On a distant mountaintop.
Daoist Xuan Zhen flicked his fly whisk and said with a smile, "This Marquis of Jing'an certainly talks big. He actually wants to wipe out Lingxiu Villa!"
Standing beside him, Zhang Ye stroked his beard and said mildly, "Why not?"
"What do you mean?"
Daoist Xuan Zhen looked at this old friend in astonishment.
Zhang Ye glanced at him and said softly, "You don't think I'm the only one who came, do you?"
"Is that not the case?" Daoist Xuan Zhen asked.
Zhang Ye did not answer, but his silence had already made Daoist Xuan Zhen understand just how great the Imperial Court's resolve was this time.
Daoist Xuan Zhen thought about it. "True. Even you were invited out, so I imagine quite a few people from Three Mountain Valley must have come this time! Did Granny Meng come too?"
"I don't know!" Zhang Ye said.
"Tsk, tsk. If even she came, then it really will be lively enough!" Daoist Xuan Zhen leaned against the tree and laughed casually.
Zhang Ye drew his sleeves together. "The livelier part is still to come!"
"How so?"
"You think the Imperial Court is doing this for that Star Origin Fruit Tree?"
"Is it not?"
"It is, and it is not!"
"Hey, hey, stop keeping me in suspense. It's not like you don't know this old Daoist has an impatient temper!" Daoist Xuan Zhen said, somewhat displeased.
Zhang Ye's gaze rested on Yang Zhengshan in the valley. "Imperial Venerable, rank equal to the first grade!"
Daoist Xuan Zhen still did not understand. "What do you mean?"
"What His Majesty wants is not the Star Origin Fruit Tree, but the Imperial Venerable—rank equal to the first grade!" Zhang Ye said faintly.
Daoist Xuan Zhen was taken aback, then immediately showed a