You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Upon hearing her master's words, Zhu Yuyan was taken aback: "He looks to be in his early twenties...?"

Could it be His Majesty?

Thinking of this, Zhu Yuyan quickly asked, "Master, what does this person look like?"

Madam Cai reviewed the description in her mind and then described Lu Zuo's appearance and physique in detail.

Immediately, he saw his disciple standing frozen on the treetop, eyes wide open, utterly speechless...

"Yu Yan, what's wrong with you?"

"Master...Master..." Zhu Yuyan's voice trembled slightly, "It's him, it's him..."

"Who?"

"His Majesty!"

"The current Emperor of the Great Chen Dynasty!"

"Just ten days ago, he consulted me about the cultivation method of opening one's inner world, but now..."

Madam Cai was also dumbfounded, standing there speechless for a long time.

In just ten days, he progressed from the Three Elements Great Completion to the Inner Heaven and Earth Opening Realm.

Are you kidding me?

"Yu Yan, Ming, take me to meet His Majesty the Emperor..."

Madam Cai could hardly believe that such a prodigy existed in the world.

She had originally not planned to meet with Lu Zuo, but immediately changed her mind.

……

Ten days ago, Fan Qinghui, Bi Xiuxin, Lu Qingyuan and others had already returned to Jiankang with Yue Qing's army.

Lu Zuo had no choice but to stay alone in his empty room, meditating in the bedroom in the back hall of the prefect's mansion all night.

The next day, early morning.

Morning light streamed through the carved wooden window, casting sparse shadows on the blue brick floor.

On the rosewood table, a cup of cool tea sits alongside several open scrolls of silk. The occasional chirping of birds outside the window further enhances the bright and clear atmosphere of the room.

"call……"

Lu Zuo slowly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of fresh air, got off the couch, pushed open the window, and looked at the scenery in the courtyard.

"Although the Night Dove has been dealt with, the threat from the Shadow Guards and the Underworld Emperor remains."

"Now that the inner world has just begun to take shape, we are still a long way from the state of harmony between heaven and man."

"Let's focus on developing Nantong and Dongyang, improving our internal strength, physique, and martial arts techniques."

When he returned last night, he had already hidden the mother pendant of the mother-child teleportation pendant in a secluded place outside Nantong City.

Now that Nantong has been pacified and most matters have been arranged, it is time to return to the capital.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Preceptor Zhu Yuyan requests an audience."

"understood."

"Tell her to wait for me in the lobby."

.......

A short while later, in the main hall.

As soon as Lu Zuo entered the room, his gaze was drawn to the woman in white standing next to Zhu Yuyan.

What an absolutely stunning and beautiful woman!

This woman's eyebrows and eyes were like distant mountains shrouded in mist, her eyes like deep pools of still water. Her gaze held both the composure of years gone by and an almost crystal-clear clarity.

Her skin was as white as snow, without any makeup, yet it possessed a natural, jade-like radiance. Her dark hair was loosely tied up with a single wooden hairpin, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears, highlighting the exquisite lines of her profile.

Dressed in pure white, her natural beauty accentuated her ethereal grace, giving her an otherworldly, fairy-like aura.

"Imperial Preceptor, who is this...?"

Lu Zuo walked into the hall, sat in the main seat, and asked.

"This humble subject, Cai Suzhen, greets Your Majesty."

Before Zhu Yuyan could speak, Madam Cai bowed slightly, parted her red lips, and introduced herself.

"So it's Madam Cai."

Lu Zuo nodded and smiled, "Someone, please bring a seat."

Soon, some yamen runners brought over chairs. After the two sat down, they looked at each other. Zhu Yuyan's eyes were full of questions, while Madam Cai nodded slightly.

Immediately...

Zhu Yuyan's pupils suddenly contracted!

A storm raged within me, leaving me utterly shocked...

In just ten days, he advanced to the Inner Heaven and Earth Opening stage. If this were to spread throughout the martial arts world, it would surely shock countless people.

Lady Cai was also surprised, but the emperor had clearly not wanted outsiders to know about the killing that day.

She was more mature than Zhu Yuyan, and her expression didn't change much; she remained calm and composed.

"The Imperial Preceptor and Sect Leader Cai have arrived at the perfect time. I was just about to discuss an important matter with you."

Lu Zuo's voice interrupted the two women's thoughts, and they turned their gazes towards him. He then said:

"I intend to eliminate all Buddhist temples in Nantong and Dongyang and force the monks and nuns to return to secular life."

"But a temple can be a martial arts sect."

"Such a large-scale persecution of Buddhism will inevitably cause chaos, and may even incite a rebellion."

"And Nantong's military strength numbers only eight thousand..."

Lu Zuo did not continue speaking, but the two women already understood his intentions.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured."

Madam Cai quickly spoke up: "Our sect has a long-standing and deep-seated grudge against Buddhism. Yu Yan and I will do our utmost to assist the court in eradicating this threat to Buddhism!"

The act of suppressing Buddhism was entirely consistent with the goals of the Yin Gui sect.

Even if Lu Zuo didn't say anything today, Zhu Yuyan and Zhang Lihua would find a way to persuade him in the future.

Now that they've brought it up themselves, how could the Yin Gui School not respond?

Lu Zuo smiled and nodded: "With Lady Cai's help, I can return to the capital with peace of mind."

The three then briefly discussed the matter of suppressing Buddhism before Zhu Yuyan and Madam Cai took their leave.

.......

Outside the prefectural governor's mansion, the long street was quiet.

Cai Suzhen and Zhu Yuyan walked side by side, the bluestone path beneath their feet reflecting the morning light.

Only after turning the street corner did Madam Cai let out a soft sigh: "Ten days..."

"It took me seven years to go from the Three Elements Great Completion to the Opening of Heaven and Earth."

"The one from Cihang Jingzhai who is said to be a once-in-a-century swordsman with profound understanding also took a full nine years."

"In these ten days, he has been more than just a prodigy; he has been almost... supernatural."

"What a pity, what a pity..."

Cai Suzhen shook her head and sighed softly: "A rough gem shines brightly, yet it is placed under a collapsing building and encounters a time of upheaval."

"The Sui Dynasty's military might was at its zenith, and Emperor Yang Jian worked diligently to govern the country, which flourished."

"And the Southern Chen... alas."

Zhu Yuyan asked, "Master, in your opinion, is there really no hope for the fall of the Southern Chen Dynasty?"

Cai Suzhen glanced at the grand mansion in the distance, listening to the sounds of people practicing martial arts inside, and sighed, "It's all about timing and circumstances; it's not something that can be reversed by the wisdom and courage of one person alone."

"If we could give him twenty years, perhaps he could turn the tide."

"But where would he find that much time?"

Zhu Yuyan sighed, "Fortunately, he has already entered the realm of inner world opening, so even if the country is destroyed one day, he will not be captured by the Sui Dynasty and suffer humiliation."

"Oh……"

Madam Cai scoffed, "If only it were that simple."

"There are not many people in the world who have created their own world, but there are still more than thirty of them, most of whom served the Sui Dynasty."

"Especially at Jingnian Temple, where the five hundred martial monks are connected by their shared energy, coupled with Abbot Kong's profound skill..."

"If he weren't the emperor, he might have escaped the calamity."

"But his identity meant that the Sui Dynasty would not let him go!"

"What emperor would allow another emperor to roam freely and unchecked?"

"After the fall of the Southern Chen dynasty, capturing him became the top priority for the Sui dynasty!"

"Yang Jian will use every available force to kill him, or... cripple his martial arts and imprison him by his side."

Zhu Yuyan's expression changed: "Then what about his future...?"

Madam Cai: "The ending is predetermined, and no one can change it. Even I, your teacher, am powerless to change it..."

"so……"

"It's a pity, it's tragic, it's lamentable, and it's even more pitiful!"

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