Li Qiang walked into the main hall nonchalantly. If it were nine young women testing him, he might have been more careful, but there were only nine old ladies in the hall, and he knew they wouldn't be too formidable.
In the Cultivation Realm, once you reach the Nascent Soul Realm, your age becomes undetectable; only those who don't reach the Nascent Soul Realm will gradually age.
He asked calmly, "May I ask you gentlemen, how should we test them?" He was quite polite.
These nine old ladies seemed to hold a very high position in the palace, as could be seen from the respectful attitude of the female guards towards them.
The elderly woman at the head of the group said, "Young man, don't be nervous. We mean no harm; it's just a simple test, nothing violent."
She nodded slightly, and the nine people surrounded Li Qiang.
Li Qiang thought to himself, "Who's nervous? Are you kidding me? If we're nervous about this, I'd be dead nervous by now." He couldn't figure out what they were up to, so he just stood there quietly.
The nine old ladies began to mutter to themselves, heads bowed. Li Qiang was extremely puzzled; what kind of trick were they playing?
The noise gradually grew louder, and he suddenly realized that they were chanting a spell.
Li Qiang felt a wave of confusion and a bit dizzy. Suddenly, he was startled and remembered that Princess Lanqiu was also proficient in this strange incantation. He quickly roused himself, circulated his true energy, and his mind immediately cleared.
Li Qiang hesitated. If he released his flying sword, these old ladies would have no chance of resisting. Killing people indiscriminately was not his habit, and he was in a dilemma.
Isn't this a case of allowing others to beat him up but not letting him fight back? How could something so unlucky happen?
He asked helplessly, "Gentlemen, how much longer until it's over?"
The sound suddenly subsided, and each old woman held a white bead in her hand. A mist gradually dissipated from the beads. Li Qiang dared not use any of his Law Treasure; if he were to use just one, none of these old women would survive. But he was growing impatient with this prolonged stalemate. He sighed, "Please, ladies, can you hurry up? Ah!"
The nine old ladies were utterly shocked. They had done everything in their power, and seeing Li Qiang's nonchalant demeanor, they simply couldn't believe it.
In fact, this kind of Mind-Bewildering Incantation is useless against a cultivation master like Li Qiang, who has already surpassed the Nascent Soul Realm. If he were still in the Nascent Soul Realm, then it's hard to say.
The Mind-Bewildering Incantation is a esoteric technique used to test one's mind, but unfortunately, Li Qiang's cultivation level was too high, and this esoteric technique was completely ineffective against him.
Bored out of his mind, Li Qiang listened intently to the strange incantations and slowly began to make sense of them.
This incantation is related to certain musical notes. Li Qiang has already studied musical variations quite a bit. He learned a lot in Heavenly Melody City and later came across some in the Buddha Sect ruins. He secretly used his mind to imitate the incantation.
The nine old ladies chanted the incantations over and over again, completely unaware that Li Qiang was secretly learning them. Soon, Li Qiang memorized the incantations. Suddenly feeling playful, he couldn't help but chant the incantations as well. Unlike their incantations, he poured his True Essence Power into them.
The incantation, infused with True Essence Power, was extremely penetrating. The nine old ladies were terrified. Fortunately, they knew the incantation by heart, otherwise they would have been completely bewitched by Li Qiang.
The elderly woman at the head of the group cried out in alarm, "Stop! Stop!"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "Hey, it's finally over! Did I pass?"
The old lady stared at Li Qiang with suspicion and uncertainty. After a long while, she asked, "Young man, how do you know this incantation?"
Li Qiang laughed and said, "You've read it so many times, you're used to it, haha."
These words were truly frightening. The nine old ladies exchanged glances, their faces filled with shock.
The elderly woman at the head of the group stammered, "No... it's impossible, this... this... unbelievable..." They had been learning spells since they were seven or eight years old, and it wasn't until they were in their forties that they mastered their secrets. Yet this young man had learned them in such a short time. They found it incredible.
Li Qiang asked again very politely, "Sir, have I passed the test?"
The nine old ladies were speechless; they had been utterly defeated.
At the signal of the matriarch, they quietly withdrew from the main hall.
Li Qiang was taken aback, and said with a wry smile, "Heh, we've gone too far." Silence fell around him. Standing in the main hall, he wondered, "Where have all the people gone? What a joke! The Emperor summoned me, but I didn't see him. Then a few old ladies showed up out of nowhere to conduct some kind of test, and it all fizzled out. It's like seeing ghosts!"
He listened intently and heard the sound of orderly footsteps coming from behind the main hall. Soon after, ten maids appeared, bowed, and invited Li Qiang inside.
Li Qiang said, "Why is seeing your emperor so troublesome? Can we see him this time?"
The ten maids were so frightened they didn't know how to answer. One of them, being quick-witted, said, "Please come with us, sir."
Li Qiang sighed. He couldn't get angry with these maids, so he had no choice but to obediently follow them inside.
Arriving at an exquisite wooden building, the little girl they had seen earlier stood at the door and announced, "Honored guest, please come to pay your respects."
As soon as Li Qiang stepped into the room, he looked around suspiciously. A female guard shouted, "Why haven't you paid your respects to the Emperor yet!"
The room was small, probably less than thirty square meters. In the center of the room was a platform about half a person's height, which took up most of the room's area. Two people sat cross-legged on the platform. One of them was Princess Lanqiu, and next to her was an old woman dressed in gorgeous clothes. There were about a dozen beautiful female guards around them.
Li Qiang was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected the emperor of the Ladu Kingdom to be a woman.
Li Qiang performed a common greeting in the Western Continent and said with a smile, "Greetings, Empress, Princess Lanqiu."
Everyone in the room was dumbfounded; they had never seen such a carefree guy before.
Princess Lanqiu whispered a few words in the Empress's ear. The Empress smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying, "You are remarkable, even Nine Elderly Ladies couldn't do anything about it. Come, young man, come and sit down." Her attitude was very amiable.
The female guards nearby were stunned. The emperor had actually invited this young man to sit down; this was something they had never seen before.
Li Qiang didn't hold back, leaping into the air, crossing his legs, and sliding onto the platform. This move surprised everyone once again.
The Empress praised, "Excellent skill."
Princess Lanqiu laughed and said, " Big Brother Li is amazing! If it weren't for his protection, I would have been in danger."
Li Qiang exchanged a few polite words. He didn't care what the emperor of the Ladu Kingdom was planning. This place was just a stopover. He was already preparing to leave and had only come to pay his respects to the emperor out of courtesy.
Everyone in the room could tell that Li Qiang was distracted, yet his languid demeanor was incredibly alluring. No one thought he was being rude, and even the Queen was lenient with him. After chatting idly for a while, the Queen grew increasingly curious about Li Qiang and asked about his age and background. Li Qiang once again fabricated a whole story; he couldn't tell the truth, and no one would believe him anyway.
The Empress seemed quite pleased and decreed that Li Qiang should move into the " Peaceful Palace Tower ".
Upon hearing the name Peaceful Palace Tower, Princess Lanqiu blushed slightly. She wanted to say something, but hesitated and held back.
Surrounded by a group of female guards and maids, Li Qiang was led to Peaceful Palace Tower.
He wandered into the luxuriously furnished building in a daze. Realizing something was amiss, he grabbed a maid and was about to ask her a question when the maid blushed deeply and fell into his arms. Li Qiang was startled and quickly let go.
He was unaware of the rules here: any distinguished guest who could stay at Peaceful Palace Tower had to be subject to the unconditional obedience of any request from the maids.
The maid beside him couldn't help but laugh. Li Qiang scratched his head awkwardly and asked, "Oh, excuse me, may I ask what this Peaceful Palace Tower is?"
A maid replied, "My lord, Peaceful Palace Tower is the residence of the most distinguished guests in the palace. Please rest, my lord. If you have any requests, please feel free to make them." A shy and expectant expression appeared on her face.
Li Qiang didn't understand what that meant at all. He said, "Oh, I don't need to stay here. Take me back to the VIP building; I have things to take care of."
The maid replied, "Sir, your stay here is by the Emperor's decree; you cannot simply move."
A thought flashed through Li Qiang's mind: Could he be under house arrest? Strange, what purpose would the Empress have in imprisoning him?
He tried to walk towards the door, but two female guards immediately blocked his way, saying with smiles, "Sir, please stop. You cannot wander around in the inner palace."
As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face. Two young and beautiful female guards blocked his way with smiles, leaving Li Qiang unable to retaliate.
He could only laugh and say, "Little sisters, please help me out, okay?"
The female guard blushed instantly and trembled all over. This little devil's voice was just too beautiful. It turned out that Li Qiang had once again used the Vibrating Sound Method, which was very ungentlemanly.
The two female guards stepped aside, saying, "Okay... how... how can we help you..."
Li Qiang was secretly pleased and said, "Take me back to the VIP building."
Just as the female guard was about to step forward, a maid inside the building called out, "What are you doing?"
The female guards suddenly woke up and grabbed Li Qiang's arms on both sides, pulling him into the small building.
Li Qiang kept forcing a bitter smile. He couldn't resort to violence; these delicate young girls couldn't withstand even a single finger from him.
The female guard pleaded, "My lord... my lord, we are just lowly guards. If you leave, we will be doomed."
Li Qiang wasn't afraid of force, but he was most afraid of this kind of soft-talking. The two young and beautiful female guards pleaded with him in a gentle voice, leaving him with no choice but to return to the small building. Out of consideration for Princess Lanqiu, he was too embarrassed to leave forcibly, thinking that he should wait and see, and if things really didn't go well, he could leave later.
There was also a platform in the room, but it was only a foot high. Li Qiang sat cross-legged on it, planning to fly away quietly after dark.
Just as I closed my eyes, a group of maids entered from outside, each carrying a tray laden with many things—gifts from the Empress.
A maid reminded him to express his gratitude, Li Qiang lazily replied, "Whoever wants it can thank them for me. Don't bother me; I need to rest." He finished speaking with his eyes closed, then made a hand seal, and golden light suddenly emanated from his body, startling the group of girls so much that they dared not utter another word and quietly retreated.
Li Qiang saw it clearly with his Divine Sense and chuckled inwardly; he had finally fooled them.
Li Qiang quietly opened his eyes, only to find that the situation was not good. He was sitting on the platform, and there were more than a dozen maids standing around him, all staring intently at him. It was completely dark outside, but the room was brightly lit using lighting crystals, a specialty of the Tanbang Continent.
Li Qiang sighed; this was no joke. He stood up and walked to the door. The maids immediately tensed up, surrounding him and looking at him pitifully.
Li Qiang pretended to be nonchalant as he walked outside, explaining, "Hehe, just came out for some fresh air; it's stuffy inside." The female guards outside were also alerted.
Li Qiang glanced at the dozen or so girls around him and smiled slightly, "I'm so sorry to keep you all from getting a proper rest." He suddenly rose into the air.
The girls were completely stunned; only then did they realize that Li Qiang could fly.
"Boss, wait a minute!"
Li Qiang spotted Princess Lanqiu in the air and had no choice but to land again, shouting, "Hey, Your Highness, I've been waiting for you for ages! Tell me what's going on, or I'm really leaving!"
He held Princess Lanqiu in high esteem, a deep impression left by her at South Mouth Pass, and she even risked her life to help him find the Sea Soul Agate. Li Qiang would never forget this kindness.
Princess Lanqiu blushed slightly and said with a smile, "Boss, would you like to come inside and talk?" Although she could no longer figure out anything about Li Qiang, there was one thing she was certain of: Li Qiang was a person she could trust.
Princess Lanqiu entered the room, stepped onto the platform, and sat down. She ordered all the maids and guards around her to leave before saying, "Eldest brother, you've probably guessed what happened. I'm sorry, I didn't expect Mother to react this way." Her blush deepened, and she slowly lowered her head, unconsciously twisting her fingers.
After entering the room, Li Qiang didn't sit on the platform. He circled it repeatedly, oblivious to Princess Lanqiu's expression. He was trying to think of his words. As he walked, he said, "Hmm, I guess Her Majesty the Empress wants me to stay and serve as an official? You know, I have absolutely no interest in being an official. Alas! I'm used to being free and unrestrained, and it's really not suitable for me to stay. Please, Your Highness, put in a good word for me when you return. I don't want to make everyone unhappy."
Fortunately, there were no outsiders around, otherwise this guy would have really gotten a beating. He was really talking nonsense.
Princess Lanqiu's face paled, appearing somewhat relieved yet also somewhat uncomfortable. She had never seen such a slow-witted fellow before. An official? How could she possibly allow him to live in Peaceful Palace Tower?
Just kidding, the inner palace isn't that easy to enter.
However, she also felt a sense of relief. She said, "Eldest brother, you go ahead. I'll explain to Mother. It's best to leave tonight; it'll be more difficult tomorrow."
She herself didn't understand; she had an indescribable feeling towards this mysterious man. Although she didn't want to force him to stay, she felt a bitter taste in her mouth. Did she not leave any trace in his heart at all?
Li Qiang nodded and thanked her, "Thank you, Princess. Perhaps we will meet again in the future. If anything happens to the Ladu Kingdom, you can ask the people of Heavenly Melody City for help. I also have a group of brothers remaining on the Tanbang Continent, you can also contact them. Goodbye." He said no more, and with a flash, he disappeared without a trace.
Princess Lanqiu sat blankly on the platform, suddenly feeling very sad.
With a swift movement, Li Qiang returned to the room, laughing as he said, "Oh, I'm so forgetful, I forgot something..."
Princess Lanqiu was overjoyed to see him return, as if anticipating something. She asked, "What?"
Li Qiang put down a jade box and smiled, "Inside are three Lesser Origin-Nurturing Pill and three Heavenly Countenance Fruit. They're for you. Alright, I'm leaving." Before she could reply, he vanished without a trace.
Princess Lanqiu certainly knew about the Heavenly Countenance Fruit, a legendary celestial fruit from the Western Continent that could preserve a girl's youthful appearance. She suddenly felt a pang of resentment towards this guy; he was gone, so why did he have to come back all the way here, deliberately making her unable to let go?
Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
The VIP building was brightly lit, and Zhao Hao and his group of brothers were chatting, all waiting for Li Qiang to return. Nashan was betting with Tange on whether Li Qiang would come back tonight, Tange insisted that their boss would definitely return.
Nashan lay on the ground, legs crossed, hands under his Baldy, grinning wickedly, " Old Tan, if you lose, hehe, what do you suggest we do? Don't make me say anything, if I set conditions... hehe!"
Tange leaned against the wall, tapping his fingers on the wooden floor, and frowned as he said, "Hmph, I'll lose? I know the boss best; he wouldn't stay there and not come back! But a lecher like you... well, that's another story. Name your price; I definitely won't be the one who loses." He looked very confident.
Zhao Hao chuckled and said, " Tange, you can't beat him, don't bother."
Mei'er continued to float in the air as usual. Suddenly, she landed next to Tange and asked, "What are you talking about? What does whether you come back or not have to do with that lecherous ghost?"
Tange chuckled and pointed at Nashan, "Go ask your Baldy brother, he knows best."
Nashan yelled, "You damned thing, don't corrupt our baby, or everyone will beat you up!"
Amidst their playful banter, Li Qiang gracefully entered from outside.
Tange saw it at a glance and shouted happily, "Haha! You lost, Old Na, haha! Hahaha!" He rarely won, and he was extremely excited.
Nashan jumped up and greeted him warmly, "Boss, you're back so early?!"
Tange jumped up, grabbed Nashan, and kept asking, "What do you suggest we do? Look... the boss is back, isn't he? You've lost!"
Nashan grinned mischievously, "Yeah, that's right! You won. I, Old Na, never renege on my promises, hehe. But, as you said, I can name my terms. Now, let me tell you, whoever loses gets to be the boss this time. Hmm, good grandson! I'm busy now, let's talk again next time, haha! Hahaha!"
Tange was dumbfounded. This bastard was too cunning. Not only did he lose, but he also took advantage of others.
He was so angry that he raised his foot to kick, but Zhao Hao said, "Alright, stop fooling around, listen to what Master has to say."
Nashan quickly put his arm around his shoulder and whispered, "Brother, don't take it seriously. I, Old Na, will definitely make it up to you next time, hehe, I definitely will." Tange was completely under his thumb and couldn't outmaneuver this cunning Baldy at all.
Mei'er immediately flew into Li Qiang's arms, hugging his neck like a well-behaved girl.
Li Qiang said, "Everyone, get ready immediately, we're all evacuating. Kubo, go and inform Kong Hou and the others; Zhao Hao, tell everyone to assemble quickly, and for those who can't fly, immediately equip them with wings, we'll leave by air."
Hong Qian asked in surprise, "Uncle-Master, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?"
Li Qiang said, "Let's talk about it later. Hurry up, or things will get complicated when the palace guards arrive."
Geng Feng yelled, "You Little Madman, have you gotten yourself into some big trouble? It's alright, the Imperial Guards here are no match for us. A few of them could easily wipe them out. What are you afraid of?!"
Li Qiang said with a wry smile, "If fighting could solve the problem, would I be running away? Fengzi, are you leaving or not? If not, you can stay here."
Geng Feng raised his hands and said repeatedly, "I'm leaving! I'm leaving! What am I supposed to do here? I, this Old Madman, don't want to be a live-in son-in-law..."
Li Qiang was suddenly stunned, "A live-in son-in-law?"
He finally understood Princess Lanqiu's awkward and strange expression. Now he was really anxious. He only had respect for Princess Lanqiu, but no romantic feelings for her. Only then did he realize that Peaceful Palace Tower was actually the Prince Consort's Tower.
Li Qiang immediately said, " Hong Qian, you lead everyone to the ancient teleportation array first, it's over at the Heavenly Road Grassland, you know it. Paben, I'll take you home."
Nashan called out, "I'm going too, Old Pa. We agreed last time, I'll go home with you."
Li Qiang didn't have time to argue with him and said, "I can only take one person with me. You can't keep up with me using the flying wing, and it's not suitable for long-distance flight."
Geng Feng suddenly interjected, "I'll take him with me."
Nashan was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly, using all the traditional customs of his hometown, which amused Geng Feng so much that he burst into laughter.
Kong Hou and the others entered, quietly bowed to Li Qiang, and stood aside to await instructions.
Li Qiang said, " Kong Hou, I'm afraid you'll be coming with me to the Heavenly Court Star. Those of you who don't want to go can stay. Who among you is willing to go?"
Kong Hou and Kudu replied without hesitation, "Boss, your disciples are willing to go."
Li Qiang nodded and said, "Okay, we'll follow their lead." He was referring to Zhao Hao and Hong Qian.
Kong Hou and Kudu stepped aside, bowed to Zhao Hao and Hong Qian, and indicated that they would follow orders.
As soon as Li Qiang returned, the entire VIP building was thrown into chaos. Their commotion was so great that a maid quickly noticed something was wrong and immediately reported it to the authorities.
The Empress was furious upon hearing the news and ordered the palace gates to be sealed off immediately, and dispatched the Imperial Guards to surround the VIP building.
By the time the Imperial Guards surrounded the VIP building, everyone had already left.
Zhao Hao was the last to leave. He said from the air, "Please inform the Emperor that she has thanked us for her hospitality. Goodbye." With that, he too turned and flew away.
Li Qiang, with Paben, and Geng Feng, with Nashan, were the first four to leave.
Paben was filled with anxiety; he didn't know how he would face his broken family when he returned. He numbly pointed out directions along the way, his expression growing increasingly panicked.
Li Qiang and Paben were practically brothers in arms. He advised, " Paben, you must face reality to dispel the demon in your heart. If you can't take this step, it will be extremely harmful to your future cultivation."
Paben said bitterly, "Sigh... I'm scared..."
Geng Feng squinted as he listened to Nashan's boasting. The kid was already quite used to being carried around in the sky. He bragged about how he and his boss fought bloody battles in the Black Prison, how brave and fearless he was, and how his boss fought tens of thousands of troops at South Mouth Pass. He talked until his spittle flew and his one eye gleamed.
Geng Feng chuckled and said, "Really? In my opinion, you're not that brave."
Nashan angrily retorted, "Damn it! You Old Madman, I, Old Na..."
He suddenly stopped talking, but it was too late. Geng Feng chuckled coldly, " Old Madman? Well said!" He suddenly released his hands.
Nashan, having lived in the Black Prison, was quick-witted and adaptable. Knowing that he hadn't spoken at the right time, he grabbed Geng Feng's pants early on. When Geng Feng suddenly let go, he didn't fall.
He yelled, "You Fengzi! If you kill me, the boss will fight you to the death!"
Geng Feng was surprised by Nashan's words. He was a little skeptical and said, "Really? You have neither ability nor power, why would Little Madman risk his life for you?" In fact, Nashan was right, Li Qiang really would risk his life for him, but Geng Feng would never actually kill him. He just wanted to scare Nashan.
Nashan yelled, "Grab me! Your pants are going to fall down! Boss! Help!"
Startled, Geng Feng grabbed him, covered his mouth, and yelled, "Are you even a man? How dare you scream for help!"
Nashan huffed, "You wouldn't have pulled me if I hadn't called you? You call yourself a senior expert, yet you're so petty and stingy. It's not admirable at all."
Geng Feng was speechless, choked by his words. This kid spoke just like his boss, sharp-tongued and never at a disadvantage.
In the distance, a small town nestled against the mountains and beside the water comes into view. It is already noon, and wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys. A gentle breeze blows, and everything seems so peaceful.
Li Qiang, supporting Paben, felt him tremble. He immediately understood and asked, " Paben, is this your hometown?"