Return to the Capital

"Knock knock."

There was a knock on the door twice, but no response came from inside. Xu Qi'an listened for a while and caught the sound of soft, even breathing.

"The sun's already high in the sky, and she's still sleeping. How heartless can this woman be? "Xu Qi'an muttered to himself, pressing his palm against the door. Driven by his qi, the door latch automatically popped open.

Upon entering the room, one finds it clean and tidy with the windows closed. Four teacups are upside down on the round table, one of which is upright with some tea left inside.

Hanging on the screen directly opposite the door were a silk skirt, a shirt, and a pale pink bodice embroidered with plum blossoms.

She must have taken a shower last night, and then lay down on the bed and fell fast asleep, without having time to put away her clothes and personal items.

This is the original underwear of the most beautiful woman in the Great Feng. If it were in my time, it would definitely sell for a lot of silver online. No, I mean RMB. Xu Qi'an searched the room but did not find the fragment of the Earth Book. Following his connection with the Law Treasure, he finally discovered that it was being used to prop up the corner of the table.

Suddenly, he felt a strong urge to show her what the Single Whip Technique was. Xu Qi'an tenderly put the fragment of the Earth Book back into his arms.

The woman had no idea how precious the jade mirror was; it contained Xu Qi'an's life savings.

Thinking of this, he turned his head to look at the woman sleeping soundly on her side on the bed. Her sleeping posture was very quiet, and she had a bit of the temperament of a princess.

When I woke up, it was a complicated situation.

Time passed by, and there was a water leak next to the dressing table. The woman on the bed would sometimes mutter, sometimes twist her body restlessly, or perhaps she was dreaming about something, her brows furrowed, and she would kick her feet in resistance.

I didn't sleep well.

Time ticked by until 9:00 AM, and she finally murmured something and slowly opened her eyes.

Then, Xu Qi'an saw the princess's delicate body stiffen suddenly, then slowly relax. He took a sip of tea and smiled at her, "Awake?"

Upon seeing him, a hint of surprise flashed in the princess's eyes. She sat up, feigning nonchalance.

"Why did you come back? Heh, you've figured it out, haven't you? The Prince of Zhenbei is a third-rank official; no one in the entire Great Feng is more powerful than him. It's good that you can avoid harm and seek advantage."

He paused, then softened his tone slightly. "This matter can be handled by the imperial court; there's no need for you to show off your power."

The princess tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. Of course, this had absolutely nothing to do with her worry that Xu Qi'an would be killed by the Prince of Zhenbei.

Xu Qi'an said calmly, "The Prince of Zhenbei is dead."

The princess stood there, like a statue.

"I... I don't believe it," she stared intently at Xu Qi'an.

"This is nothing to joke about," Xu Qi'an said irritably. "A prince being murdered, such a big deal, why would I lie to you?"

The princess stared at him blankly, trembling as she asked, "Really? Is it true?"

Xu Qi'an nodded.

He saw the princess's long eyelashes tremble, a tear roll down her cheek, and then two, three, four more tears fell like pearls from a broken string.

She wept for freedom.

Xu Qi'an thought to himself that he wasn't that familiar with her, so he coldly watched as the most beautiful woman Great Feng Da Feng cried.

After she finished crying, Xu Qi'an offered a concluding reassurance. "You're free now. The Nine Provinces are vast; you can go wherever you want, just like Mundo."

She sobbed and wiped away her tears, not forgetting to ask, "Who is Mondo?"

Xu Qi'an couldn't be bothered to answer such a trivial question.

During breakfast, the princess, having recovered her composure, whispered furtively in the room where they were alone, "Did you kill him?"

Xu Qi'an shook his head. "The Prince of Zhenbei is so strong, how could I possibly defeat him? It was because a mysterious expert appeared and killed him on the spot. Everyone in the delegation can testify to this, and you'll understand later."

The princess said "Oh," and also felt that it was unlikely that Xu Qi'an had done it. She was a smart and rational woman, not one of those ignorant girls in the capital who blindly worshipped Xu Yinluo.

Although the Prince of Zhenbei is arrogant and ruthless, his cultivation level is unparalleled, far surpassing that of Xu Qi'an in the present day.

She held a scallion pancake and munched on it, her little hands glistening with oil, her bright eyes lingering on Xu Qi'an's head. "How come your hair has grown back?"

I already have hair.

You don't.

"I have."

"You"

The princess was tapped with chopsticks by Xu Qi'an, and wisely corrected herself, "You do."

Thanks to the power of the divine intervention, Xu Qi'an's hair finally grew back. If a third-rank martial artist can regenerate severed limbs, how much more so can he regenerate hair?

This was something that made Xu Qi'an very gratified. What made him even more gratified was that he had always protected his bald head very well, wearing a mink hat so that no one knew about the growth of his hair.

I'll still wear the fur hat when I'm out. After a while, I can take it off. I'll still be that long-haired young man. Xu Qi'an thought happily.

After finishing his breakfast, he sat in front of his dressing table. In the mirror was Xu Qi'an, who had returned to his original appearance: sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a straight nose, thin lips, and a strong facial contour, exuding a handsome and masculine beauty.

He is a completely different type of handsome man from Xu Erlang, who has red lips and white teeth, and Nangong Qianrou, who has beautiful eyebrows and eyes.

The princess sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her toes, watching him tie his hair into a bun, and asked, "What will I do now?"

Xu Qi'an, with his hair up, said in an indifferent tone, "I already said you can go wherever you want."

Sensing that Xu Qi'an didn't really want to help her, she said somewhat defiantly, "Lend me another ten taels of silver. I need to go back to the Mu family in Jiangnan. When I have the money, I'll have someone pay you back."

"Smack!"

Xu Qi'an placed a silver ingot on the table.

So decisively. The princess bit her lip, her face stern, and carefully put away the silver. Then, without a word, she packed up her few dirty undergarments, slung the small bundle over her shoulder, and announced:

I'm leaving.

"Go!" Xu Qi'an nodded.

The princess gave him a deep look, then suddenly turned around and ran out of the room.

After running out of the inn, she walked alone towards the outskirts of the city, through the bustling crowds, through the city center and long streets. The city was not large, and she soon reached the city gate.

However, looking at the wide city gate, the princess suddenly felt timid. It seemed that it was not the way to freedom. The outside world was so dangerous, and people's hearts were so complicated.

When she was thirteen, her Lineage sent her to the palace in exchange for a high-ranking official position and a generous salary.

She lived in the inner palace for many years, and then Emperor Yuanjing gave her to the Prince of Zhenbei, where she lived for twenty years.

She longed for freedom, for unrestrained existence, but when freedom was within her grasp, she suddenly realized that she simply could not survive outside.

She was like a canary in a cage; over twenty years of pampered living had robbed her of the ability to fly free.

Although she could return to her "parents' home," it would only mean being sold by her parents again. No, more likely, she would be sent back to the palace by her clan the very next day after returning to the mansion.

She stood there blankly for a long time, and then, she was no longer blank, but the light in her eyes gradually faded.

The princess lowered her head, looking at her toes. Her shoulders were thin, and her back was frail, like a homeless little girl.

Just then, a man sighed from behind, "Auntie, I've thought about it, and I think I should take you with me."

The princess refused to turn around, still sulking.

Xu Qi'an walked up to her, squatted down, and didn't say anything.

The princess glared at his back, then a slight smile played on her lips as she opened her arms and threw herself onto his back.

Once outside the city, Xu Qi'an carried her on his back and galloped along the official road. At that moment, he began to miss his beloved little mare.

"I'm a lot of trouble," the princess whispered in his ear.

The warm breath brushed against Xu Qi'an's earlobe, causing him to frown involuntarily. The earlobe was a sensitive spot for Xu Bai Piao, a secret known only to Fuxiang.

"You do have some self-awareness," Xu Qi'an asked. "Does Emperor Yuanjing know about your appearance?"

The princess shook her head. "But he knows I have a magical Law Artifact that can change my appearance. I've sneaked away several times, so he must know that too. But he's never seen me like this."

She thought for a moment, then added, "The guards of the Prince's mansion have seen me like this before."

Xu Qi'an did not answer, but began to think.

Although the Prince of Zhenbei is dead, his wife is still highly sought after. Emperor Yuanjing will definitely not ignore her, even though the entire delegation believes that the wife has been abducted by the barbarians.

Those maids knew I eventually found them, though of course they didn't know I defeated the barbarian warriors and rescued the princess. Their survival and safe return to the capital was itself a point of suspicion.

Although it cannot serve as evidence that I rescued the princess, as long as there is any doubt, Emperor Yuanjing will definitely send people to investigate. There is no need for surveillance; he will investigate openly and honestly.

Therefore, the princess cannot return to the manor with me, but she can be kept outside.

With a population of three million, it's impossible to search every single household. Besides, there's no clue that I brought the princess back to the capital.

The best solution is to raise her outside the Xu Residence, not too far away, but not too close either.

After considering the details, Xu Qi'an nodded in satisfaction, feeling that everything was going smoothly.

Then, he inevitably felt a moment of bewilderment: Why would I go to such lengths for an older woman?

When did I fall for her poison?

Xu Qi'an did not head towards Chuzhou City; instead, he planned to meet up with Zheng Xinghuai first and take him to Chuzhou City.

Now that Chuzhou City is destroyed, he is the Provincial Governor of Chuzhou and has to clean up the mess. He should also tell him that the Prince of Zhenbei has fallen and there is no need for him to hide anymore.

During the journey, he deliberately asked Master Jinlian to block the members of the Heaven and Earth Society so that he could start a private chat with Li Miaozhen and ask her where she was.

Unsurprisingly, he was severely scolded by the Holy Maiden of the Heavenly Sect, and then informed of the death of the Prince of Zhenbei.

Xu Qi'an was "greatly surprised" and exclaimed that it was impossible. He fully demonstrated the qualities that a "shock party" should have.

This made Li Miaozhen feel slightly smug, and she was no longer so angry that he stood her up.

Then, Xu Qi'an instructed her to leave Chuzhou City under the pretext of finding "Xu Yinluo, who is on his way," and to meet him in the valley.

Around noon, Xu Qi'an finally brought the princess to the valley. After bidding farewell to Zheng Xinghuai that day, he found an inn in a nearby county town to settle the princess, as the two places were not far apart.

Inside the cave, a campfire blazed, and Li Han and Zhao Jin were roasting pheasants, rabbits, and fresh fish, among other prey.

The tall and thin Shentu Baili closed his eyes and sat cross-legged, breathing exercises.

The stout and burly Wei Youlong wiped his broadsword and said in a deep voice:

"I wonder how Xu Yinluo and Lady Feiyan are doing. Que Yongxiu and the Prince of Zhenbei are cruel and ruthless. If they discover anything amiss, we could very well face certain death. And if something happens to them, we could very well be caught in the crossfire."

Tang Youshen, a spearman with a military background, glanced sharply at the cave entrance, then looked away, holding his spear and closing his eyes to rest.

Zheng Xinghuai waved his hand, his voice soft but his tone firm. "No, even if they gain nothing, they won't be targeted by the Prince of Zhenbei and Que Yongxiu."

The beautiful young woman asked, "Why are you so certain, Lord Zheng?"

Zheng Xinghuai said, "Feiyan, the heroine, roams the martial world, always meddling in other people's business. To earn such a great reputation and emerge unscathed is no small feat. As for Xu Yinluo, solving one major case might be luck, but these individual cases are enough to demonstrate his ability."

Everyone nodded slowly.

Both the Flying Swallow Heroine and Xu Yinluo are outstanding individuals who inspire confidence and inspire peace of mind when entrusted with tasks, freeing you from constant worry and anxiety.

At this moment, Shentu Baili suddenly opened his eyes, his voice low and urgent. "Someone's coming."

Li Han and Zhao Jin instinctively dropped their prey, grabbed their weapons, and rushed out of the cave with the others.

A man and a woman arrived together.

The man was handsome and dashing, with an extraordinary air about him; he was none other than Xu Qi'an, the Silver Xu Qi'an. As for the woman, they only glanced at her before ignoring her, their steps erratic as they followed Xu Qi'an beside him.

She was of average appearance, slightly out of breath as she walked briskly, and an ordinary woman.

The Provincial Governor Zheng came forward and greeted him with a cupped hand, "Xu Yinluo."

The warriors behind him looked on in surprise. Just the night before last, Xu Yinluo had confidently declared that he was going to Chuzhou City to investigate a case, but unexpectedly, he had returned today.

This place is hundreds of miles away from Chuzhou City; this amount of time is not enough for a round trip.

Xu Qi'an didn't waste any words and went straight to the point. "I received news that the Prince of Zhenbei has perished in Chuzhou City. I've come to take you there."

a bolt from the blue!

Zheng, the provincial governor, suddenly stiffened, his eyes slowly widened, and his mouth slowly opened wide, making Xu Qi'an realize that this was the true quality of the shocking party.

The heroes exchanged silent glances, each seeing disbelief in the other's eyes.

"Yes, is there an error in the message we received?"

Provincial Governor Zheng stepped forward, his expression complex, hoping the news was true while simultaneously convinced that Xu Qi'an had received an erroneous message.

Shen Tu Baili and the others remained silent, but they also agreed that the Provincial Governor's words made sense.

"It's absolutely true, I killed the Prince of Zhenbei with my own hands." Xu Qi'an nodded with a smile, "That's right, it's true."

Thump, thump. Governor Zheng heard the frantic, rapid beating of his own heart.

"Feiyan the Heroine will be here soon; she knows what happened." Xu Qi'an shifted the blame.

The group then returned to the cave, waiting anxiously.

The princess sat obediently beside Xu Qi'an, nibbling on a chicken leg. The most beautiful woman in Great Feng was trying her best to play the role of an insignificant passerby.

On the way here, she learned about Zheng Xinghuai's identity from Xu Qi'an and realized that his family had died in the massacre of the city.

Although she had no feelings for the Prince of Zhenbei, they were still husband and wife in name only, and the princess felt guilty towards Lord Zheng.

Half an hour later, Li Miaozhen arrived at the valley, lowered her flying sword, and floated lightly into the valley.

She glanced around at the crowd that was already waiting at the cave entrance, nodded slightly, and then paused for a moment at the plain-looking princess.

"Female Knight Flying Swallow, Xu Yinluo said that the Prince of Zhenbei died in Chuzhou City?"

Zheng, the provincial governor, took a few quick steps and stared intently at her.

Li Miaozhen gave an affirmative answer, "Yes, his body is still in Chuzhou City."

He then briefly recounted the events of the battle at Chuzhou City.

After listening, Provincial Governor Zheng slowly nodded. His bloodshot eyes swept over the crowd, and he said in a low voice, "I... I wish to be alone for a moment."

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, turned around, and slowly walked back into the cave.

A few seconds later, heart-wrenching cries came from inside.

Xu Qi'an sighed, and then heard Li Miaozhen's voice transmission in his ear. "Who is she?"

"A person with a tragic fate. I happen to have a favor to ask of you. The massacre of three thousand miles has been settled, and you don't need to worry about the aftermath. Can you help me take her back to the capital? Remember not to make a scene. It's best to find an inn to rest first and wait for me to return to the capital."

Xu Qi'an replied telepathically.

Li Miaozhen did not answer, but scrutinized the princess for a moment, then pursed her lips and transmitted her voice:

"A woman of ill fate, so you want to take her back to the capital to settle her? This woman seems like she could bear many children, but when did you become so indiscriminate in your choices?"

Miaozhen, I'm not trying to belittle you, but with the bracelet off, she could confidently say, "Everyone here is trash!"

Xu Qi'an noticed that Li Miaozhen was somewhat unhappy, so he did not respond, but simply cupped his hands in greeting.

Then he turned to the princess and whispered, "She is from my concubine's family; she can be trusted. You should go back to the capital with her and follow her arrangements."

Upon hearing this, the princess frowned slightly. This was the first time she had heard that Xu Qi'an had a concubine. However, considering his status and position, and his frequent visits to the Imperial Academy of Music, wasn't it normal for him to have a concubine? As for Li Miaozhen, she knew her.

"Hmm!" She nodded indifferently.

Three days later, after traveling day and night without stopping, Governor Zheng finally returned to Chuzhou City after more than a month.

Zheng Xinghuai, with his gray hair, climbed the city wall step by step. He saw that the once prosperous Chuzhou City had been reduced to ruins, with broken walls and rubble everywhere, and the land was scarred and devastated.

Half of the north city wall collapsed, and the west city gate was also knocked down.

More than 20,000 soldiers were scattered throughout the city, each busy with their own tasks. Some were searching for food such as grain and rice. Although the city was severely damaged, the supplies hidden in the cellars were well preserved, and many supplies could also be found in the collapsed ruins.

Some soldiers were building houses to serve as temporary barracks, providing temporary accommodation for more than 20,000 soldiers.

Some soldiers are repairing the city wall.

Some soldiers were burying corpses—some were their comrades, some were civilians from the city, and some were barbarians and Demon Race.

These tasks have been proceeding smoothly for three days.

"History will surely record this event to warn future generations. At the same time, it will also record the crimes of the Prince of Zhenbei, ensuring his eternal infamy."

Imperial Censor Liu appeared beside him. The delegation had already learned from Li Miaozhen that Zheng Xinghuai had escaped death and realized that the Zheng Xinghuai they had seen in the city was an imposter.

It was most likely the work of that third-rank wizard; otherwise, it wouldn't have been possible to hide it from Yang Yan, a fourth-rank wizard.

"Will the imperial court really convict the Prince of Zhenbei?" Governor Zheng asked in a low voice.

"Victory is earned." Imperial Censor Liu said, emphasizing each word.

At this moment, Xu Qi'an, Yang Yan, Constable Chen, and others climbed onto the city wall. Xu Yinluo, the presiding official, said in a deep voice, "Next, we will return to the capital to determine the guilt of the Prince of Zhenbei and bring this case to a close."

"But before that, Governor Zheng would probably like to offer a few cups of wine to the souls of the dead in the city."

Centurion Chen Xiao, carrying a wine jug, strode forward.

Governor Zheng took the wine jug and gazed once more at the city below. Before the ceremony, he wanted to take some time to recall the first half of his life.

Zheng Xinghuai was born in Zhangzhou, which was known as one of the two major granaries of the Great Feng. However, his family was very poor when he was young. His mother made a living by washing clothes and doing embroidery for well-off families.

Young Zheng Xinghuai looked forward to the autumn harvest the most, when he could go to other people's fields to glean wheat ears.

He could gather a basket of wheat ears, enough for him and his widowed mother to eat porridge for three days. They couldn't gather too many, or they would be severely beaten.

After the autumn harvest, winter was the hardest time to endure, and his hands and feet would crack from the cold every winter. His mother, even in winter, would wash clothes for others on the frozen riverbank for a few copper coins.

The widowed mother saved up little by little for his tuition and the money to send him to the Imperial Academy.

Zheng Xinghuai entered the Imperial Academy at the age of 16 and studied diligently for ten years. In the 19th year of the Yuanjing era, he passed the imperial examination with flying colors and became a second-class Jinshi.

He rushed back to his hometown without stopping, wanting to share his joy with his mother, to bring her to settle in the capital, to bring honor to his family, and to make all those who had spoken ill of him look at him with new eyes.

But what he saw was his mother's low grave.

His widowed mother had passed away many years ago, and he had never been told. The letters were written by members of the clan because the ordinary woman, who had worked hard all her life, did not want to affect her son's studies.

Zheng Xinghuai knelt before his mother's grave for a day and a night.

Zheng Xinghuai's official career was not smooth. Because he was too rigid and unwilling to compromise his principles, he offended the Grand Secretary at the time and was demoted to Chuzhou in the north, where he became an eighth-rank county magistrate.

At first, he didn't like Chuzhou because the northern border was harsh and the people were fierce. The rigid man finally Aperture Opening and spent all his savings to pull strings with acquaintances, hoping to be transferred back to the capital.

Until one year, barbarian cavalry came to raid the fields and plundered for dozens of miles.

Afterwards, Zheng Xinghuai was sent to comfort the people and inspect the situation. He walked on the ridges of the fields, looking at the seedlings trampled by the iron cavalry; he walked on the official road, looking at the corpses that had been devoured by the barbarians and were left with only mutilated bodies; he went into the mountains and saw the people who had luckily escaped the calamity, looking at their poor and vicissitudes-filled faces.

Zheng Xinghuai thought of his mother, who had passed away many years ago.

Later, when that Grand Secretary retired, his classmates and friends worked in the court to try to bring him back to the capital.

But by then Zheng Xinghuai no longer wanted to leave Chuzhou, because he had poured all his energy and effort into this land.

He worked so hard, often staying up all night to handle government affairs, as if this could make up for what he owed his mother.

Time flies, and eighteen years have passed in the blink of an eye. He has devoted most of his life to Chuzhou, but now he is left all alone.

"Fame and fortune are but a piece of paper; they are nothing but dust in the wind." Zheng Buzheng was overcome with grief and burst into tears.

The liquor poured down, splashing up dust.

No one spoke for a long time, until Zheng Xinghuai calmed down. The Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review cleared his throat and said:

"Que Yongxiu has fled to escape punishment, and the Prince of Zhenbei has been executed, but their crimes have not yet been made public. Provincial Governor Zheng is the key witness and must return to the capital with us. However, given the current state of Chuzhou City and the state of the northern border, someone needs to stay behind to take charge."

Imperial Censor Liu frowned and analyzed, "The 380,000 people of Chuzhou City died tragically. The aftermath is simple; we only need to settle the remaining 20,000 soldiers."

"As for the other prefectures and counties, they can remain as they are and do not require special attention. The barbarians and Demon Race, having just experienced this great war, are terrified. They fear that mysterious expert and will not invade the borders again in the short term, perhaps not for many years."

Zheng Xinghuai pondered for a moment, then looked at Yang Yan: "A scholar is not fit to command troops. I am adept at handling government affairs, but I am a novice in managing an army. Yang Jinluo, you have the highest cultivation level here, and you also have experience in commanding troops. You can both manage and intimidate the soldiers."

Yang Yan nodded and said calmly, "Alright."

The boss was basically an upgraded version of Zhu Guangxiao—taciturn but hardworking and reliable. Xu Qi'an didn't say a word from beginning to end.

Because everything he wanted to say had already been said by these civil officials.

"Oh, right," he suddenly remembered something. "The body of the Prince of Zhenbei must be brought back to the capital. He is the main figure in this case; even in death, he must be brought back to the capital."

"That's natural." Governor Zheng nodded.

The body of the Prince of Zhenbei must be brought back to the capital no matter what.

Killing the Prince of Zhenbei is only the initial step in this case; defining the nature of the case is what will bring it to a perfect conclusion.

Seeing that the matter had been concluded, Yang Yan looked at Xu Qi'an and said in a deep voice, "Come with me."

Boss, your serious demeanor and arrogant tone remind me of my middle school homeroom teacher, Xu Qi'an. I still obediently went with him.

The two walked along the city wall for a while, then Yang Yan stopped, turned around, and said:

"When the Prince of Zhenbei offered sacrifices to the people of the city, I saw their souls merge into the earth, and there seemed to be a formation underground. But when I went to dig afterwards, I dug three feet into the ground, and found nothing."

Souls merging into the earth? What kind of operation is this? Wasn't the Prince of Zhenbei massacring the city to refine the Blood Pill? Xu Qi'an's first reaction upon hearing this was:

Miaozhen, I need you!

If you have any blind spots in your knowledge about the soul, just look for Li Miaozhen. If Li Miaozhen isn't very skilled, that's okay, there's always Master Jinlian, the old silver coin.

Yang Yan stared at him and asked, "Do you have any clues?"

The benefits of having a wide network of connections are very obvious. I will continue to expand the fishpond in the future. Oh, right, I haven't given the little sword carved from yellow jade to the army lady yet. Xu Qi'an thought to himself, his mind wandering, and said in a deep voice:

"Boss, wait a moment, I'm going to the restroom."

Yang Yan knew that he possessed a fragment of the Earth Book; it was Yang Yan who single-handedly killed that Purple Lotus Daoist.

Xu Qi'an descended from the city wall, found a secluded corner, took out a fragment of the Earth Book, and used his third identity to send a message: [Master Jinlian, I have something to discuss with you privately.]

Seeing this message from a member of the Heaven and Earth Society late at night left me feeling very uneasy.

Lately, I don't know what's going on, but that female Daoist priest Li Miaozhen keeps asking everyone to be blocked every few days, and now No. 3 is following suit.

A few seconds later, Master Jinlian sent a message: [What is it?]

[Three: Miaozhen, Miaozhen can participate in the discussion.]

Master Jinlian sighed and sent a message: [Miaozhen, you may send a message now.]

[Two: What do you want from me? Speak your mind, or shut up.]

What's wrong? Why are you so angry? Xu Qi'an sent a message: [You seem unhappy. What's wrong?]

Li Miaozhen: [Ha, what's wrong with you, woman? You're practically treating me like a maid. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a princess. That self-satisfied attitude of yours is infuriating.]

"Are you a great prophet like Zhong Li?" Xu Qi'an sent a message to comfort the Holy Maiden: "[Don't take it to heart; she's used to it.]"

That foolish woman, the princess, might not have done it on purpose. She'd been a princess for half her life, living a life of luxury, with maids serving her. Many of her habits couldn't be changed so easily.

Unless Li Miaozhen is like him, constantly nagging the princess.

Li Miaozhen: [Get to the point, don't disturb my meditation.]

She was clearly still angry and fuming. I decided to try to appease her. Xu Qi'an sent a message:

[I don't think you need to work so hard. With our Flying Swallow Heroine's talent, you only need to focus some of your energy on cultivation to stand out from your peers.]

True Disciple a message: [Hmph, I think you're lying to me.]

Her mood improved slightly.

Xu Qi'an: [What does Master Jinlian think?]

Master Jinlian: [I feel that you have absolutely no respect for me.]

Just as the noisy classroom welcomed its homeroom teacher, Xu Qi'an and Li Miaozhen didn't dare continue their idle chatter. The former steered the conversation back on track, passing a letter to explain the situation:

[That's right, when the Prince of Zhenbei offered sacrifices to the people of Chuzhou City, Yang Yan personally witnessed the souls of the people sinking into the earth, but afterwards, he couldn't find any clues about it.]

Li Miaozhen replied: [Are there any remnants of an array?]

Yang Yan didn't say, so that means no. Xu Qi'an replied: [No.]

Li Miaozhen remained silent.

In the silence, Daoist Jinlian transmitted a message: "[According to what Miaozhen said a few days ago, the experts involved include the leader of the Earth Sect and the Witch God Sect. Ha, they are all experts in the Primordial Spirit Realm, so the formation is dispensable.]"

[Yes, while the Daoist School and Witchcraft sects practice ghost cultivation and nurture spirits, they generally don't collect that many souls unless they're refining soul pills.]

Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure; indeed, Master Jinlian is truly experienced. Xu Qi'an sent a message: [Soul Pill? What is a Soul Pill, and what is its function?]

The Golden Lotus Daoist transmitted the message: "[It has many uses, such as strengthening the Primordial Spirit, serving as alchemy material, refining Law Treasure, repairing incomplete souls, nurturing artifact spirits, and so on. Perhaps the leader of the Earth Sect needs a Soul Pill. Furthermore, the resentment and malevolence generated by the massacre of the city—such great evils—are a great tonic for him.]"

So, the leader of the Earth Sect only cooperated with the King of Zhenbei for the sake of the Soul Pill? Xu Qi'an nodded in realization.

[Three: If that's the case, won't he continue the massacre? The leader of the Earth Sect is a second-rank official.]

Xu Qi'an asked with concern.

[Nine: Ha, he wouldn't dare, because he's only a hair's breadth away from the Heavenly Tribulation. In his current state, he simply wouldn't dare to undergo it. So you don't need to worry about him slaughtering living beings, unless he doesn't want to live anymore.]

Xu Qi'an was immediately relieved.

After finishing delivering the message, he returned to the city wall.

Yang Yan immediately looked over.

Xu Qi'an pondered for a moment and said, "I suddenly remembered that those souls should have been refined into soul pills. It's very likely that this was the reward for the cooperation between the Earth Sect's leader and the King of Zhenbei."

Is the Soul Pill the "greatest evil" mentioned by the leader of the Earth Sect? Yang Yan nodded slowly.

He was there at the time, and although he was far away, he heard it very clearly.

Next, the task is to determine the nature of the Chuzhou massacre and to hold the Prince of Zhenbei and Que Yongxiu accountable for their crimes. This will inevitably face obstacles. Yang Yan said:

"If you need anything, consult Duke Wei and listen to his advice. Don't be rash and impulsive anymore, understand?"

He paused, then said in a low voice, "If Duke Wei feels that this matter is unavoidable, you must not act rashly."

Xu Qi'an looked at him without saying a word.

Early May, early summer.

An official ship from Chuzhou sailed through the waves, slowly entering the capital's territory, and finally docked at the capital's pier.

Standing on the deck, the members of the delegation looked at the bustling and enthusiastic dock, their hearts filled with emotion.

When they traveled to Chuzhou, it was late spring; when they returned to the capital, it was already early summer.

What happened during this period would be something an ordinary person could brag about for a lifetime.

As the members of the delegation breathed a sigh of relief, their eyes blazed with conviction.

They will bring a major announcement to the capital.

The Great Feng no longer has a King of the North.

PS: This chapter is a two-part summary; one part is a make-up for yesterday's chapter. Last night's 100-alliance chapter took a little longer than expected. Although I often delay updates due to work, I've never missed a word count unless I'm on leave.

Thank you to the following alliance leaders for their generous donations, "Duration of Time", "Nine-Tailed Snow Demon", "Too Difficult to Remember", "Undying Reincarnation", "I Promise You a Lifetime", "Turbid Life", and "Huai Shu". I have added your messages of gratitude to the Hundred Alliance Chapters.