Moon Invitation

He was very curious about what had happened.

He regretted not being able to witness a Grandmaster in action and catch a glimpse of their power.

Lu Wan gave a few instructions, and everyone dispersed.

Some went to practice their skills, some to toy with their treasures, and others to attend to their own affairs.

Chu Zhiyuan and Lu Wan entered the house.

Zou Fang stood in the shadows behind Chu Zhiyuan, unnoticed by anyone.

Li Suyue, her face red, served tea and bowed her head, about to withdraw.

Chu Zhiyuan glanced at her with a smile and said to Lu Wan, "Miss Li has a knack for flowers and plants. Little Sister is very fond of her."

"Suyue is too naive; she might easily offend the County Princess."

"Coincidentally, Little Sister is also very naive," Chu Zhiyuan said with a smile. "I'd trouble Miss Li to visit the estate often and see Little Sister. She's rather lonely on her own."

"Of course." Lu Wan agreed on Li Suyue's behalf.

This was a rare opportunity.

Why was the Thick Earth Sect so reckless and overbearing? Wasn't it because of their connection to Prince Huai's Estate?

Prince Qing's Estate was weak now, but with this Heir Apparent, it wouldn't stay that way. Building good relations with them would bring endless benefits.

Chu Zhiyuan looked at Li Suyue.

Li Suyue blushed and nodded lightly, lowering her head, not daring to meet his eyes.

"Suyue, you may go now." Lu Wan said with a smile.

Li Suyue breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly withdrew.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled. "Miss Li and Little Sister have similar temperaments—too shy. She needs to meet more people and make more friends."

"That's just her nature; you can't force it." Lu Wan said with a smile.

Chu Zhiyuan took a light sip of tea, set down the cup, and asked Lu Wan about what had happened.

As soon as Lu Wan mentioned the Grandmaster, her bright eyes sparkled. "The one who came was a Grandmaster from the Grandmaster's Mansion, surnamed Hu. You couldn't tell his age—he looked like he was in his forties, but also like he was over a hundred... It was a strange feeling, hard to describe."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Of course, he couldn't be in his forties; no one had ever become a Grandmaster at forty.

At the Grandmaster level, one returned to simplicity, and their appearance changed.

Some Grandmasters practiced techniques that preserved or even enhanced their looks, granting them eternal youth or even rejuvenation.

A Grandmaster's lifespan was at least three hundred years, and some could live to over four hundred—how could they possibly look decrepit?

Lu Wan's charming eyes were bright and vivid. "After Martial Uncle Song became a Grandmaster, he almost never fought. We didn't truly know how formidable a Grandmaster was."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded.

Without enemies, how could one fight without even striking? Even if they demonstrated, they couldn't unleash their full power—you'd only see the tip of the iceberg.

Lu Wan sighed. "Now that I've seen Grandmaster Hu in action, I still don't really know how powerful a Grandmaster is."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

Lu Wan said, "After Grandmaster Hu arrived, he took the box and walked straight out of the city. He went to a mountain peak thirty li away, entered a cave halfway up, and found the pearl in a crevice inside."

Chu Zhiyuan looked thoughtful.

Grandmasters truly possessed extraordinary abilities. His own Super Sensation could do it, and so could a Grandmaster.

Lu Wan furrowed her delicate brows. "Then he returned to the city, went to the True One Cult's altar, grabbed an old man, shook him, and handed him over to the Town Martial Division's experts. That was the culprit."

"The True One Cult?"

"Mm, an elder of the True One Cult."

"...The True One Cult!" Chu Zhiyuan looked baffled.

The feud between the Thick Earth Sect and the Flying Flower Sword Sect was a fire pit—with Prince Huai's Estate on one side and Grandmaster Song Feiqiong on the other, no one wanted to get dragged in.

Yet the True One Cult had jumped right in, acting as a pawn for the Thick Earth Sect. Was there another reason?

Did the Thick Earth Sect have leverage over them, or had they already defected, or formed an alliance?

Too many possibilities.

Was there another force behind the True One Cult? Was it just the Thick Earth Sect against the Flying Flower Sword Sect, or were there others?

He thought for a moment and asked, "What did Grandmaster Song say? What's the True One Cult's background?"

A Grandmaster had high-level access; there was much Chu Zhiyuan didn't know, but Song Feiqiong could see it.

"The Moon Invitation Palace." Lu Wan's alluring lips coldly bit out three words.

Chu Zhiyuan frowned.

The Moon Invitation Palace was no ordinary sect. Though not among the Four Great Sects, its strength rivaled theirs.

When the Great Ancestor of the Great Jing Dynasty founded the realm, four top-tier martial sects from the martial world helped him succeed—but they were not the current Four Great Sects.

The current Four Great Sects rose by producing Grandmasters and gradually entering the Imperial Court, developing step by step, much like the Flying Flower Sword Sect today.

The four sects that aided the Great Ancestor in founding the dynasty were the Moon Invitation Palace, the Eternal Spirit Divine Cult, the Nine Li Divine Cult, and the Carefree Cult.

None of those four sects entered the Imperial Court; each had mountains and forests bestowed by the Imperial Court, territories that would never change for a hundred generations.

These four sects acted in ways both righteous and wicked, and were called demonic sects by the martial world.

None of them were easy to deal with. Though they were not in the Imperial Court, they had Grandmasters in residence and imperially granted territories; court officials had no authority to interfere in their domains.

The True One Cult's backing turned out to be the Moon Invitation Palace!

"The founding master of the True One Cult is said to have been a disciple of the Moon Invitation Palace," Lu Wan said. "But whether the Moon Invitation Palace has a hand in this, we can't determine yet."

"What grievances does your sect have with the Moon Invitation Palace?"

"None that I know of."

"Is it Grandmaster Song's personal grudge?"

"Martial Uncle Song also says it's baffling. He's never had any dealings with the Moon Invitation Palace, and he doesn't understand why they would do such a thing."

"...Strange."

"The True One Cult disciples wouldn't talk; we couldn't get anything out of them. That one even tried to kill himself, but we stopped him in time."

Chu Zhiyuan frowned. "Suicide?"

That was a Grandmaster, not a Xiantian Master.

Though Jade Capital had Grandmasters aplenty, a Grandmaster held an extremely high position within any sect—even if the sect also had a Grandmaster, that didn't diminish the Grandmaster's lofty status.

For a Grandmaster to attempt suicide—what shocking secret lay behind this?

Lu Wan shook her head gently. "Martial Uncle Song was also completely in the dark and couldn't figure it out. In the end, we let the True One Cult's Grandmaster go."

"Does it have anything to do with the Thick Earth Sect?"

"...As it stands, there's no evidence linking them. The Thick Earth Sect seems to have no connection with the True One Cult."

"Elder Lu, how were you and Elder Yang lured away?"

"..."

"Forget it," Chu Zhiyuan waved a hand. "Let's not dwell on it."

"...Someone sent word that Xu Wanshan had been captured by the Thick Earth Sect... At the time, I don't know what came over me—I was bewitched and didn't think much of it. I went out in a daze."

Lu Wan bit her red lips, clenching her teeth and forcing herself to say it.

"No wonder. Concern clouds judgment." Chu Zhiyuan understood.

Xu Wanshan was a genius of their generation, the hope of the Flying Flower Sword Sect, and he might even be carrying the Earth Dragon Pearl.

Hearing that he'd been captured by the Thick Earth Sect, they were naturally frantic, afraid they wouldn't be able to save him, so they sent out all their Grandmasters.

In the end, someone exploited the gap.

Under those circumstances, it truly was impossible to guard against.

Bright sunlight shone on the window paper.

It illuminated Chu Zhiyuan's office in the Ministry of Rites.

Inside the bright room, Chu Zhiyuan set down the dossier and looked at Ma Tianhe below the steps. "Lord Ma, there's no need for that. Please, sit and speak."

Ma Tianhe smiled. "How could this humble one sit and speak in the presence of the Young Master?"

Chu Zhiyuan smiled but didn't insist.

Ma Tianhe was overly obsequious, but it wasn't a major problem; it didn't detract from his shrewdness and capability.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Lord Ma, is there anything you wish to tell me? Speak frankly, no need to hold back."

Ma Tianhe hesitated, then glanced around.

Only he and Zou Fang were in this room, with no one else. Outside the door, Guo Chi stood guard, so no one could approach unnoticed.

With that in mind, Ma Tianhe lowered his voice. "Young Master, this humble one dares to say something he shouldn't: the Moon Invitation Palace... it's best not to touch it."

Chu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow.

Ma Tianhe said softly, "The waters there run too deep. If you can avoid it, it's best not to get involved."

Chu Zhiyuan nodded slowly. "Does it involve secrets of the Great Ancestor?"

Ma Tianhe gave a bitter smile, his heart uneasy. He couldn't help glancing around again to see if anyone was approaching.

Chu Zhiyuan said, "Rest assured. No one can approach without a Grandmaster's senses detecting them."

Ma Tianhe smiled bitterly. "Forgive me, Young Master, but this humble one dares say no more."

Chu Zhiyuan said, "The Moon Invitation Palace can't be touched. Can the True One Cult be touched either?"

Ma Tianhe nodded hurriedly. "If the True One Cult is dealt with, the Moon Invitation Palace certainly won't stand idly by. If they send experts to the capital, the trouble will be endless."

Chu Zhiyuan seemed lost in thought, then finally said slowly, "Forget it, thank you, Lord Ma."

"I wouldn't dare, wouldn't dare. This humble one has spoken out of turn." Ma Tianhe quickly waved his hand.

Chu Zhiyuan could tell that Ma Tianhe knew more.

It was only natural to think so—the Supervisory Department claimed to oversee the realm, and with Ma Tianhe's sufficient standing, he was privy to far too many hidden secrets.

But he had no intention of pressing Ma Tianhe, after all, he would still need his services in the future.