The Earth Book and the Gatekeeper (Two chapters in one)
The secret of the Earth Book fragment. Luo Yuheng's heart stirred, and he tightened his grip on the Earth Book fragment, wary of Xu Qi'an suddenly snatching it away.
She has a certain status and a defined persona; she can't be like Mu Nanzhi, who, despite her age, still acts spoiled and throws tantrums at a young boy.
Well, the above is Luo Yuheng's subjective conjecture based on his feelings of being a rival in love.
Master, I think Asuluo is joking. We won't expel you from the Heaven and Earth Society. Li Miaozhen almost burst out laughing when she saw Master Jinlian's letter.
[Seven: Is the mumbling that occurred after the fusion of the Earth Book and the Book of Destiny?]
As the owner of the fragment of the Earth Book, Li Lingsu also heard the terrifying ramblings. He was still present when Asuluo "threatened" Master Jinlian later, so he immediately understood that Master Jinlian's so-called secret was most likely this matter.
The other holders of the Earth Book fragments remained silent, their eyes fixed intently on the fragments.
At this moment, Lina, who hadn't been seen in a long time, jumped out to deliver the message:
[Master, I'm so sorry, I didn't do anything. I failed to fulfill my promise to you.]
The simple-minded young man from Southern Frontier felt extremely guilty about what had happened.
[Nine: It's alright. Things are unpredictable; they can't always go according to our plans. You weren't in the Central Plains at the time and couldn't come, so it's not your fault.]
He had barely sent that message when he saw Lina send another one:
[But Daoist Master, after you merge with the Black Lotus, won't you fall into the demonic path again?]
Lina's words struck everyone like a wake-up call.
[Four: Lina's words make a lot of sense; I completely forgot about it yesterday.]
[Seven: Ah, right, what if the Daoist priest falls into demonic ways again after merging with the Black Lotus?]
[Six: Not at all, not at all.]
Master Hengyuan spoke up for Daoist Jinlian.
[Eight: It's even possible that it has already fallen into demonic ways; what it's communicating with us now is not the Golden Lotus, but the Black Lotus.]
Asuro is a seasoned conspiracy theorist due to his own experiences.
[Second: Hearing what Number Eight said reminds me that when Master Jinlian was tempting Zhen De to cultivate Daoism, she also pretended to be a kind-hearted person.]
After reflecting deeply for three seconds on why I recruited Lina into the Heaven and Earth Society, Master Jinlian concluded that one should not always rely on luck.
Lina may be blessed with good fortune, but good fortune has nothing to do with intelligence. Blindly believing in good fortune is worse than having no good fortune at all.
[Nine: Rest assured, the Black Lotus's will has been extinguished. Even if I were to fall into the demonic path in the future, it would be a very, very long time from now. There is no such threat within the next hundred years.]
Under the quilt, Xu Qi'an gently wrapped his right arm around Luo Yuheng's waist, his hand lightly caressing her, feeling the delicate and smooth skin of her lower abdomen, and asked:
What does the Imperial Advisor think?
Luo Yuheng ignored Xu Qi'an's flirtatious remarks and said calmly:
"The birth of an evil thought is not something that happens overnight. Furthermore, the merits accumulated by the Earth Sect, through karmic repercussions, catalyzed the emergence of the Black Lotus. This is the karmic result of the Golden Lotus's centuries of good deeds and virtuous conduct."
As fellow Daoist School masters, Luo Yuheng's words were, in Xu Qi'an's view, the pronouncements of an authoritative expert.
So he focused even more intently on enjoying the Imperial Advisor's slender waist.
A woman's slender waist is a treasure that is easily overlooked. People often only admire it, but rarely take the time to appreciate or savor it.
Of course, this only applies to women with good figures; a small belly is not included.
Having finished explaining, Master Jinlian returned to the main topic:
[That's right, the Earth Book does indeed hide a secret. This story begins with the birth of the Earth Book. How much do you know about the Earth Book?]
The birth of the Earth Book? I seem to have heard Li Miaozhen mention it, but I've forgotten what it was about. Xu Qi'an buried half his face in Luo Yuheng's jade neck, kissing and licking it while glancing at the fragments of the Earth Book.
Li Miaozhen and Li Lingsu had some knowledge of the Earth Book, but they didn't engage in conversation because they didn't want to give Daoist Jinlian a chance to ramble on.
The other members were completely unaware of the origin of the Earth Book, and also did not want to give Master Jinlian a chance to ramble on.
Seeing that no one answered, Master Jinlian had no choice but to take over the conversation herself and conveyed the message:
Legend has it that during the time of the High Antiquity emperors, there was a cultivation system called "incense and divine way". The core of this cultivation system was to occupy a river or a famous mountain by force, and then build one's own temple on the occupied territory.
After establishing this base, they then recruited more believers to burn incense and make offerings. The offerings included livestock, as well as young boys and girls, depending on whether the temple's owner was human or Demon Race. The latter mostly relied on coercing the people.
When the number of believers reaches a certain level, they will gradually condense a Law Treasure called a "divine seal." The divine seal is divided into two types: the "mountain god seal" and the "water god seal." The mountain god or water god who holds the divine seal is invincible in their domain.
[How about that? Doesn't it sound familiar?]
"It's similar to the Warlock System, isn't this just a weaker version of Warlock?" Xu Qi'an wanted to reply, but his "phone" was being hogging by his aunt's girlfriend, so he couldn't send a message.
In addition, he remembered that when they talked about the fragments of the Earth Book, Li Miaozhen said that the Earth Book of the Earth Sect seemed to have been obtained by the Daoist from a group of legendary mountain and water gods. Hmm, it must have been Li Miaozhen who said that.
[Part 1: Warlock System?!]
Huaiqing, always quick-witted, immediately gave the answer.
[Four: The method is similar to that of Warlock, but not as Warlock. The Supervisor can mobilize the fortune of the entire Central Plains.]
Chu Yuanzhen analyzed for a moment and then sent a message.
The sect's ancient books didn't go into that much detail. Li Miaozhen and Li Lingsu recalled the records about the Earth Sect's Earth Book, only knowing that it originated from ancient mountain and water gods, but the ancient books didn't record it in such detail.
In addition, it is worth mentioning that Li Lingsu and Li Miaozhen were very knowledgeable. They had read all the ancient books of the Heavenly Sect and memorized them.
This doesn't mean that Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Liang are particularly good at studying; rather, it's a hard requirement for being a holy son or daughter of the Heavenly Sect.
If you can't even remember a few hundred books, what kind of saintly son or daughter are you? What? You say you don't want to be one? Fine, then let's clean house today.
This is roughly the educational method used by the Heavenly Sect.
Moreover, when the masters clean house, they don't even blink an eye, after all, they are detached from worldly affairs.
[Nine: That's right, very similar to the first-rank Celestial Master in the Warlock System.]
[5: So why did this system disappear?]
[Nine: The disappearance of incense and deity worship is partly due to the development of the times. Successive emperors regarded these deities and demons as objects that had to be suppressed and eliminated, which greatly limited the inheritance and development of incense and deity worship.]
[Furthermore, before establishing the Earth Sect, Daoist Master wiped out all these divine figures.]
The Daoist Master extinguished the incense and divine ways. Although the members of the Heaven and Earth Society had some suspicions, they could not hide their astonishment when the Golden Lotus Daoist pointed it out.
The Daoist Master, this most mysterious of all, has been doing some truly astonishing things behind the scenes.
[Eight: Fragments of the Earth Book, and their connection to these divine seals?]
Asuro offered his speculation.
[Nine: That's right. The Daoist Master destroyed the incense-burning deities back then in order to seize the divine seals from the mountain and water gods. Later, he refined all the collected divine seals into a Law Treasure called the "Earth Book".]
This is the origin of the Earth Book! No wonder the Earth Book can collect dragon veins, no wonder it can restrain earth veins. The members of the Heaven and Earth Society suddenly realized.
[1: What does this have to do with the spirit of the artifact?]
[Nine: Daoist Master used himself as one of the materials in order to refine the Earth Book.]
Like a thunderclap, it exploded in the ears of the members of the Heaven and Earth Society, making their hair stand on end and goosebumps crawl all over their bodies.
Sure enough, the shorter the content, the bigger the matter. Xu Qi'an swallowed and muttered:
"Could the spirit of the fragment of the Earth Book be..."
He felt Luo Yuheng in his arms tense up, as if she too was shocked by the news.
[Nine: That's right, the spirit of the Earth Book is the Dao Venerable's Primordial Spirit. On the day the Earth Book was forged, something terrible happened. The ancient texts of the Earth Sect record: The Earth Book became a demon, devouring living beings and swallowing all things. Our sect's disciples were almost all killed or wounded. The Earth Book was shattered into nine pieces to seal the demonic spirit!]
No one spoke for a long time.
Luo Yuheng and Xu Qi'an were deeply moved by the shocking news and remained unable to calm down for a long time.
Luo Yuheng remained silent for a moment, then said:
Give me your hand.
Xu Qi'an was taken aback, then understood and took his hand out from under the covers from his aunt's abdomen.
Luo Yuheng grasped Xu Qi'an's fingers and wrote quickly:
[Part Three: What was the purpose of Daoist Venerable refining the Earth Book? When he transformed into the Three Pure Ones with One Qi and established the "Heaven, Earth, and Man" sects, he should have already achieved great success in his cultivation and advanced to the Super Grade. What else could be worth such a fuss for him to try?]
Xu Ningyan was as articulate as ever. The members of the Heaven and Earth Society had a million questions in their minds, but they didn't know where to begin.
Seeing that Xu Ningyan clearly and intuitively pointed out the core reason for the incident, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, praising Xu Ningyan in their hearts while waiting for Jinlian's reply.
"Grand Preceptor, you're still not smart enough. I've already guessed the Daoist Master's purpose. "Xu Qi'an sighed softly. "Little E is still the smartest. Little E is the Grand Preceptor's peak intelligence."
[Nine: No one in the Earth Sect knows the Daoist's purpose, and I didn't know either until I learned the secret of the Gatekeeper from Ningyan. Only then did I understand that the only thing that could make Super-Rank cultivators flock to it is the Gatekeeper. Of course, what the Gatekeeper represents, we still don't know.]
His words persuaded the members of the Heaven and Earth Society.
[Four: There is another question. Why did the Dao Venerable transform into a demon after becoming a weapon spirit?] Chu Yuanzhen asked, puzzled.
[Secondly: I do know the answer to this. The Daoist Venerable's incarnation cultivated the power of merit. After he refined the Earth Book, for some reason, he may have suffered divine retribution and become as perverse and evil as the Golden Lotus Daoist.]
Clear logic!
There's no need to keep mentioning Black Lotus. At least give me some face! You juniors have no respect for your elders. Golden Lotus Daoist sent a message:
[This is also the speculation of the successive leaders of the Earth Sect. The only remaining question is, what is the connection between the refinement of the Earth Book and the Gatekeeper? This question involves the Gatekeeper, and is destined to remain unanswered.]
The Daoist Master destroyed the Incense and Divine Path, and refined the Earth Book. The way the Incense and Divine Path refined fortune was almost identical to that of the Warlock. Xu Qi'an felt as if he had been hit hard on the head with a stick.
Speechless!
In an instant, he understood many things, and all the clues that had puzzled him in the past suddenly connected.
[Part Two: Xu Ningyan, have you made any progress?]
Li Miaozhen has a mysterious confidence in Xu Qi'an. When faced with a brain-teasing reasoning problem, she immediately thinks of Xu Yinluo, the legendary reasoning expert of Da Great Feng!
Luo Yuheng saw the words reflected in the mirror, turned her head, and glanced back at Xu Qi'an behind her.
Xu Qi'an snapped out of his reverie, gazed into her bright, beautiful eyes, and smiled:
"Imperial Advisor, if I can figure it out, could we do it again?"
After saying that, he pressed his lower abdomen against it.
Luo Yuheng frowned, stepped back towards the bedside, and stubbornly ignored him.
Xu Qi'an had just experienced that soft and bouncy touch when it was gone in an instant, leaving him disappointed.
[Seven: Foolish junior sister, what are you thinking? Xu Qi'an isn't a Fate Master, he's a detective. This is the first time he's learned that the spirit of the Earth Book fragment is the Dao Venerable. Where did he get this clue?]
Li Lingsu jumped out to refute their claims.
He now loathes Xu Qi'an. Not only did he lose face in Jianzhou, but his disciple also made him lose face again in front of a group of important figures last night.
[Part 4: Miaozhen has indeed Ningyan in a difficult position.]
[Eight: This matter is as secret as the Buddha's teachings; there will be no progress in the short term, but it may surface later. Didn't the God of Gu say that the era is about to end?]
Asura had already learned from the Crouching Dragon and Young Phoenix of the Heavenly Sect that the conversation between the Gu God and the White Emperor was something he learned at the same time as the joke about "the loving Asura King family".
Luo Yuheng looked at the fragments of the Earth Book, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, as if she were somewhat displeased.
"I have indeed deduced some things, but some of them are quite alarming," Xu Qi'an sighed.
Luo Yuheng grabbed his hand, pressed it onto the fragment of the Earth Book, and said calmly:
"Explain!"
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Qi'an used his finger as a pen to write:
[I did just make some preliminary speculations.]
You actually have an idea?
The members of the Heaven and Earth Society were invigorated. Even the Golden Lotus Daoist hadn't expected such an answer. She sent a message:
Tell me about it.
[Three: No, no, the Holy Son is right. I don't know much either. I'm not a destiny master; I'm just a detective. If my deduction is wrong, it might mislead you.]
[Second: He's never one to say anything nice. Just ignore him.]
[One: What the Holy Son said just now was not inappropriate; it aligns with his understanding.] Huaiqing said sarcastically.
Li Lingsu looked dejected.
Xu Qi'an delivered the letter:
I'll only say three things; the rest you can figure out for yourselves.
[One: The Daoist Master's Spirit Transformation seal was related to the gatekeeper. I can be certain of this, and the reason is the second matter.]
[2: The characteristics of incense-burning deities are very similar to those of Warlock, and the contemporary supervisor is suspected to be a gatekeeper.]
[Part 3: Can we now glean some insights into the secrets behind the rise of the first Imperial Censor?]
The fact that the Daoist Master had wiped out the Incense and Divine Path, which involved plotting against the Gatekeepers, suggests a connection between them. The Supervisor is essentially a Gatekeeper, and the relationship between the Warlock System and the Incense and Divine Path is like a past life and present existence. This explains why the Daoist Master wanted to destroy the Incense and Divine Path. While the creation of the Earth Book is just speculation, I believe the truth is mostly as Xu Ningyan deduced. I've learned another big secret... Li Lingsu clicked her tongue in admiration, feeling incredibly satisfied to be following this scoundrel Xu Qi'an and gain access to his secrets.
Later I can brag to Brother Yang about it; his envious and jealous yet stubborn expression is really funny. Hmm, wouldn't that seem too disloyal?
The ultimate expert's scheme against the gatekeeper, the connection between the incense-burning deities and Warlock, and the illogical rise of the first supervisor—amazing! Everything is on the surface. This is the charm of solving cases, and this is why I'm so obsessed with it. Li Miaozhen felt an electric current run through her body, bringing a shivering sensation, and she experienced an immediate orgasm.
The Flying Swallow Heroine sought advice from Xu Qi'an on solving cases quite often.
Did the first supervisor receive the inheritance of the incense and divine way, and through analogy, create the Warlock System? This seems to be the only explanation. My doubts have finally been resolved. Chu Yuanzhen clicked his tongue in amazement.
He had questioned this before. The first supervisor was different from the founders of other systems. All the top-level experts did not create their systems from scratch, but first cultivated to a certain level, and then used their superior abilities to reverse-engineer the system.
This can be seen from the fact that there are more or less overlapping areas and Law Technique between the various systems.
The first Warlock was unique in that, although Warlock originated from wizards, the initial creation of the Warlock System started from the lower ranks.
This is absurd, because low-level cultivators simply don't have the ability to create a system. No matter how strong their talent is, it's useless. Perspective comes from experience, not talent.
Just like a naive young man with a high IQ can be easily manipulated by a manipulative woman, while an average-IQ seasoned player has top-notch discernment skills.
But what if the first generation had a lineage? He received the inheritance of the incense and deity tradition, and with his amazing talent, he used the incense and deity tradition as a foundation to try and explore, and forge a new path.
This is entirely possible.
Moreover, the Central Plains were in chaos at that time, with heroes vying for power, which provided fertile ground for the flourishing of incense and religious practices.
So that's how it is. Interesting. Since leaving seclusion, the secrets I've obtained from within the Heaven and Earth Society are more than I've accumulated over the past thousand years. Asuluo suddenly tasted the sweetness of success.
He had only spent half a month with a group of young humans, yet he had learned so much, such profound secrets.
What are they saying? They sound very knowledgeable, but I don't quite understand. Lina scratched her head, looking worried, but afraid of being ridiculed by the members of the Heaven and Earth Society, she refrained from asking.
After all, she had been pretending to be just as smart as Xu Qi'an and the others, and so far, she had kept up the act so well that no one had noticed.
Master Hengyuan was somewhat surprised, but after the initial surprise, he didn't take it seriously and simply sighed with satisfaction:
As expected of Lord Xu!
Luo Yuheng slightly widened her eyes, staring blankly at the fragments of the Earth Book.
With her intelligence, she could easily decipher the truth behind the information Xu Qi'an provided.
The truth behind brain-induced orgasms.
If she hadn't been preoccupied with cultivating by this lecherous man, even someone of her stature would likely have struggled to learn of such a secret during today's conversation recorded in the Book of Earth.
Most of the members of the Heaven and Earth Society were of mediocre character, but the social circles they came into contact with were ridiculously high.
As her thoughts wandered, she felt a burning hot hand slip between her legs.
Luo Yuheng flew into a rage. "Get out!"
The ancestral sword whizzed through the bed curtains and accurately pierced three inches below Xu Qi'an's abdomen. With a "rip," the quilt tore, and a "clink" sound came from inside.
Clang, clang, clang. Luo Yuheng was really going all out this time, relentlessly thrusting with his divine sword.
"Come on, let's fencing!" Xu Qi'an was Qi Ingestion; his second-grade physique was definitely stronger than the peerless divine weapon.
But he knew that the intimate gestures just now made Luo Yuheng feel like he had been played.
He quickly said nice things to coax her, begged for forgiveness, and admitted his mistake.
This fish is susceptible to this.
"Grand Preceptor, we're not finished yet. Can you settle the score with me later?"
Luo Yuheng snorted coldly, letting the divine sword fall to the ground. He lay down on his pillow and continued reading the message from the Heaven and Earth Society.
[Seven: Hey, Master Jinlian, you already knew the Warlock System was related to the High Antiquity, vanished religion of incense and gods? Fine, we've been completely honest with you, and you've kept it all from us, not treating us like family at all. I, Li Lingsu, hereby suggest that Master Jinlian be kicked out of the Heaven and Earth Society.]
[Second: Seconded.]
[IV: Seconded.]
The trio of social misfits are seeking revenge.
Master Jinlian remained completely calm and sent a message:
[Firstly, your ranks are too low; knowing these things is meaningless to you. Secondly, before the Supervisor was sealed away, who would dare to leak the secrets of the Warlock System? That old man always had a kind and benevolent appearance, but he was actually the most ruthless.]
Since the supervisor is gone, he doesn't need to be too careful about what he says.
"Daoist Master, you've been careless. The Supervisor is merely sealed away; he's not truly dead." Xu Qi'an's heart stirred, and he felt there was no need to remind Daoist Master Jinlian.
[1: What are your plans for the future?]
Huaiqing sent a letter to inquire about the matter.
[Secondly: I plan to take my troops to Yongzhou to fight.]
The others shared Li Miaozhen's thoughts: after many days of training, it was time for them to go to the battlefield.
[Part 1: Although we achieved a great victory at Xunzhou, this is only temporary. Once the White Emperor returns, the Great Feng will face another major crisis. Do you all have any countermeasures?]
The group of people writing on the ground suddenly fell silent.
The gap in hard power is difficult to bridge with strategy.
Xu Qi'an was at a loss, and his heart felt heavy.
[One: No problem. Since the White Emperor hasn't returned, there's still time. If you have any plans, just write them down in the Book of Earth, and we'll discuss them together.]
This internal meeting of the Heaven and Earth Society has come to a temporary close.
After carefully putting away the fragments of the Earth Book, Luo Yuheng sensed something was wrong. He tightened his buttocks and was about to get up and put on his clothes when he suddenly heard Xu Qi'an sigh:
"Actually, there's something else I didn't say earlier."
Luo Yuheng turned his head to the side and lay there without moving.
"Now I finally understand why the Buddha and the sorcerer fought for the Central Plains. And I finally understand why they could still achieve immortality by Qi Refinement."
Luo Yuheng's heart stirred:
"You mean, they also used the methods of incense and religious rites?"
Xu Qi'an nodded:
"Only in this way can Qi Refinement's destiny without being bound by lifespan. Only now do I understand that among all the people, things, and systems related to destiny, Confucian School is the most unique."
"The Confucian School method of Qi Refinement is probably completely different from that of incense and deities. This also explains why Confucian School has a short lifespan, yet is terrifyingly powerful."
Luo Yuheng nodded almost imperceptibly, agreeing with his statement.
"Forget it, those places are still too far away for me."
Xu Qi'an suddenly became unserious again, letting out a "hehe" sound:
"Grand Preceptor, the Great Feng depends on you. Let's continue to quell the flames of karma."
Luo Yuheng's eyebrows stood on end:
"You've already forgotten what you just said yesterday?"
Xu Qi'an wasn't buying it:
"But as I just said, if I can answer their questions, you will cultivate with me again."
Luo Yuheng sneered, "Did I agree?"
"You didn't refuse," Xu Qi'an argued, sounding aggrieved.
Isn't that the default setting?
"Besides, we haven't even gotten out of bed yet, so it doesn't count as the second time. I promise, just this once, once we're out of bed, I won't bother you anymore."
As he spoke, he reached out and moved Luo Yuheng's shoulders, trying to help her lie down.
The aunt quickly turned to the side to prevent him from succeeding, and turned her back to him.
She immediately realized that this position was even more dangerous, and hurriedly turned around, widening her beautiful eyes and glaring at him angrily.
Xu Qi'an gently inhaled the delicate fragrance emanating from her hair, his arms tightly encircling her smooth, delicate waist:
Just this once, really just this once.
Luo Yuheng slowly exhaled, seemingly somewhat helpless, turned his head to the side, and said coldly:
Just this once.
Xu Qi'an pressed down on her, his arms bracing against her waist.
There were still servants in the house, though not many, but they were there to take care of the master's food, clothing, shelter and transportation.
In his youth, Yang Gong was a dashing scholar surrounded by beautiful young maids, and he arranged for Xu Yinluo to be served by only the most beautiful young women.
It was originally intended for Xu Yinluo to warm his bed.
Upon learning that they were being sent to serve Xu Yinluo, the beautiful maids were incredibly excited. If Xu Yinluo took a liking to them and brought them into his household, it would be like a chicken turning into a phoenix, and they would rise to prominence from then on.
Who would have thought that on the very day Xu Yinluo checked in, he brought back a stunningly beautiful woman, clearly not an ordinary mortal.
Sure enough, the sun was already high in the sky, and it was almost lunchtime, yet Xu Yinluo was still firmly held in bed.
She's such a captivating enchantress, she looks like a celestial being, yet she has not a trace of seductive charm.
The maids pretended to be working in the courtyard, listening to the creaking of the bed inside the room, which was under immense pressure. They thought to themselves, "They really know how to endure it. From morning until almost lunchtime, they didn't make a sound."
The same morning.
In the Xu Residence in the capital, Auntie, accompanied by Lü'e and several maids, put on the everyday clothes of a first-rank imperial lady.
Since Huaiqing ascended the throne, she was granted the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady. Xu Qi'an had no parents and was raised by his uncle and aunt, so this benefit naturally fell to his aunt.
What does it mean to be a first-rank imperial consort?
A woman could only be granted the title of Lady of the First Rank if her husband or son was a high-ranking official of the first rank.
A first-rank official is equivalent to one of the Three Dukes. The first-rank wives of the current emperor are all old, either with white hair or already deceased. Moreover, they are all wives and have no mothers.
Anyone who manages to climb to the highest rank is practically already in their grave; if they themselves are already halfway to the coffin, their parents must have long since passed away.
My aunt was probably the only genius in the dynasty to become a first-rank imperial consort while holding the title of "mother," and she was also the youngest.
In the cultivation world, fellow practitioners would gasp in astonishment and exclaim:
This woman is terrifying!
But my aunt didn't actually do anything. She just grew flowers and fed fish at home, and suddenly she became inexplicably invincible and unparalleled in the world.
Even Second Uncle Xu, upon hearing that his aunt had been granted the title of Lady of the Imperial Decree, couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
Fools sometimes have good luck!
Of course, what they said was:
The lady is truly blessed with great fortune.
The everyday attire of a first-rank imperial lady was extremely luxurious, with strict rules governing everything from the number of headdresses to the silk ribbons and patterns.
For example, the Qing Dynasty gilded and jade-embroidered phoenix crown that my aunt is wearing now is so ornate and heavy that she has to twist her neck every few steps.
"Lingyue, are you ready?"
The aunt, dressed in gorgeous clothes and accompanied by her maids, pushed open Xu Lingyue's door.
My aunt was already an extremely beautiful woman, and when she put on luxurious everyday clothes, her beauty gained an added air of nobility.
Seeing her eldest daughter dressed in casual clothes, sitting at the table flipping through a book, the aunt immediately became furious:
"Did you even listen to what I told you? Why aren't you changing your clothes? We're about to enter the palace."
Xu Lingyue said calmly:
"Wearing this outfit, Mother can no longer refer to herself as 'Old Mother,' as such vulgar language is inappropriate."
The aunt was taken aback by her daughter's retort and didn't know how to respond for a moment, so she could only say:
"Lü'e, quickly help Miss change her clothes. She'll be going to the palace soon to see the Empress and discuss your elder brother's marriage to Princess Lin'an."
Xu Qi'an and Lin'an are already engaged, arranged by their parents and a matchmaker.
The wedding was scheduled for two weeks after the Spring Festival, and now it's also two weeks away from the Spring Festival.
In other words, Xu Qi'an and Princess Lin'an's wedding is scheduled for one month from now.
The aunt, who is the "mother," is now going to the palace to discuss the details and etiquette of the wedding with the Empress.
This is a necessary formality among elders.
Xu Lingyue put down her book and said expressionlessly:
"I have a headache today, so I won't go. Didn't I tell Mother this at breakfast?"
The aunt was taken aback again, and asked in confusion:
"I just forgot."
Xu Lingyue said:
"It's alright, I don't blame Mother."
The aunt was speechless, thinking to herself, "What's wrong with this girl today? My eldest daughter, who is usually so weak and easily bullied, is being so sharp-tongued."
It's truly rare to find someone who can leave even their mother speechless.
Xu Lingyue seemed to be in a bad mood, and her tone was cold:
"Isn't Sister Simu going with Mother?"
She scrutinized her mother, said "Oh," and then added:
"Mother was nervous and stage-frightened. She wanted to drag her daughter along to support her. But her daughter, a weak and helpless woman, had never seen anything like that before, and she simply refused to go."
"You think I'd get stage fright? Nonsense!"
The aunt put her hands on her hips, feeling that her daughter was belittling her, even though she had indeed chickened out.
Xu Lingyue, considering the deep bond between mother and daughter, despite her own bad mood, still offered her a suggestion:
"Mother doesn't need to say anything, just smile. If you can't answer a question, just look at Sister Simu. She'll help you."
It was clear that Aunt Simu had taken it to heart; she spat out:
"You little brat, stop coming up with bad ideas. Fine, fine, if you don't want to go, then don't go. Your mother will go herself."
He immediately took his maid and went to the inner hall, ordering a carriage to be prepared while waiting for Wang Simu.
Before long, Wang Simu, dressed in bright clothes and maintaining a dignified demeanor, arrived at the Xu Residence. Entering the inner hall, she obediently said:
"Auntie, it's time. Let's go to the palace."
The aunt stood tall and proud, her snow-white chin slightly raised, and said with demureness:
"Um!"
Wang Simu felt immense pressure. She glanced at her future mother-in-law, whose beautiful face exuded an air of authority despite her lack of anger, and took a deep breath.
Xunzhou.
Xu Qi'an and the Imperial Preceptor's dual cultivation was interrupted prematurely. Sun Xuanji, accompanied by Protector Yuan, paid a visit to discuss the construction of a teleportation array.
"Senior Brother Sun, you've gone too far!" Xu Qi'an cursed inwardly. He had originally intended to have the maid tell Senior Brother Sun to wait a few hours.
But Luo Yuheng didn't give him a chance. She kicked the insatiable bastard away, quickly put on her undergarment and trousers, and then slipped on her skirt and feathered robe.
He also used a minor Law Technique to mask his scent.
Xu Qi'an and Luo Yuheng received Sun Xuanji and Protector Yuan in the inner hall, where maids served them hot tea.
"A teleportation platform needs to be built at the Cloud Deer Academy, the Imperial Bureau of Astronomy, Lingbao Temple, and the Imperial Palace."
Xu Qi'an already had a plan in mind, and said:
"Among them, give me the teleportation jade talisman for the Bureau of Astronomy and the Imperial Palace, give the jade talisman for the Cloud Deer Academy to the Dean, and give the jade talisman for the Lingbao Temple to the Imperial Preceptor."
Luo Yuheng, who was being transported to the palace, gave him a cold, sidelong glance.
"As for Yongzhou, firstly, my residence needs a teleportation array so I can quickly return here from the capital. Secondly, all the major cities along the Yongzhou defense line need teleportation arrays to ensure the Grand Preceptor and the Dean can provide support anytime, anywhere."
Sun Xuanji nodded and glanced at Protector Yuan.
Protector Yuan unfolded a map and said:
"Yang Gong has already marked the location on the map and chosen the spot to set up the teleportation array."
This is much more detailed than what Xu Qi'an said.
"Indeed, with these teleportation arrays, our mobility will be so great that the Yunzhou army will be in despair. If only teleportation magic could transport armies. "Xu Qi'an nodded in satisfaction.
Protector Yuan was focused on reading Sun Xuanji's thoughts and didn't notice him.
Teleportation jade talismans are one-time use items that need to be continuously crafted. They are not expensive to produce, but they are not cheap either, so it is impossible for hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of soldiers to possess them at the same time.
I can't afford to spend money on this!
While Warlock can also teleport people, Sun Xuanji, with his third-rank status, can only carry a few dozen at a time, making it difficult to handle the teleportation costs of thousands or tens of thousands of people.
"I also want a teleportation jade talisman from the Imperial Palace," Luo Yuheng said calmly.
Sun Xuanji immediately looked at Xu Qi'an, who promptly said:
"Of course, we must grant the Imperial Advisor's request."
Sun Xuanji nodded, offering no objection.
Pretty maids carried bed sheets and blankets out of the east room, across the courtyard, and into a quiet courtyard to wash them.
They unfolded the bed sheet and hung it on the bamboo pole, only to find it was soaking wet, as if it had been submerged in water, with watermarks covering half of it.
"Oh!"
The beautiful maid who had unfolded the bedsheets sneered:
"I thought she was some aloof and noble fairy, but look at these sheets."
"You can't judge a book by its cover. What normal woman has such extraordinary talent? No wonder she kept Xu Yinluo in bed."
The maids gathered around the bedsheets, marveling and watching, making lewd remarks.
Inner hall.
Luo Yuheng's face suddenly flushed red, and she glared fiercely at Xu Qi'an Xu Qi'an, looking as if she wanted to fight him to the death.
His aloof and dignified demeanor instantly crumbled.
With their cultivation level, they could sense nothing that might happen in the house.
Every time you cultivate with me, half the sheets are wet. You're still not used to it? You're always so prim and proper. Xu Qi'an muttered to himself, a look of shame on his face. He was about to apologize and say something nice through telepathy.
Protector Yuan's eyes lit up, his azure gaze scrutinizing Xu Qi'an as he said in a deep voice:
Xu Yinluo's heart told me: Every time you cultivate with me, half the sheet is wet. You're not used to it yet? Always pretending to be virtuous.
Xu Qi'an stiffened his neck, shifting his gaze from Luo Yuheng's face to Yuan Hufa little by little.
A few seconds later.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, the roof of the inner hall was blown off, and broken wood and tiles were thrown in all directions.
A dark golden figure rose into the air and fled towards the sky.
The woman in fluttering feathers pursued closely behind, and said coldly:
"Sword, come!"
From the east room, a sword light shot into the sky, landing in Luo Yuheng's hand, and disappeared into the azure sky with her.
Inside the hall, Protector Yuan's uncontrollable mind-reading ended. He turned around and looked at the broken tiles and wood scattered on the ground, realizing with shock that he had caused a great disaster.
His face was deathly pale. Looking at Sun Xuanji, he said in a trembling voice:
"Senior Brother Sun, I didn't mean to, I... I couldn't control myself."
Sun Xuanji shook his head and gently patted his shoulder.
Protector Yuan read his mind:
"Fine."
Just as Protector Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, he heard the second half of the sentence:
"You had no choice in this life, so in your next life, be a good monkey."
P. S.: The foreshadowing of the incense and deity system was actually planted a long, long time ago; I guess you've all forgotten about it. Also, this chapter is 9000 words long, which is too much, hence the late update. I'll correct the typos later.
Also, take a look at the "Author's Note," which is below. For some of Abalone readers, this is a slap in the face (laughs).
PS: To clarify, I stated a long time ago that after a second-grade Warlock refines the fortune of a province, they will receive a huge boost in their home field (go back and check if this is true).
So why do I say that a second-grade Qi Refinement is practically invincible on their home turf? Have you ever thought about why I wrote it this way?
A second-rank Warlock who wants to advance to the first rank needs to refine territory, until the entire Central Plains is refined. Now think about it, what is the real core of refining territory? Is it just the four words "refining territory"?
No, it's the power to control all living beings in an entire state; this is the ability of a second-grade "Qi Refinement".
In my system, each rank has a unique ability. The core ability of a first-rank Destiny Master is to see into the future, while a second-rank Qi Refinement is to control the power of all living beings.
Now you understand my meticulousness, right? Is the logic clear?
Also, I never said that the goalkeeper's ability was the power of all living beings. Don't use subjective speculation to accuse me of writing poorly. You can say that Master Bao is trash, but you can't say that my logic is flawed.
This book has such strong foreshadowing, with millions of words of subtle clues and interconnected plots, a long and winding story. I rarely boast about myself, okay? How could I possibly mess up such a small plot point? You underestimate me! It's a book with 110,000 average daily subscriptions, after all.