Cultivating Immortality: What kind of cheat can you use if you don't have money?

Chapter 164 Protection

Li Wuyai remained silent, but his gaze never left the young man in blue below the steps.

He has seen too many people.

Fawning, fearful, ambitious, and pretentious.

But it is rare to see someone like Li Qingyi, who has a low level of cultivation but holds invisible power.

He found himself unsure whether the young man was simply fearless like a newborn calf or genuinely reckless.

Li Qingyi lowered her eyes, silently savoring the moment.

He discovered that raising the banners of Tingyu Pavilion and that mysterious master seemed to have better and better effects each time.

Sometimes, power doesn't come from what you actually possess, but from what the other person believes you possess.

My power comes from your imagination.

Although the words were somewhat self-deprecating, they unexpectedly fit the current situation perfectly.

"I can agree to cooperate." After a long silence, Li Wuyai finally spoke, "but the general strategy must be decided by me."

Li Wuyai finally relented.

Li Qingyi knows too much and is too deeply involved.

If he were forcibly excluded or imprisoned, regardless of the potentially violent reaction from Tingyu Pavilion, the secrets known to the young man himself and the possible unforeseen circumstances would be enough to make people hesitant to act rashly.

Li Qingyi breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "That's only right."

The way things unfolded was somewhat subtle, even to him.

Not long ago, they were still feigning friendship with the Zhao family, plotting against the royal family.

In the blink of an eye, they were discussing joining forces again in the deep palace of the Xuan Kingdom's emperor.

Life is truly unpredictable.

Having reached a preliminary agreement, Li Qingyi no longer concealed anything.

He shared with him all the information he had gained from being confined to the palace by Lin Daoyuan during the previous simulations.

As Li Wuyai listened, his brows furrowed even more deeply.

Bad news came crashing down like hailstones.

Some high-ranking officials in the court are secretly colluding; there are unusual signs of troop movements in border garrisons; the whereabouts of several key supplies in the national treasury are questionable.

These clues, taken individually, might just be points of suspicion.

However, when Li Qingyi linked the information together under the guise of "intelligence from Tingyu Pavilion" and "personal investigation," it painted a terrifying picture of an impending storm and internal and external troubles.

"You mean—the Kingdom of Youyue will go to war in a month?"

Li Qingyi nodded.

He suddenly remembered the list he had obtained when he was searching for Yu Die to decipher the Secret Box of the Moon.

He took a deep breath and recited the fifteen names: "Gao Xuyang, Qi Shuofang, Qu Zidu, Liang Baizhou, Wei Jingming, Shen Zhibai, Zhao Yuanzhen, Wang Yanzhi, Zhou Wenyuan,

Chen Tingliao, Zheng Huaiyuan, Sun Boyue, Wu Qinian, Feng Jingyao, and Han Shizhong.

After reading it aloud, he paused, looked up at Li Wuyai, whose expression had suddenly changed, and added, "Your Majesty, I suggest you pay close attention to these people on the list."

Li Wuyai felt a chill run down his spine.

He was all too familiar with the names on that list.

Nearly half of them held important positions in the imperial court or were regional governors.

Two of them were even distant relatives of the royal family, holding a prestigious position.

Li Wuyai suppressed his inner turmoil and asked, "Where did you get these names? Are they friend or foe?"

"This was intercepted at great personal risk by a secret agent of my Listening Rain Pavilion from the 'Youyue Secret Box,' a crucial document of the Youyue Royal Family."

Li Qingyi remained expressionless and attributed the source to Tingyu Pavilion.

"As for its specific meaning, is it a list of hidden agents, a target to be recruited or won over, or an obstacle to be eliminated?"

When they were intercepted, they only had names and surnames, without any annotations.

It is precisely because its direction is unclear that it appears all the more dangerous. Perhaps they are all enemies, or perhaps it is just a deliberate diversion.

We urge Your Majesty to make the decision personally.

Having explained it to this extent, Li Qingyi felt she had done everything she could.

After all, in my previous life, I watched TV and found that the emperor was inherently suspicious.

He was genuinely afraid that Li Wuyai would kill everyone without saying a word.

If you kill the right person, that's fine, but if you kill the wrong person, then things will get interesting.

Li Qingyi suddenly realized that when in doubt, blaming Tingyu Pavilion wasn't so bad.

At least in terms of credibility.

It must be admitted that Tingyu Pavilion truly is a model of excellence in the cultivation world. As long as you involve him, no one will doubt it.

"I understand." Li Wuyai closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had regained his cold and hard demeanor as an emperor.

He addressed the outside of the hall in a deep voice: "Imperial grace."

The palace doors slid open silently, and an old eunuch dressed in dark purple robes bowed as he entered.

"Your servant is here."

"Take him to 'Proud Plum Residence' to rest and make sure he is well settled."

"This servant obeys the decree," Wang En replied, turning to Li Qingyi, "Young master, please come with me."

Seeing that Li Qingyi stood still and unmoved, Li Wuyai said, "Don't worry, since I have agreed to cooperate, I will not keep you in the dark."

Seeing this, Li Qingyi had no choice but to give up and leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation with Wang En.

Walking along the deep and winding palace path, Li Qingyi felt far from relaxed.

Although he had temporarily secured a cooperative relationship, he had a vague feeling that he seemed to have been tricked again.

Li Wuyai readily agreed.

However, the phrase "the general strategy is to be decided by me" leaves too much room for maneuver.

It was more like I provided information and was then "protected" in a way that was both solicited and coerced.

Wang En walked at a steady pace, always half a body length ahead of Li Qingyi.

Finally, they arrived at a relatively secluded palace garden on the east side of the palace.

The plaque above the garden gate bears the three characters "Aomei Residence," written in a graceful and elegant style.

Upon entering, one finds a small but rather serene courtyard.

The ground was so clean you could almost see your reflection in it, clearly indicating that it had been meticulously maintained for many years.

"Aomei Residence—why does it feel like the place where imperial concubines lived?"

Li Qingyi felt a little strange.

"Please rest here, young master. A maid will bring your daily necessities and meals shortly. If you need anything, please tell them or have someone inform me."

Wang En's voice was calm: "Since His Majesty has given the order, you may wait here for news. There are many rules in the palace, so please do not wander around unless necessary, lest you offend someone important and get into some unnecessary trouble."

Li Qingyi was somewhat amused and exasperated. "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Wang."

Wang En said no more, bowed, and quietly withdrew.

Li Qingyi, thinking about the plaque above her head, couldn't help but let her mind wander.

The imperial harem boasts three thousand beauties; were there truly three thousand concubines?

After talking with Li Wuyai, he didn't actually have many complicated emotions.

All he wants now is to figure out what's going on.

"Li Xuance — The Tomb Keeper —"

One is a brother who harbors hostility towards him and is suspected of having connections with Kim.

The other is a terrifyingly powerful expert from the Purple Mansion realm.

They appear safe now, but are actually trapped in the palace, cut off from information.

He must sort things out as soon as possible and find a way out.

First, we need to find a way to contact Jiang Yanxu.

Li Qingyi frowned slightly.

The Six Gates represent the alliance of interests among six different sects, and their strength should not be underestimated. They should not be allowed to collapse quietly.

As the leader of the Sanyi Sect, Jiang Yanxu is one of the few allies with whom he can clearly cooperate in this situation, and his movements are of paramount importance.

Secondly, Zhao Jingci—" A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

We need to find a way to confirm his condition. If he's alive, we must kill him! Otherwise, we can forget about ever contacting Li Xuan.

Thinking of this, Li Qingyi couldn't help but rub her temples.

The changes came too quickly; from the destruction of the Zhao family to the predicament in the capital, it only took a few days.

What seemed like a clear clue was shattered into pieces.

New mysteries are emerging one after another.

His wife, whom he had finally won over, was now in a precarious situation, and he himself had become a VIP trapped in the palace. It was a complete mess, a total disaster.

"That dead roast chicken—" Li Qingyi muttered subconsciously.

Did she die in that catastrophe, or was she taken away like Ling'er?

Looking back at her behavior after returning to the Zhao family, she did seem to have toned it down considerably.

He has lost some of the flamboyance and unrestrainedness he displayed at Huanzhulou, and gained more tranquility and elusiveness.

"She may hold secrets I don't know about."

Li Qingyi gazed out the window at the square of sky cut off by the palace walls, her eyes gradually becoming deep and unfathomable.

There seemed to be far more pieces in this game than he had thought.

The player's hand was hidden deeper than he imagined.