Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 37 Xiao Hanchuan

That's incredibly bold!
He dared to call Xue Huaiyi and Shen Nanqiu, the emperor's male favorites, dogs, even though he was a member of the Imperial Guard and did it in front of the Imperial Guard.

Xie Tingyun and Wang Yizhi were both surprised and yet seemed to find nothing surprising.

That's what they thought too...

Even male concubines have differences, and the differences are not just a little bit.

Yuan Qingshuang was in no mood to care about the two dogs. She could tell that Lu Chenyuan saw himself in Xue Huaiyi and was worried that the princess would become like the Martial Emperor, or that he himself would become like Xue Huaiyi, only concerned with jealousy, wagging his tail and begging for favor, without any dignity. Therefore, the more the princess treated him well, the more he hesitated.

Once things are out in the open, there's no problem.

Yuan Qingshuang wanted the reason, and was worried that Li Lingyue would be heartbroken because of it, but since her feelings remained unchanged, nothing else mattered.

She knew very well that these two worries were actually one worry.

Lu Chenyuan could never become Xue Huaiyi.

With his talent and looks, even if things really came down to jealousy and rivalry, no one could beat him, and he wouldn't need to fawn over anyone.

What he was truly worried about was the princess becoming a Martial Emperor—a high-ranking person could naturally be summoned and commanded at will, but Lu Chenyuan was clearly not a spineless coward like Xue Huaiyi; he would only be used as a weapon, not a plaything. If he ended up as a plaything, he would rather have been used as a weapon from the beginning.

Yuan Qingshuang understood.

That's something she can't guarantee.

Only the princess can dispel his doubts.

As things stand, it's difficult...

Yesterday, His Highness showed no reaction in front of Shangguan Daizhao, but after she left, he secretly took Lü Lüyi back to his bedchamber and listened to that music until dawn. Then, in the morning, he put Lü Lüyi back in her original spot next to the bath in Nuanxiang Pavilion, as if she hadn't been moved at all last night. I don't know if he was trying to deceive others... or if he was just deceiving himself...

Although it may be somewhat disrespectful, Lu Chenyuan's words at Yixian Tower, "Ten years of seclusion, only growing taller, not more..."

There's still a bit of truth to that.

When it comes to matters of the heart, Your Highness is as innocent and simple as an ordinary girl.

Enduring hardship can only bring cultivation, not true inner peace and tranquility.

but.

That's why Your Highness has a human touch. If you were to become someone who couldn't show your emotions, she would only feel awe and wouldn't take such good care of you.

Ugh.

Hoping that Her Highness will open up... let's think of another way.

"You're overthinking it."

Yuan Qingshuang's expression softened, and she said, "Lord Lu is full of vigor and has a sharp edge. Since you are not the kind of person who grovels for favors, why lower yourself to compare with the likes of Xue Huaiyi? Shouldn't a true man dare to love and hate? Such cowardice is not like you. Besides, only old farmers in the countryside think that the emperor uses a golden hoe to till the land, and only beggars think that the emperor uses a golden bowl to beg for food. Lord Lu has read many books, so how can you think of the princess as so insignificant?"

Lu Chenyuan looked up, somewhat surprised.

Yuan Qingshuang said, "It is true that the Holy Spirit Pill is a rare treasure, but it is only a third-grade item. Items of the upper third grade are rumored to be miraculous in the martial arts world, extremely rare and difficult to obtain, yet they are countless in Yingxian Palace and Xuanji Pavilion! Although Senior Medicine King only left behind five pills before retiring, those were only the initial batches. Medicine King Valley still supplies this pill to the imperial court every year and even researches the 'Immortal Elixir.' There are still 132 elixirs with the same efficacy in the pavilion alone. Is it worth being so suspicious about just one?"
Furthermore, the *Taiyi Flying Star Style* and *Taiyi Beacon Cloud Finger* are renowned throughout the martial arts world, hailed as the two ultimate techniques of Taoism. How can they compare to the Hidden Immortal's skill? Even disregarding the Hidden Immortal, the princess carries the legacy of the Imperial Preceptor Ye Fashan; would she care about a mere fourth-rank technique? Her habitual use of the *Taiyi Flying Star Style* is simply because it was the first martial art she learned. For Lord Lu to draw such conclusions from these two 'ordinary' gifts—isn't that…presumptuous?

Ok?
Lu Chenyuan raised an eyebrow, surprised, and carefully observed Yuan Qingshuang's expression.

Yuan Qingshuang remained expressionless.

Xie Tingyun and Wang Yizhi exchanged a glance.

Xie Tingyun gave him a look: Is this right?

Wang Yizhi glanced back: Judging from the first part, it shouldn't be too exaggerated. Medicine King Valley does send medicine every year, and fourth-grade martial arts are indeed inferior to the National Preceptor's inheritance, let alone the Hidden Immortal Techniques... But the last sentence is obviously nonsense...

Wang Yizhi's lips twitched.

Xie Tingyun also realized that, putting everything else aside, there was something wrong with that imperial edict alone!
—"Also, a residence adjacent to Princess Lu Chenyuan's mansion will be offered as a reward."

Since Empress Wu Zetian took power, no meritorious official has ever been rewarded with anything like "a residence adjacent to the princess's mansion." This is the only time such a phrase has been openly displayed and written on an imperial edict!
Logically speaking, Empress Wu would not have taken a mere male concubine seriously. Even with Xue Huaiyi, she would have concealed his identity by having him shave his head and become a monk, then summoning him to the palace under the guise of praying for blessings. If she truly cared about the princess's reputation, she would never have written it in the imperial edict, nor would the princess have agreed to it. However, not only was it written in the edict, but the princess also had no objections...

This can hardly be considered "being delusional".

If that statement is false, then the preceding statements are probably also exaggerated.

Wang Yizhi and Xie Tingyun quickly shut up.

The corridor was quiet.

Lu Chenyuan frowned slightly, thinking back carefully. Without a doubt, Li Lingyue must have fallen in love, otherwise her reaction wouldn't have been so strong when he wrote the poem "Beauty's Obsession". However, he was indeed unsure about the extent of her affection.

At a high level, it might be the stage of spending money on gifts, with a favorability level of 50-60, in the infatuation phase, but they haven't even touched hands yet, let alone kisses and hugs that are expected at this stage, so it's quite a drop in the bucket; at a low level, she's not proactive and doesn't let you touch her, so it might not even be considered the ambiguous stage of 20-30.

It’s difficult.

Lu Chenyuan had a bit of a headache. When it comes to building up favorability, going too high is definitely not good, and going too low is not good either.

If the ambiguous period isn't solidified, all previous efforts will be wasted over time.

Lu Chenyuan hates wasting time and energy!

Besides, I've always been invincible, how could I ruin my reputation by messing with Princess Taiping!
Lu Chenyuan made up his mind and decided to try again.

His expression was serious, and he solemnly clasped his hands in a salute: "Commander Ling is right to teach me a lesson. Shen Yuan's vision is limited, and he judges others by his own standards. I humbly accept his teaching. My previous words have damaged the princess's reputation, and I hope the steward will not take offense."

"The princess is not a petty person."

Yuan Qingshuang's heart, which had been in her throat, finally settled down.

In the few short breaths Lu Chenyuan was pondering, she was even more nervous than when fighting a fifth-realm ferocious beast. Only when she heard these words did she secretly breathe a sigh of relief. She kept a straight face and continued walking down, thinking about how to communicate with the princess.

The rest of the treasure hunt was easy.

Lu Chenyuan chose three sixth-grade spiritual weapons, all of which were large and full of golden energy, like the Thunder Sound Hammer. Xie Tingyun took three thousand-year-old blood ginseng, and Wang Yizhi took the zither score. With the treasures in hand, the three of them were very happy.

With the rewards distributed, it was time to get down to business.

Yuan Qingshuang instructed, "Xie Tingyun, you should return to Yuantai and take charge immediately. Thoroughly investigate matters related to the Netherworld Palace, and place spies in the area around the underground palace and the mechanical city. Be careful of Xiao Hanchuan."

Xie Tingyun clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your subordinate obeys!"

Yuan Qingshuang turned to Wang Yizhi: "Wang Bailing, go to Suiming Pavilion to assist Lord Lu in overseeing the defense. Lord Lu needs to cultivate and break through to the next realm first. You will go ahead to take over, organize all the documents and files, and clean up the furnace workshop to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Wang Yizhi nodded: "I accept the order."

Yuan Qingshuang finally looked at Lu Chenyuan: "Lord Lu, there's no need to worry. His Highness has specifically instructed that no one will disturb you these next two days. You can focus on your cultivation in the Lingni Palace. With Zen Master Yunhe and Nijun looking after you, she can rest assured."

"Thank you."

Lu Chenyuan thanked him, acknowledging that he did indeed need time, whether it was to break through to a higher realm or to comprehend the cultivation technique.

No matter how strong others are, they are not as strong as you.

After finishing his business here, Lu Chenyuan went straight to the Lingni Hall, where Zen Master Yunhe and the Golden Lion were already waiting. Lu Chenyuan sat back down on the Sumeru pedestal, picked up a door-shaped sixth-grade heavy sword, and began to absorb the golden energy within it to break through the last meridian—the Governing Vessel.

Once this meridian is opened, the innate body is formed, and the third realm can be easily attained.

Lu Chenyuan took a deep breath.

Closed his eyes.

……

Beili.

Flower Street.

Before dusk, thousands of lanterns were already lit up in Huajie Street, just as usual.

Crimson, emerald green, and pale yellow beads hung in strings from the eaves, making the bluestone path shimmer with light, but beneath this brilliance lay a hint of panic.

The once bustling street is now deserted, even the most popular establishments like Changyin Pavilion and Yixiang Garden are no exception; no one dares to approach them. The weather is getting colder and colder.

Murong Ning stood by the long corridor on the third floor of Changyin Pavilion, pulled her fox fur cloak tighter, and coldly looked at the villa behind her.

Ever since that male favorite brought the Golden Lion to investigate the case and exposed the underground palace, the Golden Guards first took over and searched it thoroughly for three days. Then the Kite Guards took over, doubling their numbers and making the defense even tighter.

Looking around, you see these murderers everywhere, scaring customers so much that they dare not even come to the door.

This business is doomed...

Murong Ning's face was gloomy. Not only that, because Pei Jiulang used the villa as a pretext to make things difficult for the Prince of Wei and Princess Qianjin to defer to each other, no one dared to touch the place. Instead, it became a place where traitors hid their filth. The emperor was furious and reduced the Prince of Wei's fief by 500 households and punished Princess Qianjin by making her copy the "Rules for Ministers" a thousand times.

As a result, everyone avoids it like the plague.

"damn it……"

Murong Ning gritted her teeth and touched her right cheek. Even with makeup on, the red mark was still visible. She cursed under her breath, "Damn Lu Chenyuan, damn Jin Ni, damn Turks... the most damned one is that bastard! He's been hiding under my nose for so long, and now I've got this slap..."

She exuded a murderous aura, and the prostitutes and pimps around her were cautious and dared not approach.

at this time.

From afar, a pimp trotted over: "Master, a young master wishes to see you."

Murong Ning asked casually, "Which family?"

"A new face, but extremely generous."

The pimp handed over a gold coin with a red thread through its square hole—a gesture only a wealthy customer would make.

Murong Ning smiled slightly; the rich are always popular.

She turned and went downstairs, her skirt brushing against the mahogany railing, like a cloud drifting into the lobby.

The young man in the blue robe stood there, hands behind his back, a black folding fan hanging from his waist, the tassel of which was a piece of blood jade carved into the shape of a fox. He was about thirty years old, with a handsome face, and his every move exuded the composure of a scion of a noble family.

—A fat sheep!
Murong Ning's eyes lit up, and she gracefully approached, smiling sweetly, "Young master, what a fine person you are. May I ask your surname?"

"My surname is Xiao."

The young man in the blue robe had a gentle voice, like a scholar from Jiangnan.

Murong Ning didn't care. There were too many important people coming and going in the capital every day. She only needed to know that the other party was rich.

"Young Master Xiao, would you like to listen to music, drink wine, or perhaps spend the night with a lady?"

"Let's drink. Also, as I'm new here, I have a few things to ask the head of the household."

The young man in the green robe smiled, his smile as gentle as a spring breeze: "I've heard that the green plum wine at Changyin Pavilion is a rare delicacy. I'll take this opportunity to enjoy it to my heart's content."

"Easy to say."

Murong Ning raised her hand to signal the pimp to prepare the meal, and said with a smile, "Young master has good taste. My Green Plum Wine is made with the first snow melted from the peak of Zhongnan Mountain, mixed with green calyx plum blossoms from Lingnan, and buds that are about to bloom at the beginning of spring. It is then sealed in a glass jar from the Western Regions and aged for three years. After three sips, the aftertaste is endless. Everyone who has tasted it praises it. But, good things don't come cheap..."

The young man in the blue robe casually pulled out ten gold ingots: "Is that enough?"

"enough."

Murong Ning's smile became even more beautiful. Without any hesitation, she took the gold in her hand and led the young man in the blue robe into the warm pavilion in the backyard.

There is an old plum tree outside the window, its branches gnarled and twisted, yet it has not yet blossomed.

Murong Ning personally poured the amber-colored wine into the luminous cup, which shimmered like broken gold in the candlelight.

Murong Ning asked, "Where do you come from, young master?"

"Wandering the world, without a fixed abode."

The young man in the blue robe raised his cup and sipped it with elegant grace.

Murong Ning didn't ask any more questions. She was never too lazy to delve into the secrets of the wealthy, so she went straight to the point: "What is it you wish to ask? Since you are so generous, I will answer whatever I know."

"Good wine."

The young man in the blue robe drank the wine and praised it. After savoring it for a moment, he said, "I have long heard that Shen Du has two wonders: the music of Changyin Pavilion and the dance of Yixiang Garden. It is said that one can make all birds stop flying and the other can make all flowers blush."

Murong Ning smiled and said, "Young master, you flatter me. However..." Her eyes sparkled, "it's not too much of an exaggeration."

"But."

The young man in the blue robe laughed and said, "From my journey here, it seems that this statement is not entirely true. Why is the red-light district deserted, especially your two families? Everyone avoids them like the plague. If I, Xiao, did not consider myself a righteous gentleman who has never committed any crimes, I would not have dared to enter rashly."

Murong Ning looked at him carefully: "Young Master, do you really not know?"

The young man in the blue robe retorted, "Should I know?"

Murong Ning looked at his frank gaze and thought to herself that he really was a fool who knew nothing. She said helplessly, "It's not a secret. Some time ago, the Turkic bandits assassinated the emperor, and some of their remnants escaped. The Golden Guard and the Kite Guard tracked them to the vicinity, which naturally affected business... But don't worry, young master, Changyin Pavilion has a good reputation. Anyone who enters our sect has nothing to worry about!"

I believe that.

The young man in the blue robe smiled and said, "I've long heard that the mastermind behind Changyin Pavilion is a princess, so there's no need to worry about safety."

A look of pride rose on Murong Ning's face.

However, the young master changed the subject and said leisurely, "She should be obediently copying the 'Chen Gui' in the manor right now."

"..."

Murong Ning's expression froze, her face changed drastically, and she was about to explode in anger when she suddenly realized something was wrong: "You, you are..."

"My surname is Xiao, Xiao Hanchuan."

Xiao Hanchuan looked up at her and smiled, "The former grand-nephew of Consort Xiao, the one who was turned into a human pig by Empress Wu and made to wail in a wine vat for three days before finally dying. Oh right, she was also the senior brother of the Turkic traitor who assassinated the emperor with the Yuanrong Divine Crossbow that day."

Murong Ning was shocked and was about to speak when she suddenly felt a chill in her throat.

There was no flash of blades, no killing intent, not even a wisp of wind.

She only saw that Xiao Hanchuan's folding fan had been half-opened at some point, with a plum blossom on the fan surface, the tip of which pointed diagonally at her throat.

Then, she touched her neck.

Warm liquid seeped through her fingers, and when she looked down, she saw that her clothes were soaked in crimson.

"you……"

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

Xiao Hanchuan remained seated, a smile on his face, and elegantly took a sip of wine: "This green plum wine is truly excellent."

puff.

Murong Ning's head fell to the ground, the cut on her neck clean, her eyes wide open, dying with unresolved grievances.

Outside the warm pavilion, the gray-clad old servant Yin Shouzhuo, his back hunched, hooked his withered claws from his sleeve, and the expert who was secretly protecting Murong Ning in the distance fell silently to the ground, the sound of his neck breaking drowned out by the autumn wind.

After killing the man, the old servant walked into the room unhurriedly: "Young master, I have found out that the person in charge of guarding the Mechanized City is Yan Bingning, a female historian from the palace. She is a descendant of the Langya Yan clan and the great-granddaughter of Yan Zhitui. She is not easy to deal with."

"Then let's not deal with it."

Xiao Hanchuan said calmly, "If we can't get it, we can't let the Demon Queen get it easily either. Spread the news immediately! Say that the Hidden Immortal Secret Record 'Heavenly Craft Scroll' is in this Mechanical City, and let all the heroes and heroines in the world come and support us! It's easier to fish in troubled waters."

"Yes."

The old servant bowed: "Young master is wise!"

　Qidian is blocking comments. I can see comments in the author assistant, but not in the comment section. I can't even post the comments I marked as featured. I didn't delete them, so please don't blame me.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)