Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 102 The Seven Stars Chasing the Moon: The Hu Monk Huifan (6.5k)

The mountain wind suddenly stopped, and fallen leaves hung in the air.

Cui Jingzhou's fishing rod paused slightly, the silver hook casting a half-shadow in the sunlight.

Mo Huaiyuan turned his iron flute horizontally, and a chilling aura emanated from the edge of the flute hole.

The moment twelve dark figures emerged from the forest, blood spurted from the throats of four soldiers!
"hiss--"

The first chain of black iron tore through the air, its three-edged steel cone at the end aimed straight for Cen Lingyuan's brow.

Cui Jingzhou's straw sandals crushed the bluestone, and his old body suddenly emitted a dragon-like roar that cut through the air. The fishing rod arrived before he could act, and the moment the silver hook wrapped around the iron chain, the old man flicked his wrist, and the entire seven-foot iron chain instantly became taut.

"Crack!"

The cracking sound of the chain dislocating the man's right shoulder joint was clearly audible.

The masked assassin used the pulling force to spin in mid-air, his left leg sweeping towards the old man's temple like a guillotine, when suddenly a row of poisoned short blades popped out from his trouser leg.

Mo Huaiyuan tapped his iron flute lightly, and three bone-piercing nails shot out from the flute holes. The assassin opposite him twisted his wrist three times in a strange manner, and the iron chain coiled into an impenetrable chain shield like a living snake.

"Ding Ding Ding!"

With three sharp cracks, the trajectory of the flying nails shattered three bowl-sized craters in the bluestone steps.

As Cen Lingyuan staggered backward, his pupils suddenly contracted—twelve iron chains wove a deadly net in the morning light!

Four foot-locking chains wrapped around the soldiers' ankles and twisted, accompanied by a tooth-grinding sound of bones breaking, and the four elite soldiers collapsed like mud; three sealing chains coiled like venomous pythons in the air, each strike precisely interrupting Cui Jingzhou's rhythm of power; the steel cones of the five main attack chains gleamed with a ghostly blue, specifically targeting Mo Huaiyuan's major acupoints.

"laugh!"

A burst of blood mist erupted from Cui Jingzhou's shoulder.

A chain that seemed to be heading towards Cen Lingyuan suddenly changed course, with a steel spike at the end tearing open three inches of flesh on the old man's right shoulder. Ice crystals instantly formed on the wound—it was actually the Frost True Qi that was spontaneously protecting his body.

Mo Huaiyuan spun his iron flute sharply, shaking off the chain spikes aimed at his heart, but another iron chain wrapped around his left leg. With a creaking sound, his plain white trousers were soaked in blood, revealing his bare white bones.

The twelve masked men's teamwork was unparalleled!

Two people feigning an attack must mean one of them is truly stabbing; three chains feinting must mean four chains are about to kill. Just as Cui Jingzhou's fishing line wrapped around one man's neck, a chain spike pierced his back, aiming for his vital point. The old man had to withdraw his attack and defend, allowing the man with the wrapped neck to escape. The chain lashed out at his waist, sweeping a three-foot ditch into the stone steps!

"boom!"

Mo Huaiyuan took a blow from the chain whip head-on, while the iron flute pierced the ribs of the chain-wielding man.

Amidst the chilling sound of bones cracking, the assassin grinned, letting the flute pierce through his body. His hands gripped the iron flute like iron clamps, and the iron chains on either side immediately twisted around the scholar's neck, the steel flute already twisted and deformed.

"Old Cui! Old Mo!"

Cen Lingyuan was shocked. Just as the two were about to be separated from their bodies, two invisible blades of energy suddenly pierced through the air, one on the left and one on the right, like rainbows and lightning, and instantly struck the iron chains on the two bodies!
The chain-wielder's hand snapped open, halting his perfect offensive.

Cui Jingzhou's silver hook slashed across, and three fingers wearing black iron finger guards fell with half a chain attached; Mo Huaiyuan roared, and the iron flute that had been restrained suddenly split open, and a two-foot-three-inch thin sword broke out of the flute, the blade trembling and emitting a hum like a dragon's roar.

Lu Chenyuan descended from the sky, his right hand pointing like a sword in front of his chest, and all the metal weapons within ten feet suddenly trembled!
The six assassins, who had abandoned their chains and drawn their swords, were shocked to find that their narrow blades had involuntarily deflected three inches. Cui Jingzhou seized the opportunity to sweep his fishing rod horizontally, the silver hook slicing across their necks, and blood spurted more than ten feet high.

Mo Huaiyuan's hidden sword drew a perfect arc. As the two masked heads flew up, the hot blood spurting from their necks condensed into eerie ice pillars in the air. The last three assassins exchanged glances and suddenly pounced on Cen Lingyuan at the same time.

Cui Jingzhou pressed his palm to the ground, and the frosty aura radiated in all directions.

Two of them were about to leap up when their feet were frozen by ice crystals.

Qi Refining a Thousand Edges!
Lu Chenyuan held his sword to his chest, drawing the chilling energy of heaven and earth into his meridians, condensing it at his fingertips. He then swung the sword, the force of the energy like a rainbow!

The two heads flew off instantly, blood gushing out, but the third man's knife tip was already pressed against Cen Lingyuan's throat.

"Don't... don't kill me!"

Cen Lingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed, his face was deathly pale, the blade had already pierced his skin, his legs were weak, and the hem of his brocade robe was already soaked with sweat. He stammered, "My father is..."

The masked man's hand was as steady as a rock, the blade remained motionless, and a hint of mockery flashed in his exposed eyes. A hoarse voice came from behind the mask: "Young Master Cen, please give me a ride."

Cui Jingzhou's fishing rod dipped to the ground, and drops of blood dripped from the silver hook.

Mo Huaiyuan held the iron flute horizontally, but hesitated to make a move.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the same concern in each other's eyes—the young master's life was too precious to gamble with.

"Give Way."

The assassin dragged Cen Lingyuan backward, the blade still pressed against his throat, "Otherwise..."

"How else?"

Lu Chenyuan chuckled lightly. The assassin suddenly felt a lightness in his hand. Looking down, he saw that the narrow steel blade had softened and twisted like dough, the blade curling up strangely, and the edge wrapping around his wrist like a living thing.

"this!"

The masked man hurriedly let go, but the twisted blade suddenly straightened and then twisted tightly in an instant. His wrist bones made a teeth-grinding cracking sound, and his five fingers spread open uncontrollably.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Cen Lingyuan stumbled and fell to the ground, crawling backward on all fours.

A cold glint flashed in Mo Huaiyuan's eyes. With a slight flick of his wrist, the slender sword shot out, its blade piercing the assassin's throat with pinpoint accuracy. The sword, still powerful, embedded the corpse in an ancient pine tree three zhang away, its hilt trembling and emitting a clear, resonant hum.

The mountain wind, carrying the stench of blood, swirled among the crowd.

Twelve corpses lay scattered on the broken bluestone steps in various contorted poses.

Cen Lingyuan slumped in the pool of blood, staring blankly at his trembling hands.

Cui Jingzhou breathed a sigh of relief, clutching the wound between his ribs, his cloudy old eyes scrutinizing Lu Chenyuan: "You are...?"

"Just passing by."

Lu Chenyuan casually brushed the fallen leaves off his shoulder, his gaze falling on the Cen family's wooden badges on the guards, which were stained with blood. "Your family's badges are not commonly seen."

The surname Cen is already rare in the capital, and those who can afford to hire attendants from all four border regions are even rarer.

Mo Huaiyuan clasped his hands in a fist salute with difficulty, blood still seeping from the wound on his abdomen: "I cannot express my gratitude for your great kindness. I wonder what kind of person you are..."

"No need."

Lu Chenyuan walked towards the bamboo magpie on his own. He had been in such a hurry that he had cut off the bindings and landed first, while the bamboo magpie was still flying freely. He had to retrieve it quickly. He waved his hand and said, "You should just go back to the manor and stay there. These people are not simple."

Cen Changqian had a decent reputation, and ordinary martial arts figures had no reason to provoke the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Even if the sole purpose was robbery, targeting the Cen family wasn't a good choice. There were plenty of wealthy but incompetent officials in the court who would claim to be "acting on behalf of Heaven" even after being arrested. Attacking the Cen family's young master at this moment likely had another motive, especially…

Lu Chenyuan glanced at Cen Lingyuan; this guy was still a spineless playboy.

"Another tiger father and a dog son..."

Lu Chenyuan suddenly realized that there seemed to be a lot of people like this.

Throughout history, there have been very few fathers and sons who were equally outstanding, such as the three Caos and the three Sus. The fathers were brilliant and dazzling, while the sons were mostly mediocre, and some were even good-for-nothing second-generation rich kids who just lived off their fathers.

After rescuing the person, he didn't think much of it and walked down the mountain for about two hundred steps, where he found his bamboo magpie in a tree.

"grown ups!"

"elder brother!"

Wang Yizhi and the goddess rushed down from the mountaintop and were relieved to see him safe and sound.

Wang Yizhi glanced back and said, "Was that... the young master of the Cen family? It looked like Cen Lingyuan. Did someone attack him? Are you alright, sir?"

Lu Chenyuan carefully examined Zhu Que, then shook his head and said, "I'm fine. Cen Lingyuan..."

He had read many books and collected a lot of information, and was very clear about the relationships between people in the court. However, unfortunately, there were no pictures in the materials, so he couldn't recognize the people. In this respect, he was not as knowledgeable as Wang Yizhi. When he heard that it was Cen Lingyuan, he was not surprised: "The Cen family has five sons, and they don't seem to be very good. However, there is a nephew who is quite good."

Wang Yizhi thought for a moment and said, "Are you referring to Cen Xi, sir? He is currently a Doctor of the Imperial Academy, and his reputation is indeed quite good."

Lu Chenyuan said no more. After checking that Zhu Que was alright, he nodded and said, "We saw bloodshed as soon as we stepped out. It seems today is not a good day to go out. Let's go. Zhu Que has finished her test. Let's go back and stay put. Alas, what a pity for those two Hu women..."

"..."

Wang Yizhi was both amused and exasperated.

He always felt that Lu Chenyuan seemed to have a peculiar obsession with women from the Western Regions: "I will invite you to watch the Hu Xuan dance another day. Shen Du is not only home to the Yixiang Garden with such beauties. After the Changyin Pavilion gradually declined, another one, the Anle Pavilion, grew up. It is not located in the red-light district, so the place is relatively quiet. I heard that the owner of the pavilion is from the Western Regions, and there are quite a few beautiful Hu women there as well."

"Ok, deal."

Lu Chenyuan stroked his chin and muttered, "Just watch the dance, that jealous person shouldn't cause any trouble."

Wang Yizhi: "..."

Oh no, that slip of the tongue has backfired and things are in trouble.

If the princess knew it was him who invited her...

Wang Yizhi nervously swallowed, then felt a cold gaze beside him. Turning his head, he saw the Empress obediently holding Lu Chenyuan's arm, her face beautiful and her expression serene, seemingly without any abnormality.

The three of them leisurely rode back to the city.

At the entrance to the mountain path, Cui Jingzhou and Mo Huaiyuan escorted Cen Lingyuan as they hurried down Yuquan Mountain.

Cen Lingyuan's face was deathly pale, blood still wet on his brocade robe, and his legs were still weak. Cui Jingzhou's shoulder wound was hastily bandaged, and his silver fishing rod was stained with blood. Mo Huaiyuan's iron flute was covered with cracks, and blood was seeping from the sword wound on his abdomen.

The three walked hurriedly, wanting only to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

however--

"despair."

With a soft sound, a figure in black robes stood quietly at the bend in the mountain path.

The man was thin, his face hidden in the shadow of his hood, but his eyes were cold as a deep pool, unfathomable.

Cui Jingzhou paused, silently gripping the fishing rod horizontally. Mo Huaiyuan slightly raised his iron flute, his fingertips already pressing on the hidden spring mechanism.

Cen Lingyuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he subconsciously took a half step back.

The man in black robes slowly raised his head, revealing a face as pale as paper. A slight smile played on his lips, and his voice was hoarse, like the scraping of rust.
"Young Master Cen, the master requests your presence."

Before he finished speaking——

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Seven dark figures suddenly sprang up from the forest, behind the rocks, and even underground!
"The Seven Stars Chasing the Moon!"

Cui Jingzhou's pupils contracted sharply, and he swept his fishing rod horizontally, the silver hook flashing like lightning, aiming straight for the leader's throat!

However, it only lasted for a moment.

"Break!"

"Soul Breaker" wielded a nine-section steel whip like a venomous python, the barb at the end of the whip snapping into the fishing rod with a "click," and then yanked it sharply! Cui Jingzhou swayed slightly, and before he could regain his balance, "Pulse Interception"'s double axes arrived at his side, the blades flashing coldly, aiming straight for the tendons in his wrists!

"cut!"

Cui Jingzhou hastily retreated half a step, but then heard the "Bone-Shattering" iron mace crashing down from behind with the force of a collapsing mountain!
"broken!"

The fishing rod blocked the attack, the silver hook flew out, Cui Jingzhou's tiger's mouth exploded, and his brains splattered!

On the other side, Mo Huaiyuan had just started playing his iron flute, and before the sound was even uttered, the "piercing heart" armor-piercing spike had already reached his back!
"Put on!"

The cone tip pierced three inches into his flesh, and Mo Huaiyuan let out a muffled groan. He swung his sword backhand towards "Piercing the Heart" neck, but "Throat Lock" chain spear wrapped around his wrist, the barbed tip of the spear plunging into his wrist vein with a "thud!" "Lock!"

Mo Huaiyuan's wrist went numb, and the iron flute slipped from his hand!

The "armor-piercing" spiked club swept across, its steel spikes tearing through the air as it aimed straight for his knee!
"Crack!"

The sound of bones cracking was deafening. Mo Huaiyuan knelt on one knee, blood gushing out!

"Death" moved like a ghost, his twin daggers flashing as they plunged into Mo Huaiyuan's throat!
puff!

The two died instantly, their eyes wide open, lying on the ground, their bodies twitching, blood pooling in their veins.

“Cui…”

Cen Lingyuan felt stiff and cold all over, and even her gasp was stuck in her throat.

The man in black robes slowly stepped forward, his pale fingers gently lifting Cen Lingyuan's chin. He chuckled softly, "There's no reason why we shouldn't be able to catch you even if we personally go out to capture you. Take him away!"

Six dark figures gathered like a flock of crows, steel whips wrapped around their necks and iron chains binding their feet. Cen Lingyuan was dragged like livestock to the end of the mountain path and disappeared.

The leader of the Seven Stars, Duanhun, remained behind, looking at the man in black robes: "Lord Shaoqing, that person just now..."

“Lu Chenyuan…”

The man in the black robe removed his hood, exposing himself to the sunlight.

He looked to be about thirty-five years old, thin, pale, and with slightly effeminate features. He was none other than Han Chang, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review.

After Zhou Xing took over the Dali Temple, he selected seven people from among Jianghu death row inmates, border soldiers who had fled, and Turkic generals who had surrendered. He taught them the combined attack technique created by Yang Su, which was specifically designed to complement his "Nine Heavens Embracing the Moon Technique".

These seven people practiced the "Seven Stars Mystic Arts," each wielding unique weapons. They cooperated seamlessly, forming a Seven Stars Killing Formation that was exquisite and unparalleled. The seven of them attacked in the order of "sever, cut, shatter, pierce, break, lock, and sever," with each move linked to the next, leaving no room for the other to breathe.

They are known as the "Seven Stars Chasing the Moon".

They were also Zhou Xing's most powerful and notorious assassin team, having killed countless people for him in the past.

The once-famous general Hei Chi Changzhi was first falsely accused and poisoned by Zhou Xing, and then killed by Qi Xing. Afterwards, he claimed to have hanged himself out of fear of punishment, but in fact, he had been tortured to death, his body was broken and he was in a terrible state!

"This person cannot be moved for the time being."

Han Chang said calmly, "The former fake lover has now become a real lover, and is greatly favored by the princess. His status is comparable to Xue Huaiyi, who is by the side of Emperor Wu, and may even be better. He also has capable people protecting him. Once the news gets out, I'm afraid even you, sir, will not be able to withstand the princess's wrath."

"Xue Huaiyi?"

Duanhun sneered: "The Martial Emperor has recently taken a liking to Shen Nanqiu. His fate will be the same as Lu Chenyuan's!"

"Do not."

Han Chang said, "Don't underestimate him. Didn't you tell what kind of martial arts he was using?"

Duanhun said, "The metal-based Yin-Yang technique 'Qi Refining Thousand Edges,' and... um?"

He suddenly remembered the steel knife that had suddenly twisted and deformed, and his expression changed slightly: "This is... the 'Forging Gold Chapter'?"

"It's the complete 'Forging Gold Chapter'!"

Han Chang corrected him, "Within ten zhang, swords and blades cannot touch him! He can deform ordinary iron at will without even touching it. Even divine weapons will crumble if he catches them. This man has extraordinary comprehension and the princess's strong support, so his martial arts are progressing extremely quickly. Even if the princess abandons him one day, he will still be far superior to Xue Huaiyi. Xue Huaiyi is nothing but a fool. Apart from his skill in making a living, he is useless. This man is different. We must be careful."

Duanhun put away his contempt: "I understand."

He turned to look at the end of the mountain path: "Is this Cen Lingyuan really usable? I think he's just a piece of trash."

Han Chang laughed and said, "Useless things are more useful."

Duanhun disagreed: "He's a well-known good-for-nothing. Even if he were to frame someone, few people would believe it."

"What do people know!"

Han Chang scoffed, "As long as the Martial Emperor believes it. Let's go, all the materials are ready. Let's go back and ask Young Master Cen to give his testimony, and send his father on his way!"

……

The capital city.

Dayun Temple.

The translation institute was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and had a floor paved with blue bricks.

Hundreds of monks were bent over their desks, writing furiously. Layers of palm-leaf scriptures and Chinese translation manuscripts piled up on the long desks.

Inside the hall, a bronze incense burner held the finest agarwood, its smoke curling and swirling like a dragon among the sutra shelves.

Since July of this year, when the monk Faming of Dongwei State Temple led his followers to write the "Great Cloud Sutra," claiming that Wu Zetian was an incarnation of Maitreya and should be the ruler of the world, Dongwei State Temple underwent a major expansion and was renamed Dayun Temple, becoming the ancestral temple of Dayun Temples throughout the world. Faming and others also became famous throughout the world because of this achievement, and were granted the title of county duke, bestowed with purple kasaya and silver tortoise bag, and given the privilege of preaching on the high seat every month to consolidate the legitimacy of the Wu Zhou dynasty.

Li Lingyue should also give these people the respect they deserve.

At this moment, she was dressed in a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with a gold-embroidered phoenix-patterned half-sleeved garment. She stood in front of the scripture platform, her fingertips lightly touching the newly translated commentary on the Mahayana Sutra. Her lips were slightly pursed, and her eyes were calm.

"Princess."

Hui Fan, the abbot of the translation institute, stepped forward, his purple-gold robe brushing against the blue bricks. He held a gilded palm-leaf scripture in both hands and said respectfully, "This is the newly translated 'Chapter on the Wheel-Turning Kings.' This humble monk has personally proofread it three times and there are absolutely no errors or omissions. Please inspect it, Your Highness."

Li Lingyue raised her hand, and Chi Mei immediately took the scripture and presented it to the table.

Her slender fingers turned the palm leaves lightly, making them rustle. Her red ink annotations beside the Sanskrit text were neat and fresh.

Hui Fan lowered his head and looked meekly, his posture humble. He was originally a monk from the Western Regions, with a high nose and deep-set eyes, his amber pupils gleaming in the candlelight of the hall. He was not only proficient in Sanskrit and Chinese, but also adept at flattery. In his early years, he entered Luoyang because of his talent in translating scriptures, and later, he was even more valued for presenting the "Great Cloud Sutra".

Rumors circulated that he was not only well-versed in Buddhism but also skilled in sexual arts. He was said to have used secret medicines to seduce the emperor and had affairs with many powerful women, "consecrating" their bodies. However, no one dared to mention these rumors and provoke this holy monk of the Wu Zhou dynasty.

After all, rumors suggest he also had a close relationship with the Empress...

At this moment, Hye-beom looked at Lee Young-wol in front of him, and a hint of eagerness gradually appeared in his eyes.

Li Lingyue suddenly frowned, looking at one of the lines of text: "[At that time, the Heavenly Maiden prophesied: After my passing, a noble ruler will be born into the Li family, appearing in female form to ascend the throne, upholding the righteous Dharma, like the moon illuminating the night.]"

The celestial maiden mentioned here refers to the Pure Light Celestial Maiden, an identity also used by Empress Wu Zetian.

This statement is so clear that it doesn't need translation. It directly links Li Lingyue to the successor empress. Without a doubt, this kind of scripture should never be presented. On the contrary, it seems that the person translating the scripture is taking the opportunity to show loyalty and curry favor, and also to arouse Li Lingyue's ambition.

Li Lingyue casually tossed the scripture onto the table and said expressionlessly, "Who translated this sentence?"

Hui Fan subtly took a half-step closer and whispered, "The profound meaning of this scroll perfectly aligns with the divine mandate of the Holy Emperor. If the princess has any doubts, this humble monk can explain it to her in detail..."

The implication is that it's a private chat.

"Someone is coming."

Li Lingyue's voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it caused all the monks in the hall to pause in their writing.

Golden-armored guards filed in from outside the hall, their iron boots making a dull thud on the blue bricks.

Hui Fan's purple-gold robe fluttered without wind, and a hint of panic finally flashed in his amber eyes.

This was not what he had expected.

Does Li Lingyue have no ambition? Absolutely not! He knows what happened a few days ago. Li Lingyue was threatened and humiliated by that fake nun. In order to vent his anger, he subjected the nun to all kinds of torture after she was caught and imprisoned!
Is she really willing to try to fix things after the fact?
At such a time, shouldn't one have a private conversation with this high monk and exchange a few appropriate words hidden in the scriptures?
He hurried two steps forward: "Your Highness, please understand, this is a direct translation of the original Sanskrit meaning, and there is absolutely no overstepping of boundaries..."

Before Hui Fan could finish speaking, the sound of crashing ocean waves suddenly filled the hall.

Li Lingyue's clothes fluttered without wind, and the air within three zhang around her distorted like a deep-sea vortex.

Hui Fan suddenly felt an overwhelming suction force coming from him, and his "Indestructible Vajra Body," which he had painstakingly cultivated for thirty years, was torn apart as if it were made of paper.

"you……"

The look of horror had just appeared on Hui Fan's face when Li Lingyue struck back with her palm. Before the wind of her palm even arrived, the cold air had already solidified. Frost appeared on her fingertips, and an ice crystal-like palm print slashed out from the air, freezing the water vapor in its path and drawing a crystal-clear trajectory in the air.

Hui Fan's golden body shattered instantly, a crisp "crack" sounded from his chest, and he flew backwards for dozens of feet like a kite with a broken string, only stopping his momentum after crashing into three sutra pillars!
"puff--"

A mouthful of blood spurted out, freezing into scarlet ice shards in mid-air before it hit the ground.

Hui Fan curled up on the ground, trembling all over. Every cough brought out tiny ice crystals. He looked up in disbelief and saw that the cold air between Li Lingyue's slender fingers had not dissipated and that her phoenix eyes were filled with murderous intent.

The monks were both surprised and terrified, never expecting Li Lingyue to suddenly use such a heavy hand at the translation site.

"What a wonderful direct translation from Sanskrit."

Li Lingyue sneered: "Do you think I am not fluent in Sanskrit? Immediately escort the criminals and scriptures to the palace for the Holy Emperor's perusal!" She turned to the monks, her voice clear and melodious: "Dayun Temple is a pure Buddhist sanctuary. How can we allow such treacherous individuals to defile it? If they dare to speak ill of the imperial family again, this will be their fate!"

Everyone was silent.

The guards were ordered to escort Hui Fan away, while experts from Taiping Prefecture kept a close watch on him, and the commotion subsided.

Abbot Faming finally appeared.

The old monk, holding a nine-ringed staff, bowed deeply to the princess: "Your Highness is discerning; this old monk has failed in his duty of discipline..."

"The host arrived just in time..."

Li Lingyue looked at him coldly: "Within three days, I want to see the newly translated 'Great Cloud Sutra'—a clean and clear commentary!" She stepped out the door and stopped beside Monk Faming: "I've heard a little about the filth in this temple. If you can't control it, I can find someone else! China is vast, and there's no shortage of monks who can chant sutras!"

Faming's staff trembled almost imperceptibly.

Li Lingyue was about to walk away when suddenly she stopped slightly, her murderous intent vanished, and a beautiful smile bloomed on her face.

The monks were taken aback.

Lu Chenyuan appeared at the door with Wang Yizhi and the Empress. He was somewhat surprised when he saw the scene: "What happened?"

"Small things."

Li Lingyue strode towards Lu Chenyuan and said with a smile, "You've come at the right time. A group of polo players from the Western Regions have arrived at the Shanglin Garden polo field. They say they learned a new way to play from the Abbasid Caliphate. Let's go take a look together."

"I don't want to go, I want to see the orchids dance..."

"no!"

Li Lingyue's eyebrows shot up: "Go to Shanglin Garden!"

Lu Chenyuan said helplessly, "What's so interesting about polo?"

Li Lingyue's gaze was dangerous: "Are you going or not?!"

Lu Chenyuan surrendered: "Go away... Your Highness, shall we go on stage?"

Li Lingyue said, "I won't play, you play. I want to see you wield the cue today."

"Uh-huh?"

Just as Lu Chenyuan was about to object, Li Lingyue leaned close to his ear and whispered, "If you win, I'll dance the Hu Xuan dance for you tonight... wearing that outfit..."

"Heh, you think you can bribe me like this?"

Lu Chenyuan rolled up his sleeves and sneered, "Tell me, who are our opponents? I'll take them down!"

"Humph."

Li Lingyue covered her mouth and chuckled, rolled her eyes at him, and reached out her hand.

Lu Chenyuan casually grasped it, and the midday sun pierced through the copper bell on the eaves, imprinting the silhouettes of the two smiling at each other onto the blue brick ground, like a gilded mural.

(End of this chapter)