Entering the Imperial City

Two days later, Xu Changshou and Ye Shanhua arrived in Rising Sun City.

Rising Sun City was the capital of Fire Mulberry Country. With a population of over a million, it was the country's largest and most prosperous city.

The two strolled along the streets of Rising Sun City and stopped outside a shop.

Xu Changshou looked up and saw three large characters on the sign above its entrance: "Myriad Treasures Pavilion."

He could not help marveling inwardly at how far the Myriad Treasures Pavilion's business reached. They even had a branch in remote Fire Mulberry Country.

"Junior Brother Xu, this is my stop. Shall we go in and sit for a while?" Ye Shanhua invited him with a smile.

"No, I've already lost quite a few days. I need to go find the person with the variant spiritual root," Xu Changshou said with a smile.

Ye Shanhua nodded slightly. "Junior Brother Xu, go take care of your business in the imperial city. Once you're finished, come find me here, and we'll return to the sect together."

Ye Shanhua had her own business in Fire Mulberry Country. Naturally, she had not come merely to accompany Xu Changshou on a sightseeing trip.

"All right!"

"Farewell, Senior Sister Ye. Until we meet again."

"Goodbye, Junior Brother Xu."

After they parted, Xu Changshou headed straight for the towering imperial city.

Soldiers guarded the gates of the imperial city. No one was allowed inside without a pass.

Annoyed at being refused entry, Xu Changshou rose on the wind and sailed over the city wall.

The Wind-Riding Art was not true flight, but a wind-element spell that allowed its user to remain airborne briefly, gliding dozens of meters in a single leap.

With the Wind-Riding Art, one could travel a thousand li in a day, but it consumed a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

Ordinary cultivators would rather travel on foot than ride the wind.

"Look, an immortal!"

"We pay our respects, exalted immortal!"

"Quick, quick! Kowtow to the immortal!"

Throughout the city, many commoners knelt and bowed in the direction Xu Changshou had gone.

Wherever Xu Changshou went, he passed as though no one stood in his way. Not a single soldier guarding the city dared stop him; they all laid down their weapons and knelt in homage.

Xu Changshou traveled through the air straight to the skies above the imperial city.

"Fellow Daoist, why have you trespassed into the Fire Mulberry Imperial Palace? Please leave at once, or do not blame me for showing no courtesy!"

Just then, a white-haired elder in white robes rose into the air and blocked Xu Changshou's path. His cultivation was impressive: he was actually at the qi refining twelfth layer.

Xu Changshou landed on a wing-shaped tower and cupped his fists. "Might you be Senior Brother Li Xiaoxian?"

Before Xu Changshou came, Li Dao Path had already told him about the situation in Fire Mulberry Country.

Fire Mulberry Country had only one cultivator, a man named Li Xiaoxian. He was Li Dao Path's nephew and had once served as a servant disciple in the Green Immortal Sect.

After a hundred years, he had laid down arms and returned to secular life, returning to Fire Mulberry Country to serve as its national military adviser.

His standing was even higher than that of Li Zheng, the king of Fire Mulberry Country.

"I am Xu Changshou. At Uncle-Master Li Dao Path's command, I have come to Fire Mulberry Country on important business."

Xu Changshou spoke with a solemn expression.

He did not say he had come to find the person with the variant spiritual root. Li Dao Path had told him that only King Li Zheng and the national military adviser, Li Xiaoxian, knew of her spiritual root's awakening in Fire Mulberry Country. Even her mother knew nothing about it.

Before he left, Li Dao Path had instructed Xu Changshou to avoid revealing the secret if at all possible.

Thus, Xu Changshou made no mention of the variant spiritual root.

"So it's Junior Brother Xu! Please, come in!"

Li Xiaoxian's manner suddenly grew warm. Clearly, he had already been notified of Xu Changshou's visit to Fire Mulberry Country.

Under Li Xiaoxian's guidance, the two went straight into King Li Zheng's study.

"Li Zheng, this is your Uncle-Master Xu Changshou. Hurry and pay your respects to Uncle-Master Xu."

"This junior, Li Zheng, pays his respects to Uncle-Master Xu."

Hauling his corpulent body forward, Li Zheng respectfully knelt and bowed to Xu Changshou.

Li Zheng was no longer young. His temples were graying, and he had to be at least fifty or sixty.

Having an old king in his fifties or sixties kneel before him struck Xu Changshou as distinctly strange.

Still, that was indeed how their seniority stood. Xu Changshou and Li Xiaoxian belonged to the same generation, so he was naturally one generation above Li Zheng.

Of course, even without that relationship, Li Zheng would still have to respectfully address him as an exalted immortal. Such was the divide between immortals and mortals.

An immense gulf in rank separated immortals from mortals.

Anyone who was not a cultivator had to revere immortals, even an emperor of the mortal world.

"Rise!"

"Yes."

After telling Li Zheng to rise, Xu Changshou took out a Sound-Isolating Formation and set it up in the study. Only then did he produce a letter and hand it to Li Xiaoxian.

Li Xiaoxian took out the letter and read it, then smiled. "Indeed, this is Third Uncle's handwriting."

Li Zheng also leaned over to glance at the letter and said excitedly, "Grandfather wrote it himself!"

Li Xiaoxian put away the letter and cupped his hands. "Junior Brother Xu, did Third Uncle leave any other instructions?"

Xu Changshou shook his head. "No. Uncle-Master Li only told me to bring back the girl with the variant spiritual root."

"Uncle-Master Xu, could you delay your departure a few days?" Li Zheng asked respectfully.

Xu Changshou asked, "Why delay a few days?"

Li Xiaoxian smiled. "In another half month, the Li Household will hold its grand ancestral ceremony. Zheng'er and I have discussed it, and we'd like the Ninth Princess to participate as well. Once the ancestral rites are over, she can leave for the sect with you."

"Of course!"

Xu Changshou nodded. "Uncle-Master Li said that once I arrived, I should follow your arrangements."

Li Xiaoxian instructed, "Zheng'er, go to the sleeping quarters at once and have the Seventh and Eighth Princesses come over. Let them attend Junior Brother Xu tonight."

"Uh..."

Xu Changshou's face darkened. He had never expected Li Xiaoxian to offer Li Zheng's daughters, princesses of the reigning dynasty, to share his bed.

With a turn of his thoughts, Xu Changshou understood what was going on.

Although the princesses of Fire Mulberry Country held exalted positions, they were still mortals. What an honor it would be to give themselves to an immortal.

Even a casual gift from him would benefit them for the rest of their lives.

If they were lucky enough to bear an immortal's seed, all the better.

That would be a joyous event of tremendous magnitude for the entire Fire Mulberry Dynasty.

After all, the descendants of cultivators were far more likely to awaken spiritual roots than ordinary mortals. Otherwise, there would not be so many cultivation lineages in the world.

"Yes, I'll go at once."

Li Zheng hurried toward the door, but Xu Changshou moved to block his path. "There is no need. I have no taste for women. Take me to see the girl with the variant spiritual root."

Xu Changshou wanted to see her as soon as possible. After all, his mission was to protect her. If anything went wrong, he would be in trouble.

"I see!"

Li Zheng's face was full of disappointment.

Li Xiaoxian nodded. "In that case, take Junior Brother Xu to see the Ninth Princess."

"Uncle-Master Xu, please follow me."

Li Zheng led Xu Changshou out of the study and toward a secluded palace hall.

On the way, Li Zheng said respectfully, "Uncle-Master Xu, Ling'er herself doesn't know she has an ice spiritual root. Please keep it secret and don't let her find out."

"Rest assured. Just tell her I'm her bodyguard."

He had come to protect her in the first place, so calling him her bodyguard was perfectly appropriate.

Although Xu Changshou stood above Li Zheng, he could hardly put on airs before the girl with the variant spiritual root.

Once she entered the Green Immortal Sect, she would undoubtedly receive focused training as an inner disciple.

Xu Changshou casually took out three Windwalking Talismans and tossed them to Li Zheng. "These are Windwalking Talismans that I drew myself. Attach one to your thigh, and you can travel a thousand li in a day. A small token of goodwill-keep them."

"Thank you, Uncle-Master Xu!" Overjoyed, Li Zheng bowed repeatedly.

Before long, the two arrived at the sleeping quarters of the Ninth Princess, Li Ling'er.