Chapter 294

Chapter 294: Rare for People to Like Each Other, Even Harder to Mutually Like (4000 words)

Wu Yanhan took Ming to leave the princess’s mansion. The two got on a carriage and departed from Wudu.

Ming sat in the swaying carriage, while Shen Shengsheng was already asleep, her head resting on Wu Yanhan’s lap. Wu Yanhan gently stroked Shen Shengsheng’s head with a gentle expression.

That gentle demeanor made Ming unable to look away for a moment.

“Why are you staring at me all the time?” Wu Yanhan looked up, giving Ming a playful glare.

Actually, Wu Yanhan had noticed Ming looking at her earlier, but she didn’t expect him to be so unrestrained, showing no signs of averting his gaze.

“It’s nothing.” Ming was quite straightforward. “I just feel like you’d make an excellent mother.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Wu Yanhan casually grabbed a pastry and tossed it at Ming.

This time, Ming caught it.

Ming bit into the pastry and said, “If you wouldn’t throw things around so easily, that’d be even better.”

Wu Yanhan narrowed her eyes. “Dare you flirt with me? Are you asking for death?”

Ming helplessly replied, “I’m not flirting with you; I’m speaking the truth.”

“You!”

“Alright, then I won’t say anything more.”

“Hmph.” Wu Yanhan lightly snorted and turned her head away.

“Oh, there is one thing I want to ask you,” Ming said.

“What is it?” Wu Yanhan, noticing Ming’s somewhat serious expression, realized it must be something important.

“About Lord Shan.” Ming began.

As soon as Ming spoke those words, Wu Yanhan’s heart skipped a beat, and she furrowed her brows. “You dare say those words?”

“There’s no other way,” Ming replied.

“What do you mean by that?” Wu Yanhan asked.

Ming recounted what happened last night: “Last night, a swordsman sneaked into Xu Mansion. From his actions, he seemed more interested in testing me. Then, he invited me to join their rebellion.”

“And?” Wu Yanhan asked.

“I refused.” Ming shrugged. “Why would I rebel when everything is fine? I don’t want to become your enemy. I’m just curious why Lord Shan’s people haven’t given up yet. Have they gone crazy or something?”

Wu Yanhan shook her head. “They’re not crazy. It’s because Lord Shan’s descendants are still alive. They want to find them, help them ascend the throne, and repay Lord Shan’s kindness.”

“Is this Lord Shan so charismatic?” Ming didn’t understand.

“I’ve never met him, so how would I know?” Wu Yanhan gave Ming a glance. “But I’ve heard that Lord Shan was incredibly brave, clear in rewards and punishments, undefeated in countless battles. He always led the charge personally and treated scholars with respect. Many who were desperate found themselves serving under Lord Shan.”

Wu Yanhan sighed. “To put it simply, if nothing unexpected had happened back then, the throne should have been Lord Shan’s.”

“Can you tell me about that unexpected event?” Ming asked.

Wu Yanhan shook her head. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but I truly don’t know. I even doubt whether my father knows. But I’m certain that the crown prince back then, my great-grandfather, must have used some underhanded means.”

As she spoke, Wu Yanhan smiled faintly and looked at Ming. “It’s strange that those people would try to recruit you. Don’t they know how much you’re favored by my father? What they can offer isn’t any different from what my father could give you.”

Ming wanted to say, “Your father could give me you, but they can’t.”

However, Ming thought saying that might get him hit, so he refrained.

Ming shook his head. “Regardless of what your father offers or what the rebels provide, I don’t care.”

Wu Yanhan curiously asked, “So, what do you care about?”

Ming naturally replied, “Of course, it’s you.”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Wu Yanhan extended her delicate leg beneath her skirt, wearing embroidered shoes, and lightly kicked Ming.

Ming sucked in a cold breath and rubbed his knee.

This girl really has no control; his knee was definitely red now.

“Serves you right!” Seeing Ming rubbing his knee, Wu Yanhan tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, turned her head, her cheeks flushed with a beautiful red hue.

Half an hour later, the carriage gradually came to a stop.

Wu Yanhan softly woke Shen Shengsheng.

The three of them stepped down from the carriage together.

It was an open little plain surrounded by mountains.

Interestingly, these mountains were positioned in a way that resembled a natural array, gathering spiritual energy towards the small plain.

“This place is good,” Ming affirmed.

Ming needed a place rich in spiritual energy to withstand the thunder tribulation. Only with ample spiritual energy could he quickly heal any injuries sustained during the tribulation.

Additionally, the location needed some protective features.

This place formed a natural array that could weaken the thunder tribulation.

“Naturally,” Wu Yanhan placed her hands in front of her. “This place was originally where a sect was located, but they moved away.”

“Did they move willingly?” Ming asked.

“The sect was too close to Wudu, and my father wasn’t comfortable with it, so he sent five thousand Blood Floating Pagodas and five palace retainers here to ask them whether they would move or not. Eventually, they ‘willingly’ moved away,” Wu Yanhan explained.

Ming: “…”

“You wait, this place isn’t ready yet,” Wu Yanhan hurriedly said, fearing that Ming might rush into the tribulation.

Ming: “What preparation?”

Wu Yanhan turned around and bowed respectfully to the coachman. “Grandpa Huang, we’ll leave it to you.”

Ming looked at the coachman.

The coachman grinned, revealing yellow teeth, and chuckled. “Princess, please rest assured.”

Rain fell as the coachman removed his bamboo hat, taking out several array flags from his storage bag and planting them around the plain to form a lightning avoidance array.

Moreover, the coachman drew another array at the center of the plain.

Although Ming couldn’t discern what kind of array it was, it exuded a faint trace of lightning energy.

After finishing everything, the coachman clapped his hands and bowed to Wu Yanhan and Ming. “Princess, young master, everything is prepared.”

“Thank you, Grandpa Huang.”

“Thank you, Elder.”

Both Wu Yanhan and Ming bowed in gratitude.

“Princess and young master, you’re too polite. Old Huang will stay outside the mountain to guard. If there’s anything you need, feel free to command old Huang.”

The elder, calling himself Old Huang, left the plain to guard outside for Ming.

“Is this elder a palace retainer?” Ming guessed. Since Ming couldn’t sense his cultivation level, it implied that the elder might be at the Xiānrén Jìng stage.

Wu Yanhan nodded. “Grandpa Huang has been guarding the palace for one hundred fifty years.”

Wu Yanhan took out a bag and handed it to Ming. “This is for you.”

Ming accepted the bag, which turned out to be a storage pouch.

“I know you’re about to undergo the tribulation, so I consulted Grandpa Huang and prepared these items for you.

The Nine-Transmutation Pill replenishes spiritual energy, but you shouldn’t consume too many, as it could damage your spirit veins. Take one only when absolutely necessary.

This mirror is called the Thunderlight Mirror, which mainly reflects spells and even heavenly lightning, though I’m unsure what level of lightning it can reflect.

There’s also a piece of clothing inside; change into it immediately. This garment is called the Purple Void Robe, made from my father’s old imperial dragon robe. It carries the Mountain and River Fortune, which will protect you once it recognizes you as both a Zhuāngyuán Láng and a civil-military minister of Wu Kingdom.

And…”

Wu Yanhan introduced each item to Ming.

This storage pouch contained at least twenty treasures and elixirs, all prepared specifically for Ming’s tribulation.

“Do you have so little faith in me?” Ming smiled at Wu Yanhan.

Ming felt like he was about to take a college entrance exam, and his mother kept reminding him, preparing everything meticulously.

Wu Yanhan glared at Ming. “I’m afraid you’ll die!”

Ming laughed. “Don’t worry, I won’t die. I haven’t even seen you ascend the throne and wear the dragon robe yet.”

“Just live well,” Wu Yanhan said nonchalantly. “Let’s go, Shengsheng. Your brother Ming is about to undergo the thunder tribulation.”

“Okay…” Although Shengsheng didn’t understand the meaning of undergoing a thunder tribulation, seeing Yanhan’s serious expression, she knew it wasn’t a trivial matter.

“Brother, you can do it!” Shengsheng clenched her fists to cheer Ming on.

“Don’t worry,” Ming ruffled her hair. “With you and Sister Yanhan watching, Brother won’t embarrass himself. Otherwise, Sister Yanhan would mock me for life.”

“Shengsheng won’t mock Brother Ming,” Shengsheng said.

“Shengsheng is the best.” Ming pinched her nose.

Ming turned and entered the magic array drawn by the palace retainer earlier.

Wu Yanhan gave Ming a deep look, then pulled Shengsheng to a nearby peak to watch Ming endure the thunder tribulation.

“Don’t die…” Wu Yanhan tightly pressed her lips, gripping her hands.

On the plain, Ming changed into the Purple Void Robe, then took out a table from the storage pouch. He then retrieved chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep from the storage pouch and placed them on the table.

Finally, he took out an incense burner.

Ming lit the incense burner and bowed three times to the heavens: “Heaven above, disciple Ming, is undergoing the thunder tribulation here. Please grant guidance.”

“Boom!”

The moment Ming inserted the incense stick into the burner, thunder roared in the sky. Dark clouds gathered continuously, and the Tiandao stirred violent winds.

Shengsheng, frightened, tightly hugged Wu Yanhan’s thigh, anxiously watching her own Brother Ming.

“Boom!”

A bolt of lightning struck, completely obliterating the sacrificial altar in front of Ming.

It seemed as if the Tiandao was asking, “Young man, are you sure you want to undergo the tribulation?”

Ming bowed deeply to the Tiandao, fully releasing his cultivation level. “Please grant guidance, venerable Tiandao!”

“Boom! Boom!”

Blue lightning flashed incessantly in the dark clouds.

Judging by the intensity, it seemed like everything would be reduced to scorched earth.

Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, the Emperor of Wu observed the thick dark clouds far away, hearing the distant rumbling thunder. The emperor knew that Ming’s thunder tribulation had begun.

“Your Majesty, Minister Wenwu is highly blessed. For him, this mere Dragon Gate Realm tribulation isn’t worth mentioning,” Wei Xun remarked beside him.

“Hopefully so,” the emperor sighed. “Frankly speaking, now that Xu Ming is a cultivator, I’m uncertain whether it’s a cause for joy or concern.”

“…”

Wei Xun dared not respond to that statement.

Because a cultivator might serve in the court, but it would be for a short period since their life essence would continuously deplete.

Most cultivators would serve in the court for ten years, rarely exceeding twenty.

Their purpose for entering the court was mainly to gain the protection of the Mountain and River Fortune, hoping to break through their current cultivation levels.

If they succeeded in breaking through, the loss of life essence during their years of service wouldn’t matter.

For instance, an observer of the Sea Realm could live for five hundred years. Serving in the court for ten years would reduce their lifespan by a hundred, but if they broke through to the Dragon Gate Realm, a Dragon Gate cultivator could live up to eight hundred years!

Compared to the additional centuries gained, losing a hundred years wasn’t significant.

And surely, the Zhuāngyuán Láng wouldn’t remain in the Wu Kingdom forever; he would eventually leave.

If not, how could His Majesty possibly consider paving the way for Princess Yanhan, planning for her to become the first female emperor of the dynasty?

Of course, Wei Xun believed His Majesty’s greatest hope was for Xu Ming to leave behind offspring in Wu Kingdom before departing. Ideally, multiple children.

In such a scenario, Princess Yanhan wouldn’t need to become empress, allowing His Majesty to focus on raising his grandsons without complications.

Furthermore, due to Xu Ming having descendants in Wu Kingdom, upon attaining the Great Dao, Xu Ming would undoubtedly continue to protect Wu Kingdom.

Should Xu Ming reach the Ascension Realm,

it would be a tremendous safeguard for the Wu Kingdom.

“How do you think Xu Ming feels about Yanhan?” the emperor asked.

Regarding this question, Wei Xun could answer: “In old servant’s opinion, the Zhuangyuan Lang certainly has some affection for Her Highness the Princess. Anyone could see it, let alone what old servant hears—that after returning to the capital, the Zhuangyuan frequently visits the princess’s mansion.”

“What about Yanhan’s feelings toward Xu Ming?” the emperor asked again.

But as soon as the emperor uttered this question, he couldn’t help but laugh himself. “I am confused. If Yanhan didn’t like Xu Ming, considering her fiery temper, she would’ve caused chaos on the day I dissolved the engagement.”

“But I can’t comprehend the youth of today.” The emperor sighed. “It’s rare for people to like each other, even rarer for mutual liking. Why do those who like each other not stay together?”

The emperor touched his chin. “Are there any Spring Breeze Pills left?”

Wei Xun: “Your Majesty, you merely…”

After Xu Ming completes the thunder tribulation, invite Yanhan and Xu Ming to the palace for a meal.

[There’s an urgent matter, I’ll correct typos when I return.]