Ziyang Mansion, the mansion of the mansion lord.
Dressed in a moon-white scholar’s robe, the young man was flipping through the local records in the study. He had the aura of a refined scholar, completely unrecognizable as the domineering Crown Prince of Da Yu.
He looked up at the pale-faced Dan Hong, who had entered with Qing Que, and said faintly, “You’re back sooner than I expected.”
Qing Que bowed her head and whispered, “Something happened.”
“Speak.”
Jiang Yu turned back to the local records, listening to Qing Que report on the recent events. The sound of the pages slowly began to slow down.
“You mean, Ying Bing broke your combined attack with one sword?” Jiang Yu raised his brows.
Qing Que nodded, glancing at the girl in the pink dress beside her, saying, “Dan Hong’s sword heart seems to have given rise to a demon. After that sword strike, she no longer made any progress…”
Jiang Yu appeared indifferent, merely mumbling, “So it seems Qianlong Fifth is actually stronger than Qianlong Fourth?”
“Crown Prince! I can’t even practice swordsmanship anymore!”
Dan Hong cried with a heartbroken expression, hoping the Crown Prince would help her get revenge. “It not only crippled me but slapped your face as well.”
With an emotionless expression, Jiang Yu said coldly, “Understood. Go back to Tianshan Sword Manor. There’s still a position for a sword technique instructor open.”
“Excuse me?”
Dan Hong looked incredulously at the Crown Prince, who had served her for six years. His indifference felt as cold as how he treated the Little Princess.
Qing Que led her out of the courtyard. Only outside did Dan Hong reveal a bitter smile. “It’s true, the royal family is heartless. What am I worth…”
“Dan Hong, returning to the manor as a sword technique instructor isn’t a terrible path. If it weren’t for prior arrangements, commoners would be dying to have the opportunity.”
Qing Que’s words had deeper meaning.
The slots were limited, requiring advance planning, suggesting that the Crown Prince had long anticipated Dan Hong’s impetuousness and made such arrangements accordingly.
Calming down and returning to the manor to study the books might allow her to break through later. Unfortunately, Dan Hong didn’t pick up on the hints in her words. Her scattered gaze gathered intensity, hatred seemingly igniting.
“If I don’t rid myself of the heart demon… I’ll be a useless person for life…”
……..
Qiushui Pavilion.
As dusk settled, the sky looked like it had been crying, and the last rays of sunlight bathed the petite Qiushui Pavilion in splendid colors.
Just as the food was served, Elder Qian hurried in, seemingly out of breath.
Shang Wu asked cautiously, “Elder Qian, have you eaten?”
“Coincidentally, no.”
“Well, why don’t you go eat first and come back?”
“??? ”
The short and plump Elder Qian had question marks floating above his head. According to his years of freeloading experience, the next line after “Have you eaten?” should definitely be “Let’s eat together!”
Elder Qian shot a glare at Ying Bing and Li Mo, who were sitting at the table. “Eat? I can barely eat anything in the last two days! Look at the dark circles under my eyes! Look at my belly!”
“With these two disciples in the Qingyuan Sect, I feel like I’m going to lose ten years off my life!”
In this situation, it felt like they had lived past the worst.
Elder Qian’s frustration was akin to that of a neglected young bride.
Li Mo felt embarrassed and quickly picked up a pair of chopsticks.
But Elder Qian waved him off, puffing out his chest like a proud peacock, declaring that he wouldn’t touch a bite of their food!
“I’d rather starve to d*ath outside than eat anything of yours!”
“Alright then.”
Li Mo felt this sounded a bit familiar and immediately asked, “If you’re not here to freeload, then what is it…”
“Since you can’t ride on the Crown Prince’s coattails, what are you and Little Ice Girl planning to do with the rotten branch mountain trip?”
“Still the same, investigating the mysterious phenomena.”
Neither Li Mo nor Ying Bing intended to join Jiang Yu this time.
“The mysterious phenomena at Rotten Branch Mountain have weakened somewhat. I just returned after gathering information.”
Elder Qian wasn’t surprised by this, sighing and swallowing hard.
“Are there still mysterious phenomena today?”
Li Mo raised an eyebrow, swallowing a piece of braised fish.
Except he hadn’t even been to Rotten Branch Mountain today.
Which means that it was indeed the phenomena occurring at Rotten Branch Mountain itself.
“Yeah, the phenomena have diminished quite a bit. It was a big fuss not long ago, and I wonder how today turned out to be so lackluster.”
Elder Qian smacked his lips, recapping the previous day’s phenomena at Rotten Branch Mountain.
“The phenomena there were a reversal of the Five Elements Feng Shui, and they were pretty strong; just not as earth-shattering as before.
“After the reversal of the Five Elements, the phenomena reflected a vividly-realized city.”
“By the way, it seems like there might not just be a cave beneath Rotten Branch Mountain.”
“What do you mean…”
“Maybe it’s the grand tomb of some powerful figure.”
Elder Qian said seriously.
A tomb?
A city created by the overturned Five Elements?
Ying Bing, gripping her chopsticks tightly, paused for a moment. A thoughtful expression crossed her beautiful eyes.
Listening to what Elder Qian said, it sounded a bit like the Heavenly Phoenix Domain among the Nine Spirits of the Yuan Phoenix…
But clearly, the Heavenly Phoenix Domain wasn’t there.
If the true Heavenly Phoenix Domain is under Rotten Branch Mountain, then what she acquired in her last life… what was it?
“Tombs are different from inheritances. Inheritances mainly serve to test, while tombs are infinitely more dangerous since no powerful figure wishes for their bodies to be desecrated after d*ath.”
“For this reason, it might be time to bring out some of my private treasures.”
Elder Qian opened his mystic storage.
“Everyone in the sect says Elder Qian is well-versed in various things. What do you have prepared?”
Although Little Li was naïve, he didn’t dare to claim to possess every exotic treasure in the world.
A long sword—
A black donkey hoof fell onto the table.
“Black donkey hoof?”
“Exactly, this item is remarkably effective against corpse demons.”
Elder Qian brusquely dumped out the collection.
Corpse-controlling talismans…
Dissolving Calamity Chimes…
Ouyang’s illustrated book…
Huh?
“That…”
Li Mo picked up the illustrated book, realizing it was even a collector’s edition; what use was this in a grand tomb?
Elder Qian lightly coughed, “Ouyang said it’s for relieving your fatigue on the road. Idle playthings can’t be trusted, so I’ve kept it.”
Saying this, he tucked the illustrated book back into his mystic storage.
Then, he lazily stuffed everything into Li Mo’s arms, waved his sleeve, and left like a breezy cloud.
“Ouyang’s given this?”
Li Mo stared bewildered at the empty dishes on the table.
This remark sounded like Elder Qian was asserting he wouldn’t touch a bite of food…
…..
As night fell.
After preparing supper, Li Mo sat in the courtyard, beginning to observe the Taiyin Divine Intent, while the Ice Chunk appeared to be studying another divine shape of a hundred birds.
Little Li could only practice on his own.
Bathing in the Taiyin, he pondered over the progress of his training.
Before the internal scene, both the Great Sage Divine Intent and the Taiyin Divine Intent had to reach completion.
Yet, the progress of the former clearly lagged far behind the latter.
After a while, as night deepened, a ripple resonated from the small world. He returned to his room, lay on his bed, and entered the small world.
On the Yin-Yang Dao Grounds, Jiang Chulong was holding onto a branch of peach blossoms, awaiting her turn.
Little Princess Jiang whispered, “Teacher, I think I can beat the Golden Crow senior today.”
“And then… and then… I’m about to break through!”
