I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 229 Ambition to Rising Dragon Terrace

Su Ning was still dressed as a man, looking handsome and noble. Xue Xiang bowed and said, "It's been a long time."

Su Ning was somewhat moved, staring at Xue Xiang in a daze, and cupped his hands, saying, "It's been a year since we last met. Brother Xue seems to have undergone a complete transformation. You are still as handsome as ever, but your demeanor is ten times more impressive than before."

Although I am in the Great Zhou Dynasty, I have seen the commotion you've caused in the "Cloud News".

To be honest, my friend, even the last two months' issues of "Yun Jian News" have become hot commodities in our Great Zhou.

"Paper is expensive for a short time indeed."

“I remember Brother Su is not fond of joking.”

Xue Xiang stared at Su Ning with a smile.

Su Ning's ears turned red as she pointed to a bench and said, "I was going to give you a grand welcome, but things at home are busy right now and I haven't gotten anything ready, so I'm sorry for the delay."

Xue Xiang shrugged. "Red leaves along the long street, old friends reunited—there's nothing better than this."

As they spoke, the wind blew, and the stone steps, piled high with layers of maple leaves, suddenly transformed into a swirling dance of crimson.

Xue Xiang and Su Ning sat down side by side on the bench.

Su Ning said, "Brother Xue has traveled all over the world, accumulating reputation and fame. Could it be that you are preparing for the special examination?"

Xue Xiang gently stroked the fallen leaves on his lap. "That's right. Brother Su, are you also interested in being specially recommended?"

Su Ning said, "This is a major matter. Our country and South Korea have a territorial dispute. Both countries intend to use this special examination to resolve it."

"By the way, Brother Xue, have you reached the Core Formation stage yet?"

Xue Xiang shook his head.

Su Ning said, "As far as I know, the criteria for the special examination agreed upon by all parties, in addition to those under thirty years old, have been updated to require candidates to be at least at the Core Formation stage."

I'm afraid Brother Xue's hard work this time will be in vain.

Xue Xiang was not surprised.

It turns out that he had maintained contact with Huang Zunyi, Wei Fan, Han Feng, Zhao Huanhuan and others throughout his travels.

Huang Zunyi, in particular, held a very high position and had access to information from the core circle.

Xue Xiang received his letter half a month ago and learned that the admission standard for special appointment was set at the Core Formation stage.

"And that is why I came to find Brother Su."

Xue Xiang spoke the truth.

Suning was stunned.

She had always thought that Xue Xiangxun had come here so that she could hold a few high-profile literary gatherings and allow him to gain more attention in such settings.

Even if Suning has something going on at home right now, it's not difficult for him to handle this.

But to her surprise, Xue Xiang bluntly stated that this was not what she sought.

Su Ning listened intently, and then heard Xue Xiang say, "I have come here to borrow Brother Su's Ascending Dragon Platform."

Suning was stunned.

He was surprised that Xue Xiang had guessed his identity, and also surprised by Xue Xiang's request.

Ascending Dragon Terrace is a treasure trove within the royal forbidden garden of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is not only a land of the Five Spirits, but also a place where the Five Blessings are complete.

It is a top-quality training ground suitable for those aiming to break through to the Core Formation stage.

It turned out that as soon as Xue Xiang received the notice that the special examination would raise the standards, he immediately rushed to the Chaotic Sea Demon Realm and to his fiefdom, the Crimson Moon Territory of the Demon Clan.

Xiong Jinzun had mixed feelings about his return.

Logically speaking, among the demon race, he was the only one who knew Xue Xiang's background, and knew that Xue Xiang was not even a demon, let alone his brother.

From a personal perspective, deep down, he had already regarded Xue Xiang, especially Xue Xiang in his demon form, as his true elder brother.

After Youxiong Jinzun was granted the title of Marquis of Chiyue, he became an absolute big shot within a radius of five thousand li in Chiyue Territory, and the benefits he received were immeasurable.

Xue Xiang's purpose in entering the Chaotic Sea Demon Realm was to obtain demon cores in order to prepare for his breakthrough to the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment.

Without hesitation, Xiong Jinzun granted Xue Xiang's request.

Xue Xiang did not stay in the demon realm for long before returning.

But before he was to return, Xiong Jinzun also told him that both the Demon Court and the Holy Mountain had urged him to report to the two places within one or two years.

Unfortunately, he accepted the title of Marquis of Crimson Moon himself, but he hadn't yet visited the Demon Court or the Holy Mountain to pay homage, which was indeed unreasonable.

Seeing that Xiong Jinzun was in a difficult position, Xue Xiang immediately agreed.

After returning from the demon race, he went straight to the Great Zhou Dynasty and came to this place.

Su Ning said, "I knew I couldn't hide it from Brother Xue. Although I am a member of the royal family, I cannot use the Ascension Dragon Platform."

I'm afraid I can't help you with your busy schedule, Brother Xue.

Xue Xiang's eyes flickered slightly. "May I ask, Brother Su, what qualifications, or rather, what price, are required to use the Ascending Dragon Platform?"

Su Ning was slightly taken aback, her brows furrowing slightly.

The Rising Dragon Terrace was the site of royal sacrifices, where successive crown princes ascended the throne and ancestral ceremonies were held.

Of course, the Rising Dragon Platform has also been opened as a training ground for Core Formation cultivators.

Those who might use the Thang Long Terrace are either members of the royal family, sons of appointed ministers, or people with outstanding achievements.

Xue Xiang may be talented, but he is a foreigner after all, so he can't possibly use the Rising Dragon Platform.

Su Ning didn't want to hide it from Xue Xiang, so she simply told the truth.

Xue Xiang was speechless.

According to what Su Ning said, unless he joins the Great Zhou and becomes a high-ranking official appointed by the Great Zhou, there is absolutely no way he can use the Ascending Dragon Platform.

Xue Xiang secretly groaned.

It wasn't that he chose this dead end, nor that other places couldn't be used as a training ground for Core Formation.

Rather, it was because he cultivated an unparalleled foundation in Taoism.

This unparalleled foundation of Tao is perfectly harmonious with the Five Elements and without any imbalance in Qi.

If such a foundational Daoist path is to form a elixir, it requires the initiation of the "Five Elements Thunder Tribulation," with the Heavenly Dao as witness.

If it were not a place where the five blessings converge and the five spirits are complete, the power of heaven and earth would be difficult to gather, and the Five Elements Thunder Tribulation could not be formed.

Blindly attempting to form a core can easily lead to a backlash from the lightning, resulting in either death or complete ruin.

In this world, it is easy to find a place that possesses all five elements, but to find a place that also combines all five blessings is one in ten thousand.

At least, Xue Xiang searched through countless ancient books and only found the Shenglongtai, a secret place of the Great Zhou royal family.

“Mount Emei, at its Golden Summit, possesses a blessed land of five spirits, suitable as a training ground for alchemy. I am quite familiar with the sect leader of Emei, and can represent Brother Xue…”

Su Ning had not forgotten the kindness of Xiang Yinghui in returning Zhongwu's remains and sharing some of his bones with him, nor did he want him to be too disappointed.

She was unaware that Xue Xiang had formed an unparalleled Dao foundation, and thought that offering a second-best option would satisfy Xue Xiang.

Xue Xiang waved his hand, about to speak, when suddenly his brows furrowed, and the next moment, a dark light flowed in his pupils, and his Xuan Ye Pupil quietly activated.

He slowly turned his head and looked towards the side of the street.

A faint light seemed to shimmer on the surface of the water beneath the flower bed, almost imperceptible. He focused his gaze again, and the light transformed into a point of pupil light, hidden beneath the water.

It's an eye.

Those eyes were peering secretly through the crack in the stone.

Deeper still, a stone bead lies quietly in the mud, its ethereal energy flowing like a wisp of silk.

"Audio-Visual Bead!"

Following Xue Xiang's gaze, Su Ning also noticed something amiss and gave a soft shout.

With a whoosh, the audio-visual bead and the underground eye disappeared together.

"Those petty thieves and scoundrels need not be bothered with."

Xue Xiang didn't think it was anything important.

"Brother Xue, please wait a moment, I'll be right back."

Su Ning didn't answer, but instead sped away.

Xue Xiang knew that Su Ning must have gone to chase after the thief, and he didn't understand why Su Ning was so nervous.

Even if the thief used a video recorder to capture the scene, he wouldn't be able to record anything of importance.

Seeing how concerned Su Ning was, Xue Xiang decided to lend her a hand.

Then he waved his hand, and the character "风" (wind) transformed into a hurricane, engulfing him and hurtling away.

In an instant, they caught up with Suning.

At this moment, Su Ning had lost track of the thief and was hovering in the air, looking around.

Xue Xiang's brow twitched slightly, and his Xuan Ye eyes opened again.

"In the southeast, they use earth-walking techniques. Follow me."

Xue Xiang raised his finger and made a sweeping motion, and a hurricane rose again, engulfing the two people in it, and they rushed forward at breakneck speed.

Su Ning was taken aback. She also had the cultivation of the third level of the Word Realm, but she was sure that when she wrote words casually, the meaning of the words could not be transformed into form as lightly and naturally as Xue Xiang.

"This is the capital region, so you must not use your magic power recklessly. Take this."

Suning tossed a gold medal over his shoulder.

The gold medal is shimmering with gold patterns, with the inscription "By Imperial Decree, I Inspect the Capital" on the front and "Imperial Guardian of the Capital Region" on the back.

Then she took out a straw hat and covered her face with it.

Sure enough, not long after, someone came chasing after them.

"The area ahead is a strategically important region; no magic is permitted!" Three flying riders emerged from the high eaves, their silver armor gleaming, their long halberds reflecting the cold light of the setting sun.

Xue Xiang raised his hand and took the gold medal, shaking it slightly.

Golden light shone on her face.

The rider's gaze sharpened, and he immediately spurred his horse backward, bowing and clasping his hands in apology.

Xue Xiang's gaze remained calm as he flicked his sleeve.

The wind picked up again, swirling the red leaves that filled the streets, and the two figures had already sped away into the depths of the southern part of the city.

After chasing for more than ten miles, the man disappeared without a trace.

Su Ning looked up and around, biting her lip and whispering, "His earth-movement technique is too advanced; he's burrowed underground."

"It doesn't matter."

Xue Xiang landed, his fingertips forming a hand seal, and light patterns flashed in his palm.

In an instant, the magic runes transformed into a round of blue light, swirling around his feet.

The earth's energy surged and rippled, and an invisible current gathered beneath their feet.

"escape."

As soon as he finished speaking, he disappeared into the ground like water sinking into sand, leaving only a few red leaves swirling in the wind.

Suning was stunned.

She had learned array formations and talisman techniques since childhood, but had never seen such a method before.

What Xue Xiang used was definitely not the Earth-walking technique, but a supernatural power like magic runes, a technique that had clearly been lost long ago.

On the left side, the ground bulged slightly, its surface swirling like lightning.

She was astonished; Xue Xiang's earth-walking technique, executed using magical runes, was far superior to that of the thief.

At that moment, Suning followed the commotion underground.

Underground, Xue Xiang was surrounded by magical runes, and the hard soil transformed into a flexible layer. Xue Xiang sped underground like the earth's energy, with only the low rumble of the rolling earth in his ears.

Before long, he had closed the distance between himself and the thief.

With only a hundred feet or so to go, it would only take ten breaths to catch up.

Suddenly, ripples spread out ahead, and the soil trembled.

Xue Xiang's vision suddenly darkened, and he saw spiritual light intertwining to form a semi-circular wall of light.

The light barrier remained still, yet it emitted dense runes from within, with spiritual energy swirling around it as if it were rooted in the ground.

Xue Xiang recognized that this was a protective formation, usually used to protect homes and houses, defending not only the heavens but also the earth.

He was secretly pleased, but the man had nowhere to escape.

Suddenly, the light barrier opened, and the person slipped inside before the light barrier closed again.

Xue Xiang was a step too slow.

At that moment, he broke through the ground and soared into the air.

Then the world was bathed in light again, and as dusk settled, a magnificent manor came into view.

The manor features red walls and golden tiles, carved dragons at the gates, and bells hanging from the eaves.

His gaze shifted, and he noticed that even the earth's energy beneath the protective wall was sealed by the array, the spiritual energy so dense that even an ant couldn't get in.

"It must be the residence of an important person."

Xue Xiang's mind raced. "Su Ning is no ordinary person. Anyone who dares to scheme against Su Ning is obviously no ordinary person either."

Regardless of whether they are big shots or small fry, once they enter Chang'an, they are bound to cause some trouble.

Otherwise, with just a few poems, how long will it take to even get close to the Rising Dragon Terrace?

Once he made up his mind, he raised his hand, brushed aside his sleeve, and waved his fingers in the air, causing three magical runes to emerge.

Xue Xiang flicked his finger rapidly, and the magical runes rippled like a sharp knife, piercing into the protective array. In an instant, the protective array was torn open.

Xue Xiang slipped inside.

He had just slipped inside when Su Ning caught up with him.

She glanced at the plaque above the door and saw it read "Plum Garden".

Su Ning's gaze immediately darkened, and she murmured, "They can't wait any longer, they're not even bothering to hide it anymore."

The next moment, her gaze was fixed on the gap in the protective array, and she was shocked again. This was the villa of the Prince Duan's son. How could the protective array here be broken with a wave of her hand?

The Lord of Mingde Dongxuan is truly remarkable. In such a short time, he has trained Brother Xue to be so powerful.

Never mind, I can usually tolerate you, Ning Yi, but Brother Xue came here to help me, so I can't let Brother Xue take the blame for me.

Having made up his mind, Su Ning also slipped through the gap in the protective formation and entered.

As soon as Su Ning stepped into the garden, he heard a commotion. From the artificial hill in the southwest corner, he could vaguely hear shouts and a few exclamations.

She darted away, turning through the winding corridor, and saw a wide open flower field with pavilions overlooking the water, the lake reflecting the candlelight.

A dozen or so people, dressed in brocade robes and carrying swords, formed a circle. They were all Prince Duan's heir, Ning Yi, and his cronies. In the center of the circle, Xue Xiang stood proudly.

He held an audio-visual bead in his right hand and carried a person in his left.

The man was no more than three feet tall, with withered hands and feet, prominent brow bones, skin like dry soil, tattered clothes, and mud stains that had not yet dried. A strong earthy smell wafted through the air.

Ning Yi and the others all had flushed faces and uneven breathing, clearly having suffered a great loss in their fight with Xue Xiang.

"Well, have you no shame? How dare you meet a man in broad daylight?"

Ning Yi glared at Su Ning.

Even though she hadn't taken off her hat, he recognized her at a glance. "You really bring honor to the royal family!"

After saying that, he angrily scolded Xue Xiang, "Where did this bumpkin come from, daring to trespass on my property and injure my people?"

"What I have done today, I will report to the Emperor and have you reduced to ashes."

"shut up!"

Su Ning threw off her straw hat and walked towards Ning Yi, her gaze as cold as frost. "Ning Yi, how dare you blatantly violate the imperial law?"

Ning Yi stiffened his neck and glared at her, saying, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"According to imperial law, what should you address me as?"

Suning stared intently at Ning Yi.

Ning Yi snorted coldly repeatedly, refusing to respond.

"It seems that Grandfather was right."

Su Ning spoke slowly, his sleeves fluttering slightly, yet exuding an imposing aura, "Some members of the imperial family are too arrogant and extravagant; it's time to teach them a lesson."

Upon hearing this, Ning Yi's expression changed, his throat bobbed slightly, and he bowed respectfully, saying, "Ning Yi greets Second Sister."

Su Ning remained unmoved, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "Gentlemen, this is not a private meeting. What should you call me?"

Ning Yi's face alternated between pale and flushed, but he finally gritted his teeth, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply, saying, "Prince Duan pays his respects to Princess Jiabao."

The dozen or so young men from noble families were all greatly surprised and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Princess Jiabao."

Xue Xiang was also taken aback, thinking to himself, "What a powerful background."

Although he had guessed that Su Ning was a member of the Great Zhou royal family, he did not expect her identity to be so illustrious.

Princess Jiabao's name is well-known throughout the Great Xia Dynasty.

This woman is the second daughter of the current Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is rumored that her birthday is the same as that of Emperor Tian Shun of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

At the moment of his birth, countless rays of light appeared on the horizon, attracting Emperor Tianshun to personally visit the Crown Prince's residence.

She was bestowed the title of Princess Jiabao immediately upon her birth, and the name Jiabao has various interpretations.

But all the explanations point in one direction: this woman was extremely favored by Emperor Tianshun and the Crown Prince.

Besides knowing about Princess Jiabao's life, Xue Xiang also had some knowledge of the internal structure of the Great Zhou royal family.

Emperor Shun has been on the throne for over fifty years, and his health is deteriorating.

The Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty served as Crown Prince for forty years, yet he was not favored by Emperor Tianshun.

On the contrary, Prince Duan and Prince Zhao were favored by Emperor Tianshun, one controlling the troops in the capital region and the other controlling the inner guard forces.

Xue Xiang observed Ning Yi, the heir apparent of Prince Duan, towards Su Ning, and the rumors were probably true; a cloud of suspicion surrounding the struggle for the throne was hanging over Chang'an.

Ning Yi raised his hand and pointed at the dwarf in Xue Xiang's hand, raising an eyebrow. "Put him down."

Su Ning stepped forward, blocking Xue Xiang's path, her gaze fixed on Ning Yi. "This thief has been stalking and spying on me, and now he's fled to you. Ning Yi, don't you think you owe this princess an explanation?"

Ning Yi retorted, "There was no peeping. I don't know this person. He wandered in by mistake. Princess Jiabao, please don't make unfounded accusations."

As he spoke, he pointed at Xue Xiang and asked, "What is your relationship with this madman?"
"Sitting together openly in the street in front of everyone, have you no manners at all?"

He deeply resented Xue Xiang for stealing the Audio-Visual Pearl. Otherwise, the footage of Su Ning and Xue Xiang's secret rendezvous on the long street recorded in the pearl would have been enough to enrage Emperor Tianshun and cause the Crown Prince's faction to lose face.

Su Ning sneered, "Didn't you say you didn't know this peeping tom? What, where did you get this information from?"

"I."

Ning Yi grunted, deciding not to argue further.

Su Ning said coldly, "Don't talk nonsense without evidence. My grandfather dislikes members of the imperial family making baseless accusations the most."

"you."

Ning Yi was always eloquent, but he always lost out to Su Ning.

(End of this chapter)