An Invitation to Lend a Hand

"Can someone in the Sole Self Realm' truly master this kind of divination skill?"

Zhang Xuezhou robbed several people at the Mingci gambling den.

Huo Qubing was very indulgent.

Reaching the Divine Ability Realm did indeed make Huo Qubing feel that he had completed his cultivation. He also believed that the subsequent realms would require years of honing, so he relaxed.

It wasn't until Zhang Xuezhou retrieved the hidden object several times that Huo Qubing began to have a slight hope of entering the realm of the Sole Self Realm.

"Your guessing skills are far superior to those experts at the Mingci Gambling House. I can't see through it at all. How can anyone beat you?"

Lei Bei, the old gambler, was also invited out by Zhang Xuezhou and witnessed Zhang Xuezhou's gambling skills.

He stared at the shooting device placed three zhang away, utterly baffled as to how Zhang Xuezhou had managed to send it to such a distant blind spot in an instant.

"With this ability to predict the future, wouldn't you be able to get whatever you want?" Lei Bei asked.

"Almost!"

Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

Using the ability to control speed for shooting is a waste of talent, but it must be said that it is indeed very useful.

If you can't break his control, it means you'll be completely unaware of his actions and can only watch helplessly as the projectile disappears from Zhang Xuezhou's hands in an instant.

"Why don't I have this skill of divination!"

Lei Bei cried out in pain. If he could acquire Zhang Xuezhou's ability to divine the future, Lei Bei felt he could abandon everything else.

"Brother Dongfang, may I learn from you?" Lei Bei asked. "Just a little bit is fine!"

"As long as Xiao Huo wants to learn, you can watch from the sidelines. Whether you can learn it or not depends on your ability," Zhang Xuezhou nodded.

"Little Huo, Brother Huo, Master Huo, you'd better hurry up and nod your head in begging to learn!"

Lei Bei scratching his head, clearly eager to urge Huo Qubing to quickly cultivate his skills and learn new abilities, while ruthlessly ignoring Huo Qubing's age.

"The Sole Self Realm is so difficult, I'm so young..."

"You little brat!"

I'm only thirteen!

"Thirteen... What's wrong with thirteen? If I had had someone to guide me back then, I Sole Self Realm at the age of thirteen!"

"You really think you can reach the Sole Self Realm at thirteen?"

"What a joke! The Sole Self Realm isn't anything special. Let alone the Sole Self Realm, as long as I have enough cultivation resources, I could break through to the True Self Realm at thirteen years old without any problem."

Gamblers can make all ten of their statements completely false, and Lei Bei praised.

But Lei Bei did have the ability to boast. After all, the guards of Mingci Gambling House were not to be trifled with. Huo Qubing had also seen Lei Bei in action, and he could even compare Lei Bei's swordsmanship with Wei Qing's.

If they were to fight on horseback, Wei Qing's swordsmanship would be enough to overpower Lei Bei. However, if they were to fight in terrain like a gambling den, Wei Qing's swordsmanship would be inferior to Lei Bei's.

Huo Qubing had some suspicions about Zhang Xuezhou, but he did not doubt his gambling buddy.

After Lei Bei exaggerating, Huo Qubing put aside his ulterior motives.

Do we need to hire more people?

Ren Anran asked in a low voice.

Boosting cultivation is not unusual. In reality, there is an industry that helps those Sequence Holder have reached the Seventh Sequence of cultivation. So, it is not unusual for Huo Qubing to reach the Sole Self Realm.

Looking at the people Zhang Xuezhou had gathered, Ren Anran couldn't help but wonder if Zhang Xuezhou had any more people to choose from.

"We need to Yi Shuo careful to prevent any accidents, and those two also need our help!"

Zhang Xuezhou pointed towards the Weiyang Palace and Changxin Palace. Dong Zhongshu, who was walking towards Sima Gate, couldn't help but gasp. He felt that the person Zhang Xuezhou had invited to help him was of great importance, and it would be almost impossible for an ordinary person to meet such a condition.

"Please wait here at the mansion while I go to invite them!"

Zhang Xuezhou invited everyone into his residence, then called out to Zhu Jiuyin, who was constantly observing and inquiring, before heading to the Weiyang Palace with the 'Imperial Attendant's Order' in hand.

"Marquis of Wu'an, what kind of decorum is this, dressed like this? Have you been drinking too much and turned this Weiyang Palace into a gambling den?"

"Your Majesty, I am guilty!"

"Useless and incompetent!"

Inside the Weiyang Palace, the new emperor's reprimands echoed, casting a chilling atmosphere over the entire palace.

"Marquis Tian Tian of Marquis of Wu'an disregarded etiquette and law, so his crown was removed, his marquisate was stripped, and all his privileges were stripped away. Prime Minister Xue Ze was ordered to search Marquis of Wu'an's residence for any illegally obtained items and to hold all those who stole them accountable!"

The sound came from the Weiyang Palace. Tian Tian, who was kneeling at the door, kowtowed repeatedly, while Prime Minister Xue Ze, who came upon hearing the news, had a solemn expression.

Tian Fen rose to the position of prime minister too quickly and lacked a core Lineage team, which caused many problems after his death.

Tian Tian was unable to protect Tian Fen's family fortune. The Marquis's mansion was riddled with loopholes, and some retainers took advantage of the situation to plunder, while others, envious of the situation, plotted to seize Tian Fen's wealth.

Even if the new emperor wanted to clean up the mess, Tian Tian would need to make a mistake first; otherwise, it would be difficult to order an investigation and accountability, lest he be criticized for being cold-hearted after leaving the family.

However, the new emperor's punishment was indeed very severe. Today, he could strip Tian Tian of his title for disrespecting etiquette, but tomorrow he might hold other marquises accountable for their mistakes.

The case of Tian Tian will likely chill many marquises to the bone, thus preventing them from making mistakes in court politics.

Xue Ze accepted the imperial decree and retreated step by step from the Weiyang Palace, just as Zhang Xuezhou was about to step in.

"Thank you, Lord Dongfang!"

Xue Ze helped Tian Tian, who was kneeling and kowtowing, to Tian Tian feet. When Tian Tian bowed deeply in gratitude with a livid expression, he realized something.

The court's etiquette system was indeed reformed during the time when Zhang Xuezhou served as Grand Master of the Palace, but it wasn't as strict as stripping a marquis's title. Tian Tian being stripped of his marquis title for his attire was the first such case.

Xue Ze was unsure whether Tian Tian was genuinely grateful to have gotten rid of the trouble or harbored resentment.

In short, Tian Tian got rid of trouble completely, and everything Tian Fen had accumulated over decades of Struggle was not completely gone. From now on, Tian Tian could only live as a marginalized member of the royal family, relying on the wealth left by the new emperor.

"You're not even wearing a crown, who do you think you are!"

A surprised voice, unfamiliar to Zhang Xuezhou, rang out. Xue Ze was slightly taken aback, and Tian Tian's eyes widened as she stared at Zhang Xuezhou, whose figure and voice were completely different from the one warned by the gambling den. For a moment, she wondered if she had mistaken him for someone else.

"Make way, I need to go and compose poetry with His Majesty!"

When Zhang Xuezhou kicked someone, Tian Tian, who was blocking the entrance to the Weiyang Palace, trembled and moved aside, allowing Zhang Xuezhou to swagger into the palace.

"It's like a tiger fallen into the plains being bullied by dogs. He's just a minor official supervising construction in Maoling. Who does he think he is? I'm not an official, but my friends are, and every single one of them is higher in rank than him!"

Feeling he had mistaken someone for someone else, Tian Tian spat and muttered curses under his breath, but Xue Ze quickly covered his mouth.

"Let's go, let's go!"

Xue Ze held Tian Tian tightly. His cultivation level was lower, and Tian Tian's was even lower. A simple suppression made it difficult for Tian Tian to move.

Given Tian Tian's quick thinking, Xue Ze felt it was a good thing that she didn't become a marquis; otherwise, she would inevitably be pushed forward as a scapegoat in the future.

Whether a safe retreat would be possible then is another matter entirely.

"Look, you did a good deed but got no reward; this fool even insulted you!"

Xue Ze at the door understood the situation, and the new emperor in the Weiyang Palace understood the reason with just a glance.

The new emperor made a sarcastic remark, but Zhang Xuezhou didn't take it to heart. After all, he didn't need to care about a spoiled brat like Tian Tian. He was only saying a few words because Tian Fen had been kind to him in the past, and he didn't want to get involved.

"Little Huo will scold me soon too, I don't care if he does too!"

Zhang Xuezhou bowed before replying.

Why would Xiao Huo scold you?

The new emperor originally intended to inquire about Zhang Xuezhou's itinerary in the Immortal Court, but when Zhang Xuezhou mentioned Huo Qubing, he felt that Zhang Xuezhou's journey must be going smoothly, and it was better not to ask about many things.

Compared to the past affairs of the Immortal Court, the new emperor was clearly more concerned about Huo Qubing's situation.