Inside Qianqing Palace, Xiao Bing gazed at Chu Ning with excitement. A faint trace of Heavenly Dao Power swirled around her, and her cultivation had already reached the Observing Sea stage of the fifth realm!
She'd broken through to this level in just half a month. Her speed was unbelievably fast—faster even than Her Majesty had been back then. She'd only been cultivating for a little over thirty years!
Across the entire world, she could be considered a prodigy!
And she'd made this breakthrough just by getting started on the Great Evolution Heavenly Dao Chapter's cultivation method. She hadn't even fully comprehended the techniques that followed, yet her cultivation speed was already this astonishing!
Wouldn't that mean she could surpass Her Majesty someday?
"I've always said I was a reclusive master. You just didn't believe me."
Chu Ning had thought she was going to ask about something else.
"Cultivate hard, so you can help my wife more. Got it?"
Xiao Bing hesitated for a moment, then stared intently at Chu Ning.
"Then may I ask what realm you're in, sir? Are you at Void Shattering or Limitless—or perhaps Celestial Phenomenon?"
"Immortal Emperor!"
Xiao Bing: "..."
What realm was that? She'd never even heard of it.
"Then how big is the difference between you and me, Emperor Consort?"
"If you haven't reached Celestial Phenomenon, then seeing me is like a frog at the bottom of a well looking up at the moon. If you reach Celestial Phenomenon, seeing me will be like a mayfly looking up at the heavens."
Xiao Bing: "..."
This time, she was even more silent.
That was... well... a little too far-fetched...
She couldn't help feeling that the Emperor Consort was joking around.
Celestial Phenomenon was clearly the highest level of cultivation in the world. You couldn't even find anyone at that level among the Five Great Dynasties; they could only be found among the three foremost sacred lands.
Even people at Celestial Phenomenon saw you as mayflies looking up at the sky?
Then why hadn't you fought back when Her Majesty had a sword at your throat?
Wait, the two of you were husband and wife, so Her Majesty wouldn't actually hurt you. She was just trying to scare you. In that case, it made sense that the Emperor Consort hadn't fought back...
"Then how about showing me, Emperor Consort?"
Chu Ning's mouth twitched.
"What would I have to show you? So you'd be shocked, and then what?"
Xiao Bing hurriedly explained, "Then I could tell Her Majesty that you're actually a great cultivator, Emperor Consort. Wouldn't that make Her Majesty happy?"
"I've always told her I was a reclusive master. She's never seemed particularly happy about it."
"That's because Her Majesty has always thought you were joking. If you showed her, she'd know you were serious!"
Chu Ning sighed deeply.
"Xiao Bing, you don't understand. Reclusive masters like me are always very low-key."
"Huh?"
"Are there any problems within the dynasty that need dealing with?"
"Um, I don't think so..."
"What about external threats?"
"External threats... I suppose there are. The other four great dynasties could all be considered enemies."
"And what about after the Great Zhou Dynasty forms an alliance with the Great Gan Dynasty?"
"Uh... Then maybe there won't be any. Who would dare offend the Great Gan Dynasty?"
Chu Ning spread his hands.
"Exactly. With no internal troubles or external threats, what could I accomplish by stepping forward?"
"You could use your strength as a reclusive master to help Her Majesty unify the world?"
"Xiao Bing, you don't understand. Something given to you isn't the same as something you win for yourself. With a reclusive master like me around, no one can threaten the Great Gan Dynasty. Then, after Qinglian and I have a child, Qinglian will have the time and energy to unify the world and keep achieving things. Wouldn't that be better?"
"I'm standing too high up. The view from the mountaintop is really nothing special; there's not much to say about it. But under Qinglian's rule, the Great Gan Dynasty will gradually grow stronger until it unifies the world. Of course, if she wants me to, I can step in too."
Xiao Bing looked unconvinced.
What he said did seem to make a little sense.
Well, just a little.
Because it all sounded like he was trying to pull one over on her.
"So you're not really a reclusive master, are you, sir? You're just using the news about the Great Zhou Dynasty's alliance to fool me?"
Chu Ning smiled serenely and gave Xiao Bing a hint.
"Then why is the Great Zhou Dynasty forming an alliance with the Great Gan Dynasty? Isn't it because a reclusive master like me is here?"
"Emperor Consort, you're joking. You can barely leave the palace. Even Her Majesty would need half a day to reach the Great Zhou Dynasty, a thousand miles away."
Chu Ning waved his hand, his expression calm. His gaze seemed to see through the ancient heavens.
"His form, like a crane's, he practiced beneath a thousand pines, with two volumes of scripture."
"I came seeking the Dao, but found nothing more to say; clouds in the blue sky, water in the vase."
"Xiao Bing, your realm is still too low. You don't understand me."
Then he sighed deeply, putting on the air of a great master.
Xiao Bing looked at the cultivation manual, then at Chu Ning.
The manual was real. It truly could be used to cultivate Heavenly Dao Power. But Chu Ning's image as a great master felt fake—like he was just trying to fool her.
If you're so powerful, why do you seem so afraid of Her Majesty...
And you said the Great Zhou Dynasty's actions were because of you. How are you connected to any of this? You've been in the palace all these days, either keeping Her Majesty company or resting.
Besides, Chu Ning hadn't shown her anything. How could she believe him?
"May I tell Her Majesty about this, Xiao Bing?"
"Not for now. Of course, you can tell her I'm a reclusive master, to set her straight about me—that's fine. But don't tell her about the cultivation method."
"Why not?"
"Because I wrote this one on a whim."
"The one I'm preparing for Qinglian has taken a long time to work out. It'll probably be a while before I finish. I'm afraid she'll think I'm playing favorites and misunderstand."
Cultivating the sword path naturally meant that the sword path had to come first.
And he had to make use of her Heavenly Fragrance Physique too.
He was an Immortal Emperor, after all. How could he not devise a perfect cultivation method—one that could take someone all the way to the Great Emperor level?
As for Xiao Bing's... he'd given it to her on a whim. It should be enough to cultivate to Dao Extreme or something. The only real difference was that it was a special method that let her cultivate faster. Because of its uniqueness, no one in the All Realms could possibly find another method like it.
The method he'd given Xiao Bing was already so powerful. Wouldn't the one for his wife deserve even more care?
Xiao Bing had to admit it.
For a moment, she'd wondered if Chu Ning really was a reclusive master.
But now, she didn't anymore.
The Emperor Consort was clearly just pulling her leg...
But the cultivation method...
"Then should I go tell Her Majesty about this?"
She asked tentatively, and Chu Ning nodded.
There was no need for him and Ye Qinglian to fuss over something like this.
"Of course. Just don't mention the cultivation method."
"All right, sir. Then how should I explain my breakthrough?"
Chu Ning looked at Xiao Bing and answered calmly.
"Just say that today, you received guidance from a reclusive master like me and suddenly broke through. If Qinglian wants the same, tell her to come to my room at midnight, and I'll teach her personally..."
Xiao Bing's face turned bright red!
No wonder Her Majesty was always threatening to cut the Emperor Consort down... He was always saying improper things!
"Then I'll be off..."
She didn't know what else to say or what other message to pass along. They could say that sort of thing to each other in private!
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace.
Fang Houren was reporting on what had happened recently.
"After the people from the Imperial Observatory were completely wiped out, the Great Zhou Dynasty made such a move. It's truly strange..."
"Your Majesty, this old man would like to ask: have you arranged any other hidden agents, perhaps ones with high cultivation?"
Deterrence was the best way to solve a problem, especially when the one doing the intimidating was a formidable presence. That was the only explanation that made sense.
Ye Qinglian shook her head, a hint of self-mockery in her voice.
"How could a reclusive master possibly be interested in the Great Gan Dynasty? If one came, they'd go to the Great Zhou Dynasty. It's impossible."
"Then it's strange indeed..."
Just then, Xiao Bing hurried over.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The Emperor Consort says he's a reclusive master again..."
The two of them were both in Mingde Hall. The old man fell silent, thinking it was nonsense, but he couldn't say so outright out of respect for Her Majesty.
Ye Qinglian gave a helpless smile too.
"Just pretend he's a reclusive master. Don't bruise his pride."
"No, Your Majesty, please listen to me..."
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