The Yin Yang School

Xianyang's main street was a little less flashy than Shenyang's.

Pedestrians on both sides watched Verdant Green Maiden and her party make their way toward the Royal Palace. Just as she had at the city gates, she fought her way into the palace and soon arrived at the Grand Hall!

At that moment, King of Qin Ying Zhu was discussing state affairs with Ying Zichu in the Grand Hall.

Lady Huayang sat to one side.

"Your Majesty!"

A soldier rushed into the hall in a panic and shouted, "Your Majesty, this is bad! Intruders have entered the palace!"

As soon as he finished shouting, Verdant Green Maiden muttered, "Have you ever seen such a beautiful intruder?"

On the throne, Ying Zhu furrowed his brow. When Ying Zichu saw Verdant Green Maiden, his pupils contracted, and he cried out in astonishment, "Immortal Shao Dian?"

"Shao Dian?"

Ying Zhu was taken aback.

Verdant Green Maiden raised a hand and greeted Ying Zichu.

"Husband!"

Behind Verdant Green Maiden, Zhao Ji called out to Ying Zichu. Her gaze was filled with all kinds of emotions, but none of them held the love of a long-awaited reunion.

Verdant Green Maiden glanced back at her, then signaled to Afang beside her. Afang understood at once and supported Zhao Ji.

On the surface, she was helping her along, but in truth, she was also holding her back to keep her from doing anything out of line. Verdant Green Maiden didn't care whether Zhao Ji lived or died, but she couldn't let her affect the Ying Zheng of this time!

"Madam? You've returned too? Then this must be... Zheng?"

Ying Zichu was visibly moved as he looked toward Ying Zheng.

"Zichu!"

Lady Huayang called out to him in a low voice.

At the sound of her voice, Ying Zichu looked up at Lady Huayang, then bowed to her and Ying Zhu. "Father, Mother! This is Zhao Ji, the wife I married in Handan, Zhao. And this is Zheng, my son! A son of Great Qin!"

At his words, Lady Huayang's expression shifted. She was not pleased.

But Ying Zhu smiled and beckoned to Ying Zheng.

"Come here, boy! Come to King Grandfather!"

Ying Zheng did not move. Instead, he first looked at Verdant Green Maiden. She gave a light cough and signaled to him with her eyes. Only then did Ying Zheng quickly walk over to Ying Zhu.

As Ying Zhu watched Ying Zheng approach, the smile on his face grew brighter.

His health was already failing, and his face was somewhat pale. Still, in front of his grandson, he put on a kind and amiable expression. He gently rubbed Ying Zheng's head and asked with a smile, "Your name is Ying Zheng?"

Ying Zheng nodded. "Yes, King Grandfather. My name is Ying Zheng!"

"Who gave you that name?" Ying Zhu asked.

Ying Zheng turned to look at Verdant Green Maiden. "My teacher gave it to me!"

Ying Zhu's gaze also fell on Verdant Green Maiden. Seeing her appearance, he furrowed his brow and pondered for a moment before giving a slight nod. Then he asked, "Have you read any books?"

"I have! Law, Mohism, military strategy, Confucianism, Daoism, agriculture... I've read all of them!"

Ying Zheng nodded.

At that, Ying Zhu asked, "Did your teacher teach you those as well?"

"That's right! My teacher taught me!"

After Ying Zheng nodded in reply, Ying Zichu cupped his hands toward Verdant Green Maiden and said gratefully, "Thank you, Immortal, for raising such a fine child for me!"

"Indeed!"

Ying Zhu nodded in agreement. "Truly, a fine teacher! May I ask your name?"

"Shao Dian Qing Nü!"

Verdant Green Maiden replied without showing any courtesy.

Lady Huayang was somewhat displeased. "Since you are a teacher, why don't you even know the most basic etiquette? When replying to the King of Qin, you should bow and make a formal salute! Honestly..."

Before she could finish, she met Verdant Green Maiden's gaze.

Verdant Green Maiden wore a smile, but when Lady Huayang saw it, a chill ran through her. She immediately fell silent.

Only after Lady Huayang had shut her mouth did Verdant Green Maiden look away.

Ying Zhu had seen it all, but said nothing. He merely bestowed a great deal of money on Verdant Green Maiden and told Ying Zichu to make proper arrangements for Ying Zheng and Zhao Ji. But after the audience ended, he kept Verdant Green Maiden behind alone.

"Teacher, take a walk with me."

Verdant Green Maiden looked at Ying Zhu and nodded slightly. "All right!"

The two left the Grand Hall and arrived at the Imperial Garden.

Ying Zhu spoke with Verdant Green Maiden about King Zhaoxiang for a while. At last, he brought up Ying Ji's meeting with her and said slowly, "When the Former King was alive, he once went to Luoyi. There, he met an Immortal!"

"That Immortal was you, wasn't it, Teacher?"

After Ying Zhu finished speaking, more people gradually appeared in the Imperial Garden.

They weren't palace attendants, but members of the Yin Yang School!

Verdant Green Maiden swept her gaze over them, then looked up and waved at the sky. Hong Luan swooped down and landed on her shoulder. Verdant Green Maiden raised a finger and rubbed its head. "There are ambushes all over the Imperial Garden, and you didn't think to tell me sooner?"

"Stupid Snake, you're the one who never pays attention!"

Hong Luan grumbled.

But neither Hong Luan nor Verdant Green Maiden paid the members of the Yin Yang School any heed.

"Teacher, aren't you afraid?"

Seeing Verdant Green Maiden chatting with Hong Luan, Ying Zhu wasn't surprised that the bird could talk. Instead, he was taken aback by her attitude.

"Should I be afraid?"

Verdant Green Maiden tilted her head at the question.

She glanced over the group and scoffed. "I've fought their ancestors. Their forebears were from Tian Yuan Palace, weren't they? Now they've changed their name to the Yin Yang School! I've fought their ancestors already, so why would I fear them?"

At that, Ying Zhu drew a deep breath and exclaimed, "So you truly are an Immortal!"

When the leader of the Yin Yang School heard Verdant Green Maiden's words, his pupils contracted. He cried out in anger and alarm, "So you're the Snake Demon our ancestor wanted to capture? Great King, beware! She's a demon..."

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm a demon!"

Verdant Green Maiden nodded, with no intention of arguing with them. She shot back, "You lot have lived no more than twenty or thirty years. Have you even cultivated for twenty years? And you dare swagger in front of a great demon who's lived two or three thousand years? You're asking for death!"

Two or three thousand years!

Verdant Green Maiden's lifespan shocked everyone present.

Ying Zhu raised a hand, signaling the members of the Yin Yang School to quiet down. He looked at Verdant Green Maiden and said slowly, "If Teacher were a demon, she wouldn't have gone to all that trouble to teach Ying Zheng."

At that, Verdant Green Maiden glanced at Ying Zhu and asked, "What do you mean by that? Didn't you bring them here to capture me?"

Ying Zhu shook his head. "After returning from Luoyi, the Former King invited the Yin Yang School to Xianyang specifically to deal with you. But I've come to see things differently. Teacher, would you like to hear what I think now?"

Verdant Green Maiden smiled. She leaped onto a nearby artificial hill, tapped the stone lightly, and looked down at Ying Zhu. "Let's hear it."

Ying Zhu looked up at Verdant Green Maiden. "The Former King said you would take the heart's blood of Great Qin's last king. He believed that if he captured you, Great Qin could endure for all eternity!"

"But I've seen how fond you are of Zheng. I believe you wouldn't do such a thing."