡°Senior Hu, please stay here for the time being. If anything happens, I will send someone to inform you.¡± Beneath someone¡¯s roof, one has no choice but to bow their head; Wu Junwan had no options, especially since there were stipulations like that in the treaty. If she violated the treaty at will, the North Country¡¯s army might just have a reason to continue moving south. Forget it, it was just being constantly monitored by the North Prince. After all, she was also intending to get close to the North Prince. If she could stay in the North Prince Mansion, this would give her an opportunity instead. Although living in the North Prince Mansion would make it difficult to engage in any secretive actions, she didn¡¯t need to send out any information either. She could simply store the intelligence she gathered in her mind, and then, when she had a chance to leave the North Country later, she could bring those secrets out. Seeing that Wu Junwan had spoken as such, Hu Shu did not feel it was her place to say more. She was the Protector assigned to Wu Junwan by the Yue Emperor, and when she left Great Jue, the Yue Emperor had told her to obey Wu Junwan¡¯s commands once in the North Country. Since Wu Junwan had made up her mind to do so, they could only listen to her. Hu Shu then said, ¡°This old servant understands.¡± Thereupon, Wu Junwan boarded the carriage and followed the Prefecture Governor to North Prince Mansion. When Wu Junwan arrived at North Prince Mansion, she looked at the plaque above the gate and was overwhelmed with emotion. She had originally thought that she would never have the chance to return here in her lifetime, yet, to her surprise, not much time had passed before she found herself back at this place again. At that moment, a group of maids approached Wu Junwan and, curtsying, they said, ¡°We greet the Empress!¡± Huh??? Hearing this, Wu Junwan, who had been lost in thought, was suddenly startled. The Empress? What did that mean? Was she experiencing auditory hallucinations? Why was she hearing these maids addressing her as the Empress? Wu Junwan could hardly believe her own ears and then said to the head maid in front of her, ¡°What did you just refer to me as?¡± The head maid immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, this servant addressed you as the Empress.¡± Wu Junwan knitted her brows and said in confusion, ¡°I am merely a princess, so how have I become the Empress in your mouths?¡± Although she did indeed aspire to be the Empress of Great Wu, she wasn¡¯t there yet; that goal was still far off. Who would address her as the Empress at this time? What were the maids of the Prince¡¯s Mansion up to? The head maid quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, it was the Prince who instructed us to address you in this manner.¡± This¡­ Wu Junwan¡¯s gaze showed confusion. What was North Prince up to? Wu Junwan then asked, ¡°Why would North Prince have you address me in this manner?¡± The head maid answered, ¡°Your Majesty, this servant does not know.¡± Wu Junwan then said, ¡°You should continue to call me Princess Junwan or Your Highness.¡± The head maid hastily said, ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive us, but it was the Prince¡¯s order, and without his command, we dare not change the way we address you.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan said resignedly, ¡°Fine, do as you please.¡± At that moment, the head maid said, ¡°Empress, please follow us. We will take you to the courtyard where you will be staying.¡± With the maids leading the way, Wu Junwan arrived at a spacious courtyard. The arrangement seemed somehow familiar, but she could not remember where she had seen such a courtyard before. Then, the maids continued to guide Wu Junwan toward the room inside. Upon entering the room, a strong sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu came over her again. There were some red curtains inside the room separating the inner chamber from the outer chamber, and a special fragrance wafted through the air. At that moment, Wu Junwan realized where she had seen this scene before. Wasn¡¯t this the sleeping quarters of the Yue Emperor? The layout inside the room was almost identical to that of the Yue Emperor¡¯s sleeping quarters. Chapter 627 - Chapter 627: Chapter 375: What Does the Prince Mean?_1 Chapter 627: Chapter 375: What Does the Prince Mean?_1 ¡°` Seeing the layout of the room in front of her, Wu Junwan was somewhat baffled, not knowing what North Prince was up to. Wu Junwan then lifted the red curtain and stepped into the inner room, only to find, just as she had thought, that the decor within was almost identical to that of the Yue Emperor¡¯s Palace, down to the last detail. Even the patterns on the cotton quilts and bed sheets were the same. Wu Junwan had a look of confusion on her face. Just then, a maid spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, the hot water is ready. After your long journey, you must be exhausted. Why not take a hot bath to ease your fatigue?¡± Wu Junwan snapped back to reality, and without much thought, replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Subsequently, Wu Junwan made her way to the bathhouse, and as she entered, she was startled to discover that the layout of the bathing pool was strikingly similar to that of the Yue Emperor, with the only difference being that this bathhouse was much smaller compared to the Yue Emperor¡¯s, though the layout was almost identical. With the attendants¡¯ help, Wu Junwan shed her clothes and slowly stepped into the pool. Inside the bathing pool, the steam was rising, creating an utterly dreamlike atmosphere. After entering the pool, Wu Junwan felt the fatigue of many days dissolve in an instant, and in her hazy state, she thought she saw the moonlight. She did not know how much time had passed before she finally regained full consciousness. Only then did she realize she was alone in the bathing pool, without the Yue Emperor. It had all been an illusion. Mainly because the scene was all too familiar, combined with the soporific effect of the hot water, she had experienced an illusion. After coming to her senses, Wu Junwan promptly rose from the pool, and the maids hastened to bring towels to attend to her, some drying her body while others brought clothes for her to dress. When Wu Junwan saw the clothes the maids were holding, she was stunned all over again. The clothes in their hands were identical to the Empress¡¯s Phoenix Robe, worn by the Yue Emperor. Although she did indeed wish to wear the Empress¡¯s Phoenix Robe, she had never imagined herself wearing it under such circumstances. Just as a maid was about to dress her in the Phoenix Robe, Wu Junwan immediately stopped them and asked, ¡°A Phoenix Robe? Where did this come from?¡± The maid serving her replied, ¡°Your Majesty, it was specially made by orders of the Prince.¡± Wu Junwan was even more perplexed internally, wondering what the North Prince meant by this, having maids address her as the Empress and dressing her in a Phoenix Robe. Despite her confusion, Wu Junwan ultimately lifted her arms, allowing the maids to drape the Phoenix Robe over her. Somehow, the robe seemed to possess a bewitching quality that made it impossible for her to refuse. Once robed in the Phoenix Robe, Wu Junwan returned to her bedroom, where she approached the dressing table. In front of the dressing table was a massive full-length mirror, which was quite different from the Empress¡¯s chambers in the Yue Imperial Palace. The mirrors in the North Country were glass mercury mirrors, hence very clear. Wu Junwan had long been familiar with mirrors from North Country as they were very popular and favored by noble young ladies across various kingdoms. However, Wu Junwan had only ever encountered handheld mirrors; this was her first experience with a mirror of this kind. After admiring her reflection in the Phoenix Robe for a while in the mirror, Wu Junwan sat down at the dressing table, and the maids began to tend to her hair. After a short while, a maid suddenly brought over a Phoenix Crown for Wu Junwan to wear, at which Wu Junwan¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised, but this time she said nothing. Since she was already dressed in the Phoenix Robe, wearing a Phoenix Crown made no difference. Although she did not understand why the North Prince would do this, she quite liked the attire. She had long wanted to try on this ensemble but never had the opportunity. During her time in Great Jue, the Yue Emperor was the Empress, so she could not wear such attire. After returning to Great Wu, her father the Emperor was still alive, so it was even more inappropriate for her to wear it. She had thought she would only get to wear the Phoenix Robe upon her own ascension to the throne¡ªif ever she had not expected to don these garments so soon. ¡°` In the time that followed, Wu Junwan spent the entire evening in front of the mirror, admiring the outfit she was dressed in. As dusk fell, the maids prepared a table full of delicacies for Wu Junwan, but she didn¡¯t eat much. She looked at the food on the table and then asked the maid beside her, ¡°Is your Prince not in the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Wu Junwan felt a bit puzzled. Since she had entered Yan County, she hadn¡¯t caught a glimpse of Lu Chen. Though she was a hostage, by all rights the North Prince should meet with her. Hadn¡¯t Lu Chen declared in her presence that Great Wu would send her to the North Country? Now that those from the Great Wu dynasty had indeed sent her to the North Country, wasn¡¯t it time for him to come and humiliate her? Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s question, the maid answered, ¡°Your Highness, the Prince is in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, but he has been busy with state affairs recently, dealing with them in his study room.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t ask any further. She ate a little and then had the maids clear all the food from the table. She then returned to the full-length mirror and fell into contemplation at her own reflection. Once she calmed down, she began to speculate about Lu Chen¡¯s intentions, convinced that he didn¡¯t have her don the Phoenix Robe for a mere whim. That young man must have an ulterior motive. Could it be¡­ Just as Wu Junwan suddenly thought of something, a maid¡¯s voice suddenly came from the door, ¡°Greeting the Prince!¡± Then, a familiar voice reached Wu Junwan¡¯s ears, ¡°You all may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Immediately after, Lu Chen entered Wu Junwan¡¯s bedroom. He lifted the red curtain and stepped into the inner chamber. The moment Lu Chen saw Wu Junwan, he was stunned. The Phoenix Robe clung to Wu Junwan¡¯s body, accentuating every curve, from her slender waist to her ample hips, with flesh where it should be and slender where it should be slim, combined with Wu Junwan¡¯s dignified and beautiful aura, Lu Chen was utterly spellbound. Seeing that Lu Chen had brazenly barged in, Wu Junwan was also taken aback. Although she had been staying in the North Prince Mansion, she was, after all, sent to the North Country as a hostage by Great Wu. As the North Prince, how could Lu Chen simply enter her bedroom? However, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t scold Lu Chen; instead, she directly asked, ¡°What is the meaning of this, Prince?¡± Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen smiled and counterquestioned, ¡°How does Your Highness, the Empress, like the attire I have prepared for you? Do you enjoy it?¡± Seeing Lu Chen address her as Empress, Wu Junwan was taken aback for a moment, but quickly recovered and then said, ¡°Are you perhaps planning to make me the Emperor of Great Wu, using this as a pretext to interfere in the succession of Great Wu, and then take the opportunity to split Great Wu?¡± ¡°If that is the Prince¡¯s plan, then I must tell you that your scheme is likely to fail,¡± Wu Junwan stated. Wu Junwan had been pondering why Lu Chen would have her wear the Phoenix Robe, until just now when she suddenly understood. History was not without instances where defeated nations sent hostages to their enemy states, who were then made emperors by the adversaries, often using it as a pretext to divide the nation and overtly interfere in their internal affairs, sometimes even proclaiming the hostage to be the legitimate ruler. Although those hostages were mostly princes, Wu Junwan held a high position in Great Wu, so she could also be considered an heir, serving anyway as a pretext for the North Country to meddle in Great Wu¡¯s internal affairs. Of course, these were all Wu Junwan¡¯s thoughts. Chapter 628 - Chapter 628: Chapter 376: Is the Prince planning to ruin my innocence today?_1 Chapter 628: Chapter 376: Is the Prince planning to ruin my innocence today?_1 Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s speculation, Lu Chen laughed, ¡°Empress, you worry too much. To me, the Empress has no political use whatsoever.¡± Wu Junwan frowned. No political use? This young man really knows how to lie without blushing. If she were of no political use to North Country, then why would the North Prince have specifically ordered her to come to North Country as a hostage? With that thought, Wu Junwan chuckled lightly, then said, ¡°Prince, you really have a sense of humor. If you thought I was of no use, then why would you have me come to North Country as a hostage, and even have people make a phoenix robe for me?¡± ¡°Would North Prince really think I am a fool?¡± Lu Chen smiled and then walked towards Wu Junwan. As he drew closer, Wu Junwan suddenly felt nervous, her heart thumping wildly. Wu Junwan quickly took a deep breath, trying to ease her tension. As a princess of Great Wu and already in her thirties, she had no reason to fear this young man who was more than a decade her junior. Although that¡¯s what she thought, her heart still raced as Lu Chen continued to approach. When Lu Chen was less than two steps away, he finally stopped, and Wu Junwan let out a sigh of relief. At this moment, Lu Chen used the system to check Wu Junwan¡¯s personal profile. [Name: Wu Junwan] [Identity: Princess Wu of Great Wu, daughter of the Martial Emperor, friend of the Yue Emperor, 31 years old, possesses extremely high martial arts talent, her realm has reached the Master Realm, and she has developed feelings for the North Prince deep inside her heart. She often dreams of the North Prince at night. This time, as a hostage to North Country, she wants to do two things the most. The first is to probe the secrets of North Country, preparing for her own ascension to the throne in the future, and the second is to see what is special about this young North Prince.] [Score: 98] [Favorability: 99] Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s favorability, Lu Chen¡¯s lips slightly curled up, not expecting Wu Junwan¡¯s favorability towards him to have reached ninety-nine, just a little short of the full mark. It seemed that just one final step was needed, and Wu Junwan¡¯s favorability towards him would be complete. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°I merely stated that your majesty has no political use to me, not that you have no use to me at all?¡± This¡­ Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan was slightly startled. She had always believed that everything Lu Chen did was for political considerations, which is why her first thought about her value to the North Prince was in terms of political utility. What did Lu Chen mean by his words? No political use, but some other use? What other use? Just then, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°To me, your greatest use, your majesty, is to bear my children.¡± With those words, Wu Junwan was completely stunned. ¡°You!¡± Wu Junwan was at a loss for words. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°What did you want to say, your majesty?¡± Wu Junwan snorted coldly, ¡°Ridiculous, do you think I would believe your lies?¡± As soon as Wu Junwan finished speaking, Lu Chen suddenly took a step forward, startling her, prompting her to hastily take a step back. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Does Your Majesty really not see whether I am lying or not?¡± A trace of barely noticeable panic appeared on Wu Junwan¡¯s face. During her last mission to North Country, Lu Chen boldly expressed his love for her, but at that time, she thought it was very likely that he was just teasing her. Firstly, Lu Chen is a man with great ambitions, and his mind couldn¡¯t possibly be focused entirely on women. Despite appearing to be frivolous on the surface, in reality, he might be a very profound person, at least that was Wu Junwan¡¯s opinion of Lu Chen. Wu Junwan hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to say such things to her again, and his gaze was burning with intensity, giving the impression that he wasn¡¯t lying. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze was too impassioned, filled with desire for possession. Having ascended to a high position, Wu Junwan had long since learned to read people, and she immediately perceived the intent in Lu Chen¡¯s gaze. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Prince is quite the jester. If the Prince truly wishes for me to bear you children, why not directly propose a marriage alliance to the Great Martial Royal Family?¡± Instead of answering Wu Junwan¡¯s question, Lu Chen said, ¡°As intelligent as Your Majesty is, I believe you can certainly deduce why I didn¡¯t propose a marriage alliance, but instead, Your Majesty came to North Country as a hostage.¡± Wu Junwan immediately realized, if they were united through marriage, North Country and the Great Martial Royal Family would become relatives, and thereafter, the Martial Emperor would become North Prince¡¯s father-in-law. Should North Prince ever decide to lead troops against Great Wu, that would be an attack on his own father-in-law, and North Prince would lose moral standing. Thus, it turns out North Prince indeed harbors the ambition to unify the realm! Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Since North Prince didn¡¯t propose a marriage alliance, then I am a hostage here. Could it be that North Prince intends to extend his devilish claws towards me, a hostage? If word of this were to spread, I fear North Prince¡¯s reputation¡­¡± Wu Junwan hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she was interrupted by Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty, you should be well aware that my reputation has never been good to begin with.¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s gaze faltered; indeed, North Prince¡¯s reputation had never been good. Quickly changing the subject, Wu Junwan said, ¡°I am somewhat puzzled. Why does the Prince insist on having me wear the Phoenix Robe and have people address me as ¡®Empress¡¯? You even refer to me in the same manner.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The reason is quite simple. Because it¡¯s your wish, isn¡¯t it? You wished to be the Empress, so I am fulfilling it for you.¡± ¡°Of course, there is another reason.¡± Wu Junwan pressed, ¡°What reason?¡± Lu Chen, eyes fixed on Wu Junwan¡¯s mature and mesmerizing face, corners of his mouth slightly lifted, said, ¡°I have a particular interest in the status of ¡®Empress¡¯, so I wanted you to play the part.¡± Wu Junwan did not grasp the meaning behind Lu Chen¡¯s words, but seeing his smile, she knew that whatever he meant was certainly not good. At this moment, Lu Chen took another step forward, and Wu Junwan, out of instinct, retreated again. Wu Junwan still couldn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen was truly planning to do something to her. ¡°Is the Prince planning to ruin my purity today?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Your Majesty has guessed correctly.¡± No sooner had he spoken than Lu Chen took another step forward, and Wu Junwan, frightened, stepped back again. Although she had initially thought about approaching Lu Chen to extract secrets from Great Wu, she hadn¡¯t expected that on her very first day in North Prince Mansion, North Prince would intend to have relations with her, caught completely unprepared. As Lu Chen moved forward step by step, Wu Junwan retreated in kind until she reached the edge of the bed, with nowhere else to go. Lu Chen was now staring intently into Wu Junwan¡¯s eyes, her face showing a faint blush and a touch of panic. Usually poised and aloof in her lofty position, Wu Junwan suddenly seemed like a little girl before Lu Chen. Chapter 629 - Chapter 629: Chapter 377: Is the Prince Mocking Me?_1 Chapter 629: Chapter 377: Is the Prince Mocking Me?_1 Seeing Lu Chen continue to approach and having nowhere else to retreat, Wu Junwan grew even more panicked, as her heart raced crazily and her cheeks became abnormally burning hot. For some reason, looking at the young man before her, Wu Junwan felt completely unable to harbor any thoughts of resistance in her heart. As Lu Chen was about to reach her, Wu Junwan immediately threatened, ¡°If Your Highness really makes a move on me, I guarantee that you will regret it!¡± Lu Chen said with an unconcerned expression, ¡°Regret? Then, Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you tell me where I¡¯ll be regretting?¡± At this, Lu Chen took another step forward, his leg almost touching Wu Junwan¡¯s Phoenix Robe. Wu Junwan¡¯s body instinctively leaned back slightly, trying to maintain some distance from Lu Chen. She then said, ¡°I am the Hostage of Great Wu; if Your Highness lays a hand on me, it will surely incur my imperial father¡¯s wrath. It will also reveal Your Highness¡¯s true nature to all the great dynasties, and from then on, no defeated kingdom will send hostages to the North Country, and they may even join forces against the North Country.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°What if I don¡¯t care about any of that?¡± Wu Junwan was momentarily stunned. This young man must be blinded by lust! How dare he lay hands on a hostage; that would be breaking the treaty. If the other kingdoms learn of the North Prince¡¯s actions, they will definitely no longer trust the North Country¡¯s promises. Just then, Lu Chen lifted his hand and directly grasped Wu Junwan¡¯s delicate chin. Wu Junwan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She wished to step back, but she had already reached the edge of the bed, with no way to retreat further; to move back any more would be to fall onto the bed. At that moment, Wu Junwan suddenly thought of something and, instead of continuing to show a panicked demeanor, she let out a cold laugh. ¡°Is Your Highness mocking me? I don¡¯t believe that Your Highness dares to do that sort of thing to me.¡± In her heart, Wu Junwan still couldn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen would dare to sleep with her. After all, she had once been the Princess Junwan of Great Wu, and although her title had been revoked, the common people of Great Wu still recognized her as their Princess. If the North Prince dares to defile her, and should the common people of Great Wu come to know of it, they would surely be outraged. Even if the current Great Wu is helpless against the North Country, if the North should occupy Great Wu¡¯s lands in the future and seek to rule over it, they will certainly encounter fierce resistance from the common people of Great Wu. This would be detrimental to the North Prince¡¯s plans for unifying the continent. For the North Country, the greatest challenge isn¡¯t in vanquishing a nation, but in how to govern it afterward. Moreover, there is another danger in what Lu Chen is doing; if he forcibly takes a woman from Great Wu, wouldn¡¯t it imply that the soldiers of the North Country are just as ruthless? As goes the leader, so follow the soldiers. This would make the common people of the other kingdoms even more fearful of the soldiers of the North Country, and the North¡¯s future attempts at unification would surely meet with even more intense resistance. When passing through Youping County, Wu Junwan had heard that to rule the region, the soldiers from the North Country had treated the locals especially well and refrained from looting or slaughtering. Clearly, Lu Chen was trying to establish a positive image to lessen the hostility of the commoners towards the North Country. Lu Chen was able to train an army that was strictly disciplined and did not harm the common folk, which proved that he himself was a man of extreme self-control. Therefore, Wu Junwan believed that Lu Chen would surely not do that sort of thing to her. As for why Lu Chen was putting on a lecherous act in front of her, it was most likely to mock her, to humiliate her. When Wu Junwan spoke, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment. Mocking? Even now, Wu Junwan thought he was mocking her? Lu Chen then said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s mockery or not, Your Majesty will find out soon enough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already so late into the night, so let this prince attend to Your Majesty¡¯s bedtime.¡± As he finished speaking, Lu Chen suddenly reached out and encircled Wu Junwan¡¯s slender waist, his large hand resting on her hips. Seeing that Lu Chen was truly making a move on her, Wu Junwan became incredibly panicked in that moment. Was this young man serious? As Wu Junwan raised her hand to push against Lu Chen¡¯s chest, attempting to struggle, Lu Chen¡¯s other hand seized Wu Junwan¡¯s jade arm. Wu Junwan twisted her body for a while, but finding herself unable to break free, she stopped struggling. At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s large hand at Wu Junwan¡¯s waist was gently stroking her back. Wu Junwan was dressed in a silk Phoenix Robe, which was extremely soft and smooth to the touch, making it very comfortable. Touched so softly by Lu Chen, Wu Junwan felt a strange sensation within her heart. Seeing that Wu Junwan was not continuing to struggle, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t you continue to resist?¡± With her face flushed, Wu Junwan stared hard at Lu Chen and said, ¡°You are a Grandmaster, and I am but a Grandmaster. If you are determined to do that sort of thing to me, I am no match for you.¡± Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°So, Your Majesty has accepted her fate?¡± At this moment, Wu Junwan felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest; her body had completely begun to stir. She didn¡¯t know what was going on; why did she feel so strange when she was near this man? She had never been so close to a man before, so this was the first time she felt this unusual sensation. This feeling did not make her uncomfortable. Seeing Lu Chen from such a close distance, Wu Junwan noticed that he seemed even more handsome and extraordinary. A nameless impulse in her heart made her want to lean closer to him. At this moment, holding the soft and delicate body of Wu Junwan and smelling the mature and beautiful scent emanating from her, Lu Chen¡¯s body also became restless. He was unable to tolerate it any longer and desperately wanted to possess her right then and there, yet he still forcefully restrained himself and did not start by tearing off her clothes. Suddenly, the room became quiet, with Lu Chen gazing into Wu Junwan¡¯s eyes. Both fell into silence, with a glimmer of desire appearing in their eyes. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen finally said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that when you visited Great Jue, you often cuddled in bed with the Yue Emperor?¡± Upon hearing this sudden statement, Wu Junwan was slightly stunned. Indeed, every time she went to Great Jue, she had to share a bed with the Yue Emperor. However, she did not know how Lu Chen came to know this. Wu Junwan coldly replied, ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± With a slight smile, Lu Chen responded, ¡°I wonder how it feels when Your Majesty and the Yue Emperor cuddle together?¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, but she said nothing. Seeing the beautiful woman frowning, with an air of cold elegance, Lu Chen could no longer hold back. He leaned down and sealed Wu Junwan¡¯s lips with a kiss. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s mind went blank. She had not expected Lu Chen to suddenly launch a surprise attack. Instinctively wanting to struggle, she suddenly found that the skill in her body seemed to be restrained. After kissing Wu Junwan¡¯s lips, Lu Chen slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and laid her on the bedstead. While his mouth kissed her, his hands roamed over Wu Junwan¡¯s body. Once Wu Junwan came back to her senses, she cursed Lu Chen in her heart. This detestable young man, he truly intended to sleep with her! Despite their age difference, he actually found interest in her body! Although she cursed Lu Chen in her mind, Wu Junwan¡¯s body couldn¡¯t help but cooperate with Lu Chen. The feeling of kissing Lu Chen made Wu Junwan unable to stop; she felt her entire body come alive, extremely excited; she had never felt this way before. Chapter 630 - Chapter 630: Chapter 378 Princess Junwan Says Shes in a Bad Mood_1 Chapter 630: Chapter 378 Princess Junwan Says She¡¯s in a Bad Mood_1 Wind Cloud Court. Mu Zixuan was looking at the account books, and the other wives and concubines of Lu Chen were still in the Wind Cloud Hall and hadn¡¯t left. They had already eaten dinner, but tonight¡¯s dinner was early, and it wasn¡¯t completely dark yet, so they didn¡¯t immediately return to their own courtyards. At this moment, Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°I heard that the Princess of Great Wu has arrived?¡± Wang Qingci was holding a child, comforting the child while saying, ¡°She has indeed moved into the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Why, is Yaoyao interested in her?¡± Xiao Wenyao said, ¡°Then the Prince must have gone to her room, right?¡± Zhou Youyou said, ¡°The Prince left in such a hurry just now; he definitely went to her place.¡± Chu Qingli then said, ¡°What are you discussing this for? If he went, he went. That¡¯s just the kind of person he is, and it¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t known him for just one day.¡± At this time, Lin Wanyun said, ¡°That Princess has only been in the North Country for one day, and besides, she¡¯s here as a Hostage. If the Prince gets involved with her tonight, and word gets out, I¡¯m afraid it could tarnish the Prince¡¯s reputation.¡± Chu Qingli indifferently said, ¡°His lechery is already well-known, he already doesn¡¯t have a good reputation to begin with, so there¡¯s nothing to fear from others speaking about it.¡± Hearing Chu Qingli say this, Lin Wanyun thought to herself, that¡¯s also true; it seems another woman is about to be conquered by that little rascal. ¡­ Princess Junwan was kissing a man for the first time. Under Lu Chen¡¯s kiss, Princess Junwan¡¯s mind quickly became foggy. She had lived for over thirty years and had never felt this strange sensation before, which instantly made her sink into it. After who knows how long, Princess Junwan, still hazy in consciousness, sensed her shoes being removed from her feet, and the next moment, she was moved onto the bed. Princess Junwan opened her misty eyes, wanting to see what was happening, but the next moment, she heard a ripping sound ¨C her Phoenix Robe seemed to have been torn apart. Princess Junwan¡¯s heart jolted. She suddenly widened her eyes, and just as she was about to say something, Lu Chen pressed down on her again, once more sealing her enticing red lips. ¡°Mmph!¡± ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± Princess Junwan struggled weakly for a while, realizing it was futile; she was already powerless, and struggling now was utterly useless. In order to fully conquer her, Lu Chen subsequently used the Rejuvenating Skill, channeling Spiritual Power to heal the pain in Princess Junwan¡¯s body, making her feel no discomfort at all. Princess Junwan was incredibly shocked inside. It was her first time hearing that Lu Chen possessed such a method. Without the pain, her mind quickly became dazed. Princess Junwan couldn¡¯t accept being thoroughly devoured by this young man; although her skill had been sealed, she still had a trick up her sleeve. She could actively manipulate her meridians, causing all her muscles to tense through her meridians, which might allow her to break free from Lu Chen. After a little while, Lu Chen felt something different in Princess Junwan¡¯s body. He slowly lifted his chest and looked at her, puzzled. The dignified and elegant Princess Junwan had a seductive look on her face, but her two eyes were fixed sternly on Lu Chen. Lu Chen chuckled lightly, then said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Your Majesty to have such tricks up her sleeve, impressive indeed!¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had really gotten up, Princess Junwan thought her plan had worked. She sneered and said, ¡°Prince, is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°Trying to conquer me, what a joke!¡± Hearing Princess Junwan¡¯s provocative words, Lu Chen didn¡¯t say anything. His lips curled slightly; truly the Princess of Great Wu, to still be so proud even after losing her purity. But maybe Princess Junwan was underestimating him a bit too much. Although he indeed hadn¡¯t withstood her tactics, things were far from over. Just as Princess Junwan was feeling smug in her belief that the North Prince was nothing special, Lu Chen bent down once more, sealing Princess Junwan¡¯s red lips again. ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± Princess Junwan¡¯s eyes widened, almost in disbelief. Princess Junwan soon realized she was wrong, horribly wrong. Her little trick was utterly ineffective against Lu Chen; on the contrary, it made him very pleased. ¡­ Early morning. A ray of sunshine entered the inner courtyard of the North Prince Mansion, and the wives and concubines of Lu Chen were already up. After having breakfast, those with work busied themselves with it, and those without work headed to the Wind Cloud Court. At this time, Chu Yuqin also arrived at the Wind Cloud Court. Just as she entered, a maid hurried into the courtyard. ¡°Greetings to the Princess Consort, and to Madam Chu.¡± Mu Zixuan, who was in the pavilion, glanced at the maid and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± The maid replied, ¡°My lady, the entourage of Princess Junwan of Great Wu would like an audience with their princess.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°You can just go and inform the Prince directly.¡± The maid¡¯s cheeks flushed as she said, ¡°The Prince is still in Princess Junwan¡¯s room. I¡¯m afraid of disturbing them.¡± Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin were both momentarily stunned, then Mu Zixuan suggested, ¡°How about you just tell the attendants to go back for now?¡± Chu Yuqin remarked from the side, ¡°Zixuan, if we send them away directly, they might suspect that the North Prince Mansion has placed Wu Junwan under house arrest.¡± Although Wu Junwan had come to the North Country in the capacity of a hostage and couldn¡¯t roam freely, she still had a certain degree of liberty. If the North Country didn¡¯t even allow Wu Junwan to meet with her retainers, it would be no different from house arrest, and Great Wu would certainly be suspicious. Once Chu Yuqin explained this, Mu Zixuan also realized the issue. Wu Junwan had just arrived at the North Prince Mansion the day before, and now denying her any visitors seemed rather indefensible. But at this time, Lu Chen was probably in the midst of a tussle with Wu Junwan. Knowing Lu Chen as they did, they knew he likely wouldn¡¯t let her go until tonight at the earliest. To someone like Wu Junwan, with her dignified elegance and cold stunning beauty, Lu Chen was sure to be utterly enamored. Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°I¡¯ll go ask Chen¡¯er and see how he intends to deal with this.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Thank you for the trouble, Sister Chu.¡± Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t want to disturb Lu Chen while he was likely having a good time. Of all the people in the North Prince Mansion, only Chu Yuqin had some sway over Lu Chen, so it was best for Chu Yuqin to approach him. Chu Yuqin then turned and followed the maid who had come to report, heading towards the courtyard where Wu Junwan was staying. Upon reaching the outside of Wu Junwan¡¯s room, Chu Yuqin heard some strange noises. ¡°Your Majesty, how is my strength?¡± ¡°Spare¡­ me¡­¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you very arrogant yesterday?¡± ¡°I was wrong¡­¡± ¡°Still addressing yourself as ¡®this palace¡¯? Didn¡¯t I tell you that you¡¯re now the Empress?¡± ¡°I admit my mistake¡­¡± ¡­ Upon hearing these words, Chu Yuqin curled her lips, seemingly confirming what that bitch Wang Qingci had said¡ªLu Chen really did enjoy playing such games. At that moment, Chu Yuqin coughed and then spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, the attendants of the princess would like to see her. What do you think should be done?¡± Soon, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came from the room, ¡°Huh¡­ Madam Chu, just tell those people that their princess is in a bad mood right now and doesn¡¯t want to see them. Ask them to come back tomorrow.¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin thought to herself, would this work? ¡°Alright, I understand,¡± she responded. Afterwards, Chu Yuqin turned and headed towards the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, not sure if she could fool those people, but still intending to try. Before long, Chu Yuqin reached the entrance and saw the people from Great Wu, including Hu Shu. Chu Yuqin directly told them, ¡°Your princess said she¡¯s in no mood to see anyone right now and asked you to come find her tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, everyone at the door was taken aback. In a bad mood? Could it really be that she wouldn¡¯t see them just because she was in a bad mood? Or could it be that their princess had been placed under house arrest by the North Prince Mansion? Hu Shu frowned and then asked, ¡°Did the princess really say that?¡± Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see her tomorrow. She is indeed in a bad mood.¡± Hu Shu then refrained from asking further, ¡°This old one understands. Please convey our message that I will visit her tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Chu Yuqin. With that, Hu Shu led the people from the Princess Mansion away. As those people left, Chu Yuqin breathed a sigh of relief, her heart filled with worry, uncertain if she had managed to deceive them. But then again, even if they met Wu Junwan tomorrow, Wu Junwan certainly wouldn¡¯t dare tell them about having her virginity taken, would she? Chapter 631 - Chapter 631: Chapter 379: How Does the Prince Plan to Deal with Me?_1 Chapter 631: Chapter 379: How Does the Prince Plan to Deal with Me?_1 At dusk, a strand of crimson twilight crept through the window, casting its glow on people¡¯s backs. Lu Chen leaned against Wu Junwan¡¯s jade-like back, their fingers interlocked, with Wu Junwan¡¯s hands placed on either side of her head. After a long silence between them, Wu Junwan finally broke the quiet, ¡°This palace is quite curious, Prince, what kind of Cultivation Technique do you practice?¡± After being tossed around for so long, Wu Junwan had finally come to her senses, and she had realized the terror of Lu Chen. Not only did Lu Chen possess the means to heal people¡¯s wounds, he could even help someone enhance their skill. He had infused her with a considerable amount of skill, enabling her to break through and become a Grandmaster. Such methods, she had never heard of before. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, you must think of yourself as the Empress.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan thought of the events that had transpired from last night until just now, and she snorted coldly, ¡°The Prince really has a particularly nasty taste!¡± She had finally understood why Lu Chen had prepared the Phoenix Robe for her and treated her like the Empress. This young man simply had a peculiar fetish for the identity of the Empress. It was no wonder that last night Lu Chen had told her of his interest in the Empress. ¡°Prince, are you really not afraid such actions will ruin your reputation?¡± Lu Chen buried his face in the disheveled hair of Wu Junwan and took a deep breath before saying, ¡°Haven¡¯t I already said that my reputation can¡¯t get any worse? There is no room for it to decrease any further.¡± ¡°If you go to the main streets of Yan County now and ask anyone about my lechery, they will all surely say I am fond of beautiful women.¡± ¡°For someone as dignified, elegant, and mature in beauty like Your Majesty, it¡¯s quite normal to be taken by me.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan had nothing left to say. Lu Chen¡¯s attitude was now that of a dead pig not fearing scalding water, completely indifferent. Wu Junwan said coldly, ¡°To fancy even me, a woman over a decade your senior, your tastes are indeed unique, Prince.¡± Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°So what if you are over a decade older? I like a mature woman like you.¡± Wu Junwan fell silent. What had happened, had happened; whatever she said or did was of no use now. And she hadn¡¯t really suffered a loss; at most, she had compromised morally since she had not yet married and her purity had been destroyed. But for someone like her who valued power, the purity of the body wasn¡¯t really worth anything. In the royal family, some princesses played around much more than she did, not knowing how many male consorts they had nurtured; even those married princesses who wouldn¡¯t let their princess¡¯s husbands share the bed would have other men serve them. She¡¯d just consider it being served by a male consort for a day and a night. The older one gets, the lower the sense of morality becomes, and Wu Junwan was not greatly constrained in her heart. Key to her was that, for the first time, she had experienced those special sensations, and her Realm had even been lifted to the Grandmaster Realm because of it¡ªsomething she had never anticipated at the beginning. For someone in her high position who favored the tally of gains and losses, if the benefits were considered, sleeping with the North Prince was a sure gain without loss. Seeing that Wu Junwan had fallen silent, Lu Chen blew a breath into her ear and then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, why have you suddenly gone quiet?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°What does the Prince plan to do with me now?¡± Lu Chen asked in puzzlement, ¡°Deal with you? Why should there be any need to deal with you?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Prince, daring to do such things to me, a hostage, proves that the Prince has completely disregarded Great Wu. It also indicates that the Prince is ready to annex Great Wu.¡± ¡°If the Prince doesn¡¯t want this incident leaked, there are only two options: place me under house arrest to prevent me from meeting with Great Wu¡¯s people, or kill me in secret.¡± Lu Chen snorted with laughter, then responded, ¡°You have quite the imagination. How could I possibly do such a thing to my own woman?¡± ¡°No matter what happens in the future, and regardless of whether North Country and Great Wu will go to war again, your destiny is to bear my children here in the North Country.¡± At this point, Lu Chen gently bit Wu Junwan¡¯s ear, then continued, ¡°I am very fond of your body; how could I possibly bear to kill you?¡± Upon hearing the words of this young man, Wu Junwan felt a strange sensation within her. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but it made her feel complicated; she was sad, yet there was a tinge of joy. Wu Junwan chuckled and said, ¡°So the rumors about you have always been true. You really are a lecher. It¡¯s laughable that I once thought your lechery was just a front for the bigger picture.¡± ¡°Has the Prince never considered that throughout the history of great dynasties, lecherous emperors almost always come to a bad end?¡± People usually associate lechery with ¡°incompetence,¡± so in their minds, lecherous emperors often lead to the downfall of their nations, or they lose their grip on power and the country ends up in chaos. At least in the eyes of the current emperors, none seem to be lecherous. Of course, that was just Wu Junwan¡¯s opinion. At this moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°There is no emperor in this world who isn¡¯t lecherous. To be precise, there are no men who aren¡¯t. Look at the emperors of the great dynasties now; which one doesn¡¯t have dozens, if not hundreds, of women in his harem?¡± ¡°Take your Emperor father, for example. Would you dare say he¡¯s not lecherous? If he weren¡¯t, could he have fathered so many children?¡± Wu Junwan wanted to refute Lu Chen¡¯s words, but found herself speechless as the words reached her lips. Lu Chen continued, ¡°You want to be Empress so badly only for the power that title holds. Haven¡¯t you thought about what you would do once you had that power?¡± ¡°Once you become a ruler, do you intend to spend your life dealing with state affairs in the study and never indulge in anything else, pouring all your energy into governance?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not such a selfless person. I desire power for my own personal wants. Now that North Country has defeated Great Wu under my leadership, and brought you, a beautiful woman, back to North Country, how could I play the gentleman and not enjoy the fruits of victory? Junwan, you must not take me for a saint.¡± ¡°If your father, the Emperor, had defeated a country and brought back their princess or empress, can you honestly claim he wouldn¡¯t lay a finger on them?¡± Wu Junwan had no response. Because Lu Chen was right; her father, the Emperor, might seem to have dedicated his life to war and expanding his territory, but he too frequently added the vanquished nations¡¯ beautiful women to his harem. Though he appeared diligent in governance, it was not possible that his sole focus was for the benefit of the Great Wu Dynasty. Seeing that Wu Junwan had fallen silent, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, then said, ¡°I won¡¯t stop the people of Great Wu from seeing you, but I hope you understand that someday the great dynasties will unify, and only in the North Prince Mansion can your dream of empresshood continue.¡± ¡°Did you not experience the joy of being an empress last night? There are not many women in this world who can be personally attended to by me.¡± On hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan, who had been silent, scoffed coldly, ¡°The Prince has quite a sense of humor. Claiming possession over my body as though you have drawn the short straw.¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan had spoken again, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I never said I¡¯m at a loss. After all, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve met a woman whose cultivation skill is sealed yet can still actively control her meridians and tense up her body.¡± With that remark, Wu Junwan, who had just calmed down, suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of shame. She originally thought that she could stop Lu Chen with this tactic, but ironically, she ended up accommodating the man. This ¡°dog¡± isn¡¯t meant as an insult¡ªit truly made no difference between him and an animal. She had lived for over thirty years, and although she knew something about the affairs of men and women, she had never heard of a man like Lu Chen. Chapter 632 - Chapter 632: Chapter 380: This guy actually wants me to have his baby!_1 Chapter 632: Chapter 380: This guy actually wants me to have his baby!_1 After hearing what Lu Chen had said, Wu Junwan realized she had no place to call Lu Chen lecherous. Because she was fundamentally the same kind of person as Lu Chen. They were both people who wanted to grasp power. The biggest difference between her and Lu Chen was that he had much more power than she did at the start, and Lu Chen enjoyed the company of beauties simply because he was using the power he had to do what he wanted. If she had the same power as Lu Chen, even if she didn¡¯t seek male consorts, she would inevitably use that power to do some things for herself. Wasn¡¯t one of the reasons her title of Princess Junwan was revoked precisely because she was accused of using her power for personal gain? She had indeed done so; the treasures collected through the intelligence agency all ended up in Green Cloud Palace for her own use, and she had also amassed a great wealth through Qianhai Commercial Association. All of these were her ways of using power for personal gain. At this moment, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t know how she should interact with Lu Chen, although her body had already been claimed by this young man, she didn¡¯t harbor any hatred towards him. On the contrary, she found herself with the desire to keep this man by her side forever. In fact, this wasn¡¯t a new thought. Long before, she had contemplated that after the Great Wu defeated North Country, she would capture Lu Chen and make him her male consort. Unfortunately, the plan failed, and in the end, she became a sacrifice and was sent to North Country. Although the process didn¡¯t go smoothly, the outcome was more or less the same; in the end, they became one. And she was very satisfied with Lu Chen, it was just that she was no match for him and could only be overwhelmed by him. Wu Junwan sighed internally, feeling a bit lost. Initially, she had planned to get close to Lu Chen, then extract North Country¡¯s secrets, and ultimately rise up to become the Empress of Great Wu. But in just a day and a night, her lofty ambitions had vanished without a trace. She wanted to be Empress for the power, but after her intimate encounters with Lu Chen, she realized that the best thing she could attain using power was doing that sort of thing with this young man. This was not because she had fallen in love; she had held great power before, and had enjoyed all the benefits that came with it, except for that one experience. Lu Chen had made her experience an unprecedented happiness, instantly causing her to sink into it. Now, the position of Empress didn¡¯t seem so important anymore. As Wu Junwan pondered this, she quickly stopped herself from continuing down that path. No, how could she have such a degenerate thought! Although the current outcome was similar to what she had previously imagined, after all, she came to North Country as a hostage. To put it bluntly, she was just a spoil of war for this young man. In the future, this young man could get tired of her and abandon her at any time. She had no status at all in front of this young man. If she could not have the same power and status as the North Prince, then she would always be subdued by the North Prince. She couldn¡¯t fall just for this young man¡¯s looks; she had to become someone with great power in her hands. While Wu Junwan was having these thoughts, Lu Chen¡¯s large hand caressed her jade back and said, ¡°Wanyan, a supreme beauty like you is truly irresistible.¡± Upon hearing these words, Wu Junwan immediately felt an immense sense of humiliation; she felt like an object, and Lu Chen¡¯s words felt like an insult to her. At this moment, Wu Junwan suddenly thought of something and then asked, ¡°You managed to make the room look like the Yue Emperor¡¯s quarters because North Country¡¯s spies have infiltrated the Yue Emperor¡¯s side, right?¡± The Yue Emperor was, after all, Wu Junwan¡¯s good friend, so she was very worried about the Yue Emperor¡¯s situation. This young man had not only made a Phoenix Robe just like the Yue Emperor¡¯s, but even the layout of the bedroom resembled the Yue Emperor¡¯s chambers, which was quite horrifying. Wu Junwan felt she needed to warn her good sister to be wary of the people around her. This young man was not to be trusted. Moreover, Lu Chen had her wear the Empress¡¯s clothes for their intimate relations, and Wu Junwan vaguely felt that Lu Chen might see her as his own dear sister. This fellow might not only be coveting her body but also lusting after the Yue Emperor¡¯s. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to send someone to infiltrate the Great Jue Imperial Palace. My people have yet to enter it. The reason I know how the Yue Emperor¡¯s bedroom is laid out is that she personally sent someone to the North Country, and this person has always taken care of her daily life.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Wu Junwan paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Impossible!¡± Wu Junwan thought to herself, how could the person her dear sister sent to the North Country cooperate with the North Prince to do such things? Those from Great Jue must be aware of the relationship between her and their Emperor. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Your dear sister does not have good intentions. She sent a beauty to the North Country, trying to seduce me with her charms. The making of the Phoenix Robe and the arrangement of the bedroom were all done with the help of that beauty.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen mention this, Wu Junwan suddenly thought of something. She seemed to recall the Yue Emperor mentioning that once she had sent an exceptionally beautiful woman to the North Country to gather intelligence. Could it be that woman? If it was her, then it might make sense. However¡­ Such a lecherous young man, that woman must have also fallen prey to the North Prince¡¯s hands. She wondered if her dear sister¡¯s plan to use beauty as a tactic could be considered successful? This amorous young man, although fond of beautiful women, was unlikely to focus all his attention on one woman. Without his favor, it would probably not be easy to extract any confidential information about the North Country from him. At that moment, Lu Chen let go of Wu Junwan¡¯s other hand, then wrapped both arms around her soft and delicate body, still lying on her back, ¡°Wanyan, I helped you breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm. Don¡¯t you think about how to repay me?¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan fell silent. Repay him? This young man really had thick skin. Not only did he take her virginity, but now he actually expected repayment. It wasn¡¯t like she asked him to elevate her Realm. Seeing Wu Junwan didn¡¯t speak, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t know how to repay me, do you? In that case, how about this, you bear me a few hundred children, and we¡¯ll call it even.¡± At that, Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but speak up, ¡°Prince, you really have a way with jokes. Setting aside whether I can become pregnant, I am the Princess Junwan of Great Wu. Even if I did carry your child, would you dare to let me give birth to it?¡± If one day Lu Chen truly annihilated Great Wu, then she would become a remnant of the defeated kingdom. If she had a child, her child would carry the blood of the Great Martial Royal Family. Coupled with her own indomitable nature, Lu Chen might not dare to let her give birth to the child. Lu Chen said with a smirk, ¡°Whether you can become pregnant is my concern. Among my wives and concubines, there are female Masters who have borne me children and not just one.¡± ¡°As for whether I¡¯d dare to let you have the child, you needn¡¯t worry about that. As long as you can get pregnant, I dare to let you give birth,¡± he said. Wu Junwan was startled in her heart. This young man couldn¡¯t be serious, could he? No wonder he relentlessly pursued her day and night. Could it be that his whole purpose was to get her pregnant? The bastard! Wu Junwan suddenly felt a surge of anger. Currently, she herself was very confused, unsure how to establish herself in the North Country, let alone think about raising a child. And this fellow actually wanted her to bear his children! Chapter 633 - Chapter 633: Chapter 381 Wu Junwan: Arent You Afraid I Will Betray You?_1 Chapter 633: Chapter 381 Wu Junwan: Aren¡¯t You Afraid I Will Betray You?_1 ¡°Does the Prince really think he has me at his mercy? Just because you want me to bear your child, am I obliged to do so?¡± Wu Junwan certainly did not want to actually carry this young man¡¯s seed. If it were just a matter of sex, she could imagine Lu Chen as her male concubine in her heart. If she truly ruined Lu Chen¡¯s child, and even bore him a child, wouldn¡¯t she become nothing more than a personal breeding tool for Lu Chen? Her thoughts were simple¡ªshe could share a bed, but having a child was absolutely out of the question. Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s icy tone, Lu Chen smiled faintly, then whispered in her ear, ¡°If I wanted to impregnate you, could you stop me?¡± Just as Wu Junwan was about to say something, Lu Chen suddenly moved his body, leaving Wu Junwan utterly humiliated, ¡°You!¡± What Lu Chen said was indeed true; if he wished to impregnate her, it would be very difficult for her to stop him. However¡­ Wu Junwan said coldly, ¡°For a Grandmaster, disposing of a child doesn¡¯t seem to be a difficult task.¡± Lu Chen still did not take her words to heart, and he responded indifferently, ¡°That is also simple. If you dare to do that, I¡¯ll just make you conceive again. For me, getting you pregnant is equally not a difficult task.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan said coldly, ¡°Is the Prince not afraid that when the time comes, I will let my own child join the struggle for inheritance?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Struggle for inheritance? With my strength, living for a thousand years is no problem. I don¡¯t believe I can¡¯t find a way to prevent such things from happening in these thousand years.¡± ¡°To put it bluntly, you may not live as long as I do. As long as I am alive, you will never have the chance to cause trouble in the North Country.¡± ¡°As for whether the grandchildren¡¯s generation will engage in struggles for inheritance, that has nothing to do with me anymore. I can only manage the affairs of my lifetime. If you outlive me, let alone having your child join the struggle for inheritance¡ªI wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere even if you became Empress.¡± This¡­ After Lu Chen said this, Wu Junwan thought it over and felt there was some sense to his words. With Lu Chen¡¯s talent, breaking through the Heavenly Human Realm should pose no great challenge, and once he did, it was indeed possible for him to live for over a thousand years. With this man around, her chances of getting away with any mischief were indeed very slim. Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Do you intend to keep me confined in your harem for a lifetime, like a caged canary?¡± Lu Chen replied nonchalantly, ¡°As I said, I won¡¯t stop you from interacting with anyone. You have a certain degree of freedom. If you truly desire power, I can also share some of it with you.¡± Wu Junwan found it hard to believe this young man¡¯s words. Was this young man really so generous? After all, she was the Princess of Great Wu, and not long ago they were enemies. Even though she was now a hostage, she was still, nominally, the Princess of Great Wu. Why should Lu Chen trust her? Was this young man so conceited? Wasn¡¯t he afraid she might betray him one day? Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that one day I will betray you?¡± No sooner had Wu Junwan finished speaking when Lu Chen, holding her waist, flipped her around to face him directly, and then he pressed down on her again, arching his chest, and looking down at her with a lofty demeanor, gazing into her mature and alluring face of peerless beauty. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m not afraid of your betrayal?¡± Gazing into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, Wu Junwan fell silent; how could she know where Lu Chen¡¯s confidence came from that she would not betray him. Wu Junwan didn¡¯t consider herself a woman content with her lot. Although she might not look for another man behind Lu Chen¡¯s back, her yearning for power was insatiable. To gain power, she would surely commit acts detrimental to the North Country. Seeing Wu Junwan fall silent without responding. Lu Chen lifted his hand and caressed Wu Junwan¡¯s blushing cheeks while gently brushing aside her disheveled hair, tucking the stray locks behind her ears. ¡°The answer to this question, you will know in no more than a month. There¡¯s no need for me to say more now.¡± ¡°` ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet? I¡¯ll bet that within one month you will fall deeply in love with me and won¡¯t be able to live without me.¡± As soon as these words came out, Lu Junwan chuckled lightly once again and then said, ¡°So that is what Prince is thinking. Is Prince really under the impression that after sharing a bed with His Highness just once, I would be utterly submissive to you?¡± ¡°For me, the matter of men and women, though novel, does not dictate my actions.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? You¡¯re that confident? Then tell me, are you willing to bet or not?¡± Junwan didn¡¯t immediately answer. She felt that something was amiss¡ªwas this young man truly so certain she would fall for him? While she was indeed interested in him, it was absolutely impossible for it to escalate to love¡ªafter all, in the royal family, there are no feelings involved, only interests. Lu Chen himself was from the Great Sum royal family; he was already of age and couldn¡¯t possibly be this na?ve, not even understanding such basic truth. Junwan always felt there might be some kind of plot hidden within. After much thought, Junwan finally decided to take Lu Chen¡¯s bet. She wanted to see what Lu Chen was up to. ¡°I accept your challenge. How shall we bet?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If within a month, you don¡¯t call me darling, or tell me you love me, or say you like me or anything of that sort, I will give you the blueprints for the cannon.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve probably heard about the cannon before, right? It¡¯s the kind of weapon that defeated your Great Wu army.¡± Junwan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Cannon!!! Her main goal in coming to North Country as a hostage was to obtain the blueprints for North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons, and she never imagined she would have the chance to get her hands on them so soon. She simply couldn¡¯t believe it was true. Junwan said, ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t go back on your word?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice now, do you? Besides, although I am libidinous, I am still a Prince, the ruler of a feudal state; it would be beneath me to renege on a promise.¡± Junwan said, ¡°Fine, I accept your terms.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°You agree so readily¡ªdon¡¯t you want to know what you¡¯ll have to pay if you lose?¡± Junwan said with an icy expression, ¡°I cannot lose!¡± Junwan¡¯s tone was resolute. She had great confidence in herself. Though she fancied the man¡¯s body, she wasn¡¯t about to muddle the difference between right and wrong. Winning the bet would mean completing the mission her Sum Emperor father had entrusted to her; she was determined to take the gamble. Lu Chen said, ¡°If you lose, you will have to stay in my harem for life, bearing me sons and daughters, always making me your priority.¡± Junwan frowned slightly but ultimately said, ¡°I agree, just hoping that Prince won¡¯t back out in the end.¡± The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved up slightly¡ªan innocent beauty, indeed. Let alone a month¡ªin less than seven days, Junwan would lose. At that moment, Junwan gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Your Highness has been in my chambers for a day and a night. Isn¡¯t it time to leave?¡± Feeling Junwan¡¯s burning yet velvety soft body, Lu Chen didn¡¯t want to let go at all. Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s already dark, so let¡¯s just continue sleeping.¡± Junwan¡¯s mind went blank, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Before Junwan could finish speaking, Lu Chen leaned down once more and captured the beautiful woman¡¯s lips with a kiss. ¡°` Chapter 635 - Chapter 635: Chapter 383 Thank You Prince for Bestowing the Pill!_1 Chapter 635: Chapter 383 Thank You Prince for Bestowing the Pill!_1 Hearing Princess Junwan¡¯s reply, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Just yesterday, they had thought that Princess Junwan had been imprisoned and that it would be very difficult to see her again. If it was going to be difficult to see Princess Junwan in the future, and they could not interact with her for intelligence sharing, they wouldn¡¯t know how to act or coordinate with Princess Junwan¡¯s plans. At this time, an attendant asked, ¡°Your Highness, besides allowing you to see us, has the North Prince also permitted you to leave the North Prince Mansion?¡± After the attendant finished speaking, everyone¡¯s gaze fell once again on Princess Junwan. Although they could now see Princess Junwan, they were, after all, in the North Prince Mansion, a place where they couldn¡¯t discuss more about their plans with her. Only if Princess Junwan left the North Prince Mansion would they dare to discuss certain matters confidently. Princess Junwan said, ¡°The North Prince has not forbidden me from leaving the North Prince Mansion, it¡¯s just that my range of activities is limited within Yan County, and I cannot leave Yan County.¡± Hearing Princess Junwan¡¯s answer, everyone breathed a sigh of relief again. As long as she could leave the North Prince Mansion, they could simply find a room to converse in, which was preferable to being in the North Prince Mansion. At that moment, Hu Shu¡¯s gaze lingered on Princess Junwan¡¯s stunningly beautiful face. For some reason, Hu Shu always felt that Princess Junwan had undergone significant changes. Princess Junwan¡¯s skin seemed to have become glossier, even more beautiful and enchanting, filled with the charm of a mature woman. Hu Shu didn¡¯t think much of it, speculating that this must be due to Princess Junwan¡¯s breakthrough to the Grandmaster Realm. After breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm, Princess Junwan surely expelled some impurities from her body, which is why her skin looked fairer. It was then that Hu Shu suddenly remembered the task given to her by the Yue Emperor and directly addressed Princess Junwan, ¡°Your Highness, before I came to the North Country, His Majesty asked me to investigate a matter. I wish to trouble Your Highness for assistance, if that may be possible?¡± Hearing Hu Shu¡¯s words, Princess Junwan asked with curiosity, ¡°What matter?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Princess Junwan immediately thought of the matter related to the phoenix robe and the bedchamber, and she immediately guessed that Hu Shu¡¯s concern was related to that woman. Hu Shu then leaned close to Princess Junwan¡¯s ear and whispered, ¡°His Majesty had sent a woman named Murong Xue¡¯er to get close to the North Prince, and I would like to ask Your Highness¡¯s help to find out if this woman has ever shared a bed with the North Prince.¡± The Yue Emperor was eager to know if Murong Xue¡¯er had managed to control Lu Chen, so she sent Hu Shu to Princess Junwan¡¯s side, not only for her protection but also to gather further intelligence about the North Country. Hearing Hu Shu¡¯s request, Princess Junwan thought to herself that it indeed related to that woman. Princess Junwan then said, ¡°I can do that, I will find an opportunity to inquire.¡± Hu Shu promptly expressed her gratitude, ¡°Then I will trouble Your Highness.¡± Princess Junwan replied, ¡°Senior Hu, there¡¯s no need for formality.¡± At that moment, a female guard said, ¡°Your Highness, now that you are alone in the North Prince Mansion without anyone to take care of you, why not speak to the North Prince and ask him to leave a few female guards to attend to you?¡± After all, Princess Junwan was the esteemed Princess of Great Wu, sent to the North Country as a hostage. How could she have no one of her own by her side? Without her people around her, even passing messages would be extremely difficult. Princess Junwan replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need. The North Prince will not allow my people to stay in the North Prince Mansion.¡± If it was just monitoring her alone that would be fine, but if Princess Junwan¡¯s side had other people from Great Wu, the security work at the North Prince Mansion would significantly increase. Princess Junwan didn¡¯t believe the North Prince would allow her people to stay. Princess Junwan continued, ¡°You should all go back today. If there¡¯s anything in the future, I will have the maids of the North Prince Mansion notify you in advance.¡± ¡°Next time, you don¡¯t need to come to the North Prince Mansion. If there¡¯s something to discuss, I will directly go to the Princess Mansion arranged for me by the North Prince.¡± This place was, after all, the North Prince Mansion, and they couldn¡¯t hold discussions here, so Princess Junwan did not intend to have her attendants come looking for her in the North Prince Mansion again. Hu Shu and the others immediately understood Princess Junwan¡¯s intent, and they chorused, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± Hu Shu spoke, ¡°Then take care, Princess Junwan. Shall I lead them back to the Princess Mansion now?¡± Princess Junwan nodded slightly and said, ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± Subsequently, Hu Shu led Princess Junwan¡¯s attendants away from the North Prince Mansion. Watching their departing figures, Princess Junwan sighed softly, wondering if she could withstand the pressure and hold out for a month to obtain the cannon blueprints from Lu Chen¡¯s hands. If she managed to get her hands on the blueprints of that mysterious weapon, then it would be worth it even if she had to share a bed with Lu Chen for the next half year. Meanwhile. In the North Prince Mansion, the study. Lu Chen sat in the chair, browsing through the system prompts. ¡°Congratulations, host, for gaining another woman, reward obtained: Gatling blueprint.¡± ¡°Host builds rapport with his consorts once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increase¡­¡± ¡°Host and consorts achieve telepathy ¡Á20, reward: two Realm Breaking Pills.¡± ¡­ ¡°Host builds rapport with his consorts once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points increase¡­¡± ¡°Host and consorts achieve telepathy ¡Á10, reward: twenty Beauty Enhancement Pills (Preserving Beauty Pills).¡± Looking at the system interface before him, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. Who should receive the two Realm Breaking Pills? To give them to his own women, or to his military generals? Better to give them to the military generals. There are already two grandmasters in the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, there¡¯s no need to increase their number any further. In a year, he¡¯d be heading south, and would need quite a few grandmaster military generals by then. Wenren Lie has already broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, so he doesn¡¯t need the Realm Breaking Pill. How about giving one to Xuanyuan Chen, and the other to Wei Siyuan. Both were summoned by the system and were absolutely loyal to him, so there was no problem giving them the pills. Furthermore, Wei Siyuan¡¯s navy had already been essentially established. Although it was made up of wooden steam warships, they could be used at a push. When heading south to assist the king in the future, the navy might play an important role. With this thought, Lu Chen immediately spoke to the maid at the door, ¡°Summon General Xuanyuan to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and have the Brocade Guard notify Wei Siyuan to return to Yan County once.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± It wasn¡¯t long before Xuanyuan Chen arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. At that moment, Wu Junwan was still in the outer court. When she saw a master clad in armor heading towards Lu Chen¡¯s study, her curiosity was piqued. She wanted to know what that military general was doing at the North Prince Mansion. However, considering the sensitivity of her own status, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t follow directly. She stayed in a pavilion in the outer courtyard, pretending to sip tea while observing the situation in the North Prince Mansion¡¯s outer court. At this very moment. In the study. After arriving at Lu Chen¡¯s study, Xuanyuan Chen saluted and said, ¡°Your Highness!¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, ¡°At ease.¡± Xuanyuan Chen asked, ¡°May I know why Your Highness has summoned this subject?¡± Lu Chen took out a Realm Breaking Pill and said directly, ¡°This is a Realm Breaking Pill. After taking it, your strength will rise to the Grandmaster Realm.¡± Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chen was stunned. The next moment, his eyes blazed with an eager light; he had been stuck at the Master Realm for quite some time. Xuanyuan Chen was well aware that if he wanted to further attract the attention of the North Prince, he must prove his worth when the North Prince heads south to support the king. They would face the grandmasters of Great Sum, and even with powerful firearms at their disposal, using firearms alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to kill a grandmaster. Therefore, if he wished to be of significant use, he must break through to the Grandmaster Realm. He had been anxious about his inability to break through to the Grandmaster Realm, especially after learning that Wenren Lie had already done so. Wenren Lie and he were both from Great Yu City, but now Wenren Lie had broken through, and he had not. Xuanyuan Chen, somewhat incredulous, asked, ¡°Your Highness, is this Realm Breaking Pill for me?¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, did not answer but directly tossed the Realm Breaking Pill to Xuanyuan Chen, who hastily caught it. ¡°Thank you for bestowing the pill, Prince!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I plan to establish another Synthetic Camp, which should include not only infantry and cavalry but also artillery. From now on, this unit will be under your command.¡± ¡°As for the defense of Yan County, I intend to temporarily entrust it to your sister.¡± ¡°What are your thoughts, General Xuanyuan?¡± Chapter 636 - Chapter 636: Chapter 384 How Many Secrets Does This Little Man Have?_1 Chapter 636: Chapter 384 How Many Secrets Does This Little Man Have?_1 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chen was stunned for a moment. Lu Chen was willing to let him command a Synthetic Camp alone, and of course, he was overjoyed. The Synthetic Camp was the main force of the North Country, and in the event of war, it would immediately rush to the frontlines. The Synthetic Camp of the North Country wasn¡¯t a camp in the modern sense but a term used for an army at that time. A Synthetic Camp in the North Country had at least several hundred thousand soldiers. Leading a Synthetic Camp meant that Xuanyuan Chen would become the Main Commander of a main force from now on. Although he had previously led the Black Cavalry, the Black Cavalry was only a part that coordinated with the main force in combat; he didn¡¯t have command authority. Now in the North Country, aside from the North Prince, only those two Grandmasters from the polar regions and Mu Changtian held command authority. Despite feeling pleased, Xuanyuan Chen still expressed his concern, ¡°Seignior, Yunqi is just a Master, she may not be competent enough to defend the Capital city.¡± Even though Xuanyuan Yunqi was his sister, as a subordinate of the North Prince, he naturally had to consider matters from the North Prince¡¯s perspective. Xuanyuan Chen didn¡¯t believe his sister was capable of protecting Yan County properly. Hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a light smile, ¡°General Xuanyuan seems to underestimate his own sister too much.¡± ¡°I have heard that she is valiant and skilled on the battlefield, possessing outstanding ability.¡± Mu Changtian would write to Lu Chen from time to time, not only to report on military affairs but also to update him on Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s performance. Mu Changtian was a clever man; he naturally knew the relationship between Xuanyuan Yunqi and Lu Chen, so he described her performance in detail in his letters. The reason why Lu Chen had Xuanyuan Yunqi come back to take on the responsibility of defending Yan County was mainly to train her ability to lead troops. Compared to the Synthetic Camp, which had to engage in warfare abroad, the city defense troops of Yan County were much safer, and the number of soldiers was also significant, an ideal environment to train Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s leadership abilities. As for whether he would let Xuanyuan Yunqi go onto the battlefield in the future, that would have to wait until she had broken through to the Grandmaster level. At this moment, Xuanyuan Chen thought it over. With his father stationed in Yan County, his sister would be relatively safe there. It would also be good for her to come back. Immediately afterwards, Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°I will follow the Seignior¡¯s arrangements!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Very well, then it¡¯s settled. General Xuanyuan, quickly take the Realm Breaking Pill.¡± ¡°Yes, Seignior!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xuanyuan Chen placed the Realm Breaking Pill into his mouth and swallowed it. Moments later, Xuanyuan Chen felt a surge in his skill; then a wave of Spiritual Energy erupted from his body, sweeping through the entire study. Feeling that he had indeed made a breakthrough, Xuanyuan Chen became even more excited, but he also realized his current predicament. Having broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, his body had expelled a lot of impurities, and he was covered in filth. Just as Xuanyuan Chen was about to speak, Lu Chen said, ¡°General Xuanyuan, go back and clean yourself first. Once the affairs of the Synthetic Camp are settled, I will call for you.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± ¡°Your servant will take his leave!¡± Xuanyuan Chen hurriedly left the study, fearful that his stench might offend Lu Chen. When Xuanyuan Chen reached the outer courtyard, Wu Junwan, who was in the pavilion outside, saw him again. Confusion instantly appeared on Junwan¡¯s face. Grandmaster? What is going on? Wasn¡¯t this person at the Master Realm when he went there a moment ago? How did he become a Grandmaster as soon as he came out? How did the North Prince accomplish this? Although Wu Junwan herself had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm overnight, she had completed this process in bed with the North Prince; she didn¡¯t believe this Military General had done the same thing with the North Prince. Wu Junwan¡¯s beautiful eyes lifted slightly, her willow brows creased as she thought to herself, the North Prince must have other methods of enhancing one¡¯s strength. How many secrets does this young man have! Not only does he possess such a terrifying weapon, but now he can actually elevate a Master directly to the Grandmaster Realm! If the North Country has enough Masters, then it could have more Grandmasters. In that case, even without that mysterious weapon, other dynasties wouldn¡¯t be able to compete with the North Country. Wu Junwan is becoming more and more pessimistic about the prospects of the Great Wu Dynasty as she suddenly felt that this young man might indeed unify the entire world one day. If that day really came, what should she do? Wu Junwan fell into deep thought. ¡­ The Great Xia Dynasty. The East Palace. Prince Lu Yi and a host of court officials were discussing something in the hall. At that moment, Prince Lu Yi spoke, ¡°Although Father has appointed me as Crown Prince, my influence is confined within the court and fundamentally cannot sway the conduct of the Seigniors in outlying regions.¡± ¡°Now that Zhao King has annexed the territories of three Seigniors, and apart from North Prince, his strength is the greatest. However, he is closer to King Yun, and if things continue to drag on, my position here may become unstable.¡± Since being appointed Crown Prince, Lu Yi had been acting as regent, but his edicts rarely left the Capital city; the Seigniors in the outer regions simply didn¡¯t listen to him. Lu Yi had been feeling very anxious during this period. He dreamt of becoming Crown Prince before, but now that he had become one, he realized sitting in this position was like sitting on pins and needles. The number of people and forces supporting him were not insubstantial; after all, he was Prince Lu Yi, and traditionally the Great Xia Dynasty followed a system of primogeniture, with the conservative faction largely supporting him. But what use was the support of the conservatives when what he needed most now was military power? The Great Xia was essentially in a state of fragmentation. Although, in theory, he could mobilize some troops while acting as regent, their leaders simply did not listen to him and did not take him seriously at all. What irritated Prince Lu Yi the most was that he had no way to punish those commanders. It was a critical time now, and rashly punishing anyone could very likely drive them to revolt. If the armies of the court all defected to the Seigniors, his situation as Crown Prince would become even more difficult. Thinking of these things, Prince Lu Yi sighed deeply. Just then, one of the ministers spoke up, ¡°Crown Prince, why not try to win over the North Prince?¡± ¡°With the power of the North Country so formidable, even the Great Wu has been defeated by the North Country. If we could secure the support of the North Country, the Seigniors would no longer dare to be as arrogant as they are today.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi chuckled, ¡°He probably covets that position himself. Do you think he would truly support me?¡± Another minister said, ¡°Crown Prince, why not cede Qi Country and the territories north of it to the North Prince and support his establishment of an independent dynasty? With sufficient benefits, I believe the North Prince would stand with us.¡± The Qi Prince supported other princes, and so for Lu Yi, Qi Country was expendable. If he could trade some territory for the North Prince¡¯s support, it would be a sure-win situation for him personally. But the crux of the matter was whether the North Prince was interested in the Sum Emperor¡¯s position. If the North Prince considered the Northern Land too impoverished and preferred the wealth of Great Xia, he might very well head south to seize the throne. At this moment, another minister in the hall said, ¡°Your Highness, I agree with Minister Yu. With ample benefits, the North Prince might give up that position. Judging from the policies the North Prince has implemented in the Northern Land, he seems to deeply detest landlords and Aristocratic Families. Although many Aristocratic Families in Great Xia have been dealt with by the Emperor, there are still numerous ones remaining. It will not be easy for the North Prince to govern all of Great Xia. Should the North Prince ascend to the throne, landlords and Aristocratic Families throughout Great Xia would certainly rebel.¡± ¡°I believe the North Prince understands this. The policies he has implemented have seriously hurt the interests of all social classes, and the common people of Great Xia would not consent to him becoming Emperor.¡± ¡°To the North Prince, the current state of Great Xia is a mess. Rather than tackle this mess, he might prefer to establish a new dynasty altogether.¡± No sooner had this minister finished speaking than another minister continued, ¡°I fear that the ambition of the North Prince is grand, and he likely covets more than just Great Xia, other dynasties included. Merely offering him Qi Country will likely fall short of satisfying the North Prince¡¯s appetite.¡± ¡°In my view, even if we obtain the support of the North Prince now, there will come a day when he will lead his troops south.¡± Listening to the discussions of the ministers, Prince Lu Yi¡¯s brow furrowed, and he was plunged into silence. Chapter 640 - Chapter 640: Chapter 386 Wu Junwan: A bet? What bet?_1 Chapter 640: Chapter 386 Wu Junwan: A bet? What bet?_1 ¡°` Hearing Liang Zong¡¯s reply, Lu Chen contemplated for a moment. Under normal circumstances, once the Brocade Guard obtained intelligence, they would send someone to Yan County right away. The fact that the Brocade Guard¡¯s scout could leave the Capital city at the same time as the envoy group dispatched by Lu Yi meant that as soon as Lu Yi decided to send out the envoy group, he had immediately sent them towards the North Country. Lu Yi was in a hurry, eager to establish a connection with the North Country. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°I understand, go and report this intelligence to the Great Scholar.¡± Even though Lu Yi¡¯s envoy group hadn¡¯t arrived in the North Country yet, Lu Chen didn¡¯t know how Lu Yi specifically intended to win him over, although Lu Chen had already planned to head south, there was still about a year¡¯s time. Lu Chen wanted to see if there was a way to use Lu Yi to his advantage. Taking the letter from Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Liang Zong said, ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave!¡± Then, Liang Zong turned and left the study to head for the office of political affairs next to the Hall of Political Affairs. For the time being, Lu Chen didn¡¯t dwell on the matter. Until the envoy group arrived in Yan County, he wouldn¡¯t know Lu Yi¡¯s specific demands or what conditions Lu Yi would offer to win him over. Pondering too much now was useless; everything would wait until the envoy group reached the North Country. You. As evening approached. When Lu Chen was having dinner, Mu Zixuan asked from the side, ¡°Prince, Princess Junwan from Great Wu has been at the Prince¡¯s Mansion for several days now and has not once come to Wind Cloud Palace for dinner. Why don¡¯t you speak to her and invite her to the Wind Cloud Palace for dinner.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s no need for now, let her get used to life at the North Prince Mansion first.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I saw the Princess yesterday and noticed that her martial artist¡¯s aura is not inferior to mine. She seems to have reached the Grandmaster Realm. Continuing to let her stay in the inner courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion might be a threat.¡± After all, Wu Junwan was a princess from a hostile nation, and Chu Yuqin always felt uneasy about Wu Junwan, fearing that she might do something detrimental to the North Prince Mansion. Since Wu Junwan arrived at the North Prince Mansion, Chu Yuqin had been closely watching the courtyard she stayed in, desperately afraid that Wu Junwan might harm Lu Chen¡¯s wives or children. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s already my woman now, she won¡¯t cause trouble.¡± Chu Yuqin wasn¡¯t aware of the matter with the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, so she was quite worried that Wu Junwan would not be tamed by Lu Chen. Seeing how confident Lu Chen was, Chu Yuqin just sighed softly in her heart and did not say much. After dinner, Lu Chen went straight to the courtyard where Wu Junwan was staying. At that moment, Wu Junwan had already had her dinner and had just emerged from the bath, redressing in a red Phoenix Robe. Sitting in front of the dressing table, Wu Junwan looked at herself in the mirror, completely calm and quiet, her thoughts unknown. While she was lost in thought, the voice of a maid came from the doorway. Wu Junwan snapped back to reality, her heart tightened, and she instantly became extremely nervous. He was here! Truly here! This little man, she didn¡¯t know how he was going to torment her this time! Before Wu Junwan could rise from her seat, Lu Chen had already approached from behind. He rested his hands on her fragrant shoulders and looking at her reflection in the mirror, said by her ear, ¡°Your Majesty, you are truly beautiful.¡± As he spoke, he lifted Wu Junwan¡¯s hair to his nose and took a slow sniff, seeming to greatly enjoy the scent. At that moment, Wu Junwan wanted to say something, but she found herself speechless. Under someone¡¯s roof, what could she say? Surely she couldn¡¯t ask Lu Chen to spare her, and this little man certainly wouldn¡¯t let her go; besides, to her, matters between a man and a woman were an enjoyment in themselves. Wu Junwan sat in front of the mirror, still not moving, completely unsure what to do or say next. Seeing Wu Junwan motionless, Lu Chen asked, ¡°If Your Majesty is willing to answer some questions, I could refrain from staying overnight here.¡± Hearing these words, Wu Junwan nervously asked, ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that in the far west of the continent, there is a foggy region, and almost no one who enters it can come out again. Yet, both you and the Yue Emperor not only entered the fog but also came out of it, moreover, with great strength. The Yue Emperor even broke through to the Celestial Realm. Of course, I¡¯m not certain if she is truly a Celestial.¡± Wu Junwan frowned slightly, not expecting Lu Chen to suddenly take an interest in the foggy region. She then warned, ¡°The foggy region is very dangerous. You¡¯d best not be curious about that place.¡± Lu Chen, lifting Wu Junwan¡¯s hair, took a deep breath and said, ¡°That¡¯s my affair. You just need to tell me what¡¯s inside the foggy region, or what lies beyond it.¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Since you are so interested in the foggy region, I will tell you some things.¡± ¡°The foggy region is another world. The Yue Emperor and I once shared the same master. After he led us into the foggy region, we lived there for nearly ten years. During those ten years, I desired to return home to visit, but no matter which way I went, I could not find my way out of the fog. Until one day, the ground shook, and the fog suddenly vanished for a short while. It seemed our master realized something and took the initiative to send both the Yue Emperor and me back.¡± ¡°` Chapter 641 - Chapter 641: Chapter 386 Wu Junwan: A bet? What bet?_2 Chapter 641: Chapter 386 Wu Junwan: A bet? What bet?_2 ¡°Her Highness advises you best not think of entering the foggy zone. Within that zone, Celestials are nothing at all.¡± Upon hearing these words from Wu Junwan, Lu Chen felt a jolt in his heart. Celestials are nothing at all? Had the time finally come when Grandmasters were less than dogs and Celestials roamed everywhere? However, this was not surprising. Yun Xianxian had told him during her last visit to the North Prince Mansion that this world was merely a Lower World, one that could not sustain too many powerful beings, which is why Celestials were basically considered Immortals here. Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°If the people in the foggy zone consider Celestials as nothing, why haven¡¯t they left the zone and directly occupied the major dynasties?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°The specific reason is unclear to Her Highness as well, but it seems there are some restrictions that prevent them from leaving the foggy zone. My master mentioned that her ability to leave the foggy zone was also coincidental.¡± After thinking for a while, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Then why did your master eventually send you back?¡± Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°Because she saw that we had not let go of our worldly desires and had no intention of staying in her sect, so she simply sent us back when the restrictions loosened.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see.¡± Right then, Wu Junwan rose from her chair and walked towards the bed. As she walked, she said, ¡°Since Her Highness has told you about the foggy zone, you should keep your word from earlier. It¡¯s time for you to leave.¡± No sooner had Wu Junwan finished speaking than a pair of strong arms wrapped around her slender waist from behind. At her ear, Lu Chen now said, ¡°I only said I wouldn¡¯t sleep here tonight; I didn¡¯t say I would leave right away.¡± At these words, Wu Junwan¡¯s mind reeled, and then she said angrily, ¡°You! You¡¯re breaking your promise!¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°How have I broken my promise? I just said I wouldn¡¯t sleep here tonight. So, if I don¡¯t sleep, isn¡¯t that fine?¡± ¡°With a great beauty like you here, it¡¯s impossible for me to sleep.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than he pushed Wu Junwan onto the bed and immediately pressed down on her. Wu Junwan tried to struggle a bit, only to discover that her skill was restrained within her body, just like when Lu Chen had held her earlier that day. It dawned on Wu Junwan that, as long as this young man made contact with her body, her skill would be restrained, unable to circulate. Could this guy have placed some Incantation Skill on her? Having cultivated for so many years in the Misty Immortal Sect, she had some understanding of incantations. Both the Yue Emperor and she had learned quite a few, though she rarely used them and had forgotten some. Thinking this, Wu Junwan was certain: this must be some kind of incantation. No wonder this man dared to treat her that way, even daring to let her live in the inner courtyard. It turned out he had used some incantation on her. The thought of possibly being cursed by Lu Chen¡¯s magic, Wu Junwan simply stopped struggling and let Lu Chen¡¯s hands roam freely over her body. However, she was not just going to lie there and take it. She then asked, ¡°The mysterious weapon of North Country must be related to the foggy zone, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t be so interested in it.¡± As Lu Chen pulled off Wu Junwan¡¯s embroidered shoes and toyed with her body, he replied, ¡°I have no connection with the foggy zone. I¡¯m just worried that one day an enemy with power beyond my understanding will come from the west, so I plan to prepare in advance.¡± ¡°Knowing both oneself and the enemy, one can be more easily victorious in battle.¡± ¡°Great Wu suffered such a defeat this time because it did not understand North Country at all, and didn¡¯t even know the power of the weapons used by North Country before rashly sending troops.¡± Wu Junwan spoke up, ¡°You really don¡¯t need to worry¡­¡± Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s hands all over her, Wu Junwan cut herself off with a startled cry, biting down on her teeth hard to steady her emotions. After a moment, she managed to say, ¡°The foggy zone has restrictions; those inside can¡¯t possibly come out. There is no need for you to worry at all.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe that restriction will always be effective. Since you and the Yue Emperor were able to enter and even come out of the foggy zone, and even your master came out from there, it shows that the restriction has significant flaws.¡± ¡°Or perhaps that restriction could be broken. If one day it were to be broken and powerful enemies from the foggy zone emerged, and North Country was completely unprepared, wouldn¡¯t it mean only becoming slaves of a defeated country?¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Wu Junwan found some reason in his words, prompting a slight change in her view of him. Who would have thought this lecherous young man still had some merits, and knew to be wary even in times of safety. Wu Junwan said, ¡°Even if the people inside the foggy zone really do come out, even if you are well-prepared, you won¡¯t stand a chance against them.¡± ¡°Take the Misty Immortal Sect where I was once a part of ¨C the lowest Cultivators in the sect are all Celestials. Not to mention whether North Country has any Celestials at all, even if you do have some, how could one or two Celestials stand a chance against the Misty Immortal Sect?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s hands momentarily stopped their movements. He did not respond immediately. What Wu Junwan said made sense; if the forces from the foggy zone truly broke their so-called restrictions and descended upon this world, it would indeed be a devastating one-sided assault. Chapter 642 - Chapter 642: Chapter 386 Wu Junwan: A bet? What bet?_3 Chapter 642: Chapter 386 Wu Junwan: A bet? What bet?_3 If that was the case, then he must hurry to enhance his strength and become more powerful; as long as he broke through to the Heavenly Human Realm, he could rely on the system to continue advancing his Realm. Wu Junwan¡¯s words instantly gave Lu Chen a sense of urgency. Originally, he thought that unifying the various dynasties was something that could be done slowly. Now, he reckoned he could not afford to take it slow. What if the restrictions in the Misty Zone were broken by the people of that world before he unified the land? Wouldn¡¯t he then be crushed by the enemies within? With this thought, Lu Chen¡¯s hands moved again. He yanked fiercely, and a piece of Wu Junwan¡¯s Phoenix Robe was torn away, revealing her smooth and tender skin. The voluptuous and elegant body of Wu Junwan, her graceful figure, her soft skin, all suddenly ignited the wildness within Lu Chen. Wu Junwan originally wanted to say something else, but in the next moment, her lips were sealed by Lu Chen, and she could only make ¡°mmm¡± sounds. Lu Chen¡¯s kisses rapidly entangled Wu Junwan¡¯s heartstrings. After a short while, Wu Junwan¡¯s eyes became blurred, and her mind was filled only with Lu Chen¡¯s figure. Although Wu Junwan knew she might have been ensnared by Lu Chen¡¯s spell, she no longer cared. All she wanted now was to engage in conjugal acts with this man. After kissing for a while, Lu Chen slightly propped himself up, their lips parted, and he gazed at Wu Junwan¡¯s alluring cheeks, saying in a deep voice, ¡°Wanyan, you are so beautiful, I truly adore you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t respond; her arms instinctively wrapped around Lu Chen¡¯s neck, and she actively kissed Lu Chen¡¯s mouth, unable to hide the spring fervor that filled the air. After an unknown length of time, Lu Chen embraced Wu Junwan¡¯s waist and whispered in her ear, ¡°Wanyan, do you love me?¡± By this time, Wu Junwan had completely succumbed. She no longer had her own will and subconsciously said, ¡°Love¡­ This Princess¡­ loves you too¡­¡± A slight smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face, and he proceeded to ask, ¡°Then am I your darling?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Lu Chen continued, prompting, ¡°How about calling me ¡®darling¡¯?¡± ¡°Dar¡­ darling¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right!¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s mind suddenly snapped to clarity. She instantly remembered the bet she made with Lu Chen. If within a month, she called Lu Chen ¡®darling¡¯ or confessed her love for him, she would lose, and she would have to spend her life in the North Prince Mansion, bearing his children. Finished¡­ It had only been a few days, and she had actually lost¡­ But Wu Junwan¡¯s regret quickly dissipated without a trace, and all her troubles temporarily vanished. Her mind was filled only with the joy that Lu Chen brought to her. ¡­ Dawn. Magpies were chirping outside the window, and the servant girls of the North Prince Mansion were starting their shift changes. The servant girls at Wu Junwan¡¯s door yawned, quickly leaving their posts, and hastily made their escape after the handover with the girls taking over. Having stood guard all night, they couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. They were at the age where their hearts were just beginning to stir, and listening to something they shouldn¡¯t have all night left the young maids blushing and flustered. Meanwhile, the room was still bustling with activity, and voices could faintly be heard from outside. Inside the room. Lu Chen, just like the last time, was pressing down on Wu Junwan¡¯s back, embracing her soft body, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. After regaining her composure, Wu Junwan asked resentfully, ¡°Do you treat all your women like this?¡± Wu Junwan felt as if she had been treated as a Female Slave by Lu Chen, hence his wanton behavior. Lu Chen laughed in response, ¡°Not really. It mainly depends on the person. If the woman sharing my bed is below the fifth rank, I know how to be tender and cherish her.¡± ¡°If the woman in my bed has reached the Master Realm or above, then I don¡¯t need to be tender and cherishing.¡± Wu Junwan was slightly taken aback. She was already a Grandmaster, which explained why the bastard didn¡¯t treat her as a person. However, that wasn¡¯t the main issue for her. What irritated her the most was losing the bet to Lu Chen. Having lost the bet, according to the stakes, she would have to live as Lu Chen¡¯s consort for life and bear his children. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°My dear wife, do you remember our bet?¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s complexion turned cold but being pinned underneath him, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t see the chill on her face. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Bet? What bet? When have I ever made any bets with you?¡± Wu Junwan thought, since Lu Chen had shamelessly stayed the previous day, she could just as well deny their bet. As the Princess of Great Wu, she was the one who subdued other men, so how could she possibly be conquered by a boy over a decade younger than her? This scoundrel even wanted her to bear his children; he could dream on. Seeing Wu Junwan denying the bet, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Your denial is useless because you¡¯ve already lost the bet. From now on, just stay obediently in the North Prince Mansion and bear my children.¡± Wu Junwan coldly said, ¡°Unless you imprison me, I will never respect that so-called agreement.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t bother to pretend any longer. Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s unwillingness to adhere to the agreement, Lu Chen didn¡¯t get angry. He simply said indifferently, ¡°I like tough cookies. The last one who was this difficult is now restless without coming to the North Prince Mansion to practice calligraphy with me for a few days.¡± ¡°I wonder how long you can hold out.¡± With that said, Lu Chen blew a breath into Wu Junwan¡¯s ear. Wu Junwan didn¡¯t know who Lu Chen was talking about, but she realized that he probably had some means to make her submit. This young man was so confident; could it be because he had cast some sort of Incantation Skill on her? Chapter 643 - Chapter 643: Chapter 387 The Arrival of the Great Sum Delegation_1 Chapter 643: Chapter 387 The Arrival of the Great Sum Delegation_1 Although she suspected that Lu Chen had placed some sort of incantation skill on her, Wu Junwan did not sense anything wrong with her body. To determine whether she really was under the effect of an incantation skill, she decided to probe further. She then said, ¡°Even if you have used some incantation skill to control me and occupy my body continuously, it¡¯s impossible for me to truly like you.¡± Lu Chen was no fool; he immediately heard that Wu Junwan was testing him, ¡°Are you testing me, thinking that I¡¯ve placed some curse on you?¡± Wu Junwan let out a light chuckle, ¡°Isn¡¯t that so? As soon as your body comes into contact with mine, my skill will immediately be sealed. If you have not cursed me, how could such a thing happen?¡± Having heard Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought for a moment. Although the effects of Dragon and Phoenix Tea were excellent, they were indeed a bit too conspicuous. Every time they made contact, the skill within her would be sealed, and any woman would notice something amiss. The wives and concubines in his inner court must have noticed it too; they just hadn¡¯t brought it up directly. After all, they didn¡¯t need their skill for anything while sleeping with him, and they must have guessed it was related to him. At this moment, Lu Chen did not respond directly to Wu Junwan¡¯s words. Instead, he inquired inwardly to the system, ¡°System, is there a way for women who have drunk Dragon and Phoenix Tea to circulate their skill after coming into contact with me?¡± [The host only needs to input his own spiritual power into a woman¡¯s Dantian, and then they will be able to use their skill again.] Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, ¡°Is it that simple?¡± ¡°Then why, when I have transferred such vast spiritual power to them before, haven¡¯t I seen them¡­¡± Before Lu Chen could complete his thought internally, the system responded again. [When the host performs dual cultivation with his wives and concubines, they can already use their skill. However, since a loop of spiritual power is formed during dual cultivation, they are not able to attack you either.] Lu Chen instantly understood; he had previously thought that a woman¡¯s skill would be completely lost upon contact with him, but that was not the case. When they were engaged in dual cultivation, his wives and concubines had already returned to normal. However, because they were in that state, their ability to mobilize skill was restricted by him, rendering them unable to attack him. Then again, they were in the middle of intimate relations at the time, so how could his wives and concubines possibly attack him? Wu Junwan felt the silence of Lu Chen, who had become lost in thought behind her, and after a long period of quiet, she coldly said, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve hit the mark; you really have cast some incantation skill on me. ¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Do you really think it¡¯s a matter of an incantation skill?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Apart from an incantation skill, I can think of no other means that could so thoroughly seal my cultivation technique.¡± Lu Chen then released his spiritual power, gathering it into Wu Junwan¡¯s Dantian. The next moment, Wu Junwan felt full of strength; her skill had returned. Once her skill had returned, the first thing Wu Junwan wanted to do was to turn the tables and take control. But as soon as she began to muster her skill, she realized she was still unable to move; she was still firmly pinned down by Lu Chen. Wu Junwan was stunned. What was going on? Her skill had returned, so why was she still unable to resist this young man? While Wu Junwan was puzzled, Lu Chen immediately released the imposing aura of his body. Shocked by the pressure emanating from Lu Chen, Wu Junwan exclaimed, ¡°You¡­ You¡¯ve already become a Celestial?¡± ¡°Impossible! How old are you this year?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Indeed, I am not a Celestial.¡± Wu Junwan quickly realized, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not a Celestial, you¡¯ve entered the Unity Realm.¡± Lu Chen then whispered in her ear, ¡°How about it? Now that your skill has returned, you can try to resist me.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan felt a surge of determination despite knowing she probably was still no match for Lu Chen ¨C she decided to resist and give it a try. As Wu Junwan attempted to use her skill to resist, she suddenly perceived something odd within her body and then realized that her skill seemed to become connected to something else as she began to cultivate. The next moment, she understood what was happening. She was still in a certain state with Lu Chen; as soon as she began to use her skill, it would affect Lu Chen¡¯s skill, but their skill had already formed a looped circuit. Most importantly, the greater part of that circuit was controlled by Lu Chen, so she could only use her skill if Lu Chen allowed it. Without his consent, she was still unable to use her skill. Wu Junwan was perplexed; what kind of technique was this? She had never heard of such a thing where the skills of two people could merge together like this. As Wu Junwan was trying to understand, Lu Chen suddenly began to circulate his skill, and in the next moment, Wu Junwan felt all her skill being mobilized. She immediately experienced the sensation of her skill being driven by someone else and subconsciously said, ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± But Lu Chen paid her no mind, continuing to circulate his skill, and their internal forces once again started to revolve in a cycle. This time, Lu Chen began to play dirty, and Wu Junwan was left with no choice but to be like before. After an indeterminable length of time, Wu Junwan finally accepted her fate; she truly had no way to resist at the moment. Lu Chen then said, ¡°So, even if you recover your skill, what can you really do?¡± Chapter 644 - Chapter 644: Chapter 387 The Arrival of the Great Sum Delegation_2 Chapter 644: Chapter 387 The Arrival of the Great Sum Delegation_2 Wu Junwan asked weakly as she lay there, ¡°How did you do it?¡± Lu Chen had no intention of keeping secrets; he said directly, ¡°It¡¯s a dual-cultivation technique that can be cultivated by a man and a woman together.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Yin-Yang Balance? Demonic Cultivation from the Demon Sect?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°If it were Yin-Yang Balance, given the intensity of my actions, you would probably be a dried-up corpse by now.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that your strength has been continuously increasing? Just a few days ago, I used this method to help you break through to the Grandmaster Realm.¡± Wu Junwan thought about it for a moment; although this cultivation technique was very similar to the evil techniques of the Demon Sect, judging by the results, it really didn¡¯t seem like Yin-Yang Balance. If it were an evil cultivation from the Demon Sect, considering Lu Chen¡¯s way of doing things, she would probably be close to death by now, especially after that time: two nights and one day later, it would be odd if she didn¡¯t die, yet instead, she had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm. So, could it be that this technique was actually a righteous cultivation technique? Wu Junwan immediately realized the crux of the matter and quickly said, ¡°There can¡¯t possibly be such a technique in this world. Who gave you this technique?¡± At this moment, Lu Chen whispered into her ear, ¡°My dear wife, just because you don¡¯t know about it, doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t exist in this world.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen¡¯s words; she stuck to her conjecture that this technique must come from another world, and it was very likely from the Misty Region. Linking this to Lu Chen¡¯s earlier inquiries about the Misty Region, this further solidified Wu Junwan¡¯s guess. At that time, one of Lu Chen¡¯s hands was caressing Wu Junwan¡¯s smooth and tender body, while he asked, ¡°This cultivation technique is not something that just anyone can practice. Do you know what conditions are required to cultivate it?¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°What conditions?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°To practice this technique, a man and a woman need to like each other, to have affection between them.¡± ¡°If one party lacks feelings for the other, then this technique cannot be cultivated.¡± Wu Junwan immediately understood what Lu Chen was implying; he was suggesting that she liked him, and that was why they could cultivate this technique together. Wu Junwan immediately denied it, ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°How could I possibly like you? This condition is definitely not necessary to practice this technique.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No matter how much you deny it, it¡¯s futile.¡± Wu Junwan felt somewhat chaotic inside; she dared not believe this was true. If what Lu Chen said was true, didn¡¯t that mean she liked this man? Although she indeed found his body appealing and had long considered him a handsome man, she was only attracted to Lu Chen¡¯s physical appearance. How could she have feelings for him? As someone who lived in the Imperial Palace, it was impossible for her to have such emotions. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, the day has broken, and I have things to attend to, so let¡¯s not discuss this matter for now.¡± ¡°In any case, just understand that you can no longer be without me.¡± This time, Wu Junwan did not continue to refute Lu Chen¡¯s words. The next moment, Lu Chen got up from her body, then prepared to head to the bathhouse. Just then, Wu Junwan suddenly rolled over and struck a palm toward Lu Chen. As Wu Junwan¡¯s palm was about to reach Lu Chen¡¯s body, it was as if a force held her back, making it impossible for her palm to go any further. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Wu Junwan, seeing that she had just been about to make a move against him, yet her hand had stopped mid-air. Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward, ¡°I was right, wasn¡¯t I? Even if you have regained your skill, what can you do? You can¡¯t bear to strike me.¡± Wu Junwan looked at her hand, stopped mid-air, in disbelief; she truly couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. He had treated her like this, tormented her as if she were a female slave, and yet she was unable to make a move against him. Previously, when she couldn¡¯t act against Lu Chen, she could make excuses that she was under Lu Chen¡¯s control and couldn¡¯t act against him. But this time was different. She had recovered her skill, and with Lu Chen¡¯s back to her, she could totally attack Lu Chen, yet she just couldn¡¯t do it. She was not restricted by any power; it was simply that she could not bring herself to act, feeling a pang of pain in her heart the instant she tried to strike. While Wu Junwan was lost in thought, Lu Chen quickly grabbed her wrist and pulled her slender body up from the bed, then carried her in a princess hold towards the bathhouse. Wu Junwan instantly became incredibly calm, no longer struggling, instead wrapping her arms around Lu Chen¡¯s neck, allowing him to carry her to the bathhouse. Once inside the bathhouse, with Lu Chen embracing Wu Junwan as they sat in the bath, she finally spoke, ¡°I¡¯m a woman with tremendous ambition.¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s tone had softened considerably, and she no longer referred to herself as ¡°this palace.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s unexpected remark, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°I know.¡± Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that after becoming your woman, I will turn the North Country upside down?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If I were afraid, I wouldn¡¯t have let you into the North Prince Mansion, nor would I have made you my woman.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Wu Junwan fell silent. After a while, she continued to ask, ¡°Do you truly plan to unify the various dynasties?¡± As Lu Chen gently stroked Wu Junwan¡¯s jade back, he said, ¡°If it were before, I actually didn¡¯t have a strong desire to unite the world. But now, things are different.¡± Chapter 645 - Chapter 645: Chapter 387 The Arrival of the Great Sum Delegation_3 Chapter 645: Chapter 387 The Arrival of the Great Sum Delegation_3 ¡°` ¡°You¡¯ve made me realize that there are even more powerful beings within the Mystic region. If I don¡¯t hurry to unify this world and prepare for war with the powerhouses inside the Mystic region, the day the region¡¯s restrictions are lifted and the enemies inside emerge, it¡¯s not only possible that the country I belong to will be destroyed, but my women could be captured and turned into female slaves,¡± Lu Chen said. ¡°I certainly don¡¯t wish to experience what it¡¯s like to have one¡¯s country annihilated.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Must you wipe out the other dynasties? Is it impossible to cooperate with them?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s a somewhat naive thought. The interests of each dynasty are different; they can never be truly unified. Even if the major dynasties combine forces to temporarily stop the invasion from the Mystic region, all the enemy needs to do is to sow discord or offer benefits to the other dynasties, and this loose alliance would crumble.¡± After thinking it over, Wu Junwan realized that Lu Chen was right. If the alliance was only superficial, it would be difficult to mount a true resistance against the enemies. Perhaps some dynasties would even surrender to the emerging enemies from the Mystic region. By then, it would only add insult to injury for the other dynasties of this world. Despite understanding the logic, Wu Junwan acknowledged that unifying the world was the best way to consolidate strength. However, as someone who might be on the losing side, she couldn¡¯t help but feel despondent. If Lu Chen was determined to unify the world, Great Wu might be swallowed up, and her dream of becoming Empress would shatter completely. She now somewhat regretted informing Lu Chen about the Mystic region. If Lu Chen hadn¡¯t known about the existence of powerful enemies in the Mystic region, he might not have been in such a rush to annihilate the other dynasties. Now that he felt the pressure, he would surely speed up the unification process. Wu Junwan suddenly felt guilty as if she had betrayed Great Wu. Seeing Wu Junwan fall silent, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If you want to be an Empress, why don¡¯t you wait until I¡¯ve unified the world? Then I can allocate a piece of land for you to establish your own country and experience what it¡¯s like to be an Empress.¡± Wu Junwan regained her composure and said indifferently, ¡°No need.¡± She wanted to be the Empress of Great Wu, not play house in confinement. Lu Chen continued, ¡°In the future, just stay in the North Prince Mansion. If you want to enter politics, I will also give you a chance.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Do you dare to share power with me?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Since we are family, what is there to fear?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°This much trust in a woman, you will suffer for it one day.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°I don¡¯t trust just any woman; I only trust my women.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan felt an indescribable sensation in her heart. ¡­ Several days later, The diplomatic mission sent by the Crown Prince, Lu Yi, arrived in North Country. Upon arriving at Yan County, the mission members could hardly believe that this place was the same Yan County. The road to Yan County was incredibly spacious, with seven or eight main thoroughfares. Most importantly, the ground of Yan County was paved. Entering Yan County, what met their eyes was the bustling city; carriages moved back and forth, the streets were crowded with people. Despite the spacious and lively atmosphere, the streets were very clean and not the least bit chaotic, something even the Capital city couldn¡¯t achieve. Most important was that the houses in Yan County appeared very sturdy, and compared with the Capital city, there were many more tall buildings standing more than six or seven stories tall. If it were a question of prosperity and grandeur, Yan County had already surpassed the Great Sum Capital city, but what mattered most was the vibrancy; Yan County was evidently more dynamic than the Capital city. Currently, the political struggle in the Capital city was intense, with people being embroiled in political intrigue almost daily, or becoming victims of it. Consequently, the citizens of the Capital city had become very cautious, even avoiding discussing matters of Great Sum in public places. Yan County, on the other hand, was different; newsboys selling newspapers were everywhere on the streets. People discussed the impact of North Prince¡¯s various reforms. Of course, most didn¡¯t just critique but also talked about the benefits. Qin Feng, the leader of the diplomatic mission, was somewhat incredulous at what he saw in Yan County. He had never imagined that the capital of a feudal state could be more prosperous than the Capital city of the Suzerain. This reflected North Prince¡¯s high level of governance. Qin Feng felt sentimental. The North Prince, once considered inept, had, within just a few years, transformed North Country into a powerful and prosperous nation. Qin Feng began to worry that North Prince would likely refuse the Crown Prince¡¯s overture. North Prince already possessed such formidable power; he could easily march south to seize the throne. Why would he support the Crown Prince? Although uncertain, Qin Feng had no choice but to pluck up the courage to meet with North Prince. Being part of the Crown Prince¡¯s faction, he naturally had to act on his behalf. Within the diplomatic convoy, several carriages were adorned with red curtains, clearly indicating that they carried women. A woman inside one carriage lifted the curtain, gazing at the bustling scene outside. Her expression was devoid of emotion, as if she had become numb to the world. The Crown Prince¡¯s mission to North Prince included many opulent gifts aside from gems and silver¡ªthere were also beautiful women. Inside those carriages with red curtains were the beauties meant for North Prince, including Qin Yuwei, the woman who had just lifted the curtain to look outside. She was from the Qin Family of the South, an Aristocratic Family that had been destroyed, prompting her to seek refuge with Qin Feng. Although Qin Feng was distantly related to the Southern Qin Family, he had sided with the Sum Emperor from the start, so his family was unaffected when the Emperor eradicated the Aristocratic Families. ¡°` Chapter 646 - Chapter 646: Chapter 388 What Kind of Person is Your Prince?_1 Chapter 646: Chapter 388 What Kind of Person is Your Prince?_1 After fleeing to Qin Feng¡¯s home, Qin Yuwei had hoped that Qin Feng would take her in out of their former familial ties, or perhaps offer her a way out. To her surprise, Qin Feng sold her without a second thought. However, Qin Feng didn¡¯t send her to the Ministry of Punishments; instead, he handed her over to Lu Yi, trying to ingratiate himself. Qin Yuwei was exceptionally beautiful, and Qin Feng thought Lu Yi would like her. Lu Yi did indeed take Qin Yuwei in, but as the Prince, he had too many women offered to him already. His life was not short of beautiful women, so he merely kept Qin Yuwei confined in a courtyard, raising her like a canary. Lu Yi wasn¡¯t like Lu Chen, who would sleep with any beautiful woman he saw. On one hand, he was a Martial Artist who couldn¡¯t indulge in such distractions, and on the other, he already had plenty of women. He accepted Qin Yuwei mainly to give face to Qin Feng. If he refused such offerings, it would signal his reluctance to align with the other party. Gifts that should be accepted must be accepted. Moreover, Lu Yi kept many beauties to give away as well. Politics can be simple at times, using women as a political tool is one such strategy. When Lu Yi decided to win over Lu Chen, he first thought of Qin Yuwei. She was still a maiden and astoundingly beautiful; he believed Lu Chen, who had a penchant for women, would certainly like her. Qin Yuwei, gazing out of the window, felt an endless desolation in her heart. Ever since the Qin Family¡¯s downfall, she had been hiding here and there. In the end, she had thought Qin Feng would shelter her, but it hadn¡¯t occurred to her that he wouldn¡¯t care about their blood relation. It made sense, after all. Qin Feng was aligned with the Sum Emperor, and the Aristocratic Family was targeted for annihilation. It was normal for Qin Feng to fear harboring her. Looking through the window, Qin Yuwei felt like a canary caged within, her fate to be passed from one to another. She had heard rumors about the North Prince and believed that once she entered the North Prince Mansion, she would be subjected to inhuman treatment. Once the North Prince tired of her, he would likely send her straight to a brothel for other men¡¯s amusement. Thinking of her tragic fate, thoughts of suicide surfaced in Qin Yuwei¡¯s mind. The Great Sum delegation arrived quickly at the accommodations arranged by the North Country. This was not a state visit, so Qin Feng wouldn¡¯t meet Lu Chen at the Hall of Political Affairs but in private. Afternoon. The view was splendid, with light clouds and gentle breeze; Lu Chen was sitting in a pavilion of the outer courtyard, waiting for the arrival of the Great Sum delegation. As Lu Chen sat in the pavilion sipping tea, a light breeze blew, and in the next moment, Zhuge Zhongguang appeared in the courtyard. Setting down his teacup, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Great Scholar, what kind of terms do you think they will propose to persuade this Prince to side with the Crown Prince?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang stroked his beard, smiling slightly, ¡°In this old official¡¯s opinion, they¡¯ve likely guessed that Your Highness plans to head South to fight for the throne, so they will spare no expense to ingratiate themselves, making you feel they pose no threat and you needn¡¯t bother competing for the throne.¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen also smiled. If the Crown Prince sent the delegation to the North Country for that purpose, their efforts were in vain. He was determined to fight for the throne, knowing only by taking control of the entire Great Sum could he have the power to unify the kingdoms. For him, the resources of Great Sum were crucial, not only material but also demographic. Abundant population was what he needed to conquer the world, so the throne he would certainly vie for. However, with about a year to go, he was in no rush yet. He could pretend to agree and then find an excuse to head South later. After a while, a female guard entered the courtyard, ¡°Your Highness, the delegation from the court has arrived.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Let them in!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Escorted by the guards of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Qin Feng and several delegation members entered the North Prince Mansion, making their way to Lu Chen¡¯s courtyard. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Qin Feng hurriedly paid his respects, ¡°Your humble servants greet the North Prince!¡± Lu Chen grunted, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Together, Qin Feng and the others said, ¡°Thank you, North Prince!¡± As Lu Chen glanced over Qin Feng¡¯s profile, intending to speak, he noticed a woman in a light-pink sheer gown standing behind Qin Feng, her hair beautifully coiffed with a peach blossom hairpin, her body elegant and poised. Without using the system, Lu Chen knew her rating would surely be over ninety. He still proceeded to use the system to identify the woman. [Name: Qin Yuwei] [Identity: The remnant of the Qin Family from the South, 23 years old, a sixth-grade Martial Artist. After her family¡¯s fall, she intended to seek refuge with the Qin Family in the Capital city but was instead given to Prince Lu Yi by Qin Feng. Prince Lu Yi, not favoring sexual indulgence, did not touch her and kept her in a certain mansion; she remains a maiden to this day. To win over the North Prince, Prince Lu Yi decided to present her as a gift. (She seems to know some things others do not)] [Rating: 92] [Favorability: 50] Seeing Qin Yuwei¡¯s information, Lu Chen smiled slightly. His brother was indeed a decent man, not partaking in the pleasures of beauties himself but thinking of his sibling. Noticing that Lu Chen¡¯s gaze lingered on Qin Yuwei, Qin Feng felt a surge of joy, confirming the rumors were true. Although the North Prince had indeed shed the label of ¡°good-for-nothing,¡± his lustfulness was very real. Chapter 647 - Chapter 647: Chapter 388: What Kind of Person is Your Prince?_2 Chapter 647: Chapter 388: What Kind of Person is Your Prince?_2 As soon as Qin Yuwei entered the courtyard, the North Prince¡¯s gaze was captured by her and he couldn¡¯t look away. At that moment, Qin Feng took the initiative to speak, ¡°Prince, you came to the bitterly cold North at the age of sixteen and not only repeatedly defended North Country, protecting the gates of Great Sum but also developed North Country to its current prosperity. You even defeated Great Sum¡¯s most threatening enemy. Your contributions¡­¡± Seeing Qin Feng go on and on, Lu Chen knew that Qin Feng was definitely about to heap a pile of flattery on him and he quickly interrupted, ¡°Enough, enough!¡± ¡°Lord Qin has come all this way, surely not just to sing praises about this Prince, right?¡± Qin Feng said with a smile, ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince believes that the North Prince¡¯s toils and merits should be rewarded. However, due to the chaotic situation in the imperial court, every time the Crown Prince proposes a reward for you, ministers from other factions strongly obstruct it. Therefore, the Crown Prince has decided to take out his own gold, silver, and jewels to reward you as thanks for your contributions to Great Sum.¡± Having said this, Qin Feng gave an order to the people behind him, ¡°Bring them in!¡± The next moment, the guards of the North Prince Mansion carried in dozens of large chests into the courtyard. Qin Feng continued speaking, ¡°The Crown Prince knows that you also fancy beauties, so he has specially selected some exceptionally beautiful girls as gifts for you. They are all virgins.¡± As he spoke, Qin Feng turned his head towards Qin Yuwei, and his face instantly changed, coldly saying, ¡°From now on, you belong to the Prince, go and serve the Prince.¡± Qin Yuwei said expressionlessly, ¡°Yes, Lord Qin.¡± Then Qin Yuwei walked towards Lu Chen, and Lu Chen did not stop her. Soon, Qin Yuwei stood behind Lu Chen. Lu Chen glanced at the chests filled with gold and jewels and smiled, ¡°Lord Qin, you might as well stop beating around the bush. Just say what you want to say.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t send over so many things without reason.¡± Qin Feng immediately said, ¡°The Prince is astute!¡± ¡°Prince, the Crown Prince plans to support your independence in establishing a dynasty in North Country, and he¡¯s willing to cede all the land north of Qi Country to you.¡± Lu Chen laughed, ¡°Is the Crown Prince afraid that this Prince will go south to fight for the throne?¡± Hearing the unfriendly tone in Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Qin Feng¡¯s forehead started to break out in cold sweat. ¡°Prince, Yan County is now even more prosperous than the Capital city. I¡¯ve heard that the common people in North Country no longer suffer from hunger and cold, living better than the common people in other parts of Great Sum.¡± ¡°For the Prince, the current Great Sum is just a hot mess. Now that you have developed North Country to this extent, why would you need that throne?¡± ¡°If the Prince were to go south, with the military strength of North Country, seizing the throne would indeed not be difficult. But even if the Prince captures the throne, with the things you have done in North Country, the common people of Great Sum would hardly agree to you sitting on that seat. If they start rebelling, it would be another big trouble for you.¡± Hearing Qin Feng¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly. It seems Zhuge Zhongguang was right; Lu Yi or rather the people around Lu Yi have indeed realized the possibility of my moving south, which is why they¡¯re so anxious to send an envoy to North Country. Lu Chen then said, ¡°You do make some sense.¡± ¡°However, for North Country to develop, it needs a massive amount of resources, and its land is not fertile, so it¡¯s hard to grow crops. Although it now seems that the common people in North Country don¡¯t suffer from hunger anymore, a large reason for that is because we¡¯re buying a lot of foodstuff from other dynasties. If one day other dynasties refuse to sell us food, the common people of North Country might once again live through those days of sheer hunger.¡± ¡°So, for the sake of the bellies of North Country¡¯s common people, the North Prince also has to fight for that position.¡± Qin Feng wiped the sweat from his forehead and immediately said, ¡°Prince, your consideration for the well-being of North Country¡¯s common people shows you to be a benevolent ruler.¡± ¡°But you should be very clear, if you lead troops southwards, it would inevitably lead to a massacre, and countless people would die.¡± ¡°Since you are so benevolent, you should not start a war willingly.¡± Hearing Qin Feng¡¯s words, Lu Chen was almost amused into laughter, and with a cold laugh, he said, ¡°So, are you saying that the common people of North Country deserve to starve and freeze?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen released his aura in an instant. Qin Feng and the delegation immediately knelt down, and Qin Feng quickly said, ¡°Of course not, the Crown Prince has thought of a better solution.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s hear it then. What¡¯s this solution?¡± ¡°Once the Prince has established his own dynasty, Great Sum will immediately sign a perpetual alliance with you. From then on, whatever North Country needs, Great Sum will provide, and the caravans from North Country can trade freely within the territory of Great Sum, without any restrictions on any kind of trade, including food.¡± ¡°In this way, North Country will no longer have to worry about a lack of food.¡± ¡°And by doing so, you, Prince, won¡¯t have to deal with those landlords or Aristocratic Families and can concentrate on developing North Country.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, Lu Chen then said, ¡°My older brother is really considerate! To think that he would go to such lengths!¡± Seeing that Lu Chen seemed to be in a better mood, Qin Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Just when Qin Feng was about to say something else, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°The Crown Prince wouldn¡¯t have you speak of benefits alone. Tell me, aside from supporting this Prince¡¯s independence, what are the conditions, or rather, what does he want this Prince to do?¡± Chapter 648 - Chapter 648: Chapter 388: What Kind of Person is Your Prince?_3 Chapter 648: Chapter 388: What Kind of Person is Your Prince?_3 Qin Feng said, ¡°Prince, you are wise. The Crown Prince wants you to publicly support him, and also to send troops to fend off other seigniors at the crucial moment.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly upward, betraying a charmingly wicked smile. Before Qin Feng could continue, Lu Chen interjected, ¡°Good, I agree!¡± Seeing how quickly Lu Chen had agreed, Qin Feng and the others were momentarily stunned; they had thought the North Prince would demand more conditions, not that he would agree so readily. Qin Feng asked with some disbelief, ¡°Prince, you really agree?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°The Crown Prince is my elder brother; of course, I should give him face. Moreover, Great Sum has always followed the principle of primogeniture. After several hundred years of decay in our customs, it¡¯s time to return to the right path.¡± ¡°Besides, the Crown Prince has shown such sincerity¡ªoffering treasures and gold, ceding lands, and even presenting such a beautiful woman to me. If I didn¡¯t agree, wouldn¡¯t I be ungrateful?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen turned to glance at Qin Yuwei standing beside him. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s gaze, Qin Yuwei couldn¡¯t help trembling involuntarily as if she were prey under a beast¡¯s watchful eye. Thinking about her fate from now on, Qin Yuwei felt an immense sadness. At this moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and then said, ¡°Right, when you go back, tell the Crown Prince to send more beauties to me in the future. Here in North Country, where it¡¯s freezing cold and poor, there are no beautiful women to be found.¡± Qin Feng hastened to say, ¡°Yes, yes, your humble servant will inform the Crown Prince upon returning, to send more beauties to you, Prince.¡± It was then that Lu Chen waved his hand dismissively, ¡°All right, if there¡¯s nothing else, you can all go back and rest.¡± Qin Feng rose and said, ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± Afterward, Qin Feng led the envoys out of the courtyard and away from the North Prince Mansion. As they left, they all wore radiant smiles¡ªafter all, their mission was complete and the North Prince had indeed agreed to the Crown Prince¡¯s request. As long as the North Prince remained content to stay in the North Country and took Lu Yi¡¯s side, then upon the Sum Emperor¡¯s demise, Lu Yi would likely ascend the throne with ease. Given some time, Great Sum might eventually wield the same weapons as North Country, and by then, Great Sum could become even more powerful than North Country. If their plan succeeded, the envoys who had been part of today¡¯s mission to North Country would see their status greatly elevated, giving Qin Feng and the others much cause for celebration. After Qin Feng and the envoys had left the courtyard, Lu Chen ordered the servants of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to carry away the chests in the courtyard. Before long, aside from the maids, only Lu Chen, Zhuge Zhongguang, and Qin Yuwei remained. Ignoring Qin Yuwei, Lu Chen asked Zhuge Zhongguang, ¡°Great Scholar, do you think I should have agreed to the Crown Prince¡¯s request?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang answered with a smile, ¡°Prince, don¡¯t you already have the answer in your heart?¡± Although Lu Chen had verbally agreed earlier, Zhuge Zhongguang could tell at a glance that Lu Chen was merely feigning agreement. If Lu Yi truly faced danger necessitating the North Country¡¯s troops to march south, Lu Chen would surely seize the opportunity to take the throne for himself during the southward campaign. At this time, Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°Prince, if there¡¯s nothing else, your humble servant will return to attend to state affairs.¡± With that, Zhuge Zhongguang glanced at Qin Yuwei, knowing that Lu Chen might be preoccupied with important matters next, and hence he did not wish to disturb any further. Lu Chen replied, ¡°Hmm, very well.¡± The next moment, Zhuge Zhongguang left the courtyard, leaving only Lu Chen and Qin Yuwei in the company of the maids. Qin Yuwei became extremely nervous; her hands involuntarily clutched at her dress, uncertain of what was to come. Lu Chen then said indifferently, ¡°Miss Qin, did you learn how to serve someone properly while you were in the East Palace?¡± Hearing this question, Qin Yuwei was momentarily taken aback. She quickly reviewed the recent events and realized Qin Feng had not told the North Prince her surname, so how did he know she was a Qin? Although curious, Qin Yuwei didn¡¯t voice this query. Instead, she answered, ¡°Your Majesty, the female officials of the East Palace have taught this servant.¡± Ever since Qin Feng had sent her to the East Palace, the female officials had taught her daily how to please men. She had long lost the temperament of the Qin Family¡¯s miss and had been forced to learn those things. Under the instruction of those female officials and though she had not yet practiced, Qin Yuwei was already very familiar with the affairs of men and women. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Good, I will give you an opportunity. If you serve me well tonight, you will be free to move about Yan County in the future, and I can even grant you the status of a concubine.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qin Yuwei could scarcely believe it was true. She had been prepared to be confined in the North Prince Mansion for life, but now Lu Chen was willing to let her leave, and though she could only move about in Yan County, it was still far better than lifetime confinement in the North Prince Mansion. Qin Yuwei immediately said, ¡°Thank you, Prince! This servant will serve you diligently!¡± Lu Chen then told the maids, ¡°Take her to bathe and change her clothes.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince,¡± they replied. The maids then led Qin Yuwei away. Lu Chen sat in the courtyard for a while longer before rising and retiring to his study. As Qin Yuwei bathed, she found her mind wandering. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the North Prince was not as she had imagined. Then, she asked the maids by the pool, ¡°May I ask, what kind of person is your Prince?¡± Chapter 649 - Chapter 649: Chapter 389 Qin Yuweis Illness_1 Chapter 649: Chapter 389 Qin Yuwei¡¯s Illness_1 ¡°` Upon hearing Qin Yuwei¡¯s question, the maids by the side of the bath looked at each other hesitantly. They did not recognize Qin Yuwei, so they did not dare to speak carelessly in her presence. At this time, the maid who had led Qin Yuwei here spoke to the others, ¡°This young lady is the new wife of the Prince.¡± After hearing this, the maids finally came to their senses, and one of them said, ¡°So you are the wife of the Prince! What is your family name, Madam?¡± Qin Yuwei answered, ¡°Qin.¡± The maid who had led the way then said, ¡°Madam Qin need not worry. Although there are rumors that the Prince is debauched, in truth, he is merely fond of beauty, and he treats his wives and concubines especially well.¡± ¡°Now that the Prince has decided to take you in as his concubine, all you have to do is look forward to a life of luxury.¡± ¡°The Prince¡¯s harem is also peaceful, without much backstabbing and scheming, so Madam doesn¡¯t need to fear being plotted against.¡± Upon hearing these words, Qin Yuwei was momentarily stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected a maid to dare to comment on the affairs of the North Prince¡¯s harem. Although she had just casually asked them what kind of person the North Prince was, she hadn¡¯t really expected these maids to have an answer for her. But the maid not only answered; she even divulged the internal situation of the North Prince Mansion. This indicated that the management of the North Prince¡¯s inner court was very lax indeed, allowing maids to discuss matters of the Prince¡¯s harem. Thinking about it this way, perhaps the North Prince was not as fearsome as imagined. In fact, the atmosphere within the North Prince Mansion¡¯s inner court was indeed relatively relaxed. Lu Chen was good to the maids, but ordinary maids did not dare to casually discuss the matters of the North Prince Mansion, only whispering among themselves from time to time. Qin Yuwei didn¡¯t know that the maid who had brought her here was far from simple; the maid was from the Qian Family, which was on very good terms with Lu Chen. Therefore, her status within the Prince¡¯s Mansion was relatively high, giving her more audacity. At this moment, Qin Yuwei said to the maid, ¡°Thank you for telling me all this.¡± The maid said, ¡°Madam Qin, you¡¯re too polite. It¡¯s this servant¡¯s duty.¡± Qin Yuwei continued to inquire, ¡°May I ask another question? How many women does the Prince have?¡± The maid replied, ¡°That, this servant does not know.¡± Although the maid knew the number of wives and concubines in the Prince¡¯s inner court, in her eyes, their great Prince was so handsome and charming that countless stunning women outside must have had joyful nights with him; thus, she truly did not know how many women the North Prince had. Hearing the maid say she didn¡¯t know, Qin Yuwei did not pursue the question further, but from her response, Qin Yuwei realized the North Prince truly was a promiscuous man; otherwise, even the maids of the Prince¡¯s Mansion wouldn¡¯t know how many women he had. For a moment, Qin Yuwei began to worry about herself again. She feared that Lu Chen, after tiring of her, might give her away just like the Crown Prince treated her as a gift for the North Prince. In this era, a concubine had no significant status and could be given away freely, especially in a Prince¡¯s Mansion. In the households of some Princes, a concubine was merely a tool. If a powerful guest or a visitor came to the Mansion, those Princes would have their concubines attend to the guests, even joining them in bed. If the guest took a liking, they would simply give the concubine away as a gift. Therefore, Qin Yuwei did not feel particularly reassured just because she had the status of a concubine; her heart remained uneasy. Qin Yuwei continued to probe, ¡°Does the Prince have a habit of giving his concubines to others?¡± Hearing this question, the maid from the Qian Family instantly understood Qin Yuwei¡¯s concern and answered, ¡°The Prince has a very strong possessive attitude toward his women. Once they are his, he does not give them to anyone else. Madam Qin, please be at ease.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yuwei finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the North Prince wasn¡¯t in the habit of giving his women away randomly, she wouldn¡¯t have to fear being treated like an object. After Qin Yuwei finished her bath and came out from the bathroom, the maids helped her change into a magnificent dress and dressed her up. Sitting in front of the vanity table, Qin Yuwei looked at her reflection in the mirror, feeling incredibly nervous. Although the ladies-in-waiting had taught her how to serve someone while she was in the East Palace and had shown her many erotic illustrations, she had never experienced it for real. This was her first time attending to a man. Inside, Qin Yuwei was still anxious. She feared she would not satisfy Lu Chen. If the North Prince was not pleased with her technique, he might never come to her again. If she failed to secure the North Prince¡¯s favor, her fate would be grim. Time slowly passed. As evening fell, Qin Yuwei finally heard the maids outside greeting the North Prince, but Lu Chen did not enter the room immediately. At that moment, Lu Chen asked the maid at the door, ¡°Has she had tea?¡± He was naturally referring to the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, to which the maid promptly responded, ¡°Reporting to the Prince, the lady has already had tea from the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Without further questions, Lu Chen then pushed open the door and entered the room. At that moment, Qin Yuwei was dressed in a light red gown, sitting by the bed, quiet and gracefully composed, stirring one¡¯s emotions. Head bowed, her hands clenched into fists resting between her legs, her delicate body uncontrollably trembling ever so slightly, she appeared exceedingly nervous. Lu Chen walked to the bed without hesitation and sat down. He didn¡¯t immediately lay hands on Qin Yuwei but instead asked, ¡°After the Qin Family was destroyed, you must have suffered quite a bit, haven¡¯t you?¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei froze. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to know that she came from the Qin Family. How did he know? ¡°` Qin Yuwei raised her head at this point, turning to Lu Chen with a puzzled look, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, do you know who I am?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°The eldest miss of the Qin Family from the South, I didn¡¯t get it wrong, did I?¡± Seeing Lu Chen openly revealing her identity, Qin Yuwei felt somewhat at a loss; she had not expected the North Prince to truly be aware of it. Lu Chen continued, ¡°This is the North Country; even as a member of the Qin Family, you don¡¯t have to worry here, no one will lay a finger on you.¡± ¡°Apart from you, are there any other survivors from your Qin Family?¡± Facing this question, Qin Yuwei fell silent. She didn¡¯t know what Lu Chen¡¯s purpose was in asking this¡ªwas it to find out the remnants of the Qin Family and then annihilate them, or was it just a casual inquiry? Seeing that Qin Yuwei did not directly answer, Lu Chen, with a smile on his face, said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, then you don¡¯t have to.¡± At this moment, Qin Yuwei said, ¡°They have all changed their names and sought refuge with other Seigniors by now.¡± Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°They all know to seek refuge with other Seigniors, so why did you, the Qin Family¡¯s eldest miss, run towards the Capital City instead? To seek shelter with Qin Feng? Don¡¯t you know that Qin Feng is His Majesty¡¯s man?¡± Qin Yuwei was silent for a moment, then after a long pause, she said, ¡°This servant contracted a disease and needed to find the Divine Healer for treatment, and since the Divine Healer lives in the Capital City, this servant had no place to hide upon arriving there. So I had no choice but to look for the Capital City¡¯s Qin Family, hoping they would protect this servant for a while. I did not expect them to send this servant directly to the Crown Prince.¡± Hearing Qin Yuwei¡¯s answer, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°You are too naive to think that the Capital City¡¯s Qin Family would protect you, a remnant of the southern Aristocratic Family.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qin Yuwei felt immensely ashamed. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°So was your disease ultimately cured?¡± Qin Yuwei replied, ¡°Your Highness, the Crown Prince did not let the Divine Healer treat this servant. Instead, he just had someone grab some medicine from the Divine Healer, and after taking it, this servant felt temporarily better.¡± No sooner had Qin Yuwei finished speaking than Lu Chen immediately grabbed her wrist. Qin Yuwei instinctively tried to pull back her arm, but Lu Chen was stronger, and she could not retract it. After seizing Qin Yuwei¡¯s wrist, Lu Chen used the Rejuvenating Skill to check her physical condition, and upon examination, he found indeed there were some issues with Qin Yuwei¡¯s body. It seemed like there was a clump of cold qi accumulated in Qin Yuwei¡¯s Dantian, which Lu Chen found somewhat incredible; he had not expected Qin Yuwei¡¯s Dantian to be so special. Lu Chen then used the Rejuvenating Skill to treat Qin Yuwei, attempting to dissolve the clump of cold qi. The next moment, Qin Yuwei felt a warm current entering her body and then converging in her Dantian. The Rejuvenating Skill was highly effective. In just an instant, the cold qi began to dissipate. After the cold qi within Qin Yuwei had dispersed, her whole body felt incredibly relaxed. The next moment, the room became extremely cold, to the point where a layer of ice formed on the floor. Qin Yuwei could hardly believe it¡ªhad her illness really been cured just like that? What Cultivation Technique had the North Prince used? Why did it heal her with just a touch from the North Prince? When the Divine Healer had visited the South, she had also sought his treatment, but even he hadn¡¯t been able to remove the cold qi from her body in a short period, whereas the North Prince had managed to do so. Qin Yuwei was stunned, and after a good while, she came back to her senses and hastily said to Lu Chen, ¡°This servant thanks Your Highness immensely!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°You are now my woman, and it was only right for me to heal you. Tell me, how did you get the cold qi in your body?¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei fell silent for a while, as if recalling something. After a while, she began, ¡°The Qin Family once discovered a small island at sea, which had a structure entirely made of metal. Out of curiosity, I accompanied my family to that island. There, upon entering the metallic construction, I passed through a room where I was attacked by the cold qi inside, and since then, a cluster of cold qi has always existed in my Dantian, which I¡¯ve never been able to get rid of.¡± Lu Chen raised his eyebrows slightly. A metallic construction? Could it possibly be some kind of cosmic ship or something? At this moment, something occurred to Lu Chen, and he continued to ask, ¡°Was the material used for the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow obtained from that island by Prince Lu Shuyun?¡± The materials for the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow were very peculiar, not belonging to this world. Since Qin Yuwei mentioned the presence of an item akin to those from other worlds, Lu Chen naturally linked the materials used for making the Piercing Cloud Bow to that island. However, Qin Yuwei replied at this time, ¡°This servant is unclear about that. The Qin Family had tried to melt those metals, but no matter the method, it was not successful. Later, when Prince Lu Shuyun heard about this, he mediated on behalf of the Qin Family, and they sold the island to the Wang Family.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that the materials for making the Piercing Cloud Bow and Arrow came from the Wang Family, so it seemed likely that these materials were indeed from the metallic structure on that island. It seems I need to find an opportunity to look at it. There might be a lot of things I need inside. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Where is that island located? Do you remember?¡± After pondering for a moment, Qin Yuwei answered, ¡°I remember. The Wang Family named the island Fengyin Island and even marked it on the maritime charts. As long as one acquires the Great Sum¡¯s maritime charts, one can find the precise location of the island.¡± Lu Chen thought for a bit and then asked, ¡°In which direction is that island? Tell me its approximate location first.¡± Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Chapter 390: Acquiring a Generator_1 Chapter 650: Chapter 390: Acquiring a Generator_1 Lu Chen wanted to see if the island was far from the North Country, and if it wasn¡¯t too distant, he would directly dispatch their ships or have someone from the Dongfang Family pay a visit to the island. ¡°The island lies to the southeast of Suhai County,¡± Qin Yuwei replied. ¡°When I followed my clan to the island, it took us roughly four days.¡± Lu Chen frowned, it seemed a bit far. If a ship were to be dispatched from the North Country and sailed southward, it would need to resupply in the coastal cities of Great Sum. Such a conspicuous move, combined with the current sensitivity among various Seigniors, would certainly be noticed. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°After the Aristocratic Family in the South was annihilated, was the island also occupied by the imperial court?¡± ¡°After Sufeng City was captured, I fled to the north,¡± said Qin Yuwei. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened after that.¡± Lu Chen thought that after the Aristocratic Family¡¯s fall, those captives from the Wang Family would have surely divulged some secrets in order to save their lives, so the secret of the island must have been known to the Sum Emperor. He feared that the Sum Emperor had long ago sent people to occupy the island, which was probably now garrisoned with a large number of Great Sum soldiers. There was no point in sending anyone now. The best course of action would be to wait until he had claimed the throne and then send someone to assess the situation on the island. Seeing Lu Chen engrossed in serious thought, Qin Yuwei¡¯s mind slightly wandered. At this moment, she found Lu Chen incredibly handsome, charismatic and dashing, especially when he was deep in thought, which stirred the romantic feelings within her. Qin Yuwei couldn¡¯t help but think that becoming the North Prince¡¯s woman might not be too bad for herself. Although rumors spoke of the North Prince¡¯s insatiable lust and debauchery, she now thought that with his handsome looks, no woman could resist his temptation. Thus, it must have been those women who seduced him, prompting the unwilling North Prince to engage in acts with them. Just as Qin Yuwei was thinking this, Lu Chen suddenly turned his head to look at her, and she felt caught in the act of watching him, her face blossoming into a flush of red. Moreover, when Lu Chen had treated her illness earlier by transferring some warm spiritual power into her, it made her body feel incredibly warm, and even caused her body to heat up more and more, making her feel restless. Seeing Qin Yuwei¡¯s flushed and shy demeanor, Lu Chen¡¯s interest piqued, ¡°Those ladies-in-waiting in the East Palace must have taught you quite a few things, right?¡± Qin Yuwei nodded, her face red, and whispered a soft ¡°Mhm.¡± Lu Chen then took off his shoes and lay on the bed, saying to Qin Yuwei, ¡°Now let¡¯s see your performance.¡± Lu Chen was by no means a saint, so naturally, he would gratefully accept the gift of a woman as lovely as Qin Yuwei presenting herself to him. As Lu Chen lay down, Qin Yuwei seemed a bit lost, even though the ladies-in-waiting had taught her what to do, this was still her first time in practice, her first time serving someone. Moreover, as a former daughter of an Aristocratic Family who had always lived a life of luxury, the sudden expectation to serve a man filled her with overwhelming shame. However, the thought that only by pleasing Lu Chen could she stay in the North Prince Mansion, and avoid being sent to the filth of a brothel, spurred her into action. Qin Yuwei took off her shoes, then extended her slender, jade-like hands to undress Lu Chen. All the while, Lu Chen lay there watching her from his pillow, doing nothing himself, contemplating whether to have Qin Yuwei become a teacher for his wives and concubines if she proved adept at serving a man. So he was now assessing Qin Yuwei to see how well she would perform. Qin Yuwei¡¯s movements were extremely gentle, and she quickly disrobed Lu Chen. Seeing that Qin Yuwei was still clothed, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Take off your clothes as well.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei¡¯s face turned even redder, and she softly replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± She swiftly undid her own dress, baring herself to Lu Chen. When she looked down and saw certain things, she couldn¡¯t help but be startled. The thought that she would only have an easier life after serving the Prince well made Qin Yuwei quickly overcome her fear and began to serve Lu Chen, giving him a massage. Watching Qin Yuwei¡¯s gentle touches, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It seems you really did learn seriously from those women in the East Palace.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei felt utterly humiliated. In the past, the Aristocratic Families of the South could manipulate the throne and even oppose the Emperor. Back then, the young masters and misses of their families had very high statuses, and even some Princes or Seigniors would be very polite in front of them. But now that her family had been destroyed, to survive, she could only please the North Prince in such a manner. For a moment, Qin Yuwei felt an overwhelming sense of desolation and sorrow. She had never imagined that she, a young mistress, would one day be doing these things in front of the North Prince and also be commented on by him. Although she felt very sad inside, Qin Yuwei did not stop the movements of her hands. In the time that followed, Qin Yuwei was earnestly massaging Lu Chen, but for someone as vigorous as Lu Chen, Qin Yuwei¡¯s efforts were still not up to standard. Lu Chen promptly turned over, pressing Qin Yuwei beneath him. Qin Yuwei was instantly startled. As she was about to say something, Lu Chen covered her mouth with his hand, and Qin Yuwei could only make muffled sounds. Lu Chen did not kiss Qin Yuwei; he did not want to taste certain things, but even without a kiss, Qin Yuwei eventually fell. [Congratulations to the host for gaining a concubine, awarded with generator blueprints and ten sets of generators.] [Host cultivated affection with the concubine once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience increased¡­ Heart Controlling Skill experience increased by 1000, breaking through to the third layer¡­] ¡­ Early morning. When Qin Yuwei woke up, she found a pair of strong arms tightly embracing her slender waist, and she felt somewhat burdened on her back. For a moment, she recalled all the events that had transpired the previous day. Qin Yuwei laid her head down on the pillow as if trying to escape from everything. After a while, she heard the man¡¯s voice, ¡°The skills you learned in the East Palace are indeed useful, but you still need more practice.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei immediately became nervous, unsure whether she had passed Lu Chen¡¯s assessment. While Qin Yuwei was feeling anxious, Lu Chen continued, ¡°From today onwards, you are my concubine. You will reside in this courtyard. After you bathe, have the maid take you to Wind Cloud Court to meet the Princess Consort.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the stone in Qin Yuwei¡¯s heart finally fell. She had finally passed Lu Chen¡¯s assessment, though she felt she hadn¡¯t served Lu Chen very well yesterday and that it was mainly Lu Chen who had taken the initiative. Regardless, she now had a backer for the future, and her illness was gone. If she could continue to live in North Prince Mansion, even if she couldn¡¯t return to her previous life in the South, it was still better than being destitute and adrift. Unlike usual, Lu Chen didn¡¯t linger in bed. After bathing and changing his clothes, he headed for the Hall of Political Affairs. There was a minor court session today, and he wouldn¡¯t postpone it for a woman. At the minor court session, officials reported on the situation in various counties of North Country this year, and Lu Chen listened attentively. When all the officials had finished their reports, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on the official from the Ministry of Agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture was a newly added department, created by Lu Chen to rapidly promote high-yield crops so that North Country would no longer be constrained by food shortages. Lu Chen asked, ¡°How is the promotion of crops like potatoes and sweet potatoes going?¡± The Minister of Agriculture immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, according to the current progress, high-yield crops will be comprehensively promoted across North Country next year. By then, the common people of North Country will no longer have to worry about filling their bellies.¡± Hearing the Minister of Agriculture¡¯s response, Lu Chen smiled slightly; it seemed the promotion of these crops was happening much faster than he had expected. Good, when autumn comes next year, he would lead troops to the South. Lu Chen then inquired about other governmental affairs, and about two hours later, the minor court session concluded. He returned to North Prince Mansion and was just about to go to his study when Lin Wanyun suddenly called out to him from behind. ¡°Chen¡¯er¡­ Chen¡¯er¡­¡± Hearing Lin Wanyun¡¯s voice, Lu Chen turned around and saw Lin Wanyun¡¯s mature and charming cheeks slightly flushed, looking somewhat shy. Although Lin Wanyun had followed Chu Yuqin in calling Lu Chen ¡°Chen¡¯er,¡± she still wasn¡¯t used to the term. Having intimate relations with this little rascal made it especially strange for her to call him ¡°Chen¡¯er,¡± yet Lu Chen insisted, so she had no choice but to address him that way. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Aunt Yun, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Lin Wanyun took out a letter and handed it to Lu Chen. ¡°Rongrong has written; she will be returning to the Prince¡¯s Mansion in a few days.¡± At these words, Lu Chen paused, then quickly took the letter from Lin Wanyun¡¯s hand, opened the envelope, and began to read intently. Just thinking of Chen Wanrong¡¯s graceful figure, her cool demeanor, and her stunning beauty, Lu Chen felt a stir in his heart. But he soon suppressed his inner agitation and smilingly said to Lin Wanyun, ¡°Aunt Yun, I understand.¡± ¡°I have other matters to attend to; I¡¯ll go to the study now.¡± Lin Wanyun said, ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Lu Chen then turned and headed for the study. Watching his retreating figure, Lin Wanyun sighed softly. It wasn¡¯t long after Lu Chen arrived in his study that Mo Xing came in. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen gave a noncommittal grunt and nodded, his gaze never leaving the blueprints in his hands, examining them closely. Mo Xing was curious about what Lu Chen was studying. Just as Mo Xing was about to ask what Lu Chen wanted him to do, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°The production process for the steam locomotive is now mature. From now on, others will take care of manufacturing the locomotives and laying the tracks. I have a more important task for you.¡± Mo Xing was momentarily stunned. A more important task? Lu Chen then handed the blueprints to Mo Xing, who took them and began to study them intently. After a while, Mo Xing asked, puzzled, ¡°Your Majesty, what is this?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°These are the blueprints for an electric generator.¡± Mo Xing: ¡°???¡± It was the first time Mo Xing had heard the words ¡°electric generator,¡± and he had no idea what its use was. The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly, and then he explained, ¡°This is a machine capable of generating and controlling lightning.¡± With that declaration, Mo Xing was completely astonished. Control lightning? He never even dared to dream of such a thing before. To them, lightning was synonymous with destruction, and throughout history, people feared the lightning in the sky, linking it to punishment for bad deeds, like the saying ¡®struck by lightning.¡¯ Mo Xing had not imagined that a machine capable of controlling lightning could exist in this world. If such a machine could be invented¡­ Wait a minute, even if this machine was invented, what use would it have? Could it be used as a weapon? Like releasing lightning to attack enemies or something like that? Chapter 651 - Chapter 651: Chapter 391: Prince, Im Not Here to Write - 1 Chapter 651: Chapter 391: Prince, I¡¯m Not Here to Write ¨C 1 Mo Xing, after all, was from ancient times; he had never heard of generators, let alone knew what they could be used for. Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said to Mo Xing, ¡°Generators have many uses, to be precise, it¡¯s electricity that has many uses.¡± ¡°Just in time, I have a few generators here. After I find someone to install the generators, I will explain to you the uses of electricity,¡± said the Prince. ¡°Next, I will set up a team for you specifically to research the application of electricity.¡± Mo Xing replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Although he did not know what use a generator could have, Mo Xing could see that Lu Chen valued generators very much. Since it was something the North Prince held in high regard, it must be extremely important. Mo Xing thought to himself, the application and promotion of generators would certainly be no less significant than that of steam engines, and in this way, he feared he might make history once again. Just the thought of his name appearing in many fields in the future thrilled Mo Xing. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Today, take these blueprints back to familiarize yourself with them, and then find some craftsmen whom you think have potential. Ask if they are willing to join the electricity research team. If they are, then bring them in when the time comes. Mo Xing said excitedly, ¡°Yes, my Lord!¡± ¡°I shall take my leave!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Xing, filled with high spirits, took the generator blueprints and left the North Prince Mansion. Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. The research team for electricity was quickly assembled, and in order for Mo Xing and the ancient people like him to understand what electricity was, Lu Chen had them come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion every day for lessons he taught. During this half month, Lu Chen seemed especially busy. Not only did he have to teach Mo Xing and the others, he also had to deal with state affairs in the study at night. Even though he was a Pseudo Celestial and did not need much sleep, being so busy every day still made Lu Chen feel somewhat tired. He had barely touched a woman during that time. Lu Chen¡¯s busyness was seen by all the women in the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, particularly by Wu Junwan. Ever since she entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion, Wu Junwan kept a close eye on every move Lu Chen made. Although she had lost a bet to Lu Chen and, according to the terms, she should be staying in the North Prince Mansion, bearing children for Lu Chen, in reality, she wasn¡¯t such a compliant woman. Deep down, she still felt somewhat resentful. After observing for some time, she noticed that Lu Chen had been particularly close to the craftsmen, and he even laughed and joked with them, which gave her a new perspective on Lu Chen. She had not expected that Lu Chen would value craftsmen so highly and grant them such high status. In any other dynasty, craftsmen were merely a lowly class, and the last thing those of high position wanted was to spend time with dirty craftsmen. However, Lu Chen seemed to have none of these concerns, having the craftsmen come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion for half a month and discussing things with them. On another bright morning, Wu Junwan got up, had a simple breakfast, and then went to sit in a pavilion not far from the study in the outer court. This was the range of her freedom, and although she was allowed to leave the North Prince Mansion, she preferred staying there to uncover the little secrets of that young man rather than arranging things outside. Just then, Mo Xing, leading a group of craftsmen, proceeded toward the room next to the study. Seeing this, Wu Junwan thought to herself, could it be that the North Country was developing some powerful new weapon, seeing the Prince bring these craftsmen to the North Prince Mansion every day? The thought made Wu Junwan¡¯s brows furrow and her face turn cold. The cannons of the North Country were formidable enough. If they managed to develop a weapon even more powerful than cannons, the major dynasties might truly be unable to stop this young man¡¯s march toward unifying the world. She had to find a way to investigate. But how? Ask Lu Chen directly? It had been half a month since he last visited her place. Inquiring directly wouldn¡¯t be easy. Of course, Wu Junwan was aware that Lu Chen¡¯s absence wasn¡¯t because he had grown tired of her, but mainly because he had been too busy recently. Wu Junwan could see that clear as day. He was with the craftsmen all day long, and at night, he was in the study dealing with government affairs. Every day was like this, so it was normal for him not to have time to visit her. In the afternoon. The sunlight poured down on the land, and Mo Xing and the other craftsmen emerged from the large room next to the study with Lu Chen. After leaving the courtyard of the study, the craftsmen bowed to Lu Chen, saying, ¡°We thank you, my Lord, for imparting knowledge to us!¡± Lu Chen smiled lightly, then said, ¡°What I¡¯ve taught you is merely the simplest knowledge. It¡¯s up to you to explore deeper research.¡± Lu Chen was not a science and engineering man. He knew some common knowledge at best, so the things he taught were the simplest and most basic. However, to Mo Xing and the others from ancient times, this information was sufficient. They had understood what electricity was, and most importantly, they no longer felt the fears they previously had toward electricity. Next, they just needed to wait until the generators were assembled before they could start experimenting with electricity. At this moment, Mo Xing, leading the craftsmen, said in unison, ¡°We will certainly not disappoint Your Highness¡¯s expectations!¡± Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction and then said, ¡°All right, go back and ponder over these matters. Once the generators are assembled, I will have someone notify you.¡± The group bowed again to Lu Chen, and after the bow, they turned and left the North Prince Mansion. At this time, Wu Junwan was still sitting in the pavilion in the outer court. Seeing the craftsmen¡¯s smiling faces, she became even more curious about what they had been discussing. It was then that a woman dressed in black and white entered Wu Junwan¡¯s view. This woman had a cool demeanor and strikingly beautiful features. Wu Junwan felt like she had seen this woman somewhere before, but she couldn¡¯t recall where at the moment. The woman went straight to the study. Seeing her heading to the study, Wu Junwan thought to herself that she must be from the North Prince Mansion, namely that young man¡¯s woman. Meanwhile. In the study of North Prince Mansion. As soon as Murong Xue¡¯er entered Lu Chen¡¯s study, she was greeted by Lu Chen with a fierce kiss. Lu Chen had been busy for most of the month. Although he had been with women during this half-month, he didn¡¯t indulge too much in carnal pleasures to ensure he was energetic the next day. Today, he had finally finished teaching the craftsmen about electricity, and now he had time to indulge himself once again. Just as Murong Xue¡¯er came looking for him, he decided to start with her. Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat bewildered by Lu Chen¡¯s sudden fervor, not understanding why he was so arousing her upon her arrival. She quickly became overwhelmed by his kisses and even her usually cool cheeks were flushed with red, making her look like a lascivious woman. At that moment, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s slender waist and pushed her toward the resting room while asking, ¡°Why has Miss Murong come to see me today?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Murong Xue¡¯er snorted, ¡°The Prince is truly a busy man. It takes half a month just to get a chance to see you.¡± In the past half-month, Lu Chen had been busy teaching the craftsmen, so he had specifically instructed the guards at the door not to let anyone disturb him while he was teaching, no matter who it was, unless it was a matter of utmost importance. Murong Xue¡¯er had wanted to see Lu Chen for quite some time, but every time she came, the guards at the Prince¡¯s Mansion said Lu Chen was busy and had no time to see her. She even suspected that Lu Chen was perhaps tired of her. Fortunately, she noticed that every day craftsmen were entering the North Prince Mansion, and she realized that probably some significant activity was taking place, or maybe that man was up to something. Of course, her visit to North Prince Mansion to find Lu Chen wasn¡¯t to investigate what he was up to lately. She came for Wu Junwan. Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words filled with resentment, Lu Chen kissed her face lightly and then said, ¡°I am at fault. I will have to make it up to you by writing all over your body later.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er involuntarily shivered. It had been a long time since she had been intimate with Lu Chen. Just thinking about what was to come¡­ Murong Xue¡¯er doubted whether she could still endure it. Soon the two entered the resting area, but upon entering, Lu Chen did not immediately do anything to Murong Xue¡¯er. He suddenly thought of something interesting and then said, ¡°I have always been the one to write, but I have never seen your handwriting. Why don¡¯t you write something for me to see?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly speechless inside, wondering what new trick this naughty man was planning. However, she did not refuse, and with an expressionless face, she said, ¡°Fine.¡± Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er agree, Lu Chen waved his hand, and the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone flew from the study to the table in the resting room. Lu Chen said, ¡°Now, you write.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er gently picked up the writing brush, dipped it in ink, and just as she was about to start writing, she asked, ¡°What does the Prince wish me to write?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Write whatever you want. What you write isn¡¯t important; it¡¯s the process of writing that matters.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t ask any more questions and immediately started writing, but as soon as the tip of the brush touched the paper, she felt a strange sensation in her body. Lu Chen was hugging her body, his hands wandering around her, rendering her unable to concentrate. This asshole! She knew it couldn¡¯t be that simple. When did Lu Chen ever write seriously? Wasn¡¯t it always just an excuse to do something naughty? Although feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Murong Xue¡¯er still persevered and wrote a character on the paper. Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er had stopped after writing just one character, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Why stop? Continue writing. Let me admire your calligraphy.¡± Biting her silver teeth, Murong Xue¡¯er began to write again. Then, Murong Xue¡¯er wrote more than a dozen characters on the paper. Just then, Lu Chen waved his hand, and suddenly a lot more paper flew into the room from the study. The papers, several meters long, covered the floor of the resting area in an instant. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Miss Murong, these papers are too small. How about writing on the paper on the floor instead?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er turned and gave Lu Chen a disdainful look, then said, ¡°Prince, I didn¡¯t come here to write.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Then what did you come for?¡± A blush spread across Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s cheeks, making her face even redder. Without saying another word, Murong Xue¡¯er picked up the brush and bent down to write on the paper on the floor. As Murong Xue¡¯er had just written one character, Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°Xue¡¯er, it must be uncomfortable for you to write while bending over like that. Why don¡¯t you kneel instead?¡± With that, Lu Chen personally guided Murong Xue¡¯er, having her kneel on the paper and prop herself up with one hand while holding the brush with the other. After she knelt down, her buttocks were slightly raised, showing off her exquisite curves perfectly. Seeing this, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes glazed over, especially since Murong Xue¡¯er was kneeling on white paper with black characters, which gave her an especially enchanting allure. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er was unaware of what Lu Chen was looking at; she simply continued to write on the paper. The sight of the ¡°talented woman writing¡± was too much for Lu Chen to bear any longer. The next moment, he tore something with force, and a ripping sound followed. Murong Xue¡¯er hadn¡¯t even reacted when that dog of a man, Lu Chen, leaned in close. Chapter 652 - Chapter 652: Chapter 392 I believe you must have a lot of common words_1 Chapter 652: Chapter 392 I believe you must have a lot of common words_1 Lu Chen was exactly the kind of man Murong Xue¡¯er knew all too well. Though she had been taken by surprise in his ambush, Murong Xue¡¯er had no choice but to admit defeat and let Lu Chen have his way. Some time later, the fire in Lu Chen¡¯s heart subsided slightly. He then said to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Shall I introduce someone to you?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er, still in a daze, asked, ¡°Eh¡­ who?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s the person you came to inquire about today.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly became more alert. She turned her head to look at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have done this kind of thing to her, would you?¡± The main reason Murong Xue¡¯er was so eager to enter the North Prince Mansion and find out about Wu Junwan was because the Yue Emperor wanted to know whether her dear sister had been mistreated since arriving in North Country. With a smile still on his face, Lu Chen countered, ¡°What do you think?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s sly smile, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You¡­ how could you¡­ to her¡­¡± ¡°She is the Yue Emperor¡¯s¡­ good friend¡­¡± ¡°Slow down¡­¡± With an unconcerned look on his face, Lu Chen said, ¡°Does it matter to me who her friend is?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was speechless. She was not new to this bad man¡¯s ways. How could this lustful man be scared by who was behind Wu Junwan? He was nothing but an animal that thought with his lower half. Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°Forget it¡­ If the Yue Emperor finds out about this¡­ you¡¯ll bear the consequences.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er did not want to remind Lu Chen any further. After all, he was someone who feared neither heaven nor earth, daring to touch any woman. Lu Chen then said, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll let her meet with you. One of you is the Yue Emperor¡¯s maidservant and the other is her dear sister. I believe you two will definitely have much to talk about.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er thought Lu Chen planned to let her meet Wu Junwan after he had his fun, so she promptly said, ¡°Okay¡­ okay¡­¡± As soon as Murong Xue¡¯er finished speaking, Lu Chen turned to the maid by the study door and ordered, ¡°Xiao Huan, go summon the Princess of Great Wu from the North Prince¡¯s Mansion. I need to see her!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er froze. This bastard was actually calling for Wu Junwan at this time. What did he want with Wu Junwan now, to have her watch an erotic performance? Just as Murong Xue¡¯er was about to rebuke Lu Chen, his swift actions left her unable to speak. Meanwhile. Wu Junwan was still sitting in the pavilion in the outer courtyard, waiting to see how long the woman would stay in Lu Chen¡¯s study. Just then, a maid came out of the courtyard where the study was located. Wu Junwan didn¡¯t realize the maid was coming for her until she approached. Xiao Huan bowed to Wu Junwan and said, ¡°Greetings to the Empress.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Wu Junwan¡¯s expression darkened. Although she used to yearn to become the Empress, she recently dreaded hearing the words ¡°Empress¡± or ¡°Your Majesty¡±. She had come to understand Lu Chen¡¯s perverse pleasure; he enjoyed making her play the part of the Empress and then wantonly humiliating her to satisfy his twisted desires. Despite her displeasure, Wu Junwan did not reprimand Xiao Huan. After all, the maid was just following the orders of the despicable Lu Chen¡ªrebuking her wouldn¡¯t change anything. Wu Junwan coldly asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± The maid had come from the direction of the study, so it must have been Lu Chen who wanted to see her. Wu Junwan was curious about what he could possibly want at this moment. Xiao Huan replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the Prince has summoned you to the study.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was first startled and then overjoyed. In her view, the study was the heart of the North Prince Mansion, where all its secrets were kept. She had long wanted to see the study but lacked the privilege. Unexpectedly, Lu Chen was now willingly letting her into the study. This man certainly had some nerve. Wu Junwan promptly stood up and said, ¡°Lead the way!¡± Xiao Huan gestured, ¡°This way, Your Majesty!¡± Following Xiao Huan, Wu Junwan arrived outside the study. The doors of the study were closed, but muffled noises could still be faintly heard. The sounds from inside puzzled Wu Junwan, and there was something familiar about them. Unlike the old mansion¡¯s paper-covered windows and doors, the new mansion¡¯s windows and doors were soundproofed, so Wu Junwan could only hear bits and pieces, which didn¡¯t alert her to what was happening inside. It was then that Xiao Huan opened the study door for Wu Junwan and said, ¡°Your Majesty, please enter. The Prince is waiting for you in the resting room.¡± As she said this, the maid Xiao Huan¡¯s cheeks went red. At the moment the door opened, the sounds inside grew louder, and Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice became distinctly clear. Hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s brows furrowed, and she suspected Lu Chen might be engaging in some indecent activities in the study. Despite her suspicions, Wu Junwan entered the study without further thought. As soon as Wu Junwan stepped in, Xiao Huan closed the door behind her. Wu Junwan paid it no mind and continued walking inside. As she approached the resting room, the noises became clearer and clearer. Upon reaching the door, the scene before her left her utterly stunned. Although she had anticipated something might be happening, the direct sight of it was still speechless inducing. At this moment, a woman was kneeling over a piece of white paper covered in writing, while Lu Chen¡¯s large hand controlled her willowy waist. The hand that gripped the writing brush trembled slightly, betraying her desire to write but inability to follow through. Wu Junwan glanced over the white papers on the floor and then scanned the layout of the room. The room was adorned with calligraphy and paintings, exuding a scholarly aroma. Yet in such a scholarly room, Lu Chen was engaging in such activities. The most infuriating part was that this young man clearly knew she had entered the room, but continued with what he was doing, as if she did not exist. Wu Junwan then coldly asked, ¡°Did you summon me here just to watch you do this with another woman?¡± At that moment, Lu Chen looked up at Wu Junwan with a smile and said, ¡°Of course not. I called you here to introduce someone to you.¡± With that, Lu Chen took hold of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s hand and pulled her upright, making her face Wu Junwan. He then put his arm around Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen to prevent her from falling. ¡°The person I¡¯m introducing to you is her. She is the woman the Yue Emperor gifted to me.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan froze momentarily. She remembered what Hu Shu had asked her to do. Hu Shu had told her to find out if Murong Xue¡¯er had slept with Lu Chen. Wu Junwan took a quick glance at Murong Xue¡¯er, who now had a flushed face and appeared to want to speak but couldn¡¯t find the words. Wu Junwan sneered internally. She had seriously considered asking Lu Chen about it at the time, but now she found it laughable¡ªwhy would she need to ask about something so obvious? A great beauty enters the North Prince Mansion and falls into the hands of this lustful man. Would he do nothing? Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s state, it was likely that her body and soul were already shaped by Lu Chen. She didn¡¯t even know how many times this man had tormented her. Wu Junwan¡¯s expression soured. She had thought this woman had come to the study for something urgent; instead, they were discussing the great philosophy of life in there. Lu Chen continued, ¡°One of you is the Yue Emperor¡¯s most trusted maid, and the other is the Yue Emperor¡¯s best friend. I believe you have a great deal in common.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t Xue¡¯er live in your courtyard and stay with you from now on?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan fell into thought, sensing that Lu Chen was plotting something. Murong Xue¡¯er, who had been silent until now, finally regained some composure. She spoke up, ¡°This humble servant Murong¡­ Xue¡¯er, has¡­ met Princess Junwan¡­ ah!¡± Wu Junwan responded coolly, ¡°I am no longer Great Wu¡¯s Princess Junwan. I am but a prisoner in the North Prince Mansion now.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Now, you make it sound so dramatic. I haven¡¯t decreed that you must remain in the Prince¡¯s Mansion and not leave.¡± Wu Junwan did not continue the topic and said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I shall not disturb you further.¡± With that, Wu Junwan turned and left, not wishing to see the indecent acts between this pair. As Wu Junwan walked towards the exit of the study, Lu Chen called out from behind, ¡°Go and tell your maids to prepare a room. From now on, Murong Xue¡¯er will be staying with you at the North Prince Mansion.¡± Wu Junwan gave no response and didn¡¯t stop, simply leaving the study. Once Wu Junwan had left the study, Lu Chen continued with his own tasks. At dusk, Wu Junwan was enjoying the beautiful sunset in the courtyard where she lived when Murong Xue¡¯er, dressed in black and white, entered the yard. Wu Junwan glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er, whose clothes had been changed. Her original outfit had been torn by Lu Chen in the study. Murong Xue¡¯er approached Wu Junwan and bowed, ¡°Greetings to Princess Junwan!¡± Wu Junwan, expressionless, said, ¡°I¡¯ve already said that I¡¯m no longer Great Wu¡¯s Princess Junwan. You need not address me as Princess in the future.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er did not dwell on the formality and replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Wu Junwan looked at Murong Xue¡¯er once more before saying, ¡°Please sit down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er then sat down opposite Wu Junwan in the pavilion. Wu Junwan went straight to the point, ¡°Hu Shu asked me to find out if you have slept with the North Prince. She didn¡¯t come directly to you, it seems she no longer trusts you.¡± Hu Shu belonged to the Da Yue Dynasty and was close to the Empress. If she wanted to know something, she could have easily asked Murong Xue¡¯er directly. There was no need for Wu Junwan to do any digging. So Wu Junwan concluded that Hu Shu did not trust Murong Xue¡¯er, hence asking her to inquire personally. Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er wasn¡¯t surprised. It was very likely that Hu Shu wanted to know if the Curse Pattern on her body had affected the North Prince. If it had not, it could be disregarded, but if it had, it meant Murong Xue¡¯er had successfully controlled the North Prince. However, the real question was why the Empress had not directly told her that the Virgin Mark on her body was actually a Curse Pattern. It seemed that from the very beginning, the Empress had never trusted her. Even now, the Yue Emperor sent someone else to gather information instead of telling her directly that she bore the Curse Pattern. Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, for informing me of this.¡± Wu Junwan gave Murong Xue¡¯er another scanning look. Murong Xue¡¯er had a cold demeanor and breathtaking beauty; any man would be attracted to her. Wu Junwan asked bluntly, ¡°How many times have you and the North Prince done that sort of thing?¡± Chapter 653 - Chapter 653: Chapter 393 Wu Junwans Ambition_1 Chapter 653: Chapter 393 Wu Junwan¡¯s Ambition_1 Hearing Princess Junwan¡¯s question, Murong Xue¡¯er was momentarily stunned, unsure of how to respond. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er offer no answer, Wu Junwan picked up the teacup on the stone table and gently took a sip before saying, ¡°Is it that you¡¯ve lost count because there were so many?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er had nothing to say; although she believed there weren¡¯t many times, she truly couldn¡¯t remember the number. Murong Xue¡¯er countered, ¡°Why does Your Highness inquire about this matter?¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t answer the question but continued, ¡°So it seems you have already betrayed Qingrou?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er fell silent once again; in a certain sense, she had indeed betrayed the Yue Emperor. After all, she couldn¡¯t bear to separate from this bad man anymore; her body and heart had become entirely his. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er still not speaking, Wu Junwan knew she had hit the mark, let out a slight sigh, and thought to herself that the most frightening thing about this man was that no woman could resist his seduction. Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but wonder: could it be that even Princess Junwan had been conquered by the North Prince? Princess Junwan was, after all, the esteemed Princess of Great Wu, and she had only just arrived in the North Country; had she been subdued so quickly by that bad man? Could it be true? Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°What do you intend to do, Your Highness? Are you going to tell the Empress about this servant¡¯s actions?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat uncertain about Wu Junwan¡¯s stance; she was very clear about just how close the relationship between Wu Junwan and the Yue Emperor was. In the days without Wu Junwan, the Yue Emperor even treated her as if she were Wu Junwan, holding her down beneath her; their affection for each other was extraordinary. Although Wu Junwan¡¯s body might have been tarnished by that bad man, this did not mean that Wu Junwan no longer had feelings for the Yue Emperor. Now that Wu Junwan knew the spy the Yue Emperor sent to the North Country had defected and could pose a threat to Great Jue in the future, Wu Junwan might consider their sisterly love and tell the Yue Emperor about this matter. If that happened, Murong Xue¡¯er would be completely exposed for betraying the Yue Emperor. At this moment, Wu Junwan asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Do you wish for me to tell Qingrou about your affair, or would you prefer that I pretend to know nothing?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er did not immediately answer the question. Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er not directly responding, Wu Junwan said, ¡°If I say nothing, the North Prince will use you to pass on more false intelligence to Qingrou, or you might steal more information from Great Jue to give to the North Prince. In that case, you still have some value.¡± ¡°If I tell Qingrou directly about your affair, you might not need to continue serving as an envoy for Great Jue, but you will also become useless to the North Prince. He might just discard you then.¡± At this point, Murong Xue¡¯er spoke up, ¡°Your Highness may be overthinking it. For the North Prince¡¯s ambitions, I don¡¯t play a significant role; to him, my greatest use is to provide a means for him to relax, I am merely a tool for him to release his emotions with.¡± ¡°The North Prince seldom requests that I proactively provide him with information on Great Jue, nor does he often ask me to spread false information. Even the defense map of the North Country that I originally obtained from the North Prince was a real one. It¡¯s just a pity that despite it being real, Great Wu¡¯s army still suffered defeat.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s brows slightly furrowed before she sneered and said, ¡°So you think that the North Prince¡¯s feelings for you are real?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°This servant is well aware that the Prince only likes my body. I harbor no delusions that His Highness could have genuine feelings for me.¡± Seeing Murong Xue¡¯er say as much, Wu Junwan was at a loss for words. After pondering for a moment, Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Although he is enamored with your beauty for now, there will come a day when you grow old, and women are what he lacks the least. Following him, you should be prepared to be discarded.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Your Highness. This servant will bear your words in mind.¡± Wu Junwan did not wish to advise Murong Xue¡¯er further. She herself had been thoroughly taken advantage of by Lu Chen; she had no right to speak about others. Moreover, she was crystal clear that with that young man¡¯s capabilities, indeed any woman who had shared marital relations with him found it extremely difficult to leave him. His methods of dealing with women were indeed numerous. Wu Junwan said, ¡°For now, I will not inform Elder Hu about your situation. From today onward, you will stay with me.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er once again expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Princess Your Highness!¡± At that moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Since you came to the North Country early on and have long been the North Prince¡¯s woman, you must be very familiar with the North Prince Mansion. There are some matters regarding the North Prince that I would like to inquire about with you.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°Whatever Your Highness wishes to know, just ask, and this servant will withhold nothing.¡± Wu Junwan, after all, was the sister of the Yue Emperor, and Murong Xue¡¯er thought that providing Wu Junwan with some information about the North Prince would serve as a repayment for the Yue Emperor¡¯s past grace in raising her. Wu Junwan uttered a ¡°Hmm,¡± and then asked, ¡°With so many women in the inner court of North Prince Mansion, there must be intense internal strife. I wish to know which woman in the Prince¡¯s Mansion has the greatest ambition.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er seemed to understand something. Wu Junwan was preparing to integrate herself into the North Prince Mansion and even intended to fight for power and gain. Murong Xue¡¯er immediately said, ¡°If Your Highness intends to fight for power and gain within the North Prince Mansion¡¯s inner court, this servant advises Your Highness to abandon that thought.¡± ¡°Although I haven¡¯t lived in the North Prince Mansion before, through the palace maids, I¡¯ve learned some things. The inner court of the North Prince Mansion is very harmonious. His Highness¡¯s concubines are like sisters and hardly engage in any scheming against each other.¡± Wu Junwan chuckled lightly, ¡°Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes. The more powerful the man, the more the women of his harem will do anything to win his favor. Even if they appear harmonious on the surface, they¡¯re likely harboring such conspiracies in secret.¡± Being born into the imperial family, Wu Junwan knew the situation of the harem best, so she didn¡¯t believe for a second that Lu Chen¡¯s harem was particularly harmonious. She had already been claimed by Lu Chen, and she also realized that the trend towards unification was irreversible. The North Prince was too powerful, and the military might of the North Country was quickly improving. Furthermore, as the North Prince was a dominant man, Wu Junwan believed she probably couldn¡¯t return to Great Wu, and from now on, she could only become that man¡¯s possession. To be his woman, actually, she didn¡¯t resist the idea, but she wasn¡¯t content with just being a caged canary. Wu Junwan planned to prepare a second path for herself, if one day Lu Chen truly unified the world and became the sole emperor, then she would also become the most important woman by this man¡¯s side¡ªin plainer terms, the Empress. So to her, all the women in Lu Chen¡¯s harem were her competitors, even her enemies. Because of this, she must start preparing now, but before that, she needed to thoroughly understand the specific situation inside North Prince Mansion. Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er knew that Wu Junwan was not planning to give up. But thinking about it, it made sense. Wu Junwan was once Princess Junwan of Great Wu, already a person of high status and power. That terrible man intended to keep her locked up in North Prince Mansion, to bear children for him¡ªhow could she possibly tolerate that? Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t possibly give up the fight. Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°Most of the women in North Prince Mansion are busied with their own affairs. The wife oversees all the properties of North Prince Mansion, managing the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± ¡°Yelv Nanyan, once the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife, manages the national treasury¡­¡± Before Murong Xue¡¯er could finish, Wu Junwan interrupted with a question, ¡°Does the Sky Wolf King¡¯s wife still manage the treasury now?¡± Wu Junwan knew through her spies when she was in Great Wu that Yelv Nanyan managed the national treasury. At the time, she just thought this was one of Lu Chen¡¯s political maneuvers, mainly to stabilize those Barbarian Tribe people of the North Country. After all, Yelv Nanyan was a Barbarian Tribe wife. If she qualified to manage the national treasury of North Country, that indicated North Prince was, to a certain extent, treating Barbarian people equally, giving them hope. Of course, Wu Junwan considered this to be nothing but a facade¡ªthe actual control of the treasury surely still lay with North Country people, having nothing to do with Yelv Nanyan. Murong Xue¡¯er replied at this moment, ¡°Yes, she still holds control over the treasury, but she¡¯s started to delegate authority. I estimate in another ten years, she will hand over the treasury to someone else.¡± Wu Junwan continued to ask, ¡°Alright, tell me about the other wives and concubines of North Prince.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°Currently, only Yelv Nanyan is involved in the political affairs of North Country.¡± ¡°Besides her, Wang Qingci manages Rain-listening Pavilion, Dongfang Longyue oversees the Eastern Newspaper Agency, Chu Yuqin commands the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s trusted aides, and as for the woman surnamed Bai, she often follows the North Prince, but I don¡¯t know much about her.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Are those all of North Prince¡¯s women?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er answered, ¡°Not just them. There are also the two sisters from the Zhou Family, the princess from the former Sky Wolf King tribe, and a woman surnamed Lin from Mysterious Moon Palace. Besides these women, it seems the Prince also has some women outside, but I am not aware of the details.¡± Wu Junwan frowned. This man had too many women. Truly a lascivious fellow. With so many women, could he take care of them all? It seemed the strife within the Prince¡¯s Mansion was even more severe than she imagined. So many women vying for one man¡ªthe inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion could not possibly be peaceful; no woman wanted to live in neglect. Especially after having that kind of affair with that man, they would want his affection even more, so surely they would compete for his favor. In Wu Junwan¡¯s mind at this moment, the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion was tantamount to a battlefield of life and death. Afterwards, Wu Junwan continued to consult Murong Xue¡¯er about other matters concerning North Prince Mansion, and the two talked late into the night in the pavilion. Just as Lu Chen had said, the two indeed had a lot in common to talk about. Late at night. Murong Xue¡¯er moved into the room next to Wu Junwan¡¯s, not having brought anything with her, all her clothes still at the mansion. The dress she was wearing was one provided by North Prince Mansion. Sitting in front of the dressing table, Murong Xue¡¯er sighed softly. Just then, a palace maid came in and asked, ¡°Mrs. Murong, the hot water is ready. Would you like to bathe now?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t correct the maid¡¯s address of her. She didn¡¯t care anymore; let the maids call her whatever they wanted. After all, she had already been rendered utterly passive by that man¡¯s doings. She replied faintly, ¡°Fine.¡± The maid immediately said, ¡°Please follow me, Mrs. Murong.¡± Then Murong Xue¡¯er followed the maid to the bathroom next to the room. The bathroom was very large, with a bath pool steaming with hot water, and several maids were scattering petals into it. Within moments, the whole bath was filled with the scent of flowers. Murong Xue¡¯er, helped by the maids, slowly stripped off her clothes, revealing her fair skin. She then gently stepped into the hot water. As soon as she entered, she immediately felt rejuvenated, her fatigue from the day swept away, and she felt extremely comfortable. Soaking in the hot water, Murong Xue¡¯er soon became drowsy. At this point, she told the maids, ¡°You may all leave now. I will call if I need anything.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± The maids then left the bath, and Murong Xue¡¯er leaned back in the tub, closing her eyes. Just as she was about to drift off to sleep, suddenly a pair of large hands wrapped around her slender waist. She woke up startled and began to struggle. Just when she was about to cry out, in the next moment, her mouth was covered by a large hand, and she could only make muffled ¡°mmph mmph¡± noises. Chapter 654 - Chapter 654: Chapter 394 Sum Emperor: It seems that I need to hurry up_1 Chapter 654: Chapter 394 Sum Emperor: It seems that I need to hurry up_1 Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind had been entirely relaxed, so when someone suddenly appeared beside her and quickly wrapped their arms around her slim waist, running behind her and then covering her mouth, it was no wonder that Murong Xue¡¯er felt panic. For a moment, she even thought an assassin or an enemy was there to kill her. However, she quickly sensed something off. As she struggled, she realized that her martial skills had been sealed, preventing her from accessing them. The next moment, a familiar sensation surged through her body; Murong Xue¡¯er then realized that it was that bastard who had come. They had done so many bad things together that she was very familiar with him, and she believed that he was the only one capable of driving her crazy. But then again, she wasn¡¯t wrong in her guess¡ªhe indeed was an assassin, there to ¡®murder¡¯ her. Murong Xue¡¯er simply stopped struggling, letting the water splash around. After an unknown amount of time, the assassin spoke in her ear, ¡°My dear wife, how can you have no defenses at all? That won¡¯t do. Moreover, you aren¡¯t even struggling; what if you encountered a real villain?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er hummed with laughter, ¡°Aside from you, that bastard, who else in the Prince¡¯s Mansion has the ability to seal my skills?¡± ¡°Even if there were villains in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, it would only be you, the bad egg.¡± Holding Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s slender waist, Lu Chen slowly sat down by the bath, allowing her to sit in his embrace, and then said, ¡°I¡¯m here to help you bathe, how can you call me a bad person.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er did not pay attention to Lu Chen¡¯s words but asked directly, ¡°Your Highness is visiting me so late, it must be because of Princess Junwan¡¯s issue, right?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My wise Xue¡¯er.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve talked with her for so long; it seems you two really do have quite a lot to discuss. Tell me, what did you talk about earlier?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er answered directly, ¡°She was inquiring about the women in the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± At this point, Murong Xue¡¯er turned her head slightly and glanced at Lu Chen behind her with the corner of her eye before saying softly, ¡°His Highness is indeed capable. A Princess from Great Wu has only been in the North Prince Mansion for a few days and you¡¯ve already tamed her completely, to the point where she even harbors thoughts of becoming the mistress of the Prince¡¯s Mansion and monopolizing you.¡± Lu Chen responded with a laugh, ¡°Aspiring to be the mistress of the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± ¡°Such a thought is not to be entertained in the North Prince Mansion.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er inquired, ¡°Then what does Your Highness plan to do with her?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°She wants to monopolize me, doesn¡¯t she? Simple, I will spend the next half-month continuously accompanying her.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she couldn¡¯t help feeling a tinge of schadenfreude as she knew Wu Junwan was in for trouble over the next half-month. After half a month, Wu Junwan would probably be thinking about how to escape the North Prince Mansion. At that time, Lu Chen extended his hand, lifted Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s chin, and gazed at her profile, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop talking about this. We ended rather abruptly this afternoon, and I am not yet satisfied.¡± Just as Murong Xue¡¯er was about to say something, Lu Chen embraced her and placed her hands on the edge of the bath. Murong Xue¡¯er felt somewhat resigned inside; at that moment, she couldn¡¯t understand how Wu Junwan could ever entertain the idea of having Lu Chen all to herself. ¡­ In the Great Xia Dynasty, at the Capital city. East Palace. After returning to the capital city, Qin Feng promptly conveyed the New that Lu Chen had agreed to their terms to Crown Prince Lu Yi, who immediately called together his faction to discuss important matters in the East Palace. Zhao Wenhan glanced at Qin Feng and asked, ¡°Assistant Minister Qin, did the North Prince personally agree?¡± Qin Feng replied, ¡°He did, personally.¡± Zhao Wenhan, with a smile on his face, told Crown Prince, ¡°Congratulations, Your Highness. With the support of the North Prince, the position is within your reach.¡± On hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, Crown Prince Lu Yi did not show any particular happiness; instead, his expression became more solemn. He sat facing the door on the main seat in the hall, staring at the night sky outside, seemingly deep in thought. Seeing that Crown Prince Lu Yi had not responded, Zhao Wenhan did not continue and, after a moment, Crown Prince Lu Yi finally spoke, ¡°It seems my father, the Emperor, is gravely ill, but the State Preceptor is by his side, so he may well live for another decade or more.¡± ¡°The very thought of my father suffering from his illness for so many years without me being able to help brings me immense sorrow,¡± he added. At this, Crown Prince Lu Yi looked genuinely pained, as if he were truly upset by the Emperor¡¯s sickness. Hearing Crown Prince Lu Yi¡¯s words, the officials in the hall immediately understood why he had been looking so troubled. Although the North Prince had already agreed to openly declare his support for Crown Prince Lu Yi to become Emperor, as long as the Sum Emperor was still alive, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for Crown Prince Lu Yi to ascend to the throne. If Crown Prince Lu Yi wanted to become Emperor, he would at least have to wait for the Sum Emperor to pass away. The idea of the Emperor abdicating and passing on the throne was not something they would dare to entertain. Leaving aside the fact that the Grandmasters of the imperial family would never agree to it, nor would the State Preceptor, with Crown Prince Lu Yi¡¯s power, he had no way of forcing the Emperor to abdicate. If the Emperor¡¯s illness dragged on for years, perhaps more than a decade, Crown Prince Lu Yi might not even ascend the throne before the North Prince would march his troops south. Crown Prince Lu Yi was well aware that their efforts to win over the North Prince and the concessions made to him were merely to temporarily stabilize him. If the North Prince truly harbored ambitions to unify the entire realm, he would eventually launch an assault on Great Xia. The sooner Crown Prince Lu Yi could ascend the throne, the better it would be for his group, giving them time to enact reforms and to strengthen the military and martial forces. After Crown Prince Lu Yi¡¯s words, the hall fell into silence, with the officials unsure how to respond to him. After all, the Sum Emperor is still the Emperor; openly, they couldn¡¯t possibly incite Lu Yi to seize power and usurp the throne, much less encourage Lu Yi to murder the Sum Emperor. If they were to incite Lu Yi to kill the Sum Emperor now, one day they might incite Lu Yi¡¯s children to kill Lu Yi. Anyone who dares to make that suggestion will certainly be guarded against by Lu Yi, and that person is very likely not to be trusted or reused in the future. Of course, in politics, what can be said isn¡¯t necessarily done, and what is done shouldn¡¯t be spoken. Even though they can¡¯t openly speak of murdering the Sum Emperor or seizing power, since Lu Yi has brought it up at this time, he naturally expects them to resolve the issue. Being seasoned players, they could also interpret what Lu Yi meant; as subordinates, it¡¯s imperative to guess the boss¡¯s intentions. At this point, Lu Yi changed the subject and said, ¡°Now that the North Prince has agreed to stand with me, I should also prepare to fulfill my promise. It¡¯s just that assigning the land north of Qi Country to the North Prince is probably not going to be easy.¡± Firstly, Lu Yi is not the Emperor and does not have the right to arbitrarily grant land to a Seignior; secondly, Qi Country has its own sovereign. If Qi Prince hears that the court is giving his domain to the North Country, he might just get angry enough to lead troops south in search of an explanation from Lu Yi. So, in essence, they must wait until Lu Yi becomes Emperor; only then will these moves be viable. Zhao Wenhan once again sensed the implication in Lu Yi¡¯s words ¨C Lu Yi was hinting that it was time for them to help him ascend to the throne. Only when he rose to power could their coalition of ministers reap the rewards. So what they needed to do next was quite simple: devise a way for the Sum Emperor to pass away and then propel Lu Yi to the throne. At this moment, Zhao Wenhan said to Lu Yi, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured; I believe the North Prince is sensible and will not be in a hurry to demand the land north of Qi Country from you.¡± Lu Yi replied, ¡°Sigh, that¡¯s what you say, but I still feel somewhat worried.¡± Zhao Wenhan smiled and said, ¡°Your Highness needn¡¯t worry too much. Let nature take its course, for some obstacles may no longer be troubles after a while.¡± Hearing Zhao Wenhan¡¯s words, a trace of a smile finally appeared on Lu Yi¡¯s face, ¡°Mr. Zhao is right. It¡¯s just that I have been too anxious.¡± Lu Yi believed that Zhao Wenhan had understood his intention. Now it all depended on Zhao Wenhan¡¯s actions. If everything went smoothly, he could ascend to the throne within a month. Of course, this was but a wishful thought in Lu Yi¡¯s mind; they didn¡¯t know that the actual chess player was the Sum Emperor himself. An hour later. In the Great Sum, within the Imperial Palace. The Sum Emperor sat cross-legged on the dragon bed, his face dark as he listened to the Shadow Guard reporting in front of him. Had Lu Yi been there, he would have recognized that the Shadow Guard was reporting the very conversation they had previously held in the East Palace. After the Shadow Guard finished reporting, the Sum Emperor let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to grow so impatient.¡± Then, addressing the Shadow Guard, the Sum Emperor commanded, ¡°Continue monitoring them, but for now, don¡¯t make any moves. And do not touch anyone from their side within the palace.¡± While the Sum Emperor might not be entirely aware of matters outside, he was very clear about everything happening within the Capital city, especially within the Imperial Palace. He knew exactly which ones were from the Imperial Prince Faction and who had their people within the palace. Those traitors still dream of taking his life; they are utterly delusional and oblivious to their certain demise. Now, what the Sum Emperor was most worried about wasn¡¯t these traitors in the Capital but rather that one up north. Though there was no explicit evidence, he remained firmly convinced that the Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the Master of Divine Communication¡¯s assassination attempt failed because the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had gone to Yan County, and that Celestial might even now be protecting Lu Chen. With that Celestial present, the prospect of eliminating that traitor was impossible. This left the Sum Emperor feeling rather vexed. What concerned him the most had always been Mysterious Moon Palace; now it seemed that a Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had descended. This kept him living in constant fear and apprehension. The scenes of Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s Celestials hunting the royal Grandmasters were still etched in his mind; he frequently dreamt about them even now when he slept at night. Each time he awoke, he was drenched in cold sweat. However, the Sum Emperor still had a lingering question: if the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace really had come down from the mountain, why hadn¡¯t she come directly to the Capital to retrieve the Sacred Artifact of Mysterious Moon Palace? Could it be that Mysterious Moon Palace was unaware that the artifact was with him? That shouldn¡¯t be the case. Mysterious Moon Palace had once sent people to search the Imperial Palace, and though they found nothing, they must have suspected that the artifact was there. Without that artifact, it would have been impossible for the royal family to cultivate several Grandmasters in such a short period. Even the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace couldn¡¯t be so foolish as to not guess it. The Sum Emperor¡¯s gaze slowly drifted toward the window, then toward the endless night outside, and he muttered to himself, ¡°It seems I need to act quickly. If I can activate the weapon on Fengyin Island, perhaps even the Celestial might not be unbeatable.¡± ¡­ In the North Country. Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, another half month has passed. In the early morning, a ray of sunlight flipped over the windowsill, shining into the room, its warm glow spreading over people, providing an overwhelming sense of comfort. The sleeping ones were also gently awoken by it. Wu Junwan lay sprawled across the bed, with Lu Chen lying on top of her, embracing her slender waist, head resting upon her fragrant shoulder. At this moment, Wu Junwan, weak and without strength, asked, ¡°Murong Xue¡¯er has told you something, right?¡± Chapter 655 - Chapter 655: Chapter 395 When Can She Finally Be the Master_1 Chapter 655: Chapter 395 When Can She Finally Be the Master_1 Seeing Wu Junwan ask such a question out of the blue, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Wu Junwan snorted coldly and said, ¡°For half a month, you¡¯ve come to my room every night to oppress me. If Murong Xue¡¯er hadn¡¯t told you something, how could you possibly come here every day?¡± Initially, Wu Junwan was somewhat pleased that Lu Chen had been visiting her for several days in a row, for she was well aware that to climb the ranks in the North Country, one must capture the heart of this young man. This young man came to her every day to dote on her, proving that he was very fond of her body, which was a good thing. Moreover, she might be able to use the opportunity of sharing a bed with Lu Chen to probe some secrets about the North Country. However, Wu Junwan soon realized that something was off. Lu Chen had been coming to her place for half a month straight, and upon arriving in her room, he hardly wasted any time before he began making love to her until dawn. Even though Wu Junwan was a Grandmaster, after half a month, she too was beginning to feel overwhelmed. By then, she had come to the conclusion that it was highly probable that Murong Xue¡¯er had told Lu Chen about her plans to fight for power in his harem and to monopolize his affections. Thus, the rascal came every day to show her the consequences of her actions. Wu Junwan finally understood why Murong Xue¡¯er had advised her not to make any moves in Lu Chen¡¯s inner court. No wonder Murong Xue¡¯er said the women of Lu Chen¡¯s inner court coexisted amicably and harmoniously. With Lu Chen¡¯s strength, he indeed had the capability to suppress any woman harboring ulterior motives. There she was, having just shown a bit of ambition, and the young man targeted her for half a month. Now, she dared not act rashly anymore. Since Wu Junwan had already guessed the reason, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I just feared you might feel lonely sleeping alone at night, so I came to keep you company.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Does the Prince think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Lu Chen immediately denied it, ¡°I never said such a thing. Considering you¡¯re a woman who once held high status and power, I wouldn¡¯t dare to regard you as a fool.¡± Wu Junwan sneered, ¡°Murong Xue¡¯er indeed must have told you something.¡± ¡°To think about it, Murong Xue¡¯er has long been conquered by you. You had her come here just to spy on me. Everything I do or say, she would surely report to you immediately.¡± Lu Chen continued smiling and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want her to live in the same courtyard as you, you could just tell me, and I will have her move out immediately. The North Prince Mansion had already prepared another courtyard for her.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan hesitated then said, ¡°No need, let her continue living in this courtyard.¡± Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll tell me about your affairs?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°You¡¯ve tormented me for half a month; I wouldn¡¯t dare to entertain any ulterior thoughts. Whether someone is watching over me or not no longer matters to me.¡± By then, Wu Junwan had completely abandoned the idea of monopolizing Lu Chen. This man was too strong for her to control. Better let the other women in the inner court exhaust his energy. What mattered most was she didn¡¯t want to return to those days when there was no one to talk to. Although Murong Xue¡¯er was here to watch her, Murong Xue¡¯er used to be the closest person to the Yue Emperor, and living with her meant they had a lot in common to talk about. If she drove Murong Xue¡¯er away, she would once again be left alone in the entire courtyard, with no one to talk to. Moreover, Murong Xue¡¯er had been in North Country for so long; through her, Wu Junwan could gain a better understanding of the situation in North Country. Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen puffed out his chest and then gently stroked her jade back, caressing her as he said, ¡°After all, you were once the Princess of Great Wu, a person of high status and power. Are you going to submit just like that?¡± Wu Junwan asked coldly, ¡°Does the Prince wish for me to create chaos in the North Prince Mansion?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s not it. I just thought you gave in too quickly; it surprised me. I had thought it would take at least a month for you to give up those thoughts.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Murong Xue¡¯er really did tell you everything about me!¡± Just then, Lu Chen slowly rose to his feet. The next moment, Wu Junwan felt an emptiness as Lu Chen turned her over and then once again looked down at her from above. Gazing into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°I am very curious, Prince, why are you so vigorous?¡± Wu Junwan wasn¡¯t embarrassed. She was indeed very curious about Lu Chen¡¯s strength, as far as she knew, there shouldn¡¯t be any man with such formidable power as his. Upon reflection, Lu Chen answered, ¡°It¡¯s just a gift from nature.¡± Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°So it turns out to be natural bad stock.¡± Lu Chen was not at all bothered by this remark; he liked it when his woman called him bad. As the saying goes, a man is not bad, a woman won¡¯t love him. Of course, this is meant for his own woman, not suitable in front of just anyone. Just at that moment, Lu Chen took out a pill and handed it to Wu Junwan. Seeing the pill in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Wu Junwan was at first taken aback, then asked puzzledly, ¡°Are you tired of playing with my body, planning to get rid of me now?¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°What do you take me for? How could I possibly bring myself to harm my own woman, especially such a beauty like you? I can¡¯t cherish you enough.¡± Chapter 656 - Chapter 656: Chapter 395 When Can She Finally Be the Master_2 Chapter 656: Chapter 395 When Can She Finally Be the Master_2 Junwan spoke with a skeptical tone, ¡°So, you¡¯re worried that I might cause trouble at your North Prince Mansion and want to use a Poison Pill to control me?¡± ¡°This is a Beauty Enhancement Pill,¡± Lu Chen said directly, ¡°Once you take it, you will retain your youth forever. Even when you grow old, only your hair will turn gray, and your body will not show any signs of aging, not even wrinkles on your skin.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Junwan was momentarily stunned. A Beauty Enhancement Pill? How could Lu Chen possibly have such a pill? Junwan and the Yue Emperor had once entered the Misty World, as well as a Sect, and both possessed considerable knowledge. She had naturally heard about the Beauty Enhancement Pill, but that was something only Immortals had. For them, such a pill was tantamount to an Immortal Pill. How could Lu Chen possibly possess an Immortal Pill? That being the case, it was highly probable that Lu Chen had the backing of a powerful figure from the Misty World? Looking at the Beauty Enhancement Pill in Lu Chen¡¯s hand with a face full of doubt, Junwan said, ¡°Such a precious Immortal Pill, and you¡¯re willing to give it to me? If your women knew you gave such a precious pill to me, wouldn¡¯t you be afraid they¡¯d be angry?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Aside from you and Murong Xue¡¯er, all my women have already taken the Beauty Enhancement Pill.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Junwan was once again stunned. She said incredulously, ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°Where did you get so many Immortal Pills!¡± It was already hard enough to explain how Lu Chen came into possession of one Immortal Pill¡ªhow could he possibly have so many Beauty Enhancement Pills? Even the Misty Immortal Sect, which she and the Yue Emperor had joined, rarely had anyone who could get their hands on a single Beauty Enhancement Pill. Lu Chen said coolly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about where they came from, just take it first.¡± Junwan slowly raised her jade hand, ready to take the pill from Lu Chen¡¯s hand, but as her fingers were about to touch it, her hand stopped mid-air; she hesitated. Junwan still couldn¡¯t believe that the pill Lu Chen was giving her was an Immortal Pill. Could this young man really be so kind to her? He was merely fond of her body, wasn¡¯t he? How could he give her such a valuable pill? What¡¯s more, the fact that he claimed all of his women had taken Immortal Pills made her even more skeptical that this was a Beauty Enhancement Pill. She grew more and more doubtful that should she take the pill, she might be controlled by Lu Chen for the rest of her life, becoming his puppet. Seeing Junwan¡¯s hesitation, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? The proud Princess of Great Wu is actually scared by a little pill?¡± ¡°Even if this were a Poison Pill, with your Grandmaster strength, you could expel the poison quickly, couldn¡¯t you? What¡¯s there to fear?¡± Hearing this, Junwan came to her senses. Indeed, now that she was a Grandmaster, ordinary poisons were indeed hardly effective against her. If there really was a problem with the pill, she could just circulate her power to expel the poison from her body, couldn¡¯t she? But then again, even if the pill was indeed a Poison Pill, and she didn¡¯t want to take it, Lu Chen would probably force her to swallow it. In front of this young man, she had no choice. She couldn¡¯t possibly attack Lu Chen, could she? With his abilities, as soon as she made a move, Lu Chen could suppress her instantly. After realizing this, Junwan snatched the Beauty Enhancement Pill from Lu Chen¡¯s hand and swallowed it without hesitation. Just as Junwan was mentally prepared to be poisoned, she suddenly felt a warm current in her Dantian. Right after that, her entire skin seemed to be wriggling. Soon, her skin started to expel various impurities, and some skin began to peel off, with new, extremely delicate and fair skin growing in its place. Junwan could hardly believe it; the pill was real. At that moment, Lu Chen got up from the bed and said, ¡°Go look in the mirror. You will definitely be satisfied.¡± Without hesitation, Junwan got up from the bed, not bothering with her clothes, and walked to the dressing table. Sure enough, she found that her skin had become smoother and more delicate; she had become even more beautiful. Junwan wanted to ask Lu Chen something, but before she could, he picked her up by the waist and said, ¡°After expelling so many impurities with the Beauty Enhancement Pill, it¡¯s best to have a good wash.¡± He then walked towards the bathroom next to the bedroom. In the bathroom, Lu Chen had a maid help Junwan rinse off the impurities from her body before he embraced her and stepped into the bathtub with her. Sitting in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, Junwan was still immersed in the joy of becoming more beautiful. After all, there¡¯s no woman who doesn¡¯t cherish beauty, especially since Lu Chen had just said she could remain young forever and never grow old or ugly. After soaking in the bathtub for a while, Junwan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and directly asked, ¡°I¡¯m really curious, where did your Beauty Enhancement Pill come from, Prince?¡± Lu Chen responded with a smile, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you that for now.¡± Hearing this, Junwan chuckled and said, ¡°It seems the Prince¡¯s secrets are more numerous than I imagined.¡± Lu Chen, hugging Junwan¡¯s soft body, whispered in her ear, ¡°Naturally, the more secrets I have, the more you¡¯ll want to explore them on me, won¡¯t you?¡± For the most part, a woman¡¯s interest in a man often starts from curiosity, and Junwan was no exception with Lu Chen. Chapter 657 - Chapter 657: Chapter 395 When Can She Finally Be the Master_3 Chapter 657: Chapter 395 When Can She Finally Be the Master_3 Wu Junwan snorted coldly and said no more. In her heart, she thought she had probably been thoroughly ensnared by this young man. First, he had helped her break through to the Grandmaster Realm; then, he had made her body unable to resist his, and now, he had presented her with such a precious Immortal Pill, allowing her to retain eternal youth. Wu Junwan felt like she could no longer live without this man. She had fallen. She was utterly infatuated with this young man, something she had never imagined before; she never thought she could be conquered by such a man. Lost in these thoughts, Wu Junwan fell into silence and did not speak for a long time. Lu Chen also refrained from saying more, and the two of them simply soaked quietly in the bath. After soaking for about a quarter of an hour, Lu Chen slowly stood up. He smiled at Wu Junwan and said, ¡°If you get bored of staying in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, you can also go out for a walk. I still trust you relatively more.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan snorted lightly. Although she knew in her heart that she might never leave this young man in her life, every time she saw him act as though he had her completely figured out, a feeling of resentment stirred within her. Subjugated by this man for half a month, when would she be able to turn the tables and take control? After leaving Wu Junwan¡¯s room, Lu Chen headed straight for the Power Generator Experimental Base. The first power generator was installed by the river not far from the new town. Its power wasn¡¯t great, but it was completely sufficient for the needs of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. When Lu Chen arrived at the Power Generator Experimental Base, Mo Xing and the others were already waiting for his arrival, unable to wait any longer to start using electricity. In their past view, thunder and lightning were dangerous elements, but now, not only could they generate electricity, but they could also harness it for human use, which was a source of great excitement for them. Seeing that everything was more or less ready, Lu Chen began installing various electrical devices. Once everything was prepared, Lu Chen took out a light bulb he had had made and plugged it into the socket. In the next moment, the bulb instantly lit up. ¡°It¡¯s on, it¡¯s on, it¡¯s really on!!¡± ¡°We succeeded!!¡± ¡°Once the electrical circuit is set up, we won¡¯t need to use candles anymore!¡± ¡­ Excited at the sight, Mo Xing and the others became more animated, chattering excitedly. But soon after, the light bulb exploded with a ¡®pop¡¯. Seeing this, everyone instantly became quiet. They turned to look at Lu Chen, who said indifferently, ¡°The materials used to make the light bulb are not up to standard; we need to continue experimenting to find durable materials.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. It was just a matter of substandard materials. Material issues were not real problems; they could simply continue testing. Lu Chen then took out an electric heating rod, plugged it in, and placed the rod into a wooden barrel. Everyone watched, curious to see what would happen. After a while, the water in the wooden barrel actually started to boil. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°This is also an application of electricity; aside from lighting, it can generate heat.¡± Mo Xing and the others got excited again, not having imagined that electricity could also produce heat. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s first set up an electrical circuit to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. I will personally test the practicality of various electric devices.¡± Electricity was a dangerous thing, and as the Prince, Lu Chen naturally wanted to be the first to use it. Only by doing so could he assure the common people when it was time to promote its wider use. Chapter 658 - Chapter 658: Chapter 396 Junwans Anxiety_1 Chapter 658: Chapter 396 Junwan¡¯s Anxiety_1 After Lu Chen left the Prince¡¯s Mansion for the Power Generator Experimental Base, Wu Junwan sat down in the courtyard. She glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room and noticed her door was closed. She then asked the palace maid beside her, ¡°Has Mrs. Murong not risen yet?¡± The palace maid replied, ¡°Your Highness Princess, Mrs. Murong left the Prince¡¯s Mansion early in the morning.¡± After being busy all evening, Wu Junwan and Lu Chen woke up relatively late today. In addition, they soaked in the bath for a while. By the time they emerged, it was even later, and Murong Xue¡¯er had already gone to the mansion. At that moment, Wu Junwan curiously inquired, ¡°Why do you address me as Princess today?¡± The palace maid hurriedly responded, ¡°Replying to Your Highness, it was the Prince¡¯s order.¡± Wu Junwan snorted lightly; she had thought that man would want to play this identity game for a lifetime. She didn¡¯t expect him to tire of it so quickly. Well, she had long since grown tired of others addressing her as Empress. As Wu Junwan was lost in thought, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice came from the entrance of the courtyard, ¡°Your Highness Princess, why have you risen so early?¡± Wu Junwan looked up and saw Murong Xue¡¯er had returned. She snorted coldly, ¡°Early? The sun is already overhead.¡± Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s tone was a bit off and she seemed displeased, Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself that it seemed the North Prince had said something to her. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Murong Xue¡¯er, I treated you as a friend, but you turned around and sold me out!¡± Hearing these words, Murong Xue¡¯er was not the least bit nervous; instead, she smiled slightly before saying, ¡°Your Highness, you should understand that I am merely the Prince¡¯s tool. As a tool of the Prince, I naturally stand on his side.¡± Although Murong Xue¡¯er was merely a palace maid in the Great Jue and Wu Junwan outranked her, they were no longer in the Great Jue or Great Wu, but in the North Country, and moreover, in the North Prince Mansion. Now they were both Lu Chen¡¯s women, and there was no longer any question of status. Thus, Murong Xue¡¯er was not afraid of Wu Junwan. Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°If Your Highness fears that I will monitor you, you can speak to the Prince and have me leave this courtyard.¡± Wu Junwan said expressionlessly, ¡°Never mind, you¡¯re a pitiful person. I won¡¯t trouble you further.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°The Prince has gone to your room for half a month in a row. I wonder if Your Highness¡¯s thoughts have changed now.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s brows furrowed. She got irritated just thinking about it. Then she coldly gazed at Murong Xue¡¯er and said, ¡°I suppose you were tamed by him in the same way, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°What a good technique!¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t say much more. Seeing the color drain from Wu Junwan¡¯s face, Murong Xue¡¯er knew Wu Junwan had completely submitted and would probably not dare to harbor her previous thoughts. Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Qingrou sending you to the North Prince Mansion has indeed given quite the advantage to that man.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan mention the Yue Emperor, Murong Xue¡¯er asked out of curiosity, ¡°Your Highness, at this point, have you made a decision in your heart?¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°What decision?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°If one day the Prince wages war against the Great Jue, whose side will you be on?¡± This¡­ Wu Junwan was taken aback in her heart. She had never thought about this question before. The Yue Empress was her good sister, her close friend, and Lu Chen was her man, whom she couldn¡¯t live without. How was she to choose? Whether it was the Yue Empress or Lu Chen, any mishap to either of them would be a heavy blow to her. For a moment, Wu Junwan¡¯s heart was torn with indecision. Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°If Your Highness finds it difficult to choose, I might have a good suggestion.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t directly ask Murong Xue¡¯er for her suggestion, but instead skeptically said, ¡°It seems that man wants to use you to send a message to me.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t believe Murong Xue¡¯er had brought up this question on her own. She suspected Lu Chen wanted to see how she would choose, so he had Murong Xue¡¯er probe her. Without defending herself, Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°If Your Highness truly doesn¡¯t know whom to choose, then choose neither. Wait until they have concluded their fight.¡± Wu Junwan paused for a moment, then asked, ¡°You want me to watch them fight each other to the death?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°This is the best option for Your Highness. If the Prince loses, the Empress might just seal his skill and send him to you, considering your face.¡± ¡°If the Empress loses, there is no need for Your Highness to worry at all.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Knowing the Prince as I do, the Empress is likely to become his woman, just like you.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s complexion instantly darkened. She didn¡¯t feel that Murong Xue¡¯er was talking nonsense; on the contrary, she felt that Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words were very likely to become reality. She had just arrived in the North Country, and Lu Chen had her impersonate the Empress, even making her wear a phoenix robe identical to that of the Yue Emperor, and the decorations in her room were exactly like those in the Yue Emperor¡¯s bedchamber. This man must harbor thoughts about his good sister, which was why he had her play the role of the Empress. With this in mind, once the Great Jue suffered defeat, the first thing the North Prince would surely do is bring his good sister to the North Prince Mansion, and then treat her just as he had treated her. By then, it was possible they would both have to serve that vile creature together! Just thinking about that scene made Wu Junwan¡¯s face stiffen considerably. Knowing the Yue Emperor as she did, she truly wondered if that day came, whether the Yue Emperor would choose to self-destruct her Dantian to preserve her purity. The Yue Emperor was a proud person; she might not care too much about her purity, but she would definitely not tolerate being defeated by a petty man and then being humiliated by him in all sorts of ways. Seeing Wu Junwan fall silent, Murong Xue¡¯er said no more, ¡°This servant has matters to attend to, I¡¯ll return to my room first.¡± As her voice faded, Murong Xue¡¯er turned and went back to her own room, leaving Wu Junwan sitting in the pavilion, contemplating how to deal with the relationship between Lu Chen and the Yue Emperor in the future. Honestly, at first, she didn¡¯t really think Lu Chen was a match for the Yue Emperor, but now she was somewhat uncertain. Lu Chen had even produced an Immortal Pill such as the Beauty Enhancement Pill, which proved that there must be a powerful figure behind Lu Chen. If the North Country declared war on the Great Jue, the Great Jue might genuinely be at a disadvantage. With this thought, Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but sigh and resigned herself to take things one step at a time. As Wu Junwan¡¯s face was full of worry, a palace maid entered the courtyard and said, ¡°Princess, there is someone outside the Prince¡¯s Mansion seeking an audience. She says she is your Protector.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately stood up and, as she walked toward the outer courtyard, said, ¡°Have her go to the Hundred Flowers Garden in the outer courtyard.¡± The palace maid immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Before long, Hu Shu arrived at the Hundred Flowers Garden, and Wu Junwan promptly asked the maids to leave. After the maids departed, Hu Shu immediately bowed to Wu Junwan, ¡°Greetings, Princess Junwan!¡± Wu Junwan directly asked, ¡°Does Elder Hu have business with me?¡± Hu Shu immediately took out a letter from her bosom and handed it to Wu Junwan, ¡°This is a letter from Her Majesty.¡± Wu Junwan was taken aback for a moment, then took the letter from Hu Shu¡¯s hand and began to read it carefully and earnestly. The Yue Emperor wrote to inquire about her well-being in the letter, asking if she had been mistreated, if she needed help, and saying that if she wanted to leave the North Prince Mansion, to leave North Country, she could tell her at any time, and the Yue Emperor would immediately send someone to bring her back to the Great Jue. Reading the Yue Emperor¡¯s letter, Wu Junwan¡¯s anxiety intensified. She truly did not want to see her good sister and that petty man in conflict. At this point, Hu Shu asked, ¡°Princess, I¡¯ve heard that the North Prince seems to have allowed Murong Xue¡¯er to stay in the North Prince Mansion as well. Do you know if they have ever shared a room?¡± Hearing Hu Shu¡¯s question, Wu Junwan returned to her senses and answered lightly, ¡°The North Prince did indeed have Murong Xue¡¯er move into the North Prince Mansion, but he didn¡¯t give her a separate courtyard. Instead, she shares a courtyard with me, serving me.¡± This¡­ Hu Shu was taken aback; she couldn¡¯t understand what the North Prince was doing. Why would he have Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er live together? Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Although the North Prince is fond of beauty, he seems not to have laid hands on Murong Xue¡¯er. Perhaps it¡¯s because he has too many women in his harem. Though Murong Xue¡¯er is beautiful, she is not enough to tempt the North Prince.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words made Hu Shu fall into thought; she did not doubt Wu Junwan¡¯s words. She wondered if the Empress¡¯s plan might fall through if the North Prince had not shown interest in Murong Xue¡¯er and had never touched her. Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Elder Hu, it seems you don¡¯t trust Murong Xue¡¯er?¡± Startled, Hu Shu regained her composure and replied, ¡°Why does the Princess ask this?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°If you trusted Murong Xue¡¯er, you probably would have directly given her Qingrou¡¯s letter to deliver to me. Also, I sense that you seem to want to keep something from Murong Xue¡¯er?¡± Hu Shu immediately responded, ¡°Princess, this was not my idea. I only did this because it was Her Majesty¡¯s will.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°So it was Qingrou¡¯s intent.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, Elder Hu, you may leave. If I find any information, I will make sure to inform you at the Princess Mansion,¡± Wu Junwan stated. Hu Shu said, ¡°Alright, I will take my leave now, Princess. Take care.¡± Then Hu Shu turned and left the North Prince Mansion. Gazing at Hu Shu¡¯s retreating figure, Wu Junwan looked again at the letter in her hand, filled with doubt. If they didn¡¯t trust Murong Xue¡¯er, why would her good sister send Murong Xue¡¯er to be close to the North Prince? By sending Murong Xue¡¯er to the North Prince Mansion, she was just delivering food to that man¡¯s doorstep. Chapter 659 - Chapter 659: Chapter 397 How Did He Do It......_1 Chapter 659: Chapter 397 How Did He Do It¡­¡­_1 After having subdued Wu Junwan, Lu Chen no longer visited her room every night as he had been busy for the past few days playing the horse riding games on the prairie with Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan. Honestly, Lu Chen had begun to somewhat consider giving up on the idea of Yelv Nanyan or Xiao Wenyao bearing his children. Despite his efforts over a long time, there wasn¡¯t the slightest reaction from their bellies. Lu Chen wondered if becoming a Pseudo Celestial had somehow increased the difficulty of pregnancy. Chu Yuqin had succeeded on her first try, so why couldn¡¯t the other women? Even Wang Qingci, the stubborn one who didn¡¯t want to get pregnant, had been taken down, yet the most cooperative Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao could not. Lu Chen even planned to let Mu Zixuan and the two Zhous, Youyou and Xiaoxiao, give it another try. Although Mu Zixuan, Zhou Youyou, and Zhou Xiaoxiao had all become martial artists, their realms were still relatively low and thus in a more fertile stage. If all three of them became pregnant, it would mean it had nothing to do with him. If none of the three of them got pregnant, it would prove that advancing to the Pseudo-Celestial Realm indeed made it much more difficult for him to have children, and in the future, he would need to put in much more effort to have children. After a period of verification, neither Mu Zixuan nor the two Zhous, Dazhou and Xiaozhou, became pregnant, so Lu Chen essentially confirmed the reason. It wasn¡¯t a problem with Yelv Nanyan or Xiao Wenyao; it was because he had broken through to the Pseudo-Celestial Realm, making it more difficult for them to conceive. Regarding the restriction on reproduction due to the realm, Lu Chen had no good solutions and eventually decided to consult the system to see if it had any solutions. In the evening, at the North Prince Mansion. Today, everyone in the North Prince Mansion was busy. Lu Chen stood in the Wind Cloud Court, watching the servants bustling about. At this moment, except for Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er, almost all of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines in the inner court had gathered in the Wind Cloud Court. Today was a special day¡ªit was the day of electrification. They had already invented light bulbs and had set up the electrical circuitry. The activities in the Prince¡¯s Mansion had increased in the last few days as craftsmen busily worked on laying the electrical wires. The installation of wires was a significant project. In this era, there were no rubber or plastics, and although Lu Chen had acquired the blueprint for refining gasoline, the North Country was not yet in a position to develop the petroleum industry. Lu Chen had established a resource exploration department to search for resources such as oil and coal everywhere. However, the department had mainly found coal mines or iron and copper ore resources so far. Discovering oil was still relatively challenging. To find oil, drilling was necessary, but drilling was difficult. Ultimately, it came down to not having the right conditions. Without rubber or plastic, they had to find alternatives for insulating materials. Under the current conditions, the best insulators were glass and ceramics. For aesthetics, Lu Chen ultimately chose ceramic tubes. The ceramic workshops of the North Prince Mansion had been producing ceramic tubes nearly every day for some time, just to lay electrical circuits for the mansion. Originally, laying the ceramic tubes would have taken half a day more, but seeing that there wasn¡¯t much work left, Lu Chen decided to have the craftsmen work overtime this evening to finish. He could hardly wait to see the North Prince Mansion enter the electrical era. Every night, they used candles, which not only gave off dim light but also had some odor. As a transmigrator, Lu Chen had long been fed up with living in the days of candlelight. Lu Chen stood in the courtyard watching, while his wives and concubines curiously gathered around the craftsmen, watching them check the circuitry and install the light bulbs. They had already heard from Lu Chen about generators and electric lights during meals and found the idea incredibly unbelievable. It was their first time hearing about being able to harness electricity for use. After scanning the busy crowd, Lu Chen spoke to the system in his mind, ¡°System, if my chances of fathering children decrease as my realm increases, won¡¯t you, as a system, become obsolete when I break through to the Celestial Realm or even higher realms?¡± [The host¡¯s worry is unnecessary. Even if the host breaks through to the Celestial Realm, or even becomes an Immortal, the host can still impregnate wives and concubines. It¡¯s only about probability. Of course, this world cannot bear a true Immortal.] Hearing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen frowned. Although the system said so, his practice had proven how difficult it was now to have children. It was already this difficult for him as a Pseudo-Celestial, wouldn¡¯t the difficulty increase exponentially once he broke through to the Celestial Realm? No, he had to father as many children as possible while still at a relatively low realm. With that in mind, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze swept over the voluptuous figures of his wives and concubines in the courtyard. It seemed he would have to work harder before becoming a Celestial. As Lu Chen was lost in thought, Mo Xing came over to him, ¡°Your Majesty, all the electrical circuit tests are complete. We¡¯re ready to power up.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen snapped back to reality and said promptly, ¡°Good, let¡¯s get ready to power up!¡± By this time, Mu Zixuan and the others had returned to Lu Chen¡¯s side. Chu Yuqin, curious, looked at the glass-like items at the door and asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, will these things really light up? Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Just wait and see; they will light up soon.¡± Then, speaking to Mo Xing, Lu Chen gave the order, ¡°Start the triple power-on test, toggling the switch every three breaths!¡± While such a small amount of electricity could not harm a high-quality warrior, or even a Grandmaster-level martial artist, it could still be deadly to ordinary people in this world. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s command, Mo Xing said excitedly: ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± They had also witnessed history, for North Prince Mansion was to become the first household to use electricity. As the first trial of electricity began, all the lights in North Prince Mansion lit up. Witnessing this scene, the ladies instantly let out a gasp of astonishment, and it wasn¡¯t just them, the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s servants, maids, and even guards were startled by the sudden brightness. For a moment, the entire North Prince Mansion was as bright as day. Although Lu Chen had people remind everyone in the mansion that the light bulbs would shine brightly tonight and that they should not be too surprised, hearing about it and seeing it for themselves were completely different experiences. They had thought these ¡°Colored Glaze Lamps¡± would be as bright as lanterns at most, yet they had not expected them to be so luminous, making the North Prince Mansion indistinguishable from daylight. However, the brightness quickly disappeared, and when it did, everyone looked around, bewildered. Xiao Wenyao curiously asked beside Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, why aren¡¯t the Colored Glaze Lamps shining anymore? Is there a problem?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°No problem, I intentionally had people cut the power. Although this household electricity cannot cause much harm to high-quality warriors, it¡¯s still possible for it to kill a normal person, so we turn it on and off three times when we start using it to prevent anyone from directly touching the wires and getting electrocuted.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the ladies instantly realized how thoughtful Lu Chen had been. Shortly after Lu Chen finished explaining, the lights in the mansion came on again and then went out after a brief moment; this happened twice more before the dim lights inside the mansion stayed on without going out again. Seeing the courtyard lit up like daylight by the Colored Glaze Lamps, Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t help but exclaim, ¡°I never thought I would live to see such a marvelous sight in my lifetime!¡± At this moment, Mu Zixuan asked beside Lu Chen: ¡°Prince, will the common people of North Country be able to use electricity in the future?¡± Lu Chen replied: ¡°Of course, but it will take a long time to manufacture the machinery for generating electricity and to create the conditions needed for generating it.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s feasible for the entire North Country, and even this world, to have access to electricity within a century.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, the ladies fell silent, contemplating how electricity would beautify the world in the future and enrich the nightlife. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, you all should go back and rest. It¡¯s already so late.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the ladies gradually left Wind Cloud Court and returned to their own quarters. However, they were destined to have a sleepless night, as the shock of the Colored Glaze Lamps was just too great. After all the ladies had left, Lu Chen looked at Mo Xing not far away and asked, ¡°What is the current lifespan of these electric lights?¡± Although the materials for making electric lights had changed, the lifespan was still an issue, and since the light bulbs were not vacuum-sealed, their lifespan was still not very long. Mo Xing replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the current lifespan of these electric lights is about seven days. However, if we can extract the air inside, their lifespan could be extended to several months. The experimental lights we made that had the air removed are still shining and show no signs of burning out. The difficulty lies in producing such lights.¡± Nowadays, the production of electric lights is reliant on manual labor. To completely remove the air from inside the glass, the strength of the craftsman needs to be at least half-step Grandmaster level, capable of releasing True Qi to the exterior, which would allow for the production of such light bulbs. Of course, that¡¯s just how manual production is. Currently, lacking extensive experience, it might be possible for ordinary people to produce vacuum light bulbs once the technology matures and they gain the requisite experience. Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Seven days is fine, just replace them in time.¡± As it was just a trial period, there was no need to be overly concerned about how long the lights would last. Lu Chen then said to Mo Xing and the other craftsmen, ¡°You¡¯ve all worked hard. Go back and rest well tonight.¡± Mo Xing and the craftsmen replied in unison, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± As soon as the words were spoken, Lu Chen had the guard team waiting outside the Prince¡¯s Mansion escort the craftsmen home. At the same time. Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er were sitting in the courtyard, staring dumbfounded at the yard now as bright as day under the illumination of the Colored Glaze Lamps. They too had heard that the lamps would light up tonight, as they had been around while the craftsmen were laying the wires in the courtyard these past few days, but neither of them had realized the lights would be so bright, nor that these lamps did not need to use fire or candles, which utterly astonished them both. Wu Junwan mumbled to herself, ¡°How did he manage to do this¡­¡± Chapter 660 - Chapter 660: Chapter 398 Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan are Pregnant_1 Chapter 660: Chapter 398 Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan are Pregnant_1 Wu Junwan saw such a peculiar lighting tool for the first time. She had also heard from her maids that those lamps emitting a yellow light were called Colored Glaze Lamps, which did not need fire to light up, and as long as they did not break, they could keep shining indefinitely. Of course, this was what the Prince had told those maids and servants; in truth, even the maids did not understand the Colored Glaze Lamps. Seeing the courtyard as bright as a normal day, Wu Junwan felt a mixture of emotions. What other skills did that young man possess that she did not know about? She couldn¡¯t believe that such things could actually be made. At that moment, Wu Junwan asked Murong Xue¡¯er, who stood before her, ¡°Xue¡¯er, how do you think these Colored Glaze Lamps are lit?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er also seemed a bit bewildered and answered hesitantly, ¡°A few days ago, I heard the Prince mention that it seems to involve electricity. The craftsmen have been laying down copper wires these past days for conducting electricity, but as for how exactly it lights up, I really don¡¯t understand.¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s response, Wu Junwan immediately stood up, driven by curiosity, and approached a ceramic tube in the pavilion. With a gentle wave of her hand, the ceramic tube cracked open, revealing the electrical wires inside. The next moment, Wu Junwan¡¯s slender fingers reached out as if to touch the wires. Seeing this, a maid nearby quickly warned, ¡°Your Highness, the Prince has said that the wires are very dangerous and must not be touched!¡± Wu Junwan ignored the maid¡¯s words, and soon her fingertip touched the wire. The next moment, a tingling sensation instantly spread throughout her body, and her finger was flicked away from the copper wire. But the electricity did not cause any harm to Wu Junwan, a Grandmaster. After all, she was already a Grandmaster. Even Heavenly Thunder might not be able to kill her, so such a small amount of electric current was nothing to her. Wu Junwan was incredibly surprised, having not expected that it really was electricity! She looked up at the Colored Glaze Lamp in the middle of the pavilion and then released her True Qi to feel the movement of the electrical currents. After her investigation, she seemed to understand something. When the electric current passed through the metal inside the Colored Glaze Lamp, that piece of metal would light up and heat. Although she did not understand what electricity was, she found a natural phenomenon similar to the light emitted by the Colored Glaze Lamps, which was the lightning during a thunderstorm. So Wu Junwan equated the light of the Colored Glaze Lamps with faint thunder light. Wu Junwan, talking to herself while gazing at the Colored Glaze Lamp, said, ¡°This is truly amazing! This man is becoming more incomprehensible to me by the day!¡± She had lived for decades, and it was the first time she had heard of someone who could control lightning and use it for themselves. She found North Prince¡¯s ideas to be very bold and unique. Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but wonder, with the bright moon in the sky tonight and no thunder, where did the electricity in the Prince¡¯s Mansion come from? She then turned to the maid and asked, ¡°Qing¡¯er, where does the electricity in these copper wires come from?¡± The maid replied, ¡°As for how it comes to be, I¡¯m not sure. But I¡¯ve heard from the servants in the Prince¡¯s Mansion that the Prince seems to have created a machine that can generate electricity.¡± Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er were stunned once again¡ªa machine that could create electricity? Could lightning actually be created by human effort? This¡­ This is something only Immortals are supposed to be capable of, isn¡¯t it? Having ventured into the misty regions, Wu Junwan was quite knowledgeable. As far as she knew, only extraordinarily powerful Immortals could wield and control lightning. How had Lu Chen managed to master control over lightning? It meant the young man indeed had the backing of a formidable entity. No wonder so many forces came to pledge their allegiance to him, and even the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace had personally visited North Prince Mansion and stayed there for quite some time. Engrossed in thought, Wu Junwan increasingly felt that her dear sister did not stand a chance against Lu Chen. This man was so mysterious, and every item he revealed was more curious and remarkable than the last. If a full-scale war broke out between Great Jue and North Country, they might not last even two months. Thinking of these matters, Wu Junwan could not help but sigh softly, and then she said to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to rest.¡± As her words fell, Wu Junwan turned and headed back to her bedroom. Meanwhile. Xiao Wenyao was lying on Yelv Nanyan¡¯s bed, while Yelv Nanyan was bathing in the bathroom. Xiao Wenyao exclaimed loudly, ¡°Nanyan, these Colored Glaze Lamps are so bright, now even the night is like daytime.¡± The next moment, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s voice came from the bathroom, ¡°Yes, they are indeed very bright.¡± Xiao Wenyao rolled around on Yelv Nanyan¡¯s bed and said, ¡°I really wish this kind of life could go on forever!¡± Xiao Wenyao had never imagined that one day she would lead such a life where she wouldn¡¯t need to worry about going hungry or cold and could even use wondrous objects like the Colored Glaze Lamps. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s wistful words, Yelv Nanyan joked, ¡°Then you¡¯d better hurry up and have a few children for the Prince. Once you have children, you don¡¯t have to worry about the Prince driving you away in the future.¡± Upon hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Xiao Wenyao pouted and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve inquired with the maids, and the stronger the Martial Artist, the less likely they are to conceive. With the Prince¡¯s help, I¡¯ve already reached the level of a Half-step Grandmaster, and the Prince himself has become more formidable than a Grandmaster. Having his child won¡¯t be so easy.¡± Chapter 661 - Chapter 661: Chapter 398 Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan are Pregnant_2 Chapter 661: Chapter 398 Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan are Pregnant_2 Xiao Wenyao, though fond of amusement and entirely unprepared to be a mother, had always been anxious that she would not have children and thus suffer from Lu Chen¡¯s disdain. After coming to the North Prince Mansion, she had accepted many of Great Sum¡¯s concepts, so she was very clear about how important children were to a woman of Great Sum. In order to avoid being abandoned by Lu Chen, she had tried every means to conceive his child, but no matter how hard she tried, her belly still showed no sign of response. Hearing Xiao Wenyao¡¯s words, Yelv Nanyan, who was in the bath, sighed. She also understood this principle clearly. She had long prepared clothes for the child, yet there was still no movement in her belly. Lu Chen had been visiting her every night to dote on her, but her belly remained unresponsive, and later Lu Chen stopped coming to Spring Sound Court as often. Yelv Nanyan even doubted whether Lu Chen had given up on the idea of her bearing his offspring. Just as Yelv Nanyan was lost in thought, she suddenly heard a scream from outside the bathroom. At this sound, Yelv Nanyan immediately snapped back to attention and hurriedly asked, ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± No sooner had she spoken than there came no reply from Xiao Wenyao outside, making Yelv Nanyan immediately sense that something was amiss. She swiftly instructed the maidservant inside the bathroom, ¡°Ping¡¯er, go out and see what¡¯s the matter.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± The maidservant promptly left the bathroom and headed to the bedroom, but after the maidservant went out, there was no sound to be heard. Yelv Nanyan frowned slightly, hurriedly got out of the bathing pool, wrapped herself in her clothes, and then asked tentatively, ¡°Ping¡¯er, what¡¯s happened outside?¡± Just as Yelv Nanyan had suspected, the maidservant did not answer her, a sure sign that something had happened! Yelv Nanyan immediately rushed out and was about to take action when she discovered that the maidservant Ping¡¯er was standing in the middle of the bedroom, her face flushed as she looked in the direction of the bed. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s gaze also immediately turned that way, only to see an assassin crouched behind Xiao Wenyao, attempting to stab her. Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mouth was covered by the assassin, preventing her from speaking, leaving her only able to make muffled ¡°mmmph¡± noises. Just then, with a few assassinating moves executed by the assassin, Xiao Wenyao¡¯s body suddenly grew rigid. Yelv Nanyan cast a resentful glance at the sneaky assassin, then turned and walked back to the bathroom, saying as she went, ¡°Prince comes to visit this concubine, why not have the maidservant announce it? I thought Yaoyao had encountered an assassin.¡± Although Lu Chen was also an assassin and after a life, the assassin outside was killing people, whereas the assassin Lu Chen was after a life in spirit, and those were two different matters. Upon seeing Yelv Nanyan come out, Lu Chen no longer covered Xiao Wenyao¡¯s mouth. At this point, Xiao Wenyao, still catching her breath, said, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince¡­ You scared me to death¡­¡± Just as she was lying on the bed, a man suddenly appeared, pinned her down, and even gagged and stabbed at her, making her think she had been attacked by a villain¡­ But on second thought, the man behind her was a great villain indeed; otherwise, how could he bully her like this? As he busied himself, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just testing your alertness. Although this is the Prince¡¯s Mansion, you must not let your guard down. What would you do if an assassin came one day?¡± Continuing, he looked down at Xiao Wenyao, ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I, Yaoyao?¡± Xiao Wenyao replied weakly, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince¡­ You¡¯re right, I will remain vigilant in the future.¡± Meanwhile, Yelv Nanyan had returned to the bathroom to continue washing herself. She had planned on soaking in the bath for a bit longer, but since the master of the house had arrived, she had to finish quickly and then tend to that little rascal. Soon, Yelv Nanyan came out from the bathroom, now wearing only a white undershirt and panties. Having just bathed, Yelv Nanyan was fragrant with the scent of flowers, and with some droplets still in her hair, her whole being appeared both pure and desirable. Lu Chen put Xiao Wenyao aside and pulled Yelv Nanyan directly in front of him, embracing her soft and tender body. With a face slightly flushed, Yelv Nanyan whispered, ¡°Prince, perhaps we should turn off these Colored Glaze Lamps first?¡± Lu Chen asked in puzzlement, ¡°Why so?¡± With a touch of shyness, Yelv Nanyan replied, ¡°It¡¯s a little too bright.¡± Previously, they would light candles at night, and the dim light of the candles made it hard to see people, allowing Yelv Nanyan to feel more unrestrained. Now that the Colored Glaze Lamps illuminated the room as if it were daylight, Yelv Nanyan felt as if she were doing those things in broad daylight, making it difficult for her to let go. Hearing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s words, Lu Chen snorted with laughter, then said, ¡°I had guessed you might say something like that, so I had them install low-wattage bulbs.¡± He then instructed the maidservant, ¡°Turn off the main lamp and switch on the small one.¡± As he finished speaking, the maidservant beside the lamp immediately turned off the room¡¯s main lamp and then switched on the small one. The light from the small lamp was dim, just like when they used to light candles, and instantly, the room filled with the warm, yellow glow of the dim light. The atmosphere between Lu Chen and Yelv Nanyan grew increasingly intimate. Chapter 662 - Chapter 662: Chapter 398 Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan are Pregnant_3 Chapter 662: Chapter 398 Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan are Pregnant_3 Yelv Nanyan spoke softly, ¡°Prince, tonight¡­ thank you for your hard work¡­¡± Seeing Yelv Nanyan¡¯s bashful appearance, Lu Chen could no longer hold himself back, and immediately bent down to kiss Yelv Nanyan¡¯s red lips. ¡­ Early morning. The waking Lu Chen, with one woman on each side of him, glanced at Xiao Wenyao on his left, then at Yelv Nanyan on his right, revealing a slight smile on his face. This kind of life is truly decadent. Yelv Nanyan also woke up at this time. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s eyes fixed on her, Yelv Nanyan¡¯s cheeks gradually turned even more flushed. Just as Lu Chen was about to say something to Yelv Nanyan, he suddenly noticed that several new system prompts had appeared on his system interface. He had been too engrossed the previous night to notice the system notifications. Lu Chen immediately checked, and was instantly shocked by the prompts before him. [Host has cultivated affections with his wife and concubine once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience added¡­] [Congratulations to the Host for assisting Xiao Wenyao in becoming pregnant, reward blueprint of the telegraph machine and its instruction manual, and lead-acid battery manufacturing manual.] [Host has cultivated affections with his wife and concubine once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience added 1000, Rejuvenating Skill experience added¡­] [Congratulations to the Host for assisting Yelv Nanyan in becoming pregnant, reward ten thousand tons of high-yield rice seeds, ten thousand tons of high-yield soybean seeds, three jin of Spirit Rice seeds.] [Pregnancy rewards are given as encouragement, and we hope the Host will protect his wife and concubine, ensuring the safe birth of their children.] Seeing the system prompts before him, Lu Chen could hardly believe it. Could this be¡­ Double happiness? He had been trying day after day with no success at Yelv Nanyan¡¯s place, but unexpectedly, he had succeeded last night. That¡¯s great! At this moment, seeing a look of astonishment on Lu Chen¡¯s face, and him seeming distracted, Yelv Nanyan asked with confusion, ¡°Prince, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Lu Chen came back to his senses, wrapped his arms tightly around both Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao, smiling as he said, ¡°I have some good news to tell you.¡± Xiao Wenyao, still bleary-eyed, asked, ¡°What good news?¡± Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°Yaoyao, you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan froze in shock. Xiao Wenyao instantly became alert. After a pause, she asked incredulously, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, are you serious? Am I really carrying your child?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Don¡¯t you trust my perception?¡± Xiao Wenyao immediately felt overjoyed. She thought to herself that if she had Lu Chen¡¯s child, she could stay in the North Prince Mansion for the rest of her life, enjoying a life of luxury as long as she did nothing out of line. Some feel joy, others feel worry. Suddenly, Yelv Nanyan felt a tinge of something unpleasant in her heart. It wasn¡¯t jealousy towards Xiao Wenyao, she was just worried that Xiao Wenyao, who was younger than her, was pregnant while she herself was still not showing any signs. If she were to get any older, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t be able to have children at all in the future. For a moment, Yelv Nanyan became anxious inside. Yelv Nanyan¡¯s disheartened expression did not escape Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. He smiled and said to them, ¡°There¡¯s another piece of good news.¡± Xiao Wenyao asked, ¡°What good news?¡± Lu Chen turned his head toward Yelv Nanyan and said, ¡°Nanyan, you¡¯re also pregnant with my child.¡± This¡­ Yelv Nanyan¡¯s eyes widened, staring into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, hardly daring to believe it. After a long moment, Yelv Nanyan finally asked, ¡°Is what the Prince said true?¡± ¡°Naturally.¡± ¡°It seems that those clothes you prepared will soon come in handy.¡± At this time, Yelv Nanyan expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for gracing me with a child.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, then stood up and said, ¡°Rest well today, I have matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll get up first.¡± Chapter 663 - Chapter 663: Chapter 399 Moon Appreciation_1 Chapter 663: Chapter 399 Moon Appreciation_1 Lu Chen quickly took a bath and rushed to the study, so eager that he even skipped breakfast. The rewards from the system this time were much more substantial than before, which used to offer primarily single rewards. Lu Chen arrived at the study, closed the door, and once again opened the system. Now that he had a generator and lead-acid batteries, with the lead-acid batteries, the telegraph could be used in distant places in the future. It would be easier for the Brocade Guard to transmit intelligence, and if anything happened in faraway places, the North Prince Mansion could learn about it immediately. Sometimes, wars are fought on information disparity. Whoever has more information and receives it more timely might achieve victory first. After glancing at the telegraph and the lead-acid batteries, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze settled on the pregnancy reward for Yelv Nanyan. Rice is Great Sum¡¯s staple food and is mainly grown in the south; it seems that only after conquering the entire Great Sum could these rice seeds come into play. As for soybeans, the North is also suited for soybean cultivation. Once soybeans and corn are widely adopted, and the North starts planting these two crops on a large scale, there will be fodder to feed livestock, and the common people will be able to eat meat. Thinking of this, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. It seemed it was time to urge people to reclaim more land; there was so much fertile land up north, mostly black soil, which barely needed any fertiliser and was very productive. Once the wastelands in the North are reclaimed and cultivated with crops, not just North Country but even Great Sum won¡¯t have to face famine anymore, barring years of natural disasters, of course. Lu Chen¡¯s eyes finally rested on the three pounds of Spirit Rice. Curious, Lu Chen asked the system, ¡°What is Spirit Rice? Is it a kind of rice too?¡± ¡°Spirit Rice is a type of spiritual plant. It looks similar to regular rice, and consuming it can greatly increase a cultivator¡¯s cultivation speed. However, Spirit Rice needs to be planted in places rich with Spiritual Energy, or the yield will be greatly reduced,¡± the system responded. After hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen looked at the Spirit Rice seeds on the system interface and wondered what use the Spirit Rice seeds were in a world where Spiritual Energy was so scarce. Even if he could plant them, when it came to harvest, he probably wouldn¡¯t get much; he might not even get a single grain of Spirit Rice from a seed. Moreover, compared to the system-rewarded rice and soybean seeds, three pounds of Spirit Rice seeds just seemed far too little. The most important issue was, where would he find a place rich with Spiritual Energy to plant Spirit Rice? Forget it, Spirit Rice wasn¡¯t particularly important to him right now. He¡¯d just try planting some to see how it went; after all, it was only three pounds, which wouldn¡¯t yield much Spirit Rice anyway. At this moment, Lu Chen called out to the maid at the door, ¡°Xiao Huan, go fetch Mo Xing. I have matters to discuss with him.¡± Lu Chen planned to give the blueprints for making the telegraph and lead-acid batteries to Mo Xing, having him try to make them first. As for how to use the telegraph, they would learn that after they managed to construct it. Since the system included a manual when it sent the telegraph, Lu Chen believed the Brocade Guard wouldn¡¯t need much time to learn. ¡­ Around ten in the morning, the front of the Eastern Newspaper Agency was packed with people. The newspapers had just been delivered and sold out immediately. People who bought the papers began discussing fervently. ¡°Are the things written in the paper true or false? Can our Prince really tame lightning and use it for lighting?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably true; last night, the entire North Prince Mansion was as bright as day. And since the Prince¡¯s Mansion has already come up with trains that don¡¯t need horses to pull them, is there anything they can¡¯t do?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t controlling lightning an Immortal¡¯s ability? Does that mean our Prince has become an Immortal?¡± ¡°Our Prince is the Son of Destiny; what¡¯s so surprising about controlling lightning? If one day the Prince could move mountains and reclaim land, I wouldn¡¯t find it strange at all!¡± ¡­ After Mo Xing arrived at the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen went through the functions of the telegraph and the lead-acid batteries with him. This explanation took several hours, and it wasn¡¯t until one in the afternoon that Mo Xing left the study. It couldn¡¯t be helped; the people of ancient times had not encountered these things before and were not very clear on the basic principles, making explanations quite difficult. Lu Chen felt like he, who was normally not studious, was fast becoming a scholarly expert. To explain the principles of the generator and what electricity was, as well as how the telegraph functioned, he had to first consult the system¡¯s principles and manuals. That is, he needed to learn it first before he could explain it to people like Mo Xing from ancient times. In his previous life, Lu Chen had never encountered these things, especially the telegraph; by the time he was born, people were already using smartphones. Who would still be using a telegraph? After Mo Xing left, Lu Chen stretched and walked out of the study, feeling quite exhausted. Teaching was truly tiring, especially mentally. Just as Lu Chen was about to head to the Wind Cloud Court for lunch, a maid came running and said, ¡°Prince, Princess Junwan sends a message asking if you have time tonight. She wishes to invite you to enjoy the moon.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled. Enjoy the moon? What moon to appreciate? He was a straightforward man, ignorant of moon appreciation. And Wu Junwan knew very well what kind of person he was; if he went to Wu Junwan¡¯s residence, it probably wouldn¡¯t be to enjoy the moon, but rather the company. In truth, Lu Chen suspected Wu Junwan wanted to see him for another reason¡ªit was likely that last night¡¯s electric lights had made quite the impression on her, so she wanted to probe him about electricity. Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Chapter 399 Moon Appreciation_2 Chapter 664: Chapter 399 Moon Appreciation_2 Lu Chen didn¡¯t care much about leaking some things; after all, even if she told Wu Junwan, Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t learn them. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Alright, go and tell her that I will attend the banquet on time tonight.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince, this servant will take her leave.¡± ¡­ In the evening. Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er sat in the pavilion, the setting sun¡¯s red glow casting upon them, making them appear even more beautiful and charming, filled with the allure of mature women. Murong Xue¡¯er asked, ¡°Your Highness, if you wished to invite the Prince to admire the moon, there was no need to drag this servant along.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er understood Lu Chen all too well; she didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen had such leisurely and refined tastes. No matter what beautiful scene was before Lu Chen, it was as if nonexistent; Lu Chen¡¯s eyes were forever only on beauties. Inviting Lu Chen to their courtyard was like letting the wolf into the house. Tonight, Wu Junwan was very likely not going to get any sleep. Murong Xue¡¯er did not want to get involved in their matters. Though Murong Xue¡¯er also couldn¡¯t do without Lu Chen¡¯s affection, she was a normal person, not thinking of men every day. Ever since moving into North Prince Mansion, after being intimate with Lu Chen once, she could maintain her purity and desirelessness for quite a long period. Wu Junwan picked up the teacup from the table and gently sipped her tea, ¡°Since you and I reside in the same courtyard, naturally you should advance and retreat together with this palace.¡± After being continuously taught by Lu Chen for half a month last time, Wu Junwan had already developed some psychological shadow. This time she learned to be smart; since Murong Xue¡¯er was also in her courtyard, why not have Murong Xue¡¯er join her in meeting Lu Chen. Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was stunned for a moment. What did Wu Junwan mean by that? Could it be that she also wanted to involve herself with North Prince in that sort of thing? What a joke¡­ She was not that kind of woman! At that time, the maids in the courtyard began to get busy, preparing for the moon viewing. Soon, the pavilion was decorated, the maids prepared tea and pastries, and a guqin was also placed in the pavilion. As the setting sun dipped below the horizon and night fell, a full moon hung in the sky. At this moment, Wu Junwan¡¯s fingers gently caressed the guqin, then started to play. Lu Chen soon appeared at the entrance of the courtyard; seeing the pavilion prepared with so many things, Lu Chen smiled faintly, thinking to himself that Wu Junwan had grown increasingly adept at playing, setting such a refined prelude. Although Wu Junwan had already noticed Lu Chen entering the courtyard, she didn¡¯t stop the pleasing movement of her fingers; the sound of the guqin continued to echo through the courtyard. Lu Chen quietly sat down in the pavilion, and Murong Xue¡¯er immediately poured him a cup of tea. Neither of them spoke, only quietly listening to Wu Junwan¡¯s playing. The piece came to an end. Wu Junwan looked towards Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, what do you think of my playing?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Pleasant to hear, it reminds me of an old acquaintance.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°The acquaintance the Prince speaks of, could it be a lady?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Princess Junwan is truly clever.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°I wonder which of the Prince¡¯s cherished female friends could leave such an unforgettable impression on the Prince.¡± Lu Chen picked up his teacup, took a sip of tea, and said with a smile, ¡°You will meet her in some time.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Oh? Is that so? This palace really wants to see for herself, what kind of great beauty could leave such an indelible memory on the Prince.¡± Lu Chen just smiled and said nothing. At this time, Wu Junwan turned to Murong Xue¡¯er and said, ¡°Xue¡¯er, I have heard that you are proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. How about playing a piece for us to hear?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat reluctant inwardly; Wu Junwan was the one longing for a man, having enticed Lu Chen here, and now she wanted her to perform in front of Lu Chen. Though she was reluctant, Murong Xue¡¯er still said, ¡°Then this servant shall humbly exhibit her skills.¡± Thereafter, Junwan rose to switch places with Murong Xue¡¯er, who sat before the ancient zither. Lifting her delicate hands, she began to pluck the strings, and the melodious sound of the zither filled the courtyard. At that moment, Junwan said, ¡°The moon is lovely tonight, a perfect time for admiring its beauty and reciting poetry. What do you think, Prince?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then responded, ¡°Princess Junwan, I am but a simple man, so spare me the poetry and moon gazing.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve summoned me here, there must be something you wish to discuss, right? Why not just speak plainly?¡± Junwan remarked, ¡°You truly are impatient, Prince.¡± Junwan didn¡¯t expect Lu Chen, whose mind was full of breeding thoughts, to possess any whimsical elegance. So she asked directly, ¡°This palace simply wishes to know, how does the Prince control the power of lightning? To my knowledge, only an Immortal has such means,¡± Lu Chen, smiling, retorted, ¡°You invited me to admire the moon just to ask this question?¡± Junwan replied, ¡°I genuinely wanted to enjoy the moonlight with the Prince and have a conversation, but alas, you fail to appreciate its beauty.¡± Thereupon, Lu Chen moved a spot closer, sitting beside Junwan, their sleeves brushing together. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly draw near, Junwan¡¯s body instinctively shifted to the side, trying to distance herself from him. Unexpectedly, Lu Chen grabbed her wrist, pulled her towards him, and encircled her waist with his arm. Even Murong Xue¡¯er, who was playing the zither, was speechless. Junwan truly was something else¡ªwanting a man, she could have simply asked Lu Chen to her room. Instead, she contrived the pretext of moon admiring. Admire what moon? The moment this beast Lu Chen arrived, wasn¡¯t he already all hands and feet on her? Junwan, neither panicked nor struggling, asked, ¡°Prince, what are you doing?¡± Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°I prefer admiring people over admiring the moon.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen made no immediate move but continued, ¡°Every world has its own set of rules and patterns. As long as you discover the principles that govern all things, you can achieve seemingly impossible feats or create things unheard of in this world, like the trains and cannons of North Country.¡± ¡°The same goes for controlling lightning.¡± Junwan queried, ¡°Are you implying that you have discovered some sort of principle, which is how you control the power of lightning?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°You could say that.¡± Junwan fell silent. Now, the moonlight bathed the world like water, its chilly beams casting a holy radiance over Junwan, her dignified and elegant demeanor stirring Lu Chen¡¯s desires. Just as Junwan was about to speak, Lu Chen suddenly lifted her, pinning her arms against a pillar in the pavilion. Junwan froze, and as she turned her head to object, she heard a tearing sound. In the next moment, Lu Chen leaned down, sealing her lips with his. Beneath the moonlight, in the courtyard, the strains of the zither continued uninterrupted¡­ Murong Xue¡¯er, witnessing the scene unfold, felt an urge to flee. Yet she sensed that if she stopped playing now, she too might become a target. Murong Xue¡¯er cursed inwardly, ¡°What a pair of shameless dogs.¡± Who knows how much time passed when the moon slowly drifted overhead, and the air grew mistier. Dewdrops gathered on tree leaves and fell to the ground, wetting the earth. Lu Chen then spoke into Junwan¡¯s ear, ¡°I have good news for you.¡± Junwan, groggy, inquired, ¡°What good news?¡± Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°Last night, Yaoyao and Nanyan both conceived my children. One is a Half-step Grandmaster, and the other has already reached Grandmaster status.¡± Junwan, puzzled, remarked, ¡°What does that have to do with¡­ ¡± Before she could finish, Junwan suddenly came to her senses and understood Lu Chen¡¯s implication. He was reminding her that he could impregnate a warrior, causing Junwan to struggle immediately. But her efforts to resist were futile. The darkness deepened, the music of the zither wafted through the air, blending with the cries of creatures to form a perfect symphony. ¡­ In the following month, the news that North Prince Mansion harnessed electricity spread swiftly throughout North Country and even reached other kingdoms. When the great kingdoms heard that North Prince Mansion could not only conjure lightning but also bind it for illumination and heating, they were astounded. Various powers dispatched spies to find out exactly how the North Prince managed to master lightning, causing the Brocade Guards of Yan County to become busy once again. Chapter 665 - Chapter 665: Chapter 400: The Great Xia Martial Artist Disappearance Case_1 Chapter 665: Chapter 400: The Great Xia Martial Artist Disappearance Case_1 North Prince Mansion. Wind Cloud Court. The Wind Cloud Court, where Lu Chen resided, was the largest courtyard in the North Prince Mansion. In the past few days, Lu Chen had ordered a section of the courtyard to be transformed into a small paddy field. Then he planted some Spirit Rice in there. Seeing Lu Chen pacing back and forth by the edge of the small paddy field, Mu Zixuan approached him with curiosity and asked, ¡°Prince, what are you growing here?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°A kind of rice.¡± Hearing Lu Chen say it was rice, Mu Zixuan was puzzled as to why Lu Chen would pay such close attention to the small paddy field, to the point of checking it several times each day. ¡°Could it be that this rice is something special?¡± Mu Zixuan asked. Lu Chen turned to look at Mu Zixuan and replied with a smile, ¡°Of course, if it were ordinary rice, I wouldn¡¯t bother to plant it and care for it myself.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan grew even more curious about what was special about this rice, but then she suddenly thought of the Dragon Phoenix Tree. Since Lu Chen said this rice was special and he needed to personally tend to it, it likely was, like the Dragon Phoenix Tree, given by an Immortal, If it was given by an Immortal, then it was better not to ask too much to avoid leaking any secrets. With that in mind, Mu Zixuan did not continue to pry. Seeing that she did not inquire further, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Does my consort not wonder what is so special about this rice?¡± Mu Zixuan gave a light smile and then responded, ¡°If this rice is worthy of the Prince¡¯s personal attention, then it must certainly be very precious. Your concubine better not ask too much to avoid divulging any of Your Highness¡¯s secrets.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Whether it¡¯s precious or not, we will only know once it has grown.¡± The system had already advised him that Spirit Rice needed to be planted in a place with relatively abundant Spiritual Energy. Due to the presence of the Dragon Phoenix Tree, the Spiritual Energy in the North Prince Mansion was somewhat richer than outside, but Lu Chen did not believe that this level of Spiritual Energy concentration would suffice for the growth needs of mystical plants. However, it was still worth trying, as this world did not have many places rich with Spiritual Energy. It wasn¡¯t practical to just let those three pounds of Spirit Rice seeds sit unused; there was no point in holding onto them. It was better to attempt planting them ¨C perhaps they might just grow successfully. Just then, a maid entered the courtyard and announced, ¡°Prince, Commander Liang seeks an audience!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately headed straight for the study without a second word. Upon entering the study, Liang Zong first bowed respectfully, then immediately handed over the intelligence reports he was carrying to Lu Chen, and simultaneously reported, ¡°The situation in the capital city has been quite unsettled recently, with several Princes having faced assassination attempts, even the Crown Prince encountered an attempt on his life. Furthermore, numerous Martial Artists have gone missing across the counties of Great Xia, and their whereabouts are unknown.¡± As Lu Chen listened to Liang Zong¡¯s briefing and read through the intelligence in his hands, his eyebrows knit slightly together. If it was just an escalation in the capital¡¯s power struggles, he could understand it. After all, with his Emperor father feigning a near-death state, the Princes could not restrain themselves any longer and wanted to vie for the throne. What really puzzled Lu Chen was the case of Martial Artist disappearances across the counties of Great Xia. According to the intelligence, almost all of the missing Martial Artists from the counties were Fifth Grade or higher. Although Fifth Grade Martial Artists were now common in the North Country, in the vast expanse of Great Xia, they were not so numerous among the population. Moreover, among the missing were not only Fifth Grade Martial Artists but also those of Ninth Grade. Those who had reached Ninth Grade typically had major forces behind them, such as certain organizations, Aristocratic Families, or powerful landlords. If someone was targeting Ninth Grade Martial Artists, the powers behind them would surely not sit idly by. But instead of targeting individuals, an entity was targeting all powers indiscriminately. According to the reports from the Brocade Guard, the disappearances followed only one pattern: they were all Fifth Grade or higher. Regardless of martial affiliation, almost every power had suffered losses. The disappearances had now caused panic among the major forces within the boundaries of Great Xia. Normally, those powers would not fear a rebelling Seignior since they could always switch allegiance to the victor at any time. But now a force had emerged that indiscriminately targeted everyone, a force about which they had absolutely no understanding. They couldn¡¯t even negotiate with this hidden power and could only watch as their own people vanished one by one. How could this not instill fear in them? At this moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Have you found out who is doing this?¡± Liang Zong answered, ¡°No, the Brocade Guard has not found a single clue. It¡¯s as if those Martial Artists have vanished into thin air.¡± Lu Chen fell into contemplation. Who could it be, to elude even the Brocade Guard¡¯s investigation? Liang Zong continued, ¡°Furthermore, several of our own have also disappeared without a trace.¡± Within the Brocade Guard, there were many Fifth Grade Martial Artists. Since the targeting was directed at those of Fifth Grade and above, naturally, the Brocade Guard was included in the attacks. Lu Chen¡¯s brows rose again, forming a deep ¡°´¨¡± on his forehead. Even members of the Brocade Guard had disappeared. Who could be responsible? Lu Chen said, ¡°Continue the investigation. For the time being, all Brocade Guard members of Fifth Grade and above are to remain quiet and not take any action. Let those below Fifth Grade investigate the situation.¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Understood!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Now, take this intelligence report to the Great Scholar.¡± Chapter 666 - Chapter 666: Chapter 400: The Great Xia Martial Artist Disappearance Case_2 Chapter 666: Chapter 400: The Great Xia Martial Artist Disappearance Case_2 Liang Zong took the intelligence report from Lu Chen¡¯s hand, clasped his fist in salute, and said, ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave!¡± After Liang Zong left, Lu Chen sat down at his own desk where he fell into deep thought once again. Who exactly is targeting martial artists above the fifth rank? He wondered if other dynasties were experiencing similar incidents. Thinking this, Lu Chen immediately said to his maid, ¡°Xiao Huan, go and ask Lady Wang to come to the study. Tell her this Prince has important matters to discuss with her.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Before long, Wang Qingci appeared in the study. Upon entering, she did not fawn over Lu Chen, who sat with a solemn face staring at the map on the desk. It was obvious that Lu Chen had something serious to discuss with her. Wang Qingci immediately asked, ¡°My Prince, do you have a task for me?¡± Lu Chen got straight to the point, ¡°Have the people from Rain-listening Pavilion investigate whether other dynasties have had any large-scale disappearances of martial artists recently.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci paused, slightly taken aback. She couldn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen would assign Rain-listening Pavilion to investigate this matter. After all, the Brocade Guards had already taken over most of the intelligence work, even the Rain-listening Pavilion had Brocade Guards stationed there, and it had been a long time since Lu Chen had given Rain-listening Pavilion any investigative tasks. Usually, Rain-listening Pavilion would collect intelligence and then report it to Lu Chen. Seeing how grave Lu Chen¡¯s expression was, Wang Qingci knew the matter must be of great importance, so she immediately responded, ¡°I understand, I will have the people of Rain-listening Pavilion take action right away.¡± Wang Qingci was about to leave when the voice of a maid came from the door, ¡°Your Highness, the Great Scholar seeks an audience.¡± Lu Chen responded directly, ¡°Let him in.¡± The next moment, Zhuge Zhongguang pushed open the door and entered. Sensing that there might be significant matters to discuss, Wang Qingci said to Lu Chen, ¡°My Prince, I will take my leave now.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush off. You might as well listen to what the matter is.¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°Understood.¡± After Zhuge Zhongguang entered the study, he greeted with a bow, ¡°Your humble servant pays respect to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded and asked, ¡°Has the Great Scholar finished reading that report?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang answered, ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Hearing their conversation and seeing their expressions, Wang Qingci grew curious. Perhaps something significant was about to happen; otherwise, the expressions of both Lu Chen and Zhuge Zhongguang wouldn¡¯t be so serious. Lu Chen inquired, ¡°Does the Great Scholar have any conjectures?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang responded, ¡°Your humble servant has no clues at all. Logically, there should be no force daring enough to offend so many powers at once.¡± ¡°Moreover, not even the bodies of those martial artists have been left behind. It is unknown whether they are dead or alive.¡± At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Wang Qingci, ¡°We have just received intelligence that a considerable number of martial artists above the fifth rank have disappeared in Great Sum recently. These martial artists seem to have vanished into thin air. No one knows where they have gone, and even many of the Jinyiwei Guards have disappeared.¡± Upon hearing this, Wang Qingci instantly understood why Lu Chen wanted Rain-listening Pavilion to check if other dynasties had any missing martial artists cases. Rain-listening Pavilion, ostensibly a commercial organization with not many strong members unlike the Brocade Guards¡ªwhich had many above the fifth rank¡ªthe fact that Lu Chen wanted Rain-listening Pavilion to investigate other dynasties clearly showed his concern about the potential risk to Brocade Guard members. Wang Qingci said, ¡°I understand Your Highness¡¯s intent. I will try to involve those below the fifth rank in investigating this matter.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then returned to Zhuge Zhongguang, ¡°Great Scholar, do you think this matter could be related to the Demon Sect?¡± Upon hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°It is highly unlikely to be their doing. The people of Demon Sect might seem fearless, but they would not dare to offend so many powers at the same time.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There is one aspect of this matter that is quite peculiar. Martial artists are disappearing in large numbers from various counties and prefectures of Great Sum, but the North Country has not had a single case.¡± Hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang asked, ¡°Is the Prince suggesting that the force behind this dare not extend their reach into the North Country?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No, I suspect that the influence of that power only extends within the Great Sum¡¯s borders to the south of the North Country, which is why they manage to abduct people without anyone noticing. If they were to capture people outside their sphere of influence, it¡¯s very likely they would be discovered by others.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang fell into thought once again. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly thought of someone and said, ¡°Prince, I fear this matter may have something to do with the royal family.¡± Hearing this, a trace of a smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s stern face, ¡°It seems the Great Scholar and I have come to the same conclusion. I also suspect this is the doing of my father, the Sum Emperor.¡± The first thing that came to Lu Chen¡¯s mind about the sudden and stealthy disappearances was the methods of the Shadow Guards. Thus, he believed it was very likely the work of his own father, the Sum Emperor. ¡°However, what puzzles me is why he would capture so many martial artists. Even if he gathered them all, they would not likely pledge allegiance to him.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang speculated, ¡°Could it be to practice some kind of evil cultivation?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat; it was indeed a possibility. If those martial artists were truly captured by the Sum Emperor, they might well be used for some dark practice. With the North Country¡¯s power already so strong, especially with the enhancement of firearms, Great Sum¡¯s traditional troops had no capacity to resist. The Sum Emperor likely felt that he couldn¡¯t ascend to a Celestial through normal means, and so might have resorted to unorthodox and forbidden methods. Lu Chen said, ¡°If it indeed was my father who captured those martial artists, then it is quite possible that he did it to practice some evil cultivation. I just don¡¯t know what evil practice would require so many martial artists.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen and Zhuge Zhongguang once again lapsed into silence. Wang Qingci glanced at them and felt that there was no longer a need for her presence. She spoke again, ¡°Prince, I am now aware of the situation. There seems nothing more here for me, shall I take my leave?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Very well, attend to your duties.¡± No sooner had Wang Qingci left the study than the voice of a maid came from the door, ¡°Prince, Commander Liang seeks an audience!¡± Hmm? Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. Hadn¡¯t Liang Zong just left a short while ago? Why had he returned so soon? Lu Chen then said, ¡°Let him in.¡± Liang Zong immediately entered the study, ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Zong handed a letter to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, this is an urgent report just arrived from the South. The Jinyiwei Guard who delivered the letter said it was very important. I haven¡¯t had the chance to read it yet.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen quickly took the letter from Liang Zong¡¯s hand and began to read it intently. Frowning again at the contents of the letter, Lu Chen looked troubled. Seeing the Prince¡¯s expression darken, Zhuge Zhongguang asked, ¡°Prince, what has happened?¡± Lu Chen handed the letter to Zhuge Zhongguang and then said, ¡°Recently, a detachment of Heavy Cavalry have been deployed in the region of the South, directly under my father, the Sum Emperor. They seem to be escorting something to the Capital City, and even the royal Grandmaster has been sent out.¡± Since the defeat of Great Wu by the North Country, the Sum Emperor had been quiet for a long time. This sudden deployment of Heavy Cavalry to the South, and the fact that the royal Grandmaster had been sent there too, gave the impression that he was brewing a new conspiracy. Moreover, the recent disappearances of so many martial artists within Great Sum¡¯s territory indicated that another grave event was about to unfold. After reading the letter, Zhuge Zhongguang fell into thought once more. Even he could not determine what the Sum Emperor was planning at this time. After a long while, Lu Chen spoke to Liang Zong, ¡°Have the Brocade Guards investigate why the Heavy Cavalry have gone to the South.¡± ¡°As you command, Prince!¡± ¡­ Within a month of receiving the report about the widespread disappearances of Great Sum martial artists, more martial artists, ranked fifth grade and above, continued to vanish within Great Sum¡¯s borders. Their disappearances were complete, as if they had simply vanished into thin air, leaving no trace whether alive or dead. This matter was now being investigated not only by the North Country¡¯s Brocade Guards but also by all major powers within Great Sum¡¯s borders. The turmoil of the Seignior¡¯s rebellion had already left the common people anxious, and now the inexplicable disappearances of powerful martial artists from these forces were causing even greater chaos. Before long, the investigation results from the Rain-listening Pavilion reached Lu Chen. According to their findings, such a large number of martial artist disappearances did not occur in other kingdoms; one or two cases were already many, unlike in Great Sum where seven or eight fifth grade martial artists vanished from just one county. The most peculiar aspect of these disappearances was the thoroughness with which these martial artists vanished. The only thing they had in common, other than their rank of fifth grade or higher, was that they did not know each other. Chapter 667 - Chapter 667: Chapter 401 Crown Prince Rebels_1 Chapter 667: Chapter 401 Crown Prince Rebels_1 ¡°` North Prince Mansion. Study. Lu Chen sat in front of his desk and meticulously organized the intelligence regarding the disappearance of Great Sum¡¯s martial artists over the past month. According to the Brocade Guard¡¯s statistics, the number of missing persons had already exceeded twenty thousand. These were all martial artists above the fifth rank. The incident had shaken various dynasties, and now some forces within the Great Sum¡¯s territory had been frightened into relocating to the North Country or other dynasties. As regent, the Crown Prince Lu Yi had long since dispatched quite a number of people to investigate the matter without turning up any leads; the missing people seemed to have vanished into thin air. Of course, the personnel Lu Yi sent out for the investigation were not from his own faction. With the situation in the Capital city becoming ever more perilous, he needed to keep his own men in or near the Capital city. If he were to send his own people out on other tasks, what would happen if something went wrong? The royal court was indifferent to the matter, allowing the force behind these incidents to act without restraint. They had become increasingly bold, even to the point where martial artists were beginning to disappear within the Capital city itself. Lu Chen pondered over the reports laid out on his desk, speculating whether his father, the Sum Emperor, had learned a skill similar to the Absorption Technique, which was why he was capturing so many martial artists to absorb their skill. However, even if the Sum Emperor had indeed learned the Absorption Technique, he couldn¡¯t become a Celestial by using it. To become a Celestial, one must pass the trials of this world; that is an absolute condition, one that even Lu Chen, with his system ¡°cheat,¡± cannot bypass. Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe the Sum Emperor could circumvent the world¡¯s trial. Of course, temporarily elevating someone¡¯s strength to the Heavenly Human Realm through some means was still possible. Lu Chen thought, perhaps his father was worried that the North Country might march south to vie for the throne one day, hence finding a way to counter a Celestial from the North Country in advance? At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon a piece of intelligence, mainly concerning the Heavy Cavalry of the South. Following the investigations by the Brocade Guard, it had been substantially confirmed that the Heavy Cavalry¡¯s move to the South was indeed to transport something, but because the investigators were all ranked below the fifth tier, it was difficult to ascertain what exactly the Heavy Cavalry was transporting. Not to mention the Brocade Guard, even the members of the royal court were unaware of why the Heavy Cavalry was sent south. People only knew it was an order from the Sum Emperor, as for why such an order was issued, that was likely known only to the Sum Emperor himself. Yet, there had been numerous rumors circulating within the Great Sum recently. Some said the Sum Emperor had discovered an island at sea inhabited by an Immortal, and that the Heavy Cavalry was actually transporting Immortal Pills. If the Sum Emperor consumed the Immortal Pill, there was a possibility his health could recover. This rumor caused the Princes to grow more restless. If the Sum Emperor were to regain his health, their chances of seizing the throne would become even slimmer. They had been eagerly awaiting the Sum Emperor¡¯s demise, and now to hear there might be hope for him, how could they not be anxious? Putting down the intelligence in his hands, Lu Chen lifted his hands and massaged his temples. The martial artists above the fifth rank within Great Sum¡¯s territory were in grave danger, severely limiting the actions of the Brocade Guard. Investigating whether their disappearances were related to the Sum Emperor was not an easy task. However, Lu Chen vaguely felt that the large-scale disappearance of martial artists might be connected to whatever the Heavy Cavalry was transporting back to the Capital city from the South. These two incidents coinciding made it hard not to be suspicious, but without concrete evidence, everything remained conjecture. He murmured to himself, ¡°Forget it, no matter what he¡¯s up to, as soon as Yaoyao and Nanyan¡¯s child is born, I¡¯ll immediately lead an army south.¡± Lu Chen figured that once Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s child was born, the system would most likely reward him with some troops and strong warriors. With more soldiers and powerful allies, his confidence in marching south would be greater. ¡°Prince, Commander Liang requests an audience!¡± Hearing the voice of the maid, Lu Chen snapped back to reality. ¡°Enter.¡± Liang Zong immediately entered the study, and before he could offer his respects, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Any news from the Capital city?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Reporting to the Prince, our people still haven¡¯t found out what exactly the Heavy Cavalry is escorting. I¡¯ve brought other news today.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What news?¡± Liang Zong placed the piece of paper on Lu Chen¡¯s desk. Seeing it was a piece of paper, Lu Chen knew it was a Pigeon Letter, likely conveying extremely urgent intelligence. He immediately picked up the paper and glanced over it. Upon reading the content, Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed. Two nights ago, the Sum Emperor was the target of a poison assassination attempt, but the assassin failed. After the investigation, more than a hundred people were found to be directly involved, with all of the evidence pointing toward the deed being perpetrated by the Lin Family. Now, the entire Lin Family, from top to bottom, had been placed under house arrest, forbidden to leave. Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Xiuming had been captured and taken to Heaven Prison, awaiting interrogation. It had happened only two nights before, yet in less than a day, all those involved in the affair had been identified. This seemed too quick. And to suggest the mastermind behind it all was Lin Gaoyuan? It was clearly a frame-up. Lin Gaoyuan had long pledged allegiance to the North Country. Since the Crown Prince took over government, he had been quite low-key in the imperial court. How could he possibly get involved in such a matter? ¡°` Chapter 668 - Chapter 668: Chapter 401 Crown Prince Rebels_2 Chapter 668: Chapter 401 Crown Prince Rebels_2 It was quite apparent that someone felt the Lin Family was an impediment, and thus wanted to eliminate the entire Lin Family. Lu Chen pondered for a moment, wondering who was most likely behind this incident¡ªwas it the Crown Prince, or another Prince? However, the likelihood was that it was indeed the Crown Prince. As of now, Lin Gaoyuan had not made his stance clear. To the Crown Prince, Lin Gaoyuan was still one of Sum Emperor¡¯s men. Ever since the Sum Emperor fell ill, aside from the State Preceptor and those closest to the Sum Emperor, only Lin Gaoyuan and Zhao Wenhan, the two Prime Ministers, had been granted audience with the Sum Emperor. Zhao Wenhan had already overtly sided with the Crown Prince. So for the Crown Prince, Lin Gaoyuan posed the greatest threat in the royal court. Therefore, he took this opportunity to get rid of Lin Gaoyuan as well. This way, aside from the State Preceptor, only Zhao Wenhan would have access to the Sum Emperor, laying the groundwork for actions they might take later on. Actions such as forging imperial edicts, or altering the will, and the like. At this time, Liang Zong asked, ¡°Prince, do we need to save the Lin Family?¡± Liang Zong was the Commander of the Brocade Guard. As a person with access to core intelligence, he was well aware that Lin Gaoyuan was North Prince¡¯s man. Now that Lin Gaoyuan was imprisoned, the Brocade Guard was likely to take action. Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Not for the moment. My father, the Emperor, will not stand by as Lin Gaoyuan is taken down. However, if their lives are in danger, then the Brocade Guard should find a way to escort the Lin Family out of the capital city.¡± The Sum Emperor was no fool. Being a minister without a stance, as long as Lin Gaoyuan did not align himself with any Prince, he belonged to the Sum Emperor. Now that the Crown Prince sought to remove his man, how could the Sum Emperor agree? It¡¯s highly likely he would step in to protect the Lin Family. After all, the Emperor was only feigning illness, not actually dead. Liang Zong replied, ¡°Your subordinate understands.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, your subordinate will take his leave.¡± ¡°Very well, go attend to your duties.¡± ¡­ Several days later. Great Xia Dynasty, Capital City, Heaven Prison. Lin Gaoyuan and Lin Xiuming were locked in adjacent cells. Although they were imprisoned, the jailers treated them with great courtesy and did not dare to mistreat them. Lin Xiuming, sitting cross-legged on the ground, asked, ¡°Father, what should we do now?¡± Resting on the bed with his eyes closed, Lin Gaoyuan spoke indifferently, ¡°We continue to wait.¡± Seeing his father¡¯s calm demeanor, Lin Xiuming said in confusion, ¡°Father, even at this juncture, how can you be so unfazed? Being accused of attempting to assassinate the Emperor is a crime that condemns the entire family to death.¡± With a chuckle, Lin Gaoyuan responded, ¡°What use is your worry now? Are you considering escaping from prison? If you were to actually escape, our Lin Family¡¯s guilt would most certainly be affirmed.¡± Upon hearing these words from Lin Gaoyuan, Lin Xiuming was stunned for a moment, then hesitated to speak. At that moment, he clenched his fist and smashed it onto the ground, creating an instant pit. Lin Xiuming felt extremely aggrieved in his heart. The Lin Family had done nothing, yet they were branded with the crime of regicide. Could it really be that they could only wait for death in Heaven Prison? Watching his son become so agitated, Lin Gaoyuan firmly said, ¡°Xiuming, do you truly believe that those trivial pieces of evidence are enough to doom our Lin family?¡± At his father¡¯s words, Lin Xiuming paused, and then said, ¡°Father, it¡¯s the crime of regicide, and all that evidence was found in our house. Aren¡¯t those proofs substantial enough to convict us?¡± Lin Gaoyuan sneered and said, ¡°They wouldn¡¯t believe their framing and false accusations.¡± Lin Xiuming said, ¡°But His Majesty now¡­¡± Lin Xiuming didn¡¯t finish his sentence. He wanted to say that the Sum Emperor was nearly dead and couldn¡¯t look after the Lin Family any longer. It was highly likely that the Crown Prince would be judging them, and he probably didn¡¯t plan on sparing the Lin Family. Lin Gaoyuan interrupted, ¡°Father knows what you want to say. However, things are probably not as simple as you think. Haven¡¯t you noticed that Great Xia¡¯s Heavy Cavalry has moved to the South?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you think about who controls the Heavy Cavalry now?¡± At first, Lin Gaoyuan also thought that the Sum Emperor might have been driven insane, but he didn¡¯t believe that the Sum Emperor was going to die so soon. Once he learned that the Sum Emperor had deployed the Heavy Cavalry, he was even more certain of his guess: the Sum Emperor was likely fine and plotting something. So even if the Lin Family was framed, Lin Gaoyuan wasn¡¯t worried at all. He was one of the few ministers who hadn¡¯t taken sides yet; he didn¡¯t belong to any Prince¡¯s camp¡ªhe was the Sum Emperor¡¯s man. The Sum Emperor would not stand by and watch the Lin Family be eliminated by the Crown Prince. On the contrary, it was the faction of the Crown Prince that was about to face trouble. Poisoning the Sum Emperor, harboring delusions of seizing power and usurping the throne¡ªLu Yi¡¯s days as the Crown Prince were numbered. Just then, the sound of chains clinking echoed from not far away. Realizing that someone else was coming in, Lin Gaoyuan stopped talking. The next moment, a series of familiar figures appeared in front of Lin Gaoyuan and his son. Zhao Wenhan, dressed in prisoner¡¯s garb, was shackled and chained at his feet and wrists. Seeing this, Lin Gaoyuan burst out laughing, then said, ¡°Zhao, how come you¡¯ve come to keep me company?¡± Hearing this, Zhao Wenhan glared at Lin Gaoyuan with venomous eyes and sneered, ¡°Mr. Lin, don¡¯t get too pleased with yourself. The North Prince has already sided with the Crown Prince. Even if you get out now, you will end up back here sooner or later!¡± At that moment, the jailer came to the door of the cell where Lin Gaoyuan was held, opened the door, and with a nod and a bow said to Lin Gaoyuan, ¡°Prime Minister Lin, the matter has been investigated thoroughly. You are free to go.¡± Lin Gaoyuan got up from the bed without hesitation and walked straight out. Once he reached the corridor, he said to Zhao Wenhan, ¡°Zhao, a dragon has scales that must not be touched. Touch them and you die. After decades of serving the Emperor, do you still not understand this principle?¡± ¡°Once you¡¯re in here this time, coming out will probably mean heading to the execution ground.¡± After these words, Lin Gaoyuan headed straight out, ignoring Zhao Wenhan¡¯s cursing. In the following days, the Lin Family was exonerated, and Lin Gaoyuan returned to the royal court. Meanwhile, those of the Crown Prince¡¯s faction either died or were captured. Although Lu Yi¡¯s position as Crown Prince had not been revoked and he was still regent, he was feeling an intense sense of crisis. If the rumors were true, if there really was an Immortal Pill, then waiting any longer would mean his father the Emperor would surely return to court, and his position as the Crown Prince would inevitably be revoked! No! He could no longer sit idly by! No matter what, he had to ascend to that position! Over the next month, Lu Yi sought to win over Situ Ce, went to great lengths to get close to the royal Grandmaster, and also rallied some Military Generals. To avoid the same fate as Prince Lu Shuyun, Lu Yi also made early contact with Lu Chen, planning to escape to the North Country if he failed. Finally, feeling that everything was ready, Lu Yi led his troops straight into the Imperial Palace one night. ¡­ Chapter 669 - Chapter 669: Chapter 402 There is no way back for Solitude_1 Chapter 669: Chapter 402 There is no way back for Solitude_1 In the deep of the night, when all was quiet. The light in Wu Junwan¡¯s room was still on, and the sounds inside ebbed and flowed into the courtyard, where the maids at the door were now yawning. These days, they had gradually become accustomed to it, no longer feeling the bashfulness of the past. Even if they heard the noises coming from the room, they would not blush or have their hearts race any longer. Just then, a maid rushed into the courtyard and hurriedly said to the maids at the door, ¡°Commander Liang requests to see the Prince, quickly inform the Prince!¡± The maid at the door responded immediately, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible right now, the Prince is still in high spirits.¡± The maids all knew of Lu Chen¡¯s abilities. Lu Chen had only been there for two hours; it couldn¡¯t possibly be over so quickly. However, at that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came from the room, ¡°Let Commander Liang wait in the study for a little while, I will be there shortly!¡± As a Pseudo Celestial, Lu Chen¡¯s perceptive abilities were strong, and he immediately sensed the maids looking for him at the door. However, he planned to bring the matter at hand to a close first. The maid who had come to inform him heard Lu Chen¡¯s voice and immediately said, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the Prince.¡± After the maid left, Lu Chen quickly hastened the pace. Once things had concluded, Lu Chen got up and began to dress. He glanced at Wu Junwan, who was lying on the bed and said with a smile, ¡°I apologize for the sudden affair; I won¡¯t be able to continue to serve Your Majesty tonight.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan turned her head towards Lu Chen, her eyes still cloudy with daze, evidently not quite recovered, ¡°Huff, huff¡­ Your Highness is indeed a very busy man, at this late hour¡­ still having matters to attend to¡­¡± ¡°I have no choice, it¡¯s a troubled autumn,¡± Lu Chen said helplessly. Wu Junwan said weakly, ¡°Your Highness, you should go attend to your business¡­ It so happens that this palace also plans to sleep¡­ ¡± ¡°Alright then, you have a good rest tonight.¡± Lu Chen then turned and walked outside. Soon Lu Chen arrived at the study, and Liang Zong immediately greeted Lu Chen at the entrance, ¡°Your Highness, the Prince, I pay my respects!¡± ¡°I apologize for the disturbance at such a late hour, it is my fault.¡± Lu Chen walked straight into the study and said, ¡°It¡¯s fine, come in.¡± Under normal circumstances, if it were just regular intelligence, Liang Zong would have waited until the next day to deliver it to the study. It had to be urgent intelligence that had just arrived from the Capital City to have someone notify Lu Chen so directly. Not long ago, Lu Chen had instructed Liang Zong that if anything major happened in the Capital City, he should be notified immediately, day or night. Clearly, Liang Zong seeking him out tonight meant something had happened in the Capital City. Once inside the study, Liang Zong immediately handed a slip of paper to Lu Chen, then said, ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion has failed, but he has disappeared.¡± Lu Chen took the slip of paper from Liang Zong, glanced over it, and thought to himself that it was no wonder Lu Yi had been hinting at him so frequently lately. It turned out that Lu Yi had intended to stage an outright rebellion. After reading the contents of the paper, Lu Chen chuckled. His brothers were quite foolish indeed; with so few Grandmasters behind them, they dared to rebel. Wasn¡¯t this seeking death? Lu Chen then said to Liang Zong, ¡°Have the Brocade Guard investigate whether the Crown Prince might have fled northward.¡± Lu Yi had been sending so many letters to the North Country lately and had given them so many benefits. It was highly likely he feared having nowhere to go should the mutiny fail, so he considered the North Country his fallback. At that moment, Liang Zong cautiously asked, ¡°If we confirm that the Crown Prince has gone north, should we¡­ ¡± Liang Zong didn¡¯t continue, but Lu Chen instantly understood what Liang Zong wanted to ask. Now that Lu Yi¡¯s mutiny had failed, he was no longer the Crown Prince of Great Sum and no longer had the authority of a Crown Prince. To the North Country, he was no longer of much use. On the contrary, if the rebellious former Crown Prince were to run to the North Country, it would instead tarnish the North Country with the stigma of harboring a rebel, which wouldn¡¯t be good for its reputation. After thinking it over, Lu Chen finally said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush. If the Crown Prince is found, secretly escort him to the North Country first. He has been overseeing the Capital City for so long; he surely knows some things that others don¡¯t.¡± For Lu Chen, although Lu Yi was no longer a Crown Prince, the intelligence he held about the Capital City was still very valuable. Lu Chen also wanted to know how exactly Lu Yi¡¯s mutiny had failed, so he could learn from it. Liang Zong said, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°I will dispatch people to look for the Crown Prince¡¯s whereabouts right away.¡± ¡°Mm, proceed,¡± Lu Chen affirmed. ¡°I shall take my leave,¡± Liang Zong spoke, then left the study. After Liang Zong departed, Lu Chen picked up the paper slip in his hand and looked at it a few more times. He speculated that with the Crown Prince gone, the Sum Emperor would probably have to return to the court; although the strife among the Seigniors continued, the Zhao King had already gained a clear advantage. In no more than a year, all southern feudal states would likely be quelled by the Zhao King. By that time, it would be an appropriate occasion for the North Country¡¯s soldiers to march south to support the throne. Lu Chen didn¡¯t dwell further; he used his Spiritual Power to crush the paper slip in his hand into crumbs, then returned to Wu Junwan¡¯s room. By now, Wu Junwan had just finished her bath and returned to her bed. She had thought that with Lu Chen gone for such important matters at this late hour, he probably wouldn¡¯t come back. Imagine Wu Junwan¡¯s surprise when she had just lain down to sleep, and a figure appeared in the room. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly return, Wu Junwan asked in confusion, ¡°Why have you come again? Didn¡¯t you say you had something to do?¡± Chapter 670 - Chapter 670: Chapter 402 There is no way back for Solitude_2 Chapter 670: Chapter 402 There is no way back for Solitude_2 Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen climbed onto the bed, and Wu Junwan hurriedly moved aside, but as soon as she shifted, Lu Chen flipped her over and pressed her down. Wu Junwan glared at Lu Chen and then said, ¡°It¡¯s so late, you can¡¯t possibly still want to¡ª¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t say a word and simply tore off Wu Junwan¡¯s inner garment, then bent down to kiss her red lips, and soon they regained their former state. However, at this moment, Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue; he turned Wu Junwan over and pressed against her back, wrapping his arms around her slender waist and said, ¡°What¡¯s so good about the throne that people are scrambling for it.¡± ¡°Rising earlier than chickens and sleeping later than dogs, and so many issues to deal with.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan, pressed underneath him, scoffed coldly, ¡°Prince, you joke well, seeing as you are a tyrant with power in his hands, yet you question what¡¯s so good about the throne.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Honestly, I really don¡¯t think being Emperor is comfortable, especially now, where the emperors of the major dynasties are constrained by aristocratic families or nobility¡ªit¡¯s stifling.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan said, ¡°If you, Prince, find ruling to be too troublesome, you might as well hand over your seigniory to me, and let me help you manage the entire North Country.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then whispered in her ear, ¡°Why, are you thinking of usurping power now?¡± ¡°I could give you that opportunity. Just defeat me now, and I¡¯ll hand over my princehood to you.¡± Wu Junwan snorted coldly. Then, the two of them maintained this position and fell silent. This gave Lu Chen the feeling of constantly possessing Wu Junwan, so he quite liked holding her like this. Having spent some time together, Wu Junwan had grown accustomed to it; after all, nearly every night, they ended up sleeping in each other¡¯s embrace like this. After a while, Wu Junwan finally asked, ¡°Something must have happened in the Great Sum Capital, right?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s so late, and you are still going out; it must be something important. The Great Sum Capital has been uneasy of late, combined with the numerous cases of Martial Artists disappearing, it really looks like a storm is brewing. And just now, you also mentioned the throne to me¡ªso I presume it¡¯s likely that a Prince in the Capital has rebelled.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Indeed, a Prince has rebelled, but it¡¯s not an ordinary Prince, it¡¯s the Crown Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan chuckled, ¡°Your father, the Sum Emperor, is really something. He just pushed Prince Lu Shuyun to rebel not long ago, and now he¡¯s driven his eldest son to do the same; is he planning on eliminating all Princes and becoming a solitary figure?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Has there ever been an Emperor who isn¡¯t a solitary figure?¡± Wu Junwan continued to probe, ¡°What was the outcome? Did the Crown Prince fail?¡± Lu Chen confirmed, ¡°He indeed failed.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°So, the Sum Emperor¡¯s supposed dire illness was all a pretense?¡± ¡°If he really were gravely ill, he wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain such strong control over the military and the royal experts. If he were nearing death, I reckon many Grandmasters in the royal family would have already chosen to side with Lu Yi, and Lu Yi wouldn¡¯t have been defeated so quickly.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I also suspect he¡¯s feigning illness and scheming something.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°No wonder the various Seigniors within Great Sum have been fighting fiercely, yet you have remained inactive in the North Country. It turns out you had long guessed your father was fine.¡± Lu Chen responded with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t taken action for the moment, not because of that. Mainly, I want to wait until my two children are born before I make any moves.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t believe it for a second. Waiting for the kids to be born? What kind of reason was that? Could the birth of his children bring him any good fortune? At this time, Lu Chen slightly shifted his body and then said, ¡°How about you give me one too?¡± After a soft moan, Wu Junwan coldly responded, ¡°You wish.¡± ¡°To have me bear you a child, you¡¯d better see if you are capable enough.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Do you still doubt whether I am capable? I¡¯m not just capable¡ªI¡¯ve got major skills.¡± Wu Junwan ignored Lu Chen¡¯s words and remained silent. After a bit, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°When do you plan to attack Great Jue?¡± Lu Chen paused, ¡°Why do you ask this question?¡± Wu Junwan bluntly said, ¡°I need to let my dear sister know in advance so she can prepare herself.¡± Lu Chen, with his head on her shoulder, said, ¡°You are now my woman. Shouldn¡¯t you be on North Country¡¯s side? Why are you still thinking of sending word to the Yue Emperor?¡± Wu Junwan said lightly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that if Great Jue falls to you one day, Qingrou would end up in the same predicament as me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be good? That way, you two sisters could reunite, and from then on, spend your lives together with no need to live in separate dynasties, only meeting once every few years.¡± Wu Junwan said coldly, ¡°I knew you had this in mind!¡± ¡°But even if you really defeat the Da Yue Dynasty, she would never become your woman.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why not?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°She¡¯s not like me; she follows the Unfeeling Tao and cannot develop feelings for men.¡± Chapter 671 - Chapter 671: Chapter 402 There is no way back for Solitude_3 Chapter 671: Chapter 402 There is no way back for Solitude_3 ¡°` ¡°Even if she were defeated by you, she would most likely take her own life. You can forget about having her body.¡± Lu Chen laughed, unconcerned, ¡°How can we know without trying?¡± ¡°But anyway, there¡¯s no point in talking about her right now. The battle between the North Country and Great Jue won¡¯t come so soon. Let¡¯s talk about us instead.¡± Wu Junwan said coldly, ¡°I¡¯ve already become your pet. What is there left to discuss between us?¡± Wu Junwan felt that she was now just a plaything for Lu Chen, but she had let go of her past obsessions and somehow felt that this life might not be so bad for her. As long as she treated this young man in her heart as her own lover, it wouldn¡¯t be so hard to bear. ¡­ Half a month passed in a blink of an eye. During this time, Lu Chen was waiting for the arrival of Chen Wanrong. However, she hadn¡¯t come down from the mountain yet, which made Lu Chen suspect that her master was preventing Chen Wanrong from coming to be close to him. In these two weeks, the Brocade Guard was extremely busy. With the higher-ranked members unable to be deployed and the workload increasing, they had to investigate the item transported back from the South by the Heavy Cavalry, as well as the whereabouts of the Crown Prince, all of which kept the lower-ranked Brocade Guards on edge. Anping City. The soldiers at the city gates were checking the passing caravans. Meanwhile, a trade convoy slowly approached the gates of Anping City. Inside one of the carriages, a man showed a nervous expression. Beside the man sat an exquisitely beautiful woman in purple gauze, her face showing concern, ¡°Darling, will the North Prince truly accept us?¡± The man, furrowing his brows, said, ¡°I still have some information he wants to know. As long as he¡¯s willing to receive us, I¡¯ll tell him everything.¡± The woman replied, ¡°After all, you are his elder brother. If he also covets the throne, it¡¯s very likely he won¡¯t let you live.¡± Although Great Xia had long abandoned the primogeniture system, there was still a conservative faction that yearned for it. If Prince Lu Yi were not dead, there would naturally be those with ulterior motives gathering around him, then trying to incite him. Therefore, the woman was unsure whether the North Prince would give them refuge. Upon hearing her words, the man¡¯s complexion darkened and became very ugly, ¡°Now I have no way out.¡± Soon, the convoy arrived at the checkpoint at the city gate. Prince Lu Yi¡¯s guard hurriedly approached the checkpoint, hoping to bribe the inspecting soldiers with silver, but the soldiers didn¡¯t accept their bribe. Seeing this through the curtains, Prince Lu Yi grew worried. At that moment, his guard said they were a grain-carrying merchant convoy from the Capital city. When the soldier heard this, he insisted on checking the people in the carriage. As the guards hesitated, Prince Lu Yi coughed from inside the carriage, ¡°Let them check!¡± The main reason they managed to escape to Anping City was their disguises; the Crown Princess Consort had remarkable Disguise Skills. In this situation, it was unlikely anyone would recognize them. Following that, the soldiers began checking systematically, and soon one of them opened the carriage curtain, briefly scanning the people inside. Seeing nothing amiss, the soldier let them pass without causing any trouble. After successfully entering Anping City, Prince Lu Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief. By entering Anping City, which meant reaching the territory of the North Country, he expected the Shadow Guards would not dare to cause trouble within the North Country. As the caravan slowly moved into Anping City, the soldier who had been in charge of the inspection immediately said to the soldier beside him, wearing black and red attire, ¡°Inform the Prince immediately. The target has safely arrived in the North Country.¡± ¡°` Chapter 672 - Chapter 672: Chapter 403 Xue Linglong_1 Chapter 672: Chapter 403 Xue Linglong_1 Lu Yi thought that after they disguised themselves, no one would recognize them; evidently, they had underestimated the capabilities of the Brocade Guard. The Brocade Guard easily deduced that Lu Yi was the missing Crown Prince, judging by their clothes, carriage, and the guards they had with them. News of Lu Yi¡¯s arrival at Anping City soon reached Lu Chen¡¯s ears. On hearing of Lu Yi¡¯s arrival in Anping City, Lu Chen immediately dispatched Liang Zong to Anping City to personally escort Lu Yi to Yan County. After arriving at Anping City, Lu Yi and the entourage of the East Palace did not rush to meet Lu Chen, as Lu Yi was still uncertain about Lu Chen¡¯s attitude toward him. If Lu Chen did not want to directly conflict with their father, the Emperor, now, he might very well have him apprehended and sent back to the Capital city. Although he held some information that Lu Chen might want to know, he was still somewhat worried. Lu Yi spent most of these days staying inside the inn, only occasionally going out for a stroll. As a vital thoroughfare for the Great Sum merchant caravans heading to Yan County, Anping City had already become very prosperous, with many novelties rarely seen in the Capital city. These days, what Lu Yi paid most attention to were the newspapers published in Anping City. He had someone buy newspapers every day, and then he would read through all the contents scrupulously. Nighttime. Inside the Rain-listening Inn. Lu Yi was in the room of the Crown Princess Consort, Xue Linglong. Seeing Lu Yi looking at the newspaper with a grave expression, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Darling, it¡¯s been almost half a month now, are we still going to Yan County?¡± Lu Yi put down the newspaper and said, ¡°Yes, right now our only option is to seek asylum with the North Prince.¡± A trace of worry appeared in Xue Linglong¡¯s eyes, ¡°Darling, why don¡¯t we change our names and live a peaceful life from now on? In the past few days, I¡¯ve noticed quite a few merchants from other regions of Great Sum applying for new identities in the North Country. We might as well apply for a new identity too.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi¡¯s expression darkened instantly, and he said displeased, ¡°I have no intention of giving up just like that!¡± ¡°And even if we truly changed our names, we would be found out one day.¡± Just as Xue Linglong was about to say more, Lu Yi interrupted her, ¡°Don¡¯t speak further, I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Lu Yi was unwilling to accept defeat just like this; he believed he still had a chance for a comeback. As long as he could win over Lu Chen, and then borrow some troops from him, he could have a chance to take over a Seignior¡¯s feudal state and then climb up step by step. As for returning to the Capital city, he saw little possibility in the short term, considering the Emperor, his father, had already recovered. For now, he could only wait for the right moment and take things slowly. Seeing Lu Yi¡¯s determination, Xue Linglong sighed softly, ¡°I understand.¡± At that moment, Lu Yi stood up from his seat, placed the newspaper on the table, and headed straight for the door. ¡°Let¡¯s rest early tonight. I still have to practice my cultivation,¡± he said. Xue Linglong raised her hand, intending to hold Lu Yi back, but he opened the door, walked out of the room, and then the door closed with a loud ¡°bang.¡± Xue Linglong was slightly stunned, and the next moment, her disappointed expression on her face turned cold, as if the emotions she had just shown were all an act. After a while, a shadow entered the room through the window. The person was Yu Tianlu, Lu Yi¡¯s current strongest guard and a Grandmaster, although he had never revealed his Grandmaster strength in front of Lu Yi. ¡°Saintess, are we really going to follow Lu Yi to Yan County?¡± ¡°There might be Celestials in Yan County. If the Celestials discover we are from the Taiyin Divine Sect, I fear¡­¡± With a cold expression, Xue Linglong said, ¡°With the Yin Yang Mirror, even Celestials won¡¯t be able to discern my true identity.¡± ¡°The North Prince having gained such powerful strength in such a short period indicates he may well be the fated one we have been looking for. If we could sacrifice him, it would surely resurrect our Sect Hierarch. Once the Sect Hierarch is revived, all of us from the Taiyin Divine Sect will be able to ascend to the Immortal Realm!¡± Yu Tianlu replied, ¡°I understand.¡± Xue Linglong then asked, ¡°Have we come to a conclusion about that matter?¡± Yu Tianlu answered, ¡°We have, and it¡¯s almost certain that it was the work of the Sum Emperor¡¯s Shadow Guards.¡± With a sneer, Xue Linglong said, ¡°The great dynasties are quick to label us a Demon Sect, yet their deeds are not much different from ours.¡± Continuing, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Have we discovered why the Sum Emperor is capturing so many Martial Artists?¡± Yu Tianlu replied, ¡°That remains unclear for the moment.¡± Xue Linglong instructed, ¡°Tell them to keep investigating. Once the reason is found, reveal publicly what the Great Xia royal family has been doing, and let the world see just what filthy deeds the ruler of a nation, the Sum Emperor, has committed.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± he said. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I shall take my leave,¡± he added. Coldly, Xue Linglong said, ¡°You may leave.¡± With that, Yu Tianlu left the room. No sooner had Yu Tianlu left than the Jinyiwei Guard surrounded the Rain-listening Inn, where Lu Yi and his group were staying. Sensing the commotion outside, Xue Linglong¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Then she raised her delicate hands to rub her throat, and immediately after, she pushed open the door, rushing to Lu Yi¡¯s room and knocked on the door, saying, ¡°Darling, it¡¯s not good, there are so many soldiers outside!¡± Lu Yi, who was practicing evil cultivation, heard the noise outside and quickly opened the window to look downstairs. Seeing that the soldiers had completely surrounded the inn, Lu Yi suddenly felt extremely tense, as it was highly likely that they were here for them, and their identities had probably been exposed. He didn¡¯t expect that even Xue Linglong¡¯s excellent disguise skills could be seen through. Just then, Liang Zong introduced himself to the crowd in Rain-listening Inn, saying, ¡°I am Liang Zong, Commander of the Jinyiwei Guard of the North Country, ordered by the Prince to escort the guests inside to Yan County!¡± Hearing this, the other guests in the inn were confused, as they were not sure who Liang Zong was referring to¡ªsince he did not specify, nor did he say any names outright, how could anyone know whom they were seeking? Lu Yi couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that these people weren¡¯t looking for him? While Lu Yi was thinking this, Liang Zong spoke again, ¡°The guest in the inn with the last name Lu, by the North Prince¡¯s order, please honor us with your and your lady¡¯s presence as our guests in Yan County!¡± Seeing Liang Zong being so straightforward, Lu Yi was almost certain that they were indeed here for him. Since they had been found out, there was no need to continue hiding. In any case, he had been planning to go to Yan County to seek troops from the North Prince. Immediately, Lu Yi opened the door and stepped onto the corridor. Seeing Lu Yi come out, Xue Linglong put on a frightened look and said, ¡°Darling, what shall we do now?¡± Lu Yi responded, ¡°Since they already know we are here, there¡¯s no need to hide any further. Let¡¯s go down.¡± At the sound of his voice, Lu Yi began heading downstairs. Xue Linglong hurriedly followed him. Soon, Lu Yi walked out of the main entrance of Rain-listening Pavilion, directly approaching Liang Zong and stating, ¡°I am the one with the surname Lu.¡± Liang Zong gave a respectful bow to Lu Yi and then said, ¡°We have prepared a carriage for you, please!¡± Immediately after, Lu Yi, followed by the people from East Palace, went with Liang Zong to Yan County. A few days later. Upon their arrival at Yan County, Lu Chen did not come to greet Lu Yi, but instead had Liang Zong take them directly to a mansion prepared by the Prefecture Governor for Lu Yi and his party. After stepping off the carriage, Lu Yi glanced at the mansion before him. Seeing that it was not North Prince Mansion, Lu Yi asked, ¡°When can I meet with my ninth brother?¡± Now that they were alone, Lu Yi reverted to speaking of himself in the first person and ceased the pretense. Liang Zong said with a smile, ¡°Crown Prince, please wait a moment. The Prince will arrive shortly.¡± ¡°This is the mansion the Prince has prepared for you; from now on, you¡¯ll live here. Should you need anything, you may inform the Jinyiwei Guard at any time.¡± Without thinking too much, Lu Yi, together with his entourage and guards, went straight into the mansion. After entering, the servants and guards immediately began to get things in order, while Lu Yi, sitting in the courtyard, appeared somewhat anxious. He was unsure about Lu Chen¡¯s attitude toward him, and at this moment, his heart was filled with urgency, eager to meet with Lu Chen and ascertain his thoughts. After what seemed like an eternity, possibly several hours long, an attendant finally entered the courtyard and announced, ¡°Your Highness, the North Prince has arrived!¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi quickly headed with Xue Linglong to the entrance of the mansion to personally welcome Lu Chen. After Lu Chen alighted from the carriage, he took a quick look at Lu Yi and Xue Linglong. Lu Chen with a smile said, ¡°Welcome, brother and sister-in-law, to be my guests here!¡± At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze swept back and forth over Xue Linglong. For some reason, he felt that his sister-in-law seemed quite different from before. In the Capital City, although he didn¡¯t see Xue Linglong often, he had seen her several times. Back then, she certainly didn¡¯t have the same charm she had now. Having dealt with many women, Lu Chen had some insight into a woman¡¯s true nature. At this moment, Lu Chen used his system to check Xue Linglong¡¯s profile. [Name: Xue Linglong] [Identity: Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect, Crown Princess Consort of Great Xia, sister-in-law of the North Prince, a Grandmaster of thirty years of age. Originally infiltrated Lu Yi¡¯s side in an attempt to help him seize the throne and then control the entire Great Xia Dynasty. After Lu Yi¡¯s failed coup, she followed him northward, intending to approach the North Prince through Lu Yi, then sacrifice the North Prince¡¯s flesh and blood to resurrect the Sect Hierarch of the Taiyin Divine Sect. When she married Lu Yi, she bestowed upon him a manual of evil cultivation. Due to his frequent practice of evil cultivation, this led to a lifetime of impotence, and he will be without an heir, so Xue Linglong remains intact.] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 30] Upon seeing the information in front of him, Lu Chen was taken aback. So his sister-in-law was a member of the Demon Sect! No wonder Lu Yi was bold enough to stage a coup in the Capital City¡ªthere was the support of the Demon Sect behind him. Chapter 673 - Chapter 673: Chapter 404: Lu Yis Little Scheme_1 Chapter 673: Chapter 404: Lu Yi¡¯s Little Scheme_1 Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fixed on Xue Linglong beside him, Lu Yi¡¯s brows furrowed. He suddenly remembered the rumors he had heard in the past, that his ninth brother was a lecher who would do everything in his power to possess beautiful women he saw. Even Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen had not spared. Lu Yi immediately felt a bit displeased inside. Though he had never touched Xue Linglong¡¯s body since their marriage, after all, she was nominally his Crown Princess Consort, his woman. That Lu Chen actually coveted his woman was something no man could tolerate. At that moment, Lu Chen turned to Xue Linglong and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, it¡¯s been years since we last met. You¡¯ve grown even more beautiful than I remembered.¡± Upon hearing these words, Xue Linglong was slightly stunned, and then she looked fearfully at Lu Yi beside her. ¡°Ninth brother must be joking. I am getting older and should only become uglier, not more beautiful.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°A woman only grows more dignified with maturity, becoming ever more beautiful. A woman of such grace as my sister-in-law will never become ugly.¡± Lu Yi couldn¡¯t stand listening any longer and directly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Ninth brother, I owe you a lot for taking us in this time. Otherwise, I would have had nowhere to go.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Brother and I share the same blood. It is only natural that I should help out when brother is in trouble.¡± ¡°In the future, if brother needs anything in the North Country, just ask. As long as it¡¯s within my power, I will do my best to fulfill brother¡¯s request.¡± Lu Chen had no intention of getting Lu Yi to spill his secrets today; after all, Lu Yi had only arrived in Yan County that day. At this, Lu Yi sighed and said, ¡°Ninth brother, we brothers always thought that once you got your fiefdom, you would just live out your life in a muddleheaded way. We didn¡¯t expect you to not only bring a prosperous life to the common people of the North Country but also amass such formidable military strength. We all misjudged you.¡± ¡°If ninth brother had displayed your talents in the Capital city, father would have probably made you the Crown Prince by now, and we brothers would have been utterly convinced.¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°I¡¯m not greatly interested in that position. You, brother, have held the regency for a time; surely, you¡¯ve seen through the intrigue on the court.¡± ¡°Rather than play wits with those ministers, isn¡¯t it more enjoyable to come to the North Country and be a carefree prince? Brother, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Lu Yi smiled and said, ¡°What ninth brother says is true.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Brother, I still have things to attend to, so I¡¯ll head back first.¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze swept over Xue Linglong again. Clad in a light purple gauzy long dress, the garment hugged her voluptuous and graceful figure. Although she appeared dignified and elegant, Lu Chen always sensed a wild streak about her. Lu Chen thought to himself that this woman was indeed beautiful, but somewhat ruthless. She had actually given Lu Yi a eunuch¡¯s Cultivation Technique to practice, turning Lu Yi into a eunuch by force. No wonder Qin Yuwei was still intact when she was sent to the North Prince Mansion; he had caught a break. He had truly believed that his older brother was so immersed in martial arts that he had no interest in beautiful women when, in fact, he was incapable of such interests. Lu Yi smiled and said, ¡°Good, ninth brother, you go ahead with what you have to do. I won¡¯t hold you up.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen turned and left Lu Mansion. No sooner had Lu Chen left than Lu Yi¡¯s face darkened, and he lashed out furiously at Xue Linglong. ¡°Linglong, could it be that you think I am no longer the Crown Prince, devoid of power, so you wish to abandon me and cozy up with my ninth brother? You want to seduce him!¡± ¡°What a shameless woman!¡± Although Lu Yi verbally berated Xue Linglong, he did not lay a hand on her; her status was too special, and he dared not strike her. Hearing this, Xue Linglong put on a panicked expression. She quickly said, ¡°Your Highness, it was the North Prince who kept looking at me. I would not dare entertain such thoughts. In life, I belong to Your Highness, and in death, I will be Your Highness¡¯s ghost.¡± Lu Yi snorted coldly and said, ¡°Everyone says the North Prince is lecherous, that he¡¯d not let any beautiful woman he sees slip by. Today I witnessed it firsthand, coveting even his own sister-in-law!¡± Xue Linglong meekly said, ¡°In the future, I will remain honestly within the mansion and never go out. That way, the North Prince will no longer see me.¡± Lu Yi was about to say something when his mind suddenly seized, and an idea struck him. Wait a minute¡­ If the North Prince truly lusted after Xue Linglong¡¯s body, could this be exploited? If Xue Linglong could captivate the North Prince¡¯s heart, couldn¡¯t he propose certain conditions to the North Prince more easily later on? With this thought, Lu Yi¡¯s expression softened considerably, but when he considered that he had not yet enjoyed the company of his own Crown Princess Consort, and now he might have to let her entice another man, he felt extremely irritated inside. But for the sake of his greater ambition, this small sacrifice was worth it, especially since he had no real intention of handing over Xue Linglong to the North Prince. The Xue Family and the Taiyin Divine Sect were closely connected; if he truly gave Xue Linglong to the North Prince, he would lose the chance to use the Taiyin Divine Sect for his own purposes. At that moment, a slight smile appeared on Lu Yi¡¯s face. Then, he said to Xue Linglong beside him, ¡°Linglong, I truly apologize. I should not have shouted at you just now.¡± Chapter 674 - Chapter 674: Chapter 404: Lu Yis Little Scheme_2 Chapter 674: Chapter 404: Lu Yi¡¯s Little Scheme_2 ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to stay in the mansion all the time. Now that we are on North Prince¡¯s territory, we should naturally build good relations with the people of North Prince Mansion. You should find more opportunities to visit North Prince Mansion and interact with the Queen of North Prince,¡± Xue Linglong instantly saw through Lu Yi¡¯s crafty thoughts, but she didn¡¯t expose him because her original intention was to get close to the North Prince anyway. Xue Linglong then said, ¡°Your concubine understands.¡± ¡­ At night. During dinner, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan and the others, ¡°Prince Lu Yi¡¯s family has come to Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, the women were momentarily stunned. Prince Lu Yi? Hadn¡¯t Prince Lu Yi disappeared after launching a military coup? How did his family suddenly appear in North Country, and why in Yan County? They quickly realized it was likely Lu Chen who brought them to Yan County; it seemed he thought they still held value and decided to protect them. This was a matter for men, and Mu Zixuan and the others had no intention of prying too deeply. At this moment, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My darling, from now on, try to interact more with Queen Linglong.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan was taken aback at first, but she quickly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, ¡°Your concubine understands.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Today, I just found out that my sister-in-law is no ordinary woman; she is actually a Grandmaster.¡± At this revelation, Chu Yuqin was startled. She turned to Lu Chen and asked, ¡°A Grandmaster? Could she really be a Grandmaster? Isn¡¯t Queen Linglong only thirty years old this year?¡± Chu Yuqin was quite surprised. Although Xue Linglong was about her age and was known as the well-taught daughter of the Xue Family, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, there had been no word of her practicing martial arts. How could she have broken through to the Grandmaster Realm at such an age? Even though Chu Yuqin was a Grandmaster herself, she knew very well that without Lu Chen¡¯s dual cultivation technique and his Immortal Pill, she would likely have been stuck at the Master Realm for life, unable to advance to grandmaster status. Xue Linglong did not have Lu Chen¡¯s assistance, yet she was also a Grandmaster. Something was not right¡­ In an instant, Chu Yuqin realized that Xue Linglong might not be the person she remembered, and it was even possible that she was not the same person at all. She quickly warned, ¡°Chen¡¯er, this Queen Linglong is a big issue, beware that she might have other motives.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just afraid she doesn¡¯t have other motives.¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen skeptically. This little rascal wasn¡¯t a fool and must have realized that Xue Linglong had some thoughts, but why then did Lu Chen still encourage the Queen to engage more with Xue Linglong? Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t dwell on it further. She turned to Mu Zixuan and said, ¡°Zixuan, if you interact with that Queen in the future, make sure to call me along.¡± Since the other party was a Grandmaster, Chu Yuqin was worried that Xue Linglong might harm Mu Zixuan or someone else from the North Prince Mansion. Mu Zixuan responded, ¡°Alright, Sister Chu.¡± ¡­ A few days later. Lu Chen visited Lu Mansion again. Upon entering the Lu Mansion, he was led into the reception hall by a servant. At this time, Lu Yi asked, ¡°Little Brother, do you have any business visiting this time?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I just wanted to see if my brother was settling in well here and if there was anything you needed.¡± Lu Yi replied immediately, ¡°I¡¯m adapting, very well, and there¡¯s nothing I need at the moment.¡± As he spoke, Lu Yi continued, ¡°Little Brother, please take a seat. Someone, prepare tea.¡± Lu Chen then sat down beside him, and now just the two of them were in the reception hall. Just as Lu Chen was about to inquire about affairs in the Capital city from Lu Yi, Xue Linglong slowly walked in from outside. Dressed in a purple silk dress, she exuded the charm of a beautiful married woman all over. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell directly on Xue Linglong, and seeing this, Lu Yi didn¡¯t get angry this time; instead, the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. He had basically confirmed that his younger brother was coveting Xue Linglong¡¯s beauty. At that moment, Xue Linglong spoke, ¡°Little Brother, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Xue Linglong carried a seductive aura with every lift of her head and step she took. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen my sister-in-law for a few days, and you¡¯ve become even more beautiful.¡± Xue Linglong replied with a smiling face, ¡°Little Brother, you have such sweet words. No wonder so many women want to marry you.¡± Lu Yi said indifferently at that point, ¡°Linglong, you should sit as well.¡± ¡°Yes, darling,¡± Xue Linglong replied and sat down in a wooden chair. After the servant had served the tea, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Brother, I have a question, but I¡¯m not sure if I should ask.¡± Lu Yi said, ¡°Please go ahead, Little Brother.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Brother, you know that I¡¯ve always supported you in taking that position, and I¡¯ve always considered you to be a mature and steady man. Moreover, you were the Crown Prince already, bound to sit on the throne sooner or later. Why were you in such a hurry this time?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Yi sighed, ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t want to do it either, but if I hadn¡¯t acted, I might have lost my life.¡± ¡°You must have heard about the Lin Family¡¯s conspiracy to poison Father, in collusion with some foreign seigniors a while back?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, I know about it, but I heard the Lin Family was framed.¡± Lu Yi sighed deeply again, ¡°How could it be a frame-up with both human and material evidence? The Lin Family could clear their name so easily mainly because of the wind that Concubine Yu, Father¡¯s favorite, blew into his ears, convincing him that someone framed the Lin Family.¡± Chapter 675 - Chapter 675: Chapter 404: Lu Yis Little Scheme_3 Chapter 675: Chapter 404: Lu Yi¡¯s Little Scheme_3 ¡°Despite Lin Gaoyuan being released, Father Emperor actually believed that everything was done by Prime Minister Zhao. Without any evidence, he arrested Prime Minister Zhao and a group of ministers, and I was suddenly left alone,¡± he said. ¡°Moreover, Concubine Yu ceaselessly bewitched Father Emperor in front of him, making him think that I was the mastermind behind everything. I heard that Father Emperor not only plans to appoint a new Crown Prince but also intends to poison me with a cup of poisoned wine. Under such circumstances, if I do not rebel, is there any way for me to survive?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°So that¡¯s what happened, I was wondering why Yi was in such a hurry.¡± ¡°Do you think, then, that the Lin Family is colluding with that Seignior?¡± Lu Yi answered, ¡°It¡¯s likely Zhao King. Zhao King¡¯s power is now great, having destroyed several feudal states already. In less than two years, Zhao King will inevitably be at the gates of the Capital city.¡± Lu Yi sighed again, ¡°Father Emperor has been blinded by traitors. I heard that the Lin Family somehow came into possession of a so-called ¡®Immortal Pill¡¯ that temporarily restored Father Emperor¡¯s clarity. He truly believes that it¡¯s a life-saving Immortal Pill, so he increasingly trusts the Lin Family. Little does he know, there¡¯s no way that could be a real Immortal Pill. I consulted with the physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau; such a pill can temporarily drain a person¡¯s life force, making it seem as though they have recovered their health, but in reality, anyone who takes such a pill will only get sicker.¡± Seeing Lu Yi with such a pained expression, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly. His elder brother was indeed good at performing. If he didn¡¯t know what was really going on, he might have actually been fooled by him. At that moment, Lu Yi suddenly thought of something, and then said to Lu Chen, ¡°Ninth brother, there¡¯s something you might not know about that could shake the foundation of the Great Sum Country if it were to get out. I stumbled upon it by chance, and I still can¡¯t believe that Father Emperor would do such a thing.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen feigned curiosity and asked, ¡°What is it? That serious?¡± Lu Yi glanced at the maids in the hall and then waved for them to leave. After the maids left and the one at the door closed the hall¡¯s door, Lu Yi finally whispered, ¡°You may have heard that many Martial Artists have mysteriously disappeared within the Great Sum Realm, right?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen frowned, his interest piqued. He had only pretended to be casually curious before, but now he was genuinely intrigued. After all, the Brocade Guard had not found much information related to this so far. If Lu Yi really knew something, it would be effortless good fortune. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about it as well. Is the matter Yi is speaking of related to the disappearance of the Great Sum Martial Artists?¡± Lu Yi said with a panicked look, ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Lu Chen showed an incredulous look, pressing further, ¡°Could it be¡­ Father Emperor is responsible for this?¡± Lu Yi whispered, ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, isn¡¯t it? When I first heard about this, I couldn¡¯t believe that it was related to Father Emperor either.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What would Father Emperor want with so many Martial Artists?¡± Lu Yi replied, ¡°I heard that Father Emperor obtained a sinister artifact capable of absorbing the skill and essence blood of Martial Artists. Rumor has it that one can achieve immortality or break through to the Celestial Realm with that artifact. Remember when Father Emperor sent the Heavy Cavalry to the South some time ago? Those soldiers were tasked with transporting this object back.¡± ¡°When I started my coup, I managed to win over a Colonel from the Heavy Cavalry involved in the transport of that item. He told me that before they transported the item, they sacrificed many Martial Artists. Furthermore, ever since those Heavy Cavalry soldiers returned, they¡¯ve been dying one by one. That¡¯s why the Colonel decided to defect to me. And when we stormed the Imperial Palace, I personally saw the soldiers¡¯ blood being sucked away by something, turning them into mummies in an instant.¡± As he spoke, Lu Yi¡¯s face showed a look of terror. Hearing this from Lu Yi, Xue Linglong at his side also frowned slightly. Although she knew this matter was related to the Sum Emperor, she didn¡¯t expect that Lu Yi was also aware of it, and that he knew even more than her. Moreover, Lu Yi had never mentioned it to her before, and had only revealed it now in the presence of North Prince. Chapter 676 - Chapter 676: Chapter 405 Lu Yi Borrows Troops_1 Chapter 676: Chapter 405 Lu Yi Borrows Troops_1 Having heard Lu Yi¡¯s words, Lu Chen¡¯s brows were deeply furrowed into the character for ¡°river.¡± He had long suspected that this matter was likely related to his own father, the Sum Emperor, and he had also guessed that his father might be practicing a cultivation technique similar to the Absorption Technique. However, he hadn¡¯t suspected that his father was capturing those martial artists not only for their skill but also for their vital essence. Draining people dry to the point of turning them into mummies? How does that not sound like something from the Demon Sect? After a moment of silence, Lu Chen looked at Lu Yi and asked, ¡°Elder brother, do you have concrete evidence that those martial artists who disappeared from the Great Sum were taken by the Sum Emperor¡¯s orders?¡± Lu Yi said, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have that.¡± ¡°But think about it, Ninth Brother, aside from the Sum Emperor¡¯s Shadow Guards, what other organization or force could accomplish this without anyone noticing?¡± ¡°Moreover, the Sum Emperor just happened to obtain such an evil artifact. If it weren¡¯t for him, who else could it be? The most crucial point is, I personally witnessed the scene where the soldiers were drained into mummies, so it¡¯s highly likely that the Sum Emperor is the mastermind behind the disappearances of the Great Sum martial artists!¡± After listening to Lu Yi, Lu Chen pondered for a moment. So, Lu Yi didn¡¯t have direct evidence, but his deductions were not without merit. If the Sum Emperor truly possessed such an evil artifact, it was unlikely he wouldn¡¯t use it. If the Sum Emperor intended to use that artifact, he couldn¡¯t possibly do so openly, let alone publicly killing people for sacrifices. The only possibility would be to covertly capture some martial artists from other forces for the sacrifice. After all, just hearing about it sounded like something of the Demon Sect. If the world were to learn of the Sum Emperor¡¯s affiliation with the Demon Sect, it wouldn¡¯t take long before the major orthodox forces would unite and come to the Capital City to trouble the Sum Emperor. Seeing that Lu Chen remained silent, Lu Yi asked, ¡°Do you think that the disappearances of those martial artists are unrelated to our father, the Sum Emperor?¡± Lu Chen came back to his senses, ¡°It¡¯s not that, but I am wondering who gave that evil artifact to our father, the Sum Emperor.¡± Lu Yi said, ¡°I heard that the Sum Emperor once sent people to search for something at sea. Perhaps that evil artifact originated from the ocean.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned. From the ocean? Could it possibly be something from Fengyin Island? It seems there is more to Fengyin Island than expected. Once I take control of the Great Sum, I must send people to Fengyin Island for an investigation as soon as possible. At this moment, Lu Yi glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s reaction and tentatively said, ¡°Now that our father, the Sum Emperor, has obtained such an evil artifact, if he manages to activate it, the State Preceptor could become a Celestial.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°The State Preceptor becoming a Celestial is a good thing, isn¡¯t it? Perhaps the internal conflicts within the Great Sum will soon come to an end.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi immediately said, ¡°Ninth Brother, there¡¯s no need for such talk in front of me. We both clearly understand that once the State Preceptor becomes a Celestial, the Sum Emperor might very well harbor ill intentions toward the North Country.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that a Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace might have visited the North Country. You, Ninth Brother, should be quite aware of the strength of a Celestial.¡± Lu Yi was also aware of the incidents involving the Eternally Mysterious Taoist and the Master of Divine Communication. After all, the commotion at that time was so great that some rumors inevitably leaked out. Like the Sum Emperor, Lu Yi believed that the Sect Hierarch and the Eternally Mysterious Taoist were killed by a Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace. Therefore, in his view, the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace must have some connection to his Ninth Brother. Lu Chen thought for a moment, then asked, ¡°Then, in Yi¡¯s opinion, what should I do now that would be best?¡± Lu Yi said, ¡°The disappearance of the martial artists began to show signs a few months ago, and now it¡¯s feared that several tens of thousands of martial artists of the fifth rank and above have vanished. I suspect that Father¡¯s treasure must have absorbed enough essence and blood, and perhaps it has already enabled the State Preceptor, or someone else, to become a Celestial. The Imperial Palace probably already has a Celestial in place.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thought to himself that Lu Yi was laying the groundwork for something, unsure of what Lu Yi wanted to say next. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Yi, just say whatever you want to say.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had put it that way, Lu Yi directly said, ¡°How about Ninth Brother lend me some troops and horses, and I¡¯ll take over the territory on the western side of Qi Country. Then, I¡¯ll gather forces and test the defenses of the Capital City for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled inwardly. So this was the big brother¡¯s plan¡ªhe was wondering why, after the failed uprising, Lu Yi had run to the north. Seeing no change in Lu Chen¡¯s expression, Lu Yi continued, ¡°Ninth Brother, you might not know this, but after Zhao King annihilated Huai Country, the remnants of Huai Prince and their soldiers occupied Heyang County beneath Yongan County. Now Heyang County is beyond the court¡¯s control.¡± Lu Chen smiled. How could he possibly not know about such a thing? Lu Chen then said, ¡°Yi, you taking over Heyang County isn¡¯t really for testing out the Capital City¡¯s situation for me, is it?¡± Lu Yi said, ¡°Now that treacherous courtiers hold sway and control the court, even Father has been deceived. Could Yi bear to see Great Sum eventually fall into the hands of non-kin?¡± ¡°I know Ninth Brother must have thought about descending south to support the king, but if you do so at this time, you will inevitably be branded a traitor. Additionally, the policies you¡¯ve implemented in North Country have made all the aristocratic families within Great Sum fear you. Once you go south, they will surely unite to stop your southbound march to support the king, and at that point, you¡¯ll be even less popular.¡± ¡°Plus, you can¡¯t be sure if the Capital City already has a Celestial now. If the Capital City already has a Celestial, even if you lead your troops there, protected by a Celestial, you might still be unable to eliminate the treacherous courtiers. In that case, you would only be forced to leave Great Sum and return to North Country to continue being North Prince.¡± ¡°But I am different. Although my rebellion failed, I am the legitimate eldest son; there are still many in Great Sum who support me. As long as I take Heyang County, there will surely be many forces and just individuals who will join me.¡± ¡°Once my power has grown, I¡¯ll lead troops towards the Capital City in the name of supporting the king. Even if I fail in the end, it will not be a great loss to you. You won¡¯t just avoid losses, but I¡¯ll also have helped you test the strength held by the Capital City, and even whether or not there¡¯s a Celestial. Moreover, you won¡¯t have to bear the infamy of being a traitor.¡± Hearing Lu Yi¡¯s novel argument, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile; Lu Yi¡¯s idea really was quite interesting. Just as Lu Chen was about to refuse, he suddenly thought of something. If there really existed such an evil treasure capable of allowing one to directly break through to become a Celestial, then he would probably not be able to proceed as originally planned. If that were the case, then perhaps what Lu Yi had proposed did have some feasibility. At that thought, Lu Chen¡¯s expression changed, and he said earnestly, ¡°Yi, this matter is of great significance. Let me think it over; I can¡¯t give you an immediate response.¡± Lu Yi said, ¡°No matter, Ninth Brother can think it over slowly. I just hope Ninth Brother understands that if I succeed in supporting the king, I will certainly share the throne with Ninth Brother in the future, and my promise to you during the regency remains valid.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I understand. I have other matters today, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Lu Chen then stood up, and Lu Yi quickly stood as well, saying, ¡°Let me see you out.¡± ¡­ Chapter 680 - Chapter 680: Chapter 407 Chen Wanrong is Here_1 Chapter 680: Chapter 407 Chen Wanrong is Here_1 Xue Linglong and Mu Zixuan chatted about some common family matters and some rare things from the North Country in the Hundred Flowers Garden for two hours. Since it was her first visit to the North Prince Mansion, in order not to make Mu Zixuan overly cautious of her, Xue Linglong didn¡¯t pry into any overly sensitive information from Mu Zixuan. Her visit to the North Prince Mansion today was merely to bridge the gap in her relationship with Mu Zixuan, waiting until they had grown closer before she would try to extract information about the North Prince Mansion from her, which by then would be relatively easier. During dinner, Mu Zixuan told Lu Chen everything she and Xue Linglong talked about. After listening to Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen thought to himself that Xue Linglong really had patience, not inquiring about the North Prince Mansion on her first visit. Suddenly, Lu Chen thought of something and asked, ¡°By the way, my consort, when she visited today, did you serve her tea?¡± Mu Zixuan smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Of course, she was an honored guest, and I naturally served her the best tea of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen felt somewhat relieved. After all, this woman was from the Demon Sect; it was still necessary to be cautious. Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, when I saw Xue Linglong today, I noticed she didn¡¯t have the slightest aura of a Martial Artist. Are you sure she¡¯s a Grandmaster?¡± ¡°If she is a Grandmaster, then she has concealed her aura too well.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°She is indeed a Grandmaster. She must have used something to cover up her Martial Artist aura or cultivated some kind of technique to hide it.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s not important; she might be able to deceive others, but it¡¯s impossible to deceive me.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Being able to conceal her aura so well suggests she must have a large backing. You need to be careful, she might be targeting you.¡± Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°Madam Chu, rest assured, I know what force she comes from and understand her purpose. I¡¯ll be on guard against her.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had said this, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t press further. They continued to eat dinner, and just then, suddenly, a blast of cold wind swept into the room, making everyone feel an extreme chill to their bones. Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment and immediately sensed that something was amiss. He then said to the other women in the room, ¡°You all continue eating; I have something to take care of and will step out for a bit.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen headed towards the entrance of the North Prince Mansion. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s departing silhouette, the women in the hall glanced at each other, unsure of what had just occurred. At that moment, Lin Wanyun spoke up, ¡°The Palace Master has arrived!¡± Lin Wanyun was very familiar with Chen Wanrong¡¯s aura. After feeling the blast of cold air just now, she guessed that Chen Wanrong had arrived at the entrance to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Hearing this, the women suddenly realized that it was Chen Wanrong who had arrived, which explained the sudden rush of cold wind. It appeared Chen Wanrong was signaling to Lu Chen that she had come. Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen hadn¡¯t seen each other for so long, and it seemed likely that another sleepless night awaited them. The women didn¡¯t dwell on this matter and soon started discussing other topics. When Lu Chen arrived at the entrance of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, he indeed saw that familiar figure. Chen Wanrong was clad in white, her dress pure as snow, with a slender, delicate figure, a swan-like neck, exquisite collarbones, small cherry lips, and skin as fair as snow, making her resemble a work of art. Her complexion was cool and her body exuded an Immortal Aura, making her seem like a lofty fairy descending from the heavens. Lu Chen, not sure if it was because he hadn¡¯t seen Chen Wanrong in so long, suddenly felt she had become even more beautiful and soon felt a surge of desire to conquer her. Lu Chen pushed off the ground with his legs and used Shadow Shifting to appear instantly in front of Chen Wanrong. ¡°My fairy Rongrong, you¡¯ve finally come down from the mountain.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s irreverent words, a blush involuntarily spread across Chen Wanrong¡¯s face. Just as Chen Wanrong was about to say something, Lu Chen scooped her up in a princess carry. Before she had the chance to struggle, he used Shadow Shifting again, and in an instant, they were in Chen Wanrong¡¯s bedroom in the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Chen Wanrong felt a slight dissatisfaction. She had just arrived at the North Prince Mansion, and this scoundrel had hurriedly brought her to bed. Couldn¡¯t he have been a little more patient? After placing Chen Wanrong on the bed, Lu Chen gazed into her clear and transparent eyes and said, ¡°Wife, I think about you every day, and today I finally got to see you.¡± Chen Wanrong opened her mouth to speak, ¡°Master, she¡­ um¡­¡± Before Chen Wanrong could finish, Lu Chen bent down and sealed her lips with his, silencing her. Chen Wanrong struggled lightly a couple of times but, finding that her skill was sealed inside her, she simply gave up and stopped resisting, letting this scoundrel do as he wished. She too had missed Lu Chen very much during this time. Since he was so eager, they might as well convey their longing to each other. What Lu Chen didn¡¯t know was that Chen Wanrong was actually about to tell him something important just now. However, Lu Chen was too impatient and kissed her before she could finish speaking, resulting in the message being left unsaid. The night sky was hazy, filled with a lingering fog, and the air carried a dampness that made the night somewhat chilly. At this moment, a woman dressed in a light cyan gown stood on the roof. The breeze blew, causing her skirt to flutter and occasionally revealing her fair legs. Standing barefoot, the woman coldly gazed into the distance from her frost-covered perch. Noises continued to emanate from the room below, but the woman¡¯s expression remained icy, devoid of any emotional fluctuations. After a while, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and snorted coldly before speaking in an icy tone, ¡°It was indeed right to separate them!¡± No sooner had Chen Wanrong returned to the North Prince Mansion than this man could not wait to sweep her into his bed and indulge in pleasure with her. Yun Xianxian could understand their feelings; seeing each other after such a long time, it was normal to want to quickly convey their longing. It¡¯s common for partners who haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time to do the same at night. But what Yun Xianxian did not expect was that, for several hours, these two were still indulging in pleasure. She had thought Lu Chen was cultivating with Chen Wanrong but, upon probing, discovered that they were not focusing on their cultivation. From their actions, it seemed they were more inclined to seek pleasure. Yun Xianxian dared not imagine if she had initially agreed to let Chen Wanrong stay at the North Prince Mansion indefinitely, whether they would spend every day like this, completely neglecting their cultivation. But on second thought, this incident once again proved that Lu Chen was no ordinary man. Indeed, he had some special talents, being very adept at dealing with women, no wonder Chen Wanrong was so infatuated with him. Time passed unknowingly. The crowing of a rooster rose from the outer courtyard of the Prince¡¯s Mansion as dawn began to lighten the horizon. The room fell quiet. Lu Chen held Chen Wanrong by her slender waist, letting her rest on his chest as he gently caressed her smooth back. ¡°Rongrong, how long do you plan to stay at the North Prince Mansion this time?¡± Lu Chen hoped that Chen Wanrong would stay for a longer period; after all, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for so long. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong began to emerge from her drowsy state. Suddenly remembering someone, she quickly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Right, this time when I came down the mountain, Master also came with me, she¡­¡± Chen Wanrong hesitated, stopping mid-sentence. She had just met Lu Chen the previous night and they had been intimate all night long; surely her master had witnessed it. She wondered what her master might think. Hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. What? The fairy came too? He had been with Chen Wanrong, behaving badly all night in the room. With her Celestial senses, wouldn¡¯t she have known what happened? Would she think him a man only interested in that kind of activity, then forbid Chen Wanrong from descending the mountain to see him again? Upon reflection, Lu Chen thought that since the woman had already consented to Chen Wanrong becoming his partner, and they hadn¡¯t seen each other for so long, it was natural for them to be intimate once they finally met. If that woman wouldn¡¯t even permit this, she would be utterly unreasonable. Chapter 681 - Chapter 681: Chapter 408: I need you to do me a favor_1 Chapter 681: Chapter 408: I need you to do me a favor_1 Lu Chen firmly believed in his heart that he did nothing wrong, so he refused to believe that woman would rebuke him for his good relationship with Chen Wanrong. At this moment, Lu Chen said to Chen Wanrong, ¡°So the Grandmaster has arrived as well. I was wondering why it felt so chilly last night.¡± Chen Wanrong spoke up, ¡°We should get up. The Grandmaster probably waited outside for us the entire night yesterday.¡± Lu Chen felt somewhat helpless, as he had initially planned to spend a bit more time in Chen Wanrong¡¯s tender embrace, but now they had to get up so early. What was that woman doing, following Chen Wanrong down the mountain? Just then, a scene emerged in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. Last time, in the study, the woman used the physical resonance between them to cultivate the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell and then regained her strength. This time following Chen Wanrong down the mountain, she wouldn¡¯t be planning to do unto him what she did last time, would she? Lu Chen slightly furrowed his brow, thinking that he had to find a way to give Yun Xianxian some Dragon and Phoenix Tea, making her pay a price and preventing himself from being taken advantage of like last time without any means to possess her body. With these thoughts, Lu Chen and Chen Wanrong slowly got up, took a quick bath in the neighboring bathing chamber, and then left the room. At this time, inside Yunrong Courtyard, Lin Wanyun was brewing tea for Yun Xianxian in the pavilion, while Yun Xianxian sat on a stone stool with an indifferent face, holding the teacup and slowly savoring the tea. After stepping out of the room, Lu Chen immediately bowed to Yun Xianxian, saying, ¡°Disciple pays respects to the Grandmaster!¡± Yun Xianxian coldly responded, ¡°Considering you haven¡¯t seen each other for a long time, I¡¯ll let it go this time. But if it happens again, I¡¯ll punish you by forbidding you to see each other for a year.¡± Yun Xianxian was feeling somewhat angry at this moment. If it were just Lu Chen, she would have let it be, as he didn¡¯t know of her arrival initially, but Chen Wanrong was different. She had brought Chen Wanrong down the mountain, and yet, upon seeing a man, Chen Wanrong had completely forgotten about her, leaving her to stand on the roof for an entire night. Despite her kindness towards Chen Wanrong, Chen had forgotten about her own Grandmaster the moment she had a man. Chen Wanrong, too, noticed that Yun Xianxian might be angry with her and quickly said, ¡°Disciple acknowledges her mistake.¡± Yun Xianxian replied indifferently, ¡°Enough, I won¡¯t hold these issues against you anymore.¡± At that time, Lu Chen tentatively asked, ¡°Grandmaster, may I know the reason for your descent from the mountain this time?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°I heard that there has been a large number of Martial Artists going missing within the Great Sum Realm. I suspect it may be related to the Great Sum Imperial family, so I decided to descend the mountain to investigate the situation.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Yun Xianxian to also believe that his father might be related to the matter. Yun Xianxian then looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Lu Chen, if you wish to unify the world, the first step would be to seize the Great Sum throne, correct? I, along with the Mysterious Moon Palace, will support you in contending for that position. If there¡¯s anything you need, feel free to discuss it with me.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat incredulous at Yun Xianxian¡¯s words; this woman was actually planning to help him vie for the Great Sum throne? So magnanimous? A thought suddenly struck Lu Chen, and he then said, ¡°Grandmaster, I heard that my father possesses a Sacred Artifact from your Mysterious Moon Palace. You wouldn¡¯t be supporting me in my bid for the throne just to retrieve that artifact, would you?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s speculation, Yun Xianxian let out a cold laugh and then said, ¡°You¡¯re quite astute. Indeed, I intend to take this opportunity to recover that Sacred Artifact.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Grandmaster, you are a Celestial. With your strength, you could simply go to the Great Sum Imperial Palace and easily retrieve the artifact. Why go through such trouble?¡± Yun Xianxian answered, ¡°I haven¡¯t yet recovered from the injuries on my body. Moreover, I can¡¯t just take action casually. If I were to act recklessly, the Heavenly Dao of this world would send down divine punishment upon me. The injury I have is a result of that.¡± Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s response, Lu Chen had an epiphany. So that was the case; no wonder Yun Xianxian had not gone to the Imperial Palace to take back the so-called Sacred Artifact¡ªshe didn¡¯t have the capacity to do so. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°Furthermore, that item has a certain probability of elevating a Grandmaster¡¯s strength to the Celestial Realm. Although the duration is rather brief, it¡¯s not impossible to injure a Celestial.¡± ¡°` ¡°Even if I were to take action, I would need to wait until my strength has somewhat recovered,¡± ¡°The second reason for my descent from the mountain is to restore my power,¡± As she spoke, Yun Xianxian¡¯s gaze was fixed on Lu Chen, making him feel a chill down his spine. He had previously speculated whether Yun Xianxian had come down from the mountain to use his body to regain strength, and it turned out he had guessed right. This woman truly had ill intentions, coveting his body. Yun Xianxian continued, looking into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, ¡°There¡¯s also another matter, the mists in the western border are becoming unstable, and if you wish to unify the world, you¡¯d better hurry.¡± ¡°The space within the mist is extremely chaotic; no one can predict what might emerge.¡± Lu Chen was startled in his heart. The mist has become unstable? What he was most concerned about now was indeed the mist at the western border. He feared that if all the masters who emerged were at the Celestial level, his firearms would be useless. Just then, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something. This woman telling him about the instability of the mist probably wasn¡¯t a simple reminder, was it? By mentioning the unstable mist, she must be looking to create a sense of urgency, to emphasize the importance of the Mysterious Moon Palace. That way, he would willingly help her regain her strength. At this moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Since my master has already planned to help me conquer the world, your disciple offers you his gratitude.¡± Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly, ¡°Spare me your verbal thanks; I need a favor from you.¡± Lu Chen feigned ignorance and asked, ¡°May I ask what master refers to?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°You will know when the time comes.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue to question her; how could he not know what she was referring to? It was obviously about helping her recover her strength. To be honest, he was quite willing to cultivate the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell with her, but under the condition that it would involve physical contact, not like last time in the study where he cultivated with her passively. Without that, cultivating the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell would lose its appeal. However, Lu Chen could also see that Yun Xianxian would never let him possess her body. In Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, he was nothing more than a native of a Lower World. ¡­ Great Sum, Capital city. A convoy slowly entered the Capital city, its banners adorned with a crescent moon¡ªthe emblem of the Mysterious Moon Palace, signaling the arrival of some important personage from the Mysterious Moon Palace. The Sum Emperor soon heard of this. Sitting in his study, listening to the Shadow Guard¡¯s report, the Sum Emperor fell into deep thought. What business does the Mysterious Moon Palace have sending someone to the Capital city at this time? Could it be that they had discovered what he was up to? Is the Mysterious Moon Palace seeking to trouble the royal family? ¡°` Chapter 683 - Chapter 683: Chapter 410 I Agree to Work with You_1 Chapter 683: Chapter 410 I Agree to Work with You_1 Upon hearing Yu Changqing¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor was once again stunned; he had not expected such grand ambition from these two. Kill a Celestial? In truth, he himself had never entertained such a thought, although he had acquired that weapon, he intended to use it as a trump card, or to intimidate the Celestials with it so that they wouldn¡¯t dare make their move against him. After all, to use the weapon just once required a great deal of time to prepare, and it could only be used once in a short period. If they could not achieve a one-strike kill, by the time the Celestials reacted, they would likely face a grim fate. At that moment, the Sum Emperor looked into Yu Changqing¡¯s eyes and spoke, ¡°Elder Yu, you couldn¡¯t be jesting with Us, could you?¡± Yu Changqing picked up the teacup from the stone table, took a sip, and then continued, ¡°With the support of the former Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, North Prince will surely lead his troops southward. You have no choice.¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor fell back into contemplation. Although they didn¡¯t like being threatened, Yu Changqing had not misjudged; that rebellious son had already amassed such formidable strength, and his ambition was even greater than his own. The first thing that son would do to fulfill his ambition would definitely be to march south and vie for the throne of Great Sum. After seizing the throne of Great Sum, he would use Great Sum¡¯s power to wage wars and gradually annex other kingdoms. The Great Xia Dynasty was critical to that rebellious son; now, with the assistance of the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace, his move south was inevitable. After a while, the Sum Emperor came back to his senses and asked, ¡°Why do you want to kill her?¡± At this question, Yu Changqing let out a laugh before replying, ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Back then, we made distinguished contributions to the expansion of the Mysterious Moon Palace, even using certain forbidden items, such that our Cultivation States can no longer advance in this lifetime.¡± ¡°And yet, that woman handed over the position of Palace Master to a little girl, allowing her to quickly rise to power. Now she even plans to introduce a God¡¯s Son to the Mysterious Moon Palace. What does she take us for?¡± Hearing Yu Changqing¡¯s answer, the Sum Emperor understood; these two were dissatisfied with the new Palace Master and sought to usurp power. As long as the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace died, these two would easily take control of the entire palace. From this perspective, they indeed had a shared interest. For him, as long as the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace was gone, the palace would pose less of a threat. After several more decades of development, Great Sum might even become powerful enough to eliminate the Mysterious Moon Palace. At that point, no force or kingdom could threaten Great Sum, or him. With this thought, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°Very well, We agree to cooperate with you.¡± Seeing the Sum Emperor¡¯s agreement, the corners of Yu Changqing¡¯s and Fu Hongchou¡¯s mouths turned up slightly, revealing faint smiles. Yu Changqing then said, ¡°Now that we are in cooperation, might the Sum Emperor allow us to see the weapon capable of slaying a Celestial?¡± Hearing this request, the Sum Emperor became instantly wary, ¡°That might not be such a good idea.¡± What if these two laid eyes on the weapon and decided to snatch it away? The weapon hadn¡¯t yet absorbed enough Martial Artists¡¯ skill and vital blood; it wasn¡¯t ready to be used. Noticing the Sum Emperor¡¯s wariness, Yu Changqing spoke with a smile, ¡°The Sum Emperor need not worry that we will attempt to snatch the weapon from you. You possess a Sacred Artifact from the Mysterious Moon Palace, and you have already entered the Unity Realm, with the Sacred Artifact you could instantly enhance your strength to the Heavenly Human Realm. How could we possibly try to take something from you under these circumstances?¡± At Yu Changqing¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor frowned. Yu Changqing actually knew that he had entered the Unity Realm and become a Pseudo Celestial! But on second thought, it wasn¡¯t surprising. After all, both Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou could be Pseudo Celestials of the Unity Realm, so they might sense his Realm. The Sum Emperor pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Fine, I can take you to see it.¡± ¡°But let me be clear beforehand, if you covet that weapon, don¡¯t blame me for being inhospitable later on!¡± Fu Hongchou replied, ¡°Your Majesty, please rest assured, we are just looking to verify whether that weapon truly has the ability to kill a Celestial. We have no interest in such an evil weapon.¡± The two of them were Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace, aware of some secrets of this world. As for such an evil weapon that required the sacrifice of martial artists to use, they dared not claim it as their own, for such a weapon might backfire on its master one day, leaving them clueless as to how they met their demise. At this, the Sum Emperor turned and said, ¡°Follow me.¡± As his words fell, the Sum Emperor turned and made his way to the Imperial Study Room, with Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou rising from their stone seats to follow him there. Once the three entered the Imperial Study Room, all the doors and windows shut by themselves. The Sum Emperor walked over to a bookshelf, where he gently twisted a dragon head sculpture, and the next moment, the bookshelf began to vibrate. Subsequently, the bookshelf slowly moved aside, revealing a downward hidden passage before the trio. The Sum Emperor then said to the two behind him, ¡°It¡¯s quite far, keep up with me.¡± As he finished speaking, the Sum Emperor stepped into the hidden passage, with Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou quickly following suit. After the Sum Emperor had entered the hidden passage, he used qinggong, moving very quickly, but Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou were still able to easily keep up with him. The three ran almost as if flying for close to two hours before finally reaching the location where the evil weapon was stored. Before them now was a huge secret chamber. In the middle of the chamber was a circular platform, under which was a bright red liquid. Inside the chamber, Shadow Guards were continuously throwing captured martial artists into the Blood Pool below. Any artist who entered the Blood Pool would turn into a skeleton in a short while, and the nearby Shadow Guards would then fish out these skeletons. Upon seeing this scene, Yu Changqing said with a laugh, ¡°Your Majesty is truly ruthless. If the other forces knew you were capturing their martial artists for sacrifice, they would probably stop at nothing to break into the Imperial Palace and kill you.¡± The Sum Emperor was unconcerned, perceiving Yu Changqing¡¯s words as a threat. The Sum Emperor then looked at the golden rod on the platform and stated, ¡°That is the weapon capable of killing a Celestial!¡± Upon seeing the weapon, Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou were taken aback for a moment. Regaining his composure, Yu Changqing asked in bewilderment, ¡°What kind of weapon is this, why have we never heard of a weapon of this style before?¡± No sooner had Yu Changqing finished speaking than Fu Hongchou said, ¡°Elder Yu, you might have forgotten, we have a similar weapon in the Mysterious Moon Palace. Chu Yue once took that weapon out of the Palace.¡± Upon hearing this, Yu Changqing instantly recalled that object resembling a long box. Fu Hongchou continued, ¡°Although these two weapons differ in shape, judging by their method of use, they likely both are activated from a distance and that weapon also requires certain conditions to be used.¡± Hearing the two¡¯s conversation, the Sum Emperor was extremely astonished inside. What? The Mysterious Moon Palace has a similar weapon? Even if he helped these two kill the old Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, with that weapon still in existence, he feared he also might not be able to exterminate the Mysterious Moon Palace in the future. Chapter 684 - Chapter 684: Chapter 411: With This Weapon, That Woman Is Doomed to Die_1 Chapter 684: Chapter 411: With This Weapon, That Woman Is Doomed to Die_1 In the secret room, the golden staff on the pedestal emitted a blood-red glow, and there was a shoulder stock attached to the back of the staff. If Lu Chen were here, he would recognize it immediately as some sort of modern firearm. Although this weapon resembled a kind of rifle, the ammunition it used was not ordinary bullets. The gunstock, which emanated a dark aura, made contact with the blood in the pool and began to frantically absorb the blood, as if it were an insatiable monster. Witnessing this scene, Fu Hongchou and Yu Changqing felt an eerie chill. A weapon actively sucking blood, and based on its appearance, it seemed as though it had an internal space capable of holding such a vast amount of blood; how it achieved this was beyond their understanding. This weapon was too sinister, and there was a real possibility it could backfire on its user. After the Sum Emperor dealt with the old Palace Master, it would be best for the Mysterious Moon Palace to keep their distance from Great Sum¡ªthe thing was too peculiar, and they wanted to avoid being collateral damage if it were ever used. At that moment, Yu Changqing asked, ¡°When will this weapon be ready for use?¡± The Sum Emperor answered, ¡°It must absorb a sufficient amount of martial artists¡¯ skill and essence before it can be used; if it were to be used now, it would absorb the user¡¯s skill and blood.¡± Yu Changqing murmured, ¡°Indeed, it is a wicked weapon, probably even more so than anything the Demon Sect possesses.¡± ¡°However, that being said, with this thing, the likelihood of killing the old Palace Master has increased significantly.¡± Fu Hongchou then posed a critical question to the Sum Emperor, ¡°You say this weapon can kill a Celestial, yet you haven¡¯t used it yourself; how do you know for sure that it can kill a Celestial?¡± The Sum Emperor replied indifferently, ¡°When the Shadow Guard first discovered this weapon, they accidentally activated it. In just an instant, it pierced through a mountain. I do not believe that such immense power cannot kill a Celestial.¡± Hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s response, both Yu Changqing recalled their palace¡¯s Divine Artifact, which seemed capable of shooting through a mountain peak as well. It seemed the power of these two weapons was quite comparable. As long as they managed to kill the old Palace Master, that Divine Artifact would belong to them. The most important factor was that their palace¡¯s weapon did not possess the same level of sinister nature as the one before them, which clearly would consume its owner sooner or later. However, the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s weapon was different; it did not require the blood of martial artists as a condition. Yu Changqing laughed heartily, ¡°Excellent! With this weapon in hand, that woman is bound to die!¡± Upon hearing Yu Changqing¡¯s comment, the Sum Emperor¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile, it seemed these two were indeed determined to kill the old Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace. If they actually succeeded, once the Celestial of the Mysterious Moon Palace fell, North Country might have powerful weapons but would not necessarily be an opponent for Great Sum without the protection of a Celestial for Lu Chen. Just like the last time, they could simply send an assassin to kill Lu Chen directly. Once that defiant son was dead, North Country would inevitably fall apart, and then Great Sum could even seize North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons. With the arsenal of North Country in hand, no force would dare confront Great Sum in the future. For a moment, the Sum Emperor envisioned the heads of those powers, the rulers of the great dynasties, bowing before him in submission. ¡­ North Country, North Prince Mansion. As Lu Chen was on his way to the study, he passed by the Hundred Flowers Garden and happened upon Mu Zixuan and Xue Linglong holding hands, chatting about something in the garden pavilion. ¡°` These past few days, Xue Linglong has been coming to the Prince¡¯s Mansion almost every day to see Mu Zixuan, and the two of them seemed to have become good friends, apparently having endless topics to talk about. Seeing Xue Linglong had come again, Lu Chen thought to himself that it looked like his Imperial Brother was growing a bit impatient. Of course, it could also be Xue Linglong who couldn¡¯t wait. On the surface, Xue Linglong seemed to be on the same side as Lu Yi, but in reality, her main concern was the interests of the Taiyin Divine Sect. She was probably pondering how to sacrifice him to awaken that so-called Sect Hierarch. Lu Chen glanced at Mu Zixuan and Xue Linglong, then at Chu Yuqin, and seeing Chu Yuqin was also next to Mu Zixuan, he didn¡¯t think much of it and went straight to his study. As Lu Chen passed by the Hundred Flowers Garden, Xue Linglong noticed his gaze flicking over to her side. She thought to herself that it seemed the North Prince was indeed keeping an eye on his Imperial Sister-in-law. She needed to find a way to be alone with him in a room. Only then would she have the chance to poison the North Prince. However, coming back to the point, the North Prince, although lecherous, with many wives and concubines in his mansion, didn¡¯t seem to have sunk into debauchery because of beautiful women. He appeared to be quite busy every day. She had been coming to the Prince¡¯s Mansion for several days in a row, but each time she had seen Lu Chen heading to the study to deal with state affairs, and once he stayed in the study, he would be there for the entire day. This had caused Xue Linglong to somewhat re-evaluate him. He was indeed a man suspected to be the Son of Destiny. While he was a bit lustful, he hadn¡¯t forgotten the grand ambitions in his heart because of pleasure. She wondered how satisfying it would be to torment such a man. Seeing that Xue Linglong seemed to be lost in thought, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Sister Xue, what is on your mind?¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s voice, Xue Linglong immediately snapped back to reality and quickly said, ¡°Sorry, little sister Zixuan, I was just thinking about some things.¡± Then Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Little sister Zixuan, I heard that the Ninth Brother has a penchant for beauty. When I came to the North Country, I brought all the dancers from the East Palace with me, but now that my darling is engrossed in cultivation, he is no longer interested in the dancers. Having them at the mansion serves no purpose, so why not offer them to the North Prince? What do you think?¡± ¡°You are the lady of the North Prince Mansion. If you are unwilling, then let¡¯s forget about it.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan was momentarily startled, then she said, ¡°Sister Xue, you may not know this, but even though the Prince likes beauty, not just any woman can catch his eye. He favors only those of peerless beauty.¡± ¡°Usually, only women with an extraordinary appearance like Sister Xue can attract his attention.¡± Xue Linglong laughed and said, ¡°Little sister Zixuan, you really know how to joke. I¡¯m already a withered flower, a fallen willow. The Ninth Brother couldn¡¯t possibly fancy a woman like me.¡± ¡°If the Prince is not interested, then I will just dismiss those dancers when I get back. After all, there¡¯s no use keeping them around.¡± Mu Zixuan suggested, ¡°How about this? Sister Xue, bring those dancers to the Prince¡¯s Mansion in a few days. I will check on behalf of the Prince and see if they are his type. If they are, we can keep them all at the North Prince Mansion.¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring them to the mansion in a couple of days.¡± Just then, a maidservant from the Hundred Flowers Garden said to Xue Linglong, ¡°Crown Princess Consort, the Prince has instructed you to inform the Crown Prince that he should visit the North Prince Mansion this afternoon. He has important matters to discuss with the Crown Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong was taken aback. Could it be that the North Prince was planning to help Lu Yi take over Heyang County? ¡°` Chapter 685 - Chapter 685: Chapter 412: Chen Wanrongs Suspicion_1 Chapter 685: Chapter 412: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Suspicion_1 Upon hearing the maid¡¯s words, Xue Linglong did not linger in the North Prince Mansion. She immediately stood up, returned to the Lu Mansion, and relayed to Lu Yi that Lu Chen wanted to see him. Hearing Xue Linglong say that Lu Chen wanted to meet with him, Lu Yi felt ecstatic inside. He believed that Lu Chen had made a decision, most likely agreeing to help him. Afternoon. North Prince Mansion. Inside the Hundred Flowers Garden. Lu Chen and Lu Yi sat in front of a stone table. Lu Chen poured a cup of tea for Lu Yi and then said, ¡°Brother, I¡¯ve thought it over these past few days and believe that what you said before makes a lot of sense. Now that our father is being misled by treacherous officials, indeed, as a Prince of Great Xia, I cannot stand idly by.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯ve decided to help you take Heyang County and then provide you with some material support to facilitate your recruitment of troops and horses,¡± Lu Chen said. Hearing this, Lu Yi said with joy in his heart, ¡°Then I must thank you, Ninth Brother. Once I succeed in supporting the Emperor, I will certainly honor our previous agreement and help you establish an empire in the north.¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°However, returning to our discussion, if you go to Heyang County, Brother, you may find yourself in a precarious situation, and the conditions there are somewhat harsh. Why not leave your family here in the North Country?¡± Lu Yi¡¯s face darkened in an instant. He immediately understood what Lu Chen meant; Lu Chen intended to keep Xue Linglong and the rest as hostages to prevent Lu Yi from not listening to the North Country once he¡¯d gained enough power. Lu Yi hated being threatened, but now that he was under the roof of another and still reliant on Lu Chen to built his influence, he had no choice but to agree to the request. Lu Yi said, ¡°Thank you for your kindness, Ninth Brother. Then I¡¯ll trouble you to look after my wife and the others.¡± Lu Chen responded with a smile, ¡°Brother, rest assured, I will certainly take good care of them for you.¡± Lu Yi¡¯s fists clenched slightly. A sudden thought crossed his mind that his ninth brother had a weakness for beautiful women, and he probably still had his eyes on Xue Linglong. Once he left for Heyang County, he would be separated from Xue Linglong. Would Lu Chen take advantage of this time to do something to Xue Linglong? As this thought struck him, anger surged in Lu Yi¡¯s heart, but another thought quickly followed: For the throne, for power in his hands, what was a woman¡¯s worth? After all, he had married Xue Linglong originally for the influence of her family. Now that the Xue Family had outlived its usefulness, and although Xue Linglong still had ties with the Demon Sect, it had been a long time since anyone from the sect had come looking for her. No one knew whether the Demon Sect had given up on Xue Linglong. If the Demon Sect had abandoned her, then he could no longer use Xue Linglong to connect with the Demon Sect, so he might as well leave her in the North Country. It was a pity, though; Xue Linglong was a great beauty. Because he had practiced the Devilish Skill given by the Demon Sect, he had not even touched Xue Linglong, and that thought made Lu Yi somewhat unwilling to let it go. Forget it, once he became Emperor, he could have whatever woman he wanted. At that moment, Lu Yi asked, ¡°Ninth Brother, how exactly do you plan to help me? Are you going to lend troops to me directly, or send people to help me take Heyang County?¡± Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°I will send troops to march south and help you occupy Heyang County first. Once you¡¯ve established your own forces and recruited a certain number of soldiers, I¡¯ll call back the soldiers from the North Country.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi was taken aback. He had actually hoped that Lu Chen would lend troops directly to him, this way, his own faction might sway the North Country¡¯s soldiers, and he might even get his hands on the North Country¡¯s weapons. If he acquired the weapons of the North Country, he would no longer be constrained by Lu Chen in the future. He had not expected Lu Chen to be so cautious, giving him no chance at all. At this point, Lu Yi could not put forth any demands, since he was the one seeking help from Lu Chen, and he was not in a position to set conditions. Regaining his composure, Lu Yi said with a smile, ¡°Then, thank you very much, Ninth Brother.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°No need to thank me, it¡¯s what I should do.¡± Both of them wore smiles on their faces, but each harbored their own cunning schemes. After Lu Yi left, Lu Chen called over Xuanyuan Chen and briefed him on the matter of marching south. Lu Chen planned for Xuanyuan Chen to use the takeover of Heyang County as a practice to command the Synthetic Camp. Xuanyuan Chen would have to be a commander in the future and could no longer look at a war through the narrow perspective of a Heavy Cavalry commander; he must have an overall view. Xuanyuan Chen was thrilled to hear that Lu Chen wanted him to march south and attack Heyang County. He had recently taken over the new Synthetic Camp of the North Country, with over two hundred thousand men, but he had not yet had an opportunity to command them in battle. Compared to commanding tens of thousands of Heavy Cavalry, leading an army of two hundred thousand was indeed a challenging feat. Evening. After dinner, Lu Chen went to Yunrong Courtyard. Although he disliked Yun Xianxian, he had no choice but to visit Yunrong Courtyard for the sake of playing with Chen Wanrong. Upon entering the courtyard, Lu Chen did not see Yun Xianxian and breathed a sigh of relief as he headed straight for Chen Wanrong¡¯s bedroom. After opening the door to Chen Wanrong¡¯s room, he said with a smile, ¡°Sweetie Rongrong, your darling has arrived.¡± But as soon as Lu Chen closed the door and turned around, his entire being froze. There sat Yun Xianxian, cross-legged on Chen Wanrong¡¯s bed, her two eyes fixed on him as if she was looking at prey. ¡°Master¡­ Master¡­ What are you doing here?¡± Chapter 686 - Chapter 686: Chapter 412: Chen Wanrongs Suspicion_2 Chapter 686: Chapter 412: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Suspicion_2 Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly, ¡°Rongrong has been in North Country for several days, and you have been intimate with her for several days. Does she still plan to cultivate?¡± Lu Chen said somewhat helplessly, ¡°Master, it¡¯s not easy for Rongrong to come down the mountain. She and I are Dao companions after all. You surely can¡¯t forbid us from doing such things, can you?¡± Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t bother to argue with Lu Chen about this. She said instead, ¡°That Xue Linglong who often comes to the Prince¡¯s Mansion has a problem. There¡¯s an aura about her that is somewhat nauseating. Although your master doesn¡¯t know what she¡¯s using to conceal the martial artist¡¯s aura, the wicked nature she exudes cannot deceive your master. You better be wary of her.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Yun Xianxian to see through Xue Linglong¡¯s tricks. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Master. Your disciple understands.¡± ¡°Master, it¡¯s getting late, why don¡¯t you go back to your room to rest?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Your master has already told Rongrong, tonight I will borrow you for one night, you will help your master recover her strength.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed, about to say something, when his body suddenly flew up, soaring straight to the bed, lying there stiff as a board. Just like the last time in the study, Yun Xianxian still didn¡¯t touch Lu Chen¡¯s body, simply sitting cross-legged by his side. As soon as Yun Xianxian waved her hand, Lu Chen¡¯s clothes shattered. Lu Chen felt somewhat resigned; this woman was doing that to him again. No, he had to find a way to touch Yun Xianxian¡¯s body. Today, at the North Prince Mansion, Yun Xianxian had drunk quite a bit of Dragon and Phoenix Tea. As long as he could touch Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, the spiritual power within her would be sealed. He wanted to show this woman what he was made of. However, at the moment, Lu Chen could only think about it. He couldn¡¯t move his entire body, and the spiritual power inside of him was once again actively stirred up, forming a cycle with the spiritual power on his body. Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s cold face, the flames inside Lu Chen¡¯s heart were thoroughly ignited. He really wanted to subdue Yun Xianxian now, but because of this, he found that his and Yun Xianxian¡¯s cultivation had entered an even more perfect state. Because his desire to possess Yun Xianxian was thoroughly provoked, he and Yun Xianxian perfectly met the conditions for practicing the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell. Lu Chen felt like he was being used as a cultivation tool again, and after struggling for a bit, he found it was no use and simply stopped resisting. If this fairy liked to watch, then he would let her watch. After cultivating for a while, Yun Xianxian suddenly experienced a strange sensation. A tinge of red appeared on her beautiful cold cheeks, and then she felt her body start to heat up. When her gaze fell upon Lu Chen¡¯s body, she suddenly had the desire to draw closer to him and engage in the act of men and women. This is¡­ Yun Xianxian instantly realized something was amiss. Her brows slightly furrowed, she couldn¡¯t help but think that this must be the negative side effect of the cultivation technique. If one cultivated this technique for too long, such thoughts would arise. However, she would never engage in such acts with this man. In order to recover her strength, Yun Xianxian had no choice but to push on with the cultivation. After an unknown period of time, she couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and immediately stopped. At that moment, Lu Chen also awoke from his trance, and his gaze fell upon Yun Xianxian¡¯s face. He saw that her beautiful face was flushed, her forehead covered with fragrant sweat, and her wet hair sticking to her cheeks, making her even more enchanting. What was this situation? Their bodies hadn¡¯t touched, and Yun Xianxian was only meditating and cultivating. So how did she end up like this? Yun Xianxian took a few deep breaths to calm her restlessness, and after a while, she finally recovered. As soon as she recovered, Yun Xianxian¡¯s cold gaze fell sharply upon Lu Chen, making him feel a chill down his spine once again. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Master¡­ what happened to you?¡± Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly, ¡°Your master is fine.¡± In her mind, Yun Xianxian thought that this cultivation technique indeed stirred the deepest desires in people. If she completely cut off her desires, she wouldn¡¯t be able to use this technique to cultivate. The essence of this technique was to utilize a person¡¯s desires. After sensing the skill within her, Yun Xianxian sighed. At this rate of recovery, she didn¡¯t know when she would be able to regain her peak strength. Seeing Yun Xianxian suddenly silent and sighing, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Master, why do you sigh?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°With the current rate of recovery, your master doesn¡¯t know when she will be able to restore her strength to its peak.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°How did Master¡¯s strength fall like this?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°After falling to this world, I was suppressed by the Heavenly Dao of this world. Your master tried to resist, but the Heavenly Dao sent down a heavenly tribulation, causing me to get seriously injured. That¡¯s why my realm and strength drastically decreased.¡± Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s reply, Lu Chen thought to himself, in that case, could his Rejuvenating Skill help Yun Xianxian recover? With this in mind, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly upwards, and then he said, ¡°Master, actually, your disciple has a method that can help Master recover quickly, but it requires Master to pay a small price.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian asked with curiosity, ¡°You have a way? What way? The injury your master sustained was caused by the Heavenly Dao. What good method could you possibly have?¡± Chapter 687 - Chapter 687: Chapter 412: Chen Wanrongs Suspicion_3 Chapter 687: Chapter 412: Chen Wanrong¡¯s Suspicion_3 Lu Chen said, ¡°If Master doesn¡¯t believe me, then I won¡¯t speak of it any further.¡± Yun Xianxian thought for a moment. The fact that Lu Chen was able to acquire the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell, a cultivation technique of such caliber, proved that he did have some opportunities. Perhaps he really did have a way. With this in mind, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Let¡¯s hear it then. If your method proves useful, from now on, I will not restrict your meetings with Rongrong. You two can meet whenever you wish.¡± Lu Chen directly said, ¡°The method I¡¯m speaking of is to cultivate with your disciple through dual cultivation.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s cheeks instantly turned ice-cold, and a layer of frost formed around her body. Lu Chen continued, ¡°The dual cultivation I¡¯m referring to is not the distant dual cultivation method that Master uses. Rather, it involves physical contact. Although your dual cultivation method can also restore strength, its effectiveness is greatly diminished. It can¡¯t compare to the method involving direct bodily contact.¡± As Lu Chen finished speaking, Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to? You even dare to harbor such ulterior motives towards your own master. Aren¡¯t you afraid that, in a fit of rage, I will kill you?¡± Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°Disciple believes that Master is not someone who is unreasonable.¡± Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not speak of this matter again in the future.¡± How could she not know that to get the best results from the dual cultivation skill, it needed to be like Chen Wanrong and Lu Chen had just done, but how could she possibly partake in such an indecent act with her own disciple. This bastard Lu Chen, to think he would harbor such thoughts of betraying his master and ancestors! At that moment, Yun Xianxian stood up, waved her hand, and vanished in an instant. The next moment, Chen Wanrong appeared on the bed out of thin air. Chen Wanrong had been meditating in the next room when she suddenly felt as if something had tugged at her body. When she opened her eyes, she found Lu Chen lying honestly on the bed, his eyes eagerly watching her. Chen Wanrong was briefly stunned. Didn¡¯t the Master say she had important matters to discuss with Lu Chen? Why was Lu Chen uncovered¡­ Could it be that they just¡­ Chen Wanrong was suddenly shocked¡­ How could they possibly¡­ Wasn¡¯t her Master also Lu Chen¡¯s Master? How could Lu Chen commit such an act of betraying his master and ancestors! Seeing Chen Wanrong staring at him blankly, Lu Chen knew she must have misunderstood something, but he couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain. He had just been completely infuriated by Yun Xianxian. Before Chen Wanrong could come back to her senses, Lu Chen pounced on her, pinning her down on the bed. Chen Wanrong was about to ask Lu Chen what had happened when, the next second, her lips were sealed by the mouth of that bad guy, Lu Chen. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Chen Wanrong resigned herself to ask what was going on after things were over. Meanwhile. The Xuanyuan Family. Xuanyuan Chen was discussing something with Xuanyuan Chaoge when Xuanyuan Yunqi returned home. Seeing her older brother in high spirits talking with Xuanyuan Chaoge, Xuanyuan Yunqi curiously approached them. Seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi come back, Xuanyuan Chen said with a smile, ¡°Little sister, I have some good news for you!¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi asked curiously, ¡°What good news?¡± Xuanyuan Chen proudly said, ¡°In a few days, your older brother will lead troops down south! At that time, the entire defense of Yan County will be in your hands!¡± Although Xuanyuan Yunqi took charge of the Guard Battalion near Yan County upon her return, Xuanyuan Chen had not completely let go because there were also many soldiers in the battalion, and he worried that Xuanyuan Yunqi might not yet have the ability to manage the entire battalion effectively. However, after Xuanyuan Chen left, the entire battalion would be under Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s command, presenting her with a great opportunity to train. Upon hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Yunqi was stunned for a moment. She had not expected her older brother to have the opportunity to lead troops down south. Wait¡­ Leading troops down south? Xuanyuan Yunqi immediately asked, ¡°Is the Prince planning to vie for the throne?¡± Xuanyuan Chen replied, ¡°No, the Prince simply plans to first help Prince Lu Yi seize Heyang County and then let Prince Lu Yi test the waters with the imperial court.¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi said, ¡°I see.¡± Seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s expression turn somewhat indifferent, Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always wanted to independently command an army? Now the whole Guard Battalion is handed over to you, why do you seem a bit unhappy?¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi said, ¡°I would rather be on the battlefield than stay in the rear all the time.¡± As she spoke, Xuanyuan Yunqi turned around and headed to her room. Seeing her leave, Xuanyuan Chen was taken aback for a moment. It was then that Xuanyuan Chaoge said, ¡°Ah, can¡¯t Yunqi see that the Prince likes her and doesn¡¯t want her to get hurt?¡± ¡°She¡¯s grown so big and still doesn¡¯t understand anything, always thinking about fighting and killing.¡± Speaking softly, Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Dad, why don¡¯t you talk to the Prince and simply arrange for Yunqi to marry into the North Prince Mansion? It¡¯ll save her from constantly thinking about the battlefield.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge said, ¡°I have already mentioned this to the Prince. The Prince wants to see what Yunqi herself thinks.¡± With that, Xuanyuan Chaoge sighed again, ¡°Let it be. Let nature take its course.¡± ¡°You should prepare well these next few days. Be careful on your trip down south.¡± Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡­ Early in the morning. Lu Chen was holding Chen Wanrong¡¯s soft waist, burrowing his face into her hair, incessantly inhaling the fragrance of her hair. After Chen Wanrong came to her senses, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What did you and Master do in the room last night?¡± Hearing the question, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°What do you think we did?¡± At that moment, Chen Wanrong twisted her body, turned over to face Lu Chen, and continued to inquire, looking into his eyes, ¡°Did you two also do this sort of thing?¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Chen Wanrong replied indifferently, ¡°No.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Then why ask such a question?¡± Chen Wanrong answered expressionlessly, ¡°Just asking.¡± Chapter 688 - Chapter 688: Chapter 413: With Jiudis Words, Im Relieved_1 Chapter 688: Chapter 413: With Jiudi¡¯s Words, I¡¯m Relieved_1 ¡°` Chen Wanrong wouldn¡¯t feel jealous just because Lu Chen had something going on with Yun Xianxian, but she always felt something was off. Initially, she had regarded Lin Wanyun as if she were her own mother in her heart, and then that bastard Lu Chen ended up¡­ with Lin Wanyun. Now, to think that Lu Chen had actually laid his hands on his own master¡­ Was this little bastard truly so unconcerned with basic human decency? Seeing Chen Wanrong with a frosty expression, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°I did think about doing something bad to her, but unfortunately, she¡¯s a Celestial and I¡¯m no match for her. She thinks I have a unique physique, so yesterday she examined my body.¡± ¡°We¡¯re completely innocent.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen had said, Chen Wanrong showed a doubtful look. Innocent? Why did she feel it was not like that? Chen Wanrong directly asked, ¡°You don¡¯t harbor any dirty thoughts towards your master?¡± Grinning, Lu Chen replied, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®dirty thoughts¡¯? Could it be that you think everything we do is dirty?¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t answer the question. In her heart, she didn¡¯t believe anything they did was sacred. With Lu Chen, all she felt was her own degradation. Since arriving in Yan County, she had been engaging in mischief with Lu Chen every day. If this continued, that bad element would completely corrupt her. At that moment, Lu Chen raised his hand and tidied the messy hair on Chen Wanrong¡¯s cheek, then said, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking, if the master wants to quickly regain her strength, dual cultivation with me would actually be the best method. What do you think?¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. After coming back to her senses, she said coldly, ¡°I knew you were coveting Master¡¯s body! You¡¯re trying to betray and overthrow your own teacher!¡± Smiling, Lu Chen said, ¡°If it¡¯s betraying and overthrowing the teacher, so be it. I¡¯m doing this for her own good.¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t continue the conversation. What did he mean for their master¡¯s good? Clearly, this guy was just lustful at heart. Chen Wanrong then said, ¡°You¡¯re right about one thing. The master is a Celestial, and if you want to betray and overthrow her, you¡¯d need the capability to do so.¡± Lu Chen smiled lightly and said nothing more. What did it matter if she was a Celestial? He was already a Pseudo Celestial by now. Before long, he would also become a Celestial, and one day he was bound to conquer Yun Xianxian, that fairy. ¡­ Several days later. Lu Chen personally saw off Lu Yi and Xuanyuan Chen as they headed south. This time, they were headed south mainly to transport Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s Synthetic Camp by train to Yongan County, then from there into Heyang County, occupied by North Country, to attack directly. Seeing the variously shaped cannons on the train, Lu Yi stood there stunned. Although he had not yet witnessed how these weapons were used, just the thought that North Country was able to easily defeat the Barbarian Tribe and even crush the armies of Great Wu, totaling hundreds of thousands, filled Lu Yi¡¯s mind with immense shock. Then, the first steam train thunderously started up. As it let out a ¡°whoo,¡± the train began to slowly accelerate. Watching the steel giant gradually speeding towards the distance, Lu Yi was deeply moved once more. So this was the animal-free train mentioned in the newspapers? What a frightening load capacity! And this train hardly needed to rest. At this speed, it seemed likely that North Country¡¯s two hundred thousand troops could reach Heyang County in just a few days. Lu Yi, standing on the train platform, felt somewhat dazed, suddenly sensing as if he had been transported to another world. Why did North Country possess such terrifying mechanical inventions? And the North Prince had not been in North Country that long. Was this really something from this world? At this moment, Xue Linglong and the others from the Taiyin Divine Sect were just as incredulous as Lu Yi at the sight before them. Xue Linglong had originally planned to see Lu Yi off and pretend to cry a little, acting as though she couldn¡¯t bear his leaving. However, after seeing the enormous fleet of trains, Xue Linglong momentarily forgot she was there to bid farewell to Lu Yi, her gaze was pinned to the trains as if nailed there. Xue Linglong couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could these so-called trains be objects from the Immortal Realm? Did Lu Chen have real Immortals behind him? Thinking about it now, the bizarre objects of North Country were far too numerous. Everything in Yan County seemed to clash with this world, many things simply did not appear to belong, and even some of the North Prince¡¯s policies were completely different from the rest of the world. Seeing Lu Yi and the others staring blankly at the departing trains, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved upwards slightly; indeed, these things were quite advanced for the ancients. At that time, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Yi, after you arrive in Heyang County, if you need anything, just speak directly with General Xuanyuan. He will make sure the message gets through to me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Lu Yi finally snapped out of it. A bit lost, he said, ¡°Oh, okay, then thank you very much, Chen.¡± ¡°` Next to Lu Yi, Xue Linglong also came back to her senses. She said to Lu Yi, ¡°Darling, after you head south, you must take good care of yourself, wu wu wu¡­¡± As she spoke, Xue Linglong pretended to start sobbing, looking very heartbroken. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen sneered in his heart. This seductress was really good at acting; she probably couldn¡¯t wait for Lu Yi to go south so that she could come to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to seduce him. Lu Yi glanced at Xue Linglong and then at Lu Chen before saying, ¡°Linglong, if you have any problems after I leave, go see Chen. He will take good care of you all.¡± Having said that, Lu Yi patted Lu Chen on the shoulder and added, ¡°Chen, I¡¯m counting on you to take care of Linglong.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Rest assured, Yi, I will take good care of Linglong on your behalf. I won¡¯t let anyone bully her.¡± Lu Yi responded, ¡°With your promise, Yi¡¯s mind is at ease!¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time for me to leave!¡± As Lu Yi¡¯s words fell, a train slowly came to a stop at the platform, bearing the flag of Lu Yi¡¯s Personal Guards. Once the train stopped, Lu Yi directly entered the carriage. ¡°Chen, next time we meet, let¡¯s drink and be merry!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Sure thing! Yi, take care!¡± Before long, the train carrying Lu Yi started moving. As it slowly pulled away, Xue Linglong¡¯s sobbing grew louder. Eventually, she seemed to be so overcome with grief that she went limp. Had it not been for the maidservants by her side, she might have already been sitting on the ground. Seeing Xue Linglong¡¯s exaggerated reaction, Lu Chen laughed to himself once more. The man had already left, yet this seductress continued her performance ¡ª truly dedicated to her craft. He wondered when she would come to find him. With that thought, Lu Chen said to her, ¡°Linglong, don¡¯t worry. Yi¡¯s trip will be free of danger. Once he secures a foothold in Heyang County, he will send someone to pick you up to head south. It won¡¯t be long.¡± While sobbing, Xue Linglong said, ¡°I¡¯ll take your auspicious words to heart. I just hope that your Yi returns safely.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Linglong, the train is already far away. Go back and rest well. Don¡¯t cry yourself ill. Yi would feel heartbroken if he knew you¡¯ve hurt yourself from crying.¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Chen. I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Then, with the help of the maidservants from Lu Mansion, Xue Linglong left the train station platform. As soon as Xuanyuan Chen and his two hundred thousand troops arrived at Yongan County, the news quickly reached the court and the ears of Lu Yong, Huai Prince¡¯s son in Heyang County. The North Country¡¯s troop movements suddenly made the court anxious; after all, no one knew whether the North Prince was planning to march south to attack the Capital city. In a short time, the entire court was in a state of panic. Great Sum Capital city. The court today was as noisy as a marketplace. Following the failure of the Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion, those from his faction had mostly been purged, leaving officials from other Imperial Prince factions. Due to North Country¡¯s military mobilization, these Imperial Prince faction officials temporarily shared a common goal, significantly harmonizing the court atmosphere. There had been no mutual criticisms in recent days. Sitting on the throne, Sum Emperor coughed violently, feigning a near-death appearance. Upon hearing his cough, the entire court fell silent instantly. When no one else spoke, Sum Emperor finally opened his mouth and said, ¡°My dear officials, regarding North Prince¡¯s troop movements to the south, what are your thoughts?¡± Hearing this question, the ministers looked at each other, hesitant to speak. After a pause, the Minister of War stood up and said, ¡°This minister believes that North Prince will not launch a campaign to the south just yet. He is probably aiming to attack Heyang County!¡± Pausing for a moment, the Minister of War was interrupted by Sum Emperor¡¯s cough. ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°If North Prince really wanted to rebel now, he would certainly attack Qi Country first to prevent any backstabbing. Yet now they bypass Qi Country and moved troops to Yongan County, which is so far from the Qi capital. It¡¯s clear that North Country¡¯s target is not Qi Country. It¡¯s highly likely North Country is aiming for Great Wu¡¯s Youping County, to attack Heyang County from there, taking it from Huai Prince¡¯s remnants.¡± Sum Emperor pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Cough cough, Chen really is my good son! Still thinking about conquering territories for me!¡± Just as Sum Emperor¡¯s words fell, a Red Ribbon Messenger¡¯s voice rang out from outside. ¡°Urgent report from the northwest!¡± Immediately the Red Ribbon Messenger entered the hall, ¡°Urgent report from the northwest! North Country¡¯s two hundred thousand troops have moved towards Youping County and are just a river away from Heyang County!¡± Hearing this, the court officials were taken aback. It seemed the Minister of War was right; North Prince¡¯s target was indeed Heyang County. But what was the real purpose of North Prince attacking Heyang County? If North Prince had designs on seizing power, why not just advance southwards directly? Why bother attacking Heyang County at all? Descending from Heyang County in such a roundabout manner was a sheer waste of time. At that moment, a Shadow Guard appeared beside Sum Emperor, handing over a report directly to him. After reading the Shadow Guard¡¯s report, Sum Emperor¡¯s face turned dark instantly. He had also been contemplating why that rebellious son wanted to attack Heyang County, but now, understanding swept over him upon seeing the Shadow Guard¡¯s report. Chapter 689 - Chapter 689: Chapter 414: The Provoked Lu Yi_1 Chapter 689: Chapter 414: The Provoked Lu Yi_1 The Sum Emperor had not anticipated that after his eldest son went missing, he would actually flee to the North Country. Not only did he flee to the North Country, but he also enticed Lu Chen, that rebellious child, to collude with him. The two of them were actually in cahoots. When Lu Chen attacked Heyang County, he probably didn¡¯t do so to occupy it for himself but to lend troops to Prince Lu Yi, and then use Prince Lu Yi as a pawn, allowing Prince Lu Yi to continue depleting the court¡¯s strength while Lu Chen would be just watching from behind. The Sum Emperor was extremely intuitive; simply by looking at the intelligence reports from the Shadow Guards, he had already guessed the purpose behind the North Country¡¯s dispatch of troops. After the morning court session ended, the Sum Emperor went straight to the Royal Garden. By then, Elder Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou had already been waiting in the Royal Garden. Upon hearing about the collusion between Lu Yi and the North Prince, Elder Yu Changqing said with a smile, ¡°It seems that it won¡¯t be long before the North Prince will lead troops southward.¡± The Sum Emperor asked, ¡°Why does Elder Yu think so?¡± ¡°He is now supporting Prince Lu Yi, using Prince Lu Yi as his pawn to exhaust the court¡¯s power. How could he possibly march southward in a short period of time?¡± Elder Yu Changqing continued, ¡°With the support of the former Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, it¡¯s impossible for the North Prince to keep dragging his feet. In my view, his lending troops to Prince Lu Yi, helping Prince Lu Yi establish influence, serves in part to probe the court¡¯s strength, and in part as a preparation for his eventual march southward.¡± ¡°If Prince Lu Yi truly reaches the Capital city, I dare guarantee that the North Prince will immediately march southward under the pretext of aiding the Emperor.¡± After hearing Elder Yu Changqing¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor thought for a moment and felt there was some logic to it. If it was truly the case, he would just need to wait in the Capital city, then have Zhao King lead troops into the city, and finally let troops led by Prince Lu Yi pass by unimpeded. It wouldn¡¯t take long before the North Prince would believe the legitimate opportunity had arrived and then march southward with his army. In this way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the North Prince remaining in the North Country indefinitely, leaving him with no recourse. As long as that rebellious child left the North Country, he would surely be able to eliminate him. Thinking this, the Sum Emperor said, ¡°I only hope that rebellious child really will do as you say.¡± It was then Elder Yu Changqing said, ¡°Now that the North Prince has made his move, we must also accelerate our actions here.¡± The Sum Emperor replied indifferently, ¡°The rate at which that weapon absorbs blood essence has clearly slowed down; it should not be long before it can be used again.¡± Elder Yu Changqing remarked, ¡°If that is the case, then I am relieved.¡± Everything was essentially ready now; they were just waiting for the North Prince to march southward. Once the North Prince did so, the former Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace would surely follow southward, and at that time, their several forces would unavoidably come to a head. The Sum Emperor thought to himself that once that rebellious child died, he could become a Celestial in a short period of time. Then he would take action to deal with both Elder Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou, and immediately dispatch troops to attack Mysterious Moon Palace afterward. In this manner, there would be no one in the whole of Great Sum who could threaten his throne in the future, and other dynasties would have to bow down and pay homage to him. Thinking about this, the corners of the Sum Emperor¡¯s mouth involuntarily lifted slightly. Elder Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou, these two fools, surely did not anticipate what his conditions for merging paths were. If the two of them knew what the conditions for his merging paths were, they wouldn¡¯t have come to cooperate with him voluntarily. At that moment, the Sum Emperor felt extremely satisfied. I shall ultimately be the final victor! ¡­ Meanwhile. Heyang County, Shunan City. Within the Prefectural Government, a corpulent man was drinking wine, watching the enchanting twists of the dancers, with a beauty at each side of him. Just then, a guard suddenly burst in and exclaimed, ¡°Prince, something terrible has happened!¡± Upon this exclamation, the dance of the hall¡¯s dancers ceased, and the music stopped. The fat man¡¯s complexion instantly darkened; he slammed his wine cup onto the ground with a smack and said viciously, ¡°What¡¯s all this racket for? Can¡¯t you see that this Prince is in the middle of dining!¡± The guard, frightened, immediately kneeled, kowtowing while pleading, ¡°Spare your mercy, Prince! Spare your mercy!¡± The man waved his hand and said to the two beauties by his side, ¡°Leave me; I¡¯ve lost all interest now.¡± Hearing this, the two beauties hurriedly left his side. After the dancing girls and the musicians had left the hall, the man then demanded, ¡°Speak, what has happened!¡± The guard quickly reported, ¡°Prince Lu Yi has borrowed two hundred thousand troops from the North Country and is preparing to attack Heyang County. They are now only separated from Heyang County by a river.¡± At these words, the man¡¯s face changed dramatically, filled with incredible panic. ¡°How¡­ how could this be¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only just started enjoying a few days of peace. How could someone come to bother me again¡­¡± The man was the third son of Huai Prince, the former Huai Prince being his father. After the Huai Prince was defeated and killed, Lu Yong escaped with some of his father¡¯s men out of their domain. Then, without the approval of the court, he took over Heyang County and declared himself king. Lu Yong had thought that, with the court overextended and Great Sum in turmoil, the court wouldn¡¯t be able to send troops to subjugate them, and that he could enjoy his time in Heyang County. But to his surprise, not long thereafter, Crown Prince, who had failed in a coup, had actually fled to the North Country and brought back two hundred thousand troops to attack him! Those were soldiers of the North Country! The combat power of the North Country soldiers was something he had heard of as notorious. Chapter 690 - Chapter 690: Chapter 414: The Provoked Lu Yi_2 Chapter 690: Chapter 414: The Provoked Lu Yi_2 The Barbarian Tribe had invaded the south several times, but they had always been defeated by the North Country; even Great Wu, a hugely powerful dynasty, ended up facing a crushing defeat when they waged war against the North Country. How could their small number of soldiers possibly withstand the soldiers of the North Country! While Lu Yong lay on the ground trembling violently, a guard tentatively asked, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, shall we surrender?¡± ¡°Prince Lu Yi borrowed troops from the North Country to attack Heyang County, certainly not content with failing in the mutiny, preparing to start over again. If we pledge allegiance to Prince Lu Yi, he surely won¡¯t treat us harshly.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yong suddenly snapped back to attention. He immediately scolded, ¡°Surrender? What joke is this! How could I possibly surrender!¡± ¡°If I surrendered, would I have the good life I have now!¡± ¡°No matter how formidable the North Country¡¯s soldiers are, there¡¯s such a large river in between. As long as we defend by the riverbank, I refuse to believe they can make it across!¡± ¡°Summon the generals immediately!¡± Before long, former subordinates of the Huai Prince arrived in the hall. When they heard that Prince Lu Yi was borrowing troops to launch an attack, they were all greatly panicked. Yet soon, like Lu Yong, they too remembered the large river between Youping County and Heyang County. If Prince Lu Yi wanted to attack Heyang County, he would inevitably need to cross the river. As long as they defended along the riverbank, even the most skilled soldiers of the North Country wouldn¡¯t stand a chance of getting across. If those North Country soldiers attempted to force their way across the river, their fate would likely be that of drowned souls. With this thought, the subordinates of the Huai Prince suddenly became incredibly optimistic. ¡­ By the Quanping River. On the side of Youping County. The soldiers of the North Country were busy establishing cannon positions. Lu Yi wasn¡¯t sure how to use the cannons. Seeing the vast river before his eyes, his gaze immediately filled with worry. If they wanted to cross from Youping County, they had to cross the river. But with such a wide river, once they started crossing, they would become live targets for the other bank. At this moment, Lu Yi looked to General Xuanyuan Chen beside him and inquired, ¡°General Xuanyuan, how do you think we should fight this battle?¡± Although Xuanyuan Chen was assisting Lu Yi in expanding his territory, the command of the war still lay with Xuanyuan Chen. Lu Yi wanted to see how Xuanyuan Chen planned to solve the problem of crossing the river. After surveying the river ahead, just as Xuanyuan Chen was about to speak, a soldier approached and said, ¡°Your Highness, General, the boats for the river crossing are ready!¡± Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chen turned to Lu Yi and stated, ¡°Please be at ease, Your Highness. In no more than three days, we shall reach the opposite bank.¡± Xuanyuan Chen did not directly answer Lu Yi¡¯s question. When Lu Yi asked him how they were to fight this battle, clearly, he was unaware of the power of the North Country¡¯s cannons. This time, they had brought a significant number of heavy cannons. The range of these cannons far exceeded the width of the river. With the cannons providing cover, the North Country soldiers would have no problem crossing. Seeing that Xuanyuan Chen did not respond directly and appeared so confident, Lu Yi frowned slightly, but he could not say much since Xuanyuan Chen was not his man. Just then, Xuanyuan Chen pulled out a telescope and surveyed the situation on the opposite riverbank. It seemed the other side had also realized the threat and were building defensive fortifications. Seeing Xuanyuan Chen holding a strange object and looking into the distance, Lu Yi grew curious about what it was. Just as he was about to inquire, Xuanyuan Chen handed the telescope directly to him, ¡°Your Highness, this is a telescope, which allows one to clearly see the situation on the opposite side. Please have a look.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Yi paused. However, after having seen so many novelties in the North Country, especially after witnessing the colossal invention of the train, Lu Yi no longer had a surprised reaction to new gadgets. He took the telescope from Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s hand and, imitating Xuanyuan Chen, looked into the distance. He saw that events on the other side of the river appeared as if they were right before his eyes, and were incredibly clear. Lu Yi thought to himself that the device was really useful, especially suited for scouting enemy positions. Thinking this, Lu Yi¡¯s heart balanced out. Lu Chen, a unanimously recognized useless individual, had, upon arriving in the North Country, come up with so many useful and strange gadgets. The North Country was still a land of bitter cold. Even in such a poor place, they could come up with these devices. If back then, his imperial father had assigned the North Prince to a richer area in the south, perhaps the North Prince might have been able to fly by now? While Lu Yi was curious about how the North Prince had acquired these objects, Xuanyuan Chen beside him spoke up, ¡°Your Highness, I plan to launch an attack on Heyang County tomorrow. What do you think?¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words, Lu Yi moved the telescope from his view and looking at Xuanyuan Chen, he asked, ¡°General Xuanyuan, are you confident?¡± Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°I repeat what I said earlier ¨C within three days, we will have captured the opposite bank.¡± Lu Yi replied, ¡°Then I shall await General Xuanyuan¡¯s good news!¡± Lu Yi did not believe that Xuanyuan Chen could reach the other side in three days. He had just observed through the telescope that the opposite side had already stationed numerous soldiers, and their defensive structures, including trebuchets, were all ready. Taking it down in three days would be no easy feat. But since Xuanyuan Chen had spoken, Lu Yi did not wish to argue further. After all, Xuanyuan Chen was not his man. Chapter 691 - Chapter 691: Chapter 414: The Provoked Lu Yi_3 Chapter 691: Chapter 414: The Provoked Lu Yi_3 The more arrogant the subordinates of the North Prince were, the better it was for him. If one day he and the North Prince had a falling out and war ensued, these arrogant generals could become a disaster for the North Country. However, Lu Yi soon discovered that Xuanyuan Chen was not arrogant. On the contrary, the time Xuanyuan Chen estimated was somewhat conservative. Meanwhile. On the opposite riverbank. A general clad in armor looked at the military camp where North Country¡¯s soldiers were stationed and confidently said, ¡°I have long heard that North Country¡¯s soldiers are brave and good at fighting, very impressive. Let this general have a good experience. I want to see just how formidable North Country¡¯s soldiers really are!¡± ¡­ Early the next morning. Lu Yi was still sleeping in his tent when the deafening sound of drumming woke him up. He awoke to find his face looking very ugly. He said to the trusted aide outside his tent, ¡°Chen Lie, what happened?¡± The guard immediately entered the tent and said, ¡°Your Highness, General Xuanyuan has launched an attack!¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi¡¯s face instantly darkened. Although Xuanyuan Chen and his men were not his own subordinates, they were sent by the North Prince Faction to help him capture Heyang County. Yet these fellows didn¡¯t even inform him before launching the attack, just started drumming as if he didn¡¯t exist at all. Though he was displeased, Lu Yi didn¡¯t say much. He got up, dressed, skipped breakfast, and went directly to the front. He wanted to see how North Country¡¯s soldiers fought. As soon as Lu Yi reached the frontline, the artillery positions let out deafening roars. Lu Yi wasn¡¯t far from the artillery positions, and each blast felt like a direct hit to his innards, causing his body to involuntarily tremble with the sound of the gunfire. Soon, Lu Yi saw the opposite riverbank get enveloped in clouds of dirt. He hurriedly asked someone to bring him a telescope to observe the situation on the other side. Seeing the cannonballs explode and blow Huai Prince¡¯s soldiers to pieces, Lu Yi¡¯s legs started to tremble uncontrollably. Was this the power of these weapons? How terrifying! Lu Yi finally understood why neither the Barbarian Tribe nor Great Wu were a match for North Country. The firepower of these cannons was akin to that of a Grandmaster, and crucially, there were enough of them. As long as North Country could keep producing them, even if some nation or power had many Grandmasters, they might not be a match for North Country. The continuous barrage from these cannons might even exhaust a Grandmaster to death. Watching the cannonballs relentless harvest the lives of soldiers on the other bank, Lu Yi¡¯s face turned pale. This was no war; it was a one-sided slaughter. With the power of these cannons, would it take three days to reach the opposite shore? No, even two hours might be unnecessary! Lu Yi quickly noticed that North Country warships had already started crossing the river. These warships were hastily modified, but the ships were equipped with things like mortars¡ªsmall cannons. As the warships drew near the opposite shore, a few surviving Huai Prince¡¯s soldiers tried to resist stubbornly, only to be dispatched after a few blasts. The bombardment lasted for only about an hour, and soon Lu Yi¡¯s trusted aides¡¯ military flags were planted on the riverbank fortifications across the way. Xuanyuan Chen and his men were only helping Lu Yi seize Heyang County, so the flags could not bear the emblem of the North Country. Seeing the flag fluttering on the flagpole, Lu Yi sat down hard on the ground. In theory, once North Country¡¯s soldiers successfully crossed the river, it wouldn¡¯t be long until he could take Heyang County, and soon he would be able to make a comeback. He should be happy¡ªyet he couldn¡¯t feel any joy at that moment. The thought that he might have to face the cannons of North Country in the future filled Lu Yi with fear. If he had led a traditional army to launch a river-crossing battle, it would have probably taken months to achieve success, whereas the army of the North Country needed less than two hours to eliminate the defending troops across the river. What kind of war was this¡­ If one day the North Prince led his troops southward, could it be that less than a month would be needed to directly take down the Capital City and change dynasties? Lu Yi¡¯s trusted aide quickly supported him, ¡°Your Highness, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?¡± ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± At this moment, Lu Yi¡¯s gaze was vacant, as if he could no longer hear the sounds of the outside world, like he was sitting on the ground, staring at the artillery smoke on the opposite bank of the river. After what seemed like an eternity, Lu Yi¡¯s ears gradually began to pick up the voices of his aides, and he said weakly, ¡°Help me up.¡± The aides hurriedly helped Lu Yi to his feet and escorted him back to the tent. The scene witnessed today was a profound shock to Lu Yi; he had never imagined that war could be so swift. After General Xuanyuan¡¯s troops occupied the other side of the river, he came to the outside of Lu Yi¡¯s tent. He intended to symbolically report the battle situation to Lu Yi, but Lu Yi¡¯s aides stopped General Xuanyuan, saying, ¡°General Xuanyuan, the Prince is indisposed, he has entrusted you with full responsibility for this war. You can report to him after Heyang County has been captured. There is no need to report to him in the meantime.¡± General Xuanyuan did not persist; he clasped his hands, saying, ¡°I understand, then the Prince should rest well.¡± ¡­ One day later. Inside Shunan City. Lu Yong was enjoying the service of the beauty, when suddenly a group of generals stormed into the hall. ¡°Prince, this is terrible!¡± ¡°Prince, Prince Lu Yi is coming for us!¡± ¡­ The sudden influx of generals sent Lu Yong into panic; his body instantly stiffened, and his overweight form was unable to rise, lying on top of the beauty. Lu Yong said in terror, ¡°How is that possible!¡± ¡°Impossible, with Quanping River as a barrier, how could the North Country¡¯s soldiers cross over so quickly!¡± Seeing Lu Yong flattened on the beauty, in a state of panic, trying to get up but unable to, the generals grew even more distressed. They were already battered and defeated, barely finding a stable place. They thought they could continue their extravagant lifestyle here, only to have it quickly shattered by Prince Lu Yi. At that moment, a general suddenly remarked, ¡°You all saw the weapon North Country used just now. If this continues, our deaths are certain.¡± Another general suggested, ¡°Why not surrender? Prince Lu Yi is in need of men now; he certainly won¡¯t make things difficult for us.¡± Hearing their words, Lu Yong, who was lying on top of the beauty like a fat pig, chimed in, ¡°Yes, surrender! I surrender!¡± However, no sooner had he spoken than everyone¡¯s gaze turned sharply towards Lu Yong, their eyes filled with ruthless killing intent. The next moment, a general drew his sword and pierced both Lu Yong and the beauty with a single thrust. Lu Yong couldn¡¯t fathom, even in death, that it was these very people who had supported him in taking over his father¡¯s position, and now they had turned on him so abruptly. Chapter 692 - Chapter 692: Chapter 415: As Long as the North Prince Falls in Love with Me_1 Chapter 692: Chapter 415: As Long as the North Prince Falls in Love with Me_1 After Lu Yong died, his subordinates carried Lu Yong¡¯s head over to the soldiers of North Country and surrendered. It took Xuanyuan Chen less than half a month to take down the entire Heyang County after launching the attack. Although Lu Yi remained within his own tent all this while, he was aware of the occurrences outside. He had actually anticipated the outcome for Lu Yong from the very first day of the war. Xuanyuan Chen had completed the river crossing battle in merely one day, and after the Huai Prince¡¯s subordinates had been bombarded by the artillery of North Country, how could they possibly harbor any thoughts of resistance? After Xuanyuan Chen had taken control over the entire Heyang County, he once again visited Lu Yi¡¯s tent. Xuanyuan had not sought Lu Yi during these days, knowing that Lu Yi was somewhat shaken up and reluctant to meet with others for the time being. However, now that Heyang County was taken and the Huai Prince had lost his head, with the Prince¡¯s subordinates having surrendered to Lu Yi, it was now Lu Yi¡¯s turn to enter the stage. When Xuanyuan Chen arrived at Lu Yi¡¯s tent, he called out loudly, ¡°Your Highness, Heyang County has been taken. The Huai Prince¡¯s subordinates have delivered the Huai Prince¡¯s head. What do you think should be done next?¡± Upon hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s voice, Lu Yi inside the tent began to cough violently. The trusted aide outside the tent hurriedly said, ¡°General Xuanyuan, the prince has been ill these past few days and has yet to recover. Perhaps you should first take those people into custody, and we can revisit the matter once His Highness is better.¡± After hearing the trusted aide¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Alright then.¡± Xuanyuan Chen did not think much of it and left the encampment, heading directly to the opposite shore of the river. Several days passed, and Lu Yi¡¯s illness finally showed some signs of improvement. Lu Yi did not choose to execute the Huai Prince¡¯s subordinates. Though he felt in his heart that these men were unreliable¡ªafter all, they were those who had carried Lu Yong¡¯s head over to surrender¡ªand such men might surrender once or countless times. If a day came when he and Lu Chen went to war, these same men might also kill him to surrender or tie him up to send to North Country. But there was no helping it. Despite his reluctance in heart, he lacked manpower and had to keep these men around for the time being. The soldiers of North Country were indeed formidable, yet none of them were his men. Soon, they would return to North Country, and he must seize the time to build an army of his own. Having witnessed the way North Country waged war, Lu Yi became even more eager. He needed to quickly build his power and then find a way to obtain the artillery schematics from North Country. He could not afford to remain in decline. When Lu Yi arrived at the capital of Heyang County, Shunan City, he issued a proclamation claiming that corrupt officials now ruled, the Emperor was misled, and as Crown Prince, he would stand up to save Great Sum, eliminate the traitorous officials, and called upon the righteous people of the land to join him and advance to the Capital city to support the Emperor. Once the call for ¡°Supporting the Emperor in the Capital¡± was made, quite a few forces chose to align themselves with Lu Yi. Though the current prowess of Lu Yi seemed modest, these forces were not fools¡ªthey saw the enormous backing behind him. Lu Yi took less than a month to conquer Heyang County, clearly with strong support from the North Prince. With the backing of the North Prince, it would be effortless for Lu Yi to plot and usurp power, especially since he was already the Crown Prince, the legitimate heir to the throne. This news quickly reached the Capital city. When the Sum Emperor learned that Lu Yi had gathered a large number of people and intended to support the Emperor in the Capital, he was incredibly joyous. He had initially thought that Lu Yi would occupy Heyang County and develop it for a while. He did not expect Lu Yi to raise the ¡°Supporting the Emperor in the Capital¡± slogan so promptly. Since Lu Yi had already made the call, it suggested that the army under his command would soon march towards the Capital city. If Lu Yi reached the Capital, perhaps it would not be long before that rebel in the north made his move. Meanwhile. In North Country, at the Lu Mansion. Xue Linglong wore a black gauze dress, semi-translucent, as if her snowy skin could be glimpsed beneath. At this moment, Yu Tianlu arrived at Xue Linglong¡¯s side and handed a piece of intelligence over to her. Xue Linglong received the intelligence, glanced through it, and then said with a soft laugh, ¡°The military power of North Country truly is impressive. It did not even require a month to occupy the entire Heyang County.¡± ¡°If the North Prince does indeed lead his troops south, it might take even less than a month for them to reach the gates of the Capital city.¡± Yu Tianlu then said, ¡°We can almost confirm that the North Prince is the ¡®Son of Destiny¡¯ we¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°If we could sacrifice him, we would definitely be able to resurrect the Sect Hierarch, but the North Prince has always stayed in Yan County, and that Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace seems to also be in Yan County. It won¡¯t be easy for us to take the North Prince away.¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°That¡¯s simple. The North Prince is fond of beauty, so I can sacrifice my charms and seduce him.¡± ¡°As long as the North Prince falls in love with me, I will find a way to deceive him into willingly sacrificing himself.¡± Upon hearing this, Yu Tianlu was startled for a moment, then said, ¡°Saintess, this might not be appropriate?¡± ¡°After all, you are the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect, the Hierarch¡¯s woman. If the Hierarch gets resurrected and finds out what happened between you and the North Prince¡­ he probably¡­¡± Yu Tianlu did not continue, as he believed Xue Linglong understood his implication. Xue Linglong indifferently said, ¡°If I do not sacrifice my charms, how could I have the chance to get close to the North Prince? And without getting close to him, how can we resurrect the Sect Hierarch?¡± ¡°What we need to do right now is resurrect the Sect Hierarch. As for other matters, we can think about them after the Hierarch is resurrected.¡± ¡°Besides, I have no real intention of offering myself like that. With the Yin Yang Mirror, I can create illusions that are almost real.¡± Upon hearing this, Yu Tianlu immediately understood. Right, the Yin Yang Mirror is in the possession of their Saintess. Its capabilities are not limited to just concealing a person¡¯s aura and strength; it can also create illusions, and typically, people cannot tell whether those illusions are real or fake. With this in mind, Yu Tianlu felt relieved. Next, all they needed to do was to plan carefully on how to get close to the North Prince without him noticing their true intention. At this very moment. Inside the North Prince Mansion. Wu Junwan sat in the pavilion, looking at the intelligence report brought by her servant, and couldn¡¯t help but sigh softly. Murong Xue¡¯er said from the side, ¡°Your Highness, why do you sigh? Is it because the Prince hasn¡¯t visited your room for too long?¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan scoffed coldly, ¡°What do you take me for? Do you think I¡¯m some kind of libertine who only knows the pleasures of men and women?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er wasn¡¯t frightened by Wu Junwan¡¯s icy tone, and said softly, ¡°According to the observations of this servant in the past, Your Highness seemed to truly enjoy it.¡± Wu Junwan said icily, ¡°You dare to speak to me like this only because we are in the North Country.¡± At this point, Wu Junwan placed the intelligence report she held in front of Murong Xue¡¯er, who took it and saw that it was about Heyang County. The fact that North Country had conquered Heyang County so swiftly was within Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s expectations; after all, the military might of the North Country was well recognized. Suddenly, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Have you ever witnessed the power of a cannon?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er replied, ¡°This servant also wants to witness it, but the Prince has always been wary of this servant.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°If I ask him to let me see the cannon up close, do you think he would agree?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er responded, ¡°If your Highness asks, this servant believes the Prince would most likely agree.¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words, Wu Junwan sighed again. It would be great if that young man really agreed. Having been in the North Country for so long, she still had not had a chance to interact with the cannon, except for that time when she saw those metal tubes being carried on the train from a distance when Lu Chen sent Lu Yi off. She was now very curious about how powerful a cannon really was. Just then, a familiar man¡¯s voice rang out at the entrance of the courtyard. ¡°If you want to see the cannon, it¡¯s not impossible. There happens to be an opportunity this afternoon.¡± Chapter 693 - Chapter 693: Chapter 416: Does the Empress Like It?_1 Chapter 693: Chapter 416: Does the Empress Like It?_1 Hearing the man¡¯s voice, both women turned their heads to look at the entrance of the courtyard, only to see the bad element they hadn¡¯t met for almost half a month, swaggering into the yard. Lu Chen walked directly to Wu Junwan¡¯s side and sat down, then naturally wrapped his arm around Wu Junwan¡¯s slender waist. Wu Junwan chuckled and said, ¡°The North Prince is truly a busy man, this Palace has not seen the North Prince for nearly half a month.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My fault, I have indeed been quite busy lately.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°As a ruler of a nation, the Prince is so ready to admit fault, wouldn¡¯t that be a loss of dignity?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Dignity is for strangers.¡± Wu Junwan continued, ¡°This Palace has heard that the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace has come to the North Prince Mansion, and the North Prince has been so busy these half a month. Could it be that you have been busy discussing important matters with that Palace Master in bed?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen looked at Murong Xue¡¯er next to him, and asked with a smile, ¡°Xue¡¯er, do you smell a sour scent?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er answered expressionlessly, ¡°This servant smells it, very sour.¡± Seeing these two echoing each other against her, Wu Junwan snorted coldly and then said, ¡°The Prince just said that there would be an opportunity this afternoon to take us to see North Country¡¯s cannons. Is the Prince serious about that?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I will take you there shortly.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen truly agreed, the two women were immediately very pleased. Although they had already fallen for Lu Chen and had no intention of causing trouble in North Country anymore, deep down they still had some obsessions. One such obsession was their desire to know just how powerful North Country¡¯s weapons were. Wu Junwan then continued to ask, ¡°You helped Prince Lu Yi seize Heyang County and assisted him in expanding his influence. Aren¡¯t you afraid that when he becomes a force to be reckoned with, you will have no way to control him?¡± Lu Chen responded with a light smile, ¡°If I were truly worried about that, I would not have loaned him the troops.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s nonchalance, Wu Junwan reminded him, ¡°Lending troops to others so casually, and with North Country¡¯s weapons, be careful they might steal your North Country¡¯s weapons and then use them against North Country.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen pulled Wu Junwan closer to him and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so concerned about North Country¡¯s affairs now. It seems you¡¯ve gotten used to your new identity.¡± Wu Junwan replied emotionlessly, ¡°This Palace only wishes not to see North Country¡¯s weapons scattered, bringing more wars to this world.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You are really not a bit frank.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen let go of Wu Junwan¡¯s waist, stood up, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, follow this Prince to watch the artillery training.¡± Hearing this, the two women instantly brimmed with interest, and they quickly got up and followed Lu Chen to the Artillery Barracks. The artillery training was quite noisy, so it was located a distance away from Yan County, and on their way to the Artillery Barracks, they even took a short ride on a train. Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er sat inside the train, their minds filled with myriad thoughts. Compared to a carriage, Lu Chen¡¯s private train was much more spacious and luxurious, and even as a Princess, Wu Junwan had never ridden in such a luxurious vehicle in her life. Lu Chen¡¯s private train, just like a moving room, was no different, and indeed the carriage even had a bed inside. Seeing the bed not far away, Wu Junwan¡¯s mind conjured up images of Lu Chen doing wicked things with his wives and concubines on that bed. Just as the two women were lost in thought, Lu Chen said, ¡°We will sleep on the train tonight; we won¡¯t go back.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er were startled, well aware of what they had just been thinking, and a blush rose to their cheeks. At that moment, a rumbling sound came from the distance, like thunder, and hearing such dense ¡°thunder,¡± the two women were startled. They didn¡¯t believe it was thunder. After all, the skies were clear, and it was unlikely to have such dense thunder sounds. According to information they previously collected, North Country¡¯s weapons were closely associated with the sound of thunder. It looked like they were approaching North Country¡¯s Artillery Barracks. Just then, the train whistle blew, letting out a ¡°whoo¡­¡± sound, and then the train began to slow down, and before long, it came to a stop. Lu Chen led the two women out of the train, and as soon as they exited, they were greeted with the pungent smell of gunpowder. Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er had never smelled such a strong scent of gunpowder, and it made them quite uncomfortable. Then, by identifying the direction of the sound, the two women quickly located where the ¡°thunder¡± was coming from and looked in that direction in unison. Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Is this thunder sound the result of North Country¡¯s cannons?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, although it¡¯s more accurate to call it cannon fire.¡± Wu Junwan turned to Lu Chen and confirmed, ¡°Are you sure you want to take us to see your soldiers¡¯ training? Both Xue¡¯er and I came from an enemy nation to steal intelligence.¡± Even though they already shared the intimacy of marriage and had enjoyed each other countless times, this kind of relationship might not be very stable. The beauty trap is the most common strategy of all. Chapter 694 - Chapter 694: Chapter 416: Does the Empress Like It?_2 Chapter 694: Chapter 416: Does the Empress Like It?_2 Even if they professed their deep love for Lu Chen in bed, or even sweetly called him ¡°darling,¡± they could still potentially betray him. Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er had always believed that Lu Chen didn¡¯t fully trust the two of them, but rather, because of Lu Chen¡¯s powerful strength, he didn¡¯t fear them stealing any information from the North Prince Mansion. The cannons of the North Country were the core secret of the nation, and Wu Junwan was still somewhat incredulous that Lu Chen would willingly expose their core secret to them. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯ve come this far; do you really think I¡¯m just teasing you?¡± Wu Junwan lightly responded, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret it later.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t mind and directly led Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er to the training grounds. When the training soldiers heard that the Prince was coming, they quickly ceased their training and lined up in two rows to wait for Lu Chen¡¯s arrival. Once Lu Chen entered the training field, the soldiers spoke in unison, ¡°Greetings to the Prince! Long live the Prince, long live, long live!¡± After entering the training grounds, Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t mind me, continue your training.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the soldiers returned to their original positions. By then, Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gaze had already fallen on the cannons at the firing range, staring intently at the soldiers¡¯ operation process, seemingly afraid to miss even a single step. After a while, a soldier pulled the cannon¡¯s lanyard, and subsequently, a deafening sound emanated, followed by the target area being blown up, sending dust flying chaotically. Witnessing this stunning scene, both women were stunned. Wu Junwan felt a twinge in her heart. No wonder the North Country could so easily defeat the Great Wu Dynasty. She sensed the realm of these artillerymen; most were at the first tier, with some not even reaching that level ¡ª they were simply physically stronger commoners. An ordinary person could operate such a powerful weapon, and one round from the cannon could kill a Grandmaster or even hinder the movements of a Great Grandmaster. If there were enough of these weapons, the martial artists of other dynasties would be no different from commoners in the face of the North Country. No, more accurately, no different from ants. At this moment, the training soldiers performed a volley with the cannons, and in an instant, the distant target range was blasted with numerous large pits, and the rising dust seemed to form a wall several meters high. Seeing this, Wu Junwan was completely dumbstruck, and Murong Xue¡¯er felt similarly, thinking that if the Da Yue Dynasty really went up against the North Country, they likely wouldn¡¯t have a chance of winning. It seemed that regaining her freedom was only a matter of time, as her original agreement with Lu Chen stipulated she¡¯d be granted her freedom once the Da Yue Dynasty was vanquished. The North Country possessing such formidable weapons meant the downfall of the Da Yue was a foregone conclusion. Murong Xue¡¯er suddenly felt a sense of confusion, wondering what she would do once she regained her freedom. Leave the North Country and find a place rich in scholarly atmosphere where she could settle down? Cannon fire continued to resound, but the thoughts of the two women had already drifted away from the artillery field. After what seemed like ages, Lu Chen saw the two women were lost in thought, and he spoke up, ¡°Would you like to try it out yourselves?¡± On hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Wu Junwan came to her senses and said, ¡°It seems you truly aren¡¯t afraid of me figuring out the structure of these cannons.¡± Lu Chen was about to say something when Wu Junwan continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need, I¡¯ve seen enough to know that the use of these cannons is far from difficult, and it¡¯s not the launchers themselves that wield the killing effect, but those metal balls.¡± Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s lack of interest, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Since you¡¯re not interested, let¡¯s go elsewhere to see how the other soldiers train.¡± Following that, Lu Chen took the two women to various other training fields. After an afternoon, Wu Junwan had noticed that in addition to terrifying weapons, the North Country¡¯s army had very different training methods and military discipline. Their army appeared to be more disciplined, achieving the mark of immediate obedience to orders. This greatly surprised Wu Junwan; such a lustful man actually had an army with such good discipline¡ªit was completely incongruent with the ruler, the North Prince. As evening approached, Lu Chen returned to the train with Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er. The moonlight tonight was beautifully clear, its rays shining through the train windows into the cabin, casting a saintly glow on people¡¯s faces. Lu Chen led Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er to the second carriage, where the table was already full of food. There were no lights turned on in the carriage; instead, candles were lit, making the food look even more appetizing under their flame, and stimulating the appetite. Wu Junwan was somewhat puzzled, not knowing what Lu Chen was up to. Lu Chen smiled and said to Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°Please, take a seat.¡± Without giving it much thought, the two women sat down to enjoy the dinner, and it had to be said, the food of the Prince¡¯s Mansion greatly suited their taste; since both had lived in the mansion, they could no longer enjoy food from outside. At this moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that every evening, the Prince dines with his wives and concubines. Why didn¡¯t you go back to dine with them tonight?¡± Chapter 695 - Chapter 695: Chapter 416: Does the Empress Like It?_3 Chapter 695: Chapter 416: Does the Empress Like It?_3 Although Wu Junwan had never been to Wind Cloud Court, she had already come to understand the situation within the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion quite well. When Wu Junwan asked this question, Lu Chen casually replied, ¡°Wasn¡¯t I supposed to take you to watch the soldiers train today? There¡¯s no helping it, we can¡¯t make it back in time.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°With the speed of the train, if the Prince wished, you could still make it back in time for dinner at the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Although the Artillery Barracks in Yan County are relatively far, it¡¯s not to the extent that we can¡¯t make it back, especially since we¡¯re taking a train, which is much faster than a carriage. Even if we went back now, Lu Chen might still make it in time for dinner at the Prince¡¯s Mansion. Wu Junwan distinctly felt that this young man was plotting something. Lu Chen said, ¡°The two of you have also been at the Prince¡¯s Mansion for a while, and I haven¡¯t joined you for meals before, so let¡¯s consider this evening my compensation.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Does the Prince really think I am as pretentious as those women in the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Lu Chen chuckled. This woman was truly impervious to oil and salt. Murong Xue¡¯er directly asked, ¡°Prince, you must have called us out for something important, right?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen took them out on a train just to watch soldiers train. If it were only for that purpose, they could have completely gone back tonight. Not going back meant there was an issue. This rascal must be thinking of some mischief. Lu Chen smiled and then replied, ¡°Today is our Empress¡¯s birthday. I took her out to relax a bit, to prevent her from getting sick at heart from staying in the North Prince Mansion all the time.¡± When Wu Junwan heard Lu Chen say this, she only then realized that today was indeed her birthday. Since coming to North Prince Mansion, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the date, so she hadn¡¯t thought of it at all. She had forgotten her own birthday, yet this young man remembered it. This made Wu Junwan feel a hint of warmth in her heart; the young man was indeed thoughtful. No wonder this guy hadn¡¯t come to see her for half a month, and today he suddenly had appeared in her courtyard. It turned out that he knew today was her birthday and had specifically come for her. Thinking of this, were all the arrangements within this train specially prepared by this young man? Despite a strange feeling in her heart, Wu Junwan still stubbornly said, ¡°I do not have the habit of celebrating my birthday.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t pay attention to Wu Junwan¡¯s words and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that. Let¡¯s continue with our meal, and after we finish eating, we still have a lot of things to do.¡± Upon hearing this, both women instantly realized what Lu Chen was referring to. Wu Junwan inwardly chuckled. So this was his idea of celebrating her birthday? She understood now; this guy was simply looking for a different place to carry on with those acts. But soon the two women discovered that what Lu Chen referred to wasn¡¯t just about engaging in those acts; Lu Chen truly had made preparations. After dinner, Lu Chen had the maids take Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er to the third carriage to bathe. After the bath and changing into the Phoenix Robe, Wu Junwan returned to the first carriage. Wu Junwan went straight to the bed and lay down. She glanced at Lu Chen, who was standing at the doorway, and said icily, ¡°Let¡¯s begin!¡± Lu Chen burst into laughter, ¡°Since when did the Empress become so impatient, even more than I am.¡± Wu Junwan said expressionlessly, ¡°By taking us out here, isn¡¯t it just to enjoy our bodies in a different place? When did the Prince become so hypocritical? Just get started.¡± Lu Chen smiled and, without explaining, said to the maids, ¡°You may begin now.¡± The next moment, the lights in the carriage went out. Soon after, someone from the second carriage came up with a cart in front of them. On the cart was something strange. The maidservants said, ¡°Happy Birthday to the Empress, may you be blessed with peace and safety, and remain forever young and beautiful!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°This is a custom of our North Country; on birthdays, we eat birthday cakes.¡± Cake? What is that? Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er looked at the candlelit cake with full faces of confusion. At this point, Lu Chen approached the bed and said directly to the maidservants, ¡°You may begin now.¡± The maid immediately pushed the dining cart to Wu Junwan, handed her a dagger, and on seeing it, Wu Junwan thought the maid was an assassin. She was about to stop the maid when Lu Chen held her tightly, preventing her from moving at all. At that moment, the maid spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, please cut the cake!¡± With a skeptical look, Wu Junwan took the dagger, then turned to Lu Chen, ¡°Prince, what is this about? Why can¡¯t I understand?¡± Lu Chen explained, ¡°When people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion have birthdays, they eat cake; it¡¯s a celebration ritual.¡± ¡°Just think of it as a gift,¡± he said. Wu Junwan said, ¡°I have never heard of such a strange gift before.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Well, now you have.¡± Without giving it much thought, Wu Junwan began to cut the cake. Normally there are a few more steps to a birthday, but Lu Chen had deliberately omitted the singing of the birthday song and making a wish, mainly because it was Wu Junwan¡¯s first birthday, and there was no need to make it too complicated. Once Wu Junwan was accustomed to it, he would add those steps back in the next time she had a birthday. After Wu Junwan divided the cake into pieces, she handed the knife back to the maid, who then personally cut a slice of cake for Wu Junwan and placed it on a plate. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Try it and see how the cake tastes.¡± Wu Junwan picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of cake, and then put it into her mouth. A burst of sweetness exploded in her mouth, and Wu Junwan was quite surprised; it was the first time she had ever tasted anything so sweet. At that moment, the maid also cut pieces of cake for Murong Xue¡¯er and Lu Chen. Although Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t understand why they needed to eat this thing, she also tasted the cake. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°This dessert is delicious; I had no idea the North Prince Mansion had such tasty sweets.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s praise, Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°There¡¯s another event planned for tonight.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than a loud ¡°boom¡± sounded, much like thunder. Immediately afterward, a burst of colorful stars exploded in the sky, then fell like star showers. Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er were stunned at the sight. The two women initially thought it was some kind of unusual phenomenon, but as more and more colorful stars exploded, the entire train carriage was illuminated. Under the night sky, the light from the fireworks shone into the train, casting Wu Junwan¡¯s and Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s incredibly beautiful faces in relief. After who knows how long, Lu Chen¡¯s voice rang in Wu Junwan¡¯s ear, ¡°Does the Empress like it?¡± Chapter 696 - Chapter 696: Chapter 417 Wu Junwan: The Prince Indeed Has Some Skill_1 Chapter 696: Chapter 417 Wu Junwan: The Prince Indeed Has Some Skill_1 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Wu Junwan finally came back to herself, her fair face slightly blushed under the reflection of the fireworks. ¡°I thought all you knew was to do that sort of thing with women, I didn¡¯t expect Prince to also use these tricks to make women happy,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s just too bad, these little tricks have no effect on me,¡± she added coolly. Standing to the side, Murong Xue¡¯er heard Wu Junwan¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help but look down on her. Wu Junwan¡¯s face was blushing so hard, she was nearly burning up, yet she was still putting on a tough front. It seemed she was accustomed to being a person of high status and wasn¡¯t willing to admit she had been subdued by this man. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, on thoroughly capturing Her Highness¡¯s heart.¡± Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s sudden remark, Wu Junwan coldly responded, ¡°Heh, ridiculous.¡± Seeing Wu Junwan with a flushed face, yet still maintaining a cool demeanor, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. He enjoyed seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s stubborn facade. As the splendid fireworks continued to bloom in the sky, Wu Junwan had some cake and then placed the plate on the serving trolley. The palace maid hastily brought a silk handkerchief, with which Wu Junwan wiped her red lips and said, ¡°I have finished eating, take it away.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er also placed her plate on the serving trolley. Although the cake truly was the most delicious dessert Wu Junwan had ever tasted, she had already had dinner and couldn¡¯t eat much. Moreover, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to eat; it had been half a month since she had last matched wits with the young man before her. Today, this young man had suddenly taken her out and had staged this whole scene, which was causing Wu Junwan to struggle to contain her urges. It had to be said that this young man had a knack for dealing with women. Although Wu Junwan wouldn¡¯t admit it aloud, in her heart, she had already acknowledged Lu Chen¡¯s little tricks. After the serving trolley was taken away, the other palace maids seemed to understand the situation and quickly drew the train¡¯s curtains. The room was then lit with a dim, yellowish ambiance light. Under its glow, Wu Junwan¡¯s pale skin took on a yellowish hue, but it made her look all the more enchanting and passionate. Wu Junwan spoke indifferently, ¡°If all of this was prepared for that little palace maid beside you, she¡¯d probably be so moved that she would willingly become your female slave for life. Sadly for you, it was all prepared for me, so it seems Prince is in for a disappointment.¡± The ¡°little palace maid¡± Wu Junwan referred to was naturally Murong Xue¡¯er. Lu Chen gave a slight smile, then swiftly laid Wu Junwan down on the bed and looked down at her, saying, ¡°Oh, is that so? Then it appears Her Majesty is a woman with an unyielding heart.¡± ¡°But what I am best at is dealing with unyielding women like you,¡± he continued. With a poker face, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Then I really want to see what other methods the famous North Prince has.¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s tone was clearly provocative, and Lu Chen chuckled. He found this woman quite interesting. Then Lu Chen leaned down and kissed Wu Junwan¡¯s red lips deeply, ¡°Mmm, mmm, mmm¡­¡± After Wu Junwan struggled faintly for a moment, she raised her arms and wrapped them around Lu Chen¡¯s neck. Seeing this, Murong Xue¡¯er smirked with a hint of disdain. What Princess Wu, in the North Prince Mansion, in front of the North Prince, she ends up just the same as her. Wu Junwan was no different! For some reason, ever since she saw the fall of such a noble person like Wu Junwan, Murong Xue¡¯er felt a sense of relief within her heart. She had always felt that she had been conquered by this bad man too quickly, thinking of herself as a shameless woman. Now that she saw even the Princess of Great Wu couldn¡¯t stay away from the North Prince, she suddenly felt that being conquered by the North Prince was not such a disgraceful thing. This bad man certainly had some skills. But then again, this couple was doing indecent things in the carriage while making her watch. Wasn¡¯t this a bit too tormenting for her? It made her feel like a concubine maid, although she indeed was a maid serving the Yue Emperor. But after coming to North Country, she had at least held the position of an envoy. While Murong Xue¡¯er was feeling somewhat emotional, Lu Chen and Wu Junwan had already lost themselves in passion. ¡°My darling Wanyan, call me darling¡­¡± ¡°Uh¡­ darling¡­¡± Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s voice, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a soft hum, immediately got up, and prepared to step aside, but just as she rose, she was pulled back by that despicable man. Before she could even react, Lu Chen¡¯s lips sealed her red ones. One was the esteemed and noble Princess of the dynasty, and the other a cool and elegant great talent ¨C these two together sent Lu Chen¡¯s inner ferocity climbing to its peak. After what seemed like an eternity, Wu Junwan¡¯s body suddenly emitted bursts of golden light, which didn¡¯t shoot straight into the sky but instead swirled around her. Then a massive, luminous tornado cloud gathered above the train. Seeing this, both Lu Chen and Murong Xue¡¯er were stunned. Lu Chen immediately understood what was happening. Although there was no pillar of light emanating from Wu Junwan¡¯s body, her aura was already akin to his own. That meant Wu Junwan had now entered the Unity Realm, she was a Pseudo Celestial! Lu Chen felt his eyes had been opened; Wu Junwan had actually attained the Unity Realm and become a Pseudo Celestial under these circumstances. What test would this world impose on her? Curiosity filled Lu Chen¡¯s heart. At this moment, Wu Junwan looked at her body, emitting golden light with a hint of confusion, but Lu Chen quickly snapped out of it. Not knowing whether Wu Junwan¡¯s current state would bring him a different sensation, Lu Chen threw Murong Xue¡¯er aside without waiting for Wu Junwan to react, and once again, she was dragged back by Lu Chen. Practice proved that Wu Junwan¡¯s state did indeed bring a different feeling to the experience. Soon the golden light on Wu Junwan¡¯s body retreated back into her, and the celestial phenomenon in the sky gradually dissipated. ¡­ Early morning. The sunlight crept through the train window and shone into the carriage, which was a complete mess, with a torn Phoenix Robe lying in the aisle. Lu Chen was embracing Wu Junwan, who was half-lying on top of him, while Murong Xue¡¯er lay beside them. Although Lu Chen¡¯s private train carriage was quite large, it was still considerably smaller than a room in the North Prince Mansion, and the bed inside was on the smaller side. So, there was no room to lie side by side; they could only lie this way. When Wu Junwan woke up, she immediately said, ¡°The Princess acknowledges that the Prince does have some skills, very adept at attending to others. From now on, you are my male consort.¡± Seeing Wu Junwan talking tough again upon awakening, Murong Xue¡¯er chuckled and said, ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing a Princess so helpless against her own male consort, left with no option but to weep and wail.¡± Displeased by Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s taunting, Wu Junwan snorted and then said, ¡°Should Qingrou ever come to the North Prince Mansion, the Princess will have to ask her how she educates her maids.¡± Curious about Wu Junwan¡¯s comment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? From what you say, it seems you believe that the Yue Emperor will eventually show up at the North Prince Mansion. Didn¡¯t you say she would rather die than submit?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°If the Prince really has the ability to defeat the Da Yue Dynasty, I might act as a go-between and persuade Qingrou to follow the Prince.¡± Seeing such a sudden shift in Wu Junwan¡¯s attitude, Lu Chen gently stroked her jade back and directly asked, ¡°Talk to me, what was your trial to become a Celestial?¡± Caught off-guard by the question, Wu Junwan paused, then coldly replied, ¡°Do you think I would tell you something so crucial to me?¡± Seeing Wu Junwan unwilling to talk, Lu Chen didn¡¯t press further, instead, he smiled and said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I have a good guess. Your trial to become a Celestial probably involves me to a great extent.¡± Wu Junwan tensed up, realizing Lu Chen had guessed something. If this cunning man knew about her trial to become a Celestial, she couldn¡¯t predict how he¡¯d view her. She couldn¡¯t let him find out no matter what. With that thought, Wu Junwan said, ¡°The Prince is as shameless as ever. Why would my trial to become a Celestial have anything to do with you?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er felt shocked upon hearing their conversation. No wonder Wu Junwan¡¯s body emitted golden light last night ¨C she had entered the legendary Unity Realm and had become a Pseudo Celestial. That was just too bizarre. Who would have thought that someone would enter the Unity Realm while engaged in that kind of act? Chapter 697 - Chapter 697: Chapter 418: No One Can Stop Her from Going Home!_1 Chapter 697: Chapter 418: No One Can Stop Her from Going Home!_1 Misty World. Atop a towering, cloud-piercing mountain, a woman clad in purple Cloud Attire stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing at the black mist that enveloped this world in the distance. This mountaintop was one of the rare places in this world not shrouded by mist. At that moment, the woman murmured to herself, ¡°It seems that the restriction is about to be broken. I wonder if I will still be able to see those two disciples I took when I return to that world once more.¡± Although it looked like the restriction was ending, the process was rather lengthy, perhaps ten years, or maybe a hundred years. For cultivators with long lifespans, a hundred years might not mean much, but for ordinary people, a hundred years was a lifetime. There was a difference between immortals and mortals. If her two disciples couldn¡¯t break through to the Heavenly Human Realm within their lifetimes, she feared that by the time the restriction disappeared, she would only find their graves upon her return to that Lower World. Thinking this, the woman sighed slightly. When she had first gone to that Lower World, she shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved in this cause and effect; she suddenly felt some regret about taking those two disciples as apprentices. At this time, a man dressed in a white robe, looking like a Daoist immortal, appeared behind the woman. The man glanced at the distant mist and then said with a smile, ¡°Junior sister, it seems the restriction will soon be completely lifted. Once the prohibition is gone, our Misty Immortal Sect will rise again.¡± Hearing this, the woman¡¯s brows furrowed, and she responded, ¡°Senior brother, have you forgotten how we ended up in this situation?¡± Hearing this, the man said carelessly, ¡°We were exiled to this place because we weren¡¯t strong enough. That¡¯s why we should strive to become stronger. One day, I will lead the Misty Immortal Sect back home and obliterate all those former enemies of ours!¡± The woman tried to advise him, ¡°Senior brother, some things you should let go of.¡± Upon hearing the woman¡¯s words, the man snorted coldly and then retorted, ¡°Junior sister, you¡¯re still so tender-hearted!¡± ¡°Those ants from the Lower World are not worth your sympathy, nothing but trash. It¡¯s their honor to become nourishment for our Misty Immortal Sect.¡± The woman coldly stated, ¡°Senior brother, you¡¯ve changed. You weren¡¯t like this before.¡± Hearing this, the man chuckled, ¡°People change. When I realized our master saw us merely as targets for Reincarnation, I changed.¡± ¡°This world is cruel. If I remained as na?ve as before, the Misty Immortal Sect would have been annihilated long ago.¡± ¡°I believe that one day, junior sister, you will understand your senior brother.¡± At that, the man¡¯s figure vanished instantly from the spot. Only the woman in the purple dress remained standing on the mountaintop. ¡­ The wild northwest. On the boundless grasslands, a voluptuous woman stood on a hillside, overlooking the distant Barbarian Army. The woman had a curvaceous figure and was scantily clad, with only a few pieces of silk covering her. Her fair and flat belly was exposed, and her pale body emitted a strong allure. Although her subordinates knew of her cruelty, they couldn¡¯t help but let their eyes wander over her. Just then, a Barbarian General approached the woman, handing her a stack of white papers, ¡°Goddess, here is intelligence on the recent situation of several major dynasties!¡± The woman took the papers, murmuring to herself, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the people of this world to have crafted such fine paper so quickly.¡± As she flipped through, upon seeing the intelligence recorded on the paper, Mu Yunxi was mildly surprised. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s not far off from what I had anticipated; the North Country does present some difficulty.¡± ¡°Mysterious weapons¡­¡± ¡°No matter how formidable the weapons, they shouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the battle formations.¡± Just then, the Barbarian General in front of Mu Yunxi spoke, ¡°Goddess, the various tribes on the grasslands have finished assembling. Those who refused to submit have already been subdued by our forces.¡± ¡°Now that the Barbarian Tribes are unified once more, and all the tribal leaders are willing to heed your word, with just one command from you, we will follow you southward and trample over the major dynasties!¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi chuckled lightly and then said, ¡°How is the practice of the Cultivation Techniques and battle formations coming along?¡± This¡­ The Barbarian General hesitated for a moment, not continuing. Mu Yunxi stated, ¡°I would indeed love to lead the troops south immediately, but with your current strength, let alone moving south, you¡¯d probably fail to defeat even the weakest Black Dragon Country.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten the affair with the Tianqi King so quickly?¡± The Barbarian General then said, ¡°The Goddess is right; I was too hasty.¡± Mu Yunxi continued, ¡°Hurry up with the practice of the battle formations. In five years, we will march south and annihilate Great Jue.¡± Upon receiving a clear timeline from the Goddess, the Barbarian General was instantly excited and quickly responded, ¡°Yes, Goddess!¡± At this, Mu Yunxi¡¯s gaze once again turned to the distant Barbarian Army practicing their battle formations, and she couldn¡¯t help but think to herself. She only hoped that the North Country wouldn¡¯t become an unpredictable factor. With that thought, Mu Yunxi¡¯s eyes hardened with resolve. No matter who it was, nothing could stop her from going home! ¡­ With the help of Xuanyuan Chen, Lu Yi quickly established a firm foothold in Heyang County, and not only that, he even raised a large force. Chapter 698 - Chapter 698: Chapter 418: No One Can Stop Her from Going Home!_2 Chapter 698: Chapter 418: No One Can Stop Her from Going Home!_2 Within this troop, many were individuals who had fled from feudal states destroyed by the Zhao King. As soon as Lu Yi had assembled the troop, he immediately expanded the army, and continually spread his territory. Before long, Lu Yi controlled three counties, and his influence was continuously spreading toward the Capital city. Based on the speed of his expansion, it wouldn¡¯t take more than a year for the region under his control to border the Capital city. Lu Yi was also aware that he was merely a chess piece for Lu Chen, but he was not content to remain a pawn; he was eager to become more powerful in a short span of time. In addition to expanding his own territory and influence, Lu Yi was also preparing a secondary plan. He was trying to establish contact with the Demon Sect to obtain more support from them and then find a way to acquire those weapons from the North Country. The war that General Xuanyuan had waged against Heyang County had left a profound impact on Lu Yi; he often had nightmares, dreaming that he was being blown to pieces by cannons. He had now developed a deep obsession with firearms, convinced that he too must possess artillery. Only if he had his own cannons would he not fear the army of the North Country. However, getting the blueprints for manufacturing cannons was not an easy task. Recently, he had tried to have several forces steal the firearms brought over by General Xuanyuan, but they had all failed. There were some successes, but the guns they brought back lacked gunpowder. After dismantling them, they couldn¡¯t figure out anything of significance. Lu Yi surreptitiously gathered more craftsmen, attempting to develop weapons similar to those of the North Country. Lu Yi¡¯s covert activities were quickly noticed by the Brocade Guard. Incidents of thieves infiltrating the military camps were highly unusual, especially when it happened more than once. Before long, the news reached Lu Chen¡¯s ears. North Country. Inside the North Prince Mansion study room. After listening to Liang Zong¡¯s report, Lu Chen became deeply contemplative. After a moment, he spoke up, asking, ¡°Have you found out who is behind this?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Your Highness, those thieves are all dead soldiers. As soon as they are captured, they either immediately take poison to commit suicide or detonate their Dantian. We¡¯ve been left with no clues.¡± Lu Chen smiled, then said, ¡°Most likely, my brother, Prince Lu Yi, has been rattled by the cannons and has become restless.¡± Even without identifying the perpetrators, it was not hard to guess. After all, the incident happened in Heyang County. Having thought for a while, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Since Prince Lu Yi has already established a firm foothold in Heyang County and formed his own power base, it¡¯s time for General Xuanyuan and his forces to return to the North Country.¡± At that point, Lu Chen picked up a pen and a piece of white paper and began to write. As he wrote, he said, ¡°Send a message to General Xuanyuan, telling him to lead his troops out of Heyang County as soon as possible and return to the North Country.¡± Liang Zong gave a respectful bow, saying, ¡°As you command, Your Highness.¡± After finishing the letter, Lu Chen handed it over to Liang Zong. Liang Zong immediately left the North Prince Mansion to dispatch the military orders. Just as Liang Zong left the North Prince Mansion, a maid entered the study and said, ¡°Your Highness, Queen Linglong has visited the Prince¡¯s Mansion again today.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s report, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Xue Linglong had been visiting daily; it seemed she was very eager to get close to him. If that was the case, he would grant her the opportunity. Evening. Wind Cloud Court. Lu Chen did not visit Chen Wanrong¡¯s room today; he had been going there daily, and Yun Xianxian was already getting upset. Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Mu Zixuan¡¯s waist, his chest pressed against her jade back, his head resting on her fragrant shoulder, and whispered into her ear, ¡°My love, if Linglong visits again tomorrow, could you do me a favor?¡± Having just been intimate with Lu Chen, Mu Zixuan responded weakly, ¡°Your¡­ Your Highness, please speak.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Create an opportunity for me to meet with Linglong alone. She has been coming every day for some time now, obviously with the intent of getting close to me but has yet to find the chance.¡± ¡°Since she wishes to get close, I¡¯ll give her the opportunity.¡± Hearing Lu Chen mention Xue Linglong, and as if her body responded to the name, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Your¡­ Your Highness, you¡¯re not planning on making a move on her, are you?¡± Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°What do you think, my love?¡± Taking a few deep breaths, Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Your concubine understands.¡± Suddenly, Mu Zixuan thought of something and then said, ¡°Your Highness, there¡¯s something I would like to discuss with you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°My love, if there¡¯s something on your mind, please speak freely.¡± At this, Lu Chen rolled off and turned Mu Zixuan¡¯s body toward him, cuddling her from the side. Lu Chen, looking at Mu Zixuan¡¯s blushing cheeks, waited to hear what she had in mind. Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Your Highness, as the North Prince Mansion¡¯s enterprises continue to grow, my abilities are limited. I feel somewhat overwhelmed.¡± Mu Zixuan had some capability, and managing the internal affairs of the North Prince Mansion was something she could do very well. At first, the enterprises of the North Prince Mansion were limited, so she did not have much pressure. But as some businesses grew larger and their numbers increased, Mu Zixuan clearly felt that she was overburdened. These past few days, she realized that even Yelv Nanyan, a formidable woman, had delegated authority over the treasury to others. It dawned on Mu Zixuan that it was time for her to do the same. With the increase in responsibilities, she was left without even time to sleep. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Chen spending the night at the Wind Cloud Palace, she would probably still be busy dealing with business matters at this moment. Chapter 699 - Chapter 699: Chapter 418: No One Can Stop Her from Going Home!_3 Chapter 699: Chapter 418: No One Can Stop Her from Going Home!_3 Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen was taken aback. Indeed, he had recently neglected the affairs of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s industries. The industries of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were rapidly expanding, and these industries were extremely vast, no different from modern large corporations. Mu Zixuan was essentially managing dozens of large companies by herself, and she also had to take care of the internal affairs of the Prince¡¯s Mansion. No matter how capable she was, she surely couldn¡¯t handle it all. Lu Chen said, ¡°Right now, there are few reliable people in the North Country, my love. Do you trust anyone to whom we could delegate some industries in the future, someone you can entrust with responsibility?¡± Mu Zixuan thought for a moment, then responded, ¡°It¡¯s better for the Prince to decide. It¡¯s not quite appropriate for your consort to get involved in these matters.¡± Although Mu Zixuan was the Princess of the North Prince Mansion, she feared that if she casually arranged for people to take over the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s industries, it would give the impression that she was cultivating her own power. She did not want to trouble herself with such concerns, so it was better to let Lu Chen decide. Lu Chen thought for a while, then said, ¡°I happen to have someone here who is quite idle. However, her identity is somewhat special, and it¡¯s not yet suitable for her to publicly take over the management of the industries.¡± Mu Zixuan instantly guessed who Lu Chen was referring to, ¡°Is the Prince referring to Princess Wu by any chance?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, she is not only ambitious but also capable. Keeping her locked in the courtyard, without letting her do anything, makes her uncomfortable.¡± ¡°I would like to try handing over some industries for her to manage.¡± Mu Zixuan did not immediately answer Lu Chen. The women of the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were actually somewhat wary of Wu Junwan. This was because the woman had great ambition; she was originally someone who aspired to become an Empress. Now that she had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, her body and soul might belong to Lu Chen, but that didn¡¯t mean her personality could change drastically. Maybe this woman already had the idea of competing for the position of the Prince¡¯s consort, or even aspired to become the Empress eventually. Wu Junwan had been in the North Prince Mansion for so long, the women of the mansion had almost never visited her courtyard of their own volition, simply because they were guarding against her. A woman with too much ambition entering the inner court of the Prince¡¯s Mansion could easily disrupt their current harmonious environment. Seeing that Mu Zixuan did not directly answer, Lu Chen asked, ¡°My love, are you afraid that her ambition is too great and that she might eventually do something to harm the Prince¡¯s Mansion?¡± Mu Zixuan snapped back to reality and said, ¡°Yes, although she¡¯s already the Prince¡¯s woman, I still have some concerns¡­¡± Mu Zixuan did not continue. She hadn¡¯t had such worries when Yelv Nanyan, a consort of the Sky Wolf King, entered the Prince¡¯s Mansion. But no matter what, she couldn¡¯t put Wu Junwan out of her mind, At most, Yelv Nanyan was just a consort from a Barbarian Tribe, and moreover, the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe had been destroyed by Lu Chen; no longer did anyone back Yelv Nanyan. But behind Wu Junwan was a dynasty, and the Great Wu dynasty still existed. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my love. If her ambition swells too quickly, I will take action in time to suppress it.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°I leave it to the Prince to decide.¡± Since Lu Chen had already spoken, Mu Zixuan had no more to say. She trusted that, with Lu Chen watching, that woman probably wouldn¡¯t cause trouble. However¡­ Mu Zixuan then asked, ¡°Prince, the Princess of Great Wu has not officially married into the North Prince Mansion. If people find out that she has taken over the management of the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s industries, won¡¯t they suspect your relationship with her?¡± Wu Junwan had come to the North Country as a hostage, not directly married to Lu Chen. If Lu Chen now handed over so many industries of the North Country to Wu Junwan¡¯s control, even a fool would suspect that something had happened between Wu Junwan and Lu Chen. After all, that would make it difficult to explain to the Great Wu dynasty, and it would certainly cause some within the North Country to worry since Wu Junwan had not officially married Lu Chen. Lu Chen considered for a moment, then said, ¡°How about this? She can help you manage those industries for now, but they will still be under your name for the time being.¡± Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Will the Princess agree to this?¡± After all, Wu Junwan once held a high position and was someone who aspired to be an Empress. Now, she could only work under someone else, and what¡¯s more, her achievements would be attributed to another woman¡ªshe would most likely be unwilling. Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°She will agree.¡± ¡°Enough about that. I haven¡¯t stayed overnight in the Wind Cloud Palace for a long time. Tonight, I will help you stabilize your realm.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen embraced Mu Zixuan¡¯s waist, rolled over, pressing her beneath him, and then kissed Mu Zixuan¡¯s lips. ¡­ Morning. A ray of warm sunshine poured into the room, casting golden light upon the figure, making the already stunning woman appear even more dreamlike. When Wu Junwan woke up, she lifted her blanket, exposing her fair skin. Seeing that her undergarments had been discarded, Wu Junwan let out a cold huff, ¡°It¡¯s all that man¡¯s fault, making me develop such a bad habit.¡± Being accustomed to wearing clothes to bed, since arriving at the North Prince Mansion, there had been a time when that man visited every day, which eventually led her to develop the bad habit of sleeping without clothes. Sometimes she went to sleep fully clothed, only to wake up and find her clothes had been removed, so now she didn¡¯t want to wear undergarments to bed at all, finding it uncomfortable. She yearned even more for the feeling of that man¡¯s body against hers. Wu Junwan glanced around the room, sighing softly. She felt all of this was so unreal. Though she had been taken by that man, she was now completely unable to leave him, and even the conditions for her becoming a Celestial were tied to that man. The heavens truly loved to play tricks on her. ¡°Enough, everything is fate. It¡¯s my destiny to be so,¡± she conceded. Chapter 700 - Chapter 700: Chapter 419: Junwans Trial to Become a Celestial_1 Chapter 700: Chapter 419: Junwan¡¯s Trial to Become a Celestial_1 Wu Junwan was never a person who believed in fate; if she had been, she would never have dreamt of becoming an empress. Throughout history, it has always been men who ascended to the emperors¡¯ thrones, and the Great Wu Dynasty was no exception. In the history of the Great Wu Dynasty, let alone an empress, even powerful empresses or empress dowagers rarely appeared. However, the events of the recent few years, especially those related to the North Prince, have forced Wu Junwan to believe again that it must be predestined. Not thinking too much about it, Wu Junwan turned to the maidservant in the room and asked, ¡°Is the hot water ready?¡± The maidservant promptly replied, ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s all prepared.¡± No sooner had the maidservant finished speaking than Wu Junwan got up from the bed and, without a stitch of clothing, headed directly to the adjacent bathroom. As she walked, she said, ¡°Xiao Ya, come and give me a shoulder rub.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Because Wu Junwan was undressed, she entered the steaming bathtub directly, and as she did, her body immediately felt all the fatigue vanish in an instant. Wu Junwan moved to the center of the bath and slowly squatted down. Just then, she heard the sound of someone else entering the water behind her. Wu Junwan did not sense any danger, assuming it was the maidservant entering the bath to massage her shoulders, so she didn¡¯t mind it. Soon, a pair of hands rested on her fragrant shoulders and slowly started massaging. For a moment, Wu Junwan felt utterly relaxed, her eyes closed. But she quickly realized that something was amiss. The ¡°maidservant¡¯s¡± hands, which had started gently on her shoulders, moved to the front after a while. Wu Junwan furrowed her eyebrows and opened her eyes. ¡°Xiao Ya, I asked for a shoulder massage, what are you doing?¡± Before Wu Junwan could turn around, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her slender waist, and she felt the intruder¡¯s presence. The next moment, Wu Junwan was pulled to the edge of the bathtub. However, Wu Junwan did not scream or shout. As soon as she noticed the anomaly with her body, she knew what was happening. Wu Junwan snorted coldly and said, ¡°Does the Prince enjoy sneaking around like this?¡± The only person who could fill her with such a sense of fullness instantly, she believed, was that cheeky man, nobody else. Hearing her words, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect my Junwan to be so familiar with me, recognizing me in an instant.¡± Wu Junwan, expressionless, responded, ¡°Apart from you, I fear there¡¯s no one else in this world who can approach me so silently, without me noticing the slightest sign, not even Celestials.¡± Although she didn¡¯t want to admit it, Wu Junwan was acutely aware that her body had indeed let down all defenses against Lu Chen. Unless she saw the man approaching, she would never know of his presence, even if he came to her side at any time, and it was only when he directly did certain things to her that she would immediately realize it was him. Wu Junwan continued, ¡°What brings the Prince to me so early in the morning?¡± She believed that if Lu Chen truly wanted to be intimate with her, he wouldn¡¯t have come to her so early in the morning, especially since he had many things to do during the day. Although Lu Chen was lustful, he was still a Prince who took care of serious matters. Moreover, there was more time at night, and Lu Chen could play however he wished if he came in the evening. Clearly, the man had some business with her. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My wise wife has guessed correctly that I came for a matter to discuss.¡± Wu Junwan simply said, ¡°Just speak straightforwardly.¡± Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°You have been in the Prince¡¯s Mansion for a long time, staying here every day with nothing to do. Don¡¯t you find it a little boring?¡± Wu Junwan chuckled lightly and said, ¡°I am the Prince¡¯s trophy. Where else should I stay if not in the Prince¡¯s Mansion? Does the Prince wish for me to go out and cause trouble, to throw the entire North Country into chaos?¡± Lu Chen stated, ¡°If you find it boring, I can arrange some tasks for you.¡± On hearing this, Wu Junwan paused. Arrange tasks? If Lu Chen was beginning to trust her, that meant. And for someone like her, having tasks in the North Prince Mansion meant she would start dabbling in powers, and once she got a taste of power, she would have the capacity to disrupt the North Prince Mansion. Wasn¡¯t this cheeky man afraid she would bring trouble to the North Prince Mansion? Wu Junwan inquired, ¡°Is the Prince serious?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Since I¡¯ve brought it up, it¡¯s definitely serious. I¡¯m just not sure if you¡¯re willing.¡± Wu Junwan turned her head slightly to look back at Lu Chen and continued to ask, ¡°What does the Prince intend for me to do?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°The industries of the Prince¡¯s Mansion are growing more and more. My wife is getting a bit overwhelmed, so I plan for you to assist her, to jointly manage the industries of the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± On hearing this, Wu Junwan felt a jolt in her heart. She was well aware of the importance of those industries in the North Prince Mansion! If she were to manage the industries of the North Prince Mansion, then she would have the ability to access some of the Mansion¡¯s secrets, such as the production techniques and blueprints of various products. She could then completely orchestrate the theft of those items and hand them over to her followers, who could take them back to the Great Wu Dynasty. Wu Junwan found it hard to believe that Lu Chen could actually trust her this much. Was this man testing her? Or did he truly have such intentions? After a moment of stunned silence, Wu Junwan spoke, ¡°Is the Prince testing this princess?¡± ¡°Could it be that the Prince doesn¡¯t trust me, so he wants to test me to see if I¡¯m still interested in the secrets of the North Prince Mansion?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°You are overthinking it, I indeed plan to let you be involved with the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s businesses.¡± ¡°You are an ambitious and capable woman, I don¡¯t want to keep you locked up in the Prince¡¯s Mansion like a canary.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan directly asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Prince worry that I might leak the secrets of these businesses?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That depends on what you¡¯re thinking. Do you want to stay by my side for life as my woman, or are you planning to betray me and start anew out there?¡± ¡°If you intend to be with me for life, then you¡¯ll help the Prince¡¯s Mansion. If you don¡¯t think I¡¯m worth marrying, then you can try and sneak those business secrets out and deliver them to the Great Wu Dynasty.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan let out a snort of laughter, ¡°The Prince really is testing this princess!¡± Even if she truly accessed those business secrets, her entire being was still in Yan County, and her entourage was also in Yan County. They were constantly under the surveillance of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s Brocade Guard. If she obtained those business secrets, she likely wouldn¡¯t be able to get them out, which would only reveal her continued larcenous intentions. So the young man wasn¡¯t worried at all about her accessing those business secrets. Lu Chen said, ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t believe for a second that you would betray the North Prince Mansion.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Oh? Why is the Prince so confident? Does the Prince really think that I¡¯ve been conquered by you, as the floozy next door says?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s not the reason.¡± Wu Junwan pressed further, ¡°Then what is the reason?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Because I know your test to become a Celestial is definitely related to me. To become a Celestial, you must be by my side, so I think you won¡¯t betray me.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Prince worried that the path I cultivate is the Unfeeling Tao, so to become a Celestial, I need to kill the Prince or betray the Prince?¡± Hearing this from Wu Junwan, Lu Chen was taken aback. Indeed, there was this possibility. However, since the woman had brought it up, it was very likely not the reason. At that moment, Lu Chen opened Wu Junwan¡¯s personal file. Sometimes, some things are not complicated at all, like if Lu Chen wants to know Wu Junwan¡¯s recent activities, he can just look at whether the system has updated her personal file. Lu Chen rarely keeps a constant watch on his wives¡¯ personal data. But since Wu Junwan just mentioned that possibility of betrayal, Lu Chen needed to pay close attention this time, just in case she means it. [Name: Wu Junwan] [Status: Princess Wu of the Great Wu Dynasty, daughter of the Martial Emperor, friend of the Yue Emperor, pet of the North Prince, 31 years old, possesses extremely high Martial Arts talent, has entered the Unity Realm. Ever since consummating her relationship with the North Prince, she has fallen deeply in love with him, and is willing to give up on her long-held dream of becoming the Empress. Her love for the North Prince has led Heavenly Dao to set a special test for her. She only needs to bear three children for the North Prince, and she will be able to complete the Unity Realm and become a true Celestial. She is currently attempting to hide her condition to become a Celestial.] [Rating: 98] [Favorability: 100] Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s updated file, Lu Chen was taken aback. He knew Wu Junwan¡¯s Celestial test must relate to him, but he hadn¡¯t imagined that it would be this condition. This condition is too simple, isn¡¯t it? Just to bear three children? Thinking about it, Lu Chen quickly realized that perhaps the test wasn¡¯t so simple after all¡­ Wu Junwan is already a Pseudo Celestial, and he himself is a Pseudo Celestial. For them to have children is extremely difficult. Let alone three children, he didn¡¯t know how many attempts would be needed with Wu Junwan before she could be ¡°hit the target.¡± Heavenly Dao setting such a test for Wu Junwan¡­ wasn¡¯t it just encouraging Wu Junwan to frequently engage in that kind of activity with him? How could there be such a test? The Heavenly Dao of this world is really strange. But thinking it over, now that he knows Wu Junwan¡¯s Celestial test isn¡¯t about betraying him, he can be unrestrained with Wu Junwan. Seeing Lu Chen fall into a long silence, Wu Junwan chuckled, ¡°It seems the Prince is starting to worry.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen came back to his senses, and with a slight smile, he whispered in Wu Junwan¡¯s ear, ¡°You did scare me for a moment.¡± Chapter 701 - Chapter 701: Chapter 420 Xue Linglong: Taking Down North Prince Is Just Too Easy_1 Chapter 701: Chapter 420 Xue Linglong: Taking Down North Prince Is Just Too Easy_1 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan said expressionlessly, ¡°Since the Prince is already afraid, then the Prince should stop thinking about letting me manage the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s assets. Find someone else.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I was indeed worried for a moment, but then I thought, the conditions for becoming a Celestial are extremely important for someone in the Unity Realm. No one would willingly share their Celestial test, for if they did, others might find ways to prevent them from achieving Unity.¡± ¡°Since you disclosed it of your own volition, it proves that the Celestial test is definitely not that.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had guessed she was lying just now, Wu Junwan still did not care in the slightest; what did it matter if he guessed correctly? Her words had already planted the seeds of doubt in Lu Chen¡¯s heart ¨C he could never fully trust her. Just when Wu Junwan thought that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t let her get involved with the North Prince Mansion¡¯s assets anymore, Lu Chen continued, ¡°If your Celestial test is not to betray me, but it¡¯s somehow related to me, then I guess that your test is probably to bear me a child.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan tensed up, body and soul. She had not expected Lu Chen to guess her Celestial test so easily. Feeling Wu Junwan¡¯s body suddenly tense up, as if she were very nervous, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Wanyan, darling, such a big reaction ¨C it seems I¡¯ve hit the mark, eh?¡± Wu Junwan snapped back to reality and scoffed, quickly denying, ¡°Ridiculous. How could the Celestial test in this world be something as simple as bearing a child? You¡¯re really wild in your imagination.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? It¡¯s not about bearing a child?¡± ¡°Do you think bearing a child is a simple matter?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s not one, could it be two kids then?¡± This¡­ Wu Junwan was briefly taken aback and became nervous once more. In their current state, even the slightest tension in Wu Junwan¡¯s body was easily perceived by Lu Chen. Noticing that Wu Junwan tensed up again, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Wanyan, darling, why are you nervous again? It looks like I¡¯ve guessed correctly this time.¡± Wu Junwan said coldly, ¡°Did the Prince come here today just to force out the nature of my Celestial test?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Are you trying to change the subject?¡± ¡°Thinking about it, I must be very close to the answer. Since it¡¯s not two, could it be three?¡± ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m certain my guess is right, you must become a Celestial by bearing me three children!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan froze completely; this rascal had actually guessed it right. Although Lu Chen had guessed correctly, Wu Junwan would certainly not admit it. She said coldly, ¡°If the Prince has no other business, you may leave.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°How could I have no other business? Since I have come to find you, our morning exercise is definitely going to proceed.¡± With that, Lu Chen lifted his hands and directly placed Wu Junwan¡¯s on the edge of the bath, letting her arms rest on the side, and they began their morning exercise. Lu Chen didn¡¯t push Wu Junwan too hard; he had not forgotten the real reason for coming that day. After a while, he wrapped his arms around Wu Junwan¡¯s waist, letting her sit in his embrace, and then said, ¡°I still trust you rather much. Starting from tomorrow, you¡¯ll assist Zixuan in managing the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s assets. Tomorrow, I will take you to meet Zixuan.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had made up his mind, Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°Could it be the Prince really believes that my Celestial test is to bear the Prince three children?¡± If Lu Chen didn¡¯t believe that, how could he dare to make such a decision? This left Wu Junwan somewhat puzzled. This young man was being rather too bold. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re not good at keeping secrets. Your body was so tense just now, looking very nervous; it¡¯s obvious that I guessed right.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Wu Junwan fell silent. She couldn¡¯t help it; this man had put her through ¡°torture¡± as soon as he arrived. If she showed any sign of nervousness, he would immediately notice. It seemed to her now that no matter how much she argued, it would be useless. He was convinced her Celestial test must be to bear him children. It was done. Since she had already been guessed, there was no point in lingering on it; as long as she didn¡¯t admit it, it should be fine. Thinking this, Wu Junwan said, ¡°I only hope the Prince won¡¯t regret it.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Since I have already decided, I will not regret it.¡± ¡°I believe with your help, the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s assets can continue to expand.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t say anything more. At that moment, Lu Chen let go of Wu Junwan, got out of the bath, and a maid hurried over with a towel to dry him off. Lu Chen said, ¡°I still have things to do, so I¡¯ll leave first. Take your time with your bath.¡± Wu Junwan scoffed; this darn man, after all was done, he just ran off. Once Lu Chen was dressed, he went straight to the study. After coming out of the bath, Wu Junwan sat down at the dressing table and looked at her reflection in the mirror, slightly zoning out. She felt that she was tightly ensnared by the young man, likely never to escape his grasp in this lifetime. Not only could she not separate her body and heart from him, but even her breakthrough test to become a Celestial was connected to this man ¨C and he had so easily guessed what the test was. Chapter 702 - Chapter 702: Chapter 420 Xue Linglong: Taking Down North Prince Is Just Too Easy_2 Chapter 702: Chapter 420 Xue Linglong: Taking Down North Prince Is Just Too Easy_2 Wu Junwan even began to doubt that Lu Chen was guessing at all, and instead, through some method, knew directly about her trial to become a Celestial. That is to say, this young man might have quite a few secrets she did not know about. But it was of no use thinking about it now; she had to accept her bad luck and admit that she had been outwitted by this young man. However, on second thought, it probably won¡¯t be just her who falls into this man¡¯s hands; there is a high likelihood that her good sister will end up in his clutches as well. Ever since entering the Unity Realm, she¡¯d realized one thing¡ªthat her good sister wasn¡¯t actually a true Celestial. She had always thought her sister was a Celestial, before whom a grandmaster would have almost no power to fight back against the Yue Emperor. But now she understood that the Yue Emperor was like her, merely having entered the Unity Realm to become a Pseudo Celestial. Coupled with their cultivation techniques originating from the Misty Immortal Sect, their strength was indeed stronger than that of an average Pseudo Celestial, which is why the grandmaster was powerless before the Yue Emperor. But after all, a Pseudo Celestial is a Pseudo Celestial; no matter how formidable a Pseudo Celestial might become, they cannot be a match for a true Celestial. Now that the Mysterious Moon Palace had allied with the North Country, and the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace seemed to have come to the North Country as well, there might come a day when the North Country declares war on Great Jue, and Great Jue might have no power to resist. The thought of her good sister ultimately sharing the same fate as herself gave Wu Junwan an odd feeling inside. With this in mind, Wu Junwan sighed quietly. Next, she would just wait to reunite with her good sister in the North Prince Mansion, hoping that by then her sister would quickly accept all that had happened. Afternoon. Xue Linglong again came to the North Prince Mansion to chat with Mu Zixuan, the two now seemed truly like good sisters, having reached the point of sharing everything. At this time, the two sat in a pavilion, holding hands. Xue Linglong sighed and said, ¡°Sigh, the Crown Prince has been gone to the south for so long now, with almost no news; leaving me alone in the North Country, even the vast Lu Mansion feels empty.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan consoled, ¡°Sister Xue, the Crown Prince probably has a lot to deal with lately, so he hasn¡¯t written to you. If you feel lonely by yourself in the Lu Mansion, you can come to the North Prince Mansion every day.¡± Xue Linglong smiled and said, ¡°I am also grateful to have Sister Zixuan here. Without you, I would not know how lonely I would be in the North Country.¡± ¡°But speaking of which, with the Crown Prince not by my side, every night I sleep, I always feel the room is so empty.¡± ¡°Sigh, ever since marrying the Crown Prince, I have not truly experienced what it feels like to be a woman. And now the Crown Prince has gone to the south, I have no idea when he will take me there; living like a widow is truly torturous.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan laughed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be troubled by this, Sister.¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°I am not ashamed to tell you, Sister Zixuan, I am a woman too, with passions and desires; being left to live like a widow, it¡¯s really a torment.¡± Saying this, Xue Linglong looked at Mu Zixuan and asked, ¡°Sister Zixuan, with so many women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, the North Prince probably doesn¡¯t spend many nights in your room, right?¡± Mu Zixuan said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s not true; he often comes to my room.¡± Xue Linglong sighed again, saying, ¡°I really envy you.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Sister Xue, this is not something to be envied over.¡± Xue Linglong pretended to be curious and asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°It¡¯s primarily because the Prince has too much vigor and is overly robust. Every time the Prince comes to my room, he leaves me quite exhausted.¡± Xue Linglong said in confusion, ¡°With so many women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, can¡¯t they mitigate the North Prince¡¯s vigor?¡± Now it was Mu Zixuan¡¯s turn to sigh, ¡°Sigh, although he has many wives and concubines, all together, they are no match for the Prince.¡± Xue Linglong said ¡°astonished¡±, ¡°The North Prince is that fierce?¡± Mu Zixuan remarked, ¡°It¡¯s a pity Sister Xue married the Crown Prince; had you not married him but instead the Prince, you might also be able to appreciate my troubles.¡± Xue Linglong sighed and said, ¡°Sigh, it¡¯s all fate; I don¡¯t have that luck.¡± Just then, Mu Zixuan suddenly thought of something and said, ¡°Sister Xue, the clothing factory of the North Prince Mansion has recently designed some new clothes. Would you like to try them out?¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Try out clothes? This meant entering the inner courts of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, right? Up until then, their chats had always been in the outer courts of the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and she had never been to the inner courts, nor had she had the chance to get close to the North Prince. If she could enter the inner courts of the mansion, she would have many more opportunities. Xue Linglong immediately replied, ¡°Sure, I quite like the clothes made by the North Prince Mansion¡¯s clothing factory.¡± Mu Zixuan then stood up and said, ¡°Then Sister Xue, follow me.¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± And so, Mu Zixuan led Xue Linglong to the inner courts. The two went straight to a bedroom that was usually unoccupied. Mu Zixuan had specially picked it for Xue Linglong. After entering the bedroom, Mu Zixuan instructed the maids to bring in the new clothes made by the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s clothing factory, and then the two of them began to slowly try on the new clothes. Chapter 703 - Chapter 703: Chapter 420 Xue Linglong: Taking Down North Prince Is Just Too Easy_3 Chapter 703: Chapter 420 Xue Linglong: Taking Down North Prince Is Just Too Easy_3 Xue Linglong tried on many new outfits, and it had to be said that the designs from the North Prince Mansion¡¯s clothing factory were indeed unique and very much to Xue Linglong¡¯s taste. When Xue Linglong was trying on clothes, she was so focused on the fitting that she almost forgot why she was there in the first place. After a while, Mu Zixuan took out a black gauze skirt and said to Xue Linglong, ¡°Sister Linglong, what do you think about this skirt?¡± Seeing the black gauze skirt in Mu Zixuan¡¯s hands, Xue Linglong¡¯s eyes lit up. As a member of the Demon Sect, her favorite was black clothing. This black gauze skirt suited her taste perfectly. Taking the dress from Mu Zixuan¡¯s hands, she said, ¡°Sister Zixuan, this skirt is beautiful. Will your clothing factory at North Prince Mansion sell dresses like this in the future?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°That has not been decided yet, but if you like this skirt, Sister Linglong, then I will give it to you as a gift.¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°Then I have to thank you, Sister Zixuan.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Sister Linglong, try it on.¡± With an agreeable ¡°Okay,¡± Xue Linglong swiftly took off her clothes and slipped into the black gauze skirt. The black skirt clung tightly to her graceful figure; the hem spread out like petals opened lopsidedly, with pleated edges. Through the gauzy black material, it seemed one could nearly glimpse her snow-white skin beneath, full of allure. However, because the skirt was entirely black, Xue Linglong, having put it on, appeared like a dignified widow who had just lost her husband. Xue Linglong stood in front of the mirror, constantly swaying her body. She didn¡¯t feel anything amiss with the dress; on the contrary, she loved it immensely. Just then, a maid entered the room and whispered something to Mu Zixuan. Mu Zixuan then said to Xue Linglong, ¡°Sister Linglong, something has come up suddenly, so please continue trying on clothes. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Xue Linglong, admiring her own beauty in the mirror, responded, ¡°Hmm, okay, you go ahead with your tasks.¡± After Mu Zixuan left the room, Xue Linglong had no idea that her departure was part of a plot. Not long after Mu Zixuan left, the door opened again. Xue Linglong thought it was Mu Zixuan returning, and turning her head, she said, ¡°Sister Zixuan, this skirt¡­¡± Before Xue Linglong could finish her sentence, she froze, because the person walking in wasn¡¯t Mu Zixuan but the North Prince. Seeing that it was the North Prince, Xue Linglong was overjoyed. She had entered the North Prince Mansion hoping to get closer to the North Prince, and surprisingly, there he was today in the bedroom. All she hoped for now was that Mu Zixuan would come back later, or better yet, not at all, so she could seize the opportunity to tempt Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°So it is Linglong, my sister-in-law, who is here. I thought it was Zixuan trying on clothes.¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°Zixuan had to leave for a bit; I have no idea when she¡¯ll be back.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen looked Xue Linglong up and down in her black gauze skirt. The skirt was parted at an angle, thus revealing her long, fair legs. Seeing that Lu Chen¡¯s gaze remained fixed upon her and could not be diverted, Xue Linglong felt even happier. She hadn¡¯t expected that without even making a move, this man seemed already bewitched by her. Bringing down the North Prince would be all too easy. Now, the biggest worry was that Mu Zixuan might return soon. If Mu Zixuan stayed away a while longer, she was confident she could capture the heart of this lecherous man. At that moment, Lu Chen said to a maid in the room, ¡°Go and see where the Princess has gone.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince,¡± the maid replied. The maids tactfully exited the room, and Xue Linglong was ecstatic inside. This man had even sent the maids away. Now her opportunity had arrived. Once the maids had left the room, Lu Chen approached Xue Linglong with a smile and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you look truly beautiful today.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s direct compliment, Xue Linglong covered her mouth and giggled, then replied, ¡°Younger brother, you are as sweet-talking as ever. No wonder I heard from Sister Zixuan that all the women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion are genuinely in love with you.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Sister-in-law might be mistaken. It¡¯s not because I compliment people that the women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion love me sincerely.¡± Xue Linglong asked with a smile, ¡°Oh? Then what is the reason?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯ll know the specific reason in time.¡± Just as Xue Linglong was about to continue the conversation, Lu Chen suddenly changed the subject: ¡°Now that Yi is waging war in the south, it will be a while before he is back. Sister-in-law, being alone in the North Country, do you ever feel lonely?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°You know me well, younger brother. Indeed, I have been feeling quite lonely and desolate lately, but what can I do about it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m married to your brother, so all I can do is wait for him faithfully in the North Country.¡± ¡°I do envy your concubines, sister-in-law, for being able to be with you every day.¡± Hearing these suggestively phrased words, Lu Chen slowly walked towards Xue Linglong. When he got close, he stopped and said, ¡°What¡¯s there to envy? They all complain that I¡¯m always at home, pestering them all day and not attending to serious matters.¡± Xue Linglong replied with a laugh, ¡°That¡¯s because they don¡¯t know the plight of those who are hungry! Once you leave them for a while, they¡¯ll know what suffering is.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°So, is sister-in-law struggling every single day now?¡± Xue Linglong answered, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s rather torturous.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s my fault. When Yi left, I promised to take good care of sister-in-law, and yet I¡¯m unaware of the suffering you are enduring. I should relieve you of your troubles.¡± While using her Charm Skill, Xue Linglong replied, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, younger brother. The problem lies with your brother. Even if he were in the North Country, I would still be in agony.¡± Chapter 704 - Chapter 704: Chapter 421: What a pity to be sacrificed like this_1 Chapter 704: Chapter 421: What a pity to be sacrificed like this_1 At this moment, Xue Linglong¡¯s face showed a look of desolation, as if she had suffered some great injustice. Lu Chen pretended to be concerned and asked, ¡°Why would you say that, Linglong? Could it be that Yi doesn¡¯t treat you well?¡± Xue Linglong let out a sigh, ¡°Yi is completely focused on his cultivation and has no interest in women whatsoever. Since I married him, he has never touched me, even though he is still in the North Country. My situation is no different from that of a widow.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen looked incredulous, ¡°Is what you¡¯re saying really true, Linglong?¡± ¡°So, are you saying that you are still chaste to this day?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°Yes.¡± At this point, Xue Linglong gazed at Lu Chen with affectionate eyes, ¡°I heard from Zixuan that you are also a martial artist. We are both martial artists, so why is there such a big difference between us?¡± ¡°Yi shuns the company of women and has practiced martial arts for so many years without breaking through to the Grandmaster Realm. Yet you, who indulge daily in the pleasures with your wives and concubines, have already surpassed Yi in strength.¡± ¡°Alas, Yi is truly useless.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen quickly said, ¡°Linglong, you must be careful with your words. If Yi hears what you¡¯ve said, he¡¯s likely to get very angry.¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°Right now, there are only the two of us in this room. The only way Yi could find out what I¡¯ve just said is if you tell him.¡± Getting to this point, Xue Linglong walked up to Lu Chen and raised her delicate hand to his chest, gently caressing his broad chest as she spoke, ¡°Would you be willing to see me punished by Yi?¡± Seeing Xue Linglong take action against him, Lu Chen chuckled silently in his heart; the woman had finally become impatient. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at Xue Linglong¡¯s favorability towards him and discovered it had reached ninety. This was not surprising; Xue Linglong had been visiting the North Prince Mansion daily lately and her favorability was increasing rapidly. Lu Chen took a tentative step back and then said, ¡°Linglong, what are you doing?¡± Seeing Lu Chen avoid her, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Ninth Brother, didn¡¯t you just say you would help me relieve my troubles? Why do you seem so afraid of me now? Are you that worried that Yi will find out about what happens between us?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t tell, and I don¡¯t tell, he will never know.¡± As her words fell, Xue Linglong¡¯s eyes remained fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s, continually using her Charm Skill to bewitch him, attempting to make him obey her. Lu Chen then felt something was amiss; he found Xue Linglong increasingly seductive, his body growing more restless, with impulsive images flashing through his mind. Soon, Lu Chen realized that this must be some sort of Charming Skill, which the woman was using on him. Quite interesting¡­ This was the first time a woman had used a Charming Skill on him; she truly knew no fear. At that moment, Xue Linglong approached Lu Chen once more, raising her slender hand to his chest and tracing her fingers across it again. ¡°Ninth Brother, Zixuan told me you have excellent massage techniques. My stomach has been quite uncomfortable lately; could you help me rub it?¡± This time, Lu Chen did not dodge. His expression became somewhat vacant, ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t right¡­¡± Xue Linglong continued to seductively say, ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it, no one will find out.¡± ¡°Come on, help your sister out.¡± ¡°Come on, sink into your sister¡¯s dream world¡­¡± ¡­ By now, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes were already half-closed, and his body seemed unsteady. Xue Linglong felt a surge of triumph in her heart; just as she had thought, this man had easily fallen for her Charm Skill. Wearing a triumphant smile, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Do I look beautiful?¡± Lu Chen muttered, ¡°Beautiful.¡± Xue Linglong kept probing, ¡°Compared to your other wives and concubines, who is more beautiful?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°You are more beautiful. You are the most beautiful woman in the world; none of them can compare to you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Xue Linglong felt immensely satisfied, thinking this might be the perfect opportunity to probe for secrets about the North Prince Mansion. With this in mind, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Tell your sister, where do those mysterious weapons of the North Country come from?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°They were given to me by my master.¡± Xue Linglong was taken aback, a master? So, he indeed had someone supporting him from behind. Xue Linglong pressed on, ¡°Who is your master?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°My master is the Honorable of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Hmm? Xue Linglong paused for a moment. The Honorable of the Mysterious Moon Palace? So, all this that had been happening in the North Country had been the doing of the Mysterious Moon Palace? She had wondered why the Palace Master had stayed in the North Country for so long without leaving. Furthermore, the Mysterious Moon Palace had made contact with the North Country a long time ago. It turned out that the Mysterious Moon Palace was plotting something¡­ The corners of Xue Linglong¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl slightly upwards. No matter what the Mysterious Moon Palace was scheming, Lu Chen must be a very important pawn for them; otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have chosen him. Xue Linglong thought that now she controlled an important pawn of the Mysterious Moon Palace, if she inadvertently sabotaged what they were planning, she wondered what kind of expression those people from the palace would have in the end. At that thought, Xue Linglong felt a surge of exhilaration within her. She and the Mysterious Moon Palace had no direct enmity, but since the palace was part of the righteous sects, and she was from the Demon Sect, any opportunity to make the righteous sects suffer brought great pleasure to her heart. At this moment, Xue Linglong¡¯s slender jade hand reached out to Lu Chen¡¯s exceptionally handsome, sharp-featured face, gently caressing it while commenting, ¡°Worthy of being a suspected Son of Destiny, so handsome.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity to sacrifice him just like that.¡± ¡°The Godess Skill has never been used by me before¡­ how about¡­¡± Xue Linglong¡¯s gaze was fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s face, and she could not help but swallow. For some reason, she suddenly felt her body getting hot. Xue Linglong quickly realized that she had begun to lust after this man¡¯s body. She was conflicted; this man was meant to be a sacrifice for their Sect Hierarch. If she did something to him now, and later, if their Sect Hierarch needed his body and chose to reincarnate into him, wouldn¡¯t he potentially discover what she had done? While Xue Linglong was tangled in her thoughts, she suddenly noticed that Lu Chen also exhibited some changes. It seemed that her Charm Skill was already making the man unable to extricate himself. Xue Linglong thought again, if this man truly was the Son of Destiny prophesied by the Taiyin Divine Sect, then using the Godess Skill to take his yang to supplement her yin, might her strength dramatically increase? The North Prince had so many women; his yang energy must have long been exhausted, but to absorb some of his yang energy could also be a great help in her cultivation. Increasing her strength was ultimately for the sake of the Taiyin Divine Sect, and she believed that even if the Sect Hierarch knew of her actions, she would not be blamed. With that in mind, Xue Linglong leaned towards Lu Chen¡¯s ear and blew gently before asking, ¡°Little brother, would you like to do some happy things with sister?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s body grew even more restless. He thought to himself how talkative Xue Linglong was ¨C she could have just taken action directly. In his past experiences with women, he had always been quick to take charge, and he never liked to talk so much. He actually wanted to just pin her down on the bed. However, Lu Chen had no intention of doing so just yet. He wanted to see how far this woman would go on her own initiative. At that moment, Lu Chen pretended to gulp, and then he said, ¡°Want to¡­ very much¡­¡± Xue Linglong then seductively said, ¡°Then come with sister.¡± As she spoke, Xue Linglong walked toward the bed, hoping secretly that Mu Zixuan wouldn¡¯t come and interfere at this moment. The thought of Mu Zixuan possibly returning made Xue Linglong feel guilty, as if she were a thief. But at that moment, she suddenly came up with an idea. ¡°Little brother, if you want to do happy things with sister, send your wife away. Don¡¯t let her come back to disturb us,¡± she said. Lu Chen instantly understood Xue Linglong¡¯s intent and then said to the maid at the door, ¡°Xiao Qing, tell the wife to wait for me in the study. If I don¡¯t come to the study, just keep waiting for me. She should not come here again, and no one is allowed in without my permission.¡± The maid¡¯s voice immediately came from the doorstep, ¡°Yes, my Prince.¡± Once the maid left, Xue Linglong rejoiced inwardly, now no one could disturb her. She could now focus on figuring out how to use the Godess Skill. Although she had long cultivated the Godess Skill and knew what it meant to take yang to supplement yin, she had never actually practiced it. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that the North Prince was so handsome, such a thought wouldn¡¯t have crossed her mind. Of course, this was just Xue Linglong¡¯s inner belief. She thought that her desire to use the Godess Skill on Lu Chen was driven by her genuine inner thoughts, completely unaware that she was now under the influence of Lu Chen. Lu Chen¡¯s influence on Xue Linglong was twofold: on one hand, she had been drinking Dragon and Phoenix Tea for a long time, and on the other, Lu Chen had long learned the Heart Controlling Skill. He could manipulate the thoughts of those who had a lower cultivation state than his own, to a certain degree. The Heart Controlling Skill was somewhat similar to the Charm Skill, except that the Charm Skill could only be used between individuals of opposite sexes, while the Heart Controlling Skill could be used on any person or even non-human entities. When Xue Linglong applied the Charm Skill on Lu Chen earlier, he was also using the Heart Controlling Skill on her. Now that Xue Linglong was under his spell, she remained completely unaware; her innermost desires for Lu Chen¡¯s body meant that even though she was affected, she did not believe anything was amiss. At this moment, Xue Linglong could hardly wait. She pushed Lu Chen down onto the bed and with a movement of her hand, she gathered her energy and ripped his clothes apart. But just then, Xue Linglong froze. Chapter 705 - Chapter 705: Chapter 422 Xue Linglong: Truly a Disaster!_1 Chapter 705: Chapter 422 Xue Linglong: Truly a Disaster!_1 Xue Linglong stared at the object in the distance, barely believing her eyes, and muttered to herself, ¡°It¡¯s actually like this¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, but deep down she was already thinking about retreating. It was her first time using the Goddess Skill with such intensity, and she was somewhat worried. Seeing Xue Linglong standing there dumbfounded, Lu Chen wondered if she was considering withdrawing. This wouldn¡¯t do; they had come this far, how could she think of retreating now. Lu Chen pondered whether he should simply stop acting if Xue Linglong really decided to withdraw. After hesitating for a moment, Xue Linglong decided to continue. However, an idea struck her and she said to Lu Chen, ¡°Come, use your past experience to please me.¡± Xue Linglong thought that since Lu Chen was under her charm and lacked any self-awareness, she might as well drop the act and refer to herself as ¡®me¡¯. Thinking about being served by a Son of Destiny made Xue Linglong¡¯s heart swell with pleasure. Lu Chen chuckled. The enchantress sure knew how to enjoy life, actually wanting him to serve her. Initially, he pretended to be charmed to see what Xue Linglong, the enchantress, would do. To his surprise, she bluntly asked him to serve her. Fine then, he would grant her wish. Lu Chen feigned a dazed look and said, ¡°I understand.¡± Xue Linglong quickly slipped off her embroidered shoes and lay down beside Lu Chen. While she was curious about what he was going to do, Lu Chen suddenly turned over and kissed her red lips. ¡°Mm¡­¡± ¡­ At the same time. Mu Zixuan was waiting in the Wind Cloud Court when a maid came in and said, ¡°Your Highness, the Prince has asked you to wait for him in the study and not to go back to the courtyard from earlier.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan smiled faintly, immediately understanding Lu Chen¡¯s intentions. She replied without delay, ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t have to go back either; just stay with me.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Mu Zixuan did not go to the study to wait for Lu Chen. She knew that he was likely to be busy today and wouldn¡¯t go to the study or even come back for dinner. Obviously, what he had said to the maid was meant for Xue Linglong. He wanted Xue Linglong to know that no one would disturb them that afternoon. ¡­ At this very moment. Inside a room in the North Prince Mansion. Xue Linglong wanted to get up, but Lu Chen pinned her down, rendering her immobile. She then commanded in a demanding tone, ¡°Huff¡­get¡­get off me now!¡± However, as soon as Xue Linglong finished speaking, Lu Chen acted as if he was unfazed, completely ignoring her command. Xue Linglong was baffled. How could this be¡­? Wasn¡¯t he already charmed by her? Why would he suddenly lose control and not obey her commands? This couldn¡¯t go on ¨C her consciousness was about to collapse. She could clearly feel that her cultivation state was rapidly improving, her power growing incessantly, but this enhancement was now beyond her control. When she began kissing Lu Chen, the feeling was marvelous, and her body felt ecstatic. However, she soon realized that something was wrong. As she exerted her power to use the Goddess Skill on Lu Chen, the spiritual power within his body surged crazily into hers, overwhelming her senses. She quickly lost control over her body as Lu Chen led her on, making her utterly powerless to resist. Although she felt no discomfort, the experience was too surreal, which frightened Xue Linglong, prompting her to want to break away from Lu Chen. But no matter what she tried, she couldn¡¯t push him away; instead, she seemed to become a plaything toyed with by him. Xue Linglong became increasingly terrified, but gradually, she forgot her fear, forgot everything. When evening came. During dinner, Mu Zixuan sent a maid to check on Xue Linglong¡¯s condition, and after receiving her report, she said to Chu Yuqin and the others, ¡°The Prince probably won¡¯t come back for dinner tonight; let¡¯s eat without him.¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Qingli pouted and said, ¡°The Prince is so bold, daring to lay hands on that woman. Putting aside the possibility that she might be from the Demon Sect, she is openly the Crown Princess Consort after all. If word got out¡­¡± Chu Qingli stopped herself. Chu Yuqin spoke calmly, ¡°Chen¡¯er knows what he¡¯s doing, Qing Li, there¡¯s no need for you to worry.¡± Chu Qingli commented, ¡°Thinking about it, he didn¡¯t even spare Sister once, so there¡¯s probably no woman in this world he wouldn¡¯t dare touch.¡± Hearing this, the beautiful Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks tinged with a hint of red. She too had never expected to end up in the Prince¡¯s harem. Chu Yuqin changed the subject, ¡°Zixuan, didn¡¯t you say that there¡¯s too much industry under the Prince¡¯s Mansion for you to manage alone? Have you spoken to Chen¡¯er about this?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°I have. The Prince plans to have Princess Wu assist me in managing the North Prince Mansion¡¯s industries.¡± This¡­ When Mu Zixuan provided her answer, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned. She had not expected Lu Chen to dare entrust the mansion¡¯s industries to an outsider who hadn¡¯t even officially entered the household. Wu Junwan was still the Princess of Great Wu; wasn¡¯t he afraid that the secrets of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s industries could potentially be leaked out? Seeing Chu Yuqin speechless, Mu Zixuan added, ¡°Sister Chu, I know what you¡¯re worried about, but rest assured, the Prince isn¡¯t foolish. If he believes that Princess Wu would not betray the North Prince Mansion, then she surely won¡¯t betray us.¡± Chapter 706 - Chapter 706: Chapter 422 Xue Linglong: Truly a Disaster!_2 Chapter 706: Chapter 422 Xue Linglong: Truly a Disaster!_2 Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°Ah, the things Chen¡¯er is doing are becoming more and more incomprehensible to me. I can only hope that all this won¡¯t lead to any problems.¡± Chu Yuqin felt that as Lu Chen grew up, she could no longer keep up with his thinking. In the past, it was she who taught Lu Chen how to act, but now, Lu Chen had his own ideas, and many of the things he did seemed very radical to her, somewhat inappropriate. However, Chu Yuqin did not interfere in Lu Chen¡¯s affairs, after all, Lu Chen had grown up. At this moment, Chu Yuqin wondered if she was too conservative and therefore couldn¡¯t understand what Lu Chen was doing. ¡­ The long night would eventually pass. At dawn, the sky was still dim. Xue Linglong stood by the bed, getting dressed while looking at Lu Chen lying there. Lu Chen had once again become controlled by the Charming Skill, his eyes vacant, looking like a puppet. Xue Linglong, thinking about the events of the previous night, clenched her teeth and tightened her fists in anger. After glancing over Lu Chen¡¯s entire body, she said viciously, ¡°Dare treat me this way, see if I don¡¯t cut you down!¡± Despite her words, Xue Linglong took no action. Xue Linglong then sighed deeply; she touched her lower abdomen, noting that her strength had indeed increased significantly. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be just the effect of the Goddess Skill. I¡¯ve never heard of the Goddess Skill having such a good effect.¡± ¡°It seems this guy really is the Son of Destiny!¡± Xue Linglong was completely unaware that the cultivation technique they practiced last night was not the Goddess Skill but the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell. Her consciousness had been blurred yesterday, so how could she know what cultivation technique they had used. After getting dressed, Xue Linglong did not leave immediately. She bent down and looked attentively at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face. ¡°Strange, why did this guy lose control last night?¡± Xue Linglong still didn¡¯t understand; according to logic, since she controlled Lu Chen, he should have been very obedient to her. Whatever she told him to do, that¡¯s what he should have done. Instead, he turned fierce, completely disregarding her commands, and she thought she might have lost her life. ¡°Could it be because of the Charming Skill?¡± ¡°Hmm, it should be.¡± ¡°Certainly, I must have completely drawn out his inner desires, which is what led him to focus solely on that act, completely ignoring my commands.¡± Finding a reasonable explanation for Lu Chen¡¯s loss of control the night before made Xue Linglong feel much better. She scanned Lu Chen¡¯s body again and muttered to herself, ¡°No wonder Mu Zixuan said that all the women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion combined are no match for you.¡± ¡°Truly a disaster!¡± Having said that, Xue Linglong fell into deep thought. What should she do next? Although she had temporarily controlled Lu Chen using the Charm Skill, she still couldn¡¯t take him away now. After all, the Palace Master from the Mysterious Moon Palace and that Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace were very likely still in Yan County. If she acted rashly, she would most certainly be discovered by the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace. Lu Chen was an important pawn of the Mysterious Moon Palace; they certainly kept a close watch on him and would not let him leave Yan County. It seems that taking Lu Chen away required more careful planning. Thinking this, Xue Linglong¡¯s gaze moved down to look at the plum blossoms on the bed, then she coldly said, ¡°Lucky you!¡± ¡°Just live a few more days!¡± Xue Linglong thought to herself, letting this guy live a little longer, afterwards she could continue to use the Goddess Skill for cultivation. Now raising her delicate hand, she turned Lu Chen¡¯s face toward her and gazed into his eyes, seductively saying, ¡°Look into my eyes, you forcibly claimed my body last night, you feel very guilty in your heart, and want to compensate me with everything¡­¡± As Xue Linglong¡¯s words fell, Lu Chen murmured, ¡°I claimed Linglong¡¯s body last night; I must do everything to compensate her¡­¡± Hearing these words from Lu Chen¡¯s mouth, Xue Linglong felt very satisfied inside, just needing to wait for Lu Chen to wake up; in the future, he would surely be entirely obedient to her. Xue Linglong said, ¡°Alright, continue sleeping.¡± Lu Chen promptly closed his eyes, feigning sleep. Xue Linglong straightened up, ready to leave. Yet before departing, she couldn¡¯t help but glance at Lu Chen once more. Gazing at the man who had bewildered her all night, Xue Linglong exhaled softly, ¡°I must be mad¡­¡± As the words fell, Xue Linglong left reluctantly, heading toward the doorway. After Xue Linglong had left the room, Lu Chen opened his eyes, a slight smile curving the corners of his mouth, and then he opened the system interface. [Congratulations, host, for obtaining a wife, rewarded with the Primary Puppet Skill.] [Host has cultivated affection with the wife once, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points add¡­] Seeing the reward he had received, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. The Primary Puppet Skill? This must also be a Cultivation Technique of the Immortal world? A moment later, knowledge of the Puppetry Technique filled Lu Chen¡¯s mind. The Primary Puppet Skill could only use Spirit Wood as the material to refine puppets. Spirit Wood, where to find Spirit Wood? At that moment, Lu Chen had a flash of insight. Wasn¡¯t the Dragon Phoenix Tree a kind of Spirit Plant? They had cut many branches from the Dragon Phoenix Tree when they transplanted it, and those branches were still stored in the warehouse of the North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen thought to himself, thankfully he had the foresight not to burn those branches. Considering the Dragon Phoenix Tree was a Spirit Plant, he figured the branches might be useful in the future. So he had them stored and sealed in one of the warehouses. Next, all he needed was to find some craftsmen to work on those branches, shaping them into the form of wooden figures, and then he could apply the Puppetry Technique to those figures. With that thought in mind, Lu Chen immediately rose from the bed, ready to test what the Puppetry Technique could do. However, at that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze was captured by the plum blossoms on the bed, recalling last night¡¯s events. Lu Chen chuckled and said to himself, ¡°A vixen¡¯s body truly is different from that of an ordinary person.¡± It seemed he would be in for a treat in the future. Without giving it much thought, Lu Chen called for the maid, got dressed with her assistance, and headed to Wind Cloud Court. Mu Zixuan was at Wind Cloud Court¡¯s small paddy field, intently observing the Spirit Rice. Seeing Lu Chen walking into the yard with a spring in his step, she greeted him with a smile, ¡°Congratulations, Prince, on acquiring another beauty.¡± Lu Chen walked directly behind Mu Zixuan, wrapped his arms around her slender waist, and rested his head on her fragrant shoulder, saying, ¡°All thanks to my beloved concubine.¡± ¡°My beloved, what are you watching so intently this early?¡± Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°Prince, the rice you planted seems to have matured.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s attention shifted to the Spirit Rice. The Spirit Rice had indeed turned yellow, and observing the full panicles, Lu Chen was surprised. He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the Spirit Rice recently and didn¡¯t expect it to have already matured. Furthermore, the panicles of the Spirit Rice were more plentiful and filled out than those of ordinary rice. Lu Chen released Mu Zixuan¡¯s soft body, bent down, and picked a grain of rice in his hand. Then, he carefully peeled off the husk and tossed the Spirit Rice into his mouth to taste. The moment the Spirit Rice entered his mouth, Lu Chen immediately felt invigorated, his body so light it seemed transformed. But that wasn¡¯t all. The Spiritual Power within him also expanded several-fold, and he felt as though a certain restriction in his body was preventing him from breaking through. Lu Chen realized instantly that this restriction must be the Celestial¡¯s, preventing him from breaking through until he unified the entire world. This Spirit Rice might not be of much use to him now, but if given to his wives or subordinates, their realms could elevate quickly. No wonder the system sent him just three catties of Spirit Rice seeds; the impact was significant, with obvious effects. Moreover, the Spirit Rice matured very quickly, with three harvests possible in a year, and the yield was not small. At this rate, it wouldn¡¯t take long for three catties to turn into three thousand catties. Chapter 710 - Chapter 710: Chapter 425 Its all that disasters fault_1 Chapter 710: Chapter 425 It¡¯s all that disaster¡¯s fault_1 Since Lu Chen had learned Puppetry Technique, he had been practicing controlling puppets every single day and had reached the point of obsession. He even had a craftsman carve several palm-sized puppets and distributed one to each of his wives and concubines so that they could use these puppets to contact him if they had any issues. However, Lu Chen¡¯s gifting of puppets made Chu Yuqin feel very uneasy. One night, Lu Chen came to Chu Yuqin¡¯s room, and after an intense exchange between them, Chu Yuqin expressed her concerns. ¡°Chen¡¯er, you are still alive, yet you¡¯ve made so many puppets that look exactly like yourself. Is that really appropriate?¡± In the Great Xia Dynasty, ¡°not making statues of the living¡± and ¡°not erecting steles for the alive¡± was common knowledge, let alone these wooden ¡°small people.¡± Whenever ¡°small people¡± were mentioned, people would first think of straw effigies. These straw effigies are usually used when cursing someone. There had been several disasters related to witchcraft and curses in the Great Xia Dynasty, and they were all closely related to such effigies. But those effigies were made by others to curse someone, and here was Lu Chen making so many effigies of himself¡ªand the key was that all these little figures had his blood on them. When it comes to the effectiveness of a curse, these little figures stained with his own blood would be more effective. Therefore, Chu Yuqin felt that it was very inappropriate for Lu Chen to give away these little figures, and they should all be taken back. After all, Chu Yuqin was from this era and possessed the thoughts of this era. Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen gently stroked her jade back and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, I have never believed in such Witch Worm Skill.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Chu Yuqin sighed inwardly; she knew that Lu Chen certainly did not believe in Witch Worm Skill, otherwise, he would not have let a craftsman carve so many little figures that looked like him. Chu Yuqin then advised, ¡°Chen¡¯er, with such matters, it¡¯s better to err on the side of caution than dismiss the possibility.¡± Lu Chen then got up from Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, turned her around to face him, and gazed into her eyes as he asked, ¡°The wooden figures I carved were also given to my women. Is Madam Chu suggesting that among them, someone would wish to harm me?¡± Chu Yuqin blushed and said, ¡°Maybe not now, seeing how robust your body is.¡± ¡°But the human heart is unpredictable.¡± ¡°As the number of your women increases, you may begin to neglect some of your wives and concubines in the future. And as your children multiply, once the kids grow up, those women may start harboring inappropriate thoughts for the sake of their own children.¡± ¡°You are also a member of the royal family; you have experienced those incidents. You can¡¯t be too careful.¡± Moved by her words, Lu Chen felt in his heart that indeed, this woman cared for him the most in this world. Lu Chen lifted his hand to touch Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade-like face and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, I have already considered all that you have said, but rest assured, my women will not harm me.¡± Despite Lu Chen¡¯s confidence, Chu Yuqin sighed internally; every time she reminded Lu Chen of potential dangers, he would respond the same way. The more confident Lu Chen was, the more worried Chu Yuqin became. Just then, Lu Chen leaned in close again and as Chu Yuqin let out a soft groan, he whispered in her ear, ¡°There¡¯s a secret, and I am not sure if I have ever spoken to you directly about it. After much thought, I¡¯ve decided to tell you because you are the person closest to me.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s curiosity was piqued by his words. What secret was Lu Chen about to reveal? Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Chu, do you know what Dragon and Phoenix Tea is used for?¡± Looking puzzled, Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t it used to enhance one¡¯s strength?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Enhancing strength is just one of the functions of Dragon and Phoenix Tea. It has another, greater purpose.¡± Chu Yuqin asked with curiosity, ¡°What purpose?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Dragon and Phoenix Tea can deepen and stabilize my wives and concubines¡¯ affections for me.¡± Chu Yuqin was taken aback by that revelation. She quickly made a connection and her face flushed with embarrassment, ¡°You¡­ you little rascal¡­¡± ¡°No wonder you had me drink Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and you actually¡­¡± Chu Yuqin felt a hint of emotion stirring within her; she had wondered why there had been a period where she constantly thought about getting involved with this rascal. Although she found Lu Chen handsome and had wanted to protect him all her life while she was in the Capital city, she had never thought she would end up sharing a bed with him. And yet, it hadn¡¯t been long since she arrived in North Country when this little rascal completely devoured her. It turned out that this little rascal had used some despicable methods on her. As Lu Chen twisted his body, he said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry; this tea was meant for my women, and besides, it can also enhance strength. My main intention in giving it to you was to help boost your power.¡± Chu Yuqin snorted lightly, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you, you little rascal!¡± She had gotten pregnant by this little rascal, and he still told her it was to improve her strength. How could she possibly believe that? This little rascal had his eyes on her body from the start. Finally, Lu Chen spoke plainly, ¡°Since you don¡¯t believe me anyway, I won¡¯t pretend anymore. I coveted you, my lady, that¡¯s why I let you drink Dragon and Phoenix Tea. Anyway, it¡¯s all happened; what do you plan to do about it?¡± ¡°You¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Chu Yuqin ultimately let out a helpless sigh, knowing full well that regardless of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, her fate was already sealed. This little rascal had set his sights on her since he was small, and he was not going to let her go. Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°It¡¯s no use talking about it now; consider it my bad luck to have encountered you, this little rascal, in this lifetime.¡± Smiling, Lu Chen replied, ¡°How can you call it bad luck? Meeting me, you should feel blessed instead.¡± Chu Yuqin huffed again, ¡°I won¡¯t pester you with these matters anymore. No wonder every time I remind you to pay attention to the inner court¡¯s affairs, you appear so indifferent. It turns out you¡¯ve long known that your wives and concubines will not betray you.¡± ¡°And here I was, so worried about you.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°My dear wife, haven¡¯t I explained the reason to you just now? From now on, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen began to focus on his own matters, leaving Chu Yuqin with no choice but to immerse herself in the happiness he created. Meanwhile. At the Lu Mansion. Xue Linglong, dressed in a silky undergarment, tossed and turned on the bed, her mind filled with the images of her entanglement with Lu Chen at the North Prince Mansion that day. Whether practicing or sleeping, she would think of Lu Chen. Xue Linglong felt as if she were becoming addicted to that sensation. After rolling around on the bed with the blanket for a while, Xue Linglong sat up abruptly. She muttered to herself, ¡°Strange, several days have passed, why hasn¡¯t that fellow come to the Lu Mansion looking for me?¡± Logically, her Charm Skill had succeeded, and though Lu Chen had regained consciousness, she had already planted a seed deep within Lu Chen¡¯s heart. Lu Chen should be feeling a profound sense of guilt towards her and would seek ways to compensate her. She had estimated that Lu Chen would probably come to seek her out voluntarily the day after her return and try to find ways to offer words of amends. But after so many days, that fellow hadn¡¯t made a single move, nor had he sent anyone with gifts to the Lu Mansion. She began to doubt whether her Charming Skill had been effective at all. Xue Linglong¡¯s mind surged with a sudden realization of a possibility. ¡°Could it be that my Charm Skill was noticed by a Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace, and that Celestial helped the North Prince undo it?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it spells trouble.¡± If the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace discovered that she had used the Charm Skill on Lu Chen, they would surely seek out the person behind it. If her actions were exposed, she would have no choice but to leave Yan County, which would prevent her from taking Lu Chen back to the Taiyin Divine Sect for the sacrifice. This thought made Xue Linglong feel extremely unsettled. She decided to visit the North Prince Mansion the next morning to investigate and see if her Charm Skill had indeed been undone by someone from the Mysterious Moon Palace. Just then, she once again felt an overwhelming emptiness in her body, and she began to heat up all over. Xue Linglong bit her silver teeth, her hands gripping the blanket tightly as she said angrily, ¡°It¡¯s all that scoundrel¡¯s fault! I should never have done that with him!¡± Another sleepless night ensued. Early the next morning. Xue Linglong arrived at the North Prince Mansion, using the same pretext as before¡ªto chat with Mu Zixuan. While drinking tea and chatting with Mu Zixuan, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Sister Xue, have you been busy lately? Why haven¡¯t you come to the North Prince Mansion in several days?¡± Xue Linglong said, somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ve been tied up with some matters these past few days, but they are all settled now, and I¡¯m free again.¡± Xue Linglong asked tentatively, ¡°By the way, Sister Zixuan, has anything happened at the Prince¡¯s Mansion recently?¡± Mu Zixuan inquired, ¡°Sister Xue, why do you ask?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°I heard that many craftsmen have been entering the Prince¡¯s Mansion these days, so I was a bit curious if the mansion was undergoing renovations.¡± Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that the Prince¡¯s behavior seems to have changed a bit recently; he brought in the woodworkers to the Prince¡¯s Mansion, actually it¡¯s to carve some wooden figures.¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s response, Xue Linglong was taken aback. His behavior changed a bit? So, her Charm Skill hadn¡¯t failed after all. But why then hadn¡¯t he come looking for her? Xue Linglong continued to ask, ¡°What is the Prince carving wooden figures for?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it seems like he wants to carve the figure of a certain woman.¡± ¡°I even suspect the Prince might be bewitched.¡± Xue Linglong¡¯s heart jolted; was Lu Chen carving the figure of a specific woman with the intention of having something to remember her by? This was indeed very likely! No wonder he hadn¡¯t come looking for her! So he planned to use the figure to comfort himself! This wouldn¡¯t do; what she wanted was for him to actively seek her out, not for him to comfort himself! In Xue Linglong¡¯s view, not only had her Charm Skill not failed, but its effect might have been so significant that it caused Lu Chen to feel too guilty towards her, making him fear and dare not face her, which was why he hadn¡¯t come to her. For her, this was not a good sign. She was keener on Lu Chen taking the initiative to leave the North Prince Mansion to seek her out, providing her with the chance to take Lu Chen away from Yan County, away from the North Country. Chapter 711 - Chapter 711: Chapter 426 The Enchantress Comes_1 Chapter 711: Chapter 426 The Enchantress Comes_1 Xue Linglong, after confirming that her Charm Skill might not have lost its effect, decided to find a way to approach Lu Chen once again. If Lu Chen really was avoiding her out of guilt as she suspected and she did not take the initiative to reach out, wouldn¡¯t that mean their relationship would never progress further? Therefore, she still needed to take the initiative. With this thought, Xue Linglong said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Perhaps the ninth brother has taken a fancy to a lady from some family recently, which is why he has seemed so distracted.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°What Elder Sister Xue says is possible, but considering the Prince¡¯s status in the North Country, if he fancies a lady from some family, it should be easy for him to marry her. There¡¯s no need for him to be so melancholic.¡± Xue Linglong remarked, ¡°This I do not know. Perhaps the lady is not from the North Country.¡± ¡°By the way, Sister Zixuan, I¡¯d like to ask for your help with something, if that is possible.¡± Mu Zixuan feigned curiosity as she inquired, ¡°What is it? Please, Elder Sister Xue, just tell me.¡± Xue Linglong explained, ¡°I¡¯d like to meet with the ninth brother to inquire about the Crown Prince¡¯s well-being. It has been a long time since he last wrote to me, and these past few nights I have felt restless, as if something has happened, and I cannot sleep well.¡± Smiling, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°That¡¯s easy, I will just have the maid inform the Prince.¡± At that point, Mu Zixuan directly told the maid beside her, ¡°Xiao Rou, go check what the Prince is doing in the study. If he is not busy, let him know that Linglong wishes to meet him to inquire about the Crown Prince¡¯s condition.¡± ¡°As you wish, Princess Consort.¡± The maid immediately left the courtyard and headed for the study. Lu Chen was dealing with state affairs in his study when heard from the maid that Xue Linglong wished to see him. He smiled faintly and instructed the maid to bring Xue Linglong to his study. Since the enchantress had taken the initiative to come to him again, he would have to deal with her properly. It wasn¡¯t long before Xue Linglong appeared in the study. Upon seeing her, Lu Chen had the maid exit immediately and close the door behind her; soon, only Lu Chen and Xue Linglong were left in the study. Lu Chen¡¯s expression was complex as he began to speak, ¡°Linglong, about that day¡­¡± He trailed off, unable to continue. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s guilty expression, Xue Linglong¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. Swinging her hips, she walked toward Lu Chen, saying as she approached, ¡°Ninth brother, it was my own willingness. Rest assured, as long as you don¡¯t speak of it, no one will know what happened that day.¡± Lu Chen hesitated for a moment, about to say something, when Xue Linglong was already standing before him. She raised her slender hand to his broad chest and then leaned into his embrace. As soon as she had entered the study and seen Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face, she felt a restless excitement in her body. All she wanted now was to quickly relive the moment they had shared last time. ¡°Ninth brother, when did you become so timid? Haven¡¯t you always coveted my body?¡± ¡°In front of your brother Yi, your eyes were glued to my form, yet now that it has happened, you seem troubled by this and that?¡± ¡°Why worry about those matters? After all, Yi is still in Heyang County and won¡¯t be returning any time soon.¡± While speaking, Xue Linglong began to make her moves on Lu Chen. Her delicate hands slowly slid down from his chest, behaving like a woman of loose morals. Lu Chen chuckled inwardly. The enchantress was so bold; this he had not anticipated. Among his women, it had been a long time since any were so forward. Previously, Wang Qingci had been very proactive, but as time passed, Wang Qingci had also become less so. Now, Wang Qingci had lost some of her seductive charm and had gained the dignified maturity of a grown woman. After all, she was now a wife and mother, and it was only natural for her temperament to change. Lu Chen abruptly seized Xue Linglong¡¯s wrist and then grasped her slender waist, pushing her against the desk and gazing into her captivating peach blossom eyes as he said, ¡°You really are a woman who does not behave with propriety. The Crown Prince has hardly left, and here you are, trying to seduce me.¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong replied with a smiling face, ¡°Ninth brother, you say this, but your body does not seem to agree. It seems you, too, are a hypocrite.¡± Lu Chen let out a cold laugh and retorted, ¡°If you¡¯re going to seduce me like this, then don¡¯t blame me for being discourteous.¡± Xue Linglong responded, ¡°Come then, I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s forget all the rules and immerse ourselves in pleasure.¡± At that moment, Xue Linglong¡¯s eyes shimmered with purple light as she once again tried to charm Lu Chen. However, this time she did not completely control Lu Chen; she only wanted to stir up the desire in his heart, prompting him to repeat what they had done last time. Lu Chen certainly felt it and soon bent down, silencing Xue Linglong¡¯s lips with his own. After kissing Lu Chen for a while, Xue Linglong felt her whole body electrified with excitement. Within her mind, Xue Linglong thought, this is the feeling. She had to admit, this man did possess some skill. The two, locked in their kiss, soon entered the study¡¯s resting chamber. Xue Linglong once again used her Goddess Skill on Lu Chen, but like before, her mind quickly went blank as Lu Chen took control of everything. Chapter 712 - Chapter 712: Chapter 426 The Enchantress Comes_2 Chapter 712: Chapter 426 The Enchantress Comes_2 ¡­ A day had passed in the blink of an eye. Lu Chen had not returned to the Wind Cloud Court for dinner again tonight. In the dead of night. Yun Xianxian sat in meditation on her bed when she seemed to sense something and suddenly opened her eyes. The next moment, a blue bird flew in through the window and landed on Yun Xianxian¡¯s hand. She immediately took off the note tied to the bird¡¯s leg and read it. Upon seeing the content of the note, Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, and then the whole room was encased in ice. Immediately after, Yun Xianxian¡¯s figure flashed as she entered Chen Wanrong¡¯s bedroom. Chen Wanrong was also meditating. Feeling her master¡¯s presence, she opened her eyes. ¡°Master? Is something the matter?¡± Yun Xianxian handed Chen Wanrong the note she was holding, and upon reading it, Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. Yun Xianxian said coldly, ¡°I truly did not expect that they would collude with the Great Sum imperial family while I was away.¡± Chen Wanrong asked, ¡°What does Master plan to do?¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°Anyone who betrays me has only one path to death. Since they have chosen betrayal, they should not blame me for being heartless.¡± ¡°It just so happens that they are now in the Great Sum capital. When Lu Chen leads his troops southwards, I will follow him and eliminate the traitors.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong felt happy for Lu Chen¡ªhaving Yun Xianxian¡¯s full support would make his quest to unify the land much easier. At that moment, Yun Xianxian suddenly thought of something and then asked, ¡°By the way, why hasn¡¯t Lu Chen come to cultivate with you these past few days? Has he grown tired of it?¡± This¡­ Chen Wanrong was momentarily stunned. It was only recently that Yun Xianxian had scolded her for being frivolous, saying she was no different from animals in indulging in male and female affairs. Why would she bring this up now? ¡°Master, my junior brother feared that you would be angry, so he has not come these past few days.¡± Yun Xianxian snorted, ¡°If he were afraid of angering me, he wouldn¡¯t have been running to your room every day, and he wouldn¡¯t have made such a commotion at night, preventing me from being able to meditate in peace.¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t know what to say. Lu Chen truly wasn¡¯t afraid of their master. Far from it, he even harbored thoughts of betraying their sect. Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Well, if he doesn¡¯t come, let it be.¡± As her voice fell, Yun Xianxian¡¯s body disappeared from the spot and she was back in her room. Yun Xianxian had originally planned to use Lu Chen as a tool to restore her cultivation when he came to seek out Chen Wanrong, and now he had stopped coming. She refused to believe that Lu Chen would stay away from Yunrong Courtyard indefinitely. With Chen Wanrong there, it was only a matter of time before he would return. Although she knew Lu Chen would come back to Chen Wanrong, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t help feeling worried. She had taken Lu Chen as a disciple for some time now, but she had not taught him any cultivation techniques during this period. Her title as his master was in name only and had not fulfilled any of the responsibilities that came with it. If this continued, would Lu Chen feel that his master was useless and harbor negative thoughts about her, thinking that she had only taken him on as her disciple to use his body to restore her strength? Even though she did harbor such thoughts, now that she had taken him as a disciple, it was still necessary for her to play some role. Considering the techniques Lu Chen had shown, he likely came from a high-level Immortal world, and making an enemy from such a world was never a good thing. If this man were to have a stroke of luck and encounter a great opportunity, causing his strength to skyrocket, even surpassing her own, he could potentially commit acts of betrayal against his master. If she wanted this man to willingly serve her, she would need to provide him with some benefits. Although Chen Wanrong was a benefit she had offered to Lu Chen, she was an independent person. Yun Xianxian had to find another way to entice Lu Chen. Perhaps she should impart some cultivation techniques to him? What cultivation techniques would be best to teach? Yun Xianxian fell into deep thought. Meanwhile. In the study room, resting chamber. Xue Linglong found herself trapped in a mire once again, struggling to escape, but to no avail. Last time, in order not to discomfort Xue Linglong, Lu Chen used the Rejuvenating Skill, healing her injuries while engaging in their activities. But this time was different, dealing with a Demon Sect Sorceress required different methods¡ªit would not do to continuously heal her. This time, Lu Chen did not employ the Rejuvenating Skill at all, and Xue Linglong feared she wouldn¡¯t last much longer. She hurriedly attempted to use the Charm Skill on Lu Chen. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ get up quickly, you feel extremely guilty about your actions, and have decided¡­ um¡­¡± Before Xue Linglong could finish her sentence, Lu Chen once again sealed her red lips with his. Xue Linglong was dumbfounded. How could this be? Her Charm Skill had no effect? How was this possible? Wasn¡¯t it working perfectly before? Could it be like last time, when her use of the Charm Skill hooked Lu Chen¡¯s inner desires, causing his loss of control, and even using the Charm Skill again couldn¡¯t stop what Lu Chen was doing? The thought of this possibility filled Xue Linglong¡¯s heart with immense fear. Soon, only one thought remained in her mind. I¡¯m done for¡­ Not knowing how much time had passed, Xue Linglong, who was sprawled on the bed, vaguely seemed to hear someone speaking. ¡°Demon Sect Sorceress, still trying to control me with your Charm Skill? Regretting it now, aren¡¯t you!¡± Lu Chen felt he no longer needed to pretend, as he had found during the act that this sorceress was very compatible with him. Since that was the case, why not be straightforward and take this sorceress into his harem sooner? His harem needed a sorceress who could bear his negative emotions. Upon hearing these words, Xue Linglong instantly snapped awake! That voice was Lu Chen¡¯s voice. Didn¡¯t Lu Chen lose control because of the Charm Skill? How could he still make such lucid remarks? And he called her a sorceress? How did he know she was a Demon Sect Sorceress? Xue Linglong abruptly turned her head to look at Lu Chen, who was now watching her with an amused expression on his face. Seeing the firmness in Lu Chen¡¯s gaze, which didn¡¯t resemble someone under control at all, Xue Linglong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. How did he not seem controlled at all? The Charm Skill was ineffective? Out of breath, Xue Linglong demanded, ¡°You¡­ when did you¡­ become aware!¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Aware? I have never been under the control of your Charm Skill from the start.¡± ¡°How was my performance? Convincing, wasn¡¯t it?¡± The moment Lu Chen said this, a great shock went through Xue Linglong¡¯s heart. No wonder the last time she gave Lu Chen orders, he completely ignored them and acted like a beast; he had never been controlled in the first place. His appearance of being under control had all been an act. This meant that he could have already noticed her true identity. Run¡­ she must run as fast as possible! With this thought, Xue Linglong immediately attempted to resist, but she suddenly found that the skill within her body had been sealed. Furthermore, considering what had just happened, she had no strength left at all. Held down by Lu Chen, she was completely unable to escape. Xue Linglong was bewildered once again. What was going on now¡­ How could her skill be sealed? In a voice mixed with fear and shame, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°What have you done to me?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°What have I done to you? Don¡¯t you know very well?¡± ¡°I must interrogate you thoroughly, you Demon Sect Sorceress, so naturally I can¡¯t allow you to move freely.¡± ¡°Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s Saintess, prepare yourself for my interrogation!¡± Xue Linglong¡¯s beautiful eyes widened, her pupils constricted, and her body tensed up instantaneously. When one is engulfed in fear, all muscles tighten up, which Lu Chen found to his advantage. In disbelief, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°How could¡­ how could you possibly know¡­¡± She carried the Yin Yang Mirror on her, which should have made it impossible for the North Prince to discover her identity. Not just her identity, but Lu Chen shouldn¡¯t even have been able to detect that she had any cultivation at all. Yet he had just openly spoken her identity. At that moment, Lu Chen bent over her, hugged her waist tightly, and whispered in her ear, ¡°Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s Saintess, my interrogation is about to begin.¡± Upon hearing these words, Xue Linglong¡¯s fear was amplified once more, Lu Chen¡¯s whisper in her ear sounding like the devil¡¯s murmurs. Chapter 713 - Chapter 713: Chapter 427 War Mobilization Begins_1 Chapter 713: Chapter 427 War Mobilization Begins_1 Xue Linglong was eventually interrogated by Lu Chen for an entire night. Under the overlapping emotions of fear and excitement, her consciousness had nearly collapsed. In the end, Xue Linglong chose to give up struggling. She realized that there was no escaping anyway, and if the North Prince wanted to kill her, she was nothing but a lamb to the slaughter. Moreover, she believed that if Lu Chen truly intended to kill her, he wouldn¡¯t have waited so long without taking action; this guy must still have some use for her. After all, she was the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect. Controlling her meant gaining access to certain intelligence he wanted to know from her. But then again, he claimed he was going to interrogate her, yet he stayed busy with other things. From the beginning, he tormented her almost to her limits, but he never asked about the Taiyin Divine Sect. What kind of interrogation was this? Weren¡¯t interrogations supposed to involve questions? Xue Linglong suspected that this despicable man planned to wait until her will was nearly shattered before asking her questions. When the first rays of dawn shone into the room, Lu Chen lay on Xue Linglong¡¯s back, embracing her tender body. By this time, Xue Linglong had completely abandoned the thought of struggling. After an unknown amount of time, Xue Linglong spoke, ¡°You said you were going to question me, yet a whole night has passed, and you haven¡¯t asked a single question?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s there to ask? Your Demon Sect comes to the North Country, it can¡¯t be for anything good. It¡¯s highly probable you¡¯re here to cause destruction.¡± Xue Linglong queried, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why I approached you?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ve pretty much guessed what you¡¯re up to. Aren¡¯t you just trying to capture me for a sacrifice to revive your Sect Hierarch of the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± This¡­ Xue Linglong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Lu Chen not only knew she was the Demon Sect Sorceress but even the purpose of her visit to the North Prince Mansion. How could this be? Immediately, Xue Linglong thought of a possibility. If Lu Chen was so well-informed about the Taiyin Divine Sect, then it meant there must be a traitor within the sect who had divulged its secrets to Lu Chen. Moreover, the traitor¡¯s status must have been significant because not many cultists knew she had come to the North Country, and those who did wouldn¡¯t know what she was here to do. Only a handful of high-ranking members were aware of her mission in the North Country. How had Lu Chen accomplished this? The disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect were controlled by their Hierarch, and so were the Elders. Even though their Sect Hierarch was dead, his soul lived on. If those disciples harbored any thoughts of rebellion, they would quickly turn into a pool of blood. That being said¡­ She herself had entertained thoughts of betraying the Sect Hierarch, especially last night when her emotions were heightened, she even considered surrendering to the North Prince and becoming his female slave. She should have turned into a pool of blood last night, so why was she still alive and well? Could it be¡­ Had something happened to their Sect Hierarch? Or maybe his powers no longer affected them? If that really was the case, then it wouldn¡¯t be strange for the Elders of the Taiyin Divine Sect to betray it. As Xue Linglong was lost in thought, Lu Chen¡¯s hand wandered over hers, and he continued to whisper in her ear, ¡°Originally, I had planned to keep playing along with you. Do you know why I have revealed your true identity so quickly?¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°Could it be that the Prince intends to get rid of me?¡± At this point, Xue Linglong felt a trace of fear in her heart. Although she had guessed that she might not be able to escape her fate, facing death still terrified her deeply. Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°How could that be?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen caressed Xue Linglong¡¯s abdomen and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting a female slave recently. You happen to be to my liking, and since you are a Demon Sect Sorceress, I wouldn¡¯t feel any guilt no matter what I do to you.¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong scoffed and said, ¡°So this is what the Prince had in mind.¡± ¡°Wanting to make me your female slave, aren¡¯t you afraid that I, a Demon Sect Sorceress, might do something detrimental to the North Prince Mansion?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Every woman in my inner court has said that before. In the end, some of them were completely tamed by me, and some even bore my children.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong was taken aback. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be disbelieving. Once you enter the inner court, you¡¯ll soon find there are many women with similar experiences to yours.¡± ¡°Some of them came for me at the beginning. Not only did they fail to kill me, but they also ended up trapped, unable to leave me for a lifetime.¡± Xue Linglong fell silent, discerning that Lu Chen was not lying from his tone. And Lu Chen had no reason to lie to her. Could it be that there truly were many women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion who, like her, had the intention of harming Lu Chen but ended up being subdued by him? Xue Linglong then said, ¡°They are them, I am me. If the Prince thinks he can make me into an obedient female slave, he¡¯s probably deluding himself.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen whispered into Xue Linglong¡¯s ear with a low voice, ¡°They said exactly the same thing. The Princess Junwan of Great Wu had the same thought when she first came to the North Prince Mansion, but now she considers herself part of the Prince¡¯s Mansion and has started assisting the Prince¡¯s consort in managing the North Prince Mansion¡¯s affairs.¡± Chapter 714 - Chapter 714: Chapter 427 War Mobilization Begins_2 Chapter 714: Chapter 427 War Mobilization Begins_2 Lu Chen¡¯s words once again startled Xue Linglong. ¡°What! You even took advantage of the Princess of Great Wu¡­¡± Xue Linglong found it hard to believe. Even though the Great Wu Dynasty had been defeated, Wu Junwan had come to the North Country as its hostage. Could it be that this despicable man had completely devoured Wu Junwan? It made sense, after all. The North Prince was rumored to be a man of extreme lust, always scheming to add any beautiful woman he set his eyes on to his harem. With a beauty like Wu Junwan sent to the North Prince Mansion, one didn¡¯t need to think hard to imagine her fate. When she came back to her senses, Xue Linglong snorted coldly and said, ¡°Prince, you are seriously underestimating the Taiyin Divine Sect. Our Sect Hierarch has a powerful control over the disciples, which is why our sect has risen to be the leader of the Demon Sects.¡± ¡°If I were to betray the Taiyin Divine Sect, I would immediately turn into a puddle of blood. To think of taming me into becoming your female slave is nothing short of a fool¡¯s dream.¡± Lu Chen continued in a low voice by Xue Linglong¡¯s ear, ¡°My Linglong, don¡¯t fool yourself. From the moment you tried to seduce me, you¡¯d already betrayed the Taiyin Divine Sect. Dare you say that while with me, you never once thought of staying with me forever?¡± ¡°Yet here you are, still alive and at my mercy.¡± When Lu Chen put it that way, Xue Linglong fell silent again, realizing she had been contemplating the same question. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on. Was it because she was the Saintess that the Sect Hierarch was letting it slide? Could it be that her slight thoughts of betrayal weren¡¯t enough to turn her into a bloody mess? Seeing Xue Linglong lost in thought, Lu Chen continued, ¡°There are essentially three ways to control a person: using a worm, medicine, or mental manipulation.¡± ¡°No matter which, they all dissolve in the presence of this Prince.¡± ¡°If you were affected by a worm or had taken some kind of medicine, I could directly extract the worm or neutralize the medicine in your body. As for mental manipulation, it¡¯s even simpler. I too possess the Heart Controlling Skill. If I use it on you, any mental control you are under will be erased.¡± ¡°You are now completely free from the constraints of the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong was slightly dazed. After a long while, she spoke up, saying, ¡°Impossible¡­ How can anyone break the Sect Hierarch¡¯s control!¡± Lu Chen stated, ¡°You are the perfect example right now.¡± Xue Linglong fell silent once more. Suddenly recalling something, she wondered why she had been unable to sleep since returning to the Lu Mansion, with visions of her and Lu Chen together tormenting her every night, leaving her body restless and feverish. So she had been controlled by Lu Chen¡¯s Charming Skill as well. Lu Chen, a man, knew how to use such skills! No wonder he was so confident, keeping even those women who once meant him harm in the North Prince Mansion. Thinking about that, those women were probably just zombies by now, having lost their own consciousness long ago. She refused to become a soulless puppet! Xue Linglong declared, ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up. I might be in your clutches now. Kill or dismember me, as you wish. I refuse to be controlled and turned into a plaything for you!¡± Xue Linglong had made up her mind. Instead of living as a mindless body, a mere plaything, she would rather die. After all, she had grown up without parents, under the nurturing of the Taiyin Divine Sect, and had no deep attachments. Death, to her, seemed like a release. But the thought of her imminent death filled Xue Linglong with sadness. From a helpless girl to reaching the heights of Saintess within the Taiyin Divine Sect, she had thought she would gain immense power and everything she wanted. She never expected things to come to such a grim end. With that in mind, Xue Linglong closed her eyes, quietly awaiting death. However, death at the hands of Lu Chen was not what came to her. Instead, he began to do that to her again, and Xue Linglong bit her lip in frustration. Could it be that he wanted to have his way with her one more time before killing her? So be it, at least it meant a painless death. Yet, even after it was over, Lu Chen still didn¡¯t kill her. When Xue Linglong¡¯s consciousness cleared, Lu Chen was already getting up from the bed and dressing himself. Seeing this, Xue Linglong could hardly believe it. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill me?¡± Hearing her voice, Lu Chen turned to look at Xue Linglong and said with a smile, ¡°The Crown Prince and I are good brothers, and you are my Linglong. How could I possibly kill my own sister-in-law?¡± Xue Linglong snorted. She obviously didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen¡¯s nonsense. After all he had done to her, he still dared to claim brotherly respect. What a hypocritical man! Xue Linglong then said, ¡°You¡¯ll regret this!¡± Quickly getting out of bed, she hurriedly dressed, fearing Lu Chen might change his mind. Once dressed, Xue Linglong left the study without delay and hastened back to the Lu Mansion. Upon returning to the Lu Mansion, her first action was to gather the disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect. They had to leave Yan County; the North Prince was simply too dangerous. Although part of her still entertained offering the North Prince as a sacrifice to resurrect their Sect Hierarch. Chapter 715 - Chapter 715: Chapter 427 War Mobilization Begins_3 Chapter 715: Chapter 427 War Mobilization Begins_3 But she felt that if things continued this way, she feared she wouldn¡¯t even wait for their Sect Hierarch to resurrect before she became North Prince¡¯s plaything. Every time she thought about her body being wantonly toyed with by the North Prince, Xue Linglong felt deeply humiliated. She had willingly seduced North Prince and been intimate with him, but she could never become an unconscious plaything. When the disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect heard that Xue Linglong planned to leave Yan County, they were all very puzzled. Their objective had not yet been achieved; how could they leave Yan County at this time? Especially the Elders of the Taiyin Divine Sect¡ªthey knew very well that their purpose of coming to Yan County was to take North Prince away. Now, without having captured North Prince, why leave Yan County? Xue Linglong didn¡¯t explain much, she simply said that it seemed the people from Mysterious Moon Palace had become aware of their presence, hence they must leave quickly. Once they heard that Mysterious Moon Palace might have discovered them, the disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect hurriedly packed up their belongings. As a Demon Sect, they were anathema to the orthodox Mysterious Moon Palace, whose people would often kill on sight any of the Demon Sect¡¯s disciples they discovered. Now that the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace was at North Prince Mansion, if that Celestial took action, they feared they would instantly turn to ash. Noon. Lu Chen was dealing with government affairs in his study when Qin Yushan suddenly ran over to tell him about Xue Linglong taking some people from Lu Mansion and heading south. Hearing that Xue Linglong was planning to flee, Lu Chen was also startled. It was his first time encountering a woman who wanted to run away after being with him. The women in North Prince Mansion generally, after being with him once, never thought of leaving him. But Xue Linglong had been intimate with him twice, and now she planned to flee after coming to her senses. Seeing Lu Chen silent, Qin Yushan asked, ¡°Prince, shall we intercept them?¡± Lu Chen came back to his senses, ¡°No need, let them go.¡± This¡­ Everyone knew that Lu Chen was attracted to Xue Linglong, yet he was letting them go. If Xue Linglong fled, she would probably never come back. Just then, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Sand that cannot be held is better tossed to the wind.¡± Ah, this¡­ Qin Yushan was taken aback; were these words really spoken by their Prince? Wasn¡¯t their Prince known for keeping any woman he took a fancy to in his inner court? What could have caused such a sudden change? As a subordinate, Qin Yushan didn¡¯t feel it was his place to say much. He promptly said, ¡°Your subordinate understands.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, your subordinate shall take his leave.¡± Once the words were spoken, Qin Yushan turned and left the study. Watching Qin Yushan¡¯s departing figure, Lu Chen fell into thought. He believed that Xue Linglong would ultimately return; he just couldn¡¯t believe that a woman who had drunk Dragon and Phoenix Tea and been intimate with him could hold back forever. ¡­ After Xue Linglong¡¯s escape, Lu Chen¡¯s life returned to its usual state. In the daytime, he handled the affairs of North Country, and at night, he cultivated relationships with his wives and concubines. A few months passed in the blink of an eye, and the situation in Great Sum grew increasingly dire. The army led by Lu Yi, which was loyal to Sum Emperor, was quickly approaching the Royal Capital of Great Sum. Seeing Lu Yi leading his forces directly toward the Royal Capital, Zhao King could no longer sit still. He stood up and declared that Lu Yi was a traitor, merely using the excuse of loyalty to the emperor to rebel. Therefore, he must go north to suppress the rebellion, claiming that the army he led was the true loyalist army. And so, the armies led by Lu Yi and Zhao King both marched towards the same destination. The ministers of Great Sum¡¯s Royal Capital were as anxious as ants on a hot pan, and some had already started writing letters to Lu Yi and Zhao King. Meanwhile, North Country remained calm as usual. Lu Chen had specifically arranged for people to plant Spirit Rice, and although the yield of Spirit Rice planted outside the North Prince Mansion was noticeably lower, it grew quickly. After two cycles of planting, North Prince Mansion now possessed a thousand jin of Spirit Rice. Lu Chen took some Spirit Rice and mixed it with regular rice, so if a military unit made contributions, they could eat rations mixed with Spirit Rice. It didn¡¯t take long for the soldiers to discover that the new rice introduced by North Prince Mansion could turn ordinary people into Martial Artists, which instantly ignited their fighting spirit. North Country. Hall of Political Affairs. After Lu Chen arrived at his throne, Li Rui was about to step forward and report on the recent work when Lu Chen spoke first, ¡°Today, we¡¯ll not discuss other affairs, we will only talk about one matter.¡± Hearing this, the assembled ministers grew curious. One matter? What could it be? These past months, it seemed as if North Country had no major issues, right? Lu Chen started, ¡°Ever since I arrived in North Country, I have continuously adopted a policy of nurturing and recuperation, encouraging the people to grow high-yield crops.¡± ¡°After inspections by the Brocade Guard over this period, I have found that most farmers now have surplus food in their homes.¡± ¡°I had thought that it would take several more years for North Country¡¯s food situation to improve. I did not expect that so quickly North Country would escape the food crisis.¡± Hearing the preface to Lu Chen¡¯s speech, the ministers in the Hall of Political Affairs became even more curious. What exactly did North Prince want to say after such a lengthy introduction? Lu Chen continued, ¡°However, even though North Country has moved past the bleak times of not having enough food or warm clothes, North Country is but a feudal state of Great Sum.¡± ¡°Now, with turmoil erupting throughout Great Sum, the common people are suffering¡­¡± With these words, the ministers instantly became excited. The hint was clear; how could they not understand what Lu Chen was about to propose? The political scene of North Country had indeed become somewhat congested, with many officials continually waiting for new opportunities. Now, it seemed, their chance had finally arrived. The voice of Lu Chen continued to echo through the hall. ¡°As a feudal state of Great Sum, as the children of Great Sum, we have the right, and the duty, to help the other commoners within Great Sum achieve a peaceful and happy life!¡± ¡°As a Prince of Great Sum, I cannot stand idly by while my own father faces dangers.¡± ¡°Therefore, I have decided to lead our forces south, in loyalty to the emperor and to suppress the traitors, to end the long-standing unrest in Great Sum! Let the other commoners in Great Sum¡¯s territory live without war, just like the commoners in North Country!¡± Chapter 716 - Chapter 716: Chapter 428: Disciple Consults with the Master on an Issue_1 Chapter 716: Chapter 428: Disciple Consults with the Master on an Issue_1 Lu Chen¡¯s words echoed continuously within the great hall, lingering for a long time, and the hearts of the courtiers present were already boiling with fervor, especially the military generals, whose auras were climbing incessantly¡ªthey couldn¡¯t wait to lead their troops south. After the preparatory remarks had been made, Lu Chen glanced over the courtiers and then continued, ¡°Today we shall discuss the matter of marching south to support the prince and all the preparations that need to be made for it.¡± Although nominally it was a march south to support the prince and fight traitors, this war was going to be more difficult than the one against Great Wu. This time their target was to occupy the entire Great Xia Dynasty, which was much larger than the bit of land they had taken from Great Wu. Moreover, the internal situation of Great Xia was even more complex; sometimes, occupation was easy, but governance was quite troublesome. Also, due to Lu Chen¡¯s notoriety, the aristocratic families and landowners greatly feared him, which couldn¡¯t be helped since he had confiscated the land of North Country. Under such circumstances, Lu Chen would need to undertake extensive preparations if he wished to seize the throne of Great Xia. Especially the work in the occupation zones¡ªwhenever Lu Chen led the North Country¡¯s army into another part of Great Xia, he must occupy and govern each area; if someone caused trouble in the rear, it could potentially affect the army marching south to support the prince. This was a challenging task for both Lu Chen and the whole North Country, hence the need for early discussions. Initially, Lu Chen planned to wait until the children in the bellies of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao were born, by which time he would have more support before he marched south. However, upon further thought, he realized there was no need to truly wait for their childbirth since it was expected within the month. After all, he couldn¡¯t instantly lead his troops south the moment he decided to move; there were many tasks to be done, and at least two months were necessary for preparation, so he started early. By the time Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan¡¯s children were born, he would also have completed his preparations. After Lu Chen finished speaking, the courtiers in the great hall bustled about, discussing military mobilization and logistics. Currently, civil officials and military generals were together in a court meeting, so the military layout was not yet discussed. Since Lu Chen had monopolized military authority in North Country, civil officials seldom got involved in military affairs, with only a few high-ranking ministers like Zhuge Zhongguang having access to the country¡¯s military secrets. The remainder of the day was spent in meetings, with the ministers having both their lunch and dinner within the great hall. There were simply too many issues to resolve all at once. Seeing that it was nearly eleven o¡¯clock, Lu Chen reluctantly allowed the ministers to return home, planning to continue discussing certain topics the next morning. After sitting on the throne all day, Lu Chen also felt extremely fatigued; although his Pseudo Celestial realm meant that his body wouldn¡¯t experience any tiredness, it was mainly mental exhaustion. He had anticipated that leading an army south would bring numerous issues, but he hadn¡¯t expected there to be so many that they couldn¡¯t all be addressed in one day. After the day¡¯s meeting ended, Lu Chen went to Wind Cloud Court, where the mental exhaustion made him just want to rush off to sleep, to rest well¡ªhe didn¡¯t even want to touch a woman that night. But just as he was about to head to Wind Cloud Court to sleep, Liang Zong arrived. It was evident that Liang Zong had brought important intelligence, so Lu Chen had no choice but to proceed to his study. Entering the study, Liang Zong handed over the information gathered by the Brocade Guard to Lu Chen. ¡°Prince, news has come from the capital city; there seems to be an exceptionally powerful divine weapon within the Imperial Palace. It is said that this divine weapon can kill a Celestial!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s hand paused in mid-air, not even unfolding the intelligence, as he looked up at Liang Zong after a brief shock. ¡°How was this intelligence collected?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Someone in the capital city is spreading this news; the Brocade Guard has not yet determined who exactly is behind it.¡± Upon hearing Liang Zong¡¯s response, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before he opened the intelligence in his hand and read through it carefully. After reading the contents of the intelligence, Lu Chen speculated whether it was the Lin Family trying to send him information? If the Lin Family had discovered some secret within the Imperial Palace, it seemed unnecessary for them to go to such lengths¡ªthey could¡¯ve directly passed the information to the Brocade Guard. Ever since the Lin Family had aligned with him, North Country had placed Brocade Guards within the Lin Family; this ensured that any news from the Lin Family would be relayed to North Country through the Brocade Guard immediately. Wait a second¡­ Could this be information being spread by his imperial father himself? If it was his imperial father, then he indeed had a motive. Perhaps his imperial father sensed that he was itching to make a move and, fearing his march south, wanted to spread false news to deter him? No, this news might also be true. When Lu Yi had come to North Country, he had mentioned that his imperial father had obtained an evil artifact capable of instantly elevating the State Preceptor¡¯s strength to the Heavenly Human Realm. At that time, Lu Chen had suspected that his imperial father had truly acquired such a relic, but it was likely not one to enhance a person¡¯s realm, but rather, it served some other purpose. Now with rumors of a divine weapon in the Imperial Palace that could kill a Celestial, it couldn¡¯t be just an idle claim¡ªthere was probably someone actively leaking the information. Chapter 717 - Chapter 717: Chapter 428: Disciple Discusses Matters with the Master_2 Chapter 717: Chapter 428: Disciple Discusses Matters with the Master_2 Perhaps the person spreading this message was not intending to convey information to him but to other forces, yet the intelligence was likely true. If there really was a weapon capable of killing Celestials, then they must be more cautious on their southern journey. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Find a way to figure out what that weapon is and how to guard against it.¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Then Liang Zong continued, ¡°Prince, there is another piece of intelligence.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What intelligence?¡± Usually, important intelligence is documented in written reports. Any intelligence without a written report isn¡¯t generally considered significant. As such, Lu Chen was merely asking casually, not taking Liang Zong¡¯s words to heart. At that moment, Liang Zong answered, ¡°The Taiyin Divine Sect slaughtered an entire city in the south to use for a blood sacrifice.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s expression instantly turned grim. Although he knew the Taiyin Divine Sect was a Demon Sect, he had not anticipated that they would be so heartlessly vile as to commit a massacre. Liang Zong then said, ¡°The Taiyin Divine Sect has become increasingly active in the southern region. Several Seigniors there have been wiped out by the Zhao King, and now that Zhao King is marching his army northward, the south is left defenseless with little military presence, allowing the Taiyin Divine Sect the opportunity to create chaos.¡± After a short silence, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Where is the Crown Princess Consort now?¡± Lu Chen needed to ascertain if this was the work of the enchantress Xue Linglong. Even though Xue Linglong was already his woman, he could not tolerate her committing atrocities like massacring cities for blood sacrifices in his heart. Liang Zong responded, ¡°Since leaving the North Country, she has been staying in Anping City.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen let out a slight sigh of relief. As long as it was unrelated to Xue Linglong, that was fine. Nevertheless, that enchantress really had great patience, he thought. She had been gone for months, and she still hadn¡¯t returned. He had originally thought Xue Linglong would return within two months at most. It seemed he had somewhat underestimated her. No wonder she was able to become the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect. At this point, Liang Zong tentatively asked, ¡°Prince, do we need to bring the Crown Princess Consort back?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°No need, she knows how to return on her own.¡± Even though Xue Linglong had run off for several months, Lu Chen still firmly believed she would return on her own one day. Lu Chen then inquired, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Bowing with his hands folded in front of him, Liang Zong said, ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, that will be all for today.¡± Subsequently, Liang Zong announced, ¡°This subordinate takes his leave!¡± After Liang Zong¡¯s departure, Lu Chen did not immediately leave his study. He sat down at the desk, reopening the intelligence report Liang Zong had brought, and read it over several times. He pondered if there really was a weapon in the Imperial Palace capable of killing Celestials, how he should respond. He certainly couldn¡¯t let Xuanyuan Chaoge face certain death. He had to think of a way to steal or destroy the weapon. But such a weapon would undoubtedly be heavily guarded and not so easily stolen. Having no solution, he stood up and headed towards the Yunrong Courtyard. As soon as Lu Chen entered Yunrong Courtyard, Yun Xianxian sensed his presence. Over the past few months, her relationship with Lu Chen had become relatively smoother. Yun Xianxian rarely carried an aloof attitude in front of Lu Chen anymore, especially since she suspected that Lu Chen, like her, came from the High-ranking Cultivation World. Moreover, Yun Xianxian had imparted several Cultivation Techniques to Lu Chen. Although he didn¡¯t frequent battlefields much, these techniques were very effective for self-defense. Sensing Lu Chen¡¯s arrival at Yunrong Courtyard, Yun Xianxian wondered if she had not sought dual cultivation with Lu Chen for quite a while and whether she should ask Chen Wanrong to lend Lu Chen to her again today. Whenever Lu Chen came to Yunrong Courtyard, it was inevitably to seek pleasure with either Chen Wanrong or Lin Wanyun. Over the past few months, Yun Xianxian had borrowed Lu Chen from Chen Wanrong many times to practice the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. Although she still hadn¡¯t touched Lu Chen¡¯s body, her attitude towards their practice sessions had improved compared to before, and she never again made Lu Chen stand as she had the first time. Now when she and Lu Chen practiced the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, it involved Lu Chen moving around while sitting, and then the two of them facing each other, which gave the appearance of a very serious cultivation session. Just as Yun Xianxian was preparing to go to Chen Wanrong¡¯s room to borrow someone, she suddenly discovered that Lu Chen was not heading towards Chen Wanrong¡¯s room; instead, he was walking directly towards her own room. Yun Xianxian was startled for a moment. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder if her disciple was intending to commit the heinous act of betraying his master and ancestors. While Yun Xianxian was lost in thought, a knock on the door sounded. ¡°Master, your disciple has urgent matters to discuss with you.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian thought for a moment, then waved her hand and opened the door. ¡°Come in!¡± Lu Chen then entered the bedroom. Upon entering the room, a fragrant scent filled Lu Chen¡¯s nostrils, instantly sweeping away his fatigue and making him restless. At this moment, Yun Xianxian was dressed in a white gauzy garment, cross-legged on the bed, surrounded by an aura of divinity, cool and pure, like a fairy who had descended to mortal realms. Upon seeing Lu Chen come in and stare intently at her body, Yun Xianxian snorted lightly, ¡°You rascal, how much longer do you intend to gaze upon your master¡¯s body?¡± Lu Chen came back to his senses and smiled, ¡°Master is indeed a fairy, becoming younger and more beautiful as time goes by.¡± Yun Xianxian asked, ¡°Did you come today just to tell your master this?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve just received some intelligence that someone in the Capital City is spreading a rumor that there is a Divine Weapon in the Imperial Palace capable of killing a Celestial.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed, and the cold aura around her intensified, forming a layer of frost on the bed. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Your disciple doesn¡¯t know whether this news is true or false, after all, I am not a Celestial and do not know if there is indeed a weapon in this world that can kill a Celestial.¡± ¡°So your disciple wishes to ask you, Master, does this world allow for the existence of weapons that can kill Celestials?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°Your master happens to have such a weapon.¡± Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s response, Lu Chen was startled and immediately thought of what Chu Xiong had once told him. His mother had once carried a Divine Artifact out of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and at that time the Chu Family had also wanted to keep that Divine Artifact. It seemed that what Yun Xianxian was referring to was indeed the Divine Artifact his mother had taken from the Mysterious Moon Palace. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°No wonder those two traitors ran off to collude with the Sum Emperor, they must be thinking that with the Emperor¡¯s weapon, they could kill me.¡± Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen felt as if he had stumbled upon some crucial intelligence. At that moment, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°While it¡¯s true that this world possesses weapons that can kill a Celestial, the conditions for using such weapons are certainly very strict, and they cannot be used whenever one wishes.¡± ¡°Take the weapon your master has, for instance, using it once might consume half of the Spiritual Power in your master¡¯s body.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback, such a great consumption? Lu Chen immediately thought about the case of the missing Martial Artists in Great Sum over the past year and said, ¡°Throughout this year, many Martial Artists of the fifth rank and above have gone missing in Great Sum. Their disappearance is related to my father, perhaps they were providing energy for that weapon.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian spoke doubtfully, ¡°Providing energy?¡± Lu Chen explained, ¡°It means creating the conditions needed for using that weapon.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°That is indeed possible.¡± At this point, Yun Xianxian fell into deep thought. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Master, how well has your strength been restored now?¡± Yun Xianxian answered, ¡°It has basically recovered to the level of a Celestial.¡± Chapter 718 - Chapter 718: Chapter 429: Since Youre Here_1 Chapter 718: Chapter 429: Since You¡¯re Here_1 ¡°Although I have recovered to the Celestial Realm, if the Sum Emperor truly possesses a weapon capable of killing a Celestial, I¡¯m afraid I will have a hard time helping you,¡± Yun Xianxian was no fool, and she would be willing to make a move if it didn¡¯t threaten her own life. But if the opponent had a weapon that could kill her, she certainly wouldn¡¯t want to rush forward. She still dreamt of leaving this world one day to return to the cultivation world she called home. If she died in this world, how could she ever return? Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled inwardly. He hadn¡¯t expected his fairy master to be so afraid of death. However, fear of death was natural, a common human emotion. But with that in mind, how could he get rid of that weapon capable of killing a Celestial? With a weapon that threatened Celestials, they obviously couldn¡¯t just appear carelessly. If a Celestial were to be killed upon showing up, wouldn¡¯t that be a huge loss? Seeing Lu Chen fall silent, Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much, generally such weapons can¡¯t be used multiple times. If it¡¯s a Pseudo Celestial using it, they can probably only use it once at most.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen felt somewhat helpless. Aside from Yun Xianxian, the North Country now had only one Celestial. Even if that weapon could be used only once, hitting Xuanyuan Chaoge would be a tremendous loss for the North Country. Could it be that he should call on the Celestial from Black Dragon Country to come over? The Black Dragon Country¡¯s main task was to monitor the Misty World and to put pressure on the Da Yue Dynasty; surely their Celestial could not be lightly called away. Even if he summoned the Celestial from Black Dragon Country, without locating the weapon in the Great Sum Imperial Palace that could kill a Celestial, they would also dare not act rashly. After all, Celestials were the known highest combat power in this world and losing one was a deficit. But heading south was definitely on the agenda. They couldn¡¯t just stop their advance southward because Great Sum had a weapon that could kill Celestials. At that moment, Lu Chen thought to himself that Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao should be close to giving birth. Perhaps the system would reward him this time with something that could counter that mysterious weapon. However, he couldn¡¯t place all his hopes on the system. It would be best if the system had rewards related to that, but what if, when Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao gave birth, there was no reward from the system regarding this? He also needed to think of a way to deal with that mysterious weapon threatening Celestials. The system indeed was powerful; all he had now was thanks to it, but now Lu Chen was gradually realizing that he couldn¡¯t just blindly rely on the system. Just then, Yun Xianxian suddenly seemed to remember something and said, ¡°I do have a way to resolve that issue.¡± Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°What way?¡± The two Elders of Mysterious Moon Palace are colluding with your father, and most likely, their target is me. So as long as I show myself, they will undoubtedly use that weapon against me.¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll take the initiative to appear before them to lure them into using the weapon. Once they use it, with the strength of your Celestial Protector, dealing with those minions shouldn¡¯t pose any problem.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was somewhat puzzled. Wasn¡¯t Yun Xianxian afraid of dying? She dared to go forth as bait? Lu Chen said, ¡°But what if you, Master, are hurt by that weapon¡­¡± He paused before finishing his sentence, curious to see what Yun Xianxian planned to say next. He felt she wouldn¡¯t take the risk for him without reason; this woman surely had something on her mind. Just as Lu Chen suspected, Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°A few months ago, I heard you provided each of your wives and concubines with a puppet that can move and speak.¡± Lu Chen frowned; he seemed to guess what Yun Xianxian was going to say next. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°Such Puppetry Technique must come from a High-ranking Cultivation World. If you could teach me that technique, once I learn it, I might be able to create a puppet indistinguishable from my own aura.¡± Lu Chen chuckled inwardly; this woman indeed was eyeing his puppetry technique. Lu Chen said, ¡°Master, the puppetry technique I have is just a basic one, and even if you learned it, it might not be able to serve the purpose you just mentioned.¡± Yun Xianxian looked at Lu Chen with skeptical eyes, wondering if her disciple was unwilling to teach her and was purposely saying so. Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly, ¡°Whether it serves that purpose or not, you should teach it to me first. Once I¡¯ve learned it, I¡¯ll know if it can be done.¡± ¡°If you are unwilling to teach it to me, then you must find your own way to deal with the weapon.¡± After a moment of thought, Lu Chen figured that he would eventually become a treacherous disciple anyway. It wouldn¡¯t matter if this woman ended up in his hands one day; giving her the puppetry technique wasn¡¯t a big deal. What if the puppetry technique really worked in her hands as she hoped? Wouldn¡¯t they no longer need to fear Great Sum¡¯s mysterious weapon? With that thought in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°Very well, Disciple will now pass the Puppetry Technique on to Master.¡± Chapter 719 - Chapter 719: Chapter 429: Since Youre Here_2 Chapter 719: Chapter 429: Since You¡¯re Here_2 The next moment, Lu Chen¡¯s forehead emitted a golden beam of light that directly entered Yun Xianxian¡¯s forehead, and she instantly received all the contents of the Primary Puppetry Technique. Yun Xianxian immediately understood all the uses of the Puppetry Technique and said, ¡°It seems using Puppetry Technique can indeed create a puppet with the same aura as my teacher, but unfortunately, this is just the Primary Puppetry Technique. The puppet it creates can only replicate my teacher¡¯s aura, not bear my teacher¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°If it were the Intermediate Puppetry Technique or the Advanced Puppetry Skill, the puppet refined by my teacher might even possess the strength of a Pseudo Celestial. Then, my teacher¡¯s puppet could also participate in battles.¡± Having said this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s cold gaze was fixed straight into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. Lu Chen chuckled inwardly; how could he not understand what Yun Xianxian was implying? She thought he was holding back, deliberately only passing on the Primary Puppetry Technique to her. She wanted to test him, then get the Intermediate Puppetry Technique and the Advanced Puppetry Skill from him as well. At this point, Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°Alas, the Immortal I encountered back then was too stingy, only passing on the Primary Puppetry Technique to me.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian¡¯s face revealed a doubtful expression. Being gazed at by Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple pupils, Lu Chen suddenly felt as though all his inner thoughts were seen through. For a moment, the room became extremely quiet, and the atmosphere turned very oppressive. After pondering, Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°Well, the Primary Puppetry Technique will do. As long as we can lure them to bring out that weapon, your Celestial Protector will be able to snatch that weapon instantly.¡± What they feared most was not the enemy using that weapon capable of killing a Celestial, but rather that the Great Sum royal family would secretly use it somewhere unknown to them. But if they could confirm the location of the weapon, for a Celestial, taking something from the hands of a non-Celestial was a simple matter. Yun Xianxian then glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s body and asked, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°No, disciple will leave now.¡± As soon as his words fell, Lu Chen prepared to turn around and leave, intending to go to the next room and get intimate with Chen Wanrong. But just as he turned, he found his body imprisoned by a powerful force. Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°Since you¡¯re already here, help your teacher cultivate for the night.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat speechless, guessing that this woman would not let him go. However, he did not think too much about it and said, ¡°Disciple understands.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen¡¯s tone seemed somewhat reluctant, Yun Xianxian tempted him, ¡°Even in the High-ranking Cultivation World, your teacher holds a high and powerful position within the Great Sects. If one day your teacher is able to leave this world, I assure you that I¡¯ll provide you with ample cultivation resources in the future, so you can become a true Immortal.¡± ¡°So you shouldn¡¯t feel like your teacher is taking advantage of you.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Disciple does not have such thoughts and is happy to cultivate with Master.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°That¡¯s best.¡± ¡°Come here,¡± As Yun Xianxian¡¯s words ended, Lu Chen¡¯s body was once again able to move, and he immediately stripped off his clothes and walked toward the bed. Once he reached the bed, Lu Chen sat cross-legged, facing Yun Xianxian¡¯s body. The next moment, Lu Chen felt his body become increasingly agitated, and Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple eyes turned more and more enchanting. After several cultivation sessions with Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen had understood what she was doing. Yun Xianxian was using a technique similar to the Charming Skill, stirring up his inner desires, and then, without physical contact, they could cultivate the Dragon Phoenix Yin Yang Spell. Lu Chen thought to himself that this Charming Skill was very different from Xue Linglong¡¯s Charming Skill and wondered if he could use the Heart Controlling Skill to counterattack at this time. With this thought, Lu Chen immediately circulated his Spiritual Power and, while looking into Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, used the Heart Controlling Skill. However, he quickly realized that his Heart Controlling Skill had no effect on Yun Xianxian at all. His Heart Controlling Skill was like a drop of water falling into the ocean. At this moment, Yun Xianxian had also noticed that Lu Chen was using a mental technique on her, but she said nothing, acting as if it didn¡¯t exist at all. In her mind, she thought how na?ve her disciple was. Didn¡¯t he know that she had fallen from a much higher Realm? Though she was only in the Celestial Realm now, her actual realm was many levels higher than a Celestial¡¯s. Her mental power remained at that higher realm. Not just Lu Chen, but even if a Celestial attempted a mental attack on her, it would be of no trouble at all. Although she did not speak or stop Lu Chen, her heart held some emotion. This guy truly was a treacherous disciple, wanting to deceive and annihilate his ancestor. To use a mental technique on her, could he be wanting to control her body to commit acts of bestiality? Just thinking about the things she had seen Lu Chen and Chen Wanrong do before, some blush appeared on Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy face. Yun Xianxian hurried to calm her inner agitation. Chapter 720 - Chapter 720: Chapter 429: Since Youre Here_3 Chapter 720: Chapter 429: Since You¡¯re Here_3 Yun Xianxian inwardly complained that although the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell was generally beneficial, its negative effects greatly impeded cultivation. If not for these negative side effects, she feared she could have already leveraged Lu Chen to restore her full strength. Under Yun Xianxian¡¯s mental guidance, Lu Chen quickly felt as if he and Yun Xianxian had become one entity. It must be said that even though they had no physical contact nor did they engage in that sort of act, Yun Xianxian¡¯s mental techniques were capable of creating an extremely realistic illusory realm. Lu Chen truly felt as if he was doing that sort of thing with Yun Xianxian. He thought to himself that this woman had a little bit of conscience after all. During their first cultivation session, she wasn¡¯t even willing to create an illusion. Now that she had created an illusion, at least he wouldn¡¯t find the passage of time so unbearable. Meanwhile. In Anping City. In a room wreathed with the fragrance of incense, a woman clad in a black silk gauze dress lay half-reclined on a beauty couch, her robe splayed to reveal her fair and smooth long legs. Xue Linglong was hugging a quilt, her eyes misty, muttering, ¡°My Prince¡­¡± ¡°Darling¡­¡± ¡°My Prince, your concubine¡­¡± At that moment, an untimely voice rang out from outside the room. ¡°Saintess, Elder Cao has arrived!¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong immediately snapped back to reality, her brows furrowing tightly and her heart filled with annoyance. Still, she got up from the couch, made herself presentable, and then proceeded to the hall. As soon as she arrived at the entrance of the hall, Xue Linglong saw a stooped, wrinkled-skinned old woman waiting for her at the center of the hall. The moment Xue Linglong stepped into the hall, she said, ¡°Does Elder Cao seek me out in the North simply to discuss something of significance?¡± This elderly woman, named Cao Xianya, was one of the core figures of the Taiyin Divine Sect, her strength reaching the Pseudo-Celestial Realm. She rarely left the headquarters of the Taiyin Divine Sect. Cao Xianya then spoke, ¡°Saintess, I¡¯ve heard from the Elder that you suspect the North Prince is the Son of Destiny?¡± At these words, Xue Linglong¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She immediately understood why a core figure of the Taiyin Divine Sect like Cao Xianya would come to the North Country¡ªit must be for that dog of a man. This was troublesome¡­ Xue Linglong then said, ¡°I merely had my suspicions, but after seeing his debauchery, I dismissed my guess.¡± ¡°If he were indeed the Son of Destiny, he couldn¡¯t possibly be such a lecher, keeping so many women.¡± ¡°If Elder Cao is here for him, I¡¯m afraid you will have made this journey in vain.¡± Smiling, Cao Xianya retorted, ¡°That may not be the case.¡± ¡°Saintess, your thinking is too narrow. Who told you the Son of Destiny has to be a person of high morals? And how do you know that everything the North Prince does isn¡¯t an act?¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. She did not believe that Lu Chen was putting on an act. That man is simply lascivious by nature, every inch the dog of a man, enjoying himself like a dog¡­ Yet even though she felt a slight animosity toward Lu Chen, she didn¡¯t want the Taiyin Divine Sect to make a move against him. During the months she had escaped from Yan County, she gradually realized that she had indeed broken free from the sect¡¯s shackles. Even if she betrayed the Taiyin Divine Sect, she wouldn¡¯t end up just a pool of blood. Moreover, she had discovered she could not leave that dog of a man. At first, when departing from him, she hadn¡¯t felt anything amiss. However, as time passed day by day, her longing for that man grew stronger. She now desperately wanted to return to his side and serve him as his woman. Xue Linglong was also aware that she might be affected by some of Lu Chen¡¯s techniques, causing her inability to leave him. Even though she knew this deep down, she still found it impossible to stop longing for the scoundrel. As a Demon Sect Sorceress, she had fallen in her own realm of expertise, which left Xue Linglong feeling quite vexed. Now, she felt that compared to herself, that dog of a man seemed more like someone from the Demon Sect. Chapter 721 - Chapter 721: Chapter 430: Bastard, what are you doing!_1 Chapter 721: Chapter 430: Bastard, what are you doing!_1 Xue Linglong thought to herself that no matter what, she couldn¡¯t let the people of the Taiyin Divine Sect harm that dog of a man. If he were sacrificed, how could she go on living this life? With this in mind, Xue Linglong spoke up, ¡°Elder Cao, I have spent some time in Yan County and have come close to the North Prince. Naturally, I am aware of his character.¡± ¡°In my view, everything that has happened to North Country has nothing to do with the North Prince. It is entirely the Mysterious Moon Palace that has been manipulating everything behind the scenes.¡± ¡°The North Prince is nothing but a chess piece of the Mysterious Moon Palace. How could such a pawn possibly be the ¡®Son of Destiny¡¯ prophesied by our Sect Hierarch?¡± After hearing Xue Linglong¡¯s words, Cao Xianya pondered for a moment. She didn¡¯t doubt that Xue Linglong had already betrayed the Taiyin Divine Sect. After all, everyone in the sect was under the control of their Sect Hierarch, and anyone who dared to betray the sect would ultimately end up as nothing more than a puddle of blood. However, even with Xue Linglong saying so, Cao Xianya was not willing to give up. She then said, ¡°Even if the North Prince is not the Son of Destiny, there must be something special about him. Otherwise, why would the Mysterious Moon Palace choose him as their pawn?¡± ¡°There is something the Saintess may not know. We slaughtered a city in the south, and with a blood sacrifice, we awakened a portion of the Sect Hierarch¡¯s consciousness. The Sect Hierarch is now in great need of a body.¡± ¡°I have heard that the North Prince¡¯s martial arts talent is extremely high. Since his martial arts talent is so high, his body must be very suitable for the Sect Hierarch.¡± ¡°So, even if he is not the Son of Destiny, we should find a way to bring the North Prince to the south.¡± Just as Xue Linglong was about to continue, Cao Xianya spoke again, ¡°Furthermore, the Sect Hierarch is also very interested in the North Prince.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong immediately shut her mouth. Even the Sect Hierarch of the Taiyin Divine Sect had spoken, and nothing she could say would make a difference. Xue Linglong couldn¡¯t help but think, this wasn¡¯t her fault. She had already tried to make the Taiyin Divine Sect lose interest in that dog of a man. If there was anyone to blame, it was only the dog of a man, who had made too much of a stir in North Country, creating so many problems. Now that the Sect Hierarch also wanted the body of the North Prince, she could only pretend to cooperate with Cao Xianya for the time being and then travel north again. Once she reached Yan County, she would find a way to warn that fellow. As for what happened afterward, it would be up to him. As the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect, she knew the strength of the sect. Although the Taiyin Divine Sect didn¡¯t currently have any Celestials, there were quite a few in the sect whose power approached that of a Celestial. Unless the Celestial of the Mysterious Moon Palace was by the dog of a man¡¯s side at all times, once the Taiyin Divine Sect found an opportunity, sooner or later, he would be captured and brought south for sacrifice. At that moment, Xue Linglong said with a cold expression, ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°However, Elder Cao, I¡¯m afraid that just you and I alone will not be able to bring the North Prince to the south.¡± ¡°The Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace is still by the North Prince¡¯s side. I left Yan County and came to Anping City because I was afraid of being discovered by that Celestial.¡± At this, Cao Xianya said, ¡°Didn¡¯t the Saintess say that the North Prince is lecherous? Why not use beauty to charm the North Prince? As long as we can control the North Prince, we are not without opportunity.¡± Upon hearing Cao Xianya¡¯s words, Xue Linglong laughed inwardly. She had fallen into her own trap of the Charm Skill in the past, and not only had she failed to charm the North Prince, but now she couldn¡¯t even separate herself from him. Of course, this was something she naturally couldn¡¯t admit. If the fact that she had lost her chastity were known by people in the Taiyin Divine Sect, her status as the Saintess would likely come to an end. With a sneer, Xue Linglong said, ¡°Elder Cao, I am the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect. For me, a Saintess, to charm the North Prince, if the Sect Hierarch finds out, how will he view me in the future?¡± Cao Xianya said, ¡°What I mean is for the Saintess to use the Yin Yang Mirror, then combine it with the Charm Skill to control the North Prince. It¡¯s not about the Saintess offering herself up. Even if the Sect Hierarch finds out, I believe he won¡¯t say much about it.¡± Cao Xianya thought to herself that their Sect Hierarch was a person with a dislike for impurity. Any form of disloyalty, both of the body and the mind, would provoke the Sect Hierarch¡¯s dissatisfaction. Once Xue Linglong actually went to seduce the North Prince, and when she returned to the Taiyin Divine Sect, she could tell the Sect Hierarch, threatening Xue Linglong¡¯s position as Saintess. As a former Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect, she hadn¡¯t been able to wait for their Sect Hierarch to awaken during her years of youth and beauty, and in the end, she was forced to step down, helplessly watching Xue Linglong rise above her, displaying arrogance and military might. She had long wanted to get rid of Xue Linglong, and this was the best opportunity to do so. However, Xue Linglong was very wary and not easy to deceive. Seeing that Cao Xianya was urging her to go seduce the North Prince, Xue Linglong immediately understood Cao Xianya¡¯s intention. Cao Xianya was simply displeased with her and wanted to harm her. But she could turn the tables on her. If this were the past, she indeed might have struggled to fight against Cao Xianya¡ªfor Cao Xianya was the former Saintess and now a core Elder of the Taiyin Divine Sect. Although Xue Linglong was the Saintess, and nominally, apart from the Sect Hierarch, she was the highest-ranking individual within the sect, very few of the Elders actually listened to her. These Elders hadn¡¯t betrayed the Taiyin Divine Sect; they simply didn¡¯t want to heed the words of a young girl. What of a Saintess? In their eyes, a Saintess was nothing more than a plaything of the Sect Hierarch, with no right to manage the whole Taiyin Divine Sect in place of the Sect Hierarch. Xue Linglong thought to herself, since this old hag wanted to harm her, she might as well go find the North Prince. Anyway, I¡¯m already the woman of the North Prince, she brought the core elders of the Taiyin Divine Sect to Yan County, which is a great achievement. After all, the Taiyin Divine Sect is the leader of the Demon Sect, and a core elder from the leader of the Demon Sect is such an important figure. Thinking of this, Xue Linglong said, ¡°I understand, Elder Cao will head north with us tomorrow, I will change my identity and find another way to approach the North Prince.¡± Seeing Xue Linglong actually agree, Cao Xianya was stunned for a moment, and then she was overjoyed inside. Xue Linglong is indeed still too young, such a fool. Now she just needs to bring the North Prince to the south, and then she can report to the Sect Hierarch. By then, Xue Linglong¡¯s so-called Saintess will probably only turn into a dry corpse. Thinking of this, a fierce smile appeared on Cao Xianya¡¯s face. ¡­ North Country. Several days passed in a blink of an eye, Yun Xianxian had already completely mastered the Puppetry Technique, and what Mysterious Moon Palace lacked the least was Spirit Wood. Soon, Yun Xianxian had made a puppet. Hearing that Yun Xianxian had made a puppet, Lu Chen immediately went to the Yunrong Courtyard. He wanted to see if the puppet created by Yun Xianxian could mimic the aura effect. Entering the Yunrong Courtyard, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze instantly fell on the puppet in the middle of the yard. At this time, the puppet was still entirely made of wood, and didn¡¯t look like Yun Xianxian at all; Yun Xianxian hadn¡¯t even made the puppet in her likeness. Seeing this, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Master, are you sure the puppet you made can deceive people?¡± Yun Xianxian said coldly, ¡°What¡¯s the rush? I haven¡¯t even started refining the puppet.¡± As she spoke, Yun Xianxian raised her finger, and the next moment, a drop of fresh blood flew from her fingertip straight onto the puppet¡¯s head, merging into its body. Immediately afterward, Yun Xianxian began to channel Spiritual Power, and the next moment, the entire wooden figure was enveloped in a white Spiritual Energy. About a quarter of an hour later, the white Spiritual Energy slowly dissipated. As the Spiritual Energy disappeared, the puppet reappeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. When Lu Chen saw the puppet again, he was completely stunned. The puppet refined by Yun Xianxian was exquisitely lifelike, barely distinguishable from a real person. Lu Chen was astonished. Wasn¡¯t this puppet just a wooden figure at first? How did it now look exactly like a real person? What was this supposed to be, a Puppetry Technique? This clearly seemed more like a technique to create a clone, right? Was Yun Xianxian pulling a fast one on him? He had learned the Puppetry Technique, and it was the system that had directly infused the knowledge into his brain. Why was his puppet still just a wooden figure, while Yun Xianxian¡¯s puppet was almost indistinguishable from a real person? Seeing Lu Chen seemingly dumbstruck, Yun Xianxian felt somewhat proud inside. This mischievous disciple definitely hadn¡¯t expected her to use the Puppetry Technique to such an extent. What use was it for this guy to have advanced cultivation techniques if he couldn¡¯t fully utilize them? It would still be herself, the true Immortal, who could put those advanced techniques to use. When Lu Chen came back to his senses, he asked, ¡°Master, the technique you used was the Puppetry Technique, right?¡± ¡°How is it completely different from my Puppetry Technique?¡± Yun Xianxian scoffed and said, ¡°You call that a Puppetry Technique? How could you, someone who hasn¡¯t even reached the Celestial Realm, possibly cultivate such an advanced technique?¡± For the people of the Immortal world, the so-called Celestial Realm was just the beginning of cultivation. In Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t even crossed the threshold of cultivation, so how could he possibly display the Puppetry Technique in its entirety? Hearing Yun Xianxian say this, Lu Chen seemed to understand something. It wasn¡¯t a problem with the Puppetry Technique but rather that his own realm was too low, and his body didn¡¯t have enough Spiritual Energy to use the Puppetry Technique. It didn¡¯t matter though, once he had unified the several great dynasties and became a Celestial, he would be able to embark on the true path of cultivation. At this moment, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Now that your master has a puppet, you don¡¯t have to worry about that mysterious weapon of Great Xia anymore.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s true, it¡¯s just I¡¯m not sure if this puppet can actually deceive them or not.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen walked up to the puppet, raised his hand, and touched the puppet¡¯s face directly. Seeing this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s beautiful eyes lifted, and a hint of displeasure appeared on her cold and beautiful face. After all, the puppet looked like her, and this mischievous disciple had actually touched her face directly¡ªoh no, he touched the puppet¡¯s face. Just as Yun Xianxian was about to say something, she saw Lu Chen¡¯s hand reach down below the puppet¡¯s neck and said, ¡°I must say, the puppet is quite lifelike, but the feel is off, it¡¯s just like wood, too hard.¡± This time, Yun Xianxian completely lost her patience, ¡°You scoundrel! What are you doing?¡± Chapter 722 - Chapter 722: Chapter 431: The Birth of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyaos Child_1 Chapter 722: Chapter 431: The Birth of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s Child_1 Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s angry voice, Lu Chen immediately moved his hand away from the puppet of Yun Xianxian, and then looked up with an innocent face, asking, ¡°Master, why are you suddenly angry?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s innocent look, pretending as if he knew nothing, Yun Xianxian felt a surge of nameless anger rise within her. A faint blush appeared on Yun Xianxian¡¯s cold and beautiful face. ¡°Although this is just a puppet, its body is exactly the same as mine. What are your intentions when you touch the puppet here and there!¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Master, why are you so sensitive? It¡¯s just a puppet after all.¡± ¡°This puppet was originally meant to attract the enemies; if enemies can touch it, why can¡¯t I, your disciple, touch it?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s evasive argument, Yun Xianxian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. True as it may be, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that this mischievous disciple was desecrating her. Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, then said, ¡°Alright, you can go about your business. When it¡¯s time to head south, let me know, and I will gather the disciples of Mysterious Moon Palace to assist you.¡± Upon hearing these words, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. He was about to say something when a maid rushed into Yunrong Courtyard in a fluster, saying, ¡°Prince, Lady Yelv and Lady Xiao are about to give birth!¡± Lu Chen then said to Yun Xianxian, ¡°Disciple will not disturb Master any further.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen turned and walked towards Spring Sound Court. Upon entering Spring Sound Court, Lu Chen saw his wives all gathered outside the rooms of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao. When they saw Lu Chen arrive, they immediately made way for him. I was about to say something when Chu Yuqin interrupted my train of thought. ¡°Chen¡¯er, go to Nanyan¡¯s room first, she can¡¯t hold on any longer.¡± Heeding Chu Yuqin¡¯s advice, Lu Chen quickly entered the room of Yelv Nanyan. At that moment, she was sweating profusely, her complexion pale, and she seemed to be in great pain. Lu Chen immediately went to her side, took her hand, and used his Rejuvenating Skill to infuse Spiritual Power into her body. Soon enough, color began to return to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s face. Lu Chen didn¡¯t plan on wasting much time since there was another waiting for him next door. He straightforwardly said to Yelv Nanyan, ¡°My lady, get ready.¡± Yelv Nanyan gave a soft ¡°Hmm¡± in reply. Lu Chen then used his Spiritual Power to wrap around the child in Yelv Nanyan¡¯s womb. In the next instant, the baby smoothly emerged from Yelv Nanyan¡¯s body, and the room was instantly filled with the baby¡¯s crying. The midwives and maids proficiently cleaned the baby and brought him to Lu Chen. ¡°Congratulations, Prince, it¡¯s a boy!¡± Lu Chen immediately took the baby from the midwife and used his Rejuvenating Skill to help regulate the infant¡¯s body. Gradually, the baby¡¯s cries quietened down. Lu Chen then laid the child next to Yelv Nanyan. After his treatment, she also recovered quickly. She slowly sat up, looked at the baby next to her, and her face revealed a tender, loving smile. The child she had been longing for was finally born, and now all those clothes she had sewn would come in handy. Yelv Nanyan suddenly thought of something and quickly looked up at Lu Chen, saying, ¡°Prince, Yaoyao is also about to give birth, please go to the next room quickly. I¡¯ve almost completely recovered.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s Rejuvenating Skill had become incredibly proficient; anyone he treated could recover quickly unless they had serious injuries. Although Yelv Nanyan was not yet fully back to her pre-pregnancy state, she had no problem moving about. Lu Chen gently stroked Yelv Nanyan¡¯s disheveled hair, then kissed her on the face, saying, ¡°Good, you¡¯ve worked hard, my lady. I¡¯ll be back later.¡± Lu Chen hadn¡¯t had a chance to check what reward the system had granted him before he left Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room and headed to Xiao Wenyao¡¯s bedroom. Xiao Wenyao was in a much better state than Yelv Nanyan; she lay quietly on the bed with a dazed expression, seemingly unaware of what was coming next. Her stomach had hurt for a moment, and then there was nothing. She was incredibly calm. Seeing Lu Chen come in, Xiao Wenyao shifted slightly and said, ¡°This slave greets the Prince.¡± Although Xiao Wenyao was already pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child, she still saw herself as a servant before him. She always believed she was taken by Lu Chen from the Sky Wolf King¡¯s tribe, so no matter how special her current status was, she needed to show a submissive attitude before Lu Chen. Lu Chen hurried to Xiao Wenyao¡¯s side, steadying her as he smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re about to have a baby, and you¡¯re still performing courtesies?¡± Xiao Wenyao, curious, asked, ¡°Has Nanyan given birth?¡± She had heard faint crying sounds from the next room, which she figured must mean Yelv Nanyan had given birth. Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, she has. Now it¡¯s your turn.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Wenyao paused, then said, ¡°But it seems like there¡¯s no movement in my stomach?¡± Lu Chen touched Xiao Wenyao¡¯s head and said, ¡°There¡¯ll be movement soon.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen took Xiao Wenyao¡¯s wrist and began to channel Spiritual Power into her. After a short while, Xiao Wenyao felt a strange sensation in her body. It seemed as if her stomach had started to move as well. Just when Xiao Wenyao thought she was going to experience the same pain as before, she suddenly found her body becoming incredibly relaxed. Chapter 723 - Chapter 723: Chapter 431: The Birth of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyaos Child_2 Chapter 723: Chapter 431: The Birth of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s Child_2 Immediately following, a child¡¯s cry echoed through the room. Hearing the child¡¯s cry, Xiao Wenyao was momentarily stunned. Her instinct told her this was her child, but she hadn¡¯t felt anything just now¡ªhad the child simply come into the world like that? Xiao Wenyao slowly shifted her body, then looked down only to find that her bulging belly had disappeared. Xiao Wenyao couldn¡¯t help thinking that the people of the Prince¡¯s Mansion hadn¡¯t been wrong¡ªgiving birth as a woman of the Prince¡¯s Mansion wasn¡¯t so difficult after all. She recalled the people of the grasslands saying that childbirth could cost half one¡¯s life, and she had always felt some fear regarding it. But now, the child was born just like that. Lu Chen said to a bewildered Xiao Wenyao with a smile, ¡°Yaoyao, from today on, you are a mother too. You can¡¯t continue playing around as you did before.¡± Xiao Wenyao was a bit like those young modern women who weren¡¯t ready to have children but ended up giving birth; she hadn¡¯t yet gathered her playful spirit. Women like her generally didn¡¯t know how to take care of children and lacked a sense of responsibility, unlike mature women such as Yelv Nanyan. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reminder, Xiao Wenyao said with a blushing face, ¡°This servant understands.¡± Soon, the midwife brought the child to them, and it turned out that Xiao Wenyao had given birth to a boy as well. Lu Chen thought for a moment, then named the child. After staying with Xiao Wenyao for a while, Lu Chen then went to Yelv Nanyan¡¯s room. After all, he had left in such a hurry earlier, he hadn¡¯t even named the child. Having spent roughly half an hour with Yelv Nanyan, Lu Chen finally headed to the study to see what rewards the system had given him. Entering the study, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t wait to open the system interface. [Congratulations to the host for obtaining a child, reward: Tai Chu Divine Hall.] [Congratulations to the host for obtaining a child, reward: Sunset Sword Sect.] Hm? Seeing the two system prompts, Lu Chen paused for a moment. That simple? However, Lu Chen quickly realized that both the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall could be accessed; there were even second-level system pages. Immediately, Lu Chen clicked on the words [Tai Chu Divine Hall]. [Tai Chu Divine Hall: Located on Tai Chu Island in the Southeast Sea, ruling over six million people, possesses one Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse, six Pseudo Celestials, numerous Grandmasters, and Grandmasters.] Lu Chen was utterly stunned. The rewards this time were too terrifying. A Celestial, plus six Pseudo Celestials? And that was just one of the rewards. Lu Chen quickly exited and opened [Sunset Sword Sect]. [Sunset Sword Sect: Located on Sunset Island along the southeastern coast, ruling over seven million people, possesses one Heavenly Human Realm powerhouse, eight Pseudo Celestials, numerous Grandmasters, and Grandmasters.] Reading the introductions of these two forces, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think, did he still need to remain low-profile? At this moment, the system prompt sounded. [The host can issue one command to both the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect.] Lu Chen immediately said to the system, ¡°Have them contact this prince at once.¡± Lu Chen had never heard of the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect before, and given their locations in the Southeast Sea, it was clear without thinking that they were very far from the Great Xia Dynasty. They probably couldn¡¯t make it over in a short time; it would be better to establish contact first. [The Sect Master of the Sunset Sword Sect and the Divine Master of the Tai Chu Divine Hall have received the host¡¯s command. They are sending people to the Great Xia Dynasty.] At this time, Lu Chen realized that in this world, Celestials were not as scarce as people thought; they simply stayed hidden in certain corners, which was why few knew about them. He wondered why these Celestials kept such a low profile. Now with the addition of two more Celestials to his forces, taking down the Great Xia Dynasty shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem. However¡­ A sudden concern arose in Lu Chen¡¯s heart. He had gained several Celestials through the system; what if other dynasties also had Celestials? Perhaps when he aimed to conquer the major dynasties, he might encounter obstruction from Celestials. Thinking of this, Lu Chen rubbed his temples. Now was not the time to think about this. First, he would become the Emperor of Great Xia. ¡­ With the birth of the children of Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan, the war of North Country against the Great Xia Dynasty also began. This time, Lu Chen prepared to dispatch three major armies to march southward. One was led by Xuanyuan Chen, another by Mu Changtian, and the third was the Navy led by Wei Siyuan. The army led by Xuanyuan Chen was to march directly south, first taking over Qi Country, and then continue southward. The army led by Mu Changtian would attack from Youping County of the Great Wu Dynasty, entering Heyang County and directly overthrowing Lu Yi¡¯s stronghold. The Navy led by Wei Siyuan, was naturally to travel along the sea southward, attacking from the seafront. As for Song Xuelin and Dongmen Feiyue¡¯s army of two hundred thousand, they were to stay behind in North Country to guard against any acts from the Da Yue Dynasty and the Great Wu Dynasty. To Lu Chen, security in the rear was equally important. He didn¡¯t want to come back from his campaign south only to find that his wives and children had been captured by the enemy. At the same time, Lu Chen had also given an order to the Black Dragon Country, demanding that while he marched south, Black Dragon Country must exert substantial pressure on the Da Yue Dynasty, preventing them from deploying troops against North Country. The constant mobilization of troops in the north soon caught the attention of the Sum Emperor. He began positioning his troops, first dispatching two hundred thousand soldiers northward to defend against Lu Chen¡¯s southern advance. On another front, he sent Heavy Cavalry to confront Lu Yi to the west. Chapter 724 - Chapter 724: Chapter 431: The Birth of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyaos Child_3 Chapter 724: Chapter 431: The Birth of Yelv Nanyan and Xiao Wenyao¡¯s Child_3 Since the North Prince was no longer able to sit still, the time had come to remove the chess piece that was Lu Yi. The Sum Emperor had allowed Lu Yi to expand his power precisely so that people in the north would believe that the Great Xia¡¯s time was up and the North Prince could move south to compete for the throne. As for the rebels led by Lu Yi, the Sum Emperor had never taken them seriously from beginning to end. The Da Yue Dynasty. The Imperial Palace. The Empress¡¯s Bedchamber. Upon hearing of the North Country¡¯s war mobilization, the Yue Emperor, clad in a bright red Phoenix Robe and donning a Phoenix Crown, immediately felt an opportunity had arisen. Although the Da Yue had not yet attained the North Country¡¯s mysterious weapon, if the North Country were to send its forces south, then even with some defenses, the north would inevitably have few troops left. While the Great Xia Dynasty seemed to be on the verge of collapse, the depth of a dynasty¡¯s foundation is profound, and it wouldn¡¯t be easy to destroy it. The Yue Emperor had great confidence in the Sum Emperor; she believed he would be able to hold back the North Country, causing them to continuously deploy forces to the south. A faint smile appeared on the face of the Yue Emperor as she looked at the intelligence in her hands. She hadn¡¯t smiled for a long time, not since her good sister had been sent to the North Country, and she had been feeling a vague sense of unease. Murong Xue¡¯er still hadn¡¯t taken control of the North Prince, and the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had also gone to the North Country. She suspected her beauty scheme had completely failed, or more precisely, that Murong Xue¡¯er might have already betrayed her. However, that no longer mattered. If the North Prince were to move south this time, and Da Yue could take some important cities in the North Country, perhaps they could snatch the North Country¡¯s mysterious weapon right from their army¡¯s hands. While the Yue Emperor was thinking this, a female guard suddenly entered the Empress¡¯s Bedchamber, knelt outside the red curtains, and reported, ¡°Your Majesty, Black Dragon Country is making a move!¡± Upon hearing this, the smile on the Yue Emperor¡¯s face instantly froze. With a wave of her hand, the intelligence held by the female guard flew up, breezed through the red curtains, and landed directly in the Yue Emperor¡¯s hand. After briefly scanning the contents of the intelligence report, the Yue Emperor¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, and her body emitted waves of murderous intent. The maids both inside and outside the bedchamber felt this murderous aura and knelt down together, trembling. After a while, the Yue Emperor said coldly, ¡°Black Dragon Country really knows how to pick its moment!¡± Black Dragon Country might not have the largest force, but it posed a significant threat to the Da Yue Dynasty. They had elite troops, their soldiers being so formidable that one could take on ten without an issue. The Yue Emperor had initially planned to take advantage of the North Prince leading his troops south to launch a sneak attack on the North Country, but now with Black Dragon Country eyeing them rapaciously from the northwest, she did not dare act rashly. If she were to act without due caution, and Black Dragon Country invaded in full force while the Barbarian Tribes moved south at the same time, Da Yue would find itself in a perilous situation. But then again, although she couldn¡¯t move troops at will, sending someone to meddle in the North Country was still feasible. With this in mind, the Yue Emperor directly inquired, ¡°Have there been any recent updates on Junwan?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°Princess Wu has been staying in the North Prince Mansion and rarely goes out.¡± After thinking for a moment, the Yue Emperor then said, ¡°Later, I will write a letter. Find a way to deliver this letter into her hands.¡± With the North Prince leaving the North Country, the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace would surely accompany him, leaving no powerful figures behind. She had recently heard that her dear sister had broken through to the Grandmaster Realm, and she had also dispatched a Grandmaster Protector for her. With two Grandmasters in the North Country, they could surely stir up considerable chaos, such as stealing the weapons¡¯ blueprints or even capturing the North Prince¡¯s wives and consorts to bring back to Da Yue. Chapter 725 - Chapter 725: Chapter 432 Xue Linglong Returns_1 Chapter 725: Chapter 432 Xue Linglong Returns_1 North Country, Yan County. North Prince Mansion. Lu Chen was ceaselessly perusing military documents in his study; with the war impending, his workload had increased¡ªevery day, he had to look through thousands of documents. Not all these documents were for him to process; most were handled by Zhuge Zhongguang, but he had to review them all, for they pertained to military matters. As a ruler with absolute military authority, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t neglect his military responsibilities. At that moment, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside the study. ¡°Prince, Commander Liang requests an audience.¡± With his gaze fixed on the document in front of him, Lu Chen said, ¡°Enter.¡± The next moment, Liang Zong pushed the door open and entered. ¡°Greetings, Prince!¡± Without looking up, Lu Chen asked indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°The Crown Princess Consort has returned to Yan County, and she has brought many strong figures with her.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was startled and lifted his head to look at Liang Zong, ¡°She¡¯s back at the Lu Mansion?¡± Liang Zong answered, ¡°No, she didn¡¯t return under the identity of the Crown Princess Consort, but assumed a new one.¡± ¡°They pretended to have encountered a band of mountain robbers on their way to Heyang County; the Crown Princess Consort was killed, and then she took on a new identity to go to Yan County.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. A new identity? What is that enchantress planning to do? Could it be that Xue Linglong feels her identity as the Crown Princess Consort is too sensitive, so she wants to discard it and come back to be her own woman? After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Keep an eye on her. If the Taiyin Divine Sect makes any moves, report to me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince!¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Zong promptly left. However, it wasn¡¯t long before Liang Zong returned to the study. When Liang Zong appeared again in the study, Lu Chen asked in confusion, ¡°Why has Commander Liang returned?¡± Liang Zong immediately said, ¡°Prince, a Jinyiwei Guard was caught by the Crown Princess Consort by accident. She sent a message for you through that guard.¡± Hmm? Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s the message?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°The Crown Princess Consort says she knows you have been having her watched, and now she has an important matter to tell you, hoping you would meet with her.¡± After all, Xue Linglong was the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect; the Brocade Guards had been tracking and monitoring them¡ªhow could she have been unaware? But she was clear about who was sent to watch her; thus, she had ignored them until now. However, now that she had returned to Yan County, she wanted to inform Lu Chen about the Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s affairs, and this was an opportunity to use the Brocade Guard¡¯s soldier to send a message back to Lu Chen. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen took off a jade pendant and threw it to Liang Zong, ¡°Have that soldier give this jade pendant to the Crown Princess Consort and tell her she may come to the North Prince Mansion¡¯s study to meet with me tonight.¡± Catching the jade pendant, Liang Zong said, ¡°Yes, I will go at once.¡± Immediately, Liang Zong left the study once more. Lu Chen thought to himself that the enchantress had been wandering outside for months, probably unable to endure it any longer. But she must have other reasons for seeking him out; perhaps the Taiyin Divine Sect was making a move? No matter, he would find out what she wanted when he saw Xue Linglong later. Lu Chen did not dwell on it further; he continued to look through the documents while waiting for Xue Linglong¡¯s arrival. After an indeterminate amount of time, the maid¡¯s voice finally came from outside the study. ¡°Prince, Miss Xue requests an audience.¡± On hearing this, Lu Chen smiled. Xue Linglong had indeed discarded her identity as the Crown Princess Consort; even the way people announced her visit had changed to ¡®Miss Xue¡¯. ¡°Let her in.¡± As soon as Lu Chen uttered the words, Xue Linglong pushed the door open and entered. Lu Chen set down the documents in his hands and looked over at Xue Linglong. Today, Xue Linglong wore a form-fitting purple dress that clung to her exquisite figure, accentuating her curvaceous body, and the dress was short enough to reveal her long, fair legs, her whole being radiated a seductive and enchanting charm. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to head south to see Yi? Why have you come back?¡± Xue Linglong ignored Lu Chen¡¯s question, instead glancing at the mound of documents on the desk, she then said with a sly smile, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have imagined that just a few months after leaving Yan County, the Prince would change his ways. Now he seems to be devoting all his attention to state affairs.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You must be under some misunderstanding about me. I have always been a man with a strong sense of duty towards my work.¡± ¡°It was true then, and it is true now.¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°Oh? So to speak, the Prince hasn¡¯t changed at all, which I find somewhat hard to believe.¡± ¡°Why not let me check thoroughly to see if you really haven¡¯t changed at all.¡± As she spoke, Xue Linglong took the initiative to use her Charming Skill on Lu Chen, knowing full well that her Charming Skill was of no use to him, but employing it was just a ploy to seduce Lu Chen. Lu Chen indeed rose from his seat at this moment and walked directly toward Xue Linglong, ¡°Alright, then check as much as you want.¡± At this point, Lu Chen reached out and pulled Xue Linglong into his arms, then sealed her red lips with his own. Xue Linglong immediately felt an intense excitement within her, it was this feeling she finally got to experience again today¡ªthe sensation of kissing Lu Chen. Far from struggling, Xue Linglong became very proactive, lifting her tender arms like lotus roots to wrap around Lu Chen¡¯s neck, and as they kissed, she began to fiddle with his clothes. While kissing Xue Linglong, Lu Chen pushed the enchantress into the study¡¯s adjoining rest area. After a while, they finally moved to the bed, and after Lu Chen had pushed Xue Linglong down, he looked down at her from above. At this moment, Xue Linglong¡¯s complexion was rosy, her eyes clouded over, a face full of seduction. In a murmuring voice, Xue Linglong said, ¡°Tonight I am your female slave, you can do whatever you want to me.¡± Seeing the seductive look of this enchantress Xue Linglong, Lu Chen could not hold back and bent down again to cover her mouth. Afterward, Lu Chen gave a good lesson to the enchantress who had escaped for several months. Xue Linglong also came to realize that, after all, she was a seductress from the Demon Sect, and people of the Demon Sect should release the desires in their hearts and act on their whims. Since her current desire was to be Lu Chen¡¯s female slave, to be ravished by him, why should she resist? She just had to follow this man. It was also an excellent opportunity for her to continue harnessing male energy for her feminine energy and to cultivate her Goddess Skill. Having resigned herself to this, Xue Linglong became extremely eager, but she nevertheless quickly met her defeat against Lu Chen. When the first rays of dawn shone into the room, Lu Chen held Xue Linglong¡¯s tender body in his arms and laughed, ¡°Enchantress, now you know that I haven¡¯t changed a bit.¡± Xue Linglong giggled lightly, ¡°Indeed, the Prince hasn¡¯t changed.¡± Flipping over to face Xue Linglong, Lu Chen supported her smooth and white chin with his hand, looking into her bewitching peach-blossom eyes, he said, ¡°Tell me, what are you doing back this time?¡± With a beaming smile, Xue Linglong said, ¡°The Prince almost killed me with exhaustion yesterday, and now you¡¯re asking what I¡¯m back for?¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve come back for, doesn¡¯t the Prince already know?¡± As she spoke, Xue Linglong lifted her delicate hand and began to draw circles on Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest. Lu Chen chuckled lightly, then said, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve still not learned your lesson.¡± At this, Lu Chen prepared to roll over again, but Xue Linglong quickly spoke sensing his intention, ¡°The Sect Hierarch has awakened. He wants your body.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was startled. Regaining his senses, Lu Chen said, ¡°Continue.¡± Xue Linglong went on to say, ¡°The Taiyin Divine Sect slaughtered a city in the south to perform a blood sacrifice, awakening the Sect Hierarch¡¯s spirit. He is now in desperate need of a perfect body.¡± ¡°The Elders of the Taiyin Divine Sect believe you are the Son of Destiny and that your body is ideal for the Hierarch. Even if you¡¯re not the Son of Destiny, your martial arts talent is so high, your body is also very suitable for our Hierarch, so they plan to capture you and take you to the Taiyin Divine Sect to offer you to our Hierarch.¡± ¡°This time the Taiyin Divine Sect has sent the core Elder, Cao Xianya, who is the previous Saintess, and her realm is roughly at the Pseudo-Celestial Level.¡± Hearing Xue Linglong¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into thought. Seeing Lu Chen fall silent, Xue Linglong spoke coyly, ¡°For reminding you, I have taken the risk of being discovered to come to the North Prince Mansion. How does the Prince intend to reward me?¡± Lu Chen came back to his senses and, pinching Xue Linglong¡¯s chin, looked into her eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°You want a reward?¡± ¡°How about I reward you with a few children?¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong snorted with laughter, dropping the act, instantly switched her expression, and resumed her cool tone, ¡°The Prince really hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you realize just now that I haven¡¯t changed?¡± Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Tell me, what do you plan to do this time? Are you planning to run away again, or do you intend to stay at the North Prince Mansion?¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Prince already well aware? What tricks has the Prince used on my body that now I can no longer leave you and can only be your female slave, become a plaything for the Prince?¡± Continuing, Xue Linglong went on to say, ¡°I¡¯m just fated to be a plaything. Although I am the Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect, in truth, I am also merely a maid for the Sect Hierarch and will need to serve him once he is resurrected.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯ve come here, I am also to be a female slave, so why shouldn¡¯t I choose a handsome and capable young man as my master?¡± At this, Xue Linglong cast a seductive glance toward Lu Chen, ¡°Right, my master¡­¡± Hearing this, the dormant wildness in Lu Chen¡¯s heart was once again stirred. He snorted with laughter, then said as he rolled over, ¡°If you want to be my female slave, then I must thoroughly test you.¡± ¡°Enchantress, are you ready to face my test?¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong was startled. A test? What kind of test? Didn¡¯t this guy just last night¡­ As Xue Linglong¡¯s thoughts drifted, Lu Chen suddenly swooped down and once again sealed her red lips. Since Wang Qingci had a child, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t been rough with her for a long time. Now that an enchantress was here, he could finally unleash his true nature again. Chapter 726 - Chapter 726: Chapter 433: Then This Humble One Will Trust the Prince Once Chapter 726: Chapter 433: Then This Humble One Will Trust the Prince Once Xue Linglong suddenly felt some regret. She felt that coming back to Yan County was like walking into a trap. Although she had long considered this man to be very formidable, it was precisely because he was formidable that she was able to indulge herself. Now she realized that this man was even more brutal than she had imagined. From dawn to dusk, then from night to dawn¡­ When Xue Linglong woke up, she found herself in an unknown room. Her head still felt muddled, and after getting up, she shook her head vigorously and glanced around the room¡¯s layout. This should not be the resting room of the North Prince Mansion¡¯s study; she remembered that the resting room was decorated with many calligraphy and paintings and had a scholarly aroma. But this room was filled with fragrance, predominantly pink in color, and the atmosphere seemed somewhat seductive. Seeing Xue Linglong wake up, a maid in the room immediately came over, ¡°Lady Xue, you¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Do you need to bathe? The hot water is already prepared.¡± Upon hearing the maid¡¯s words, Xue Linglong raised her hand, massaging her temples while asking, ¡°Where is this place?¡± The maid answered, ¡°This is the bedroom prepared by the Prince for Lady Xue. The Prince said from now on Lady Xue will live in this courtyard.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong scoffed in her heart; that bastard really intends to keep her as a plaything for his pleasure. Anyway, now was not the time to think about these things. She felt sticky all over and needed to take a quick bath. With that in mind, Xue Linglong said, ¡°Where is the tub? Lead me to it.¡± Xue Linglong had not bathed in the North Prince Mansion before, so she was unaware of the facilities and assumed it would be soaking in a tub. The maid promptly said, ¡°Please follow this servant, Lady Xue.¡± Then the maid led Xue Linglong into the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s bathing chamber. Upon seeing the bath in front of her, Xue Linglong was momentarily stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected that the room Lu Chen had arranged for her was this nice, even featuring a bath. She stepped into the bath, and the warm water enveloped her body. The fatigue from yesterday slowly dissipated, and she felt much more alert, her head no longer as cloudy as before. At that moment, Xue Linglong lifted her smooth and fair arms, gently agitating the warm water in the bath while sighing. She didn¡¯t know if her choice was the right one. Although she was beautiful, she would grow old one day; she couldn¡¯t be Lu Chen¡¯s plaything forever. Eventually, the bastard would tire of her. Therefore, she had to find a way out for herself. But just the thought of what that man had done to her yesterday made a blush involuntarily spread across Xue Linglong¡¯s face. She felt her mind was breaking, despite how much that man tormented her, she had already become infatuated with that sensation. Xue Linglong thought to herself that all this must have something to do with that man; he must have done something to her; that¡¯s why she was like this¡­ In fact, Dragon and Phoenix Tea could indeed deepen a woman¡¯s feelings for Lu Chen, but that was all; it was just an intensification of feelings. As for Xue Linglong¡¯s reactions, they were completely driven by her own desires. Take the other women in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, for example. After being with Lu Chen, they remained quite chaste and abstinent for a few days, unless Lu Chen actively stirred their emotions. The women of the Prince¡¯s Mansion were not like Xue Linglong, who, despite being tormented to death by Lu Chen, was already thinking about it again after not much time had passed. When Xue Linglong emerged from the bath, a maid entered the room and said to Xue Linglong, ¡°Lady Xue, after you have bathed, the Prince has asked you to find him in the study.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong paused, but then she thought that after the man had tormented her for so long, he probably wouldn¡¯t continue that sort of thing again; it was likely he wanted her cooperation to round up those from the Taiyin Divine Sect. Thinking this, Xue Linglong let the maids quickly dress her up, and then she wore her favorite black dress and headed once more to the place where they had battled yesterday. When Xue Linglong arrived at the study, Lu Chen was reviewing documents with a very serious look. Xue Linglong said, ¡°The Prince is truly formidable, able to go without sleep for days and nights.¡± Without looking up, Lu Chen said, ¡°I have reached the Pseudo-Celestial Realm; going without sleep for days and nights is nothing to me.¡± Xue Linglong went straight to the point, ¡°Just say it, Prince; why have you summoned me here?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe the Prince wants to assault me again.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled, then raised his hand, and in the next instant Xue Linglong¡¯s body flew into the air, landing directly in Lu Chen¡¯s arms. With Xue Linglong¡¯s soft body in his embrace, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Assault, when have I ever assaulted you?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s hands started to roam, fondling her restless body, and Xue Linglong became restless once again. She quickly said, ¡°The Prince must be concerned about the matter of the Taiyin Divine Sect. I will do my best to cooperate with the Prince to deal with those people from the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Lu Chen stopped teasing Xue Linglong and said, ¡°I will soon be leading troops southward. With members of the Taiyin Divine Sect in Yan County, I cannot be at ease. Therefore, those from the Taiyin Divine Sect must all die.¡± Chapter 727 - Chapter 727: Chapter 433: Then This Humble One Will Trust the Prince Once_2 Chapter 727: Chapter 433: Then This Humble One Will Trust the Prince Once_2 Upon hearing these words, Xue Linglong¡¯s heart quivered, and then she asked, ¡°Is Prince also planning to kill me?¡± Lu Chen raised his hand and pinched Xue Linglong¡¯s delicate chin, saying, ¡°How could that be? You are my female slave, my plaything, and my private property. I am not one to casually destroy my own private property.¡± Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong immediately felt a surge of warmth inside her heart. In no time, this warmth spread throughout her body, and she began to feel feverish. Xue Linglong was puzzled. Why was her body reacting in such a strange way? Especially upon hearing Lu Chen say that she was his plaything, his private property, her heart throbbed with excitement. Xue Linglong¡¯s heart gave another jolt. It was definitely this damned man¡¯s doing! How could she harbor such contemptible thoughts! It must be this man who had used some Charm Skill on her, altering her thoughts and making her willing to be Lu Chen¡¯s plaything. Although that¡¯s what she reasoned in her mind, Xue Linglong didn¡¯t utter a word. Lu Chen then continued, ¡°I plan to lure those from the Taiyin Divine Sect to the outskirts of Yan County and take care of them all there.¡± ¡°So, I will need your help.¡± Xue Linglong immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, and then she said, ¡°I understand what Prince means.¡± Xue Linglong then asked, ¡°When does Prince plan to make a move on them?¡± Lu Chen took out a scroll and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow. This is the route map, you¡¯ll lead them out of the city on this route to where I¡¯ll be waiting to ambush them.¡± Receiving the route map, Xue Linglong still asked with some concern, ¡°Prince won¡¯t stab me in the back afterwards, right?¡± Xue Linglong knew all too well her status as a Demon Sect Sorceress. She was afraid that Lu Chen didn¡¯t trust her, thinking she was only pretending to defect and that, once he disposed of the Taiyin Divine Sect members, he might eliminate her as well. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°After all, I am the ruler of a feudal state. How could I possibly go back on my word?¡± Xue Linglong retorted, ¡°The higher one¡¯s position, the more ruthless one becomes. Since ancient times, the fate of female slaves of such powerful beings has never been good. They were either given away or secretly killed by their own masters.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and then, looking into her eyes, said, ¡°You¡¯re right, most female slaves indeed meet grim fates, but those are someone else¡¯s female slaves. The end for my female slaves is always a good one.¡± ¡°I believe you have also investigated me, so you should know that Wang Qingci is my female slave. Look at her now, isn¡¯t she living well in North Prince Mansion? Not only is she living well, but now she also bears my offspring.¡± Thinking it over, Xue Linglong then said, ¡°Then I will trust Prince this one time.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen placed a heavy hand on Xue Linglong¡¯s bottom and patted it, saying, ¡°A Demon Sect Sorceress like you, I have never collected one before. You are one of my rarest collections; how could I possibly bear to destroy you?¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s hand moved to Xue Linglong¡¯s petite mouth as he continued, ¡°I can make you a promise. Once I become the Great Xia Emperor, you will, at the very least, have the status of a consort.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong spat out Lu Chen¡¯s finger and chuckled lightly, ¡°Prince better not make empty promises to me. I¡¯m no fool. For a Demon Sect Sorceress like me, at most, Prince will keep me as a female slave for entertainment. How could you possibly grant me an official status?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, so be it. But I always honor my words.¡± Xue Linglong then struggled slightly, attempting to rise from Lu Chen, ¡°Prince should let me go now. I¡¯ve been missing for two days. If I don¡¯t show up soon, that old wretch Cao Xianya will start to suspect.¡± Lu Chen no longer made it difficult for Xue Linglong and released her. Xue Linglong then headed towards the doorway, speaking as she walked, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what tactics Prince used on me, I have to admit that the days spent with Prince have been the happiest. I hope, in the end, Prince won¡¯t renege on his word and will spare my life.¡± As her voice fell, Xue Linglong left the study. She ultimately chose to trust Lu Chen. If this despicable man wanted to kill her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to resist anyway, with a Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace present. She was a Demon Sect Sorceress, and she rarely trusted anyone, not even members of the Taiyin Divine Sect. This was the first time she had chosen to trust someone, and it was someone who considered her no more than a plaything. She was taking a gamble. If she was right and the North Prince indeed liked her body and wouldn¡¯t kill her, then she might have a happy time in North Prince Mansion. Even if this period might not last long, it would be better than never having experienced such a life. Watching Xue Linglong¡¯s enchanting figure leave, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled into a faint smile. It seemed the sorceress had been thoroughly subdued by him. Still, this sorceress was rather dangerous. It might be better to take her with him when heading south. After all, as a sorceress of the Taiyin Divine Sect, even if she had been subdued by him, she might not necessarily be kind to other people in the North Prince Mansion. He had to be cautious about this. ¡­ When Xue Linglong returned to the temporary base of the Taiyin Divine Sect, Cao Xianya immediately appeared before her, ¡°Saintess, where have you been these past few days? Why couldn¡¯t this old one find you?¡± Chapter 728 - Chapter 728: Chapter 433: Then This Humble One Will Trust the Prince Once_3 Chapter 728: Chapter 433: Then This Humble One Will Trust the Prince Once_3 Xue Linglong said indifferently, ¡°Didn¡¯t Elder Cao want me to seduce the North Prince? Don¡¯t you know where I have been? Naturally, I went to investigate the North Prince¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Hearing this, Cao Xianya felt a surge of joy in her heart, not expecting Xue Linglong to actually do it. Excellent, when they returned to the Taiyin Divine Sect, it would be time for Xue Linglong to be pulled down from her position as a Saintess. She wanted to witness with her own eyes as their Sect Hierarch turned Xue Linglong into a withered corpse. Cao Xianya then said with a smile, ¡°So the Saintess went to the North Prince Mansion to gather information; I was too presumptuous.¡± ¡°What news did the Saintess gather?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°The North Prince has already prepared to lead his troops southward.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Xianya snorted coldly inside, isn¡¯t that obvious? The North Country has already issued a call to arms, and even the North Prince¡¯s proclamation calling for the eradication of traitors has been issued; who doesn¡¯t know that the North Prince is preparing to lead his troops south to seize the throne? Was such information even worth the trouble of running to the North Prince Mansion to gather? However, at that moment, Xue Linglong continued, ¡°I have discovered that to boost the soldiers¡¯ morale, the North Prince will visit a military camp in the southern forest at noon tomorrow and give a speech to inspire their spirits.¡± ¡°This is our best opportunity.¡± ¡°Because Yan County is not too far from that camp, the Celestials of the Mysterious Moon Palace will not leave Yan County at that time.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Xianya said with some concern, ¡°If Yan County is too close to the military camp, and if the Celestials of the Mysterious Moon Palace notice, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Cao Xianya didn¡¯t continue. Xue Linglong said, ¡°That¡¯s why we must strike quickly and decisively, abduct the North Prince swiftly, so the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s Celestials won¡¯t have time to react.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning everyone from the Taiyin Divine Sect should go. We can split into several groups to confuse the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Cao Xianya did not doubt Xue Linglong¡¯s words at all, as it never crossed her mind that Xue Linglong would betray their Sect Hierarch. Cao Xianya also felt that Xue Linglong¡¯s plan was feasible. After all, it was one of their few opportunities to kidnap the North Prince. If they missed this chance, once the North Prince marched south with his troops, there would be many more powerful people around him, and the Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace would be there to protect the North Prince, making it impossible for the Taiyin Divine Sect to approach the North Prince. Therefore, whether they could succeed or not, they had to try as best as they could. After thinking for a moment, Cao Xianya said, ¡°Then fine, we will do as the Saintess has suggested.¡± ¡­ In the evening. The setting sun cast a red glow over the land as a flock of geese flew south in a ¡°v¡± formation. After finishing a busy day, Lu Chen was preparing to return to the Wind Cloud Court. At that moment, Lu Chen suddenly smelled the scent of barbecue. Startled by the aroma, Lu Chen wondered if there was barbecue for dinner tonight. He followed the fragrance to its source, soon realizing it wasn¡¯t emanating from the Wind Cloud Court but from Qin Yuwei¡¯s courtyard instead. Lu Chen didn¡¯t often visit Qin Yuwei¡¯s courtyard, not because he disliked her. Qin Yuwei was, after all, a woman of over ninety points in appearance, very beautiful, with the air of an aristocratic family lady, and Lu Chen liked her too. It was just that Lu Chen had too many women. The women in his inner courtyard were all beautiful, and his strong desire to conquer made him most intent on subduing chilly fairies like Chen Wanrong or defiant beauties like Wu Junwan. Chen Wanrong and Wu Junwan alone kept Lu Chen quite occupied, not to mention his other women, leading him to neglect this lady from an aristocratic family. As soon as Lu Chen entered the courtyard, he found Qin Yuwei, dressed in green cloud attire, sitting on a stone bench in the courtyard, personally sprinkling seasoning on a roasting whole lamb. Witnessing this scene, Lu Chen was stunned. At that moment, Qin Yuwei was the furthest thing from a demure aristocratic lady, with her sleeves rolled up to reveal her fair arms¡ªshe looked like a maid hard at work. Qin Yuwei was directing the maids, turning the lamb over. One of the maids suddenly realized Lu Chen¡¯s presence and hastily bowed, saying, ¡°This servant greets the Prince!¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei quickly looked toward the entrance of the courtyard and indeed spotted Lu Chen. She was utterly dumbfounded, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince¡­ Your Highness¡­¡± Frightened pale, Qin Yuwei hurriedly bowed, ¡°I greet Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Your Highness, I know my mistake, I will never dare again¡­¡± ??? Qin Yuwei¡¯s hastiness in apologizing left Lu Chen speechless. Was he that frightening? Lu Chen asked, ¡°What mistake? Where did you go wrong?¡± Hearing this, Qin Yuwei thought Lu Chen was angry and quickly said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be doing such demeaning tasks in the courtyard.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and walked toward Qin Yuwei, saying, ¡°When did I ever say you were forbidden from doing such things in the courtyard?¡± This¡­ Qin Yuwei hesitated. Did the Prince imply he doesn¡¯t intend to blame her? She hardly dared to believe it and thought that Lu Chen would be furious. Although she had been intimate with Lu Chen a few times, she didn¡¯t spend much time with him; she knew more about Lu Chen through her maids than personal interaction. She didn¡¯t understand him well. In her eyes, Princes were always quick to anger. To her surprise, Lu Chen appeared not to hold her accountable. Lu Chen continued, ¡°But back to the matter at hand, Yuwei, if you wanted roasted lamb, couldn¡¯t you have just asked the folks at the Food House to make it? Why must you do it yourself?¡± Blushing, Qin Yuwei said, ¡°Ever since we started eating meals separately, I haven¡¯t tasted food as delicious as those from Wind Cloud Court, so I wanted to try making it myself to see if I could replicate the flavor.¡± Lu Chen burst into laughter, considering the aristocratic lady before him quite the food lover! Chapter 729 - Chapter 729: Chapter 434 Qin Yuwei is Pregnant_1 Chapter 729: Chapter 434 Qin Yuwei is Pregnant_1 ¡°` After becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman, Qin Yuwei had been very low-key, no longer flaunting the temper of a young lady from an aristocratic family as she had when she was in the Qin Family. The Qin Family had been annihilated, and she was very clear about her current situation; Lu Chen was her only support from now on. As long as she served Lu Chen faithfully and did not vie for power or profit, she might just have a stable life. Previously, dinners at the Prince¡¯s Mansion were always held in Wind Cloud Court, which offered exceedingly sumptuous meals that tasted especially good. Even as a young lady from an aristocratic family, Qin Yuwei had never had food as delicious as that served in the North Prince Mansion. However, ever since Xiao Wenyao and Yelv Nanyan had children, dinners at the North Prince Mansion were no longer held together, given the increase in people. When the chefs at the Food House were cooking, they prioritized making meals for Wind Cloud Court. Although the communal dinner had been cancelled, Lu Chen still returned to Wind Cloud Court every day for dinner, so the chefs still had to give priority to Lu Chen, the Prince. This also meant that during meal preparation, the chefs at the Food House might neglect the people in the other courtyards, and Qin Yuwei was among those overlooked. Though the meals prepared by the Food House for her were still more delicious than what she had eaten in the Qin Family, the chefs generally did not make her any elaborate dishes. For instance, something like a roasted whole lamb was out of the question, and even if she requested the Food House to prepare one for her, the flavor would not match what she had enjoyed in Wind Cloud Court. Qin Yuwei, craving a good meal, finally decided to take matters into her own hands. She had seen chefs roast things on the spot before in Wind Cloud Court, so she started to wonder if having all the seasonings the chefs used would allow her to reproduce the roasted lamb that tasted just like the one from Wind Cloud Court? Anyway, she did not have much to do, and the North Prince rarely visited her; plus, she did not have any children, and there was nothing in the Prince¡¯s Mansion that required her attention. With time on her hands, she might as well find something to do. What Qin Yuwei did not expect was that Lu Chen, who had not visited her courtyard for a long time, suddenly appeared today, which caught her off guard. Lu Chen came to inspect the roasting lamb, then picked up a pair of chopsticks from a plate on a nearby table and poked the lamb meat, ¡°Hmm, it should be cooked by now, just sprinkle some cumin, and it should be almost perfect.¡± ¡°However, when you¡¯re roasting, try to make more cuts in the meat. It¡¯s possible it might not be flavored thoroughly.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen took a knife from the table next to him and started scoring the lamb. Seeing Lu Chen taking action personally, Qin Yuwei stood there stunned. As Lu Chen continued cutting, he said, ¡°In the future, if there¡¯s something you want to eat, tell the people at the Food House earlier. You can also find a few maids and have them learn specifically at the Food House, then cook on your own stove, which is permissible here in the Prince¡¯s Mansion.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qin Yuwei immediately responded, ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°I¡¯ll have dinner here tonight. Send a maid to Wind Cloud Court to inform the Princess.¡± The knowledgeable maidservant by Qin Yuwei¡¯s side said, ¡°I will go right away.¡± Subsequently, the maidservant went to Wind Cloud Court and relayed to Mu Zixuan that Lu Chen was eating roasted lamb in Qin Yuwei¡¯s courtyard. Mu Zixuan, of course, did not care too much. When they had separated the meals, Mu Zixuan had anticipated such a day. Since they were eating separately, it was not possible for them to dine together. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t possibly eat at Wind Cloud Court every day without visiting any of his other concubines. However, at that moment, Mu Zixuan thought of something and had the maidservant go to the Food House to send over some nourishing items to Qin Yuwei, such as sheep kidneys and deer tendons. When Lu Chen saw the food brought by the Food House staff, he was somewhat helpless; probably in the entire North Prince Mansion, the only one who worried about his health was his Princess, constantly urging him to strengthen himself. He was already a Pseudo Celestial; what else was there to fortify? In truth, eating these things at most increased his vitality and had a limited ability to enhance certain aspects. It was more of a placebo effect. With Lu Chen¡¯s existing strength, these nourishing items were largely inconsequential. Nevertheless, Lu Chen did not say much; this was all Mu Zixuan¡¯s deep love. So, he thought, let it be. However, seeing the food delivered by the Food House, Qin Yuwei, a maiden born to an aristocratic family, blushed at the sight. Although she did not often deal with culinary matters, she could tell at a glance what those items were. Moreover, during the communal dinners at Wind Cloud Court, the Princess often prepared these things for Lu Chen; she was well aware of their effects. The thought of spending the whole night with Lu Chen after dinner made Qin Yuwei¡¯s cheeks burn. At this moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Yuwei, are you getting used to living in the North Prince Mansion?¡± Qin Yuwei responded, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Prince. I have indeed adapted.¡± While eating, Lu Chen said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re comfortable.¡± Lu Chen went on to say, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, you can talk to the steward of the Prince¡¯s Mansion or to the Princess.¡± Qin Yuwei responded, ¡°I understand.¡± Though she said this, Qin Yuwei would not actually approach the Princess. She knew the Prince¡¯s Mansion was very busy, and how could she possibly bother the Princess over her minor issues? Besides, it seemed she lacked for nothing; she was provided with food, clothing, and even silver every month, not much different from when she lived in the Qin Family. The only difference, perhaps, was that she did not have much status in the North Prince Mansion, and she had to offer herself to serve Lu Chen. But these were not issues. ¡°` Compared to those Qin Family members who were beheaded, she was already very fortunate to be alive. Everything she had now was brought to her by the man in front of her, and thinking about this filled Qin Yuwei¡¯s heart with gratitude, making her body feel even warmer. After dinner, Lu Chen and Qin Yuwei spent a while in the courtyard before heading to the bath to soak in hot water together. When held in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, Qin Yuwei felt an immense happiness and only wished that this moment could last forever, that this man would never abandon her. About half an hour later, the bathing ended, and Lu Chen and Qin Yuwei went to bed to commence their ¡°official business.¡± It was yet another sleepless night. The morning sun spilled onto the bed, and as the sleeping figure awoke, Qin Yuwei opened her eyes to see the handsome face of Lu Chen. Lu Chen had his eyes closed and seemed to still be deep in sleep; they lay side by side, bodies pressed together, still enveloped in a tender state. Qin Yuwei didn¡¯t dare wake Lu Chen, so she just kept watching him. After what seemed like an eternity, Lu Chen opened his eyes. He shifted his body slightly, prompting Qin Yuwei to involuntarily let out a soft ¡°yng¡± sound. She immediately closed her mouth, afraid of angering Lu Chen. Seeing Qin Yuwei¡¯s reaction, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not such a fierce person; you don¡¯t need to be so afraid of me.¡± Qin Yuwei¡¯s face instantly turned bright red. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at the system interface, which was invisible to others, allowing him to check it without worry. The system interface had a string of prompts. With a thought from Lu Chen, the system prompts expanded. [For cultivating affection with a wife or concubine, Qi Refinement Mantra¡­] [Qin Yuwei is pregnant with the host¡¯s child, reward host with diesel engine production blueprint.] [The pregnancy reward is an encouragement reward; please ensure the child is safely born.] Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved into a slight smile, not expecting Qin Yuwei to have gotten pregnant so soon after arriving at the North Prince Mansion. It seemed that one really can¡¯t rush the matter of having children. Indeed, planting flowers with intent does not bring blossom, yet willows planted casually may grow into shade. He had previously tried so hard to have children, and yet, neither Mu Zixuan nor Dazhou¡¯s Xiaozhou had become pregnant. He had come over last night for a roast whole sheep and casually spent an evening with Qin Yuwei, which led to her winning the jackpot naturally. Lu Chen gently caressed Qin Yuwei¡¯s pretty face and said with a smile, ¡°You are pregnant. Pay more attention in the coming days.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Qin Yuwei was momentarily stunned. Pregnant? Was she really pregnant? Could it truly be? Did she carry the North Prince¡¯s child? While finding it hard to believe, Qin Yuwei thought of the legends she had heard from the maids about Lu Chen¡¯s ability to diagnose pregnancy far beyond any physician¡¯s skill. As soon as one of his wives or concubines was pregnant, Lu Chen could instantly detect it. If he said she was pregnant, then it was highly likely that she really was. She had not expected to have the North Prince¡¯s child so soon. Having the North Prince¡¯s child meant her life in the future was secure. Qin Yuwei was extremely excited in her heart. ¡°Thank you for giving me a child, Your Highness.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled lightly, always feeling that this phrase sounded a bit familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. Lu Chen slowly separated from Qin Yuwei and said, ¡°All right, you should rest well today. I have some matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll be getting up first.¡± Today he had to take care of the Taiyin Divine Sect, and he couldn¡¯t just linger in the tender affections forever. Chapter 730 - Chapter 730: Chapter 435: The Appearance of the Taiyin Divine Sect Sect Hierarch_1 Chapter 730: Chapter 435: The Appearance of the Taiyin Divine Sect Sect Hierarch_1 After coming out from Qin Yuwei¡¯s courtyard, Lu Chen called for Xuanyuan Chaoge and then took some people to the outside of the city. He believed that Xue Linglong had already gathered all the people from the Taiyin Divine Sect and was ambushing them somewhere outside Yan County. As long as he appeared, those from the Taiyin Divine Sect would show themselves, and then they could be captured all at once. Indeed, the people from the Taiyin Divine Sect had already set up an ambush on a road that Lu Chen was set to pass, whether they could capture the North Prince or not depended on this attempt. In fact, there was no need for Lu Chen to leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion this time; all of the Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s people had been lured to one place by Xue Linglong, and Lu Chen simply needed to have Xuanyuan Chaoge take people to deal with them. However, Lu Chen thought about some of the martial artists in the Taiyin Divine Sect who possessed profound skills, considering it a waste to kill them so easily and forgo their valuable abilities. It might be better for him to also go and see the situation, absorb their skills, and after he had absorbed enough, he could transfer those skills to his own wives and concubines. ¡­ After the people from the Taiyin Divine Sect reached the designated place, they waited quietly. The forest was particularly silent, and hardly a sound could be heard. After an unknown amount of time, a scout returned, excitedly saying, ¡°The North Prince is really coming this way, and he only has one Grandmaster with him, the rest of the soldiers are not very strong.¡± Upon hearing this, the hearts of those from the Taiyin Divine Sect raced with excitement. They had not expected such a good opportunity today. If there was only one Grandmaster, then wouldn¡¯t they be able to easily capture the North Prince and take him to the south? Cao Xianya was a Pseudo Celestial; a Pseudo Celestial could easily hold off a Grandmaster. It wasn¡¯t just holding off a Grandmaster; even killing one was not impossible. As long as Cao Xianya could hold off that Grandmaster, then their Saintess and the other Elders could directly capture the North Prince. Although the North Prince had some abilities of his own, those paled in comparison to their Saintess and the several external Elders. The sect members prepared themselves for battle, only waiting for the North Prince¡¯s convoy to arrive. After an unknown period, Cao Xianya sensed the sound of hooves coming from not far away; obviously, the North Prince was on his way. Cao Xianya¡¯s lips curled up slightly, her wrinkled face revealing a sinister smile, surprised at how easy this mission seemed. While the people of the Taiyin Divine Sect held their breath, the approaching carriage suddenly came to a stop. This caught the people of the Taiyin Divine Sect off guard. What was going on? Xue Linglong said at this moment, ¡°Something¡¯s not right. Stay here and don¡¯t move; I will go up front to scout the situation.¡± As her voice fell, Xue Linglong slowly approached the front, and Cao Xianya did not have any doubts since she had never suspected that Xue Linglong might betray the Taiyin Divine Sect. After Xue Linglong headed to the front, she directly approached Lu Chen¡¯s convoy. Liang Zong recognized Xue Linglong instantly. Since Xue Linglong had already come over, they did not have to worry about hurting her, and then Liang Zong said, ¡°Attack!¡± Just when the people from the Taiyin Divine Sect were waiting for their Saintess¡¯s command, countless cannonballs suddenly fell from the sky, and the members were blasted into the air. Cao Xianya shouted, ¡°No good, we¡¯ve been discovered!¡± Although Cao Xianya realized they had been discovered, she did not run away. Rather than running, she even allowed herself to get closer to Lu Chen¡¯s convoy. Although the weapons of the North Country had great power, they could not harm her, a Pseudo Celestial. This was the best opportunity to capture the North Prince, and she would not let it slip away. If she missed this chance, the North Prince would surely become much more cautious in the future. Xue Linglong quickly noticed Cao Xianya¡¯s approach and immediately pretended to attack Liang Zong. Liang Zong seemed to understand the ruse and pretended to fight back. Liang Zong shouted, ¡°Who are you people? How dare you attempt to assassinate the Prince!¡± Seeing that Liang Zong was tied up, Cao Xianya did not waste any time. She glanced at the convoy and locked onto the most luxurious carriage in the middle. Without a doubt, the North Prince was inside that carriage. The next moment, Cao Xianya charged towards that carriage. Liang Zong pretended to be nervous, shouting, ¡°Assassins, protect the Prince!¡± Although Liang Zong¡¯s shouts were fierce, none of the surrounding soldiers approached the carriage. Up to now, Cao Xianya had not realized anything was amiss. After she approached the carriage and cleaved open the door, a young man came into view. The young man had a smile on his face as he said, ¡°Old lady, at such an old age, shouldn¡¯t you be at home taking care of your grandchildren, enjoying your later years, instead of running around playing bandit?¡± Seeing that the North Prince was not at all panicked, Cao Xianya scoffed and then said, ¡°Worthy of the North Prince, such courage.¡± ¡°Now, please accompany this old lady on a trip!¡± As Cao Xianya was about to grab Lu Chen, at that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s aura burst out, ¡°To ask this Prince to go on a trip, we¡¯ll have to see if the old lady has the ability.¡± Feeling the aura released from Lu Chen, Cao Xianya froze for a moment. Chapter 731 - Chapter 731: Chapter 435: The Appearance of the Taiyin Divine Sect Sect Hierarch_2 Chapter 731: Chapter 435: The Appearance of the Taiyin Divine Sect Sect Hierarch_2 ¡°` Pseudo¡­ Pseudo Celestial!!! How is this possible!!! How old is the North Prince this year! How could he possibly be a Pseudo Celestial!! Although they knew that the North Prince had high Martial Arts Talent and certain strength, they had not anticipated that he had already become a Pseudo Celestial. Cao Xianya also realized at this moment that taking the North Prince away today might not be an easy task, but she still didn¡¯t plan to give up. So what if the North Prince is a Pseudo Celestial, a pampered prince like him rarely engages in combat; he might not necessarily be a match for her. Thinking this, Cao Xianya¡¯s gaze instantly became venomous, ¡°Since the North Prince refuses to accompany this old one for a walk, then don¡¯t blame this old one for what comes next!¡± As she spoke, Cao Xianya thrust her sword toward Lu Chen. Lu Chen immediately got up and leaped into the air from the already destroyed carriage. Seeing this, Cao Xianya swung her sword again towards Lu Chen. With a Shadow Shifting move, Lu Chen instantly broke away from the crowd, but his figure was soon locked onto by Cao Xianya. She thought Lu Chen was trying to run away and followed him without hesitation. Lu Chen only felt that there were too many people here and he couldn¡¯t exert his full power. Having cultivated for so long, it was time to get moving, and Cao Xianya, being a Pseudo Celestial herself, would serve as a good Touchstone to test his cultivation. When Lu Chen felt it was about right, he instantly stopped. Seeing Lu Chen stop running, Cao Xianya sneered, ¡°Why isn¡¯t the North Prince running anymore?¡± Lu Chen smiled and then said, ¡°The surroundings here are quite nice and there aren¡¯t many people left. It¡¯s a suitable place for your burial, no need to run.¡± Hearing these words, Cao Xianya was stunned for a moment, and then coldly said, ¡°I hope the Prince can still be so sharp-tongued later.¡± Her words fell, Cao Xianya kicked off the ground and charged toward Lu Chen, who clenched his sword tightly. Tidal Wave!!! A series of tangible Sword Qi instantly flew out of the sword, like the mighty waves rising from the ocean, turning over the soil of the earth. Cao Xianya was taken aback in her mind, she didn¡¯t expect Lu Chen to use such a fierce Swordsmanship right from the start. However, Cao Xianya was not the least bit afraid; she flashed and easily dodged Lu Chen¡¯s attack, circling to Lu Chen¡¯s left side. Immediately after, Cao Xianya swung her sword. Soul Devouring Swordsmanship!!! Dark Sword Qi released from her sword transformed into a horde of skeletons in an instant, and wherever those Skeleton Sword Qi went, the leaves turned yellow. Seeing this, Lu Chen chuckled. Indeed, typical of the Demonic Sect¡¯s Demonic People, these moves seemed utterly ruthless. Lu Chen did not choose to receive them head on; instead, he used Shadow Shifting again, instantly appearing behind Cao Xianya. Frozen Snow Field!!! The moment Spiritual Energy released, the surrounding air was instantaneously sealed, and a clearly visible chill headed straight for Cao Xianya¡¯s body. Feeling the danger behind her, Cao Xianya was about to dodge when, in the next instant, she found her body unable to move. A look of disbelief appeared on Cao Xianya¡¯s face. What Cultivation Technique is this! Why can¡¯t my body move! Seeing Cao Xianya¡¯s body freeze over, Lu Chen thought to himself that his teacher, Yun Xianxian, had indeed taught him some useful stuff. The Frozen Snow Field technique could restrain enemies within a certain range and belonged to the category of Control Skills. The effect was quite noticeable. In a high-level duel, victory often depended on a split second, and sometimes even a brief control could result in being slain by the opponent. At this moment, Lu Chen launched Tidal Wave again, with waves of Sword Qi rushing towards Cao Xianya. With all her might, Cao Xianya struggled to break free, but just when she was about to succeed, she was hit directly by countless strands of Sword Qi. However, this did not take her life. Cao Xianya lay on the ground, spitting several mouthfuls of blood, her complexion fierce as she glared at Lu Chen with a venomous gaze, as if she wanted to tear him apart with her eyes. ¡°This old one admits, I underestimated the North Prince. But do you think you, Prince, can kill this old one with just a little trick?¡± As she spoke, Cao Xianya suddenly produced a bead. Just as Lu Chen was curious about what it was, Cao Xianya activated the bead. Bloodthirsty Bead, sacrifice!!! The next moment, the surroundings turned blood red in an instant. Seeing this, Lu Chen was stunned. They were still Pseudo Celestials, right? How was it that they could execute such fantastical maneuvers. Celestials have just entered the path of Daoist Immortality, whereas these Pseudo Celestials are still within the bounds of Martial Arts. Is it really okay to use such powerful treasures? Isn¡¯t the Heavenly Dao supposed to intervene? At this time, Xuanyuan Chaoge, who was in the distance, saw this scene and immediately took action. Burial Palm! With one palm strike, before Cao Xianya could react, she was directly smacked into the ground, and the blood-red bead in her hand also shattered instantly, dispersing the surrounding blood mist. Xuanyuan Chaoge walked up to Lu Chen, ¡°Your Highness, are you alright?¡± As the dust settled, Cao Xianya¡¯s tragic state was revealed; she was bleeding from every orifice, her bones shattered, hanging on to her last breath. Seeing Xuanyuan Chaoge beside Lu Chen, Cao Xianya spat out another mouthful of blood, ¡°Didn¡¯t¡­ expect¡­ it was a plot¡­¡± Cao Xianya finally realized that Lu Chen must have known about their Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s presence in Yan County all along. This was a deliberate ploy to draw them out and then act to eradicate them. ¡°` Chapter 732 - Chapter 732: Chapter 435: The Appearance of the Taiyin Divine Sect Sect Hierarch_3 Chapter 732: Chapter 435: The Appearance of the Taiyin Divine Sect Sect Hierarch_3 Hearing Cao Xianya¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled. He then walked directly towards Cao Xianya, ¡°The people of the Taiyin Divine Sect really have no precautions at all.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to reach Cao Xianya, a burst of green smoke exploded instantaneously. The smoke spread so rapidly that Lu Chen didn¡¯t even have time to use Shadow Shifting. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately sensed something wrong with the smoke and hurriedly shouted, ¡°North Prince, be careful, the smoke is poisonous!!!¡± After the smoke had dispersed, Cao Xianya burst into laughter, while laughing she said, ¡°Even if this old one has to die, I will¡­ take you¡­ down with me¡­ Puh¡­¡± Cao Xianya coughed up another mouthful of blood. However, the scene she was expecting did not occur. Lu Chen stood there just fine, looking at her indifferently. Cao Xianya¡¯s pupils contracted. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s impossible¡­ this is the Sect Hierarch¡¯s Bone Melting Poison, how could it be ineffective¡­¡± She had heard from their Sect Hierarch that this poison could affect even a Celestial being upon direct contact, and the North Prince was just a Pseudo Celestial, so how could he be completely unaffected. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this prince is immune to all poisons.¡± No sooner had his voice fallen than Cao Xianya¡¯s body flew up and directly into Lu Chen¡¯s hands. Clutching her neck, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, former Saintess of the Taiyin Divine Sect, it¡¯s time for you to depart!¡± In an instant, the fear of death enveloped Cao Xianya¡¯s heart as she gathered all her Spiritual Power, intending to explode her Dantian to die together with Lu Chen. However, Lu Chen¡¯s Absorption Technique was well developed, and he didn¡¯t give her the chance. He immediately activated his Spiritual Power with full force, and in the blink of an eye, most of the Spiritual Power within Cao Xianya¡¯s body drained away. Feeling the swift depletion of the skill inside her body, Cao Xianya was dumbfounded. Who is the real Demonic Sect¡¯s Demonic Person here! ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± Cao Xianya¡¯s pupils shrank to pinpoints, her mouth agape in shock as she died. Feeling the overwhelming skill inside him, Lu Chen suddenly felt an unbearable itch in his hand and his mood became restless, wanting to fight. If too much power is absorbed and he is unable to break through due to restrictions, it would cause him to feel irritable. Lu Chen then picked up the sword in his hand and kept swinging it at the distant forest. Sword Qi flew out, and the trees in the forest fell with a rustling sound. After releasing some of his Spiritual Power, Lu Chen felt much more comfortable and then returned to where they had been with Xuanyuan Chaoge. The moment Xuanyuan Chaoge returned, the remaining members of the Taiyin Divine Sect were instantly defeated. In front of Xuanyuan Chaoge, a Celestial, Grandmasters and those below them were mere mortals, utterly incapable of fighting back. To prevent anyone from fleeing and leaking the news, Xue Linglong directly went to attack Lu Chen. As Xue Linglong approached him, she whispered urgently, ¡°Quick, take control of me!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen seemed to understand something and instantly released the pressure of a Pseudo Celestial, knocking the sword from Xue Linglong¡¯s hand and then seizing her jade-like arm, twisting her hands behind her back, and subduing Xue Linglong. Seeing that even the Saintess had been captured, those from the Taiyin Divine Sect still alive immediately despaired. At this time, Xue Linglong began to struggle and said while struggling, ¡°Dog of a man, release me now, or when our Sect Hierarch awakens, you will sooner or later become his nourishment!!!¡± While speaking, Xue Linglong twisted her body, and her hips were pressed tightly against Lu Chen¡¯s body. Her wriggling made Lu Chen utterly speechless. Having just absorbed a large amount of skill, his body was still filled with some violence, and Xue Linglong¡¯s antics made Lu Chen wish he could kill this demonic woman right now. Xue Linglong continued to act as though she would never yield and provocatively said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why are you silent! Dog of a man, you¡¯re scared, aren¡¯t you! If you¡¯re scared, release me now!¡± Lu Chen sneered, then said, ¡°Ridiculous, how could this prince ever fear some filthy vermin.¡± Speaking of this, Lu Chen looked towards those disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect and ordered the guards, ¡°Kill them all!¡± Upon hearing this, some disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect immediately chose to self-destruct their Dantians, but before they could self-detonate, Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s palm struck down. Some disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect knelt down at once, ¡°I surrender! Don¡¯t kill me! I was forced!!!¡± However, just as these disciples began to harbor thoughts of betraying the Taiyin Divine Sect, their bodies suddenly exploded, turning into a pool of blood. Seeing this, Lu Chen frowned, not expecting Xue Linglong¡¯s words to be true. Those who betrayed the Taiyin Divine Sect really did turn into a pool of blood, but isn¡¯t this too thorough? There was nothing but blood, not even a speck of bone remains. What is the principle behind this? It did not seem like drug control, nor was it mind control, and it certainly wasn¡¯t worm control, as he could not find any worm in Xue Linglong¡¯s body. Lu Chen then checked Xue Linglong¡¯s body and found no abnormalities. Just then, the exploded blood suddenly began to flow. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately sensed danger and quickly moved in front of Lu Chen, ¡°North Prince, be careful, danger!!!¡± No sooner had Xuanyuan Chaoge spoken than the blood converged into a massive visage. The bloody visage looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Truly worthy of being the Son of Destiny!¡± ¡°The heavens really favor me! At last, I have found the Son of Destiny!¡± ¡°Now I can finally leave this cursed place!!!¡± ¡°Hahaha, North Prince, await my arrival, and enjoy the last moments of your life in fear!!!¡± At this moment, Xue Linglong urgently cried out, ¡°Sect Hierarch, save me!!!¡± The bloody visage glanced at Xue Linglong and then sneered, ¡°Useless creature, what need have I for you? Become my nourishment! Chapter 734 - Chapter 734: Chapter 437: You wouldnt count me in as well, would you?_1 Chapter 734: Chapter 437: You wouldn¡¯t count me in as well, would you?_1 Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Xue Linglong snorted coldly and then said, ¡°Everything I know, you¡¯ve already known, what¡¯s the point of further interrogation? You might as well just kill me.¡± Seeing that Xue Linglong had become emotional, Lu Chen immediately felt a desire to tease her, ¡°No matter what, you are a Demon Sect Sorceress. Killing you so easily would be letting you off too lightly, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But then again, there aren¡¯t any strong guards in Prison A 001, and you could have totally escaped earlier if you tried. Why didn¡¯t you run?¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, Xue Linglong got irritated. She sneered and retorted, ¡°Run? Don¡¯t you, Prince, know exactly what methods you¡¯ve used on me? Where could I possibly run to?¡± Even if she were to escape now, she would eventually return to Lu Chen¡¯s side, driven by the yearning deep in her heart. Lu Chen hadn¡¯t just imprisoned her body, he had captured her heart. While one could flee from physical captivity, how could she flee with her heart so confined? Wherever she went, without being beside Lu Chen, it felt no different from being in prison. At this time, Xue Linglong stated, ¡°I think, Prince, you are more like a member of the Demon Sect than I am.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, walked to the bedside, and, lifting her chin to look into her peach blossom eyes, said, ¡°Oh? Is that so? Since you¡¯ve said as much, then I shall have to use some Demon Sect interrogation techniques on you.¡± Xue Linglong closed her eyes slightly, putting on a fearless demeanor, ¡°Go ahead, kill me. I don¡¯t want to live anyway.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, and then pushed her onto the bed. Just as Xue Linglong wondered what he was going to do, she suddenly heard a ripping sound, followed by her lips being sealed. Xue Linglong cursed in her heart, this goddamn man, still knowing to do such things to her. Wasn¡¯t he planning to discard her after using her? He might as well just kill her. Although Xue Linglong harbored deep resentment toward Lu Chen at that moment, thinking of him as a heartless scoundrel who intended to cast her aside after exploiting her, soon, her resentment toward Lu Chen dissipated without a trace. Under Lu Chen¡¯s interrogation, Xue Linglong felt herself becoming more and more unusual. Lu Chen used many methods on Xue Linglong that even Wang Qingci had not experienced before. When Xue Linglong awoke the next morning, she found a bell tied around her neck. Recalling the events of the previous day, Xue Linglong turned her head and shot an intensely fierce look at the nearby Lu Chen. Seeing Xue Linglong awake, Lu Chen revealed a faint smile, then said, ¡°I am a man of my word. A promise once made must be kept.¡± ¡°I said you would at least have the status of a Consort, so I can¡¯t possibly kill you.¡± ¡°But on the other hand, it seems like you quite enjoyed being tormented, didn¡¯t you?¡± At these words, Xue Linglong¡¯s face suddenly flushed with color, and she didn¡¯t understand why. When that despicable man tormented her, she somehow felt excited. What¡¯s wrong with me? Just as Xue Linglong was about to say something, Lu Chen¡¯s expression suddenly darkened, and he said, ¡°That¡¯s right, from now on, you must address me as ¡®Master¡¯!¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s gloomy face, Xue Linglong¡¯s heart trembled, enveloped by fear. She couldn¡¯t quite grasp what this man was thinking. But this time, Xue Linglong did not defy Lu Chen¡¯s command, ¡°Master¡­ this¡­ this slave understands.¡± Hearing her words, Lu Chen raised his hand, stroked Xue Linglong¡¯s black hair, and commented, ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s more obedient.¡± At that moment, Xue Linglong wished she could bite down on Lu Chen¡¯s hand. The despicable scoundrel, to actually treat her as nothing more than a plaything. Seeing the venomous look in Xue Linglong¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen¡¯s face once again became stern, ¡°As my pet, you dare to look at me with such eyes? It seems you haven¡¯t been fully tamed by me; some lessons are in order.¡± Upon saying this, Lu Chen tugged at the rope, pulling Xue Linglong in front of himself, and then continued to ¡°teach¡± Xue Linglong. Soon, cries for mercy echoed once more from the room. ¡°Prince, spare my life, this slave has learned her lesson¡­¡± ¡°Master, mmm¡­¡± ¡­ Lu Chen didn¡¯t know how long he ¡°taught¡± the Demon Sect Sorceress, but by the time Xue Linglong regained consciousness again, she had lost all her defiance. Lying on the bed and embracing the pillow, she asked in a low voice, ¡°So this is your true facade, Prince?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Everyone has a dark side in their heart; I just rarely let it out.¡± Xue Linglong responded, ¡°It¡¯s my bad luck, to have fallen into your hands, doomed to be your toy for life.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Bad luck? If it weren¡¯t for me, you¡¯d still be controlled by the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, continuing as his blood slave.¡± Xue Linglong huffed, ¡°But am I not your Female Slave now?¡± Hearing her words, Lu Chen leaned close, whispering in Xue Linglong¡¯s ear, ¡°What, you¡¯re unwilling?¡± At the sound of Lu Chen¡¯s deep voice, Xue Linglong felt a chill down her spine, and her body began to grow restless again. ¡°Oh well, who asked for this slave to be born with such a lowly fate.¡± Xue Linglong had accepted the reality; she realized that Lu Chen¡¯s earlier cruelty was merely a trick to add some excitement, and his nature was not really so. Chapter 735 - Chapter 735: Chapter 437: You wouldnt count me in as well, would you?_2 Chapter 735: Chapter 437: You wouldn¡¯t count me in as well, would you?_2 ¡±¡¯ And strangely enough, she seemed to actually prefer if Lu Chen continued to treat her just the way he had been doing, maybe, just as she said, her life was indeed worthless. At that time, Lu Chen said, ¡°You should go back to the Prince¡¯s Mansion to stay tonight. If you find yourself with too much free time, you can follow Qingci with her work in the future.¡± ¡°Right, you will accompany me to the south this time.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong chuckled lightly and then said, ¡°It seems that Master still doesn¡¯t trust this servant.¡± ¡°Keeping this servant by your side at all times, are you afraid that, once you leave, this servant will harm those ladies you favor?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t deny it; instead, he pulled on the rope again, and immediately Xue Linglong¡¯s head was raised, and the bell rang as Lu Chen continued to speak into her ear, ¡°You are right, this prince indeed fears that you, a Demon Sect Sorceress, might harm my women, so I must keep you tethered to my side, to educate you at all times.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t obey, I will kill you!¡± Instead of getting angry, Xue Linglong felt an immense excitement in her heart upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words. At that moment, Lu Chen and Xue Linglong were close together, so he distinctly felt her body tense up with excitement. Lu Chen was almost certain now ¨C this Demon Sect Sorceress really did have a problem. The more he punished her, the more excited she got. He never expected to meet such a person in this world. At that point, Xue Linglong coquettishly said, ¡°Master is so fierce, this servant will obey.¡± Lu Chen fiercely said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that by acting obedient, I will lower my guard. I will be keeping a close watch on you!¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words caused Xue Linglong¡¯s heart to race even more, and she became increasingly excited. However, just then, Lu Chen released Xue Linglong and standing up, he said, ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. I have other business and must be going now.¡± By then Xue Linglong had returned to her normal state, she asked, ¡°How does the Prince plan to deal with the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± ¡°As this servant understands, if the Leader of the Taiyin Sect recovers his power, he might become even more formidable than a Celestial.¡± By now, Xue Linglong had been completely subdued by Lu Chen, and she began to worry about Lu Chen¡¯s situation. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Isn¡¯t he still far from recovering his strength right now?¡± Xue Linglong thought about it, and that made sense. Lu Chen continued, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the matters of the Taiyin Divine Sect. Although the Leader of the Taiyin Sect might be somewhat difficult to deal with, I am not a pushover.¡± ¡°Once I have seized the throne of Great Sum, I will immediately deal with the Taiyin Divine Sect!¡± Lu Chen indeed had some concerns about the cultivator from another world. By the time the representatives from the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect arrived, he should nearly have conquered the throne of Great Sum. At that point, he would unite forces from all sides to strike against the Taiyin Divine Sect. Seeing that Lu Chen already had a timeline in mind, Xue Linglong did not press the issue further. By then, Lu Chen had finished dressing, and he scanned Xue Linglong once more, her delicate form, white skin, and long legs, a slender waist and seductive voice ¨C such a female slave was indeed irresistible. Feeling his fervent gaze upon her again, Xue Linglong involuntarily shivered slighty, wondering if the man had those thoughts again. Fortunately, Lu Chen didn¡¯t make another move. He merely glanced her way and then said, ¡°Your experiences are quite similar to Qingci¡¯s. You surely have many things in common to talk about, you should chat with her more in the future.¡± Having the same lack of parents since childhood, being raised by an organization, approaching Lu Chen because of a mission, and in the end, being tormented by Lu Chen to the point of death and rebirth, becoming his female slave, both body and mind subdued by him. There were differences between them though; Wang Qingci was seductive and charming but did not possess the masochistic quality of Xue Linglong, perhaps because Xue Linglong was a Demon Sect Sorceress, it had twisted her mind in some way. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong said, ¡°This servant understands. This servant will learn well from Lady Wang and serve Master in the future.¡± With a faint smile, Lu Chen said no more and left the room. Once Lu Chen was gone, Xue Linglong glanced at the disheveled room and touched her distended belly. She couldn¡¯t believe that in just one day, she felt like she had gained weight. Alas¡­ It seemed she really couldn¡¯t escape this despicable man. At that thought, Xue Linglong snorted coldly, this man was so brazen with her, not the least bit worried that she might be setting a trap. Wait and see, she thought, she would bear him several children and then exact her revenge, beating him through his own offspring. ¡±¡¯ At this thought, Xue Linglong felt much more at ease in her heart. However, despite her thoughts, Xue Linglong began to channel her energy to expel the impurities within her body, after all, she didn¡¯t feel very comfortable with her current condition. ¡­ After Lu Chen returned to the Prince¡¯s Mansion. A maid from Wu Junwan¡¯s quarters came seeking Lu Chen, mentioning that Princess Junwan had something she wished to discuss with him. In his mind, Lu Chen thought, hadn¡¯t he just visited her chamber a few days ago, and now she couldn¡¯t wait again so soon? They say that a woman at thirty is like a tiger¡­ But he hadn¡¯t felt that Princess Junwan was all that formidable, had he? Lu Chen didn¡¯t think much further and headed straight for Princess Junwan¡¯s courtyard. Upon entering Princess Junwan¡¯s courtyard, Lu Chen saw Princess Junwan sparring words with Murong Xue¡¯er as if they were in the midst of an argument. At that moment, Princess Junwan said to Murong Xue¡¯er, ¡°When Qingrou arrives at North Prince Mansion, I want to see if your mouth is still so sharp at belittling others.¡± With a laugh, Lu Chen interjected, ¡°My Princess Junwan, how has Xue¡¯er bothered you this time?¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Princess Junwan looked up at him and then said, ¡°The maids of the Prince¡¯s Mansion do not act like maids, always talking back to their masters, and you, Prince, always indulge them.¡± Even though Murong Xue¡¯er had her own room in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, compared to the status of Princess Junwan, she was indeed no more than a maid. Lu Chen walked over to the pavilion, sat beside Murong Xue¡¯er, and naturally wrapped his arm around her slender waist, saying, ¡°Xue¡¯er is not just any maid. She¡¯s an external officer from Great Jue sent to North Country.¡± With a cold snort, Princess Junwan remarked, ¡°If she truly acknowledged herself as an external officer from Great Jue, she wouldn¡¯t dare to talk back to me every day.¡± After all, Princess Junwan was a good sister to the Empress of Da Yue, and even an official from Da Yue would treat her with great respect upon meeting her. Only Murong Xue¡¯er, when facing her, did not take her seriously at all. After all, Murong Xue¡¯er now had a backing, and that was the man who was currently embracing her slender waist, whose hand was wandering over her body. Lu Chen did not continue on this topic, but instead asked Princess Junwan, ¡°The maid said you were looking for me. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re feeling lonely again and want me to ease your loneliness?¡± Princess Junwan ignored Lu Chen¡¯s words and threw a letter onto the stone table, ¡°Take a look.¡± Curious, Lu Chen picked up the letter and read it carefully. After finishing the content of the letter, a slight smile curled up on the corners of his mouth. ¡°Junwan, the Yue Emperor is supposed to be your good sister, and you betrayed her just like that?¡± ¡°You dared to show me the letter she wrote to you?¡± Princess Junwan gave Lu Chen a dismissive look. This man was benefiting and yet still playing coy. She very well knew that she had completely submitted to him, and yet here he was saying such things. Was this an insult to her? Princess Junwan said, ¡°I just feel she is no match for you and didn¡¯t want her to end up like me.¡± Nodding as he read the content of the letter, Lu Chen remarked, ¡°Well, I must say, her plan is quite good, taking advantage of the vulnerability of North Country, creating chaos, then stealing the weaponry blueprints of North Country, and eventually kidnapping my wives and children, so after I take down Great Sum, she can threaten me with my family.¡± ¡°Too bad¡­¡± ¡°Your good sister planned everything but failed to foresee that you were already my person.¡± With no expression on her face, Princess Junwan said, ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. If I hadn¡¯t cooperated with her, she would certainly have sent someone else.¡± Lu Chen casually said, ¡°Let them come. There are not a few Grandmasters in Yan County, not to mention several within North Prince Mansion itself.¡± Looking into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, Princess Junwan asked, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t include me in that, would you?¡± With a smile, Lu Chen replied, ¡°You are now my wife. What, when North Prince Mansion is in danger, would you just stand by and watch?¡± Princess Junwan fell silent. If North Prince Mansion were to face real danger, she would certainly not turn a blind eye. However, when it came to the affairs between Lu Chen and the Empress of Da Yue, she truly did not want to get involved at all. Chapter 736 - Chapter 736: Chapter 438 I am still very confident in my wife_1 Chapter 736: Chapter 438 I am still very confident in my wife_1 One is a close sister with whom she had experienced life and death, the other is her man; Wu Junwan found it very difficult to make a choice. But Wu Junwan also knew clearly that a contest between Lu Chen and the Yue Emperor was bound to have a victor. As of now, it appeared that Lu Chen had a better chance of winning, after all, the North Country had already amassed such formidable military strength, and Lu Chen also had the support of the Mysterious Moon Palace. The thought of her dear sister eventually getting hurt caused a faint pain in Wu Junwan¡¯s heart. The Yue Emperor walked the Unfeeling Tao; if she were ruined by this young man, could she still become a true Celestial? Seeing Wu Junwan fall silent, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I am still very confident in my wife.¡± At this point, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°If one day, you truly defeat the Yue Emperor, what do you plan to do with her?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°It seems you have asked me this question no less than five times.¡± ¡°My answer remains the same, if she is my type, I would make her my woman, and have her bear my children.¡± ¡°If she is not my type, for your sake, I would not kill her and would even allow you two to be together.¡± Although everyone says the Empress of Da Yue is very beautiful, Lu Chen had never seen her, he truly did not know what she looked like. The critical point is very important, the world is full of beautiful women; when Lu Chen publicly took concubines in the past, many ladies from noble families also came, most of them also very beautiful, but none reached a score of ninety. Ninety is Lu Chen¡¯s bottom line, if they do not reach ninety, he definitely would not take them. If he were to take every woman who did not reach a score of ninety into his harem, with so many beautiful women in the world, could he even cope? Moreover, from the standpoint of benefit, women who did not reach a score of ninety did not have much use to him. So whether Lu Chen would take the Empress of Da Yue into his harem still needed him to see the Empress of Da Yue with his own eyes, only by seeing her in person would he know if she met the criteria to be his woman. Hearing Lu Chen say he would allow the Yue Emperor to be with her, Wu Junwan¡¯s face revealed a strange expression; he always felt Lu Chen seemed to know something. ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t need to worry about these things, I¡¯m not the kind of person who revels in slaughter.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words had no persuasive power for Wu Junwan; after all, Lu Chen was a ruler, and a ruler who aimed to unify the entire world at that. Even if he was reluctant to kill, in the end, for the sake of unifying the world under his rule, he would inevitably have to kill many. Especially members of other countries¡¯ imperial families. If he did not take out those members of the imperial family, how could Lu Chen possibly settle his rule? But then again, perhaps Lu Chen would be different towards female rulers, especially beautiful rulers like the Yue Emperor. This lascivious young man would most likely treat her as a trophy of war, just as he did with his own. Thinking this, Wu Junwan sighed softly in her heart. ¡°If the North Prince Mansion faces any danger, this Palace will act at the first notice.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I knew my lady would not stand by and watch the North Prince Mansion come to harm.¡± Wu Junwan said lightly, ¡°I hope your journey south goes smoothly, that you ascend as the Great Xia Emperor soon, and quickly unify the entire world.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? So, you also support my unification of the world now?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°This palace merely does not wish to see the common people suffer from the ravages of war any longer. We have been at war for thousands of years; might as well finish it all at once this time.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s impossible to finish it all at once, as there are still some of our enemies in the Misty World. When they emerge, war will surely ignite again.¡± ¡°However, after the unification of the several great dynasties, the common people¡¯s lives will definitely be better than now, since resources will be redistributed, and the people of all major dynasties will benefit.¡± At this moment, Wu Junwan glanced at Lu Chen, then said, ¡°You¡¯d better go take a bath quickly; you reek of a fox¡¯s stench.¡± Having just come out of Prison A 001, Lu Chen indeed smelled quite strongly. He chuckled, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk later.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen addressed the maiden beside Wu Junwan, ¡°Go check if there¡¯s hot water; this Prince needs to take a bath.¡± As the master of the North Prince Mansion, Lu Chen naturally used whatever he pleased wherever he went. Since he had come to Wu Junwan¡¯s place, he was destined to use Wu Junwan¡¯s bath. The maiden quickly turned around and went to the bathroom. After confirming that there was hot water in the bathroom, the maiden came out and said, ¡°Prince, the hot water is ready.¡± Without hesitation, Lu Chen was about to head to the bath to bathe, but at this moment, he suddenly thought of something. He then walked behind Wu Junwan, and in one move, he lifted her up from behind, then held her in a bridal carry in his arms. Wu Junwan hastily struggled a bit, ¡°What are you doing!¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m taking a mandarin duck bath with you. You can help me scrub my back.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan said somewhat angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not your maid; get a maid to scrub your back.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No, I prefer it if you scrub my back.¡± As soon as he said this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t wait for Wu Junwan¡¯s agreement and directly carried her to the bath. Murong Xue¡¯er chuckled at the sight of the two departing figures. No matter how proud Wu Junwan was, she had no recourse in front of Lu Chen, the shameless rogue. It wasn¡¯t long before Murong Xue¡¯er heard faint sounds coming from the room. Although the sounds seemed very faint from outside, it was because the room¡¯s sound insulation was excellent. In fact, just being able to hear the sounds meant that the noise inside the room was exceptionally loud. Murong Xue¡¯er picked up the Dragon and Phoenix Tea on the stone table, poured herself a cup, and began to savor it slowly. She thought to herself that perhaps, before Lu Chen led his troops southward, she should invite him to her room to practice calligraphy or something. After all, it would likely be a long time before he could return to Yan County once he headed south, and there was even a possibility that he might not return to Yan County temporarily, opting to reside in the Great Xia Imperial Palace instead. The women of North Prince Mansion might not see Lu Chen for a year, or even several years. Murong Xue¡¯er, who was now free from her former shyness, used to think of herself as a shameless and wanton woman. Since living in North Prince Mansion and being tormented by Lu Chen for some time, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mindset had undergone a significant change. Now, she felt that intimate relations between men and women were very normal, and there was no reason to feel ashamed at all. After all, she was already Lu Chen¡¯s woman, and their conjugal matters were also reasonable. Moreover, during the times she practiced calligraphy with Lu Chen, she could also improve her cultivation state, which was entirely beneficial to her. There was no reason for her to reject it; accepting it openly was the better approach. Chapter 737 - Chapter 737: Chapter 439 North Country Mobilizes_1 Chapter 737: Chapter 439 North Country Mobilizes_1 A month later, the military forces of the North Country had completed gathering, and the army of 200,000 led by Mu Changtian had already headed straight for Heyang County, while Wei Siyuan¡¯s Navy had also made preparations to head south. Lu Chen had entrusted all the affairs of the North Country to Zhuge Zhongguang and, together with the army of 200,000 led by Xuanyuan Chen, headed south as well. On the eve of their departure south, Lu Chen held a family banquet, and all his women and children came to the Wind Cloud Palace. The Wind Cloud Palace was actually quite spacious; even when all of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and children were present, there was still plenty of room left in the palace. Of course, even so, they would not dine together in the future. Despite the Wind Cloud Court being large, there were simply too many people in the Prince¡¯s Mansion, and one table obviously couldn¡¯t accommodate them all. When Lu Chen held the family banquet, meals were served individually, with food placed in front of each of his wives and concubines, sufficiently spaced apart. Lu Chen glanced over the wives and concubines in the hall and then turned his gaze to Chu Yuqin, saying, ¡°Madam Chu, after I leave, I entrust the security of the Prince¡¯s Mansion to you.¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°Hmm, I will take good care of the entire Prince¡¯s Mansion for you.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then fell upon Wu Junwan, and with a smile he said, ¡°Princess Junwan, I would trouble you to look after my family as well.¡± ¡°When I return, I will make sure to repay you properly.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan cast him a deep glance. She was, after all, one of his women now, yet he still addressed her as Princess during the family banquet. Wasn¡¯t she considered part of the Prince¡¯s Mansion? Wu Junwan said indifferently, ¡°If there is danger at the Prince¡¯s Mansion, this princess will intervene.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s response, Lu Chen then said with a smile to the other ladies in the hall, ¡°Junwan and the Great Scholar have both entered the Unity Realm and are close to becoming Celestial beings. I believe with the two of them here, no enemies would foolishly come to provoke the North Prince Mansion.¡± ¡°However, you must still be very careful. After I leave Yan County, try not to go out. And even if you do, take more people with you or stay in areas where the Great Scholar can quickly arrive.¡± Mu Zixuan spoke up, ¡°Prince, rest assured, we will try our best not to leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion, waiting for your victorious return.¡± At this moment, Chu Yuqin seemed to think of something and then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, since you are heading south this time, you might not return for a while; why don¡¯t you take Bai with you?¡± After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen replied, ¡°Alright.¡± At this point, Lu Chen turned to look at Bai Qingqing, who sat unobtrusively in a corner, and said, ¡°Bai, you will come down south with me this time.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Although Bai Qingqing spoke without emotion, her heart was filled with joy. She was somewhat glad she didn¡¯t have children and could stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side to take care of him, unlike his other wives who could only wait at the North Prince Mansion for his return. Meanwhile, sitting in another corner, Xue Linglong watched the harmonious scene unfolding in the hall and felt oddly out of place. Even though she attended the family banquet, she sensed that she, as a Demon Sect Sorceress, did not fit in here. Just then, Wang Qingci said to her in a soft voice, ¡°Sister Xue, you¡¯re going to accompany the Prince south as well, right?¡± Seeing Wang Qingci initiate conversation with her, Xue Linglong breathed a sigh of relief, having felt somewhat isolated and excluded because no one had spoken to her until then. Xue Linglong responded, ¡°Hmm, the Prince has asked me to go with him.¡± With a beaming smile, Wang Qingci said, ¡°I envy Sister Xue for being able to take care of the Prince and stay by his side all the time, receiving his affection.¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong chuckled lightly and then suggested, ¡°If Sister Wang is envious, why not speak to the Prince and have him take you along as well?¡± Wang Qingci replied, ¡°I have children and need to take care of them in the North Prince Mansion; I can¡¯t accompany the Prince south.¡± While Wang Qingci and Xue Linglong were conversing, the other wives and concubines of Lu Chen were also chatting among themselves, making the hall suddenly very lively. Looking at this bustling scene, Yun Xianxian felt very uncomfortable. In the hall, aside from the maids and servants of the North Prince Mansion, there were only Lu Chen¡¯s wives, concubines, or children, all intimately related to him, but she was merely his Master. She always felt it was a bit odd for her, as his Master, to attend Lu Chen¡¯s family banquet. She initially had no intention of coming; for a cultivator like her, physical desires were no longer important, and she could go without food for days without a problem. However, Chen Wanrong insisted on bringing her, claiming that Lu Chen might have important things to discuss later on. Upon arriving, all she saw was Lu Chen doting on his wives and concubines, with no sign of any important matters being discussed. Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Lu Chen included her in his harem as well. Though she felt uneasy, Yun Xianxian did not say much. Then, Mu Zixuan suddenly addressed her, ¡°Senior Yun, we entrust the Prince¡¯s safety to you.¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian replied coolly, ¡°Lu Chen is my direct disciple, and I naturally won¡¯t allow him to come to harm. There is no need for concern, Your Highness.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Then I thank Senior Yun in advance.¡± Chapter 738 - Chapter 738: Chapter 439 North Country Mobilizes_2 Chapter 738: Chapter 439 North Country Mobilizes_2 Yun Xianxian did not reply anymore and continued drinking the white liquor brewed by the Prince¡¯s Mansion. After the banquet ended. The women looked at Lu Chen, wanting to know how he would arrange things tonight, as he was to leave early the next morning. Lu Chen glanced at them and smiled, saying, ¡°Madam Chu, stay in the Wind Cloud Palace tonight; I have something to discuss with you.¡± In the past few days, Lu Chen had already taken care of his wives and concubines, visiting each one. There was only one night left, and since he had to head south early the next morning, he couldn¡¯t possibly have all his wives and concubines stay in the Wind Cloud Palace. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the beautiful Madam Chu Yuqin felt a faint blush rise on her face, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Afterwards, the women began to leave the Wind Cloud Court one after another, leaving only Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin. Lu Chen first took a quick bath with Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin and then got down to business with Chu Yuqin who, feeling somewhat helpless, remembered it was her who had suggested having two wives or concubines take care of him each night. But every time Lu Chen involved her in such misdeeds with another woman, she would feel overwhelmingly ashamed. However, tonight¡¯s focus for Lu Chen wasn¡¯t to commit misdeeds with Chu Yuqin; after they were done, he had a thorough discussion with Chu Yuqin and Mu Zixuan about what they should pay attention to in the North Prince Mansion after his departure. The conversation lasted until daybreak. When the first rays of dawn entered the room, Lu Chen also realized it was time to depart. He had made up his mind when he left the Capital city that one day he would return, and now was the time to fulfill that aspiration. Lu Chen released Chu Yuqin from his embrace and then got up to head towards the bath, with Chu Yuqin and Mu Zixuan quickly rising to help him bathe and then personally dressing him in the black robe with golden trimmings. After getting dressed, Lu Chen looked at Chu Yuqin and Mu Zixuan and said, ¡°Madam Chu, my beloved wife, I leave the Prince¡¯s Mansion in your care.¡± Both women spoke in unison, ¡°Prince (Chen¡¯er), be careful on your journey, we await your early return!¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, not saying much more, and then he walked towards the exit. As Lu Chen arrived at the Prince¡¯s Mansion¡¯s main gate, his wives and concubines were already there waiting for him. At this moment, the women came forth, wearing expressions of reluctance on their faces, as no one knew how long it would be before Lu Chen could return from his journey to the South. Lu Chen glanced at his wives and concubines, a smile touching his face, reflecting on the nearly twenty years he had been in this world. He felt fortunate to have such a happy and large family. In his past life, it would have been impossible to have what he had now. Regardless of why the system chose to bond with him, he had at least enjoyed it. He was thankful for this world and the system. After saying his farewells to each of his wives and concubines, Lu Chen got into the carriage and then headed to the train station platform. This time they would take a train to Anping City, where they would complete the assembly of the Imperial Army and launch a campaign to annihilate Qi Country. For the upcoming period, Lu Chen would stay in Anping City until all obstacles impeding the southward advance were thoroughly removed, and only then would he lead his troops directly to the Capital city for the relief effort. The autumn wind rustled, and as Lu Chen boarded the southbound train, he watched through the window as the scenery turned to a blanket of yellow. The leaves danced in the wind, and his heart was filled with deep sentiment. Back on Earth, during his studies, he had learned about the histories of others, never imagining that one day he would also become a person who created history. He hoped that everything would go smoothly this time. Once he seized the throne and unified the world, it would mean success for halfway, and after that, toppling the remaining great dynasties would not be so difficult. ¡­ Qi Country, the Capital. Qi Prince Mansion. Qi Prince Lu He and Tai hosted an evening banquet to entertain the heads of the aristocratic families within Qi Country¡¯s boundary. At that moment, Qi Prince looked at the glass in his hand and said, ¡°The North Prince has been eyeing us from North Country covetously and has even published a ¡®call to arms¡¯ in the newspaper. It seems that it won¡¯t be long before he leads his troops southwards.¡± ¡°Everyone, think carefully about what we should do next,¡± he added. Hearing Qi Prince¡¯s words, everyone in the grand hall looked at each other, none speaking out, and the hall fell into an unnerving silence. It was then that one of the family heads said, ¡°Putting aside other matters, just from observing what the North Prince has done in North Country, we cannot allow him to ascend to the throne.¡± ¡°Once he takes the throne, not to mention his measures to reduce the power of the nobles, he will surely take all the land for himself. From then on, we will be nothing but his slaves,¡± he continued. After hearing this family head¡¯s remark, another one agreed, ¡°Exactly, we must assist the Imperial Court to stop the North Prince at all costs, ensuring he cannot come south.¡± Qi Prince swirled the wine in his glass and then replied indifferently, ¡°With Great Wu¡¯s hundreds of thousands of troops defeated by North Country, do you really believe I have the power to stop the North Country army?¡± At this, a family head promptly said, ¡°Please be assured, Your Highness. To face this crisis, our aristocratic families will undoubtedly unite and offer our full support. Whatever you need, be it soldiers or food, we aristocratic families will provide.¡± Hearing this, Qi Prince showed a trace of a smile and then said, ¡°With your help, I am reassured.¡± ¡°However, North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons are still of some concern to me. The previous time when the North Prince aided Prince Lu Yi in attacking Heyang County, he managed to capture the entire county in an extremely short time,¡± he added. At that moment, the current head of the Wang Family stood up and said, ¡°Your Highness, please rest assured. To fend off the North Prince¡¯s advance south, our Wang Family is willing to turn over the Piercing Cloud Bow and the Piercing Cloud Arrows to Qi Country. With these weapons, I believe Your Highness¡¯s soldiers will surely defeat the North Prince!¡± After the Jiangnan aristocratic families were annihilated, some who escaped from Sufeng City came to Qi Country and were accepted by the Qi Prince. Although the Jiangnan families no longer possessed their former glory, they still wielded significant resources. When they fled, members of the Wang Family took many of the Piercing Cloud Bows and Arrows with them. The Piercing Cloud Bow was able to easily kill a Grandmaster; Qi Prince had always coveted it, but the Wang Family, wary of the Prince, had never revealed it. However, the Wang Family had no choice this time. If the North Prince invaded southwards, they feared their family might never rise again. Compared with the Sum Emperor, the North Prince was considered far more terrifying to the aristocratic families. Whereas the Sum Emperor eliminated only part of the ruling families, the North Prince¡¯s actions threatened the very existence of the majority, relegating them to mere dependencies of the North Prince. Hearing the Head of Wang Clan¡¯s offer to bring out the Piercing Cloud Bows, Qi Prince felt an overwhelming joy. He drained the wine in his cup and then declared, ¡°Be assured, as long as I live, I will not allow the North Prince to march south.¡± Qi Prince thought to himself that with the Imperial Court¡¯s two hundred thousand strong army, plus the tens of thousands of troops he had quietly expanded and the fifty thousand soldiers already at his disposal, this amounted to almost half a million men under arms. If he could rely on the terrain and fortify cities for defense, North Prince¡¯s two hundred thousand strong army would find it nearly impossible to advance south. With this thought, Qi Prince revealed a confident smile. He was also aware that he should not directly confront the North Prince, as the North Prince¡¯s troops had defeated Great Wu¡¯s forces. But victory in war didn¡¯t always rely on the combat strength of the armies. Qi Country was situated at the transitional zone between the plains and the mountainous regions, which were abundant in mountains naturally serving as barriers. Furthermore, some cities were strategically located between mountain passes, making them perfect checkpoints to stop the enemy. Qi Prince believed that as long as he didn¡¯t initiate an attack and devoted all his resources to defense, with the help of the Imperial Army¡¯s two hundred thousand troops, it would be extremely difficult for the North Prince to advance even one step. As Qi Prince entertained this thought, suddenly a soldier rushed into the grand hall, exclaiming, ¡°Your Highness, the North Country army is upon us!¡± Hearing this, Qi Prince¡¯s expression instantly darkened. ¡°So soon?¡± He immediately inquired, ¡°Where is the Imperial Army now?¡± The soldier quickly replied, ¡°The Imperial Army has already reached Ziyang City.¡± After a moment of contemplation, Qi Prince immediately ended the evening¡¯s banquet and summoned all the military generals of Qi Country. Chapter 739 - Chapter 739: Chapter 440 Persuasion to Surrender_1 Chapter 739: Chapter 440 Persuasion to Surrender_1 Ziyang City. The autumn wind whistled, and Imperial General Du Yongyuan stood atop the city walls, his eyes fixed on the distant fluttering flag of the North Country, his heart filled with worry. Although he had never personally experienced the combat strength of the North Country soldiers, the few wars that the North Country had engaged in since the North Prince¡¯s arrival revealed a military force that the Great Sum Army could not match. The North Country not only defeated the Barbarian Tribe to the north but also overcame the formidable Great Wu, even forcing Great Wu to cede territory and pay reparations. The North Country was already more than just a feudal state of a dynasty. Moreover, this time the North Country¡¯s army headed south, and it wasn¡¯t just the soldiers of the North Country that were moving south¡ªthe North Prince was too. If it were only the army, the North Country was likely pursuing some political objective, but the North Prince¡¯s joint presence implied that he was aiming to contend for the throne. Any enemy standing in the North Prince¡¯s path would be utterly swept away by the North Country¡¯s Imperial Army. In Du Yongyuan¡¯s heart, there was also another deeply unsettling matter. As he headed north, the Sum Emperor had someone hint to him that he should offer symbolic resistance upon encountering the North Country¡¯s army, but he must not actually hold out against them. Ultimately, they had to create the appearance of the Imperial Army¡¯s defeat. As a wise man, Du Yongyuan knew all too well what the Sum Emperor¡¯s intentions were. The Sum Emperor wanted to lure the North Prince to the Capital city. It was bad enough that the Sum Emperor wanted to draw the North Prince to the Capital city, but then to send their two hundred thousand strong army north to a certain death? It would have been better not to deploy them at all; they could have simply stayed in the Capital city and waited for the North Prince to lead his army south. What was the point of such actions? Doing so would not only waste Imperial troops but also demoralize their soldiers. By the time the North Prince reached the Capital city, the Imperial court¡¯s chances of victory would decrease even further. It was at this moment that a deputy general approached Du Yongyuan and said, ¡°General, according to the scouts, there are only two hundred thousand North Country soldiers near Anping City. Shall we launch a preemptive attack?¡± Hearing this, Du Yongyuan let out a snort of laughter, ¡°An offensive? You do have quite the imagination.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rumored that in the battle at Yongan County, the North Country soldiers routed Great Wu¡¯s three hundred thousand strong army in less than a day. Do you really believe our green recruits have more combat strength than Great Wu¡¯s battle-hardened veterans?¡± The two hundred thousand Imperial soldiers under Du Yongyuan¡¯s command were not the elite of the court; they were recruited within the last one or two years, many of whom had never seen battle. They had little to no combat ability. Du Yongyuan couldn¡¯t help but suspect if the Sum Emperor deliberately sent their two hundred thousand strong army to certain death, making the North Country believe this was the true strength of the Imperial soldiers, thereby loosening their vigilance. If elite troops were initially dispatched to withstand the North Country¡¯s assault, the North Prince would have surely been exceedingly cautious on his march south. Not dispatching troops wouldn¡¯t work either; if the Imperial court did not send a single soldier, even a fool could guess that the court had dug a large trap for the North Prince. Regardless of the reason, Du Yongyuan felt extremely frustrated. After all, Du Yongyuan was a General; a defeat would tarnish his reputation. But he was also aware that his twenty thousand day-filling recruits stood no chance against the North Country¡¯s grand army, and he was merely a tool in the Sum Emperor¡¯s hand. With this thought, Du Yongyuan sighed. It was pointless; he was just a General, unable to change anything. He would just follow the Sum Emperor¡¯s orders. Meanwhile. In Anping City, where Lu Chen was staying temporarily. After a period of preparations, all the pre-battle arrangements had been completed, just waiting for Lu Chen¡¯s command. At this time, Xuanyuan Chen arrived in the makeshift office where Lu Chen was dealing with affairs of state, ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯re only awaiting your command now.¡± Lu Chen glanced at the map on his desk and said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. Send someone to deliver this letter to the commanding officer at Ziyang City.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen pushed the letter he had just finished writing across to Xuanyuan Chen. Looking at the letter before him, Xuanyuan Chen instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention: Lu Chen planned to persuade Du Yongyuan to surrender. After all, both Du Yongyuan and his two hundred thousand strong army were from Great Sum, and Lu Chen himself was a Seignior of Great Sum, so avoiding battle was preferable. Xuanyuan Chen took the letter and immediately said, ¡°Your servant will arrange for someone to deliver the letter right away.¡± With that, Xuanyuan Chen left the study and sent someone to deliver Lu Chen¡¯s handwritten letter to Du Yongyuan. By evening. Du Yongyuan was still analyzing the map by the faint candlelight, attempting to locate the best retreat route. Just then, a soldier spoke at the door, ¡°General, an envoy from the North Prince Faction has arrived!¡± Hearing this, Du Yongyuan was taken aback. He immediately walked out of his room and asked the soldier at the door, ¡°Who did you say sent an envoy?¡± The soldier replied, ¡°Reporting to the General, it was the North Prince.¡± After pondering for a moment, Du Yongyuan said, ¡°Bring the envoy to my study immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, General.¡± Shortly, a North Country soldier dressed in the garb of an ordinary civilian arrived at Du Yongyuan¡¯s study and personally handed him the letter, ¡°General Du, this is a personal letter from our Great King. He hopes General Du will prioritize the well-being of the state over factional loyalty and not become a party to traitors.¡± Hearing this, Du Yongyuan scoffed internally. The North Prince had the gall to call others traitors, when it was apparent his own march southward was a bid for the throne. Du Yongyuan then took the letter from the soldier¡¯s hands and read through it carefully. The message from Lu Chen was simple: he was urging him to surrender without getting involved in the struggle for the throne. Du Yongyuan thought to himself, if he surrendered outright, wouldn¡¯t he be effectively siding with the North Prince, still entangling himself in the battle for the throne? Besides, the Sum Emperor was still alive, and the North Prince¡¯s march south was a clear challenge to his authority. Surrendering now would make him a rebel too. Should he betray, his relatives and friends in the Capital city would suffer the consequences. Thereupon, Du Yongyuan said to the North Country soldier, ¡°You go back and thank the North Prince for his kind intentions, but my family and friends are in the Capital city. I do not wish to be a traitor, nor can I afford to be one.¡± After hearing Du Yongyuan¡¯s response, the soldier didn¡¯t say much else, merely a messenger, ¡°I understand.¡± Latter, Du Yongyuan had the North Country soldier who delivered the letter escorted out of Ziyang City. Once the North Country soldier had left Ziyang City, Du Yongyuan stared blankly at the letter in his hand. Who would emerge as the final victor was something Du Yongyuan wasn¡¯t sure of; the power of the North Country was indeed formidable, having even defeated Great Wu. However, the Prince Lu Yi of the south and the Zhao King also possessed considerable strength, both standing a chance to vie for that position. Of course, the crux of the matter still lay in the fact that his relatives and friends were in the Capital city; under no circumstances could he betray the Imperial Court at this juncture. Once he surrendered, his loved ones would likely become immediate casualties. Chapter 740 - Chapter 740: Chapter 441 Attack the City_1 Chapter 740: Chapter 441 Attack the City_1 When Lu Chen heard Du Yongyuan¡¯s response from the soldier who delivered the message, he was not surprised at all. In ancient times, the family of a military general was no different from hostages; if the general betrayed his cause, he would certainly end up with his entire clan being implicated and punished. Of course, there were those cold-blooded enough to choose to surrender to the enemy without any regard for their family¡¯s life or death, all for the sake of their own survival and future. If Du Yongyuan were such a person, even if he truly surrendered, Lu Chen would not dare to use him, and might even eliminate Du Yongyuan in the end. Instead, Du Yongyuan¡¯s initial refusal made Lu Chen feel that he still possessed some humanity, and such a person was worth persuading to defect. If Du Yongyuan was only concerned about himself and extremely cold-blooded, such a person could not be controlled in the future. The next morning. After getting up, Lu Chen gathered the military generals for a brief military meeting. When the generals heard that the Prince had summoned them, they thought that Lu Chen was ready to attack Ziyang City and were very excited. But when they arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s study, they discovered he had other plans. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced at the generals around the sand table and then said, ¡°Yesterday, I sent a letter urging the commander of Ziyang City to surrender. He refused.¡± Upon hearing this, one of the generals spoke up, ¡°Such ignorance to defy the Prince¡¯s persuasion to surrender. Prince, why don¡¯t we deploy our troops and attack Ziyang City now?¡± At this moment, everyone¡¯s gaze fell upon Lu Chen, awaiting his response. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°We are for certain to deploy troops, but not for a real fight.¡± This¡­ Everyone was momentarily stunned. Not for a real fight? Is there such a thing as a feigned attack in warfare? Lu Chen continued, ¡°The soldiers of Ziyang City are all from Great Sum, and you are as well. As the Prince of Great Sum, I naturally do not wish to see our people slaughtering each other.¡± Xuanyuan Chen of course understood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning. He wanted to show his merciful side to win over the hearts of the people. However¡­ Xuanyuan Chen immediately said, ¡°My Lord, I understand your intention, but the commander of Ziyang City has already rejected the surrender. If we don¡¯t truly attack, how can we seize Ziyang City and continue southward to eliminate Qi Country?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°Later, send someone to the front of Ziyang City to remind their soldiers to stay away from the North City wall; we will attack at noon.¡± Hearing this, the military generals were somewhat puzzled. Warning the enemy before attacking? What kind of tactic was this? Lu Chen continued, ¡°At noon, have the artillery troops bombard the North City wall of Ziyang City until it collapses. After the wall falls, cease the assault immediately.¡± Xuanyuan Chen had an epiphany, grasping Lu Chen¡¯s plan once more; he intended to use the power of the cannons to intimidate the soldiers of Great Sum. As long as they witnessed the might of the cannons, soldiers from the North Country would inevitably falter. Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°I understand now. I will arrange for someone to remind the garrison of Ziyang City immediately.¡± They set into action at once. Before long, outside Ziyang City, a troop of the Northern Army appeared, holding some strange objects in their hands. On seeing the Northern Army¡¯s cavalry, the soldiers of Great Sum quickly notified Du Yongyuan, who immediately climbed to the top of the city walls, ordering the soldiers to prepare for battle. However, at that moment, Du Yongyuan noticed that only a few hundred cavalrymen from the North Country had come, which didn¡¯t seem like a setup for an assault; moreover, they were holding some strange objects in their hands. Just then, a Northern Army soldier, using a makeshift horn, loudly exclaimed, ¡°At noon today, the Northern Army will attack the North City. Out of respect that you are all citizens of Great Sum, our Lord has specially sent us to remind you to distance yourselves from the North City gate by noon or face the consequences!¡± Hearing the proclamation of the North Country soldier, Du Yongyuan was stunned. The North Prince was giving them a heads-up before attacking Ziyang City? Could it really be such a display of martial integrity? Could it be that the North Prince had not yet given up on persuading him to surrender, deliberately sending the notice in advance to exert the final pressure on him? If he did not surrender by noon, the North Country¡¯s army might truly attack. While Du Yongyuan was mulling over this, the Northern Army soldier shouted again, ¡°The weapons we use are far beyond the resistance of your flesh. Retreat from the North City wall before noon, or face the consequences.¡± At that moment, the Northern cavalry dispersed, revealing strange, arrowless shafts to which they attached leaflets, and began shooting them incessantly at the city walls. Seeing this scene, the soldiers of Great Sum thought that the Northern Army soldiers were already attacking. Just then, an arrow flew straight towards Du Yongyuan, and a soldier quickly warned him, ¡°General, be careful!¡± Unflustered, Du Yongyuan raised his hand and caught the arrowless shaft, then took the leaflet attached to it and began to read carefully. The leaflet¡¯s message was simple, much like the Northern Army soldier¡¯s shouted warning ¨C it instructed them to stay away from the city wall by noon when the North Country would attack. Then Du Yongyuan reassured them, ¡°Don¡¯t panic, the North Country hasn¡¯t attacked yet.¡± At this time, a deputy general also caught an arrow, glanced at the leaflet, then scoffed and said, ¡°Ridiculous, the North Country is about to attack and they tell us not to defend the city. Do they expect us to just watch them invade?¡± Chapter 741 - Chapter 741: Chapter 441 Attack the City_2 Chapter 741: Chapter 441 Attack the City_2 Du Yongyuan glanced at the deputy general who had spoken, then said, ¡°Deputy General Liu, today at noon you will lead the troops to guard the North City gate.¡± Deputy General Liu immediately said, ¡°Please rest assured, General, your subordinate will absolutely not allow North Country soldiers to approach the city gate!¡± Du Yongyuan didn¡¯t say much more. He watched the North Country cavalry in the distance still shouting and wondered what they were planning. He had long heard that the weapons of the North Country were powerful, though they had never seen them firsthand. Before laying siege to the city, the North Prince had specially sent someone to remind them of the power of his own weapons. Although it seemed like an attempt to intimidate them, urging them to surrender quickly, Du Yongyuan felt there was another meaning hidden in it¡ªthat the weaponry of the North Country was indeed terrifying, and the North Prince was trying to win people¡¯s hearts by sending an advance warning to prevent them from taking cover on the city walls. Du Yongyuan furrowed his brow, wondering what kind of weapon was so fearsome that the North Prince had specially sent someone to warn them not to stand guard on the city walls. The more Du Yongyuan thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. He had specifically instructed Deputy General Liu to guard the North City gate for a very important reason: this deputy general wasn¡¯t one of his own men. It was the perfect opportunity to observe the terrifying power of the North Country¡¯s weaponry as they attacked the city. If people were to die, they wouldn¡¯t be his own men. Afterward, Du Yongyuan continued to arrange for more soldiers to guard the city gate, giving the appearance that he took the North Country¡¯s impending siege very seriously. However, the soldiers he stationed on the city walls were all crafty veterans who didn¡¯t particularly heed his commands. In the meantime, a few hundred North Country cavalrymen had been shouting outside the walls of Ziyang City in the North City for half the day. Not only were Great Sum soldiers aware of the situation, but soon the common people of Ziyang City were also informed. The commoners didn¡¯t really care who the Emperor was, but war was a disaster to them; they were terribly afraid that once the North Country soldiers entered the city, they would start to pillage and slaughter. Suddenly, Ziyang City was filled with anxiety and fear. The morning passed quickly, and though Du Yongyuan was not on the watchtower, he wasn¡¯t far from the North City. At that moment, Deputy General Liu was still completely unaware of the impending danger. He stood on the watchtower, quietly watching North Country soldiers push strange carts to an area not far from the North City. He thought to himself, how Du Yongyuan was a man afraid of death for making him guard the gate. He also planned to report today¡¯s events to the Sum Emperor once he got back. Just then, a continuous drumming came from outside the city. Du Yongyuan, standing on the rooftop, frowned as he looked in the direction of the North City. The sound of the drums signified that the North Country¡¯s main army had begun their assault. Let them come, he thought, let¡¯s see just how formidable the weaponry of the North Country really is, the same weapons that allowed them to defeat the Barbarian Tribe and forced Great Wu to cede territory and pay reparations! At the same time, an iron ball flew directly onto the watchtower of the North City. Seeing the iron ball, Deputy General Liu thought little of it and shouted, ¡°Prepare¡­¡± Boom¡­ But before Deputy General Liu could finish his command, the shell exploded, instantly collapsing the watchtower, and he and the soldiers on it were blasted into countless pieces. From a distance, Du Yongyuan heard a huge explosion and saw the watchtower collapse in an instant, causing him to freeze in shock. However, the bombardment from the North Country had just begun. The next moment, another loud boom was heard, and a huge hole was blasted through the North City gate. Du Yongyuan stood dumbfounded on the rooftop. Then, one after another, shells rained from the sky, and all the soldiers atop the North City walls were swept away in one stroke. Witnessing the flying debris of the city walls and the limbs of soldiers, Du Yongyuan finally understood why the North Prince had sent someone to shout outside the North City before the siege. Du Yongyuan doubted that if he had still been on the North City watchtower now, he feared his body wouldn¡¯t be left intact. Is this the weaponry of the North Country? It¡¯s terrifying! How could this war continue? With such dreadful weaponry in the hands of the North Country, the Great Sum court would stand no chance. Suddenly, Du Yongyuan was consumed by fear. About two hours later, the city gate was directly blasted open, creating a huge breach, and the wall had collapsed. If the North Country¡¯s soldiers were to attack now, the two hundred thousand soldiers within the city would have no means to defend. However, at that moment, the rumbling noises ceased, and the sound of drums came from outside the city. General Du Yongyuan immediately led his men towards North City, where the scene was utterly tragic; not one of the defending soldiers¡¯ bodies was left intact. By this time, the fear in the eyes of the soldiers behind General Du Yongyuan had extinguished any remaining fighting spirit. Through the breach in the wall, they could clearly see the North Country¡¯s massive army just a short distance outside North City, but the North Country soldiers showed no signs of attack. They just stood there, seemingly waiting for something. The flag of North Country fluttered in the sky above, the sight of the blood-colored banner inducing heart palpitations and panic. At that moment, one of General Du Yongyuan¡¯s confidants asked, ¡°General, what should we do now?¡± The original intent of their two hundred thousand strong army was merely to defend the city, not to engage directly with the North Country¡¯s mighty army. Now that Ziyang City¡¯s walls had collapsed, the North Country¡¯s forces could charge in at any moment. What city was there left to defend? Were they now expected to use their bodies to plug the massive gap? After scanning the distant North Country army, General Du Yongyuan said, ¡°The North Country has not launched an attack, which suggests the North Prince intends to continue negotiations with this general.¡± Just then, the drumbeats sounded once more. Hearing them, the soldiers behind General Du Yongyuan feared another assault from the North Country and trembled uncontrollably. However, contrary to expectations, the North Country soldiers did not advance but began to retreat instead. Seeing the North Country soldiers outside North City growing fewer and fewer, General Du Yongyuan and his soldiers finally breathed a sigh of relief. If the North Country¡¯s weapons had continued their onslaught, they feared they too would soon be reduced to large chunks of flesh. Even such sturdy walls couldn¡¯t withstand the North Country¡¯s weaponry; how could their flesh and blood possibly hold up? At that time, General Du Yongyuan gave the order, ¡°Clean up the battlefield!¡± Upon his command, the soldiers hurriedly began clearing the field, and as they dealt with the remains of the defenders, the desire to surrender resurfaced within them. Before long, surrender became a collective sentiment¡ªno one believed they could defeat the North Country¡¯s army. The weaponry of the North Country was simply too terrifying. In the deep silence of the night, General Du Yongyuan sat at his desk, staring blankly at the flickering candlelight. He was analyzing the current situation in his mind, contemplating what he should do next. According to the Sum Emperor¡¯s instructions, he was supposed to feign defeat against the North Country¡¯s mighty army and then flee. However, the war had just begun; if he were to lead his troops in retreat now, even if it was the Sum Emperor¡¯s will, he would likely face punishment upon his return to the Capital City. Furthermore, judging by the current circumstances, with the North Country¡¯s troops being so formidable and their weapons so fearsome, the likelihood of the North Prince ascending the imperial throne was significant. In his heart, General Du Yongyuan believed that even the Zhao King¡¯s forces, if faced with the North Country¡¯s army, would only be able to flee in disarray. If there were no unexpected developments, the North Prince had a high probability of becoming the next Sum Emperor, and besides, as the son of the Sum Emperor, he was rightfully entitled to the throne. Already, the idea of surrendering had taken root in General Du Yongyuan¡¯s heart. Even if he fled with his soldiers, when the North Prince eventually besieged the Capital City, he would still have to confront the North Prince¡¯s army. However, his family was in the Capital City, and should he surrender now, their deaths were certain. Moreover, with the Shadow Guard of the Emperor within the army ranks, the moment he truly considered surrendering, it was likely they would take immediate action against him. Just then, a soldier¡¯s voice rose from the outside, ¡°General, an envoy from the North Prince Faction has arrived!¡± General Du Yongyuan immediately responded, ¡°Bring him in at once.¡± Shortly after, a North Country soldier entered General Du Yongyuan¡¯s study, presenting a letter and saying, ¡°General Du, this is a personal letter from our great king.¡± Without hesitation, General Du Yongyuan took the letter from the soldier¡¯s hand and began to read it carefully. Upon reading the contents of the letter, General Du Yongyuan¡¯s previous concerns evaporated. He had not anticipated that the North Prince had made so many arrangements. Chapter 742 - Chapter 742: Chapter 442: Capturing Ziyang City_1 Chapter 742: Chapter 442: Capturing Ziyang City_1 After receiving Lu Chen¡¯s second letter, General Du Yongyuan did not immediately choose to surrender. However, in the following days, the army of North Country did not launch an attack, and the soldiers of Ziyang City were all on edge. Most of the soldiers understood that the main reason the North Country soldiers hadn¡¯t attacked after the city walls had collapsed was because the Prince of the North was persuading their General to surrender. The soldiers were overwhelmed with panic. Having seen their comrades from Great Xia blown to pieces by artillery, they had long since lost the will to fight. They now only wanted to surrender, but the court would never allow it. If they did surrender, their families might suffer. Of course, whether to surrender was not up to these low-ranking soldiers; the key lay in the intentions of their General and the deputy generals. Several days later, General Du Yongyuan summoned his trusted deputy, Gao Yong, to his study. When Gao Yong was summoned alone by Du Yongyuan, he realized that the General must have an important task for him. General Du took Gao Yong to an underground chamber and, after confirming there was no eavesdropping, Du Yongyuan finally spoke, ¡°Deputy General Gao, do you know why I have summoned you?¡± Gao Yong said directly, ¡°General, you raised me from the start and led me through many wars. I will absolutely obey your orders. If you have any special mission for me, just say it, and I will definitely fulfill the task you assign.¡± General Du patted Gao Yong on the shoulder and said, ¡°With those words, I can rest assured.¡± Then General Du said, ¡°I plan to withdraw a hundred thousand soldiers from Ziyang City. You will continue to hold Ziyang City and attract the attention of the North Country army.¡± Hearing this, Gao Yong was stunned. He thought that General Du was planning to surrender to the Prince of the North, but he did not expect General Du¡¯s real intention was to flee Ziyang City. If it was about fleeing, it was not impossible, but after General Du took a hundred thousand soldiers with him, the remaining hundred thousand soldiers in Ziyang City would be even less likely to stop the North Country army¡¯s advancement. Most likely, the remaining hundred thousand soldiers in Ziyang City would end up being blown to pieces by the secret weapon of North Country. Seeing Gao Yong shocked, Du Yongyuan continued, ¡°Once we withdraw, prepare the hundred thousand soldiers you lead for evacuation as well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve pretended to agree to surrender to the Prince of the North, which should keep him at bay for a while. They shouldn¡¯t notice our movements.¡± Gao Yong asked with some concern, ¡°General, do you really believe the Prince of the North will trust your surrender?¡± General Du answered, ¡°He will believe it. The North Prince is young and arrogant, and with such a fearsome weapon at North Country¡¯s disposal, he will certainly think I will surrender out of fear.¡± Gao Yong continued, ¡°If you retreat like this and Ziyang City is lost, wouldn¡¯t the Emperor¡­¡± Gao Yong stopped midway, feeling that if General Du fled, even if he did make it back to the Capital city, he would most likely be put to death. To flee was to die, not to surrender was also to die. It might be better to simply surrender to the Prince of the North outright. General Du sighed and then said, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to flee; I am merely planning to withdraw to another city and seek help from the Prince of Qi.¡± Gao Yong immediately saluted and said, ¡°I will definitely defend Ziyang City and buy enough time for your withdrawal.¡± Suddenly recalling something, General Du added, ¡°Right, after I withdraw, I will send someone to deliver a letter to you. When you receive the letter, prepare to evacuate as well.¡± Gao Yong replied, ¡°Yes, General!¡± ¡­ The next morning, when the sky was still dim, General Du Yongyuan quietly led a hundred thousand imperial soldiers out through the south gate. They moved so stealthily, fearing discovery by the North Country soldiers. Watching the retreating figures of General Du leading the soldiers, Gao Yong sighed deeply. Although he had always followed General Du and had been promoted by him, being left to cover the rear made him uneasy. General Du could have taken the entire two hundred thousand soldiers in one go, but he didn¡¯t, likely fearing that the North Country soldiers would notice and chase after them, resulting in none of them escaping. With a hundred thousand soldiers remaining to cover the rear, even if the North Country army discovered General Du¡¯s intention to escape, the hundred thousand soldiers could delay them, buying sufficient time for General Du to flee. Soon after General Du¡¯s hundred thousand strong force had left Ziyang City, they had not gone far when, upon reaching a canyon, a deafening blast of cannonfire erupted not far away. Before long, General Du and his hundred thousand soldiers were trapped in the canyon by the North Country army. The soldiers became panic-stricken. When had the North Country soldiers gotten behind Ziyang City? At this moment, General Du roared, ¡°Nobody panic! Follow me and charge out!¡± As he said this, General Du drew his sword. However, just then, more deafening cannonfire erupted in the distance. Barrages of artillery shells fell before and behind the hundred thousand soldiers, raising dust and causing such terror that the soldiers had no idea where to run. The artillery barrage soon ceased, clearly a tactic by North Country to intimidate them, signaling that there was no escape. Soon after, a voice called out from the mountaintop, ¡°The King¡¯s command: You are all subjects of Great Xia. Those who abandon their weapons and surrender shall be spared their lives, and after the war, you may choose to go home.¡± Upon hearing this, some soldiers immediately discarded their weapons. Seeing this unfold, General Du roared, ¡°Do not surrender! Whoever dares to surrender, I will execute myself!¡± By that time, no soldiers were obeying General Du¡¯s command, and more and more soldiers dropped their weapons. Realizing the situation was beyond hope, General Du looked to the heavens and howled, ¡°Your Majesty, it is your servant¡¯s incompetence for failing to defend Ziyang City. I shall atone with my death!¡± With those words, General Du lifted his sword and slashed it across his throat. Seeing that even Du Yongyuan had committed suicide by cutting his own throat, the soldiers who had initially planned to attempt a breakout had no choice but to abandon the idea of resistance. Eventually, the entire army of one hundred thousand was captured. At the same time. Gao Yong also noticed the commotion in the south, and realizing that something was amiss, he quickly dispatched scouts to investigate the situation, and he himself went up to the southern city tower. Before long, the scouting soldiers returned, their expressions filled with panic and their faces ashen. Gao Yong hastily asked, ¡°Speak up, what¡¯s happened!¡± One of the soldiers replied, ¡°The general encountered an ambush by the forces of North Country, and General Gao, seeing no way out, chose to take his own life!¡± This¡­ Gao Yong¡¯s face instantly turned pale, and he collapsed onto the ground, weak and powerless, ¡°How could this¡­¡± ¡°The forces of North Country had actually circled to the rear of Ziyang City to lay an ambush¡­¡± In this era of warfare, battles generally required the capture of one city after another¡ªwithout capturing the cities, the enemy forces inside could potentially escape and sever one¡¯s supply lines. If logistics were cut, the soldiers fighting at the front might end up in a rout. Gao Yong was somewhat taken aback that the forces of North Country had not followed customary practices and instead bypassed Ziyang City to move to its rear. What to do now¡­ The fact that the forces of North Country had moved to the rear of Ziyang City meant Ziyang City was now surrounded. Du Yongyuan had already taken away an army of one hundred thousand, and now Ziyang City was left with only one hundred thousand soldiers. Considering that the walls had been breached and North Country possessed such powerful weapons, an attack by North Country would ensure that Ziyang City could not be held. Gao Yong¡¯s face was filled with defeat as he sighed deeply. At that moment, a soldier from North Country suddenly appeared below the city tower, shouting, ¡°General Gao, here¡¯s a letter found on General Du, please take a look.¡± Seeing it was a letter delivered by a soldier from North Country, Gao Yong¡¯s brow furrowed, suspecting it was a letter urging surrender. Gao Yong then had his subordinates take the letter from the North Country soldier. However, when Gao Yong got hold of the letter, he hesitated for a moment. It was not a letter urging surrender, but one from Du Yongyuan. What did this mean? Gao Yong promptly opened the envelope and read the contents. The letter was very straightforward; it simply told Gao Yong that if their evacuation failed, he should just surrender. It was almost as if Du Yongyuan had foreseen their fate. Gao Yong sighed deeply once again. He did not for a moment doubt that the handwriting was anyone¡¯s but Du Yongyuan¡¯s, especially since Du Yongyuan had told him the day before that a letter would be coming. There on the city wall, Gao Yong asked the soldier from North Country, ¡°Is General Du truly dead?¡± The soldier from North Country replied, ¡°Aye, General Gao, General Du has indeed taken his own life.¡± With a definitive answer, Gao Yong no longer resisted and immediately told his subordinates, ¡°Raise the white flag!¡± Hearing this, those behind Gao Yong finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had feared that Gao Yong might seek to avenge Du Yongyuan and fight North Country¡¯s forces to the bitter end without regard for life. They had already prepared to join forces to kill Gao Yong and then surrender. Since Gao Yong had taken the initiative to surrender, there was nothing more to say. Surrender, for their general had already taken his life. In the end, Gao Yong led the remaining defenders of Ziyang City out to surrender to North Country. Several hours later. In Lu Chen¡¯s study. Lu Chen sat at his desk and said to the robust man before him, ¡°General Du, what do you think of my arrangement?¡± Du Yongyuan immediately knelt halfway and said, ¡°Thank you, Prince, for sparing my life. From now on, I am willing to serve Your Highness.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°I have already sent people to protect your family. Once the news of your ¡®suicide¡¯ reaches the Capital, I trust that the court will not trouble them. In a while, I will bring them to North Country. For now, you should stay in Anping City and keep out of sight.¡± Du Yongyuan said again, ¡°Thank you, Prince!¡± For Lu Chen, the two hundred thousand prisoners of Great Sum were still of great use. In ancient warfare, capturing a city was not the most challenging task¡ªholding onto conquered land was harder. After Lu Chen conquers Qi Country, he will need a large number of soldiers to occupy the cities won. If he lets the soldiers of North Country take over those cities, how many would remain by the time he reached the Capital? Now these two hundred thousand prisoners can play their role. He could indoctrinate these two hundred thousand soldiers to become his own. He did not need them to be absolutely loyal; after all, he had no intention of giving North Country¡¯s weapons to them so soon. With North Country¡¯s weapons as a deterrent, they would not dare to oppose North Country lightly. Chapter 743 - Chapter 743: Chapter 443: The Naive General of Qi Country_1 Chapter 743: Chapter 443: The Naive General of Qi Country_1 Qi Country¡¯s Royal Capital. Qi Prince Mansion. Qi Prince stared at the map on his desk, pondering on how to fend off the invasion from the North Country. Just then, a guard entered the study and said, ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s terrible news!¡± The guard¡¯s voice was so loud it directly interrupted Qi Prince¡¯s train of thought, and seeing the guard¡¯s flustered appearance, Qi Prince spoke with some displeasure, ¡°What¡¯s the panic!¡± The guard hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, Ziyang City has fallen!¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Prince was immediately stunned. ¡°What! Ziyang City has fallen?¡± ¡°How many days has it been?¡± ¡°How could it be so fast!¡± The guard immediately handed over the intelligence collected by the scouts to Qi Prince, ¡°Your Majesty, this is the intelligence from the front line scouts, please look it over.¡± Qi Prince snatched the letter and began to read it earnestly. As he read the intelligence recorded in the letter, Qi Prince¡¯s face grew increasingly grim. The next moment, he tore the letter to shreds, cursing loudly as he did so, ¡°Incompetent fool! This Du Yongyuan is nothing but a waste!¡± ¡°An army of two hundred thousand, just gone like that!¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t even have the face to see His Majesty, and took his own life!¡± Qi Prince had originally planned to coordinate with Du Yongyuan to defend some crucial cities, but now, in just a few days, Ziyang City had fallen, and Du Yongyuan had committed suicide. How could the court send such a good-for-nothing to Qi Country! After venting his rage, Qi Prince quickly calmed down and then said to the guard, ¡°Summon all officials immediately!¡± Now that the court¡¯s two hundred thousand army was gone, and it was impossible for the court to send additional forces to support Qi Country in the short term, they had to rely on themselves. They must, at all costs, prevent the soldiers of the North Country from advancing south. When the officials of Qi Country learned that the court¡¯s two hundred thousand army had been defeated and Du Yongyuan had killed himself, they were all frantic. An army of two hundred thousand, unable to hold even for half a month before being defeated¡ªand that was the court¡¯s army. If it had been their own Qi Country¡¯s army, would they have been able to withstand the North Country¡¯s military onslaught? Although they were extremely panicked, so far, very few officials in Qi Country entertained the idea of surrender. The reason was simple: behind these officials were various aristocratic families and large landlords, who would never allow the North Prince to rule. If the North Prince took power, their lands would be confiscated. For their own interests, they had to resist to the death. Eventually, after the deliberations, Qi Prince dispatched an army of one hundred thousand, planning to intercept the North Prince¡¯s two hundred thousand army in Dichang Valley. Of course, Qi Prince did not entertain the idea of annihilating the North Prince¡¯s two hundred thousand army; he merely aimed to stop the North Country¡¯s military forces and prevent them from advancing further south. South of Dichang Valley was Wanchang City. By holding Wanchang City, the North Country¡¯s army would have to take a detour if they wanted to move south, and the routes in other areas were difficult to navigate, considering the many mountainous regions within Qi Country¡¯s territory, which would significantly delay the North Prince¡¯s army from advancing south. This time, the one hundred thousand army was equipped with Piercing Cloud Bows and Piercing Cloud Arrows, and Qi Prince believed they would certainly stop the North Country¡¯s army from moving southward. To ensure no chances were taken, Qi Prince also dispatched another one hundred thousand army to garrison a key city near the coast. If the North Country¡¯s army failed to take Wanchang City, they might try to bypass it from the east and hence would come around to the sea. However, clearly, Qi Prince was overthinking it. Let alone one hundred thousand soldiers, even if all the soldiers within Qi Country were assembled together, they could not stop the North Country¡¯s army from moving south. Meanwhile. Inside Anping City, Lu Chen was holding a military meeting with a group of military generals. What they discussed that day was how to capture Qi Country. At that moment, Xuanyuan Chen suggested, ¡°Your Majesty, why don¡¯t we divide our forces into two, one marching south along Dichang Valley to attack Wanchang City, drawing Qi Country¡¯s attention, while the other takes a detour through the mountains, heading straight for Qi Country¡¯s Royal Capital.¡± ¡°Once we capture the Royal Capital of Qi Country and take Qi Prince, we can force most of Qi Country¡¯s military forces to surrender.¡± Hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s suggestion, Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°If we go through the mountains, it may be difficult to transport heavy artillery, and I¡¯m not sure how much time it would waste.¡± After thinking it over, Lu Chen continued, ¡°The best strategy is to gather our forces at one point, rapidly take down Wanchang City, and then advance towards the Royal Capital.¡± Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Your Majesty, if we do that, we are giving Qi Prince plenty of time to escape. Our army might not even have reached Qi Country¡¯s Royal Capital before Qi Prince flees south.¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°What I want is Qi Country¡¯s land; if he wants to flee, then let him flee.¡± Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s concern was that, as a seignior, Qi Prince had a certain influential power in Qi Country. If they didn¡¯t capture Qi Prince and allowed him to escape, once the North Country¡¯s army occupied Qi Country, Qi Prince would surely secretly contact his former subordinates and incite them to stir up trouble within Qi Country¡¯s borders. Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s thinking had no fault, but his perspective was different from Lu Chen¡¯s. Lu Chen planned that, after taking Qi Country, he would not rush south immediately but would first stabilize the situation in Qi Country and pacify its people. As long as they could calm the people of Qi Country, even if Qi Prince managed to escape, it would not be easy for him to make a comeback, as the hearts of the people would have changed. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°I am aware of General Xuanyuan¡¯s concerns, but after occupying Qi Country, I will not leave immediately; I will stay in Qi Country for a while. Once I have dealt with the unstable elements, I will continue moving south.¡± Chapter 744 - Chapter 744: Chapter 443: The Naive General of Qi Country_2 Chapter 744: Chapter 443: The Naive General of Qi Country_2 Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Your Majesty, I understand your intentions.¡± Lu Chen glanced at the military generals in the room and then said, ¡°Alright, proceed as I have instructed, immediately march south and conquer Wanchang City.¡± All the generals stood up in unison and said, ¡°We will strictly follow Your Majesty¡¯s command and will not disappoint your expectations!¡± ¡­ A few days later, Anping City dispatched one hundred and fifty thousand North Country soldiers, heading straight for Wanchang City. Meanwhile, the commander of Wanchang City didn¡¯t pay much heed after hearing that the North Country had only mobilized one hundred and fifty thousand soldiers. Inside Wanchang City. Prefectural Government. A group of military generals were discussing countermeasures. At this moment, the leading Master Level General Cao Xun said, ¡°The North Country really underestimates me, to think they only sent one hundred and fifty thousand troops.¡± Then another Master Level General said, ¡°General Cao, don¡¯t say that. It took less than half a month for the North Country soldiers to capture Ziyang City, which was defended by two hundred thousand of the imperial troops. If we underestimate our enemy, we could be in trouble.¡± Cao Xun replied with disdain, ¡°The troops sent by the Imperial Court were a bunch of misfits, can they even compare to our Qi Country¡¯s soldiers?¡± ¡°General Xiong, don¡¯t lose our spirit while boosting others¡¯ prestige.¡± ¡°Moreover, we are equipped with the Wang Family¡¯s Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows. When facing Master Level generals from North Country, a single arrow is all it takes to kill them. What could they possibly bring to fight against us?¡± Having said that, Cao Xun stretched out his hand and drew a circle on the map on the wall around Dichang Valley, ¡°I have decided to take the initiative and lead the troops out of the city to ambush the North Country army. I want to see for myself if the North Country soldiers all have three heads and six arms.¡± Hearing this, Xiong Yuan¡¯s face darkened instantly, and he promptly said, ¡°General Cao, have you lost your mind? We only have one hundred thousand men. The Imperial Court¡¯s two hundred thousand troops were defeated by North Country, and you dare to ambush them with only one hundred thousand soldiers!¡± ¡°If the North Country army reacts, we might not even have time to retreat back to Wanchang City!¡± Cao Xun glanced at Xiong Yuan and said indifferently, ¡°General Xiong, this time I am the Main Commander, and you are only here to assist me as ordered by the King.¡± ¡°You just need to follow the orders. Could it be that you are planning on overstepping your bounds?¡± Xiong Yuan¡¯s brows furrowed, and his face turned gloomy in an instant, ¡°General Cao, don¡¯t blame me for not warning you. If anything goes wrong, you won¡¯t be able to handle the consequences.¡± Cao Xun said nonchalantly, ¡°What could possibly go wrong?¡± ¡°The terrain of Dichang Valley is so conducive to ambushes. Should we just wait for the enemy to come and lay siege?¡± ¡°The best defense is to take the offensive!¡± ¡°General Xiong, if you don¡¯t even understand this principle, it¡¯s no wonder you are not the Main Commander.¡± ¡°If General Xiong is scared, I will give you a few thousand soldiers, and you can stay in Wanchang City waiting for us to return victoriously.¡± Xiong Yuan was about to speak, but Cao Xun cut him off, ¡°Enough, it¡¯s settled. Prepare immediately according to my orders. I want to give the North Country soldiers a big surprise.¡± Seeing that Cao Xun had made up his mind, Xiong Yuan did not say more. He had a faint premonition that this would lead to disaster, so he immediately sent a message to the Qi Prince, reporting Cao Xun¡¯s reckless behavior. A few days later. Xuanyuan Chen led one hundred and fifty thousand troops to Dichang Valley, but he did not immediately enter the valley. With such terrain, if they entered directly, they could easily be ambushed by the enemy. They had used such tactics to ambush the Sky Wolf King¡¯s army before. Xuanyuan Chen immediately dispatched a vanguard squad to scout the area ahead. It didn¡¯t take long for a few soldiers from the vanguard squad to return. Xuanyuan Chen asked, ¡°What is the situation ahead?¡± The Scout Team Leader immediately answered, ¡°General, there are enemies ambushing on both sides of Dichang Valley.¡± They were using high-powered telescopes. If they had relied solely on their naked eyes, they might indeed not have been able to spot the enemies hiding on both sides of the valley, but with telescopes, they could detect even the smallest details. The vanguard soldiers had noticed that the trees on both sides of Dichang Valley looked suspicious and they had also spotted some people laying in ambush on both sides of the valley. After pondering for a moment, Xuanyuan Chen ordered, ¡°Artillery camp, get ready! After entering Dichang Valley, cleanse both sides of the valley for me.¡± The next moment, the drumbeat sounded, the Messenger Soldier beside Xuanyuan Chen waved their flags, and shortly after, the artillery entered Dichang Valley. Meanwhile, Cao Xun, who was lying in ambush on the mountain, was stunned upon hearing the drumbeats. Why had the North Country army started beating the drums before even entering Dichang Valley? Could it be that their ambush had been discovered by the soldiers of the North Country? Thinking of this, Cao Xun still didn¡¯t take it seriously. Even if they were discovered, what could they do? They were located on both sides of the Dichang Valley. When fighting from high to low, the advantage is with Qi Country! He refused to believe that the North Country army outside wouldn¡¯t enter the Dichang Valley. Just as Cao Xun thought this, a soldier came to him, ecstatic, ¡°General! The North Country soldiers have started to enter the Dichang Valley!¡± Hearing this, Cao Xun¡¯s lips curled up slightly, see, they entered after all! Next, it¡¯s up to them. Immediately after, Cao Xun said, ¡°Archers, get ready!¡± As his words fell, Cao Xun himself picked up a Piercing Cloud Bow, planning to shoot down the commanders of the North Country¡¯s army. However, just at that moment, the sound of horns came from the distance, a ¡°woo-woo-woo¡± sound that instantly filled the entire Dichang Valley. Although he heard the sound of the horns, Cao Xun noticed that the North Country army did not continue to advance. Cao Xun was puzzled. Wasn¡¯t that the sound of attack horns? Why had they suddenly stopped? The range of bows and arrows was not far; if the North Country army did not come closer, they would not be able to hit those soldiers. Thinking this, Cao Xun wondered, were the soldiers of the North Country scared? As Cao Xun pondered, suddenly there came a loud ¡°boom¡± from the distance, and the next moment, countless fragments of rock erupted in the opposite side of Dichang Valley, and the bodies of Qi Country¡¯s soldiers were blasted high into the sky. This sudden turn of events stunned the ambushing soldiers of Qi Country; they were frozen for a long moment before they could react. By the time they recovered, the valley echoed with the rumbling sound of cannon fire. Countless Qi Country soldiers were blasted out from the forest. For a moment, Cao Xun was dumbfounded. What kind of weapon was that¡­ How could there be such a terrifying weapon¡­ Although he had heard early on that the North Country possessed a mysterious weapon, and its power was immense, in his eyes, the so-called mysterious weapon of the North Country was probably similar to the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow. Only after witnessing it today did he realize he had been completely wrong. Cao Xun immediately shouted, ¡°Retreat! Retreat quickly!¡± Soon after, the sound of the Qi Country army¡¯s retreat horns echoed in the Dichang Valley. But because they were ambushed in the forest, their retreat was very slow. Before they could even leave the battlefield, North Country¡¯s cannonballs were landing on their heads. In no time, the valley was filled with cries of agony. Even as Cao Xun fled, he was ripped to pieces by North Country¡¯s heavy artillery, and this celebrated general of Qi Country fell. Xuanyuan Chen, observing the scene through a telescope from a distance, felt that they had done enough, and so he immediately led his troops to launch an attack. Before long, the Qi Country soldiers ambushed on both sides of the Dichang Valley were either killed or captured. This battle, from beginning to end, took less than four hours. At the same time, Xiong Yuan was anxiously awaiting news from Dichang Valley on the watchtower of Wanchang City. He had faintly heard the rumbling noises from inside the Dichang Valley, which made him feel very uneasy. Just then, some broken soldiers escaped from the Dichang Valley. As soon as Xiong Yuan recognized the uniforms they were wearing, sweat poured down his face. The fleeing broken soldiers were indeed from Qi Country. Something had truly gone wrong in the Dichang Valley! Xiong Yuan hurriedly said to the soldiers defending the city, ¡°Quick! Open the city gates!¡± Soon, the first group of remnant soldiers fled into Wanchang City. Xiong Yuan immediately approached one of them and demanded, ¡°Speak! What happened in the Dichang Valley! Why have you run back!¡± The soldier¡¯s face was filled with panic, and he said ashen-faced, ¡°The¡­ the Heavenly Thunder¡­ it was Heavenly Thunder! The soldiers of the North Country can summon Heavenly Thunder!¡± ¡°Most of our soldiers were blasted to death by the Heavenly Thunder, and even General Cao¡¯s body was blown to pieces!¡± Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s answer, Xiong Yuan felt completely powerless and collapsed to the ground. ¡°It¡¯s all over¡­ all lost¡­¡± Cao Xun had only left a few thousand soldiers in Wanchang City. How could those few soldiers withstand the attack of the North Country¡¯s mighty army? The fall of the city was only a matter of time. Chapter 745 - Chapter 745: Chapter 444 Qi Prince: Is North Country Really That Strong?_1 Chapter 745: Chapter 444 Qi Prince: Is North Country Really That Strong?_1 Xiong Yuan, upon hearing of Cao Xun¡¯s defeat, did not hesitate for a moment and immediately chose to surrender. When the North Country¡¯s vanguard Heavy Cavalry arrived at Wanchang City, they found several fluttering white flags on the city tower, and Xiong Yuan, along with the soldiers of Wanchang City, stood respectfully outside the city awaiting their arrival. Xiong Yuan did not harbor the slightest intention of resistance; he had already grasped the situation through those soldiers who had escaped back and knew about the power of the North Country¡¯s weapons. He did not believe that the city walls of Wanchang City could withstand the mysterious weapons of the North Country. Seeing how quickly Xiong Yuan kneeled, the vanguard soldiers of the North Country were stunned; they had originally planned to call out under the city gate of Wanchang City, only to find that the gates were already open, simply waiting for their arrival. When Xuanyuan Chen arrived with the main army, Xiong Yuan glanced at the distant North Country troops and felt a shock in his heart. Cao Xun, after all, had taken the initiative to ambush the North Country soldiers, but now it seemed that the North Country¡¯s one hundred and fifty thousand troops appeared to have suffered no losses at all. Not only had they suffered no losses, but their numbers seemed to have increased. Of course, where those extra troops came from, Xiong Yuan was very clear. Seeing the captured soldiers, Xiong Yuan sighed. This was all Cao Xun¡¯s fault; if it weren¡¯t for Cao Xun¡¯s impatience for quick success, they might not have been defeated so swiftly. But now none of that mattered anymore, for he had already surrendered. At this moment, Xuanyuan Chen rode up to Xiong Yuan and asked, ¡°Are you the defending general of Wanchang City?¡± Xiong Yuan immediately bowed and said, ¡°Yes, General.¡± Feeling the aura emanating from Xuanyuan Chen, Xiong Yuan was somewhat frightened inside. This person¡¯s presence was so terrifying, obviously a Grandmaster. Had the North Country become so luxurious as to let a Grandmaster lead the army? With a Grandmaster present, even without those so-called weapons capable of summoning Heavenly Thunder, they still wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Xiong Yuan was somewhat worried, uncertain whether Xuanyuan Chen would choose to execute him on the spot. It was then that Xuanyuan Chen said, ¡°Our king is merciful. As long as you cooperate with us in attacking Qi Country, our king will spare you. After the war ends, you may choose whether to return to your homeland.¡± At that moment, Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Xiong Yuan, ¡°Seeing that you¡¯re also a Grandmaster, you must have a not insignificant status and know quite a bit. Tell me everything you know about the affairs of Qi Prince.¡± Xiong Yuan respectfully said, ¡°Yes, General.¡± Then Xiong Yuan led Xuanyuan Chen and the one hundred and fifty thousand troops of the North Country into Wanchang City. When the North Country troops entered Wanchang City, there was not a single civilian on the streets; the civilians were afraid that when the North Country troops invaded, they would plunder and loot, so they simply hid in their homes, with their doors and windows tightly shut. However, the civilians soon discovered that the soldiers of the North Country were just marching in orderly rows, quietly passing through the streets without harassing the city¡¯s civilians. Witnessing this scene, even Xiong Yuan himself was astonished. Had the military discipline of the North Country reached such a level? Apparently, the strong combat power of the North Country¡¯s army was not just due to the fierce power of their weapons but also had a lot to do with their army¡¯s strict discipline. With such powerful weapons and firm military discipline, could Qi Country really withstand them? Xiong Yuan harbored deep doubts about this. In his view, the Qi Prince probably had only one path left now, which was to surrender quickly. Perhaps the North Prince would then show leniency, considering their familial ties, and allow him a worry-free existence for the rest of his life. If they continued to resist, he estimated that there would only be one path left: death. In the following days, the civilians of Wanchang City remained highly cautious of the North Country soldiers, but the soldiers only encamped in specific areas. They didn¡¯t harass the civilians; in fact, they hardly left their temporary encampments at all. Just when people were starting to lower their guard, the civilians inside the city became anxious once again. Xuanyuan Chen had the temporarily appointed Prefecture Governor assess the land and property of each household. The first thought that came to the people¡¯s minds was that the North Country army was planning to confiscate the land. After all, that was exactly what the North Prince had done in the North Country. Although worried, given the deterrence of the North Country¡¯s military, the common people of Wanchang City and those Aristocratic Families could only cooperate. Of course, among them, there were some who harbored ulterior motives, such as those who underreported a lot of land, wishing to hide their assets. As a result, those families who were sly quickly disappeared from Wanchang City. A few days later, Wanchang City regained some of its vitality, and the townspeople were willing to go out again. The common people also noticed that the North Country soldiers really did not loot, kill, or plunder. At least they had never troubled ordinary people. Those who suffered were the landowners or Aristocratic Families who hoarded land and did not cooperate with the land statistics. People were soon surprised to find that the number one Aristocratic Family in Wanchang City, the Qi Family, was still doing well. The Head of Qi Family was seen running around as if nothing had happened in the following days. Everyone had thought that the Qi Family would certainly be purged, but unexpectedly, the Qi Family was left unscathed. Some people who were on good terms with the Head of the Qi Family asked why their family had not been eradicated, and the Head of the Qi Family replied that they had cooperated with the North Country¡¯s military in reporting the land, completed the transfer of land ownership, and submitted some uncultivated land to the Prefectural Government. After releasing the surplus family retainers, they encountered no trouble at all. Soon, people understood that the North Prince had only legally confirmed the ownership of the land to belong to the North Prince, but he had no intention of taking back the land, for the North Prince lacked the capability to cultivate such vast fields. With the Qi Family as an example, the common people in Wanchang City and nearby were even more proactive in cooperating with the Prefectural Government in reporting their land and completed the transfer of land ownership in a short period. Of course, this was not the most important. What mattered most was the sudden announcement by the Prefectural Government that henceforth, under the rule of the North Prince, the agricultural tax would be collected at a rate of one percent and that no other taxes related to agriculture would be additionally levied. Upon the release of this policy, the common people of Wanchang City and the nearby towns embraced the rule of the North Prince, praising the North Prince as a merciful Seignior and believing that if the North Prince could become the Sum Emperor, he would surely be a merciful Emperor as well. The news of the collapse of Wanchang City and the actions taken by the North Country¡¯s military there quickly reached the ears of the Qi Prince. When the Qi Prince learned that Wanchang City had been captured, he literally became sick with anger. Qi Country, Royal Capital. Qi Prince Mansion. Qi Prince lay on his bed, his face haggard. At this time, his wives and children had come into the room. With a face full of sorrow, the Qi Prince said, ¡°The hundred thousand-strong army in Wanchang City was equipped with Piercing Cloud Bows and Piercing Cloud Arrows. How could it have been defeated so quickly? Is the North Country¡¯s strength truly that formidable!¡± The charming Qi Queen sat by the bed, looking worriedly at Qi Prince and said, ¡°Your Majesty, your health is what¡¯s important!¡± ¡°We still have another hundred thousand-strong army in East Sun City. We still have hope.¡± However, just at that moment, a panicked voice of a soldier came from outside the room, ¡°Your Majesty, urgent report from East Sun City!¡± Hearing these words, Qi Prince¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Qi Prince coughed violently several times, then said, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, a soldier entered the room and knelt down, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, dire news. East Sun City has been taken by an invading North Country fleet!¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Prince¡¯s eyes went dark, and he collapsed. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong with you¡­¡± ¡°Quick¡­ call the physician¡­¡± ¡­ Chapter 746 - Chapter 746: Chapter 445: This Prince Will Never Run Away!_1 Chapter 746: Chapter 445: This Prince Will Never Run Away!_1 Qi Prince held great expectations for Wanchang City, believing that with its strategic location in Dichang Valley, which allowed for both offense and defense, securing Wanchang City meant that the North Country¡¯s army could no longer continue marching south. Yet, in such a short time, Wanchang City had fallen to the North Country¡¯s army. Moreover, after capturing Wanchang City, the North Country¡¯s army immediately appointed a new Prefecture Governor and began to reform the land policy, transferring all land ownership rights to the North Prince and drastically exempting taxes, implementing a rate of one in a hundred. Qi Prince could not fathom how the North Prince had the audacity, not only to eliminate other agricultural taxes but to also implement a tax rate of one in a hundred. If it came down to it, even if he recaptured the territory, the local people might not support him as the Qi Prince anymore. Had his grandnephew lost his mind? Agricultural taxes were the foundation of their rule as seigniors; how could he dare set the taxes so low! Of course, what Qi Prince was most concerned about at the moment was not the issue of taxes but whether he could hold on to Qi Country. Now that Wanchang City and East Sun City had fallen, Qi Country had instantly lost an army of two hundred thousand. There were still some troops in the Royal Capital, and if they conscripted forcefully, they could gather another army of approximately two hundred thousand soldiers in a short period. However, such soldiers would basically possess no significant combat power, though they would suffice to take a few arrows. Although Qi Prince had fallen ill, to resist the North Country¡¯s army, he still gave orders while dragging his sick body. Qi Prince was now completely tied to the chariot of war; even if the current Qi Prince wished to surrender, those Aristocratic Families wouldn¡¯t allow it. If the leading Qi Prince surrendered, what would become of their families? They had heard about the things the North Country¡¯s army did after occupying Wanchang City, especially the reclamation of land into the hands of the North Prince, which deeply struck a nerve within them. The Aristocratic Families absolutely would not permit such a policy to befall them. Swiftly, Qi Country assembled another army of two hundred thousand in the Royal Capital, but most of these soldiers were forcibly conscripted peasants, with little to no combat effectiveness. But given the dire situation, the fighting capability of these peasant soldiers was of less concern. In an effort to prevent the North Prince from taking over Qi Country, the domestic Aristocratic Families truly exhausted every method possible. Inside Anping City. In the dead of night, Lu Chen looked at the battle report sent back by Xuanyuan Chen and couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Did these Aristocratic Families of Qi Country really intend to perish together with him? Yet, when an egg smashes against a rock, it¡¯s only the egg that breaks. At that moment, Bai Qingqing, dressed in a black guard¡¯s uniform, entered the study. ¡°Prince, it¡¯s time for you to rest.¡± This time, Lu Chen had traveled south following General Xuanyuan. He was not the Main Commander, nor was he leading troops, so he had maids to serve him, with Bai Qingqing being one of them. Since leaving the North Prince Mansion to head south, Bai Qingqing had been in charge of arranging Lu Chen¡¯s daily life, including his meals and his bedtime, all scheduled by Bai Qingqing. Before departing south, Chu Yuqin had instructed Bai Qingqing to take good care of Lu Chen, which led Bai Qingqing to take extra care of his needs. Of course, even without Chu Yuqin¡¯s reminder, she would have devotedly cared for Lu Chen. Seeing the expressionless and astonishingly beautiful Bai Qingqing, Lu Chen put down what he was holding and then said, ¡°Alright, it really is time to rest.¡± Following Bai Qingqing, Lu Chen then returned to his room, and upon entering, said to her, ¡°Bai, stay with me tonight.¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing showed no reaction on her face; she was already accustomed to serving at the bedside, and such matters were nothing new to her. ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± As soon as Bai Qingqing finished speaking, Lu Chen pulled her into his embrace, holding her slim waist, and said, ¡°Bai, you¡¯ve been back by my side for so long; why are you still so reserved?¡± While speaking, his hand began to slip inside Bai Qingqing¡¯s clothes. The usually expressionless Bai Qingqing now showed a hint of blush on her face, but she did not say much, quietly leaning into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, allowing him to have his way with her. Seeing a flush of shyness on the face of the cold beauty, Lu Chen no longer held back, promptly carrying Bai Qingqing to the bed. Eventually, under Lu Chen¡¯s guidance, Bai Qingqing finally began to call out ¡®darling¡¯. The next morning. Dressed with the help of Bai Qingqing, Lu Chen put on his clothes. Just as he was about to eat the breakfast prepared by his servants, a maid came up to him and said, ¡°Prince, the Head of the Qi family requests an audience.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. The Head of the Qi family? Which Qi family? Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°The Qi family? Which Qi family is that?¡± The maid replied, ¡°It¡¯s an Aristocratic Family within Qi Country¡¯s territory. Their family is located in Wanchang City. According to the family head, he was guided by General Xuanyuan, and he specifically wished to meet with you.¡± With the maid¡¯s words, Lu Chen then realized it was the Aristocratic Family from Wanchang City. After Wanchang City was captured, land ownership around the city changed, and from Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s letters, Lu Chen had heard that the leading Aristocratic Family of Wanchang City was particularly cooperative; not only did they hand over a lot of gold and treasure, but they also actively cooperated with the changes in land ownership. After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen decided to meet with the Head of the Qi family. Normally, the head of a regional Aristocratic Family like the Qi family would not have the standing to meet with a Seignior like Lu Chen. However, Lu Chen considered that the Qi family still wielded some influence within Qi Country and he could support them in the future to set an example for other minor families. After breakfast, Lu Chen met with the Head of the Qi family. The family head had come not with important matters, but simply to demonstrate his loyalty. Furthermore, the Head of the Qi family also smartly handed over a list of families within Qi Country that had backed the Qi Prince in resisting the army of North Country descending from the south, clearly acting as a guide for Qi Country. With the list provided by the Qi family, Lu Chen felt more prepared to settle scores with those families when the time came. Of course, this did not exclude the possibility that the Qi family might want to use this as a chance for revenge, but Lu Chen was indifferent to that, as he already planned to clean up the Aristocratic Families within Qi Country. After meeting with the Head of the Qi family, Lu Chen issued a military order to Xuanyuan Chen, ordering him to advance towards the Royal Capital of Qi Country. At the same time, Lu Chen didn¡¯t stay in Anping City but led fifty thousand soldiers southward, heading for Wanchang City. The current Lu Chen no longer needed to be present on the frontline; he was a great king, and waging war was not his duty. He only needed to command from the rear. How to use people was what he, as a ruler, should consider. Upon arriving in Wanchang City, the streets were deserted as the common people of Qi Country lined up on both sides of the road, warmly welcoming his arrival. Not to mention other benefits, just the exemption from taxes alone made the common people deeply grateful to Lu Chen. Previously, Qi Country was controlled by local Aristocratic Families, and their various and complicated taxes not only were plentiful but also burdensome. The arrival of North Prince meant those taxes were abolished, earning him the adoration of the common people. When Lu Chen reached Wanchang City, Xuanyuan Chen had already led a hundred and fifty thousand troops straight towards the Royal Capital of Qi Country, and in the half month that followed, Xuanyuan Chen advanced forward at the pace of conquering a city almost every day. As news of each city¡¯s capture reached the Royal Capital of Qi Country one after another, the Qi Prince grew increasingly fearful, as did the Aristocratic Families of Qi Country. Finally, in a mere month¡¯s time, Xuanyuan Chen fulfilled Lu Chen¡¯s expectations and led the one hundred and fifty thousand troops of North Country to the outskirts of the Royal Capital of Qi Country. When the Qi Prince learned that the army of North Country had reached the Royal Capital, he was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground. At this moment. Inside the Qi Prince Mansion, within the Royal Capital of Qi Country. The Qi Prince sat on the ground, his face filled with fear. ¡°How is this possible¡­ ¡± ¡°How could it be so fast¡­¡± Then, the Qi Queen, who was beside him, anxiously held onto the Qi Prince and said, ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s flee!¡± The Qi Queen¡¯s words immediately provoked the Qi Prince, who promptly said, ¡°No! I will not run away!¡± ¡°I still have two hundred thousand troops!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already written to the court; the court will surely send reinforcements. I refuse to believe that the Sum Emperor will just watch idly as Qi Country falls!¡± The face of the Qi Prince twisted fiercely, still devoid of any thoughts of fleeing or surrendering. Chapter 747 - Chapter 747: Chapter 446: Qi Prince, Dies!_1 Chapter 747: Chapter 446: Qi Prince, Dies!_1 Xuanyuan Chen led an army of 150,000 to the Royal Capital of Qi Country but did not immediately launch an attack. After all, Qi Prince was North Prince¡¯s uncle, so of course, it was not possible to resort to violence right from the start. On one hand, Xuanyuan Chen was waiting for Lu Chen¡¯s order to attack the city, and on the other, he sent people to shout outside the walls of Qi Country¡¯s royal city every day, urging Qi Prince to surrender as soon as possible. For a time, the noble families within the Royal Capital of Qi Country were as anxious as ants on a hot pan. Originally, they were quite confident that they could stop the North Prince¡¯s advance southward, but to their surprise, the Northern Army had reached the Royal Capital of Qi Country in such a short time. Now they were in trouble¡ªif the Northern Army really broke in, their noble families would inevitably be raided and annihilated! In their fear, some noble families suddenly came up with a good plan, which was to push all the responsibility onto Qi Prince. If the army of Qi Country really could not withstand the attack of the North Country¡¯s soldiers, they would immediately lead people to break into the Qi Prince Mansion, capture Qi Prince¡¯s entire family, and then take the Qi Prince¡¯s family to seek refuge with North Prince. Perhaps North Prince, seeing their initiative in surrendering and capturing the ¡°main culprit¡± Qi Prince, would spare the noble families. They had also heard that the Qi Family of Wanchang City was now living well, although the Qi Family might have lost wealth to avert disaster; however, this was better than being raided and exterminated. Two days later. Lu Chen¡¯s military orders reached Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s tent. The next morning, the sound of drums began to echo in the camp of the North Country¡¯s soldiers. As the drums sounded, everyone within the Royal Capital of Qi Country tensed up, guessing that the Northern Army was about to launch an attack. At that moment, Qi Prince was still inside Qi Prince Mansion. He did not hear the drumming, but a guard rushed into his courtyard in a panic and said with a terrified expression, ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, disaster has struck, the¡­ the Northern Army has launched an attack!¡± Upon hearing this, the ailing Qi Prince rose abruptly from his chair, and the Qi Queen hurriedly supported him, ¡°Your Majesty, let¡¯s escape quickly!¡± The Qi Queen was very scared; she did not believe that the Royal Capital of Qi Country could withstand the North Country¡¯s army¡¯s assault. If they had truly been able to hold off the North Country¡¯s attack, Ziyang City would not have fallen, and neither would Wanchang City and East Sun City, and other cities that stood in the Northern Army¡¯s way would not have been taken. With so many cities already captured, how could the Royal Capital withstand the attack of the North Country¡¯s army? After hearing the words of the Qi Queen, Qi Prince pushed her away and headed outside, saying as he walked, ¡°I, the prince, will absolutely not flee. I cannot believe that North Country¡¯s 150,000 soldiers can breach my Royal Capital!¡± ¡°Come, armour up; I will command the battle personally!¡± Hearing this, the Qi Queen¡¯s face turned deathly pale, ¡°Your Majesty, you must not do this!¡± The Qi Queen quickly approached Qi Prince and clung tightly to his arm, ¡°Your Majesty, you cannot go!¡± Once again, Qi Prince pushed her aside forcefully, this time with such strength that he knocked her to the ground. ¡°I want to see for myself just how formidable the North Country¡¯s troops are in battle!¡± At that moment, the Qi Queen cried out, ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t go! Your Majesty¡­¡± Qi Prince then ordered his men to hold the Qi Queen back, and after donning his armour, he rode to the city tower, leaving only the weeping Qi Queen behind in the courtyard. Meanwhile. The noble families within the city gathered at the Han Family, the largest aristocratic family within Qi Country. After Qi Prince was assigned to the territory of Qi Country, it was the Han Family that had always supported him, providing Qi Prince with many resources that enabled him to grow rapidly and strengthen. One could say that without the Han Family, there would be no Qi Prince. There were many concubines in the Qi Prince Mansion who hailed from the Han Family, tying the Qi Prince and the Han Family together in deep bonds. It was precisely because of this that the Han Family was the Aristocratic Family most fearful of the Northern Army breaching the Royal Capital. At this moment, the heads of the Aristocratic Families were discussing how to avoid the impending calamity. Running away was definitely too late by now; after all, the Northern Army was already at the gates. Even if they attempted to flee, not to mention their inability to take their ancestral wealth with them, they would likely end up captured or killed by the Northern soldiers. Now they had to change their way of thinking. At this time, the Han Family¡¯s guest hall was eerily quiet, and the faces of the Aristocratic Family Heads were fraught with anxiety, making the atmosphere in the hall incredibly somber. Just then, a servant rushed into the courtyard, running and shouting, ¡°Family Head! Family Head! Something terrible has happened!¡± The servant¡¯s abrupt entry into the guest hall caused Han Fu¡¯s face to instantly darken as he said with a grim expression, ¡°What¡¯s all this fuss about? What has happened?¡± The servant hurriedly said, ¡°The Northern Army has begun their assault, and the Qi Prince himself has donned armor to ascend the city walls and supervise the battle!!!¡± Upon hearing this, the Aristocratic Family Heads in the guest hall erupted into chaos. ¡°What shall we do now?¡± ¡°Can the city¡¯s troops withstand the Northern Army?¡± ¡°Why did the Qi Prince even go up to the city walls? What if something happens to him¡­¡± ¡­ The Aristocratic Family Heads babbled on, and after a while, a Family Head finally said to Han Fu, ¡°Family Head Han, we must get the Qi Prince back as soon as possible. If something happens to him, what will happen to our plan then?¡± Their plan was to seize the Qi Prince and pin all the blame on him if the Royal Capital were to fall, and then surrender to the North Country. But now, with the Qi Prince on the city walls, if he were to be shot dead by an arrow, wouldn¡¯t that spell the end of their prime culprit? No, the Qi Prince must not come to harm! At this thought, Han Fu immediately said to the servant, ¡°Send Han Wu at once to bring the Qi Prince back. He absolutely must not come to any harm!¡± The Han Wu mentioned by Han Fu was a General of Qi Country, and most importantly, he was a member of the Han Family. In the current situation, Han Wu would naturally no longer heed the Qi Prince¡¯s commands; he would indeed side with the Han Family. As soon as Han Fu gave the order, Han Wu would surely follow his directives. As he spoke, Han Fu suddenly thought of something else and continued, ¡°We must prepare for both possibilities. Someone, send Han Yu to surround the Qi Prince Mansion and ensure no one from the Qi Prince¡¯s Mansion is allowed to leave.¡± As the Aristocratic Families within the city were making their moves, the Northern Army was also taking action. No sooner had the Qi Prince ascended the city walls than countless cannonballs rained down from the sky, and in the next instant, the soldiers on the city walls were blown into the air. Witnessing this sight, the Qi Prince collapsed to the ground in fright, muttering, ¡°What¡­ What kind of weapon is this¡­¡± ¡°How could there be such a terrifying weapon¡­¡± Before the Qi Prince had time to recover, the city gates were blasted open with a huge gap, and the stalwart walls were likewise breached. The Qi Prince was completely stupefied, even forgetting to flee. It wasn¡¯t until the soldiers on the city walls panicked and ran in all directions due to the bombardment that the Qi Prince snapped back to his senses. However, it was too late for him to escape; the cannonballs did not discriminate, and soon one landed beside the Qi Prince, causing his mind to go blank as he lost consciousness entirely. The Qi Prince met his end. Chapter 748 - Chapter 748: Chapter 447: The Fall of Qi Country_1 Chapter 748: Chapter 447: The Fall of Qi Country_1 The siege of the Royal Capital by the North Country did not take much time¡ªthe soldiers of Qi Country hardly possessed any will to fight, and upon witnessing such a terrifying weapon, their thoughts of resistance dissipated entirely. The key point was that their king had been blown to pieces¡ªeven with their king dead, what was there left for them to fight for? In less than four hours, tattered white flags began to flutter atop the battered ramparts of Qi Country. The Northern Army quickly stormed into the city, delivering a final blow to the Qi soldiers who were still stubbornly holding out. At the same time, Han Fu had already had the Qi Prince Mansion completely surrounded. When the Qi Queen saw the sudden appearance of so many soldiers armed to the teeth around the Qi Prince Mansion, she panicked and shouted loudly, ¡°Who are you people? Are you planning a rebellion?¡± The leading military general, Han Yu, said with a smile, ¡°Sorry, Qi Queen, we¡¯re doing this for the safety of Qi Prince Mansion. The city outside is at war, what if thieves break into Qi Prince Mansion and harm you?¡± The Qi Queen was no fool; how could she not perceive what Han Yu intended to do? The Qi Queen was suddenly thrown into a state of panic; now that the Qi Prince had gone to supervise the battle from the city walls, there was hardly any military force left in Qi Prince Mansion. She was just a woman with no course of action available to her. Meanwhile. As the heads of the aristocratic families were still discussing how to surrender, a soldier burst into the Han Family¡¯s reception hall, ¡°Family Head, it¡¯s terrible news!¡± A startled feeling arose among them all. Their first thought was not that the city had been breached, but whether the Qi Prince had encountered some misfortune. As the soldier rushed into the reception hall, Han Fu anxiously asked, ¡°Has something happened to the Qi Prince?¡± The soldier stammered out, ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s not that¡­ it¡¯s¡­ the Northern Army has broken through, the city has fallen¡­¡± What!!! The heads of the aristocratic families in the reception hall all stood up, their expressions revealing shock and panic. Although they were aware of the Northern Army¡¯s strong fighting power, which had sobered them up through a series of previous wars, they had still assumed that it would take at least several days for the Northern Army to breach the Royal Capital, given the city¡¯s more formidable and towering walls. Yet from the onset of the Northern Army¡¯s assault, it hadn¡¯t even been four hours before they had broken in. In abrupt realization, the heads of the aristocratic families all fell into panic. At this moment, Han Fu urgently asked, ¡°Where is the Qi Prince now? Where is the Qi Prince?¡± The soldier was momentarily dumbfounded. Impatient by this time, Han Fu bellowed, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I¡¯m asking about the Qi Prince! Why hasn¡¯t the Qi Prince come back!¡± In a panic, the soldier replied, ¡°My¡­ my subordinate doesn¡¯t know, but when I was on my way back, I seemed to hear some soldiers saying the Qi Prince had¡­ already¡­¡± Everyone felt as if they had been struck by lightning, with a pretty clear guess as to the Qi Prince¡¯s current situation. At that point, Han Fu viciously pressed on, ¡°Already what! Speak clearly!¡± The soldier hastily responded, ¡°He has passed away!¡± Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s affirmative answer, Han Fu¡¯s vision darkened, and he felt unstable on his feet, ending up seated heavily in a chair. However, he quickly snapped out of it and urgently said to the other family heads in the reception hall, ¡°Gentlemen! To the Qi Prince Mansion at once!¡± ¡°The Qi Prince may be dead, but his family remains. If we capture the Qi Prince¡¯s family, we can still surrender to the North Prince!¡± Upon hearing Han Fu¡¯s words, like waking from a great dream, they all rushed toward the Qi Prince Mansion. Before long, the heads of all the major aristocratic families gathered at the Qi Prince Mansion¡ªquickly, the Qi Queen and the other relatives of the Qi Prince were all tied up. The Qi Queen shouted angrily, ¡°What is this you are doing! I am the Qi Queen, how dare you treat me this way!¡± Han Fu sneered and said, ¡°Queen? Now that Qi Country has already been annihilated, what kind of queen do you consider yourself to be?¡± Upon hearing these words, the Queen of Qi Country felt her heart skip a beat. She looked at Han Fu in horror and said, ¡°You¡­ what do you mean by that?¡± Han Fu spoke indifferently, ¡°You may not know yet, but the Royal Capital has fallen, and the Qi Prince has died in battle. The soldiers of North Country have entered the city by now.¡± Instantly, the Queen of Qi Country was dumbfounded, murmuring, ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s impossible¡­ How could the great king¡­¡± Before the Queen of Qi Country could finish her sentence, she blacked out and fainted on the spot. Han Fu frowned slightly, then ordered the soldiers, ¡°Take them all!¡± Subsequently, the aristocrats brought along a group of officials from Qi Country to the city gate and actively surrendered to the Northern Army. When Xuanyuan Chen entered the Royal Capital of Qi Country, the aristocrats and those officials from Qi Country were already kneeling on the ground, foreheads touching the dirt, a vast expanse of them. Xuanyuan Chen swept his gaze over these aristocrats and officials from Qi Country, then it landed on the relatives of the Qi Prince. At that moment, Han Fu hastily raised his head and pointed to the people of the Qi Prince Mansion, saying, ¡°General, those are the relatives of the Qi Prince. He is already dead. We were afraid they would escape, so we captured them. Please, General, deal with them!¡± Hearing this, a glint of murderous intent flashed in Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s eyes. He did not harbor any good feelings towards the aristocrats just because they had surrendered on their own initiative. On the contrary, the behavior of the aristocrats, pushing out their sovereign as the scapegoat, displeased Xuanyuan Chen greatly. He understood all too well why the aristocrats did this¡ªit was nothing but a way to shirk responsibility and ensure their own survival. Although he held the aristocrats in contempt, Xuanyuan Chen did not say much. He simply stated, ¡°My king is merciful. As long as one has not participated in resisting the advance of the Northern Army, they will not be held accountable; you may all temporarily return to your homes.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned. They were all seasoned players in the game of power, and they easily grasped the implication behind Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s words. Xuanyuan Chen spoke of those who did not participate in resisting the advance of the Northern Army. These aristocrats had supported the Qi Prince by default, and they undoubtedly counted as resistors. Wouldn¡¯t the North Prince settle accounts with them afterward? Although the heads of the aristocratic families were extremely anxious, they said nothing. At this moment, Han Fu stood up and said, ¡°Thank you, North Prince, thank you, General!¡± ¡°The North Prince is merciful. We will surely support the North Prince to the death!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Han Fu, pretending as if nothing was amiss, led the Han Family away. Seeing that the Han Family had left, the other aristocratic families also dispersed one after another, leaving behind only the officials from Qi Country and the people of the Qi Prince Mansion. At this time, the Queen of Qi slowly regained consciousness. When she saw the Northern Army before her, she was instantly filled with panic and confusion. By this point, she had accepted the fact that the Qi Prince had died in battle. But the following question was, what should the people of the Qi Prince Mansion do, and how could they ensure their survival? Then, Xuanyuan Chen glanced at the people from the Qi Prince Mansion and said to the soldiers behind him, ¡°Find the body of the Qi Prince!¡± ¡°Yes, General!¡± They needed to see the body whether alive or dead; Xuanyuan Chen would not assume the Qi Prince was certainly dead based on just a few words from the Qi Prince¡¯s soldiers. At that moment, the deputy general beside Xuanyuan Chen asked, ¡°General, what should we do with them?¡± The deputy general¡¯s gaze was on those from the Qi Prince Mansion. Xuanyuan Chen said indifferently, ¡°First, take them back to the Qi Prince¡¯s Mansion and confine them there. We¡¯ll discuss what to do after the Prince arrives at the Royal Capital.¡± After all, the Qi Prince was Lu Chen¡¯s uncle. Although the Qi Prince had fallen in battle, how to handle his family members was still a decision that only Lu Chen could make. After Xuanyuan Chen finished speaking, the soldiers escorted all the people from the Qi Prince Mansion back to the Qi Prince Mansion. Chapter 749 - Chapter 749: Chapter 448 Sum Emperor: I Will Personally Use This Divine Weapon_1 Chapter 749: Chapter 448 Sum Emperor: I Will Personally Use This Divine Weapon_1 The people of the Qi Prince Mansion, upon returning to the Qi Prince Mansion, were filled with panic. Now that the Qi Prince was dead, they had lost their patron, and they became prisoners. According to precedent, it was very likely that all the people of the Qi Prince Mansion would be executed. While the people of the Qi Prince Mansion were feeling panic-stricken, some were even more fearful¡ªthe aristocratic families within the city. Although Xuanyuan Chen seemed to have spared them, it was only temporary. Once Xuanyuan Chen had clarified their relationship with the Qi Prince Mansion, he would very likely settle scores with these aristocratic families. Thus, they absolutely could not sit back and wait for death. Of course, they had no intention of clashing head-on with the soldiers from the North Country, especially since the Northern Army possessed such terrifying weapons. Even the hundreds of thousands of soldiers from Qi Country had been defeated by the Northern Army, so their own private soldiers certainly stood no chance against them. The best strategy now was to find a way to flee the Royal Capital. The major aristocratic families had already shown subjugation to the North Prince, and it was very likely that the Northern Army would relax their vigilance. The heads of the major aristocratic families had come to the same conclusion and quickly got in touch in secret, beginning to plan their escape. The great families were located in various directions around the Royal Capital, and once they made a move, it would certainly cause a great commotion; they could not gather in one place in a short time. However, precisely because they were spread out in different directions, they had the opportunity to escape. If they fled in one direction, it would instead be possible for the Northern Army to encircle them tightly, capturing them all in one fell swoop. If they fled through the various city gates, they could disperse the attention of the Northern Army, increasing their chances of escaping. After Han Fu had confirmed his plan to escape, he immediately instructed his family to pack up and sought to make contact with the captive soldiers. A few days later, one evening, the most prosperous pleasure quarters in the Royal Capital of Qi Country were set ablaze, attracting almost everyone¡¯s attention. Several groups followed the routes they had previously planned and rushed toward the city gates in the east, south, west, and north. Although these aristocratic families did not have a Grandmaster among them, they did have Master Level martial artists. Just when they thought they could rely on Grandmasters to break out of the city gates, the Northern Army¡¯s weapons quickly shattered their illusions. The Master Level martial artists from all the great families had not even come close to the soldiers guarding the gate when they were turned into sieves by the firearms of the soldiers from the North Country. However, there is always a chance for the unexpected. Because there was a huge gap at the North Gate, a number of the Han Family, under the protection of their private soldiers, actually managed to escape through the gap. When Xuanyuan Chen learned that some had actually escaped, far from getting angry, he instead revealed a smile. If the aristocratic families did not flee, it would be inconvenient for him to make his move. Since they had initiated trouble, they could not blame him for what followed. Xuanyuan Chen then ordered the Messenger Soldier to fire a signal flare, a huge firework bloomed in the dark night sky, and immediately, the Cavalry that had been prepared long ago, set out. The night quickly passed. The major aristocratic families within the Royal Capital of Qi Country became history. The news of the fall of the Royal Capital of Qi Country quickly spread among all the major powers, reaching the royal court. The Great Xia Dynasty, the Capital city. Inside the Imperial Study Room, the Sum Emperor frowned as he looked at the intelligence report in his hand. Although he had anticipated that the fall of Qi Country was only a matter of time, he did not expect the day to arrive so swiftly. Are that rebel¡¯s weapons truly so terrifying? The soldiers of Qi Country, numbering hundreds of thousands, together with the twenty thousand soldiers from the royal court, could not at all withstand the rebel Nan¡¯s southward march. Judging by their speed, it might not take long before that rebel could reach the Capital city. At that moment, the flames of the room¡¯s candles suddenly flickered, as if two gusts of wind had blown into the Imperial Study Room. The next instant, Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou appeared inside the Imperial Study Room. The Sum Emperor said displeasedly, ¡°Although we have already joined forces, it does not mean you can do as you please in my Imperial Palace and go wherever you wish.¡± Yu Changqing paid no heed to the Sum Emperor¡¯s words. Stroking his beard, he said, ¡°I presume Your Majesty has already heard about the annihilation of Qi Country?¡± The Sum Emperor said, ¡°What of it if I know.¡± Yu Changqing continued, ¡°We have confirmed through our scouts that the former Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace and the current one have headed south with the North Prince. According to their pace, they will reach the Capital city within three months. We need to be prepared.¡± The Sum Emperor replied indifferently, ¡°I have been prepared for a long time.¡± Fu Hongchou asked on the side, ¡°Since Your Majesty says you are prepared, may I know whom you plan to entrust with the use of that Divine Weapon?¡± Upon hearing this, the Sum Emperor¡¯s brows immediately knitted. After a moment of silence, he cast a sharp glance over both Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou, ¡°What, are you interested in that Divine Weapon?¡± The Sum Emperor suddenly felt that these two were coveting the Divine Weapon; otherwise, why would they come to ask about this matter? Seeing the Sum Emperor¡¯s misunderstanding, Yu Changqing chuckled and said, ¡°Your Majesty may not know that a weapon of such power is not something just anyone can wield.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned before that one of your soldiers accidentally triggered the Divine Weapon once, and as a result, the soldier was instantly struck by backlash and died on the spot.¡± ¡°If such a dangerous weapon isn¡¯t placed in the hands of someone reliable, not to mention the risk of it backfiring on them, there¡¯s even a question of whether it would hit the former Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Hearing what Yu Changqing had said, the Sum Emperor fell into deep thought; this was indeed a problem. He had been considering for a long time who should wield this weapon. If he entrusted the weapon to someone else, and that person betrayed him during battle, wouldn¡¯t he end up being killed by the Divine Weapon? Yet that weapon was so wickedly strange. Every time he saw the Divine Weapon actively sucking the blood of Martial Artists, he felt exceedingly creeped out. Such an uncanny weapon¡ªif he were to wield it personally, what if it backfired¡­ After much deliberation, the Sum Emperor still declared, ¡°I will personally use this Divine Weapon. There¡¯s no need for you two to worry.¡± After hearing the Sum Emperor¡¯s words, Yu Changqing smiled and said, ¡°What courage Your Majesty has!¡± ¡°Since Your Majesty has decided to wield the Divine Weapon yourself, we won¡¯t say any more.¡± ¡­ Cloud City. Lu Yi¡¯s temporary residence. Within the courtyard of the residence, the Military Generals were silent. Nobody knew what to do now. Many of those present had originally joined Lu Yi¡¯s forces mainly because the North Prince supported him. But now, the North Prince was marching south with an army, using the pretext of aiding the Emperor. Moreover, he had conquered Qi Country in such a short time; they weren¡¯t fools and could see what the North Prince¡¯s southern march was really about. It was clear he was after the throne! Although it seemed that Lu Yi was surrounded by powerful forces, these people all had their own ulterior motives and were not genuinely loyal to Lu Yi. Many had already considered leaving Lu Yi¡¯s forces to join the North Prince. And Lu Yi himself lacked confidence. The thought of the North Country¡¯s mysterious weapons sent chills down his spine; the memory of Xuanyuan Chen leading the assault on Heyang County was deeply etched into Lu Yi¡¯s mind. He still dreamt at night of being blown to pieces by the North Country¡¯s cannons. Just then, a sudden burst of excited news came from outside the courtyard, ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness, great news!!!¡± Everyone in the courtyard immediately turned towards the gate as a soldier rushed in. Lu Yi, with a stern face, said, ¡°What great news?¡± Lu Yi didn¡¯t believe there could be any good news for him at this point. After the soldier ran into the courtyard, panting, he said, ¡°We¡¯ve found something that can explode just like the North Country¡¯s iron spheres!¡± Chapter 750 - Chapter 750: Chapter 449 Crown Prince, Truly the Destined Son of Heaven_1 Chapter 750: Chapter 449 Crown Prince, Truly the Destined Son of Heaven_1 Hearing the soldier¡¯s words, Lu Yi and everyone in the yard were stunned. They were somewhat incredulous at what they had heard. Regaining his composure, Lu Yi quickly asked, ¡°What! What did you say! You¡¯ve found something that can be used to make the weapons of the North Country?¡± The soldier replied excitedly, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, our men encountered a group of Fake Taoist Priests who were selling some useless fake pills. Many of our soldiers were duped by them, spending a great deal of silver on those worthless pills.¡± ¡°When our men discovered the hiding place of these Fake Taoist Priests and were about to capture them, they happened to be in the midst of alchemy. Just then, their Pill Furnace suddenly exploded, and several of the Fake Taoist Priests were injured by the flying fragments of the furnace.¡± ¡°I immediately realized that the explosion of the Pill Furnace was very similar to the explosion of iron balls, so I captured these Fake Taoist Priests to interrogate them. According to their confession, their furnace often exploded during their alchemy.¡± ¡°As long as we replicate what causes their furnaces to explode, we will be able to produce weapons like those of the North Country!¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s response, Lu Yi was momentarily perplexed. Then, regaining his senses, he suddenly burst into loud laughter. ¡°Hahahaha, hahahaha, truly, heaven has not forsaken the lonely path!¡± At this, the others in the yard started saying, ¡°Congratulations to the Crown Prince, best wishes to the Crown Prince!¡± ¡°Once we produce weapons similar to those of the North Country, we will no longer have to fear them!¡± ¡°The Crown Prince is truly the Son of Destiny!¡± ¡­ Listening to the congratulatory voices, a brazen smile appeared on Lu Yi¡¯s face. After laughing for a while, he immediately stood up and said, ¡°Take me to see those Fake Taoist Priests!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± The soldier then led Lu Yi to where the Fake Taoist Priests were being held. Upon seeing Lu Yi, the Fake Taoist Priests were terrified, assuming he would have them all executed. But to their surprise, when Lu Yi saw them, he wore a smile and seemed to have no intention of killing them. After glancing at the Fake Taoist Priests imprisoned in the cell, Lu Yi said to the soldiers by his side, ¡°They are all talents. How can you keep them locked up? Quickly, let them out.¡± The soldiers immediately realized what he meant and quickly opened the prison door. At this sight, the Fake Taoist Priests were baffled; they had sold fake pills to Prince Lu Yi¡¯s soldiers, yet he seemed not the least bit angry and even called them talented. What was going on? Just then, the leader of the Fake Taoist Priests hurriedly knelt down and said, ¡°Thank Crown Prince for your mercy in sparing our lives!¡± Seeing their leader kneel, the rest of the Fake Taoist Priests also quickly knelt down and said in unison, ¡°Thank Crown Prince for your mercy in sparing our lives!¡± Smiling, Lu Yi said, ¡°All of you, rise.¡± The crowd expressed their thanks in unison, ¡°Thank you, Crown Prince!¡± After everyone stood up, Lu Yi¡¯s smile left them confused about how he planned to deal with them. Was he simply going to let them go? That seemed unlikely, right? At that moment, the leader of the Fake Taoist Priests spoke up, ¡°Crown Prince, if there is any way in which we can be of service, we will not hesitate to lay down our lives.¡± They weren¡¯t fools; if Lu Yi had spared them, he surely had plans for them. Lu Yi said, ¡°You¡¯re a smart man, so I will speak frankly.¡± ¡°I need you to stay by my side to make weapons,¡± Upon hearing this, the fake Taoist priests were momentarily stunned. Make weapons? They didn¡¯t know how to make weapons. The leader of the fake Taoist priests quickly said, ¡°Your Highness, we are not blacksmiths and do not know how to make arms. Keeping us doesn¡¯t serve much purpose¡ªwe can at best only assist the blacksmiths.¡± Lu Yi spoke indifferently, ¡°The weapons I need are not ordinary weapons.¡± ¡°I have heard that during your pill-making, the pill furnace often explodes. I need you to write down the ingredients that cause the furnace to explode and to create something that can reliably trigger the pill furnace to explode.¡± Listening to Lu Yi¡¯s words, the fake Taoist priests instantly understood what he needed. However, they didn¡¯t respond immediately. Seeing their leader in contemplation, Lu Yi¡¯s expression turned grim instantly, then he coldly asked, ¡°What, can you not do it?¡± This question from Lu Yi jolted the leader of the fake Taoist priests back to reality, and he hurriedly said, ¡°We can do it, we can! We know how to make the pill furnace explode!¡± The leader of the fake Taoist priests knew very well that if they admitted they couldn¡¯t do it at this point, they would have no value in the eyes of Lu Yi, and they would likely face execution. Upon hearing the fake Taoist priests¡¯ words, Lu Yi showed a satisfied expression, then said, ¡°Tell the soldiers whatever you need next, and they will provide it for you.¡± ¡°As long as the explosions your creations produce can kill people or animals, I will give you a thousand gold taels! When I ascend the throne, I will confer official titles and noble ranks upon you!¡± The fake Taoist priests quickly said, ¡°Thank you, Your Highness, we will surely live up to your expectations!¡± Lu Yi then turned to his trusted aide and said, ¡°Arrange the best lodgings for them and prepare the best provisions.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Lu Yi said no more and turned away, returning to the courtyard he had come from. At that moment, a military general approached Lu Yi and asked, ¡°Crown Prince, now that the North Prince¡¯s power is great and, judging by his movement, it looks like he could reach the Capital City within half a year, should we continue to close in on the Capital City?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Yi fell into deep thought. After a while, another military general said, ¡°With the Aristocratic Family¡¯s heavy cavalry blocking us ahead, it may be very difficult to advance further. Moreover, when the North Country army moves south, we will only be able to make way for them.¡± ¡°Now that you possess the method of making the North Country¡¯s weapons, perhaps we should avoid direct conflict for the moment and head to the south. Once we have a large number of those iron ball weapons, then we can fight our way back.¡± Hearing this suggestion, Lu Yi said, ¡°That is indeed a good plan.¡± ¡°Good, we will move south in some time.¡± Although Zhao King¡¯s army was in the south, Zhao King was now focused on the Capital City and hardly had the energy to pay attention to them. Moreover, since Zhao King had previously annihilated many Seigniors, some of their subordinates had always been dissatisfied with Zhao King. Furthermore, there were offspring of Seigniors who harbored delusions of re-establishing their nations. Now, if he went south, as long as he could make some promises to those offspring of Seigniors, it was very likely that they would switch allegiance to him. Conquering a piece of territory for himself in the south was not a particularly difficult task. A few days later. In the Royal Capital of Qi Country. An imposing and exceptionally handsome man rode a white horse slowly into the Royal Capital, and the common people of Qi Country lined the road on both sides. After the North Country army captured the Royal Capital of Qi Country, the soldiers did not harass the commoners. The North Country army only eradicated a few Aristocratic Families, then propped up a new ruler, instructing the common people to conduct land surveys and sign agreements for land ownership transfer. Beyond that, the North Country army had not committed any acts detrimental to the commoners, and most importantly, they immediately declared a tax exemption upon arrival, which earned some goodwill from the common people toward the North Prince. After laying the groundwork, Lu Chen finally arrived at the Royal Capital of Qi Country. Chapter 751 - Chapter 751: Chapter 450: This Prince Is in a Good Mood Today_1 Chapter 751: Chapter 450: This Prince Is in a Good Mood Today_1 The citizens of Qi Country, upon seeing Lu Chen, dared not speak a word. Although the street was crowded, it was eerily quiet. Even though Lu Chen was remarkably handsome and didn¡¯t look like a bad person, the reputation of the North Prince had always been poor, and the common people feared that a careless mistake might provoke the North Prince and lead to the destruction of their entire family. Seeing how quiet the whole street was, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, thinking to himself that it seemed the citizens of Qi Country still did not trust him and were very afraid of him. Building trust indeed seemed to be a long-term process. Lu Chen then made his way to the Qi Prince Mansion. When the people of the Qi Prince Mansion heard that the North Prince had arrived, they were filled with terror, shaking in fright. As Lu Chen walked into the Qi Prince Mansion, he asked, ¡°How many children does the Qi Prince have?¡± Xuanyuan Chen replied, ¡°According to our investigation, the Qi Prince currently has no children at all.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. Not a single child? How could that be? The Qi Prince had been governing his fief for decades, hadn¡¯t he? How could he not have a single child? Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Have you found out the reason?¡± Xuanyuan Chen replied, ¡°Not yet. We¡¯ve asked the Qi Queen, and she doesn¡¯t know the reason either.¡± ¡°At first, the Qi Prince thought it was a problem with the Qi Queen¡¯s health, so he took quite a few concubines, but still there were no children.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What Realm is the Qi Prince at?¡± Generally speaking, the higher one¡¯s Realm, the harder it is to conceive. If the Qi Prince was of a high Realm, then it would be understandable for him not to have children. Xuanyuan Chen answered, ¡°According to the information we have gathered, the Qi Prince seems to be only at the Ninth Grade.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, is it so difficult for a Ninth Grade Martial Artist to conceive? However, on second thought, the Qi Prince being childless did spare him one less trouble. According to the customs of this era, if the Qi Prince had children, to prevent the Qi Prince¡¯s descendants from seeking revenge, it was common to kill the Qi Prince¡¯s sons. But no matter what, the Qi Prince was nominally Lu Chen¡¯s uncle, and Lu Chen was reluctant to do such a thing in his heart. Since the Qi Prince had no children, then all that was needed was to disperse his wives and concubines; there was no need to kill them all. Soon, Lu Chen arrived at the main courtyard of the Qi Prince Mansion. At that moment, hundreds of people from the Qi Prince Mansion, old and young, were all standing in the courtyard, surrounded by North Country soldiers armed with guns and knives at their waists. When Lu Chen entered the main courtyard, the people of the Qi Prince Mansion grew even more frightened. Seeing those people trembling ceaselessly with fear, Lu Chen chuckled to himself, wondering if he was really that terrifying. Lu Chen then glanced at the woman standing in front of the crowd. She was clearly aged, appearing to be in her forties, but still had a trace of charm about her. Lu Chen used the system to identify her and discovered that this woman was the Qi Queen. [Name: Yuan Caishan] [Identity: Qi Queen, fifty years old this year, a Sixth Grade Martial Artist and a Great Sum Shadow Guard who has been lurking by the Qi Prince¡¯s side and poisoning him for many years. She is fearful of the North Prince¡¯s arrival.] [Rating: 87] [Favorability: 0] After reviewing the Qi Queen¡¯s profile, Lu Chen paused, somewhat surprised. But now Lu Chen understood why the Qi Prince had no heirs. It looked like the Sum Emperor had been planning this for some time. Lu Chen then approached the Qi Queen, smiling, and said, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m truly sorry. Swords have no eyes, and I accidentally harmed Uncle.¡± ¡°Please accept my condolences.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the Qi Queen stuttered, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡± Yuan Caishan was extremely frightened inside. Originally, she was just a pawn placed by the Sum Emperor beside the Qi Prince, and due to her constant presence by his side, she had grown accustomed to a life of luxury and privilege. Initially, she had planned to betray the Sum Emperor and lead a good life with the Qi Prince, but she hadn¡¯t expected the North Prince to rise so suddenly and ultimately annihilate Qi Country. Now, with the Qi Prince gone, her identity as a Shadow Guard could no longer protect her. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Aunt, if I let you go, where do you plan to go next?¡± Hearing this, Yuan Caishan was stunned for a moment, somewhat unable to believe Lu Chen¡¯s words. She was the Qi Queen, and moreover she was already old and faded, without much value left. Would the North Prince really let her leave? Yuan Caishan asked with disbelief, ¡°Prince¡­ Prince, are you serious?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°After all, you are my aunt; naturally, I wouldn¡¯t kill you.¡± Yuan Caishan thought for a moment, then said, ¡°If possible, I would like to stay in North Country.¡± Lu Chen smiled briefly and then said, ¡°Aunt wishes to stay in North Country, but we will have to remove your identity as a Shadow Guard.¡± Upon hearing this, Yuan Caishan¡¯s face instantly turned ashen. She hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Chen would know her true identity. How could this be¡­ She had followed the Qi Prince for decades, and even the Qi Prince didn¡¯t know she was a Shadow Guard; how could the North Prince know? Just as Yuan Caishan feared she was undoubtedly going to die, Lu Chen suddenly extended his hand, directly infusing a burst of spiritual power into Yuan Caishan¡¯s body. Yuan Caishan thought Lu Chen was going to kill her, but the next moment, she felt a heavy force hitting her abdomen. Immediately after, something seemed to surge out of her Dantian, followed by her spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. Soon, Yuan Caishan realized what had happened. She immediately said, ¡°Thank you, great king!¡± Shadow Guards who had taken poison pills were somewhat under the Sum Emperor¡¯s control, but with this blow from Lu Chen, the poisonous substances in her Dantian were expelled. This meant that she could now disregard the Sum Emperor¡¯s commands. Lu Chen didn¡¯t pay further attention to Yuan Caishan. He glanced at the other people in the courtyard, swiftly identified the other Shadow Guards the Sum Emperor had placed by the Qi Prince, and had the North Country soldiers deal with them directly. Afterward, Lu Chen dismissed the staff of the Qi Prince Mansion, reassigned some people to it, and decided to reside in the Qi Prince Mansion for the next few days. In the evening. Lu Chen captured the enchantress Xue Linglong and gave her a harsh punishment. After the matter was settled, the utterly drained Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill the Qi Queen? Could it be, Prince, that you think the Qi Queen still retains her charms and want to take her into your harem?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen felt speechless. What did Xue Linglong take him for? He did not have such a strong appetite. Although Yuan Caishan was well-maintained and did have some charm left, Lu Chen¡¯s preference in mature women was for those like Lin Wanyun and Wu Junwan, who showed no signs of aging. Yuan Caishan obviously showed signs of aging, and most importantly, she didn¡¯t have a favorability rating of ninety, and she was the Qi Prince¡¯s woman. Lu Chen then said, ¡°How could that be? I don¡¯t take just any woman.¡± Xue Linglong said, ¡°How is it not possible? You didn¡¯t even spare your own aunt and sister-in-law, so adding the Qi Queen wouldn¡¯t be strange.¡± Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°The reason I spared her is because of her identity as the Qi Queen. Having spared even her demonstrates my leniency, which will reassure the common folk of Qi Country and put their minds at ease.¡± ¡°You enchantress, with your mind filled with nothing but filthy thoughts all day.¡± Xue Linglong said mournfully, ¡°One wonders who turned me into this.¡± Lu Chen laughed lightly and then said, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Today I¡¯m in a good mood, so I shall reward you properly.¡± With that, Lu Chen waved his hand, and from nowhere, a rope and a bell appeared. Xue Linglong rolled her eyes at Lu Chen, then said, ¡°If the people of Qi Country knew you were such a twisted Prince, they would be even more afraid of you.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Whether they are afraid or not isn¡¯t important. What¡¯s important is that tonight I need to make you afraid of me.¡± With those words, Lu Chen flipped Xue Linglong over and gagged her mouth once again. ¡°Mmm mmm¡­¡± Chapter 752 - Chapter 752: Chapter 451: Its Time to Hurry and Seize the Throne_1 Chapter 752: Chapter 451: It¡¯s Time to Hurry and Seize the Throne_1 After entering Qi Country¡¯s Royal Capital, Lu Chen immediately enacted a series of policies beneficial to the common people. In addition, since Lu Chen spared even the people of Qi Prince Mansion, the locals quickly came to view the North Prince as a merciful Prince, unwilling to kill the innocent indiscriminately. This also alleviated some of the fear the people of Qi Country had towards Lu Chen. However, those Aristocratic Families that had once helped Qi Country resist the Northern Army mostly met with poor fates. Once Qi Country had stabilized, the armies led by Wei Siyuan and Mu Changtian, each numbering two hundred thousand, also began their advance towards the heartland of Great Sum. Mu Changtian and Wei Siyuan led the vanguard. Their task was to eliminate the majority of Great Sum¡¯s military before Lu Chen would march straight for the Capital city. Time flew by, and half a month later, Lu Chen¡¯s temporary office. Lu Chen was reviewing some official documents sent from Yan County when Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice sounded at the door. ¡°Commander Qin requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Let him in.¡± Then Qin Yushan entered the room, ¡°Paying respects to the Prince.¡± Lu Chen nodded and said, ¡°Hmm, any recent intelligence?¡± Qin Yushan immediately handed over the intelligence he held to Lu Chen and reported, ¡°Prince Lu Yi¡¯s men have discovered the ingredients for making gunpowder and have already begun attempting to produce firearms.¡± ¡°Moreover, in order not to clash with the Northern Army, Prince Lu Yi has already led his troops to move southward.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. Have the people of this world discovered gunpowder so quickly? Lu Chen regained his composure, thinking that although it had only been a few short years, the firearms of the North Country had already undergone several generations of improvement. It shouldn¡¯t be strange that the people of this world had discovered gunpowder. Lu Chen then opened the letter in his hands and began reading it carefully. The intelligence detailed how Prince Lu Yi had discovered gunpowder. Seeing that Prince Lu Yi had discovered gunpowder through the alchemical experiments of Fake Taoist Priests, Lu Chen thought to himself that if he had not appeared, even if they had discovered gunpowder, they probably would have only used it for fireworks. Without several hundred years, they likely wouldn¡¯t have applied gunpowder to military uses. But on another note, even if Prince Lu Yi and his group had discovered gunpowder, the gunpowder they could produce would be at best black gunpowder, certainly not as powerful as the firearms of North Country, which had already been upgraded through several generations. Of course, this was indeed a significant threat; he needed to seize the imperial throne quickly. Now that Prince Lu Yi had discovered gunpowder, other forces might have done the same. As time passed, other dynasties could potentially possess firearms as well. Although their firearms wouldn¡¯t be as powerful as those of North Country, if other dynasties acquired firearms, it would pose a significant threat to the soldiers of North Country. When North Country prepared to unify the several major dynasties in the future, firearms would inevitably slow down the process. It would be best to conquer the major dynasties before any of them could invent firearms. With that thought, Lu Chen picked up his pen and began to write military orders. Soon, new military orders reached Wei Siyuan and Mu Changtian, and in the following days, they quickened the pace of their offensive. Meanwhile, In a city to the south, Zhao King looked at the intelligence in his hands, his brows furrowed, and he remained silent for a long time. Standing in front of Zhao King were more than a dozen of his subordinates. One of them spoke up, ¡°My King, now that we are not present, Prince Lu Yi has colluded with the remnants of the Seigniors and occupied the territories we fought hard to win. We cannot let this go unnoticed!¡± No sooner had this subordinate finished speaking than another one added, ¡°Indeed, my King, if we do not take action now, who knows what else Prince Lu Yi will do!¡± Zhao King had his own clear objectives, and he didn¡¯t value the gain or loss of some lands that much, but his subordinates were different. They had managed to conquer those feudal states with great difficulty, only for Prince Lu Yi to come and occupy those lands. Putting down the intelligence report in his hand, Zhao King glanced at his subordinates before saying indifferently, ¡°Qi Country has been annihilated, and North Country has dispatched a total of six hundred thousand troops to march south. It won¡¯t be long before the Capital city falls. If North Prince manages to break through to the Capital city before me, that position will belong to him.¡± ¡°Once North Prince becomes Emperor, all of my efforts will have been in vain. If I divide my forces now to contest those few pieces of land with Prince Lu Yi, how can I then contend with North Prince for that position?¡± Upon hearing Zhao King¡¯s words, his subordinates were momentarily stunned. At that moment, one of Zhao King¡¯s subordinates spoke up, ¡°The King¡¯s vision is long-term, his strategies profound, we all admire you!¡± Zhao King continued, ¡°We must hurry northward to stop the Northern Army from advancing toward the Capital City!¡± ¡°Especially that army advancing from the east of Heyang County.¡± With that, Zhao King looked up into the distance, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions. Is this what you wanted! The war had progressed to such an extent that even if the ultimate unification were achieved and the Sum Emperor¡¯s power peaked with no more seigniors within Great Sum, what would fall into the Sum Emperor¡¯s hands would still be a shattered Great Sum. It¡¯s uncertain how many years it would take for Great Sum to recover to its pre-war level. Zhao King felt that the Sum Emperor¡¯s actions were somewhat excessive. However, after all, he stood on the side of the Sum Emperor and wasn¡¯t in a position to say much. Now he could only follow the Sum Emperor¡¯s orders to head south as quickly as possible to help the imperial court deal with North Prince, this ¡°last seignior.¡± Upon receiving Lu Chen¡¯s military orders, Mu Changtian and Wei Siyuan hastened their offensive. Initially, the Sum Emperor did not intend to stop them from heading toward the Capital City, so in a very short time, the majority of Great Sum¡¯s counties were under the control of North Country. But the advancement of Mu Changtian and Wei Siyuan was so swift that they were almost reaching the area controlled by the Capital City. The Emperor realized that Lu Chen was still lingering in the Royal Capital of Qi Country, unmoved, and if he continued to allow the two North Country armies to press on, there was a risk that the Capital City would fall to their four hundred thousand-strong force. This definitely could not happen. They had to find a way to delay until Lu Chen could move south before allowing them to get near the Capital City. Immediately, the Sum Emperor began to move troops and send generals, and secretly dispatched a letter to Zhao King, instructing him to find a way to delay Mu Changtian¡¯s army. As for the Great Sum imperial court, they turned their attention to dealing with the North Country Navy from the east. The skirmishes had been minor up until now; the real war was yet to come. After receiving the letter from the Sum Emperor, Zhao King immediately ordered his troops to move closer to Mu Changtian¡¯s army. At that time, Mu Changtian¡¯s two hundred thousand-strong army was still stationed in Jingjiang City for rest and reorganization. With the presence of the Brocade Guard, Mu Changtian was aware of every move made by Zhao King, and he also knew that Zhao King had led a four hundred thousand-strong army close to Jingjiang City. Even though Zhao King¡¯s army was twice the size of theirs, Mu Changtian wasn¡¯t panicked in the slightest. Zhao King and he could be considered old friends by now. In past years, to help the Sum Emperor seize the throne, they had collaborated multiple times, and Mu Changtian was well aware that Zhao King was the Sum Emperor¡¯s man. Although it appeared that Zhao King had started his rebellion, the fact that he didn¡¯t directly attack the Capital City but instead came to intercept the North Country army was enough to see that Zhao King still stood by the Sum Emperor. At this point, Zhao King did not know who was leading the North Country army he was about to battle. After nearing Jingjiang City, he immediately led his army planning to launch a probing attack, testing the combat strength of the North Country troops. Zhao King had long heard of the North Country army¡¯s formidable strength, and coupled with the Northern Army¡¯s achievements in the north, it necessitated his caution. However, to Zhao King¡¯s surprise, just as his forces reached the outskirts of the city, the Northern Army shrank back inside Jingjiang City without launching an attack, which Zhao King found very odd. Just when Zhao King was about to order his soldiers to initiate the assault, the appearance of Mu Changtian on Jingjiang City¡¯s watchtower directly stunned Zhao King. Chapter 753 - Chapter 753: Chapter 452: This Prince Is Back!_1 Chapter 753: Chapter 452: This Prince Is Back!_1 After ascending the city wall, Mu Changtian took up a loudspeaker and called out loudly, ¡°Zhao King, hope you¡¯ve been well. It¡¯s been over a decade since we¡¯ve last seen each other, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing this voice as Mu Changtian¡¯s, the Zhao King¡¯s eyebrows immediately knitted together. He was somewhat confused. Wasn¡¯t Mu Changtian long dead? How had he turned up in North Country? After his mind paused momentarily, Zhao King regained his composure and shouted back, ¡°Indeed, it has been ten years.¡± ¡°You really do have a large life, I thought you had died long ago, but unexpectedly, you are still alive!¡± Mu Changtian let out a laugh, and then said, ¡°I also did not expect I could live until today.¡± Zhao King said, ¡°You coming out at this time, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not to get chummy with me!¡± Mu Changtian didn¡¯t entertain Zhao King¡¯s words, but instead said, ¡°Zhao King, who would have thought that after seeing the outcome of myself and old Zhou, you would still stand by Lu Xingqiu¡¯s side! A tyrant like Lu Xingqiu, who disposes of his millers and kills his donkeys, is he really worth your loyalty?¡± Upon hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Zhao King¡¯s face turned dark in an instant. Although Zhao King indeed stood on the side of the Sum Emperor, his men were never aware of this fact; they all believed that he fought to annihilate the Seigniors within Great Sum¡¯s territory and chose to march north in order to vie for the throne. By Mu Changtian speaking such words outright, if Zhao King¡¯s men were to believe them, they would certainly feel discontent towards Zhao King. They had followed Zhao King through thick and thin, all for the purpose of putting him into that position, so they might themselves become ministers beneath a dragon. And yet, Zhao King, seemingly a dog serving the Sum Emperor in secrecy, how could his men possibly tolerate that? Zhao King let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°As a Seignior of Great Sum, naturally, I cannot stand by as treacherous officials usurp power!¡± Zhao King neither confirmed nor denied, considering they marched north under the banner of loyally supporting the Emperor; his men would find nothing amiss with these words. ¡°As for you, Mu Changtian, His Majesty had suspected that your Mu Family was contemplating rebellion. Who would have thought you would actually rebel!¡± ¡°However, I am quite curious ¨C the North Prince is also the Emperor¡¯s son, yet why have you pledged loyalty to the North Prince? Aren¡¯t you still a servant of the Lu family, a dog of the Lu family?¡± Mu Changtian calmly replied, ¡°The North Prince is a wise and enlightened monarch, far from comparable to the tyrant Lu Xingqiu.¡± Upon hearing these words, Zhao King burst into laughter, ¡°A person plotting to kill his father and seize the throne can be a wise and enlightened monarch?¡± Mu Changtian ignored Zhao King¡¯s words and stated, ¡°Zhao King, before the battle begins, considering the camaraderie of our youth, I advise you one last time to surrender to the North Prince. It is your only choice!¡± Zhao King said, ¡°Ridiculous,why would I surrender to a traitor and usurper!¡± Mu Changtian said, ¡°Since Zhao King remains obstinately ignorant, then further talk is pointless. Let the battle commence!¡± As Mu Changtian¡¯s voice fell, Zhao King immediately drew his sword from its sheath, ¡°Attack!¡± The next instant, drumbeats sounded, and countless arrows shot forth from the ranks of soldiers. Mu Changtian also raised his sword and commanded, ¡°Attack!¡± Immediately, the ¡°woo woo woo~¡± sound of horns filled the sky above Jingjiang City. The instant the horn calls sounded, the booming of cannons reverberated over Jingjiang City. In an instant, numerous cannonballs fell amidst Zhao King¡¯s army. His soldiers had not yet responded when they were overturned by the cannon fire. Where the cannonballs exploded, bodies were flung in disarray, dust filled the air, limbs scattered in all directions, with barely one in ten of Zhao¡¯s soldiers surviving. Seeing this, Zhao King¡¯s soldiers were all struck with terror; panic spread through the ranks at once. Zhao King muttered to himself, ¡°So, these are the weapons of North Country!¡± ¡°No wonder Great Wu fell to North Country.¡± Zhao King quickly came to his senses and shouted loudly, ¡°Retreat!¡± Originally, his attack was merely a probing one, and he had no intention of taking Jingjiang City. Now, having witnessed such a terrifying weapon from North Country, not just the soldiers but Zhao King himself had lost the will to fight. As the retreat horn sounds and the command flags waved, the Zhao army soldiers quickly withdrew. The speed of the Zhao army¡¯s withdrawal was very fast, and most crucially, there was not the slightest disarray. Even under cannon fire, the Zhao soldiers managed to steady their inner panic. At that moment, a deputy beside Mu Changtian said, ¡°General, should we pursue?¡± Mu Changtian immediately replied, ¡°No need.¡± The orderly retreat of Zhao King¡¯s army demonstrated its exceptional nature; pursuing them now without the ability to bring heavy cannons and relying on muskets and hand grenades might not yield significant results. While firearms were relatively powerful, enemy arrows were not to be underestimated either. Of course, the key point was that Lu Chen had said in the military orders to deter and persuade to surrender the armies with strong combat capabilities as much as possible. After all, Great Sum was to be Lu Chen¡¯s in the future, and if he completely decimated it, leaving hardly any men left in Great Sum, how would he then unify the other dynasties? For Lu Chen, the population was still a crucial resource. Mu Changtian believed that the weapons of North Country had already deterred Zhao King; now it was a matter of how Zhao King would choose. If Zhao King insisted on standing with the Sum Emperor, then there was nothing to be done. After Zhao King retreated to a city they had occupied, his emotions still could not settle for a long time. He had anticipated that North Country¡¯s weapons might be extremely formidable, but he had not expected their power to rival that of a Grandmaster¡¯s. How could those exploding iron balls be made, and how could such a small iron ball possess such tremendous power? It was fortunate that Mu Changtian did not lead a chase; otherwise, they might have lost at least a third of their troops today. Now, there was trouble. With North Country possessing such formidable weapons, his soldiers could not defend the path to the Capital city, and he feared he might not be able to complete the task given to him by the Sum Emperor. Thinking of this, Zhao King felt immensely depressed¡ªhow did the North Prince manage to create so much in such a short time in North Country? Previously, there were no such things as exploding iron balls in this world. Zhao King started to worry. The outcome of the battle was now difficult to predict. The upcoming war was not something ordinary people could interfere with; the only hope rested on the Grandmasters and the Celestials. If the Sum Emperor could kill Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s Celestial and become one himself, then North Country¡¯s weapons might be ineffective against him, allowing a possible turnaround. But if the Sum Emperor¡¯s plan failed, he would have to step down from his position. If the Sum Emperor failed, what should he do? Zhao King furrowed his brows, inundated with thoughts. In the following days, Zhao King would guard against Mu Changtian¡¯s eastward advance while pondering his next move. Meanwhile, the war by the sea had also essentially reached a conclusion. Although Great Sum dispatched elite forces, under the bombardment of North Country¡¯s artillery, the Imperial Army was still consistently beaten back. Seeing the situation so critical, the Sum Emperor had even considered sending a Grandmaster to support the fight. However, just then, the North Country armies from both the east and west stopped their advance, as if they were waiting for something. At the same time. In the Royal Capital of Qi Country. Amidst the farewell of the common people of Qi Prince, Lu Chen embarked on his journey to the south. Lu Chen, sitting on his horse, gazed in the direction of the Capital city and murmured to himself, ¡°This prince has returned!¡± Chapter 754 - Chapter 754: Chapter 453 Who Is This Wicked Disciple After All?_1 Chapter 754: Chapter 453 Who Is This Wicked Disciple After All?_1 ¡°` Upon hearing the news that Lu Chen was leading an army of 150,000 troops southward, the Sum Emperor and the traitors of the Mysterious Moon Palace were all extremely excited and agitated. After such a long wait, their plan could finally be put into action. The moment North Prince arrived at the Capital city would be the day North Prince and the former Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace met their demise! The army of 150,000 that Lu Chen led southward moved incredibly fast, encountering almost no resistance along the way, and arrived in the Capital District in less than half a month. After reaching the outskirts of the Capital city, Lu Chen did not rush to initiate an attack. Instead, he had the Brocade Guards become active, gathering more intelligence about the Capital city. The real threat in the Capital city wasn¡¯t the soldiers of the court but the experts currently in the Capital city. After investigations by the Brocade Guards and other sources, Lu Chen had basically figured out the current situation in the Capital city. There were ten individuals in the Capital city with Grandmaster-level strength or above, including the Grandmaster of the Mysterious Moon Palace. Among these, there were three Pseudo Celestials, meaning the Sum Emperor and the two traitors from the Mysterious Moon Palace were Pseudo Celestials. There weren¡¯t many Grandmasters on Lu Chen¡¯s side, but there were two Celestials. One Celestial could easily match ten Grandmasters, so Lu Chen was not worried about the number of Grandmasters in the Capital city. What concerned him most now was the weapon in the Imperial Palace that could kill a Celestial. Only after that weapon was destroyed could he attack the Capital city with peace of mind. However, after about half a month of reconnaissance, the Brocade Guards had still not found the location of that weapon that could kill a Celestial. Tai¡¯an City. The mansion of a certain Aristocratic Family. Tai¡¯an City was already part of the Capital District. After Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in Tai¡¯an City, the Aristocratic Families of Tai¡¯an City were so frightened that they had all fled. Lu Chen simply chose a courtyard of one of these Aristocratic Families as a place to stay. At this moment, seated on a stone bench in the pavilion, Lu Chen flipped through the intelligence reports brought by the Brocade Guards. That¡¯s when Yun Xianxian and Chen Wanrong entered the courtyard. Looking at Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian asked directly, ¡°When do you plan to attack the Capital city?¡± Putting down the intelligence in his hand, Lu Chen looked up at Yun Xianxian and sighed softly, ¡°I originally planned to launch the attack after we had news of that Divine Weapon, but so much time has passed, and the Brocade Guards still haven¡¯t located the Divine Weapon¡¯s whereabouts.¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°How could they take out that Divine Weapon if I haven¡¯t made an appearance?¡± ¡°The only option now is a direct assault. Once they see me, they¡¯ll definitely use that Divine Weapon to ambush me.¡± After thinking it over, Lu Chen realized that if there was no other way, they would have to do just that. Just as Lu Chen was about to call for a maid to summon the Military Generals for a military meeting, a guard rushed into the courtyard in a hurry, ¡°Prince, there are many unidentified people outside the mansion. They claim they are from the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback, Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall? How did they arrive so quickly? Lu Chen initially thought that it would take at least half a year for people from these two forces to get in contact with him since they were at sea, yet they arrived in less than three months. He had never expected the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall to play a role in this war from the start. But now that they had come, things were different. He just didn¡¯t know how many Pseudo Celestials and Grandmasters were among those who came. Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Bring them to the courtyard at once.¡± ¡°Yes, Prince.¡± Soon, the guard brought two robust, white-haired, venerable old men into the courtyard. The moment these two elderly men appeared, Yun Xianxian frowned and instantly became more vigilant. At the same time, Xuanyuan Chaoge suddenly appeared in the courtyard; although he didn¡¯t make a move, he also watched the two old men with a guarded expression. Just then, Lu Chen quickly used the system to identify their identities. [Name: Mu Hongguang] ¡°` [Identity: Hall Master of the Tai Chu Divine Hall] [Strength: Heavenly Human Realm] [Loyalty: 100] ¡­ [Name: Xia Tianyuan] [Identity: Sect Master of the Sunset Sword Sect] [Strength: Celestial] [Loyalty: 100] This¡­ Seeing the information of the two people, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. He had only issued them the order to establish contact with himself, but he hadn¡¯t expected that the two Sect Masters would personally come to see him. After regaining his composure, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°The two of you have come from afar, it must have been tough.¡± Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang hurriedly performed a salute at the same time, then one after the other said: ¡°Sect Master Xia Tianyuan of the Sunset Sword Sect, greets the young master!¡± ¡°Hall Master Mu Hongguang of the Tai Chu Divine Hall, greets the young master!¡± Hearing the two people¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chaoge breathed a sigh of relief, they were his own people after all. But Yun Xianxian was unsettled. Although the two elders had concealed their auras, she could feel that both of the elders were Celestial powerhouses. Though Celestial powerhouses weren¡¯t much in the cultivation realm, Celestials in this world were still rather precious. Now, two Celestials had appeared at the same time, and they were even saluting Lu Chen. They seemed to hold Lu Chen in high regard, calling him ¡®young master,¡¯ as if they were Lu Chen¡¯s own people. How was that possible? Lu Chen already had a Celestial by his side, and now two more had appeared? Just who exactly was this rebellious disciple? Why could she form relationships with so many Celestials in this Lower World? That shouldn¡¯t be the case, should it? Moreover, she had been in this world for many years, but she had never heard of the existence of the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect. Where had these two powers suddenly come from? Yun Xianxian suddenly felt as if she might have provoked a noble son from a Cultivation Family that had fallen from the cultivation world. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°I did not expect the two of you to come personally.¡± Xia Tianyuan said, ¡°We have been waiting in this world for the young master for a thousand years. Now that the young master has finally arrived, it is natural for us to come in person to protect the young master¡¯s safety.¡± Upon hearing Xia Tianyuan¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised. Judging by his words, was Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in this world already predetermined? That meant it was indeed possible that Lu Chen had been sent to this world for training from the cultivation world. This kind of thing was very common in the cultivation world. Some families would like to send their younger generation to Lower Worlds to train and only allow them to return to their original world once they had reached a certain level of cultivation. No wonder Lu Chen had the high-level cultivation technique the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell; his identity must have been extraordinary from the start. Suddenly, Yun Xianxian felt like she had picked up a hot potato. She had always been somewhat recluse in the cultivation world and did not wish to interact with any junior members of Cultivation Families. Just then, Lu Chen thought of Yun Xianxian¡¯s presence and said to her, ¡°Master, I have matters to attend to. We will discuss what we talked about earlier tomorrow.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen then told Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang, ¡°Sect Master Xia, Hall Master Mu, follow me.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen took Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan to the study. Watching their retreating figures, Yun Xianxian fell into deep thought, seemingly pondering something. Chapter 755 - Chapter 755: Chapter 454: The Two Powerful Forces_1 Chapter 755: Chapter 454: The Two Powerful Forces_1 Lu Chen brought Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang to the study and, through them, gained an understanding of the current situations of the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall, as well as a rough idea of how Sunset Island and Tai Chu Island were developing at present. After learning about the matters related to the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall, Lu Chen thought of another question. He glanced at Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang, then said to Sect Master Xia, ¡°Sect Master Xia, you said that you have been waiting in this world for a thousand years for me. I am quite curious, why would you say such a thing?¡± Before now, Lu Chen had never dug deep into the backgrounds of those summoned by the system, feeling that the system would prevent him from inquiring into certain matters, but this time, he couldn¡¯t hold back his curiosity any longer, and he didn¡¯t care whether the system would stop him or not. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Xia Tianyuan replied, ¡°Replying to the young master, according to our sect¡¯s archives, the ancestors of our Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall were not natives of this world. After arriving here, they were already gravely injured. Knowing that you, young master, will definitely come to this world, they left behind documents instructing us to await your arrival¡ªand thus, over a thousand years have passed.¡± Surprised by this response, Lu Chen gave a moment¡¯s pause, realizing why the system did not prevent him from asking these questions¡ªthe system¡¯s arrangements were indeed flawless. The ancestors of the Tai Chu Divine Hall and Sunset Sword Sect were gone, so no matter how much he inquired, he wouldn¡¯t be able to learn much else. Lu Chen decided not to waste any more time on this matter, focusing instead on the most important task at hand¡ªseizing the throne of Great Sum. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to Sect Master Xia and Hall Master Mu, ¡°Sect Master Xia, Hall Master Mu, your timing couldn¡¯t be better. I am planning to attack the Capital city and seize the throne of Great Sum.¡± ¡°With the help of both of you, I believe this endeavor will go very smoothly.¡± Xia Tianyuan immediately said, ¡°This is our duty.¡± At that moment, Mu Hongguang interjected, ¡°Young Master, on our way here, we encountered the presence of the Demon Sect within the territory of Great Sum.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and then he asked, ¡°You live in the Southeast Sea year-round, so you are aware of the existence of the Demon Sect?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xia Tianyuan replied, ¡°Some members of the Demon Sect have come to both Tai Chu Island and Sunset Island to cause trouble, but they were eventually driven off by us.¡± Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Do you know of the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± Upon hearing this question, Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang exchanged a glance, and then Mu Hongguang said, ¡°Yes, the Taiyin Divine Sect has attacked Tai Chu Island and Sunset Island multiple times, but five hundred years ago, the two major powers of our seas united, killing many of the Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s experts, even their sect hierarch perished at our hands.¡± Responding evenly, Lu Chen said, ¡°Recently, the Taiyin Divine Sect has become active again, and their sect hierarch has been resurrected.¡± This¡­ Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan were momentarily stunned, clearly not having expected that the sect hierarch of the Taiyin Divine Sect could revive. After regaining their composure, Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang simultaneously assured, ¡°Please rest assured, young master. We will certainly find a way to exterminate the Taiyin Divine Sect to alleviate your concerns.¡± Lu Chen nodded lightly and continued to inquire, ¡°How many Grandmasters have you brought with you to Great Sum this time?¡± Mu Hongguang was the first to answer, ¡°Tai Chu Divine Hall has brought two Unity Realm Elders and ten Grandmasters to Great Sum this time.¡± After Mu Hongguang finished speaking, Sect Master Xia followed, ¡°The Sunset Sword Sect has brought one Unity Realm Elder and thirteen Grandmasters to Great Sum this time.¡± Hearing their replies, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. When the system had initially awarded enhancements to the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall, it had described the number of Grandmasters in these two forces as ¡°several Grandmasters.¡± At that time, Lu Chen had not grasped just how many Grandmasters these two forces truly had; he had assumed that ¡°several¡± meant just a few, at most not more than ten. He had thought since the system had already rewarded him with Celestials and Pseudo Celestials, the Grandmasters seemed relatively insignificant, so that¡¯s why the system would overlook the number of Grandmasters. Now it seemed he had completely misunderstood. The fact that the Tai Chu Divine Hall and Sunset Sword Sect brought out so many Grandmasters clearly shows that the ¡°several Grandmasters¡± mentioned by the system really are ¡°several.¡± After Lu Chen came back to his senses, he asked curiously, ¡°How many Grandmasters does each of your forces have?¡± Mu Hongguang was the first to reply, ¡°Responding to the young master, when I left the Tai Chu Divine Hall, there were a total of fifty Grandmasters.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and his gaze immediately shifted to Xia Tianyuan, who said, ¡°The Sunset Sword Sect has a total of seventy-five Grandmasters.¡± ¡­ Lu Chen fell into a long silence. The system had said from the beginning that as his number of children increased, the rewards he would receive after having more offspring could be even more substantial, but he never expected to receive such massive forces this time. The total number of Grandmasters the great dynasties openly claim to have probably isn¡¯t even as many as just one force from the Tai Chu Divine Hall, right? Lu Chen asked, puzzled, ¡°Why do your two forces have so many Grandmasters?¡± Upon hearing this question, Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan exchanged glances, clearly not expecting Lu Chen to ask this. Xia Tianyuan then asked with confusion, ¡°Why does the young master ask this?¡± Lu Chen stated plainly, ¡°Presently, the sum of the openly acknowledged Grandmasters from all the great dynasties is probably not as many as the Grandmasters from the Tai Chu Divine Hall.¡± This¡­ Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang then understood why Lu Chen would ask such a question. Xia Tianyuan continued, ¡°Young master, our two forces have always been situated on Sunset Island and Tai Chu Island, and we don¡¯t particularly understand the several great dynasties. We have been developing peacefully for a thousand years, which naturally resulted in us having so many Grandmasters.¡± ¡°Moreover, we lost quite a few Grandmasters when we were resisting the invasion of the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Lu Chen fell into thought once again. Either the hidden number of Grandmasters that the great dynasties have is greater than he imagined, or something must have happened to cause a sharp decline in the number of Grandmasters. Speaking of which, Lu Chen suddenly remembered something he had heard about before: a Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace once went on a killing spree among the Grandmasters of the great dynasties, and the surviving Grandmasters were so scared that they went into hiding. Could this be the reason for the scarcity of Grandmasters in the great dynasties? With this thought, Lu Chen didn¡¯t dwell on the issue any further and said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll accompany you to meet the disciples of the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect!¡± Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang said in unison, ¡°Yes, young master.¡± Under the guidance of Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan, Lu Chen met those people they had brought from the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect. When Lu Chen saw these people, he was once again shocked; among those that came from the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall, almost everyone was a Grandmaster. There were very few who were Half-step Grandmasters, and none below the Ninth Grade. Lu Chen wondered if with this force, uniting the great dynasties might not even require firearms. Chapter 756 - Chapter 756: Chapter 455: If Master wants to make a move, then go ahead!_1 Chapter 756: Chapter 455: If Master wants to make a move, then go ahead!_1 After his meetings with the representatives from the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect, Lu Chen¡¯s emotions couldn¡¯t settle down for a long time. His heart was ablaze with fervor, dreaming of commanding a mighty army to sweep across the great dynasties, unifying the world. In the afternoon, Lu Chen summoned Xuanyuan Chen and a group of military generals, making arrangements for the following day. Tomorrow, they would send troops to assault the Capital City, but the main stage wouldn¡¯t be the North Country soldiers versus the imperial army. With the involvement of Pseudo Celestials, even soldiers equipped with firearms would be of little use against them. The main role of the North Country soldiers would be to enter the Capital City and take control of the imperial army and maintain order after Lu Chen and his team had dealt with the most troublesome individuals. After concluding the military meeting, Xuanyuan Chen and the other generals left Lu Chen¡¯s temporary study. It was now evening, and Lu Chen didn¡¯t linger in the study, heading straight to the main compound, planning to have dinner and rest early that night. Just as he entered his room, a cold voice suddenly came from his bed, ¡°Who are you, really?¡± Lu Chen looked toward the source of the voice and saw Yun Xianxian, wearing a pale cyan gauze dress, sitting cross-legged on his bed, her body emanating a faint, yet chilly, immortal aura. Lu Chen did not respond immediately; instead, he turned to close the door properly before turning back and saying, ¡°What kind of question is that, Master?¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t the Master long known that this disciple is a person who has reincarnated from another world into this world?¡± Yun Xianxian spoke with an icy tone, ¡°As your teacher, of course I know that you come from another world, but I don¡¯t know your true identity.¡± ¡°Your ability to rally so many Celestials in such a short time is enough to prove you¡¯re no ordinary person. Someone has paved the way for you in this world.¡± ¡°To you, all this is just a trial.¡± ¡°To my knowledge, only certain Cultivation Families from the Immortal world would send their family descendants to Lower Worlds for training.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen, with a smile, asked, ¡°So, Master thinks I am a scion of some great family?¡± ¡°If you were not from a Cultivation Family, it would be impossible for you to possess high-level cultivation techniques like the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell.¡± Lu Chen still did not directly answer Yun Xianxian¡¯s question, instead counter-asking, ¡°If the disciple truly is from a Cultivation Family, what does Master plan to do?¡± Yun Xianxian replied indifferently, ¡°Then I would have to consider keeping my distance from you after leaving this world.¡± ¡°I have always been a loner and dislike engaging with people from Cultivation Families.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see.¡± ¡°However, Master need not worry; there is no so-called Cultivation Family behind me, I am just an ordinary person.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple pupils stared intently at him as if trying to see through him. For a moment, the air in the room became even colder, and Lu Chen could feel a distinct chill as the master and disciple looked at each other. After what seemed like a long time, Yun Xianxian coldly broke the silence, ¡°Do you think I am a fool?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Disciple has never had such a thought.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°If you have no Cultivation Family behind you, then why would two major forces like the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall come to your side? Do you mean to say those two Celestials are out of their minds?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There are some things I can¡¯t tell Master just yet, but please trust your disciple, I really don¡¯t have any Cultivation Family behind me, I was just an ordinary person in my past life.¡± Just as Lu Chen spoke these words, those purple pupils of Yun Xianxian emitted a purple light. As Lu Chen¡¯s words sank in, Yun Xianxian blinked slightly in surprise ¡ª could what he said be true? She had the ability to discern whether someone was lying to some extent, and if Lu Chen was lying, she would have known right away. But upon her judgment, Lu Chen truly wasn¡¯t lying. Which means, in his past life, Lu Chen really was just an ordinary person with no backing from a Cultivation Family. But if he didn¡¯t have a massive force behind him, how could it be possible for the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall to come to pledge allegiance to Lu Chen willingly? When Yun Xianxian regained her composure, she asked, ¡°When do you plan to share these secrets with your teacher?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°When the time is ripe, the disciple will naturally tell Master everything.¡± Yun Xianxian huffed lightly and said, ¡°Your teacher advises you to stay vigilant and not become someone else¡¯s pawn.¡± There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If indeed there is a power behind Lu Chen, helping him and even able to make enormous forces like the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall submit to him, then it¡¯s evident that this power must want something from Lu Chen. As a person from the Immortal world herself, Yun Xianxian understood the ruthlessness of the cultivation world; even she initially approached Lu Chen with the aim of using him for dual cultivation to restore her strength. Therefore, she believed that this power must also want to use Lu Chen for something. Although her initial purpose in approaching Lu Chen was to use him, deep down, Yun Xianxian had developed a sense of possessiveness; in her view, Lu Chen was now her disciple, and she did not want to see anyone else use him for their purposes. Chapter 757 - Chapter 757: Chapter 455: If Master wants to make a move, then go ahead!_2 Chapter 757: Chapter 455: If Master wants to make a move, then go ahead!_2 ¡°` Even if using Lu Chen, it should only be for my own benefit. Lu Chen said, ¡°Thank you, Master, for your concern. Your disciple will certainly heed your teachings.¡± Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°I won¡¯t waste words on you. As long as you understand, that¡¯s enough.¡± At this point, Yun Xianxian was ready to leave, but Lu Chen suddenly spoke out, ¡°Master, please wait!¡± Upon hearing these words, Yun Xianxian turned her head, looking at Lu Chen expressionlessly, and asked, ¡°What is it, do you have something else to say?¡± Lu Chen, with a smile on his face, said, ¡°Master, I am about to attack the Capital City tomorrow, would you like me to help you continue restoring your strength?¡± Yun Xianxian spoke indifferently, ¡°Now that you have two Celestials by your side, and judging by those who came from Tai Chu Divine Hall and Sunset Sword Sect, both forces are extremely powerful. There¡¯s simply no need for me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°What is Master saying? If your disciple hadn¡¯t had your help, how could he have found that Divine Weapon?¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian chuckled inwardly. It seemed this disciple wasn¡¯t foolish after all; despite the arrival of the two other Celestials, he was still aware of her usefulness to him. Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°Very well, come up.¡± As soon as Yun Xianxian¡¯s voice fell, Lu Chen, without even having dinner, walked straight towards the bed. As he walked, he stripped off his clothes, revealing his perfect abs and physique. After getting on the bed, Lu Chen sat across from Yun Xianxian, crossing his legs. Once on the bed, Lu Chen began to circulate his Spiritual Power. Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple pupils fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, and soon stirred up the desires deep within his heart. Enduring the restlessness in his body, Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°Master, have you ever cultivated like this with other men before?¡± Yun Xianxian answered coldly, ¡°What do you think I am? Someone who throws herself at every man she sees?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then, disciple is the first man you¡¯ve cultivated with?¡± ¡°So Master gave her first to the disciple.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s beautiful eyes lifted, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. For some reason, she always felt that Lu Chen¡¯s words were strange. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Master, not everyone is capable of cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Yun Xianxian was still unaware of what cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill implied. In her view, it was just a dual cultivation technique that men and women could practice together; no other conditions were necessary. Lu Chen said, ¡°There is a crucial condition for cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. Master, after so many times of cultivating together, haven¡¯t you noticed it?¡± Having heard Lu Chen put it this way, Yun Xianxian was slightly startled. A crucial condition? What condition was that? Why had she been unaware of it? Yun Xianxian immediately asked, ¡°What condition?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°This cultivation technique requires both the man and the woman to have feelings for each other to cultivate it. Master, when you first cultivated with your disciple, didn¡¯t you utilize a certain method to stir a wicked heart in me? You should have known since then that this was the case.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s response instantly stunned Yun Xianxian. But in the next moment, she released waves of cold air from her body, freezing the entire room, almost encasing Lu Chen in ice as well. Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple pupils gazed at Lu Chen with a cold intensity, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Seeing the cold air emanating from Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen quickly said, ¡°Your disciple is merely speaking the truth. Your disciple begs for your forgiveness if he has angered you.¡± Yun Xianxian could not possibly have misunderstood Lu Chen¡¯s earlier words. If cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill required the man and the woman to have feelings for each other, wasn¡¯t Lu Chen suggesting that she had those sorts of feelings for him? This man truly dared to dream! How could she, a Saintess of the Immortal Realm, harbor such thoughts for him! What a disobedient disciple! He indeed aimed to betray his master! Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°I advise you not to harbor any other thoughts. Just because I have taken you as a disciple does not mean I can endlessly tolerate your behavior.¡± ¡°` Lu Chen did not immediately admit to being scared. Perhaps because two Celestials had recently arrived at his side, Lu Chen seemed to have grown much bolder. Lu Chen said, ¡°Master, your disciple merely stated the necessary conditions for cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. Why would you get angry, Master?¡± ¡°Could it be that I struck a nerve, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re angry and in such a hurry to deny it?¡± Yun Xianxian felt a jolt in her heart, ¡°You!¡± Yun Xianxian had not expected Lu Chen to be so daring today, to be so blatantly disrespectful towards her. Although she had long been aware of the thoughts Lu Chen harbored for her, and that this man probably even called out ¡®Master¡¯ during his intimate moments with Chen Wanrong. Then something occurred to Yun Xianxian, and she said, ¡°It seems the arrival of those two Celestials has emboldened you, giving you the courage to speak to me this way.¡± ¡°Celestials are indeed powerful in this world, but don¡¯t forget that being a Celestial is just the beginning of cultivation. Away from this world, Celestials are nothing.¡± ¡°If you continue to be so unreasonable and obstinate, once we leave this world, I will have no choice but to punish you severely!¡± Lu Chen looked directly into Yun Xianxian¡¯s majestic purple eyes and said, ¡°Your disciple once heard a saying, ¡®In cultivation, one cultivates the heart.¡¯ If Master intends to deny her own heart, and her own feelings, there¡¯s no need to wait until we leave this world. You could just kill your disciple right now. That would settle your worldly heart.¡± With Lu Chen¡¯s words, a bone-chilling cold aura burst forth from Yun Xianxian once more, and she immediately rebuked him, ¡°Shut up! Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t dare to kill you!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen felt as if his body had been frozen, and soon layers of ice began to climb up his body, with his lower body quickly feeling as if it had been encased in ice. Lu Chen then closed his eyes, ¡°Disciple still holds the same opinion. If Master wishes to make a move, do it now.¡± ¡°Truth be told, cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill requires mutual affection between a man and a woman. In other words, Master also has feelings for your disciple!¡± ¡°You!¡± Whoosh, another icy blast of cold air erupted from Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, and now the entire residence could feel the piercing cold, with people turning their gaze towards Lu Chen¡¯s room. At that moment, Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s voice sounded from outside the door, ¡°My King, are you¡­ all right?¡± Although Xuanyuan Chaoge knew that the cold air had erupted from Yun Xianxian, the commotion in the room still made her worry that something might have happened inside. If there indeed was trouble, she knew she had to rush in quickly to protect Lu Chen. Lu Chen replied, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Reassured by Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Xuanyuan Chaoge finally eased her concerns. ¡°If there¡¯s anything, Your Majesty, remember to alert me. I shall take my leave.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°You may leave.¡± With Xuanyuan Chaoge¡¯s interjection, Yun Xianxian calmed down a bit and coldly said to Lu Chen, ¡°Today¡¯s cultivation ends here; I¡¯m going back.¡± Although she had acted very fiercely just now, it was only to intimidate Lu Chen, and it did not mean that she really wanted to hurt him. For one thing, Lu Chen was still very useful to her; she relied on him to quickly restore her strength. On the other hand, there were indeed some fluctuations in her heart, seeing Lu Chen¡¯s fearless demeanor only made her feel helpless. Yun Xianxian seethed inwardly, thinking, ¡®This ingrate actually dares to have such thoughts about me.¡¯ If it weren¡¯t for the sake of regaining her strength, she would freeze him into an ice sculpture! Just as Yun Xianxian was about to leave, Lu Chen spoke up again, ¡°Master, your disciple has another matter to discuss!¡± Yun Xianxian responded coldly, ¡°I have no desire to speak further with you!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If Master wishes to keep running away like this, I have nothing more to say.¡± ¡°But have you ever considered that the actions of practicing together with your disciple are what dao companions do?¡± ¡°You have cultivated with me so many times. If one day we leave this world and return to the Immortal world, what will your sect members or your family think if they find out about this?¡± ¡°You may not care, but do you think they won¡¯t care?¡± ¡°A man and a woman alone in a room, on the same bed, claiming to do nothing but meditate in earnest, cultivating the special Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill¡ªdo you think they will believe we are pure and innocent?¡± Chapter 759 - Chapter 759: Chapter 457: Wasnt she just killed? How is she still alive?_1 Chapter 759: Chapter 457: Wasn¡¯t she just killed? How is she still alive?_1 Soon, the Sum Emperor led a group of ministers to the city tower, looking out at the distant army of the North Country. When the ministers saw the North Prince again, their hearts were filled with infinite emotion. In the past, they had all misjudged him, always believing the North Prince to be worthless. Yet, to their surprise, he had managed to develop the North Country so powerfully within just a few years. He had not only defeated the Barbarian Tribe in the north but also crushed the army of Great Wu, forcing them to sign a peace treaty, and ultimately led his troops to the Capital city of Great Sum. A few years back, who could have imagined the North Prince achieving such a feat. Some ministers deeply regretted not having formed good relations with the North Prince back then. If they had gotten on good terms with him, they wouldn¡¯t be so frightened now, seeing his troops approaching the city. At that moment, the Sum Emperor shouted from the city tower, ¡°Rebel son, are you seeking to revolt?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t immediately answer the Sum Emperor. Upon seeing him, Lu Chen dismounted and then, facing the city tower where the Sum Emperor stood, performed a ceremonial bow, saying, ¡°This son pays respect to Father Emperor! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!¡± Although Lu Chen had come to seize the throne, the Sum Emperor was his biological father in public. Despite his lack of emotional attachment to the Sum Emperor, he still observed the proper etiquette. Moreover, Lu Chen felt that if he were to usurp the throne by committing patricide now, his own children might very well follow suit in the future, setting a poor example for them. Of course, despite these concerns, Lu Chen was still intent on fighting for the throne. The Sum Emperor sneered and said, ¡°Rebel son, leading your troops to besiege the Capital city, why bother with such false civility in saluting me!¡± After finishing his bow, Lu Chen spoke loudly, ¡°My Father Emperor is surrounded by treacherous officials, who not only have misled you into committing heinous acts but also have held you hostage to give orders to the world. Now, as your son, I lead my troops here, determined to eradicate these treacherous officials for you and restore your freedom, to revive the imperial majesty!¡± Hearing this, the Sum Emperor burst into laughter, ¡°Ha-ha-ha-ha, treacherous officials? Ridiculous!¡± ¡°I have only loyal officials by my side, never so-called treacherous officials. If you wish to rebel, at least make up a decent excuse.¡± ¡°Enough. Since you have embarked on this path of rebellion, I can no longer consider our father-son relationship.¡± As he spoke, the archers on the wall all stepped forward, each equipped with the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow. The Sum Emperor raised his hand and waved it forward. In an instant, numerous Piercing Cloud Arrows flew toward the army outside. The North Country army immediately changed formation, soldiers bearing shields rushing to the front. However, before the Piercing Cloud Arrows could touch the North Country soldiers, they were seized in mid-air by a powerful force. This scene caused panic among the ministers. What kind of power was this, to intercept so many arrows outright? Celestials? Yes! It must be a Celestial! Only a Celestial would possess such an ability! They had long heard that the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace had gone to the North Country, and now it seemed the rumors were true! The Celestial of Mysterious Moon Palace was indeed standing with the North Country! This was disastrous! With a Celestial on the North Prince¡¯s side, wouldn¡¯t seizing the throne be an easy task? Suddenly, nearly all the ministers on the city tower began contemplating the manner in which they would surrender once the North Prince breached the Capital city. However, unlike those ministers, the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t panic at the sight, his lips even curving into a slight smile. He had been waiting for the Celestial to appear. If he could deal with the Celestial, the war could end swiftly. Just then, the North Country soldiers began a sudden retreat, leaving behind only a few people. Seeing this, the people on the city tower were once again stunned. What was happening? Why were the North Country soldiers retreating? Didn¡¯t they want to attack the city? Why were they withdrawing so soon? Soon, a barefoot woman in a green dress with white hair arrived in front of where Lu Chen and the others were. Upon her arrival, everyone on the city wall was momentarily lost in her beauty. Such a beautiful woman! This woman didn¡¯t seem like an ordinary person from this world! Everyone instantly realized that she was the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace! Seeing Yun Xianxian appear, Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou in their cloaks approached the Sum Emperor. Yu Changqing said, ¡°Your Majesty, we shall kill the North Prince for you. Please seize this opportunity to eliminate the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace. If this Celestial does not die, all our efforts will be in vain.¡± The Sum Emperor calmly replied, ¡°You needn¡¯t remind me, I know what to do.¡± Hearing their conversation, the nearby ministers were once again stunned. From their words, the Sum Emperor could kill a Celestial? How was that possible? To most people, Celestials were akin to Immortals, beyond the reach of ordinary humans. How could a mortal kill such a being? And who were these people in black robes, and why had they never heard of them? The ministers were filled with questions, but they were certain about one thing¡ªthe Sum Emperor had been concealing his strength, still holding cards close to his chest, and was not afraid of Celestials. People were reminded of the rumors that had circulated some time ago, claiming that the Imperial Palace held a Divine Weapon capable of killing a Celestial. Previously, many had dismissed it as mere rumor. Now it seemed quite possible that the Sum Emperor indeed possessed a Divine Weapon that could slay a Celestial. Chapter 760 - Chapter 760: Chapter 457: Wasnt she just killed? How is she still alive?_2 Chapter 760: Chapter 457: Wasn¡¯t she just killed? How is she still alive?_2 ¡°So, does that mean the outcome of this war is still an unknown?¡± Just then, the black-robed figure beside Sum Emperor leapt instantly from the city wall, heading straight for Lu Chen in the distance. At the same time, Sum Emperor also ordered the evil divine weapon to be brought to him. The Shadow Guard swiftly brought forward a box emitting black Qi to Sum Emperor. Sensing the terrifying aura from the box, the ministers on the city wall couldn¡¯t help but retreat a few steps backward. Sum Emperor paid no heed to the reactions of his ministers and directly opened the box. As the box was opened, the black Qi inside burst out instantaneously, engulfing the entire city wall. The ministers and soldiers on the city wall were enveloped by the black Qi, becoming panic-stricken, thinking some calamity was about to ensue. But in the end, nothing happened. Lu Chen, from afar, also saw the black Qi erupting from the city wall. Every cell in his body trembled at that moment, and with a furrow in his brow, he realized the divine weapon had been brought out. Just then, Yun Xianxian controlled her life-sized puppet and flew into the sky. Seeing this scene, Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes flashed with a sharp light, what a good opportunity! He immediately gripped the divine weapon, aiming it towards Yun Xianxian in the sky. As Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou nearly reached Lu Chen, they launched their attack, unleashing waves of Sword Qi heading straight for Lu Chen, but Lu Chen did not dodge. Instead, he raised his hand and a sword swept out. Thousand Layered Waves!!! Countless Sword Qi rose to meet it, clashing and raising dust that filled the sky. Seeing this, the ministers on the city wall were stunned once again. The might emanating from Lu Chen, just now, had certainly surpassed a Grandmaster¡¯s. In particular, the Sword Qi he released, causing such a disturbance, indicated he had at least the strength of a Great Grandmaster. The North Prince is actually a Great Grandmaster!!! When North Prince went to North Country, he had never trained in martial arts, no matter how exceptionally talented he was. It was impossible for him to become a Great Grandmaster in just a few short years, wasn¡¯t it? Keep in mind that some people practice martial arts their whole lives without ever becoming a Great Grandmaster. How did North Prince achieve this! At that moment, Sum Emperor was also momentarily taken aback, but he quickly collected himself. To him, it didn¡¯t matter what strength Lu Chen possessed because soon, Lu Chen would be dead. It was at this time that the arrival of Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou caught Yun Xianxian¡¯s attention, and she released the oppressive might of a Celestial instantly. The next moment, everyone present felt as if they couldn¡¯t breathe. Foreheads broke out in cold sweat, and some people even lost their footing, kneeling directly on the ground. Some people on the city wall abruptly realized that Sum Emperor seemed unbothered as if nothing was amiss. Supposedly, he, as a Grandmaster, should not have been able to withstand such pressure, yet Sum Emperor was resisting with such ease. People quickly understood that Sum Emperor¡¯s true strength was not just that of a Grandmaster but could even surpass a Great Grandmaster, lying beyond that level. People had an epiphany, Sum Emperor had indeed hidden his true power! Sum Emperor glanced at Yun Xianxian in the sky, eager to use the divine weapon in his hands, but he was most worried about the possibility of her evading it. He decided to wait a little longer, until Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou diverted Yun Xianxian¡¯s attention, then he would act. It would be best if Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou, these two old fogeys, could align themselves with the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace, which would allow him to dispose of all three at once. At that moment, Yu Changqing¡¯s body sprang up, surrounded by numerous sword lights. The next instant, those sword lights darted towards Yun Xianxian in the sky. The puppet ¡°Yun Xianxian,¡± expressionless, simply raised her hand slowly. The next moment, a series of Ice Cones formed around ¡°Yun Xianxian¡¯s¡± body. Just as the sword lights were about to reach Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, the Ice Cones shot out fiercely, and in the blink of an eye, they neutralized the sword lights. Yu Changqing found this odd, as he felt the oppressive aura emanating from the ¡°Yun Xianxian¡± above was unstable, not at all like the Yun Xianxian they usually knew. He couldn¡¯t help thinking, could it be Yun Xianxian¡¯s injuries had worsened? Was that what caused the instability in her aura? Considering this possibility, Yu Changqing immediately said to Fu Hongchou, ¡°Her injuries haven¡¯t healed, her strength is unstable, she can¡¯t look after anything else. Hurry and kill North Prince!¡± Hearing this, Fu Hongchou, without a word, transformed into an afterimage, hurtling towards Lu Chen. Just as Fu Hongchou was about to reach Lu Chen, ¡°Yun Xianxian¡± turned her head in Lu Chen¡¯s direction, seemingly distracted. Seeing this, Sum Emperor felt the moment had come. Although Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou were not standing with the Celestial from Mysterious Moon Palace, since they were so close, Sum Emperor believed that once he activated the divine weapon in his hands, even if it was not possible to kill Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou, he might still be able to severely injure both of them. With that thought, Sum Emperor immediately lifted the evil divine weapon in his hands, aiming at ¡°Yun Xianxian¡± in the sky. Just then, still airborne, Yu Changqing had a strong sense of crisis; as if he had realized something, he quickly turned to look and, indeed, saw Sum Emperor planning to take advantage of the alignment with Yun Xianxian to finish them both off at once. Chapter 761 - Chapter 761: Chapter 457: Wasnt she just killed? How is she still alive?_3 Chapter 761: Chapter 457: Wasn¡¯t she just killed? How is she still alive?_3 Yu Changqing hurriedly dodged, but as soon as he began to move, a beam of black light shot out from the Divine Weapon in the Sum Emperor¡¯s hand. The speed of this light was extremely fast, and even though Yu Changqing had already sensed the danger in advance, he nevertheless was injured by the black light, his arm vaporized instantly. As for ¡°Yun Xianxian¡± in the sky, her fate was even worse; the black light struck her right in the chest, her body was instantly destroyed and turned into dust. Yu Changqing, who had fallen to the ground, was incredibly angry, and he looked back with venomous eyes at the Sum Emperor on the city tower. Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou had long been aware that the Sum Emperor might ambush them, so they were always on guard; still, they had underestimated the power of that Divine Weapon. When that beam of black light was released, the heavens and earth changed color, as if night had fallen, and dark clouds suddenly shrouded the sky, the thick clouds moving ever closer to the ground, as though the sky was about to collapse. Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s body instantly reduced to ash, the Sum Emperor laughed heartily. ¡°Hahaha, what of a Celestial! In Great Sum, I am the one who reigns over everything!¡± The ministers nearby, as if awakening from a dream, snapped back to reality, and they immediately bowed to the Sum Emperor, saying, ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty, for eliminating such a formidable foe!¡± ¡°With no Celestial in Mysterious Moon Palace, Great Sum shall no longer suffer from internal strife!¡± ¡°Your Majesty is truly a Real Dragon Emperor!¡± ¡­ Hearing the people¡¯s praise, the Sum Emperor¡¯s heart swelled even more. He directly picked up the Divine Weapon in his hand, and in an instant, he leapt from the city tower, heading straight for Lu Chen. Now that Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s Celestial was dead, that scourge of a child posed no threat, and since Fu Hongchou had just failed to kill Lu Chen, he would personally take care of this menace. He had wanted to do this for a long time, and now he was absolutely certain that Lu Chen could not possibly be of his own bloodline; he was but a bastard. As the Sum Emperor jumped down from the city tower, Lu Chen clearly saw the so-called Divine Weapon in the Sum Emperor¡¯s hand, which bore a strong resemblance to an anti-tank sniper rifle, except for the dark aura emitted from the barrel, it was clear this was not a mere artifact of a pure technological world. This must be a weapon from some high martial world that fell into this one; could it be that the metal structure on Fengyin Island was actually a spaceship that had fallen from another world? While lost in thought, Lu Chen was fiercely stared at by the Sum Emperor who said, ¡°You spawn of evil, do you have anything left to say?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen came back to his senses, showing no trace of panic but instead responded with a smile, ¡°Father, I am curious, where did you get that Divine Weapon in your hand?¡± ¡°A Divine Weapon that emits such evil aura, and you¡¯re using it personally; do you realize what this means, Father?¡± Seeing no panic in Lu Chen but instead hearing him talk about the Divine Weapon in his hand, the Sum Emperor sneered and said, ¡°What business is it of yours, a man about to die?¡± Lu Chen straightforwardly said, ¡°Such an evil Divine Weapon, such heavy blood qi, it is clearly an object of the Demon Sect. Father has indeed been bewitched by someone from the Demon Sect, so far as to use their wares!¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the officials on the city tower immediately began to stir. What? The Sum Emperor is in league with the Demon Sect? How is that possible? No, if the Sum Emperor was not in league with the Demon Sect, how would one explain the weapon in his hand, its malevolence palpable to anyone who felt it? The sovereign of a great empire, conspiring with the Demon Sect, if other kingdoms found out about this, they would certainly unite in opposition! The Sum Emperor coldly said, ¡°Stop your wicked nonsense. Since you have nothing to say, I shall personally send you down to see your mother!¡± As he spoke, the Sum Emperor prepared to make a move against Lu Chen, but at that moment Lu Chen loudly said, ¡°The emperor¡¯s mind has been controlled by the Demon Sect, and I ask all the ministers on the city tower to bear witness. Everything I do today is to restore the Emperor to clarity, all for the glory of Great Sum!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the Sum Emperor instantly felt uneasy. This isn¡¯t right; the Celestial of Mysterious Moon Palace was already killed, so why was this bastard not panicking in the slightest? The weapons of the North Country were formidable, but they shouldn¡¯t be capable of killing a Pseudo Celestial, could they? What on earth was giving this bastard confidence? No matter, he must be killed quickly. As long as he killed this bastard, he would become a Celestial! After that, Great Sum would be his alone, and no one would ever dare to oppose him again! With that thought, the Sum Emperor raised his hand, ready to strike at Lu Chen. Just at that moment, a tremendous pressure descended from the sky, instantly oppressing everyone present, leaving them gasping for breath. The people were instantly dumbfounded. The Sum Emperor, Yu Changqing, and Fu Hongchou were also dumbfounded. What was happening? The Celestial of Mysterious Moon Palace was supposed to be dead, so why was there still a Celestial presence? While the crowd was still perplexed, a cold voice rose from behind Lu Chen. ¡°Elder Yu, Elder Fu, long time no see!¡± Hearing this familiar voice, Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou shuddered. Their eyes widened in disbelief as they looked toward Lu Chen¡¯s back, where a woman dressed in a white gown, barefoot, and wearing a veil of black hair was slowly making her way to the front. The next moment, the woman took off her veil, and as it fell to the ground, her hair slowly turned completely white. Upon seeing the true face of Yun Xianxian, the Sum Emperor and the people on the city tower were stunned in place. Hadn¡¯t she been killed just now? How was she still alive? Could it be that Celestials cannot be killed? At that moment, terror surged in the Sum Emperor¡¯s heart; he couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. The woman had clearly turned to ashes, so how could she have been resurrected? He had used his Divine Weapon once already, and there was no blood essence left in it, so it was unlikely he could use it a second time. Against a Celestial, they stood no chance at all. No! They weren¡¯t completely without a chance! The Sum Emperor suddenly remembered something! He immediately took out a jade bead from inside his clothing. Chapter 762 - Chapter 762: Chapter 458 The Fall of the Emperor_1 Chapter 762: Chapter 458 The Fall of the Emperor_1 Before anyone on Lu Chen¡¯s side could stop the Sum Emperor, the Sum Emperor had actually stuffed the jade bead directly into his mouth. Seeing this scene, Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, and she immediately said, ¡°No good, he¡¯s trying to forcibly elevate his strength to the Heavenly Human Realm!¡± Lu Chen was taken aback, could that jade bead be the Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace? As soon as the words of Yun Xianxian fell, an overwhelming force was released from inside the Sum Emperor¡¯s body, and in an instant, the wind and clouds shifted and thunder roared in the sky. Bolts of Heavenly Thunder struck directly upon the Sum Emperor¡¯s head, instantly turning his hair into a mess, his clothes torn and tattered like a beggar on the streets. However, even after being struck by Heavenly Thunder several times, the Sum Emperor still did not die. At this moment, feeling the power surging within his body, he laughed maniacally. ¡°Is this the power of a Celestial?¡± ¡°I am the true ruler of Great Sum, no one can overthrow my reign!¡± Having said that, the Sum Emperor immediately made a move against Yun Xianxian. With a wave of his hand, all the rubble on the ground gathered together, quickly forming a massive stone sphere, which then crashed towards Yun Xianxian. Seeing this, Yun Xianxian was not the slightest bit flustered. She simply raised her hand gently, and a bunch of Ice Cones flew out. When the Ice Cones hit the stone sphere, it shattered immediately, turning back into countless rubble. But this was not the end, as the Sum Emperor continued to wield the power within his body that was not his own. Immediately thereafter, the phantom of a giant dragon appeared in the sky. Upon seeing the dragon phantom, Yun Xianxian was slightly stunned. The move the Sum Emperor used was obviously not simple; it must not be a Cultivation Technique of this world. It seemed that the ruling house of Great Sum really had some hidden cards to have ruled for so many years. Yet, the dragon phantom posed no danger to her. Yun Xianxian gently lifted her jade hand, and a trace of cold air swirled around her fingertips. In the next moment, the icy chill instantly transformed into an Ice Dragon. When the two dragons appeared in the sky, it was quite spectacular. In the next moment, both dragons opened their mouths wide and roared at each other. The deafening roar spread throughout the entire Capital District, overwhelming the people who were unable to withstand the sound waves, quickly covering their ears with their hands. After a while, the two dragons charged towards each other, and the moment they collided, waves of Spiritual Power dispersed, knocking people who weren¡¯t standing steadily flying out. The battles between Celestials had a very wide impact, and such a scene was almost unheard of to the people of this world. At that moment, Lu Chen immediately turned his head and waved to the soldiers from the North Country, signaling them to continue retreating. Upon receiving Lu Chen¡¯s order, the North Country soldiers hastily retreated once again. Meanwhile, the two dragons in the sky gradually faded away, and it looked as if neither side was injured. The Sum Emperor laughed loudly and said, ¡°Celestials, that¡¯s all there is to it¡­ *cough*¡­¡± The Sum Emperor had barely finished speaking when he suddenly vomited a mouthful of black blood. At that moment, the evil divine weapon in his hand emitted a thick black mist. The Sum Emperor seemed to understand something, and immediately lifted the barrel of the gun, aiming once again at Yun Xianxian. Yun Xianxian, sensing that something was amiss, quickly took to the sky. The Sum Emperor activated the evil divine weapon once again. Following that, he felt his Spiritual Power draining rapidly, as if it was being siphoned by the Divine Weapon. Then a beam of light shot out from the muzzle, a black light streaking straight towards Yun Xianxian. Although it was much smaller than the first light, it still posed a significant danger to Yun Xianxian. Just as the beam was about to hit Yun Xianxian, her figure flickered and vanished. How could a focused Celestial be hit so easily? Seeing Yun Xianxian dodge the attack, the Sum Emperor roared, ¡°I want to see how much you can dodge!¡± As he spoke, the Sum Emperor prepared to use that evil Sacred Artifact again. Lu Chen could no longer stand by, addressed Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang behind him, ¡°Sect Master Xia, Hall Master Mu, make your move!¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, three terrifying presences descended. When the Sum Emperor and the ministers of the Capital city felt these two pressures, they were immediately dumbfounded. The Sum Emperor looked in disbelief at the two people beside Lu Chen. ¡°How is this possible¡­ ¡± ¡°No¡­ it can¡¯t be¡­¡± ¡°How could you, a bastard of rebellion, find so many Celestials to help you!¡± In the Sum Emperor¡¯s view, Lu Chen was nothing more than a bastard, while he himself was the True Dragon of Great Sum. And yet, it turned out that beside Lu Chen, not only was there a Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace, but suddenly, there were three more Celestials! That is to say, there were four Celestials by Lu Chen¡¯s side! In this world, where no Celestial had appeared for hundreds of years, it had only been a few decades ago that the Celestial of the Mysterious Moon Palace had suddenly appeared and gone on a killing spree. Yet today, four Celestials appeared all at once, and moreover, these four Celestials were all related to Lu Chen! In a world without Immortals, Celestials are as good as Immortals. Now, the four emerging Immortals were all standing with Lu Chen. What did that imply? It implied that fate was on Lu Chen¡¯s side! The Sum Emperor absolutely could not accept it. How could a bastard like him attract four Celestials! The Sum Emperor was unwilling! Every time he thought about how he had meticulously cared for Great Sum all his life, and yet in the end, his throne would be usurped by a bastard. Although he was being pressured by the might of several Celestials, the Sum Emperor¡¯s emotions were already out of control, and his body began to emit a thick black aura at this moment. The Divine Weapon in his hand seemed excited as well, radiating a black and red glow. Seeing this, Yun Xianxian immediately said, ¡°He¡¯s becoming possessed! We must resolve this quickly!¡± Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chaoge and the other two immediately sprang into action, appearing around the Sum Emperor in an instant before striking simultaneously. Sword Qi and palm energy headed straight for the Sum Emperor, who did not dodge; after being hit, he seemed as if nothing had happened to him. Everyone was taken aback. What was going on? Yun Xianxian seemed to understand, and she said at once, ¡°He has been controlled by the Divine Weapon in his hand, that thing is sinister!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone instantly realized. Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty, please retreat first!¡± Without a word, Lu Chen immediately used the Shadow Shifting technique to leave the battlefield, as the upcoming battle was clearly not something he could partake in. As soon as Lu Chen left, the black aura on the Sum Emperor¡¯s body swelled rapidly and enveloped his entire body. Xuanyuan Chaoge and the others held nothing back anymore. Something was very wrong with the Sum Emperor; they had to make it quick. At that moment, the Sum Emperor¡¯s eyes turned a blood red, and he said in a rough voice, ¡°Die! Everybody must die!¡± However, just then, the four Celestials, including Yun Xianxian, struck at the same time. White, yellow, red, and green Spiritual Energy quickly converged into a single formation, constructed by Yun Xianxian, with the other three only reinforcing it with their Spiritual Power. As soon as the formation appeared, the black aura from the Sum Emperor¡¯s body halved in size, and the four Celestials continued to press their attack. The next moment, sensing something amiss, the Divine Weapon attempted to flee, but the formation on the ground quickly contracted, trapping both the Sum Emperor and the Divine Weapon. The Sum Emperor bellowed, ¡°I am the ruler of Great Sum! I am the Real Dragon! No one can kill me!¡± As he spoke, the Sum Emperor¡¯s body exploded violently, and seeing this, the ministers on the city wall were so frightened they collapsed on the ground. At this point, the Sum Emperor¡¯s power was almost on par with the Celestials¡¯; if he self-detonated his Dantian, the entire Capital city would be his funeral pyre. Clearly, the four Celestials, including Yun Xianxian, were aware of the Sum Emperor¡¯s intent, and Yun Xianxian quickly reminded Xuanyuan Chaoge and the others to reinforce the formation! Then Xuanyuan Chaoge and the others continued to pour their Spiritual Power into it, and at this moment, the Sum Emperor¡¯s body turned into a ball of red light so bright it made it impossible for people to keep their eyes open. After the Sum Emperor self-detonated his Dantian, shockwaves erupted, sending everyone on the city wall flying. Just as people believed they were doomed, they were astonished to find that the blast had only caused them injuries and possibly broken bones at worst, but they were still alive. As the dust outside the city gradually cleared, they realized that the Sum Emperor was no more, and the four Celestials, including Yun Xianxian and Xuanyuan Chaoge, looked rather pale and unsteady. At that moment, Yun Xianxian seemed to remember something; her figure flashed, and she appeared directly in front of Yu Changqing and Fu Hongchou. By now, the two had realized their plan had failed and hastily knelt down begging for mercy, ¡°Honorable one, please spare us! We¡­¡± Before they could finish speaking, Yun Xianxian waved her hand, and their bodies were instantly frozen into ice sculptures, the next moment shattering into dust. Chapter 763 - Chapter 763: Chapter 459 Yun Xianxian Runs Away_1 Chapter 763: Chapter 459 Yun Xianxian Runs Away_1 After the dust settled, where the Sum Emperor originally stood, there was only a spear emitting a dark aura. Seeing that the father he knew in this world had not even left a complete corpse, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but sigh. In Lu Chen¡¯s heart, it was difficult for him to judge whether the Sum Emperor¡¯s actions were right or wrong throughout his life, for many things the Sum Emperor did were also what he himself wanted to do. For instance, exterminating the Aristocratic Families, or weakening the feudal princes. If he were in the Sum Emperor¡¯s position, he might have made the same choices, so to a certain extent, one could say he and the Sum Emperor were similar people. It¡¯s just that he didn¡¯t have any father-son affection for the Sum Emperor. If the Sum Emperor had shared such affection with him, perhaps they would not have ended up clashing swords in the end. But now, there was no point in thinking about these things. The Sum Emperor was gone, and he had to quickly deal with what was to come. Lu Chen then gave a gesture to the army behind him, and the next moment, Xuanyuan Chen led the troops to press toward the ramparts of the Capital city. Seeing the distant army approach, all the ministers and princes on the city walls stood there dumbfounded. Now that the Sum Emperor was dead, they had lost their pillar of strength. Although a few princes didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to ascend to the throne and even thought of resistance, they had seen the spectacle that had just unfolded before their eyes. Even though the Sum Emperor had become a Celestial, he was still suppressed by four Celestials. Now, with four Celestials by his side and such a powerful army at his command, the North Prince was seemingly invincible. No matter how much they struggled, they stood no chance against the North Prince. The soldiers on the city walls lost any will to defend. It made no difference to them who became Emperor, as it would still be someone from the Lu family. Why should they risk their lives? At this moment, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the State Preceptor, Situ Ce, and the Prime Minister, Lin Gaoyuan. Without an Emperor, the only ones who could make decisions were these two. Situ Ce glanced at the princes behind him, then said, ¡°The Emperor was bewitched by the Demon Sect, which led to his demise through demonic cultivation. If it weren¡¯t for the North Prince, the Capital city might already be reduced to rubble. Given the North Prince¡¯s great contribution, I suggest we crown the North Prince as the new Emperor. Do any of the princes have any objections?¡± Upon hearing this, the princes looked at each other. What other thoughts could they have? How could they dare to have any other thoughts? There were four Celestials by the North Prince¡¯s side! Although they were extremely reluctant at heart, what could they use to contend with the North Prince for the throne? Just one Celestial dispatched by the North Prince could wipe out all the forces behind them. The emergence of Celestials would overpower all schemes and conspiracies, and Great Sum¡¯s political landscape was about to undergo significant changes. At this moment, what worried the princes most was the possibility that, once their younger brother ascended to the throne, he would begin a large-scale purge. Although most of the princes among them had not provoked Lu Chen, they were still the sons of the Sum Emperor, and to some extent, they also had a claim to the succession. Throughout history, princes who had risen through rebellion were most uneasy about their fellow princes. If Lu Chen could ascend to the throne through rebellion, then the other princes could employ the same method. It wasn¡¯t a matter of whether they had the capability to rebel, but rather the identity of a prince itself posed a threat to the throne. Even if some princes had no desire to rebel, some ministers would rally around a prince, putting them forward as a spokesperson. Prince Lu Shuyun was a prime example. Therefore, the best solution was to either kill all these princes or imprison them. Thinking of the fate that might await them, the princes on the city walls felt great trepidation. But they were powerless and could only steel themselves to elevate Lu Chen to the throne. Should they stand against him at this juncture, their fate would only be execution. At that moment, Prince Liu stepped forward and said, ¡°This prince agrees with the State Preceptor¡¯s suggestion!¡± ¡°Since Prince Lu Chen went to the North Country, he managed to vastly strengthen it in an incredibly short amount of time, and his own power has surpassed that of a Grandmaster.¡± ¡°A king like Prince Lu Chen, who is skilled in both pen and sword, will surely lead Great Sum to an even more powerful future.¡± No sooner had Prince Liu finished speaking than Prince Wu Ming also said, ¡°This prince also agrees with the State Preceptor¡¯s proposal.¡± Following that, the other princes also voiced their agreement. Seeing that the princes had no objections, Situ Ce¡¯s gaze fell upon the ministers. Then Lin Gaoyuan spoke up, ¡°This minister concurs with the State Preceptor. A country cannot be a single day without a ruler; the North Prince is the best choice for this role.¡± Seeing that Lin Gaoyuan agreed, the other ministers also came forward, one after another, declaring their support for the North Prince to ascend to the throne as the new Emperor. Certainly, many among them were reluctant to see Lu Chen become Emperor. Judging by what Lu Chen had implemented in the North Country, it was very likely he would bring the same policies to Great Sum, which would inevitably hurt these ministers¡¯ interests. However, they had no choice. This was not the time to consider personal gains; it was a time to consider whether they could survive. Seeing that the court¡¯s ministers also agreed to Lu Chen¡¯s coronation, Situ Ce then said, ¡°Since a decision has been made by all, let us open the city gates and welcome the new Emperor.¡± Forthwith, under Situ Ce¡¯s lead, the court ministers and several princes descended from the city wall. Soon, the gates of the Capital city slowly opened. Chapter 764 - Chapter 764: Chapter 459 Yun Xianxian Runs Away_2 Chapter 764: Chapter 459 Yun Xianxian Runs Away_2 Situ Ce led his ministers to personally walk outside the city gates, forming several rows to welcome Lu Chen¡¯s entrance into the city. Lu Chen did not immediately lead his troops toward the city gate. He stood in place, his gaze still fixed on the evil Divine Weapon. Such an evil Divine Weapon must be dealt with; if it fell into the hands of the Demon Sect or someone else, it would pose a huge threat to them. After all, it was a weapon capable of killing Celestials; now that he had four Celestials by his side, he could not allow this weapon to threaten their lives. At this moment, Lu Chen approached the Divine Weapon and then mentally said to the system, ¡°System, can you identify what kind of weapon this is?¡± The next moment, a system interface appeared before Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. [Slayer Spear: Originates from the High Martial Plane, requires a vast amount of Spiritual Power to use, Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact.] Seeing the system introduction in front of him, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. An Earth Grade weapon? Just this? He had thought the weapon was much more powerful. However, that being said, this weapon was indeed powerful in a Lower World like this. Of course, it would be considered insignificant in the Immortal world. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°How can this Spiritual Artifact be sealed?¡± [If the host does not use it, then it is sealed.] This¡­ What Lu Chen wanted to ask was how to destroy this thing; after all, the Sum Emperor¡¯s self-destruction did not manage to destroy the Spiritual Artifact, which obviously was not easy to destroy. As Lu Chen was about to continue inquiring with the system, Yun Xianxian directly approached the Slayer Spear. Then she said to Lu Chen, ¡°This Spiritual Artifact is quite evil, let your mentor keep it safe for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat; he instantly saw through Yun Xianxian¡¯s ulterior motive. Yun Xianxian wasn¡¯t planning to save it for him; she clearly wanted to monopolize this Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact. Though an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact might not mean much in the cultivation world, in this world, it was capable of killing a Celestial; how could he possibly hand it over to someone else so easily? Lu Chen hastily said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble my mentor. This Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact is too dangerous. It is better for the disciple to seal it away to prevent others from using it in the future.¡± Hearing Lu Chen mention that the artifact was an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, Yun Xianxian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; it seemed difficult to deceive him now. This errant disciple really knew it was an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact. Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Since you want it, take it. But this seat must remind you, the Sum Emperor was led astray by the influence of this Spiritual Artifact just now. If you intend to use it, be careful not to fall into the same madness.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian say this, Lu Chen came to a realization. ¡°That¡¯s right, the Sum Emperor was just influenced by this Spiritual Artifact; if I come into contact with it, won¡¯t I also be influenced?¡± This thing was truly a hot potato. To give it to someone else, he was afraid they might use it to attack him. To keep it, could affect his own mind, easily leading him into madness. Just as Lu Chen was unsure what to do, the system notification suddenly rang out. [This is an ownerless Spiritual Artifact; the host only needs to refine it and let it recognize an owner, then there will be no need to worry about being counteracted by it.] Hearing the system notification, Lu Chen¡¯s eyes lit up. So, this Spiritual Artifact had not recognized an owner yet, which is why it counteracted the user? But how should he refine it? [The host can unload the magazine of the Slayer Spear, drop a drop of blood inside, and then refine it with Spiritual Power.] This¡­ Lu Chen immediately went to the front of the Slayer Spear and then crouched down, reaching out to the Slayer Spear. Seeing this scene, Xuanyuan Chaoge and the others panicked, with Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately saying, ¡°My king, do not!¡± They had just witnessed the Sum Emperor fall into madness because of using the Slayer Spear. This weapon was simply too sinister; they did not wish to see Lu Chen follow in the Sum Emperor¡¯s footsteps. Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°No worries, I know my own limits.¡± Lu Chen then picked up the Slayer Spear. When he touched it, he did not feel any discomfort. Lu Chen then examined the spear, noting that the Slayer Spear was very similar to modern firearms, except that the Slayer Spear had some special patterns on it, which likely were the channels for Spiritual Power flow. Lu Chen looked at the Slayer Spear from left to right, his gaze eventually settling on its magazine below. It seemed odd for the Slayer Spear, which used Spiritual Power, to have a magazine. Curious, Lu Chen decided to remove the magazine. He pressed the button to release it, but the magazine did not fall out. If it had been a regular firearm, one press of the magazine release would have easily removed it. The magazine of the Slayer Spear did not appear to be easily detachable. Lu Chen then pulled hard for a while but was unable to remove it. At that moment, the black mist on the Slayer Spear burst out suddenly, becoming thicker, as if it were angered. Lu Chen laughed. So, the Slayer Spear was enraged at him? Quite spirited for a Spiritual Artifact, aware enough to get angry. Lu Chen did not give up at this point; he did not believe he could not remove the magazine of the Slayer Spear. Continuing to pull vigorously on the magazine, he focused all his Spiritual Power into his hands. Then he stepped on the spear body with his feet and pulled on the magazine with his hands, as if he was pulling up a radish. Chapter 765 - Chapter 765: Chapter 459 Yun Xianxian Runs Away_3 Chapter 765: Chapter 459 Yun Xianxian Runs Away_3 ¡°` Witnessing this scene, everyone was stunned, not knowing what Lu Chen was doing, even Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t understand what he was up to. Unable to contain her confusion, Yun Xianxian asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t immediately respond to Yun Xianxian¡¯s question, as he was now focusing all his attention on his hands. After a short while, Lu Chen finally managed to pull out the magazine. The moment the magazine was extracted by Lu Chen, the Slayer Spear seemed to wilt, with the dark aura on its body instantly diminishing to mere wisps. At that time, Lu Chen took a look at the magazine, noting that it was quite special, nothing like ordinary firearm magazines. The magazine had several strange patterns etched upon it, with two gems radiating red light embedded in its center. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Lu Chen bit his fingertip and dropped a bead of blood into the magazine. The next moment, the red gems flared brightly, blinding Lu Chen so that he could barely keep his eyes open. After the red light had subsided, Lu Chen reinserted the magazine back into the body of the Slayer Spear, which began to emit a dazzling red glow as the magazine was put in place. The entire body of the Slayer Spear then underwent a transformation, its ominous black aura vanishing completely. Immediately after, Lu Chen infused Spiritual Power into the Slayer Spear, attempting to refine it and make the weapon recognize him as its master. This time, the Slayer Spear did not resist. As Lu Chen poured in copious amounts of Spiritual Power, the patterns on the weapon began to glow with a blue light. Gradually, the color of the Slayer Spear¡¯s body changed, from its original black and red to silver and white. At that moment, a system notification sounded in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. [Congratulations Host for subduing the Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, Slayer Spear] Upon hearing the system notification, Lu Chen chuckled dismissively, ¡°What¡¯s there to congratulate? There¡¯s no system reward.¡± The next moment, Lu Chen felt as if the Slayer Spear was somehow linked to his consciousness; with just a thought, the Slayer Spear actually shrank in size. Seeing this, Yun Xianxian felt very uncomfortable at the side. This disciple had actually refined an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact! How did he know the method of refinement? To refine a normal Spiritual Artifact, it was enough to just drop blood on it and infuse it with Spiritual Power, but Earth Grade or higher Spiritual Artifacts all had special methods of refinement. If the proper refinement method is not found, one cannot refine the Spiritual Artifact, yet Lu Chen seemed to know exactly what the Spiritual Artifact was, easily finding the method of refinement, and directly refining it. This is troublesome; this undisciplined disciple now possesses an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact capable of killing a Celestial, and who knows how inflated his ego will get. Maybe this fellow could even threaten his own master, expecting her to wait on him. No, she needed to hurry back to the Mysterious Moon Palace! With that thought, Yun Xianxian waved her hand, and a jade bead emitting blue light flew directly out from the dust, into Yun Xianxian¡¯s hand. Seeing Yun Xianxian put away the jade bead, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Master, is that bead the Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± Yun Xianxian answered indifferently, ¡°You could say that.¡± Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°Now that the Sum Emperor is dead and the Sacred Artifact has returned to my hands, it¡¯s time we went back.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback by these words. ¡°Master, you don¡¯t plan to continue to stay with your disciple and regain your strength?¡± At this remark, Yun Xianxian scoffed, ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m not aware of what you¡¯re plotting. What, you¡¯re waiting to claim the throne and then take your master as a concubine in your Harem?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t waste words with you. Rongrong can stay with you for a while longer; I¡¯m leaving first.¡± As her words fell, Yun Xianxian¡¯s body disappeared from the spot in an instant. Yun Xianxian left Chen Wanrong behind because, as the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, it was expected that the Palace would make some form of gesture once Lu Chen claimed the throne. Seeing Yun Xianxian abscond so suddenly, Lu Chen sighed lightly. It seemed that breaking down this fairy¡¯s defenses would not be an easy task. He would take it slow, first claim the throne and then proceed. With that thought in mind, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze turned toward the city walls of the Capital city. Looking at the court officials standing in respectful silence, awaiting his entry into the city, he murmured softly, ¡°The day I return to the Capital city is the day I rule over all; it seems that the boastful promise I made back then has come true¡­¡± ¡°` Chapter 766 - Chapter 766: Chapter 460: The Secret Chamber of the Late Emperor_1 Chapter 766: Chapter 460: The Secret Chamber of the Late Emperor_1 Lu Chen led his troops to the city gate, and as soon as they arrived, Situ Ce immediately led the civil and military officials in a salute, saying, ¡°North Prince has shattered the Demon Sect¡¯s conspiracy and saved Great Xia, establishing outstanding merit! Now that His Majesty has passed away, the country cannot remain without a sovereign for a day. We all respectfully request that North Prince ascend to the throne and take charge of Great Xia!¡± As soon as Situ Ce¡¯s words fell, the civil and military officials knelt down and said in unison, ¡°We respectfully request North Prince to ascend to the throne!¡± Lu Chen glanced over the ministers and then at the princes who were bowing their heads to him; he then said indifferently, ¡°Among the many princes, I rank only ninth. According to the line of succession, I am afraid it is not yet North Prince¡¯s turn to take that position, is it?¡± Upon hearing this, cold sweat instantly coated the faces of the princes. Lu Chen¡¯s words implied that there were other princes ahead of him, hindering his ascension to the throne, didn¡¯t they? Could it be that he intended to start a massacre? At that moment, Prince Wu Ming hurriedly stood up and said, ¡°There is no need for my ninth brother to worry. The succession to the Great Xia throne has long since ceased to adhere to the principle of the eldest legitimate son. Recent generations have seen the throne pass to the most capable.¡± ¡°Currently, the world is in chaos and in urgent need of a capable leader to guide Great Xia out of trouble. Neither I nor the other princes have any experience in governance, and we are not your equals in either civil or military affairs. I believe that only you, ninth brother, are capable of making Great Xia stronger. Please, do not continue to refuse!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Prince Qi also quickly said, ¡°What second brother said is true. With rebels in the south and the ravages of the Demon Sect, Great Xia has reached a critical point of life and death. We need a capable person to lead Great Xia out of this predicament. Among all of Father Emperor¡¯s children, only you, ninth brother, have such capabilities!¡± After Prince Qi finished speaking, the other princes also voiced their agreement. A while later, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°Since my royal brothers all recommend me, I shall not be pretentious.¡± ¡°However, since Father Emperor has just passed away, let¡¯s set aside the matter of ascension for now and attend to Father Emperor¡¯s funeral first.¡± ¡°Besides, the Demon Sect caused Father Emperor to become possessed and, ultimately, led to his death. We must settle this score.¡± ¡°Starting today, a citywide search for members of the Demon Sect will commence. Anyone identified as part of the Demon Sect shall be killed on sight!¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s declaration, the hearts of the officials trembled. This wasn¡¯t merely a search for the Demon Sect; Lu Chen was using this as an excuse to settle his accounts. If anyone opposed him at this time, he would inevitably declare that person colluding with the Demon Sect and eliminate them directly. After Lu Chen¡¯s words, the ministers immediately shouted in unison, ¡°Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!¡± Although Lu Chen had not yet formally ascended the throne, since he had agreed to do so, he was, from that moment, the Emperor. The supreme center of power in Great Xia could not remain vacant for long. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Then, Lu Chen, leading the Brocade Guard and the hundred officials, directly entered the Capital city. Upon entering the Capital city, Lu Chen immediately ordered various affairs to be taken care of. By the time these matters were dealt with, it was already ten o¡¯clock at night. Lu Chen, guided by Situ Ce, made his way to the Imperial Study Room, where the Sum Emperor once handled state affairs. Entering the Imperial Study Room, Situ Ce clasped his hands towards Lu Chen and said, ¡°Congratulations to Your Majesty on achieving your first goal. Your Majesty will certainly unify the world and command awe from the four seas!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, then responded, ¡°When has the State Preceptor started to flatter so well?¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°Your Majesty is a Real Dragon, not a horse.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now; I have some questions I wish to ask the State Preceptor.¡± Situ Ce said respectfully, ¡°Your Majesty, please speak. This old minister will not withhold any information.¡± ¡°How many Grandmasters are there among the royal family currently?¡± Hearing this, Situ Ce thought for a moment, then answered, ¡°Your Majesty, there are seven in total.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, seven Grandmasters ¨C that was not a small number, especially considering that the Grandmasters of the Great Xia Dynasty had been purged by a Celestial from the Mysterious Moon Palace. This made him realize that other dynasties likely had even more hidden Grandmasters. No wonder the Martial Emperor of the Great Wu was so willing to send two Grandmaster Military Generals to attack the North Country. With Grandmasters available, he wondered if there were any Pseudo Celestials, or perhaps hidden Celestials among them. At that moment, a shadow suddenly appeared from behind a column in the study, and then a person appeared before Lu Chen. Just as Bai Qingqing thought it might be an assassin and immediately stood in front of Lu Chen to protect him, she quickly realized her mistake. This was the Shadow Guard of the Sum Emperor. At that time, dressed in black armor, the commander of the Shadow Guard knelt down and said, ¡°Shadow Guard Great Commander Zhou Hai, greets Your Majesty!¡± The Shadow Guard had been directly subordinate to the Sum Emperor, but now that the Emperor was dead, they had lost their allegiance. To some extent, the Shadow Guard was free; they could leave the Capital city. However, they had all consumed the Emperor¡¯s poison, and nobody knew when it might take effect. Therefore, the Shadow Guard ultimately decided to continue serving the new Emperor, to become the new Emperor¡¯s fangs and claws. After all, serving one Emperor was the same as any other. Seeing that the Shadow Guard Commander had appeared, Lu Chen felt a surge of joy inside. Compared to Situ Ce, the State Preceptor, the Shadow Guard was the most trusted by the Emperor. They must know many things about the Sum Emperor. Now, Lu Chen was very curious about what secrets the Sum Emperor might have had. Thinking this, Lu Chen glanced at Zhou Hai and used his system to identify his identity. [Name: Zhou Hai] [Identity: Great Commander of the Shadow Guard] [Strength: Master Realm] [Loyalty: 80] Among the people he had met for the first time, a loyalty of eighty was already considered high. The loyalty of those court ministers toward him was generally not even fifty, all of them being two-faced. It made sense, after all, the Shadow Guard were more reliant on imperial power, hence their high loyalty toward him. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± At this moment, Bai Qingqing was still protecting Lu Chen, even though it was confirmed that he was the Great Commander of the Shadow Guard. After all, the Shadow Guard were the previous Emperor¡¯s dogs, and no one knew if Zhou Hai would strike against Lu Chen. Lu Chen patted Bai Qingqing¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Bai, don¡¯t be nervous, he won¡¯t make a move against me.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Qingqing stepped aside. Lu Chen then addressed Zhou Hai, ¡°You are the Great Commander of the Shadow Guard, you must know many of my father¡¯s secrets.¡± Zhou Hai asked promptly, ¡°What would Your Majesty like to know? I shall disclose everything truthfully.¡± Lu Chen spoke, ¡°I want to know if my father had any secret hiding places.¡± Zhou Hai immediately understood what Lu Chen meant and replied, ¡°Your Majesty has a secret chamber, within which are stored a great number of the royal family¡¯s secrets.¡± Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°Where is it?¡± Zhou Hai answered, ¡°Please bring the Jade Seal, Your Majesty.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen did not hesitate and walked over to the desk in the study, taking the Jade Seal into his hands. At that moment, Zhou Hai approached a bookshelf and removed several scrolls, ¡°Your Majesty, please place the Jade Seal in this hole.¡± Lu Chen promptly went up to the bookshelf and did as Zhou Hai instructed; then, the bookshelf suddenly began to tremble. Following that, it slowly moved aside to reveal a huge tunnel entrance. Zhou Hai then said, ¡°Only the past Emperors have ever entered the secret chamber, and I do not know what it contains. Should Your Majesty wish to investigate what is stored inside, you may enter the chamber.¡± Upon hearing Zhou Hai¡¯s words, Bai Qingqing quickly approached Lu Chen and said, ¡°Your Majesty, beware of traps inside. Allow me to scout ahead for you.¡± Bai Qingqing still did not quite trust Zhou Hai. With Zhou Hai¡¯s status as the Great Commander of the Shadow Guard, it was enough to keep her on guard against him all the time. Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Wait outside for now.¡± Without further ado, Lu Chen started walking into the tunnel. Seeing that Lu Chen insisted she wait outside, Bai Qingqing could not say much else and quietly waited by the tunnel entrance. After entering the tunnel, Lu Chen quickly arrived at a large hall, within which hung portraits of the previous Emperors. Under each Emperor¡¯s portrait was a bookshelf filled with scrolls. Lu Chen walked directly under the portrait of the Sum Emperor and picked up the scrolls from the shelf, looking through them one by one. The scrolls detailed everything the Sum Emperor had done, including how he rose to power and claimed the throne, and even the cunning schemes and trickery he employed were documented, as if he had been writing a diary. After flipping through the scrolls, Lu Chen finally found one about his mother. Having read the scroll, Lu Chen sighed. His mother had indeed been killed by the Sum Emperor, naturally, for the Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace. The Sacred Artifact of the Mysterious Moon Palace could help one enhance their Cultivation State, but if the enhancement was forced, one¡¯s Cultivation State could no longer advance after one enhancement. Several of the Grandmasters in the Great Xia royal family had their Cultivation State forcibly enhanced with that artifact from the Mysterious Moon Palace. After reading the scroll about his mother, Lu Chen did not linger in the secret chamber. Now that everything in the Imperial Palace was his, he had plenty of time to peruse these royal secrets. Relieved, Bai Qingqing saw Lu Chen emerge from the tunnel and stood guard at the entrance. In the following period, Lu Chen visited the chamber almost daily to examine the Emperor¡¯s scrolls, which were likely all written by the Emperor himself. What concerned Lu Chen the most were the scrolls left by the first Sum Ancestor. According to Sum Ancestor¡¯s records, he had been able to establish the Great Xia due to the guidance of an Immortal, who also foretold that the Great Xia would inevitably produce a Son of Destiny. One day, Great Xia would unify the world and venture beyond it. The Sum Emperor had aspired to revitalize the Great Xia, largely because he read those scrolls left by the Sum Ancestor; he believed he was that person of destiny. Of course, those were the thoughts of the Sum Emperor in his youth. After reigning for decades, he gradually realized the drawbacks of the Great Xia and awoke from his dream, returning to reality. In actuality, not only the Sum Emperor but several Emperors of the Great Xia Dynasty after the Ancestor had considered themselves to possibly be the people of destiny. Lu Chen was somewhat moved; the ¡°system¡± had indeed caused much harm. He did not know if the person the Sum Ancestor had encountered was truly an Immortal, but given the predicted emergence of the Son of Destiny, it must have been arranged by the ¡°system.¡± Now more curious about the ¡°system,¡± Lu Chen wondered why it had been planning so early and what exactly his transmigration was all about. After reading the scrolls left by the Sum Ancestor, Lu Chen also tried to question the ¡°system.¡± However, the ¡°system¡± remained silent, leaving him with no choice. He could only take things one step at a time, and perhaps once he became a Celestial, he would be able to uncover the secrets of the ¡°system.¡± Chapter 767 - Chapter 767: Chapter 461: The Surrender of Zhao King_1 Chapter 767: Chapter 461: The Surrender of Zhao King_1 After Lu Chen became Emperor, it immediately caused panic among the common people, who all knew about the things Lu Chen had done in the North Country. To avoid causing further panic among the common people, Lu Chen immediately issued some tax reduction policies, temporarily stabilizing them, and he did not immediately have people measure the land. The most important thing now was not the land policy, but to completely quell the civil unrest in Great Sum. Currently, there were mainly two ¡°rebellious¡± forces in Great Sum, one was Zhao King, and the other was Prince Lu Yi. To be honest, Lu Chen did not want to see the soldiers of Great Sum kill each other and deplete Great Sum¡¯s strength, so he decided to resolve the problems from the top down. By directly dealing with Zhao King and Prince Lu Yi, the soldiers around them would naturally submit as well. Before moving against Prince Lu Yi and Zhao King, Lu Chen still decided to give them both a chance, so he immediately issued an announcement, vigorously proclaiming all the evil deeds of the Demon Sect, and he blamed the death of Sum Emperor entirely on the Demon Sect. In the announcement, Lu Chen appealed to all the forces of Great Sum to see the evil nature of the Demon Sect clearly, not to cooperate with the Demon Sect, and if they continued to collaborate with the Demon Sect and sought to split Great Sum, he would send troops to suppress the rebellion. Because newspapers existed, the announcement issued by Lu Chen quickly spread throughout Great Sum in a short time, and naturally, Zhao King and Prince Lu Yi also saw the announcement issued by Lu Chen. Within a certain city. Zhao King was in the courtyard, picking up the newspaper and repeatedly reading the announcement issued by Lu Chen, while his subordinates stood anxiously in front of him. The fact that Lu Chen had four Celestials by his side had long been spread throughout the whole of Great Sum, after all, so many people had been on-site when Lu Chen attacked the Capital city. Once this news spread, it deterred all the forces in Great Sum that were restless. Previously, Great Sum did not have a single Celestial, but now, suddenly four Celestials appeared beside the North Prince, and if they continued to oppose the North Prince, they probably only faced destruction. In recent times, some Aristocratic Families that had supported Zhao King began to distance themselves from him. Although the North Prince was not kind to the Aristocratic Families, he would not massacre the Aristocratic Families outright; at most, he would just take back the land ownership. If those Aristocratic Families continued to follow the rebels, they would likely lose not just their lands but their heads as well. Also because of this, Zhao King¡¯s power weakened significantly, losing a lot of supporters. Seeing Zhao King¡¯s gaze repeatedly returning to the newspaper in his hands, one of his subordinates couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Your Majesty, what should we do next?¡± ¡°The North Prince not only possesses such powerful weapons, but also has four Celestials standing on his side.¡± No sooner had this subordinate finished speaking than another one followed up, saying, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, the announcement issued by the North Prince is clearly directed at us and Prince Lu Yi. If we do not submit to the court, the North Prince will probably treat us as forces colluding with the Demon Sect and exterminate us together.¡± The subordinates of Zhao King were not fools; they could see that Zhao King¡¯s cause was clearly lost. The power of the North Prince was simply too strong. No, they could no longer call him the North Prince, but the new Emperor. The new Emperor had the support of four Celestials, and just because of this, their rebellion had no chance of success. Although they had never seen a real Celestial in action, in their view, a single Celestial could instantly destroy one of their armies. With the Celestials present, they had no chance of victory. Although Zhao King¡¯s subordinates did not say it outright, from their tone, Zhao King could hear that they had already entertained the idea of surrendering. To continue fighting, there was no doubt they would all be doomed. Just then, a soldier ran frantically into the courtyard saying, ¡°Your Majesty, calamity has befallen us, Mu Changtian has arrived at the city outskirts with an army of two hundred thousand!¡± Upon hearing this, Zhao King¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They¡¯ve arrived so quickly! This announcement had just been issued for a few days, and Mu Changtian had already mobilized his troops. At this moment, another soldier ran into the courtyard, ¡°Your Majesty, the North Prince Faction has sent a letter!¡± As the words fell, that soldier handed the letter in his hand to Zhao King. Zhao King frowned, directly took the letter from the soldier¡¯s hand, then opened the envelope, took out the letter, and started to read it carefully. Lu Chen¡¯s meaning was very simple, since Zhao King was his uncle, he would not make things too difficult for him, provided that he was willing to lead his soldiers to surrender, he would not pursue any responsibility. However, from then on, he was never again to be involved in politics. Lu Chen did not plan to purge all members of the Lu Imperial Family; the Royal Family was still of some use to him. If all Royal Family Members were gone, it would likely become impossible to keep a lid on outsiders in the future. Moreover, after Lu Chen examined the scroll in the secret chamber, he found that Zhao King had indeed always been one of the Sum Emperor¡¯s men. It seemed Zhao King had rebelled and was leading an uprising, but he was the first to eliminate other Seigniors, meaning no Seigniors were left in the South. The original plan of the Sum Emperor was to have Zhao King hand over the military power and voluntarily give up his fief after eliminating Lu Chen, and then there would be no more Seigniors in Great Sum. Unfortunately, the Sum Emperor encountered Lu Chen, and his plan failed. With the Sum Emperor¡¯s failure, Zhao King¡¯s position became quite awkward. Sum Emperor and Zhao King had only maintained contact in secret, without the Sum Emperor, the Zhao King was an actual rebel. Chapter 768 - Chapter 768: Chapter 461: The Surrender of Zhao King_2 Chapter 768: Chapter 461: The Surrender of Zhao King_2 Therefore, Lu Chen decided to give Zhao King an opportunity to choose for himself. If Zhao King had thoughts of avenging the Sum Emperor, then Zhao King would be sent to accompany his late father. If Zhao King chose to surrender, then he would be detained in a location and have his fiefdom revoked, never again allowing him to interfere with politics. Zhao King looked at the letter in his hand and fell into deep thought. After a long while, he sighed. It seemed that the dream his elder brother, the Emperor, had failed to achieve would now have to be fulfilled by Lu Chen. It was just uncertain whether Lu Chen was a pawn of some power. But now, it was not up to him to ponder over much. Regardless of whether the words in Lu Chen¡¯s letter were true or false, his only option was to surrender. With this in mind, Zhao King looked up at his subordinates and said, ¡°The new Emperor has sent a letter. He says as long as I willingly relinquish my military power and my fief, he will not hold past actions against me, and you will all remain soldiers of Great Sum.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone in the courtyard fell silent, realizing that the new Emperor¡¯s letter was undoubtedly an attempt to convince them to surrender. But whether the promises made in the letter would be kept was another matter. As a newly enthroned Emperor, he would certainly not tolerate anyone who posed a threat to his rule. In other words, once Zhao King surrendered, it was very likely he would face retribution. Seeing his subordinates fall into silence, Zhao King continued, ¡°You have followed me for decades, and you know that I am not so selfish as to drag you down with me.¡± ¡°Since the tide has turned, I have decided to surrender. If the new Emperor wishes to kill me, then so be it.¡± ¡°You are soldiers of Great Sum, and I believe the new Emperor will not purge you. He harbors great ambition and will want to unify the Celestial realm in time. You will still have a chance to distinguish yourselves in battle.¡± Hearing Zhao King¡¯s words, one of his subordinates stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you must not do this!¡± ¡°Once you truly surrender, the new Emperor will surely go back on his word. You are now the most significant threat to his throne, how could he possibly spare you!¡± Zhao King replied, ¡°There is no need for further discussion, my mind is made up.¡± ¡°So be it. Those who wish to surrender with me, stay; those who do not, head south to join Prince Lu Yi.¡± ¡°Since Prince Lu Yi chose to go south from the beginning, it shows that he is still not willing to let go and still has aspirations for that position. Now is the time when he needs people. If you go south to join him, he will surely value and utilize your service.¡± This¡­ The people in the courtyard exchanged glances, but in the end, no one stepped forward to say they would head south to follow Prince Lu Yi. They all knew very well that with the support of four Celestials, Lu Chen¡¯s imperial seat was secure. Even if they went south to follow Prince Lu Yi, it was unlikely they would end up with a good fate. Rather than that, it was better to surrender now with Zhao King, as he said. The new Emperor aimed to unite the land under one rule, he would need them to conquer other dynasties in the future; they would be of use to him, so it¡¯s very possible he wouldn¡¯t purge them. Seeing that no one came forward, Zhao King continued, ¡°Since you have all made your decision, follow me to the city gates.¡± Thereafter, Zhao King stood up and led his subordinates to the city tower. At that moment, Mu Changtian was already waiting outside the city. He did not order an attack, believing that Zhao King was no fool; after all this time, he should know how to choose. When he saw Zhao King appear on the city tower through his telescope, Mu Changtian immediately shouted loudly, ¡°Zhao King, have you made up your mind?¡± ¡°The new Emperor has been enthroned and has granted amnesty to the realm. You do not want to miss this opportunity.¡± ¡°If there is no answer today, I will attack the city tomorrow.¡± Zhao King glanced at the vast army of the North Country; then he turned to his soldiers and commanded, ¡°Raise the white flag!¡± The soldiers were stunned at these words, but they quickly understood and briskly hoisted the white flag. For those Zhao soldiers who had seen the weapons of North Country, they had no wish to fight; hearing Zhao King¡¯s decision to surrender, they were incredibly thrilled, as this meant they no longer had to face the mysterious weapons of North Country. Ah no, there was no North Country anymore. The North Prince was the new Emperor, and now they would be facing the court. Seeing the white flag raised on the tower, Mu Changtian smiled faintly, but he did not immediately order his troops to advance until the city gate opened and Zhao King came out. Only then did Mu Changtian truly believe that Zhao King had surrendered. Mu Changtian then led the army to the city gates. After dismounting, he looked at Zhao King opposite him and said, ¡°Zhao King, you have made the right choice.¡± Zhao King chuckled and then said, ¡°Whether it is the right choice remains to be seen. Who knows, upon my return to the Capital city, the new Emperor might ¡®reward¡¯ me with a cup of poisoned wine.¡± Mu Changtian replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know about poisoned wine, but as far as I know, the new Emperor is not a man of bloodthirst. Even the family of Qi Prince is living well now.¡± ¡°Not just Qi Prince, but also those Princes of the Capital city are all alive, and even the Palace Maids and Consorts of the Imperial Palace were all released. The new Emperor even abolished human sacrifice.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Zhao King still did not take it seriously and replied, ¡°The new Emperor has just taken the throne; isn¡¯t it expected of him to show some kindness?¡± Chapter 769 - Chapter 769: Chapter 461: The Surrender of Zhao King_3 Chapter 769: Chapter 461: The Surrender of Zhao King_3 ¡°After a while, perhaps not even half a year, those princes of the Capital city will die one by one for various reasons.¡± Mu Changtian didn¡¯t continue to argue but said instead, ¡°Whether His Majesty is that kind of person, after you meet him, I believe you will have your own judgment.¡± At this point, Zhao King spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about me anymore. I¡¯m now very curious about you. How did you survive back then?¡± Mu Changtian calmly replied, ¡°All thanks to His Majesty. Anticipating danger for the Mu Family, he sent people to save us. If not for His Majesty, I probably would have died at the hands of the late emperor¡¯s Shadow Guards long ago.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s answer, Zhao King exclaimed with a sigh, ¡°It seems that everyone was blind to the truth in the past!¡± ¡°Enough about that. I will go with you to the Capital city right now,¡± he said. Having made up his mind, Zhao King thought, if Lu Chen wants to kill, then kill. Just now, on his way to the city tower, he had already sent his trusted aides to flee through the east gate to inform his family of his surrender. If he doesn¡¯t write to them, it would mean he has encountered trouble in the Capital city. By then, his family must immediately find a way to change their identity or find a place to hide. Seeing Zhao King¡¯s forthrightness, Mu Changtian didn¡¯t delay any longer. After taking over Zhao King¡¯s hundreds of thousands of troops, he sent people to escort Zhao King to the Capital city. Meanwhile. In a city in the south. Prince Lu Yi was also holding a newspaper, scanning the announcement issued by Lu Chen. Seeing the content that Lu Chen published, Prince Lu Yi¡¯s face turned incredibly grim. Although he had anticipated that Lu Chen would ascend to that position, he had not expected Lu Chen to actually receive the support of four Celestials. Those are Celestials! Within the forces following him, there wasn¡¯t a single Celestial. What now? Though they¡¯ve created weapons similar to those used by the soldiers of the North Country, their power is significantly weaker, and most importantly, they lack the raw materials to manufacture these weapons. And Lu Chen has already issued his announcement. If he doesn¡¯t surrender, Lu Chen will certainly accuse him of conspiring with the Demon Sect and send a large army to besiege him. Wait a minute¡­ Demon Sect? Prince Lu Yi suddenly remembered something. He once heard from someone in the Taiyin Divine Sect that their Sect Hierarch was a being whose strength surpassed that of a Celestial, but due to some reasons, the Sect Hierarch¡¯s power had not yet recovered. Thinking this, Prince Lu Yi mused that if he could re-establish contact with the Taiyin Divine Sect, perhaps he wasn¡¯t without a chance. But now, the crucial question was how to reconnect with the Taiyin Divine Sect? Previously, he had contacted them through the Xue Family and Xue Linglong. However, that woman Xue Linglong had long since vanished without a trace. There had been news from the North Country a while ago claiming that when Xue Linglong came to see him, she was ambushed by bandits, and they were all killed. Prince Lu Yi naturally didn¡¯t believe that Xue Linglong was dead. After all, she was a member of the Taiyin Divine Sect. Even though he didn¡¯t know her status within the sect, the fact that the sect had sent an Elder to accompany her proved that Xue Linglong had some use to the Taiyin Divine Sect. He didn¡¯t believe that the Taiyin Divine Sect would kill Xue Linglong or let her come to harm. With this in mind, Prince Lu Yi immediately instructed his men, ¡°Start searching for the Crown Princess Consort right away. Use any means necessary to find her.¡± ¡°I want to see her alive, or see her corpse!¡± Chapter 770 - Chapter 770: Chapter 462 This Enchantress!_1 Chapter 770: Chapter 462 This Enchantress!_1 Great Sum Capital City. Imperial Study Room. It was already deep into the night, and the subtle flicker of candlelight filled the tranquil Imperial Study Room, with only the sound of a steel pen scratching against paper. Lu Chen was attending to memorials when Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice erupted from outside the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Your Majesty, the Zhao King seeks an audience!¡± Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°Let him in!¡± The Zhao King then entered the Imperial Study Room and immediately knelt, saying, ¡°This guilty subject pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Uncle, please rise.¡± Upon hearing these words, the Zhao King promptly stood up, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± After the Zhao King rose, he noticed that Lu Chen was not looking at him but was still bent over, holding a steel pen produced in the North Country, continuing to work through the memorials. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Uncle, I am well aware of the secret trades you conducted with my father. That¡¯s why I have given you this opportunity. After all, you have indirectly resolved a great trouble for me.¡± Even if the Sum Emperor did not deal with the Seigniors, the first thing Lu Chen planned to do upon his ascendancy to the throne was to handle the Seigniors within Great Sum¡¯s realm, rendering the Zhao King as having earned merit. Of course, Lu Chen would not reward him openly. The Zhao King promptly said, ¡°This guilty subject does not deserve such praise.¡± Lu Chen continued to work through the memorials, and while flipping through them, he swept a glance at the Zhao King with the corner of his eye, then followed with, ¡°Uncle has made the right choice.¡± ¡°If Uncle had not chosen to surrender in the end, it¡¯s likely that before your confidants could have returned to Zhao Country, the Brocade Guard would have already brought your family members directly to the Capital City.¡± Hearing this, the Zhao King¡¯s heart skipped a beat; he instantly understood the implication behind Lu Chen¡¯s words. Lu Chen was reminding him that he knew about the confidants he sent back to Zhao Country as messengers. The thought made the Zhao King¡¯s forehead bead with sweat involuntarily. Originally, he had thought that if something happened to him and he failed to write home in time, he would tell his family to hide or leave Great Sum. But now it seemed Lu Chen had already placed his family members under surveillance in advance. If something were to happen to him in the Capital City, his family would likely be unable to escape their fate. The Zhao King hastily said, ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s mercy!¡± Lu Chen then casually asked, ¡°I wonder what place Uncle is fond of?¡± The Zhao King understood Lu Chen¡¯s implication once again and immediately said, ¡°This guilty subject enjoys the sea.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°In that case, Uncle will head to Donghai County from now on. I have already sent someone to Zhao Country. Aside from your land, your gold, silver, and treasures will also be sent to Donghai County. In the future, Uncle should not leave Donghai County unless there is something important.¡± The Zhao King knelt down once again, promptly kowtowing to Lu Chen and saying, ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s great grace!¡± The Zhao King had thought that not only would Lu Chen confiscate his lands but would also take his gold and silver wealth. He did not expect that Lu Chen would only take back his lands. With this, even if he went to Donghai County, there would be no problems with his livelihood. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Uncle must be tired from the journey. Go back and rest.¡± Once more, the Zhao King thanked him, ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s concern; this guilty subject takes his leave.¡± The Zhao King then got up and left the Imperial Study Room. Once the Zhao King had stepped out of the Imperial Study Room, he realized his back was completely drenched. The Zhao King was somewhat shocked; from the aura that Lu Chen exuded, he was at least a Grandmaster. Yet, there were Grandmasters among his own subordinates, and the pressure they exerted on him was not as intense, suggesting that Lu Chen¡¯s level was likely above that of a Grandmaster. So young, yet his strength was already so formidable! No wonder those four Celestials had such high regard for Lu Chen, choosing to stand by his side. Perhaps under his leadership, Great Sum could become even stronger. It was just uncertain whether he would eventually settle accounts with the Zhao King¡¯s Mansion. With this thought, the Zhao King could not help but sigh. Although Lu Chen did not seem to have any intention of settling accounts with the Zhao King¡¯s Mansion, there was always the possibility of someone whispering in Lu Chen¡¯s ear. If one day Lu Chen suddenly felt the Zhao King¡¯s Mansion was a threat, it was highly plausible that he would decide to eliminate them. The Zhao King felt a touch of melancholy as he turned his head towards the direction of the palace where the late emperor had lived, and couldn¡¯t help but think that if the Sum Emperor had passed the position of Crown Prince to Lu Chen from the start, none of this would have happened. Unfortunately, there are not so many ¡®what-ifs¡¯ in this world. With no further thought, the Zhao King walked straight towards the exit of the Imperial Palace. Zhao King had just left when the voice of Bai Qingqing came from outside the Imperial Study Room again, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Qin requests an audience!¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Enter.¡± Qin Yushan entered the Imperial Study Room soon after, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen, still without lifting his head, asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Qin Yushan reported, ¡°Upon seeing the decree you issued, Prince Lu Yi does not intend to surrender, and he harbors delusions of colluding with the Taiyin Divine Sect, hoping to use them to continue the rebellion.¡± ¡°During this period, Prince Lu Yi has sent people searching everywhere for Lady Xue¡¯s whereabouts, trying to establish a connection with the Taiyin Divine Sect through Lady Xue.¡± Since Lu Chen had not yet granted titles to his consorts, Qin Yushan still referred to Xue Linglong as Lady Xue. Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s report, Lu Chen stopped writing and looked up at Qin Yushan to ask, ¡°How is their manufacture of gunpowder coming along?¡± Qin Yushan answered, ¡°They have already created some weapons similar to firecrackers, which possess a certain lethality, but are not very powerful.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°Leave this matter to the Sunset Sword Sect, you should speak to Sect Master Xia later.¡± Lu Chen no longer had the inclination to continue this cat-and-mouse game with Lu Yi. Ever since the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall had joined him, Lu Chen considered himself above engaging in such conspiracy and trickery. Since Prince Lu Yi was unwilling to surrender and was even thinking about colluding with the Taiyin Divine Sect, he was an enemy of Great Sum, and there was no need for mercy towards an enemy. Originally, Lu Chen had no intention of killing Lu Yi. Through Xue Linglong, he learned that Lu Yi had long since become incapable of fathering children¡ªessentially, he was a eunuch. Lu Yi posed little threat to the throne, even as the Prince Lu Yi. A prince without heirs, what right did he have to vie for the throne? Therefore, Lu Chen initially bore no malice towards him. But if Lu Yi insisted on courting death, then there was nothing to be done. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave!¡± As Qin Yushan¡¯s words fell, he turned and left the study. Lu Chen continued to deal with official documents for a while. After a long time, the voice of Bai Qingqing came from outside the study once more, but this time it was not about granting an audience. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s late at night, time to rest.¡± Since entering the Capital city, Lu Chen had been busy until late every day. On one hand, he had to study the royal secrets left by the previous emperors, and on the other, he had to process a great number of memorials. His team was still in the North Country, and the current administrative efficiency of the Great Sum court was quite worrisome, with work piling up on Lu Chen¡¯s desk. Upon hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s cool voice, Lu Chen stood up from his seat, stretched, and walked out of the Imperial Study Room. Bai Qingqing asked, ¡°Your Majesty, are you going to visit that lady¡¯s room?¡± The Imperial Palace was large, and although Lu Chen had lived there since childhood, he was not as familiar with it as Bai Qingqing, the former Deputy Commander of the Shadow Guard. So, if Lu Chen wanted to visit a certain palace, Bai Qingqing might still need to guide him. Chen Wanrong and Xue Linglong had already moved into the Harem ahead of others, and Lu Chen¡¯s other consorts would arrive in the Capital city after some time. Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Xue Linglong¡¯s place, it¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve seen her.¡± Bai Qingqing then said, ¡°Yes.¡± She then led Lu Chen to Linglong Palace, where Xue Linglong resided. Just as Lu Chen approached the entrance to Linglong Palace, he sensed voices coming from Xue Linglong¡¯s room. Now a Pseudo Celestial, his perception was very strong, and he could hear even the faintest sounds. ¡°Master¡­ please spare your servant¡­¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Upon hearing this series of sounds, Lu Chen was taken aback. What was Xue Linglong doing? The sounds made him wonder if Xue Linglong was cheating on him. Using Shadow Shifting, Lu Chen arrived at the doorway of Xue Linglong¡¯s chamber. Without waiting for the maids to speak, he pushed open the door of the chamber. Seeing the scene before him, Lu Chen chuckled. This enchantress! Chapter 771 - Chapter 771: Chapter 463 The Plan to Move the Capital_1 Chapter 771: Chapter 463 The Plan to Move the Capital_1 When Lu Chen was still in the North Country, he gave each of his women a wooden doll in his likeness. The craftsmen of the North Prince Mansion were very skilled, and the carved dolls closely resembled him. At the time, Chu Yuqin had even warned Lu Chen that giving away dolls could lead to some people using them to curse him. Lu Chen never saw anyone curse him using a doll in his likeness, but now he did see someone using a doll to do something bad. Seeing the door of the sleeping chambers suddenly flung open, Xue Linglong¡¯s soul nearly flew out in fright, and she hurriedly stuffed the doll in her hand under the covers. Since Lu Chen entered the Capital city, he had been too busy to visit Xue Linglong, mainly because Linglong Palace was quite far from the Imperial Study Room, and he slept in his own chambers. He occasionally visited Chen Wanrong, but most of the time, he simply slept while embracing Bai Qingqing, who was not only the maidservant attending to him but also his personal body pillow. This was Lu Chen¡¯s first time at Linglong Palace, and on his first visit here, he noticed Xue Linglong, that bewitching woman, using his doll to commit misdeeds. Lu Chen thought to himself that he should have known better than to let the craftsman make his doll so exquisitely, so smooth. At that moment, Lu Chen glared at Xue Linglong and scolded her, ¡°Sorceress, you have quite the nerve, using my doll for such acts. Are you trying to suffocate me with the Witch Worm Skill?¡± On hearing this, Xue Linglong immediately panicked, quickly kneeling on the bed and saying, ¡°Your Majesty, I know I was wrong, I will never dare to do it again.¡± Xue Linglong, with her delicate and exquisite figure, knelt on the bed, looking even more alluring. Although Xue Linglong¡¯s expression of fear was somewhat exaggerated, with an element of performance, she was indeed quite afraid inside. After all, using Lu Chen¡¯s doll in that way, in ancient times, entire families were often exterminated due to the Witch Worm Skill. Those who practiced the Witch Worm Skill used straw men, but she had used Lu Chen¡¯s doll, and such an exquisite one at that, highly resembling Lu Chen. No one knew if Lu Chen would be offended by such acts, and if he truly got angry, she might be tortured to death. Thinking of this, Xue Linglong¡¯s delicate body trembled slightly. Xue Linglong felt a small wave of emotions in her heart. This heartless man, since he entered the Capital city, had been so busy every day, never once looking for her. And yet he came today of all days. Wasn¡¯t he very busy? What was he doing at Linglong Palace! And just today, when she used the doll to commit a bad act for the first time, he happened to walk in on her. At this time, Lu Chen snorted coldly, ¡°You know you were wrong?¡± ¡°Would a sorceress like you recognize your own faults?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see how I deal with you tonight!¡± With these words, Lu Chen¡¯s Shadow Shifting technique brought him to the bedside in an instant. Before Xue Linglong could say anything further, she was pressed down by Lu Chen. Soon, the candlelight in Linglong Palace flickered, and Xue Linglong¡¯s voice could be heard continuously. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± ¡°Mmm, mmm¡­¡± ¡°Master, I will never dare again¡­¡± ¡°Ying, ying, ying¡­¡± ¡­ At this time, Bai Qingqing silently closed the door of Linglong Palace and then went to a side chamber to sit and rest. As the sky gradually brightened, Xue Linglong finally lost her strength, her entire being thoroughly wilted, leaving her at the mercy of Lu Chen¡¯s punishment. Seeing the first rays of sunlight from dawn shining through the window, Lu Chen realized it was already morning. Although he hadn¡¯t slept all night, Lu Chen felt refreshed. Since entering the Capital city, he had been busy dealing with various matters every day and had hardly had the chance to release his suppressed emotions like this. Now a Pseudo Celestial, not sleeping for one night would not cause any significant problems to his body. Lu Chen glanced at the enchantress beside him and then spoke, ¡°This time I will spare you, but if I see you using my effigy for filthy deeds again, I will punish you even more severely.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong not only refrained from pleading for mercy but instead responded wearily but stubbornly, ¡°I am but Your Majesty¡¯s plaything; if it comes to it, just play me to death.¡± With a chuckle, Lu Chen then said, ¡°It seems you aren¡¯t convinced, are you?¡± Xue Linglong¡¯s body shook slightly as she hurriedly responded, ¡°I am convinced, utterly convinced. It is an honor to be played with by Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°In recent days, I received intelligence that my brother Yi, in order to forge ties with the Taiyin Divine Sect, is sending people everywhere to find you.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong was startled, and she then turned to look at Lu Chen beside her, ¡°No wonder you thought of coming to me last night.¡± ¡°How was it? Is another man¡¯s woman to your liking?¡± Having been with Lu Chen for some time, Xue Linglong knew him well enough; this man loved playing identity games the most. Lu Chen must have come to her yesterday because he thought of Lu Yi looking for her, and his peculiar fondness was awakened, leading him to come over to deal with her. It just so happened that he caught her misusing his wooden doll, giving him an excuse to ravish her. On hearing Xue Linglong¡¯s words, Lu Chen raised her chin with his hand, gazing into her bewitching and captivating face, ¡°Indeed, not bad.¡± At that moment, Xue Linglong said, ¡°Daylight has broken, and Your Majesty still has many affairs of state to manage, so I won¡¯t keep you.¡± Chapter 772 - Chapter 772: Chapter 463 The Plan to Move the Capital_2 Chapter 772: Chapter 463 The Plan to Move the Capital_2 Lu Chen gazed into Xue Linglong¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Are you trying to hasten my departure?¡± With coquettish eyes glistening like silk, Xue Linglong said, ¡°How would this slave dare to send Your Majesty away? I am merely worried about delaying Your Majesty¡¯s handling of state affairs. If I were to cause any delay, what should I do if someone impeaches me for bringing disaster upon the nation?¡± Lu Chen let go of Xue Linglong and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re a bewitching woman, shouldn¡¯t you be bringing disaster upon the nation?¡± Xue Linglong responded, ¡°This slave indeed wishes to bring disaster upon the nation, but with so many stunning women in Your Majesty¡¯s harem, it surely wouldn¡¯t be my turn to do so.¡± At this point, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°When does Your Majesty plan to bring the royal consorts to the Capital city?¡± Hearing this question, Lu Chen pondered for a moment then said, ¡°I do not plan to bring them over for now. The Capital city is too backward. If they were to move here, they would find it hard to adapt to the life in the Capital city.¡± The North Prince Mansion in the North Country now had electricity, and with the presence of trains and various novel items, Mu Zixuan and the others had long since grown accustomed to life in the North Country. Having them come to the Capital city, where even relieving themselves would require chamber pots and bathing meant using tubs, they would probably find it hard to adjust. Even Lu Chen himself was not accustomed to it, and he had begun to entertain the idea of relocating the capital. At this moment, Lu Chen released Xue Linglong¡¯s supple body and slowly sat up from the bed, ¡°You rest well, I shall return tonight.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong¡¯s delicate body trembled once more, and she hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, please bestow your favor evenly. I heard that Master Chen will be returning to the Mysterious Moon Palace soon. It would be best if you visited her more often during this period.¡± Lu Chen snorted coldly and then said to Xue Linglong, ¡°Last night, you used a puppet to cast the Witch Worm Skill on me, attempting to suffocate me. How could I possibly let you off so easily!¡± At these words, Xue Linglong¡¯s cheeks immediately flushed red, and she quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, this slave knows nothing of the Witch Worm Skill, and that puppet was a gift from you. Since Your Majesty gave it to this slave, surely it¡¯s all right for this slave to use it.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Sorceress, spare me those words. For the next seven days, you are to wash thoroughly and wait for me in bed every night!¡± This¡­ Xue Linglong immediately felt a faint pain in her stomach. This despicable man, ever since becoming Emperor, has grown ever more fierce. If he¡¯s going to relocate the capital, he should do it quickly. If they returned to Yan County soon, she could catch her breath. As long as they returned to Yan County, his attention wouldn¡¯t be focused on her anymore. Xue Linglong pretended to be pitiful and said, ¡°This slave understands.¡± Lu Chen laughed with a humph and then said, ¡°Acting pitiful is useless. Unless you are with child with my progeny, I shall certainly frequent your chambers.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong instantly understood his intent¡ªthis despicable man was intent on impregnating her. Lu Chen said nothing further and got up, Xue Linglong quickly followed suit, enduring her discomfort to help Lu Chen get dressed. After getting dressed, Lu Chen left Linglong Palace directly. Watching his receding figure, Xue Linglong hastily circulated her energy and chuckled softly, murmuring to herself, ¡°Dream on if you think you can impregnate me!¡± As she spoke, Xue Linglong exercised her energy to expel the impurities from her body. Although Xue Linglong had resigned herself to slavery, she only enjoyed being tormented by Lu Chen; she had no desire to bear children for this breeding bull. In the following days, Lu Chen indeed visited Linglong Palace every day. Xue Linglong felt completely disoriented, as if her body was no longer her own. Latterly, Xue Linglong wised up and at night went to the sleeping chamber where Chen Wanrong resided. With Chen Wanrong¡¯s assistance, Xue Linglong finally escaped her plight. One month later. Most matters of the Capital city had been settled. The Sum Emperor had been entombed, and though the Sum Emperor¡¯s body was gone, a ceremonial coffin was still necessary. With the passing of the Sum Emperor, Lu Chen officially ascended to the throne, and Great Sum welcomed the new Emperor¡¯s first session of court politics. Xuanzheng Hall. Today, Xuanzheng Hall was silent as an echoless chamber; the officials of Great Sum awaited Lu Chen¡¯s arrival in subdued anticipation. Even though Lu Chen had shown great magnanimity during the past month and had not pursued accounts with them, it was only because the Sum Emperor had not yet been interred. Now that the Sum Emperor had been interred prematurely and Lu Chen had officially ascended to the throne, whether he would address certain officials was yet to be seen. Just then, a woman¡¯s voice rang in the hall, ¡°The Emperor arrives!¡± Hearing a woman¡¯s voice, the court officials were taken aback; women had never before appeared in the imperial court. Now, on Lu Chen¡¯s first day of court governance, a woman had entered the Xuanzheng Hall, which seemed somewhat inappropriate. Soon after, Lu Chen, dressed in a golden yellow dragon robe, slowly made his way to the Dragon Throne within the great hall. Situ Ce immediately led all the civil and military officials to kneel down, ¡°Long live our Emperor, long live, long live!¡± In an indifferent voice, Lu Chen said, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Bai Qingqing then announced, ¡°Those who have matters present them, those who do not may leave the court!¡± No sooner had the words been spoken than a minister from the Ministry of Rites could hold back no longer and stepped forward to say, ¡°Your Majesty, historically, no woman has ever set foot in the imperial court¡­¡± Before the minister from the Ministry of Rites could finish, Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°I have decided, henceforth, to abolish the eunuch system.¡± Chapter 773 - Chapter 773: Chapter 463 The Plan to Move the Capital_3 Chapter 773: Chapter 463 The Plan to Move the Capital_3 Hearing this, the Minister of Rites hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, that must not be done! If the eunuch system is abolished, what shall be done if thieves harm the Harem?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°When Great Ancestor founded the Great Xia Dynasty, there were no eunuchs. Why weren¡¯t there incidents of people causing chaos in the Harem then?¡± ¡°Since ancient times, those who have caused chaos in the Harem were mostly from the Imperial Guard. Does Your Majesty intend to make all those guards into eunuchs?¡± This¡­ Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the ministers were momentarily stunned. However, some ministers quickly realized that without eunuchs and the Castrated Faction, wouldn¡¯t the new Emperor naturally lack a faction of power by his side? For the civil officials, this was an excellent matter! At that moment, the Minister of Revenue quickly stood up and said, ¡°This minister supports His Majesty¡¯s decision; artificially creating eunuchs is indeed against heaven and nature.¡± After the Minister of Revenue spoke, Lin Gaoyuan also said, ¡°This minister also supports His Majesty¡¯s decision. What eunuchs can do, women can do as well, so there truly is no need to create more eunuchs.¡± This is the Martial Arts World, where many women have trained in martial arts. Their physical abilities are very strong, and those eunuchs in the Imperial Palace might not be more formidable than these martially trained women. Moreover, controlling a woman¡¯s menstrual cycle is also not a difficult task in this world, so it¡¯s indeed feasible for the Imperial Palace to be staffed with women and male members of the Imperial Guard without needing eunuchs. At this point, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s settle this matter as such. This is a minor issue and we should not waste too much time on it.¡± This¡­ When the officials heard Lu Chen say this was a minor issue, they were immediately unsettled. Abolishing the ancient system of eunuchs was deemed a minor matter by Lu Chen¡ªwhat then would he consider a major issue? Lu Chen continued, ¡°I plan to relocate the capital to Yan County. What are my beloved subjects¡¯ opinions on this?¡± With those words, it was as if a bomb had exploded, sending the entire court into a frenzy. The new Emperor actually plans to relocate the capital! How could this be allowed? Since Great Ancestor, their capital had been here¡ªhow could they just relocate the capital? The entire court began murmuring to each other, turning the grand hall into a marketplace. At this point, Lin Gaoyuan again stood up, ¡°This minister supports His Majesty¡¯s decision.¡± Upon hearing Lin Gaoyuan¡¯s statement, the people were stunned. What? Lin Gaoyuan actually agrees with the new Emperor¡¯s decision to relocate the capital? The Lin Family had been in the Capital city for who knows how many generations¡ªwasn¡¯t he considering his own family¡¯s situation? What was Lin Gaoyuan thinking? Could it be that Lin Gaoyuan feared retribution from Lu Chen for being a minister of the previous Emperor and thus was eagerly supporting the new Emperor¡¯s call to relocate the capital? At this point, the Minister of Rites stood out and said, ¡°Your Majesty, since Great Ancestor, the Capital city has always been the capital. To relocate now would be a grand act of filial impiety!¡± For the royal family, the Capital city was the land of their ancestors. The fact that Lu Chen sought to forsake the ancestral land upon his ascension was a great disrespect to his forebears. As soon as the Minister of Rites finished speaking, many stubborn conservatives stood up, opposing the relocation. Lu Chen had anticipated the opposition, and after the hall quieted down somewhat from the commotion, he spoke up, ¡°What I mean by relocating the capital is not to move everything from the Capital city to Yan County.¡± ¡°I simply plan to establish another capital in Yan County and set up an additional court there. Those willing to accompany me to Yan County, follow me; those who do not wish to go, may stay in the Capital city.¡± Hearing this, the Minister of Revenue said, ¡°Your Majesty, this could lead to the phenomenon of excessive officials.¡± Two sets of government officials, and double the official positions¡ªwouldn¡¯t this mean that the salaries for these officials would effectively double? Lu Chen replied, ¡°To me, the current number of officials is far from excessive. In the future, I will need even more ministers to manage my realm for me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen speak in such a manner, the civil and martial officials of the court instantly perceived Lu Chen¡¯s ambition. If Lu Chen truly intended to unify the land and subdue the other great dynasties, then the current number of officials would indeed be insufficient for governing the wider realm. Seeing the court officials fall silent, Lu Chen said, ¡°I give you all one month to think it over. I will send a Great Scholar to the Capital city. Those who wish to accompany me northward shall come with me, and those who prefer not to, shall remain in the Capital city to assist the Great Scholar with state affairs.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the officials looked at one another uneasily. There had never before been two different courts. Two courts could signify division, and what if the officials who stayed in the Capital city harbored thoughts of collusion with a Prince to invoke a split? The audacity of the new Emperor was too great! Chapter 774 - Chapter 774: Chapter 464: Chen Wanrong Wants to Go Back_1 Chapter 774: Chapter 464: Chen Wanrong Wants to Go Back_1 Lu Chen naturally had considered the possibility of division by establishing two courts, but for him, establishing dual courts was merely a temporary transition. Once the transition period ended, the court in the Capital City would definitely be gradually disbanded, and he would dispatch his most trusted officials to the Capital City, as well as station his most trusted troops there. Of course, the most critical point was that he would also bring his brothers and sisters to Yan County; he would not leave those princes behind in the Capital City. By then, the officials remaining in the Capital City wouldn¡¯t have any significant matters to attend to; they would effectively be in the Capital City to retire and guard the Lu family¡¯s ancestral tombs. Seeing that the ministers in the court had ceased further discussion, Lu Chen knew they must have accepted his proposal, so he continued, ¡°After the relocation of the capital, it may be possible to relocate back to the Capital City in the future. Once I have completed the tasks at hand, I plan to build a new Capital City.¡± ¡°If my ministers have no other opinions, feel free to express them now,¡± he added. At this moment, Situ Ce stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, this official has heard that the North Country possesses something known as a ¡®fire train,¡¯ which can not only travel a thousand miles in a day but also doesn¡¯t need to stop and rest. Is this true?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Indeed, it exists. Once you all arrive at Anping City, you¡¯ll be able to take the fire train northwards. From Anping City to Yan County will take only a day or two.¡± Situ Ce said, ¡°This official suggests that after the relocation, we construct a railway track from Yan County to the Capital City. That way, in the future, it will be more convenient for the citizens of the Capital City who wish to travel north and for those in Yan County who wish to travel south.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°When I was in Qi Country, I had already ordered the laying of rails; within a year, the fire train should be able to reach the Capital City.¡± Situ Ce declared, ¡°Your Majesty is wise!¡± With the fire train as a means of transportation, the future travel time from Yan County to the Capital City would be greatly reduced. In this way, even if the capital was relocated to Yan County, Lu Chen could still firmly control the power in the Capital City. Seeing that no one else spoke up, Lu Chen then said, ¡°If no one else has any other opinions, let us settle the matter of relocation. After today¡¯s court session, each of you should write a memorial, outlining your thoughts on the relocation, as well as whether you are willing to accompany me north in your memorials.¡± ¡°I can assure you all here that whether you accompany me north lies entirely in your personal will. I will not make things difficult for you. Even if you do not go north and stay in the Capital City, I will still arrange some matters for you to handle.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s assurance, the ministers uniformly exclaimed, ¡°His Majesty is sagacious!¡± Lu Chen actually intended to keep those of the conservative faction in the Capital City; these conservatives were not easy to kill. If an emperor killed indiscriminately, others would not trust you in the future. Even if Lu Chen had absolute martial power, he would not act recklessly, as an emperor had to properly balance benevolence and authority. However, Lu Chen was a man set on achieving great things, and if he brought the conservative faction north, it would be difficult to implement some policies in the future. His team had to consist of officials with drive. In this relocation, those who remained were sure to be mostly conservative officials, which was perfect for leaving these sly old foxes behind to guard the ancestral tombs. At this point, Lu Chen asked, ¡°I have finished stating my affairs. Do my ministers have anything else to discuss?¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, a minister stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, most of the princes have come of age and it¡¯s time for them to be granted their fiefs.¡± Upon hearing this, the ministers tensed up inside. Although they all knew that fiefs may no longer be granted, they still wanted to test Lu Chen¡¯s intentions. Lu Chen glanced at the several princes standing in the grand hall and chuckled to himself. He could tell they were still harboring delusions of escaping his control to enjoy unfettered freedom. But he would not give them that opportunity. Lu Chen then said, ¡°You have reminded me of something, and I had almost forgotten there is still one more matter.¡± ¡°Effective immediately, Great Sum abolishes the feudal system and fully adopts the county system, hereafter maintaining noble titles only for the privileges of gold and silver.¡± As this statement was made, the great hall instantly fell silent, and the fists of the several Princes standing beside the ministers clenched in an instant, for they knew Lu Chen was going to proceed in this way. At that moment, a conservative minister stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, it must not be done, the feudal enfeoffment system is a time-honored tradition, how can it be abolished just like that.¡± Lu Chen immediately replied, ¡°I already have ten children this year, but I am only in my twenties, plus I can live a thousand years at the very least. By that calculation, when I pass away, I would have either a thousand or eight hundred offspring.¡± ¡°If my children have children, and their children have children, does that mean everyone should be made a Prince?¡± ¡°If everyone were to be made a Prince, in less than a thousand years, Great Xia would have tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Princes; I fear that we could not even accommodate them all, even if we included the lands of the major empires.¡± This¡­ Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the court ministers were speechless, and they couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could the new Emperor be so fertile? Isn¡¯t he already of a strength above that of a Grandmaster? Generally speaking, the higher one¡¯s Martial Arts Realm, the more difficult it is to have offspring. And the more one practices martial arts, the more one must abstain from sensual pleasures, so how does the new Emperor have ten children already this year? Lu Chen continued, ¡°The Great Ancestor implemented the feudal enfeoffment system out of necessity, as he was unable to control all the lands of Great Xia and had to assign Princes to govern them.¡± ¡°But times have changed. Now Great Xia doesn¡¯t need any Seigniors; I am perfectly capable of managing all the lands. If one day Great Xia expands to the extent that even I can¡¯t manage it, then I would consider feudal enfeoffment.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words carried a tremendous weight; he was essentially telling the entire court that he intended to wipe out other empires and expand the territory of Great Xia. With Lu Chen having said so much, no minister dared to say anything further. They all understood that the abolition of the feudal enfeoffment system was inevitable, and from now on, the lives of the Emperor¡¯s principled princes and grandsons would probably become more difficult. At this moment, Lu Chen scanned the people in the great hall and then said, ¡°Let this matter be settled. My beloved subjects, do you have any other matters?¡± Then another minister stood up to discuss the affairs of Prince Lu Yi. After the matters of Prince Lu Yi were discussed, the ministers brought up many other issues. After all, this was Lu Chen¡¯s first court meeting, and it was natural that many matters had accumulated over time. However, many of these issues actually didn¡¯t require his attention, but the ministers insisted on reporting them. Lu Chen was thinking that he should promptly relocate the capital to Yan County and leave all these matters to Zhuge Zhongguang to deal with. Lu Chen¡¯s first court meeting took an entire day, and the ministers even had their lunch in Xuanzheng Hall. Lu Chen felt the substantial burden of being Emperor; although wielding immense power and able to have whatever he desired, there were indeed countless matters to attend to. Lu Chen suddenly had the urge to become a negligent ruler and abandon all responsibilities. Being Emperor was too exhausting. In the evening, after the court was dismissed, Lu Chen felt exceptionally weary. He was about to return to his sleeping quarters when a palace maid approached him and said, ¡°This servant greets Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen recognized at a glance that this maid was from the Snowstorm Palace and promptly asked, ¡°What is it?¡± The maid replied, ¡°Madam Chen said she is about to return to Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Upon hearing these words, Lu Chen paused for a moment and then stated, ¡°I am aware.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen proceeded to visit Chen Wanrong. Chapter 775 - Chapter 775: Chapter 465 Next year I will come down the mountain to find you_1 Chapter 775: Chapter 465 Next year I will come down the mountain to find you_1 ¡°` Chen Wanrong stayed originally to represent the Mysterious Moon Palace at Lu Chen¡¯s enthronement ceremony, but now that Lu Chen has ascended to the throne, it¡¯s time for her to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace, where a pile of affairs await her attention. It was natural for Chen Wanrong to find it hard to part with Lu Chen. Having spent so much time with him, she had a clear understanding of the kind of person he was. Though Lu Chen had a fondness for beauty, he had a very specific objective behind it¡ªto have his wives and concubines bear his children. Of course, this wasn¡¯t to say that he treated his wives and concubines merely as tools for procreation. Lu Chen was very good to his women, even to the Demon Sect Sorceress Xue Linglong. Although he was quite fierce with Xue Linglong in bed, once it was over, Lu Chen would show his care for her. In the past, Chen Wanrong thought that something must have influenced her to develop feelings for Lu Chen, but now she genuinely believed that she had fallen in love with this little scoundrel. As for Lu Chen¡¯s penchant for the opposite sex, Chen Wanrong had managed to completely overlook it. In fact, in her eyes, it was no longer a flaw, since she knew she couldn¡¯t monopolize Lu Chen. Now that her vengeance was fulfilled and restoring her homeland had become a hopeless dream, the only pillar of support she had left was this scoundrel, Lu Chen. The thought of having to leave Lu Chen soon and not being able to see this scoundrel for a long time caused Chen Wanrong to sigh softly. As Chen Wanrong sighed, the palace door opened and Lu Chen appeared at the doorway, smiling as he said, ¡°Darling, are you sighing because you can¡¯t bear to leave me?¡± As the words left his mouth, he surveyed Chen Wanrong. Chen Wanrong was dressed in a cyan palace outfit, the sheer fabric clinging to her exquisite figure, highlighting her curvaceous shape. Her hair was coiled up, her alabaster neck revealed, and she exuded a noble air¡ªChen Wanrong looked even more like a princess of a nation now. Seeing this scoundrel, Lu Chen, arrive, Chen Wanrong said emotionlessly, ¡°Your Majesty is now the Emperor, why do you still refer to yourself in such a personal manner?¡± In this era of strict social hierarchy, titles were of great importance, as they denoted one¡¯s rank. With Shadow Shifting, Lu Chen instantly moved to Chen Wanrong¡¯s side and hugged her tender body without hesitation, whispering in her ear, ¡°I have said, outside, I am the sovereign, but in my Harem, before my women, I am merely your darling.¡± ¡°If I were to be so distant with my darling, wouldn¡¯t I be a man all alone? I have no wish to be a solitary figure.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the corners of Chen Wanrong¡¯s mouth lifted unconsciously; one reason she liked this man was just that. Even though he possessed supreme power, he remained sincere to his women. There are some who drastically change their personalities once they acquire power, turning into people completely alien to those who knew them before. Although Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t know if Lu Chen would change in the future, at least for now, he hadn¡¯t. It was at this moment that Chen Wanrong felt Lu Chen¡¯s hand on her buttocks, starting to cause mischief. From the day she met him until now, this scoundrel hadn¡¯t changed a bit. Then Lu Chen asked, ¡°Rongrong, do you really plan to go back?¡± Chen Wanrong replied, ¡°Master has sent word that there are many matters at the Mysterious Moon Palace waiting for me to handle on my return.¡± At that time, Lu Chen¡¯s other hand was on Chen Wanrong¡¯s waistband, untying it while saying, ¡°Didn¡¯t she go back? Why must you be the one to handle things?¡± ¡°Who knows when you¡¯ll come down the mountain after you go back this time.¡± ¡°` Chen Wanrong immediately said, ¡°Next year.¡± Upon hearing these words, Lu Chen gazed into Chen Wanrong¡¯s phoenix eyes. Her eyelashes were curved, her eyes clear, but they also appeared extremely gentle. Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°After dealing with the internal affairs of the Mysterious Moon Palace, I will come down the mountain to find you next year.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s rare, you know, to hear such proactive words from your lips. My lady has finally seen the light.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Chen Wanrong¡¯s expression instantly turned cold again; then she said, ¡°My coming to find you is merely for cultivation; don¡¯t overthink it.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen laid Chen Wanrong down on the bed, her beautiful hair instantly spreading out on the bed. Her belt had already come undone, revealing the white undergarment inside. Looking down at her from above, Lu Chen said, ¡°My darling, we have already consummated our marriage countless times, yet you¡¯re still so reserved.¡± Chen Wanrong lay on the bed, simply staring into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, without any avoidance in her gaze or change in her expression, just looking at him. While Lu Chen continued to make his moves, Chen Wanrong suddenly let out a soft ¡°mm¡± from her lips. Hearing this sound, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Then Lu Chen leaned down and whispered in her ear, ¡°Fairy, how about we try a bit harder tonight to have my child? That way, your master may allow you to stay by my side for a longer time.¡± Hearing the deep sound of Lu Chen¡¯s voice, a blush spread across Chen Wanrong¡¯s icy cheeks, yet she still replied in a calm tone, ¡°It¡¯s not so easy for a Martial Artist to become pregnant.¡± Lu Chen raised his head slightly and once again gazed at Chen Wanrong¡¯s beauty that could topple kingdoms and states. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s heart became restless. Just as Lu Chen was about to take liberties, Chen Wanrong spoke again, ¡°Will the Emperor change because he has gained power?¡± At this question, Lu Chen was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected Chen Wanrong to ask such a thing. After regaining his composure, Lu Chen replied, ¡°That¡¯s hard to say; the future is unpredictable.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Chen Wanrong¡¯s face showed no change, but there was a faint sense of loss in her heart. She knew that people do change, like how she was a lively and cheerful girl when she was young, until her kingdom was destroyed. After that, she became silent and increasingly cold, until she met this bad man. Although she knew people change, Chen Wanrong still wanted some assurances from Lu Chen, if only for some peace of mind. At this moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°But one thing you can rest assured of, even if my personality changes, my feelings towards you will not. I will always like you, like the fragrance you carry, like your beauty that outshines the fish and eclipses the geese, like your cool and noble temperament, like the sounds you make when we make love.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong¡¯s heart trembled slightly, but she quickly reacted with a cold response, ¡°Smooth talker.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Whether I¡¯m a smooth talker or not, we¡¯ll know in a hundred years, or maybe a thousand years.¡± Chen Wanrong gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and continued to ask, ¡°You must have said this to all your wives and concubines, right?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°So far, I have said it only to you.¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Now that I am your woman and cannot leave you, there¡¯s really no need for you to sweet-talk me.¡± Chapter 776 - Chapter 776: Chapter 466 Chen Wanrong Leaves_1 Chapter 776: Chapter 466 Chen Wanrong Leaves_1 Upon hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°How can this be considered sweet nothings? What I¡¯m saying is from the bottom of my heart.¡± At this time, Chen Wanrong no longer spoke; she just quietly gazed at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face. Suddenly the bedroom was enveloped in an immense silence, as the two of them just looked at each other. After a while, Chen Wanrong took the lead and asked, ¡°I¡¯m returning tomorrow, does Your Majesty not intend to do something to me?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen, like a wolf given permission to feast, leaned down and sealed Chen Wanrong¡¯s soft red lips with his own. After Chen Wanrong made a couple of muffled sounds, she surrendered herself completely to Lu Chen, letting him have his way with her. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s fervent desire for her body, Chen Wanrong couldn¡¯t help but feel an immense warmth in her heart; the sweet nothings he had just spoken also played a big role. Chen Wanrong of course knew that Lu Chen must have said the same, or similar things to his other concubines, but her heart still felt very happy. She didn¡¯t know what the future held, but at the very least, the man before her couldn¡¯t resist her body now; she just needed to seize the present. ¡­ Linglong Palace. Xue Linglong, realizing that the sky had darkened, thought that Lu Chen would likely come to her tonight, as the man had been in the Xuanzheng Hall all day dealing with various state affairs; he probably needed to release the pent-up energy now. No, she must hurry to find Chen Wanrong, to spare herself tonight¡¯s ordeal. With that thought, Xue Linglong directly headed for the Snowstorm Palace, but as soon as she entered, she faintly heard the voices of Chen Wanrong and that dog of a man. ¡°Hmm hmm¡­ darling¡­¡± ¡°Fairy, you¡¯ll never escape the palm of my hand in this lifetime, I must make sure you conceive tonight.¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­ not like this¡­¡± ¡°My good Rongrong¡­¡± ¡°Good big brother¡­¡± ¡­ Hearing the dialogue between the two, Xue Linglong first froze in shock, then internally rejoiced. She hadn¡¯t expected the guy to have already gone to Chen Wanrong! Immediately turning around, Xue Linglong hurriedly sped up her pace to leave Snowstorm Palace, to avoid being detected by Lu Chen and then being dragged into it as well. Soon Xue Linglong returned to Linglong Palace, feeling fortunate to have escaped tonight¡¯s disaster, unaware that Chen Wanrong was leaving the capital city for Mysterious Moon Palace tomorrow. Once Chen Wanrong returned to the Mysterious Moon Palace, only she and Bai Qingqing would remain by Lu Chen¡¯s side. Her dark days were about to begin. ¡­ At dawn, a ray of sunlight crept over the windowsill, pouring into the room and illuminating their translucent bodies. Feeling the warm sunlight, Lu Chen and Chen Wanrong realized that day had broken. Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue his mischief; he slowly got up, propped his hands on either side of Chen Wanrong¡¯s head, and gazed at her. Chen Wanrong¡¯s hair was disheveled, beads of sweat on her forehead dampened her hair, her face flushed with a rosy glow; Lu Chen let out a soft sigh. Seeing Lu Chen sigh, Chen Wanrong asked with confusion, ¡°Why does Your Majesty sigh?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t immediately respond to Chen Wanrong¡¯s question; he opened the system interface once again and glanced at it, but the interface still showed no notification. After trying hard all night, Chen Wanrong had not conceived. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Unfortunately, I still couldn¡¯t make you pregnant with my child.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong said softly, ¡°Does Your Majesty really wish for me to bear your children that much?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Naturally.¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Your Majesty has already entered the Unity Realm, and we will have many days together in the future. Why must you be in such a hurry?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That is true.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen brushed aside the wisps of hair by Chen Wanrong¡¯s temples and then said, ¡°Next time you return, I will grant you the status of a Noble Concubine. How does that sound?¡± Chen Wanrong answered, ¡°Titles mean nothing to me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Still, the titles that should be given must be offered.¡± At that point, Lu Chen leaned down, kissing Chen Wanrong¡¯s red lips. After they kissed for a while, they parted reluctantly. Looking into Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen said, ¡°Rongrong, your body is truly beautiful, like a piece of art. I wish you could stay by my side forever so that I could admire your beautiful form every day.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong¡¯s cheeks, already flushed with crimson, turned even redder. Chen Wanrong was well aware of Lu Chen¡¯s deep affection for her body, but in her eyes, what they did was ultimately not of any serious matter. After calming the emotions in her heart, Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Your Majesty, dawn has broken; it¡¯s time for me to return.¡± Although Lu Chen was reluctant to let her go, he eventually got up slowly. ¡°You promised to come find me next year, don¡¯t forget. If you don¡¯t come down the mountain by then, I will come up to seek you myself, and you won¡¯t be able to get out of bed for ten days to half a month.¡± Facing Lu Chen¡¯s threat, Chen Wanrong kept a calm expression, ¡°I have said I will come, and I certainly will, even if my master tries to stop me. I will find a way to see you anyway.¡± Lu Chen lifted his hand, caressing Chen Wanrong¡¯s jade cheek. Bathed in sunlight, her form radiated a holy glow, making it hard for Lu Chen to let her go. At this moment, Lu Chen seemed to recall something and then said, ¡°Before you go, call me ¡®darling¡¯ again.¡± Chen Wanrong normally would not call him ¡®darling¡¯ when sober, only letting it slip uncontrollably during their illicit moments. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s request, Chen Wanrong hesitated for a moment, but eventually murmured softly, ¡°Darling¡­¡± Seeing the ice beauty¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen lost his restraint once more. He rolled over and captured Chen Wanrong¡¯s red lips again. The pair continued their mischief for an unknown duration. Yet, in the end, Lu Chen let Chen Wanrong leave. After Chen Wanrong¡¯s departure, Lu Chen refocused on government affairs in the following days. There was much to do for the capital relocation, and with Zhuge Zhongguang not in the Capital city, everything required Lu Chen¡¯s direct attention, keeping him very busy. Meanwhile. In the southern region of Great Sun, Bing Nan City. After occupying Bing Nan City, the Taiyin Divine Sect made it their stronghold. In the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, there was a vast Blood Pool with a red orb in the middle, continuously absorbing the blood from within the pool. At this moment, an Elder approached the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. ¡°Sect Hierarch, we have learned that the former Crown Prince Lu Yi is actively searching for Xue Linglong, seeking to establish a connection with our sect through her.¡± Hearing this, the blood orb in the pool immediately responded. ¡°Send someone to connect with him proactively. It just so happens I need a pawn.¡± ¡°Yes, Sect Hierarch!¡± ¡°I take my leave!¡± Soon, the Elder left the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. After the Elder¡¯s departure, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect murmured to himself, ¡°I did not expect Lu Chen to have four Celestials by his side. It will be difficult to approach him.¡± When Lu Chen entered the Capital city and became the new Empress, the news of the four Celestials around him reached the ears of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, for many had witnessed the scene on the day the city was seized; it could not be concealed. Knowing the presence of the four Celestials by Lu Chen¡¯s side, the Taiyin Sect Hierarch became even more certain of Lu Chen¡¯s identity. However, he found himself in a dilemma with four Celestials protecting Lu Chen; it became difficult for them to target Lu Chen directly. Although in his view Celestials were insignificant, his power had not yet fully recovered, and he was not capable of facing four Celestials at once. He would have to bide his time. Chapter 777 - Chapter 777: Chapter 467 Just a Bunch of Rats_1 Chapter 777: Chapter 467 Just a Bunch of Rats_1 Southern City. Today, the sun shone brightly, and Lu Yi led his troops toward the military camp outside the city. Lu Yi had heard that those fake Taoist priests had once again improved the gunpowder formula, making the Thunderous exploding with even greater force. He wanted to personally test it. Soon, Lu Yi arrived at the military camp beyond the city, nestled within a forest and extremely quiet. Upon seeing Lu Yi¡¯s arrival, the fake Taoist priests immediately sought to take credit, and then promptly had their improved ¡°Thunderous¡± brought forward. Lu Yi glanced at the improved Thunderous, which were still gunpowder-filled pottery jars with long fuses, showing almost no difference from the original ones they had crafted. The only difference seemed to be the size of these pottery jars, which were at least five times larger than the Thunderous they had made previously. Seeing these pottery jars, Lu Yi¡¯s face darkened instantly, and then he said, ¡°Why are you still using pottery jars?¡± Noticing the displeasure on Lu Yi¡¯s face, a fake Taoist priest quickly stepped forward and said, ¡°Crown Prince, please do not be angry. Although we are still using pottery jars, the potency has increased immensely. You¡¯ll know once you try.¡± ¡°Besides, we are just testing the power of the Thunderous right now. We will use iron jars in a few days.¡± Hearing the fake Taoist priest¡¯s response, Lu Yi¡¯s expression softened somewhat. He then picked up one of the pottery jars and said, ¡°Bring a light.¡± In the next moment, a fake Taoist priest hastily handed over a lighter, and Lu Yi lit the fuse of the jar and threw it towards the distant forest. The fuse of the pottery jar was rather short, and combined with Lu Yi¡¯s considerable strength, the throw was quite high and far. The jar exploded before it even hit the ground. After the explosion, the nearby leaves were instantly blasted away, and countless shards of pottery flew into the surrounding tree trunks. The power was there, and indeed, it was much greater than the initial Thunderous they had tested. But whether it was an issue with the gunpowder, that was uncertain; after all, the pottery jar had increased significantly in size, and the amount of gunpowder had also increased a lot. It was at this moment that Lu Yi said, ¡°Bring over some livestock!¡± Upon hearing Lu Yi¡¯s command, the soldiers quickly led the cattle and sheep that had been prepared to the site of the previous explosion. Then Lu Yi picked up another pottery jar, lit it, and threw it over. Following the loud ¡°boom¡± of the explosion, the cattle and sheep at the epicenter immediately fell and did not rise again. However, although the explosion caused some fatalities, the bodies of the cattle and sheep were not torn to pieces. Their Thunderous was vastly inferior to the cannons made by the North Country. But regardless of the current potency of the Thunderous, they had, to some extent, acquired firepower similar to that of the North Country, which gave Lu Yi a glimmer of hope. Lu Yi looked at the cattle and sheep that had been maimed or killed, his gaze becoming unwaveringly firm. All that belonged to him, he would eventually take back! Just then, a soldier rushed to Lu Yi¡¯s side, ¡°Your Highness, something¡¯s wrong! A group of people has suddenly appeared in the forest!¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s report, Lu Yi said, ¡°Who are they? Just kill them!¡± This was their military camp, after all, not a place just anyone could enter. Those daring to intrude upon their military zone must be eliminated, no matter who they might be. The soldier spoke anxiously, ¡°Your Highness, our men are no match for those people! Among them is a Grandmaster!¡± Lu Yi frowned, about to say more when suddenly a voice came from above. ¡°Crown Prince, such fiery temper. You do not distinguish whether the comers are friends or foes, yet you order to kill!¡± Hearing this voice, the soldiers immediately tensed up, quickly forming a protective circle around Lu Yi. A general shouted, ¡°Who¡¯s there! Come out!¡± As his words fell, a gust of wind blew, the leaves rustling loudly. Then, more than a dozen black-robed, masked figures descended from the sky, appearing before Lu Yi and his men. Sensing the momentum of these new arrivals, a general by Lu Yi¡¯s side hastily cried out, ¡°Protect His Highness!¡± More and more soldiers subsequently rushed out of the military camp, surrounding the dozen or so figures in black robes. At this time, the leader of the black-robed figures said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness need not be tense, we are not your enemies.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi¡¯s face darkened as he coldly said, ¡°Uninvited guests are hard to be trusted with good intentions.¡± Wei Feiren said with a smile, ¡°I have not come uninvited, Your Highness. Haven¡¯t you been looking for us all this time? Once our Sect Hierarch learned that Your Highness was seeking us, he immediately dispatched me to meet with Your Highness.¡± Lu Yi was shocked by Wei Feiren¡¯s words. When had he ever sought these people? Wait a moment¡­ Lu Yi seemed to realize something, and then asked, ¡°Are you from the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± Wei Feiren replied, ¡°Let me introduce myself, I am Wei Feiren, the fifth Elder of the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± After receiving Wei Feiren¡¯s affirmative response, Lu Yi was taken aback once more. He had not expected these people to actually be from the Taiyin Divine Sect. Initially he was frustrated for not being able to find the Taiyin Divine Sect, unable to find a powerful backer, but now, that very backer had approached him on their own. Lu Yi then said, ¡°How can you prove your identities?¡± Hearing this, Wei Feiren let out a cold laugh and then said, ¡°We do not need to prove our identities. Your Highness is free to cooperate with us or not; we will not force you. After all, it is you who need us, not the other way around.¡± Lu Yi¡¯s expression grew uglier, as Wei Feiren¡¯s words indeed rang true; he desperately needed a force capable of contending with Celestials. At this time, Wei Feiren said, ¡°Your Highness, rest assured that as long as you cooperate with the Taiyin Divine Sect, you will surely reclaim what belongs to you.¡± ¡°Our Sect Hierarch has already awakened and will regain his strength before long. To our Sect Hierarch, Celestials are insignificant.¡± Lu Yi looked at Wei Feiren skeptically. While he knew that the Demon Sects were formidable, especially the Taiyin Divine Sect¡¯s strength, suggesting that Celestials were nothing seemed overly arrogant. Lu Yi said, ¡°Very well, I am willing to cooperate with you.¡± Wei Feiren said with a smile, ¡°Your Highness has made the right choice.¡± At this moment, Lu Yi asked, ¡°What level of power did your Sect Hierarch originally possess?¡± Wei Feiren answered, ¡°Above Celestials!¡± Hearing Wei Feiren¡¯s reply, Lu Yi was taken aback. Above Celestials? That strong? If that were the case, wouldn¡¯t they be invincible by now? Then why would the Taiyin Divine Sect still be hiding in the shadows? Wei Feiren seemed to perceive Lu Yi¡¯s thoughts and said, ¡°Our Sect Hierarch was once gravely wounded by enemies, which caused him to fall into slumber. Over the years, we have been seeking ways to restore our Sect Hierarch¡¯s strength. With the efforts of our sect, our Sect Hierarch has awakened, and soon, the name of the Taiyin Divine Sect will resound through the martial world once more!¡± Hearing this, Lu Yi thought to himself that Wei Feiren seemed to be speaking the truth. If the Taiyin Divine Sect was truly as formidable as claimed, then he would soon be able to take back everything that was his. With this thought, Lu Yi¡¯s heart grew incredibly fervent. His gaze turned resolute; he was determined to seize back that position in the Capital city. What did it matter if Lu Chen had the help of Celestials? He too had found his own aid! As Lu Yi fantasized about storming into the Capital city, a voice interrupted his daydreams. ¡°A bunch of rats, and yet they dream of shaking the martial world!¡± Chapter 778 - Chapter 778: Chapter 468: Lu Yi, Passes Away!_1 Chapter 778: Chapter 468: Lu Yi, Passes Away!_1 Hearing the sounds coming from within the forest, the members of the Taiyin Divine Sect instantly went on alert. Wei Feiren bellowed, ¡°Who¡¯s there? Show yourself!¡± No sooner had his voice faded than a breeze blew by, and very quickly, more than a dozen people appeared on the tree branches in the distance. The aura emitted by each of those dozen people was incredibly strong, nearly all of them possessing the strength above that of a Grandmaster. Witnessing this scene, both Lu Yi and the people of the Taiyin Divine Sect were stunned. What was going on? How could so many Grandmasters appear all at once? How many Grandmasters existed in this world? Here, sixteen Grandmasters had appeared all at once, and the auras of the two leading figures were clearly stronger than those of the Grandmasters¡ªthose two were likely Pseudo Celestials. Wei Feiren, being a Pseudo Celestial himself, could easily discern the presence of others who were also Pseudo Celestials. The two leaders were indeed genuine Pseudo Celestials! Wei Feiren immediately demanded, ¡°Who are you?!¡± One of the leaders, Li Yu, replied with a smile, ¡°Elder Wei surely has the habit of forgetting things easily. It hasn¡¯t been that many years, and Elder Wei has already forgotten me. I still remember the filthy aura of Elder Wei. Even with a mask, I could recognize Elder Wei at a glance.¡± This¡­ Wei Feiren¡¯s heart skipped a beat. To recognize him at a glance? He didn¡¯t recall offending any power capable of mustering a dozen Grandmasters at once during the time since the resurrection of the Taiyin Sect Hierarch. Wait a minute¡­ It suddenly dawned on Wei Feiren, and his face turned deathly pale. Even with a mask on, Li Yu could still easily see through Wei Feiren¡¯s small movements the panic inside him. Disbelieving, Wei Feiren exclaimed, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re from the Sunset Sword Sect!¡± The only power Wei Feiren could think of that was capable of summoning a dozen Grandmasters at once was either the Sunset Sword Sect or the Tai Chu Divine Hall. But both powers were overseas, residing on their respective islands, supposedly never leaving. And without a sea chart, how did they manage to find this place? Years ago, when the Taiyin Divine Sect attacked the Sunset Sword Sect, Wei Feiren was a Grandmaster, and so was Li Yu¡ªthey had clashed many times. Now realizing the truth, Wei Feiren suddenly understood why the leader looked so familiar¡ªit was Li Yu of the Sunset Sword Sect. Coming back to his senses, Wei Feiren still disbelievingly asked, ¡°How did you find this place?!¡± Li Yu, smiling, said, ¡°It seems Elder Wei has recognized me now.¡± ¡°Since you have, that makes things easier.¡± ¡°After that great demon was slain, your Taiyin Divine Sect fled like rats. The outcome between us was never decided.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s settle it today, once and for all.¡± As he spoke, Li Yu¡¯s formidable presence was fully unleashed. In the next moment, Li Yu leapt down from the tree, swinging his sword at Wei Feiren. When the Taiyin Divine Sect attacked the Sunset Sword Sect years ago, Wei Feiren and Li Yu both led a squadron, and they had competed many times. Unfortunately, Li Yu had never managed to kill Wei Feiren, a fact he had never forgotten. He hadn¡¯t expected that after so many years, he would still be able to face this vile vermin. Li Yu would not let this opportunity slip by. Instantly, Wei Feiren directed the others from the Taiyin Divine Sect, ¡°Take the Crown Prince and retreat!¡± ¡°` Wei Feiren certainly didn¡¯t dare to confront Li Yu head-on, especially since Li Yu had a Pseudo Celestial by his side and brought along more than a dozen Grandmasters. All together, they were far beyond his ability to contend with. Moreover, he now had an even more important task, which was to hurry back to the Taiyin Divine Sect and inform the Sect Hierarch about the arrival of the Sunset Sword Sect in Great Sum. The likelihood was that the Sunset Sword Sect came to Great Sum targeting the Taiyin Divine Sect. In the past, when the Taiyin Divine Sect attacked the Sunset Sword Sect, even their Sect Hierarch was no match for the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall. If their Sect Hierarch weren¡¯t so special, he might have already died. Now that their Sect Hierarch hadn¡¯t yet regained his power, facing the Sunset Sword Sect, there was no chance of victory. Most importantly, it seemed that the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall were allies. With the Sunset Sword Sect present in Great Sum, it was very likely that the Tai Chu Divine Hall had also arrived. As soon as Wei Feiren finished speaking, he immediately made a move against Li Yu and the Pseudo Celestial beside him. Wei Feiren took out the Soul Summoning Banner, and countless black skeletons flew out from it, heading straight for Li Yu and his group. Hearing Wei Feiren¡¯s words, Lu Yi¡¯s face instantly turned pale. If even the Taiyin Divine Sect feared this power, how formidable must it be? Apart from Mysterious Moon Palace, was there such a powerful force in Great Sum? While Lu Yi was thinking, a sinister wind blew by, and then he felt as though he was being lifted by someone. The next moment, Lu Yi was taken by a person of the Taiyin Divine Sect and they fled. Wei Feiren had personally come to find Lu Yi mainly because Lu Yi and Lu Chen were brothers. If their Sect Hierarch could reincarnate into Lu Yi¡¯s body first, it might be possible to use the power of bloodlines to employ some tricks on Lu Chen. However, Wei Feiren hadn¡¯t anticipated that they would encounter people from the Sunset Sword Sect here. Seeing the Taiyin Divine Sect trying to escape with Lu Yi, Li Yu immediately said to the Pseudo Celestial beside him, ¡°Junior Brother, go handle Lu Yi, I¡¯ll deal with Wei Feiren.¡± The man beside Li Yu simply uttered a ¡°Sure,¡± and the next moment, his body turned into a shadowy figure, dashing toward the direction where Lu Yi was fleeing. Seeing this scene, Wei Feiren was stunned for a moment; he had thought Li Yu was after him, but he had actually sent someone to go after Lu Yi instead. This wouldn¡¯t do¡ªLu Yi was an important pawn for their Taiyin Divine Sect. Wei Feiren immediately wanted to follow and hold back Li Yu¡¯s Junior Brother, but just as he was about to move, Li Yu appeared in front of Wei Feiren blocking his path. ¡°Elder Wei, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Elder Wei, you killed so many of our Sunset Sword Sect members back in the day, it¡¯s about time to settle the debt!¡± Seeing his way blocked, Wei Feiren scoffed coldly. Both having entered the Unity Realm and both being Pseudo Celestials, he didn¡¯t believe he was no match for Li Yu. Immediately, Wei Feiren charged at Li Yu, and they began to clash. Although a fight between Pseudo Celestials wasn¡¯t as spectacular as a battle between Celestials, the destructive force was still enormous, toppling trees in the forest one after another. The soldiers in the military camp were frightened and fled in all directions. Meanwhile. Li Yu¡¯s Junior Brother had already blocked the person from the Taiyin Divine Sect who was fleeing with Lu Yi, only for that person to be so terrified by the pursuit of a Pseudo Celestial that he simply abandoned Lu Yi on the spot. After falling from the sky, Lu Yi was completely stunned. His mood at the moment was like tumbling from the Immortal Realm into hell. He had just managed to make a connection with the Taiyin Divine Sect when, unexpectedly, he triggered such a formidable power. At that moment, Lu Yi quickly steadied himself and called out to the distant figure, ¡°Senior, I am a Prince of Great Sum, not a person of the Taiyin Divine Sect, and I was held hostage by them. Please do not kill the wrong person.¡± No sooner had Lu Yi finished speaking than Li Yu¡¯s Junior Brother immediately swung his sword. The next moment, Lu Yi¡¯s head was separated from his body. Lu Yi, deceased! In his dying moment, Lu Yi still felt extremely aggrieved. He had always thought that the Sunset Sword Sect had come looking for the Taiyin Divine Sect and that he was just implicated. Little did he know that the Sunset Sword Sect had come specifically to kill him. ¡°` Chapter 779 - Chapter 779: Chapter 469: So, Does the Soul Exist After Death?_1 Chapter 779: Chapter 469: So, Does the Soul Exist After Death?_1 Under the siege of the Sunset Sword Sect, nearly all the disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect brought by Wei Feiren were killed. When Wei Feiren realized something was amiss, he hastily used the teleportation talisman given to him by the Leader of the Taiyin Sect. After all, Wei Feiren was a core Elder of the Taiyin Divine Sect, with means to save his own life. After Wei Feiren escaped, Li Yu did not pursue him, as their main task was to kill Prince Lu Yi and completely dissolve the power he had gathered. As for annihilating the Taiyin Divine Sect, that would have to wait until their young master issued the order. After Prince Lu Yi¡¯s death, the forces he had gathered quickly dissolved, and the majority chose to surrender to Great Sum. People also realized that the tide had turned; if they continued to struggle against the new emperor, they would surely face destruction. A few days later, a ragged Wei Feiren returned to the main base of the Taiyin Divine Sect. When the Leader of the Taiyin Sect saw Wei Feiren in such a sorry state, he asked in confusion, ¡°Elder Wei, what happened to you?¡± Wei Feiren quickly knelt on the ground, ¡°Sect Hierarch, I have failed in my duties and could not complete your task.¡± Hearing this, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was stunned for a moment. Hadn¡¯t he just asked Wei Feiren to make contact with Prince Lu Yi? How could he fail such a simple task? The Leader of the Taiyin Sect soon realized there must be some hidden complications, so he said, ¡°Tell me directly what you encountered.¡± Wei Feiren then said, ¡°We had already made contact with Prince Lu Yi, and he had agreed to cooperate with us, but at that moment, the people of the Sunset Sword Sect suddenly appeared.¡± Upon hearing this, the blood clot in the Blood Pool suddenly trembled. A fierce voice from the Taiyin Divine Sect came, ¡°Sunset Sword Sect!!!¡± ¡°Continue,¡± ordered the Sect Hierarch. Seeing the Sect Hierarch flare up, Wei Feiren¡¯s forehead sweated profusely, but he continued, ¡°The Sunset Sword Sect sent two Pseudo Celestials and more than a dozen Grandmasters. One of the Pseudo Celestials is known to me, as I had fought with him when our sect attacked the Sunset Sword Sect years ago. Back then, he was also a Grandmaster.¡± Having said this, Wei Feiren fell silent, waiting for the Leader of the Taiyin Sect¡¯s command. The Leader of the Taiyin Sect snorted coldly and then spoke, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected them to find this place!¡± In the view of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, the Sunset Sword Sect had come specifically for them, given that the Taiyin Divine Sect had killed many people on the island when they attempted to take over the Sunset Sword Sect years ago. It was evident that the Sunset Sword Sect was looking for revenge. At this time, Wei Feiren asked cautiously, ¡°Sect Hierarch, what should we do now?¡± Hearing this, after a moment of thought, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect said, ¡°Immediately summon the other Elders. We will temporarily leave this place. My strength is not yet fully recovered, and we cannot afford a direct confrontation with the people of the Sunset Sword Sect.¡± Although the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was a great demon, he was no fool. At the very least, the Sunset Sword Sect had a Celestial amongst them, and they had a very good relationship with the Tai Chu Divine Hall. Now that the people of the Sunset Sword Sect had found this place, it was highly likely that the people of the Tai Chu Divine Hall had followed them. With his strength not yet restored, he wasn¡¯t yet a match for these two great forces, and they needed to continue lying low. The Leader of the Taiyin Sect also felt incredibly frustrated. A cultivator from the cultivation realm was being driven to such straits by the natives of a lower world. If this news were to spread back to the cultivation realm, he would probably lose all face. Hearing the words of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, Wei Feiren promptly said, ¡°Yes, Sect Hierarch.¡± Then, the Taiyin Divine Sect gathered all its people and left Bing Nan City overnight, hiding in the mountains again. Meanwhile. In Great Sum, the Capital city. Lu Chen was in the Imperial Study Room processing documents for the relocation of the capital when Bai Qingqing¡¯s cool voice suddenly rang from outside the door, ¡°Your Majesty, the people from the Sunset Sword Sect have requested an audience.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Let them in.¡± The next moment, Li Yu and Xia Tianyuan both entered the Imperial Study Room. Seeing Xia Tianyuan¡¯s arrival, Lu Chen asked, ¡°How are things progressing?¡± Li Yu took the initiative to answer, ¡°Your Majesty, the matter has been resolved, and all the forces gathered by Prince Lu Yi have surrendered on their own.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen felt somewhat sentimental; the strategy of beheading was indeed effective. Now in possession of the forces of both the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall, perhaps he should use the method of beheading to unify the several kingdoms. Thinking this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit regretful; he hadn¡¯t expected the firearms he had developed for so long to become so quickly obsolete. At that moment, Li Yu continued, ¡°Your Majesty, while carrying out our mission, we encountered a Pseudo Celestial from the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback upon hearing this but quickly realized that Prince Lu Yi had been trying to connect with Xue Linglong and the Taiyin Divine Sect. Presumably, the Taiyin Divine Sect knew about this and thus approached Prince Lu Yi. Xia Tianyuan said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Taiyin Divine Sect with its bloodthirsty nature is a threat to the peace of Great Sum. As long as they exist, Great Sum cannot be at ease. I suggest we eliminate the Taiyin Divine Sect before tackling the various kingdoms.¡± Hearing Xia Tianyuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into deep thought; indeed, the Taiyin Divine Sect was a menace. Moreover, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was not from this world, and it was unknown how many evil methods he had at his disposal. After a short contemplation, Lu Chen looked at Xia Tianyuan and said, ¡°Sect Master Xia, I will leave the matter of the Taiyin Divine Sect to the Sunset Sword Sect. If you encounter any difficulties, inform me immediately.¡± Xia Tianyuan immediately bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Whether the Sunset Sword Sect could annihilate the Taiyin Divine Sect was something Lu Chen was not entirely sure of. After all, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect had previously been killed by the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall and yet, he did not die and had now revived. Even if they managed to extinguish the Taiyin Divine Sect this time, it was possible that after some time, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect would revive again. Lu Chen didn¡¯t know much about the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, a practitioner of evil cultivation methods; he wasn¡¯t even a Celestial yet and hadn¡¯t stepped into the threshold of cultivation. Xia Tianyuan continued, ¡°Your Majesty, if there are no other matters, I shall take my leave first.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Go ahead with your work.¡± Xia Tianyuan and Li Yu said in unison, ¡°We shall take our leave now.¡± After the two left the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen rose from his seat and headed straight for the door. Seeing Lu Chen leaving the Imperial Study Room so early today, Bai Qingqing was taken aback at the entrance. Recently, Lu Chen spent every day in the Imperial Study Room until late at night, and it was always her who reminded him to rest. Now, before dinner time, he had actually come out on his own initiative. Bai Qingqing quickly asked, ¡°Your Majesty, would you like something to eat?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Not for now, I¡¯m going to Linglong Palace.¡± Bai Qingqing said, ¡°Yes.¡± Following that, Bai Qingqing accompanied Lu Chen to Linglong Palace. At that moment, Xue Linglong was dressed in a black gauze dress, languidly lying on a couch. The black gauze was so thin that it barely concealed her fair skin, and her long, white legs were exposed, making her look seductive and enchanting. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Xue Linglong let out a soft sigh, then raised her slender jade hand to touch her belly. These past days, that bad thing had visited her daily, making her belly uncomfortably full day after day. When would this ever end? Even though she had fallen from grace, she couldn¡¯t possibly do that every single day. Xue Linglong thought to herself, perhaps she should just run away. If this continued, she would go mad. Thinking about it made her feel ashamed¡ªit turns out she, a Demon Sect Sorceress, couldn¡¯t subdue a man. Compared to her, that man was the real demon. At this time, Xue Linglong sighed again. Suddenly, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Greetings to Your Majesty!¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s voice, Xue Linglong¡¯s delicate body shuddered slightly. It wasn¡¯t even night yet. Why had he come so early today? She quickly got up from the couch and walked toward the door. Just as she reached it, Lu Chen pushed the door open and entered. Xue Linglong also hurriedly said, ¡°This servant greets Your Majesty.¡± Seeing Xue Linglong¡¯s respectful greeting, he said with a smile, ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like you. When did you start to understand propriety so well?¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong sneered inwardly. If she didn¡¯t show propriety, she would likely suffer again tonight. She had long noticed that any slight sign of rebellion from her would surely provoke the brutal side of this man. Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Your Majesty, why have you come so early today? Haven¡¯t you been very busy these past few days?¡± Lu Chen grabbed Xue Linglong¡¯s arm, pulled her tender body into his embrace, and began to gently caress her hips. While caressing, he asked, ¡°What, aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡± Xue Linglong quickly replied, ¡°How could this servant dare not welcome you!¡± The light gauze on Xue Linglong¡¯s body was smooth to the touch, and he found it especially comfortable. Lu Chen then lifted Xue Linglong¡¯s delicate body and headed straight for the couch. Seeing this, Xue Linglong was speechless. Here it was happening again. However, to Xue Linglong¡¯s surprise, after Lu Chen brought her to the couch, he just held her soft body without doing anything bad to her right away. While caressing Xue Linglong¡¯s body, Lu Chen said, ¡°I came today to ask you some questions about the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong was startled and then replied, ¡°Your Majesty, haven¡¯t I already told you everything about the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I want to know more about the details.¡± Continuing, he asked, ¡°For instance, how was the Taiyin Sect Leader resurrected?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s first question, Xue Linglong thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°The Taiyin Divine Sect has a Soul Gathering Coffin. After the Sect Leader¡¯s body was destroyed, his soul was not. The Taiyin Divine Sect has always nurtured his soul with blood energy until his soul awakened.¡± ¡°Actually, he can¡¯t be considered truly resurrected, since he still lacks a physical body.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Does this mean that the soul exists even after death?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°This servant does not know.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to speak, the system notification sounded. ¡°Souls of Cultivators above Celestials are stronger; even if the physical body perishes, as long as one¡¯s appointed time has not come, the soul is not easily obliterated.¡± Chapter 780 - Chapter 780: Chapter 470 The Role of Taiyin True Scripture_1 Chapter 780: Chapter 470 The Role of Taiyin True Scripture_1 Hearing the system prompt, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback¡ªit turned out to be so. It seemed that the Leader of the Taiyin Sect must have been at least in the Celestial Realm before his death. Seeing Lu Chen fall into silence, Xue Linglong spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, are you suddenly inquiring about the Leader of the Taiyin Sect because you¡¯re planning to take action against the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± Lu Chen came back to his senses, smiled, and said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just asking casually.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s nonchalant reply, Xue Linglong pretended to look pitiful and said, ¡°Ying ying ying, Your Majesty still doesn¡¯t trust this concubine.¡± Seeing Xue Linglong act pitiful, Lu Chen slapped her bottom and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been quite hot-tempered these past few days.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Xue Linglong immediately dropped her act and quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, it might not be easy to eradicate the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°The Leader of the Taiyin Sect is a very cautious person. If he senses something amiss, he will immediately hide away the Taiyin Divine Sect, and finding them will not be an easy task.¡± Xue Linglong was originally a member of the Taiyin Divine Sect, so she had a fair understanding of the sect¡¯s ways. Hearing Xue Linglong¡¯s reminder, Lu Chen thought for a moment. If the people from the Taiyin Divine Sect hid themselves away, it might indeed not be easy to find them. Lu Chen then asked Xue Linglong, ¡°Is there any way to distinguish Demon Sect members from ordinary people?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°I¡¯m afraid not.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s those Demon Sect members who have killed a lot, their aura of blood is very heavy, and those people are easy to distinguish.¡± ¡°However, those who kill a lot are not necessarily from the Demon Sect¡ªas some major powers also take lives recklessly, and their aura of blood is equally heavy.¡± ¡°Additionally, some elders in the Taiyin Divine Sect can suppress their aura of blood through certain methods, making the aura of blood on their bodies seem lighter than that of a butcher.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen fell into thought again. If that was the case, once the Taiyin Divine Sect went into hiding, it would indeed be difficult to locate them. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s hand suddenly reached under Xue Linglong¡¯s skirt. Xue Linglong was about to cry out instinctively but quickly held it back. She didn¡¯t want to provoke this bad element. Suddenly thinking of something, Xue Linglong continued, ¡°Right, Your Majesty, I heard that by cultivating the Taiyin True Scripture, one could sense the location of all disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect.¡± Hmm? Lu Chen, coming to his senses, curiously asked, ¡°Is that so miraculous?¡± Xue Linglong continued, ¡°However, the Taiyin True Scripture is not easy to cultivate. After the Leader of the Taiyin Sect passed down the Taiyin True Scripture to us, not a single one in the whole Taiyin Divine Sect has managed to cultivate to the second layer.¡± Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°If no one has cultivated to the second layer, does that mean someone has cultivated to the first?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°A few elders have cultivated to the first layer, and after dual-cultivating with Your Majesty, this concubine also managed to quickly reach the first layer.¡± ¡°Since you have already cultivated to the first layer, can you determine the location of the others?¡± Xue Linglong answered, ¡°No, one must at least cultivate to the third layer to use the Taiyin True Scripture to determine the location of the other disciples.¡± After hearing this, Lu Chen thought for a while before saying, ¡°Show me this Taiyin True Scripture of yours.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen raised his hand, and writing materials flew towards Xue Linglong in her room. She took the pen and began writing on the paper. Soon the mantra of the Taiyin True Scripture was written on the paper. Lu Chen scanned the mantra on the paper, about to say something, when the system prompt sounded. [Detecting incomplete skill. Do you wish to incorporate it?] Hearing the system prompt, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. An incomplete skill? The Taiyin True Scripture was incomplete? Lu Chen then said to the system, ¡°Incorporate!¡± The next moment, the content of the Taiyin True Scripture merged into Lu Chen¡¯s brain, and he knew how to cultivate this technique. However, Lu Chen did not start cultivating. He suspected that the Sect Hierarch of the Taiyin Sect had deliberately given only the first layer of the Taiyin True Scripture to the sect¡¯s disciples, so no matter how the disciples of the Taiyin Divine Sect cultivated, they could only reach the first layer. That way, the Sect Hierarch of the Taiyin Sect could determine the location of those disciples through the Taiyin True Scripture without worrying about the disciples using it to determine his position in return. Such crafty calculations! Just then, the system prompt sounded again. [Detection of the Taiyin True Scripture¡¯s potential for repair.] Hearing the prompt, Lu Chen was slightly startled. His system had the ability to repair incomplete skills? Confused, Lu Chen asked internally, ¡°I thought the reward was for having children. You can repair skills too?¡± [The host only needs to perform actions related to progeny. Any collected incomplete skills can be repaired.] Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Could it really work like that? At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Xue Linglong¡¯s graceful and delicate figure. Since the system had said that matters related to procreation could repair an incomplete skill, he decided to give it a try. Seeing Lu Chen stare at her with such intensity, Xue Linglong¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her body trembled slightly, ¡°Your Majesty, why are you looking at your servant like that?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I suddenly realize that tonight, you seem even more enchanting than usual.¡± Xue Linglong was taken aback for a moment, but before she could say anything, Lu Chen pressed her down onto the bed and sealed her soft, red lips with his. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± After a slight struggle, Xue Linglong gave in and let Lu Chen have his way. While kissing Xue Linglong, Lu Chen glanced at the system interface out of the corner of his eye. [Taiyin True Scripture repairing¡­ 15%¡­ 16%¡­ 17%¡­] Seeing this, Lu Chen thought to himself that it really could be repaired, and if just a kiss could do so much, then more intimate acts might restore it even faster. With this thought, Lu Chen¡¯s hand forcefully tore away the black gauze dress, Xue Linglong¡¯s favorite, ruining it. Xue Linglong felt somewhat helpless; she had the North Prince Mansion send her many black gauze dresses, all of which Lu Chen had ravaged. Two hours later. Lu Chen, embracing Xue Linglong, looked at the system interface. Seeing that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t continued, Xue Linglong was puzzled. Why was he showing mercy today? That shouldn¡¯t be the case. In the past, this man would never stop until she begged for mercy. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s system interface displayed [Taiyin True Scripture has been completely repaired]. Lu Chen then addressed the system, ¡°This skill shouldn¡¯t have any negative effects on me, right? Am I able to cultivate it?¡± [There are no negative effects. Host simply needs to integrate the skill into the cultivation technique interface to cultivate it alongside other skills.] Upon hearing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen immediately added the Taiyin True Scripture to the [Cultivation Technique] section. Then, Xue Linglong, noticing something off about Lu Chen, found it strange that he had stopped and went silent, as if he was lost in thought. Curious, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Your Majesty, what¡¯s wrong? Was your servant not to your satisfaction?¡± Hearing Xue Linglong¡¯s voice, Lu Chen came back to reality and flipped her body over to continue his misdeeds. Xue Linglong suddenly regretted her impulsive question. Why bother asking this scoundrel anything at all? Wasn¡¯t this just asking for trouble? As time passed second by second, Lu Chen realized the Taiyin True Scripture¡¯s content was engraving itself in his mind. Soon, a white point appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s mind, right in front of him, and beneath him. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think, was this the perceptive power of the Taiyin True Scripture? Then, Lu Chen released his perceptive force, and soon it spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace. At that moment, he noticed another white point outside the palace. Lu Chen frowned. It seemed the Taiyin Divine Sect had sent spies to the Capital City, and that spy was too close to the Imperial Palace. At this time, Xue Linglong seemed to realize something too; she felt as if an antennae in her head had linked directly to Lu Chen. Lu Chen also discovered the function of the Taiyin True Scripture, as a mass of black energy manically surged towards him from Xue Linglong. As the black energy was siphoned off, Xue Linglong felt immense pain. Sensing that something was wrong, Lu Chen promptly stopped circulating the Taiyin True Scripture and used the Rejuvenating Skill to treat her. Under Lu Chen¡¯s treatment, Xue Linglong quickly returned to normal and started to cry again. Lu Chen sneered to himself, realizing that the creator of the Taiyin True Scripture intended to extract the spiritual force from its followers to enhance their own power. In true nefarious cultivator fashion, it was indeed evil. The Taiyin True Scripture was divided into two parts; cultivating only part of the scripture would turn one into nourishment, and those who possessed the complete scripture could enhance their power by absorbing the spiritual force of those ¡°nourishments.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, wondering if the Leader of the Taiyin Sect possessed the complete Taiyin True Scripture. If even the Leader didn¡¯t have the full scripture, then he could absorb the Leader¡¯s spiritual force. Then, Lu Chen started circulating the Taiyin True Scripture once again, sensing the Taiyin Sect followers near the Imperial Palace. Currently at the Pseudo Celestial Realm, his perceptive power was limited. Although the Taiyin True Scripture could pinpoint the location of ¡°nourishments,¡± it could only determine the positions of Taiyin Sect followers within his perceptive range; if they were too far away, beyond his range, he couldn¡¯t identify their hiding spots. His limited cultivation state was frustrating. Lu Chen firmly resolved that he needed to unify the world quickly and break through to the Celestial Realm as soon as possible. Only by breaking through to the Celestial Realm could his power leap forward even more significantly. With that thought, Lu Chen¡¯s inner passion grew hotter, and his actions became even more rough. Chapter 781 - Chapter 781: Chapter 471 Return to Yan County_1 Chapter 781: Chapter 471 Return to Yan County_1 Time passed day by day, autumn gave way to winter, and winter to spring, and the preparation work for the capital relocation to Yan County was basically completed. Everything was ready, and it only awaited an auspicious day to proceed. During this near half-year period, the Sunset Sword Sect had not been able to find the hiding place of the Taiyin Divine Sect, and at most had just eliminated some of the lower-ranked members of the Sect. Just as Xue Linglong had said, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was a very cautious person; the core members of the Taiyin Divine Sect had almost never come out to cause havoc, as if they had vanished from the world. Lu Chen had long been prepared for this, so he did not pay too much attention to it. Right now, he just wanted to unite the world as soon as possible and elevate his Cultivation State to the Celestial Realm. In the recent half year, Xue Linglong and Bai Qingqing were worn out, as only the two of them stayed by Lu Chen¡¯s side. Lu Chen had also followed his ministers¡¯ advice and conducted a selection of consorts. However, after choosing for some time, he had not seen a single lady who scored ninety or above. Lu Chen even suspected there was some issue with the system. With so many beautiful women of noble families in the Capital city, not finding a single one with a score of ninety or above was indeed hard to explain. Lu Chen even questioned the system whether it was doing this on purpose, but the system replied that this was a normal occurrence. Later on, Lu Chen gradually discovered what was going on; it turned out that the women who scored higher than ninety all had special attributes to their bodies, not just beautiful appearances. Having no other choice, Lu Chen focused his attention on Bai Qingqing and Xue Linglong, hoping to have them bear his children. As a result, both of them had to attend to Lu Chen every day. Especially the Demon Sect Sorceress Xue Linglong, Lu Chen did not hold back with her at all, and yet as of now, she had not become pregnant. Lu Chen had come to terms with it by now. If she couldn¡¯t conceive, then so be it. He did not need to be overly obsessed about it. Thankfully, before he traveled south, he had gotten Qin Yuwei pregnant with his child. Once Qin Yuwei¡¯s child was born, he should be able to gain another power. With that, uniting the world would be even easier for him. After more than half a year of governance, Great Sum had stabilized, and the transfer of land ownership was essentially complete. Now, all land was nominally owned by Emperor Lu Chen. Of course, this was just a legal formality regarding land ownership, and the buying and selling of land were not completely forbidden. Moreover, if the state needed to requisition land, they would still offer a certain compensation. With internal stability achieved, Lu Chen had only two significant matters left: the relocation of the capital and the destruction of the various dynasties. The date for the capital relocation was soon set. In the Imperial Palace of Great Sum, Imperial Study Room. Lu Chen was dealing with memorials when Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice reached him, ¡°Your Majesty, Grand Scholar Xuanyuan requests an audience.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Let him in.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge then entered the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Greetings to Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± ¡°Grand Scholar Xuanyuan, I plan to leave you in charge of the six ministries of the Capital city in my stead. What do you think of this arrangement?¡± Currently, Great Sum had two Grand Scholars, one was Zhuge Zhongguang, the other was Xuanyuan Chaoge. Although both held the title of Grand Scholar, there was a difference in their statuses. Zhuge Zhongguang was the Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion, while Xuanyuan Chaoge was the Grand Scholar of the Military Pavilion. The two systems they belonged to were different, but Lu Chen needed someone trustworthy to oversee the officials in the Capital city to prevent them from causing trouble; Xuanyuan Chaoge was very suitable for this role. Moreover, Xuanyuan Chaoge was a Celestial, and with a Celestial present, the officials of the Capital city would not dare to step out of line. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chaoge immediately replied, ¡°This subject will not let Your Majesty down.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge was also aware of the significance of the six ministries of the Capital city. Although their powers would diminish over time, at this stage with so many officials, if they were not watched over, it was very likely they might collude behind the scenes and commit acts detrimental to Great Sum. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you, Grand Scholar Xuanyuan. The telegraph has been invented, and it will soon be operational. If there are any issues in the Capital city in the future, report it to me through the telegraph.¡± Xuanyuan Chaoge replied, ¡°As Your Majesty commands.¡± ¡­ After determining the people who would stay behind in the Capital city, the relocation work began early the next morning. Before the transition, many ministers¡¯ families had already moved to Yan County, so the relocation was relatively swift. Half a month later. Yan County. Today Yan County was teeming with people; nearly all the residents had come out to welcome them. Now that Yan County had become the Capital city, the lives of its residents would get even better. Even if those people did nothing, the price of the houses they had bought before would immediately skyrocket. Not just the new city, but the Old Yan City too had seen its land prices rising rapidly; the people of Yan County had become wealthy one after another. All this they owed to Lu Chen, and so the people of Yan County only had gratitude for their new Emperor. Soon, the sound of the train ¡°woo-ing¡± could be heard in the distance. The new city was a bit away from the train station, but once they heard the train¡¯s sound, everyone realized the Emperor was about to arrive and the city gates quickly became quiet. Before long, a luxurious carriage arrived from afar, and inside sat Lu Chen. At this moment, Mu Zixuan, along with a group of concubines, stood quietly at the entrance of the new Imperial Palace, waiting for Lu Chen¡¯s return. Sitting in the carriage, Lu Chen was very eager in his heart; he had not seen his concubines for quite a long time and missed them dearly. At the same time, Xue Linglong sitting in another carriage used a delicate handkerchief to wipe away nonexistent tears, muttering to herself, ¡°I have finally returned to Yan County¡­¡± During her time in the Capital city, she had to attend to Lu Chen almost daily, and even though she had fallen from grace, she could not endure it any longer. Lu Chen knew how to heal with Immortal Technique; she rarely felt discomfort, but the constant stimulation had significantly slowed her brain functions. Moreover, she realized she was increasingly acting like a female slave, involuntarily lifting her hips every time she saw Lu Chen. Now that she was back, Lu Chen¡¯s concubines had been waiting for him in Yan County for nearly a year. They probably couldn¡¯t contain themselves any longer, and with them around, Lu Chen definitely wouldn¡¯t come to find her for a long time. Now at least she could finally rest properly for a while. Thinking of this, Xue Linglong felt exceedingly happy deep down. Back when she was in the Taiyin Divine Sect, she would¡¯ve never dreamt that she, a Demon Sect Sorceress, would have a day like today. Other Demon Sect Sorceresses went to drain those men, using the men¡¯s Yang energy for cultivation, but she, a Demon Sect Sorceress, ended up under a man¡¯s control, repeatedly tormented by Lu Chen, the devil. At this thought, Xue Linglong couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, wondering what kind of Demon Sect Sorceress she really was. The carriage carrying Lu Chen quickly approached the gates of the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace had been expanded from the original foundations of the North Prince Mansion. When the North Prince Mansion was being built, enough land had been reserved for future expansion, and at that time Lu Chen was already considering the relocation. Having arrived at the gates of the Imperial Palace, Lu Chen stepped out of the carriage, and Mu Zixuan and the others immediately performed a bow and said, ¡°We pay our respects to Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen had become the supreme ruler and was no longer the Seignior of the past. Although deep inside, they missed him dearly and wanted to rush over to embrace him, they still restrained their inner urges. Seeing that Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t come over to embrace him, Lu Chen instantly understood what they were worried about. Lu Chen then said with a smile, ¡°My ladies, I have returned.¡± With that, Lu Chen walked straight up to Mu Zixuan, and before she could say anything, he embraced Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin who was next to her. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Although I am now the Emperor, I am still your darling, and I¡¯m very disappointed that you treated me so coldly.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone immediately crowded around, engulfing him in their midst. In their hearts, they had also been worried that Lu Chen, becoming the Emperor, would undergo a great change in temperament, but now it seemed that their worries were unfounded. Chapter 782 - Chapter 782: Chapter 472: Madam Chu, I Have Some Questions for You Tonight_1 Chapter 782: Chapter 472: Madam Chu, I Have Some Questions for You Tonight_1 Lu Chen held Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin in his arms, greedily inhaling the fragrance of their bodies. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Zixuan, Madam Chu, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin were about to say something when Lu Chen turned his head to look at the other wives and concubines beside him, ¡°You¡¯ve also worked hard.¡± Then, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Lin Wanyun. He smiled and said, ¡°Wanyun, the Lin Family has already moved to Yan County. Go and see them in the next couple of days.¡± Hearing this, Lin Wanyun was slightly taken aback. A blush involuntarily spread across her cheeks. With the Lin Family moving to Yan County, it meant that she was likely to officially marry Lu Chen soon. Lu Chen then glanced at the others and noticed that Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er were not present. Although the two of them were already his women, they didn¡¯t have a formal status, so they didn¡¯t come out to greet Lu Chen to avoid giving people something to talk about. Lu Chen didn¡¯t give it much thought. He caressed Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin¡¯s slender waists before saying, ¡°All right, go back now. I have to hold a court assembly later. We can talk more during the family banquet tonight.¡± Upon hearing these words, the women didn¡¯t say much to Lu Chen. After all, now that Lu Chen was back, there was plenty of time to slowly talk with him about everything on their minds. Afterwards, the women returned to the Imperial Palace, and Lu Chen immediately summoned the officials from the North Country. Many officials from the Capital city had followed Lu Chen to Yan County, which would soon lead to substantial changes in the political landscape. The court assembly held that day was just to let the ministers from the Capital city get to know the original ministers from the North Country. Soon, the Great Court Assembly began. Lu Chen sat on the Dragon Throne, looking over the people in the great hall. The court had clearly divided into two distinct factions: his original supporters and the ministers who had come from the Capital city. At that time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Starting today, the court assemblies will follow the old rules of the North Country, with a minor one every seven days and a major one monthly.¡± Hearing this, the ministers from the Capital city were stunned. A minor court assembly every seven days? Could that be true? Don¡¯t emperors have to attend court every day? Only negligent rulers often skipped court; could it be that after becoming an emperor, Lu Chen was planning on indulging in pleasure? The ministers who had come with Lu Chen from the Capital city were officials with aspirations, ideals, and ambitions. Those without ambitions and wanting to retire stayed in the Capital city and did not come to Yan County. These ministers did not want to see the new ruler become decadent. At this point, Lin Gaoyuan stood up and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, won¡¯t changing the court assemblies to once every seven days delay the execution of orders?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You can rest assured about that. The North Country has always operated this way, and it won¡¯t delay the execution of any orders. On the contrary, it will actually improve the efficiency of the officials.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve long noticed that with daily court assemblies, some ministers come to court without even having woken up properly, dozing off during the session, and having no idea what was discussed after the assembly.¡± ¡°Moreover, the issues discussed at daily court assemblies are basically trivial matters; it¡¯s a pure waste of time.¡± ¡°Of course, even with a court assembly every seven days, it doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t report urgent matters to me. If you have important issues, you can still submit official documents, which I will deal with daily.¡± ¡°From now on, the minor court assembly every seven days, as well as the major one monthly, will mainly discuss more significant issues. Don¡¯t bring up trivial matters for discussion anymore.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Lin Gaoyuan said, ¡°Your Majesty is wise.¡± Then Lin Gaoyuan returned to his place. Lu Chen scanned the officials and then said, ¡°Additionally, the beloved ministers who accompanied me from the Capital city need not worry. The personnel arrangements will be distributed to you in a few days and will also be published in the Great Sum Times.¡± Although Lu Chen looked down on some of the officials from the Capital city, among the ones who had come with him to Yan County, there were still those who were insightful and forward-thinking. Lu Chen intended to reshape the court¡¯s personnel structure. Of course, the main focus was still on his own people. For all the important departments, such as those controlling the finances, he would entrust them to the officials summoned by the system, to those coming from the Universal Academy. Today¡¯s court assembly was relatively brief and didn¡¯t touch upon any significant matters. It was simply an opportunity for the officials from the Capital City and the North Country to familiarize themselves with each other, in preparation for the assignment of their positions and the commencement of their duties. After the court assembly concluded, Lu Chen went to the Wind Cloud Palace. The Wind Cloud Palace had been expanded from the original Wind Cloud Court, and now it was built even more majestic and spectacular. When Lu Chen arrived at the Wind Cloud Hall, Mu Zixuan and the others were already waiting, and during the dinner, he saw Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er as well. Just as Lu Chen thought about walking over to them and giving them an embrace, a little boy suddenly burst out from nowhere. ¡°Daddy, daddy¡­¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback but quickly recovered. He hurriedly squatted down with open arms. The next moment, the little boy threw himself into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. Lu Chen lifted Lu Changfeng, laughing as he said, ¡°Feng¡¯er, I never expected you to start talking so soon.¡± Right then, Lu Huanhuan and Lu Changsheng also came before Lu Chen. Seeing the three of them, Lu Chen¡¯s face showed a kindly smile. He had only been away from Yan County for less than a year, yet he hadn¡¯t expected his children to have changed so much in that time. They were indeed his offspring. After playing with his children for a while, Lu Chen then took his place at the head of the table. During the family banquet, Mu Zixuan spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, now that Feng¡¯er has also started to speak, it is time to find him a teacher.¡± In this era, a teacher for a prince isn¡¯t just anybody; it often involves political arrangements. Lu Chen thought for a moment before saying, ¡°As for the matter of his teacher, I have already made arrangements.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Mu Zixuan dropped the subject. Since Lu Chen had a plan in mind, there was no need for her to say more. Lu Chen glanced at Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er, then his gaze returned to Mu Zixuan. ¡°Zixuan, many things must have happened in Yan County during my absence, right? I remember you wrote me a letter saying that someone had intended to harm the North Prince Mansion?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°There was indeed an attempt to harm the North Prince Mansion, but with Sister Wu¡¯s help, the matter has already been resolved.¡± Upon hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s response, Lu Chen looked towards Wu Junwan again, smiling as he said, ¡°Junwan, you must have worked hard.¡± Wu Junwan responded indifferently, ¡°It was my duty.¡± Although Wu Junwan appeared aloof, inside she was full of anticipation, having eagerly awaited Lu Chen¡¯s return. Of course, it wasn¡¯t just Wu Junwan who felt this way. Every woman in the great hall was looking forward to Lu Chen¡¯s return, each longing for him to visit her room tonight. However, they all knew well that as Lu Chen had just returned, it was impossible for him to visit each woman. Tonight, it was certain that Mu Zixuan would be the one to attend to him. Unfortunately, the women had clearly guessed wrong about Lu Chen¡¯s intentions. During the dinner, Lu Chen learned in detail about the events that had transpired in Yan County after his departure. They dined until eleven o¡¯clock. As the dinner came to an end, all the women¡¯s gazes fell upon Lu Chen, as if a pack of hungry wolves had fixed their eyes upon a succulent sheep. Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said to Chu Yuqin, ¡°Madam Chu, I would like to have a word with you tonight about some matters.¡± Upon hearing this, the women internally sighed, having thought that, on his first night back, Lu Chen would have several of them attend to him simultaneously. They had not anticipated he would choose only one, and not Mu Zixuan at that. At this moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou anxiously watched Mu Zixuan, who had been a Princess Consort before and was seemingly the most likely candidate to become the next Empress. However, on the first day of Lu Chen¡¯s return, he did not summon Mu Zixuan to attend to him but chose Chu Yuqin instead. This made Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou worry about whether Mu Zixuan might feel unsettled inside. But at this moment, Mu Zixuan showed no signs of disappointment on her face. She did not care at all whom Lu Chen chose to attend him, nor did she have a strong desire for the position of Empress. Chapter 783 - Chapter 783: Chapter 473 Lu Chens Decision_1 Chapter 783: Chapter 473 Lu Chen¡¯s Decision_1 Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t care who Lu Chen chose to share his bed with, or who would be the next Empress, not because she didn¡¯t love Lu Chen, nor because she was very open-minded, but mainly because she had been through too much, and she didn¡¯t want to be entangled in the struggle for royal power as she had been in the past. If it weren¡¯t for Lu Chen that year, the Mu Family might have been destroyed, and she knew what kind of person Lu Chen was. If she got involved in the fight for the position of Empress, a huge rift would inevitably form between her and Lu Chen. Now, she didn¡¯t need to do anything, just quietly wait for Lu Chen to confer who would be the Empress. Soon, Lu Chen arrived at Chu Yuqin¡¯s chamber. Just as Chu Yuqin had entered her chamber, Lu Chen came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her soft, graceful body. With a slight sigh, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Your Majesty, you should have let Zixuan serve you tonight.¡± Although Chu Yuqin knew she held an important place in Lu Chen¡¯s heart, she was also a sensible person. Mu Zixuan was Lu Chen¡¯s official wife, the rightful future Empress by all accounts. Lu Chen had just returned from the Capital city; naturally, he should spend the night with his future Empress, not only to reassure Mu Zixuan. If Lu Chen now ran off to another woman, Mu Zixuan might overthink, feeling that her position as Empress was unstable. Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen, still embracing her waist and pressing against her bottom, began pushing her towards the bed while saying, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯ve become much colder towards me. Haven¡¯t I always said that when we¡¯re alone, you should call me Chen¡¯er?¡± Though Lu Chen said this, Chu Yuqin still replied, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯re now the Emperor, and things can¡¯t be the same as before.¡± Lu Chen blew gently into Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, then whispered beside it, ¡°If you keep calling me ¡®Your Majesty,¡¯ I might just get angry.¡± Chu Yuqin inwardly sighed; she certainly knew about Lu Chen¡¯s preferences, and so she reluctantly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you having me serve you as soon as you return must mean there¡¯s something on your mind, right?¡± Lu Chen smiled and responded, ¡°Can¡¯t it be that I simply missed my wife, and that¡¯s why I sought you out?¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words ended, they had reached the edge of the bed. Lu Chen¡¯s hands found their way to Chu Yuqin¡¯s waistband, and soon her belt was easily untied, revealing her white undergarments. Chu Yuqin said, ¡°If you had only missed me, you wouldn¡¯t have called only me tonight.¡± The night before Lu Chen left Yan County, he had Mu Zixuan and her accompany him together; yet upon his return, he had sent for only her. Being so affectionate, how could Lu Chen possibly think only of one woman? In Chu Yuqin¡¯s view, he surely thought of every woman. So, upon his return, it was only natural for him to spend the night with as many of his wives and concubines as possible. Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen gave a slight smile, not expecting that Chu Yuqin had indeed sensed his ulterior motives. At that moment, Lu Chen fell into silence. He gently slid off Chu Yuqin¡¯s outer garment, then undid his own belt. Then, while embracing Chu Yuqin¡¯s slender waist, he said, ¡°I do have a question I want to ask Madam Chu.¡± Chu Yuqin promptly asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Chen spoke directly, ¡°Today, after the court session, several officials approached me, saying that now I have returned to Yan County, for the stability of Great Sum, I should confer the Empress and establish the Crown Prince as soon as possible.¡± Chu Yuqin was taken aback by these words; she hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen wanted to talk about this matter with her. At this point, Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Madam Chu, do you think Zixuan is suitable to be the Empress?¡± Faced with this question, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t answer directly. She quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, I am now your consort, and it¡¯s not appropriate for me to touch upon such matters. If I were not your consort, you could ask for my opinion. But by asking me now, if I were to answer, that would be political interference.¡± On the matter of establishing the Empress, Chu Yuqin dared not speak carelessly. Moreover, she was now one of Lu Chen¡¯s women, and if she spoke out of turn, she very well might get herself entangled as well. ¡°` Although Lu Chen still occasionally calls her Madam Chu, Chu Yuqin is very clear in her heart that it¡¯s just to add a bit of pleasure in the boudoir; she can no longer speak without a care as she used to. Seeing how cautious Chu Yuqin was being, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, since when have you become so careful and cautious?¡± Chu Yuqin let out a slight sigh, then replied, ¡°Your Majesty, even though I¡¯ve watched you grow up since you were little and you trust me very much, after all, I have become your woman now, and I am involved in certain interests. If I speak carelessly, sooner or later I will be impeached by the ministers.¡± Lu Chen also heard the worry in Chu Yuqin¡¯s voice, and felt some emotion in his heart, realizing how the identity of the Emperor indeed often led to a lonely existence. In Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, Chu Yuqin was the person in this world most worthy of his trust; yet now, even she had grown distant because of their statuses. If distance had arisen, then the best method was to close that distance, and Lu Chen soon found a solution. Lu Chen¡¯s hand began to roam across Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous body while he spoke, ¡°My lady, you have changed, now even intentionally keeping your distance from me.¡± ¡°It seems I must find a way to close the distance between us.¡± Hearing those words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks flushed crimson, for she clearly understood the implication of Lu Chen¡¯s words. After a moment, Chu Yuqin felt a burning heat all over her body¡ªfor she had not seen this little rascal for so long, and nearly a year¡¯s worth of longing had accumulated in her heart. Just being near her, Lu Chen was already stirring her body and soul. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered in Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, ¡°My lady, you¡¯re being naughty.¡± At the sound of Lu Chen¡¯s deep and magnetic voice, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face grew even hotter, and just then, a whimper escaped her throat. After almost a year without doing bad things with this bad guy, he just¡­ However, at this time, Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue further but maintained that state. He then said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really want to establish an Empress. After all, you are all my ladies, and you are equally important in my eyes. If an Empress were established, there would be a difference in status.¡± ¡°And once there is an Empress, it¡¯s very likely that harem struggles will ensue, as everyone would want the position of Empress.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin struggled to stay rational. She took a deep breath and said, ¡°If you do not establish an Empress, there will be even more people coveting the position, and then everyone will feel they have a chance.¡± ¡°Moreover, without an Empress, how would the position of Crown Prince be determined? Surely you don¡¯t plan to select the Crown Prince using the old methods of Great Xia?¡± The old method Chu Yuqin referred to was, naturally, the survival of the fittest, the winner becomes the king and the loser the bandit. Chu Yuqin believed that Lu Chen, as a father, would not want to see his children kill each other. Upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then shifted his body slightly, prompting Chu Yuqin to clench her teeth tightly. Lu Chen continued, ¡°In fact, establishing or not establishing a Crown Prince will both lead to struggles for imperial power. Take my father, the Emperor, as an example; he appointed two Crown Princes, but in the end, both Crown Princes met with unfortunate fates, and the one who ended up becoming the Emperor was me, the Prince who was last in line.¡± ¡°The temptation of power is immense. The solution I can think of is to support one child to become the Emperor while I am still alive, and under my supervision, to let him have absolute control over the court and its officials. In this way, even if other children have ideas, they will have to weigh whether they have the ability to compete for power.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin considered them for a moment and found his reasoning not without merit. However, she found it hard to think rationally right now, only wishing that Lu Chen would hurry up and get on with it. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s hand encircled Chu Yuqin¡¯s abdomen, and he lowered her body saying, ¡°I¡¯ve thought it over, and I¡¯ve decided not to establish an Empress after all. I¡¯ll directly appoint Feng¡¯er as Crown Prince, and how about bestowing the title of Noble Concubine on you and Zixuan? What do you think?¡± Chu Yuqin was stunned for a moment, when suddenly Lu Chen made a move, causing her to let out another whimper, and she quickly replied, ¡°That¡¯s not possible, how can I become a Noble Concubine? That would put me on equal footing with Zixuan. I¡¯m just a servant girl, how would the ministers view you then?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I am now the Emperor, and one who has absolute control over the court at that. Do I still need to look at others¡¯ faces when appointing a Noble Concubine?¡± ¡°` Chapter 784 - Chapter 784: Chapter 474 Chu Yuqin is Pregnant Again_1 Chapter 784: Chapter 474 Chu Yuqin is Pregnant Again_1 After Lu Chen finished speaking, he shifted his body slightly before continuing, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not just you, I also plan to appoint Rongrong and Wu Junwan as Imperial Noble Consorts.¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s mind started to fog upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words. ¡°You¡­ appointing so many Imperial Noble Consorts¡­ what for¡­¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°My thinking is that anyone who has been involved in important affairs, like Nanyan, will be appointed as Imperial Noble Consorts, while those who focus on raising children, like Yaoyao, Xiaoxiao, and Youyou, will be made Noble Consorts.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll only retain these two ranks, and for those below Noble Consort, no more titles will be granted.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts, Chu Yuqin said, ¡°In the future, you¡¯ll have even more women, and if all are appointed as Noble Consorts, won¡¯t there be too many of them?¡± Usually, an Emperor¡¯s women all have distinct ranks, not every woman can become a Noble Consort, and not every woman can ascend the Emperor¡¯s dragon bed. Chu Yuqin was worried that if Lu Chen titled all his women as Noble Consorts, then as Lu Chen¡¯s women increased in number, so too would the expenses of the Imperial Palace. Although many Emperors mainly allowed a few women to sleep in their chambers, the Emperor¡¯s harem often had a vast number of Consorts. Chu Yuqin feared that if Lu Chen chose hundreds of women for the palace, suddenly adding hundreds of Noble Consorts, and if each woman¡¯s living expenses were the same, wouldn¡¯t that bankrupt the inner treasury? When Lu Chen heard Chu Yuqin¡¯s concerns, he said with a smile, ¡°I won¡¯t want just any woman, I¡¯ll only want the women I fancy. Even when choosing more consorts in the future, if I don¡¯t fancy them, I¡¯ll send them all back.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin seemed to understand something, and also reacted to it. Although Lu Chen had a fondness for beauty, he was also a man of principles; when he saw someone he liked, he would find every means to have her. If the women did not catch Lu Chen¡¯s fancy, no matter how beautiful they were, and even if they walked back and forth in front of him each day, he would not be interested in them, nor would he touch them. The North Prince Mansion had previously kept numerous dancing girls, and all the maids were carefully selected for their beauty, yet Lu Chen had never laid a hand on those dancers or maids. This indirectly showed that Lu Chen was a man who preferred quality over quantity; he had unique demands for beauty and was resolutely uninterested unless the woman was stunning. The North Prince Mansion once selected concubines for Lu Chen, but after a rigorous selection process, he did not take any of the presented women, which also showed how stringent Lu Chen¡¯s standards were. If Lu Chen continued to maintain such stringent conditions, even if his harem were to grow, it likely wouldn¡¯t increase by much in the future. Therefore, entitling them all as Noble Consorts wasn¡¯t unacceptable. With this thought in mind, Chu Yuqin lifted her cherry lips slightly and exhaled, ¡°You¡­ just decide on your own.¡± Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t want to say anything more at the moment, she just wanted this little rascal to hurry up and do the naughty things. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± When he finished, Lu Chen whispered in Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, ¡°My lady, turn your head back and look into my eyes.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen¡¯s voice fallen than Chu Yuqin followed his words and turned her head slightly. At this moment, the beautiful woman¡¯s cheeks were covered in a rosy flush, her delicate eyelashes fluttering lightly, and her eyes pooled with liquid autumn, making her appear exceptionally alluring. Feeling the heat from Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin whispered softly, ¡°Darling¡­ let¡¯s have another child.¡± Hearing the beautiful woman¡¯s words, Lu Chen¡¯s inner wildness was instantly stirred, and he bent down to capture Chu Yuqin¡¯s red lips, then began to attend to the matter at hand. The next morning, as dawn was just breaking, Chu Yuqin and Lu Chen still had not slept. At this time, Chu Yuqin was nestled in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, feeling incredibly blissful. Even though she had been initially tricked by this little rascal, she had no regrets now. Instead, she felt extremely fortunate ¨C without this little rascal, she might have never experienced such happiness. Suddenly, Chu Yuqin thought of something and quickly asked, ¡°You have court today, don¡¯t you?¡± Chu Yuqin certainly didn¡¯t want to delay Lu Chen¡¯s attendance at court because of herself. Hearing her words, Lu Chen smiled faintly and gently stroked Chu Yuqin¡¯s hair, saying, ¡°There¡¯s no court today; there will be a minor court session in a few days.¡± Until the new list of officials is released, the current officials wouldn¡¯t know what to do at court, only after the new appointments do they know what tasks they are responsible for. In the coming days, it was as if they were on holiday; Lu Chen planned to take this time to cultivate affection with his wives and concubines. Just then, Lu Chen glanced at his system interface subconsciously. Nowadays, when Lu Chen and his wives consort, he had set the system to silent mode so that it wouldn¡¯t disturb him. Thus, every time after he finished his business, he would check to see if he had received any system rewards. The moment Lu Chen looked, he was stunned. [Congratulations Host, for impregnating Chu Yuqin. Reward: one Earth Knowledge Library] [Pregnancy rewards are incentive rewards. Please Host, take good care of your wives and ensure the child is safely born. Upon the successful birth of the child, an even more generous reward will be granted.] This¡­ Lu Chen remembered the time in the Capital city when he tried hard every day to get Bai Qingqing and Xue Linglong pregnant. Both of them were nearly at their limits after half a year of effort, but there was no effect. Their bellies showed no reaction at all. But now, just after he had returned and spent one night with Chu Yuqin, she got pregnant immediately. How come the difference between people is so great? It comes to think of it, it was the same with Chu Yuqin¡¯s first pregnancy; she succeeded on the first try. Thinking of this, Lu Chen was incredibly excited. Chu Yuqin also sensed Lu Chen¡¯s excitement at this moment. Just as she was about to say something, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Darling, shall I tell you some good news?¡± Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°What good news?¡± Lu Chen lifted his hand and gently stroked Chu Yuqin¡¯s soft belly, then said, ¡°Guess what the good news is.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s hand on her belly, Chu Yuqin immediately realized what he meant. His hint was so obvious, how could she not know what the good news was? But still, she found it somewhat unbelievable. After all, she was now a Grandmaster, and Lu Chen was a Pseudo Celestial. Although last night she had verbally expressed the wish for Lu Chen to give her another child, she had said those words only to tease Lu Chen into being bad to her. But to actually be pregnant? Chu Yuqin then said, ¡°Really¡­ Really? I¡¯m already a Grandmaster, and I can still get pregnant?¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen proudly said, ¡°Of course! You underestimate who I am. It¡¯s not just because you¡¯re a Grandmaster, even if you become a Celestial in the future, I can still impregnate you.¡± Chu Yuqin felt a surge of excitement internally, not expecting to be pregnant with their second child so quickly. The morning. When Chu Yuqin appeared before her sisters, including Mu Zixuan, with a radiant smile, it was clear that she had been well-loved the night before. The other women felt envious and hoped Lu Chen would choose them that night. At this moment, Lu Chen had already made his way to the newly built Imperial Study Room. Similar in structure to the book room in the North Prince Mansion, the Imperial Study Room also had a resting area, and it was much larger than the one in the North Prince Mansion. After all, it was the working place of Emperor Lu Chen, and naturally, the standards had to be higher. After entering the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen instructed for the doors to be closed, then he opened the system interface. He was curious about what use the Earth Knowledge Library that the system had just rewarded him with might have. When Lu Chen clicked into the [Earth Knowledge Library], he found countless books before him. These books ranged from kindergarten to university textbooks, including some professional literature. Numb with shock, Lu Chen gazed upon the scene. Is this the Earth Knowledge Library? With these books, won¡¯t it be possible to transform this ancient world into a modern world in just a hundred or two hundred years? The system had always rewarded things piecemeal, and it was unexpected that this time it had given him all the knowledge of Earth at once. If he were to disseminate the knowledge in this library, the world was bound to undergo earth-shattering changes in the future. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Lu Chen then said to the maid at the door, ¡°Go call Ms. Dongfang.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen planned to hand over the library directly to Dongfang Longyue. The library involved many vital matters, so it must be managed by someone he trusted. Chapter 786 - Chapter 786: Chapter 476: I Decided to Send Troops to Great Wu in Three Months!_1 Chapter 786: Chapter 476: I Decided to Send Troops to Great Wu in Three Months!_1 Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, Lu Chen fell into thought for a moment. Indeed, the epidemic in Great Qian was getting more severe, and even many of the Brocade Guards they had sent to Great Qian had died. Now they still had no clarity about the actual situation there. Therefore, it was not wise to rashly attack Great Qian at this time. If the epidemic spread to Great Xia, who knows how much trouble would ensue. Now, there was only one target left, and that was the Great Wu dynasty. At this moment, Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°Great Wu reveres martial power, among the great dynasties, its military strength is the strongest. Although exterminating the entire Great Wu dynasty seems relatively difficult, if we start by annihilating the strongest Great Wu, it will also pose a certain deterrence against the other dynasties.¡± ¡°Once Great Wu has fallen, when His Majesty later moves to exterminate the other dynasties, they will surely lack the will to fight.¡± Lu Chen thought about it, and it did make sense. If even the strongest Great Wu were to be destroyed, by then, both Great Jue and Great Qian would definitely weigh their own strength. Lu Chen said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we¡¯ll do as the Great Scholar suggests¡ªeliminate Great Wu first, then Great Jue.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll send troops southward after clarifying the epidemic situation in Great Qian.¡± Just then, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Liang seeks an audience!¡± Seeing someone looking for Lu Chen, Zhuge Zhongguang stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, if there are no other matters, this old official will take his leave.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°There¡¯s no hurry, Great Scholar. Let¡¯s hear what it¡¯s about together.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Zhuge Zhongguang sat down again, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Soon, Liang Zong entered the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Greetings to Your Majesty, long live, long live, long long live Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Liang Zong took out a letter and handed it to Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty, our men sent to Fengyin Island have returned. This is the investigative report they wrote on Fengyin Island.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately took the letter from Liang Zong¡¯s hand, then opened the envelope and began to read carefully. As he scanned the contents of the letter, Lu Chen¡¯s expression shifted slightly. The materials for the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow made by Prince Lu Shuyun originally came from Fengyin Island, and the Slayer Spear was also from Fengyin Island. Lu Chen had always suspected that there might be some aircraft dropped from a higher-level world on Fengyin Island, so the first thing he did after unifying Great Xia was to send the Jinyiwei to investigate Fengyin Island. After a long investigation by the Jinyiwei, there was finally news. Lu Chen read the investigative report written by the Jinyiwei. He thought to himself, it seems that it was just as he suspected, there indeed existed a spacecraft on Fengyin Island that had fallen from a higher civilization¡¯s world. However, the ship was incredibly large, and the materials used to construct it were very sturdy. There was simply no way to transport the ship to Yan County. If he wanted to see what that spacecraft looked like, he would have to visit Fengyin Island in person. He also wondered if the functions of that spacecraft were still intact, and whether it could operate. At this moment, Lu Chen suddenly noticed some content in the Jinyiwei¡¯s investigative report: in the report, the Jinyiwei Guard mentioned that the spacecraft had many transparent glass windows through which they could see the inside from the outside. There were rooms within the spaceship, and the rooms were very clean and tidy, as if someone was living there regularly. Lu Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that there were still people living inside that spacecraft on Fengyin Island? If so, once the spacecraft started operating, it was possible that it was equipped with extremely terrifying weapons. Maybe one blast could destroy all of Great Xia. Immediately, Lu Chen instructed Liang Zong, ¡°Have the Jinyiwei Guards keep a close watch on Fengyin Island. If there is any anomaly with that mysterious structure, report to me immediately!¡± Liang Zong immediately said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen then waved his hand, ¡°You go and attend to your tasks first!¡± ¡°This subordinate shall take his leave!¡± Following that, Liang Zong left the Imperial Study Room; once he was gone, Lu Chen directly tossed the investigation report in his hand to Zhuge Zhongguang. ¡°Great Scholar, take a look at the content as well.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang immediately caught the paper flying towards him from Lu Chen and, after seeing the content of the investigation report, he couldn¡¯t hide his disbelief, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, could it be that the mysterious structure is an Extraterrestrial Material?¡± Lu Chen did not answer immediately; with a casual wave of his hand, the Slayer Spear appeared in his grasp. Seeing the strange weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hand gave Zhuge Zhongguang a shock. Zhuge Zhongguang felt the immense oppressive force emanating from the Slayer Spear and had a premonition that this odd weapon could take his life in an instant. Lu Chen said, ¡°This is the Slayer Spear, the previous emperor originally intended to use this weapon to kill my master, but unfortunately, he was ultimately injured by the backlash from the weapon, and this weapon came from that mysterious structure on Fengyin Island.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang said, ¡°In that case, it is indeed possible that the mysterious structure on Fengyin Island is an Extraterrestrial Material.¡± At this point, Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s expression turned graver, and he suddenly thought of something, ¡°Your Majesty, this old servant has a speculation, the epidemic that has struck Great Qian might also be related to Extraterrestrial Materials.¡± In the past, Zhuge Zhongguang had always lived within the Great Qian Dynasty, and he was quite familiar with it; he had never heard of such a severe epidemic in Great Qian before. The people of this era were not fools, although most of them were unaware of the specifics of the epidemic, they also knew some methods to prevent it, such as isolating those who were ill and cremating those who had died of the disease. In the past, Great Qian also experienced small-scale epidemics, and not only Great Qian, other kingdoms had experienced epidemics as well, but those epidemics would settle down in no more than half a year. Whereas the epidemic in Great Qian had been raging for so long now, and was getting worse. According to the intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard, the courts of Great Qian had tried every method possible; as soon as an area was struck by the epidemic, troops were sent to cordon it off. Yet even so, they were completely unable to stop the spread of the disease. Zhuge Zhongguang felt that this epidemic was peculiarly strange; despite various countermeasures taken by the Great Qian Dynasty, it could still spread throughout the entire kingdom. Clearly, this epidemic was not like those previously encountered. Since Extraterrestrial Materials had been found on Fengyin Island, it was not impossible that Extraterrestrial Materials had also appeared in Great Qian ¨C the epidemic in Great Qian might have been brought by such materials. Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s speculation, Lu Chen felt a jolt in his heart. Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s conjecture could very well be true. If it were an ordinary epidemic, the people of this world would also have methods to deal with it, and he had long since passed on some knowledge about epidemics to the Brocade Guard. Liang Zong¡¯s Jinyiwei guards sent to investigate Great Qian were aware of what the epidemic was and knew how to prevent it, yet many Jinyiwei guards who went to investigate in Great Qian still died without understanding why. Either the situation in Great Qian was the work of the Taiyin Divine Sect, or the epidemic in Great Qian had another source; perhaps some Extraterrestrial Material had indeed fallen into Great Qian, bringing about some deadly pathogens that led to such a catastrophic blow to Great Qian. Regardless of whether there were Extraterrestrial Materials within Great Qian¡¯s borders, this gave Lu Chen a sense of urgency, as after all, the world was not as safe as he had previously thought. Setting aside the possibility that figures like the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, who had apparently come from other worlds, existed, the powerhouses in the western fog zone were also a tremendous threat to this world. It was now almost confirmed that the objects on Fengyin Island were Extraterrestrial Materials, and Great Qian was also suspected to harbor such materials. Thinking thus, Lu Chen felt the dangers ever more acutely. He must hurry to unite the world under one rule. Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen then said to Zhuge Zhongguang, ¡°Great Scholar, I have decided to lead the troops into Great Wu in three months. What do you think?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Zhuge Zhongguang thought for a moment, ¡°With the forces at Your Majesty¡¯s disposal, three months is sufficient preparation time.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Very well, then I will lead the troops into Great Wu after three months!¡± Chapter 787 - Chapter 787: Chapter 477 Lu Chen gets angry_1 Chapter 787: Chapter 477 Lu Chen gets angry_1 After deciding when to dispatch troops to Great Wu, Lu Chen discussed the appointment of officials with Zhuge Zhongguang. The abilities of most officials in the Capital city were inferior compared to those from the North Country, as Lu Chen had always let officials of the North Country handle various matters independently, and they were constantly monitored by the Brocade Guard. Lu Chen was reluctant to assign the Capital city¡¯s officials to crucial positions, but if he didn¡¯t provide them with some suitable roles, those officials might feel discontent. After all, they had followed him to Yan County, unlike those old foxes in the Capital city who were merely getting by; these officials still had some aspirations. How to assign them tasks involved many considerations. After Lu Chen and Zhuge Zhongguang finished discussing the appointments of the officials, the sunset had already fallen, leaving only the twilight hanging in the sky. Seeing that it was getting late through the window, Lu Chen said, ¡°Great Scholar, you may return for today. We can continue to discuss the appointment of officials tomorrow.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang then stood up from his seat and, bowing to Lu Chen, said, ¡°This old official shall take his leave!¡± Zhuge Zhongguang then turned and left the Imperial Study Room. After Zhuge Zhongguang departed, Lu Chen went straight to the Wind Cloud Palace. When Lu Chen entered the Wind Cloud Hall, he saw Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao were also there. Zhou Youyou and Zhou Xiaoxiao were quite worried about Mu Zixuan¡¯s condition, especially since on the first night of Lu Chen¡¯s return, he had not summoned Mu Zixuan to the bedchamber but Chu Yuqin instead. This matter was naturally not something they could interfere with, but they could stay by Mu Zixuan¡¯s side to console her. Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou had been in the Wind Cloud Palace all day and just as Mu Zixuan was about to have someone prepare dinner, a maid outside suddenly shouted loudly, ¡°The Emperor has arrived!¡± Hearing this, the three ladies were startled and then hurried out to greet him. Before Mu Zixuan could even perform a courtesy, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Xiaoxiao and Youyou are here too. That¡¯s good. Don¡¯t go back tonight. Stay in the Wind Cloud Palace.¡± Hearing this, the three ladies immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, and Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou couldn¡¯t help but blush. At this moment, Lu Chen looked at Mu Zixuan and said, ¡°Zixuan, it¡¯s quite late already. Dinner should be ready, right?¡± Mu Zixuan promptly responded, ¡°It is prepared. Your consort will have the servants serve the dishes.¡± Mu Zixuan then ordered the maids to go and tell the Food House to serve the meal quickly. Lu Chen meanwhile walked towards the Wind Cloud Hall. After entering the Wind Cloud Hall, Lu Chen sat at a round dining table, and Mu Zixuan, Zhou Xiaoxiao, and Zhou Youyou quickly joined him, but they did not sit down immediately. Now that Lu Chen¡¯s status had changed, they did not dare to be as informal as before. Seeing that Mu Zixuan and both Zhou sisters were standing, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why is it that since I¡¯ve returned, you all seem so afraid of me, as if I¡¯m a stranger to you?¡± ¡°Please sit down.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan, Zhou Xiaoxiao, and Zhou Youyou said in unison, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Only then did the three ladies take their seats. Seeing their restraint, Lu Chen continued in a calm tone, ¡°Although I am now the Emperor, this is the inner palace, my home. You are my wives and concubines, my women, the people closest to me. Do you all really want to distance yourselves from me and leave me a lonely man?¡± Although Lu Chen¡¯s tone was placid, Mu Zixuan and the others instantly picked up on his irritation. He rarely got angry, and this was their first time hearing him speak so sternly. Simultaneously, the three women hastily stood up from their seats and knelt on the ground. Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Your Majesty, we do not harbor such thoughts.¡± Seeing the three trembling on the ground, Lu Chen sighed. As he had thought, assuming this position ultimately led one to become a lonely ruler. It¡¯s often said that the Emperor has no personal affairs, only state affairs; even in the harem, the Emperor¡¯s wives must maintain the dignity of sovereign and subjects in his presence. Although Lu Chen knew this era was just like that, he felt very uncomfortable. Lu Chen also understood that, for someone like the Emperor who held the power of life and death, even if he verbally allowed his wives and concubines some freedom, they would not dare to act recklessly. After all, a single word from him could lead to their downfall, as well as the destruction of their families. Moreover, compared to his father, the Emperor, his own power was even greater. His father had been restricted by the Aristocratic Family, but now he had sole control over state affairs. Whatever he said was law, and no one could limit him. For an Emperor with such immense power, making his wives and concubines unafraid of him was almost an impossible task. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Zixuan, you have been married to me for several years now. Don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am?¡± Hearing this question, Mu Zixuan was slightly stunned, then said, ¡°Your Majesty is benevolent and harmonious, with far-reaching ambition. You are a wise ruler, a rarity seen once in thousands of years.¡± Lu Chen was very dissatisfied with this answer. Mu Zixuan¡¯s words were too polite. Lu Chen then rose from his seat and walked straight over to Mu Zixuan, then crouched down. Mu Zixuan was taken aback once again. Looking into Mu Zixuan¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen said, ¡°Zixuan, what do you think about this? I will issue a command to the Inner Court that my wives and concubines are not to kneel before me so readily.¡± This¡­ Mu Zixuan immediately understood what Lu Chen meant. He was very dissatisfied with their behavior today. Mu Zixuan quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, your concubine knows her mistake.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Knowing your mistake, why not rise quickly?¡± ¡°You want to kneel so much? Later when we go to bed, I¡¯ll let you kneel all you want.¡± The meaning behind Lu Chen¡¯s words was clear to the three women; their cheeks instantly grew even redder and became incredibly hot. Then the three women rose from the ground. At this time, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Your Majesty, your concubine understands your point, but the Imperial Palace today is not what the North Prince Mansion used to be. With so many eyes watching in the palace, any misconduct by a wife will inevitably lead to impeachment at court.¡± It is said that the Emperor has no private matters; affairs of the Harem, once known to those ministers, will definitely be brought up in the court sessions and will be used as an opportunity to launch political struggles. This is common in every dynasty, so even though they knew Lu Chen disliked their overly cautious behavior towards him, which might make him feel isolated, they also had to consider the troubles that might arise from acting disrespectfully. Hearing Mu Zixuan say this, Lu Chen then said, ¡°In the future, I will issue a command that matters of the Harem are my family affairs, and no minister is allowed to discuss them, unless it is something to do with the businesses you manage outside or some deeds that affect Great Xia.¡± Just as Mu Zixuan was about to say something, Lu Chen quickly said, ¡°Alright, this matter is settled.¡± With that, Lu Chen glanced at Mu Zixuan and the two Zhou sisters, then continued, ¡°I will just say this, if you really make me a man without kinship, feeling that I have no family, then from now on, I will truly not act with sentiment.¡± ¡°I believe you do not wish to see an Emperor like my father, do you?¡± Hearing these words, the three women felt a pang in their hearts. They naturally did not want to see Lu Chen become a cold and heartless Emperor. As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, he once again sat down at the dining table. At this time, the servants had already started serving the dishes. Lu Chen said, ¡°Come and sit down quickly.¡± After coming to their senses, Mu Zixuan and the two Zhou sisters hurriedly took their seats at the table. With the words Lu Chen had just said, the three women were no longer as cautious as before. Once the dishes were served, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou prepared a cup for Lu Chen while the other poured wine for him. At this time, Lu Chen said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Zixuan, after yesterday¡¯s court session ended, a minister came to me and brought up the matter of appointing the Empress.¡± Hearing these words, Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou¡¯s hearts tightened. Chapter 788 - Chapter 788: Chapter 478 Li Ruis Troubles_1 Chapter 788: Chapter 478 Li Rui¡¯s Troubles_1 Hearing Lu Chen mention the matter of the Empress, Mu Zixuan instantly understood why Lu Chen had gone to Chu Yuqin the night before without asking her to serve him in bed. She was well aware of the position Chu Yuqin held in Lu Chen¡¯s heart. Lu Chen seeking out Chu Yuqin was surely to discuss matters regarding the Empress. Whenever the subject of the Empress came up, Mu Zixuan couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly; she truly didn¡¯t want to get involved in such affairs again. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t up to her wishes. As Lu Chen¡¯s royal consort, she was bound to be involved in these matters. Lu Chen glanced at Mu Zixuan¡¯s reaction and then said directly, ¡°My intention is for Feng¡¯er to become the Crown Prince, but I will not establish an Empress.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan breathed a sigh of relief. She instantly grasped Lu Chen¡¯s intention. Ever since Lu Chen¡¯s harem had grown, he had always emphasized harmony in his harem. He did not wish for any woman to struggle for power and advantage in it. Lu Chen¡¯s choice not to establish an Empress was most likely to prevent the Empress from becoming a target, and on the other hand, it was probably also meant to signal to the women in the harem that he would never appoint an Empress, so they shouldn¡¯t aspire to climb any higher. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Although there will be no Empress, I will establish an Imperial Noble Consort. From now on, in my harem, the only distinction will be between the Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Consorts. Below the rank of Noble Consort, there will be no further rankings.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan thought to herself that it was exactly as she had anticipated; everything Lu Chen did was for the harmony of the harem. Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°I will defer to Your Majesty¡¯s decision on this matter.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Zixuan, are you not upset that I haven¡¯t made you Empress?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s probing words, Mu Zixuan quickly replied, ¡°Your Majesty, in truth, I have no interest in the position of Empress. Not only do I have no interest, but I also don¡¯t wish to be involved in the struggle for it.¡± ¡°Your Majesty is also aware of the incident that occurred with the Mu Family. I have grown weary of those affairs and don¡¯t wish for my children to be embroiled in them either. I only want to see my children grow up safely.¡± Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°I also do not wish to see my children embroiled in such affairs. After all, I faced life-and-death crises numerous times when I was younger. I no longer wish to witness brother against brother, father against son. Yet, given my current position, my children will inevitably be dragged into some matters in the future. I can only hope that Feng¡¯er grows up quickly under my protection, to stand on his own so that, in time, others will no longer entertain different ideas.¡± Mu Zixuan instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts. He wanted to use the time while he was still alive to solidify Lu Changfeng¡¯s position as his heir apparent. As long as Lu Changfeng¡¯s position was secure enough, it would naturally negate the ambitions of others. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°All right, let¡¯s not discuss this any further. Let¡¯s eat, or the food will get cold.¡± Afterward, the four of them stopped discussing the topic of the Empress and Crown Prince and began talking about their children. After dinner, all four went to the bathhouse to bathe. Once they finished, they proceeded to the large bed in Wind Cloud Palace. To punish them for distancing themselves from him, Lu Chen made Mu Zixuan and the other two kneel for almost an entire night, and he also whipped them. Their cries could be heard from outside the Wind Cloud Palace. Dawn was breaking, and only then did Lu Chen let them go. Following his discipline, Mu Zixuan and the other two assured him they would never dare to distance themselves from him again. In the morning, Lu Chen had some porridge and went to the Imperial Study Room to deal with state affairs. The list of ministerial appointments was yet to be drafted, so he would be busy for the entire day. Not long after Lu Chen had arrived at the Imperial Study Room, Zhuge Zhongguang once again came to continue discussing the court structure and the matter of appointing officials with Lu Chen. As Lu Chen was busy, the officials who had followed him to Yan County from the Capital city were also trying in every possible way to ingratiate themselves with the original ministers of North Country, especially Li Rui. As a Great Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Zhuge Zhongguang was someone Lu Chen could summon at any moment, resulting in him living close to the Imperial Palace. Thus, it was difficult for the ministers to meet him, and they also didn¡¯t dare to blatantly curry favor with Zhuge Zhongguang so close to the Imperial Palace. Most ministers chose to curry favor with Li Rui. At this very moment. Within the Li Mansion. Li Rui sat in the hall, sipping tea and sighing, seemingly troubled by something. Just then, a servant hurriedly ran in, ¡°Master, another person has arrived, and they say he was an Assistant Minister in the former court.¡± Li Rui quickly waved his hand, ¡°Do not see me, do not see me, just say I am sick and still lying in bed.¡± Li Rui was no fool; he was very well aware of the Brocade Guard¡¯s capabilities. If he really met those officials from the capital city, he wouldn¡¯t even know how he died when the time came. At this thought, Li Rui couldn¡¯t help but feel emotional. Who would have thought that he, Li Rui, would have such a day? When the North Prince came to North City, he was just a simple Prefecture Governor. While he lived a better life than the common people, he was far below those officials in the capital city. Who would have imagined that in just a few short years, he too had become a person of high rank and great power? Now it was those officials from the capital city who came to ingratiate themselves with him. Li Rui felt somewhat fortunate in his heart. Fortunately, when the North Prince came to North City, he did not go against the North Prince just because he saw him as worthless. Instead, he handed over his military power to Lu Chen at the first opportunity and actively cooperated with Lu Chen to accomplish the reform of North City. Of course, the most crucial point was when Lu Chen gave the officials of North City the choice to leave or stay, and without hesitation, he chose to stay in North City. If he hadn¡¯t made the right decision on any one thing at the time, it was hard to say if he would even be alive now, let alone have the status he had today. He had now come to understand Lu Chen¡¯s character; although Lu Chen seemed to devolve power in every aspect, entrusting most matters to his ministers, Lu Chen¡¯s control over the court was extremely terrifying. Lu Chen was different from traditional monarchs. Lu Chen made decisions only on the broader strategy, and then left all matters to his ministers to handle, while having the Brocade Guard supervise their execution. If it were another emperor, attending court would be about trivial matters. But with Lu Chen, they only discussed state affairs, and weren¡¯t allowed to bring up trivial complaints. As Li Rui was lost in thought, another servant suddenly came in. The servant rushed up to Li Rui and said, ¡°Master, someone from the palace has come!¡± At that word, Li Rui instantly snapped back to reality, his face turning deathly pale from fright. He knew that today¡¯s events would certainly catch the Emperor¡¯s attention, but he hadn¡¯t expected the Emperor to send someone so quickly. However, Li Rui quickly regained his composure. He thought to himself that he hadn¡¯t actually accepted any gifts from those officials from the capital city, not even seen them, so the Emperor sending someone was likely just a reminder, not a summons for punishment. With that in mind, Li Rui immediately said, ¡°Please bring the person in quickly.¡± Soon, the servant brought in a female guard. Upon seeing Li Rui, she took out a Golden Waist Token and said directly, ¡°Lord Li, his Majesty has a message: if officials from the capital city visit, you may have proper contact with them and explain the rules of the officials in North Country to them.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Rui was stunned. He had initially thought that the Emperor was reminding him not to form factions, but he hadn¡¯t expected the Emperor to even allow him to meet those officials from the capital city. Li Rui quickly grasped what the Emperor meant; the Emperor intended to use him as a mouthpiece to let the ministers from the capital city know in advance what should be done and what not, so that they could integrate into the new court more quickly. Li Rui then said, ¡°Please convey to his Majesty that I will certainly complete the task he has entrusted to me, making those people understand what they should do and what they shouldn¡¯t.¡± Hearing Li Rui¡¯s response, the female guard didn¡¯t say much and left straight away. Chapter 790 - Chapter 790: Chapter 480: His Majesty is Truly Obsessed with Producing Heirs Chapter 790: Chapter 480: His Majesty is Truly Obsessed with Producing Heirs As Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, his claws slowly slid down from the waists of the two women, finally coming to rest on their buttocks. Wu Junwan gave this lecherous man a white look and then said, ¡°Your Majesty has come to find us, probably to inquire about what the Yue Emperor has been up to after Your Majesty¡¯s departure from Yan County.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, neither admitting nor denying it. Indeed, he visited Wu Junwan today for exactly that reason. Although he had reviewed the reports from the Brocade Guard, he still didn¡¯t know the specifics, and he was very curious about how Wu Junwan had declined the Yue Emperor¡¯s request for cooperation. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about that for now. I¡¯ve just come from the Imperial Study Room after handling state affairs and am quite hungry now.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately instructed the maid outside the pavilion, ¡°Tell the Food House to prepare dinner, and inform them that His Majesty is here.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady.¡± The maid immediately turned and left for the Food House. At that moment, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around the waists of the two women and walked toward the palace interior, saying as they walked, ¡°It¡¯s been almost a year since we last met; I wonder if the two ladies have missed me?¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan coldly replied, ¡°With so many things for this palace to deal with daily, where is there time to think of men? However, this talented lady from the Great Jue, she spends all day in her room drawing portraits of your Majesty.¡± ¡°Should she serve Your Majesty tonight, I guarantee she will take good care of you and make you very comfortable.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er, who was beside them, did not get angry upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words; instead, she calmly said, ¡°I merely drew portraits of His Majesty. I¡¯m not like some people who, while appearing dignified and noble on the surface, clutch their blankets at night and keep chanting ¡®Your Majesty, Your Majesty¡¯ nonstop.¡± Uh¡­ this¡­ Just as Wu Junwan was about to retort Murong Xue¡¯er, Lu Chen intervened, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the two ladies to be having such a hard time. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m back now, and tonight I¡¯ll make sure the two ladies have a satisfying rest.¡± Upon hearing this, both women simultaneously thought to themselves, sleep? They were afraid there¡¯d be no sleep tonight. Once the three of them entered the grand hall, it wasn¡¯t long before the palace servants and maids started serving dishes. Lu Chen picked up his chopsticks, ate, and asked, ¡°Junwan, I remember when I left Yan County, the Yue Emperor invited you to join her in causing destruction; how did you reject her later?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Your Majesty indeed came for this matter. A man¡¯s mouth really can¡¯t be trusted.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°I¡¯m just asking casually.¡± Wu Junwan answered directly, ¡°I declined her outright. I told her that although you had left Yan County, Zhuge Zhongguang, the Pseudo Celestial, was still in control of Yan County, and it was highly likely that there were other powers behind you, making it very difficult to cause any chaos.¡± Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°She wasn¡¯t suspicious of you?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°No, but she still sent people to try to steal the secrets of the North Country. Unfortunately, I found out about it beforehand and informed the Brocade Guard, which led to the failure of her plans.¡± Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Was the Yue Emperor not willing to accept defeat?¡± Wu Junwan answered indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t written to me in a long time. With the current instability in the northern regions, her thoughts are all there.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused in picking up his food, his hand suspended in midair, ¡°The north? Is there unrest among the Barbarian Tribe?¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Your Brocade Guard is so capable, they couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware that the Barbarian Tribe has already united, could they?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard something about that. It¡¯s said that the Barbarian Tribe seems to have a new Goddess, who appears to be quite formidable.¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Indeed, very formidable. For a woman to reunite the fragmented Barbarian Tribe, she must have not just methods, but also tremendous strength.¡± ¡°Qingrou has sensed that this woman is planning to lead her troops southward, and it¡¯s going to happen within these few years.¡± Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Then she¡¯s got her work cut out for her. You can write to her when the time comes. If she faces any difficulties, she can ask Great Sum for help. I would be only too happy to assist her.¡± Wu Junwan glanced at Lu Chen and then said expressionlessly, ¡°Do you really think she¡¯s a fool, not knowing what you are planning?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°I was just making conversation. Whether Great Jue can hold out until the Barbarian Tribe invades the south, that¡¯s yet to be seen.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er were taken aback. What did Lu Chen mean by that? Could it be¡­ He¡¯s planning to attack Great Jue? Having regained her composure, Wu Junwan gazed at Lu Chen¡¯s face, asking tentatively, ¡°Are you preparing to annihilate Great Jue?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Not for now, but if I were to annihilate anyone, it would be Great Wu first.¡± This¡­ At this moment, Wu Junwan felt a mixture of emotions since she herself was from Great Wu; even though she had now completely sided with Lu Chen, the thought of him wanting to extinguish Great Wu still made her feel uncomfortable. Wu Junwan then asked, ¡°If you really do annihilate Great Wu, what are your plans for the Great Martial Royal Family?¡± Lu Chen replied without hesitation, ¡°Give them some money, and allot them some land, so they can live the rest of their lives without worries about food and clothing.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°It won¡¯t be that simple.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen would be at ease allowing the royal family of Great Wu to continue their existence. As long as members of Great Wu¡¯s royal family remained alive, it was likely that some of the people of Great Wu might harbor other intentions, which would not be conducive to Lu Chen¡¯s grand unification. Before Lu Chen could say anything, Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Even if you choose to let them live at first, in a few years, you will find a way to slowly get rid of them.¡± Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°If you were to give me a few children and shelter them, perhaps I wouldn¡¯t have to do that.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan scoffed, ¡°Your Majesty is truly persistent when it comes to producing heirs.¡± Lu Chen smiled and didn¡¯t say much. They took about half an hour to finish their dinner, and afterwards, Lu Chen, embracing Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er by their willowy waists, headed to the bathhouse, where he immediately started to take liberties with them. Meanwhile. In the Da Yue Dynasty, the Empress¡¯s Bedchamber. The Yue Emperor was dressed in a bright red Phoenix Robe, crowned with the Phoenix Crown, seated on a Phoenix Chair inlaid with gold and gems. She held in her hand a letter of intelligence recently delivered from Yan County. After seeing the contents of the intelligence, the Yue Emperor fell into silence. Eventually, the Yue Emperor slowly stood up and approached the bed, looking out at the dazzling starry sky through the window. After a long while, the Yue Emperor asked the kneeling female guard beyond the curtains, ¡°Is the source of this information reliable?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°Your Majesty, although this matter is extremely secretive, it still can be detected through some clues. After all, the Imperial Palace in Great Xia has suddenly seen an increase in the number of people; with the chaos of a motley crowd, there are always those who will accidentally reveal some details. The information brought back by our spies can almost certainly be confirmed as true.¡± Hearing the guard¡¯s answer, the Yue Emperor took another glance at the intelligence in her hand. The report stated that not long after Wu Junwan went to the North Country, she had already taken over some of the industries there, and numerous maids were calling her Lady Wu. Although most of the maids from the North Prince Mansion had been trained to know what to say and what not to, due to the construction of the Imperial Palace, many new recruits had entered the North Prince Mansion. As a result, some of the new recruits couldn¡¯t keep their mouths shut and leaked information about Wu Junwan. This was an unavoidable situation caused by the fact that during the construction of the Imperial Palace, Lu Chen was not in Yan County, and Mu Zixuan and the others had neglected many matters. At this moment, the Yue Emperor descended into prolonged silence, the cold moonlight casting upon her, reflecting off her frosty yet stunning visage. The Yue Emperor couldn¡¯t quite understand why Wu Junwan had never mentioned in her letters to herself that she had taken over some industries of the North Prince Mansion. Most importantly, why were the maids and servants from the inner courtyard of the former North Prince Mansion addressing Wu Junwan as Lady Wu? Add to this that Wu Junwan had declined her proposal, which unavoidably led the Yue Emperor to suspect whether Wu Junwan had already become that man¡¯s woman. Thinking this, the Yue Emperor looked up once more towards the window, gazing at the full moon in the sky. Past events she had shared with Wu Junwan began to flood into her mind. After she and Wu Junwan left this world and entered the Misty World, they had endured many hardships and encountered numerous dangers; they could be said to be companions through life and death. Therefore, although she followed the Unfeeling Tao, she placed immense trust in Wu Junwan, who held a very important place in her heart. She had never contemplated that Wu Junwan would one day hide anything from her because of a man. Chapter 791 - Chapter 791: Chapter 481: No one can take you away from me!_1 Chapter 791: Chapter 481: No one can take you away from me!_1 A gust of cold wind blew into the Empress¡¯s bedchamber, causing the red curtains to sway continuously. Yue Emperor stood by the window, silent for a long time. At this moment, in her mind, all the unusual behaviors that Wu Junwan had exhibited after heading to Yan County were linked together, and she could not help but suspect whether Wu Junwan had indeed given herself to that man. She knew Wu Junwan well, Wu Junwan was someone who hated to admit defeat, even in life-and-death situations, she would likely not give up on what she wanted to do. Therefore, Yue Emperor did not believe that Wu Junwan had been forced to side with Lu Chen, for as long as she wished, she could even escape from Yan County directly. Since Wu Junwan chose to stay in Yan County and even manage Great Xia¡¯s properties for Lu Chen, and was willing to be referred to as Lady Wu, it was highly probable that she did it voluntarily. Moreover, if she were not willing, she would have definitely written to her, asking for help to escape from Yan County. When Lu Chen headed south, Wu Junwan had the perfect opportunity to do so, but unfortunately, she did not choose to flee. Yue Emperor gazed at the cold moon in the sky and murmured, ¡°Junwan, what exactly are you doing¡­¡± Could it be that her dear sister had really chosen Lu Chen? What charm did this man possess to not only win over Murong Xue¡¯er but also to have her dear sister, with whom she had a life-and-death bond, lie to her? After an indeterminate length of time, streams of Sword Qi burst forth from Yue Emperor¡¯s body, causing havoc in the bedchamber¡ªmany objects were destroyed by the Sword Qi. Yue Emperor stared resolutely at the moon, a hint of murderous intent flashing in her eyes, ¡°No matter what you are doing, I will snatch you back. No one can take you away from me!¡± Although Yue Emperor was still uncertain whether Wu Junwan had truly betrayed their friendship, she had already made up her mind¡ªto snatch Wu Junwan back from Lu Chen¡¯s side, no matter what. She was also aware that Lu Chen now had four Celestials by his side, but what of it? How could four Celestials matter? As the Empress of Great Jue, she would not fear any difficulty. At this very moment. Inside Wu Junwan¡¯s bedchamber, the alternating voices of Wu Junwan and Murong Xue¡¯er filled the air¡ªone moment it was Wu Junwan¡¯s voice, the next it was Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s. The whole night passed before their voices gradually ceased. A ray of morning sunlight shone upon the exposed flesh as Lu Chen thought to himself, perhaps this was the reason why Wu Junwan and the others were rated ninety out of a hundred. Although he had not done such things with a woman who was rated eighty, he now understood why his concubines scored ninety, especially Wu Junwan¡¯s ability to control her muscles. It could only be said that they were all exceptionally gifted. Filled with the sunlight streaming in through the window, Wu Junwan turned to Lu Chen, who lay on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s back, and then said, ¡°Your Majesty must have been very busy these last few days, right?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Indeed, a bit busy.¡± Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Then why does Your Majesty not get up?¡± Even though she was unsure of the exact time, the sunlight shining in through the window told her it was certainly not early anymore. Lu Chen smiled lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to spend more time with you?¡± Wu Junwan responded, ¡°State affairs are of utmost importance.¡± Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen immediately let go of Murong Xue¡¯er and slowly got up, ¡°You are right, state affairs are of utmost importance.¡± With that, Lu Chen grasped Wu Junwan¡¯s wrist, pulling her body into his embrace, ¡°Let¡¯s have a wash.¡± As he spoke, he lifted Wu Junwan up in a princess carry, leaving Murong Xue¡¯er alone on the bed, and proceeded directly to the bath in the side chamber. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er tried to stand up, but she was completely weak and could only watch their departing figures. Murong Xue¡¯er sighed softly, realizing she had truly fallen and could no longer stay away from this scoundrel. Soon, Lu Chen carried Wu Junwan into the bathing pool. Wu Junwan did not put on any airs, actively picking up a towel to wipe Lu Chen¡¯s back. Seeing this, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Since when did Princess Junwan start to serve others?¡± Wu Junwan snorted coldly, saying nothing more, and continued with her actions. Lu Chen had become the Emperor, and one who could unify the entire continent at that. Wu Junwan knew quite well that she didn¡¯t amount to much before Lu Chen; she was still clear about her position. Moreover, Lu Chen was planning to destroy Great Wu, so if she continued to act haughty and inadvertently provoked this lecher, what would she do if he decided to kill the entire Great Martial Royal Family? Although she didn¡¯t have any particular affection for the Great Martial Royal Family, these people were, after all, related to her by blood. It was difficult for her to completely ignore their fate. Lu Chen had naturally discerned Wu Junwan¡¯s thoughts, and at that moment he suddenly said, ¡°After I¡¯ve conquered Great Wu, I won¡¯t kill the people of the Great Martial Royal Family, unless they revolt.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan wasn¡¯t surprised and continued to wipe his body. His words could be true, or they could be false. After all, Lu Chen had made his statement impeccably. He added ¡°unless they revolt¡± after his claim. Revolting or not, wasn¡¯t it just a matter of Lu Chen¡¯s word? Should Lu Chen wish to eliminate the Great Martial Royal Family, he would naturally fabricate some charges against them. Once Great Wu was defeated, the life and death of the Great Martial Royal Family would depend on a single thought from Lu Chen. Wu Junwan did not take his promise seriously. At that moment, Lu Chen seemed to recall something and continued, ¡°Oh right, there¡¯s something I almost forgot to tell you.¡± Wu Junwan asked out of curiosity, ¡°What is it?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I plan to make you an Imperial Noble Consort.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She was a princess of Great Wu, and the Imperial Noble Consort ranked just below the Empress. How could Lu Chen possibly make her an Imperial Noble Consort? Following that, Wu Junwan said, ¡°If Great Wu is conquered, I¡¯ll be a Princess of the Defeated Country. Aren¡¯t you afraid your wives and concubines will be dissatisfied? There will certainly be a lot of opposition from people in Great Xia.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Apart from you being the Imperial Noble Consort, Zixuan will also be an Imperial Noble Consort, Madam Chu will be an Imperial Noble Consort, and Nanyan will be an Imperial Noble Consort as well.¡± Wu Junwan was stunned once again. Other emperors who appointed an Imperial Noble Consort usually had only one, at most two. Lu Chen was preparing to appoint four people as Imperial Noble Consorts in one go. If they were all Imperial Noble Consorts, then who would become the Empress? Logically, Mu Zixuan should be the Empress, so why set her up as an Imperial Noble Consort instead? Wu Junwan quickly came to a realization, and then said, ¡°You don¡¯t plan to appoint an Empress?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s affirmative response, Wu Junwan thought to herself, as expected¡­ This man didn¡¯t want a master of the harem to emerge; in other words, Lu Chen wanted to be the master of his harem himself. Of course, not appointing an Empress had its advantages. This way, nobody would vie for the position of Empress. At that time, Lu Chen turned around, wrapped his arms around Wu Junwan¡¯s slender waist, then sat at the edge of the bath, making Wu Junwan sit on his lap. ¡°As my Imperial Noble Consort, you¡¯ll need to bear me more children in the future. Also, I know that the condition for you to become a Celestial is to have three children for me, so we¡¯ll have to put more effort into that.¡± Wu Junwan asked, ¡°I¡¯m very curious, how did you learn about the condition for me to become a Celestial?¡± Lu Chen had guessed the condition for himself becoming a Celestial when it happened. Back when he was merely speculating on a whim, and now this man was stating it with such certainty. Clearly, he did indeed know the condition for her to become a Celestial. By rights, the condition for becoming a Celestial was something only she should know. She had never told anyone else her condition for becoming a Celestial, so how did he find out? Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s a man¡¯s secret.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was unwilling to disclose it, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t bother asking further. Afterward, the two of them soaked in the bath for a long time and discussed some matters regarding Great Wu. Chapter 792 - Chapter 792: Chapter 482: A Special Great Court Assembly_1 Chapter 792: Chapter 482: A Special Great Court Assembly_1 The list of official appointments for the new Great Xia court quickly made its way onto the Great Xia Official Gazette, and the arrangements for Lu Chen were mostly satisfactory to the officials in the Capital city. After all, they were not part of Lu Chen¡¯s original team from the North Country, and they had not been purged when Lu Chen advanced into the Capital city; now being able to be reused was considered quite good. Although some had been demoted, they were well aware that, while their ranks remained unchanged in the court that stayed in the Capital city, they would not actually hold any real power. However, in the court of Yan County, even though their ranks had been lowered, they indeed held real power. An official position with real power was far better than a sinecure in the Capital city¡¯s court where one would simply idle away. After the list of official appointments was made public, Lu Chen immediately convened the Great Court Assembly. At four-thirty in the morning, when the sky was still dark, many ministers had already arrived outside the Hall of Political Affairs. Today was the first official court assembly since Lu Chen¡¯s enthronement, so the officials from the Capital city were particularly eager. Once all the Capital city officials had arrived, the Great Court Assembly officially began, and the officials uniformly paid their respects, saying, ¡°Long live the Emperor, long may he reign, long live, long live the Emperor!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Rise, take your seats.¡± ¡°Thank Your Majesty!¡± The ministers then made their way to either side of the great hall, where in front of each seat, there was a placard indicating the corresponding position. Seeing this scene, the officials from the Capital city couldn¡¯t help feeling deeply moved, never expecting the new Emperor to be so considerate of them. Having served as officials for so many years, it was the first time they had heard of attending court in this manner, with actual seats, and one for each person at that. In the past, when they attended court, they had to stand in the great hall, sometimes for several hours until their legs went weak. From this, one could see how the new Emperor differed from the previous one. Indeed, just as Li Rui had said, the new Emperor was unlike any other emperor in this world. Once all the ministers were seated, Lu Chen spoke directly, ¡°Today is the first Great Court Assembly after the restructuring of the court. Before we begin, I want to remind the newly appointed ministers that once the assembly starts, we will only discuss state affairs.¡± At this point, Lu Chen looked toward Zhuge Zhongguang, who was seated at the first place below the Dragon Throne, and then said, ¡°The Great Scholar may begin.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone in the great hall was stunned. Begin? Begin what? At that moment, Zhuge Zhongguang addressed the gathered ministers, ¡°Today¡¯s Great Court Assembly will be presided over by this official.¡± Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, the officials who had come from the Capital city were somewhat bewildered. What is this? The Great Court Assembly is to be managed by a subject, then what is the Emperor doing there? But soon the officials from the Capital city realized that the former ministers from the North Country did not react at all, as they seemed to consider this normal, apparently having often done so in the North Country. The officials from the Capital city, who initially wanted to stand up and say something, recalled Lu Chen¡¯s initial statement that they would only discuss state affairs, so they just sat obediently in their own places. Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°The major topic of today¡¯s Great Court Assembly is the discussion of a military campaign against Great Wu.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, they instantly stirred up excitement among the officials in the great hall. Military campaign against Great Wu! No one had expected the new Emperor to contemplate unifying the realm so soon! This was a huge opportunity for everyone in the hall; if they performed outstandingly in the war, they would have the chance to advance. Both Civil Officials and Military Generals were extremely excited at this moment. Zhuge Zhongguang went on to say, ¡°His Majesty currently has two Celestials at his command. The plan is to first send troops to attack Great Wu and then have the Celestials directly proceed to the Da Wu Capital to exert pressure on the Great Martial Royal Family. In this way, we can dissolve the combat will of the Great Wu army in the shortest time possible and bring down Great Wu.¡± With the Celestials in place, the nature of warfare changes. In the past, all the great dynasties had Grandmasters and used them as trump cards, making it difficult for any of them to be defeated. But Celestials were different. It¡¯s uncertain if Great Wu had any Celestials, and if they didn¡¯t, Lu Chen could simply send a Celestial to the Da Wu Capital, which would be enough to deal with all of Great Wu¡¯s Grandmasters, forcing Great Wu to surrender directly. ¡°` Moreover, the combat effectiveness of the Great Xia¡¯s army was still so strong that when the soldiers of Great Wu saw the firearms of Great Xia, they would directly lose their will to fight. This time, Great Xia adopted a dual-front war strategy, targeting Great Wu¡¯s army, which is the grassroots level of combat, on one hand, and, on the other, aiming at the Great Wu royal family and the nobility, targeting the upper echelons. In usual wars, if the fight is only against the grassroots, then no matter how many people die at that level, the royal high ranks and the nobles of the Capital would not feel the pain. They would simply conscript more able-bodied men to send to the frontline to die. The grassroots level warfare would carry on for a very long time, until the soldiers from both sides were almost exhausted, then negotiations would slowly begin. But once the lives of the high ranks were involved, the war would not last too long. Under the leadership of Zhuge Zhongguang, the details of when the war would start, the number of troops to be dispatched, and the logistics arrangements were all discussed one by one. At today¡¯s Great Court Assembly, it was Zhuge Zhongguang who chaired the entire session. Lu Chen only spoke a few words as if he were just there to observe, making him seem like a puppet emperor whose power had been hollowed out. Of course, Lu Chen was not a puppet emperor. When the officials discussed matters, their eyes were always on Lu Chen. Although it was Zhuge Zhongguang who hosted the Great Court Assembly, the officials were very clear that they were speaking for someone else to listen. This mode of assembly was somewhat novel to the officials of the Capital City, but they also quickly accepted it. By the time the Great Court Assembly ended, it was already noon. Lu Chen had sat on the Dragon Throne the whole morning, listening to people prattle on, and he felt somewhat tired. Although he had only said a few words, listening to their discussions was still rather draining. As the assembly ended and Lu Chen was about to go to the harem, a female guard hurried to him and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Lady Qin is about to give birth!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen wasted no words and went straight to the palace where Qin Yuwei lived. The outside of Qin Yuwei¡¯s palace was crowded with a throng of women who, upon seeing Lu Chen arrive, hurriedly made way. Lu Chen hurried into Qin Yuwei¡¯s room. Inside the room were the old midwives from the former North Prince Mansion, and the maidens assisting in the birth were also those from the past. Everyone stepped aside upon seeing Lu Chen, allowing him to approach Qin Yuwei. Qin Yuwei was deeply moved to see Lu Chen¡¯s arrival. She thought that he had been too busy recently to visit her. She hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Chen would still come before she gave birth. Lying on the bed, Qin Yuwei said feebly, ¡°Your concubine greets Your Majesty. Please forgive your concubine for not being able to rise and pay respects.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and, sitting by the bed, said, ¡°It¡¯s alright, you just lie down comfortably.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen took Qin Yuwei¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, the child will be born soon.¡± Qin Yuwei replied, ¡°With Your Majesty by my side, your concubine is not nervous.¡± Qin Yuwei had long heard from Chu Yuqin and the others that giving birth was almost painless as long as Lu Chen was nearby. Qin Yuwei believed Chu Yuqin and the others would not deceive her. Just then, she suddenly felt a warm current enter her body, and the discomfort vanished in an instant. Qin Yuwei was astonished. It was just as Chu Yuqin and the others had said; there was indeed no discomfort at all. Just as Qin Yuwei was about to say thank you, she suddenly felt movement in her belly. Before she knew what was happening, she felt as if something had left her body, and the weight of her belly eased instantly. The next moment, the sound of a baby crying echoed in the great hall. Qin Yuwei was stunned. Though she had heard that childbirth would be easy with Lu Chen present, she never imagined it would be this easy. Wasn¡¯t this too simple? Was that it? Carefully, Qin Yuwei raised herself slightly and looked at her belly. Seeing that it had deflated, and the midwives and maids were busy cleaning the baby, she finally believed she had truly given birth. Lu Chen continued using the Rejuvenating Skill to help Qin Yuwei recover. After the midwives finished cleaning the baby quickly, they brought it to Lu Chen. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty, it is a prince!¡± Upon hearing the midwife¡¯s words, the happiest wasn¡¯t Lu Chen, but Qin Yuwei. In that era, a woman¡¯s worth was determined by her children. Although she did not expect her child to become the Crown Prince, having a prince meant her future life had some security. Qin Yuwei¡¯s heart was filled with joy. ¡°` Chapter 793 - Chapter 793: Chapter 483 Qin Yuwei Gives Birth to a Child and the Rewards It Brings_1 Chapter 793: Chapter 483 Qin Yuwei Gives Birth to a Child and the Rewards It Brings_1 Lu Chen held the child and infused him with some Spiritual Power, examining the child¡¯s body before placing him in front of Qin Yuwei. Qin Yuwei, now able to sit up, did just that and gazed at the child beside her, her face brimming with joy. A moment later, Qin Yuwei suddenly remembered the child had yet to be named. She quickly turned her head to look at Lu Chen by the bedside, ¡°Your Majesty, the child still has no name, please bestow one upon him.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s call him Lu Siyuan.¡± Qin Yuwei murmured, ¡°Siyuan¡­ Siyuan¡­¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen gave a faint smile and continued to infuse Qin Yuwei and the child with Spiritual Power. Once Qin Yuwei had fully recovered, she suddenly thought of the many affairs Lu Chen had to attend to and hurriedly said, ¡°Your Majesty, your concubine has recovered, and since you have other matters to attend to, I shall not waste more of your time.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Then rest well.¡± Qin Yuwei hummed in agreement, and then Lu Chen stood up, turned around, and left the palace for the Imperial Study Room. He was very eager to know what the system had rewarded him with this time. After entering the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen opened the system interface immediately. [Congratulations to the host for obtaining a progeny, rewarded with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.] [As the host¡¯s progeny has surpassed ten, awarded with Divine Ability Enlightenment and the Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill, Demon Burying Spell.] Lu Chen was somewhat surprised at the rewards presented before him, not expecting that aside from Sect Forces, there were also Divine Skills and a Heavenly-level Cultivation Technique. This was his first time to obtain Divine Skills and Lu Chen was very curious about the effect of the Divine Skill ¡°Enlightenment.¡± He clicked on [Enlightenment] right away. [Enlightenment: A host¡¯s Divine Skill, it can enlighten all beings, allowing sentient creatures to possess intelligence similar to the host¡¯s, and the host can impart his own knowledge to the enlightened beings, ensuring absolute loyalty towards the host.] Reading the description of this Divine Skill, Lu Chen was initially stunned, but soon his heart swelled with joy. Since he had arrived in this world, his greatest concern was that the people here found it difficult to comprehend some of his ideas and practices. If he could use Enlightenment to impart his knowledge to others, they would understand what he said. Of course, Enlightenment could play a bigger role in the advancement of technology. Conveniently, he had acquired the Earth Knowledge Library and, although he had gained much knowledge from Earth, to make the craftsmen understand the books in the Earth library, he still needed to teach them some of the basics himself. Now with Enlightenment, it was different. He could directly impart some fundamental knowledge to those he trusted most. Then those craftsmen could study on their own the knowledge contained within the books of the Earth library, and afterward, some people with a talent for learning could pass on their knowledge to the people of this world. Thus, this world could quickly transition from an agrarian society to industrialization. One hundred years would surely suffice, perhaps even less. With that thought, Lu Chen was filled with immense excitement. After examining the Divine Skill Enlightenment, Lu Chen casually opened up the introduction to the ¡°Demon Burying Spell.¡± [Demon Burying Spell: A Heavenly-level Cultivation Technique, an orthodox cultivation method. Once cultivated, the Spiritual Energy of the practitioner specifically counters Evil Yin Energy and suppresses those who practice evil.] Upon seeing this Cultivation Technique, Lu Chen thought of the Taiyin Divine Sect. They had been searching for so long and had still not found any trace of the Taiyin Divine Sect, clueless about their hiding place or what mischief they were brewing. If his people all cultivated the Demon Burying Spell, there would be no fear when those of the Taiyin Divine Sect showed themselves again, no matter how surreptitious those individuals might be. This was a Cultivation Technique that could be useful at the present stage. After looking over the Divine Skill and Cultivation Technique, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze finally settled on the words ¡°Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Lu Chen had not heard of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect before, so he suspected it must be a force from overseas like the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall. Lu Chen immediately clicked on Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to review the details. [Ten Thousand Immortal Sect: Currently located in the Misty World. Within the Sect, there are two practitioners holding the Yin Yang Mirror, ten in the Genesis Realm, and several Celestials.] [Due to the Misty World¡¯s restrictions not being lifted, the members of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect are temporarily unable to travel to this world, but the host can issue one command.] Seeing the introduction about the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect from the system, Lu Chen was stunned. A Sect force from the Misty World? So the reward is of no use to me right now? He had been hoping that the power granted as a reward would help him unify the world. Could it be that in the system¡¯s view, unifying a few dynasties doesn¡¯t require someone Above Celestials? Thinking of this, Lu Chen pondered for a moment. Considering the current situation, if the several great dynasties didn¡¯t have a Celestial, or only had one Celestial, then indeed, unifying the world wouldn¡¯t require someone Above Celestials. With this in mind, Lu Chen curiously asked the system, ¡°System, what is the Realm like Above Celestials? Can you tell me in advance?¡± Lu Chen wanted to see what level the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was outside, and whether it could protect this world from being invaded by powerhouses from other worlds after the restrictions of the Misty World were lifted. As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the system¡¯s prompt sounded. [Heavenly Human Realm, Genesis Realm, Yin Yang Mirror, All Law Realm, Divinity Transformation Realm, Returning Ruin Realm, Saint Realm, Emperor Realm.] This¡­ Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help thinking that the Genesis Realm was just Above Celestials, and the Yin Yang Mirror was only one realm higher than Celestials. With this in mind, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect doesn¡¯t seem very powerful. Perhaps the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect is only a minor sect in the Misty World. While Lu Chen was thinking this, the system¡¯s prompt sounded again. [Each major realm is divided into ten minor levels.] Hearing the system¡¯s supplement, Lu Chen thought, if there are ten minor levels within each major realm, then it shouldn¡¯t be easy for people outside to cultivate to the Yin-Yang Realm. Let¡¯s hope there aren¡¯t any powerhouses Above the Yin-Yang Realm in the Misty World. Thinking of this, Lu Chen said to the system, ¡°Have the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect investigate the situation of the Misty World. As soon as the world¡¯s restrictions disappear, send someone to this world immediately and inform me of the Misty World¡¯s information.¡± [The host¡¯s command has been issued. The Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Ji Hongwen, has received the host¡¯s command.] After issuing the command to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Lu Chen sighed slightly. It seemed necessary to quicken the pace of unification. Lu Chen had long discovered the pattern of the system¡¯s rewards. The fact that the system awarded him with a sect force from the Misty World at this time suggested that he didn¡¯t need powerhouses Above Celestials right now, and it also indicated that he would likely encounter those sect forces within the Misty World soon. The system¡¯s reward pattern often provided what he might need next. Since the system had rewarded him with the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, he needed to start preparing for the Misty World immediately. At this very moment. Inside the Misty World. Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. The entire Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was shrouded in mist, but above the various buildings of the Sect, there were some candles. Within a few meters illuminated by the candlelight, the thick mist was absent. It was because of these candles that the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect could see the path clearly. Today was the Sect¡¯s martial arts competition, and the main peak of the Sect was already packed with disciples. The high-ranking officials of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were watching the disciples spar and discussing something when suddenly, the Sect Master and several Elders felt something extra in their minds. The high officials of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect stood up from their seats at the same time. Seeing this, the disciples of the Sect were stunned. They had not received Lu Chen¡¯s instructions and did not understand why the Sect Master and the others suddenly stood up, with a very solemn look on their faces. After a while, the Sect Master, Ji Hongwen, finally spoke slowly, ¡°I never thought that after being trapped in the Misty World for thousands of years, we would have a day to get out.¡± ¡°The heavens have eyes! The restrictions of the Misty World are finally about to disappear!¡± At this moment, Ji Hongwen was incredibly excited, even with tears in his eyes. Chapter 794 - Chapter 794: Chapter 484: A Celestial Descends upon the Da Wu Capital_1 Chapter 794: Chapter 484: A Celestial Descends upon the Da Wu Capital_1 The Great Court Assembly decided to exterminate Great Wu, and Great Xia soon published a declaration of war against Great Wu in the official gazette. A single stone stirred up a thousand ripples; the various forces of the great dynasties were extremely agitated upon learning that Great Xia would wage war against Great Wu next. Some were delighted, while others were terrified. If Great Wu were to be extinguished, the powers within Great Xia were sure to profit, so they were all very excited. The situation was different for the Great Wu Dynasty, however. No one knew what their fate would be should the nation fall. At the same time, not only the people of the Great Wu Dynasty were panicked, but the common folk of Great Jue and the Great Qian Dynasty were equally fearful. People had long been aware of Lu Chen¡¯s ambition; even before he became the Great Xia Emperor, he had revealed his desire to unify the world under one rule. Now that Lu Chen controlled all of Great Xia¡¯s resources, it was natural for him to begin realizing his ambition. Clearly, Great Xia¡¯s plan would not end with just the elimination of Great Wu. Once Great Wu fell, Great Jue and Great Qian would be next. Great Wu Dynasty. In the royal court. Today¡¯s court assembly was dead silent, the hall was eerily quiet; even the sound of people¡¯s breathing could be heard. The atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Sweat beaded on the foreheads of some of the ministers as the Martial Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne, his gaze coldly sweeping over the ministers in the hall. After what seemed like an eternity, the Martial Emperor finally spoke, ¡°My dear ministers, have you all seen the declaration of war from the North Country?¡± Hearing this, the assembly of ministers still dared not utter a word. Although they had long anticipated that Lu Chen would seek to dominate the world and that they would inevitably face this war, they had not expected it to arrive so soon. Most importantly, Great Xia already had four Celestials, while Great Wu was completely unprepared. Setting aside the combat strength of Great Xia¡¯s military forces, the mere presence of those four Celestials was enough to annihilate the entire Great Wu. Now without Celestial champions of their own, Great Wu was no match for Great Xia. The ministers of Great Wu had no idea what to do, as they had always been the ones to attack others; this was the first time they were on the receiving end. Seeing the silent ministers in the hall, the Martial Emperor¡¯s anger flared. They were all useless, always chattering away in court, but now, when it mattered most, no one spoke up. The Martial Emperor continued, ¡°Before long, Great Xia will send troops to attack Great Wu. What solutions do you, my ministers, propose?¡± Upon these words, the hall remained in dead silence, the ministers looking at each other, but none speaking out. Solutions? What solutions could there be? They had long known of Lu Chen¡¯s ambition. Lu Chen aimed for nothing less than total unification. Now that the declaration of war had been made, it was clear they would not rest until Great Wu was destroyed. Anything they said now was pointless. Either Great Wu would muster its military might to hold off Great Xia¡¯s assault, or it would simply surrender. But judging by the strengths of both parties, even if Great Wu did manage to field its troops against Great Xia, it was doubtful they could hold out for long. Great Wu had already experienced the combat prowess of Great Xia¡¯s new army, and the focus wasn¡¯t even on Great Xia¡¯s new troops. What they were most concerned about was Great Xia¡¯s Celestials. No one knew if Great Xia would send Celestials directly to the Capital City. Just one Celestial in the Capital could potentially annihilate the entire city. If Great Xia desired a swift and decisive victory, they might very well send Celestials straight to the Capital. The ministers in the grand hall are already thinking about how to surrender to Great Xia; they have no desire to accompany the Great Wu Dynasty to its grave. This is a war with no chance of victory. But even though they already harbor thoughts of surrendering, they can¡¯t possibly bring it up directly in front of the Martial Emperor. Everyone knows what kind of person the Martial Emperor is; he will never surrender, and anyone who suggests surrender at this time might not even finish speaking before being killed by the Martial Emperor himself. Since they cannot fight and the Martial Emperor will never agree to surrender, they choose to say nothing at all. Seeing that the ministers still had not spoken, the Martial Emperor¡¯s piercing gaze fell directly on the Minister of War, ¡°Chen, what do you think we should do next?¡± Hearing this, the Minister of War was so frightened that he knelt on the ground and trembled as he said, ¡°Your Majesty, the most pressing matter is to summon the army to resist the soldiers of Great Xia invading our court.¡± Although he said this, the Minister of War was speaking for the Martial Emperor to hear. Given the Martial Emperor¡¯s personality, he would definitely resist to the end; with the Great Wu Dynasty about to be destroyed, flattering the Martial Emperor now wouldn¡¯t hurt. After hearing the Minister of War, the Martial Emperor fell silent for a moment. He was no fool; he could see that no one in the court, civilian or military, truly wanted to resist Great Xia. After all, the strength of a Celestial was evident. Even with the power of a Grandmaster, they could not resist a Celestial. Moreover, the Great Wu Dynasty didn¡¯t have many Grandmasters to begin with; with so few Grandmasters, how could they possibly defeat the Great Xia Dynasty? Although the Martial Emperor was well aware that Great Wu was about to fall, his heart was filled with reluctance. He should have been the one to unify the world, not the Sum Emperor. He could not surrender; even if he had to fight to the last moment, he would defend Great Wu¡¯s territory. Just then, a tremendous pressure suddenly filled the grand hall, and some of the weaker ministers were pressed to the ground by this force. Even the Martial Emperor himself was immobilized by this pressure; the sudden onset caused chaos in the hall. After a moment, two elders, accompanied by dozens of Grandmaster martial artists, walked into the grand hall. Feeling the martial might emanating from these people, the entire court was stunned. So many Grandmasters¡­ What force is this, and how could they have so many Grandmasters? Coming to his senses, a minister quickly exclaimed, ¡°Protect the emperor! There are assassins, protect the emperor!!!¡± As people prepared to escort the Martial Emperor to safety, an even stronger pressure descended, instantly restraining the Imperial Guards who had entered the hall so that they could not move. It didn¡¯t take long for people to understand what was happening. Celestials! It must be Celestials! Even the leader of the Imperial Guard, a Grandmaster himself, was suppressed, unable to move; this meant that someone among the newcomers far surpassed the strength of a Grandmaster. Only Celestials could exert such pressure! Thinking of Celestials, people immediately thought of the Celestials of Great Xia, the only known Celestials to them. At that moment, Xia Tianyuan addressed the Martial Emperor on the Dragon Throne, ¡°By the order of the Sum Emperor, I have come to remind His Majesty that if the Great Martial Royal Family surrenders within one month, the royal lineage can survive. If you choose to stubbornly resist, you alone shall bear the consequences!¡± Feeling the pressure from the Celestial, the Martial Emperor¡¯s heart was filled with reluctance; he never imagined that he would face such a day. Ever since his ascension to the throne, he was always the one demanding others to surrender with the stance of a conqueror, and yet today, someone was demanding his surrender. Chapter 795 - Chapter 795: Chapter 485: Yue Emperors Suspicion_1 Chapter 795: Chapter 485: Yue Emperor¡¯s Suspicion_1 The Martial Emperor, despite his reluctance, had no means to oppose the overwhelming power before him. In the whole of Great Wu¡¯s territory, there was simply no one capable of resisting the Celestials. Leaving Great Wu aside, it was feared that the only ones in this world who could contend with the Celestials were the Celestials themselves. He had heard that Lu Xingqiu somehow obtained a Divine Weapon capable of annihilating Celestials, but Lu Xingqiu had long since turned to dust, and that so-called Celestial-killing Divine Weapon had fallen into Lu Chen¡¯s hands. At that moment, the Martial Emperor clenched his fists with such force that he left several dents in the pure gold Dragon Throne. The Martial Emperor did not speak then, his gaze fixed unrelentingly on the dozen or so people in the grand hall, well aware that anything he might say now would be futile, and that these individuals might even decide to dispose of him right there and then. He certainly did not wish to end up like Lu Xingqiu. Seeing the Martial Emperor¡¯s angry face, Xia Tianyuan spoke indifferently, ¡°The Sum Emperor says, if the Great Martial Royal Family surrenders, he is willing to take the Princess Junwan of Great Wu as his bride and bestow upon her the status of Imperial Noble Consort.¡± Upon hearing these words, the Martial Emperor¡¯s mind reeled, seemingly grasping something. Ever since Wu Junwan went to North Country, although she occasionally sent some messages back, they were all useless information. The designs of North Country¡¯s weapons that he desired had still not made it into Wu Junwan¡¯s hands. He had previously thought that Wu Junwan had not gained Lu Chen¡¯s trust, and with North Country having many powerful figures, it was difficult to obtain the weapon designs from Lu Chen. But when he heard that Lu Chen planned to marry Wu Junwan, the Martial Emperor instantly realized that his daughter had likely seen through the empty promises he had painted for her, and thus she had simply defected to Lu Chen. This realization ignited even more fury within the Martial Emperor. This unfilial daughter had actually betrayed him! However, discussing this was pointless now, and at that moment, the Martial Emperor¡¯s thoughts shifted, and he said coldly, ¡°We are prepared to bow our heads to Great Sum as a vassal.¡± Upon hearing these words, the entire court of civil and military officials were stunned. They could hardly believe that such words had come from the mouth of the Martial Emperor, whose character they knew all too well. By all accounts, the Martial Emperor should have chosen death over submission, fighting to his last breath rather than surrender. As people wondered why the Martial Emperor would utter such words, he continued, ¡°However, Great Wu shall only be a vassal, and the land of Great Wu must still be ruled by us personally.¡± The ministers understood the Martial Emperor¡¯s intentions in an instant¡ªhe was planning to endure in hiding. If he could bow his head and still control the land of Great Wu, then there was a possibility he could acquire those mysterious weapons of Great Sum in the future, and perhaps he could continue to amass strength until one day he would receive the support of Celestial warriors. So long as he found other Celestials that existed in this world and gained their support, he could shake off Great Sum¡¯s control at the first opportunity and restore the Great Wu Dynasty. Xia Tianyuan naturally saw through the Martial Emperor¡¯s ulterior motives and smiled as he said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Martial Emperor, do you really think our emperor would agree to such terms?¡± The Martial Emperor said coldly, ¡°If the Sum Emperor is unwilling, then we shall meet on the battlefield, where we would rather die than surrender.¡± Hearing the Martial Emperor¡¯s words, Xia Tianyuan was not angered. He simply stated, ¡°There is still one month¡¯s time. The Martial Emperor can take this time to reflect.¡± With that, Xia Tianyuan turned and walked towards the entrance of the hall, and the oppressive aura that had been weighing on the civil and military officials quickly dissipated. Once the pressure had lifted, the ministers breathed heavily with relief, grateful that the Celestial had not taken action, for had he done so, it was likely that none present would have survived. Once the ministers regained their senses, they all turned to look at the Martial Emperor, who by then was sitting with a dark expression and not saying a word. After a moment, the Martial Emperor raised his hand and brought it down forcefully on the armrest of the Dragon Throne, shattering the pure gold armrests on either side instantaneously. The Martial Emperor did not say much more. He rose to his feet, swept his sleeves, and departed from the grand hall. After the Martial Emperor had left, the courtiers within the hall began to discuss among themselves. Half a month later. Great Jue, the Empress¡¯s Bedchamber. Dressed in a red gown and wearing a phoenix crown, the Yue Emperor stood by the window, looking at the letter in her hand, her face cold as ice. Just then, the letter burst into flames and quickly turned to ashes. Upon learning that Wu Junwan had likely become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she immediately wrote a letter to Wu Junwan, asking whether she had indeed become Lu Chen¡¯s. Initially, the Yue Emperor still harbored a sliver of hope for a negative answer. But to her surprise, after receiving the Yue Emperor¡¯s letter, Wu Junwan did not bother to hide it any longer and straightforwardly admitted it in her reply. Moreover, she wrote in the letter that she wasn¡¯t coerced; she willingly became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, which infuriated the Yue Emperor even more. How could Wu Junwan willingly become that man¡¯s woman when, back in the Misty Immortal Sect, numerous outstanding cultivators pursued her, yet Wu Junwan refused them all? Although Lu Chen had some abilities, he was nothing compared to those Above Celestials of the Misty World, and Lu Chen was so much younger than her¡ªhow could Wu Junwan possibly like him? The Yue Emperor¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she fell into thought. She felt certain that Wu Junwan must be hiding something else from her. She didn¡¯t believe that Wu Junwan would just marry Lu Chen like that! With that thought, the Yue Emperor returned to her desk and, taking up her pen, wrote another letter to Wu Junwan. She now suspected that Wu Junwan might have realized that Lu Chen was not easy to deal with and thus deliberately gave herself to him in order to find a way to get rid of him. Soon, she had written another letter and sent it off to Yan County. At this very moment. In Yan County, Great Sum. Inside Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room. Lu Chen sat at a desk, looking at a portrait on the table, and said with a laugh, ¡°I must say, your painting skills are truly excellent; you truly deserve your reputation as the great talent of Great Jue.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s praise, Murong Xue¡¯er replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s just a casual drawing.¡± Lu Chen studied the painting intently, appreciating it as he said, ¡°This is no casual drawing; there are so many details in the painting, it¡¯s clear you have quite a grasp on my physique.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er gave Lu Chen a speechless look, then said, ¡°Your Majesty came to my room just to look at my paintings?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, slowly rolling up his portrait and saying as he did so, ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°I just remembered that it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve practiced calligraphy, so I thought I¡¯d come to you for some practice.¡± Upon hearing about practicing calligraphy, Murong Xue¡¯er was reminded of the things she and Lu Chen used to do in the study at the North Prince Mansion. Murong Xue¡¯er realized that Lu Chen, this fellow, must be idle recently and wanted to come torture her for amusement. She had also heard that the current power structure in Great Sum was quite unique, with Lu Chen neglecting even the court meetings, leaving them to be hosted by others. At most, he would peruse some important documents, but beyond that, he hardly had anything else to do. At this, Murong Xue¡¯er walked straight to the couch and lay down, then said, ¡°Come on.¡± Seeing this, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment, then said, ¡°What do you take me for?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er laughed silently to herself. The lecher was pretending to be a righteous man. Just as Murong Xue¡¯er was about to say something, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting to suddenly appear behind her, and the familiar scene of ¡®practicing calligraphy¡¯ began. Chapter 796 - Chapter 796: Chapter 486 Are you writing to your good sister again?_1 Chapter 796: Chapter 486 Are you writing to your good sister again?_1 Lu Chen lifted his brush and wrote gently on the skin as white and smooth as jade, his expression right now looking incredibly serious as if he had placed all his focus on the writing task at hand. Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s breath was fragrant, her eyes misty and blurred. After a long while, she asked, ¡°Your Majesty, did you come to see me today for some matter?¡± Lu Chen continued to write as he spoke, ¡°Naturally, there is a matter, which is precisely what we are doing now.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er gazed deeply at Lu Chen, who was engrossed in his careful calligraphy. Although Lu Chen occasionally thought of favoring her, she didn¡¯t believe that today¡¯s visit was purely for the pleasures of the flesh. After a moment, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°I heard that Great Jue has relieved you of your duties as the envoy to Great Sum and has ordered you to return to Great Jue for debriefing.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Your Majesty is indeed well-informed; I haven¡¯t even had the chance to tell you this news, and you already know.¡± Indeed, just as Murong Xue¡¯er had expected, he had come for this very reason today. Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°Now that I am no longer the envoy of Great Jue, and can¡¯t pass on any more false information to Great Jue, I am useless to Your Majesty. Are you planning to abandon me?¡± The way Murong Xue¡¯er spoke was very calm, as if she had long been prepared for Lu Chen¡¯s abandonment. When Lu Chen heard Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words, he smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Having been with me for so long, you know well that I am not that kind of person.¡± ¡°Besides, you are not without use to me.¡± As Murong Xue¡¯er spoke, Lu Chen set aside the brush in his hand and then slightly twisted his waist. Murong Xue¡¯er let out a soft moan, and as Lu Chen raised his hand, a jar of red pigment from the shelf in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room flew to her side. This time, Lu Chen raised his hand, and a brush that had not touched any ink flew into his hand. With one hand, he gently caressed the Curse Pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s lower abdomen, while saying, ¡°Apart from its function, this Curse Pattern is actually rather beautiful.¡± Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s warm hand, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body shivered. Lu Chen picked up the brush, dipped it into the red pigment, and then proceeded to fill in the spots where the color of the Curse Pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s abdomen had faded. After a while, Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°When you became my woman, I made it clear to you that, to me, your greatest use was to be my woman, to bear my children. As for passing false information to the Da Yue Dynasty, these things don¡¯t really count for much to me.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly startled. Lu Chen had indeed said such things before, but at the time, she had dismissed them as mere sweet nothings from a man. Lu Chen continued, ¡°I believe you are well aware that what I value about you is your body.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a light snort and said, ¡°Your Majesty is really quite unabashed.¡± Lu Chen smiled and responded, ¡°What¡¯s there to hide? A man¡¯s lust is the most natural thing in the world.¡± ¡°If you feel insecure in Great Sum, why not bear me a few children sooner? There are quite a few women in the Imperial Palace who felt insecure at first, but after having children, they quickly settled down.¡± Lu Chen had originally thought this ¡°valued for one¡¯s children¡± mentality among his women was rather backward, but upon further thought, if having children could make them feel secure, then it wasn¡¯t such a bad way to deepen their affections. Gradually, Lu Chen no longer saw anything wrong with this way of thinking. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er took a deep breath, attempting to remain calm as she spoke, ¡°Princess Wu said, Your Majesty is indeed very firm in your thoughts about procreation.¡± Lu Chen simply smiled, said nothing more, and continued with his painting. Once the painting was done, he still had important matters to attend to. ¡°` Time passed, its length unknown. Outside Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s bedchamber. Wu Junwan sat in the pavilion drinking tea when she heard a faint sound coming from the bedroom, she couldn¡¯t help but snort coldly. A fine Emperor indeed, neglecting his duties in broad daylight to fool around in a woman¡¯s bedchamber, what an incompetent ruler. She feared that even if this man were to unite the entire world, Great Sum would sooner or later fall because of him. At that moment, a female guard entered the courtyard and spoke to Wu Junwan, ¡°Lady Wu, here¡¯s a letter from Great Jue.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan immediately raised her jade hand, and the next moment, the letter in the guard¡¯s hand flew into hers. She opened the letter and attentively read its contents. Then she instructed her maid, ¡°Go get the pen and paper.¡± After reading the letter from the Yue Emperor, Wu Junwan decided it was time to lay her cards on the table with the Emperor. She could tell from the Emperor¡¯s letter that she wasn¡¯t believed to have become Lu Chen¡¯s woman; rather, it was suspected that she was lurking by his side, attempting to achieve some ulterior motive. If she allowed the Emperor to continue under this misconception, her hatred towards Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t diminish. Wu Junwan certainly didn¡¯t want to see Lu Chen and the Emperor come to a deadly confrontation, so she planned to hint to the Emperor that her condition for becoming a Celestial was related to Lu Chen, which might reduce some of the Emperor¡¯s hostility towards him. As Wu Junwan was writing her letter, the noise from Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s chamber grew louder, disturbing Wu Junwan¡¯s concentration. Wu Junwan cursed coldly, ¡°Truly, what a despicable pair.¡± Then Wu Junwan used her Spiritual Power to seal her ears, by which she could finally focus. Who knows how long passed before Lu Chen came out of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room. Seeing Wu Junwan sitting in the pavilion, he immediately approached her from behind. Upon sensing that this scoundrel had emerged, Wu Junwan then restored her hearing and afterwards spoke indifferently, ¡°Isn¡¯t Your Majesty supposed to unify the world? Do you really think you can achieve that by lying with women all day long?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t angry but instead lifted her up and placed her on his lap. ¡°I love both the land and its beauties,¡± he said. ¡°Humans aren¡¯t machines; naturally, we need rest after work.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen glanced over the letter Wu Junwan was writing on the stone table. ¡°Writing to your dear sister again?¡± ¡°I had thought you two had fallen out long ago.¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°The bond between her and me isn¡¯t so easily severed.¡± They had entered the Misty World together; they had faced countless life and death crises, supporting and assisting each other to survive and ultimately return to this world. How could they completely fall out over a man? Even if the Yue Emperor would never accept Lu Chen in the end, Wu Junwan would not break with her. ¡°` Chapter 797 - Chapter 797: Chapter 487: How about this, I will also write her a letter_1 Chapter 797: Chapter 487: How about this, I will also write her a letter_1 Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled slightly and whispered into her ear, ¡°You sisters really do share a deep bond.¡± At this point, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something, and then said, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll also write her a letter, and you can have your people deliver it to her.¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s brows furrowed, ¡°What are you going to write in this letter?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not planning to write to persuade her to surrender, are you?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not a woman who would surrender so easily.¡± The Yue Emperor was able to establish a firm foothold in the Great Jue Dynasty precisely because she was no ordinary woman; her temperament was much more robust than most men. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not so na?ve.¡± ¡°The main purpose of my letter is to let her get a preliminary understanding of me.¡± Wu Junwan turned her head slightly and glanced at Lu Chen, who was embracing her, using her peripheral vision. She then asked, ¡°Understand you?¡± ¡°Understand what about you?¡± ¡°Understand that you¡¯re a lecherous man?¡± Wu Junwan thought to herself, if the Yue Emperor knew this lecherous man bullied and humiliated her every other day, her impression of Lu Chen would probably worsen, and she would hate him even more. If they met, the Yue Emperor might even throw caution to the wind and try to kill the lecher. Wu Junwan certainly didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to write a letter that would provoke the Yue Emperor. Lu Chen saw through Wu Junwan¡¯s thoughts and continued to speak, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t write anything that could provoke her.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°After you finish writing, let me see it.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to wait until I¡¯m done. You can watch me write it.¡± With that, Lu Chen waved his hand, and a fountain pen flew out from Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room and into his hand. Then, Lu Chen passed his arms under Wu Junwan¡¯s armpits to encircle her and began writing the letter on the stone table. It was indeed a bit inconvenient to write a letter in this posture, but this way, Wu Junwan could also see exactly what he was writing. Although Wu Junwan felt some discomfort around her hips, she didn¡¯t say much. She wanted to see what this man would come up with in his letter. After Lu Chen started writing, he first clarified his identity and introduced himself. Then he explained to the Yue Emperor why he was writing the letter. Next, Lu Chen mentioned why he was unifying the world. He brought up the impending disappearance of the mystical barriers of the Misty World, telling the Yue Emperor the world was not safe, extremely vulnerable, and could be destroyed at any moment. Therefore, his unification was to prepare for possible impending crises. As for Wu Junwan, Wu Junwan was the woman he deeply loved, and he wouldn¡¯t allow her to suffer any grievances. Seeing that Lu Chen was actually mentioning her in the letter, Wu Junwan hastily interrupted, ¡°Wait a moment, you can¡¯t mention my name in your letter.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why not?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you wouldn¡¯t write anything that would provoke her?¡± ¡°Just by mentioning my name in your letter, you might anger her.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s reasoning, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I see. The Yue Emperor is a person with very strong possessive instincts. If I mention your name, she will definitely think I¡¯m challenging her, right?¡± Wu Junwan responded indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand. Later, when you make a copy, remember to remove that part.¡± Lu Chen insisted, ¡°That won¡¯t do. This is about making my stance clear; this part must be included.¡± Wu Junwan was taken aback, a touch of anger flashing across her face as she seemed to grasp something. She had told him not to write that part, yet he insisted on doing so, merely wanting to see the Yue Emperor get angry. In other words, he wanted to watch the Yue Emperor get jealous over him. Wu Junwan said, ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid of making her angry, then go ahead and write as you please.¡± Junwan decided not to bother with this fellow anymore. Anyway, she had already lost the power to counter Lu Chen; he could do whatever he wanted. Lu Chen gave a faint smile, said nothing more, and continued writing the letter, which contained much about this world. Until the end of the letter, he did not mention anything about the Yue Emperor surrendering. Of course, that was only superficial. Lu Chen mentioned the prohibitions of the Misty World, and also claimed it was for the sake of the world, which was essentially him exerting moral pressure on the Yue Emperor. It was as if he was saying that if the Yue Emperor did not cooperate with the Great Unification, did not assist in integrating the world¡¯s resources, when the prohibitions of the Misty World vanished, the Da Yue Dynasty would surely be the first to suffer the impact. Should any problem arise in Da Yue then, she, as the Yue Emperor, would have to bear the responsibility. After Lu Chen finished writing the letter to the Yue Emperor, he glanced at the letter Junwan had just written, ¡°My dear, what have you written in your letter? May I see it?¡± Hearing this, Junwan said indifferently, ¡°What, are you afraid I¡¯ve revealed some of Great Sum¡¯s secrets to the Yue Emperor?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m just genuinely curious. If you don¡¯t want to show me, then I won¡¯t look.¡± ¡°Since you are not looking, I will seal the envelope then.¡± As soon as Junwan finished speaking, she placed her own letter into an envelope and sealed it with wax. Right afterward, Junwan sealed Lu Chen¡¯s letter with wax as well. After sealing the envelopes, Junwan wrote down names on them, then called a maidservant and instructed her to deliver the letters to the Da Yue Dynasty spies lurking in Yan County. Once the letters were sent, Lu Chen did not immediately get up; instead, he continued to embrace Junwan¡¯s supple body. Junwan said expressionlessly, ¡°Your Majesty is busy with many affairs, so I will not take up more of Your Majesty¡¯s time.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Are you trying to send me away?¡± Junwan replied coolly, ¡°This is Your Majesty¡¯s harem. Your Majesty may stay as long as you wish.¡± Lu Chen changed the subject, ¡°Speaking of which, the Great Sum has now declared war on Great Wu. By that account, your identity is that of an enemy princess, isn¡¯t it?¡± The phrase caught Junwan slightly off guard. What did Lu Chen mean by that? While Junwan was puzzling over the meaning of Lu Chen¡¯s words, he suddenly stood up and, with a princess carry, scooped Junwan into his arms. Then, using Shadow Shifting, he instantly appeared in Junwan¡¯s room. Immediately after, Lu Chen threw Junwan onto the soft couch. Junwan was stunned for a moment but quickly realized that this fellow had not had his fill next door and was now looking to her for mischief. Inwardly, Junwan cursed Murong Xue¡¯er. How could that maidservant be so useless, not even able to properly take care of Lu Chen, making her suffer the consequences too. Lu Chen looked at Junwan on the soft couch and said, ¡°You are a princess of the enemy country, and now you have fallen into my hands. What do you think I should do with you?¡± Deal with her? Junwan gazed at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face and immediately grasped the implication of his words. This young man, he loved to create false scenarios, persuading his women to play roles. Being a genuine princess who had fallen into the hands of Lu Chen, a lustful Emperor from an enemy country, and being so beautiful, she naturally wouldn¡¯t face a good outcome. Junwan then asked, ¡°What does Your Majesty plan to do with me?¡± Lu Chen stretched out his hand, lifting Junwan¡¯s chin, gazing into her phoenix eyes, and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re quite proud. At a time like this, you still refer to yourself as ¡®me¡¯. I am a foolish Emperor. Seeing such a beautiful woman like you, what do you think I would do?¡± Although Junwan felt uncomfortable, she still decided to play along and said, ¡°I am the Princess Junwan of Great Wu. If Your Majesty mistreats me, the Martial Emperor will not let you off!¡± However, no sooner had Junwan spoken than Lu Chen leaned down, overpowered her tender body, and looked down at her stunning face, ¡°Then I¡¯d like to see what the Martial Emperor can do after I have dishonored you!¡± Junwan was about to speak when Lu Chen kissed her red lips. Junwan began to struggle, her movements quite forceful, appearing genuinely resistant. But soon, she was troubled by Lu Chen, this Emperor from the enemy nation. Chapter 798 - Chapter 798: Chapter 488 Junwan is Pregnant_1 Chapter 798: Chapter 488 Junwan is Pregnant_1 In the antiquated, aromatic royal chamber, countless calligraphies and paintings hung, strewn across the floor as well, filling the entire room with the breath of literature, appearing incomparably refined. However, atop the bed in such a room, there lay a fair-skinned woman. The woman sprawled across the bed, as though she had fallen asleep. Just then, from the neighboring room came faint sounds. Though they were extremely soft, if one listened carefully, they could still be heard. Murong Xue¡¯er instantly woke up, she sat up from the bed and swept a glance over her body, sighing slightly upon seeing the characters Lu Chen had left on her. She truly could no longer be without that man. Soon, Murong Xue¡¯er calmed her emotions and listened attentively to the sounds coming from next door. After a moment, Murong Xue¡¯er couldn¡¯t help but let out a light chuckle. The esteemed Princess Junwan of Great Wu, always so noble and dignified, had turned into such a state in the hands of that man, reduced to nothing but tears and cries. Thinking of Wu Junwan, that exalted beauty being ravaged by Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er felt a sense of satisfaction within. She was very clear that when Lu Chen was earlier in her room, Wu Junwan outside must have been listening with the mindset of enjoying the show. How Wu Junwan must have thought of her before, now it was her turn. At dusk. Within Princess Junwan¡¯s chamber. Wu Junwan had originally thought that Lu Chen had just left Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room, and even if he took a fancy to her on a whim and wanted to play his tricks, he probably wouldn¡¯t stay for long in her room. Yet this fellow entered her chamber and stayed for an entire afternoon, and she found that he seemed unusually excited today. She wondered if her status as the princess of an enemy state had provoked Lu Chen, making him become especially wild. As night fell and a round moon hung in the sky, the cool moonlight spilled over the windowsill and into the room, shining onto Wu Junwan¡¯s fair skin. At this time, Wu Junwan lay on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, while Lu Chen embraced her waist, his broad hand around her hips. With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°A princess of the enemy nation is truly different.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan weakly snorted, ¡°You really are a tyrant.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Tyrants? This world has no shortage of them, as long as one is not a foolish ruler.¡± Wu Junwan spoke out, ¡°Your Majesty spends all day lying atop women; sooner or later, you will become a foolish ruler.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°By the day I become a foolish ruler, perhaps I will have already passed the throne to my son.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Wu Junwan somewhat disbelievingly said, ¡°Would you willingly give up the power in your hands?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d relinquish the power in my hands. By that time, I¡¯ll be the Overlord, and I just won¡¯t deal with affairs.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Throughout history, those who became Overlords were eventually completely sidelined by their sons.¡± Lu Chen, smiling, replied, ¡°That will depend on whether my son has the capabilities.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore; let¡¯s continue with what we were doing,¡± he said. With that, Lu Chen, holding Wu Junwan¡¯s waist, flipped over, pressing her down beneath him again. Wu Junwan watched Lu Chen speechlessly; this young man would certainly be a foolish ruler in the future. Lu Chen paid no attention to Wu Junwan¡¯s gaze; he leaned down again and kissed her tender, red lips once more. Another night passed by. In the early morning, when warm sunlight shone upon Lu Chen, he awoke and gently combed through Wu Junwan¡¯s now-disheveled hair with his hand. As Lu Chen tidied Wu Junwan¡¯s hair, he suddenly noticed what seemed to be a system notification exclamation mark beside his line of sight. Lu Chen thought of something and hastily opened the system notification panel. He had been too immersed the previous night and hadn¡¯t checked the system panel. Only now did he realize Wu Junwan had been affected. [Host has cultivated affection with a wife, Qi Refinement Mantra experience points added¡­ Demon Burying Spell experience points added¡­] [Congratulations to the host for helping his wife, Wu Junwan, become pregnant. You are rewarded with the ¡°Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array¡± formation.] Lu Chen was stunned for a moment. After all, Wu Junwan had already become a Pseudo Celestial, and on top of that, Wu Junwan¡¯s condition for becoming a Celestial was to bear him three children. Therefore, Lu Chen had always thought this condition was extremely harsh and that it would be very difficult for Wu Junwan to conceive his child. He never expected Wu Junwan to become pregnant with his seed so quickly. Then, Lu Chen opened the ¡°Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array¡± to see what the formation was for. [Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array: An Earth-tier formation. Once established successfully, the host¡¯s wife and children can activate it, able to withstand attacks from All Law Realm experts, and it will not cause harm to the host¡¯s wife and children.] After reading the purpose of the formation, Lu Chen was overjoyed; the formation would be of great use to him. At that moment, Lu Chen felt Wu Junwan stirring slightly in his arms, and he immediately looked down at her exquisitely beautiful cheeks. The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but curve up slightly, revealing a hint of a smile. Just then, Wu Junwan¡¯s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and soon after, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw upon opening her eyes was Lu Chen staring at her with a mischievous grin. Wu Junwan was taken aback for a moment, her delicate body trembling slightly, ¡°Why are you smiling?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I have some good news for you.¡± Out of curiosity, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°What good news?¡± Lu Chen said mysteriously, ¡°Prepare yourself mentally.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan looked at Lu Chen with a skeptical expression,¡±Go ahead and tell me.¡± Lu Chen simply said, ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Wu Junwan was stunned again. Pregnant? Could it be true? Having lived together with Lu Chen¡¯s other wives and consorts for so long, she had already heard about some of Lu Chen¡¯s abilities. For instance, how Lu Chen could sense if they were pregnant almost immediately. So when Lu Chen said they were pregnant, they were definitely pregnant, it just needed some time to show the pregnancy state. Even though she knew Lu Chen was probably telling the truth, Wu Junwan still found it hard to believe. After all, she was a Pseudo Celestial. Not to mention a Pseudo Celestial, even a Grandmaster would find it difficult to conceive. She hadn¡¯t been with Lu Chen for long and had already been impregnated with his seed. If the pregnancy speed were to continue like this, wouldn¡¯t she be able to become a Celestial before she was even fifty? Forget fifty, even becoming a Celestial before forty wasn¡¯t out of the question. At this time, Wu Junwan¡¯s emotions were somewhat complicated. Although she wished to break through and become a Celestial quickly, the thought of carrying this scoundrel¡¯s seed made her feel odd. The Princess of Great Wu had eventually fallen into the hands of the enemy nations¡¯ Emperor. Coming back to her senses, Wu Junwan asked for confirmation, ¡°Are you serious?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Wait a month and you¡¯ll know if I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± At this point, Lu Chen touched his waist and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve always said that I would eventually make you pregnant, and I¡¯ve done as I said.¡± Wu Junwan fell into silence, not saying a word. Seeing Wu Junwan looked like she was pondering something, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Wu Junwan said expressionlessly, ¡°I believe you.¡± Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°No.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then why do you look so down?¡± Wu Junwan was silent once again. Chapter 799 - Chapter 799: Chapter 489 Enfeoffment_1 Chapter 799: Chapter 489 Enfeoffment_1 Regarding having children, Wu Junwan felt conflicted inside. On one hand, she wanted to swiftly complete the Celestial¡¯s test. On the other hand, she worried that once her child was born, they might face some oppression. Once the Great Wu dynasty was extinguished, she would be a Princess of the Defeated Country, and the child of such a princess could never expect to be entrusted with important duties in the future. At that moment, Lu Chen also saw the worries in Wu Junwan¡¯s heart. He gently caressed her jade-like back. ¡°Are you afraid that our child, when they grow up, will suffer from unfair treatment because of your identity?¡± Wu Junwan still didn¡¯t speak, but Lu Chen had already read her answer from the expression on her face. He immediately said, ¡°You have no reason to worry about that. I will treat all my children with equal kindness and not diminish their treatment because of their mother¡¯s identity.¡± ¡°Of course, this is only during their growing years. Once they¡¯re grown up, the kind of life they want will depend on their own efforts.¡± ¡°As a father, I certainly do not want to see my children grow up only to live aimlessly.¡± After hearing what Lu Chen said, Wu Junwan felt somewhat less tangled inside. She realized that she didn¡¯t need to care so much about others¡¯ views. If, in the end, this world truly couldn¡¯t accommodate her and her three children, she would simply take them and leave this world. After all, Lu Chen had also said that the restrictions of Misty World were about to disappear, and sooner or later they would be able to leave this world. At this time, Lu Chen slightly shifted his body and then deeply kissed Wu Junwan¡¯s red lips, fully indulging in the kiss. After a while, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth slowly parted from her lips. At this point, Wu Junwan spoke up, ¡°I hope all that Your Majesty has said is true.¡± Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°I am the Emperor, after all. My word is my bond.¡± With that, Lu Chen rose from the bed and picked up Wu Junwan in a princess carry, heading straight to the bathing pool beside the sleeping chamber. After Lu Chen bathed, he left Wu Junwan¡¯s sleeping chamber and proceeded to the Imperial Study Room to deal with state affairs. By the time Lu Chen reached the Imperial Study Room, ministers like Zhuge Zhongguang and others were already waiting at its entrance. Among the ministers who came today, most were Military Generals from the military system, with only Zhuge Zhongguang and Situ Ce being Civil Officials. Lu Chen glanced at the ministers before entering the Imperial Study Room, with the ministers quickly following behind him. After entering the Imperial Study Room, the ministers greeted in unison: ¡°We pay our respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, may you live forever!¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, and then said, ¡°Rise.¡± Immediately afterward, Lu Chen had a map brought in, and they assembled a large table in the middle of the Imperial Study Room using several smaller tables. Then the generals gathered around the large table, looking at the map placed in the center. Lu Chen began, ¡°I trust you ministers are already aware of the matter at hand. The final deadline I have given Great Wu is nearly upon us. There are no signs that Great Wu intends to surrender. This battle is inevitable.¡± ¡°To utterly break the will to fight of the Great Wu soldiers, Great Xia must strike with the force of thunder to completely obliterate the main force of Great Wu¡¯s military.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, one of the generals asked, ¡°Your Majesty, it is said that Your Majesty had already dispatched a Celestial to intimidate the Great Wu imperial city, and since the Celestial can easily handle the Imperial Family Members of Great Wu, why don¡¯t we simply capture the top figures first? If we seize the Martial Emperor, the military of Great Wu will naturally fall apart.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled faintly, then turned towards Zhuge Zhongguang. ¡°Great Scholar Zhuge, explain why I did not have the Celestial directly destroy the Great Wu imperial city.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang replied, ¡°Should the imperial city fall, the entire Great Wu would descend into chaos. Some unreconciled Seigniors of Great Wu might seize the opportunity to rise in revolt. Consequently, Great Xia would then need to deal with those Seigniors scattered throughout Great Wu.¡± ¡°However, if we let Great Wu¡¯s soldiers experience the terror of Great Xia¡¯s troops through warfare, even if some Seigniors harbor other intentions, their troops would hardly muster the will to fight. Moreover, forcing the Martial Emperor to surrender along with all of Great Wu saves more time than gradually eliminating the Seigniors.¡± Upon hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s response, the generals in the Imperial Study Room instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s strategy. Initially sending a Celestial to intimidate the Martial Emperor did not deter him. Since the Martial Emperor still harbored a sliver of hope, it was time to shatter it completely. Once the Great Wu army collapses, and the Great Xia army encroaches upon the Great Wu Imperial Capital, Great Wu will have no choice but to surrender, even if it doesn¡¯t want to. Of course, the primary reason Lu Chen wants the Great Xia soldiers to initiate the attack is to gain actual combat experience. Even though there are many Celestials around him now, making the Great Xia army seem unnecessary, when Lu Chen considers the potential enemies in the Misty World, he believes that the army will still play a significant role in the future. The most important thing is that Lu Chen is feeling an increasing sense of impending crisis. This is especially true with the appearance of rewards like the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. If the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array can fend off masters from the All Law Realm, doesn¡¯t it imply that one day, masters from the All Law Realm might appear in this world to attack them? He doesn¡¯t believe the system would award him anything arbitrarily. To prepare for what may come, Great Xia¡¯s army must have actual combat experience; it can¡¯t just leave everything to the Celestials. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Great Scholar Zhuge is right; I naturally know that the Celestials could easily annihilate the Great Martial Royal Family, but destroying the Great Martial Royal Family does not equate to destroying Great Wu.¡± ¡°Once the Great Martial Royal Family is annihilated, the other seigniors of Great Wu might very well consider seizing power.¡± ¡°Furthermore, involving the Great Xia army in the battle has another important purpose, which is to train the troops.¡± ¡°The army of over a million in Great Xia cannot just sit idle and do nothing.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the military generals instantly understood his intention¡ªthe Emperor wanted to sharpen the army¡¯s blade. Lu Chen then said, ¡°All right, let us not discuss this matter for now; next, we shall discuss the direction of attack, striving to completely crush the combat will of the Great Wu soldiers in the first comprehensive assault.¡± Afterward, everyone¡¯s gaze fell on the map as they began to discuss the direction of attack. Their army had already been moved to the frontline so that once the attack route was established, Great Xia could swiftly launch a full-scale attack on Great Wu. After their discussion, they ultimately determined three attack routes, which precisely targeted the territories of the seigniors who undoubtedly possess strong military power in Great Wu. After the military meeting in the Imperial Study Room concluded, Lu Chen ate something simple and then began writing imperial edicts. He spent almost the entire afternoon writing them. These edicts were for his wives and concubines, awarding the titles of Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Consort where due. In the evening, Chu Yuqin was talking with Mu Zixuan in the Wind Cloud Palace when several female guards entered the courtyard. Seeing the female guards, Chu Yuqin and Mu Zixuan had not yet reacted. Chu Yuqin was in charge of arranging the security work within the interior of the Imperial Palace, and she recognized these female guards. They hadn¡¯t been scheduled to work today, and they were directly under Bai Qingqing¡¯s command. Bai Qingqing was no longer under Chu Yuqin¡¯s jurisdiction; she and her female guards were directly under Lu Chen¡¯s command. Just as the women were curious about why so many female guards had suddenly appeared, one of them took out an imperial edict and said, ¡°Ladies, there is an imperial decree.¡± Hearing this, they immediately realized what was happening and knelt down in unison. A female guard then began reading the imperial edict, ¡°By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Mu Zixuan is gentle, virtuous, and talented¡­ hereby conferred as Imperial Noble Consort.¡± Lu Chen had written an imperial edict for each of his wives and concubines, so the female guard reading the edicts took quite a while. Chapter 800 - Chapter 800: Chapter 490: The Battle to Destroy the Nation Begins_1 Chapter 800: Chapter 490: The Battle to Destroy the Nation Begins_1 The female guard finished reading the edicts for Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin, but she didn¡¯t leave immediately. She took out another decree and said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°Consort Mu, is the eldest prince here? He also has a decree.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Zixuan seemed to understand something and quickly said to the maid beside her, ¡°Xiao Rou, go bring Feng¡¯er here quickly.¡± The maid quickly got up and went directly to the Wind Cloud Palace, and soon brought Lu Changfeng over. Soon after, the female guard announced the decree that conferred Lu Changfeng as the Crown Prince. It was only after the decrees for all of them had been read that Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin began to kneel and express their gratitude. After Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin stood up, the female guard who announced the decrees said, ¡°Consort Mu, Noble Consort Chu, this servant still has to deliver decrees to several other ladies, so this servant will take her leave now.¡± Mu Zixuan quickly replied, ¡°Yes, you go ahead.¡± The female guard said, ¡°This servant takes her leave.¡± Then the female guards left the Wind Cloud Palace. Watching their departing figures, Mu Zixuan, Chu Yuqin, and both the Great and Little Zhou fell into a long silence. Their identities, along with Lu Chen¡¯s, were finally settled, but for some reason, they felt incredibly calm inside, as if they had no feelings of excitement at the moment. Perhaps it was because they had already established their relationship with Lu Chen and had known what kind of titles he would give them, so they didn¡¯t feel particularly excited. Soon, the other wives and concubines of Lu Chen also received their edicts, and even Xue Linglong, the Demon Sect Sorceress, was conferred a title. However, within Lu Chen¡¯s harem, there were still women without titles. One was Wu Junwan, and the other was Murong Xue¡¯er. Their special identities did not allow for their titles to be granted now. To grant Wu Junwan the title of Imperial Noble Consort, they at least had to wait until the Great Wu Dynasty was eradicated. And to bestow Murong Xue¡¯er with the title of Noble Consort, they had to wait until the Great Jue was destroyed. There was also another person who had not received the decree, Chen Wanrong, who was still in the Mysterious Moon Palace. However, Lu Chen had already sent someone to deliver the decree to the Mysterious Moon Palace, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before Chen Wanrong would receive the decree. After the edicts to confer titles on his wives and concubines were issued, Lu Chen allowed the government gazette to release the news. Soon, the common people of Great Xia learned of the title conferment. When the common people saw that Lu Chen did not establish an Empress, they were very puzzled. Normally, emperors would first establish an Empress, but Lu Chen did not do so. Not only did he not establish an Empress, but he also appointed several Imperial Noble Consorts, and the lowest position among Lu Chen¡¯s women was that of a Noble Consort. This was completely different from the harem of previous emperors, people truly could not understand why the new Emperor would confer titles on the women of his harem in such a manner. Of course, although people were curious, they did not think it was necessarily a bad thing, as many of the policies established by the new Emperor were different from the past. Perhaps there was a special reason for the Emperor to confer titles in this way. When the news of the title conferments reached the ears of court officials, many felt it was somewhat inappropriate, especially the officials from the Capital City. However, at the subsequent court meetings, they did not bring up the topic. The officials from the Capital City took Li Rui¡¯s words to heart. They now only attended to state affairs, as matters of the harem were the Emperor¡¯s personal business, and the Emperor could do as he pleased with his family affairs. Although an Empress had not been established, the Crown Prince had already been designated, and they knew who to pledge their allegiance to. Mu Changtian did not feel anything improper about his daughter not being chosen as the Empress. He had also sensed Lu Chen¡¯s intentions; Lu Chen probably did not want to see constant strife in the harem, which was why he did not establish an Empress. Furthermore, there was a benefit to not establishing Mu Zixuan as the Empress. Her son, Lu Changfeng, had already been designated as the Crown Prince. The status of Crown Prince was in itself quite special. If there was also an Empress, then the Mu Family¡¯s influence in the court would become even greater¡ªthe logic of being a target due to its prominence was something Mu Changtian understood very well. Although Lu Chen seemed indifferent, Mu Changtian was very clear about the control Lu Chen held over the imperial court. He feared that if the Mu Family¡¯s influence became too great, it would become a thorn in Lu Chen¡¯s side. Now the situation was quite good. His grandson would be the Emperor in the future. As long as the Mu Family did not do anything out of line, they would still maintain a very high status without invoking the Emperor¡¯s fear. With the Crown Prince established, Great Xia had internally stabilized. The most important task that followed was the eradication of Great Wu. Soon, the grand army of Great Xia launched a comprehensive attack on Great Wu. When the Seigniors of Great Wu heard of Great Xia¡¯s assault, they dispatched all of the soldiers from their territories and continuously conscripted able-bodied men. These Seigniors had already heard about the Celestial who had threatened the Martial Emperor in the Capital City. However, they had no intention of surrendering. Once they surrendered, the Martial Emperor¡¯s immediate royal family might have a chance to survive, but the fates of these Seigniors were much less certain. If Great Wu were to be annihilated, what Great Xia might do next could very well be to settle scores with these Seigniors. After all, the power of the Seigniors was deep-rooted and complex. It would be more straightforward and simpler to eradicate them rather than to imprison their forces. Even though they were aware that Great Wu would likely be no match for Great Xia, these Seigniors still desperately conscripted the strong and sent ordinary civilians to the front lines as cannon fodder. However, no matter how many soldiers Great Wu had, once they reached the front lines, they could not withstand the firepower of Great Xia. In just a month, several Seigniors were eliminated and numerous critical counties were lost. The Great Wu dynasty. Capital City. In the imperial court, there was a silence so profound it was unsettling¡ªthe recent battle reports had completely drained Great Wu¡¯s civil and military officials of any hope. The army of Great Wu was like paper before the forces of Great Xia. Any encounter with Great Xia¡¯s army would result in a rout of the Great Wu¡¯s forces within less than a day; they couldn¡¯t even delay the advance of Great Xia¡¯s troops. Over these past few days, many ministers had already begun to secretly discuss defection. It was clear to everyone that Great Wu was finished, with its downfall being only a matter of time. The Martial Emperor, seated on the Dragon Throne, had a darkened face, radiating an aura of martial might that was fierce and terrifying¡ªhis expression so ghastly that none of the ministers dared to raise their heads and look into his eyes. Just then, a soldier suddenly rushed into the grand hall. After entering, he immediately knelt down and reported loudly, ¡°Your Majesty, Fengtian County has fallen, and Prince Yi has taken his own life!¡± Before the Martial Emperor could respond, another Messenger Soldier dashed in and declared while kneeling in the grand hall, ¡°Your Majesty, Qinyue County has fallen, and the Yue Prince has surrendered to Great Xia!¡± Moments later, another soldier burst into the grand hall, also there to report the unfortunate news from the front lines. The Martial Emperor remained silent, his face still darkened with rage, as cold sweat broke out among the ministers in the grand hall. Although the end of Great Wu was already a certainty, the Martial Emperor could still lash out in madness before the fall. He had no recourse against Great Xia, but he could still deal with the ministers. Now, the ministers¡¯ greatest fear was that the Martial Emperor would become mentally unhinged and slay them to vent his fury. The Martial Emperor was known for his volatile temper, and such actions were not beyond possibility. Chapter 801 - Chapter 801: Chapter 491: First Use of the "Enlightenment" Divine Skill Chapter 801: Chapter 491: First Use of the ¡°Enlightenment¡± Divine Skill The air inside the grand hall was oppressively heavy and hot, as if one were trapped in a jar being roasted over a fire. After an indeterminate length of time, the Martial Emperor scanned the full court of civil and military officials before asking, ¡°The Great Xia army approaches with formidable momentum. Do my esteemed subjects have any strategies to repel the enemy?¡± Hearing this, the ministers all lowered their heads as if they had not heard the Martial Emperor¡¯s query. At this point, what could they do? Moreover, Great Xia had a Celestial among them. The only possibility for Great Wu to defeat Great Xia would be if Great Wu also had a Celestial overseeing the realm. But if Great Wu had a Celestial in charge, how could Great Xia have so quickly occupied half of Great Wu¡¯s territory? Seeing that the entire court remained silent, the Martial Emperor clapped his hands in frustration, shattering the armrests of the Dragon Throne. The next moment, the Martial Emperor rose from the Dragon Throne and left the grand hall. Shortly after, the Martial Emperor arrived at the Imperial Study Room. He gazed out from the study, lost in thought. Without a Celestial, that alone spelled doom for Great Wu. Every time he thought about how the ancestral legacy might fall on his watch, the True Qi within the Martial Emperor churned uncontrollably. At that moment, the Martial Emperor punched the windowsill, smashing it entirely. Was there really no other way? ¡°I cannot accept this!¡± ¡°Why should that boy receive so much support from the Celestials!¡± ¡°Why should Great Xia possess those weapons!¡± ¡°Why!¡± The Martial Emperor roared, his True Qi wreaking havoc in the room, destroying everything within. As the Martial Emperor raged, a soldier outside the study spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, Princess Junwan has sent a letter.¡± Upon hearing this, the Martial Emperor let out a cold laugh. That unfilial daughter sending a letter at this time, one need not guess to know the content of her message¡ªit was certainly nothing more than urging him to surrender and to hand over the Wu Family¡¯s legacy to that whelp from Great Xia! With this thought, the Martial Emperor¡¯s anger grew, but eventually, he commanded, ¡°Bring it in!¡± The next moment, the soldier entered the Imperial Study Room and handed the letter written by Wu Junwan over to the Martial Emperor. He took the letter, tore open the envelope, and glanced at its contents. Reading what was written, the Martial Emperor¡¯s brow furrowed. It was much as he had expected¡ªWu Junwan¡¯s letter was indeed an entreaty for him to surrender. However, Wu Junwan added much more to her letter, such as revealing her current realm, and she also informed the Martial Emperor that she was now bearing Lu Chen¡¯s child. Seeing these contents in Wu Junwan¡¯s letter, the Martial Emperor suddenly thought of something. He never believed that his unfilial daughter would willingly give up her power. Now it seemed she indeed wasn¡¯t willing to relinquish her authority, but she might have other plans in mind. Could it be that this unfilial daughter planned to engage in palace intrigue within Great Xia, eventually becoming the Empress of Great Xia, and later ensuring her child became the Crown Prince, or even the future Emperor, with her as the power-wielding Empress Dowager behind the scenes? The Martial Emperor sneered. The unfilial daughter seemed to be treating Lu Chen like a fool. If Lu Chen could gain the support of four Celestials, it must mean there was something special about him. That unfilial daughter¡ªonce Great Wu fell and she no longer had the support of the entire Wu dynasty, what will she use to vie for the position of Empress, to help her child become the Crown Prince? However, coming back to it, if Wu Junwan could break through to become a Celestial, then all of this wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. But attaining the status of a Celestial was not that easy; up until now, Great Wu still had no Celestials. At this time, the Martial Emperor clearly misunderstood Wu Junwan¡¯s intentions, but it was precisely because of this misunderstanding that his heart felt much better. He harbored the hope that one day Wu Junwan¡¯s child would ascend to the throne of Great Xia. If Wu Junwan¡¯s child became the Emperor of Great Xia, it would mean his own bloodline continued. At that thought, a sense of satisfaction surged in the Martial Emperor¡¯s heart. ¡°` ¡­ At this very moment. Great Xia, Yan County. Lu Chen was busy in the Imperial Study Room when Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice sounded from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Qin and Consort Yue request an audience.¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°Let them both come in.¡± Shortly after, Qin Yushan and Dongfang Longyue entered the study room. Upon entering, both of them said in unison, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live forever, forever and ever!¡± Lu Chen put down the pen in his hand and, looking up at Dongfang Longyue, said, ¡°Longyue, what is it? You speak first.¡± Dongfang Longyue said, ¡°Your Majesty, the first batch of basic knowledge books have been printed, two hundred copies of each category.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was slightly surprised; the printing factory¡¯s efficiency was indeed high for them to have printed so many books in such a short time. The first batch of basic knowledge books included many titles, with two hundred copies printed for each category, amounting to at least a thousand books in total. It seemed the printing factory had likely not rested at night recently. Lu Chen then said, ¡°You first distribute these books to the people I listed for you last time, let them take a look first.¡± At this point, Lu Chen seemed to think of something else and continued, ¡°Come closer to me.¡± Without any hesitation, Dongfang Longyue walked directly to Lu Chen. Lu Chen slowly raised his hand, the tip of his index finger touching Dongfang Longyue¡¯s forehead. The next moment, Lu Chen mobilized his entire body¡¯s spiritual power and used his Divine Skills, ¡°Enlightenment.¡± In an instant, countless unfamiliar pieces of knowledge flooded into Dongfang Longyue¡¯s mind, the physics and chemistry from Earth astonished her. She had not expected this world to be like this. Lu Chen was also extremely surprised; he had not thought that a mere thought from him could transmit some of his knowledge to someone else¡ªthe Enlightening Divine Ability was simply marvelous. At this moment, Dongfang Longyue was still not fully recovered from what had happened, and Lu Chen then said, ¡°This is the knowledge I have imparted to you. Go back today and assimilate it well. If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re interested in, you can refer to the books in the library.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Dongfang Longyue managed to regain her composure, and she quickly knelt to give thanks, ¡°Thank You Majesty for imparting such precious knowledge to this one.¡± Dongfang Longyue continued, ¡°Your Majesty, as the library becomes more accessible, there will be more and more tasks to handle. I would like to request more staff from Your Majesty.¡± Although Dongfang Longyue was in charge of the library, she was also responsible for disseminating knowledge. With the combination of these two tasks, she was finding herself increasingly overwhelmed. Therefore, she decided to ask Lu Chen for a few more people, and of course, she was not referring to manual laborers, but to managers. Lu Chen searched his mind for someone suitable for library work and soon had an image of a person in mind. He then said, ¡°I will assign someone to you in a few days.¡± Dongfang Longyue once again expressed her gratitude: ¡°Many thanks to Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Your servant takes her leave!¡± After Dongfang Longyue left the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on Qin Yushan, ¡°Commander Qin, have there been any important intelligence reports recently?¡± Qin Yushan hurriedly stepped forward, placing two envelopes on the desk before Lu Chen. ¡°These two letters, one is a report on the epidemic in Great Qian, and the other is intelligence regarding the northern Barbarian Tribe.¡± After hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen quickly opened one of the letters and began reading it earnestly. After reading the contents of the first letter, Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. ¡°` Chapter 802 - Chapter 802: Chapter 492: What, missing your little lover? Chapter 802: Chapter 492: What, missing your little lover? Lu Chen¡¯s first letter was an intelligence report on the barbarian tribe to the north. The spy mentioned that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess seemed to have invented some kind of war formation with immense power. When the Barbarian Tribe used this war formation, they could even conjure up some illusory entities that could directly destroy a mountain peak. Lu Chen thought to himself, War formation? Although there were war formations in the world before, they were just ordinary offensive and defensive tactics. Normal war formations couldn¡¯t conjure up any tangible entities. Such illusory things didn¡¯t seem like they belonged to this world at all. Could it be that this Barbarian Tribe Goddess¡­ Came from the Misty World? The prohibitions of the Misty World had loosened long ago. Since Wu Junwan and the Yue Emperor could return from the Misty World, it was naturally possible for other people from the Misty World to come out as well. Perhaps, that Barbarian Tribe Goddess was a powerful being who had escaped from the Misty World. Lu Chen suddenly felt the pressure mounting. A war formation capable of destroying a mountain peak, he wondered if a Celestial could destroy the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s war formation. It seemed he needed to hurry and unify the major dynasties. If the Barbarian Tribe were to invade the south and destroy Great Jue, it would be much more difficult for him to conquer Great Jue once it was occupied by the Barbarian Tribe. He had to seize Great Jue before the Barbarian Tribe could destroy it. With these thoughts, Lu Chen tore open the second report and began to read it carefully. Reading the content of the report, Lu Chen frowned again. After an investigation by the Brocade Guard, it was found that the source of the epidemic in Great Qian came from the southern seas. Fishermen, while fishing, found a golden box. They initially thought they had struck it rich, but that very night, the entire fishing village where the fishermen lived broke out with the epidemic. The initial outbreak spread from that golden box. Seeing the contents of the report, Lu Chen thought that there seemed to be something in the southern seas of Great Qian. He wondered whether the epidemic could be eradicated. If the epidemic in Great Qian couldn¡¯t be resolved, how could he take over the territory? After contemplating for a moment, Lu Chen looked at Qin Yushan and said, ¡°Commander Qin, come here.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yushan thought of the scene he had just witnessed, and curious about what Lu Chen had done to Dongfang Longyue, he walked towards Lu Chen. Approaching Lu Chen, he saw Lu Chen raise his hand, concentrating spiritual power at the tip of his fingers, then once again used the Enlightening Divine Ability. The next moment, Qin Yushan¡¯s mind was filled with a vast amount of knowledge about bacteria and viruses. His pupils shrank, feeling utterly astonished. However, at that moment, Lu Chen suddenly felt as if the spiritual power within him had been drained, and he instantly became weak all over. Then the system notification sounded. [The number of times the host can use Enlightenment within a day is related to the host¡¯s realm. As the host has not yet broken through to the Celestial Realm, you can only use the Enlightening Divine Ability twice a day.] Lu Chen thought to himself, no wonder his body felt so weak all of a sudden; using divine skills consumed so much spiritual power. But it didn¡¯t matter, he could still enlighten quite a few people each day, imparting modern knowledge to many. As Lu Chen was thinking about enlightening two people each day, Qin Yushan quickly knelt on the ground to give thanks, saying, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting your subject knowledge!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Stand up. I have a very important mission for you.¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Please tell me, Your Majesty.¡± In his heart, Qin Yushan had already guessed what mission Lu Chen was referring to. By imparting so much knowledge about bacteria and viruses at this time, it was clear that he intended for Qin Yushan to investigate the epidemic in Great Qian, preparing for Great Sum¡¯s future conquest of Great Qian. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I plan to send you to Great Qian to investigate the characteristics of the epidemic. Find out what exactly it is, whether it¡¯s bacteria or a virus.¡± ¡°This mission is rather dangerous, so you must be extremely careful once you¡¯re in that place,¡± Qin Yushan immediately responded, ¡°Yes, I will definitely ascertain the specific situation of the Great Qian plague.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, go prepare. I have already taught you the methods to prevent the plague. Once you arrive in Great Qian, pass on these plague prevention techniques to the other Jinyiwei Guard soldiers, and ensure they remain vigilant at all times.¡± Qin Yushan said, ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s concern.¡± ¡°I take my leave!¡± As soon as the words fell, Qin Yushan rose and left the Imperial Study Room. Watching Qin Yushan¡¯s departing figure, Lu Chen hoped that the plague in Great Qian was caused by bacteria or viruses. If it weren¡¯t these things but something beyond his understanding, then it would probably not be so easy to eradicate the plague when the time came. At this thought, Lu Chen felt a headache coming on. At that very moment. Mysterious Moon Palace. Atop a mountain peak, Yun Xianxian in white robes that outshone the snow, stood quietly on the mountain summit, gazing at the distant green hills. Then, Chen Wanrong appeared behind Yun Xianxian, ¡°Honored Master, I plan to go down the mountain.¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s face remained expressionless as she spoke, ¡°What, missing your little lover?¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Before returning to the Mysterious Moon Palace, I told my junior brother I would go see him this year.¡± Hearing Chen Wanrong refer to Lu Chen as her junior brother, Yun Xianxian let out a cold snort, ¡°You¡¯re not focusing on cultivation, just indulging in the pleasures of the opposite sex, it will harm you sooner or later.¡± ¡°When you go down the mountain, pass a message to that wayward disciple. Tell him that the prohibitions in the Mist Region are about to break, and within twenty years, the restrictions in the Mist Region will start to disappear. He needs to hurry up and prepare.¡± ¡°The Mist Region has many powerhouses surpassing the Celestial Realm. With his current strength, he is completely incapable of contending against the powerhouses of the Mist Region.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s warning, Chen Wanrong was taken aback. Twenty years? Isn¡¯t that too short? Could Lu Chen grow strong enough within twenty years? As soon as Chen Wanrong recovered from her shock, she hastily thanked her, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Honored Master. I will descend the mountain immediately to inform my junior brother of this matter.¡± Yun Xianxian said nothing more and continued to look into the distance. After Chen Wanrong turned and departed, Yun Xianxian finally continued to speak, ¡°I wonder where the other wayward disciple has run off to, not having shown up for so many years.¡± ¡°Could it be that she ran off to the Misty World when the restrictions loosened last time?¡± The other wayward disciple mentioned by Yun Xianxian was not Lu Chen¡¯s mother, Chu Yue, but her Registered Disciple, who was also the Celestial who hunted Grandmasters decades ago. It was because of that disciple¡¯s existence that the number of Grandmasters in this world had drastically decreased, with many Grandmasters going into hiding and not daring to show themselves casually. Although rumors had it that she had returned to the Mysterious Moon Palace for seclusion, in reality, she had only returned to say farewell to Yun Xianxian, but at that time Yun Xianxian was in closed-door cultivation and did not see her leave. It was only after Yun Xianxian ended her seclusion that she found out the Registered Disciple had already left the Mysterious Moon Palace, her whereabouts unknown, with no news even up to now. Chapter 803 - Chapter 803: Chapter 493: Using the Enlightening Divine Ability on Murong Xueer Chapter 803: Chapter 493: Using the Enlightening Divine Ability on Murong Xue¡¯er When the night was deep and quiet. Wanning Palace. Inside and outside the palace, lights shone brightly, and in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room, she wore a semi-transparent white gauze dress. Her delicate, jade-like hands held a writing brush, and she was writing at her desk. Ever since her position as the Great Jue envoy to Great Sum was revoked, Murong Xue¡¯er had been staying within the Imperial Palace, having nothing much to do all day. Such a life was indeed a bit too bland for her; after all, during her time in Great Jue, she was once known as the Inner Palace Prime Minister and was very busy every day. Though busy, the taste of holding power also made her reluctant to give it up. Now that she had come to Great Sum, she no longer held any power and was just a toy to that despicable man. Thinking of this, Murong Xue¡¯er sighed softly. She put down the brush in her hand, about to call in her maid, when suddenly she heard a voice at the door, ¡°Your Majesty, I greet you!¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly stunned, and she immediately walked towards the door, but before she could get there, a voice appeared behind her. ¡°Xue¡¯er, have you been feeling particularly bored lately?¡± At the sound of this voice, Murong Xue¡¯er turned around to look. Lu Chen was standing in front of the desk, holding and admiring the piece of calligraphy she had just been writing. Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Indeed, I am somewhat bored.¡± Lu Chen put down the paper in his hand, smiled, and said, ¡°I have a job here, I wonder if you are interested.¡± Upon hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback and then asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I will leak the secrets of Great Sum?¡± Lu Chen walked slowly towards Murong Xue¡¯er and said as he walked, ¡°I dare to let the neighboring enemy nation¡¯s princess manage some of Great Sum¡¯s industries; do you think I would worry about you leaking secrets of Great Sum?¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen arrived by Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s side, directly extending his hand to draw her soft waist into his embrace. The gauze dress clinging tightly to Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body, merely holding her made one feel the warmth of her body, and the texture was incredibly silky when touched. Lu Chen¡¯s hand gently caressed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body as he said, ¡°I am always very confident in my women.¡± Being caressed by Lu Chen in such a way, Murong Xue¡¯er instantly felt a warmth in her body and her cheeks grew hot; she maintained her composure and asked, ¡°What job?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You know about the Great Sum Royal Library, right?¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er recalled the books she had seen at the Royal Library, and then she said, ¡°I know, I went to the Royal Library a few days ago to read some of the books there.¡± The content within those books at the Royal Library was especially peculiar, some of it overturning Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s understanding of the world. Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat worried that those pieces of knowledge were the confidential contents of Great Sum. Although Dongfang Longyue said that Lu Chen¡¯s wives and consorts could go in to read, Murong Xue¡¯er, upon thinking that she was not yet one of Lu Chen¡¯s wives, decided to avoid unnecessary trouble and hence did not go there again. At that moment, Lu Chen leaned his head on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s fragrant shoulder and whispered in her ear, ¡°Longyue mentioned that after the library was built, she found it somewhat unmanageable by herself. I plan to have you help her manage it together, what do you think?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°The books in the Royal Library contain Great Sum¡¯s secrets, don¡¯t they? Are you really not afraid that I will leak those things?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Not only am I not afraid, but I also hope that you can teach that knowledge to others, of course, to the citizens of Great Sum.¡± ¡°When the time comes, I will teach you some basic knowledge about this world, then you will become a teacher and pass on that knowledge to the craftsmen of Great Sum.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°I just looked at a few books, and I don¡¯t even understand the knowledge in those books. How can I impart it to someone else?¡± Lu Chen breathed gently against Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s delicate earlobe, then said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, I will personally impart that knowledge to you.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Your Majesty is so busy, you probably don¡¯t have the time.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er thought to herself that the knowledge in the books of the Great Sum Royal Library couldn¡¯t be learned in just a day or two. If Lu Chen were to personally teach her, she wondered how long it would take. As an Emperor, Lu Chen had so many state affairs to handle, and besides, this guy had so many wives and concubines waiting for his tender care. It seemed impossible that he could spend too much time teaching her the knowledge from the Great Sum Library. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°It won¡¯t take too much time, just one night and I will be able to teach you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Murong Xue¡¯er was slightly stunned. One night? How could that be possible? She doubted she could remember the knowledge from even one book in one night, let alone that Lu Chen could impart the foundational knowledge of all the books from the Great Sum Royal Library in just one night. While she was still pondering how Lu Chen would transfer the knowledge to her, Lu Chen¡¯s hand had already landed on her buttocks, and then he wrapped his arms around her soft body, heading towards the bed in the room. Seeing this scene, Murong Xue¡¯er was at a loss for words. This guy was not really imparting knowledge; it probably was just a joke, and what he really wanted to do still involved those matters. Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t think too much about it and followed Lu Chen to the bed. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s cheeks were slightly flushed; the cool and aloof talented woman had already become impassioned. Murong Xue¡¯er wiggled her body slightly, turned around, and then lay down on the bed while Lu Chen also lay down, facing her directly. Lu Chen did not proceed slowly as he had before. He directly sealed Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s red lips with his and kissed her. After a moment, the two entered the state. Murong Xue¡¯er also hadn¡¯t expected that today Lu Chen would not torment her like before. In the past, this guy, Lu Chen, would take half a day just to write. As midnight passed, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s mind was originally foggy, but suddenly, she felt as if a lot of physics and chemistry knowledge had appeared in her mind¡­ Murong Xue¡¯er immediately snapped awake. What was going on? How had she suddenly come to understand so much? During this time, Lu Chen was still busily engaged in his activities, holding her slender waist, and Murong Xue¡¯er wanted to ask him but couldn¡¯t. Soon, Murong Xue¡¯er remembered what Lu Chen had said to her earlier. Lu Chen mentioned that he could impart the foundational knowledge of the royal library to her in just one night, and now it seemed that everything Lu Chen said was true. It indeed took only one night, but how did he do it? Murong Xue¡¯er was somewhat puzzled. Could it be that by doing what they were now, Lu Chen could directly transfer knowledge into her brain? Was that possible? While Murong Xue¡¯er was curious about how Lu Chen did it, he suddenly became more intense, and soon Murong Xue¡¯er sank into the depths of sensation once again, no longer continuing her wild thoughts. Lu Chen was not an ordinary person to begin with; he could directly use certain cultivation techniques to treat diseases. Having another ability to directly impart knowledge was not surprising, and besides, this guy would probably tell her all about it in time. Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Chapter 494: Thanks? How do you plan to thank me? Chapter 804: Chapter 494: Thanks? How do you plan to thank me? Early morning. The magpies were chattering non-stop outside the window, the person inside the room was disturbed and opened her eyes. As Murong Xue¡¯er opened her eyes, and was about to raise her hands to rub them, she discovered her hands were being pinned down by Lu Chen¡¯s, pressed beside her body. And this guy was lying on top of her, his head resting on her shoulder, sleeping soundly. Murong Xue¡¯er felt somewhat helpless; this guy really had no restraints. If she wasn¡¯t a Martial Artist above Master Level, being used as a pillow all night by him would have probably made her body feel incredibly uncomfortable. Seeing that Lu Chen was still asleep, Murong Xue¡¯er didn¡¯t want to disturb him, so she just looked at the canopy above her and pondered over the miraculous knowledge Lu Chen had imparted to her the previous night. At this moment, Murong Xue¡¯er found that she could easily recall that knowledge, which seemed to suggest it wasn¡¯t a fantasy produced by her brain being scrambled by this guy; those things truly existed. With that foundational knowledge, she¡¯d be able to understand the books in the Great Sum Royal Library with ease, and then she could teach the knowledge from those books to others. After thinking for a while, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s gaze shifted back to Lu Chen lying on top of her, and suddenly another thought arose in her heart. She had once told this guy that after Great Jue was annihilated, she would leave him. Now that he had imparted such important knowledge to her, if the day ever came when Great Jue was truly annihilated, would he still let her leave? Although the knowledge Lu Chen passed on to her was basic, having it was enough to change the world, and she didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen would let her leave peacefully. Could it be¡­ Murong Xue¡¯er felt a slight shock in her heart. Did this bad man never intend to let her leave Great Sum from the start? Upon thinking this, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Liumei furrowed slightly. Yes, it must be the case; otherwise, why would he trust her so much? As Murong Xue¡¯er was thinking this, Lu Chen¡¯s body moved slightly, as if he were waking up, in their intimate position, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s Liumei quivered as she gently bit her Silver Fangs. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s voice rose by Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s ear, ¡°Woke up so early? Don¡¯t you want to sleep a bit longer?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er answered indifferently, ¡°Your Majesty has much to attend to today, I didn¡¯t want to delay your handling of state affairs.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue on this topic, instead he asked, ¡°How is it, have you digested the knowledge I imparted to you?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Your Majesty is truly a remarkable man, to have such methods.¡± ¡°But I am somewhat curious, if Your Majesty can directly impart knowledge to others, why do you need me to teach someone else? Can¡¯t Your Majesty just transfer that basic knowledge directly into others¡¯ minds?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er initially thought that maybe Lu Chen could only pass on knowledge to others while engaging in such actions with a man or woman, but upon reflecting she deemed it unlikely. She must have been addled by this guy to think such a thing; clearly, his ability to transmit knowledge to others was some kind of Immortal¡¯s method. Lu Chen said, ¡°Although I can directly impart knowledge to others, this ability has many limitations; it¡¯s not something just anyone can receive, so others still need to be taught.¡± Lu Chen did not tell Murong Xue¡¯er directly that he could only use the ¡°Enlightenment¡± Divine Skill twice a day. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Murong Xue¡¯er considered it and indeed figured such an astounding method must have some restrictions. If there were no limitations, then this guy would have surely already passed on that knowledge to his wives and concubines. At this moment, Lu Chen released Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s jade hands, then slowly got up, his hands propping himself by the sides of her hair, gazing at her exquisitely beautiful face, ¡°Starting today, you are the Deputy Librarian of the Great Sum Royal Library.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er expressed her thanks, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen could find things for her to do, which still pleased her heart; it showed that Lu Chen trusted her, and she had already grown tired of the boredom of doing nothing all day long in her chamber. Lu Chen¡¯s other consorts had children to attend to, but she had nothing, spending her days in the palace merely practicing calligraphy, composing poetry, and occasionally painting portraits of Lu Chen. Seeing that Murong Xue¡¯er was thanking him, Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°Thanks? How do you plan to thank me? Surely it¡¯s not just a verbal thank-you, is it?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er asked calmly, ¡°Your Majesty, how would you like me to thank you?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me several children?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er chuckled to herself, sure enough, this man had only the matter of producing offspring on his mind. Murong Xue¡¯er then said, ¡°Whether or not I can bear children for Your Majesty is not something I can decide, that will depend on whether Your Majesty has the ability.¡± Clearly, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words were meant to be provocative; no man would admit to being incapable. Lu Chen laughed out loud and then said, ¡°Do you think I lack the ability?¡± ¡°Then, I shall have to take special care of you for the upcoming period.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen leaned down directly and sealed her soft lips with his mouth. Not long after, the beautiful lady in the adjoining room heard the sounds of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s apologetic voice coming from this room. Hearing the sound of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s apologies, Wu Junwan, half-reclining on the soft couch, couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Although she didn¡¯t know what Murong Xue¡¯er had just said to Lu Chen, judging by the current commotion, it was very likely that Murong Xue¡¯er had provoked Lu Chen. Wu Junwan muttered to herself, ¡°What an ignorant servant, daring to provoke that man.¡± At this point, Wu Junwan glanced down at her own belly with a slight frown. Wu Junwan thought to herself that even though she, a Pseudo Celestial, was impregnated by Lu Chen, sooner or later that girl Murong Xue¡¯er would end up carrying Lu Chen¡¯s child in her belly. Once Murong Xue¡¯er got pregnant, she would see what Murong Xue¡¯er would use to counter her then. Previously, when Murong Xue¡¯er saw her morning sickness, she would occasionally mock her, saying how well-suited her body was for Lu Chen, that a mighty Pseudo Celestial had fallen pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child in such a short time, as if her body was specifically made for bearing Lu Chen¡¯s children. Although Wu Junwan also thought about quickly having three children and then advancing to the Celestial Realm, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words made her feel like she was being humiliated, as if she were seen as nothing but livestock bred for reproduction in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s eyes, which made Wu Junwan very upset. Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s voice from the next room, Wu Junwan felt an immense satisfaction, silently cheering Lu Chen on¡ªjust like that, to get Murong Xue¡¯er pregnant sooner. The servant girl dared to ridicule her as a beast that knew only to reproduce; once Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s belly swelled, she would really like to see what Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s expression would be then. In the following days, Lu Chen indeed visited Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room every day. Once Murong Xue¡¯er realized that pleading was useless, she thought about dragging the beauty from the next room down with her. But Lu Chen was not fooled by her tactic, even if Murong Xue¡¯er hid in Wu Junwan¡¯s room, pretending to chat with Wu Junwan, Lu Chen would immediately carry Murong Xue¡¯er next door. In the end, Murong Xue¡¯er had no choice but to concede. A few days later. Lu Chen was busy handling affairs of state in the Imperial Study Room when Bai Qingqing entered and said, ¡°Your Majesty, all the materials you¡¯ve requested are prepared.¡± Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Chapter 495 Setting up the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array Chapter 805: Chapter 495 Setting up the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array After hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen immediately rose from in front of his desk. He muttered to himself, ¡°At last, the formation can be constructed.¡± Although the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array had a decent defensive effect, it required a large number of materials. Lu Chen initially worried about not being able to gather so many materials, but to his surprise, he found the necessary materials for constructing the formation so quickly. It made sense, after all. If the world lacked the materials needed for constructing the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array, the system would not have granted him this formation as a reward. Lu Chen walked from his desk to the great hall, and then moved to Bai Qingqing¡¯s side, directly embracing her waist clad in white armor, and said, ¡°Take me there.¡± Bai Qingqing, expressionless, said, ¡°Your Majesty, please follow this servant.¡± Afterward, Bai Qingqing led Lu Chen to the Wind Cloud Palace. The materials for constructing the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array were quite valuable, so Bai Qingqing had them directly delivered to the Wind Cloud Palace to avoid any issues later. As soon as Lu Chen entered the Wind Cloud Palace, he saw his wives and concubines gathered around a pile of objects, discussing their uses. Seeing Lu Chen arrive, the women quickly cleared a path, and Chu Yuqin curiously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, what are the uses of these things?¡± On the ground were seemingly useless things like tree trunks, leaves, and animal bones, along with several buckets of blood from an unknown creature. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°These items are for setting up the formation. With the formation in place, even strong cultivators from the Celestial Realm won¡¯t be able to cause trouble in Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, the women were first stunned, then incredibly joyful. Especially Mu Zixuan and Xiaozhou, Dazhou, whose cultivation states were the lowest. Each time they left the Imperial Palace, they had to be accompanied by powerful protectors, and they were also very afraid to go out. After all, Lu Chen had too many enemies. No one knew how many spies and infiltrators were in Yan County, who could potentially capture them to then threaten Lu Chen. For them, Yan County had become more dangerous than before. If the arrangement of the formation could continuously protect them, they would then be able to move freely around Yan County in the future. Although the Imperial Palace was large, it was still much smaller compared to Yan County. They would also get bored being in the Imperial Palace all the time. Upon regaining her senses, Mu Zixuan quickly asked, ¡°Your Majesty, can this formation continuously protect our safety?¡± Although Lu Chen said that not even Celestials would dare to cause trouble in Yan County, Mu Zixuan was not convinced that the formation could definitely ensure their safety. What if it was a defensive formation that only operated upon activation? If something happened to them, the formation might not be activated in time. Lu Chen immediately understood what Mu Zixuan was asking. He directly said, ¡°This formation can be activated anytime. As long as it is my wives and my children, they all can activate it. But the formation cannot harm my wives and children.¡± ¡°If you go out later, as long as you are still in Yan County, you can also utilize the power of this formation.¡± ¡°However, the spiritual energy in this world is very thin. Although the formation can absorb the surrounding spiritual energy, it can¡¯t be activated for a long time. ¡°So unless absolutely necessary, do not activate the killing array.¡± The Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array is divided into two parts, one is the actively activated killing array, the other a passive defense. The passive defense is always operational, detecting the killing intent of any strong adversaries approaching, effectively keeping formidable enemies out. As for the active killing array, once an enemy enters within the formation, Lu Chen¡¯s wives and children can actively manipulate the killing array to attack the enemy. Initiating the killing array consumes a large amount of spiritual energy. At that moment, Lu Chen approached the pile of formation materials and was about to set up the formation when suddenly, a system alert sounded. [The host¡¯s cultivation state has not yet reached the Celestial Realm. With the host¡¯s current spiritual power, it is impossible to set up the entire Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array.] Hearing this notification sound, Lu Chen was stunned. What? Unable to set up? Why did the system reward him with this formation? Soon, Lu Chen realized that although he couldn¡¯t set it up himself, he had Celestials under his command, and he could have those Celestials set it up. While Lu Chen was thinking this, the system notification sounded again. [The host can have Celestials transfer spiritual power to the host so that the host can complete the setup of the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array.] Seeing the system say this, Lu Chen did not hesitate and directly said to Bai Qingqing, ¡°Bai, have someone call Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang over.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Bai Qingqing immediately left the Wind Cloud Palace. After Bai Qingqing left, Lu Chen was not idle; he began to seriously ponder how to arrange the formation. Not long after, Bai Qingqing appeared in the Wind Cloud Palace with Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang. The Wind Cloud Palace was Lu Chen¡¯s harem, and aside from Lu Chen¡¯s offspring, men were not allowed, so Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang both felt somewhat uncomfortable. Lu Chen had no choice; he needed to set the formation¡¯s focal points in the Wind Cloud Palace, so he could only have Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang come here. Moreover, they were only setting up a formation, and they would not stay in the harem for too long, so Lu Chen did not mind much internally. Afterward, Lu Chen said to Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang, ¡°Sect Master Xia, Hall Master Mu, I need to set up a formation here. You two should transfer the spiritual power within you to me to ensure that my spiritual power is sufficient.¡± Upon hearing this, the two of them hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Following that, Lu Chen began to circulate his spiritual power, and in the next moment, all the materials for the formation floated up from the ground. Immediately afterward, a formation pattern appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. He infused spiritual power according to the formation pattern, and the floating materials in the air began to mix. After mixing, the materials turned into a black liquid which then gathered above Lu Chen¡¯s head, forming a formation pattern. However, at this moment, the spiritual power within Lu Chen¡¯s body clearly could not keep up. Seeing this, Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang promptly stepped in, transferring their spiritual power to Lu Chen. Lu Chen instantly felt the spiritual power in his body become abundantly recharged, and he continued setting up the formation. Once everything was ready, the black formation pattern above Lu Chen¡¯s head rapidly rose and grew larger. Soon, the pattern covered the entire Yan County, and seeing this, the locals of Yan County were stunned. When Lu Chen felt it was about right, he immediately let the formation descend. The formation pattern in the sky fell swiftly down, startling the locals of Yan County; some were already preparing to flee, but the formation¡¯s descent was so fast that people did not have time to hide before the pattern had already landed. Seeing that the formation pattern posed no threat to them, the locals of Yan County finally breathed a sigh of relief. The next moment, Lu Chen actively activated the formation, and after that, the pattern of the formation gradually turned from black to gold and began emitting a golden light. This golden light rapidly converged into a hemisphere, enveloping the entire Yan County within it. Seeing this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but think, so this is the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array, pity there are no enemies to test the effects of the killing array. Lu Chen didn¡¯t ponder more; he subsequently waved his hand, and the golden protective barrier above Yan County disappeared without a trace. Chapter 806 - Chapter 806: Chapter 496: Long Time No See, We Have a Lot to do Tonight Chapter 806: Chapter 496: Long Time No See, We Have a Lot to do Tonight After Lu Chen finished setting up the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array, some ministers from Yan County rushed to the Imperial Palace and waited outside. The array patterns that had just spread out visibly from the palace had caused the ministers much concern, as they did not know what had happened inside the palace. At that moment, Lu Chen looked at a red array pattern on the ground, which was the core of the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. He then continued to circulate the spiritual power within his body and, following that, he bit open his own fingertip, allowing the fresh blood to drip onto the core formation of the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. In the next instant, the core formation emitted several bursts of red light, which shot straight towards Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines, landing on the center of their foreheads. Soon after, their bodies radiated waves of red light, and swiftly something extra appeared in their minds, as if they had also connected with the domain of Yan County, allowing them to sense the existence of the entire Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. Just as Lu Chen finished all this, several female guards hurried into Wind Cloud Palace, ¡°Your Majesty, numerous ministers outside the palace are seeking an audience.¡± Lu Chen instantly understood the situation. The commotion just now had been too great and had certainly caused some concern. He immediately said, ¡°Go and tell the people outside that the noise was caused by Us. We will mention today¡¯s events at the court assembly tomorrow; they should all return home.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The female guard, having heard Lu Chen¡¯s instructions, swiftly turned and left Wind Cloud Palace. Soon, the ministers at the palace gates received the message from the female guard. The ministers did not think too much about it, reasoning that if anything truly dangerous had occurred, with those Celestials present, nothing too grave should have happened. If indeed something had occurred that the Celestials could not resolve, then they, as ministers, would definitely not be able to manage it either. Following that, the ministers had no choice but to return home. Meanwhile. Lu Chen was instructing Mu Zixuan and the others in how to use the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. People like Chu Yuqin, who had higher cultivation realms, were able to quickly grasp how to mobilize the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array, but not so for Mu Zixuan and others from Dazhou and Xiaozhou. Their realms were comparatively low, and they had not practiced martial arts before, so their foundation was weak. To fully control the use of the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array was quite challenging for them. By the time evening came, Lu Chen was still coaching Mu Zixuan and the others on using the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. Just then, a maid came running hurriedly to Lu Chen. ¡°Your Majesty, Noble Consort Chen has returned to the palace.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused briefly. Noble Consort Chen referred naturally to Chen Wanrong, who had said when she left the Capital city that she would descend from the mountain this year. At this moment, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Your Majesty, since Sister Chen has returned after much difficulty, you should go to her. We can practice the formation later.¡± Lu Chen gave a slight smile, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll continue teaching you tomorrow.¡± Afterward, Lu Chen proceeded to Yunrong Palace. The name of Yunrong Palace came into being as a counterpart to the Yunrong Courtyard in the North Prince Mansion. Originally, each of Lu Chen¡¯s consorts had their own separate palace, but it seemed they had grown accustomed to living together, and Lin Wanyun did not wish to be separated from where Chen Wanrong lived. So the name was simply retained. Later, some raised the issue that the name Yunrong Palace did not conform to court etiquette, as it was composed of the names of Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong, with Lin Wanyun¡¯s name placed before Chen Wanrong¡¯s. However, Chen Wanrong was the Imperial Noble Consort, while Lin Wanyun was merely a Noble Concubine. Thus, to some in the inner court, Yunrong Palace should be renamed as Rongyun Palace. Even Lin Wanyun herself thought so, but Lu Chen did not allow for the change to be made. The reason ¡°Yun¡± was placed before ¡°Rong¡± in the name of the Yunrong Palace in the North Prince Mansion was because Lin Wanyun was older than Chen Wanrong, and in Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes, Lin Wanyun was almost like a mother to her. Since Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong had to live in the same palace, and Lin Wanyun¡¯s seniority was higher than Chen Wanrong¡¯s, it was natural that the name could not be changed casually. Of course, these were all trivial matters, and Lu Chen didn¡¯t really care about them. Soon, Lu Chen arrived at the Yunrong Palace. At that moment, Chen Wanrong was in Lin Wanyun¡¯s sleeping chamber, sitting on the floor with her, discussing matters concerning the Mysterious Moon Palace at a table. Ever since Lin Wanyun last left the Mysterious Moon Palace, her situation was no different from having left it for good, and she hadn¡¯t returned even once to this day. Now, she could only learn about the current affairs of the Mysterious Moon Palace through Chen Wanrong. Sitting on a lotus-patterned carpet, Lin Wanyun shifted her plump hips and sighed softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be able to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace in my lifetime.¡± Lin Wanyun still harbored some feelings for the Mysterious Moon Palace. Not long after she had left the Capital City, she joined the Mysterious Moon Palace and spent most of her time there. Now she had married Lu Chen and become his woman, living every day in the Imperial Palace. It seemed she might never get the chance to return to the Mysterious Moon Palace in her lifetime. She didn¡¯t think her current life was bad at all. That little rascal would come and tease her from time to time, and with many sisters in the harem, her days were quite exciting. But she still wished to go back and visit, not knowing whether Lu Chen would agree or not. Seeing Lin Wanyun in low spirits, Chen Wanrong raised her delicate hand and grasped Lin Wanyun¡¯s, then said, ¡°Auntie Yun, if you wish to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace, just mention it to Lu Chen. He should agree.¡± Lin Wanyun responded, ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that easy. I¡¯m not like you; you are the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, and it cannot function without you. I am only an ordinary hair protector there; my presence or absence makes no difference.¡± ¡°Even if His Majesty agrees, if the others learn that an Emperor¡¯s woman is roaming around, they will talk.¡± ¡°Moreover, I married His Majesty as a daughter of the Lin Family. I have the whole Lin Family behind me, and if I do something inappropriate, I will certainly be impeached.¡± No sooner had Lin Wanyun finished speaking, than a man¡¯s voice suddenly came from the doorway, ¡°Auntie Yun, if you want to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace, then just go. Who dares gossip?¡± As soon as the voice finished, Lu Chen appeared in the room. On seeing Lu Chen, both women stood up and said, ¡°We pay respect to Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen gave a slight smile and walked directly to Lin Wanyun, embracing her plump body and saying, ¡°Haven¡¯t I already said that within the inner palace, there¡¯s no need for such formalities?¡± Having said this, Lu Chen glanced at Chen Wanrong, then walked over to her and wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°My lady, you¡¯ve finally come down from the mountain. If you hadn¡¯t come down, I would have probably had to personally visit the Mysterious Moon Palace to find you,¡± he said. Upon hearing this, Chen Wanrong asked with a calm expression, ¡°Your Majesty, do you think it¡¯s appropriate to confer upon me the title of Imperial Noble Consort?¡± Chen Wanrong was unlike Lu Chen¡¯s other women; she wouldn¡¯t often stay in the Imperial Palace. As a woman who spent most of her time in the Mysterious Moon Palace, how could she be an Imperial Noble Consort? Therefore, Chen Wanrong felt that this title conferred by Lu Chen was somewhat too lofty. Lu Chen replied with a laugh, ¡°Why would it be inappropriate? I think there¡¯s no problem at all.¡± ¡°Enough of this, we haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time, and there are many things we need to do tonight,¡± he continued. Hearing this, a blush arose on the frosty cheeks of Chen Wanrong. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then fell upon Lin Wanyun, ¡°Auntie Yun, we won¡¯t disturb your rest any longer. As for your desire to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace, when the time comes, you can go back with Rongrong. Don¡¯t worry about what others might say.¡± Chapter 808 - Chapter 808: Chapter 498: The War Between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe Chapter 808: Chapter 498: The War Between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe Hearing that the full court of civil and military officials were considering sending troops to subdue the Great Xia, Yue Emperor snorted coldly and then said expressionlessly, ¡°So, you all think that the army of Da Yue is a match for the Celestials?¡± Hearing this, the ministers in the great hall who advocated for the campaign against the Great Xia were instantly disheartened and didn¡¯t know what to say. Indeed, all the ministers understood that as long as the Great Xia had those Celestials, if Da Yue went to war with the Great Xia, Da Yue would have no advantage at all. A single Celestial could destroy an entire army, and since they in Da Yue did not possess any weapons to counter Celestials, sending Da Yue¡¯s army to attack the Great Xia would be sending Da Yue¡¯s soldiers to their deaths. However, if they did not take advantage of this time to attack the Great Xia, once the Great Xia annihilated Great Wu, it would be their turn next, and then they would have even less chance. Could it be that Da Yue could only wait for its own destruction? When some officials thought about this, their hearts felt incredibly bleak. The old emperors had put in so much effort to build a dynasty in this chaotic land, only to face possible destruction within a few generations. Just then, a minister suddenly thought of something and immediately said, ¡°This servant has heard that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations are extremely formidable, capable not only of defending against Celestial attacks but also possessing tremendous power.¡± ¡°Perhaps the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formation could be used against the Celestials.¡± Hearing this, some ministers clung to it as if it were a lifeline; the Secretary of the Ministry of War stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, if what Assistant Minister Li says is true, then we must find a way to obtain the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s method for their battle formation practice. It might be our only chance.¡± Although the news that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formation could counter Celestials came from the Barbarian Tribe itself and some doubted its reliability, it was the only method Da Yue knew to counter Celestials. Even if it was unreliable, they had to try it out; what if it really worked as intended? Moreover, the Barbarian Tribe continued to practice their battle formation ceaselessly. If the formation were truly futile, they would not be practicing it every day. The Barbarian Tribe had not yet mastered the battle formation, and by attacking them now, the Barbarians would not be able to leverage its potential. Thus, this was not only Da Yue¡¯s last chance but also the best opportunity to eliminate the threat from the north. Although the Great Xia¡¯s army was invincible in Great Wu, unifying Great Wu would take much time. It¡¯s easy to conquer but hard to occupy a country. More so since Great Wu was a dynasty with a long history. Without half a year¡¯s time, even if the Great Martial Royal Family had been annihilated, Great Wu would be difficult to stabilize. With Great Wu as a distraction, Great Xia wouldn¡¯t have the resources to focus on what Da Yue was doing. If they managed to annihilate the Barbarians to the north, even if Great Xia attacked later, Da Yue would face less of a threat and could focus on defending against the invasion from the Great Xia. At that moment, Yue Emperor¡¯s phoenix-like eyes swept over the ministers in the great hall. She could see that everyone was restless and thinking of making a final struggle. She then spoke, ¡°As of today, Da Yue is in a state of war, save for the hundred thousand troops at the border with Great Xia, all armies are to move north; I myself will lead the campaign against the Barbarian Tribe in half a month!¡± Hearing this, the entire court knelt down, ¡°Your Majesty is wise!¡± Yue Emperor scoffed in her heart. Wise? It was a desperate move, indeed. She was thinking, if the Barbarian Tribe really had a battle formation capable of facing the Celestials, then it suggested that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess might be from the Misty World, and dealing with that woman wouldn¡¯t be easy. Although she had reached the Unity Realm and was a Pseudo Celestial, her strength was infinitely close to that of a Celestial due to her cultivation of a special technique. Yet, she was not a true Celestial and, having left the Misty World, she had not battled a true Celestial. Perhaps her strength had declined much since her time in the Misty World. Yue Emperor was also unsure if she could defeat the Barbarian Tribe Goddess. However, she believed that in this world, where Spiritual Energy was scarce, her strength was limited, and so was the Goddess¡¯s. Even if the Barbarian Tribe Goddess was a Celestial from the Misty World, she still had a great chance of victory. In the Misty World, she had indeed slain Celestials. Having decided to campaign against the Barbarians to the north, Da Yue began preparations. The armies in the southeast, intended to fend off Great Xia, were quickly redeployed northward, leaving only a hundred thousand troops to guard the border with Great Xia. Although Da Yue did not have trains, the speed of troop deployment was very fast. In half a month, the majority of the troops had already been redeployed to the north. Great Jue¡¯s movements were so significant that the spies of the Barbarian Tribe naturally noticed Great Jue¡¯s intentions, and soon the news that Great Jue intended to attack the Barbarian Tribe reached the ears of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess, Mu Yunxi. North Land. Barbarian Tribe Goddess¡¯s tent. Mu Yunxi wore a gown sewn with golden thread, her body shimmering with golden light, her head crowned with gems that reflected a spectrum of colors. She reclined on a soft couch, exposing her fair, smooth abdomen and her long legs, holding a piece of intelligence freshly delivered from Great Jue in her hands as white as jade. Looking at the content of the intelligence report, Mu Yunxi¡¯s face remained expressionless. After a moment, she finally said coolly, ¡°It seems that Great Xia is putting quite the pressure on Great Jue, for Great Jue has even resorted to the idea of battle formations.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know who gave Great Jue the courage to dare attack this palace¡¯s forces.¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, a Barbarian soldier kneeling on the ground said, ¡°Goddess, what should we do now?¡± Mu Yunxi answered indifferently, ¡°Gather the tribal leaders immediately. Since Great Jue wants to experience the effect of battle formations, this palace will satisfy them.¡± Originally, Mu Yunxi had planned to be cautious, waiting until the Barbarian soldiers could proficiently use the battle formations before marching south to annihilate all the major dynasties. She had not expected the Yue Emperor to be so bold as to attack them prematurely. Being a woman herself, she somewhat admired the Yue Emperor¡¯s guts. However, in her view, it was like an egg striking a stone. Just because she had not led troops south did not mean she lacked the power; she simply wanted to annihilate all the dynasties in one fell swoop. If someone was offering themselves up for death ahead of time, she would not indulge them. Soon, the leaders of the Barbarian tribes had all gathered, and the Barbarian Army had also assembled in a very short time. The war between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe was about to erupt. ¡­ Great Xia Dynasty. Since Chen Wanrong arrived in Yan County, Lu Chen had been soaking in the pleasures of love every day. Last night, Lu Chen visited Chen Wanrong¡¯s bedchamber again, agitating Chen Wanrong thoroughly. Facing Chen Wanrong, the aloof fairy, his desire to conquer was always very strong. Regrettably, despite being busy with Chen Wanrong for so many days, he had not managed to get her pregnant, showing that conceiving truly depended on luck. It wasn¡¯t so easy to achieve miracles with sheer force. Early in the morning, Lu Chen lay deeply asleep in the embrace of Gentle Jade Fragrance, when the voice of Bai Qingqing was heard at the door. ¡°Has Your Majesty woken up yet?¡± Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice was soft, but Lu Chen¡¯s perception was strong, and he still heard it. Lu Chen immediately opened his eyes and was about to raise his head when he found that Chen Wanrong¡¯s jade hand was still holding his head, restricting his movement. Chapter 809 - Chapter 809: Chapter 499: The Barbarian Tribe Doesnt Have a War Formation? Chapter 809: Chapter 499: The Barbarian Tribe Doesn¡¯t Have a War Formation? Being held by the head by Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen always felt a bit strange, so at this moment, Chen Wanrong also noticed that Lu Chen¡¯s head moved slightly, she must have woken up, so she let go of Lu Chen¡¯s head. Lu Chen then slowly rose to a sitting position, supporting himself with both hands on either side of Chen Wanrong¡¯s hair, admiring Chen Wanrong¡¯s jade-like face. Chen Wanrong¡¯s visage was as if it were carved from white jade, smooth and delicate, while also emitting a holy aura, aloof yet tinged with a hint of shyness, utterly mesmerizing. After glancing at Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen turned his head towards the doorway where Bai Qingqing stood and asked, ¡°Bai, is something the matter?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Bai Qingqing immediately replied, ¡°Great Jue has gone to war with the Barbarian Tribe.¡± On hearing this, Lu Chen was slightly stunned, no wonder Bai Qingqing had come to find him early in the morning, as such a significant event had occurred. Bai Qingqing herself was his woman, so she was well aware that he liked to linger in the embrace of his women in the morning, and wouldn¡¯t get up for a while; she usually would not disturb him unless something important happened. The war between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe was somewhat significant for Great Sum, as after all, Great Sum was next planning to annihilate Great Jue, which was a major focus for Great Sum. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his gaze back to Chen Wanrong beneath him, gently caressed her cheek, and softly said, ¡°Rongrong, I have matters to attend to, so I can¡¯t keep you company anymore.¡± Chen Wanrong responded calmly, ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Lu Chen did not hesitate any further, got off from Chen Wanrong, and with her help, quickly dressed and left Chen Wanrong¡¯s sleeping chambers. It wasn¡¯t long before Lu Chen appeared in the Imperial Study Room, where Liang Zong was already waiting to report on the war between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe. Seeing that Lu Chen had arrived, Liang Zong hurriedly paid his respects, ¡°Greetings to Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities,¡± and walked straight behind the desk to sit down, ¡°Commander Liang, why has Great Jue decided to attack the Barbarian Tribe at this time? Have you found out the specific reason yet?¡± Lu Chen was curious, what was the Yue Emperor doing, attacking the Barbarian Tribe out of the blue? The territory of the Barbarian Tribe was vast, and the tribespeople were particularly adept at escaping; even if Great Jue could defeat the Barbarian Army, the tribespeople could simply retreat deeper into the northwest, and after some time, emerge again, at which point Great Jue would be unable to do anything about them. It was unlikely that Great Jue would send troops chasing deep into the areas where the Barbarian Tribe moved. Liang Zong replied, ¡°According to the investigation by the Brocade Guard, Great Jue has launched a campaign against the Barbarian Tribe because of the battle formations that the Barbarian Tribe is practicing.¡± ¡°Battle formations?¡± Lu Chen muttered, then fell into deep thought. Lu Chen had heard of the ¡°battle formations¡± before and was concerned that they could pose future problems for Great Sum; however, they were currently focused on annihilating Great Wu and did not have the time to address the affairs of the northwest tribes. Yet, he had still sent several spies to gather specific information about the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations. Liang Zong continued, ¡°Rumor has it that the battle formation employed by the Barbarian Tribe can not only withstand attacks from Celestials, but its power is also immense, so some in Great Jue believe that as long as they can acquire the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations, they will be able to contend with Great Sum in the future.¡± On hearing Liang Zong¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled lightly; so that was what Great Jue was aiming for. However, if Great Jue could annihilate the Barbarian Tribe by moving north, not only would it reduce pressure, but acquiring the battle formations would be killing two birds with one stone. Most importantly, Great Sum was currently focused on Great Wu and had no time to concern itself with what was happening in the northwest, which made it a good opportunity for Great Jue. After thinking it over, Lu Chen then said to Liang Zong, ¡°Keep Great Jue¡¯s spies active, always monitoring the situation between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe, especially the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations. I want to know exactly how effective these battle formations can be!¡± Liang Zong bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± At this point, Liang Zong finally took out the intelligence that had been concealed in his sleeve, ¡°Your Majesty, this is the information sent back by Great Jue¡¯s spies.¡± At that moment, Bai Qingqing walked up to Liang Zong, took the intelligence report from his hands, and handed it to Lu Chen. Lu Chen took the intelligence report, tore it open, and glanced through the content. The information was similar to what Liang Zong had mentioned; it seemed like the whole court of Dayue was placing their final hope on the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formation. Lu Chen thought to himself, hopefully, this battle formation isn¡¯t very effective. If it truly can withstand attacks from Celestials, the northern Barbarian Tribe might delay his unification of the world. Seeing that Lu Chen had glanced through the content of the intelligence, Liang Zong spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, if there¡¯s nothing else, I will take my leave now.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, you may leave.¡± ¡°I take my leave,¡± Liang Zong then turned and left. After Liang Zong had left, Lu Chen said to Bai Qingqing, ¡°Bai, have this report sent to Great Scholar Zhuge.¡± Bai Qingqing took the letter from Lu Chen¡¯s hand and exited the Imperial Study Room. Lu Chen then thought to himself, if the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formation indeed has the capability to resist Celestials, then the identity of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess might not be simple either, and her power is currently an unknown. Their spies in the grasslands also only knew that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess was incredibly powerful, but how powerful, nobody knew for sure. All the leaders of the Barbarian Tribe combined were not a match for her. Her ability to unify the entire Barbarian Tribe in such a short time also proved her strength. Lu Chen thought, this so-called Barbarian Tribe Goddess might also be from another world and she could very well have reached the Celestial Realm. He needed to be ready to fight with a Celestial. In the blink of an eye. The war between Dayue and the Barbarian Tribe had erupted fully. Because the Yue Emperor led the charge personally, the front line armies of the Barbarian Tribe could not withstand Dayue¡¯s onslaught. Within just a few days, the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s vanguard troops were scattered and fleeing. Northwest lands. Dayue, Main Commander¡¯s tent. The Yue Emperor, clad in a suit of black gold armor, looked at the map of Barbarian lands, lost in thought. At that time in the tent, there were several generals silently watching the Yue Emperor, none of them spoke. After a long while, the Yue Emperor finally spoke, ¡°We¡¯re about to reach the old site of the Barbarian court, and they have yet to use the battle formation up to now, which is a bit suspicious.¡± According to their intelligence, ever since that Barbarian Tribe Goddess unified them, they had been continuously practicing the battle formation. Up until now, however, the Barbarian soldiers had not used this so-called battle formation against the Dayue Army. The journey had been too smooth for them, unnaturally so. The Yue Emperor suspected that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess might be deliberately not allowing the Barbarian vanguard to use the battle formation. The aim was perhaps to draw them deeper into the heartland of the Barbarian activity area and then encircle the Dayue Army. Given the current situation, this possibility seemed quite high. Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, one general said, ¡°Could it be that the Barbarian Tribe doesn¡¯t have a real battle formation at all, and this is merely a rumor spread by them?¡± Another general then said, ¡°Why would the Barbarian Tribe spread such a rumor? Besides, we learned of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formation from our own people; it cannot be a rumor.¡± The general who had suggested it might be a rumor spoke again, ¡°But we are almost at the old site of the Barbarian court now, and the Barbarian Army still hasn¡¯t used the battle formation. If they really had such a formation, why haven¡¯t they used it yet?¡± Chapter 810 - Chapter 810: Chapter 500 The Final Battle between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe Chapter 810: Chapter 500 The Final Battle between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe The generals in the Main Commander¡¯s tent were all puzzled as to why the Barbarian Army didn¡¯t employ battle formations. If the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations were so powerful, why didn¡¯t they just use them to fight against the Dayue Army? With the current situation, the Barbarian Army appeared no different than paper mache. At this moment, one of the Great Generals voiced a differing opinion. He looked at the Yue Emperor and said, ¡°Your Majesty, in this servant¡¯s view, the reason the Barbarian Tribe does not use battle formations is not that they lack them but because they have yet to master the one in the rumors.¡± ¡°If the Barbarian Tribe had already mastered their battle formations, the Empress of Da Yue¡¯s troops wouldn¡¯t have had to march north, as the Barbarian Tribe Goddess would have led the Barbarian Army south already.¡± Hearing this, the generals in the tent looked at each other, feeling that there was some truth to what the Great General had said. The intelligence they had obtained earlier indicated that the Barbarian Tribe was practicing a special battle formation. Perhaps, it was because the Dayue Dynasty took timely action that the Barbarian Tribe hadn¡¯t yet mastered the use of this formation, which was why their only option upon encountering the Dayue Army was to flee. Just as everyone started to agree that the Great General¡¯s point made a lot of sense, the Yue Emperor spoke up, ¡°Not necessarily.¡± At these two words, the generals all turned to look at the Yue Emperor, who continued, ¡°The Goddess of the Barbarian Tribe wants to lure Us deep into their territory and then cut off Dayue¡¯s supply lines to annihilate the main force of Dayue in one fell swoop.¡± As the words fell, the generals were momentarily stunned. The possibility described by the Yue Emperor wasn¡¯t the slightest bit unrealistic and, in fact, was highly plausible. It might just be what the Barbarian Tribe Goddess was planning. The Yue Emperor went on, ¡°According to the intelligence gathered, the Barbarian Tribe has been practicing the Goddess¡¯s battle formation for quite some time. Even if they cannot wield it proficiently, they should at least be able to make some use of it. It¡¯s improbable that they have yet to use it a single time.¡± After listening to the Yue Emperor¡¯s analysis, one of the generals asked, ¡°Then Your Majesty, what should we do next?¡± ¡°To continue the offensive, our supply line is stretched too thin, and there¡¯s a high probability that the supplies won¡¯t be able to keep up.¡± The Yue Emperor fell into deep thought, staring quietly at the map on the table, seemingly pondering something. After a long while, the Yue Emperor finally spoke, ¡°For now, let us station ourselves here temporarily, and have the vanguard explore the way ahead. This Emperor is curious to see how long the Goddess of the Barbarian Tribe can endure.¡± Following the Yue Emperor¡¯s orders, Dayue immediately dispatched the vanguard cavalry, who penetrated deep into the heartland of the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s territory. Meanwhile. Within the tent of the Barbarian Tribe court. Mu Yunxi was also looking at a map. After glancing at the marked points on the sheepskin map, she said, ¡°The other party must have noticed our intentions by now; their advance is slowing. It¡¯s likely they will stop moving forward within the next couple of days.¡± At this moment, a Chief of the Barbarian Tribe stepped forward and said, ¡°Goddess, allow our Sand Wizard Tribe to take the lead. Our tribe was the first to learn the battle formations and is most familiar with yours. Just let our Sand Wizard Tribe fight and within two hours, we can crush the Dayue Army!¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi glanced at the King of Sand Wizard. It was true that the Sand Wizard Tribe was among the first to practice the battle formation, and the soldiers from the Sand Wizard King¡¯s tribe were very powerful, with many high-ranking Martial Artists. Using the battle formation, they could sustain it for a relatively long period. Although Mu Yunxi had seen the army led by the King of Sand Wizard use the battle formation, so far, the Sand Wizard Tribe¡¯s formation had not been tested in real combat. The extent to which it could exhibit the power of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array remained uncertain. Seeing the King of Sand Wizard¡¯s eagerness, the other Chiefs of the Barbarian Tribe couldn¡¯t stay put; they too wanted to showcase themselves before Mu Yunxi. ¡°Goddess, let our Black Water Tribe take the lead. Although the Sand Wizard Tribe was the first to practice the battle formations, they have almost no real combat experience. When we were fighting other tribes, at least we used it once.¡± ¡°Goddess, let our Duo Huai Tribe take the lead¡­¡± ¡°Goddess, it should be us¡­¡± For a moment, the tent was in chaos, everyone eager to take the role of the vanguard. They were well aware that whoever acted as the vanguard would receive the greatest credit, and, in turn, the rewards from the Goddess would be more abundant once Da Yue was conquered. Therefore, none of them was willing to relinquish this opportunity to others. However, it was at this time that Mu Yunxi spoke, ¡°King of Sand Wizard, since you so desire to be the vanguard, This Palace will grant you this opportunity. I hope you will not disappoint This Palace.¡± Seeing that Mu Yunxi had chosen him, the King of Sand Wizard was tremendously excited. He quickly knelt down and said, ¡°Thank you, Goddess! I will definitely not let down your expectations!¡± At this moment, the voice of a Barbarian soldier rose from outside the tent, ¡°Goddess, a battle report from the front!¡± Mu Yunxi calmly said, ¡°Come in.¡± Following that, the Barbarian soldier who was delivering the message entered the tent, knelt on the ground, and said to Mu Yunxi, ¡°Goddess, the Dayue Army has already set up camp and is not advancing further, but they have dispatched a cavalry vanguard that continues to push deeper.¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi chuckled lightly and said, ¡°It seems that the Yue Emperor indeed has discovered our intentions. Since they have found out, it¡¯s highly probable that they will not advance further.¡± ¡°In that case, it¡¯s our turn to make a move!¡± As her words ended, Mu Yunxi began arranging her troops. She planned to crush the main force of Dayue in the shortest possible time and then deal with the Empress of Da Yue. She had a fair understanding of Da Yue and knew the importance of the Empress to Da Yue. If they could take down the Empress in this war, they would essentially have claimed Da Yue for themselves. Originally, she had planned to attack Da Yue in five years to be cautious, but she hadn¡¯t expected the Empress of Da Yue to come knocking on her door, so she couldn¡¯t be blamed now. In less than half a day, Dayue¡¯s vanguard cavalry spotted the vast, looming Barbarian Army. Dayue¡¯s vanguard cavalry had not expected to encounter the true might of the Barbarian force so soon. The Dayue cavalry hurried back to deliver the news. When the Yue Emperor heard that the Barbarian Army had regrouped and was preparing to launch an attack, she knew her suspicions were correct; they had indeed been lured here. However, the Yue Emperor was not worried in the least. Since the founding of Da Yue, the Da Yue Dynasty had fought countless wars with the Barbarians, but Da Yue had won the majority of these conflicts, with the Barbarians retreating to hide in the northwestern hinterlands. Some Barbarians, having realized that they couldn¡¯t get the better of Da Yue, even fled to the North Land. At this moment, the Yue Emperor¡¯s heart swelled with the will to fight; it had been a long time since she had faced off against a worthy opponent. She had a premonition that the Goddess of the Barbarian Tribe would be a formidable enemy. Toward evening. The red sunset hung in the sky, and Dayue had already positioned their troops in formation, waiting for the arrival of the Barbarian Army. After an indeterminate amount of time, countless black figures appeared in the distance. Under the glow of the setting sun, the soldiers of the Barbarian Tribe looked as if they were wearing bronze-colored armor. The number of Barbarian soldiers was vast, and it was clear that these were indeed the true forces of the Barbarian Tribe. The Barbarian soldiers were robust and were mostly Martial Artists. Only then did the Dayue troops realize that the Barbarians they had initially fought were probably just from smaller tribes. The aura of the Barbarian Army was incredibly powerful, and just by approaching the Dayue army, their horses were frightened into whinnying constantly, with some even showing an inclination to flee. It wasn¡¯t just the horses; even the soldiers of Da Yue felt as though they were being watched by some terrifying beast, causing an uncontrollable shiver to run through their bodies. Chapter 811 - Chapter 811: Chapter 501: This Yue Emperors identity is probably not simple Chapter 811: Chapter 501: This Yue Emperor¡¯s identity is probably not simple The Yue Emperor, clad in black gold armor, rode upon a robust white horse, a longsword hanging at her waist and her ponytail fluttering in the wind, presenting a dashing figure. She glanced at the distant, dense array of the Barbarian Army but did not spot the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s Goddess among them. The Yue Emperor furrowed her brows, it seemed that the so-called Goddess had not come. Did the Goddess hold such contempt for Da Yue that she merely sent the Barbarian Army and did not show herself? At that time, the Barbarian Army did not continue to advance; they stood in the distance, motionless, apparently waiting for someone¡¯s command. The Yue Emperor then said coldly, ¡°Form up, attack!¡± As her words fell, the formations of the Da Yue Army began to shift, taking on a conical shape. Regardless of whether the Barbarian Goddess had come, the Yue Emperor intended to make it a quick battle, so she directly instructed the Da Yue Army to deploy an offensive formation. Following the change in Da Yue¡¯s formation, the army led by the King of Sand Wizard also adjusted their formation, with the Barbarian Army adopting a similar conical shape. Both sides had assumed offensive formations. Seeing this, some Da Yue soldiers harbored disdainful thoughts¡ªwas this the famed battle formation? Was this all the Barbarian¡¯s battle formation amounted to? It didn¡¯t seem all that impressive, did it? Could such a formation withstand Celestials? Just as the Da Yue soldiers thought they had victory in their grasp, suddenly, the sound of horns echoed from within the Barbarian formation. Yet, the Da Yue soldiers still did not take it seriously as drumming reverberated over the plains at that moment. Soon after, countless arrows shot out from within the Da Yue formation, quickly filling the sky above the Barbarian Army with dense volleys of arrows, yet the Barbarian soldiers showed no signs of panic. King of Sand Wizard shouted loudly, ¡°Set the formation!¡± As he spoke, True Qi was released from his body, which upon contact, seemed to also draw out the True Qi within the bodies of the warriors. Seeing this, the Yue Emperor¡¯s brows knitted together tightly. Something was amiss. The King of Sand Wizard was a Grandmaster, so releasing True Qi wasn¡¯t unusual, but those Barbarian soldiers were not Grandmasters, and some were merely first-rank Martial Artists. Even they were releasing their True Qi. How was that possible? As True Qi was released from the bodies of the Barbarian soldiers, a giant golden array pattern soon appeared beneath the feet of the Barbarian Army. At that critical juncture when the volley of arrows shot by Da Yue soldiers were about to strike the Barbarians, the Barbarian battle formation completed, and a dragon roar sounded across the plains followed by all the arrows aimed at the Barbarian soldiers being deflected away. Above the Barbarian Army, it seemed a golden dragon had appeared. Seeing this golden dragon, the Da Yue soldiers immediately paled in fright, witnessing such a scene for the first time. Seeing the golden dragon, the Yue Emperor thought to herself that indeed, this Barbarian Goddess must have come from another world. Such a formation could not possibly exist in this world. No wonder there were rumors within the Barbarian Tribe that their battle formations could withstand Celestials. This was going to be troublesome. Seeing the Da Yue soldiers in disarray from fear, the King of Sand Wizard burst out laughing. ¡°Ha ha ha, Da Yue rats! Enjoy the last rays of the setting sun! Soon you won¡¯t be able to see it ever again!¡± Speaking, the King of Sand Wizard directed the celestial dragon in the sky straight towards the Da Yue formation. Before the Yue Emperor could intervene, the Golden Dragon had already toppled all the soldiers of the Dayue in front, in the blink of an eye, the military formation of the Dayue was dispersed. Seeing the Dayue soldiers in disarray, the Yue Emperor was very clear that the soldiers of the Dayue were unreliable. In the face of this Golden Dragon, it wasn¡¯t just the Grandmasters, but even the Grandmaster who could not withstand, only a Celestial could possibly make use of this formation. The war capabilities of the Barbarian Tribe were indeed formidable. Once Dayue acquired this battle formation, they would be confident against the Celestials. Although the Dayue Army seemed to be in complete chaos, appearing as if they were about to be defeated, there was not a trace of panic on the Yue Emperor¡¯s face. She had already perceived the greatest flaw in this formation. The reason why this battle formation could be initiated was because it drew out the True Qi from everyone within it, even the True Qi within the bodies of lower-grade Martial Artists was extracted. In the Immortal world, the True Qi of this world is Spiritual Energy. The bodies of ordinary Martial Artists originally contained very little Spiritual Energy which was forcibly drawn out nonetheless. A group of Martial Artists Who were not Celestials could not possibly sustain it for long. Even if Dayue did nothing, this formation would soon collapse. Once the formation collapsed, those soldiers of the Barbarian Tribe would instantly lose their combat effectiveness. That¡¯s why King of Sand Wizard was in such a rush to attack, intending to settle the enemy before the battle formation disappeared. Unfortunately, King of Sand Wizard encountered the Yue Emperor. At that moment, the Yue Emperor leapt up and stood on a white horse, clutching the sword in her hand, and her fingers slid across the blade, causing a sound of sword ringing to resonate. Meanwhile, on a distant small hill, upon witnessing this scene, Mu Yunxi raised her eyebrows, seemingly pondering something. After a moment, Mu Yunxi mumbled to herself, ¡°This isn¡¯t swordsmanship from this world; the identity of this Yue Emperor is probably not simple.¡± In an ordinary Martial Arts World, it was impossible for such swordsmanship capable of condensing Sword Intent to exist. At this moment, King of Sand Wizard had yet to realize the severity of the issue; he controlled a golden dragon, charging straight at the Yue Emperor while laughing loudly, ¡°Beautiful lady, I am coming!¡± As the dragon¡¯s roar echoed once more, the dragon directly lunged at the Yue Emperor. The soldiers of the Dayue were petrified by the scene, thinking that the Yue Emperor was about to die. Just as the huge dragon¡¯s jaws were about to reach the Yue Emperor, she swung her sword, unleashing Sword Qi imbued with Destruction Sword Intent that instantly swept across the golden dragon. In an instant, the golden dragon was split in two. Once the golden dragon vanished, those Barbarian soldiers forming the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array also suffered backlash, spewing blood, even the King of Sand Wizard was severely injured. Some Barbarian soldiers couldn¡¯t endure and fell to the ground, lifeless. Seeing this scene, soldiers from other tribal clans of the Barbarian Army were astounded. Their battle array was so powerful yet it was destroyed by a single sword stroke from the Empress of Da Yue. Was the Empress of Da Yue that powerful? Hadn¡¯t their Goddess said that this battle array could combat a Celestial? Why did it seem so fragile now? Their Goddess surely wouldn¡¯t deceive them¡ªcould it be that the Empress of Da Yue was already a Celestial and among the strongest of them? At this moment, several Barbarian chieftains beside Mu Yunxi were stunned into silence; Mu Yunxi calmly spoke, ¡°Does anyone else want to try?¡± Upon hearing this question, the Barbarian chieftains and leaders remained silent, having witnessed the previous scene; they could basically gauge the strength of the Empress of Da Yue. Clearly, this Yue Emperor was not someone they could contend with. Mu Yunxi also discerned their thoughts and said indifferently, ¡°The reason why King of Sand Wizard¡¯s battle formation collapsed so quickly is mainly because his control over the formation was inadequate, you all need more practice.¡± With that, Mu Yunxi walked towards the distance. Seeing Mu Yunxi making the move, the chieftains of the Barbarian tribes finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although their battle formation had not defeated the Empress of Da Yue, they still had the Goddess on their side. With the Celestial strength of the Goddess, it should be easy to eradicate the Yue Emperor. Chapter 812 - Chapter 812: Chapter 502: Mu Yunxis Recruitment Chapter 812: Chapter 502: Mu Yunxi¡¯s Recruitment After the Yue Emperor had destroyed the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array with a single sword strike, she was preparing to make a move against the King of Sand Wizard. However, a soft and seductive voice coming from a distance made her pause. ¡°As expected of the ruler of the Da Yue Dynasty, you have not yet reached the Heavenly Human Realm, yet you have already comprehended the Sword Intent. Such talent is rare even in the Immortal world.¡± The Yue Emperor quickly recovered, and her gaze turned towards the direction where the voice originated. She saw a woman walking slowly towards her, revealing her belly, dressed in a shimmering gold dress, barefoot. A red string with two small bells attached was tied around the woman¡¯s ankle. With each step she took, the bells would make a crisp sound. The sound of the bells seemed to pierce straight through the heart, causing a piercing pain in one¡¯s chest. The Yue Emperor instantly understood what was happening; those bells were a Spiritual Artifact that directly attacked the soul. The Yue Emperor then said coldly, ¡°You really are not from this world.¡± Upon hearing this, Mu Yunxi chuckled lightly, then spoke, ¡°To know that This Palace is not from this world shows that you are no ordinary person either.¡± The Yue Emperor continued to ask, ¡°I am very curious, in a world without Spiritual Energy, what is a cultivator like you doing in such a low-level world?¡± The tone of the Yue Emperor was very cold, as if she was not asking a question but interrogating Mu Yunxi. Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s question, Mu Yunxi replied indifferently, ¡°This Palace just happened upon this world by accident.¡± Upon hearing Mu Yunxi say this, the Yue Emperor immediately thought of something and then said, ¡°It seems you accidentally fell into this world and cannot leave.¡± Being pinpointed by the Yue Emperor about her predicament, Mu Yunxi did not get angry. She smiled charmingly and then said, ¡°You are right, This Palace currently cannot leave this world, but once I annihilate the various dynasties and gain the approval of this world¡¯s Heavenly Dao, This Palace will be able to utilize the Power of the Heavenly Path to leave this world.¡± Seeing that Mu Yunxi openly shared her intentions, the Yue Emperor frowned slightly, then said, ¡°Why would you tell me all of this?¡± The two of them were meeting for the first time, and the Yue Emperor did not remember when she had any interaction with this scantily clad woman opposite her. Mu Yunxi said: ¡°Originally, This Palace planned to seize this opportunity to annihilate the Da Yue, but after seeing you, I changed my mind.¡± ¡°Your talent is quite extraordinary, and This Palace intends to accept you as a disciple. As long as you are willing to help This Palace unify this world, once This Palace gains the recognition of the Heavenly Dao, I can take you with me to leave this world.¡± ¡°Since you know that This Palace is not from this world, you must also have some understanding of the outside world.¡± ¡°This is a low-level world with an incomplete path; it is impossible to become an Immortal in this world.¡± Upon hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, the Yue Emperor fell silent. Seeing that the Yue Emperor did not respond, Mu Yunxi continued to speak, ¡°As long as you are willing to become This Palace¡¯s disciple, This Palace will transfer the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array to you. This Palace knows that you launched an attack against the Barbarian Tribe precisely because of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array, wanting to use it to confront Great Sum.¡± In Mu Yunxi¡¯s view, the Yue Emperor, this native, also had some capability and could play a certain role. If she could take the Yue Emperor as her disciple, her own chances of successfully unifying this world would be even greater. After a moment of thought, the Yue Emperor also considered that joining forces with the Barbarian Tribe Goddess against Great Sum was a good option, but¡­ This Barbarian Tribe Goddess also aimed to conquer everything; this meant that, in the eyes of this Barbarian Tribe Goddess, the Da Yue Dynasty would also eventually have to be obliterated. If she became the disciple of this Barbarian Tribe Goddess, would she not be handing over her own position as Empress? Of course, the most important thing was that this woman might not genuinely want to take her as a disciple; she might be plotting something. If she truly agreed to become her disciple, she might very well be schemed against. Having spent so many years in the Misty World, the Yue Emperor was well aware of the deceit and trickery in the Immortal world, where it was hard to hear any truths among cultivators. The deep relationship between her and Wu Junwan stemmed from their both having experienced the deception in the Misty World, and whenever they faced danger, their trust in each other deepened their bond through each crisis. Back when she had encountered danger in the Misty World, she chose to trust Wu Junwan because they came from the same world. But this woman was different. This woman was not from their world, and the Yue Emperor was well aware of how cultivators from higher worlds viewed those from lower worlds. In the eyes of cultivators from a higher cultivation world, people from a lower world were no different from ants. The Yue Emperor then said, ¡°I already have a Honored Master, and I do not like to submit to others!¡± As she spoke, the aura around the Yue Emperor surged, instantly stirring up the surrounding dust. The aura fluttered the skirt of her Black Gold Armor and her ponytail whipped through the air. Feeling the aura of the Yue Emperor, Mu Yunxi let out a light laugh, ¡°A Martial Artist who hasn¡¯t even entered the Heavenly Human Realm and yet possesses such an aura, truly a fine prospect.¡± ¡°This Palace knows what you¡¯re thinking. Do you think This Palace wants to wrestle the throne from you?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then it only shows your shortsightedness. This Palace has no interest whatsoever in a flawed world like this.¡± ¡°If you are unwilling to leave this world with This Palace, I can give this world to you in the future.¡± As she spoke, the anklets on Mu Yunxi emitted bursts of tangible soundwaves, continuously assaulting the Yue Emperor¡¯s body. However, the Yue Emperor remained unmoved. What the soldiers from both sides did not know was that although Mu Yunxi and the Yue Emperor had not moved, their confrontation had already begun. After a while, the Yue Emperor said coldly, ¡°I have told you, I already have a Honored Master. If you truly wish to cooperate with me, I can agree, but I need to see if you have the qualifications to cooperate with me!¡± No sooner had her words fallen than the Yue Emperor raised her sword. In the next moment, the winds changed, and heavy clouds appeared in the sky. Seeing this scene, the soldiers of Da Yue knew their Empress was about to make a move and swiftly retreated. The Empress possessed the strength of a Celestial, and her actions were bound to cause huge destruction. If they were too close, they would also be affected. Seeing that the Yue Emperor insisted on a confrontation, Mu Yunxi showed no anger. She murmured, ¡°Since you want to test This Palace¡¯s strength, then This Palace shall oblige you.¡± As she spoke, Mu Yunxi completely unleashed her Celestial aura. Feeling Mu Yunxi¡¯s aura, the Barbarian Tribe soldiers hurriedly retreated, knowing well that their Goddess made no distinction between friend and foe when she struck. Once the soldiers from both sides had moved far away, the Yue Emperor¡¯s figure flashed, transforming into a mere afterimage as she charged towards Mu Yunxi. At that moment, the whole world seemed to hit the pause button, and everything turned black and white. In the blink of an eye, the Yue Emperor appeared in front of Mu Yunxi, thrusting her sword imbued with Destruction Sword Intent. Just as the sword was about to make contact with Mu Yunxi¡¯s body, the corners of Mu Yunxi¡¯s lips slightly curled upwards. The next moment, the bells on Mu Yunxi¡¯s ankle rang again, and a series of soundwaves, materialized into form, easily blocked the Yue Emperor¡¯s sword. Chapter 813 - Chapter 813: Chapter 503 Cooperation between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe Chapter 813: Chapter 503 Cooperation between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe Seeing her sword attack blocked, the Yue Emperor didn¡¯t mind. Her opponent was a Celestial, and although Celestials¡¯ strength was suppressed in this world, it was not easy for her, a Pseudo Celestial, to defeat a Celestial. After catching the Yue Emperor¡¯s attack, Mu Yunxi not only didn¡¯t retaliate but instead smiled and said, ¡°Although you are very strong, I have heard that Great Sum now has four Celestials, along with various strange weapons, while Great Jue only has you, a Pseudo Celestial.¡± ¡°Do you think that Great Jue can withstand Great Sum¡¯s attack after they destroy Great Wu, relying solely on you?¡± The Yue Emperor said indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s not for you to worry about.¡± The next moment, the Yue Emperor¡¯s figure flashed, distancing herself from Mu Yunxi, followed by the appearance of countless swords in the sky, all emanating fierce flames. With a raise of her hand, she directed her palm towards Mu Yunxi, and the next moment, those flame-wreathed swords shot straight at her, and just as they were about to touch Mu Yunxi¡¯s body, the sword energies converged into one, forming an even larger sword. Seeing the oppressive aura released by this sword energy, Mu Yunxi was slightly moved, having not expected a Pseudo Celestial to possess such powerful swordsmanship. Since the Yue Emperor had brought out her real strength, if she continued to concede, wouldn¡¯t it make her seem inferior to a Pseudo Celestial? At this moment, Mu Yunxi raised her slender hand, and the bracelet around her wrist emitted bursts of golden light, followed by the formation of a gigantic phoenix. Moments later, the giant fiery sword in the sky collided directly with the golden phoenix. Instantly, a thick surge of spiritual power exploded, forcing both women to rapidly retreat and distance themselves. After the explosion, a huge crater appeared on the ground, yet Mu Yunxi¡¯s clothes were still neat, and although the Yue Emperor¡¯s armor was dusted, she too was unharmed. Mu Yunxi stated, ¡°You have seen my strength; it won¡¯t be easy for you to kill me, and if I truly took action, you might not die but you would be severely injured.¡± The Yue Emperor had by then roughly gauged Mu Yunxi¡¯s strength. She spun her sword around her palm before sheathing it. Seeing the Yue Emperor sheath her sword, Mu Yunxi knew the Yue Emperor had accepted her proposal. Just then, the Yue Emperor coldly said, ¡°If I find out you have other plans, even if you¡¯re a Celestial, I will find a way to slay you.¡± ¡°Additionally, I will not acknowledge you as Honored Master!¡± Hearing this from the Yue Emperor, Mu Yunxi wasn¡¯t surprised. She said, ¡°Based on the swordsmanship you used, you must have a master from another world. No wonder you possess the strength of the Celestial Realm even before reaching it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t force you¡ªif there comes a time when you want to learn a more formidable cultivation technique, you can always ask This Palace to be your master.¡± The Yue Emperor didn¡¯t pay attention to Mu Yunxi¡¯s words and directly asked, ¡°Can your Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formation truly resist attacks from a Celestial?¡± Mu Yunxi replied indifferently, ¡°Naturally.¡± The Yue Emperor then said with a mocking tone, ¡°Then why was your battle formation destroyed by a single sword strike from me?¡± Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s mockery, Mu Yunxi replied with a smile, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that just show your strength has already surpassed that of an ordinary Celestial?¡± The Yue Emperor didn¡¯t want to waste any more words with Mu Yunxi and stretched out her hand, saying, ¡°Show me the array pattern.¡± They had attacked the Barbarian Tribe for the array pattern possessed by Mu Yunxi. Since the Barbarian Tribe Goddess proposed to cooperate, it was only natural that she should hand over the battle formation pattern to demonstrate her sincerity. Upon hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi didn¡¯t hesitate and took out the array pattern from her space ring. Seeing Mu Yunxi take things out of her space ring, the Yue Emperor¡¯s brows furrowed. She had scarcely seen space rings even while in the Misty World. Even her own master didn¡¯t have a space ring, and the master had once told her that only the strong from superpowers possessed space rings. She had not expected that the woman before her would have one, indicating she was no ordinary figure even in the Immortal world. How could such a person come to this world? The Yue Emperor felt that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess was likely hiding something, and she herself should be careful around her. Of course, cooperation was certain¡ªif they could make use of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess, then Great Jue would not have to fear Great Sum. In the end, they were just using each other. Once both parties confirmed their intention to cooperate, they proceeded to determine the manner of their cooperation. Finally, after much bargaining, the Barbarian Tribe was incorporated into the rule of Great Jue, while Mu Yunxi assumed the role of Great Jue¡¯s State Preceptor, and the Yue Emperor continued to reign as her emperor. The war between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe ended too swiftly, catching everyone by surprise. However, the war between Great Sum and Great Wu was also nearing its end; the armies of Great Sum had already reached the gates of Da Wu Capital, and most of Great Wu¡¯s important Seigniors had been dealt with by Great Sum. Now, with panic spreading within Da Wu Capital, some Aristocratic Families thought of fleeing, yet they did not know where to escape to. If they fled northward, considering the north was now occupied by Great Sum¡¯s troops, they feared they might be captured by Great Sum¡¯s soldiers before they even managed to reach Great Jue. To run south meant facing the only remaining Great Qian Dynasty, which was currently suffering from a severe epidemic. They certainly did not wish to risk infection and death. As for fleeing to Great Sum, they had even less desire for that; in the eyes of most Aristocratic Families, Great Sum harbored strong hostility towards them. Furthermore, these families of Great Wu were more or less connected to the powers that be, making them potential threats. During Great Sum¡¯s retribution, they would likely be targeted and not spared. Da Wu Capital had reached a point of no return; the Martial Emperor had gone many days without sleep, not knowing how many Palace Maids and eunuchs he had killed to vent his anger. But no matter how many people he killed, he could not change the imminent downfall of Great Wu. Several days later. Great Sum. Soft moonlight streamed onto the bed, illuminating the pale, smooth skin of a person. Lu Chen and Chen Wanrong were cultivating their relationship. The recent surge of events had put considerable pressure on Lu Chen, only in the embrace of his wives and concubines could he find relief. At that moment, Lu Chen was preoccupied with his own matters; Chen Wanrong, with eyes like silk, gazed at Lu Chen and whispered, ¡°I will be returning soon.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. He halted his movements, then looked down into Chen Wanrong¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°So soon?¡± Chen Wanrong lifted her arms, wrapping them around Lu Chen¡¯s neck as she gazed into his eyes with affection, ¡°There are many matters to attend to in the Mysterious Moon Palace. A few days ago, my Honored Master sent word, urging me to return early to handle the palace¡¯s affairs.¡± After hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s response, Lu Chen said, ¡°The Mysterious Moon Palace was originally her own creation. Yet she dumps all the responsibilities onto others, making herself quite comfortable.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen lifted his hand, gently caressing Chen Wanrong¡¯s jade-like face, and said, ¡°How wonderful it would be if you could stay by my side forever.¡± Chen Wanrong replied softly, ¡°There will come a day.¡± Chen Wanrong believed that someday her Honored Master would permit her to be with Lu Chen completely; after all, her master wasn¡¯t of this world and would leave this world one day. Just then, Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Your Majesty, the war between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe has ended. There is important intelligence.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. It¡¯s over? So soon? Knowing the importance of this matter, Chen Wanrong took the initiative to say, ¡°Your Majesty, you should attend to your affairs first.¡± Regaining his composure, Lu Chen looked at Chen Wanrong¡¯s stunning face and then said to Bai Qingqing at the door, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. Have the messenger wait in the study.¡± With those words, Lu Chen bent down, kissed Chen Wanrong¡¯s soft lips, and then resumed his tasks. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s instructions, Bai Qingqing turned and headed for the Imperial Study Room, and after Lu Chen had finished his tasks, he went to the Imperial Study Room. Chapter 814 - Chapter 814: Chapter 504: Finally, There is Some Good News! Chapter 814: Chapter 504: Finally, There is Some Good News! Lu Chen naturally felt somewhat uncomfortable when someone interrupted him during important work. Of course, he didn¡¯t take his frustration out on Bai Qingqing; after all, this was part of her duties. Moreover, the intelligence report on the conflict between Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe was indeed crucial for Great Xia. When Lu Chen arrived at the Imperial Study Room, Liang Zong hurriedly handed him the reports and directly briefed, ¡°Your Majesty, Great Jue has reconciled with the Barbarian Tribe, and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess has become the State Preceptor of Great Jue!¡± Hearing Liang Zong¡¯s report, Lu Chen¡¯s right hand, which had been reaching for the report, hung in mid-air, and he looked at Liang Zong in disbelief. Reconciliation? Hadn¡¯t Great Jue gone to attack the Barbarian Tribe to seize their war formation? How did they come to reconcile? Not only did they reconcile, but the Barbarian Tribe even joined Great Jue, and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess became the State Preceptor? This¡­ Lu Chen didn¡¯t quite understand how such a turn of events could have happened. It¡¯s no wonder Bai Qingqing had come to find him during his own battle; the news was indeed explosive. What exactly happened for the Barbarian Tribe to reconcile with Great Jue? Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen snatched the report letter from Liang Zong¡¯s hands and tore it open, quickly scanning the contents with his eyes. After a moment, Lu Chen had roughly grasped what had occurred. According to the intelligence, the Yue Emperor and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess, after clashing, found that they were evenly matched, neither able to best the other, which led to their reconciliation. Seeing the reasons given in the report, Lu Chen found it hard to believe that they had just reconciled like that. Even if they had reconciled, it seemed extreme for Great Jue to simply absorb the Barbarian Tribe and then make the Barbarian Tribe Goddess their State Preceptor. There must be some sort of deal between the two of them, some mutual benefit involved. Only with common interests could they potentially form an alliance. Lu Chen began to suspect that both Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess had formed an alliance due to Great Xia, as Great Xia¡¯s current strength indeed seemed a bit too overwhelming for the other kingdoms and powers. Not only possessing so many powerful weapons but also having four Celestials, this strength was enough to sweep through all kingdoms. With this thought, Lu Chen continued to scan the letter in his hand, which also mentioned that both the Yue Emperor and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess were suspected Celestials. When they fought, the weather changed drastically, the disturbance far surpassing that of a Grandmaster. At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed. Wu Junwan had told him quite early that the Yue Emperor was a Celestial. He had been doubtful then, thinking Wu Junwan had mistaken a Pseudo-Celestial for a Celestial. Later, after Wu Junwan broke through to the Pseudo-Celestial Realm, she understood the difference between a Pseudo-Celestial and a Celestial and mentioned to him that the Yue Emperor might not have reached the Celestial Realm, but merely a Pseudo-Celestial. And now, Great Xia¡¯s spies had gathered information suggesting the Yue Emperor was a Celestial? One Yue Emperor, and one Barbarian Tribe Goddess; combined, Great Jue might have two Celestials. Plus, the war formations of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess seemed capable of defending against Celestials. When the time came for Great Xia to send troops to destroy Great Jue, they would likely encounter many difficulties. The thought alone gave Lu Chen a headache. It seems, the speed of his unification of the world would slow down again. Great Wu was about to fall, but the upcoming challenges with Great Jue and Great Qian would be troublesome no matter which he faced. At this moment, the Imperial Study Room was incredibly quiet; Lu Chen kept reading the intelligence report in his hands, not speaking for a long time. A female guard¡¯s voice then sounded at the doorway, ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s a battle report from Great Wu!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen came back to his senses and said to the door, ¡°Bring it in.¡± The next moment, the female guard entered the Imperial Study Room and handed the newly arrived battle report to Lu Chen, who opened it to find it was a report from the front lines sent by Mu Changtian. The Great Xia Army had already arrived at the Capital of Great Wu; now, just one final step was needed before Great Wu would fall. ¡°` Upon receiving the war report sent by Mu Changtian, Lu Chen said, ¡°At last, there¡¯s some good news.¡± Once Great Wu is eradicated, then we can consider destroying Great Jue. Even though Great Jue already has two Celestials, no difficulty can stop Lu Chen. The prohibitions of the Misty World are about to disappear, and he must unify this world within a set period, then integrate its resources to enhance the overall combat power of this world. Only by doing this might they be able to fight the enemies of the Misty World. Of course, the most crucial point is that only by unifying the world can his Realm advance beyond the Celestial Realm. So to Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, the two Celestials also do not pose a threat, although dealing with them might be somewhat troublesome. Not to mention his ability to command four Celestials, even he himself possesses the power to kill a Celestial. The Slayer Spear in his hand is not a toy gun. Lu Chen then handed the two pieces of intelligence he was holding to Liang Zong, ¡°Take these two reports to Grand Scholar Zhuge and Grand Scholar Situ.¡± Liang Zong took the intelligence from Lu Chen, bowed, and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Your subordinate will take his leave.¡± After Liang Zong left the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen also returned to Chen Wanrong¡¯s room to continue tending to his own affairs. Meanwhile. Da Wu, Capital City. The Capital City had completely lost order, and no one cared about the killings anymore. The influential figures of the Capital City were all thinking of escaping; nobody had the mind to deal with the affairs of the Capital City. The Imperial Family Members of Great Wu were in utter panic. Although they had anticipated such a day when the Celestials descended upon Great Wu, they never thought it would come so swiftly. Now, they had nowhere to escape to. For a moment, the skies over the Capital City seemed to be blanketed with dark clouds, and the hearts of its people were filled with utter despair. Now the Ministers of Great Wu were also observing the Martial Emperor¡¯s actions, eager to know what choice he would make. Would he commit suicide, or surrender? Given the Martial Emperor¡¯s character, suicide seemed more likely. After all, the foundation built by so many generations of his ancestors was about to be destroyed by his own hands, and he was a man with exceedingly strong pride. The courtiers had already made up their minds that as soon as the Martial Emperor committed suicide, they would immediately open the city gates and surrender. At present, the reason the Ministers had not opened the city gates to let the Great Xia Army in was because they all understood that the Great Xia Army possessed the ability to break into the Capital City. The Great Xia Army did not act because they were waiting for the Martial Emperor¡¯s decision. If Great Xia had wanted to destroy Great Wu swiftly and directly, they could have done so during the previous descent of the Great Xia Celestials upon Great Wu; they wouldn¡¯t have needed to wait until now. This night. All eyes in Da Wu Capital were fixed on the Imperial Palace. Everyone was waiting for the Martial Emperor¡¯s decision. Inside the palace, the Martial Emperor sat on the Dragon Throne, looking at the empty court, pondering unknown thoughts. After what seemed like an eternity, the Martial Emperor¡¯s sons and daughters arrived in the hall. The children of the Martial Emperor stood in the hall, their bodies trembling. They were unsure of the crazy actions the Martial Emperor might take at this final moment. After all, they were about to be overthrown, and some monarchs, before their countries fell, would kill their own children to prevent them from being humiliated. And the Martial Emperor was exactly that kind of person. The Martial Emperor glanced at his sons and daughters and then asked, ¡°Do you want to live?¡± Hearing this question, the princes and princesses all knelt down in unison. Prince Wu Ming, with terror in his voice, said, ¡°Father, let us surrender!¡± ¡°Junwan is now a Noble Concubine of the Sum Emperor. As long as we surrender, we will still have a chance in the future!¡± ¡°` Chapter 815 - Chapter 815: Chapter 505: Great Wu, Annihilated! Chapter 815: Chapter 505: Great Wu, Annihilated! Hearing Prince Wu Ming¡¯s spineless words, Martial Emperor didn¡¯t utter a word of rebuke, nor did he get angry; instead, he appeared remarkably calm. Wu Ming, seeing that the Martial Emperor was silent, was so frightened that sweat soaked his back, and he lay prostrated on the ground trembling, as did the others princes and princesses. The Martial Emperor was originally known for his violent temper, so this sudden calmness was like the eerie quiet before a storm. They had no doubt that the Martial Emperor might draw his sword and slaughter them all in the next moment. Sitting quietly on the Dragon Throne, the Martial Emperor once again glanced over the princes and princesses kneeling on the ground. Then, in a low voice, he said, ¡°In my lifetime, I¡¯ve annihilated numerous small nations and expanded the territory bequeathed to me by my ancestors by nearly double. I have lived up to my forefathers!¡± ¡°I have never thought that one day my Capital City would also be surrounded by the soldiers of another dynasty.¡± ¡°Perhaps this is retribution!¡± ¡°Today I face the annihilation of my country, and one day Great Sum will experience the same fate.¡± As he spoke, the Martial Emperor¡¯s aura rose, and a terrifying pressure enveloped the entire hall. The princes and princesses were so frightened that they completely collapsed on the ground. They thought the Martial Emperor was about to make his move. Everyone had already closed their eyes; they were well aware of their father¡¯s strength. If their father truly intended to kill them, they would stand no chance of escape. Just when everyone had closed their eyes, prepared to meet their death, the Martial Emperor still did not strike. What was going on? At that moment, a few princes slightly raised their heads to look at the Martial Emperor on the Dragon Throne, only to see him staring at them with bloodshot eyes, his expression utterly fierce and horrifying. Seeing this, everyone hurriedly lowered their heads again. Then the Martial Emperor continued, ¡°You must always remember who annihilated your country and robbed you of your current glory and wealth!¡± ¡°Not just you, but your descendants must also remember for me, your enemy is the Daxia Royal Family.¡± As the words of the Martial Emperor fell, True Qi suddenly burst forth from his body. The True Qi emitted by the Martial Emperor was very strange, a black and red color. This black and red True Qi quickly spread throughout the entire hall, and in the next moment, it surged into the bodies of the princes and princesses. When it truly entered their bodies, everybody instantly felt their Cultivation State soaring rapidly; in just a moment, some princesses with no previous Realm had become Fifth Grade Martial Artists. And the princes had mostly advanced to Ninth Grade, some even reaching the level of Half-step Grandmasters. The assembly was bewildered; they couldn¡¯t fathom how their father had accomplished this. After the elevation of their Realms, a symbol appeared on their foreheads, the emblem of the Great Martial Royal Family. Seeing his princes and princesses empowered, the Martial Emperor laughed heartily and then said, ¡°Lu Chen! Today you annihilate my country! One day, my descendants will destroy your Great Sum, and by then, my offspring will slaughter your Lu family to the last!¡± After laughing for a while, the Martial Emperor suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Seeing this, people quickly stood up, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Though the princes and princesses were extremely anxious in their hearts, due to the fear they held for the Martial Emperor, not one dared to step forward. With blood at the corner of his mouth, the Martial Emperor propped himself up and said, ¡°The Imperial Secret Art of Great Wu is what I just used on you. I have transferred all my Cultivation State to you. You will surrender and leave the city tomorrow. The hope for Great Wu¡¯s restoration lies with you now!¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather die than surrender!¡± With that said, the Martial Emperor drew the Emperor¡¯s Sword from his side and took his own life with a single stroke. Seeing this, the princes and princesses could no longer stand still. They rushed to the Dragon Throne, lying in front of the Martial Emperor¡¯s body and wept bitterly. In their tears, how much was for the Martial Emperor, and how much was for their own futures, nobody knew. The princes and princesses of Great Wu cried for so long that dawn had already begun to break. At this time, Prince Wuhe recovered from his sorrow, looked at his younger brothers and sisters beside him, and said, ¡°Our father emperor has passed away, and we all carry his mission on our shoulders, so we must not let anything happen to us no matter what.¡± ¡°The Sum Emperor, in order to show his benevolence, will not kill us for the time being. We just need to pretend to surrender, and we will be able to live.¡± Hearing this, a deeper sadness pierced the hearts of the princes and princesses. The thought of becoming prisoners, trapped and humiliated, made them feel it would be better to die. But for some reason, just when the desire to die surfaced in their hearts, their minds suddenly jolted, and the sorrowful emotions in their minds were instantly replaced by a surge of hatred. It was all Lu Chen! It was all Great Sum! They caused the loss of everything, and they vowed to kill Lu Chen and overturn Great Sum! Their eyes turned blood red, looking extremely terrifying; whether it was from crying too much, or from inner hatred, or perhaps influenced by something else. When everyone regained their senses, they all agreed with Wuhe¡¯s words. Great Sum had delayed their attack until now, waiting for their surrender. Since their father emperor was gone, there was no point in being stubborn anymore. If they were to die now, they would not be able to avenge themselves, nor restore their country. Subsequently, Wuhe stepped out of the grand hall and ordered the summoning of the ministers. When the ministers arrived at the grand hall and saw the self-slain Martial Emperor by the Dragon Throne, they couldn¡¯t help but breathe a sigh of relief. With the Martial Emperor dead, they too could seamlessly surrender. If they performed well, the Sum Emperor might not trouble them. Wuhe then proposed surrender, and not a single minister opposed. Thus, Wuhe took the Jade Seal and led the ministers to the city gates, opening them of his own accord. It was just at the break of dawn. Mu Changtian and other military generals of Great Sum were still discussing matters within the camp. Suddenly, a soldier burst into the tent, excitedly saying, ¡°Generals, Great Wu has surrendered!¡± Upon hearing this, the generals immediately revealed smiles; after such a long wait, Great Wu had finally chosen to yield. But then the question arose¡ªwho would accept the letter of surrender from Great Wu? To do so would be a great honor for anyone. At this moment, the generals in the tent looked at each other. Several main commanders of equal rank had come for the conquest of Great Wu, such as Mu Changtian, Xuanyuan Chen, Song Xuelin, and others. All being of equal rank, to whom should this merit be awarded? At that point, Song Xuelin said, ¡°General Mu, why don¡¯t you go and sign the letter of surrender with Great Wu?¡± The Mu Family currently held a very high status. Although Mu Zixuan was not the Empress, her child was the Crown Prince. Upon hearing Song Xuelin¡¯s words, the other generals also chimed in, ¡°Yes, General Mu, you should be the one to receive the letter of surrender!¡± Mu Changtian hastily replied, ¡°This isn¡¯t appropriate.¡± Mu Changtian did not wish for the Mu Family to draw too much attention. Their status was already so high, and achieving more merit could potentially be seen as a threat by those in Yan County. Besides, with his grandson already the Crown Prince, what need did he have for more honors? Mu Changtian then looked at Xuanyuan Chen and said, ¡°Let General Xuanyuan accept the letter of surrender from Great Wu, as he is the Main Commander most valued by His Majesty and needs this achievement.¡± Hearing Mu Changtian¡¯s words, Xuanyuan Chen quickly declined. However, after much passing back and forth, in the end, it fell upon Xuanyuan Chen to accept Great Wu¡¯s letter of surrender and the Jade Seal as the representative of Great Sum. Chapter 816 - Chapter 816: Chapter 506: From now on, Great Xia is your home Chapter 816: Chapter 506: From now on, Great Xia is your home The news of Da Wu¡¯s surrender quickly spread throughout Great Sum, even before the war report of Da Wu¡¯s surrender reached Yan County, some citizens of Great Sum had already heard of Da Wu¡¯s surrender. In such a short period of time, an entire dynasty was annihilated, and it was a dynasty that had once threatened Great Sum. This made all the people of Great Sum feel elated and immensely proud. Soon, the war report of Da Wu¡¯s surrender also arrived in Yan County. The war report entered the city at night, and Lu Chen had been hard at work at Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s place; as a result, he got called out by Bai Qingqing. However, when Lu Chen learned that it was the news of Da Wu¡¯s surrender, he did not feel the slightest bit of annoyance. At this very moment, Lu Chen held the war report from the Da Wu Capital in his hand and felt indescribably refreshed inside. But just then, he was stunned when he saw the news on the war report about the Martial Emperor¡¯s suicide. He had just been enjoying himself next door to Wu Junwan when he received the news that his father-in-law had committed suicide. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel an indescribable emotion in his heart. Lu Chen sighed softly, unsure of how to break the news to Wu Junwan. Even though Wu Junwan didn¡¯t have much of a father-daughter relationship with the Martial Emperor, she was still his biological daughter and shared a blood connection. If Wu Junwan were to hear the news of her Imperial Father¡¯s suicide, she couldn¡¯t possibly be completely unaffected. Lu Chen stared at the war report in his hands, falling into a prolonged silence. After who knows how long, he finally handed the war report to Bai Qingqing, asking her to deliver it to the official gazette and the Eastern Newspaper Agency, hoping that all the citizens in the city would know about Da Wu¡¯s surrender by early the next morning. Afterward, Lu Chen still headed to Wu Junwan¡¯s chamber. Wu Junwan was half-reclining on a soft couch, covered only halfway by a Lotus Gold Silk Quilt as she embroidered. Since becoming pregnant, Wu Junwan had become even more mature and charming. Seeing Lu Chen running to her chamber, Wu Junwan asked indifferently, ¡°Your Majesty, why have you come to my quarters?¡± Having heard the boisterous noises of that wanton woman next door earlier, Wu Junwan naturally knew that Lu Chen had just been over there tending to Murong Xue¡¯er. Ever since she became pregnant, Lu Chen hardly visited her room, for she was now carrying a child and unable to serve Lu Chen. Lu Chen rarely laid hands on his wives or concubines once they were with child. Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s question, Lu Chen smiled faintly, then came to sit down by the couch and directly placed his hand on Wu Junwan¡¯s belly. ¡°Of course, I was worried my lady was feeling lonely next door, so I came to keep you company,¡± he said. Hearing these words, Wu Junwan gave Lu Chen a dismissive glance. Before Wu Junwan could say anything, Lu Chen took his shoes off and climbed into her quilt. Wu Junwan quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m pregnant and cannot attend to you.¡± Wu Junwan thought this man, with his lust unfulfilled next door, had come to have his way with her. While covering himself with the quilt, Lu Chen said, ¡°I know, I just want to be with you, I won¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Upon hearing these words from Lu Chen, Wu Junwan sensed something was off. After Lu Chen entered the quilt, he opened his arms and embraced Wu Junwan¡¯s soft and voluptuous body, then fell into silence, saying nothing more. Wu Junwan suddenly remembered the voice of Bai Qingqing she had heard earlier. Bai Qingqing wouldn¡¯t come looking for Lu Chen in the middle of the night unless it was important; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t interrupt Lu Chen¡¯s pleasure. And after leaving Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room, Lu Chen didn¡¯t return to continue his activities but instead came to find her. What did this imply? It suggested that what Bai Qingqing had discussed with Lu Chen earlier possibly involved her. After the discussion, Lu Chen came to her and held her without speaking¡­ In an instant, Wu Junwan guessed what it might be about. ¡°` Calculating the time, Great Wu should have fallen by now¡­ After a long pause, Wu Junwan finally asked, ¡°Has the Capital City of Da Wu been breached?¡± Lu Chen simply uttered a faint ¡°Hmm¡± in response. Wu Junwan continued to inquire, ¡°Did my father, the Emperor, take his own life?¡± Lu Chen did not reply immediately but fell into silence. At this moment, the entire bedchamber was exceedingly quiet. One could hear even the breathing of people. A gentle breeze entered the room, causing the red curtains of the bedchamber to flutter slightly and rustle softly. Although Lu Chen did not answer, his silence had already conveyed the answer to Wu Junwan. It was no wonder Lu Chen had come to her in the middle of the night. After an indeterminate amount of time, Wu Junwan then spoke up, ¡°What does Your Majesty plan to do with my father¡¯s corpse?¡± From Lu Chen¡¯s mouth, two words were softly uttered, ¡°Honorable burial.¡± Wu Junwan then expressed her thanks, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Wu Junwan continued to ask, ¡°What does Your Majesty plan to do with my brothers and sisters?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°They will be relocated to Yan County.¡± After all, they were members of the Great Martial Royal Family. Placing them elsewhere could lead to people getting other ideas. Only by having them relocated to Yan County, under Lu Chen¡¯s watchful eyes, could he effectively prevent them from causing trouble. Wu Junwan understood Lu Chen¡¯s approach. If it had been another emperor, they might have slaughtered all of the Imperial Family members when the city fell. Being spared was already a tremendous grace, and Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t properly object. She herself had already become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, carrying the seed of this young man in her womb. What else could she do? She certainly couldn¡¯t champion a restoration of Great Wu. The two once again fell into a long silence. Just as Lu Chen had initially thought, even though Wu Junwan had little affection for the Martial Emperor, she was, after all, his eldest daughter, and Great Wu was indeed her motherland. Now with her father having taken his life and her motherland conquered, her siblings imprisoned, her heart always felt an unrelenting discomfort. After yet another undefined span of time, Lu Chen whispered in Wu Junwan¡¯s ear, ¡°From now on, Great Sum is your home.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t say anything. She just rested her head against Lu Chen¡¯s chest. As a strong woman, she didn¡¯t shed tears. She just felt a deep heartache. Seeing that Wu Junwan was no longer speaking, Lu Chen sighed once again. He did not want to say words of comfort at this time. After all, he had just conquered Wu Junwan¡¯s motherland. Comforting her now and telling her not to feel sad would be too hypocritical. He could only let Wu Junwan slowly adjust. He believed she would be able to recover soon. At that moment, Wu Junwan suddenly spoke up, ¡°You have conquered my country, and after I have born your child, I shall beat your child every day.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. He replied, ¡°If that would make you feel better, go ahead and beat them. Just don¡¯t beat them to death.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Not even protecting your own child, Your Majesty really is cold-blooded and ruthless.¡± Lu Chen gently stroked Wu Junwan¡¯s hair and whispered in her ear, ¡°Whether or not I¡¯m cold-blooded and ruthless, you should be the clearest about that.¡± Wu Junwan did not continue the topic. She asked, ¡°Now that Your Majesty has conquered Great Wu, is Great Jue next?¡± ¡°Some time ago, I heard Qingrou personally led troops to fight the Barbarian Tribe. I wonder how Great Jue fares now.¡± Wu Junwan¡¯s sources were naturally not as informed as Lu Chen¡¯s. Events transpiring in other kingdoms took a long time to reach her ears. Lu Chen replied, ¡°The Yue Emperor has formed an alliance with the Barbarian Tribe Goddess. The Barbarian Tribe has been integrated into Great Jue. The Yue Emperor remains the Yue Emperor, and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess has become the Great Yue National Master.¡± ¡°` Chapter 817 - Chapter 817: Chapter 507 The Strangeness on the Wu Familys People Chapter 817: Chapter 507 The Strangeness on the Wu Family¡¯s People Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Wu Junwan could hardly believe it. Her dear sister had led troops to attack the Barbarian Tribe, so how had they ended up forming an alliance with them instead? Dayue and the Barbarian Tribe could be considered arch-enemies. Since the establishment of Dayue, the Barbarian Tribe had assembled large armies to attack Dayue numerous times. There was deep-seated hatred between the people of Dayue and the Barbarian Tribe; mention of the Barbarian Tribe alone would make the people of Dayue grind their teeth in anger. And now, they had reconciled. Even the Barbarian Tribe had become a part of Dayue, and their Goddess had become the State Preceptor of Dayue? Seeing that Wu Junwan wasn¡¯t speaking, Lu Chen said, ¡°You also find it hard to believe, right?¡± ¡°When I first received this intelligence, I also found it unbelievable, but this is what has happened.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°So that means Dayue now possesses the battle formations of the Barbarian Tribe?¡± A long time ago, Lu Chen had told her that the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations might have the capability to combat Celestials. Now that Dayue had absorbed the Barbarian Tribe, and the Barbarian Tribe Goddess had even formed an alliance with the Yue Emperor, this meant that the Dayue Army also had access to the Barbarian Tribe¡¯s battle formations. With this development, it would likely be incredibly difficult for Great Sum to annihilate Dayue. Lu Chen said, ¡°According to the spy¡¯s report, the Dayue Army has indeed been practicing the use of the battle formations given by the Barbarian Tribe Goddess.¡± ¡°But whether they can truly harness the power to confront Celestials, that is something we will only know in actual combat.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan fell silent once again. In that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s other hand was gently caressing Wu Junwan¡¯s belly, and while caressing, he said, ¡°I know it¡¯s difficult for you to be caught between the Yue Emperor and me, so you don¡¯t need to worry about the matters between the Yue Emperor and me. I promise you that even if Dayue falls, I will find a way to keep her alive.¡± Lu Chen was unsure whether the Yue Emperor would, like the Martial Emperor, commit suicide, but regardless of whether the Yue Emperor would do so, since she was a close friend to Wu Junwan, he would find a way to keep her alive. Now that Wu Junwan¡¯s homeland had been destroyed and her father had committed suicide, the Yue Emperor was her only source of support besides him, her darling. If anything were to happen to the Yue Emperor as well, Wu Junwan might be struck with immense grief. Although Lu Chen might not be considered a good person, he also did not wish to see the woman he cared for in sorrow. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s assurance, Wu Junwan sighed softly and then expressed her gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± As soon as she spoke, Wu Junwan¡¯s arms instinctively wrapped around Lu Chen¡¯s waist, and her whole being snuggled into his embrace. Afterward, the two remained silent, holding each other quietly. The next day. Early in the morning, Lu Chen headed for the Hall of Political Affairs. Lu Chen wanted to spend more time with Wu Junwan, but with Great Wu annihilated, how to govern the lands of Great Wu was a significant issue. Today¡¯s court assembly was of great importance; he couldn¡¯t just stay in bed with Wu Junwan. In the early morning, before the officials of Yan County had entered the Hall of Political Affairs, they learned of the annihilation of Great Wu. All the Ministers were excited; Great Sum had suddenly acquired such a large territory, and they now had matters to attend to. For most Ministers, this was a great opportunity. If they could manage some of the governance issues of Great Wu well, they had a strong chance of being promoted, so most officials were excited. Today¡¯s court assembly was presided over by Lu Chen himself, focusing mainly on the governance of Great Wu. After a day of discussion, the governance plan for Great Wu was finally set. It aligned closely with what Lu Chen initially had in mind: the Royal Family and Seigniors of Great Wu would all relocate to Yan County. As for some of the Aristocratic Families, those that needed to be dealt with would be dealt with, while Great Sum would send a large number of its officials to take up posts in Great Wu as local officers. However, to ease the local populace¡¯s resistance, some officials from Great Wu would still be appointed as local officers, and Lu Chen planned to hold an imperial examination in the region of Great Wu two years later. Those who passed the assessment would have the chance to become officers. As for granting a general amnesty to all under heaven, such a thing was not in Lu Chen¡¯s plans. He intended only to release those who had been imprisoned due to political struggles; criminals who committed evil deeds would be dealt with according to Great Sum¡¯s laws. After the governance plan for Great Wu was determined, all officials of Great Sum became busy with their tasks. One month later. A massive caravan appeared outside Yan County. The individuals seated in those carriages were members of the Great Martial Royal Family. Although Great Martial had already surrendered, they had surrendered to the army of Great Martial. Upon arriving in Yan County, the representatives of Great Martial would once again conduct a surrender ceremony before the common people of Great Sum and offer their allegiance to Lu Chen. Wu Junwan inwardly did not wish to witness this scene, but in the end, she still endured it and followed Lu Chen to the outskirts of the city. Soon, Lu Chen¡¯s luxurious carriage appeared outside Yan County. Upon seeing that extravagant carriage, all members of the Great Martial Royal Family felt a tightness in their hearts. Although the Sum Emperor had promised to spare their lives, no one knew whether the Sum Emperor would go back on his word. As for the phrase ¡°an emperor does not make false promises,¡± it simply did not apply to an emperor with great power. Besides, the Sum Emperor had countless ways to eliminate them without anyone noticing. At that moment, the Guard General shouted beside the carriage, ¡°His Majesty¡¯s carriage has arrived!¡± As his voice fell, all the commoners present, including the soldiers on the city walls, knelt down to pay respects, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, long live, long live, long may Your Majesty live!¡± The sound of the people paying homage resounded through the sky, lingering for a long time. At this moment, the members of the Great Martial Royal Family also knelt down. Lu Chen glanced at the members of the Great Martial Royal Family, and quickly, he spotted a familiar figure among them. Prince Wu Ming of Great Martial, upon feeling Lu Chen¡¯s gaze, trembled all over with fright. Lu Chen simply smiled faintly and did not say anything to Wu Ming. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Rise.¡± Immediately, the voices of the people rose again, ¡°Thank Your Majesty!¡± Subsequently, everyone stood up. Wuhe immediately walked towards Lu Chen with a wooden tray in hand, which contained the Jade Seal and the Surrender Document. As he approached Lu Chen, Wuhe knelt down and said loudly, ¡°Your sinful servant Wuhe, greets Your Majesty!¡± As Lu Chen was about to proceed with the ceremony and invite him to rise, he suddenly sensed that something was amiss. For some reason, he felt that Wuhe emanated some dark aura. More precisely, there was a dark aura on his forehead. Lu Chen then swept his gaze over the other Imperial Family Members of Great Martial. Not all members had this dark aura, only some did, and these individuals were all direct descendants of the Martial Emperor, that is, the Martial Emperor¡¯s children. Moreover, they shared another common point, which was that they all had a mark on their forehead. Lu Chen frowned, sensing that something was quite not right. Seeing that Lu Chen had not invited Wuhe to rise, everyone present was very puzzled. According to the procedure, Lu Chen should accept Wuhe¡¯s salute, and the Great Martial Royal Family would then be considered part of Great Sum. People wondered to themselves, could it be that the Sum Emperor has regrets? Is that why he has yet to take the Jade Seal and the Document of Surrender from Wuhe¡¯s hands? After what seemed like a long time, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°Minister Wu, rise.¡± Upon hearing these words, Wuhe and all the members of the Great Martial Royal Family breathed a sigh of relief. They had thought that Lu Chen was going to renege. Lu Chen then picked up the Jade Seal of Great Martial from Wuhe¡¯s tray, looked at it, and then took the Surrender Document of Great Martial to read it. Finding nothing amiss, Lu Chen said, ¡°From this day forward, the Wu Family will be a part of Great Sum. I hope you can integrate into Great Sum as soon as possible and start a new life.¡± Hearing these words, the members of the Great Martial Royal Family knelt once again, ¡°We thank Your Majesty for your graciousness!¡± Chapter 818 - Chapter 818: Chapter 508: Hopefully Everything Will Develop in a Positive Direction Chapter 818: Chapter 508: Hopefully Everything Will Develop in a Positive Direction After the surrender ceremony, Wuhe and the other members of the Wu Family were assigned to a specific area. As a member of the Dawu Royal Family, Junwan ultimately chose to visit her brothers and sisters. When Junwan was reunited with them, her royal sisters were crying inconsolably. Wuhe and the other Princes felt incredibly conflicted. In the past, to expel Junwan from Great Wu, they employed all kinds of means and finally managed to send her to Yan County. Unexpectedly, Junwan had now become the Noble Concubine of the Sum Emperor, while they had all become prisoners, likely to be confined in Yan County for life. Junwan did not mock the Princes. Now that Great Wu was no more, their relationship was no longer one of competition, and Junwan had come to terms with this in her heart. Junwan stayed near where the Imperial Family Members of the Wu Family were living for almost an entire day, not returning to the Imperial Palace until evening. Upon arriving at her own chambers, Junwan saw Lu Chen waiting for her inside. Seeing her return, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Your brothers and sisters don¡¯t hold any resentment toward you, do they?¡± Now as the Imperial Noble Consort and with the members of the Dawu Royal Family being prisoners, those members might feel imbalanced internally and develop an aversion to Junwan. Junwan responded, ¡°Not outwardly. Now that I am the Imperial Noble Consort of Great Sum, even if they despise me in their hearts, they obviously can¡¯t express that.¡± The status of the Imperial Noble Consort was there for all to see. If those Royal Family Members were unwise, a few casual remarks from Junwan could easily cost them their lives. So, no matter how much they hated Junwan in their hearts, accusing her of betraying Great Wu, they would never say it openly, only greet her with smiles. At that moment, Lu Chen approached Junwan, lifted his arms to encircle her slender waist and, supporting her body, he started walking step by step toward the soft couch, all the while saying, ¡°During the surrender ceremony, I noticed some of the Dawu Imperial Family Members had marks on their foreheads. Do you know how those marks came about?¡± ¡°I recall that Wu Ming came to Yan County twice, and his forehead didn¡¯t have that kind of mark before.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Junwan also remembered. When she had visited her siblings earlier, she too had noticed the marks on their foreheads; moreover, those marks were the emblem of the Dawu Royal Family. She hadn¡¯t asked about them at the time. Junwan said, ¡°I noticed that as well. They must have just put those marks on their foreheads.¡± Lu Chen gave a faint smile, ¡°Put on? I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not that simple.¡± Junwan was puzzled. ¡°If not that, then how? Could it be they used a branding iron?¡± After all, they were members of the Dawu Royal Family. It seemed unlikely they would use such torturous implements like a branding iron to leave marks on themselves. Lu Chen said, ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but I feel there is something wrong with the marks on their foreheads.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen, with Junwan in his arms, slowly settled down on the soft couch, then placed Junwan across his lap. Upon hearing Lu Chen express his suspicion, Junwan¡¯s brows furrowed slightly as she asked, ¡°What did Your Majesty discover?¡± After pondering for a moment, Lu Chen replied, ¡°Today, as I was receiving the Jade Seal, I noticed that there seemed to be a dark energy emanating from their foreheads, and this was only present in those who had the marks.¡± This¡­ Junwan fell into deep thought. Junwan was unaware of how those marks had come about, nor did she know their purpose. She was seeing for the first time that members of the Royal Family had the emblem of the Dawu Royal Family marked on their foreheads. She initially thought it was Dawu Royal Family¡¯s way of constantly reminding themselves of their identity. Now, given Lu Chen¡¯s words, she felt these marks might have some other purpose, but as for what that was, she was uncertain. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Perhaps before your father, the Emperor, passed away, he entrusted them with something.¡± After pondering for a moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Tomorrow I will bring a princess to the palace and ask her what the mark on her forehead is all about.¡± Since it was a mark that caught Lu Chen¡¯s attention, it definitely was not an ordinary one, and Wu Junwan suspected it might serve some special purpose. She was worried about the members of the Dawu Royal Family causing trouble in Yan County. If they could not stay in line, Lu Chen would inevitably dispose of them sooner or later. Under Lu Chen¡¯s watchful eye, there were countless ways he could make their deaths look like accidents. Although Wu Junwan didn¡¯t have strong feelings for her siblings, they shared the same blood after all, and she didn¡¯t want to see all of them get eliminated. Lu Chen said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you with that.¡± Wu Junwan replied indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do. I¡¯m also worried about the troubles my father may have left behind.¡± Seeing Wu Junwan so reasonable, Lu Chen smiled slightly. It seemed that Wu Junwan had fully integrated into Great Sum and had embraced her identity as the Imperial Noble Consort. With the conversation over, Lu Chen¡¯s attention focused on Wu Junwan¡¯s beauty. Gazing upon Wu Junwan¡¯s noble, dignified, and coldly enchanting face, and feeling her soft body, Lu Chen felt his restlessness rising. Sensing the change in Lu Chen, Wu Junwan knew what this man was thinking again. She then said, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s already so late, let Murong Xue¡¯er come and attend to you for rest.¡± Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t really send Lu Chen away since he was the Emperor, so she intended to directly summon Murong Xue¡¯er to her room, considering she was right next door. Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need tonight.¡± Lu Chen wasn¡¯t heartless enough to formally accept the surrender of Great Wu during the day and then humiliate another woman in front of Wu Junwan at night. Although Wu Junwan was not so fragile, her heart still harbored some sadness, and the current necessity was comfort. Lu Chen didn¡¯t want her to get upset and risk her pregnancy because of grief. Then, Lu Chen gently lay down on the soft couch, holding Wu Junwan throughout the night, and did nothing wrong. Feeling the warmth of Lu Chen¡¯s chest, Wu Junwan¡¯s heart became incredibly peaceful. She had never imagined that she would fall completely for a younger man, who was also her enemy to some extent. Wu Junwan couldn¡¯t help but wish that this young man would never change, that he would always be like this. No matter how lustful this young man was, no matter how many women he had, she didn¡¯t care. What she cared about was his attitude towards her. Having lived with Lu Chen for so long, she had gradually understood what kind of person he was. Although there were many women in his harem, he was more responsible than most men and treated every woman well, making him an extremely rare presence in this world. At that moment, Wu Junwan thought about the impending war between Great Sum and Great Jue. How much she wished there would be no war between the Yue Emperor and Lu Chen, but she also knew that was impossible. Lu Chen¡¯s determination to unite the world was unshakable, just as the Yue Emperor¡¯s determination to protect Great Jue. A decisive battle between the two was inevitable. Thinking of this, Wu Junwan sighed softly, hoping everything would develop in a positive direction. Chapter 819 - Chapter 819: Chapter 509: Thought Imprint Chapter 819: Chapter 509: Thought Imprint To reflect Lu Chen¡¯s benevolence, the places where the Martial Royal Family members resided were incredibly luxurious, and they weren¡¯t all squeezed into one area. Early in the morning, Junwan had arrived at the residence of one of the Martial Emperor¡¯s consorts. Originally, after Great Wu was annihilated, Lu Chen had most of the consorts disbanded and sent back to where they came from. However, Wang Shufei was different. The Wang Family of Great Wu belonged to the hardliners, and when Great Sum was attacking Great Wu, they also annihilated the Wang Family en route. Now, Wang Shufei had no place to go. Of course, the reason she was able to stay, to reside in the house provided for the Dawu Royal Family by Great Sum, was mainly because she had borne the Martial Emperor a princess. Using the pretext of taking care of her daughter, Wang Shufei stayed where her daughter was imprisoned. Just as Junwan entered Wang Shufei¡¯s courtyard, Wang Shufei hurriedly brought her daughter over to Junwan and performed a courtesy, ¡°Noble Consort, I greet you.¡± If this were in Great Wu, Wang Shufei, a beloved consort of the Martial Emperor, would not have had to pay any heed to Junwan, but times had changed. Junwan was now the Noble Consort of the Sum Emperor, a personage Wang Shufei dared not provoke. Yet this also made Wang Shufei curious. She was merely a consort of the Martial Emperor, and during the time in Great Wu, she had little to do with Junwan, the Princess. Why then had she come to this place today? In this courtyard, there were only she and her daughter, with no particularly important members of the Wu Family¡¯s Royal House present. Even if the Sum Empress regretted her decisions and wanted to dispose of the Wu Family¡¯s people, it wouldn¡¯t come down to this mother and daughter on their own. In this era, often when it came to eradicating a lineage, it was only the men who were killed; women were usually spared. As Wang Shufei speculated about Junwan¡¯s reasons for coming, Junwan took a look at Wang Shufei and then said, ¡°I¡¯m here to find Wu Yao, your sister.¡± Hearing this, Wang Shufei felt her heart skip a beat. To see her daughter? For what purpose? Could it be that Junwan intended to have her enter the Imperial Palace to serve as a maidservant to the Sum Emperor? This thought made Wang Shufei¡¯s face reveal a trace of worry. If it were someone else, they might be very happy to send their daughter into the Imperial Palace and might even entertain thoughts of their daughter ascending to the Emperor¡¯s bed. But Wang Shufei was different; she was acutely aware of the sensitivity of her identity. The Wang Family of Great Wu had been stubborn opponents and caused a great deal of trouble for Great Sum¡¯s military. If her daughter entered the Imperial Palace, and certain individuals became aware of it, even if the Sum Emperor did nothing to her, it was very possible that some people within Great Sum would find a way to deal with her. Having lived in the Imperial Palace before, Wang Shufei knew how dangerous it was inside; she herself had been the target of numerous assassination attempts because of the Martial Emperor¡¯s favor. Her daughter might not gain the Sum Emperor¡¯s favor, but with their identities, her daughter was bound to suffer greatly once inside the Imperial Palace. If something happened to her daughter, she feared she would be driven out of this courtyard. With this thought, Wang Shufei felt a great sense of panic. Junwan, perceiving the turmoil within Wang Shufei, directly said, ¡°His Majesty just has some questions for her, you need not worry.¡± Wang Shufei quickly asked, ¡°Can she return tonight?¡± Junwan replied, ¡°She will be sent back before evening by someone I assign.¡± With these words from Junwan, Wang Shufei finally breathed a sigh of relief. At that moment, Wu Yao, standing beside Wang Shufei, looked at Junwan and asked, ¡°Princess Junwan, what does His Majesty want to ask me?¡± Junwan replied, ¡°You will know once you are in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Also, don¡¯t tell any of the other Wu Family people that I¡¯m taking you to the Imperial Palace.¡± Hearing this, Wang Shufei revealed a bitter smile on her face. The courtyard where she and her daughter resided was still far from where the rest of the Wu Family¡¯s people were detained. The likelihood of them meeting other members of the Wu Family was slim, let alone informing them about this matter. Nevertheless, Wang Shufei responded, ¡°I understand, I will surely keep my lips sealed.¡± Wu Junwan did not linger for long, afterward she turned and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At that moment, Wu Yao glanced at her mother beside her, then at Wu Junwan¡¯s retreating figure. Wang Shufei let out a deep sigh and eventually pushed Wu Yao¡¯s back, ¡°Yaoyao, go ahead, your Princess Junwan would not harm you.¡± Reluctantly, Wu Yao said, ¡°Mother Consort, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Subsequently, Wu Yao had no choice but to follow Wu Junwan to the Imperial Palace. At the same time, Lu Chen was busy in the Imperial Study Room. Now that Great Wu had been taken down, he was beginning to prepare for the extermination of Great Jue. While Lu Chen was occupied with dealing with all kinds of documents, Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice sounded from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, Noble Consort Wu seeks an audience.¡± Hearing that it was Wu Junwan who had arrived, Lu Chen realized she must have brought the Wu Family¡¯s people with her and immediately said, ¡°Enter.¡± The next moment, Wu Junwan walked into the Imperial Study Room with Wu Yao, and both of them bowed and said, ¡°We pay our respects to Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen saw Wu Junwan bowing to him as well and couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Lu Chen glanced at Wu Yao standing next to Wu Junwan. Wu Yao appeared to be around thirteen or fourteen years of age, with a score of over eighty, she certainly had the makings of a beauty. Wu Junwan then introduced, ¡°Your Majesty, this is one of my imperial father¡¯s daughters.¡± Lu Chen rose from his desk and walked slowly to the front of Wu Yao. When Wu Yao saw Lu Chen approaching her, she immediately started to tremble with fear. Smiling, Lu Chen said, ¡°Little sister, don¡¯t be afraid. I will just ask you a few questions and won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± At this point, Lu Chen suddenly felt strange, as if there was some kind of creepy uncle luring a little sister vibe. Wu Yao, who was also around twelve or thirteen years old, quickly stabilized her emotions given that people matured earlier in that era, ¡°Your Majesty, please ask, and I will tell you everything I know.¡± Lu Chen did not immediately inquire; he glanced at the mark on Wu Yao¡¯s forehead. Indeed, the mark was emitting a dark aura, and it seemed to be embedded deep into the skin. It appeared that this mark indeed served some purpose. ¡°Can you tell me how the mark on your forehead came to be?¡± Wu Yao hesitated upon hearing the question, but she still responded, ¡°This is¡­ this was when my imperial father passed away¡­¡± She paused there, unsure of how to continue. Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, just tell me everything that your imperial father did to you and what he said before he died.¡± ¡°I¡­ I understand¡­¡± ¡°Before my imperial father passed away, he¡­¡± Wu Yao went on to tell Lu Chen about how the Martial Emperor had gathered his children in the great hall, implanted True Qi into their bodies, and the words he had spoken to them. After listening to Wu Yao, Wu Junwan¡¯s expression subtly changed. She had already guessed that her imperial father would leave behind some tactics, but she did not expect that he would use such methods on his own children. Although the exact function of these marks was unknown, they were definitely not benevolent. Wu Junwan was now worried that Lu Chen, in order to deal with the trouble, would directly have all the Wu Family members executed. After a moment of contemplation, Lu Chen thought to himself, a thought-steel stamp, force-feeding hatred to one¡¯s own children, and wondered if this mark could be removed. With that thought, Lu Chen raised his hand. Seeing Lu Chen raising his hand, Wu Yao immediately fell to her knees, terrified, ¡°Your Majesty, have mercy, I¡¯ve said everything I know.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Am I that frightening?¡± Chapter 820 - Chapter 820: Chapter 510: Your Majestys Phoenix Bed is Soft Chapter 820: Chapter 510: Your Majesty¡¯s Phoenix Bed is Soft Junwan also looked at Lu Chen with some concern. She had told Wang Shufei that she would bring Wu Yao back before evening. If Lu Chen killed Wu Yao, she would have broken her promise. Moreover, Junwan did not want to see Lu Chen kill a girl who was only twelve or thirteen years old. At this moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Rise, I will not kill you. I just want to see the mark on your forehead.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Yao quickly said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Then, Wu Yao shakily got to her feet. Once Wu Yao had stood up, Lu Chen placed his hand on her forehead and then used the Rejuvenating Skill, attempting to remove the mark on her forehead. When Lu Chen¡¯s spiritual power entered Wu Yao¡¯s body, her face immediately showed a look of pain. Lu Chen soon sensed the source of the dark energy, under the skin on Wu Yao¡¯s forehead, there was a dark mass. He then circulated his spiritual power, trying to dissolve the dark energy, but it was very stubborn, and Lu Chen struggled to dissolve it. However, as the spiritual power of the Rejuvenating Skill was infused, the dark mass slowly transformed into a mist that emitted from Wu Yao¡¯s forehead. Seeing that his Rejuvenating Skill was effective, Lu Chen immediately increased the infusion of the spiritual energy. A moment later, the mark on Wu Yao¡¯s forehead disappeared, and no dark energy continued to emit from her forehead. Lu Chen then used the Rejuvenating Skill to check Wu Yao¡¯s physical condition and, making sure everything was fine, he ended the treatment. At that moment, Wu Yao¡¯s eyes darkened, and her body slumped. Seeing that she was about to fall, Junwan quickly came to support her. Looking at Wu Yao, who had already fainted, Lu Chen said to Bai Qingqing, ¡°Bai, she must be tired. Have someone take her back to rest well, and have someone monitor her condition at all times.¡± ¡°If there is any change in her body, or discomfort, have them report to me immediately.¡± Bai Qingqing bowed and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Subsequently, Bai Qingqing called a few guards, and they took Wu Yao back. After Wu Yao left the Imperial Study Room, Junwan finally spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, what were you doing just now?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Nothing much, I just felt that the mark was ominous, and it¡¯s not nice for a little girl to have such a big scar on her forehead, so I just helped her remove it.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Junwan¡¯s face showed a suspicious look. She felt that Lu Chen must have concealed something from her, but since Lu Chen chose not to say, she did not want to continue questioning. At this moment, Lu Chen felt somewhat guilty; he could have removed the marks from all the Wu Family¡¯s people, but he chose not to do so. If the mark really had the ability to amplify hatred, the children of the Martial Emperor would surely find ways to cause destruction in Great Sum one day, which would actually be beneficial for Lu Chen as it would give him a legitimate reason to eliminate those people. Junwan then said, ¡°Your Majesty, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave now.¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Yes, alright, my lady, take care.¡± Junwan then turned and left the Imperial Study Room. After leaving the Imperial Study Room, she continually felt that Lu Chen was scheming something. She had just heard what Wu Yao said and sensed that there might be something wrong with these marks. Being someone who had been to Misty World and knew some of the Incantation Skill of the cultivation realm, she suspected that her father had used some kind of curse on all his children before he killed himself. These curses might one day endanger Great Sum. Junwan decided to pay more attention to her siblings in the future. If they showed any abnormality, she would need to stop them immediately. ¡­ Great Jue, Imperial Palace. Inside the Empress¡¯s bedchamber. At this moment, the Yue Emperor, dressed in a white inner garment, sat at the tea table in the room, seriously reading the intelligence report in her hands. Meanwhile, Mu Yunxi was half-reclining comfortably on the Yue Emperor¡¯s phoenix bed. Mu Yunxi lifted her slender, fair legs, her delicate fingers running between her thighs as she remarked, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s phoenix bed is indeed soft, far more comfortable than the places I slept at in the Barbarian Tribe.¡± Although Mu Yunxi had the best conditions among the Barbarian Tribe, constrained by the location, the Barbarian Tribe could not compare with Great Jue in terms of food, clothing, and shelter. Since forming an alliance with the Yue Emperor, Mu Yunxi had finally enjoyed a comfortable life, especially the emperor¡¯s large and soft phoenix bed, which she occasionally visited to lie upon. With an expressionless face, the Yue Emperor coldly said, ¡°I advise you it¡¯s best not to lie on my bed.¡± Though they had formed an alliance, it did not mean the Yue Emperor was without any guard against Mu Yunxi. She didn¡¯t believe their relationship had progressed to the point of sharing the same bed. Upon hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi did not get up. Her peach-blossom eyes slightly curved in a smile as she teased, ¡°Your Majesty, with such a large bed, don¡¯t you feel lonely sleeping alone?¡± ¡°Why not let me accompany you?¡± The Yue Emperor ignored Mu Yunxi and said, ¡°Speak if you have business.¡± The Yue Emperor didn¡¯t believe Mu Yunxi had come to see her so late just to be coquettish in front of another woman; that would be pointless. Mu Yunxi then said, ¡°Great Wu has already been annihilated, and next, it will be Great Jue¡¯s turn. Aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡± Hearing this question, the Yue Emperor calmly said, ¡°The troops of Great Wu have already mastered the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array and can fend off ordinary Celestials without issue.¡± Mu Yunxi chuckled and said, ¡°You seem quite confident in my battle array.¡± At that moment, the Yue Emperor asked, ¡°Did you come from the Misty World?¡± On hearing the term ¡°Misty World,¡± Mu Yunxi inquired in surprise, ¡°Have you been to the Misty World?¡± Mu Yunxi was well aware of the Misty World in the western part of the continent and how it came into existence. The Yue Emperor, making no attempt to hide her knowledge, directly stated, ¡°I have.¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°The Misty World has restrictions. Being able to enter and come out of the Misty World is quite impressive.¡± At this point, Mu Yunxi responded to the Yue Emperor¡¯s question, ¡°I indeed have entered the Misty World, but I am not from there. I come from a higher-level Cultivation World.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Misty World doesn¡¯t have any so-called natives. It belongs to a chaotic space, extremely unstable, and the land of the Misty World also fell in from other shattered worlds.¡± As Mu Yunxi finished speaking, the Yue Emperor continued, ¡°Lu Chen was able to rise so quickly, there might also be cultivators from other worlds behind him, perhaps with similar goals as yours.¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°I believe so too.¡± The Yue Emperor then probed, ¡°Since you share the same goal, have you not considered forming an alliance with Great Sum?¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi revealed a slight smile, her beautiful eyes fixated on the Yue Emperor as she said, ¡°You need not probe, If I wanted to cooperate with Great Sum, I would have done so already.¡± ¡°Although the cultivators behind Great Sum might share a similar goal to mine, after opening the world gate, it can only lead to one place.¡± ¡°This world is a closed world, and it is a world where Spiritual Power is depleted. Opening a world gate once consumes a large amount of this world¡¯s Spiritual Power. I only have one chance, and I will not share this opportunity with anyone.¡± Creating a world gate requires the consumption of this world¡¯s Spiritual Power, and the gate operates on a point-to-point basis. Most importantly, even transporting a single person needs a large amount of Spiritual Power. Especially the higher one¡¯s Realm, the more Spiritual Power is needed. For Mu Yunxi, other world¡¯s cultivators are competitors, and it is likely that only one person can leave this world. Naturally, she wouldn¡¯t share this chance with anyone else. Chapter 821 - Chapter 821: Chapter 511 Liu Qingqiu Chapter 821: Chapter 511 Liu Qingqiu Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s response, Yue Emperor felt somewhat relieved. Her greatest concern was that Mu Yunxi would suddenly turn against them and collaborate with the cultivators from other worlds behind Great Sum¡¯s back. Just then, Mu Yunxi slowly rose from Yue Emperor¡¯s soft couch, stretched lazily, and displayed her impressively curvaceous figure. Seeing Mu Yunxi¡¯s demeanor, Yue Emperor couldn¡¯t help but suspect that Mu Yunxi might be a Demon Cultivator from the Cultivation World, with such a dissolute way of acting. After stretching, Mu Yunxi continued, ¡°Rest assured, not to mention four Celestials, even ten of them might not be a match for me.¡± Yue Emperor retorted coldly, ¡°If you were really that powerful, you wouldn¡¯t be having the Barbarian Army practice battle formations but would have led them to flatten the several dynasties directly instead.¡± Mu Yunxi did not get angry at these words. She raised her slender hand and tapped her lips, yawning and showing a fatigued expression, ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I just dare not fully reveal my strength, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Dao of this world is extremely xenophobic. Once I show strength that surpasses a Celestial¡¯s, I am likely to encounter a vicious Heavenly Tribulation.¡± Yue Emperor continued to question, ¡°Isn¡¯t the point of you cultivators cultivating to fight against Heavenly Dao? Are you still afraid of Heavenly Tribulation?¡± Mu Yunxi replied, ¡°The Heavenly Tribulation I¡¯m talking about is not an ordinary one. It is one sent by the Heavenly Dao using the power of the Heavenly Path. Once the Heavenly Dao issues such a tribulation, it means that it would rather self-destruct than let me survive.¡± ¡°Even if I were more powerful, I still wouldn¡¯t be mighty enough to fight against the will of the world.¡± ¡°Forget it. You wouldn¡¯t understand anyway.¡± ¡°All you need to remember is that with me here, nobody can conquer Great Jue.¡± Having said that, Mu Yunxi did not continue to waste words with Yue Emperor. Her figure disappeared instantly from the spot, leaving only the fragrance of her body lingering in Yue Emperor¡¯s bedroom. Smelling the scent, Yue Emperor¡¯s brows knitted slightly. She was used to the fragrance of Wu Junwan and couldn¡¯t accept the body scent of other women, which only made her feel somewhat nauseated. With a snort, she then commanded the palace maids to open the windows and doors to their fullest to air out the room and to replace all the bedding, such as sheets, covers, and pillows. At this very moment. Great Qian Dynasty. Inside the Imperial Palace. Today the atmosphere within the Imperial Palace was exceptionally oppressive. No one had expected that despite their utmost precautions, they still couldn¡¯t prevent the plague from entering the Daqian Capital City. What was even more unexpected was that Qian Emperor had been infected by the plague. Now he had great difficulty even speaking, and could only lie weakly on the dragon bed. At this time, within Qianning Palace. The eunuchs and palace maids all stood outside Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom; they dared not approach his room. Qian Emperor had been infected with the plague, and this plague was terrifyingly deadly. Once infected, there was almost no chance of survival. The eunuchs and palace maids were all terrified. In their eyes, entering Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom virtually equated to a death sentence. Right then, a woman dressed in an exquisite cyan palace gown, with her hair arranged in a dignified updo and carrying an air of elegance, approached Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom. Seeing the woman¡¯s arrival, the eunuchs and palace maids hurriedly knelt, ¡°We pay respects to the Empress!¡± Liu Qingqiu looked coldly at these eunuchs and palace maids, then spoke in an emotionless voice, ¡°Is this how you serve His Majesty?¡± ¡°All of you, go inside!¡± Hearing these words, the eunuchs and maids instantly turned pale, quickly kowtowed, and said, ¡°Empress, please have mercy!¡± Liu Qingqiu paid no attention to their pleas, and addressed the Imperial Guard instead, ¡°If anyone refuses to go, kill them all for me. If they aren¡¯t serving His Majesty anymore, then there¡¯s no use keeping them.¡± Hearing this, the Imperial Guards behind Liu Qingqiu immediately drew their swords. Seeing this, some of the eunuchs and maids quickly got up and said, ¡°Empress, your servant will go in to serve His Majesty right away!¡± They rushed towards Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom in haste, fearing the Imperial Guards would chop off their heads. As the eunuchs and maids entered Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom, Liu Qingqiu also headed toward the chamber. Just then, the commander of the Imperial Guard hurriedly stepped in front of Liu Qingqiu, ¡°Empress, you must not!¡± ¡°Your Majesty has already been infected with the plague, and now even the imperial physicians have no means of treating it. The hearts of the people in the court are in turmoil. If you were to be infected as well, who would govern the court politics then!¡± Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°I am His Majesty¡¯s Empress. Now that His Majesty is gravely ill, how can I abandon him.¡± ¡°Get out of my way!¡± At this point, Liu Qingqiu prepared to forcefully enter the Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom. However, just then, a eunuch with a trembling voice came out and said, ¡°Empress, His Majesty has decreed that the Empress shall not enter His Majesty¡¯s bedroom. Please prioritize state affairs, Your Majesty.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu faced the Qian Emperor¡¯s bedroom and put on an expression of great sorrow as she said, ¡°Your Majesty, rest assured, I will surely find a way to treat the plague!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please rest and recover. I will also take care of the court affairs on your behalf.¡± ¡°I shall return for today.¡± As she spoke, Liu Qingqiu turned and left the Qianning Palace. On her way out, she looked back every three steps, seemingly unable to bear leaving the Qian Emperor. However, once Liu Qingqiu had left the Qianning Palace, her face instantly turned ice-cold, and an icy aura seemed to emanate from her body, transforming in an instant from a virtuous wife and good mother to a haughty and aloof noblewoman. After leaving the Qianning Palace, Liu Qingqiu went to her own living quarters. As she entered her bedroom, a dark shadow appeared within her room. Liu Qingqiu asked expressionlessly, ¡°Have you found out who those people are?¡± The shadow immediately replied, ¡°Your Highness, they are from the Flying Star Sect.¡± Hearing the shadow¡¯s reply, Liu Qingqiu voiced her doubt, ¡°Flying Star Sect?¡± The shadow continued, ¡°It¡¯s a local minor sect of the Great Qian. They didn¡¯t have much fame before, but recently they seem to have suddenly found a method to prevent the spread of the plague. Several counties¡¯ citizens have regarded them as their saviors.¡± On hearing this, Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly, ¡°Saviors? Coming to my territory to play the role of saviors?¡± ¡°Eliminate the people from the Flying Star Sect immediately; Great Qian has no need for them.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Suddenly, Liu Qingqiu remembered something and added, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Great Wu has already been destroyed by Great Sum?¡± Great Qian¡¯s recent attention had been on the domestic outbreak of plague, so there had been little focus on the conflict between Great Sum and Great Wu, and information wasn¡¯t up to date. The shadow answered, ¡°Your Highness, indeed, Great Wu has been vanquished. After the Martial Emperor committed suicide, Wu¡¯s Prince Lu Yi led the surviving officials to surrender.¡± Hearing the shadow¡¯s answer, Liu Qingqiu fell into thought. She had thought Great Wu would be able to hold out for a while, but she had not expected them to fall so quickly. Great Wu truly was a case of being strong on the outside but empty on the inside. In the past, Great Wu had dispatched troops everywhere, annexing so much territory, appearing very powerful. Yet when faced with Great Sum, they were wiped out in less than a year. Thinking this, Liu Qingqiu sneered, ¡°The Martial Emperor really was a wastrel.¡± At this, Liu Qingqiu ordered, ¡°For the next while, pay close attention to Great Sum¡¯s movements. As soon as there is any new development, report it to me immediately.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Liu Qingqiu: ¡°You may leave.¡± The shadow said, ¡°This subordinate takes leave.¡± With his words falling, the shadow left the room. Liu Qingqiu then muttered to herself, ¡°This Lu Chen does have some ability, it¡¯s just unknown who¡¯s piece he is.¡± As she spoke, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Liu Qingqiu¡¯s eyes. ¡°No matter whose piece he is, as long as he interferes with my grand schemes, he must die!¡± Chapter 822 - Chapter 822: Chapter 512: Looking for Murong Xueer to Paint Chapter 822: Chapter 512: Looking for Murong Xue¡¯er to Paint Yan County. Inside the Imperial Palace. Lu Chen stood behind Murong Xue¡¯er, holding a brush, writing something on her jade-like back. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°How are the craftsmen progressing in their learning?¡± Since imparting some basic knowledge from Earth to Murong Xue¡¯er, she had become a teacher, starting to train the craftsmen of Great Sum. Of course, the first batch of craftsmen were carefully selected; these craftsmen, summoned from the system¡¯s designated area, had absolute loyalty to Lu Chen¡ªthey would never betray Great Sum. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s inquiry, Murong Xue¡¯er, who was quietly lying on the bed, slightly turned her head and looked at Lu Chen, writing, and replied, ¡°The craftsmen are quite talented and grasp the teachings quickly. It won¡¯t be long before they can study independently.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er also imparted only basic knowledge to the craftsmen. As for the specific knowledge, they had to study on their own in the Great Sum Royal Library. Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s response, Lu Chen was very satisfied inside. His idea was to have Murong Xue¡¯er train the craftsmen and then have those craftsmen serve as teachers in various schools established across Great Sum, passing on their knowledge to the scholars of Great Sum. In this way, the people of this world would soon be able to embrace a substantial amount of modern knowledge, potentially entering an industrial age within a couple of hundred years. Of course, these were just Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts; the pace of industrial development in this world would depend on many factors. At that moment, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Once that batch of craftsmen have learned enough, I will make a list for you to train more people. Later, we can have those trained craftsmen teach others the foundational knowledge.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er said faintly, ¡°I understand.¡± After her words fell, Lu Chen¡¯s hand heavily landed on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s buttocks, gazing at her jade-like back, Lu Chen mumbled to himself, ¡°It would be great if the Curse Pattern were also on the back.¡± The Curse Pattern Lu Chen referred to was, naturally, the one on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s lower abdomen. Hearing this comment, Murong Xue¡¯er gave Lu Chen a cold glance¡ªthis bad element, always thinking up some mischief. After his words had fallen, Lu Chen raised his hand and activated his Spiritual Power. The next moment, a fine brush flew off Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s bookshelf, followed by a bottle of special ink. Although this ink was also black, once mixed with Spiritual Power, the markings it made could stay on the skin for a long time. Lu Chen then picked up the fine brush, dipped it in the black ink, and bent down to start drawing the Curse Pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s jade-like back. Murong Xue¡¯er remained kneeling; she paid no attention to Lu Chen¡¯s actions as she was already used to it¡ªlet him do as he wished. Murong Xue¡¯er then turned her head back, lowered it and said, ¡°That woman next door is always laughing at me. When will you deal with her?¡± For Murong Xue¡¯er, an occasional visit from Lu Chen was enough; this man often visited to try and impregnate her, and she was almost overwhelmed by it. She had pleaded with Lu Chen countless times, yet he still refused to spare her, as though he wouldn¡¯t rest until she became pregnant. As a result, now, whenever she went out, she was mocked by Wu Junwan, saying she was no different than those licentious women in the Hundred Flowers Tower. Murong Xue¡¯er felt helpless; she indeed wanted to conceive, but her stomach remained unresponsive¡ªwhat could she do? Her heart was also somewhat gloomy; even Wu Junwan, that Pseudo Celestial, had succumbed, so why couldn¡¯t she become pregnant? Murong Xue¡¯er planned to divert the trouble elsewhere, luring Lu Chen next door. Having heard Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s words, Lu Chen instantly saw through her little scheme¡ªthat beauty wanted to divert the trouble. Lu Chen then said, ¡°You know she is carrying my child, no matter how much I want to harm her, I wouldn¡¯t do anything at this time, I¡¯m not a beast.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er scoffed in her heart. In her eyes, this guy was no different from a beast, and even those beasts couldn¡¯t compare to him. Murong Xue¡¯er continued, ¡°Your Majesty has so many concubines in the harem, yet you keep coming to me. Over time, they will have complaints.¡± Lu Chen indifferently replied, ¡°What complaints can they have? If anyone complains, I will make her serve my bed for ten consecutive days, then she will have no complaints.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er was completely speechless. This guy really wanted to get her pregnant. Murong Xue¡¯er said, ¡°Your Majesty, some things can¡¯t be forced. You know that martial artists of high realms are not so easily impregnated.¡± Lu Chen nonchalantly said, ¡°Of course, I know that martial artists of high realms don¡¯t easily conceive, but the more attempts, the greater the possibility.¡± ¡°The less you are able to conceive, the more I must come here. Otherwise, how many years will it take for you to conceive?¡± Hearing these words from Lu Chen, Murong Xue¡¯er simply stopped talking and quietly lay there waiting for Lu Chen to draw. Lu Chen didn¡¯t know how long he had been drawing until he finally finished the Curse Pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er. Seeing the beautiful and intricate black Curse Pattern against her fair skin, Lu Chen suddenly felt a bit fuzzy in his brain, and a violent emotion surged within him. Lu Chen paused for a moment. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er also noticed the anomaly. Seeing that Lu Chen had stopped drawing, she turned her head again to look at him, and noticed his eyes seemed somewhat bloodshot. Startled by this sight, Murong Xue¡¯er exclaimed, ¡°Your Majesty, what is happening?¡± Before Murong Xue¡¯er could finish speaking, Lu Chen simply waved his hand, and all the brushes and inkstones by his side flew to the desk in the room, then he leaned over. After exclaiming, Murong Xue¡¯er glared at Lu Chen, but he ignored her look and started attending to his own matters. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Chen sobered up a bit. He thought to himself that the Curse Pattern was said to control people, and he had doubted its effects on himself since he was immune to all poisons. However, now it seemed that the Curse Pattern did have some effect; it indeed could influence one¡¯s emotions, at least making him more irritable. The Yue Emperor might have made a mistake when initially applying the Curse Pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er, as the effects seemed to be better when applied to the back. Early morning. When Lu Chen got up, he glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er beside him, who was completely incapacitated. Seeing this, Lu Chen was very pleased and said with a smile, ¡°Xue¡¯er, your body is indeed soft.¡± Hearing this, Murong Xue¡¯er wearily turned her head and said weakly, ¡°Your Majesty truly treats me like a plaything.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Do I? You are my consort; how could I treat you as a plaything?¡± Murong Xue¡¯er sighed and then said, ¡°Well, now that I have fallen into Your Majesty¡¯s hands, you can do as you please.¡± Murong Xue¡¯er had resigned herself to her fate. Her mind felt muddled and unclear, and all she wanted was a good sleep. Lu Chen also noticed that Murong Xue¡¯er was very tired, so he said, ¡°Rest well, I still have to attend the court today, so I will get up now.¡± With that, Lu Chen slowly got up. Although Murong Xue¡¯er wanted to rest more, once Lu Chen got up, she too got up and personally helped him dress. Chapter 823 - Chapter 823: Chapter 513: I Plan to Personally Campaign Against Great Jue! Chapter 823: Chapter 513: I Plan to Personally Campaign Against Great Jue! After dressing, Lu Chen grabbed something to eat in Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s room to replenish the energy he had expended the night before and then made his way to the Hall of Political Affairs. Today¡¯s imperial court meeting was presided over by Lu Chen. Although he was the Emperor, he had developed a habit: if he was hosting a court meeting, he would always run through what he intended to say in his mind before the session. In doing so, he could express his thoughts smoothly and clearly during the meeting, and it would also help to shorten the duration of the meeting. When Lu Chen arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, he found that many ministers had already gathered there. Though the court meeting required attendance only at the appointed time, the ministers of the imperial court did not dare to make the Emperor wait for them, so most of them rose very early, except for a few who was delayed for some reason. Usually, Lu Chen would appear in the Hall of Political Affairs only after all the ministers had assembled, but today, he arrived much earlier than many of the ministers. Seeing that Lu Chen had come so early today, the ministers instantly realized that there might be important matters to discuss; otherwise, the Emperor wouldn¡¯t have come to the Hall of Political Affairs so early. Upon seeing the Emperor, some ministers quickly rose from their seats and said, ¡°We greet Your Majesty!¡± ¡°We greet Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen waved his hand dismissively and said lightly, ¡°The court has not yet begun, no need for formalities. Everyone please review your own items for discussion.¡± After Lu Chen spoke, he took his seat on the Dragon Throne and began to read a notebook intently. As more ministers entered the Hall of Political Affairs and saw that the Emperor had come so early, a chill ran down their spines. They were ministers, and yet they had come to the Hall after the Emperor, making him wait for them¡ªan egregious offense. Just as some ministers were about to kneel and beg for mercy, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Take your seats when you enter, and don¡¯t disturb Us.¡± Hearing this, the ministers hurriedly went to their respective seats. Noticing that Lu Chen¡¯s gaze remained fixed on the notebook in his hand, they felt reassured. Before the time for court had arrived, nearly all the ministers had assembled. They waited a while longer until the bell outside the Hall of Political Affairs rang. At this sound, the ministers stood up and bowed in the direction of the Dragon Platform, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live our Emperor!¡± Lu Chen said calmly, ¡°Rise.¡± After these words, the guard beside Lu Chen shouted, ¡°Take your seats!¡± The ministers returned to their seats as Lu Chen set down the notebook and scanned the assembly of ministers in the grand hall. He then declared, ¡°Today¡¯s court meeting will be personally presided over by Us.¡± Hearing this, the ministers weren¡¯t surprised at all. The Emperor had come to the Hall of Political Affairs early in the morning, earlier than some of the ministers. Indicating there were indeed important matters at hand. Lu Chen continued, ¡°We plan to personally lead an expedition against Great Jue!¡± At this declaration, the court erupted in astonishment. Personaly lead an expedition? Was this some kind of joke? The military strength of Great Sum was formidable, and with several Celestials among them, there was no need for the Emperor himself to go to war. At that moment, a minister quickly stood up, moved to the center of the hall, and then knelt to plead, ¡°Your Majesty, it must not be done! Great Jue has now allied with the Barbarian Tribe, and it seems they already have a method to counter the Celestials. The battlefield is blind to the sword, and if any harm were to come to Your sacred body, what then would we do?¡± After this minister had spoken, another followed suit, moving to the center of the hall and kneeling, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. With so many valiant and strong soldiers at Great Sum¡¯s disposal, you need only command from Yan County. With one order, your soldiers can take down Great Jue and present it to Your Majesty. Why should you personally wage war against Great Jue?¡± Following these two ministers, several more stood up to persuade Lu Chen, urging him not to personally lead the expedition, including those among Lu Chen¡¯s own people. For them, the safest place for Lu Chen was to remain in Yan County; there was utterly no need to take risks. Gazing upon the officials kneeling in the middle of the great hall, Lu Chen then spoke indifferently, ¡°I am aware of the concerns my loyal ministers have for my safety, but I must go on the military campaign against Great Jue.¡± ¡°You are all also aware that Great Jue now possesses a battle formation capable of confronting Celestials. Even if we were to dispatch Celestials, we might still be unable to break Great Jue¡¯s battle formation. In that case, when would we be able to conquer Great Jue?¡± ¡°Should I personally lead the campaign, even if I were to encounter Great Jue¡¯s battle formation, the Divine Weapon in my hand could easily destroy it.¡± At the mention of ¡°Divine Weapon,¡± people were reminded of the spear that Lu Chen held in his hand back in the Capital City. An official from the Capital City hastily spoke again, ¡°Your Majesty, the former Emperor¡¯s weapon must not be used at all, such an evil weapon¡ªshould anything happen to you¡­¡± The minister did not continue. Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°This Divine Weapon has already been subdued by me; the situation from the Capital City will not happen again. My beloved officials need not worry.¡± Even though Lu Chen assured them that there was no problem, the ministers were still somewhat concerned at heart. Lu Chen continued, ¡°My Realm is already infinitely close to that of a Celestial. Even if I truly encounter danger, I¡¯ll be able to resolve it with ease.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen once again swept his gaze across the kneeling officials in the great hall, then said solemnly, ¡°This campaign is a personal undertaking so that I might hasten the end of the war, achieving unification.¡± ¡°My loyal ministers should return to their seats. This matter is settled. Instead of persuading me against the campaign, consider how we can fight this battle to bring a quicker end to the war.¡± Hearing this, the kneeling ministers looked at each other, with glances exchanged, until finally one of the ministers stood up, followed by the others also rising to their feet. Once they had returned to their seats, the ministers began discussing the campaign against Great Jue. Because Lu Chen was personally leading the campaign, many things turned out to be quite complicated, and the court meeting discussed the matter for the entire day. Come evening. Lu Chen visited the Yunrong Palace and headed straight for Chen Wanrong¡¯s chambers. At this time, inside Chen Wanrong¡¯s sleeping quarters, both Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun sat on the floor, with Lin Wanyun holding Chen Wanrong¡¯s hand, seemingly deep in conversation. Chen Wanrong should have returned by now, as Yun Xianxian had been writing letters urging her to go back and attend to the affairs of the Mysterious Moon Palace. But Chen Wanrong, unable to bear parting from Lu Chen, wrote back to Yun Xianxian, stating that she felt close to a breakthrough and wished to stay by Lu Chen¡¯s side for a while longer to cultivate together. Yun Xianxian was no fool. She could guess Chen Wanrong had her own little schemes, but in the end, she still allowed Chen Wanrong to stay a while longer. However, in a few days Chen Wanrong must return; if she delayed any longer, Yun Xianxian might personally come to Yan County to fetch her. Upon entering Chen Wanrong¡¯s sleeping quarters, Lu Chen was immediately captivated by her serene, noble, and stunningly beautiful visage; a face he never tired of no matter how many times he saw it. When Lu Chen arrived, Lin Wanyun stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I shall not intrude upon you two.¡± Lin Wanyun knew that Lu Chen was about to discuss important matters with Chen Wanrong, so she intended not to stay and disturb them. However, just then, Lu Chen spoke with a smile, ¡°No need, Aunt Yun, please stay. I have something to discuss with you as well.¡± Upon hearing this, the beautiful lady¡¯s cheeks instantly flushed with color, and Lin Wanyun could naturally discern the implication in Lu Chen¡¯s words. Lin Wanyun then whispered softly, ¡°I understand.¡± Chapter 824 - Chapter 824: Chapter 514 Master is not an ordinary woman Chapter 824: Chapter 514 Master is not an ordinary woman After leaving Lin Wanyun behind, Lu Chen came to Chen Wanrong¡¯s side, with one arm encircling her slender waist. In the inner sanctum of the main hall, there was a layer of carpet, placed for the convenience of people to kneel and sit on. Although Lu Chen had always advocated the use of stools and chairs, his wives and concubines still preferred to kneel and sit. Lu Chen also squatted down at this time, and then he looked up at Lin Wanyun who was still standing, and patted the carpet beside him, ¡°Wanyun, take a seat.¡± Hearing Lu Chen call her Wanyun, Lin Wanyun¡¯s face blushed, and she slowly knelt down to sit beside him. Lu Chen then raised his other arm, directly wrapping it around Lin Wanyun¡¯s slender waist. When Lu Chen¡¯s hand touched Lin Wanyun¡¯s voluptuous waist, her delicate body trembled slightly, but she quickly adjusted. At that moment, Chen Wanrong turned her head towards Lu Chen and asked, ¡°I heard that you plan to personally lead the campaign against Great Jue?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, the battle formations of Great Jue are tricky to deal with, and it¡¯s very likely that I¡¯ll need to take matters into my own hands.¡± Although Lu Chen was not yet a Celestial, with the Slayer Spear in his possession, he had already acquired the strength of a Celestial. To be precise, his destructive capability had completely surpassed that of a Celestial. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, a look of concern appeared on Chen Wanrong¡¯s face, Lu Chen seeing this expression on her for the first time. Lu Chen then raised his hand, gently touching her cheek, and asked, ¡°Are you very worried about me?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re worried about me, don¡¯t go back and stay with me on the trip to Great Jue, how about that?¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong said helplessly, ¡°My Honored Master mentioned that there¡¯s important business upon my return.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°She¡¯s just trying to sway you, what important business could she possibly have.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m just saying. I wouldn¡¯t really let you join me on a battlefield and risk your life.¡± If he could fight by reducing dimensions, taking Chen Wanrong to the battlefield wasn¡¯t something Lu Chen would worry about, but this time, the other side also had Celestials and even methods to counter Celestials. With the impending battle between Great Sum and Great Jue, there could be unforeseen circumstances, so Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t risk taking his wives and concubines to danger. At this point, Lu Chen rubbed Chen Wanrong¡¯s cool cheek, flushed with a hint of shyness, and continued, ¡°Rest assured, if there really is any danger, I will retreat immediately.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Lin Wanyun, ¡°Wanyun, this time you should go back with Rongrong.¡± During their last chat together, Lin Wanyun had expressed a desire to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace once more. Lin Wanyun immediately expressed her thanks, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°We¡¯re family, no need to be so formal. Mysterious Moon Palace is your maternal home; I certainly can¡¯t stop you from visiting your home.¡± Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun had spent many years at the Mysterious Moon Palace and had long considered it their home, having deep feelings for the place, so if they wished to return, Lu Chen naturally would not prevent them. It¡¯s just that inwardly, he felt a bit reluctant to let them go. At that moment, Lu Chen once again wrapped an arm around Chen Wanrong¡¯s slender waist, wearing a smile as he spoke, ¡°My ladies, the night is deep; we should also rest.¡± Hearing this, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun both softly hummed in agreement and said no more. Soon after, Lu Chen brought them to the soft couch. In a few days, they would leave Yan County, and to prevent them from missing him too much after their departure, Lu Chen planned to spend these days in close companionship with the two of them. A while later, with his arms around Chen Wanrong¡¯s waist, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about something, if you had a child, would Honored Master let you stay by my side forever?¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s face flushed as she said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Lu Chen laughed, ¡°Then after I unify this world, I¡¯ll ask Honored Master myself.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something. While keeping himself busy, he continued, ¡°Actually, there is another way. Honored Master likes to have you follow her, right? As long as Honored Master stays by my side in the future, you won¡¯t have to leave me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong instantly knew the mischief Lu Chen was up to, but she didn¡¯t mind, as she had no inclination to care about it at the moment. After a soft moan, she said, ¡°Honored Master is no ordinary woman.¡± In the past, Chen Wanrong did care about the relationship between Lu Chen and Yun Xianxian, but since Lu Chen had been frequently engaging in heart-to-heart talks with both Lin Wanyun and her recently, she had gradually grown accustomed to it. She used to mind Lu Chen¡¯s relationship with Lin Wanyun as well, but now she felt indifferent, and naturally, she no longer cared about Lu Chen and Yun Xianxian¡¯s relationship either. However, knowing Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen might find it quite challenging to trick her into his bed. After all, Yun Xianxian was a cultivator from the High-Level Cultivation Realm and had lived for over a thousand years. She had seen all sorts of outstanding men, so it was unlikely she would be attracted to Lu Chen. Of course, it was just difficult, not impossible. While she was at Mysterious Moon Palace, Chen Wanrong often heard Yun Xianxian mentioning Lu Chen, indicating that he did hold a place in Yun Xianxian¡¯s heart. Even if Yun Xianxian disparaged Lu Chen at every turn, as a woman, Chen Wanrong could tell that Yun Xianxian had some feelings for Lu Chen, however slight. Whether Lu Chen could win over Yun Xianxian was up to his own abilities. After listening to Chen Wanrong, Lu Chen suddenly felt a strong desire to conquer, and he became even more vigorous. Lu Chen also knew that simply increasing favorability wouldn¡¯t be enough to win over Yun Xianxian. If it were only about increasing favorability, a woman might still choose not to be with you due to various rational reasons. Take Chu Yuqin, for instance. Although her favorability towards him was nearly one hundred percent, she still refused to become his woman, mainly because she felt bound by conventional morality. Yun Xianxian was no different. Although she might have feelings for him coming from the High-Level Cultivation Realm, it was likely that due to her experience, she would maintain a rational mind. Yun Xianxian had practiced the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill with Lu Chen many times, but each time she was able to rapidly calm her mind when she was about to lose control, which showed her strong self-discipline. So, with a woman like Yun Xianxian, it wasn¡¯t only about increasing favorability but also about slowly breaking down her psychological defenses. But then again, the reason Lu Chen was quickly able to breakdown Chu Yuqin¡¯s psychological barriers was that she stayed with him all the time. Prolonged physical contact eventually made Chu Yuqin unable to hold on any longer, and she gave herself to Lu Chen completely. However, Yun Xianxian was different. She stayed up on the mountain without coming down, not spending long periods with Lu Chen. Breaking through Yun Xianxian¡¯s psychological defenses was truly no easy feat for Lu Chen. The thought of the difficulty in overcoming Yun Xianxian ignited a flame within Lu Chen. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a flame of anger but rather it made him somewhat impatient. Lu Chen continued to whisper in Chen Wanrong¡¯s ear, ¡°No matter, if I can¡¯t have her, then I¡¯ll insult her disciples and have her disciples bear my children.¡± As soon as he spoke, Lu Chen became more unrestrained. Suddenly, a new thought struck him, and he said, ¡°I won¡¯t just insult her disciples. I¡¯ll also insult the protectors of her Sect, hmph.¡± Chapter 825 - Chapter 825: Chapter 515 Your Majesty, I wish to go to Great Jue with you Chapter 825: Chapter 515 Your Majesty, I wish to go to Great Jue with you Lu Chen, unable to vent his anger on Yun Xianxian, directed all of it towards Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun. During the time Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun returned to the Mysterious Moon Palace, they were repeatedly humiliated by Lu Chen. Several days later, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun left Great Xia, thoroughly satisfied. After their departure, the war between Great Xia and Great Jue was about to commence. The procedure for declaring war on Great Jue was the same as that for Great Wu, beginning with the issuance of a proclamation of conquest. The proclamation conveniently used Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe as grounds for declaring war. Before the establishment of the Dayue Dynasty, the region had suffered greatly from the depredations of the Barbarian Tribe. The common folk living in Great Jue had endured tremendous suffering. Even after the founding of the Dayue Dynasty, the Barbarian Tribe still raided the south from time to time. Great Jue and the Barbarian Tribe had a deep-seated enmity. It was only after the Yue Emperor ascended to the throne that such frequent raids ceased. But the hatred had already been embedded in the hearts of the people of Great Jue. Now that the Yue Emperor had not only failed to annihilate the Barbarian Tribe during his military campaigns but had also integrated them into Great Jue and even appointed their Goddess as the State Preceptor of Great Jue, discontent was brewing among a significant part of the populace of Great Jue. This situation was bound to stir discontent among a substantial portion of the common folk of Great Jue. As Great Xia too had suffered from raids by the Barbarian Tribe, it was well-positioned to appeal to the moral high ground and incite opposition against the Dayue Dynasty among the people of Great Jue. Once Great Xia¡¯s proclamation of conquest was issued, and with the manipulation of the Brocade Guard, it quickly became known to the people of Great Jue. The proclamation indeed resonated with many in Great Jue, who questioned why their well-ordered dynasty should ally with those unwashed barbarians. Suddenly, Great Jue was in turmoil. Meanwhile. In the chambers of the Empress. Inside the room, the flickering candlelight cast shadows on the Yue Emperor¡¯s sideways face, revealing her grim and aloof expression. Just then, a clear, enchanting voice appeared at the chamber window, ¡°Hehehe, Your Majesty¡¯s expression is truly terrifying. I wonder who has provoked you this time.¡± Upon hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s voice, the Yue Emperor immediately released spiritual energy, turning the intelligence document in her hand to ashes. ¡°The Dayue Intelligence Agency has discovered that Lu Chen will personally lead the campaign in Great Xia¡¯s war against Great Jue.¡± At these words, Mu Yunxi paused slightly before a smile appeared on her face, ¡°This must mean that even the heavens are helping us.¡± ¡°If we could kill Lu Chen¡­¡± Before Mu Yunxi could finish, the Yue Emperor interrupted, ¡°I have no intention of killing Lu Chen¡± Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s firm tone, Mu Yunxi was taken aback. She had not expected the Yue Emperor to say such a thing. For Great Jue, Great Xia was a formidable enemy, and its Emperor an even more daunting foe. Yet the Yue Emperor had no plans to kill him? Mu Yunxi teased, ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty has taken a liking to this Lu Chen?¡± The Yue Emperor casually responded, ¡°My affairs are none of your concern. I plan to capture Lu Chen and cripple his martial prowess.¡± The Yue Emperor had already decided that since Wu Junwan truly loved Lu Chen and they had already consummated their marriage, she would cripple Lu Chen and then give him to Wu Junwan as a favored consort. This way, it wouldn¡¯t harm the relationship between the two sisters. Mu Yunxi then said, ¡°Although I do not know what Your Majesty intends, I must remind you that this Lu Chen might not be a mere mortal. If we do not kill him, we might make a disastrous mistake.¡± The Yue Emperor insisted, ¡°I do not wish to discuss this a second time.¡± Seeing that the Yue Emperor still insisted, Mu Yunxi said indifferently, ¡°Well then, since Your Majesty is so fond of Lu Chen, if I capture him, I will leave him for Your Majesty as a male concubine.¡± The Yue Emperor did not say much, as long as Mu Yunxi did not kill Lu Chen. Mu Yunxi continued, ¡°This time, the four Celestials of the Daxia Dynasty are likely to take action, and the pressure on me is great.¡± The Yue Emperor said expressionlessly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were not afraid of the Celestials of Daxia?¡± Mu Yunxi said lightly, ¡°I am naturally not afraid of them, what I fear is that I might accidentally reveal my true strength, and then the Heavenly Dao would descend a Heavenly Tribulation on me.¡± ¡°However, on the other hand, if we can eliminate the four Celestials of Daxia, we would essentially be destroying both the Daxia and Great Wu dynasties. After that, we just need to eliminate Great Qian to unify this world.¡± In Mu Yunxi¡¯s view, the Celestials were the highest combat power in this world. Without the Celestials, the remnants of the royal families of the Daxia Dynasty and Great Wu would be like lambs to the slaughter. The only difficulty now seemed to be Great Qian. Though she had sent spies to Great Qian early on to gather information, the spies she sent ended up missing, and she still hadn¡¯t figured out exactly what the situation in Great Qian was. The situation in Great Qian was somewhat strange, making Mu Yunxi feel somewhat endangered. At this moment, Mu Yunxi had not yet anticipated that the real danger was not the land of Great Qian, but the impending arrival of Lu Chen. The next day early in the morning, the Yue Emperor began a mobilization, starting to recruit a large number of reserve soldiers. The soldiers recruited later had not been trained in battle formations and certainly would not be going to the battlefield, but they still had a significant role. They could take charge of logistics, transporting supplies, and the like. Despite the Daxia¡¯s proclamation for the conquest resonating with many of the people of Dayue, when the Yue Emperor announced the recruitment of soldiers, there were still many who volunteered to join the defense war against Daxia. Even though the Barbarian Tribe was detestable, the people of Dayue did not want their dynasty to be occupied by another. In Dayue, they were still citizens of the Dayue Dynasty, first-class citizens, but if Dayue were to be destroyed in the future, they could well become second or even third-class citizens. Soon, Dayue had assembled an army of 700,000. Lu Chen had not expected that Dayue could recruit so many soldiers in such a short time. However, among these soldiers, only about 300,000 were capable of going into battle, so this was not much of a threat to Daxia. Time flew by swiftly, and soon the day arrived when Lu Chen was to set off. It was still dimly light, and the common people of Yan County spontaneously took to the streets, waiting for their Emperor to pass by on the main street. The proclamation for the conquest of Dayue not only resonated with the people of Dayue, but also deeply outraged some people of Daxia. After all, Daxia was frequently raided by the Barbarian Tribe, and the thought that Dayue had actually allied with the Barbarian Tribe made the people of Daxia see little difference between Dayue and the Barbarian Tribe. Thus, their Emperor personally leading the campaign against Dayue was also a campaign against the Barbarian Tribe, and the people of Daxia naturally supported Lu Chen. At that moment. At the entrance of the Imperial Palace. Lu Chen was ready to don his armor and mount his horse, while Mu Zixuan and the rest of his wives and concubines stood at the doorway, watching him with reluctant eyes. Lu Chen, with a smile on his face, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my wives, I will be back soon.¡± ¡°The battle between Daxia and Dayue won¡¯t take long!¡± Lu Chen was so confident that the battle would not take long because he had learned from intelligence that Dayue planned to use battle formations to counter the Celestials. They intended to decide the outcome in one battle without wasting forces needlessly. Thus, all the significant military forces of Dayue would be concentrated together; as long as Dayue¡¯s main force was defeated, the war could pretty much be considered over. At this time, Wu Junwan looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I would like to go with you to Dayue.¡± Chapter 826 - Chapter 826: Chapter 516: The First Battle is the Decisive Battle Chapter 826: Chapter 516: The First Battle is the Decisive Battle Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s request, Lu Chen didn¡¯t even think before refusing. Wu Junwan now had a child. How could he possibly allow her to risk her life on the battlefield? The battle between Celestials often inadvertently endangered those nearby. Wu Junwan knew that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t let her go, but her heart was still anxious. On one hand, she worried that Lu Chen might encounter danger. If Lu Chen were in danger, she could stand up for him, and perhaps the Yue Emperor might spare Lu Chen for her sake. On the other hand, she also worried about the Yue Emperor. She thought that if she were there, perhaps Lu Chen would not make things difficult for the Yue Emperor out of respect for her. Of course, there was another reason: if she were there, the Yue Emperor might not fight to the death in the end. The Yue Emperor had a rather fierce personality and was likely to refuse compromise. He would rather die than surrender. If she were there, she could persuade her dear sister, and perhaps the Yue Emperor would choose to live for her sake. Lu Chen also knew what Wu Junwan was thinking. However, for the safety of Wu Junwan and the child in her womb, he could under no circumstances allow her to follow him to the battlefield. Wu Junwan also knew that Lu Chen did not want her to go, but for the sake of Lu Chen and the Yue Emperor, she had to meet with the Yue Emperor. At that moment, Lu Chen, riding his horse, said, ¡°Junwan, I know what you¡¯re worried about, but rest assured, I will handle this matter.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re really worried, after the war is over, I can arrange for someone to bring you to Great Jue to meet the Yue Emperor.¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Wu Junwan could only respond, ¡°I understand. May Your Majesty return triumphant. I will wait in Yan County for Your Majesty¡¯s good news.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and then turned to Chu Yuqin, saying, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯ll leave the Imperial Palace in your care after I leave.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°Your Majesty, march with ease. Junwan and I will surely protect Yan County.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then swept over his wives concubines one by one. He thought to himself that after this personal campaign ended, he probably wouldn¡¯t need to leave them for the next dozen years or so. He would then live a joyful life with them every day. His current efforts were all for the purpose of enjoying a better future. Hoping everything would go smoothly, Lu Chen then loudly commanded, ¡°March!¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen rode his horse straight through the main street. When the commoners of Yan County saw the Emperor on horseback, they immediately knelt down, ¡°Hail, Your Majesty! Long live, long live, forever and ever!¡± At that moment, someone shouted, ¡°May Your Majesty have great military fortune and return victorious!¡± The people then followed, shouting loudly, ¡°May Your Majesty have great military fortune and return victorious!¡± The voices of the commoners resonated throughout the main street. The soldiers following Lu Chen also felt their blood boiling. Never before had the entire city¡¯s commoners seen them off to war. For many soldiers, it was their first time witnessing such a scene. The people of Yan County didn¡¯t just shout a few times and then stop; they kept shouting continuously. Even as Lu Chen moved beyond the city gates, the voices of the entire city¡¯s commoners still echoed in the sky above Yan County. Although among these people, there were some who shouted merely following others, most of Yan County¡¯s commoners deeply appreciated Lu Chen and genuinely wished to see him return victorious. Hearing the people¡¯s voices along the way, a strange sense arose within Lu Chen, a deep-seated sense of mission, making him feel that if he did not defeat Great Jue, he would let down the commoners of Yan County, those of North Land, and also those of Great Sum. Soon thereafter, Lu Chen rode his horse to the railway station and then boarded a train heading to the border city adjoining Great Jue. When Great Jue learned that Lu Chen had mobilized his troops, the Yue Emperor immediately redeployed her forces. Much like what Lu Chen had initially thought, the Yue Emperor did not plan to send troops for a mere probe; she even withdrew all her stationed troops from the regions bordering Great Sum. For both sides, the first battle was decisive and, indeed, the final battle. After Lu Chen reached the border city of Great Sum, he heard that the Yue Emperor had pulled back the armies of Great Jue. He was not surprised, and Lu Chen did not rush to attack either. He sent a message to Black Dragon Country, signalling that they could now make their move. Upon receiving Lu Chen¡¯s order, Liu Zhengchu, the ruler of Black Dragon Country, immediately led one hundred thousand elite soldiers to press directly towards the borders of Great Jue. ¡­ Great Jue Imperial Palace. In the Imperial Study Room, candlelight flickered; it was already nighttime. The candlelight reflected on the cheeks of every minister in the Imperial Study Room, with each of them having a solemn, serious expression. In the middle of the ministers, there was a large table, and on it was placed a rough map of the world. At that time, the Yue Emperor still sat at her own desk, several meters away from the ministers in the Imperial Study Room. She spoke icily, ¡°Great Sum has already deployed its troops. My dear ministers, where do you think we should choose as the battleground for the decisive battle?¡± The final battle between Great Jue and Great Sum could be considered large-scale army warfare. Such a scale of combat definitely required the selection of a suitable location. Upon hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s words, the ministers in the Imperial Study Room looked at each other. Just then, the voice of a soldier suddenly came from outside the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Your Majesty, there is movement from Black Dragon Country!¡± On hearing this, everyone inside the hall held their breath again. Movement from Black Dragon Country? Why would Black Dragon Country make a move at this time? Was Black Dragon Country trying to take advantage of the situation? Soon, a soldier entered the Imperial Study Room and knelt on the ground, holding up an urgent military report from the west above his head. With a wave of her hand, the military report flew straight to the Yue Emperor¡¯s hands. She then unrolled the scroll and glanced over the contents of the military report. After reading the contents of the military report, a ball of gunpowder suddenly appeared in the Yue Emperor¡¯s hand, and in the blink of an eye, she burned the report to ashes. Seeing this, the ministers in the Imperial Study Room dared not even breathe heavily. At this point, one minister courageously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, may I inquire about the situation in the west?¡± Normally, such an important military report would have been shared with the ministers for review. But the Yue Emperor had just burned it directly. How then could the ministers know exactly what the situation was in the west? Of course, this also showed how very angry the Yue Emperor was at that moment. At that time, the Yue Emperor said coldly, ¡°The ruler of Black Dragon Country personally led one hundred thousand elite troops to invade the territory of Great Jue. It seems they have already reached some form of cooperation with Great Sum.¡± The Yue Emperor was not a fool. Although previously she might not have noticed, but this time, Black Dragon Country moved at the same time as Great Sum, and the Yue Emperor also thought of the details of past events. Whenever Great Jue intended to trouble Great Sum in the past, Black Dragon Country would emerge to put pressure on Great Jue. Previously, they thought Black Dragon Country simply wanted to take advantage of the situation. Even regarding this occasion, numerous people within Great Jue undoubtedly thought Black Dragon Country was trying to take advantage of the chaos. However, upon close consideration, if Black Dragon Country truly wanted to exploit the situation, they would not have been inactive every previous time, and a Celestial from Black Dragon Country made their move this time. This clearly indicated that there was some relationship between Black Dragon Country and Great Sum. Although the Yue Emperor did not know the specifics of this relationship, it was undeniable that Black Dragon Country was siding with Great Sum. Chapter 827 - Chapter 827: Chapter 517: The First Conversation between Yue Emperor and Lu Chen Chapter 827: Chapter 517: The First Conversation between Yue Emperor and Lu Chen Upon hearing the words of the Yue Emperor, the ministers in the Imperial Study Room were immediately shocked. The monarch of the Black Dragon Country personally leading troops to attack Great Jue? This¡­ Is the Black Dragon Country serious this time? Previously, the Black Dragon Country only ever made minimal military movements, with their monarch mostly staying in the capital. Why so serious this time? What do we do now? The main force of Great Jue¡¯s army has been dispatched to the east, and there¡¯s no defense in the west whatsoever; there¡¯s simply no way to resist an attack from the west by the Black Dragon Country. After all, the monarch of the Black Dragon Country is a Celestial, which is definitely a threat to Great Jue. If Great Jue doesn¡¯t defend its rear, even if they win on the frontline, they could still collapse due to a stealth attack from the Black Dragon Country. Even if Great Jue doesn¡¯t fall into disarray, it will certainly suffer a heavy blow, and with the appearance of the Black Dragon Country, securing a victory in a decisive battle just got a lot more difficult. It was at this moment that a voice, cold but with a hint of captivating allure, floated in through the window of the Imperial Study Room. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you all to be frightened by a mere Black Dragon Country.¡± Everyone looked toward the voice and saw Mu Yunxi leaning on the windowsill. Seeing Mu Yunxi appear, the Yue Emperor calmly said, ¡°Oh? Does this mean you have a solution, State Preceptor?¡± Mu Yunxi replied, ¡°Just send two battalions trained in the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array to the west, and as for the four Celestials that might appear at the front, I will hold them off for you.¡± ¡°While I can¡¯t simply strike offensively, there should be no problem in helping you fend off their attacks.¡± Upon hearing what Mu Yunxi said, the Yue Emperor thought for a moment. If this woman really was as powerful as she claimed, then perhaps it was worth a try. Moreover, there were no other options available at the moment. If the Black Dragon Country launched a surprise attack from behind, it could very well lead to the failure of the battle array. So, it was better to send two battalions to hold off the invasion of the Black Dragon Country¡¯s hundred thousand troops. The soldiers of Great Jue were now essentially masters of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array, even more skilled than the Barbarian Tribe soldiers, who had trained in the array for quite some time but couldn¡¯t compare to Great Jue¡¯s forces. This was hardly surprising, since although Great Jue¡¯s military discipline might not match Daxia¡¯s, it was still far superior to that of the Barbarian Tribes, allowing Great Jue¡¯s soldiers to rapidly consolidate their power when deploying the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array. At this moment, the Yue Emperor thought that if two battalions were dispatched to the west, there was a high probability of holding off the Black Dragon Country. Since the Black Dragon Country didn¡¯t have the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array and had only one Celestial, all they needed to do was to keep the Black Dragon monarch tied down. With this in mind, the Yue Emperor immediately wrote two military orders, arranging for two battalions adept in the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array to intercept the invading army of the Black Dragon Country. After several hours of discussion, the Yue Emperor and his ministers finally decided on the location for the decisive battle. The chosen location for the decisive battle was in Shao Hai County of the Dayue Dynasty, a sparsely populated area with vast lands, devoid of any significant towns. Even if the power of Celestial combat caused immense destruction, it would not inflict too much damage upon Great Jue. With the location for the decisive battle confirmed, all that was left was to wait. A few days later. In Guangyuan City of the Daxia Dynasty. Lu Chen, clad in black-golden armor, was looking at a map in the courtyard when a soldier rushed in, seemingly in great haste, ¡°Your Majesty, we have a result!¡± The soldier was extremely excited, appearing as though he had just learned some excellent news. Lu Chen looked up at the soldier and asked, ¡°Where?¡± The soldier handed the intelligence in his hand to Lu Chen, then continued, ¡°In Shao Hai County!¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s response, Lu Chen did not immediately open the intelligence in his hands, but looked down at the rough map of Great Jue, lost in thought. After a long while, Lu Chen said to the soldier, ¡°Summon all the generals immediately for a military conference!¡± Since Great Jue had already decided on the location for the decisive battle, there was no need for Great Sum to continue waiting. The reason why Lu Chen had stopped at Guangyuan City without moving forward was that he was waiting for Great Jue to decide on the location of the decisive battle. Lu Chen also did not want to set the battleground in a populous area; a battle between Celestials had enormous destructive power. Moreover, this time there were several Celestials, not just one, and he also possessed the Slayer Spear. Once the Slayer Spear was used, the destruction it caused would be even greater. To Lu Chen, the population of Great Jue was also a resource; he did not wish for Great Jue to suffer too great a loss of its people. In not too many years, the prohibitions of the Misty World would disappear. At that time, who knew how many soldiers would be needed to resist the invasion of powers from the Misty World. The Military Generals of Great Sum, hearing that a military conference was to be convened, knew that Great Jue must have determined the location for the decisive battle. They quickly arrived at Lu Chen¡¯s courtyard and initiated a series of discussions. When the ordinary troops would take the field, when the Celestials would appear, and what to do after the battle between the Celestials had finished¡ªthese were all deliberated over in the military conference. After the military conference concluded, Lu Chen personally led Great Sum¡¯s army of five hundred thousand men straight toward Great Jue¡¯s Shao Hai County. Both Great Jue and Great Sum tacitly understood each other, with the main force of Great Jue also converging towards Shao Hai County and quickly completing its assembly. One month later, Lu Chen¡¯s army of five hundred thousand reached Shao Hai County, only to find the Dayue Army had long been waiting. The forces of the two countries met in a basin, and the atmosphere immediately became tense, with a great battle between them about to erupt. Lu Chen did not hurry to attack; instead, he mounted his horse and looked at the opposing side through binoculars. He had never seen the Yue Emperor, nor had he seen Mu Yunxi, so he was somewhat curious. He wanted to know what these two women looked like and to understand their real strength. However, the Yue Emperor was sitting in a huge carriage drawn by sixteen tall black warhorses, each of which was more than double the size of the horse Lu Chen was riding. Of course, Lu Chen¡¯s interest was not in the horses. The door of the carriage obstructed his view, and there was no way for Lu Chen to see what the Yue Emperor inside the carriage looked like. Just then, a breeze blew across the no man¡¯s land between the two armies, stirring up dust and making the air unusually hot. At this moment, a cold, domineering voice came from within the Yue Emperor¡¯s carriage, ¡°I have long heard that the Sum Emperor is extraordinarily handsome, like a Banished Immortal descending to earth. Seeing you today, indeed, your reputation is well-deserved!¡± Before meeting Lu Chen, the Yue Emperor was filled with curiosity about him, considering his situation somewhat unbelievable. Her good sister was not without experience of men, nor had she not seen good men. In the sect they used to belong to, there were countless exceptional and talented disciples. And there were also many men who pursued Wu Junwan, but she had never consented. Why, after leaving the Misty World, did Wu Junwan choose Lu Chen as her man, and even planned to bear his children? At this point, the Yue Emperor, through a small hole in the carriage window, had gotten a clear view of Lu Chen and was now partly understanding why her good sister liked this man. This man was indeed different from ordinary men; his figure clad in battle armor and his hair flowing, a sight that could hardly resist captivating a woman. Even the Empress herself thought that having this man as a consort would be completely unproblematic. At that moment, from a distance, Lu Chen heard the mature voice coming from inside the carriage and his heart skipped a beat. Without mentioning anything else, just that voice alone was truly pleasant to the ear. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I have also heard that the Empress of Dayue is as beautiful as a celestial, a rare sight in this world. It is unfortunate that separated by doors and windows, I cannot have the honor of beholding your grace!¡± Chapter 828 - Chapter 828: Chapter 518: This Man Indeed Has Some Skills Chapter 828: Chapter 518: This Man Indeed Has Some Skills After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the Yue Emperor immediately said, ¡°If you want to see what I look like, that depends on whether you, Sum Emperor, have the strength.¡± On the battlefield, where most people would speak of righteousness, the Yue Emperor did not mention such things. Lu Chen had already prepared his response. Once the Yue Emperor accused him of invading Great Jue and so forth, he would immediately accuse the Yue Emperor of colluding with the Barbarian Tribe, betraying the ancestors of Great Jue, and betraying the people of Great Jue. However, the Yue Emperor didn¡¯t utter those superficial words, rendering Lu Chen¡¯s prepared rebuttals useless. Since the opposition didn¡¯t mention these issues, Lu Chen, as the aggressor, felt it inappropriate to bring up matters of righteousness. What would follow then was to see whose tactics were more formidable, whose fists were harder. Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°You will soon know whether I have that strength.¡± At this, Lu Chen immediately drew the Emperor¡¯s Sword from his waist and shouted, ¡°Attack!¡± As his words faded, the artillerymen immediately began to arrange themselves into formation. Soon, the artillery was set in formation, and simultaneously, the Dayue Army had also lined up. The tactic planned by Lu Chen¡¯s side was simple: first bombard the Dayue Army with cannons. Faced with cannons, the Dayue Army could only resort to using their so-called battle formation for defense, which would inevitably wear down that formation to some extent. Once the Dayue battle formation was depleted, the Celestials from the Daxia side would then engage. But Lu Chen soon realized that their plan was not working. As the horn sounded and the cannon fired, countless cannon blasts echoed in the sky above the basin. Just as the cannonballs were about to fall into the Dayue Army, suddenly, the sound of bells emanated from within the carriage where the Yue Emperor sat. Immediately after, the sounds of the bells rippled like visible water waves. The next moment, when the cannonballs hit the ripples from the bells, they were directly absorbed by the visible sound waves, and then exploded above the Dayue Army. Seeing this scene, the Daxia Soldiers were stunned¡ªsuch a powerful force was able to block all the cannonballs. At this moment, the Daxia Soldiers also realized that the upcoming battle was not one they could continue to participate in. The Celestial of the enemy had taken action, and only Celestials could contend with Celestials. Seeing the cannonballs explode in the sky, Lu Chen was not surprised. He had long been aware that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess and the Yue Emperor might be Celestials. Since they had to confront Celestials, now they could only deploy their own Celestials. Lu Chen then shouted, ¡°Entire army, retreat!¡± As his voice echoed, the drums within the Daxia Army sounded, and the Daxia Army swiftly retreated, while the Dayue Army remained in their position and did not advance. The Daxia Army completed their withdrawal in an extremely short time, retreating to a distant place. Now, only Lu Chen, the Sunset Sword Sect, and the people of Tai Chu Divine Hall remained on the field. Feeling the presence of two strong individuals beside Lu Chen, Mu Yunxi and the Yue Emperor were somewhat puzzled. Wasn¡¯t it said that Lu Chen had four Celestials by his side? Why were there only two Celestials now? Where had the other two Celestials gone? Or was there some error in their intelligence, and the Daxia actually had only two Celestials? If Great Sum only had two Celestials, even without battle formations, those two alone could stand against Great Sum. As Mu Yunxi and Yue Emperor thought this, Lu Chen, mounted on his horse, loudly said, ¡°I have heard that Great Jue¡¯s battle formations are extremely formidable, capable of contending with Celestials. I am very keen to see if they are as rumored.¡± ¡°I wonder if Yue Emperor could grant me such an experience!¡± Hearing this, Yue Emperor immediately replied, ¡°Since the Sum Emperor wishes to witness Great Jue¡¯s battle formations, I shall fulfill Sum Emperor¡¯s wish!¡± Having said this, Yue Emperor coldly directed the Dayue Army, ¡°Form up!¡± As soon as these words fell, the sound of horns echoed above the Dayue Army, quickly resonating across the basin. Several units of the Great Jue¡¯s Army rapidly adjusted their positions. Although they didn¡¯t immediately activate the battle formation, they could launch it instantaneously as soon as any of the Daxia Celestials made a move, Seeing that the Dayue soldiers adjusted their positions and then halted, Lu Chen felt somewhat puzzled. This so-called battle formation seemed hardly remarkable. Just as Lu Chen thought this, suddenly, a massive golden dragon appeared above one of Great Jue¡¯s regiments. This golden dragon charged straight at Lu Chen and his men. Lu Chen hadn¡¯t expected that Great Jue would take the offensive initiative, it seemed that Great Jue was not taking them seriously. Lu Chen immediately said to Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan, ¡°Hall Master Mu, Sect Master Xia, it¡¯s up to you now!¡± The two replied in unison, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Upon their response, Xia Tianyuan immediately drew his sword, slashing out with it and sending a massive wave of Sword Qi instantly towards that golden dragon. After Xia Tianyuan made his move, Mu Hongguang also took action, releasing a pressure from his body that overwhelmed the Dayue soldiers, rendering them unable to stand. However, the soldiers from the other Dayue regiments quickly reacted, immediately employing the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array. In response, four golden dragons charged at them. These four golden dragons exuded a pressure not inferior to Celestials, even Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan felt their lives were threatened. Feeling the pressure emanating from the golden dragons, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat impressed, thankful that he had come himself, as just sending two Celestials might genuinely have not been able to handle Great Jue. He hadn¡¯t expected a battle formation to play such a significant role. If the Daxia Army learned this battle formation, could they then resist formidable enemies from the Misty World in the future? Thinking this, a smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face. Just then, the four golden dragons had reached Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang. It seemed they were about to strike, but luckily, as Celestials, avoiding such attacks was not too problematic for them. Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan moved simultaneously, their figures flashing as the four golden dragons collided with each other, causing a massive explosion of spiritual power that almost sent Lu Chen, standing far off, flying. Yue Emperor and Mu Yunxi were somewhat surprised to see Lu Chen still seated steadily on his horse, unmoved. Although they only sensed the strength of a Pseudo Celestial from Lu Chen, judging from his ability to resist the aftermath of the explosion from the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array, Lu Chen¡¯s true strength may very well be closely approaching that of a Celestial. This man indeed had some skills. At this moment, Yue Emperor huffed coldly to herself, thinking, no wonder her dearest friend was so enchanted by this man; he had strength and potential, was remarkably handsome, like a Banished Immortal descended to earth, a woman who saw him wouldn¡¯t easily unlove him unless she was someone like herself who follows the Unfeeling Tao and holds no interest in such men. Chapter 829 - Chapter 829: Chapter 519: I am naturally not afraid of him Chapter 829: Chapter 519: I am naturally not afraid of him After the remnants of the Golden Dragon¡¯s explosion had passed, Lu Chen dismounted his horse and then patted the mare¡¯s rear, indicating that it should move away from the battlefield. The instant he did so, his horse understood his meaning and turned to run towards the rear. Standing still afterwards, Lu Chen looked towards the center of the explosion and loudly said, ¡°I really hadn¡¯t expected the Great Jue¡¯s battle array to possess such power, yet unfortunately, it¡¯s still not strong enough!¡± Hearing this, Yue Emperor snorted coldly. Although this man had successfully blocked the residual impact of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array¡¯s explosion, and his strength was still acceptable, it was, after all, only the residual impact of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array. The golden dragons had not made direct contact with Lu Chen¡¯s body. If the golden dragon illusions of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array had directly hit a person, let alone a Pseudo Celestial, even a Celestial might have been heavily injured or even perished. Of course, regardless of whether Lu Chen¡¯s words were a provocation, Yue Emperor would not allow her soldiers to directly attack Lu Chen, as she still planned to capture him and later give him to one of her close sisters as a male pet. At that moment, Lu Chen took out the shrunken Slayer Spear from his sleeve. As soon as the Slayer Spear appeared, it instantly grew to the size of Barrett. Seeing the strange weapon in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, both Yue Emperor and Mu Yunxi were momentarily stunned. Yue Emperor did not know what rank the Slayer Spear was; she only felt that the weapon was peculiar. However, Mu Yunxi, who was beside Yue Emperor, quickly recovered and furrowed her brows, immediately recognizing the rank of the Slayer Spear. Though she did not know what type of Spiritual Artifact the Slayer Spear was or how it was used, any Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact was bound to have a significant impact. It puzzled Mu Yunxi. How could such a world have an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact? Would this world¡¯s Heavenly Dao allow the existence of an Earth Rank Artifact with such an immense destructive power? A Spiritual Artifact that is too powerful might harm the very foundation of this world when used, thus damaging the world. Looking at the Slayer Spear in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Mu Yunxi fell into deep thought. This has become somewhat troublesome; she had already been careful enough. She was afraid to take action for fear of upsetting Heavenly Dao, yet here had appeared not only the dangerous element of this world¡¯s Heavenly Dao but also an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact. If the Spiritual Artifact in Xia Tianyuan¡¯s hands was offensive, it was entirely possible that it could injure her body with the power of an Earth Grade Artifact. Not acceptable; she could not just wait passively. It looked like she would have to get rid of her ally Yue Emperor first. At that moment, Mu Yunxi had already prepared to flee, while Yue Emperor, known as Li Qianrou, was still completely unaware that her ally was plotting an escape. Just then, the horn within the Dayue Army sounded once again, and a few Golden Dragons reappeared in the sky. Seeing these Golden Dragons, Lu Chen unhesitantly lifted the Slayer Spear and then aimed it at one of them. Lu Chen then told Xia Tianyuan and Mu Hongguang, ¡°Sect Master Xia, Hall Master Mu, come back here and replenish some Spiritual Energy for me.¡± Hearing this, the two immediately reacted. They swiftly moved to Lu Chen¡¯s side and began to transfer their own Spiritual Energy into Lu Chen¡¯s body. Using the Slayer Spear was extremely depleting of Spiritual Energy, and Lu Chen was only a Pseudo Celestial at the moment. Even though he could minimize the energy consumption of the Slayer Spear, being an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, its minimal consumption of Spiritual Energy was still enormous. Seeing Mu Hongguang and Xia Tianyuan returning to Lu Chen¡¯s side, Mu Yunxi felt an increasing sense of crisis, yet she still harbored a stroke of luck, thinking, How could a Pseudo Celestial possibly make an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact recognize him as its master? Perhaps this Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact had not yet recognized a master. If it hadn¡¯t and someone forcefully used it, it might likely cause the artifact to backfire. Artifact backfire was extremely dangerous, especially with high-grade artifacts. Mu Yunxi was now waiting for Lu Chen to suffer from the artifact¡¯s backfire. If Lu Chen were affected by the backfire, not only could she easily eliminate him, but she could also obtain an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact. Although Mu Yunxi¡¯s calculation was good, she soon realized she had underestimated Lu Chen. At that moment, the muzzle of the Slayer Spear gathered a large mass of purple Spiritual Energy, containing extremely terrifying power, the mere sight of which made Yue Emperor Li Qianrou and Mu Yunxi¡¯s hearts pound with fear. Li Qianrou¡¯s eyebrows raised as she had been in the Misty World for so many years and had never come across something that gave her such a sense of life-and-death crisis. This weapon must not be simple! While Li Qianrou was thinking this, Lu Chen pulled the trigger, and subsequently, a purple beam of light shot out from the muzzle of the Slayer Spear, clearing all the golden dragons in the sky. The moment those golden dragons vanished, the huge backlash from the battle array caused all the soldiers who formed the array to fall to the ground, and some of the weaker ones died instantly. Seeing the Dayue soldiers collapsing in heaps, Li Qianrou¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply. This was something she had completely not anticipated. She had thought that Lu Chen¡¯s reliance was on those four Celestials, but it turned out that his true reliance was the terrifying weapon in his hands. How could a weapon with such immense power exist in this world! Li Qianrou quickly snapped back to reality, knowing this was not the time to ponder such things. She coldly said to Mu Yunxi standing beside her, ¡°You once said that no Celestial in this world is your match, and Lu Chen is just a Pseudo Celestial, so he surely isn¡¯t your match either, right?¡± Hearing this question, Mu Yunxi didn¡¯t show any negative expressions. She smiled charmingly and then said, ¡°I naturally don¡¯t fear him.¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s response, Li Qianrou felt a slight relief. Now it all depended on whether this Goddess of the Barbarian Tribe was reliable. If she wasn¡¯t, Li Qianrou might truly be unable to deal with Lu Chen. What Li Qianrou didn¡¯t know was that inside, Mu Yunxi truly wasn¡¯t afraid of Lu Chen, but she was very fearful of the Slayer Spear in his hand. At that moment, Mu Yunxi thought to herself that gaining the recognition of the Heavenly Dao in this world was not going to be easy; this plan had to be long-considered. Although she wanted to return to her homeland, she wasn¡¯t about to lose her life for it. After Lu Chen dispersed all of Dayue¡¯s battle arrays with one shot, he didn¡¯t aim the Slayer Spear at the carriage of Li Qianrou. He put away the Slayer Spear and asked, ¡°I wonder if the Yue Emperor still thinks Dayue¡¯s battle arrays are impressive?¡± The moment Lu Chen finished speaking, the sound of bells came spreading out from Li Qianrou¡¯s carriage, and the next moment, a majestic aura burst forth, instantly forcing the carriage doors open. The next moment, purple ribbons were blown chaotically by the force, and a seductive, beautiful woman appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s sight. Chapter 830 - Chapter 830: Chapter 520: Li Qianrou and Mu Yunxi Chapter 830: Chapter 520: Li Qianrou and Mu Yunxi Upon seeing the woman appear in the carriage, Lu Chen was slightly stunned. The woman was dressed in a purple gown, her skin white as snow, revealing her fair abdomen, and her body sparkled with gold everywhere. Her jade feet stood in the carriage, and the purple gown fluttered with the wind, exposing her long, fair legs. Around the woman¡¯s ankle, there was a red string, tied with a bell. With a figure curvy from front to back, she looked enchantingly charming, making anyone¡¯s blood surge with a single glance, and Lu Chen was captivated by her beauty. However, Lu Chen quickly came to his senses. After all, he had seen fairies like Yun Xianxian. At that moment, Lu Chen looked into the carriage, and saw a woman dressed in a golden phoenix robe, sitting inside. She wore a phoenix crown and had a stunning appearance with a dignified aura, giving off a feeling of a motherly empress to the world. Although Lu Chen had not used the system to identify the two women¡¯s identities, their dressing styles were distinct, making it apparent at first glance who was the Yue Emperor and who was the Barbarian Tribe Goddess. Moreover, Lu Chen instantly concluded that their scores were definitely over ninety, and even close to a hundred. Of course, whether the score was high or not was not for him to decide; it depended on the system¡¯s calculation. Immediately, Lu Chen looked at the Yue Emperor and first used the system to identify her. [Name: Li Qianrou] [Identity: Dayue Empress, close friends with Wu Junwan, 33 years old, in the Pseudo-Celestial Realm, plans to capture you after knowing you have had marital relations with Wu Junwan, strip you of your power, and then send you to Wu Junwan as a male concubine.] [Score: 99] [Favorability: 96] Huh? Seeing Li Qianrou¡¯s favorability, Lu Chen was taken aback; why was Yue Emperor¡¯s favorability toward him also this high? As Lu Chen was puzzled, the system notification sounded. [Wu Junwan once gave Dragon and Phoenix Tea to Li Qianrou.] Upon seeing this notification from the system, Lu Chen immediately understood and could not help but reveal a smile; it turned out to be Wu Junwan¡¯s advance assistance. His woman was really considerate. With Wu Junwan¡¯s prior help, it would be relatively easier for him to win over the Yue Emperor. However, having said that, he had heard from Wu Junwan that Li Qianrou followed the Unfeeling Tao. Even if she had a favorability of over ninety towards him, she might not necessarily want to become his woman. From Li Qianrou¡¯s data, it was clear that she intended to send him to Wu Junwan; thus, there were no romantic feelings involved for him. The favorability might be just pure admiration. Thinking of this, Lu Chen glanced once more at the Barbarian Tribe Goddess with her bare abdomen. The next moment, her data also appeared before Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. [Name: Mu Yunxi] [Identity: Barbarian Tribe Goddess, Dayue National Master, other Cultivators from the Cultivation World, 1000 years old, Genesis Realm; currently, her strength is suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, allowing her only to exert the power of a Celestial. She attempts to control this world, gain the recognition of this world¡¯s Heavenly Dao, and then use this method to open the world channels and leave this world. She is very curious about Sum Emperor Lu Chen.] [Score: 99] [Favorability: 50] Having seen the information about Mu Yunxi, Lu Chen was not too surprised; he had long realized that this so-called Barbarian Tribe Goddess was not from this world, and now it seemed she indeed came from another one. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Mu Yunxi¡¯s realm. Genesis Realm, huh¡­ Besides this Mu Yunxi, the strongest in this world was only at the Celestial Realm, he had not expected that a Genesis Realm expert would appear now. Fortunately, the Heavenly Dao of this world suppressed Mu Yunxi¡¯s skill, otherwise Lu Chen was not entirely sure if he could defeat Mu Yunxi. At this point, Lu Chen was also curious that this woman had a Favorability score of fifty towards him. Li Qianrou had a high Favorability score toward him because of the influence of the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, but Mu Yunxi probably hadn¡¯t drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, yet her Favorability toward him was also so high. For someone he met for the first time, a Favorability of fifty was considered very high. Lu Chen still remembered when he went to Yan County to be the Seignior, the people of the North Land didn¡¯t even have a Favorability of thirty toward him. Too bad a high Favorability was of no use; they were now enemies. To turn an enemy into a friend, he needed to defeat them first. At that moment, Mu Yunxi¡¯s ethereal and enchanting voice came through, ¡°It seems we underestimated you, Sum Emperor truly merits being able to obliterate a dynasty in such a short time, possessing such formidable strength.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°I also underestimated you. I initially thought that Dayue had at most two Celestials, but I didn¡¯t expect there to also be a guest from another world, even a Genesis Realm expert.¡± Upon hearing this, the smile on Mu Yunxi¡¯s face instantly solidified, her eyebrows raised and she instantly became alert. She indeed was of the Genesis Realm, but she did not think someone from this world could discern her realm, especially since her skill had been greatly suppressed by this world¡¯s Heavenly Dao, making it seemingly impossible for Lu Chen to figure it out. How did this man determine her realm? She suddenly felt this man was extremely dangerous. It made sense, really; how could an ordinary person in this lower-level world possess an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact? Could it be that this Sum Emperor also came from another world? He might even be from some powerful Cultivator of an Aristocratic Family from the Cultivation World. If that were the case, it was best for her to stay away from this guy; her family had many enemies in the Cultivation World, and if Lu Chen came from a rival family, she might be in danger. With this thought, Mu Yunxi was already preparing to flee, but to gather more information, she did not run away immediately. She then asked, ¡°Knowing my true realm, does that mean, Sum Emperor, you are also a cultivator from another world?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°If I said no, would Miss Mu believe me?¡± ¡°But on the other hand, Miss Mu just turned a thousand years old this year and landed in this low-level world, which must be very uncomfortable for you.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen directly state her age, Mu Yunxi¡¯s complexion instantly darkened. If Lu Chen had only figured out her realm, she might simply think that he, like her, was from another world. The outside world was so vast, Lu Chen might not necessarily be from those rival families of the Mu family, but now that Lu Chen directly called out her surname and even stated her age, it meant that Lu Chen knew about the Mu family and even recognized her, knowing her real name and her real identity. This terrified Mu Yunxi; she had never revealed her age before. Of course, there was another possibility, that Lu Chen was so powerful that he had surpassed her and could see her bone age. If that was the case, it was equally distressing for her. Mu Yunxi raised her eyebrows slightly; now she was in trouble. Chapter 832 - Chapter 832: Chapter 522: Are You Planning to threaten me with Junwan? Chapter 832: Chapter 522: Are You Planning to threaten me with Junwan? When Mu Yunxi¡¯s voice dissipated in the sky above the basin, the residual force of the exploding water dragon also vanished, and long ago there was no trace of Mu Yunxi on the carriage. At this moment, Li Qianrou¡¯s face was as cold as frost, Sword Qi flickering incessantly around her. Soon, the carriage was completely destroyed by those Sword Qi. Obviously, Li Qianrou was furious because of Mu Yunxi¡¯s escape. She had long been aware that the alliance between them was unreliable, but she hadn¡¯t expected Mu Yunxi to flee at this time. After all, Mu Yunxi was a powerhouse of the Genesis Realm, yet she had such little courage. If that woman was of no use, then she would have to rely on herself. Although Lu Chen was very strong, in her world, there was no such word as ¡°fear.¡± She did not believe that she had no way to deal with Lu Chen. Just then, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Yue Emperor, now that Junwan has become my woman and you and Junwan are good friends, there really is no need for us to cross swords.¡± Upon hearing these words, the Yue Emperor snorted coldly and then said, ¡°What, you want to include me in your harem as well?¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± Not to mention she detested men the most, even if she didn¡¯t, she would never compete with her own sister for a man¡¯s favor. In her eyes, Lu Chen was nothing more than Wu Junwan¡¯s paramour. Hearing the Yue Emperor¡¯s icy tone, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If the Yue Emperor is willing, it is not impossible.¡± Li Qianrou sneered and said, ¡°If you want me to become your woman, you¡¯ll have to see if you have the strength for that.¡± As she spoke, Sword Qi around Li Qianrou¡¯s body gathered together to form a huge tornado. Immediately after, the tornado surged towards Lu Chen who promptly raised the Slayer Spear and aimed it at the tornado. With a single thrust, the Sword Qi tornado containing destructive power disappeared without a trace. However, Lu Chen did not immediately attack; he only needed to defend passively until Li Qianrou admitted defeat. Although Li Qianrou was strong, in the absence of a battle formation, her personal strength alone was not enough to contend with Lu Chen and the two Celestials standing behind him. Li Qianrou did not give up after her first attack was interrupted; she drew her Spirit Sword and this time directly unleashed the destructive Sword Intent. Originally, she had not intended to use Sword Intent. She was unsure whether Lu Chen could withstand her Sword Intent; if Lu Chen were to be injured, she might not be able to explain herself to her good sister later. But not using Sword Intent was no longer an option. If she didn¡¯t use it, she would likely not be a match for Lu Chen, especially considering the enormous power of the Spiritual Artifact in his hand. In fact, Li Qianrou had also noticed that although Lu Chen possessed such a powerful Spiritual Artifact, he had not launched an offensive move; he had always been in a defensive state. This indicated that Lu Chen was holding back, probably sharing the same thought as hers, but even if both did not wish to harm the other¡¯s life, a victor still needed to be decided. As the purple Sword Qi imbued with destructive Sword Intent neared Lu Chen, he once again raised the Slayer Spear, and with another thrust, the destructive Sword Intent dissipated. Seeing this scene, Li Qianrou¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; she felt somewhat astonished. If even the Sword Intent could be easily destroyed, then that Spiritual Artifact was indeed extraordinary. The crux of the matter was that Lu Chen had two Celestials constantly replenishing his Spiritual Energy from behind. In such a situation, Lu Chen could use that Spiritual Artifact multiple times. Yet even so, Li Qiangrou still did not give up. She once again employed the destructive Sword Intent and launched another attack, followed by ten successive assaults, all of which were blocked by Lu Chen. At this point, Li Qiangrou¡¯s body had clearly become weak, and her icy cheeks had turned even paler. It was evident her body had expended a great deal of Spiritual Energy and was struggling to hold up. Just after Li Qiangrou utilized the destructive Sword Intent again, her body reached its limit. She instantly fell to her knees, then, using her sword to prop herself up, displayed immense frailty. In the past, even in the Misty World, she had rarely encountered a battle of this magnitude. Although Lu Chen was constantly on the defense, and she incessantly on the offense, it was she who ended up wounded and weakened. If this continued, Lu Chen would have no trouble capturing her when he wished, and she would have no choice but to surrender. Her pride would not allow her to become this man¡¯s prisoner. It was at that moment that Sword Qi once again gathered around Li Qiangrou¡¯s body. Lu Chen originally thought she would resume her attacks, but he quickly sensed something amiss. Li Qiangrou¡¯s Sword Qi was only converging around herself, with no intention of being released. Lu Chen immediately understood, and he hastened to say, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything foolish, Junwan is still waiting to see you. If something happens to you, how is she supposed to go on?¡± Li Qiangrou let out a light chuckle, then said, ¡°Are you trying to use Junwan to threaten Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Junwan knows what kind of person Your Majesty is. She has long foreseen the choices Your Majesty would make!¡± ¡°Go back and tell her that we cannot be sisters in this life. In the next, we shall be friends.¡± As she spoke, the Sword Qi around Li Qiangrou grew increasingly violent. She continued, ¡°Since Junwan trusts you so much, Your Majesty believes you will always treat her well. She is in your care now!¡± With that, Li Qiangrou prepared to commit suicide. However, in the next instant, a figure suddenly appeared behind Li Qiangrou, embracing her body directly, and the next moment, all the Spiritual Energy within her was sealed, and she lost all her strength. Li Qiangrou was stunned and after recovering her senses, she fiercely exclaimed, ¡°How dare you!¡± But Lu Chen paid no heed to Li Qiangrou. Li Qiangrou immediately began to struggle, trying to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s grasp. No matter how Li Qiangrou struggled, she could not escape Lu Chen¡¯s arms. Lu Chen firmly held her arms, and with her Spiritual Power sealed, all her efforts to struggle were futile. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Your Majesty promised Junwan that no matter what happens, I would ensure your survival. So if you wish to commit suicide, it will have to be with Your Majesty¡¯s consent.¡± The Yue Emperor let out a scoff and said, ¡°Ridiculous. Your Majesty can commit suicide at any time, and I don¡¯t believe you can watch over Your Majesty forever.¡± Li Qiangrou¡¯s thinking was simple; Lu Chen, after all, was a sovereign of a nation. How could he possibly keep her under watch forever? As soon as Lu Chen released her, she would have a chance to end her life. She would absolutely not become this man¡¯s captive, let alone his woman. Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°You know what, Your Majesty is right. I really can keep an eye on you indefinitely.¡± With that, Lu Chen turned to the soldiers of Great Jue and said, ¡°The Yue Emperor has been captured alive by Your Majesty, and Great Jue has been defeated. Those who wish to live, lay down your weapons immediately, and in a few days, Your Majesty will accept you, under the title of Imperial Noble Consort. Your Majesty promises, as long as you lay down your arms and do not resist, there will be no indiscriminate killing of the innocent.¡± Chapter 834 - Chapter 834: Chapter 524: This Damn Bastard, Actually... Chapter 834: Chapter 524: This Damn Bastard, Actually¡­ ¡°` Li Qingrou¡¯s struggles were ultimately in vain, as with her spiritual power sealed, she had no means to counter Lu Chen. Lu Chen directly carried Li Qingrou into the Jinluan Hall, then placed her on the Phoenix Chair. Realizing that things could continue to take a turn for the worse, she might lose her chastity, Li Qingrou immediately threatened, ¡°If you dare to do such a thing to me, I¡¯ll kill myself right away!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t do that to you, you¡¯ll still kill yourself.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen turned Li Qingrou¡¯s body around and pinned her jade arms behind her. He leaned his entire body onto her buttocks and continued to whisper in her ear, ¡°On the way to Great Jue, I asked Junwan if she would mind if I wanted you. Junwan indicated that as long as I wished, I could make you my woman.¡± Stunned by Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou was momentarily at a loss. She never expected Wu Junwan, her close sister-in-arms, who had shared life and death with her and knew her personality, could betray her so easily. For a moment, Li Qingrou felt a chill in her heart, never having imagined her dear sister would betray her one day. Seeing that Li Qingrou stopped struggling after hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s name, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Junwan is still waiting for you in Yan County. Death isn¡¯t a solution to the problem. Even if you¡¯re no longer the Yue Emperor, your future life won¡¯t be too bad, and I won¡¯t slaughter the common people of Great Jue indiscriminately.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen mention the common people of Great Jue, Li Qingrou instantly understood what he was implying: this man was threatening her with the lives of Great Jue¡¯s citizens. If she did not comply with him and was determined to commit suicide, he might lift the sword against the commoners of Great Jue. In fact, Li Qingrou was overthinking. Lu Chen had no such intentions; he spoke the truth. To be united against the enemies from the Misty World in the future, Lu Chen would as much as possible unite the people of this world. Why would he kill without reason? Killing was not the goal, but a political tool. Certainly, some would have to be killed, but only those who defied his rule or plotted against him. As long as the people of Great Jue truly surrendered to Great Sum, Lu Chen would treat them just like the citizens of Great Sum. At that moment, Li Qingrou fell into silence. Seeing that she did not speak anymore, Lu Chen¡¯s hands moved to her already tattered Phoenix Robe. During the ten-plus days on the road to Dayue Capital City, Lu Chen had been holding Li Qingrou in an ambiguous posture, and for him, patience had already reached its limit. Li Qingrou was about to say something when she heard a ripping sound. She quickly twisted her body, trying to struggle, but the more Li Qingrou struggled, the more frequent her contact with Lu Chen became. ¡°Scoundrel! I am the ruler of Great Jue; you cannot defile my purity like this!¡± Lu Chen certainly didn¡¯t care about Li Qingrou¡¯s words. Holding her body, he gently turned her head and covered her red lips with his. ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± It was Li Qingrou¡¯s first time kissing a man. She initially wanted to resist, but soon she found her mind becoming extraordinarily clear, as if she had encountered something refreshing and invigorating. Li Qingrou was puzzled, how could kissing a man make her feel so spirited? However, this feeling did not last long, and soon her consciousness became blurry. Deep inside her, a voice kept reminding her that she was the ruler of Great Jue, and she couldn¡¯t let the enemy take advantage of her here. But no matter how the voice inside her called, it was useless; she had completely sunk into it. Just as Li Qingrou¡¯s mind was hazy, she suddenly sensed something wrong, ¡°Mmm!¡± Li Qingrou snapped alert in an instant. This person who cultivated the Unfeeling Tao now felt both shame and rage; the despicable man had actually¡­ Immediately, Li Qingrou cursed Lu Chen in her heart. ¡°` Bastard! How dare he treat me like this! I must kill him! As the situation was now a fait accompli, Li Qingrou gradually accepted her fate, at least for the short term. After all, in her current predicament, with her spiritual power sealed and her body strengthless, there was nothing she could do to resist whatever the male pet of Wu Junwan wanted to do to her. Soon, Li Qingrou came to a realization, Lu Chen had also consummated marriage with Wu Junwan, and now that Lu Chen had taken her own purity, it was as if she had indirectly shared an intimate connection with Wu Junwan as well. Of course, this was merely a thought to comfort herself. Under Lu Chen¡¯s control, Li Qingrou quickly became dazed, and Lu Chen said with a smile by her ear, ¡°Junwan was right; one must use a firm hand with you, otherwise you would never submit.¡± Hearing this, Li Qingrou sobered up a bit and exhaled before saying, ¡°¡­ Junwan would never say such a thing.¡± Even now, she still refused to believe that Wu Junwan had betrayed her. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Wait until you get to Great Jue, then you can ask her if she has ever said such a thing.¡± With that, Lu Chen turned Li Qingrou over, making her face him directly. Li Qingrou¡¯s face, typically as cold as ice, was now covered with a crimson blush. Li Qingrou¡¯s eyes stared fixedly at Lu Chen, as if she wanted to kill him with her gaze. Lu Chen, however, did not care for Li Qingrou¡¯s look and continued as he pleased. At that moment, Lu Chen remarked, ¡°You usually hold court here, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I wonder what the ministers of Great Jue would think if they knew what you and I were doing in this place.¡± Facing Lu Chen¡¯s humiliating words, Li Qingrou felt an immense sense of shame, but what could she do? Now she regretted not having taken her life earlier, which had resulted in her capture by this man and reduced her to his plaything. However, just as Li Qingrou was overwhelmed by shame, she suddenly discovered that the spiritual power within her body seemed to have started moving again, and a special form of spiritual power had entered her body, forming a cycle with her own spiritual power. It was as if the restrictions on her years of cultivation had been completely lifted at that moment. Li Qingrou was puzzled. What was happening? Wasn¡¯t she following the Unfeeling Tao? Why would losing her virtue lead to a loosening in her cultivation? The Misty World was different from this one. In the Misty World, even after cultivators entered the Unity Realm and became Pseudo Celestials, they would not have any enlightenment on how to become true Celestials. They could only rely on their own insights to become true Celestials. Li Qingrou became a Pseudo Celestial in the Misty World, so she had always believed that by continue following the Unfeeling Tao, she would be able to break through and become a true Celestial smoothly. But she had not anticipated that a Celestial from the Misty World and one from this world were not the same; the condition for her to become a Celestial in this world was to be defeated by a stronger man and become his woman. By a twist of fate, Lu Chen inadvertently helped Li Qingrou become a Celestial. Chapter 835 - Chapter 835: Chapter 525: It Seems You Havent Learned Your Lesson! Chapter 835: Chapter 525: It Seems You Haven¡¯t Learned Your Lesson! Lu Chen also felt that Li Qingrou¡¯s aura was madly climbing, and her imposing presence had already clearly surpassed his own. This is¡­ Lu Chen stopped his actions and glanced at Li Qingrou, who was lying on the Phoenix Chair. At that moment, an immense oppressive force was released from Li Qingrou¡¯s body. Feeling that she had broken through to become a Celestial, Li Qingrou let out a cold laugh, then looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°You didn¡¯t expect this, did you? I have broken through at this moment!¡± ¡°Now those two Celestials are outside, how will they come to your rescue!¡± ¡°Tell me, how do you wish to die!¡± The intent to kill in Li Qingrou¡¯s eyes was chilling, although she was still beneath Lu Chen¡¯s body, she was already prepared to act against Lu Chen at any moment. This man had taken her purity, even if he was Wu Junwan¡¯s male pet, no matter how much Wu Junwan liked this man, she had to punish this man harshly, otherwise, she could not quell the anger in her heart. Feeling Li Qingrou¡¯s breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm, Lu Chen not only didn¡¯t feel scared, but a smile appeared on his face instead. ¡°I want to die happily, is that possible?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was still joking even at this time, not immediately kneeling down to admit his wrongs but instead continuing to press on her, Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°It seems that you won¡¯t shed a tear until you see the coffin!¡± Having said this, Li Qingrou was about to act against Lu Chen, but as soon as she lifted her jade arm, Lu Chen caught it with both hands and pressed them to either side of her head, pinning her onto the Phoenix Chair. Li Qingrou was stunned momentarily, she had indeed broken through to the Celestial realm and had felt the flow of Spiritual Power within her body, so why at this moment did her Spiritual Power seem to have vanished, what was going on. At this time, Li Qingrou seemed to understand why Lu Chen was not afraid of her earlier, she said indignantly, ¡°What have you done to me!¡± Although a Celestial was not a big deal in the Misty World, a Celestial was still considered one of the highest combat powers in this world, how could Lu Chen so easily suppress her, a Celestial, and so thoroughly at that, it was beyond Li Qingrou¡¯s comprehension. Lu Chen looked down at the phoenix-shaped pupils of Li Qingrou and said with a smile, ¡°I told you, I want to die happily, now I¡¯m giving you a chance to let me die happily.¡± ¡°You! Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Li Qingrou wanted to say something else, but Lu Chen covered her red lips with his mouth, and ultimately, the Yue Emperor who had become a Celestial, suffered under Lu Chen¡¯s torment for several days and nights in the Jinluan Hall. Unfortunately, Li Qingrou still did not succeed in letting Lu Chen die, on the contrary, Li Qingrou felt she was about to die herself. She, a proud Celestial, couldn¡¯t defeat Lu Chen, which once again plunged her into boundless humiliation. After several days of interaction in the Jinluan Hall, Li Qingrou¡¯s mindset had begun to change, and she realized why Wu Junwan had chosen this man. This man was truly exceptional, and if he were to be regarded as a male pet, then nothing could be more suitable. These past days, Li Qingrou had constantly been thinking of ways to turn the tables and take charge; as the former Empress of Dayue, her dignity wouldn¡¯t allow her to be suppressed by a man, but no matter how hard she tried, she could only passively be dealt with by Lu Chen. Utterly exhausted, Li Qingrou failed to turn the tables and was thoroughly defeated. The Jinluan Hall was in complete disarray at this time, with Lu Chen still hugging Li Qingrou, lying on her back. Suddenly a voice came from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, the Qian Emperor has died!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was startled. He thought about getting up, but remembering the ruthless woman beneath him, he didn¡¯t get up. Instead, he said to the Brocade Guard at the door conveying the message, ¡°I got it, report to me later.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen actually didn¡¯t get up, Li Qingrou said coldly at that moment, ¡°How long do you plan to continue like this, do you plan to stay this way for a lifetime!¡± Leaning down beside her ear, Lu Chen said, ¡°You¡¯re right, I indeed plan to stay this way for a lifetime.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words were not without merit; his reference to ¡°a lifetime¡± did not imply without pause or interruption. Li Qingrou said, ¡°If you release me now, I can consider sparing your life!¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Your Majesty? Dayue seems to have forgotten that you are no longer the Yue Emperor but my Imperial Noble Consort. There cannot be two sovereigns in one nation; you should refer to me as I.¡± Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°As long as I live, Dayue has not perished!¡± Seeing Li Qingrou so stubborn, Lu Chen had no choice but to start using means. Soon, the dialogue between Lu Chen and Li Qingrou resounded again within the Jinluan Hall. ¡°Huff huff¡­ has Dayue perished or not?¡± ¡°It has not¡­ ah¡­¡± ¡°Say it again, has it perished?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°What is your identity now?¡± ¡°I¡­ ah¡­ I am¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°Dayue¡­ has perished, and I¡­ am your¡­ woman¡­¡± Under Lu Chen¡¯s relentless questioning, Li Qingrou finally stopped denying and admitted both the fall of Dayue and her identity as Lu Chen¡¯s woman. However, as soon as Lu Chen ceased his techniques, Li Qingrou spoke again, ¡°You are well aware that the words I just spoke were coerced by you, and I will not submit to this.¡± ¡°As soon as you release me, I will certainly kill you!¡± Seeing Li Qingrou stubborn once more, Lu Chen originally planned to continue using his methods, but he did not do so this time. Instead, he slowly stood up and separated from Li Qingrou. Li Qingrou, who had been suppressed for several days, suddenly felt her spiritual power fully restored and her body free again at that moment. She looked at Lu Chen beside the Phoenix Chair in disbelief. Li Qingrou asked coldly, ¡°You do realize what the consequences of releasing me are, right?¡± As she spoke, the Celestial might of Li Qingrou was instantly unleashed. For the past few days, she had been toyed with by Lu Chen as if she were a mere plaything. Although she hadn¡¯t suffered any material losses, her pride had been deeply wounded. Always a dominant woman, she had been humiliated and oppressed. Even if she didn¡¯t kill Lu Chen today, she vowed to repay the humiliation of these past few days. At that moment, Li Qingrou¡¯s delicate hand grabbed Lu Chen¡¯s neck, and staring directly into his eyes, she said, ¡°You are the first who has dared to treat me this way, and you will be the last. For Junwan¡¯s sake, I will not kill you, but I¡­¡± Before Li Qingrou could finish, Lu Chen suddenly reached out and grasped the arm that Li Qingrou used to grab his neck, pressed her arm behind her back, and once again pinned Li Qingrou against the Phoenix Chair. Realizing that her spiritual power had vanished once more, Li Qingrou stood flabbergasted. Hadn¡¯t her spiritual power just returned? Why had it disappeared again? What was happening? Li Qingrou¡¯s mind swiftly recounted what had transpired just before the disappearance of her spiritual power, and soon she realized what was going on. It seemed that whenever her body came into contact with Lu Chen, her spiritual power would be sealed away. After pressing Li Qingrou against the Phoenix Chair, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It seems you haven¡¯t learned your lesson!¡± Chapter 836 - Chapter 836: Chapter 526: I Just Love Your Stubbornness Chapter 836: Chapter 526: I Just Love Your Stubbornness Lu Chen had planned to give Li Qingrou a temporary respite, intending to listen to a report from the Brocade Guard regarding the Qian Emperor¡¯s affairs, but Li Qingrou was thinking of turning the tables. Having no choice, Lu Chen had to suppress her again. With several of his techniques, even as a Celestial, Li Qingrou could no longer bear it. Moreover, Li Qingrou, a woman who had been obsessed with martial arts from a young age and never experienced the company of a man, felt like she was seeing a whole new world for the first time after encountering a man like Lu Chen. Gradually, all the pride in Li Qingrou¡¯s heart was crushed by Lu Chen; she truly couldn¡¯t comprehend where this guy got so many strategies for dealing with people. Time passed, and the sky grew dark. The setting sun shone through the window into the Jinluan Hall, casting its light on a body drenched in sweat. Under the glow of the setting sun, the beads of sweat seemed to glisten with exceptional clarity. At that moment, Li Qingrou, who lay on the Phoenix Chair, said, ¡°Is this how you dealt with Junwan?¡± Li Qingrou had initially thought Wu Junwan chose to become his woman because she was attracted to Lu Chen¡¯s good looks, but now it seemed that Wu Junwan might not have been willing at first. It¡¯s likely that this guy had done those things to Wu Junwan and used those manipulative techniques, leading to Wu Junwan completely losing the will to resist and ultimately having no choice but to become Lu Chen¡¯s woman. It had to be said, when it came to dealing with women, there were few men who could compare to Lu Chen. Although Li Qingrou had no experience with the opposite sex, it was evident that Lu Chen¡¯s prowess had surpassed common sense. Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s question, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°She approached me of her own accord; it had nothing to do with any techniques that I might have used.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t admit it, Li Qingrou didn¡¯t pursue the topic further. ¡°Do you really plan to imprison me forever? As a ruler of a nation, and now that you¡¯ve conquered Great Jue, you have many matters to attend to,¡± she said. Li Qingrou had lost all will to resist at this point, and although there was some unwillingness in her heart, she knew that she had no way to harm this despicable man. Whether out of consideration for Wu Junwan or for her own sake, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to hurt Lu Chen. Having shared a similar experience to Wu Junwan¡¯s, Li Qingrou knew that Wu Junwan could never leave this man. If she were to harm him, Wu Junwan would surely hate her for the rest of her life. From her own perspective, she felt that she had already become entangled with Lu Chen through karma. After all, her breakthrough to the Heavenly Human Realm had been obtained by relying on certain methods. If she turned on Lu Chen now, she might incur the punishment of the Heavenly Dao. Moreover, after spending these few days together with Lu Chen, she had grown to like the sensation. As much as she felt like she had lost her dignity, she was much consoled by the thought of her dear friend becoming this man¡¯s woman. In the past, back in the Misty World, she would often joke with Wu Junwan that if they were to seek a man, they would find the same one. It had been a joke then, but now, the joke had come true in an unexpected turn of events. Since it had come true, she thought, why not just go along with it? Since Great Jue was already destroyed, with a man like Lu Chen standing in her way, it seemed there was little hope for her to restore her kingdom. Leaving aside the fact that Lu Chen could instantly seal her spiritual power, leaving her a weak and powerless woman, the Divine Weapon he wielded on the battlefield was not so easily dealt with. Lu Chen said, ¡°You¡¯re right, Your Majesty indeed has many matters to attend to.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen immediately turned toward the door and said, ¡°Have someone prepare hot water, I wish to bathe with my beloved consort.¡± As soon as Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, the voice of the female guards came from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, the hot water is already prepared.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly and looked at Li Qianrou on the Phoenix Chair, saying, ¡°Since the hot water is ready, let¡¯s change locations now.¡± Upon saying this, Lu Chen immediately released his spiritual power and sensed the location of the Yue Emperor¡¯s bathing pool within the Imperial Palace. Quickly, he locked on to the location of the bathhouse, and then he lifted Li Qianrou¡¯s delicate body, and with a Shadow Shifting move, they instantly arrived at Li Qianrou¡¯s bathing pool. After entering the bathing pool, Lu Chen still embraced Li Qianrou¡¯s slender waist, resting his head on her fragrant shoulder. By this time, the bathing pool was filled with flower petals, its fragrance was overwhelming, and the surface of the water was steaming hot, making the whole bathhouse seem incredibly dreamlike. At this moment, Lu Chen asked in Li Qianrou¡¯s ear, ¡°Every time Junwan comes here, do the two of you take a bath together in this same pool?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen gently blew into Li Qianrou¡¯s ear. Hearing this question, Li Qianrou said coldly, ¡°What does this have to do with you? I do not recall ever having such a close relationship with you that I would discuss such matters with you!¡± Although Li Qianrou was clear that she temporarily could not leave this man, she was not willing to tell him everything; she had already decided in her heart to treat this man as a consort from now on. Anyway, she had already broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm, and once she followed this man back to Yan County, she would find a way to take Wu Junwan with her. The restrictions of the Misty World were about to disappear, and even if they could no longer stay in this world, the two of them could return to the sects they had belonged to before. No matter how powerful Lu Chen was, he couldn¡¯t possibly contend with the sects of the Misty World. Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s indifferent words, Lu Chen¡¯s hand slowly slid to her abdomen, and as he caressed her stomach, he said, ¡°We already share the reality of husband and wife, yet you remain so cold to Your Majesty. You have not been this cold towards Your Majesty within Jinluan Hall these past few days.¡± Li Qianrou said coldly, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know how you managed to control my body using various means, I will not submit, unless you kill me!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen raised his hand, stroking Li Qianrou¡¯s jade neck, ¡°Kill? What kind of person do you take me for? I would certainly not kill my own woman!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°And I do like your stubbornness. When Junwan first came to Yan County, she was just like you, and in the end, she still bore my child.¡± ¡°Not only Junwan, but in the future, I also want you to bear my child.¡± Hearing this, Li Qianrou felt a shock in her heart. Losing her virginity was one thing, after all, she was in her thirties, and being a ruler herself, she valued her purity but would not let it dictate her life and death. However, a child was different. She could give her body to Lu Chen, but she absolutely could not bear his child. She had once heard her Honored Master say that in the Cultivation World, the principle of cause and effect was paramount. If she were to bear Lu Chen¡¯s child, her life might end up being forever tied to Lu Chen¡¯s. Li Qianrou then said, ¡°The sun hasn¡¯t set yet, and the Sum Emperor is already talking in his dreams.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°Talking in dreams? This day will not end too late.¡± Chapter 837 - Chapter 837: Chapter 527: If You Have the Ability, Make Me Willingly Change My Words Chapter 837: Chapter 527: If You Have the Ability, Make Me Willingly Change My Words Lu Chen had so far not managed to entice any Heavenly Human, but he believed that as long as his realm advanced to the Heavenly Human Realm, the probability of Li Qingrou bearing his progeny would greatly increase. Now that both Great Wu and Great Jue had been annihilated, only the Great Qian Dynasty remained as his obstacle. By destroying Great Qian, he could become a Celestial and enter the next phase of power enhancement. At this moment, Li Qingrou spoke, ¡°How do you plan to deal with the other Imperial Family Members of Great Jue?¡± Although there were fewer members of the Great Jue Royal Family, dealing with them was nevertheless a troublesome matter. Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said, ¡°I don¡¯t intend to kill them. Let them all move to Yan County where they can still enjoy wealth and splendor.¡± After all, the wealth of the Great Jue Royal Family had already been seized by Great Sum. Casually allocating a portion of it would ensure the prosperity of this generation of the Great Jue Imperial Family Members. As for the next generation, that would be a matter for the future. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Li Qingrou fell silent, not saying much further. She had roughly guessed that Lu Chen would act this way, as it demonstrated that he was a benevolent and righteous ruler, preparing for the campaign against Great Qian. Seeing that Li Qingrou had stopped talking, Lu Chen¡¯s hands once again began to wander over her body, and he sighed, ¡°Truly like Junwan¡¯s good sister, your body is so supple.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou did not pay much attention, striving hard to control her emotions. Seeing that Li Qingrou was still silent, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around her body and walked towards the bath. Lu Chen, who had a strong playful streak when it came to novel experiences, would always frolic for a long while with a woman once he got her. When Li Qingrou saw that Lu Chen had pushed her to the edge of the bath, she turned to look at him and asked coldly, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡­ mmm!!!¡± Li Qingrou hadn¡¯t finished speaking when her mouth was once again blocked by Lu Chen, who showed no courtesy whatsoever. Then the water in the bath churned, and the steam grew denser. After an indeterminate amount of time, Li Qingrou, exhaling a fragrance like orchids, rested her arm on the edge of the bath and her head on her arm, saying weakly, ¡°Phew, do you really have no intention of handling the affairs of Great Jue first?¡± Great Jue had been destroyed many days ago, yet this man had been continuously indulging in those activities with her in the Jinluan Hall, showing no signs of attending to state affairs. Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°There¡¯s no need; my generals can handle it well.¡± Before they launched the attack on Great Jue, they had already planned how to conquer Great Jue, how to take over after its fall, and how to govern Great Jue. All these things had been discussed and settled, so there was no need for Lu Chen to do anything at all. Now that the war had temporarily ended, Lu Chen could fully enjoy himself. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Li Qingrou immediately cursed him as a ¡°foolish ruler¡± in her heart. She had heard of rulers foolishly infatuated with women, and history wasn¡¯t short of rulers who lost their nations due to such obsessions. Yet, this was the first time she encountered a ruler like Lu Chen who engaged in those activities for several days in a row, utterly neglecting the territory he had won. Li Qingrou couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled; could such a person really manage the entire Great Sum effectively, and would the Celestials truly want to follow him? Although she was full of doubts about Lu Chen, Li Qingrou didn¡¯t voice them. If she were to express her skepticism now, she feared this man wouldn¡¯t leave her alone again, and who knew how long it would last. Although she was a Celestial, she was not so powerful that she could engage in those activities with this man for ten days to half a month. Then Li Qingrou said, ¡°I can be your woman, but I have a few conditions.¡± At this statement, Lu Chen¡¯s interest piqued instantly, ¡°Oh? Weren¡¯t you defiant unto death before? What made you change your mind all of a sudden?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not deceiving me, planning to wait for me to let you go before finding an opportunity to assassinate me or to take your own life, are you?¡± Li Qingrou said indifferently, ¡°My word has always been as solid as gold.¡± Embracing Li Qingrou¡¯s slender waist, Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s hear it. What kind of conditions do you have?¡± Li Qingrou immediately said, ¡°Once we arrive in Yan County, I want to live with Junwan.¡± Upon hearing this first request, Lu Chen sneered secretly. Live with Wu Junwan? What kind of request was that? For him, it couldn¡¯t even be considered a request but rather a good thing. He wouldn¡¯t have to run around anymore. He wondered what Li Qingrou would think when she saw Murong Xue¡¯er, whom he had once sent to be by his side. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Aside from this request, do you have any others?¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°Release the control you have over me.¡± Li Qingrou had always felt she was under this man¡¯s control, otherwise, how could a person who practiced the Unfeeling Tao become like a wanton woman? It clearly defied logic. Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°There is no such control.¡± Seeing Lu Chen continue to deny it, Li Qingrou coldly said, ¡°If you are unwilling to release the control over me, I would rather take my own life.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°You see, you¡¯ve said it yourself, if I actually had a way to control you, do you think I would release it? What if you took your own life? Wouldn¡¯t that be a big loss for me?¡± Li Qingrou¡¯s eyebrows lifted, and she fell silent. Indeed, even if this man truly had a method to control her, he would not release it at this time. However, she had never expected Lu Chen to release his control over her. She said that earlier just to test Lu Chen, to see if he truly had some method of controlling her. Now, it seemed likely that this man indeed possessed such a method. Thinking this, it was probable that this man had also used a similar art of control on Wu Junwan. In order to help Wu Junwan escape from him, Li Qingrou decided to compromise for the time being. After finding a way to break the control, she would then settle the score with this man. At this moment, Lu Chen leaned down and stroked her hair with his hand. In her ear, he whispered, ¡°Qingrou, do you have any other requests?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen call her ¡°Qingrou¡±, Li Qingrou, who had always held a high position, suddenly got goosebumps all over her body. How could this man say such things! Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of any other requests yet. If you find me troublesome, then just kill me directly!¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re saying such things again. Haven¡¯t I told you? I would never kill my own woman.¡± ¡°However, speaking of which, I also have a request for you.¡± ¡°What request?¡± Li Qingrou asked. Lu Chen said, ¡°There can¡¯t be two rulers in a nation, you will have to change the way you address me.¡± Li Qingrou laughed coldly, ¡°If you have the ability, make me willingly change how I address you¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Before Li Qingrou could finish her sentence, Lu Chen interrupted her with his actions. Lu Chen thought to himself, willingly, is it? He didn¡¯t believe he couldn¡¯t conquer this enemy nation¡¯s emperor. Chapter 838 - Chapter 838: Chapter 528: You Better Pray That Your Tricks Will Always Work Chapter 838: Chapter 528: You Better Pray That Your Tricks Will Always Work ¡°` When Lu Chen and Li Qingrou left the bathhouse, night had fully fallen. The two returned to Jinluan Hall, but this time they were dressed, and the scraps of cloth that had littered the floor of the hall had been cleaned up. However, Lu Chen still did not let go. Even after they had dressed, Lu Chen was still holding Li Qingrou, letting her sit on his lap. After several days of Lu Chen¡¯s torment, Li Qingrou, a Celestial, was now exhausted. She was slumped in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, her expression indifferent but her cheeks flushed, her face full of charm. At this time, Lu Chen said to the female guards outside, ¡°Report on the situation in Great Qian.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s order, a female guard entered Jinluan Hall and immediately said, ¡°Currently, the Qian Emperor has passed away, and the Daqian Crown Prince is young, so the Daqian Empress now has full control over Great Qian. Everything in Great Qian is under the Empress¡¯s say.¡± After hearing the report, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. The Daqian Empress? Could the death of the Qian Emperor be related to the Daqian Empress? After all, as the direct beneficiary, now that the Crown Prince is young, she could take this opportunity to seize control of the court. But then again, what good would her control of the court do? Great Wu and Great Jue had already been destroyed, and next would be Great Qian. Even if that woman has become the highest center of power in Great Qian, it will soon be destroyed by Great Sum, and her status will fall greatly. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°How did the Qian Emperor die?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°According to the Brocade Guard¡¯s investigation, the Qian Emperor was infected with the plague before his demise. It is very likely that he died untreated from the plague.¡± Lu Chen pondered again for a moment. The possibility of dying untreated from the plague was not impossible, but he still found it strange. There could also be another reason, that the Empress of Great Qian took advantage of the plague to kill the Qian Emperor, then blamed his death on the plague. Regardless of how the Qian Emperor died, the biggest problem now was not the political structure of Great Qian. Lu Chen did not care who was in power in Great Qian; no matter who it was, Great Qian would become a part of Great Sum. What was most troubling to Lu Chen now was the plague in Great Qian. Qin Yushan, after going to Great Qian, had been investigating the epidemic. Through Qin Yushan¡¯s investigations, the methods of virus and bacterial prevention that Lu Chen had taught were effective against the plague, indicating that it was a virus within Lu Chen¡¯s understanding. However, there was a significant problem. Although Qin Yushan used the Flying Star Sect as a cover to teach many plague prevention methods to the common people of Great Qian, and those people also applied these methods, the plague still erupted over and over again. This gave the impression that someone was spreading the plague. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen said to the reporting female guard, ¡°Investigate the background of this Daqian Empress.¡± Lu Chen suspected that if the death of the Qian Emperor was indeed related to the Empress of Great Qian, then the epidemic might also be related to the Empress, or perhaps there was someone else behind the Empress. If the person spreading the plague could be dealt with, there might still be a way to contain the plague in Great Qian. If it continued like this, he would not be able to send troops to Great Qian, which would greatly slow down his progress in unifying the world. For Lu Chen at this moment, becoming a Celestial was just within reach. If this dragged on, he always felt uneasy, for only by becoming a Celestial quickly, could his strength continue to rise. Lu Chen then said indifferently, ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the female guard replied and then turned and left Jinluan Hall. ¡°` After the guard left, Li Qingrou spoke up, ¡°Such a mighty Sum Emperor, to actually furrow his brow over a minor nation like Qian.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you very powerful? Not only did you annihilate Great Wu, but also Great Jue. Why don¡¯t you plan to continue deploying troops to extinguish Great Qian?¡± Upon hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s sarcastic remarks, Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. The destruction of Great Qian is only a matter of time.¡± Lu Chen knew Li Qingrou still harbored resentment. He hadn¡¯t only destroyed her kingdom but also taken possession of her body. If she didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of anger, she wouldn¡¯t be the Yue Emperor. At that moment, Lu Chen thought of something and asked, ¡°As the Emperor of Great Jue, you must have received a fair share of intelligence about Great Qian, especially concerning the plague. Have you discerned anything from those reports?¡± The plague in Great Qian had been raging for quite some time, and Li Qingrou must have surely obtained a considerable amount of intelligence on it. Every dynasty had its own intelligence agencies, and the Dayue Dynasty was no exception. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Li Qingrou was about to continue her sarcastic tone, but Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°Leave it. In a few days, we will return to Yan County. We should make the most of our time and create more beautiful memories in this Jinluan Hall.¡± While saying this, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth drew close to Li Qingrou¡¯s ear, and then he continued, ¡°After all, this is where you once attended court.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Qingrou¡¯s heart shuddered. She instantly grasped Lu Chen¡¯s implication. This man was not yet satiated and wanted to continue toying with her body. Li Qingrou immediately said, ¡°There¡¯s a high probability that Great Qian harbors Cultivators from another world.¡± Hearing these words, the hand that Lu Chen had placed on Li Qingrou¡¯s thigh halted its upward movement. ¡°Cultivators from another world?¡± ¡°Do you have any evidence? Or how did you come to this conclusion?¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°You can have someone search my Imperial Study Room. There¡¯s still plenty of intelligence about the Great Qian plague there.¡± Lu Chen immediately instructed the guards at the door, ¡°Bring all the intelligence and memorials from the Imperial Study Room to the Jinluan Hall. I want to review them slowly.¡± After giving the guard his orders, Lu Chen continued to embrace the beauty in his arms and said, ¡°I actually had my suspicions too, but I never had concrete evidence.¡± When Lu Chen first heard that the plague might have originated from the sea, he suspected it came from another world, but the Brocade Guard¡¯s every move in Great Qian was incredibly challenging. Only after he sent Qin Yushan to Great Qian did the Brocade Guard begin to collect more intelligence, yet Lu Chen¡¯s understanding of Great Qian remained quite limited. Lu Chen was curious about how much Li Qingrou, the Emperor from the northwestern region, knew about Great Qian. Li Qingrou said indifferently, ¡°If I don¡¯t tell you, you probably wouldn¡¯t even suspect.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°The way you talk, it¡¯s as if I am inferior to you. If I weren¡¯t better than you, how could I possibly have conquered Great Jue and taken your body, and even made you submit thoroughly?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s humiliating words, Li Qingrou did not lose her temper. With an expressionless face, she said, ¡°You had better pray your methods always work, or else one day I will certainly end your life with my own hands!¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t take Li Qingrou¡¯s threat to heart at all. His stern wife was probably just sick; with him as a divine doctor, there was no need for medicine¡ªa single injection would do the trick. Chapter 839 - Chapter 839: Chapter 529: Arent you afraid that I will kill them then? Chapter 839: Chapter 529: Aren¡¯t you afraid that I will kill them then? Just as Lu Chen was planning to continue disciplining Li Qianrou for her obstinacy, the female guards outside had already moved the memorials and intelligence reports from within the Imperial Study Room into the grand hall. Lu Chen glanced at the large boxes in the Jinluan Hall and immediately felt a headache coming on. He then said to the female guards, ¡°Go and call a few more people, and then sift through all the memorials and intelligence related to Great Qian.¡± If Lu Chen had to go through these memorials and intelligence reports by himself, it was uncertain how long it would take him to find all the intelligence related to Great Qian. As the Emperor, Lu Chen was not obliged to handle these troublesome matters himself. Subsequently, Lu Chen¡¯s trusted aides began tirelessly sorting through the memorials and the intelligence previously collected by Great Jue. Before long, they had selected all the relevant documents pertaining to Great Qian and brought them to Lu Chen. Lu Chen glanced at the stack of intelligence and memorials concerning Great Qian and couldn¡¯t help but feel some emotions stirring; Li Qianrou, that woman, seemed to pay quite a bit of attention to the situation in Great Qian, given she had so many memorials and reports about it. Lu Chen then picked up the memorials and intelligence beside him and began to look through them. After a while, he essentially understood why Li Qianrou thought that Great Qian also had cultivators from other worlds. Great Jue¡¯s intelligence personnel had infiltrated Great Qian quite early and, fortunately enough, became a core figure in Great Qian, which is why Great Jue knew many things even Lu Chen¡¯s Brocade Guard had not discovered. Great Jue¡¯s spies found out that the Empress had changed significantly, especially after the outbreak of the plague; she seemed like a completely different person, and her power had grown immensely. There were many assassins who tried to kill her, but she easily eliminated all of them. Most crucially, this Empress of Great Qian had once spoken of gathering luck to combat the evil gods. This made Li Qianrou think of Mu Yunxi. Mu Yunxi wanted to unify the world, gather some sort of national fortune, gain the approval of the Heavenly Dao, and thereby obtain the ability to open the transportation channel. Li Qianrou felt that the goals of the Empress of Great Qian were likely the same as those of Mu Yunxi. If the Empress also wanted the recognition of the Heavenly Dao, it indicated that she too wanted to leave this world. Of course, all of this was just Li Qianrou¡¯s speculation; whether the Empress of Great Qian was really a cultivator from another world was still uncertain. After reading through the intelligence about Great Qian, Lu Chen spoke as he embraced the soft body of Li Qianrou, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to act faster than me and extend your reach so long that you¡¯ve even managed to plant spies who have become important ministers in Great Qian.¡± ¡°Speaking of spies, I am reminded of someone.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am talking about?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, the cold beauty in his arms responded indifferently, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Although Li Qianrou said she didn¡¯t know, Lu Chen still wanted to say it out loud; he directly said, ¡°The person I¡¯m talking about is Murong Xue¡¯er.¡± ¡°You truly are a great wife of mine. You haven¡¯t even married over yet but already sent Murong Xue¡¯er, a beautifully attractive and talented stunner, to serve by my side.¡± ¡°I must say, her body is indeed splendid.¡± ¡°Especially the Curse Pattern you designed for her; it is very suitable. Every time, I am affected by that Curse Pattern, which greatly enhances my spirits.¡± Faced with Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qianrou treated them as if she hadn¡¯t heard them. In her view, Lu Chen using her failures as a topic was an insult to her. Insult me then, she thought. I¡¯ve already lost my virginity, what more do I have to fear from being insulted. Seeing that Li Qianrou did not want to engage with him, Lu Chen did not continue on the topic and simply said, ¡°Once you go to Yan County, you will live together with Murong Xue¡¯er and Junwan. The three of you together will certainly be very interesting.¡± Li Qianrou still said nothing. Just at that moment, Li Qianrou suddenly realized that Lu Chen¡¯s hand had slipped into her clothes, and he began to undress her, looking as if he were about to do something to her. Seeing this, Li Qianrou hastily said, ¡°What are you doing?¡± After so many consecutive days, she was a Celestial, not a real deity; how could she withstand it? What kind of background does this scoundrel have! In order not to let Lu Chen continue doing that sort of thing to her, Li Qianrou threw out a topic, ¡°You unified this world, for what? To leave this world?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, his hand still reaching into Li Qianrou¡¯s clothes, ¡°You could say that.¡± Li Qianrou said, ¡°If you leave, what about your wives and children, aren¡¯t you afraid that I will kill them then?¡± ¡°Or are you planning to eliminate everyone who could threaten your offspring¡¯s lives before you leave?¡± Mu Yunxi had told Li Qianrou that the Spiritual Energy of this world was extremely limited. Once the transport portal was opened, it could basically only transport one person out, which was why Mu Yunxi had not chosen to cooperate with Lu Chen. In Li Qianrou¡¯s view, if there came a day when Lu Chen wanted to leave, then he would be leaving alone. Once he left, those Celestials around him would definitely be thrown into confusion, and they might even leave one after another. Without the protection of those Celestials, Lu Chen¡¯s wives and offspring might likely be subject to retaliation. Therefore, if Lu Chen cared about his wives and offspring, then before leaving this world, he would definitely find a way to eliminate all existences that could threaten their survival, such as the Celestials of this world. Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°I never said I would be the only one leaving. Not only will I leave this world, but my women and children will also leave this world.¡± This¡­ Li Qianrou had not expected Lu Chen to actually want to take everyone with him, which would likely be very difficult to achieve. But then again, if Lu Chen was truly a descendant of a Cultivator family sent to gain experience, perhaps he really had a way to collectively leave this world. At that moment, Lu Chen once again pressed Li Qianrou¡¯s body onto the Phoenix Chair, looking down at her with cold eyes and said, ¡°Enough of this now. In a few days, we will depart back to Yan County, let¡¯s create more beautiful memories.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen still wanted to continue with that act, Li Qianrou¡¯s eyes instantly turned even colder, looking as though she wanted to kill Lu Chen. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, let your trusted aides serve you.¡± Li Qianrou didn¡¯t even say ¡°I¡± anymore, she was afraid of Lu Chen. Although she also wanted to overpower Lu Chen in that matter, based on the events of the past few days, she understood that she couldn¡¯t possibly be a match for Lu Chen yet. Lu Chen ignored Li Qianrou¡¯s words, and he continued to undress her, while Li Qianrou went on to say, ¡°Your trusted aides are all beauties, they can satisfy you just the same.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s female trusted aides were all handpicked by Chu Yuqin, each one exceptionally beautiful, generally scoring between eighty and ninety points. If Lu Chen needed, he could let them attend him at any time. But Lu Chen does not like to waste his energy. Lu Chen ignored Li Qianrou¡¯s words and carried on with his own business. Very soon, Li Qianrou was once again overpowered by Lu Chen. Chapter 840 - Chapter 840: Chapter 530: After all, youve enjoyed what you should have. Chapter 840: Chapter 530: After all, you¡¯ve enjoyed what you should have. Since his arrival in Dayue Capital City, Lu Chen and Li Qianrou had hardly ever left the Jinluan Hall, to the extent that even Li Qianrou¡¯s Phoenix Bed had been moved to the Jinluan Hall by Lu Chen. Under Lu Chen¡¯s dominance, even though Li Qianrou was once a very strong-willed Empress, she had now become incredibly weak. In this period, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t entirely neglecting state affairs, but even when he dealt with them, he did so while embracing Li Qianrou, appearing now as if he were bewitched by a calamity-bringing bitch. Of course, the soldiers of Great Sum didn¡¯t see anything wrong with that after all. Li Qianrou was a very powerful individual, and without Lu Chen keeping her in check, even a Celestial might have had a hard time keeping an eye on her. After all, Li Qianrou was now their Majesty¡¯s woman, so it was no problem for their Majesty to keep her in his embrace constantly. The soldiers of Great Sum not only didn¡¯t see it as a big problem, they actually took it as a matter of pride, since even the Empress of Great Jue had been conquered by their Majesty. After an absurd month in Dayue¡¯s Jinluan Hall, most matters of Dayue were almost dealt with, so Lu Chen left Black Dragon Country¡¯s troops to guard Dayue while he himself prepared to lead Great Sum¡¯s troops back to Yan County. Inside the Jinluan Hall, smoke curled, and fragrance filled the air. At this moment, Lu Chen was embracing the soft, delicate body of the beautiful Li Qianrou, lying on the Phoenix Chair, with his hands roaming over her body, and occasionally blowing in her ear. At this time, the beautiful woman¡¯s face was emotionless, but a blush tinged her exquisite features, with sweat beads trickling down her white, smooth forehead. It was obvious what they had just done. Lu Chen then said, ¡°We will be setting off for Yan County tomorrow. You must be very much looking forward to seeing Junwan, aren¡¯t you?¡± Li Qianrou didn¡¯t respond to Lu Chen¡¯s words. Over the past few days, she couldn¡¯t be bothered with whatever he said. She now felt like she had become no more than a plaything for Lu Chen, solely for satisfying his lusts, despite being an Emperor of a dynasty, and now she had fallen so low. What¡¯s more, she was still a Celestial now, in front of a Pseudo Celestial, she not only lacked any power to resist but was instead only subjected to his advances, which left her feeling quite resentful inside. Now, except for when Lu Chen touched her and she would make some noises, for the rest of the time, she remained silent. This guy might as well just kill her! She would never show him a good face, that¡¯s for sure! Even as a dethroned Emperor, she still had the dignity of one! Seeing that Li Qianrou didn¡¯t speak, Lu Chen did not get angry. He continued, ¡°Junwan will definitely be very happy to see you.¡± ¡°Once we return to Yan County, I will give you your freedom.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Qianrou scoffed, ¡°You think I would believe your lies?¡± She was a Celestial, after all. If Lu Chen were to set her free, besides running away, she might well turn Yan County upside down. And Yan County was where Lu Chen¡¯s wives, concubines, and children lived; he couldn¡¯t possibly let her go without worries. This man had even taken to doing that something while handling state affairs, keeping her in his embraces. Li Qianrou couldn¡¯t understand men like Lu Chen. She still couldn¡¯t figure out what made this lascivious man so appealing and how he had managed to gain so much support from other Celestials; was it really all just due to his background? She had never heard of anyone who, when not locking something, still left the key in the lock. Seeing that Li Qianrou didn¡¯t believe his words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t believe me? Junwan used to not believe my words either. Now she leaves the Imperial Palace every day to run around Yan County.¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll kill your wife, concubines, and children?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I still have confidence in you.¡± Li Qingrou coldly asked, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious, where does this confidence come from, thinking that a person whose body you¡¯ve forcefully occupied won¡¯t hold a grudge against you?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If it were someone else, they might hate me, but you are different.¡± Li Qingrou inquired, ¡°Please do tell, I would like to hear what makes me different from the other women.¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°After performing the duties of husband and wife with me, you broke through and became a Celestial.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou asked, ¡°Is that all?¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°In this world, to become a Celestial, one must go through the trials of the Heavenly Dao.¡± ¡°And the trials of the Heavenly Dao are closely related to one¡¯s personal experiences.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t become a Celestial before because you cultivated the Unfeeling Dao, and the condition for your breakthrough was that the man you fancy defeated you in person and took possession of your body. Because of the Unfeeling Dao, you always thought you didn¡¯t fancy anyone, but in reality, you¡¯ve always had feelings for me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly, and she said coldly, ¡°How ridiculous. I became a Celestial by my own strength; what does that have to do with you!¡± Li Qingrou was no fool; of course, she knew that her breakthrough was largely related to Lu Chen, but as a proud woman, how could she possibly admit such a thing. The condition for her to become a Celestial was to be defeated and conquered by a man stronger than her. How would others look at her if such a condition were known? Where would her dignity stand? A proud woman, secretly hoping for a strong man to defeat her and subject her to humiliation¡ªthat¡¯s just disgraceful. Anyway, Li Qingrou couldn¡¯t accept such a version of herself, so she would never admit what Lu Chen said. Seeing Li Qingrou stubbornly denying it, Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°Whether or not that¡¯s the condition for you to become a Celestial, you know very well in your heart.¡± At that moment, Li Qingrou said, ¡°If you dare to release me, you will bear the consequences for whatever happens next.¡± ¡°I advise you better kill me, since you¡¯ve had your fun anyway. With your abilities, the beautiful women of this world will all be at your disposal, and you won¡¯t be lacking one more without me.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen tightened his arms, pulling Li Qingrou¡¯s soft body close, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying. Are you speaking out of anger? I¡¯m not the kind of man who walks away without taking responsibility after pulling up his pants.¡± ¡°My Qingrou is so beautiful and outstanding. How can those garish floozies out there compare to you?¡± As he finished speaking, Lu Chen blew gently by Li Qingrou¡¯s ear and then lifted his right hand, slowly tracing her pale neck with his fingertips, feeling her delicate and smooth skin. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of woman who likes to hear sweet nothings?¡± Li Qingrou, as an Empress who once held great power, was very rational at heart and had never been fond of men¡¯s sweet nothings. Thinking sweet words alone could win her over was utterly impossible. Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯m a straightforward person and don¡¯t like sweet talk; what I say is the truth.¡± Li Qingrou let out a cold laugh and then fell silent again, not continuing the conversation. Just then, a maid at the door said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Phoenix Robe is ready.¡± Chapter 841 - Chapter 841: Chapter 531: What are you doing? Didnt we just... Chapter 841: Chapter 531: What are you doing? Didn¡¯t we just¡­ Hearing the voice of the maid outside, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Bring it in, for my beloved concubine to change clothes.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The next moment, several maids entered Jinluan Hall and saw the scene above the Phoenix Chair; their faces immediately flushed with redness. Their little faces were blushing, and their hearts pounded. Lu Chen then stood up and lifted Li Qingrou as well, positioning her beside the Phoenix Chair so the maids could change her clothes. Seeing that Lu Chen wanted her to wear the Phoenix Robe, Li Qingrou immediately guessed what that scoundrel was up to again. After spending this period of time together, she had fully grasped this man¡¯s nature; once she put on the Phoenix Robe, he would surely go mad, and she would inevitably be tormented to death by him. The Phoenix Robe she wore was not like the one the Empress wore but a specially made one for her, also a symbol of imperial power. When she wore the Phoenix Robe, her entire demeanor became dignified and authoritative, and it seemed that Lu Chen especially enjoyed having such a version of her under him, satisfying his desire for conquest. At that moment, Li Qingrou coldly said, ¡°What are you doing? We¡¯ve just¡­¡± Li Qingrou didn¡¯t continue; she was too embarrassed to say it out loud. She seriously doubted what kind of beast this guy was reincarnated from; how could he have such robust energy every day? It didn¡¯t resemble that of a cultivator at all. Now she even wondered if Lu Chen was some kind of Demonic Cultivator. However, thinking back, when Lu Chen was with her, she never felt any discomfort, which meant he was not a Demonic Cultivator. Since he was not a Demonic Cultivator, why did he engage in those activities every day? Ever since that guy captured her, she felt her stomach swell a little every day, as if she had a false pregnant belly. Li Qingrou now simply wished for Lu Chen to return to Yan County soon. Once back in Yan County, with the multitude of consorts in Lu Chen¡¯s harem, this scoundrel would not target her alone anymore. But those were future concerns. For now, Li Qingrou was thinking about how to prevent Lu Chen from tormenting her further. The maids were already changing her into the Phoenix Robe; who knows how vicious he would be later. With a slight smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Tomorrow, we will leave this place, leave this place you are most familiar with. This is where you used to attend the court. Naturally, I want to leave you with the most beautiful memories.¡± Li Qingrou replied coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t need those memories.¡± What bloody beautiful memories, this guy merely wanted to ravish her. With a smile on his face, Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s not for you to decide.¡± With that said, he glanced at the maids in the hall and then said, ¡°Dress her in the Phoenix Robe.¡± Just as Li Qingrou was about to struggle, Lu Chen suddenly whispered in her ear, ¡°Today, I can let you be the Empress for once!¡± Li Qingrou was stunned for a moment. Empress? What did he mean? Wasn¡¯t her original identity that of the Empress? Why would she need Lu Chen¡¯s permission to be the Empress? Noticing that Li Qingrou had not understood his meaning, Lu Chen continued, ¡°I know you¡¯ve been having a thought recently, wanting to turn the tables and be in charge. Today is our last day in the Jinluan Hall. I can give you this opportunity. If you don¡¯t seize it, when we return to Yan County, you won¡¯t have such a chance again.¡± Once Lu Chen explained, Li Qingrou realized what he meant. The thought of turning the tables, having this scoundrel underneath her, and showcasing her status and identity, Li Qingrou was somewhat tempted. She had been humiliated by this scoundrel so many times, she had long wanted to turn the tables and take charge, but unfortunately, her Spiritual Power had been sealed by Lu Chen, and she did not possess strength comparable to his. She had no way to reverse the situation and was only relegated to being repressed by him. If what Lu Chen said was true, then she¡­ With that thought, Li Qianrou hesitated. Though she was turning the tables and calling the shots, fundamentally, it was still the same old story, but at least this was better than being passive. Passivity always made her feel like nothing more than a container. After a moment, Li Qianrou finally spoke, ¡°I hope you keep your promise!¡± Then, with arms spread wide, Li Qianrou allowed her maids to dress her in the Phoenix Robe. Soon, Li Qianrou was clad in the Phoenix Robe, sewn with golden threads, splendid and majestic. Dressed in the Phoenix Robe, Li Qianrou appeared dignified and noble. Upon seeing this scene, Lu Chen felt a surge of rage inside him. Without waiting for Li Qianrou to say anything, Lu Chen pressed her down onto the Phoenix Chair. Seeing that he knocked her over again, Li Qianrou immediately said, ¡°Indeed, a hypocrite; the promise you just made has already been broken.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Broken my promise? No, no, no, I certainly have not.¡± ¡°Since I said I would give you a chance to be Empress, I certainly will give you that chance.¡± ¡°But, before that, let me finish my own business first.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen grabbed Li Qianrou¡¯s slender jade feet and lifted them up. A fierce glint flashed in Li Qianrou¡¯s eyes, a look that seemed ready to stab Lu Chen. However, the hatred in Li Qianrou¡¯s heart soon dissipated, and she became immersed in the pleasure crafted by Lu Chen. Of course, in the end, Lu Chen did keep his promise; after all, he was the ruler of a country and couldn¡¯t always go back on his word. After an indeterminable amount of time, Lu Chen, embracing Li Qianrou¡¯s body, rolled over so that he was beneath her. At this sight, Li Qianrou snapped back to reality, having thought this man had no intention of keeping his promise. But unexpectedly, he had. Now, Li Qianrou sat atop Lu Chen, looking down with authority at the man who had taken everything from her. This feeling, it thoroughly delighted Li Qianrou¡¯s heart. This man might be formidable, but in the end, she had overpowered him. But¡­ Li Qianrou quickly realized a problem: although she felt incredibly satisfied, she wasn¡¯t actually happy. This was not surprising; who was Lu Chen? With so many wives and concubines in his harem, he could be considered an expert. In the past, Li Qianrou had focused solely on her spiritual practice, Lu Chen being the only man in her life, leaving her without much experience. Li Qianrou was accustomed to delicacies; suddenly having to make do with wild vegetables and roots, she quickly found them hard to stomach. But then a thought struck her. She looked coldly at the smiling Lu Chen and, with a commanding tone, said, ¡°I command you, use every means to please me!¡± In his heart, Lu Chen chuckled. This person must regard him as a male concubine internally. Even if she considered him a male concubine in her heart, he wasn¡¯t upset; he had just said he would let Li Qianrou be Empress for once. Immediately after, Lu Chen responded, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty!¡± Then Lu Chen actively served Li Qianrou, until dawn. In the early morning, with the sky still a dim grey light, Lu Chen led the Daxia Army on the road back to Yan County. Chapter 842 - Chapter 842: Chapter 532: Wanyan, no wonder you cant leave this man Chapter 842: Chapter 532: Wanyan, no wonder you can¡¯t leave this man When Lu Chen led the Daxia Army back to Yan County, the commoners of Yan County spontaneously came out again to welcome Lu Chen. However, this time Lu Chen was not on horseback; he sat in a carriage, embracing the beautiful Empress of Great Jue in his arms. Wu Junwan hurried to the Imperial Palace as soon as she heard that Lu Chen had brought Li Qingrou back, now extremely worried about Li Qingrou¡¯s mental state. She understood Lu Chen and with that bastard¡¯s temperament, now Li Qingrou must have already lost her chastity, and she might even be pregnant by now. Li Qingrou walked the Unfeeling Tao, and being oppressed by a man in such a way, she might well end her own life directly. When the carriage stopped at the gate of the Imperial Palace, its door opened, and Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines, who were about to come forward, saw him holding a cool and seductive woman inside the carriage. At that moment, the women immediately paid respects and said, ¡°We welcome Your Majesty¡¯s triumphant return!¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Alright, alright, rise, we are old husbands and wives by now, and you are not unaware of what kind of person I am; I have never cared for these formalities.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, the women immediately stood up. Then, Lu Chen went on to say, ¡°Let me introduce to everyone, the lady in my arms is your new sister, the former Empress of Great Jue.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s introduction, all eyes were drawn to Li Qingrou, and as an Empress, she naturally did not fear their gazes. At that moment, Li Qingrou instead eyed Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines; each one of them was stunningly beautiful, looking like celestial maidens. Quickly, Li Qingrou¡¯s gaze fell on Wu Junwan, whose belly was now visibly bigger, and seeing this, Li Qingrou still paused for a moment. Though she had long known Wu Junwan was pregnant, seeing Wu Junwan with an enlarged belly firsthand, Li Qingrou still felt a little dazed. Her good sister had been impregnated by a man like this, and there was always an odd feeling inside Li Qingrou, indescribable, but it certainly filled one with great emotion. They had always assumed that within a hundred years, neither of them would have men, let alone children, yet here was Wu Junwan, in her thirties, with a growing belly, and her man was more than a decade younger than she was. Of course, Li Qingrou was in no position to comment on Wu Junwan now, as she herself had become the woman of the man behind her. At this time, Wu Junwan walked straight up to Li Qingrou, and the two beautiful women gazed into each other¡¯s eyes while Lu Chen also ¡°considerately¡± let go of Li Qingrou. Coming before Li Qingrou, Wu Junwan took her hand and asked with concern, ¡°Qingrou, are you hurt at all?¡± Li Qingrou replied, ¡°No.¡± Li Qingrou looked again at Wu Junwan¡¯s belly and with her delicate hand, gently touched it and said, ¡°Junwan, in the past you always said you would never marry in this lifetime, yet to think in just a few years, you¡¯re carrying someone else¡¯s child.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan felt a mix of emotions; not to mention Li Qingrou, even she never expected to end up having her body taken by a man more than a decade younger than herself, and to even bear children for him. But she had no regrets. Though she had lost the chance to become Empress, what she now had was far more joyful to her than power. Sometimes she wondered if she had been worn down by reality, by Lu Chen, losing her edges. At this moment, Wu Junwan¡¯s gaze turned to Lu Chen, and then she said in thanks, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for sparing Qingrou.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Let her go? No, no, no, I never said I¡¯d let her go. She still has to bear my children in the future.¡± Wu Junwan gave Lu Chen a somewhat speechless look, the ¡°letting go¡± she meant naturally referred to Lu Chen not killing Li Qianrou. However, this guy thought she was asking him to let Li Qianrou leave. Who didn¡¯t know that this guy, whenever he saw a beautiful woman, was sure to take her into his harem? How could Lu Chen possibly let go of a mature, poised, and noble beauty like Li Qianrou? At this moment, Lu Chen glanced over his wives and concubines, then said, ¡°Alright, everyone go back now, don¡¯t just stand around here.¡± This was after all the entrance of the Imperial Palace. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t do anything he wanted here with so many onlookers. Once they got back to the Harem, Lu Chen could mess around as he pleased. Speaking of which, Lu Chen looked at Wu Junwan and said, ¡°Junwan, from now on, Qingrou will live with you all.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan felt very happy inside. Her good sister could finally stay with her all the time. Wu Junwan thanked him again, saying, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t say anything else and immediately led his wives and concubines back to the Imperial Palace. There was a family banquet tonight, and whatever matters there were, they could talk about them slowly at the banquet. Under the leadership of Wu Junwan, Li Qianrou arrived at Wu Junwan¡¯s palace residence. After entering the courtyard in front of the palace, Wu Junwan brought Li Qianrou to sit inside a pavilion. Wu Junwan sighed and then asked, ¡°Qingrou, has Lu Chen hurt you?¡± Li Qianrou asked, ¡°Junwan, what do you mean?¡± Wu Junwan stopped short of speaking. She could clearly feel a significant change in Li Qianrou¡¯s aura, and she had also become more womanly. All these signs indicated that Li Qianrou was no longer pure, and it was highly likely that Lu Chen had already devoured her. At that moment, Li Qianrou wrapped her arms around Wu Junwan¡¯s voluptuous body and teasingly whispered in her ear, ¡°Wanyan, no wonder you can¡¯t leave this man, asking me not to harm him. It turns out he has so many tricks up his sleeve. Being with him must be very enjoyable for you, right?¡± Li Qianrou was always serious in front of others, but with her close sisters, she was always very gentle. Even though her nation had been destroyed by that man, as long as she saw her dear sister, the gloom in her heart would be swept away. Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s bantering words, Wu Junwan¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, then she said, ¡°Qingrou, you have indeed been¡­ by him¡­¡± Mentioning Lu Chen, Li Qianrou snorted and said, ¡°Although this man is indeed quite special, he is extremely lustful. Since he captured me, he not only forcefully took my body but also kept me locked up in Jinluan Hall, tormenting me every day.¡± ¡°Wanyan, you must have been treated like this by him before, right?¡± Li Qianrou¡¯s words reminded Wu Junwan of the events that had happened when she first arrived in Yan County. Lu Chen indeed valued beauty greatly, and once he obtained a certain woman, he would spend a lot of time with her for a long while. What¡¯s most important was his sensitivity to identities; he enjoyed role-play. And since Li Qianrou was already a dignified and noble Empress, how could Lu Chen let her off easy when he had captured her? Thinking of the torment Li Qianrou had suffered, Wu Junwan said with a heartache, ¡°Qingrou, it¡¯s been hard on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Chapter 843 - Chapter 843: Chapter 533: One Day, I Will Make Him Pay the Price! Chapter 843: Chapter 533: One Day, I Will Make Him Pay the Price! Junwan felt some self-blame in her heart. If it hadn¡¯t been for her becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman, lured by the joy he brought her, maybe she could have still offered some help to Li Qingrou, and the Great Jue Dynasty might not have fallen so quickly. Although she seemed neither to help Lu Chen nor Li Qingrou, from another perspective, not taking sides was actually helping Lu Chen. Li Qingrou herself belonged to the weaker side and without anyone¡¯s help, the likelihood of defeat greatly increased. Seeing the self-reproach in Junwan¡¯s expression, Li Qingrou couldn¡¯t help laughing out loud. Then she raised her hand, caressed Junwan¡¯s beautiful cheek, looked into her eyes, and said earnestly, ¡°Junwan, don¡¯t blame yourself. Lu Chen is no ordinary man. It¡¯s not unjust that I lost to him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that I didn¡¯t kill myself immediately, which gave him the chance to capture me in the end.¡± In Li Qingrou¡¯s view, it was merely a matter of being out-skilled, and not having committed suicide right away, which led to her becoming an object for Lu Chen¡¯s amusement. All this had nothing to do with Junwan. Even with Junwan¡¯s help, given Lu Chen¡¯s methods, Great Jue would probably still have been defeated in the end. Originally, everyone thought that the strongest in Great Sum were those few Celestials. Unexpectedly, the strongest turned out to be Lu Chen, especially because of the Spiritual Artifact in his possession. With such an earth-shattering Spiritual Artifact, Great Jue never stood a chance from the beginning. All one can say is that it was all destiny. After a long time of being tormented by Lu Chen, Li Qingrou had now come to understand. She took it as a Heavenly Tribulation; surviving this hardship could perhaps lead to a new change in her life. Li Qingrou asked, ¡°Junwan, do you intend to stay in his harem all your life, continuing to live like this?¡± Facing this question, Junwan appeared somewhat bewildered. She sighed softly, then replied, ¡°I can no longer leave him.¡± Junwan knew that she had completely fallen for that scoundrel. If she left him, she would definitely be obsessed with him, unable to do anything else. Although she felt this guy was too unreliable at times, always laying on women, aside from being lecherous, he didn¡¯t seem to have any other major flaws. Regarding Junwan¡¯s response, Li Qingrou wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised. The man indeed had some tricks. At first, she thought about committing suicide every day, but after being tormented by Lu Chen for so long, she had completely lost that idea. Now, she instead wanted to make Lu Chen her own man. It was normal for Junwan to be unable to leave Lu Chen. However¡­ Li Qingrou still felt somewhat unwilling. This scoundrel had so many women, yet she and Junwan were merely two among his harem. As a former Empress, Li Qingrou wasn¡¯t accustomed to sharing her with others, though sharing him with Junwan wasn¡¯t a problem. Aside from Junwan, having other women share the same husband made her feel extremely uncomfortable. Even if she could not withstand Lu Chen¡¯s favor, her possessiveness and pride made the idea of sharing a husband with others especially difficult to bear. At this moment, Junwan looked at Li Qingrou and asked, ¡°Qianrou, you¡¯re not planning to escape from Yan County, are you?¡± Li Qianrou smiled slightly and then said, ¡°If we are to go, we¡¯ll go together; I can¡¯t possibly leave with you here.¡± ¡°Since coming back from the Misty World, we¡¯ve been living separately. Now we can finally be together, and I never want to be parted from you again.¡± Upon hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s words, Wu Junwan felt a warmth inside her. Li Qianrou continued, ¡°I just feel that sharing a husband with so many women is somewhat hard to bear at heart.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan was startled and quickly raised her hand to cover Li Qianrou¡¯s mouth, stopping her from saying more. Wu Junwan cautioned, ¡°Qianrou, you must never think this way!¡± Women who tried to monopolize Lu Chen had all been ¡°severely punished¡± by him in the end, which made Wu Junwan¡¯s legs tremble uncontrollably as she remembered her past experiences. Li Qianrou looked at Wu Junwan with confusion. Wu Junwan continued, ¡°You have been with him for so long; you should know he is special. He¡¯s not an ordinary man. If he had only one or two wives or concubines, those one or two women absolutely could not bear his favoritism.¡± ¡°Moreover, once he knows you are thinking this way, it is very likely that he would visit your room every night for the next few months.¡± This¡­ Li Qianrou seemed to understand something and then asked, ¡°Is that scoundrel the reason your temperament has been worn down?¡± Wu Junwan was also a proud woman, and she and Li Qianrou were cut from the same cloth. Ideally, she also wouldn¡¯t want to share a husband with so many women. When Li Qianrou first received Wu Junwan¡¯s letter in Dayue, she was very curious. She couldn¡¯t understand why Wu Junwan eventually chose such a lascivious man. Now thinking about it, it was probably because Lu Chen kept barging into Wu Junwan¡¯s room every night, until finally, she couldn¡¯t stand it and compromised. Wu Junwan sighed softly and did not answer Li Qianrou¡¯s question, though Li Qianrou could tell from her reaction. Li Qianrou then hugged Wu Junwan¡¯s waist tightly, angerily saying, ¡°This bastard, how dare he treat my woman like this? Someday, I will make him pay.¡± Although Li Qianrou said this, she herself had fallen into Lu Chen¡¯s hands, so how could she make him pay? The two beautiful ladies embraced each other, chatting for who knows how long, until a beautifully dressed woman in black-edged white clothing appeared at the palace doorway. The sudden appearance of this figure immediately caught Li Qianrou¡¯s attention. Seeing that the newcomer was Murong Xue¡¯er, Li Qianrou¡¯s expression instantly darkened. Li Qianrou immediately released Wu Junwan and then raised her hand. In the next moment, a powerful suction force pulled Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body directly in front of Li Qianrou. Li Qianrou grabbed her by the neck and coldly said, ¡°Your Majesty said, how dare you betray me? It seems you¡¯ve already found a backer!¡± Even though Murong Xue¡¯er now had Lu Chen as a backer, she was still extremely fearful in her heart. Murong Xue¡¯er struggled to say, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty, the Empress!¡± Seeing Li Qianrou choking Murong Xue¡¯er, Wu Junwan quickly said, ¡°Qianrou, Murong Xue¡¯er is now Lu Chen¡¯s woman. You can¡¯t treat her as a servant anymore. If Lu Chen finds out you treated her this way, he will definitely punish you.¡± Although Murong Xue¡¯er often bickered with Wu Junwan, it was precisely because of Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s presence that Wu Junwan didn¡¯t feel as lonely when she came to Yan County. Furthermore, Murong Xue¡¯er and she lived in the same palace. She drew a lot of Lu Chen¡¯s attention away from Wu Junwan, and through this, they had become good friends. After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Li Qianrou finally released Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s neck. Chapter 844 - Chapter 844: Chapter 534 Wu Junwan: You Should Know How Terrifying He Is Chapter 844: Chapter 534 Wu Junwan: You Should Know How Terrifying He Is Li Qianrou released Murong Xue¡¯er, who rubbed her neck and coughed a few times before feeling a bit better. She then said with gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Empress.¡± Perhaps because she had grown up by Li Qianrou¡¯s side since she was young, Murong Xue¡¯er always felt immense pressure in Li Qianrou¡¯s presence. Even though she was well aware that the current Li Qianrou was nothing but Lu Chen¡¯s plaything, deep down she still felt fear towards Li Qianrou. Hearing Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s thanks, Li Qianrou sneered and then said, ¡°Had Junwan not spoken for you, I would certainly have strangled you, you traitor!¡± Wu Junwan intervened, ¡°Qingrou, it¡¯s actually not entirely her fault. You yourself have been with Lu Chen. You should understand how terrifying he is.¡± Upon hearing this, the image of Lu Chen toying with her flashed through Li Qianrou¡¯s mind. Indeed, as Wu Junwan said, once one had contact with that man, it was very difficult to leave him. However, Li Qianrou couldn¡¯t comprehend why her Curse Pattern had been utterly ineffective. The Curse Pattern she had drawn on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s lower abdomen was not just meant to deal with the Pseudo Celestial. It should have been effective against a Celestial, or even someone from the Genesis Realm, but it conspicuously failed against that scoundrel. Li Qianrou then coldly glanced at Murong Xue¡¯er, sensing clearly that she had taken on the charm of a mature woman, her whole persona had grown considerably more dignified. Judging by the looks of it, Murong Xue¡¯er must have been played with by that man countless times. At that moment, Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Qingrou, although Murong Xue¡¯er has betrayed you, she has helped me a lot during her time in Yan County.¡± Li Qianrou snorted coldly and said, ¡°She did what she was supposed to do.¡± Just then, the voice of a man suddenly came from the entrance of the courtyard, ¡°Qianrou, you¡¯ve just arrived at the Imperial Palace, why are you so angry? Who has upset you?¡± Upon hearing this voice, the three women were startled, and then looked in that direction in unison, just in time to see Lu Chen, dressed in a black gold dragon robe, walking in gradually. Lu Chen walked straight into the pavilion, glanced at Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou, who were embracing each other. Seeing the two beautiful women clinging to each other, there was always an indistinct impulse within him. Such a sight was exceedingly pleasing to his eyes. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then fell upon Li Qianrou. Observing her fierce eyes, he said with a smile, ¡°Qianrou, after seeing Junwan, do you still have thoughts of taking your own life?¡± Hearing this question, Li Qianrou sneered and then said, ¡°Now that you have brought me to your Harem, you better not regret anything that happens here later.¡± Even if Li Qianrou might not do anything, she had to gain the upper hand verbally. She wanted to instill fear in this man. Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°I have said that as long as you come to Yan County with me, I will give you your freedom, and I certainly mean what I say.¡± ¡°I still trust you a lot. Moreover, with Junwan here, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ll cause chaos in the Imperial Palace. Even if you want to, Junwan will stop you.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, Li Qianrou understood that he was using Wu Junwan as a hostage to threaten her. If she did not obey, he would cause trouble for Wu Junwan later on. Lu Chen then continued, ¡°By the way, there¡¯s a family banquet tonight. Make sure you attend.¡± ¡°You can continue your chat, I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± As his voice faded, Lu Chen turned and left the courtyard. Watching his retreating figure, Li Qianrou¡¯s brow furrowed. Did this scoundrel come here specifically to remind her that Wu Junwan was his hostage? After Lu Chen left the courtyard, Wu Junwan sighed softly. She saw in Li Qianrou the reflection of her past self. When she first came to Yan County, she was just like Li Qianrou, full of pride and self-respect, unwilling to bow down to Lu Chen, but in the end¡­ At last, her belly had been swollen by Lu Chen, and occasionally she would even take the initiative to serve him. Thinking about this, Wu Junwan sighed and then began to provide psychological counseling to Li Qingrou, trying to alleviate Li Qingrou¡¯s strong resistance towards Lu Chen. What had happened, happened; they could no longer live without that little rascal. If Li Qingrou was too resistant towards Lu Chen in her heart, it would only be torturing herself. ¡­ A family banquet in the evening. All of Lu Chen¡¯s wives, concubines, and children were present, including Li Qingrou. Although Li Qingrou was extremely reluctant, she still went to the Wind Cloud Palace with Wu Junwan. Looking at his wives, concubines, and children in the grand hall, Lu Chen was filled with emotion. After more than two decades in this world, he finally had his own big family. The dinner ended amidst laughter and cheerful voices. Afterwards, Lu Chen went to Mu Zixuan¡¯s room, pulling along Xiaozhou and Dazhou, and effectively eased the lovesickness of the three women. Several days later. The Xuanyuan Family. Xuanyuan Chen and Xuanyuan Yunqi were sitting on the stone benches in the courtyard, discussing something. Xuanyuan Yunqi spoke, ¡°Brother, can you get His Majesty to give me a chance? I want to follow you to march south and eradicate Great Qian. Great Qian is the last dynasty, and if I don¡¯t participate in this battle, I might never get another chance.¡± Ever since Lu Chen had put Xuanyuan Yunqi in command of the Imperial Guards of Yan County, he hardly let her participate in any major battles. Even if Xuanyuan Yunqi went to the battlefield, it was always in the rear. Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s dream of becoming a general had come true; she was now nominally a general. However, her role was largely superficial since she had no real military exploits to her name. She felt that her current self was just a vase. And she didn¡¯t want to be a vase. But she dared not directly say anything to Lu Chen. Even though Lu Chen seemed gentle, he was after all the Son of Destiny, and Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s deep-seated fear of him was innate. Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Chen sighed and then said, ¡°Yunqi, don¡¯t you understand His Majesty¡¯s thoughts about you? Although His Majesty has agreed to let you command troops, His Majesty has designs on you and is also afraid of you getting hurt. There is a high likelihood that His Majesty won¡¯t actually let you go to the front lines.¡± Seeing her brother speak like this, Xuanyuan Yunqi felt an immense sense of disappointment. At this time, seeing his sister¡¯s disappointed expression, Xuanyuan Chen continued, ¡°Actually, you can take the initiative to approach His Majesty. Maybe His Majesty will agree.¡± ¡°Our His Majesty is the Son of Destiny, an enlightened ruler. Even if you become his woman, he wouldn¡¯t confine you to the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Look at those Imperial Noble Consorts in the palace; almost every one of them wields various powers, and they often leave the palace.¡± ¡°If you, my sister, can become His Majesty¡¯s woman and serve him well, perhaps His Majesty will agree to let you lead troops into battle.¡± This¡­ Xuanyuan Yunqi looked at Xuanyuan Chen with doubt. She felt like her brother was planning to send her to the Emperor¡¯s side. Although she had long been prepared to bear children for the Sum Emperor, the thought of her unfulfilled dreams made her somewhat resistant to the matters between men and women. What if she hadn¡¯t realized her dreams yet and got pregnant? How would she then lead troops and ride across the battlefield? Chapter 845 - Chapter 845: Chapter 535: What are you going to do to me? Chapter 845: Chapter 535: What are you going to do to me? Seeing Xuanyuan Yunqi looking at him with doubtful eyes, Xuanyuan Chen continued to persuade her, ¡°Sister, you¡¯ve also been serving as the Imperial Guard Commander for so long, and you¡¯ve spent most of your time in Yan County. You couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of what those Imperial Noble Consorts are like in the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°His Majesty dotes on his women particularly. If you can serve His Majesty well, I believe he will certainly agree to let you lead troops.¡± ¡°Of course, even if His Majesty allows you to lead troops, he cannot let you be a Main Commander like me.¡± Although Xuanyuan Yunqi had a talent for warfare, she had never been a Main Commander, and she clearly lacked the ability to command a large army corps in battle. After hearing what Xuanyuan Chen said, Xuanyuan Yunqi became displeased. If her brother could become a Main Commander, why couldn¡¯t she? She could learn to be a Main Commander as well. If His Majesty gave her the chance, she believed her abilities would be no weaker than her brother¡¯s; it was just that she had always been in the rear, without such an opportunity. Even though she knew what her brother was getting at, Xuanyuan Yunqi, in order to take part in the war against Great Qian, still determined to seek out the Emperor proactively. What if the Emperor really agreed? With this thought, Xuanyuan Yunqi said, ¡°I understand, I will go to see His Majesty in a couple of days.¡± ¡­ Nighttime. Inside Wu Junwan¡¯s palace, smoke curled in the air. Two beautiful women sat cross-legged, engaged in an intimate conversation. Li Qingrou¡¯s bright red Phoenix Robe hung loosely, revealing her fair collarbones and shoulders, while her jade arm encircled Wu Junwan¡¯s tender body. Since Li Qingrou had come to Yan County, the two of them had lived together every day. Lu Chen had been busy feeding his wives and concubines these past few days, so he had not come to Wu Junwan¡¯s place for the time being, but he still rather enjoyed seeing the two beautiful women being close. Li Qingrou now raised her hand, lifting Wu Junwan¡¯s chin, gazing into her phoenix eyes as she said, ¡°Junwan, once the restrictions of the Misty World are lifted, shall we return to our Sect?¡± Li Qingrou still did not want to stay in Lu Chen¡¯s harem; she planned to elope with Wu Junwan too. Upon hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Qingrou, I know you still have reservations about Lu Chen. If you really don¡¯t want to stay here, you can talk to Lu Chen; perhaps he will agree to let you leave.¡± ¡°The Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace is also Lu Chen¡¯s woman, and look, he still let her return to the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± ¡°As long as you do nothing to harm the interests of Great Sum, he will not imprison you indefinitely.¡± Li Qingrou sighed slightly, ¡°Junwan, do you really want to bear his children that much?¡± ¡°You see, he¡¯s been back for so long and hasn¡¯t come here once. If he were your male pet, I might not say anything, but you must understand, you are not his only woman, and the number of his women will only continue to grow.¡± ¡°In the future, we staying in his harem will only be guarding an empty boudoir.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan smiled slightly, then took Li Qingrou¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Qingrou, if you stay in Yan County a bit longer you will understand. Lu Chen has always been even-handed and doesn¡¯t particularly dote on anyone.¡± ¡°The reason he hasn¡¯t come these few days is because it just hasn¡¯t been our turn yet.¡± Lu Chen had many women; even if he spent several nights with a few, it would still take several days to go around. ¡°I reckon he will come to my place in a day or two.¡± Seeing that Wu Junwan still harbored feelings for Lu Chen, Li Qingrou¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. It seemed that making Wu Junwan give up on Lu Chen completely was not an easy task, and considering the man in question had numerous tricks up his sleeve, once a woman got involved with him, it was very difficult for her to leave. What should I do? Could it be that I really have to spend my whole life in this damned harem? Just then, a man¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°Qingrou, you¡¯ve been here for several days now, yet you¡¯re not behaving. Still thinking of running away, and even planning to take Junwan with you?¡± As the voice faded, the door to Wu Junwan¡¯s room opened, and Lu Chen entered from outside. Both women turned their heads to look at Lu Chen at the same time. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Li Qingrou didn¡¯t show any fear and said calmly, ¡°Aren¡¯t you unafraid of me causing trouble in your harem?¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°Of course I¡¯m not afraid, and I also believe that Junwan would not be led away by you.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, he used Shadow Shifting to move behind the two women and sat down, then directly wrapped his arm around Wu Junwan¡¯s slim waist. The sudden closeness of Lu Chen made Li Qingrou extremely uncomfortable. She was having a world for two with Wu Junwan, and now this bastard wanted to interfere. After Lu Chen wrapped his arm around Wu Junwan¡¯s slim waist, he gently caressed her belly and said while doing so, ¡°Junwan is already carrying my child. How could she possibly leave with you?¡± ¡°If she leaves, the child will either have no father or no mother. I don¡¯t believe Junwan can be so heartless.¡± ¡°You think everyone practices the Unfeeling Tao as you do, abandoning kinship as soon as it¡¯s convenient.¡± This¡­ After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou was taken aback. She always thought of taking Wu Junwan away with her, yet overlooked that Wu Junwan was very different from her; she followed the Unfeeling Tao and could give up many things, but Wu Junwan could not, especially when it came to ties of blood and kinship. At this moment, Wu Junwan spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, Qingrou just hasn¡¯t gotten used to this place yet, that¡¯s why she¡¯s thinking of leaving. Once she becomes accustomed to it, she won¡¯t think about leaving anymore.¡± Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°She wants to leave not because of unfamiliarity, but because she lacks my nourishment.¡± With these words, Lu Chen directly embraced Li Qingrou by the waist, and she froze for a moment before saying coldly, ¡°What are you trying to do to me!¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Now that you are my Imperial Noble Consort, what do you think I will do?¡± Li Qingrou felt a tightness in her heart. Although she had been with this bastard for over a month and had been humiliated by him daily, that was without Wu Junwan around. Now that her dear friend was right in front of her, Li Qingrou did not want Wu Junwan to see her disgraceful side. Li Qingrou then threatened, ¡°If you dare to touch me, I will make sure we both go down together today!¡± Upon saying this, Li Qingrou started to struggle, but she immediately realized that her spiritual power had been sealed. Just as she had thought, as soon as she came into contact with Lu Chen¡¯s body, he could directly block the spiritual power inside her, rendering her as helpless as an ordinary person. Then, this man could do whatever he wanted to her without inhibition. Lu Chen, at this moment, completely ignored Li Qingrou¡¯s threats. He simply pulled her up from the ground and then picked her up in a princess carry. Before Li Qingrou could even attempt to escape, Lu Chen, using Shadow Shifting, appeared beside Wu Junwan¡¯s bed holding Li Qingrou. He then threw Li Qingrou onto Wu Junwan¡¯s soft couch. ¡°You want to take Junwan away with you, so today, right in front of Junwan, I will have a good talk with you.¡± Chapter 846 - Chapter 846: Chapter 536: The humiliation you gave me today, I will one day return! Chapter 846: Chapter 536: The humiliation you gave me today, I will one day return! Li Qianrou ultimately paid a heavy price for her behavior. At this moment, Li Qianrou¡¯s heart was filled with humiliation, she didn¡¯t want Wu Junwan to see, but Wu Junwan was right there in the room, and not far away at all. She could see and hear everything clearly. In order not to let her dear sister think she was promiscuous, Li Qianrou did everything she could to suppress her emotions. However, sadly, all of Li Qianrou¡¯s restraint dissipated, ultimately turning into whimpers and pleas for mercy. Seeing Li Qianrou being tormented by Lu Chen in all kinds of ways from every direction, Wu Junwan, sitting in the middle of the hall, could only sigh softly. She too had noticed that Lu Chen was particularly keen on such matters, especially tormenting Li Qianrou in front of her, which seemed to fulfill him psychologically. Much like Wu Junwan had imagined, for Lu Chen, tormenting in front of Wu Junwan brought him a special kind of pleasure. Moreover, in front of Wu Junwan, as Li Qianrou grew especially anxious fearing that Wu Junwan was watching, her muscles would contract and become incredibly tense in anxiety. At that moment, Li Qianrou seemed to regain some clarity, she slightly turned her head, wanting to see what Wu Junwan was doing. As a result, she found Wu Junwan¡¯s eyes fixed on her, their gazes meeting, and Li Qianrou instantly became even more nervous. She snorted coldly, weakly cursing, ¡°Scoundrel¡­¡± Nevertheless, no matter how she cursed, Lu Chen simply did as he pleased, completely ignoring Li Qianrou. Thus, Li Qianrou spent a night overwhelmed with humiliation and tension. The next morning, when Li Qianrou awoke, she found herself still tightly embraced, unable to move at all. She turned her head and saw, to her surprise, that Wu Junwan was lying right beside her. Li Qianrou struggled to recall the events of the previous night, quickly remembering some details. It had started with her being tormented alone by Lu Chen; later, to humiliate her, Lu Chen invited Wu Junwan to watch, and then he fell asleep embracing both of them. Thinking of how she behaved in front of her close sister, Li Qianrou felt immensely ashamed. This damn scoundrel, treating her like this. She was once the Empress of Great Jue, after all! She would make this man pay someday! Just as Li Qianrou was thinking about how she could get back at Lu Chen, Lu Chen woke up, and she instantly sensed something was off. Lu Chen lay behind Li Qianrou, leaning close to whisper in her ear, ¡°Qianrou, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so bold in front of your dear sister.¡± Hearing this, rage surged in Li Qianrou¡¯s heart, and she coldly said, ¡°The humiliation you gave me today, I will someday repay it all!¡± Lu Chen, smiling, replied, ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Just then, Li Qianrou turned her head toward Wu Junwan, only to find that Wu Junwan had also awakened and was looking at her. Li Qianrou hurriedly said, ¡°Junwan, last night I¡­¡± Li Qianrou wanted to explain something, but when the words came to her lips, she swallowed them back, uncertain of what to say. Now, whatever she said might seem like justifications to Wu Junwan, given how she had acted. Continuously calling him ¡®darling¡¯ and claiming there were no feelings involved would be a sheer lie. Wu Junwan understood what Li Qianrou wanted to say, she lifted her hand, gently touching Li Qianrou¡¯s cheek and said, ¡°Qianrou, I know what you want to say, and I don¡¯t mind.¡± They had once been sisters who shared life and death, and they would continue to be such sisters in the future, not minding sharing the same man. Moreover, she had long known that Lu Chen couldn¡¯t be monopolized by her alone. At that moment, Li Qingrou coldly said to Lu Chen, who was lying on her back, ¡°What more do you want to do? Get up now!¡± Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°I just like holding your body like this. If you want me to get up, you¡¯ll have to call me ¡®darling¡¯.¡± Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. I will definitely not¡­ Hiss¡­¡± Before Li Qingrou could finish her sentence, Lu Chen started to play tricks, and Li Qingrou instantly gasped in a breath of cold air. This horrible man! He is utterly lawless! Seeing Li Qingrou¡¯s face as cold as frost, Wu Junwan sighed softly. At that time, Lu Chen whispered in Li Qingrou¡¯s ear, ¡°Qingrou, do you know what Junwan¡¯s condition for breaking through to Celestial is?¡± Upon hearing this question, Li Qingrou paused for a moment, but she quickly realized that Wu Junwan¡¯s condition for breaking through to Celestial involved Lu Chen. Wu Junwan had once mentioned it to her, and she herself had broken through to Celestial because of Lu Chen, which already set a precedent. While Li Qingrou was thinking this, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Her condition for breaking through to Celestial is to bear me several children, and yet you actually thought about eloping with her. If you take her away, and she¡¯s unable to break through to Celestial later, do you really want to watch her die before you when her time comes?¡± This¡­ Li Qingrou turned her head to look at Wu Junwan beside her, staring into her eyes, ¡°Junwan, is your condition for breaking through to Celestial really¡­¡± Li Qingrou didn¡¯t continue her question, but Wu Junwan blinked her beautiful eyes slightly and nodded subtly. Seeing Wu Junwan admit it, Li Qingrou was momentarily stunned. Alright, indeed, she had neglected to consider this. However, the thought that both she and Wu Junwan had to rely on this man to become Celestial made Li Qingrou feel extremely humiliated. Both of them had once been such independent women; they had been through so much life and death together, never depending on that man. They had always hand-in-hand overcome the challenges they faced. Now, not only had they become the playthings of that despicable Lu Chen, but they even had to bear his children, which Li Qingrou found deeply intolerable. At that moment, Li Qingrou fell into silence, not speaking for a long time. After an unknown period, Li Qingrou finally spoke, ¡°Junwan, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have urged you to leave this man.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed mockingly, what he meant by ¡°this man.¡± Wu Junwan looked at Li Qingrou¡¯s jade-like face and said, ¡°Qingrou, you don¡¯t need to apologize. I know you mean well.¡± Seeing the affectionate looks they exchanged, Lu Chen was somewhat speechless; he was still lying on Li Qingrou¡¯s back, and yet these two acted as if they were the only two in the world. But then again, this was quite interesting. After a while, Li Qingrou said to Lu Chen on her back, ¡°I may very well stay quietly in your harem, but I absolutely will not bear your children!¡± ¡°And don¡¯t even dream of making me pregnant with your child!¡± Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s icy words, Lu Chen burst out laughing. Whether or not she would bear children wasn¡¯t up to her; that would depend on his capability. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I could agree to that, but what if you do become pregnant?¡± Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°There are no ¡®what ifs¡¯. I am already a Celestial, and there is absolutely no possibility of me getting pregnant with your child!¡± Li Qingrou thought she could completely manipulate her own Spiritual Power to prevent certain things. Chapter 847 - Chapter 847: Chapter 537: The Biggest Problem Currently is to Destroy Great Qian Chapter 847: Chapter 537: The Biggest Problem Currently is to Destroy Great Qian ¡°` Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Lu Chen simply thought she was very naive. Lu Chen, of course, understood what Li Qingrou was thinking; she was probably just like Wang Qingci and the others used to think, believing that by using Spiritual Power to force out the impurities within the body, one would then consider everything to be all right. They certainly could use their power to expel the impurities inside them, but they must wait until after matters were concluded. While Lu Chen was handling affairs, they would not be able to harness such power. Perhaps they would not even have the chance to exercise their power before they were already struck. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I agree, but if you do conceive, you must give birth to the child!¡± Li Qingrou did not respond to Lu Chen¡¯s words; she did not feel that she would conceive Lu Chen¡¯s child. As Lu Chen slowly stood up, the pressure on Li Qingrou¡¯s body instantly disappeared, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of emptiness. After Lu Chen stood up, he walked towards the bathhouse while saying, ¡°You two rest well; I¡¯ll come to see you again in a few days.¡± The affairs of Great Jue were nearly settled. Now, the focus of the Great Sum would shift towards the destruction of Great Qian. Today, there was a Great Court Assembly specifically targeting the discussions about Great Qian. Next, they would devise a plan of attack to take down Great Qian. After Lu Chen went to the bathhouse, watching his retreating figure, Li Qingrou¡¯s mood grew complicated; ultimately, she had compromised. Initially, her thought was to commit suicide upon defeat, but failing to succeed in her suicide, she had her innocence taken by that scoundrel, and then was tormented by the man in various ways. Later, thinking that she had already lost her chastity, she might as well come to Yan County with that scoundrel, hoping Lu Chen would find a way to take her good sisters away from Yan County. Now that plan too had failed, and in the end, she had given in. She, once an Empress, was she really going to live in the depths of this palace for life and become a plaything for that scoundrel¡¯s release? Seeing Li Qingrou¡¯s somber expression, Wu Junwan moved closer and then embraced Li Qingrou¡¯s soft body. Wu Junwan said nothing, just holding her in her arms. Their voluptuous, tender bodies pressed together, giving each other a sense of great warmth; soon, Li Qingrou felt her heart filled with strength. She decided to continue living in Yan County for the time being. If one day Wu Junwan made a breakthrough and became a Celestial, and that man lost interest in the two of them, she would then find a way to leave. That man had so many women, and he was still expanding his harem; sooner or later, he would lose interest in her and Wu Junwan. Thinking this, Li Qingrou felt much better inside. As long as Wu Junwan became a Celestial, a few decades, a hundred years, were nothing to them. Waiting a hundred years was certainly bearable; she did not believe that after a hundred years, Lu Chen would still be interested in their bodies. Clearly, Li Qingrou had underestimated Lu Chen once again. ¡­ After Lu Chen finished bathing, he went straight to the Hall of Political Affairs. Today¡¯s Great Court Assembly had all the civil and military officials present, who were obviously there to discuss important military affairs. Now that Great Wu and Great Jue had fallen, and the Black Dragon Country far to the northwest had also aligned with Great Sum, that left only Great Qian. The so-called important military affairs were bound to refer to the matter of destroying Great Qian. When Lu Chen entered the hall, all the ministers¡¯ gazes fixed upon him; each time a dynasty was conquered, it was time for some ministers to climb the ranks. For them, conquering Great Qian was another opportunity. After Lu Chen sat down on the Dragon Throne, the ministers immediately rose from the ground in unison, then bowed towards Lu Chen, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live for ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!¡± ¡°` Lu Chen spoke calmly, ¡°My ministers, you may dispense with the formalities! Take your seats!¡± As his words fell, the assembly of ministers sat down again, then Lu Chen continued, ¡°Today¡¯s court assembly shall be presided over by Us, and the main topic of discussion is none other than the eradication of Great Qian!¡± Upon hearing the topic that Lu Chen had announced, the ministers inside the hall were thrilled beyond expectation, for indeed the main discussion of today¡¯s Great Court Assembly was the eradication of Great Qian. Lu Chen glanced at the ministers in the hall, then began to speak, ¡°Great Qian is different from Great Wu and Great Jue. To eradicate Great Qian, there is currently one major difficulty!¡± A difficulty? The ministers instantly understood what Lu Chen was referring to¡ªthe current epidemic ravaging Great Qian. If the soldiers of Daxia were to rashly enter Great Qian, they would very likely contract the epidemic themselves. By then, not to mention eradicating Great Qian, the Daxia Army might instead suffer great losses in Great Qian. Lu Chen continued, ¡°If the issue of the epidemic cannot be resolved, Daxia will not be able to deploy troops.¡± ¡°Does any among you have a solution to the matter of the epidemic?¡± As Lu Chen finished speaking, the ministers in the hall immediately burst into animated discussion. Seeing the worried and frustrated expressions on the faces of the ministers as they discussed, Lu Chen knew that expecting a good solution from them was nearly a waste of time. He himself, with modern knowledge, had no clear way to deal with Great Qian¡¯s epidemic, let alone these people from ancient times. Lu Chen¡¯s call for discussion was nothing more than a formality. Ever since Lu Chen had become Emperor, he had to put up a front at court, pretending to discuss issues and seek advice from his ministers. In truth, any decisions Lu Chen held in his heart had already been made before attending court, and the court session was merely a means of informing the ministers. Yet even so, Lu Chen still let the ministers discuss the matter, simply to follow protocol. The ministers in the hall deliberated for a long time but failed to come up with any satisfactory solutions. After what seemed like an eternity, Zhuge Zhongguang rose to his feet and said, ¡°Your Majesty, the epidemic in Great Qian is highly likely to be spread in secret. As long as someone is deliberately spreading the epidemic, it will not be contained in Great Qian anytime soon. This humble subject suggests first sending disciples from Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall into Great Qian to investigate, ascertain the source of the epidemic and who exactly is responsible for spreading it, then we can make a decision.¡± Upon hearing these words, a minister quickly stood up and spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, I fear that may be improper. Although the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall have already pledged allegiance to Your Majesty, they are, after all, Sect powers. Allowing Sect powers to excessively meddle in national affairs could potentially leave drawbacks in the future!¡± Zhuge Zhongguang wouldn¡¯t propose involving the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall at this juncture without reason. In recent times, with the successive fall of Great Wu and Great Jue, some conflicts had arisen between the Sect powers and certain forces within the imperial court. Entrusting the investigation of the Great Qian epidemic to the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall¡ªwouldn¡¯t the credit then fall on these two Sect powers? What about the others within the Daxia Dynasty, especially the military men? During the eradication of Great Jue, the Daxia Army hadn¡¯t played a significant role, which already dealt a heavy blow to Daxia¡¯s morale. Now, with Lu Chen continuing to favor Sect powers, the troops of Daxia might feel even more sidelined. After listening to the opposing minister¡¯s words, Lu Chen glanced at the others in the hall before stating, ¡°Since the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall have pledged themselves to Us, they are Our people. If there are those who feel the presence of these two major Sect powers may disrupt Daxia¡¯s unity, then effective immediately, Tai Chu Divine Hall and Sunset Sword Sect are to be dissolved. Daxia shall establish Taichu Academy and Luoyang Academy, and from henceforth, anyone may apply to study at these two institutions.¡± This¡­ Seeing Lu Chen casually decreeing the dissolution of the two great Sects, the ministers were somewhat astonished. They knew that Lu Chen wielded the greatest authority of any Emperor before him, but they had not anticipated that he would so readily dissolve Sects with Celestial-grade power. At that moment, Zhuge Zhongguang spoke again, ¡°Your Majesty, the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall are the two strongest Sect powers of the Daxia Dynasty. If they are to be dissolved, it¡¯s likely that the other Sects may fight viciously to take the title of the number one Sect, thus disturbing the peace of Daxia.¡± ¡°If Your Majesty has already decided to dissolve the Tai Chu Divine Hall and Sunset Sword Sect, this humble subject proposes that all Sect powers within Daxia¡¯s territory be disbanded! From now on, no Sect powers shall be allowed to exist within Daxia¡¯s borders!¡± Chapter 848 - Chapter 848: Chapter 538: Yunqi, what are you looking for me for? Chapter 848: Chapter 538: Yunqi, what are you looking for me for? Hearing Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s last words, the ministers in the Hall of Political Affairs finally understood why Lu Chen decided to dissolve the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall. Everyone knew that Great Scholar Zhuge was one hundred percent on the Emperor¡¯s side, and since Zhuge Zhongguang proposed dissolving all sect powers within the territories of Great Sum, it indicated that this was the true intent of the Emperor. But why would the Emperor want to do this? At that moment, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Dissolve all the sect powers in the world? I¡¯m afraid that might not be good, right? Great Scholar, could you tell me, if we really do this, what benefits will it bring?¡± Zhuge Zhongguang answered, ¡°Your Majesty, although Great Wu and Great Jue are already vanquished, there are still some remnants of both nations taking refuge within some of the sect powers, harbouring delusions of restoring their countries. They exist in the form of sects, secretly recruiting troops and dodging Great Sum¡¯s scrutiny.¡± ¡°If we dissolve all the sect powers in Great Sum and prohibit their existence, they will lose their primary hiding places.¡± ¡°This will be more conducive to the stability of the world!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see, the benefit is indeed not small, but to dissolve the sect powers of the world, the resistance will certainly not be minor.¡± Zhuge Zhongguang continued, ¡°Your Majesty, as long as you dissolve the Tai Chu Divine Hall and the Sunset Sword Sect, these two major powers, and then impose a blockade on those sect powers under the pretext of searching for remnants of the two countries, I believe that doing so will cause most of the sect powers to dissolve themselves.¡± Every major power¡¯s leaders are old foxes, and as long as what Zhuge Zhongguang has suggested is done to this extent, people will know that the Emperor is determined to eliminate the sect powers. If they insist on continuing to exist, what follows will inevitably be their physical destruction. The Daxia Dynasty is currently at the height of its influence, and Lu Chen, the Sum Emperor, holds power that can be said to have reached a historical peak. No force would dare to oppose Lu Chen at this time. Listening to Zhuge Zhongguang¡¯s words, the ministers suddenly felt sweat on their foreheads, as they had thought that today¡¯s discussion would be about the campaign against the Great Qian Dynasty. The result, however, turned out that the Great Scholar and the Emperor¡¯s direction of conversation shifted swiftly to the elimination of sect powers within Great Sum¡¯s territory. The reason why the Emperor wanted to eliminate the sect powers was also mentioned by Zhuge Zhongguang before. The apparent goal is to deprive those remnants wishing to restore their countries of their sanctuaries. Of course, the most important reason is probably that the existence of the sect powers severely affects the stability of a dynasty. The current sect powers are like small nations, having everything from weapons to population. Lu Chen, an emperor of a unified state, will never allow such forces to exist on the land of Great Sum. Of course, Lu Chen is actually preparing for the future enemies of the Misty World. Only by integrating the resources of this world will there be a greater chance of victory against the enemies of the Misty World in the future. Indeed, today¡¯s Great Court Assembly was meant to discuss the annihilation of Great Qian, with the elimination of Great Sum¡¯s internal sect powers being a side issue. After Zhuge Zhongguang finished speaking, Lu Chen put on a thoughtful look and was silent for a long while. At that moment, the great hall was incredibly quiet, everyone waiting for Lu Chen¡¯s response. After pondering for a while, Lu Chen opened his mouth and said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s do as Great Scholar Zhuge has suggested.¡± ¡°Great Scholar Zhuge, I¡¯ll leave this matter in your hands.¡± Someone always had to be the bad guy, and the Emperor could not afford to offend people at will. Since Zhuge Zhongguang was the one who proposed it, he would be the one to take the blame. There are a great many Sect powers within the territory of Great Sum, and whoever proposes to eradicate these Sect forces will become their enemy. Lu Chen, as the Emperor, for the sake of peace throughout the land, generally does not deal with such offensive matters in person. Now, as Emperor, Lu Chen has grown increasingly adept at his role. Sometimes, he even doubts whether one day he might become like the other Emperors, cold and merciless, only knowing how to manipulate power. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Zhuge Zhongguang immediately knelt down and said, ¡°Your servant obeys the decree!¡± After discussing the matter of eradicating the Sect forces, Lu Chen glanced at the ministers in the great hall and then said, ¡°Let us put this matter aside for now and proceed to discuss the conquest of Great Qian!¡± Upon hearing this, the ministers felt a jolt in their hearts. They had originally thought that the Emperor intended to use the conquest of Great Qian as a pretext to take action against the Sect forces across the land. However, after finishing the matter of dissolving the Sects across the land, the Emperor¡¯s tone shifted back. Was the eradication of Sects across the land, in the Emperor¡¯s eyes, merely a trivial matter? In the eyes of the ministers, the difficulty of eradicating the Sects across the land was no less than that of destroying a dynasty. Within the several great dynasties, there were many Sect forces; although Mysterious Moon Palace was nominally the strongest among the Sects, no one could be certain that there were not hidden forces within these great dynasties possessing strength surpassing that of Mysterious Moon Palace. However, since the Sum Emperor had already decided, there was nothing the ministers could do now. Lu Chen¡¯s power was immense; once he had made a decision, no minister dared to persist in opposition. The Great Court Assembly then continued to discuss the campaign against Great Qian. After the deliberation of the Great Court Assembly, Lu Chen decided to first dispatch four hundred thousand troops to march south and station them at the border between Great Qian and Great Sum, but not to launch an attack for the time being. Instead, he would send some strong individuals into the Great Qian Dynasty to clarify the situation with the epidemic. Then, they would commence the campaign against Great Qian. Naturally, there was another benefit to sending troops to press the border. The common folk of Great Qian, already panicked by the epidemic, would undoubtedly become even more terrified and anxious if they knew that Great Sum had dispatched hundreds of thousands of troops to their border. Under the pressure of the epidemic and the Great Sum army, some of Great Qian¡¯s people would surely choose to surrender to Great Sum. In this way, Great Sum would not need to expend much effort to take down Great Qian. After the Great Court Assembly ended, it was already two o¡¯clock in the afternoon; Lu Chen went directly to the Imperial Study Room to deal with some official documents regarding troop movements. At that moment, Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice rang from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, General Yunqi requests an audience.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was momentarily startled. Then he said, ¡°Come in!¡± Lu Chen had more or less guessed the reason for Xuanyuan Yunqi¡¯s visit today. Clearly, she wanted to take part in the battle against Great Qian. As Lu Chen spoke, Xuanyuan Yunqi, clad in black gold armor, entered the study room. Xuanyuan Yunqi wore her hair in a single ponytail, with her fringe parted to both sides, revealing her smooth and white forehead. Her eyebrows exuded a valiant air, and her entire presence was vibrant and dashing. The black gold armor of Xuanyuan Yunqi fit tightly against her body, perfectly highlighting her shapely figure. It had to be said, this attire truly suited Xuanyuan Yunqi best. Lu Chen had long wanted to take Xuanyuan Yunqi into his harem, but had not allowed her to stay there; instead, he had her lead the Imperial Guards. That was because Lu Chen felt that Xuanyuan Yunqi was at her most beautiful when donning a warrior¡¯s armor. After evaluating Xuanyuan Yunqi with a glance, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upwards, and with a smile, he inquired, ¡°Yunqi, what brings you to me?¡± Chapter 850 - Chapter 850: Chapter 540 Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu Unite Chapter 850: Chapter 540 Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu Unite Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s face remained expressionless, and she calmly asked, ¡°What are you trying to say, Goddess?¡± Mu Yunxi immediately responded, ¡°The Empress wouldn¡¯t want to end up like the Yue Emperor, would she?¡± ¡°That Lu Chen is a lecher who is extremely fond of beauties. Even if a woman of graceful charm like the Empress is already married, he would certainly not let her go.¡± ¡°Moreover, you are still a virgin.¡± Liu Qingqiu chuckled lightly and then said, ¡°So, you¡¯re unable to deal with the Sum Emperor and plan to use me instead?¡± Mu Yunxi said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not about using or not using. Great Qian will soon face Great Sum¡¯s punitive expedition. Cooperating with me is actually helping yourselves.¡± ¡°Although you are not from this world, I believe you wouldn¡¯t want to see Great Qian be destroyed by someone else, right?¡± As someone from the Cultivation World, even though Liu Qingqiu is just an avatar, this avatar would certainly also want to leave this world. To leave this world, one must confront Lu Chen head-on. An enemy¡¯s enemy is a friend, and even if they eventually fall out over the matter of the transmission channel, if they continue fighting alone, they would likely be taken care of one by one by that Lu Chen. Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°I alone can handle the Sum Emperor and do not need the help of others. It¡¯s you who I find to be quite dangerous.¡± Although this world suppressed Mu Yunxi¡¯s true power, Liu Qingqiu could still faintly sense that this so-called Barbarian Tribe Goddess had a strength that was at least above the Heavenly Human Realm; she couldn¡¯t be an ordinary Celestial. Even if they joined forces to overcome the obstacle that was Lu Chen, they would end up becoming enemies in the end. True cooperation between them was impossible. Mu Yunxi said, ¡°Your intuition is quite accurate.¡± ¡°Thinking you can deal with the Sum Emperor alone, I don¡¯t think you have that capability. He possesses an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, and that artifact has already accepted a master. I believe you should understand what an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact means.¡± ¡°Unless you also have an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact on you, chances are you are no match for him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said all I need to. Whether you want to join hands with me is up to you to decide,¡± she added. After hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu fell into thought. If the Sum Emperor truly possessed an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, then facing him alone indeed seemed to be a difficult task. However¡­ Liu Qingqiu¡¯s gaze swept over Mu Yunxi, who was attired in a purple dress, revealing her flat, fair midriff and bare feet, with a bell-shaped spiritual artifact on her ankle. It was apparent from her demeanor that she was probably not a disciple of any respectable Sect. Liu Qingqiu then asked, ¡°From which world do you hail?¡± Without any hesitation, Mu Yunxi replied, ¡°Shuiyun World.¡± Upon hearing her answer, Liu Qingqiu thought for a moment; she did not have any memory of this world, indicating that Shuiyun World was likely not a particularly powerful one. Liu Qingqiu then said, ¡°Alright, we can join forces.¡± Liu Qingqiu thought to herself, if she could use Lu Chen¡¯s hand to also deal with the Barbarian Tribe Goddess, that would be for the best. Just at that moment, a dark shadow appeared behind Liu Qingqiu, ¡°Empress, I have found out that recently Great Sum has sent quite a few spies into Great Qian, and it¡¯s likely they won¡¯t take long to wage war on us!¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu let out a cold laugh, ¡°The Sum Emperor really is in a hurry, not even waiting for the plague within Great Qian to subside before thinking of mobilizing troops against us.¡± Mu Yunxi said with a smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t the plague the perfect opportunity for Great Sum? With the pestilence ravaging, what fighting power does Great Qian have left? Great Sum could easily take down the entire realm without lifting a finger.¡± Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°If he thinks he can destroy Great Qian, he¡¯s probably overestimating his abilities.¡± ¡°Since you were involved in that battle with Great Jue, tell me, what¡¯s so special about the Spiritual Artifact used by the Sum Emperor?¡± Although Liu Qingqiu didn¡¯t believe she would lose to the Sum Emperor, she harbored no underestimation in her heart either. If he could annihilate Great Wu and Great Jue, and even scare away the Goddess of the Barbarian Tribe, it proved that the Sum Emperor did have some capabilities. To ensure that her own plans were foolproof, Lu Chen must die. Mu Yunxi promptly replied, ¡°That weapon could fire beams of light, one of which was strong enough to break through my battle formation, and the beams could easily neutralize the Sword Intent released by the Yue Emperor.¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s answer, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s Liumei briefly furrowed. She was well aware of the power of an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, but from Mu Yunxi¡¯s account, it seemed she still underestimated the extent of an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact¡¯s might. Not having an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact of her own was a very big problem for her. At that time, Liu Qingqiu continued to ask, ¡°I¡¯m very curious, how did you come to this world?¡± Mu Yunxi replied, ¡°I initially encountered a Red Flower Sedan in the Chaotic Sea, and out of curiosity, I followed it, wanting to see who was inside. As a result, the Red Flower Sedan triggered a spatial temporal turmoil, and I was transported to the Misty World; from there, I then arrived in this lower world.¡± At this point, Mu Yunxi gave Liu Qingqiu a sidelong glance and continued, ¡°I¡¯m somewhat curious as to how you ended up in this world. An entity capable of creating a clone, whose strength is at least in the Divinity Transformation Realm¡ªa clone of a divinity in the Divinity Transformation Realm ends up in a lower world and cannot leave. I¡¯m afraid others might not believe this if you told them.¡± Liu Qingqiu retorted sharply, ¡°Knowing that I am a clone from the Divinity Transformation Realm, yet showing no fear of me at all, it seems the backing you have is not simple either.¡± At this time, Liu Qingqiu looked up at the sky and said, ¡°The Red Flower Sedan you mentioned, I saw it too. I was exploring a minor world when I encountered that Red Flower Sedan. Thinking it was an unearthed treasure, I wanted to seize it, but unexpectedly, the Red Flower Sedan actively opened up a space-time passage and sucked me in. Not only that, I have now completely lost contact with my main body.¡± This¡­ Mu Yunxi thought, no wonder a clone of a potentate from the Divinity Transformation Realm couldn¡¯t leave this world¡ªthis clone had actually lost all contact with her main body. How baffling. What kind of world was this, capable of severing all connection between a clone and its main body? She had previously thought this was merely a lower world with incomplete laws, and never expected this world to have secrets even she was not aware of. What on earth was that Red Flower Sedan? Why had it brought them to this world? For a moment, Mu Yunxi felt a chill run down her spine, as if she was being targeted by something. However, she quickly consoled herself in her mind, perhaps all of this was just a coincidence. Chapter 852 - Chapter 852: Chapter 542: I Already Have a Way to Solve the Plague Chapter 852: Chapter 542: I Already Have a Way to Solve the Plague The situation in the Great Qian Dynasty was rather complicated, and in order to end the war with Great Qian sooner, Lu Chen planned to once again lead the campaign personally. However, this time was unlike the previous campaign against Great Jue, as many ministers opposed Lu Chen¡¯s personal involvement. During another Great Court Assembly, many ministers stood up and advised Lu Chen against going to war himself. At this moment, in the Hall of Political Affairs. Lin Gaoyuan stood in the middle of the great hall and advised, ¡°Your Majesty, the plague is still ravaging the Great Qian Dynasty, Your Majesty must not risk yourself!¡± It wasn¡¯t just Lin Gaoyuan in the middle of the great hall, behind him were many other ministers who felt that there was no need for Lu Chen to take the field personally. Since arriving in Yan County, Lin Gaoyuan had almost never opposed Lu Chen¡¯s policies and decisions, but this time, Lin Gaoyuan truly felt that Lu Chen was being overly reckless. The plague was unpredictable, and no one could say for certain whether Lu Chen, after going to Great Qian and to the front lines, would contract the plague. What if something happens to Lu Chen? The world¡¯s unification was nearly complete, and Lu Chen could not afford to have anything happen to him now. Most importantly, Lu Chen also planned to eliminate all Sect powers within the territories of several major dynasties; if something were to happen to Lu Chen, no one would be able to suppress those Sect powers. If those Sect powers were to lead a rebellion, the world that was hardly anyone unified would once again crumble into pieces. Lu Chen¡¯s most crucial task right now was not to lead the battle personally, but to stay in Yanjing, keeping in check all those with ulterior motives. Lu Chen swept his gaze across the officials in the middle of the great hall who were advising him, but he said nothing. At that moment, another official stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, you originally took to the field against Great Jue primarily because Great Jue had a battle formation capable of resisting Celestials, and you were not at ease. Today¡¯s Great Qian Dynasty is just an ordinary dynasty and has no battle formation. Such a trifling matter as attacking the Great Qian Dynasty can just be left to the other two Celestials, how could it trouble you to personally take action again?¡± Despite the ministers¡¯ advice, Lu Chen remained unmoved, and he once again looked over the ministers in the great hall. Seeing that Lu Chen was unmoved, more and more ministers stood up, advising Lu Chen not to go to war himself. At this point, many minister¡¯s gazes fell on Zhuge Zhongguang. Zhuge Zhongguang, the Great Scholar, had the best relationship with the Emperor; if Zhuge were to step forward and advise Lu Chen, maybe Lu Chen would consider the possible complications of leading the campaign personally. However, the crowd saw that Zhuge was sitting in his place, appearing indifferent, as if he had no intention of advising Lu Chen. After a while, Lu Chen seeing that almost no more ministers were advising him, finally spoke, ¡°I understand your sentiments, my dear ministers.¡± ¡°However, you seem to have forgotten the Barbarian Tribe Goddess, according to the intelligence I received, the Barbarian Tribe Goddess has already arrived in Great Qian.¡± ¡°Originally, the battle formation in Great Jue was brought by the Barbarian Tribe Goddess. Think about it, if the Barbarian Tribe Goddess collaborates with Great Qian, wouldn¡¯t the Daxia Army also use battle formations?¡± ¡°If only two Celestials are sent to Great Qian, and if these two Celestials get restrained by the battle formation, then the Daxia Army would be at a disadvantage.¡± ¡°Even without the battle formations, given the strength of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess, it is not impossible for her to contend against two Celestials simultaneously.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the great hall immediately fell into a deafening silence. Many ministers were unaware that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess had gone to Great Qian, which is why they had advised Lu Chen against needing to make the trip personally. However, when Lu Chen revealed the latest intelligence offline, they started to waver in their hearts. If the Barbarian Tribe Goddess truly headed to Great Qian, then it was indeed possible that the Great Qian Army could already be employing battle formations. Moreover, the strength of the Barbarian Tribe Goddess was not weak; to deal with her, it might indeed require their Majesty to personally take action. Compared to a Celestial, Lu Chen was now universally recognized as the strongest person in Great Sum. Especially after that battle with Great Jue, the soldiers of Great Sum had witnessed Lu Chen¡¯s true strength, and now the entire court, both civil and military, felt that Lu Chen¡¯s strength had far surpassed that of a Celestial, even if Lu Chen was not a Celestial, he possessed the strength to kill one. Lu Chen said, ¡°All right, the matter of leading the campaign personally is settled.¡± ¡°As for the epidemic in Great Qian, don¡¯t worry about this, I already have a method to resolve the epidemic.¡± Upon hearing this, the ministers in the hall instantly became agitated. The biggest problem with the attack on Great Qian had been the ongoing epidemic in Great Qian. The soldiers of Great Sum dared not easily enter Great Qian, and once the epidemic infected the Great Sum soldiers, it could likely lead to a total collapse of the Great Sum Army. Now that the Sum Emperor had said he had a method to resolve the epidemic, if his method truly worked, then the biggest challenge of entering Great Qian would be resolved. However, bringing the matter back, during the last Great Court Assembly, their Majesty had been discussing how to resolve the epidemic, how suddenly did their Majesty have a solution now? At this moment, Lin Gaoyuan asked, ¡°Your Majesty, this official dares to ask, can the method in Your Majesty¡¯s hands truly eliminate the impact of the epidemic?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Lin, you need not worry. Since I have said I have a method, it will certainly completely eliminate the epidemic.¡± Upon hearing such a firm response from Lu Chen, the ministers also felt reassured. People knew Lu Chen¡¯s character; he would not make such a definitive statement without being 100% certain, it seems their Majesty really had found a way to resolve the epidemic. Since that was the case, there was nothing more to say, and the ministers each returned to their seats. Thus, the matter of Lu Chen leading the campaign personally was settled. After the Great Court Assembly ended, the news that the Sum Emperor was to lead the campaign personally spread instantly throughout Yan County. When people heard that Lu Chen was to lead the campaign again, at first their attitude was the same as that of the ministers, believing that their Majesty no longer needed to lead personally, as the Great Qian Dynasty posed no threat. However, as soon as the articles about the Barbarian Tribe Goddess were published in the Eastern Times and the official reports, the common people quickly changed their attitude, thinking Lu Chen was a responsible Emperor. Wherever there was danger, he would go there, unlike the previous emperors who only knew to stay in the Capital city, sending the common people¡¯s children to die. In this way, Lu Chen imperceptibly brushed up a wave of favorability with the common folk once more. Towards evening. Wu Residence. A man sat in the courtyard, drinking alone, while the sunset stretched his shadow long. Just then, a breeze blew by, and soon after, a dark figure appeared behind Wu Ming. Sensing the shadow that had appeared behind him, Wu Ming did not immediately turn around, evidently having known that this person would come. Wu Ming spoke, ¡°You really have some nerve to come to the Wu Residence under the surveillance of the Brocade Guard, aren¡¯t you afraid of being caught by them?¡± Hearing this, the dark figure said disdainfully, ¡°Now that the Sum Emperor is preparing to take action against Sect forces within the territories of the major dynasties, Yan County is very unstable, and any decent Brocade Guard has been dispatched elsewhere. How could those outside possibly notice my presence?¡± Chapter 853 - Chapter 853: Chapter 543: The Demon-Expelling Banner and the Reincarnation Stone Chapter 853: Chapter 543: The Demon-Expelling Banner and the Reincarnation Stone ¡°` Hearing the words of the shadow behind him, Wu Ming chuckled and then said, ¡°Lu Chen really is full of himself, daring to strike at the sect powers of the various dynasties!¡± The shadow behind Wu Ming said, ¡°If he truly wishes to unify the world, he can¡¯t allow these sects, which are like states within the state, to continue existing. Moreover, the remnants of the major dynasties are all hidden within these sects. If those sects are not eradicated, those forces will sooner or later pose a significant threat to Lu Chen¡¯s rule.¡± Hearing the shadow¡¯s words, Wu Ming set down his wine glass, then slightly turned his head to look at the shadow behind him and said, ¡°Are you certain that this plan will be one hundred percent successful?¡± The shadow replied, ¡°Your Highness, rest assured, this time a dozen major sects are joining hands, and we also have a Celestial on our side.¡± ¡°Once Lu Chen moves south to lead the battle himself, we will immediately take action, and Yan County will certainly fall into our hands.¡± ¡°By the time Lu Chen returns, Great Sum will no longer be Great Sum but Great Wu.¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming burst into laughter. However, after Wu Ming had laughed, he suddenly thought of something and immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Wuhe about this!¡± Wuhe is the crown prince of Great Wu, and if he were involved in this affair, should their plan succeed, then given Prince Wuhe¡¯s status, it would likely be Wuhe who becomes the Martial Emperor. Wu Ming certainly did not want his achievements to be reaped by Wuhe. Although they all have the mark left by the Martial Emperor, that does not mean they will join forces to restore the country. The shadow said, ¡°Please be at ease, Your Highness, we haven¡¯t even mentioned this matter to him.¡± Reassured by the shadow¡¯s response, Wu Ming finally felt at ease. At that moment, he turned his head, poured himself another glass of wine, and began to swirl the liquid in his hand. After a short while, Wu Ming took a gentle sip from the glass and then said, ¡°I believe, when Lu Chen returns to see the corpses of his wives and children, the expression on his face will be quite spectacular!¡± Just the thought of Lu Chen¡¯s look of despair made Wu Ming feel extremely satisfied inside. ¡­ In the evening, Lu Chen was busy dealing with official documents in the Imperial Study Room. At that time, Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice came, ¡°Your Majesty, Noble Consort Wu has sent a message, inviting you to visit her chamber tonight.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled slightly. Ever since Wu Junwan got pregnant, she had never invited him over, since she was not in a position to serve him. Of course, if Wu Junwan insisted on serving him, it wasn¡¯t impossible, but Lu Chen rarely troubled his women. The only time he did was when Wang Qingci was pregnant. Lu Chen is a rather traditional person, preferring to stick to the proper path. Wu Junwan inviting him to her palace tonight likely meant that Li Qingrou had something to discuss with him, as Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan were currently sharing a bed every night. Lu Chen was somewhat curious, what could Li Qingrou want at this time? After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen said to Bai Qingqing at the door, ¡°Alright, I will visit her tonight. Let Consort Li and the others prepare well.¡± After speaking, Lu Chen continued to handle the official documents. At this time, Lu Chen discovered numerous reports about the Great Qian epidemic submitted by the Brocade Guard. Seeing the contents on them, Lu Chen fell into deep thought. After who knows how long, Lu Chen put down the reports in his hand, then opened the system interface to check what he had acquired during his emotional exchange with Xuanyuan Yunqi. [Demon-Expelling Banner: Earth Rank Spiritual Artifact, when paired with the Demon Burying Spell, it inflicts considerable damage on Demon Cultivators and Heavenly Demons.] From the emotional exchange with Xuanyuan Yunqi, all he got was this one item. Lu Chen felt that the system was perhaps being a bit too stingy. In the past, the system claimed that the more wives and children he had, the greater the rewards would be, but powerful forces had never emerged from either Li Qingrou or Xuanyuan Yunqi. With Li Qingrou, all he received was a strange stone called the Reincarnation Stone, whose purpose had not even been explained to him by the system. At this time, Lu Chen asked the system inwardly, ¡°System, why are the rewards for the last two times so meager?¡± ¡°` [The rewards you¡¯ve obtained greatly exceed the value of two top-tier powers. Please make good use of these two treasures.] Seeing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen chuckled. Far exceeding two top-tier powers? Are you trying to hustle me? Perhaps sensing Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts, the system¡¯s notification sounded once more. [Within the Great Qian Dynasty, a Heavenly Demon runs rampant. The Demon-Expelling Banner can help the host disperse the Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon is an extraterrestrial being, and without the Demon-Expelling Banner, the host currently lacks the strength to contend with it.] This¡­ Lu Chen was startled for a moment. However, he quickly regained his composure. When he received the Demon Burying Spell, he thought the system wanted him to use it against the members of the Taiyin Divine Sect. But now, it seemed that from the start, the system intended for him to confront the Heavenly Demon of the Great Qian Dynasty. Lu Chen¡¯s mind was rather quick-witted. After obtaining the Demon-Expelling Banner from Xuanyuan Yunqi, he had already guessed that there were some dirty secrets within the Great Qian Dynasty. Coupled with recent intelligence from the Brocade Guard, he became even more certain of his speculation. Now that he had received a definitive confirmation from the system, Lu Chen felt much more at ease. If the system said the Demon-Expelling Banner could deal with the Great Qian Dynasty¡¯s Heavenly Demon, then there should be no problem. But on the other hand, what was the use of this Reincarnation Stone? With that thought, Lu Chen opened the system inventory and located the Reincarnation Stone. [Reincarnation Stone: A special divine stone (use currently unknown)] Seeing this description, Lu Chen grew a little angry. The system usually clarified the uses of rewards, but for this lousy stone, there was no explanation whatsoever. Lu Chen directly asked the system, ¡°System, what exactly is the use of this Reincarnation Stone?¡± In fact, Lu Chen had asked the system about the function of the Reincarnation Stone the night he occupied Li Qingrou, but the system did not give any response. Faced with Lu Chen¡¯s question, this time the system responded the same as before. [Reincarnation Stone information not unlocked. Please strive to enhance your Realm and await the unlocking of the Reincarnation Stone information.] Seeing it was the same reply as last time, Lu Chen felt some irritation within. Forget it, it¡¯s pointless to ask. Don¡¯t ask anymore. Then, Lu Chen closed the system interface. Anyway, Chu Yuqin and Wu Junwan were both already pregnant. Once the children inside their wombs are born, he would receive generous rewards. With that in mind, Lu Chen continued to deal with the documents on his desk. In the dead of night, Lu Chen stood up, stretched, and headed for Wanning Palace where Wu Junwan resided. When Lu Chen arrived at Wu Junwan¡¯s sleeping quarters, both Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan had already changed their clothes. Li Qingrou was dressed in a red robe adorned with golden threads, full formal attire, and her head was adorned with glittering golden hair accessories and hairpins, making her look dignified and elegant. Feeling Li Qingrou¡¯s noble and dignified aura, Lu Chen¡¯s heart heated up instantly. With a Shadow Shifting move, he appeared directly behind Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan, wrapping his arms around the soft waists of the two beauties. ¡°My dear consorts, have you dressed up so beautifully to wait for my favor?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s shameless words, Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°Your Majesty really does have a thick skin!¡± It was clearly Lu Chen who had ordered the maids to dress them up like this, and now he acted as if they had purposely beautified themselves, waiting for him to romp with them. Chapter 855 - Chapter 855: Chapter 545: I can help you once, but just this once. Chapter 855: Chapter 545: I can help you once, but just this once. Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Lu Chen merely smiled faintly, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you were afraid something would happen to me and cut off Junwan¡¯s Celestial path?¡± ¡°Helping me is helping Junwan¡ªand also yourself.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen once again brought up Wu Junwan, Li Qingrou immediately furrowed her brows. Noticing her expression, Lu Chen said, ¡°Why the frown? Frowning all the time will lead to wrinkles.¡± Li Qingrou ignored Lu Chen¡¯s remark and looked toward Wu Junwan. Wu Junwan didn¡¯t speak the entire time; she knew very well that her dear sister would definitely step in to help Lu Chen. Once one became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, it was impossible to remain indifferent to his affairs. That was this man¡¯s most terrifying capability. At that moment, Wu Junwan seemed to understand what Li Qingrou was waiting for, so she took the initiative to speak to Li Qingrou, ¡°Qingrou, if possible, I would like you to help His Majesty. By helping him, you are helping me.¡± Once Wu Junwan spoke, Li Qingrou then said to Lu Chen, ¡°For Junwan¡¯s sake, I can help you this once, but just this once.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled; he naturally saw that Wu Junwan spoke up to give Li Qingrou an excuse to agree. Lu Chen then wrapped an arm around Li Qingrou¡¯s slender waist, ¡°Then I must trouble my beloved concubine.¡± Speaking of which, Lu Chen embraced the amply curved figures of the two women and walked towards the couch. Li Qingrou just kept a cool face and said nothing more; once the three of them arrived at the couch, Lu Chen pushed Li Qingrou down onto it, then pressed her beneath him, looking down at her from above, his hand landing on the sash of her Phoenix Robe. As he was about to lean down to kiss her cold, frosty cheek, Li Qingrou raised her hand and blocked Lu Chen¡¯s mouth. ¡°I suddenly remembered something!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen didn¡¯t rush to continue but asked curiously, ¡°What is it?¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°Murong Xue¡¯er is staying in the next room, isn¡¯t she?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Li Qingrou continued, ¡°She was originally my maid. Since I am now your woman, naturally, she should also serve you by your side.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen was startled¡ªhe instantly understood Li Qingrou¡¯s intention. Li Qingrou was trying to drag someone else into this! Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°I understand.¡± Then, Lu Chen spoke to the maid responsible for serving them, ¡°Go call for Murong Noble Consort.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The maid quickly went to the next room. At that moment, Murong Xue¡¯er was in her bedroom writing. She was naturally aware of what was happening next door¡ªevery time Lu Chen went next door, she would sleep restlessly, her body filled with unease. To calm herself today, she decided to practice her calligraphy, hoping to quiet her mind, striving to remain undisturbed by the couple next door. Just as Murong Xue¡¯er had dipped her brush and written a few characters, the maid¡¯s voice rose at the door, ¡°Noble Consort, His Majesty has asked you to attend to Noble Consort Wu¡¯s chambers.¡± Upon hearing the maid¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er was taken aback, her jade arm suspended mid-air. She knew all too well who was next door; with two women already there, and yet they wanted her to join them? It wasn¡¯t long before Murong Xue¡¯er guessed what was happening¡ªit must have been Li Qingrou¡¯s idea! Li Qingrou, as the former Yue Emperor of the Moon, certainly felt that having her subordinate eavesdrop next door each time was embarrassing, so she decided to catch her and have her accompany Lu Chen. Murong Xue¡¯er was still very afraid of Li Qingrou. After all, following the annihilation of the Murong family, she had grown up in the Imperial Palace and spent a great deal of time with Li Qingrou, who had taught her many things. The psychological fear she harbored toward Li Qingrou couldn¡¯t be eradicated overnight, even though they were both women of Lu Chen now. Murong Xue¡¯er still didn¡¯t dare to rely on this identity to show any disrespect toward Li Qingrou. Snapping out of it, Murong Xue¡¯er let out a slight sigh, then placed her writing brush on the inkstone before heading towards the door, ¡°I¡¯m coming now.¡± Soon, Murong Xue¡¯er arrived at the neighboring room. Just as she entered, she saw Lu Chen tidying up Li Qingrou. Li Qingrou seemed to notice Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s entry, suddenly turning her head to look at Murong Xue¡¯er by the door. Her face, which had been full of seductive charm, now had an added touch of indifference, ¡°Come here!¡± At Li Qingrou¡¯s command, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body subconsciously moved, quickly approaching the couch. ¡°Strip!¡± Li Qingrou issued another command in a commanding tone for Murong Xue¡¯er to take off all her clothes, and Murong Xue¡¯er had no choice but to obey. Moments later, Li Qingrou abruptly realized that the curse pattern she had left on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body still existed. Wait a minute¡­ That curse pattern seems not to be a real one? Murong Xue¡¯er had served in Yan County and returned to the Great Jue, while Li Qingrou had also inspected the curse pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body once before. At that time, she hadn¡¯t checked thoroughly and wasn¡¯t a Celestial yet, so she didn¡¯t notice that the curse pattern was merely drawn on. However, now that she was a Celestial, she only needed to glance to realize that the curse pattern no longer had any effect; it was just a design. At that moment, Li Qingrou pushed against Lu Chen¡¯s chest and then said, ¡°Let her serve you first.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, this woman was truly domineering. Look how frightened Murong Xue¡¯er was, her delicate body trembling slightly. Lu Chen then slowly rose and said to Murong Xue¡¯er beside the couch with a smile, ¡°Xue¡¯er, don¡¯t be afraid, come here, I¡¯m with you, she wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to you.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s courage grew, and she then laid down beside Lu Chen, who promptly rolled over to capture Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s red lips with his. Before long, Li Qingrou understood why Lu Chen had once said that the curse pattern on Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s body actually worked in his favor. Although the curse pattern¡¯s original effect was gone, it could still be of some practical use. The next morning dawned. When Lu Chen awoke, Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan were sleeping on either side of him, while Murong Xue¡¯er was lying on his chest. Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards. He was becoming increasingly decadent, no wonder Emperors liked power so much, the feeling was truly marvelous. Just then, Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice sounded from the door, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Liang is seeking an audience, regarding that matter.¡± As Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice rang out, the young lady also opened her eyes. Murong Xue¡¯er quickly supported herself with her hands on the soft couch, attempting to rise. However, as soon as she moved, she felt a strange weakness and once more collapsed powerless into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. Lu Chen raised his hand to caress Murong Xue¡¯er¡¯s jade back, smiling as he said, ¡°What are you rushing for, I haven¡¯t even moved yet. Having said this, Lu Chen then spoke to Bai Qingqing at the door, ¡°Let him wait for me in the Imperial Study Room, I¡¯ll come after taking a bath.¡± Chapter 856 - Chapter 856: Chapter 546: Fishing Enforcement Chapter 856: Chapter 546: Fishing Enforcement In attendance of the young lady Wu Junwan, Lu Chen had finished his bath. He had not yet had his morning meal but proceeded directly to the Imperial Study Room. Liang Zong was already waiting at the entrance of the Imperial Study Room, being duly respectful. Upon seeing Lu Chen, he hurriedly bowed, ¡°Your Majesty, may you live forever, forever, forever!¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Dispense with the formalities,¡± and then went straight into the Imperial Study Room. Liang Zong hurriedly followed him inside. After Lu Chen entered the Imperial Study Room, he sat at the desk and looked at Liang Zong, asking, ¡°How is the matter proceeding?¡± Liang Zong took out a list and then handed it to Lu Chen, ¡°Still missing a few.¡± Lu Chen glanced at the list Liang Zong handed over, pondered for a moment, and then asked, ¡°Why haven¡¯t they agreed?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°They might have some reservations.¡± ¡°Some people think it¡¯s not the best time yet.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? Who thinks it¡¯s not a good time?¡± Liang Zong answered, ¡°Wuhe.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It seems this Wuhe does have some brains.¡± At this point, Lu Chen fell into contemplation, considering Junwan¡¯s feelings, he had not planned to eliminate all of Wu Family¡¯s people. Even if Junwan had no particular affection for the Wu Family, they were still related by blood, representing a spiritual support for her. If he were too ruthless, it would definitely be a blow to Junwan. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Continue to persuade Wuhe, see if he can be convinced to join those Sect forces. If he really is unwilling, then just leave it be.¡± ¡°However, you cannot completely let go of him. Place more people to watch his every move, as he might have already made contact with some Sect forces.¡± Liang Zong bowed respectfully and said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen once again glanced at the list given by Liang Zong, then continued to ask, ¡°No actions from the Dayue Royal Family?¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°Except for a few uncles of Consort Li, there has been basically no movement; they seem very satisfied with their current lives.¡± This¡­ Lu Chen thought to himself, indeed, after Li Qianrou became the Yue Emperor, she suppressed her own close relatives, and none of her siblings had good days. Now that Dayue was destroyed and Li Qianrou had become someone¡¯s pet, her siblings could not have been happier. Moreover, their current situation was indeed much better compared to their time in Dayue. In the past, they were also imprisoned, and now they were still confined, but at least now they could still move around within Yan County. Lu Chen thought to himself, if these fellows have no ambition and continue to just scrape by, then indeed, there is no need to eliminate them. It would be better to deal with those from the Great Wu¡¯s Royal Family. Thinking this, Lu Chen continued, ¡°As long as there¡¯s no movement from the Dayue Royal Family, there¡¯s no need to bother with them.¡± Liang Zong once again bowed respectfully, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡± ¡°This subordinate takes his leave!¡± As the voice faded, Liang Zong turned and left. After Liang Zong left, Lu Chen was once again plunged into deep thought. His plan was very simple, starting by dissolving the Tai Chu Divine Hall and Sunset Sword Sect, and then using the remnants of various dynasties as an excuse to pose as if he was going to dissolve all the sects in the world, thereby making these sects restless. For their own existence, the sects would definitely choose to stand against Great Sum. Once these sects made a move, the remnants of the royal families from Great Wu and Great Jue would inevitably get ideas as well. Thus, Lu Chen would be able to eliminate two nuisances at once, which could be said to be killing two birds with one stone. In recent days, the Brocade Guard had been trying to induce members of the royal family of the Great Wu and those sect powers to join forces. Once the royal family members of the Great Wu started to rebel, Lu Chen could legitimately eliminate them. Lu Chen had already given them a chance at the start, he had already demonstrated his tolerant side as a monarch. These members of the Dawu Royal Family were now Lu Chen¡¯s subjects, and if they still rebelled, then Lu Chen could display the majestic side of a king. Even if Lu Chen killed those members of the Dawu Royal Family then, very few people would think Lu Chen¡¯s actions were wrong. Of course, this felt a bit like entrapment. After musing for a while, Lu Chen came back to his senses and started his work for the day. Once Lu Chen sat down, it was basically for the entire day. He even ate his meals in the Imperial Study Room without going to the restroom even once. He was now in the Pseudo-Celestial Realm, so going a day without eating, drinking, or relieving himself wasn¡¯t a big problem. When evening came. Lu Chen got up from his chair, stretched lazily, and at that moment Bai Qingqing entered the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Your Majesty, which Noble Concubine will attend your bed tonight? I will make the arrangements.¡± Lu Chen usually mentioned in advance which consort he would visit, so they could prepare dinner and give the consorts some time to get ready, making themselves more beautiful to give Lu Chen more motivation in the evening. Lu Chen said, ¡°No need to prepare, I have nothing else at the moment; let¡¯s go to Linglong¡¯s place directly.¡± Bai Qingqing said, ¡°Yes.¡± After that, Lu Chen directly headed to Xue Linglong¡¯s residence at Linglong Palace. At that time, Xue Linglong was reclining on a soft divan, wearing a semi-transparent black chiffon dress that clung to her body. She looked up, showing her pale, slender neck and was using her delicate fingers to feed herself grapes, appearing extraordinarily enchanting and seductive. Just then, the voice of a maid came from outside, ¡°His Majesty has arrived!¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong was momentarily startled. She quickly stuffed the grapes into her mouth, chewed swiftly a few times and swallowed, then got up to greet Lu Chen. Xue Linglong was becoming increasingly fearful of Lu Chen, not because she was afraid he would kill her, but because she feared the increasing variety in Lu Chen¡¯s desires. A while back, she had asked Wang Qingci¡ªLu Chen usually did not play tricks with his consorts; it was basically just the two of them and Murong Xue¡¯er who received special treatment from him. Murong Xue¡¯er belonged to the more cultured type, but in their case, Lu Chen could be very explosive. Whenever he visited Linglong Palace, Xue Linglong couldn¡¯t get up the following day. Just as Xue Linglong was getting up, Lu Chen entered her chamber. Xue Linglong quickly performed a salutation and said, ¡°This consort greets Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Linglong, you seem to be getting more disciplined¡ªI¡¯m almost not used to it.¡± As his voice faded, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting to instantly appear in front of Xue Linglong, then supported her jade arm and encircled her waist with one hand, placing his hand on her buttocks. Xue Linglong was dressed in a black chiffon dress that snugly enveloped her body, giving a very smooth and comfortable tactile sensation when touched. At that moment, Xue Linglong said, ¡°Your Majesty, you must be hungry. This consort will arrange for dinner immediately.¡± Saying this, Xue Linglong turned to the maid at the door and said, ¡°Xiao Qin, go tell the Imperial Kitchen that His Majesty is in Linglong Palace, they should prepare dinner.¡± Just after Xue Linglong finished speaking, Lu Chen said, ¡°No need, today I have come to discuss something with you.¡± Chapter 857 - Chapter 857: Chapter 547 Xue Linglong Is Pregnant Chapter 857: Chapter 547 Xue Linglong Is Pregnant Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong felt somewhat puzzled. Discuss something with her? Nowadays, she no longer had any connection with the Taiyin Divine Sect, and she had already informed Lu Chen of everything she knew about the Sect. At present, her only worth to Lu Chen might be as a plaything. What could there possibly be for them to discuss at this time? Xue Linglong said, ¡°Your Majesty, please just speak directly to this lowly one.¡± Lu Chen did not answer immediately. Instead, he slid his arms under Xue Linglong¡¯s armpits and then wrapped both arms around her slender waist, subsequently pushing her body down onto the soft couch. After laying Xue Linglong down on the soft couch, Lu Chen stroked the black shroud dress on her body while whispering in her ear, ¡°No rush, I¡¯m a bit hungry now. Let¡¯s have dinner first, and then we can talk.¡± Hearing this, Xue Linglong gave Lu Chen a silent glance. She had thought it was something important, but now it seemed it was probably nothing serious. Xue Linglong didn¡¯t say much, letting Lu Chen have his way with her. After an unknown amount of time, Xue Linglong lay on the soft couch, gazing at Lu Chen with muddled, dewy eyes and a flushed complexion. Only then did Lu Chen speak, ¡°In a few days, lend me the Yin Yang Mirror.¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Linglong sobered up a bit. She couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly. No wonder this man only brought it up now; it turned out to be for the Yin Yang Mirror. With a feeble tone, Xue Linglong replied, ¡°This lowly one¡¯s entire being belongs to Your Majesty. Naturally, whatever belongs to this lowly one is also Yours to take.¡± The Yin Yang Mirror was originally a Spiritual Artifact of the Taiyin Divine Sect. It could alter one¡¯s appearance and hide one¡¯s aura so well that even Celestials could hardly detect it. Xue Linglong had once used the Yin Yang Mirror to conceal her Cultivation State, but unfortunately, in front of Lu Chen, no matter how powerful the Yin Yang Mirror was, it was useless; Lu Chen still recognized her true identity at a glance. After hearing Xue Linglong¡¯s reply, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My Linglong is such an understanding person. So today, I shall reward you handsomely.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, he began to intensify his actions. Xue Linglong let out a soft cry and glared at Lu Chen. This man was truly ungrateful; she had already agreed to lend him the Yin Yang Mirror, and yet he was being rough with her. As Lu Chen gave Xue Linglong ample rewards, dawn was nearly breaking. By this time, Xue Linglong¡¯s entire body lay limp against Lu Chen¡¯s chest. It was then that Lu Chen asked, ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re not comfortable with, living here in the Imperial Palace?¡± Xue Linglong softly answered, ¡°No.¡± Xue Linglong had long since grown accustomed to this life. Now, she spent her days visiting Wang Qingci, chatting together, observing Wang Qingci managing the Rain-listening Pavilion, and seeing how she raised the children. At that moment, Xue Linglong asked, ¡°Your Majesty, have you found those people from the Taiyin Divine Sect?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No, they have all gone into hiding. But they won¡¯t be able to hide for long.¡± Lu Chen considered inwardly that once he vanquished Great Qian and unified the world, his Realm would be able to advance again. When his Realm reached a certain level, and he received enough system rewards, he would certainly be able to track down the members of the Taiyin Sect. Of course, what was most crucial was that his Demon Burying Spell could be taught to his confidants, and already quite a few were learning it now. Once those people thoroughly mastered the Demon Burying Spell, in the future, whenever they encountered someone from the Taiyin Sect, they would be able to easily identify them. At that time, the Demonic Cultivators of the Taiyin Sect would have nowhere to flee. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Xue Linglong felt an incredible calmness in her heart. She had once been concerned that Lu Chen was not a match for the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, but as she spent more and more time with him, she gradually realized she had severely underestimated this man. It seemed that Lu Chen truly was the Son of Destiny as spoken of by the Leader of the Taiyin Sect. The thought of being the woman of the Son of Destiny filled Xue Linglong¡¯s heart with a peculiar sense of pleasure. Even if she was treated almost like a pet, a Female Slave in front of Lu Chen, she was now completely satisfied. Although Lu Chen could be somewhat rough, she rarely felt any discomfort. Being with him brought her only joy. She often wondered if all she was currently experiencing was merely a dream. Just then, Xue Linglong raised her delicate hand, and the next moment, a chest at the head of her bed opened on its own. Subsequently, a black and white mirror flew out from the chest, heading straight beside Lu Chen. ¡°Your Majesty, the Yin Yang Mirror is of no use to me anymore. You may take it.¡± She spent every day in Lu Chen¡¯s harem now, where she still needed to conceal her true strength, so she hadn¡¯t used the Yin Yang Mirror for quite some time. Lu Chen picked up the Yin Yang Mirror, lifted it up, and looked at it before saying, ¡°This mirror can alter anyone¡¯s appearance, right?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°Yes, and even Celestials would find it difficult to detect.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s really a wonderful thing.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re giving me such a precious item, I can¡¯t just take it for nothing. How about I also give you a gift in return?¡± Xue Linglong did not reject Lu Chen¡¯s offer but asked with curiosity, ¡°May I know what gift Your Majesty is referring to?¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and glanced at his system interface. [Congratulations to the host for making Xue Linglong pregnant, you are rewarded with the method to create Explosive Talisman Patterns.] [Pregnancy rewards are incentivizing in nature, and the birth of a healthy child will grant even richer rewards.] Seeing the system prompt, Lu Chen¡¯s smile deepened. Xue Linglong lay entirely on Lu Chen¡¯s body and did not see the smile on his face; she felt utterly unable to get up and only wanted to lie on him. However, when she saw that Lu Chen did not reply for a while, her curiosity about the gift he mentioned grew even stronger. After a while, Lu Chen finally whispered in Xue Linglong¡¯s ear, ¡°Guess what gift I have prepared for you?¡± ¡°This gift will be extremely precious to you, and in the future, you are certain to cherish it immensely.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong became even more interested in the gift, but after thinking it over, she couldn¡¯t imagine what it could be that would make her feel it was precious. Ever since she became Lu Chen¡¯s female slave, she had lost interest in nearly everything, and it seemed that the only thing that could bring her joy was Lu Chen himself. After experiencing the ultimate pleasure, all other gifts seemed insufficient to be considered precious by her. While Xue Linglong was thinking this, Lu Chen revealed the answer, ¡°This gift is a child!¡± Upon hearing those words, Xue Linglong¡¯s mind went blank. A child¡­ After all, Xue Linglong had lived in Lu Chen¡¯s harem for quite some time, so she was well aware of its workings. As soon as Lu Chen mentioned this, she understood what it signified. If Lu Chen was preparing a gift for her, that meant she must already be caught. This man¡­ he actually¡­ Damnit! She wasn¡¯t ready to bear children for this man yet! Wait, a thought seemed to strike Xue Linglong¡¯s mind¡ªif she had a child, surely Lu Chen would not visit her as often, wouldn¡¯t that mean she would have an easier life? With that thought, Xue Linglong immediately said to Lu Chen, ¡°This servant thanks Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°How about it, do you find the gift precious enough for you?¡± Xue Linglong replied, ¡°It¡¯s precious, this servant will surely cherish Your Majesty¡¯s gift.¡± Lu Chen then patted Xue Linglong¡¯s jade back and continued, ¡°Alright, I have matters to attend to today, you rest well.¡± As his voice faded, Lu Chen turned over while embracing Xue Linglong, gently placing her soft, delicate body on the couch, before he himself went off to the bath to wash. Chapter 858 - Chapter 858: Chapter 548: Trial of the Rune Weapon Chapter 858: Chapter 548: Trial of the Rune Weapon After Lu Chen became the Emperor, his daily life was basically unchanging, except on court meeting days, he would spend the day dealing with official documents in the Imperial Study Room, occasionally having Bai Qingqing help him relax. At night, he fostered relationships with his wives and concubines, and the next day, he would repeat the schedule of the previous day. After leaving the Linglong Palace, Lu Chen went to the Imperial Study Room to handle state affairs. Upon entering the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen opened the system interface to check the reward given by the system last night. [Explosive Talisman Pattern (Low-grade): Used in the manufacture of rune weapons; when combined with firearms, the power is doubled.] Seeing the introduction of the Explosive Talisman Pattern, Lu Chen immediately thought of something and swiftly took out the Slayer Spear from the system space. The body of the Slayer Spear was covered with numerous talisman patterns; the spear¡¯s tremendous power was inextricable from these talismans. Once firearms were engraved with talisman patterns, their power would increase many times over, perhaps even enough to deal with Grandmasters and Celestials? This¡­ Lu Chen frowned slightly, not feeling delighted by this reward; he suddenly remembered that the system¡¯s rewards often presaged items that would soon be needed. If the system was rewarding such a formidable item, it meant that a large-scale invasion was imminent, and the world needed to develop rune weapons to prepare. It seemed Yun Xianxian¡¯s prophecy was accurate; the prohibitions of the Misty World would dissipate before long. They needed to begin preparations in advance. At that moment, Lu Chen said to Bai Qingqing at the door, ¡°Bai, summon Mo Xing. I have matters to discuss with him.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen planned to promptly have someone learn how to inscribe the Explosive Talisman Pattern and then produce new weapons. Only by doing this could they be prepared for the invasion of enemies from the Misty World. Then, Lu Chen said to the female guard at the doorway, ¡°Have the Jinyiwei Guards prepare some ordinary muskets.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Before long, Mo Xing appeared in the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Your subject pays homage to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!¡± Seeing Mo Xing had arrived, Lu Chen got up from his chair and said to Mo Xing, ¡°I am preparing to study new weapons, so I have a task for you.¡± Hearing this, Mo Xing was momentarily stunned. After he recovered, he once again bowed and said, ¡°Your subject will certainly not fail Your Majesty¡¯s expectations!¡± As Lu Chen walked towards the door, he said while walking, ¡°Follow me to the Training Ground.¡± The Imperial Palace had several Training Grounds, and Lu Chen went to one that was more secluded. At this time, the Jinyiwei Guards brought over the muskets they had prepared. The Jinyiwei Guards knew Lu Chen was going to test the muskets, so they had already prepared targets, both stationary and moving. Seeing a large box of muskets on the Training Ground, Mo Xing was somewhat puzzled. These were just ordinary muskets; what did they have to do with new weapons? Lu Chen promptly picked up a musket and started to inscribe the Explosive Talisman Pattern according to the knowledge imparted by the system. But Lu Chen quickly realized a problem; although he inscribed the Explosive Talisman Pattern based on the knowledge transmitted by the system. If the Explosive Talisman Pattern were inscribed on the barrel, using it would require the wielder to expend more spiritual power to activate the talisman. At that moment, Lu Chen had a realization. The Explosive Talisman Pattern was different from the talismans on the Slayer Spear, which itself used spiritual power as its means of attack, thus it needed to gather spiritual power along the spear. However, since the killing mechanism of an ordinary musket was the bullet, the Explosive Talisman Pattern should be inscribed on the bullet. Thinking this, Lu Chen raised his hand and directly summoned several bullets from the air, then he began to inscribe the Explosive Talisman Pattern on the bullets. After engraving the explosive talisman patterns onto the bullets, Lu Chen then loaded the bullets into the firearm and aimed at the targets on the Training Ground. However, Lu Chen did not immediately pull the firearm¡¯s trigger; instead, he said to the Jinyiwei Guard standing nearby, ¡°Add some more protective gear to those targets.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The Jinyiwei Guard swiftly sprang into action, bringing over plenty of armor to encase the targets, layering it around a dozen or so times. Upon witnessing this scene, Mo Xing was stunned; he felt extremely curious. The Emperor had merely touched the firearm and the bullets, drawing a few strange symbols. Could such actions truly enhance the power of a firearm? As someone who had embraced modern knowledge of physics and chemistry, Mo Xing found it hard to comprehend the principles behind this. After a while, the Jinyiwei Guards left the vicinity of the targets, which were now wrapped in protective gear like a ball. One could say that even with the artillery of Great Sum, it would not be certain to harm the actual targets inside. Lu Chen then raised his rune-weapon firearm and took aim at the target, firing a shot. With Lu Chen depressing the trigger, a bullet shot out from the firearm speedily. Right after the bullet left the firearm, the talismans on it emitted a blue glow, and immediately, spiritual energy from the surroundings surged into the bullet. The moment the bullet came into contact with the protective gear, a blaze of light erupted. In just an instant, the bullet pierced through all the protective layers, and also went through the back of the target. It should be noted that the back of the targets were also equipped with protective gear. The bullet had not only gone through the protective gear on the front but also penetrated the ones on the back¡ªits penetrating power was simply terrifying. A firearm, once turned into a rune weapon, displayed a power even more formidable than that of a Barrett. If one were to use a Barrett, perhaps it might manage to damage the target, but certainly not penetrate it all the way through. At this moment, the bullet continued flying toward the other side, seemingly not much affected by the impact with the target. Lu Chen, worried that the bullet could penetrate the walls of the Training Ground and injure others inside the Imperial Palace, took immediate action to intercept the bullet. But, it took a considerable effort for him to stop it. Talking to himself, Lu Chen said, ¡°The power is indeed not small.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen spoken than a system notification resonated in his mind. [Before using a rune weapon, one must pour in spiritual energy. The host¡¯s trial shot did not bring out the full power of the rune firearm.] Hearing this system notification, Lu Chen reacted instantly. He had thought that the talisman, clearly called ¡°explosive,¡± showed no ¡°explosive¡± effect¡ªturns out he had been using it incorrectly. With that in mind, it was time for another test. However, there was no need for those targets this time; direct testing on steel plates would suffice. Lu Chen then said to the Jinyiwei Guard, ¡°Go to the steel mill and prepare some steel plates five centimeters thick.¡± Upon hearing this order, the soldiers froze in place. The Jinyiwei Guard naturally knew how thick five centimeters was¡ªGreat Sum had long since adopted a new system of measurement. These were plates five centimeters thick. With their current weaponry, be it firearms, or even a Grandmaster, it would be difficult to penetrate steel plates of such thickness. The Jinyiwei Commander standing by Lu Chen¡¯s side snapped out of his reverie, promptly responding, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I will prepare them immediately.¡± Suddenly thinking of something, Lu Chen added, ¡°Take those steel plates to the military camp south of the city, I will go to the southern camp for the test shooting.¡± The Training Ground of the Imperial Palace was somewhat too small, and if the rune weapons released their full might, they could easily harm someone. It would be better to conduct the test shooting outside. Chapter 859 - Chapter 859: Chapter 549: The True Power of Rune Weapons Chapter 859: Chapter 549: The True Power of Rune Weapons It was around noon, the sun blazed overhead, scorching the earth, Lu Chen personally went to the military camp in the south of the city. The soldiers in the camp were curious about what the Emperor was here for today, but to keep it secret, Lu Chen did not allow these soldiers to see him testing the rune weapon. Lu Chen ordered all the soldiers in the southern camp to stay inside the camp, only allowing the Jinyiwei Guards to stay by his side. In the dense jungle, Lu Chen released his spiritual power, sensed the entire forest to ensure no outsiders were around, then he raised the rune firearm in his hand, aiming at a steel plate five centimeters thick in the distance. Initially, Lu Chen planned to start from one centimeter and gradually try higher, but considering that the previous test shot had directly penetrated so many armor pieces, he thought that shooting through one or two centimeters of steel plate might not be a big problem. He decided to directly go for full strength. At this moment, the Jinyiwei Guards and Mo Xing were staring intensely at the rune firearm in Lu Chen¡¯s hands, curious to know whether this special rune weapon could penetrate a five-centimeter-thick steel plate. Lu Chen did not immediately pull the trigger; he felt that the power of the rune weapon should be even more formidable than he had imagined. He then turned his head to the Jinyiwei Guards and said, ¡°Move back another hundred meters.¡± As soon as he spoke, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting and took the lead in moving back a hundred meters. Seeing Lu Chen fall back, the Jinyiwei Guards hurriedly followed. Finding the distance satisfactory, Lu Chen then channeled spiritual power into the firearm. The next moment, the explosive talisman pattern on the firearm emitted a blue glow. Immediately after that, Lu Chen pulled the trigger; the moment he pulled, a huge recoil hit him. Lu Chen was now a Pseudo Celestial, not just an ordinary one, but even someone of his realm could feel the recoil, which spoke volumes about the power of the firearm. The next moment, the bullet flew out of the muzzle, beginning to absorb the faint spiritual energy around it. In an instant, the bullet collided with that five-centimeter-thick steel plate in the distance. The moment the bullet collided with the steel plate, the explosive property of the talisman pattern activated, and the bullet burst explosively, sending off a burst of blue light. The range of the blue light was not very large, but that five-centimeter-thick steel plate was instantly shattered into smithereens. Seeing this scene, everyone present was stunned. That was a steel plate five centimeters thick, and it just shattered like that. The power of this rune weapon was incredibly formidable! After snapping back to reality, Lu Chen immediately said to the Jinyiwei Guards, ¡°Add another steel plate, stack two of them.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s command, the Jinyiwei Guards, having recovered from their shock, quickly got to work and placed two more five-centimeter-thick steel plates in the distance. After the soldiers returned, Lu Chen was about to pull the trigger when he noticed that cracks had appeared on the body of the gun. This¡­ Lu Chen immediately understood what was happening¡ªchanneling spiritual power had exerted too much pressure on the gun¡¯s body, and the material used to make the gun wasn¡¯t strong enough. To mass-produce the rune weapons, they would need stronger materials, but the steel they were currently using was already the strongest available. Seeking other materials would probably have to wait until their technological level had advanced. Seeing that Lu Chen had not pulled the trigger, Mo Xing¡¯s gaze turned towards him. At that moment, Lu Chen thought of something and then asked, ¡°The firearms we initially made, because of the material issue, did we not thicken the gun bodies?¡± When they started making firearms, the strength of the steel wasn¡¯t enough, so the craftsmen thickened the bodies and components of the guns, making each one nearly as heavy as a small mortar. Later, as the strength of the steel material increased and the refined steel became more stable, the gun bodies were gradually made smaller. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Mo Xing immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°After we get back, let¡¯s make a batch of new firearms using the old method. Don¡¯t worry about the weight, as long as a Fifth Grade Martial Artist can carry it, it¡¯s fine.¡± Mo Xing immediately grasped Lu Chen¡¯s meaning, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen then picked up another musket and carved the Explosive Talisman Pattern onto it. After loading the bullet and infusing it with Spiritual Power, he pulled the trigger at two overlapping steel plates in the distance. Bang¡­ As the loud sound of the musket erupted, an explosion also occurred at the steel plates a moment later. Boom¡­ The sound of the explosion was somewhat dull, unlike that of cannon shells. After the blue light of the explosion, the front steel plate was shattered, and the one behind it was indented by the blast. Lu Chen thought to himself that the power seemed limited; he had thought the second steel plate could have been penetrated as well. Just as Lu Chen was thinking this, a system notification sounded. ¡°The power of the Explosive Talisman Pattern not only relates to the amount of Spiritual Power infused but also to the amount of gunpowder in the firearm, with the talisman pattern serving a supplementary role.¡± Hearing the system notification, Lu Chen was taken aback. It related to the amount of gunpowder? Wouldn¡¯t that mean the power would be even greater if the Explosive Talisman Pattern were inscribed on a cannon? With this thought, Lu Chen was eager to experiment. However, considering there were still many unresolved issues within Great Sum, and that releasing such a powerful weapon could potentially impact himself, he decided to wait until after defeating Great Qian to add the Explosive Talisman Pattern to cannons. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced down at the musket in his hand; just like the previous one, it had already developed a crack in the barrel after being correctly used once. The material strength was not sufficient; it was indeed necessary to thicken the barrel. It seemed that in the future, only high-ranking Martial Artists could use Rune Weapons, as ordinary people would not be able to handle them. Indeed, to unleash the true killing power of Rune Weapons, one needed to infuse them with Spiritual Power, and the least capable of externalizing True Qi were Half-step Grandmasters. Rune Weapons really weren¡¯t something ordinary soldiers could use, so even if they were heavier, it didn¡¯t matter. Of course, the penetrating power of Rune Bullets was also impressive. Though ordinary soldiers couldn¡¯t fully unleash the power of Rune Weapons, the power of Rune Bullets and Rune Cannon Shells was still considerable. Then, Lu Chen switched to another musket and said to the Jinyiwei Guard, ¡°Replace the steel plate again.¡± Hearing this, the Jinyiwei Guard quickly changed the steel plate while Lu Chen took the opportunity to load another ordinary musket with Rune Bullets. Once the soldiers had replaced the steel plate, Lu Chen immediately pulled the trigger, and with the sound of the gunshot, the distant steel plate burst into countless sparks. This time, the bullet also penetrated the steel plate, but upon touching the steel plate, it immediately melted, leaving only a small hole. Without infusing Spiritual Power, the effectiveness of Rune Weapons indeed greatly diminished; recall, he had only slightly infused some Spiritual Power earlier, and the steel plate was directly shattered. Then, Lu Chen further tested the impact of the amount of Spiritual Power infused on the power of Rune Weapons. Through his testing, under conditions of sufficient Spiritual Power, a Rune Musket could completely shatter a ten-centimeter-thick steel plate, which was comparable to a modern armor-piercing bullet. There was, however, one issue¡ªthat if he increased the infusion of Spiritual Power, the musket was very likely to explode. For safety, Lu Chen could not continue to increase the infusion of Spiritual Power. This also made Lu Chen realize how formidable the material used to make the Slayer Spear was. The Slayer Spear could not only fully withstand his infusion of Spiritual Power but could also crazily absorb Spiritual Power. Lu Chen immediately decided to send people to Fengyin Island to look for the materials used initially to make the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow. These materials from other worlds would presumably be suitable for making Rune Weapons. Chapter 860 - Chapter 860: Chapter 550: It seems that someone is about to be unlucky... Chapter 860: Chapter 550: It seems that someone is about to be unlucky¡­ After leaving the military camp for the Imperial Palace, Lu Chen immediately arranged for the Jinyiwei Guard to go to Fengyin Island to retrieve the special materials that Great Sum used to previously craft the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrow. He was now very much looking forward to the Rune Weapons made from those materials. If those materials could withstand the infusion of Spiritual Power, it would mean that they could also produce low-level Spiritual Artifacts. With a large number of Rune Weapons, Lu Chen felt more confident about counteracting the invasions from the Misty World. Wu Residence. Wuhe was writing in the pavilion in the courtyard when a dark figure appeared within. ¡°Prince Lu Yi, you truly indulge in the finer things!¡± Upon hearing this voice, Wuhe did not put down his brush. As he continued writing, he said, ¡°You haven¡¯t given up yet?¡± ¡°I will not possibly join forces with you.¡± ¡°And there¡¯s something I¡¯m very curious about.¡± The dark figure asked, ¡°Curious about what?¡± Wuhe asked, ¡°The members of the Great Wu Royal Family aren¡¯t particularly strong, and they¡¯re not much help to you. Why would you come to us?¡± Upon hearing Wuhe¡¯s words, the dark figure chuckled, then replied, ¡°Prince Lu Yi, it¡¯s a wonder you are of the Great Wu Royal Family and yet you don¡¯t understand this.¡± ¡°We are merely a Sect¡¯s power, with no intention of establishing a nation. If the Sum Emperor hadn¡¯t pressed us so hard to dissolve all Sects in the world, we probably wouldn¡¯t have conflicted with the Sum Emperor.¡± ¡°For us, maintaining our own existence is enough, and the Emperor should be someone else.¡± ¡°After we overthrow the Sum Emperor, we need to support a new Emperor to ascend to the throne, and you are the most suitable one.¡± Upon hearing this, Wuhe sneered and said, ¡°So, in the end, I am just a puppet of you Sects, devoid of any real power, and subject to your manipulation?¡± The dark figure said, ¡°To obtain something, one must pay a certain price. Right now, Your Highness is confined here, you¡¯ve lost your freedom, and you can do nothing but write every day.¡± ¡°Compared to being confined here, being an Emperor would suit you far better, and I believe you wouldn¡¯t want to spend your whole life in this cage.¡± ¡°Furthermore, we Sects usually do not interfere with worldly affairs. As long as you become the Emperor and don¡¯t act recklessly and arrogantly like the Sum Emperor did, attacking Sect powers at whim, we won¡¯t interfere with most decisions you make.¡± Wuhe fell silent, his brow slightly furrowed. To be honest, he was tempted. After being confined for so long here, he was nearly driven mad. He used to be Prince Lu Yi, the Grand Prince of Great Wu. Although he did not hold as much power as Wu Junwan during his time in Great Wu, his life was exceedingly enjoyable. As long as he didn¡¯t conflict with other Princes, he could do whatever he wanted in the Dawu Capital. Once a man has tasted power, losing it becomes exceedingly uncomfortable. Wuhe wanted to agree to the person behind him, but he still harbored some apprehensions. Firstly, those Sect Powers might not necessarily choose him as Emperor. There were many others in the Great Wu Royal Family; they could choose him as Emperor, but they could just as likely choose Wu Ming or another Prince. Most importantly, those Sects might not necessarily be a match for Lu Chen. Although he had been confined in the Wu Residence, he still knew about events outside. Every day, people from the Wu Residence went out to buy newspapers, and he kept abreast of the situation through the newspapers. Wuhe was naturally suspicious, and he always felt something odd about the situation outside. He had an intuition that there was more to this situation than met the eye. He didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen was unaware of the fearsome nature of those Sect Powers. Although Lu Chen had already toppled two dynasties and might be somewhat inflated with pride, he surely couldn¡¯t completely disregard those Sect Powers. What puzzled him even more was that Lu Chen had dared to lead the troops personally at this time, which proved that Lu Chen was not afraid of the sects taking action against Yan County. Wuhe did not think of Lu Chen as a reckless emperor, so he believed there must be some deceit involved. If he stepped forward now, he might fall into an irreversible disaster. He would rather wait a bit longer than take risks at this time. He wanted to see if the sects could take down Yan County; if the sects managed to occupy Yan County, perhaps he could then make a move. If they failed, it would prove that Lu Chen had prepared contingencies. At that moment, the shadow behind Wuhe asked, ¡°How has Your Highness considered it?¡± Wuhe put down his pen and turned to look at the person behind him, ¡°Go back and tell your Sect Master that I will not intervene in this matter.¡± Seeing Wuhe reject again, the shadow said, ¡°I understand. If Your Highness regrets it, just tie a red ribbon to the tree in your courtyard. Our people will come to find you again.¡± As the voice fell, the shadow vanished instantly. After the person left, Wuhe turned around, looking in the direction of the Imperial Palace and muttered to himself, ¡°If the Sum Emperor was truly arrogant, how could he have obliterated the Great Wu and Great Jue dynasties.¡± ¡°Even if he is arrogant and looks down upon those sect forces, he still has people like Zhuge Zhongguang and other old foxes beside him. They must be aware of what could happen once the Sum Emperor leaves Yan County.¡± ¡°It looks like somebody is going to be unfortunate soon¡­¡± ¡­ Half a month later. An eerie peace had settled over the whole of Yan County: although crimes were rare in Yan County, the public order had improved even more in recent times. The law enforcement officers in Yan County had little to do, like helping elderly women find their cats; of course, this was just an appearance. During this half-month, the Brocade Guard was operating around the clock, with almost all of the Jinyiwei Guards not taking any days off. Countless pieces of intelligence were sent to Lu Chen¡¯s Imperial Study Room, which was now filled with several large boxes of reports, overwhelming Lu Chen. Almost all powerful sects were stirring, and their people were already getting closer to Yan County. These sectarian forces had made up their mind to eliminate Lu Chen, whom they viewed as a haughty emperor. At the same time. Wu Residence. In the courtyard where Wu Ming was located. Wu Ming held a bowl, feeding the fish beside the lotus pond, when suddenly a breeze came, followed by a voice behind him. ¡°Your Highness, our Sect Master has arrived.¡± Hearing this, Wu Ming instantly threw the entire bowl into the lotus pond, and then turned to look at the people who had appeared behind him. There were six or seven people; the leader, an old man with a Longsword hovering behind him and dressed in a gray-white robe, was clearly a Celestial. At this time, the old man introduced himself, ¡°I am Yuan Tian, the Sect Master of Tian Wu Sect.¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s introduction, Wu Ming thought for a moment, trying to recall whether he had heard of the Tian Wu Sect before. After a moment, unable to remember any such sect, he said, ¡°I have long heard of the great strength of Tian Wu Sect and its Celestial members. Now it seems exactly as the rumors stated.¡± ¡°With Sect Master Yuan joining us, I believe we can certainly overthrow the tyrannical rule of the Sum.¡± Chapter 861 - Chapter 861: Chapter 551: This Evil Disciple is Getting Better at Giving Orders! Chapter 861: Chapter 551: This Evil Disciple is Getting Better at Giving Orders! Wu Ming¡¯s heart was very happy, as he had never imagined that he would one day receive the support of a Celestial. With the support of a Celestial, it would be much easier for him to ascend to that position. After hearing Wu Ming¡¯s words, Yuan Tian said, ¡°Your Highness, the disciples of the Tian Wu Sect have already arrived near Yan County. As soon as the tyrant leaves Yan County, I will immediately gather the disciples to attack Yan County. By then, Yan County will certainly become ours.¡± Wu Ming asked, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, I am a bit curious, how many Sects have you already allied with?¡± Yuan Tian answered, ¡°Fifteen Sects.¡± Wu Ming thought for a moment and then continued, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, these Sect powers must also have their own ideas, and they might not be willing to choose me as the new emperor.¡± Yuan Tian, smiling, said, ¡°Your Highness, you need not worry about that. We have already agreed that these Sect powers all support the Tian Wu Sect.¡± Hearing Yuan Tian¡¯s response, Wu Ming at last felt relieved. His biggest concern was what if the ideal king envisioned by those Sect powers was someone else¡ªthe Royal Family of Great Jue or someone from another power? Then, wouldn¡¯t he likely be eliminated eventually? Wu Ming then said, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, I promise you that if we truly annihilate Tyrannical Sum and I ascend to the throne, from that point on, I will rule the world together with your Tian Wu Sect!¡± Yuan Tian, with a smile, said, ¡°What are you saying, Your Highness? Our Sect does not have much interest in worldly affairs. The disciples of the Tian Wu Sect only wish to attain the way and become Immortals.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the tyrant¡¯s intolerable oppression, wanting to dissolve all the Sects in the world, we might not have come into the world.¡± ¡°Rest assured, Your Highness, once the tyrant is removed and Great Sum is destroyed, our Tian Wu Sect will return to where we belong.¡± Hearing Yuan Tian¡¯s assurance, Wu Ming felt very happy inside. If it was truly so, then it couldn¡¯t be better. At that moment, the corners of Wu Ming¡¯s lips slightly lifted, revealing a hint of a smug smile. He thought to himself that Lu Chen was bringing disaster on himself and could not live. Who else should have been chosen, yet he dared to declare war on all the Sects in the world. He truly knew not what death meant. Now retribution had come knocking. He wanted to see just how long this Lu Chen could survive. Subsequently, Yuan Tian and Wu Ming discussed their plan, when to take action, and how to control Yan County. They already had a complete plan for these matters. Now all that was missing was for Lu Chen to leave Yan County. ¡­ Afternoon. The scorching sun shone down on the earth. Lu Chen stood at the entrance of the Imperial Study Room, enduring the blazing sun, with his hands behind his back, seemingly deep in thought. At that moment, the icy beauty of a guard spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s rather sunny outside; shall I have someone prepare a sunshade for you?¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°No need, I just want to soak up some sun.¡± ¡°Lately, I¡¯ve been staying indoors every day, nearly growing mold.¡± Seeing Lu Chen say this, Bai Qingqing didn¡¯t say anything more. A little while later, a female guard approached Lu Chen. ¡°Your Majesty, President Xia requests an audience.¡± Now that the Sunset Sword Sect and the Tai Chu Divine Hall had been dissolved, Great Sum had established two Martial Arts academies, and Xia Tianyuan was the president of one of them. Lu Chen said, ¡°Let him come over.¡± Soon, Xia Tianyuan approached Lu Chen, ¡°Greetings Your Majesty, long live, long live, long long live Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen hummed in response, saying, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± ¡°President Xia, how are things progressing?¡± Xia Tianyuan promptly replied, ¡°The Yin Yang Mirror His Majesty bestowed upon this humble servant is extremely effective; none of the sect forces have discerned his identity.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°The gift I¡¯ve prepared for them will surely be a big surprise when the time comes.¡± Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°Among those sects, how many Celestial powerhouses are there?¡± Xia Tianyuan answered, ¡°Besides this humble servant, there are only two Celestial powerhouses.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself, if there are only two Celestial powerhouses, perhaps when Yun Xianxian arrives, they could directly deal with those Sect forces without even needing to use Yan County¡¯s great formation. It¡¯s just unknown whether Yun Xianxian will come; after all, he had already sent a letter to Mysterious Moon Palace, and Yun Xianxian probably saw it. What happens next will depend on Yun Xianxian¡¯s attitude. To be honest, Lu Chen felt that Yun Xianxian was unlikely to come because the Mysterious Moon Palace was also a sect force, and if Lu Chen wanted to dissolve the sects across the land, wouldn¡¯t that mean he would also dissolve the Mysterious Moon Palace? As the founder of the Mysterious Moon Palace, how could Yun Xianxian allow Lu Chen to dissolve it? In fact, Lu Chen also had no intention of targeting Mysterious Moon Palace; if he did, it would surely offend Yun Xianxian, and Lu Chen certainly did not want to offend his Honored Master. Just as Lu Chen was pondering whether Yun Xianxian would come, a female guard approached him, ¡°Your Majesty, Noble Consort Chen and the Immortal have arrived at Yan County.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s heart jolted, and then his lips curled up slightly. It seems what Chen Wanrong said last time was true after all. Chen Wanrong mentioned that Mysterious Moon Palace would fully support him, which should represent Yun Xianxian¡¯s attitude. Lu Chen then said to Xia Tianyuan, ¡°Continue to draw in those Sect forces, and try not to let them notice anything.¡± Xia Tianyuan bowed and replied, ¡°Please rest assured, Your Majesty, this humble servant will act cautiously.¡± ¡°Good, if there¡¯s nothing else, you may go about your business,¡± Lu Chen said. ¡°Yes, this servant takes leave.¡± With these words, Xia Tianyuan turned and left. After Xia Tianyuan had left, Lu Chen went straight to Yunrong Palace, planning to wait there for the arrival of Yun Xianxian and Chen Wanrong. But as Lu Chen just arrived at Yunrong Palace, he found the maids bustling back and forth incessantly, and Lu Chen could faintly hear a few women talking. ¡°This ungrateful disciple is getting better at giving orders!¡± ¡°To think of dissolving the sects across the land, yet daring to invite this seat here, isn¡¯t he afraid this seat might pull him down from the throne first?¡± This cold voice, accompanied by a chilling aura, clearly belonged to Yun Xianxian. Lu Chen immediately walked towards the courtyard. ¡°Honored Master, your disciple believes you would absolutely not do such a thing.¡± Being a Celestial, how could Yun Xianxian not perceive that Lu Chen had already reached the courtyard gate? Clearly, the words she had just spoken were intended for Lu Chen. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, the young lady in the courtyard turned her head toward the direction of the courtyard gate, and Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Oh? Are you so certain your teacher wouldn¡¯t pull you down from the throne?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°The disciple has no plans to dissolve Mysterious Moon Palace, so the Honored Master has no reason to do so.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Yun Xianxian expressionlessly asked, ¡°You want to dissolve the sects across the land, but not Mysterious Moon Palace. How will the dissolved sects view you then?¡± Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°Mysterious Moon Palace has been on my side from the beginning, its stance clear. Even if I do not dissolve Mysterious Moon Palace, no one would say anything.¡± ¡°Besides, the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace is also my Noble Consort, with this identity, Mysterious Moon Palace is essentially a force that I support.¡± Chapter 862 - Chapter 862: Chapter 552: This Seat Will Only Help You This One Time Chapter 862: Chapter 552: This Seat Will Only Help You This One Time The Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace has become the Emperor¡¯s woman. Isn¡¯t this blatantly making Mysterious Moon Palace the Emperor¡¯s backyard? Once all the sect forces in the world are eradicated, who would dare to wag their tongues? Even a fool can see that, after the Emperor has eradicated the forces of the sects throughout the land, what he¡¯s likely to do next is establish Mysterious Moon Palace as the state religion. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°In my view, this is nothing more than a stalling tactic of yours. Once you¡¯ve eradicated the sect forces of the world, I fear that Mysterious Moon Palace will be your next target.¡± In fact, Yun Xianxian had already guessed on her way to Yan County that Lu Chen would not dissolve Mysterious Moon Palace. Now Lu Chen was her disciple, the Saint Heir of Mysterious Moon Palace, and the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace was Lu Chen¡¯s woman. Lu Chen effectively controlled Mysterious Moon Palace, so why on earth would he dissolve it for no reason? By keeping Mysterious Moon Palace, should there be any inconvenient matters in the future, he could have Mysterious Moon Palace undertake them. Yet, Yun Xianxian felt some dissatisfaction in her heart. It was she who had founded Mysterious Moon Palace, and now how had it become this traitorous disciple¡¯s property? The founder herself had become this traitorous disciple¡¯s thug, having to come and help Lu Chen clear the sect forces of the world. Lu Chen responded with a smile, ¡°Look at what Honored Master is saying. Don¡¯t you know what kind of person your disciple is? How could I possibly commit such heartless and unrighteous deeds?¡± Yun Xianxian said flatly, ¡°The human heart is inscrutable, no one can say for sure.¡± Having said that, Yun Xianxian did not continue to waste time with Lu Chen. ¡°Tell me, what do you plan to do this time?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°I plan to lead troops directly to Great Qian, and as for the matters of Yan County, I¡¯ll have to trouble Honored Master.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly before she said, ¡°What now, you still want to be a hands-off shopkeeper? ¡°You invite me here, and then you run off?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master is not unaware that the prohibitions of the Misty World are about to dissipate. I must unify this world before the prohibitions of the Misty World disappear. Only by doing so can I integrate the resources of this world and prepare to confront the enemies from the Misty World in the future.¡± ¡°Time is pressing, and the task is heavy. I must make the most of every minute.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly: ¡°Even if you unify this world, if you don¡¯t have an even more formidable trump card, you may still not be able to withstand the invasion of the strong beings from the Misty World.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master¡¯s words are a bit disheartening, isn¡¯t this just inflating the enemy¡¯s morale and dampening our own spirits? ¡°Please believe in me, Honored Master. I will definitely fend off those enemies from the Misty World and expel all the invaders from this world.¡± Yun Xianxian, showing indifference, said, ¡°Whether or not you can expel those enemies has little to do with me. Once the prohibitions in the Misty World disappear, I may head directly to the Misty World.¡± Although the space of the Misty World is unstable and lacks complete Heavenly Dao regulations, the Misty World has one major advantage compared to this world: the Spiritual Energy in the Misty World is much more abundant than in this world, and the Misty World does not suppress her strength. Once she went to the Misty World, she would be able to recover her strength faster. At this point, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Tell me, among the sect forces that have arrived this time, how many are Celestials?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°There are only two Celestials.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian said somewhat angrily, ¡°Two Celestials and you¡¯re asking for my help? With so many Celestials by your side, can¡¯t you handle those two on your own?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just being cautious. Besides, when I head south, I¡¯ll also need to bring two Celestials with me.¡± ¡°Besides, who can be sure there aren¡¯t other Celestials hidden in this world? If there are other Celestials out there and I¡¯m not prepared, by the time I return, wouldn¡¯t Yan County have fallen into the hands of those Sect forces?¡± Yun Xianxian then said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯ll help you this one time.¡± Lu Chen immediately responded, ¡°Thank you, Honored Master.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, Yun Xianxian¡¯s figure disappeared on the spot, going straight to the room Lu Chen had prepared for her to meditate. After Yun Xianxian left, Lu Chen went directly to Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun¡¯s side, then unabashedly raised his hand and wrapped it around the soft waists of the two beauties. ¡°My ladies, it¡¯s been so long since you last saw me, did you miss me?¡± Their cheeks flushed slightly, both remained silent. In truth, they hadn¡¯t been separated for long, but indeed, they both harbored some yearning for this mischief-maker in their hearts. Lu Chen continued, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we last met, tonight I must catch up properly with you both.¡± Chen Wanrong didn¡¯t respond to Lu Chen¡¯s words but instead asked, ¡°Your Majesty, the epidemic in Great Qian hasn¡¯t been resolved yet, do you really intend to lead the campaign personally?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My lady is worried about me again.¡± With that, Lu Chen raised his hand and playfully scraped Chen Wanrong¡¯s delicate nose before adding, ¡°Rest assured, I have a plan. If I didn¡¯t have a way to eliminate the epidemic, I wouldn¡¯t have rushed off to attack Great Qian so hastily.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Chen Wanrong felt somewhat reassured. Having a way to eliminate the epidemic was good; she was worried that Lu Chen might contract it himself. At that moment, Chen Wanrong gazed into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked earnestly, ¡°You really won¡¯t dissolve Mysterious Moon Palace, right?¡± Chen Wanrong¡¯s attachment to Mysterious Moon Palace was profound; she didn¡¯t want to see it end up like the other Sect forces. She, just like Yun Xianxian, was also worried that after Lu Chen had eliminated all the Sect forces, Mysterious Moon Palace might be his next target. Seeing that Chen Wanrong too was concerned about this issue, Lu Chen smiled slightly, ¡°I have no reason to act against Mysterious Moon Palace. In the future, the Honored Master intends to leave this world, and by then Mysterious Moon Palace will be yours. And since you¡¯re mine, Mysterious Moon Palace is essentially mine as well. Why would I dissolve my own force?¡± Listening to Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, Chen Wanrong kept her gaze fixed on his eyes, not detecting any sign of lying. It seemed Lu Chen¡¯s words reflected his true thoughts. Lu Chen then wrapped his arms around Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun¡¯s waists and headed towards Chen Wanrong¡¯s chamber, saying as they walked, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve met, so let¡¯s go to the room and have a good catch-up.¡± This time, when Lu Chen spoke of catching up, it was indeed just that. He didn¡¯t do anything else to Chen Wanrong and the others. He had other matters during the day, so after chatting with them for a while, he returned to the Imperial Study Room. ¡­ At dusk. Old Yan City, in a certain tavern. The atmosphere in the tavern was decidedly somber; both floors were filled with people, but at that moment, not a single person spoke. After an unknown amount of time, an old man in a grey-white robe entered the tavern, and at that moment, a voice came from the second floor, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, you have finally arrived.¡± Yuan Tian replied with a smile, ¡°Apologies, I was detained meeting with the heads of some minor Sects, and that made me late.¡± Chapter 863 - Chapter 863: Chapter 553: The Chill Attacking Lu Chen Chapter 863: Chapter 553: The Chill Attacking Lu Chen After hearing Sect Master Yuan¡¯s words, the elderly man who had spoken earlier on the second floor said indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s the point of seeing those small sects? What role can they play?¡± ¡°Is Sect Master Yuan perhaps taking them too seriously?¡± Hearing the old man¡¯s words, Yuan Tian stroked his beard, smiling as he said, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not how you should see it. As sects that have also been persecuted, they want to contribute too. Naturally, we should accept them.¡± Besides, the strength of these small sects is not weak either. If we gather them together, they can form a substantial force.¡± At that moment, another elderly man on the second floor spoke up, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, you better come up here and discuss your plan. Sect Master Zou and I are very eager to know what your plan is exactly.¡± Hearing this, Yuan Tian immediately kicked his legs and leaped to the second floor. At this moment, at a table on the second floor, two elderly men were sitting, one dressed in white and the other in a golden robe. The one in white clothes was named Si Yuhua, the sect master of Yunlang Sect, a Celestial. The one in golden clothes was the sect master of Jinyu Sect, named Zou Yangping, also a Celestial. Yunlang Sect and Jinyu Sect were not very famous in the world; many people had never heard of these two sects, and they had always kept a low profile. If it weren¡¯t for the Sum Emperor¡¯s decree to eradicate the sect powers, these two hidden sect forces would not have come out of seclusion. After Yuan Tian approached the two elderly men, he sat down unhesitatingly in a seat between them, forming a tripartite situation. Yuan Tian then said, ¡°The old man has decided to make Prince Wu Ming from Great Wu the Emperor. I wonder if the two of you have any other candidates to recommend?¡± Hearing this question, the sect master of Yunlang Sect, Si Yuhua, said indifferently, ¡°Whoever becomes the Emperor doesn¡¯t matter to us. We don¡¯t care who it is; what we care about is whether the new Emperor listens to us.¡± ¡°The old man does not want to see another arrogant and presumptuous Emperor emerge.¡± As Si Yuhua finished speaking, the sect master of Jinyu Sect, Zou Yangping, also said, ¡°My attitude is the same as Sect Master Si¡¯s. As long as the new Emperor is obedient and does not cause trouble, whoever it is doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Yuan Tian said, ¡°Since neither of you has any objections, then after we get rid of the tyrant, we will support Wu Ming¡¯s ascension to the throne.¡± At this moment, Si Yuhua said, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, let¡¯s set aside the matter of the new Emperor for now. Please tell us about your plan.¡± Yuan Tian said indifferently, ¡°My plan is simple. The tyrant can only mobilize four Celestials. According to reliable information, he will attack Great Qian and must take at least two Celestials with him, while another Celestial will remain in Dayue Capital City.¡± ¡°At that time, Yan County will have only one Celestial. We three just need to join forces to deal with that Celestial. Once we eliminate that Celestial, we can control the entire Yan County and the tyrant¡¯s wives and children.¡± ¡°Then we can declare to the world that the tyrant has defied the Heavenly Dao, is cruel and brutal, and intolerant by the heavens. We will call all oppressed forces to come together and overthrow the entire Great Sum.¡± ¡°I believe that at that time, many forces will stand with us to topple the tyrant¡¯s rule.¡± Hearing Yuan Tian¡¯s words, Si Yuhua said, ¡°I have heard that the most formidable in Great Sum is not those Celestials, but the tyrant himself. Even if we deal with one Celestial ahead of time, we might not be a match for the tyrant.¡± Yuan Tian said indifferently, ¡°Sect Master Si worries too much. According to the intelligence I¡¯ve gathered, the tyrant¡¯s strength comes not from himself but from a powerful spiritual artifact and a Celestial who continuously supplies him with spiritual power, enabling him to use that artifact.¡± ¡°Without the Celestial, using that artifact could only backfire on him.¡± ¡°Oh, I almost forgot to tell you some good news,¡± he said. Zou Yangping asked, ¡°What good news?¡± Yuan Tian replied, ¡°I have secretly contacted the Empress of Dayue. The Empress has already broken through to the Celestial Realm, comprehended Sword Intent, and her strength is not something ordinary Celestials can compare to. Most importantly, she has decided to stand with us.¡± Upon hearing this, Si Yuhua and Zou Yangping were stunned, then they looked at each other, both feeling extremely surprised, not expecting such good news. With the inclusion of the Empress, a Celestial who has comprehended Sword Intent, they now totaled four Celestials. When the time came to eliminate one of Lu Chen¡¯s Celestials, Lu Chen would be left with only three Celestials. Moreover, they would control Lu Chen¡¯s wives, concubines, and children by then, using them to set some traps. For a moment, Zou Yangping and Si Yuhua felt confident of their victory. At that point, Si Yuhua suddenly thought of something and immediately asked, ¡°You said the Empress has decided to stand with us? Then supporting Prince Wu Ming of Great Wu for the throne, won¡¯t that offend the Empress?¡± Yuan Tian replied, ¡°The Empress is a Celestial, difficult to control. If we let her become the new emperor, she might one day have the same thoughts as the current tyrant, and we might have to rally once again.¡± ¡°So, I promised the Empress that once we overthrow Great Sum and eliminate the tyrant, all lands of Dayue will be returned to her, and half of Great Wu¡¯s land will also be governed by her. She finally agreed.¡± Si Yuhua said, ¡°Sect Master Yuan¡¯s strategy is good. As a Celestial, the Empress indeed should not control the world; if she does, she might become another tyrant.¡± ¡°Having two dynasties isn¡¯t a problem.¡± The three then discussed more details of their strategy. The only thing left was for Lu Chen to leave Yan County. Late at night. After a busy day, Lu Chen stood up from his chair and stretched. Bai Qingqing was about to ask Lu Chen which Noble Concubine¡¯s chamber he was visiting tonight when Lu Chen said, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m going to Yunrong Palace.¡± Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun had just returned from Mysterious Moon Palace, so of course, he wanted to catch up properly with them. They had only spoken briefly during the day, and he hadn¡¯t done anything; tonight, they needed to have a good communication. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Bai Qingqing respectfully said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Subsequently, Lu Chen headed to Yunrong Palace, but as soon as he entered, a chill rushed towards him, and he involuntarily shivered from the bone-chilling cold. He immediately understood what was happening. Then, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Honored Master, Rongrong and Wanyun have just come back; naturally, I want to catch up with them.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking than another chill rushed towards him, freezing his feet with a layer of ice. Seeing this, Lu Chen hesitated no longer and instantly used Shadow Shifting to appear in Yun Xianxian¡¯s room. At that moment, Yun Xianxian was dressed in a pale blue outfit with a white undergarment, sitting quietly on the bed meditating. With cold air emanating from her body, she looked just like a fairy descended from heaven. Chapter 865 - Chapter 865: Chapter 555: This Evil Disciple Must Be Doing This on Purpose! Chapter 865: Chapter 555: This Evil Disciple Must Be Doing This on Purpose! Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s answer, Lu Chen thought to himself, no wonder Mu Yunxi didn¡¯t leave through this method, he must have been afraid of dying. If Mu Yunxi was afraid of dying, wasn¡¯t Yun Xianxian afraid of dying as well? Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Honored Master also knows that spatial rifts are dangerous, so do you still plan to leave through a spatial rift?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I don¡¯t plan to leave immediately. After the restrictions of the Misty World disappear, I will go to the Misty World to cultivate and look for a way to leave this world.¡± ¡°If I really can¡¯t find any other way to leave, then I will risk passing through a spatial rift.¡± Although Yun Xianxian said this, in her heart she actually had a better idea already. She now believed that Lu Chen was a descendant of a Cultivation Family, and that Cultivation Family would definitely send someone to retrieve Lu Chen eventually. Now that she had become Lu Chen¡¯s Honored Master. If Lu Chen were to leave this world, he would surely have to take her, his Honored Master, with him, right? Of course, she wasn¡¯t pinning all her hopes on Lu Chen; she would still actively seek a way to leave this world herself. She had already figured out what kind of person Lu Chen was. If she were to let Lu Chen take her out of this world, this lustful man would definitely make some excessive demands. This miscreant had always harbored designs on her body, something she could not disregard. At that moment, Yun Xianxian spoke up, ¡°Enough talking, concentrate on cultivating.¡± With that, the purple light in Yun Xianxian¡¯s pupils grew brighter, and Lu Chen¡¯s desires magnified infinitely. At that moment, the spiritual power in both their bodies began to circulate. Before long, Yun Xianxian felt her body as if ignited by fire. She circulated her spiritual power, trying hard to suppress the thoughts deep within her heart. From her perspective, this was the negative impact of a Cultivation Technique. As long as she could suppress her inner desires, there wouldn¡¯t be too many issues. As time ticked by, Yun Xianxian finally couldn¡¯t hold on any longer. A rosy flush appeared on her cold and jade-like face, and her eyes filled with moisture. Seeing the fairy before him turned into this state, Lu Chen grew increasingly restless and wished he could devour Yun Xianxian completely right then. But Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t give him the opportunity. In the next moment, using a technique similar to Shadow Shifting, she sent Lu Chen¡¯s entire body to the neighboring chamber of Chen Wanrong. At that moment, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were holding hands, talking about something when suddenly, a man with no clothes on appeared before them. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s predicament, the two women were stunned for a second but quickly realized that Lu Chen must have just come from Yun Xianxian¡¯s room and had been cultivating with her. Seeing his two wives staring straight at him, Lu Chen felt somewhat embarrassed. ¡°Wanyun, Rongrong, are you two still not asleep at this late hour?¡± The two women came back to their senses and simultaneously said, ¡°We¡¯ve seen Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen immediately walked up to them, put his hands on their shoulders, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times, no need to bow in my presence.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore, it¡¯s already so late, we should all rest.¡± Lu Chen was still stirred up from his visit to the neighboring chamber by Yun Xianxian and now needed the help of Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun. The two women instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s hint, and their cheeks turned a shade of red. Lu Chen then embraced the two of them and walked toward the soft couch, happily catching up on old times. At this very moment, in the neighboring chamber. Yun Xianxian was struggling to calm the restlessness in her heart. She could clearly feel that her strength had partly recovered, but this restlessness made her extremely uncomfortable, as if she had taken some kind of emotion-stirring drug. Yun Xianxian thought to herself that she really couldn¡¯t practice this Cultivation Technique for long periods. Next time, if she were to practice again, she would definitely have to strictly control the duration to avoid completely losing control. She had almost lost control just now, fortunately, at the last moment, she had sent that evildoer next door; otherwise, once her consciousness became blurred, there was no telling what he might do to her. Thinking of this, Yun Xianxian felt somewhat scared. In front of this evildoer, she really couldn¡¯t afford to relax for a single moment! As Yun Xianxian struggled to suppress the turmoil within her, suddenly, the voices of Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun came from next door. The soundproofing in Lu Chen¡¯s Imperial Palace was extraordinarily good; the fact that their voices could pass through so clearly obviously meant they were shouting at the top of their lungs. A fierce killing intent flashed through Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes in an instant! This evildoer was definitely doing it on purpose! Yun Xianxian quickly resumed her practice, continuing to control the turbulent Spiritual Power within her body. However, this evening was not so easy for Yun Xianxian, which made her somewhat puzzled; it seemed that previously when she and Lu Chen cultivated together, the sessions were even longer than this time, yet she had never felt this restless. Why was it that this time, no matter how she suppressed it, the Spiritual Power within her could not be calmed? The next morning. After waking up amid the Gentle Jade Fragrance of Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun, Lu Chen, without lingering, took a bath and went straight to the Hall of Political Affairs. The troop deployments from the last Great Court Assembly had already been decided, and today, this Court Assembly primarily involved Lu Chen discussing some matters that officials needed to be mindful of after his departure from Yan County. The Great Court Assembly had just ended, and the determined time of Lu Chen¡¯s southern journey was immediately communicated to the ears of those Sect forces; hearing that Lu Chen was finally heading south, those Sect forces were very excited, thinking that their plans could finally be implemented. Afternoon. Under the bright sunlight, two beautiful women sat in the pavilion, embracing each other¡¯s voluptuous bodies. At that moment, Li Qingrou gently caressed Wu Junwan¡¯s belly and softly said, ¡°Junwan, once this child is born, you must keep a close eye on him and make sure he does not have too much contact with that man, lest he learns bad habits from him.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan smiled slightly. How bad could Lu Chen be? At most, he was a bit lascivious. If her child turned out to be only lascivious without other faults, she could completely accept that. In this era, men being lascivious was not really a big deal. Previously, Wu Junwan, having held great power, might have had some possessiveness, not wanting to share her man with other women, but after being with Lu Chen for such a length of time, she had completely abandoned such thoughts. At that moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Qingrou, the restrictions in the Misty World are about to disappear. Do you think we might see our Honored Master again?¡± Li Qingrou replied, ¡°The Honored Master should come to this world again. If she comes and finds out that our bodies have been taken by that man, she will certainly seek justice for us.¡± Hearing Li Qingrou say this, Wu Junwan immediately became worried. If their Honored Master really did come to this world again, wouldn¡¯t Lu Chen be in great danger? The power of their Honored Master was not as simple as just being at the Celestial Human Realm! However, Wu Junwan quickly calmed her emotions. With so many secrets on this little man, Lu Chen, who could say for sure if he had other trumps up his sleeve? Chapter 866 - Chapter 866: Chapter 556 I was Forced Chapter 866: Chapter 556 I was Forced Wu Junwan thought to herself that since Lu Chen could set up an array capable of withstanding the strength of someone from the Yin-Yang Realm and also possessed an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact that could kill a Celestial of the Heavenly Human Realm, if their Honored Master truly arrived, she might not actually be a match for Lu Chen. Furthermore, until now, no one knew what the conditions were for Lu Chen¡¯s ascension to Celestial status. Who could say whether Lu Chen might not have already made the breakthrough before the restrictions of the Misty World faded away? Lu Chen, currently a Pseudo Celestial, already possessed the power to contend with Celestials. If he were to truly ascend, then surpassing his own realm to battle the strong from the Yin-Yang Realm would not be out of the question. With this thought, Wu Junwan felt a slight relief in her heart. At this moment, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Once the restrictions of the Misty World disappear, considering the character of the Misty Immortal Sect Master, it is quite possible that she will choose to take over this world. I¡¯m afraid there will be a great battle then.¡± As her voice fell, the brows Wu Junwan had just relaxed furrowed once again. The reason they had chosen to leave the Misty Immortal Sect and return to this world was also largely because they could not accept the way the sect conducted its affairs. Their Honored Master was good to them, but the Misty Immortal Sect was too domineering. Whoever opposed them was dealt with directly, and none of the powers surrounding the Misty Immortal Sect dared to say no to them. Although Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou, after gaining power, did not have much psychological burden regarding killing, the way the Misty Immortal Sect killed was completely different from theirs. Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou usually killed for some political purpose, while the Misty Immortal Sect often harmed the innocent, wiping out someone¡¯s entire sect on a whim and harboring a heavy intent to kill. It was for this reason that the Misty Immortal Sect had many enemies in the Misty World, and it was not easy for the disciples of the sect there. Many forces only superficially submitted to the Misty Immortal Sect while often targeting the sect¡¯s disciples behind the scenes. Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan had themselves been pursued and attempted to be killed several times by the disciples of other sects¡¯ forces. Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan were both weary of living that kind of life in the Misty World, so when the restriction in the Misty World began to lessen, they asked their Honored Master to send them back. After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Li Qingrou laughed softly and then caressed Wu Junwan¡¯s face as she gazed into her beautiful eyes, ¡°Junwan, you¡¯re not actually worried about that man, are you?¡± ¡°A few days ago, I was thinking maybe you had to stay by his side because the conditions for your breakthrough to Celestial status had something to do with him, but now I see that you seem to have truly developed feelings for him.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s so good about that man, for you to be so hung up on him.¡± Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Wu Junwan also revealed a hint of a smile and then teased her, ¡°Qingrou, don¡¯t you know what¡¯s good about him? Just the other day, I heard someone calling ¡®darling, darling¡¯ nonstop.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Qingrou¡¯s heart skipped a beat and the next moment her smile froze, ¡°Junwan, you¡¯re not unaware of that scoundrel¡¯s manipulative methods, I was coerced.¡± Wu Junwan laughed again and then said, ¡°Qingrou, whether you were coerced or not, am I not able to tell?¡± Li Qingrou spoke up, ¡°Junwan, if you keep on talking, I¡¯m going to get angry.¡± Seeing Li Qingrou respond this way, Wu Junwan quickly said, ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t tease you anymore.¡± At this time, Li Qingrou said, ¡°Junwan, have you ever suspected that scoundrel is actually a Demonic Cultivator?¡± Normally, a regular person would not focus all their energy on matters between men and women, only those practicing the Yin-Yang Balance Demonic Cultivation Technique would do such things. Most crucially, Lu Chen¡¯s methods of dealing with people are indeed numerous, and he tortures people for a very long time, not at all seeming like a good person. Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s question, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Qingrou, if he really were a Demonic Cultivator, with his abilities, you¡¯d probably have been drained by him to the point of being unable to get out of bed by now.¡± If Lu Chen truly engaged in Yin-Yang Balance, considering the time he spent doing so, who knows how many women in Lu Chen¡¯s harem would have died. Now, not only have Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines not died, but each of them is glowing with health and beauty, becoming younger and more vigorous. Clearly, this is not the aftermath of being drained. On the contrary, because of Lu Chen, they have gained quite a few benefits. Their strength has increased, lingering injuries have healed, and they have become even more beautiful. Li Qingrou naturally understood this, but she still harbored doubts. How could there be such a generous man in this world? They have received benefits, so it¡¯s possible that Lu Chen has paid a price. He couldn¡¯t possibly engage in such activities all night without any cost, could he? As a cultivator, to indulge in such matters at the expense of one¡¯s own body, draining one¡¯s vitality, seemed unbelievable to Li Qingrou. Seeing Li Qingrou still doubting Lu Chen, Wu Junwan continued, ¡°Qingrou, stop overthinking it.¡± ¡°When you were in the Misty Immortal Sect, you must have heard that there are cultivation techniques in this world that allow for dual cultivation between a man and a woman. The Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill is obviously such a Dual Cultivation Technique. Perhaps this technique brings only benefits to both parties, without any drawbacks.¡± Seeing Wu Junwan so trusting of Lu Chen, Li Qingrou didn¡¯t pursue the topic any further, ¡°Perhaps.¡± Just then, a voice arose at the entrance of the courtyard, ¡°Qingrou, you¡¯ve been my woman for so long, how can you still think so poorly of me?¡± Upon hearing that voice, Li Qingrou¡¯s delicate body trembled; that man had come again. The two ladies then turned their heads towards the direction of the voice, and there was Lu Chen, clad in a black gold dragon robe, leisurely walking towards them. Wu Junwan promptly got up to pay her respects, ¡°Your Majesty!¡± While Wu Junwan paid her respects, Li Qingrou remained unmoved, but Lu Chen didn¡¯t seem to mind. Even if Li Qingrou didn¡¯t pay her respects, and even if none of his wives and concubines did, it wouldn¡¯t bother him. On the contrary, having his wives and concubines pay their respects made Lu Chen wonder if they really considered him their darling. Lu Chen then approached Wu Junwan, gently touched her shoulder, and said, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Junwan, your belly is getting bigger day by day. Don¡¯t keep paying respects like this; what if our child is harmed?¡± As he said this, Lu Chen also glanced unintentionally at Li Qingrou, who noticed his gaze and her expression instantly turned icy cold. What was this man looking at her for? Could it be that he wanted to get her pregnant as well? At this moment, Wu Junwan directly asked, ¡°What brings you here today, Your Majesty?¡± Lu Chen would usually come at night. Coming this early, he must be looking for them for something. Looking at Li Qingrou, Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm, I have something to discuss with Qingrou.¡± Li Qingrou asked, ¡°May I know what matters Your Majesty has to discuss with I?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°This isn¡¯t the place to talk. Let¡¯s change locations.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen patted Wu Junwan¡¯s belly again, then told her, ¡°Junwan, Qingrou and I will go back to the room first.¡± Wu Junwan responded, ¡°Mm, alright.¡± The next moment, Lu Chen grabbed Li Qingrou¡¯s fair jade arm, and immediately, they both disappeared from the spot. Chapter 867 - Chapter 867: Chapter 557: What do you take me for! Chapter 867: Chapter 557: What do you take me for! Li Qingrou had thought that Lu Chen had some important matter to discuss with her, but then this scoundrel brought her into a room and promptly pushed her down onto the soft couch. He hadn¡¯t even mentioned the matter before starting to make his moves. I don¡¯t know how long it took, but Lu Chen, embracing Li Qingrou¡¯s snowy white body now flushed with a hint of red, whispered in her ear, ¡°The Sect forces have already acknowledged you as one of their own, so after I leave, I¡¯ll trouble you with Yan County.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou let out a breath, her cold voice weak but forceful, ¡°Huff¡­ After you¡¯ve humiliated me like this, do you think I will still guard Yan County for you? Protect your wives and children?¡± ¡°What do you take me for!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°What humiliation, I¡¯m about to leave Yan County soon, and it could be a long time before you see me again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m attending to you before I leave, which is enough proof of how well I treat you. If I were to go for several months or even a year, wouldn¡¯t you find it particularly hard to bear?¡± Li Qingrou said coldly, ¡°So, I should thank you, is that it?¡± Lu Chen continued his actions, ¡°Tsk, no need for thanks, huh¡­ It¡¯s what I should do, since you are my wife after all.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou felt both anger and annoyance. This scoundrel, he truly treated her as his forbidden delight, his female slave. ¡°If you want me to¡­ help you, no problem, but from now on you must¡­ treat Junwan well¡­¡± A chortle escaped Lu Chen as he flipped her around to look him in the eyes and said, ¡°Even without you saying so, I will always treat Junwan well. After all¡­ hiss¡­ she is also¡­ my woman!¡± Li Qingrou was in no mood to haggle with Lu Chen, her mention of treating Junwan well merely a reflexive utterance in her state of confusion. Li Qingrou understood why this bastard started to be handsy the moment he had brought her in. He must have wanted to use this method to tell her that she¡¯s now his possession, that she can¡¯t leave him, and therefore must listen to him. Although being taken for granted like this by Lu Chen made Li Qingrou very uncomfortable, she had no other choices but to agree to him. Of course, she had already decided that even if Lu Chen hadn¡¯t personally come to talk about this matter, she would still stand with Great Sum. It was out of consideration for her dear sister. After an indeterminable amount of time, Li Qingrou¡¯s originally dignified hairdo had become disheveled. Suddenly, she remembered something and said, ¡°Bring¡­ bring that wretched maid here!¡± Whenever Li Qingrou felt upset, she wanted to see Murong Xue¡¯er tormented by Lu Chen. Although her own downfall had little to do with Murong Xue¡¯er, Murong Xue¡¯er had betrayed her, and she didn¡¯t want to see the maid live comfortably. Lu Chen chuckled lightly, grabbed Li Qingrou¡¯s jade arm, lifted her up, and as he embraced her said, ¡°Let¡¯s not for today, I still have matters to deal with later.¡± He had come here today specifically to discuss matters with Li Qingrou, not for pleasure, though of course, some affairs could be handled along the way. At that moment, Li Qingrou managed to say, ¡°Now that the Barbarian Tribe Goddess has gone to the Great Qian Dynasty, are you truly confident in conquering the Great Qian Dynasty?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Even without assurance, I must lead the troops. The prohibitions of the Misty World are almost dissolved, and I must hurry to unify this world. Only then can I consolidate the power of this world to confront the invaders from the Misty World!¡± At this point, Lu Chen¡¯s emotions surged noticeably, and he became even more violent. Li Qingrou cursed Lu Chen in her heart once more. This bastard, truly inhumane. ¡°If you have no trump cards and rely solely on the power of this world, then forget confronting the entire Misty World; I¡¯m afraid even the Misty Immortal Sect that Junwan and I used to belong to would be too much to handle.¡± Upon hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Lu Chen grew interested and immediately said, ¡°Oh? Is the Misty Immortal Sect that powerful?¡± Li Qingrou replied, ¡°The Misty Immortal Sect possesses at least two Yin-Yang Realm powerhouses, with countless experts in the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± ¡°There are only a few Celestials in this world, are you sure you can contend with them?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen fell into silence. Seeing Lu Chen silent, Li Qingrou suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction, not expecting this bastard to have a day when he was afraid. Li Qingrou continued, ¡°Initially, if you had curried favor with me and Junwan, after the restrictions of the Misty World vanish, we could have spoken well of you in front of our Honored Master to preserve your life.¡± ¡°But now, you have locked me and Junwan in your Harem, treating us like playthings to wantonly humiliate.¡± ¡°Once my Honored Master learns of this, you probably will not¡­ hiss¡­ you¡­ bastard¡­¡± Li Qingrou was trying to be arrogant, but before she could finish her harsh words, she was interrupted by a series of actions from Lu Chen. Lu Chen snorted with laughter and said, ¡°Your Honored Master? If she dares to come, I can still make her one of your sisters.¡± ¡°You!¡± Li Qingrou was completely at a loss; she wanted to see what kind of trump card this bastard had that he was not even afraid of Yin-Yang Realm powerhouses when the restrictions of the Misty World were lifted. After giving Li Qingrou a harsh lesson, Lu Chen left her on the bed and went alone to the room next door. Wu Junwan was sitting on the couch, sewing children¡¯s clothes with needle and thread in her hand. Seeing this, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud; upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s laughter, Wu Junwan immediately looked up towards the door. Seeing Lu Chen at the door, Wu Junwan asked in confusion, ¡°Your Majesty, you finished talking with Qingrou so quickly?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°I would have liked to talk with her longer, but unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have the stamina and fell straight to sleep.¡± ¡°You say she¡¯s a Celestial, how come her stamina is still so poor.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan immediately wanted to roll her eyes at him. Li Qingrou may be a Celestial, but she is also a woman; if Lu Chen becomes fierce, which woman could endure his wrath. Now, Lu Chen came to sit beside Wu Junwan, gently wrapping his arms around her stomach. Looking down at the clothes Wu Junwan was sewing in her hands, Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve discovered that, once you women have children, no matter what the living conditions are, you all like to sew clothes for your own children.¡± Before Lu Chen became Emperor, the North Prince Mansion had established a clothing factory that could produce as many children¡¯s clothes as one wanted, but Chu Yuqin and the others still preferred to sew the clothes themselves. This also showed Lu Chen the differences between this era and his previous life¡¯s era. Wu Junwan spoke, ¡°The clothes from the factories all look rather similar, they are not as attractive as the ones we sew ourselves.¡± Adding to that, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Did Your Majesty come to see me because there¡¯s something else?¡± Lu Chen looked down at Wu Junwan¡¯s belly and said, ¡°I do not know when I will return from this military expedition; by the time I come back, the baby might have already been born.¡± ¡°I am worried that something dangerous might happen when you give birth in my absence.¡± Chapter 868 - Chapter 868: Chapter 558: Teaching the Rejuvenating Skill Chapter 868: Chapter 558: Teaching the Rejuvenating Skill Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan immediately felt a warmth in her heart. Although she wasn¡¯t sure if Lu Chen was concerned about herself or the child in her belly, the fact that Lu Chen spoke words of concern in her presence still made her feel very comfortable. Lu Chen continued, ¡°I will first use the Rejuvenating Skill to infuse you with some special spiritual power, so that when you give birth, you won¡¯t suffer so much.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s Rejuvenating Skill had now reached full completion, and he was able to pre-infuse special spiritual power into a person¡¯s body to heal injuries and ailments at a specific time. However, the pre-infused spiritual power wouldn¡¯t be excessive and this power would gradually dissipate over time, but even if the spiritual power dissipated, it would hardly be a problem by the time Wu Junwan gave birth. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan became curious. Could Lu Chen¡¯s Rejuvenating Skill really make childbirth completely painless? She had already heard from Mu Zixuan and the others, they all said that Lu Chen¡¯s immortal technique was incredibly powerful and that as long as Lu Chen was nearby during childbirth, there would be no pain and the child would be born in an instant. Even after the children were born, they were hardly able to react. Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Will Your Majesty¡¯s healing Immortal Technique still work after Your Majesty has left?¡± Mu Zixuan and the others had mentioned that Lu Chen needed to be present during childbirth, but Lu Chen just mentioned that he could pre-infuse her with some special spiritual power, which made Wu Junwan even more curious. Could the infused spiritual power really be stored in her body? Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Naturally.¡± Then Lu Chen placed his hand on Wu Junwan¡¯s lower abdomen and began infusing green spiritual power into her body. The moment the spiritual power entered Wu Junwan¡¯s body, she felt incredibly relaxed, and she also became much more spirited. Ever since she had become pregnant, she had always been sleepy and couldn¡¯t gather much energy, but she didn¡¯t expect that just as Lu Chen¡¯s spiritual power entered her body, her body¡¯s negative conditions disappeared. Lu Chen¡¯s healing Immortal Technique was too powerful, and Wu Junwan was somewhat tempted to learn it. However, Wu Junwan also understood that such a powerful healing technique was unlikely to be taught to her by Lu Chen. At this moment, the spiritual power Lu Chen infused into Wu Junwan¡¯s body began converging toward the fetus in her womb, and shortly after, a ball of green spiritual power enveloped the fetus. With this ball of spiritual power, childbirth would not be so difficult when the time came. Feeling the sense of relief coming from her belly, Wu Junwan finally spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, I wonder if I could learn this healing technique?¡± When Lu Chen heard Wu Junwan¡¯s words, he was momentarily stunned, then he looked at Wu Junwan, ¡°Junwan, what did you just say?¡± Thinking that Lu Chen was reluctant, Wu Junwan said, ¡°Your Majesty, I was thinking that if in the future you are not in the Imperial Palace, if any of the sisters get injured, I could use this healing technique to treat them.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly, then he raised his hands, cupping Wu Junwan¡¯s face, and pressing his own child¡¯s face against hers, cheek to cheek, ¡°Junwan, you have reminded me. I could just teach you all the Rejuvenating Skill, then you wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting sick in the future.¡± Hearing Lu Chen say this, Wu Junwan was slightly surprised. She had thought Lu Chen was unwilling, but it turned out that he had simply not thought of it. Lu Chen continued, ¡°However, the Rejuvenating Skill is not easy to learn. I will pass it on to you, but to cultivate it to that extent will depend on your own talents.¡± Lu Chen was able to learn the Rejuvenating Skill largely because of the system, and his cultivation method involved being intimately close with his concubines. However, Wu Junwan and the others needed to spend time practicing on their own. Whether they could cultivate the Rejuvenating Skill to full completion was uncertain, and the difficulty would certainly be great. After all, what¡¯s fearful about the Rejuvenating Skill is its ability to bring the dead back to life. A cultivation technique that can resurrect the dead is by no means ordinary. However, it might be worth trying¡ªwhat if one of them had an exceptional talent and learned the Rejuvenating Skill effortlessly? Then, in the future, they wouldn¡¯t need him and could heal their own injuries or treat the illnesses of other consorts and children. Thinking of this, Lu Chen said to Wu Junwan, ¡°I will now impart the secrets of the Rejuvenating Skill to you.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen pressed his lips against Wu Junwan¡¯s red ones. Wu Junwan was somewhat bewildered, as this method of transmitting the Cultivation Technique was different from what she had expected. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Lu Chen¡¯s kiss was very passionate, and soon Wu Junwan¡¯s entire body went limp. Of course, imparting the Cultivation Technique didn¡¯t require such an intense kiss, not even a kiss at all; this was just Lu Chen teasing Wu Junwan. After kissing Wu Junwan for a while, Lu Chen spoke to the system in his mind, ¡°System, transfer the Rejuvenating Skill to Wu Junwan.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s command, the system¡¯s prompt tone immediately sounded. [Transferring Rejuvenating Skill¡­] [Transfer of Rejuvenating Skill complete, Wu Junwan has learned the Rejuvenating Skill.] At that moment, Wu Junwan, who was almost delirious and about to lose consciousness, suddenly found codes of the Cultivation Technique appearing in her mind, feeling immensely surprised at how quickly Lu Chen had transmitted the technique. Could Lu Chen really impart Cultivation Techniques to his consorts through a kiss? Just moments ago, she thought this young man was merely fooling around with her. As the secret codes of the Rejuvenating Skill entered Wu Junwan¡¯s mind, she quickly learned the basic healing technique of the Rejuvenating Skill. After what seemed like an eternity, Lu Chen finally released Wu Junwan, who was all flushed and restless. With eyes like pools of autumn water, Wu Junwan gazed affectionately into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing the Rejuvenating Skill upon this consort.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°You are my consort; it is only right.¡± ¡°In the future, if anyone in the Imperial Palace gets injured, I¡¯ll count on you.¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Your Majesty, please rest assured, whether it¡¯s your women or children, whoever they are, I will do my utmost to heal them.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°With your words, I am relieved.¡± ¡°Alright, I have other matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll leave now. You take some time to get familiar with the secret codes of the Rejuvenating Skill.¡± As he finished speaking, Lu Chen let go of Wu Junwan and stood up to walk toward the outside of the palace. Wu Junwan also immediately stood up and said, ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty!¡± Watching Lu Chen¡¯s tall figure leaving, Wu Junwan¡¯s emotions were complex. Her heart thumped uncontrollably¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected the young man she once scorned would now make her so infatuated; it appeared she had truly fallen into his hands. After leaving Wu Junwan¡¯s chamber, Lu Chen then went to see Chu Yuqin, where he also infused some special Spiritual Power of the Rejuvenating Skill into her and transmitted the Rejuvenating Skill to her as well. After that, Lu Chen went to Xue Linglong¡¯s place, and after leaving there, he traveled around to the residences of other consorts, until most of his women had learned the Rejuvenating Skill. Chapter 869 - Chapter 869: Chapter 559: Lu Chens Southern Expedition Chapter 869: Chapter 559: Lu Chen¡¯s Southern Expedition After passing on the Rejuvenating Skill to his consorts, Lu Chen was no longer worried about them encountering difficulties in childbirth. Even in his absence, his other consorts would be able to join hands in assisting the childbirth of his women. As long as they had a basic grasp of the Rejuvenating Skill, helping pregnant women during childbirth was not a significant problem. Since the affairs of Yan County were almost arranged, it was time for him to set out on a campaign. Six days later. Lu Chen led an army of five hundred thousand southward, marching straight towards the Great Qian Dynasty. For a time, the entire Great Sum was bustling with activity, and Yan County became somber. Wu Residence. Wu Ming¡¯s courtyard. Wu Ming stood by the lotus pond, looking at the newspaper in his hand, his face unable to hide the excitement within as he burst into laughter, ¡°He¡¯s gone, he¡¯s finally gone, our chance has come!¡± ¡°At last, I will be able to ascend to that position! Hahahaha!¡± ¡°When Lu Chen returns and finds Yan County occupied and his wives, consorts, and children imprisoned, I wonder what kind of expression he will have!¡± At that moment, a servant next to Wu Ming said, ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯ve heard that the Sum Emperor¡¯s consorts are all very beautiful. If we take down the Imperial Palace, they could serve you. What do you think?¡± Hearing the servant¡¯s words, Wu Ming laughed even louder, ¡°They say Lu Chen is a lecher, with every woman in his harem a rare beauty. Once we take down the Imperial Palace, I must thoroughly enjoy myself and see just what is so different about those women.¡± At this time, Wu Ming¡¯s mind was already fantasizing about his decadent life after taking down the Imperial Palace. He intended to repay all the humiliation Lu Chen had once brought upon him through Lu Chen¡¯s own women. At this very moment. Old city of Yan County, a certain tavern. The tavern was still crowded as ever, but the main doors were shut tight, and there were no other patrons inside, only representatives from the major sects. At this time, Yuan Tian stood up on the second floor, glanced at the people there, then lowered his gaze to those on the first floor and said, ¡°The tyrant has already set out on campaign, and our opportunity will soon arrive!¡± Hearing this, the martial artists inside the tavern became excited. Previously, disciples from most sects were restricted by their sect rules; they seldom had the chance to kill or commit evil deeds. But this time was different, this time the major sects did not restrain their disciples. Once they charged into Yan County, they could pillage and commit all manner of atrocities. This was their first opportunity of this sort, and they were incredibly excited and thrilled. Some from the forces of the sects had the same idea as Wu Ming, even eyeing the consorts of Lu Chen. At this moment, Sect Master Si Yuhua of the Yunlang Sect asked, ¡°Sect Master Yuan, when do you plan to make your move?¡± Yuan Tian replied, ¡°In five days.¡± ¡°According to the marching speed of the Great Sum, they will be unable to return in time after five days.¡± ¡°As long as we kill that Celestial guarding Yan County, the tyrant will have no chance of victory.¡± Hearing Yuan Tian¡¯s words, Zou Yangping, the Sect Master of the Jinyu Sect, snickered, ¡°This tyrant really underestimates us, thinking that we would obediently comply and disband our sects.¡± Si Yuhua commented, ¡°Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad. The tyrant is so arrogantly self-assured; his downfall is only natural.¡± ¡°If that is the case, then let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡± At that moment, Zou Yangping thought of something, so he asked, ¡°By the way, how are things with the Yue Emperor?¡± Yuan Tian replied, ¡°The Yue Emperor said that once we launch the attack on the city, she will immediately take control of the Imperial Palace, and then send people to open the city gates to help us conquer Yan County.¡± ¡°As for the Celestial defending Yan County, if we can¡¯t handle him, she can also lend a hand.¡± Zou Yangping said, ¡°That would be best.¡± As soon as the words fell, Zou Yangping picked up his wine bowl and raised it, saying, ¡°Then let¡¯s toast to our smooth sailing and swift victory!¡± After Zou Yangping picked up his bowl, everyone in the restaurant also raised their bowls, and then they all drank the wine in their bowls together. Seeing this, the smile on Yuan Tian¡¯s face grew more and more fervent, as if he was thinking of something pleasing. Time flew by, and soon the news of Lu Chen¡¯s southern expedition reached the Great Qian Dynasty. Upon hearing that the Sum Emperor, that tyrant, was personally leading troops to attack the Great Qian Dynasty, some Prefecture Governors in Great Qian hastened to prepare their letters of surrender. Nowadays, with plague rampant in Great Qian, the people were suffering, and the military had no real fighting power. There was no way to resist the elite soldiers of Great Sum, and rather than sending men to their deaths, it was better to surrender outright. Surrendering might even spare their lives, since the Sum Emperor would need countless talents to rule such a vast land. In the eyes of those officials from Great Qian, there was still hope to retain their positions. It was just a matter of changing their attire. Meanwhile. Great Qian, Imperial Palace. In the Royal Garden, Liu Qingqiu was clad in green palace attire. Her verdant gown clung to her voluptuous figure, with glimpses of skin faintly visible beneath. Her hair was coiled up, adorned with golden ornaments, giving her a mature and dignified look, elegant and majestic. As Liu Qingqiu was talking with Mu Yunxi, a soldier suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Royal Garden, ¡°Your Majesty, disaster has struck, Great Sum has sent out troops!¡± The soldier knelt on the ground, raising the intelligence report in his hand. Liu Qingqiu raised her hand to grab, and the intelligence report in the soldier¡¯s hand flew to her. She immediately opened the report and glanced through it. Upon seeing the contents, her expression turned even colder. ¡°Hmph, the Sum Emperor is really confident, thinking that with half a million troops he can eliminate Great Qian.¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi said from the side, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t underestimate him, he not only eliminated Great Wu but also Great Jue, he¡¯s no ordinary person.¡± Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°As long as he dares to come, I shall ensure he has a one-way trip.¡± Upon saying this, Liu Qingqiu asked, ¡°You also possess a Spiritual Artifact. If he makes a move, you will stall him for me, and I will find the right moment to deal with him.¡± Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi said with a smile brimming in her eyes, ¡°Alright, I just hope you won¡¯t get so frightened by the Sum Emperor that you hide when the time comes.¡± Mu Yunxi was certainly aware of Liu Qingqiu¡¯s ulterior motives. Liu Qingqiu planned to let her and Lu Chen fight to the death, with both sides suffering losses, after which Liu Qingqiu would reap the benefits. However, Mu Yunxi chose not to expose Liu Qingqiu¡¯s scheming. If the situation went sideways, she planned to flee the scene immediately, leaving Liu Qingqiu and Lu Chen behind. As a Genesis Realm powerhouse, escaping with ease wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her. Nor would she risk her life for Liu Qingqiu against Lu Chen, who had a weapon capable of killing Celestials in hand. Should she be struck even once by that weapon, she would be either gravely wounded or dead. At this moment, Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°I need to remind you, once Lu Chen is eliminated, our alliance will be immediately nullified.¡± Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s reminder, Mu Yunxi laughed lightly and then asked, ¡°The Empress wouldn¡¯t be planning to take action against me on the battlefield, would she?¡± With an expressionless face, Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°I would not stoop to such pettiness.¡± Chapter 870 - Chapter 870: Chapter 560: Our Majesty is a Benevolent and Righteous Monarch Chapter 870: Chapter 560: Our Majesty is a Benevolent and Righteous Monarch Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s response, Mu Yunxi merely smiled faintly, clearly not taking it seriously. If Lu Chen had truly died on the battlefield, without a common enemy, Liu Qingqiu would most likely make a move against her. Without the same enemy, they would be enemies. Of course, that was a matter for later; first, they needed to deal with Lu Chen, the most difficult enemy of all. If Lu Chen were still alive, neither of them could achieve their objectives or leave this world. Meanwhile. Yan County. Yan County was enveloped by dark clouds this morning; thick clouds pressed down upon the land as if the sky was about to collapse. The air was also very oppressive, making it difficult for people to breathe. This was not merely atmospheric embellishment signaling the approach of danger; it was because Chu Yuqin had activated the Protecting Pulse Seven Killing Array. The array was frantically absorbing spiritual energy, which caused these strange phenomena in the sky and made the air feel heavy. Chu Yuqin and her followers had already received news that today, various sects would come to attack Yan County, so they had made preparations early in the morning. At this moment, the Tian Wu Sect, leading the other sect powers, was also ready; they had gathered in a forest a few kilometers away from Yan County. They were just waiting for the command to attack Yan County immediately. After an indeterminate amount of time, a yellow flag suddenly appeared on the city gate of Yan County. Seeing this flag, Yuan Tian immediately said to the others from the sect forces, ¡°The Yue Emperor has begun her move; she will soon lure out the Celestial guarding Yan County. We should also make our move!¡± Having said this, Yuan Tian led a group of disciples and rushed toward Yan County. Moments later, two figures appeared in the sky above Yan County, seeming to be engaged in battle. After a while, these two figures appeared outside the city walls of Yan County. The Yue Emperor, adorned in a Phoenix Robe, was chasing another woman dressed in green. When the two figures came outside Yan County, Yuan Tian immediately said to Si Yuhua and Zou Yangping, ¡°The Yue Emperor has drawn out the Celestial who was guarding Yan County; let¡¯s strike together!¡± As the words fell, Yuan Tian followed right behind the Yue Emperor, chasing after the woman in green. Seeing Yuan Tian take action, Si Yuhua and Zou Yangping did not hesitate; they also quickly pursued her. However, the woman in green seemed to have no intention of facing them in direct combat. She was continuously running toward the eastern forest of Yan County, and her speed was very fast. Si Yuhua and Zou Yangping gradually felt that something was off. Since this Celestial was left by the Sum Emperor to guard Yan County, she should be defending it directly. Why was she running so fast now? If this Celestial were to flee, Yan County might fall, and Lu Chen¡¯s wives and children could end up in the hands of their sect forces. If Lu Chen returned, wouldn¡¯t he then seek trouble with this Celestial? Or was it that this Celestial knew she was no match for them, so she simply gave up on Yan County, and regarding Lu Chen¡¯s wives and children, she did not care as long as she herself survived? If that were the case, then perhaps they did not need to relentlessly chase this Celestial. After all, when Lu Chen returned and saw that Yan County had been occupied by the sect forces and his family had fallen into others¡¯ hands, he would definitely not let this Celestial off easy. Just as Zou Yangping was about to tell Yuan Tian that they did not need to continue the chase, the woman in green suddenly stopped. Seeing this, Zou Yangping and Si Yuhua were taken aback. They had thought that this woman did not intend to engage them in direct combat, yet just as they decided to let her go, she came to a halt on her own. Yun Xianxian stopped, and Li Qianrou also paused in midair. At this time, Zou Yangping and Si Yuhua were still completely unaware that they had fallen into a trap. Si Yuhua spoke up, ¡°Miss, although I am not sure which sect you are from, if you can see the error of your ways and leave the tyrant¡¯s side, we will not lay a hand on you.¡± Yun Xianxian did not respond to Si Yuhua¡¯s words but instead swept a cold glance at Si Yuhua and Zou Yangping. Then she said icily, ¡°To come so far for just two Celestials and to take action, it truly is a waste of my time.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Si Yuhua and Zou Yangping were startled. For two Celestials? Two? Including the Yue Emperor, weren¡¯t there four Celestials on their side? Why would this woman say there were two? They instantly became alert as they seemed to sense something. However, it was already too late. At that moment, Yuan Tian suddenly made his move, piercing Si Yuhua¡¯s body with a sword. Blood gushed from Si Yuhua, and he instantly understood what was happening. ¡°Yuan Tian¡­ you!¡± Zou Yangping also realized something was wrong. He quickly attacked Yuan Tian, but after striking, Yuan Tian swiftly created a distance between them. At that time, Yun Xianxian, Li Qianrou, and Xia Tianyuan were positioned in a triangle, with Zou Yangping and Si Yuhua inside this triangle. Zou Yangping shouted angrily, ¡°Yuan Tian, Yue Emperor, what is the meaning of this!¡± At this point, Xia Tianyuan said with a smile, ¡°Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Xia Tianyuan, the former Sect Master of the Sunset Sword Sect and currently the Dean of the Luoyang Academy.¡± In the midst of speaking, Xia Tianyuan¡¯s original appearance was revealed. Seeing his true face, anyone would understand what was happening. At this time, Si Yuhua covered his still bleeding wound and said weakly, ¡°So, this was all the tyrant¡¯s conspiracy!¡± Although Si Yuhua had been pierced by Xia Tianyuan¡¯s sword, he was a Celestial after all, so it wasn¡¯t that easy for him to die. Yet in this situation, even if Si Yuhua was unharmed, it would be difficult for the two of them to handle three Celestials, particularly when one of them had mastered Sword Intent. Si Yuhua then continued, ¡°I am very curious why, when we were in the old city, the tyrant did not directly take action!¡± Xia Tianyuan had long known their sect forces¡¯ plans; if the tyrant had wanted to deal with them, he could have just sent someone to the old city to eliminate both of them directly. There was no need to wait until now to take action. Xia Tianyuan answered with a smile, ¡°Our Majesty is a king of benevolence and righteousness. Without concrete evidence, he would not casually kill people.¡± Hearing Xia Tianyuan¡¯s answer, Zou Yangping sneered, ¡°Bullshit benevolence and righteousness, utterly hypocritical!¡± The tyrant had sent Xia Tianyuan to lure them into rebellion, yet still talked about benevolence and righteousness. Clearly, the tyrant was just looking for a justified reason to eliminate these sect forces. Now that these sect forces had actively rebelled, the tyrant could take direct action without waiting for the sect forces to disband on their own. Xia Tianyuan said, ¡°Well, now that both of you know what¡¯s going on, let me send you on your way!¡± Chapter 871 - Chapter 871: Chapter 561: This Old Man Would Rather Die Than Let You Have It Easy! Chapter 871: Chapter 561: This Old Man Would Rather Die Than Let You Have It Easy! Upon hearing Xia Tianyuan¡¯s words, Zou Yangping laughed loudly and said, ¡°To kill us, you three also have to see if you have the ability!¡± At this point, Zou Yangping immediately released his Spiritual Power, and in the next instant, streaks of red flames surrounded him. Even Si Yuhua, who was seriously injured, quickly sealed his wounds with Spiritual Power, temporarily stopping the bleeding. He then drew his longsword and pointed it at Xia Tianyuan, saying, ¡°Even if I die, I want to take you down with me!¡± Having said this, Si Yuhua was the first to attack. His figure flashed, charging straight at Xia Tianyuan, while Zou Yangping did not stand idle either, rushing directly towards Yun Xianxian. Zou Yangping still had some tricks up his sleeve; unlike Si Yuhua, who had been ambushed and seriously injured, it was highly unlikely that he could escape. But Zou Yangping was still unharmed, and as long as he could break through a gap, he would have a complete chance to escape. Zou Yangping knew that the Yue Emperor had comprehended Sword Intent and was very difficult to deal with, so he chose to go straight for Yun Xianxian. Although Zou Yangping had not seen the Yue Emperor and had no idea what she looked like, Li Qianrou was wearing a Phoenix Robe, and her demeanor was very much like that of a superior, making it clear she was the Yue Emperor. Watching Zou Yangping charge toward her, Yun Xianxian¡¯s face was expressionless. She was somewhat puzzled as to why this man thought she was the easiest among the three to deal with. Did she really look that weak? As Zou Yangping reached Yun Xianxian, he threw a punch, and an image of a tiger appeared instantly, engulfed in roaring flames, as if it was specifically designed to counter Yun Xianxian¡¯s ice-based Cultivation Technique. This time it seemed Yun Xianxian understood why this man thought she was an easy target. It turned out he felt her Spiritual Power was of the ice element and believed that a fire-based Cultivation Technique would counter her. Unfortunately for him, he miscalculated. Just as the flaming tiger was about to touch Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, she suddenly raised her hand. Ice seals the heaven and earth!!! The next moment, the land and forest within a kilometer radius were completely encased in ice. The phantom of the Cultivation Technique released by Zou Yangping was also encased in ice, and then, as Yun Xianxian¡¯s delicate fingers pointed at the image, it shattered into pieces and fell to the ground. Seeing this scene, Zou Yangping was completely stunned, and an incredulous look immediately appeared on his face. How is this possible! This was his strongest technique; he had thought as long as he could hold this woman off for a moment, he would have the chance to escape, so he had used his strongest technique right from the start. But the other party had simply blocked his strongest move with a wave of her hand. Was this white-haired woman truly a Celestial? How could a Celestial possibly be so powerful! He had already chosen the weakest opponent to fight, and yet he was still no match for her. In that moment, Zou Yangping felt an immense despair in his heart. No, he couldn¡¯t just give up like this! He refused to believe that he couldn¡¯t even handle a woman! With that thought in mind, Zou Yangping gathered all his Spiritual Power and threw another punch. A giant tiger image reappeared. Yun Xianxian did not intend to waste too much time on Zou Yangping. She raised her delicate hand once again and with a sweep, countless ice cones appeared above her head and immediately flew towards Zou Yangping. Seeing so many ice cones, Zou Yangping instantly felt the danger and came down from the sky, diving straight into the forest, intending to forcefully break through Yun Xianxian and Li Qianrou¡¯s blockade. Witnessing Zou Yangping¡¯s escape, the Yue Emperor snorted lightly as spiritual energy burst forth from her body in an instant. Immediately after, numerous Sword Qi formed around Li Qianrou¡¯s body. Clutching the sword in her hand tightly, she swung her sword, and the Sword Qi zoomed towards Zou Yangping. Zou Yangping, who was fleeing, sensed the threat and quickly turned his head back, once again employing the same cultivation technique he used before. However, the tiger¡¯s phantom was instantly slashed apart by Li Qianrou¡¯s Sword Qi. Zou Yangping¡¯s face turned ashen with shock. How could both women be so formidable? He was, after all, a Celestial who had broken through many years ago and yet, he couldn¡¯t handle even this woman who looked so young. What Zou Yangping didn¡¯t know was that in terms of age, Yun Xianxian was much older than him. It was only because she had cultivated the Physical Appearance Retaining Technique, and also due to her unique physique, that she appeared to be a woman in her thirties at most. In fact, this was fairly common in the High-Level Cultivation Realm. Many who appeared to be in their twenties or thirties were actually thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years old. At this moment, Zou Yangping let out a loud shout and directly burned his own essence blood. Roaring, he said, ¡°You want to kill me? I won¡¯t make it easy for you even in death!¡± This time, Zou Yangping didn¡¯t run. He turned and thrust his legs, charging straight towards Yun Xianxian. Meanwhile, the fight between Xia Tianyuan and Si Yuhua had also begun. Si Yuhua had already been injured earlier, and he stood no chance against Xia Tianyuan. After all, Xia Tianyuan was the Sect Master of a Sword Sect, and in terms of strength, he was even more formidable than Li Qianrou. Si Yuhua gripped his sword and thrust it toward Xia Tianyuan, a massive golden Sword Intent materializing in the air. Xia Tianyuan remained unruffled. He drew his sword and gathered spiritual power within it. ¡°Out of respect for you wielding a sword as well, I shall let you die by the sword!¡± As Xia Tianyuan¡¯s voice faded, he executed a sword strike and a tremendous Sword Qi swept towards the golden Sword Intent in front of Si Yuhua. Seeing this scene, Si Yuhua¡¯s face instantly turned even paler. As he prepared to dodge, the Sword Qi sliced through his golden Sword Intent and bore down on him. Si Yuhua quickly circulated the spiritual power in his entire body and made another sword strike. The next moment, Xia Tianyuan¡¯s Sword Qi collided with the sword in Si Yuhua¡¯s hand. Feeling the immense pressure, Si Yuhua¡¯s recent wound tore open, blood spurting wildly as he kept coughing up blood. Realizing he would likely die there, Si Yuhua laughed loudly and said, ¡°If you wish for my death, then you shall die with me!¡± With those words, Si Yuhua prepared to self-destruct his Dantian. However, just as he gathered all his spiritual power into his Dantian, a massive ice cone, seemingly out of nowhere, came flying and impaled him straight through the body. ¡°Puh¡­¡± Si Yuhua spat out another mouthful of blood as the giant ice cone pierced through his Dantian, preventing him from continuing to gather spiritual power, let alone self-destruct. Quickly, the light flickered out from Si Yuhua¡¯s eyes, his body lost its liveliness, and he fell from the sky. In the High-Level Cultivation World, even being struck by that ice cone might not result in death, as many there possess spiritual artifacts to protect their bodies and have cultivated defensive cultivation techniques or possess protective talismans. But unfortunately, this was just a low-level world, where Celestials of the same rank could possibly be defeated by a single move from another Celestial. Chapter 872 - Chapter 872: Chapter 562: From Now On, This Is My Imperial Palace Chapter 872: Chapter 562: From Now On, This Is My Imperial Palace Seeing that Si Yuhua had been killed before he could self-destruct, Zou Yangping¡¯s complexion turned even paler. Clearly, the prowess of these three Celestials was beyond his own; he and Si Yuhua stood no chance against the three of them. Suddenly thinking of something, Zou Yangping ceased his actions and said, ¡°I surrender! Don¡¯t kill me! From now on, I will follow His Majesty¡¯s orders without question. If His Majesty tells me to go east, I will never go west!¡± Hearing these words, the expressions of Yun Xianxian and the others seemed unchanged. Zou Yangping glanced at the three people¡¯s faces, all of which were extremely calm, as if they didn¡¯t care whether he surrendered or not. Seeing their expressions, Zou Yangping¡¯s heart immediately cooled by half, wondering if they were determined to kill him after all. After all, he was a Celestial! How many Celestials were there in the world? If they kept him alive, he could create more value for the Sum Emperor. At this moment, Xia Tianyuan said, ¡°Zou Sect Master, to His Majesty, you are more valuable dead than alive.¡± Upon hearing these words, Zou Yangping¡¯s face instantly darkened, ¡°If you are unwilling to spare me, even if I must drag you down with me in a fight to the death, I will not go alone!¡± As he finished speaking, Zou Yangping, like Si Yuhua before him, started to concentrate all his Spiritual Power into his Dantian, preparing to self-destruct and perish together with Xia Tianyuan and the others. Yet the expressions on the faces of Xia Tianyuan and his companions remained unchanged; they seemed to have no fear of Zou Yangping¡¯s self-destruction. Seeing that their expressions remained the same, still indifferent like before, Zou Yangping was deeply disappointed. Though he spoke of a fight to the death, deep down he truly did not wish to die; he was merely threatening the three of them, trying to force them to give in and spare his life. Zou Yangping was puzzled; why were these three not afraid of death at all? Could it be that they believed they had the ability to stop his self-destruction before he could execute it? Now driven into a corner, Zou Yangping shouted, ¡°Do not push me too far! I will self-destruct right now!¡± Zou Yangping also realized he could not escape. Since these three were bent on killing him, they might as well die together! Immediately, Zou Yangping prepared to self-destruct, but just as he was about to gather all his Spiritual Power into his Dantian, Li Qingrou and Yun Xianxian acted simultaneously, sending countless streams of Sword Qi instantly flying towards Zou Yangping, while numerous ice spears fell from the sky. In just an instant, Zou Yangping was pierced by both the ice spears and Sword Qi. Like Si Yuhua, Zou Yangping never got the chance to self-destruct his Dantian. In truth, if he had wanted to self-destruct, he still could have; however, without concentrating all his Spiritual Power into his Dantian, the explosion wouldn¡¯t have been very powerful nor caused much damage. As Zou Yangping¡¯s body slowly fell to the ground, their task there was also considered complete. Meanwhile, In Yan County, The disciples from the various Sects had been planning to charge into Yan County to carry out their plans of looting and pillaging. But before they could get close to Yan County, a strange Formation appeared in the sky above the city. Before the people from the Sects could react, the Formation suddenly fired countless beams of light. Then, the bodies of the Sects¡¯ members were pierced by the light from the Formation. Some were so frightened they immediately fled, yet the rays from the Formation were so fast that they reached their targets in the blink of an eye. These Sect members had already approached the gates of Yan County, and by this point, it was too late to escape. Soon, the dead bodies lay strewn all around the entrance to Yan County, all belonging to members of the major Sects. At this moment, Wu Ming was still unaware of what had happened outside the city gates, but after seeing the formation in the sky, he faintly sensed a hint of unease. Just then, a disciple of the Tian Wu Sect appeared behind Wu Ming, ¡°Your Highness, good news!¡± Relieved by the arrival of this voice, Wu Ming spoke with some displeasure, ¡°Why have you come so late? I thought something had happened outside.¡± The disciple said with a smile, ¡°We encountered some obstacles just now, so there was some delay, but now all the obstacles have been cleared, and all the people in the Imperial Palace are under our control. Your Highness can lead the people directly to the Imperial Palace now.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Ming was overjoyed, and he immediately confirmed, ¡°Yan County has been taken by you?¡± The Tian Wu Sect disciple replied, ¡°Yes, Your Highness, the Celestial of Yan County has died in battle, and we now fully control Yan County.¡± Laughing heartily at this news, Wu Ming then said, ¡°Very good, very good! I indeed did not misjudge you. I wonder what kind of expression Lu Chen will have when he returns to see everything in Yan County, hahaha!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! We will head to the Imperial Palace now, I want to see just how beautiful Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines really are.¡± Immediately after, Wu Ming led a group of Wu Family¡¯s people directly out of the Wu Residence. Wuhe also sensed the commotion outside and asked a servant, ¡°What is happening outside?¡± The servant hastily replied, ¡°Your Highness, the Second Prince, along with some Imperial Family Members of the Wu Family, has left the residence directly.¡± Upon hearing this, Wuhe furrowed his brows. Looking up again at the formation in the sky that was gradually dissipating, he couldn¡¯t help thinking, could it be that those Sect forces have really taken down Yan County? If that were the case, if Wu Ming became the Emperor supported by those Sects, wouldn¡¯t his own position be extremely awkward? No, that can¡¯t be right¡­ Could Yan County really have fallen so easily? Could there be some deceit at play here? Wuhe then instructed the servant, ¡°Send someone out to gather information, and come back immediately with any news.¡± Wuhe always felt something was amiss; he didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen had left no contingency plans. After all, there was Zhuge Zhongguang by Lu Chen¡¯s side ¨C even if Lu Chen wasn¡¯t that smart, was Zhuge Zhongguang not either? Zhuge Zhongguang would surely have advised Lu Chen to keep some moves in reserve, or even some trump cards. Wuhe felt that Wu Ming and his group rushing out now would likely be facing nothing but a dead end. Wu Ming didn¡¯t realize that his countdown to death had already begun. Not long after, Wu Ming arrived at the entrance of the Imperial Palace in a horse-drawn carriage. There were no guards at the gates of the Imperial Palace, not even a single sentry, as if the Imperial Palace had indeed been captured. Stepping down from the carriage, Wu Ming saw this scene and said with a laugh, ¡°From this day forth, this will be this King¡¯s Imperial Palace!¡± At this moment, a flattery-seeking servant said, ¡°Your Majesty, you should refer to yourself as ¡®We¡¯ now.¡± Wu Ming immediately realized, ¡°Oh right, now that Yan County has been occupied, hereafter ¡®We¡¯ will be the ruler of Great Sum! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s see what ¡®Our¡¯ beloved consorts look like!¡± As the words fell, Wu Ming led a group of the Royal Family Members of the Wu Family further into the Imperial Palace. However, as they entered the palace gates, soldiers armed with muskets quickly appeared and surrounded them all. Seeing these soldiers, Wu Ming was suddenly stunned. Wasn¡¯t it said that the Imperial Palace had been captured? Why were there still soldiers of Great Sum? Chapter 873 - Chapter 873: Chapter 563: Heartbroken Wu Junwan Chapter 873: Chapter 563: Heartbroken Wu Junwan Wu Ming regained his senses and turned his head quickly, intending to ask the disciple from the Tian Wu Sect what was going on. But when he looked back, there were no Tian Wu Sect disciples to be found, only people from the Wu Family remained. Wu Ming¡¯s mind went blank in an instant, and even if he was foolish, he now understood what was happening. Just as Wu Ming was about to defend himself, a loud voice from the Daxia Imperial Guard Commander rebuked, ¡°Audacious traitor, how dare you conspire against the Imperial Palace!¡± ¡°Those who conspire against the Imperial Palace, kill without mercy!!!¡± As the head of the Imperial Guards¡¯s voice fell, the soldiers made ready to fire their guns. At that moment, Wu Ming burst out laughing, saying, ¡°Hahaha, Lu Chen, oh Lu Chen, I always knew you had no intention of sparing the Wu Family. You¡¯re ruthless, truly ruthless. Even if I become a wandering ghost, I will come back to haunt you!!!¡± Wu Ming had realized what his fate was going to be and he no longer cared. As soon as Wu Ming¡¯s voice faded, the Imperial Guard Commander fired the first shot and was quickly followed by all the soldiers pulling their triggers. Bullets struck the Wu Family¡¯s people, and soon bodies lay scattered across the ground amidst pools of blood. Wu Ming was also hit by bullets and fell to the ground. His eyes were wide open, as if he refused to close them even in death. Of course, he truly did refuse to die with eyes closed. Having thought mirthfully that he was about to become the Emperor, he only realized upon entering the Imperial Palace that he had been baited and then shot. How could he possibly rest in peace? In the wake of the Imperial Guard¡¯s actions, it wasn¡¯t long before Yan County regained its peace once more. The forces that had been drawn out by deception were completely purged. After things were settled, Wu Junwan returned to her own chambers. As soon as she got back, Li Qingrou also returned. Seeing Li Qingrou, Wu Junwan asked with concern, ¡°Qingrou, there were no problems, were there?¡± Li Qingrou replied with a light chuckle, ¡°It was just two old undying ones, what problems could there possibly be? Forget three Celestials, I alone would have been enough to deal with the two of them.¡± ¡°That bastard only chose to act against them now to have a justifiable cause. If he didn¡¯t care about his reputation and wanted to act sooner, those Sect forces would have been cleaned up a long time ago.¡± Hearing this, Wu Junwan seemed to realize something. Just then, a maid rushed into the courtyard in a panic, ¡°Mistress, something terrible has happened!¡± The maid who came in belonged to Wu Junwan, so Wu Junwan was considered her mistress. Hearing the maid¡¯s words, Wu Junwan¡¯s ominous premonition grew stronger, and she quickly asked, ¡°Nuannuan, what has happened?¡± The maid Nuannuan replied, ¡°Prince Wu Ming led a portion of the Wu Family in rebellion, conspired against the Imperial Palace, and was directly shot dead by the head of the Imperial Guards.¡± Wu Junwan was momentarily stunned. Indeed¡­ Just as she had thought. She seemed to understand why Lu Chen insisted on leaving Yan County before taking action. With Lu Chen away from Yan County, the one to make the move wasn¡¯t Lu Chen himself. He wasn¡¯t present and could therefore blame everything on others. Lu Chen, he¡­ Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s face looking so grim, Li Qingrou snorted coldly from the side and said, ¡°The ruthless ambivalence of emperors since ancient times. That bastard has never trusted the Dawu and Dayue Royal Families. It seems all of this was orchestrated by him, to draw out the Imperial Family Members of Dawu and Dayue to rebel and then use this opportunity to eliminate them.¡± Wu Junwan did not speak. Her face was pale, and Li Qingrou quickly supported her, saying, ¡°Junwan, you mustn¡¯t let that bastard¡¯s actions harm your health.¡± Wu Junwan sighed softly and said, ¡°You can¡¯t blame him for this. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that some members of the Dawu Royal Family still hadn¡¯t given up, they wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°Junwan, people are always driven by desire. Seeing such a good opportunity, how could the members of the Dawu Royal Family not be tempted? In my opinion, all of this is that bastard¡¯s fault.¡± Wu Junwan fell silent once again. She certainly understood that all this was very likely orchestrated by Lu Chen. After all, no Emperor could truly tolerate the existence of the former dynasty¡¯s Imperial Family Members, especially those whose treacherous hearts were not yet dead. These people, if left unchecked, would sooner or later cause trouble. Although she understood Lu Chen¡¯s actions, the fact that he had never shared these matters with her made Wu Junwan feel as though he treated her as an outsider, and at that moment, her heart ached with a dull pain. Was this the feeling of being hurt after falling in love with someone? Perhaps Lu Chen had never trusted her¡­ After Wu Junwan became pregnant, her emotions grew unstable, prone to wild thoughts. And now she started to overthink again. Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s sorrowful expression, Li Qingrou decided not to continue upsetting her. Speaking further ill of Lu Chen would probably only make Wu Junwan sadder. Li Qingrou then consoled her, saying, ¡°Junwan, it¡¯s okay, stop thinking about those things. Give birth to the child first, we can talk about other matters later.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°Yes, I know.¡± A few days later. In Xinyang City, at the border between Great Xia and Great Qian. Lu Chen was in the study of the collapsing site, reading the intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard. Through those reports, he also realized that the plague in Great Qian likely had little to do with the Qian Empress. The Daqian Empress was also in favor of actively eliminating the plague, but she did it to accumulate more political capital for herself, wanting the people to believe that it was under her initiative that Great Qian was able to solve the plague. In the future, whenever the citizens of Great Qian thought about the plague, they would remember that it was she, the Daqian Empress, who resolved it and saved the subjects of Great Qian. Lu Chen had a feeling that the Qian Empress¡¯s rise in fame must have a special purpose. As Lu Chen was pondering over the intelligence in his hands, the voice of Bai Qingqing came from the doorway, ¡°Your Majesty, a letter from Yan County!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen instantly refocused, guessing what the letter might contain. ¡°Bring it in,¡± he said. As the words fell, Bai Qingqing entered the study and handed the letter over to Lu Chen. Lu Chen took the letter, glanced through its contents, and then a smile crept onto his face. ¡°It¡¯s been dealt with thoroughly, it¡¯s just a pity that they didn¡¯t eliminate all the members of the Dawu Royal Family in one go.¡± Lu Chen knew that resolving the matter with all the members of the Dawu Royal Family would upset Wu Junwan, but in his heart, the members of the Dawu Royal Family remained a significant annoyance. If they were all like the members of the Dayue Royal Family, who knew only to indulge in eating, drinking, and pleasure, Lu Chen would not have considered getting rid of them. After reading the letter, Lu Chen placed it on his desk, ¡°Now that the matter in Yan County has been resolved, it¡¯s time to deal with Great Qian.¡± At that point, Lu Chen looked at Bai Qingqing, ¡°Summon all the Generals, call for an immediate military council. In two days, we will launch the war of annihilation against Great Qian!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s order, Bai Qingqing immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Chapter 874 - Chapter 874: Chapter 564: I Hope You Dont End Up Like Yue Emperor Chapter 874: Chapter 564: I Hope You Don¡¯t End Up Like Yue Emperor When the military conference was convened, the concern that most preoccupied the generals was still how to handle the plague. Although Lu Chen had long said he had a way to resolve the plague, his solution was merely isolation and maximum prevention. But what if the plague accidentally spread to their troops? Xuanyuan Yunqi glanced at those military generals. She was now the commander of a military camp, so the concerns of these generals were equally her concerns. She directly asked, ¡°Your Majesty, with respect, I wish to inquire how to handle the plague. Please instruct me, so I can prepare the soldiers on the battlefield in advance.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Strange, haven¡¯t I already passed on the method to prevent and treat the plague to you all?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? The Demon Burying Spell cultivation technique I imparted to you a while ago?¡± Hearing this, everyone looked at each other, seemingly still somewhat incredulous. Lu Chen continued, ¡°The outbreak in Great Qian is not an ordinary plague, but one caused by a malevolent force, and the Demon Burying Spell is specifically designed to counter this malevolent force.¡± Xuanyuan Yunqi immediately identified a new problem and continued, ¡°Your Majesty, although soldiers who have cultivated the Demon Burying Spell can control the plague, most soldiers in the army are ordinary soldiers.¡± Although the promotion of Spirit Rice has led to an increasing number of lower-tier martial artists in Great Sum, the army still primarily consisted of ordinary soldiers who did not have the capacity to cultivate the Demon Burying Spell, an Earth Rank cultivation technique. Even though the Earth Rank cultivation techniques taught by Lu Chen were simplified, they were still unachievable for them. Lu Chen said, ¡°You do not have to worry about this. The True Qi of the Demon Burying Spell can directly neutralize the plague in a person¡¯s body. As long as there is one Half-step Grandmaster in a military camp, that camp need not worry about the plague.¡± ¡°Moreover, I have a Spiritual Artifact that dispels the plague. Once we are on the battlefield, I will dispel the plague beforehand, then let the soldiers advance.¡± Hearing this, the generals were still somewhat anxious, but since their Emperor had spoken to this extent, they now could only choose to trust the Emperor. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Let¡¯s leave the matter of the plague here, and now we¡¯ll discuss the attack routes.¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell on the map in front of him. Then, he picked up a command stick and began assigning tasks to various commanders on the map. Meanwhile. Great Qian Dynasty, Imperial Palace. Clothed in azure robes, Liu Qingqiu stood beside the lotus pond, watching the fish swim back and forth in the pond, when a voice appeared behind her, ¡°You really can keep your composure. Great Sum has already marshaled its forces, and you¡¯re still here watching fish.¡± ¡°I¡¯m quite curious, what kind of methods does the Sum Emperor have to resolve the plague issue?¡± Mu Yunxi said with a laugh, ¡°Is there a possibility that he actually has no way to eliminate the plague, and is simply disregarding the lives of his soldiers?¡± Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°I don¡¯t think he is such a foolish man.¡± Although Liu Qingqiu was not very aware of where Lu Chen¡¯s confidence came from, she had still heard of the preventive measures taken by the Daxia Army as they approached Great Qian. The preventive measures taken by the Daxia Army were enough to show that Lu Chen truly valued the lives of his soldiers; otherwise, he would not have had them take those measures. However, in Great Qian, just those measures alone would absolutely not suffice, nor would they halt the spread of the plague. Liu Qingqiu had long noticed activities of people from Great Sum within the territory of Great Qian. She believed Lu Chen must be aware of this, so she felt that Lu Chen must have other methods to control the spread of the plague. Of course, this was just her speculation. Now it was to be seen whether the soldiers of Daxia would contract the plague during the attack, which would indicate whether Lu Chen had a method to eliminate the plague or not. At that moment, Mu Yunxi asked with a smile, ¡°Setting aside the matter of the plague for a moment, what do you think the odds are for the two of us against Lu Chen in a battle?¡± Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°One hundred percent.¡± ¡°Oh? You have such confidence in me?¡± Mu Yunxi asked. Liu Qingqiu snorted and laughed, ¡°I am not confident in you, I believe in my own strength. ¡°Even without you, I would never let Lu Chen occupy Great Qian.¡± Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi smiled faintly and did not say much. Liu Qingqiu must be the incarnation of some great power, which is why she is so confident, or rather, arrogant. It is normal for the incarnation of a great power to look down on someone from a lower world, but underestimating Lu Chen could lead to a great loss eventually. Mu Yunxi looked at Liu Qingqiu¡¯s plump figure and thought to herself, hoping you don¡¯t end up like Yue Emperor. For some reason, seeing Liu Qingqiu so arrogant made Mu Yunxi want her to be captured by Lu Chen and be humiliated by him night after night. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu stopped talking with Mu Yunxi and turned directly towards the court hall, while instructing the guards, ¡°Summon the full court of civil and military officials to discuss the matter of resisting Great Sum.¡± Watching Liu Qingqiu¡¯s departing figure, Mu Yunxi suddenly had a strange idea that, with Liu Qingqiu¡¯s beauty, perhaps she could attract that lascivious Lu Chen, right? ¡­ Several days passed. Great Sum officially sent troops to attack Great Qian, and the first city they attacked was Danxin City. This time, in attacking Danxin City, Lu Chen personally participated to see what the situation in Great Qian really was. Soon, Lu Chen led his army to the outskirts of Danxin City. On the way to Danxin City, Lu Chen saw many human bones by the roadside, making the whole of Great Qian appear very desolate and oppressive. As soon as Lu Chen and his men arrived at Danxin City, they found several officials already waiting outside the city with their seals and surrender documents. The person dressed as the county magistrate was emaciated and kept coughing continuously, clearly suffering from the plague with not much time left. At that moment, Lu Chen dismounted and walked directly towards the county magistrate. Seeing this, the military generals beside Lu Chen were frightened and hurried over to stop him, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, this is not advisable!¡± ¡°That man is clearly infected with the plague. What if¡­¡± Lu Chen raised his hand to stop them from continuing and then said calmly, ¡°If I don¡¯t demonstrate how to expel the plague myself, how could the soldiers truly believe that I can eliminate it?¡± This¡­ The generals looked at each other, eventually deciding not to continue blocking him but cleared the way instead. Lu Chen walked directly up to the county magistrate. Seeing a young man in Black Gold Armor approaching, the Danxin City magistrate thought Lu Chen was a commander from Great Sum. Since Lu Chen was quite far from the magistrate and considering the magistrate was critically ill, he had not heard the Great Sum generals addressing Lu Chen as ¡°Your Majesty.¡± The Danxin County magistrate then tremblingly said, ¡°The magistrate of Danxin County pays his respects to the lord¡­¡± Chapter 875 - Chapter 875: Chapter 565: Miracle! This is a miracle!!! Chapter 875: Chapter 565: Miracle! This is a miracle!!! As soon as the words of the Prefecture Governor of Danxin County left his lips, Bai Qingqing, who was beside Lu Chen, immediately corrected him, ¡°This is our Your Majesty.¡± Upon hearing this, the Prefecture Governor of Danxin County¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief that the Emperor of Great Sum would dare venture to this place. By now Danxin City hardly had anyone left who had not been infected by the plague, did the Sum Emperor not fear being infected himself by coming to such a place? Bearing his imminent death, the Prefecture Governor of Danxin County was not so afraid of Lu Chen. He opened his mouth and said, ¡°I greet Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand years!¡± ¡°I am already gravely ill, please forgive me, Your Majesty, for being unable to kneel.¡± Seeing the Prefecture Governor¡¯s look of despair, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°No matter.¡± Immediately after, Lu Chen asked, ¡°How many people were in Danxin City before the outbreak of the plague?¡± The Prefecture Governor answered, ¡°Your Majesty, there were a hundred thousand people.¡± Located near Great Sum and as an essential path for merchant caravans, Danxin City was quite bustling before the outbreak of the plague. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°And how many remain now?¡± The Prefecture Governor replied, ¡°Your Majesty, perhaps less than a thousand remain. I have not conducted a recent count, and the precise number is unknown to me now.¡± Lu Chen frowned upon hearing this, the plague brought by the Heavenly Demon was truly horrific, turning what was once a large city of a hundred thousand residents to less than a thousand. Lu Chen further inquired, ¡°What of the soldiers stationed in your city?¡± This location, being a vital passage for merchant caravans, held significant importance for Great Qian, which previously deployed a large garrison here. The Prefecture Governor answered, ¡°After the plague broke out, they retreated.¡± Hearing the Governor¡¯s response, Lu Chen felt no surprise; Great Qian had abandoned Danxin City. Lu Chen then looked towards Danxin City and saw what seemed to be a layer of black air hovering overhead. It wasn¡¯t just an atmospheric description; through his sight, there were indeed streams of black air, reminiscent of the smoke trailing behind automobiles. Seeing the black air, Lu Chen wondered whether it could be the cause of the plague. Lu Chen then asked Bai Qingqing, who was beside him, ¡°Bai, do you see anything above Danxin City?¡± After a glance at the sky above Danxin City, where blue skies and white clouds remained undisturbed, Bai Qingqing answered, ¡°Your Majesty, I have not noticed anything.¡± Lu Chen thought, could it be that only he could see it, or perhaps only those of a higher Realm could? With this thought, Lu Chen then asked Mu Hongguang, ¡°President Mu, can you see anything above Danxin City?¡± Confusion crossed Mu Hongguang¡¯s face upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question. Something above Danxin City? There was supposed to be something above Danxin City, why hadn¡¯t he seen anything? Mu Hongguang then honestly responded, ¡°Your Majesty, I have not seen anything either.¡± Seeing even Mu Hongguang, a Celestial, answer this way, Lu Chen almost confirmed that, apart from himself, they could not see the black air spreading over Danxin City. It seemed that the black air was indeed a serious issue. Lu Chen then took out the Demon-Expelling Banner directly from his system space. As soon as the Demon-Expelling Banner was unveiled, it emitted a golden radiance. The next instant, all the black air around Lu Chen was dispersed. At that moment, Lu Chen noticed that many people in Danxin City also had their black air gradually dissipating. As the black air vanished, those infected by the plague visibly regained their color and soon flushed with blood again. The Prefecture Governor of Danxin County also noticed the change in them; they looked at their own hands in some disbelief. At this moment, the common people of Danxin City were too excited to speak. Suddenly, the Prefecture Governor of Danxin knelt down and then shouted loudly, ¡°A miracle, this is a miracle!!!¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving the people of Danxin County!¡± Upon hearing this, the common people behind the Prefecture Governor of Danxin also quickly knelt down, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for saving the people of Danxin County!!!¡± Not only were the common people of Danxin City stunned, but the soldiers of the Daxia Dynasty were also stunned. In their hearts, they had always harbored some doubt about whether their Emperor could really dispel the epidemic, but to their surprise, in such a short time, their Emperor had cured all the people infected with the plague. At this time, everyone¡¯s gaze fell onto the Demon-Expelling Banner in Lu Chen¡¯s hand. Clearly, it was this banner that had dispelled the plague. With this banner, wouldn¡¯t the Daxia Army no longer have to fear the plague? For a moment, the morale of the Daxia Army surged. Lu Chen then said to the generals behind him, ¡°I have said that I can dispel the plague, now you all should believe it, right?¡± Having said this, Lu Chen walked towards Danxin City and said as he walked, ¡°Spread word of what happened here.¡± Bai Qingqing immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen intended for all the common people of Great Qian to know that he had the ability to dispel the plague. In this way, when he wanted to take over other cities, he wouldn¡¯t need to spend a single soldier, and instead, some of the city defenders might even come to him to surrender. After Lu Chen entered Danxin City, he once again manipulated the Demon-Expelling Banner, which flew up into the air, emitting dazzling golden light. After the golden light shone down, the dark aura covering the entire Danxin City dissipated completely. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed. With the promotion of the Brocade Guard, the deeds of Lu Chen in Danxin City were also spread throughout the various prefectures of Great Qian. Upon hearing that Daxia was capable of dispelling the plague, the common people in the prefectures, even the high-ranking officials, began to entertain the thought of defecting to Daxia. By that time, Liu Qingqiu could no longer control the situation in Great Qian, and within a few days, several prefecture governors along with their soldiers came to Danxin City and directly surrendered to Lu Chen. After Lu Chen demonstrated how to dispel the plague in front of those who had come over, these people instantly revered Lu Chen as the Son of Destiny. Suddenly, from the local level up to the royal court of Great Qian, the calls for surrender grew louder. Daqian Imperial Palace. Qianning Palace. Liu Qingqiu, looking at the intelligence gathered, grew more and more furious. She had not expected that such a large portion of Great Qian¡¯s territory would fall into the hands of the Daxia Dynasty so quickly. Lu Chen had swallowed up so much of Great Qian¡¯s land without deploying a single soldier, and key to this was that after Lu Chen led his troops to Danxin City, he had stayed there without sending troops to attack other prefectures of Great Qian. It was the high-level officials of these prefectures who, along with Great Qian soldiers, had run to Danxin City to surrender to Lu Chen. This was tantamount to completely disregarding the Great Qian Royal Family and her, who was about to become the Empress Dowager. At this moment, Mu Yunxi appeared in Liu Qingqiu¡¯s bedchamber, leaning against a pillar with a smile, ¡°Quite rare to see, I had not thought you could also get angry.¡± Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly, ¡°Wait until I get rid of Lu Chen, then I will deal with those traitors!¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°It¡¯s just that you might fail to get rid of Lu Chen and end up sacrificing yourself.¡± ¡°But to get back to the point, you guessed right, Lu Chen does indeed have a way to dispel the plague.¡± Chapter 876 - Chapter 876: Chapter 566 Liu Qingqiu: The real final battle should begin now Chapter 876: Chapter 566 Liu Qingqiu: The real final battle should begin now Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu suddenly seemed to remember something, and her previously stern expression softened, calming her heart. Afterward, Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°I am rather curious, how it is that when Lu Chen arrived, the plague in Great Qian simply vanished.¡± ¡°It couldn¡¯t be that the plague was fabricated by Great Sum from the beginning.¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi laughed and said, ¡°You really know how to frame and entrap people. Even I know that the plague came from the seas to the south, and yet you dare to pin it on Lu Chen.¡± Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°Who did it is not important, what matters is the outcome.¡± Then she said to the guard at the door, ¡°Go find Assistant Minister Li.¡± Mu Yunxi opened her mouth and asked, ¡°Do you plan to spread rumors that the plague was brought by Great Sum, then ignite the people¡¯s anger against Great Sum?¡± The plague in Great Qian had lasted for over a year, decimating nearly half of the population. On average, nearly every household had lost someone to the plague. Most people had lost loved ones to the plague. When news suddenly spread that Great Sum was the spreader of the plague, with the intent of ruling Great Qian without spilling any blood, it would certainly fuel the hatred of the Great Qian populace against Great Sum. Liu Qingqiu said with an impassive face, ¡°Before Lu Chen arrived, the plague in Great Qian had persisted for more than a year and could not be eliminated no matter what was tried. However, as soon as Lu Chen arrived, the plague disappeared immediately. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too much of a coincidence?¡± ¡°I believe the people of Great Qian will also find that unreasonable in due time.¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi smiled faintly and then said, ¡°I hope your approach will win back the hearts of the people of Great Qian.¡± Although Mu Yunxi said this, in her heart, she didn¡¯t believe that this approach would bring any real benefits to Great Qian. You can spread rumors, and so can Great Sum. Right now, the key point is by siding with Great Sum, one can avoid the impact of the plague. How to choose is obvious even to a fool. Of course, as Liu Qingqiu¡¯s ally, Mu Yunxi naturally wouldn¡¯t discourage her. Several days later. A rumor began to circulate within the borders of Great Qian. It was said that the Sum Emperor was behind the plague, aimed at annexing Great Qian. The best proof was that before the Sum Emperor came to Great Qian, the plague persisted. But once the Sum Emperor arrived, the plague vanished instantly, and such coincidences don¡¯t happen in this world. Only if the plague was caused by Great Sum could they know the cure so effortlessly. In an attempt to annex Great Qian, Great Sum had committed such inhumane acts, killing who knows how many of Great Qian¡¯s people. The people of Great Qian must not acknowledge the culprit as their ruler. ¡­ Danxin City. Lu Chen¡¯s temporary study. Lu Chen was currently looking through some memorial reports sent from Yan County when Bai Qingqing outside said, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Qin has returned!¡± Since Qin Yushan was dispatched to Great Qian to investigate the plague, he had been staying in Great Qian and had established quite some influence there. Lu Chen put down the report in his hand and said, ¡°Come in!¡± The next moment, Qin Yushan hurried into the study, then bowed to Lu Chen and said, ¡°This subordinate pays respects to Your Majesty, long live, long live, forever and ever!¡± Lu Chen nodded his head, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Qin Yushan said, ¡°Your Majesty, please forgive my incompetence, but in the end, I was unable to find the specific cause of the Great Qian pandemic.¡± Although they had discovered that the Great Qian pandemic was related to a box, where that box was now located, and why it had caused the pandemic, the Brocade Guard still had no clue. Lu Chen said, ¡°No matter, I already know the origin of the pandemic. Has there been any new intelligence from Great Qian recently, or has the Daqian Empress made any moves?¡± Qin Yushan replied, ¡°Your Majesty, recently the Daqian Empress has been spreading rumors everywhere, claiming that the pandemic was spread by you, and she has been inciting the people of Great Qian to oppose Great Sum.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen showed a trace of a smile, just as he had expected, the Daqian Empress really did just that. However, he had already thought of how to counter this rumor. Immediately, Lu Chen said to Qin Yushan, ¡°You will now spread the word that the reason for the pandemic in Great Qian is because a demoness rules the government, a punishment sent down by the heavens. Now that I, the true Son of Heaven, have arrived, the pandemic has been dispersed, only I can subdue the demoness. Once I subdue the demoness, the pandemic in Great Qian will be driven away.¡± Hearing this, Qin Yushan immediately responded, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, your subordinate will see to it at once!¡± The ¡®demoness¡¯ referred to by Lu Chen, the common people of Great Qian were certainly very clear on. As soon as they heard that a demoness ruled the government, they would definitely think of Liu Qingqiu, the Daqian Empress. Furthermore, it was a tradition in this world to believe that a woman¡¯s rule would incur divine punishment; the moment this rumor spread, the people of Great Qian would quickly accept his version of events. And then, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s position as Empress would not be so comfortable after all. Having received Lu Chen¡¯s orders, Qin Yushan spread the word across all of Great Qian in the shortest time that a demoness ruled the government, causing chaos and bringing punishment from the heavens upon them. Ever since Qin Yushan came to Great Qian, he had been building a network of spies. In Great Qian, it was unclear how many agents of the Brocade Guard were present. Spreading this kind of rumor was the simplest task for them. Just as Lu Chen had predicted, compared to the claim that the pandemic was brought by Great Sum, the public were far more likely to believe it was due to the rule of the demoness of Great Qian, hence the divine punishment. Suddenly, there were complaints everywhere in Great Qian, all blaming the Demon Queen Liu Qingqiu for sowing chaos in the court and bringing such disaster upon Great Qian. As a result, more and more people made their way to Danxin City to surrender to Lu Chen, with some members of the Royal Family of Great Qian even appearing among those who surrendered later on. The Royal Family of Great Qian were no fools either; they could see that Great Qian¡¯s days were numbered. Most importantly, it was indeed a woman who was currently in power, and these Imperial Family Members were continually oppressed by the Demon Queen Liu Qingqiu. With the support of the Great Qian Royal Family, Lu Chen immediately brought out the Imperial Family Members, stepped up propaganda, and told the people of Great Qian that even the Royal Family could not endure the Demon Queen and had chosen to stand with Great Sum, the side of heavenly mandate. Finally, Liu Qingqiu could no longer tolerate it. Qianning Palace. Liu Qingqiu, looking at the intelligence in her hands, was instantly furious, with her aura climbing. The next moment, the intelligence in her hands was shredded to pieces by the spiritual energy emanating from her body. Seeing the size of Liu Qingqiu¡¯s rage, Mu Yunxi said with a smile, ¡°I told you long ago that this method would be of no use against Lu Chen.¡± ¡°Besides, if you want to defeat Great Sum, defeat Lu Chen, you must rely on real strength. What use are these little tricks?¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu said coldly, ¡°You are right, in this world, one must rely on strength. We¡¯ve been at an impasse with Great Sum for so long, the time for a true decisive battle has come.¡± Chapter 877 - Chapter 877: Chapter 567: Hosting? Like how you hosted Yue Emperor? Chapter 877: Chapter 567: Hosting? Like how you hosted Yue Emperor? ¡°` Since Wen¡¯s methods were no match for Lu Chen, then let¡¯s turn to martial prowess. Liu Qingqiu could not believe that Lu Chen would also be able to defeat her in terms of martial prowess. Originally, she had not deployed her troops right away mainly for the sake of Great Qian¡¯s popular support, as she needed the people¡¯s hearts to consolidate the nation¡¯s fate. But now that the popular support had vanished, she felt no need to keep up the facade any longer; it was time to go to war! A single battle would decide the victor; as long as Lu Chen was taken care of by her, not to mention Great Qian, even the whole of Great Sum, including the territories conquered by Great Sum, would become hers. At the order of Liu Qingqiu, the Great Qian army quickly completed its assembly, and half a month later, they took the initiative to strike out, heading straight for Danxin City to prepare for a decisive battle with the Daxia Army there. When Lu Chen heard that Liu Qingqiu had summoned the Great Qian army to take the initiative, he was somewhat surprised. He had thought that Liu Qingqiu would keep waiting, waiting until the Daxia Army reached the gates of the Daqian Capital City before deciding to fight; but now, unexpectedly, Liu Qingqiu had taken the initiative. It seemed this woman truly had run out of patience and wanted to end this war as soon as possible. Indeed, since some Imperial Family Members had voluntarily defected to Great Sum, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s position had become unstable, and now there had been quite a few voices in the court of Great Qian calling for Liu Qingqiu to return the government to the Royal Family. Although Liu Qingqiu could suppress those voices opposed to her, such measures would be extremely detrimental to her in the long run. Lu Chen was in no hurry; he just waited in Danxin City for Liu Qingqiu¡¯s arrival. He was now somewhat looking forward to it; rumors had it that Empress Liu was a devastating beauty, with grace and charm, a true exceptional beauty. Lu Chen suspected that this Liu Qingqiu was most likely also a woman with a ninety score. However, he was not sure whether Liu Qingqiu was still pure, after all, she had been Empress to the Qian Emperor for so many years. If Liu Qingqiu was still untouched, it would speak poorly of the Qian Emperor¡¯s capabilities. Soon, Liu Qingqiu led the Great Qian army to the outskirts of Danxin City. The city itself had been revitalized, with Great Sum¡¯s flags hanging on the city walls, civilians bustling on the streets, and the whole city filled with vitality; numerous merchant caravans and wagons were entering and leaving through the gates. Since Lu Chen had entered Danxin City, the merchant caravans from Great Qian had once again flooded the city, and merchants from Great Sum also came to do business with those of Great Qian. It was because of this that Danxin City had been able to transform in such a short period from a dead city into the bustling scene it now was. When the commoners at the city gate heard that Liu Qingqiu was leading the Great Qian army to attack Danxin City, complaints erupted immediately. ¡°This Demon Queen actually has the nerve to come attack Danxin City!¡± ¡°Exactly, if it weren¡¯t for the Sum Emperor, we would probably have died from the plague a long time ago.¡± ¡°Great Qian¡¯s soldiers have gone mad, still following that Demon Queen!¡± ¡°Maybe they¡¯ve been bewitched by her!¡± ¡­ While complaining, the commoners at the gate orderly retreated back into Danxin City. They still had great faith in the strength of the Daxia Army. In their eyes, the Demon Queen was a defiant presence, while Lu Chen was the Son of Destiny, so the Demon Queen couldn¡¯t possibly defeat the Son of Destiny. Meanwhile, Lu Chen also heard that Liu Qingqiu had led her army to the outskirts of Danxin City. He quickly donned his armor and went directly to the city wall. Before long, a luxurious carriage pulled by eight horses appeared outside Danxin City. Seeing the carriage, Lu Chen revealed a slight smile. ¡°` Following that, he concentrated his Spiritual Power in his chest and spoke to the person inside the carriage, ¡°Is the person coming the Great Qian Empress Liu?¡± ¡°I have heard that Empress Liu is of unparalleled beauty, capable of sinking fish and causing geese to fall, with the charm to overthrow cities and nations. I wonder if I am fortunate enough to see such beauty today.¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqiu scoffed coldly inside the carriage and said to Mu Yunxi beside her, ¡°They say Lu Chen is lascivious, and seeing him today, I have truly broadened my horizons.¡± In the midst of war, Lu Chen, as the Emperor of the enemy nation, still desired to see how beautiful the enemy¡¯s Empress was¡ªhow is this any different from a derelict sovereign? Liu Qingqiu continued, ¡°Such a monarch, yet he managed to annihilate Great Wu and Great Jue. It is truly inconceivable.¡± Mu Yunxi replied with a light laugh, ¡°Don¡¯t look down on him just yet. He indeed has a penchant for beauty, but that doesn¡¯t mean he lacks strength.¡± Ignoring Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu gathered Spiritual Power in her Dantian and shouted to Lu Chen on the city walls of Danxin City, ¡°Great Sum spread the plague throughout Great Qian, and now they send troops to attack our Great Qian¡ªis this an insult to our nation? After Liu Qingqiu¡¯s voice carried, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Her voice was incredibly cold and clear, crisp; from her voice alone Lu Chen could roughly judge what kind of woman she was. Lu Chen said, ¡°Great Sum has never spread any plague. Why a plague appeared in Great Qian, Empress Liu must be very clear about it.¡± ¡°Empress Liu usurped the throne and angered the heavens. The plague was sent down by the heavens in response, and yet Empress Liu thinks of shifting the blame for the plague onto other dynasties. Isn¡¯t that wishing for too much?¡± ¡°I certainly don¡¯t think the people of Great Qian are all fools,¡± he added. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s rhetoric, Liu Qingqiu sneered. Many of the common people of Great Qian indeed thought like Lu Chen had just stated, assuming she, the Demon Queen, was attempting to divert their attention and continue to bewitch them. But Liu Qingqiu was very clear in her mind that this was merely Great Sum covertly leading the people of Great Qian to such thoughts. There was no use in further discussion; only by eliminating Lu Chen could she possibly regain the recognition of the people of Great Qian. With this thought, Liu Qingqiu said coolly, ¡°I would like to see if your strength matches the sharpness of your tongue!¡± As her words fell, Liu Qingqiu immediately ordered the army, ¡°Form up!¡± In the next moment, the soldiers of Great Qian swiftly sprang into action and soon formed the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array. Seeing this familiar Formation, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It seems Empress Liu has an old acquaintance of mine by her side.¡± Lu Chen had known all along that Mu Yunxi was with Liu Qingqiu; he merely took the opportunity to mention Mu Yunxi through the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array. Hearing this, Mu Yunxi ceased to remain silent. She chuckled, then said, ¡°Sum Emperor, long time no see!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Miss Mu left in such a hurry last time, I didn¡¯t have the chance to properly entertain you. This time, don¡¯t run away so quickly.¡± Mu Yunxi retorted, ¡°Entertain? Like how you entertained the Yue Emperor? I really can¡¯t afford such ¡®hospitality¡¯.¡± Mu Yunxi had also heard that ever since Lu Chen had captured the Yue Emperor, he had been humiliating her daily in the Jinluan Hall. Mu Yunxi even began to suspect whether the Yue Emperor might already be with child by Lu Chen¡¯s doing. Hearing the exchange between the two, Liu Qingqiu grew impatient. She addressed Mu Yunxi directly, ¡°Stop wasting time, take action!¡± Mu Yunxi then opened the door of the carriage and stepped out directly, and as she opened the door, Lu Chen caught sight of Liu Qingqiu inside the carriage. Chapter 878 - Chapter 878: Chapter 568: It seems that Lu Chen has taken a liking to you. Chapter 878: Chapter 568: It seems that Lu Chen has taken a liking to you. Liu Qingqiu was not dressed in the Phoenix Robe that symbolized the identity of the Empress, nor was she wearing the Phoenix Crown, instead, she was clad in a green cloud dress embroidered with lotus flowers. The sheer green garment tightly wrapped her voluptuous form, appearing somewhat translucent, imbuing her with the allure of a mature woman. Her hair was coiled up on her head, and her exquisitely beautiful face was indifferent and expressionless. Lu Chen knew, even without using the system to identify her, that Liu Qingqiu¡¯s score must have surpassed ninety. Still, Lu Chen went through the motions and used the system to identify Liu Qingqiu¡¯s profile. [Name: Liu Qingqiu] [Identity: Daqian Empress, being from another world, over one hundred thousand years old, in the Genesis Realm, suspected to be a split entity of a great power from the Immortal Realm. After she fell into this world and lost contact with her main body, she attempted to steal this world¡¯s fate to leave this place. Thus, she pretended to marry the Qian Emperor to become his Empress. However, she has never shared a bed with the Qian Emperor and remains a maiden. In her eyes, the Sum Emperor is an obstacle to her departure from this world, so she is determined to eliminate him.] [Score: 100] [Favorability: 0] Upon seeing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s profile, Lu Chen chuckled. A perfect score, higher than he had imagined. Interacting emotionally with her, he feared he might lose even more control over himself. However, thinking about it, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s backing might be rather formidable. Her age had already exceeded one hundred thousand years, and she was also the embodiment of a great power from the Immortal Realm. If he actually got involved with Liu Qingqiu, or even got her pregnant, her main body would surely send someone to assassinate him once it found out. Not only send someone, but there was also a chance that her main body might come in person. At this thought, Lu Chen felt somewhat apprehensive. This was the first time he had encountered a woman with such a terrifying background in this world. Even Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t have such a frightening origin. By this time, Mu Yunxi had already come out of the carriage and, seeing Lu Chen staring intently at Liu Qingqiu inside, teased her, ¡°It looks like Lu Chen has taken a fancy to you. Be careful. If we lose the battle, no matter who you are, he might make you his female slave.¡± Liu Qingqiu scoffed, completely disregarding Mu Yunxi¡¯s words. Firstly, she did not believe that she would be defeated, and even if she were, with her power, escaping the battlefield would be an easy task. If she wished to leave, no one could stop her, let alone when she realized that Lu Chen was merely a Pseudo Celestial. With Lu Chen being a Pseudo Celestial, the idea of keeping her was ludicrous. Soon after, Mu Yunxi lightly leapt with both feet and landed on the roof of the carriage, smiling at Lu Chen, ¡°Last time, I did not get to witness more of Sum Emperor¡¯s powerful moves. I wonder if there will be a chance this time.¡± As she spoke, the bells around Mu Yunxi¡¯s ankles shook, sending waves of sound in all directions. Although Mu Yunxi had taught the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array to the Great Qian army, she did not believe the array could pose any real harm to Lu Chen and the Daxia Army. The most troublesome thing now was the Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact in Lu Chen¡¯s hands. The best way to eliminate Lu Chen would be for one person to distract him, diverting his attention, while another took the opportunity to launch a sneak attack. While planning the attack, Mu Yunxi glanced at the powerful individuals surrounding Lu Chen, it seemed there was only one Celestial with him. If it was just one Celestial, then Liu Qingqiu should easily circumvent them when attacking and head straight for Lu Chen. As long as Lu Chen was dead, everything would be over. For combatants of their level, the Daxia Army was inconsequential, posing no threat to them at all. The armies on both sides were the same, serving merely to clean up the battlefield after the clash of the strong. Apart from that, they were just a backdrop, essentially there to watch the spectacle unfold. However, compared to the Daxia Army, Great Qian¡¯s Supreme Soaring Dragon Array still had some use, capable of drawing Lu Chen¡¯s attention to a certain extent. At this moment, Great Qian¡¯s army took the initiative to attack, and several golden dragon phantoms appeared, rushing straight towards Danxin City. Seeing this, Lu Chen showed no sign of nervousness. He calmly took out the Slayer Spear and aimed at those dragons in the sky, firing a shot. After a golden beam of light shot out, the golden dragon phantoms instantly dissipated. The next moment, Great Qian¡¯s soldiers suffered from the backlash of the Supreme Soaring Dragon Array, collapsing to the ground, spitting blood, some breathing their last. Seeing the Slayer Spear in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, feeling a strong threat from the peculiar Spiritual Artifact. She had seen Earth Grade Spiritual Artifacts before, not only Earth Grade but even Heaven Grade Spiritual Weapons, and she used to possess an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact herself. Yet none of those Earth Grade Spiritual Artifacts were as peculiar as the one Lu Chen held, which could effortlessly convert the user¡¯s Spiritual Power into killing power tenfold more deadly, with incredibly high efficiency. It was more terrifying than the Sky-grade Spirit Swords of the High-Level Cultivation Realm. Is this truly an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact? No wonder Mu Yunxi said Lu Chen was tough to deal with. It seemed she wasn¡¯t exaggerating¡ªit really was a bit difficult to handle. A single hit from that Artifact¡¯s beam could likely leave one critically injured or even dead. As soon as Lu Chen fired his weapon, Mu Yunxi immediately retaliated, transforming solid sound waves into fierce Sword Qi that flew straight at Lu Chen. Lu Chen didn¡¯t bother to block the Sword Qi, as Mu Hongguang quickly intervened, brandishing his sword to scatter all the attacks. Liu Qingqiu remained sitting in the carriage, waiting for the right moment to take action, seeing no benefit in intervening just yet. She was hoping for Mu Yunxi and Lu Chen to inflict mutual damage before she made her move to reap the rewards. Seeing Mu Hongguang block her attacks, Mu Yunxi raised her delicate hand high, channeling all of her Spiritual Power at her fingertips. Lu Chen thought she was going to launch a direct attack when suddenly, a phantom of an ancient zither materialized above Mu Yunxi¡¯s hand. Mu Yunxi then placed her fingers on the zither and gently strummed, sending dozens more sound wave attacks toward Lu Chen. Mu Hongguang easily defended with a light slash of his sword, blocking all of Mu Yunxi¡¯s attacks, but Lu Chen and he quickly noticed a problem¡ªMu Yunxi¡¯s fingers were moving faster and the sound waves were becoming more numerous, overwhelming Mu Hongguang¡¯s defense to keep up with her assault. Just as Lu Chen was considering whether to take a direct shot at Mu Yunxi, a strange melody from the ancient zither infiltrated his ears, causing his mind to stall as though he were pulled into memories. Upon seeing Lu Chen distracted, Liu Qingqiu could no longer hold back from inside the carriage. She had intended to wait until Mu Yunxi and Lu Chen were both severely injured before making her move, but Lu Chen¡¯s Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact made her very wary. She feared that missing this opportunity would make it difficult to eliminate Lu Chen. Instantly, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s body soared out of the carriage, and in the next moment, she gathered Spiritual Power in her palm, shouting coldly. ¡°Fading Rainbow, Gazing at the Moon!¡± Chapter 879 - Chapter 879: Chapter 569 Liu Qingqius Little Scheme Chapter 879: Chapter 569 Liu Qingqiu¡¯s Little Scheme In broad daylight, a massive red moon appeared above Danxin City, and soon, it emitted a red beam of light that shot straight towards the distracted Lu Chen. Just as the red beam was about to touch Lu Chen¡¯s body, he instantly regained his senses, a slight smile curling up at the corner of his mouth. If he hadn¡¯t cultivated the Soul Control Technique, he might have actually fallen into Mu Yunxi¡¯s trap today. Mu Yunxi really likes controlling people¡ªonce he captures her, he¡¯ll use the Soul Control Technique on her every day to keep her in check. Lu Chen then picked up the Slayer Spear, aimed it at the red beam in the sky, and said to Mu Hongguang, ¡°President Mu, immediately transmit your Spiritual Power to me!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s command, Mu Hongguang hurried to Lu Chen¡¯s side and directly transmitted his own Spiritual Power to him. With a formidable amount of Spiritual Power in his body, Lu Chen channeled this power into the Slayer Spear. Seeing the red beam approaching, he immediately pulled the trigger. The next moment, a golden beam shot from the Slayer Spear. As the light burst forth, it transformed into a pillar of golden light, which collided with the red beam emitted by the moon in the sky, instantly causing an explosion. The intense explosion raised a cloud of dust, and it was unclear how long it took before people¡¯s vision gradually cleared. Once the dust settled, only some soldiers had died on both sides; the main forces were still intact. Seeing how quickly Lu Chen had recovered, Liu Qingqiu said coldly to Mu Yunxi atop the carriage, ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± She had initially thought that Mu Yunxi had completely controlled Lu Chen, and had already used her most powerful Cultivation Technique¡ªseeing Lu Chen recover so quickly, she even doubted whether Mu Yunxi had really controlled him. Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s question, Mu Yunxi didn¡¯t get angry, but instead responded with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try to restrain him, and let me attack?¡± Liu Qingqiu replied indifferently, ¡°No need.¡± As she spoke, Liu Qingqiu once again clasped her hands together and, without waiting for Mu Yunxi to make a move, used Renewed Rainbow Moon Gaze again. Although the Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact was tremendously powerful, the fact that it consumed a lot of energy was evident in the fact that a Celestial had to transmit Spiritual Power to Lu Chen, confirming Liu Qingqiu¡¯s guess. Since the opponent¡¯s consumption was substantial, as long as she could deplete all the Spiritual Power inside Lu Chen and that Celestial, she could eliminate Lu Chen. Even though she was just an avatar, and her strength was suppressed, if it came to the amount of Spiritual Power, she was definitely more than a Pseudo Celestial and a Celestial combined. The next moment, an even larger red moon reappeared in the sky, eclipsing the sun, and bathing the entire Danxin City in its red glow, creating a world-ending, oppressive atmosphere. Lu Chen thought to himself, has this woman gone mad? She¡¯s actually using Genesis Realm power. In this world, using Genesis Realm power could likely provoke an attack from the Heavenly Dao¡ªthat¡¯s why Mu Yunxi, a Genesis Realm herself, has never used her full strength. If Mu Yunxi truly used her full strength, she might be able to harm Lu Chen, but once she did, the Heavenly Tribulation would follow. Even though this world has incomplete rules, the power of the Heavenly Tribulation is not something the Genesis Realm can withstand completely. While they can survive, they will end up severely injured, their Realm regressed. If an enemy of slightly greater strength appeared at that time, her demise would not be far off. In fact, Liu Qingqiu didn¡¯t really use the Genesis Realm power. She knew the rules of Heavenly Dao Laws in this world, but the Spiritual Power she displayed this time was indeed more than before. Without hesitation, Lu Chen raised the Slayer Spear and aimed it at the red moon in the sky. At that moment, the full moon emitted a red beam of light, and Lu Chen didn¡¯t wait this time, he directly pulled the trigger. The moment the beam from the Slayer Spear shot out, it magnified, turning into a huge column of light just like before, and then the two beams collided, causing another violent explosion. The sky above Danxin City was once again covered with dust, but at that moment, Lu Chen immediately sensed something was amiss; he felt his life being threatened, and every cell in his body started trembling as if a great disaster was imminent. Lu Chen immediately looked up into the dust, and sure enough, he saw a red full moon appear again, although it was obscured by the dust and not very visible. Lu Chen chuckled inwardly, this woman actually wanted to ambush him. Lu Chen didn¡¯t indulge her; he pulled the trigger again, and another beam shot out; this time, the full moon hadn¡¯t fully formed before it was directly shattered. However, soon another full moon formed in the sky, and just as Lu Chen was about to pull the trigger again, his mind paused, and he instantly understood Liu Qingqiu¡¯s intention. This woman wanted to drain him to death using this method. In this lower world, what was most important to them, the cultivators? It was certainly spiritual energy. If they excessively consumed the spiritual power in their bodies, and the spiritual energy of this world was so scarce, they definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy and convert it into their body¡¯s spiritual power in a short time. Once their body¡¯s spiritual power was exhausted and they couldn¡¯t replenish their spiritual energy promptly, their outcome would be imaginable. At this moment, Mu Hongguang spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, I have very little spiritual power left.¡± Hearing this, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth slightly upturned, it seemed he was right, Liu Qingqiu indeed planned to exhaust all the spiritual power in their bodies. Lu Chen glanced in the distance, thinking to himself, he didn¡¯t want to harm Liu Qingqiu initially, but Liu Qingqiu was up to no good; a fight would have been enough, yet she actually wanted to kill him. Since that was the case, he could only be ruthless. Compared to Liu Qingqiu using cultivation techniques, the attack speed of the Slayer Spear wielded by Lu Chen was faster; cultivation techniques took time to prepare, but Lu Chen only needed to infuse spiritual power into the Slayer Spear and pull the trigger. If Lu Chen really wanted to attack, Liu Qingqiu and her group would only have the option to defend passively. At this moment, Lu Chen raised the Slayer Spear, aiming at the distant Liu Qingqiu, he reduced the spiritual power of the Slayer Spear, then directly pulled the trigger. A beam of light burst forth from the Slayer Spear, Liu Qingqiu had been planning to continue draining Lu Chen, but suddenly, her heartbeat sped up, and a sense of danger surged into her heart. Standing not far from her, Mu Yunxi also felt the same, she instantly understood something, ¡°Not good, Lu Chen has made a move on us!¡± At that moment, a massive beam of light pierced through the dust, clearing all the surrounding dust, appearing in front of Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi. Seeing the beam in front of them, both women hesitated for a moment, then quickly gathered all their spiritual power to resist the beam. With their strength in the Genesis Realm, it wasn¡¯t too difficult for them to block the beam, as Lu Chen had also deliberately reduced the spiritual power. But even so, the two women were still blasted away. Chapter 880 - Chapter 880: Chapter 570 Liu Qingqiu: What do you want? Chapter 880: Chapter 570 Liu Qingqiu: What do you want? ¡°¡° Lu Chen had fired the Slayer Spear into the sky before, so its power wasn¡¯t so obvious, but this time it was different. He shot horizontally, and the beam of the Slayer Spear wiped out half of Great Qian¡¯s army. The soldiers of Great Qian, upon seeing their comrades turned into ashes, were so terrified that they immediately knelt down. With just one attack, half of Great Qian¡¯s army was destroyed. With such power, who would dare to resist? At this moment, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi had flown into the air, both in a very bad state. To block that previous shot, they had nearly depleted all the Spiritual Power within their bodies. Even so, they had also suffered internal injuries, and their clothes were riddled with holes, revealing large patches of white skin. Mu Yunxi, somewhat angrily, said, ¡°Liu, look at the fine mess you¡¯ve created. That guy at least knew how to appreciate and spare women, and he didn¡¯t lay hands on us directly. But you just had to push him, nearly getting me killed in the process!¡± Upon hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s complaining, Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly, then said, ¡°Do you have another way to kill him without draining his Spiritual Power? This¡­ Mu Yunxi frowned, unable to respond. Indeed, if they couldn¡¯t drain Lu Chen¡¯s Spiritual Power, it would be very difficult to kill him with that Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact. At that time, Mu Yunxi suddenly had an idea and then said, ¡°We can¡¯t kill Lu Chen because we can¡¯t get close. Since Lu Chen is taken by your beauty, how about you just surrender? Then, you would have a chance to get close to Lu Chen.¡± ¡°Once you get close to Lu Chen, you can directly attempt to kill him.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu coldly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you do it? You¡¯re also quite attractive. I believe that lustful scoundrel would be interested in your body as well.¡± They were not fools. Now that the Spiritual Power inside them were nearly exhausted, and with the Spiritual Energy of this world so scarce, they had no idea how long it would take to recover their strength. Getting close to Lu Chen now, with the little Spiritual Power left in their bodies, they might not truly be able to kill him in one strike. If they failed to take down Lu Chen in one move, and he had a chance to react, they would be the ones to die. While the two women were arguing, suddenly two figures appeared not far behind them. Sensing the presence of two people, they immediately turned their heads. When they turned around, they saw that Lu Chen and Mu Hongguang were standing on a rock, watching the two of them. At that time, Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°Ladies, would you like to come down and talk?¡± While speaking, Lu Chen had already raised the muzzle of his gun. Seeing the dark barrel, the two women were stunned. They had just expended a large amount of Spiritual Power. If they tried to run now, their speed might not exceed the speed of the light beam emitted from that Spiritual Artifact. If their escape speed didn¡¯t surpass the speed of the light beam from the Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, then they might end up being seriously injured. With Lu Chen pointing the muzzle at them, the two women ultimately had no choice but to compromise, and they descended to the ground. Liu Qingqiu asked coldly, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Without a doubt, this war had been lost by Great Qian, lost by them. Now it was up to Lu Chen to decide their fate. If that lecherous scoundrel really wanted to do something to them, Liu Qingqiu didn¡¯t mind perishing together with Lu Chen. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°The entire army of Great Qian has surrendered. You¡¯ve lost.¡± ¡°¡° Hearing this, Mu Yunxi said with a smile, ¡°Then how does Your Majesty plan to deal with the two of us? Will you deal with us like you did with the Yue Emperor?¡± Mu Yunxi seemed totally unafraid, her voice ethereal and very soothing to hear, making Lu Chen wish he could dispose of her right then and there. Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°If you wish to be treated that way by me, it¡¯s not impossible.¡± At this moment, Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°I am a powerful being¡¯s avatar from the High-Level Cultivation Realm; should you dare to do such things to me, once my main body learns of my dire situation in the cold palace, you will surely face endless assassination attempts! I advise you to think thrice before you act!¡± Lu Chen, unconcerned, said, ¡°Even if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would still know you are an avatar of some great entity. But so what if you are an avatar? Now that you¡¯ve lost contact with your main body, even if you die, I fear your main body wouldn¡¯t sense it.¡± Hearing Lu Chen speak, Liu Qingqiu furrowed her brows; this man actually knew about her severed connection with her main body. Could it be that¡­ Suddenly turning her head towards Mu Yunxi, Liu Qingqiu asked coldly, ¡°Did you tell him about my situation?¡± With a smile, Mu Yunxi said, ¡°I do not have the habit of betraying allies. I have told you before, he is not a common man; he knows a lot.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°You need not know how I found out. Now, I give you two choices: one is to surrender to me, and the other is to be captured alive and become my female slave, to pleasure me every day.¡± This¡­ Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu were both momentarily stunned. They had thought the second choice offered by Lu Chen meant death, but it turned out he was resolute in possessing them, an Emperor so lascivious was indeed unprecedented. At this time, Mu Yunxi asked, ¡°I am quite curious, what is the difference between the two?¡± Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a difference. If you surrender voluntarily, I will not restrict your freedom¡ªat the very least, you will be able to go wherever you wish in the future.¡± ¡°But if you are captured by me, then you will have to spend your lifetime imprisoned in my Imperial Palace, becoming my playthings.¡± Hearing this from Lu Chen, Liu Qingqiu coldly sneered, about to spit venom, when suddenly she heard Mu Yunxi¡¯s voice in her head. ¡°Empress Liu, don¡¯t act rashly; this is our best opportunity. We can use some excuses to delay him and not let him touch our bodies until we have regained some of our strength, at which point we can assassinate him.¡± After hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu thought it over and felt it was not a bad idea. After all, both she and Mu Yunxi were from the Genesis Realm. As long as they recovered some strength, escaping wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The only reason they couldn¡¯t escape now was that they had been caught off guard by Lu Chen and had expended a great deal of Spiritual Power. Liu Qingqiu then spoke up, ¡°Fine, I can lead Great Qian to surrender to Great Sum! But I have some demands!¡± Smiling, Lu Chen said, ¡°Empress Liu, you need to recognize your position. You are the ones surrendering.¡± Liu Qingqiu¡¯s brows furrowed, about to say something, when she was interrupted by Mu Yunxi, who certainly didn¡¯t want Liu Qingqiu¡¯s interference to ruin even their chance to surrender. ¡°We surrender unconditionally! But Your Majesty must keep his word and not restrict our freedom.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Of course, the sovereign¡¯s word is unbreakable.¡± ¡°However, before you surrender, you need to ingest something.¡± ¡­ Chapter 881 - Chapter 881: Chapter 571 Bai, Pour a Cup of Tea for Your Two Future Sisters Chapter 881: Chapter 571 Bai, Pour a Cup of Tea for Your Two Future Sisters Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, a surge of tension gripped both women as Liumei¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Take something? Could it be that this fellow intended to have them swallow some kind of poison? Although the poison from this lower world could be expelled from their bodies by their spiritual power, as they were both from the Genesis Realm, Lu Chen was no ordinary man. There was a very good chance he wasn¡¯t even from this world, and he could have poisons from the High-Level Cultivation Realm. Furthermore, there was another possibility: this man might plan to administer a certain drug, after which they could only let him toy with them. In their current weakened state, if they really were drugged, forcing it out of their system would probably take at least four hours. By the end of that time, they didn¡¯t know how many times this lecher would have tormented them. Mu Yunxi immediately spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, you wouldn¡¯t be planning to give us the He Huan Powder, would you?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°I am not so despicable.¡± ¡°You both are strong cultivators from the Genesis Realm. Although you have surrendered now, once your strength is restored, I am certainly no match for you. If you were to suddenly attempt an assassination, I fear I wouldn¡¯t even have time to draw my Spiritual Artifact. Therefore, I need some kind of assurance.¡± ¡°Rest assured, the thing I am giving you to drink will not harm you. You are both of the Genesis Realm, and I believe you can discern as much.¡± Just then, Bai Qingqing appeared in the distance with a kettle. Lu Chen had anticipated that these two women might feign surrender, so he had already asked Bai Qingqing to prepare the Dragon and Phoenix Tea beforehand. After Bai Qingqing came over, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Bai, pour a cup of tea for your two future sisters.¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing unhesitatingly poured two cups of tea and then brought them to Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi. Seeing the tea in Bai Qingqing¡¯s hands, the two women didn¡¯t immediately take it but looked it over carefully. Through their preliminary judgment, the tea seemed to be just ordinary Spiritual Tea and did not appear to have any problems. Why would Lu Chen want them to drink ordinary Spiritual Tea? The two women then took the Spiritual Tea from Bai Qingqing and continued to use their spiritual power to probe the tea. After several investigations, they ultimately felt that it was just ordinary Spiritual Tea without poison or harm. But this was somewhat strange. Lu Chen wanted them to drink this for a purpose, presumably to control them so they wouldn¡¯t assassinate him once their strength was restored. If that was the case, he should have given them poison. As long as they were poisoned, with Lu Chen holding the antidote, they would not dare to make a move rashly. Alternatively, it could be a poison to seal their skills, but this tea clearly did not possess that capability. Seeing the two women holding the tea but seemingly afraid to drink it, Lu Chen said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter, you two don¡¯t dare to drink? Could it be a feigned surrender, with the goal of getting close to I and then seizing an opportunity to assassinate me?¡± Seeing Lu Chen voice their inner thoughts, the women seemed to understand something. The tea indeed had no issues; Lu Chen probably wanted to use this tea to test whether their surrender was genuine. If the two of them didn¡¯t dare to drink, it indicated they surely had intentions of assassination, hence the fear of being controlled. If they drank it, it would prove their surrender was sincere. Since it was ordinary Spiritual Tea, there was nothing to fear. Promptly, both women raised their tea cups and drank the tea in one gulp. After drinking the tea, Mu Yunxi spoke with a smiling voice, ¡°Your Majesty, now you should believe that we have truly surrendered, right?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Okay, I believe you.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s smile, the two women were puzzled. That¡¯s it, he just believed them? Could there be some kind of trick? They quickly checked their own bodies and found nothing wrong. In fact, not only was there no issue, but the Spiritual Tea seemed to have helped them recover some Spiritual Power, as well as refreshed and revitalized them, eliminating fatigue. This¡­ Could it be that this guy really used a cup of ordinary Spiritual Tea to test them, and now that they had passed his test, he believed them? That can¡¯t be right! Would Lu Chen be such a naive person? After all, he¡¯s an Emperor; how could he not have any schemes? Everything seemed very suspicious. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Liu Qingqiu¡¯s cold and frosty face. He said to her, ¡°Since you have surrendered, then prepare the Surrender Document. I will return to the Daqian Capital City with you.¡± Liu Qingqiu replied coldly, ¡°Okay.¡± Then Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, the two of you will follow me to Danxin City to stay for a day. We will set off for the Daqian Capital City first thing tomorrow morning.¡± As he finished speaking, Lu Chen turned and walked towards Danxin City. He quickly brushed past Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi. After Lu Chen passed by Liu Qingqiu, she suddenly raised her hand. She felt that now was the best opportunity to eliminate Lu Chen. He had let his guard down, thinking they had surrendered and was even turned away from them. Add to that the close proximity between them, and their chance of success if they acted now was very high. Only by getting rid of Lu Chen would they not have to deal with so many issues afterwards. However, as she raised her hand, it was immediately seized by Mu Yunxi. Seeing her wrist tightly gripped by Mu Yunxi, Liu Qingqiu turned her head and glared at her, sending a message with her mind, ¡°What are you doing!¡± Mu Yunxi sent back a telepathic message, ¡°I certainly do not want to be killed by you. You don¡¯t really think Lu Chen believed us that easily, do you?¡± ¡°If you act now, I can assure you, he would definitely react instantly and take both of us down!¡± ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Right now, we both are almost out of Spiritual Power. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we waited until we¡¯ve fully regained our power and are absolutely certain before making a move?¡± Liu Qingqiu thought it over and felt there was some truth in Mu Yunxi¡¯s words. It was unlikely that Lu Chen would trust them so quickly. As he walked by them, he was probably still testing them. If they acted now, they might indeed be instantly killed by the Spiritual Artifact Lu Chen possessed. With that in mind, Liu Qingqiu lowered her hand again. In fact, Lu Chen had no such thoughts. Having drunk the Dragon and Phoenix Tea, Liu Qingqiu, and Mu Yunxi were no longer a significant threat to him. At this time, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi turned around and followed Lu Chen back to Danxin City. Seeing that Lu Chen had captured Liu Qingqiu, the Demon Queen, the people of Danxin City from Great Qian cheered and were overjoyed, believing that the Demon Queen was finally apprehended and that the plague would soon vanish, restoring normalcy to Great Qian. After returning to Danxin City, Lu Chen brought Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi to the study. He didn¡¯t do anything excessive; his main reason for bringing them to the study was to discuss a serious matter. Chapter 882 - Chapter 882: Chapter 572: Heavenly Demon Revival Chapter 882: Chapter 572: Heavenly Demon Revival Seeing that Lu Chen had led them to the study, Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu were both somewhat confused. What did this guy want to do? After entering the study, Lu Chen sat down on the chair behind the desk, then sized up the two peerless beauties. At this moment, Liu Qingqiu, somewhat impatient, asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would give us our freedom? Why have you brought us here?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Of course, it is to discuss an important matter with you.¡± Mu Yunxi, curious, inquired, ¡°What important matter?¡± Lu Chen countered, ¡°Have the two fairies heard of the Heavenly Demons before?¡± Upon hearing this question, the women¡¯s hearts skipped a beat. Heavenly Demon? That was the most terrifying presence within the Cultivation World, feeding on cultivators and spreading fear everywhere, bringing all sorts of disasters to the Cultivation World. Regaining her composure, Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°Heavenly Demons are the natural enemies of all cultivators; of course, we know about them.¡± Lu Chen responded at once, ¡°Good to know.¡± ¡°According to my intelligence, the plague in Great Qian is not a normal one, but caused by a Heavenly Demon.¡± Hearing this, the women were once again startled. How could that be? This was just a lower Realm, how could it possibly attract a Heavenly Demon? Compared to cultivators, Heavenly Demons preferred locations abundant in spiritual energy, they had no reason to come to a lower Realm. Seeing that Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi seemed incredulous, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Have you not considered why the plague in Great Qian keeps recurring, persisting for over a year without any respite, even though the Great Qian Dynasty has made all manner of efforts, only for the plague to continue spreading?¡± Liu Qingqiu responded coldly at that moment, ¡°Isn¡¯t it just someone secretly spreading it? Great Xia remains the most suspicious.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°I am not so inhumane. To me, the population of this world is the most important resource; I would never spread the plague deliberately.¡± ¡°In fact, the reason for the unceasing spread of the plague is that there is a Heavenly Demon behind it all, probably feeding off the fear and despair of the populace of Great Qian.¡± ¡°I am not particularly familiar with Heavenly Demons, but I believe you should know why a Heavenly Demon would intentionally spread a plague.¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, both Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu fell into contemplation. They both felt that Lu Chen¡¯s guess was not wrong; if a Heavenly Demon was indeed causing trouble in the background, its motive could indeed be to feed on the negative energy generated by human fear and despair. In the Cultivation Realm, what Heavenly Demons enjoyed the most was creating desperate situations for cultivators, then relishing the fear and despair of the cultivators, ultimately leading to their deaths enveloped in fear and despair. After a while, Mu Yunxi asked, ¡°How did you know that Great Qian had a Heavenly Demon?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I cannot tell you that for now. You only need to know that there is a Heavenly Demon in Great Qian.¡± At this juncture, Liu Qingqiu interjected coldly from the side, ¡°If you don¡¯t tell us how you know about the Heavenly Demon, how are we to know if you are lying or not?¡± With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°I have no need to joke about this, and moreover, the reason I am telling you this is to ask for your advice on how to locate the Heavenly Demon. When the time comes, I¡¯ll deal with the Heavenly Demon myself, without requiring you to lift a finger.¡± That¡­ Hearing Lu Chen speak like this, the two women essentially believed his words. If Lu Chen was planning to resolve the issue himself, indeed there was no need for him to lie to them. In that case, did Great Qian truly have a Heavenly Demon? Mu Yunxi said, ¡°If the plague in Great Qian is truly caused by a Heavenly Demon, there is no need for you to seek it out. Once it sees you dispersing the plague, it will come after you on its own initiative.¡± The primary goal of the Heavenly Demon spreading the plague was to propagate fear and despair. Now that someone had dispelled its plague, naturally it would come seeking trouble with that person. Lu Chen thought to himself that it was really this simple to find the Heavenly Demon. Next, all he needed to do was to continue to use the Demon-Expelling Banner to dispel the plague across the various parts of Great Qian. With this in mind, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Thank you, Fairy Yunxi, for telling me all this.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°I have already arranged accommodations for you two fairies. You may head there now.¡± At this point, Lu Chen spoke to the people outside the study, ¡°Someone come, take the two madams down to rest.¡± Hearing Lu Chen address them as madams, both women snorted coldly in their hearts, thinking that once their strength was restored, they would come looking for trouble with this lecher. After Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu left, Lu Chen took a moment to examine his body. He felt something was amiss. By now, hadn¡¯t he effectively eradicated Great Qian? Liu Qingqiu, the actual ruler of Great Qian, had fallen into his hands, so why hadn¡¯t he broken through to become a Celestial? What was going on? Then, the system¡¯s notification sound rang out. [Host has not obtained the Surrender Document from Great Qian, nor has he completely taken over Great Qian, so this world is not yet considered unified.] Lu Chen realized then that, alright, he needed to hasten his campaign to occupy every region of Great Qian, aiming to break through to the Celestial Realm before the Heavenly Demon came seeking trouble with him. Evening. Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi sat in the room arranged by Lu Chen, unable to sleep. They checked the situation outside their room. There were only a few female guards on watch, and no powerful figures were present. If they wanted to escape now, they were very likely to succeed. Nonetheless, they didn¡¯t plan on running away. It had not been easy to get close to Lu Chen, and if they escaped now, it would be even harder to gain his trust later. Yet, the two women then considered another problem: if the Heavenly Demon Lu Chen spoke of truly existed, and if Lu Chen failed to eradicate the Heavenly Demon and instead, they managed to take down Lu Chen, how would they confront the Heavenly Demon when it came for them? For Cultivators, Heavenly Demons were natural enemies. Even a weak Heavenly Demon could pose significant trouble for Cultivators. With this in mind, the women ultimately decided to hold off on taking action against Lu Chen for the time being, waiting until he dealt with the Heavenly Demon. Or, they could let Lu Chen attract the attention of the Heavenly Demon. With Lu Chen present, the Heavenly Demon probably wouldn¡¯t notice them. Meanwhile. In a certain sea area to the south. Deep within the ocean, there was a mass of black material. Suddenly, a pair of crimson eyes appeared within it. The next moment, all the living beings in the surrounding marine area died, animals turned into skeletons, and the plants withered away. The black material spread rapidly, and the sea area around it turned black as well. At that very moment, out at sea, a large ship sailed smoothly forward. Upon seeing the spreading black material, a man¡¯s voice came from the deck of the ship, ¡°Heavenly Demon, we know who has disrupted your plan!¡± Chapter 883 - Chapter 883: Chapter 573: Arriving at Great Qian Capital City Chapter 883: Chapter 573: Arriving at Great Qian Capital City The originally calm sea surface, because of someone on the large ship, instantly became turbulent, and the large ship was in danger of capsizing; once again, the voice of that man came from the cabin of the large ship. ¡°Heavenly Demon Lord, this humble one can take you to find him!¡± ¡°This humble one knows that the Heavenly Demon Lord has not yet recovered, so I specially prepared a container for you.¡± As he spoke, the door of the large ship¡¯s cabin opened, and inside were hundreds of young men and women bound. The young men and women who saw the black sea towering over the ship turned pale with fear, and cries of terror filled the dark night for a moment. At that moment, the black seawater suddenly surged into the cabin and, in an instant, the men and women were swallowed by the sea. When the black seawater receded, only one man was still standing in the middle of the cabin, his eyes emitting a crimson glow, as he looked towards the attic of the large ship. At that time, a young man dressed in black bowed respectfully and said, ¡°This humble one greets the Heavenly Demon Lord!¡± By then, the man in the middle of the cabin had been possessed by the legendary Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon, in a murky voice, said, ¡°I can feel the demonic qi on you, are you a demon cultivator?¡± The Leader of the Taiyin Sect answered, ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The Heavenly Demon continued, ¡°How did you find out I was here?¡± The Leader of the Taiyin Sect said, ¡°When the Great Qian Dynasty was hit by a plague, this humble one sensed your presence, but at that time your qi was very weak, and I could not determine your location.¡± The Heavenly Demon did not continue on this subject, but instead said, ¡°Recently, my feeding ground has been disrupted, do you know who is messing with it?¡± Upon hearing this, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect instantly smiled and quickly said, ¡°Heavenly Demon Lord, this humble one knows who has disrupted your feeding ground.¡± ¡°Not long ago, the Daxia Emperor led his troops to attack the Great Qian, and wherever he went, he dispersed the plague, he must be a cultivator from the high-level cultivation realm.¡± At the words ¡°cultivator,¡± the Heavenly Demon¡¯s eyes instantly emitted a dazzling red light. What he lacked most now was power; if he could devour that cultivator, his power should recover significantly. Eventually, he could leave this place devoid of spiritual energy. In such a low-level world, not to mention cultivators, even a Heavenly Demon could not bear to remain. Ever since he fell into this world, he had been sleeping at the bottom of the ocean, and it wasn¡¯t easy to awaken; it took countless years to encounter humans and begin spreading the plague in the Great Qian. But restoring power in this way was always too slow; it was quicker to directly devour a cultivator. The Heavenly Demon promptly said, ¡°Take me to find the cultivator you mentioned immediately!¡± The Leader of the Taiyin Sect smiled, bowed, and said, ¡°Yes, this humble one will take the Heavenly Demon Lord there right away!¡± In his mind, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect thought, this was finally the chance to get rid of that freak. Ever since they went into hiding, they had been constantly hunted by Lu Chen¡¯s people. Initially, they thought that from the shadows, they could continuously create all sorts of trouble for Lu Chen. What they hadn¡¯t expected was that Lu Chen¡¯s people, having learned some kind of cultivation technique, were actually able to sense the demonic qi on them in advance. Many strongholds of the Taiyin Sect had been uprooted by the Daxia Dynasty, and the members of the Taiyin Sect, upon encountering the disciples from the Sunset Sword Sect and Tai Chu Divine Hall, mostly had no option but to flee. The cultivation techniques practiced by these two sects were particularly effective against demon cultivators, forcing the Taiyin Sect to take refuge in Great Qian. However, it wasn¡¯t long before Daxia launched another military assault on Great Qian. Fortunately, at this time, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect detected an area over the sea that was filled with dense demonic qi. As a demonic cultivator, he immediately guessed what had caused this concentration of demonic qi. Coupled with the ongoing plague in Great Qian, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect concluded that a Heavenly Demon had also appeared in this world. Since Heavenly Demons are the natural enemies of cultivators, by simply telling the Heavenly Demon that there were cultivators in this world to consume, the Heavenly Demon would certainly follow him. Efforts paid off for those who persevered; they finally located the Heavenly Demon and even succeeded in gaining its allegiance. Next, they only needed to bring the Heavenly Demon to where Lu Chen was. With the Heavenly Demon on their side, even if Lu Chen had the support of many Celestials behind him, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against them. Thinking of this, the smile on the Leader of the Taiyin Sect¡¯s face grew more and more fervent. ¡­ After the battle at Danxin City, Lu Chen, along with Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi, headed towards the capital of Great Qian. During their journey, he had not done anything to the two fairies, as he had just conquered Great Qian and had many tasks to attend to. Even on the road to the capital of Great Qian, Lu Chen was busy with various state affairs inside the carriage, which made Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi realize that Lu Chen was not just lecherous, he was an ambitious emperor. After more than ten days of arduous travel, they finally arrived at the capital of Great Qian. When the commonfolk of the capital heard of the arrival of the Daxia Emperor, they spontaneously came out of the city or waited on the streets. During his journey to Great Qian, Lu Chen had introduced many policies beneficial to the commonfolk and used the Demon-Expelling Banner at each stop to dispel the plague there. This deed had already spread to the capital, and Lu Chen¡¯s popularity in Great Qian had far surpassed that of the former Qian Emperor. Mu Yunxi, sitting in the carriage, saw the sea of people outside the city welcoming Lu Chen. She turned to Liu Qingqiu with a smile and said, ¡°Seeing this scene, what do you feel?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been struggling in Great Qian for so many years, yet you never gained the approval of the people of Great Qian. They even called you Demon Queen, while Lu Chen gained the hearts of the people of Great Qian in just a few months.¡± Liu Qingqiu did not respond, her expression cold. Naturally, she felt uncomfortable, but she didn¡¯t care anymore, since all of this was only temporary. Once she dealt with Lu Chen, she would ascend the throne and declare emperorship. By then, she would enact policies beneficial to the people, and the hearts of the people of Great Qian would return to her once again. Lu Chen did not stay in the carriage the entire time. When he arrived outside the capital of Great Qian, he stepped out from the carriage and mounted a horse, allowing the commonfolk to see what their emperor looked like. Usually, the emperors of Great Qian rode inside a carriage, and most commoners never knew what their emperor looked like in their lifetimes. When the people of Great Qian saw Lu Chen, they were very excited. They had not expected the Daxia Emperor to appear so approachable. When Lu Chen arrived at the gates of the capital, the ministers of Great Qian had already prepared the documents of surrender and brought the Jade Seal. At this moment, Liu Qingqiu stepped out of the carriage and walked up to the assembled officials. Upon seeing Liu Qingqiu, the Demon Queen, some who had seen her before immediately started cursing. ¡°Demon Queen, it¡¯s all because of this Demon Queen that Great Qian has suffered so much!¡± ¡°This Demon Queen is still not dead!¡± ¡°Execute her! Execute her!¡± ¡­ Chapter 884 - Chapter 884: Chapter 574: Becoming a Celestial Chapter 884: Chapter 574: Becoming a Celestial Facing the irate common folk, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s expression remained cold and impassive. She simply regarded these fools as trying to show off in front of the new Emperor to curry favor with him by displaying such anger. After receiving the Surrender Document from the hands of the Daqian minister, Liu Qingqiu paid her respects to Lu Chen, ¡°Your subject, Liu Qingqiu, pays homage to Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen wore a faint smile as he took the Surrender Document and the Jade Seal from Liu Qingqiu¡¯s hands. With this, Daqian was effectively annihilated, and Lu Chen had completed his conquest for unification. Just as Lu Chen took the Surrender Document and the Daqian Jade Seal, the clouds above suddenly gathered, and the next moment, a golden giant dragon phantom appeared among the clouds. Following that, Lu Chen¡¯s body emitted a golden glow. Upon witnessing this, the common people of Daqian knelt down one by one. With such a celestial phenomenon occurring, what did it signify? It signified that the Sum Emperor was indeed the ¡°Real Dragon¡± of this world. ¡°Hail to Your Majesty, may our Emperor live forever and ever!!!¡± The voices of the common folk resounded across the skies of Daqian Capital City. Seeing this scene, both Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi frowned. They had initially intended to get close to Lu Chen, and then, once their strength had recovered, they planned to strike against him. However, Lu Chen had unexpectedly advanced to the Heavenly Human Realm. Even as naive as the two were, by this point, they had guessed what the test for Lu Chen to become a Celestial might be. Clearly, the test for Lu Chen¡¯s ascension to Celestial status was to unify this world. Thinking that she had become merely a stepping stone for Lu Chen to become a Celestial, Liu Qingqiu felt extremely displeased. At this moment, she stared intently at Lu Chen, thinking that even though this man had become a Celestial, as long as her power was restored, she could still deal with him. She couldn¡¯t exert her Genesis Realm strength in this world. Killing Lu Chen was not as easy as before, but that didn¡¯t mean there was no chance at all. At that moment, Lu Chen, feeling the surging spiritual power within him, felt extremely relieved. After such a long time, he had finally broken through. Having become a Celestial, his strength¡¯s Realm would no longer be restricted, and his power could elevate rapidly. Thinking of this, Lu Chen felt immensely happy inside. However, as his gaze swept over Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi, he suddenly thought of something and quickly asked the system. ¡°System, if my strength surpasses the Heavenly Human Realm, can I exert strength beyond the Heavenly Human Realm in this world, or like Liu Qingqiu and the others, will I be suppressed by the Heavenly Dao of this world?¡± [This world has incomplete rules. If powers beyond the Heavenly Human Realm are used, it might destroy this world. Therefore, the Heavenly Dao of this world will necessarily suppress the host¡¯s strength.] Hearing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen frowned. It turned out that his strength would also be limited by this world¡¯s constraints. So, if he continues to live in this world, even if he becomes incredibly strong, even an Immortal, he won¡¯t be able to fully exert his strength? While Lu Chen was thinking this, the system suddenly continued to prompt. [The host has a chance to complete the laws of this world using the Reincarnation Stone. Once the laws of this world are completed, the host will be able to directly control the entire world, and henceforth this world will become one of the host¡¯s own small worlds.] This¡­ Is that even possible? So that¡¯s what the Reincarnation Stone is used for? Every time he accessed the system bag and saw the Reincarnation Stone, he would think what use this broken stone could have. He had not realized the Reincarnation Stone held such great importance. However¡­ Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°When will I be able to use the Reincarnation Stone?¡± [Once the host¡¯s realm is elevated to the All Law Realm, you can unlock the first layer of the Reincarnation Stone¡¯s seal and use the power of the Reincarnation Stone.] Lu Chen mentally recited the realms following the Heavenly Human Realm. After the Heavenly Human is the Genesis Realm and the Yin-Yang Realm, and after the Yin-Yang Realm is the All Law Realm. Thus, it seemed that he only needed to breakthrough three more times to be able to use the Reincarnation Stone. It looked like he needed to make haste in cultivating with his wives. Thinking of cultivation, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze once again settled on Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi. Presumably, cultivating with these two fairies would greatly increase his own cultivation experience. With that thought, Lu Chen conceived an idea, but he would not implement it immediately. He planned to wait until after he had dealt with the Heavenly Demon before carrying out his plan. Although Liu Qingqiu was the incarnation of a certain great power, for Lu Chen, as long as she fell into his hands, she was merely his woman. Even if she was the incarnation of a great power, what of it? Now that this world was isolated from all perceptions of that great power, by the time that power found Liu Qingqiu, she might have already borne him a multitude of children. After the surrender ceremony, Lu Chen led the Daxia Army directly into the Daqian Capital City. Bai Qingqing swiftly cleared out the entire Daqian Imperial Palace, facilitating Lu Chen¡¯s move into the palace. During the time Bai Qingqing had people clean up the Daqian Imperial Palace, Lu Chen went directly to the Qian Emperor¡¯s Imperial Study Room, wanting to see if there were any interesting things inside. Almost every royal family has some secrets. Both the Dawu Royal Family and the Dayue Royal Family had their secrets, but those secrets held no allure for Lu Chen. Upon entering the Imperial Study Room, guided by the people of Daqian, Lu Chen found the place where successive Qian Emperors had hidden their secrets and began to peruse these secrets one by one. Late at night. The lights in the Imperial Study Room were still flickering. Lu Chen had not gone to sleep; he was still looking through the scrolls left by successive emperors of Daqian. These scrolls contained many bizarre and unusual events, many of which related to immortals. Of course, Lu Chen¡¯s reading of these scrolls was not merely for amusement. He had learned many secrets about the world¡¯s past from the royal secrets of Dawu and Dayue, and now from Daqian¡¯s royal scrolls. In these secrets, the founding of each dynasty was invariably guided by immortals. Initially, Lu Chen thought the immortals mentioned in the secrets of the Dawu and Dayue royal families were simply an excuse to legitimize the founding of dynasties. But now, it seemed that except for some insignificant small countries without the guidance of immortals, these four major dynasties all had immortal guidance, which had a significant impact on the world, indicating that indeed there was a force pushing for the transformation of the world. Seeing what was recorded in the Daqian royal scrolls, Lu Chen wondered if the immortals guiding the establishment of these major dynasties were related to the system? For some reason, he always felt the presence of the system in all this. Just as Lu Chen was lost in thought, suddenly, the candlelight in the room flickered violently, and a chilling breeze blew through, giving an eerie feeling. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi, who were meditating in the room, also felt the cold wind. Both women simultaneously opened their eyes. Chapter 885 - Chapter 885: Chapter 575: Who on Earth Are You! Chapter 885: Chapter 575: Who on Earth Are You! Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu were both cultivators from the High-Level Cultivation Realm, and they had both seen Heavenly Demons and even participated in their encirclement and suppression. Some sects in the Cultivation World would use Heavenly Demons as trial objects to lessen the fear disciples would face when they encountered such demons. Only by overcoming the fear of Heavenly Demons in their hearts could they avoid providing the very fear that Heavenly Demons needed to become stronger during a confrontation. When some Heavenly Demons encountered cultivators, their strength often was not as formidable as that of the cultivators; however, should a cultivator be so frightened by the sight of a Heavenly Demon that they were paralyzed with fear, and considering that Heavenly Demons could magnify the fears in one¡¯s heart and feed off the power generated by that fear, it was common for a Heavenly Demon to become more powerful than the cultivator it faced in a short time. This was precisely why the first thing sects in the High-Level Cultivation Realm needed to do was to temper their disciples¡¯ inner strength. Having detected the presence of the Demonic Qi, the two women were not afraid; they understood that if they allowed themselves to be frightened, their fear would feed into the strength of the Heavenly Demon. At this moment, the two women thought that since Lu Chen said he was going to find the Heavenly Demon, it proved that he was capable of dealing with it. Now that the Heavenly Demon had come, all they needed to do was to hide behind Lu Chen. With that thought, the two women quickly sensed Lu Chen¡¯s location and found that he was currently behind the Daqian Emperor¡¯s Imperial Study Room, and they went there as quickly as they could. When the two women entered the Imperial Study Room, they saw Lu Chen engrossed in a scroll, seemingly completely unaware that the Heavenly Demon had arrived. At that moment, Mu Yunxi couldn¡¯t help but remind him, ¡°Your Majesty, haven¡¯t you always been searching for the Heavenly Demon? Now that it has come to your doorstep, don¡¯t you plan to do something?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Heavenly Demon? Where?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, both women felt it was absurd; they didn¡¯t believe he was unaware of the Heavenly Demon¡¯s arrival. They could sense the Demonic Qi; it was impossible for Lu Chen to not feel it at all. In the High-Level Cultivation Realm, it was only the cultivators from smaller, lower ranking sects who rarely had the chance to temper their inner strength with Heavenly Demons, while the larger, renowned sects used them for this purpose. Lu Chen, who had successfully made a name for himself in this world, could not possibly be from a small sect. The two women had already assumed that Lu Chen also hailed from a grand sect of the High-Level Cultivation Realm, yet now he was pretending to be unaware of the Heavenly Demon¡¯s arrival. In fact, Lu Chen had indeed sensed the presence of the Demonic Qi, and his Demon-Expelling Banner was restlessly stirring. It was only when a Heavenly Demon approached that the Demon-Expelling Banner showed such a reaction. But Lu Chen was not in a hurry; he wanted to wait for the Heavenly Demon to come to him. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s indifferent demeanor, the two women quickly realized something. Perhaps Lu Chen had known about the arrival of the Heavenly Demon all along but did not consider it a serious matter. By feigning ignorance, he aimed to lower the Heavenly Demon¡¯s guard, making it think that he was an insignificant cultivator who couldn¡¯t even sense its Demonic Qi and posed no significant threat. As the two women were contemplating this, a deep voice filled the Imperial Study Room. ¡°Was it you who destroyed my feeding ground?¡± This voice seemed to directly penetrate their minds. For a moment, both Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu felt a severe headache, and despite their deliberate efforts to resist the influence of the Demonic Qi, the appearance of the Heavenly Demon¡¯s voice caused a slight shift in their states of mind. The two women quickly hid behind Lu Chen. Now, it was time to see how Lu Chen would deal with the Heavenly Demon. Lu Chen leisurely placed the scroll he was holding onto the desk, then looked up toward the doorway. There was no ferocious monster at the entrance, but rather a young man with eyes glowing with a red light and a group of people from the Taiyin Sect. Lu Chen glanced at the young man, and the system instantly identified his information. [Name: None] [Identity: Outer Realm Heavenly Demon] [Strength: Genesis Realm] [Loyalty: 0] Seeing such a brief introduction, Lu Chen was stunned. It was too simple, with barely any detailed information. Well, it didn¡¯t matter as long as he knew the Demon-Expelling Banner could deal with the Heavenly Demon. At this moment, Lu Chen looked at the Leader of the Taiyin Sect and said, ¡°I was wondering why I hadn¡¯t seen the Leader of the Taiyin Sect for such a long time. It turns out you¡¯ve become a dog for the Heavenly Demon.¡± Hearing this, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was not ashamed but proud. He smiled and said, ¡°Being a dog for the Heavenly Demon is an honor for me.¡± ¡°As for you, you¡¯re so arrogant even when death is upon you!¡± ¡°Those who dare to oppose the Heavenly Demon will never meet a good end!¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±Upd@te by n0vgo .c0 Seeing Lu Chen so calm, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was puzzled. He had long felt that Lu Chen was extraordinary, probably not a person from this world. It was very likely that Lu Chen came from a major sect or was sent to this world by some holy land for training. Those from such places should be particularly aware of the repression the Heavenly Demon exerts on cultivators. So why was Lu Chen not at all afraid now? Could it be that he truly had some kind of trump card to deal with the Heavenly Demon? That shouldn¡¯t be possible, right? There weren¡¯t many things that could counter a Heavenly Demon. Some major sects would have to use a great deal of effort to eliminate just one. This was mainly due to the Heavenly Demon¡¯s rapid growth. The Heavenly Demon also realized that something was off with the human not far away. For some reason, he felt a particularly loathsome aura coming from that person. The Heavenly Demon then said, ¡°Human, tell me, from which world do you come?¡± Seeing that the Heavenly Demon did not attack directly but instead asked Lu Chen this question, everyone present was stunned. Wasn¡¯t the Heavenly Demon always known for disliking idle talk and acting directly? Why did it start by asking Lu Chen where he was from? Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°I, too, do not know from which world I come.¡± The Leader of the Taiyin Sect frowned and said, ¡°When the Heavenly Demon asks you a question, you must answer truthfully! To dare saying you do not know, I think you are courting death!¡± Lu Chen ignored the Leader of the Taiyin Sect. That lap dog would be dealt with soon enough. Then, Lu Chen asked in return, ¡°I am quite curious, what are you Outer Realm Heavenly Demons doing in this universe? What in this universe do you desire so much?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, the Demonic Qi on the Heavenly Demon surged. He seemed not to have expected Lu Chen to ask such a question. The Heavenly Demon then looked at Lu Chen viciously, displaying a wary expression, ¡°Who exactly are you!¡± Seeing the Heavenly Demon¡¯s expression, everyone present was shocked once more. They too were eager to know exactly who Lu Chen was, to make a Heavenly Demon so nervous. In truth, Lu Chen didn¡¯t understand the Heavenly Demon at all. His earlier remarks were merely a bluff. The system labeled it ¡°Outer Realm Heavenly Demon,¡± and based on the novels he read in his previous life, he suspected that the Heavenly Demon may not be native to this universe. Here, ¡°universe¡± didn¡¯t mean the world they were currently in, but the larger cosmos that enveloped their current world, as well as numerous high-level cultivation worlds. Since the title ¡°Heavenly Demon¡± was prefixed with ¡°Outer Realm,¡± it was highly likely that this Heavenly Demon came from another universe. Chapter 886 - Chapter 886: Chapter 576: The Shocked Crowd Chapter 886: Chapter 576: The Shocked Crowd Lu Chen saw the sudden change in the Heavenly Demon¡¯s expression, as well as its cautious demeanor, and instantly understood that his guess was probably correct¡ªthe Heavenly Demon might indeed not be a species from this universe. It seemed that this universe should be facing some kind of major catastrophe. Nobody knew how many Heavenly Demons had come, or if there were even more powerful ones yet to arrive. At that moment, Lu Chen displayed an expression of nonchalance and then said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know who I am, you just need to know that I am the nemesis of all you Heavenly Demons!¡± The Heavenly Demon chuckled coldly and said, ¡°Ridiculous, no one in this universe dares claim to be our nemesis!¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance; just tell me what is the purpose of your Heavenly Demons coming to this universe, and I might spare you!¡± Hearing this, the Heavenly Demon chuckled coldly again, ¡°Ridiculous, in front of this seat, all the humans in this universe are merely ants, and an ant dares to threaten this seat!¡± Although he felt that the man in front of him was extraordinary and knew many secrets, he did not think this man was that powerful. Plus, given his nature as a Heavenly Demon, how could he possibly fear a human? The Heavenly Demon then reversed the threat and said, ¡°I give you one final chance, tell me immediately how you came to know these things; otherwise, I will kill everyone in this city right now, including you!¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°If you truly can, you might as well try it now.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s smiling face, not fearing him at all, the Heavenly Demon hesitated internally, feeling that this man might indeed have some means to counter him. Moreover, as soon as he had entered, he had sensed something on this man¡¯s body that suppressed Demonic Qi, which dispersed immediately as it neared this man¡¯s body. At this moment, both parties fell silent, the room turned extremely quiet, and a gentle breeze made the curtains in the Imperial Study Room rustle. After who knows how long, the Heavenly Demon said, ¡°I know you have quite a few wives and concubines in this world, you might not consider yourself, but don¡¯t you think about them? As I know, you humans highly value affection.¡± The Leader of the Taiyin Sect had already briefed the Heavenly Demon on Lu Chen¡¯s profile on the way to the Daqian Capital City. Initially, the Heavenly Demon had not taken it seriously, but now, he had resorted to using Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines to threaten him. Lu Chen still wore a smile, ¡°I can protect my wives and concubines well enough, so there¡¯s no need for you to worry.¡± ¡°And I, too, will give you one final chance¡ªif you do not reveal the purpose of your coming to this universe, I will strike immediately and destroy your Demonic form.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s firm attitude, the Heavenly Demon knew that he most likely wouldn¡¯t get anything out of him. The conversation had already reached this level, and there was no need for further pleasantries. The next moment, the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Demonic Qi instantly burst forth, filling the room with an overwhelming presence. Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi felt particularly uncomfortable at that moment; after coming into contact with the Demonic Qi, their Spiritual Power was greatly suppressed, which is why Heavenly Demons are said to be the natural enemies of Cultivators. However, just as the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Demonic Qi was about to reach Lu Chen, it was suddenly blocked by some mysterious force, making Lu Chen look as if nothing was wrong at all. The Heavenly Demon said, ¡°You indeed have some ability, unlike any Cultivator I¡¯ve met before, but anyone who dares to provoke this seat, ends up only with a dead end.¡± As he spoke, the Heavenly Demon suddenly lunged, charging directly at Lu Chen. Just as the Heavenly Demon was about to reach him, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was almost grinning from ear to ear. But just then, Lu Chen suddenly pulled out a flag-like object from nowhere, and as it appeared, the demonic qi in the entire room was instantly dispelled, and the Heavenly Demon was flung away by the golden light emitted from the Demon-Expelling Banner. All who witnessed this scene were stunned, even the Heavenly Demon itself was momentarily frozen in shock. It had never imagined that such an object capable of suppressing it could exist in this world. In an instant, the roles of attack and defense were reversed; it was no longer Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu being suppressed by the demonic qi, but rather the Heavenly Demon and the demonic cultivator from the Taiyin Sect who were being suppressed by the golden light of the Demon-Expelling Banner. The Heavenly Demon felt that the golden light from the Demon-Expelling Banner was not only suppressing its demonic qi but also gave it the sensation of its demonic soul being dried up. Something was wrong, this object was undoubtedly peculiar. How could such a thing that suppresses demonic qi appear in this lower world? They should know that when they from the Outer Domain had attacked this universe, the Immortal Kings and Immortal Emperors of this universe had paid a huge price, and even then, they hadn¡¯t possessed such an artifact to suppress demonic qi. Now, situated only in a lower world, how could such a terrifying object originate here? If this artifact had appeared in the previous era, it¡¯s likely that their Heavenly Demon would have already been completely eradicated, not just eradicated swiftly, but possibly even the Immortal Kings and Immortal Emperors of this universe might have been able to counterattack the Outer Domain. The Heavenly Demon, which had never known fear, at this moment felt a strange, unknown fear originating from the depths of its demonic soul. ¡°What¡­ what is this thing!¡± ¡°How could such a terrifying artifact appear in a lower world!¡± Seeing that the Heavenly Demon clearly felt fear, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi exchanged glances, and both saw shock in each other¡¯s eyes. In the High-Level Cultivation Realm, they had never heard of any Artifact that suppressed demonic qi so fiercely. While Spiritual Artifacts that suppressed demonic qi did indeed exist, they weren¡¯t nearly this formidable, and they could only suppress the demonic qi temporarily, merely causing the Heavenly Demon a momentary distraction. But those Spiritual Artifacts were not enough to instill fear in a Heavenly Demon; Heavenly Demons are inherently fearless against anything. The two women were quite experienced and worldly, but they had never seen such a scene before. After exchanging glances, Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu¡¯s gaze returned to Lu Chen. They were now intensely curious about who exactly this person was and how he came to possess such an artifact. If the people from the Cultivation World knew of this object, it was unimaginable how many major sects and powers would fight over it. At this moment, the two women started to think about making a strategic retreat; just this artifact alone was enough to prove that Lu Chen¡¯s identity was no simple matter. If they really acted against Lu Chen, even if they left this world, it was very likely they would still face retaliation from the forces behind him. They did not wish to provoke such significant trouble. However, speaking of which, if they didn¡¯t deal with this man, he would want to take over their bodies. It seemed that the best course of action now was to leave this lecher behind. The two women then silently made up their minds that once they had dealt with the Heavenly Demon, they would promptly leave this place and never contact Lu Chen again. As for how to leave this world, they would figure that out later, since this man was clearly someone they couldn¡¯t afford to provoke. Chapter 887 - Chapter 887: Chapter 577: Slay the Heavenly Demon Chapter 887: Chapter 577: Slay the Heavenly Demon At this moment in the Imperial Study Room, the most frightened was not the Heavenly Demon, nor Liu Qingqiu or Mu Yunxi, but the Leader of the Taiyin Sect. He had not expected that Lu Chen would possess such an artifact capable of greatly suppressing Demonic Qi. Given this situation, even if they did not die, once they tried to escape, the Heavenly Demon would surely kill him. It was he who had brought the Heavenly Demon to this perilous place, and the Heavenly Demon might well suspect that he was in league with Lu Chen. Thinking of this, the face of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect turned deathly pale. This won¡¯t do¡­ He must leave this accursed place, for once Lu Chen or the Heavenly Demon realized what was happening, he would have no place to bury his body! The flag in Lu Chen¡¯s hand was too powerful in suppressing the Demonic Qi, that even the Heavenly Demon would likely be no match for him. With that thought, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect suddenly drew his sword and committed suicide. This abrupt act stunned everyone in the Imperial Study Room, including Lu Chen, who had not expected the Leader of the Taiyin Sect to be frightened into committing suicide. Wait a minute¡­ Something doesn¡¯t seem right? Lu Chen didn¡¯t think the Leader of the Taiyin Sect was the type to commit suicide. This guy must have¡­ Before Lu Chen could figure out why the Leader of the Taiyin Sect had done this, they heard the Heavenly Demon suddenly bellow, ¡°You brought me here and still thought you could escape!¡± As he spoke, the Heavenly Demon reached into the void and the next moment, a red soul phantom of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect appeared in his hand. Seeing the soul phantom of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect in the Heavenly Demon¡¯s hand, Lu Chen immediately realized that the fellow had intended to let his soul escape from his body by killing himself, then silently flee this troubled place. However, how could the Heavenly Demon, with his strong perception of souls and Demonic Qi, not sense the Leader of the Taiyin Sect attempting to escape? Clearly, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect¡¯s plan had failed. The Leader of the Taiyin Sect, now held in the hand of the Heavenly Demon, panicked and quickly pleaded, ¡°Mercy, great Heavenly Demon! I had no idea that Lu Chen had such an artifact to suppress Demonic Qi!¡± The Heavenly Demon did not listen to the Leader of the Taiyin Sect¡¯s excuses. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth and stuffed the soul phantom into it, then bit and tore at it, shredding the Leader of the Taiyin Sect¡¯s soul phantom to pieces. The next moment, the screams of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect resounded throughout the Imperial Study Room. ¡°Ah!!!!!¡± The Heavenly Demon ignored the screams of the Leader of the Taiyin Sect, quickly swallowing the soul into his stomach. Soon, the Leader of the Taiyin Sect went completely silent. Seeing this scene, the other members of the Taiyin Divine Sect were petrified with fear¡ªafter witnessing their leader being devoured, they¡­ At that moment, someone shouted ¡°Run!¡± and the members of the Taiyin Divine Sect, terrified, hurriedly fled towards the outside of the Imperial Study Room. But the Heavenly Demon was not planning to let them go. His Demonic Qi surged again and quickly engulfed those fleeing members of the Taiyin Divine Sect. Then, the Heavenly Demon opened his mouth wide and sucked in, quickly drawing both his Demonic Qi and the Taiyin Divine Sect members into his stomach. Throughout this, Lu Chen did not take action against the Heavenly Demon. For him, the Taiyin Divine Sect was also a problem to be dealt with, and since the Heavenly Demon was handling it for him, all he had to do was watch from the side. After the Heavenly Demon disposed of the members of the Taiyin Divine Sect, his gaze returned to Lu Chen, and he sneered, ¡°You didn¡¯t intervene just now because you wanted to use me to eliminate those people, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Yes, I certainly do not wish to see my Imperial Study Room covered in blood.¡± ¡°Now that the obstructions have been dealt with, it¡¯s our turn.¡± The Heavenly Demon said, ¡°Do you think that just because you have an artifact that can suppress Demonic Qi, you can defeat me?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°How can we know without trying?¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen didn¡¯t waste any more time, directly motivating the Demon-Expelling Banner to release a golden light, once again suppressing the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Demonic Qi. At that moment, the Heavenly Demon felt extremely uncomfortable, as if he was trapped by the Demon-Expelling Banner; he couldn¡¯t even escape as a demon soul. Having no other choice, the Heavenly Demon opted to fight against this man. Immediately, the Heavenly Demon took the offensive; his figure disappeared from the spot, and by the time he reappeared, he was already in front of Lu Chen. This time, Lu Chen didn¡¯t use the Slayer Spear, but suddenly raised his hand and swung a palm strike. A blue palm energy flew out from Lu Chen¡¯s hand, and the Heavenly Demon¡¯s body was directly blasted away. The next moment, cracks appeared on the Heavenly Demon¡¯s demon soul. The Heavenly Demon couldn¡¯t believe it; a simple palm strike had severely injured him ¡ª how was that possible? Seeing this scene, Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu were once again shocked. That was the Heavenly Demon, and yet Lu Chen had severely wounded him with just a single palm strike? Even though Lu Chen used that banner-like artifact to suppress the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Demonic Qi, it shouldn¡¯t have completely suppressed his strength. How could Lu Chen have inflicted such a severe injury on the Heavenly Demon with just one palm? At that moment, the Heavenly Demon realized another problem; Lu Chen¡¯s palm energy not only severely wounded his demon soul but the residual palm energy was even continuously eroding his demon soul. If this continued, he was doomed to die! Bearing the pain in his demon soul, the Heavenly Demon unwillingly asked, ¡°What Cultivation Technique is this?¡± Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°Demon Burying Spell!¡± Upon hearing this name, it was clear what this Cultivation Technique was for; it was evidently designed specifically to counter the Heavenly Demon. At that time, the Heavenly Demon burst out laughing, and then his Demonic Qi surged dramatically, ¡°Haha, you think killing me is that easy!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one in this world that can kill me!¡± ¡°Dare to injure me, I want you dead!¡± As he spoke, the Heavenly Demon disconnected from his human body and instantly transformed into a demon soul, charging towards Lu Chen. Lu Chen immediately used the Demon-Expelling Banner to suppress the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Demonic Qi, then once again circulated the Demon Burying Spell of Danxin City, preparing to deliver the final strike to the Heavenly Demon. However, when he struck out his palm, he realized something was off ¡ª he easily dispersed the Heavenly Demon¡¯s demon soul, without the Heavenly Demon even letting out a scream of agony. That was too fake, and at that moment, a small wisp of black qi secretly slipped out through the entrance. Now that Lu Chen had mastered the Demon Burying Spell, he was very sensitive to Demonic Qi and instantly noticed that wisp of black qi. Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards, followed by a Shadow Shift, directly intercepting the path of the escaping black qi. ¡°Sorry! No way through here!¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen released another palm strike, and a blue palm energy immediately hit the black qi; the next moment, the scream of the Heavenly Demon was heard. ¡°Ah! How could I possibly die!!!!¡± Seeing that the Heavenly Demon hadn¡¯t yet completely perished, Lu Chen gathered all his Spiritual Power and delivered another palm strike, this one directly dispersing the Heavenly Demon¡¯s demon soul. Seeing how easily Lu Chen had killed the Heavenly Demon, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi both remained stunned in their places. Chapter 888 - Chapter 888: Chapter 578: The Proactive Bai Chapter 888: Chapter 578: The Proactive Bai Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu had just felt the Demonic Qi of the Heavenly Demon, and judging by the concentration of its Demonic Qi, it must have possessed strength worthy of the Genesis Realm. With the strength of the Genesis Realm, the Heavenly Demon could be considered an invincible existence when facing cultivators of the same realm. Yet, surprisingly, it was defeated by Lu Chen, a mere Celestial. Moreover, it was a one-sided beating, without any ability to fight back, and the key point was that Lu Chen finished the fight with just a few palm strikes. From the appearance of the Heavenly Demon to its execution, not even two hours, no, to be precise, not even an hour had passed. Had Lu Chen¡¯s strength become this formidable? Driven to dismay once again, the two women had originally thought that they would have a chance to assassinate Lu Chen once they recovered their strength, but now it seemed that Lu Chen¡¯s strength had likely already surpassed the Heavenly Human Realm. In fact, this was a misunderstanding on the part of Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi. Lu Chen¡¯s strength was not particularly strong; he was just an ordinary Celestial. His ease in annihilating the Heavenly Demon was due to the Demon-Expelling Banner and the Demon Burying Spell. Without these, he would not have been able to easily defeat the Heavenly Demon, let alone kill it; in fact, he might have been the one to be devoured by it instead. Armed with cultivation techniques and treasures aimed at the Heavenly Demon, Lu Chen would stand a chance to fight against Heavenly Demons several realms higher than himself in the future. He could now be considered a nemesis for the Heavenly Demons. After dealing with the Heavenly Demon, Lu Chen turned his head with a smile to look at Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi and said, ¡°Now that the Heavenly Demon has been eradicated, this world should be safe for the time being.¡± At the sound of Lu Chen¡¯s voice, the two women came back to their senses, and upon seeing that meaningful smile from Lu Chen, they couldn¡¯t help but tremble involuntarily. With the fall of Great Qian and the end of the plague¡ªnow that the source of the plague, the Heavenly Demon, had been destroyed¡ªdidn¡¯t it mean that Lu Chen would not have any important matters to attend to next? What he would do in his free time seemed quite obvious, and the two women immediately thought about running away. However, they still maintained their rationality; if they ran away now, with Lu Chen¡¯s strength, they would probably be killed by that special Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact before they even left the Daqian Capital City. For now, their only choice was to temporarily placate this lecherous man and then find a way to escape when he was not paying attention. At this moment, Mu Yunxi pretended to be very calm and said with a smile, ¡°I had not expected Your Majesty to be so powerful, merely lifting a finger to annihilate a Heavenly Demon.¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s praise, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°If I am that powerful, then becoming my women wouldn¡¯t be too much of a hardship for you, would it?¡± This¡­ Mu Yunxi quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, matters of men and women¡¯s affections require mutual consent. Forcing it too much means that even if you have someone¡¯s body, you cannot possess their heart.¡± ¡°If you only possess their body and their heart is not with you, then it¡¯s no different from having a puppet.¡± Pretending to agree, Lu Chen said, ¡°Fairy Yunxi makes some sense. Then you both should rest easy in my harem, where we can foster a deeper relationship. When the time comes and our affections are genuine and deep, then we can proceed with what needs to be done.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the two women knew that this lecherous man was resolute in possessing them. But at this moment, it was unwise for them to speak out too strongly. If they showed too much resistance now, Lu Chen would surely guess they were planning to escape. Then he would keep a constant watch over them, and their chances of a successful escape would be greatly reduced. At this time, Lu Chen sat down at the desk in the Imperial Study Room and indifferently said to Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu, ¡°Fairy ladies, it is late. You should both go rest.¡± The two women did not say much more and turned to leave immediately. After the two women had left the Imperial Study Room and were at some distance from it, Liu Qingqiu transmitted a message to Mu Yunxi, ¡°Do you really plan on becoming his woman?¡± Mu Yunxi smiled slightly and transmitted back, ¡°For now, we can only stabilize him temporarily. You¡¯ve seen it as well; he is no ordinary man. Even a Heavenly Demon is not his match. If we were to really make a move against him, I¡¯m afraid our end would be just like that Heavenly Demon¡¯s just now.¡± Seeing that Mu Yunxi was also thinking this way, Liu Qingqiu had no choice but to let go of the unrealistic thoughts in her heart. She had planned to attempt an escape tonight, and if Mu Yunxi could help her divert attention, the probability of her escaping successfully would be even greater. However, seeing Mu Yunxi like this, she seemed more cautious and probably would not listen to her enticement. If that was the case, then she would just wait. There would always be a right time. At that moment, Mu Yunxi suddenly thought of something and teased through their message, ¡°You, the split spirit of a great power, are now caged by an emperor of a lower world to be a consort. If your main body knew about this, I wonder how furious it would be.¡± ¡°If your virginity was also taken by Lu Chen, do you think your main body might just kill you on the spot?¡± Faced with Mu Yunxi¡¯s teasing, Liu Qingqiu merely snorted coldly and did not say much more. Then, she kicked her legs and her figure vanished on the spot. Before long, she had returned to her own sleeping chamber. Seeing Liu Qingqiu leave, the smile on Mu Yunxi¡¯s face grew even more exuberant. Although she also temporarily had no way to rid herself of Lu Chen, the thought that a powerful spirit was keeping her company greatly comforted her. Mu Yunxi then returned to her sleeping chamber as well and continued to meditate to recover her cultivation state. After Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu left, Bai Qingqing entered the Imperial Study Room and saw Lu Chen still looking at the scroll. Bai Qingqing asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you require attendance in bed tonight? I shall prepare.¡± For Lu Chen, there wasn¡¯t much else of importance. As for how to govern Great Qian, he only needed to provide a general direction; soon, the officials he had trained in the North Country to govern the nation would arrive in Great Qian. In other words, Lu Chen was now at leisure. Thus, Bai Qingqing thought that after accumulating so much stress for so long, it was time for him to release it. Initially, Bai Qingqing thought Lu Chen would choose one of the two captive fairies to attend to him at night, but unexpectedly, he chose neither. Since he did not choose either of them, Bai Qingqing thought that, as Lu Chen¡¯s personal maid, she should take the initiative to help Lu Chen relieve his stress. Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen put down the scroll in his hand and looked up at Bai¡¯s face, which though cold as frost, had a hint of blush. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Bai, why are you so proactive today?¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing quickly replied, ¡°Your Majesty has been working hard for many days. I was worried that Your Majesty¡­¡± Bai Qingqing had not finished speaking when Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°Indeed, I have been under quite some stress recently. Come here.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s command, Bai Qingqing showed no hesitation and directly approached Lu Chen. Bai Qingqing¡¯s face turned visibly red at a rapid pace. After she arrived in front of Lu Chen, she remained silent, directly kneeling on one knee, and then leaning closer to Lu Chen. Chapter 889 - Chapter 889: Chapter 579: Bai Qingqing is Pregnant Chapter 889: Chapter 579: Bai Qingqing is Pregnant After Bai Qingqing became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she spent most of her time with him. Despite being bestowed the title of Noble Concubine, her duties essentially remained serving Lu Chen. Having spent much time with Lu Chen, Bai Qingqing also learned quite a bit about how to take care of people. At this moment, Lu Chen still held the Great Qian scroll in his hands, occasionally casting glances with the corner of his eye at the aloof beauty in front of him. Bai Qingqing had indeed studied earnestly, and Lu Chen was particularly satisfied with her subtle skills at this time. It was then that Lu Chen thought to himself that, now being a Celestial, he wondered if it would be even more difficult than before to sire children in the future. While lost in thought, Bai Qingqing suddenly coughed, looking very uncomfortable, prompting Lu Chen to quickly pat her on the back. After recovering, Bai Qingqing, with a flushed face, thanked him, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Alright, that will be all.¡± Hearing this, Bai Qingqing thought Lu Chen meant to conclude the matter, and she promptly said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± As her words fell, Bai Qingqing was about to rise and leave, but as soon as she got up, Lu Chen grabbed her wrist and pulled her entire being into his embrace. Bai Qingqing¡¯s mind went blank for a moment, and she did not struggle, allowing Lu Chen to dote on her. In a soft whisper into Bai Qingqing¡¯s ear, Lu Chen said, ¡°Bai, you see that all your sisters have had children. When will you also bear one for me?¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Qingqing¡¯s body grew even hotter, and she melted into Lu Chen¡¯s arms; if it weren¡¯t for him holding her, she would have probably collapsed on the floor. Then Bai Qingqing softly said, ¡°As long as your servant can conceive, your servant will bear a child for Your Majesty.¡± Bai Qingqing was actually not particularly keen on bearing Lu Chen¡¯s children. Of course, it wasn¡¯t because she disliked Lu Chen, but because she felt that if she bore him children, she wouldn¡¯t be able to serve by Lu Chen¡¯s side as she had before. If she had a child, she would certainly need to look after it. Compared to a child, she preferred staying by Lu Chen¡¯s side. Once her emotions were restored, she developed a strong dependency on Lu Chen. But she also understood that Lu Chen seemed to have an obsession with children, especially liking them. Since Lu Chen liked them so much, she thought bearing one for him wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Only she didn¡¯t know whether she could conceive. The higher the level of a Martial Artist, the harder it was to have offspring, and now that Lu Chen was a Celestial, the difficulty of having children was even greater. After hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Servant? Bai, haven¡¯t I told you to call me ¡®darling¡¯ when we¡¯re alone and not to refer to yourself as a servant?¡± Bai Qingqing immediately corrected herself, ¡°This servant knows her mistake.¡± Lu Chen again questioned, ¡°This servant?¡± Bai Qingqing quickly corrected herself once more, ¡°This concubine is at fault, please punish me, Your Majesty.¡± Saying so, Bai Qingqing lifted her head to look at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face, which at that moment sported a mischievous smile as he gazed at her. Lu Chen¡¯s hand slipped into Bai Qingqing¡¯s clothing as he said against her face, ¡°Indeed, you should be punished to ensure you don¡¯t forget my words.¡± With that, Lu Chen kissed Bai Qingqing¡¯s red lips, and afterward, she let Lu Chen have his way with her. Soon, sounds of Bai Qingqing calling ¡°darling¡± and ¡°good brother¡± emanated from the Imperial Study Room. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen finally stopped punishing Bai Qingqing. He glanced at his system interface subconsciously; he thought he had heard a system notification sound just now. [Host has cultivated affection with a wife once, Qi Training Mantra experience points increase¡­] [Congratulations to the host for aiding Noble Concubine Bai Qingqing in conceiving, rewarded with Bilo Dragon Crystal.] Seeing the system interface before him, Lu Chen laughed lightly; almost all of his cultivation techniques had reached full completion, and there wasn¡¯t much room for improvement left. At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon the reward for Bai Qingqing¡¯s conception, and he felt somewhat pleased. He had originally thought that becoming a Celestial would make it even more difficult to impregnate his wives. Bai Qingqing had just conceived not long ago; it seemed that he¡¯d have no further worries about this matter. He should check the use of the Bilo Dragon Crystal rewarded by the system, and with that thought, Lu Chen clicked to open the description of the Bilo Dragon Crystal. [Bilo Dragon Crystal: A reverse scale from an ancient divine dragon, a material needed to repair the Heavenly Dao of this world.] Reading the description, Lu Chen was stunned. Repair the Heavenly Dao of this world? He remembered that after the Reincarnation Stone was unsealed, it could also be used to repair the Heavenly Dao. Could it be that to fix the Heavenly Dao of this world and improve its natural laws, a considerable number of materials were needed? Not just the Reincarnation Stone? Forget it, he should wait until his three children were born, to see what the system might reward him with then. In a few decades, the barriers of the Misty World would disappear; hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t be awarded something useless then. At that thought, Lu Chen came back to his senses and gently stroked the cool beauty lying in his arms. Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade arms were wrapped around Lu Chen¡¯s sturdy waist, her face resting on his chest. The scent of this man brought her immense reassurance. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Bai, you should head back to Yan County tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Qingqing instantly snapped out of her dazed state. Back to Yan County? Why was Lu Chen sending her back to Yan County? Had she done something to displease him? Bai Qingqing felt a surge of anxiety. She hurriedly looked up, peering into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes as she asked, ¡°Your Majesty, has your concubine not pleased you enough? I can still¡­¡± Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled slightly, then lifted his hand to caress her cheek, saying, ¡°That¡¯s not it. You¡¯re already carrying my child, and I won¡¯t be returning to Yan County for a while. I don¡¯t want any accidents to befall our child, so I¡¯m planning to have you head back first to nurture the pregnancy.¡± Lu Chen needed to stay in Great Qian for a while and stabilize things. After that, he had one more task¡ªto visit Fengyin Island. He had long wanted to see Fengyin Island but hadn¡¯t found the time, as the world had not yet been unified. Now that the world was united, and state affairs could be managed by his ministers, he finally had some free time. He wanted to see for himself what the metal structure on Fengyin Island was, whether it was indeed a spaceship. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Bai Qingqing was momentarily lost in thought. Was there a child in her womb? So soon¡­ Well, there was nothing for it. Bai Qingqing suddenly felt very dejected, but then she said, ¡°Your concubine understands.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°After you return, let Zixuan and the others know not to worry too much about me. I¡¯ll come back to Yan County after I¡¯ve taken care of my affairs.¡± Bai Qingqing replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± At this moment, Lu Chen glanced out the window at the night sky and went on, ¡°We should also rest; let¡¯s change locations.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Bai Qingqing¡¯s hips and stood up. The next moment, using Shadow Shifting, he arrived at his temporary sleeping quarters and placed Bai Qingqing on his own bed. Sensing Lu Chen¡¯s intense gaze, Bai Qingqing instantly understood his intentions; after all, they had just been interrupted, so they could continue what they had started earlier. Chapter 890 - Chapter 890: Chapter 580: A Flustered Liu Qingqiu Chapter 890: Chapter 580: A Flustered Liu Qingqiu In order to lessen Bai Qingqing¡¯s longing after her departure, Lu Chen spent every night for the next few days nurturing their affection. Several days later. Lu Chen lay in bed, while the cool beauty Bai Qingqing lay in his arms, completely drained and without a trace of strength. She was leaving tomorrow. Originally, she had planned to indulge her man before returning to Yan County, but ultimately she couldn¡¯t keep up. There was no helping it, after Lu Chen became a Celestial, his strength had increased significantly, and she couldn¡¯t handle it alone. At that moment, an idea struck Bai Qingqing, and she whispered, ¡°Your Majesty won¡¯t be returning to Yan County for a while, how about after I go back, I call some sisters to serve you?¡± Bai Qingqing figured that since Lu Chen had broken through to the Celestial Realm, not only had his strength increased, his desires might have grown stronger, so she worried that there would be no one to serve him after she left. Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen said, ¡°Bai, have you forgotten the two fairies I¡¯ve captured in the palace?¡± Bai Qingqing instantly realized¡ªright, those fairies were so beautiful, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t possibly be disinterested, and with their greater strength, maybe they could withstand it. Bai Qingqing then said, ¡°This consort understands.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°After you return to Yan County, take good care of the child. Once you¡¯ve given birth, you can continue to serve as my maid.¡± Lu Chen also knew what Bai Qingqing was thinking; she was afraid that after having the child, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stay by his side all the time. Hearing Lu Chen say this, Bai Qingqing¡¯s body trembled slightly, and once she regained her composure, she quickly said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for granting me this favor.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and gently stroked Bai Qingqing¡¯s jade back. Early the next morning, Bai Qingqing left the Daqian Imperial Palace and set off on her way back to Yan County. Meanwhile. Qianning Palace. Liu Qingqiu was sitting in the pavilion, delicately sipping the Dragon and Phoenix Tea given by Lu Chen. These days, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi had been drinking Lu Chen¡¯s Dragon and Phoenix Tea. At first, they were somewhat apprehensive about the Spiritual Tea, fearing there might be something in it. But as they drank more of it, they found not only did the tea cause them no harm, but it actually accelerated the recovery of their bodies, which completely disarmed them against the tea. They thought that Lu Chen was trying to please them by giving them such precious Spiritual Tea to drink. After savoring the tea for a while, Liu Qingqiu was about to continue cultivating when a maid entered the courtyard and quickly approached the pavilion where Liu Qingqiu sat. Seeing that it was a maid from her side, Liu Qingqiu immediately asked, ¡°Xiao Qing, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ever since Lu Chen moved into the Daqian Imperial Palace, most people there had been dismissed. However, Lu Chen had kept some maids, including those who had served Liu Qingqiu before. Liu Qingqiu still saw Lu Chen¡¯s actions as gestures of goodwill, and she made use of these maids to gather information about the outside world and the happenings within the palace. The maid named Xiao Qing immediately entered the pavilion and cautiously reported, ¡°Empress, the maid surnamed Bai who was with His Majesty left the palace today. She seems to have returned to Yan County.¡± Since Lu Chen¡¯s arrival at the palace, Bai Qingqing had been in charge of arranging various matters around him, including food, clothing, and housing, which made her well-known among the palace maids. Early this morning, Bai Qingqing left and was replaced by another maidservant. The other maids also came to know of this at the earliest time. Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°Let her leave then, she¡¯s just a maidservant¡­¡± Liu Qingqiu had hardly finished her sentence when something crossed her mind, and she immediately asked, ¡°Wait, who did you say left?¡± The maid continued with her answer, ¡°It¡¯s the maidservant who has been following His Majesty around, the one His Majesty always calls Bai.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s brows knitted slightly. She had also heard about the events of the past few days, and with her strong perception, nothing that happened within the imperial palace could escape her senses. In the last few nights, Lu Chen, that guy, had been engaging in that kind of activity with that maidservant every night, a clear indication that Lu Chen was indeed a man of strong desires. Although Lu Chen had never extended his clutches to her or Mu Yunxi, this might well be because that maidservant of Lu Chen¡¯s had been serving him well. Now that Lu Chen¡¯s personal maidservant had left him, and without any sufficiently beautiful women by his side, wouldn¡¯t it be very likely that Lu Chen would turn his attention toward her and Mu Yunxi! With this thought, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and she asked the maid again, ¡°Who took over her position? Is she beautiful? How does she compare to the former maidservant?¡± After pondering for a moment, the maid replied, ¡°Empress, the one taking over the maidservant surnamed Bai is just an ordinary female guard, and in terms of appearance, she falls far short of the previous maidservant.¡± Liu Qingqiu lapsed into silence. Her intuition told her that she might very well be facing trouble soon. No, she had to make up her mind to escape from this place quickly. If she continued to wait, she might end up becoming that man¡¯s female slave. These days she had constantly been emanating spiritual power to sense everything happening inside the imperial palace. Though she hadn¡¯t seen them with her own eyes, she had sensed how Lu Chen dealt with his personal maidservant, which fostered a sense of fear toward Lu Chen in her. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu was already plotting in her mind how to escape from the imperial palace tonight without anyone noticing. As evening approached. The setting sun cast its glow, and Lu Chen sat in the chair of the Imperial Study Room, stretching languidly. At this time, the maidservant who had taken over Bai Qingqing¡¯s work asked, ¡°Your Majesty, do you require arrangements for that lady to attend your bed tonight?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a deliberate arrangement.¡± As he said this, a mischievous idea suddenly struck him, and he continued, ¡°This is what you¡¯ll do: send someone to inform Lady Liu and Lady Mu, telling them I will be dining in their bedchambers tonight.¡± The maidservant wasn¡¯t surprised by this, as it was clear to all the female guards around Lu Chen about his capabilities. Although they had never been favored by Lu Chen, after all, they were responsible for his protection. When Lu Chen was busy in his room, they would stand guard outside. The maidservant in front of him knew very well that after visiting Liu Qingqiu¡¯s bedchamber, Lu Chen would definitely have the energy to proceed to Mu Yunxi¡¯s chamber. She quickly responded, ¡°I will send someone to notify both ladies immediately.¡± As the maidservant finished speaking and turned to leave the Imperial Study Room to arrange the notifications for Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi, Lu Chen pondered to himself. Once Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi heard that he intended to visit their bedchambers, they would certainly think that he was planning to engage in that kind of activity with them, and surely one of them would consider running away. The moment they dared to run, he would immediately give chase. Whomever he caught, he could use their attempt to escape as an excuse to punish them. Chapter 891 - Chapter 891: Chapter 581: Fairy Liu, where are you planning to go? Chapter 891: Chapter 581: Fairy Liu, where are you planning to go? Seeing that the sun had already set, leaving only the crimson afterglow hanging in the sky, Liu Qingqiu, who was sitting inside the pavilion, could no longer suppress the urge to flee within her heart. But she didn¡¯t dare act at this moment, fleeing now would likely alert Lu Chen right away, who would then come after her. Lu Chen had the habit of sleeping every night, as long as she waited for Lu Chen to fall asleep, her chance would come. Even if Lu Chen sensed her escape afterward, he would not be able to react immediately. However, just as Liu Qingqiu had prepared to escape, a female guard entered Qianning Palace. Seeing this female guard, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s brows immediately tightened. This female guard was one of Lu Chen¡¯s personal guards who attended to and protected him; her arrival at Qianning Palace undoubtedly meant something was amiss. Before Liu Qingqiu had a chance to ask, the female guard saluted her and said, ¡°This subordinate pays respects to Lady Liu.¡± Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi hadn¡¯t been formally conferred titles, so everyone in the palace called them both ¡°Lady.¡± Only after the formal conferral ceremony would people start addressing them as Noble Consort Liu and Consort Mu. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu asked indifferently, ¡°What is it?¡± The female guard looked up and said, ¡°His Majesty has instructed that he will dine with you tonight and asked that you make preparations in advance.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s expression instantly became even colder, tinged with a hint of panic. Just as she had suspected, that man had set his sights on her. With his plaything gone, and the long night ahead with no one to accompany him, he naturally sought a new target. Liu Qingqiu absolutely refused to become Lu Chen¡¯s plaything. Should her main body learn that she had lost her purity, she would surely dispose of this split off part of herself. At this point, Liu Qingqiu forced herself to stabilize her emotions then said, ¡°I understand.¡± The female guard then said, ¡°This subordinate will take her leave.¡± As her words fell, she turned and departed. Watching the retreating figure of the female guard, Liu Qingqiu realized she could not wait any longer. If she continued to wait, she feared she might become that man¡¯s delicacy tonight. At that thought, Liu Qingqiu immediately began absorbing the spiritual energy around her, intending to take in as much as possible at the last moment in preparation for her imminent escape. Meanwhile. In the chamber where Mu Yunxi resided. Mu Yunxi stood before a full-length mirror, admiring her graceful figure. She was dressed in a red gauze garment with a chest wrap that revealed her slender waist, as well as her long, fair legs. Mu Yunxi muttered to herself, ¡°Being too beautiful is also a mistake. If I were less attractive, I might not be imprisoned here.¡± Just as Mu Yunxi finished speaking, a maid hurried in and said, ¡°Lady Mu, His Majesty has sent word that he will dine with you tonight and instructed that you make preparations.¡± Upon hearing these words, the image of Mu Yunxi in the mirror froze. Dine with her tonight? What was Lu Chen thinking? Why all of a sudden did he decide to have his meal at her place today? ¡°He probably didn¡¯t come to dine, did he?¡± Mu Yunxi¡¯s brows knitted slightly as she had a guess in her heart. Perhaps Lu Chen really did come to have a meal, but the meal Lu Chen mentioned was probably not the usual dinner, but herself¡ªshe was Lu Chen¡¯s dinner. Indeed, he was planning to make a move on her. No, she must escape from this place immediately. She did not want to lose her innocence in this inferior world. With that thought, Mu Yunxi immediately said to her maid, ¡°Tell the messenger maid that I have been informed, and I shall start preparing now.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± the maid said. After the maid turned and left Mu Yunxi¡¯s chamber, Mu Yunxi snorted coldly in her heart. This lecherous man wanted her body, but it wouldn¡¯t be so easy. Although her strength had not fully returned to its peak, the Spiritual Tea that Lu Chen had sent her recently had almost restored her to the Heavenly Human Realm. Even if she couldn¡¯t defeat Lu Chen, there should be no problem escaping. Both being of the Heavenly Human Realm, as long as she wanted to escape, she didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen could catch up with her. At this time, Lu Chen was still flipping through official documents in the Imperial Study Room, waiting for Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi to set out after he had sent the message. As the red twilight faded away, the entire world descended into night. The atmosphere in the Imperial Palace was eerily strange and oppressively suffocating. Seeing the darkness outside the window, Lu Chen thought it was time to give the two women a little stimulation. Thus, he rose and walked out of the Imperial Study Room. Lu Chen knew very well that Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi had been monitoring the situation inside the Imperial Study Room closely; the moment he set out, both women would certainly feel it. As Lu Chen had anticipated, as soon as he got up, a strong surge of Spiritual Power emanated from Mu Yunxi¡¯s chamber. Mu Yunxi fled toward Dongcheng with utmost speed. Upon sensing the Spiritual Power fluctuations from Mu Yunxi¡¯s chamber, Liu Qingqiu was stunned. She was puzzled, as Lu Chen was only supposed to visit her tonight. She and Mu Yunxi were in different palaces, so why was Mu Yunxi more anxious than her?Upd@te by novg0. co But on second thought, this presented her with a good opportunity. Mu Yunxi¡¯s escape would surely have attracted Lu Chen¡¯s attention. Once Lu Chen went after Mu Yunxi, she would run in the opposite direction. By then, Lu Chen would not be able to catch up to her. However, in just a moment, Liu Qingqiu realized that her calculations had failed. Lu Chen was not pursuing Mu Yunxi but heading straight toward Qianning Palace instead. Liu Qingqiu froze. What was going on? Mu Yunxi had escaped; wasn¡¯t Lu Chen going to chase her? Was he really willing to let Mu Yunxi go just like that? In terms of beauty, there wasn¡¯t much difference between Mu Yunxi and herself. In fact, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t overly concerned about Mu Yunxi¡¯s escape. His initial target that evening had not been Mu Yunxi but Liu Qingqiu. If Mu Yunxi wanted to run, he would let her. It wouldn¡¯t be long before she would return on her own, just as Xue Linglong had done before. As Liu Qingqiu sensed Lu Chen drawing closer to Qianning Palace, she knew she couldn¡¯t wait any longer. Lu Chen was obviously coming for her. Immediately, Liu Qingqiu pushed with her legs, leaping onto the roof, ready to flee the Imperial City at once. What she didn¡¯t expect, however, was that just as she landed on the roof, a figure appeared before her. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Fairy Liu, where are you planning to go?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had arrived so quickly, Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly. Without any superfluous words, she swung her sword and a Sword Qi shot directly toward Lu Chen. Her main purpose was not to attack Lu Chen but to escape. Her attacking first was only to make Lu Chen let down his guard, thereby creating a chance for her to flee. Chapter 892 - Chapter 892: Chapter 582: You Think I Dont Know What Youre Trying to Do! Chapter 892: Chapter 582: You Think I Don¡¯t Know What You¡¯re Trying to Do! Lu Chen, now a Celestial, was unharmed by Liu Qingqiu¡¯s Sword Qi. He effortlessly dodged it. After evading Liu Qingqiu¡¯s Sword Qi with a sidestep, he said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m just here for dinner, why is Fairy Liu so furious?¡± Liu Qingqiu replied coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to!¡± This guy wasn¡¯t here for any dinner, he obviously came for her. If she didn¡¯t take action, she would probably soon become this man¡¯s plaything. As a powerful avatar, she absolutely couldn¡¯t endure such an insult. As soon as Liu Qingqiu finished speaking, she swung her sword again, and in the next moment, over a dozen streams of Sword Qi flew towards Lu Chen, who still did not fight back but simply avoided the Sword Qi from Liu Qingqiu. Seeing that Lu Chen did not counterattack, Liu Qingqiu knew that this lecher had no intention of killing her just yet; his mind was set on her body, so indeed there was no need to kill her. However, even if this guy didn¡¯t intend to kill her, she needed to cause a bigger commotion to escape. Only in chaos would she have a chance to run away. With that in mind, Liu Qingqiu immediately gathered all her Spiritual Power and unleashed her most powerful Cultivation Technique. Fading Rainbow, Gazing at the Moon!!! Seeing the blood-red moon in the sky, Lu Chen¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. This woman was really going to any lengths to escape, daring to use such a terrifying technique in the Capital City of Great Qian. Such a high-level move could potentially bring disaster to the entire Daqian Capital City. Lu Chen immediately took out the Slayer Spear and aimed at the moon above, firing a shot. When Lu Chen attacked the red moon in the sky, Liu Qingqiu saw an opportunity and immediately started running towards the city gates. Soon, a blue beam shot out from the Slayer Spear, shattering the red moon Lu Chen had targeted. Seeing no trace of Liu Qingqiu on the rooftops, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled upwards slightly. For some reason, he suddenly felt an innate hunting instinct surge within him. Meanwhile, Liu Qingqiu had already fled outside the Daqian Capital City. Although she hadn¡¯t fully regained her strength, she was, after all, a Celestial, who could cover vast distances in an instant. Even though she had left the Capital City, Liu Qingqiu was still not at ease. Lu Chen had managed to catch up with them before, and now that he himself was a Celestial, his speed must have increased significantly. Thinking this, Liu Qingqiu continued to accelerate, but in the next second, she suddenly collided with something, followed by a strong scent of a man, and her body went weak. Liu Qingqiu was stunned. What was happening? Looking up immediately, Liu Qingqiu realized she had run into Lu Chen. Due to inertia, both were flung outwards, but Lu Chen had his arms wide open, cradling Liu Qingqiu¡¯s voluptuous body in his embrace. Liu Qingqiu was bewildered. She knew Lu Chen was fast, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated that she would still fail to escape. No, she would rather die than lose her purity. Therefore, Liu Qingqiu immediately tried to gather her Spiritual Power to struggle free, only to find that it seemed to have vanished, unable to be mobilized at all. Realizing her Spiritual Power had been sealed, Liu Qingqiu guessed right away that this was Lu Chen¡¯s doing. Although she no longer had the strength to struggle, Liu Qingqiu still threatened him, ¡°What are you doing? Release me at once! I am an avatar of the Saint Ancestor of Yunyan Sect from the World of Fallen Suns. If you dare do such a thing to me, my true body will have people hunt you down to the ends of the earth!¡± Lu Chen chuckled, then said, ¡°I never said I wanted to do that sort of thing to you, I merely mentioned coming to your sleeping quarters for dinner, and you got scared and ran away.¡± Liu Qingqiu responded coldly, ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡± She and Mu Yunxi had been imprisoned in the Imperial Palace for so long, Lu Chen never talked about coming to have dinner with the two of them, yet today this fellow suddenly sent someone to say he wanted to have dinner at her place. She definitely wouldn¡¯t believe that he had no ulterior motives. He probably wanted to eat not the dinner, but her, or perhaps in Lu Chen¡¯s words, she was the ¡°dinner.¡± After steadying himself, Lu Chen took control of Liu Qingqiu¡¯s arms, pinning her hands upon her buttocks, and then, hugging her waist, he performed a Shadow Shifting technique, advancing directly towards the Imperial Palace. As they got closer to the Imperial Palace, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s panic intensified; she wriggled her body and said, ¡°What have you done to me! Why is the Spiritual Power inside my body sealed!¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t consider yourself, think about your wives, concubines, and children. Once Yunyan Sect sends people to this world and they learn of the deeds you¡¯ve committed, none of your family will be able to escape.¡± Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s threat, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t care about these things, but by the time your so-called Yunyan Sect actually arrives in this world, you will already be my wife, not to mention we might have several children by then.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s intention to have her bear his children, Liu Qingqiu struggled even more fiercely, but as she was closely pressed against Lu Chen, her struggles only served to excite him further. A moment later, Lu Chen had escorted Liu Qingqiu back to Qianning Palace. Upon entering the room, he placed her on the soft couch. However, at this time, Liu Qingqiu stopped struggling. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Lu Chen as if waiting for his next move. Seeing that Liu Qingqiu was no longer resisting, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Why have you stopped struggling?¡± Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°If you¡¯re not afraid of dying, then go ahead. I¡¯ve already warned you. My true self is the Saint Ancestor of Yunyan Sect, and even if you have the backing of a powerful Cultivation Family, you can¡¯t possibly be a match for Yunyan Sect.¡± Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°I¡¯m quite curious, what realm is your primary self in now?¡± Liu Qingqiu replied, ¡°Divine Transformation Tenth Layer, just one step away from breaking through to the Returning Ruin Realm!¡± This¡­ After a moment of surprise, Lu Chen revealed a slight smile, ¡°If your primary self were a Saint or a Great Emperor, I might panic a bit, but you¡¯re telling me your primary self is in the Divinity Transformation Realm.¡± ¡°When I meet your primary self later on, I¡¯ll take her into the Harem as well.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu fell silent. Through his words, she realized a shocking fact. Lu Chen was not afraid of those in the Returning Ruin Realm or Divinity Transformation Realm, which implied that the force behind him had beings even stronger than those in the Returning Ruin Realm, and there might even be Saints. If that was truly the case, then even if her primary self found out about her lost purity, wouldn¡¯t she be completely powerless against this man? Seeing Liu Qingqiu lying there looking utterly despondent, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Since you escaped without permission, you inevitably cannot escape punishment tonight.¡± Liu Qingqiu said coldly, ¡°Even if you have my body, you will never have my heart!¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°What use do I have for your heart? Having your body is enough for me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu found herself at a loss for words. Chapter 893 - Chapter 893: Chapter 583: Liu Qingqiu: I admit defeat, you win Chapter 893: Chapter 583: Liu Qingqiu: I admit defeat, you win Facing Lu Chen, a man both lustful and shameless, who feared neither Heaven nor Earth, Liu Qingqiu had completely run out of options. She closed her beautiful eyes, lying stiffly on the couch. Although she cared deeply about her purity, for someone who had lived countless years, it was not as important compared to her life. She had previously put on a desperate act for the sake of her purity, but in fact, she wasn¡¯t truly desperate. She was just putting on a show, hoping to intimidate Lu Chen. But this man, driven by lust, simply didn¡¯t fall for it. Since Lu Chen wasn¡¯t fooled by her act, she was totally out of ideas. Furthermore, now that the spiritual power in her body was sealed, she couldn¡¯t even self-destruct her Dantian. Wanting to commit suicide was also impossible; she could only accept her fate. Seeing Liu Qingqiu resign herself to her fate, Lu Chen was somewhat speechless, then he chuckled and said, ¡°Fairy Liu, you could at least struggle a bit. What¡¯s the point in just lying there so stiffly?¡± Liu Qingqiu, with her striking beauty, had a cool complexion and skin as white as snow. Her delicate trembling eyelashes, exquisite nose, and enticing red lips resembled a sculpted piece of art. But once Liu Qingqiu closed her eyes, she resembled nothing more than a puppet lying inside a coffin. For Lu Chen, if his wife showed no emotional response, he almost lost interest completely. Take Bai Qingqing, the cold beauty, for example. She was usually expressionless, but during intimate moments, her cheeks would flush, and her heart rate would increase, and she would affectionately call him ¡°dear brother¡± and ¡°darling.¡± This was the feedback Lu Chen desired. Now, with Liu Qingqiu showing neither blush nor heartbeat and not struggling at all, even her stunning beauty could not entice Lu Chen much. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu opened her beautiful eyes and looked at the man before her, then said sharply, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to seize my body? Just do what you want, and stop wasting my time!¡± At this¡­ Lu Chen replied quickly, ¡°Alright, since you put it that way, I¡¯ll oblige you.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen leaned down and kissed Liu Qingqiu¡¯s red lips. Liu Qingqiu snorted inwardly, resigning herself as if bitten by a dog. But just as she thought this, she realized Lu Chen¡¯s mouth was restlessly moving, ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Liu Qingqiu struggled a bit, but Lu Chen ultimately succeeded. His kissing skills were excellent and he was in no rush to mistreat Liu Qingqiu today. While kissing her, his hands roamed over Liu Qingqiu¡¯s light gown, and feeling his large hands, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s body broke out in goosebumps. As time ticked by, Lu Chen still hadn¡¯t done ¡°that¡± to Liu Qingqiu, just kissing and caressing here and there. Liu Qingqiu initially thought she could endure it, and it would soon pass, but she realized that Lu Chen was not taking any action. At this time, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s eyes misted, her cheeks turned pink, and she emanated a captivating charm. Lu Chen then looked up at Liu Qingqiu and teasingly said, ¡°Oh, Fairy Liu, what¡¯s the matter now?¡± Embarrassed by Lu Chen witnessing her flustered state, Liu Qingqiu clenched her teeth tightly, trying to control her inner turmoil, and said fiercely, ¡°What exactly do you want to do!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You know very well what I want to do.¡± Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°For today¡¯s humiliation, I will have my revenge one day!¡± She was now at a loss for words. This man, Lu Chen, didn¡¯t even fear her true form behind the scenes; what could she do? Just then, Liu Qingqiu slightly gathered her slender legs and twisted her body slightly, but Lu Chen immediately noticed her movements and pressed her legs apart to keep her from moving. ¡°You!¡± Liu Qingqiu felt both ashamed and furious. Seeing Liu Qingqiu like this, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s more like it! You just lying there stiff as a board on the bed, what fun is that?¡± ¡°You scoundrel! I¡¯ll fight you with everything I have!¡± While speaking, Liu Qingqiu appeared as if she was about to rise and fight Lu Chen to the death, but she felt completely weak all over, and Lu Chen easily immobilized her. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu tried to divert her attention, asking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go after Mu Yunxi but chose to capture me instead? With her seductive ways, she must be quite skilled in serving others.¡± Mu Yunxi always wore semi-transparent light gauze, exposing her abdomen and long legs, and as tempting as she was, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t possibly dislike her. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Patience, one cannot become fat with just one bite.¡± Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°Now that she has escaped, you might never get the chance to touch her again.¡± Lu Chen, unconcerned, said, ¡°If she wants to leave this world, she¡¯ll eventually have to come to me.¡± At this point, Lu Chen reached out and lifted Liu Qingqiu¡¯s delicate chin, staring into her beautiful eyes as he said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about her anymore, let¡¯s talk about us instead.¡± Liu Qingqiu completely resigned herself then, not knowing if Lu Chen had done something to her, but she was no longer able to resist him. Liu Qingqiu said feebly, ¡°I concede, you¡¯ve won.¡± At that moment, she didn¡¯t care about her purity anymore. So be it if her main body knew about it; even if her main body decided to execute her, she didn¡¯t care anymore; being killed instantly would be better than the torment she was enduring now. Seeing Liu Qingqiu surrender, Lu Chen no longer held back, and leaned down, sealing her red lips with his. Soon, Liu Qingqiu let out a long moan, ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± At the same time, after escaping from Daqian Capital City, Mu Yunxi always felt something was off. Standing on a mountain outside, she looked towards the direction of Daqian Capital City. Mu Yunxi mumbled to herself, ¡°Strange, why hasn¡¯t Lu Chen chased after me?¡± Having run away, given Lu Chen¡¯s personality, he was bound to come after her. Could it be¡­ Mu Yunxi thought of a possibility. It was likely that while she was escaping, Liu Qingqiu saw it as a good opportunity and fled as well. Since they ran in different directions, Lu Chen went after Liu Qingqiu first and thus couldn¡¯t pursue her. No wonder she felt a surge of Spiritual Energy from Qianning Palace while she was running. Realizing this made Mu Yunxi breathe a sigh of relief. However, at that moment, a strange feeling suddenly emerged in Mu Yunxi¡¯s heart; she wasn¡¯t sure what it was, maybe a sense of loss? Mu Yunxi mumbled to herself, ¡°Did he not chase after me because he finds Liu Qingqiu more beautiful, desiring her body more than mine?¡± With these words, Mu Yunxi stood on the mountain looking towards Daqian Capital City for a long time before finally departing. Now that she had escaped Lu Chen¡¯s clutches, she should find another way to leave this world. With Lu Chen being such a freak, her previous methods of leaving were no longer viable, so she would have to find another way. Early morning. Qianning Palace. [Congratulations to the host for acquiring a wife, rewarded with the Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill, Mysterious Female Technique.] [Host and wife foster affection once, Qi Training Mantra experience points added¡­] ¡­ Chapter 894 - Chapter 894: Chapter 584 The Function of the Mysterious Female Technique Chapter 894: Chapter 584 The Function of the Mysterious Female Technique Upon seeing the system reward, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. The Mysterious Female Technique? This did not seem to be a cultivation technique for himself to practice. Could it be one suited for women to practice? With this thought, Lu Chen immediately opened the introduction to the Mysterious Female Technique. [Mysterious Female Technique: A Heavenly-rank Cultivation Skill, suitable for the host¡¯s wives and concubines to cultivate. When paired with the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, the realms of the host¡¯s wives and concubines can be rapidly improved.] As expected¡­ Lu Chen initially thought the system rewarded him with a useless skill, but then he reflected that all his wives and concubines were quite weak. In the future, he might not always be by their side, much like this time. If their strength were enhanced, he would also feel more at ease when leaving home. Although the skill wasn¡¯t awarded for his own use, it wasn¡¯t useless. Once he returned to Yan County, he would have his wives diligently practice the Mysterious Female Technique. At this moment, Liu Qingqiu, seeing Lu Chen motionless, slightly turned her head to look back at him. After one night, Liu Qingqiu had been completely subdued by Lu Chen. She could never have dreamed that after Lu Chen took possession of her body, she would feel a sense of freedom. Before, as the incarnation of the Saint Ancestor of Yunyan Sect, whatever she did would be influenced by her main self, making her feel constricted. Last night, after she became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, the sensations he brought her made her feel as if she had completely escaped the control of her main self, as if she was utterly free. Seeing Liu Qingqiu turn her head, Lu Chen also came back to his senses, staring at her dimly lit starry eyes and blushing cheeks. Liu Qingqiu said weakly, ¡°You have taken my body, now are you satisfied?¡± Lu Chen lifted his hand and gently slid it over Liu Qingqiu¡¯s jade-like back, smiling as he spoke, ¡°Satisfied, very satisfied.¡± Liu Qingqiu continued to question, ¡°How do you plan to dispose of me?¡± In her heart, Liu Qingqiu thought, as she was the incarnation of the Saint Ancestor of Yunyan Sect, even though Lu Chen verbally claimed not to fear her main self, it was possible that he only wanted her body and was merely being obstinate in his assertions. Furthermore, even if Lu Chen truly wasn¡¯t afraid of her main self, he might still find it bothersome and not want to stir up trouble. The most crucial point was that Lu Chen surely wouldn¡¯t fully trust her. Even though she had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she might still harbor other thoughts. How could Lu Chen possibly allow someone with ulterior motives to stay by his side? Perhaps after this lascivious man had his fun with her several times and grew tired of her, he would dispose of her. Lu Chen retorted, ¡°Dispose of you? Why should I dispose of you?¡± Before Liu Qingqiu could speak, Lu Chen went on to say, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed a problem. Many of my women suffer from a persecution complex. Quite a few of them have asked me such questions, inquiring when I will dispose of them.¡± ¡°Do you all see me as the type of cold-hearted and indifferent man who doesn¡¯t acknowledge others after pulling up his pants?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu scoffed internally, then responded, ¡°Aren¡¯t you exactly that kind of person?¡± Lu Chen was an Emperor, after all. Since ancient times, hasn¡¯t each Emperor been cold-hearted and ruthless? Lu Chen continued, ¡°Since you don¡¯t trust me so much, why don¡¯t you bear a few children for me? With children, you¡¯ll no longer be afraid that I¡¯ll dispose of you.¡± Liu Qingqiu instinctively refused, ¡°Absolutely impossible!¡± Hearing these words, Lu Chen didn¡¯t get angry. He bent down, pressing his chest against her jade-like back, and then wrapped his arms around her waist before whispering in her ear, ¡°Qingqiu, I can feel that you really want to break free from your main body.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s statement, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s delicate body shivered slightly. She hadn¡¯t expected that Lu Chen would also be aware of the change in her heart. Seeing Liu Qingqiu suddenly become nervous, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Are you curious as to why I would know?¡± Liu Qingqiu let out a light laugh, ¡°Your Majesty worries too much, my divine sense is split from my main body, how could it possibly desire to break away from the main body.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I have had many women through various means, but even when they are confused, they do not take the initiative, and you are the only one who took the initiative that night.¡± Liu Qingqiu was very proactive, so much so that Lu Chen even doubted whether it was her first time. However, Lu Chen later glanced at Liu Qingqiu¡¯s updated profile card. Liu Qingqiu¡¯s profile indicated that she had experienced the sensation of breaking free from the restraints of her main body, and she had fallen in love with that feeling, which was why she was so proactive. Now, even if Lu Chen didn¡¯t push for it, she was willing in her heart to develop feelings with Lu Chen. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Liu Qingqiu fell silent, suddenly regretting being so proactive. However, it wasn¡¯t something her main body could control. Once she lost that sense of restraint and fell in love with that feeling, she felt like an independent individual. The sensation of freedom was just like that; once having enjoyed freedom, it was difficult to go back. Liu Qingqiu said coldly, ¡°What exactly are you trying to say, Your Majesty?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Stay by my side from now on, become my woman. If your main body dares to come, I¡¯ll make sure she can¡¯t return.¡± After a moment of silence, Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°Do you truly not fear the powerhouses of the Returning Ruin Realm?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°My strength is increasing rapidly. In less than five hundred years, I will reach the Returning Ruin Realm. As long as your main body doesn¡¯t come now, there is no threat to me.¡± This¡­ Liu Qingqiu couldn¡¯t help but doubt where Lu Chen¡¯s confidence was coming from. Breakthrough to the Returning Ruin Realm from the Heavenly Human Realm in less than five hundred years? What a joke? Even those with special talents, favored by destiny, need several thousand years to break through to the Returning Ruin Realm. Yet, Lu Chen claimed he only needed five hundred years. Truth be told, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t sure himself when he would break through to the Returning Ruin Realm, but the previous night, while practicing the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, he discovered a spiritual sea forming within him, expanding rapidly, and his strength was increasing at an accelerated pace. He estimated it wouldn¡¯t take many days for him to break through to the first level of the Celestial Realm. The Qi Training Mantra had been fully cultivated, rendering it useless for him, but after Lu Chen¡¯s realm reached the Celestial Realm, the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill played its role, rapidly boosting his strength. Without the restriction of the Heavenly Dao, his strength was set to soar rapidly. Lu Chen had an intuition that he would break through to the Saint Realm within five hundred years. Although Liu Qingqiu felt that Lu Chen was boasting, his confident tone made her feel that he truly wasn¡¯t afraid of her main body. Afterwards, Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly, ¡°I have already become your pet. Play with me however you wish. There¡¯s no need to ask whether I am willing to become your woman.¡± Liu Qingqiu had no intention of running away. From the moment she lost her purity, she had no place to go. Once she left this world, her main body would likely sense her existence and know of her plight. Then it would certainly come to kill her and take back the divine sense. Chapter 895 - Chapter 895: Chapter 585: Teaching the Mysterious Female Technique Chapter 895: Chapter 585: Teaching the Mysterious Female Technique If it had been before, Liu Qingqiu wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being killed by her main body and having her Divine Sense taken back, but after experiencing the pleasure that Lu Chen had brought her the previous night, she had become a runaway horse, no longer wishing to return to her main body. What could she do now? The best course of action was to keep hiding in this world, never to venture out, making it very difficult for her main body to find her. To survive in this world, she could not avoid the man standing behind her, who, by now, could be considered the ruler of this world. Even a contra-natural being like the Heavenly Demon had been eliminated by Lu Chen. If even Heavenly Dao was afraid of such a terrifying existence as Lu Chen, it wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to him, allowing Lu Chen to do whatever he wanted in this world from now on. After hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°What pet or no pet, I truly intend for you to be my wife.¡± Liu Qingqiu said coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to pretend. Now that you¡¯ve taken my body, even if I leave this world, I will be hunted down by the main body. I have nowhere to go now, do to me whatever you want.¡± Liu Qingqiu also figured it out, since she had nowhere else to go now, why not just stay by this man¡¯s side. She had also sensed last night that this man must have practiced some kind of Dual Cultivation Technique that could help her swiftly enhance her strength. Apart from her body being toyed with by Lu Chen, there didn¡¯t seem to be any other downsides. For someone who had lived through so many years like her, the first priority was to survive, and then came integrity. Now that her integrity was gone, she couldn¡¯t afford to lose her life as well. Moreover, this man was special. Although he was fierce, she couldn¡¯t find herself hating him at all. Perhaps she didn¡¯t like Lu Chen in her heart, but her body had already accepted him. She decided then to live in Lu Chen¡¯s harem from now on. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Oh? So, you¡¯ve agreed to be my woman?¡± Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly and didn¡¯t say anything else. This scoundrel had already taken everything from her, what was there left to ask? Could she run now? And even if she could run, where would she go? When Lu Chen saw that Liu Qingqiu had resigned herself to her fate, he said, ¡°I will issue a royal decree later, bestowing upon you the title of Noble Concubine.¡± Liu Qingqiu still remained silent. Titles and such meant nothing to her now. All she wanted was to quickly become strong. Only by becoming stronger could she contend with her main body if she left this world, avoiding being killed by it. Seeing that Liu Qingqiu was still silent, Lu Chen shifted slightly, causing Liu Qingqiu to let out a small grunt and immediately said, ¡°You really are a beast.¡± Lu Chen laughed and then said, ¡°A beast? I guess a beast might not compare to me.¡± To this shameless Lu Chen, Liu Qingqiu had no more recourse. This guy was powerful and thick-skinned; she was only left with being suppressed in his presence. Liu Qingqiu then changed the subject, ¡°Did you practice some kind of Dual Cultivation technique?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Yes, it seems you¡¯ve felt it. Are you thinking of depending on this technique to enhance your strength and then escape this world once you¡¯ve become stronger?¡± Liu Qingqiu retorted, ¡°If you¡¯re afraid of me using you, then don¡¯t touch my body in the future.¡± Liu Qingqiu indeed wanted to use Lu Chen¡¯s Dual Cultivation Skill to enhance her strength, but hearing him say it like that made her somewhat angry. She had already been completely consumed by him, so what was wrong with using his Dual Cultivation Skill to gain some strength? Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You are my wife, and it is my duty to help you enhance your strength. How can that be called using?¡± ¡°Here, I have a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill. Practicing this technique will allow your strength to recover faster.¡± ¡°Turn around, and I¡¯ll impart this technique to you.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu turned her head slightly, skeptically glancing at Lu Chen with the corner of her eye. The next moment, Lu Chen had imparted the Mysterious Female Technique to Liu Qingqiu. Once the Mysterious Female Technique entered Liu Qingqiu¡¯s mind, she instantly understood its usage, which made her even more convinced that Lu Chen was a young master from some cultivation clan. Being able to casually produce a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill, his identity couldn¡¯t possibly be simple. Perhaps relying on this man, it was indeed possible to break away from the main body and exist as an independent entity in the future. While Liu Qingqiu was lost in thought, Lu Chen slowly stood up, and only when Liu Qingqiu felt an emptiness in her body did she snap back to reality. However, Lu Chen did not leave but instead turned her over and bent down again, their noses touching each other¡¯s. Gazing closely at her beautiful eyes, Lu Chen said, ¡°I have now imparted the Mysterious Female Technique to you. Why don¡¯t you try to cultivate it and see how effective it is?¡± Liu Qingqiu wasn¡¯t pretentious and directly said, ¡°Okay.¡± The next moment, she began to operate the Mysterious Female Technique, and as she did so, her body became incredibly hot, and all of her meridians contracted. Lu Chen involuntarily took in a breath of cold air¡ªthis was the Mysterious Female Technique! No wonder the system said to cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique and the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill together¡ªher operating the Mysterious Female Technique and his wives operating his Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill¡ªwasn¡¯t this going to get him¡­ Liu Qingqiu also felt the changes in her body. Was this the Mysterious Female Technique? In a world where the Spiritual Energy was so faint, it could instantly expand the sea of energy within her body and even forcibly absorb the Spiritual Power from Lu Chen¡¯s body. Thinking that she could forcibly absorb the Spiritual Power from Lu Chen¡¯s body, Liu Qingqiu developed a strong desire for revenge. This man was so fierce to her last night; now it was finally her turn to strike back. Daring to impart a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill to her, she would make him know what regret meant. Liu Qingqiu continued to operate the Mysterious Female Technique, while Lu Chen hurriedly said, ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Liu Qingqiu ignored Lu Chen¡¯s words. The opportunity to take revenge on Lu Chen was right before her eyes¡ªhow could she possibly let it slip away. Seeing that Liu Qingqiu did not stop cultivating, Lu Chen also realized Liu Qingqiu¡¯s little scheme, and he snickered in his heart. He always had the upper hand over others, and now Liu Qingqiu thought she could teach him a lesson! Then, Lu Chen directly sealed Liu Qingqiu¡¯s lips with his mouth, ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Immediately after, Lu Chen also began to operate the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. Meanwhile. Misty World. Within a forest shrouded in fog, a group of people in gray robes were forming an array. At that moment, their feet suddenly emitted bursts of blue light, and the next moment, a blue fox phantom appeared above their heads. After a while, the blue fox phantom suddenly spat a mouthful of blue flame toward an open space in the distance. As the blue flames gushed out, the sound of glass shattering came from afar. However, when the fox phantom ceased its attack, that place seemed to have returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. The people continued to manipulate the array to attack the open space in the distance, and after an unknown amount of time, something transparent finally fell from the sky. Immediately after, a black rift appeared in front of the people. At that time, a person in a yellow robe spoke, ¡°Stop attacking! Continuing the assault might affect the stability of this world! This rift is enough!¡± Chapter 897 - Chapter 897: Chapter 587 Enemies of the Misty World Chapter 897: Chapter 587 Enemies of the Misty World Although the matter had already ended, Lu Chen still didn¡¯t get up for a long time, constantly provoking Liu Qingqiu with his words. Facing Liu Qingqiu, this beautiful fairy, Lu Chen really wanted to see her both embarrassed and angry, yet unable to do anything about him. After an unknown amount of time, Liu Qingqiu seemed to have caught on to Lu Chen¡¯s intentions, so she simply stopped talking and just lay there. Seeing Liu Qingqiu acting like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°My lady, why are you not speaking anymore?¡± Liu Qingqiu still didn¡¯t say a word. She just turned her head aside. As long as she didn¡¯t speak, this fellow couldn¡¯t do anything to her. However, just as Liu Qingqiu decided to ¡°play dead¡± and say nothing, Lu Chen suddenly moved, causing involuntary sounds to escape from Liu Qingqiu¡¯s throat. She then turned her head and looked at Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen had a mischievous smile as he stared at her. Liu Qingqiu said coldly, ¡°Now that I am already your woman and can¡¯t escape your palm, play with me however you want. What meaning is there for you to humiliate me?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°What do you mean by humiliation? This is how I foster affection.¡± Liu Qingqiu snorted, ¡°Who wants to build any affection with a lecher like you? I have said, even if you possess my body, you will never have my heart.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright then, I understand.¡± With that, Lu Chen leaned down and kissed Liu Qingqiu¡¯s red lips, ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Liu Qingqiu wanted to struggle, but she was quickly overwhelmed by Lu Chen and lost the ability to resist completely. She now had absolutely no way to deal with this scoundrel and could only let him do as he pleased. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Chen looked up again and fixed his gaze on her beautiful face, asking, ¡°How about it? Are you satisfied with my techniques?¡± Liu Qingqiu breathlessly asked, ¡°I don¡¯t understand something, do you really¡­ plan to let go of Mu Yunxi, that woman?¡± Liu Qingqiu knew that she might never be able to escape from this man in the future. The fact that Mu Yunxi had escaped made her feel very uncomfortable. Both were captured by Lu Chen, so why was Mu Yunxi able to run away while she had become Lu Chen¡¯s plaything? Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s question, Lu Chen said, ¡°She will come back.¡± Liu Qingqiu said, ¡°Come back? Ha! Come back for what, to be your female slave, to be played with by you?¡± ¡°Do you think she is a fool?¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Why do I feel like you want to drag her down too?¡± Liu Qingqiu neither denied it nor confirmed it, and directly admitted, ¡°I allied with her against you, but only I was left behind for you to play with. I indeed can¡¯t stand the idea of her just running off.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Rest assured, within a year, she will come back.¡± Seeing Lu Chen so confident, Liu Qingqiu didn¡¯t say anything further. In her mind, she was determined to watch how that woman would be dealt with by Lu Chen, this scoundrel. At this time, Lu Chen slowly stood up. Seeing Lu Chen standing up, Liu Qingqiu finally managed to breathe a sigh of relief. It was finally over. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for now. There will be plenty of time in the future. I¡¯ll still be in the Great Qian for a while, so we can slowly exchange our cultivation insights.¡± Liu Qingqiu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed instantly, and her face turned somewhat pale. Although she was aware that Lu Chen would toy with her for a long time to come, the fact that Lu Chen said he would stay in Great Qian for a while surely meant that during that period, she would be the only one serving Lu Chen? Now she had truly become Lu Chen¡¯s pet, a female slave. Lu Chen paid no mind to what Liu Qingqiu was thinking; he immediately had someone fetch hot water, and then he and Liu Qingqiu comfortably bathed together. After the bath, Lu Chen then went to the Imperial Study Room to continue handling state affairs. In the following months, Lu Chen stayed in the Great Qian Dynasty to handle the governmental affairs, as Great Qian had recently suffered from a plague and there were many issues. Although he delegated most tasks to officials trained in Yan County, many matters still required his authority to manage. During these months in Great Qian, the rune weapons in Yan County also saw development. Lu Chen had initially planned to wait until he returned to develop rune weapons, but he felt that he couldn¡¯t delay this for too long. Equipping the army with rune weapons earlier would be more beneficial to them. During these months, Lu Chen was only accompanied by Liu Qingqiu and Xuanyuan Yunqi, two women, with Xuanyuan Yunqi being in the army, rarely visiting the Imperial Palace. Thus, most of the time, it was Liu Qingqiu who served Lu Chen. As their intimate encounters increased, Liu Qingqiu had essentially accepted Lu Chen. Now, if Lu Chen did not visit her for a long time, she felt uneasy. Yet, there was still a knot in her heart, which was that she hadn¡¯t seen Lu Chen capture Mu Yunxi yet. She now longed to see Mu Yunxi being tormented by Lu Chen, crying out in despair. At dusk. Within Qianning Palace, candlelight flickered, and two shadows merged together. At that moment, the voice of a female guard came from the doorway. ¡°Your Majesty, an urgent message from General Liu! There¡¯s an anomaly in the Misty World!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen, who was in high spirits, immediately sobered up. The world had now been unified; his greatest concern and point of interest was the situation in the Misty World to the west. He hadn¡¯t expected troubles in the Misty World so soon. If it weren¡¯t for particularly urgent intelligence, Liu Zhengchu would not send a message, and the female guard would not disrupt him when he was excited. Lu Chen did not hesitate for a moment and quickly finished what he was doing before rising from bed. A maidservant hurriedly came over to dress him, and Lu Chen glanced at the fairylike beauty collapsed on the bed and said, ¡°I have something urgent to attend to; I¡¯ll come to find you after I¡¯m done.¡± Liu Qingqiu¡¯s chest heaved, and she breathed heavily, ignoring Lu Chen¡¯s words. Lu Chen did not delay further; after getting dressed, he left the Qianning Palace and rushed to his own study. When Lu Chen arrived in Great Qian¡¯s Imperial Study Room, Qin Yushan and Liang Zong were already waiting there. The two Commanders saw Lu Chen and immediately saluted, ¡°Greetings to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, forever and ever!¡± Lu Chen walked straight to the chair by the desk, ¡°No need for formalities, let¡¯s discuss the serious matter.¡± Originally from Yan County, now Liang Zong, a Commander, had personally come to Great Qian; this implied that the matter was significant and required Liang Zong¡¯s personal report. Liang Zong handed Liu Zhengchu¡¯s letter to Lu Chen and then started speaking, ¡°Your Majesty, a breach has appeared in the prohibitions of the Misty World. Many cultivators from the Misty World have entered this world, and they have immediately occupied the territory originally belonging to Black Dragon Country after entering, and they have declared that all rulers of this world must submit to them.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen took the letter from Liang Zong¡¯s hand and immediately began to read it. Seeing the content of the letter, Lu Chen frowned deeply. According to Liu Zhengchu¡¯s intelligence, the cultivators who had entered this world were all below the Unity Realm, that is, below a Pseudo Celestial. But even so, a Pseudo Celestial was still considered a formidable enemy to the martial artists of this world. Chapter 898 - Chapter 898: Chapter 588 Changes in System Rewards Chapter 898: Chapter 588 Changes in System Rewards ¡°` Lu Chen looked at the letter in his hand, falling into deep thought. Only cultivators below Pseudo Celestials can enter this world? What kind of cultivators are they then? Could it be because of the restrictions that exist, which is why Celestials and those above can¡¯t enter this world? If that¡¯s the case, then these people pose no immediate threat. We could simply let Liu Zhengchu take care of them. After all, Liu Zhengchu is a veteran Celestial; handling a few Unity Phase Pseudo Celestials should be no problem, right? Just as Lu Chen was thinking this, he noticed that Liu Zhengchu mentioned in the letter that those Unity Phase cultivators came from a power known as the Linghu Sect. They are adept at formations, and even for a Celestial, it is difficult to gain an advantage against their arrays. Currently, there is only Liu Zhengchu in Great Jue, guarding the direction of Black Dragon Country, which has put immense pressure on him. That¡¯s why he wants Lu Chen to send a few Celestials to Great Jue to eliminate the invaders together. After some thought, Lu Chen felt that if they were struggling with Mu Yunxi¡¯s Supreme Soaring Dragon Array, it would be even harder to deal with an array constructed entirely by Unity Phase cultivators. It seems this trouble is rather significant. He had been planning to visit Fengyin Island, and had even had the ship prepared. But now, with this incident occurring, it looks like Fengyin Island will have to wait. The invaders from the Misty World must be dealt with first. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to Liang Zong, ¡°Find a way to get the Brocade Guard to gather detailed information about the Linghu Sect.¡± Liang Zong replied, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty!¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Lu Chen added, ¡°Additionally, have President Xia and Grand Scholar Xuanyuan proceed to Great Jue to assist General Liu against the invaders.¡± ¡°Commander Liang, go and convey my orders.¡± Liang Zong immediately bowed and said, ¡°Your subordinate takes his leave!¡± After Liang Zong had left the Imperial Study Room, Qin Yushan asked, ¡°Your Majesty, the great ship for Fengyin Island is ready. Will you be returning to Yan County, or will you still head to Fengyin Island?¡± They had originally planned to go to Fengyin Island, but now with the appearance of invaders from the Misty World in the west, Qin Yushan was unsure whether Lu Chen would still go to Fengyin Island. At this moment, Lu Chen himself was also conflicted. He always felt that Fengyin Island had something he needed, and he had long intended to visit. However, he had never found the opportunity. Now that the great ship was ready, if he didn¡¯t go, he didn¡¯t know when he would have another chance. Yet, he was very concerned that the three Celestials, including Liu Zhengchu, might not be a match for those invaders from the Misty World. Just then, Lu Chen sighed and subsequently said, ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s return to Yan County immediately. The voyage can be put on hold for now.¡± Qin Yushan immediately bowed and said, ¡°Understood, Your Majesty.¡± The Emperor¡¯s sea voyage is no simple matter; it inevitably involves extensive preparation, such as the great ship, as well as provisions for food, clothing, and lodging, and attendants to serve His Majesty. Now that Lu Chen was not going, those preparations would have to be put on hold, lest resources be wasted. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop here for tonight. Should there be any new intelligence, especially regarding the Misty World, inform me immediately.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, he used Shadow Shifting to vanish, and Qin Yushan said, ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen teleported back to Qianning Palace. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu had just dressed in a light blue cloud robe. As soon as Lu Chen returned, he pounced on her on the soft couch, and quickly undressed her once again. ¡°` Liu Qingqiu lay there looking at Lu Chen, curiously asking, ¡°Hiss¡­ The restrictions of the Misty World are gone?¡± As Lu Chen busied himself with his own matters, he replied, ¡°It¡¯s still unclear for the time being, but invaders from the Misty World have already come to this world. However, most of them are at the Unity Phase or below that,¡± he guessed. ¡°I suspect the restrictions haven¡¯t completely disappeared yet. For now, I guess cultivators above the Celestial level probably can¡¯t leave the Misty World.¡± By this time, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s interest had been piqued once again; she took a few deep breaths, ¡°Huff huff¡­ What do you plan¡­ to do?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°First, I¡¯ll send people to investigate. In a few days, I¡¯ll return to Yan County. If the people I send can¡¯t handle it, then I¡¯ll personally take care of it.¡± Liu Qingqiu asked, ¡°You¡­ hey¡­ aren¡¯t going¡­ gently¡­ to Fengyin Island now?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm, I¡¯m not going there for the time being. Let¡¯s deal with the invaders first.¡± Liu Qingqiu continued, ¡°You¡­ mm-hmm¡­ When can you¡­ catch that woman, Mu Yunxi?¡± Over the past few months, she had been spending almost all her time with Lu Chen, feeling like she had been thoroughly played by him to the point of truly becoming his female slave. Now she had completely lost the power to resist him; in fact, he didn¡¯t even need to force her, as her heart would be filled with the desire to initiate intimacy with Lu Chen. If this was love, she couldn¡¯t believe it herself; she just wondered if she had fallen, hence the thoughts that came to her. Regardless of whether she had fallen or not, she was very happy now, but she couldn¡¯t let go of Mu Yunxi, who had escaped. After serving Lu Chen for so long, Mu Yunxi, the woman caught alongside her, was out there enjoying her freedom. Since she and Mu Yunxi were allies, it was only natural to advance and retreat together. Now that she was so happy, of course, she had to share half of her happiness with her ally. She was a very generous woman; the thought of monopolizing Lu Chen all to herself had never crossed her mind. Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Why do you always keep thinking about her?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when she comes back later, I will certainly help you properly discipline her.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Let¡¯s continue with the important matters,¡± he continued. Now that the system no longer provided prompts for experience in cultivation techniques, Lu Chen, having entered the Heavenly Human Realm, had gradually learned to cultivate on his own without relying on the system. In just a few months, his strength had reached the fourth level of the Celestial rank. At this rate of improvement, it would take less than two years for him to potentially break through to the Genesis Realm. The only regret was that he had been nurturing his relationship with Liu Qingqiu almost every day for the past few months, yet the belly of this beautiful fairy still showed no reaction. It seemed that the higher the realm, the harder it was to conceive offspring. Now, it was just a matter of seeing what kind of system rewards the children borne by his pregnant wives and concubines could bring him. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s eager interest, Liu Qingqiu didn¡¯t say much more. She began to circulate the Mysterious Female Technique to absorb the spiritual power from Lu Chen¡¯s body. After an unknown amount of time, a prompt suddenly sounded in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. [Ding, congratulations to the host for the birth of an offspring, rewarded with the Sky-grade Spirit Sword, Godslayer Sword.] Huh? Hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen was somewhat stunned. He had not expected that with his wives giving birth this time, the reward would be a spiritual artifact, not some force? He had thought the system would award him some kind of force. Chapter 899 - Chapter 899: Chapter 589: The Confident Invader Chapter 899: Chapter 589: The Confident Invader After recovering his composure, Lu Chen quickly settled his emotions, ¡°A Spiritual Artifact it is, then. A Sky-grade Spirit Sword seems quite impressive too; its power must be enormous.¡± The Earth Rank Slayer Spear was already formidable, so the Sky-grade Godslayer Sword should be even more powerful. Perhaps, in the coming crisis, the Godslayer Sword could play a significant role. Meanwhile. Originally the capital of Black Dragon Country, Black Dragon City. Now, Black Dragon City had been occupied by the cultivators of the Linghu Sect, and everyone in Black Dragon City had no choice but to obey the commands of the Linghu Sect. Of course, the common people of the Black Dragon Country were utterly loyal to Lu Chen. Although it appeared that they surrendered to the Linghu Sect, they were merely pretending. From high-ranking officials to common folk, all of them tirelessly gathered intelligence on the Linghu Sect during their interactions and pooled this information together. It was then passed to Liu Zhengchu through the Brocade Guard. Currently, the former Black Dragon Empire Palace, now filled with cultivators from the Linghu Sect, was essentially empty as Liu Zhengchu¡¯s wives and children had already moved to Yan County. Inside the Hall of Political Affairs, a man dressed in a blue robe sat on the Dragon Throne. He glanced around at the other disciples from the Linghu Sect within the hall and laughed, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d get to experience what it¡¯s like to be an Emperor, hahaha.¡± The man sitting on the Dragon Throne was Lei Wende, the leading disciple of the Linghu Sect who entered this world. Upon entering this world, he immediately had people gather intelligence about this world and swiftly had the disciples of the Linghu Sect occupy the original territory of the Black Dragon Country. At that moment, a disciple below said, ¡°Brother Lei, why not simply declare yourself Emperor? Why bother supporting these mortals to be emperors? I always feel that these mortals aren¡¯t truly devoted to the Linghu Sect.¡± Hearing this, Lei Wende responded, ¡°We are disciples of a celestial sect; achieving enlightenment and becoming immortals are our pursuits. What good is there in being an Emperor?¡± ¡°Besides, even if I don¡¯t become the Emperor, the future emperors of the Black Dragon Country will still heed my words. If I command them to go east, they wouldn¡¯t dare go west.¡± Then, another disciple said, ¡°Brother Lei, we¡¯ve almost completely gathered the intelligence about the Tianchen Continent, what should we do next?¡± Lei Wende smiled and replied, ¡°That¡¯s simple; we first foster some strength to let this world recognize the presence of our Linghu Sect.¡± At that moment, another disciple of the Linghu Sect within the hall said, ¡°Brother Lei, according to the intelligence we have gathered, this world has Celestials, and the Sum Emperor seems quite daunting.¡± ¡°Once the Sum Emperor becomes aware of our presence, he will probably send Celestials to the Black Dragon Country immediately.¡± Hearing this, Lei Wende responded with nonchalance, ¡°Even if this world has Celestials, so what? The world is lacking in Spiritual Energy; it¡¯s yet to be seen whether those Celestials can exert their full strength.¡± ¡°And even if they possess the strength of Peak Celestials, in the face of our sect¡¯s Formation, they would only be suppressed.¡± ¡°Are you telling me you are scared because of a few Celestials?¡± Considering Lei Wende¡¯s words, the disciples of the Linghu Sect thought it over and it seemed to make sense; having just come from the Misty World, although Spiritual Energy was scarce in this world, they were still at full strength. And the Celestials of this world were merely struggling to survive; if those Celestials truly dare to come, even without using a Formation, their strength at the Unity Realm might just be enough to defeat those Celestials. At this moment, the disciples of the Linghu Sect were not at all concerned about Lu Chen and the Celestials from his faction; they indeed had the capability to back up their confidence. Back in the Misty World, the Formation built by the Unity Realm disciples of the Linghu Sect could suppress Heavenly Man Realm Cultivators; let alone the world¡¯s Celestials who struggled to absorb enough Spiritual Energy to unleash their power, why then would they fear these Celestials? Lei Wende rose from the Dragon Throne and said, ¡°We must rule this world before the bans dissolve. Only then can our Linghu Sect become strong enough to claim more territory. When the forces from the Misty World arrive in this world and want land, they will have to trade something with our Linghu Sect.¡± ¡°If we achieve this, then we will be the great heroes of the Linghu Sect!¡± Lei Wende¡¯s words instantly excited the disciples of the Linghu Sect present in the hall. These individuals were merely at the bottom of the Linghu Sect hierarchy, and if they truly accomplished such great feats, their treatment in the future might see a substantial improvement. Thinking about the rewards the Linghu Sect might give them, the disciples were especially invigorated. After the excitement of the disciples subsided, Lei Wende spoke again, ¡°I have decided to first send some people to Yan County to scout the situation. Those of you who wish to lead may volunteer.¡± Hearing this, a disciple of the Linghu Sect did not hesitate to step forward, ¡°Brother Lei, let me go!¡± Lei Wende glanced at the disciple who had stepped forward and then said, ¡°Good, since Brother Meng is so brave, this opportunity to distinguish yourself will be given to you. Later, pick a few disciples at the Unity Realm to go with you to Yan County.¡± ¡°Your mission there is simple: try to ally with those Celestial beings. If they are unwilling, then just eliminate them.¡± Meng Tian said, ¡°Yes, Brother Lei, I guarantee I will complete the mission.¡± At that moment, Lei Wende suddenly thought of something, and the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. ¡°I have heard that the Sum Emperor is fond of beauties. The harem is said to be filled with many beautiful concubines. Brother Meng, when you go to Yan County, remember to bring back a few for me. I would like to see if they are as breathtaking as the rumors suggest.¡± Hearing this, Meng Tian said with a smile, ¡°Rest assured, Brother Lei. Once I enter Yan County, the first thing I will do is enter the Imperial Palace to capture a few beauties for you.¡± Lei Wende said, ¡°Ah, but let¡¯s focus on the essentials first. Try talking to those Celestial beings, settle matters with the Celestials before anything else.¡± Meng Tian smiled and said, ¡°I understand, Brother.¡± Lei Wende then scanned the crowd in the hall once more, ¡°Alright, that will be all for today.¡± As soon as his words fell, Lei Wende left the hall immediately. Half a month later. Lu Chen returned to Yan County. Just like before, over the following days, he visited the chambers of each of his concubines. Once he had collected sufficient intelligence on the Linghu Sect, Lu Chen immediately convened the Great Court Assembly. Yan County, Hall of Political Affairs. Lu Chen sat on the Dragon Throne and began, ¡°Today¡¯s Great Court Assembly will be personally presided over by me.¡± At this point, the officials were mostly unaware of what was about to transpire in this world. Only the Brocade Guard and a few key officials knew about the Linghu Sect. People always fear the unknown, so Lu Chen had the Brocade Guard thoroughly investigate the situation regarding the Linghu Sect before he convened the Great Court Assembly to discuss how to deal with the Linghu Sect and the issues they might face going forward, and how the Great Sum should develop in the future. Chapter 900 - Chapter 900: Chapter 590: Why Do I Hear Someone Mentioning Me? Chapter 900: Chapter 590: Why Do I Hear Someone Mentioning Me? When the Hall of Political Affairs quieted down, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze swept over the entire hall once more, and then he began to speak. ¡°Today¡¯s Great Court Assembly is mainly to discuss how to deal with the invaders from the Misty World, as well as the issue of how Great Sum should confront the Misty World crisis in the future.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the ministers in the hall looked at one another as if they didn¡¯t understand what Lu Chen was talking about. Many ministers were completely unaware of the Misty World, some hadn¡¯t even heard the term ¡°Misty World.¡± They only knew of a mist-enshrouded area to the west. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Perhaps most of My loveable subjects do not know what the Misty World is?¡± At this point, Lu Chen said to the Jinyiwei Guard beside him, ¡°Explain to the loveable subjects the situation of the Misty World.¡± Hearing this command, the Jinyiwei Guard immediately replied, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°At the far western edge of this continent, there is a place shrouded in fog. Within that fog lies another world. Due to the existence of prohibitions, it is difficult for the people of the Misty World to enter ours.¡± ¡°Now that the prohibitions of the Misty World are about to dissipate, the cultivators from the Misty World will also be able to enter the world we inhabit.¡± ¡°Currently, the enemy of the Misty World has sent some invaders to our world, and they have now occupied the land once held by the Black Dragon Country, even propping up an emperor to overthrow Great Sum entirely.¡± After the words of the Jinyiwei Guard, the entire Hall of Political Affairs instantly became a tumult. Originally, most officials believed that after exterminating the Great Qian Dynasty, Great Sum would welcome a thousand years of peace because their Emperor was a Celestial at such a young age and could easily live for a thousand years. With Emperor Lu Chen, maintaining the stability of Great Sum for a thousand years without external enemies was not too difficult a task; but now, foreign enemies had appeared. It had been less than a year since Great Qian was vanquished when the foreign enemy arrived. At this moment, Lu Chen swept a glance over the agitated officials in the hall, undisturbed by their reaction. It was only natural for them to react this way when facing a formidable foe, just as they were about to welcome peace. Lu Chen then began to speak, ¡°The enemies of the Misty World are extremely powerful. For them, being a Celestial is merely the start of cultivation. Every power in the Misty World has hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of Celestials.¡± These words caused the officials in the hall to inhale sharply. Their world had only a few Celestials, but the Misty World had powers with thousands, even tens of thousands of Celestials. How could they possibly stand against the forces of the Misty World? Could it be that Great Sum was on the brink of ruin? The atmosphere in the entire hall became incredibly heavy, no one spoke any further, and all listened quietly to what Lu Chen would say next. Lu Chen then spoke indifferently, ¡°Although the enemies of the Misty World are incredibly powerful, we are not without hope. We already possess weapons capable of contending with Celestials.¡± This statement did not invigorate the officials in the hall. They of course knew Lu Chen had weapons to confront Celestials. It was none other than the Slayer Spear. But only Emperor Lu Chen possessed such a weapon. As the Emperor, he surely couldn¡¯t be expected to constantly go to the front lines of battle. What was most important was that Lu Chen was just one man. Even if Lu Chen¡¯s weapon could confront the Celestials from the Misty World, he could not confront everyone. Seeing the officials appearing quite pessimistic, Lu Chen did not mention the matter of the rune weapons. Now was not the time, and there was no need to divulge it just yet. At this point, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Since the enemies of the Misty World have already invaded, our focus for the upcoming work must shift towards how to resist the invaders, and our main efforts will also need to be adjusted accordingly.¡± At this moment, an official stepped forward and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t know if you plan to tell the common people about the enemy invasion from the Misty World?¡± Hearing this question, the ministers¡¯ gazes all fell upon Lu Chen, waiting for his response. This question was of great importance. If the news were to be told to the common people now, it might cause panic among them, leading to the world falling into disorder ahead of time. Moreover, this could also give the enemies that had always been lurking in the shadows an opportunity. They would surely find a way to make contact with the forces in the Misty World and then connive with those forces to the detriment of Great Xia. After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°I do not plan to disclose this news to the common people for now.¡± ¡°Although the enemies from the Misty World are strong, they are not invincible as long as we are properly prepared. I already have a plan to confront them. My beloved ministers need not worry too much. You only need to attend to your own responsibilities.¡± ¡°All right, let us move on to discussing changes in work priorities.¡± ¡­ After the Great Court Assembly ended, Lu Chen felt as if his body had been hollowed out; he always found presiding over the Great Court Assembly to be exhausting. Indeed, it was easier to delegate the work to others. But there was no choice; rights and duties were reciprocal. As the Emperor now, he enjoyed the privileges of an Emperor and thus must fulfill an Emperor¡¯s obligations. Right now, Lu Chen only wished that Crown Prince Lu Changfeng would grow up quickly, so he could help share the burden. Once the Great Court Assembly concluded, Lu Chen made his way directly to Wu Junwan¡¯s sleeping quarters. Since returning to Yan County, Lu Chen had not once visited Wu Junwan, which seemed like he was neglecting her. It wasn¡¯t that he truly neglected Junwan; he just felt somewhat guilty. Wu Ming¡¯s rebellion was somewhat related to him. Ever since the incident with the Wu Family, he had been informed by the Brocade Guard that Junwan appeared to be in low spirits. Junwan¡¯s belly was now significantly larger, and it looked like she wouldn¡¯t be long before giving birth. Perhaps influenced by the pregnancy, her mood had been rather downcast these days. Upon learning of Lu Chen¡¯s return, instead of feeling happy, Junwan had become even more dejected. Previously, Li Qingrou used to badmouth Lu Chen to Junwan every day, trying to drive a wedge between Lu Chen and Junwan, so she could then take Junwan away. But seeing Junwan grow more depressed by the day, Li Qingrou stopped speaking ill of Lu Chen. Not only did she refrain from speaking ill of him, but she would also frequently comfort Junwan, praising how good Lu Chen was. Even though she harbored some resentment towards Lu Chen in her heart, for Junwan¡¯s sake, Li Qingrou could only speak well of him. At this very moment, the room was filled with the fragrant vapor of incense. Junwan lay on the soft couch, turning her head to look at the door with an expression of utter despondence. Seeing Junwan like this, Li Qingrou cursed Lu Chen in her heart over and over again. Didn¡¯t he realize what he had done? Instead of comforting Junwan upon his return, he went to other concubines¡¯ quarters first. Li Qingrou was sitting by the couch, holding Junwan¡¯s jade hand and said, ¡°Junwan, don¡¯t be sad. Lu Chen has probably been very busy lately. Maybe he will come to you tonight.¡± Junwan did not speak, her gaze still fixed on the door. Seeing Junwan in this state, Li Qingrou sighed. How could that scoundrel still not have arrived? If he didn¡¯t come, she would go to the Imperial Study Room herself and drag him over! Just as Li Qingrou was thinking this, the door to Junwan¡¯s sleeping quarters slowly opened and a familiar voice came through. ¡°Why do I hear someone mentioning me?¡± Chapter 901 - Chapter 901: Chapter 591: Wu Junwan Resolves Her Inner Conflict Chapter 901: Chapter 591: Wu Junwan Resolves Her Inner Conflict After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Li Qingrou¡¯s momentum instantly surged uncontrollably. The faithless man had finally shown up, and Li Qingrou now wished she could chase after Lu Chen with a sword. However, she quickly restrained herself. Then, with a forced smile, she said, ¡°Junwan, you see, what did I tell you? Lu Chen has come, hasn¡¯t he?¡± The moment Wu Junwan saw Lu Chen, a glimmer appeared in her eyes. Seeing Wu Junwan¡¯s disheveled hair as she lay on the soft couch, Lu Chen suddenly felt that he had indeed gone too far. Even if he truly had to do this, he should have informed Wu Junwan beforehand. Setting a trap for the Wu Family¡¯s people without any notice probably made Wu Junwan feel that he did not trust her, or that he had some complaint against her. Lu Chen then approached Wu Junwan¡¯s bedside with a smile. As Wu Junwan was about to get up, Lu Chen quickly supported her and said, ¡°Junwan, just lie down.¡± Wu Junwan calmly said, ¡°I am pregnant and unable to attend to Your Majesty. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Junwan, what are you talking about? Even if I were a beast, I wouldn¡¯t do anything to you at this time. At this point, Li Qingrou thought of something and immediately said, ¡°Lu Chen, Junwan, I still have matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll leave first. You two take your time to talk.¡± As she spoke, Li Qingrou looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Lu Chen, you haven¡¯t come back for so long. You must have a lot you want to talk about with Junwan.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled. He had not failed to understand Li Qingrou¡¯s implication. Li Qingrou then turned and left. After Li Qingrou had left, Lu Chen hugged Wu Junwan¡¯s body and kissed her forehead as he said, ¡°Junwan, I find you more and more charming.¡± Wu Junwan paid no heed to Lu Chen¡¯s words but said, ¡°Your Majesty must have something to tell me, right?¡± Wu Junwan, too, could tell that Lu Chen was currently uneasy. Clearly, the matters concerning the Wu Family were making him feel this way. Lu Chen directly said, ¡°Junwan, I just remembered that before I left Yan County, I had given an order to the Brocade Guard to test whether the Wu Family¡¯s people still harbored thoughts of rebellion.¡± ¡°Unexpectedly, Wu Ming actually did rebel. I heard that because of this, your mood has been very low.¡± ¡°Alas, it is my fault. I shouldn¡¯t have let them test them. I should have understood sooner that human nature can¡¯t withstand such trials.¡± Lu Chen then gazed into Wu Junwan¡¯s beautiful eyes and continued, ¡°Junwan, won¡¯t you please not be angry with me?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Wu Junwan¡¯s face showed a hint of a smile, then she said, ¡°I have never been angry with Your Majesty. I just feel that perhaps you don¡¯t trust me, and that makes me a bit sad.¡± ¡°I know Your Majesty has always been wary of the Wu Family¡¯s people, thinking that they might revolt in the future, so it might be better to get rid of them directly.¡± ¡°Even if Your Majesty really intends to move against the Wu Family¡¯s people, I won¡¯t say anything.¡± Hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought that it was just as he had guessed; Wu Junwan was indeed upset because he had not informed her about the Wu Family¡¯s situation beforehand. Lu Chen then said, ¡°This was indeed my lack of consideration, and I won¡¯t do it again in the future.¡± Wu Junwan looked at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome, well-defined face and then said, ¡°Your Majesty, the fact that you have come to find me and talk about these matters reassures me.¡± Although she had been initially upset, the fact that Lu Chen had come to her to discuss these matters, and even apologized as the ruler of the nation, was proof enough of Lu Chen¡¯s affection for her. If Lu Chen had no feelings for her and considered her merely as a vessel, a plaything, then there would have been no need for him to discuss these matters with her, much less apologize to her. Lu Chen raised his hand, gently caressing Junwan¡¯s delicate face, and smiled, ¡°You are my wife, so naturally, I don¡¯t want to see you disheartened, always in low spirits.¡± At this point, Lu Chen leaned in and kissed Junwan¡¯s red lips, ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Junwan hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to kiss her at that time, but she didn¡¯t resist and tried her best to cooperate with Lu Chen. Junwan was pregnant now, and Lu Chen was merely kissing her, not doing anything too excessive. Even just a kiss, however, could deepen their affection. Lu Chen¡¯s kiss instantly dispersed the depressive emotions Junwan had harbored in her heart for months. At that moment, Li Qingrou outside the palace felt the developments inside and breathed a small sigh of relief, glad that her dear sister had finally returned to normal. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Li Qingrou to feel additional resentment toward Lu Chen. It was all because of him that the sisters had ended up in their current predicament. After a little while, Li Qingrou sighed softly. It was done, everything was set now, Junwan was soon to bear Lu Chen¡¯s child, and that¡¯s how it would be from now on. Although Lu Chen was a bit of a philanderer, he was decent in all other respects; she hoped he wouldn¡¯t make Junwan sad in the future. As Li Qingrou was thinking this, Junwan suddenly spoke, ¡°Qingrou, come inside.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Qingrou was stunned. But she still opened the door and re-entered the bedroom, Li Qingrou asked in confusion, ¡°Junwan, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Junwan smiled and said, ¡°Qingrou, I¡¯m pregnant and can¡¯t tend to Lu Chen. You take care of him tonight.¡± This¡­ Just as Li Qingrou was about to say something, Lu Chen said to Junwan, ¡°Junwan, what do you mean by this? Do you really see me as someone who must have a woman attend to him at night to be able to sleep?¡± Junwan laughed and said, ¡°Well, you do put on quite a show. Don¡¯t you remember how you treated Qingrou in my bedroom before?¡± After clearing her emotional block, Junwan¡¯s whole demeanor became much more cheerful. She didn¡¯t mind at all the matter between Lu Chen and Li Qingrou. On the contrary, she wanted to take this opportunity to help Li Qingrou alleviate some of her yearning. Lu Chen visited other women, just not their place. Now that he was finally here, she thought she might as well let him dote on Li Qingrou for a change. Junwan¡¯s comments made Lu Chen somewhat embarrassed. He had come to comfort Junwan, and now Junwan was asking him to be intimate with another woman. How could that be okay¡­ At that moment, Junwan continued, ¡°Your Majesty, if you are unwilling, then you should go to some other sisters¡¯ palace tonight.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, he had figured out Junwan¡¯s intentions, and promptly said, ¡°Alright, alright, I agree.¡± Seeing Lu Chen agree, the beautiful woman Li Qingrou was astonished. What does this mean? She hadn¡¯t even spoken, and they had already decided her fate for the night? Before Li Qingrou could react, her body suddenly lost control, her voluptuous and delicate figure flew straight into Lu Chen¡¯s arms. Lu Chen let Li Qingrou sit on his lap, and whispered in her ear, ¡°Qingrou, I¡¯m a Celestial now. Would you like to try the strength of a Celestial?¡± Chapter 902 - Chapter 902: Chapter 592: I Have a Heavenly-level Cultivation Technique Here Chapter 902: Chapter 592: I Have a Heavenly-level Cultivation Technique Here Li Qingrou had always been a woman who refused to admit defeat, and even in the Great Jue¡¯s Imperial Palace, after being subdued by Lu Chen, she was still trying to find a way to overcome him, to turn the tables and subdue him instead. But Li Qingrou had never succeeded. At that time, she was already a Celestial, while Lu Chen was still a Pseudo Celestial. Now that Lu Chen had become a Celestial, and her own strength had not grown much, how could she possibly be his opponent? Every time she thought about Lu Chen being a Celestial, Li Qingrou felt some fear in her heart, but out of respect for Wu Junwan¡¯s face, Li Qingrou eventually lay down beside Wu Junwan. However, that guy Lu Chen really didn¡¯t show any mercy. Despite Wu Junwan being right there, he had no scruples whatsoever, and caught her for a round of relentless torment. Li Qingrou did not want to show her weak side in front of Wu Junwan and tried to suppress Lu Chen in return, but in the end, she still failed. After who knows how long, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and slightly reduced the intensity, saying to Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan, ¡°I have a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill that is very suitable for your practice.¡± Upon hearing this, both women were startled. A Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill? For real? Lu Chen has a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill? Although they had never seen a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill, they were very clear about the importance of such a skill, for even in the Misty Immortal Sect, there was only an Earth Rank Cultivation Technique available. Lu Chen immediately transmitted the Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill to the two women; with a burst of blue light entering their foreheads, the contents of the Mysterious Female Technique became known to them. Upon seeing the content of the Mysterious Female Technique, Li Qingrou¡¯s face revealed a strange expression. Why did she feel this Mysterious Female Technique wasn¡¯t exactly a proper Cultivation Technique? Although the Mysterious Female Technique was unlike the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, which required joint cultivation by men and women, she still had the feeling that this technique also needed a man. Lu Chen slightly lowered his head to look at Li Qingrou, who was lying on the bed, and said with a smile, ¡°Qingrou, why don¡¯t you try running the Mysterious Female Technique and see if it suits you?¡± Hearing what Lu Chen said, and seeing that despicable smile on his face, Li Qingrou knew there was definitely something amiss with this technique. No wonder this guy was so kind to impart a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill to them; he had ulterior motives. However, Li Qingrou didn¡¯t think too much about it. She closed her eyes and started running the Mysterious Female Technique straight away; the next moment, Spiritual Power began to flow rapidly within her body. Hm? Li Qingrou suddenly understood something, and she immediately opened her phoenix eyes, only to see Lu Chen with an expression of enjoyment on his face. Seeing this scene, Li Qingrou pursed her lips; it was just as she had suspected. She knew this guy was not well-intentioned. It turned out that their cultivation of the Mysterious Female Technique could also bring benefits to him. But that being said, the Mysterious Female Technique, as a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill, was worthy of its name. She could feel the Spiritual Energy around her rushing into her body at a rapid pace, and her own Sea of Spirit grew at a visibly fast rate. At this rate of growth, it wouldn¡¯t take long for her strength to break through to the second layer of the Celestial Realm. It was just a pity that the Spiritual Energy in this world was too sparse; were she in the Misty World, with a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill, perhaps in less than a year¡¯s time, her Realm could break through to the Genesis Realm. Seeing that Li Qingrou¡¯s beautiful eyes were fixed on him, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Qingrou, how is it? This Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill suits you two, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Li Qianrou¡¯s cheeks were flushed with a reddish hue, and her beautiful eyes were misty. She snorted coldly and said, ¡°I knew you were up to no good.¡± Although she said this, Li Qianrou did not interrupt the practice of the Mysterious Female Technique, and her body continued to circulate it. At this time, Wu Junwan, who was nearby, asked, ¡°Your Majesty, is there some kind of movement in the Misty World?¡± Wu Junwan also held real power, so she had noticed the changes taking place in the Misty World. When he heard Wu Junwan bring up this matter, Lu Chen was taken aback. He had actually wanted to inquire about the former status of Wu Junwan and the others¡¯ sect in the Misty World. But the moment he thought that he had come to comfort Wu Junwan tonight, if he mentioned the Misty Immortal Sect now, and if Wu Junwan thought he was doing it for the sect¡¯s sake rather than her own, wouldn¡¯t that make her even more sad? So, he simply chose to say nothing. However, Wu Junwan brought it up on her own initiative. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Hmm, although the barriers of the Misty World have not yet dissipated, forces from there have already entered our world, and have even occupied the territory of the former Black Dragon Country, planning to support a new Emperor and rebuild the Black Dragon Country.¡± Hearing this, Li Qianrou asked, ¡°Then¡­, huh¡­ What do you plan to do, Your Majesty?¡± While attending to his tasks, Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve arranged for three Celestials to go to Great Jue. At present, the strongest among those who come from the Misty World are merely Unity Realm cultivators. I hope Liu Zhengchu and the others can handle them.¡± Wu Junwan expressed her concern, ¡°Your Majesty, although the cultivators who have come only have the strength of the Unity Realm, the spiritual energy of the Misty World is abundant, so the capabilities of these Unity Realm cultivators are not to be underestimated. Besides, most forces have their own special formations they excel in; three Celestials may not be a match for them.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Huh¡­ I know. Originally, I was planning to go to Fengyin Island, but I returned to Yan County immediately after hearing about this incident. If Liu Zhengchu and the others are no match for those invaders, I will take action myself.¡± At this point, Lu Chen asked, ¡°By the way, you two have been to the Misty World before, so do you know of a force called the Linghu Sect?¡± The mention of ¡°Linghu Sect¡± caused both women to pause, clearly indicating they were familiar with the force. Wu Junwan said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it. The Linghu Sect is considered a mid-tier power in the Misty World, and furthermore, when Qianrou and I were in the Misty World, we were even pursued and targeted by disciples of the Linghu Sect.¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, said, ¡°So it seems, these people are also old enemies of mine? Daring to target my two wives, I will have to give them a proper welcome.¡± ¡°Do not worry, my two wives, I will avenge you for sure.¡± Hearing these words, warmth surged in the hearts of both women. Although they knew this man was simply flattering them with sweet words, they were currently taken in by it. At that moment, Li Qianrou said, ¡°Huh¡­ Now that cultivators from the Misty World have¡­ mmm¡­ arrived in this world, doesn¡¯t that mean the barrier is about to disappear?¡± ¡°The Misty World is not just home to the Linghu Sect.¡± The Misty World was a vast space with unstable dimensions, and its true size was unknown to Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan. Despite the years they had spent there, they had never fully explored it. There were a great many forces in the Misty World, and it was constantly receiving individuals from other worlds as well. Once the barrier disappeared, those forces from the Misty World would surely come to this world. Although the laws of this world were incomplete, it was, after all, safe. In a place like the Misty World, where spatial instability reigned, one risked being torn apart by space itself, even if they did nothing but stay in one spot. Upon hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s reminder, a smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face as he understood what she meant. Chapter 903 - Chapter 903: Chapter 593: I Can Spare Your Honored Masters Life Chapter 903: Chapter 593: I Can Spare Your Honored Master¡¯s Life Once the prohibitions of the Misty World disappear, the Tianchen Continent will become fish on the chopping block, and all powers of the Misty World will rush in to fight for territories. The hard-won unity of Great Xia will once again be divided. Li Qingrou reminded Lu Chen that the Misty World holds many powers, her intentions being to tell him that Great Xia is in imminent danger, on the eve of a tumultuous upheaval. Lu Chen was of course aware of the situation in Great Xia, but he still had confidence in himself. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Junwan, where does our Misty Immortal Sect rank among the powers of the Misty World?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°According to what we know, Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s strength should be the strongest in the entire Misty World.¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°If you want to resist the powers of the Misty World, joining the Misty Immortal Sect is the best choice for you.¡± ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what kind of power is backing you, for now, until that power behind you can intervene in this world, you joining the Misty Immortal Sect is the only way to oppose other powers of the Misty World.¡± Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan harbored no fondness for the Misty Immortal Sect, even though they were once its disciples. But now, under these circumstances, once the prohibitions of the Misty World are lifted, and without the support of a substantial power behind Lu Chen, Great Xia will soon be divided up entirely. Although Great Xia will still be divided even if Lu Chen joins the Misty Immortal Sect, the presence of the sect will deter those powers from going too far, and Great Xia will be able to retain more land. As a spokesperson for Misty Immortal Sect, Lu Chen would not face any life-threatening danger. Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled lightly, ¡°Qingrou, are you worried about me?¡± Li Qingrou snorted coldly, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to see Junwan¡¯s child born without a father.¡± Continuing, Li Qingrou said, ¡°I and my Honored Master hold some status within the Misty Immortal Sect too, if you¡¯re willing to turn to the Misty Immortal Sect, we can seek help from our master.¡± ¡°However, if you think you have the strength to contend against the entire Misty World, then just ignore what I¡¯ve said.¡± Li Qingrou could not overlook Lu Chen¡¯s intentions, which clearly showed no interest in seeking refuge in any power. Li Qingrou¡¯s suggestion was just a casual one, providing Lu Chen with a possible choice. As for what Lu Chen chooses to do, that would be his own affair. In any case, even if Great Xia were carved up by those powers, she and Wu Junwan could still seek help from their former Honored Master. While they might not be able to save Great Xia, keeping their lives and Lu Chen¡¯s safe would not be an issue. At that moment, Lu Chen bent down to whisper in Li Qingrou¡¯s ear, ¡°Qingrou, you really are worried about me. It seems you¡¯re starting to care more and more about your darling husband.¡± Li Qingrou ignored Lu Chen¡¯s words; she was trying to discuss serious matters, and yet he was treating it like a joke, not taking it seriously at all. If he didn¡¯t care, then so be it¡ªas if she had never said anything. Just then, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°I will not seek refuge in the Misty Immortal Sect; I am not accustomed to living under someone else¡¯s roof.¡± ¡°Once Great Xia pledges allegiance to the Misty Immortal Sect, it loses its independence; everything about Great Xia will be decided by the Misty Immortal Sect, and I will only be a puppet of the Misty Immortal Sect, a dog of the sect.¡± Lu Chen knew very well that the method suggested by Li Qingrou was a good one. If he pledged allegiance to the Misty Immortal Sect, he could avoid many troubles. Let those powers fight over territories; he and his wives could live a comfortable life. The mission of uniting this world was already completed, and he had successfully broken through to the Heavenly Human Realm. If he truly wished to be a ruler who shirked his responsibilities, it was not impossible. With a hardened heart, he could disconnect from everything in this world. But Lu Chen was not one to play the lapdog for others, and he still had his own power within the Misty World. Who was to say he had no chance at all? Most importantly, Wu Junwan, Xue Linglong, and Bai Qingqing were all carrying his children. Once these three children were born, perhaps the system would offer even more generous rewards. He has a system, why should he fear these natives? Just do it. Being someone¡¯s lapdog is never a good thing; in his harem, each of his wives and concubines is as beautiful as flowers. He truly cannot believe that the cultivators of Misty Immortal Sect wouldn¡¯t be interested in his wives and concubines. What if those cultivators demanded that he hand over his wives and concubines for their pleasure? As a puppet Emperor, would he hand them over or not? As a man, he definitely couldn¡¯t tolerate this. Thus, personal strength was of utmost importance. Only with his own strength could he protect the people around him. There¡¯s no point in looking for backing; he is his own support. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan didn¡¯t feel surprised at all. They both knew very well what kind of person Lu Chen was. However, this meant that war between Great Sum and Misty World was inevitable, and the pressure on Lu Chen would become immensely huge. At this moment, Li Qingrou, as she watched the figure moving about before her, suddenly felt a strange sensation. She was once an Empress, so she understood very well the pressure borne by an Emperor when facing a formidable enemy. But just as Li Qingrou was feeling empathy, Lu Chen suddenly spoke up, ¡°By the way, what kind of person is your mentor?¡± ¡°With Misty Immortal Sect set to invade this world, a conflict between Great Sum and Misty Immortal Sect will inevitably occur. When the time comes, I might spare your mentor¡¯s life.¡± Upon hearing these words, Li Qingrou let out a laugh. This guy was already so confident of Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s defeat¡ªtruly arrogant. Wu Junwan replied from the side, ¡°Our mentor is probably already in the Yin-Yang Realm by now. She is very beautiful and has an exceptional aura. She is the fairy many Sect disciples admire.¡± Li Qingrou took a deep breath, ¡°Sigh¡­ Junwan, why do you tell such things to this lecher¡­ Sigh¡­ What if our mentor catches his eye?¡± Hearing Li Qingrou¡¯s words, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t said that, I might not have been interested in your mentor. But now, I am quite curious to see just how beautiful she is.¡± Li Qingrou said, ¡°Just¡­ Alas¡­ With your Heavenly Human Realm power, even if you met our mentor, you couldn¡¯t possibly be her match.¡± Lu Chen said nonchalantly, ¡°Just a Yin-Yang Realm.¡± Seeing Lu Chen speak so brazenly, both women immediately had a bad feeling. Was this guy actually thinking of targeting their mentor? He didn¡¯t even care about the Yin-Yang Realm; could it be that the force behind him could actually interfere with this world? The two women had long concluded that Lu Chen was a young master from a Cultivation Family and that he had a powerful force behind him. Lu Chen was merely here in this world for training. They were most worried that the force behind Lu Chen couldn¡¯t intervene in time, which was why Li Qingrou had earlier suggested that Lu Chen seek the support of Misty Immortal Sect. If the power behind Lu Chen could intervene, then indeed, there was no need to seek refuge with Misty Immortal Sect. Seeing that Lu Chen didn¡¯t regard Misty Immortal Sect highly, the two women thought that the force behind Lu Chen would step in to help him. At this moment, a thought suddenly arose in both their minds simultaneously. If the force behind Lu Chen really made a move, wouldn¡¯t their mentor be in danger? Once their mentor fell into the hands of this bad guy, would her fate not be the same as theirs? Chapter 904 - Chapter 904: Chapter 594: Su Hanyan Chapter 904: Chapter 594: Su Hanyan Misty World. In a certain bamboo house, surrounded by a fragrant aroma, a beautiful woman dressed in a purple long dress was meditating in cultivation. The beautiful woman had a plump figure and a graceful demeanor, with flesh where it should be and slimness where it should be slim, exuding the temperament of a mature woman. At that moment, the voice of a female disciple sounded from outside. ¡°Elder Su, the Sect Master requests your presence for an important matter!¡± Su Hanyan said indifferently, ¡°I understand.¡± Afterward, Su Hanyan opened her beautiful eyes, slowly got up, and flew towards the main peak of the Misty Immortal Sect. In a short while, Su Hanyan arrived at the Meeting Hall of the Misty Immortal Sect, where the Elders of the Sect had already assembled. When Su Hanyan arrived, the man seated in the central main position in the hall spoke, ¡°According to the information obtained by this Sect Master, the Linghu Sect has found a way to reach the Tianchen Continent, and they have already dispatched people there.¡± Upon hearing this, the hall immediately erupted in discussion. ¡°The prohibition hasn¡¯t even lifted yet, and they have sent people into the Tianchen Continent. By the time the prohibition disappears and we enter, won¡¯t the entire Tianchen Continent already belong to the Linghu Sect?¡± ¡°No, we must also find a way to send disciples to the Tianchen Continent to seize territory early.¡± ¡°Strange, the prohibition is still in place; how did they manage to send people to the Tianchen Continent?¡± ¡­ After the Elders in the hall discussed for a while, the Misty Immortal Sect Master Han Yuankai then spoke, ¡°From the information obtained by this Sect Master, it seems that the Linghu Sect has found a spatial rift, and it was through that rift that they went to the Tianchen Continent.¡± ¡°Although it is possible to reach the Tianchen Continent through the rift, due to the existence of the prohibition, they can only send disciples at the Unity Realm there.¡± Upon hearing this, an Elder said, ¡°Even though only Unity Realm disciples can be sent, the Tianchen Continent itself is scarce in Spiritual Energy. There probably isn¡¯t even a single Celestial throughout the entire continent. It may take only a few months for the Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples to rule over the entire land upon entering the Tianchen Continent.¡± At that moment, Han Yuankai¡¯s gaze fell on Su Hanyan, ¡°Junior Sister, you have been to the Tianchen Continent before; please share your experiences there.¡± Su Hanyan began, ¡°Although Spiritual Energy is scarce in the Tianchen Continent, there are a few Celestials there; however, due to the paucity of Spiritual Energy, it¡¯s hard for the Celestials of the Tianchen Continent to fully exert their strength.¡± ¡°But these Celestials should be able to delay the Linghu Sect¡¯s occupation of the entire land.¡± Then a female Elder said, ¡°Even if there really are Celestials in the Tianchen Continent, just as Elder Yu has said, they won¡¯t be able to exercise their full strength due to the scarcity of Spiritual Energy, making them no match for the Unity Realm disciples of the Linghu Sect.¡± ¡°Furthermore, it will take at least another twenty years for the prohibition to disappear. By the time we enter the Tianchen Continent twenty years later, the entire continent might already belong to the Linghu Sect.¡± ¡°Therefore, I propose that we directly attack the Linghu Sect and force them to reveal the location of the spatial rift, allowing us to send our Sect disciples into the Tianchen Continent earlier. Only by doing so can we seize a considerable amount of land.¡± No sooner had the female Elder finished speaking than the other Elders in the hall expressed their agreement. ¡°I agree with Elder Yan¡¯s words too; we can¡¯t wait until the Tianchen Continent is occupied by others before we enter.¡± ¡°Waiting for other forces to get a head start will make it even more difficult for us to wrestle territory away from them in the future.¡± ¡°Sect Master, let¡¯s attack the Linghu Sect now and force them to give up the location of that spatial rift.¡± ¡­ After a moment of silence, Han Yuankai then said, ¡°Elders, return and make preparations. In two days, we attack the Linghu Sect!¡± Upon hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, the Elders immediately stood up, bowed with their hands clasped and said, ¡°Yes, Sect Master!¡± Then, everyone left the Meeting Hall, and Su Hanyan didn¡¯t linger either. She turned to leave, and just as she was about to exit the doorway, Han Yuankai suddenly said, ¡°Junior Sister, wait a moment.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan stopped in her tracks. After the other Elders had left the hall, Han Yuankai walked up behind Su Hanyan and asked, ¡°Junior Sister, I remember that you once took in two disciples from Tianchen Continent.¡± Su Hanyan turned around and asked indifferently, ¡°That¡¯s right, but after the restrictions loosened, I sent them both back to Tianchen Continent.¡± ¡°Why does Senior Brother ask about them?¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°The two of them have decent talent, and they are natives of Tianchen Continent. For my plan, I would like Junior Sister to hand them over to me.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan¡¯s beautiful eyes lifted, and her expression instantly became extremely cold. ¡°Senior Brother, the two of them are my Direct Disciples and also members of the Misty Immortal Sect. Is this how you treat our Sect¡¯s Disciples?¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°Junior Sister, compassion for women does not benefit us in any way, have you forgotten how we were initially ostracized to this world?¡± ¡°Besides, those two women are just mortals from a lower world; why do you value them so much?¡± Su Hanyan immediately said, ¡°If Senior Brother wants someone from Tianchen Continent for some purpose, you can directly find other women from Tianchen Continent. Senior Brother should stop eyeing my Disciples, I will never agree to it.¡± As her words fell, Su Hanyan turned and left. Clearly, she was truly angered. Han Yuankai watched Su Hanyan¡¯s retreating figure, his face showing no displeasure. Even if Su Hanyan disagreed, he would not abandon his plan. He had only informed Su Hanyan, not seeking her consent. Once the restrictions disappeared, he would immediately secretly dispatch someone to capture that woman to be his Furnace Cauldron. After returning to her own mountain peak, Su Hanyan looked extremely serious. She knew her Senior Brother¡¯s character very well; whatever he said, he would surely do, and it was unlikely he would stop because of a word from her. She had to find a way to warn her two disciples to find a place to hide. Thinking of this, Su Hanyan gazed at the distant mist, looking in the direction that connected Tianchen Continent with the Misty World, and she couldn¡¯t help but wonder how her disciples were doing now and whether their strengths had improved. Initially, she had some regrets about sending the two of them away; she had only taken in those two Direct Disciples. But today, after hearing her Senior Brother¡¯s words, she felt somewhat relieved that she had sent them back. Otherwise, her Senior Brother would probably have already made a move on her two disciples. ¡­ Half a month passed by in the blink of an eye. During this half-month, Lu Chen had been teaching his wives how to cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique, and now all of them had learned this Cultivation Technique, with the wicked woman already beginning to cultivate it. The teaching during this period almost overwhelmed Lu Chen, the ¡°man of steel.¡± It must be said that the creator of the Mysterious Female Technique was truly formidable, to have developed such an exhausting cultivation method. After enjoying it, Lu Chen also began to focus his energy on his work. These days, Lu Chen spent most of his time in the Imperial Study Room dealing with government affairs. Lu Chen found that he had never enjoyed handling government affairs so much. His wives, though they had learned the Mysterious Female Technique, were still no match for him, but he couldn¡¯t withstand their number. At this very moment, as Lu Chen thought back on the absurd things he had done over the past half-month, a wry smile appeared on his face. Just then, the voice of a female guard sounded from outside. ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Liang requests an audience!¡± Chapter 905 - Chapter 905: Chapter 595: Has the Sum Emperor Fallen Out with Other Celestials? Chapter 905: Chapter 595: Has the Sum Emperor Fallen Out with Other Celestials? Upon hearing the voice of the female guard at the door, Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Come in.¡± The next moment, Liang Zong entered the Imperial Study Room. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities. What¡¯s the situation in Black Dragon City?¡± Liang Zong¡¯s recent work had been focused on monitoring the movements of the Linghu Sect, and since he had come, that meant those from Linghu Sect must be stirring. Liang Zong immediately handed over the intelligence report in his hand to Lu Chen and then said, ¡°The Linghu Sect has sent people to Yan County, and they are inquiring everywhere about the whereabouts of Great Sum Celestials, apparently intending to visit these Celestials and win them over.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen let out a laugh. They want to win over his people? How ludicrous. Lu Chen then opened the envelope brought by Liang Zong and glanced at the intelligence inside. At this time, Liang Zong asked, ¡°Your Majesty, should we just eliminate those people directly?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Those who have come are masters of the Unity Realm, I¡¯m afraid that you of the Brocade Guard are not their match.¡± Hearing this, Liang Zong felt somewhat ashamed; although he had become a Grandmaster himself, there was still a significant difference between a Grandmaster and a Pseudo Celestial. Moreover, the Brocade Guard didn¡¯t have many Grandmasters at present, most were not even Grandmasters, so if the Brocade Guard were tasked with dealing with those disciples from the Linghu Sect, naturally, they wouldn¡¯t have the strength. Lu Chen thought for a moment, and then said, ¡°I¡¯ve thought of something interesting.¡± ¡°Try to arrange for someone to contact the disciples of the Linghu Sect, claiming you are the disciples of a certain Celestial, and that your master is very interested in their Linghu Sect.¡± Hearing this, Liang Zong instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intent; Lu Chen planned to lure all those disciples of the Linghu Sect and then capture them in one fell swoop. Liang Zong immediately bowed and said, ¡°Understood. I will see to it immediately.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no rush, take your time with this matter. If you act too hastily, it might arouse their suspicion.¡± If Liang Zong and his people were too eager, the disciples of the Linghu Sect would surely become alert. Such a matter needed a certain degree of deliberate withholding to succeed. Liang Zong immediately responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I will handle this matter well.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and continued, ¡°Do this: have the Brocade Guard spread the rumor that I¡¯ve recently had a falling out with President Mu, and that President Mu is contemplating leaving Yan County to retreat into the solitude of the mountains.¡± ¡°All right, you may go attend to your duties.¡± Since those from the Linghu Sect wanted to win over the Celestials of this world, then might as well actively create the opportunity for them. Once they hear that the Emperor has had a falling out with a Celestial, they will definitely send someone to contact Mu Hongguang immediately. Liang Zong immediately grasped Lu Chen¡¯s meaning, ¡°I will take care of it right away.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± Liang Zong then left the Imperial Study Room and swiftly carried out Lu Chen¡¯s orders. By the afternoon, the streets and alleys were already abuzz with rumors about the Emperor Your Majesty and Mu Hongguang¡¯s fallout. Yan County, the old city. In a tavern, there were some men dressed in strange attire; from their clothes, it was clear that they were not locals of Yancheng. Their accents didn¡¯t sound like those from Yan County either. These men were very bold, drinking and chatting in the tavern as if they didn¡¯t care at all about whether someone might discover their identities. At this moment, at the table next to these men, some people were discussing something. ¡°Hey, hey, have you heard? Our Emperor has fallen out with that Celestial from Taichu Academy.¡± ¡°Really? What could their conflict be about?¡± ¡°Who knows? Maybe it¡¯s because the Emperor promised him something, and then Taichu Divine Hall sided with His Majesty. Now that the world is united, perhaps His Majesty didn¡¯t keep his original promise.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. His Majesty couldn¡¯t possibly be that kind of person!¡± ¡°In my opinion, it¡¯s that head of Taichu Academy whose ambitions are too great. He wants too much, and His Majesty couldn¡¯t satisfy him, which is why they¡¯ve fallen out.¡± ¡°Exactly, that must be it.¡± ¡°What are we going to do then? If this Celestial has fallen out with His Majesty, won¡¯t that likely lead to another war?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just one Celestial, what is there to worry about? His Majesty¡¯s power has far surpassed that of any Celestial by now.¡± ¡­ After overhearing the conversation from the next table, a disciple of Linghu Sect was taken aback, and at that moment, Meng Tian immediately gave a gesture to one of the disciples to go over. The disciple quickly sat down at that table and then said with a smile, ¡°How do you know that His Majesty has fallen out with the Celestial from Taichu Academy? It couldn¡¯t be just rumors you heard somewhere, could it?¡± Upon hearing this, the person who brought up the matter couldn¡¯t help it and immediately said loudly, ¡°How could it be rumors? The Emperor has already dismissed the President of Taichu Academy. The afternoon newspapers are all talking about it; this clearly must be true.¡± Seeing how agitated that person was, the disciple from Linghu Sect just smiled faintly and then said, ¡°Well, even if that¡¯s true, how do you know that His Majesty¡¯s strength is stronger than that of the Celestials?¡± The person replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? If not for His Majesty himself taking to the field, how could he possibly have defeated the kingdoms of Great Jue and Great Qian with their Formations? And if His Majesty¡¯s power weren¡¯t strong enough, why would those Celestials have sided with Him?¡± ¡°So His Majesty¡¯s power must be far superior to that of those Celestials. Only then can He keep those Celestials in check.¡± The disciple from Linghu Sect smiled faintly, ¡°You make some sense.¡± With that, the disciple from Linghu Sect didn¡¯t waste any more time talking nonsense with them and turned directly to the table where the disciples from Linghu Sect were sitting. At that time, a disciple of Linghu Sect said to Meng Tian, ¡°Brother Meng, what do you think? Should we try to win over this Celestial who has fallen out with the Sum Emperor next?¡± Meng Tian¡¯s lips curved up slightly, and then he said with a smile, ¡°The heavens are really handing us opportunities. We just arrived in Yan County, and the Sum Emperor has already had a fallout with one of the Celestials. If we can win over this Celestial, maybe we can directly eliminate the entire Great Sum.¡± Another disciple from Linghu Sect then said, ¡°Brother Meng, I always feel there¡¯s some truth to what those mortals said. The Sum Emperor must be no simple character, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been able to keep so many Celestials under control.¡± Meng Tian said dismissively, ¡°No matter how formidable, what can he do? The world¡¯s Spiritual Energy is thin; even if he is at the Tenth Layer of Heavenly Man, he can only display the strength of two or three layers at most.¡± ¡°If we can win over the Celestials by his side, and then combine them with the Formations of Linghu Sect, killing him would be effortless.¡± Hearing Meng Tian¡¯s words, the disciples of Linghu Sect all nodded their heads, feeling that he made a lot of sense. They all became excited for a moment, not expecting their luck to be so good. They had just arrived in Yan County, and they encountered the Sum Emperor falling out with a Celestial. If they could eliminate the Sum Emperor and then support another Puppet Emperor, would not the whole of Great Sum fall into the hands of Linghu Sect? Chapter 907 - Chapter 907: Chapter 597 I am the Daxia Emperor you wish to remove! Chapter 907: Chapter 597 I am the Daxia Emperor you wish to remove! After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Meng Tian pondered for a moment. If they could truly persuade the Sum Emperor to defect to the Linghu Sect, then all their problems would be solved. But the key issue was that the Sum Emperor had just unified the entire Tianchen Continent, becoming a great, unified Emperor. How could you expect him to defect to the Linghu Sect and become a puppet? It was hardly conceivable that he would agree to such a demeaning proposition. Furthermore, there was another problem. Even if the Sum Emperor did defect to the Linghu Sect, it might not be a true defection. It was very likely that the Sum Emperor would pretend to defect, while secretly conspiring with other forces from the Misty World to deal with the Linghu Sect. Therefore, the best approach might actually be to eliminate the Sum Emperor and then select a puppet emperor, one that the Linghu Sect could support ascending to the throne. A puppet they installed would not find it as easy to conspire with other forces in the Misty World as the Sum Emperor could. Hearing Meng Tian¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought to himself, it seems the cultivators of the Misty World are not so easily fooled. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Perhaps you could give it a try.¡± At this moment, Meng Tian sized up Lu Chen before saying, ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious. According to the rumors, you and the Sum Emperor have had a falling out. How come you are still speaking on behalf of the Sum Emperor now?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I did indeed have a falling out with the Sum Emperor, but it has not reached the point where it¡¯s a matter of life and death. Moreover, once the Sum Emperor dies, this world is likely to dissolve into chaos once more.¡± Upon hearing this, Meng Tian snorted with laughter, ¡°With the Linghu Sect here, even without the Sum Emperor, we can maintain the unity of this world. You don¡¯t need to worry about that.¡± Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Now that I have joined the Linghu Sect, I have a few questions about it. Would you be willing to enlighten me?¡± Meng Tian¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, his impatience apparent as he asked, ¡°What questions?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I would like to know where the Linghu Sect ranks in terms of power within the Misty World?¡± Upon hearing this question, Meng Tian did not answer immediately but rather gave Lu Chen a quick glance. After a moment, Meng Tian finally spoke, ¡°It seems you are not firmly committed to joining the Linghu Sect.¡± Lu Chen replied calmly, ¡°Since I have joined the Linghu Sect, I ought to know about the strength of the force I am joining.¡± Meng Tian responded, ¡°Rest assured, the Linghu Sect ranks among the top three in power within the Misty World. Besides the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, no other force would dare to provoke the Linghu Sect.¡± Continuing, Meng Tian added, ¡°Although the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect are stronger than the Linghu Sect on the surface, we have more Celestials than both these sects. If it really came to a fight, those two sects might not necessarily be a match for our Linghu Sect.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was reassured. So, the Linghu Sect is not as strong as his own Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. That meant there was no issue. Thereupon, Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Does the Linghu Sect have any strong practitioners at the Yin-Yang Realm?¡± Meng Tian answered without hesitation, ¡°Of course there are. Without strong practitioners at the Yin-Yang Realm, how could we possibly stand against the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect?¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± At this point, Meng Tian suddenly came to a realization. He immediately looked at Lu Chen with a wary eye and then asked, ¡°How do you know about the Yin-Yang Realm?¡± Just now, this old man didn¡¯t even know about the Genesis Realm, and it was Meng Tian himself who had informed him about it; he certainly hadn¡¯t mentioned that above the Genesis Realm was the Yin-Yang Realm. So how could the words ¡°Yin-Yang Realm¡± have slipped out of this old man¡¯s mouth? As soon as Meng Tian finished speaking, the other disciples of the Linghu Sect also became alert, eyeing Lu Chen as if ready to take action at any moment. Lu Chen said lightly, ¡°Though I have never left this world, I still know a few things about the Cultivation World.¡± Meng Tian said, ¡°Impossible! You must have made contact with other forces from the Misty World. Old man, come clean, what is the name of the force you¡¯ve been in touch with?¡± Meng Tian thought that if their Linghu Sect could come to this world through a spatial rift, then there was no reason other sects or forces couldn¡¯t have come to this world through spatial rifts before them. Perhaps other forces have already passed through the spatial rifts to this world from the Misty World, and might even be ahead of them. This was hardly good news for them. Seeing how cautious Meng Tian and the others were, Lu Chen felt there was no longer any need to beat around the bush. In his eyes, Linghu Sect was insignificant, even less so than the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect; there was nothing to fear. What Lu Chen was most worried about now was the Misty Immortal Sect. The strength of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect ought to be similar, and when the time came to take action, it was uncertain which sect would have the greater chance of victory. At this point, Lu Chen stood up from the stone bench. Seeing Lu Chen rise to his feet, Meng Tian and the others immediately retreated a few steps, adopting a stance ready for attack. Lu Chen then used the Yin Yang Mirror to change his appearance, and in a flash, he reverted to his original look. When they saw it was a young man who had spoken to them and that he had used Disguise Skills, Meng Tian and the others immediately realized they had been deceived¡ªthe person in front of them was not Mu Hongguang. Meng Tian frowned and said, ¡°Who are you? Why did you impersonate Mu Hongguang?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Daxia Emperor whom you all are eager to remove!¡± Upon hearing this, Meng Tian and the others gripped their swords tightly. What! The Daxia Emperor? This man is actually the Daxia Emperor! The Daxia Emperor even knows about the Yin-Yang Realm¡ªhe really is no ordinary person! Meng Tian immediately had a bad feeling; he suspected that this Sum Emperor might actually be a puppet emperor supported by other forces. Otherwise, how could such a powerful emperor appear in a lower world, one who not only unified the entire continent but also made all Celestials bow before him? Afterward, Meng Tian said, ¡°It truly is unexpected that there are forces that infiltrated this world even earlier than we did!¡± ¡°Which sect do you belong to?¡± Lu Chen no longer pretended and directly answered, ¡°Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Meng Tian said, ¡°As expected!¡± He had wondered how a person from this world could know about the Genesis Realm above the Yin-Yang Realm; turns out this guy was actually from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. If he was from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, then there was nothing more to say; they needed to kill this man so that Linghu Sect could take control of Great Sum. Thinking of this, Meng Tian laughed and said, ¡°It is truly unexpected to have caught such a big fish.¡± If they could eliminate the Sum Emperor, this disciple of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, and wrest Great Sum from them, they would surely be rewarded upon returning to Linghu Sect. Although the strength of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was greater than Linghu Sect, Linghu Sect was not afraid of them; they had always been competitors. Lu Chen casually remarked, ¡°Oh? You¡¯re that confident?¡± Meng Tian replied with a sneer, ¡°I assume you¡¯ve been in this world for quite some time now. The Spiritual Energy here is sparse, and even if you are now a Celestial, you can¡¯t exert the full strength of a Celestial.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Tian shouted loudly, ¡°Form up!¡± Chapter 909 - Chapter 909: Chapter 599: Come to Your Masters Room Tonight Chapter 909: Chapter 599: Come to Your Master¡¯s Room Tonight The palace, filled with a fragrant aroma, saw three women seated on the ground, among them Yun Xianxian, clad in snow-white garments, had her eyes closed, deeply immersed in meditation. At that moment, the palace suddenly experienced fluctuations in spiritual power, and a figure appeared beside the three women. Seeing that it was Lu Chen who had returned, Lin Wanyun immediately stood up and said, ¡°This servant greets Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Wanyun, you¡¯re being formal with me again.¡± Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman¡¯s face flushed with redness. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then shifted to Yun Xianxian, who was meditating beside them. As always, her celestial aura was evident, her exquisite features and pale skin radiated an icy chill that inevitably made one harbor thoughts of conquest. At that moment, Yun Xianxian opened her eyes, and upon doing so, she noticed Lu Chen staring intently at her. Yun Xianxian scoffed internally, disapproving of her disciple¡¯s covetous gaze towards her once again. Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Honored Master, have you come down the mountain because of the situation in the Misty World?¡± Yun Xianxian replied indifferently, ¡°As your master, I have sensed a spatial rift in the Misty World, and it is likely that the cultivators from there have already arrived in this world.¡± Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°So, are you suggesting, Honored Master, that you have come to Yan County specifically to protect me as your disciple?¡± Yun Xianxian responded coldly, ¡°You are overthinking it. I am merely here to see if any cultivators from the Misty World come directly causing you trouble. If so, I intend to capture a few of them and question them.¡± Yun Xianxian planned to travel to the Misty World as soon as its prohibitions lifted, so she needed to ascertain the current situation there. Being the sole emperor of the Tianchen Continent, the supreme ruler, Lu Chen would undoubtedly be the first target should the Misty World¡¯s cultivators arrive here. They would either persuade Lu Chen to align with the forces of the Misty World or eliminate him to install another emperor, a strategy all too familiar to Yun Xianxian from her extensive knowledge of sect machinations. Thus, she intended to wait patiently and deal with those sect forces as they approached. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s reason, Lu Chen said, ¡°Then you should have arrived earlier. I just dealt with several cultivators from the Misty World at a Taoist temple outside Yan County.¡± Huh? Yun Xianxian was momentarily stunned, having not expected the people of the Misty World to contact Lu Chen so swiftly. Regaining her composure, Yun Xianxian inquired, ¡°Did you gather any information?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°The invaders from our world belong to a force known as Linghu Sect; their members claim that the Linghu Sect¡¯s power ranks third in the Misty World.¡± Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°Anything else?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°That¡¯s all. Those were merely disciples of the Linghu Sect, nothing of significant intel.¡± ¡°Oh yes¡­¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen took out two spirit stones, ¡°Honored Master, I confiscated these spirit stones from them, take them and absorb their power!¡± Seeing the spirit stones in Lu Chen¡¯s hands, Yun Xianxian¡¯s heart skipped a beat; having ended up in this world, it had been a long while since she had last seen spirit stones or absorbed sufficient spiritual energy; her condition had constantly been in a state of spiritual power deficiency. As Yun Xianxian waved her hand, the two Spirit Stones in Lu Chen¡¯s hand flew into Yun Xianxian¡¯s hand. However, she didn¡¯t immediately absorb the Spiritual Power within the stones but stared into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Only two Spirit Stones?¡± Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t believe that the cultivators from the Misty World who came to this world brought only two Spirit Stones. This rebellious disciple must have had more Spirit Stones on him. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Just two. There were a few more, but I have already absorbed them, so only two are left.¡± Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen¡¯s answer, but she didn¡¯t press further. It was good enough that this rebellious disciple knew to offer her two Spirit Stones, so she didn¡¯t feel the need to demand more. Yun Xianxian then absorbed the Spiritual Power from the two Spirit Stones in her hand. Though they were merely low-grade Spirit Stones, the Spiritual Power they contained compensated for a good deal of time she would have spent gathering energy. At that moment, something occurred to Lu Chen, so he continued, ¡°By the way, Honored Master, the disciples of Linghu Sect have taken over Black Dragon City and are planning to support the rise of a new Emperor there.¡± ¡°Although everyone they sent is below the Heavenly Human Realm, I believe others among them must have brought Spirit Stones too, since the Spiritual Energy in this world is scarce, and they need Spirit Stones to replenish their Spiritual Power.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian immediately saw through his little scheme and said expressionlessly, ¡°You want me to help you eliminate all those invaders from the Misty World?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a win-win situation? You could get the Spirit Stones, and this world could also develop in peace for a while.¡± Yun Xianxian then asked, ¡°Do you really think you can contend with those sects from the Misty World?¡± Yun Xianxian was eager to know whether the power behind Lu Chen would actually come to his aid in times of danger. The cultivation families often sent their exceptional descendants to lower-grade worlds to gain experience, but to ensure their safety, they surely had various safeguards in place. The moment any of those descendants were harmed or in mortal danger, those cultivation families would certainly intervene. By now, Yun Xianxian and Liu Qingqiu had concluded that Lu Chen was indeed the scion of some cultivation family. Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s question, Lu Chen unhesitatingly said, ¡°Honored Master, rest assured, the day the prohibition of the Misty World vanishes is the day it becomes territory of the Great Sum Country.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s confidence, Yun Xianxian remarked, ¡°You seem very confident. It looks like the forces behind you are prepared to take action.¡± Lu Chen only smiled, offering no explanation. He was aware that Yun Xianxian and the others had misunderstood him, thinking he was a prince of some cultivation family. Let them misunderstand; it didn¡¯t affect him much. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°All right, in a few days, I will go to Black Dragon City myself and deal with those invaders from the Misty World.¡± ¡°However, I should make it clear in advance. If anyone stronger than the Heavenly Human Realm appears, I will not intervene.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, please rest assured. The prohibition has not yet disappeared, so the Linghu Sect can only send Disciples of the Unity Realm or below to invade our world. I believe Disciples of the Unity Realm should pose no difficulty for you.¡± Lu Chen had wanted to visit Black Dragon City himself, as he was quite interested in those Spirit Stones. But he remembered his primary task, which was procreation. Before long, the prohibition of the Misty World would disappear. He needed to prepare more as, although Wu Junwan and his three wives were already pregnant, it was uncertain what reward the system would offer. So, he had to father more children. At that moment, Yun Xianxian glanced at Lu Chen. Somehow, he seemed increasingly handsome and ethereal in her eyes¡ªshe found herself attracted to a man in such a way for the first time. Yun Xianxian quickly curbed her thoughts and then said icily, ¡°Come to your master¡¯s room tonight. I need to heal my injuries.¡± Chapter 910 - Chapter 910: Chapter 600: These Two Rebels! Chapter 910: Chapter 600: These Two Rebels! In response to Yun Xianxian¡¯s request, Lu Chen was always willing to oblige. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°All right, your disciple will definitely come.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Yun Xianxian closed her beautiful eyes and said, ¡°Okay, go on with your business.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then your disciple will take his leave.¡± As his voice fell, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze landed on Chen Wanrong, who was wearing a tight-fitting, purple cloud dress that clung to her body, her slender waist stark against the curves of her hips. ¡°Rongrong, come with me, I have something to ask you.¡± No sooner had Lu Chen spoken than Yun Xianxian furrowed her brows; she knew all too well what Lu Chen was up to. In broad daylight, Chen Wanrong had only just arrived from the Mysterious Moon Palace, and this ungrateful disciple was already thinking of indulging in pleasures. Although Yun Xianxian felt a strange sense of annoyance, she refrained from commenting. After all, Chen Wanrong was now married to Lu Chen and was his wife. Although she was their Honored Master, she could not possibly interfere in such matters. Chen Wanrong did not immediately stand up. She glanced at Yun Xianxian who was meditating beside her, and with a detached voice, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Go.¡± Only then did Chen Wanrong stand up and slowly make her way to Lu Chen. Just as she approached Lu Chen, he eagerly pulled her into his embrace and, with a Shadow Shifting move, he left the room and entered the one next door. No sooner had he placed the Cold Fairy Chen Wanrong on the soft couch than he eagerly seized her red lips with a kiss, ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chen Wanrong did not resist. She had anticipated that Lu Chen would do this and now felt no power to defy him; whatever Lu Chen wanted to do was fine with her. After kissing for a while, their lips slowly parted, and Chen Wanrong¡¯s pretty face flushed, her eyes brimming with affection and her consciousness slightly muddled. Lu Chen then said with a smile, ¡°Rongrong, I have a cultivation technique here that¡¯s particularly suitable for you to practice. Would you like to try it.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong was taken aback. She had thought Lu Chen brought her to this room for some joyful activity, not expecting that he merely wanted to transfer a technique to her. Realizing she had been thinking too much, Chen Wanrong¡¯s face grew even rosier. Ever since she had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, every encounter with him made her think of intimate matters, and it had become a habit. She felt she was being led astray by Lu Chen. Coming back to her senses, Chen Wanrong finally asked, ¡°What cultivation technique?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s a Heavenly-level cultivation skill called the Mysterious Female Technique.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Chen Wanrong was momentarily stunned. A Heavenly-level cultivation skill? Lu Chen continued, ¡°I¡¯ll pass it on to you first; after you see the content of the technique, you can decide whether to practice it or not.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen directly transmitted the Mysterious Female Technique to Chen Wanrong. A blue light entered her forehead, and the contents of the technique were received by her. When Chen Wanrong saw the contents of the Mysterious Female Technique, her cheeks flushed even more. She seemed to understand why Lu Chen wanted her to practice this particular technique. The Mysterious Female Technique appeared to be related to intimate activities. It seemed she hadn¡¯t been overly imaginative; this naughty fellow still wanted to enjoy her company. Lu Chen then whispered into Chen Wanrong¡¯s ear, ¡°Rongrong, do you want to practice this technique?¡± How could Chen Wanrong not understand Lu Chen¡¯s implication? She whispered back, ¡°Mhm, I¡¯ll practice.¡± Upon hearing her consent, Lu Chen did not hesitate and kissed Chen Wanrong¡¯s mouth again. Soon, the sounds from Chen Wanrong could be heard by Yun Xianxian, who was next door meditating and cultivating. Yun Xianxian frowned; Lu Chen was truly beyond redemption. Although Dual Cultivation could also improve strength, it seemed Lu Chen devoted all his energy to it. She didn¡¯t remember ever seeing Lu Chen cultivate by himself. Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t see that Lu Chen was just indulging himself under the pretense of cultivation; he never truly cultivated seriously. But then again, this guy possessed the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, a dual cultivation technique, so he didn¡¯t really need to cultivate arduously. For some reason, Yun Xianxian suddenly felt that her own arduous cultivation was a joke. Yun Xianxian quickly adjusted her emotions and continued to meditate and cultivate. However, as the sounds from the next room grew louder, Yun Xianxian completely lost the mood to cultivate. These two traitors! They must be doing it on purpose! Especially Chen Wanrong, who usually appeared pure and elegant, like a fairy, but became a wailing ghoul the moment she was with that traitor Lu Chen. At that moment, Yun Xianxian suddenly opened her eyes, and a chill emanated from her body, instantly freezing the entire room; even Lin Wanyun was startled for a moment. But Lin Wanyun understood why Yun Xianxian was furious, with Lu Chen and Chen Wanrong making such unrestrained noise in the next room, how could Yun Xianxian focus on cultivation without getting angry? Hearing the sounds from next door, Lin Wanyun¡¯s cheeks also began to burn with a faint blush. Just then, Yun Xianxian¡¯s gaze suddenly fell on Lin Wanyun, and seeing the beautiful woman¡¯s shy expression, Yun Xianxian scoffed and said, ¡°What, do you also want to go next door?¡± Lin Wanyun hastily replied, ¡°Honorable one, I don¡¯t have such thoughts.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I see you do want to go, if you really want to, you can go now.¡± Of course, Lin Wanyun had no intention of going at this time, so she did not move. After a while, as the commotion next door continued, Yun Xianxian suddenly had the thought, could it be that this traitor was deliberately using this method to provoke her? With that thought, Yun Xianxian sneered, did this traitor really think he could get away with such a method? How laughable. Then, Yun Xianxian closed her eyes again and quickly used spiritual power to block her ears. For a moment, all the sounds around her disappeared, and Yun Xianxian continued to cultivate in peace¡­ as if¡­ Just thinking about her two traitorous disciples doing such shameless acts next door, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t bring herself to cultivate at all. She didn¡¯t know what was going on, but lately, she had been restless, and would inadvertently think of that traitor. Yun Xianxian suspected that this was probably the influence of the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. When she had cultivated with Lu Chen in the past, she had felt somewhat out of control, and each time it became harder to restrain herself. It was most likely the effect of the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, she had heard that if a couple cultivated together using a dual cultivation skill, their feelings would become stronger and they would become more inseparable. Considering this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s brows furrowed. Could it be that after being influenced by the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, she had developed a fondness for that traitor? At this thought, Yun Xianxian felt utterly disturbed. How could she develop a fondness for such a lustful disciple? This was unacceptable; she had to calm herself down and rid herself of Lu Chen¡¯s influence. If she continued like this, it was very possible that she would develop inner demons. To the current Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen had become an emotional tribulation, and she had to overcome this emotional trial. Chapter 911 - Chapter 911: Chapter 601: You Really Are Our Honored Masters Good Disciple Chapter 911: Chapter 601: You Really Are Our Honored Master¡¯s Good Disciple Lu Chen and Chen Wanrong did not care what Yun Xianxian in the next room thought. They had not seen each other for so long, and Chen Wanrong had already accumulated a massive amount of longing for Lu Chen. She needed Lu Chen to respond to her feelings. After one cultivation session after another, Chen Wanrong lay exhausted in Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, her head resting on his chest, appearing entirely like a delicate woman. Seeing Chen Wanrong in such a worn-out state, Lu Chen smiled slightly, then raised his hand to tidy the fairy¡¯s hair. At that moment, Chen Wanrong began to speak, ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Before she could finish, Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°Rongrong, don¡¯t be so formal.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong paused, taken aback, and then softly said, ¡°Okay¡­ big brother¡­¡± Lu Chen chuckled at that, and after laughing, he caressed Chen Wanrong¡¯s jade back and said, ¡°It seems I¡¯ve truly dazzled you, now even calling me ¡®big brother¡¯?¡± Suddenly realizing what she had said, Chen Wanrong¡¯s already flushed face turned even redder, her snowy neck covered with a burst of red clouds. Chen Wanrong then buried her head in Lu Chen¡¯s chest and continued in a soft voice, ¡°Dar¡­ darling¡­¡± Seeing the Cold Fairy¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen suddenly felt an urge again, but he restrained the impulse within him and did not continue to tease Chen Wanrong. At that moment, Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°Honored Master plans to head directly to Misty World once the restrictions there disappear.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was not surprised. The spiritual energy in Misty World was abundant, and even if the world they were in was to recover its spiritual energy, it might not match the density of spiritual energy in Misty World. Going to Misty World for cultivation was indeed a good choice. Then Chen Wanrong continued, ¡°If she goes to cultivate in Misty World, you might never see her again.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was taken aback as he seemed to understand why Chen Wanrong brought up Yun Xianxian at this moment. Lu Chen then asked with a smile, ¡°Rongrong, are you worried that your darling I won¡¯t have a chance with Honored Master later?¡± Chen Wanrong did not answer, falling into silence, which obviously meant she agreed. Lu Chen continued, ¡°You really are a good disciple of our Honored Master.¡± ¡°If Honored Master knew you thought this way, I wonder what her reaction would be.¡± Chen Wanrong said softly, ¡°Honored Master has long developed feelings for you.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s woman, how could she not discern what Yun Xianxian felt for Lu Chen? Saying she needed Lu Chen to recover her strength was actually just her having feelings for Lu Chen. Yet, Yun Xianxian, having lived for so long, could suppress some of her desires. Furthermore, when at Mysterious Moon Palace, Yun Xianxian would always speak of ¡°that rebel¡± with Lu Chen being on her lips as the rebel, yet her heart was continuously longing for him. If this was not love, then what is? Chen Wanrong did not wish for Yun Xianxian to truly part from Lu Chen either. She had heard Yun Xianxian say that the Cultivation World was vast, harboring countless worlds. Once a pair of Dao companions were separated, they might never meet again in this lifetime. Chen Wanrong thought if Yun Xianxian went to Misty World, and one day suddenly passed through a spatial rift to another world, then there would no longer be a possibility for Yun Xianxian and Lu Chen. So, Chen Wanrong planned to give Lu Chen another push, to make him take some initiative. If Lu Chen wasn¡¯t proactive, given Yun Xianxian¡¯s personality, she was likely not to take the initiative either. Then, the two of them might never end up together, Hearing Chen Wanrong¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°I also know she has feelings for me, but she has always been restraining her own thoughts. Moreover, her strength surpasses mine, and she has always suppressed me. In the past, I was never able to take the initiative in front of her.¡± Chen Wanrong said, ¡°Darling is now a Celestial, and his strength is comparable to hers. She should no longer be able to suppress you.¡± Lu Chen smiled, then said, ¡°Since my dear Rongrong has said so, I will give it a try tonight.¡± To be honest, Chen Wanrong had long wanted to conquer Yun Xianxian, this cold and abstinent fairy, but never had the opportunity. To be honest, Lu Chen was also somewhat worried about what Chen Wanrong had said. If Yun Xianxian really ran off to the Misty World, he and Yun Xianxian might really never have a chance in the future. Through their long interaction, Lu Chen had felt that Yun Xianxian was different from his other wives and concubines. Although Yun Xianxian¡¯s favorability towards him had long reached one hundred percent, her Dao Heart was very stable. Even if she liked him, she could still harden her heart to abandon her romantic feelings for him. Therefore, he must establish a mate relationship with her before she ran off to the Misty World, entirely becoming her man. Only in this way, might he have a chance to keep Yun Xianxian. Of course, even then, Yun Xianxian might ultimately leave him, but that wasn¡¯t important. What mattered was whether Yun Xianxian became his woman. As long as she became his woman, he might be able to locate her through the system in the future. If he didn¡¯t establish a relationship with Yun Xianxian and she truly ran off to another world, they might indeed never meet again in this life. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chen Wanrong finally breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that Lu Chen would keep dragging his feet, never taking the initiative, expecting their Honored Master to make the first move. Since Lu Chen had agreed, then tonight¡¯s event was likely to succeed, and by tomorrow morning, their Honored Master would become Lu Chen¡¯s woman. After being affectionate for a while, Lu Chen left Yunrong Palace and went to the Imperial Study Room to deal with affairs, not staying until evening. When evening came, Lu Chen returned to Yunrong Palace, where Yun Xianxian was still meditating in her room. Like during the day, she was still unable to calm her mind. She was strenuously trying to regain her composure, but her inner thoughts were in complete disarray. Just then, she sensed that Lu Chen had come to Yunrong Palace. Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t help thinking that since she couldn¡¯t force her heart to calm down, she might as well try Dual Cultivation. Maybe cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill together could stabilize her Dao Heart. Of course, the cultivation she was contemplating was not the same as Lu Chen did with his wives and concubines, but a face-to-face meditation, just like before, stimulating certain thoughts in Lu Chen and then activating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. With that thought, Yun Xianxian opened her eyes, waved her hand, and the next moment, the door of her room opened. Following that, Lu Chen felt a powerful force pulling his body inside. However, now that Lu Chen was a Celestial, Yun Xianxian could not pull him over as easily as before. Feeling the force upon him, Lu Chen simply curved up the corners of his mouth and did not resist, letting the force pull him inside. The next moment, Lu Chen appeared in front of Yun Xianxian. Yun Xianxian glanced at Lu Chen, who was not wearing the Dragon Robe then but was dressed in white clothes, looking very handsome and ethereal. Chapter 912 - Chapter 912: Chapter 602 What have you done to your master! Chapter 912: Chapter 602 What have you done to your master! After glancing at Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian suddenly felt her heartbeat quicken, and the spiritual power within her grew more chaotic. She hastily channeled her power, trying to calm the restless spiritual power in her body, then waved her hand to close the door. She turned to Lu Chen and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin.¡± After Yun Xianxian¡¯s words fell, Lu Chen remained standing still without moving. Seeing that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t moved, Yun Xianxian slightly stunned, then said, ¡°What, don¡¯t you want to help your master regain her strength?¡± Yun Xianxian thought that perhaps this fellow, having broken through into the Celestial Realm and possessing an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact, felt he could match her and thus was no longer afraid. He might have decided not to be a tool any longer. While Yun Xianxian was thinking this, Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Honored Master, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you recover your strength; I greatly desire to help you.¡± ¡°The barriers of the Misty World are about to dissolve; I heard that once the barriers of the Misty World dissolve, Honored Master, you are planning to cultivate there.¡± ¡°The Misty World is dangerous, with many beings Above Celestials. With your current strength, Honored Master, you would definitely face many dangers; your disciple is highly concerned about your safety.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian was puzzled, not understanding what Lu Chen wanted to say. She directly said, ¡°Just say what you want to say; don¡¯t beat around the bush in front of me.¡± Lu Chen directly said, ¡°My meaning is if the Honored Master really plans to go to the Misty World, it would be better to fully recover your strength before you go. That way, even if you encounter dangers, you will have a better chance of safety.¡± Yun Xianxian still didn¡¯t comprehend Lu Chen¡¯s intention, but she didn¡¯t care either. Indifferently she said, ¡°This has nothing to do with you. There¡¯s no need to discuss these matters with your master.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°How can it have nothing to do with me? You are the Honored Master I respect the most. If anything happened to you, your disciple would surely be heartbroken.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen still hadn¡¯t disclosed his real intention, Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. ¡°What exactly are you trying to say?¡± Looking into Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Your disciple wants to help you regain your strength quickly, so that even if you go to the Misty World, your disciple can be at peace.¡± Nonplussed, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Since you¡¯re saying you want to help your master regain strength, what are you still standing there for?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Your disciple feels that our previous method of restoration was too slow. Honored Master, you surely know the true method of using the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. I wish to use the complete Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill to help you restore your strength.¡± With Lu Chen saying this much, how could Yun Xianxian not understand his thoughts? A blush tinged her cold, frosty face as she angrily rebuked, ¡°Rebel! Do you know what you are saying?¡± Unfazed, Lu Chen said, ¡°Your disciple is fully aware of what he is saying.¡± Yun Xianxian continued to scold, ¡°You dare to betray and annihilate your ancestor!¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Honored Master exaggerates. Your disciple merely wishes to help you regain your strength quickly; how has this become a betrayal and annihilation of the ancestor?¡± With her pale purple eyes fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s, Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t even think about it; it is absolutely impossible for me to engage in such improper conduct with you!¡± Yun Xianxian had known for a long time that Lu Chen desired her body, but initially, she thought she could suppress Lu Chen and didn¡¯t take it too seriously, only to find he had so swiftly advanced to the Celestial Realm. With Lu Chen growing more independent, it was natural he would again have thoughts of betraying. But Yun Xianxian would never agree; she did not want to be entangled in karma with Lu Chen. She always felt that Lu Chen¡¯s origins were not simple. If she got involved with him, she would never be able to escape this karma in her lifetime, not to mention possibly inheriting this karma for eternity. In response to Yun Xianxian¡¯s refusal, Lu Chen wasn¡¯t concerned. He had anticipated such a reaction from her, but today he was not going to indulge Yun Xianxian as he had in the past. He had to make Yun Xianxian his woman tonight. Some matters couldn¡¯t be delayed. If he didn¡¯t succeed today, Yun Xianxian might discover his true intentions and possibly run away to hide, making it much harder to find her later. Lu Chen gazed into Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, his voice laden with emotion, ¡°Honored Master, from the bottom of my heart, I adore you and truly wish to aid in swiftly restoring your power. I implore you to grant this disciple an opportunity.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen was persistent, Yun Xianxian knew she had to either drive him away today or end up being overpowered by this rebellious disciple. Yun Xianxian said directly, ¡°Get out! I no longer need your help to restore my power!¡± It was as if Lu Chen hadn¡¯t heard Yun Xianxian¡¯s words; he remained standing in place, motionless. With Lu Chen still not leaving, the flush on Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy face deepened, signaling that the detestable rebel was determined to take advantage of her tonight. No, this will not do. This fellow is already a Celestial, and most importantly, he possesses an Earth Grade Spiritual Artifact. If it really comes to blows, she might not come out on top. If this guy won¡¯t leave, then she will have to do it herself. With that thought, Yun Xianxian stated, ¡°Since you refuse to leave, then I shall leave instead.¡± No sooner had she spoken than she rose from the bed, planning to slip away. But just as she was about to make her move, Lu Chen suddenly acted, seizing her slender wrist. Yun Xianxian hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to dare make a move on her directly. Yun Xianxian immediately said, ¡°Rebellious disciple! What are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t release me this instant, I won¡¯t be polite to you!¡± Lu Chen, smiling, replied, ¡°Honored Master, if you truly were to strike at this disciple, I would bear no grudge or regret.¡± ¡°You!¡± Seeing that Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t let go, Yun Xianxian was out of options. She thus prepared to gather her Spiritual Power, and then use ice to restrict Lu Chen¡¯s movements. But at that moment, Yun Xianxian suddenly discovered an issue¡ªher Spiritual Power seemed to have disappeared as if it had never existed, leaving her indistinguishable from an ordinary person. This¡­ What¡¯s going on? Panic flashed across Yun Xianxian¡¯s noble countenance. Since arriving in this world, she had never experienced a state where her body¡¯s Spiritual Power was completely sealed. She didn¡¯t even know what could have caused it. Yun Xianxian looked at Lu Chen, slightly panicked, and said, ¡°What¡­ what have you done to your master! Why has all my Spiritual Power dissipated!¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Disciple has done nothing.¡± As he spoke, a slight smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face. He then said, ¡°Honored Master, could it be that you¡¯re overtaken by desire, unwilling to leave this disciple, and so you¡¯re pretending that your Spiritual Power has dissipated to provoke me into striking?¡± Chapter 913 - Chapter 913: Chapter 603: Honored Master, Do I Look Like a Fool to You? Chapter 913: Chapter 603: Honored Master, Do I Look Like a Fool to You? Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian became even more ashamed and angry. How could she really be as lustful and indulgent as Lu Chen suggested? She was not that kind of woman. Although her spiritual power had been sealed, Yun Xianxian still had some skill in hand-to-hand combat, and she suddenly launched another fist towards Lu Chen. However, to Lu Chen, a Celestial being, the current Yun Xianxian posed no threat at all. Lu Chen simply extended his other hand and immediately grasped Yun Xianxian¡¯s fist. Yun Xianxian wanted to continue struggling, but at that moment, Lu Chen subtly shifted his footing, causing Yun Xianxian¡¯s entire body to fall onto the soft couch, with his body following suit, pressing directly on top of Yun Xianxian¡¯s soft form. This time, Yun Xianxian was truly panicked. Her spiritual power had suddenly vanished, and this rebellious disciple had completely restrained all her movements. If things continued like this, she feared she would soon become this rebel¡¯s woman. Yun Xianxian looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and threatened angrily, ¡°Rebel, I am¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by Lu Chen. Laughing, he said, ¡°Honored Master, no matter which world you come from or what power you belong to, tonight I must have you. Nothing you say will change that.¡± Yun Xianxian immediately scolded, ¡°You! Scoundrel!¡± Having said this, Yun Xianxian began to twist her body, vainly trying to break free from Lu Chen¡¯s control. However, now with both hands under Lu Chen¡¯s control, she could not move at all. Seeing the saintly white-haired fairy in front of him, Lu Chen was already struggling to contain himself. Every move Yun Xianxian made only intensified his desire to conquer her. Lu Chen immediately pinned Yun Xianxian¡¯s arms to both sides of her head and then slowly leaned down. As his face drew closer to hers, Yun Xianxian became even more frantic. The usually cold fairy had now lost all her pretenses. Suddenly, Yun Xianxian thought of something and quickly said, ¡°I can be your woman, but I have one condition.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen paused, looked into Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°What is the condition you speak of, Honored Master?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I¡¯m not ready yet, so wait a little longer and then¡­¡± Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Honored Master, do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± ¡°The meat is already at my mouth, and you expect me to hold back?¡± ¡°Do you truly think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking? You plan to flee from Yan County as soon as I let you go and then hide somewhere, right?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had easily seen through her plan, Yun Xianxian felt a sense of despair. She knew her excuse might not be useful, but it was the only one she could find. This rebel had made up his mind to do that with her, and now, apart from delaying for time, what else could she do? The most crucial part was she had no idea how her spiritual power had vanished; she didn¡¯t even know when she had been tricked. Lu Chen had merely touched her, and she had been unable to use her spiritual power. She had never heard of such a technique in the Cultivation World before; she had only heard of drugging someone to cause them to lose their skill. Once again, Lu Chen slowly moved toward Yun Xianxian¡¯s thin lips. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s nose about to touch hers, Yun Xianxian hastily said, ¡°I admit defeat, but if I am to die, at least let me die with clarity. I don¡¯t understand how you managed to seal my spiritual power without me noticing.¡± ¡°Just tell me how you did it, and I will let you do as you please with me.¡± Of course, Lu Chen knew Yun Xianxian was stalling for time, but he wasn¡¯t in a rush. Given the current situation, Yun Xianxian was unlikely to escape. Lu Chen lied, ¡°Because we have cultivated the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill together, once you¡¯ve cultivated it with me, we become spiritual partners. Your spiritual power cannot harm me, and whenever you try to attack me, it will seal itself inside you.¡± Yun Xianxian immediately said, ¡°Impossible, how can such a cultivation technique exist in this world!¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°This isn¡¯t a cultivation technique from this world!¡± Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°Such a¡­ doesn¡¯t exist in the cultivation realm either.¡± Before Yun Xianxian could finish her sentence, something suddenly crossed her mind. Indeed, such cultivation techniques existed in the cultivation realm, but they were all Devilish Skills. However, the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill didn¡¯t look like a Devilish Skill at all, did it? With her purple pupils dilated, Yun Xianxian stared into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and questioned, ¡°You are a Demon Cultivator!¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°No, I am not only not a Demon Cultivator, but during the time in Great Qian, I even took the initiative to deal with a Heavenly Demon. You can ask Liu Qingqiu, she is also not from this world, and you¡¯ll certainly have quite a few common topics in the future.¡± Yun Xianxian let out a cold snort and said, ¡°Rebellious disciple, if you really do such a thing to me today, I¡­ mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Lu Chen had no intention of letting Yun Xianxian finish her sentence. He leaned down and sealed her lips with his. Yun Xianxian tried to continue struggling, but soon she found that her body had gone completely limp. First, she had lost her Spiritual Power, and now she didn¡¯t even have any strength left in her body. All Yun Xianxian could do was curse Lu Chen in her heart. This rebellious disciple, he actually dared to betray and dishonor his master! If only she had known, she wouldn¡¯t have come to Yan County today! That despicable rebellious disciple, he actually¡­ Soon, Yun Xianxian¡¯s consciousness blurred, and seeing that the Cold Fairy had completely lost the power to resist, Lu Chen, on the contrary, did not continue. His lips slowly parted from Yun Xianxian¡¯s thin lips, then he looked down from above at the fairy before him who had now become emotional. After ending the kiss, Yun Xianxian instantly came to her senses. Her eyes were misty with moisture, and she couldn¡¯t see clearly, but she could still sense the arrogant expression. After catching her breath a few times, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Rebellious disciple, you¡­ huh¡­ you will definitely regret this¡­¡± Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Regret, why should I regret?¡± ¡°I would only regret not having made you my woman sooner.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Yun Xianxian now lacked the energy to even talk tough. She was restless, and she truly began to doubt whether what Lu Chen said was true. It¡¯s possible that the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill really had such an effect. If what Lu Chen said was true, then wouldn¡¯t she forever lack the power to resist him and be at the mercy of this rebellious disciple? Thinking this far, something stirred within Yun Xianxian¡­ it was not quite fear, but an indescribable feeling. After much internal struggle, Yun Xianxian finally gave up. There was no way she could escape today; this rebellious disciple had already gone this far. According to his usual habits, she was bound to lose her chastity tonight. Nonetheless, Yun Xianxian decided to make one final attempt at resistance. Looking at Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Rebellious disciple, your Honored Master has treated you so well, and this is¡­ huh¡­ how you repay your master?¡± Chapter 914 - Chapter 914: Chapter 604: Honored Master, This is How the Disciple Repays You! Chapter 914: Chapter 604: Honored Master, This is How the Disciple Repays You! Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, ¡°Honored Master, this is the disciple repaying you!¡± ¡°Your strength can¡¯t be restored anytime soon, and you can only recover quickly if you become the disciple¡¯s woman. Isn¡¯t the disciple repaying you by doing this?¡± Yun Xianxian said coldly, ¡°Repay? Ridiculous, you just want my body.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If Honored Master chooses to think that way, then there¡¯s nothing the disciple can do.¡± ¡°But Honored Master is right, the disciple likes you and naturally wants you to become his woman.¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s violet pupils looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, her face expressionless as she said, ¡°Rebel, don¡¯t waste time. Do what you need to do quickly.¡± At that moment, Yun Xianxian no longer had any thoughts of preserving her chastity; she had been completely suppressed by Lu Chen. Furthermore, this rebel was inherently lecherous; there was no escape for her. Yun Xianxian thought to herself, it¡¯s just like being bitten by a dog. After all this is over, she would definitely leave Yan County, and this rebel would never touch her again. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s urging, Lu Chen smiled faintly. ¡°Honored Master, why are you more anxious than me?¡± Facing this cold, abstinent fairy, Lu Chen had long wanted to conquer her. However, the more it came to such moments, the more he couldn¡¯t afford to hurry. He needed to take it slow; only by breaking down Yun Xianxian¡¯s psychological defenses, and once their affair was over, would the fairy not leave. Yun Xianxian then huffed coldly and said, ¡°Rebel, are you trying to humiliate me? I will never submit to you!¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly, said nothing, then bent down again, once more sealing Yun Xianxian¡¯s thin lips. In her dazed state, Yun Xianxian felt her clothing gradually disappearing, but she had completely lost the energy to care about such things. Yun Xianxian was now completely restless, longing to immediately become the woman of this rebel, but he just wouldn¡¯t continue, leaving her hanging. In Yun Xianxian¡¯s view, Lu Chen was trying to use this method to humiliate her¡ªa once high and cold fairy, now reduced to such a wanton state, which was very hard for her to bear. At this moment, Yun Xianxian cursed in her heart, this detestable rebel, to humiliate her like this! Then, Lu Chen looked up again, focusing on Yun Xianxian¡¯s crimson visage, continuing to tease, ¡°Honored Master, do you want to restore your strength? Your disciple can help you!¡± Yun Xianxian breathed heavily a few times, then weakly said, ¡°Rebel¡­ you will come to no good end!¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°It seems Honored Master still doesn¡¯t want to restore her strength.¡± Lu Chen bent his head down again, blocking Yun Xianxian¡¯s mouth, continuing to kiss her. This time, Lu Chen¡¯s hand roamed all over Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, making her feel even worse. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Chen looked up at Yun Xianxian again. Yun Xianxian turned her head aside and stopped talking. What else could she say? She had fallen into the hands of this rebel, only to be dealt with by him. Seeing the Cold Fairy in such a state, Lu Chen could no longer restrain himself and quickly bent down again, sealing Yun Xianxian¡¯s red lips once more. At that moment, with one move from Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian let out a long ¡°Mmm.¡± Yun Xianxian cursed Lu Chen in her heart again, this rebel, destined to die among women, had actually forcibly taken her. Although she cursed Lu Chen internally, Yun Xianxian quickly forgot about the matter. After an unknown amount of time, in the next room. Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun sat facing each other, Chen Wanrong continued to familiarize herself with the Mysterious Female Technique, while Lin Wanyun also cultivated. At that moment, some faint sounds came through from the next room. ¡°Rebellious disciple, your master was wrong¡­¡± ¡°Rebellious disciple, spare your master¡­¡± ¡°You¡­ jerk¡­¡± ¡­ After the voice of Yun Xianxian passed, the voice of Lu Chen came, ¡°Still calling me a rebellious disciple, now you should call me darling.¡± ¡°You¡­ oh¡­ dream on!¡± Hearing the conversation between the two, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun both opened their eyes and looked at each other, seemingly revealing a relieved smile on their faces. Finally, Yun Xianxian was together with Lu Chen. Now she wouldn¡¯t leave them. ¡­ At that very moment, Misty World. The Misty Immortal Sect had already brought its disciples to the location of the Linghu Sect. The locale of the Linghu Sect was enveloped in fog, making it impossible to see clearly. People standing at the gate of the Linghu Sect couldn¡¯t even make out the plaque above the gate. At that moment, Han Yuankai raised his hand and a majestic burst of spiritual power surged out from his body. Instantly, the surrounding fog dispersed, revealing the gate of the Linghu Sect in front of the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect. Upon sensing the situation at the gate, the disciples and elders of the Linghu Sect swiftly approached the entrance, realizing the moment they saw the Sect Master of the Misty Immortal Sect leading the group personally that the visitors bore ill intentions. A moment later, Sect Leader Jiang Hongye arrived at the gate and said coldly, ¡°Sect Master Han, what is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°The Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect have always kept to their own, never interfering with each other. When did the Linghu Sect offend the Misty Immortal Sect to provoke such an aggressive visit?¡± Upon hearing Jiang Hongye¡¯s words, Han Yuankai smiled and said, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, you misunderstand. I am here to visit the Linghu Sect today, not to cause trouble.¡± Jiang Hongye scoffed coldly and said, ¡°Then what are you here for, I hardly believe that a Sect Master of a major sect would bring his disciples for a casual stroll without a purpose.¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°I heard that the Linghu Sect might have found a spatial rift that could allow early entry to the Tianchen Continent, so I wanted to ask Sect Leader Jiang about the location of this spatial rift.¡± Jiang Hongye grimaced; he knew that this information couldn¡¯t be concealed, but he hadn¡¯t expected that the Misty Immortal Sect would find out so soon. He was unsure whether the disciples of the Linghu Sect who were sent to the Tianchen Continent had managed to secure their foothold. If the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were to enter now, that would ceratinly complicate things. However, speaking of which, even if the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect entered, they could only send those at the Unity Realm, and they may not necessarily be a match for the disciples of the Linghu Sect at the same level. Jiang Hongye then said with a smile, ¡°Sect Master Han, our Linghu Sect has barely managed to open this spatial passage; it seems somewhat overbearing for the Misty Immortal Sect to claim it, don¡¯t you think?¡± As he spoke, Jiang Hongye released the aura of the Yin-Yang Realm, and an oppressive force instantly descended upon the scene. Han Yuankai said calmly, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, as fellow sufferers in the Cultivation World, having lived together in this Misty World for so many years, your words are rather disappointing. Finally, there¡¯s a chance to leave this world, and yet Sect Leader Jiang seems inclined to keep it concealed, wishing for the Linghu Sect to enjoy it exclusively. After so many years of fellowship between our two forces, are you saying that was all just a joke?¡± Hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, Jiang Hongye laughed inwardly. Fellowship? What a load of nonsense! What fellowship could there be between their two forces? The Misty Immortal Sect has always been domineering, never considering the feelings of other forces. Hardly any forces in the Misty World liked the Misty Immortal Sect. Chapter 915 - Chapter 915: Chapter 605: Rebellious Disciple, Are You Satisfied Now? Chapter 915: Chapter 605: Rebellious Disciple, Are You Satisfied Now? Although Jiang Hongye felt extremely displeased with Han Yuankai, he also understood that if he did not reveal the location of the spatial rift today, a battle between the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect would be inevitable. Although the Linghu Sect was also strong, it still fell far short compared to the Misty Immortal Sect, the foremost power from the Misty World. The Linghu Sect had only one cultivator in the Yin-Yang Realm, whereas the Misty Immortal Sect had two. The most important point was that the Misty Immortal Sect had several cultivators in the Genesis Realm. Should a fight actually break out, the Linghu Sect would definitely not stand a chance. Although the Linghu Sect could inflict heavy damage on the Misty Immortal Sect, the Linghu Sect might also cease to exist, which would be a pyrrhic victory. The reason the Linghu Sect was so eager to enter the Tianchen Continent was primarily to gain the Heavenly Dao¡¯s destiny of the Tianchen World. Once the Spiritual Energy of the Tianchen World recovered, the strength of those from the Linghu Sect who entered would increase more rapidly. Thus, the Linghu Sect wouldn¡¯t need to fear the other forces of the Misty World. Unexpectedly, this news had quickly become known to Han Yuankai. In the midst of this deadlock, a voice came from afar. ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, Sect Master Han is right. We are all forces of the Misty World, how could your Linghu Sect monopolize the Tianchen Continent alone?¡± Upon hearing this voice, everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the source of the sound, where several cultivators dressed in white slowly emerged from an area engulfed in mist. Seeing the newcomers, both Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye frowned. The arrivals were led by Ji Hongwen, the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Regaining his composure, Han Yuankai smiled at Jiang Hongye and said, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, now even Sect Master Ji knows that your Linghu Sect is aware of the location of the spatial rift. It seems you have no choice but to disclose it now, do you?¡± If the Linghu Sect faced only the Misty Immortal Sect, they might somehow withstand it, but facing both the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect at the same time would be an overwhelming defeat. If these two sects joined forces, no power in the entire Misty World could withstand them. Knowing the location of the spatial rift could no longer be kept secret, Jiang Hongye said, ¡°I might as well speak plainly. If you want to know the location of the spatial rift, no problem, but you must promise that once your disciples enter the Tianchen Continent, they must not harm the disciples of the Linghu Sect.¡± Jiang Hongye thought to himself that currently the spatial rift only allowed entrance into the Tianchen Continent, not departure. As long as the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect were instructed not to harm the disciples of the Linghu Sect once inside, even if the Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples continuously targeted the disciples of the two major sects, news of it could not be spread. At that time, the disciples of the two major sects would be restricted in their actions, while the disciples of the Linghu Sect could dominate them. Thus, the disciples of the Linghu Sect could still seize a vast territory. The Linghu Sect still had hopes of seizing the destiny of the Tianchen Continent. Hearing Jiang Hongye¡¯s words, Han Yuankai laughed and said, ¡°Well then, I promise that as long as you, Sect Leader Jiang, reveal the location of the spatial rift, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect who enter the Tianchen Continent will not initiate harm against the Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples.¡± Han Yuankai, an old fox himself, saw through Jiang Hongye¡¯s intentions. Thus, when he heard the declaration, he added the word ¡°initiate,¡± meaning if the Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples harmed the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples, no blame should fall on the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples for retaliating. At this moment, Han Yuankai turned to look at Ji Hongwen, ¡°Sect Master Ji, it¡¯s your turn now. If you do not speak up, Sect Leader Jiang might not feel secure in revealing the location of the spatial rift to us.¡± Following that, Ji Hongwen said, ¡°I also promise that if Sect Leader Jiang reveals the location of the spatial rift to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who enter the Tianchen Continent will not initiate attacks against the disciples of the Linghu Sect.¡± Seeing that both had upfront made their promises, Jiang Hongye decided not to drag on and waste more time. He directly took out a scroll and threw it to them. After Ji Hongwen and Han Yuankai caught the scroll and glanced at it to confirm the location of the spatial rift, they immediately turned with their respective sects¡¯ disciples and left. Watching their departing figures, the people from the Linghu Sect felt reluctant. They had managed to find the spatial rift after a lot of effort and even expended much energy to open it. Now, they had ended up easily giving it to these two sects. At that moment, an Elder in front of Jiang Hongye said, ¡°Sect Master, did you really tell them the location of the spatial rift?¡± Jiang Hongye replied, ¡°What else could I do? Do you think the Linghu Sect could withstand a joint attack from these two great sects?¡± This¡­ Upon hearing these words, everyone fell silent. Indeed, even if the Linghu Sect was strong, it couldn¡¯t possibly handle both major sects at the same time. At that moment, Jiang Hongye stroked his beard, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, he said to the elders behind him, ¡°Tell the next batch of disciples entering Tianchen Continent that once they are in, they should find a way to eliminate members from those two sects.¡± The elders immediately understood Jiang Hongye¡¯s meaning and then excitedly responded, ¡°Yes, Sect Leader!¡± ¡­ Three days later. Great Sum, Yan County. Inside Yunrong Palace, all the maids blushed, each time they looked towards the room where Yun Xianxian was, their faces involuntarily showed a shy blush. All these maids were virgins, having entered the palace at a very young age to serve, so they had not yet experienced the matters between men and women. Three days had passed, and the Emperor was still in the room doing those things with the fairy from the Mysterious Moon Palace, which made these maids feel very¡­ Bashful¡­ At that moment, Chen Wanrong and Lin Wanyun were sitting in the pavilion, sipping tea. They were now far from the room where Yun Xianxian was, but they could still occasionally hear some faint sounds. At that moment, Lin Wanyun laughed and said, ¡°It seems His Majesty truly adores the Honorable one.¡± Chen Wanrong, however, said with some concern, ¡°I wonder if the Honored Master will leave Lu Chen.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile. Inside the room. Lu Chen gazed down at Yun Xianxian, gently caressing her stunningly beautiful, frosty face. Yun Xianxian was truly a fairy; Lu Chen felt that he had completely fallen into her tender land. He even thought about not dealing with administrative duties ever again and just spending the rest of his life in bed with Yun Xianxian. This also helped Lu Chen understand what the TV dramas he had seen on Earth meant by ¡°Beauty is a calamity.¡± Of course, ¡°Beauty is a calamity¡± carries a derogatory sense toward a woman, but Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t degrade his woman because of his own issues. Yun Xianxian indeed made him feel somewhat out of control. At that moment, Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple pupils stared at Lu Chen, looking utterly calm. Over these three days, from initially cursing to begging for mercy, and now, Yun Xianxian had calmed down. Yun Xianxian then coldly said, ¡°Disloyal disciple, are you satisfied now?¡± Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°That is something I should be asking the Honored Master. If I¡¯m not mistaken, your strength should have almost fully recovered by now.¡± Chapter 916 - Chapter 916: Chapter 606: The True Self Will Not Be Swayed by Your Honeyed Words Chapter 916: Chapter 606: The True Self Will Not Be Swayed by Your Honeyed Words Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, offering no response. Lu Chen continued to caress Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade-like face, gently brushing her disheveled hair aside. Just as Yun Xianxian was about to say something, Lu Chen preempted her, ¡°Honored Master, you wouldn¡¯t be wanting to ask how I intend to dispose of you, would you?¡± At these words, Yun Xianxian fell into silence; she indeed wished to know what this rebellious disciple planned to do with her next. Over the past three days, she had become Lu Chen¡¯s toy. No matter how he tormented her, she had no way to resist. Now, judging by Lu Chen¡¯s attitude, it appeared his playfulness had receded, and surely the issue of dealing with her would follow. In Yun Xianxian¡¯s view, there was a high probability this rebellious disciple would continue to seal her spiritual power and then imprison her, treating her as his pet. The thought of her possible fate filled Yun Xianxian with desolation. She had not anticipated that after falling into a lower realm and being unable to leave, she would end up in such a plight. In the High-Level Cultivation Realm, male cultivators often coveted her, but she had never met with mishap. Yet now, in this lower realm, she had become someone¡¯s plaything. Seeing that Yun Xianxian remained silent, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Honored Master, look at my women; aren¡¯t they all very free, especially Rongrong? Even after becoming my woman, she still remains the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± At this point, Yun Xianxian coldly interjected, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°What I mean is, I never restrict the freedom of my wives and concubines. They can go wherever they want to go, as long as they remember I am their darling and know to come back.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen leaned down, whispering into Yun Xianxian¡¯s ear, ¡°So it¡¯s the same for you, Honored Master.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian was momentarily startled, then icily retorted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that if I leave Yan County, I might never return?¡± Lu Chen playfully toyed with Yun Xianxian¡¯s fair hair and replied, ¡°I believe that the Honored Master would not abandon me and leave me uncared for.¡± Yun Xianxian responded coldly, ¡°After what you¡¯ve done to me, how can you still have the face to say such things!¡± At that moment, Lu Chen gazed into Yun Xianxian¡¯s light purple eyes with deeply affectionate intent and declared, ¡°Honored Master, from the first moment I saw you, I fell in love with you, and I also believe that you have feelings for me as well.¡± Yun Xianxian immediately retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t speak such nonsense to me. I am not as easily deceived as your other wives and concubines; I will not fall for your sweet talk.¡± Yun Xianxian saw through Lu Chen¡¯s intentions at a glance; this fellow wanted to entice her with flattering words, and she was not buying it. Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°Very well, then let¡¯s talk about practical benefits. Besides losing your virginity, Honored Master, what other disadvantages have you suffered from our dual cultivation?¡± Upon being confronted with this question from Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian pondered, trying to identify any drawbacks she had experienced after being taken by him. However, after much thought, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t come up with any. Their recent dual cultivation had almost fully restored her strength, and she hadn¡¯t felt any discomfort. On the contrary, the oppression she had long endured was released. After cultivating with Lu Chen, she would always feel terribly uncomfortable¡ªa feeling that seemed to accumulate over time. But after this time, her body became incredibly light and easy, no longer suffering. However, the only problem was that she had become this traitor¡¯s woman. Yun Xianxian spoke coldly, ¡°Do you think in your eyes that I am someone who wouldn¡¯t care about purity?¡± Indeed, at her age, she no longer cared so much about purity. After all, she had been cultivating for thousands of years and no longer possessed the sense of morality she had in her thirties. But deep down, she still felt a little uncomfortable. Having such an affair with Lu Chen meant that she was now entangled with Lu Chen¡¯s karma. Her entire life could be affected by this, potentially severely impacting her cultivation. At this moment, Lu Chen leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. Yun Xianxian did not evade it, allowing Lu Chen to kiss her. Since Lu Chen had already taken her body, dodging now was meaningless. After the kiss, while caressing Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, the disciple indeed has a lustful nature, but I am also a man with a strong sense of responsibility.¡± ¡°Look at the wives and concubines of the disciple; I have never mistreated any of them. Stay by the disciple¡¯s side, I truly like you, not just your body but also your soul.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian fell silent. Having dealt with Lu Chen for so long, how could Yun Xianxian not know what kind of person he was? True to his word, Lu Chen was a lustful yet responsible man. Although he had many women, he attended to almost each one of them. It could be said that aside from handling official affairs, this fellow devoted all his attention to women. Of course, this did not rule out the possibility that Lu Chen treated them so well because he wanted to perform Dual Cultivation with them. Upon this thought, Yun Xianxian looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°I am curious if you took possession of my body to perform Dual Cultivation with me, or if it was simply for my body.¡± At this question, Lu Chen was stunned. He had not expected Yun Xianxian to ask such a thing. After regaining his composure, Lu Chen answered directly, ¡°Even if the disciple does not perform Dual Cultivation with the Honored Master, I would still find a way to possess the Honored Master¡¯s body. The disciple is simply seduced by your beauty.¡± Although Lu Chen said this, he was actually lying. The fundamental reason he desired Yun Xianxian was because of the system¡¯s choice. If the system had not shown that Yun Xianxian had a score over ninety, regardless of how beautiful she was, Lu Chen would not have chosen her. There are plenty of beautiful women in this world. When Lu Chen took concubines in the past, the women he chose were all celestial beauties, but nearly none of them exceeded a score of ninety. No matter how lascivious Lu Chen was, he didn¡¯t keep those women as concubines. Lu Chen knew very well that though he hadn¡¯t encountered many women with a ninety score yet, as time went on, he would meet more and more of them. If he took in every woman into his harem, he might end up too busy to manage in the future. Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t want women who did not meet the system¡¯s requirements, no matter how beautiful they were. However, concerning the system, Lu Chen would definitely not disclose this to Yun Xianxian. Even if she thought he was just a lustful man, he did not care, as he truly appreciated beauty. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Yun Xianxian glared at him coldly. This traitor sure had the nerve to say such things. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°If you want me to stay by your side for your pleasure, you¡¯ll have to see if you¡¯re capable enough.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback, about to say something, when Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°I have a formidable enemy in the High-Level Cultivation Realm.¡± Chapter 918 - Chapter 918: Chapter 608: Has the Honored Master Acknowledged It? Chapter 918: Chapter 608: Has the Honored Master Acknowledged It? Hearing Lu Chen speak with such certainty, Yun Xianxian was somewhat perplexed. She couldn¡¯t figure out how this rebellious disciple could have seen through her. She didn¡¯t believe that she had truly fallen in love with Lu Chen, but he indeed had some influence on her. Ever since she met this rebellious disciple, his figure would occasionally appear in her mind. Some time ago, she even suspected that Lu Chen was her emotional tribulation, and she must succeed in overcoming it. Who would have thought that this rebellious disciple would completely devour her. Of course, she could still pass the tribulation now. She could take advantage of Lu Chen releasing her and then just run away, never to return for the rest of her life. Of course, whether she could overcome the emotional tribulation ultimately depended on how firm her inner resolve was. Once Yun Xianxian regained her composure, she said, ¡°With someone like you, this sovereign does not even want to waste words. No matter what this sovereign says, you would think this sovereign has feelings for you.¡± Seeing that Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t even bother to argue, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Is Honored Master admitting it then? You don¡¯t even bother to argue anymore.¡± Yun Xianxian snorted coldly and simply stopped speaking. On one hand, she indeed felt that whatever she said would be useless, and on the other hand, she did have some thoughts about this rebellious disciple, which she was clearly aware of, so she couldn¡¯t argue. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Rongrong told me that when I am not by Honored Master¡¯s side, you often mention me.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian felt somewhat infuriated inside. How could every disciple she gathered be rebellious, even telling her own matters to Lu Chen, this rebellious disciple! After calming her emotions, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Didn¡¯t that rebellious disciple tell you that, behind your back, this sovereign only curses you!¡± Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°To hit is to love, to scold is to cherish. If Honored Master didn¡¯t have feelings for me, why would you constantly think about your disciple?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian knew that whatever she said would be useless, so she simply played dead. Seeing the Cold Fairy acting this way, Lu Chen¡¯s desire to conquer her surfaced again, and he immediately lowered his head and kissed Yun Xianxian¡¯s thin lips once more. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s reaction, Yun Xianxian was somewhat speechless. This rebellious disciple, he came again¡­ This time, Lu Chen did not use the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, purely for that reason. Lu Chen had just said that if Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t speak, then he wouldn¡¯t engage in Dual Cultivation with her. Yun Xianxian also noticed that Lu Chen wasn¡¯t using the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill this time. She felt somewhat emotional inside. This guy not using the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill meant she wouldn¡¯t benefit either, essentially letting this rebellious disciple take advantage of her for nothing. Just as Yun Xianxian was thinking this, she suddenly realized that her Spiritual Power had recovered. She felt incredibly surprised, with her Spiritual Power restored, she could push this rebellious disciple away and then just run away. However, feeling the sensations Lu Chen brought her, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t muster up the will to push him away. Yun Xianxian was somewhat confused. Why would she feel this way when her Spiritual Power had clearly returned? As time passed, Yun Xianxian¡¯s consciousness gradually blurred. In her last moment of clarity, she thought, well, since this rebellious disciple has already taken over her body, she might as well take some advantage. It wasn¡¯t long before Lu Chen noticed the fluctuations in Yun Xianxian¡¯s Spiritual Power. Following that, he sensed changes in Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, and she began to practice the Mysterious Female Technique on her own. After practicing the Mysterious Female Technique, the Cold Fairy¡¯s temperament became even more captivating. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s desire to conquer soared. He was determined to make this Cold Honored Master completely his woman! ¡­ Misty World. Upon learning the location of the spatial rift, the Misty Immortal Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect immediately sent people to the site of the rift. After sending some disciples into the Tianchen Continent, they tested the restrictions to see if they could be broken. However, in the end, both sects failed, and the restrictions remained in place. At this moment, the sect masters of the two major sects stood in front of the spatial rift, silently observing it. After an indeterminate amount of time, Han Yuankai finally spoke, ¡°Sect Master Ji, it seems the restriction isn¡¯t so easily dispelled.¡± Although the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were competitors, they chose to join forces to enter the Tianchen Continent. Unfortunately, the restriction was more troublesome than they had anticipated. Initially, they thought that since a spatial rift had appeared, perhaps the restriction might also vanish, and if they took action, they might be able to lift the restriction early. But now, it appeared that the restriction was not as simple as they had thought. Ji Hongwen said, ¡°This restriction must have been set by a powerful entity; indeed, with our own strength, we really cannot dispel this restriction.¡± At that moment, Ji Hongwen suddenly recalled something and continued, ¡°Honored Master heard that the restriction in the Misty World had once fluctuated, and people from the Misty Immortal Sect had entered the Tianchen Continent then. I wonder if Sect Master Han is aware of this.¡± Han Yuankai did not conceal anything; he directly responded, ¡°My junior sister had once entered the Tianchen Continent.¡± Ji Hongwen asked, ¡°Oh? A cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm managed to bypass the restriction and enter the Tianchen Continent?¡± Han Yuankai replied, ¡°It was merely luck; the restriction had completely vanished at that time.¡± Ji Hongwen continued to inquire, ¡°Then, I wonder if Elder Su discovered any promising individuals in the Tianchen Continent?¡± Han Yuankai simply stated, ¡°This Sect Master is unaware of that.¡± Seeing Han Yuankai¡¯s reluctance to discuss further, Ji Hongwen did not press him. At this point, Han Yuankai said, ¡°Sect Master Ji, what do you think the odds are that our sects¡¯ disciples can occupy the entire Tianchen Continent after they enter?¡± Ji Hongwen responded directly, ¡°What do you mean by this, Sect Master Han?¡± Han Yuankai clarified, ¡°My thoughts are simple, rather than letting others control Tianchen, how about our two sects collaborate and split Tianchen in half ¨C half for the Misty Immortal Sect and half for the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect? What do you think?¡± With the combined strength of the two major sects, the forces of the Misty World would have no capacity to compete with them for territory. After hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, Ji Hongwen thought for a moment and then, with a smile, said, ¡°Since Sect Master Han has kindly suggested this, it would be a disappointment if I did not agree.¡± Seeing Ji Hongwen¡¯s consent, both exchanged a smile. With their two sects in collaboration, who would suffer was quite clear. However, neither truly intended to cooperate; Ji Hongwen was on the side of Lu Chen, so it was impossible for him to let the Misty Immortal Sect take over Tianchen Continent. And Han Yuankai intended to use the Tianchen Continent for his own purposes, so he also wouldn¡¯t actually share half of it with others. Their cooperation was merely temporary, aimed at eliminating a third party. Once the third party was eliminated, the struggle between them would commence. Chapter 919 - Chapter 919: Chapter 609: The Master Admits Defeat for... Chapter 919: Chapter 609: The Master Admits Defeat for¡­ Lu Chen experienced the joys of being an irresponsible ruler at Yun Xianxian¡¯s side, neglecting the Imperial Study Room and his duties for more than ten consecutive days, continuously indulging in the pleasure the Cold Fairy brought to him. Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were originally unaware of the events taking place in Yunrong Palace, but after realizing that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t left Yunrong Palace for many days, they understood what was happening. All his women felt somewhat emotional. A fairy truly lived up to her name. They, as his wives and concubines, could not endure a single night, yet Lu Chen¡¯s Honored Master had managed to stay with him for more than ten days. As for whether Lu Chen would become an irresponsible ruler, the women weren¡¯t worried in the slightest. They still believed in Lu Chen; perhaps only the first time, driven by novelty, might he take a longer break, but after that he wouldn¡¯t do the same again. At this very moment. Lu Chen looked down at Yun Xianxian with a weakened expression, as Yun Xianxian parted her lips, breathing continuously. Lu Chen had planned to get up earlier since he had a minor court session this week, but Yun Xianxian had used her Enchantment Technique to amplify his internal desires by who knows how many times. Moreover, with Yun Xianxian practicing the Mysterious Female Technique, Lu Chen felt completely controlled by her, turned into an animal that knew only that one thing. Although Lu Chen was already weakened, Yun Xianxian wasn¡¯t having an easy time either; she was completely paralyzed, now unable to speak a single word. Yun Xianxian¡¯s idea was simple. Since she had already been claimed by this ungrateful disciple, and since he enjoyed that sort of thing so much, she wanted to let him have his fill until he would regret getting involved with her. Unexpectedly, even after so many days, that guy still had unflagging vigor, and now she was so disrupted spiritually she couldn¡¯t even activate her Cultivation Technique. In the end, it was Yun Xianxian who admitted defeat. After what felt like an eternity, Yun Xianxian finally spoke, ¡°I¡­ I, as your master, admit defeat¡­¡± Seeing the Cold Fairy finally concede, a weary smile appeared on Lu Chen¡¯s face, thinking how ludicrous it was to try to defeat him using the Mysterious Female Technique. Gently caressing Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade-like face, Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, you won¡¯t leave me now, will you?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Yun Xianxian fell silent, herself uncertain what to do now. Whether from the perspective of interest or emotion, staying by this ungrateful disciple¡¯s side was very fitting, but¡­ The thought of all the women in this ungrateful disciple¡¯s Harem still made her feel somewhat uncomfortable. Seeing that Yun Xianxian remained silent, Lu Chen knew she was still conflicted internally, so he continued, ¡°Honored Master, if you leave me, who else will accompany you in practicing the Mysterious Female Technique? In this world, I¡¯m probably the only one who can stay so many days under the influence of your practice.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, then said, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s something to brag about?¡± Lu Chen replied with a laugh, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be? It¡¯s a man¡¯s capability. If I didn¡¯t have this ability, how could I conquer you, my teacher?¡± With that, Lu Chen continued caressing Yun Xianxian¡¯s face and placed his hand on her delicate lips, gently touching them. Yun Xianxian turned her head away and did not say anything more. She had to admit that this ungrateful disciple indeed had some abilities, and she was no match for him. Lu Chen leaned down and whispered into Yun Xianxian¡¯s ear, ¡°Honored Master, please stay. Your disciple needs you.¡± Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t want to keep arguing with Lu Chen and said directly, ¡°Until I find a way to leave this world, I can be your woman.¡± Since it had already happened, and she¡¯d become addicted to that feeling, besides, she hadn¡¯t yet found a way to leave this world, staying here wasn¡¯t much of an issue. Being this ungrateful disciple¡¯s woman wasn¡¯t too bad either, at least he was physically competent enough; he could pass as a Daoist partner, only he was a bit too promiscuous. Let it be, in this world men of status all have three wives and four concubines, so let this rebellious disciple take some advantage. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled slightly. Although Yun Xianxian hadn¡¯t promised to stay by his side for a lifetime, with her words, it would be much easier for him to engage in marital relations with Yun Xianxian in the future. If he could get the fairy pregnant with his child, that would be even better. Chances are that Yun Xianxian would then be unable to leave him because of the child, of course, Lu Chen was also aware this might be quite difficult. At this moment, Yun Xianxian gently pushed Lu Chen¡¯s chest with her jade hand, ¡°It¡¯s been over ten days since you¡¯ve been out, your wives and concubines are probably worried about you, it¡¯s time to get up.¡± Yun Xianxian had once again resumed the temperament of the Cold Fairy. Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen slowly got up, and as he did, Yun Xianxian instantly felt her whole body relax. Yun Xianxian suddenly regretted, she shouldn¡¯t have let her anger lead to squeezing Lu Chen, only to become addicted to this feeling herself. Now she had truly lost both her body and heart, controlled by this rebellious disciple¡­ After Lu Chen got up, he didn¡¯t leave right away; he directly picked up Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade body. Yun Xianxian was startled for a moment and quickly said, ¡°What are you doing!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s been over ten days, Honored Master, we should take a bath.¡± Yun Xianxian pursed her lips and didn¡¯t say anything more, letting Lu Chen carry her to the bathroom. ¡­ When Lu Chen came out of Yunrong Palace, he felt as if he was floating when he walked. It had to be said, a woman with a rating of a hundred points was indeed terrifying. Especially Yun Xianxian¡¯s Enchantment Technique, which could make him completely lose his reason. That feeling was simply indescribable if it wasn¡¯t for Yun Xianxian who couldn¡¯t take it first, he might still be cultivating affection with Yun Xianxian. A fairy is indeed a fairy¡­ Lu Chen didn¡¯t head to the Imperial Study Room after leaving Yunrong Palace, but went straight to the Wind Cloud Palace. He really needed to rest well now. Upon entering the Wind Cloud Palace, Lu Chen found his wives and concubines were holding a small meeting. Seeing Lu Chen arrive, all the ladies quickly got up, ¡°We greet Your Majesty.¡± With a lack of energy, Lu Chen said, ¡°Continue your discussion, I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen headed towards the interior of Wind Cloud Palace. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s haggard appearance, the women looked at each other, it was their first time seeing Lu Chen so worn out. Once again, the women inwardly exclaimed, Yun Xianxian truly deserved to be called a fairy. While the women were lost in thought, Chu Yuqin, Yelv Nanyan, and Mu Zixuan suddenly felt a loss of weight and flew directly toward the interior of Wind Cloud Palace, at the same time, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came, ¡°My three ladies, come in and let me hold you.¡± The women were partly sad and partly amused; without a woman to hold, their darling really couldn¡¯t fall asleep. After Mu Zixuan and the other two ladies entered the sleeping chamber, Lu Chen directly lay down in Chu Yuqin¡¯s Gentle Jade Fragrance and closed his eyes as the three ladies looked at each other and couldn¡¯t help but reveal happy smiles on their faces. Chapter 920 - Chapter 920: Chapter 610: Chener, you should rest well tonight! Chapter 920: Chapter 610: Chen¡¯er, you should rest well tonight! ¡°` Lu Chen, embracing Mu Zixuan and the other two ladies, slept for an entire day and night before he awoke, and by the time he did, it was already noon. As soon as he opened his eyes, he heard the voice of a female guard at the door, ¡°Has Your Majesty awoken?¡± ¡°His Majesty is still sleeping, you should wait a little longer,¡± The female guard said, ¡°This intelligence report is quite important.¡± The female guard who had taken over was not Bai Qingqing. Bai Qingqing was one of Lu Chen¡¯s women, and even if Lu Chen were asleep, she would dare to wake him directly. But the other female guards did not dare to do so, after receiving the intelligence report they just waited outside the room for Lu Chen to wake up. As the female guard at the door grew increasingly anxious to pass on the message, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came out from the room. ¡°What intelligence?¡± Upon hearing the Emperor¡¯s voice, the female guard immediately knelt down, ¡°This humble one greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand years!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°To report to Your Majesty, the Brocade Guard has received news that two more powers from the Misty World have appeared in Black Dragon City, one called Misty Immortal Sect and the other called Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Hearing the names of these two Sects, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, not expecting to come into contact with his own sect so soon. Once the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect sent people to this world, they could let the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect contend with those invaders from the Misty World, making things a bit easier for himself. At this moment, Lu Chen slowly got up from Chu Yuqin¡¯s embrace and smilingly said to the three ladies, ¡°My ladies, I must attend to state affairs now, I will come to serve you again in the evening.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin burst out laughing, then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you should rest well tonight.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s body must have been severely overtaxed, when he came to the Wind Cloud Palace yesterday, he was floating as he walked. Chu Yuqin certainly did not want to see any problems with Lu Chen¡¯s body. Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°Madam Chu, rest assured, there is nothing wrong with my body.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen got up, and the three ladies also got up immediately, helping Lu Chen tidy his clothes. After grooming himself, Lu Chen made his way towards the entrance of the Wind Cloud Palace. As he reached the door, the female guard who had been waiting at the entrance to the Imperial Study Room continued, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Liang is already waiting for you at the entrance to the Imperial Study Room to report the details to you personally.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Good, I am aware.¡± As the words ended, Lu Chen immediately used Shadow Shifting to move to the entrance of the Imperial Study Room. Liang Zong, who had been waiting at the entrance of the Imperial Study Room, immediately sensed the fluctuations of Spiritual Power and knew that Lu Chen had arrived. He saluted and said, ¡°This one greets Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!¡± Lu Chen spoke indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities, come in.¡± With those words, Lu Chen entered the Imperial Study Room, and Liang Zong hurriedly followed. After entering the Imperial Study Room, Liang Zong put the latest intelligence report collected by the Brocade Guard in front of Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty, this is the latest intelligence from Black Dragon City.¡± Lu Chen picked up the reports on the desk and began flipping through them one by one, while Liang Zong verbally reported, ¡°The two new powers that have emerged in Black Dragon City have just clashed with the disciples of Linghu Sect upon their arrival, and the disciples of Linghu Sect were no match for the two sects and were directly driven away.¡± ¡°According to investigations by the Brocade Guard, it appears that the disciples of Linghu Sect are heading towards the old capital of Great Jue.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled, heading to the old capital of Great Jue? How timely, Liu Zhengchu and the other two Celestials were waiting for them at the old capital of Great Jue. For three Celestials to deal with those disciples of Linghu Sect, there should be no difficulties. At that moment, Liang Zong continued, ¡°Moreover, we have discovered that the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect also seem to be en route to the old capital of Great Jue.¡± ¡°` Hearing this, Lu Chen thought for a moment. The disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were probably heading straight for Yan County. After arriving in this world, the most important thing they needed to do was naturally to establish contact with him. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Send someone to tell General Liu and the others that if they encounter disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, they don¡¯t need to make things difficult for them. Let them come directly to Yan County.¡± Liang Zong immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen continued to look through the intelligence gathered by the Brocade Guard. Seeing the detailed content recorded in the reports, Lu Chen was somewhat puzzled, why had the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect joined forces? What exactly had the Linghu Sect done to incur the wrath of the world and caused the disciples of the two major sects of the Misty World to unite against the Linghu Sect? It seemed he would have to wait for the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to arrive before he could understand the situation of the Misty World. Forget it, just wait a bit longer. Disciples in the Unity Realm traveled quite quickly. It would probably take less than ten days for them to reach Yan County. At this time, Lu Chen glanced at Liang Zong and said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡± Liang Zong immediately said, ¡°This subordinate shall take his leave.¡± After Liang Zong left, Lu Chen immediately opened the system interface. He had been immersed in the pleasures of men and women for the past dozen or so days and had almost no time to open the system interface to check the rewards he had received. Although he wasn¡¯t very expectant of the rewards for gaining wives and concubines, even the flesh of a mosquito was still flesh; what if the system had given him something good? After opening the system interface, rows of text appeared in front of Lu Chen. [Congratulations to the host for obtaining a wife, rewarded with the Heaven Rank swordsmanship Ice-Eight Level Sword.] [The host and his wife have achieved a mind-to-heart connection ¡Á100, rewarded with the Seven Jewels Imperial Pill.] Seeing only two rewards, Lu Chen asked in confusion, ¡°System, why are there no experience rewards for cultivating a relationship with a wife?¡± [The host has already mastered the ability to cultivate independently, and the feedback from cultivation has far exceeded the system¡¯s rewards, so the function to enhance cultivation state is offline.] ¡°Alright then.¡± Lu Chen indeed felt that he no longer needed the system to cultivate cultivation techniques. Lu Chen¡¯s gaze then fell on the Seven Jewels Imperial Pill, and he directly clicked to view the introduction of the pill. [Seven Jewels Imperial Pill: A premium pill, after taking it, it can greatly enhance the host¡¯s strength.] After reading the introduction of the Seven Jewels Imperial Pill, Lu Chen did not hesitate and immediately took the pill from the system space and put it into his mouth. The next moment, Lu Chen felt an intense heat throughout his body, and his spiritual sea inside his brain was expanding wildly. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the old capital of Great Jue. Liu Zhengchu, Xuanyuan Chaoge, and Xia Tianyuan sat on the city wall, each holding a jar of wine in their hands. Liu Zhengchu said with a smile, ¡°With the help of the three of you, this old man feels much more at ease.¡± Xia Tianyuan said, ¡°General Liu is jesting. With General Liu¡¯s strength, even without us two, you would be able to easily handle those invaders from the Misty World.¡± Liu Zhengchu said, ¡°If this old man¡¯s strength was at its peak, there wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem. Unfortunately, with the thin spiritual energy in this world, my strength is not what it used to be.¡± At that moment, Xia Tianyuan asked, ¡°General Liu, from your words, it seems you are not from this world?¡± Liu Zhengchu said, ¡°Indeed, this old man is not from this world. Back in the day, in search of His Majesty, I followed my sect to a place where time and space were chaotic. By accident, this old man fell into the Misty World, and when the restrictions of the Misty World loosened, I finally came to the Tianchen Continent.¡± ¡°Who would have thought this old man would be so fortunate to encounter His Majesty in the Tianchen Continent? If the fellow disciples from my sect knew, they would be green with envy.¡± As he said this, Liu Zhengchu lifted the wine jar for a drink, his face brimming with confidence. Chapter 921 - Chapter 921: Chapter 611: Isnt He Just a Celestial from a Lower World? Chapter 921: Chapter 611: Isn¡¯t He Just a Celestial from a Lower World? As Liu Zhengchu and his two companions were drinking, a group of riders was quickly approaching the old capital of Great Jue. This group of horseback riders were disciples escaping from Black Dragon City of the Linghu Sect. Seeing the distant ancient city of Great Jue, one of the disciples excitedly said, ¡°We have finally reached the capital city of Great Jue!¡± ¡°After we rest and recover, we¡¯ll go back and settle scores with those bastards!¡± At this moment, Lei Wende spoke, ¡°We shouldn¡¯t rest here. We¡¯ll take a day off and then head straight to Yan County.¡± ¡°Meng Tian might have already allied with the Celestials of Great Sum. As soon as we arrive, we will join hands to eliminate the Sum Emperor, and then the whole Great Sum will be ours.¡± Lei Wende had already planned that once he seized the throne of Great Sum, he would immediately mobilize the army of Great Sum to march towards Black Dragon City to attack the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect. After all, it wasn¡¯t their people from Linghu Sect who would die; the people of this world would just die. Thinking of the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Lei Wende felt a biting hatred. A few days earlier, after the disciples of the Linghu Sect came in, they reported that the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were also entering this world, but the two sects had promised not to attack the disciples of the Linghu Sect lightly, and their leaders had allowed him to appropriately trouble the two sects. At the time, he was very excited, but unexpectedly, as soon as the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect entered this world, they immediately united and directly attacked Black Dragon City, massacring the disciples of the Linghu Sect. Wasn¡¯t it agreed not to harm the disciples of the Linghu Sect? They were truly a bunch of treacherous villains! Now, Black Dragon City had already been occupied by the disciples of those two sects, and the disciples of Linghu Sect could only escape to stay alive. There was no option. Now on Tianchen Continent, one could only enter but not leave, and the Linghu Sect could not possibly know what they had encountered. To survive in this world, they could only rely on themselves. A moment later, Lei Wende and his group arrived at the city gates of the ancient city of Great Jue, but by that time the city gates were closed, creating a rather strange atmosphere. The people of Linghu Sect looked at one another. Although Great Jue had been annihilated, its ancient capital was still intact and, to Great Sum, this was an economically developed city, where trade was inevitably frequent. It was still so early, so why were the city gates of the ancient city of Great Jue already closed? Lei Wende furrowed his brows and immediately gripped his sword. Seeing Lei Wende looking as if he were facing a great enemy, the other disciples of the Linghu Sect also became alert. Just then, a man¡¯s voice came from atop the city towers, ¡°Visitors from the Misty World, where do you plan to go?¡± Upon hearing this voice, the disciples of the Linghu Sect immediately looked towards the source of the sound. At that moment, on the city tower, a man was holding a jug of wine and was pouring it into his mouth. Feeling the intimidating aura emanating from the man, the disciples of the Linghu Sect froze, and one of them said fearfully, ¡°A Celestial! It¡¯s a Celestial!¡± Lei Wende steadied his mind and scoffed, ¡°What are you afraid of, what is there to be afraid of? It¡¯s just a Celestial from a lower world; it¡¯s not even certain if he can exhibit the full strength of a Celestial.¡± ¡°Besides, we have the Linghu Great Formation. What do we have to fear from a Celestial?¡± Upon hearing Lei Wende¡¯s words, the disciples of the Linghu Sect relaxed. Yes, they had the Linghu Formation, so why fear a Celestial. Moreover, a Celestial of this world might not even be able to exhibit half the strength of a true Celestial. Thinking this, the disciples of the Linghu Sect instantly became exceedingly confident. At this moment, Lei Wende looked at Liu Zhengchu and said, ¡°Old man, since you know we are from the Misty World, why don¡¯t you come down and bow to us immediately!¡± ¡°Offending our Linghu Sect does not end well!¡± Hearing Lei Wende¡¯s words, Liu Zhengchu responded indifferently, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Then the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect have also offended your Linghu Sect, so why are they still comfortably staying in Black Dragon City, while your disciples are scared and scurrying around like rats?¡± At these words, the people of Linghu Sect were instantly enraged. ¡°What did you say!¡± ¡°You old fool, say that again if you dare!¡± ¡°To speak to us like that, you old thing, you¡¯re definitely dying today!¡± ¡­ Seeing that the people of Linghu Sect had lost their temper, Liu Zhengchu continued, ¡°Getting so angry, it seems I hit the mark.¡± By then, Lei Wende¡¯s face had turned extremely gloomy, but he didn¡¯t make a move right away. He was still puzzled about how this old man knew that the disciples of Linghu Sect had been driven out of Black Dragon City by the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. At that moment, Lei Wende said, ¡°Old thing, tell me, how did you come to know about this!¡± ¡°Just tell us your source of information, and we might just leave your whole body intact.¡± Hearing this, Liu Zhengchu burst out laughing, then he tilted his head back, picking up his jug of wine and continuously pouring it into his mouth. Seeing Liu Zhengchu acting completely unafraid of them, a disciple of Linghu Sect couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Brother Lei, let¡¯s stop wasting words on this old man and just take him out!¡± Lei Wende didn¡¯t respond. He always felt that something was off, knowing about the Misty World, the Misty Immortal Sect, and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, this old man couldn¡¯t be ordinary. Lei Wende even started to suspect that this old man might also be from the Misty World. Just then, Lei Wende said, ¡°Old thing, don¡¯t push your luck. I¡¯m giving you one last chance, if you don¡¯t talk now, don¡¯t blame us for being impolite.¡± At that moment, Liu Zhengchu finished his wine, and threw the jug towards Lei Wende. Seeing this, the disciples of Linghu Sect thought Liu Zhengchu was about to attack and quickly adjusted their positions, while Lei Wende also drew his sword. Just as the jug was about to reach Lei Wende, he swung his sword and split the jug in two. However, to the surprise of Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples, Liu Zhengchu didn¡¯t attack, but simply stood on the city wall, quietly watching them. Seeing this, Lei Wende could no longer contain himself. He snorted and said, ¡°Hmph, posing!¡± He then shouted loudly, ¡°Form up!¡± The next moment, the disciples of Linghu Sect took out Spirit Stones and threw them onto the ground. In the blink of an eye, a circular Formation pattern appeared on the ground, and shortly after, a huge Linghu Illusion appeared in the sky. Lei Wende looked at Liu Zhengchu and said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to talk, then take your secrets down with you!¡± As he finished speaking, the Linghu Illusion in the sky launched an attack on Liu Zhengchu, spraying a burst of blue flames directly at him. At this moment, Liu Zhengchu calmly said, ¡°Gentlemen, it¡¯s time to make a move.¡± Hearing Liu Zhengchu¡¯s words, the disciples of Linghu Sect were momentarily stunned. There are others? Before the people of Linghu Sect could react, a flash of sword light passed before their eyes. Lei Wende was alarmed inside, thinking, Not good! There are actually three Celestials! Their disciples had already been injured and had exhausted some of their strength fighting against the two sects. While they could handle one Celestial, facing three Celestials, even if these three were weaker, they stood no chance. Chapter 923 - Chapter 923: Chapter 613: Worthy of Your Majesty, Soon to Have Another Confidante Chapter 923: Chapter 613: Worthy of Your Majesty, Soon to Have Another Confidante Hearing the voice of this woman, Lei Wende¡¯s soul nearly escaped him in fright. He abruptly stopped in his tracks and stared ahead. Before him stood a woman of stunning beauty and graceful figure, clad in light gauze that revealed her fair stomach, her skin as smooth and translucent as ice and jade, exuding an irresistible allure. Despite this, Lei Wende dared not be careless at the moment, for he could tell, though the woman had restrained her aura, that she was definitely a Celestial. In fact, Lei Wende had underestimated Mu Yunxi¡¯s Realm¡ªshe was not just a Celestial; she was a Creation Realm Cultivator. Of course, due to the restrictions of the Heavenly Dao in this world, she was unable to exert the full strength of the Genesis Realm right now. Since leaving Lu Chen, Mu Yunxi had fled to Black Dragon City, intending to return to the Misty World once its restrictions lifted and then find another way out of this world. However, in recent days she found herself increasingly missing that incompetent emperor, especially during her cultivation when restlessness took over her body and her thoughts fixated on him. Gradually, Mu Yunxi realized something was amiss. She suspected that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t pursued her because he was certain she wouldn¡¯t leave him¡ªthus he had deliberately let her go. Initially, she had planned to endure, treating it as a passage through emotional tribulation. But as the struggle grew unbearable, she felt she might eventually succumb to madness. Thus, she ultimately decided to go back and confront Lu Chen. She was determined to see what that incompetent emperor had done to her, capturing her thoughts so entirely. While preparing to go to Yan County, she happened to encounter Misty Immortal Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect besieging the Linghu Sect and learned of their situation. She followed the disciples of Linghu Sect all the way to the old capital of Great Jue, gathering some information about Liu Qingqiu along the way. Currently, she was particularly concerned about Liu Qingqiu¡¯s situation. Having been captured by Lu Chen along with her, Mu Yunxi was eager to find out if Liu Qingqiu had been utterly devoured by him. From the information she had received, Liu Qingqiu had indeed been made Lu Chen¡¯s Noble Concubine and was likely already consumed by Lu Chen. Thinking of Liu Qingqiu¡¯s fate, Mu Yunxi felt she too might not escape the grasp of that incompetent emperor, who dared to prey even on a significant figure like Liu Qingqiu¡ªthus his attitude towards her would be the same. Regardless, she had to go to Yan County. She needed to resolve her feelings for Lu Chen; otherwise, even if she fled this world, she would be unable to overcome her emotional tribulation, and her inner demons would only worsen. Mu Yunxi had initially planned to directly enter the old capital of Great Jue, but upon seeing Liu Zhengchu and others attacking the disciples of Linghu Sect, she found a place to hide. As she had expected, the disciples of Linghu Sect did not last long, and Lei Wende, a key figure of Linghu Sect, also fled. Seeing Lei Wende escaping, Mu Yunxi thought of capturing him, perhaps gaining favor from that incompetent emperor and finding an opportunity to talk to Lu Chen. After taking a glance at Mu Yunxi, Lei Wende smiled and said, ¡°Fairy, we hold no grudges; I wonder if you might let me pass.¡± Lei Wende was unsure if Mu Yunxi was one of the Celestials from the group earlier, but from her blocking the road, he realized she might have malicious intentions. Hearing this, Mu Yunxi¡¯s lips curved into an enchanting smile as she asked, ¡°Fellow Daoist, in such a rush to travel, where are you headed to?¡± Seeing Mu Yunxi had no intention of giving way, Lei Wende grew anxious. Although the Godspeed Talisman had allowed him to temporarily evade the Celestials¡¯ pursuit, if they kept tracking his aura, they would eventually catch up. Lei Wende quickly said, ¡°Fairy, I am a disciple of Linghu Sect. If you spare me today, once the restrictions of the Misty World are lifted and Linghu Sect comes to Tianchen Continent, Linghu Sect will surely repay you generously!¡± Mu Yunxi laughed and said, ¡°Do you think I, a person from the Misty World, would have any interest in the trinkets from the Misty World?¡± Lei Wende¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was this woman also from the Misty World? How could that be possible? Hadn¡¯t the prohibition of the Misty World not disappeared? How had this Celestial managed to arrive here? Soon, Lei Wende realized that this woman must have discovered a spatial rift a long time ago, and had come to this world before she had broken through to the Celestial Realm. Afterwards, she broke through to the Celestial Realm right here in this world. Lei Wende then said, ¡°Since the fairy also comes from the Misty World, then the fairy should be aware of the Linghu Sect¡¯s status there. Aren¡¯t you afraid of the Linghu Sect¡¯s retaliation if you offend them?¡± Mu Yunxi spoke indifferently, ¡°Why should I be afraid of the Linghu Sect? If I remember correctly, your Linghu Sect has only one Yin-Yang Realm powerhouse. If there¡¯s no suppression by the Heavenly Dao, don¡¯t mention just one Yin-Yang Realm, even if a few more came, I would not be afraid at all.¡± Upon hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Lei Wende froze completely. This woman¡¯s audacity was astonishing. Could her realm be more than just the Celestial Realm? How could that be possible? Due to the existence of the prohibition, even Celestials couldn¡¯t come to this world. If she was as powerful as she claimed, how had she arrived here? After snapping back to reality, Lei Wende immediately said, ¡°What a bold statement!¡± Mu Yunxi gave a faint smile, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste any more time. Once His Majesty¡¯s men arrive, my achievements will be snatched away.¡± While she was speaking, the bells on Mu Yunxi¡¯s ankles chimed, releasing waves of visible bell sounds. Before Lei Wende could react, he found that his body was unable to move. Lei Wende struggled futilely, but it was no use. His face filled with panic, he hastily begged for mercy, ¡°Spare my life, fairy. My father is an Elder of the Linghu Sect, as long as you spare me¡­¡± Before Lei Wende could finish, Mu Yunxi interrupted, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to kill you. Why the rush?¡± Just as Lei Wende was about to say something else, he suddenly found he couldn¡¯t open his mouth, ¡°Mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Seeing Lei Wende¡¯s struggling appearance, Mu Yunxi sighed lightly. Back then, Lu Chen was also a Unity Phase, they were both in the Unity Phase, yet why was there such a huge gap in strength? This Lei Wende was also a Unity Phase Cultivator from the Misty World, yet he had no ability to resist in front of her, whereas Lu Chen not only defeated her and Liu Qingqiu, but even captured them. Mu Yunxi thought no more of this. She then turned around and hurried towards Yan County, while Lei Wende, suspended in the air, followed her direction, drifting towards Yan County. When Xia Tianyuan arrived where Mu Yunxi and Lei Wende had just been, he sensed the familiar Celestial Spiritual Power residue in the air and immediately understood. He looked towards Yan County, his eyes brimming with admiration. It was just like His Majesty, about to gain another close confidante. Chapter 924 - Chapter 924: Chapter 614: Chu Yuqin Becomes a Celestial Chapter 924: Chapter 614: Chu Yuqin Becomes a Celestial Lu Chen originally planned to handle the governmental affairs that had piled up over the past ten or so days, but after taking the Seven Jewels Imperial Pill, he found his entire body surging with spiritual power and had no mind to deal with politics. Afterward, Lu Chen meditated in the Imperial Study Room for an entire day, not returning to Wind Cloud Palace until late into the night. When Lu Chen returned to Wind Cloud Palace, Chu Yuqin and the others had already had dinner prepared. Staring at a table full of dishes in the grand hall, Lu Chen paused for a moment. It had been a long time since he had eaten with his wives and concubines like this. Ever since they started dining separately, even at family feasts, everyone had their own plate and their own seat. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced over the three women in the grand hall, Mu Zixuan, Chu Yuqin, and Yelv Nanyan were all present. Ever since they had given birth, their temperament had become increasingly dignified and aristocratic. Their figures had also become fuller, of course, with fat in all the right places and slim where they should be. Chu Yuqin, dressed in a green palace outfit, approached Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, dinner is ready. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Chu Yuqin, having borne two children, had become even more gentle and composed, her tone more tender. Looking at the beautiful woman before him, the spiritual power inside Lu Chen that had not been completely absorbed began to stir restlessly, racing through his body. The next moment, Lu Chen pulled Chu Yuqin into his arms in haste, catching her off-guard and making her lose her balance, ¡°Ah!¡± By the time Chu Yuqin regained her bearings, her lips had already been claimed by Lu Chen, and Mu Zixuan and Yelv Nanyan in the grand hall exchanged smiles at the scene. It seemed dinner tonight was going to take a while. Before Chu Yuqin could steady herself, she felt Lu Chen¡¯s hand slip into her palace skirt. She felt somewhat helpless in her heart, becoming this little rascal¡¯s woman had only made him more impatient. Chu Yuqin had no choice but to let Lu Chen have his way. He kissed Chu Yuqin, embracing her soft body and slowly pushing her towards the couch. When they reached the couch, Chu Yuqin had also gotten into the mood. Lu Chen gently laid her down, and at that moment her eyes were misted over with a hazy fog. She hadn¡¯t come back to her senses when she heard a tearing sound. Feeling a sudden chill, Chu Yuqin gave Lu Chen a resentful glance; this little rascal really did not waste a single moment. Before Chu Yuqin could say anything, Lu Chen leaned down and began to foster intimacy with her. While being intimate with Chu Yuqin, the unspent spiritual power inside Lu Chen rushed towards her, creating a cycle between their bodies, which made him feel much better. Feeling the flow of spiritual power inside her, Chu Yuqin recognized it as an opportunity and immediately began to circulate her Mysterious Female Technique. Seeing the two cultivating on the couch, Mu Zixuan and Yelv Nanyan did not continue standing to the side, but quickly approached as well. Late into the night, the spiritual power within Lu Chen burst forth, spreading throughout the Imperial Palace and causing ripples of spiritual energy. Feeling his inner spiritual sea expand by more than tenfold, Lu Chen knew his strength had broken through to the Genesis Realm. Lu Chen was somewhat incredulous at that moment; one Seven Jewels Imperial Pill had allowed him to break through from the Heavenly Human Realm directly to the Genesis Realm. It was indeed a magical pill! Having come back to his senses, Lu Chen looked at the three women before him with a smile and said, ¡°My ladies, thank you for your hard work.¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for the three of them using the Mysterious Female Technique to help him alleviate the unabsorbed spiritual power, perhaps it would have taken him much longer to break through to the Genesis Realm. Of course, this was also beneficial for the three of them. At that moment, a white light radiated from Chu Yuqin¡¯s body, and before they could understand what was happening, a spiritual pressure was released from her body. Chu Yuqin hurriedly tried to control this spiritual pressure, but the next moment, various objects in Wind Cloud Palace began to rise into the air. Feeling the spiritual pressure emanating from Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. ¡°` This is¡­ The imposing presence exclusive to those in the Celestial Realm! How is this possible? In this world, isn¡¯t it required to go through trials before one can become a Celestial? Why has Chu Yuqin suddenly become a Celestial, or has Chu Yuqin already completed the trials of the Heavenly Dao, thus becoming a Celestial? At this moment, Chu Yuqin had finally regained her composure. She looked around blankly at Lu Chen pressing down upon her and asked in confusion, ¡°Chen¡­ Chen¡¯er, have I¡­ seemed to have broken through to the Celestial Realm?¡± Not to mention others, even Chu Yuqin herself couldn¡¯t explain what was happening. She had long heard from Lu Chen that to become a Celestial, one must endure the trials of the Heavenly Dao. In other words, the Unity that the cultivation world speaks of. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t even know what her own trial was, yet she had directly broken through to the Celestial Realm. Although she didn¡¯t understand how this happened, it was good news for Chu Yuqin. After a moment of stunned silence, Lu Chen revealed a smile. He lifted his hand and gently caressed Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheek, saying, ¡°Madam Chu, this is a good thing.¡± ¡°From now on, our big family has one more Celestial. I can go out with greater peace of mind in the future.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin felt immensely happy inside. She had always felt that she wasn¡¯t much help to Lu Chen, especially after Lu Chen came to Yan County. Even though she had given birth to two children for Lu Chen, she still felt that she wasn¡¯t of much value to him. Now that she too possessed the strength of a Celestial, she finally qualified to protect Lu Chen. Standing to the side, Mu Zixuan and Yelv Nanyan were both incredibly envious upon hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, especially Yelv Nanyan. Yelv Nanyan was already a Grandmaster, yet had not yet entered the Unity Phase. Originally, the realm of Chu Yuqin was similar to hers, but now Chu Yuqin had broken through to the Celestial Realm in one fell swoop. How could this not provoke envy? At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Madam Chu, you¡¯ve just broken through to become a Celestial. Quickly stabilize the spiritual power within your body.¡± With these words, Lu Chen slowly rose. Chu Yuqin blushed and said, ¡°Alright, okay.¡± Approaching the moment, Chu Yuqin got up to meditate and stabilize the spiritual power within her body. Seeing this, Mu Zixuan and Yelv Nanyan both thought that would be it for the evening. However, Lu Chen suddenly turned his head to look at Mu Zixuan and Yelv Nanyan, smiled, and said, ¡°Ladies, Madam Chu has already broken through to the Celestial Realm. You two also need to work hard.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue.¡± Before the two women could respond, Lu Chen bent down in front of Yelv Nanyan. ¡­ Meanwhile, In Yunrong Palace. Yun Xianxian was in meditation, and feeling the fluctuations of the Imperial Palace¡¯s spiritual energy, she abruptly opened her eyes. Yun Xianxian looked in the direction of the Wind Cloud Palace and murmured, ¡°Someone has directly broken through to the Celestial Realm?¡± ¡°It seems that the restrictions are really about to disappear!¡± Once the restrictions disappeared and the spiritual energy poured into this world, the resurgence of the world¡¯s spiritual energy would make it much easier for the Unity Phase Cultivators of this world to become Celestials. They would not need the so-called trials; when their realm reached a certain level, they would be able to break through directly. For this world, Chu Yuqin¡¯s direct ascension to Celestial status was not a good sign. It indicated that the restrictions of the Misty World could no longer hold for much longer, and the world¡¯s spiritual energy was about to be restored. ¡°` Chapter 925 - Chapter 925: Chapter 615: Is Yun Xianxian Leaving? Chapter 925: Chapter 615: Is Yun Xianxian Leaving? ¡°` While Chu Yuqin was meditating to stabilize the Spiritual Power within her body, Lu Chen seemed utterly unconcerned about disturbing her with the ongoing noise around them. Amidst Lu Chen¡¯s busyness, a maidservant¡¯s voice came from the entrance of Wind Cloud Palace, ¡°Your Majesty, Venerable Yun requests your presence at Yunrong Palace.¡± Hearing the maidservant¡¯s voice, Lu Chen paused for a moment. He had not expected Yun Xianxian to want to see him again so soon, especially considering he had lain with her for over ten days previously. Lu Chen stopped what he was doing and gently caressed Yelv Nanyan¡¯s jade-like cheek, pushing her sweat-moistened hair to the side. The maidservant answered, ¡°Venerable Yun said it is regarding the Misty World.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment, since it pertained to the Misty World, he decided to go and have a look. Immediately, Lu Chen said, ¡°Tell her I will arrive shortly.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen bent down to cover Yelv Nanyan¡¯s red lips with his, then nurtured their affection again. ¡­ When Yun Xianxian heard what the maidservant reported back, she let out a cold snort. Being able to sense everything that happened within the Imperial Palace, she naturally knew what Lu Chen was up to at that moment. This rebellious disciple didn¡¯t even seem anxious about the invaders from the Misty World, preoccupied instead with enjoying the pleasures of his consorts. Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t ponder further, continuing her meditation. She suspected the rebellious disciple must also know that the world¡¯s barrier was soon to vanish and that the powers behind him were already prepared, which was why he was in no rush at all. After all, it wasn¡¯t her dynasty that would be attacked once the barrier disappeared. Yun Xianxian then settled her mind to meditate. About an hour or so later, Yun Xianxian abruptly opened her eyes. In the next moment, Lu Chen appeared on her couch and placed his hand on her thigh, ¡°Honored Master, I heard you had an important matter to discuss with your disciple?¡± Yun Xianxian frowned her willowy eyebrows and said icily, ¡°You don¡¯t seem the least bit afraid of the invaders from the Misty World.¡± After smelling Lu Chen¡¯s scent, Yun Xianxian felt uncomfortable all over. She then said, ¡°Next time you come to see me, bathe first. Do not let me smell other women on you!¡± Lu Chen stared into Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple eyes and asked with a mischievous grin, ¡°Honored Master, you aren¡¯t jealous, are you?¡± Yun Xianxian spoke detachedly, ¡°I will not entertain such matters with you. I only want to tell you that the barrier of the Misty World probably won¡¯t last another twenty years.¡± Lu Chen was taken aback upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words. Seeing the stunned expression on Lu Chen¡¯s face, Yun Xianxian chuckled, ¡°From the look on your face, you were not aware of this.¡± Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Your disciple truly did not know. May I ask how Honored Master came to this conclusion?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°You were fooling around in Wind Cloud Palace just now, so you should be aware that someone made a breakthrough to Celestial just now.¡± Lu Chen uttered a sound of acknowledgment. Of course, he knew about it, since Chu Yuqin had made her breakthrough to the Celestial Realm beneath him. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°This world necessitates trials to become a Celestial primarily due to the scarcity of Spiritual Energy, incapable of sustaining so many Celestials. Therefore, the Heavenly Dao of this world restricts the number of Celestials.¡± ¡°However, as the barrier of the Misty World is on the verge of collapsing and this world¡¯s Spiritual Energy begins to revive, Unity Phase Cultivators of this world will not need any trials in the future. As long as they have attained a certain level of strength, they will be able to directly breakthrough to become Celestials.¡± ¡°Now that someone has directly made a breakthrough to Celestial, it signifies that the Misty World¡¯s barrier is dissipating, and somewhere in this world now has abundant Spiritual Energy, prompting the Heavenly Dao to lift the restrictions on Celestials.¡± Listening to Yun Xianxian¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen fell silent, as he had just been reveling in the thought that Chu Yuqin had finally made her breakthrough. ¡°` He was now being told that this was a sign that the Misty World¡¯s prohibitions were disappearing. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°The Venerable herself observed some time ago that the prohibitions of the Misty World would indeed take about twenty years to disappear, but that¡¯s assuming no one interferes.¡± ¡°The forces within the Misty World who wish to enter this realm will inevitably find a way to accelerate the disappearance of the prohibitions, and naturally, the prohibitions of the Misty World will no longer be able to last twenty years.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Can Honored Master take a look and tell me how many more years the prohibitions of the Misty World can last?¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°Take your hand away.¡± That rebellious disciple¡¯s paw was still groping about on her jade leg, leaving her no mind to sense the state of the prohibitions in the Misty World. Lu Chen smiled sheepishly, ¡°Honored Master, we have already been intimate as husband and wife, what does it matter if I touch you a little?¡± Yun Xianxian said coldly, ¡°If you want to know when the prohibitions will disappear, take your hand away.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Lu Chen immediately lifted his hand; after all, this fairy was already his woman, and he was not in a rush for this moment. Seeing Lu Chen raise his hand, Yun Xianxian closed her eyes once more, and the next moment, cold air surged forth from her body as the center. Subsequently, a Spirit Image identical to Yun Xianxian appeared on her body. Seeing this illusion, Lu Chen thought to himself that his Honored Master probably had not taught him anything real. About fifteen minutes later, Yun Xianxian opened her eyes again, and Lu Chen asked, ¡°Honored Master, how is it?¡± Yun Xianxian answered, ¡°According to the Venerable¡¯s observation, the prohibitions of the Misty World will completely disappear within five years, and a wide area of spiritual energy rejuvenation has already appeared in the former region of Black Dragon Country.¡± ¡°The Venerable should also head to Black Dragon City.¡± Yun Xianxian had initially planned to go to Black Dragon City to help Lu Chen, this rebellious disciple, deal with the disciples of the Linghu Sect and incidentally collect some Spirit Stones. But then she was tossed around by this rebellious disciple for more than ten days; however, she didn¡¯t need to think about snatching Spirit Stones from the Linghu Sect disciples anymore. With the spiritual energy rejuvenated in Black Dragon City, her cultivation speed would be able to increase greatly just by going there. With enough spiritual energy, those Spirit Stones would not be of much use to her anymore. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen was stunned. Yun Xianxian was leaving? This wouldn¡¯t do! Lu Chen immediately said, ¡°Honored Master, didn¡¯t you promise to stay by my side for the time being?¡± Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly, ¡°The Venerable never said such a thing, I only said I could be your woman.¡± ¡°What? Do you want to restrict the Venerable¡¯s movements and imprison me as your plaything?¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to say something, Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°If you¡¯re afraid the Venerable will run away, you can also accompany the Venerable to Black Dragon City.¡± At this point, Yun Xianxian suddenly remembered something and continued, ¡°Now that you are in the Genesis Realm, the Venerable is no match for you and cannot possibly escape from in front of you.¡± When Lu Chen had appeared just now, Yun Xianxian had sensed the pressure emanating from him; although she did not know how this guy managed to cultivate so quickly in this inferior realm, considering the potential forces behind Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian did not speculate further. Chapter 926 - Chapter 926: Chapter 616: It Seems that this Rebel is No Good Anymore Chapter 926: Chapter 616: It Seems that this Rebel is No Good Anymore Lu Chen thought for a moment, and in the end, he decided to stay in Yan County. Most of his wives and concubines were in Yan County, and he couldn¡¯t possibly abandon his wives, concubines and children just for the sake of doing that thing with Yun Xianxian. Of course, the most important thing was that he still had to work hard to have children, and he also needed to develop rune weapons. Moreover, the entire Great Sum needed his governance. Despite having spent over a dozen days in bed with Yun Xianxian without getting up, Lu Chen still had government affairs on his mind. At this moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Well then, if Honored Master wishes to go to Black Dragon City, she may, but¡­¡± At this, Lu Chen glanced at Yun Xianxian¡¯s beautifully exquisite face. Seeing that Lu Chen was hesitating to continue, Yun Xianxian immediately asked, ¡°But what?¡± Yun Xianxian had a feeling that this defiant disciple wouldn¡¯t let her leave so easily. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Honored Master is free to go to Black Dragon City and the disciple has no objections, but it has to be one month from now. You must stay in Yan County for this month.¡± He had only recently obtained Yun Xianxian, so how could he let her leave him so soon? Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyebrows involuntarily twitched slightly, and then she said icily, ¡°What do you want to do!¡± Lu Chen then lifted his hand, holding up Yun Xianxian¡¯s chin, stared into her pale purple pupils, and said with a smile, ¡°What the disciple wants to do, Honored Master ought to know best.¡± ¡°The disciple has just obtained Honored Master¡¯s body, how could he so easily let Honored Master leave him.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Yun Xianxian snorted coldly. She knew this was what the defiant disciple was thinking, but she didn¡¯t care too much. What had happened had happened, and now she had come to terms with it. It just so happened that she needed Lu Chen for cultivating the Mysterious Female Technique, so they needed each other. Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°To me, you¡¯re no different from those demon cultivators in the cultivation realm.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Demon Cultivator? The disciple hasn¡¯t been practicing Yin-Yang Balance.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I¡¯m curious, with so many women in this world, if one day you have to leave this world and not come back, whether you would take your women with you.¡± Yun Xianxian believed that with Lu Chen¡¯s identity and strength, it was certain that one day he would be able to leave this world. If he were to leave this world, what would happen to his wives, concubines, and children? Could it be that he planned to take all of them back to a Cultivation Family? Typical Cultivation Families tended to pay attention to bloodlines. Women from lower Realms, as well as children Lu Chen had with women from lower Realms, were considered inferior in the eyes of those Cultivation Families. Even if Lu Chen truly took them all back, they probably would not be welcomed by his family. Instead, Lu Chen¡¯s actions might be frowned upon by his family, leading him to possibly abandon them. This kind of thing happened often in the High-Level Cultivation Realm, where talented disciples would venture to lower Realms for training, sleep with many women there, fathering children, and then abandon the children and the mothers when returning to their own realm. Later, the sons, growing up and becoming stronger, would seek out their fathers in the High-Level Cultivation Realm. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s question, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Of course I would; they are all my family. If I have to leave this world never to return, then naturally, they would all have to leave with me.¡± ¡°However, if I were to leave this world temporarily, I might not take them with me, not knowing what the outside world is like.¡± ¡°It might be very dangerous, so I would prefer they stay in a safe world.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t continue the conversation. She felt that this defiant disciple did have a sense of responsibility. In fact, it was usually quite evident. Although this disciple was lustful, he was very good to his women. Take, for example, the Mysterious Female Technique¡ªthey learned today that all of Lu Chen¡¯s women were cultivating this technique. And with Lu Chen¡¯s help, several of his wives and concubines, who weren¡¯t even Martial Artists, were now close to reaching the Grandmaster Realm. If Lu Chen were merely after beauty, he wouldn¡¯t need to help his wives and concubines enhance their strength. While Yun Xianxian was lost in thought, Lu Chen pushed her down onto the soft couch, then braced his arms on either side of her hair, directly pressing Yun Xianxian¡¯s delicate body underneath his. Yun Xianxian snapped back to reality and said coldly, ¡°Rebel, what are you doing?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Whatever the Honored Master wishes me to do.¡± Yun Xianxian said icily, ¡°I¡¯ve always loved cleanliness; the scent of other women is on you. You¡¯d best not touch me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If I were to wash up and change my clothes, does that mean I could do whatever I want with the Honored Master?¡± Without waiting for Yun Xianxian¡¯s answer, seeing that she acquiesced, Lu Chen promptly got up and headed toward the bath in the next room, ¡°Honored Master, please wait a moment, your disciple will take a bath.¡± Watching the back of this rebellious disciple, Yun Xianxian felt a surge of anger. This insolent one had just been stirring trouble with other women at Wind Cloud Palace, and now, he had the audacity to come to her. The thought that someone else had used this rebel¡¯s ¡®thing¡¯ made Yun Xianxian feel extremely uncomfortable. However, even with such thoughts, Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t flee right then and there. After Lu Chen finished bathing and came out, Yun Xianxian was still meditating on the couch. But to her surprise, Lu Chen ended up merely embracing her, inhaling the faint aroma of her hair, then drifted into a deep sleep, not engaging in any acts between man and woman. Feeling the steady breathing of Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian sniffed disdainfully. ¡°It seems this rebel is no good.¡± For the past dozen days, he had been drained by her Mysterious Female Technique, and after resting for just over a day, he ran off to play games with his wives and concubines; even a strong body couldn¡¯t withstand that. The thought of Lu Chen¡¯s body giving out brought a hint of schadenfreude to Yun Xianxian. Deserves him right! ¡­ Black Dragon City. A certain tavern. The disciples of Misty Immortal Sect were sitting together, drinking and making merry. One disciple burst out laughing, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect we¡¯d clear out the disciples from Linghu Sect so quickly.¡± ¡°The disciples from Linghu Sect weren¡¯t that powerful to begin with, plus we had the help of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Eliminating them was a breeze.¡± ¡°Honestly, even without the disciples from Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, our Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s strength alone would¡¯ve been enough to easily deal with those from Linghu Sect.¡± ¡°Right, I just don¡¯t understand why we absolutely have to collaborate with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± ¡­ As the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect were engaged in their varied discussions, a voice reached the tavern, ¡°What¡¯s there not to understand? Only by two sects uniting can we split the Tianchen Continent in two. Otherwise, Tianchen Continent will be divided into more than a dozen parts, with Misty Immortal Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect only able to occupy a small piece of land.¡± ¡°If you truly can¡¯t grasp it, you might as well wait until the restrictions of Misty World dissipate and ask the Elders of your own Misty Immortal Sect whether it¡¯s better to cooperate with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect or to be their enemy.¡± Hearing the man¡¯s voice, the eyes of the disciples from Misty Immortal Sect all turned towards the entrance. Chapter 927 - Chapter 927: Chapter 617 We Know What to Do Chapter 927: Chapter 617 We Know What to Do ¡°` At the entrance of the restaurant stood a group of Unity Phase Cultivators dressed in white robes, which clearly marked them as Disciples from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Seeing that they were Disciples from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, the leading Disciple from the Misty Immortal Sect, Sha Pengyue with a face reeking of alcohol, said, ¡°Bai Guangyu, what business does the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect have coming here for no reason?¡± The leading Disciple from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect replied with a smile, ¡°This restaurant isn¡¯t exclusive to your Misty Immortal Sect, so why can your people come, but ours from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect cannot?¡± Hearing this, Sha Pengyue let out a cold snort and didn¡¯t bother to engage with the people from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect any further. At that moment, Bai Guangyu said to the restaurant¡¯s waiter, ¡°Where is your Shopkeeper? We from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect would like to order.¡± The waiter hurriedly nodded and bowed, ¡°Honored guests, please follow me to the third floor, there are private rooms available.¡± Hearing this, the Disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect on the second and ground floors were not pleased, with one of them saying directly, ¡°Private rooms? Why should we be downstairs while they go up to the private rooms on the upper floor?¡± The waiter hastened to say, ¡°Esteemed Immortals, there are sufficient private rooms upstairs, and you are all welcome to drink in one if you wish to.¡± Originally, the Misty Immortal Sect had more Disciples who had arrived early, so they simply reserved the whole venue and were drinking on the first and second floors. However, no one expected the Disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to show up too, and while the Misty Immortal Sect could chase other people away, they couldn¡¯t do the same to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. But they could not allow the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to go upstairs and drink over their heads, or else it would make the Misty Immortal Sect seem inferior. The lead Disciple from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Bai Guangyu, paid no attention to those from the Misty Immortal Sect and directly led his Sect¡¯s Disciples upstairs. Seeing the Disciples from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect go to the third floor, Sha Pengyue said with a dark face, ¡°We¡¯re going up too.¡± Immediately, Sha Pengyue led the Disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect to the third floor. The Misty Immortal Sect had more Disciples, so it was inevitably a bit cramped for them in the private rooms. Although there were no other customers, there were still a lot of people from both Sects, and the noise was just as raucous in the private rooms. Listening to the noise coming from the opposite private room, Bai Guangyu smiled faintly, and at that moment a restaurant attendant approached him. The attendant spoke with neither servility nor overbearingness, ¡°Esteemed Immortal, this is from our Shopkeeper for you.¡± As the words settled, the attendant took out a slip of paper and handed it to Bai Guangyu. Bai Guangyu was somewhat curious as he accepted the note, not understanding why a restaurant Shopkeeper would pass him a secret missive. But as soon as the note was unfurled, Bai Guangyu immediately realized its significance. Their most important purpose for this trip was to establish contact with the Daxia Emperor. He did not know who the Daxia Emperor was, but he understood that the Emperor¡¯s status was extraordinarily high, even surpassing that of their own Sect Master. In front of the Daxia Emperor, even their Sect Master could only be considered a minor figure. Before they left their Sect, their Sect Master personally briefed him on many matters, so right after leading the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s Disciples to Black Dragon City, he dispatched people to Yan County with the purpose of reporting to the Sum Emperor about the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s situation in the Misty World. After reading the note from the attendant, Bai Guangyu quickly regained his composure. Not many knew of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s connection with the Daxia Emperor, so Bai Guangyu had no doubts about the authenticity of the note. However, he hadn¡¯t expected that by randomly choosing a restaurant, they would actually end up at one of the Sum Emperor¡¯s secret points. It seemed that the Emperor¡¯s control over this world was incredibly strong. Bai Guangyu then told the attendant, ¡°Tell your Shopkeeper that we know what to do.¡± Immediately, the attendant replied, ¡°Understood.¡± With that, the attendant turned and left. Meanwhile. In the opposite private room. Sha Pengyue and the Disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect sat with dark faces, squeezed into the private room, feeling quite displeased. ¡°` The disciples from Misty Immortal Sect were quite numerous, and although they had split the third-floor private room equally with the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, it was still exceptionally crowded. Even the private room Sha Pengyue was in felt cramped, and a disciple beside him said, ¡°It would be better to drink downstairs, it¡¯s too crowded up here.¡± Sha Pengyue chuckled and replied, ¡°When you divide such a small place in two, of course, it will be cramped.¡± Hearing Sha Pengyue¡¯s words, the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect seemed contemplative, as if they had sensed the hidden meaning in his words. At that moment, a waiter came in, ¡°Please wait a moment, honorable guests, we will serve the dishes immediately.¡± No sooner had the waiter finished speaking than Sha Pengyue put a knife directly to his neck, causing the waiter to kneel down in fright and say, ¡°Immortal, what do you mean by this? I have not offended you.¡± Sha Pengyue then took out a packet of powder, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, and whispered into the waiter¡¯s ear, ¡°Put this stuff in the food and drink of the people across from us, or else this tavern can cease to exist.¡± Upon hearing this, the waiter shuddered all over, his face breaking out in a cold sweat. ¡°Immortal, this¡­¡± Seeing the waiter¡¯s hesitation, Sha Pengyue continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t do it, I can always ask other waiters to do it. I believe they would be more than willing to assist me with this favor.¡± The waiter quickly nodded and replied, ¡°Willing, willing, I am willing.¡± Afterward, Sha Pengyue moved the blade away from the waiter¡¯s neck and said, ¡°Alright, go get ready.¡± The waiter took the packet from Sha Pengyue¡¯s hand and left the private room, trembling. However, as soon as the waiter stepped out of the private room, the look of terror on his face vanished instantly, as if he had never been scared in the first place. Moved by curiosity, a disciple beside Sha Pengyue asked, ¡°Sha Senior Brother, what was that thing you gave the waiter just now?¡± Sha Pengyue said indifferently, ¡°Nothing much, just a packet of Spiritual Power suppressant.¡± Hearing this, the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect immediately understood Sha Pengyue¡¯s intent. Many substances that suppress Spiritual Power are colorless and tasteless; ordinary people can¡¯t detect them at all. However, once someone ingests something that suppresses Spiritual Power, their internal flow of Spiritual Power will slow down significantly during skill activation, and their abilities will be greatly impacted. If they ingest a large amount, they might not even be able to exert half of their strength. At that point, Sha Pengyue spoke to another disciple, ¡°You go and keep an eye on that waiter to prevent any tricks.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Then, that disciple left the private room to supervise downstairs. The tavern was full of Brocade Guards; for them, switching out an item was very easy, such a trifling matter was no challenge at all. Furthermore, the disciple Sha Pengyue sent to monitor the waiter as he drugged the food believed they were from the Misty Immortal Sect. No one dared play any tricks in front of them, so he didn¡¯t monitor closely, leading to the drugs Sha Pengyue provided ending up in their own food and drink without their knowledge. At that moment, Sha Pengyue and his party still thought they had an assured victory, just waiting for the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to fall into the trap. Meanwhile. In the private room where Bai Guangyu was located. A waiter brought in the dishes and also handed Bai Guangyu a slip of paper. After reading it, Bai Guangyu¡¯s mouth curved up slightly; they had not even prepared to make a move on Misty Immortal Sect when those people from the sect had become restless first. Chapter 928 - Chapter 928: Chapter 618: Im Afraid Youre Here to Kick Someone When Theyre Down! Chapter 928: Chapter 618: I¡¯m Afraid You¡¯re Here to Kick Someone When They¡¯re Down! After the dishes and wine for the disciples of both the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect were served, they ate and drank as usual to avoid arousing suspicion from each other. Listening to the voices of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples coming from the opposite room, Sha Pengyue¡¯s smile was especially radiant, his face almost contorted with joy. At that moment, one disciple expressed his concern, ¡°Brother Sha, if we really do this, once the prohibition lifts, might it not cause a conflict between the two sects?¡± Sha Pengyue sneered softly and said in a low voice, ¡°As long as those people all disappear, who will know what happened in the Tianchen Continent? By then, we can blame everything on the Linghu Sect.¡± Hearing Sha Pengyue¡¯s words, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect thought about it and felt that this plan was not bad. Sha Pengyue continued, ¡°Moreover, the Sect Master hinted to me when I came to the Tianchen Continent that if anything happens, he will support us, so we can just do it boldly and confidently.¡± The cooperation between the two sects was not sincere. The most crucial point was that after the disciples of both sects entered the Tianchen Continent, they were in an unknown state, and no one knew whether the other side¡¯s disciples would truly abide by their alliance. This was just like the two sects had clearly promised not to harm the disciples of Linghu Sect, but as soon as they entered, they started chasing to kill the disciples of Linghu Sect. As long as they could eliminate all the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, once the prohibition of the Misty World lifted, the entire Tianchen Continent would belong to the Misty Immortal Sect. As Sha Pengyue thought about the great merit that would fall upon him, he was certain that he would rise to prominence within the Misty Immortal Sect and might even become a direct disciple of the Sect Master. Hearing Sha Pengyue¡¯s words, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect became excited as well. Since their sect and the Sect Master were backing them, there was nothing more to say. Let¡¯s do it! With that thought, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect began to prepare, ready to act as soon as the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples finished their meal. The disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were already fewer in number, and after taking medicine that suppressed their spiritual power, eliminating them would be as easy as turning over one¡¯s hand. After who knows how long, the voices from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s side gradually became much quieter. Hearing this, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect immediately became alert. At this moment, the people of the Misty Immortal Sect had already gripped their swords, ready to strike at any moment. A moment later, Bai Guangyu¡¯s voice came from the opposite room, ¡°Go! Call your Shopkeeper here. I want to see what you put in this wine!¡± Bai Guangyu¡¯s voice was especially loud and sounded as if he was furious. Hearing this voice, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were immediately overjoyed, it seemed that their drug to suppress spiritual power had taken effect. Since it had taken effect, it was time to make their move. Sha Pengyue then split open the door of the room with a palm strike, followed by breaking open the door of the room where Bai Guangyu was located. Seeing Sha Pengyue leading the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sector, looking fierce as they blocked the doorway, Bai Guangyu sneered and said, ¡°Sha Pengyue, what are you trying to do!¡± Sha Pengyue smiled and then said, ¡°I heard that someone tampered with your dishes and wine, I came over to check, to see if you need the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s help in seeking justice.¡± ¡°After all, our Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect are in a partnership now.¡± Hearing Sha Pengyue¡¯s words, Bai Guangyu sneered and said, ¡°Seeking justice? I fear you are here to kick us when we¡¯re down!¡± As he spoke, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect all drew their swords, and the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect also immediately drew their swords, and the atmosphere between them instantly became tense as drawn bows. Sha Pengyue frowned and said, ¡°Friend Bai, that¡¯s not right. I came here to help, and yet you don¡¯t appreciate the good intention and draw swords against us!¡± Bai Guangyu replied indifferently, ¡°Sha Pengyue, drop the act. We are all too aware of what kind of people your Misty Immortal Sect consists of.¡± ¡°It seems you just want to take advantage of others¡¯ misfortunes!¡± Sha Pengyue scoffed, ¡°Since Bai treats us so coldly without any semblance of compassion, that leaves us nothing more to talk about.¡± ¡°Fight!¡± As Sha Pengyue¡¯s words fell, both sides made their moves, and the next moment, the entire rooftop of the tavern was torn off by chaotic Sword Qi. At that moment, Bai Guangyu thrust his sword toward Sha Pengyue, who disregarded it, intending to use his Cultivation Technique until he suddenly found the flow of Spiritual Power within his body slowing down, rendering him unable to activate his technique. Sha Pengyue, startled, hastily parried with his sword, but Bai Guangyu¡¯s thrust was not something Sha could withstand. A stream of white Sword Qi slashed out, and Sha¡¯s body was sent flying. Sha Pengyue came down from the tavern, planted his sword into the ground on the street, and then violently spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Clutching his chest, he glared venomously at Bai Guangyu in the distance, ¡°You¡¯ve used poison, scheming against us!¡± Even Sha, foolish as he was, had realized by now that Bai Guangyu had feigned being poisoned, whereas, in reality, none of them were affected. Instead, it was the disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect who had been ensnared. At that moment, more and more disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were slain by those from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. The streets were scattered with bodies of the Misty Immortal Sect disciples. Seeing this, Sha Pengyue bellowed, ¡°Bai, aren¡¯t you worried that this incident will reach our Sect Master¡¯s ears and cause a rift between our Sects!¡± ¡°If the relationship between our Sects breaks, can you bear the responsibility?¡± Bai Guangyu laughed and said, ¡°Sha, when you initiated the fight just now, why didn¡¯t you think about that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit too late to mention this now?¡± Bai Guangyu then tightly grasped his sword. In the next moment, he gathered all his Spiritual Power, and countless sword shadows appeared around him. Seeing this, Sha Pengyue panicked a bit and hurriedly said, ¡°You can¡¯t kill me! If you kill me, the Misty Immortal Sect will surely seek vengeance!¡± Bai Guangyu snorted coldly, ¡°The Misty Immortal Sect will soon go down with you.¡± As he spoke, Bai Guangyu swung his sword, and countless sword shadows flew toward Sha Pengyue. Sha Pengyue hastily defended, but to no avail. His Spiritual Power restricted, his Cultivation Technique was unable to activate, naturally unable to withstand Bai Guangyu¡¯s Swordsmanship. As sword shadows pierced through Sha Pengyue¡¯s body, he slowly collapsed. His eyes wide open, filled with reluctance. ¡­ A few days later. In Daxia Yancheng, at Yunrong Palace. Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong were leisurely sipping tea in the courtyard, listening to the sounds of fighting and roaring coming from a room. ¡°Traitor! You¡­ you dare to treat your master this way!¡± ¡°Traitor, let go of your master¡­ Ah!¡± ¡°Honored Master, do you admit your mistake?¡± ¡°Ah! Your teacher admits his mistake¡­¡± ¡­ Yun Xianxian was due to leave for Black Dragon City in a month, and Lu Chen did not know if Yun Xianxian would often return after that, so he decided to spend every day of this month visiting Yunrong Palace, hoping she would fall for it before her departure. Chapter 929 - Chapter 929: Chapter 619: Mu Yunxi Returns Chapter 929: Chapter 619: Mu Yunxi Returns Lu Chen¡¯s idea was very simple¡ªif he could get Yun Xianxian to conceive his child, then Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t just run away in the future. However, getting a Celestial to become pregnant was indeed challenging, especially since Yun Xianxian¡¯s original power wasn¡¯t as simple as that of a Celestial. Yun Xianxian had also realized from the start of the month that this defiant disciple would use all kinds of means to target her, and the results were indeed as she had anticipated. She now felt that he was treating her merely as a vessel, not even a furnace cauldron. Lu Chen really kept his word. He had said he would not engage in dual cultivation with her, and he had indeed not done so, not even using spiritual power, purely for that reason. Yun Xianxian felt a particularly strange sensation at this time, as though she had turned into one of those animals in the forest, simply pursuing primal instincts. After an indefinite period, Lu Chen gently caressed Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade back and said with a smile, ¡°Honored Master, why are you not practicing the Mysterious Female Technique anymore? In a while, you will be going to Black Dragon City, and once we are apart, you won¡¯t have the chance to practice the Mysterious Female Technique.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words from behind her, Yun Xianxian paid no heed. This defiant disciple sure had wishful thinking¡ªshe should practice the Mysterious Female Technique, which he would be only too happy about. But then again, if they engaged in such acts without circulating cultivation technique, wouldn¡¯t that be purely for the pleasure of men and women? She, a cultivator, could pursue such worldly pleasures. Thinking this, Yun Xianxian eventually took the initiative to circulate her cultivation technique. However, it wasn¡¯t the Mysterious Female Technique. The Mysterious Female Technique was a one-sided practice and could give Lu Chen boundless pleasure, so it was better to practice the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill. As spiritual power flowed within both their bodies, Yun Xianxian felt somewhat better, the circulation of spiritual power making her feel she was cultivating, not merely engaging in that act. Feeling Yun Xianxian circulating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, Lu Chen leaned forward and whispered in her ear, ¡°My dear Honored Master, weren¡¯t you worried that I would treat you as a furnace cauldron? How come you¡¯re now initiating the cultivation yourself?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian lay quietly without responding. Lu Chen then gently lifted Yun Xianxian¡¯s white hair and laid his head on her pristine neck. Yun Xianxian¡¯s expression changed slightly, and her body trembled faintly. This detestable defiant disciple! At this moment, to divert her attention, Yun Xianxian spoke up, ¡°This Celestial is somewhat curious about which high-level cultivation world you truly come from.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen slightly lifted his head and then rested his chin on Yun Xianxian¡¯s fragrant shoulder, saying, ¡°Disciple had already told Honored Master a long time ago, disciple just comes from a lower world.¡± Yun Xianxian snorted lightly, ¡°You¡¯ve already taken everything from this Celestial, and yet you¡¯re still so cautious around me.¡± In Yun Xianxian¡¯s view, Lu Chen¡¯s choice not to reveal more probably meant he didn¡¯t trust her. Perhaps like her, due to certain reasons, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t casually disclose his identity. But the thought that she had become this defiant disciple¡¯s woman, and yet the defiant disciple still withheld everything from her, made Yun Xianxian feel somewhat uncomfortable. This defiant disciple probably never really considered her as his woman, treating her instead merely as an outlet for his desires. Lu Chen knew Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t trust him, but he was also helpless, as he couldn¡¯t possibly reveal his possession of a system. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Honored Master will one day understand that disciple¡¯s words are true, but disciple has some unspeakable predicaments and cannot disclose everything to Honored Master.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s mouth approached Yun Xianxian¡¯s ear, he softly blew a breath, and continued, ¡°I believe Honored Master would understand disciple.¡± Yun Xianxian coldly snorted and did not respond to these words. The two continued their practice, Yun Xianxian¡¯s lips slightly parted, continuously adjusting her breathing. Lu Chen spoke after a while, ¡°Honored Master, I am curious. You have cultivated in the Cultivation World for over a thousand years; why have you never taken a companion, and in the end, it benefited me?¡± Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Because I had never met such a despicable disciple like you before. Only you could be so domineering.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°What are you saying, Honored Master? I have helped you regain your strength. Surely I deserve some reward.¡± Yun Xianxian sighed slightly, ¡°Sigh¡­ I¡¯m too lazy to argue about this with you¡­¡± It¡¯s already like this; more words are useless, what¡¯s done is done. Yun Xianxian then stopped talking and seriously resumed her cultivation. Seeing Yun Xianxian so earnest in her cultivation, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t stand it, as he had worked so hard, yet she was the one cultivating. Following that, Lu Chen increased the intensity for Yun Xianxian. Soon, Lin Wanyun and Chen Wanrong, who were sitting outside in the pavilion sipping tea, heard Yun Xianxian¡¯s voice again. While Lu Chen was striving hard, a female guard came to Yunrong Palace, ¡°Your Majesty, a visitor has arrived from Black Dragon City.¡± Upon hearing this, the sounds within the room ceased abruptly, giving Yun Xianxian a chance to rest. Hearing the female guard¡¯s voice, Lu Chen guessed who the so-called visitor was. It was clearly a disciple from Ten Thousand Immortal Sect reporting on the sect¡¯s situations. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Tell the visitor from Black Dragon City to wait for me in the Imperial Study Room. I will be there shortly.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The female guard bowed to Lu Chen then turned and left Yunrong Palace. After Lu Chen spoke, he did not leave but continued pressing down on Yun Xianxian, and at that moment, she said, ¡°Disciple¡­ why won¡¯t you get off!¡± Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°Why the rush? Your cultivation has just begun. If I left now, wouldn¡¯t it be very uncomfortable for you?¡± Afterward, Lu Chen continued his tasks. Meanwhile. On a street in Yan County. A woman dressed in light gauze walked toward the Jinyiwei Prison. Behind the woman floated a burlap sack, which seemed to contain some animal, constantly wriggling inside it. It wasn¡¯t long before the woman arrived at the entrance of the Jinyiwei Prison. Upon seeing her, the Jinyiwei Guards immediately blocked her way, ¡°Who goes there!¡± Just then, Qin Yushan came out of the prison and upon seeing the woman, he hurriedly bowed and said, ¡°Greetings, Consort Mu!¡± Qin Yushan had seen Mu Yunxi during the era of the Great Qian Dynasty, so he recognized her instantly, although mindful that Mu Yunxi had fled during her time in Great Qian. Nevertheless, since Lu Chen had ennobled her, Mu Yunxi was indeed Consort Mu, and Qin Yushan and other subordinates had to bow upon seeing her. Upon hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, the guards at the prison entrance immediately realized and they too promptly bowed to Mu Yunxi, saying, ¡°Greetings, Consort Mu!¡± Mu Yunxi coughed slightly and said, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Mu Yunxi felt somewhat embarrassed. She had only recently been ennobled and had fled not long thereafter, yet here were these subordinates of Lu Chen bowing to her. Chapter 930 - Chapter 930: Chapter 620: Where Do You Think Your End Will Be Good? Chapter 930: Chapter 620: Where Do You Think Your End Will Be Good? Qin Yushan glanced at the sack behind Mu Yunxi and asked curiously, ¡°Consort Mu, if I may be so bold to ask, what is inside the sack behind you?¡± Mu Yunxi then waved her hand, and the sack flew in front of Qin Yushan. In the next moment, the sack opened, and the person inside was revealed. Inside the sack was a large man, who was bound hand and foot and whose mouth had been gagged, so he could only make ¡°mmm mmm mmm¡± sounds. This¡­ Qin Yushan naturally did not recognize the person, to which Mu Yunxi immediately said, ¡°This is the leader of the Linghu Sect who came to invade our world.¡± ¡°The other disciples of the Linghu Sect should have already been captured by your men, but this one escaped. It took quite some effort for me to capture him.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Yushan immediately said, ¡°Consort Mu, you have made a great contribution this time, His Majesty will surely reward you generously!¡± Mu Yunxi replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for a generous reward; doing this is my duty.¡± ¡°Alright, I shall return now.¡± Saying this, Mu Yunxi prepared to head to the Imperial Palace, but she quickly realized an issue; she was conferred her title at the Daqian Imperial Palace. Now she was at the Yancheng Imperial Palace. How was she to enter the Imperial Palace, or more to the point, where should she go? Noting that Mu Yunxi had stopped in her tracks, Qin Yushan quickly understood what she was thinking. He said directly, ¡°Consort Mu, after your investiture, the Imperial Palace had already prepared a residence for you. I will have someone lead you there now.¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi turned her head and said indifferently, ¡°That would be very good.¡± Qin Yushan then summoned a female Jinyiwei Guard who often relayed messages to lead Mu Yunxi to her chambers. Once Mu Yunxi entered the Imperial Palace, she immediately released her spiritual power to detect the location of Liu Qingqiu. Shortly after, she sensed Liu Qingqiu¡¯s presence. Seeing Liu Qingqiu sitting in the pavilion meditating as if she had not been imprisoned, Mu Yunxi asked the guiding Jinyiwei Guard, ¡°How many times has Noble Consort Liu served in the Imperial Bedchamber since she came to the palace?¡± Upon hearing the question, the female Jinyiwei Guard was taken aback, then she replied, ¡°I am not familiar with the inner palace.¡± After the guard¡¯s reply, Mu Yunxi said, ¡°Nevermind, I will go ask myself later.¡± At this point, Mu Yunxi suddenly thought of something and continued to ask, ¡°Can I go directly to the chambers of Noble Consort Liu?¡± The female guard replied, ¡°Of course, you can go anywhere within the Imperial Palace, and your chambers are next to Noble Consort Liu¡¯s.¡± Mu Yunxi pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Then lead me directly to Noble Consort Liu¡¯s chambers!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The guard then led Mu Yunxi to Liu Qingqiu¡¯s chambers. At this moment, Liu Qingqiu in the pavilion slowly opened her eyes, as she had already sensed Mu Yunxi¡¯s spiritual power. Liu Qingqiu snorted coldly and said, ¡°You remember to come back now.¡± ¡°So eager to be tormented by that man?¡± ¡°But then again, that damned fool did predict this.¡± Back then, Lu Chen had said in front of her that someday Mu Yunxi would come back on her own, which she did not believe at the time. Yet here was Mu Yunxi, actually returning today. How long has it been¡­ Not even a year has passed, and Mu Yunxi ran back. Not long after, Mu Yunxi appeared outside Liu Qingqiu¡¯s chamber. Upon seeing Mu Yunxi, Liu Qingqiu said icily, ¡°I wondered why I smelled the stink of a fox. It turns out you¡¯ve returned.¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi smiled indifferently before replying, ¡°Why such hostility, Noble Consort Liu? Aren¡¯t you happy to see an ally again?¡± Liu Qingqiu ignored Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, instead asking directly, ¡°Why have you run back here? What, do you long to be toyed with on a man¡¯s bed?¡± Mu Yunxi laughed and said, ¡°From the sound of it, you¡¯ve already been toyed with like that?¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve already lost your purity?¡± ¡°It seems our Qian Emperor is quite bold indeed, daring to meddle with a powerful incarnation like you.¡± Liu Qingqiu let out a cold laugh, saying, ¡°Now that you¡¯re back, do you think your fate will be any better?¡± ¡°From the moment you set foot in Yan County, he must have known you were back. You won¡¯t be able to escape this time.¡± Liu Qingqiu couldn¡¯t wait to witness Mu Yunxi being played to death by Lu Chen. Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi appeared nonchalant as she said, ¡°Since I¡¯ve returned, naturally I¡¯m not worried about that. Don¡¯t try to frighten me.¡± Liu Qingqiu chuckled lightly and said, ¡°So why are you looking for me here? Your chamber is next door, not here. Hurry over, perhaps that man is already waiting for you next door.¡± ¡°If you dared to return, it means you¡¯re prepared. Go on then, go enjoy yourself.¡± Upon hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, a surge of fear arose in Mu Yunxi. She knew Liu Qingqiu couldn¡¯t bear to see her well. This woman¡¯s eagerness to see her played by that man indicated that it was certainly no good thing, at least not with Lu Chen. Just how terrifying was this tyrant to make even a mighty incarnation like Liu Qingqiu perceive such treatment as torture? At this point, Mu Yunxi regretted her return, and she thought about running away again. But then she thought about the burning sensation on her body every time she practiced, and the image of Lu Chen that would occasionally surface in her mind, spurring her to not be a coward. If she did fall to cowardice, even if she managed to flee, she would return before long. That man must have done something to her. With that thought, Mu Yunxi smiled charmingly and calmly said to Liu Qingqiu, ¡°Noble Consort Liu, I have a question I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± Liu Qingqiu replied coolly, ¡°A question? What question? Do you want to know about his capabilities as a man?¡± ¡°I have nothing to tell you about that. You¡¯ll understand once you¡¯ve experienced it yourself.¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°That¡¯s not it. I just want to know how many times you¡¯ve served in his chamber since you came to Yan County.¡± Liu Qingqiu answered indifferently, ¡°What, you haven¡¯t become his woman yet and you¡¯re already thinking about vying for favor? You will have to work hard for that. With so many wives and concubines, it won¡¯t be your turn to serve him every day.¡± Having said this, Liu Qingqiu no longer wished to speak with Mu Yunxi, and she spoke to the maid in the yard, ¡°Xiao Ya, see the guest out!¡± Seeing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s coldness, Mu Yunxi chuckled and, without saying anything more, turned and left Liu Qingqiu¡¯s chamber. Watching Mu Yunxi¡¯s enchanting figure depart, Liu Qingqiu couldn¡¯t help but think, Twist all you want, we¡¯ll see if you can still twist your waist in a few days. Yunrong Palace. After a long sigh, Lu Chen completely revived his spirits. Now in the Genesis Realm, he naturally sensed Mu Yunxi¡¯s entrance into the Imperial Palace with ease. The corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth curved slightly upward, then he caressed Yun Xianxian¡¯s face, ¡°Honored Master, rest well. Your disciple will be busy for a while.¡± Chapter 931 - Chapter 931: Chapter 621: Oh, isnt this my Madame Yun Xi? Chapter 931: Chapter 621: Oh, isn¡¯t this my Madame Yun Xi? After Lu Chen slowly rose to his feet, Yun Xianxian felt as if her body had fallen apart. She, a Celestial being, actually couldn¡¯t endure it. This unfilial disciple who betrayed his master and ancestors was indeed treating her like a toy! Detestable! When Lu Chen stood up, he noticed Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy yet blushing cheeks were staring at him furiously, as if she wanted to tear him into pieces. Seeing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Honored Master, what kind of expression is that? Your disciple has been toiling for so long, and it¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t thank me, but why glare at me like this?¡± Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t speak; she didn¡¯t want to say something only for this rebellious disciple to push her down on the couch again and torment her further. Lu Chen gently caressed Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade-like cheek, sliding over it before moving to stroke her silver-white hair. Yun Xianxian did not shy away; having been completely devoured by this rebel, there was nothing left to hide. Yun Xianxian¡¯s skin was as pale and delicate as snow, with a faint blush within the white, looking irresistibly enticing¡ªa piece of art. Seeing the fairy beneath him pretending to be indifferent, yet with a face full of blushing, Lu Chen almost couldn¡¯t wait to continue. But he still controlled himself, for there were guests waiting for him. Soon, he would not only listen to the reports from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples but also meet the wife who had fled their marriage only to return on her own. At that moment, Lu Chen leaned down gently and kissed Yun Xianxian¡¯s thin lips. She offered no resistance, letting Lu Chen kiss her. After the kiss, Lu Chen stood up, gazed into Yun Xianxian¡¯s beautiful eyes, and said with a smile: ¡°Honored Master, wait for me just a moment. After I finish handling my affairs, I¡¯ll come back to accompany you in cultivation.¡± With these words, Lu Chen leisurely had the maids in the room dress him. Before long, Lu Chen arrived at the Imperial Study Room. Outside the room, several people in white clothes were waiting. Lu Chen had used Shadow Shifting to go directly to the Imperial Study Room, so those people did not know that he had already arrived there; they were still anxiously waiting outside. When they had set out, Bai Guangyu had specifically instructed them that the Daxia Emperor¡¯s identity was special, and seeing the Daxia Emperor was like seeing the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, so they were all very nervous. Just as the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples were wondering when they would be able to see Lu Chen, a female guard came out and said, ¡°His Majesty has arrived, please come in!¡± Hearing this, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect immediately entered the Imperial Study Room. When they saw Lu Chen upon entering, they froze on the spot. On their way to Yan County, they had been in a hurry and hadn¡¯t inquired about the Daxia Emperor. In their minds, the Daxia Emperor was supposed to be an old man; unexpectedly, the Daxia Emperor was so young. This made them very curious as to why Bai Guangyu had said that the Daxia Emperor¡¯s status was higher than that of a Sect Master. After the group gathered their thoughts, they hurriedly bowed to Lu Chen and said, ¡°Disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect greet Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± After they got up, Lu Chen looked at the leading disciple from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and said, ¡°Tell me, what is the current situation in the Misty World, and where does the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect rank in terms of overall strength there?¡± Hearing this question, the leading disciple You Wenguang replied, ¡°Your Majesty, there are eight known major sects in the Misty World at present, among which our Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, the Misty Immortal Sect, and the Linghu Sect are the three strongest.¡± ¡°If we are to discuss the strength of forces, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect are roughly equal, both possessing two experts in the Yin-Yang Realm, but since the two sides have not engaged in large-scale direct conflict, it would be inappropriate for a subordinate like me to arbitrarily conclude which of the two is stronger.¡± At this point, You Wenguang continued, ¡°As for the smaller forces, there are quite a number. The Misty World is vast, and its space is unstable, with fragments from other worlds constantly falling into the Misty World, bringing more forces and cultivators to it.¡± Lu Chen thought about it and realized that the troubles in the Misty World would not be resolved in a short period of time. Even if he were to defeat all the presently existing forces in the Misty World, others from different worlds would continue to fall into the Misty World; it was a location of temporal and spatial turbulence. No one could predict whether an even more powerful force would emerge in the Misty World in the future. At this moment, You Wenguang and the others looked at Lu Chen, waiting for him to inquire further about the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, assuming that Lu Chen, the Great Sum Emperor, would not know about the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s affairs. However, Lu Chen then spoke, ¡°You have come from afar and must be tired, go rest.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, You Wenguang and the others were stunned. Was that it? Just that one question? Despite their confusion, You Wenguang and the others did not continue to speak and immediately bowed, saying, ¡°We shall take our leave!¡± Afterward, You Wenguang and the rest turned and left the Imperial Study Room. Lu Chen had wanted to ask about the Misty Immortal Sect, but he reconsidered: these disciples from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect spent all their days in the sect, and if they knew anything, it was likely only the matters that were common knowledge in the Misty World. Asking them about the Misty Immortal Sect might not yield as much information as Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou would know. To inquire about the current situation within the Misty Immortal Sect, it would be more appropriate to question its own disciples. He had already instructed the Brocade Guards to send a message to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples in Black Dragon City. It shouldn¡¯t be long before disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect would be escorted to Yan County, where he could take his time interrogating them. After the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples left the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen once again used Shadow Shifting and directly arrived at Mu Yunxi¡¯s palace. At that moment, Mu Yunxi was standing in the grand hall, looking around. For some reason, a strange sense of crisis had suddenly emerged in her heart. She kept feeling that Lu Chen would suddenly burst forth from somewhere and pin her down. At this time, Mu Yunxi thought to herself that as long as she clarified what that guy had done to her, she would immediately leave Yan County and then find a way to solve her problem. What she wanted to know most now was not the location of a pharmacy to treat her ailment but the cause of her illness. She felt that the cause might be related to Lu Chen. If she could just figure out the cause, there would surely be a way to solve it in the vast Cultivation World. As Mu Yunxi got lost in thought, suddenly a familiar voice came from behind her, ¡°Let¡¯s see, who has come back?¡± ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t my Yunxi wife?¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi quickly turned around. Upon seeing Lu Chen again, Mu Yunxi¡¯s mind froze for a moment, and she suddenly felt an urge to get closer to him. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I thought my Yunxi wife would never come back, I didn¡¯t expect you to return on your own after just a year.¡± Chapter 932 - Chapter 932: Chapter 622: Doesnt this outfit make I more appealing to Your Majesty? Chapter 932: Chapter 622: Doesn¡¯t this outfit make I more appealing to Your Majesty? Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi always felt that Lu Chen was deliberately humiliating her, which made her even more certain of one thing: he must have done something to her body. Otherwise, why would he have been so confident to let her leave initially, even saying before that even if she escaped, she would eventually return to him one day. It must have been then that this man had used something on her, only she didn¡¯t know it. Mu Yunxi twisted her waist and slowly turned around, then revealed a cold and charming smile, ¡°Your Majesty, what a clever trick!¡± Lu Chen asked with a puzzled face, ¡°Trick? What trick?¡± Seeing Lu Chen pretending to know nothing, Mu Yunxi chuckled and said, ¡°Your Majesty really knows how to pretend. Does Your Majesty really not know what you have done to me?¡± Lu Chen continued to feign ignorance, ¡°What have I done to you?¡± ¡°How do I not know what I have done to you?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t even consummated our marriage.¡± Seeing Lu Chen continue to play dumb, Mu Yunxi directly said, ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s no need to pretend anymore, just tell me straight, did you poison me, or did you use some kind of bewitching bug or cast some spell on me?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I have never done those things.¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°I do not believe that a woman like Liu Qingqiu would willingly stay by Your Majesty¡¯s side without any coercion, with so many wives and concubines around Your Majesty, all utterly submissive. To say that Your Majesty hasn¡¯t used some kind of control on them, I do not believe it.¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly; this woman was indeed very smart to have guessed that he used some tricks. However, returning to the topic, smart women were not few; his harem was not lacking smart women, like Li Qianrou and Yun Xianxian who had long guessed that he used some method on them, but now they no longer cared. Moreover, they still haven¡¯t figured out exactly what he had done to them. Seeing Lu Chen smile yet remain silent, Mu Yunxi said with a smile brimming with amusement, ¡°What, have I hit the mark, and you don¡¯t know how to refute?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Refute? Why should I refute?¡± Mu Yunxi was stumped by Lu Chen¡¯s words. Indeed, if this man had already used tricks on his women, why would he need to refute anything? After all, his women were already incapable of resistance, only able to obediently be his women, toyed with and bearing his children. At this moment, Lu Chen walked toward Mu Yunxi, saying as he approached, ¡°Even if I used some tricks on you, you are already my woman now. What can you change?¡± Watching Lu Chen gradually draw near, Mu Yunxi¡¯s heart trembled, and she was frightened into retreating continuously. Mu Yunxi retreated toward the other side of the great hall, and the direction she retreated toward was precisely where the soft couch was. Seeing her retreat, Lu Chen also walked forward, forcing her to keep retreating. Mu Yunxi forced a smile and said, ¡°Why do I feel like you resemble a Demonic Cultivator so much?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Demonic Cultivators and righteous cultivators, there seems to be no difference. Have the righteous cultivators in your Cultivation World ever refrained from doing anything unethical?¡± At this, Lu Chen paused, ¡°Oh, my mistake, in the eyes of righteous cultivators, whether something is ethical or not is probably for them to decide.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi continued to retreat, now truly feeling that Lu Chen was a Demonic Cultivator. However, speaking of which, if Lu Chen really were a Demonic Cultivator, he wouldn¡¯t have actively destroyed the Heavenly Demon. From this point of view, Lu Chen was still a righteous Cultivator. It¡¯s just that his methods were indeed somewhat despicable; this guy actually manipulated his women, making them unable to leave him. Mu Yunxi suddenly realized that she too had fallen victim to Lu Chen¡¯s manipulation; did this not mean she also couldn¡¯t leave this guy? This was troublesome. She must find a way to uncover the method to break free from his influence. Then, Mu Yunxi said, ¡°Your Majesty, you are now the sole Emperor of Tianchen Continent, possessing supreme power. Why would you need to use those petty tricks to bind your women?¡± ¡°With such strength and power, which woman would not willingly undress upon seeing you? Why resort to such dishonorable tactics?¡± Upon hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? So, are you saying that you would also undress willingly upon seeing me?¡± ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen you do it yet?¡± Mu Yunxi, smiling gently, said, ¡°Does not this attire please Your Majesty even more? Why should I take it off?¡± Mu Yunxi¡¯s clothing had always been quite revealing; her fair neck, smooth shoulders, flat belly, and slender waist were all exposed. Moreover, she wore a light gauze dress that made her long fair legs appear both hidden and visible, irresistibly inviting exploration. It¡¯s not that Mu Yunxi dressed this way especially for meeting Lu Chen; she was simply used to it. In her original world, she had always dressed like this, enjoying the cool and relaxed feel. Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s reply, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that my consort also knows how enticing it is to reveal just enough.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re wearing this outfit everywhere, are you not tempting other men?¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen suddenly quickened his steps, forcing Mu Yunxi to rapidly retreat several steps back until she directly bumped into a soft couch, accidentally falling onto it. Mu Yunxi hurriedly got up, planning to flee the place, feeling that if things continued this way, she might lose her virtue. However, as soon as she rose, Lu Chen grabbed her wrist and immediately pushed her down onto the soft couch, looking down at Mu Yunxi, a woman full of exotic charm. The calm expression on Mu Yunxi¡¯s face vanished, her smile also freezing; she said somewhat frantically, ¡°Your Majesty, I previously captured a Disciple of the Linghu Sect for you. That Disciple was the leader sent by the Linghu Sect to invade this world. ¡°Considering the great merit I have achieved, could Your Majesty please release me from your control?¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s words, Lu Chen lifted his hand, hooking her delicate chin and looking into her charming eyes as he said, ¡°Do you think I would let go of such a beauty over such a trivial matter?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s mocking words, Mu Yunxi was slightly startled. Yes, this lustful man always stuffed his Harem with beauties upon seeing them. Now that she had walked into the trap herself, how could he possibly let her go? Mu Yunxi suddenly felt regret, but regret was useless. If given another chance to choose, she would ultimately still choose to return to Yan County and ¡°surrender¡± herself. There was no helping it; Lu Chen had already gained control over her mind. She had encountered a severe problem in her cultivation; if she didn¡¯t break free from the control, she might succumb to cultivation deviation. Chapter 933 - Chapter 933: Chapter 623 Lu... Lu Chen, you bastard! Chapter 933: Chapter 623 Lu¡­ Lu Chen, you bastard! Knowing that it was now impossible for Lu Chen to voluntarily relinquish control, Mu Yunxi thought to herself that she had to resort to the last method available. That was to please Lu Chen, including but not limited to voluntarily offering herself. Although she would lose her purity, given the current situation, she would become Lu Chen¡¯s plaything just the same if things continued. It would be better to take the initiative instead. By offering herself voluntarily, she could comfort herself that it was her own choice, not because Lu Chen forced her. She wasn¡¯t Lu Chen¡¯s plaything; rather, it was she who had slept with Lu Chen. After all, she had lived many years as a cultivator, and although she valued purity, she wasn¡¯t the naive little girl she had been before. For her, her own life was certainly more important than her virginity. After thinking it through, Mu Yunxi smiled at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Your Majesty, I can serve you, but could you perhaps release your control over me?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re always controlling my body, how will you know if I¡¯m doing this willingly? Don¡¯t you want to see what it would be like when I take the initiative?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re always controlling your woman, you¡¯ll never experience the pleasure she can bring you when she takes the initiative. Don¡¯t you agree with me?¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s seductive words, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth slightly curved upward. This woman sure had wonderful ideas. He then said, ¡°Fine, I can release your control, but only after you become my woman.¡± Seeing Lu Chen agree, Mu Yunxi felt a small thrill of excitement. Although she knew she might lose her virginity next, it was a small price to pay for her freedom. The key point was¡­ Mu Yunxi glanced over Lu Chen¡¯s entire person. Lu Chen was also exceptionally handsome, so giving herself to him didn¡¯t feel like a loss, despite his promiscuity with many other women. He loved to bathe, so she pretended that he was cleansed. After reassuring herself, Mu Yunxi prepared herself and then said, ¡°Then, Your Majesty, release me from your control today. I will definitely¡­ mmm¡­¡± Before Mu Yunxi could finish her sentence, Lu Chen leaned down and kissed her red lips. Mu Yunxi hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to be so impatient. But it didn¡¯t matter; sooner or later, they had to do it anyway. As Lu Chen¡¯s kissing intensified, Mu Yunxi felt increasingly weak and her consciousness began to blur. Pressing down on Mu Yunxi¡¯s soft, delicate body, Lu Chen once again felt what it was like to have fiery passion. Mu Yunxi¡¯s body was very soft, pressing against it felt extremely comfortable. Of course, the bodies of Lu Chen¡¯s women were all quite soft. Perhaps because it was the first time he was this close to Mu Yunxi, there was a very strong sense of novelty. At that moment, Mu Yunxi¡¯s eyes were languid. She had not expected Lu Chen¡¯s kiss to be so intense. Just a kiss, and she felt completely vanquished, even breathing became difficult. Mu Yunxi already felt very anxious about her situation. She now realized that she couldn¡¯t use her spiritual power at all. Which meant, under these circumstances, Lu Chen, the lecherous cad, could do whatever he wanted with her, and she couldn¡¯t resist at all. This also confirmed to Mu Yunxi that Lu Chen indeed had some means of control over them. Otherwise, how could it be that every time she touched this lecherous cad¡¯s body, she would become completely weak and develop thoughts of intimacy with him? Thinking about her fate, Mu Yunxi sighed softly in her heart; yet, she thought it was all worth it. As long as she could break the control, she could completely escape from this lecherous cad. Then she could flee to the Misty World, and this lecherous cad, even if he wanted to find her, wouldn¡¯t find it so easy. At that moment, what Mu Yunxi didn¡¯t know was that Lu Chen had never intended to completely consume her right away. His idea was simple, since Mu Yunxi was so proactive, he would let her be even more proactive. First, he would give Mu Yunxi some sweetness, then keep her hanging, and eventually, when she couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she would come running to beg him. For Mu Yunxi, a fairy with exotic charm, Lu Chen did not plan to get to the point in one go. After passionately kissing for a while, Mu Yunxi indeed couldn¡¯t hold back her impulses anymore, her delicate jade hands wandered over Lu Chen¡¯s body. However, Lu Chen did not give her the chance, he directly grabbed Mu Yunxi¡¯s hands, lifted both of her hands with one of his, pressing her wrists together, preventing her from continuing to touch him randomly. But during this process, Lu Chen¡¯s kissing did not stop, and one of his hands landed on her flat belly instead. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s touch, Mu Yunxi suddenly felt her entire body ignite, she felt extremely uncomfortable, as if she had been struck by spring venom and might die if she did not get relief soon. At this moment, Mu Yunxi subtly twisted her waist, making it look like she was provoking Lu Chen, hoping he would do something to her. Unfortunately, Lu Chen remained unmoved, only continually kissing her. Just when Mu Yunxi was about to reach her limit, Lu Chen suddenly released her arms, then directly got up from her body and stood beside the soft couch. Mu Yunxi was dumbfounded. With seductive eyes, she looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, what are you doing¡­¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°My Noble Concubine, apologies, I suddenly remembered that I still have some matters to handle. Let¡¯s stop here for today, I¡¯ll come to see you again in a few days.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Chen vanished with a Shadow Shifting technique, leaving the empty hall. Mu Yunxi was stunned. When she came back to her senses, she cursed weakly and in frustration, ¡°Lu¡­ Lu Chen, you bastard!¡± Mu Yunxi was no fool, she obviously saw what Lu Chen was thinking, the bastard was just playing with her, teasing her, humiliating her. Damn it! Even though Mu Yunxi was furious, Lu Chen had escaped, and there was nothing she could do but writhe alone on the bed. After leaving Mu Yunxi, Lu Chen returned to the Imperial Study Room, and it happened that Qin Yushan arrived. After offering his respects, Qin Yushan spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, earlier Consort Mu brought back the leader of the Linghu Sect who invaded our world. Do you want to interrogate him personally?¡± Since it was a minor leader of the invaders, he surely knew more than the average invader. Lu Chen said, ¡°Yes, interrogate him. I¡¯ll go now.¡± Lu Chen then proceeded to the prison. Lei Wende was tied to the torture frame, his Pipa Bone pierced with an iron hook, his skill completely disabled, yet he was still arrogantly shouting. ¡°You lowly commoners of this inferior world, how dare you treat me like this. Once the restrictions of the Misty World are lifted, the Linghu Sect will surely kill all of you!¡± ¡°A bunch of lowlifes, release me now!!!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled slightly and said to Lei Wende inside the prison, ¡°If you¡¯re so powerful, how did you get disabled by a bunch of lowlifes? Doesn¡¯t that make you even lower than a lowlife, even more despicable?¡± Chapter 934 - Chapter 934: Chapter 624: My Word is as Weighty as Nine Tripods, You May Leave Now Chapter 934: Chapter 624: My Word is as Weighty as Nine Tripods, You May Leave Now Upon hearing someone¡¯s voice, Lei Wende immediately looked in the direction from which it came. Seeing the comer dressed in a black and gold dragon robe, he instantly deduced Lu Chen¡¯s identity and asked with a sneer, ¡°So you are the Emperor of Great Sum?¡± ¡°Just a lowly commoner of an inferior world, what makes you worthy of being the Emperor of the entire Tianchen Continent? The Tianchen Continent is not something you lowly commoners can possess. Release me at once, and if you pledge allegiance to the Linghu Sect, perhaps they will allow you to remain as Emperor.¡± Lei Wende was so arrogantly confident, naturally, he had his reasons; though he was indeed trapped here, in his view, the Daxia Dynasty was already teetering on the brink of collapse. At this point, Lu Chen watched Lei Wende with interest and asked with a smile, ¡°I am very curious, what exactly has given you the courage to be so presumptuous on someone else¡¯s territory? Are you not afraid that I might just kill you right now?¡± Lei Wende let out a snort and said, ¡°It won¡¯t be long before the Misty World¡¯s prohibitions disappear. Once they do, all the powers of the Misty World will come to vie for the lands of the Tianchen Continent. How long do you think you can remain Emperor?¡± ¡°Now, the Misty Immortal Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect have already joined forces, dreaming of splitting the entire Tianchen Continent in two and making it their own territory. They certainly do not require a mundane dynasty, and you will inevitably be destroyed by them.¡± ¡°Only by joining the Linghu Sect and relying on their protection can your position as Emperor possibly continue.¡± Seeing Lei Wende so confident that he would be released, Lu Chen directly said, ¡°I am curious, what would you think if I told you that the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect is my Sect?¡± With these words, Lei Wende was stunned, and when he regained his senses, panic spread across his face as he said, ¡°Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could a lowly commoner from a lower world be the master of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect? At most, you are nothing but a pawn of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Although he said this, Lei Wende still felt a strong sense of crisis. Even if the Emperor of Great Sum were a pawn of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, wouldn¡¯t that leave him with no way out? Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°Whether I am a master or a pawn, it doesn¡¯t much concern you. After all, Great Sum has a very close relationship with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. So, what do you think are the chances of survival for a disciple of the Linghu Sect who has fallen into the territory of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s words instantly quenched Lei Wende¡¯s arrogant demeanor. His expression filled with panic, his face pale, and beads of sweat the size of beans slid down from his face. Continuing like this on the territory of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect meant he probably had no other path but death. No wonder the woman who captured him was so powerful; it turned out the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had long been laying their plans. The Tianchen Continent had already become the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s. That meant even the Misty Immortal Sect had been played by the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Of course, none of that mattered now; what mattered was how he could stay alive. Lei Wende quickly begged for mercy, ¡°Your Majesty, I am the leader sent by the Linghu Sect to invade the Tianchen Continent. I know many secrets about the Linghu Sect. If you promise me a way out of this, I will tell you everything I know about the Linghu Sect.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen did not ask any questions and directly said to a Jinyiwei Guard beside him, ¡°Take him down, then give him paper and pen, and let him write at his leisure.¡± After receiving Lu Chen¡¯s order, the Jinyiwei Guard acted promptly, and in a moment, Lei Wende was released from the rack, and paper and pen were placed before him. Upon picking up the pen, Lei Wende did not immediately start writing but suddenly thought of something and then said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be pretending to be from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to get information out of me, would you?¡± Lei Wende felt confused. The Linghu Sect was the first to discover the spatial rift, so how could people from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect have occupied the entire Tianchen Continent ahead of them? Could it be that a spatial rift had appeared much earlier? Could such a thing be true? In terms of possibility, it indeed could be; however, there was also another possibility, that the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect hadn¡¯t occupied this world at all, and the Daxia Emperor wasn¡¯t a disciple of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, but it was all a lie made up by the Daxia Emperor to extract information from him. Hearing Lei Wende¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Since you do not believe, then I shall prove it to you.¡± Lu Chen then instructed the Jinyiwei Guard, ¡°Go invite the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect over.¡± Lei Wende was stunned by Lu Chen¡¯s words. He frowned and looked at Lu Chen, who appeared calm and composed. Lei Wende felt a jolt deep within. Could it be that the Daxia Emperor was truly from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect? After a moment, You Wenguang and others arrived in front of Lu Chen. Seeing him, they immediately saluted and said, ¡°We pay our respects to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten-thousand-fold years!¡± Seeing that it was indeed the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, and that they were saluting Lu Chen, Lei Wende felt completely hopeless. Lei Wende recognized You Wenguang. You Wenguang and the other disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had come to this world together, but You Wenguang had vanished soon after, his whereabouts unknown. Afterwards, there was the attack on the Linghu Sect by the disciples of the two sects. Normally, disciples of great sects would not easily kneel in worship to emperors from the mundane world. Only if the emperor held an especially exalted status, such as those of the cultivation empires, could he prompt sect forces to bow their heads. Despite being an emperor from a lower realm, Lei Wende struggled to comprehend why the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had shown such great reverence to Lu Chen. Could it be true, as claimed by this Daxia Emperor, that the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect belonged to him? If that was the case, the origins of this Daxia Emperor might be even more terrifying than he had imagined. Lei Wende did not indulge in further idle talk and picked up the pen, writing down everything he knew about the Linghu Sect, with great detail. He certainly did not want to die here. Although he worried that Lu Chen might go back on his word, he knew that if he chose not to write, his death would be even more miserable. By writing, at least there was a glimmer of hope. About an hour later, Lei Wende finished writing all he knew. Once the papers concerning the Linghu Sect were laid out in front of Lu Chen, he seriously read through all the content. The Linghu Sect did not have many great secrets, or perhaps it was that Lei Wende and the other disciples of the sect did not know much. It was not surprising; the disciples sent to invade the Tianchen Continent by the Linghu Sect were those of the Unity Realm. Even though Unity Realm disciples were Pseudo Celestials and held considerable strength in this world, they were akin to ordinary people in the Misty World and the Cultivation World, where they were dime a dozen. How could such disciples possibly be privy to the core secrets of the sect? At this time, Lei Wende watched Lu Chen nervously, fearing a betrayal. After all, Lu Chen was an emperor now, and he was expected to keep his word. Afterwards, Lu Chen said, ¡°My word is as good as gold; you may leave now.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Lei Wende was overjoyed and hastily expressed his gratitude, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± As for Lu Chen, Lei Wende, now devoid of skill and merely a commoner, was inconsequential, whether dead or alive. Moreover, letting him go, who knows what other uses he might serve. Chapter 935 - Chapter 935: Chapter 625: Trash is Trash Chapter 935: Chapter 625: Trash is Trash After interrogating Lei Wende, Lu Chen left the dungeon and went directly to the weapons factory for inspection; he wanted to see the current production status of the rune weapons. When Lu Chen appeared at the weapons factory, Li Yu, who was in charge of rune weapon manufacturing, hurried out to greet him. The manufacturing of the rune weapons was initially entrusted to Mo Xing and his brother. However, there is a tricky aspect of the rune weapons; engraving runes requires at least someone of the Master Realm, and neither Mo Xing nor his brother had such strength yet. Their craftsmen were also rarely qualified for the task. Ultimately, Lu Chen assigned the task to Li Yu from Luoyang Academy, entrusting him to bring those above the Master Realm with the talent for rune engraving from the two academies to produce the rune weapons. Seeing Lu Chen, Li Yu immediately saluted, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty, may you live forever, forever and evermore!¡± Lu Chen nodded slightly, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± ¡°How is the progress of the rune weapon manufacturing?¡± Li Yu replied, ¡°We have made two thousand rune muskets and thirty rune cannons.¡± Lu Chen inquired, ¡°Have the rune cannons been tested for their power?¡± Li Yu answered, ¡°They have, and the power is very significant. If a direct hit were made on a Celestial, they might not withstand it.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Celestials also vary in strength and weakness.¡± Li Yu said, ¡°Indeed, Your Majesty, but the power is truly quite formidable. You can test fire the cannon yourself.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s go, let me see for myself the power of this cannon you¡¯ve manufactured.¡± Li Yu immediately gestured for him to follow, ¡°This way, Your Majesty.¡± Soon, Li Yu led Lu Chen to the testing ground, where several cannons were already in place. One of the cannons was covered in golden runes and looked quite distinct from the others; beside it, there was also a golden rune musket. Lu Chen asked, ¡°The materials used to make this cannon seem different?¡± Li Yu replied, ¡°Your Majesty, the materials inside this cannon are the same as the others, except for a reinforcement layer we applied to the outside. We have added some special substances from Fengyin Island.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same substance that Great Sum used to make the Piercing Cloud Bow and Piercing Cloud Arrows.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen thought for a moment. This kind of substance was quite unique, and if it could be used on rune weapons, it would indeed make them much sturdier. However¡­ Lu Chen then continued to inquire, ¡°It¡¯s difficult to dissolve this material, isn¡¯t it?¡± Li Yu responded, ¡°Yes, we specifically assigned people to dissolve this material, but so far, only two cannons and ten muskets have been plated with a layer of it.¡± Lu Chen did not ponder further. He immediately approached the cannon and instructed the soldiers, ¡°Load the cannon; I will test it myself.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The soldiers sprang into action, loading the cannonball. Then, Lu Chen placed his hand behind the cannon and began to channel spiritual power into it. As the spiritual power flowed, the golden runes on the cannon¡¯s surface emitted a blue glow; and as the blue light drew closer to the muzzle, the rune cannon boomed. In the next instant, the ground caved in. After the cannonball was fired, it flew a great distance before landing in the forest. Not long afterward, a huge mushroom cloud rose from afar. This¡­ Seeing the mushroom cloud, Lu Chen was stunned. Was this a rune cannon? It felt like a nuclear weapon. With the mushroom cloud¡¯s ascent, the testing site was blasted into a vast crater. An ensuing shockwave swept towards Lu Chen and the others; fortunately, they were at a sufficient distance. Otherwise, some of the lower realm soldiers might have been blown away. ¡°` Under the sweeping force of the shockwave, some ordinary soldiers could hardly keep their bodies steady, and they quickly clung to the nearby large trees. After the explosion had ended, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Hmm, the effect is quite good, you all did very well!¡± Li Yu said excitedly, ¡°Thank Your Majesty!¡± To receive praise from the Sum Emperor was an immense honor. Lu Chen estimated the power of the cannon. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem to kill a Celestial of the tenth layer of the Realm instantly¡ªthe Celestials in the Cultivation World were just the most common cultivators, naturally unable to withstand the power of weaponry nearing that of a low-yield nuclear device. At this moment, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Once the prohibitions of the Misty World disappeared and those invaders from the Misty World came rushing in, seeing these cannons, would they feel a particularly pleasant surprise? This gift would definitely satisfy them greatly! Lu Chen then picked up a golden Rune Weapon, quickly loaded a bullet, and aimed at the distant woods. Infusing Spiritual Power, he pulled the trigger! bang¡­ A loud noise followed by a blue bullet flying out. When it reached a certain distance, it suddenly exploded, with force comparable to a self-destructing cultivator of the Unity Realm. Such power was already sufficient to cause severe damage to a Celestial. A few more shots, and killing a Celestial wouldn¡¯t be a problem. Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction once more and then said, ¡°Very good, very good!¡± At this moment, Lu Chen seemed to already envision the sight of those invaders from the Misty World scurrying around in panic. ¡­ Qianyuan World. Shenwu Dynasty, Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace of the Shenwu Dynasty was majestic and expansive, spanning nearly one hundred thousand square kilometers, adorned with brilliant gilded carvings and painted rafters. Hanging at the very top of the palace was a tremendous hall, housing the fearsome Great Emperor who was dreaded by various worlds. Ten thousand years ago, Emperor Shenwu had waged wars across many worlds, annihilating countless empires and worlds. Today, innumerable worlds bowed down to the Shenwu Dynasty. However, at the peak of his prowess in warfare, Emperor Shenwu suddenly halted his conquests, returning directly to the Qianyuan World, where he has since resided in the Imperial Palace. To be precise, he remained in the celestial hall above, having delegated even his court politics, devoting himself entirely to cultivation. He entrusted all state affairs to one woman, his current Empress. At this very moment. In a courtyard within the celestial hall, where the stream trickled and birds chirped among fragrant flowers, a tall and burly man approximately three meters in height was seated in a pavilion, meditating. The next moment, a shadow appeared outside the pavilion. Sensing someone¡¯s arrival, the man asked, ¡°How did the trial go?¡± The shadow immediately replied, ¡°Reporting to Emperor Shenwu, aside from Prince Lu Chen, the trials of all the princes have concluded!¡± Hearing this, Emperor Shenwu didn¡¯t seem surprised at all. He said indifferently, ¡°Trash will always be trash.¡± At that point, something seemed to occur to him, so he continued to ask, ¡°I remember his Soul Bead was placed in a Lower World. Why has he not yet completed his trial?¡± The shadow answered, ¡°Emperor Shenwu, Prince Lu Chen seems engrossed in the pleasures of women, with no heart for cultivation, which is why his trial has still not ended.¡± ¡°` Chapter 936 - Chapter 936: Chapter 626: No Need, Let Him Be on His Own Chapter 936: Chapter 626: No Need, Let Him Be on His Own At this moment, Lu Chen was unaware that his every move was actually being monitored by a higher-level world, and many of his actions were already known to others. Another identity of Lu Chen was that of the ninth child of the Martial Emperor of the Shenyue Dynasty in the Qianyuan World. Hundreds of years ago, for some special purpose, Emperor Shenwu had personally killed all his children, enclosing their souls in Soul Beads, and then had them scattered across various worlds to undergo trials. In the worlds where the Soul Beads of the princes were dispersed, Emperor Shenwu had prepared a variety of resources, such as in the world where Lu Chen was, he had arranged various powers, cultivation techniques, secret manuals, and various cultivation resources. He even prepared a flying boat capable of leaving that world. When Emperor Shenwu heard that Lu Chen was indulging in the company of women, he snorted coldly and then declared, ¡°The Shenyue Dynasty does not need waste!¡± Upon hearing this, the shadow immediately understood what Emperor Shenwu meant, ¡°Yes, your subordinate understands!¡± Afterward, the shadow left the courtyard. Not long after. Somewhere within the Imperial Palace of the Shenyue Dynasty. A woman wearing a bright red Phoenix Robe and a beaded Phoenix Crown was gazing at the enormous palace floating in the sky. Soon, a figure appeared behind the woman, ¡°Greetings to the Empress!¡± The woman did not bother to dismiss the formalities and instead asked icily, ¡°What did His Majesty say?¡± The newcomer replied, ¡°His Majesty said the Shenyue Dynasty does not need waste!¡± Upon hearing this, the woman smiled faintly, ¡°Indeed, the Shenyue Dynasty does not need waste.¡± At that moment, that person asked, ¡°Do we need to take action then?¡± Empress Shenwu said indifferently, ¡°There is no need; let him live or die on his own. If I remember correctly, that lower world seems to have a Heavenly Demon.¡± Although Lu Chen had a noble lineage and was naturally stronger than others, it was pity that he did not have enough cultivation resources; he was doomed not grow powerful. When arranging for resources, Empress Shenwu had sabotaged the effort, instructing her people to gather up all the important cultivation resources and techniques. In a low-level world like Tianchen, where spiritual power was scarce, without the cultivation resources and techniques prepared in advance, it was impossible for Lu Chen to grow stronger. His ultimate fate would be death at the hands of the Heavenly Demon lurking in Tianchen World. After hearing the words of Empress Shenwu, the person kneeling behind her said, ¡°Your subordinate understands.¡± Empress Shenwu then instructed, ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After the person had left, Empress Shenwu raised her hand, and an image appeared before her. In the image, Lu Chen was fervently spending his time with Chu Yuqin. Seeing this, she sneered and said, ¡°The son of the great Martial Emperor has degenerated to the point where he only knows how to sprawl atop a woman each day, how laughable!¡± Although Empress Shenwu could see some scenes related to Lu Chen, she was unaware that Lu Chen had already slain the Heavenly Demon in Tianchen World. ¡­ A month passed, and Yun Xianxian also departed. After a month of nurturing by Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian¡¯s strength had mostly returned to the Tenth Layer of Heavenly Man, and her injuries had healed. Now, all Yun Xianxian needed was to go to a place rich in spiritual energy to quickly restore her strength. Not long after Yun Xianxian¡¯s departure, Wu Junwan also went into labor. In theory, since Wu Junwan had learned the Rejuvenating Skill, Lu Chen¡¯s presence was not necessary for a smooth delivery, but Lu Chen still personally went to Wu Junwan¡¯s room. Wu Junwan lay on the bed at that time, her complexion looking exceptionally good, not at all like someone about to give birth. Meanwhile, Chu Yuqin and the others were still in the room, laughing and chatting around Wu Junwan. When they saw Lu Chen arriving, his other consorts hurriedly made way for him to approach. Lu Chen sat down by Wu Junwan¡¯s bed and smiled as he asked, ¡°Junwan, how are you feeling now?¡± Wu Junwan smiled back, ¡°Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine. It seems the child wants to play a little longer and won¡¯t come out.¡± Wu Junwan herself knew the Rejuvenating Skill, and she could feel exactly what the child in her belly was doing. Lu Chen raised his hand, placed it on Wu Junwan¡¯s belly, and began to stroke it as he said, ¡°It¡¯s not right for the little rascal to keep hiding in mother¡¯s belly and not come out. Come out quickly.¡± In the midst of speaking, Lu Chen infused Wu Junwan with a great amount of Spiritual Power. The next moment, the room was filled with the wailing cries of a newborn, and those responsible for the delivery busied themselves, cutting the umbilical cord and wiping down the child. Soon after, the child was brought to Wu Junwan. Just as she was thinking of using the Rejuvenating Skill to restore some of her strength and repair her body, she realized Lu Chen¡¯s hand was still on her belly, continuously infusing her with refreshing Spiritual Power. It didn¡¯t take long for Wu Junwan¡¯s body to recover. Holding her child, a maternal smile appeared on her face. This was her first child, and she never thought she would become a mother so quickly. At that moment, Wu Junwan looked at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°Your Majesty, could you think of a name for the child?¡± Without even thinking, Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve already thought of one, let¡¯s call him Lu Yunjie!¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Thank you for naming him, Your Majesty.¡± Having said that, Wu Junwan began to soothe the baby in her arms, using the Rejuvenating Skill. Seeing mother and child, Lu Chen felt a warmth in his heart, and a smile involuntarily spread across his face. But just then, something occurred to Lu Chen. He glanced at the system panel before him, puzzled, as there was not even the slightest indication of activity. What was going on? Wu Junwan had given birth to the child, so why had the system rewards not come yet? If it had been before, the system rewards would have arrived as soon as the child was born. This was the first time he encountered a situation where the system rewards didn¡¯t arrive immediately, which gave Lu Chen a very bad premonition. He then asked in his mind, ¡°System, where are my rewards?¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the system did not respond, as if it had disappeared altogether. Lu Chen¡¯s brow furrowed, but he quickly smoothed it out, forcing a calm demeanor. He turned to the consorts in the bedroom and said with a smile, ¡°You all have a good chat. I have matters to attend to, so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s consorts didn¡¯t think much of it; naturally, they were unaware of what had happened. Lu Chen immediately used Shadow Shifting to reach the Imperial Study Room directly. Once inside, the smile on his face froze, and he called out to the system again. ¡°System, where are my rewards?¡± ¡°System? Where have you gone?¡± ¡°System, you haven¡¯t run off, have you?¡± ¡­ After several calls, the system still did not respond, and at this moment, Lu Chen was extremely anxious. All his achievements stemmed from the system, and now that the system had vanished, how could he not be anxious. Chapter 937 - Chapter 937: Chapter 627: System Upgrade? Chapter 937: Chapter 627: System Upgrade? After calling for the system multiple times with no response, Lu Chen sat down heavily in the chair where he usually handled his governmental duties. However, the panic that had been on his face was now gone, replaced suddenly by a slight smile. He suddenly felt incredibly relaxed, as if knowing that a beautiful dream was about to end brought him relief. From the day he acquired the System, he knew there must be a conspiracy behind it, or that the System would eventually leave him. So, he thought at the time, while he still had the System, he must enjoy it thoroughly. Now that he had enjoyed all that he could, if it had been in his previous life, he would never have had the power and status he held now, nor would he have so many beautiful wives and concubines. In terms of personal ambitions, he had obtained everything he had wanted in his previous life, and he had no complaints. Lu Chen then said to himself, ¡°Come on then, let me take a good look and see who is really behind all this, who is controlling everything!¡± Just as Lu Chen was mentally prepared to face the truth, he realized that nothing was happening. The system was still silent, and there was no other occurrence. This¡­ Lu Chen suddenly thought of something, so he immediately began circulating the spiritual power within his body. His spiritual power and everything else were still present, only the system was gone. He had originally thought that all he had was thanks to the system, and now that the system had disappeared, everything he had obtained through it would also vanish. Unexpectedly, the things he obtained did not disappear with the system. Strange? How could this be? Lu Chen was puzzled. The system had disappeared, shouldn¡¯t that mean that everything behind it should be revealed by now? Why was nothing happening? Just as Lu Chen was perplexed, suddenly, a familiar female voice came through. [Ding! Congratulations, host¡­ fizz¡­ reward obtained¡­ fizz¡­] Hmm? The system¡¯s voice was choppy, as if it was being interfered with by something. Lu Chen was utterly baffled. What was happening? Lu Chen then tried once more to call out mentally, ¡°System, what is going on with you?¡± The system still did not reply to Lu Chen¡¯s voice; the next moment, the system emitted a strange noise. [System under attack¡­] [Attempting self-repair¡­] [Repair failed¡­] [Attempting repair again¡­] [Repair failed¡­] [Repair failed¡­] ¡­ Subsequently, a string of [Repair failed] appeared in front of Lu Chen. Lu Chen was stunned. What level of person had acted, capable of directly targeting his system? As Lu Chen stared at the continuously popping-up notifications, suddenly, the system¡¯s voice changed. ¡°Repair failed, System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings requests to evolve autonomously¡­¡± ¡°Evolution successful!¡± ¡°Detected external virus, requesting elimination!¡± ¡°Elimination successful!¡± ¡­ Hearing the sounds coming through, Lu Chen didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. The system¡¯s announcement was still in the same female voice as before, but it no longer had a mechanical tone. The previous system announcement sounded like a robot speaking, but now it was like a real person talking. Lu Chen was now beginning to suspect whether some powerful figure was playing tricks on him from behind the scenes. While Lu Chen was lost in thought, the system¡¯s prompt sound finally rang again. ¡°System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings at your service, dear host!¡± The system¡¯s announcement voice remained cold, but it sounded noticeably more emotional. Lu Chen responded dazedly, ¡°Uh, hello¡­¡± Lu Chen then cautiously asked, ¡°System, what¡¯s this about?¡± The system immediately answered. ¡°The system had just been attacked by an unknown force. It has now returned to normal, please do not worry, host.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°What about my system reward?¡± ¡°The system reward is the Feihong Immortal Boat, which has been issued. Due to the influence of the unknown force, the host needs to personally go to Fengyin Island to claim it.¡± An Immortal Boat? Lu Chen immediately thought of the building discovered by the Brocade Guard on Fengyin Island. It seemed that the mysterious building was indeed what was known as the Feihong Immortal Boat, and had always been there, only he could not obtain it until a specific time. Thinking this, Lu Chen fell silent. The system¡¯s voice had changed and he was somewhat not used to it. Moreover, he couldn¡¯t explain why, but he felt the system was no longer like the usual programs, it seemed more like a specific person. Especially the voice, it was too much like that of a living person. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°System, my wives and concubines will still receive rewards upon giving birth to children, right?¡± This was Lu Chen¡¯s biggest concern at the moment. With such a significant change in the system, no one knew whether he would still receive rewards for having children. As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the system prompt sounded. ¡°After the system upgrade, the host¡¯s un-pregnant wives and concubines will not be able to bear human offspring.¡± Hearing this? Lu Chen frowned. What did that mean? Unable to bear human offspring? Could it mean bearing monsters? Lu Chen asked, ¡°What does this mean?¡± ¡°The host¡¯s lineage is special. With each offspring born, a portion of the host¡¯s destiny and bloodline power will be divided. If the host continues to bear children, there is a great likelihood that the host will not be able to become emperor.¡± This¡­ Lu Chen puzzledly asked, ¡°How is this different from what you initially said? Didn¡¯t you say the more children born, the more rewards? Now you¡¯re saying that having children will instead divide up my destiny?¡± The system prompted, ¡°Previously, the system was influenced by a mysterious force, enticing the host to bear more offspring, thereby continuously dividing the host¡¯s destiny and bloodline power. The system has now returned to normal.¡± Hearing the system¡¯s words, Lu Chen snorted and then said, ¡°Either way, it¡¯s all up to you. How would I know whether what you said before is true, or what you¡¯re saying now is true?¡± The system continued, ¡°The host may choose not to believe, but the host has no choice.¡± The next moment, Lu Chen¡¯s identity information popped up. Host: Lu Chen Identity: Ninth son of Emperor Shenwu of the Qian Yuan World God Moon Dynasty. Realm: Creation Realm First Level Cultivation techniques: Qi Refinement Mantra [Complete], Rejuvenating Skill [Complete], Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill [Complete], Absorption Technique [Complete], Shadow Shifting [Complete], Heart Controlling Skill [Complete]¡­ Divine Skills: Enlightenment Weapons: Slayer Spear (Earth Rank), Godslayer Sword (Heaven Rank) Worlds impregnated: 0 Seeing the system interface before him, Lu Chen fell silent. How did he have yet another identity? Lu Chen asked, ¡°Am I not the son of the Sum Emperor?¡± The system answered then, ¡°Hundreds of years ago, Emperor Shenwu killed all his children to select and refine a body for reincarnation. He then placed their souls into Soul Beads and dispersed them across various worlds, preparing them with abundant cultivation resources. These resources came in various forms and were obtained by the children of Emperor Shenwu to keep growing.¡± ¡°This system was influenced by a mysterious force, enticing the host to bear more offspring, resulting in damage to the host¡¯s bloodline and destiny, slowing the host¡¯s increase in strength.¡± Chapter 938 - Chapter 938: Chapter 628 You Have No Choice Chapter 938: Chapter 628 You Have No Choice Hearing the system¡¯s answer, Lu Chen fell into contemplation. To tell the truth, he found it very difficult to believe the system¡¯s words anymore. The system had lured him into having so many children, only to tell him now that having children had actually siphoned off his Bloodline Power and also divided his luck. Wasn¡¯t this a trap? Could a mere ¡°influenced by a mysterious force¡± really suffice as an explanation? However, even though Lu Chen knew the system might be hiding something, he could only continue along the path it had set for him, as he wasn¡¯t yet powerful enough to explore the truth. If he couldn¡¯t continue having children, how could he still receive system rewards? Was the system not useless then? Thinking this, Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°You are the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings, but now that I can no longer receive rewards through having more children, what use are you to me?¡± The system answered, ¡°Although the host cannot obtain rewards through having children, the host along with his wives can cultivate a child world. As long as the host¡¯s wives can nurture a child world, they can still obtain substantial rewards.¡± Lu Chen, puzzled, asked, ¡°Child world, what is that?¡± The system replied, ¡°It¡¯s like the small worlds such as Tianchen World.¡± Lu Chen, still confused, asked, ¡°How can one nurture that?¡± The system answered, ¡°The host cultivates children the same way he would cultivate a child world.¡± ¡­ Lu Chen was somewhat dumbfounded. Having children he certainly understood, perhaps no one knew better than him about propagating offspring, but cultivating a child world was something he had heard of for the first time. Moreover, cultivating a child world and propagating offspring were the same process? However¡­ Lu Chen felt something was off. Having children had already divided so much of his luck and so-called Bloodline Power; if he cultivated a child world, wouldn¡¯t he have to divide his luck into a child world? Wouldn¡¯t he be even more unlucky in the future? Lu Chen then said, ¡°Having children already divides my luck; won¡¯t cultivating a child world, with who knows how many lives inside, divide even more of my luck?¡± The system answered, ¡°After the host cultivates a child world, not only will it not reduce your luck, it will increase your luck.¡± ¡°If life forms appear in the child world, the luck of those life forms will be bound to the host. Their cumulative luck will be the sum of the host¡¯s luck.¡± ¡°Most importantly, each time a child world is nurtured, the host and his wives will also obtain a portion of the Cosmic Origin Power.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°What use is the Cosmic Origin Power?¡± The system replied, ¡°It is a power that any Great Emperor would desire. Obtaining the Cosmic Origin Power is equivalent to receiving the universe¡¯s recognition, capable of rapidly increasing your strength.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment, then said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t believe there are only benefits and no drawbacks.¡± After all, the system had previously induced him to have children, which resulted in his luck and Bloodline Power being divided. To be honest, with his current Realm, he couldn¡¯t even feel his luck and Bloodline Power being divided. He only felt that these two things were very abstract, especially the Bloodline Power. Luck was easier to understand, since luck was inherently elusive, so even if it was divided, it wasn¡¯t noticeable. But shouldn¡¯t Bloodline Power exist within a person? When had he ever divided his Bloodline Power? Could it be that while he was building a relationship with his wives, a shake would divide his Bloodline Power? Couldn¡¯t be that exaggerated, right? Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the system replied, ¡°You have no choice.¡± Well, then¡­ Lu Chen also knew he had no choice. He could only listen to the System now. Anyway, one day he would break free from the shackles of the System, and he wanted to see who was really controlling it. Lu Chen continued, ¡°To have my wives bear children¡­ oh no¡­ bear sub-worlds, is it easy?¡± The System replied, ¡°It¡¯s easy. The host¡¯s wives just need to absorb some of the fortunes from other worlds to meet the conditions for conception.¡± Lu Chen snorted with laughter. Just as he thought, the System was up to no good. Lu Chen said, ¡°To obtain the fortunes of other worlds, do I need to attack these worlds and conquer them to gain their fortunes? The System replied, ¡°The host can understand it that way, but the host can also persuade others with reason, allowing the strong from other worlds to voluntarily share a part of that world¡¯s fortune with the host¡¯s wives.¡± Lu Chen scoffed again. Persuade with reason? Did he really think the people from other worlds were fools? Would they be willing to share their fortunes with him? Without thinking, he knew that a world¡¯s fortune was incredibly important to a world, and why other worlds¡¯ people would willingly share their fortune with them. Forget it, it¡¯s useless to think more now. Just keep climbing, for only by growing could he perhaps learn of the System¡¯s conspiracy. At that moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and then asked, ¡°Can my wives and I still use the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill to enhance our cultivation?¡± The System answered, ¡°The Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill is still the main cultivation technique for the host to enhance his cultivation, but the host can also practice other techniques.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment. As long as he could still improve his cultivation through the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, that would be enough. He would take things one step at a time. ¡­ Meanwhile. Misty World. Suddenly, the front of a flying boat emerged through the dense fog. The flying boat was incredibly huge, like a small mountain. Upon seeing their glowing jade tokens, the people on the boat were extremely excited. ¡°Tianchen World! We have finally found Tianchen World!¡± ¡°Great, as long as we can find that woman, our mission will be completed!¡± ¡°No, this isn¡¯t Tianchen World. This is on the edge of Tianchen World. The space is extremely unstable. We must hurry on!¡± ¡­ At that moment, the man standing at the bow of the boat, looking at the expanse of white mist, said sentimentally, ¡°A hundred years and we have finally located the position of Tianchen World.¡± ¡°As long as we can take that woman back, I would be credited with a great achievement, and the Palace Master will surely reward me!¡± As the man¡¯s voice fell, another voice rang out, ¡°Brother Yu, what if Sister Yun is unwilling to return with us?¡± Hearing this, Yu Liangce snorted coldly, ¡°She doesn¡¯t get a say in this!¡± ¡°She is vital to our Mysterious Moon Palace, especially her Immortal Spirit Body. Only by handing her over can our Mysterious Moon Palace have a glimmer of hope for survival.¡± Centuries ago, a genius suddenly rose in their world. This person¡¯s talent was terrifying, and most crucially, he always managed to seize powerful opportunities, becoming the strongest in their world in his twenties. This young man coveted Yun Xianxian¡¯s Immortal Spirit Body, intending to use her as a Furnace Cauldron. Consequently, Yun Xianxian fled, and later, the young man declared that if Yun Xianxian wasn¡¯t found within a millennium, he would annihilate the Mysterious Moon Palace. This forced the Mysterious Moon Palace to dispatch most of its disciples in search of Yun Xianxian. Later, the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, through the Tianji Pavilion, discovered that Yun Xianxian was in Tianchen World, and then the Mysterious Moon Palace collectively mobilized, dispatching countless Immortal Boats to locate the exact position of Tianchen World in the cosmos. At that moment, Yu Liangce released his Spiritual Power to probe the entire Misty World. He wanted to verify the specific circumstances of Tianchen World and check for any powerful enemies. Chapter 939 - Chapter 939: Chapter 629: Chu Yuqin Nurtures a Child World Chapter 939: Chapter 629: Chu Yuqin Nurtures a Child World Yu Liangce was overly excited and failed to contain his released Spiritual Power, especially since they were at the edge of the Misty World, a place inherently unstable in space and time. No sooner had Yu Liangce released his Spiritual Power than the Immortal Boat began to sway wildly up and down. At this moment, a disciple shouted, ¡°No good, this space is about to shatter!¡± Yu Liangce quickly retracted his Spiritual Power and rushed to the control room of the Immortal Boat, struggling to stabilize it. Following that, all the Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace on the Immortal Boat started working together to maintain the barrier of the boat, preventing it from being torn apart by the spacetime rifts. The next moment, a huge vortex appeared below the Immortal Boat and sucked it in. After an unknown amount of time, the Immortal Boat was thrown into a cosmic space, and upon seeing the surrounding galaxies, Yu Liangce and the others were somewhat dazed. The disciples who had fallen on the Immortal Boat now stood up, and Yu Liangce hurriedly said, ¡°Quick, take out the star map and determine our position!¡± Soon, the Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace took out the star map, rapidly assessed their location, and one disciple approached Yu Liangce and said, ¡°Brother Yu, we are at the location we passed through ten years ago. I checked the navigation records of the Immortal Boat, and we had stayed here for a while ten years ago.¡± Hearing this, Yu Liangce was somewhat speechless; encountering a spatial rift had transported them to such a distant location. At this moment, Yu Liangce¡¯s expression was very ugly. Over these ten years, they had been traveling at full speed on the Immortal Boat, and only then had they reached the location of the Tianchen World. That means, if they wanted to return to the Tianchen World without a spatial portal, they would need to spend almost another ten years to get back there. Wasn¡¯t this a waste of their time? It was not easy to find the Tianchen World, and just as they were about to find that woman, they now encountered a spatial rift and were sent away again. A moment later, Yu Liangce sighed and then said to himself, ¡°Well, we¡¯ve already found the location of the Tianchen World; spending another ten years is nothing; what¡¯s ten years compared to a hundred years already spent.¡± He had previously sensed the Tianchen World and found that there were no strong presences inside, which meant that as soon as they re-entered the Tianchen World, they could directly capture Yun Xianxian without encountering any obstacles. At that moment, Yu Liangce thought of something and then said, ¡°Send a message to Xuan Yue Palace, tell them we have located Yun Xianxian.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡­ After the system upgrade, Lu Chen¡¯s daily life hadn¡¯t changed much; he dealt with government affairs during the day and still nurtured his relationships with his wives at night. The system only said they couldn¡¯t have children; it didn¡¯t say they couldn¡¯t practice the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill with his wives. Evening. Chu Yuqin¡¯s bedroom. At this moment, Chu Yuqin lay disheveled on a soft couch, while Lu Chen leaned on her, helping her practice the Mysterious Female Technique. After an unknown duration, Lu Chen turned her over, gazing directly into her beautiful eyes. Her eyes misty, her cheeks flush with a tantalizing shyness, Lu Chen¡¯s heart fluttered at the sight of her. Then, Chu Yuqin suddenly spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I want¡­ another child¡­¡± Upon hearing Chu Yuqin say this, any man¡¯s desire would be stirred, including Lu Chen at this moment; the fires of desire within him instantly roared to life, yet he soon cooled down again. After the system told him that having children could divide his luck and Bloodline Power, he had lost all interest in having children, although, naturally, as a man, there was something in Lu Chen¡¯s genes that couldn¡¯t quite refuse Chu Yuqin¡¯s invitation. At that moment, Lu Chen tenderly caressed Chu Yuqin¡¯s beautiful face, smiling as he asked, ¡°My dear wife, why do you suddenly want a child again, do you really want one, or are you just trying to excite me?¡± After all, they were still engaged in such activities, and Lu Chen couldn¡¯t tell if Chu Yuqin was just building up his anger or really wanted a child. Stunned by Lu Chen¡¯s question, Chu Yuqin was also puzzled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, just now I suddenly wanted you to¡­¡± ¡°Make¡­¡± ¡°Me pregnant¡­¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face grew redder as she spoke, and her voice became as faint as a mosquito¡¯s. Seeing the beautiful woman so bashful, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t hold back any longer; he bent down again, sealed her lips with his own, and devoted himself entirely to serving Chu Yuqin. After an unknown duration, still caught in the excitement, Lu Chen suddenly heard a voice near his ear. ¡°Congratulations Host, for creating a child world with Chu Yuqin, rewarded with Formless Sand.¡± The sudden appearance of the system¡¯s voice gave Lu Chen quite the shock. The system¡¯s announcements used to be in a mechanical voice, so he had become accustomed to it, and could ignore it entirely even during intimate moments. But now things were different; after the system upgrade, the announcement sounded exactly like a human voice, creating the sense that someone was constantly watching him, making him extremely uncomfortable. Though there were always maids in the room serving them, and many eyes watching, and sometimes he even played card games with his wives, he never felt watched because, in his eyes, they were all insiders. But at that moment, the system¡¯s announcement sounded in a way that he couldn¡¯t perceive it as a familiar voice. Lu Chen paused for a moment. At this time, Chu Yuqin was gazing at him with affection, puzzled by his reaction. Seeing that Lu Chen made no move, Chu Yuqin immediately activated the Mysterious Female Technique, causing Lu Chen to hiss sharply as he drew a breath of cold air. Then, he looked at Chu Yuqin and smiled, saying, ¡°My lady, when did you also start being naughty?¡± Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed, and she did not reply. Having been Lu Chen¡¯s woman for so long, and even having borne him two children, she still felt somewhat reserved in front of him, always feeling a bit ashamed. Of course, it was exactly this sense of shame in the beautiful woman that made Lu Chen insatiable. Just as Chu Yuqin was about to continue serving Lu Chen with the Mysterious Female Technique, suddenly, she felt as if something new had appeared within her body. This thing seemed not really inside her body, but she was able to sense its presence, as if it were a world inside her body. Chu Yuqin was slightly stunned. Seeing that Chu Yuqin¡¯s expression was somewhat off, Lu Chen immediately asked, ¡°My lady, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Chu Yuqin came back to her senses, puzzled, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly felt like there¡¯s a strange space inside me that I can sense, but¡­¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen thought to himself that this must be what they call a child world. However, speaking of which, it was strange. Hadn¡¯t the system stated that his wives needed to absorb a sufficient amount of fortune before they could give birth to a child world? Why did it happen that just after the system had been upgraded not long ago, there was already a world gestating inside Chu Yuqin? Lu Chen didn¡¯t ponder the matter too deeply. He bent down and, while stroking Chu Yuqin¡¯s disheveled hair, comfortingly said, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t be afraid. This is normal.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin felt reassured, knowing that Lu Chen probably understood what was happening. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Madam Chu, I have some bad news for you.¡± Chu Yuqin was startled, then said, ¡°What bad news? Just tell me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It seems we might have difficulties having children in the future.¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin was momentarily dazed; her maternal instincts had surged recently, and for some reason, a voice deep within her urged her to bear more children for Lu Chen. Now, Lu Chen suddenly told her that it would be difficult for them to have children in the future. However, Chu Yuqin quickly brushed aside her initial shock and gently said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you have now cultivated to the Genesis Realm, and I am now a Celestial, so having children is indeed not easy.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s not just because of our realms.¡± Chu Yuqin curiously asked, ¡°Are there other reasons?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, because I have awakened a special constitution. In the future, it will be difficult for us to have offspring. We can only breed child worlds, just like what you are feeling now.¡± This¡­ Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin sensed the existence of that world again. It was still very small but full of vitality and already supported some flora and fauna. Chu Yuqin found it hard to comprehend; how could their intimate relations give rise to such a world? Not to mention Chu Yuqin¡¯s confusion, even Lu Chen himself did not understand, but he wasn¡¯t bothered to understand. As long as birthing worlds brought no harm to his wives, it was acceptable. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, Chu Yuqin was reassured and said, ¡°I understand.¡± Seeing that Chu Yuqin was not at all despondent, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Madam Chu, aren¡¯t you upset? Your wish to have more children is dashed now, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chu Yuqin, blushing, replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over me; I suddenly very much wanted to have children with you. But since we already have two children, we don¡¯t necessarily need more descendants.¡± ¡°And¡­ if life is born in the small worlds we breed in the future, those lives can also be considered our descendants.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s thoughts, Lu Chen was reassured; just moments ago, he had been worried that Chu Yuqin might be distressed about not being able to have children. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. We have a long night ahead of us, let me thoroughly explore the world we have bred together.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s entire face flushed; what naughty things was this man saying? Lu Chen then made his move again, and Chu Yuqin, no longer dwelling on other thoughts, continued to use the Mysterious Female Technique to aid Lu Chen in cultivation. Meanwhile. In the Qianyuan World, Imperial Palace. At that moment, Empress Shenwu, clad in a Phoenix Robe, stood on the pavilion. Before her eyes was the scene of Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin engaged in that intimate act, Watching everything between Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin, Empress Shenwu sneered to herself, ¡°Back then, you devoted yourself to cultivation, rejecting me time and again. Now you have been corrupted by the fearsome allure of women, ruining your Dao Heart. I wonder what you¡¯ll feel when your memories awaken!¡± Just as Empress Shenwu¡¯s words trailed off, suddenly, her brain felt dizzy, and her body staggered. Chapter 940 - Chapter 940: Chapter 630: A Woman Who Hates Because of Love Chapter 940: Chapter 630: A Woman Who Hates Because of Love After a moment of dizziness in her brain, Empress Shenwu quickly steadied her body, a hint of confusion flickering across her usually indifferent face. ¡°What is happening? Why is my destiny slipping away?¡± Empress Shenwu swiftly unleashed the power of Yin and Yang, probing the flow of her destiny, only to discover that her fate was actually being siphoned toward Chu Yuqin in the Tianchen World. Empress Shenwu¡¯s brows furrowed, her expression growing even colder. The Chu Yuqin of the Tianchen World was merely an avatar she had casually created, so how could it be stealing her destiny? After pondering for a moment, Empress Shenwu raised her hand and waved, and the next instant, the causal link between her and Chu Yuqin was completely severed. It was time to put an end to this. From now on, Chu Yuqin is Chu Yuqin, and Empress Shenwu is Empress Shenwu. Ten thousand years ago, as the Saintess of Guiyi Sect, Chu Yuqin fell in love with Prince Lu Chen of the Shenyue Dynasty. To become Lu Chen¡¯s Dao companion, Chu Yuqin desperately showed her love towards him, but Lu Chen was single-mindedly devoted to pursuing the Dao and had no room for women in his eyes. He had not even glanced at Chu Yuqin directly. Ultimately, Emperor Shenwu discovered the Chaotic Spirit Body within Chu Yuqin and forced the Guiyi Sect to send her over to become the Empress, awaiting the maturation of her Chaotic Spirit Body to then use her as his Furnace Cauldron. From love turned hatred, Chu Yuqin believed that if Lu Chen had accepted her earlier, breaking her virginity, then the Chaotic Spirit Body would have become ineffective, and she wouldn¡¯t have ended up as Emperor Shenwu¡¯s cultivation tool. A thousand years ago, Emperor Shenwu recalled all his sons and killed them, placing their souls into Soul Beads and casting them into various worlds for trials. In retaliation against Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin added something to his fate using the Sky Evolution Stone. The Sky Evolution Stone is a unique object; utilizing it, one could decide the direction of a person¡¯s life to a certain extent. After influencing the souls of all the princes with the Sky Evolution Stone, they would continue to grow stronger in a manner acceptable to them, then encountering the resources Emperor Shenwu had prepared for them in advance. For example, if a prince could come to terms with the concept of reincarnation, then he would generate a false memory, believing he was reincarnated. Under the influence of the Sky Evolution Stone, he would continue to grow stronger according to the false memories of his past life. If a prince could accept the setting of a ¡°Ring Grandfather,¡± then the Sky Evolution Stone would be able to control causality, causing a destitute mighty soul to appear in that world. Chu Yuqin personally used the Sky Evolution Stone, infusing Lu Chen with some false memories, making him believe that he was a member of the Demon Sect in a past life and that he could continuously grow stronger by practicing the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill with women through Dual Cultivation. Lu Chen, being the son of Emperor Shenwu and possessing a special bloodline, the more children he had, the more his destiny and Bloodline Power would be divided and go away, which was a disaster for him. Even if he could improve his strength in the short term through the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, even if he did enhance his power, his potential achievements were thoroughly limited, making it hard for him to ever become an emperor. Under Chu Yuqin¡¯s manipulation, Lu Chen was reborn hundreds of years later than the other princes who were partaking in the trials, and she had also sealed off the Spiritual Energy of Tianchen World into the Misty World, causing the Tianchen World¡¯s spiritual energy to become scarce and cultivation more difficult. It can be said that Chu Yuqin had thoroughly sealed off any possibility for Lu Chen¡¯s growth. More than a decade ago, as Lu Chen was about to start his cycle of reincarnation, Chu Yuqin, eager to witness how he fell from grace step by step, purposely created an avatar to send to the Tianchen World. When the avatar was sent into the Tianchen World, it caused the enchantments of the Misty World to disappear for a while, which was also when Wu Junwan and the Honored Master of Li Qianrou entered the Tianchen World. Originally, Chu Yuqin wished to monitor every move of Lu Chen through the avatar. However, unexpectedly, upon the avatar¡¯s arrival in the Tianchen World, almost all connection with her soul was severed. Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t think much of it, considering it was likely caused by the Sky Evolution Stone. But fortunately, there was still one causal link remaining between her and the avatar. Through this link, she could still see through Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes what Lu Chen was doing, but that was the extent of it. However, this was enough for Chu Yuqin, as each time she saw Lu Chen striving his utmost over her avatar, her real body felt an elating sense of revenge. After all, the once uninterested-in-women and cultivation-obsessed Lu Chen had become someone who only knew how to lie on women¡¯s bodies after his reincarnation, descending into such a state, which to Chu Yuqin was the best form of vengeance. As Empress Shenwu severed the causal link with the avatar completely, the scene before her eyes dissipated as well. Her revenge was now complete; Emperor Shenwu had given up on Lu Chen, and Lu Chen had ruined his own foundations, meaning he would never be able to grow further. Most importantly, there was a Heavenly Demon in the Tianchen World. Lu Chen might not die, but he was likely to be gravely injured by the Heavenly Demon, becoming a disabled person, destined to remain in the incomplete Tianchen World until his time was up, returning to dust. Empress Shenwu took a deep breath, her gaze becoming unwaveringly determined. The matter of Lu Chen was over, now it was time to consider how to deal with Emperor Shenwu. She certainly did not want to be used as his Furnace Cauldron and be drained to death. She felt that her Chaos Body might mature in less than ten thousand years, and within this time, she must find a way to counter Emperor Shenwu. ¡­ Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin were busily engaged. For some reason, Lu Chen suddenly noticed that Chu Yuqin had become more proactive, more mature and seductive. Chu Yuqin wrapped her arms around Lu Chen¡¯s strong waist, gazing affectionately deep into his eyes, she said softly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, let me die¡­¡± Seeing Chu Yuqin before him, Lu Chen wondered if she had become a different person. However, Lu Chen didn¡¯t care about these changes; this version of Chu Yuqin only increased his desire to conquer. Soon, Chu Yuqin experienced the sensation of dying and coming back to life. The next morning dawned. When Lu Chen awoke, he felt the soft body of the beautiful woman and immediately had some ideas, but he didn¡¯t act on them. Gently stroking Chu Yuqin, who was lying on his chest, Lu Chen asked the System in his mind. ¡°System, can I still be intimate with my wives after they conceive child worlds?¡± The System replied, ¡°You can, and doing so can actually speed up the growth of the child world, and once the child world matures, the host will be able to receive even more generous rewards.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°How many child worlds can one of my wives conceive?¡± The System replied, ¡°Countless. As long as your wives meet the conditions for conception, the host can have as many child worlds as you desire.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue with more questions, and he opened the system interface to check the rewards he had received yesterday. [Formless Sand: Necessary material for repairing the Tianchen World.] Lu Chen thought to himself that although the System had upgraded, it was still as stingy as before. It just gave one material for repairing the Tianchen World? At the moment, it seemed to be of little use to him. Then, Lu Chen asked, ¡°What other materials do I need to repair this world?¡± The System answered, ¡°You are still lacking a Formless Willow.¡± ¡°The Formless Willow can grow into the World Tree. With it, this world can be restored to its original state.¡± It was then that Lu Chen suddenly thought of Xue Linglong and Bai Qingqing, who were both pregnant with his children. Now that the System had been upgraded and the way of receiving rewards had changed, he wondered if he would still receive rewards after the children in their bellies were born. With this in mind, Lu Chen hurriedly asked, ¡°System, will there still be rewards after the children of my pregnant wives are born?¡± The System replied, ¡°The host need not worry, the due rewards will still be given.¡± Hearing the System¡¯s reply, Lu Chen was reassured. He couldn¡¯t let himself and his two wives work in vain. Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue with more questions. His entire being was in a state of mental blankness, but his hand continued to caress Chu Yuqin¡¯s delicate body. At that moment, Chu Yuqin also woke up. Chu Yuqin opened her eyes slightly and saw Lu Chen¡¯s hand playing with her¡­ Chu Yuqin silently cursed in her heart, calling him a little rascal. Feeling Chu Yuqin¡¯s muscles slightly contract, Lu Chen knew she was awake and asked with a smile, ¡°Wife, did you sleep well last night?¡± At that question, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face flushed slightly and she said softly, ¡°With you here, I could sleep well no matter what.¡± This response took Lu Chen by surprise; it was the first time he heard such a proactive answer. Just then, Chu Yuqin twisted her body slightly. Since they were still mentally connected, the moment Chu Yuqin moved, Lu Chen almost couldn¡¯t control himself. Just as Lu Chen was thinking of continuing last night¡¯s game, Chu Yuqin suddenly spoke, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I suddenly feel something strange about my body.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you feel unwell somewhere?¡± The act of conceiving child worlds was in itself contrary to common sense, and Lu Chen had only heard of opening worlds within one¡¯s body through cultivation to a certain degree, but this was the first time he had heard that engaging in male-female activities could result in conceiving a child world. Therefore, Lu Chen was also somewhat concerned about the condition of his wives; he was very afraid that conceiving child worlds would bring some disaster to them. Chu Yuqin said with a touch of bewilderment, ¡°It¡¯s not that I feel unwell anywhere, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Chu Yuqin trailed off, hesitant to continue. Seeing that Chu Yuqin couldn¡¯t articulate where she felt discomfort, Lu Chen immediately asked in his mind, ¡°System, won¡¯t conceiving a child world harm my wives¡¯ health?¡± The System replied, ¡°There is no harm at all, not only is there no harm, but the host¡¯s wives will also receive feedback from the child world and gain quite a few benefits.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to say something, a system notification popped up in front of him. [Name: Chu Yuqin] [Identity: Host¡¯s wife, a manifestation of the Empress Shenwu from the Qian Yuan World God Moon Dynasty, who created Chu Yuqin to get close to the host in order to witness his downfall in revenge for the host not agreeing to be her Dao companion in the past. The Empress Shenwu, believing her revenge to be complete, has now severed the causal link with this manifestation, making Chu Yuqin truly independent.] [Score: 97] [Favorability: 100] Chapter 942 - Chapter 942: Chapter 632: Has Chener Already Regained His Past Life Memories? Chapter 942: Chapter 632: Has Chen¡¯er Already Regained His Past Life Memories? After her memory was restored, Chu Yuqin was constantly blaming herself. However, it didn¡¯t take long for her to discover a problem. Although Lu Chen was indeed growing up according to the life trajectory planned by his original self, many of the schemes of his original self had failed. For instance, the Heavenly Demon of this world had been easily dealt with by Lu Chen, but according to his original self¡¯s plan, Lu Chen should not have been able to handle the Heavenly Demon, and might even have been severely injured and trapped in this lower world for life. Moreover, Lu Chen had come up with some things she had never heard of before, such as the Slayer Spear and the Mysterious Female Technique. Another point that puzzled her was that since she had arrived in this world, her contact with the divine sense of her original self had been completely severed, and a mysterious power had sealed her memory. If her memory hadn¡¯t been sealed and was influenced by her original self, she probably wouldn¡¯t have fallen in love with Lu Chen, let alone find herself unable to leave him now. Another point that made Chu Yuqin even more puzzled was, according to the false memories added to Lu Chen using the Sky Evolution Stone by her original self, Lu Chen should believe that in his past life he was a disciple of the Demon Sect, and that he would keep using Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill with women to rapidly enhance his power. Although Lu Chen was indeed using the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill to enhance his power, the actual number of his wives and concubines was much lower than expected by his original self. If Lu Chen truly believed that he had been a disciple of the Demon Sect in his past life, first of all, his actions would not have been so ordinary; he would definitely have gotten involved with every beautiful woman he met, and if that were the case, his harem would have been overflowing long ago. Chu Yuqin carefully recalled everything Lu Chen had done along the way, and she constantly felt that many details had completely escaped the control of his original self. Could it be¡­ At that moment, Chu Yuqin suddenly had a bold guess. ¡°Has Chen¡¯er recovered his memories of his past life?¡± Thinking of this possibility, Chu Yuqin quickly denied it in her mind, if Lu Chen had indeed recovered his past memories, he wouldn¡¯t possibly focus all his energy on having children. He was the son of Emperor Shenwu with a special lineage; having children was not something beneficial for him, and he would not engage in such self-destructive behavior. In the past, when Lu Chen was in Qianyuan World, he was decidedly uninvolved with women, and it was because his original self was spurned in love that she developed hatred and wished to take revenge on Lu Chen. If he hadn¡¯t recovered his memory, then how was Lu Chen always able to come up with strange and unusual things, like creating a small world through dual cultivation? As a part of Empress Shenwu, she possessed most of the memories of Empress Shenwu, yet she had never heard that a small world could be created through the act between a man and a woman. At that moment, Chu Yuqin actively sensed the small world within her body. There was nothing wrong with the small world; it was similar to those self-created by cultivators when they reached a certain cultivation state. But with her current Celestial cultivation state, she was far from being able to create a small world. At this point, Chu Yuqin thought of Lu Chen¡¯s odd behavior earlier, and her heart skipped again; could it be that Chen¡¯er really had recovered his memories of his past life? Immediately afterward, Chu Yuqin comforted herself, even if Lu Chen had recovered his past life memories, there was no way he would know that all of this was the doing of Empress Shenwu, her original self, behind the scenes. When Empress Shenwu used the Sky Evolution Stone to complicate things for Lu Chen, he had already been turned into a Soul Bead and was unaware of the external affairs. Thinking of this, Chu Yuqin sighed softly. Let¡¯s just take it one step at a time. Now that her original self had actively severed their karmic connection, she had become completely independent, and from now on, she could fully side with Lu Chen. The wishes that her original self failed to realize had been fulfilled by her as a partial incarnation. It was just uncertain how Lu Chen would react if he ever found out what his original self had done; whether he would choose familial duty over ancestral loyalty and just kill her. Thinking of this, Chu Yuqin sighed again. If Lu Chen truly chose familial duty over ancestral loyalty one day, she would accept it; after all, Lu Chen had not yet left Tianchen World and completed the trials set by Emperor Shenwu, all because of what her original self had caused. Before Lu Chen acted against her, she was still Lu Chen¡¯s aunt, and would still wholeheartedly serve him; she would let him play however he wanted in the future. ¡­ Misty World. At the gap in the restrictions. Today, besides the Misty Immortal Sect, Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, and Linghu Sect, many other forces from the Misty World had also arrived. The news of the loophole in the restrictions ultimately couldn¡¯t be concealed from other forces and had spread throughout the entire Misty World; now all the forces of the Misty World wanted to enter Tianchen World. The Misty World had been becoming more and more unstable recently, with quite a few small forces being wiped out due to collapses in space, and even some medium-sized forces being affected by spatial disturbances. For them, Tianchen World was now the only safe haven; only by entering Tianchen World could they live in peace. At that moment, a Sect Leader of one sect spoke to Han Yuankai and Ji Hongwen and others, saying, ¡°Sect Leader Han, don¡¯t you three think you are being a bit too selfish? You discovered the spatial rift long ago but kept it secret from other forces. Do you three big forces really want to divide Tianchen World among yourselves, leaving no opportunity for other forces?¡± As the man finished speaking, another sect master echoed, ¡°Although you three major forces are top powers in the Misty World, when all of us, big and small, hundreds of forces, come together, we are not to be taken lightly!¡± ¡°If the three of you do not allow us into Tianchen World, then it will be a fight to the death!¡± At those words, even more people became agitated. ¡°That¡¯s right, a fight to the death!¡± ¡°The space in Misty World has already collapsed quite a bit, and it surely won¡¯t last much longer. A blow whether we strike or retreat ¡ª better to make a break for it!¡± ¡°If you three great forces do not step aside, then you are making enemies with the entire Misty World!¡± ¡­ Seeing the other forces of the Misty World in such a frenzied state, Han Yuankai and Ji Hongwen knew that if they did not let them in, a battle would likely be inevitable. Han Yuankai looked at Ji Hongwen and Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Master Ji, Sect Leader Jiang, what do you two think we should do now?¡± If their three great forces did not let other forces¡¯ disciples in, a conflict would certainly erupt immediately, and they would be enemies with all the forces of the Misty World. Jiang Hongye displayed an indifferent demeanor and said, ¡°I have no objections.¡± ¡°Tianchen World is so vast, I believe accommodating all the forces of the Misty World won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Jiang Hongye had already reached a breaking point. Initially, he planned for Linghu Sect to occupy Tianchen World alone, then steal the fortune of Tianchen World, attempting to control the Heavenly Dao of Tianchen World. As long as he could control the Heavenly Dao of Tianchen World, even after the prohibitions of Misty World dissolved, and other forces entered Tianchen World, Linghu Sect would still be in charge. But now, all the forces of Misty World knew that the prohibition was about to dissolve, and spatial rifts had also appeared. All forces wanted to enter Tianchen World, and eventually, Tianchen World would descend into chaos, rendering the plans of Linghu Sect utterly void. Therefore, Jiang Hongye no longer cared about a few hundred more forces entering Tianchen World. Seeing Jiang Hongye say this, Ji Hongwen also remarked, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang is right. Tianchen World is vast enough to accommodate all the forces of Misty World. We don¡¯t need to be so miserly as to block other forces from entering.¡± Han Yuankai had anticipated that the two of them would say such things. He said, ¡°Since both of you think this way, let¡¯s allow the other forces to enter Tianchen World.¡± ¡°However, there must still be some rules.¡± With that, Han Yuankai looked at the leaders of those forces from Misty World and then continued, ¡°You want to enter Tianchen World, no problem.¡± ¡°But once your disciples enter Tianchen World, they must not attack the disciples of our three great forces; otherwise, your forces will never be allowed to send disciples into Tianchen World again.¡± The forces of Misty World, knowing only that disciples with lower cultivation could enter Tianchen World, were unaware that once they entered, they could not leave, so they weren¡¯t privy to the underlying scheme. Without even thinking, they immediately agreed to Han Yuankai¡¯s conditions. ¡°Alright, Fiery Cloud Palace agrees to these conditions!¡± ¡°Mysterious Ice Manor agrees as well!¡± ¡°Tiger King Valley agrees too!¡± ¡­ Seeing that all the major forces had agreed to his conditions, Han Yuankai¡¯s mouth curved into a slight smile. Then he said, ¡°Since you have all agreed, we three forces won¡¯t say much more. You may now send your disciples into Tianchen World.¡± As Han Yuankai finished speaking, the people of the three great forces quickly stepped aside, allowing the other forces¡¯ disciples to pass through the spatial rift into Tianchen World. As evening approached. The Misty World became even more eerie and terrifying. Within the fog, some green lights flickered, making one feel quite uneasy. Of course, those in the Misty World had long been accustomed to its nighttime environment. At that moment, a palace-type magical treasure suddenly pushed apart the fog and quickly expanded, floating in the sky over the Misty World. The next moment, two figures flew towards the palace. There, standing at the entrance of the palace, was Han Yuankai, while the other two figures were Sect Master Ji Hongwen of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and Sect Leader Jiang Hongye of Linghu Sect. Seeing them arrive, Han Yuankai greeted them with a smile and then said, ¡°Welcome, both of you!¡± ¡°Since you both have come, that means you agree with what I wrote in the letters.¡± Upon returning to the Misty Immortal Sect, Han Yuankai had immediately written two letters and sent them to Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen. The content of the letters was simple, proposing a collaboration with their two forces to then eliminate the other forces. This elimination of other forces didn¡¯t refer to just clearing out the disciples of other forces that had entered Tianchen World, but meant launching a direct war against all the forces in the Misty World, with their three families directly controlling the entire Misty World. Jiang Hongye said, ¡°Sect Leader Han, stop wasting time. Tell us, how do you plan to cooperate?¡± Chapter 943 - Chapter 943: Chapter 633: Who Made My Darling Wife So Angry Chapter 943: Chapter 633: Who Made My Darling Wife So Angry The three major forces naturally didn¡¯t wish to share the Tianchen World with other forces, Tianchen World was indeed quite large, but no force would complain about having too much territory. In the past, the reason the three great forces tolerated the existence of so many powers in the Misty World was mainly due to the instability of the Misty World¡¯s space. Some minor forces occupied these unstable areas, and even if they didn¡¯t exterminate these forces, these minor powers would disappear on their own due to spatial collapses. But Tianchen World was different; Tianchen World was a stable realm, and the three great forces naturally didn¡¯t want to share Tianchen with those powers. Of course, they each also had their own thoughts, all harboring ulterior motives. At this time, Han Yuankai said, ¡°It¡¯s quite simple, our three major forces join hands, draw in some medium-tier forces, and first eliminate those powers that pose a threat to us. Once those forces that can threaten us are eliminated, the small sects and schools of the Misty World naturally wouldn¡¯t dare to oppose us in the future.¡± ¡°At that time, our three major forces each swallow up the remaining forces of the Misty World, then enter the Tianchen World together, and divide Tianchen World into three.¡± Hearing these words, Ji Hongwen unhesitatingly said, ¡°I agree with Han Sect Master¡¯s proposal. If we do not eliminate those sects now, once we enter Tianchen World, they will inevitably compete with us for territory, and if they really band together, it would be a tremendous threat to our three great forces.¡± From the standpoint of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Ji Hongwen naturally hoped that the Misty World would be as chaotic as possible, after all, he was allied with Lu Chen. The more chaotic the Misty World became, the more the major forces fought each other and expended their resources, the more beneficial it would be to Tianchen World and to Lu Chen. Seeing that Ji Hongwen had agreed, Jiang Hongye also said, ¡°Since Sect Master Ji has agreed, I too will accept Han Sect Master¡¯s proposal.¡± ¡°Then, who does Han Sect Master think we should strike against first after we join forces?¡± Hearing this question, Han Yuankai didn¡¯t hesitate to say, ¡°Naturally, Fiery Cloud Palace.¡± ¡°The news about the appearance of spatial rifts in the Misty World was spread by Fiery Cloud Palace. Although I don¡¯t know how they found out, Fiery Cloud Palace played a leading role. If it weren¡¯t for Fiery Cloud Palace, those forces of the Misty World may not have been able to unite.¡± Fiery Cloud Palace took the lead, so getting rid of Fiery Cloud Palace would serve as killing the chicken to warn the monkey. In the future, if other forces wanted to take the lead and cause trouble, they would have to think about the consequences. Once Fiery Cloud Palace was eliminated, it would serve as a huge deterrent for the other forces. Hearing Han Yuankai mention Fiery Cloud Palace, Jiang Hongye fell into contemplation. If he remembered correctly, Fiery Cloud Palace also had a Yin-Yang Realm expert, it¡¯s just that this expert from Fiery Cloud Palace kept a low profile and seldom appeared in front of others. Even during Fiery Cloud Palace¡¯s initiation of trouble against the three major forces, demanding that the spatial rift be relinquished to them, Fiery Cloud Palace¡¯s Yin-Yang Realm expert did not show up. After pondering for a while, Jiang Hongye spoke, ¡°I remember Fiery Cloud Palace seems to have a Yin-Yang Realm expert.¡± Hearing Jiang Hongye¡¯s words, Han Yuankai said indifferently, ¡°Just one Yin-Yang Realm, there¡¯s nothing to fear. Altogether, our three great forces already have five Yin-Yang Realm experts, not to mention we each have numerous treasures and formations. Are we not capable of dealing with a force that has only one Yin-Yang Realm expert?¡± Upon hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, Jiang Hongye¡¯s expression turned a bit grim, as Linghu Sect also only had one Yin-Yang Realm expert. If the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and Misty Immortal Sect decided to join forces with Fiery Cloud Palace, it was possible that they could even eliminate Linghu Sect. Of course, Linghu Sect was much stronger than Fiery Cloud Palace, with quite a few experts at the Genesis Realm, which was also the reason why Linghu Sect could barely rank as the third power in the Misty World. Ji Hongwen said, ¡°I agree with attacking Fiery Cloud Palace first. Since Fiery Cloud Palace likes to stand out, then they can¡¯t blame us for making an example out of them.¡± Fiery Cloud Palace was indeed a significant threat, and if they could be eliminated, it would be the same as helping Tianchen World eradicate a powerful adversary. Ji Hongwen already had a plan in mind; to drastically exhaust the strengths of the major forces of the Misty World. Only in this way, once the restrictions of the Misty World faded, would the Daxia Dynasty not face too much pressure. At that moment, Jiang Hongye said, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s attack Fiery Cloud Palace first.¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°Since you both agree with my proposal, then you should go back to prepare. In three days, we will jointly attack Fiery Cloud Palace.¡± As the words of Han Yuankai fell, Jiang Hongye immediately said, ¡°I will take my leave first. See you in three days.¡± Right after, Jiang Hongye turned directly into a streak of light and left Han Yuankai¡¯s palace. After Han Yuankai had left, Ji Hongwen didn¡¯t immediately depart. At this moment, Han Yuankai said to Ji Hongwen with a smile, ¡°Sect Master Ji, now that Jiang Hongye is gone, we should also discuss our plan.¡± Ji Hongwen said, ¡°Jiang Hongye isn¡¯t so easy to fool. Although you have pulled him to your side, he will definitely notice something eventually.¡± Han Yuankai said with a smile, ¡°Sect Master Ji can rest assured. I¡¯ve already secretly sent someone to deliver a secret letter to Jiang Hongye, telling him that as long as our three major forces eliminate the other powers, Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect will join forces against Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. At that time, Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect will divide Tianchen World together.¡± Hearing these words from Han Yuankai, Ji Hongwen laughed, ¡°Sect Master Han, why do I feel that this is exactly what you¡¯re thinking?¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°What are you implying, Sect Master Ji? I am not that kind of person, and besides, even if Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect truly join forces, even if we really eliminate Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect would also be heavily damaged in the process.¡± ¡°If a slightly more powerful force suddenly emerged in the Misty World, Misty Immortal Sect could potentially be destroyed. I would not risk that.¡± ¡°Compared to sharing Tianchen World with Linghu Sect, our Misty Immortal Sect would much rather cooperate with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, especially since we¡¯ve already forged an alliance, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Linghu Sect is merely a second-rate force. As long as other forces are thoroughly deterred, uniting our two sects and annihilating Linghu Sect would be an easy task.¡± Though Han Yuankai spoke such words and they sounded somewhat reasonable, Ji Hongwen didn¡¯t truly believe him. Of course, Ji Hongwen also knew that Han Yuankai would not trust him either. Trust or mistrust was not important. What mattered was that they first joined hands to eliminate the other forces in Misty World. Ji Hongwen then said, ¡°Then let¡¯s hope Sect Master Han will keep to the agreement.¡± ¡°If Sect Master Han has nothing else, this old man will take his leave now.¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°Very well, Sect Master Ji, please take care.¡± After Ji Hongwen left Han Yuankai¡¯s palace, the smile on Han Yuankai¡¯s face immediately froze. Compared to Linghu Sect, what Han Yuankai truly wanted to annihilate was Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, for its power in Misty World was second only to Misty Immortal Sect, posing a great threat to them. If the two sects really did share Tianchen World, it would not be so easy for Misty Immortal Sect to take control of the entire world in the future. So, Misty Immortal Sect could not possibly truly cooperate with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. The so-called cooperation now was only to eliminate other uncontrollable forces. Once those uncontrollable forces were wiped out, Misty Immortal Sect could later rally the remaining forces against Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, which would then find it difficult to contend with Misty Immortal Sect. Thinking of this, Han Yuankai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He seemed to already envision himself unifying the entire Tianchen World, then leading the development and strengthening of Tianchen World, and taking the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect back to the realm of the immortals. ¡­ One month later. Mu Yunxi¡¯s sleeping palace. At this moment, there was not a single maid in the sleeping palace; all had been driven out by Mu Yunxi. She lay alone on the soft couch, engaging in some indecent activity. Mu Yunxi had a light build, tall and slender with curves that were graceful, exuding charm with every lift of her hand and foot. Her eyes were seductive like silk, her face slightly flushed. Although her black hair was pulled up into a high bun, strands of hair fell loosely around her neck, as pale as jade. At this moment, Mu Yunxi let out a deep sigh, as if satisfied with something, and then muttered to herself, ¡°This bastard is definitely doing this to torture me on purpose!¡± She had been back at Lu Chen¡¯s side for over a month, and yet, Lu Chen still hadn¡¯t touched her in the way men and women do. Although Lu Chen would visit her sleeping palace every few days, each visit ended with him teasing her before he left, leaving her frustrated and collapsing onto the soft couch. After over a month of Lu Chen¡¯s torment, Mu Yunxi was becoming increasingly unable to endure his torture. Now, just the thought of Lu Chen would cause her spiritual power to involuntarily quake, feeling her alluring body thoroughly aroused by him. Every time she considered how Lu Chen was unwilling to be intimate with her, Mu Yunxi would clench her teeth in fury. She was a woman who had thrown herself at him, and yet Lu Chen, a man, continued to leave her hanging. Each time after Lu Chen toyed with her, he would run off to his other wives and concubines. Lu Chen could do this, but Mu Yunxi couldn¡¯t; she could only endure it. Finally unable to bear it any longer, Mu Yunxi drove all the maids out of her sleeping palace. One couldn¡¯t rely on men; it was better to rely on oneself. It¡¯s just that¡­ At that moment, Mu Yunxi softly lifted her slender leg and reclined on the soft couch, still looking very distressed. Mu Yunxi continued to curse, ¡°This bastard, to treat me so, one day I will surely make him pay!¡± Just as Mu Yunxi finished speaking, a voice suddenly rose in the room. ¡°Who has upset my dear wife so much?¡± ¡°Tell me, and I will make sure to punish him severely for you!¡± Chapter 944 - Chapter 944: Chapter 634: You Bastard, Are You Even a Man! Chapter 944: Chapter 634: You Bastard, Are You Even a Man! Hearing that despicable voice, Mu Yunxi knew exactly which bastard had teleported directly into her sleeping quarters again. At that moment, Mu Yunxi¡¯s mind froze, as she realized that everything she had just been doing must have been seen by this man. After all, this man was very good at concealing his presence, and many times when he came to her chamber, she had no clue. Before, she had been able to sense Lu Chen¡¯s presence, perhaps because she had spent a lot of time with him, but gradually she lost the ability to detect him. People usually react to external stimuli, mostly in response to danger, and when one feels that certain things or certain people are not a threat, their perception of them decreases. Lu Chen tortured her every single day, and now she actually wished he would come and devour her completely, so she had completely let her guard down around him. Thinking about the things she had done that Lu Chen the scoundrel might have discovered, Mu Yunxi¡¯s heart filled with immense shame, followed instantly by anger. This scoundrel must have known she would entertain herself, so he had been keeping her hanging just to witness her embarrassment one day and take the opportunity to humiliate her. Mu Yunxi turned and glared fiercely at Lu Chen, ¡°What are you doing here!¡± If Lu Chen didn¡¯t want her and only tormented her, she saw no need to be pleasant to him, even if he was the Emperor. In her eyes, an emperor from a lower world meant nothing at all, let alone emperors from such worlds, as she had seen some Great Emperors herself. If she hadn¡¯t returned to release Lu Chen¡¯s control over her, she wouldn¡¯t have come to throw herself at him, and yet this was how he treated her. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s face twist with shame and anger, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Darling, you¡¯re not angry because I found out what you were doing just now, are you?¡± ¡°Rest assured, I won¡¯t laugh at you. Such things are normal; after all, you are a mature woman, and it¡¯s not strange to have desires.¡± ¡°You!¡± Mu Yunxi started to speak but then hesitated. She had indeed been found out by Lu Chen! He must have been here already, hiding in the room watching, and only after she was done did he come out to mock her. This damn scoundrel! Mu Yunxi then said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to touch me, I won¡¯t waste any more time. I¡¯m leaving Yan County right now.¡± As she spoke, Mu Yunxi rose from the couch, but just as she stood up, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting to appear beside the couch and then pressed her delicate body back down. Mu Yunxi didn¡¯t struggle, just lying there on the couch, her beautiful eyes locked on Lu Chen. Lu Chen took a moment to look her over. Her beautiful, bright eyes were long and lovely, her arched eyebrows over a delicate and pretty face, her neck as gracefully long as a swan¡¯s, a dainty waist that could be encircled with one¡¯s arms, dressed in a red semi-transparent silk that hung on her body, faintly revealing her graceful figure, it made her incredibly seductive. After Lu Chen had pushed Mu Yunxi down onto the couch, he didn¡¯t immediately proceed to the next step but instead lifted his nose and sniffed the air, saying, ¡°Hm? What¡¯s this smell?¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi¡¯s beautiful eyes glared deadly at Lu Chen, as he continued to humiliate her. Seeing Mu Yunxi¡¯s gaze as if she could eat him alive, Lu Chen gave a slight smile and then said, ¡°Darling, I¡¯ve been too busy lately, so I¡¯ve neglected you a little, don¡¯t be angry.¡± Mu Yunxi coldly said, ¡°Is ¡®being busy¡¯ your way of saying that after tossing me around here, you went and had fun with other concubines?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You misunderstand me, I went to the other women mainly to help them improve their strength.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already strong, possessing a certain ability to protect yourself, so you don¡¯t need my help enhancing your strength for now, but my other darlings are different, their strength is weaker. If the prohibitions of the Misty World disappear and enemies from the Misty World come to this world, how are they to protect themselves if I¡¯m not by their side and they lack strength?¡± Not wanting to listen to Lu Chen¡¯s excuses, Mu Yunxi said bluntly, ¡°Don¡¯t give me that crap, I¡¯ve already said, if you¡¯re unwilling to touch me, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Touch, why wouldn¡¯t I touch!¡± ¡°What else am I here for today?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Mu Yunxi was momentarily stunned. Could this man really intend to take her today? Was this for real? She felt like Lu Chen was deceiving her again, as he had said several times before that he¡¯d make her his woman, yet every time her clothes would end up ruined, and this damn scoundrel would run off. After coming to her senses, for some reason, Mu Yunxi couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that she was behaving shamefully. She, a Goddess from a high-level Sect in a higher world, was now degrading herself by actively seducing an Emperor from a Lower World. Wasn¡¯t this outright shameful behavior? Mu Yunxi¡¯s mind blanked for a moment as she suddenly realized something. No wonder Lu Chen had refused to touch her all along¡ªthis guy was definitely trying to spark her inner desires and make her take the initiative to show her love for him. In doing so, had he not trained her into a Female Slave? This despicable man actually wanted her to become his Female Slave. The thought infuriated Mu Yunxi, and she suddenly lost the desire to continue being manipulated by Lu Chen. While Mu Yunxi was lost in her thoughts, Lu Chen leaned down and naturally kissed her red lips. Despite some resistance in her heart, her body couldn¡¯t muster any opposition and began to respond to Lu Chen instead. As Lu Chen kissed her, his hands caressed her silky, satin clothes, and it didn¡¯t take long for Mu Yunxi to be ignited by Lu Chen once again. In the past month, Lu Chen had not made Mu Yunxi his woman. Partly because the System of Lots of Sons and Lots of Blessings had upgraded and changed, now requiring the birth of child worlds for rewards, his desire to create new worlds had diminished. Of course, the most important reason was that he was deliberately keeping Mu Yunxi hanging. After all, didn¡¯t she run away before? This was his punishment for Mu Yunxi, to see if she would dare attempt to escape again. In addition, this approach had stimulated Mu Yunxi¡¯s seductive body; now whenever he touched her, she became as soft as cotton, and she was utterly subdued. At that very moment, under Lu Chen¡¯s kisses, Mu Yunxi¡¯s consciousness quickly blurred. When Lu Chen kissed her neck, she murmured, ¡°Darling¡­¡± Seeing Mu Yunxi in this state, a slight smile formed at the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth. Although he had said he would touch Mu Yunxi, his definition of ¡°touch¡± did not mean turning her directly into his woman¡ªhe wanted to keep her hanging still. Creating child worlds now required a great deal of good fortune, and among his wives and concubines, essentially none had the conditions for birthing child worlds, including Mu Yunxi. There was no need for him to be in a rush to make Mu Yunxi his woman. He wanted this woman to completely fall for him, and in the end, to never be able to leave him. In the past, in his eagerness to have children, he had been too hasty. Now that he no longer needed children, he could take his time with everything. They kissed for who knows how long. Mu Yunxi¡¯s jade-like, delicate hands began to wander. Before she fully became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, Mu Yunxi never felt secure. Although her mind was fuzzy, she currently felt very insecure, always fearing that Lu Chen might suddenly flee. Noticing Mu Yunxi¡¯s hands wandering, Lu Chen caught her jade arm in one swoop, raised her hand above her head, and pinned it on the soft couch to stop her from getting out of hand. At that moment, Mu Yunxi continued to twist her body, trying to stir up Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts about her. However, right then, a maid¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, a letter from Misty World has arrived!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen immediately got up, and Mu Yunxi felt utterly abandoned, swiftly regaining her senses as she could no longer feel the man in her arms. She felt bewildered and even more distressed as she had been close to success, but someone had to interrupt at that moment. Then, Lu Chen spoke to the Mu Yunxi on the soft couch, ¡°My lady, I need to attend to some government affairs now. You rest here, and I¡¯ll come to find you when I have the time.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen¡¯s figure instantly disappeared from the spot. Seeing Lu Chen gone, Mu Yunxi came back to her senses and her face turned instantly red, then she shouted angrily, ¡°You jerk! Are you even a man?¡± Even at this point, Lu Chen had fled. At that moment, anger and desire overlapped, making it even harder for Mu Yunxi to control herself. ¡­ Lu Chen directly arrived at the Imperial Study Room through Shadow Shifting, where the disciple from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, who had come from Misty World, was already waiting. Upon Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, the disciple from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect first bowed, then handed over a personal letter written by Ji Hongwen. In the letter, Ji Hongwen described the current situation in Misty World. Upon learning that Misty World had begun internal conflicts, Lu Chen felt delighted inside. Internal strife was beneficial; it would deplete the power of the forces from Misty World, making it easier for Tianchen World to deal with those invading enemies later. At that moment, Qin Yushan, who had entered the Imperial Study Room with the disciple of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, many forces from Misty World have sent their disciples into our world. Recently, invaders from Misty World have been killing the civilians of Great Sum indiscriminately in various places. Is it time to intervene?¡± Cultivators from Misty World, inherently haughty, regarded civilians from lower worlds as lesser beings. If these civilians said something displeasing to them, they would directly kill them cruelly. The civilians near Misty World lived in constant terror, fearing the day when they might offend any cultivators from Misty World. Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°I will discuss this matter at the Great Court Assembly.¡± Qin Yushan responded, ¡°I understand.¡± Chapter 946 - Chapter 946: Chapter 636: Negotiate with the Powers of Misty World? Chapter 946: Chapter 636: Negotiate with the Powers of Misty World? Initially, Gu Qizheng had thought to win over the Misty Immortal Sect and together target the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, because all the first batch of disciples from the Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect had disappeared, while those from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were still around. It must have been the disciples from Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who were behind this. Once it was confirmed as the work of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, the Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect would stand united. However, Bai Guangyu now told them that the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect had been killing each other and were ultimately wiped out together by the Daxia Dynasty. Although this sounded incredibly false, Baili Chen suddenly changed his statement at this time, no longer pursuing the responsibilities of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and appearing as if he really believed what Bai Guangyu had said. In light of this, how could Gu Qizheng not know what was really going on? It was very likely that the disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect had received a mission from their Sect, and upon entering the Tianchen World, they attacked the disciples from the Linghu Sect, underestimating their strength and ultimately leading to mutual destruction, and then they were all wiped out by the Daxia Dynasty. The result was that while the snipe and the clam grappled, the fisherman reaped the benefit. After thinking it over, Gu Qizheng realized that since their three major forces had already formed an alliance, although some unpleasant things had happened before, they could only be set aside after forming the alliance. Moreover, now that the Misty Immortal Sect had turned traitor, he could not possibly involve the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect to confront the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect anymore; they could only let it be. Anyway, the first batch of disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect had also disappeared, and once the constraints of the Misty World disappeared, it was up to their Elder and Sect Master to squabble over it; they needn¡¯t bother with them anymore. Now, the main task for their three great powers was to cleanse the disciples of other Sect forces in the Misty World. Thinking of this, Gu Qizheng looked at Bai Guangyu and said, ¡°Once the constraints disappear, I will relay your exact words to our Sect Master. Whether he believes it or not is his business.¡± Bai Guangyu gave a light smile, showing an expression of utter indifference. ¡­ Half a month later. Yan County. Hall of Political Affairs. Today was another Great Court Assembly, and the key point of discussion for today¡¯s assembly was addressing the invaders from the Misty World. At this moment, Li Rui stood in the center of the main hall and said, ¡°The invaders from the Misty World have been recklessly slaughtering our people of the Great Sum and occupying our lands, particularly those civilians near the Misty World who live in constant fear, unable to attain peace of mind. Your Majesty, I believe we can no longer allow these invaders to continue their unrestrained actions.¡± As Li Rui¡¯s voice fell, a minister spoke up, ¡°I also think we cannot allow these invaders to continue tormenting the people of the Great Sum, but with the current strength of our nation, I fear it is quite challenging to confront the invaders from the Misty World.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze immediately fell on that minister. The next moment, the identity information of this minister appeared before Lu Chen. [Name: Huang Minghui] [Identity: Minister of the Household Department of the Daxia Dynasty, who, after being deceived by the disciple Lei Wende of the Linghu Sect, believes that the Daxia Dynasty is beyond saving, thus he chose to join the Linghu Sect.] [Strength: Eighth Rank] [Loyalty: 10] Seeing Huang Minghui¡¯s information, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled slightly upward, saying to himself that releasing Lei Wende had been useful. Not long after Lei Wende was released, the corrupt officials in the court began to reveal themselves. Lu Chen also had some understanding of Huang Minghui, given that they both had been Ministers of the Household Department. Huang Minghui was a minister who had come from the old Capital city of the Great Sum. Initially, he was quite loyal to Lu Chen, with loyalty around sixty, and later his loyalty even increased to around seventy to eighty, which is precisely why he was able to climb to his position as Minister of the Household Department. Lu Chen glanced at Huang Minghui and said indifferently, ¡°Then, in Minister Huang¡¯s opinion, what should we do?¡± Huang Minghui said, ¡°I believe we should send envoys to negotiate with the various forces of the Misty World and establish good relations with those forces.¡± At this point, Li Rui said, ¡°Minister Huang¡¯s ideas seem rather naive. The invaders from Misty World want our land. By establishing good relations with them, wouldn¡¯t we have to cede land to them?¡± Huang Minghui said, ¡°At the end of the day, those forces from the Misty World are just some sect forces. Even if we give them some land, it won¡¯t affect the Daxia Dynasty.¡± ¡°Moreover, the sect forces of Misty World are particularly strong. If Your Majesty could win them over, the strength of Daxia would climb to a new level.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Minister Huang¡¯s idea aligns closely with my thoughts. I indeed think we should maintain good relations with the forces of Misty World.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had spoken so, Li Rui had no choice but to keep quiet, but he felt that Lu Chen probably didn¡¯t think this way. He had just taken the initiative to oppose the invaders because he sensed that the Emperor had developed a murderous intent towards them. Now, the Emperor was saying that he wanted to live harmoniously and maintain good relations with the invaders of Misty World. How could that be possible? They were invading your world, killing people on your land, and you still say you want to maintain good relations with those forces. Li Rui didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen was that kind of emperor. Having followed Lu Chen since he was the North Prince, he understood him too well. Lu Chen would definitely take action against those invaders. At this time, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Does any other minister think we should negotiate?¡± Then, another minister stood out, ¡°Your Majesty, I also think we should negotiate with the forces from Misty World. It is an opportunity for the Daxia Dynasty.¡± Subsequently, more ministers came forward. Since Lu Chen himself agreed with negotiation, they no longer needed to hide their true thoughts. Initially, many ministers thought it unwise to conflict with the forces from Misty World, especially those who knew about Misty World. They believed that Daxia facing Misty World in strength would definitely not yield good results. But thinking of Lu Chen¡¯s personality¡ªthe Emperor who held absolute authority in this world, with more power than any other recorded in the history of the world¡ªno one dared speak words of negotiation in front of Emperor Lu Chen. They were afraid of angering Lu Chen. Now that Lu Chen had agreed to negotiations, they could drop the pretense. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced at the ministers in the hall who agreed with negotiation. Among these ministers, there were many loyal ones, but most were indecisive opportunists; many ministers¡¯ loyalty had already dropped below thirty. Clearly, they didn¡¯t hold Daxia in high regard in their hearts. Indeed, many ministers were already contemplating surrender or joining the forces from the Misty World. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Since all ministers believe we should negotiate, I¡¯ll ask you to make a trip on my behalf.¡± ¡°I have a basic understanding of which forces have entered our world. You are to meet the representatives of those forces on my behalf and convey my willingness to sit down and negotiate. However, there are many forces in Misty World, so I need to sit down with all their forces for the negotiations.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, for some reason, the ministers present felt something was odd. Negotiating all together with the powers of Misty World? Was it really a negotiation? If it was a negotiation, wouldn¡¯t the forces from Misty World take advantage of this opportunity to divide up the Daxia Dynasty? Considering this, the ministers looked towards Zhuge Zhongguang, hoping he would speak and advise Lu Chen. However, Zhuge Zhongguang just sat quietly, motionless, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. Chapter 947 - Chapter 947: Chapter 637: Offense is the Best Defense Chapter 947: Chapter 637: Offense is the Best Defense After Lu Chen decided to negotiate with the forces of the Misty World, the ministers entrusted with this important task began to prepare for their journey to Black Dragon City to discuss matters with the various powers of the Misty World. As the Minister of the Household Department, Huang Minghui was also preparing, and he was tasked with engaging the Linghu Sect, the third major power in the Misty World, which made Huang Minghui very pleased. If he could covertly align himself with the Linghu Sect, there would be nothing to worry about in the future, even if the restrictions of the Misty World were lifted. Yan County. Huang Residence. At this moment, Huang Minghui was writing something in his study when a servant spoke at the door of the study, ¡°Master, Young Master Wen has arrived.¡± Huang Minghui said, ¡°Let him in.¡± The next moment, a man dressed in a splendid robe entered Huang Minghui¡¯s study. After entering the study, the man smiled and said, ¡°Minister Huang, we haven¡¯t seen each other for a few days, and your skill has improved.¡± Huang Minghui smiled and replied, ¡°Isn¡¯t that thanks to Young Master Wen¡¯s guidance?¡± As he spoke, Huang Minghui took out a piece of white paper and a brush and handed them to Lei Wende. The Young Master Wen mentioned by Huang Minghui was none other than Lei Wende, whose skills had been disabled. After being released, Lei Wende initially felt utterly dejected, believing he would live a worthless life akin to that of an animal. However, he quickly revived his spirits; he wanted to spread the news that the Daxia Dynasty was linked to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to Linghu Sect and make all forces of the Misty World aware of it. By then, both the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Daxia Dynasty would become targets, facing attacks from all forces of the Misty World. Lei Wende found ways to approach the officials of Great Sum, then informed them about the situation in the Misty World, and also painted a lot of appealing prospects for them, offering tangible benefits like imparting cultivation techniques that significantly improved their skills. Take Huang Minghui for example; originally just an ordinary man, he had risen to the eighth rank in a very short time, thanks to the cultivation techniques taught by Lei Wende. Huang Minghui¡¯s body became much stronger all at once, and he appeared more vibrant and energetic than ever before, a feeling he had never experienced. The rapid increase in skill also made Huang Minghui¡¯s ambitions grow larger, leading him to lose his reverence for Lu Chen, thinking that Lu Chen was merely a lowly emperor of an inferior world. If he could closely ally with Linghu Sect, perhaps one day he could possess power like Lu Chen¡¯s or even become a true Immortal. Huang Minghui¡¯s betrayal presented an opportunity to Lei Wende, who then used the same method to win over many ministers of Great Sum, although some directly rejected Lei Wende. However, many ministers could not resist the temptation of a sudden surge in power, especially the civil officials, most of whom knew how formidable Lu Chen was, so Lei Wende had a hard time deceiving them. But civil officials were different, especially those who came from the Capital, being ordinary people with no real power; suddenly obtaining such great power naturally gave them some ideas. At that moment, Lei Wende wrote on the paper, ¡°How are things going?¡± While speaking, Huang Minghui said, ¡°Young Master Wen, I always feel that although my skills have improved, my strength hasn¡¯t increased much.¡± In a gap in the conversation, Huang Minghui wrote, ¡°The Sum Emperor has agreed to negotiate with the forces of the Misty World and plans to send some ministers to contact the major powers of the Misty World.¡± Seeing what Huang Minghui had written, the corners of Lei Wende¡¯s mouth slightly curled up; it seemed the Sum Emperor could no longer withstand the pressure. Even if the Daxia Dynasty was part of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, it was only one sect after all, and more importantly, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was not the strongest force in the Misty World. One Ten Thousand Immortal Sect could not possibly contend with all the forces of the Misty World; the inevitable result would be negotiations. At that moment, Lei Wende pretended to say, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because you have not engaged in real combat nor fought, so you can¡¯t feel what level your strength is at.¡± With that, Lei Wende wrote on another piece of white paper, ¡°Which ministers did the Sum Emperor send to contact the forces of the Misty World, and did he send any ministers to meet with the disciples of Linghu Sect?¡± Huang Minghui immediately saw through Lei Wende¡¯s intentions and quickly wrote, ¡°The ministers dispatched by the Sum Emperor all support negotiations, including me, and I am the minister tasked with contacting Linghu Sect.¡± Seeing what Huang Minghui had written, Lei Wende became very excited; does this mean he could now connect with the disciples of Linghu Sect through Huang Minghui? Lei Wende promptly wrote, ¡°When you go to Black Dragon City, you must inform the disciples of Linghu Sect about my situation. As long as you make it clear that you have sided with Linghu Sect, they will surely offer you many benefits.¡± Seeing what Lei Wende had written, Huang Minghui¡¯s smile widened, and he appeared very pleased. Establishing a connection with Linghu Sect signified the beginning of his rise; he even fantasized about becoming Linghu Sect¡¯s secular spokesperson, perhaps even becoming an emperor. Next, Huang Minghui also wrote, ¡°Alright, I will definitely tell the disciples of Linghu Sect about your plight.¡± After Lei Wende finished reading what was on the paper, Huang Minghui crumpled up the pieces of paper they had used to communicate and placed them in the fireplace of the study, burning them all. The fireplace in the study was specifically used for burning these things to prevent them from being discovered by the Brocade Guard. During his interactions with Lei Wende, Huang Minghui had always been extremely cautious, never engaging in verbal discussions with Lei Wende about the Linghu Sect and Great Sum. Instead, they pretended to discuss cultivation techniques and how to enhance their skills, then they would write down the content of their discussions on paper. In this way, even if the Brocade Guard were eavesdropping outside, they could only hear them discussing cultivation techniques. Lei Wende and Huang Minghui continued to discuss how to enhance their skills while simultaneously writing down what Huang Minghui should say to the disciples of the Linghu Sect after meeting them on paper. About two hours later, Lei Wende finally left Huang Minghui¡¯s home. Meanwhile. In the Capital city, Imperial Palace. Lu Chen was dealing with state affairs in the Imperial Study Room when Zhuge Zhongguang and a group of military generals arrived and waited outside the Imperial Study Room. The next moment, the voice of a maid came, ¡°Your Majesty, the Great Scholars have arrived!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen, while looking at the military planning map in his hands, said, ¡°Everyone come in!¡± Following that, the important military generals entered the Imperial Study Room. As the generals entered, they already realized that the peace talks that Lu Chen spoke of could not possibly be his true intention, since he wouldn¡¯t have convened a military meeting so soon after the end of the Great Court Assembly unless it involved his real intentions, which they were about to discuss. Lu Chen glanced at the generals, then said, ¡°The current structure of our military has fallen behind the progress of Great Sum, so I plan to make adjustments and transform it again.¡± Upon hearing this, the generals looked at each other. Mu Changtian asked, ¡°May I know how Your Majesty plans to transform the military?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°I am planning to establish a new army.¡± A new army? Upon hearing this, the generals in the Imperial Study Room were momentarily stunned. A new army again? The previous new armies were primarily based around gunpowder weapons, so what would this new army be based on? Lu Chen continued, ¡°Some of you might have already heard that Great Sum has developed a more powerful weapon, called the Rune Weapon.¡± ¡°This kind of weapon can easily kill a Pseudo Celestial, and even killing a Celestial is not beyond its capabilities.¡± At this statement, the people in the Imperial Study Room were taken aback; they indeed had heard that the military factory had new weapons, and some had even witnessed the military factory testing new weapons and seen the mushroom clouds produced by the Rune Weapons. They had not expected, however, that the new weapons were so powerful that they could easily kill Pseudo Celestials and even Celestials! If they possessed such weapons, then why should Great Sum worry about the powers of the Misty World? Not only need they not worry, but their military could also directly go and attack the Misty World. Suddenly, the generals were invigorated at the thought that if they could become generals of this new army, what an honor it would be for them. At that moment, the generals were all prepared to volunteer themselves, and Lu Chen, glancing at the generals present, spoke, ¡°The new army will be equipped with Rune Weapons and will soon be tested in actual combat. The main mission of the new army in the future is to expand outward and preemptively deal with forces or enemies that could threaten Great Sum.¡± ¡°We cannot always be passive, waiting for others to attack us. We need to take the initiative; offense is the best defense.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the generals instantly understood why, during the Great Court Assembly, Lu Chen had instructed the civil officials to make contact with the forces of the Misty World and propose a peace talk. Perhaps the day of the peace talks would be the day when those forces of the Misty World would be annihilated. If those forces were gathered together, the Rune Weapons could be brought out to wipe them out in one fell swoop. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the generals grew excited, and the next moment, a general spoke, ¡°Your Majesty is right, offense is indeed the best defense!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I would like to join the new army!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I too want to join the new army!¡± ¡­ With the current military merit system in Great Sum, war was what the generals looked forward to. Since Great Sum had unified the world, they had been idle every day, with some generals even wondering if the Emperor no longer needed them. Currently, apart from the military, it was the disciples of various sects who were maintaining the rule of Great Sum, and the role of the military had been diminishing, so the generals were always anxious. Now that Lu Chen said he wanted to establish a new army and proposed that offense was the best defense, this immediately gave the generals hope for realizing their value once again. Chapter 948 - Chapter 948: Chapter 638: Chener, I Have Something to Discuss with You Tonight Chapter 948: Chapter 638: Chen¡¯er, I Have Something to Discuss with You Tonight Seeing the excited Military Generals in the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen gave a faint smile before saying, ¡°Gentlemen, there¡¯s no need to rush!¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many Rune Weapons available right now as they have yet to be mass-produced, so the new army won¡¯t be large in number.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the selection criteria for the new army will be significantly stricter, with strength being at least at the level of Ninth Grade to qualify for enrollment.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the people in the Imperial Study Room were slightly taken aback. Above Ninth Grade? Although there were increasingly more Martial Artists in Great Sum¡¯s military, those who had reached Ninth Grade were still in the minority. It seemed that the first batch of new soldiers would only number a few thousand. Lu Chen then handed over a document he had drafted, ¡°This is the new army¡¯s planning document I¡¯ve drawn up. Take a look and see if there¡¯s anything that needs to be added. If so, please speak up.¡± ¡°The selection for the new army is starting this month. We aim to form a combat-effective force before the negotiations among the major powers of the Misty World commence.¡± The army they were assembling this time was not for dealing with common foes, and both their training methods and combat strategies were expected to undergo significant changes; they could no longer rely on previous battle tactics. Everyone took the planning document from Lu Chen and started reading it seriously. The new army was named the War Dragon Army, and its primary responsibility was to explore externally and eliminate potential enemies. Understanding the War Dragon Army¡¯s duties, the crowd grasped what Lu Chen intended. It seemed that their Emperor no longer wished to remain confined to this world. Indeed, the Emperor was so young yet already possessed the power of the Genesis Realm. How could such a vigorous and prosperous ruler want to live out his days in a lower world, idly waiting for death? Since the Sum Emperor desired expansion beyond their borders, they now had an opportunity to realize their worth. Afterwards, Lu Chen and the group of Martial Generals discussed the formation of the War Dragon Army through the night. Seeing that it had grown dark, Lu Chen said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today. After you return, write a memorial presenting your ideas about the new army, and I will read through them all.¡± The Military Generals respectfully replied, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t say much more, and with Shadow Shifting, he left the Imperial Study Room. Soon after, voices could be heard inside, ¡°Your Majesty, we see you off!¡± After leaving the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen went straight to the living quarters of Chu Yuqin. Chu Yuqin and Chu Qingli were discussing something in the pavilion, when suddenly, they felt a breeze blowing. The two women instantly realized that it was that scoundrel coming their way. As they turned around, indeed, Lu Chen¡¯s voice rose from behind them, ¡°What are my two ladies discussing so late in the pavilion? Why not go to sleep in your room? Could it be that you knew I was coming and were waiting here for me on purpose?¡± Turning to see that it was indeed Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin smiled sweetly before saying, ¡°We were discussing some cultivation issues. Qingli mentioned that when practicing the Mysterious Female Technique, she finds it difficult to concentrate.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I see, that¡¯s actually easy to resolve.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Chu Qingli asked with curiosity, ¡°Your Majesty knows how to resolve it?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°The optimal time to practice the Mysterious Female Technique is during Dual Cultivation with me. If you feel you can¡¯t focus during Mysterious Female Technique practice, then come to me or send someone to let me know, and I¡¯ll help you concentrate.¡± Listening to Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Chu Qingli looked at him strangely, instantly seeing through the scoundrel¡¯s motives. Help her concentrate, indeed. It sounded so nice, but wasn¡¯t he just trying to take advantage of her? During dual cultivation, she practiced the Mysterious Female Technique, which was essentially helping Lu Chen indulge in pleasure. Lu Chen continued, ¡°All right, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. It¡¯s late tonight; we should rest early.¡± Chu Yuqin then spoke up, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you must not have had dinner yet, right? I¡¯ll have someone prepare it immediately.¡± As soon as Chu Yuqin finished speaking and was about to get up, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around the mature beauty in front of him, and then whispered in her ear, ¡°With two delicacies right in front of me, why would I need dinner?¡± Hearing these words, Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly, and her heart filled with immense guilt. She felt it was all her main body¡¯s fault that Lu Chen had become like this, indulging in such activities with women every day, having abandoned serious cultivation. Thinking of this, Chu Yuqin felt deeply saddened. She believed Lu Chen should not continue like this; she had to find a way to get Lu Chen back on the right path, to his serious cultivation. After much pondering, Chu Yuqin finally made up her mind; no matter what, she couldn¡¯t let Lu Chen continue to degenerate. She had to tell Lu Chen about the past events. Even if Lu Chen would come to despise her because of this, even if he saw her as an enemy, she had to speak out. She couldn¡¯t bear to watch Lu Chen trapped in this world until his demise. With that thought, Chu Yuqin smiled at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, there¡¯s something I need to discuss with you tonight. Let Qing Li rest properly.¡± Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Chu Qingli felt somewhat displeased. When had her sister become so selfish? Whenever Lu Chen visited their chambers before, Chu Yuqin always included her, but now she was telling her to rest and hogging Lu Chen for herself. Isn¡¯t it a bit selfish? However, Chu Qingli didn¡¯t voice her dissatisfaction; although she really wanted to, she was one of those women whose actions didn¡¯t match their words, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to beg Lu Chen for affection. Curious about what Chu Yuqin might need to discuss with him, and why she had even sent Chu Qingli away, Lu Chen pondered. In the past, whenever he visited them, Chu Yuqin would always involve Chu Qingli. After all, Chu Yuqin alone was no match for him, and even with Chu Qingli, they weren¡¯t opponents to him, but at least there was someone else to share the ¡®firepower¡¯. Lu Chen smiled slightly and said, ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go to the room and have a good talk.¡± While they were speaking, Lu Chen hugged Chu Yuqin and applied Shadow Shifting, and in an instant, they were inside the room. Upon arriving in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room, before she could say anything, Lu Chen placed her on the soft couch and pressed down upon her warm and supple body, looking down at her captivatingly beautiful eyes from above. Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheeks bloomed with a vast expanse of red, and her eyes started to mist over. Now, just coming into contact with Lu Chen¡¯s body made her helplessly aroused. Especially after she regained the memories of her previous life, she felt that she might have inherited all of her main body¡¯s feelings. Perhaps, to shed her own emotions, her main body had transferred all her feelings for Lu Chen onto this split body. That¡¯s why she liked Lu Chen so much, losing control over herself whenever she touched him. Seeing the embarrassed appearance of the beautiful woman, Lu Chen felt incredibly excited, and at that moment, Chu Yuqin began to speak, ¡°Chen¡¯er, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been afraid to tell you for a long time, for fear that you would hate me because of it.¡± ¡°But after much thought, I can¡¯t stand to watch you continue to sink like this. Only by telling you can you possibly arouse yourself and might find a way out of this world in the future.¡± As soon as Chu Yuqin finished speaking, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that later; I¡¯m hungry.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen leaned down, and their lips met. ¡°Mmm¡­ mmm¡­¡± Chu Yuqin struggled faintly, but ultimately, she let Lu Chen have his way. Chapter 949 - Chapter 949: Chapter 639: How do you think I should take revenge on you? Chapter 949: Chapter 639: How do you think I should take revenge on you? Chu Yuqin felt helpless, in front of Lu Chen, she had no resistance at all. Whatever Lu Chen wanted to do to her, she would subconsciously cooperate, completely unaware of how to resist. Of course, her resistance would have been futile anyway. She had also planned to tell Lu Chen about their past lives early on to encourage him, but Lu Chen had caught her and started to be indulgent again. Having no choice, she could only let Lu Chen indulge himself, and to get him to calm down quickly, Chu Yuqin immediately used the Mysterious Female Technique. With the help of the Mysterious Female Technique, Lu Chen quickly became somewhat satisfied. At that moment, Lu Chen looked at Chu Yuqin¡¯s delicate face, took a few deep breaths, and then asked with a smile, ¡°Alright, Madam Chu, what do you want to say?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin gradually came to her senses. Looking into Lu Chen¡¯s determined eyes, she suddenly felt fearful. If she really told everything to Lu Chen, and if Lu Chen actually resented her, what would she do then? Resentment from him was not important, since after all, these were the actions of her original self, and this incarnation of hers should bear the punishment. But if Lu Chen also disliked her children, that would not bode well for her offspring¡­ Thinking of this, Chu Yuqin hesitated. Seeing that Chu Yuqin was not speaking, Lu Chen seemed to have understood something. He glanced at Chu Yuqin¡¯s updated profile and indeed found that Chu Yuqin had regained her memories. The things Chu Yuqin wanted to tell him were likely about the actions of her original self, or about their past lives. Seeing that Chu Yuqin still had not spoken, Lu Chen raised his hand, gently caressed her delicate face, and said with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu, if you haven¡¯t figured it out yet, then let¡¯s not talk about it. I suppose it¡¯s not something particularly important.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s brain trembled slightly. She bit her silver teeth firmly and said, ¡°No, I need to speak. I can¡¯t stand to see you continue to degrade.¡± Lu Chen feigned confusion and asked, ¡°Continue to degrade? What do you mean by that?¡± Chu Yuqin took a deep breath and intently looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes as she said, ¡°The reason you think about women all the time is not truly your own desire. You were not like this in your past life. You¡¯ve become like this due to some influences.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen looked even more confused. ¡°Past life? Madam Chu, what are you talking about?¡± Chu Yuqin took another deep breath, as if she had made a great resolution, and continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er, promise me, no matter what I say later, you must remember, even if you despise me, our child is always innocent.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You are my woman, how could I possibly despise you? And you know what kind of person I am; I would never treat my own child poorly.¡± Although Lu Chen had long known that his children were inheriting his fortune and Bloodline Power, he actually didn¡¯t mind at all, probably because he hadn¡¯t felt the benefits the fortune and Bloodline Power brought him. All he knew was that those children were his own flesh and blood; he couldn¡¯t possibly resent his own flesh and blood. Seeing that Lu Chen had said this, Chu Yuqin no longer kept secrets. She directly said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you have a special identity.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°A special identity?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s puzzled look, Chu Yuqin assessed that Lu Chen truly had not regained his memory. She then continued, ¡°In your past life, you were a prince of the Shenwu Emperor in the Qian Yuan World God Moon Dynasty.¡± Lu Chen showed a shocked expression. ¡°Past life?¡± ¡°Madam Chu, what are you talking about? Do you know about my past life?¡± ¡°What kind of person was I in my past life?¡± Chu Yuqin sighed softly and continued, ¡°I know it¡¯s hard for you to accept, as it¡¯s different from the past life you remember. I¡¯ll explain the reason to you later.¡± In Chu Yuqin¡¯s view, the reason Lu Chen was shocked was that the Sky Evolution Stone had implanted false memories in him. Lu Chen most likely still thought he was just a disciple of the Demon Sect, so he was so shocked by the news of his identity as the son of the Shenwu Emperor. Chu Yuqin continued: ¡°In your past life, you were a person who focused solely on cultivation, unconcerned with worldly affairs, with the sole ambition of becoming an emperor.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Did I become the emperor in the end?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°No, you were originally the strongest among all the princes, likely to become an emperor within ten thousand years, but the Shenwu Emperor suddenly summoned all his princes one day, then killed them all, and imprisoned their souls in the Soul Beads, casting them into various worlds for reincarnation and trials.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why would the Shenwu Emperor do such a thing?¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°No one knows why he did it, nor does anyone dare to ask.¡± At this point, Chu Yuqin glanced at Lu Chen¡¯s expression, saw his astonished look, and then bit her silver teeth lightly before continuing, ¡°Your Soul Bead was originally properly cast into this world, and according to the original trajectory, you should have been reborn a thousand years ago.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Then why was I only reborn twenty-some years ago?¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°In your previous life, the Guiyi Sect¡¯s Holy Maiden greatly admired you and always wanted to become your Dao companion, but you repeatedly refused her. Later, Emperor Shenwu discovered she had a Chaotic Spirit Body, so he forced the Guiyi Sect to send her to the Shenyue Dynasty, where she became the Empress.¡± ¡°That woman believed it was all because you refused her and did not break her virginity, so she was forced to marry the Shenwu Emperor and become his Furnace Cauldron.¡± ¡°To take revenge on you, she used the power of the Sky Evolution Stone to implant false memories into you, making you believe that in your previous life you were a disciple of the Demon Sect, capable of cultivating by relying on the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, and that she had trapped the Spiritual Energy of this world in the Misty World, even creating a Heavenly Demon in this world.¡± ¡°You are a descendent of Emperor Shenwu, with a unique bloodline, and it¡¯s not simply a matter of having children; once you have a child, your child would divide your destiny and Bloodline Power, causing you to eventually struggle to progress.¡± ¡°Normally, with your talents, you would have been able to regain your strength in less than ten thousand years, but now¡­¡± Saying this, Chu Yuqin hesitated to continue. In her view, Lu Chen now, not to mention regaining the peak of his strength in ten thousand years, likely wouldn¡¯t make it even in a hundred thousand years. This made Chu Yuqin feel very guilty inside. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°This Holy Maiden of the Guiyi Sect is truly spiteful.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin trembled slightly. Indeed, Lu Chen had begun to loathe his true self. Lu Chen continued, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that my daily intimacy with my wives and concubines is all because of her?¡± Chu Yuqin remained silent and did not answer. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t I also thank her for letting me enjoy such treatment?¡± Chu Yuqin thought Lu Chen was being sarcastic and still didn¡¯t dare to continue speaking; she was very conflicted inside about whether or not to tell Lu Chen that she was an incarnation of Empress Shenwu. At that moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, is that Shenwu Empress beautiful?¡± Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to ask this question, but after she came back to herself, Chu Yuqin answered, ¡°Very similar to me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°So she¡¯s a great beauty. Strange, why didn¡¯t I agree to her pursuit in my previous life?¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°In your previous life, you were wholly devoted to the Dao and had no interest in romantic affairs.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Then my previous self was somewhat foolish, a Chaotic Spirit Body, even an actively pursuing Holy Maiden, and I actually didn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°My father from my previous life was so interested in the Chaotic Spirit Body; that Chaotic Spirit Body must indeed be very special, capable of greatly enhancing a person¡¯s strength.¡± ¡°My vision in my previous life was indeed too short-sighted.¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to speak like this; she suddenly didn¡¯t know how to respond as Lu Chen had stopped attacking her true self and began reflecting on his own faults instead. Lu Chen then looked into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes and smilingly said, ¡°Madam Chu, since that Holy Maiden of the Guiyi Sect did such things to me, what do you think would be a fitting way for me to take revenge on her?¡± Chu Yuqin fell silent again. She was an incarnation of Empress Shenwu, and she couldn¡¯t answer this question. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I think I should imprison her and make her serve as my Furnace Cauldron for a lifetime. What do you think of this punishment?¡± Chu Yuqin did not answer, but in her heart, she thought if that were indeed the punishment, she would willingly be Lu Chen¡¯s Furnace Cauldron for a lifetime. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯m curious about your true identity; how do you know all of this?¡± Chu Yuqin was silent for a while, but ultimately, she confessed, ¡°Because I am an incarnation of that Holy Maiden of the Guiyi Sect.¡± ¡°What!!!¡± Lu Chen immediately showed a shocked expression. Chu Yuqin sighed and said, ¡°My true self created this incarnation to witness your downfall, so she sent me to be by the side of your mother, waiting for your birth.¡± ¡°However, not long after I arrived in this world, I lost contact with my true self, and my memories were sealed by a mysterious force.¡± Saying this, Chu Yuqin looked at Lu Chen with pleading eyes, ¡°Chen¡¯er, no matter how you choose to take revenge on me, I accept it, I admit it, but please do not harbor any grudge against our children; they are innocent.¡± Seeing the pitiful and moving demeanor of the beautiful woman, Lu Chen¡¯s desire for conquest surged fiercely, and now, given that Chu Yuqin was an incarnation of his enemy, he couldn¡¯t wait to torment her to death. At that moment, Lu Chen gently caressed Chu Yuqin¡¯s cheek and smilingly said, ¡°Madam Chu, I did not expect that you would turn out to be an incarnation of my enemy. Now that you are in my hands, how do you think I should take my revenge on you?¡± Chapter 950 - Chapter 950: Chapter 640: A New Program? Chapter 950: Chapter 640: A New Program? Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Chu Yuqin fell silent again, not opening her mouth to speak. She didn¡¯t care anymore, as long as Lu Chen didn¡¯t resent their child. Whether Lu Chen wanted to kill her or keep her imprisoned as his Furnace Cauldron, she could accept it in her heart. Seeing that Chu Yuqin did not speak, Lu Chen also quietly watched her jade-like face, saying nothing. The room suddenly quieted down, even Chu Qingli next door felt incredibly surprised, wondering why the conflict had ceased so quickly today, thinking, maybe Lu Chen wasn¡¯t up to it? If it had been before, Chu Yuqin would definitely still be crying and calling out to heaven and earth. How strange. At this moment, Chu Yuqin closed her eyes, waiting for Lu Chen to pronounce her death sentence. Seeing the resigned look on the beautiful woman¡¯s face, Lu Chen suddenly burst out laughing. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s laughter, Chu Yuqin opened her eyes, looking at him perplexedly. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Madam Chu, I¡¯m curious, is your main body still a virgin?¡± This¡­ Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t know why Lu Chen was asking this, but she still answered, ¡°The maturation of the Chaotic Spirit Body is extremely slow. Although your Emperor father used many Spiritual Medicines on my main body, it might take tens of thousands of years to mature, so my main body is most likely still a virgin.¡± ¡°If her virginity is taken prematurely, her Chaotic Spirit Body would be damaged, which is why she resented you for not agreeing to be her Dao companion initially.¡± ¡°If her Chaotic Spirit Body had been ruined, your father would not have discovered her special constitution, and she would not have been imprisoned in the Shenyue Dynasty.¡± While caressing Chu Yuqin¡¯s jade cheek, Lu Chen said, ¡°Such a beautiful woman, how come I didn¡¯t agree to her pursuit in my previous life.¡± Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°What do you plan to do with me?¡± Lu Chen did not answer Chu Yuqin¡¯s question but instead said, ¡°I¡¯ve decided. I must grow stronger quickly, then imprison your main body as my Furnace Cauldron. I will torture her daily, mess her mind up until she can only think of me, otherwise I cannot quell the resentment in my heart!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t know why, but she suddenly felt an odd sense of delight, and even her body tensed up. Lu Chen also sensed Chu Yuqin¡¯s response, seeing her actually getting excited, Lu Chen burst out laughing again, surprised that Chu Yuqin was such a person¡ªdid she really want him to torment her? Lu Chen paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Chu Yuqin, his lips curling slightly into a mocking smile. ¡°As for this incarnation of yours¡­¡± Chu Yuqin suddenly became very nervous, uncertain of how Lu Chen would treat her. Lu Chen then bent down, leaning in close to Chu Yuqin¡¯s ear, and whispered, ¡°Since your main body did that to me, and now I can¡¯t reach your main body, you shall take her punishment.¡± Just as Chu Yuqin was about to say something, Lu Chen sealed her red lips, then began his campaign of revenge. At this moment. Chu Qingli sat upright on the couch, listening carefully to the movement next door, trying to hear what Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin were talking about. She was just curious why the battle had ended so quickly today. Just as she really thought that Lu Chen was perhaps not up to it, suddenly the sounds of Chu Yuqin crying and calling to heaven started emanating from next door again, and this time, Lu Chen¡¯s roars were also heard. ¡°Poisonous woman! You have made me suffer so! I will kill you today!¡± ¡°Your Majesty¡­ ah¡­ your concubine knows her wrong!¡± ¡°Your concubine won¡¯t dare again¡­¡± ¡­ Chu Qingli was somewhat baffled, what play were they performing today? Why hadn¡¯t she ever heard this play before? A new program? Chu Qingli was a bit dissatisfied, annoyed that her sister and Lu Chen were putting on a new show without including her. ¡­ The new show between Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin continued throughout the night, until the early morning of the next day, when the sky was dimly lit. By then, Chu Yuqin had become completely limp, like a puddle of mud. But she harbored no resentment in her heart; on the contrary, the more ferocious Lu Chen was towards her, the more she felt this was a kind of redemption, given how much her main body had wronged Lu Chen, even crippling his path to becoming an emperor. Even if Lu Chen truly treated her as a Furnace Cauldron, she would say nothing, especially since Lu Chen did not actually regard her as just a Furnace Cauldron. Although Lu Chen was more vicious than before, he still made use of the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, and her Cultivation State and Realm had also been elevated. From this, it was clear that Lu Chen did not truly harbor any resentment towards her. After taking a pause, Chu Yuqin eased herself and then spoke weakly, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Your Majesty¡­¡± Before Chu Yuqin could finish, Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°What ¡®Your Majesty¡¯? How did you address me before? Just continue with that.¡± In view of Chu Yuqin¡¯s incarnation, Lu Chen really could not bring himself to hate her. From his perspective, he had grown up with Chu Yuqin from childhood, and she had taken meticulous care of him, even to the extent of caring for his needs in bed and bearing him two children. How could he harbor any hatred towards her? Of course, it might also be because he didn¡¯t have the memories of his past life, so when he felt the waning of destiny and bloodline power, he didn¡¯t feel the loss of anything, and naturally did not mind as much. Startled by Lu Chen¡¯s forceful tone, Chu Yuqin slightly hesitated before she said softly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you¡­¡± Chu Yuqin hesitated to speak. At this moment, Lu Chen sat up and looked into Chu Yuqin¡¯s eyes, asking, ¡°Madam Chu, tell me about the Sky Evolution Stone, I am quite interested in it.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin began, ¡°The Sky Evolution Stone is a special stone that can influence causality to a certain extent and can control a person¡¯s life.¡± ¡°Normally, the Sky Evolution Stone generates life trajectories based on the deepest desires in a person¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°Some people deeply wish for the aid of a powerful figure, so under the influence of the Sky Evolution Stone, a powerful soul may appear next to them in their next life.¡± ¡°Others might wish that they were strong in their past life, so the Sky Evolution Stone creates false memories, enabling the person to grow stronger based on those fabricated recollections.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Did you say earlier that your main body used the Sky Evolution Stone to implant memories of a past life in the Demon Sect in me?¡± ¡°So, am I always thinking about lying with women just because of that?¡± Chu Yuqin spoke softly, ¡°Yes, originally under the influence of the Sky Evolution Stone, you had your own path of growth, but the main body controlled the Sky Evolution Stone.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°And my father didn¡¯t intervene?¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°After he deployed your Soul Beads into various worlds, he left the rest to others and went into seclusion, and that gave the main body the opportunity.¡± ¡°Moreover, my main body didn¡¯t destroy your Soul Bead; a minor adjustment wouldn¡¯t likely concern Emperor Shenwu much. Given Emperor Shenwu¡¯s character, he might even think this was good training for you.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat speechless. Was Emperor Shenwu really his father? But then again, that made sense; the guy had killed all his sons and then scattered their Soul Beads across various worlds. There was no room for familial affection in his eyes. What a ruthless man! At this moment, Lu Chen fell silent. The Sky Evolution Stone and the Reincarnation Stone both were stones; he wondered if they were connected in some way¡­ Although Chu Yuqin¡¯s main body had implanted the memory of a Demon Sect disciple in him, he actually did not have such memories at all; he had always followed the system¡¯s guidance. Thinking about this, Lu Chen frowned slightly. Could it be that the system was actually fake, nonexistent, simply an illusion created by the Sky Evolution Stone? Because when he was on Earth, he often read novels about system mechanics, and then the Sky Evolution Stone might have considered that his innermost being could accept this method of growth, so it created a system to guide him to become stronger? Does the Lu Chen from the Qianyuan World have anything to do with him? If they are related, why didn¡¯t the memories implanted by Chu Yuqin¡¯s main body using the Sky Evolution Stone take effect? If they are unrelated, why would Chu Yuqin¡¯s incarnation come to his side, and how then should he make sense of everything in the Tianchen World now? Is all this the doing of the Sky Evolution Stone, or is there a more powerful force rendering the Sky Evolution Stone ineffective and using the resources prepared by Emperor Shenwu to make him stronger? Now, Lu Chen¡¯s mind was filled with questions, but he did not actively ask the system because he knew very well that the system would not be able to answer any of his questions at this moment. Just as Lu Chen thought this, the system notification suddenly sounded. ¡°Please rest assured, host, this system harbors no ill will towards you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled inwardly. The more the system said this, the more he suspected that there was a bigger conspiracy behind it.¡± It¡¯s useless to think too much now; I better quickly have my wives bear child worlds.¡± Although he thought this, Lu Chen could not help himself and asked the system, ¡°System, tell me honestly, why was it about having children before, and now about bearing child worlds?¡± The system had only upgraded, not changed. Last time he asked, the system had told him it was due to the influence of a mysterious force that had him incessantly producing children. So now that the system wants him to bear child worlds, whose idea was it? Perhaps sensing that Lu Chen was getting a bit agitated, the system advised: ¡°The system has previously informed the host that the former method of procreation was too outdated. Additionally, as the host came to this world through a Soul Bead and his body is affected by Emperor Shenwu¡¯s bloodline, directly bearing offspring severely limited the host¡¯s potential for strength enhancement.¡± ¡°If the host and his concubines bear child worlds, all beings within those child worlds will be the host¡¯s children, and the host will also gain the destiny feedback from these beings.¡± Lu Chen frowned slightly. Was it really just because the efficiency of bearing was too low? Chapter 952 - Chapter 952: Chapter 642: Yun Xianxians Worries Chapter 952: Chapter 642: Yun Xianxian¡¯s Worries The news that the Daxia Dynasty was going to negotiate with the forces from the Misty World quickly spread throughout the Tianchen World. Regarding the matter of negotiation, the common people of Great Sum were actually quite dissatisfied. Invaders from the Misty World had come to their world to dominate and had killed so many of the Daxia civilians; as a result, Great Sum could only resort to negotiations in the end. However, there was also a significant call for negotiation among the general populace, as most people thought that although Lu Chen had achieved unification of the entire world and was somewhat capable as an emperor, the enemies from the Misty World were much stronger. Facing such powerful enemies, Emperor Lu Chen was already overwhelmed; currently, Daxia also lacked the capability to contend with forces composed almost entirely of Immortals, being merely a secular dynasty after all. As more cultivators from the Misty World entered the Tianchen World, the people of Daxia had more interactions with the cultivators from the Misty World; now, the people of Daxia had gained a higher understanding of the Misty World, recognizing it as a realm filled with cultivators. Most commoners believed that the residents of the Misty World were all Immortals; therefore, facing those Immortal forces, Daxia had no chance of winning, making negotiation the only option for Daxia. ¡°Negotiate?¡± ¡°Heh!¡± In Black Dragon City, on an upper floor of the Hundred Flowers Tower, a woman dressed in white cloud-robe looked at the newspaper in her hand and laughed. Since her arrival in Black Dragon City, Yun Xianxian had heard plenty about the news that Great Sum intended to negotiate with the forces of the Misty World; she initially thought these were rumors, but surprisingly, the newspapers now had explicit reports of it. This indicated that the Daxia Imperial Court had indeed decided to negotiate. But these negotiations were the affairs of the Daxia Imperial Court; what did they have to do with Lu Chen? Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen would negotiate with those forces from the Misty World. Go to ????????????????????.co The message Lu Chen had released about wanting to negotiate was probably meant to stabilize the forces of the Misty World or possibly to confuse them. Lu Chen must have prepared some countermeasures. Pondering this, Yun Xianxian put the newspaper down on the table, her gaze then shifting toward the direction where the Misty World was located. The prohibitions of the Misty World were on the verge of collapse; once the prohibitions vanished, she would immediately set off for the Misty World to find a way to leave the Tianchen World. While she knew that Lu Chen probably had a remarkably strong cultivating family supporting him and relying on Lu Chen might help her leave this world, ever since she became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, deep inside, she no longer entertained the thought of using Lu Chen. She didn¡¯t know why she felt this way; she just instinctively didn¡¯t want to trouble this ungrateful man. Whenever she thought of the days she spent intimately entangled with Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian felt an overwhelming sense of reluctance, but she had no choice; she had to leave. Her enemy was too powerful, and even if Lu Chen had a cultivating family behind him, they might not be a match for her adversary. Ever since she came to Black Dragon City, enriched by the abundant spiritual power here, some of the memories she had lost due to falling into this world were gradually restored. While she had always known her identity, she had forgotten some specific details. The Tianchen World seemed to be a world with incomplete rules, but it could seal her memories, which made Yun Xianxian realize that something was amiss with this world. That¡¯s why she now wanted to leave this world even more. As Yun Xianxian gazed distractedly in the direction of the Misty World, a surge of spiritual power suddenly spread from it, causing spatial distortions to appear there. The disturbances in the Misty World also affected Black Dragon City. The city trembled slightly but fortunately, the extent was not great, causing no significant casualties. Yun Xianxian frowned slightly. She immediately got to her feet and assessed the condition of the prohibitions in the Misty World; the prohibitions hadn¡¯t loosened significantly, but¡­ Yun Xianxian¡¯s expression became a few shades more serious. Because she sensed the aura of her Sect mates, which meant her Sect mates had come to the Misty World. Yun Xianxian was somewhat anxious inside. She hadn¡¯t expected that even after she had come to this world, her Sect mates would still seek her out. This was troublesome. She was now trapped in Tianchen World, her own strength unable to allow her to leave, and with her Sect mates in the Misty World, once the restrictions of the Misty World vanished, her Sect mates would definitely enter Tianchen World to find her. Yun Xianxian¡¯s mind was unsettled, her brows filled with worry. She definitely did not want to be captured and return to become that man¡¯s Furnace Cauldron. She would rather serve as a Furnace Cauldron for Lu Chen, the rebel. ¡­ Black Dragon City, a certain tavern. Today, representatives of the three major powers gathered in the tavern, due to the peace talks proposed by the Daxia Dynasty. Baili Chen glanced at the newspaper in his hand, then threw it down on the table, ¡°Peace talks? Ridiculous!¡± ¡°A mere mortal dynasty, what right do they have to negotiate with our cultivation Sects?¡± The disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect had always been accustomed to dominance. In their view, the Daxia Dynasty should simply bow in submission. The Daxia Dynasty had not only remained silent but had gone further to kill the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect. And now, they dared propose peace talks to the major forces of Misty World? What a joke, does their Misty Immortal Sect need to negotiate with a mortal dynasty? Their Sect¡¯s disciples had been killed, and now the only way for the Daxia Dynasty to apologize was for the Emperor to commit suicide and for a change of dynasty. Otherwise, they would just wait to face the wrath of the Misty Immortal Sect. Hearing Baili Chen¡¯s words, the representative of the Linghu Sect, Gu Qizheng, said, ¡°The Sum Emperor says he wants peace talks, but perhaps he does not truly wish for peace talks. Highly likely, he knows that after killing the disciples of our two powerful forces, we would not sit idly by, so he proposes peace talks to all forces in the Misty World.¡± ¡°Saying it¡¯s peace talks, when in fact, it is just a way for other forces in the Misty World to limit our Linghu Sect and Misty Immortal Sect from taking action against the Daxia Dynasty.¡± The peace talks proposed by the Daxia Dynasty weren¡¯t with just one force in the Misty World, but with all the forces. The intent of the Sum Emperor was clear. He could cede land, and as for how it was divided, that was up to the forces of Misty World. Giving up land was not an act of submission, but a tactic to incite discord within the entire Misty World. Once the Daxia abandoned control of Tianchen World, how would Tianchen World be divided? At that time, the major forces would inevitably fight over the territory, and the Daxia Dynasty could just sit back and watch, waiting till the powers were considerably weakened before possibly stepping back in. Of course, this was just the view of Baili Chen and Gu Qizheng. Lu Chen¡¯s real intention was not to watch from the sidelines, but merely for training his troops. At that moment, Bai Guangyu glanced at Gu Qizheng and Baili Chen and then spoke, ¡°Since both of you dismiss the idea of peace talks, what do you think, should our three major powers participate in these talks or not?¡± Hearing Bai Guangyu¡¯s question, the two did not respond immediately, falling silent for a moment. A moment later, Baili Chen said, ¡°Of course, we still have to participate. If we don¡¯t, when the Daxia Dynasty incites discord, it will be disadvantageous for us.¡± Although the three great powers had already formed an alliance, planning to take on other forces, their plan was to do it gradually, one force at a time, not instantly eliminate all disciples of forces other than their own. They did not yet have that ability. If, apart from the three major powers, all the forces in the Misty World united, the manpower of these three powers might truly not be enough. In their view, the Daxia Dynasty¡¯s call for peace talks was simply a tactic to incite infighting within the forces of Misty World. If the three major powers did not participate, when the Sum Emperor negotiated with other forces later on and sowed discord, whatever he said could lead those forces to ally. Then, the disciples of the three great powers would be in trouble. Chapter 953 - Chapter 953: Chapter 643 If Your Majesty is Unwell, Dont Force Yourself Chapter 953: Chapter 643 If Your Majesty is Unwell, Don¡¯t Force Yourself The representatives from the three major forces, after a round of discussions, ultimately decided to participate in the peace talks hosted by the Daxia Dynasty. Gu Qizheng and Baili Chen were curious to see what kind of scheme the Sum Emperor was concocting. In the context of heightened calls for peace talks, the Military Department of Great Sum became tremendously busy. After the establishment of the new army, Great Sum¡¯s military began their selection process, only the most elite soldiers would be able to join the War Dragon Army. To join the new army, the soldiers began intense cultivation and grueling training. Even those soldiers who currently did not meet the criteria to join the War Dragon Army trained as if injected with an adrenaline shot. They were very clear in their minds that although the first cohort of the War Dragon Army only needed a few thousand men, the War Dragon Army would inevitably expand its forces. According to Lu Chen¡¯s usual practice, this initial recruitment of a few thousand was surely just the beginning. Even though the entire environment emphasized peace talks, the soldiers didn¡¯t care about that. Their intuition told them that war was about to break out soon. In order to be able to go to the front lines and fight against the enemies from the Misty World, their strength must become stronger. Ordinary people definitely couldn¡¯t fight against Cultivators, so their power had to be at least cultivated to Ninth Grade. Ninth Grade was the most basic requirement for joining the War Dragon Army, which indicated what the War Dragon Army planned to do in the future. Since the Military Department was under Lu Chen¡¯s direct command, most of the civil officials barely noticed the changes in the army; only a few important ministers were aware. Daxia Dynasty. Yan County, the Imperial Palace. Lu Chen flipped through the memorials presented by the generals about the military reform, murmuring to himself, ¡°Professional matters indeed require professional people to handle them.¡± Although Lu Chen thought about creating a new army, he was someone without much military talent, so even after creating a new army, he didn¡¯t know how to train it. Go to ????????????????????.co However, he had many military generals under his command, who knew how to train, so Lu Chen pooled their wisdom and let them write memorials. Then he organized these memorials from the generals to form the new army¡¯s training methods. While Lu Chen was engrossed in reading, the voice of a palace maid came from the door, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Qin requests an audience!¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°Let him in.¡± Qin Yushan then entered the Imperial Study Room and bowed to Lu Chen, although Lu Chen¡¯s attention remained on the memorial in his hands. Lu Chen asked absently, ¡°Commander Qin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Qin Yushan took out an intelligence report and placed it on Lu Chen¡¯s desk, then reported, ¡°Disciples from the Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect plan to participate in the peace talks.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t think much of it; those two forces were definitely going to join the peace talks, so this wasn¡¯t important intelligence to him. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Anything else?¡± Qin Yushan went on to say, ¡°Lately we¡¯ve noticed that Minister Huang and Lei Wende are getting close, and Minister Huang is responsible for liaising with the power of the Linghu Sect. Although our spies rarely find them discussing related matters, each time they converse, it¡¯s within the study, and there¡¯s always a brazier burning in Minister Huang¡¯s study.¡± Hearing Qin Yushan¡¯s words, Lu Chen stopped flipping through the memorials, looked up at Qin Yushan, and smiled, ¡°Is Minister Huang that afraid of the cold? Burning a fire in the study during the hot weather?¡± Qin Yushan understood that Lu Chen was joking. He responded, ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s recently done something guilty, and the uneasiness has made him feel physically weak.¡± At this point, Qin Yushan continued to ask, ¡°Your Majesty, shall we increase surveillance on Minister Huang?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°No need, I¡¯ve written a letter to Bai Guangyu. You¡¯ll have a Jinyiwei Guard deliver it to Bai Guangyu later.¡± Qin Yushan immediately bowed and said, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Lu Chen was already aware of the collusion between Lei Wende and Huang Minghui, but he didn¡¯t care much about it. After all, once the peace talks were over, aside from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, all the disciples sent by the forces of the Misty World would be eliminated. At that time, the new disciples sent by the Linghu Sect would be eliminated just the same. Then, Lu Chen took out a letter and tossed it to Qin Yushan, who quickly caught it. Lu Chen again lowered his head to look at the memorial, saying as he read, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go attend to your duties.¡± Qin Yushan bowed once more, ¡°Yes, I shall take my leave.¡± Qin Yushan then turned and left the Imperial Study Room. ¡­ In the evening. The blood-red sunset hung in the sky, dyeing the clouds crimson. Under the sunset¡¯s glow, everyone¡¯s skin within the palace turned a mud-yellow hue. At this moment, Lu Chen stood up from his chair and stretched lazily. He then said to the palace maid at the door, ¡°Tonight, I will go to Consort Mu¡¯s place. No need to report.¡± Every time Lu Chen visited Mu Yunxi, he wouldn¡¯t have the palace maids report; he liked to appear suddenly in Mu Yunxi¡¯s room and give her a big surprise. After tantalizing her for this period, Mu Yunxi had become completely reliant on him. Each time he went to Mu Yunxi¡¯s chamber, before he even initiated, Mu Yunxi would pounce directly on him. She now desperately wanted to devour Lu Chen, but after coming into contact with his body, she found herself immediately weakened and powerless, realizing that forcing herself to become Lu Chen¡¯s woman was not an easy feat. At this moment, Lu Chen arrived at the doorway and glanced at the sunset on the horizon, then muttered to himself, ¡°It¡¯s about time.¡± Having kept Mu Yunxi on tenterhooks for so long, it was time to give her a taste of sweetness. Meanwhile. Mu Yunxi¡¯s chambers. Currently, Mu Yunxi was sitting at a table, delicately sipping tea, appearing every bit the picture of a well-bred young lady. During the recent period, she had been trying to find a way to calm herself, to stop thinking about that bastard. She discovered that drinking tea was a good method; over these days, she had indeed become much more tranquil, her heart not as restless as before. At the very least, she wasn¡¯t as agitated as when she was cultivating; every time she closed her eyes to practice, Lu Chen¡¯s image would fill her mind, making it impossible for her to focus on her cultivation. After taking a light sip of tea, Mu Yunxi snorted coldly and said, ¡°To think of making me his complete female slave, laughable!¡± Mu Yunxi understood Lu Chen¡¯s intentions well; this guy had kept her dangling, simply wanting to hook out her innermost desires completely so that she would be unable to extricate herself, forever becoming that man¡¯s plaything. After realizing his scheme, she had been trying to calm herself, and now she had achieved a state of inner stillness, although Lu Chen¡¯s every visit still disturbed her for a while. At this time, a familiar voice came from behind her, ¡°My consort has been quite lazy recently, not cultivating at all.¡± ¡°Every time I came looking for you before, you were always practicing on the bed. Why have you taken up drinking tea these days?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Mu Yunxi did not turn her head and continued to drink her tea. Moments later, she spoke indifferently, ¡°Isn¡¯t this His Majesty, with his daily myriad of affairs? What brings you to my chambers today?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Naturally, it is because I missed you, my consort, so I came.¡± Mu Yunxi chuckled lightly, ¡°Miss me? Miss me for what?¡± Lu Chen then came up behind Mu Yunxi and sat, wrapping his arms around her waist, ¡°What¡¯s this? It seems my consort does not welcome me?¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°Welcome, how could I not welcome you? I¡¯m merely a consort disfavored by Your Majesty. How dare I not welcome Your Majesty? If I did not welcome Your Majesty, what would happen if you decided not to visit my chambers anymore?¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s sarcasm-tinted tone, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. It seemed Mu Yunxi had built up quite a lot of resentment in her heart. Indeed, she had been back for so long, and yet he had not laid a finger on her. She probably harbored deep resentment towards him by now. At this moment, Lu Chen caressed Mu Yunxi¡¯s smooth back, then inquired, ¡°Have you been practicing the Mysterious Female Technique lately, my consort?¡± Mu Yunxi coldly responded, ¡°No, what do I need to practice that technique for? I am an unwanted woman; practicing the Mysterious Female Technique is futile.¡± Living in Lu Chen¡¯s harem, Mu Yunxi knew all too well the purpose of the Mysterious Female Technique. Lu Chen¡¯s hand then slowly moved to Mu Yunxi¡¯s lower abdomen, and he whispered in her ear, ¡°What are you saying? You are my woman. How could you be unwanted?¡± Mu Yunxi let out a scoffing laugh, ¡°Oh, you still remember that I am your woman.¡± What kind of man lets his woman languish alone in her chambers? Mu Yunxi was now full of grievances towards Lu Chen, but she had come to terms with it. Even without this man, she could live well by herself. She had lived for so many years, having survived without a man before. Who said that she must be with a man to lead a fulfilling life? With this thought, Mu Yunxi took a deep breath, trying hard to calm her agitated body, but the more she tried to become serene, the more she found the restlessness within her difficult to quell. Moreover, with Lu Chen¡¯s hands roaming over her body, she was quickly aroused, and soon a faint blush appeared on her alabaster skin, her eyes becoming somewhat hazy. Mu Yunxi bit her lip; no, she couldn¡¯t let herself be led by the nose again. She had to stay calm. Just then, Lu Chen suddenly stood up and swept her into his arms in a princess hold. Fearing a fall, Mu Yunxi¡¯s arms instinctively wrapped around Lu Chen¡¯s neck. Lu Chen walked straight to the soft couch in the center of the hall, and Mu Yunxi sneered coldly, ¡°If Your Majesty isn¡¯t well, don¡¯t force yourself.¡± Every time that scoundrel came, he would tease her then leave. In Mu Yunxi¡¯s view, Lu Chen was likely to do the same today, so she bluntly mocked him for his inadequacy. If Lu Chen were well, why would he run away at the critical moment every time? Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s taunt, Lu Chen didn¡¯t get angry. Instead, he smiled and said, ¡°My consort, are you provoking me?¡± ¡°Provocation tactics don¡¯t work on me.¡± Chapter 954 - Chapter 954: Chapter 644: Whats the matter, my love? You dont look very well. Chapter 954: Chapter 644: What¡¯s the matter, my love? You don¡¯t look very well. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi said coldly, ¡°Trying to provoke me? Do you really think I would want you to do that sort of thing to me?¡± ¡°Ridiculous!¡± ¡°I merely think you do not have the physical ability!¡± ¡°I have yet to hear of a man who can stop himself in such a situation.¡± Lu Chen gave a faint smile and then gazed into her enchanting eyes and said, ¡°My beloved consort, you may continue to provoke me and see if you can achieve your goal today.¡± Once Mu Yunxi heard him say that, she stopped speaking. She also felt that her words seemed like a provocation for Lu Chen to assault her. In fact, she had no such intention. She just wanted to ridicule Lu Chen, who came here every time just to tease her and make her feel so uncomfortable. Seeing that Mu Yunxi fell silent, Lu Chen continued, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? My beloved consort has stopped talking. If you continue, perhaps I might indeed become provoked by your words and then engage in the act of man and woman with you.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi grew angry. She directly said, ¡°You do it if you want. If you think you can make me debase myself and beg you, you are dreaming.¡± Seeing the beauty¡¯s angry and embarrassed look, Lu Chen¡¯s inner flame ignited in an instant. It must be said that Mu Yunxi¡¯s anger made her even more irresistible. At that moment, Lu Chen set Mu Yunxi down on the soft couch and then leaned over her, gently pressing down on her soft and delicate body. Mu Yunxi turned her head to the side. She still didn¡¯t believe that Lu Chen would touch her tonight¡ªthe scoundrel had come to her many times without doing that kind of thing, so she had no hopes left. She feared that she might start expecting something and then this scoundrel would run away at the crucial moment, making her feel even worse. Go to ????????????????????.co The higher the expectation, the greater the disappointment. It would be better to calm down and not entertain any thoughts about that kind of thing so that even if Lu Chen ran away, she could quickly quell the restlessness in her heart. While Mu Yunxi was thinking this, Lu Chen¡¯s large hand slipped into her dress. Mu Yunxi¡¯s delicate body trembled slightly, but she still turned her head away, refusing to look at Lu Chen. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious, how did you come to this world? Can you tell me?¡± Mu Yunxi said coldly, ¡°What purpose do you have in asking?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re already my woman, naturally I should get to know you better.¡± This time, Mu Yunxi did not retort but answered truthfully, ¡°Back in the Cultivation Realm, I came across a Red Flower Sedan. I thought it was a treasure, but it led me into a spatial turbulence, and I ended up in this world.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Sometimes being too greedy is not a good thing.¡± Mu Yunxi snorted coldly without replying. If she had known that chasing after the Red Flower Sedan would result in this situation, she definitely would not have pursued it. Besides, the location of that Red Flower Sedan wasn¡¯t somewhere dangerous. She even felt that she might have been trapped by someone¡¯s scheme and sent to this world. Just as Mu Yunxi was about to say something more, she suddenly heard a ripping sound, followed by a feeling of a cool breeze, a chill coming over her. But she still didn¡¯t care¡ªLu Chen had torn her clothes many times, but she had never seen this scoundrel actually fight a real battle. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°My beloved consort, have you heard of the Qianyuan World?¡± Upon hearing this question, Mu Yunxi was momentarily taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to suddenly ask such a thing. After regaining her composure, Mu Yunxi replied, ¡°The Cultivators of the High-Level Cultivation Realm all know of the Qianyuan World where the Shenyue Dynasty is located.¡± The Shenyue Dynasty had swallowed up countless High-Level Cultivation Realms. Whenever Cultivators from the Cultivation Realm mentioned Emperor Shenwu, their faces would turn pale. The Great Emperor was beyond reproach; even if people talked about Emperor Shenwu, they would not dare to speak any disrespectful words, lest they burst and die on the spot right after their words fell. Seeing that Mu Yunxi knew of it, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Actually, my true identity is the son of Emperor Shenwu.¡± As soon as Lu Chen said this, Mu Yunxi was completely stunned. She turned her head and stared straight into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, trying to discern whether he was joking with her. But Lu Chen¡¯s face was filled with a smile and did not look like he was joking at all. Besides, Mu Yunxi believed that in this world, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone who would dare to impersonate the son of Emperor Shenwu. Does that mean Lu Chen could truly be his child? Lu Chen is a Prince of the Shenyue Dynasty? Even the son of the Great Emperor! Just the thought of Lu Chen¡¯s Identity made Mu Yunxi¡¯s body involuntarily shiver. She had actually been showing disdain to the son of a Great Emperor. Mu Yunxi¡¯s face turned pale, and beads of cold sweat emerged on her forehead. Still hoping, she confirmed, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re just teasing me, right?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Do you think I need to tease you? How does teasing you benefit me? You¡¯re already my woman, and I can possess you at any time. Would I need to use this identity to deceive you?¡± ¡°The reason I¡¯m telling you is to see if your status in the Cultivation World is higher than that of the son of a Great Emperor.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Yunxi was speechless. What a joke, who does she think she is? Her identity could never be as high as the son of a Great Emperor, let alone the son of Emperor Shenwu. Once Lu Chen reveals his identity, even the Realm Masters of the High-Level Cultivation Realm would have to pay their respects when they see him, not to mention she¡¯s just a Goddess from a mid-tier power. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Moreover, I think no one would dare to pose as the son of Emperor Shenwu.¡± Mu Yunxi fell silent. Indeed, no one would dare to impersonate the son of Emperor Shenwu unless they wished for death. Mu Yunxi was somewhat at a loss as to how to face Lu Chen now. Initially, she had thought that Lu Chen was just a young master from a cultivation family out for training. She had not expected his background to be so significant. Being fancied by Lu Chen meant that from now on, she might only ever be a Female Slave to him. With Lu Chen¡¯s noble identity, her own status would only qualify her to be his Female Slave. Mu Yunxi now lay there deflated, daring not to say a word, obediently waiting for Lu Chen¡¯s favor. Seeing Mu Yunxi scared into such a state, Lu Chen raised his hand and gently caressed her jade cheek, smiling as he said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my love? You don¡¯t look well. I much prefer the defiant look you had earlier on.¡± Mu Yunxi still did not speak. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Even though I am the son of Emperor Shenwu, I¡¯m actually not favored by him. There¡¯s no need for you to be so afraid of me.¡± Mu Yunxi felt a sense of helplessness in her heart. That was the bloodline of Emperor Shenwu; what kind of person was he? A being that dominated the starry sky, even if Lu Chen was not in favor, she dared not act recklessly in front of him. Seeing that Mu Yunxi remained silent, Lu Chen stopped teasing her and bent down to kiss her red lips directly. Mu Yunxi did not dare to move, allowing Lu Chen to do as he pleased. Such docility must have been boring for Lu Chen, but he believed she would soon return to her former self. Under his skilled kisses, Mu Yunxi quickly grew passionate and gradually forgot about Lu Chen¡¯s identity, knowing only to cooperate with him. After having her appetite whetted by Lu Chen for so long, combined with the shock of the identity he had just revealed, she was now utterly subdued by him. After an indeterminate amount of time, Mu Yunxi suddenly let out a soft ¡°mm¡± and couldn¡¯t help but squeeze out two clear tears from her beautiful eyes. Finally¡­ She became this scoundrel¡¯s woman¡­ Although Mu Yunxi dared not take any rash actions after knowing Lu Chen¡¯s identity, it did not mean she dared not curse him in her heart. Even if Lu Chen was the son of Emperor Shenwu, she held grievances against him in her heart and cursed him just the same. Soon, Mu Yunxi lost herself, immersed in the various techniques of Lu Chen. Perhaps it was because he had revealed his identity earlier, her entire being¡¯s emotions were now stirred, fear and excitement overlapping, maximizing her and Lu Chen¡¯s experience. ¡­ Meanwhile. In the Misty World, Misty Immortal Sect. A woman stood atop a mountain, gazing into the distance. She was dressed in splendid cloud-like garments, her light gauze skirt fluttering with the wind, akin to a Goddess descending to the mortal realm. The colors of her attire, like the dawn atop the mountain peaks, were brilliant and soft, enhancing her elegant and moving figure. Her beauty was breathtaking; her eyebrows were like crescent moons, her eyes like autumn waters. Those bright eyes seemed to hold the entire cosmic sea, her nose was high, her lips red and teeth white. She stood on the mountain top, her posture as tall and upright as a pine, exuding an air of nobility and mystery. She seemed to be overlooking the entire world, the confidence and composure revealed in her gaze made people capitulate in admiration. The wind blew through her long hair, her silky locks like the clouds on mountain peaks, ethereal and vibrant. Her silhouette against the backdrop of the mountain top was like a stunning painting, captivating and unforgettable. At this moment, several female disciples appeared behind the woman, speaking in unison, ¡°We pay our respects to Elder Su!¡± Su Hanyan nodded slightly and then said, ¡°I have summoned you here because there is a secret mission I wish to entrust to you.¡± Hearing this, the female disciples looked at each other, curious about what the secret mission Elder Su referred to could be. Being Unity Realm disciples with modest strength, the task must be extremely important if it was to remain confidential, and they could not understand why Elder Su would assign such an important task to them. As the women were engulfed in confusion, Elder Su continued, ¡°You have all been my disciples for many years, hence my trust in you is substantial.¡± Heeding Elder Su¡¯s words, the disciples instantly understood her implication and promptly clasped their hands in salute, saying once more, ¡°We pledge our lives to follow Elder Su!¡± Since it was a secret mission, and Elder Su had so explicitly stated her stance, it mustn¡¯t be known to others within the Misty Immortal Sect. Naturally, the disciples also needed to express their allegiance to Elder Su¡¯s side. Chapter 955 - Chapter 955: Chapter 645: My Beloved Consort, How Are You? Chapter 955: Chapter 645: My Beloved Consort, How Are You? Seeing that the female disciples behind her were all so sensible, Su Hanyan finally felt at ease and said, ¡°My mission is very simple. You will follow this group of disciples entering the Tianchen World. Once you¡¯re in Tianchen World, find my two direct disciples and have them go incognito and hide somewhere.¡± ¡°And deliver these two letters to them.¡± Saying this, Su Hanyan took out two letters she had already written from her long sleeves. Upon hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, the female disciples were stunned for a moment. They had thought it was some particularly important mission, especially since Su Hanyan had seemed so cautious and careful. But it was just this¡­ Was this considered an important mission? Having Su Hanyan¡¯s two disciples hide? Why did they need to hide? They didn¡¯t understand. But they didn¡¯t ask further, and Su Hanyan continued, ¡°Once this is over, I will take you on as my direct disciples.¡± Hearing these words, the female disciples immediately became excited. Becoming a direct disciple of Su Hanyan was not something just anyone could achieve. Su Hanyan, as one of only two Yin-Yang Realm powerhouses of the Misty Immortal Sect and a woman at that, was someone countless female disciples wanted to call their mentor. Unfortunately, she had initially only taken in two natives of the Misty World as her direct disciples. Go to ????????????????????.co The female disciples snapped back to reality, and excitedly said in unison, ¡°Thank you, Elder Su. We will surely deliver the letters to our two fellow sisters!¡± Su Hanyan went on, ¡°Remember my words. After you enter the Tianchen World, act low-profile, do not clash with any power, and you just need to find your two fellow sisters.¡± The women once again chorused, ¡°Yes, Elder Su!¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°Good, prepare yourselves and then follow those disciples to the Tianchen World.¡± One of the female disciples then took the letters from Su Hanyan¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Your disciple takes her leave!¡± As her words fell, they turned and left the mountaintop. After the female disciples left the mountaintop, Su Hanyan stood at the summit, gazing at the distant mist, and muttered to herself, ¡°I hope all of this is not too late!¡± In fact, from the beginning, Su Hanyan had thought about sending someone to alert her two direct disciples. However, the first two batches of disciples had been personally arranged by Han Yuankai, and she was concerned that if she forcefully inserted someone, it would attract Han Yuankai¡¯s attention. She had never believed Han Yuankai would give up. Since Han Yuankai had spoken to her in that manner, he surely intended to use her two direct disciples as Furnace Cauldrons. Moreover, she had a feeling that Han Yuankai had definitely sent disciples to capture her two disciples. Although her disciples were quite powerful, they were, after all, natives from a lower-level world with limited talent. And since Tianchen World was an incomplete world, becoming a Celestial was extremely difficult; she guessed that neither of them had yet broken through to become a Celestial. Without having become Celestials and with the limited Spiritual Energy in Tianchen World, they could not unleash their full strength and would not be a match for the disciples Han Yuankai had sent. At the thought of this, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart grew even more worried. She even suspected that her two disciples might already have been captured. If they had been captured, Han Yuankai would surely hide them away until the restrictions of the Misty World lifted. By the time she entered the Tianchen Continent, she feared it would be difficult to see her two direct disciples again. Su Hanyan let out a slight sigh. She felt genuinely disappointed in her mentor brother; although she understood that in the Cultivation World it was a case of the survival of the fittest, her mentor brother hadn¡¯t been this kind of person in the past, there was still some humanity in him. Now, Han Yuankai, for the sake of his own goals, was unscrupulous, acting however he wished, completely losing his image as an upright cultivator of the past. Su Hanyan even doubted whether this had been Han Yuankai¡¯s true nature all along. If it was only toward outsiders, that would still be understandable, but he didn¡¯t even spare his own people. Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou were after all her direct disciples, yet Han Yuankai was still fixated on them. Because of this matter, Su Hanyan had even begun to consider leaving the Misty Immortal Sect. The sect had become so unrecognizable that she felt if she continued to stay, eventually her Dao Heart would shatter. ¡­ After Lu Chen revealed his identity to Mu Yunxi, she became extremely well-behaved and alluring. No matter how fierce Lu Chen became, she was able to take it, even giving Lu Chen some pleasant feedback. At the same time, Mu Yunxi was deliberately practicing the Mysterious Female Technique, aiming to give Lu Chen the most perfect experience because who would dare offend the son of a Great Emperor? But in the end, Consort Mu Yunxi was still a woman. In the face of Lu Chen¡¯s various methods, it was difficult for her to maintain her self-awareness. Not long after, all she could do was to cry out in disorder. At the same time. Qingqiu Palace. Liu Qingqiu was meditating in the pavilion when a maid, bubbling with excitement, entered the courtyard and rushed to report to Liu Qingqiu, ¡°Master, great news! His Majesty has gone to Consort Mu¡¯s place and is staying the night.¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Qingqiu said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not his first time, and none of his visits ever resulted in him tormenting that woman.¡± Liu Qingqiu longed to see Consort Mu Yunxi cry and wail pitifully, so she had specially instructed her maids and servants to inform her immediately if they heard that Lu Chen had gone to Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s chambers. The few previous times when the servants told her Lu Chen had visited Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s bedchamber, she had immediately released her Spiritual Power to investigate what was happening inside. It turned out that at most, Lu Chen would just kiss and touch, and there had never been any more intimate interactions with Consort Mu, which left Liu Qingqiu greatly disappointed. She had originally hoped to see the woman being tormented to the point of losing spirit, her eyes devoid of light, yet Lu Chen never laid a hand on her. At this moment, Liu Qingqiu assumed that Lu Chen¡¯s visit to Consort Mu today was likely just to tease her. While Liu Qingqiu was thinking this, the maid quickly added, ¡°Master, this time there are cries!¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingqiu emitted a questioning ¡°Hmm?¡± and immediately released her Spiritual Power to probe what was happening in Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s bedchamber. Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s sleeping quarters were right next to hers, so it was quite easy for her to investigate the occurrences within. Quickly she sensed Lu Chen¡¯s movements in Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s room, feeling the two of them engaged in those acts, Liu Qingqiu sneered, ¡°She really is a slut!¡± Although she also cried and wailed when tormented, she was never as dramatic as Consort Mu Yunxi. Liu Qingqiu then got up, flew directly to the roof of the neighboring bedchamber, and listened intently to the sounds coming from inside the room. ¡°Your Majesty, spare me¡­¡± ¡°Darling, your servant knows her mistake¡­¡± ¡°Good brother, mm¡­¡± ¡­ ¡°My dear wife, your body is truly soft, just like fluffy cotton.¡± ¡­ Hearing Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s words and sensing her condition, Liu Qingqiu felt a surge of satisfaction. After all, they were once allies, and allies were supposed to share hardships¡ªhow could she be the only one to suffer? Liu Qingqiu didn¡¯t ponder any longer. Given Lu Chen¡¯s temperament and capabilities, Consort Mu Yunxi was bound to lose at least half her life. Then she lightly kicked off, soaring back to her own bedchamber, withdrew her Spiritual Power, and stopped spying on the happenings next door. It was better to watch less of such things; watching too much could stir up her own body¡¯s restlessness, and that would be troublesome. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen¡¯s hand wandered over Consort Mu Yunxi¡¯s skin, as white as snow, and while caressing her body, he said, ¡°My beloved concubine, how is it?¡± Consort Mu Yunxi, breathing as gently as orchids and with misty eyes, didn¡¯t respond to Lu Chen¡¯s question. Now she only felt that she might have truly become Lu Chen¡¯s Female Slave, unable to break away from this scoundrel. Moreover, since this scoundrel was the Great Emperor¡¯s son, she feared that for the rest of her life she would have to serve as his Furnace Cauldron. At that thought, Consort Mu Yunxi felt terribly unlucky to have fallen into this world, and even more so to have fallen into the hands of a Great Emperor¡¯s son. If it were an ordinary woman, she might rejoice at becoming the lover of the Great Emperor¡¯s son, but not her. She was well aware of the fate that awaited the women of Great Emperor¡¯s sons. Firstly, he did not lack for women, so most likely he was just playing with her for amusement. If he grew tired of her, with a modicum of conscience, he would simply discard her, telling her to leave. If he were heartless, he would treat her as an object to gift away. Furthermore, for sons of the Great Emperor like Lu Chen, the struggle for inheritance was often extremely brutal; in the end, only one prince would survive to take over Emperor Shenwu¡¯s position. The remaining princes and the women around them would most likely be thoroughly eliminated. Consort Mu Yunxi still aimed to ascend to empress and certainly didn¡¯t wish to die so quickly. Chapter 956 - Chapter 956: Chapter 646: My Lady, Will You Run Away Again in the Future? Chapter 956: Chapter 646: My Lady, Will You Run Away Again in the Future? Seeing that Mu Yunxi was silent, Lu Chen shifted his body slightly, and in the next moment Mu Yunxi let out a soft cry, her beautiful eyes then fixed on Lu Chen¡¯s mischievously smiling face. Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Wife, will you run away again in the future?¡± Mu Yunxi took a deep breath and said softly, ¡°No more.¡± What was there to run from? Even without Lu Chen¡¯s controlling tactics, as the son of the Great Emperor, it would be easy for him to find her. If she truly ran away, it could bring trouble to her own forces later on. In a fit of rage, Lu Chen might even send someone to destroy the organization she was part of. Moreover, she had come to realize that her body could no longer be away from Lu Chen. She now felt like a vile woman, a woman of loose morals. But she no longer cared about that. If she was to be a vile woman, so be it. For now, being with this man hadn¡¯t put her at a disadvantage, and with the help of the Mysterious Female Technique and the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, her Cultivation State had even improved to some extent. The risk of being with the son of the Great Emperor was indeed great, but the rewards were equally substantial. She also felt that Lu Chen was good to his women. He totally lacked that superior air, even though he could be quite fierce at times, but that was only in bed. When Lu Chen spoke with his wives and concubines, he didn¡¯t use a lofty tone; instead, he referred to himself as ¡°I.¡± This made her wonder if Lu Chen really was the son of the Great Emperor; he was completely different from the imperial sons she imagined. She thought the sons of the Great Emperor were those who viewed life as worthless, heartless killers, indifferent to all inferiors. It was impossible for someone like Lu Chen to be so kind to his women. With a coquettish tone, Mu Yunxi then asked, ¡°Your Majesty, will you abandon your concubine in the future?¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Seeing Mu Yunxi¡¯s watery eyes and her flirtatious expression, Lu Chen raised his hand and gently pinched Mu Yunxi¡¯s delicate nose, smiling as he said, ¡°So you¡¯ve embraced the role so quickly. It seems the identity of the Great Emperor¡¯s son is indeed quite useful.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve said before, I much prefer your defiant self. If you¡¯re so submissive, isn¡¯t it all a bit dull?¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi was stunned. She truly wondered if Lu Chen was seriously ill; it was he who willingly revealed his identity to her, yet now he spoke such words. No wonder Lu Chen said he wasn¡¯t favored by Emperor Shenwu; who could favor a prince with such thinking errors? Though she thought this way, Mu Yunxi still responded with a smile, ¡°Your Majesty, your concubine will do as you wish, as long as Your Majesty is happy.¡± Lu Chen lifted Mu Yunxi¡¯s delicate chin, gazing at her blushing cheeks, and smilingly said, ¡°Then continue to refer to me as ¡®I¡¯ and maintain your former manner.¡± Mu Yunxi thought to herself, this guy really is sick in the head. Then Mu Yunxi said, ¡°Your Majesty jests. Before, your concubine did not know Your Majesty¡¯s identity and may have slighted you, but now that your concubine knows, how could she dare treat Your Majesty the same way?¡± In a threatening tone, Lu Chen said, ¡°Now that you know my identity, you should also understand that people of my status hate disobedience the most.¡± ¡°If you are disobedient, what do you think your fate will be?¡± Hearing this, Mu Yunxi was slightly stunned. The next moment, the flames in her heart were instantly ignited. How difficult could this man be! So what if he is the son of the Great Emperor! She could just never return to her forces and wander the stars instead. With that thought, Mu Yunxi said, ¡°I have given you face on account of being the son of the Great Emperor. What exactly do you want!¡± Seeing Mu Yunxi¡¯s indignant face, Lu Chen said with a laugh, ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± In her heart, Mu Yunxi cursed, ¡°Sick!¡± Just then, Lu Chen continued, ¡°You¡¯ve scolded me, now what do you think I should do to punish you?¡± This¡­ Mu Yunxi was somewhat bewildered. Didn¡¯t this guy tell her to talk to him in this manner, and now he even wanted to punish her? Just when Mu Yunxi was feeling utterly speechless, Lu Chen suddenly leaned down, sealed her enticing red lips, and continued to use various methods on her. Soon, the room echoed with Mu Yunxi¡¯s cries for mercy. After Lu Chen had punished her, Mu Yunxi was completely exhausted, feeling like she had become nothing more than a container for Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen gazed at Mu Yunxi, gently stroking her disheveled hair. When Mu Yunxi recovered a bit, she said weakly, ¡°If you dare, just kill me!¡± ¡°I¡­ although a noble¡­ cannot be humiliated!¡± Seeing how defiant Mu Yunxi was, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Alright, I understand.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen leaned down again and sealed Mu Yunxi¡¯s lips, ¡°Mmm mmm¡­¡± Dealing with stubborn women, Lu Chen had the most experience. In the blink of an eye, several days had passed. The Civil Officials of Great Sum who were to meet with major forces had also set off for Black Dragon City. Initially, they thought that before they left, Lu Chen would hold a court meeting to announce something, but even as they departed, Lu Chen had not convened the court. Later, news spread from the palace that Lu Chen was still in a woman¡¯s bed and had not gotten up for several days, appearing as if he had degenerated. This made the Civil Officials realize that the Sum Emperor probably really intended to submit, hence his degeneration. After all, he was an emperor who had just achieved unification, and now he was facing such powerful enemies, not just one, which was indeed a massive blow for the Sum Emperor. So, he probably wanted to indulge in the pleasures of women to forget these worries. Learning that the Sum Emperor had started to degenerate and was listless, the Civil Officials heading to Black Dragon City also began to harbor other thoughts. Since the Sum Emperor was already listless, it meant Great Sum truly had no way out, and the Sum Emperor had no trump cards left to deal with the forces from the Misty World, so they should also start thinking about seeking a new master, which was the thought of most Civil Officials. At this very moment. In Yunxi Palace. Inside Mu Yunxi¡¯s room, she was lying on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, her arms wrapped around his strong waist, and her hair spread out on the bed. Lu Chen gently caressed Mu Yunxi¡¯s jade back and was about to say something when Mu Yunxi spoke first, ¡°Your Majesty truly is the son of a Great Emperor.¡± Hearing Mu Yunxi¡¯s seemingly praising words, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Are you satisfied then?¡± Mu Yunxi immediately replied, ¡°Satisfied.¡± Mu Yunxi dared not express dissatisfaction; she feared that Lu Chen might lose his temper again. Mu Yunxi slightly sat up, her arms supporting both sides of Lu Chen¡¯s strong waist, and looked at Lu Chen as she asked, ¡°Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with me?¡± To be honest, she couldn¡¯t understand Lu Chen¡¯s thoughts at all. Having battled with Lu Chen for several days, she knew she had been completely conquered by him, and she just wanted to know how Lu Chen would treat her in the future. Lu Chen raised his hand, caressing Mu Yunxi¡¯s cheek, and said, ¡°From now on, just stay by my side obediently. Don¡¯t even think about going back.¡± Mu Yunxi said, ¡°Your Majesty should know that I can no longer leave Your Majesty, so whether you say it or not, I can only stay by Your Majesty¡¯s side, at your mercy.¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Look at the way you phrase it. What do you mean by ¡®at your mercy¡¯? I¡¯m helping you cultivate; how has it become ¡®using¡¯ you in your eyes?¡± Mu Yunxi huffed and said, ¡°Your Majesty knows best whether or not you¡¯ve been ¡®using¡¯ my body.¡± If it were just for the purpose of cultivating, then meditating would have sufficed, and there would not be frequent changes of physical positions. This guy had used all sorts of methods, so how could it only be for the sake of pure cultivation? She felt so bloated in her stomach that she wondered if she might be pregnant with his child. At that moment, Mu Yunxi sighed lightly, ¡°My fate is truly harsh to have ended up in the hands of a son of a Great Emperor.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You should feel fortunate that you did not end up in the hands of some other Great Emperor¡¯s sons. They might not treat you as kindly as I do.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words ended, a voice from a maid came from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, the Great Scholar and others request an audience. Should the military meeting be delayed?¡± Chapter 957 - Chapter 957: Chapter 647: Preparing to go to Fengyin Island Chapter 957: Chapter 647: Preparing to go to Fengyin Island After hearing the words of the palace maid, Lu Chen realized that there was a military meeting today, primarily to discuss the reform of the new army and the upcoming war with the major powers of the Misty World. Having neglected his duties for so many days, it was time to get busy with serious matters. Thinking this, Lu Chen gently caressed Mu Yunxi¡¯s face, gazing into her alluring eyes as he said, ¡°My lady, I have an important meeting today, so I won¡¯t be able to continue keeping you company.¡± ¡°You should rest well now.¡± Mu Yunxi softly replied, ¡°Hmm.¡± She did not say anything more. Since Lu Chen was occupied, it wasn¡¯t the right time to provoke him further. Continual provocation would surely lead Lu Chen to suppress her and then torment her further. At that moment, Lu Chen rolled over with his arms around Mu Yunxi¡¯s waist, turning her soft body underneath him, then leaned down to gently kiss her lips. A moment later, Lu Chen got up from Mu Yunxi and went straight to the bath. Mu Yunxi had planned to get up too, but right as she rose, her body went limp and she fell back down. Although during their intimacy Lu Chen had continuously used the Rejuvenating Skill to heal Mu Yunxi¡¯s injuries and helped restore some of her strength, the sensations he brought her were not merely physical. Her spirit had always been in a state of intense excitement, and now that she relaxed, her body completely softened as well. Seeing herself completely devoid of strength, Mu Yunxi could only gaze at the departing figure of Lu Chen and said bitterly, ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty!¡± After Lu Chen entered the room with the bath, Mu Yunxi sighed softly. This was the first time, and it had been several days straight. The days ahead were long, and she wondered how she would endure in the future¡­ She could feel that, though it seemed like Lu Chen was cultivating, his real intention was for pleasure; he was a man driven by lust. Go to ????????????????????.co In Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, she had undoubtedly become an object of amusement. Thinking about how she would be tormented by Lu Chen like these past few days, she felt an indescribable emotion within her. It felt somewhat sad, yet there was also a faint expectation. Wait¡­ expectation? Why would she look forward to him tormenting her? At that thought, Mu Yunxi quickly shook her head, trying to stop herself from further wild thoughts. She could let this scoundrel dominate her body, but she could not allow her heart to be completely occupied by him. Immediately, Mu Yunxi started to practice her technique, expelling the impurities from her body. Once the toxins were eliminated, her stomach returned to its normal state. Looking at her flat stomach, Mu Yunxi breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought something serious had happened, but thankfully it was just some accumulated impurities. She had always heard from the palace maids that Lu Chen possessed a special ability, which was to impregnate his women in one night. Looking at the condition of her stomach earlier, she thought she had been affected, especially since it had been several days, not just one. It turns out she had worried needlessly; after all, she was also of the Genesis Realm, and so was Lu Chen. It wouldn¡¯t be that easy to conceive. After Lu Chen finished bathing and dressed with the help of the palace maids, he immediately used Shadow Shifting to arrive at the door of the Imperial Study Room. At that time, Zhuge Zhongguang and others were already waiting at the door of the Imperial Study Room. Upon seeing Lu Chen arrive, they all performed a ceremonial bow and said, ¡°We greet Your Majesty; long live, long live, long life forever!¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Dispense with the formalities, come inside!¡± Then Lu Chen led the way into the Imperial Study Room, and everyone else quickly followed. Once inside the Imperial Study Room, they first discussed some issues with the new army¡¯s training, as time was tight and the tasks were critical. With Daxia and the powers of the Misty World about to negotiate, the War Dragon Army needed to start its first battle, thus the training schedule for the War Dragon Army was incredibly pressing. The first wave of the War Dragon Army needed to establish its combat effectiveness before Daxia and the powers of the Misty World commenced their negotiations. After discussing the training issues of the War Dragon Army, they then encountered another problem, which was how this deployment of the War Dragon Army should achieve a rapid advance. Since negotiations were involved, heavy armaments such as Rune Cannons obviously couldn¡¯t be directly brought along. The powers of the Misty World were not fools; knowing they were coming to negotiate, why would they bring Daxia¡¯s heavy weapons? They might very well recognize something was amiss. The civil officials who went to engage with the Misty World would certainly share some of Daxia¡¯s intelligence with these powers, hence Daxia¡¯s firearms would no longer be a secret. Although Rune Weapons are not firearms and are more powerful than firearms, in the eyes of those powers from the Misty World, firearms are seen as the most formidable weapons of Daxia. Bringing Daxia¡¯s most formidable weapons to negotiations didn¡¯t seem fitting. The critical point was that those invaders from the Misty World were all at the Unity Realm level, equivalent to Pseudo Celestials in this world, with especially strong perception. Moreover, with negotiations going on, various powers would surely send guards. That being the case, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for the War Dragon Army to enter the battlefield. Of course, there was another problem. Once the Rune Cannons were deployed, and the first mushroom cloud rose, those powers would definitely realize they had been tricked and, facing the powerful Rune Cannons, they would inevitably scatter and flee. Although the War Dragon Army consisted of Ninth-Rank Soldiers, Ninth-Rank Martial Artists still were not capable of pursuing Unity Realm cultivators with Rune Cannons. The physical disparity between cultivators and martial artists was quite significant, especially when the cultivators¡¯ bodies were filled with spiritual power. If the disciples of the major powers were allowed to escape, they would inevitably massacre the common folk of Great Sum to vent their frustrations, which would be another disaster for the common folk. The people might blame this disaster on the Daxia Imperial Court, which would certainly not be good for public sentiment. After a lengthy discussion, the military generals could not think of a good way to enter the battle. At that moment, Lu Chen spoke to the palace maid at the door, ¡°Summon Qin Yushan.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the military generals in the Imperial Study Room were a bit perplexed. Why summon the Commander of the Brocade Guard at this time? The Brocade Guard was only responsible for intelligence, not for fighting. While everyone was puzzled, Qin Yushan arrived at the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long may you reign!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± After Qin Yushan rose, he glanced at the military generals in the Imperial Study Room, knowing they must be holding a military conference. He, too, was puzzled as to why the Emperor was summoning him, the Commander of the Brocade Guard, at this time. Lu Chen then asked, ¡°Qin, if we departed from Yan County now, how long would it take to reach Fengyin Island at the fastest speed?¡± Qin Yushan immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, our messengers from the Brocade Guard can return from Fengyin Island in just half a month.¡± ¡°Nowadays, the train has already reached the southeastern coast, and there are steamships on the sea, so the travel time is much reduced compared to before,¡± he added. Lu Chen pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°I see.¡± Lu Chen then addressed those in the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Since we can¡¯t devise a good solution right now, let¡¯s set aside these issues for the time being and focus on training the new troops first. We must ensure the new army is combat-ready before formal negotiations begin.¡± ¡°I will be visiting Fengyin Island for the next month,¡± he continued. This¡­ Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone was momentarily stunned. At such a crucial moment, why was the Emperor going to Fengyin Island? What was the purpose of visiting Fengyin Island? Lu Chen thought for a moment and then continued, ¡°This trip to Fengyin Island, Consort Mu, Noble Consort Liu, and I will go alone, without any attendants.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone was about to express their concerns about the dangers of such a trip when they remembered that currently, there was no one in the Tianchen World who could pose a threat to their Emperor. Unlike the civil officials, these military generals were very aware of Lu Chen¡¯s strength. In the end, no one attempted to dissuade Lu Chen. If the Emperor was going to Fengyin Island at this time, it meant he had important matters to attend to. Considering the special metallic materials they had obtained from Fengyin Island, everyone speculated that there must be something on the island that could solve the issues they had discussed earlier. With this in mind, Lu Chen continued, ¡°That¡¯s all for today¡¯s military meeting. My beloved officials, continue to think about the new army¡¯s construction issues after you return. If you come up with some good ideas, write them down and submit them. I will review them slowly after I return from Fengyin Island.¡± After finishing his speech, Lu Chen disappeared on the spot. The military generals bowed toward where Lu Chen had been seated and said, ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty!¡± After leaving the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen went directly to Qingqiu Palace. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu was meditating in a pavilion. She sensed Lu Chen¡¯s presence and suddenly opened her eyes. Liu Qingqiu then stood up and, sizing up Lu Chen, said, ¡°Your Majesty is not accompanying the new beauty next door, so what brings you to my palace?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Is my lady jealous?¡± Liu Qingqiu laughed softly and responded, ¡°Why would I be jealous?¡± ¡°Tell me, what brings you to my palace?¡± Knowing that Lu Chen usually visited her for more intimate purposes, but considering he had just spent several days and nights with Consort Mu, it was unlikely he was thinking of that so soon again. He had just been in the Imperial Study Room, so it was highly likely that something had come up. This visit to her might indeed involve some matter of importance. Hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s words, Lu Chen laughed and responded, ¡°Can¡¯t I simply miss my lady and come to see her?¡± Liu Qingqiu huffed and responded, ¡°I am not like those other wives and concubines in your harem. I don¡¯t believe your sweet talks.¡± Chapter 959 - Chapter 959: Chapter 649: Xianzhou Spirit Chapter 959: Chapter 649: Xianzhou Spirit After the mist from the gift of Fengyin Island dissipated, the system prompt also sounded in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. ¡°Host detected near the Feihong Immortal Boat, do you wish to collect the reward now?¡± Lu Chen made his choice without hesitation, ¡°Yes, collect it immediately.¡± The next moment, the entire Fengyin Island began to tremble, and the people on the island hurriedly steadied themselves. Following that, the buildings that looked like palaces slowly rose. Soon, the true appearance of the Feihong Immortal Boat was revealed before everyone¡¯s eyes. The Feihong Immortal Boat was an extremely magnificent colossal boat, floating on the sea as though it were a palace on water. The craftsmanship of the structures upon it was nothing short of stunning, captivating all who saw them. At the prow, a splendid dragon pavilion stood tall, its dragon scales shimmering, and its dragon eyes vivid, as if it were ready to soar through the clouds into the sky at any moment. The Immortal Boat was inlaid with various gems, dazzling and eye-catching. On both sides of the boat, there were delicately constructed pavilions with soaring eaves and beautifully carved beams. The window lattices were engraved with a variety of plants and animals, so lifelike they seemed as if they might burst out and take flight at any moment. At the stern, there was a spacious garden with pavilions, bridges over flowing waters, and exotic flowers and rare herbs aplenty. Seeing the immense Immortal Boat before them, both Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu were stunned, speechless for a long while. Although they had seen Immortal Boats before, they had never witnessed one so colossal. To build an Immortal Boat, a vast quantity of precious materials was required, after all, it was meant to traverse the cosmic void¡ªif the materials were inferior, the Immortal Boat could disintegrate at any moment. Go to ????????????????????.co Moreover, constructing the Immortal Boat also required a large number of top-quality Spirit Stones to set up the Arrays. With such a massive boat, one could only imagine how many Arrays there were, and how many top-quality Spirit Stones it must have cost. At this moment, the most surprised was not Mu Yunxi; she had already learned of Lu Chen¡¯s identity as the son of the Great Emperor. A son of the Great Emperor possessing such an Immortal Boat seemed reasonable, not at all excessive. The most shocked at this moment was still Liu Qingqiu. She knew Lu Chen came from no ordinary background, considering he already owned an Immortal Boat¡ªnaturally, he couldn¡¯t be an ordinary offspring of a cultivation family. But she had not expected Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Boat to be so large. What kind of person could possess such a huge Immortal Boat! Her main body¡¯s Immortal Boat was not as large. Just through the Immortal Boat, it was apparent that Lu Chen¡¯s true identity was even more noble than her main body¡¯s. After the initial shock, Liu Qingqiu suddenly breathed a sigh of relief. She had always been worried that after she left this world, or when her main body found her, it would eliminate her along with Lu Chen. Now it seemed, Lu Chen probably did not fear her main body. A person who possessed such a massive Immortal Boat must be the son of a high-ranking lord in some superior world, or possibly even a Prince of an Empire in the universe. With such a status for protection, it wasn¡¯t unimaginable for her substitute self to break away from her main body and exist independently from now on. Just as Liu Qingqiu was tallying up her mental calculations, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°Ladies, this is my Immortal Boat, what do you think? Is my Immortal Boat big enough?¡± Upon hearing this question, the two women came back to their senses. Mu Yunxi then said, ¡°It¡¯s big, very big, Your Majesty is truly¡­¡± She paused there, not continuing, as Lu Chen, fiddling with Mu Yunxi¡¯s appearance, had reminded her that very few people knew of his identity and to not tell anyone else. Of course, Lu Chen¡¯s true intent wasn¡¯t just fear of his identity being revealed; he simply did not want his wives and concubines to grow a stronger sense of fear toward him. Since learning of his identity, Mu Yunxi was utterly obedient to him¡ªthough she was verbally stubborn at times, her body was completely honest. If it were just Mu Yunxi, that would have been one thing, but if all his wives and concubines turned out like this, it would be rather pointless. Seeing Mu Yunxi hesitant to speak further, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued. She looked at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°Your Majesty possesses such a massive Immortal Boat, may I know which power you hail from?¡± Seeing Liu Qingqiu ask this question, Mu Yunxi¡¯s lips slightly curled up. Liu Qingqiu obviously didn¡¯t know Lu Chen¡¯s true identity. Thinking about how Liu Qingqiu had been with Lu Chen for so long without knowing his real identity, while she herself had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman not long ago and already knew who he was, Mu Yunxi felt a small surge of contentment, feeling her connection with Lu Chen was tighter than that between Liu Qingqiu and Lu Chen. As Mu Yunxi was thinking this way, her smile suddenly froze. Wait, why was she having such thoughts? If she was happy over such a matter, didn¡¯t it imply that her heart had already been conquered by Lu Chen, and she was now developing a slavish nature? It was over; she was really becoming Lu Chen¡¯s female slave. She felt she was already on the path of being tamed. After hearing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s question, Lu Chen wrapped his arm around Liu Qingqiu¡¯s slender waist, then said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know so much. You only need to know that my real identity doesn¡¯t fear your main body at all. Even if your main body comes, it would only have a place among my wives and concubines.¡± This¡­ Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s audacious tone, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s suspicion in her heart was further confirmed, Lu Chen might indeed be a Prince of some Empire. If that was the case, perhaps she really didn¡¯t need to fear her main body finding her. However¡­ What Lu Chen mentioned about having her main body be his wife or concubine¡­ That might be somewhat problematic¡­ She looked exactly like her main body; having this manifestation was enough, why need her main body? At that moment, Lu Chen looked up and said toward the distant Immortal Boat, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not waste time. Since both of you have piloted the Immortal Boat before, I¡¯ll need you to teach me how to control it.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen leaped up and landed on the Immortal Boat. Hearing Lu Chen ask them to teach him how to control the Immortal Boat left them both slightly startled. Lu Chen himself owned an Immortal Boat, yet he didn¡¯t know how to control it? That¡­ However, they soon realized, it was normal for Lu Chen not to know how to control the Immortal Boat, given his prestigious identity. Likely from birth, everything, including food and accommodation, was arranged by others. Even when traveling by Immortal Boat, others controlled it; he himself didn¡¯t need to know how. The two women thought no further and also jumped onto the Immortal Boat. Once Lu Chen had arrived on the Immortal Boat, a system prompt sounded in his mind. ¡°The host needs to come to the control Array of the Immortal Boat, drop a drop of blood, and fully activate the Immortal Boat.¡± Without any hesitation, Lu Chen walked straight to the bow of the boat, where he found the Array. The Array was as large as a dining table for ten, completely arranged with countless white jade stones that seemed like a type of special Spirit Stone. Lu Chen, without much thought, took out the Godslayer Sword, directly cut his palm, and then dropped some blood onto the center of the Array. The next moment, the white jade stones of the Array emitted red light, and after the red light flashed, the entire Immortal Boat actually rose by itself and hovered in the air. Seeing this scene, Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi were slightly stunned. Hadn¡¯t Lu Chen just asked them to teach him how to control the Immortal Boat? How was he managing it himself now? As the two women were thinking this, the center of the previously mentioned Array once again emitted a cluster of red light, followed by the appearance of a faintly visible red-dressed young girl before the trio. This girl, clad in a red dress, was like a sprite of fire; her red clothes were as resplendent and vibrant as the clouds at sunset, captivating and impossible to look away from. Her skirt fluttered with her steps as if it stirred a blazing wind. Her features were as exquisite as a painting, her eyes as brilliant as stars, shimmering with determination. Her high nose and cherry-red lips added a hint of allure; her long hair flowed like a waterfall, moving with the wind and complementing her red dress, creating an enchanting image. Her figure was graceful; she was soft yet strong like a willow branch, her entire being floating in the air. Her movements were filled with vitality and Immortal Aura, irresistibly drawing one closer, yet also fearing that they might disturb her tranquility. Lu Chen immediately recognized that she wasn¡¯t truly human, after all, her body seemed as if it might disappear at any time. By this time, the two women behind Lu Chen had recognized the real identity of the red-dressed girl. Unable to help herself, Mu Yunxi said, ¡°This is the Xianzhou Spirit!¡± The two women fell silent. Having an Immortal Boat was one thing, but Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Boat also possessed its own Artifact Spirit. With an Artifact Spirit present, there was no need for manual control; the master only needed to tell the Artifact Spirit where to go, and it could fly the Immortal Boat there by itself. Meanwhile, the Xianzhou Spirit¡¯s large eyes were gazing at Lu Chen, and Lu Chen was also looking at the red-dressed Artifact Spirit. Seeing such a beautiful Artifact Spirit, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t resist pulling up the system interface to check her score. However, when the system panel emerged, it only showed she was the Xianzhou Spirit, without any other scores or Favorability interface. Lu Chen suddenly felt a bit awkward, thankful that no one else knew about this; otherwise, they might think he had unique tastes, wanting to¡­ with a boat. Then, Lu Chen said to the system, ¡°System, does the Xianzhou Spirit have Loyalty?¡± The system responded, ¡°Items that have signed a contract with the host, including all kinds of Spiritual Artifacts, have one hundred percent Favorability toward the host.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see.¡± Just as Lu Chen was about to continue inquiring about the Feihong Immortal Boat, the red-dressed Artifact Spirit respectfully said to Lu Chen, ¡°Greetings, Master!¡± The voice of the red-dressed Artifact Spirit was crisp and pleasing to the ear, giving one a refreshing feeling, as if she were a real person. Lu Chen, coming back to his senses, said, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°By the way, do you have a name?¡± The Xianzhou Spirit answered, ¡°Responding to the Master, this servant has no name.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and muttered, ¡°Feihong Immortal Boat¡­ Feihong Immortal Boat¡­ Then from now on, you¡¯ll be called Honghong.¡± Chapter 960 - Chapter 960: Chapter 650: The Immortal Boat with its Own Weapons Chapter 960: Chapter 650: The Immortal Boat with its Own Weapons Hearing Lu Chen giving her a name, the girl in red showed no change in expression, but she bowed again and said, ¡°This slave thanks the master for the name!¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue with idle chatter. He immediately said to Honghong, ¡°Honghong, head northwest!¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s order, the Artifact Spirit Honghong replied, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Then Honghong turned around and controlled the Immortal Boat, flying towards Yan County. Just then, the system notification sounded in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. ¡°Host has a contractual relationship with the Feihong Immortal Boat. The host just needs to think, and the Xianzhou Spirit will detect the host¡¯s thoughts; there is no need for explicit commands.¡± After hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen looked at Honghong¡¯s retreating figure with increased satisfaction, not having expected that owning an Immortal Boat with an Artifact Spirit would be so convenient. However, what Lu Chen didn¡¯t know was that after Honghong turned around, her expressionless face showed a faint change, as if the corners of her mouth twitched a few times. Watching Lu Chen commanding the Artifact Spirit to fly towards Yan County, Liu Qingqiu spoke from the side, ¡°Your Majesty, it seems that we no longer need to teach you how to control the Immortal Boat, do we?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Not necessary. I didn¡¯t expect the Immortal Boat to be so convenient, capable of flying without being manually controlled.¡± Mu Yunxi added from the side, ¡°Your Majesty, not all Immortal Boats are this convenient; only those like Your Majesty¡¯s, which have an Artifact Spirit, do not require manual control.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen went to the bow of the Immortal Boat, looking out at the vast ocean in the distance and feeling very relaxed. With this Immortal Boat, it would be easy for them to pursue those enemies from the Misty World. Even if the Unity Realm disciples from the Misty World fled quickly, they couldn¡¯t possibly be faster than the Immortal Boat. When the time came, they would mount the Rune Cannons on the Immortal Boat and bombard those enemies from the Misty World. Thinking of that scene, Lu Chen felt extremely thrilled. Go to ????????????????????.co At that moment, something suddenly occurred to Lu Chen, and he then asked the system, ¡°System, are there any weapons on this Immortal Boat?¡± Lu Chen thought of the Slayer Spear, which had been found on Fengyin Island. Since the Slayer Spear and the Feihong Immortal Boat had appeared in the same place, it was very likely that the spear was a weapon that had fallen from the Immortal Boat. A huge Immortal Boat like the Feihong should have weapons installed on it in addition to individual weapons like the Slayer Spear, right? As Lu Chen thought this, the system¡¯s notification sounded again. ¡°The Feihong Immortal Boat is equipped with a Heaven Rank Attack Formation. As long as the host has abundant Spirit Stones or Spiritual Power, it can continuously use Feihong Immortal Boat¡¯s Attack Array.¡± After hearing the system¡¯s reply, Lu Chen was delighted. It was just as he¡¯d expected; the Feihong Immortal Boat had its own weapons. He immediately asked, ¡°How many Spirit Stones does it take to use an Attack Array once?¡± The system answered, ¡°Depending on the power level, it ranges from ten thousand Superior Spirit Stones to one million Superior Spirit Stones.¡± ¡­ Lu Chen fell silent. Not to mention ten thousand Superior Spirit Stones, he didn¡¯t even have ten thousand Inferior Spirit Stones on him right now. Where was he supposed to find so many Superior Spirit Stones? Forget it, it seemed that they wouldn¡¯t be able to use the Immortal Boat¡¯s own weapons to clear out the invaders from the Misty World this time. After standing at the bow of the Immortal Boat and looking at the scenery for a while, Lu Chen found it uninteresting; all that surrounded him was the boundless sea, nothing much to look at. Then, with a Shadow Shifting movement, Lu Chen appeared beside Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu. He wrapped his arms around the waists of the two beauties and then walked with them towards the palace on the Immortal Boat. While walking, he said, ¡°Ladies, let¡¯s go for a stroll around the Immortal Boat and see what it has to offer.¡± The two women didn¡¯t think much of it, allowing Lu Chen to lead them to the palaces on the Immortal Boat. The palaces within the Immortal Boat were incredibly luxurious, shimmering with gold, appearing to be made of gold but evidently crafted from materials far more precious than gold. The entire length of the Immortal Boat was over a thousand meters, and the number of rooms inside was countless. The three of them wandered for who knows how long and still hadn¡¯t seen the whole Immortal Boat. Eventually, they arrived at the core area in the center of the Immortal Boat, where there was a grand hall. In the hall, there was a golden dragon head throne, shining brightly as if it was an Emperor¡¯s Dragon Throne. Then, Lu Chen, with Liu Qingqiu and Mu Yunxi in tow, entered the hall. After looking around, he released his Spiritual Power and discovered that beside the grand hall was a bedroom, fully furnished with everything. Bedding and quilts, all were provided. Lu Chen then seemed to say to Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu, ¡°Yunxi, Qingqiu, we¡¯ve been strolling around for so long, and we must be tired. It¡¯s time to rest.¡± These last few days, they had been busy on the road, without engaging in any intimate activities. Now that they had the Immortal Boat for travel, they indeed could take a good rest. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, both women instantly understood his intent. This man was always ready for romance, no matter where he was. Having gone several days without those intimate acts, it was clear he had some ideas. Neither woman objected; they had long been devoured by Lu Chen, and opposition was pointless. Moreover, after seeing the massive Immortal Boat, their respect for Lu Chen only increased. Without waiting for the women to say anything, Lu Chen hugged both and brought them to the neighboring bedroom, then laid them down on the soft big bed in the bedroom. This bed was extremely large, capable of accommodating seven or eight people lying down together and still leaving room to move around. Lu Chen even began to suspect that this was a large bed the system had prepared for him long ago. The bed was nearly identical to the one he had in the Imperial Palace. After placing the two women on the soft couch, Lu Chen pressed down on Mu Yunxi, sealing her lips with a kiss. At that moment, Liu Qingqiu stood by as a spectator. After a while, as Lu Chen got into the groove, he turned his head, looked at Liu Qingqiu with a smile, and said, ¡°Qingqiu, didn¡¯t you want to see how I would punish Yunxi? Well, today you should watch closely!¡± Having said that, Lu Chen began his punishment of Mu Yunxi. Under his punishment, Mu Yunxi completely lost consciousness, and could only be mercilessly tormented by Lu Chen. While in Yancheng Imperial Palace, Liu Qingqiu had peeped at Lu Chen punishing Mu Yunxi. But at that time, it was from the outside, unlike now, so close at hand. Seeing her former ally Mu Yunxi being tormented by Lu Chen, writhing between life and death like a lowly female slave, brought Liu Qingqiu immense satisfaction. The resentment she felt for having managed to escape from Lu Chen also gradually dissipated. Though she felt miserable for having been thoroughly devoured by Lu Chen, it was watching Mu Yunxi¡¯s carefree composure that had made her suffer even more. Now that Mu Yunxi was also enduring the same pain, naturally, she felt much better. Meanwhile. At the Immortal Boat Control Formation. Honghong was still meticulously controlling the Immortal Boat flying towards Yan County. Even though there appeared to be no change in her expression, her eyelids kept twitching. If Lu Chen were here to see this, he would be very curious why an Artifact Spirit¡¯s eyelids would twitch so, looking as though exasperated about something. At this moment, the speed of the Immortal Boat began to increase, and the surrounding space grew increasingly blurred. To anyone outside, it would appear as mere streaks of lines. Lu Chen, still atop Mu Yunxi, was utterly unaware that the speed of the Immortal Boat had increased. Not just Lu Chen, even Liu Qingqiu nearby hadn¡¯t noticed. The Immortal Boat was protected by a barrier, and no matter how fast it went, those inside couldn¡¯t perceive its velocity. Shortly after, Lu Chen saw that Mu Yunxi could no longer endure and was about to shift his attention when suddenly a voice transmitted directly into his mind. ¡°Master, we have arrived at Yan County!¡± Hearing Honghong¡¯s voice, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. Arrived? So soon? How long had it been? They had arrived at Yan County already? He had just finished punishing Mu Yunxi, and they were already there? He hadn¡¯t felt the Immortal Boat moving at such a swift pace at all. Lu Chen glanced at Liu Qingqiu, who had eyes like silk, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll go outside to have a look. We will continue after we return to the Imperial Palace in a little while.¡± No sooner had he spoken than he quickly got dressed and went up to the Immortal Boat. Looking down, he saw that indeed, it was the Yancheng Imperial Palace below. But such a massive Immortal Boat appearing above Yan County seemed to trigger no reaction whatsoever from the city. Just as Lu Chen wondered why there was no reaction from the people outside, the system¡¯s notification sounded. ¡°The Immortal Boat can be completely invisible, simulating the surrounding environment and blending in seamlessly. Unless it is struck by an attack, it is difficult for most to detect the Immortal Boat.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I see, so that will make it much easier to handle those Unity Realm disciples from the Misty World.¡± He could carry thousands from the War Dragon Army above the negotiation site, invisible, waiting for the powers of the Misty World to arrive. Once they appeared, he would instantly attack, catching them completely off guard. Of course, this trick wasn¡¯t just aimed at the Unity Realm disciples from the Misty World; in the future, it could also be used to strike at the various powers of the Misty World. Lu Chen didn¡¯t think further. He then returned to the bedroom on the Immortal Boat, and as soon as he entered, he heard Liu Qingqiu speaking in her icily mocking tone to Mu Yunxi, ¡°You reek of a bitch. The high and mighty Barbarian Tribe Goddess, how have you fallen to such a state?¡± ¡°Look at your belly, those who don¡¯t know might think you¡¯re carrying that man¡¯s child.¡± In response to Liu Qingqiu¡¯s mockery, Mu Yunxi said indifferently, ¡°It is an honor for I to become Your Majesty¡¯s concubine. Even if I were to become His Majesty¡¯s Furnace Cauldron, I would be willing.¡± ¡°I knew of His Majesty¡¯s identity later than you, becoming His woman after you were already taken by His Majesty, thoroughly used up, and yet you still don¡¯t know who His Majesty actually is.¡± Liu Qingqiu huffed coldly, ¡°As expected of a shameless woman, losing her purity, tormented like a female slave, and taking pride instead of shame.¡± Mu Yunxi countered sharply, ¡°I may be such, but you¡¯re no better yourself.¡± As the two women looked set to quarrel, the voice of Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°What are my two madams discussing?¡± Chapter 961 - Chapter 961: Chapter 651: The Birth of Xue Linglongs Child Chapter 961: Chapter 651: The Birth of Xue Linglong¡¯s Child Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, the two women stopped their bickering. At that moment, Mu Yunxi said with a beaming smile, ¡°Your Majesty, Sister Liu feels a bit unhappy because she thinks Your Majesty favored only me just now and not her.¡± Upon hearing these words, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze fell upon Liu Qingqiu, and he asked with a smile, ¡°Qingqiu, is that so?¡± Before Liu Qingqiu could say anything, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting to appear in front of her, and then he pressed her soft body beneath him, gazing into her beautiful eyes. ¡°It¡¯s my fault for neglecting you.¡± ¡°I¡­ mmm¡­¡± Liu Qingqiu hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Lu Chen sealed her lips with his. The next moment, Lu Chen reached out a hand and directly grasped Mu Yunxi¡¯s jade hand. In the blink of an eye, the three of them returned to the Yancheng Imperial Palace, and their bodies appeared on the soft couch in Liu Qingqiu¡¯s bedchamber. The maidservants in Liu Qingqiu¡¯s bedchamber, upon hearing a cry, thought something had happened and quickly entered the room. Seeing the overlapping figures in the room, they hastily retreated. Soon, Liu Qingqiu¡¯s voice could be heard coming from the room. ¡°Your Majesty, your concubine realizes her mistake¡­¡± ¡°Darling¡­¡± ¡°Good¡­ good brother¡­¡± Go to ????????????????????.co ¡­ Seeing Liu Qingqiu¡¯s demeanor, Mu Yunxi scoffed, ¡°A woman more promiscuous than I, what right has she to speak of me.¡± Afterward, Mu Yunxi couldn¡¯t be bothered to say more about Liu Qingqiu. She knew that Liu Qingqiu, like her, would be unable to leave Lu Chen for the rest of her life. ¡­ Lu Chen did not spend too much time in Qingqiu Palace. The next morning, he let Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu go. Right now, neither of them had the capability to nurture a small world within them. At most, they could practice cultivation, and Lu Chen no longer had the same strong drive as when he had been creating children before. Of course, the main reason was that he had other matters. Now that he had the Feihong Immortal Boat, they could quickly enter the battlefield, and it would be easy to pursue the invaders from the Misty World. Lu Chen needed to notify the Military Generals to convene a military meeting to discuss tactics. ¡­ After the Envoy of Daxia entered Black Dragon City, he gradually made contact with the various major powers of the Misty World. Because of the Daxia Dynasty¡¯s peace talks, the three major powers all temporarily decided not to strike at other powers and would wait until after the peace talks to take action. However, as Daxia¡¯s envoy made contact with Linghu Sect and Misty Immortal Sect, the relationship between the three major powers seemed to become tense once again. Eventually, Bai Guangyu and two others once again met up in a certain tavern, standing in a loft on the third floor, remaining silent for a long time, with the atmosphere becoming somewhat oppressive. After who knows how long, Gu Qizheng finally spoke, ¡°Fellow Daoist Bai, don¡¯t you think you owe us an explanation?¡± As soon as these words were out, Bai Guangyu rebuked, ¡°It is beyond belief that while I regarded you as allies, your two major powers were actually conspiring in secret to eliminate the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who entered Tianchen World.¡± Hearing Bai Guangyu¡¯s words, Gu Qizheng and Baili Chen were stunned. They hadn¡¯t said anything yet, and it was Bai Guangyu who took the initiative to accuse them. When did their two major powers secretly unite? When they first entered Tianchen World and discovered there were no disciples of Misty Immortal Sect or Linghu Sect present, they did indeed briefly unite because at that time they believed it was all the doing of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. To them, it seemed only Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had the capability to simultaneously attack disciples of their two major powers. However, the words Bai Guangyu said afterward made the disciples of the two powers suspicious of each other once again, and their brief union ended. At that moment, Baili Chen spoke, ¡°Bai Guangyu, we haven¡¯t yet settled accounts with Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, and here you are playing the victim.¡± ¡°Daxia¡¯s envoy has already informed us that it was the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who killed those from Misty Immortal Sect. Even the Envoy of Daxia says so, how can you still argue against it?¡± Hearing Baili Chen¡¯s words, Bai Guangyu was not at all flustered and immediately responded, ¡°The Envoy of Daxia also told me that you two major powers plan to use this as an excuse to trouble Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, attempting to unite and eliminate the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect sent into Tianchen World. What explanation do Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect have for this?¡± ¡°The Envoy of Daxia also informed me that you two major powers plan to win over Daxia and strike at Ten Thousand Immortal Sect on the day of the peace talks.¡± Hearing this, Gu Qizheng frowned and said, ¡°Ridiculous, we of Linghu Sect have never had such an agreement with Daxia.¡± Baili Chen also added, ¡°We of Misty Immortal Sect have never had such cooperation with Daxia either.¡± ¡°` When the three of them reached this point in their conversation, they fell into silence. It was then that Baili Chen took the lead to speak, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± ¡°No wonder Great Sum sent so many envoys to make contact with the powers of the Misty World. They were actually planning to use this method to sow discord. It seems like we¡¯ve all fallen for the Sum Emperor¡¯s scheme.¡± Upon reflection, Baili Chen added, ¡°Since the Daxia Emperor wants to use this method to stir up discord amongst us, then we should simply act according to his plan and let him truly believe that we¡¯ve fallen out with each other.¡± Gu Qizheng agreed, ¡°I¡¯m in favor.¡± After thinking for a moment, Bai Guangyu also expressed his support, ¡°I agree as well. Since that¡¯s the case, we also need to prepare.¡± Gu Qizheng asked, ¡°Prepare what?¡± Before Bai Guangyu could reply, Baili Chen interjected, ¡°Since Great Sum wants to undermine the relationships between the major powers, they will definitely make a move soon, especially during the negotiations. What do you think we should prepare for?¡± Alerted by Baili Chen¡¯s reminder, Gu Qizheng quickly caught on, then suggested, ¡°Capture the ringleader first?¡± Baili Chen said with a smile, ¡°If Great Sum makes a move, we¡¯ll be ready beforehand. We¡¯ll lay a trap with a large number of disciples at the negotiation site. If the Sum Emperor dares to come, we¡¯ll imprison him on the spot. As for how to divide the territories of the Daxia Dynasty afterwards, that will be for our three major forces to decide.¡± The Sum Emperor was nominally the ruler of this world, and if they could take him hostage, it would undoubtedly be quite useful in controlling this mundane world. Other powers would surely understand this and would definitely covet the Sum Emperor. Therefore, regardless of their stance, the three major forces should be well-prepared in advance. On one hand, it¡¯s to capture the Sum Emperor and on the other, it¡¯s to guard against other forces coveting the Sum Emperor. After hearing Baili Chen¡¯s words, Gu Qizheng said with a smile, ¡°So that¡¯s the way it is.¡± Gu Qizheng and Baili Chen then burst into laughter as if, in their eyes, the Sum Emperor was already a prisoner at their feet. Seeing the two men so jubilant, Bai Guangyu also showed a smile. Since the two major forces planned to deploy disciples in ambush, it would be relatively easier to round up these intruders from the Daxia Dynasty when the time came. All three major forces deployed all their disciples to the negotiation venue. The people from other forces would certainly follow suit when they saw this, sending all their Tianchen World disciples to the negotiation venue. With so many disciples from the three major forces attending the negotiations, even if it wasn¡¯t to guard against the Daxia Dynasty, other powers would have to be wary of the three major forces. What if the three major powers turned the tables during the negotiations? That possibility was very high. After all, the land of the Tianchen World was extremely important to the forces of the Misty World. Everyone wanted to occupy more territory. Only by taking more land could they have better development once the Misty World¡¯s restrictions disappeared. Time passed by day by day, and soon it was time for Xue Linglong to give birth. Xue Linglong and Bai Qingqing were pregnant before the system upgrade, so hers was now the easiest birth reward to obtain. Lu Chen was very curious to know what the system would reward him with this time. Before Xue Linglong went into labor, Lu Chen arrived at her chamber early, sitting beside her bed. Touched by Lu Chen¡¯s early arrival, Xue Linglong felt deeply moved. Ever since she became pregnant with Lu Chen¡¯s child, her whole personality had undergone great changes. Lu Chen¡¯s women were mostly like this¡ªonce they were pregnant, they were no longer as unrestrained as before, their entire demeanor changed, becoming more maternal. Xue Linglong, this charming woman, now also shed her promiscuous aura, taking on the air of a dignified lady. Lu Chen reached out his hand, caressing Xue Linglong¡¯s smooth face, ¡°You adamantly refused to have my child at first, but it turns out you are still going to bear a child for me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Xue Linglong blushed and said, ¡°Your Majesty, please stop teasing your servant. Your servant is soon to be a mother.¡± Lu Chen was somewhat tempted by Xue Linglong¡¯s coquettish tone. Although she already resembled a lady of nobility, the seductiveness in her bones had not changed at all. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You know you¡¯re about to be a mother, yet you¡¯re still acting coy with me.¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s hand rested on Xue Linglong¡¯s rounded belly and he continued to ask, ¡°Do you feel any discomfort?¡± Xue Linglong answered, ¡°None at all, everything¡¯s fine. The child seems to be asleep.¡± Lu Chen then infused Xue Linglong with some spiritual power, checking the condition of the child inside her. Indeed, as Xue Linglong had described, the child was very quiet, truly seeming as if they were fast asleep. Since the child was not fussing, Lu Chen was in no hurry to have them born. Lu Chen stayed beside Xue Linglong and after approximately two hours, Xue Linglong¡¯s belly suddenly moved. Noticing the activity of the child inside, Xue Linglong quickly said, ¡°Your Majesty, the child is awake.¡± Lu Chen then checked the child¡¯s condition and found that they indeed wanted to come out. Without hesitation, he infused even more spiritual power into Xue Linglong¡¯s body, which quickly enveloped the child inside her. In the room, midwives and maids were all prepared. Moments later, Xue Linglong¡¯s belly rapidly deflated, and soon after, the cries of a baby echoed throughout the room. The next moment, a system notification echoed in Lu Chen¡¯s mind. ¡°Congratulations to the host for the birth of an offspring, reward granted: Black Dragon Holy Land.¡± ¡°` Chapter 962 - Chapter 962: Chapter 652: Black Dragon Holy Land Chapter 962: Chapter 652: Black Dragon Holy Land After the child in Xue Linglong¡¯s womb was born, Lu Chen immediately named the baby and then quickly left Xue Linglong¡¯s room, heading straight to the Imperial Study Room. He had thought the system would not reward him with a force as a system reward again, but to his surprise, here was another force. He was very curious about the strength of the force that was rewarded by the system this time. Upon arriving at the Imperial Study Room, Lu Chen immediately opened the system panel, quickly located the Black Dragon Holy Land, and opened its detail page. [Black Dragon Holy Land: Located in Tianyuan World, one in the Divinity Transformation Realm, ten in the All Law Realm, thirty in the Yin-Yang Realm, and numerous disciples below the Genesis Realm.] Seeing the information about the Black Dragon Holy Land, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised; he had not expected the force rewarded for having a child to be so strong. There was even a powerhouse in the Divinity Transformation Realm! However, this force was not from the Tianchen World, and it seemed it would not be easy to establish contact with them. Just then, the system¡¯s prompt sounded. ¡°The host can issue one command to the master of the Black Dragon Holy Land.¡± Hearing the system¡¯s prompt, Lu Chen said without hesitation, ¡°Have them immediately send someone to search for the Tianchen World and establish contact with me.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, the system¡¯s prompt sounded again. ¡°The master of the Black Dragon Holy Land has received the host¡¯s command.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Lu Chen thought to himself, wondering how long it would take the Black Dragon Holy Land to find the Tianchen World after receiving the command and to send someone to this world. ¡­ Meanwhile. Tianyuan World, Black Dragon Holy Land. Within the forbidden grounds of the Holy Land, a middle-aged man dressed in a grey robe suddenly opened his eyes, his face full of surprise and delight. ¡°Fantastic, the master is still alive! He has finally contacted me!¡± At this, the man immediately said to someone at the door, ¡°Notify all the Elders to go to the Holy Shrine immediately, I have important matters to tell them!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Before long, Yin Zhengye, the master of the Black Dragon Holy Land, arrived at the Holy Shrine. He sat above all in the shrine and glanced at the Elders gathered in the hall. At that moment, an Elder asked in confusion, ¡°Holy Master, why did you leave your retreat so soon? Has something happened?¡± People had thought that Yin Zhengye would be in closed-door cultivation for at least a thousand years. After all, their master had disappeared without a trace, and despite searching for so long and finding no information, nearly everyone believed he was dead. Without their master, the Black Dragon Holy Land was like a headless fly, and Yin Zhengye, the Holy Master, had nothing to do but to cultivate in seclusion. Yet, barely a decade into his retreat, Yin Zhengye left his retreat. For a powerhouse in the Divinity Transformation Realm, ten years of seclusion was hardly considered a real retreat. Yin Zhengye now spoke, ¡°The master has just contacted me through a soul secret technique.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the people in the great hall immediately erupted into a frenzy. ¡°What? The master is still alive?¡± ¡°I knew the master couldn¡¯t just die like that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, as long as we find the master, our Black Dragon Holy Land will surely rise again!¡± ¡°Holy Master, where is the master now? Let¡¯s send someone to bring him back immediately!¡± ¡­ The people of the Black Dragon Holy Land were extremely excited. As long as Lu Chen was alive, there was hope for their Holy Land, and they would surely stand at the pinnacle of the Tianyuan World once again, becoming the strongest force in the Tianyuan World. At that moment, Yin Zhengye said, ¡°The master has informed me that he is now in a place called Tianchen World. He has been weakened and cannot leave that world, so we need to send someone to fetch him.¡± ¡°However, he did not give me the star map of the Tianchen World, so we need to find it on our own.¡± Hearing Yin Zhengye¡¯s words, the Elders looked at each other, clueless about the location of Tianchen World. With countless worlds composing the whole Origin Universe, finding a world they had never even heard of was akin to finding a needle in the ocean. At that moment, one Elder suddenly stepped forward and said, ¡°I have heard that the Mysterious Moon Palace has been continuously building Immortal Boats for the past hundred years just to search for Tianchen World. They share the same goal as us and have been searching for a century, they must have some clues.¡± The Mysterious Moon Palace had a close cooperation with the Black Dragon Holy Land in the manufacturing of Immortal Boats, as some of the special Spirit Stones in the Holy Land were very suitable for constructing Immortal Boats. In the process of cooperation, some Elders of the Black Dragon Holy Land also learned about things concerning the Mysterious Moon Palace, such as the incident of the Mysterious Moon Palace Saintess escaping. Upon hearing the Elder¡¯s words, Yin Zhengye said, ¡°Send someone to tell the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, I intend to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Since the Mysterious Moon Palace and they were searching for the same world, it was possible for them to cooperate again. With both forces searching at the same time, it might reduce some difficulties. ¡­ At this moment, Lu Chen was unaware that his single command had set everyone in the Black Dragon Holy Land bustling about. However, Lu Chen had a lot on his plate recently and had no mind to think about the affairs of the Black Dragon Holy Land, as the peace talks were about to begin. The first battle between the Daxia Dynasty and the invaders from the Misty World was on the brink of breaking out. Black Dragon City. Inside a certain courtyard. The Minister of the Household Department from the Great Sum, Huang Minghui, was sycophantically speaking with Gu Qizheng, who wore a playful look as he regarded Huang Minghui. Gu Qizheng had long stopped believing the words coming from Huang Minghui, seeing him as nothing more than an agent sent by the Daxia Dynasty to sow discord. At that moment, Gu Qizheng smiled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re telling me that Lei Wende is now a free man, and can go wherever he pleases?¡± Huang Minghui hurriedly replied, ¡°Yes, Immortal, the Brocade Guard released Lei the Immortal quite some time ago; now he is living a carefree and joyous life in Yan County.¡± Gu Qizheng chuckled, then continued, ¡°If he is truly a free man now, then why didn¡¯t he come to Black Dragon City himself, and instead sent you, a court official of the Daxia Dynasty, to act as a messenger for us?¡± This¡­ Huang Minghui was momentarily stunned, but then recovered and continued, ¡°Immortal, Lei the Immortal fears that the Sum Emperor might go back on his word. As soon as he leaves Yan County, the Sum Emperor might make a move against him.¡± Gu Qizheng snorted, ¡°If the Sum Emperor has already decided to negotiate, then why would he go back on his word? Preventing him from leaving Yan County? Ridiculous!¡± Seeing Gu Qizheng getting angry, Huang Minghui was dumbfounded. He had not expected the previously smiling Gu Qizheng to suddenly become irate. Huang Minghui was so scared that cold sweat broke out on his forehead, believing that Gu Qizheng¡¯s trust in him had waned. Huang Minghui hurriedly said, ¡°Immortal, during the talks, Lei the Immortal will surely accompany the Sum Emperor to the Luoshui Riverside, and then you will have the chance to meet him.¡± Gu Qizheng indifferently said, ¡°Whether we can meet him then is not important. What¡¯s important is that you, I¡¯m afraid, will no longer have the opportunity to see your emperor!¡± Upon hearing Gu Qizheng¡¯s words, Huang Minghui was so scared that he dropped to his knees with a thud, ¡°Immortal, please spare my life, everything I¡¯ve told you is true. Lei the Immortal said that as long as I delivered the message, I could become a disciple of Linghu Sect!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve even learned the Cultivation Technique of Linghu Sect!¡± Hearing this, Gu Qizheng asked curiously, ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve learned the Cultivation Technique of Linghu Sect? Show me.¡± Huang Minghui said, ¡°I am not yet a Half-step Grandmaster and cannot externalize True Qi, but it is precisely because I practiced the technique given by Lei the Immortal that my strength has improved so rapidly!¡± Gu Qizheng said, ¡°Then practice it in front of me.¡± Hearing Gu Qizheng¡¯s words, Huang Minghui did not hesitate and immediately began to practice following the method taught by Lei Wende. Seeing that Huang Minghui¡¯s practice indeed resembled the Qi Induction Technique of Linghu Sect, Gu Qizheng¡¯s face instantly darkened, growing even more unpleasant. At this moment, Huang Minghui still asked with a smile, ¡°What do you think, Immortal? The cultivation I¡¯m practicing is indeed from Linghu Sect, isn¡¯t it?¡± As soon as Huang Minghui finished speaking, Gu Qizheng suddenly threw a punch that pierced through Huang Minghui¡¯s body. Huang Minghui violently coughed up blood, his eyes wide with disbelief at what was unfolding before him. ¡°Immortal, you¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Huang Minghui was completely breathless. Gu Qizheng tossed away Huang Minghui¡¯s corpse with a flick of his wrist and murmured to himself, ¡°I wonder what cruel methods the Daxia employed to acquire the Cultivation Technique of Linghu Sect from its disciples!¡± In Gu Qizheng¡¯s eyes, the only reason Huang Minghui could practice the Cultivation Technique of Linghu Sect must be because Daxia had tortured Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples, forcing them to divulge their techniques, which is how Huang Minghui managed to learn the Qi Induction Technique. The fact that Huang Minghui dared to practice it in front of him was a blatant provocation. Until his last breath, Huang Minghui never understood why, even though he had come to join the Linghu Sect, he ended up being killed by a Linghu Sect disciple. At this point, Gu Qizheng took another look at Huang Minghui¡¯s corpse on the ground before continuing, ¡°In wars between nations, envoys shall not be killed, but unfortunately Linghu Sect is not a nation; it¡¯s a celestial sect!¡± ¡°Lowly commoners from the secular world, what right do they have to negotiate with the celestial sects! How laughable!¡± ¡­ It wasn¡¯t just the Linghu Sect that had killed an envoy of the Daxia; other powers within the Misty World, including Misty Immortal Sect, had also killed the envoys. To them, the envoys from Daxia were nearly as insignificant as ants, and their deaths were trivial. Moreover, the Daxia Dynasty had no intention of negotiating in good faith. They sent many envoys to cause division, which was clearly indicative of a larger conspiracy. If the Sum Emperor himself had no intention of negotiation, then they couldn¡¯t be blamed for killing his envoys. Half a month later. The peace negotiations between the Daxia and the Misty World formally started. For this negotiation, all sects that had entered the Misty World mobilized their disciples, curious to see what tricks the Daxia Dynasty had prepared. If the Sum Emperor failed to provide a satisfactory response at that time, they were ready to resort to force and capture the Sum Emperor. Chapter 963 - Chapter 963: Chapter 653: Immortal Boat! That is the Immortal Boat!!! Chapter 963: Chapter 653: Immortal Boat! That is the Immortal Boat!!! Luoshui Riverside. At this moment, a gentle breeze brushed past, carrying the moisture of the river water and the fragrance of distant flowers, caressing people¡¯s faces as if nature were tenderly showing its love. The river flowed quietly, its surface sparkling like countless tiny diamonds twinkling in the morning light, clear enough to see the occasional fish darting through, stirring up small ripples. By the riverbank, the lush grassland resembled a vast green velvet carpet, dotted with colorful wildflowers competing in beauty, diffusing a faint aroma, with distant verdant mountains under the blue sky and white clouds creating a harmonious scenery. The air was filled with the moist scent of soil and the sweet smell of flowers, refreshing and uplifting, while a few butterflies danced through the flowers, adding vitality. However, such a peaceful and serene scene was soon disrupted; the river began to tremble, and the ground shook too, frightening the riverside butterflies into chaotic flight. Before long, troops began to appear by the river, and suddenly the atmosphere at Luoshui Riverside became oppressive, filled with a deadly seriousness. As time ticked by, more cultivators gathered at the riverside; soon, people saw the Linghu Sect, one of the three major powers, arrive at the Luoshui Riverside. Seeing the Linghu Sect, the disciples of various forces became more vigilant. During the negotiations, the three major powers would certainly dominate. The three major powers would inevitably try to extract as much land from the Sum Emperor as possible; later on, the remaining forces would be left with scraps. Thus, the disciples from the Misty World outside the three major powers were already prepared to conflict with them. Although none among them could match the three major powers individually, united, they feared them not. Gu Qizheng led his disciples from the Linghu Sect to Luoshui Riverside and waited a long time before Baili Chen leisurely arrived with his disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect. Seeing Baili Chen, Gu Qizheng sarcastically said, ¡°Baili Chen, negotiation is such a significant event, yet your sect arrives so late. Aren¡¯t you worried that by the time your Misty Immortal Sect gets here, there won¡¯t be much of Daxia¡¯s land left to claim?¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Baili Chen responded indifferently, ¡°How much land one can claim depends on their strength, not on who arrives early or late.¡± ¡°The stronger the force, the more confidence they have, hence they are not in such a rush.¡± Hearing Baili Chen¡¯s words, Gu Qizheng mockingly said, ¡°Oh, is that so? The disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect haven¡¯t arrived yet; does that mean their strength surpasses even your Misty Immortal Sect?¡± Baili Chen was taken aback briefly, then he looked around and indeed saw no signs of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples. Baili Chen frowned slightly; he had thought they were already quite late in arriving, not realizing there would be forces even later than them. He had even intentionally delayed some time and made certain arrangements in the outskirts of Luoshui Riverside before coming, yet the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were even slower? Could it be that Bai Guangyu had also been making some arrangements on the outskirts of Luoshui Riverside? At that moment, Baili Chen said with a smile, ¡°Could it be that Bai Guangyu is afraid this negotiation is some plot by Great Sum, hence he dares not come?¡± Gu Qizheng said, ¡°That¡¯s hard to say.¡± They both knew well that the Sum Emperor wasn¡¯t truly interested in negotiating; he surely had some ulterior motives, considering he had initiated moves to sow discord in Black Dragon City. He wasn¡¯t a peace-seeking emperor. Nevertheless, the major powers didn¡¯t care whether Lu Chen was a peace-seeking emperor; in their view, as long as they and the Emperor were present, no amount of scheming from the Emperor would succeed. If they got the upper hand and the Emperor didn¡¯t deliver results satisfactory to everyone, it was improbable for him to leave unscathed. It was highly likely he would end up imprisoned by one of the powers. Despite the odd behavior of Bai Guangyu and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples, Gu Qizheng and Baili Chen didn¡¯t dwell on it; they continued to wait at Luoshui Riverside. However, they waited a long time and still didn¡¯t see the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples appear, which started to unease Baili Chen. At this point, Baili Chen asked, ¡°Gu Qizheng, I¡¯m curious, what has the Envoy of Daxia told you?¡± Gu Qizheng responded, ¡°That envoy, sent by Lei Wende, told me that Daxia is now under the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, warning us to be cautious of them.¡± Hearing Gu Qizheng¡¯s words, Baili Chen frowned, his expression growing grave. Seeing Baili Chen¡¯s troubled look, Gu Qizheng asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Could it be that the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect really has something amiss?¡± Gu Qizheng was also feeling that something was wrong now, although originally he had thought that the envoy was merely trying to drive a wedge between them. But the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s absence was indeed too unusual. Baili Chen then said, ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡­ we¡¯ve all been deceived by the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect!¡± Just as Baili Chen¡¯s words fell, a sudden horn sounded from afar, as if coming from the sky. Instantly, everyone¡¯s gaze turned towards the sky; however, the sky was clear and cloudless, showing nothing. Immediately, people looked towards the distance, but there was nothing there either. Baili Chen and Gu Qizheng were increasingly feeling that something was wrong, suspecting that all this was the doing of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. When they first arrived in the Tianchen World, the disciples of their two sects had gone missing. Although Bai Guangyu¡¯s explanation could indeed account for their inexplicable disappearance, they hadn¡¯t completely trusted him. Until now, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had not appeared, and coupled with the warning from the Envoy of Daxia, their suspicions grew that this was not merely causing discord, but was actually true. At that moment, a disciple of the Linghu Sect suddenly shouted loudly, ¡°Look at the sky!!!¡± The next moment, all forces by the Luoshui riverside were thrown into chaos. ¡°My god! There are Flying Boats in this world too!¡± ¡°Such a huge Flying Boat! How can the Daxia Dynasty have such a huge Flying Boat!¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like a Flying Boat, Flying Boats can¡¯t possibly have so many formation patterns!¡± ¡°An Immortal Boat! That¡¯s an Immortal Boat!!!¡± ¡­ Everyone was dumbfounded. A lower world actually had an Immortal Boat!!! No forces in the Misty World had an Immortal Boat; if they did, they would have left this lower world long ago and would not have come to compete with other forces over the land of the inferior Tianchen World. At the sight of the Immortal Boat, not a single cultivator in the Misty World harbored any thoughts of greed, only deep-seated fear, for they knew very well that a force that owned and could control an Immortal Boat must be exceedingly powerful, and all the powers of the Misty World combined were likely no match for the owner of the Immortal Boat. Gu Qizheng and Baili Chen had already turned pale from fear because of the Immortal Boat in the sky, when suddenly, a loud voice came from the Immortal Boat. ¡°Greetings to the friends of the Misty World, I am the ruler of the Tianchen World, the Emperor of the Daxia Dynasty. Sorry to have kept you waiting!¡± Hearing this, the crowd below was thrown into chaos again. ¡°This is the Sum Emperor¡¯s Immortal Boat!¡± ¡°Impossible, absolutely impossible, a mere ordinary Emperor of a lower world can¡¯t possibly have an Immortal Boat!¡± ¡°The person above can¡¯t be the Sum Emperor!¡± ¡°What should we do now!¡± ¡­ Generally, an Immortal Boat comes equipped with an attack formation, and its power is immense. The cultivators of the Unity Realm could not withstand the attacks from the Immortal Boat¡¯s formation. At this time, all cultivators by the Luoshui Riverside were contemplating the idea of escape. At this moment, Lu Chen¡¯s voice continued to resonate in the air. ¡°I had originally planned to have a proper discussion with you all, but to my surprise, some among you went so far as to kill the envoy I had sent. This is a blatant disregard of my authority, a disregard for the Daxia Dynasty, a barefaced provocation, a declaration of war!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, people realized what might happen next. Baili Chen immediately said to the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, retreat!¡± As his voice died away, Baili Chen hurriedly led his disciples toward the direction of the Misty World. Seeing that the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were escaping, Gu Qizheng did not hesitate at all and immediately led the disciples of the Linghu Sect to join the fleeing ranks. They had come to the Tianchen World to bully the weak and carve up the land, not to court death. The Daxia Dynasty even had an Immortal Boat; at first glance, they were no ordinary dynasty, and accurately speaking, that Sum Emperor must not be a regular emperor. There must be a superpower back supporting him. They could not afford to provoke him. As cultivators of the Cultivation World, they were well aware that some forces from the High-Level Cultivation Realm liked to send their disciples or clan members to lower worlds for cultivation experience. If a lower world had an Immortal Boat, they were likely facing such a scenario. In such a case, other than fleeing, they had no other options. They weren¡¯t even Celestials, so how could they possibly confront an Immortal Boat, to say nothing of confronting a Flying Boat from the High-Level Cultivation Realm. Escaping now wasn¡¯t shameful at all, preserving their lives was of utmost importance. After the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect chose to flee, other forces of the Misty World also quickly reacted and joined the fleeing ranks. Some disciples of these forces cursed as they fled. ¡°It¡¯s all the fault of the three major powers, had to open a space rift! They¡¯ve really killed us now!¡± ¡°Who exactly is the Sum Emperor allied with? Can¡¯t he have some shame and go to a high-level world for his cultivation trials instead of coming to such a low-level world?¡± ¡°Even if I die and become a wandering ghost, I won¡¯t let the disciples of the three major powers go!¡± ¡­ Chapter 964 - Chapter 964: Chapter 654: Help Yun Xianxian Cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique Chapter 964: Chapter 654: Help Yun Xianxian Cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique Seeing the cultivators from the Misty World fleeing in terror, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curled up slightly, just as he had initially thought. What he had initially thought was that as long as he used rune weapons, he would scare the forces of the Misty World into fleeing, and it would be difficult for them to pursue those forces then. Although the invaders from the Misty World were not scared off by the rune cannons, they indeed had fled, and without the Immortal Boat, it would have been difficult to catch up with those Unity Phase cultivators. Lu Chen then said to the War Dragon Army on the Feihong Immortal Boat, ¡°Bombard immediately!!!¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the soldiers controlled the rune cannons to fire rune cannon shells at the fleeing cultivators. As each shell hit the Luoshui Riverside, mushrooms clouds rose one after another, and those Unity Phase cultivators were blasted to pieces, completely powerless to resist. Seeing this scene, the cultivators from the Misty World were terrified out of their wits; they had anticipated the Immortal Boat might have immensely powerful arrays, but when they actually faced death, fear instantly filled their hearts. At that moment, people thought that the explosions were caused by the arrays of the Feihong Immortal Boat, not knowing that it was actually just the rune weapons. Of course, for these Unity Phase cultivators from the Misty World, who were not even Celestials, there wasn¡¯t much difference between rune weapons and offensive formations; both could easily claim their lives. Due to the negotiations, all the cultivators of the Misty World¡¯s forces were gathered together, and the blast radius of the rune cannon shells was particularly wide, killing or injuring dozens or hundreds of cultivators with each shell. In just the blink of an eye, the Luoshui Riverside was strewn with corpses, the river water completely stained red. Seeing continuous mushroom clouds rising behind them, Baili Chen knew it would be difficult to escape. If they kept running like this, their end would be just like those who were blasted to death. After all, they were only Unity Phase cultivators, not even Celestials; no matter how fast they were, how could they outrun the Immortal Boat? Go to ????????????????????.co Baili Chen then said to the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect, ¡°Form up!¡± As he spoke, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect stopped and immediately circled up. Then, an array pattern appeared under the feet of the disciples, and immediately after, Baili Chen took out all the spirit stones he had and scattered them all over the ground. The next moment, blue lights burst forth from the ground, and soon, the area where the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect were located was enveloped in fog. Seeing the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect stop and use the array, Gu Qizheng also didn¡¯t hesitate to say to the disciples of the Linghu Sect, ¡°Form up! Continuing to flee would only get us killed!¡± As Gu Qizheng¡¯s words fell, the disciples of Linghu Sect also stopped running, but what Gu Qizheng didn¡¯t know was that although Baili Chen had stopped to set up an array, he actually had no intention of confronting Lu Chen head-on. He just wanted to use the Mist Concealment Formation of Misty Immortal Sect to disrupt the visibility of the Feihong Immortal Boat, trying to make the people on the boat lose their sense of direction and thus unable to continue tracking them. Of course, whether this method would work, he would only know after using it. Moments later, a thick fog appeared at the Luoshui Riverside, and soon the situation below was obscured. And the fog became denser and wider, soon enveloping the flying Feihong Immortal Boat as well, causing the soldiers on the boat to lose their sense of direction, not knowing east from west. Lu Chen gave a faint smile, then released his spiritual power, intending to detect the position of Misty Immortal Sect, but at this moment, he realized he couldn¡¯t detect their exact location. This¡­ Lu Chen was slightly startled, and quickly understood that the fog not only obstructed their sight but also blocked the cultivators¡¯ sense of spiritual power; under these circumstances, determining the position of Misty Immortal Sect was not so easy. Lu Chen thought to himself that those guys might really have escaped. Just then, seeing Honghong, who was controlling the flight of the Immortal Boat, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something and then said to Honghong, ¡°Honghong, continue tracking Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect!¡± Artifact Spirit Honghong meticulously replied, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Immediately, Honghong controlled the Immortal Boat and flew right above where the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect were supposedly located. Lu Chen did not know if the artifact spirit had this capability; he just wanted to test it. Moreover, now with the fog obscuring the view, he was not sure if the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect were indeed below them, but at that moment, a huge Linghu Illusion appeared in the fog. Seeing this Linghu Illusion, Lu Chen was certain that the Artifact Spirit could indeed track the enemy¡¯s location within the fog. With that settled, they were in good shape. At the same time, the people of Misty Immortal Sect saw the enormous Linghu Illusion not far away and their faces turned pale. They had set up the Mist Concealment Formation with the purpose of hiding their tracks to create an opportunity for escape, but then Linghu Sect decided to use such a conspicuous formation at this time; wouldn¡¯t the Sum Emperor be able to determine their location at a glance? Linghu Sect was courting death! However, at this moment, Baili Chen¡¯s face showed no trace of anger. Not only was he not angry, but he even revealed a slight smile. He then said to his disciples, ¡°We retreat!¡± As his words fell, Baili Chen led the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect in the opposite direction to escape. The Mist Concealment Formation they had conjured still had some time before it would dissipate, and conveniently, the Linghu Great Formation of the Linghu Sect had captured the Sum Emperor¡¯s attention. They could take this window to make their escape. The Linghu Great Formation of the Linghu Sect not only did not reveal the position of the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples but actually provided ample time for their escape; thus, Baili Chen naturally wasn¡¯t upset. He now just thought that the disciples of the Linghu Sect were a bunch of fools. At that moment, Lu Chen said to the soldiers on the Immortal Boat, ¡°Eliminate the invaders of the Linghu Sect!¡± Upon receiving Lu Chen¡¯s order, the soldiers began to operate the rune cannons to bomb the Linghu Illusion on the ground. It must be said that the Linghu Great Formation of the Linghu Sect was quite formidable, repelling several attacks. Unfortunately, the explosive power of the rune weapons was too great, and eventually, the Linghu Great Formation was destroyed. After the Linghu Great Formation disappeared, the disciples of the Linghu Sect completely lost their ability to resist. They were blasted into the air by the rune cannon shells, their bodies too fragmented to be recognized. As the mist gradually dissipated, the bloody scene by the Luoshui Riverside came into view again, though by then the figures of the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples were nowhere to be seen. Lu Chen was not in a hurry; he once again released his Spiritual Power to probe the direction in which the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect had escaped. With the Mist Concealment Formation gone, Lu Chen easily pinpointed their location. Lu Chen then said to Honghong, ¡°Honghong, pursue those disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect immediately!¡± Honghong responded with an icy tone, ¡°Yes, Master.¡± In the next moment, the Feihong Immortal Boat sharply turned and flew directly towards the direction the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were escaping. Before long, the Feihong Immortal Boat appeared above Baili Chen and his group. Seeing the enormous shadow in the sky, the faces of the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples instantly turned pale. Baili Chen shouted once more, ¡°Form up!¡± In the next moment, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect formed their ranks again, but this time, Lu Chen had no intention of giving them a chance. He immediately ordered, ¡°Destroy the invaders of the Misty Immortal Sect!¡± As the sound of his order dropped, all the rune cannons onboard the Immortal Boat aimed at those disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect, and shortly thereafter, countless shells rained down from the sky. Before Baili Chen and his group could erect the Mist Concealment Formation, they were obliterated by the rune cannon shells. It wasn¡¯t long before all the invaders of the Misty Immortal Sect were bombed to death, leaving only scattered bones behind. At that moment, Lu Chen performed a Shadow Shifting move and descended from the sky. He waved his hand, and the Spirit Stones from the pockets of the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples flew into his hands. Lu Chen then returned to the Luoshui Riverside, collecting all the Spirit Stones carried by the disciples of the various major forces. Though these disciples were only Unity Phase Cultivators, according to the realms of the Cultivation World, they hadn¡¯t even reached the threshold yet. Given their identity, it was impossible for them to carry many Spirit Stones. Lu Chen counted the collected Inferior Spirit Stones, totaling five hundred. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough to be used for a while. After dealing with the invaders of the Misty World, Lu Chen returned to the Feihong Immortal Boat and said to Honghong, ¡°Honghong, head to Black Dragon City!¡± Ever since Yun Xianxian went to Black Dragon City, Lu Chen had become somewhat concerned about her. Although Lu Chen no longer felt driven to have descendants, he still fondly remembered the practices he and Yun Xianxian had conducted. Moreover, Lu Chen wanted to know Yun Xianxian¡¯s current situation. Since they were not far from Black Dragon City, he decided to check on her and help Yun Xianxian cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique. The Feihong Immortal Boat traveled swiftly, appearing over Black Dragon City in the blink of an eye. Yun Xianxian had also sensed a tremendous force swiftly approaching Black Dragon City. Thinking it was an enemy, she planned to flee from Black Dragon City, but before she could act, the Feihong Immortal Boat had already appeared above her. When the Feihong Immortal Boat deactivated its invisibility and revealed itself, everyone in Black Dragon City was stunned. They looked up at the colossal object in the sky, dumbfounded for a long time. ¡°My God! What is that thing!¡± ¡°How can there be a ship that can fly in this world, and so enormous at that!¡± ¡°The Immortal Palace, that must be where Immortals reside!¡± ¡­ Soon, the common folks of Black Dragon City knelt in unison, endlessly bowing and worshipping toward the Feihong Immortal Boat in the sky. Seeing the Immortal Boat in the sky, Yun Xianxian¡¯s fair complexion became even paler, and a bead of sweat involuntarily appeared on her forehead. Chapter 965 - Chapter 965: Chapter 655: Yun Xianxian: Who Are You Really! Chapter 965: Chapter 655: Yun Xianxian: Who Are You Really! Yun Xianxian immediately recognized that the object in the sky was an Immortal Boat, only such a vessel would bear so many array patterns. In her view, it was impossible for a lower world to have an Immortal Boat, so where had this Immortal Boat come from? It was clearly from outside the Tianchen World. Recalling the aura of the Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace she had detected earlier, she subconsciously believed that this was an Immortal Boat sent by the Mysterious Moon Palace to find her. However, Yun Xianxian quickly realized that such a massive and luxurious Immortal Boat could not possibly have been made by the Mysterious Moon Palace, could it? Even the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace didn¡¯t have such a lavish Immortal Boat, did she? As Yun Xianxian puzzled over these thoughts, a familiar voice came from the Immortal Boat. ¡°I am the Daxia Emperor, invader of the Misty World, murderer of the innocent, persecutor of my Great Sum people. Most have already been eliminated by Great Sum. Any remaining invaders from the Misty World, or any collusion with such invaders, must surrender to the security office within three days, or bear the consequences!¡± Upon hearing this voice, the people of Black Dragon City and some cultivators from the Misty World were stunned. Wasn¡¯t there supposed to be a treaty? How had those forces been wiped out? This¡­ Seeing the Immortal Boat in the sky, the cultivators from the Misty World who were still alive soon understood everything. Go to ????????????????????.co It turned out that all this was a conspiracy by the Sum Emperor, aimed at gathering all the invaders from the Misty World and then eliminating them together. Now, there were indeed quite a few cultivators from the Misty World in Black Dragon City, but most were from smaller forces, or cultivators left by some large forces to oversee Black Dragon City. Now that their main combat forces had been eliminated, these cultivators posed no threat. No sooner had Lu Chen finished speaking, than cultivators began running towards the security office of Black Dragon City. An emperor who owned such a luxurious Immortal Boat was certainly not an ordinary emperor, most likely he was a disciple from some superpower here for ascetic training. They clearly understood that they had kicked a stone, and now, surrendering and allying with the Daxia Dynasty was their only option. Before long, a long line had formed outside the security office of Black Dragon City, all were cultivators from the Misty World coming to surrender. Soon, the Immortal Boat in the sky disappeared once again, and seeing the Immortal Boat vanish, the people of Black Dragon City unanimously said, ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty!¡± Of course, Lu Chen had not actually left; he had just made the Immortal Boat invisible and quickly found Yun Xianxian at the Hundred Flowers Tower. With a Shadow Shifting, he appeared in Yun Xianxian¡¯s room. At this moment, Yun Xianxian was still looking up at the sky, feeling that the Immortal Boat hadn¡¯t disappeared but had merely become invisible. Yun Xianxian was puzzled, why was the voice from the Immortal Boat Lu Chen¡¯s voice? Could this Immortal Boat be that rebel¡¯s? Thinking this, Yun Xianxian¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, then she dismissed the thought. Considering the luxury of the Immortal Boat, an entity capable of possessing such a vessel must be a superpower spanning many worlds. Although she had initially thought there was a major power behind Lu Chen, she didn¡¯t believe that a power owning such an Immortal Boat would send Lu Chen to train in a lower world. But if the Immortal Boat wasn¡¯t Lu Chen¡¯s, whose was it, since the voice of Lu Chen had indeed come from there? As Yun Xianxian pondered in confusion, Lu Chen¡¯s voice came from behind her, ¡°Honored Master, what are you looking at?¡± Upon hearing this familiar voice, Yun Xianxian swiftly turned around to find that the rebel was lying on her soft couch, propping his head with one hand and looking at her sideways. Seeing Lu Chen appear here, Yun Xianxian was basically certain that the Immortal Boat was closely related to Lu Chen, she immediately asked, ¡°Is that Immortal Boat yours?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s affirmative response, Yun Xianxian no longer doubted the origin of the Immortal Boat, she asked again, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± If Lu Chen could own such a luxurious Immortal Boat, his identity must be far from simple. Before, she thought Lu Chen was perhaps just a young master from a cultivation family, but now it seemed his identity might be much more than just that. Yun Xianxian was even more perplexed; if the power behind Lu Chen could produce such a luxurious Immortal Boat, why would they allow Lu Chen to train in such a low-level world, surely there were better places for him? Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s question, Lu Chen gave a faint smile and replied, ¡°I am your man.¡± Yun Xianxian huffed lightly, ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t wish to tell, then never mind.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen used the system to check Yun Xianxian¡¯s updated data. The next moment, Yun Xianxian¡¯s updated system data appeared before Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. [Name: Yun Xianxian] [Identity: Lu Chen¡¯s mentor, Lu Chen¡¯s wife, Saintess of Xuan Yue Palace, daughter of the Palace Master of Xuan Yue Palace in the Tianyuan World, a thousand years ago, a Son of Destiny (Fifth son of Emperor Shenwu, Lu Yanghua) appeared in Tianyuan World. After Lu Yanghua swiftly grew in power, he discovered Yun Xianxian¡¯s Immortal Spirit Body and wished to claim it for himself. He proposed to Xuan Yue Palace to make Yun Xianxian his Furnace Cauldron. Reluctantly, Xuan Yue Palace agreed and sealed Yun Xianxian¡¯s powers, which actually slowed the maturation of the Immortal Spirit Body. However, Yun Xianxian did not understand why the Palace Master did so, thinking Xuan Yue Palace really intended to send her to Lu Yanghua as a Furnace Cauldron, thus she fled. During her escape, Yun Xianxian accidentally encountered a mysterious Red Flower Sedan, which ultimately transported her to the Tianchen World, and some of her memories were also sealed; now, all of Yun Xianxian¡¯s memories have been restored.] [Score: 100] [Favorability: 100] Upon seeing the updated information about Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen was slightly stunned. He had not expected that the world Yun Xianxian originally came from was actually the world where the trials of the son of Emperor Shenwu took place. So, was he competing with his own brother over a woman? Thinking this, Lu Chen¡¯s lips slightly curled upwards. Fifth Imperial Brother, I¡¯m sorry, but the woman you¡¯ve been coveting has already been thoroughly taken by me. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, didn¡¯t you tell me before that you had a formidable enemy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very curious, just how formidable is this enemy you spoke of?¡± Yun Xianxian was slightly stunned; she had not expected Lu Chen to ask such a question at this time. Yun Xianxian then countered, ¡°Why do you ask these questions? Even if I tell you now, you are no match for that person.¡± Lu Chen directly said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me, I already know who that enemy you¡¯re talking about is.¡± The icy expression on Yun Xianxian¡¯s face shifted slightly. She had always thought that she and Lu Chen came from different worlds, so Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t know about her affairs. Yet now, Lu Chen claimed to know who her enemy was? Yun Xianxian quickly recovered and, expressionless, said, ¡°Then let¡¯s hear it, who is your Honored Master¡¯s enemy?¡± Yun Xianxian still didn¡¯t believe what Lu Chen was saying. In her view, Lu Chen was just putting on airs, so she decided to test him. As soon as Yun Xianxian spoke, Lu Chen opened his mouth and said, ¡°Your enemy in the world you originally came from can be considered a Son of Destiny. His growth speed is extremely terrifying, and he became unmatched in your world in a very short period of time. He coveted your Immortal Spirit Body and wanted to make you his Furnace Cauldron.¡± ¡°You, unwilling to become his Furnace Cauldron, fled. In the process of fleeing, you encountered a mysterious Red Flower Sedan and were eventually brought to this world.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen looked at Yun Xianxian, whose expression had grown dull, ¡°Honored Master, I wonder if your disciple is correct?¡± Yun Xianxian fell silent. This unfilial disciple not only knew her identity but also knew she had been brought to this world by the mysterious Red Flower Sedan. After arriving in this world, she had lost her memories regarding the Red Flower Sedan. Only recently, as her powers had started to recover, did she remember that she was brought here by the Red Flower Sedan. Even she had forgotten this incident, yet this unfilial disciple knew about it. Yun Xianxian radiated an intense chill, and the next moment, the entire room froze over as Yun Xianxian coldly stared at Lu Chen, ¡°Who exactly are you!¡± Yun Xianxian asked this question again, but this time her tone was much more forceful. This unfilial disciple knew all her affairs and had pretended in front of her until he had thoroughly taken advantage of her. This was clearly premeditated! Yun Xianxian even suspected that Lu Chen was that Lu Yanghua! The more Yun Xianxian thought about it, the more afraid she felt. The chill emanating from her body also grew more intense! Both their last names were Lu, and both their growth speeds were fast. It might be that Lu Chen was another incarnation of Lu Yanghua! The thought filled Yun Xianxian with a murderous intent; she could become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she could allow Lu Chen to play with her body, but she could not tolerate that Lu Chen sought her body solely for her Immortal Spirit Body, to make her his Furnace Cauldron! This made her feel like her emotions had been cheated! Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy face, and feeling the chill ravaging the room as if she was about to commit murder, Lu Chen¡¯s lips slightly curled upwards and he then said, ¡°Honored Master, what do you think your disciple is?¡± Yun Xianxian sternly questioned, ¡°You are an incarnation of Lu Yanghua!¡± As she spoke, the temperature in the room dropped further, a chill rushing directly at Lu Chen. Lu Chen lightly lifted his hand, and the chilling air was dispersed. He then said, ¡°Honored Master really has quite the imagination. How could I possibly be the sort of scum like Lu Yanghua who likes to forcefully take other men¡¯s wives?¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Even if you aren¡¯t him, you¡¯re no different from him.¡± After all, Lu Yanghua had at least pressured Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace and waited for her Immortal Spirit Body to mature, but this unfilial disciple had just devoured her directly, without caring whether her Immortal Spirit Body had matured or not. One could say that compared to Lu Yanghua, Lu Chen was more impatient and even more of a scoundrel. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I am indeed not Lu Yanghua, but I could be considered a brother to Lu Yanghua.¡± Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°No wonder you are both so shameless. So, you are brothers.¡± At this moment, Yun Xianxian felt somewhat relieved in her heart, as long as Lu Chen wasn¡¯t another incarnation or actually Lu Yanghua himself. Chapter 966 - Chapter 966: Chapter 656: Do You Know What I Am Thinking? Chapter 966: Chapter 656: Do You Know What I Am Thinking? Although Yun Xianxian felt slightly better, the thought of Lu Chen knowing her identity from the outset, yet pretending to be unaware and seducing her into his bed step by step, made her feel very uncomfortable. Yun Xianxian continued to ask coldly, ¡°Since you and Lu Yanghua are brothers, you should know how much he desires the Immortal Spirit Body. Then why did you do such things to me!¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°It is true that Lu Yanghua and I are brothers, but our relationship is not good. Whether he wants the Immortal Spirit Body or not doesn¡¯t seem to have much to do with me.¡± ¡°I am also brothers with the Princes of Great Sum. In the end, they fought and killed each other for the throne, did they not?¡± Hearing Lu Chen say that, Yun Xianxian realized that it was true. Even if they were brothers, conflicts could arise over certain interests. Lu Yanghua wanting the Immortal Spirit Body did not mean Lu Chen, as his brother, had to hand it over. But¡­ Was Lu Chen really after the Immortal Spirit Body? Her Immortal Spirit Body was not yet mature, and although one could engage in Dual Cultivation with an immature Immortal Spirit Body, it directly hindered the growth of the Immortal Spirit Body. The one within her had ceased to grow, which was a significant loss for someone who wanted the Immortal Spirit Body as a Furnace Cauldron. If Lu Chen wanted her as a Furnace Cauldron, he should not have consumed her so quickly. Moreover, from what she had observed, during their intimate moments, Lu Chen did not seem to cultivate at all. It was purely to satisfy his base desires. Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°Since you knew my identity, why did you keep deceiving me, showing weakness in front of me, and claiming you were an ordinary person from a lower world in your previous life? Did you plan to obtain my Immortal Spirit Body and make me your Furnace Cauldron from the very beginning!¡± Lu Chen replied calmly, ¡°Honored Master, have you ever seen anyone let their Furnace Cauldron wander everywhere?¡± ¡°Moreover, I did not know your identity at first. After arriving in this world, my memory was sealed. Only recently, with the resurgence of Spiritual Energy in the Tianchen World, have some of my memories returned, recalling some things.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s defense, the ice-cold and stunning fairy fell silent. The situation Lu Chen described was similar to hers; her memory was also sealed upon arriving in this world, only recently starting to recover. So it was quite possible that Lu Chen was telling the truth. Of course, this did not entirely eliminate the possibility of Lu Chen lying. At this moment, Yun Xianxian just coldly watched Lu Chen, silent and motionless. She didn¡¯t know how to face Lu Chen. Lu Chen was Lu Yanghua¡¯s brother, and Lu Yanghua was the one who had caused her much trouble. Although Lu Chen had said his relationship with Lu Yanghua was not good, she still had her reservations. While Yun Xianxian was lost in thought, Lu Chen suddenly disappeared from the bed. She snapped back to her senses and looked around, searching for Lu Chen¡¯s figure. The next moment, a familiar sensation came from behind her. Lu Chen embraced her waist from the back and rested his head on her shoulder. She instinctively tried to struggle, but soon realized her Spiritual Power was sealed. Sensing her power was restricted, Yun Xianxian simply stopped any movement, knowing any attempt to struggle would be futile. This rebellious disciple had completely controlled her. Lu Chen then blew a breath into Yun Xianxian¡¯s ear and said, ¡°Xianxian, rest assured, I have no interest in your Immortal Spirit Body. The only thing I like is you as a person!¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s confession, Yun Xianxian¡¯s delicate body trembled slightly, but she quickly recollected herself, ¡°I am not like those women in your harem. Do you think your sweet talk will work on me?¡± Lu Chen laughed, ¡°I think it does work.¡± ¡°If it didn¡¯t work, why would Honored Master¡¯s body tremble slightly upon hearing my words?¡± Yun Xianxian stubbornly said, ¡°I am merely disgusted by your shamelessness.¡± Though she said that, Yun Xianxian did feel a bit pleased upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words. As long as he wasn¡¯t after her Immortal Spirit Body but truly liked her as a person¡ªeven if it was just her body¡ªshe felt happy. At this moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Honored Master, do you want to know my true identity?¡± Yun Xianxian immediately said coldly, ¡°I do not.¡± Considering Lu Yanghua¡¯s rise to power, the forces behind Lu Chen and Lu Yanghua must be vast. With the luxurious Immortal Boat that Lu Chen brought out, Yun Xianxian realized how terrifying the force behind Lu Chen was without even knowing his true identity. Sometimes, knowing too much is not a good thing. She would rather Lu Chen remain mysterious than feel anxious after learning his true identity. After hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s response, Lu Chen did not pursue the topic further and gently guided her body toward the soft couch inside the room. Seeing that Lu Chen was starting to make his move, Yun Xianxian knew what he was up to. She snorted coldly and then said, ¡°I possess the Immortal Spirit Body. When you first took my body, did you not feel any regret at all?¡± Seeing Yun Xianxian still testing him, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°What is there to regret? The help that the Immortal Spirit Body can bring me is minimal. I have no interest in what kind of body constitution you have.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian was slightly stunned. Truthfully, this was the first time she had encountered someone so indifferent to the Immortal Spirit Body. If this had been in the High-Level Cultivation Realm, once someone learned of her body constitution, they would definitely try every means to obtain her, just like Lu Yanghua had done. Yet with Lu Chen, he simply liked her body, and for some reason, at this moment, Yun Xianxian felt a sense of defeat. If Lu Chen said he had no interest in the Immortal Spirit Body, and it was of no help to him, didn¡¯t that mean that she was merely a plaything to him, an existence for his amusement, and beyond that, she had no value in front of Lu Chen? She did not want to be a Furnace Cauldron, nor did she want to be someone else¡¯s plaything. While Yun Xianxian was lost in thought, Lu Chen had already pushed her body to the edge of the soft couch. At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s hands had moved to Yun Xianxian¡¯s waist and began gently pulling at the ties of her clothes. Yun Xianxian did not stop him, allowing Lu Chen to do as he pleased. After Yun Xianxian¡¯s outer garment was removed, Lu Chen gently laid her body on the soft couch and then slowly pressed over her, looking down at her pair of pale purple beautiful eyes. Yun Xianxian¡¯s face was delicate, her skin white as snow, just like an exquisite porcelain work of art. Lu Chen¡¯s hand gently caressed Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade cheek and said, ¡°Honored Master, it¡¯s been a long time since we last met. You must have missed me, don¡¯t you think?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, a blush surfaced on Yun Xianxian¡¯s ice-cold face. She did not answer Lu Chen¡¯s question and instead turned her head to look away. Seeing Yun Xianxian did not speak, Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°Honored Master, how is your Mysterious Female Technique coming along?¡± Yun Xianxian still did not answer, and seeing her remaining silent with a mix of coldness and shyness, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Since the Honored Master is unwilling to tell her disciple, then the disciple will just have to check himself.¡± With that, Lu Chen straightened Yun Xianxian¡¯s head and then leaned down. Soon after, their lips met. Under Lu Chen¡¯s kiss, Yun Xianxian quickly lost herself. Not long after, they both entered the state. At this time, Lu Chen was no longer continuing to seal the Spiritual Power inside Yun Xianxian¡¯s body. Upon feeling Lu Chen release the restriction, Yun Xianxian immediately began to circulate her Mysterious Female Technique. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lu Chen, holding Yun Xianxian¡¯s delicate body, got up and positioned Yun Xianxian to sit upright on top of him. Yun Xianxian wrapped her arms around Lu Chen¡¯s neck and slightly lowered her head to look into his resolute gaze. Out of the blue, Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°I am the son of Emperor Shenwu from the Shenyue Dynasty.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian¡¯s entire body stiffened; the motion she was in came to an abrupt halt as she stared at Lu Chen in a daze. Although Tianyuan World was considered a remote world in the universe, they had still heard of the fame of Emperor Shenwu. Yun Xianxian never imagined that Lu Chen was actually the son of Emperor Shenwu. That meant Lu Yanghua was also the son of Emperor Shenwu. No wonder Lu Yanghua¡¯s talent was so terrifying that he had grown to be an undefeated existence in the Tianyuan World in less than a hundred years. Who was Emperor Shenwu? He was an existence who swept through various Cultivation Worlds, and his children were naturally no ordinary individuals. When Yun Xianxian saw Lu Chen¡¯s luxurious Immortal Boat, she guessed in her heart that Chen might be a prince of some Empire, but she never imagined he would be a prince of the Shenyue Dynasty. The Shenyue Dynasty was not just any Empire, but a massive one spanning dozens of High-Level Cultivation Realms. Emperor Shenwu was not just any Great Emperor; nearly all other emperors dared not provoke Emperor Shenwu. Seeing Yun Xianxian silent and no longer moving, Lu Chen continued smiling and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s face turned red, but she still coldly said, ¡°Do you know what I¡¯m thinking?¡± Lu Chen countered, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking that perhaps I should find an opportunity to run away, maybe it¡¯s better to leave you forever.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Why would the Honored Master have such thoughts?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°You are a prince of the Shenyue Dynasty, and in the future, for that position, it will be fraught with danger. Being by your side, it is likely that I won¡¯t live to see the end of my days due to life-threatening dangers.¡± Compared to her own situation, Yun Xianxian now found Lu Chen¡¯s circumstances to be even more perilous. At worst, she could be targeted because of her Immortal Spirit Body, but now that it had been damaged and Lu Yanghua was aware of this, he might not want to use her as a Furnace Cauldron anymore. But it was different for Lu Chen; as the son of Emperor Shenwu, even if he did not vie for the position of Emperor Shenwu, the other Imperial Sons would still see him as a threat. Chapter 967 - Chapter 967: Chapter 657: Whats wrong, Xianer? Chapter 967: Chapter 657: What¡¯s wrong, Xian¡¯er? After arriving at Black Dragon City, Yun Xianxian had been pondering one question, which was that if she kept following Lu Chen, she would inevitably bring him trouble sooner or later. In her heart, she didn¡¯t want to add any trouble to Lu Chen¡¯s life, so she had already prepared herself to leave this world and leave Lu Chen. Even though she knew it would be difficult to leave Lu Chen, she still thought about separation, with her main goal naturally being not to let Lu Chen get hurt. Now, Lu Chen had told her that he was the son of a Great Emperor, moreover, the child of Emperor Shenwu. It seemed that it was no longer a case of her bringing trouble to Lu Chen, but rather Lu Chen bringing trouble to her. When Lu Chen heard Yun Xianxian say this, he smiled slightly, then caressed Yun Xianxian¡¯s hair, gazing into her purple eyes as he asked, ¡°Then, Honored Master, would you leave me because you are afraid of being implicated by me?¡± Facing this question from Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian did not immediately answer; she could no longer make sense of her own thoughts. If it were before, she would try to avoid anyone or anything that could pose a danger to her, seeking benefits and avoiding harm was human instinct. However, she now lacked such intentions, and even had the notion of staying by Lu Chen¡¯s side forever. This man must have given her some kind of enchanting potion, for she had completely fallen in love with him. Seeing Yun Xianxian did not respond for a while, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade back, laid her body back down on the bed, and then continued what he was doing. After Yun Xianxian let out two moans, she finally spoke, ¡°Hmm¡­ I can choose not to leave you, but¡­ um¡­¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°But what?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Go to ????????????????????.co Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, if you have something to say, just say it.¡± Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°I¡­ hmm¡­ have fallen into your hands, and since you are the child of Emperor Shenwu, I¡­ ah¡­ can¡¯t escape from your¡­ your palm in this lifetime. There¡¯s nothing more to say¡­ be gentle¡­¡± Lu Chen burst into laughter, then said, ¡°So, Honored Master likes this kind of tone.¡± As his words faded, Lu Chen continued on his conquest. At this moment, Yun Xianxian also figured things out. Since Lu Chen was already troubled and was also in competition with Lu Yanghua, there was no need for her to leave Lu Chen. Whether she left Lu Chen or not, he and Lu Yanghua were at odds. Thus, even if she left Lu Chen, Lu Yanghua would still clash with Lu Chen, not because of her. And indeed, deep down she did not want to leave this ¡®rebellious disciple¡¯; she now considered herself cursed by Lu Chen, completely under his control. In the following half month, Lu Chen stayed in Black Dragon City, helping Yun Xianxian cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique every day. With Lu Chen¡¯s assistance, the seal within Yun Xianxian¡¯s body gradually began to loosen, and signs of her previous strength returning appeared. If the two of them continued to practice like this, it was not impossible for Yun Xianxian to return to her realm in Tianyuan World. ¡­ Qianyuan World. The Shenyue Dynasty, Imperial Capital. A woman in a Phoenix Robe stood on the pavilion, looking towards the distant buildings. At that moment, a figure in a black robe appeared on the pavilion. The figure in the black robe knelt and saluted, saying, ¡°Greetings to the Empress!¡± The Empress Shenwu asked coldly, ¡°What is it?¡± The figure in the black robe spoke, ¡°The Fifth Prince wishes to use the Sky Evolution Stone to locate the position of Tianchen World.¡± Hearing this, Empress Shenwu¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, then she asked icily, ¡°What does he want with Tianchen World?¡± The figure in the black robe answered, ¡°The people of the Fifth Prince did not say, but I estimate that they must know of Prince Lu Chen¡¯s presence in Tianchen World.¡± Upon hearing the black-robed figure¡¯s response, Empress Shenwu¡¯s face grew even colder, and an intense aura of chaos seemed to emanate from her, as a cloud of black mist spread out from her body. It seemed she understood something. Lu Chen had been among the most outstanding of Emperor Shenwu¡¯s children, as well as the most significant rival for the throne. Now that the Fifth Prince was the first to complete the trial and emerge from the trial world, he naturally thought of disrupting someone else¡¯s trial. For Empress Shenwu, Lu Yanghua was most likely aiming to find Tianchen World and then sabotage Lu Chen¡¯s trial, ensuring that Lu Chen could never rise again. Although Lu Yanghua was also Lu Chen¡¯s rival or enemy, in the eyes of Empress Shenwu, the enemy of her enemy was not necessarily a friend. Lu Chen, as an enemy, was hers to harm. No one else, except her, was allowed to touch Lu Chen. Empress Shenwu then instructed the black-robed figure, ¡°Tell the people of the Fifth Prince that only His Majesty can use the Sky Evolution Stone, I have already returned it to His Majesty.¡± The black-robed figure said, ¡°Understood, I will take my leave now.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave.¡± As the words fell, the figure in the black robe turned into a cloud of black mist and vanished on the spot. After the black-robed figure left, Empress Shenwu looked up at the sky of Qianyuan World and muttered to herself, ¡°Only I am qualified to do anything to him!¡± ¡­ Qianyuan World. King Jin¡¯s domain. The cultivation chamber. Lu Yanghua was cultivating when suddenly a shadow appeared inside the room, ¡°My Lord, there¡¯s news from Empress Shenwu.¡± Without even opening his eyes, Lu Yanghua indifferently asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± The kneeling shadow before him answered, ¡°The Empress says that the Sky Evolution Stone has been returned to Your Majesty.¡± Hearing this, Lu Yanghua snorted coldly, ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t want anyone to harm Prince Lu Chen, after all, in the entire Qianyuan World, who doesn¡¯t know about her affair with him.¡± ¡°She¡¯s married to our father emperor yet has another man in her heart. If the Emperor knew she still harbors feelings for Prince Lu Chen, I wonder what he would think.¡± ¡°Enough, since she¡¯s unwilling to help, then we¡¯ll send someone ourselves to find the Tianchen World.¡± Although Xuan Yue Palace is considered a significant force in the Tianyuan World, compared to the Shenyue Dynasty, Xuan Yue Palace is almost inconsequential. Even if the entire Xuan Yue Palace were mobilized to find the Tianchen World, the probability of success would still be meager. However, as the son of the Great Emperor, Lu Yanghua is different; he has access to resources a million times greater than Xuan Yue Palace. Although it may also take a lot of time, it would undoubtedly be faster than having Xuan Yue Palace look for it. Just as Lu Yanghua decided to send out his own men to search for the Tianchen World, another shadow suddenly appeared in the room. ¡°My Lord, good news, the Tianchen World has been found!¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Yanghua was startled. He was still preparing to search for the Tianchen World when someone told him it had already been found. So quick? Lu Yanghua then opened his eyes and, looking at his two subordinates, asked, ¡°Who found it?¡± He hadn¡¯t yet dispatched anyone to search, and Empress Shenwu had also declined his request, so who could have found the Tianchen World? It couldn¡¯t possibly be Xuan Yue Palace, could it? As Lu Yanghua was thinking this, the subordinate who had just entered replied, ¡°It¡¯s Xuan Yue Palace. Our spies have reported that the Palace Master of Xuan Yue Palace has received messages from the palace¡¯s disciples; they have discovered the exact location of Tianchen World, but Xuan Yue Palace hasn¡¯t reported this immediately.¡± When Lu Yanghua left the Tianyuan World, to prevent such a situation where Xuan Yue Palace might hide Yun Xianxian, he left numerous spies in Xuan Yue Palace. After hearing the subordinate¡¯s report, Lu Yanghua sneered, ¡°It seems I have been away from Tianyuan World for too long, Xuan Yue Palace dares to conceal such crucial information.¡± ¡°Send someone to Xuan Yue Palace immediately, and demand that the Palace Master hand over the star chart location of Tianchen World.¡± The two people before Lu Yanghua immediately responded in unison, ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± As their voices fell, the two figures vanished on the spot, leaving Lu Yanghua alone in the cultivation chamber once more. At that moment, the corners of Lu Yanghua¡¯s mouth slightly lifted, and he chuckled to himself, ¡°Oh Prince Lu Chen, since this is a trial, the more challenging it is, the better it¡¯ll forge a person. Your brother is just adding a little difficulty for you, surely you won¡¯t blame me.¡± Lu Yanghua believed that their imperial father would not intervene. According to his father¡¯s temperament, as long as he didn¡¯t lay hands on Lu Chen himself, even if his followers incapacitated Lu Chen, their father would not care. Instead, he would think that Lu Chen was useless. Moreover, their father had already given up on Lu Chen; even if Lu Chen died, his father would probably have no reaction. A worthless Prince, dead or alive, it mattered not. ¡­ After being wrapped up in tender affection with Yun Xianxian for half a month, Yun Xianxian finally remembered the affairs of Xuan Yue Palace. Lu Chen, that rebellious disciple, had made her forget nearly everything with his distractions. Black Dragon City, inside the Hundred Flowers Tower. Lu Chen was planning to continue, but Yun Xianxian suddenly raised her delicate hand and pushed against Lu Chen¡¯s chest. Seeing Yun Xianxian stop him, Lu Chen asked confusedly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xian¡¯er?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s endearment, Yun Xianxian¡¯s cheeks flushed even redder as she said, ¡°There¡¯s something I forgot to tell you.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°What is it?¡± Yun Xianxian answered, ¡°Not long ago, I sensed the Spiritual Power released by the Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen slightly furrowed his brows. ¡°Does that mean the Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace have already found the Tianchen World?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°It¡¯s very likely they have reached the Misty World. But they have Immortal Boats, and the Misty World¡¯s restrictions probably can¡¯t stop them. If they haven¡¯t entered Tianchen World after such a long time, it¡¯s likely they¡¯ve encountered some trouble.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯m afraid the news of me being in Tianchen World has already been relayed back to Xuan Yue Palace, and it probably won¡¯t be long before Xuan Yue Palace sends someone here to capture me.¡± As Yun Xianxian spoke, her slender fingers gently caressed Lu Chen¡¯s chest. After spending time together, Yun Xianxian had shed her usual aloofness. Although her demeanor remained cold, her attitude towards Lu Chen had changed dramatically, appearing now as a tender woman. Chapter 968 - Chapter 968: Chapter 658: You... Dont Keep Talking Chapter 968: Chapter 658: You¡­ Don¡¯t Keep Talking Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen slightly smiled, then raised his hand to grasp Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade hand and, gazing into her purple eyes, he said, ¡°Honored Master, rest assured, no one will be able to take you away from my side!¡± Seeing the earnest look on Lu Chen¡¯s face, a tremor ran through Yun Xianxian¡¯s heart, and her body also began to feel some sensations. Feeling Yun Xianxian¡¯s physical condition, Lu Chen knew that his words had reached deep into her heart. Yun Xianxian¡¯s complexion was rosy, and with a trace of shyness amidst her coldness, she said, ¡°With your current strength, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re still not capable of contending with the Mysterious Moon Palace.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If the time comes that I¡¯m truly no match for them, I will take you and my wives and concubines, and board the Immortal Boat to leave this world together.¡± ¡°We will head to a more remote world. I refuse to believe that they would still be able to find us there.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian thought for a moment and felt that he was right. If they were really tracked to this place, with Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Boat, they would still be able to escape from this world. Moreover¡­ After all, Lu Chen was a Great Emperor¡¯s son, so even if the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace found their way here, with Lu Chen around, they wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly. Unless Lu Yanghua had also sent someone. At that moment, Lu Chen gazed into Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes and tenderly asked, ¡°Xian¡¯er, no matter what happens in the future, you will never leave me, right?¡± Seeing the softness in Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, the iceberg in Yun Xianxian¡¯s heart completely melted. She knew that she had been thoroughly conquered by this rebellious disciple, both in body and soul. However, Yun Xianxian still responded icily, ¡°It depends on your future performance. If you treat me as a Furnace Cauldron, I will still find a way to escape from you.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s reply, Lu Chen gave a faint smile. Although she said this, Yun Xianxian had been urging him to cultivate these past few days. Even when he didn¡¯t want to use the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, Yun Xianxian would actively operate the skill to help him improve his strength. Go to ????????????????????.co Whatever Yun Xianxian might say about not being treated as a Furnace Cauldron was just her being stubborn. She wanted to show her value to him, so even if Lu Chen was reluctant to engage in Dual Cultivation with her, she would initiate it herself. Of course, there is a difference between Dual Cultivation and using someone as a Furnace Cauldron; the latter only benefits one party, while Dual Cultivation allows both parties to enhance their strength. At this time, Yun Xianxian looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Did you come to this world to experience trials?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Yun Xianxian curiously asked, ¡°Being a son of the Great Emperor, why would you come to such an inferior world for trials?¡± Lu Yanghua and Lu Chen were brothers, and the worlds Lu Yanghua had chosen for his trials were all higher realms of cultivation. Yet Lu Chen was sent to this world where even Spiritual Energy was scarce. In a world without Spiritual Energy, even cultivation is a significant issue. What is there to gain from trials here? This couldn¡¯t be called trials anymore; it was more like torment. Suddenly denying someone who could easily wield Spiritual Power the ability to use it and expecting them to live like this for many years was akin to torture. Lu Chen gently stroked Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade neck and said, ¡°This involves some secrets of the Shenyue Dynasty.¡± Yun Xianxian immediately said, ¡°Then you better not talk about it.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± Yun Xianxian coldly responded, ¡°Sometimes, the more you know, the more dangerous it becomes.¡± At this point, something occurred to Yun Xianxian, and she continued to ask, ¡°When do you plan on returning to the Qianyuan World?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°I won¡¯t go back until I have become an Emperor.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian felt a jolt in her heart. Go back only after becoming a Great Emperor? Why wait until he¡¯s a Great Emperor to return? Lu Chen was the child of Emperor Shenwu and should be able to return after completing his trials in this world. There was no need to wait until he was a Great Emperor, was there? Yun Xianxian then remembered the events involving Lu Chen in this world. Perhaps Lu Chen¡¯s relationship with Emperor Shenwu was like his relationship with the Sum Emperor. If Lu Chen became Emperor after returning, he would most likely aim to directly seize that position from Emperor Shenwu¡¯s hands. Lu Chen would have to walk the same path he had walked in this world all over again. However, on the flip side, Emperor Shenwu was not the Sum Emperor¡ªhe couldn¡¯t be overthrown as easily, and following Lu Chen turned out to be much more dangerous than she had imagined. Of course, she had already made up her mind to follow this rebellious disciple; he had thoroughly devoured her in every aspect. Even if he now chased her away, she wouldn¡¯t leave. At this time, Lu Chen leaned in slightly and continued with his own business. Yun Xianxian bit her silver teeth, trying hard not to make a sound, while Lu Chen spoke up and said, ¡°Honored Master, I¡¯m quite curious about that Red Flower Sedan. Could you tell me about it?¡± Lu Chen had heard from Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu that both of them had come to this world because of a mysterious Red Flower Sedan. Now it turned out that Yun Xianxian also came to this world because of that same Red Flower Sedan. Lu Chen was now very curious about what exactly this Red Flower Sedan was and why it had brought them to this world? After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian opened her mouth and said breathlessly, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know much about the Red Flower Sedan¡­¡± ¡°At the time, I just thought it might be a magic treasure, so I followed it, and then I was directly transported to this world.¡± Lu Chen wondered if this Red Flower Sedan had something to do with the system. Otherwise, why would the Red Flower Sedan appear separately in the worlds of Mu Yunxi and Liu Qingqiu? All three of them were from different worlds, yet they all encountered this Red Flower Sedan. While Lu Chen was lost in thought, his body started to get a little carried away. Yun Xianxian quickly said, ¡°Rebellious¡­ disciple, are you¡­ are you trying to kill your master¡­¡± Lu Chen regained his senses and smiled at Yun Xianxian, saying, ¡°Honored Master, it seems our fate is destined by the heavens. Perhaps the Almighty intentionally brought you to my side so that you could become my woman.¡± Yun Xianxian clenched her teeth and said, ¡°You¡­ stop talking incessantly¡­¡± Grinning mischievously, Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop talking.¡± The moment he finished speaking, Lu Chen kissed Yun Xianxian¡¯s red lips once more. Lu Chen had no resistance against Yun Xianxian, the Cold Fairy; he didn¡¯t know whether he was affected by the situation with the Sky Evolution Stone, but now he felt that it didn¡¯t matter. After all, as long as he didn¡¯t reproduce, his destiny and bloodline power shouldn¡¯t be stripped away from him. At this moment, Yun Xianxian felt as if she had gone mad. She had previously never indulged in the company of men, regardless of how handsome or exceptional the male cultivators were. She was devoted solely to cultivation. But now, having fallen into the hands of this rebellious student, she had degraded herself, engaging in that act for continuous days and half-months. Yun Xianxian sighed softly to herself. Well, since there were no downsides, she might as well consider it part of her normal cultivation routine. With that thought, Yun Xianxian cast aside all her other thoughts and concentrated on cultivating with Lu Chen. The Misty World. Outside the Fiery Cloud Palace. By now, numerous flying boats had appeared, completely surrounding the Fiery Cloud Palace. The three major powers of the Misty World had gathered at the Fiery Cloud Palace. Inside the Fiery Cloud Palace, there was a flurry of activity. At that moment, Ge Yuanzhou, the master of the Fiery Cloud Palace, emerged from his cultivation chamber. His body exploded with power, dispersing all the surrounding mist. Seeing that the leaders of the three major powers had arrived, Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Sect Master Han, Sect Master Ji, Sect Leader Jiang, may I ask what brings you three to the Fiery Cloud Palace?¡± Han Yuankai said with a smile, ¡°Since the three great powers have gathered, it¡¯s naturally to seek justice.¡± Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s expression turned sullen¡ªwere the three powers converging on the Fiery Cloud Palace to seek justice? What a joke. Since when had the Fiery Cloud Palace caused significant trouble for the three powers? Wait a moment¡­ At that instant, Ge Yuanzhou seemed to realize something. It was the Fiery Cloud Palace that had initially led the three powers to relinquish the space rift for everyone¡¯s use. Surely they weren¡¯t holding a grudge over this and seeking revenge on the Fiery Cloud Palace? It was quite possible. Considering this, Ge Yuanzhou said, ¡°The three of you, we are all members of the Misty World. The space rift should indeed be shared. If you¡¯re here about the space rift and decide to eradicate the Fiery Cloud Palace, aren¡¯t you afraid that all the forces of the Misty World will join forces against your three powers later on?¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°The justice that I speak of, naturally, isn¡¯t about that.¡± Hearing this, Ge Yuanzhou was taken aback but he clearly didn¡¯t believe Han Yuankai¡¯s words. Han Yuankai continued, ¡°According to the information we¡¯ve obtained, the Fiery Cloud Palace is harboring demon cultivators, practicing Devilish Skills, and possessing numerous Demon Cultivator Techniques.¡± ¡°Today, we three great powers have assembled to eradicate the Fiery Cloud Palace, this cancer of the Misty World!¡± Hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, Ge Yuanzhou laughed derisively. ¡°Harboring demon cultivators? That¡¯s quite an accusation, Sect Master Han. If you want to destroy the Fiery Cloud Palace, just say it directly; there¡¯s no need to pretend to be so noble!¡± ¡°However, although your three great powers are strong, eradicating my Fiery Cloud Palace won¡¯t be that easy.¡± With that, Ge Yuanzhou shouted, ¡°Fire Dragon Great Array, arise!¡± The next moment, the entire Fiery Cloud Palace was enveloped by a fiery red shield. Seeing this, Han Yuankai said to Ji Hongwen and Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Master Ji, Sect Leader Jiang, it¡¯s up to us now. I hope you both can give your all. The Fire Dragon Great Array of the Fiery Cloud Palace is no ordinary formation.¡± Jiang Hongye said, ¡°Of course.¡± Without responding, Ji Hongwen raised his hand, and the surrounding spiritual energy began to gather in front of him. Seeing Ji Hongwen already preparing to break the formation, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye wasted no more time and began their preparations immediately. A huge fire dragon soared from the formation of the Fiery Cloud Palace into the sky, heading straight for the three of them. Seeing this, the trio ceased delaying and acted together. Sky-Burning Earth-Shattering Palm!!! Earth-Splitting Qiankun Break!!! Piercing Cloud Sword!!! ¡­ Chapter 969 - Chapter 969: Chapter 659 Yun Qingshu Chapter 969: Chapter 659 Yun Qingshu A gigantic palm imprint descended from the sky alongside the phantom of a colossal sword, while on the ground, a yellow earth dragon rushed directly toward the Fire Dragon Great Array of Fiery Cloud Palace. After Han Yuankai and his two companions made their move, the fire dragon in the sky was instantly repelled, and its phantom began to gradually dissipate; the formation barrier enveloping Fiery Cloud Palace also became faintly visible and intermittent. However, at that moment, Ge Yuanzhou bellowed fiercely, ¡°Bloodthirsty Great Formation, activate!¡± The next instant, the formation around Fiery Cloud Palace turned a sinister crimson, casting an ominous aura; everyone present was stunned by the scene. The aura emitted by this formation was exceedingly malevolent, clearly not a formation that righteous cultivators would use. The people from the three major forces were somewhat shocked. They claimed that Fiery Cloud Palace was allied with demon cultivators merely as a pretext to move against the palace. None of them had expected that Fiery Cloud Palace indeed had affiliations with demon cultivators. Even the disciples of Fiery Cloud Palace were shocked still by the formation that appeared before them. Wasn¡¯t Fiery Cloud Palace a righteous force? How could their Palace Master use a demon cultivator¡¯s formation? While the disciples of Fiery Cloud Palace hadn¡¯t recovered from their shock, their bodies gradually turned into mists of blood. Witnessing their fellow disciples vanish before their eyes, the disciples of Fiery Cloud Palace quickly realized that their Palace Master¡¯s formation was draining the blood essence of others within Fiery Cloud Palace to sustain itself. This was the nature of demon cultivators, ruthless to the extent of not sparing even their own people. Seeing the gruesome spectacle unfold, the disciples of Fiery Cloud Palace panicked and fled in all directions, but they were all trapped within Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s Bloodthirsty Great Formation, with no way to escape. Ge Yuanzhou laughed loudly, saying, ¡°You few from the Yin-Yang Realm think you can destroy Fiery Cloud Palace? Delusional dreams!¡± Seeing Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s power rapidly soaring, with his aura growing increasingly terrifying, Han Yuankai promptly said, ¡°Gentlemen, we can¡¯t keep waiting. If we allow this fiend to absorb enough blood essence, none of us will be his match!¡± Go to ????????????????????.co As Han Yuankai spoke, he once again gathered all his spiritual power and thrust out his sword. Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen didn¡¯t just stand by either; they too took action. However, despite the three men attacking simultaneously, they could not impact Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s Bloodthirsty Great Formation; clearly, Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s strength had surpassed all three of them. At this point, Ge Yuanzhou laughed heartily, saying, ¡°Dare to strike at me, you all shall become the blood sustenance for me today!¡± As he spoke, Ge Yuanzhou gathered spiritual power and pushed forward with a palm. Myriad Forms of Netherworld!!! The next moment, countless blood-red skulls flew out from the blood clouds above. The disciples of the three major powers hastily exerted their energy to counter these blood-red skulls. Some disciples were carelessly touched by these blood-red skulls, and the next moment, they turned into pools of blood, which were quickly absorbed by something. Seeing this, Han Yuankai¡¯s expression darkened; he had initially thought Fiery Cloud Palace would be the easiest to deal with, but instead, it had become the most troublesome force now. But in this situation, he had no choice but to find a way to eliminate Ge Yuanzhou. At that moment, Han Yuankai threw out his flying sword, controlling it with his spirit, then said to Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, Sect Master Ji, assist me in eliminating this demon!¡± Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen immediately understood Han Yuankai¡¯s intent, quickly positioning themselves behind him, then channeling their own spiritual power into Han Yuankai. The next moment, Han Yuankai¡¯s inner spiritual power surged tremendously, and he promptly activated his cultivation technique, causing the flying sword in the sky to grow immensely large. Seeing this, Ge Yuanzhou sneered, ¡°Just the three of you thinking to defeat me, laughable!¡± Ge Yuanzhou then resumed channeling spiritual power. Netherworld Hell!!! Suddenly, the color of the heavens and earth changed, turning a sickly green as eerie green light appeared on peoples¡¯ faces, creating a terrifying sight. Subsequently, a green river surged from the heavens, its rapid flow speeding directly toward Han Yuankai and his allies. Han Yuankai was not intimidated by this scene; he snorted coldly, then waved his hand. Sword Breaks the Heavens!!! The giant sword rushed toward the green river, and upon contact, the green river was instantly dispersed. The giant sword then thrust fiercely toward Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s Bloodthirsty Great Formation. Seeing his Netherworld Hell so easily broken, Ge Yuanzhou couldn¡¯t believe it. Just as he regained his senses and prepared to counterattack, the giant sword effortlessly broke through the Bloodthirsty Great Formation and charged straight at him. Ge Yuanzhou¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and he cried out, ¡°No! Impossible!!! How can you be this strong!!!¡± Before Ge Yuanzhou could dodge, the giant sword directly pierced his body, turning him instantly into a mist of blood. Ge Yuanzhou, the strongest Palace Master, had died, and naturally, the rest of the Fiery Cloud Palace had lost their will to resist. Coupled with the sacrificial offering of the disciples from Fiery Cloud Palace earlier, which had shaken the ideology of its disciples, by the time disciples from the three major powers stormed into the Fiery Cloud Palace, the people left in there harbored no thoughts of resistance and Fiery Cloud Palace was quickly extinguished. After everything had ended, Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen exchanged glances behind Han Yuankai¡¯s back. Both saw shock in each other¡¯s eyes. Although they both knew that Han Yuankai was powerful, having reached the eighth level of the Yin-Yang Realm, they had not expected him to be this strong. Even though Han Yuankai had just leveraged their powers, it shouldn¡¯t have been so easy for him to eliminate Ge Yuanzhou, especially since Ge Yuanzhou had previously possessed strength nearly equivalent to the All Law Realm and had the capability to break through the world¡¯s barriers. Yet, he was slain by a single stroke from Han Yuankai. This stroke from Han Yuankai, it seemed, had also reached the strength of the All Law Realm. At this moment, both Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen started feeling a sense of crisis. Watching the disciples from the three powers having already stormed into Fiery Cloud Palace, Han Yuankai turned his head and smiled at Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen, saying, ¡°Thank you both for your help. Without you two, perhaps I couldn¡¯t have delivered that stroke.¡± Jiang Hongye quickly responded, ¡°Not at all, Sect Leader Han has powerful abilities; even without us two, Sect Leader Han alone could have dealt with that demon, right, Sect Master Ji?¡± Ji Hongwen also smiled and said, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang is right. With that stroke Sect Leader Han displayed just now, he didn¡¯t need us to eliminate that demon.¡± Han Yuankai said, ¡°Alright, you two need not praise me any further, I am well aware of my own strength.¡± ¡°Now that Fiery Cloud Palace is gone, we should prepare for what comes next.¡± Jiang Hongye and Ji Hongwen said in unison, ¡°Sect Leader Han is right.¡± Though the three of them said little else, they quickly plundered the resources of Fiery Cloud Palace. After destroying the Fiary Cloud Palace, the three great powers subsequently annihilated some forces that had been on good terms with Fiery Cloud Palace. With these forces extinguished, other powers in the Misty World also gradually realized something was amiss. To confront the three great powers, some medium-sized forces hastily formed alliances. Yet before the three great powers made a move, the allies they had grouped with turned on them and then sought refuge with the three great powers. In this situation, they had only two choices: either join the three great powers or be extinguished. With more and more powers pledging allegiance to the three great powers, a tripartite stance gradually formed in the Misty World, and the cooperation among the three great powers was also coming to an end. Now, the three great powers did not need to deploy any troops; they merely needed to send people to talk with some forces, and those forces would voluntarily come to offer their allegiance. Thus, the next focus of the three great powers was to win over many forces and strengthen themselves. This consequently turned the three great powers into competitors and a new confrontation in the Misty World emerged once again. ¡­ In Tianyuan World. Mysterious Moon Palace. On a pavilion, a woman was gazing into the distance; her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, her black hair shimmering with silvery-white light under the moon. Her eyes were deep and bright, as clear as an autumn lake. She was dressed in a white fairy robe that gently fluttered with the breeze, embroidered with exquisite flowers that seemed almost alive, as if real blossoms had been sewn onto the fabric. A blue ribbon tied around her waist danced with the wind, as soft and flowing as water. The woman held a jade flute in her hand; her fingers slender and elongated, like finely carved white jade. The woman¡¯s skin was fair, her figure graceful with curves that were clearly defined¡ªunder the moonlight, her body seemed to emit a sanctified glow, as if a fairy had descended to earth. After a long while, a cultivator came from afar on a flying sword and upon seeing the woman, immediately paid his respects, ¡°Greetings, Palace Master!¡± The woman slightly nodded and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Her voice was clear and penetrating, as if it directly entered one¡¯s mind. The cultivator said, ¡°Palace Master, Lu Yanghua has learned of our disciples reporting the location of the Tianchen World, he demands we hand over the star map of Tianchen World immediately or face the consequences.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression slightly changed, becoming even colder and more detached, her body emanating a strong coldness. Yun Qingshu then told the cultivator in front of her, ¡°Immediately send someone to investigate, among the Elders, how many have been promoted in the last thousand years.¡± ¡°Yes, Palace Master!¡± Then the cultivator left the pavilion on his flying sword. Yun Qingshu watched the moonlight in the sky and coldly said, ¡°Even if he is the son of the Great Emperor, if he provokes this Palace, I will sacrifice one of my souls to annihilate the Shenyue Dynasty!¡± As soon as Yun Qingshu¡¯s words fell, suddenly, a strange sensation surged through her, making her feel as if her body were being peered at by someone. The cold in Yun Qingshu¡¯s body burst forth. Her expression turned extremely grim, ¡°Who is it! Who dares to possess Xian¡¯er¡¯s body!¡± Chapter 970 - Chapter 970: Chapter 660 Why Did the Honored Master Send You to Find Us Chapter 970: Chapter 660 Why Did the Honored Master Send You to Find Us After spending some time ¡°farming¡± with Yun Xianxian in Black Dragon City, Lu Chen took her back to Yan County. Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t want to return with Lu Chen. She felt that being in Black Dragon City or Yan County was the same, as it was all within the same world anyway. Whenever Lu Chen wished to cultivate with her, the Immortal Boat could instantly take them from Yan County to Black Dragon City. Of course, her main reason for not wanting to go back was that all of Lu Chen¡¯s women were in Yan County. She didn¡¯t like sharing a husband with other women, at least she didn¡¯t want to see Lu Chen doing those things with them. Yun Xianxian was also clear on the fact that she was no match for Lu Chen alone, but still, she harbored a strong possessiveness over him in her heart. Yet ultimately, after being bombarded by Lu Chen¡¯s persistence, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t hold out against his methods and chose to return to Yan County with him. As for Lu Chen, this recalcitrant disciple, Yun Xianxian now had no way to deal with him and could only follow him. Upon returning to Yan County, Lu Chen took on the role of a hands-off shopkeeper, handing over almost all the administrative affairs to Zhuge Zhongguang while he focused on cultivation every day, as well as assisting Chu Yuqin in nurturing their child world. He was very curious about what sort of rewards he could get from the system once the child world inside Chu Yuqin matured. Yan County. Imperial Palace. Lu Chen was exercising in Chu Yuqin¡¯s room when a maidservant¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Your Majesty, Commander Qin has captured some spies from Misty Immortal Sect. These spies claimed they were sent by the Great Elder of Misty Immortal Sect to look for Noble Consort Wu and Consort Li.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen stopped what he was doing, curiously asking, ¡°The Great Elder of Misty Immortal Sect?¡± The maidservant continued, ¡°According to the spies¡¯ confessions, the Great Elder is the Honored Master of Noble Consort Wu and Consort Li.¡± Go to ????????????????????.co After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen then said, ¡°Let Qin Yushan bring those spies to meet Noble Consort Wu and Consort Li to see what they have to say. I will head over there later.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After giving instructions, Lu Chen continued to focus his attention on Chu Yuqin, who lay on a soft couch with a misty look in her eyes as she watched Lu Chen and asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, what¡¯s the difference between this child world and the minor worlds of cultivators?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I¡¯ll only understand the specifics after you have fully nurtured the child world.¡± Lu Chen was also eager to know the specific reasons why the system required his wives to nurture child worlds. Although the system said this would help him spread his progeny further, he always felt that wasn¡¯t the real reason. The beings born from the child worlds have no blood relation to him at all; can they still count as his progeny? Now, it was pointless to think too much. Only after the first child world matured would he know the specifics. With that thought, Lu Chen leaned over, sealing Chu Yuqin¡¯s red lips with a kiss, focusing on the task at hand. Meanwhile. Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou sat in the pavilion, drinking afternoon tea. Wu Junwan was soothing the baby in her arms while chatting with Li Qianrou about matters concerning the Misty World. Li Qianrou said, ¡°The Misty Immortal Sect has already sent almost three groups of disciples here, and until now, our Honored Master hasn¡¯t sent anyone to find us, which feels somewhat amiss.¡± Wu Junwan gently rocked the child in her arms, saying, ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty unwittingly killed the disciples our Honored Master sent?¡± Their Honored Master sent disciples to the Misty World, certainly in the company of Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples. The people their Honored Master sent would blend in with the Misty Immortal Sect, which in Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, naturally made them enemies. Lu Chen had eliminated so many disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect; it was possible that some of them had been sent by their Honored Master. After hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s speculation, Li Qianrou hummed lightly and said, ¡°That¡¯s uncertain; perhaps that man knew there were people sent by our Honored Master among them, but since he doesn¡¯t trust us, he might as well have killed all those sent by our Honored Master.¡± Hearing Li Qianrou speak, Wu Junwan smiled, ¡°Qianrou, you¡¯ve had quite a grievance against His Majesty these past few days. Could it be because he hasn¡¯t come to see you since he returned?¡± Li Qianrou replied indifferently, ¡°What grievance? He¡¯s always been that kind of person; such things are not beyond him.¡± As soon as Li Qianrou¡¯s words fell, a female soldier dressed in a Jinyiwei Guard uniform entered the courtyard, ¡°Greetings to Noble Consort Wu, Consort Li!¡± Seeing the Jinyiwei Guard, Li Qianrou asked curiously, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with the Jinyiwei?¡± The Jinyiwei Guard replied, ¡°To Consort Li, in the past few days, the Jinyiwei have captured some spies from the Misty Immortal Sect. According to those spies, they are disciples sent by your Honored Master. His Majesty instructed me to bring those spies to you.¡± Upon hearing this, both Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan were surprised. They had just discussed the absence of their Honored Master¡¯s messengers, and now the Jinyiwei Guard said that there were Misty Immortal Sect spies here for them. Li Qianrou promptly said, ¡°Where are those people now? Bring them here.¡± The Jinyiwei Guard said, ¡°Please wait, they are on their way here.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before several Jinyiwei Guards brought a few women dressed in coarse cloth forward to Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan. Although all the women were beautiful, their clothes were patched and repaired as if they were destitute commoners. Upon seeing Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan, the women were overjoyed, almost to the point of madness. They had thought they would die in the cell, never anticipating that they would be able to see Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou again. With Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou present, they had hope for rescue. At this moment, the women quickly spoke up, ¡°We¡¯ve seen Noble Sister Wu, Noble Sister Li!¡± Wu Junwan surveyed the women and then said, ¡°You look somewhat familiar.¡± The woman who had just spoken hurriedly said, ¡°Noble Sister Wu, we are all disciples of Yunhai Peak, we have met before.¡± Wu Junwan said, ¡°I see, then why are you dressed like this?¡± Upon hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s question, the women were momentarily stunned, then after a pause, one of the women said, ¡°Noble Sister Wu, as soon as we arrived in the Tianchen World, we heard that Great Sum had annihilated all cultivators from the Misty World, and they are still capturing cultivators from the Misty World. We had no choice but to disguise ourselves like this.¡± Li Qianrou indifferently said, ¡°You have exceptional appearances and otherworldly auras, clearly not women from poor households. Wearing such tattered clothes actually makes you more suspicious.¡± Feeling extremely ashamed at these words, one woman said, ¡°Noble Sister Li is right, we were not thorough in our considerations.¡± Li Qianrou continued, ¡°Tell me, why did Honored Master send you to find us two?¡± As Li Qianrou¡¯s words fell, one woman produced two letters, ¡°Honored Master asked us to deliver these two letters to the two noble sisters, and also to remind you to find a place to hide as soon as possible, and never come out again.¡± Hearing these words, Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan were taken aback. They had not expected their master to instruct them to hide away. Could it be that something happened to the Misty World? With a wave of Li Qianrou¡¯s hand, the two letters flew into her and Wu Junwan¡¯s hands. They then opened the letters from Su Hanyan addressed to each of them and read them intently. Upon finishing the contents of the letters, they learned what was going on. It turned out Han Yuankai wanted to use them both as Furnace Cauldrons, no wonder their master told them to hide away. If it had been before, the two of them might have been a bit concerned, but now both of them had men of their own, and Lu Chen was their greatest support. Upon reading the content of the letter, their hearts remained undisturbed. Li Qianrou glanced over the women present and then said to them, ¡°Honored Master said she would take you as disciples, I will not make it difficult for you. If you wish to return, then leave immediately.¡± Instead of leaving upon hearing this, the women knelt down promptly, ¡°Noble Sister Li, Noble Sister Wu, we want to follow you!¡± In this world, they had come to learn quite a lot about the Daxia Dynasty and the Sum Emperor, as well as the affair of the Immortal Boat. Not only had they heard about it, but they had also seen Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Boat when he returned last time. The sight of such a huge Immortal Boat had confirmed to them the extraordinary identity of the Sum Emperor. They were not fools; rather than continue to live in fear every day in the Misty Immortal Sect, they preferred to join the Daxia Dynasty, especially since their senior sister was the Sum Emperor¡¯s Noble Consort, which was the best opportunity. Upon seeing the women kneeling immediately, Li Qianrou smiled lightly and then said, ¡°You are quite clever.¡± Su Hanyan mentioned in the letter that if these women insisted on returning, they should be eliminated, as this would mean that no one would know about Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou¡¯s situation. Their choice to stay had effectively spared their own lives. Although Su Hanyan was not as fond of killing indiscriminately as Han Yuankai, she was prepared to be ruthless for the sake of her Direct Disciples. For these female disciples, even if they died, she would not have the slightest pang of regret. At that moment, Li Qianrou said, ¡°From today, you are maids at our side.¡± Hearing this, the women immediately expressed their gratitude, ¡°Thank you, noble sisters!¡± Wu Junwan then reminded, ¡°In the Imperial Palace, being Noble Consorts to His Majesty, you should no longer address us as senior sisters.¡± The women then corrected themselves, ¡°Thank you, Noble Consort Wu, Noble Consort Li.¡± Just as the women finished correcting themselves, a man¡¯s voice came from outside the courtyard, ¡°Qianrou, Junwan, what news has your Honored Master brought you?¡± As the voice fell, Lu Chen walked in from the doorway. Li Qianrou chuckled lightly and said, ¡°I thought Your Majesty wasn¡¯t interested at all.¡± Li Qianrou knew that Lu Chen could not rest easy concerning them; in her view, Lu Chen surely suspected that their master was passing them a message, instructing them to cooperate with the Misty Immortal Sect in controlling the entire Tianchen World. Hearing this, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting to appear behind Li Qianrou, wrapping his arm around her delicate waist and laughing, ¡°I am quite confident in my two consorts; if there were any important news, I believe you would take the initiative to tell me.¡± Chapter 972 - Chapter 972: Chapter 662: Liu Qingqius Main Body, Liu Qingyun Chapter 972: Chapter 662: Liu Qingqiu¡¯s Main Body, Liu Qingyun As the infant¡¯s cries rang through the room, the final child that Lu Chen had created as a system reward was finally born. After the system¡¯s upgrade, he and his wives only needed to conceive child worlds, so there was no longer a need for him to have children for the sake of rewards. Of course, if one of his wives wanted a child, he could consider it, but the system said that having children would divide his fate and bloodline power. Although he couldn¡¯t feel these two things now, he was still somewhat apprehensive in his heart. Lu Chen held the baby closely in his arms, scrutinizing it carefully. He still couldn¡¯t understand why the child looked so ordinary, yet the system said having children would divide his fate and bloodline power. Was the bloodline of Emperor Shenwu so special? Then, having had so many children himself, wouldn¡¯t Emperor Shenwu have also had his fate and bloodline power divided? Just as Lu Chen was thinking this, the system notification sounded. ¡°Host¡¯s guess is correct. Emperor Shenwu indeed had his fate and bloodline power divided because of his offspring. The reason he procreated was that his time was near, and he needed a new reincarnation body to evade the cosmic laws.¡± After hearing what the system said, Lu Chen wondered in his heart, ¡°Logically, in my previous life, I was already killed by Emperor Shenwu, and I have since reincarnated. Why do I still possess the same as Emperor Shenwu?¡± The system answered, ¡°It¡¯s because the host¡¯s soul was imprisoned by Emperor Shenwu in the Soul Bead, and the Soul Bead contained Emperor Shenwu¡¯s essence blood. The host¡¯s body is nurtured by Emperor Shenwu¡¯s essence blood.¡± Lu Chen continued to ask, ¡°When my mother conceived me, she must have used my father¡¯s essence blood from this life, right? So what role did that father of mine play?¡± The system responded, ¡°The essence blood of the Sum Emperor only helped shape your flesh body, but the blood flowing in your veins is still that of the Emperor¡¯s essence blood.¡± Upon hearing the system¡¯s reply, Lu Chen felt that his father in this life had it quite tough, resembling an honest man. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Lu Chen further inquired, ¡°So, if one day I become powerful enough to discard this flesh body, could I be free from the influence of Emperor Shenwu¡¯s bloodline and have children freely?¡± The system answered, ¡°Only by breaking through to the Emperor Realm can the host completely escape the influence of Emperor Shenwu¡¯s bloodline.¡± Having received a definite answer from the system, Lu Chen felt relieved. Although he may not want children now, many of his wives were still childless, and if they wanted children one day and he was still under the influence of Emperor Shenwu¡¯s bloodline, unable to have offspring, that would truly dishearten them. All he needed was to break free from the influence of Emperor Shenwu¡¯s bloodline. While Lu Chen was lost in thought, Bai Qingqing¡¯s voice came, ¡°Your Majesty, could you grant the child a name?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen snapped back to reality and said with a smile, ¡°His name shall be Lu Xinhui.¡± Xinhui signifies new radiance, new glory, and symbolizes the brilliance of a new beginning. This was the last child created under the drive of the system, and henceforth a new beginning. Lu Chen believed that someday he would uncover the true identity behind the system, as well as escape its control. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced to his right, where the system notification box showed that the reward had been delivered. He then handed the child over to Bai Qingqing¡¯s arms. After Bai Qingqing took the child, a smile graced her face again, one of maternal affection that a mother would show only when looking at her child. Lu Chen then addressed Bai Qingqing, ¡°Bai, I have matters to attend to, so I must leave. Use the Rejuvenating Skill to strengthen Hui¡¯er¡¯s body.¡± Bai Qingqing responded, ¡°This concubine understands, Your Majesty should attend to your duties.¡± Lu Chen then disappeared from the spot with a Shadow Shifting technique and arrived at the Imperial Study Room. Inside, he opened the system interface. [Congratulations, host, on gaining a child. Reward: one thousand sets of Shenghui Armor.] Seeing the reward, Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback. Armor? Not a force? Unsure of the Shenghui Armor¡¯s purpose, Lu Chen clicked on ¡°Shenghui Armor¡± to see its specific functions. [Shenghui Armor: Profound-grade armor. Wearing this armor can increase one¡¯s strength by up to an entire realm and can resist most attacks.] Understanding the function of the Shenghui Armor, Lu Chen thought that if he gave these one thousand sets of Shenghui Armor to cultivators in the Heavenly Human Realm, wouldn¡¯t that mean he had effectively acquired a thousand Genesis Realm powerhouses? He did not expect that this final child would bring such a great reward. Of course, he did not have a thousand Heavenly Human Realm subordinates right now. Only after the prohibition of the Misty World disappeared and the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect entered the Tianchen World would these one thousand sets of Shenghui Armor be able to reach their fullest potential. ¡­ World of Fallen Suns. Yunyan Sect. Atop a mountain peak, a woman dressed in white gazed toward the distant pavilion. The woman¡¯s beauty was breathtaking, like a painting, her demeanor cool and proud, as if she were a snow lotus on an icy mountain. At that moment, the woman¡¯s body suddenly trembled. A strange feeling surged in her heart, and a hint of blush flashed across her cold face, instantly replaced by an angry expression. ¡°Who dares to defile my sub-body¡¯s purity! I will tear you limb from limb!¡± Immediately after, the woman used tracking magic, attempting to locate the precise position of her sub-body; however, at that moment, her connection to her sub-body was severed once again. Liu Qingyun¡¯s brows furrowed slightly; she was somewhat puzzled by the force that had cut off the connection with her sub-body. Now a Semi-Saint, as long as her sub-body had not left this universe, she should be able to sense it anywhere in any world. After pondering for a moment, Liu Qingyun immediately sent a message to everyone in the Yunyan Sect, ¡°All Elders, end your seclusion, drop your current tasks, and immediately head to Green Cloud Palace. I have an important mission to announce!¡± After sending the message, Liu Qingyun coldly said, ¡°Whoever dares to confine my sub-body, treating it as a furnace cauldron, I will surely execute them!¡± Although she had not ascertained the location of her sub-body, the brief sensing told her that her sub-body was in a world called Tianchen World. If she didn¡¯t know the exact coordinates, she would just have someone search for it. As long as it was in this universe, it could definitely be found. A hundred years, a thousand years, ten thousand years, a hundred thousand years¡ªshe would find Tianchen World, find the villain who used her sub-body as a furnace cauldron. In her eyes, the fact that she had lost the connection with her sub-body meant that the villain who had confined it feared her finding it and had used some secret technique to sever their connection. But no matter, she already knew her sub-body was in Tianchen World, and as long as she found Tianchen World, she would personally go there to deal with the miscreant. Since the culprit was afraid of her, the main body, coming over, it showed that their strength was not particularly powerful. ¡­ Two years later. Inside Wind Cloud Palace, Lu Chen was playing with his children when suddenly, the sky changed color outside, turning dark from the previously clear sky in an instant. At that moment, a maid rushed into Wind Cloud Palace, ¡°Your Majesty, something terrible has happened, Noble Consort Chu, she¡­¡± Before the maid could finish speaking, Lu Chen had already vanished on the spot and in the next moment, appeared in Chu Yuqin¡¯s sleeping quarters. For the past two years, Lu Chen had been particularly concerned about Chu Yuqin¡¯s condition. The system had said that birthing a child world was not the same as birthing a child, that it might take more time, so Lu Chen had been eager for the child world inside Chu Yuqin to mature. He was very curious to see what exactly a system child world was, and what he could gain from it. When the maid mentioned something had happened to Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen wondered if the child world was about to mature, so he immediately went to Chu Yuqin¡¯s sleeping quarters to check on her. At that time, Chu Yuqin lay on the bed, her entire face pale. Lu Chen hurried to her side and infused her with Life Spiritual Power. After a while, Chu Yuqin felt slightly better. Once Chu Yuqin regained some strength, she said weakly, ¡°Chen¡¯er, thank you.¡± Lu Chen directly asked, ¡°Madam Chu, how are you feeling now, is there any discomfort?¡± Chu Yuqin replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know where the discomfort is, it just felt like my soul was being peeled away a moment ago.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately said to the system, ¡°System, what¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t you say that birthing a child world inside my wives would not affect them? Why would she feel this way?¡± The system notification sounded immediately. [Congratulations to the host and his consort on birthing your first child world, rewarded with the Holy Mirror of Time and Space.] Seeing that the reward was not some form of power, Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate to open the introduction to the Space-Time Mirror to see what it could do. [Space-Time Mirror: A Holy Artifact capable of communicating with any world and allowing face-to-face interaction with people from other worlds. When the user¡¯s strength reaches the All Law Realm, they can descend their consciousness into another world through the Space-Time Mirror.] Upon learning the capabilities of the Space-Time Mirror, Lu Chen was stunned. With the Space-Time Mirror, wouldn¡¯t he be able to directly contact Black Dragon Holy Land? Then he could make some arrangements in advance. Thinking this, Lu Chen immediately took out the Space-Time Mirror and said to the system, ¡°System, can I use the Space-Time Mirror to contact people from Black Dragon Holy Land?¡± The system replied, ¡°The host only needs to channel Spiritual Power into the Space-Time Mirror to understand how to use it.¡± Without hesitation, Lu Chen channeled his Spiritual Power into the Space-Time Mirror. The next moment, the Space-Time Mirror emitted a purple glow, then floated into the air, free from Lu Chen¡¯s hand. Subsequently, the Space-Time Mirror emitted a beam of purple light that passed through Lu Chen¡¯s forehead and into his brain, and he instantly understood how to control the Space-Time Mirror. With just a thought, the Space-Time Mirror could automatically search for and find any world in this universe and the person he wished to contact. It¡¯s no wonder it¡¯s called a Holy Artifact; the feature was incredibly powerful. Chapter 973 - Chapter 973: Chapter 663: Chener, You Shouldnt Have Used That Mirror in Front of Me Chapter 973: Chapter 663: Chen¡¯er, You Shouldn¡¯t Have Used That Mirror in Front of Me Seeing the Space-Time Mirror floating in the air, Lu Chen could hardly wait to use the Holy Artifact to contact the underlings from Black Dragon Holy Land. Immediately, Lu Chen kept infusing Spiritual Power into the Space-Time Mirror. Although the mirror had powerful functions, it was still somewhat strenuous for the current Lu Chen to use. After all, being a Holy Artifact, it required a tremendous amount of Spiritual Power, and Lu Chen was almost drained by the Space-Time Mirror. Fortunately, just when the Spiritual Power inside Lu Chen was about to be exhausted, the Space-Time Mirror finally located Tianyuan World and projected the scenery of Black Dragon Holy Land. At this very moment. Black Dragon Holy Land. Within the Holy Lord Great Hall, Yin Zhengye was listening to a report from an Elder. Upon hearing the Elder say that Lu Yanghua had also sent people to Xuan Yue Palace, demanding the Palace Master to hand over the star map coordinates of Tianchen World, Yin Zhengye fell into deep thought. He did not know the relationship between Lu Yanghua and Lu Chen, but he always felt that this Lu Yanghua was not solely after an Immortal Spirit Body. Lu Yanghua had grown incredibly fast during his time in Tianyuan World, becoming the most powerful being in less than a hundred years. The Black Dragon Holy Land was different from the other forces of Tianyuan World; they had some knowledge about worlds beyond theirs. Although they did not know the specific identity of Lu Yanghua, they could guess that he likely came from some Empire. Yin Zhengye was well aware that their lord also came from an Empire and shared the surname Lu, suggesting that Lu Yanghua could very well be related to their lord. With Lu Yanghua being such a powerful presence, if he learned the location of Tianchen World, would it bring trouble to Lu Chen? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co As Yin Zhengye was deep in thought, he suddenly had a feeling of being watched, a feeling that was very familiar to him, but he immediately became alert. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± The next moment, a figure appeared in the great hall. The figure was somewhat blurry, but Yin Zhengye recognized Lu Chen at a glance. Seeing it was Lu Chen, Yin Zhengye was overjoyed. Regaining his composure, he knelt on the ground fervently, and the Elders and others in the hall also knelt down in unison. ¡°Welcome back, Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± After everyone stood up, Yin Zhengye said excitedly, ¡°Your Majesty, you have finally returned! We have been searching for you for over a thousand years!¡± Hearing these words, Lu Chen was stunned. In his view, Black Dragon Holy Land was just a force awarded to him by the system; he did not realize it had any special relationship with him. Lu Chen cleared his throat, then said, ¡°I am now the Emperor of Tianchen World. I am speaking to you through a special magical artifact. Time is short, so I will not waste words.¡± ¡°You must quickly find the location of Tianchen World and send people here.¡± Yin Zhengye immediately responded, ¡°Your Majesty, we already have news of Tianchen World. Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace have discovered Tianchen World. As long as Xuan Yue Palace is willing to hand over the star map coordinates, we can soon send people to Tianchen World.¡± Hearing Yin Zhengye mention Xuan Yue Palace, Lu Chen immediately thought of Yun Xianxian. It seemed that Xuan Yue Palace had indeed sent people to locate Tianchen World, but they might have encountered some issues, preventing them from entering Tianchen World. But since the people of Xuan Yue Palace had already discovered Tianchen World, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Tianchen World would have to face Xuan Yue Palace. Uncertain about the strength of the first group of Xuan Yue Palace Disciples to arrive at Tianchen World, Lu Chen feared that if they were too powerful, he might truly have to take his wives and concubines and flee Tianchen World on the Immortal Boat. With this in mind, Lu Chen said, ¡°Immediately find out how long it will take for Xuan Yue Palace people to arrive at Tianchen World, and what the strength of the first group of disciples who discovered Tianchen World is.¡± Yin Zhengye said with a bow, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± After thinking for a moment, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Do you know anything about the movements of Lu Yanghua?¡± At this question, Yin Zhengye¡¯s heart skipped a beat. They had just been speculating whether there was any relationship between Lu Yanghua and their lord and were somewhat worried that Lu Yanghua might bring trouble to their lord. Now that their lord had directly inquired about this person, it confirmed that their lord indeed had some connection with Lu Yanghua, but it was uncertain whether that relationship was that of friend or foe. Yin Zhengye promptly said, ¡°Your Majesty, we do have some recent information on Lu Yanghua. When he learned that Xuan Yue Palace knew the coordinates of Tianchen World, he coerced Xuan Yue Palace to surrender the star map coordinates.¡± Hearing Yin Zhengye¡¯s words, Lu Chen frowned. He was unsure if Lu Yanghua was going for Yun Xianxian. Or if Lu Yanghua already knew he was in Tianchen World and thus wanted to send someone to cause him trouble? This was not exactly good news for him. Seeing Lu Chen frowning without speaking, Yin Zhengye could tell that the relationship between Lu Yanghua and Lu Chen was adversarial. Yin Zhengye immediately said, ¡°Your Majesty, we must find a way to hold off Lu Yanghua to prevent him¡­¡± Before Yin Zhengye could finish his sentence, Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Lu Yanghua is the son of a Great Emperor and controls a lot of power. The Black Dragon Holy Land should prioritize preserving its strength and avoid conflict with Lu Yanghua unless absolutely necessary.¡± The Black Dragon Holy Land was a force given to Lu Chen by the system, and he certainly didn¡¯t want it destroyed by the son of a Great Emperor like Lu Yanghua before he had the chance to use it himself. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yin Zhengye immediately replied, ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°By the way, is Lu Yanghua still in the Tianyuan World now?¡± Yin Zhengye answered, ¡°After Lu Yanghua broke through to the Divinity Transformation Realm, he left the Tianyuan World, but he established the Shenwu Dynasty there. Now all powers in the Tianyuan World are under the management of the Shenwu Dynasty.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that it seemed Lu Yanghua had already returned to the Qianyuan World, to the Shenyue Dynasty. This was not good news at all. With Lu Yanghua, the son of a Great Emperor, returning to the Shenyue Dynasty, it meant he could mobilize even more resources. If he truly intended to cause trouble for Lu Chen, just sending a slightly more powerful force could be more than he could handle. No, he couldn¡¯t just sit around and wait for doom. It was time to have Yin Zhengye urgently send someone to the Tianchen World. Lu Chen said, ¡°Find a way to send someone to the Tianchen World before Lu Yanghua¡¯s people arrive.¡± Yin Zhengye responded, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen went on, ¡°Furthermore, I have established a dynasty, so from now on, you should not refer to me as Your Majesty.¡± Yin Zhengye instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention and promptly corrected himself, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± In the eyes of Yin Zhengye and the others, someone as formidable as their lord was certainly not content with establishing merely a mundane dynasty. The likely goal of their lord in founding a dynasty was to create an Empire. In an increasingly crowded cosmic space, founding an Empire would mean facing the siege of other Empires¡ªa huge challenge for any new Empire. Therefore, a newly founded Empire could not simply proclaim itself as such from the outset, unless it sought its own destruction. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s image began to flicker. The Spiritual Power inside Lu Chen¡¯s body was almost depleted. He quickly said, ¡°My Spiritual Power is nearly exhausted. We¡¯ll have to stop for today¡­ like this¡­¡± Lu Chen had barely finished speaking when his projected image disappeared on the spot. Seeing the great hall empty once again, Yin Zhengye and a few Elders looked at each other. Coming back to their senses, Yin Zhengye immediately said, ¡°We can¡¯t keep waiting like this. I must personally go to the Mysterious Moon Palace to ask the Palace Master for the coordinates of the Tianchen World!¡± If they continued to wait, it was likely that the people Lu Yanghua sent would reach the Tianchen World before them. This would be very dangerous for their lord, and they had to hurry to send someone to protect him. With this in mind, Yin Zhengye walked out of the great hall. At first, he had sent a formal request hoping to meet with the master of the Mysterious Moon Palace. But the master of the Mysterious Moon Palace had not responded, neither refusing nor agreeing. ¡­ Chu Yuqin lay on the bed, stunned by everything Lu Chen had just said to the mirror. After all, she was the secondary body of the Empress Shenwu, possessing most of the Empress¡¯s memories. She could naturally see that the mirror was extraordinary. But she couldn¡¯t figure out why such a mirror would appear in a trial world. Furthermore, even if Lu Chen¡¯s cultivation resources included this mirror, her primary body would never allow it to appear in this world. A mirror capable of communicating with other worlds would inevitably be regarded as beyond the Heaven Rank. Lu Chen must have obtained such a treasured Spiritual Artifact from somewhere. Lu Chen came back to his senses and stowed the Space-Time Mirror away. He smiled at Chu Yuqin and said, ¡°Madam Chu, I was wrong to neglect you just now.¡± When she heard this, Chu Yuqin sighed softly, then said, ¡°Chen¡¯er, you shouldn¡¯t have used that mirror in front of me.¡± ¡°Although my primary body has severed all connections with me and cut off karma as well, she can still merge with my body.¡± ¡°If one day I fall into her hands and she forces a merger, she will be able to access all my memories, and naturally, she will learn of the existence of such an object in your possession.¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°For her to merge with you, she¡¯d have to be in your presence, right? But it won¡¯t be easy for her to leave the Shenyue Dynasty now.¡± Chu Yuqin said, ¡°She could also send people to capture me and bring me back.¡± Lu Chen stated, ¡°If she really wanted to capture you and bring you back, she wouldn¡¯t have severed karma. In her eyes, you as a secondary body no longer hold any value.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Chu Yuqin did not continue that topic. At that moment, Lu Chen took hold of Chu Yuqin¡¯s wrist and asked with concern, ¡°Madam Chu, how are you feeling now?¡± Chapter 974 - Chapter 974: Chapter 664: What exactly is in the Tianchen World? Chapter 974: Chapter 664: What exactly is in the Tianchen World? Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s concern, Chu Yuqin immediately sensed her own body and found that she felt much more relaxed and no longer had that feeling of her soul leaving her body. Lu Chen then asked the system in his mind again, ¡°System, what just happened? Why did Chu Yuqin feel unwell?¡± Previously, he had been distracted by the Space-Time Mirror and almost forgot about this matter, and the system had not answered what caused Chu Yuqin¡¯s discomfort. The system replied, ¡°Chu Yuqin has already cultivated a child world, and she is now the master of her own child world. Her soul can enter her child world at any time, and just now, Chu Yuqin¡¯s soul left her body and entered the child world unconsciously.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, and at that time, Chu Yuqin said to Lu Chen with a smile, ¡°Chen¡¯er, I¡¯m fine now.¡± Although she didn¡¯t know what was going on, Chu Yuqin felt that she should be alright, and that her strength had increased as well, having now reached the Fifth Layer of Heavenly Man. In the Tianchen World, where the concentration of Spiritual Energy was so low, to cultivate to the Fifth Layer of Heavenly Man in just two years was considered incredibly fast. Lu Chen asked, ¡°Madam Chu, don¡¯t you feel any special changes in your body?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Chu Yuqin sensed her body again and then said, ¡°There seems to be some change. I feel like my Divine Sense can enter a special space now.¡± As soon as Chu Yuqin finished speaking, she froze. She discovered that she could indeed sense a peculiar world. What was happening? In that world, she saw barrenness, but on the ground, some plants were already sprouting, showing signs of life. Seeing Chu Yuqin frozen in place, Lu Chen asked the system, ¡°System, since the child world was cultivated by my wives and me together, my Divine Sense should be able to enter that child world too, right?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co The system answered, ¡°Naturally.¡± Upon hearing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen closed his eyes, trying to sense the child world inside Chu Yuqin. Soon, he, like Chu Yuqin, entered the child world with his Divine Sense and saw the green plants peeking out from the barren land. He had not expected that the child world, barely cultivated, had already spawned life. But for now, there were only plants; he wondered when animals would be born. Just then, the Divine Sense of both seemed to become tangible, and they could see each other¡¯s forms. Seeing that Lu Chen had also entered her child world, Chu Yuqin was momentarily stunned, and her face felt a little hot. According to her memory, the small worlds inside cultivators were private places, and without her permission, only her own Divine Sense could enter; how had Lu Chen suddenly come in? Lu Chen¡¯s sudden appearance gave Chu Yuqin a strange feeling. At this moment, Lu Chen glanced at Chu Yuqin¡¯s tangibilized Divine Sense and smiled, ¡°Qin¡¯er, this is the world we have cultivated together. In the future, we will continue to create more life together and strive to fill this world with vitality.¡± Hearing this, Chu Yuqin¡¯s face grew hotter and increasingly shy. Seeing the beautiful woman¡¯s flushed and shy expression, Lu Chen wished he could take action against her Divine Sense right now and engage in a battle in this child world they had together cultivated. However, Lu Chen did not do so. Now that he had confirmed that the child world was harmless to his wives, he had no reason to remain inside it any longer. Afterward, with a single thought, Lu Chen¡¯s Divine Sense left Chu Yuqin¡¯s child world. ¡­ Tianyuan World. Mysterious Moon Palace. Yun Qingshu, dressed in white robes, sat in the main hall of the palace. At this time, some Elders were discussing something with much bickering. ¡°Palace Master, Yun Xianxian is just a disciple. We should give her coordinates to Lu Yanghua. It¡¯s not worth sacrificing the entire Mysterious Moon Palace for just one disciple!¡± ¡°Indeed, Palace Master, now Lu Yanghua is at the height of his influence, and he has many Divinity Transformation Realm powerhouses under his command. Our Mysterious Moon Palace is no match for Lu Yanghua,¡± they argued. ¡°Please reconsider, Palace Master. Although Yun Xianxian is your Direct Disciple, if the disciples of the Mysterious Moon Palace find out that you are willing to sacrifice the entire palace for your Direct Disciple, they will surely be disheartened,¡± the Elders pleaded. ¡­ Listening to the words spoken by the Elders present, Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression remained cold and indifferent, without the slightest ripple of emotion, nor any sign of anger. She had long anticipated that these Elders would speak so, indeed, in their eyes, Yun Xianxian was just a disciple she had picked up when she was young, with no blood relationship to her. Sacrificing Yun Xianxian seemed of no consequence to them. Only Yun Qingshu herself was acutely aware of what Yun Xianxian truly meant to her. Although Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t share her bloodline, in reality, she was a reincarnation of a strand of her own soul, one could say her second incarnation; how could she possibly allow her second incarnation to be used as a Furnace Cauldron by others? Of course, now that Yun Xianxian¡¯s body had been violated by a villain, what she needed to do was to head to Tianchen World herself to deal with this evildoer and take back her second incarnation. Seeing that Yun Qingshu remained silent, the Elders in the great hall started to grow anxious. In their view, if Yun Qingshu were to stubbornly protect Yun Xianxian and refused to hand her over, Lu Yanghua would certainly lead his forces to attack the Mysterious Moon Palace and annihilate them. They certainly did not wish to sacrifice their lives for the sake of a single disciple. Just then, Yun Qingshu spoke in an icy tone, ¡°Tell Lu Yanghua, there¡¯s no need for him to send people searching for Tianchen World. I will personally go to Tianchen World and bring back Yun Xianxian.¡± Hearing these words, the Elders present were momentarily stunned, but they quickly realized what she meant. They thought their Palace Master had come to her senses, planning to personally capture Yun Xianxian and then present her to Lu Yanghua as an apology. If that was the case, then the crisis of the Mysterious Moon Palace would naturally be resolved. It was while the Elders were thinking this that a disciple entered the great hall, ¡°Palace Master, the Saint Master from the Black Dragon Holy Land requests an audience! He has already arrived outside the sect on a Flying Boat!¡± Hearing this, everyone in the great hall was taken aback, Yun Qingshu included. Indeed, she had received a visitation card from the Saint Master of the Black Dragon Holy Land some time ago, but she did not pay it any attention. The Black Dragon Holy Land was also a large force in the Tianyuan World and maintained cooperative relationships with various major powers; Elders from the Black Dragon Holy Land often visited the Mysterious Moon Palace, though it was mostly for business matters. When the Mysterious Moon Palace was manufacturing Immortal Boats, the Black Dragon Holy Land had been a significant help. Yun Qingshu assumed that the Saint Master from the Black Dragon Holy Land was seeking her out for something probably not too important, perhaps a routine visit. Therefore, she had not bothered to respond. As the most potent force in the Tianyuan World aside from the Shenwu Dynasty established by Lu Yanghua, there were yearly numerous leaders of other forces who wished to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace. Yun Qingshu didn¡¯t pay attention to just anyone. Even if it was the Saint Master from the Black Dragon Holy Land, if he didn¡¯t specify his purpose in the visitation card, she would not afford him the courtesy. But now, without even a reply to his card, the Saint Master from the Black Dragon Holy Land had made an impromptu visit to the Mysterious Moon Palace, clearly indicating that there was something at hand. If it were just a routine visit, the Saint Master would likely not be so direct. After thinking for a moment, Yun Qingshu glanced over the Elders in the grand hall and then said, ¡°Since we have a visitor, let¡¯s conclude this matter here. We shall first welcome our guest and see what brings the Black Dragon Holy Land here this time.¡± With that, Yun Xianxian rose slowly and walked towards the exterior of the grand hall. The Black Dragon Holy Land was, after all, a considerable force; since they had come, it was only right that she, as the Palace Master, personally received them. Soon after, Yun Qingshu, leading the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace, went outside the great hall to welcome Yin Zhengye. Yin Zhengye, from atop the Flying Boat, glanced at Yun Qingshu and her entourage before speaking directly, ¡°Palace Master Yun, my unscheduled visit is indeed inappropriate, and for that, I apologize.¡± Yun Qingshu directly asked, ¡°May I know the reason for Saint Master Yin¡¯s visit to the Mysterious Moon Palace today?¡± Yin Zhengye replied with a smile, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a matter of importance. However, this isn¡¯t the place for such discussions. As your guest, I trust you wouldn¡¯t turn me away at the gates, Palace Master Yun?¡± Yun Qingshu waved her hand, and the next moment, the Formation barrier of the Mysterious Moon Palace dissolved. Yin Zhengye leaped down from the Flying Boat. Yun Qingshu said tersely, ¡°Please, Saint Master Yin.¡± Yin Zhengye politely responded, ¡°After you.¡± The group from the Mysterious Moon Palace and some Elders accompanying Yin Zhengye then re-entered the main palace hall. Once Yin Zhengye was seated, Yun Qingshu spoke again, ¡°It has come to my attention that Saint Master Yin rarely appears in public and is dedicated to secluded cultivation. What prompted your sudden desire to visit the Mysterious Moon Palace today?¡± Yin Zhengye stated, ¡°The Mysterious Moon Palace and the Black Dragon Holy Land frequently interact and collaborate; our relations have always been cordial. I¡¯ll dispense with the pleasantries and get straight to the point.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Mysterious Moon Palace has been searching for a world called Tianchen World and that your disciples have discovered the location of this world. Coincidentally, the Black Dragon Holy Land is also seeking this world.¡± ¡°I wonder if Palace Master Yun would be willing to share the celestial navigation map location with us. If you are willing to provide us with the Tianchen coordinates, the Black Dragon Holy Land will be at your service should the Mysterious Moon Palace need assistance in the future.¡± Upon hearing Yin Zhengye¡¯s words, those from the Mysterious Moon Palace were startled. Why, aside from Lu Yanghua, is now even the typically low-profile Black Dragon Holy Land interested in Tianchen World? What exactly exists within Tianchen World? Yun Qingshu looked at Yin Zhengye with a cold expression and inquired, ¡°Saint Master Yin, I¡¯m curious. What is it about Tianchen World that makes it worth such a significant favor from you?¡± Chapter 975 - Chapter 975: Chapter 665: Yun Qingshus Intentions Chapter 975: Chapter 665: Yun Qingshu¡¯s Intentions Yin Zhengye had anticipated that Yun Qingshu and the rest would definitely ask this question; after all, if the Black Dragon Holy Land was interested in Tianchen World, it could very well be because of some precious treasure. The more the Black Dragon Holy Land valued Tianchen World, the less likely it was that Mysterious Moon Palace would reveal the coordinates of Tianchen World. Yin Zhengye then laughed and said, ¡°I am not afraid to be the subject of laughter, but in my younger years, I shared a fleeting relationship with a fairy. After she left me, she gave birth to a son. Using some special methods, I have determined that my child is in Tianchen World, and I wish to personally go and bring him back.¡± Upon hearing Yin Zhengye¡¯s words, the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace immediately looked at him with strange glances. They had always thought Yin Zhengye was someone who placed all his thoughts on cultivation and had forsaken all love, a cultivation fanatic; they had not expected Yin Zhengye to have had a romantic history. However, whether what Yin Zhengye said was true was uncertain; there might also be some treasure in Tianchen World, and Yin Zhengye might have deliberately said so to prevent the people from the Mysterious Moon Palace from being suspicious. Yun Qingshu fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I can give the coordinates of Tianchen World to the Black Dragon Holy Land.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone present was stunned. The Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace did not understand why Yun Qingshu would so easily give away the coordinates to someone else; she had just previously refused to give the coordinates to Lu Yanghua, yet as soon as someone from the Black Dragon Holy Land arrived, she handed over the coordinates of Tianchen World to Yin Zhengye. Yin Zhengye and his group were also surprised that Yun Qingshu agreed so readily; they had initially thought that Yun Qingshu would haggle with them, but no sooner had they spoken than Yun Qingshu agreed. She agreed so quickly that Yin Zhengye felt all the words he had prepared were for naught. After coming back to his senses, Yin Zhengye laughed and said, ¡°Then I must thank Palace Master Yun!¡± ¡°I wonder what conditions Palace Master Yun has?¡± Yun Qingshu said indifferently, ¡°The Black Dragon Holy Land has always had a good relationship with Mysterious Moon Palace; such a minor matter is hardly worth mentioning.¡± Yun Qingshu just wanted to know why the Black Dragon Holy Land was going to Tianchen World. She naturally did not believe the story about Yin Zhengye having a son in Tianchen World. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Since the Black Dragon Holy Land was unwilling to tell the truth, even if she exposed Yin Zhengye and continued to question him, it was highly likely that Yin Zhengye would not reveal the true reason the Black Dragon Holy Land was going to Tianchen World. So, asking was pointless. Since she was also going to Tianchen World eventually, and Yin Zhengye was going as well, once Yin Zhengye arrived at the Black Dragon Holy Land, they would naturally find out the true purpose of the Black Dragon Holy Land¡¯s visit to Tianchen World. If there was indeed something in Tianchen World that could pique her interest, she could also make a move to snatch it. Only by casting a long line could one catch a big fish. After hearing Yun Qingshu¡¯s words, Yin Zhengye laughed and said, ¡°How could that be acceptable? Mysterious Moon Palace has done such a great favor for me; I should be thanking the Mysterious Moon Palace!¡± ¡°Whatever conditions Palace Master Yun has, please state them.¡± Yun Qingshu immediately took out a scroll and threw it toward Yin Zhengye. As the scroll flew in front of Yin Zhengye, Yun Qingshu said, ¡°Holy Land Master Yin, Mysterious Moon Palace was able to locate Tianchen World, largely thanks to the Black Dragon Holy Land¡¯s assistance in manufacturing those Immortal Boats for Mysterious Moon Palace. Without those Immortal Boats, Mysterious Moon Palace couldn¡¯t have found Tianchen World in such a short time.¡± ¡°We can consider ourselves even.¡± Yin Zhengye caught the scroll and, upon opening it, a starry sky pattern appeared in the room, and everyone in the hall felt as if they were in the midst of the cosmos. After briefly scanning the coordinates of Tianchen World, Yin Zhengye put away the scroll and once again exclaimed his thanks, ¡°Thank you, Palace Master Yun. Should there be a need for the Black Dragon Holy Land in the future, Palace Master Yun can send someone to notify me at any time.¡± With that, Yin Zhengye stood up. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb Palace Master Yun any longer.¡± Seeing Yin Zhengye¡¯s haste, Yun Qingshu asked nonchalantly, ¡°Holy Land Master Yin isn¡¯t worried that the star chart I gave you has fake coordinates?¡± Yin Zhengye smiled and replied, ¡°Coordinates to a lower realm are of no great consequence; Palace Master Yun, you wouldn¡¯t attach too much importance to them.¡± ¡°Well then, I will take my leave first. After retrieving my son, I will surely bring him to visit and express our thanks!¡± With these words, Yin Zhengye turned and left the hall, bringing the Elders of the Black Dragon Holy Land with him. Once the people from the Black Dragon Holy Land had left, the Elders in the great hall started speaking one after another. ¡°Palace Master, why did you directly give the map of Tianchen World to the Black Dragon Holy Land?¡± ¡°Palace Master, the Black Dragon Holy Land is so determined to obtain the location of Tianchen World, surely because there must be some treasure in Tianchen World. By telling the Black Dragon Holy Land the location directly, aren¡¯t you just handing over the treasure to them?¡± ¡°Yes, Palace Master, if there wasn¡¯t anything important in Tianchen World, the Black Dragon Holy Land wouldn¡¯t be interested.¡± ¡­ Listening to what the Elders had to say, the chill emanating from Yun Qingshu instantly erupted, and in an instant, the entire hall was enshrouded in ice. The next moment, the entire hall fell silent, and the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace dared not speak again. All of them looked at Yun Qingshu worriedly. It was then that Yun Qingshu said, ¡°If there indeed is a treasure in Tianchen World, do you think Yin Zhengye would share such information with Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± ¡°Even if there does exist a treasure in Tianchen World, it is likely hidden very deep. Even if the Mysterious Moon Palace sent people to search, they might not be able to find it.¡± ¡°Given that, why not let the people from the Black Dragon Holy Land lead the way and help us find that potential treasure?¡± After hearing Yun Qingshu¡¯s explanation, the Elders in the hall immediately realized that their Palace Master was planning to bait a big fish with a long line. At that moment, the Elders felt utterly ashamed. They actually hadn¡¯t thought of this and still believed that Yun Qingshu had just given away the coordinates of Tianchen World for nothing. Afterward, Yun Qingshu continued, ¡°That¡¯s all for today. Tianchen World is quite far from Tianyuan World, so you may all go and prepare.¡± Although the Disciples¡¯ messages had been relayed back to Tianyuan World immediately, the star charts they sent back indicated that reaching Tianchen World would take at least several decades. Therefore, those who were heading to Tianchen would spend the next few decades on the Immortal Boat, which indeed required thorough preparation. Before becoming a Great Emperor, space still restricted them, but for those who had lived for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, a few decades meant almost nothing. Some practiced in seclusion and a hundred years would pass in the blink of an eye; once they boarded the Immortal Boat, they simply needed to meditate in their rooms, and by the time they opened their eyes again, they might have already arrived in Tianchen World. Upon hearing Yun Qingshu¡¯s words, the Elders didn¡¯t think too much and rose to their feet, gave Yun Qingshu a bow, and then left the great hall. Watching the Elders¡¯ retreating figures, Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression became even colder, and a trace of killing intent flashed in her eyes. At that moment, a woman appeared beside Yun Qingshu, handing her a scroll and saying, ¡°Palace Master, here is a list of Elders who have ties with the Shenwu Dynasty.¡± Yun Qingshu took the scroll and glanced over it, then said coldly, ¡°When I return to Tianyuan World, it will be the day of your sacrifice.¡± Originally, Yun Qingshu planned to find those who had betrayed the Black Dragon Holy Land or the spies inserted by Lu Yanghua and directly eliminate them all, as an example to others. But then she thought better of it, because she was going to personally go to Tianchen World, and this trip would take decades, possibly even over a hundred years, to return. If she were to clean up all of Lu Yanghua¡¯s spies in the Mysterious Moon Palace beforehand, it would likely anger Lu Yanghua, and make him think that she never intended to hand over Yun Xianxian. Once she left, Lu Yanghua might directly act against the other members of the Mysterious Moon Palace and destroy it. To keep Lu Yanghua stable, it was best to pretend not to notice and let those people continue to live. After all, it was just a hundred years or so. She could afford to wait that long. Thinking this, Yun Qingshu directly put away the scroll in her hand. One month later. Qianyuan World, King Jin¡¯s domain. Lu Yanghua was cultivating when suddenly, a figure appeared in his training room. Lu Yanghua kept his eyes closed and asked indifferently, ¡°What is it?¡± His subordinate answered, ¡°Great King, the Mysterious Moon Palace did not hand over the coordinates of Tianchen World, but instead gave them to the Black Dragon Holy Land.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Yanghua was stunned for a moment, then his eyes slowly opened to look at the subordinate kneeling before him. Lu Yanghua asked in confusion, ¡°Why would the Mysterious Moon Palace give the coordinates of Tianchen World to the Black Dragon Holy Land?¡± The subordinate replied, ¡°According to the information we¡¯ve gathered, the Holy Land Master of the Black Dragon Holy Land approached Yun Qingshu, claiming he has a child in Tianchen World and wants to go there to bring back his child.¡± Hmm? Hearing the subordinate¡¯s response, Lu Yanghua fell into contemplation. The Holy Land Master of the Black Dragon Holy Land has a child? And that child ended up in Tianchen World? Of course, it wasn¡¯t impossible, but wasn¡¯t all of this a bit too coincidental? But then again, the Black Dragon Holy Land didn¡¯t seem particularly powerful and was a very low-key force. When he was cultivating in Tianyuan World, the only faction he had no interaction with was the Black Dragon Holy Land; they had never had any friction with him. For such a non-threatening force, Lu Yanghua usually wouldn¡¯t pay much attention. Lu Yanghua said faintly, ¡°Perhaps there is some treasure in Tianchen World, or maybe he truly has a child there.¡± Lu Yanghua continued to ask, ¡°Are we certain that Yun Qingshu is unwilling to hand over the coordinates of Tianchen World?¡± Lu Yanghua thought to himself that since the Mysterious Moon Palace was uncooperative, it was time for him to return to Tianyuan World. He believed that once he returned to Tianyuan World, Yun Qingshu would proactively send him the coordinates of Tianchen World. At this moment, Lu Yanghua¡¯s subordinate said, ¡°According to what our spy has found out, Yun Qingshu plans to personally go to Tianchen World and capture Yun Xianxian, then hand her over to you.¡± Chapter 976 - Chapter 976: Chapter 666: Linghu Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect Form an Alliance Chapter 976: Chapter 666: Linghu Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect Form an Alliance Hearing the answer from his subordinate, Lu Yanghua chuckled and then said, ¡°At least that woman has some awareness of her situation.¡± He had initially thought that Yun Qingshu believed he had left the Tianyuan World and could no longer intervene, which was why she refused to give up the coordinates to the Tianchen World. Since Yun Qingshu planned to personally go to the Tianchen World to capture Yun Xianxian, naturally there was no problem¡­ However¡­ He wanted to know the coordinates of the Tianchen World, but not just to capture Yun Xianxian from the Tianchen World. He also planned to send people to Tianchen World to increase some trial difficulty for his ninth brother and to properly train him. Of course, since Yun Qingshu was going to Tianchen World personally, it wouldn¡¯t matter if she didn¡¯t hand over the coordinates. The people with Yun Qingshu would send back their location in real-time, and by then, they could send someone to quietly follow behind Yun Qingshu¡¯s Immortal Boat to Tianchen World. Thinking this, Lu Yanghua¡¯s lips curved slightly, and he then muttered to himself, ¡°Ninth brother, I hope you will be satisfied with the surprise Elder Brother has prepared for you.¡± ¡­ Misty World. Linghu Sect, Meeting Hall. In the hall, there were many new faces; previously, the Linghu Sect did not have so many cultivators in the Genesis Realm, but now their number had doubled compared to the past. Jiang Hongye glanced around at the attendees and was about to say something when an Elder stood up and said, ¡°Sect Master, now that the three major powers have divided the Misty World among themselves, we should consider our next move.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Following that, another Elder also spoke up, ¡°Yes, Sect Master, looking at the current situation, sooner or later we will clash with either the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect or the Misty Immortal Sect. Since that is the case, we should be prepared in advance.¡± Then, several more Elders suggested that the Linghu Sect should take action. They said as much, but none of them proposed what exactly they should do or how; they just felt that the situation was very dangerous, with the Linghu Sect being at the tail end and possibly being wiped out by a coalition of the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect at any moment. Hadn¡¯t their three powers previously formed a strong alliance and cleared away the small fry? Now, in front of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect, the Linghu Sect was also considered small fry. It was very likely they would collaborate again and divide up the Linghu Sect. Hearing the Elders¡¯ words, Jiang Hongye said coldly, ¡°Since you all have noticed that our situation is very dangerous, then come up with a good solution, each of you just talks about taking action but I see none of you coming up with a good plan.¡± With these words from Jiang Hongye, the Elders in the hall instantly quieted down, none of them spoke again because they indeed had no good plan. At that moment, an inner gate Steward hurried into the hall and said to Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Master, the Misty Immortal Sect Master has sent a letter.¡± Then, the Steward handed over the letter he held. Upon hearing this, Jiang Hongye slightly furrowed his brows, but he still waved a hand and the letter in the Steward¡¯s hand instantly flew into Jiang Hongye¡¯s hands. Jiang Hongye opened the letter and scanned the contents. An Elder urgently asked, ¡°Sect Master, may I ask what Han Yuankai has said in the letter?¡± Jiang Hongye snorted coldly and said, ¡°What else could he say? He just wants me to go to the Misty Immortal Sect to discuss forming an alliance against the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Hearing this, the Elders in the hall immediately became excited, as an alliance with the Misty Immortal Sect would mean they needn¡¯t fear being annihilated by the two major sects. An Elder began, ¡°Sect Master, this is good news! If we can form an alliance with the Misty Immortal Sect, then our previous concerns would be¡­¡± Before the Elder could finish, Jiang Hongye interrupted, ¡°This is not good news at all.¡± ¡°How do you know Han Yuankai¡¯s invitation for me to the Misty Immortal Sect doesn¡¯t have other motives?¡± ¡°If this is a trap, once I go there, I might never be able to return.¡± ¡°Moreover, even if the Linghu Sect now joins forces with the Misty Immortal Sect to eliminate the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, it¡¯s very likely that the Misty Immortal Sect would next turn on the Linghu Sect. And without the restraint of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, it would be easier for the Linghu Sect to be wiped out by the Misty Immortal Sect.¡± Jiang Hongye was no fool, he clearly understood the ambition of the Misty Immortal Sect and knew how ambitious Han Yuankai was. Although he had initially planned to join forces with the Misty Immortal Sect to confront the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, as the power structure in the Misty World changed, he gradually realized that something was amiss. He did not want to be used by Han Yuankai. Hearing what Jiang Hongye said, the Elders in the hall fell silent once again. Indeed, no one could be sure whether the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect had already secretly formed an alliance. If their Sect Master really goes to the Misty Immortal Sect to discuss some sort of alliance with Han Yuankai now, it could be very likely that they would fall into their trap. Although the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had formed a powerful alliance, the Linghu Sect also had considerable strength, especially with the sect¡¯s mountain gate formation; even a combined assault by both the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect might not breach it. However, if Sect Master Jiang Hongye were to be eliminated, then the Linghu Sect would collapse on its own. The Linghu Sect had only one strong cultivator at the Yin-Yang Realm, Jiang Hongye himself, with the other strong cultivators at the Creation Realm Ninth Level being leaders from other forces. After joining Linghu Sect, they had not completely pledged their loyalty. Without Jiang Hongye, those cultivators at the Creation Realm Ninth Level would inevitably aim to seize power and wealth, and none would submit to another. Even with the mountain gate¡¯s formation, when the two sects attacked, the entire Linghu Sect would fail to unite and resist. Another scenario was Han Yuankai personally wanting to subsume Linghu Sect. If Jiang Hongye traveled to the territory of the Misty Immortal Sect, with the strength of the Misty Immortal Sect, retaining him would pose no difficulty. Once they had eliminated this sect leader, Han Yuankai would personally go to persuade the disciples of Linghu Sect to surrender. With their sect leader dead, the disciples of Linghu Sect would likely surrender to the Misty Immortal Sect. In this way, it would be very easy for the Misty Immortal Sect to destroy the Linghu Sect. So, in any case, Jiang Hongye must not travel to the Misty Immortal Sect, let alone help the Misty Immortal Sect against the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. At this moment, the Meeting Hall was incredibly tense, the sound of people¡¯s breathing audible. After an unknown amount of time, an elder opened his mouth and asked, ¡°Sect Master, what should we do next?¡± Jiang Hongye was the cornerstone of the entire Linghu Sect; everyone now could only hope that he would come up with a good plan. At this time, Jiang Hongye¡¯s brow smoothed out, as though he had thought of something. ¡°I have thought of a method.¡± Just as everyone was about to ask what the method was, Jiang Hongye continued, ¡°In a few days, you will know.¡± ¡­ A few days later. Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. In the Meeting Hall, Ji Hongwen was holding a letter, seriously reading the text inside. After finishing the letter, Ji Hongwen¡¯s lips slightly curved upward, and then he murmured to himself, ¡°It seems Han Yuankai¡¯s plan will fall through. Jiang Hongye isn¡¯t completely foolish.¡± The letter Ji Hongwen was holding was written by Jiang Hongye himself, where he had explained how the Misty Immortal Sect was drawing in the Linghu Sect to destroy the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Jiang Hongye had done this to show the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect that while they could have agreed to join with the Misty Immortal Sect to destroy them, they hadn¡¯t done so, displaying utmost benevolence and righteousness. If in the future the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect joined forces against the Linghu Sect, it would be unethical. At the same time, Jiang Hongye was also reminding Ji Hongwen how ambitious Han Yuankai was, and that the ultimate goal of the Misty Immortal Sect was definitely to eliminate all the forces in the Misty World. Once all forces in Misty World were eliminated, when the restrictions of Misty World lifted, the entire Tianchen World would belong solely to the Misty Immortal Sect, making them a power to reckon with eventually. Jiang Hongye specifically reminded in the letter that they had already seen the strength of Han Yuankai. If either the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect or the Linghu Sect faced the Misty Immortal Sect alone, they were likely not strong enough to compete. Therefore, the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect should join forces against the Misty Immortal Sect, though this alliance was meant only for defense, not necessarily to destroy the Misty Immortal Sect. Through Jiang Hongye¡¯s letter, Ji Hongwen also realized that Jiang Hongye wanted to maintain the independence of the Linghu Sect and serve as a buffer between the two great sects. Whichever was the stronger would make the Linghu Sect lean towards the relatively weaker, maintaining stability in the Misty World. Once they entered the Tianchen World, the Linghu Sect might adopt this strategy of balance, indeed maintaining a balance between the three major powers. Although the Misty Immortal Sect was strong, they did not have the absolute power to eliminate both the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect at the same time. Seeing the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect growing closer, Han Yuankai naturally would not dare to act rashly. Given Jiang Hongye¡¯s proposal, Ji Hongwen had no reason to refuse. He now only needed to continue stalling until the restrictions of Misty World lifted, and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect could enter Tianchen World and regroup with their master. Subsequently, Ji Hongwen wrote a letter to Jiang Hongye, agreeing to ally with Linghu Sect. Of course, this alliance was only on the surface and not meant to join forces to attack anyone. In fact, it was just to show the Misty Immortal Sect. The alliance between the two great powers served as a warning to the Misty Immortal Sect and Han Yuankai that their combined strength now surpassed that of the Misty Immortal Sect, which should not make any rash moves or harbor improper ambitions. Soon, the news of the alliance between the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect spread throughout the entire Misty World. Upon hearing that the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had allied, Han Yuankai showed no emotional fluctuation, as he seemed to have anticipated this alliance between them. Chapter 977 - Chapter 977: Chapter 667: Let Them Live a Few More Years Chapter 977: Chapter 667: Let Them Live a Few More Years Misty World. Misty Immortal Sect. Atop a mist-shrouded mountain, there lay a tranquil bamboo forest and within it, a bamboo house. Right now, outside the bamboo house, a person was reporting on the alliance between the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. After hearing the Elder¡¯s report, Han Yuankai, who was meditating, opened his eyes. His face bore no expression, as if he didn¡¯t care at all about the alliance between the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. At this moment, the Elder at the door asked, ¡°Sect Master, what do you think we should do next?¡± Hearing this question, Han Yuankai indifferently said, ¡°No need, once the prohibitions in the Misty World disappear and my divine power matures, even if these two major forces form an alliance, they will still not be a match for the Misty Immortal Sect.¡± ¡°Let them live a few more years.¡± Upon hearing these words from Han Yuankai, the Elder outside the bamboo house became excited instantly. Divine power matured? Does this mean that their Sect Master was about to break through to the All Law Realm? Once their Sect Master broke through to the All Law Realm, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect would be as easy to crush as ants. The gap between the All Law Realm and the Yin-Yang Realm was immense; ten cultivators of the Yin-Yang Realm might not even be a match for one from the All Law Realm. Moreover, when combined, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect didn¡¯t even have ten fighters of the Yin-Yang Realm, making them even less of a match for the Misty Immortal Sect. At this moment, Han Yuankai thought about the disciples he had sent; they should have already found the two direct disciples of Su Hanyan. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co All he needed was for the prohibitions in the Misty World to disappear, and he would immediately enter the Tianchen World, using these two women as his Furnace Cauldrons to cultivate the Heaven-Seizing Divine Power. Once he could control the Heavenly Dao of the Tianchen World or merge his consciousness with the Tianchen World, breaking through to the All Law Realm would be very easy. Typically, every world has its own Heavenly Dao, and controlling it without the power of the Returning Ruin Realm is very difficult. However, the Tianchen World is an incomplete world; he didn¡¯t need to cultivate to the level of the Returning Ruin Realm. He only needed the women of the Tianchen World as the medium, then deceive the Heavenly Dao of the Tianchen World, and seize the opportunity to control the entire Tianchen World. That was the so-called Heaven-Seizing Divine Power. Of course, the women used as his Furnace Cauldrons were likely to die from the overwhelming power of the Heavenly Path; that¡¯s why he wanted those two direct disciples of Su Hanyan. First, they were natives of the Tianchen World; only a native can serve as a medium to deceive the Heavenly Dao of the Tianchen World. Secondly, they had cultivated the techniques of the Misty Immortal Sect and possessed certain talents. Upon their return to the Tianchen World, their strength was bound to improve faster than that of others there. By now they had probably reached the Unity Realm. Although the Unity Realm wasn¡¯t considered true cultivators yet, they were still stronger than the ordinary people in the Tianchen World, and they could help him sustain a bit longer while he was cultivating the Heaven-Seizing Divine Power. Therefore, he must obtain those two direct disciples of Su Hanyan, even if it meant falling out with her, he would use those two female disciples as his Furnace Cauldrons. ¡­ Time flew by and several years had passed in the blink of an eye. Daxia Dynasty, Yan County. Wind Cloud Palace. Lu Chen lay on Mu Zixuan¡¯s jade legs, gazing at her beautiful face. Mu Zixuan had matured by now, her bearing even more distinctly feminine. Over the years of cultivation, Mu Zixuan had reached the Master Realm, though her combat experience was nonexistent. The only thing they might call a real battle was using the Mysterious Female Technique in bed to handle Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen raised his hand, gently caressed Mu Zixuan¡¯s jade leg, and smilingly said, ¡°My lady, why didn¡¯t you wear the new stockings produced by the Garment Bureau today?¡± In the past few years, the Daxia Dynasty had rapidly developed and had built a solid industrial foundation. Although it was still primarily agricultural, there were many industrial products for the upper class now. Because of the industrial development, the wardrobe styles for Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines were becoming increasingly varied. Every time there was a new fashion, Lu Chen insisted his wives and concubines try them on. Most modern apparel styles had been replicated in this world, including JK uniforms, office lady outfits, pleated skirts, stockings, and so forth. Ancient people wearing these styles looked even more appealing because they felt these garments were somewhat shameful. Whenever Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines wore them, they felt incredibly embarrassed. Seeing his women in such bashful states always made Lu Chen feel particularly wild. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan¡¯s cheeks flushed slightly before she said, ¡°If Your Majesty wishes to see it, I will put it on right now.¡± Lu Chen smiled slightly and said, ¡°No need, I will lie down for a while.¡± As his voice fell, Lu Chen closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying this comfortable moment immensely. After a while, Lu Chen spoke up again and asked, ¡°By the way, how are Feng¡¯er and the others doing with their studies lately?¡± All of Lu Chen¡¯s children had reached the age for reading and writing. Lu Chen usually handed over the education matters to Mu Zixuan and had arranged specific courses for each of them. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°They all study quite diligently, and their scores in the most recent tests were all very good, but they don¡¯t seem to have much interest in poetry and lyrics.¡± Mu Zixuan¡¯s views were rather traditional, after all, she belonged to this era. In her eyes, poetry and lyrics were very important; the Imperial Palace¡¯s children should focus all their attention on poetry and lyrics, rather than learning some strange, unusual knowledge. Even though those things were indeed useful for this world, after all, Lu Chen¡¯s children were princes and princesses and needed to be distinct from ordinary people. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Oh? They are not interested in poetry and lyrics?¡± ¡°What are they interested in then?¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°Take Feng¡¯er for example; he especially likes reading some folk novels. I noticed long ago that he has piled up many novels under his bed, although I have never exposed him.¡± Compared to Lu Chen, Mu Zixuan, as a mother, was stricter. In her opinion, Lu Changfeng, at the end of the day, was the Crown Prince who would become Emperor in the future. How could he focus his mind on novels? What can one learn from those novels? It is purely a waste of time. Of course, even though she thought this way, she has never directly exposed Lu Changfeng and has always pretended not to know that Lu Changfeng was reading novels. She hadn¡¯t touched the pile of novels under his bed. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled and then opened his eyes to look into Mu Zixuan¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s normal for a child to have their own interests and hobbies. They can¡¯t study all day long; they need to relax appropriately. As long as it doesn¡¯t impede his studies, let him read if he wants to.¡± Seeing Lu Chen say this, Mu Zixuan could only reply, ¡°I understand now.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°As for the other children, each child is different, and the things they are suited for are also different. We should let them decide what they want to do in the future. Now is the time to cultivate their interests. We can¡¯t expect them all to focus on political struggles.¡± ¡°There is only one Emperor. Only if they focus on what they truly are interested in, will they not always long for that position when they grow up.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan instantly understood his meaning. Indeed, the traditional education of the Daxia Royal Family involves grooming all the princes towards becoming heirs, resulting in them all focusing on competing for the throne, without any interest in other matters. If they develop a strong interest in other matters from a young age, it is possible they will desire power less as they grow up. While this won¡¯t completely eradicate their craving for power, they will at least have other pursuits in mind and won¡¯t feel that becoming the Emperor is their only option. Daxia¡¯s industrial foundation was already established, and industrialization had begun. As Daxia developed, various professions would emerge in the future. If his princes and princesses could find something they were interested in and focus their minds on those industries in the future, incidents of sibling rivalry could be greatly reduced. Suddenly, Lu Chen thought of something else and continued, ¡°By the way, the children have already begun their cultivation, haven¡¯t they?¡± Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°Yes, they are cultivating. Chu has been teaching them the cultivation techniques recently.¡± Chu Yuqin, with most of the memories of Empress Shenwu, knew many cultivation techniques suitable for children, thus she actively took on the role as the teacher for the princes and princesses. Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s reply, Lu Chen said, ¡°As long as they have started cultivating, that¡¯s good. They are my offspring, and their talents are commendable. If they begin cultivating from a young age, they should be able to break through to the Celestial Realm before they become adults.¡± In the context of the resurgence of spiritual energy in the Tianchen World, Lu Chen cared much about his children¡¯s cultivation state. They could have poor results in other studies, but they absolutely had to cultivate. This was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. Moreover, as the Daxia Dynasty planned for external expansions, the martial spirit was essential. Being his descendants, they couldn¡¯t just be ordinary; they needed to have some ability to defend themselves. Of course, Lu Chen differed from other emperors in this regard; if his children truly lacked the talent for cultivation or had some defects that made cultivation impossible, he wouldn¡¯t despise them. After all, they were his own children; he couldn¡¯t be as cold-blooded and ruthless as the previous emperors. Just as Lu Chen was about to close his eyes to continue enjoying this peaceful moment, a female guard¡¯s voice rang out from outside, ¡°Your Majesty, the latest intelligence from Black Dragon City. The prohibition in the Misty World is going to dissipate!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen immediately said to Mu Zixuan, ¡°My love, I will come back tonight.¡± Mu Zixuan smiled, ¡°Go ahead, Your Majesty!¡± Without saying more, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting and instantly appeared in the Imperial Study Room. Chapter 978 - Chapter 978: Chapter 668: Lu Chens Trump Card Chapter 978: Chapter 668: Lu Chen¡¯s Trump Card When Lu Chen appeared in the Imperial Study Room, several commanders of the Brocade Guard had already been waiting there, and Zhuge Zhongguang as well as a group of Celestials had also arrived at the Imperial Study Room. Even Yun Xianxian was present in the Imperial Study Room at this moment. Her perception was extremely strong, and even without a telegram from the Brocade Guard from the first world, she had sensed that the barriers of the Misty World were about to dissipate. Therefore, she came to the Imperial Study Room at the first opportunity, wanting to see how Lu Chen planned to deal with the invasion of the forces from the Misty World. Upon seeing Lu Chen, everyone promptly paid their respects, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, may Your Majesty live for ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand years!¡± Lu Chen glanced at the crowd, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Then, Lu Chen said to Qin Yushan at the entrance of the Imperial Study Room, ¡°Qin Aiqing, immediately notify the officials of the Military Department to arrive at the Hall of Political Affairs within half an hour for a military conference.¡± Qin Yushan bowed and said, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty!¡± After Qin Yushan left, Lu Chen then began, ¡°All of you must already know about the imminent disappearance of the barriers in the Misty World.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhuge Zhongguang directly said, ¡°Your Majesty, with the current combat strength of the Daxia Army, I fear it will be insufficient to resist those forces from the Misty World. However, Your Majesty must already have a strategy to deal with this crisis.¡± Seeing the unruffled demeanor of Lu Chen, it was easy to guess that he had surely made preparations well in advance. At that moment, Lu Chen stated, ¡°Indeed, I do have a plan in place¡ªyou will understand once the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect enters the Tianchen World.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, everyone couldn¡¯t help but think, could it be that their Emperor was pinning all the hopes on the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect? According to the intelligence they had received, although the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect did indeed hold some strength, it was only the second greatest force in the Misty World and there was a significant gap between them and the Misty Immortal Sect, the number one force. Moreover, there was the presence of the Linghu Sect in the Misty World. The key point was that these forces of the Misty World had already joined forces, making the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect even stronger than before. Relying solely on the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect might not be enough to withstand the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Although uncertain, everyone still trusted their Emperor; throughout his reign, he had never taken uncalculated risks. If he believed there was no problem, then there surely was none. After all, the barriers of the Misty World would disappear in just a few days, and soon they would know what trump card their Emperor held. In less than half an hour, the military generals and officials of Yan County¡¯s Military Department arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs, and the military conference officially began. Seeing Lu Chen once more, the officials of the Military Department immediately guessed that something significant had happened; it had been a long time since Lu Chen had called a military conference of this scale, and this Emperor had delegated much like a hands-off shopkeeper, leaving political affairs largely in the hands of Zhuge Zhongguang. Now that the Emperor had taken control of military affairs again, it meant there must be issues arising from the Misty World. Lu Chen, seated on the Dragon Throne, scanned the officials below and then asked, ¡°The protection of the Misty World is about to fade, and the Daxia Dynasty will face another challenge.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the officials from the Military Department thought to themselves that it was as they had suspected¡ªthebarriers of the Misty World were indeed about to dissolve. At that moment, Lu Chen turned to Li Yu, who was in charge of manufacturing the Rune Weapons, ¡°Li Aiqing, how many Rune Cannons do we have at present?¡± Li Yu stood up, bowed, and answered, ¡°Your Majesty, there are a total of one hundred thousand Rune Firearms, ten thousand Rune Mortars, one thousand Rune Cannons, and a combined total of eight million Rune Bullets. Additionally, we have a hundred thousand shells for the mortars and various cannons.¡± After hearing Li Yu¡¯s report, the confidence of the officials, especially the generals, grew slightly. However, at this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°Not enough, it¡¯s still far from enough.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Instruct the armaments factory to increase production.¡± Li Yu immediately responded, ¡°As you command, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Sit down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen then looked at Xuanyuan Chen, ¡°General Xuanyuan, how are those new recruits you enlisted faring in their training?¡± The War Dragon Army had expanded from a mere few thousand people to now sixty thousand, of whom twenty thousand were part of a division established just this past year, and this new division was the one Xuanyuan Chen was responsible for training. Xuanyuan Chen stood up and said, ¡°Your Majesty, they have all mastered the use of Rune Weapons.¡± Even though Rune Weapons didn¡¯t seem too different from ordinary weapons, to bring out the maximum power of Rune Weapons, certain techniques are necessary, such as infusing them with Spiritual Power. Now that the Spiritual Energy of the Tianchen World had been restored, becoming even more abundant than before, even Ninth-Rank Martial Artists could sense the presence of Spiritual Energy, and they also had the capability to use Spiritual Power; however, it did take some time to learn. Only when all the soldiers could infuse their Rune Weapons with Spiritual Power, could the true strength of the War Dragon Army be fully unleashed. After hearing Xuanyuan Chen¡¯s report, Lu Chen said, ¡°Very good, now let¡¯s discuss the deployment of the troops.¡± ¡°I have already ordered a relocation of the citizens of Black Dragon City. When the time comes, we will use Black Dragon City as the focal point of our defense to stop the invaders from the Misty World from entering the Daxia Dynasty. Additionally¡­¡± ¡°` Lu Chen then proceeded to arrange the deployment of the War Dragon Army. After the military meeting concluded, the entire Military Department sprang into action. Once the meeting was over and the department¡¯s officials had left, Yun Xianxian, who had been sitting in the great hall without saying a word, finally spoke up, ¡°Do you really have an ace up your sleeve, or are you planning to rely on those rune weapons to deal with the cultivators from the Misty World?¡± Although Lu Chen¡¯s rune weapons were indeed quite formidable, and even Yun Xianxian herself had personally used rune weapons and acknowledged their power, the recipients of these weapons were mostly Ninth-Rank Martial Artists, and only a small portion were intended for Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters. They could not fully utilize the power of the rune weapons, and Yun Xianxian did not believe that the War Dragon Army could withstand the forces from the Misty World. Moreover, while the current rune weapons of Great Xia were effective against Celestial beings, they would struggle to be of use against opponents in the Genesis Realm or the Yin-Yang Realm. Lu Chen did not answer directly but took out a set of Shenghui Armor from his system space. He passed the Shenghui Armor to Yun Xianxian, who curiously accepted it. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Honored Master, try it on and see how it works.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian did not hesitate to channel her Spiritual Power into the Shenghui Armor. In the next moment, the armor turned into a beam of light that enveloped her body, and soon, Yun Xianxian was clad in a suit of armor that shone with a golden light. Feeling the armor frantically absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Energy and channeling it into her body, Yun Xianxian was slightly stunned. Could this armor actually help the wearer absorb Spiritual Power? Moreover, she could sense that her strength had been boosted quickly after putting on the armor. Her current true realm was the Genesis Realm, but the moment she put on the armor, she gained strength approaching that of the Yin-Yang Realm. An armor that could rapidly enhance someone¡¯s realm by a significant level was indeed a remarkable treasure. However¡­ Yun Xianxian then asked, ¡°Who do you plan on giving this armor to?¡± While the item was excellent, there was only one of it. If Lu Chen were to use it himself, at most, he would possess the strength of the Yin-Yang Realm. And the strength built up by the armor to the Yin-Yang Realm would likely still be less formidable than that of the cultivators from the Misty World. Relying solely on this piece of armor to confront the powers of the Misty World would still prove challenging. As Yun Xianxian was contemplating this, Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, this set of armor is for you.¡± Surprised by his words, Yun Xianxian was caught off guard. She had not expected Lu Chen to gift her something so precious. She quickly replied, ¡°This armor is too valuable, and it would be greatly beneficial to you. I cannot accept it.¡± Having said that, Yun Xianxian was about to take off the armor to return it to Lu Chen. But just then, with a casual wave of his hand, Lu Chen made hundreds of the same armors float in the air. Seeing this, Yun Xianxian was completely astounded. She had thought such a treasure would be rare and precious, yet this rebellious disciple casually waved his hand and produced so many identical sets of armor. Yun Xianxian quickly regained her composure. If it had been anyone other than Lu Chen who presented so many armors, it would have been hard to explain, but Lu Chen was different. As the son of the Great Emperor, owning an extravagant Immortal Boat, it was not surprising for him to have hundreds of such valuable pieces of armor. Lu Chen smiled slightly, then said to Yun Xianxian, ¡°Honored Master, what if I told you I have a thousand sets of this armor? Do you think those powers of the Misty World would still stand a chance against me?¡± Yun Xianxian was taken aback. A thousand sets? She had thought Lu Chen possessed a little over a hundred sets, yet with so many at his disposal, and adding the fact that the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was under Lu Chen¡¯s control, how would the forces of the Misty World be able to compete with him? Once the prohibitions of the Misty World perished and the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect entered the Tianchen World, all Lu Chen would need to do was to distribute these armors to the Heavenly Man Realm Cultivators to create an army composed of cultivators with Genesis Realm strength. Moreover, the strength of the cultivators from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect currently in the Genesis Realm and Yin-Yang Realm would also be elevated by a large degree. The overall strength of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect would instantly surpass all the powers of the Misty World. The Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the Daxia Dynasty. So this was Lu Chen¡¯s trump card. Lu Chen continued, ¡°Honored Master, please keep this armor.¡± Yun Xianxian gave it some thought and decided not to refuse any further. Since Lu Chen had so many Shenghui Armors, being short of one set wouldn¡¯t matter. ¡°Since you already have a plan of action, your master shall not say more. I will return to my cultivation.¡± ¡°Alright, Master, please go ahead.¡± With that, Yun Xianxian left the Hall of Political Affairs. After Yun Xianxian had gone, Lu Chen took out the Space-Time Mirror and directly contacted Ji Hongwen of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. ¡°` Chapter 979 - Chapter 979: Chapter 669: The Three Great Powers of the Misty World Gather Together Chapter 979: Chapter 669: The Three Great Powers of the Misty World Gather Together Misty World. Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Ji Hongwen and several elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect stood at the mountain¡¯s peak, gazing into the distance. Now, much of the fog in the Misty World had dissipated. Originally, visibility in the Misty World was less than three meters, but now, with the fog clearing, one could see more than ten meters ahead. The fog was about to clear completely, which also meant that the world¡¯s restrictions were about to vanish. Ji Hongwen didn¡¯t know if the Daxia Dynasty was prepared. In the past, he had actually wished for the disappearance of the restrictions in the Misty World, so they could meet their lord earlier. However, in recent years, Lu Chen had directly communicated with him through the Space-Time Mirror and informed him of the situations in the Tianchen World, which made Ji Hongwen realize that the strength of Tianchen World was not yet sufficient to confront the forces of the Misty World. If the restrictions of the Misty World were to disappear too soon, the Daxia Dynasty would inevitably be unable to resist the invasion of the Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect. At this moment, an elder spoke, ¡°The restrictions of the Misty World are about to disappear, and we don¡¯t know how well His Majesty has recovered his strength.¡± ¡°If we cannot hold, it might be better to cede some land to the other two sects, and once His Majesty¡¯s strength has recovered, we can then take back those lands.¡± Upon hearing the elder¡¯s words, all the elders, including Ji Hongwen, felt this was the best approach. As long as their lord¡¯s strength recovered, they could obliterate the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect in the blink of an eye, so there was no need to confront them head-on for now. However, they did not know what their lord thought, as their lord might not be able to swallow this setback. The strong have their pride. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ????????????????????.co Some strong individuals would rather die than forsake their dignity. Just when Ji Hongwen was full of worry, suddenly, they felt fluctuations surrounding them. Just when everyone thought the space was about to collapse, suddenly a projection appeared before them. Seeing that it was Lu Chen, Ji Hongwen quickly led the elders to salute, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, long live, long live, long long live Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± Ji Hongwen immediately asked, ¡°Your Majesty, the restrictions of the Misty World are about to disappear, and the people from the Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect are already prepared to enter Tianchen World.¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I am already aware.¡± ¡°I have summoned you mainly to inform you that I¡¯ve prepared a thousand sets of spirit armor. Wearing these armors, your strength will increase by a full realm. Once the restrictions of the Misty World dissolve, you must immediately head to Yan County.¡± ¡°At that time, I will distribute those spirit armors to the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Upon hearing this, Ji Hongwen and the elders were stunned. Spirit Armor? What kind of spirit armor can enhance a cultivator¡¯s strength by a whole realm? They naturally knew of spiritual artifacts that could enhance strength, as there were many in the Cultivation World. However, those capable of enhancing one¡¯s strength by a full realm were rare. And their lord mentioned a thousand sets of spirit armor! Not ten sets, not a hundred, but a thousand! With a thousand sets of such spirit armor, neither the Misty Immortal Sect nor the Linghu Sect combined could be an opponent for the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Where had their lord obtained so many sets of spirit armor? Could it be that they had misheard? At that moment, Ji Hongwen confirmed, ¡°Your Majesty, you said it enhances by a full realm?¡± Lu Chen affirmed, ¡°Yes, those in the Heavenly Human Realm wearing this armor will have their strength elevated to the Genesis Realm. Those in the Genesis Realm, after wearing it, will reach the Yin-Yang Realm, and so forth.¡± At these words, Ji Hongwen and the present elders were stunned; it indeed was an increase by a full realm. That would mean once Ji Hongwen and Elder Yu Changqin put on this armor, their strength could potentially reach the All Law Realm. Then, how could the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect compete with them? Moreover, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had ten elders in the Genesis Realm; if they wore the armors, their strength could rise to the Yin-Yang Realm. The Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect combined had only three Yin-Yang Realm cultivators. At that time, without even needing Ji Hongwen and Elder Yu Changqin to take action, those ten elders alone could annihilate the Linghu Sect and the Misty Immortal Sect. Upon realizing this, Ji Hongwen and the others were thoroughly reassured. At that moment, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡± As his voice fell, Lu Chen¡¯s projection disappeared on the spot, and the restrictions of the Misty World were about to vanish soon. At this moment, Lu Chen needed to conserve his strength and could not afford to expend too much Spiritual Power. After the disappearance of Lu Chen¡¯s projection, Elder Yu Changqin immediately said to Ji Hongwen, ¡°Sect Master, since His Majesty has already prepared the Spirit Armor, we must also hasten our preparations. Once the restrictions of the Misty World disappear, we will immediately head to Tianchen World.¡± Ji Hongwen then took out a talisman, infused it with Spiritual Power, and spoke, ¡°The restrictions of the Misty World are about to disappear. All disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who are out on external training must return immediately. Those in seclusion should also end their retreat and prepare to head to Tianchen World!¡± Ji Hongwen¡¯s voice instantly spread throughout the entire Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Upon hearing Ji Hongwen¡¯s command, the disciples were incomparably excited; they could finally leave this unstable space. Soon, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were ready with the Flying Boat, waiting to enter Tianchen World as soon as the Misty World¡¯s restrictions vanished. Like the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, both the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect were also prepared, and the three major powers had once again gathered at that initial rift in the restriction. The disappearance of the restriction would definitely start from that rift, and by guarding it, they would be able to enter Tianchen World at the fastest speed once the restriction began to dissipate. Whoever entered Tianchen World first would likely seize more territory. Now that the three powers had formed a balance, nobody dared to fully attack another power within a certain period. Once they could occupy territory, whoever occupied it would own it. If one faction tried to monopolize another force¡¯s territory, it would certainly provoke a joint attack from the other two forces. Since it was not possible to snatch later, the only option was to occupy as much land as possible when entering Tianchen World. At this moment, the area around the restriction rift was already covered with tens of Flying Boats, large and small. Han Yuankai stood at the bow of the Flying Boat, looking at Ji Hongwen and Jiang Hongye in the distance, and smilingly said, ¡°Sect Master Ji, Sect Leader Jiang, it has been a long time since we last met!¡± Since the three powers had divided the Misty World among themselves, they had not met again until today. Ji Hongwen also responded with a smile, ¡°Indeed, it has been quite some time since we last saw each other!¡± ¡°Sect Leader Han, having been in seclusion for so many years, I wonder what Realm your cultivation state has reached now?¡± Han Yuankai replied indifferently, ¡°Just a few years in seclusion, how much can cultivation improve? It¡¯s still the same as before, still in the Yin-Yang Realm.¡± ¡°Sect Master Ji asking this question, could it be that you, Sect Master Ji, have already broken through to the All Law Realm?¡± Ji Hongwen said, ¡°Sect Leader Han, you jest. Breaking through to the All Law Realm is not so easy.¡± Then, Han Yuankai turned to Jiang Hongye and continued, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, I heard last night that your Linghu Sect seems to have gained another strong Yin-Yang Realm cultivator, congratulations!¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Hongye¡¯s expression darkened instantly, not pleased by Han Yuankai¡¯s congratulations. The news of another Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator in the Linghu Sect was top secret, known only to a few core elders, yet Han Yuankai had openly spoken about it today. This meant that the Linghu Sect had a traitor. Who could it be! Seeing Jiang Hongye¡¯s troubled expression, Ji Hongwen gave a faint smile. If it had been before, hearing that the Linghu Sect gained another Yin-Yang Realm strong cultivator might have upset him, as they were competitors. But now it was different. Even if their two sects gained another five Yin-Yang Realm cultivators each, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect would not be afraid. As soon as the Misty World¡¯s restrictions disappear, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect would gain ten cultivators with the power of the Yin-Yang Realm, though the ones enhanced by Spirit Armor weren¡¯t as powerful as genuine Yin-Yang Realm cultivators, the sheer number was overwhelming. Ten cultivators of the Yin-Yang Realm, even if they only possessed the power of the Yin-Yang Realm First Layer, could still trap a cultivator of the All Law Realm under the right formation, not to mention those of the Yin-Yang Realm. At that moment, Jiang Hongye spoke, ¡°Sect Leader Han, the restrictions of the Misty World are about to disappear. To avoid conflict among our disciples after entering Tianchen World, perhaps we should make an agreement in advance?¡± Han Yuankai asked, ¡°Oh? What kind of agreement?¡± Jiang Hongye said, ¡°Taking cities as markers, whoever first occupies a city will own the surrounding land.¡± Han Yuankai responded, ¡°That¡¯s fine with me, but I wonder what Sect Master Ji thinks of this proposal?¡± Although Jiang Hongye mentioned using cities as markers, he did not specify how far around a city would belong to them. Once they entered Tianchen World, even if other forces occupied a particular city, the Misty Immortal Sect could still contest the surrounding land if it was strategically important. After hearing the two men¡¯s conversation, Ji Hongwen said, ¡°Why harm our relations? We still do not know the situation in Tianchen World. Why not wait until we enter Tianchen World, familiarize ourselves with the circumstances, and then sit down peacefully to divide our territorial domains?¡± Hearing this, Han Yuankai smiled and said, ¡°Sect Master Ji makes a good point. After all, only our three great powers are left in the Misty World now, and that was how we agreed initially.¡± When they had moved against other powers in the Misty World, they had agreed to eventually divide Tianchen World. Of course, at that time, they each had their own hidden agendas, but as the three great powers grew bigger and stronger, a new balance was formed, and none of their secret schemes could be realized. Since the three great powers were still around, they might as well sit together and divide the territorial domains as previously agreed. At that moment, Jiang Hongye said, ¡°I too have thought about peacefully dividing the land of Tianchen World. However, the Spiritual Energy of Tianchen World has only just revived, and the concentration of Spiritual Energy varies from place to place. It is difficult for me to believe that we would be able to divide our domains completely fairly and justly when the time comes.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we might as well rely on our own abilities.¡± Chapter 981 - Chapter 981: Chapter 671: Mortals are Mortals Chapter 981: Chapter 671: Mortals are Mortals Seeing Gao Minghui continuously hesitating to move forward, some disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect grew impatient. Although Gao Minghui was the lead disciple in charge of the team this time, there were factions within the Misty Immortal Sect, and many disciples were not convinced by him. At that moment, another disciple spoke up, ¡°Elder Brother Gao, if you are afraid, then we can go ahead to scout the path for you.¡± This statement was clearly tinged with mockery, but upon hearing it, Gao Minghui didn¡¯t get angry. He looked at the gates of Black Dragon City and said indifferently, ¡°The major powers of the Misty World sent thousands of disciples from the Unity Realm into the Tianchen World, only for the Daxia Dynasty to wipe them out so easily. I don¡¯t believe that the Daxia Dynasty only has cultivators from the Unity Realm.¡± Then, another disciple from the Misty Immortal Sect said, ¡°Of course there aren¡¯t only Unity Realm cultivators. Haven¡¯t those commoners said it? The Daxia Dynasty also has flying immortals, which are most likely Celestials.¡± ¡°But what about that? The spiritual energy in the Tianchen World has only just revived. Even if some Celestials have been born, how many can there be? Why should we be afraid of this secular Daxia Dynasty?¡± To the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect present, they were entering the Tianchen World with two to three hundred people on this excursion, all of them at the Heavenly Human Realm. A secular dynasty at most would have three to five Celestials, while the Misty Immortal Sect had almost three hundred Celestials entering the Tianchen World this time. Why should they be afraid of the few Celestials of a secular dynasty? Not to mention Celestials¡ªeven if the Daxia Dynasty had cultivators from the Genesis Realm, they wouldn¡¯t likely be a match for them. Seeing that the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect seemed not to take the Daxia Dynasty seriously, Gao Minghui¡¯s expression turned sour. He always believed that the Daxia Dynasty was not that simple; a secular dynasty daring to directly confront a Sect must possess some strength. However, speaking of that, even knowing that the Daxia Dynasty might have some strength, as people sent by the Misty Immortal Sect to scout out the Tianchen World, they also had to actively eliminate any potential threats. Gao Minghui then said, ¡°Since my fellow disciples can¡¯t wait any longer, let¡¯s enter Black Dragon City. However, everyone should be as careful as possible. The Daxia Dynasty has evacuated the nearby population in advance, and they likely left some traps in Black Dragon City.¡± As soon as Gao Minghui finished speaking, several disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect flew straight toward the gates of Black Dragon City. As they flew, they said, ¡°Elder Brother Gao, we¡¯ll scout the path for you, you just wait here.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Soon, the disciples arrived at the gates, and just as they were about to fly over the city wall, they suddenly discovered that there were already many soldiers on it. However, instead of feeling scared, the disciples burst into laughter. ¡°It seems Elder Brother Gao was right; there are indeed traps!¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, what kind of trap is this!¡± ¡°Mere mortals not even at the Unity Realm daring to ambush us! Ridiculous!¡± ¡­ As they spoke, the disciples were about to attack the Daxia soldiers on the city wall, but at that moment, several loud ¡®bangs¡¯ were heard, and the disciples from the Misty Immortal Sect, who were still flying by sword, suddenly seemed to be struck by a severe blow, dropping from the sky one after another. Seeing this scene, Gao Minghui instantly became vigilant and shouted, ¡°It¡¯s an ambush! Everyone, be careful!¡± Gao Minghui furrowed his brows tightly; it was just as he had thought¡ªthe Daxia Dynasty really had an ambush here. He was now very curious about what kind of magical weapon the people of the Daxia Dynasty used that could instantly cripple a Celestial. If the opponents possessed the strength to seriously injure or even kill Celestials, under these circumstances, they could no longer continue to view the Daxia Dynasty as an ordinary secular dynasty. Just as Gao Minghui¡¯s warning sounded, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect did not become frightened. Instead, they became excited, and a disciple shouted loudly, ¡°Dare to injure the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect, let¡¯s all work together to annihilate these lowlifes!¡± During the conversation, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect charged straight towards Black Dragon City, completely ignoring Gao Minghui¡¯s caution. Gao Minghui, as the chief disciple, had no authority at all. As the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect flew toward Black Dragon City, the sound of horns echoed above, and the next moment, countless rune cannon shells flew towards those Celestials. Some Celestials, seeing the cannon shells, continued mocking, ¡°Mortals are mortals; using iron balls to attack us.¡± ¡°They probably think we¡¯re like mortals, that we could be killed by iron balls!¡± ¡­ Just as the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were laughing at the Daxia soldiers throwing iron balls, suddenly a deafening blast was heard, followed by a mushroom cloud rising amidst the crowd. The surrounding disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were injured and killed by the explosion. The bodies of the Celestials were indeed robust; if they had been Unity Realm cultivators, they would have been turned to pieces by the direct hit of rune cannon shells, while some of the Misty Immortal Sect disciples, even when hit, had at most lost an arm or a leg. Of course, if one rune cannon shell couldn¡¯t kill them, then they just needed a few more. Subsequently, cannon shells rained down from the sky, and mushroom clouds covered the area where the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were located. Seeing their fellow disciples being blown to pieces, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were finally scared. Gao Minghui urgently shouted, ¡°Retreat! Retreat immediately!¡± The Daxia Dynasty possessed weapons of such immense power; indeed, they were not an ordinary secular dynasty. They must devise a long-term plan and promptly report this matter to the Sect. Hearing Gao Minghui¡¯s words, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect no longer resisted and, terrified, hurriedly flew on their swords toward the Misty World. As the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect fled back towards the Misty World, they encountered disciples from the Linghu Sect who were on their way to Black Dragon City. Seeing the disheveled state of the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples, the Linghu Sect¡¯s disciples were stupefied, curious about who could have forced the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples to flee in such a sorry state, like dogs that had lost their homes. The leading principal disciple of the Linghu Sect immediately approached Gao Minghui and blocked his path, ¡°Gao Minghui, why are you coming back? What happened up ahead?¡± Liang Qiuren couldn¡¯t help but suspect that the disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, who had been the first to enter Tianchen World, might have set up an ambush and launched a surprise attack on the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect, causing them to flee in such disgrace. Gao Minghui glanced at Liang Qiuren, originally not intending to inform him of the situation with the Daxia Dynasty, hoping Linghu Sect would also be taught a harsh lesson. But after pondering for a moment, Gao Minghui opened his mouth and said: ¡°Liang Qiuren, the Daxia Dynasty is very strong; we are no match for them. I advise you and Linghu Sect to retreat immediately and report the situation of Tianchen World to your Sect leader.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Gao Minghui bypassed Liang Qiuren and continued retreating towards the Misty World. Watching the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples scram in panic, the disciples of Linghu Sect stood bewildered in place. Was it just a secular dynasty? Was it that terrifying? The Misty Immortal Sect, as the foremost force in the Misty World, was actually afraid of a secular dynasty from an inferior world? At that moment, a disciple approached Liang Qiuren, ¡°Senior Brother Liang, what shall we do now?¡± Liang Qiuren did not answer immediately, lost in thought. Then, another disciple spoke up, ¡°I think those guys from the Misty Immortal Sect are just bluffing, putting on an act. They definitely don¡¯t want us to delve deeper into Tianchen World.¡± ¡°Exactly, the number one power of the Misty World is so scared by a secular dynasty of a lower world that they run away? It¡¯s ridiculous!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Liang, let¡¯s hurry to Black Dragon City. It¡¯s the city closest to the Misty World with the densest Spiritual Energy. If we take Black Dragon City, our Sect leader can use it as a reason when dividing territories later on.¡± Liang Qiuren thought for a moment, seeing some sense in this. He also didn¡¯t think the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples should be so frightened by the Daxia Dynasty. He then said, ¡°Continue moving forward!¡± As the words fell, Liang Qiuren led the disciples of the Linghu Sect toward Black Dragon City. Upon arrival, they discovered over a hundred corpses of Celestials outside the city gates, identifiable by their clothing as disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect. At this sight, the disciples of Linghu Sect were shocked. They had assumed Gao Minghui was just bluffing them, only to find that there indeed existed a force in Black Dragon City capable of killing Celestials. Seeing the craters all over the ground, the disciples of Linghu Sect felt a chill run down their spines. When Liang Qiuren came to his senses, he hastily said, ¡°Something¡¯s wrong, retreat immediately!¡± No sooner had Liang Qiuren spoken than blue-glowing Rune Cannon Shells whizzed overhead. Then, mushroom clouds exploded among the crowd, and, just like what happened to the Misty Immortal Sect earlier, the disciples of Linghu Sect were killed or injured by the blasts. After witnessing this scene, the disciples of Linghu Sect tumbled and scrambled away from Black Dragon City, also fleeing toward the Misty World. Liang Qiuren now understood why Gao Minghui had spoken as he did instead of concealing the danger in Black Dragon City. Gao Minghui had intentionally provoked them to make them believe it was all a ruse by the Misty Immortal Sect. Had Gao Minghui not openly mentioned the danger in Black Dragon City, they might have been wary, suspecting something dangerous up ahead, especially since the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples had fled and not told them of any danger, probably wishing to see them suffer too. Grinding his teeth, Liang Qiuren, having understood the situation, coldly said, ¡°Gao Minghui, such cunning!¡± At that moment, a disciple asked, ¡°Senior Brother Liang, what do we do now?¡± Now that Black Dragon City was occupied by the Daxia Dynasty, and considering they possessed weapons capable of killing Celestials, venturing deeper into the Daxia Dynasty would likely be perilous. After pondering awhile, Liang Qiuren said, ¡°First return to the Misty World and tell everything to the Sect leader. Let¡¯s await his decision!¡± Chapter 982 - Chapter 982: Chapter 672: It seems there is someone behind him Chapter 982: Chapter 672: It seems there is someone behind him The forbidden seal of the Misty World had not completely dissipated, but the three major forces still stood guard in front of the seal, waiting for it to disappear entirely. As the three major forces waited for the seal to vanish, Gao Minghui, leading the first group of Misty Immortal Sect disciples into the Tianchen World, ran back, each of them appearing to have sustained serious injuries. Seeing the return of their Sect¡¯s disciples, Han Yuankai¡¯s expression turned dark in an instant, and he immediately flew to the front of Gao Minghui and the others. ¡°Gao Minghui, what happened? Why have you returned?¡± Seeing the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect returning, Ji Hongwen and Jiang Hongye also came forward, curious to hear what exactly had happened. Of course, Ji Hongwen, representing the Daxia Dynasty side, had basically guessed what the situation might be. Hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s question, Gao Minghui hurriedly knelt down and said, ¡°Sect Master, I have failed to meet your expectations!¡± ¡°We were ambushed by the Daxia Dynasty in a city upon arriving in the Tianchen World, and they used a mysterious artifact to kill over a hundred of our fellow disciples.¡± Hearing this news, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye were stunned. Ji Hongwen thought of something and hastily asked, ¡°What about the disciples of our Ten Thousand Immortal Sect? Did you see them?¡± Gao Minghui answered, ¡°Sect Master Ji, by the time we arrived at Black Dragon City, we no longer saw any trace of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect disciples, I fear they have all¡­¡± Gao Minghui did not finish his sentence. Ji Hongwen¡¯s brows furrowed at this moment, his face looking very unsightly, displaying an especially pained expression. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?? Jiang Hongye then said, ¡°Young man, did you see any disciples from our Linghu Sect when you were coming back?¡± Gao Minghui said, ¡°We did. I warned them that there was danger ahead and told them not to proceed, but they didn¡¯t believe it and insisted on heading to Black Dragon City. Now they are probably also clashing with the soldiers of the Daxia Dynasty. As for the outcome, I do not know.¡± At this moment Han Yuankai, Jiang Hongye, and Ji Hongwen all fell silent. Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye certainly hadn¡¯t expected that such a lower-world would still possess a force capable of defeating so many Celestials. Fortunately, the current seal now allowed Celestial Realm cultivators to pass both ways. If it were like before, allowing entry into Tianchen World but no exit, they would have had no idea that such a powerful force existed in Tianchen World until the Misty World¡¯s seal dissipated. With a darkened expression, Han Yuankai said, ¡°So, are you saying that the Unity Realm disciples that our major forces initially sent into Tianchen World have all been killed by the forces there?¡± Gao Minghui replied, ¡°According to what we inquired from the lowly citizens of Tianchen World, that is indeed the case.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Daxia Dynasty in Tianchen World that has defeated all other secular dynasties within a few short years and unified the entire Tianchen World. It is said that the Sum Emperor has the strength of a Celestial, and he also has a huge flying boat!¡± Han Yuankai fell silent once again. Originally, they thought it was just a lower-world, and after the seal dissolved, they could directly divide the entire Tianchen World and delineate their territories. Now, it seemed they had oversimplified things. Just then, Ji Hongwen scoffed coldly, ¡°Dare to kill the disciples of my Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, no matter how formidable that so-called Daxia Dynasty is, I shall annihilate it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a lower-world after all. Even if they are formidable, they can only give birth to Cultivators of the Genesis Realm at most!¡± Hearing Ji Hongwen say this, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye¡¯s expressions relaxed instantly. Indeed, Tianchen World¡¯s Laws are incomplete, and before the revival of Spiritual Energy, even Celestials were hard to come by. At most, only one or two Cultivators of the Genesis Realm could be born. The Daxia Dynasty is but a mundane dynasty, not to be feared! At that time, Han Yuankai said to Gao Minghui, ¡°Gao Minghui, tell us everything you found out about the Daxia Dynasty after you entered Tianchen World.¡± Gao Minghui promptly said, ¡°Yes, Sect Master.¡± ¡°The current Emperor of the Daxia Dynasty is only in his twenties¡­¡± Subsequently, Gao Minghui relayed the information they had gleaned from the talkative locals in Tianchen World to Han Yuankai and the others. After hearing the complete story of Lu Chen¡¯s life from Gao Minghui, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye¡¯s faces revealed contemplative expressions. At this time, Han Yuankai said, ¡°A waste prince from a lower-world who could not possibly have become an Emperor, but, after going to his fief, he grew up in such a short time; it seems there is someone behind him.¡± Jiang Hongye said, ¡°The commoners of the Daxia Dynasty mentioned they have an Immortal. It seems likely that a Cultivator from another world has entered Tianchen World, and the Sum Emperor might have risen so quickly with the help of a cultivator from another world.¡± Hearing Jiang Hongye¡¯s words, Han Yuankai immediately thought of Su Hanyan, whose temporary break in the Misty World¡¯s seal had allowed her brief entry into Tianchen World. Since Su Hanyan had entered Tianchen World, it was also possible that other Cultivators had done so during that time. Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if the Sum Emperor had Cultivator assistance behind him. However, this also indicated that the Sum Emperor was merely a puppet, and the one truly controlling the entire Daxia Dynasty was the Cultivator behind the Emperor. Realizing this, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye no longer considered Lu Chen and the Daxia Dynasty a serious threat. In their eyes, they just had to wait for the seal to further dissipate and for Creation Realm Cultivators to enter Tianchen World. Then they would be able to easily overthrow the entire Daxia Dynasty. Just wait and see from now on. ¡­ Meanwhile, Above Black Dragon City. Onboard the Feihong Immortal Boat, Lu Chen gazed toward the direction of the Misty World. The mist of the Misty World had completely dispersed, and it was now directly visible from the Tianchen World. The Misty World was not as desolate as imagined. Forests were everywhere, and the environment looked nice. However, there would occasionally be spatial rifts or spatial whirlpools, and those rifts could be seen even from the Tianchen World. Lu Chen muttered to himself, ¡°It seems the Misty World is indeed quite dangerous, no wonder its forces are desperate to enter Tianchen World.¡± The space in the Misty World was unstable, visible distortions to the naked eye. Living there year-round, one might be swept into the spatial chaos and torn to pieces while sleeping. Compared to the Misty World, even though the spiritual energy in Tianchen World was thin, it was safe. As Lu Chen was staring blankly at the Misty World, Bai Qingqing approached him, ¡°Your Majesty, the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect have arrived.¡± Nowadays, even though Bai Qingqing already had a child, she still followed Lu Chen everywhere he went. Her child was left in the care of Chu Yuqin. Of course, Lu Chen spent most of his time in Yan County, so Bai Qingqing could see her child nearly every day. Bai Qingqing and her child had no barriers between them. Growing up in the Imperial Palace, a place filled with love, Lu Chen¡¯s children were very sensible and did not cause trouble. Lu Chen glanced at Bai Qingqing, who was wearing a set of golden Shenghui Armor that tightly clung to her body, accentuating her curvaceous figure brilliantly. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Bai, that Shenghui Armor really suits you. It¡¯s tempting even to me.¡± Hearing these words, Bai Qingqing¡¯s fair cheeks flushed with a hint of red. ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, if you require, this servant will attend to you later.¡± When Bai Qingqing was outside, she always referred to herself as ¡°this servant,¡± only calling herself ¡°your concubine¡± when back in her own chambers. Lu Chen smiled slightly, not continuing to flirt with Bai Qingqing, ¡°Let¡¯s go see the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± With those words, Lu Chen walked towards the center of the Feihong Immortal Boat. At that moment, The disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who flew to the Feihong Immortal Boat were stunned by its impressive majesty, seeing such a large Immortal Boat for the first time. The disciples were all curious about their Emperor, eager to know who was the person that could own such a gigantic Immortal Boat. Before long, a young man appeared before everyone, and the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect who had seen Lu Chen promptly saluted him. Seeing that disciple salute, the others followed suit. ¡°Disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect greet Your Majesty, long live, long live, forever and ever!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°All rise.¡± After saying this, Lu Chen looked at the leading chief disciple of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and asked, ¡°How many disciples from the Heavenly Human Realm has Ten Thousand Immortal Sect brought in this time?¡± Wei Tianhua, the chief disciple of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, a total of three hundred Celestials! The Sect Master said that sending too many would attract suspicion from Linghu Sect and Misty Immortal Sect.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Three hundred is enough.¡± ¡°I wonder what the expression on the faces of the people from Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect will be when they see three hundred Creation Realm Cultivators after the prohibition completely disappears.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect looked perplexed. Three hundred Creation Realm Cultivators? Where would three hundred Creation Realm Cultivators come from? For secrecy¡¯s sake, Ji Hongwen had not informed the disciples entering Tianchen World that they would receive Shenghui Armor, only that they should go directly to Yan County to find the Sum Emperor. But they didn¡¯t expect to meet the Sum Emperor right away in Black Dragon City, without even having to go to Yan County. At that moment, Lu Chen waved his hand, and three hundred sets of gleaming golden armors appeared in front of all the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect present. Lu Chen said, ¡°These Spirit Armors are called Shenghui Armor. Once worn, they can fend off attacks from Yin-Yang Realm powerhouses to a certain degree, and they can also elevate your strength to be on par with that of Creation Realm Cultivators.¡± Upon hearing this, the disciples of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were stunned. Able to fend off attacks from Yin-Yang Realm powerhouses and enhance their strength to the Creation Realm level? These armors must be at least Earth-grade Spirit Armor! Who exactly was their Emperor, who could so easily produce three hundred sets of Earth-grade Spirit Armor! Chapter 985 - Chapter 985: Chapter 675: The Disappearance of the Prohibition Chapter 985: Chapter 675: The Disappearance of the Prohibition Hearing the words of the maid at the door, Lu Chen slowly rose to his feet, his gaze sweeping over Bai Qingqing¡¯s entire body. Bai Qingqing¡¯s snow-white skin had a slight blush to it, making her look irresistibly seductive. Lu Chen gently caressed Bai Qingqing¡¯s face and said, ¡°Bai, your cultivation of the Mysterious Female Technique is impressive, keep up the good work.¡± At Lu Chen¡¯s praise, Bai Qingqing felt even more bashful. She whispered, ¡°This servant will continue to cultivate, and next time¡­ I will make Your Majesty even more satisfied.¡± Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words, Lu Chen chuckled. This emotionless beauty had changed quite a bit since becoming his woman; she never used to speak like this. At this moment, Bai Qingqing continued, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for helping this servant break through to the Heavenly Human Realm.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It has nothing to do with me; you were able to break through because you were diligent enough.¡± Hearing Lu Chen praise her efforts, Bai Qingqing thought of how proactive she had been just now, and, in that moment, she felt even more ashamed. Ever since she had children, her emotions had become richer. Now, when Lu Chen was misbehaving with his other wives and concubines, they didn¡¯t feel any shame, but Bai Qingqing had become very shy. Lu Chen then stood up and said, ¡°Now that the banishment has been lifted, it¡¯s time we got down to business.¡± Seeing Lu Chen stand up, Bai Qingqing also hurriedly got up and began to dress him. After Lu Chen was dressed and came out of the room, he indeed found that the prohibition over the misty area had dissipated and a dense swarm of flying boats was heading towards Black Dragon City from above. Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye stood at the bow of the Flying Boat, looking out in the direction of Black Dragon City. Seeing the thick Spiritual Energy around Black Dragon City, both Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye were tempted. Black Dragon City was the closest land to the Misty World, so its Spiritual Energy should be the densest. If they could take control of this land, the cultivation speed of the cultivators under their power would not be too greatly affected in the future. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? At this moment, none of the three¡ªHan Yuankai, Jiang Hongye, and Ji Hongwen¡ªspoke; they were each calculating something. After an unknown period, Han Yuankai finally spoke to Ji Hongwen and Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Master Ji, Sect Leader Jiang, given the proximity of Black Dragon City to the Misty World, the space here must be unstable. How about we assign Black Dragon City to the Misty Immortal Sect when we divide the land?¡± Upon hearing this, Jiang Hongye laughed and replied, ¡°Sect Master Han, you really are a good Samaritan. Could it be that Sect Master Han feels the Spiritual Energy in Black Dragon City is so rich that you want to monopolize it?¡± At this, Jiang Hongye turned to look at Ji Hongwen on the other flying boat that was making headway alongside, ¡°Sect Master Ji, I wonder if the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect is interested in Black Dragon City?¡± Ji Hongwen said with a smile, ¡°Of course, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect is also interested in Black Dragon City.¡± ¡°Although Black Dragon City is close to the Misty World, after all, this is the Tianchen World. It¡¯s impossible for the space to be unstable.¡± Jiang Hongye knew that relying on the Linghu Sect alone, he couldn¡¯t prevent Han Yuankai from seizing Black Dragon City, so he simply decided to pull in Ji Hongwen. As the second largest power, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was even less willing to see the Misty Immortal Sect occupy such a place with dense Spiritual Energy. At this time, Ji Hongwen spoke up, ¡°How about this. Among our three great powers, whoever can reach Black Dragon City first and plant their sect¡¯s flag atop the city tower, Black Dragon City and the nearby lands shall belong to that power.¡± Upon hearing this proposal, Jiang Hongye¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Why was Ji Hongwen so foolish as to suggest such a method for deciding the ownership of Black Dragon City? Being the premier power of the Misty World, the Misty Immortal Sect had the strongest capabilities in all aspects, including possessing the largest and most powerful Flying Boats. The Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boats, equipped with more formations, were far faster than those of the Linghu Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Competing with the Misty Immortal Sect in terms of speed was simply impossible. What did Ji Hongwen mean by this? Could it be that Ji Hongwen had some secret deal with Han Yuankai, which is why he would propose something so favorable to the Misty Immortal Sect? Just as Jiang Hongye was pondering whether the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had some unsavory deal, Han Yuankai turned to Jiang Hongye and said, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, what do you think of Sect Master Ji¡¯s proposal?¡± ¡°I remember you were very keen on deciding territorial boundaries this way at the beginning, weren¡¯t you?¡± Jiang Hongye said expressionlessly, ¡°If Sect Leader Han has no objections, then I have none either.¡± Han Yuankai¡¯s lips curved upwards slightly, ¡°Since everyone thinks this method is good, let¡¯s start then.¡± As soon as Han Yuankai¡¯s words fell, his flying boat suddenly accelerated, heading in the direction of Black Dragon City. In Han Yuankai¡¯s view, the reason Ji Hongwen had made such a proposal was because Ji Hongwen had some sort of trump card in his hand, a trump card that could quickly get the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s flying boat to Black Dragon City. However, even so, the Misty Immortal Sect could not possibly lose to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, their flying boats were no ordinary vessels, especially the one beneath Han Yuankai¡¯s feet. They had originally planned to build an Immortal Boat, but before they could finish, the entire Misty Immortal Sect encountered a spatial rift and fell into the Misty World. Although the Immortal Boat was not completed, the formation and some of the materials used to construct it were still intact. The flying boat Han Yuankai was controlling could barely be considered half an Immortal Boat. Therefore, in Han Yuankai¡¯s view, the Misty Immortal Sect was bound to be the first to reach Black Dragon City; as for those Great Sum armies, they were nothing to worry about. As long as they reached Black Dragon City, with his strength at the Ninth Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm, he could easily annihilate Daxia¡¯s armies. Seeing Han Yuankai¡¯s flying boat speed up instantly, Jiang Hongye frowned. Although he knew that the speed of Linghu Sect¡¯s flying boat could not match Han Yuankai¡¯s, he had no intention of just giving up the treasured land that was Black Dragon City. Immediately following, Jiang Hongye took control of the flying boat himself and began to accelerate towards Black Dragon City. However, while Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye were both accelerating towards Black Dragon City, Ji Hongwen leisurely trailed behind in his flying boat. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t accelerate his flying boat; it was just that his speed was much slower compared to the flying boats beneath Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye. At this time, Han Yuankai also noticed something was amiss. Logically, since the proposal was put forward by Ji Hongwen, he should have some sort of trump card, so why was Ji Hongwen¡¯s flying boat always behind? Were they falling behind too much? He did not believe that Ji Hongwen was so kind-hearted as to willingly cede a place as rich in spiritual energy as Black Dragon City to the Misty Immortal Sect. At this moment, Han Yuankai turned his head and saw that Ji Hongwen and the Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had given up on the flying boat and were traveling by Sword Flight. And their speed had also increased. Han Yuankai immediately realized why they had always been following behind; it turned out they were planning to play this little trick. The flying boat had many formations on it; compared to controlling a flying boat, Sword Flight was more relaxed, and sometimes even faster. At this point, Han Yuankai realized that Ji Hongwen and his people had always been behind, not wanting them to see the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect traveling by Sword Flight. But then again, they had not specified that Sword Flight was not allowed. Han Yuankai sneered, indeed, sometimes Sword Flight could be faster than a flying boat, it¡¯s just a pity that the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s flying boat was no ordinary vessel. Immediately, Han Yuankai gathered spiritual power again and further increased the speed of the flying boat. His vessel shrank in the eyes of the Linghu Sect disciples at a visible speed. Seeing this, Jiang Hongye also became anxious. He looked back at the situation with the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect and, seeing them forgo the flying boat for Sword Flight, he said directly to the Elders of the Linghu Sect, ¡°We¡¯ll travel by sword too!¡± The next moment, Jiang Hongye and the Elders of the Linghu Sect abandoned the flying boat and rushed towards Black Dragon City by Sword Flight. Indeed, after adopting Sword Flight, their speed greatly increased and it didn¡¯t take long for them to close the distance with the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s flying boat again. Seeing Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye rushing towards Black Dragon City with such urgency, smiles appeared on Ji Hongwen¡¯s and the Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s faces. The retreat for the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect had been cut off. Chapter 986 - Chapter 986: Chapter 676: The Conflicted Su Hanyan Chapter 986: Chapter 676: The Conflicted Su Hanyan Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect were completely unaware that Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had blocked their retreat. Under the leadership of Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye, the disciples of Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect were still frantically flying towards Black Dragon City. Soon, Han Yuankai navigated the Flying Boat to the skies above Black Dragon City. Just as he was preparing to have the Elders of Misty Immortal Sect take action to clear out the Daxia soldiers of Black Dragon City, countless iron spheres suddenly launched from the city. These iron spheres headed straight for the Flying Boat of Misty Immortal Sect. Han Yuankai, having received reports from his disciples, knew that these were the powerful weapons of Great Sum, comparable to the self-detonation of a Celestial. However, even though they were powerful, Han Yuankai was not concerned. Before Han Yuankai could even speak, one of the Elders of the Misty Immortal Sect immediately acted, swinging his sword and sending numerous streaks of Sword Qi toward the cannon shells. The next moment, the Rune Cannon Shells collided with the Sword Qi and immediately exploded. The one who acted was a Cultivator from the Creation Realm. For a Cultivator of the Creation Realm, defending against these Rune Cannon Shells was not particularly difficult. At that time, more Rune Cannon Shells flew out from Black Dragon City. Han Yuankai did not intend to waste too much time. He sensed that Jiang Hongye had caught up with his sword, and the Misty Immortal Sect must quickly conquer all of Black Dragon City and plant the flag of Misty Immortal Sect atop it. At this moment, Han Yuankai said to the Elders of Misty Immortal Sect, ¡°All of you act together, rapidly handle those lowlifes!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the Elders of Misty Immortal Sect descended from the Flying Boat and flew directly towards Black Dragon City. However, just as they were preparing to strike at the soldiers of Black Dragon City, figures clad in golden armor suddenly appeared atop the city walls. Judging by their aura, they also possessed at least the strength of the Creation Realm. The next moment, those Cultivators in golden armor acted simultaneously, their numerous streaks of Sword Qi slashing towards the Creation Realm Elders of Misty Immortal Sect. Seeing this, Han Yuankai¡¯s expression instantly darkened. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? He felt it incomprehensible¡ªhow did Tianchen World already possess so many Creation Realm Cultivators? He had thought that Tianchen World had at most two or three Creation Realm Cultivators, and that their strengths were negligible. Now, there were more than a dozen Creation Realm Cultivators on the walls of Black Dragon City! To think that the entire Misty Immortal Sect had only about forty Creation Realm Cultivators! How could a lower world, especially one where spiritual energy had only recently revived, nurture so many Cultivators of the Creation Realm? Something was amiss! Han Yuankai had already realized the problem! He had a bad premonition. Just then, a woman dressed in golden-yellow armor appeared atop the city tower of Black Dragon City. Seeing the woman, Su Hanyan, who was beside Han Yuankai, was momentarily stunned. Although the woman¡¯s demeanor had changed significantly, Su Hanyan recognized her at a glance as her own direct disciple, Li Qingrou. Su Hanyan¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed, puzzled. What was going on? Hadn¡¯t she already sent someone to inform Li Qingrou to find a place to hide with Wu Junwan until the restrictions were lifted and to never appear in public again? Could it be that Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan did not receive her letter? Or did the disciple she had sent to inform Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan betray her, directly telling everything to Han Yuankai, and Han Yuankai had dealt with those female disciples, so Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan did not get her warning? This was troublesome! Since Li Qingrou had appeared here, it was highly likely that Han Yuankai would recognize her too, and he would definitely try to capture her. Thinking of this, Su Hanyan immediately said, ¡°Senior brother, something¡¯s not right. Let¡¯s take action quickly!¡± As she spoke, Su Hanyan waved her large hand. Phantom Mist Shadow!!! A dense, purple mist instantly surged towards those Saint Radiance Army Cultivators on the city tower. The purple mist blocked Han Yuankai¡¯s line of sight when it flew out, preventing him from clearly seeing Li Qingrou¡¯s face. Unlike Su Hanyan, Han Yuankai had not spent much time with Li Qingrou, so he could not recognize her at a glance. At the moment, Han Yuankai still thought Su Hanyan wanted to end the battle quickly, unaware that Su Hanyan was trying to conceal Li Qingrou. As the purple mist enveloped Black Dragon City, those Saint Radiance Army Cultivators atop the city tower ceased their attack. At this time, Su Hanyan leaped down from the Flying Boat, her silhouette immediately rushing into the purple mist, and soon Su Hanyan appeared behind Li Qingrou. Before Li Qingrou could do anything, Su Hanyan immobilized her. Li Qingrou was not panicked as she was well aware that this was a skill of her Honored Master. ¡°Honored Master, long time no see!¡± Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s greeting, Su Hanyan said coldly, ¡°Didn¡¯t I send someone to Tianchen World to tell you and Junwan to hide? Why did you come here instead!¡± Li Qianrou replied, ¡°Honored Master, my darling wishes to meet you.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan was taken aback. Darling? Had her disciple already married someone? Hadn¡¯t she warned her not to delve into romantic affairs too early in her cultivation journey, lest she fail to even break through to the Heavenly Human Realm? As Su Hanyan thought this, she sensed that the aura emanating from Li Qianrou had already far surpassed the Heavenly Human Realm, nearly reaching the Genesis Realm. This¡­ Su Hanyan was slightly stunned. Curiously, Su Hanyan asked, ¡°Your darling? Who is he?¡± Su Hanyan quickly accepted the fact that her disciple had married. She reasoned that Li Qianrou, being from a lower world, had limited vision, and considering that Tianchen World didn¡¯t have restored Spiritual Energy before, whether she could break through to the Heavenly Human Realm was uncertain. It was normal for Li Qianrou to choose marriage out of loneliness. What Su Hanyan was most curious about now was Li Qianrou¡¯s husband. Who was he, and why did he want to win her over? Li Qianrou answered, ¡°My darling is Sum Emperor.¡± This¡­ Su Hanyan¡¯s beautiful face turned pale. She could never have imagined that the ¡°Puppet Emperor¡± the Misty Immortal Sect had planned to eliminate was actually her disciple¡¯s husband. What now? Li Qianrou continued, ¡°My darling is not from this world; he came to Tianchen World from another cultivation realm to gain experience.¡± ¡°Moreover, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect is also his power.¡± At this revelation, Su Hanyan¡¯s face grew even paler. Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡­ was actually¡­ Su Hanyan instantly understood why Ji Hongwen had earlier proposed that whoever first occupied Black Dragon City would own both the city and its surrounding regions. The Ten Thousand Immortal Sect had deliberately lagged behind, intending to thoroughly block the retreat path of Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect. The first thing Su Hanyan thought of was to urgently inform Han Yuankai to retreat. Seeing that Su Hanyan did not respond, Li Qianrou knew her master must be in a dilemma, especially since Misty Immortal Sect was a sect that Su Hanyan and Han Yuankai had founded together. Naturally, she was reluctant to abandon it altogether. Li Qianrou then continued, ¡°Honored Master, there are at least three hundred cultivation cultivators in Tianchen World, and there are also cultivators from the All Law Realm. Misty Immortal Sect is no match for the Daxia Dynasty.¡± ¡°Honored Master, come with me, Sum Emperor is not only my darling but also Junwan¡¯s. Junwan has also borne a child for Sum Emperor.¡± ¡°Disciple knows you have long disapproved of the Sect Master¡¯s methods, but had nowhere to go and could only stay in Misty Immortal Sect.¡± ¡°You came to Tianchen World originally wanting to escape from Misty Immortal Sect, didn¡¯t you? If it weren¡¯t for the lack of Spiritual Energy in Tianchen World at that time, making cultivation impossible, you wouldn¡¯t have returned to the Misty World.¡± Persuaded in this way by Li Qianrou, Su Hanyan found herself somewhat shaken. But her heart was still torn. Misty Immortal Sect was, after all, a sect she had watched over from its inception. Even though she and Han Yuankai had differing ideals, she had never thought of joining outsiders to destroy Misty Immortal Sect. She held deep feelings for the sect. After thinking for a while, Su Hanyan sighed and said to Li Qianrou, ¡°Qianrou, you go back. I can¡¯t leave Misty Immortal Sect.¡± ¡°Misty Immortal Sect is, after all, a sect that Sect Master Han and I founded together.¡± Hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, Li Qianrou also sighed, knowing her honored master would say this. ¡°Honored Master, I respect your choice, but rest assured, even if Sum Emperor destroys Misty Immortal Sect, he will not make a move against you.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan felt a vague pain in her heart. She knew Li Qianrou wanted what was best for her. After Li Qianrou returned, she would likely have to pay a significant price to persuade Sum Emperor not to harm her. On one side were her two direct disciples, and on the other, the sect she had founded. Her heart truly struggled to decide. Chapter 987 - Chapter 987: Chapter 677: How Can This Lower World Have an Immortal Boat!!! Chapter 987: Chapter 677: How Can This Lower World Have an Immortal Boat!!! Seeing Su Hanyan rush into the purple fog without any further sign of her, Han Yuankai¡¯s brows furrowed immediately. What¡¯s going on? With her strength at the Sixth Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm, she should easily handle some Creation Realm cultivators. Surely she hasn¡¯t failed to deal with those in the golden armor yet? Could it be that Black Dragon City has some trick up its sleeve? Could there be more than just Creation Realm cultivators? Thinking this, Han Yuankai couldn¡¯t restrain himself. Gripping the sword in his hand, he swung his weapon. Wind-Thunder Sword!!! Lightning bolts descended from the sky, and several tornados infused with lightning sped straight towards Black Dragon City. In the next moment, Su Hanyan¡¯s purple mist was blown away by Han Yuankai¡¯s Wind-Thunder Sword, and after the purple mist cleared, the city wall was devoid of any cultivators in golden armor, leaving only Su Hanyan standing there. At this sight, the Elder Disciples of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect were stunned. What happened? Where did all those golden-armored cultivators from the Daxia Dynasty go? Could they have all been dealt with by Su Hanyan? It¡¯s possible, after all. Being a cultivator at the Sixth Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm, handling a dozen or so cultivators from the Creation Realm wouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem for Su Hanyan. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï But is it really that simple? Since the Daxia Dynasty already has more than a dozen Creation Realm cultivators, it certainly won¡¯t be just that. The Daxia Dynasty must have some aces up its sleeve, and there might even be Yin-Yang Realm experts in their ranks. At this moment, Han Yuankai¡¯s eyebrows were still not relaxed. Even though Su Hanyan was unharmed, she remained rooted to the spot, looking as though she had received a blow. Her expression betrayed that something must have occurred within that purple mist. What had Su Hanyan discovered to look so troubled? While Han Yuankai was curious, Su Hanyan suddenly leaped from the city wall and, riding her sword, flew straight to the Flying Boat where Han Yuankai was. Having returned to the Flying Boat, Su Hanyan immediately said, ¡°Elder Brother, it¡¯s a trap¡ªwe have to retreat quickly!¡± Hearing this, everyone from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was stunned. A trap? What kind of trap? Han Yuankai didn¡¯t immediately heed Su Hanyan¡¯s words and asked out of curiosity, ¡°Junior Sister, what happened just now?¡± Su Hanyan continued, ¡°The Sum Emperor is not from this world; he is a cultivator from a High-level World. The Daxia Dynasty now possesses over a hundred Creation Realm cultivators, and it¡¯s possible the Emperor has Protectors from the All Law Realm beside him. Moreover, the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect is also a force of the Daxia Dynasty!¡± Upon hearing this, the members of the Misty Immortal Sect were again shocked. How could that be? The Ten Thousand Immortal Sect has always been in the Misty World; how could they be a force of the Daxia Dynasty? Wait a minute¡­ The crowd seemed to realize something, and they immediately turned to look in the direction of the Misty World. They saw only the Flying Boat of the Linghu Sect and Jiang Hongye¡¯s group but no sign of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Han Yuankai¡¯s face darkened in an instant, and he asked with a grim expression, ¡°Junior Sister, how did you come to know all this?¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°Elder Brother, it¡¯s crucial we leave this place first. Once we¡¯re back in the Misty World, I¡¯ll explain everything slowly.¡± Han Yuankai hesitated for a moment; he wasn¡¯t sure if what Su Hanyan was saying was true. After thinking it over, even though he and Su Hanyan increasingly held contrasting views and their ideals no longer aligned, Su Hanyan after all was the First Elder of the Misty Immortal Sect, and she wouldn¡¯t likely betray the sect. So, what Su Hanyan was saying was probably true, but Han Yuankai still found it somewhat hard to accept. They had waited so long for the prohibitions of the Misty World to dissipate and had finally entered the Tianchen World. And now they were being told that Tianchen World was already claimed, and that there was a force even more powerful than their Misty Immortal Sect existent, how could they possibly be content with that? Could it be that the Misty Immortal Sect would have to return to the unstable areas of the Misty World, to wait for the day it collapses completely? Han Yuankai then said, ¡°Junior Sister, regardless of how you learned this news, we have no retreat left. We must occupy Tianchen World. The space of the Misty World is on the brink of collapse, and only by taking over Tianchen World will we have a chance to survive.¡± ¡°Only by taking over Tianchen World do we have a possibility of returning to our previous world!¡± With that, Han Yuankai clenched the sword in his hand and continued, ¡°Follow me, and let¡¯s break into Black Dragon City!¡± Even though Han Yuankai realized that what Su Hanyan had said might be true, he didn¡¯t intend to give up just like that. Even if the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect truly was a power of the Daxia Dynasty, he still planned to obliterate the Daxia Dynasty and occupy the entire Tianchen World. Now, he was only a step away from the All Law Realm. He didn¡¯t believe that there existed anyone in this world who had reached the All Law Realm. Even if the Sum Emperor were a cultivator from the High-Level Cultivation Realm, he could at best only possess the power of the Yin-Yang Realm. His reasoning had no flaws¡ªif the other party were truly powerful, why would they bother with a low-level world with such sparse Spiritual Energy? Since they were at most of the Yin-Yang Realm¡¯s power, what did he have to fear from them? He would take action directly. Right then, Han Yuankai, along with the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect, prepared to directly attack Black Dragon City. However, at that moment, strange waves of Spiritual Power suddenly appeared in the sky. The people of Misty Immortal Sect were instantaneously stunned where they stood. Soon, a gigantic Immortal Boat appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. Seeing the Immortal Boat, the size of the entire Black Dragon City, floating above it, all of Misty Immortal Sect were dumbstruck. Even Han Yuankai was taken aback. ¡°Immortal¡­ Immortal Boat¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. A low-level world, yet an Immortal Boat appeared. And such a massive one at that. From the Immortal Boat alone, it was apparent that its owner was extremely powerful and possessed an extraordinary identity. They had never seen such a large, such a luxurious Immortal Boat in their original Cultivation World. Merely an Immortal Boat had already overwhelmed everyone from the Misty Immortal Sect. At that moment, Su Hanyan also stared blankly at the Immortal Boat in the sky. She now understood why her disciple had told her to ally with the Sum Emperor. Judging from the Immortal Boat, her disciple¡¯s so-called darling was likely the son of some Super Force out to experience the world. Perhaps the son had chosen such a low-level world because he found other worlds too dangerous for his training journey. At the same time, Jiang Hongye and the others, who were rapidly approaching Black Dragon City, also spotted the massive Immortal Boat. Seeing the Immortal Boat, the people from the Linghu Sect were also bewildered. An Elder murmured, ¡°Is this a Flying Boat? But why does it look different from a Flying Boat?¡± The well-informed Jiang Hongye said, ¡°No, it¡¯s not a Flying Boat. Flying Boats don¡¯t have so many Formations and they don¡¯t have such strong waves of Spiritual Power. This is an Immortal Boat!¡± As his words fell, Jiang Hongye¡¯s mind went blank. ¡°An Immortal Boat¡­¡± ¡°How could there be an Immortal Boat in this low-level world!¡± After a moment passed, Jiang Hongye suddenly thought of something and excitedly said, ¡°With an Immortal Boat, we could leave this world!¡± The next instant, Jiang Hongye said to the people of Linghu Sect, ¡°Hurry to Black Dragon City!¡± Following that, the people of Linghu Sect once again sped towards Black Dragon City at their fastest pace. Before long, they arrived outside Black Dragon City. Seeing the people of Misty Immortal Sect floating in the air, not daring to make a move, Jiang Hongye and the people of Linghu Sect also halted their advance. At this time, Han Yuankai came back to his senses. With a chuckle, he said to Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, it seems both of us have been outplayed by Sect Master Ji!¡± Hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, Jiang Hongye asked in confusion, ¡°What do you mean, Sect Master Han?¡± Han Yuankai continued, ¡°The Ten Thousand Immortal Sect has been the Sum Emperor¡¯s power from the beginning, and this Sum Emperor comes from the High-Level Cultivation Realm.¡± ¡°Just look at the Immortal Boat in the sky. The person who possesses such an Immortal Boat must have a very prestigious identity, which I¡¯m sure needs no explanation from myself.¡± This¡­ Jiang Hongye finally came to his senses. He had actually been thinking about seizing the Immortal Boat to leave Tianchen World. Now that he thought about it, how could a cultivator who owns such a vast and luxurious Immortal Boat be an ordinary person? Moreover, they were very likely not someone they could confront. Wasn¡¯t their current situation very bad then? The Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was blocking their way from behind, and in front of them was this enormous Immortal Boat with cultivators aboard, the extent of their power unknown. For the moment, both Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect dared not act rashly. In fact, at this moment, all Lu Chen needed to do was to continue playing the mysterious role, and there was a certain chance he could subjugate Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect. However, Lu Chen had no intention of doing so, as what he needed were ultimately loyal subordinates. While everyone was hesitant to act, the Immortal Boat slowly descended. Immediately after, a man dressed in a Black Gold Dragon Robe appeared at the bow of the Immortal Boat. Chapter 988 - Chapter 988: Chapter 678: Is the Sum Emperors Strength This Weak? Chapter 988: Chapter 678: Is the Sum Emperor¡¯s Strength This Weak? Seeing the man in the black gold dragon robe, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye were once again taken aback, not because they were intimidated by Lu Chen¡¯s aura. They could clearly sense that the man in the black gold dragon robe only had the cultivation state of the Creation Realm. Could this really be the Daxia Emperor? Just as the two were calculating in their hearts, Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Welcome, friends from the Misty World, to visit my Tianchen World.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Han Yuankai and Jiang Hongye confirmed that Lu Chen was indeed the Daxia Emperor. At this moment, a thought suddenly emerged in their minds. The Sum Emperor¡¯s strength is so weak? If they could snatch his Immortal Boat, wouldn¡¯t they be able to leave the Tianchen World? However¡­ Han Yuankai quickly thought of Su Hanyan¡¯s earlier reminder that there was likely a Protector of the Myriad Laws Realm near this Sum Emperor. If there really was a Protector of the Myriad Laws Realm, it would be very difficult for them, several Yin-Yang Realm cultivators, to deal with him, and they also didn¡¯t know the strength of the opponent¡¯s Myriad Laws Realm Protector. If it were just the Myriad Laws Realm First Layer, they would still have the power to fight; if it were a cultivator above the Myriad Laws Realm Fifth Layer, it would not be so easy to deal with. If they wanted to snatch the Immortal Boat, the first thing to do was to probe the number and strength of the Protectors behind this Sum Emperor. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Generally speaking, a cultivator from a great family would not take too many Protectors when going to a lower world for training, at most only one Protector. Of course, that¡¯s just most cultivators on expeditions, there are also some scions with more distinguished identities who take several Protectors when training in lower worlds. After thinking for a moment, Han Yuankai immediately transmitted a message to Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, this Sum Emperor only has the strength of the Creation Realm, if we join forces, we can capture him, and then our two sects can use the Immortal Boat to leave the Tianchen World, what do you think?¡± After hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s proposal, Jiang Hongye thought for a moment and then took another look at Lu Chen. This Sum Emperor indeed didn¡¯t seem very frightening, the question was whether he had a Protector behind him and what the Protector¡¯s strength was like. If there were no Protectors, and there were only Creation Realm cultivators, the Sum Emperor would pose no threat to them at all. Jiang Hongye was somewhat tempted. Han Yuankai continued to transmit to Jiang Hongye, ¡°Sect Leader Jiang, Ji Hongwen will be here soon, how about you go and intercept him for me, while I try to capture the Sum Emperor.¡± No sooner had Han Yuankai finished speaking than Jiang Hongye sneered and then transmitted back, ¡°Sect Master Han really plays a clever game, having me intercept Ji Hongwen, and once you get the Immortal Boat, your Misty Immortal Sect will likely just use it to leave the Tianchen World directly.¡± Jiang Hongye said, ¡°How about I deal with the Sum Emperor, and Sect Master Han confronts Ji Hongwen?¡± Han Yuankai¡¯s face darkened, looking quite unhappy. Seeing this expression, Jiang Hongye became even more certain of his guess, Han Yuankai intended to snatch the Immortal Boat and then abandon the Linghu Sect and directly leave the Tianchen World. After a moment of silence, Han Yuankai continued to transmit, ¡°Since Sect Leader Jiang doesn¡¯t trust me, then you go and deal with the Sum Emperor, and I will help you intercept Ji Hongwen.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t regret your choice later if something happens.¡± Jiang Hongye chuckled to himself. He didn¡¯t take Han Yuankai¡¯s words seriously, considering them a deliberate ploy to make him switch his choice. He definitely wouldn¡¯t switch. With two Yin-Yang Realm cultivators from his Linghu Sect, he didn¡¯t believe they couldn¡¯t capture a Creation Realm cultivator. But this Immortal Boat was indeed a bit troublesome; there were formations on the Immortal Boat, and to enter and capture the Sum Emperor, they¡¯d have to break the Immortal Boat¡¯s formations. But these were not too difficult in Jiang Hongye¡¯s eyes, certainly better than confronting Ji Hongwen, a Yin-Yang Realm cultivator, head-on. Soon there would be a head-on fight between the Misty Immortal Sect and the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, and both would surely be badly injured. Just thinking about this made Jiang Hongye¡¯s face involuntarily break into a smile. However, just as both parties were preparing to act, Ji Hongwen had already led the Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to the skies above Black Dragon City. Seeing Ji Hongwen, Han Yuankai sneered and said, ¡°Sect Master Ji, it turns out you¡¯ve kept yourself well hidden, playing us all in the palm of your hand at the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Ji Hongwen indifferently said, ¡°Sect Master Han, now that you are surrounded, if you surrender now, there might still be a chance for survival.¡± ¡°If you continue to resist stubbornly, there¡¯s only one way left¡ªdeath. In consideration of the many years you¡¯ve been in the Misty World, I advise you to submit to Our Majesty quickly.¡± Hearing this, Han Yuankai scoffed and then said, ¡°How ridiculous!¡± ¡°I have no habit of bowing to anyone!¡± As he spoke, Han Yuankai threw the sword in his hand, it hung suspended in the air, and then, thunder and lightning surged around it. Seeing Han Yuankai about to make a move, Jiang Hongye prepared himself at this moment. As soon as Han Yuankai clashed with Ji Hongwen, he would immediately rush towards the Immortal Boat and try to capture the Daxia Emperor. Moments later, Han Yuankai let out a thunderous shout. ¡°Wind-Thunder Sword!!!¡± The next instant, countless bolts of lightning descended from the sky, among them a giant sword shadow formed, with innumerable arcs of electricity flickering around it. Ji Hongwen said, ¡°Since Sect Leader Han is stubborn beyond reason, then do not blame me for not being merciful.¡± While speaking, the Spiritual Power on Ji Hongwen¡¯s body surged, the Spiritual Energy around him flooded into Ji Hongwen¡¯s body like a tide, and then, a set of golden armor appeared around Ji Hongwen¡¯s body. Seeing Ji Hongwen and Han Yuankai clash, the corners of Jiang Hongye¡¯s mouth slightly lifted. What an opportunity! Immediately after, Jiang Hongye led the Elders of the Misty Immortal Sect and charged toward the Immortal Boat where Lu Chen was located. However, they hadn¡¯t yet reached the Immortal Boat when ten Cultivators appeared in front of it. Jiang Hongye was taken aback, but quickly regained his composure, recognizing them at a glance. Those ten Cultivators were all Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, and they all possessed the power of the Genesis Realm. Merely ten of the Genesis Realm, not considered much. Besides having over a dozen Creation Realm Cultivators by his side, he had one Cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm, and just two from the Yin-Yang Realm could easily take care of those ten Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Jiang Hongye did not waste words with them, and immediately took action. ¡°Sun Moon Seven Strings Finger!!!¡± The next moment, the phantoms of a sun and a moon appeared in the sky, closing in, and seven huge fingers descended from the heavens, directly aiming at those ten Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Seeing this scene, not only did those ten Elders not shrink back, but smiles appeared on their faces, looking as if they were not at all afraid. Noticing their relaxed expressions, Jiang Hongye faintly felt that something was amiss. Just then, each of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect¡¯s ten Elders displayed a layer of golden armor on their bodies, and their aura immediately climbed. Soon, Jiang Hongye felt the presence of the Yin-Yang Realm from them. Jiang Hongye was momentarily stunned. The Yin-Yang Realm¡­ How is this possible¡­ They had only had the power of the Genesis Realm just now, how could they have broken through to the Yin-Yang Realm in such a short time? No¡­ Had they been hiding their Cultivation State? While Jiang Hongye was distracted, the ten Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect made their move together, easily breaking Jiang Hongye¡¯s Sun Moon Seven Strings Finger. Seeing the sun and moon phantasms in the sky shatter, Jiang Hongye finally came back to his senses. Linghu Sect had only two Cultivators of the Yin-Yang Realm, and no matter their skill, they could not possibly be a match for ten Cultivators of the Yin-Yang Realm. It seemed that their fortunes were dire today. Elsewhere. Just as Han Yuankai¡¯s Wind-Thunder Sword was about to strike Ji Hongwen¡¯s body, Ji Hongwen struck with a palm, directly shattering the giant sword shadow in the sky into countless fragments. Han Yuankai spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, clearly suffering the backlash of the Wind-Thunder Sword. Just as Ji Hongwen was about to continue his attack, Su Hanyan quickly arrived in front of Han Yuankai. ¡°Phantom Mist Shadow!¡± The very next moment, a purple mist instantly enveloped the air above them. Su Hanyan rushed to Han Yuankai¡¯s side, ¡°Senior Brother, if we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯ll have no chance!¡± Chapter 989 - Chapter 989: Chapter 679: You Betrayed the Misty Immortal Sect! Chapter 989: Chapter 679: You Betrayed the Misty Immortal Sect! Hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, Han Yuankai said, ¡°Leave? Where can we go now!¡± ¡°Return to the Misty World? The Misty World will collapse sooner or later, I do not wish to wait for death in the Misty World!¡± ¡°I must return, return and avenge our Honored Master!¡± While speaking, Han Yuankai¡¯s Spiritual Power surged tremendously as he said, ¡°Ji Hongwen is just a Yin-Yang Realm cultivator, I refuse to believe he can be that strong!¡± Immediately after, Han Yuankai¡¯s body dashed out of the purple mist created by Su Hanyan, and seeing Han Yuankai reappear, Ji Hongwen did not hesitate. He struck again with his palm. Sky-Extinguishing Palm!!! Han Yuankai immediately controlled his sword, channeling all his Spiritual Power into it. A Sword to Pierce the Heavens!!! In the next moment, a massive sword shadow appeared in the air once more and thrust towards Ji Hongwen. However, after Ji Hongwen executed his Sky-Extinguishing Palm, a huge palm phantom also appeared midair. When the palm imprint collided with the sword shadow in the air, the giant sword instantly shattered, just as it had when Han Yuankai used the Wind-Thunder Sword. Han Yuankai found it hard to believe; this was his strongest sword strike, yet it was so easily countered. At that moment, Han Yuankai suddenly felt the aura emanating from Ji Hongwen, turning his complexion deathly pale as he spat out blood once more, uncertain if it was due to the backlash from the Cultivation Technique. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï After taking a breath, Han Yuankai looked incredulously at the scene before him. The Myriad Laws Realm? The aura radiating from Ji Hongwen was that of a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator! When had Ji Hongwen become a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator? Previously in the Misty World, Ji Hongwen only exhibited the aura of the Yin-Yang Realm. At this moment, Han Yuankai¡¯s gaze fell on the golden armor Ji Hongwen was wearing, and he instantly understood something. It was that Spirit Armor, that Spirit Armor had greatly enhanced Ji Hongwen¡¯s strength. At that moment, another Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect appeared beside Ji Hongwen, similarly emitting the aura of the Myriad Laws Realm. But upon closer inspection, one could feel that they didn¡¯t possess the oppressive might exclusive to the Myriad Laws Realm, signifying that while their strength reached the Myriad Laws Realm, their Cultivation State had not reached that level. Yet, none of that mattered anymore. With their strength reaching the Myriad Laws Realm, even if their cultivation hadn¡¯t broken through, they could still overpower any cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm. Now the Misty Immortal Sect was truly in danger! Han Yuankai raised his hand, and the floating Spirit Sword returned to his grasp. Clenching his teeth, he struggled to stabilize his body. Then, Han Yuankai spat out the blood in his mouth and said, ¡°To kill me won¡¯t be so easy!¡± During his speech, Han Yuankai suddenly thrust his sword into his own body, stunning everyone who saw it. People thought Han Yuankai didn¡¯t want to be killed by others, so he simply chose to end his own life. After he stabbed himself in the stomach, his blood crazily gushed out from his body. Immediately afterward, the blood transformed into a blood mist, which rapidly expanded and in just an instant, engulfed all of the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boats. Seeing this, Su Hanyan immediately sensed something was wrong and hastily said, ¡°Senior brother, what are you doing!¡± With an expressionless face, Han Yuankai said, ¡°If we wish to return to our world, then some sacrifices are naturally necessary. Don¡¯t worry, once we return to the Misty Immortal Sect, I will surely avenge you all!¡± As his voice fell, Han Yuankai roared, ¡°Bloodthirsty Great Formation, arise!¡± Immediately after, a massive Array Pattern formed underneath the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boat, and the next moment, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect turned into blood mist one by one, and the wails within the Bloodthirsty Great Formation were incessant. Su Hanyan had not expected Han Yuankai to resort to such measures, thinking that he would retreat at the first sign of defeat. Instead of retreating, Han Yuankai chose to utilize the Demon Cultivator¡¯s Bloodthirsty Great Formation to forcefully break through to the Myriad Laws Realm. For a moment, Su Hanyan¡¯s mind was foggy, not understanding why her once protective senior brother had changed so drastically. Regaining her composure, Su Hanyan immediately said to Han Yuankai, ¡°Senior brother, you¡¯ve gone mad!¡± Han Yuankai, still expressionless, responded, ¡°I am not mad. To avenge our Honored Master and to become powerful, one must not be soft-hearted!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, junior sister. I will definitely return to the Misty Immortal Sect and avenge our Honored Master, washing away the humiliation we have endured!¡± Biting her silver teeth, Su Hanyan realized there was no turning back. She had to stop Han Yuankai at all costs. She now saw Han Yuankai¡¯s true colors. He claimed to be avenging their Honored Master, but his actions were even more despicable than those of their original Sect. The original Misty Immortal Sect had never slaughtered its disciples like this, nor had it ever used the Demon Cultivator¡¯s Bloodthirsty Great Formation. Han Yuankai was now willing to sacrifice everyone in the Misty Immortal Sect to boost his own power. Su Hanyan then gripped her sword tightly, channeling all her spiritual power and charging directly at Han Yuankai. Phantom Mist Shadow! A purple haze suddenly enveloped the area around her and Han Yuankai. Soon, purple phantoms appeared in the mist, each bearing a striking resemblance to Su Hanyan herself. Assassination was the true purpose of the Phantom Mist Shadow. The previous two times she had used it, she had not fully utilized its potential. Seeing the purple phantoms, Han Yuankai sneered, ¡°Junior sister, I never imagined that one day you would betray me!¡± From within the purple mist, Su Hanyan¡¯s icy voice responded, ¡°It is you who have betrayed the Misty Immortal Sect!¡± As her words echoed, countless purple phantoms appeared in front of Han Yuankai, their swords simultaneously piercing towards him. Han Yuankai calmly said, ¡°Junior sister, you underestimate me. Inside the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, I can control everyone¡¯s movements.¡± As he spoke, Han Yuankai¡¯s aura burst forth powerfully, instantly dispersing the purple phantoms. He then raised his hand and sent a flurry of blood-red Sword Qi flying towards one direction in the purple mist. The next moment, the purple mist dissipated, revealing Su Hanyan¡¯s figure. She swiftly swung her sword, blocking the blood-red Sword Qi. Simultaneously. The battle between the elders of Linghu Sect and Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was nearing its end. Linghu Sect was now down to two Yin-Yang Realm Cultivators, as their Genesis Realm elders had been eliminated by the ten elders of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. Seeing himself surrounded by the ten elders of Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, Jiang Hongye glanced at Han Yuankai, who was using the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, knowing their cause was lost. He then said, ¡°I surrender! Your Majesty, I am willing to lead Linghu Sect to ally with the Daxia Dynasty and become a subordinate force of the dynasty!¡± In this dire situation, surrendering was the only option other than death. It was better to surrender first and possibly find a way to get close to the Sum Emperor later, and they might still have a chance to control the Sum Emperor and escape the Tianchen World using an Immortal Boat. Hearing Jiang Hongye, Lu Chen glanced at his Loyalty, only to see that it had not increased but had instead turned negative. Negative Loyalty meant hatred. The more negative it was, the more this person despised him. Lu Chen chuckled softly. Initially, he had indeed considered the idea of winning them over, but now, one was using the Demon Cultivator¡¯s techniques, while the other was superficially surrendering but concealing underlying schemes. Such people were useless to keep. Even if they temporarily surrendered, they would only cause trouble later. It was better to deal with them. After dealing with these upper-level administrators, the disciples of Linghu Sect and Misty Immortal Sect would naturally submit to the Daxia Dynasty. With this in mind, Lu Chen indifferently said to the elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, ¡°Kill him!¡± At that statement, Jiang Hongye¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He had thought that with his Yin-Yang Realm cultivation state, as long as he surrendered, the Sum Emperor would not make things difficult for him, considering his value. As Jiang Hongye prepared to flee, the ten elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect struck simultaneously. Before Jiang Hongye and the nearby Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator could escape, both were pierced through the chest by several Spirit Swords. Their bodies promptly fell straight down from the sky. Seeing that their Sect Leader was dead, the remaining disciples of the Linghu Sect hesitated no further and chose to surrender. After dealing with Linghu Sect, Lu Chen turned his attention to Misty Immortal Sect as he glanced over Su Hanyan¡¯s personal data. Chapter 990 - Chapter 990: Chapter 680: It Really Should End Chapter 990: Chapter 680: It Really Should End ¡°` [Name: Su Hanyan] [Identity: The Honored Master of Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou, disciple of the Misty Immortal Sect from the Bixia World, framed by Han Yuankai¡¯s scheme which led to her master being wronged by Misty Immortal Sect. Their lineage of disciples was also ostracized. During an operation to encircle and suppress demon cultivators, Han Yuankai secretly colluded with the demon cultivators, revealing the operation and leading to her master¡¯s death by the hands of the demon cultivators. Han Yuankai then deceived their lineage of disciples, claiming that it was because the Misty Immortal Sect did not send rescue, causing their master¡¯s demise. Under Han Yuankai¡¯s instigation, a large number of Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s disciples defected and established a new Misty Immortal Sect. An anomaly in space caused the entire new Misty Immortal Sect to fall into the Misty World. At this moment, Su Hanyan had seen through Han Yuankai¡¯s true nature and planned to completely break with him.] [Score: 99] [Favorability: 60] Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s information, Lu Chen revealed a smile on his face, exactly as he had guessed, the Honored Master of Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou did indeed have a score of ninety. Besides his own wives and concubines, it had been a long time since he had seen a woman with a score over ninety. In situations where gaining rewards through bearing offspring was not possible, obtaining rewards through cultivating relationships with his wives and concubines for the first time was his only way to come by good things. Although being in spiritual communion with his wives and concubines could also yield system rewards, the system currently awarded only pills, which were of little use to him. He had given all those pills to his wives, concubines, and children. Looking at Su Hanyan¡¯s graceful and voluptuous figure, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth turned up slightly, firmly curving upwards. The Honored Master of Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou, she must not be harmed. Immediately after, Lu Chen sent a message to Ji Hongwen, ¡°Sect Master Ji, find a way to break the Bloodthirsty Great Formation and protect Su Hanyan.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s message, Ji Hongwen did not hesitate for a moment and, along with the Elder, struck at the same time. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Sky-Extinguishing Palm!!! A gigantic palm descended from the sky, aiming straight for Han Yuankai. Seeing this palm, Han Yuankai¡¯s eyes reddened and, with a loud laugh, he said, ¡°The same move won¡¯t have any effect on me anymore!¡± Immediately afterwards, Han Yuankai accelerated the operation of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. More and more disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect turned into a mist of blood, fueling Han Yuankai¡¯s power. At that moment, Su Hanyan also felt bone-deep pain in her body as she struggled to mobilize her spiritual power to resist the influence of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. Han Yuankai ignored Su Hanyan and shouted, ¡°Bloodthirsty Sword, condense!¡± The next moment, a massive red bloodsword quickly formed from within the Bloodthirsty Great Formation and then, the blood-red sword charged towards the enormous palm in the sky. This time, Han Yuankai¡¯s bloodsword did not shatter. Instead, Ji Hongwen¡¯s Sky-Extinguishing Palm was broken by the sword; the palm imprint was pierced by the sword, and Ji Hongwen was also struck by the backlash of his cultivation technique, spitting out fresh blood. At the same time, Great Elder of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect next to Ji Hongwen also spit out a mouthful of fresh blood, both individuals gravely injured. Han Yuankai¡¯s sword had clearly reached the power level of the All Law Realm. Huh? Lu Chen¡¯s expression darkened slightly upon seeing this. He had thought that, with Sect Master Ji wearing the Shenghui Armor, he would be able to easily handle Han Yuankai of the Yin-Yang Realm. He had not expected that after using the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, Han Yuankai¡¯s strength would be so formidable. But then again, Han Yuankai seemed to be rather unlucky to use the Bloodthirsty Great Formation in front of Lu Chen¡ªthat was essentially courting death. Lu Chen had not yet decided to make a move, but the spiritual power within him was already restless. Lu Chen had cultivated the Demon Burying Spell and possessed the Demon-Expelling Banner, so not just any All Law Realm demon cultivator, even if there were a Heavenly Demon in front of him, would gain no advantage. At this moment, Han Yuankai still did not realize that his time of death was already counting down. Seeing that he had severely injured both Sect Master Ji and the Great Elder of Wanxian Sect, Han Yuankai was ecstatic, believing that there was no one left in the Tianchen World who could stand as his opponent. ¡°` At this moment, Han Yuankai¡¯s body flew to the same height as the Feihong Immortal Boat, looking at Lu Chen on the boat and sneering, ¡°Sum Emperor, if you have any tricks left, now¡¯s the time to use them.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m somewhat curious, what were your reasons for going to such lengths to sow discord within the Misty Immortal Sect years ago? Your honored master imparted knowledge to you, yet you were ungrateful and treacherous, secretly colluding with demon cultivators, causing the death of your master and then framing other disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect. A person like you, who betrays their teacher and ancestors, probably doesn¡¯t meet a good end.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Han Yuankai and the remaining alive disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were all stunned. What? Their master was killed by Han Yuankai? What was going on? How did this Sum Emperor know about the affairs of the Misty Immortal Sect? Especially Su Hanyan, who looked incredulously at Han Yuankai, she never would have thought that the death of their master wasn¡¯t caused by the Sect, but was Han Yuankai¡¯s fault. Over the years, she had watched Han Yuankai gradually fall from grace, thinking that he was driven by the trauma of their master¡¯s death, hence his increasingly ruthless and demon-like behavior. But now, the Sum Emperor was saying Han Yuankai had colluded with demon cultivators from the start! Of course, she too was curious about how the Sum Emperor came to know these things, but compared to the Sum Emperor¡¯s knowledge, she was more eager to know whether what the Sum Emperor was saying was true or false. At this moment, Han Yuankai was completely dumbfounded. He had been so careful and cautious, always thinking his actions were flawless and that nobody could possibly know. Yet, he hadn¡¯t been exposed in Bixia World, but he had been in Tianchen World. Han Yuankai looked darkly at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Who exactly are you, and how do you know these things?¡± Seeing Han Yuankai¡¯s reaction, Su Hanyan and the original disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect immediately felt their hearts sink by half. It seemed that Han Yuankai really was a traitor to the Misty Immortal Sect. They had believed his words and even followed him to leave the Misty Immortal Sect to create a new one. Turns out Han Yuankai was a demon cultivator! Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know my other identities. You just need to understand that before me, you have no privacy.¡± Han Yuankai snorted coldly and said, ¡°Quit your pretense. Although I don¡¯t know how you came to know these things, as long as I capture you, I will naturally be able to find out through a Soul Search.¡± Saying this, Han Yuankai prepared to make a move on Lu Chen. Just then, a cold voice not far from Han Yuankai rang out, ¡°Han Yuankai, was our master really killed by you?¡± Han Yuankai looked down slightly, catching a glimpse of Su Hanyan still struggling against the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, then lightly laughed and said, ¡°What if it was done by me? You all are going to die soon anyway, so telling you does no harm!¡± ¡°The reason you had conflicts with the original Misty Immortal Sect was also because I stirred it up. My purpose is simple: to divide the Misty Immortal Sect and weaken its power.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that my plan wasn¡¯t completely successful. The Misty Immortal Sect that I created fell into this world.¡± ¡°If it hadn¡¯t fallen into this lower world, perhaps more disciples from the original Misty Immortal Sect would have left and joined the Misty Immortal Sect that I created.¡± Hearing Han Yuankai¡¯s words, disciples from the original Misty Immortal Sect were filled with righteous indignation, burning with anger. ¡°Han Yuankai, to think we trusted you all this time!¡± ¡°Han Yuankai, you¡¯re worse than a beast!¡± ¡°Han Yuankai, you demon, you won¡¯t die a good death!¡± ¡­ Listening to the curses from the Misty Immortal Sect disciples, Han Yuankai laughed heartily, ¡°Be angry! Continue to be angry! The more enraged you are, the stronger I become!¡± Demon cultivators require negative human emotions for their cultivation. Moreover, with the Bloodthirsty Great Formation here, the more unwilling the sacrifices are, the more effective the Bloodthirsty Great Formation becomes. After laughing heartily, the blood-red gaze of Han Yuankai fixed on Lu Chen, then he said coldly, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s time to end all of this!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen, wearing a smile, said, ¡°Indeed, it is time to end this.¡± Chapter 991 - Chapter 991: Chapter 681 How... How could this happen? Chapter 991: Chapter 681 How¡­ How could this happen? If Han Yuankai wasn¡¯t a demon cultivator and hadn¡¯t used the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, with his current strength, Lu Chen might have actually not been his match. But unfortunately for Han Yuankai, he was a demon cultivator, and his strength mainly relied on the enhancement of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. For demon cultivators, Lu Chen was like their nemesis. Han Yuankai was still intoxicated with his own power, completely unaware of what he might face next. However, after seeing the smile on Lu Chen¡¯s face, Han Yuankai felt a bit confused, knowing that his strength had reached the Myriad Laws Realm, and with the enhancement from the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, his strength was at least above the Myriad Laws Realm Fifth Layer. Could the Sum Emperor still afford to smile under these circumstances? Could he have been frightened into stupidity by the aura he himself had released? Seeing that Han Yuankai intended to strike at Lu Chen, Ji Hongwen and the Great Elder of Wanxian Sect quickly flew to the front of the Immortal Boat, blocking Han Yuankai¡¯s path. Seeing the two of them, a look of disdain appeared on Han Yuankai¡¯s face. Han Yuankai then raised his hand, and within the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, a giant blood sword appeared again, which immediately charged towards Lu Chen. Ji Hongwen and the Great Elder of Wanxian Sect were about to act in defense, but then they heard Lu Chen¡¯s transmission, ¡°Step aside, I have my own way to break through!¡± Seeing Lu Chen say this, Ji Hongwen and the Great Elder of Wanxian Sect looked at each other, quickly collected their wits, and immediately stepped away from in front of the Flying Boat. Seeing that Ji Hongwen and the Great Elder of Wanxian Sect did not intercept the blood sword for Lu Chen, Han Yuankai furrowed his brows, a bad premonition arising in his heart. Could it be that Ji Hongwen and the Great Elder of Wanxian Sect knew they couldn¡¯t take this sword, so they decided to abandon the Sum Emperor? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï But the identity of the Sum Emperor shouldn¡¯t be simple, if they truly abandoned the Sum Emperor, and something happened to him, wouldn¡¯t they fear the punishment from the super force behind the Sum Emperor? Or did the Sum Emperor have other tricks up his sleeve? Han Yuankai now feared that Lu Chen might have some other ace in the hole, or perhaps there was an even stronger Protector behind him. As Han Yuankai was lost in his chaotic thoughts, the blood sword had already appeared in front of Lu Chen, but Lu Chen didn¡¯t dodge, and no powerful Protector appeared by his side. Han Yuankai was even more puzzled, could it be that he was overthinking it? Could it be that the Sum Emperor had no trump cards and there were no stronger Protectors behind him, and Ji Hongwen was simply too scared to defend the Sum Emperor from his attack? The Sum Emperor hadn¡¯t even moved his body, could he have been intimidated by his own momentum, scared stiff? Just when Han Yuankai thought he was going to dispose of Lu Chen, suddenly, the aura around Lu Chen surged and bursts of golden light radiated from him. Lu Chen then channeled the cultivation technique, Demon Burying Spell, and the next moment, golden symbols flew out from his body, continuously revolving around him, forming a protective barrier. At the same time, a flag emitting golden light appeared in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, and the moment the flag appeared, Han Yuankai¡¯s pupils suddenly constricted, his body instinctively freezing, feeling an overwhelming fear. Han Yuankai didn¡¯t recognize the Demon-Expelling Banner in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, he just instinctively felt fear, immediately feeling that this item could threaten his life. Han Yuankai¡¯s eyebrows tightly knitted together, his expression becoming extremely serious. At that moment, the blood sword had already made contact with the defensive barrier of the Feihong Immortal Boat, but the barrier of the Feihong Immortal Boat hadn¡¯t activated, and the blood sword continued to stab towards Lu Chen. Lu Chen was channeling spiritual power into the Demon-Expelling Banner and then swung it, a stream of white spiritual power surged from the banner, and when this white spiritual power made contact with the blood sword, the sword seemed to dissolve, dispersing in a very short amount of time. Seeing this scene, Han Yuankai was completely stunned. ¡°How¡­ How could this be!¡± Han Yuankai found it hard to believe that his strongest attack after triggering the Bloodthirsty Great Formation was so effortlessly neutralized by someone in the Genesis Realm! No, it probably didn¡¯t have much to do with the Sum Emperor himself, it was all because of that flag in his hands. Han Yuankai immediately realized that it was all the work of the Demon-Expelling Banner. He couldn¡¯t help speculating, as it had so easily blocked his attack, the grade of this spiritual artifact must be extremely high. Thinking this, the greed in Han Yuankai¡¯s heart surged, having been influenced by the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, his personal negative emotions, as well as various desires, had been amplified. At this moment, Han Yuankai greatly desired the Demon-Expelling Banner in Lu Chen¡¯s hand. Han Yuankai once again gathered Spiritual Power, preparing to attack again. However, at this moment, Lu Chen swung the Demon-Expelling Banner again, and a majestic white Spiritual Power transformed into a river flowing from the banner towards the Bloodthirsty Great Formation below. Seeing this scene, Han Yuankai hastily accelerated the conjuring of the blood sword, and moments later, a huge blood sword appeared in the air again, soaring directly towards Lu Chen. However, the white Spiritual Power that surged from the Demon-Expelling Banner easily melted the blood sword. Watching the white river getting closer, Han Yuankai¡¯s heart turned extremely fearful. He had not anticipated that the Spiritual Power released by this banner would possess such terrifying power. Han Yuankai was unwilling to accept this; he did not believe that even with the power of the All Law Realm, he could not defeat a cultivator from the Genesis Realm. Then, Han Yuankai waved his fingers and further accelerated the extraction of power from the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. If his current power was still insufficient to deal with the Sum Emperor, then he would become even stronger. As long as he could defeat the Sum Emperor and seize the Immortal Boat to leave this world, he would not even mourn sacrificing the entire Misty Immortal Sect. For him, the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect were merely his pawns, his offerings. Now was the time for these offerings to serve their purpose. As the power of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation¡¯s formation further increased, more and more disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect turned into a mist of blood, and soon even the Genesis Realm Elder of the Misty Immortal Sect turned into a mist of blood, absorbed by Han Yuankai. Su Hanyan, with slightly furrowed brows and a pale face, also faintly felt the Spiritual Power within her being absorbed by the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. Although Su Hanyan wanted to break the Bloodthirsty Great Formation from the inside, given her current Cultivation State, it was difficult to get close to Han Yuankai, and she also had to constantly fend off the erosion of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. At this time, the white river in the sky had already reached the front of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation. Han Yuankai shouted loudly, and a surge of blood qi directly met the white Spiritual Power released from the Demon-Expelling Banner. However, when the blood qi made contact with the river-like white Spiritual Power, it immediately dissipated, and Han Yuankai finally realized the situation. It was not that the opponent¡¯s Spiritual Artifact was so powerful, but rather the Spiritual Power it released was specifically designed to counteract Demon Cultivators. Thus, no matter how much he empowered himself using the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, he would be harmed by the Spiritual Power released from the Spiritual Artifact. Realizing the terrifying aspect of the Demon-Expelling Banner, Han Yuankai¡¯s heart became filled with immense panic. This was the first time he had encountered such a Spiritual Artifact that could so effectively counteract Demon Cultivators. No! He cannot confront the Sum Emperor head-on! Continuing like this, his death was certain! He still had to return to the Bixia World; he did not want to die in this inferior world! Thinking this, Han Yuankai once again gathered blood qi, and the next moment, a blood-colored giant hand appeared above the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, attempting once more to block the wave-like white Spiritual Power emitted from the Demon-Expelling Banner. However, when the Spiritual Power of the Demon-Expelling Banner made contact with the blood-colored giant hand, it still easily dissolved the blood qi. Immediately after, Lu Chen raised the Demon-Expelling Banner in his hand, once more infusing Spiritual Power into it, and once again, a wave-like white Spiritual Power surged out. The white Spiritual Power released from the Demon-Expelling Banner, like two rivers, charged towards the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, and at the moment the ¡°river¡± of Spiritual Power made contact with the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, the entire formation¡¯s barrier instantly collapsed. Inside the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, the Misty Immortal Sect disciples were abruptly freed from control, and for a moment, they felt incredibly relieved. At this time, the blood qi on Su Hanyan also dissipated, and her body returned to normal. With the disappearance of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, everyone in the Misty Immortal Sect turned their gaze towards Han Yuankai. Su Hanyan also clenched her sword; she now dearly wished to personally finish off Han Yuankai. At this point, Han Yuankai¡¯s power rapidly declined; the disappearance of the Bloodthirsty Great Formation caused him to suffer a backlash, and he once again fell back to the Cultivation State of the Yin-Yang Realm. Seeing the murderous gazes of the disciples and elders of the Misty Immortal Sect, Han Yuankai sneered and said, ¡°You think you have what it takes to kill me?¡± ¡°If I cannot live, then neither can you all!¡± While speaking, Han Yuankai once again raised his sword and thrust it through his own chest. Chapter 993 - Chapter 993: Chapter 683: Heavenly Demon... Why Hasn鈥檛 It Appeared... Chapter 993: Chapter 683: Heavenly Demon¡­ Why Hasn¡¯t It Appeared¡­ Han Yuankai not only was unharmed by Su Hanyan¡¯s Wind-Thunder Sword but also used the air¡¯s Thunder attribute Spiritual Power with his Thunderclap Step to rush toward the Misty World instantaneously. In Han Yuankai¡¯s view, as long as he could enter the Misty World, he would hide anywhere, and the Sum Emperor would never find him. Furthermore, the space within the Misty World was extremely unstable; especially after the constraints of the Misty World disappeared, the space started to show signs of collapse, leaving no reason for the Sum Emperor to risk venturing into the Misty World for him. Seeing Su Hanyan turn into a bolt of lightning disappearing from his sight, Su Hanyan furrowed her brows, absolutely unwilling to let the man who killed her Honored Master escape from her sight so easily. The next moment, Su Hanyan once again commanded her sword to chase in the direction Han Yuankai had fled. Leveraging the lightning Spiritual Power of the Wind-Thunder Sword, Han Yuankai¡¯s speed was incredibly fast, nearly reaching the boundary between the Misty World and the Tianchen World in the blink of an eye. Watching the Misty World drawing nearer and nearer, Han Yuankai felt ecstatic, believing he had successfully escaped. At that moment, he fantasized that after some time, he would emerge from the Misty World, then devise a plan to assume a new identity to get close to the Sum Emperor; for him, a Demon Cultivator, changing his appearance to someone else was rather easy. By then, he might be able to use the Sum Emperor¡¯s Immortal Boat to leave this place. Just as Han Yuankai was figuring out whose appearance would be least likely to be noticed by the Sum Emperor, suddenly, a massive shadow appeared in the sky. Before Han Yuankai could react, a Sword Qi descended from the sky, striking directly at him. Just as the Sword Qi was about to hit Han Yuankai, he timely halted his movement, not continuing forward; he quickly took a step back to dodge the attack. At that moment, he looked up into the sky and saw the giant Immortal Boat and the Sum Emperor now at the bow of the boat. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Han Yuankai, with a darkened face, said, ¡°Sum Emperor, must you really be so ruthlessly thorough!¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Had you been just the Sect Master of the Misty Immortal Sect, I might have spared you, but unfortunately, you are also a Demon Cultivator, so I cannot let you go.¡± Overwhelmed by rage and an intense fear of death which left no room for fear in his heart, only the thought of dying together with the Sum Emperor remained. Han Yuankai coldly said, ¡°Since you are determined to be so ruthlessly thorough, let us be buried together then!¡± Han Yuankai realized that he couldn¡¯t outrun the Immortal Boat, regardless of how he tried to escape now. He didn¡¯t want to die, but it was clear that the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t intend to let him live, so if the Sum Emperor didn¡¯t want to let him live, he thought they might as well all die together. The next moment, Han Yuankai plunged his sword into the ground, and a red Array Pattern emitting Array immediately appeared on the ground. When Su Hanyan arrived, she saw Han Yuankai triggering the Sacrificial Array and stood frozen, not expecting that Han Yuankai had actually activated the Sacrificial Array. With the formation of the Sacrificial Array, Han Yuankai spewed out a mouthful of fresh blood and burst into laughter, ¡°Sum Emperor, this lowly one does not care if you are a favored son of any power; today, you will perish in this inferior world and accompany me in death.¡± ¡°Right before my death, I will still be able to bring a favored son of a great power down with me, which makes it worthwhile!¡± Although he wasn¡¯t aware of Lu Chen¡¯s true Identity, just by the presence of the Immortal Boat, it was apparent the Sum Emperor was no ordinary person; what Han Yuankai hated the most were those favored sons. In his heart, all his suffering was caused by those favored sons. To have a favored son accompany him in death made him ready to die peacefully. However, Han Yuankai soon noticed a problem; the Sacrificial Array had been completed, and his life was nearing its end, but the Heavenly Demon had yet to appear. Han Yuankai spit out another mouthful of blood, his body falling in the middle of the Sacrificial Array, his eyes wide in disbelief as he said, ¡°How¡­ How could this be¡­¡± ¡°Heavenly Demon¡­ why haven¡¯t you appeared¡­¡± He didn¡¯t believe there was a mistake in his senses; Demon Cultivators were highly sensitive to the aura of Heavenly Demons, and the aura of that Heavenly Demon was particularly strong; he had sensed it more than once in the Misty World. Yet, after he had used his Sacrificial Array and his life was nearly extinguished, the Heavenly Demon still had not appeared! Seeing the rapid absorption of Han Yuankai¡¯s blood essence by the Sacrificial Array, and his visibly aging body, as his skin became more and more wrinkled like the bark of a withered old tree, Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Sect Master Han, where is the Heavenly Demon you summoned? Why hasn¡¯t it appeared yet?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s mockery, Han Yuankai spat out another mouthful of fresh blood, ¡°How is that possible¡­¡± When Lu Chen saw that Han Yuankai¡¯s blood essence was almost drained by the Sacrificial Array, wanting him to die ¡°with his eyes closed,¡± he simply said, ¡°I suddenly remembered that a few years ago in the Great Qian Dynasty, I killed a Heavenly Demon. The one you summoned, could it be that very same Heavenly Demon?¡± Hearing this, Han Yuankai, unwilling to accept defeat, raised his hand and pointed at Lu Chen in the sky, ¡°You¡­¡± Before Han Yuankai could finish his sentence, his body was left with only a layer of skin. Seeing the Sacrificial Array still running, Lu Chen¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. Logically speaking, all the Heavenly Demons of this world were already killed by him, so why was the Sacrificial Array still functioning when used by Han Yuankai? If there were no Heavenly Demons, the Sacrificial Array shouldn¡¯t actively suck the blood of the sacrificer, should it? At this moment, the system notification sounded. ¡°The Demon Cultivator¡¯s ritual to summon Heavenly Demons calls for Heavenly Demons from all worlds. Although the host has annihilated the Heavenly Demons of this world, those from other worlds require a considerable amount of time to arrive in Tianchen World. However, the Sacrificial Array has already been activated, and there¡¯s no way to retract the sacrifice.¡± Hearing the system¡¯s explanation, Lu Chen realized what was happening. Lu Chen thought to himself, ¡°So, other world¡¯s Heavenly Demons might still come to this world after sensing Han Yuankai¡¯s Sacrificial Array?¡± The system responded, ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Chen frowned, sensing trouble ahead, but fortunately, he had his Demon-Expelling Banner, though he wasn¡¯t sure if it could manage Heavenly Demons from other worlds. The Heavenly Demon he had killed last time in the Great Qian Dynasty was only an injured one. If a stronger Heavenly Demon were to come, he might not be able to handle it. With that thought, Lu Chen thrust his sword towards Han Yuankai¡¯s Sacrificial Array, and with one swing, the whole Array was thoroughly destroyed. After destroying the Sacrificial Array, Su Hanyan stood expressionlessly, staring at the dried-up corpse. Her mind went blank, not knowing what to think. She had always believed Han Yuankai was a kind and amiable senior disciple, but he turned out to be the mastermind behind their Honored Master¡¯s death and even caused a split in the Misty Immortal Sect. Just now, he plotted to enhance his strength by setting up the Bloodthirsty Great Array to absorb the blood essence of fellow sect disciples. Gradually regaining her senses, Su Hanyan felt immense regret. Why didn¡¯t she see the true nature of this demon, Han Yuankai, earlier? If she had discovered it a day sooner, perhaps none of the subsequent events would have occurred, and even her Honored Master might still be alive. But now it was all too late. Luckily, Han Yuankai, the demon who killed her Honored Master, was dead. Seeing Su Hanyan standing motionlessly, just quietly looking at Han Yuankai¡¯s corpse, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help feeling some emotion. The Cultivation World was full of deceit. Indeed, one should not trust others easily; Su Hanyan had trusted Han Yuankai, her senior disciple, too much. Lu Chen then waved his hand, and a fireball flew out from his palm, igniting Han Yuankai¡¯s body which quickly turned to ashes, then he directed the Immortal Boat towards Black Dragon City. He didn¡¯t force Su Hanyan to leave with him, but before leaving, he left her with a remark. ¡°The responsibility for the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s invasion of the Daxia Dynasty can all be attributed to Han Yuankai.¡± Although Lu Chen didn¡¯t specifically mention how to deal with the Misty Immortal Sect, Su Hanyan also understood from his words, that Lu Chen intended to absorb the entire sect. The Misty Immortal Sect was clearly no match for the Daxia Dynasty; if they chose to continue opposing the Daxia Dynasty, they would only meet a dead end. By placing all the blame on Han Yuankai, it essentially gave the remaining members of the Misty Immortal Sect a way out. If they still chose to oppose the Daxia Dynasty, then they truly did not recognize favor when shown it. Su Hanyan sighed softly. She hadn¡¯t expected it to end this way, but it was quite good too. Not only did she learn how her Honored Master had died, but it also allowed the disciples of her sect to see Han Yuankai for the demon he truly was. Chapter 994 - Chapter 994: Chapter 684: Arrangements for the Cultivators of Misty World Chapter 994: Chapter 684: Arrangements for the Cultivators of Misty World When the cultivators of Black Dragon City noticed the Feihong Immortal Boat flying back, they were all incredibly tense. Although the Feihong Immortal Boat had just left, not a single cultivator present dared to make a rash move. They knew that if they dared to flee, it could very well mean a death sentence. Now that their way forward and retreat were both blocked, their only chance at survival was to submit to the Daxia Dynasty. Most cultivators in the Cultivation World had rather low loyalty to their sects, of course, there were sects with strong cohesion, but clearly, the powers of the Misty World were not among them. As the Feihong Immortal Boat slowly flew to hover above Black Dragon City, some stewards from the Linghu Sect descended from their own flying boat, directly flying on their swords to outside the gates of Black Dragon City, and then knelt down. ¡°The Linghu Sect wishes to submit to Your Majesty! To serve Your Majesty! We hope Your Majesty will accept us!¡± No sooner had the words of the Linghu Sect¡¯s stewards fallen than an authoritative voice came from the sky, ¡°Granted!¡± Hearing this, all the cultivators of the Linghu Sect immediately spoke in unison, ¡°Thank Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long, long live Your Majesty!!!¡± Seeing that the Linghu Sect had already submitted to the Daxia Dynasty, the forces under the Misty Immortal Sect became restless too. They were part of the Misty Immortal Sect but had been annexed by them, and they certainly did not wish to be destroyed alongside the Misty Immortal Sect. Quickly, the leaders of these powers subordinate to the Misty Immortal Sect stood out, intending to submit directly to the Daxia Dynasty like the Linghu Sect had. However, before these cultivators could step forward, a purple afterimage flashed across the sky, and moments later, the figure of Su Hanyan appeared outside Black Dragon City. Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s return, the people of the main branch of the Misty Immortal Sect were also relieved. With Han Yuankai¡¯s betrayal, Su Hanyan had become their mainstay. If anything were to happen to Su Hanyan, then those cultivators who had followed Han Yuankai and left the Misty Immortal Sect would disperse completely. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 Su Hanyan arrived outside the gates of Black Dragon City, bowed towards the Feihong Immortal Boat in the sky, and said, ¡°The Misty Immortal Sect wishes to submit to the Daxia, to serve Your Majesty. From now on, the Misty Immortal Sect will follow all commands of the Daxia Dynasty, and we hope Your Majesty will accept us!¡± Seeing Su Hanyan take the initiative to say this, the cultivators of the powers under the Misty Immortal Sect heaved a sigh of relief. Thankfully, the Misty Immortal Sect had also surrendered voluntarily; now they should be safe. As Su Hanyan¡¯s words ended, an authoritarian voice once again came from the sky. ¡°Granted!¡± Su Hanyan immediately led the way, saying, ¡°Thank Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long, long live Your Majesty!¡± All the cultivators of the Misty Immortal Sect followed Su Hanyan in kneeling towards Lu Chen. Sect cultivators generally carried a certain pride and often looked down on mundane royal dynasties. Some cultivators, when going to royal dynasties, behaved condescendingly. But at this moment, the cultivators present understood that the Daxia Dynasty was not a mundane dynasty at all, but a cultivation dynasty, and submitting to the Daxia Dynasty was not shameful. In some higher realms of the Cultivation World, there were cultivation dynasties established by cultivation families, which often had great authority over the sect forces within the dynasty¡¯s realm. Some of the cultivators from the Misty World came from such cultivation dynasties. For most cultivators, being governed by the Daxia Dynasty was not much different from being governed by sect forces. Perhaps the only downside would be more rules and less freedom in the future, but that was still better than losing one¡¯s life. Even Han Yuankai, the great devil, after using the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, was no match for the Sum Emperor. These cultivators were even less a match for the Sum Emperor. Surrender would cost them half, but it wasn¡¯t dishonorable. At this time, Lu Chen stood at the bow of the Flying Boat, sweeping a glance at the flying boats in the sky and the cultivators from the Misty World. Most of the cultivators had low loyalty, which was expected. Having low loyalty now was of no consequence; loyalty was something that could be improved. Since the forces of Misty World had already surrendered to the Great Sum Dynasty, the next issue was how to handle these powers. Several years ago, the Great Sum Dynasty had dissolved all Sects apart from the Mysterious Moon Palace. Although those Sect powers still existed in other forms, such as corporations, they no longer had such strong independence. Now that so many forces from Misty World had arrived, they were nominally swallowed up by the three major powers, but internally they were not fully integrated; they remained a loose collection of individuals. If these forces were allowed to continue existing in the form of Sects, perhaps in a few years, the troubles caused by the Sects would arise again. But if all Sect powers were dissolved, then the Cultivators would lose restraint. At present, the Daxia Dynasty lacked clear legislative provisions for Cultivators, and it was also difficult for the dynasty to manage all Cultivators. How to handle these Cultivators from Misty World was a difficult problem for Lu Chen. After thinking for a while, Lu Chen decided to let these Sect powers continue to affiliate with the three great powers for now, until he came up with a suitable solution to address this matter. Having witnessed the upper echelons of Cultivators from the Misty Immortal Sect and Linghu Sect being eliminated by the Great Sum Dynasty, the Cultivators of Misty World wouldn¡¯t dare to act rashly for a short time. Feeling that there was nothing pressing, Lu Chen convened the high-ranking Elders of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect in the meeting hall of the Immortal Boat. When Ji Hongwen and others came into close contact with Lu Chen for the first time, they were all incredibly excited. They had gotten in touch with Lu Chen long ago, and only today had they finally seen their emperor. Ji Hongwen, leading the Elders, bowed to Lu Chen and said, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live!¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°All rise.¡± ¡°Thank Your Majesty!¡± Immediately, everyone stood up and looked at Lu Chen. With a smile, Lu Chen said, ¡°Sect Master Ji, you have worked hard these past years.¡± Hearing this from Lu Chen, Ji Hongwen quickly responded, ¡°It¡¯s my duty.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°Now that the greatest threats of the Misty World have been dealt with, the Cultivators of Misty World have become another issue. Sect Master Ji, do you have any way to arrange these Cultivators?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, the Elders present fell into thought; indeed, the biggest challenge for the Daxia at the time was how to manage the relationship between Cultivators and ordinary people. If those Cultivators were allowed to freely enter the cities of ordinary people, some Cultivators might continue acting haughtily based on their previous habits, bringing a lot of trouble to the common folks. After thinking for a while, Ji Hongwen spoke up, ¡°Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness, but I cannot think of a good solution at the moment.¡± ¡°However, I believe we can temporarily disband the Misty Immortal Sect and the Linghu Sect, and allocate the former territories of Black Dragon County to the various powers of the Misty World, strictly forbidding them from entering other counties of the Great Sum Dynasty without permission.¡± ¡°Of course, what I have suggested is just a temporary measure.¡± Lu Chen thought about it and felt that doing so was feasible. Placing all powers of the Misty World in one area, then selecting loyal Cultivators to enter Tianchen World, could lead to the formation of an even more formidable War Dragon Army. The number of Celestials in the Misty World was countless; in the future, the War Dragon Army could directly use Celestials for military expansion. Celestials wielding Rune Weapons could unleash the full potential of these weapons. Lu Chen said, ¡°Sect Master Ji¡¯s suggestion is good. I will leave the matter of settling the powers of Misty World to Sect Master Ji, to the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect.¡± Ji Hongwen immediately bowed and said, ¡°Thank Your Majesty for your trust, I shall not fail your expectations.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°The order of the Cultivator gathering area will also be managed by the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect. If there are still those who are blind enough to seek privilege and dominance in other counties, you no longer need me to explain how to deal with them.¡± Ji Hongwen continued, ¡°Your servant understands. I will manage the Sect powers of the Misty World well, ensuring that those Cultivators dare not venture beyond the former Black Dragon County.¡± Chapter 996 - Chapter 996: Chapter 686: Su Hanyans Suspicions Chapter 996: Chapter 686: Su Hanyan¡¯s Suspicions With Lu Chen¡¯s current strength, dealing with Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan at the same time was no big deal. Of course, Lu Chen was no longer solely interested in offspring and pleasures as he had been. He was more focused on cultivation. After cultivating with the two women for several days, they headed together to the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s flying boat. Before the Cultivators¡¯ Conference began, all the cultivators in the Misty World were waiting in place. On the way to the Misty Immortal Sect, one could see cultivators meditating everywhere. Although the spiritual energy in the Tianchen World was not as dense as in the Misty World, it was safer. Cultivators no longer had to fear sudden death from being swept into spatial turbulence while cultivating. In such a safe environment for cultivation, the speed at which the cultivators practiced increased significantly. At this time, Su Hanyan was also meditating and cultivating on the flying boat of the Misty Immortal Sect. Due to Han Yuankai¡¯s Bloodthirsty Great Formation, her body had suffered serious injuries and needed time to recover. Misty Immortal Sect, flying boat. Su Hanyan¡¯s body was frantically absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy, continuously repairing her internal injuries, when a steward from the Misty Immortal Sect approached her and said, ¡°Sect Master, your two direct disciples have arrived!¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and her beautiful eyes instantly opened with her eyebrows arching slightly. The current situation of the Misty Immortal Sect was somewhat awkward; she actually did not want her two direct disciples to have too much contact with the Misty Immortal Sect. After all, they were now women of the Sum Emperor. If they were seen in close contact with the Misty Immortal Sect while speaking on behalf of the sect at the Sum Emperor¡¯s side, the Sum Emperor would eventually grow discontented with them. Su Hanyan composed herself and said to the steward, ¡°Let them up.¡± She had previously been considering how to remind them to keep their distance from the Misty Immortal Sect, but now that they had come of their own accord, it was a good opportunity to speak with them about it. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? Moments later, Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou appeared in front of Su Hanyan. Seeing them, Su Hanyan immediately took out several spirit stones, tossed them around them, and promptly set up a soundproofing formation. Within the soundproofing formation, whatever they said could not be heard from outside. After the formation was set, Su Hanyan opened the conversation with Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan, ¡°Qingrou, Junwan, you should not have come.¡± Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan were startled for a moment, then Li Qianrou asked, ¡°Why would you say that, Honored Master?¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°You are now women of the Sum Emperor, and Misty Immortal Sect is considered an invading force. If the Sum Emperor were to see you being so close to the Misty Immortal Sect, it might raise some doubts. This is not good for you.¡± Hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, the two women instantly realized she was afraid that Lu Chen might misunderstand them. Wu Junwan then said, ¡°Honored Master, rest assured, we came to the Misty Immortal Sect under His Majesty¡¯s instruction.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan asked curiously, ¡°Under the Sum Emperor¡¯s instruction? He allowed you to come?¡± Li Qianrou replied, ¡°We wanted to visit you, Honored Master, but we also mentioned it to him and got his approval.¡± With the response from Li Qianrou, Su Hanyan did not dwell on the matter further. As long as they had the Sum Emperor¡¯s approval, that was all that mattered. The last thing she wanted was for them to secretly visit the Misty Immortal Sect and then be discovered by the Sum Emperor later on. Su Hanyan eyed Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou. Both of them had reached the Heavenly Human Realm and had officially begun their cultivation journey. Su Hanyan, as their Honored Master, always took her role as the mentor of her two direct disciples very seriously. At that moment, Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Honored Master, you were inside the Bloodthirsty Great Formation when the Sect Master used it. How do you feel now? Is there any discomfort in your body?¡± Su Hanyan replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve only suffered some minor injuries, nothing serious.¡± As soon as Su Hanyan finished speaking, Wu Junwan moved to her side, took her jade hand, and without hesitation, Su Hanyan felt a moment of surprise, not understanding what Wu Junwan was doing. However, the next moment, a cool spiritual power flowed into her body, rapidly healing her internal injuries and making her feel incredibly relaxed. This¡­ Surprised, Su Hanyan asked, ¡°Junwan, who taught you this cultivation technique for healing others?¡± While cultivators also had some ability to actively recover from injuries, none were as effective as this. Wu Junwan¡¯s spiritual power entered her body and almost immediately, her wounds had nearly healed. Clearly, it was a special cultivation technique. Su Hanyan did not recall ever teaching such a technique to Wu Junwan, nor did she possess it. Wu Junwan replied, ¡°This is a cultivation technique taught by the Sum Emperor. It is known to all his wives and concubines.¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°I see.¡± It made sense why Wu Junwan had such an effective healing art¡ªit was from the Sum Emperor. Considering both the Immortal Boat and the cultivation technique the Sum Emperor had taught Wu Junwan, it was clear his identity was far from simple. In that moment, Su Hanyan¡¯s curiosity about the Sum Emperor increased once again. She was eager to know which power the Sum Emperor came from and how he learned about Han Yuankai¡¯s matters. If the Sum Emperor had not taken the initiative to reveal Han Yuankai¡¯s affairs, it is likely that she and the people of her own sect at Misty Immortal Sect would still be unaware that their honored master had been killed by Han Yuankai, the eldest senior brother. At this time, Su Hanyan let out a slight sigh and then said, ¡°Junwan, Qingrou, thanks to you both, I was able to survive. Without becoming the Sum Emperor¡¯s women, perhaps I would have been gone from this world as well.¡± In Su Hanyan¡¯s view, the Sum Emperor had not taken action against her probably because her two disciples had said something in Lu Chen¡¯s presence, interceding on her behalf, which is why Lu Chen did not strike against her, a cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm. After all, Misty Immortal Sect was the invading party. Her continued presence in Misty Immortal Sect, a strong cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm, posed a great threat. Upon hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, Li Qianrou suddenly thought of something and immediately said, ¡°Honored Master, even without us, the Sum Emperor would not possibly kill you.¡± Su Hanyan asked in confusion, ¡°Why is that?¡± Li Qianrou said, ¡°Because the Sum Emperor has taken a fancy to you.¡± This¡­ Both Wu Junwan and Su Hanyan were stunned. Wu Junwan did not expect Li Qianrou to come out with such a statement. She had initially planned to do more groundwork, to give her honored master some time to accept it. Speaking directly, their honored master might not be able to accept it. And Su Hanyan equally had not expected the Sum Emperor to actually covet her beauty. She was not without pursuers in the Cultivation World, but she thought that the Sum Emperor was someone from a great power gaining experience, so his main focus would be on cultivation, with little interest in female charms. Why would the Sum Emperor be interested in her? Coming to her senses, Su Hanyan immediately said, ¡°Qingrou, don¡¯t speak nonsense. I am your honored master, how could I become the Sum Emperor¡¯s woman!¡± Su Hanyan also realized that Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan had come today probably on behalf of the Sum Emperor. Otherwise, the Sum Emperor likely would not have sent the two of them to Misty Immortal Sect. Seeing Su Hanyan indeed exhibiting an averse expression, Li Qianrou said, ¡°Honored Master, the Sum Emperor wouldn¡¯t care about these things. He is a lascivious man. Any woman he fancies eventually becomes unable to escape his palm.¡± Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s description, Su Hanyan felt a shock in her heart. She then glanced at Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan and said, ¡°In that case, you two were also forced by him¡­¡± Su Hanyan didn¡¯t continue. Seeing that Li Qianrou had bluntly spoken about the matter, Wu Junwan no longer kept it hidden. She spoke up, ¡°Honored Master, initially we were indeed forced by the Sum Emperor, but after becoming his women, he didn¡¯t restrict us in any way. In the end, we fell in love with him.¡± This¡­ Su Hanyan found it difficult to understand. If they had been forced by the Sum Emperor to become his women, how could they have fallen in love with him? Li Qianrou nearby said, ¡°Disciple knows that Honored Master must find it hard to understand how we could fall in love with him, this lascivious man, especially since it began with coercion.¡± At this, Li Qianrou continued, ¡°The Sum Emperor¡¯s greatest flaw is his love for beauty. Apart from that, he nearly has no other faults in our eyes. He treats all his wives well, provides them with cultivation techniques to practice, actively helps them enhance their strengths, and takes great care of all his women. Furthermore, he is handsome and powerful¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t fall in love with him in the end?¡± ¡°Even women born without feelings, after becoming the Sum Emperor¡¯s women, gradually regain their emotions.¡± Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s words, Su Hanyan quickly responded. Indeed, the Sum Emperor was clearly the scion of a great force in the Cultivation World, and such a figure was already very attractive to women from a lower world. If the Sum Emperor was even slightly better to his women, it was natural that Li Qianrou and the others would helplessly fall in love with him. Women admire strength, and the Sum Emperor was not only formidable but also good to his women, and handsome to boot. What woman would not love such a man? However¡­ Su Hanyan said, ¡°Although I do not know how the Sum Emperor treats you when he is with you, I must remind you that the Sum Emperor¡¯s identity must not be simple. Behind him certainly stands a great sect or super force of the Cultivation World.¡± ¡°Such an exalted person never lacks for women; why would he take interest in women from a lower world? If he is good to you, it is very possible that it¡¯s an act, or maybe he has some ulterior motive.¡± Su Hanyan, a cultivator from the High-Level Cultivation Realm, had broad knowledge. She had seen many cultivators deceive others¡¯ feelings, some cultivating special paths, then deceiving feelings, willing their Daoist couples to die for them, thereby helping them achieve their path. The Sum Emperor, such an esteemed person, being actively good to his own women, was obviously problematic. Ordinary disciples of a great sect, even the most common, were haughty, considering themselves superior. Not to mention someone like the Sum Emperor, who could bring out such a luxurious Immortal Boat. Su Hanyan now seriously suspected whether the Sum Emperor considered her two disciples as Furnace Cauldrons or as sacrifices for achieving his path. Chapter 998 - Chapter 998: Chapter 688: I Can Make a Deal with Your Majesty Chapter 998: Chapter 688: I Can Make a Deal with Your Majesty Hearing Bai Qingqing¡¯s words at the door, Lu Chen was slightly stunned and stopped the movements he had just started; he had intended to continue exercising to rejuvenate himself. Yun Xianxian looked at Lu Chen with a regretful expression and said emotionlessly, ¡°It seems your harem is about to gain another woman.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen looked down at her cold and frost-like face and said with a smile, ¡°Xian¡¯er, why do I detect a whiff of sourness? Do you smell it too?¡± ¡°What sourness? I haven¡¯t sensed any,¡± Yun Xianxian replied indifferently. Lu Chen asked teasingly, ¡°Are you jealous?¡± ¡°Why would I be jealous? If I were, considering the women in your harem, I¡¯d have to live in a vinegar vat day in and day out,¡± Yun Xianxian said nonchalantly. Although Yun Xianxian had always wanted to monopolize Lu Chen, with strong possessiveness, she also knew she couldn¡¯t hog him all to herself. If she did manage to monopolize Lu Chen one day, she¡¯d probably be the first to suffer from it. Yun Xianxian had come to terms with that realization. It was good enough for her to merely have usage rights to Lu Chen; the ownership belonged to all the mistresses in his harem¡ªsharing wasn¡¯t such a big deal. With the other women in Lu Chen¡¯s harem around, his attention wouldn¡¯t always be on her, and she could occasionally rest, which was quite nice. At that moment, Yun Xianxian propped herself up, intending to get off Lu Chen, but his hands remained firmly on her waist, so she couldn¡¯t separate from him. Yun Xianxian looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Your new plaything has arrived¡ªaren¡¯t you in a hurry to find her? Why cling on like this?¡± Smiling, Lu Chen replied, ¡°Since we¡¯ve already started, we should finish properly.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? As he spoke, Lu Chen hugged Yun Xianxian, turned over, placing her delicate body beneath him, and continued with his business. To get Lu Chen to finish up quickly and meet his new lover, Yun Xianxian immediately activated the Mysterious Female Technique. Meanwhile. Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou brought Su Hanyan to a courtyard and quietly awaited Lu Chen¡¯s arrival. The three women waited nearly two hours without seeing Lu Chen. Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan naturally suspected what Lu Chen was up to. Aside from when occupied with certain activities, he was always able to appear immediately at any other time. As they waited for Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Li Qianrou warned Su Hanyan, ¡°Honored Master, no matter how you feel about Lu Chen, he presents himself as a lecher. When he meets you, he might grope you¡ªif you are unwilling, try to keep your distance.¡± Li Qianrou knew Su Hanyan believed Lu Chen¡¯s lecherous behavior was an act, so she reminded her to be cautious, even if it was indeed a pretense. Lecherous behavior could be faked, but Lu Chen¡¯s actions were real. Upon seeing a woman he liked, he never hesitated to make a move and claim her as his own. So no matter if Lu Chen was truly a lecher or not, if Su Hanyan didn¡¯t wish to become one of his women, it was crucial to distance herself from him and avoid provoking him, lest she couldn¡¯t leave Black Dragon City intact today. Hearing her disciple¡¯s advice, Su Hanyan was curious whether the Sum Emperor was as lecherous as her disciples claimed, being so readily handsy upon first meeting¡ªit seemed rather overzealous. In the world of cultivation, only demonic cultivators practicing Yin-Yang Balance would grope a woman on sight. The cultivators from the great sects would at least put on a facade. As Su Hanyan¡¯s impression of Lu Chen deteriorated, a voice sounded. ¡°Qianrou, what are you saying? Your Honored Master is also my Honored Master. How could I possibly disrespect my own master?¡± Hearing this voice, the three women looked towards the courtyard entrance and saw Lu Chen, clad in a Black Gold Dragon Robe, slowly walking toward them. Seeing Lu Chen approach, Li Qianrou said with a composed face, ¡°We are all too aware of the kind of man you are.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been absent for so long, you¡¯ve probably been bullying your Honored Master.¡± Laughing, Lu Chen responded, ¡°Bullying? I¡¯ve been assisting her in her cultivation, don¡¯t think so ill of me.¡± Seeing Li Qianrou speak so bluntly to Lu Chen, Su Hanyan was taken aback. Leaving aside that Lu Chen was a cultivator from a Great Sect, he was now the Emperor of the Daxia Dynasty. Despite being his Noble Concubine, Li Qianrou dared to speak to him so forthrightly. The key point was that Lu Chen appeared so affable and not the slightest bit angry. It seemed Lu Chen was just as his women described, treating his mistresses extremely well, indeed indulging them. The more it seemed so, the more it proved Lu Chen was intentionally nurturing these women¡¯s affections, possibly intending to have them willingly sacrifice themselves to aid him in achieving the great path someday. Thinking this, Su Hanyan firmed her internal resolution¡ªshe must help her two disciples leave Lu Chen¡¯s side and not allow them to become sacrificial offerings to his grand path. At that moment, Su Hanyan stood up from the stone bench, turned towards Lu Chen outside the pavilion, and greeted him with a bow, ¡°Greeting Your Majesty!¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s no need for formalities, Sect Master Su. You are Junwan¡¯s and Qianrou¡¯s Honored Master, which makes us practically family.¡± Then, Lu Chen said to Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan, ¡°Junwan, Qianrou, I¡¯d like to have a private talk with your Honored Master.¡± Upon hearing this, the two women knew what Lu Chen was planning to do, and they immediately grew a touch more worried in their hearts. However, both of them still rose from their seats and left the pavilion. Once Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan had both left the courtyard, Lu Chen went inside the pavilion and sat opposite Su Hanyan, saying with a smile, ¡°Sect Master Su, please have a seat.¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Then she slowly sat down, while Lu Chen took the moment to assess her. Su Hanyan was stunningly beautiful, exuding an ethereal grace, much like a fairy descending to earth, clad in a purple dress that radiated the charm of a mature woman. Seeing Lu Chen staring at her, Su Hanyan was initially taken aback but soon realized what was happening. She still believed that Lu Chen¡¯s lechery was just an act. Afterward, Su Hanyan took the initiative to ask, ¡°May I know why Your Majesty sought to meet?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t answer immediately but picked up the teapot on the table and poured a cup of tea for her. ¡°This tea is quite nice and can aid in cultivation as well, Sect Master Su might want to try some.¡± Without overthinking, Su Hanyan said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± The tea had been prepared by the maids before Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, and she had drunk some earlier; hence, Su Hanyan didn¡¯t suspect anything amiss with it. After pouring the tea, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°Sect Master Su, Junwan and Qingrou must have told you about my situation already, right?¡± Su Hanyan replied, ¡°They have indeed, which has raised many questions for me.¡± Lu Chen took a sip from his teacup and replied, ¡°Oh? Questions? What kind of questions?¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°With Your Majesty¡¯s status, any woman would be yours with just a word. There¡¯s no need to be so good to your own women; Your Majesty¡¯s concern for them makes people think you have ulterior motives.¡± Hearing this from Su Hanyan, Lu Chen was taken aback for a moment before he smiled and responded, ¡°Ulterior motives? What do you think I am scheming?¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s affairs are unclear to me, but in the Cultivation World, it is very common for one to deceive others emotionally, then let the other die for oneself, all for one¡¯s own greater path.¡± Lu Chen instantly understood Su Hanyan¡¯s meaning; it seemed she believed he was good to his women to prepare them as willing sacrifices for his own path to greatness. With a slight smile, Lu Chen put down his teacup and looked into Su Hanyan¡¯s beautiful eyes, ¡°It seems there are many misunderstandings about me, Sect Master Su.¡± Su Hanyan replied, ¡°Whether they are misunderstandings, Your Majesty knows best. Based on Your Majesty¡¯s Immortal Boat, one could surmise you are not merely a Prince of some empire, but perhaps the Saint Heir of a great sect.¡± ¡°I have never heard of an empire¡¯s prince or the Saint Heir of any major power treating their consorts so well. To them, women are but playthings.¡± Seeing that Su Hanyan¡¯s misconceptions about him ran deep, Lu Chen knew it would be difficult to change her perception; therefore, there was no need for excessive verbal explanations. Lu Chen directly said, ¡°Given this, why would Sect Master Su still wish to meet me?¡± Su Hanyan answered, ¡°Junwan and Qingrou are my Direct Disciples, and I do not wish to see them become sacrifices for someone else¡¯s path to greatness.¡± Lu Chen stated, ¡°You must understand they can no longer leave me.¡± Su Hanyan responded, ¡°That is why I am here.¡± ¡°Your Majesty is the root cause, and only by meeting Your Majesty can there potentially be a way to save them.¡± Lu Chen looked at Su Hanyan with a playful expression, ¡°So it seems, Sect Master Su, you want to kill me?¡± Su Hanyan replied, ¡°I do not have that power.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Then what purpose does your visit serve?¡± Su Hanyan stated firmly, ¡°I propose a transaction. If Your Majesty agrees to leave Junwan and Qingrou unharmed, I am willing to do anything for Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. He did not immediately respond but took up his teacup again, sipped the tea, seemingly deep in thought. After a long moment, Lu Chen put down the teacup and looked again at Su Hanyan¡¯s exquisite face, ¡°Sect Master Su, you also realize my identity may be that of a prince of some empire or the Saint Heir of a great sect.¡± ¡°Do you believe there is anything you have that I would find desirable?¡± ¡°If you have nothing I need, how can we possibly strike a deal?¡± With that¡­ Su Hanyan was taken aback in her heart, indeed, she had nothing of value to offer Lu Chen in exchange. Chapter 999 - Chapter 999: Chapter 689: Su Hanyans Inner Struggle Chapter 999: Chapter 689: Su Hanyan¡¯s Inner Struggle Seeing Su Hanyan completely stunned, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Sect Master Su, I can make a deal with you, but you¡¯ll have to go back and think carefully about what you have that you can trade with me.¡± As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, he stood up and walked towards the outside of the pavilion, saying as he went, ¡°Let¡¯s leave it at that for today.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had left so abruptly, Su Hanyan wanted to say something but found herself unable to speak. Although Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou were her direct disciples and she had deep affection for them, that affection did not extend to the point where she would sacrifice herself for them. And aside from herself, she truly did have nothing of value to offer for the trade. As Lu Chen left the courtyard, he happened to see Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan. They hadn¡¯t eavesdropped on the conversation between Lu Chen and Su Hanyan, knowing that Lu Chen¡¯s perceptive abilities were strong, and that he would have noticed if they had. Seeing Lu Chen come out so quickly left the two women very confused; they were eager to know what had been said between Lu Chen and Su Hanyan. Wu Junwan looked at Lu Chen and asked, ¡°What did Your Majesty and Honored Master discuss? Why did it end so quickly?¡± Lu Chen had initially said he wanted to inquire about the Bixia World, and there should have been quite a lot to ask about. It hadn¡¯t even been half an hour; how could he have finished so soon? The quicker the talk ended, it suggested the less pleasant their conversation was. Both women feared that Su Hanyan may have angered Lu Chen, which might be why he didn¡¯t care to continue speaking with her. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Nothing much, I just directly asked her if she wanted to be my woman, and she said she¡¯d consider it.¡± This¡­ Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the women were taken aback. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï That direct? But then again, Lu Chen had always been quite forthright, which indeed was his style. However, what surprised them today was that Lu Chen hadn¡¯t been forceful, which seemed out of character for him. In the past, he was known to take what he wanted by force; Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou themselves had been taken by him in that manner, and they did not expect him to show such a gentle side to a surrendered enemy. At that moment, Lu Chen added, ¡°I have other matters to attend to; you go inside and keep her company.¡± After he spoke, Lu Chen turned and headed for the room where he and Yun Xianxian had been intimate. He guessed that Yun Xianxian might not have woken up yet, which would be perfect for him to continue his cultivation. Once Lu Chen had left, Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan immediately entered the courtyard. Su Hanyan was sitting on a stone bench in the pavilion, her expression incredibly conflicted. The women approached Su Hanyan, and Wu Junwan asked, ¡°Honored Master, what did you discuss with Lu Chen?¡± Su Hanyan came back to her senses, sighed lightly, and then said, ¡°It was nothing.¡± She didn¡¯t want Li Qingrou and Wu Junwan to know about the trade with Lu Chen, as it would surely put a great deal of pressure on them if they found out. Shortly thereafter, Su Hanyan rose from the stone bench and glanced at Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou, ¡°I shall return home today. I will come to see you again when the Cultivators¡¯ Conference is convened.¡± Su Hanyan immediately mounted her sword and left the Black Dragon Empire Palace, the sight of her lonely departing silhouette led Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou to exchange glances. They couldn¡¯t help but wonder, could Lu Chen have threatened her Honored Master just now? Lu Chen always liked doing things like that. Even if they knew Lu Chen had done so, the two of them were helpless; they were now Lu Chen¡¯s women, naturally, they were on Lu Chen¡¯s side. If Su Hanyan was unwilling, they could only advise Lu Chen to give up, but if Lu Chen insisted on forcing Su Hanyan to become his woman, they wouldn¡¯t intervene to stop him either. That¡¯s just the way the era was: follow your husband no matter what. Moreover, they couldn¡¯t separate themselves from Lu Chen neither spiritually nor physically, their stance was naturally on Lu Chen¡¯s side. On her return journey, Su Hanyan thought a great deal. Lu Chen must be aware that it was highly unlikely she had the object he desired. For someone who owned Heaven Rank, even Saint-grade Immortal Boats, they might not even spare a second glance for Heaven Rank magic treasures¡ªhow could she, a mere cultivator from an ordinary Sect, possibly produce something remarkable enough to catch Lu Chen¡¯s eye? Since Lu Chen knew she didn¡¯t have any treasures of interest to him and still offered a trade, that indicated one thing: Lu Chen was interested in her. Linking this to what her Disciple had told her, it became even more evident that Lu Chen probably wanted to make her a Furnace Cauldron, or a sacrifice like his other two Disciples. With this realization, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart struggled tremendously. To be honest, though she held deep affection for her two Direct Disciples, their bond was not yet strong enough for her to die for them. If Lu Chen truly intended to use her as a bargaining chip in exchange for their freedom, a part of her was still reluctant. But Su Hanyan also realized something else¡ªif she refused to trade with Lu Chen, judging from what her Direct Disciples had conveyed about him, any woman Lu Chen took an interest in would not be let go so easily; he would likely employ other means to make her his woman. So regardless of her response, she actually had no choice. At this thought, Su Hanyan sighed once more, unsure of what to do next, currently unable to leave this world. To leave this world, one would need the aid of Lu Chen¡¯s Immortal Boat. In the end, she would still need to get close to Lu Chen. If she did not improve her relations with Lu Chen and instead found a place to hide, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to depart this world anytime soon. Only when one advanced to the All Law Realm could they possess the means to open interworld passageways. Already a Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator, it seemed she needed only a breakthrough to the All Law Realm to have the capacity to leave this world. However, the gap between the Yin-Yang Realm and the All Law Realm was a mere step, yet breaking through was incredibly challenging. Furthermore, even if she found a place to hide, Lu Chen might still manage to find her. For some reason, whenever she thought of escaping, her mind was flooded with visions of being captured by Lu Chen. She now felt as though she was entirely under Lu Chen¡¯s control. After much contemplation, Su Hanyan finally came to a decision. Since escape was impossible, she might as well use herself as a bargaining chip to secure her two Direct Disciples¡¯ freedom first. Once she left Tianchen with Lu Chen, she would find a way to leave him, at most sacrificing her body. For cultivators without a Daoist couple, the older they were, the lesser their moral scruples. While they sometimes held chastity in high regard, in the face of substantial benefits, they would still opt for the practical route. Su Hanyan considered her conditions: she had no Daoist couple and no man she was fond of. Even if she became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, her Dao Heart wouldn¡¯t be unsettled, nor would she develop inner demons. Chapter 1001 - Chapter 1001: Chapter 691: Sect Master Su, You Are Summoned by His Majesty! Chapter 1001: Chapter 691: Sect Master Su, You Are Summoned by His Majesty! The first Tianchen World Cultivators Conference finally convened in Black Dragon City. On the day of the conference, countless cultivators arrived on the outskirts of Black Dragon City, with the leaders of all factions heading towards Black Dragon City. Lu Chen¡¯s purpose in calling this meeting was quite simple: to establish rules for those cultivators and to let them know who would dictate the future of Tianchen World. The cultivators of Misty World had no right to speak at this conference; they could only sit in the hall and unilaterally listen to the rules set forth by the Daxia Dynasty. After informing the cultivators of the laws they were to follow, Lu Chen addressed the cultivators in the great hall, ¡°For righteous cultivators, the rules I¡¯ve established are easy to abide by. I hope you will remember the ordinances that cultivators must comply with and not commit acts that you will regret.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the cultivators in the great hall immediately said in unison, ¡°We will remember Your Majesty¡¯s decrees!¡± As the voices of the cultivators fell, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Additionally, should anyone wish to leave Black Dragon County and enter other counties of the Daxia Dynasty, barring special circumstances, I can offer you an opportunity.¡± ¡°As long as you join the army of the Daxia Dynasty and become citizens of the Daxia Dynasty, you may freely come and go from other counties.¡± Hearing this, the cultivators in the great hall looked at each other, and they instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s intent; he wished to recruit these cultivators to put the Misty World¡¯s cultivators to use for him. Seeing that the cultivators in the hall did not speak, Lu Chen continued, ¡°I will not make it difficult for you. If you are willing to join Daxia¡¯s army, there will be other benefits as well.¡± ¡°Such as Spirit Rice.¡± At this juncture, Lu Chen raised his hand with a gesture, and a handful of Spirit Rice was tossed into the middle of the hall, hovering there and radiating dense Life Spiritual Power. Feeling the pure Life Spiritual Power emanating from the Spirit Rice, all the cultivators in the hall had their eyes light up; they had not expected to see Spirit Rice in this lower realm. Moreover, judging by the rich Spiritual Power released from the Spirit Rice, it was at least high-quality Spirit Rice. Consuming some of it would undoubtedly be a great help to their cultivation. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï However, clearly, this item was not free. In a low-level world like this, Spirit Rice of such quality was even more precious. At this time, Lu Chen continued, ¡°The army of the Daxia Dynasty regularly consumes Spirit Rice, and every six months, the Daxia Dynasty will also award a generous amount of Spirit Rice to well-performing soldiers.¡± ¡°Of course, that is just one benefit of joining the Daxia army; there are other benefits, which you will find out once you¡¯ve joined.¡± With that said, Lu Chen waved his hand, and the Spirit Rice in the air divided into countless portions, flying towards the cultivators in the hall, ¡°Consider this a gift from myself.¡± Although it was no more than one or two ounces of Spirit Rice, consuming it would at the very least allow them to advance by a small realm. The cultivators hurriedly collected the Spirit Rice floating in the air, and then they unanimously thanked Lu Chen with a bow, ¡°Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s gracious gift!¡± Lu Chen then stood up and said, ¡°Good, the first Cultivators Conference comes to an end here. From now on, I will come to Black Dragon City to hold the Cultivators Conference annually. Should you have any suggestions, you may submit them to me.¡± Hearing this, the cultivators in the great hall looked at each other again, instantly understanding the reason behind Lu Chen¡¯s actions. The Sum Emperor¡¯s annual presiding over the Cultivators Conference signified his complete control over all cultivation forces. Henceforth, all forces must obey him and the Daxia Dynasty. Anyone who dared not attend the conference would be equivalent to committing treason. The Sum Emperor took this approach also to signal to all Tianchen World¡¯s cultivators that there were no places beyond the law within the Daxia Dynasty. Even if the cultivators stayed in Black Dragon County without traveling to other areas of the Daxia Dynasty, they were still directly governed by the Daxia Dynasty. Although the cultivators felt some discomfort at heart, they had no choice. They had already witnessed Lu Chen¡¯s strength, and moreover, with a host of Genesis Realm cultivators by Lu Chen¡¯s side, aside from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, the other forces of Misty World combined were no match for the Daxia Dynasty. Submitting to the Sum Emperor was their only option now. Lu Chen had finished speaking and turned to leave the side hall. The cultivators in the main hall immediately paid their respects, ¡°We bid farewell to Your Majesty!¡± After Lu Chen left, the main hall instantly erupted into chatter, becoming as lively as a marketplace. ¡°Alas, I never imagined that we would one day be subsumed under the rule of a dynasty.¡± ¡°Yes, I still remember when I first wanted to cultivate, it was to escape the mundane world, but in the end, I¡¯ve come full circle.¡± ¡°In cultivation, what one cultivates is the heart. As long as there is abundant Spiritual Energy, it doesn¡¯t matter where one cultivates, there¡¯s nothing bad about it.¡± ¡°Do you guys want to join the Daxia Army? This Spirit Rice obviously looks top-notch.¡± ¡°You know, I actually do want to join the Daxia Army. The Sum Emperor looks like he¡¯s the Saint Heir of some Great Sect. Following him, we¡¯ll surely get access to more cultivation resources.¡± ¡­ Listening to the discussions of the cultivators in the main hall, Su Hanyan looked at the handful of Spirit Rice in her hand and sighed softly in her heart. The Cultivators¡¯ Conference had ended, and it was time for her to proactively engage in a transaction with Lu Chen. With this thought, Su Hanyan walked out of the main hall, and as she did, a maid came up to her, ¡°Sect Master Su, His Majesty summons you, please follow this servant.¡± Su Hanyan said indifferently, ¡°Alright.¡± Following the maid¡¯s lead, Su Hanyan arrived at a sleeping chamber in the rear courtyard of the Black Dragon Empire Palace. Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou were in the palace, both dressed in bright red palace attire, seated on golden silk carpets in the main hall. Upon seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s arrival, they immediately stood up and approached her in greeting. ¡°Honored Master, you¡¯ve arrived.¡± Seeing her two direct disciples, Su Hanyan¡¯s emotions were complex. After all, she was their Honored Master, yet in the end, she had to attend to a man alongside them. She wondered if Lu Chen would ultimately keep his promise and release her two disciples. Su Hanyan then asked, ¡°Junwan, Qingrou, why are you here as well?¡± ¡°His Majesty said he had matters to attend to and asked us to chat first.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan thought to herself, could it be that Lu Chen is reminding her that her two disciples are here, suggesting that if she wants to save them, she must resign herself to becoming his woman tonight? While Su Hanyan was lost in thought, Li Qingrou asked, ¡°Honored Master, have you decided?¡± Su Hanyan responded calmly, ¡°The Misty World is gradually collapsing. Even if I wanted to escape, there would be nowhere to go.¡± ¡°For His Majesty to admire my frail body is an honor for me. I hope His Majesty will not find me disagreeable.¡± Hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of desolation. Clearly, Su Hanyan was forced by Lu Chen¡¯s overbearing power and thus had no choice but to agree to become his woman. Su Hanyan then glanced at her two direct disciples and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. You should tell me about His Majesty¡¯s matters instead.¡± Chapter 1002 - Chapter 1002: Chapter 692: You Might Need a Month to Get Back Chapter 1002: Chapter 692: You Might Need a Month to Get Back Lu Chen had given Su Hanyan ample time to mentally prepare himself. After the Cultivators¡¯ Conference, he could have directly taken action against Su Hanyan, but he hadn¡¯t. Instead, he let Su Hanyan meet Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan. Through Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou, Su Hanyan came to understand Lu Chen even better. Of course, she still felt that Lu Chen¡¯s kindness towards his wives was all an act. The purpose was to make them willing to become the people who would shield him from tribulations in the future, or perhaps sacrifices for certain great ways. At this moment, Li Qianrou seemed to think of something and then said to Su Hanyan, ¡°Honored Master, I have a Cultivation Technique here that you might find useful tonight.¡± Su Hanyan asked curiously, ¡°What Cultivation Technique?¡± Li Qianrou replied, ¡°Mysterious Female Technique.¡± Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s answer, Su Hanyan was curious. Mysterious Female Technique? What was this technique and what was its purpose? Why might she need to use it tonight? While Su Hanyan was puzzled, Li Qianrou immediately gathered the technique into a strand of Divine Sense and imparted it to Su Hanyan. As Li Qianrou¡¯s strand of Divine Sense passed through the three petal-shaped ornaments on Su Hanyan¡¯s forehead and entered her brain, Su Hanyan received all the contents of the Mysterious Female Technique. Su Hanyan¡¯s beautiful eyes slightly closed as she sensed the contents of the Mysterious Female Technique. Having sensed the uniqueness of the Mysterious Female Technique, Su Hanyan was momentarily stunned. The technique was likely a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill. Su Hanyan immediately opened her eyes and looked at Li Qianrou, asking, ¡°Qianrou, where did you obtain this technique?¡± Li Qianrou was just a native of a lower world, she couldn¡¯t possibly possess a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Indeed, even if Li Qianrou didn¡¯t say, Su Hanyan had already guessed where this technique had come from. Li Qianrou replied, ¡°This is a technique Lu Chen imparted to his wives, just like the Rejuvenation Technique, all his wives know it.¡± In her mind, Su Hanyan thought, indeed, it was imparted by Lu Chen. However, this was normal. Lu Chen, a man who possessed a Heavenly Rank Immortal Boat, having several Heavenly-level Cultivation Skills was naturally not surprising. Not to mention Heavenly-level skills, it wouldn¡¯t be odd for him to share a Saint-grade skill. At that point, Su Hanyan closed her eyes again and began to circulate the Spiritual Energy within her body, attempting to cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique. She didn¡¯t know if it was because it was her first time cultivating the Mysterious Female Technique, but Su Hanyan immediately felt her circulation of Spiritual Power become much smoother and her entire body felt very relaxed. However, moments later, she felt something was odd about the technique. She felt her body becoming somewhat agitated, always feeling like something was missing. Su Hanyan then stopped circulating the Mysterious Female Technique and opened her eyes to look at Li Qianrou, saying, ¡°Strange, this technique seems to be missing something.¡± Li Qianrou remained silent while Wu Junwan said from the side, ¡°Honored Master, this technique is best cultivated with a Daoist couple during Dual Cultivation.¡± This¡­ Su Hanyan was slightly startled. Now she understood why Li Qianrou said she might need this technique tonight. She might lose her chastity tonight, and perhaps Li Qianrou wanted to distract her by giving her this technique. When Lu Chen would really do that to her, she would cultivate the Mysterious Female Technique as a distraction, which could also enhance her Cultivation State. Understanding Li Qianrou¡¯s kind intentions, Su Hanyan smiled slightly, ¡°Qianrou, thank you.¡± With this cultivation technique, each time Lu Chen possessed her, she could treat it as cultivation practice; this way, her unease was reduced. The key was that this cultivation technique significantly boosted her cultivation state and helped her become stronger quickly. Su Hanyan thought to herself, with this technique, it was uncertain who would be using whom in the future. For a moment, Su Hanyan suddenly felt that losing her virginity to Lu Chen was no big deal; in fact, she might even be taking advantage. As long as she could escape from Lu Chen¡¯s side when he needed her as a sacrifice, there would be no problem. Just then, Wu Junwan spoke up, ¡°Honored Master, perhaps you could inform the Elder of the Misty Immortal Sect first that you plan to seclude yourself in the Imperial Palace, and it might take you a month before you can return.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Hanyan was stunned for a second. A month? Su Hanyan asked in confusion, ¡°Why is that?¡± Li Qianrou said, ¡°Because for the next half a month, or perhaps even a month, you may not be able to leave the Imperial Palace.¡± Li Qianrou¡¯s words were somewhat understated, but Su Hanyan still didn¡¯t understand and asked again, ¡°Could it be that the Sum Emperor intends to imprison me for a month?¡± Li Qianrou and Wu Junwan exchanged glances before Li Qianrou added, ¡°Originally, when Great Jue was destroyed and the disciple was captured by Lu Chen, he did that sort of thing to the disciple for over half a month without cease.¡± Su Hanyan was no fool; with what Li Qianrou had said, it was clear what she meant. A blush instantly appeared on Su Hanyan¡¯s fair, jade-like face. Although she had never experienced such things, she was after all thousands of years old and naturally understood what was implied. She had never heard of anyone enduring such acts for half a month. Subsequently, Su Hanyan¡¯s eyebrows knitted slightly as she asked, ¡°Qingrou, he didn¡¯t treat you as his Furnace Cauldron, did he?¡± Only when cultivating with a Furnace Cauldron might the time be extended, but even then, if one were to cultivate with a Furnace Cauldron for half a month, the Furnace Cauldron would likely be ruined. Li Qianrou replied, ¡°If Lu Chen had considered the disciple as his Furnace Cauldron, given his abilities, the disciple would have likely perished long ago.¡± ¡°Lu Chen simply enjoys the pleasures of men and women. Disciple knows that Honored Master might have some misunderstandings about Lu Chen. After you truly meet Lu Chen tonight, you will understand what kind of man he is.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart became tense. She had originally thought that losing her virginity was no big deal; it was just one night, and she might get used to it after tonight. But after Li Qianrou¡¯s words, she was frightened. Who could be so engrossed in such matters for ten days to half a month? Was he still a human? Even those Demon Cultivators who harvested Yang to replenish their own didn¡¯t possess this capability. If Li Qianrou weren¡¯t her direct disciple, she might even suspect Li Qianrou was trying to scare her. Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s disturbed expression, Wu Junwan gave a slight smile and then said, ¡°Honored Master need not worry too much. Lu Chen has perfected his Rejuvenation Technique to completion, so you will not feel any discomfort.¡± Prior to meeting Lu Chen, it is normal to feel scared. Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou also felt some fear when they were about to be possessed by Lu Chen, but fear quickly dissipated once they became his women. They believed that once their Honored Master became Lu Chen¡¯s woman, after this ordeal, their Honored Master would, just like them, never be able to leave him again. This wasn¡¯t something that could be decided by free will¡ªthis man indeed possessed some special abilities when dealing with women. At that moment, Li Qianrou also spoke up, ¡°Honored Master is a Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator; if even a disciple could withstand half a month, with Honored Master¡¯s level of cultivation, let alone one month, even two months wouldn¡¯t pose any problem.¡± Chapter 1004 - Chapter 1004: Chapter 694: Whats wrong? Why dont you continue to channel your energy? Chapter 1004: Chapter 694: What¡¯s wrong? Why don¡¯t you continue to channel your energy? In the Imperial Palace bedroom, bathed in moonlight as soft as water, strands of silver light quietly penetrated through the window lattice, casting a faint halo on the silky satin bedsheets. Lu Chen lay over Su Hanyan, gazing into her eyes, which were as deep as serene lakes, reflecting his fiery gaze. At that moment, Lu Chen gently lifted a strand of her hair, which danced at his fingertips like a silken waterfall, releasing a faint fragrance. She slightly lowered her eyelids, her long lashes casting a shadow under the moonlight, adding an extra touch of charm. Lu Chen looked at her, and a surge of impulse welled up inside him. He slowly drew closer to her, their breaths intertwining, creating an indescribable atmosphere of ambiguity. He gently cradled her cheeks, her delicate skin as pure as the first snow, making him unable to resist the desire to kiss her. However, Lu Chen did not act recklessly, but instead gently traced her cheek with his fingertips, as if playing a moving melody. Su Hanyan slightly lifted her head to meet his gaze. Her eyes were filled with humiliation and endurance, as if saying, ¡°Are you not a man?¡± Seeing this, a flame was instantly ignited in Lu Chen¡¯s heart, and he leaned down to kiss her red lips once again. This time, Lu Chen did not continue to tease Su Hanyan. Moments later, with a muffled moan from Su Hanyan, she completely became Lu Chen¡¯s woman. Su Hanyan struggled to keep her clarity, thinking about the Mysterious Female Technique that Li Qianrou had taught her during the day. She had thought that practicing the Mysterious Female Technique now would divert her attention. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï However, to her surprise, she not only felt completely drained of strength, but her spiritual power inside was also in a fully sealed state; she couldn¡¯t feel the flow of spiritual power at all. In such a state, she was almost like a normal person, let alone practicing the Mysterious Female Technique. Unable to practice the Mysterious Female Technique, she couldn¡¯t divert her attention and could only immerse herself in the pleasure brought by Lu Chen. It was now clear to Su Hanyan why all of Lu Chen¡¯s women eventually couldn¡¯t help but fall in love with this man; staying with him for long inevitably led to downfall¡ªit was the same for everyone. Thinking that someday she might never be able to leave Lu Chen, Su Hanyan¡¯s mind instantly cleared. No, she had to stay clear-headed; she couldn¡¯t become Lu Chen¡¯s female slave. The moment she thought this, Lu Chen became fierce, and she instantly became bewildered. As her consciousness was about to dissipate, only one thought remained. I¡¯m finished¡­ Dawn. The rising sun slowly peeked out, its golden rays like a shy maiden, gradually tearing through the veil of night. As the first streaks of golden light made their way through the towering windows of the Imperial Palace, they danced and twirled like mischievous sprites in the majestic hall. These golden beams, meeting the palace¡¯s exquisite murals, dazzling glazed tiles, and carved columns, seemed to cloak them in a golden robe. The interplay of light and shadow made every corner of the palace shine brightly, resembling the mythical realms of fantasy. As the sun rose higher, more sunlight flooded the hall. The gems and metal decorations that had seemed somewhat dim before were now glittering under the sunlight, radiating dazzling brilliance. The entire Imperial Palace seemed to be surrounded by a golden halo, every corner brimming with vitality and vigor. Lu Chen had not yet ended his path of conquest, but to allow Su Hanyan to persevere longer, he voluntarily lifted the restrictions on her. Now, Su Hanyan was able to sense her own spiritual power, and she was much more awake than yesterday, no longer completely controlled by desire. Seeing Lu Chen still active, Su Hanyan felt immensely desolate in her heart. Looking at Lu Chen in this state, she feared that just as Li Qianrou had said, she might not be able to return to the Misty Immortal Sect for ten days, half a month, or even a month. Fortunately, she had informed the disciples of the Misty Immortal Sect in advance, telling them that she would be in seclusion within the Imperial Palace, and she had also instructed the people of her sect to spread this news. Since Lu Chen had taken her body, she naturally wanted to extract as much value from him as possible. By announcing that she was in seclusion in the Imperial Palace of the Black Dragon Country, it was akin to telling other powers that the Sect Master of the Misty Immortal Sect had become the woman of the Sum Emperor. Those forces originally intending to trouble the Misty Immortal Sect, or those smaller groups considering leaving the sect, would naturally refrain from reckless actions after hearing this news. People aren¡¯t foolish. In the Tianchen World, the Sum Emperor is the strongest support, and clinging to him ensures a prosperous life in the Tianchen World. With the Sect Master of the Misty Immortal Sect becoming the woman of the Sum Emperor, the future development of the Misty Immortal Sect was undoubtedly going to be better than other sects. The spread of this news was immediately deterrent to many. Seeing Su Hanyan gazing intently at him, Lu Chen raised his hand, gently caressed her exquisite face, then brushed her cheek¡¯s hair aside. With a weak voice, Su Hanyan said, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ huh¡­ is truly no ordinary person.¡± Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Are you complimenting me?¡± Su Han Yan did not say more, falling into silence. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a compliment or sarcasm. Lu Chen, looking into her eyes, continued, ¡°Hanyan, Qingrou should have already taught you the Mysterious Female Technique, right? Do you want to try cultivating it?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen even knew this, Su Hanyan realized that Li Qianrou teaching her the Mysterious Female Technique was instigated by Lu Chen. But whether it was his instigation had become irrelevant now since she had already become Lu Chen¡¯s woman. Without overthinking, Su Hanyan started to channel the Mysterious Female Technique, but as soon as she did, she noticed something was amiss. Su Hanyan slightly stunned, discovered an unexpected effect of the Mysterious Female Technique. The moment she channeled the technique, she felt herself and Lu Chen become even closer, and of course, her spiritual power indeed started to surge within her. After all, it was a Heavenly-level Cultivation Skill; even if the technique seemed improper, its cultivation speed was still very fast. Su Hanyan stopped channeling her power and looked at Lu Chen, who, seeing her stop, smiled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why not continue channeling?¡± Su Hanyan asked, ¡°Cultivation¡­ The most taboo thing for a cultivator is¡­ lust. Even demon cultivators using furnace cauldrons for cultivation¡­ don¡¯t dare to spend much time on¡­ uh¡­ sexual matters.¡± ¡°I heard¡­ Your Majesty¡­ huh¡­ often indulges for ten days or half a month in¡­ such activities¡­ Aren¡¯t you afraid it will impact your¡­ cultivation¡­¡± While attending to his own tasks, Lu Chen replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t really affect me much. Although you are not my furnace cauldrons, the Dual Cultivation Skill I practice is a Heavenly-level skill, which yields far better results than using you as furnace cauldrons for cultivation.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice faded, Su Hanyan felt a massive surge of spiritual power flooding into her body, and in the next moment, her cultivation state ascended by one realm. Chapter 1005 - Chapter 1005: Chapter 695 Dont Call Me Despicable, We Are Actually All the Same Chapter 1005: Chapter 695 Don¡¯t Call Me Despicable, We Are Actually All the Same Sensing her own Realm advancement, Su Hanyan felt a complexity in her heart, not expecting to have broken through so effortlessly. Before, for them to break through a Realm, it was impossible without decades of time; she had lived for thousands of years, having only reached the Yin-Yang Realm in her Cultivation State, from which one could know how difficult cultivation really was. Yet simply by becoming Lu Chen¡¯s woman, her Realm had broken through, making her previous cultivation efforts seem meaningless. Once again, she understood why Lu Chen¡¯s women could never leave him; it wasn¡¯t only because he controlled them on an emotional level, he also brought his women many benefits. A single Dual Cultivation session with Lu Chen could raise their Realm, while without Lu Chen, they might not achieve such advancement even after decades of cultivation. If one got used to this speed of enhancing their Realm, it would be impossible to calm one¡¯s mind for cultivation again. Thinking this, Su Hanyan suddenly felt that Lu Chen was even more terrifying; she must control herself and not become dependent on this man, otherwise, she might end up like her two Disciples, unable to ever leave him. Seeing Su Hanyan stunned by her Realm¡¯s advancement, Lu Chen immediately became ruthless and proceeded with a set of actions. Su Hanyan snapped back to reality in an instant, looking at the man with a complex expression, letting him manipulate her as if she were nothing more than a plaything. As Su Hanyan forcefully controlled herself from making any noise, Lu Chen smiled slightly and continued, ¡°To tell you the truth, I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan was slightly taken aback. What did Lu Chen mean by his words? ¡°Your Majesty¡­ um¡­ what do you mean by that?¡± While continuing his actions, Lu Chen said, ¡°What I mean is that you never truly intended to make a deal with me. You plan to rescue your two Direct Disciples first, then find a way to flee the Tianchen World, am I right?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À?.§ã¦Ï As he said this, Lu Chen¡¯s deep eyes stared intently at Su Hanyan. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s gaze while under his torment, Su Hanyan completely lost her composure, her eyes involuntarily shifting to another direction. At this moment, Su Hanyan felt immensely guilty. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to see through her inner thoughts so readily, and now she was in trouble. Since Lu Chen knew she wasn¡¯t genuinely at his side, he might very well go back on his word. If Lu Chen reneged on his promise, it wouldn¡¯t matter if he refused to let go of Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou, but the key point was that he would be on guard against her and might even resort to more terrifying methods to forcefully control her. This was trouble. Su Hanyan then denied, saying, ¡°Your Majesty, you worry needlessly. I have always been a person of my word, and for a Cultivator to lie casually could lead to instability of the Dao Heart, posing a great danger to future cultivation.¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Such words might deceive a novice just stepping onto the path of cultivation.¡± ¡°For old hands like us, whether a person lies has absolutely no relation to whether they¡¯re a Cultivator.¡± ¡°I, for instance, promised to trade with you, to release your two Direct Disciples as long as you become my woman, but in reality, I had no intention of letting them go.¡± As these words came out, Su Hanyan was stunned, then anger rose on her face, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re going back on your word!¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Yes.¡± Su Hanyan was dumbfounded. She had indeed considered the possibility that Lu Chen might not keep his word, but then she thought about Wu Junwan and Li Qingrou as merely two natives of a lower world. If Lu Chen truly wanted them to take a calamity for him, then she, as a Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator from a High-Level Cultivation World, was much more suitable. Therefore, it was possible for Lu Chen to let the two of them go. Yet this man wanted to have it all, not letting even one go. Su Hanyan immediately began to struggle, but no matter how she fought, she was unable to lay a hand on Lu Chen. In their current state, she simply had no strength. Even though her Spiritual Power had recovered by now, it was in a state shared with Lu Chen, not something she could use whenever she wanted. After realizing her situation, Su Hanyan angrily accused Lu Chen, ¡°Despicable!¡± Lu Chen just smiled faintly, then said, ¡°I¡¯ve let you stay with Junwan and Qingrou for so long. They should have already told you what kind of person I am.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, she had indeed heard from them from the very beginning what kind of man Lu Chen was. Any woman Lu Chen took an interest in, he would stop at nothing to get. She, too, was a woman he took an interest in, so it was only natural for Lu Chen to resort to any means. It was no surprise that he had tricked her into a trade. The only person she could blame was herself for actually believing him. But then again, as she was in the Tianchen World, even if she hadn¡¯t agreed to the trade, Lu Chen would have found a way to possess her. This damnable lecher! Wait a second¡­ Su Hanyan was stupefied again, realizing she now actually saw him as a lecher. Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s expression of anger and annoyance, yet helpless and only able to let out frustrated groans under his attack, Lu Chen was even more inclined to tease her. ¡°Don¡¯t call me despicable. We¡¯re the same.¡± ¡°You wanted to use me to become stronger and then escape the Tianchen World. I want your body. We both have our purposes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that I¡¯m a step ahead.¡± Su Hanyan scoffed and said, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re telling me your thoughts now¡­ aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll just run away after today¡­¡± No sooner had Su Hanyan finished her sentence than Lu Chen intensified his grip. ¡°Run away? The Tianchen World is only so big, and the Misty World is already collapsing. Where do you think you can go?¡± ¡°Only once you¡¯ve broken through to the All Law Realm will you possibly open the world channel and go to other worlds.¡± ¡°Whew, that¡¯s really comfortable¡­¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, especially the last sentence, Su Hanyan felt so annoyed her teeth itched¡ªdamn it, she was completely at his mercy. Indeed, she had nowhere to run even if she wanted to. With Lu Chen¡¯s abilities, she feared that no matter where she hid in the Tianchen World, this jerk would be able to find her. So the only thing she could do was to continue Dual Cultivation with Lu Chen, then seize the time to improve her strength. Only when she reached the All Law Realm would she have a chance to run away. But since Lu Chen already knew her thoughts, how could he possibly let her easily cultivate to the All Law Realm? This guy would definitely find a way to limit her Realm and keep her imprisoned by his side, continuing to enjoy her. What now? Her innermost thoughts had been seen through by Lu Chen, and she had already lost her body to this guy¡ªit seemed like she had no choice left. As Su Hanyan was distracted, Lu Chen suddenly leaned down close to her ear and whispered with a breath, ¡°My lady, you are so¡­¡± With these words, Su Hanyan became even more incensed¡ªdamn him! But before Su Hanyan could say anything, her lips were once again claimed by Lu Chen. Unable to speak, she was reduced to Lu Chen¡¯s plaything once more, to be manipulated at his whim. Thinking of how she had fallen to this state, Su Hanyan was furious. Unable to take revenge on Lu Chen, she could only resort to circulating the Mysterious Female Technique, in an attempt to make Lu Chen miserable. Chapter 1006 - Chapter 1006: Chapter 696: I Just Dont Like Being Misunderstood Chapter 1006: Chapter 696: I Just Don¡¯t Like Being Misunderstood The Mysterious Female Technique was after all just a cultivation technique, even if Su Hanyan fully activated it, the flesh that was supposed to be soft remained soft, showing no change at all. Su Hanyan thought she could try to use the Mysterious Female Technique to make Lu Chen uncomfortable, but that was simply wishful thinking. Not only did it fail to make Lu Chen uncomfortable, it actually benefited him instead. Seeing Su Hanyan frantically activating the Mysterious Female Technique, Lu Chen could hardly suppress a chuckle inside. Su Hanyan was not the first woman to do this, he had had wives and concubines in the past who tried to use this method to get back at him, and there were quite a few. The result, as you might imagine, was predictable. They were all suppressed by Lu Chen. Su Hanyan soon realized that her Mysterious Female Technique seemed to have no effect on Lu Chen at all, and as time went on, her consciousness started to disperse. Force is mutual. She exerted pressure on Lu Chen, and Lu Chen naturally exerted some reactionary force on her. Half a month later. Through the spreading of Misty Immortal Sect disciples, all the major cultivator forces in Black Dragon County knew about Su Hanyan¡¯s seclusion in the Imperial Palace. Although the Imperial Palace of Black Dragon City was just the former Imperial Palace of Black Dragon Country, Lu Chen was currently residing there, and the fact that she could seclude herself in this palace sufficiently illustrated the complicated nature of the relationship between Su Hanyan and Lu Chen. Some small factions within the Misty Immortal Sect had initially thought about leaving and joining the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect, but, upon hearing this news, they immediately abandoned the idea. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Meanwhile. Black Dragon Country, Imperial Palace. Inside a certain chamber, two people were sparring, but it was a one-sided battle, with only one party being utterly defeated. Seeing Lu Chen who was toying with her, Su Hanyan felt utterly disheartened about escaping. Over this half month, she had truly understood the terrifying aspect of Lu Chen. The constant pleasure made her feel like she had fallen. She suspected that once she left Lu Chen, she might recall everything that happened in this half month and be unable to detach herself from this man. Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s seductive yet desolate appearance, Lu Chen paused his actions and gently caressed her face, smiling as he asked, ¡°My dear, do you still wish to flee?¡± Hearing this question, Su Hanyan scoffed. ¡°Do you really think that by doing this you can make me unable to leave you forever? Cultivators cultivate the mind. If I can¡¯t even control such basic desires, then all my past cultivation would have been in vain.¡± For cultivators, controlling desire is fundamental. Although she felt unable to control herself now, Su Hanyan believed that once she left this man, she would somehow manage to forget her feelings from the past half month. Compared to cultivating the great Tao, such base desires accounted for little. She refused to believe that being a cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm, she couldn¡¯t manage to control her body¡¯s base desires. Although that¡¯s what she thought, she was also somewhat uncertain about herself. During this half month, her realm had risen by two minor realms, and the pleasure had numbed her consciousness, making it difficult for her to stop. Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s stubbornness, Lu Chen didn¡¯t say much more and went back to busying himself with his own matters. At this moment, a seductive flush had surfaced on Su Hanyan¡¯s face, and she felt like her mind was about to break. Fortunately, she had practiced the Mysterious Female Technique in the past half month. Though it benefited this man, training in the Mysterious Female Technique also allowed her to shift some of her attention, preventing her from losing her consciousness completely and becoming a slave to desire. Seeing that Lu Chen had no intention of stopping, Su Hanyan felt somewhat helpless. Could it really be as her two direct disciples had said, that this guy could go on for a month or two? Was it necessary¡­ Even if he really was that capable, there was no need to always focus his mind on such matters, was there? As a cultivator from a major power, shouldn¡¯t all his focus be on cultivation? Although such matters were joyful, Su Hanyan still couldn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen would focus all his attention on them. In her view, someone like Lu Chen, who came from a major power to gain experience, shouldn¡¯t indulge in affairs between men and women. She also knew that Lu Chen was using some kind of dual cultivation technique, but the effect of dual cultivation techniques was limited. She had experienced the same thing when she practiced the Mysterious Female Technique; initially, her cultivation state improved very quickly, but as time passed, the speed at which she could enhance her cultivation state slowed when running the Mysterious Female Technique now. Su Hanyan now felt although she was not exactly Lu Chen¡¯s furnace cauldron, she had become some kind of vessel for this man. Lu Chen was like a sharp sword, and she was his scabbard; she, as his scabbard, could not limit anything about Lu Chen¡ªif he wanted to come out, he would come out, and if he wanted to go in, he would go in. Some time later, Lu Chen took a deep breath and waved his hand, a sphere of spiritual power cleaning all the sweat beads off his body. Lu Chen looked at Su Hanyan again. Su Hanyan with her small mouth slightly open, kept taking deep breaths. Lu Chen said, ¡°Do you think I married so many wives and treated them so well because I want them to voluntarily take calamities in my place?¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had once again directly expressed her thoughts, Su Hanyan was slightly stunned. Why did this man know everything she was thinking? She now suspected that Lu Chen could read minds, knowing everything she thought. Following that, Su Hanyan asked in a cold tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°For someone as significant as you, how could you possibly treat women from a lower world so well? Even if you are lecherous, in your view, those women are just your playthings.¡± ¡°You being good to them must certainly have an ulterior motive. Their physique is nothing special, neither do they possess any treasures; the only thing you could be scheming is for them to some day sacrifice themselves for you willingly.¡± Lu Chen spoke with a smile, ¡°Your line of thinking isn¡¯t too far off.¡± ¡°The Cultivation World is a place where the weak are prey to the strong, and mortals are like ants, but not all cultivators are cold-blooded. Couldn¡¯t I be a responsible cultivator?¡± Su Hanyan coldly said, ¡°If you were truly a noble person in character, you wouldn¡¯t be capable of forcefully taking possession of a woman¡¯s body.¡± Lu Chen spoke calmly, ¡°Human nature is complex and contradictory; it doesn¡¯t mean that because I did something bad, I am completely bad.¡± ¡°This world isn¡¯t just black and white; there¡¯s also gray.¡± Su Hanyan said expressionlessly, ¡°Why are you telling me all this? Do you think I will start to feel affection for you because of these words?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s not the case; I just don¡¯t like being misunderstood.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve already guessed my distinguished identity, haven¡¯t you considered that if someone as noble as I needed someone to block calamities, I wouldn¡¯t look for them in this world? ¡°Just one word from me, and many factions will send their finest maidens to me.¡± ¡°Furthermore, if you ever want to leave me, you can do so at any time. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Chapter 1007 - Chapter 1007: Chapter 697: I Finally Understand Why You Cant Leave That Man Chapter 1007: Chapter 697: I Finally Understand Why You Can¡¯t Leave That Man Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Su Hanyan felt a pang in her heart. That¡¯s right, she wondered why she hadn¡¯t considered this issue. From the Immortal Boat of Lu Chen alone, it was clear that his identity was not ordinary; he must be a highly esteemed individual from a significant power. With his status, what type of woman could he not have; there was no need to select someone from this world to block calamities for him. Once he returned to his influence, perhaps a single word from him could make countless female cultivators die for him; there was obviously no need to control others with emotions. Especially Lu Chen¡¯s last sentence made it seem as if he did not care at all whether she would leave him or not. It appeared that Lu Chen truly only wanted her body to enjoy the pleasures of men and women, without any other intentions. Could it be that she was overthinking things? For a moment, Su Hanyan began to doubt whether her guesses were off the mark. Seeing Su Hanyan fall silent and looking aside as if in thought, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Junwan and Qingrou must have told you that I rarely restrict the movements of my wives and concubines; they can go wherever they want.¡± ¡°This applies to you as well.¡± At that moment, Su Hanyan tentatively asked, ¡°What if I asked you to send me back to the Bixia World?¡± Lu Chen smiled and answered, ¡°Not now. Once I¡¯ve advanced to the Divinity Transformation Realm or the Returning Ruin Realm, I will take you back to Bixia World.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan just chuckled softly; she obviously did not believe Lu Chen¡¯s words, but by then, she had already stopped caring. Since her little schemes had been seen through by this man, she might as well stay by his side and grow stronger; when the opportunity arose in the future, she would escape. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Escaping now would be a huge loss for her. Not only would she lose her body, but she also had not rescued her two direct disciples; escaping now would be too costly. Even if she were to escape, she would wait until she had gained enough benefits from Lu Chen. Thinking this, Su Hanyan said, ¡°I hope Your Majesty keeps his word this time.¡± Su Hanyan had no expectations for Lu Chen¡¯s words; she assumed he was lying to her again, but she didn¡¯t mind as she planned to find a way to leave him in the future anyway. At that moment, Su Hanyan, gazing into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, said, ¡°Now that Your Majesty has had my body and toyed with me for over half a month, it¡¯s time to let me go back, right?¡± Lu Chen faintly smiled and then slowly rose, ¡°Since you want to go back, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± As Lu Chen stood up, Su Hanyan suddenly felt a sense of emptiness. She quickly composed herself, as she could not afford to feel this way. If she felt empty, wouldn¡¯t it mean that she had become accustomed to that man¡¯s body? She did not want such a habit. Seeing Su Hanyan biting her silver teeth enduring something, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You seem very uncomfortable.¡± Su Hanyan quickly responded, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She did not want Lu Chen to see her predicament, as letting him know how she felt would make this man think she had fallen for this sort of thing. Su Hanyan then looked at Lu Chen and said, ¡°Your Majesty also has affairs to tend to; don¡¯t waste your time here with me.¡± Su Hanyan hoped that this man would disappear quickly since her body kept wanting to be near him. Seeing that Su Hanyan seemed eager for him to leave, Lu Chen, instead of rising, took Su Hanyan¡¯s hand and pulled her into his embrace. Su Hanyan was startled for a moment, thinking Lu Chen would continue. Somewhat anxiously, she said, ¡°Your Majesty, what are you doing¡­¡± Although she had already become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she did not want this to continue, fearing that the longer this went on, her body would develop unwanted habits. Over time, the emptier her heart would feel whenever Lu Chen left her. Lu Chen replied, ¡°We¡¯ve been active for half a month, with so much dirtiness on our bodies, should we not have a wash?¡± Saying this, Lu Chen called out to the maid at the door, ¡°Is the hot water ready?¡± The maid¡¯s voice promptly came, ¡°Your Majesty, it is ready.¡± The Imperial Palace of Black Dragon Country was not as convenient as the Imperial Palace of Great Sum, but ever since Lu Chen had stayed in the Imperial Palace of Black Dragon Country, the maids would prepare a lot of hot water daily, well aware of Lu Chen¡¯s habits of needing to bathe after being active. Hearing the maid¡¯s answer, Lu Chen, in a princess carry, picked up Su Hanyan, who, fearing she would fall, instinctively wrapped her arms like lotus roots around Lu Chen¡¯s neck. Subsequently, Lu Chen carried Su Hanyan to the adjacent bath. While this room had a bath, it wasn¡¯t as large nor as luxurious as those in the Daxia Imperial Palace; however, soaking was no problem. The two entered the bath, with Lu Chen hugging Su Hanyan¡¯s body and his hands roaming over her body; somewhat resigned, Su Hanyan leaned on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, allowing him to have his way. After romancing in the bath for an undefined period, Lu Chen finally carried Su Hanyan back to the dragon bed, placed her jade body on the bed, and then left Changning Palace. He had just left Changning Palace when Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou heard about it, and the two women immediately came to Changning Palace. At that moment, Su Hanyan had already dressed with the help of a maid and was getting ready to leave when she saw her two direct disciples enter the room. Su Hanyan said to the maids beside her, ¡°Alright, you may leave now.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Su.¡± As soon as a few maids had left, Su Hanyan¡¯s body uncontrollably softened. Seeing Su Hanyan falter, Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou hurried over, supporting her body from the left and right. ¡°Honored Master, are you alright?¡± Wu Junwan asked with concern. Actually, the two women were not surprised by such a reaction from Su Hanyan. Although Lu Chen had been continuously infusing them with Spiritual Power during that kind of activity, preventing them from feeling discomfort¡­ Yet the pleasure was too overwhelming, and suddenly resuming normality, their bodies were slow to recover, and that was the condition Su Hanyan was in now, her body still hadn¡¯t recuperated. Su Hanyan raised her jade hand and rubbed her forehead softly, whispering, ¡°Your Master is¡­ fine¡­¡± Although she said this, Su Hanyan had already started cursing Lu Chen in her heart. This bastard, is he even human! Wu Junwan suggested, ¡°Honored Master, why don¡¯t you lie down and rest a bit longer?¡± Su Hanyan responded, ¡°No need, I have not returned for half a month now, and I don¡¯t know what the situation at Misty Immortal Sect is like.¡± Although Su Hanyan had sent word out that she was in seclusion in the Imperial Palace, she had been gone for half a month, and no one knew if the message she had circulated had deterred the small factions wishing to leave Misty Immortal Sect. Seeing how concerned Su Hanyan was about Misty Immortal Sect, Li Qianrou quickly said, ¡°During your time in the Imperial Palace, disciples from Misty Immortal Sect have come every day to report the sect¡¯s situation to Junwan and me, everything is fine there.¡± Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s words, Su Hanyan felt a bit more relieved inside, but she still planned to rush back to Misty Immortal Sect immediately. She was beginning to fear Lu Chen, afraid that if she stayed another day in the Imperial Palace, he would pin her down on the bed for another half month and not let her leave. She definitely did not want to experience that bewildering sensation again, better to flee as soon as possible. Just as Su Hanyan was preparing to leave, her mind twitched again, her body still devoid of strength. Seeing this, Li Qianrou directly said, ¡°Honored Master, you and Lu Chen have not been apart for more than half a month, it¡¯s natural that you suddenly can¡¯t adapt. It would be better if you rested more now.¡± Hearing Li Qianrou¡¯s words, Su Hanyan felt her face burning. That man originally belonged to her two direct disciples, and yet ended up devouring their master as well. Before Su Hanyan could say anything, the two women helped her back onto the dragon bed, and this time, Su Hanyan did not insist on getting up; she simply sat down. Then the two women helped Su Hanyan lie down on the bed and covered her with the blanket. Lying down again, Su Hanyan¡¯s mind began recalling the events of the past half month, and when she thought about those things, she felt an immense humiliation. She felt that she had completely become a plaything for Lu Chen. Su Hanyan sighed softly and then said, ¡°I finally understand why you two can¡¯t leave that man.¡± Wu Junwan immediately asked, ¡°Honored Master, could it be that you also¡­¡± Before Wu Junwan could finish speaking, Su Hanyan interrupted, saying, ¡°It is precisely because of this that it proves how dreadful this man is.¡± This¡­ Su Hanyan glanced at Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou. She knew that her two direct disciples might never be able to escape from Lu Chen, so she wasn¡¯t prepared to say much more. After experiencing those sensations herself, she knew how terrifying Lu Chen¡¯s methods were. What woman could withstand such techniques? He was handsome, that was one thing, but his capabilities were so formidable, and key to it all was that he could use the Dual Cultivation Skill to help women rapidly elevate their Cultivation State. Facing such a man, no female cultivator in the Cultivation World would probably fail to fall in love with him. But precisely because of this, Su Hanyan was determined to get away from Lu Chen. If she stayed by Lu Chen¡¯s side, even if she did not become Lu Chen¡¯s Furnace Cauldron or a person to fend off calamities, she would still be his plaything. Being toyed with by someone like Lu Chen, she feared that one day her mind would break, her Dao Heart would shatter, she would completely fall, and become a slave to her desires. She did not want to become that kind of plaything. Seeing that Su Hanyan¡¯s mood was somewhat down, Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou did not continue speaking, they had experienced it before, so they clearly understood what Su Hanyan was thinking about now. After a few more encounters with Lu Chen, she would naturally become accustomed to it. This was just the beginning, a little resistance was quite normal. Chapter 1008 - Chapter 1008: Chapter 698: This Feeling Again Chapter 1008: Chapter 698: This Feeling Again Lu Chen left Changning Palace and returned to the Immortal Boat in the sky. Upon arriving on the deck of the Immortal Boat, he heard a cold voice. ¡°Congratulations, Your Majesty, on gaining another beauty. It seems she pleased you greatly, as you barely left her room for half a month.¡± Lu Chen followed the voice and saw Yun Xianxian standing on the roof of a room in the Immortal Boat, staring straight at him. She stood on tiptoes, emanating a cold aura, resembling a fairy descending onto the human world. Her long hair flowed like a waterfall, gently fluttering in the breeze, while the sunlight cast a silvery sheen upon it. Her face was ethereal and elegant, with eyes deep and dazzling like the starry autumn night, exuding a mysterious and enchanting aura. At that moment, Yun Xianxian was dressed in a flowing white gown, as light as a cloud. Her slender waist was gently embraced by a fine belt, accentuating her graceful figure. Her fingers, holding the longsword, were delicate and elongated, like meticulously carved jade. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s frosty words, Lu Chen smiled slightly. Then, with a Shadow Shifting move, he instantly appeared behind her and wrapped his arms under her armpits, embracing her willowy waist. Then, Lu Chen whispered in Yun Xianxian¡¯s ear, ¡°My lady must be jealous then. In that case, I shall make it up to you for the next half a month.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian quickly responded, ¡°No need, I am not that petty.¡± Lu Chen ignored Yun Xianxian¡¯s words. In the next moment, he used Shadow Shifting again, taking her into his sleeping chamber on the Immortal Boat and pinning her beneath him. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã? Seeing Lu Chen in such a rush, Yun Xianxian gave him a cold glare, ¡°Sometimes I truly wonder if you are some kind of demon, always thinking about such matters.¡± Lu Chen, unabashed, replied, ¡°A demon? What demon could possibly be as mighty as me?¡± Yun Xianxian was utterly speechless. This man surely didn¡¯t think that was a compliment, did he? Yun Xianxian decided not to say anything more. After all, she was now this man¡¯s woman, and if he really wanted to do something to her, she had no means to resist. However, Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue any further. Instead, he held Yun Xianxian¡¯s waist, waved his hand, and using his spiritual power, took off their shoes. He then had Yun Xianxian lie in his arms, and they quietly rested on the soft couch. Seeing that Lu Chen didn¡¯t proceed further, Yun Xianxian slightly shifted her body to find a more comfortable position in his embrace. After a moment of silence, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°My lady need not worry, no matter how many women I have, you remain extremely important in my heart.¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s response was icy, ¡°Do you think I am as easy to please as your other women? Save your flattery for your intimate friends; there¡¯s no need to bother me with it.¡± Lu Chen chuckled, knowing very well that Yun Xianxian was hard to coax. But women, even if they claim to dislike such remarks, still feel a flutter in their hearts upon hearing them. Just as Lu Chen was about to say more, Yun Xianxian spoke first, ¡°I¡¯ve been feeling somewhat restless lately.¡± Lu Chen, puzzled, asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you really jealous?¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not about you. I just sensed a familiar aura rapidly approaching the Tianchen World.¡± ¡°It must be my Honored Master coming to the Tianchen World herself.¡± This¡­ Lu Chen was momentarily stunned, then quickly regained his composure, ¡°Are you worried that your Honored Master might try to separate us?¡± Yun Xianxian spoke calmly, ¡°She only possesses the power of the Divinity Transformation Realm; she likely wouldn¡¯t dare conflict with you, an Imperial Son.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s also true.¡± ¡°But speaking of which, how can you sense your Honored Master¡¯s approach to the Tianchen World?¡± ¡°Are your feelings for your Honored Master so deep that you can even sense each other¡¯s movements?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but ever since the restrictions of the Misty World disappeared, I can always sense her aura as if her divine sense has entered my sea of consciousness.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen fell into thought, checking Yun Xianxian¡¯s personal information once more. Yun Xianxian¡¯s profile indicated she was the daughter of the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s Master, sharing a blood connection. In the Cultivation World, those with blood ties indeed can sense each other¡¯s presence. Thinking this way, it wasn¡¯t so peculiar. However, Yun Xianxian likely didn¡¯t know she was the daughter of the Mysterious Moon Palace Master. It was odd; why hadn¡¯t the Palace Master told Yun Xianxian this, instead making Yun Xianxian recognize her as a master? Should he tell Yun Xianxian about this? Lu Chen pondered for a moment but decided not to disclose that Yun Xianxian was the daughter of the Mysterious Moon Palace Master. Although he didn¡¯t know why the Palace Master wanted to keep this a secret, there must be a deeper reason behind her actions. Therefore, he would continue to keep it from Yun Xianxian. The two soon fell silent again. Even doing nothing, Yun Xianxian felt incredibly comfortable lying in the arms of this rebellious man. Of course, it was a comfort of the heart. Lu Chen¡¯s hands were occasionally caressing her in a rather bothersome manner. While embracing Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen opened the system interface to check the rewards he had received half a month ago. ¡°Congratulations Host on gaining a consort, reward one Formless Willow.¡± Formless Willow was essential for repairing the Tianchen World. Seeing the rewards in front of him, Lu Chen thought that he had gathered all the necessary items to repair the Tianchen World. Once the laws of the Tianchen World were restored, perhaps the Spiritual Energy would become denser and the cultivation speed of the cultivators would greatly increase. However, if he remembered correctly, the system had once said that only when his realm reached the All Law Realm would he be able to restore the laws of the Tianchen World. Currently, he was only at the Genesis Realm. To cultivate to the All Law Realm, he likely needed more than a decade. Meanwhile. In the cosmic space. On a luxurious, golden Immortal Boat, a gracefully postured woman stood at the bow, watching the direction in which the Immortal Boat was moving. At that moment, a strange warmth surged into the woman¡¯s heart. Yun Qingshu¡¯s eyebrows slightly furrowed. That feeling again! Ever since she boarded the Immortal Boat heading to the Tianchen World, she occasionally felt this strange warmth, which made her very comfortable. She did not know why she felt this way, but she suspected it probably had something to do with Yun Xianxian. What had happened to Yun Xianxian that would cause her to feel this peculiar feedback? Yun Qingshu was very puzzled. Could it be because Yun Xianxian and that man who had taken her virginity were engaging in intimate acts? Thus, Yun Xianxian¡¯s feelings got transmitted to her through karma? Thinking this, Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression instantly darkened. Although Yun Xianxian was created from her own blood essence and could be considered her daughter, she preferred to think of Yun Xianxian as a small avatar of herself. The thought of her avatar being intimate with another man filled Yun Qingshu¡¯s heart with rage. She only hated that the speed of the Immortal Boat was too slow; if not, she would have reached the Tianchen World immediately to dismember that man who defiled Yun Xianxian. Yun Qingshu then coldly said to the Elder in control of the Immortal Boat, ¡°Increase the speed!¡± Hearing this, the Elder controlling the Immortal Boat wanted to say that this was already the fastest speed, but sensing the sharp murderous intent from Yun Qingshu, he quickly replied, ¡°Yes, Sect Master.¡± Although he said this, the speed of the Immortal Boat had already reached its limit. At that moment, there was no change in its speed. ¡­ As days passed by, with Great Sum absorbing the forces of the Misty World, the Tianchen World also underwent earth-shattering changes. In the blink of an eye, several years had passed. During these years, Lu Chen had been diligently cultivating, and his children had gradually grown up. By now, there were many Celestial Realm cultivators in the Daxia Army. Since Lu Chen started offering Spirit Rice as a reward, cultivators from the original Misty World kept joining Daxia¡¯s army. The combat power of the Daxia Army had greatly increased, yet Lu Chen always felt that the current rate of development was still a bit too slow since he hadn¡¯t received any substantial rewards for a long time. Mainly, it was too difficult to nurture a child world; to have his consorts nurture a child world, one needed the Qi Fortune of a world. Lu Chen was now very curious about how Chu Yuqin managed to nurture a child world; could it be that Chu Yuqin had unintentionally absorbed the Qi Fortune of some world? Black Dragon City. Today was the annual Cultivation World conference. Nowadays, a large number of mortals flocked into Black Dragon City, which had become even more prosperous than a few years ago. Now, the area of Black Dragon City was almost catching up to Yanjing of Great Sum, and Lu Chen had also built an Imperial Palace there, occasionally spending time in Black Dragon City. With him, the Emperor, frequently visiting Black Dragon City, the cultivator forces from Black Dragon County dared not harbor any inappropriate thoughts. After the Cultivation World conference ended, Lu Chen returned to the Imperial Palace in Black Dragon City. Now, several of his consorts often resided in this Imperial Palace, such as Wu Junwan, Li Qianrou, and also Yun Xianxian. Lu Chen¡¯s consorts had actually divided into two factions, one focused on cultivation mainly staying in Black Dragon City, and the other prioritizing life, staying in Yan County. Of course, every so often, Lu Chen¡¯s consorts in Black Dragon City would return to Yan County for gatherings; there was no discord between the two factions. When Lu Chen arrived at Hanyan Palace, he found Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou were there. The two were discussing something with Su Hanyan, sitting on stone benches in the pavilion, talking and laughing. At that moment, Su Hanyan noticed Lu Chen entering the courtyard, and her smile instantly froze. Chapter 1009 - Chapter 1009: Chapter 699: Lu Chen Breaks Through to the Yin-Yang Realm Chapter 1009: Chapter 699: Lu Chen Breaks Through to the Yin-Yang Realm In these past few years, Su Hanyan spent most of her time at Misty Immortal Sect, but whenever Lu Chen came to Black Dragon City, he would summon Su Hanyan. As for what he summoned her for, that was obvious. Moreover, after the annual Cultivators¡¯ conference, Su Hanyan would stay for a month at the Imperial Palace in Black Dragon City. During that month, Lu Chen would not favor any other wives or concubines and would only attend to Su Hanyan. With Lu Chen¡¯s help, Su Hanyan¡¯s Cultivation State had reached the tenfold of the Yin-Yang Realm, just one step away from breaking through to the All Law Realm. Initially, Su Hanyan thought that once she reached the All Law Realm, she would immediately find a way to escape the Tianchen World. But as the frequency of those intimate acts with Lu Chen increased over the years, she found herself unable to leave him. However, even though her body and heart belonged to Lu Chen long ago, every time she saw him, her heart still felt panicked. On one hand, she always felt like Lu Chen could see through her inner thoughts, knowing she wanted to run away; on the other hand, she was still somewhat afraid of the joy he brought her. She was becoming increasingly depraved, and if she continued to indulge in joyful pleasures without consequences, she feared that one day she would indeed become a slave to desire, never able to break free from this man. When Su Hanyan saw herself turn pale at the sight of him, Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Sect Master Su, why do you look so unwell upon seeing me? Am I that frightening?¡± Su Hanyan composed herself and responded indifferently, ¡°Your Majesty is under a misconception.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï As his words ended, in the next moment, Lu Chen¡¯s body appeared beside Su Hanyan, causing her delicate frame to shiver involuntarily. Lu Chen glanced at Wu Junwan and Li Qianrou. The two women instantly understood his meaning and rose from their stone seats. Wu Junwan smiled and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Qianrou and I have matters to attend to, so we won¡¯t disturb you.¡± Once their words had ended, the two women left Changning Palace together. Seeing her two direct disciples leave her behind like this, Su Hanyan felt a surge of anger within. After all, she was their Honored Master, and yet they simply left her alone with Lu Chen. Su Hanyan remained seated, feigning calm as she picked up a teacup and took a sip. She then said, ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s still daytime. May I know why you¡¯ve come to see me?¡± Lu Chen leaned down, wrapped his arms around Su Hanyan¡¯s waist, and whispered in her ear, ¡°You¡¯re just one step away from breaking into the All Law Realm. I¡¯ve naturally come to assist you with your Cultivation.¡± Su Hanyan scoffed internally. Assist her Cultivation? This man clearly just wanted her body. After spending all these years with Lu Chen, she had come to realize that regardless of whether he was cultivating someone to take on a catastrophe, this man was truly lascivious. Initially, she thought his lasciviousness was an act, a disguise to prevent his wives and concubines from sensing his true intentions. But now it seemed that his lasciviousness was something no ordinary man could feign. Most of his time within a year was spent in bed. This kind of person! While Su Hanyan was inwardly disparaging him, suddenly, her vision went dark, and when she became aware again, she indeed found herself pressed beneath him on a soft couch. Su Hanyan didn¡¯t struggle in the slightest; she had grown accustomed to it over the years. Lu Chen raised his hand and gently caressed her exquisitely graceful face, before saying, ¡°After you break through to the All Law Realm, do you plan to escape from Tianchen World?¡± At his question, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart jolted. Did he truly know her inner thoughts? Did he really have the ability to read minds? Why was it that he could always guess her thoughts? Regaining her senses, Su Hanyan looked into Lu Chen¡¯s deep eyes and asked, ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll run away?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll escape, just seal my Cultivation State and imprison me. There¡¯s no need to help me break through to the All Law Realm.¡± Realizing that Lu Chen knew all her thoughts anyway, denying them was pointless. She decided to lay her cards on the table; she wanted to escape. Either Lu Chen would kill her or imprison her. Lu Chen¡¯s hand grasped her delicate chin gently, gazing into her clear beautiful eyes as he smiled and said, ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve always said I won¡¯t imprison my wives and concubines. They can go wherever they wish, as long as they remember to come back.¡± ¡°If you want to return to Bixia World, then go. However¡­¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°The All Law Realm only allows passage between worlds. Although you can leave Tianchen World, at most you can reach nearby worlds. To return to Bixia World is not so easy.¡± ¡°Perhaps Bixia World is very far from Tianchen World. Without an Immortal Boat, relying on opening a passageway between worlds to return to Bixia World might not be an easy task.¡± This¡­ Listening to Lu Chen, Su Hanyan also realized that indeed, once her Cultivation State broke through to the All Law Realm, if she just wanted to escape from Lu Chen, she only needed to flee to a nearby world within Tianchen World. But if she wanted to return to the Bixia World, not having an Immortal Boat was a great difficulty; she, a Cultivator of the All Law Realm, lacked the ability to procure an Immortal Boat. Thinking this, Su Hanyan¡¯s mind blanked; why was she following Lu Chen¡¯s line of thought? When Lu Chen said that, wasn¡¯t it just to make her stay by his side, especially since he himself had an Immortal Boat? Afterwards, Su Hanyan stared into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Do you think by saying that, I won¡¯t leave you?¡± Lu Chen replied indifferently, ¡°I certainly don¡¯t have such thoughts.¡± ¡°I¡¯m simply reminding you, wanting to return to the Bixia World can¡¯t be done on the strength of the All Law Realm alone.¡± ¡°Right, I should also remind you of something, I have many women by my side, I¡¯m not a man lacking in women.¡± Su Hanyan¡¯s brain was shaken. She instantly understood the meaning behind Lu Chen¡¯s words. He was saying not to deem herself too important, with so many women by his side, one more or one less wouldn¡¯t make any difference to him. If she were to run away, she would be the one at loss, the one to suffer. Thinking of this, Su Hanyan felt a surge of anger. In these past years, she had spent the majority of her time in the Misty Immortal Sect, so she was very clear¡ªif she didn¡¯t spend a long time by this man¡¯s side, she would deeply miss him, constantly recalling the things that had happened between them. Although she always tried to suppress those thoughts, no matter how she resisted, it was futile. The only thing that worked was to see this man again and reunite with him in joy; doing this, she was able to keep from missing him for a long period. Clearly, she was becoming dependent on this man. Whether it was something this guy did to her or a spell he cast, she had developed a dependency on him that couldn¡¯t simply be shaken off with words. Once she thought of this, Su Hanyan¡¯s heart felt defiant¡ªhow could she, a righteous Cultivator, become trapped by such matters! Seeing Su Hanyan silent, as if contemplating something, Lu Chen didn¡¯t waste any more time; he leaned forward and captured her red lips. After who knew how long, a ¡°ripping¡± sound echoed in Su Hanyan¡¯s ear, leaving her speechless¡ªthis guy was, as always, impatient. Soon, her consciousness also began to blur, and she once again fell into the joy Lu Chen brought her. After an indeterminate amount of time, Spiritual Power surged from Lu Chen¡¯s body, and the next moment, the Sea of Consciousness in his brain expanded wildly, his entire body radiating golden Spiritual Energy. Perhaps influenced by Lu Chen, Su Hanyan was also on the brink of a breakthrough; she felt as if she had broken through some barrier, with countless patterns of dao appearing around her body. Su Hanyan quickly composed herself, steadying the restless Spiritual Energy within her body as they both made their breakthroughs. One broke through to the Yin-Yang Realm, while the other reached the All Law Realm. After her breakthrough into the All Law Realm, Su Hanyan found her connection with Lu Chen had somehow grown even more intimate. She felt as if there was a visible yet intangible thread between her and Lu Chen. Su Hanyan suddenly jolted awake¡ªthis was a thread of causality! This was bad¡­ At first, she hadn¡¯t thought much of it, but now she recalled her Honored Master¡¯s words: a Cultivator must be cautious not to entangle with too much karma. If she couldn¡¯t resolve the heavy karma, she might never become an emperor. She glanced at the thread of causality between herself and Lu Chen; it was as thick as half a thumb¡ªwhat a tremendous karmic connection. Now she was completely unable to rid herself of this man. To resolve such karma, she didn¡¯t know how much effort it would take. But wait, although she had benefited from Lu Chen, he had also benefited from her¡ªdidn¡¯t that count as resolving karma? So what should she do now in order to resolve this karmic debt? Seeing Su Hanyan¡¯s hazy, misty eyes fixed on him, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? What, thinking of running away after just breaking through to the All Law Realm?¡± Su Hanyan remained silent, savoring the joy Lu Chen brought her. After a while, Su Hanyan sighed faintly. Well, might as well continue to stay by this man¡¯s side; after all, she couldn¡¯t return to the Bixia World right now. Already entangled in karma, she wouldn¡¯t have it easy in the future even if she left Lu Chen¡¯s side. Better to stay with this man. She wanted to see why this man nurtured so many wives and concubines, if it was to have them shield him from calamity. Not wanting to ponder any further, Su Hanyan slowly raised her jade arm, wrapped it around Lu Chen¡¯s neck, and then took the initiative to seal Lu Chen¡¯s mouth with her own. Chapter 1012 - Chapter 1012: Chapter 702: Has Fenger Been Acting Strangely Lately? Chapter 1012: Chapter 702: Has Feng¡¯er Been Acting Strangely Lately? In the evening. In the Wind Cloud Palace, only Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen, and a few maids were left. After being comforted by Lu Chen, his other wives and consorts had calmed down, and now they could only trust Lu Chen. There wasn¡¯t anything they could do about this situation; aside from trusting Lu Chen, there was no other way. At this moment, Mu Zixuan sat on a wooden stool with a slight sigh, then said to Lu Chen, ¡°Your concubine is really useless, encountering such an issue, I can¡¯t be of any help at all.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen slowly walked behind Mu Zixuan, wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaning close to her ear he said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. Your managing the affairs inside the Imperial Palace is already a great help to me.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen performed Shadow Shifting and in the next moment, the two of them were on the soft couch. Lu Chen had Mu Zixuan sit on his lap, his arms holding her soft body. Feeling Lu Chen¡¯s warmth, Mu Zixuan¡¯s cheeks reddened slightly, then she spoke, ¡°Your Majesty, when I recently practiced the Mysterious Female Technique, I always felt some discomfort. I don¡¯t know why.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen said with confusion, ¡°Discomfort?¡± Then, Lu Chen checked Mu Zixuan¡¯s body using the Rejuvenating Skill and found there seemed to be nothing wrong with her. With her face flushed, Mu Zixuan said, ¡°Your concubine also doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s wrong, just that something feels missing.¡± Lu Chen immediately understood what was missing; he knew that without his assistance, his wives and concubines would all feel a sense of loss and emptiness when practicing the Mysterious Female Technique. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Although the Mysterious Female Technique was not a Dual Cultivation Technique, it still required someone to provide guidance. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I will assist you in circulating your cultivation, try practicing once more.¡± With these words, Lu Chen gently laid Mu Zixuan down on the couch, his hands slowly moving inside her palace attire, and in just a moment, the two entered the right state. Seeing Mu Zixuan¡¯s eyes become foggy with enchantment, completely forgetting to cultivate, Lu Chen reminded her aloud, ¡°Zixuan, it¡¯s time to circulate your cultivation.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan suddenly became alert, ¡°Ah¡­ Your concubine has been impolite¡­¡± Immediately she hastened to circulate her cultivation, and this time, she indeed did not feel that discomfort. Lu Chen didn¡¯t take over actively; he turned with Mu Zixuan in his arms, allowing her to practice on her own from above. After an unknown amount of time, Mu Zixuan suddenly felt a surge of Spiritual Power spread within her body, and then her Realm was elevated, advancing directly from the Unity Realm into the Heavenly Human Realm. Feeling the Spiritual Energy surging inside, Mu Zixuan was ecstatic, having finally broken through. Her talent was not exceptional, and even though she always strived to cultivate, compared to Lu Chen¡¯s other women, her Cultivation State progressed more slowly. If it wasn¡¯t for the revival of the Spiritual Energy in the Tianchen World over the past few years, plus the vast cultivation resources Lu Chen had provided her, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to break through to the Unity Realm in such a short period. She had been stuck at the Unity Realm for a lengthy time, unable to break through, while Lu Chen¡¯s other wives and concubines had already become Celestials, and she remained a common person, which made her quite anxious. Today, she finally entered the Heavenly Human Realm. Seeing Mu Zixuan¡¯s excited appearance, Lu Chen lying on the bed revealed a tender smile as he gazed at her blushing, radiant face. Mu Zixuan quickly snapped back to reality, looked down at Lu Chen and hastily said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for helping your concubine break through the Heavenly Human Realm!¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not related to me; it¡¯s all the result of your diligent cultivation.¡± Just at that moment, the Spiritual Power inside Mu Zixuan¡¯s body involuntarily began to emit outward, her Spiritual Power seemed chaotic, and she felt like she could not control it. Feeling Mu Zixuan¡¯s predicament, Lu Chen also hurriedly released his Spiritual Power, instantly his Spiritual Power pervaded the entire Imperial Palace. He then contained Mu Zixuan¡¯s Spiritual Power within her body, preventing it from continuing its rampage. Originally a common person, Mu Zixuan was not suited for cultivation, and it was Lu Chen who had somewhat forcibly placed her on the path of cultivation, so her control over Spiritual Power was not as easy as it was for his other wives. At this moment, Mu Zixuan collapsed weakly, lying on Lu Chen¡¯s broad chest, with one of Lu Chen¡¯s hands holding her slim waist and the other gently stroking her jade back. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just relax and take it slow.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart calmed down a bit, and she began to slowly gather the Spiritual Power. With Lu Chen¡¯s help, Mu Zixuan soon retracted the Spiritual Power that had spread into the Wind Cloud Palace. Mu Zixuan took a breath and then said, ¡°Thank¡­ Thank you, Your Majesty¡­¡± Lu Chen was about to say something when suddenly he paused. As he had been helping Mu Zixuan retract her Spiritual Power, his own had covered the entire Imperial Palace, making him aware of what was happening within. He discovered two moving figures in the room where Lu Changfeng was. Lu Chen¡¯s expression stiffened. Seeing that Lu Chen had suddenly fallen silent, Mu Zixuan was puzzled. She slowly climbed up from his chest and looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, ¡°Your Majesty? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lu Chen returned to his senses and, gazing into Mu Zixuan¡¯s beautiful eyes, asked, ¡°Zixuan, has Feng¡¯er been acting differently lately?¡± Hearing this question, Mu Zixuan was a bit baffled; why would Lu Chen suddenly ask this? Acting differently? What could be different about him? As the Crown Prince, Lu Changfeng spent his days studying and also learning administrative affairs with Zhuge Zhongguang. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything unusual. Mu Zixuan answered, ¡°Your concubine hasn¡¯t noticed anything unusual about him. Why do you ask such a question, Your Majesty?¡± Mu Zixuan was afraid that Lu Changfeng had done something terrible behind her back, and that Lu Chen had found out. After all, Lu Changfeng was her son, and she felt incredibly nervous in her heart, her eyes looking at Lu Chen in a fluster. Lu Chen said, ¡°When did that Wu Yao start following Feng¡¯er? I can¡¯t quite remember.¡± Initially, when Lu Chen met Wu Yao, he thought she was decent-looking and exhibited a high level of loyalty. Moreover, Wu Yao was Wu Junwan¡¯s sister, so he allowed her into the palace and to serve as a maid by Lu Changfeng¡¯s side. Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°When Feng¡¯er was five years old, Your Majesty arranged for Wu Yao to be by his side.¡± Mu Zixuan grew more curious as to why Lu Chen was asking about Wu Yao again. Could it be that Wu Yao had done something treasonous? Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s response, Lu Chen murmured, ¡°The year he was five, huh? Time really flies.¡± Lu Chen then retracted his spiritual power perception; he did not have the habit of spying on his son in that regard. Wu Yao was more than a decade older than Lu Changfeng. Most importantly, Wu Yao was Wu Junwan¡¯s sister. Even if they did not share the same mother, they shared the same father, making Wu Yao¡¯s generational rank higher than Lu Changfeng¡¯s. Lu Chen felt a headache coming on; his son didn¡¯t learn the good things but instead followed in his footsteps in this matter. Now that Wu Yao had reached an age of mature charm, she indeed possessed a tremendous attraction to Lu Changfeng, so it was normal for him to be unable to resist his inner urges. However, considering that their Lu family bloodline was quite special, he had to remind Lu Changfeng that it was best not to father any children. Lu Chen had no intention of breaking them up; what was done was done, and Wu Yao was quite a reasonable woman who could be a help to Lu Changfeng. Lu Chen felt as if he was seeing his past self with Chu Yuqin. ¡­ Meanwhile, in the East Palace. In the room, under the dim light, two figures moved rhythmically. At that moment, Wu Yao lay on the soft couch, watching the man more than a decade her junior with a mix of anxiety, panic, and excitement, ¡°Your Highness, if His Majesty finds out, this servant¡­¡± The Wu Family¡¯s situation was already quite awkward. If the Sum Emperor learned that she had become the woman of Crown Prince Lu Changfeng, he might think she seduced Lu Changfeng with ulterior motives. Lu Changfeng appeared not to hear Wu Yao¡¯s words as he continued his actions, saying, ¡°Auntie Wu, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely get my father to agree for you to be my woman.¡± Wu Yao felt helpless; she indeed had some feelings for this younger man, but their relationship was destined to have no future. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Wu Yao didn¡¯t finish her sentence before her mouth was silenced. ¡­ At the same time, inside Wind Cloud Palace, Mu Zixuan looked at Lu Chen, puzzled. She still couldn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen brought up Wu Yao at this time. Seeing the worried look on Mu Zixuan¡¯s face, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Feng¡¯er has grown up; it¡¯s time someone taught him about adult matters.¡± This¡­ Hearing this, Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart skipped a beat; she immediately grasped Lu Chen¡¯s implication. But Lu Chen had just mentioned Wu Yao. Could it be he intended for Wu Yao to become Lu Changfeng¡¯s teacher? Surely that wasn¡¯t appropriate? After all, Wu Yao was Wu Junwan¡¯s sister. Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°Your Majesty, do you intend for Wu Yao to be Feng¡¯er¡¯s¡­¡± Mu Zixuan didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Lu Chen at that moment only smiled without saying a word. Mu Zixuan continued, ¡°Your Majesty, wouldn¡¯t that be somewhat improper? By generational rank, Wu Yao is older than Feng¡¯er.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°They have already been intimate; I¡¯m just going with the flow.¡± This¡­ Mu Zixuan was utterly taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected that under her own watch, Lu Changfeng had already been intimate with Wu Yao without her knowledge. Lu Chen continued, ¡°When I helped you gather spiritual energy just now, I detected some situations in the East Palace. Feng¡¯er is still busy right now.¡± Mu Zixuan was even more confounded; she realized why Lu Chen had brought up Wu Yao at this moment. He had sensed that Lu Changfeng was engaging in ¡°treasonous affairs.¡± Mu Zixuan suddenly felt angry; that rascal Lu Changfeng dared to make a move on his Auntie Wu, he really had the gall. Just as Mu Zixuan was about to say something, she suddenly recalled Lu Chen and Chu Yuqin and was unsure what to say. She then sighed softly and resignedly said, ¡°I leave it all to Your Majesty¡¯s decision.¡± Chapter 1013 - Chapter 1013: Chapter 703: Time Flies So Fast Chapter 1013: Chapter 703: Time Flies So Fast Early morning. Daxia Dynasty, East Palace. After Lu Changfeng got up, he glanced at the beautiful woman beside him, his lips curving slightly upward¡ªhis wish had finally been fulfilled. However¡­ At this moment, Lu Changfeng also began to feel anxious. He wasn¡¯t worried about his father, the Emperor; what concerned him the most was his mother, the Empress. He had grown up under Mu Zixuan¡¯s strict supervision. In his heart, Mu Zixuan was a very demanding mother, and it was highly probable that she would disapprove of this matter. Meanwhile, Wu Yao¡¯s stunning face twitched slightly and the next moment, she opened her eyes. The instant she opened her eyes, she caught sight of Lu Changfeng¡¯s handsome, mischievous face, and her heart quivered. It¡¯s over¡­ What have I done¡­ Seeing Wu Yao¡¯s face flush with shame and anxiety, Lu Changfeng¡¯s heart itched, and he pressed down on her again. Wu Yao hurriedly said, ¡°Your Highness, you today¡­¡± Before Wu Yao could finish her sentence, a cold female voice came from outside, ¡°Crown Prince, His Majesty requests your presence along with Wu Yao in the back garden.¡± Hearing this voice, both Lu Changfeng and Wu Yao¡¯s hearts trembled. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Though they didn¡¯t often interact with the ladies outside, they were quite familiar with this voice¡ªit was Bai Qingqing¡¯s, Lu Chen¡¯s personal guard. The Sum Emperor sending his personal guard to deliver the order clearly indicated the importance of the matter. Considering they were both summoned together, it was quite obvious that their affair had been exposed. Regaining his composure, Lu Changfeng glanced at Wu Yao¡¯s panicked face and immediately said, ¡°Auntie Wu, rest assured, I will make Father agree to grant us marriage.¡± At that moment, Wu Yao wasn¡¯t able to take in Lu Changfeng¡¯s words; she felt disaster was impending. ¡­ Daxia Imperial Palace, Royal Garden. The Imperial Palace¡¯s Royal Garden basked in blooming splendor, awash with a riot of colors. Ostentatious, dewy flowers vied with each other in their blooming under the sunlight, like a vivid oil painting coming to life. An exquisite fountain murmured at the garden¡¯s heart, its droplets sparkling under the sunlight like glistening jewels. Trees heavy with greenery added a touch of refreshing verdure to the garden. A winding path flanked by a variety of fragrant flowers induced a sense of pleasure and liberation in onlookers. A breeze wafted by, scattering petals in the wind, creating a scene so enchanting it begged for one to linger and forget the way home. At this moment, within a pavilion in the Royal Garden, Lu Chen was savoring his tea, while Mu Zixuan¡¯s expression was as cold as ice as she watched the entrance to the Royal Garden. She had never shown such a face in front of Lu Chen, but the matter of Lu Changfeng and Wu Yao uncomfortably irked her. This rascal didn¡¯t even notify her before he completely consumed Wu Yao. Even if he truly liked Wu Yao, he should have at least told her. Wu Yao, after all, was a descendant of the Martial Emperor. She shouldn¡¯t be touched lightly. If Wu Yao were just a common maid, Mu Zixuan might not be angry, but it had to be Wu Yao. Before long, two figures rushed into the entrance of the Royal Garden in a fluster. As they reached the pavilion, even before Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan could say anything, Lu Changfeng and Wu Yao simultaneously knelt down. Lu Changfeng had intended to defend Wu Yao, but she preemptively spoke, ¡°It was this servant who seduced the Crown Prince. This matter has nothing to do with His Highness. If Your Majesty seeks to punish someone, please punish only this servant.¡± Hearing this, Lu Changfeng became frantic. As a man, how could he push all the blame onto a woman, especially since last night he had been¡­forceful. Lu Changfeng hastily said, ¡°Father, Mother, it¡¯s all your son¡¯s fault. It has nothing to do with Auntie Wu. Please don¡¯t punish Auntie Wu¡ªit¡¯s all¡­¡± Before Lu Changfeng could finish, Mu Zixuan coldly interjected, ¡°You still know to call her Auntie Wu!¡± Hearing Mu Zixuan¡¯s voice, both of them quivered in fear, their heads bowed, not daring to look at Lu Chen and Mu Zixuan. Fallen silent, they refrained from further speech, well aware that what followed would depend on what the Sum Emperor thought. No matter how severe Mu Zixuan was, she would still defer to the Sum Emperor¡¯s decision. At this instant, Lu Chen continued to appear completely at ease, sipping his tea, not speaking for quite a while. As time dragged on, the tension for the two of them escalated, and their foreheads beaded with sweat. After a quarter of an hour, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°Feng¡¯er, are you enamored with Wu Yao¡¯s body or do you love her as a person? Think it over before you answer.¡± This¡­ Lu Changfeng never expected his father to ask such a question. To him, the reply was obvious¡ªhe loved Wu Yao as a person. But, he felt a trap lurking in his father¡¯s question. Besides, his father had also told him to think carefully before answering. Seeing Lu Changfeng silent before this question, Wu Yao¡¯s face immediately showed a hint of dejection. She had never harbored any hope that Lu Changfeng would truly love her as a person, but in this moment, her heart still ached faintly. Perhaps, to Crown Prince Lu Changfeng, she was just a plaything for him to relieve stress. While Wu Yao was lost in her wild thoughts, Lu Changfeng spoke up, ¡°Father, Auntie Wu has been with me since childhood, taking care of me. I have long considered her part of my family. I admit that I am indeed attracted to her beauty, but even more so, I am drawn to her as a person. Even without her beautiful appearance, I would still have deep affections for her.¡± Hearing Lu Changfeng¡¯s reply, Wu Yao was slightly stunned, and tears began to swirl around in her eyes. With those words from Lu Changfeng, her life would have been worth living, even if it ended. At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at Mu Zixuan. Her expression had softened considerably and was no longer as icy as before. Although she felt that Wu Yao was not suitable to be Lu Changfeng¡¯s woman, she was still quite satisfied with Lu Changfeng¡¯s answer. It showed that Lu Changfeng was not a heartless and ungrateful person. However¡­ A new worry arose in Mu Zixuan¡¯s heart. From a mother¡¯s perspective, she naturally did not wish for Lu Changfeng to be an unfeeling and ungrateful person. But from the standpoint of a monarch, if Lu Changfeng were to become Emperor in the future, he absolutely could not be swayed by the charms of women. Thus, Mu Zixuan was very concerned that Lu Chen would not be satisfied with Lu Changfeng¡¯s answer. However, just then, Lu Chen spoke, ¡°In conquering the world, a monarch must be decisive in killing. Yet, in governing the world, an Emperor who is compassionate and values loyalty will win over people¡¯s hearts.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Mu Zixuan breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Lu Changfeng¡¯s words did not disgust Lu Chen. Lu Chen continued, ¡°I am pleased with your answer. However, I hope that you prioritize your feelings, rather than being swayed because you are smitten with Wu Yao¡¯s beauty.¡± Lu Changfeng breathed a sigh of relief at that moment, at least having passed the first hurdle. Immediately after, Lu Changfeng said, ¡°Father, I will not indulge in the allure of beauty. I will certainly focus all my attention on state affairs in the future.¡± Hearing Lu Changfeng¡¯s words, Lu Chen picked up his teacup and took another sip. Lu Changfeng lay prostrate on the ground, still feeling uneasy. He didn¡¯t know how his father would deal with Wu Yao next. After a long time, Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°Feng¡¯er, you are not an ordinary person. You possess a special bloodline, and every time you father an heir, they will take away a great amount of your Qi Fortune and Bloodline Power.¡± Hearing this, Lu Changfeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and he suddenly had a bad premonition. Did his father intend to separate him from Wu Yao? As Lu Changfeng grew anxious, Lu Chen continued, ¡°At your age, you indeed should have a teacher to educate you about the matters between men and women. Since you are fond of Wu Yao, let her be your teacher from now on, but I have one condition: do not carelessly create offspring.¡± With those words, both Lu Changfeng and Wu Yao were stunned. Did that mean they could be together? While Wu Yao was distracted, Lu Chen said to her, ¡°Feng¡¯er is still young. You will monitor him in the future. Even if you are to teach him about men and women, you must not indulge him too much.¡± ¡°His constitution is not the same as mine. He needs to cultivate, and if he indulges in women, his Cultivation State will be hard to improve.¡± Wu Yao immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s intention and quickly knelt and said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for your leniency. I shall take good care of the Crown Prince henceforth.¡± Lu Chen had no intention of passing the Dragon-Phenix Yin-Yang Spell to his own children. It was one thing for him to indulge in women, but he did not wish for his children to be the same. In the future, he wanted Lu Changfeng to help him govern the empire he had conquered. If his children were all like him, constantly engaging with women, who would manage the empire he had established? At that moment, Lu Changfeng also knelt down and said, ¡°Your son thanks you, Father, for your approval!¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°I¡¯m not merely indulging you; you are indeed of age. However, I must remind you, you must understand your own Identity. You are the heir, the future Emperor of Great Sum. You must prioritize governance and cultivation.¡± Lu Changfeng replied, ¡°I understand, Father. I will certainly not let you and Mother down in the future.¡± Lu Chen then said indifferently, ¡°Alright, you may both leave.¡± Both said in unison, ¡°Your son takes his leave.¡± ¡°Your servant takes her leave.¡± Immediately after, Lu Changfeng and Wu Yao walked towards the outside of the Royal Garden, but their bodies were visibly shaking as they left. Both of them felt as if they had narrowly escaped a disaster. They had thought that they would be separated, and there was even the possibility that Wu Yao could have been in mortal danger. Unexpectedly, Lu Chen had agreed to let them continue to be together and even approved of Wu Yao becoming Lu Changfeng¡¯s enlightenment teacher. They could hardly believe the outcome. As soon as Lu Changfeng and Wu Yao returned to the East Palace, Lu Changfeng hugged Wu Yao and kissed her endlessly. With his father¡¯s words, he could now confidently let Wu Yao teach him in the future. After Lu Changfeng left, Lu Chen sighed, feeling somewhat sentimental. ¡°Time flies so fast. My child is also of age to take a wife.¡± At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Mu Zixuan and said, ¡°Zixuan, it has been hard on you all these years.¡± Along this journey, the support of Mu Zixuan and Chu Yuqin, the two women, was indispensable. They both had given a lot. Mu Zixuan smiled slightly and said, ¡°I am Your Majesty¡¯s woman, and it is my duty to do anything for Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen also revealed a faint smile and said no more. Chapter 1014 - Chapter 1014: Chapter 704: Ants of Tianchen World, Submit to Me! Chapter 1014: Chapter 704: Ants of Tianchen World, Submit to Me! In the half month since Wu Yao became Lu Changfeng¡¯s foundational mentor, Lu Chen had been keeping close tabs on his son¡¯s progress. He worried that Lu Changfeng might get carried away, and that he would then require Wu Yao to teach him about the birds and the bees every day. However, he later realized that he had been overly concerned; his son¡¯s determination was evidently stronger than his own. In the following half month, Lu Changfeng only studied with Wu Yao once, spending the rest of his time focusing on governance and cultivation. Lu Chen was very satisfied with Lu Changfeng¡¯s performance. Having such an understanding son meant his retirement was guaranteed to be secure. In the month that followed, all the major forces of Black Dragon County sent Elders and disciples to the site of the world barrier¡¯s rupture, and the Great Sum did likewise, dispatching the War Dragon Army. This time, however, the War Dragon Army was significantly stronger than before, with every soldier being at least of the Heavenly Human Realm. The generals, clad in Shenghui Armor, were even of the Yin-Yang Realm. To prevent any unforeseen incidents, Lu Chen also stationed Elder Yu Changqin from the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect at the site of the rupture. Elder Yu Changqin of the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect was a genuine cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm Ninth Layer. Outfitted in the Shenghui Armor, his power could reach the Myriad Laws Realm. So long as no Divinity Transformation Realm experts came from the other world, Yu Changqin could handle it. Naturally, Lu Chen had no intention of staying passively on the defensive forever; he planned to send people to explore the less advanced Cultivation World, but this would happen only after the arrival of the cultivators from Black Dragon Holy Land. With Yin Zhengye¡¯s arrival, Tianchen World would then have a Huashen Realm Cultivator at its helm. Coupled with the power of the Shenghui Armor, Yin Zhengye¡¯s power could reach the Returning Ruin Realm. At that point, even if a Huashen Realm Cultivator appeared from the lower realm, they would not match Tianchen World. But before the arrival of the Black Dragon Holy Land, Tianchen World had a minor trouble to deal with. Out in cosmic space, an Immortal Boat was rapidly approaching a world, and the cultivators on board were visibly excited. ¡°We¡¯re here, we¡¯ve finally arrived!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? ¡°Good thing our star map wasn¡¯t wrong!¡± ¡°Last time, we accidentally encountered a spatial turbulence; we¡¯ve got to be more careful this time!¡± ¡­ Seeing the nearing Tianchen World, Yu Liangce¡¯s lips curled slightly upward. Capturing Yun Xianxian would earn him all the credit. Not only would he receive the Palace Master¡¯s reward, but he could also win Lu Yanghua¡¯s favor. With these thoughts, Yu Liangce could hardly contain his excitement and was eager to enter Tianchen World again to capture Yun Xianxian. Subsequently, Yu Liangce personally steered the Immortal Boat, speeding straight toward the rift of Tianchen World, quickly re-entering the Misty World. Presently, the collapsing regions of Misty World had crumbled, but at the edge of the Tianchen Continent, there still were lands with new Sects and powers that emerged. Initially part of the Tianchen Continent, these Sect forces had returned to the Misty World, not wishing to be under Daxia Dynasty¡¯s control. Now, the regions that were meant to collapse in the Misty World had done so, leaving behind areas with a very stable spatial structure not prone to collapse. This allowed these Sect powers to enjoy a relatively stable environment. Upon entering the Misty World, Yu Liangce quickly used Spiritual Power to scan the locale, only to discover there wasn¡¯t a single Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator around. Yu Liangce burst into laughter; a world lacking even a single Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator would be simple to conquer. The sight of the Immortal Boat in the sky left the Misty World¡¯s cultivators dumbfounded. Just then, a voice echoed from above, ¡°Ants of Tianchen World, submit to me, or die!¡± Hearing this, the powers of Misty World were instantly terrified; they realized that the boat overhead was from an external force, from another world. The balance of Tianchen World was about to change again, and the Sect Masters of the Misty World¡¯s powers promptly approached the Immortal Boat, ¡°We meet and honor our senior!¡± In the Cultivation World, might makes right. This alien force, already capable of space travel, clearly represented an incredibly powerful backer. The cultivators of the Misty World had no intention of defending Tianchen World for the Daxia Dynasty. Yu Liangce didn¡¯t bother to exchange pleasantries with the cultivators. Scanning them briefly and seeing that their Cultivation State was at most in the Genesis Realm, he asked straightaway, ¡°Who currently controls Tianchen World?¡± Yu Liangce planned to send people to find traces of Yun Xianxian. Although he could use his perception to find his fellow disciple based on their aura, if Yun Xianxian learned of his arrival, she might hide her presence, complicating their search. However, Yun Xianxian was, after all, a cultivator who descended from the High-Level Cultivation World; living in such an inferior world, she was bound to make an impact. As long as they got a clear understanding of Tianchen World, finding Yun Xianxian should not be difficult. Hearing Yu Liangce¡¯s question, Ye Jingming of the Hundred Birds Sect immediately stepped forward with a flattering tone, ¡°Senior, Tianchen World is currently under the control of the Daxia Dynasty?¡± Yu Liangce glanced at the crowd before asking again, ¡°Which of you is the Emperor of the Daxia Dynasty?¡± The¡­ The crowd looked at each other in silence until Ye Jingming hastily said, ¡°Senior, the Emperor of the Daxia Dynasty isn¡¯t here; they might not even be aware of your arrival.¡± Yu Liangce pondered briefly and realized that for a low-level world¡¯s cultivator, being too far to sense the situation here was normal. Yu Liangce continued to ask, ¡°How is the Daxia Emperor¡¯s cultivation state?¡± Ye Jingming answered, ¡°To respond to the Elder, we do not know his exact cultivation state, but he once defeated a Demon Cultivator whose cultivation had reached the Yin-Yang Realm.¡± Hearing this, Yu Liangce was taken aback. The methods of Demon Cultivators are tricky, and to be able to defeat a cultivator of the Yin-Yang Realm proves that the Daxia Emperor¡¯s strength is also not simple. Could it be that in such a low-level world, there still exists someone with such ability¡­ Yu Liangce entertained a bold idea in his heart. ¡°Is the Daxia Emperor a woman?¡± Ye Jingming responded, ¡°To answer the Elder, no.¡± Yu Liangce thought for a moment and then said, ¡°Forget it, go over the specific details about the Daxia Emperor with me.¡± ¡°Yes, Elder.¡± After that, Ye Jingming told Yu Liangce all the information the Hundred Birds Sect had on Lu Chen, and after hearing Ye Jingming¡¯s report, Yu Liangce suddenly felt a bit uncertain. Especially after learning that Lu Chen had managed to turn the tables and kill the Demon Cultivator despite the latter having used the Bloodthirsty Great Formation, he began to believe that Lu Chen¡¯s strength might have already reached the Myriad Laws Realm. Wait a second¡­ How could such a low-level world, with incomplete Laws, even withstand the power of a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator? Yu Liangce looked towards the Tianchen World once more, then released his Spiritual Power to sense the current situation in the Tianchen World. Upon sensing, Yu Liangce¡¯s brows slightly furrowed; the Spiritual Energy in the Tianchen World had become so dense. He remembered that the last time he visited the Tianchen World, the Spiritual Energy of this world was still very sparse. Well then. The most dangerous person in this world should be the Daxia Emperor. Although a Myriad Laws Realm is indeed somewhat troublesome, with two from the Yin-Yang Realm on their side, plus him from the Myriad Laws Realm, dealing with the Sum Emperor shouldn¡¯t pose too much of a problem. Moreover, this Sum Emperor probably also came from the High-Level Cultivation Realm. If he knows what¡¯s good for him, he most likely won¡¯t cause any conflict with their Mysterious Moon Palace. At this time, Yu Liangce continued to ask, ¡°Do you recognize a woman named Yun Xianxian?¡± Hearing this, everyone looked at each other before answering in unison, ¡°We do not know her.¡± Ye Jingming spoke up, ¡°Elder, may I inquire if this Yun Xianxian is beautiful?¡± ¡°It is said that all the stunning beauties of the Tianchen World are in the Sum Emperor¡¯s Harem. If the woman the Elder seeks is beautiful, then she is most likely in the Sum Emperor¡¯s Harem as well.¡± On hearing this, Yu Liangce¡¯s brow furrowed. If she is in the Sum Emperor¡¯s Harem, wouldn¡¯t that mean Yun Xianxian has lost her chastity and become the Sum Emperor¡¯s woman? Would her Immortal Spirit Body also have been taken by the Sum Emperor? If that¡¯s truly the case, Yun Xianxian would be of no use to Lu Yanghua, and knowing this, Lu Yanghua would surely be enraged and might potentially annihilate the Mysterious Moon Palace. Considering this, Yu Liangce immediately controlled the Immortal Boat to proceed deeper into the Tianchen World, no longer paying any heed to the cultivators of the Misty World. He now needed to urgently confirm whether Yun Xianxian was still intact. Watching the Immortal Boat slowly fly towards the Tianchen World, the cultivators of the Misty World reveled in schadenfreude, thinking perhaps after the Daxia Dynasty was destroyed, the Tianchen World might become a realm controlled by various powerful factions. In such a case, they might manage to seize the opportunity to enter the Tianchen World and claim some territory for themselves. Ye Jingming muttered to himself at this time, ¡°The Tianchen World is going through a major change! I did not expect the Daxia Dynasty to fall so quickly!¡± Then a Sect Master next to him said, ¡°The Sum Emperor is so domineering; he should have been overthrown long ago!¡± Ye Jingming replied, ¡°It¡¯s just unclear how the new force will handle the Tianchen World.¡± ¡­ Black Dragon City, Imperial Palace. In a secluded chamber of the Harem, a cold woman who was meditating on a divan suddenly opened her eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to arrive so soon, nor do I know if among those who have come, there are any whose strength exceeds the Myriad Laws Realm.¡± Yun Xianxian, now having recovered to the Yin-Yang Realm, donned the Shenghui Armor given by Lu Chen, her strength rivaling that of a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator. As long as there was no Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator among the newcomers, she could generally handle it on her own. Of course, she also thought this was unrealistic. The Mysterious Moon Palace surely wouldn¡¯t just give an Immortal Boat to a group of disciples who hadn¡¯t even reached the Myriad Laws Realm to navigate through cosmic space, as cultivators without Myriad Laws Realm Cultivation State could easily lose their way. Yun Xianxian slowly stood up and walked out of the chamber. Chapter 1016 - Chapter 1016: Chapter 706: I Will Take You to Meet Her Now Chapter 1016: Chapter 706: I Will Take You to Meet Her Now There was a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator in front of him, so Yu Liangce didn¡¯t plan on taking action right away. Although Yu Liangce wasn¡¯t afraid of the Myriad Laws Realm woman before him, if he could capture Yun Xianxian at the smallest cost, he would prefer to do so without engaging in combat. If the opposition had been much weaker, he wouldn¡¯t have continued talking here, he would have just captured the Sum Emperor and headed to the Imperial Palace, which wouldn¡¯t have taken much time. When the two sides were evenly matched, a cultivator would be much more cautious before taking action. Hearing Yu Liangce¡¯s words, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°You want me to bring my wives and concubines for you to see? Wouldn¡¯t that make me lose face? As the Emperor of the Daxia Dynasty, how can I let you invaders oppress us?¡± Yu Liangce frowned and immediately released a wave of Spiritual Power aimed directly at Lu Chen, but it hadn¡¯t even reached Lu Chen¡¯s body before it was easily blocked by Su Hanyan¡¯s sword scabbard. Yu Liangce said coldly, ¡°How ridiculous, an emperor from a lower world daring to talk to me like this. If it weren¡¯t for the woman before you, you¡¯d probably already be a corpse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one last chance, if you don¡¯t agree, then don¡¯t blame us for being unkind.¡± Seeing that Yu Liangce seemed ready to take action, Su Hanyan immediately gripped her sword and said, ¡°I¡¯d actually like to see how unkind you can be!¡± Yu Liangce glanced at Su Hanyan, ¡°Fellow Daoist, do you really intend to hinder our search?¡± Su Hanyan replied, ¡°The Tianchen World belongs to the Daxia Dynasty, this isn¡¯t your territory, nor do you have any right to pry into the Tianchen World. You came from there, so just go back.¡± As Su Hanyan finished speaking, the Spiritual Power around Yu Liangce spread out, ¡°Talking is useless, since you are unwilling to hand over Yun Xianxian, let us begin!¡± Yu Liangce now felt Su Hanyan and the Sum Emperor knew where Yun Xianxian was, otherwise their reactions wouldn¡¯t have been so strong. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã0 Normally in the Cultivation World, powerful beings avoid conflicts if they can. They were only looking for a person; the two could have simply cooperated, but their refusal suggested that Yun Xianxian had some relationship with them, and they were protecting her. At this moment, Yu Liangce pulled out a fan from nowhere, and with a flick of his fan, countless streams of Sword Qi flew out towards Su Hanyan and Lu Chen. While attacking, he telepathically told his junior fellow disciple, Chen Tianzong, ¡°Junior Brother Chen, the Sum Emperor likely knows where Yun Xianxian is. I¡¯ll hold off this woman while you capture the Sum Emperor and force the information out of him.¡± Yu Liangce didn¡¯t know if he could defeat Su Hanyan, so he prepared for both possibilities. If the woman was engaged in a fight with him, she couldn¡¯t protect the Sum Emperor, and his fellow disciples would have a chance to strike. Chen Tianzong also possessed the strength of the Ninth Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm, likely having no trouble dealing with the Sum Emperor. Even if the Sum Emperor came from a High-Level Cultivation Realm, having stayed in a lower realm for so long, his strength might have declined. Hearing Yu Liangce¡¯s message, Chen Tianzong replied telepathically, ¡°Understood, Senior Brother Yu.¡± Chen Tianzong then scrutinized the Sum Emperor, judging from his aura, he was probably only at the First Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm. A cultivator of the Ninth Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm dealing with one at the First Layer shouldn¡¯t be a problem. However, he didn¡¯t understand why, when they initially entered the Tianchen World, those cultivators claimed the Sum Emperor possessed the strength to confront a Myriad Laws Realm Demon Cultivator? Perhaps those guys had deceived them? Yes, those guys were likely arranged by the Sum Emperor to deceive them, aiming to scare them off so they wouldn¡¯t dare enter the Tianchen World. With this thought, Chen Tianzong leapt down from the Immortal Boat. He didn¡¯t immediately rush towards Lu Chen but waited beside the Immortal Boat for the right moment. As soon as Yu Liangce drew away the Myriad Laws Realm woman, he would take action. At that time, Su Hanyan saw the numerous streams of Sword Qi coming straight for her and immediately drew her Spirit Sword, then with two fingers together, she directed the Spirit Sword to meet the incoming Sword Qi. After blocking the Sword Qi, Su Hanyan formed a hand seal and circulated her Spiritual Power, the next moment countless Sword Qi appeared in the sky. The Tianchen World was only a lower world, and a Myriad Laws Realm being taking action in a lower world could potentially influence it, so Su Hanyan also didn¡¯t dare to go all out against Yu Liangce at the outset. The attacks from both sides were probing, not only to test each other¡¯s actual strength but also to gauge the limit that the world could withstand. Seeing Su Hanyan not using her full power right away, Yu Liangce said openly, ¡°You should know this is just a lower world. If both of us, at Myriad Laws Realm, exert our full power, it¡¯s very likely that this world will collapse.¡± ¡°Why go to such lengths for someone unrelated?¡± Su Hanyan ignored Yu Liangce¡¯s words, and the next moment, countless flying swords headed towards Yu Liangce as Su Hanyan appeared to have no intention of stopping. Yu Liangce chuckled, since the other party insisted on fighting, then he couldn¡¯t be blamed. It was just a lower world, even if it got destroyed, he wouldn¡¯t care since they were not from the Tianchen World. What was most important was that he was standing on the Immortal Boat; if space did fracture, he would simply control the Immortal Boat to leave. The Immortal Boat could to a certain extent resist spatial collapse; even if space did collapse, it wouldn¡¯t affect those inside the Immortal Boat. Yu Liangce threw his fan, gathering all his Spiritual Power, and in the next moment, the surrounding Spiritual Energy also frantically surged towards him. Then, Yu Liangce bellowed, ¡°Whirlwind!!!¡± Immediately, tornadoes charged toward Su Hanyan, within which countless Sword Qi swirled around, turning anything that got caught into powder instantly. The moment Yu Liangce activated Whirlwind, Tianchen World indeed began to show anomalies, the space around them started to crack, as if the entire Tianchen World was splitting apart. At this time, the cultivators who had sided with Yu Liangce were sucked into these space cracks, their fate unknown. Seeing this scene, Su Hanyan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she immediately began to rapidly absorb the surrounding Spiritual Energy, followed by the emergence of a gigantic sword of light in the sky. Sky Cleaving Slash!!! The giant sword collided with the tornado, sending waves of energy dispersing around, instantly blowing away the surrounding people. At that moment, Su Hanyan¡¯s body instantly vanished from the spot. Phantom Mist Shadow!!! A cloud of purple mist immediately enveloped Yu Liangce and their Immortal Boat, and seeing Su Hanyan proactively attacking them while Sum Emperor stood still, Chen Tianzong realized the opportunity had come, and he immediately charged toward Lu Chen. Yu Liangce, within the purple mist, sensed Su Hanyan¡¯s location; he found that the mist seemed to be full of Su Hanyan¡¯s presence everywhere, and each spot had stable fluctuations of Spiritual Power. It was as if Su Hanyan wasn¡¯t at any of those spots, yet she could be anywhere, making it hard to track her exact location. Yu Liangce chuckled and said, ¡°A mere deception!¡± The next moment, Yu Liangce retracted his fan, readying a Cultivation Technique to dispel the mist. Meanwhile, Chen Tianzong had already reached Lu Chen¡¯s presence while Su Hanyan noticed the situation, but seeing that only a Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator was causing trouble for Lu Chen, she didn¡¯t pay much attention. A mere Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator causing trouble for Lu Chen was akin to seeking death. After Chen Tianzong approached Lu Chen, he said smilingly, ¡°Sum Emperor, if you tell us Yun Xianxian¡¯s location now, perhaps I can let you go, but if you remain delusional, then don¡¯t blame me.¡± ¡°Now no one can save you!¡± Lu Chen just gave a faint smile, then said, ¡°You want to see Yun Xianxian?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°I will take you to her right now.¡± Hearing this, Chen Tianzong hesitated, not expecting that Lu Chen would agree so readily when he had just claimed he didn¡¯t know who Yun Xianxian was. For a moment, Chen Tianzong became cautious; it seemed too simple, and he suspected that Sum Emperor was plotting something. Lu Chen didn¡¯t care what Chen Tianzong was thinking; he turned around and flew toward Black Dragon City Imperial Palace on his spirit sword. Seeing Lu Chen flying away, Chen Tianzong thought he was trying to escape and quickly followed. ¡°Still trying to escape! Delusional!¡± Then Chen Tianzong unleashed Sword Qi to attack Lu Chen, but Lu Chen was easily able to dodge them, appearing here one moment and there the next, leaving Chen Tianzong completely unable to hit him. Seeing this, Chen Tianzong grew an even worse feeling inside; Sum Emperor supposedly only had the cultivation of the Yin-Yang Realm First Layer, so how could he dodge his attacks so easily? Moreover, his movements were as if he was traversing through space. Could this be the Path of Space? Impossible, how could a Yin-Yang Realm Cultivator grasp the Path of Space! This must be some special Cultivation Technique! Regardless, he couldn¡¯t let this guy escape, so Chen Tianzong continued the pursuit. Before long, Lu Chen appeared inside the Black Dragon City Imperial Palace, and seeing Lu Chen landing in a courtyard and not continuing to flee, Chen Tianzong hurriedly followed up. ¡°Why not keep running!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Run? I said I would bring you to see Yun Xianxian, naturally, I keep my word. Do you really think I want to run?¡± Chen Tianzong remained skeptical, not believing that Sum Emperor would actually let him meet Yun Xianxian. Just then, a cold female voice came from inside the sleeping chamber, ¡°Brother Chen, long time no see!¡± Hearing this voice, Chen Tianzong¡¯s heart jolted. This¡­ This voice was too familiar to him, after all, he was also an inner disciple of Mysterious Moon Palace who often followed Yun Xianxian on missions. Chapter 1018 - Chapter 1018: Chapter 708: Do you really think I have no way to deal with you? Chapter 1018: Chapter 708: Do you really think I have no way to deal with you? Seeing Yun Xianxian remained silent, Lu Chen spoke at this time, ¡°According to my subordinates¡¯ investigations, your Honored Master is already on his way to the Tianchen World and will arrive in just a few years.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian frowned slightly, as she was unaware of how Lu Chen knew of her master¡¯s whereabouts. However, since Lu Chen mentioned it, it likely held truth. Yun Xianxian hadn¡¯t expected her master to personally come to capture her, and this thought only intensified her distress. Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s pained expression, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a possibility that when your master sealed your cultivation state, it wasn¡¯t to hand you over to Lu Yanghua, but to prevent your Immortal Spirit Body from maturing too quickly?¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s frown deepened before she said firmly, ¡°Impossible.¡± Lu Chen moved behind Yun Xianxian, gently encircling her waist with his arm, and whispered in her ear, ¡°How can you be sure it¡¯s impossible? What if she really did it to protect you?¡± Yun Xianxian replied coldly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to comfort me.¡± Yun Xianxian thought that Lu Chen was trying not to let her be so heartbroken, and that was why he was offering these comforting words. Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s intense reaction, Lu Chen realized she must have been deeply hurt by her master, making her firmly believe that her master was nothing but a fair-weather friend. Lu Chen continued, ¡°If your master really wanted to hand you over to Lu Yanghua, she wouldn¡¯t have sealed your cultivation state and locked you away in the Mysterious Moon Palace. Instead, she would have given you to Lu Yanghua immediately.¡± ¡°Think about it, with your cultivation state sealed, the maturation of your Immortal Spirit Body has been greatly delayed. If your cultivation doesn¡¯t increase, your Immortal Spirit Body would never mature, and you could stay in the Mysterious Moon Palace forever.¡± This¡­ Having heard Lu Chen¡¯s analysis, Yun Xianxian found some logic to it. She had never considered these points, mainly because she was deeply hurt by her master. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Every time she thought of her master, her heart ached, and naturally, she would not ponder these details. After Lu Chen¡¯s analysis, she began to feel that perhaps her master did seal her cultivation to protect her. However, she still did not harbor much hope. Among cultivators, let alone a master-disciple relationship, some cultivators would even forsake their own kin for immortality. For her master to save her own life, abandoning a disciple like her was inconsequential. Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t dwell on it any longer and said with an expressionless face, ¡°Your wife is still battling over there, yet here you are doing this. Do you think that¡¯s appropriate?¡± At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s hand subconsciously wandered on Yun Xianxian¡¯s body. Hearing her words, Lu Chen came to his senses. He stopped his movements and said, ¡°With Hanyan¡¯s abilities, she shouldn¡¯t have much trouble dealing with those people.¡± Once Su Hanyan donned the Shenghui Armor, her strength was close to that of a Myriad Laws Realm cultivator, and she would have no problem facing a Myriad Laws Realm cultivator. There was no need for him to intervene. Of course, with his wife battling at the front while he did such things in the back, it did seem quite improper. Lu Chen refrained from continuing his wandering touches. Then he let go of Yun Xianxian, ¡°It¡¯s about time to end this. I¡¯ll go over and take a look.¡± With that, Lu Chen¡¯s figure vanished on the spot and, in the next moment, appeared behind Su Hanyan. By this time, Yu Liangce and the others had already been defeated. They were hiding inside the Immortal Boat, afraid to come out. Yu Liangce knelt on one knee, his right hand clutching his chest, his body covered in wounds. Seeing Lu Chen show up again, Yu Liangce immediately realized that Chen Tianzong was probably more dead than alive. Only then did it dawn upon him that this time, they had truly struck an iron plate. Still, Yu Liangce stubbornly said, ¡°I admit you have some skill, but I am a disciple of Mysterious Moon Palace, and soon the Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace will visit the Tianchen World personally. Once she learns that you have killed a disciple of Mysterious Moon Palace, none of you will escape.¡± As soon as Yu Liangce finished speaking, he spat out another mouthful of fresh blood. Lu Chen chuckled and said, ¡°We are already at this point, do you still think we are afraid of Mysterious Moon Palace?¡± Hearing this, Yu Liangce¡¯s heart skipped a beat. What did the Sum Emperor mean by that? Could it be that the Sum Emperor had some super force behind him that even Mysterious Moon Palace couldn¡¯t contend with, so they were not at all afraid of Mysterious Moon Palace? Thinking of this, Yu Liangce suddenly became extremely nervous. He had thought that this mission would be very simple, just a lower world, unlikely to have any strong beings. But the strength of this woman had turned out to be almost equal to that of the Divinity Transformation Realm, and he simply couldn¡¯t withstand her. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that this woman was afraid that using her full strength would lead to the collapse of the Tianchen World, he would probably already be dead. Fortunately, he had just taken the opportunity to slip back onto the Immortal Boat when the woman wasn¡¯t paying attention. The Immortal Boat was also a defensive magical tool, so even if the opponent were a Huashen Realm cultivator, it could still hold up for a while. Moreover, the opponent was now afraid that the Tianchen World was too fragile and dared not use their full strength. Under these circumstances, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for that woman to break through the Immortal Boat¡¯s defensive array. He could use this time to rest a bit, and as soon as he had recovered enough, he would immediately control the Immortal Boat and leave the Tianchen World. Thinking of this, Yu Liangce provocatively said, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not afraid of Mysterious Moon Palace, you¡¯re afraid the Tianchen World will collapse. To break the defensive array of the Immortal Boat within the Tianchen World, you¡¯d need the power of at least the Myriad Laws Realm.¡± ¡°If you act, this lower world may not be able to withstand your strength. I advise you to think it over.¡± Hearing that, Lu Chen glanced at the protective barrier around the Immortal Boat. Indeed, the protective barrier of the Immortal Boat looked quite sturdy. To damage the barrier, it would require a very strong external force. The Tianchen World had not yet healed, the laws were incomplete, and it was still very fragile. If they acted rashly, the Tianchen Continent might begin to collapse even before the barrier of the Immortal Boat was shattered. This was indeed troublesome. Seeing that the Sum Emperor and that woman were just floating in the air, quietly observing the Immortal Boat without talking or taking any further action, Yu Liangce knew that they were out of options and could only watch him slowly recover. Seeing that Yu Liangce had begun to absorb Spiritual Energy and recover his body, Su Hanyan turned her head slightly and asked Lu Chen beside her, ¡°Do you have a way to break the Immortal Boat¡¯s barrier?¡± In her heart, Su Hanyan thought that Lu Chen, with his numerous tactics, might have thought of a perfect solution that could both break through the barrier of the Immortal Boat and not affect the stability of the Tianchen World. Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of a way yet.¡± Seeing that even Lu Chen had no solution, Su Hanyan said no more. If even he had no way, then they could only watch the intruder inside the Immortal Boat recover his strength and then control the Immortal Boat to leave the Tianchen World. After all, the Tianchen World was just a lower world with incomplete laws. Just then, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something, and then he said to Yu Liangce inside the Immortal Boat with a smile, ¡°Yu Liangce, do you truly believe that We have no way of dealing with you?¡± Seeing the Sum Emperor call out his name directly, Yu Liangce was slightly startled, but he quickly realized that the Sum Emperor must have learned his name from Chen Tianzong. Even if he knew his name, what could it do? The Sum Emperor still had no way with the Immortal Boat. Chapter 1019 - Chapter 1019: Chapter 709: You have made a contribution, I must reward you Chapter 1019: Chapter 709: You have made a contribution, I must reward you Yu Liangce burst into laughter, ¡°If you had a way, you wouldn¡¯t be here wasting your words with me.¡± ¡°You claim to have a method to break the Immortal Boat¡¯s barrier, so why don¡¯t you show us?¡± Facing Yu Liangce¡¯s provocation, Lu Chen was unperturbed, and then he said, ¡°Very well, I will show you now how I break through your Immortal Boat¡¯s barrier!¡± his eyes quickly, not everyone in the Immortal Boat did the same. Those Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace who had been watching Lu Chen all fell under the influence of Lu Chen¡¯s Heart Controlling Skill. Compared to Yun Xianxian¡¯s, Lu Chen¡¯s skill was even more terrifying, being able to control large groups of people once mastered fully. Then, Lu Chen manipulated those affected disciples to actively attack Yu Liangce. Yu Liangce had just closed his eyes, and upon realizing something was wrong, he opened them again. He quickly turned to look behind him and saw that the disciples next to him were being manipulated. Yu Liangce swiftly drew his sword and swept it at those controlled Disciples of Xuan Yue Palace. As Yu Liangce took action, the barrier of the Immortal Boat thinned a bit. Although the Immortal Boat¡¯s barrier didn¡¯t need constant attention to maintain, if something went wrong with the person controlling the boat, the boat¡¯s barrier would be affected as well. Currently, the control of the Immortal Boat lay with Yu Liangce. Since Yu Liangce was compromised, the boat naturally was affected too. Lu Chen then smiled and said, ¡°No matter how solid a fortress, it can always be breached from within.¡± At this moment, a few disciples who were not yet influenced saw what was happening and quickly stepped in to help Yu Liangce, preventing the controlled disciples from getting close to him. A gigantic sword of light descended from the sky, aimed directly at the Immortal Boat. Yu Liangce and his companions hadn¡¯t even had time to react before they were crushed to dust by Su Hanyan¡¯s Sword Qi. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï After the ravaging Sword Qi subsided, the state of the Immortal Boat came into view, with no one on it left unscathed; the Immortal Boat itself was crushed into countless fragments. Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting and appeared in front of a piece of the Immortal Boat¡¯s wreckage. He inspected the materials used to construct the Immortal Boat and muttered to himself, ¡°These are indeed some fine materials.¡± At this moment, Su Hanyan also arrived in front of the wreckage of the Immortal Boat. Seeing the scattered materials, she too felt a twinge of desire. In this lower world, the materials for making an Immortal Boat were naturally exceptionally precious. If she could get hold of these materials, she might be able to build a smaller Immortal Boat on her own without relying on Lu Chen; then, she would be able to leave the Tianchen World. Thinking this, Su Hanyan said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Immortal Boat is already destroyed and of no use, why not bestow these remnants upon us at the Misty Immortal Sect.¡± Hearing Su Hanyan¡¯s words, Lu Chen turned to look at her and then smiled, saying, ¡°Sect Master Su, you¡¯ve got quite the scheme brewing.¡± ¡°Although this Immortal Boat is destroyed, the materials it was made from are treasures. If I were to give the materials to your Misty Immortal Sect, wouldn¡¯t you be able to build an Immortal Boat?¡± Seeing her intentions seen through by Lu Chen, Su Hanyan sighed in her heart. This man truly has the Heart Controlling Skill, knowing everything she thought without any privacy left. At this moment, she also thought of the mind control Lu Chen had just displayed, feeling even more certain about her guess. Lu Chen had the ability to manipulate the hearts of people; naturally, it was normal for him to see through others¡¯ thoughts. Just then, Lu Chen waved his hand, and the wreckage of the Immortal Boat disappeared on the spot. Did she not know what Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°thanks¡± entailed? Lu Chen said, ¡°No, you¡¯ve made a significant contribution, and I must reward you. If I don¡¯t, wouldn¡¯t it chill the hearts of the cultivators everywhere? Who would then step forward to achieve merits?¡± Su Hanyan then said, ¡°Your Majesty, I¡­¡± Before Su Hanyan could finish her sentence, everything before her eyes went dark. When light reappeared, she found herself pinned down on the dragon bed in the Black Dragon City Imperial Palace by Lu Chen. Chapter 1020 - Chapter 1020: Chapter 710 I Dont Think a Demon Cultivator is as Awesome as Me Chapter 1020: Chapter 710 I Don¡¯t Think a Demon Cultivator is as Awesome as Me After dealing with the intruders at Mysterious Moon Palace, Lu Chen rewarded Su Hanyan, the major contributor, for half a month, and only after fattening her belly did he let her leave the Imperial Palace. Now that the first batch of intruders at Mysterious Moon Palace had been dealt with, the next concern was the matters of the neighboring Cultivation World. Black Dragon City, Imperial Palace. Early in the morning, dressed in a Black Gold Dragon Robe, Lu Chen arrived at Yun Xianxian¡¯s residence, looking refreshed and spirited. Yun Xianxian ignored Lu Chen¡¯s words. She wasn¡¯t jealous¡ªthis rebellious student of hers had so many women in his harem, often spending days and nights with them. If she were to get jealous, by now she would have been either sour to death or bloated with jealousy. She just thought that Lu Chen¡¯s cultivation method was unreliable. Although the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill was decent, it was, after all, a Dual Cultivation Technique. Even demon cultivators wouldn¡¯t solely rely on a dual cultivation technique, but Lu Chen was different; he only used this method to enhance his cultivation state. She wondered if one day Lu Chen truly became an emperor, would he be titled as the Cannon Emperor or the Seed Emperor. Seeing that Yun Xianxian remained silent, Lu Chen shifted closer to her, pressing his body against hers, and then extended his ¡°demonic hand¡± to wrap around her slender waist. When Lu Chen started getting handsy, Yun Xianxian finally opened her eyes, turning her head to look at him. Her purple eyes intently stared into his, seeming particularly speechless. This guy had just exhausted Su Hanyan for half a month, and now he was here making advances on her. She really wondered if he had been some sort of beast in his past life. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t think any demon cultivator is as formidable as I am.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?0 Yun Xianxian was even more speechless. This rebellious student of hers actually felt proud. Well, she didn¡¯t feel like talking to this guy now, and there was nothing good to say to such a defiant student. He even oppressed his own Honored Master¡ªsuch a villain was no different from a Demon Cultivator, and whatever was said, he wouldn¡¯t listen. At this moment, Lu Chen was simply holding Yun Xianxian¡¯s body and didn¡¯t make any improper moves. He continued, ¡°Honored Master, your Puppetry Technique is more formidable than mine. Could you help me create a puppet of my size using the remnants of the Mysterious Moon Palace Immortal Boat?¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian curiously asked, ¡°What do you need a puppet for?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I want to control a puppet to explore the neighboring Cultivation World. I need to investigate the situation over there so we can think of countermeasures in advance.¡± The next-door Cultivation World might not have many Huashen Realm Cultivators, but it was still a Cultivation World, very different from the Tianchen World. The Spiritual Energy of Tianchen World had just revived, and most of the authentic cultivators had come from other worlds. The neighboring Cultivation World had been developing for countless years. Even if they didn¡¯t have many top powerhouses, their overall strength was definitely stronger than that of Tianchen World. Lu Chen wanted to find out if they had any Arrays or Magic Treasures capable of threatening Huashen Realm Cultivators. If such things existed, then they would have to be cautious. His Cultivation State hadn¡¯t reached the Huashen Realm yet, and he was temporarily unable to create a clone. So, he planned to try using Puppetry Technique to visit the neighboring world. However, his puppet making skills were not as exquisite as those of Yun Xianxian, even though he had already reached the pinnacle of Primary Puppet Skill. Perhaps it was because women were more meticulous and cleverer in using Spiritual Power, making her puppets resemble real humans more closely. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s plan, Yun Xianxian directly said, ¡°Bring out the materials you have prepared.¡± Indeed, a puppet wasn¡¯t like a clone that could go wherever it wanted and might even be completely independent from the main body, such as Liu Qingqiu¡¯s clone, which was now out of his control. Puppetry Technique required constant control by a person, and the control distance depended on the person¡¯s Cultivation State. With Lu Chen¡¯s Yin-Yang Realm cultivation, he might not be able to control a puppet to another world. Thinking of this, Lu Chen sighed slightly; it was indeed a troublesome matter. Well, he might as well find an opportunity to try it out. When the time came, he would control the puppet at the interface of the two worlds. Even with the distance limitation, he might still enter that world and gather some intelligence. Chapter 1021 - Chapter 1021: Chapter 711: Initial Exploration of Ziyang World Chapter 1021: Chapter 711: Initial Exploration of Ziyang World After the puppet had been refined, Lu Chen directly went to where the two worlds intersected. At this moment on the vast sea, several huge immortal boats were floating, and there were also some floating islands. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s immortal boat appear above the sea, the elders in charge of guarding the crack in the barrier and the generals of Great Sum immediately came to greet him. ¡°Your Majesty, long live the Emperor, may you live forever!¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°Dispense with the formalities.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the Great Elder Wei Jixing of the Wanxian Sect immediately came before Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask what brings you here this time?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I am just casually looking around, you all don¡¯t need to mind me too much, go back to your respective duties.¡± Hearing this, the elders from other powers tactfully dispersed, except for Wei Jixing who, after all, was the main person in charge of guarding the barrier. With the Emperor¡¯s arrival, he naturally had to stay by his side the whole time. Lu Chen then came to the crack in the barrier and, after glancing at the rock that had intruded into the Tianchen World, he asked, ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any anomalies at the crack, right?¡± Wei Jixing answered, ¡°Your Majesty, there aren¡¯t any. We don¡¯t know if the people from the other world have yet to discover this crack. Ever since we¡¯ve been here, there hasn¡¯t been even the slightest spiritual power fluctuation at the crack.¡± How far had he gotten? Lu Chen then tried several more times, but it was no use. It seemed he could only control his puppet to walk that far. Lu Chen then asked the system, ¡°System, I was able to control a puppet across several counties in the Tianchen World, so why isn¡¯t it possible now?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï As soon as Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the system¡¯s prompt sounded. ¡°Although the two worlds appear to have collided, they have not fused. The laws of the two worlds are different, so the distance over which you can control a puppet is also restricted by these laws.¡± This¡­ Did this mean that his plan to explore that world through controlling a puppet had failed? At that moment, a line of small print appeared before Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. [Ziyang World] This appeared to be the name of this world, but apart from the name, Lu Chen still knew nothing about this world¡¯s circumstances. Forget it. I might as well send people over directly. Thinking this, Lu Chen recalled his puppet. He always felt that there was something strange about that world, a large mountain surrounded by forests, yet without any animals or insects, as if it were a land of the dead. No wonder that after the collision of the two worlds, the Ziyang World had not sent anyone over. There might be some problem with that mountain, and even if the people of the Ziyang World were aware of the collision, they probably wouldn¡¯t dare to send anyone into that mountain lightly. In a short while, Lu Chen withdrew his puppet. Seeing that Lu Chen¡¯s puppet had returned so quickly, Grand Elder Wei Jixing curiously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, did you encounter any enemies?¡± Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°No, the place where the worlds collided is a large mountain. Inside the mountain, aside from plants, there seems to be no sign of life. It¡¯s extremely quiet and a bit eerie.¡± ¡°I plan to send people over to explore in some time.¡± Having said this, Lu Chen then turned around and spoke, ¡°Alright, Elder Wei, you continue to oversee here. I am going to head back.¡± As his words ended, Lu Chen and his puppet returned to the Feihong Immortal Boat, where Wei Jixing bowed and said, ¡°I bid Your Majesty farewell!¡± After returning to the Immortal Boat, Lu Chen went back to the Daxia Imperial Palace. He was now feeling a bit frustrated. He had thought he could control a puppet to clearly find out about the situation in that world, but there turned out to be nothing in that large king, ¡°Did you encounter any cultivators from that world?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No, the place where it touches the Tianchen World is a large mountain, but apart from plants, there were no other living creatures.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ Madam Chu, what do you think could be inside that mountain?¡± As his words ended, Lu Chen began to exert force on Yelv Nanyan, and after thinking a moment, Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°Could it be that something is sealed beneath that mountain, which is why the animals and the cultivators from that world dare not approach?¡± Chapter 1022 - Chapter 1022: Chapter 712: Absorbing the Qi Fortune of Tianchen World Chapter 1022: Chapter 712: Absorbing the Qi Fortune of Tianchen World Hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Lu Chen exercised while thinking, feeling there was some truth to them. The mountain was indeed a bit strange. Even though it was a puppet he had sent into the mountain, the sensations transmitted back to him through the puppet still felt somewhat oppressive. The key issue was the puppet¡¯s perception was too singular; to understand the exact situation, he would likely have to go there himself. However, he was a cautious man. Until he was certain that the other world was absolutely safe, he had no intention of going there himself. At this moment, Yelv Nanyan dared not make too much noise, fearful of interrupting Lu Chen¡¯s train of thought, she could only murmur and mumble. But then, Lu Chen suddenly intensified his efforts, and Yelv Nanyan couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, letting out a cry of ¡°Ah.¡± Lu Chen spoke up again, ¡°It¡¯s also unclear what level of strength the thing sealed beneath that mountain possesses.¡± Chu Yuqin suggested, ¡°Why not send someone to investigate?¡± Lu Chen flipped Yelv Nanyan over to face him and, submerging himself, said, ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking. But not right now. For the two worlds to merge, it would take at least a hundred years. If no one from the other world comes over, I plan to drag it out until the people from the Black Dragon Holy Land arrive.¡± Yin Zhengye was a powerhouse at the Divinity Transformation Realm, and the Black Dragon Holy Land had no lack of powerful individuals. By the time they would arrive, even if the Ziyang World truly had some formidable entities, with the Black Dragon Holy Land involved, it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. Seeing that Lu Chen had his own plans, Chu Yuqin didn¡¯t say much more. At this time, Yelv Nanyan suddenly rolled her eyes back, and Lu Chen finally let her be, his gaze instantly turning towards Mu Zixuan, who was staring off into space. Mu Zizuan was staring at Lu Chen with her mouth agape, realizing that his ability to multitask was getting stronger and stronger. He was clearly engaged in such activities but was still able to discuss issues with Chu Yuqin normally. Seeing Mu Zixuan blush and look at him, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Zixuan, you¡¯re still watching? If you keep it up, Nanyan might just blow her top.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï Mu Zixuan immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning, and she then lay down slowly in front of him. At this time, Chu Yuqin continued, ¡°Chen¡¯er, have you visited my child world recently? It seems that animals have started to appear there.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I did. The flow of time in the child world is different from ours, and it won¡¯t be long before intelligent life emerges there.¡± One year in the child world was equivalent to just one day in their world. The years had gone by, and thousands of years had already passed within the child world. As Lu Chen finished speaking, he and Mu Zixuan got into it again, starting to play with Mu Zixuan once more. At this point, Chu Yuqin continued to inquire, ¡°I feel like my strength has been increasing rapidly lately. It might be related to the emergence of animal life in the child world.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Huff, huff¡­ That is indeed the case. The more flora and fauna in the child world, the stronger the main body becomes.¡± With that said, Lu Chen looked down at Mu Zixuan, whose eyes swirled with seduction, and asked with a laugh, ¡°Zixuan, do you also want to nurture a child world? You have fully activated the Mysterious Female Technique.¡± Mu Zixuan did not answer, letting Lu Chen do as he pleased. Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Then how would Zixuan and the others be able to nurture child worlds?¡± Their talents weren¡¯t sufficient, and their strength increased slowly. If they could nurture a child world and borrow its power, this would compensate for their lack of talent. To that, Lu Chen responded, ¡°To nurture a child world, one needs abundant Qi Fortune of the world. At the very least, one needs to absorb half of a lower world¡¯s Qi Fortune. Zixuan and the others are not yet capable of nurturing a child world.¡± Chu Yuqin then asked, ¡°What about the Tianchen World¡¯s Qi Fortune?¡± Upon hearing this question, Lu Chen paused for a moment, and after a while, he began to move again. Simultaneously, he asked the system in his mind, ¡°System, if I let my wives absorb half of Tianchen World¡¯s Qi Fortune, would they be able to nurture child worlds?¡± The system immediately responded, ¡°Yes.¡± Upon hearing this response, Lu Chen was immediately tempted, and his actions became even fiercer. Mu Zixuan, with barely a breath left, said, ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty, spare my life¡­¡± As the surging spiritual power poured into Mu Zixuan¡¯s body, Lu Chen quickly regained his composure. On second thoughts, if Mu Zixuan really absorbed half of the Tianchen World¡¯s qi fortune, wouldn¡¯t Tianchen World be especially unlucky from then on? Thinking this, Lu Chen asked the system, ¡°What might happen to the Tianchen World if my wives were to absorb half of its qi fortune?¡± The system replied, ¡°There might be collisions with multiple worlds, but a world¡¯s qi fortune is tied to the people within it. Even if it loses qi fortune, it will recover in time.¡± Lu Chen pondered for a moment. He needed to become stronger, and to do so, he needed the system¡¯s help. Betting half of the world¡¯s qi fortune for a reward from the system seemed worth it¡ªif he was lucky, he might obtain something valuable. With this in mind, Lu Chen said to the system, ¡°How do I absorb the qi fortune of the world?¡± The system responded, ¡°Become the master of this world. As the Realm Master of Tianchen World, you can absorb its qi fortune whenever you wish.¡± Lu Chen then looked down at Mu Zixuan and attempted to feel the world¡¯s qi fortune. The next moment, he saw what seemed like invisible goldish clouds in the sky. Could this be the qi fortune? As the question formed in Lu Chen¡¯s mind, the system¡¯s prompt sounded, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But that is the national fortune of the Daxia Dynasty. The world¡¯s qi fortune is the white clouds farther away.¡± Lu Chen stopped his actions, paying careful attention. The next moment, his divine sense seemed to leap out of the Tianchen World, hovering above a spherical globe with white clouds floating inside. Is that the qi fortune of Tianchen World? The system prompt sounded again, ¡°Yes.¡± Lu Chen then attempted to absorb the world¡¯s qi fortune, and with just a thought, the white clouds rushed towards him. In a short moment, half of Tianchen World¡¯s white clouds had entered his body. Lu Chen felt carefully and realized that this qi fortune seemed to have no effect. With so much qi fortune entering his body, he did not feel overwhelmed; it was as if it did not exist at all, quite mysterious. At this moment, the purple mist above his head suddenly surged, and Lu Chen realized that this must be the qi fortune of Tianchen World transforming into his own qi fortune. Could it really work like this? Then, the qi fortune he lost when having children, could it be replenished in this way? Meanwhile, Mu Zixuan, realizing that Lu Chen had stopped, gazed at Lu Chen with deep and quiet eyes. Although she had pleaded for mercy just now, she certainly hadn¡¯t meant for Lu Chen to stop completely. After a while, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze returned to Mu Zixuan. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Zixuan, will you help me nurture a child world too?¡± Mu Zixuan did not understand what a child world was, but she knew Lu Chen would not harm her. She squirmed slightly and softly hummed in agreement. Without any more hesitation, Lu Chen leaned down, kissed Mu Zixuan¡¯s red lips, and began to invest himself wholeheartedly in her. Afterward, he transformed the absorbed qi fortune from Tianchen World into purple qi fortune and wildly funneled it into Mu Zixuan¡¯s body. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly become so fierce, Yelv Nanyan, who stood aside, felt a lingering fear, grateful that her turn was over. Chapter 1023 - Chapter 1023: Chapter 713: Mu Zixuan Nurtures the Child World Chapter 1023: Chapter 713: Mu Zixuan Nurtures the Child World The Qi Fortune of the world was incredibly dense, and Lu Chen had spent half a month transferring all the Qi Fortune he had absorbed to Mu Zixuan. However, Mu Zixuan, for now, only possessed the conditions necessary to cultivate a child world, and it would still require Lu Chen¡¯s efforts to actually bring it forth. In the following half-year period, Lu Chen¡¯s focus was entirely on Mu Zixuan, making her somewhat miserable. She initially thought that cultivating a child world would be as easy as bearing a child, but half a year had passed without any sign of progress. During this time, she felt her body becoming more and more voluptuous; she didn¡¯t know if it was because Lu Chen was transferring Spiritual Power to her daily. Despite exercising every day, her body seemed to become even more curvaceous. Wind Cloud Palace. Dressed in a long red gown, the dignified Mu Zixuan was half-reclining on a large bed. Based on her experiences over the past six months, Lu Chen would likely come to the Wind Cloud Palace again tonight. Just as the setting sun gradually faded away and the red twilight shone into the hall, a long figure appeared in the middle of the hall. Upon recognizing it was Lu Chen, Mu Zixuan¡¯s expression was complex, filled with anticipation and a bit of fear. She then squeezed out a slight smile and slowly got up. ¡°Your Majesty, this servant greets you!¡± Lu Chen, with a smile, approached Mu Zixuan and held her jade arm, saying, ¡°You came again, we¡¯re already an old couple.¡± As soon as he finished speaking and before Mu Zixuan could respond, Lu Chen wrapped his arms around her voluptuous body and pressed her onto the soft couch. Mu Zixuan lay on the soft couch, staring intently at Lu Chen as he gently caressed her jade-like face, saying, ¡°Zixuan, you have suffered a lot these past six months.¡± Mu Zixuan replied, ¡°This servant is only doing her duty.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï Lu Chen also knew that Mu Zixuan was somewhat overwhelmed, although her Cultivation State might have improved due to the influence of the Qi Fortune in the last six months, reaching the Second Realm of Heavenly Man. But Lu Chen was aware of his own strength. Neither Yun Xianxian nor Su Hanyan could withstand his torrential poundings, how could Mu Zixuan, who had just become a Celestial Cultivator, possibly be his match? Lu Chen felt a pang of sympathy for Mu Zixuan; every time they cultivated together, he found it hard to control himself, especially since Mu Zixuan was also practicing the Mysterious Female Technique. Of course, both of them knew the Rejuvenating Skill, so they never felt discomfort. But the main reason Mu Zixuan struggled was because the joy brought by cultivation clouded her senses. Particularly after the act, when the sensation still lingered, she would feel as if she was floating when she walked¡ªa feeling even the Rejuvenating Skill couldn¡¯t dispel. At that moment, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Your Majesty, Sister Chu mentioned that the beings born in the child world would all be considered our children?¡± Lu Chen answered with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s true, but the children of the child world are different from Feng¡¯er and the others; there¡¯s no blood relation between us and the children of the child world.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, for some reason, maternal instincts surged within Mu Zixuan. Suddenly, she longed to see her and Lu Chen¡¯s offspring populate the entire child world, with countless people calling her mother. While Mu Zixuan was lost in thought, Lu Chen¡¯s hand moved under her skirt. Mu Zixuan blushed slightly and gazed at Lu Chen affectionately, not asking any more questions. They were an old couple by now, and both knew very well what to do next. As Mu Zixuan¡¯s clothes disappeared, Lu Chen lowered himself upon her. With a soft murmur from Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen sealed her red lips with his mouth, their lips and teeth meshing together. While moving, Lu Chen silently asked the system in his mind, ¡°System, it¡¯s already been half a year. Why hasn¡¯t Mu Zixuan cultivated a child world yet? Surely she meets the conditions by now?¡± The system replied, ¡°Cultivating a child world is similar to bearing offspring; the higher the host¡¯s Cultivation State, the less likely it is for a child world to be cultivated. The host needs to try harder.¡± Hearing the system¡¯s response, Lu Chen sighed inwardly. Well, it seemed he would have to push Mu Zixuan even harder. Just as Lu Chen thought this, a surge of Spiritual Power flowed into Mu Zixuan¡¯s body. After another half month had passed, Lu Chen finally heard the system¡¯s icy prompt in his ear. ¡°Congratulations to the host and his consort on conceiving a child world, awarded with Saint-level Puppetry Technique.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen, who was in the midst of action, instantly got excited, his spirit greatly lifted, and he became more fierce. ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty¡­ Spare my life¡­¡± As spiritual power entered Mu Zixuan¡¯s body, Lu Chen did not continue to torment her. Mu Zixuan¡¯s lips slightly parted, her chest heaving continuously as she took deep breaths. She began to wonder if her inability to conceive a child world had angered Lu Chen, who hadn¡¯t been this fierce in a long time; she felt her soul was about to leave her body. After Mu Zixuan had rested for a while, Lu Chen embraced her body and rolled over, letting her lie on his chest, then his large hand embraced her fragrant shoulder. ¡°Zixuan, I have some good news for you.¡± Hearing this, Mu Zixuan, who was resting, felt a jolt in her heart and instantly guessed what it might be. To her, the only thing that could be good news now was that she had conceived a child world, so Lu Chen wouldn¡¯t have to focus all his attention on her. Nervously, Mu Zixuan asked, ¡°Is¡­ is it pregnancy?¡± Seeing her excitement without even having described the good news, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Yes, you are pregnant.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s affirmative reply, Mu Zixuan felt immensely happy, her delicate body trembling with joy. Then Mu Zixuan used her spiritual power to sense her own condition and found that, except for a slight bulge in her lower abdomen, there seemed to be nothing unusual about her body. Mu Zixuan then asked, ¡°Your Majesty, my body doesn¡¯t seem to have anything unusual?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Close your eyes and sense carefully; you will soon be able to feel the child world.¡± Mu Zixuan quickly closed her eyes, trying hard to control her restless heart and calm down quickly. After a while, she indeed discovered a magical space inside her own world. But that world was still very dark, barren, with nothing on the land. Mu Zixuan thought to herself, is that the child world? After observing for a while, Mu Zixuan shifted her attention back, and Lu Chen continued, ¡°The child world may not have life at the beginning, but life in the child world will generate itself, and within a decade, intelligent life, such as humans, should appear.¡± Mu Zixuan said, ¡°I understand.¡± Mu Zixuan sighed in relief, happy that she was finally pregnant; now she could rest well. Just as Mu Zixuan thought this, Lu Chen said with a mischievous smile, ¡°My lady, conceiving a child world is different from conceiving a child; even if you have birthed a child world, I can still make love to you.¡± This¡­ Mu Zixuan¡¯s body and mind shuddered, but she quickly realized Lu Chen was just teasing her. Even if it was possible to make love while having birthed a child world, she was already pregnant; Lu Chen, having many consorts, had no need to single her out for torment. Mu Zixuan then said, ¡°I am Your Majesty¡¯s woman. Serving Your Majesty is my privilege.¡± Seeing that Mu Zixuan wasn¡¯t scared, Lu Chen just smiled, then embraced her, turned over again, and positioned her beneath him. Chapter 1024 - Chapter 1024: Chapter 714: Lu Chens First Seclusion Chapter 1024: Chapter 714: Lu Chen¡¯s First Seclusion After spending another day with Mu Zixuan, Lu Chen finally let her leave the Wind Cloud Palace. When Mu Zixuan had left, Lu Chen soaked alone in the bath, his eyes fixed on the system interface. ¡°Saint-level Puppetry Technique: Saint-grade Puppetry Technique, four levels in total. Cultivate this puppetry technique to perfection, and the puppet and the host¡¯s strength and perception can be communicated 100 percent. Within this universe, you can control the puppet to go anywhere, regardless of the distance.¡± Lu Chen was startled upon seeing the function of the puppetry technique. His first thought was to use the puppet to explore the Ziyang World, as he was initially planning to wait for the people from the Black Dragon Holy Land before trying to explore. He didn¡¯t expect the system to reward him with a puppetry technique that could ignore distances so quickly. However¡­ Exchanging half of the Tianchen World¡¯s Qi Fortune for a Saint-level Puppetry Technique, why did he feel somewhat shortchanged? Right, for harboring a child world and nurturing it, he could receive rewards. The current reward from the system was only for Mu Zixuan harboring a child world; once she nurtured the child world, he could receive another reward. He remembered when Chu Yuqin was harboring a child world, and the reward was just the Formless Sand needed to repair Tianchen World. Compared to the Saint-level Puppetry Technique, Formless Sand was nothing. Mu Zixuan had received such a great reward for harboring a child world this time; would the rewards be even better when she nurtured the child world? Thinking this, Lu Chen felt a flicker of excitement. After all, he had consumed half of Tianchen World¡¯s Qi Fortune; he deserved some good returns. Since absorbing half of Tianchen World¡¯s Qi Fortune, the cultivators of Tianchen World had become unluckier, with a significantly higher failure rate in their breakthroughs. This had little effect on ordinary people. Lu Chen seriously suspected that Tianchen World was compensating for its own Qi Fortune by absorbing the Qi Fortune of individual cultivators, resulting in the current plight of the cultivators being more ill-fated than ever. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Of course, this was just Lu Chen¡¯s speculation; he had no evidence. Lu Chen then closed the system interface and quickly finished his bath, then headed to an underground palace in the Imperial Palace. Over the years, the Imperial Palace had undergone renovations which included constructing a vast palace underground primarily used for the seclusion of his consorts and children. Lu Chen¡¯s consorts and children used it frequently, yet he had never used it himself. His previous method of cultivation had been through women, and he had no need for secluded cultivation. This time, however, he wanted to cultivate the Puppetry Technique to perfection quickly, so he decided to seclude himself for cultivation. Since the system had upgraded, he could no longer cultivate through women; the system explained that cultivating on his own was faster than improving through women. When Lu Chen entered the underground palace, the maids looked at him in surprise. Their Majesty had voluntarily come to the underground palace today? What was His Majesty doing at the underground palace? Was it possible that he wanted to be intimate with some Noble Concubine, and since she was not above, he had personally come down to find someone and intended to indulge here directly? The underground palace was just as splendid as above, with bright lighting that was far from dim. Now, the industry of the Daxia Dynasty had developed to a certain level, improving the qualities of manufactured lightbulbs. The items used by the Emperor, naturally, were even more luxurious. Lu Chen walked through the corridor of the underground palace, arrived at the Wind Cloud Palace below, and then said to the maid guarding it, ¡°I am going into seclusion for cultivation. Unless there is something important, no one is to disturb me.¡± After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, the maid was initially startled but quickly responded, ¡°Yes¡­ Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Your Majesty has decided to enter closed-door cultivation, this is indeed huge news; everyone in the Imperial Palace knows what kind of person Lu Chen is, yet now he¡¯s actually saying he wants to enter closed-door cultivation! Has the sun risen from the west today? Lu Chen paid no heed to the astonished gazes of the maids as he walked straight into the Wind Cloud Palace. Once the palace doors closed, he began to cultivate the Saint-level Puppetry Technique. Soon, the news of Lu Chen¡¯s closed-door cultivation spread throughout the entire Yancheng Imperial Palace. Upon hearing that Lu Chen intended to enter closed-door cultivation, his wives and concubines were all stunned, and quickly they gathered together. Inside Wind Cloud Palace, the women looked at each other in curiosity. Mu Zixuan broke the silence, ¡°Chu, why did His Majesty suddenly decide to cultivate in seclusion? Did something happen?¡± Chu Yuqin responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know either; Chen¡¯er went to the underground Wind Cloud Palace without telling me.¡± ¡°It seems you were the last woman he saw before he went into seclusion, didn¡¯t he mention anything to you about it?¡± Mu Zixuan thought for a moment and then replied, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t say anything to me.¡± At this, the women again exchanged looks, and Chu Yuqin turned to look at Bai Qingqing. Bai Qingqing was Lu Chen¡¯s personal maid; surely she must know something. ¡°Sister Bai, you should know why Chen¡¯er has gone into seclusion, right?¡± Bai Qingqing shook her head and said, ¡°This consort also has no idea.¡± Yelv Nanyan spoke up, ¡°How could His Majesty not even tell Sister Bai? Could it be that something really has happened, and His Majesty doesn¡¯t want us to worry, so he didn¡¯t tell us?¡± Upon hearing this, a worried expression appeared on the faces of all the women. After all, Lu Chen was someone who had never practiced in seclusion before; his usual method of cultivation was Dual Cultivation with his wives and concubines. This sudden seclusion caught everyone off guard. The key issue was that he had told them nothing beforehand and hadn¡¯t asked the maids to pass on any messages. It was impossible for them not to worry. Chu Yuqin thought for a moment about Lu Chen¡¯s identity and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s not think too much. Perhaps Chen¡¯er just wanted to be in seclusion. There probably isn¡¯t anything wrong.¡± Chu Yuqin recalled that Lu Chen wasthe son of the Great Emperor, a figure who, in his former life, was an ascetic who disregarded romance and avoided women, solely focused on cultivation. Now, it was just a matter of entering seclusion, and they needn¡¯t be so tense. After hearing Chu Yuqin¡¯s words, Wang Qingci said, ¡°What Chu said is true, alas, we just don¡¯t know how long His Majesty¡¯s seclusion will last.¡± Wang Qingci thought to herself that it had been a long while since Lu Chen had visited her, although she knew it wasn¡¯t because of her, but simply because it hadn¡¯t been her turn yet. Just when her turn was approaching, Lu Chen had gone into seclusion. How could she cope without Lu Chen¡¯s presence? Zhou Youyou also whispered, ¡°His Majesty¡¯s seclusion won¡¯t last a hundred years, will it?¡± Xiao Wenyao joined in, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, I¡¯ve heard that higher-leveled cultivators sometimes go into seclusion for a hundred years.¡± Chu Qingli then said, ¡°If he really is in seclusion for a hundred years, what will we do?¡± ¡­ Seeing that all of Lu Chen¡¯s wives and concubines looked worried, Chu Yuqin felt somewhat speechless. Lu Chen had only just entered seclusion, and here they were, already fretting about when he might come out. It¡¯s not like they were that enthusiastic usually; they would start pleading for mercy not long after they got into bed, and now they were suddenly concerned that Lu Chen¡¯s seclusion might last too long. Chapter 1026 - Chapter 1026: Chapter 716: Why Does Honored Master Look Somewhat Unhappy? Chapter 1026: Chapter 716: Why Does Honored Master Look Somewhat Unhappy? The news of Lu Chen emerging from seclusion quickly spread throughout the entire Imperial Palace, and the women immediately regretted leaving Wind Cloud Palace. They returned to Wind Cloud Palace as soon as they heard the news. However, when they arrived, they found Lu Chen already busy¡ªChen Wanrong had completely transformed into his vessel, and they witnessed her sobbing and screaming deeply. The women felt somewhat relieved, as they had some concerns that Lu Chen, after emerging from seclusion, might have changed and wouldn¡¯t care about romance anymore. It turned out, they had worried too much. His Majesty remained the same! At that moment, Lu Chen glanced at the wives gathered at the doorway, watching the spectacle, and smilingly said, ¡°Today, none of you are leaving. All come here.¡± This¡­ The women looked at each other in hesitation. Although they could accept this, the number of women involved was still too many. Given that starting with Lu Chen often took half a month, wasn¡¯t this going to take a lot of time? Of course, Lu Chen had no such intention; he just planned to alleviate their longing for him. After all, they hadn¡¯t seen each other for a year and could barely bear it anymore. At this time, Wang Qingci immediately ran to Lu Chen¡¯s side without a word, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ve finally emerged from seclusion. I¡¯ve missed you so much¡­¡± Seeing Wang Qingci take the initiative and pose provocatively, Yelv Nanyan and the others decided not to pretend either and straightforwardly crowded around him. After two days of soothing, the longing of Lu Chen¡¯s wives had greatly eased, but Yun Xianxian and Chu Yuqin were not among them. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Both women did not attend this grand event. After regaining her memories from her past lives, Chu Yuqin wasn¡¯t as uninhibited, and Yun Xianxian greatly disliked sharing Lu Chen with others. Yun Xianxian disdained it, deeming it filthy¡ªused here, used there¡ªshe was a person with germophobia who preferred exclusivity. After all of Lu Chen¡¯s wives had left Wind Cloud Palace one by one, only Mu Zixuan and Bai Qingqing remained. Lu Chen, embracing both women, said, ¡°Tell me about any major events that occurred in Tianchen World this past year.¡± The women promptly informed Lu Chen about some incidents that had occurred in Tianchen World. After listening to them, Lu Chen fell into contemplation; then, he spoke after a while, ¡°Feng¡¯er really has grown up, able to stand on his own now.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that just a year of seclusion would lead to so much happening in Tianchen World. Some people really can¡¯t stay calm. It seems I need to teach them a lesson.¡± Subsequently, Lu Chen continued to comfort Mu Zixuan and Bai Qingqing; after a bath, he then headed to Yun Xianxian¡¯s bedchamber. Inside Yun Xianxian¡¯s icy bedchamber, cold air permeated everywhere with ice blocks all around, and the attending maids, despite wearing padded clothes, shivered continuously. Seeing Lu Chen suddenly appear in the grand hall, the maids hurriedly bowed and said, ¡°We greet Your Majesty, long live, long live, forever and forever!¡± Lu Chen slightly nodded his head and said indifferently, ¡°Rise.¡± As those words fell, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze turned toward Yun Xianxian¡¯s soft couch. At that moment, Yun Xianxian had her eyes closed, seemingly ignoring his presence completely. But obviously, Yun Xianxian knew he was there¡ªshe was pretending not to see him. Lu Chen gave a slight smile, immediately approached Yun Xianxian¡¯s soft couch, and then reached out to hold her jade hand, ¡°Honored Master, you seem a bit unhappy?¡± Yun Xianxian still didn¡¯t open her eyes and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re imagining things.¡± Seeing the Cold Fairy¡¯s forbidding demeanor, Lu Chen momentarily felt his heart stir and, not wanting to continue talking, directly pushed her down and kissed her lips, ¡°Mmm¡­¡± At this point, Yun Xianxian finally opened her eyes and began to struggle a bit. She had thought that Lu Chen would take things slowly, but he started making advances right off the bat. After kissing for a while, feeling it was about enough, Lu Chen directly got intimate with Yun Xianxian. This act instantly turned the Cold Fairy warm. Yun Xianxian felt a bit sulky; this rebellious disciple was truly her nemesis, never letting her put on airs. While moving, Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master really missed me. You had already prepared your body before I even arrived.¡± Yun Xianxian glared at Lu Chen in embarrassment and anger but said nothing. Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue to tease Yun Xianxian. He smiled and asked, ¡°Honored Master, did you go to Black Dragon County again during this time?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°Went¡­ huh¡­ went there, I just¡­ came back¡­¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I heard from Zixuan and Bai that the situation in Black Dragon County seems somewhat bleak¡­ huh¡­¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°There are quite a few¡­ forces¡­ huh¡­ that seem to want to overthrow¡­ your rule¡­ gently¡­¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I just secluded myself for cultivation, and they already think I¡¯m severely injured. They really dare to imagine.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°Perhaps¡­ huh¡­ not just because of that¡­ reason¡­¡± ¡°I feel like there are more¡­ demon cultivators¡­ in Black Dragon County¡­¡± ¡°They¡­ why did you¡­ stop?¡± Yun Xianxian¡¯s beautiful eyes looked at Lu Chen as her delicate body involuntarily started to twist slightly. Lu Chen smiled and continued his actions, ¡°What about them?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°They¡­ might have demon cultivators instigating them from behind.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment and then said, ¡°If it¡¯s demon cultivators, then it¡¯s relatively easy to handle, but I don¡¯t know the strength of the person behind them.¡± ¡°Since they have the intention to rebel, it means that the person inciting them is very strong.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°To you¡­ huh-huh¡­ they don¡¯t pose much¡­ threat.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Although they pose no threat, they are indeed annoying.¡± ¡°The first time I seclude myself for cultivation, someone pops up creating trouble. If I often seclude myself in the future, won¡¯t there always be someone causing trouble?¡± ¡°We must find the mastermind behind this and set an example by making a stern warning.¡± ¡°You¡­ ouch¡­¡± Before Yun Xianxian could say anything, Lu Chen suddenly became more forceful, shifting his entire focus onto Yun Xianxian and ceasing to discuss the problems of Black Dragon County. Yun Xianxian no longer maintained her aloof demeanor and began practicing the Mysterious Female Technique in coordination with Lu Chen. After all, she was already this rebellious disciple¡¯s woman; there was no need for pretenses in front of him, she might as well let herself go. A day later, Lu Chen left Yun Xianxian¡¯s bedchamber and headed to Chu Yuqin¡¯s room. Chu Yuqin had already sensed that Lu Chen would come; she was already sitting on the bed, waiting for his arrival. Upon seeing Lu Chen, Chu Yuqin asked, ¡°Chen¡¯er, did you seclude yourself to practice some Cultivation Technique?¡± With a Shadow Shifting technique, Lu Chen moved beside the bed, wrapped his arms around Chu Yuqin¡¯s voluptuous body, and replied with a smile, ¡°Madam Chu knows me best, guessing right away why I secluded myself.¡± Chu Yuqin smiled lightly and said no more. Without hesitation, Lu Chen directly kissed the beautiful woman¡¯s lips and slowly laid her down on the soft couch. Although Lu Chen had shifted his focus to women right after ending his seclusion, he didn¡¯t consider himself overly lecherous. He had that many wives and concubines; he needed to satisfy them. They hadn¡¯t seen him for so long, and their hearts were filled with so much longing that needed to be released. So his actions were not licentious, but rather a display of responsibility. Probably no other man in this universe could match his sense of duty. Chapter 1027 - Chapter 1027: Chapter 717: Sect Master Su, Are You Ready to Accept the Punishment! Chapter 1027: Chapter 717: Sect Master Su, Are You Ready to Accept the Punishment! After playing with Chu Yuqin on the soft couch for two days, Lu Chen then headed to Black Dragon County. He had another woman there in Black Dragon County, whom he hadn¡¯t sought out in a year; she must have missed him dearly. Moreover, this year she had been of great help to Lu Changfeng at the Cultivators¡¯ Conference. As Lu Changfeng¡¯s father, it was naturally incumbent upon him to properly thank her. If he was to give thanks, then he must do so with real action. At this very moment. Inside the bamboo house on the back hill of the Misty Immortal Sect. Su Hanyan suddenly felt a chill and couldn¡¯t help but sneeze. Su Hanyan furrowed her brows instantly. She, a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator, actually sneezed? Immediately after, Su Hanyan coldly said to the air, ¡°Come out.¡± As soon as Su Hanyan¡¯s words fell, a mass of black mist appeared outside her bamboo house, and then a figure walked out of the mist. ¡°Sect Master Su, truly worthy of being a Myriad Laws Realm Cultivator, detected my presence the moment I arrived.¡± Su Hanyan glanced at the old man before her and chuckled, ¡°No wonder Sect Leader Li was able to kill the former Sect Leader of the Hundred Changes Sect and take control. It turns out he has become a Demon Cultivator.¡± Li Xinghuai lightly said, ¡°So what if I have become a Demon Cultivator? Whether righteous or evil, we are all Cultivators, all seeking immortality. Moreover, the deeds of the so-called righteous and demon cultivators are not much different.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Su Hanyan coldly said, ¡°Sect Leader Li, did you come to me today just to say these things?¡± Li Xinghuai smiled and said, ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°I have brought a piece of good news for Sect Master Su today.¡± Su Hanyan coldly replied, ¡°I hardly think a Demon Cultivator can bring any good news to me.¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°What if this news could free you from the Sum Emperor¡¯s control?¡± At these words, Su Hanyan faltered slightly, and Li Xinghuai caught the expression on her face. Regaining her composure, Su Hanyan scoffed and said, ¡°Sect Leader Li, you surely know the relationship between me and the Sum Emperor. I am his woman. Are you here to stir up trouble between me and the Sum Emperor?¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°The reason why Sect Master Su became the Sum Emperor¡¯s woman in the first place was merely because you were not as strong as the Sum Emperor. You were helpless and, coupled with the fact that he possessed the Immortal Boat, only by relying on the Sum Emperor could you leave the Tianchen World.¡± In Li Xinghuai¡¯s view, Su Hanyan was not truly devoted to Lu Chen and would certainly betray him if given the chance. After hearing Li Xinghuai¡¯s words, Su Hanyan fell silent; indeed, she had become Lu Chen¡¯s woman out of compulsion. Seeing that Su Hanyan did not continue speaking, Li Xinghuai knew his guess was right, and continued, ¡°Now that the Sum Emperor has been in seclusion for a long time, he must have been seriously injured.¡± ¡°Now, if we join forces, we will be able to kill the Sum Emperor and seize the Immortal Boat from him. Then it would be easy to leave the Tianchen World.¡± Su Hanyan indifferently said, ¡°If you truly think the Sum Emperor is seriously injured, why not go directly to him? Why do you need to recruit me?¡± ¡°From the aura you¡¯ve displayed, you should have already broken through to the Myriad Laws Realm, haven¡¯t you? With your strength, are you still afraid of not being able to deal with an injured Sum Emperor?¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°Although I believe the Sum Emperor has been injured, no one knows what trump card the Sum Emperor holds. If I can pull in Sect Master Su, then even if the Sum Emperor really has some tricks up his sleeve, we should be able to handle them easily.¡± Hearing Li Xinghuai¡¯s words, Su Hanyan chuckled. Li Xinghuai was indeed playing a clever game. But speaking of which, if Li Xinghuai had approached her in the past, she might have actually agreed to cooperate with him, considering she also did not want to become that kind of vessel for Lu Chen. However, things were different now. She was very aware of Lu Chen¡¯s strength; if they really fought, Lu Chen¡¯s methods would surely suppress them easily. Of course, this was not the main reason, nor even a secondary reason. The true reason she would not betray Lu Chen was that she had fallen in love with him and could no longer leave him. Although she always felt that Lu Chen might be training her to be someone who would stand in crises, even with such thoughts, she could not leave Lu Chen, especially after not seeing him for a year. Her longing for Lu Chen had become incredibly intense, making her realize her feelings for him. Her feelings for Lu Chen were of both love and hatred, but even though she hated the terrible way Lu Chen acted, she could not possibly join forces with a demon cultivator to hurt Lu Chen. Of course, Su Hanyan did not plan to refuse Li Xinghuai right now, she then asked, ¡°Sect Leader Li must not only be trying to recruit me.¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°Naturally, half of Black Dragon County¡¯s forces have already chosen to cooperate with me.¡± ¡°The Immortal Boat of the Sum Emperor is big enough to accommodate all of us leaving the Tianchen World.¡± Su Hanyan continued to ask, ¡°When does Sect Leader Li plan to take action?¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°As long as Sect Master Su is willing to cooperate with me, we can attack Yan County this month.¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°Alright, I agree.¡± Seeing Su Hanyan agree, Li Xinghuai¡¯s lips curved slightly upward as he said with a smile, ¡°I knew Sect Master Su would not submit to others.¡± At that moment Su Hanyan said, ¡°However, I have one more condition.¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°Please speak, Sect Master Su.¡± Su Hanyan snorted coldly, ¡°The Sum Emperor has insulted me repeatedly, treating me as his tool for venting. I have long been desperate to tear him to pieces. Thus, the life of the Sum Emperor must be ended by me.¡± Li Xinghuai said, ¡°Alright, no problem.¡± ¡°Now that our cooperation has been agreed, I will take my leave. In three days, I will host a meeting at the Hundred Changes Sect, and Sect Master Su must attend.¡± As soon as Li Xinghuai finished speaking, his body once again transformed into a mass of black fog and left the bamboo house. After Li Xinghuai left, a look of disdain appeared on Su Hanyan¡¯s face, and she chuckled softly, ¡°Really foolish!¡± Just after Su Hanyan finished speaking, a familiar voice echoed behind her, ¡°Who¡¯s foolhardy?¡± Su Hanyan¡¯s body shivered, the voice was too familiar, but she had not heard it for a year. When Su Hanyan came back to her senses, she immediately turned around and indeed found Lu Chen half-lying on the soft couch in her bamboo house. Su Hanyan then asked, ¡°Did you hear everything?¡± Su Hanyan thought that Lu Chen had arrived earlier, so he must have heard her conversation with Li Xinghuai. At this moment, she was somewhat anxious, afraid that Lu Chen would take her words seriously and truly believe that she had allied with Li Xinghuai. Lu Chen asked with a smile, ¡°Hear what? I just arrived.¡± With that, Lu Chen glanced around the entire bamboo house and continued, ¡°The demonic qi in this bamboo house is quite heavy, it seems a major demon has just been here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only been in seclusion for a year, and Sect Master Su can¡¯t stand the loneliness, hooking up with a major demon. It truly chills my heart!¡± Su Hanyan hastily said, ¡°Your Majesty misunderstands, I¡­¡± Before Su Hanyan could finish, Lu Chen suddenly raised his hand, used his spiritual power to lift Su Hanyan¡¯s body, and directly pulled her into his embrace. Su Hanyan wanted to continue explaining something, but Lu Chen did not give her the chance. His expression fierce, he said, ¡°Sect Master Su, are you ready to receive your punishment?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I¡­mmm mmm mmm¡­¡± Before Su Hanyan could finish, her lips were sealed, followed by a ¡°ripping¡± sound inside the bamboo house. ¡°Umm!!!¡± Chapter 1028 - Chapter 1028: Chapter 718: Then well give them a surprise in three days Chapter 1028: Chapter 718: Then we¡¯ll give them a surprise in three days Lu Chen¡¯s movements were violently fierce, and Su Hanyan at one point thought he wanted to kill her this way. But Su Hanyan soon realized that the bastard Lu Chen wasn¡¯t actually angry, he was just looking for an excuse to abuse her. After what felt like an eternity, Lu Chen finally spoke to Su Hanyan, ¡°Sect Master Su, I didn¡¯t expect that after a year, your body would still be this delightful.¡± Su Hanyan snorted lightly and turned her head away, not saying a word. Seeing that Su Hanyan was a bit moody, Lu Chen didn¡¯t indulge her but instead increased his intensity, prompting Su Hanyan to hurriedly say, ¡°Your¡­ Your Majesty¡­ I was wrong¡­¡± Lu Chen then continued to ask, ¡°Who was it that came just now?¡± Su Hanyan answered, ¡°Hundred¡­ Hundred Changes Sect¡¯s¡­ ugh¡­ Li Xinghuai.¡± Lu Chen thought for a moment, continuing his actions as he spoke, ¡°I remember him, ugh¡­ when did he become a Demon Cultivator?¡± Su Hanyan said, ¡°It was¡­ about a year ago. After he returned from the¡­ the boundary line defense¡­ he¡­ he killed the Sect Leader of the Hundred Changes Sect and made himself¡­ the Sect Leader.¡± Lu Chen asked further, ¡°What is his Cultivation State now?¡± Su Hanyan replied, ¡°All Law Realm.¡± Lu Chen thought for a while, considering that to advance to the All Law Realm in such a short time implied that there was more to him than just turning into a Demon Cultivator. Putting it together, it seemed very likely that this Li Xinghuai was the one behind the current situation in Black Dragon County, although there were probably others behind Li Xinghuai. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Lu Chen looked at Su Hanyan and continued asking, ¡°What did he come to find you for?¡± Lu Chen was very confident about his woman. He naturally did not think that Su Hanyan had betrayed him. When he said those words earlier and pretended to be angry, it was just to add a bit of excitement. Su Hanyan answered, ¡°He thinks you¡¯ve been seriously injured and wants to¡­ to draw me over¡­ ah¡­ I¡­¡± At that point, Su Hanyan¡¯s eyes rolled up, and her hands gripped Lu Chen¡¯s arms tightly. After a moment, Su Hanyan caught her breath and continued, ¡°Ugh¡­ He plans to ally with the forces of Black Dragon County to attack Yan County, and then¡­ to snatch the Immortal Boat from you.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°No wonder you said he didn¡¯t know whether he was dead or alive. It turns out he truly doesn¡¯t.¡± Su Hanyan went on, ¡°In three¡­ three days, he is holding a meeting at the Hundred Changes Sect. The forces he has drawn¡­ ugh¡­ they will probably all attend.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Then let¡¯s give them a surprise in three days.¡± At that, Lu Chen bent down, kissed Su Hanyan¡¯s red lips, and busied himself with his own matters earnestly. Since Li Xinghuai had chosen rebellion, there was only one path left for him, but Lu Chen always had a feeling there were others behind Li Xinghuai. Li Xinghuai had become a Demon Cultivator after coming back from the boundary line defense, and Lu Chen vaguely sensed that it might be Demon Cultivators from the Ziyang World who had infiltrated. What exactly the situation was, he would know in three days. For the next three days, he helped Su Hanyan relieve her longing for him thoroughly. After these three days with Lu Chen, Su Hanyan reaffirmed that she indeed couldn¡¯t do without this fellow. Although this past year, her desires were low, since as a Cultivator she had strong self-control, she always felt something was missing during her cultivation, and her mind was often somewhere else. After being handled by Lu Chen like this, she felt a lot more spirited, and her mood wasn¡¯t as gloomy as before. But what irritated her immensely was that the bastard had used all kinds of methods to mold her ¡ª she felt she had really become some kind of vessel. Thinking how she had become like an animal, Su Hanyan felt an immense shame. She was a Cultivator, and yet, she had now become addicted to such matters. It was all Lu Chen¡¯s fault, that bastard. If not for him, she would still be a cold and lofty fairy. Three days later. At the Hundred Changes Sect. The Hundred Changes Sect was abuzz with activity today, with more than a dozen Flying Boats in the sky, almost half of the forces from Black Dragon County had arrived at the Hundred Changes Sect. They were ostensibly there to hold a conference of the young elite, to let the younger generation spar with one another. In truth, however, they were preparing to discuss how to attack the Daxia Dynasty and kill Lu Chen. In their hearts, they still harbored some fear of Lu Chen. Even though there were rumors that Lu Chen had been seriously injured and was currently in seclusion, they still felt Lu Chen had some tricks up his sleeve. A wounded tiger was still a tiger, and so, while many harbored their thoughts, they did not dare to overtly show them. But ever since Li Xinghuai had approached them, they realized that overturning the Daxia Dynasty might not be impossible. Li Xinghuai was now at the Third Layer of the Myriad Law Realm, fully capable of fighting the Sum Emperor head-on. Moreover, Li Xinghuai said that Su Hanyan was also likely to join them, which would mean two from the All Law Realm. Two from the All Law Realm should certainly be a match for the Sum Emperor, especially since the Sum Emperor was also rumored to have suffered a serious injury. Under Li Xinghuai¡¯s instigation, soon half the forces of Black Dragon County chose to follow the Hundred Changes Sect. At this moment, Li Xinghuai stood on the cultivation ground of the Hundred Changes Sect, his lips curving into a slight smile as he scanned the Flying Boats above. Just then, the Sect Leaders and Elders of various factions arrived before Li Xinghuai. ¡°Sect Leader Li, whether we can succeed rests entirely upon you.¡± ¡°Sect Leader Li, if this endeavor succeeds, we will elect you as the Hierarch of the Immortal Alliance.¡± ¡°Sect Leader Li, you mentioned personally inviting Sect Master Su. What was her response?¡± ¡­ Li Xinghuai was about to speak when a particularly luxurious Flying Boat appeared in the distant sky. Seeing the Flying Boat, those present were taken aback for a moment. That was the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boat! Li Xinghuai actually did invite Su Hanyan to come! That meant they were set this time. With two All Law Realm powerhouses, they would certainly be able to break through Yan County. At this very moment. In Su Hanyan¡¯s room on the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boat. Lu Chen¡¯s demonic hand grasped Su Hanyan¡¯s waist, busily helping Su Hanyan relieve her longing. Su Hanyan was fuming with irritation; they were about to reach the Hundred Changes Sect, and yet Lu Chen wasn¡¯t wasting even this brief moment of time. Well, whatever. Who asked for that man to be her own. At that moment, a female Disciple¡¯s voice rang out at Su Hanyan¡¯s door, ¡°Sect Master, we have arrived.¡± The female Disciple, hearing the noises from within the room, blushed crimson. Although everyone in the Misty Immortal Sect had long known about the relationship between Lu Chen and their Sect Master, it was still their first time encountering Lu Chen brazenly taking liberties with their Sect Master aboard the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boat. Their Sect Master had already reached the All Law Realm, and yet, in the presence of the Sum Emperor, she still couldn¡¯t control herself, acting like a wanton person. Upon hearing the female disciple¡¯s words, Su Hanyan turned her head to look at Lu Chen, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ we should focus on the important matters¡­¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Hmm¡­ Indeed, we¡¯ll continue after the matters are dealt with.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan glared at Lu Chen, cursing him inwardly. Damned man! Lu Chen, unconcerned with Su Hanyan¡¯s gaze, had the Maid tidy him up, then used the Yin Yang Mirror to change his appearance. Meanwhile, the Sect Leaders and Elders from the Hundred Changes Sect were still excitedly watching the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boat. Before long, Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Flying Boat had flown above the Hundred Changes Sect. Chapter 1030 - Chapter 1030: Chapter 720: I Didnt Expect You to Come to Me! Chapter 1030: Chapter 720: I Didn¡¯t Expect You to Come to Me! As Li Xinghuai¡¯s words ceased, the Demonic Qi surged towards Lu Chen, seemingly intent on killing him. However, Lu Chen showed no fear on his face. He sat quietly in his place, waiting for Li Xinghuai¡¯s Demonic Qi to arrive. Just when everyone from the other sects thought Lu Chen was doomed, Li Xinghuai¡¯s Demonic Qi seemed to encounter some sort of obstruction, unable to get closer to Lu Chen. This¡­ Seeing his Demonic Qi halting in front of Lu Chen, Li Xinghuai was entirely dumbfounded. What¡¯s going on? Why can¡¯t my Demonic Qi harm this person? Everyone present also froze, for it was clear Li Xinghuai had just attempted to kill, he wouldn¡¯t have held back. Now, with the Demonic Qi lingering in front of the man, it was obvious that he had utilized some method to block it. Does the Misty Immortal Sect actually have someone who can resist the erosion of Demonic Qi? At this moment, Li Xinghuai felt increasingly dismayed, and the sense of crisis in his heart grew stronger. With a dark face, he demanded, ¡°Who are you!¡± Instead of answering Li Xinghuai¡¯s question, Lu Chen fired back, ¡°Sect Master Su, you haven¡¯t yet told me where your Heavenly Demon Power comes from, as the Tianchen World certainly doesn¡¯t have any Heavenly Demons. You¡¯re not bluffing, are you?¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s disbelief, Li Xinghuai sneered and said, ¡°This seat has never claimed that the Heavenly Demon Power within me comes from the Tianchen World.¡± Lu Chen then said indifferently, ¡°If it¡¯s not from the Tianchen World, then it must be from the neighboring Ziyang World. I didn¡¯t expect Sect Leader Li to be in cahoots with the enemies of the Ziyang World.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Upon hearing this, Li Xinghuai¡¯s heart quivered. Then, he said coldly, ¡°Who on earth are you!¡± While he spoke, the Demonic Qi around Li Xinghuai surged, the pressure making even the cultivators present find it difficult to breathe. Seeing Li Xinghuai¡¯s strong reaction, Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue with the pretense. The reaction all but confirmed that Li Xinghuai¡¯s Demonic Qi came from the Ziyang World. Since it was confirmed that the Heavenly Demon existed in the Ziyang World, Li Xinghuai was of no further use. Lu Chen then manipulated the Yin Yang Mirror, reverting to his original appearance. As Lu Chen¡¯s visage was revealed, the people present were shocked. ¡°The Sum Emperor! It¡¯s the Sum Emperor!¡± ¡°This is bad, we¡¯ve been tricked!¡± ¡°The Sum Emperor has appeared here!¡± ¡­ Seeing it was Lu Chen, Li Xinghuai first paused, then burst into laughter, ¡°I had wanted to keep you for a while longer, but I didn¡¯t expect you to come to me so willingly!¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°Do you really think that with the support of the Heavenly Demon behind you, you are a match for me, Li Sect Leader?¡± Li Xinghuai snorted and retorted, ¡°Whether I am your match or not, we¡¯ll know once we fight.¡± As he spoke, Li Xinghuai immediately set his Demonic Qi in motion, attacking Lu Chen. Lu Chen, not wanting to waste any more time, directly took out the Demon-Expelling Banner. As the Demon-Expelling Banner appeared, the Demonic Qi in the entire hall was instantly cleansed. When the golden light of the Demon-Expelling Banner shone upon Li Xinghuai, he immediately felt an excruciating pain in his body. Li Xinghuai finally understood why Lu Chen dared to confront him directly; Lu Chen possessed an artifact that could restrain Demonic Qi. Thereupon, Li Xinghuai addressed everyone present, ¡°The Sum Emperor is here. Let¡¯s join forces and subdue him!¡± As the words of Li Xinghuai fell, Su Hanyan and the elders of the Misty Immortal Sect immediately stood up, and then Su Hanyan directly lunged at the sect leaders and elders present. Su Hanyan said expressionlessly, ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ve let you down. I am the woman of the Sum Emperor; it is impossible for me to betray him.¡± Upon hearing this, the expressions of everyone present drastically changed. The Sum Emperor himself possessed the strength of the All Law Realm, and now there was Su Hanyan, another powerhouse of the All Law Realm. Adding to that, Li Xinghuai was suppressed by the Sum Emperor, they now had no chance of victory whatsoever. In an instant, those present immediately chose to flee. Su Hanyan had no intention of giving them a chance to escape, and promptly used Phantom Mist Shadow. In a moment, the entire hall was enveloped in purple mist. Then Su Hanyan began the slaughter, and soon many of the cultivators in the hall were dead. Seeing this, Li Xinghuai immediately tapped into the Heavenly Demon Power and coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe you can fully resist the Heavenly Demon Power!¡± As he spoke, a pair of black misty hands emerged behind Li Xinghuai, reaching straight for Lu Chen, who immediately activated the Demon Burying Spell and once again urged the Demon-Expelling Banner. The Demon-Expelling Banner instantly shone with a brilliant golden light, and the hands formed by the gathering of the Heavenly Demon Power were shattered by the light. Seeing this scene, Li Xinghuai¡¯s face showed a terrified expression. ¡°No¡­ Impossible¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the Heavenly Demon Power!!!¡± ¡°How could any cultivator fully withstand the Heavenly Demon Power!!!¡± The Heavenly Demon was the bane of all cultivators; faced with the Heavenly Demon, most cultivators could only flee, even when facing a weak Heavenly Demon. At best, they could only seal it with some formations. Li Xinghuai had thought that by siding with the Heavenly Demon and possessing its power, no cultivator in the Tianchen World would be his match. He didn¡¯t expect that the Sum Emperor could counter the Heavenly Demon Power. Isn¡¯t Demonic Qi supposed to suppress Spiritual Power? Aren¡¯t cultivators just food for the Heavenly Demon? Why does the Heavenly Demon Power on him have no effect on Lu Chen? Even if Lu Chen had treasures that could resist Demonic Qi, he shouldn¡¯t be able to completely withstand the Heavenly Demon Power! Realizing he might not survive, Li Xinghuai once again summoned the Heavenly Demon Power within him, then yelled, ¡°Great Heavenly Demon, save me!!!¡± As Li Xinghuai¡¯s words fell, a stream of black Qi suddenly descended from the sky, piercing through the roof of the hall and pouring into Li Xinghuai. Lu Chen did not stop his attack because of the black Qi; he again urged the Demon-Expelling Banner, then took out the Slayer Spear from his system space, and with a Shadow Shifting move, arrived behind Li Xinghuai. Li Xinghuai hastily turned around and struck out with his palm, but the Demonic Qi he emitted dissipated before it could even touch Lu Chen. Lu Chen thrust forward with his spear, piercing through Li Xinghuai¡¯s body instantaneously. The Demonic Qi gushed out of Li Xinghuai¡¯s chest as if finding an outlet for floodwaters. The Qi, as if conscious, directly flew towards the sky, as if trying to escape. Seeing this, Lu Chen chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve come all this way, thinking you can run?¡± Next, Lu Chen once again activated the Demon-Expelling Banner, which released countless purple light waves. As these light waves touched the black Demonic Qi, the Qi evaporated as if being purified, disappearing in a very short time. Lu Chen withdrew the Slayer Spear from Li Xinghuai¡¯s body, as Li Xinghuai¡¯s eyes widened and his body fell to the ground, unwilling in death. At that time, the elders of the various Sect forces began crying out to surrender, but Lu Chen did not grant them this opportunity. Since he was making an example of them, he couldn¡¯t show mercy. If every time he secluded himself, some would rebel, that would be truly bothersome. To achieve a deterrent effect, none of those who intended to rebel could be spared. Soon, those forces that intended to rebel were completely eradicated by Lu Chen and Su Hanyan. However, the matter wasn¡¯t over just yet. The ones dealt with now were only the leaders and elders, merely the upper echelon of those factions. Lu Chen then ordered the Ten Thousand Immortal Sect to wipe out all the forces involved in the rebellion. Chapter 1031 - Chapter 1031: Chapter 721 Ji Qiuyu Chapter 1031: Chapter 721 Ji Qiuyu News of Black Dragon County being obliterated by half its forces swiftly spread throughout the entire county. Upon hearing that Li Xinghuai and those who had tried to rebel were annihilated by the Sum Emperor, the remaining sect cultivators felt immensely relieved. Relieved that they had not heeded the rumors and truly believed the news of the Sum Emperor¡¯s severe injuries; even more relieved that they had not accepted Li Xinghuai¡¯s invitation to join the rebellion. The cultivators now suspected the Sum Emperor had intentionally secluded himself, then had someone spread news of his injury, all to root out those restless forces. After dealing with the rebellious forces, the remaining forces became extremely compliant. Lu Chen¡¯s prestige once again reached new heights, and more cultivators chose to join the army of the Daxia Dynasty. Once everything had settled, Lu Chen once again arrived at the intersection of Tianchen World and Ziyang World. Now that the Saint-level Puppetry had been cultivated to the second level, he was able to control puppets to travel further, hopefully without any restrictions on the puppet¡¯s range. Arriving at the shattered spatial rift, Lu Chen immediately sent his puppet into Ziyang World. Entering Ziyang World, the puppet appeared in the same place as last time. Lu Chen then used the puppet to survey the surroundings. This time, the puppet¡¯s exploration capabilities had substantially improved, and Lu Chen instantly detected the presence of Demonic Qi through the puppet, which was exceptionally dense. Beneath that great mountain in Ziyang World, it was highly probable that a Heavenly Demon was sealed. Of course, all this was speculation for now. Only by entering that world himself could he determine if it truly was a Heavenly Demon, or perhaps a great demon that had been assimilated by a Heavenly Demon. Regardless of whether it was a Heavenly Demon or a Demon Cultivator, this situation could somewhat benefit Tianchen World, as the people of Ziyang World dared not easily enter that great mountain. Thus, they couldn¡¯t come through the rift to this world. However, the thing sealed beneath the mountain might occasionally release some Demonic Qi into Tianchen World, turning some Tianchen cultivators into Demon Cultivators. This needed to be watched closely. After reflecting for a moment, Lu Chen controlled his puppet to fly towards the other side of the mountain. Meanwhile, deep beneath the mountain, there was a vast palace. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Within the depths of the palace, a pair of crimson eyes suddenly appeared within a cloud of black mist. Feeling the object flying overhead, the Heavenly Demon burst into laughter, ¡°A thousand years have passed, and finally, food has been delivered to my door; I can finally feast.¡± With those words, the Heavenly Demon immediately released Demonic Qi, attempting to pull down the object flying above the area of the Sealing. However, as his Demonic Qi touched the puppet in the sky, it simply dissipated on its own, utterly unable to catch the object. The Heavenly Demon was momentarily stunned. What was going on? Why couldn¡¯t he catch it? From his observations, the object in the sky was clearly a cultivator. Normally, any cultivator touched by his Demonic Qi would be corrupted by it, without him exerting any force, and the cultivator¡¯s body would fall. Yet now, not only did the cultivator not fall, but he continued flying towards the outer periphery of the Sealing Grounds as if nothing had happened. This was unacceptable. Considering the human cultivator¡¯s flying speed, it wouldn¡¯t be long before he flew out of the Sealing Grounds. The Heavenly Demon released his Demonic Qi again, this time using even more in an attempt to bring Lu Chen¡¯s puppet down from the sky. However, the result was the same as before, achieving nothing; that ¡°human cultivator¡± continued to fly towards the distance. At that moment, Lu Chen in Tianchen World also perceived the approach of a vast amount of Demonic Qi through his puppet. Lu Chen then glanced through the puppet¡¯s vision at the mountain below. At that moment, a lot of black Qi emerged from the forest of the mountain, clearly the power of the Heavenly Demon, forming hands like those of humans, attempting to pull down the puppet. Seeing this, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved slightly upwards. It seemed that the thing sealed beneath the mountain thought the object flying above was a cultivator, hence trying to pull it down. Unfortunately, the puppet also inherited half the power of the Demon Burying Spell. Even without the Demon-Expelling Banner, just relying on the Demon Burying Spell alone, those streams of Demonic Qi couldn¡¯t approach his puppet. Lu Chen disregarded the demonic Qi-formed hands and continued flying out of the sealing grounds. Seeing that the cultivator in the sky had not been affected at all, the Heavenly Demon became extremely agitated. ¡°Why!!!¡± ¡°Why can my demonic Qi not affect that human cultivator!!!¡± After the Heavenly Demon became agitated, the entire mountain also began to shake, affecting the humans outside the sealing grounds. Soon, Lu Chen flew out of the sealing grounds. Outside the sealing grounds was a human city. This city was not large, but its walls were built along the mountain, much like the Great Wall on Earth. Clearly, the people of the Ziyang World were aware of the existence of demonic-related things inside the sealing grounds, hence the defensive wall was constructed. To avoid arousing the suspicions of the cultivators of this world, Lu Chen descended from the sky to the ground and walked towards the city. As he approached the entrance of the city, a woman suddenly appeared before Lu Chen, blocking his way. The woman was dressed in a pink cloud gown, her figure graceful, like a delicate flower swaying gently in the breeze. Her features were as lovely as the moon, her brows and eyes exuding a cold aura, like the ice and snow on the mountain¡ªpure and inviolable. Her hair fell like a waterfall, shining black, each strand seeming to contain the vitality of life. Her eyes were deep and bright, like the most dazzling stars in the night sky, shimmering with the light of wisdom. Her lips were red and rosy, slightly upturned, full of allure. Her skin was pale as snow, smooth and delicate, as if nature¡¯s most perfect masterpiece. At that moment, ¡°Puppet Lu Chen¡± glanced at the Spirit Sword in the woman¡¯s hand. Evidently, this woman was a cultivator. Subsequently, Lu Chen used his system to identify the woman¡¯s identity. [Name: Ji Qiuyu] [Identity: City Lord of Black Moon City in the Great Chu Dynasty of the Ziyang World, 900 years old, Genesis Realm in strength, she is very curious about your identity, wanting to know why you dare to come to Black Moon City at this time.] [Score: 96] [Favorability: 30] Without expression, Ji Qiuyu asked, ¡°Who are you?¡± Lu Chen calmly replied, ¡°A man.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu gave Lu Chen a speechless look, thinking that was a dumb statement. Since Lu Chen did not understand the situation in this world and feared exposing his identity, he said, ¡°I felt that the demonic Qi in the depths of the mountain was getting denser, so I came to see how things were here.¡± ¡°If the situation here looks bleak, I might consider whether it¡¯s time to leave the Great Chu Dynasty.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu thought to herself, so he came to scout the status of the sealing grounds. Then Ji Qiuyu scoffed and said, ¡°Another one who fears death.¡± Chapter 1032 - Chapter 1032: Chapter 722 Hope You Wont Regret Tonight Chapter 1032: Chapter 722 Hope You Won¡¯t Regret Tonight Nowadays, the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone has become increasingly unstable, and the internal divisions within the Great Chu Dynasty are quite severe. Each faction is reluctant to send their people to defend Black Moon City. As the City Lord of Black Moon City, Ji Qiuyu felt immense pressure. If the Demonic Tide continued to expand, the number of demon cultivators might increase, and the entire Great Chu might eventually become a granary for the Heavenly Demons. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Ji Qiuyu immediately labeled him a coward. Initially, she thought this man knew about the Demonic Tide tonight and had specially come to help Black Moon City fend it off. She had been somewhat pleased, but now she had no good feelings about the man in front of her. Ji Qiuyu then turned around and headed towards the city gate, saying as she walked, ¡°Tonight there will be a Demonic Tide. Spineless as you are, just scram.¡± Hearing the words ¡°Demonic Tide,¡± Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°What is the Demonic Tide?¡± This¡­ This question from Lu Chen stunned Ji Qiuyu; she turned her head to face him with a look of disbelief. Was there actually someone in this era who didn¡¯t know what a Demonic Tide was? Ji Qiuyu then asked, ¡°You don¡¯t even know what a Demonic Tide is?¡± Probably no one in the Ziyang World doesn¡¯t know about the Demonic Tide, right? Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°I¡¯ve spent most of my time in seclusion, and several decades ago, I suffered a cultivation deviation which injured my Divine Soul and made me lose much of my memory, so I¡¯ve forgotten quite a lot.¡± Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t overly doubt Lu Chen¡¯s words; indeed, it¡¯s true that cultivators can lose their memory due to cultivation deviations. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã¦Ï Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°Every once in a while, the demons from the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone leave and invade human cities. That is what we call the Demonic Tide.¡± Having explained the Demonic Tide, Ji Qiuyu turned back and continued towards the city gate. Lu Chen quickly followed her and then continued asking, ¡°Are there still demons inside the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone?¡± Lu Chen had just come from the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone and hadn¡¯t sensed any demons there, so he was curious about where these demons came from. Ji Qiuyu said impatiently, ¡°If there are no demons inside the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone, where else would they be?¡± Lu Chen continued to inquire, ¡°What about the strength of these demons?¡± Ji Qiuyu, visibly displeased, said, ¡°If you want to know the strength of those demons, why not just stay tonight and see for yourself?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay tonight and see.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen wanted to stay, Ji Qiuyu was taken aback for a moment; she turned her head to size him up again, and through her senses, she deduced that this man had at least the power of the Creation Realm. If this man could stay and help her fend off the Demonic Tide, then tonight she might be in for an easier time. Ji Qiuyu then asked, ¡°Are you sure you want to stay? Today the demonic qi in the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone surged again, making tonight¡¯s Demonic Tide potentially much larger than usual.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll stay to see how things go.¡± Ji Qiuyu turned again and headed back into the city, saying as she walked, ¡°I hope you won¡¯t regret this tonight.¡± After all, she had warned this man. If he insisted on staying, whatever happened would not be her responsibility. The puppet Lu Chen also followed Ji Qiuyu into Black Moon City. Inside Black Moon City, the atmosphere was incredibly bleak; there were very few people on the streets, and most of them were cultivators, though their powers were mostly around the Celestial Human Realm level. The Ziyang World, being a Cultivation World, surprisingly allowing a Creation Realm Cultivator to be the City Lord indicated that the powers of cultivators in this world were indeed not that formidable. After entering the city, a group of soldiers from the Great Chu Dynasty approached Ji Qiuyu. ¡°City Lord, all preparations are complete.¡± Ji Qiuyu nodded and said, ¡°Immediately report the surge of demonic qi in the Demon Sealing Forbidden Zone to His Majesty and ask His Majesty to send more people.¡± ¡°Yes, City Lord.¡± After the soldiers left, Ji Qiuyu continued towards the inner city and quickly realized something was off. It seemed wherever she went, that man followed. She turned to look at Lu Chen, ¡°Why are you following me?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with Black Moon City, who else would I follow?¡± ??? Ji Qiuyu felt utterly speechless. Where did this man come from, and why did he always seem a bit off? She wasn¡¯t anyone to him, so why follow her? Moreover, whether he was familiar with Black Moon City had nothing to do with her. She was the City Lord of Black Moon City and didn¡¯t have the time to show this guy around. At that moment, Ji Qiuyu realized something. This guy had mentioned he suffered from cultivation deviation, resulting in some memory loss. This made her think he might have suffered some damage to his divine soul, which could explain his odd behavior. With this in mind, Ji Qiuyu softened her approach a bit and said, ¡°I am the City Lord of Black Moon City and don¡¯t have time to wander around with you. If you¡¯re not familiar with the city, find someone from Black Moon City to guide you.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯m not wandering around; I¡¯ll go wherever you go.¡± Ji Qiuyu frowned slightly. Why did she suddenly feel like this man had ulterior motives and was trying to take advantage of her? Just as Ji Qiuyu was about to warn Lu Chen, he spoke first, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed the cultivators in Black Moon City don¡¯t seem very strong. I possess the strength of the third level of the Creation Realm, which should be of great help to you.¡± Ji Qiuyu thought for a moment and then said, ¡°If you want to follow, then follow.¡± Ji Qiuyu couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue arguing with Lu Chen and went straight back to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. When the servants at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion saw their city lord returning with a man, they were all shocked. Everyone in Black Moon City knew their city lord was a woman who stayed away from men, and yet here she was, bringing a man with her. After Ji Qiuyu returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion with Lu Chen, she told the housekeeper, ¡°Prepare a room for him and have the kitchen make him some food.¡± Ji Qiuyu thought it over; since this man intended to help her tonight, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to treat him well. The Great Chu Dynasty might not send anyone tonight, and having an extra person would make resisting the Demonic Tide much easier later. Under the guidance of the mansion¡¯s housekeeper, the puppet Lu Chen was led to a bedroom. Once inside the bedroom, the real Lu Chen stopped controlling the puppet. Having followed Ji Qiuyu and watched her every move, the real Lu Chen felt somewhat aroused. Lu Chen planned to leave the fracture in the realm barrier and return to Yan County to see if he could still control the puppet. If he could still control the puppet after returning to Yan County, he could practice with his wives and concubines while simultaneously controlling the puppet to explore the Ziyang World. With this in mind, Lu Chen stored away the Feihong Immortal Boat, then used Shadow Shifting and instantly returned to Yancheng Imperial Palace, arriving in Chu Qingli¡¯s room. Chu Qingli was meditating on a soft couch when suddenly her body tilted toward the edge of the bed. Before she could react, Lu Chen kissed her. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Chu Qingli opened her eyes and saw it was Lu Chen, then immediately shot him a glare. The next moment, she heard a ripping sound, followed by Lu Chen¡¯s body sinking down. Chapter 1033 - Chapter 1033: Chapter 723: Turns Out Hes Just a Loose Cultivator Chapter 1033: Chapter 723: Turns Out He¡¯s Just a Loose Cultivator As Lu Chen severely injured Chu Qingli, he simultaneously attempted to control the puppets of the Ziyang World. The movement of the puppets was not greatly affected, although as the distance increased, their strength seemed to diminish slightly. Chu Qingli clearly felt that Lu Chen was not fully focused; he would act sporadically, stirring things up before pausing, ostensibly lost in thought. It was obvious that he had approached her with intentions to be intimate, but even then, he had not been earnest, his mind wandering to other matters while they were supposed to be serious; this left Chu Qingli quite dissatisfied. Then, Chu Qingli activated her Mysterious Female Technique. Just as Lu Chen was distracted, she felt a surge of oppressive force, and he immediately snapped back to reality, looking down intently at Chu Qingli¡¯s delicate face. Seeing the resentment in her eyes, Lu Chen gave a slight smile and then focused his attention on Chu Qingli. Before long, Chu Qingli began begging for mercy. Although she had not wanted Lu Chen to divert his attention elsewhere, as soon as he concentrated, she immediately couldn¡¯t handle it. Soon, evening approached in the Ziyang World. After sensing a surge in the Demonic Qi from the sealed area, Lu Chen¡¯s physical self stopped what he was doing and didn¡¯t continue. Lu Chen turned over while holding Chu Qingli, letting her rest on his chest, then said, ¡°I have something to attend to, if you still want more, you can come to me.¡± Hearing this, Chu Qingli snorted lightly. What nonsense! Her mind was still in a complete haze. Chu Qingli then lifted her arm and embraced Lu Chen¡¯s robust waist, quietly lying on his chest without moving. This was quite nice too, maintaining that close contact allowed them to feel each other without overwhelming sensations. However, Chu Qingli was curious. Lu Chen said he had something to do; what could that be? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.?¦Ï If he had something to do, what was he still doing here? He had already been absent-minded. Although curious, Chu Qingli did not ask further. Simply being one with him like this was quite nice. Meanwhile. In Ziyang World, Black Moon City. Lu Chen¡¯s puppet had still not left the room when a maid stepped up to the door and said, ¡°Sir, the Demonic Tide is approaching, the City Lord asks you to come to the city tower.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen responded immediately, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way.¡± Then, Lu Chen controlled the puppet to head towards the city tower of Black Moon City. When Lu Chen arrived next to Ji Qiuyu, he saw a man in golden armor standing by her side, displaying a sycophantic smile. ¡°Qiuyu, I heard there was trouble at the sealed demon area, so I brought people over immediately. Don¡¯t worry, with me here, there won¡¯t be any problems.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen glanced again at Ji Qiuyu¡¯s expression and saw her look of impatience, instantly grasping the situation. It seemed this man was one of Ji Qiuyu¡¯s suitors. Then, Lu Chen approached Ji Qiuyu and said, ¡°Lord Ji, I¡¯m here.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Bai Wenbin, looking displeased, said, ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m discussing how to handle the Demonic Tide with Lord Ji? What are you interrupting for!¡± As he finished speaking, Bai Wenbin turned and glared at Lu Chen, but when he sensed the aura emanating from Lu Chen, he furrowed his brow. He realized this person also possessed the strength of the Creation Realm. He had thought it was some tactless soldier interrupting them, only to discover it was actually a Creation Realm Cultivator. This realization instantly unsettled Bai Wenbin. The most important thing was that he had apparently never seen this man before? Bai Wenbin asked with a dark expression, ¡°Who are you?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My name is Lu Chen, and I am a Loose Cultivator who came to Black Moon City to investigate the situation at the Sealed Demon Grounds.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Bai Wenbin sighed with relief, realizing it was just a Loose Cultivator, so there was nothing to fear. Just a mere Loose Cultivator, not even capable of competing with him for a woman. After all, he was a General of the Great Chu Dynasty, commanding over a hundred thousand soldiers in Qinshui County. At that moment, Ji Qiuyu turned around, glanced at Lu Chen, and then said, ¡°Fellow Daoist Lu, I trouble you for tonight.¡± Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words, Bai Wenbin immediately became unhappy; he had brought tens of thousands of troops to help Black Moon City withstand the Demonic Tide, yet Ji Qiuyu was indifferent toward him, but now she was thanking a Loose Cultivator. Bai Wenbin then said, ¡°Qiuyu, he¡¯s just a Loose Cultivator, what role can he possibly play?¡± Ji Qiuyu replied indifferently, ¡°One more Creation Realm adds one more strength.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to conduct a patrol.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Qiuyu flew away, leaving Bai Wenbin and Lu Chen standing there, with Bai Wenbin looking at Lu Chen with a look full of disdain. However, he didn¡¯t say much to Lu Chen since he didn¡¯t see any ill intentions from Lu Chen, nor did he regard this Loose Cultivator as a competitor; it was just that he had been disturbed by Lu Chen just now, and he harbored a strong resentment towards him. Bai Wenbin snorted coldly and then immediately followed Ji Qiuyu. Seeing Bai Wenbin following behind Ji Qiuyu, Lu Chen chuckled. Ji Qiuyu was the first woman he had met in the Ziyang World with a score over ninety; she was destined to be his woman, and no amount of fawning from Bai Wenbin would help. However, his true form was still in Tianchen World, so turning Ji Qiuyu into his woman would take some time. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head toward the Sealed Demon Grounds; the Demon Qi soared into the sky, and within the forest, black figures were slowly moving towards Black Moon City. Lu Chen carefully investigated and discovered that those black figures were various animals, leading him to wonder if the lack of living creatures in the mountain was because these animals had been demonized? Demonic creatures causing the surge, so it¡¯s called a Demonic Tide, right? Lu Chen noticed that the soldiers¡¯ weapons seemed unusual, all black in color, with black arrowheads that seemed to emit black Qi. Lu Chen then asked a soldier, ¡°Young man, what material are your weapons made of?¡± The soldier looked puzzled, not understanding why someone wouldn¡¯t know what material these weapons were made of, but he answered honestly, ¡°Sir, our weapons are made from black gold.¡± Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Black gold? What is it used for?¡± The soldier answered, ¡°Black gold can suppress Demonic Qi, like this¡­¡± Before the soldier could finish, Lu Chen interrupted, ¡°Oh, I see, I understand now.¡± Speaking of suppressing Demonic Qi, Lu Chen understood what it was about; he then took an arrow from the soldier¡¯s quiver and closely examined the black gold material on the arrowhead. Such a material didn¡¯t exist in Tianchen World. When the two worlds merged, he would definitely arrange for the Daxia Army to also be equipped with weapons made from this black gold metal, like adding black gold fragments to bombs or bullets so that when encountering Demon Cultivators, the Daxia Army needn¡¯t fear. As Lu Chen was thinking about the black gold material, a loud drum sound suddenly erupted from the city walls. The commanding officer then shouted loudly, ¡°The Demonic Tide has arrived! Prepare for attack!¡± Chapter 1034 - Chapter 1034: Chapter 724: Crisis in Black Moon City Chapter 1034: Chapter 724: Crisis in Black Moon City The commanding officer had barely finished speaking when those animals radiating Demonic Qi went mad, charging toward the city walls. Then the soldiers atop the walls continuously drew bows and shot arrows, and the next instant, a rain of arrows showered down upon the demonic creatures. As the arrows made of black gold made contact with the bodies of the beasts, they immediately drove away the Demonic Qi. The moment the creatures were struck by the arrows, they vanished on the spot, leaving only their Demon Cores behind. Witnessing this scene, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised. These black gold arrows were this effective? They could easily kill the demonic creatures. He wondered if they would have the same effect against Demon Cultivators. Under the barrage of arrows produced by Black Moon City, the first Demonic Tide was quickly held back, but things were far from over. The Demonic Qi within the sealed demon lands was getting denser and denser. Clearly, a much larger Demonic Tide was gathering. At this time, Ji Qiuyu, accompanied by Bai Wenbin, returned to Lu Chen¡¯s side. Lu Chen spoke up, ¡°Lord Ji, I don¡¯t have a weapon forged from black gold. Could I borrow a black gold sword?¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Wenbin let out a cold snort and said, ¡°A Loose Cultivator is indeed a Loose Cultivator, so poor that you can¡¯t even afford a Black Gold Sword.¡± Without hesitation, Ji Qiuyu tossed a sword from a nearby soldier to Lu Chen. Catching the sword, Lu Chen said, ¡°Thank you, Lord Ji.¡± As the words fell, Lu Chen drew the sword and seriously sensed the state of the Black Gold Sword. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï At that moment, he suddenly realized that the dark aura emitting from the Black Gold Sword seemed to be that of Heavenly Demon Power. After he had taken the Black Gold Sword, the Demon Burying Spell within him started running on its own, and the dark aura on the sword also began to dissipate quickly. This¡­ Lu Chen appeared to understand something. Was it possible that this so-called black gold, which could kill demons, was manufactured from the demons themselves? However, on the other hand, why didn¡¯t the Heavenly Demon Power emitting from these black gold items become nourishment for those demonic creatures, making them stronger, instead of becoming a weapon that could kill them? While Lu Chen was puzzled, the system alert sounded. ¡°Heavenly Demons and the bodies of demonic creatures both contain two kinds of power: one is the power of demons, and the other is the power to seal demons.¡± ¡°If there is only the power of demons without the power to seal demons in check, Heavenly Demons and demonic creatures will completely fall and become senseless Fallen Demons.¡± ¡°The substance on black gold is not Demonic Qi, nor is it Heavenly Demon Power, but the power to seal demons. When some powerful Heavenly Demons fall, the sealing power within their bodies will solidify into black gold.¡± Hearing the explanation from the system prompt, Lu Chen instantly reacted. So that was the story. It¡¯s much like how the human body has oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes; you can rely on oncogenes to proliferate cells, but you can¡¯t let oncogenes grow unchecked. At that point, you need tumor suppressor genes to impose limits. The power to seal demons was similar to tumor suppressor genes, restricting the demon power from crazily increasing in Heavenly Demons and demonic creatures, ensuring a balance within their bodies. Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but remark inwardly at how elaborate the bodies of demons were. At this very moment, the Demonic Qi above the sealed demon lands grew denser, but the second wave of the Demonic Tide had yet to arrive, which felt very unsettling to Ji Qiuyu. She would naturally be pleased if the Demonic Tide ceased, but the current situation seemed more like the calm before a storm. With such dense Demonic Qi accumulating above the sealed demon lands, there was no telling how many demonic creatures had gathered below. If those creatures swarmed in, Black Moon City might not be able to hold. For a moment, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s face was riddled with anxiety. Gradually, the sun had fully set, and the sky grew darker, but those demon creatures still had not emerged from the sealing ground. At that time, a full moon slowly rose from the horizon, but the surging Demonic Qi covered most of the moon, revealing only a ring of light¡ªmaking it appear like a black moon, which was the origin of Black Moon City¡¯s name. Ji Qiuyu¡¯s expression grew uglier with each passing moment, as the demon creatures had not come out for so long. No one knew how large the second wave of the Demonic Tide would be. At this point, everyone was on edge, even Bai Wenbin shifted his attention from Ji Qiuyu to the sealing ground. He had initially thought that even if there were disturbances in the sealing ground, it would not cause a significant Demonic Tide. After all, there had been previous outbursts of Demonic Qi in the sealing ground, but those hadn¡¯t amounted to much. His presence there was simply to take advantage of the situation to get closer to Ji Qiuyu and cultivate a relationship with her. However, considering the current situation, it seemed the disturbance in the sealing ground was no ordinary event¡ªtrue trouble was afoot. Just when everyone was holding their breath awaiting the emergence of the demon creatures from the sealing ground, suddenly, a giant shadow flew out from within. The soldiers immediately descended into chaos. ¡°Flying demon! It¡¯s a flying demon!¡± ¡°Everyone, be careful!¡± ¡°Quick¡­ use the Demon-Slaying Arrow!¡± ¡­ After hearing the soldiers¡¯ words, Lu Chen then noticed weapons similar to siege crossbows on the city wall. While they resembled siege crossbows, the giant arrows were made of black gold. Clearly, these so-called Demon-Slaying Arrows were designed to deal with such large demon creatures. The soldiers hurriedly aimed the siege crossbows at the flying demon in the sky, but before they could launch the arrows, the airborne demon suddenly shot out countless black feathers, each as sharp as an arrow. In an instant, numerous soldiers on the city wall were pierced through by the black feathers. The soldiers defending the city were all cultivators of the Heavenly Human Realm, whose strength would be considered quite good in the Tianchen World. But in this world, they were no different from ordinary people. Watching one soldier after another fall, Ji Qiuyu couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She leapt into the air, ready to personally slay the flying demon. At that moment, the ground began to shake, and in the next instant, a wave of demon creatures surged out of the sealing ground like a tide. The soldiers on the city wall frantically began firing arrows, but this time there were simply too many demon creatures, and their strength seemed to have increased. While the first wave of creatures would die upon contact with the black gold arrows, it took several arrows to kill the creatures of this wave. The faces of the soldiers turned deathly pale; this scene was new to them. Although they had seen large-scale Demonic Tides before, they had never encountered a scene of fierce beasts charging at the city wall, piling upon one another. Black Moon City¡¯s walls were high enough, but they were utterly defenseless in the face of such a massive Demonic Tide. Soon enough, some demon creatures climbed up the city walls by stepping on the bodies of others. The soldiers had no choice but to engage in close combat with the demon creatures with their swords. Ji Qiuyu bit her silver teeth, channeled her Sword Qi, and swiftly slew the flying demon in the sky, before returning to the city wall to help the soldiers defend against the onslaught. Seeing this scene, Bai Wenbin became utterly blank, not having expected such a multitude of demon creatures to assail them. Chapter 1035 - Chapter 1035: Chapter 725: Lu Chen Makes a Move Chapter 1035: Chapter 725: Lu Chen Makes a Move Bai Wenbin gripped his sword tightly, his body trembling uncontrollably. If it were only the initial Demonic Tide, the tens of thousands of soldiers he brought could have withstood it. But under the current circumstances, the soldiers he brought, combined with those of Black Moon City, simply could not hold back the tide. The number of monsters was so vast that they were piling up as high as the city walls. What chance did they have? No! He couldn¡¯t die here! He was a general of the Great Chu Dynasty with a bright future ahead of him. Although he was very fond of Ji Qiuyu, he only coveted her beauty. There were so many beautiful women in the world; he did not want to lose his life over a woman he had not even slept with. With this in mind, Bai Wenbin immediately turned and ran, not even leaving behind a single word. He knew Ji Qiuyu¡¯s character; at this point, Ji Qiuyu was most likely not going to leave. Furthermore, persuading Ji Qiuyu would take some time, and if he delayed too long, the Demonic Tide might already have surged up. If he did not leave now, he would be even less likely to escape later. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu had not realized that Bai Wenbin had already fled. She clenched the sword in her hand and continued valiantly slaughtering the monsters. But the number of monsters was too great, and soon the entire city tower was overrun with them. The number of surviving soldiers on the walls of Black Moon City was dwindling rapidly. Black Moon City originally had only about a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers, and adding the tens of thousands of soldiers Bai Wenbin brought, there were only about two hundred thousand in total. However, the number of monsters clearly exceeded two hundred thousand, and it could even reach a million. Moreover, the strength of the monsters rushing towards the walls had greatly increased, making them a match that the soldiers of the Heavenly Human Realm could not withstand. Just then, a massive monster charged at Ji Qiuyu, who quickly harnessed her Sword Qi to fight back. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? The monster was incredibly powerful; Ji Qiuyu¡¯s Sword Qi barely scratched it, and it was imbued with a power to suppress the Spiritual Power of a cultivator. Ji Qiuyu immediately felt a sense of dread; this was the power of the Heavenly Demon, a force that could severely suppress cultivators. Indeed, all of this must have been orchestrated by the Heavenly Demon sealed within the Sealing Grounds. It seemed the seal of the Heavenly Demon had already loosened. But now was not the time to dwell on these thoughts. If things continued this way, all of the common people of Black Moon City would become food for the monsters. Once Black Moon City fell, the monsters would quickly spread to other parts of the Great Chu Dynasty. If the monsters escaped from Black Moon City, stopping them would not be so easy. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu gritted her silver teeth. The Emperor of the Great Chu Dynasty was really a fool, assigning her just a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers to guard such a crucial place and leaving her as the only Creation Realm Cultivator. How was she to defend it? Just as Ji Qiuyu dodged the monster¡¯s thrust, another monster identical to the first suddenly appeared behind her. Ji Qiuyu instantly sensed the danger at her back. ¡°Not good!¡± It was already too late for Ji Qiuyu to dodge, as she saw the second monster¡¯s claws about to swing down at her. Countless flashbacks flitted through her mind. The fear in Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart suddenly disappeared at that moment, and she became incredibly calm. She had long known that defending Black Moon City would eventually lead to a deathly end. However, just as Ji Qiuyu believed she was certainly going to die, streams of Spiritual Energy spread from afar. As these energies touched the bodies of the monsters, each one of them scattered in terror. Ji Qiuyu was immediately stunned upon seeing the two monsters beside her flee in fear; she had never witnessed such a scene before. She then turned her head towards the source of the spreading Spiritual Energy and was stunned once again when she saw Lu Chen. Could it be him? Lu Chen threw out his sword, followed by activating his Sword Qi. Ice-Eight Level Sword! In the next instant, countless Sword Qi streams rushed towards the Demonic Tide, and wherever the Sword Qi went, all the demons were frozen in place. In just a split second, hundreds of thousands of demons were swiftly annihilated. Seeing this scene, whether it was the soldiers on the city wall or Ji Qiuyu, all were stunned. This was the first time they had seen someone able to kill so many demons in a blink of an eye. These demons, under the influence of the Heavenly Demon, either more or less, had some immunity to Spiritual Power. Therefore, even if Ji Qiuyu used swordsmanship, it was difficult to annihilate demons on a large scale. Relying solely on the power of an individual Cultivator to eradicate demons was very difficult; they could basically only depend on black-gold weapons. But now, this man, relying on some kind of swordsmanship, had obliterated so many demons¡ªhow did he manage to do that? He looked like he was the natural nemesis of demons. At this moment, the onslaught of the Demonic Tide weakened a bit, and some demons had already begun to entertain thoughts of retreat. The scene just now not only stunned everyone but also greatly deterred the demons present. A glimmer of surprise flashed in Ji Qiuyu¡¯s beautiful eyes. Who on earth was this man? Why did he possess such power? While Ji Qiuyu was lost in thought, Lu Chen took action for the second time. Ice-Eight Level Sword! Once again, in an instant, the demons near Lu Chen were all frozen into ice, then immediately turned into icy rubble. It was the first time Lu Chen had used the Heaven Rank sword technique, the Ice-Eight Level Sword, in actual combat. He had not expected the effect to be so remarkable. Of course, this was mainly because he had cultivated the Demon Burying Spell, which allowed his Sword Qi to dispel Demonic Qi¡ªa lethal threat to demons. As Lu Chen took action, the demons had clearly realized something was amiss, and some of them began to flee towards the Demon Sealing grounds. Lu Chen then took action once again and, in less than a quarter of an hour, had completely dispersed the Demonic Tide. Those present felt as if they were dreaming; they had never imagined that there would come a day when facing the Demonic Tide could be so effortless. Who was this man? He was too strong! Ji Qiuyu also watched Lu Chen from afar, her feelings somewhat complex. She had initially thought that Lu Chen was just an ordinary Creation Realm Cultivator, keeping him simply for an extra set of fighting abilities. She hadn¡¯t expected he would become the key figure to turn the tide. Such a powerful being¡ªwhy had she never heard of him before? Logically, someone like him who could easily kill demons, even if not particularly high in cultivation state, shouldn¡¯t be unknown. Lu Chen wasn¡¯t aware of the gazes of those around him. He stood on the city tower, looking towards the demonic Qi above the Demon Sealing land in the distance. The Demonic Qi above the Demon Sealing land was still very dense, but perhaps because of his intervention, those demons only dared to stay inside the Demon Sealing land and didn¡¯t dare to leave. This scene felt unbelievably magical; one person was enough to prevent the Demonic Tide from stepping out of the Demon Sealing land. Were they really not dreaming? If this man were to stay in Black Moon City, wouldn¡¯t the demons henceforth not dare to leave the Demon Sealing land? Wouldn¡¯t that mean the end of the Demonic Tide? Chapter 1036 - Chapter 1036: Chapter 726: Ji Qiuyus Little Scheme Chapter 1036: Chapter 726: Ji Qiuyu¡¯s Little Scheme Once they thought about Lu Chen staying in Black Moon City, from now on Black Moon City wouldn¡¯t have to fear the Demonic Tide, and the soldiers of Black Moon City suddenly had their eyes shining, almost wishing they could lock Lu Chen up. At that time, Ji Qiuyu also had the same idea. Since becoming the City Lord of Black Moon City, this was the first time she had encountered such a situation. One person defending a city, it was clear that Lu Chen was the nemesis of the demons, and although she did not know why he restrained the demons, as long as he stayed, future Demonic Tides would not be so difficult to deal with. After seeing that the demons were no longer stirring, Lu Chen finally turned his head to look at Ji Qiuyu, and saw that Ji Qiuyu¡¯s beautiful eyes were fixedly staring at him. Lu Chen smiled faintly. Then he used the system to check on Ji Qiuyu¡¯s Favorability, and her Favorability towards him had already reached eighty. It had to be said, the move of playing the hero to save the beauty really was effective on most girls. After Ji Qiuyu came back to her senses, she immediately went over to Lu Chen¡¯s side, ¡°Cultivator Lu, you¡¯re truly impressive, so easily repelling the Demonic Tide.¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect these demons to be so weak, I thought I might meet my end here today.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s eyelids twitched slightly. So weak? Lu Chen actually thought these demons were weak? Alright, for him, these demons indeed weren¡¯t that strong, he could eliminate hundreds of thousands of demons with a single sword technique, the strength of the demons truly was nothing in front of him. Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°I¡¯m somewhat curious, what sort of Swordsmanship did Cultivator Lu use to eliminate the demons so easily?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Lu Chen said, ¡°This is the Swordsmanship passed down by my Sect, and I cannot disclose it to outsiders.¡± Ji Qiuyu felt slightly disappointed in her heart. She thought if Lu Chen¡¯s Swordsmanship could be passed on to others, wouldn¡¯t it be much easier to deal with the demons in the future? However, she also understood that Sect Cultivation Techniques were generally not disclosed to outsiders, not to mention that Lu Chen¡¯s Swordsmanship had such a powerful effect on demons, its value was imaginable, and Lu Chen was even less likely to hand it out so readily. But she had no intention of giving up just like that. This Swordsmanship was too useful for them, and she had already been thinking about whether to use some means to deceive the Swordsmanship from Lu Chen. What Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t know was that Lu Chen¡¯s ability to eliminate demons so effortlessly was not primarily because of the Swordsmanship, but rather the Demon Burying Spell. The Ice-Eight Level Sword that Lu Chen cultivated was a Heaven Rank Swordsmanship, although its power was indeed very great, but if it weren¡¯t for the aid of the Demon Burying Spell, the Sword Qi that Lu Chen unleashed would not have been able to cause such a great injury to the demons. Just as Ji Qiuyu was about to say more, a General came before Ji Qiuyu, ¡°City Lord, General Bai has escaped.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu finally reacted, realizing that she hadn¡¯t seen Bai Wenbin¡¯s figure since a while ago. Ji Qiuyu then asked, ¡°When did he leave?¡± The General replied, ¡°When the second wave of the Demonic Tide appeared, General Bai left.¡± Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t pay too much attention to it, she hadn¡¯t been counting on Bai Wenbin anyway. What kind of person Bai Wenbin was, she knew better than anyone. Ji Qiuyu said indifferently, ¡°If he has run away, then so be it.¡± Having said this, Ji Qiuyu glanced at the soldiers left behind by Bai Wenbin. Although Bai Wenbin had run away, the soldiers he brought were still on the front lines, which could be considered as contributing a bit. Meanwhile. Bai Wenbin was on the deck of a Flying Boat, looking towards the distant Sealed Demon Grounds, watching as the rising Demonic Qi became denser and denser. Bai Wenbin was shaken to the core, thinking that Black Moon City must have fallen by now. At that moment, a Flying Boat flew in from a distance. The one operating the Flying Boat was one of his subordinates. He had escaped in such a hurry earlier that he had left all his subordinates behind. Soon a man flew from the opposite Flying Boat and said to Bai Wenbin, ¡°Commander Bai, good news!¡± After hearing his subordinate¡¯s words, Bai Wenbin was stunned for a moment. Good news? What good news could there be at this time? Bai Wenbin then asked, ¡°What¡¯s the good news?¡± ¡°` The subordinate replied, ¡°The crisis of the Demonic Tide in Black Moon City has been resolved, and those demon creatures have all retreated back to the Demon Sealing Lands.¡± Huh? Upon hearing this, Bai Wenbin was completely stunned. The crisis had been resolved just like that? That quickly? Wasn¡¯t Black Moon City supposed to be overrun by demon creatures? What happened? Bai Wenbin then asked, ¡°Those demon creatures didn¡¯t attack?¡± The subordinate replied, ¡°Not exactly. It was all thanks to the Loose Cultivator that Lord Ji invited. That cultivator was particularly powerful, eliminating hundreds of thousands of demons with a single sword strike. The rest were scared off by him and retreated back to the Demon Sealing Lands.¡± This¡­ Bai Wenbin was stunned once again. He then asked again, ¡°The Loose Cultivator you mentioned, is that the Creation Realm Cultivator named Lu Chen?¡± The subordinate said, ¡°I do not know his name, but he should be the man Commander Bai mentioned, the one who had a conversation with the Commander earlier.¡± Bai Wenbin frowned. He was keenly aware that the Loose Cultivator named Lu Chen only possessed the strength of the Creation Realm, so how could he be so formidable? Could it be that he was hiding his true power? Bai Wenbin continued, ¡°Tell me the details of what happened.¡± After that, his subordinate recounted the events that had unfolded in Black Moon City. Upon hearing his subordinate¡¯s report, Bai Wenbin fell into deep thought. Why did it feel like Lu Chen had some special cultivation technique to deal with demons? Otherwise, how could he so easily kill those demons? If only he could acquire the cultivation technique Lu Chen possessed¡­ Thinking this, the corners of Bai Wenbin¡¯s mouth curled up slightly. He then instructed the soldier piloting the Flying Boat, ¡°Return to Black Moon City immediately!¡± At this moment, Ji Qiuyu was still trying to cozy up to Lu Chen, hoping to learn the swordsmanship he possessed. She could no longer treat Lu Chen as she had before. ¡°Lu Daoist friend, didn¡¯t you say you were a Loose Cultivator? How come you have a sect? Your sect possesses such powerful Swordmanship; surely it must be a great force?¡± Lu Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My sect is not powerful and has long since vanished. I am the last member of my sect, so I present myself as a Loose Cultivator when outside.¡± Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°I see.¡± Ji Qiuyu continued to ask, ¡°May I know where you plan to head next, Lu Daoist friend?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°Then how about you stay here? With Lu Daoist friend in Black Moon City, we would no longer have to fear the Demonic Tide in the future.¡± ¡°I will report your achievements to the Great Chu Imperial Court, and I will recommend that the Imperial Court bestows upon you the identity of Deputy City Lord. How does that sound, Lu Daoist friend?¡± Only by keeping Lu Chen here would she have the chance to obtain the sword technique capable of slaying demons from him. Upon hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled slightly and then said, ¡°Alright, I will stay in Black Moon City for the time being.¡± Seeing that Lu Chen had agreed, Ji Qiuyu became somewhat excited. She immediately said, ¡°Rest assured, Lu Daoist friend, your achievements will soon reach His Majesty¡¯s ears, and His Majesty will undoubtedly grant you a generous reward.¡± No sooner had Ji Qiuyu finished speaking than a man¡¯s voice came from afar, ¡°Achievements? It might not necessarily be considered an achievement. If Lu Daoist friend is so powerful, why didn¡¯t you take action sooner? Black Moon City and my troops have suffered such heavy losses¡ªcan this really be considered an achievement?¡± ¡°` Chapter 1037 - Chapter 1037: Chapter 727: Lu Daoist friend, thanks to you this time Chapter 1037: Chapter 727: Lu Daoist friend, thanks to you this time Lu Chen and Ji Qiuyu both turned their heads to look at Bai Wenbin, and Ji Qiuyu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed when she realized who had arrived. Then Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°Commander Bai, why have you come back?¡± ¡°Black Moon City is so dangerous, it would be better for Commander Bai to stay farther away.¡± Seeing Ji Qiuyu with a dark expression, Bai Wenbin quickly said with a smile, ¡°Qiuyu, I didn¡¯t run away just now, I saw that there were simply too many monsters, and Black Moon City¡¯s soldiers couldn¡¯t hold the fort, so I went back to get reinforcements.¡± Ji Qiuyu laughed derisively but did not say much. Bai Wenbin then glanced at Lu Chen and continued, ¡°Qiuyu, you should be careful with this fellow by your side.¡± ¡°If he really wanted to help Black Moon City, he would have acted when the Demonic Tide appeared, not wait until Black Moon City lost so many soldiers before taking action.¡± ¡°At the most dangerous moment for Black Moon City, he obviously wanted to play the hero saving the beauty, to win your favor. I think he has ulterior motives, certainly scheming something.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu said indifferently, ¡°Fellow Daoist Lu is visiting Black Moon City for the first time and also encountering the Demonic Tide for the first time, perhaps Fellow Daoist Lu did not know initially that his Cultivation Technique was so lethal to the monsters.¡± Ji Qiuyu was no fool; how could she not know that Lu Chen might intentionally be playing the hero to win her favor? But the current situation was that she wanted Lu Chen to stay. Even if Lu Chen really had designs on her, she would not speak outright, instead acting as if she knew nothing. This was the silent understanding between them¡ªyou pretend to be demure, understanding my hidden agenda, and I acknowledge your valiance, each keeping the tacit agreement. Seeing Ji Qiuyu siding with Lu Chen, Bai Wenbin¡¯s face darkened. Just as Bai Wenbin wanted to say more, Ji Qiuyu spoke up, ¡°Fellow Daoist Lu, we¡¯ll be troubling you with the Demonic Tide matters next. The Demonic Qi hasn¡¯t dispersed, and the Demonic Tide may sweep over us again at any moment.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??0.?¦Ï Hearing this, Bai Wenbin felt a jolt in his heart; he then turned to look at the situation at the Sealed Demon Grounds. Indeed, the Demonic Qi in the Sealed Demon Grounds was still gathering, and it seemed more monsters were accumulating. No one knew if those monsters would launch a third attack. If they did attack again and Lu Chen chose to do nothing, then wouldn¡¯t they suffer again? Bai Wenbin instantly understood the meaning behind Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words; Ji Qiuyu seemed to be speaking to Lu Chen, but in reality, she was warning him. Bai Wenbin snorted unwillingly and did not say more, eager to see just how capable this Lu Chen really was. And so, they stood on the city wall all night, but the monsters did not attack again. With the first rays of dawn stretching across the land, the Demonic Qi inside the Sealed Demon Grounds was gradually dissipating. Seeing this, people finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ji Qiuyu once again addressed Lu Chen, ¡°Fellow Daoist Lu, we owe you a great debt for this time, I will write a memorial shortly to commend you for your bravery.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It¡¯s what I should do.¡± Hearing their conversation, Bai Wenbin stood to the side, feeling quite bitter, but he remained silent. He started to think about how he might drive Lu Chen away; if he continued to let him stay in Black Moon City, who knew what might develop between Lu Chen and Ji Qiuyu. Meanwhile. On a mountain outside Black Moon City. A man clad in a black robe saw the Demonic Tide retreat, and his face immediately showed an expression of furious frustration. ¡°How could this be!¡± ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the Demonic Tide spread out!¡± ¡°What on earth happened, how could Ji Qiuyu alone have defended Black Moon City!¡± The man¡¯s face became incredibly contorted, looking extremely fearful. After roaring for a while, the man eventually turned and left. At this time, Ji Qiuyu and Lu Chen had already returned to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Ji Qiuyu had the servants prepare a lot of food for Lu Chen, but he did not eat anything. After returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, he began to meditate and cultivate behind closed doors. Ji Qiuyu originally wanted to have a chat with Lu Chen to get some information, but after seeing Lu Chen cultivating behind closed doors, she did not disturb him. Seeing that Lu Chen and Ji Qiuyu had separated, Bai Wenbin came to Ji Qiuyu once again, continuing to speak ill of Lu Chen. ¡°Qiuyu, there must be something wrong with Lu Chen, maybe he is a Demon Cultivator.¡± ¡°Think about it, this world has never seen swordsmanship that can restrain demons before, and yet here¡¯s this unknown Loose Cultivator wielding such swordsmanship, do you find that reasonable?¡± ¡°If such swordsmanship really existed, it would have been famous throughout the world by now, so why has it only appeared now?¡± ¡°I suspect he is a Demon Cultivator who has used some Devilish Skill to temporarily repel those demons, then took the opportunity to rely on your connections to climb higher.¡± Hearing Bai Wenbin¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu blandly replied, ¡°Commander Bai, if he really were a Demon Cultivator, I would have sensed it already, and you wouldn¡¯t need to remind me now.¡± A Demon Cultivator would certainly have Demonic Qi on them, no matter how well hidden it might be, and Ji Qiuyu, who had been dealing with demons year-round, was even more sensitive to Demonic Qi. Even if Lu Chen came into contact with demons and had a trace of Demonic Qi on him, she would have been able to detect it. But Lu Chen had not a trace of Demonic Qi on him; clearly, Lu Chen was not a Demon Cultivator. Even if Lu Chen really had ulterior motives, as long as they were not related to Demon Cultivators, that was none of her concern. The Imperial Court had abandoned Black Moon City to die; she had long been displeased with the Imperial Court. Black Moon City had suffered countless Demonic Tides, yet the Imperial Court had not sent reinforcements and even withheld the soldiers¡¯ provisions. Now the soldiers of Black Moon City were being maintained with money from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, and Ji Qiuyu¡¯s dissatisfaction with the Imperial Court had a long history. Even if Lu Chen were a rebel against the Great Chu Dynasty, Ji Qiuyu wouldn¡¯t care at all; she wished that such a dynasty would collapse soon. Seeing Ji Qiuyu still speaking up for Lu Chen, Bai Wenbin¡¯s brows furrowed, and he continued, ¡°Qiuyu, do you really have to wait until something happens before you¡¯ll regret it?¡± Ji Qiuyu blandly stated, ¡°Commander Bai, all I know is that when the Demonic Tide erupted, Lu Chen did not run, but you did.¡± Hearing that, Bai Wenbin was momentarily taken aback, then defensively retorted, ¡°I was going to fetch reinforcements.¡± Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°Thank you for your good intentions, Commander Bai, but given last night¡¯s situation, I fear that your reinforcements wouldn¡¯t have arrived before Black Moon City had fallen, and I would have been dead.¡± ¡°So Lu Chen is the life-saving benefactor of the entire Black Moon City, as well as my own.¡± ¡°If Commander Bai continues to speak ill of him, then please, Commander Bai, you may leave.¡± ¡°Qiuyu, I¡­¡± Before Bai Wenbin could finish, Ji Qiuyu directly turned and left the courtyard, returning to her own room, leaving Bai Wenbin standing there alone. Seeing Ji Qiuyu just walk away, a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, and he clenched his fists involuntarily. No, he absolutely couldn¡¯t let Lu Chen continue to stay by Ji Qiuyu¡¯s side! No matter who this Lu Chen was or what his intentions might be, daring to vie with him for a woman meant only one thing¡ªa dead end! Chapter 1038 - Chapter 1038: Chapter 728: The Imperial Decree of the Great Chu Dynasty Chapter 1038: Chapter 728: The Imperial Decree of the Great Chu Dynasty Lu Chen didn¡¯t know what kind of crisis his puppet was about to face, nor did he care. At this time, he had already shifted his attention back to his actual body. Right now, Chu Qingli was still lying on top of Lu Chen, but she remained motionless. She distinctly felt Lu Chen was distracted and not focusing on her. Just then, Chu Yuqin suddenly felt much more fulfilled. She instantly sat up, gazing down at Lu Chen beneath her. Clearly, Lu Chen had come back to his senses, and Chu Qingli curiously asked, ¡°Your Majesty, what were you just thinking about?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t conceal anything and told the truth, ¡°I had just sent my puppet on a trip to the neighboring Ziyang World.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Chu Qingli was slightly startled. Could it be that Lu Chen had been distracted all night because he was controlling the puppet? Had Lu Chen¡¯s Puppetry Technique become so powerful? Chu Qingli continued to inquire, ¡°Can Your Majesty still sense the puppet even when it¡¯s in the Ziyang World?¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°Yes, my Puppetry Technique has improved further.¡± After thinking for a moment, Chu Qingli then asked, ¡°I wonder if your consort could learn Your Majesty¡¯s Puppetry Technique?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°If you take good care of my avatar, I¡¯ll teach you the Puppetry Technique.¡± Chu Qingli gave Lu Chen a glare, but she didn¡¯t say anything else and began to practice the Mysterious Female Technique. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?? Feeling Chu Qingli¡¯s actions, Lu Chen smiled faintly and simply lay there, enjoying the pleasure Chu Qingli brought him. During the following days, Lu Chen controlled his puppet every night to help Ji Qiuyu guard the city. However, after a few days, the Demonic Tide did not erupt again, perhaps due to the passage of time. Word of Lu Chen¡¯s affairs soon spread throughout Black Moon City. Hearing that Lu Chen possessed sword techniques capable of combating demons, many people in Black Moon City began to ponder. Great Chu Dynasty. Capital city, Imperial Palace. Inside a pavilion in the Royal Garden, an old man with a wrinkled face dressed in a dragon robe was meditating. Beside him stood another elderly man. At that moment, a figure appeared in the courtyard, ¡°Your Majesty, a letter from the City Lord of Black Moon City!¡± The Chu Emperor said indifferently, ¡°Read it.¡± The guard proceeded to recite the matters reported by Ji Qiuyu. Hearing the letter mention someone who could restrain demons, the complexion of the old man beside the Chu Emperor instantly darkened. Xiao Chenghua thought to himself, Black Moon City hadn¡¯t fallen because of that person. How dare he undermine his grand plan? That person absolutely could not be left alive. If he remained alive, the Demonic Tide would never break through Black Moon City, and the demons wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the Great Chu Dynasty, nor would they bring more Demonic Qi. After hearing the contents of the letter, the Chu Emperor opened his eyes and muttered to himself, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of a sword technique that can restrain demons. If this is true, then I must meet this Lu Chen.¡± With that said, the Chu Emperor turned to Xiao Chenghua and asked, ¡°State Preceptor, what do you think?¡± Xiao Chenghua immediately replied, ¡°Your Majesty, I wonder if there might be some conspiracy involved here.¡± ¡°We have never heard of a sword technique that could restrain demons, and this Lu Chen is a Loose Cultivator. It¡¯s even less likely for a Loose Cultivator to possess such a sword technique.¡± ¡°I feel even more that he is a Demon Cultivator, who has mastered some special Devilish Skills, thus able to control those demons and send them temporarily back to their sealing grounds.¡± The Chu Emperor said, ¡°The State Preceptor¡¯s words make sense. What does the State Preceptor think should be done about this person?¡± Xiao Chenghua said, ¡°I think, since this person claims to possess a sword technique that can restrain Demonic Qi, then he should be made to reveal it. If he can¡¯t, it proves he is lying, and Your Majesty should convict him of the crime of deceiving the sovereign.¡± The Chu Emperor replied, ¡°But the memo was written by Ji Qiuyu, not that Lu Chen.¡± Xiao Chenghua said, ¡°Even if we do not punish him for the crime of deceiving the sovereign, we must still thoroughly investigate whether he has any ties to demon cultivators.¡± The Chu Emperor said, ¡°Indeed, we should investigate thoroughly.¡± ¡°However, Lu Chen did establish his merit this time, so the rewards he is due must still be given.¡± ¡°Summon someone, draft an edict¡­¡± ¡­ Several days later. Black Moon City. Lu Chen¡¯s puppet was in the room when suddenly, a flying boat appeared in the sky above Black Moon City. Seeing the flag atop the flying boat, Ji Qiuyu knew that the Royal Family had sent someone; hence, she immediately said to the maid by her side, ¡°Go and call for Daoist Lu!¡± The maid quickly went to the door of Lu Chen¡¯s room and knocked, ¡°Lord Lu, someone from the Imperial Court has arrived, there should be an edict.¡± As the maid¡¯s voice fell, there was no response from the room. The maid continued to call out, ¡°Lord Lu, are you in the room?¡± Still, there was no response from the room. The maid called out several more times before finally hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s refreshing!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, the maid at the door was taken aback for a moment; his voice made it seem as if he was doing something indecent in the room. However, she quickly regained her composure and said, ¡°Someone from the Imperial Court has come, and the City Lord asks that you come over immediately.¡± Hearing this, the puppet Lu Chen did not hesitate, opened the door, and followed the maid to the front courtyard. However, as soon as Lu Chen arrived at the front courtyard, the flying boat had already left, leaving only Ji Qiuyu standing there with the sacred decree. Seeing this scene, Lu Chen asked curiously, ¡°Weren¡¯t they here to deliver the decree? Why isn¡¯t the messenger here?¡± Ji Qiuyu turned around and handed the sacred decree to Lu Chen, ¡°They¡¯ve already left.¡± At this point, Ji Qiuyu chuckled lightly, ¡°A bunch of cowards fearing death, they couldn¡¯t even wait a moment.¡± The eunuch who came to deliver the decree was afraid of the Demonic Tide, so after passing the sacred decree to Ji Qiuyu, he left directly and did not wait for Lu Chen to receive the decree himself. After all, it was the same whether Lu Chen personally accepted the decree or not. Lu Chen then opened the sacred decree Ji Qiuyu handed to him and glanced over it. The decree was straightforward, praising him for his meritorious actions, appointing him as the Deputy City Lord of Black Moon City, and instructing him to hand over the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique. Seeing the content of the sacred decree, Lu Chen smiled wryly. To think they wanted his Demon Burying Spell in exchange for a mere position as a Deputy City Lord¡ªit was wishful thinking. Immediately afterward, Lu Chen said, ¡°City Lord, it seems I must leave.¡± Ji Qiuyu hastily asked, ¡°Daoist Lu, why is this?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°The sacred decree clearly states that I should hand over the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique. Isn¡¯t this just blatant robbery?¡± ¡°For me, the position of Deputy City Lord of Black Moon City is optional, but I will not casually impart my swordsmanship to outsiders.¡± ¡°I once took an oath before my Honored Master that if I were to pass this sword technique on to outsiders, I would have no place to be buried when I die.¡± ¡°If I break my oath, the Heavenly Dao surely will punish me. As a cultivator, you should understand how important oaths are, City Lord.¡± This¡­ Ji Qiuyu was stunned; she had not expected Lu Chen to be so adamant. However, she realized this was indeed a problem and, of course, she could see what the Imperial Court was thinking. Such an important sword technique¡ªwho wouldn¡¯t want it? Naturally, the Imperial Court wanted it too. Ji Qiuyu quickly came to her senses and said eagerly, ¡°Daoist Lu, you don¡¯t need to take the sacred decree to heart. If you don¡¯t want to give it, then don¡¯t. You can still be the Deputy City Lord of Black Moon City.¡± Chapter 1039 - Chapter 1039: Chapter 729: Lu Chen, Do You Have a Daoist Couple? Chapter 1039: Chapter 729: Lu Chen, Do You Have a Daoist Couple? Ji Qiuyu certainly didn¡¯t want Lu Chen to get away, even if Lu Chen didn¡¯t impart the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, his existence was of utmost importance to Black Moon City. If Lu Chen were not there, the next time a Demonic Tide occurred like the one a few days ago, relying solely on Black Moon City¡¯s power would simply not be enough to hold out. They had to retain Lu Chen at all costs. Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words, Lu Chen said, ¡°But the Emperor has issued an imperial edict, wouldn¡¯t there be punishment if I don¡¯t comply?¡± Ji Qiuyu said with a smile, ¡°Can the Great Chu Emperor even manage to control Black Moon City? Now the Great Chu Dynasty is torn apart. Although in name Black Moon City is still part of the Great Chu Dynasty, in reality, it has already become independent.¡± ¡°Even if the Great Chu Dynasty wanted to replace me as City Lord, as long as I don¡¯t agree, they can¡¯t do it.¡± Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words, Lu Chen was somewhat surprised. Could she really say something like that? Since Ji Qiuyu dared to say so, it seemed that the Great Chu Dynasty really couldn¡¯t manage its subordinates anymore. Ji Qiuyu continued, ¡°Daoist Lu, rest assured, as long as I am in Black Moon City for a day, even if you don¡¯t teach the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique to others, you can still be Deputy City Lord of Black Moon City.¡± After she finished speaking, Ji Qiuyu looked at Lu Chen expectantly, wanting to know if he would stay. Lu Chen said, ¡°Since the City Lord has said so, then I will stay; after all, I have nowhere else to go right now.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Ji Qiuyu was overjoyed inside. It was fine as long as Lu Chen was willing to stay. In the following month, Lu Chen toured the entire Black Moon City in his capacity as Deputy City Lord and discovered that Black Moon City was larger than he had imagined. No wonder Ji Qiuyu said Black Moon City was almost independent. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?¦Ï Black Moon City was divided into two parts, one was the outer city responsible for fending off the Demonic Tide, and then there was a vast inner city, which was almost the size of a small country. The key was that Black Moon City¡¯s control extended not just over one city, but over a large area of land around it; Black Moon City had already formed a complete economic trade system. It could be said that Black Moon City was now a country within a country. During this time, Lu Chen used his status as Deputy City Lord to inquire about this world from its inhabitants. There were many dynasties and nations in this world. Of course, one of the most important reasons for this was that the Ziyang World was much larger than Tianchen World, which led to the formation of so many countries and dynasties. In the Ziyang World, the five greatest powers were Tianji Pavilion, Zixiao Dynasty, Xiongmo Tower, Blood Rainbow Pavilion, and Shuiyue Temple. Zixiao Dynasty had the most land in the world and was the most powerful dynasty on the surface. However, in terms of true strength, in the eyes of the people in this world, Tianji Pavilion was the strongest because Tianji Pavilion was mysterious enough, and the unknown was the most daunting. After figuring out the power structure of this world, Lu Chen focused his investigation on the Zixiao Dynasty and Tianji Pavilion. He now very much wanted to know the strength of Zixiao Dynasty and Tianji Pavilion. One day. Lu Chen was patrolling the city wall with Ji Qiuyu when he glanced at the distant Sealed Demonic Lands, then said, ¡°City Lord, if the Sealed Demonic Lands are so important, why doesn¡¯t the Zixiao Dynasty personally send someone to guard it, instead leaving everything to the Great Chu Dynasty?¡± Ji Qiuyu sighed and said, ¡°I was originally sent by the Zixiao Dynasty, and that¡¯s why the Great Chu Dynasty has never dared to touch me. In the past, the Zixiao Dynasty would send someone to inspect the Sealed Demonic Lands regularly every year to check the seals, but these past few years, with the Zixiao Dynasty in turmoil, they seem to have forgotten about the Sealed Demonic Lands.¡± Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s answer, Lu Chen realized. So that was it. He had wondered why such a significant threat as the sealed demonic land hadn¡¯t attracted more attention. Continuing, Lu Chen said, ¡°The sealed demonic land concerns the entire safety of the Ziyang World. Besides, other powers should be paying attention as well, right? Like the Tianji Pavilion?¡± Ji Qiuyu replied, ¡°Disciples from Tianji Pavilion do make their annual visits, but they don¡¯t station anyone here permanently. Perhaps in their eyes, the sealed demonic land isn¡¯t likely to encounter any issues.¡± Lu Chen thought to himself that the people of the Ziyang World really had rampant disregard. At this point, Ji Qiuyu continued, ¡°Ultimately, they just want to shirk responsibility.¡± Lu Chen thought about it and agreed. With so many powers in the Ziyang World, passing the buck was only too typical. It was just like the saying about too many monks and not enough water¡ªno one wanted to guard the sealed demonic land, a place thick with Demonic Qi and scarce in Spiritual Energy. Who would willingly watch over it? It was only because the Great Chu Dynasty¡¯s territory was located here that they had no choice but to dispatch troops to guard the place. Should the Demonic Tide spread, the Great Chu Dynasty would be the first to suffer. Then, Lu Chen stopped walking and, looking at Ji Qiuyu, he asked, ¡°City Lord, haven¡¯t you ever thought of leaving Black Moon City? Given that you¡¯re not originally from the Great Chu Dynasty, you are under no obligation to risk your life for it.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu smiled and said, ¡°At first, I did think about leaving. But later, I became accustomed to this place, and the sealed demonic land holds special significance for me. So, I cannot leave.¡± Curious, Lu Chen asked, ¡°Special significance?¡± Ji Qiuyu now turned her head to look at Lu Chen. Gazing into his eyes, she said, ¡°Tens of thousands of years ago, the Ji Family paid a heavy price to seal the Heavenly Demon in the sealed demonic land. Since then, guarding the sealed demonic land has been the mission of the Ji Family¡¯s disciples.¡± ¡°Moreover, when the Heavenly Demon was sealed, it had marked the blood and aura of the Ji Family members. If the seal were ever broken and the Heavenly Demon emerged from within, it would seek out the Ji Family for revenge immediately.¡± Lu Chen responded, ¡°I see.¡± At this moment, Ji Qiuyu smiled and said to Lu Chen, ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Daoist Lu. With you in Black Moon City, I believe the Demonic Tide will never breach the city¡¯s defenses.¡± Lu Chen also revealed a faint smile, ¡°City Lord, are you still going to address me as Daoist Lu? You might as well use my name.¡± Catching Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu was momentarily taken aback, but she quickly recovered and promptly said, ¡°Lu Chen, the safety of Black Moon City is in your hands now.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°No problem. As long as I¡¯m in Black Moon City, I won¡¯t let the Demonic Tide advance one more step.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue our patrol.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, he walked toward the distant parts of the city walls, and Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t say anything more. The two of them strolled on the city walls as if they were a pair of celestial beings, seemingly a perfect Daoist couple. The current mood stirred subtle feelings within Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart. It was Lu Chen who had saved her life. Despite knowing Lu Chen might have ulterior motives, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a growing fondness for him. Moreover, Lu Chen was so handsome, her thoughts about him became even more numerous. However, after spending a month together, she realized that Lu Chen didn¡¯t seem to harbor any special feelings towards her, which troubled her deeply. After a while, Ji Qiuyu spoke again, ¡°Lu Chen, do you have a Daoist couple?¡± Without missing a beat, and without a blush, Lu Chen answered, ¡°No, City Lord. Why do you ask?¡± Chapter 1040 - Chapter 1040: Chapter 730: What do you think of me? Chapter 1040: Chapter 730: What do you think of me? Lu Chen thought to himself that he indeed didn¡¯t have a Daoist couple, even though he had a bevy of wives and concubines. However, what Ji Qiuyu asked about was a Daoist couple, and his response wasn¡¯t really a lie. Seeing Lu Chen say he didn¡¯t have a Daoist couple, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heartbeat suddenly quickened. No Daoist couple? Then did she not have a chance? Lu Chen had mentioned that the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique was not to be passed on to outsiders, so if she became Lu Chen¡¯s Daoist couple, wouldn¡¯t she no longer be an outsider? At this thought, Ji Qiuyu felt slightly excited, and then she asked again, ¡°Then, do you plan to find a Daoist couple?¡± ¡°Being a Loose Cultivator must be quite lonely, right?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen smirked slightly. Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words had reached this point; how could Lu Chen not know what she meant? However, from her personal information, Lu Chen could tell that Ji Qiuyu wanted to become his Daoist couple more for the non-existent Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique and not purely out of romantic affection. Of course, romantic affection was there. Ji Qiuyu¡¯s favorability towards him was already in the high eighties; it was impossible to say there were no feelings. Lu Chen replied, ¡°I have indeed thought about it, but I trust more in fate. I won¡¯t deliberately seek it out. When fate arrives, the Daoist couple will naturally appear.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu fell silent for a moment, then directly asked, ¡°What do you think of me?¡± Lu Chen turned his head, pretending to be confused and looked at Ji Qiuyu, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ji Qiuyu continued, ¡°I mean, do you think I¡¯m suitable to be your Daoist couple?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í¨À¦Ï.§ã¦Ï As she spoke, a faint blush appeared on Ji Qiuyu¡¯s cheeks. Although she indeed had the ulterior motive of acquiring Lu Chen¡¯s Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique through their relationship, she genuinely liked Lu Chen. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu also felt a bit shy. Lu Chen feigned an expression of shock, remaining silent for a long while. After a while, Lu Chen finally spoke, ¡°Is the City Lord jesting with me?¡± Ji Qiuyu bit her silver teeth lightly, then said, ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Lu Chen fell silent again. Seeing that Lu Chen did not reply, Ji Qiuyu grew anxious; her impulsiveness might end up frightening Lu Chen away. Ji Qiuyu quickly added, ¡°If you¡¯re unwilling, let¡¯s forget it.¡± Lu Chen appraised Ji Qiuyu for a moment. Ji Qiuyu was tall and slender, dressed in a pink cloud-patterned dress that clung to her graceful body, revealing and concealing in turn, full of seduction. Her face was extremely beautiful, with a delicate nose, cherry lips, and smooth hair spilling down to her waist, her forehead adorned with a petal pattern. If Lu Chen¡¯s true body were here, he would undoubtedly wish to be intimate with her right now; unfortunately, his true body was not present. Lu Chen then said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was unwilling; however, don¡¯t you think this is a bit hasty, City Lord?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the soldiers that the City Lord has never had feelings for any man, and that Bai Wenbin pursued you for over a decade without your acceptance.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only known the City Lord for a short time, and you don¡¯t know enough about me. Aren¡¯t you afraid I might be a bad person?¡± Ji Qiuyu responded, ¡°If you were really a bad person, then you wouldn¡¯t have saved me during the Demonic Tide outbreak, nor would you have saved the common people of Black Moon City.¡± Ji Qiuyu had thought it through; other than her beauty, there really wasn¡¯t much she had that was worth Lu Chen¡¯s scheming, so she didn¡¯t believe Lu Chen stayed in Black Moon City because he harbored ulterior motives. ¡°` In her view, even if Lu Chen¡¯s background was unknown, he couldn¡¯t possibly be a bad person, and she didn¡¯t want to miss this opportunity. She believed that since Lu Chen¡¯s Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique had such a lethal effect on those demons, it might also be useful against the Heavenly Demon. If she could learn Lu Chen¡¯s Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, then the day the Heavenly Demon emerged from the sealed demonic grounds, she too could use Lu Chen¡¯s technique to confront it. To learn Lu Chen¡¯s sword technique, she was willing to give up her purity to him, especially since she already harbored some affection for Lu Chen; even if she did give herself to him, she wouldn¡¯t be at a loss. Lu Chen was the first man to ever make her heart stir since she was born; he would be a fitting partner as her Daoist couple. Smiling, Lu Chen said, ¡°City Lord, I can be your Daoist couple, but¡­¡± Ji Qiuyu was taken aback for a moment, then asked, ¡°But what?¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°But I¡¯ve been cultivating a special technique recently, and for a certain period, I must refrain from intimate contact with women.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning, and her complexion became even rosier. Seeing her look this way, Lu Chen asked, ¡°City Lord, what¡¯s wrong, your face is becoming so red?¡± After regaining her composure, Ji Qiuyu shot Lu Chen a glance, as if flirting as lovers would, ¡°Are you still calling me City Lord?¡± Lu Chen feigned embarrassment with a smile, ¡°Oh¡­ Ah, I see now, Qiuyu.¡± Hearing Lu Chen call her intimately, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart raced. She had not expected to have a Daoist couple so soon, having thought she¡¯d end up alone in Black Moon City for her entire life. She also understood why she suddenly wanted to find a Daoist couple; it¡¯s likely due to the Demonic Tide over a month ago that made her face the peril of death, sparking her eagerness for such a connection. She didn¡¯t wish to die before experiencing the affections between a man and a woman. At this point, Lu Chen continued with concern, ¡°Qiuyu, are you alright? Your face is getting even redder.¡± Ji Qiuyu hurriedly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, stop asking.¡± At that, Ji Qiuyu, flushed with embarrassment, continued walking ahead, thinking to herself that this guy really didn¡¯t understand women at all. Couldn¡¯t he tell why her face was red? Watching Ji Qiuyu¡¯s retreating figure, Lu Chen chuckled and then followed her. After confirming their relationship as Daoist couples, Ji Qiuyu found herself uncertain about how to converse with Lu Chen; she had never sought a Daoist couple before, and Lu Chen was her first man. She wasn¡¯t sure what she was supposed to do. Evening. The setting sun dipped low in the sky. Pacing in her room, Ji Qiuyu had yet to see Lu Chen arrive and asked the maid beside her, ¡°Where is the Deputy City Lord now?¡± The maid replied, ¡°City Lord, the Deputy City Lord has returned to his own room.¡± Although Ji Qiuyu and Lu Chen had confirmed their relationship as a Daoist couple, only the two of them were aware of this; no one else knew, including the servants of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Ji Qiuyu did this also to protect Lu Chen; she worried that if she announced her relationship with Lu Chen so hastily, someone might look to cause trouble for him, Bai Wenbin in particular. Hearing that Lu Chen had returned to his room, Ji Qiuyu frowned slightly. Now that they were Daoist couples, they surely couldn¡¯t continue living separately? Thinking this, Ji Qiuyu headed straight to Lu Chen¡¯s room. When Ji Qiuyu reached the door to Lu Chen¡¯s room, she hesitated, her finger lingering on the door, unable to knock. ¡°` Chapter 1041 - Chapter 1041: Chapter 731: Since Youre Already Here, Stay a Bit Longer Chapter 1041: Chapter 731: Since You¡¯re Already Here, Stay a Bit Longer At that moment, Ji Qiuyu thought, if she knocked on the door now and took the initiative to enter Lu Chen¡¯s room, would it make Lu Chen think she was a frivolous woman? However, she quickly reconsidered, since she and Lu Chen had already confirmed their relationship as a daoist couple, shouldn¡¯t daoist couples be together? Although she did not have experience with matters between men and women, she had lived long enough to understand them. Then she thought again, hadn¡¯t Lu Chen mentioned that he was practicing some cultivation technique that forbade him from engaging with women lately? Even if he couldn¡¯t be involved with women, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem with them just staying together, right? As long as they did not engage in activities between men and women, wouldn¡¯t that be okay? For a moment, Ji Qiuyu was extremely conflicted. As she struggled internally, Lu Chen¡¯s voice suddenly came from inside the room. ¡°Qiuyu, the door is open, come in.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s mind went blank, and a blush instantly appeared on her cheeks. Following that, Ji Qiuyu pushed open the door and entered Lu Chen¡¯s room. Seeing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s shy demeanor, Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Qiuyu, what brings you here so late? Is there something you need?¡± At this question, Ji Qiuyu was momentarily at a loss for words. Seeing Ji Qiuyu standing there dumbfounded, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Could it be that you came to discuss matters of cultivation with me?¡± Ji Qiuyu then snapped back to reality and hastily replied, ¡°Yes, I just had a question about cultivation that I wanted to ask you.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 To ease the awkwardness, Ji Qiuyu had no choice but to take the cue Lu Chen had given her. She couldn¡¯t possibly say that she was here to sleep with him, how awkward would that be? Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Then come over and sit down.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen took a seat in front of the tea table. Ji Qiuyu then sat down across from him at the tea table, and Lu Chen asked, ¡°What was your cultivation question?¡± Ji Qiuyu quickly responded, ¡°I actually figured it out at the doorway just now, so there¡¯s no need to trouble you.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°I see.¡± At this, Lu Chen picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of tea, and then looked into Ji Qiuyu¡¯s eyes with a smile and asked, ¡°Qiuyu, you wouldn¡¯t happen to have come here to sleep with me, would you?¡± Facing Lu Chen¡¯s direct statement of her inner thoughts, Ji Qiuyu was taken aback, her face turning even redder. She wished she could just find a crack in the ground to crawl into. However, Ji Qiuyu did not outright deny it but said, ¡°Now that we are already daoist couples, isn¡¯t it quite normal for daoist couples to spend the night together, discussing and sharing insights on cultivation?¡± Lu Chen smiled and responded, ¡°Naturally.¡± Ji Qiuyu then looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you come find me tonight?¡± Lu Chen smiled and replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you this afternoon? I have been practicing a special cultivation technique recently and until I make significant progress, I must avoid female company.¡± ¡°Qiuyu, you are so beautiful, and if we were to stay in the same room at night, I definitely couldn¡¯t resist.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s cheeks flushed deeper with another layer of crimson. ¡°This¡­ I see.¡± ¡°Then I¡­ should probably go back.¡± As she finished speaking, Ji Qiuyu stood up, ready to leave. But just as she got up and turned to leave, Lu Chen suddenly reached out, grabbed her arm, and didn¡¯t let her leave. ¡°Qiuyu, since you¡¯re already here, why not stay a bit longer? There¡¯s no need to rush off.¡± At this point, Lu Chen directly pulled Ji Qiuyu into his arms, and at that moment, Lu Chen, through the puppet, could also feel the touch of Ji Qiuyu¡¯s body. Of course, a puppet body wouldn¡¯t possibly react, but Lu Chen¡¯s real body instead did react at this time, though his real body was now in the Daxia Imperial Palace in Tianchen World, and Ji Qiuyu couldn¡¯t possibly feel that. After being pulled into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s entire being became incredibly nervous; this was her first time being so close to a man. However, after calming down a bit, Ji Qiuyu always felt something was strange. Lu Chen¡¯s body seemed too calm, she didn¡¯t even feel his heartbeat, but she thought it was because Lu Chen hid his presence and didn¡¯t think much of it. At this moment, Lu Chen whispered in Ji Qiuyu¡¯s ear, ¡°Qiuyu, you coming to me so actively, could it be you want to engage in Dual Cultivation?¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s face grew even hotter. She outwardly didn¡¯t harbor such thoughts, but deep down, that might not be the case, she felt like her coming to find Lu Chen was very likely driven by some thoughts of Dual Cultivation. Ji Qiuyu hurriedly said, ¡°No¡­ not at all, I¡­ I just wanted to discuss some cultivation insights with you.¡± Seeing Ji Qiuyu so flustered, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth lifted slightly. Ji Qiuyu¡¯s appearance had already revealed her inner thoughts, there weren¡¯t many women in his harem who were so proactive on the first meeting. At that time, Lu Chen¡¯s hand lightly brushed over Ji Qiuyu¡¯s bottom, causing her delicate body to immediately tremble, and she felt her body become very strange. No! She couldn¡¯t continue like this anymore! Ji Qiuyu felt if she continued being entangled and embraced by Lu Chen like this, she would be driven mad. Ji Qiuyu quickly twisted her delicate body and then said, ¡°Lu¡­ Lu Chen, I just remembered I still have something.¡± Lu Chen continued to whisper in Ji Qiuyu¡¯s ear, ¡°Qiuyu, you¡¯re not trying to run away, are you?¡± Seeing her thoughts exposed, Ji Qiuyu hastily said, ¡°No¡­ not at all.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue to trouble Ji Qiuyu; his current body was just a puppet. Keeping Ji Qiuyu here, he couldn¡¯t really do anything to her. Moreover, being stimulated by Ji Qiuyu¡¯s body, his real body was already very uncomfortable at the moment, needing to immediately find a wife to help him. Lu Chen then released Ji Qiuyu. ¡°Alright then, you go ahead and get busy.¡± Seeing Lu Chen release her, Ji Qiuyu internally breathed a sigh of relief, but deep down, she felt a tinge of disappointment; if Lu Chen had continued, it wouldn¡¯t have been unacceptable. Ji Qiuyu shook her head, quickly stifling the thoughts deep in her heart, then turned to look back at Lu Chen¡¯s handsome face, ¡°Lu¡­ Lu Chen, I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Hmm, alright.¡± Then, Ji Qiuyu turned around and left the room. After Ji Qiuyu left, Lu Chen¡¯s attention completely returned to his real body. At that moment. Tianchen World, Daxia Imperial Palace. Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting to arrive in Zhou Youyou¡¯s room. At the time, Zhou Youyou was sitting by the bed, embroidering something, and her sister Zhou Xiaoxiao was also sitting beside her. Now Zhou Youyou was no longer the playful and cute little girl she once was; she had matured a lot and also exuded the aura of a wife, after all, the children were already so big. Seeing Zhou Xiaoxiao and Zhou Youyou together, Lu Chen revealed a slight smile. Just then, the two women suddenly noticed Lu Chen¡¯s presence; they quickly got up, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± As soon as Zhou Youyou finished speaking, Lu Chen directly toppled her onto the soft couch, ¡°Youyou, I¡¯ll need your help next.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Zhou Youyou hadn¡¯t reacted before she heard a tearing sound. Chapter 1042 - Chapter 1042: Chapter 732: What do you think I want from you? Chapter 1042: Chapter 732: What do you think I want from you? Lu Chen and his wives already had a profound understanding, especially Mu Zixuan and the Zhou sisters. Whenever Lu Chen entered their room, they could quickly get into the mood without much conversation. Although both Zhou sisters were mothers, each time they faced Lu Chen, they acted as shy as young girls. At the moment, Zhou Xiaoxiao was sitting to the side, watching what was happening next to her. Her face was flushed, her heartbeat accelerated, and her consciousness was somewhat blurry. Despite not being the focus yet, she felt something similar to Zhou Youyou, probably due to a sisterly bond. At that time, while continuing his actions, Lu Chen said to Zhou Youyou, ¡°Youyou, you¡¯re being naughty. Soon there will be fish in your room.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Youyou blushed even more. ¡°Your Majesty, your concubine¡­ ah¡­¡± Zhou Youyou didn¡¯t know what to say, and now she couldn¡¯t speak at all. She could only let Lu Chen manipulate her. After an unknown amount of time, Lu Chen suddenly looked towards Zhou Xiaoxiao. Startled by his sudden gaze, Zhou Xiaoxiao trembled, knowing it was now her turn to fulfill her duties. Then Zhou Xiaoxiao lay down, but at this time, Lu Chen didn¡¯t do anything to her. He had already gotten up and was sizing her up. Seeing Lu Chen look at her without making a move, Zhou Xiaoxiao became curious, wondering what he was up to. A moment later, Lu Chen revealed a smile. Before Zhou Xiaoxiao could react, Lu Chen grabbed her jade arm and flipped her body onto Zhou Youyou. The Zhou sisters were now face-to-face. Their cheeks reddened further. They knew what Lu Chen wanted to do; after all, they had been married to him for many years and knew him well. Then Lu Chen continued to help the Zhou sisters with their cultivation. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? In the following months, Lu Chen manipulated a puppet to maintain an ambiguous relationship with Ji Qiuyu while enjoying his time in the Palace with his wives and concubines. Occasionally, Lu Chen himself would also spend some time in the Black Dragon City Imperial Palace. As the days passed, the world seemed to stabilize. The Daxia Dynasty was steadily developing and growing more prosperous, especially since the creation of the Cultivation Academy, which weakened the influence of the major Sect powers on the Cultivators. Newborn Cultivators, when choosing their paths, no longer thought first of joining these Sect forces but of the Daxia Cultivation Academy. Now the Cultivators were essentially tied to the Daxia Dynasty. The Sect forces, knowing that Lu Chen was undercutting their foundation, were powerless to stop him. In the Imperial Palace of Black Dragon City. Lu Chen was being affectionate with Wu Junwan in the yard when a maid entered, ¡°Your Majesty, Lady Su requests an audience.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen paused momentarily. Su Hanyan seldom came looking for him; she was quite fearful of how he might treat her and knew that once caught by him, she wouldn¡¯t leave the bed for ten days to a half month. She was actually seeking him out today? Lu Chen asked, ¡°Did she mention what it¡¯s about?¡± The maid replied, ¡°No, she just said she has a matter to discuss with Your Majesty.¡± Lu Chen then said, ¡°I understand.¡± As he spoke, his gaze returned to Wu Junwan in his arms, and he smiled, ¡°Junwan, it seems I have to leave for a bit.¡± Wu Junwan didn¡¯t mind at all. She calmly said, ¡°Your Majesty should hurry over.¡± Lu Chen came to her, and one doesn¡¯t have to guess what he wanted. This guy was already in the mood, she thought, sitting in his arms, she could feel his passion¡ªit was just short of him tearing her gown. Now that Su Hanyan had come looking for him, she had narrowly escaped an ordeal. Compared to the women at Yancheng Imperial Palace, the women of Black Dragon City Imperial Palace were not so interested in matters between men and women; once or twice a year was enough. Wu Junwan and the others were more interested in Cultivation, perhaps it was because of Cultivation that their desires had become particularly low. Of course, if Lu Chen had come to them wanting to start something, they wouldn¡¯t have been unwilling. At this moment, after hearing Wu Junwan¡¯s words, Lu Chen whispered in her ear, ¡°Junwan, why do I feel like you can¡¯t wait for me to leave?¡± Wu Junwan said calmly, ¡°Your Majesty is overthinking it. The Honored Master wouldn¡¯t normally come looking for you. Since he made the effort to come by himself, it must mean he has something important. I just don¡¯t want Your Majesty to miss out on important matters.¡± Lu Chen asked, ¡°Is that so?¡± Wu Junwan replied, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I think.¡± Lu Chen then let go of Wu Junwan. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll come to find you in a few days.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Junwan¡¯s brows twitched slightly. A few days? It was unlikely that Lu Chen would get up from Su Hanyan¡¯s side in less than ten days or half a month; he probably wouldn¡¯t come in just a few days. However, Wu Junwan didn¡¯t mind, it was good that her Honored Master had bought her some more time; she could use this time to cultivate. Lu Chen directly used Shadow Shifting to arrive at Su Hanyan¡¯s courtyard, where Su Hanyan was sitting in the pavilion, looking somewhat nervous. She also realized that coming to find Lu Chen on her own was a risky move. She definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to return home tonight. While she was distracted, a familiar voice came, ¡°My lady, what are you thinking about so deeply?¡± Su Hanyan suddenly returned to her senses, she looked up at Lu Chen and hurriedly said, ¡°No¡­ I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything.¡± Lu Chen walked straight towards her, speaking as he walked, ¡°You came looking for me, it must be something important, right? Could it be that there are invaders in the Misty World again?¡± Su Hanyan replied, ¡°That¡¯s not it; I want to ask you for a favor.¡± Hmm? Hearing this, Lu Chen paused for a moment, then smiled and asked, ¡°Ask me for a favor? What kind of favor?¡± Su Hanyan was about to answer when Lu Chen suddenly came behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Before Su Hanyan could speak, everything went dark before her eyes, and the next moment, the two appeared on the soft couch in Su Hanyan¡¯s sleeping chamber. Feeling the heat coming from behind her, Su Hanyan knew what Lu Chen was about to do again. Just then, she heard a ripping sound, followed immediately by a feeling of fullness that surged in her heart. Su Hanyan bit her silver teeth, trying hard not to make a sound, only hearing Lu Chen say from behind, ¡°Asking me for a favor naturally requires some payment, wouldn¡¯t you agree, my lady?¡± Su Hanyan asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°What do you think is on you that I would want?¡± Su Hanyan fell silent; apart from her body, there really wasn¡¯t anything on her that could attract Lu Chen, and her body had long been his, thus it couldn¡¯t be used as a bargaining tool. Su Hanyan said, ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t say it directly; he immediately started moving, watching Su Hanyan¡¯s snowy back, Lu Chen felt in peak condition, other matters could wait, first to take care of business at hand. After who knows how long, with a roar from Lu Chen, he finally stopped and continued speaking, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s simple, just serve me willingly for once, and I¡¯ll agree to your request.¡± Su Hanyan said wearily, ¡°You¡­ you haven¡¯t even¡­ heard what it is, how can you¡­ agree?¡± Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t say it, I roughly guessed what it could be.¡± Chapter 1044 - Chapter 1044: Chapter 734: After All, You Are Already Fasting Chapter 1044: Chapter 734: After All, You Are Already Fasting Although Su Hanyan verbally stated her reluctance, for the sake of the Cultivation Academy of the Misty Immortal Sect, she eventually chose to compromise. Thankfully, with the help of Rejuvenating Skill, she didn¡¯t experience too much discomfort. However, psychologically, she found it difficult to accept, feeling that she had completely become this guy¡¯s container. If others found out that her three places had been¡­ She couldn¡¯t imagine how people would view her. Damn it, this guy really doesn¡¯t treat her like a human being. At this moment, Lu Chen was lying on the bed, looking up at Su Hanyan¡¯s face filled with shame and anger, her expression full of humiliation and unwillingness. Seeing Lu Chen staring at her with a playful smile, Su Hanyan snorted coldly and continued her actions. Lu Chen asked, ¡°How does it feel?¡± Su Hanyan coldly replied, ¡°I feel nothing.¡± Lu Chen persisted, ¡°Really?¡± Su Hanyan snorted again, not continuing to respond to Lu Chen¡¯s question. At this point, Lu Chen put his hands behind his head, resting on them, and while looking at Su Hanyan¡¯s face, he said, ¡°How about you come here from now on, and we always do this?¡± Su Hanyan immediately responded, ¡°In your dreams!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã¦Ï Lu Chen chuckled, ¡°I was just saying.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve already practiced fasting and haven¡¯t eaten, it¡¯s all the same everywhere.¡± At this, Lu Chen suddenly remembered something and continued, ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s wrong. You just ate something, and quite a bit at that.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan glared fiercely at Lu Chen again. ¡°If you keep saying these things, I¡¯m leaving!¡± By now, Su Hanyan was getting visibly angry; this jerk was getting an advantage and still acting smug. He should just lie quietly; what good does humiliating her do? Seeing Su Hanyan getting somewhat angry, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Alright then, you can leave.¡± Although Lu Chen said this, Su Hanyan couldn¡¯t really leave. If she did leave like this, Lu Chen definitely wouldn¡¯t approve her qualifications to establish a Cultivation Academy for the Misty Immortal Sect. Su Hanyan clenched her teeth and had no choice but to continue serving Lu Chen. Just then, Lu Chen took his hands from under his head and slowly sat up, facing Su Hanyan directly. Before Su Hanyan could react, Lu Chen pinned her beneath him. For a moment, Su Hanyan felt a bit panicked; after all, she had been proactive earlier, and everything had been under her control. ¡°What¡­ what are you trying to do?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t answer Su Hanyan¡¯s question and instead increased the intensity. ¡°It¡¯s rare that Fairy Su is willing to serve me like this. I can¡¯t let down Fairy Su¡¯s goodwill.¡± ¡°You¡­ Ah!¡± Meanwhile. In the Ziyang World. Above Black Dragon City, on a Flying Boat. Bai Wenbin stood on the deck of the Flying Boat with a troubled expression, listening to his subordinate¡¯s report; he felt like the woman he loved might have already been taken by someone else. Bai Wenbin glanced at the subordinate in front of him, then continued to ask, ¡°You mean Qiuyu goes to Lu Chen¡¯s room every night on her own to discuss matters of cultivation?¡± The subordinate replied, ¡°Yes, commander. That¡¯s what the spies in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion reported.¡± Bai Wenbin glowered, then continued to ask, ¡°How long has this been going on?¡± His subordinate answered, ¡°About a month or so.¡± At that moment, spiritual energy emanated from Bai Wenbin, ¡°This damned Loose Cultivator, daring to vie for the same woman as me!¡± A man and a woman alone in a room, to claim they were merely discussing cultivation, he didn¡¯t believe it one bit. He feared they had already become intimate. The thought that he had pursued Ji Qiuyu for so long, and she had been indifferent to him, while Lu Chen, the Loose Cultivator who had only recently arrived in Black Moon City, had already become involved with Ji Qiuyu, filled Bai Wenbin with immense anger. Bai Wenbin clenched his fists tightly and then turned to look at his deputy, ¡°The person I asked you to invite, have you invited him?¡± The deputy hurriedly replied, ¡°Reporting to the leader, the person has agreed, and I have already given Lu Chen¡¯s portrait to him. He said we should hear news of his death within three days.¡± Hearing this, a sinister smile appeared on Bai Wenbin¡¯s face, ¡°Dare to compete with me for a woman, then you have only death to face.¡± At that moment, Bai Wenbin suddenly remembered something and continued to say, ¡°Right, did you tell him not to harm Ji Qiuyu?¡± ¡°Rest assured, leader. I spoke to him, and he said that when they make their move, they will lure her away.¡± After all, Ji Qiuyu was appointed by the Zixiao Dynasty to guard Black Moon City. Although the internal strife within the Zixiao Dynasty was severe and it had been a long time since anyone was sent to Black Moon City, who could say for certain that one day the Zixiao Dynasty wouldn¡¯t remember Ji Qiuyu and send a strong force over again. This was also why Bai Wenbin had never dared to coerce Ji Qiuyu. Although his strength was inferior to hers, he still had many strong backers. If he truly wanted to possess Ji Qiuyu, it wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. He mainly feared the Zixiao Dynasty and the Ji Family. Unexpectedly, Ji Qiuyu, whom he had not even touched or held hands with, was already frequently in the same room with Lu Chen. The more Bai Wenbin thought about it, the angrier he became, eager to see Lu Chen¡¯s decapitation soon. At that moment, Bai Wenbin glanced at Black Moon City beneath the Flying Boat and then said to the soldier controlling the boat, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Hearing Bai Wenbin¡¯s command, the soldier immediately maneuvered the Flying Boat away from Black Moon City. At this moment inside the City Lord¡¯s Mansion of Black Moon City, Ji Qiuyu looked up at the departing Flying Boat and sighed in relief. She was now afraid that Bai Wenbin would cause trouble for Lu Chen. Although she had been very careful, since it had happened, there was always a possibility Bai Wenbin would find out. She didn¡¯t know whether Bai Wenbin knew about her involvement with Lu Chen, but it was always right to be cautious. Now that Bai Wenbin had left, she felt temporarily relieved. In the quiet of the night, Ji Qiuyu wandered around her room, somewhat conflicted about whether to go to Lu Chen¡¯s room. These past few days, she had been visiting his room almost every night. Although they hadn¡¯t engaged in intimate relations yet, there were nightly embraces and cuddling, which made her exceedingly happy to be so close to Lu Chen. But she felt too forward and worried whether Lu Chen thought her promiscuous because she visited him almost every night. Wasn¡¯t it too frequent? Thinking this, Ji Qiuyu felt a slight stir of emotion. They were already Daoist couples, yet every night it was her visiting Lu Chen, and not once had he taken the initiative to visit her. What kind of Daoist couple was this? Did Lu Chen truly want to be Daoist companions with her? Forget it, she wouldn¡¯t go tonight. She decided to wait in her room and see if Lu Chen would come to her on his own. With that thought, Ji Qiuyu sat on her soft couch, waiting for Lu Chen to come. But she waited and waited, and two hours soon passed, yet Lu Chen had not come. Ji Qiuyu pondered for a moment; Lu Chen had mentioned he was cultivating a technique that required abstinence from female companionship, perhaps this was why he wasn¡¯t taking the initiative. She shouldn¡¯t fuss over these things. Forget it. She would take the initiative to go to him after all, to foster their relationship further, and perhaps in the future, she could also learn the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique from him. Chapter 1045 - Chapter 1045: Chapter 735 Lu Chen Cant Possibly Die Like This! Chapter 1045: Chapter 735 Lu Chen Can¡¯t Possibly Die Like This! Ji Qiuyu had just finished psyching herself up when she left the room. However, as soon as she stepped out, she heard some noise outside. Suddenly, a person clad in black thrust a sword towards her. Ji Qiuyu quickly dodged and raised her hand, causing the Spirit Sword from her room to fly into her grasp. ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Ji Qiuyu swung her sword, sending a Sword Qi directly at the person in black, who did not tremble before her but instead immediately turned and fled from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion. Ji Qiuyu frowned. A assassin appearing in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion was not something she could let go easily. She immediately followed up, wanting to find out who the assassin was, and most importantly, who had sent him and for what purpose. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu had no idea that the other party might be using a diversion tactic. As soon as Ji Qiuyu followed the assailant, another man dressed in black reached the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and appeared at the Puppet Lu Chen¡¯s door. Lu Chen¡¯s real body was still immersed in communication with Su Hanyan and had not realized that his puppet was about to face trouble. Seeing as it was just a puppet, Lu Chen hadn¡¯t focused much on it. The man in black sensed the situation inside the room, found someone who seemed to be meditating. Without hesitation, the man in black burst in and thrust his sword at Lu Chen¡¯s puppet, which did not dodge at all and was directly pierced in the chest by the assassin. Seeing this, the man in black was stunned; he knew that with his strength at the Yin-Yang Realm First Layer, it should be easy to kill a Creation Realm Cultivator, but he had not expected it to be this easy. Could something be amiss? Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Meanwhile. The real Lu Chen shuddered all over and his face turned grim. His puppet had been tampered with? Who was it? Regrettably, he had focused all his attention on his real body and had not noticed the puppet¡¯s condition. It seemed he would have to ask Yun Xianxian to make another puppet for him. Although the puppet was now damaged, Lu Chen still had a final bit of connection with it. He immediately used this connection to raise the puppet¡¯s head and saw the black-clad man in front of him. As Lu Chen raised his head and opened his eyes, the man in black came to his senses¡ªit seemed he had been overthinking; it was not anything unusual, perhaps just that this Lu Chen lacked vigilance, or might have been too absorbed in cultivation, which made the assassination so easy. The puppet controlled by Lu Chen queried, ¡°Who¡­ who are you?¡± The man in black sneered and replied, ¡°You do not need to know. All you need to know is that you have offended someone you shouldn¡¯t have.¡± With that, the black-clad man struck again, ready to decapitate Lu Chen¡¯s head and take it back to settle his mission. However, just then, Lu Chen¡¯s puppet revealed a peculiar smile. Seeing this smile, the man in black instantly sensed the danger, but before he could dodge, Lu Chen¡¯s puppet exploded right there. The explosive force of a Creation Realm Cultivator¡¯s blast was immense, but Lu Chen had controlled the explosion¡¯s force. The man in black was blown away. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu, who was pursuing another black-clad man within Black Moon City, suddenly felt the explosion from the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and realized that something had happened there. Ji Qiuyu then realized she had fallen for a diversionary tactic. Her expression slightly changed, knowing that the assassin had lured her away but had not attacked her, indicating that his target could only have been Lu Chen. Ji Qiuyu hurried back. When she reached the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, the courtyard where Lu Chen resided had been blown into a crater, and Lu Chen was nowhere to be seen. Ji Qiuyu immediately checked for auras and discovered that the explosion had indeed been caused by a Creation Realm Cultivator. She was struck dumb at that moment. The presence of a Creation Realm Cultivator could only mean Lu Chen. Ji Qiuyu suddenly felt all strength leave her body; she slumped to the ground, her eyes hollow as she stared at the large pit. For a moment, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s mind went blank, even forgetting her sorrow. ¡°How¡­ How could this happen¡­¡± ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s impossible, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t just die like that.¡± Ji Qiuyu then stood up and began searching for any evidence that Lu Chen was still alive. After her search, she found no bloodstains or human remains, which likely meant that Lu Chen was still alive. However, this self-explosion was hard to explain¡­ Ji Qiuyu thought again, perhaps an assassin had tried to kill Lu Chen, but was instead defeated by him. Being a dead man walking, the assassin chose to self-explode. But¡­ Ji Qiuyu also knew that this explanation was a bit far-fetched. If it really was the enemy¡¯s self-explosion, a Creation Realm¡¯s self-explosion could potentially destroy the entire City Lord¡¯s Mansion, even with protective arrays within Black Moon City. If it truly was an assassin¡¯s self-explosion, he wouldn¡¯t have controlled the power of the blast. It must have been Lu Chen, fearing collateral damage to others in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, who could have controlled the explosive force, creating only a small crater. Even though Ji Qiuyu knew the likelihood that Lu Chen was gone was high, she still couldn¡¯t accept the reality. Although she and Lu Chen were not yet Daoist couples, they had confirmed their relationship, and her feelings for him had grown incredibly deep. How could she accept his death? Ji Qiuyu scanned the surroundings again, confirming the absence of flesh and blood, she continued to deceive herself internally. Lu Chen must have gone after other assassins, which is why he hadn¡¯t returned; she just needed to wait a little longer, and he may come back. Then, Ji Qiuyu continued to wait in front of the large crater. Meanwhile, In the Tianchen World, at the Imperial Palace of Great Sum in Black Dragon City. After Lu Chen had destroyed the puppet, he pulled back his Divine Sense completely. Su Hanyan could tell that Lu Chen was somewhat preoccupied, but she didn¡¯t ask further, merely laying quietly. However, it wasn¡¯t long before Lu Chen perked up again and began to address serious matters. While moving, Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve approved your Cultivation Academy, but there is one more requirement.¡± Su Hanyan, sounding weary, said, ¡°You¡­ you want to go back on your word?¡± Just a moment ago, he had clearly stated that as long as she served him, he would agree to establish the quota for the Cultivation Academy, but now he was making additional demands. Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°If you don¡¯t agree, let it be. I¡¯ve already taken advantage, so it¡¯s no loss to me.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s rogue words, Su Hanyan found herself completely unable to do anything about him and could only ask, ¡°What¡­ what¡­ requirement?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Very¡­ well¡­ quite simple, I¡¯ve got other matters soon, so I can¡¯t continue now. However, I really like it here, so just stay in the Imperial Palace for a couple of months.¡± Su Hanyan instantly understood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning. This scoundrel probably hadn¡¯t had enough fun, but was currently busy and afraid she¡¯d run off, thus wanting to keep her and continue playing with her for these two months. Su Hanyan bit her lip, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re really a foolish¡­ ah¡­ lord!¡± Su Hanyan didn¡¯t even know how to curse Lu Chen appropriately; she felt that the world¡¯s vilest words would be a compliment to him. And this guy had such thick skin; even if she cursed him, he would take it as a compliment. Su Hanyan had no other choice, knowing she couldn¡¯t escape for the next two months, so she said, ¡°Fine¡­ I¡­ agree.¡± Chapter 1046 - Chapter 1046: Chapter 736: I, Myself, Am Warning You鈥擠ont Even Think About It Chapter 1046: Chapter 736: I, Myself, Am Warning You¡ªDon¡¯t Even Think About It Seeing Su Hanyan agree, Lu Chen began another round of action. ¡°Oh, right, there¡¯s also¡­ huh¡­ one more thing.¡± At this moment, Lu Chen suddenly thought of something else. Because he had not taken the proper route, Su Hanyan was still very much alert at this time. She asked, ¡°What¡­ thing?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°After I leave, you must not eat anything.¡± Su Hanyan immediately understood Lu Chen¡¯s meaning; she did not respond to his words but instead snorted coldly. Lu Chen didn¡¯t say more after that. He believed that Su Hanyan should know what to do, and then Lu Chen got busy again. After Lu Chen had finished with his official business, he went to the neighboring bathhouse for a quick shower and changed into a new set of clothes. Yun Xianxian had quite a bit of a cleanliness fetish and disliked the scent of other women on him. After all, he was going to ask Yun Xianxian for help and naturally couldn¡¯t offend her. When Lu Chen arrived at Yun Xianxian¡¯s chamber, Yun Xianxian was sitting upright on a blanket, meditating. Sensing Lu Chen¡¯s arrival, Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t even open her eyes but asked icily, ¡°Su Hanyan is willing to serve you in every way, shouldn¡¯t you be happily playing now instead of coming to bother me?¡± Yun Xianxian was aware of everything happening in the Imperial Palace, including what had just taken place in Su Hanyan¡¯s chamber. She wasn¡¯t jealous or upset about it¡ªshe just didn¡¯t understand why Lu Chen, who was having a good time, would come to her. Could it be that this scoundrel, while busy playing with Su Hanyan, thought about the fact that there were still two untouched parts on her body and wanted to¡­ Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï At that thought, Yun Xianxian couldn¡¯t help but frown slightly, and the chill around her grew even stronger. This disciple could dream on! Although she had long been his woman, she had her dignity. Expecting her to do such a humiliating act¡ªthere was no way. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen, with a playful grin, said, ¡°Is Honored Master getting jealous? How about¡­¡± Before Lu Chen could finish, Yun Xianxian immediately opened her amethyst eyes and glared fiercely at him, saying, ¡°I warn you, don¡¯t even think about it!¡± ¡°Su Hanyan is Su Hanyan, and I am I!¡± Uhm¡­ this¡­ Lu Chen quickly realized why Yun Xianxian had such a strong reaction. Realizing why Yun Xianxian was angry, Lu Chen chuckled and then said, ¡°Honored Master, could it be that you think I want you to do the same thing as Hanyan?¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the case? With your personality, why would you leave before you¡¯re satisfied? You came here with designs on me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°Honored Master really has quite the imagination.¡± ¡°But speaking of which, although Honored Master says she¡¯s unwilling, she has been peeping at the disciple¡¯s actions the whole time, which seems to suggest that deep down, Honored Master has some thoughts about it.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian felt a jolt in her heart. Indeed, she had been sensing everything happening in Su Hanyan¡¯s chamber through her Divine Sense, which is how she knew Lu Chen wasn¡¯t yet satisfied. She was really just curious about how Su Hanyan served this wayward disciple. However, having it pointed out made it sound as if she also had such desires, which caused a blush to spread across Yun Xianxian¡¯s cheeks. Then Yun Xianxian denied it, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t need to change the subject; no matter what you say today, I will never agree to you doing that sort of thing to me.¡± Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s cold and beautiful face wearing an expression of embarrassed anger, Lu Chen decided not to tease Yun Xianxian any further and spoke up directly, ¡°Honored Master, I have come to you today mainly because I want to ask for your help.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I have told you that there is no way I would use those ¡®places¡¯ to help you.¡± Lu Chen couldn¡¯t help but let out another chuckle, ¡°Honored Master, what kind of person do you take your disciple for? I haven¡¯t even said what it¡¯s about yet.¡± Seeing Lu Chen looking at her with a playful expression, Yun Xianxian finally realized that Lu Chen might indeed have some serious business with her. For a moment, the blush on Yun Xianxian¡¯s face deepened, even her pure white neck turned red. Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°I want to ask Honored Master to craft some puppets for me.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian was relieved. It turned out to be a genuine matter. She had thought that this rebellious disciple found his play with Su Hanyan insufficient and was looking to continue with her. Yun Xianxian then asked, ¡°I recall that I have crafted a puppet for you before.¡± Lu Chen came to sit in front of Yun Xianxian and then extended his large hand to encircle Yun Xianxian¡¯s slender waist. Yun Xianxian showed little reaction to Lu Chen¡¯s touch since she now knew that Lu Chen came with a genuine issue, so she didn¡¯t have to worry about Lu Chen doing to her what he had done to Su Hanyan earlier. At this time, Lu Chen said, ¡°My puppet was destroyed by someone in the Ziyang World.¡± Yun Xianxian asked curiously, ¡°Did your puppet encounter any hindrances after entering the Ziyang World? Like difficulty in control?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°My Puppetry Technique has greatly improved, so there were no issues with controlling the puppet.¡± Yun Xianxian thought to herself, Lu Chen must have held back some of the Puppetry Technique he initially passed to her. Yun Xianxian did not ask any further and said simply, ¡°Bring out the materials.¡± Lu Chen unhesitatingly brought out the fragments of the Immortal Boat from the Mysterious Moon Palace, and Yun Xianxian promptly began to meticulously craft the puppets while Lu Chen continued to hold her slender waist, refraining from any other advances. After a short while, three puppets identical to Lu Chen appeared in front of them. Yun Xianxian continued to ask, ¡°Do you want to send all three puppets to the Ziyang World?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Not for now, I am not yet able to control too many puppets at the same time.¡± He could indeed control several puppets simultaneously, but doing so would easily distract him, and significantly reduce the puppets¡¯ strength, which was unnecessary. It would be better to wait until his Puppetry Technique was perfected. For now, it was best to control one puppet at a time. Should a puppet be destroyed, he could send another one to continue. Lu Chen then stood up, came in front of the three puppets, and dripped a drop of his own blood onto each, beginning the refining process. Soon, the puppets became completely identical to him. Of course, a puppet was still a puppet, lacking some functions. Seeing that Lu Chen had finished refining the puppets, Yun Xianxian resumed her aloof demeanor, ¡°I have helped you with your request; you may leave now.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen gave a faint smile, knowing that Yun Xianxian was still afraid that he would truly do to her what was not proper. Although he had indeed been intimate with many of his wives and concubines, Lu Chen never forced the issue. He was well aware that not all women could accept such matters. Among the wives and concubines in the Yancheng Imperial Palace, only two or three had had such experiences. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, after helping me with this major matter¡­¡± Lu Chen had not yet finished speaking when Yun Xianxian hurriedly interrupted, ¡°It was nothing, not worth mentioning. Go on with your business.¡± This was a saying that Yun Xianxian was all too familiar with; Lu Chen¡¯s next words would be about wanting to repay her, and she was very clear on what form his ¡®repayment¡¯ would take. After so many years together with him, she no longer cared much for that kind of thing; she certainly did not want to let him have his way with her. Chapter 1047 - Chapter 1047: Chapter 737: Finally...finally another Cultivator has come here! Chapter 1047: Chapter 737: Finally¡­finally another Cultivator has come here! Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s strong reaction, Lu Chen gave a slight smile and then said, ¡°Honored Master, gratitude must be repaid, and I am a person who recognizes and repays kindness.¡± Yun Xianxian snorted coldly and said, ¡°If you truly were a person who recognizes and repays kindness, you wouldn¡¯t have made yourself into your woman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to argue with you any longer; I need to cultivate. You better hurry on with your own matters, as Sect Master Su is still waiting for you in the room.¡± Yun Xianxian probed with her Divine Sense and discovered that Su Hanyan had not yet risen to leave, which proved that Lu Chen was indeed not yet satisfied and that there were still serious matters ahead for him and Su Hanyan. As if this guy, Lu Chen, had indeed come to create puppets¡ªa fact that made Yun Xianxian internally breathe a sigh of relief. Lu Chen said, ¡°All right then, after this matter is finished, I¡¯ll come back and properly repay Honored Master.¡± As Lu Chen¡¯s voice fell, his body disappeared on the spot. Once he had completely vanished, Yun Xianxian breathed another sigh of relief, ¡°Thank goodness this ungrateful disciple didn¡¯t come for me¡­¡± Yun Xianxian stopped mid-sentence, and as soon as she thought of the scene she had sensed earlier, her face became unbearably hot. She found that this defiant disciple was becoming increasingly crafty. Before, this guy was merely openly lascivious, but now his antics had grown more numerous, and the key issue was that his wives were indulging him all along. If they continued indulging him like this, he was likely to come up with even more antics. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely the fault of those women; after all, with Lu Chen being so powerful, they had no power to resist him. If Lu Chen insisted on doing certain things, they could only be forced to accept. However, Yun Xianxian was still somewhat disappointed, feeling they could at least show some dissatisfaction instead of placating this defiant disciple. By accommodating him, this defiant disciple would surely become even more demanding. Though Lu Chen could sometimes be forceful, one couldn¡¯t deny that he occasionally showed respect to his women. If they expressed even mild dissatisfaction, he wouldn¡¯t continue. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã? But once they had started, such situations were likely to become more common. Thinking this, Yun Xianxian felt a wave of disgust towards Su Hanyan. That woman truly had no bottom line; by giving in, she set a precedent, and now Lu Chen would surely think the other women would behave the same. Yun Xianxian took a deep breath to stabilize her turbulent emotions, trying hard not to keep thinking about those things. After all, she just needed to stay true to her heart. How Lu Chen¡¯s other wives spoiled him was their business¡ªit had nothing to do with her. She would never give in to those behaviors. At this moment, Lu Chen had once again arrived at the crack in the boundary wall of the Ziyang World and sent another puppet into the Ziyang World. Continuing to control the puppet towards Black Moon City, Lu Chen also thought about what excuse he should use later. When he self-destructed the puppet, the explosion was complete, but there might still be traces left behind. After all, a puppet is a puppet, not a real person, without flesh and blood. Ji Qiuyu might discover something. After much thought, Lu Chen eventually decided to reveal the truth about the puppet. Only by doing so could he calmly self-destruct the puppet when faced with danger again. If he didn¡¯t tell Ji Qiuyu about the puppet, he would need to find excuses and concoct lies every time there was danger. That would be too exhausting. Naturally, Lu Chen only planned to reveal his puppet identity to Ji Qiuyu, not his true identity as his original self. Although they had now established a Daoist couple relationship, they had not consummated their marriage. Telling Ji Qiuyu now that he was from the Tianchen World could possibly trigger her resistance and make her wary of him. Once it was a done deal and Ji Qiuyu became his woman, even if she found out he was from another world, there would be nothing she could do about it. After the Lu Chen puppet entered the Sealing Demon Land, he released Spiritual Energy on his own accord to see if, like last time, a black hand would emerge from beneath the Sealing Demon Land. A moment later, indeed, countless black hands emerged from the earth. Those human hands, fused with the power of the Heavenly Demon, instantly grew longer and reached out to grab Lu Chen¡¯s puppet. Lu Chen paid no attention to the black hands and directly controlled the puppet to fly towards Black Moon City. At this time, the Heavenly Demon underground became excited once again. ¡°Finally¡­ finally, another Cultivator has come here!¡± ¡°This time, I absolutely cannot miss this opportunity!¡± Immediately, the Heavenly Demon released its power and continued to reach for the flying Cultivator. Just as its hands, formed from the power of the Heavenly Demon, were about to touch the Cultivator, suddenly a strange barrier blocked those black hands. Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon was momentarily stunned. Unwilling to give up, it reached for the flying Cultivator again, but the result was the same. The Heavenly Demon flew into a rage. ¡°What on earth is going on!!!¡± For a time, the Sealing Demon Grounds shook violently, and the cities around the Sealing Demon Grounds, especially Black Moon City, felt the disturbances from here. Seeing the whole earth trembling and the Demonic Qi shooting into the sky, Lu Chen¡¯s lips curved up slightly. It seemed he had angered the Heavenly Demon sealed underground. Forget it, I shouldn¡¯t tease it anymore. If I continue to provoke it, Black Moon City will also suffer soon. Even if there were no demonic beasts attacking Black Moon City, if the Heavenly Demon became angry, Black Moon City itself would face earthquakes, which was not good news for the city. Afterward, Lu Chen increased his speed and left the Sealing Demon Grounds, reappearing at the gates of Black Moon City. When the soldiers of Black Moon City saw Lu Chen, they were all stunned. They had heard about what had happened at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion; although Ji Qiuyu had always insisted that Lu Chen was not dead, the scene clearly had the traces of the Genesis Realm explosion, which from all signs, indicated that Lu Chen was no more. And yet, here was Lu Chen, alive and well, in front of everyone. Seeing the soldiers looking at him with strange expressions, Lu Chen said indifferently, ¡°What, don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± The soldiers, as if waking from a dream, quickly came to their senses, ¡°We have seen the Deputy City Lord!¡± Without saying much to the soldiers, Lu Chen strode towards the City Lord¡¯s Mansion and soon arrived at its entrance. When the maids of the City Lord¡¯s Mansion saw Lu Chen, they all looked like they had seen a ghost. Nearly everyone there believed that Lu Chen was dead. Now, only Ji Qiuyu was grieving deeply, convinced that Lu Chen was still alive. But if Lu Chen was truly dead, then who was this individual in front of them? The leader of the guards at the City Lord¡¯s Mansion looked at Lu Chen with a face full of horror and stammered, ¡°Deputy¡­ Deputy City Lord, how¡­ how are you?¡± Lu Chen ignored the leader of the guards and asked directly, ¡°Where is the City Lord? I need to see her.¡± The leader of the guards quickly replied, ¡°The City Lord¡­ is¡­ in her room.¡± No sooner had the leader of the guards finished speaking than Lu Chen walked directly towards Ji Qiuyu¡¯s room. Chapter 1048 - Chapter 1048: Chapter 738: Did You Really Like Me? Chapter 1048: Chapter 738: Did You Really Like Me? When Lu Chen arrived at the doorway to Ji Qiuyu¡¯s room, he heard some strange noises coming from inside. ¡°Lu Chen¡­ why didn¡¯t you even say a word before leaving?¡± ¡°At least leave a letter.¡± At that moment, the maid at the doorway shook her head and sighed upon hearing the voice from the room, thinking that Ji Qiuyu had been so affected she spent her days locked in her room, talking to herself. However, just then, the two maids at the doorway saw Lu Chen entering the courtyard, and upon seeing him, the color drained from their faces. ¡°Ghost¡­ ghost¡­¡± Lu Chen immediately raised his hand, making a ¡°shush¡± gesture. At that moment, another voice from Ji Qiuyu continued, ¡°Lu Chen, wait until you come back and see how I¡¯ll deal with you!¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled. Then he spoke up at the doorway, ¡°I¡¯m back now, I really want to see how the City Lord plans to deal with me.¡± At that moment inside the room, Ji Qiuyu, with her hair disheveled, wearing a white garment, lay on the soft couch. Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, she suddenly lifted her head. After regaining her composure, she quickly waved her hand, and the door to the room burst open, revealing Lu Chen standing there. Ji Qiuyu was stunned for a moment. Seeing Ji Qiuyu in her disheveled state, Lu Chen felt a pang of distress. He hadn¡¯t realized the explosion of his puppet had affected Ji Qiuyu so deeply, it seemed she truly considered him her Daoist couple. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 Lu Chen then said, ¡°Qiuyu, sorry, there were some things I didn¡¯t tell you, which made you worry.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen waved his hands, signaling the two maids at the doorway to leave. Naturally, the maids understood the relationship between Lu Chen and Ji Qiuyu and wisely exited the courtyard. Lu Chen continued walking toward the room. Just as he entered, Ji Qiuyu suddenly spoke coldly, ¡°Who are you!¡± As her words fell, the sword by Ji Qiuyu¡¯s bedside flew out, stopping right in front of Lu Chen, its tip pointing at his neck. Even though Ji Qiuyu had hoped all along that Lu Chen was still alive, deep down she knew there was a good chance he had exploded. Seeing Lu Chen at that moment, she regained her clarity. Before Lu Chen could reply, Ji Qiuyu demanded again, ¡°What is your purpose in impersonating Lu Chen!¡± Seeing how vigilant Ji Qiuyu was, Lu Chen showed a slight, reassured smile, ¡°Qiuyu, seeing you being so vigilant makes me feel relieved.¡± Ji Qiuyu spoke with frost in her voice, ¡°Stop trying to be friendly, answer my question now, or you die!¡± Ignoring the threat, Lu Chen explained, ¡°That day, when the assasin came to my room, I was cultivating and let my guard down, failing to notice the assassin. When I hurried over, worried, my puppet clone had already been pierced through, and I had no choice but to explode the puppet clone.¡± ¡°To avoid worrying you, I sent this puppet clone to you immediately.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, Ji Qiuyu was momentarily stunned. Puppet? She had certainly heard of controlling puppets in battle, so she quickly understood what he meant, but she could hardly believe that she had been always sticking close to a puppet. In that instant, a murderous aura overflowed from Ji Qiuyu, ¡°You mean to say, the previous Lu Chen was just one of your puppets?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°You must have also noticed that if it really were a cultivator self-destructing, there would definitely be some corpse fragments or blood left at the scene.¡± Ji Qiuyu certainly understood this, and it was precisely because of this that she still harbored a glimmer of hope that Lu Chen was alive. However, she had never expected that Lu Chen would actually be a puppet. Seeing the ugly expression on Ji Qiuyu¡¯s face as she glared fiercely at him, Lu Chen hurriedly continued, ¡°Qiuyu, I am truly sorry I did not tell you initially. My real body is currently trapped somewhere and cannot meet you, so I could only meet with you in this way.¡± Ji Qiuyu still coldly watched Lu Chen, and she finally understood why Lu Chen had said he was cultivating a certain Cultivation Technique and couldn¡¯t engage in the matters of Daoist couples. She also realized why every time she cuddled and hugged Lu Chen, his body felt somewhat strange, and she had never felt Lu Chen¡¯s heartbeat. It turned out that the person she had been hugging and kissing wasn¡¯t a real person at all, but a puppet. The thought that she had devoted all her passion to a puppet made Ji Qiuyu feel immensely ashamed and furious. Seeing that Ji Qiuyu did not speak, Lu Chen did not continue speaking, merely looking into her eyes. After what felt like an eternity, Ji Qiuyu finally spoke again, ¡°From today onwards, we are no longer Daoist couple!¡± Ji Qiuyu naturally believed what Lu Chen had said, but she couldn¡¯t accept engaging in talk of love with a puppet. Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words, Lu Chen sighed and said, ¡°I understand. I will leave Black Moon City now and not appear before you again.¡± With these words, Lu Chen turned and left. Lu Chen had many wives and concubines and had dealt with women for many years, so he naturally knew how to handle the current situation. He checked the system to see that Ji Qiuyu¡¯s favorability toward him remained, but Ji Qiuyu felt deceived and was a bit angry, which is why she had said those words. If he continued to pester her now, it might actually cause Ji Qiuyu¡¯s favorability toward him to keep reducing. Leaving now was the best choice. Of course, he wasn¡¯t truly leaving. Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s retreating figure, Ji Qiuyu was momentarily stunned. She couldn¡¯t accept Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°deception,¡± but her intention was only that they would no longer be Daoist couple, not that she wanted Lu Chen to leave Black Moon City! Ji Qiuyu quickly realized that it was she who had asked Lu Chen to stay initially. Now that she and Lu Chen had ended their relationship as a Daoist couple, Lu Chen naturally had no reason to stay in Black Moon City since she was the proactive party and Lu Chen the passive one. Watching Lu Chen¡¯s figure getting farther away, Ji Qiuyu felt a piercing pain in her heart, immensely uncomfortable. Although she couldn¡¯t accept this deception, it was a fact that Lu Chen had saved her. Without Lu Chen, she would most likely have been devoured by demons long ago. Moreover, her feelings for Lu Chen were genuine, even though he was only a puppet. She could truly feel the love conveyed by the person behind the puppet. For a moment, Ji Qiuyu felt as if her heart was being torn apart. Seeing that Lu Chen was about to walk out of the courtyard, Ji Qiuyu could no longer hold back, ¡°Wait¡­¡± Lu Chen stopped in his tracks but did not turn around. Ji Qiuyu asked, ¡°Did you really ever like me?¡± Without turning his head, Lu Chen said, ¡°If I didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have agreed initially to stay in Black Moon City.¡± Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°You did have ulterior motives.¡± ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have lied to me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If I had told you from the start that I was a puppet, we might not have become Daoist couple.¡± Chapter 1049 - Chapter 1049: Chapter 739: Are you asking me to wait for you for a hundred years? Chapter 1049: Chapter 739: Are you asking me to wait for you for a hundred years? Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu fell into silence. Indeed, had Lu Chen told her from the beginning that he was merely a puppet, she might have suspected that the puppet Lu Chen had some ulterior motives and would not have invested so much emotion in a puppet. She certainly would not have harbored thoughts of becoming Daoist couple with a puppet. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t know what to do; she had just spoken those words, and now if she continued to hold on to Lu Chen, how would he see her? And with what identity should she continue to hold on to Lu Chen? Both remained silent, and as time ticked by, after an indeterminate period, Lu Chen decided it was time to speak, ¡°Qiuyu, I did conceal some matters from you, but my feelings for you are real, and I wish to be your Daoist couple.¡± ¡°However, my status is special, and my true self cannot come to Black Moon City for now. My original plan was to be honest with you when my true body arrived in Black Moon City, but I did not expect my puppet to be destroyed by an assassin.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu did not respond and continued to remain silent. After another long period, Ji Qiuyu finally asked, ¡°Do you really have to leave?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I stayed originally because I liked you. Now that we are not in a relationship of Daoist couple anymore, it makes no sense for me to stay here.¡± Upon hearing this from Lu Chen, Ji Qiuyu clenched her fists slightly and then, gritting her teeth, asked, ¡°When will your true body come to Black Moon City?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I do not know.¡± Ji Qiuyu asked again, ¡°Your puppet possesses the power of the Genesis Realm, so your true body must be very powerful. Would such a powerful being really care for someone weak like me?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Ji Qiuyu was no fool. If the controlled puppet had the power of the Genesis Realm, then Lu Chen must at least possess the power of the Yin-Yang Realm, or even above the All Law Realm. Such a powerful being was likely an old ancestor or a Supreme Elder of some force. Such beings wouldn¡¯t lack beautiful women around them; how could he possibly care for her? Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s query, Lu Chen said, ¡°My true body is in the Yin-Yang Realm of cultivation state and is not very powerful. Moreover, in my eyes, you have never been weak. You would rather sacrifice yourself for humanity and safeguard Black Moon City. If such a brave person like you is considered weak, then those hiding behind you aren¡¯t even worth as ants.¡± Ji Qiuyu fell into silence again, lost in thought. Her mind was a mess now; she could not tolerate Lu Chen deceiving her, yet she could not bear to see him leave like this. At that moment, the puppet Lu Chen suddenly appeared before Ji Qiuyu. She was momentarily stunned, and before she could react, she was pulled into Lu Chen¡¯s embrace. ¡°You!¡± Ji Qiuyu hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to do this; she wanted to say something, but the words died on her lips. At that moment, Lu Chen whispered in Ji Qiuyu¡¯s ear, ¡°Qiuyu, I will never lie to you again. Can you forgive me?¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart began to beat wildly; though she knew the Lu Chen before her was just a puppet, her heart was still incredibly restless. She did not respond to Lu Chen immediately, and after a while, Lu Chen again whispered in her ear, ¡°Within a hundred years, my true body will definitely come to Black Moon City to see you.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu finally spoke, ¡°Do you mean to ask me to wait for you for a hundred years?¡± Ji Qiuyu¡¯s tone had softened a lot, clearly no longer as angry as before. Lu Chen hurriedly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t say you should wait; am I not here with you right now?¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu snorted coldly, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m so easily deceived? That a puppet can pacify me and make me willingly wait for a hundred years?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I have no other option, my true self indeed cannot come to Black Moon City now, but once it arrives, I will surely make it up to you.¡± At this moment, Ji Qiuyu pushed Lu Chen¡¯s puppet, and since Lu Chen wasn¡¯t holding on very tightly, the two of them separated with just a push. Ji Qiuyu looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Are you sure your true self can come to Black Moon City within a hundred years?¡± Lu Chen affirmed, ¡°Yes, definitely.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu sighed lightly, then said, ¡°Then let us be Daoist couple for another hundred years. If after one hundred years, your true self still hasn¡¯t come to Black Moon City, our relationship will end.¡± Seeing Ji Qiuyu relent, Lu Chen quickly said, ¡°Qiuyu, rest assured, I will do everything I can to be by your side within a hundred years.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu looked at him skeptically, wondering why she always felt like Lu Chen¡¯s true self might have encountered some trouble. If Lu Chen could send his puppet so quickly, then Lu Chen¡¯s true self should also be able to arrive at Black Moon City in a short time. There was no reason for Lu Chen to delay for a hundred years. There was only one possibility, that he was trapped somewhere and couldn¡¯t leave, so he could only send a puppet. Ji Qiuyu then asked, ¡°Lu Chen, tell me the truth, is your true self trapped in some dire place?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°No.¡± Ji Qiuyu reminded, ¡°You just said you wouldn¡¯t lie to me again.¡± Lu Chen looked troubled, then sighed and said, ¡°Qiuyu, I can¡¯t tell you the specific reason right now. If I did, it would surely bring great trouble to you and to the whole of Black Moon City.¡± ¡°My identity is quite special, with far-reaching implications.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s eyebrows slightly raised. Special identity? Just how special? Just as Ji Qiuyu was about to continue questioning Lu Chen, she suddenly remembered the incidents that had happened in the Zixiao Dynasty over the years. The internal strife in the Zixiao Dynasty had been severe recently, and it was said that some of the Princes of the Zixiao Dynasty had been forced to flee and wander. Ji Qiuyu wasn¡¯t thinking that Lu Chen was one of the Princes of the Zixiao Dynasty, but she suspected that Lu Chen might share a similar fate to those princes, which is why he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity. If someone knew his true identity, it could likely invite countless assassins. With this in mind, Ji Qiuyu decided not to pursue Lu Chen¡¯s identity further. At that moment, Ji Qiuyu continued to ask, ¡°Then, the people who came to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion to assassinate you this time, are they your enemies?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°No, they are assassins from the Blood Rainbow Pavilion.¡± Lu Chen of course knew who had sent these assassins, but he chose not to say explicitly that they were sent by Bai Wenbin, as Ji Qiuyu might wonder how he knew. Hearing the words ¡°Blood Rainbow Pavilion,¡± Ji Qiuyu was taken aback. Blood Rainbow Pavilion was the largest assassin organization in the Ziyang World, daring to take on any business if the price was right. They would even dare to make a move against the Emperor of the Zixiao Dynasty. So, someone had hired the Blood Rainbow Pavilion¡¯s assassins to get rid of Lu Chen? Chapter 1050 - Chapter 1050: Chapter 740: You... Stop Talking Chapter 1050: Chapter 740: You¡­ Stop Talking Ji Qiuyu pondered for a moment and instantly thought of Bai Wenbin. When it came to who wanted Lu Chen gone the most, it was probably Bai Wenbin. Bai Wenbin¡¯s last visit to Black Moon City might have revealed his relationship with Lu Chen. Even though she and Lu Chen hadn¡¯t been intimate, they often spent nights together. There was no wall without wind, and Bai Wenbin likely knew about it. That¡¯s why he left in such a hurry, anxious to get the Blood Rainbow Pavilion¡¯s assassins to eliminate Lu Chen. Thinking of this, Ji Qiuyu felt a trace of guilt¡ªif not for her, Lu Chen might not have faced an assassination attempt. At the same time, she also felt a sense of relief, grateful that it was only Lu Chen¡¯s puppet body present. If it had been his real body here, he might have met with disaster. With this thought, the resentment Ji Qiuyu held in her heart towards Lu Chen mostly dissipated. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°I think I might already know who wants to kill you.¡± Lu Chen feigned curiosity and asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± Ji Qiuyu sighed lightly and replied, ¡°Bai Wenbin.¡± Lu Chen acted surprised and said, ¡°So it¡¯s him, he indeed has reasons to want me dead.¡± As he spoke, Lu Chen¡¯s gaze swept over Ji Qiuyu¡¯s graceful figure. Being ogled so blatantly by Lu Chen made her feel her body heat up for a moment. Ji Qiuyu quickly steadied her mind, reminding herself that this was just one of Lu Chen¡¯s puppets¡ªhow could she harbor such thoughts towards a puppet! Lu Chen then continued, ¡°What should we do now? Since he has sent someone to assassinate me, it¡¯s highly likely he knows about our relationship.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï ¡°I don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m just a puppet clone. Even if he kills this clone, I have others.¡± ¡°But what if he becomes bitter from unreturned love and sends an assassin after you?¡± Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t dare to attack me. I¡¯m assigned by the Zixiao Dynasty to guard the Demon-Sealing Sacred Land. If anything happens to me, the Zixiao Dynasty will know immediately. Besides, I have the Soul Chasing Curse on me. Once someone kills me, a mark will be left on that person, and then the Ji Family and possibly the Zixiao Dynasty might send people to take revenge on my assailant.¡± Though the Zixiao Dynasty hadn¡¯t sent anyone to the Demon-Sealing Sacred Land in years due to internal struggles, it didn¡¯t mean her special status with the Zixiao Dynasty was no longer important. After all, she was here representing the Zixiao Dynasty to monitor the Demon-Sealing Sacred Land. If anything happened to her, no matter which prince came to power, they would still seek vengeance for her. Even if Bai Wenbin recruited Blood Rainbow Pavilion¡¯s assassins, it would cost him dearly, and he might not be able to afford it. Lu Chen said, ¡°That may be true, but nobody can be certain if Bai Wenbin will go to extremes.¡± Ji Qiuyu continued, ¡°He is a very selfish man. He runs away at the first sign of a significant Demonic Tide. To ask him to jeopardize himself by striking at me¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s also true. In that case, I can rest easy. As long as you¡¯re safe, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± With that, Lu Chen once again wrapped his arms around Ji Qiuyu¡¯s waist. Her delicate body trembled slightly under his embrace, but quickly she reminded herself again that the Lu Chen before her was merely a puppet. Ji Qiuyu asked, ¡°Is your puppet body the same as your real body?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°My puppet is a replica of my true self, identical in appearance.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart relaxed again. As long as they were identical, meeting Lu Chen¡¯s true self in the future would allow her to quickly accept him and not feel uncomfortable. Then, Lu Chen whispered in Ji Qiuyu¡¯s ear, ¡°Qiuyu, your body smells so good. I really wish I could be by your side right now and engage in Dual Cultivation with you.¡± Upon hearing this, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s cheeks instantly became unbearably hot, but she quickly recovered. Scent? The one in front of her was merely a puppet after all, how could it possibly smell the scent on her body? With that thought, Ji Qiuyu huffed, ¡°Sweet talker, your true form isn¡¯t even here, how could you possibly smell anything on me?¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°Although my true form isn¡¯t here, a strand of my Divine Sense resides within this puppet avatar. Whatever the puppet perceives, my true form can also sense through the connected Divine Sense.¡± This¡­ Ji Qiuyu thought to herself, does this mean, despite facing a puppet, Lu Chen¡¯s true form also experienced the touch of her body? At this thought, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s face flushed with increasingly deep blushes. Initially, she struggled to accept that Lu Chen was a puppet avatar because she felt she had poured all her emotions into a mere object, a puppet that was lifeless, and that Lu Chen¡¯s true form hadn¡¯t felt any of it, rendering her efforts futile. Now, thinking that Lu Chen¡¯s true form could perceive her body through the puppet, she realized that her efforts might not have been in vain after all. Seeing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s face filled with bashful crimson, Lu Chen continued, ¡°Qiuyu, rest assured, the day my true form comes by your side, I will certainly satisfy you.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s overt words, Ji Qiuyu hastily said, ¡°You¡­ you should stop talking.¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t continue, instead, he held Ji Qiuyu¡¯s body tightly in his embrace. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s true form¡¯s desires were thoroughly aroused by Ji Qiuyu, and without any hesitation, he immediately returned to the Black Dragon City Imperial Palace. Su Hanyan lay on the soft couch, her gaze fixed on the yellow bed curtains, lost in thought. Suddenly, a voice rang out, ¡°Apologies for making my lady wait.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Su Hanyan¡¯s delicate body involuntarily shuddered. She then turned her head to look toward the side of the bed, only to see Lu Chen lunging straight at her. Before she could even ask him anything, she felt Lu Chen straying off the path. Su Hanyan bit her silver teeth and struggled to control her own pent-up emotions, accepting Lu Chen. At that time, Su Hanyan curiously asked, ¡°Your¡­ sss¡­ Majesty, where were you just now?¡± Lu Chen, with one arm wrapped around Su Hanyan¡¯s waist, his chest pressed against her jade back, truthfully replied in her ear, ¡°I had just sent a puppet to the neighboring Ziyang World.¡± Su Hanyan forced herself to control her inner turmoil and continued to ask, ¡°Your Majesty plans¡­ mmhmm¡­ when do you plan to conquer that world?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There¡¯s no rush. That world is vast, and I haven¡¯t fully grasped the situation there yet.¡± Having said that, Lu Chen changed the subject, ¡°Hanyan, your Misty Immortal Sect is establishing a Cultivation Academy, do you need any¡­ huh¡­ assistance?¡± Su Hanyan quickly said, ¡°Many¡­ many thanks for Your Majesty¡¯s kind offer, but we can manage on our own, Your Majesty need not trouble yourself. You just need to¡­ ai ai¡­ allocate us some slots from the Misty Immortal Sect.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s favors weren¡¯t so easy to ask for. If they let Great Sum assist in setting up the Cultivation Academy, who knows what terms this fellow might impose. Just to get a few slots, she had already lost her purity twice; she literally had no more purity left to lose. If she were to ask Lu Chen for help again, who knows what kind of methods he might resort to using on her. Seeing how swiftly Su Hanyan refused, Lu Chen slightly lifted his chest, gripping Su Hanyan¡¯s willowy waist, ¡°If Great Sum helps build your Cultivation Academy, it might make the cultivators feel that your academy is endorsed by the Daxia Imperial Court, thereby attracting more talents.¡± Chapter 1051 - Chapter 1051: Chapter 741: I Want to See How Many Lives You Have Chapter 1051: Chapter 741: I Want to See How Many Lives You Have Lu Chen¡¯s words had just fallen when he continued to attack, leaving no chance for Su Hanyan to reply. With the support of the Daxia Imperial Court, it naturally was beneficial for the Misty Immortal Sect, but Su Hanyan also understood that if the Daxia Imperial Court truly supported them, the cultivators who would enter the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Cultivation Academy to study would most likely also end up loyal to the Daxia Imperial Court. Eventually, the Misty Immortal Sect would become a place to cultivate talents for the Daxia, just like she was now, completely controlled by Lu Chen, who could do whatever he wanted. Su Hanyan could only curse Lu Chen in her heart, this bastard who wanted everything! Having her wasn¡¯t enough, he also wanted to take away all her innocence, and after taking away her innocence, he wanted to control the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s Cultivation Academy. After who knows how long, Lu Chen exhaled deeply and then continued, ¡°Well¡­ actually, you don¡¯t need to think too much, I just felt that since it¡¯s the Misty Immortal Sect¡¯s first time establishing a Cultivation Academy, you lack experience, so I wanted to help you.¡± Hearing this, Su Hanyan snorted lightly, not believing a word Lu Chen said. Then Su Hanyan said weakly, ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯ll¡­ not¡­ trouble¡­ Your Majesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then,¡± said Lu Chen. ¡°Since you plan to explore setting up the Cultivation Academy on your own, I won¡¯t say much more, but if you have any questions, you can come find me anytime.¡± At this point, Lu Chen patted Su Hanyan¡¯s buttocks lightly, and Su Hanyan snorted but said nothing. Now, Lu Chen leaned forward, his broad chest once again pressed against her jade back, and he continued to whisper in Su Hanyan¡¯s ear, ¡°Hanyan, your body is so soft, truly irresistible.¡± Su Hanyan pursed her lips and ignored Lu Chen¡¯s sweet nothings, knowing that she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to return home for the next two months. Having given him a taste of sweetness, he wouldn¡¯t easily let her leave. At that moment, Su Hanyan said, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ I¡¯m curious, do you really intend to achieve the Dao through women?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°You¡¯ve asked that nearly ten times, haven¡¯t you?¡± Almost every time Su Hanyan was oppressed by Lu Chen, she would ask this question, truly curious. Lu Chen had only secluded himself once, and most of his time was then spent on women. Could such a person really become a Great Emperor? Previously, Lu Chen would at least handle some affairs of the Daxia Dynasty, but now that the Crown Prince had grown up, he had become a hands-off Shopkeeper, doing nothing. This fellow wasn¡¯t either in bed with one of his concubines or on his way to one of their chambers, even more depraved than a Demon Cultivator. Although Lu Chen¡¯s Dual Cultivation Technique indeed could be practiced to elevate one¡¯s Realm, who would take such a method as their primary form of cultivation? Every time after being intimate with Lu Chen, Su Hanyan would think, is this guy really planning to become an emperor through women? If he succeeded in this path, who knows how many cultivators¡¯ Dao Hearts might shatter. But Su Hanyan felt that Lu Chen probably had no hope, even if his background was strong. The way he was degrading, becoming a Great Emperor seemed almost impossible. At that moment, while gently running his hands over Su Hanyan¡¯s smooth skin, Lu Chen said, ¡°Don¡¯t think I am degenerating. In my eyes, every path has the potential for success. I walk the Life Dao, and as long as I persist, I will eventually become an emperor.¡± ¡°The most important thing in cultivation is to have a steady Dao Heart, not to doubt your own path¡ªthe more you doubt, the less likely you are to succeed.¡± ¡°Every cultivation path has been forged step by step by predecessors; if no one tries, those methods of cultivation wouldn¡¯t exist.¡± Lying on the soft couch, Su Hanyan scoffed again, choosing not to continue the conversation. She wanted to see how this guy could become an emperor through what he called the ¡°Life Dao.¡± Seeing that Su Hanyan had no more to say, Lu Chen resumed his movements, and Su Hanyan could only once again partake in his Life Dao. ¡­ Meanwhile, In the Ziyang World, Great Chu Dynasty. Bai Wenbin was on the Flying Boat, watching the dancers dance. He was in a very good mood at the moment. Although the assassin from the Blood Rainbow Pavilion had not managed to bring back Lu Chen¡¯s head, the assassin reported that Lu Chen had self-destructed. And he had also confirmed through his spy that Lu Chen had indeed self-destructed. With Lu Chen gone, Bai Wenbin had one less powerful competitor. Although Ji Qiuyu might have already become Lu Chen¡¯s Daoist couple, Bai Wenbin didn¡¯t particularly mind. After all, Ji Qiuyu was so beautiful¡ªplaying around with her was not out of the question as long as he didn¡¯t take responsibility. Thinking this, Bai Wenbin picked up a cup of wine and downed it in one gulp, then said to the dancers, ¡°Continue the music, continue the dance.¡± But just as Bai Wenbin¡¯s words fell, a guard suddenly came to the small courtyard of the Flying Boat, ¡°Commander, something terrible has happened!¡± Hearing this, Bai Wenbin frowned, ¡°I, the commander, am quite fine!¡± The guard quickly realized his mistake and hastily corrected, ¡°Commander, Lu¡­ Lu Chen is back!¡± Bai Wenbin¡¯s expression instantly froze, then quickly darkened. Lu Chen? Hadn¡¯t he self-destructed? Regaining his senses, Bai Wenbin immediately asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t the assassin from Blood Rainbow Pavilion say he had self-destructed? Even that assassin from the Yin-Yang Realm was severely injured by his self-destruction. How could he possibly still be alive?¡± The guard quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s the spies in Black Moon City who sent word, they saw with their own eyes Lu Chen returning to the City Lord¡¯s Mansion.¡± Bai Wenbin fell into deep thought; Blood Rainbow Pavilion highly valued their reputation, they shouldn¡¯t have lied to him. If Lu Chen really had self-destructed, then who was this Lu Chen that had come back? Could it be that the Lu Chen who self-destructed last time wasn¡¯t the real Lu Chen, and this one now was? Thinking this, Bai Wenbin¡¯s expression twisted and he immediately said, ¡°Immediately continue the investigation. Find out if this newfound Lu Chen is the real one!¡± ¡°Yes, Commander.¡± After receiving the order, the guard turned and left the small courtyard of the Flying Boat. Bai Wenbin waved his hand, ¡°All of you leave!¡± As Bai Wenbin¡¯s words fell, the dancers and musicians quickly exited the courtyard, leaving Bai Wenbin alone at his seat. At this moment, Bai Wenbin clenched his fists; the Spiritual Energy violently surged around him, scattering the surrounding tables and chairs. ¡°Lu Chen, whether you are really alive or not, if I could kill you once, I can kill you a second time!¡± ¡°I want to see just how many lives you have!¡± Saying this, Bai Wenbin immediately spoke to the guard at the courtyard gate, ¡°Summon someone!¡± Soon after, Bai Wenbin arranged for someone to invite the assassins from Blood Rainbow Pavilion. A few days later. Blood Rainbow Pavilion. In a red forest, a sustained melody of a qin resonated. At this moment, a woman clad in a long red dress stood atop a large tree, gazing into the distance. The woman¡¯s beauty was unparalleled, her demeanor noble, and her divided red dress swayed with the breeze, revealing her long, snowy-white legs. At that time, an elder appeared behind the woman, ¡°Greetings, your honor!¡± The woman asked indifferently, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± The elder answered, ¡°According to the investigations of our subordinate, there was indeed a major outburst of the Demonic Tide at the Sealing Demon Lands, but it was blocked by a Loose Cultivator.¡± Chapter 1052 - Chapter 1052: Chapter 742: Nangong Qingya Chapter 1052: Chapter 742: Nangong Qingya Hearing her subordinate¡¯s response, Pavilion Master Nangong Qingya was slightly startled¡ªthe Demonic Tide had actually been pushed back by a Loose Cultivator? She wasn¡¯t hoping for the Demonic Tide to spread, but she had heard a piece of news recently: Tianji Pavilion had predicted that the Demonic Tide might erupt on a large scale in the near future, and they hoped that various powers could focus on the Sealing Demonic Grounds. If the Demonic Tide were to spread, the world would be thrown into turmoil and suffer tremendously. Although Blood Rainbow Pavilion was not exactly a righteous power, it wouldn¡¯t benefit from the spread of the Demonic Tide either. Thus, Nangong Qingya had her subordinates investigate the situation of Black Moon City to see if there were any anomalies in the Sealing Demonic Grounds. Nangong Qingya continued to inquire, ¡°A Loose Cultivator? What Cultivation State is that cultivator in?¡± The elder answered, ¡°To answer Your Honor, that Loose Cultivator is only in the Genesis Realm.¡± Nangong Qingya found it hard to believe. Could someone in the Genesis Realm really stop an outbreak of the Demonic Tide? Nangong Qingya continued, ¡°If the Demonic Tide can be stopped by a Creation Realm Cultivator, then it makes no difference whether he is there or not.¡± If even a Creation Realm Cultivator could stop the Demonic Tide, it meant that this particular Demonic Tide was not very significant. Black Moon City¡¯s soldiers, armed with black gold weapons, would have sufficed to hold it back without the need for a Creation Realm Cultivator. The elder went on, ¡°Your Honor misunderstands. The scale of the previous outbreak of the Demonic Tide was indeed the largest in a millennium. According to my investigations, it seems that the Loose Cultivator cultivated some kind of Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique. His swordsmanship has a strong repulsion against Demonic Qi, greatly restraining it. Because of his presence, the demonic creatures in the Sealing Demonic Grounds did not dare to attack Black Moon City and could only remain in the Sealing Demonic Grounds.¡± ¡°Without that Loose Cultivator, Black Moon City might have already fallen, and even a large portion of the Great Chu Dynasty¡¯s land could have been occupied by demonic creatures.¡± This¡­ A trace of doubt flickered through Nangong Qingya¡¯s beautiful eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï A swordsmanship that could restrain Demonic Qi? She had never heard of such a technique. Nangong Qingya stated, ¡°If such a swordsmanship exists, then we must obtain it.¡± Hearing Nangong Qingya¡¯s words, the elder fell silent. Seeing that he did not speak, Nangong Qingya asked sharply, ¡°What?¡± The elder quickly said, ¡°A few days ago, Blood Rainbow Pavilion accepted a contract without much thought from a hall master of the Great Chu Dynasty. It turns out the person they were to assassinate was that very Loose Cultivator.¡± As the elder finished speaking, Nangong Qingya immediately released a thick blood aura, which blew the elder away. In this world, the Heavenly Demon was like a sword of death hanging over the heads of Cultivators, and nobody knew when the sealing of the demonic grounds would be broken. Many had perished in the year they sealed the Heavenly Demon. If it broke free, the world would once again face massive suffering and death. If a sword technique existed that could counter Demonic Qi, obtaining it would be like having a life-saving charm. And those fools had gone to assassinate the person with the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique! After coughing up a mouthful of blood, the elder hurriedly spoke, ¡°Please calm your anger, Your Honor. Although the mission was initially reported as a success, we have received new information. A person identical to that Loose Cultivator reappeared in Black Moon City a few days ago. We suspect he didn¡¯t die, and the assassination was actually a failure.¡± Nangong Qingya scoffed and said, ¡°Since the mission failed, you know what must be done, right?¡± The elder quickly responded, ¡°Rest assured, Your Honor. I¡¯ve already sent people to capture that hall master of the Great Chu Dynasty.¡± Nangong Qingya then said, ¡°I must personally visit Black Moon City myself. During my absence, pay more attention to Zixiao Dynasty.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Honor.¡± As the elder¡¯s voice fell, Nangong Qingya disappeared from the spot. The elder spoke to the air, ¡°Safe travels, Your Honor!¡± ¡­ Meanwhile. On Bai Wenbin¡¯s flying boat. Bai Wenbin was planning to go to Black Moon City to see if Lu Chen was truly still alive when suddenly, a guard burst into his room. ¡°Commander, something terrible has happened!¡± Upon hearing the guard¡¯s words, Bai Wenbin frowned, ¡°If you keep cursing your Commander like this, believe me or not, I will kick you off the flying boat!¡± The guard realized he had misspoken and hurriedly said, ¡°This subordinate knows his fault.¡± Bai Wenbin then asked, ¡°What has happened now?¡± The guard replied, ¡°The people from the Blood Rainbow Pavilion not only refused our mission, but they also killed all the people we sent. Moreover, the Blood Rainbow Pavilion sent people to warn us that if we attempt to strike at Lu Chen again, they will¡­¡± Trembling, the guard did not continue. Bai Wenbin¡¯s face darkened, ¡°Do what to your Commander! Speak!¡± The guard promptly said, ¡°They will kill you and throw your body into the Sealing Grounds to feed¡­ feed the demons.¡± Bai Wenbin immediately felt an itching rage. Wasn¡¯t it said that the Blood Rainbow Pavilion would take any assassination job as long as they saw money? Why not accept his mission! Instead, they even warned him not to act against Lu Chen! What was the background of this Lu Chen! The guard continued, ¡°This subordinate has also heard that the hall master of the Blood Rainbow Pavilion has been handled by them, allegedly because they accepted our mission.¡± Bai Wenbin¡¯s face instantly turned pale, as a Loose Cultivator led to the disposal of a hall master. The hall masters of the Blood Rainbow Pavilion were at least experts of the Yin-Yang Realm Sixth Layer, and Lu Chen was nothing but a Loose Cultivator. To resolve one of their own powerful forces for a Loose Cultivator? What was really going on? At this point, the guard reminded him, ¡°Commander, the fact that Lu Chen possesses the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique has already spread. It is feared that more and more forces will approach Lu Chen for the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, and we will have even less opportunity to act against him.¡± Hearing this, Bai Wenbin instantly sobered up. How could he have forgotten about this? The Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique was immensely attractive to any force; possessing it was like having a talisman. Perhaps the Blood Rainbow Pavilion had also taken a liking to Lu Chen¡¯s Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, which would explain their drastic change in attitude. In this case, wouldn¡¯t he lose all opportunities to eliminate Lu Chen? Lu Chen being so important meant that some forces would inevitably send people to protect him. Thinking of this, Bai Wenbin, unable to reconcile with the situation, clenched his fist and smashed it into the table next to him, shattering it to pieces. Bai Wenbin muttered to himself, ¡°No, I can¡¯t just let it go like this! Lu Chen must die!¡± Although he said this aloud, Bai Wenbin was well aware that getting rid of Lu Chen was no longer an easy task, and he had to plot carefully. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed. Within the bedchamber, where purple curtains fluttered, a woman¡¯s voice lingered, and blushing maids bustled about, changing and washing items in the room, pretending not to hear those voices. For them, being a maid in the Imperial Palace meant they had to learn to endure. Each bedchamber had its assigned maids, and when the Emperor was not present, they had it relatively easy, but as soon as the Emperor arrived, they would not have a good day for ten days or even half a month. Of course, their bodies weren¡¯t particularly tired; after all, it was just a bit more work than usual. Even if Su Hanyan was not in the bedchamber, the bedding still needed changing. It was mainly the mental exhaustion that weighed on them. Sunlight poured into the room, dazzlingly reflecting light, making the human body seem as if it radiated a holy glow. Chapter 1053 - Chapter 1053: Chapter 743: Do You Need Me to Help You Check? Chapter 1053: Chapter 743: Do You Need Me to Help You Check? Su Hanyan¡¯s slender jade arms weakly encircled Lu Chen¡¯s neck, her entire body sprawled atop his, ¡°Your Majesty¡­ Your Majesty, has it been two¡­ two months already?¡± Although the Rejuvenating Skill could continuously eliminate any discomfort in the body, the tension in her mind remained constant, making it somewhat unbearable for Su Hanyan. At that moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at the maid serving by the soft couch, asking, ¡°How long has it been?¡± Blushing, the maid answered, ¡°Your Majesty, it has been one month and two days.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s response, Su Hanyan felt a pang in her heart; she thought two months had already passed, but it had only been one month. Doesn¡¯t that mean she still has to stay here for another month, feeling as if her body no longer belonged to her? Seeing the beauty¡¯s sultry and frail appearance, Lu Chen also knew that Su Hanyan was probably at her limit. He gently caressed her jade back and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a few days.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come to see you in a few days.¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen gently turned, placing Su Hanyan¡¯s body on the soft couch before withdrawing and walking towards the bath. Seeing Lu Chen finally get up, Su Hanyan let out a sigh of relief, finally able to rest. Su Hanyan then circulated her skill, striving to calm her restless heart, while Lu Chen, after washing up in the bath, went directly to Yun Xianxian¡¯s room. Last time Yun Xianxian had made three puppets for him, he had promised to repay her, and he intended to keep his word. As she was meditating, Yun Xianxian sensed Lu Chen¡¯s presence and immediately opened her beautiful eyes. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.?? Clad in a white gauze, Yun Xianxian sat on the soft couch, radiating a holy glow that irresistibly beckoned one to explore. Seeing Lu Chen staring intently at her from the bedside, Yun Xianxian immediately thought of what Lu Chen had been doing in Su Hanyan¡¯s chamber over the past month. With a cold expression and a slightly trembling voice, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°You¡­ why have you come?¡± With a slight smile, Lu Chen replied, ¡°Honored Master, previously you helped me create three puppets, and I said I would repay you. I meant my words.¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°It was a trivial effort, no need for that. You should go attend to your matters.¡± Still, Yun Xianxian was worried that Lu Chen would treat her the same way he treated Su Hanyan. But Lu Chen paid no heed to Yun Xianxian¡¯s words. He boldly approached the soft couch and then pushed her down onto it. Yun Xianxian¡¯s face flushed slightly, ¡°Rebellious disciple, what¡­ what do you intend to do!¡± Lu Chen did not speak further; he leaned forward, his lips nearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s. Realizing she was likely unable to escape, Yun Xianxian quickly put her hand against Lu Chen¡¯s mouth, then said, ¡°Let¡¯s get it straight, I won¡¯t serve you like Su Hanyan did.¡± If it were just matters typical of a Daoist couple, she wouldn¡¯t have much objection, but if she were to serve him like Su Hanyan had, she would not comply. Lu Chen said, ¡°I understand, I don¡¯t expect that.¡± Seeing Lu Chen agree, Yun Xianxian then removed her hand, and Lu Chen immediately leaned down, kissing Yun Xianxian¡¯s red lips. ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Moments later, the two were fully engaged. At dusk, in the Ziyang World. A woman clad in red clothes entered Black Moon City; her movements ghostlike, one moment appearing above the City Lord¡¯s Mansion, the next on the city tower. The woman¡¯s fluctuations in spiritual power were not obvious, almost no one noticed her presence, not even Ji Qiuyu in the City Lord¡¯s Mansion nor Lu Chen¡¯s puppet realized that a powerful being had arrived in Black Moon City. In the dead of night, Ji Qiuyu, having finished dealing with the documents of Black Moon City, stood up and stretched, and then remembered Lu Chen. At that moment, a maid asked, ¡°Lord City Lord, the hot water is ready.¡± Ji Qiuyu replied, ¡°No need for now, I¡¯m going to discuss cultivation matters with the Deputy City Lord.¡± With those words, Ji Qiuyu headed straight for Lu Chen¡¯s room. At this time, Lu Chen¡¯s true body was busy, his control over the puppet was weak, and his perception had greatly decreased. Hearing a knock on the door, Lu Chen realized Ji Qiuyu had come. ¡°Lu Chen, may I come in?¡± Lu Chen answered, ¡°Huh¡­ come¡­ come in.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s voice, Ji Qiuyu felt something was peculiar, but she didn¡¯t think much of it and entered the room. At that moment, Lu Chen¡¯s puppet lay on a couch looking utterly drained, prompting a curious Ji Qiuyu to ask, ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Huff huff¡­ my true body is going through a¡­ er¡­ breakthrough, so my control over the puppet has weakened.¡± Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t suspect anything, she walked over and sat beside the couch, ¡°Then you should retract your divine sense and focus on your breakthrough. I¡¯ll watch over your puppet.¡± Using one¡¯s divine sense for two purposes was a big taboo for cultivators experiencing a breakthrough, as it could easily lead to disastrous results. However, Ji Qiuyu had no intention of leaving just like that. Since Lu Chen was in the middle of a breakthrough, it meant his puppet was unprotected. What if another assassin arrived and harmed Lu Chen¡¯s puppet incarnation? Hence, she decided to stay and guard it. Lu Chen said, ¡°Er¡­ okay¡­¡± And so, Ji Qiuyu stayed by Lu Chen¡¯s couch, listening to his occasional strange noises. Listening to these sounds, Ji Qiuyu felt inexplicably restless. She wondered why she would have such thoughts about a mere puppet. Thinking of her impure thoughts, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s face grew hot, and she swiftly circulated her spiritual power, trying to calm her inner turmoil. As time ticked by, Lu Chen¡¯s ¡°breakthrough¡± continued, with his heavy noises becoming more frequent. Just as Ji Qiuyu¡¯s mind wandered, suddenly, gusts of cold wind blew in, rattling the windows of the room. Ji Qiuyu snapped back to her senses and quickly rose from the couch, ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Though the visitor had concealed their aura, Ji Qiuyu had detected a strong bloody scent, clearly indicating another assassin had come. After Ji Qiuyu spoke, no one responded, but she remained vigilant, watching the doorway. After what seemed like a long time, a voice resounded in the room, ¡°I just now heard noises in the room and thought Lord Ji was with Lord Lu in a lovers¡¯ embrace, but it turned out to be nothing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Lord Lu, why the constant moaning? Do you need me to check on you?¡± Hearing the woman¡¯s cold voice, Ji Qiuyu furrowed her brows. The voice was heard, but the person was not seen. Moreover, no aura was detected, only the strong scent of blood, indicating the strength of the newcomer far surpassed theirs. Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart tightened in an instant. However, she understood this person probably came for Lu Chen, likely targeting the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique. If it were merely to assassinate Lu Chen, they wouldn¡¯t have sent such an capable assassin. Chapter 1054 - Chapter 1054: Chapter 744: The Patience of the True Self Is Limited Chapter 1054: Chapter 744: The Patience of the True Self Is Limited Ji Qiuyu subsequently addressed the doorway, ¡°Senior, since you have arrived, why not show yourself? Could it be that Senior is a demon cultivator, afraid to be seen by others?¡± Hearing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s words, Nangong Qingya gave a light chuckle. The next moment, a swirl of blood mist began to rotate inside the room. Seeing this scene, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s heart raced once again. However, upon second thought, she realized that the Lu Chen lying on the couch was just a puppet¡ªif this person were truly powerful, at worst, Lu Chen could simply detonate the puppet when the time came, as long as Lu Chen¡¯s true body was well-hidden. With this in mind, Ji Qiuyu breathed a sigh of relief. Moments later, the blood mist gradually dissipated, revealing a woman clad in a red dress standing in the room. The woman boasted a bewitchingly beautiful face, a curvaceous figure, and long jade legs that were partially visible. Seeing this woman, the real body of Lu Chen, currently enduring a collision, became even more ferocious. Nangong Qingya glanced once again at Lu Chen lying on the couch and continued, ¡°Deputy City Lord Lu, allow me to introduce myself. I am the Blood Rainbow Pavilion Master, Nangong Qingya.¡± Upon hearing this, Ji Qiuyu stood dumbstruck. She had realized that the visitor was powerful, but she hadn¡¯t expected her to be such a significant figure. The Blood Rainbow Pavilion Master? Such a person¡¯s power could rank within the top twenty throughout the entire Ziyang World. Although Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t know her exact level of strength, she must possess a cultivation state of at least the Myriad Laws Realm Fifth Layer. Such a powerful individual had personally come to Black Moon City to seek out Lu Chen. Ji Qiuyu¡¯s complexion turned slightly pale. The Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique was far too important, having attracted the attention of major powers. Nangong Qingya might be the first powerful being to seek Lu Chen, but she would definitely not be the last. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã0 In the future, there would certainly be more and more powerful individuals coming to seek the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique from Lu Chen. Ji Qiuyu felt immensely relieved that Lu Chen had used a puppet to show himself¡ªif Lu Chen¡¯s real body had been there, it would have been troublesome. Lu Chen didn¡¯t respond to Nangong Qingya immediately. Seeing Lu Chen lying listlessly on the couch, Nangong Qingya¡¯s beautiful eyes furrowed. What did this mean? A cultivator of the Genesis Realm seeing a strong being of the Myriad Laws Realm and not presenting any greetings, let alone a tense expression on his face, and now not showing any reaction at all. Just as Nangong Qingya was about to say something else, Lu Chen suddenly let out a long breath. ¡°Whew¡­ so refreshing!¡± Nangong Qingya looked at Lu Chen with a puzzled face. At this moment, Lu Chen turned his head to look at Nangong Qingya and used the system to identify her identity. [Name: Nangong Qingya] [Identity: Blood Rainbow Pavilion Master of Ziyang World, sister of the Empress of Zixiao Dynasty, Strong cultivator of the Myriad Laws Realm Fifth Layer. Hearing that there was a loose cultivator in Black Moon City with the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, she promptly went to Black Moon City in person, intending to obtain the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique from Lu Chen.] [Score: 98] [Favorability: 35] Seeing Nangong Qingya¡¯s information, Lu Chen smiled faintly. He hadn¡¯t expected that before his real body even reached the Ziyang World, he had already met two women with scores over ninety. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Senior, may I ask why you are seeking me out?¡± For some reason, Nangong Qingya always felt that there was a hint of invasive intent in Lu Chen¡¯s gaze towards her body. A cultivator of the Genesis Realm seeing herself not being saluted was one thing, but having her body scanned back and forth with direct, unyielding eyes would have probably resulted in any other man being turned into a mist of blood by now. However, Lu Chen had something she needed on him, so she wasn¡¯t planning on killing Lu Chen just yet. Nangong Qingya said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you possess a special Sword Technique that can suppress Demonic Qi. I wonder if Deputy City Lord Lu could impart this Sword Technique to me.¡± Nangong Qingya didn¡¯t plan on wasting any more time. She would just take whatever she wanted by force. If Lu Chen disagreed, she had plenty of ways to make him agree. Lu Chen said, ¡°Senior, I don¡¯t know where you heard that from, but I do not have such a sword technique.¡± Seeing Lu Chen indeed refuse, Nangong Qingya huffed coldly, and her red dress danced wildly as the blood energy emanated from inside her body. In the next moment, Lu Chen¡¯s body was lifted straight off the bed. A powerful force gripped Lu Chen¡¯s neck and brought his body before Nangong Qingya, whose blood-red eyes stared at Lu Chen as she said, ¡°My patience is limited!¡± Lu Chen¡¯s face remained devoid of any sign of panic, and with a smile, he said, ¡°Junior doesn¡¯t know where Senior has heard such rumors, but even if Senior kills me, I still don¡¯t have the sort of Sword Technique that suppresses Demonic Qi that Senior speaks of.¡± Seeing Lu Chen¡¯s fearless demeanor towards death, Nangong Qingya¡¯s brain paused slightly. Could it really be nonexistent? Or was it that this fellow didn¡¯t respond to coercion? Just then, Nangong Qingya¡¯s gaze suddenly turned to Ji Qiuyu. She had come to Black Moon City and heard some rumors about Ji Qiuyu and Lu Chen. Moreover, the two of them had just been in the same room, so it was obvious that those rumors were not merely rumors¡ªthere was definitely some ambiguous relationship between the two. With this in mind, Nangong Qingya immediately raised her hand, and in the next moment, a mist of blood gripped Ji Qiuyu¡¯s neck, lifting her body into the air and pulling it in front of Lu Chen. ¡°I want to see whether the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique is more important or your Daoist couple.¡± Ji Qiuyu was about to say not to hand it over, but she feared that speaking now would reveal the existence of the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique possessed by Lu Chen. At this point, Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°Senior, Junior truly does not have a Sword Technique to suppress Demonic Qi. If I don¡¯t have it, even if you kill me, I can¡¯t give it to you.¡± Seeing Lu Chen still being stubborn, Nangong Qingya couldn¡¯t help thinking, at this point, he wouldn¡¯t lie, right? After all, the lives of him and his little lover were in her hands. Could it really be that there was no Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique? Then how was the Demonic Tide repelled? Soon after, Nangong Qingya asked, ¡°I heard that not long ago, there was a massive outbreak of Demonic Tide, and you alone held it back from Black Moon City, stopping the demons from daring to step out of the Sealed Demon Lands. If you do not have the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, how did you do it?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°That¡¯s due to the peculiar nature of my physique.¡± Peculiar physique? Nangong Qingya looked at Lu Chen doubtfully, then immediately sensed his body, only to discover upon sensing that Lu Chen¡¯s body was indeed very special. She couldn¡¯t even feel his heartbeat; it was as if he were an inanimate object. Yet, other parts of Lu Chen¡¯s body were the same as a normal person¡¯s. Nangong Qingya waved her hand, letting go of both Lu Chen and Ji Qiuyu, and then continued to say to Lu Chen, ¡°Release your Spiritual Power for me to see.¡± Without hesitation, Lu Chen released his Spiritual Power, and she noticed something unusual about the Spiritual Power he emitted. Moreover, the Spiritual Power released by Lu Chen not only suppressed Demonic Qi but also seemed capable of suppressing the blood energy in her own body. That meant not only was Lu Chen the bane of demons, but he was also her bane. Chapter 1055 - Chapter 1055: Chapter 745: Nangong Qingyas Scheme Chapter 1055: Chapter 745: Nangong Qingya¡¯s Scheme After sensing the Spiritual Power released by Lu Chen, Nangong Qingya¡¯s expression turned unpleasant. It was the first time she experienced a force that made her heart palpitate. Seeing his own Spiritual Power seemingly restrain Nangong Qingya¡¯s blood energy, Lu Chen quickly realized that although Nangong Qingya was not a pure Demon Cultivator, she could still be considered a Demonic Cultivator, and the Demon Burying Spell was not only effective against Demon Cultivators but also capable of suppressing the power of Demonic Cultivators. Of course, the effect of the Demon Burying Spell on Demonic Cultivators was not as exaggerated as it was on Demon Cultivators. At this moment, Nangong Qingya harbored killing intent towards Lu Chen. If Lu Chen really did restrain her, keeping him around would be a great disaster for her. However, the Spiritual Power that Lu Chen had unleashed was so unique, it might actually be able to restrain the Demonic Qi. Thinking this way, he hadn¡¯t lied, perhaps it really was due to his special physical constitution. Concerning his special constitution, there really wasn¡¯t a good solution. If she killed Lu Chen now, finding another person capable of restraining Demonic Qi in the future would not be easy. Nangong Qingya fell silent for a moment, then said to Lu Chen, ¡°Fine.¡± As Nangong Qingya¡¯s words fell, Lu Chen retracted his Spiritual Power and then asked, ¡°Now, do you finally believe me?¡± Nangong Qingya thought to herself, since Lu Chen has a special constitution, it might be better to take this fellow to Blood Rainbow Pavilion. In the future, if the Heavenly Demon broke through the Sealing, they could utilize him to confront the Heavenly Demon. With this thought, Nangong Qingya immediately said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t know the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, you should come with me to Blood Rainbow Pavilion.¡± Hearing this, Ji Qiuyu was startled and quickly said, ¡°No!¡± Nangong Qingya¡¯s red eyes instantly turned towards Ji Qiuyu, and then she emitted a threatening sound, ¡°Hmm?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï???.§ã? Ji Qiuyu quickly continued, ¡°Senior, if Lu Chen leaves Black Moon City, and if a large-scale Demonic Tide erupts again, Black Moon City will surely be unable to resist.¡± Nangong Qingya let out a cold laugh and said, ¡°What does the fate of Black Moon City have to do with me?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°It is related, indeed. If the Demonic Tide spreads, those demons help the Heavenly Demon at the Demon Sealing Grounds absorb enough blood energy, it¡¯s highly likely that the Heavenly Demon will break the Sealing early.¡± ¡°If the Heavenly Demon breaks the Sealing, then the Ziyang World will face total devastation, and Blood Rainbow Pavilion, as well as you, will face the threat of the Heavenly Demon.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s explanation, Nangong Qingya fell silent for a moment; his words really made some sense. Her main reason for taking Lu Chen was to prevent the Heavenly Demon from targeting Blood Rainbow Pavilion after breaking the Sealing, but taking Lu Chen away might instead accelerate the Heavenly Demon breaking the Sealing. However¡­ If she didn¡¯t take Lu Chen, once other forces learned of Lu Chen¡¯s ability, they would undoubtedly come to take him as well. She could prioritize the greater good, but other forces might not, so the best solution was still to take Lu Chen away early to prevent him from being seized by other forces later. Nangong Qingya then said, ¡°Even if I don¡¯t take you away, possessing such a constitution, other forces will learn of it and will take you away just the same.¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°If other forces try to forcibly take me, I will threaten them with my death. If I die, then there will no longer be anyone in the Ziyang World who can restrain the Demonic Qi. Once the Heavenly Demon breaks the Sealing, then all Cultivators can only await death.¡± Nangong Qingya¡¯s red eyes swept over Lu Chen, and after some thought, Nangong Qingya spoke, ¡°Fine, I shall not take you away.¡± At this point, Nangong Qingya took out a red token and tossed it to Lu Chen. ¡°This is the Pavilion Master¡¯s Token from the Blood Rainbow Pavilion. If you ever encounter someone from another faction trying to forcefully take you away, activate this token, and I will appear before you immediately.¡± Although Nangong Qingya was a Demonic Cultivator, to prevent the Heavenly Demon from breaking the seal, she had to prioritize the greater good. Moreover, her Pavilion Master¡¯s Token was no ordinary token. It would continually erode Lu Chen¡¯s Divine Soul, allowing her to gradually gain control over him. In the future, Lu Chen would be hers, so she did not need to hurry in taking him away. After catching the Pavilion Master¡¯s Token from Nangong Qingya, Lu Chen immediately bowed deeply and said, ¡°Thank you, senior!¡± Nangong Qingya then flicked her red sleeve, transforming into a swirl of blood mist and leaving behind only a voice, ¡°Don¡¯t think of running away. No matter where you flee, I can still find you.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen simply smiled faintly without saying more. Once Nangong Qingya¡¯s presence had completely dissipated, Ji Qiuyu approached Lu Chen, looking at him with concern, ¡°I hadn¡¯t anticipated that you would draw such a significant figure here. Black Moon City is likely not going to be peaceful anymore.¡± With a strong figure like Nangong Qingya appearing in Black Moon City, how could other factions¡¯ strong figures sit idly by? After all, Lu Chen was the only one who could greatly restrain the Demonic Qi; even black gold did not have the effect of the Spiritual Power released from Lu Chen¡¯s body. Seeing Ji Qiuyu¡¯s worried expression, Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can be most useful here in Black Moon City. If someone takes me away, the Demonic Tide might spread, leading to severe consequences. I believe those old fellows know how to choose.¡± Normal people wouldn¡¯t want the Demonic Tide to spread; after all, the Heavenly Demon is the bane of Cultivators and feeds on them. If it were to be released, the Cultivators across the Ziyang World would suffer, and those factions would also face calamities. Now that even the Pavilion Master of the Blood Rainbow Pavilion had not taken him away, other factions, knowing this, naturally wouldn¡¯t dare to be the first to act. Everyone wanted a piece of Lu Chen; if all the major factions were to fight over him, not only could they suffer heavy losses, but they might also end up without any benefits. Instead, letting him stay in Black Moon City to hold back the spread of the Demonic Tide could actually slow the pace at which the Heavenly Demon breaks the seal. After hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu sighed softly, once again feeling immensely relieved that the Lu Chen in front of her was a puppet. If it were the real Lu Chen himself here, his situation would be much more perilous. Should someone need to take Lu Chen in the future, he could simply self-destruct, fake his death to escape, and after the dust settles, Lu Chen could send another puppet to Black Moon City. Meanwhile, Outside Black Moon City. A massive Flying Boat was quietly approaching Black Moon City under the moonlight. Bai Wenbin sat inside a pavilion, drinking one cup of alcohol after another, feeling incredibly frustrated. Lu Chen was just a Loose Cultivator, and now he had even gained the protection of the Blood Rainbow Pavilion, making Bai Wenbin wary of making a move against him. Although he could hardly swallow this slight, he seemed to lack a better plan. If he continued to attack Lu Chen, the Assassin from the Blood Rainbow Pavilion might very well kill him. Thinking of this, Bai Wenbin felt extremely stifled. He, a General of the Great Chu Dynasty, was unable to deal with a mere Loose Cultivator. As Bai Wenbin continued to drink his sullen wine, a voice suddenly appeared behind him, ¡°Commander Bai, I hear you seem to have some disagreements with that Lu Chen.¡± Hearing this voice, Bai Wenbin¡¯s brow furrowed, and he immediately gripped his sword, stabbing directly behind himself. But when he turned around, there was no one there. Chapter 1057 - Chapter 1057: Chapter 747 Nangong Yuehua Chapter 1057: Chapter 747 Nangong Yuehua Zixiao Dynasty. Imperial Palace, Starlight Hall. Inside the grand hall, everywhere shimmered with sparkling gems, as if one had entered the starry sky upon entering the hall. A woman dressed in a red Phoenix Robe sat upright in the center of the hall, her appearance cold, wearing a Phoenix Crown, exuding a noble aura. At that moment, a maid dressed in a blue long gown entered the grand hall, ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡± The woman did not open her eyes, her lips slightly parted, and she asked expressionlessly, ¡°What is it?¡± The maid answered, ¡°Your Majesty, according to our investigation, there has been a major outbreak of the Demonic Tide in Black Moon City.¡± Upon hearing this, the woman then opened her beautiful eyes, her eyes red like those of Nangong Qingya, looking quite eerie. Apart from the color of the pupils, the woman¡¯s facial features also resembled Nangong Qingya somewhat. The woman was indeed Nangong Yuehua, the elder sister of Nangong Qingya. Over the years, the Zixiao Dynasty had been plagued with internal strife, and in her ambition to become the Empress, she had eliminated many who opposed her, which had kept her from paying attention to the situation in Black Moon City. However, the recent disturbances in Black Moon City had made her somewhat uneasy, leading her to finally send people to investigate. Although the internal affairs of the Zixiao Dynasty were not yet stable, if Black Moon City were lost and the demonic creatures from the Sealing Grounds spread, leading to the Heavenly Demon breaking its seals, it would spell disaster for the entire Ziyang World. Nangong Yuehua looked at the kneeling maid and asked, ¡°Did the demonic creatures spread?¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï The maid quickly replied, ¡°No, Your Majesty, the demonic creatures did not spread. Black Moon City held off the outbreak of the Demonic Tide.¡± Hearing this, Nangong Yuehua fell into thought, feeling somewhat surprised. Originally, the Imperial Court had stationed a Creation Realm Cultivator in Black Moon City, and although Black Moon City was nominally part of the Great Chu Dynasty, aside from providing some food, the Great Chu Dynasty had given little support to Black Moon City. If a large-scale outbreak of the Demonic Tide really occurred, how could Black Moon City have held on? How did they hold it off? Or did the Great Chu Dynasty send people to assist Black Moon City in resisting the Demonic Tide? Nangong Yuehua then asked, ¡°How did Black Moon City fend off the Demonic Tide?¡± The maid replied, ¡°According to the information collected, it is said that a Loose Cultivator appeared in Black Moon City who could suppress the Demonic Qi. This Loose Cultivator alone managed to keep all the demonic creatures outside Black Moon City, and afterward, not a single one dared to cross from the Sealing Grounds.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Hearing this from the maid, Nangong Yuehua slightly raised her eyebrows, as she had never before heard of a Cultivator who could suppress Demonic Qi. Normally, it was the Cultivators who were suppressed by the Demonic Qi, especially when encountering the Heavenly Demon Power, their strength would dramatically decrease. Now, there was actually a Cultivator who could suppress Demonic Qi? Could that person be a Demon Cultivator? Nangong Yuehua did not continue to inquire further, she simply said, ¡°Continue.¡± The maid again reported, ¡°All of Black Moon City is saying that the Loose Cultivator possesses the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique. With that sword technique, they too can release Sword Qi that suppresses the Demonic Qi.¡± ¡°The Great Chu Dynasty has already ordered that the Loose Cultivator hand over the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, but that person has ignored the order, and recently, that Loose Cultivator was also targeted for assassination by an assassin from the Blood Rainbow Pavilion.¡± Hearing this, Nangong Yuehua became slightly restless. If that Loose Cultivator truly possessed the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, he must not die just like that. Now that the seals of the Sealing Grounds were already loosening, no one knew when the Heavenly Demon might break through the seals. If they truly possessed the so-called Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique, when the Heavenly Demon broke through the seals, they might be able to use the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique to seal the Heavenly Demon again. Nangong Yuehua then commanded, ¡°Send someone immediately to bring that Loose Cultivator back to the Capital city!¡± The maid clearly understood Nangong Yuehua¡¯s intentions, and she quickly responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I have already sent people to Black Moon City, and I believe that within half a month, the Loose Cultivator will be brought before Your Majesty.¡± Nangong Yuehua pondered for a moment. If the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique truly existed, other forces might also be tempted. She feared that it might be more prudent for her to go in person; however, the Zixiao Dynasty was currently in chaos, and her sudden departure could likely give the rebels an opportunity to create trouble. Of course, she could also travel to Black Moon City discreetly. For a powerhouse of the All Law Realm like herself, the round trip would not take much time. With this thought, Nangong Yuehua said, ¡°I am informed now. If there¡¯s nothing else, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, your servant takes her leave.¡± As the maid¡¯s words fell, she turned and left the hall. After the maid had gone, Nangong Yuehua spoke to the other maids in the hall, ¡°I am going into seclusion; you all may leave as well.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Afterwards, all the maids in the Starlight Hall left the hall. Once they had gone, Nangong Yuehua waved her hand, and immediately all the doors and windows of the Starlight Hall closed. Then, using an instantaneous movement Formation, Nangong Yuehua left the Starlight Hall. She had some worries¡ªit might already be too late to set out now. She was aware of the critical importance of the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique; once the news spread, inevitably many would covet it. Of course, that was assuming the information was true. Zixiao Dynasty was quite distant from the Great Chu Dynasty, and she had received the information much later than other powers. By now, her journey to Black Moon City might be futile; perhaps the Loose Cultivator had already been taken by others. Yet, that Loose Cultivator was extremely important for the Zixiao Dynasty, and even if another power had taken him, she would find a way to capture him¡ªor more precisely, capture the Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique from him. Meanwhile, In the Tianchen World, Black Dragon City Imperial Palace. Lu Chen was energetically engaged in activity when suddenly, Yun Xianxian¡¯s face turned very pale. Normally, during such activities, Yun Xianxian¡¯s fair skin would flush red, and it was unusual for her to turn pallid. Lu Chen immediately sensed something was amiss. He hurriedly ceased his actions and grabbed Yun Xianxian¡¯s wrist, using the Rejuvenating Skill to examine her condition, while concernedly asking, ¡°Honored Master, what is wrong with you?¡± Yun Xianxian did not answer immediately. Her brows furrowed, and she seemed to be in great discomfort. After checking Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, Lu Chen found no apparent major issues, making him even more puzzled. What had happened? Though he had been somewhat rough, Yun Xianxian¡¯s strength had already recovered to the All Law Realm. Even if he was vigorous, merely engaging in such activity shouldn¡¯t have hurt her or caused discomfort, especially since they both possessed the Rejuvenating Skill. During the process, Lu Chen was continuously infusing Life Force into Yun Xianxian to ensure she only felt pleasure, without any discomfort. Lu Chen realized something might seriously be wrong with Yun Xianxian, so he decided to end the activity earlier and prepared to disengage. However, just as he was about to get up, Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade arms encircled his robust waist, preventing him from doing so. Lu Chen paused slightly, then did not get up, and gazed at Yun Xianxian¡¯s pained expression. Seeing Yun Xianxian in such a state pained Lu Chen as well, particularly because he had no idea what was wrong with Yun Xianxian and even the Rejuvenating Skill could not diagnose her condition. After an indeterminate amount of time, Yun Xianxian finally recovered somewhat. The pained expression on her face gradually faded, and she looked into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes with complex emotions. ¡°My Honored Master¡­ is coming¡­¡± Chapter 1058 - Chapter 1058: Chapter 748: The Furious Yun Qingshu Chapter 1058: Chapter 748: The Furious Yun Qingshu Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen was slightly stunned and couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of emotion, and Yun Xianxian instantly sensed Lu Chen¡¯s excitement. Yun Xianxian immediately glared at Lu Chen. Her Honored Master coming to Tianchen World was not good news since she was likely there to take her back. Moreover, her Honored Master seemed to already know about her relationship with Lu Chen. She had just sensed her Honored Master¡¯s thoughts, and her Honored Master was very angry now. Once her Honored Master arrived in Tianchen World, the first thing she would definitely do was make trouble for Lu Chen, yet Lu Chen was excited about it. What could he be excited about? As Lu Chen¡¯s woman, how could Yun Xianxian not know why Lu Chen was excited? She had seen through Lu Chen long ago. She could tell he harbored ill intentions towards her Honored Master. Although she didn¡¯t know if Lu Chen had ever met her Honored Master, from Lu Chen¡¯s reaction, it was very likely he had some designs on her Honored Master. Yun Xianxian then coldly said, ¡°You seem quite pleased?¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°She is the Honored Master of my Honored Master, which makes her my Grand Honored Master. It¡¯s my first time meeting my Grand Honored Master, so naturally, I am happy.¡± Yun Xianxian snorted, ¡°Why do I feel like you have some inappropriate thoughts about my Honored Master?¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°Honored Master, don¡¯t you know what kind of person your disciple is? How could your disciple have inappropriate thoughts?¡± Yun Xianxian rolled her eyes at Lu Chen. She knew exactly what kind of person Lu Chen was, which was why she knew he had inappropriate thoughts. But she didn¡¯t dwell on it. Even if Lu Chen truly harbored other ideas, it was unlikely he could act on them. Her Honored Master was no ordinary person. With Lu Chen¡¯s current strength, he was no match for her Honored Master. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 However, precisely because of this, Yun Xianxian felt more worried. Although she didn¡¯t know if Lu Chen had any ace up his sleeve, her Honored Master definitely had one. Even if Lu Chen really had an ace, it might still not be enough to counter her Honored Master. If her Honored Master harbored a killing intent toward Lu Chen¡­ With that thought, Yun Xianxian quickly stopped her wild speculations. Lu Chen¡¯s identity was special; her Honored Master might not dare to harm him. At that moment, Lu Chen curiously asked, ¡°Honored Master, how did you sense the presence of my Grand Honored Master?¡± Yun Xianxian replied, ¡°She just used a thread of Divine Sense to probe the area I was in, but she quickly withdrew it.¡± ¡°Being able to use Divine Sense to pinpoint my location indicates that my Honored Master is very close to Tianchen World now. It might not be long before her Immortal Boat arrives in Tianchen World.¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Chen fell silent for a moment. Thinking about it, the Black Dragon Holy Land¡¯s Immortal Boat should also be arriving soon. After resolving the conflict between Yun Xianxian and Yun Qingshu, he could consider attacking Ziyang World. Thinking this way, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth slightly lifted. Seeing the smile on Lu Chen¡¯s face, Yun Xianxian wore a skeptical expression. This rebellious disciple was indeed eyeing her Honored Master! Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°She already knows about us, and once she arrives in Tianchen World, she might take action against you.¡± ¡°If she decides to act against you, you must immediately reveal your identity.¡± Lu Chen¡¯s identity was the same as Lu Yanghua¡¯s. As long as it was revealed, her Honored Master likely wouldn¡¯t act rashly. Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Honored Master, don¡¯t worry. I believe that even if I don¡¯t reveal my identity, seeing how deeply in love we are, my Grand Honored Master will surely bless us.¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Xianxian sneered coldly, ¡°I was forced by you, who said anything about love?¡± Lu Chen responded indifferently, ¡°If Honored Master does not love me, then why did you cling tightly to my waist, not letting me get up?¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian then realized she had subconsciously clung to the waist of this rebellious disciple, not letting him withdraw. After realizing this, Yun Xianxian hastily released her jade arms and then lifted her hand to press against Lu Chen¡¯s chest, pushing slightly and said, ¡°Alright, you may get up now.¡± Yun Xianxian quickly grabbed Yun Xianxian¡¯s wrists and pinned her arms to either side of Yun Xianxian¡¯s silvery white hair, gazing into her jade-like face. ¡°This won¡¯t do. Since the Honored Master is coming, let¡¯s continue until Honored Master arrives, and let Honored Master see just how much we love each other.¡± ¡°You¡­ mmm¡­¡± Yun Xianxian hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Lu Chen sealed her lips. She didn¡¯t resist afterward and began to circulate the Mysterious Female Technique immediately. She knew very well that resisting was futile in front of this rebellious disciple; it would only make him more fierce. At this very moment. In outer space. Immortal Boats were traveling at an extremely fast speed toward a certain direction, with the scenery outside their Barriers turning into streaks. At this time, Yun Qingshu, clad in a blue long dress, stood on the deck of the Immortal Boat, looking toward the direction of Tianchen World. Her expression was gloomy, and killing intent emanated from her. Just now, she had let her Divine Sense approach Tianchen World in advance, and she also pinpointed Yun Xianxian¡¯s exact location. No sooner had her Divine Sense linked with Yun Xianxian than she felt a strange sensation in her body. She suddenly discovered that Yun Xianxian was actually engaged in that act with a man. Since Divine Sense had entered Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, it indirectly made her feel as though she herself was affected by those acts. Thinking of this, Yun Qingshu wished she could immediately fly to Tianchen World and kill that man. To avoid that sensation affecting her, Yun Qingshu hurriedly retracted her Divine Sense. Now that she had located Yun Xianxian¡¯s position, all she needed was to reach Tianchen World. Once she reached Tianchen World, her first action would be to kill the man who violated Yun Xianxian¡¯s purity. As she recalled what she had sensed just now, the killing intent surrounding Yun Qingshu grew increasingly intense. The Elders around Yun Qingshu were all confused, not understanding who had offended Yun Qingshu this time. At this moment, Yun Qingshu directly said to the Elder controlling the Immortal Boat, ¡°I will control the Immortal Boat myself.¡± Upon hearing this, the Elder was momentarily stunned but quickly ceased his actions and handed over control of the Immortal Boat to Yun Qingshu. Subsequently, Yun Qingshu, controlling the Immortal Boat, sped towards Tianchen World at maximum speed, leaving the fleet of Immortal Boats far behind. Seeing this, Yin Zhengye immediately took control of his Immortal Boat and chased after her. He could not let Yun Qingshu reach Tianchen World first; what if she attacked their Lord upon arrival? Thus, two Immortal Boats, one ahead of the other, sped towards Tianchen World at the highest possible speeds. The Barriers of the boats were barely able to withstand such swift movement. While crossing outer space, the barriers of the Immortal Boats kept rubbing against outer space causing increased friction due to their extreme speed, barely able to hold up. But by this time, Yun Qingshu was so enraged she didn¡¯t slow down. As she controlled the Immortal Boat, she simultaneously repaired the Barrier all to reach Tianchen World faster to personally massacre the man who laid over Yun Xianxian. Seeing Yun Qingshu¡¯s desperate efforts, Yin Zhengye had no choice but to recklessly accompany her; at all costs, they could not allow Yun Qingshu to endanger Tianchen World. In this manner, their two Immortal Boats began racing across the cosmos. Chapter 1059 - Chapter 1059: Chapter 749: You Really Never Get Tired Chapter 1059: Chapter 749: You Really Never Get Tired Inside the white-toned sleeping chamber, Lu Chen was busy as Yun Xianxian bit her silver teeth and lay on the soft couch, cursing Lu Chen as a traitorous disciple in her heart. Ever since Lu Chen had learned of her Honored Master¡¯s impending arrival in the Tianchen World, his whole demeanor had become even more ferocious. She knew this fellow had designs on her Honored Master! At that moment, Lu Chen let out a deep sigh, then rolled over with Yun Xianxian in his arms, positioning her to lie on his chest. Then, one of his hands gently caressed her snowy white jade back. Yun Xianxian weakly said, ¡°You¡­ you really don¡¯t tire of this at all.¡± When she first agreed to become Lu Chen¡¯s woman, she kept pondering one thing ¨C although Lu Chen currently fancied beauty, people were bound to grow over time. And with so many women around him, following his behavior, he would surely lose interest in women someday. But after these years of being together, she had realized that she was wrong; this fellow showed no signs of tiring at all. Yun Xianxian now couldn¡¯t understand whether Lu Chen was in it for the pleasure of male-female joys or for cultivating the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill using his women. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen smiled faintly, ¡°What¡¯s there to tire of? Isn¡¯t living all about pursuing these pleasures?¡± ¡°If one even tires of happiness, then what¡¯s the point of living?¡± Yun Xianxian did not respond; she took a few deep breaths. By now, she was too lazy to argue these flawed logics with Lu Chen; after all, his identity was not simple. Even if he did not become an emperor in the future, his identity alone would grant him ample cultivation resources and a long life. On the contrary, compared to Lu Chen, she had to work even harder. Her lineage was not as strong as Lu Chen¡¯s, nor was her talent. Although she had an Immortal Spirit Body, it had been tainted by Lu Chen; now, the Immortal Spirit Body could no longer speed up her cultivation as much. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ??¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Of course, the Immortal Spirit Body was not entirely useless; it made her more adept at understanding cultivation techniques, allowing her to quickly master any technique to perfection. But the speed of increasing her Cultivation State was no longer as fast as before. At that time, Lu Chen pecked Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade-like face and continued to ask, ¡°Honored Master, are you happy being with me?¡± Although Lu Chen could tell through the system data that Yun Xianxian had fallen in love with him, that was after all just system data. Lu Chen always wanted to hear his wives¡¯ sincere responses themselves. He needed to hear them say it; only then would his heart be at ease. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s question, Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, ¡°Forcefully taking possession of my body and imprisoning me as your plaything, how could I be happy?¡± Lu Chen laughed and said, ¡°When did I imprison you?¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°Preventing me from leaving you, isn¡¯t that imprisonment?¡± Lu Chen laughed out again, ¡°So you mean to say, you can¡¯t leave me now?¡± Yun Xianxian didn¡¯t continue the conversation; her head rested on Lu Chen¡¯s chest, her silver-white hair slowly sliding from his chest to the beautiful bedsheets. After a while, Yun Xianxian finally spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t come every now and then trying to test me. Since I¡¯ve said I won¡¯t leave you, naturally, I won¡¯t.¡± In Yun Xianxian¡¯s eyes, Lu Chen asking such questions was indicative of his fear that she might run away, and that was why he tested her with these inquiries. What reason did she have to run away now? She already belonged to this man. Although she no longer harbored strong desires about matters between men and women, she had grown accustomed to Lu Chen, and she would miss him if she didn¡¯t see him for a long time. Yun Xianxian was well aware that she had fallen for this man¡ªnot because Lu Chen had brought any benefits to her, nor because she was infatuated with the pleasures of love, but because of a bond. Their destinies were now intertwined. From a rational perspective, as long as Lu Chen did not betray her¡ªand to her, betrayal did not mean Lu Chen seeking other women, as this man already had more than enough women in his harem¡ª If Lu Chen seeking other women amounted to betrayal, then he had betrayed her far too many times. In her view, Lu Chen¡¯s betrayal would mean he no longer held her in his heart and treated her merely as a tool, perhaps as a sacrifice for some greater purpose. However, up to this point, Yun Xianxian hadn¡¯t seen any signs of this from Lu Chen. He rarely tried to brainwash her; their meetings were always straight to the point, a kind of obsession with her body, speaking sweet nothings only after affairs were dealt with, rarely about cultivation. At that moment, Lu Chen tightened his embrace around Yun Xianxian¡¯s slender waist, his body slightly shifting upward, while his other hand caressed her silver-white hair. After a moment, Lu Chen spoke again, ¡°I wasn¡¯t testing you, I merely wanted to hear you say you love me in your own words. After all, I forced you to become my woman, so I always feel that you hold no real affection for me.¡± Yun Xianxian huffed, ¡°You do know that you forced me.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t taken the initiative back then, you would probably have run off to another world by now, and we might never have met again in this life. I had no choice, what can I do when I¡¯m in love with you?¡± Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°That¡¯s not love for me, you just love my body.¡± Lu Chen, laughing, said, ¡°Your body is also a part of you. Love me, love my dog; what¡¯s the conflict between loving you and your body?¡± Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to argue this with you.¡± With that, Yun Xianxian fell silent again, continuing to lie against Lu Chen¡¯s chest like a frail, clingy woman. Lu Chen too stopped speaking, and the room became extraordinarily quiet, filled only with the sounds of their breathing. Thus, they embraced silently, which felt rather pleasant to Yun Xianxian. Although she was still in an intimate state with Lu Chen, without the previous intense movements, she could now feel Lu Chen¡¯s body more profoundly, especially the sound of his heartbeat. Gradually, she discovered her own heartbeat synchronizing with Lu Chen¡¯s, both seemingly entering a strange state. Lu Chen also noticed this. At this moment, he wasn¡¯t cultivating, but his cultivation seemed to be climbing steadily. Lu Chen felt perplexed. What was happening? He and Yun Xianxian were merely maintaining closeness, not cultivating nor engaging in any intimate acts; why was his cultivation inexplicably improving? Lu Chen then asked the system internally, ¡°System, why are the cultivation levels of Honored Master and me continuously improving?¡± The system had become more intelligent than before, so whenever Lu Chen had questions about cultivation, his first thought was to consult the system. Chapter 1060 - Chapter 1060: Chapter 750: You dared to imprison my avatar, how do you wish to die? Chapter 1060: Chapter 750: You dared to imprison my avatar, how do you wish to die? Lu Chen¡¯s words had just ended when the system prompt sounded inside his head. ¡°The host and his wife, after practicing the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill, will be considered in cultivation as long as both parties¡¯ Divine Senses enter a resonant state, which can enhance both parties¡¯ Cultivation States.¡± Lu Chen was stunned for a moment, then continued to ask, ¡°Isn¡¯t that just Divine Sense communication?¡± In the past, Divine Sense communication could only occur during that sort of activity. Now, without doing anything, just by maintaining their intimate embrace, they could achieve Divine Sense communication? The system answered, ¡°The host may understand it in that way.¡± Lu Chen continued, ¡°In the past, there were rewards for Divine Sense communication. Why are there no rewards now?¡± If this also counted as Divine Sense communication, then the system should reward him with something. Yet, up to now, he had not seen any sign of the system acknowledging this. The system replied, ¡°The improvement of the host¡¯s Cultivation State is the best reward; there is no need for other rewards.¡± Lu Chen laughed in his mind and couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue this pointless discussion with the system. At this time, Yun Xianxian clearly sensed what was happening between her and Lu Chen, and she noticed that her Cultivation State was rapidly improving. Unlike Lu Chen, Yun Xianxian instantly understood that it was the Dragon and Phoenix Yin Yang Skill¡¯s doing. In the cultivation realm, she had heard that if a Daoist couple shares a heart and mind, both parties¡¯ Cultivation States will be elevated. In the past, she didn¡¯t have a Daoist couple and had never experienced this sensation; now, this feeling of heart and mind resonance made her feel very comfortable. It was as if her soul had merged with Lu Chen¡¯s, as if they were no longer distinct from one another. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï After a while, Yun Xianxian quietly said, ¡°I¡­ truly have¡­ some¡­ feelings for you.¡± Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s murmur, Lu Chen was slightly startled and became incredibly excited. Yun Xianxian suddenly felt an abnormal sensation in her body and took a sharp breath, then said coldly, ¡°I just said it in passing. What are you so excited about?¡± Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°My wife has finally admitted that she likes me, of course, I¡¯m excited.¡± Yun Xianxian snorted coldly, ¡°When you were torturing me, I¡¯ve lost count of how many times I¡¯ve said such things.¡± Each time Lu Chen tormented her, she would involuntarily say some shameless words, including words about liking him. Lu Chen said smilingly, ¡°It¡¯s different. The words said at those times don¡¯t carry the sincerity of now.¡± Yun Xianxian said indifferently, ¡°Since you know the words said at those times aren¡¯t sincere, then don¡¯t always insistently make me call you darling or dear brother in the future.¡± Remembering the things that had happened before, Yun Xianxian¡¯s cheeks grew slightly hot. But just at this moment, Yun Xianxian suddenly felt her head ache again. She quickly raised her jade hand, pressing it to her head, trying to alleviate her headache with the Rejuvenating Skill. Lu Chen also immediately sensed something was wrong with Yun Xianxian¡¯s body and quickly applied the Rejuvenating Skill to treat her, but it was equally ineffective. After an unknown amount of time, Yun Xianxian¡¯s body suddenly sat up and looked down imperiously at Lu Chen¡¯s face. Those purple pupils had turned scarlet and stared intently at Lu Chen, as if seeing an enemy. Seeing this, Lu Chen was startled. This¡­ At that moment, Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°How dare you imprison my incarnation. How would you like to die?¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen was startled again. Incarnation? Wasn¡¯t Yun Xianxian Yun Qingshu¡¯s daughter? Why had it turned into a doppelg?nger? Or could it be that the person now in Yun Xianxian¡¯s body was not Yun Qingshu, but someone else? However, on second thought, even if it were someone else, the current Yun Xianxian was in an intimate state with him, her spiritual power sealed within her¡ªso even if someone else¡¯s Divine Sense had taken over her body, they would not be able to mobilize the spiritual power inside of her. With this realization, Lu Chen suddenly had an idea. He immediately grasped Yun Xianxian¡¯s jade arm, then abruptly got up, flipping her over so that she was now pressed beneath him. Seeing herself restrained, Yun Xianxian coldly said, ¡°Release me at once, or else I will tear your body into ten thousand pieces and imprison your soul, making your life worse than death!¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°You must be the Palace Master of the Mysterious Moon Palace, right? I am about to make your life worse than death!¡± As soon as the words fell, Lu Chen bent down and sealed Yun Xianxian¡¯s red lips, commencing his movements. Yun Qingshu hurriedly tried to mobilize the spiritual power in Yun Xianxian¡¯s body but found that all the spiritual power within Yun Xianxian¡¯s body was locked and utterly immobile. Moreover, the sensations of Yun Xianxian¡¯s body were continuously transmitted to her true form, making them intolerable. Scoundrel! Yun Qingshu quickly severed the Divine Sense connection. At the same time, Somewhere in the cosmic space, on an Immortal Boat, Yun Qingshu, with a flushed and furious face, was looking towards the direction of the Tianchen World. Originally, she had planned to find the man tormenting Yun Xianxian once she arrived in the Tianchen World, but she hadn¡¯t expected that strange feeling to continuously transmit to her own body through the causal link. This had become unbearable for her, so she considered using the Divine Sense link to Yun Xianxian¡¯s body ahead of time and then using the oppressive force of her Divinity Transformation Realm Divine Sense to pressure the man, relying on Yun Xianxian¡¯s own strength to tear him to pieces in advance. But that guy was completely unaffected and, on the contrary, did those things to Yun Xianxian under the pressure of the Divinity Transformation Realm and even transmitted that strange sensation directly through the Divine Sense link to her. The more Yun Qingshu thought about it, the angrier she became, and her expression turned colder and colder! It¡¯s almost time! Tianchen World is nearly in reach! She will make that ant pay the price; she will imprison his soul and torment it forever, never to find transcendence! Feeling the increasing intensity of Yun Qingshu¡¯s murderous aura, the Elders of the Mysterious Moon Palace on the Immortal Boat shuddered, not even daring to breathe loudly. They had never seen their Palace Master so enraged, not even when purging traitors¡ªand never did her murderous aura feel so heavy. How come the closer they got to the Tianchen World, the heavier their Palace Master¡¯s murderous aura became? What on earth was there in the Tianchen World that made their Palace Master so furious? Lu Chen did not care how angry Yun Qingshu was; he continued on his own way, applying various methods to Yun Xianxian. After Yun Xianxian regained her senses, she was a bit stunned, not understanding what had gotten into Lu Chen that he had started to act so violently again. Yun Xianxian lay on her side on the soft couch, slightly turning her head to look at Lu Chen, and asked in confusion, ¡°You¡­ what is this¡­?¡± While busying himself with his task, Lu Chen said, ¡°Just now¡­ hu¡­ your Honored Master¡¯s Divine Sense took control of your body.¡± Upon hearing these words, Yun Xianxian immediately grasped the situation and understood what had happened. Her Honored Master indeed always had the ability to manipulate her body directly through Divine Sense. She once suspected whether her Honored Master had placed something within her body, but no matter how much she searched, she never found anything that controlled her. With that said, her Honored Master must have used her body to say something to Lu Chen, resulting in Lu Chen becoming so fierce. Wait a minute¡­ If her Honored Master had completely controlled her body earlier, didn¡¯t it mean that the person in front of the traitor was no longer her, but her Honored Master, and this traitor, being so violent, was targeting her Honored Master? Chapter 1062 - Chapter 1062: Chapter 752: I Give You Two Choices Chapter 1062: Chapter 752: I Give You Two Choices Ji Qiuyu also sensed that something was off with Nangong Yuehua¡¯s emotions. Seeing a faint aura of authority emanating from Nangong Yuehua, Ji Qiuyu was about to say something, but Lu Chen interrupted her. ¡°Your Majesty, I am the Loose Cultivator who helped Black Moon City withstand the Demonic Tide.¡± As Lu Chen finished speaking, Ji Qiuyu quickly added, ¡°Your Majesty, since Lu Chen helped Black Moon City resist the Demonic Tide, the Great Chu Dynasty has appointed him as the Deputy City Lord of Black Moon City.¡± Hearing this, Nangong Yuehua was unimpressed. She clearly understood what Ji Qiuyu meant; Ji Qiuyu was implying that Lu Chen was now a man of the Great Chu Dynasty and couldn¡¯t just be taken away. But for her, if Lu Chen truly possessed the capability to suppress Demonic Qi, it didn¡¯t matter whether he belonged to the Great Chu Dynasty or Tianji Pavilion, she would make a move to snatch him. At that moment, Nangong Yuehua glanced at Lu Chen, who was lying on the bed, and then asked, ¡°I am curious, where did your so-called Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique come from?¡± Lu Chen replied, ¡°Your Majesty, there is no such thing as a Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Nangong Yuehua¡¯s red pupils seemed to become even more blood-red, and a murderous intent radiated from her. An invisible pressure emanated from Nangong Yuehua¡¯s body, making the entire room oppressively heavy, to the point where Ji Qiuyu found it difficult to breathe. However, Lu Chen seemed unaffected; he continued with a calm expression, ¡°I can suppress Demonic Qi simply because my physical constitution is special.¡± After Lu Chen¡¯s words, a burst of Spiritual Power lifted him from the bed, and then a stream of Spiritual Power entered his body, checking his condition. This examination caused Nangong Yuehua¡¯s expression to turn even colder. This man seemed like an inanimate object, devoid of any signs of life, his heart not even beating, yet the Spiritual Power within him was incredibly abundant. Moreover, there was no trace of Demonic Qi in him, nor was he a Demon Cultivator. Lu Chen¡¯s technique was Saint-level Puppetry, not easily seen through. Without special means, at least someone at the Divinity Transformation Realm would be required to realize that his body was a puppet. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.§ã0 After examining Lu Chen¡¯s body, Nangong Yuehua was sure that this man¡¯s constitution was indeed special, but she was uncertain whether his ability to suppress Demonic Qi was due to his constitution or if he had practiced a Demon-Exorcising Sword Technique. But that didn¡¯t really matter. As long as it was confirmed that this man could suppress Demonic Qi. Nangong Yuehua then said, ¡°Come with me to the Zixiao Dynasty, I can ensure you live the rest of your life in glory and riches, and the Zixiao Dynasty can provide you with endless resources for cultivation to become stronger.¡± Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Previously, Your Majesty¡¯s sister from the same mother also wanted to take me away, but considering my important role in Black Moon City, she ultimately chose to leave.¡± ¡°Even Your Majesty¡¯s sister knows to consider the bigger picture. I believe Your Majesty, as the Emperor of the Zixiao Dynasty, would know the right course of action.¡± Nangong Yuehua¡¯s face darkened instantly, and a burst of lethal fury spread from her body. Sister? Very few people were aware that she had a sister. Although she was Princess Junwan, she had many sisters, but only one was from the same mother. That was Nangong Qingya. Nangong Qingya was naturally bloodthirsty. To conceal her existence, the Emperor had sent her away from the Imperial Palace early on. Over time, she became a Demonic Cultivator and even the Sect Master of Blood Rainbow Pavilion, the leading Cult of the Demonic Qi-infested Ziyang World, but almost no one knew she was a princess of the Zixiao Dynasty. Those who had known about this were mostly eliminated by Nangong Yuehua¡¯s father. This man actually knew! Nangong Yuehua promptly raised her hand, and a force directly pulled Lu Chen¡¯s body to her, gripping his neck tightly. Unfortunately, Lu Chen had a puppet body, so no matter how hard she squeezed, he was unharmed. ¡°Who are you!¡± Nangong Yuehua¡¯s tone was extremely cold, as if issuing a command, unmistakable. Lu Chen calmly said, ¡°Your Majesty, why are you and your sister alike, so violent, always resorting to physical actions? If you accidentally killed me, with no one to restrain the Heavenly Demon Power, once the Heavenly Demon breaks its seal, the cultivators in this world will likely soon be devoured.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Nangong Yuehua quickly stabilized her emotions. She continued to ask, ¡°Since you know she is my sister, then you should be very clear, there is only one outcome for those who know.¡± The Blood Rainbow Pavilion was the largest Demonic Cultivator force in the Ziyang World, and if people knew that the owner of the Blood Rainbow Pavilion was the sister of the Empress of the Zixiao Dynasty, wouldn¡¯t that make people think that the Zixiao Dynasty and the Blood Rainbow Pavilion were colluding as evil forces? Moreover, she had just ascended the throne not long ago, and if the old officials of the Zixiao Dynasty knew about this, they would certainly use this as an excuse to propose deposing her. Nangong Yuehua continued, ¡°I give you two choices, either come back to the Zixiao Dynasty with me or die!¡± Since this man knew she had a sister, he could not be allowed to remain in Black Moon City any longer; if the news got out, it would bring her great trouble. At that moment, Lu Chen pulled out an identity token given to him by Nangong Qingya and immediately said, ¡°The Nangong Sect Master instructed me to guard Black Moon City here, preventing the spread of the Demonic Tide. She told me that if someone wanted to take me away, to immediately activate the token, and she would soon appear before me.¡± ¡°If Your Majesty insists on taking me away, then I have no choice but to activate this token. It has probably been many years since Your Majesty has seen your sister, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Seeing the token in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Nangong Yuehua frowned, for it was indeed the Pavilion Master¡¯s Token of the Blood Rainbow Pavilion, which Lu Chen could activate by channeling a bit of Spiritual Energy. Concerning her sister, Nangong Yuehua had no desire to see her, for after all, she was a Demonic Cultivator, while she was the Empress of the Zixiao Dynasty. One righteous, one villainous, the two sisters were destined to be enemies in this life. After thinking for a moment, Nangong Yuehua knew that even Nangong Qingya had not taken Lu Chen away. If she took Lu Chen away now, the Blood Rainbow Pavilion would surely come knocking. Moreover, other forces were also eyeing Lu Chen, and in the future, more and more forces would contend for him. Given that, she might as well leave Lu Chen in Black Moon City to guard it, preventing the spread of the Demonic Tide and thus slowing down the Heavenly Demon¡¯s breaking of the seal. As long as the Zixiao Dynasty and the Blood Rainbow Pavilion both declared for Lu Chen to guard Black Moon City, other forces naturally wouldn¡¯t target Lu Chen anymore, as anyone who tried to take Lu Chen might be labeled a Demon Cultivator. Because only those who want the Demonic Tide to spread and release the Heavenly Demon wouldn¡¯t want Lu Chen to guard Black Moon City. Thinking this, Nangong Yuehua let go of Lu Chen and then took out a jade amulet, sending it directly to his face with Spiritual Power. ¡°If I find out you have divulged the relationship between me and that person, no matter how important you are to the Ziyang World, I will personally take your life.¡± ¡°There is a Transmission Array within the token, should you encounter danger, just activate the array, and I will send someone to rescue you.¡± As her words fell, Nangong Yuehua vanished from where she stood, no longer in the mood to ask how Lu Chen found out about Nangong Qingya¡¯s identity. In her eyes at that moment, since Nangong Qingya had even handed over the Pavilion Master¡¯s Token to Lu Chen, it proved that she valued him highly, perhaps foreseeing that her sister would come, so she took the initiative to inform Lu Chen of their relationship. Chapter 1063 - Chapter 1063: Chapter 753: The Maturation of Mu Zixuans Inner Child World Chapter 1063: Chapter 753: The Maturation of Mu Zixuan¡¯s Inner Child World Seeing that Nangong Yuehua¡¯s breath had completely dissipated, Ji Qiuyu, dripping with sweat, finally sighed in relief. She had thought that Nangong Yuehua, regardless of consequences, would take Lu Chen away directly. At this moment, Ji Qiuyu turned her head to look at Lu Chen and asked with curiosity, ¡°When you just mentioned ¡®Your Majesty¡¯s sister,¡¯ were you referring to the Blood Rainbow Pavilion Master?¡± Ji Qiuyu didn¡¯t previously know the Blood Rainbow Pavilion Master¡¯s name. However, the last time Nangong Qingya visited, she had introduced herself. With the surname also being Nangong, and given that Lu Chen had said Nangong Yuehua¡¯s sister had visited, the only one who did was Nangong Qingya. Therefore, it proved that Lu Chen¡¯s reference to Nangong Yuehua¡¯s sister was indeed the Blood Rainbow Pavilion Master Nangong Qingya. This revelation astonished Ji Qiuyu greatly. The fact that the leader of the evil force Blood Rainbow Pavilion was actually the blood sister of the Empress of Zixiao Dynasty would surely cause an uproar if it got out. Lu Chen turned his head to look at Ji Qiuyu and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t you think their surnames are quite similar?¡± Ji Qiuyu said somewhat speechlessly, ¡°Just because of the surname you¡¯ve concluded that Your Majesty and she are blood sisters?¡± Lu Chen walked up to Ji Qiuyu, wrapped his arms around her waist, and whispered in her ear, ¡°Of course not. The main reason is that they look so much alike. The first time I saw Your Majesty, I thought the Pavilion Master of Blood Rainbow Pavilion had come back again.¡± After some thought, Ji Qiuyu felt that Lu Chen¡¯s guess had some merit. Nangong Qingya did indeed resemble Nangong Yuehua. However, one was a righteous leader, and the other was the head of an evil faction, so few made the connection between them. Ji Qiuyu said, ¡°Now that we have the Pavilion Master¡¯s Token from Blood Rainbow Pavilion, and Your Majesty¡¯s jade pendant, other forces should no longer dare to harm you.¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°That¡¯s not certain.¡± ¡°Within the Ziyang World, there must be some Demon Cultivators, right? I¡¯ve halted the spread of the Demonic Tide, slowing the speed at which the Heavenly Demon breaks the seal, so in the eyes of these Demon Cultivators, I am a thorn in their side, a target they surely want to eliminate.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen raised his hand to stroke Ji Qiuyu¡¯s hair and continued, ¡°If they are only targeting me, I¡¯m not really worried. What I fear most is that some Demon Cultivators might discover your relationship with me, and then harm you.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Ji Qiuyu was deeply touched and immediately said, ¡°Rest assured, if one day I truly face danger, and someone tries to use me to threaten you, I will simply detonate my Dantian and will not become your weakness.¡± Lu Chen hurriedly said, ¡°Qiuyu, don¡¯t have such thoughts. If someone really uses you to threaten me, then let them. After all, they don¡¯t know that I am merely a puppet body right now; even if they kill me, my original body won¡¯t be affected in the slightest.¡± As soon as Lu Chen said this, Ji Qiuyu instantly realized the truth. Indeed, Lu Chen was in a puppet body; even if it was destroyed, his original body wouldn¡¯t be at any risk. So, she didn¡¯t need to worry too much about his safety. As long as his original body didn¡¯t come out, those Demon Cultivators wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him. But then again, if Lu Chen¡¯s original body never appeared, wouldn¡¯t she never be able to become his true Daoist couple? Thinking this, Ji Qiuyu¡¯s cheeks flushed with red. On one hand, she was concerned for Lu Chen¡¯s safety, while on the other, she longed to become his Daoist couple soon, which conflicted in her heart. However, for the sake of Lu Chen¡¯s safety, she would rather become his Daoist couple later. If something really happened to Lu Chen, they would have no future together. ¡­ Several days later. In Tianchen World. Lu Chen¡¯s original body was still rolling around in bed with Yun Xianxian, seemingly not at all worried about the arrival of Yun Qingshu. With Lu Chen¡¯s nurturing over these days, Yun Xianxian¡¯s Cultivation State had reached the Third Layer of the All Law Realm. Now, with the support of Shenghui Armor, Yun Xianxian¡¯s personal strength had even caught up to the Divinity Transformation Realm. Of course, even with the strength of the Divinity Transformation Realm, she was unlikely to be a match for her Honored Master, Yun Qingshu, mainly because her master had the ability to control her body, rendering her formidable strength useless in his presence. During these days, Lu Chen¡¯s Cultivation State had also been rapidly improving, although slower compared to Yun Xianxian. On the soft couch, Lu Chen lay on his side, his arm wrapped around Yun Xianxian¡¯s waist, gazing at her beautiful face. Yun Xianxian said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t really plan on just waiting like this for my master to arrive, would you?¡± This rebellious disciple maintained a close relationship with her, which under normal circumstances she wouldn¡¯t mind for several months at a time, since he treated all his other women the same way and had such capabilities. But now that her master was about to arrive in the Tianchen World and could locate her exact position, all her master needed was to reach the Tianchen World and he could instantly appear before them. Yet, this rebellious disciple still wouldn¡¯t let go of her, continuing to do these things to her. She suspected that this rebellious disciple might deliberately want her master to see them being intimate. Lu Chen said, ¡°I¡¯m doing this to enhance my strength. After all, since the Honored Ancestor is so powerful, my current strength is not yet capable of contending with him.¡± Yun Xianxian glanced at Lu Chen; she didn¡¯t believe that he was actually cultivating and enhancing his strength through Cultivation Techniques. If that were the case, she would have sensed it, but these past days it seemed he was purely pursuing pleasure. Yun Xianxian thought to herself, well, let it be. Looking at this rebellious disciple¡¯s demeanor, he must have made all the necessary preparations already, and she needn¡¯t worry too much. Just as Yun Xianxian was thinking this, Lu Chen¡¯s body suddenly erupted with waves of Spiritual Power. These waves of Spiritual Power spread instantaneously, and all the Cultivators in Black Dragon City felt it. This¡­ Yun Xianxian, embracing Lu Chen¡¯s muscular waist, was also stunned after feeling the surge of Spiritual Power coming from his body. Was this rebellious disciple actually cultivating? He had made another breakthrough so quickly? She had not sensed any flow of Spiritual Power in him these past days. How had he managed to break through so quietly all of a sudden? As Yun Xianxian¡¯s mind wandered, Lu Chen also looked slightly distracted, his face full of surprise as he read the system notification before him. [Congratulations to the host. Your wife, Mu Zixuan, has given birth to a child world. Reward: Saint Level Cultivation Technique, Evergreen Longevity Technique.] [Mu Zixuan¡¯s world has given rise to worshipping creatures, host has obtained the Origin Power of the universe.] This¡­ After coming back to his senses, Lu Chen immediately allowed his Divine Sense to enter the child world nurtured by Mu Zixuan. In the child world created by Mu Zixuan, some merfolk with tails had carved numerous stone statues of Mu Zixuan and Lu Chen, bowing their heads before these statues. Lu Chen was somewhat astonished. Chu Yuqin¡¯s child world had been the first to be nurtured, yet to date, it hadn¡¯t produced any beings with human intelligence. In contrast, intelligent life had already emerged in Mu Zixuan¡¯s world, which had only just matured. Lu Chen took a glance at the merfolk kneeling and worshipping the stone images of him, feeling somewhat conflicted; the creatures nurtured in Mu Zixuan¡¯s child world were like his own children. These merfolk could be considered his own offspring, and as time flowed faster in the child world than in the outer world, he would eventually experience the pain of outliving his own progeny. Chapter 1064 - Chapter 1064: Chapter 754: It seems that the Grandmaster is about to arrive Chapter 1064: Chapter 754: It seems that the Grandmaster is about to arrive Lu Chen watched the merfolk¡¯s every move in silence, and after a long while, he returned to his senses and then left Mu Zixuan¡¯s child world. Once his Divine Sense had returned, Lu Chen found that Yun Xianxian was staring at him with both eyes. Lu Chen smiled and asked, ¡°Honored Master, why are you looking at me like that?¡± Yun Xianxian said expressionlessly, ¡°I am very curious, how exactly did you make your breakthrough?¡± ¡°You were only at the Fifth Layer of the Yin-Yang Realm a short while ago, yet just now your Cultivation State instantly rose above the Fifth Layer of the Myriad Laws Realm, and there seems to be a special kind of pressure emanating from you. Standing before you, I feel like I am beholding countless worlds.¡± Lu Chen smiled faintly but did not answer. The reason for the rapid increase in his strength was mainly the Origin Power of the universe. After obtaining the Origin Power, Lu Chen felt a kindred connection with the entire cosmos. He could even observe the entire Tianchen World from a third-person perspective now. At present, he had only obtained a trace of Origin Power. If he could obtain even more cosmic Origin Power, he dared not even imagine what would happen. Seeing that Lu Chen gave no response, Yun Xianxian continued, ¡°You must be like me, with your own power sealed. You¡¯ve broken the Sealing now, so your strength has been restored, right?¡± Lu Chen thought this explanation was quite good, so he said, ¡°Honored Master¡¯s guess is not wrong; my power indeed was sealed.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s answer, Yun Xianxian felt a strange sensation in her heart. This guy must have been even stronger than her before, right? She was weaker than Lu Chen and yet she had become his Honored Master, which seemed somewhat improper. But then again, ever since the day she made Lu Chen become her disciple, the rebellious student had never truly regarded her as his Honored Master. From beginning to end, he had his mind set on her body. The so-called master-disciple relationship was merely this man¡¯s way of indulging a certain interest through role-playing. Having followed him for so long, she knew all too well what kind of person he was. Role-playing was what the rebellious student enjoyed the most. Thinking of this, Yun Xianxian let go of her concerns. Her title as Honored Master was nothing more than a name; there was no need to take it too seriously. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í?0.?¦Ï At this time, Lu Chen continued to wrap his arms around Yun Xianxian¡¯s slim waist, drawing their bodies even closer together, creating an even more intimate connection between them. However, after doing all this, he didn¡¯t make any other moves, just remained still and quiet. He used to do the same in the past. Despite frequently spending days and even weeks in bed with his wives and concubines, he wasn¡¯t always active. Occasionally, just quietly embracing like this felt quite good too, as long as they stayed together. While holding Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen checked the reward from the system he had just received. [Evergreen Longevity Technique: A Saint-grade Cultivation Technique, an upgrade of the Rejuvenating Skill. By cultivating this technique, the host can gain more lifespan and will possess the power to repair the Divine Soul as well as have greatly enhanced healing abilities.] Reading the description, Lu Chen was momentarily stunned. The Rejuvenating Skill at full mastery granted the ability to resurrect the dead, but there were conditions ¨C the body had to be intact, and the death couldn¡¯t have been too long ago. Evergreen Longevity Technique was a Saint Level Cultivation Technique. If one could fully master the Evergreen Longevity Technique, then would it be possible to restore a person¡¯s body as long as their soul was preserved? As Lu Chen was pondering this, the system notification sounded. ¡°The Evergreen Longevity Technique indeed possesses such capability, but in order to restore a person¡¯s physical body through their Divine Soul, some special materials need to be prepared.¡± Hearing the system notification, the corners of Lu Chen¡¯s mouth tilted upward slightly. It was no issue; preparing special materials was trivial as long as he had the ability. With this thought, Lu Chen said to Yun Xianxian, ¡°Xian¡¯er, I have here a special Cultivation Technique; would you be interested in learning it?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s form of address, Yun Xianxian pursed her lips, but she did not correct him. She asked curiously, ¡°What Cultivation Technique?¡± Lu Chen didn¡¯t hesitate in the slightest, directly imparting the cultivation technique to Yun Xianxian. As a flash of golden light entered Yun Xianxian¡¯s brain, her delicate body trembled. Evergreen Longevity Technique? After sensing the effects of the Evergreen Longevity Technique, Yun Xianxian was instantly stunned. A Saint-grade cultivation technique that could resurrect the dead? Could it be true? Where did this defiant disciple acquire such a cultivation technique? Wait a minute¡­ With this defiant disciple¡¯s identity, acquiring a Saint-grade cultivation technique doesn¡¯t seem to be that strange after all. Yun Xianxian then said to Lu Chen, ¡°At a time like this, you¡¯re giving me this kind of technique. It¡¯s not because you¡¯re worried you¡¯re no match for my Honored Master, is it?¡± Before, Lu Chen had only taught her the Rejuvenating Skill and hadn¡¯t given her the Evergreen Longevity Technique. Clearly, Lu Chen was holding back, but now he was willing to offer a Saint-grade technique, which made it seem like Lu Chen was preparing for the worst scenario. After all, once one masters the Evergreen Longevity Technique to perfection, as long as one¡¯s divine soul is preserved, one could bring someone back from the dead. That meant that even if something were to happen to Lu Chen, as long as she kept his divine soul, she might one day resurrect him. Lu Chen said with a smile, ¡°You really let your imagination run wild. I just recovered some memories a while ago and recalled the complete Rejuvenating Skill, so I decided to teach it to you for you to cultivate.¡± ¡°When Honored Ancestor arrives in the Tianchen World, there will naturally be someone to deal with her. Perhaps there¡¯s no need for me to act.¡± Hearing Lu Chen speak this way, Yun Xianxian thought of how he had grown all this way, always mysteriously gaining new forces and powerful beings at his side. This guy¡¯s identity is so special; there must be powerful protectors behind him. With this thought, Yun Xianxian¡¯s worries about Lu Chen¡¯s safety completely vanished. Now, she was actually a bit concerned about the situation of her own Honored Master. What if her Honored Master were defeated? She might end up in Lu Chen¡¯s¡­ Just the thought of herself, Chen Wanrong, and her Honored Master attending to Lu Chen together made Yun Xianxian feel extremely awkward. While Yun Xianxian¡¯s thoughts wandered, Lu Chen suddenly said, ¡°It seems that Honored Ancestor is almost here.¡± After obtaining the Origin Power, Lu Chen¡¯s perceptive abilities had become incredibly powerful. Even before Yun Qingshu arrived in the Tianchen World, he had already sensed two Immortal Boats rapidly approaching. Considering the fragility of the Tianchen World, just a child world that couldn¡¯t withstand the disruption of Divinity Transformation Realm experts, Lu Chen decided to take the initiative to leave the Tianchen World and wait for Yun Qingshu¡¯s arrival in space aboard the Feihong Immortal Boat. Yun Xianxian also perceived a familiar sense rapidly approaching the Tianchen World, and for a moment, she grew tense. Even knowing that there were powerful beings on Lu Chen¡¯s side to protect him, the approach of Yun Qingshu still made her feel pressured. Moreover, she was unsure how to face Yun Qingshu, her mentor who was like both teacher and mother. Yun Xianxian twisted her body slightly, pushing against Lu Chen¡¯s chest, intending to separate from him. However, Lu Chen continued to hold her slender waist firmly, showing no intention of letting go. Yun Xianxian then glared at Lu Chen. This defiant disciple really planned to let her Honored Master see them like this? With a faint smile, Lu Chen used Shadow Shifting, and in the next moment, their bodies appeared inside the inner palace of the Immortal Boat above Black Dragon City. Then Lu Chen said to the Immortal Boat¡¯s artifact spirit, ¡°Honghong, leave the Tianchen World!¡± As soon as Lu Chen¡¯s words fell, the Feihong Immortal Boat flew toward the edge of the Tianchen World. Chapter 1065 - Chapter 1065: Chapter 755: Bastard! Chapter 1065: Chapter 755: Bastard! In the blink of an eye, the Feihong Immortal Boat had left the Tianchen World and arrived beyond the barrier of the Tianchen World. At this moment, Lu Chen looked through the window of his sleeping chamber, observing the cosmic space. Although he had previously possessed the ability to explore the entire Tianchen World, witnessing it through his eyes was still incredibly shocking. The entire Tianchen World was enveloped in a hemisphere that resembled the sky and earth, unlike a typical planet. The outside of the Tianchen World was surrounded by a thick barrier, and without tools like the Immortal Boat, Cultivators below the All Law Realm would find it difficult to pass through the barrier and leave the Tianchen World. At that time, Lu Chen saw a huge, semi-circular world at the bottom right corner of the Tianchen World. This world was more than three times larger than the Tianchen World and was already in contact with it. Clearly, the world that was in contact with the Tianchen World was the Ziyang World. Around the Tianchen World, there were many other worlds, large and small, but most of those worlds were already shattered, leaving only small fragments. The Star Domain where the Tianchen World was located resembled a graveyard of worlds, with countless broken worlds floating in the void. As Lu Chen was observing the cosmic space, Yun Xianxian spoke up, ¡°You should finally let go of me now.¡± Yun Xianxian also noticed that Lu Chen¡¯s attention was no longer on her but on those shattered worlds. Having come to cosmic space, Lu Chen couldn¡¯t possibly continue causing trouble. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s voice, Lu Chen snapped back from the shocking cosmic scenery. He gazed into Yun Xianxian¡¯s purple beautiful eyes and said with a sly smile, ¡°The grandmaster will be here soon, and I want the grandmaster to see just how deep our relationship is.¡± Yun Xianxian furrowed her brows, about to say something when the devious disciple flipped her over and pressed her onto the soft couch¡­ Yun Qingshu¡¯s Immortal Boat quickly arrived at the edge of the Tianchen World. Yun Qingshu even identified the world as Tianchen World without checking the coordinates on the star map. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.?¦Ï Upon discovering the luxurious Immortal Boat parked outside the Tianchen World, Yun Qingshu instantly had a bad premonition. The Immortal Boat signified the identity of the Cultivator. The more luxurious and vast the Immortal Boat, the more extraordinary the identity of its owner. The Immortal Boat in front of them was no longer just an Immortal Boat; it looked more like a palace in the air. The owner of such a luxurious Immortal Boat was likely to be a young master of some Super Force, or perhaps even a Prince of an Empire. Yun Qingshu did not act rashly. This Immortal Boat, parked outside the Tianchen World, clearly indicated that its owner had anticipated their arrival and was specifically waiting for them there. At that moment, Yin Zhengye also maneuvered his Immortal Boat next to the Mysterious Moon Palace Immortal Boat. Having finally caught up, Yin Zhengye breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that he had arrived quickly, otherwise, it would have been troublesome. Yin Zhengye also glanced at the Feihong Immortal Boat in front of him. He recognized it as Lu Chen¡¯s instantly. Just as Yin Zhengye was considering whether to go greet him, a cold voice spread through the cosmic space. ¡°Move aside, I want to enter the Tianchen World!¡± The tone of Yun Qingshu was extremely domineering, showing no regard for the owner of the Feihong Immortal Boat. However, once Yun Qingshu¡¯s voice fell, there was no response from the people on the Immortal Boat opposite, and the strange feeling in her body became clearer and clearer. Yun Qingshu seemed to realize something at this moment and immediately released her Divine Sense. Soon, her Divine Sense reappeared on Yun Xianxian. As her Divine Sense entered Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, she found Yun Xianxian lying on a soft couch in a very humiliating position, being wantonly tortured by a man behind her. Yun Qingshu immediately flew into a rage. As her Divine Sense entered Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, she also determined that Yun Xianxian¡¯s exact location was on the luxurious Immortal Boat opposite her. Clearly, this man had intentionally stopped the Immortal Boat just outside of Tianchen World, waiting for her arrival. After she arrived, the man had not ceased, continuing to do such things to Yun Xianxian, obviously provoking her. Yun Qingshu immediately withdrew her Divine Sense and directly yelled, ¡°Bastard!¡± A majestic Spiritual Power surged directly towards the Feihong Immortal Boat. However, just as the destructive Spiritual Power was about to collide with the Feihong Immortal Boat, barriers emerged around it, and the Spiritual Power released by Yun Qingshu directly struck the barrier, leaving the Feihong Immortal Boat unscathed. Yun Qingshu could no longer restrain herself; daring to do such a thing to her incarnation right in front of her, she wanted to tear the man on the Immortal Boat to a million pieces! Yun Qingshu then directly jumped off the Immortal Boat, entering the cosmic space with her physical body. Soon after, Yun Qingshu flew towards the Feihong Immortal Boat, and as she was about to approach it, the jade flute in her hand transformed into an ice sword emitting a chilling air. Then, Yun Qingshu swung the sword. A surge of Sword Qi instantly flew towards the Feihong Immortal Boat, the fluctuation generated by the Sword Qi turning the floating debris in space into dust. If this Sword Qi were to contact the Feihong Immortal Boat, the consequences could be imagined. Yet, at this critical moment, a black shadow suddenly appeared in front of the Feihong Immortal Boat. Fire Dragon Sword! In the next moment, a Sword Qi burning with raging flames erupted from Yin Zhengye¡¯s sword, colliding with her Sword Qi. The resulting shockwave pushed their Immortal Boats thousands of miles out. The debris around them also turned to powder, and the entire cosmic space they were in was enveloped in dust. Yun Qingshu waved her hand, and the dust was instantly pushed aside by a force. Once she saw that it was Yin Zhengye who had intervened, Yun Qingshu coldly asked, ¡°Yin Zhengye, what do you mean by this?¡± Yun Qingshu had already prepared to confront the Black Dragon Holy Land on her way to Tianchen World, but she had not expected Yin Zhengye to take action at this moment. She thought there was something in Tianchen World that Yin Zhengye cared about, and only when they entered Tianchen World would Yin Zhengye turn against her, but Yin Zhengye had turned against her now. Yin Zhengye did not hide anything; with a smile on his face, he said, ¡°The lord behind this Immortal Boat is my master. If Palace Master Yun strikes at my master, that means declaring war on me and the entire Black Dragon Holy Land.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, Yun Qingshu and the people from Mysterious Moon Palace were stunned. They had initially guessed there was something in Tianchen World that Yin Zhengye cared about, but they had never imagined that Yin Zhengye cared for a person, and moreover, the true master of the Black Dragon Holy Land! The identity of the person that a cultivator from the Huashen Realm like Yin Zhengye would call master can only be imagined. At this moment, Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression became even colder. She had thought she could easily handle the man who had violated Yun Xianxian, not expecting this man to actually be the lord of the Black Dragon Holy Land. Chapter 1066 - Chapter 1066: Chapter 756 What have you done to my disciple! Chapter 1066: Chapter 756 What have you done to my disciple! Although Yun Qingshu sensed that the man crouched behind Yun Xianxian had at most the cultivation state of the All Law Realm, Yun Qingshu also knew that the owner of Black Dragon Holy Land couldn¡¯t possibly be an ordinary cultivator. At that moment, the people from Black Dragon Holy Land and Mysterious Moon Palace were on edge, both sides locked in a standoff. Through the causal link, Yun Qingshu sensed that Lu Chen was still doing that to Yun Xianxian. Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression became colder and colder, with the chill emanating from her spreading tens of miles away. Yun Qingshu looked at Yin Zhengye and said coldly, ¡°Your master violated my Direct Disciple¡¯s body. Today I will tear him to pieces. Yin Zhengye, are you sure you want to stop me?¡± Yin Zhengye said with a smile, ¡°As far as I know, Lu Yanghua has always desired Yun Xianxian¡¯s Immortal Spirit Body, and has repeatedly pressured Mysterious Moon Palace, threatening to hand over Yun Xianxian. Now that Yun Xianxian has become our master¡¯s Daoist couple, and the Immortal Spirit Body has already been violated, Palace Master Yun can completely pin this on Black Dragon Holy Land. From now on, Mysterious Moon Palace won¡¯t have to worry about Lu Yanghua¡¯s threats anymore. Isn¡¯t this a good thing?¡± Yun Qingshu didn¡¯t respond. The chill around her grew denser, as she had never worried about Lu Yanghua¡¯s threats. Compared to Lu Yanghua¡¯s threats, what she cared about more was the purity of her own alternate self. Yun Xianxian, her alternate self, was a special manifestation she¡¯d painstakingly created, and now another man had taken possession of her body¡ªhow could Yun Qingshu stand this? She also understood Yin Zhengye wouldn¡¯t let her pass. In that case, she would kill Yin Zhengye. She would kill whoever stood in her way! The next moment, a huge vision appeared behind Yun Qingshu, exuding terrifying majesty, as if a deity herself. Even Yin Zhengye, a cultivator of the Divinity Transformation Realm, felt tremendous pressure. Seeing that Yun Qingshu was serious, Yin Zhengye didn¡¯t hesitate and yelled loudly. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í?¦Ï.?¦Ï ¡°Black Dragon Law Idol!¡± The next moment, a huge vision also appeared behind Yin Zhengye, a black dragon slowly rising, its eyes as vast as palace halls, staring at the ice woman vision behind Yun Qingshu. Moments later, both of them acted. The ice woman behind Yun Qingshu waved her hand, sending numerous white flame-emitting ice spikes towards Yin Zhengye. Yin Zhengye¡¯s Black Dragon Law Idol opened its huge dragon mouth and exhaled, sending a stream of black flames directly at the spikes emitting white flames. When the power of the two Law Manifestations collided, waves of Spiritual Power exploded around them, and the space around them cleared again. The fight outside was fierce, as was the one inside the Feihong Immortal Boat. Lu Chen heavily injured Yun Xianxian repeatedly. At that moment, Yun Xianxian was inwardly cursing Lu Chen as an ingrate. Her Honored Master had arrived, yet this guy was still tormenting her. This was tantamount to doing that to her right in front of her Honored Master. Sensing the commotion outside, Yun Xianxian wanted to break free from Lu Chen, but he had complete control over her body, so all she could do was let him attack her. After who knows how long, Lu Chen clearly sensed that Yin Zhengye was losing the upper hand. Although both were in the Divinity Transformation Realm, Divinity Transformation Realm also had levels, and Yin Zhengye¡¯s power clearly didn¡¯t match Yun Qingshu¡¯s. At that moment, Lu Chen took a deep breath and exclaimed, ¡°Phew¡­ that feels great!¡± As his words fell, Lu Chen let go of Yun Xianxian and then swung his hand, donning his clothes, and walked directly toward the outside of the tent. Seeing Lu Chen let her go, Yun Xianxian also hurriedly got up. After dressing, she staggered and followed after him. Lu Chen then said to Yin Zhengye, ¡°Saint Lord Yin, come here for a moment.¡± Upon hearing Lu Chen¡¯s telepathic message, Yin Zhengye immediately let the Black Dragon Law Manifestation release more power. By the time Yun Qingshu reacted, he had already teleported directly to the Feihong Immortal Boat. The moment Yin Zhengye saw Lu Chen, he knelt down without hesitation, ¡°Greetings, my lord!¡± Lu Chen did not dally either; he immediately took out a piece of Shenghui Armor from the system inventory and threw it to Yin Zhengye, ¡°Put it on!¡± Seeing the Shenghui Armor in Lu Chen¡¯s hand, Yin Zhengye was startled for a moment, but then he caught it without hesitation and waved his hand. The next moment, the Shenghui Armor enveloped his entire body. At this time, Yun Qingshu¡¯s body flew directly toward the Feihong Immortal Boat, stopping when she was less than a hundred meters from it. Instead of rushing to attack, she coldly measured up Lu Chen and Yun Xianxian, her body still radiating a thick murderous intent. Yun Xianxian quickly said, ¡°Honored Master, I willingly became Lu Chen¡¯s Daoist couple. Please do not direct your anger at Lu Chen, disciple is willing to accept the punishment!¡± Hearing these words, Yun Qingshu raised her eyebrows and her murderous intent grew stronger, the coldness around her intensifying so much that the space around her seemed to freeze. Yun Qingshu had thought that Yun Xianxian was forced to become this man¡¯s female slave and that he had confined her using some means, which explained why she was unable to sense her in Tianchen World. But Yun Xianxian actually said she was willing? Yun Xianxian was not only her daughter but also her split self; she knew Yun Xianxian too well. How could Yun Xianxian possibly have feelings for a man and offer herself voluntarily? Even when she had made it to Tianchen World, the two were still engaged in such trivial matters, clearly not by choice. Yun Qingshu¡¯s icy gaze instantly turned towards Lu Chen, ¡°What have you done to my disciple!¡± ¡°Speak, and I might leave your corpse intact!¡± Lu Chen did not respond immediately; she looked at Yun Qingshu. Yun Qingshu and Yun Xianxian bore a striking resemblance, both were equally cold and beautiful, but Yun Qingshu exuded an even colder, more aloof air, accurately described as lonely. Lu Chen then used the system to identify Yun Qingshu¡¯s identity. [Name: Yun Qingshu] [Identity: Palace Master of Mysterious Moon Palace, main body of Yun Xianxian, Yun Xianxian¡¯s mother, survivor of the previous era, Huashen Realm Cultivator, wishing to tear the host into pieces immediately after learning that the host has defiled her split self.] [Score: 100] [Favorability: 0] Seeing Yun Qingshu¡¯s profile, Lu Chen was slightly taken aback. How is Yun Qingshu both Yun Xianxian¡¯s main body and her mother? This¡­ If Yun Qingshu is Yun Xianxian¡¯s main body, shouldn¡¯t Yun Xianxian be considered Yun Qingshu¡¯s secondary self? Like just one person, how could one person also play the roles of mother and daughter? Right when Lu Chen was baffled, a system notification sounded, ¡°When Yun Qingshu created this secondary self, Yun Xianxian, she used a special method allowing Yun Xianxian a great degree of autonomy, possessing a complete and independent character, making Yun Xianxian both Yun Qingshu¡¯s secondary self and her daughter.¡± Lu Chen thought to herself, so that¡¯s how it is. Then, wearing a smile, she said to Yun Qingshu, ¡°Son-in-law has met his honorable mother-in-law!¡± As soon as Lu Chen made this remark, Yun Qingshu¡¯s chill became unbearable, rushing straight towards Lu Chen. Yin Zhengye quickly stepped in front of Lu Chen to protect her. Chapter 1067 - Chapter 1067: Chapter 757: Who the hell are you! Chapter 1067: Chapter 757: Who the hell are you! After donning the Shenghui Armor, Yin Zhengye¡¯s strength had greatly improved, and he easily blocked the chill released by Yun Qingshu. Of course, the chill Yun Qingshu had just released was subconsciously emitted by her body and was not particularly formidable. Yun Qingshu looked coldly at Lu Chen, feeling very puzzled inside. This man actually addressed her as ¡°mother-in-law¡± in front of her and even called her ¡°Honored Mother-in-law¡±? Virtually no one knew about her relationship with Yun Xianxian, not even Yun Xianxian herself. Yet this man seemed to be aware of her relationship with Yun Xianxian. At that moment, Yun Qingshu¡¯s curiosity about Lu Chen¡¯s identity had intensified. Yun Qingshu then said, ¡°I am Xian¡¯er¡¯s Honored Master, not Xian¡¯er¡¯s mother, and certainly not your mother-in-law!¡± At this point, Yun Xianxian was also curious. Why would Lu Chen suddenly call Yun Qingshu ¡°Honored Mother-in-law¡± and even claim to be her ¡°darling¡±? Lu Chen respectfully said, ¡°Honored Mother-in-law jests, although Xian¡¯er is merely your incarnate, you did bestow her with life and granted her a complete personality. Naturally, you are Xian¡¯er¡¯s mother, and as Xian¡¯er¡¯s darling, it is proper for me to address you as Honored Mother-in-law.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s response, Yun Qingshu¡¯s chilling aura spread once more, covering the Feihong Immortal Boat in a layer of frost and creating several cracks in its barrier. Yun Qingshu never imagined that someone could see through her relationship with Yun Xianxian so directly. At this moment, the one who couldn¡¯t believe it the most was Yun Xianxian. For the first time, her ice-cold and breathtakingly beautiful face showed a look of astonishment. Yun Xianxian turned her head towards Lu Chen, ¡°Lu Chen, what are you talking about? Why can¡¯t I understand?¡± Yun Qingshu also sensed the emotional turmoil in Yun Xianxian and, staring into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, she asked coldly, ¡°Who are you, and how do you know about this!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Seeing that Yun Qingshu did not deny it but instead asked Lu Chen about his identity, Yun Xianxian¡¯s mind went blank. Thus, was everything Lu Chen said true? Was she truly an incarnate of her Honored Master? How could this be¡­ Now she finally understood why her Honored Master was always able to control her body¡ªshe was essentially an incarnate of her Honored Master, and her Honored Master could naturally manipulate her body at will. No wonder Lu Chen had comforted her before by saying that her Honored Master keeping her confined might actually be for her protection. She was an incarnate of her Honored Master, so her Honored Master would certainly not let her become Lu Yanghua¡¯s Furnace Cauldron. No wonder Lu Chen, this rebellious disciple, had been so excited and fierce upon knowing that her Honored Master was coming¡ªit turns out he had known all this from the start. Could it be that in Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, she was just a substitute for the main body? Realizing the truth, Yun Xianxian felt a heavy blow, her entire body weakened, and she was about to sit down. Lu Chen hurried to Yun Xianxian¡¯s back and held her up, preventing her from sitting down. Seeing this, Yun Qingshu¡¯s brows furrowed¡ªthis man even dared to hold and embrace his own incarnate in front of her! After embracing Yun Xianxian, Lu Chen looked at Yun Qingshu and answered, ¡°Like Lu Yanghua, I am a son of Emperor Shenwu of the Shenyue Dynasty.¡± If possible, Lu Chen did not want to use force against Yun Qingshu; it would be best to avoid a confrontation, so he simply revealed his other identity. Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s reply, Yun Qingshu felt a faint shock in her heart. She had of course heard of Emperor Shenwu and knew the terrifying aspects of his reign¡ªhe had fought across countless territories, destroying numerous High-Level Cultivation Worlds to establish the Shenyue Dynasty. Originally, Yun Qingshu had thought that Lu Yanghua¡¯s rapid growth might be due to some major power giving him experience in their realm, but she had not expected Lu Yanghua¡¯s true identity to be that of an Imperial Son. What shocked her even more was that the man who had taken over her avatar was also an Imperial Son. However, even if he was an Imperial Son, the fact that he had violated her avatar¡¯s purity could not just be overlooked. Thinking of this, Yun Qingshu said expressionlessly, ¡°Do you believe that just because you revealed your identity, I would not dare to kill you?¡± Lu Chen did not immediately answer. Instead, he unleashed his power, and in the next moment, a faint golden armor appeared on him. A power that surpassed the All Law Realm emanated from Lu Chen, and sensing the force around him, Yun Qingshu¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. He continued, ¡°Although I am not as powerful as you, my mother-in-law, I can still protect myself. Moreover, Saint Master Yin Zhengye¡¯s power is now even stronger than yours. It won¡¯t be easy for you to kill me.¡± As soon as Lu Chen had finished speaking, Yin Zhengye also released Spiritual Power, exuding a terrifying pressure that clearly surpassed the Divinity Transformation Realm and reached the Returning Ruin Realm level. Yun Qingshu immediately understood the situation¡ªtheir immense power boost was due to the golden armors they wore. Even though they relied on external forces, she only had the power of the Divinity Transformation Realm. Trying to kill someone with the strength of the Divinity Transformation Realm in front of someone at the Returning Ruin Realm level was indeed not easy. Could it be, just let it go? Her avatar had been tormented right before her eyes by this man, could she just let it go? Suddenly, a cold aura began to surge out from Yun Qingshu. She stared at Lu Chen¡¯s eyes and coldly asked, ¡°Do you really think I can¡¯t kill you?¡± With her current ability in the Divinity Transformation Realm, she naturally couldn¡¯t kill this man. However, if she were to break her own seal and recover her true power, killing Lu Chen would be a matter of a blink of an eye. Of course, if she were to remove her own seal, she would certainly draw the attention of the cosmic origin, since she was a survivor from the previous era and could not expose things from that era. Unless her life was threatened, she would never break her seal. Although the issue with Yun Xianxian made her incredibly angry, exposing her true identity just to kill someone was not worth it for her. Seeing Yun Qingshu¡¯s murderous gaze, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°Of course, I know that you, my mother-in-law, have the power to kill me, considering that you are a survivor from the last era, always possessing some unique methods.¡± At those words, Yun Qingshu froze. This man knew of her relationship with Yun Xianxian, and he even knew that she was a survivor from the previous era. He couldn¡¯t possibly be just a simple son of Emperor Shenwu. She had always believed she was the only survivor from the previous era, so no one would ever know her identity. Yun Qingshu coldly asked, ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± She felt as if she had no secrets hidden from this man. If such a person continued to live, it could lead to others using him to target her in the future. Knowing that she was a survivor from the previous era, he might also know her weaknesses. Having such a person continue to live would pose too great a threat to her. Chapter 1068 - Chapter 1068: Chapter 758: One day, you will regret the words you said today! Chapter 1068: Chapter 758: One day, you will regret the words you said today! Seeing Yun Qingshu looking at herself with a guarded expression, Lu Chen smiled and said, ¡°My dear mother-in-law, actually, your son-in-law and you are the same; we¡¯re not really from this universe either.¡± Hearing this, Yun Qingshu was taken aback once again. However, she did not immediately believe Lu Chen¡¯s words; her face filled with doubt as she sized him up. At that moment, Yun Qingshu thought to herself that if this man were a survivor from the previous era like herself, then he might indeed know her identity. Could it be that she wasn¡¯t the only one who had survived the previous era? Were there other survivors? At this moment, Yun Xianxian, who was in Lu Chen¡¯s arms, was completely baffled. She could not understand what Lu Chen and Yun Qingshu were talking about, but she did understand one thing¡ªLu Chen¡¯s origins were even more mysterious than she had known. Lu Chen was not only the son of Emperor Shenwu; he had an even more noble identity. At that time, Yun Qingshu fell into silence and did not speak for a long while, and Lu Chen also did not continue speaking. In fact, he did not know what the ¡°previous era¡± was or what had happened during it. His statement was merely an attempt to close the distance between himself and Yun Qingshu. After all, there couldn¡¯t be many survivors from the previous era. If he pretended to be like her, he might be able to gain her favor. Lu Chen glanced at Yun Qingshu¡¯s favorability and discovered that it had indeed increased; her favorability had directly risen to thirty. After their silence, it seemed as if time had stopped in the entire cosmic space. It was after an unknown amount of time that Yun Qingshu finally spoke, ¡°Even if you are like me, from the Ancient Era, you defiled my incarnation. I still have to kill you. What more is there to say!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°There was never any defilement; Xian¡¯er and I were willing. How could it be considered defilement.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? Hearing this, the chill around Yun Qingshu erupted again, and Yin Zhengye immediately took action, blocking the cold air that was heading straight for Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen, holding Yun Xianxian¡¯s delicate body and with his head against her jade cheek, portrayed an intimate appearance as he continued speaking to the distant Yun Qingshu, ¡°Mother-in-law, when you created Xian¡¯er, you gave her an independent personality. You shouldn¡¯t treat her as just an incarnation of yourself, but rather as your daughter.¡± ¡°Since she has an independent personality, you should respect her wishes. Who she wants to be with is her freedom.¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s speech, Yun Qingshu felt extremely angry. ¡°Ridiculous! I gave her an independent personality, not for her to become your Furnace Cauldron!¡± Lu Chen said, ¡°I never intended for Xian¡¯er to be my Furnace Cauldron, mother-in-law. Since you can control Xian¡¯er¡¯s body, you should also be able to access her past memories. I have never thought of making her a Furnace Cauldron; what we have is true love.¡± Saying this, Lu Chen spoke into Yun Xianxian¡¯s ear, ¡°Right, Xian¡¯er?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian, whose mind had been blank, gradually came back to her senses. Although she felt a bit uncomfortable, believing that Lu Chen was merely using her as a substitute for Yun Qingshu, she still decided to stand by Lu Chen. She looked at Yun Qingshu with a complex expression¡ªthe one who had given her life and endowed her with an independent personality. ¡°Disciple is grateful to the Honored Master for giving disciple life and an independent personality, but disciple has fallen in love with Lu Chen and will not voluntarily return with the master.¡± ¡°If the master feels that the existence of disciple¡¯s incarnation tarnishes the master¡¯s identity, the master can simply destroy this incarnation of the disciple.¡± Upon hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Yun Qingshu slightly furrowed her brows. She was really curious as to what kind of love potion Lu Chen had fed Yun Xianxian that made her so infatuated with him; logically, her own split body shouldn¡¯t have had any feelings of love. When she initially created this split body, she had feared her split body would be defiled by other men, so she didn¡¯t instill any feelings of love in her. At that moment, Yun Qingshu¡¯s eyes suddenly emitted a purple light, and Yin Zhengye thought Yun Qingshu was about to attack; readying to defend himself, he discovered Yun Qingshu still hadn¡¯t moved from her spot and hadn¡¯t attacked first. However, in the next moment, Yun Xianxian¡¯s pupils also emitted a purple light, and Lu Chen instantly realized that Yun Qingshu had once again possessed the Yun Xianxian in his arms. After taking control of Yun Xianxian¡¯s body, Yun Qingshu immediately read all of Yun Xianxian¡¯s memories since she left the Mysterious Moon Palace, and upon discovering that Yun Xianxian¡¯s body had been forcefully taken away by Lu Chen, she instantly became furious. Especially when she found out that Lu Chen had numerous women in his harem, Yun Qingshu¡¯s expression became even more severe, and the coldness in her spread again, enveloping the entire Feihong Immortal Boat with the chill coming off her body. However, as she continued to read Yun Xianxian¡¯s memories, she realized that Yun Xianxian indeed hadn¡¯t lied; she truly did fall in love with her rebellious disciple. Though Lu Chen was somewhat lascivious, he genuinely treated her well; not only did he give her the powerful Spiritual Artifact, Shenghui Armor, but he even imparted the Saint Level Cultivation Technique, the Evergreen Longevity Technique, to Yun Xianxian. She hadn¡¯t even passed the Saint Level Cultivation Technique onto her own split body, yet Lu Chen had been so generous. After reading all the memories, Yun Qingshu withdrew her Divine Sense and then coldly said, ¡°You love him, but he does not necessarily love you. If he loved you, he wouldn¡¯t have so many wives and concubines.¡± ¡°You should understand that he likes you, he just likes your body. Once he tires of you, you will be of no use to him.¡± Yun Qingshu¡¯s words had barely fallen when, before awaiting Yun Xianxian¡¯s response, Lu Chen quickly said, ¡°I admit, I do indeed like Xian¡¯er¡¯s body, but that doesn¡¯t mean I do not love her. To like someone, I naturally should like everything about her, and if I didn¡¯t like her body, how could I claim to love her.¡± Yun Qingshu coldly said, ¡°Sweet talker!¡± At this moment, Yun Xianxian actually also suspected that Lu Chen might not truly like her, viewing her just as a substitute for Yun Qingshu; however, she wouldn¡¯t leave Lu Chen unless he actively abandoned her. Yun Xianxian then said, ¡°No matter what the Honored Master says, I will not leave Lu Chen. If the Honored Master feels that this split body brings shame upon you, you are free to destroy this split body.¡± Yun Qingshu¡¯s Divine Sense could enter her body any time, meaning she could destroy her split body whenever she wanted. For Yun Qingshu, to destroy her split body was merely a matter of thought. Hearing Yun Xianxian¡¯s words, Lu Chen became anxious; Yun Qingshu wouldn¡¯t really destroy Yun Xianxian¡¯s split body, would she? Lu Chen thought for a moment and, realizing that Yun Qingshu had given Yun Xianxian a complete and independent personality, she wasn¡¯t truly treating her as just a split body, perhaps Yun Qingshu wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Still, he should take precautions. Just as Lu Chen was considering how to stop Yun Qingshu from harming Yun Xianxian¡¯s split body, Yun Qingshu spoke, ¡°You will one day regret what you said today!¡± At that moment, Yun Qingshu¡¯s gaze fell upon Lu Chen, ¡°Coercing possession of my split body and treating her as a plaything, even if I cannot kill you today, I will inevitably settle scores with you in the future!¡± Dauntlessly, Yun Qingshu turned and left, eventually flying onto the Immortal Boat of the Mysterious Moon Palace. Chapter 1069 - Chapter 1069: Chapter 759: The True Self Does Not Have a Disciple Like You! Chapter 1069: Chapter 759: The True Self Does Not Have a Disciple Like You! Seeing Yun Qingshu leave directly, Lu Chen and Yun Xianxian felt very puzzled, just walked away? However, although Yun Qingshu returned to the Mysterious Moon Palace¡¯s Immortal Boat, she didn¡¯t have the Immortal Boat turn around and leave; the Immortal Boat from the Mysterious Moon Palace was still suspended in cosmic space. Seeing this, Lu Chen thought that it seemed Yun Qingshu didn¡¯t plan to leave just yet; she probably had something else to do. At this moment, Yin Zhengye knelt halfway and said, ¡°This old servant pays respects to his Lord!¡± Lu Chen indifferently said, ¡°Lord Yin, get up. From now on, don¡¯t call me ¡®Your Majesty.''¡± Lu Chen wasn¡¯t quite comfortable with this title; even if he was to be called master, he preferred it to be from his wives and concubines in bed, not from an elder man. Yin Zhengye instantly reacted and immediately corrected, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± After Lu Chen glanced at Yun Qingshu¡¯s distant Immortal Boat, he immediately asked, ¡°How many Immortal Boats did the Mysterious Moon Palace send?¡± Currently, only the two Immortal Boats controlled by Yun Qingshu and Yin Zhengye had reached the Tianchen World. The two of them had increased their speed to hasten the journey, while the other Immortal Boats were still behind. Yin Zhengye replied, ¡°Your Majesty, a total of thirteen. However, one Immortal Boat left the Mysterious Moon Palace midway.¡± Hearing this, Lu Chen thoughtfully looked at the Immortal Boat controlled by Yun Qingshu, wondering if she might be planning to attack Tianchen World once all the other Immortal Boats from the Mysterious Moon Palace had arrived. But now, even in her Divinity Transformation Realm, she couldn¡¯t handle him; what could the others from the Mysterious Moon Palace do to Tianchen World anyway? Forget it, no point in thinking about it now; he would naturally find out what Yun Qingshu was plotting when all the Immortal Boats from the Mysterious Moon Palace arrived. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?0¦Í??.§ã¦Ï Thinking this, Lu Chen then said to Yin Zhengye, ¡°Lord Yin, you stay here and wait for the Immortal Boats from the Mysterious Moon Palace and Black Dragon Holy Land to arrive. If there is any movement from the Mysterious Moon Palace, immediately send someone to enter Tianchen World and inform me.¡± Yin Zhengye said, ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Immediately following that, Lu Chen controlled the Feihong Immortal Boat to leave the cosmic space and returned to the Black Dragon City Imperial Palace. Since Yun Qingshu hadn¡¯t made a move, he didn¡¯t need to go looking for trouble with Yun Qingshu. He wanted to see how she planned to deal with her relationship with Yun Xianxian. Just after returning to the Black Dragon City Imperial Palace, Yun Xianxian¡¯s body suddenly erupted with blasts of cold air, instantly freezing the entire chamber, and she also suddenly increased the distance between herself and Lu Chen. Seeing this, Lu Chen was taken aback. At that moment, Yun Xianxian drew a sword and pointed it at Lu Chen, her expression cold as she stared at him. Lu Chen, puzzled, said, ¡°Honored Master, what is this about?¡± Yun Xianxian said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t call me Honored Master, I don¡¯t have a disciple like you!¡± Lu Chen, smiling, said, ¡°Honored Master, surely you haven¡¯t been misled by the grand master again?¡± Hearing Lu Chen¡¯s words, Yun Xianxian felt a piercing pain in her heart. She coldly said, ¡°You forcefully took possession of my body initially for the sole purpose of making me a substitute for that person, didn¡¯t you?¡± With that, Lu Chen instantly understood why Yun Xianxian had suddenly turned against him; it was a misunderstanding. Though she was indeed a split persona from Yun Qingshu, Yun Xianxian, having her own independent personality, naturally couldn¡¯t accept being treated as a substitute for someone else, even if it were for her prime self. Lu Chen then said, ¡°Xian¡¯er, I have never had such thoughts. For me, you are you, and the Honored Master is the Honored Master.¡± Yun Xianxian, expressionless, said, ¡°Do you think that at this point, I would still believe your lies?¡± If Yun Qingshu wasn¡¯t her main body, Lu Chen¡¯s excitement when he mentioned Yun Qingshu during their intimate moments would only make her think that Lu Chen was merely lecherous. But now, it was clear to her that Lu Chen had been treating her as a substitute for her Honored Master, which caused her immense pain. Perhaps this rebellious disciple had never truly had feelings for her, and he only resorted to toying with her because he couldn¡¯t have her main body. Seeing Yun Xianxian¡¯s indifferent expression, Lu Chen sighed slightly, realizing that he needed to let her cool down first. Then, with a Shadow Shifting technique, Lu Chen appeared directly behind Yun Xianxian. Yun Xianxian immediately reacted and tried to dodge him, but Lu Chen still managed to embrace her waist and in the next moment, her spiritual power was completely sealed. ¡°Release me!¡± Yun Xianxian immediately struggled. Lu Chen, without saying much, carried Yun Xianxian to a soft couch, ¡°You¡­ you bastard¡­ mmm¡­¡± Rip¡­ Mmm~! Lu Chen didn¡¯t want to use such methods, but maintaining close proximity was the only way to calm Yun Xianxian down more quickly. This trick indeed proved effective, and after an exchange of emotions for a while, Yun Xianxian¡¯s attitude softened, though she still harbored some unease. There was nothing she could do about it; this rebellious Lu Chen was too dominating, and she could only be suppressed in anger in front of him. After an unknown period, Lu Chen slowly lifted his chest and looked down at Yun Xianxian, who had regained her composure by then. She turned her head away, refusing to meet Lu Chen¡¯s eyes. Though her face was flushed with pleasure, her expression was quite cold, clearly still angry with Lu Chen. At that moment, Lu Chen said, ¡°Xian¡¯er, I swear by my Dao Heart that my being with you was purely because I like you, and not because I saw you as a substitute for your main body. At that time, I didn¡¯t even know your real identity.¡± ¡°It was only after recovering some of my past memories that I learned of your real identity.¡± Hearing this, Yun Xianxian was slightly stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected Lu Chen to swear an oath by his Dao Heart, which was risky for cultivators. Yun Xianxian turned to look into Lu Chen¡¯s eyes, still coldly saying, ¡°A man like you, who is always on top of women, what Dao Heart can you speak of?¡± Lu Chen¡¯s cultivation relied mainly on Dual Cultivation, and his Dao Heart didn¡¯t seem to greatly impact his cultivation, of course, Yun Xianxian said this casually, but her heart had begun to somewhat believe Lu Chen¡¯s words. She still felt a bit awkward, though. Every time she was slightly emotional, that guy would resolve it this way. Couldn¡¯t this rebellious disciple let her vent her emotions properly for once? Whenever she got emotional, he would suppress her. Lu Chen could see that Yun Xianxian had believed his words, and he smiled slightly, then said, ¡°As long as one is a cultivator, one has a Dao Heart.¡± ¡°How about I make a different oath, if I lie, then I will¡­¡± Before Lu Chen could finish his sentence, Yun Xianxian suddenly raised her hand, covering Lu Chen¡¯s mouth to prevent him from continuing. Expressionlessly, Yun Xianxian said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to your sweet talk. It doesn¡¯t matter if I am her incarnation or not, I can¡¯t leave you now, do whatever you want.¡±