Madman

Princess Xiyao stood with two maids behind her, one holding a whisk and the other a jade box. Both kept their eyes downcast, their presence subdued.

Withdrawing his gaze, Chen Qing stepped into the room. His footsteps faltered slightly as three pairs of eyes simultaneously pierced him—

The central gaze came from a grey-robed elder beside the Princess. This gaunt old man, who had seemed drowsy moments before, opened his eyes the instant Chen Qing entered, his gaze as sharp as a bone-scraping steel knife.

The left gaze originated from seven or eight cultivators in plain robes, men and women alike. They were likely those who, like Chen Qing, had been summoned for their excellent evaluations. Seeing Lord Dingbo personally usher him in, their exchanged glances were filled with astonishment.

On the right, lounging on a rosewood chair, a young man in brocade robes fiddled with a jade-ribbed folding fan. A red jade pendant at his waist pulsed with fiery light. Four attendants stood behind him: three in dark, tight-fitting garments with heavy auras, and one in scholarly attire, exuding refined grace.

This brocade-clad youth appraised Chen Qing like one would inspect merchandise, finally letting out a meaningful chuckle.

Lord Dingbo stepped forward and bowed, "Princess, Chen Xu has been brought."

Princess Xiyao nodded slightly, her voice as clear and cold as a spring: "Chen Xu, I hear you have completed the cultivation essentials for the Yellow Court realm?" She got straight to the point.

The crowd on the left erupted in a clamor, their gazes towards Chen Qing now tinged with awe.

Chen Qing cupped his hands in greeting, still humble, "Replying to the Princess, I have gained some insight."

"Oh?" Before the Princess could speak, the brocade-clad youth on the right snapped his fan shut. "I heard that this Fellow Daoist Chen had his Spiritual Bone crippled and was imprisoned in the Mysterious Prison for many years. It's only been a few years since his release, and he can already comprehend the mysteries of the Yellow Court. Truly..." He paused slightly, tapping his chin with a fan rib, "...surprising."

His tone was gentle, his words polite, but the word "surprising" was spoken with a subtle emphasis, the tail end of his voice rising slightly, carrying a hint of intriguing meaning.

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly tensed.

Lord Dingbo frowned. The grey-robed elder kept his eyes closed, but the two maids behind the Princess's eyes flashed with cold light, directed at the brocade-clad youth.

Who are you?

Chen Qing frowned, displeased. He then guessed that this person must be from the other factions Xu Zhaoying had mentioned. But shouldn't this audience with the Princess be a private assessment of her subordinates? Why would an outsider be present?

Because of a sudden assassination attempt?

But this person provoked him the moment they met, acting as if he was eager to be slapped in the face. How could he be a guest of honor for the Princess?

Since Chen Qing was in a dream, he naturally wouldn't tolerate this person and was about to retort.

"Swish!"

Seeing Chen Qing remain silent, the brocade-clad youth unfurled his fan and was about to speak again.

"Young Marquis Lu."

The Princess's cold voice was like a frost-covered blade drawn from its sheath. "Chen Xu is unaware of your identity and may have been remiss. I hope you will forgive him. He possesses true talent and a pure heart, focused on the Great Dao. Put away your wordplay."

Young Marquis?

Chen Qing instantly understood. This person must be a noble of the Immortal Dynasty, no wonder he was so arrogant! But what surprised him was... the Princess actually protected him in public!

"Very well." Young Marquis Lu closed his fan, his tone suddenly becoming intimate. "Princess Xiyao, you have only recently established your own court. You are struggling to suppress the backlash of your Immortal bloodline and to reconcile the conflicts between the vital energies of the Hundred Races. How can you have the energy to select talented individuals?"

He waved his fan gently, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "While Lords Dingbo and Zhengshuang have profound cultivation, they are not adept at governance. As for these..." The tip of his fan swept over the assembled cultivators, finally landing on Chen Qing, "...so-called uniquely talented individuals, if they truly possessed ability, would they have fallen to this state?"

Before he finished speaking, the air in the hall suddenly froze.

Chen Qing's brow furrowed tighter. In his peripheral vision, he saw Lord Dingbo's fingers clench into a claw within his sleeve, Lord Zhengshuang's white eyebrows twitch, and the evaluating cultivators turned red-faced, daring not to speak out in anger.

Young Marquis Lu acted as if oblivious. He suddenly leaned forward, approaching the Princess. "The Holy Emperor's test, how can it be accomplished with these useless individuals?" His voice suddenly lowered, yet every word was clear. "My Lu Manor is full of talent, at your disposal..."

A flicker of fervor flashed in his eyes.

"As long as you are willing to marry me and cultivate the Great Dao together!"

BOOM--

The entire hall suddenly trembled. A terrifying pressure erupted from Princess Xiyao, extinguishing all the candlelight and dimming the radiance of the crane-shaped lamps and pearls.

Chen Qing's chest felt as if struck by a mountain, and a sweet, metallic taste surged in his throat.

As her veil fluttered, it revealed an ice-jade-like jawline.

"Lu Qiyuan, you have overstepped."

These seven words were like ten thousand years of ice, and frost instantly formed three feet deep in the hall!

Chen Qing glimpsed that several of Young Marquis Lu's attendants had their muscles tensed. One of them had his sword drawn three inches, but the man dressed as a scholar had a smile on his face.

Young Marquis Lu, however, straightened leisurely, tapping his palm with his fan, still smiling. "Sister Xiyao, why be angry?" A cunning glint flashed in his eyes. "You bear a heavy burden now and are eager to break through. Thus, you were injured in the Heavenly Jade Ruins. Under immense pressure and frustration, the agitation of your Qingqiu bloodline must be growing stronger. If there is no suitable dual cultivation method to harmonize it..."

"Presumptuous!"

Lord Dingbo let out a low roar, and faint blue ripples spread outwards, causing the ground to shake violently. Several cultivators stumbled and fell.

Chen Qing suppressed the churning blood and qi in his body, astonished. Just who was this Young Marquis? His behavior could only be described as brazen!

Lord Dingbo's expression darkened. He said coldly, "If the Young Marquis sincerely wishes to help, we will naturally be grateful. The Princess has summoned the talented individuals under her command today to demonstrate their cultivation and learning, originally to reassure you. But if you harbor other intentions—" His sleeves fluttered without wind, "—all previous agreements are hereby void!"

"Ha!" Young Marquis Lu unfurled his fan. "As far as I know, the First Prince, Second Prince, and Fifth Princess, these highly prestigious imperial offspring, never allow their subordinates to comment on matters of state. Why is it that for Sister Xiyao...?" He glanced sideways at Lord Dingbo. "...it is the servants who make the decisions?"

Lord Dingbo's beard and hair bristled, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Enough." Young Marquis Lu waved his fan, sneering. "I didn't expect these disciples undergoing trials to have any true insights. But since the Princess esteems you, let me inform you of the perilous situation your liege currently faces!"

He strode forward, his pressure suddenly appearing, silencing the others. "Six months ago, there was a rebellion in the Northern Territory. They broke through ten cities, slaughtered fifty thousand people, and even Blood Refining Evil Arts appeared. Thus, the Second Prince led his army north, crushed the rebels, and captured one hundred thousand criminals! The Holy Emperor was greatly pleased and immediately issued a decree, ordering someone to devise a plan to transform these sinners into civilians. Due to the Sixth Prince's machinations in court, this task was pushed onto the Tenth Princess. The Holy Emperor has thus ordered the Princess to transform one hundred thousand criminals within five years! Now, all factions in the court are waiting to witness the joke of your liege!"

He finished and surveyed the silent crowd.

"What? When discussing the Dao, you all used to be eloquent, didn't you? That's how you could deceive Princess Xiyao into believing that mere flowery words represented unique talent. Now that trouble has arisen, you've all become mute? Do you have any countermeasures?"

Someone couldn't help but say, "We can continue to detain them, or incorporate them into the army to atone for their crimes, or resettle them dispersedly..."

"These 100,000 sinners are of complex origins: prisoners of war, rogue cultivators, descendants of traitorous officials, and even Northern Cold Foreign Races!" Young Marquis Lu paced slowly, his voice low. "Release them directly? That's aiding the enemy! Continue detaining them? The daily expenses would be enough to bankrupt a city! Incorporate them into the army? Can you guarantee they won't defect during battle? Resettle them dispersedly? With the slightest carelessness, it will lead to widespread rebellion!"

With each sentence he spoke, the expressions of those in the hall grew more solemn.

After a pause, Young Marquis Lu revealed a knowing smile. "Sister Xiyao, although you dislike political affairs, this matter concerns the Holy Emperor's evaluation of you. If you can't come up with a decent plan, all your efforts to prove yourself will be in vain."

The hall fell silent.

Among those with excellent evaluations, some broke out in a cold sweat, clearly intimidated by the complex situation. They usually focused on cultivating their techniques and inner energy; when had they ever been involved in such courtly games?

For a time, no one dared to speak rashly.

Chen Qing, however, fell into thought, musing that this might be an excellent opportunity to glimpse the structure of the Immortal Dynasty. After all, he knew little about this era of the Immortal Dynasty and should gather more information.

Moreover, what Young Marquis Lu described reminded him of his past life playing Paradox Development Studio games and debating online, experiences he could grudgingly call extensive, so he wasn't entirely without an answer.

"Does no one dare to speak?" Young Marquis Lu scanned the room and couldn't help but shake his head. "The Princess's Estate is truly full of mediocrity."

"I do have a plan."

Just then, a clear voice came from behind Young Marquis Lu.

Everyone looked up in surprise and saw the man in scholarly robes behind Young Marquis Lu step forward slowly.

He had a gentle face, and his eyes held a steady demeanor.

Lord Dingbo frowned, about to dismiss the man, but Young Marquis Lu raised a hand to stop him and said with a smile, "This is my dear friend Zhou Renjing. When I was traveling incognito, I happened to meet Brother Zhou and was deeply impressed by his profound insights, so we became close friends. I brought him along this time because he once met the Princess, and it would be a rare blessing to receive his counsel. You should all be secretly delighted!"

After speaking, he changed his tone and looked at Zhou Renjing with a half-smile. "With Brother Zhou's abilities, whatever he says will surely be a brilliant strategy. But if the Princess gets the solution and then handles it herself, wouldn't that ruin my plans?"

"I never owe favors," Princess Xiyao's eyes flickered, and she tapped her fingers on the armrest, looking past the young marquis. "You said you knew this Princess?"

Zhou Renjing bowed deeply, his hands reaching the ground. "The scholar you saved from the Yao during the Dragon Quelling Mountain battle, that was me!" As he looked up, starlight seemed to twinkle in his eyes. "The scholar who was unarmed back then... now... I can finally contribute a little of my strength."

Chen Qing immediately sensed the key elements and kept the strategy he had just formulated in his mind, preparing to observe the situation.

Friends passing by, please collect more, o(╥﹏╥)o