Mobilizing

Chu Zhiyuan sat cross-legged on the couch, his eyes slightly closed, his bearing solemn and dignified.

The Meridian Washing Art and the Dragon Transformation Technique alternated in circulation, his meridians constantly strengthening and strengthening again.

When cultivating the Dragon Transformation Technique, he took Marrow Cleansing Pills.

Unfortunately, the effects of the Marrow Cleansing Pills were weakening.

Every body developed drug resistance. With each additional pill consumed, the resistance grew stronger and the medicinal effect diminished by another degree.

Yet even weakened, the medicine was still far faster than cultivating without it.

After taking two Marrow Cleansing Pills, his meridians could accommodate eight Dragon Binding Ropes.

He estimated that if he took another two tomorrow, he would be able to condense nine Dragon Binding Ropes and strike at the seventh level of the Jade Tower.

The lingering light of sunset draped Yujing City in a layer of rosy glow.

Bathed in the evening radiance, he left the residence, intending to return to Prince Qing's Estate for dinner. Instead, he spotted Gao Lingfeng outside the estate.

Gao Lingfeng stood on the clean, broad Prince Qing's Mansion Street, motionless amid the sunset glow, lost in deep thought.

Hearing movement, Gao Lingfeng turned and saw him. He hurried over, clasping his fists in salute from afar. "My lord!"

"Lord Gao, what is it?"

"The Town Martial Division's experts have gone to the Flying Flower Sword Sect."

"When did that happen?"

"More than an hour ago."

"...Then forget it. Lord Gao, you've worked hard."

Chu Zhiyuan reckoned it had all ended long ago after an hour. Even if he rushed over now, it would be too late.

"My lord, then we...?"

"Let's go back to the Ministry of Rites and take a look," Chu Zhiyuan said, raising his head to glance at the setting sun. "Hmm, the office has already closed. Tomorrow, then."

The light over all of Yujing City had dimmed, twilight faintly emerging. Some taverns had already lit their ornate lanterns.

Light and shadow, brightness and darkness, existed side by side, adding several shades of life to Yujing City.

The flourishing splendor of a golden age was intoxicating to the soul.

"This..." Gao Lingfeng hesitated.

He had long been waiting until his heart was scorched with anxiety. Yet after finally waiting for Chu Zhiyuan, Chu Zhiyuan wanted to wait until tomorrow before visiting the office, utterly unhurried.

His thoughts raced.

The Flying Flower Sword Sect matter had always been handled by Chu Zhiyuan, while he was merely the deputy. If something truly went wrong and ultimately drew Grandmaster Song into action, he knew he would be the first to suffer.

Although Chu Zhiyuan was an Assistant Director and his superior, Chu Zhiyuan's identity was ultimately different. He was imperial kin, born of the royal line, and would always receive preferential treatment.

If one would spare the monk for the Buddha's sake, then the Minister and Director could not shift responsibility onto Chu Zhiyuan. That left only him.

He understood this perfectly, which was why he was especially concerned.

Chu Zhiyuan did not care quite so much about the dispute between the Flying Flower Sword Sect and the Thick Earth Sect.

Since the matter had already been handed upward for a decision, he had no desire to worry overmuch. He would rather spend that energy properly comprehending martial arts.

Besides, the Earth Dragon Pearl was not a spiritual pill. It would not be damaged or vanish, and neither the Thick Earth Sect nor the Flying Flower Sword Sect would allow it to disappear.

What he wanted to clarify now was whether the Heavenly Treasure Department possessed treasures similar to the Earth Dragon Pearl, and whether all treasures related to dragons affected him.

"My lord!" Gao Lingfeng called again.

"Lord Gao, anxiety won't help. We've already done all we can," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile. "This matter cannot be blamed on you."

He had read too many case files, and his horizons had already broadened.

If the conflict between the Flying Flower Sword Sect and the Thick Earth Sect had not involved Song Feiqiong, it would have been dealt with lightly and easily. Gao Lingfeng was taking it far too seriously.

"If we do not go now, I fear Director Langzhong will hold a grudge against us."

"Director Langzhong is broad-minded. Rest assured."

"...My lord!" Gao Lingfeng smiled bitterly.

Whether Director Langzhong was broad-minded or not depended on the person. Naturally, he would be broad-minded toward Chu Zhiyuan, but not necessarily toward him.

Seeing him like this, Chu Zhiyuan turned around. "Fine. You've been busy for so long and worked hard as well. Let's go take a look."

Gao Lingfeng let out a long breath.

Gratitude immediately welled up within him. The Heir Apparent's heart was not so hard after all; he had not disregarded his life and death.

Chu Zhiyuan understood that even with a noble status, one had to know how to win people's hearts and could not simply act willfully at every turn.

Gao Lingfeng was a capable man and was overly concerned with this matter. He must have searched everywhere for Chu Zhiyuan, then waited for an entire hour.

If Chu Zhiyuan stubbornly forced the issue, it would inevitably plant resentment and sow bitter seeds.

Refusing first and agreeing afterward could instead earn gratitude.

Surrounded by Zou Fang, Guo Chi, and the others, he and Gao Lingfeng arrived outside the courtyard where the Flying Flower Sword Sect was staying, only to find Town Martial Division experts guarding the entrance.

"Heir Apparent." Just then, Huang Shirong, dressed in an apricot-yellow silk robe, was walking out. She swayed like a willow, with the two White-Clad Girls still behind her. Seeing him, she clasped her fists and smiled charmingly. "You came one step too late, Heir Apparent."

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his fists and asked with a smile, "Hall Master Huang, have you found any clues?"

Huang Shirong gently shook her head.

"Not even a trace?"

"That fellow is formidable. There is not the slightest clue, not even a wisp of lingering aura. The division's experts determined that he not only used a secret art, but also paired it with some sort of treasure to achieve this effect."

"A treasure..."

He searched through his memories for treasures capable of concealing one's aura.

There were quite a few such treasures.

Spider Stone, Mantis Jade, Turtle Origin Pearl, and so on.

He could conclude that none of those treasures had been used. If a treasure had been used, Super Sensation should have been able to perceive the treasure's own aura as well.

It should have been only a secret technique.

Such a secret technique was not something a minor sect could possess.

Huang Shirong furrowed her delicate brows. "Troublesome."

Her bright eyes suddenly flickered as she quietly looked toward Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand. "I have no feeling either."

The light in Huang Shirong's eyes dimmed, and she sighed. "This time, the division has truly been left with faces smeared in ash."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "What happens next?"

Huang Shirong sighed. "We can only ask Grandmaster Song to act... We will all be punished for this."

"...Perhaps we do not necessarily need to ask Grandmaster Song. What if we submit it to the Grandmaster's Mansion?"

They were both grandmasters. Other grandmasters should be able to address the matter calmly, but if it were Song Feiqiong, it would be easy for her emotions to flare.

Grandmasters did not easily restrain their tempers.

Once a grandmaster lost her temper, the consequences would be impossible to predict.

She might directly cripple the Thick Earth Sect.

The Thick Earth Sect's patron was Prince Huai's Estate. If Prince Huai's Estate lost face, it was tantamount to the imperial family losing face, which would do him no good either.

"It is the same. Alerting the Grandmaster's Mansion will still deduct our merits."

"It is not the same. Submit it to the Grandmaster's Mansion."

Huang Shirong frowned and looked at Chu Zhiyuan.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled back at her.

Their gazes collided in the air. Huang Shirong pursed her lips in a smile and lightly nodded. "Then we will follow the Heir Apparent's wishes and hand it to the Grandmaster's Mansion."

Chu Zhiyuan smiled and clasped his fists, accepting the favor.

Of the two divisions, the Town Martial Division held the stronger position.

Huang Shirong was giving him face. At least she had preserved the Heir Apparent's dignity. If Huang Shirong had insisted on inviting Song Feiqiong, he would have been unable to oppose her.

He bid Huang Shirong farewell.

On the way back to the Ministry of Rites Office, Gao Lingfeng kept shaking his head and sighing.

The lanterns throughout the streets and alleys had all been lit. Their light fell upon his handsome face, making the shifting light and darkness on it impossible to read.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at Gao Lingfeng and pretended not to notice.

Gao Lingfeng was being far too pessimistic.

This time, the Department of Martial Affairs might not have its merits deducted at all. Even if merits were deducted, it would be the Town Martial Division's.

Yet he would not voice this judgment, nor did he comfort Gao Lingfeng.

However, he still could not determine whether it had truly been the Thick Earth Sect's doing.

Judging by Feng Zhihao's expression and movements, there had been no difference from usual. There were two possibilities: either the Thick Earth Sect was not responsible, or Feng Zhihao had been kept in the dark.

--

"Dragon Pearl-type treasures..." Chu Zhiyuan stood before the Heavenly Treasure Department's counter. Across from him, a delicate-looking young woman wore a thoughtful expression.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded. "Anything related to dragons will do, such as dragon armor, dragon horns, and so forth."

"Heir Apparent, please wait a moment," the delicate young woman replied brightly before turning and slipping into the back.

Chu Zhiyuan stood before the counter with his hands behind his back, surveying the surroundings.

The counter was busy. Heavenly Treasure Department clerks attended to those who had come to exchange merits for spiritual medicines and treasures.

The clerks were both men and women, every one of them wearing an indifferent expression.

Everyone who came to make exchanges was extremely polite. Even those boorish martial arts experts maintained refined manners, reining in their booming voices until they spoke softly and gently.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the delicate young woman returned. She handed Chu Zhiyuan a plain sheet of paper. "Heir Apparent, these are all treasures and spiritual pills related to dragons. I have marked their respective grades."

Chu Zhiyuan took it, swept his eyes over it, and smiled with satisfaction. "Many thanks, Miss Xiaodie."

Miss Xiaodie hurriedly waved her little hands.

This Miss Xiaodie was the younger sister of one of Ma Tianhe's comrades. Her elder brother in the Supervisory Department had already died in service, so she had inherited his position and entered the Heavenly Treasure Department.

Chu Zhiyuan turned and left, sighing inwardly.

Prince Qing's Estate had been sealed for thirty years. Its fief and stipend had suffered no loss, but its losses in every other respect had been immense, especially in terms of connections.

Thirty years of confinement had been equivalent to severing its entire network of relationships.

And he increasingly felt that such networks were everywhere.

With such networks, handling matters became far more convenient. At times, they were even more useful than his status as Heir Apparent.

He swept his eyes over the names on the paper once, committing them to memory.

Apart from weapons such as the Flying Dragon Sword and Crimson Dragon Saber, there were also Crimson Dragon Pills, Golden Dragon Bone Strengthening Pills, Flying Dragon Saliva, Dragon Saliva Incense, and other strange items.

There truly were quite a few things related to dragons.

All of them were of extremely high grade and required high-grade merits to exchange for.

Things related to dragons often came from the Four Great Secret Lands, and from Demon Beasts with exceptionally high bloodline levels within those secret lands.

After returning to Prince Qing's Estate, he casually mentioned to Bai Ningshuang over lunch that he wanted a Dragon Pearl to play with.

"What Dragon Pearl?" Bai Ningshuang asked curiously.

"Something like the Earth Dragon Pearl. A Crimson Dragon Pearl, Golden Dragon Pearl, or Flying Dragon Pearl would all do."

Bai Ningshuang agreed. "Then I'll ask the Imperial Consort."