I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

Li Bai's heart pounded wildly in his chest, blood rushing to his eardrums with a buzzing sound. He forced himself to calm down, rapidly circulating his inner energy through his meridians three times to suppress the sudden palpitation. His gaze was fixed on the direction of the pavilion where the dark figure had disappeared; it was now empty, with only the silhouette of the eaves silently bathed in the morning light.

He took a deep breath; the air still held the fresh scent of crushed grass, mixed with the faint smell of his own sweat. He couldn't hesitate any longer. Whoever the shadowy figure was, whether he had already seen through his disguise or not, the plan had to continue.

Li Bai's figure flashed, like a wisp of green smoke, disappearing into the holly bushes behind the niche. The dense foliage instantly swallowed him, leaving only two shallow furrows on the grass and crumpled blades trembling slightly in the morning breeze. He crouched deep within the bushes, peering out through the gaps in the leaves, one hand already pressed against his chest—there, the jade talisman of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom radiated a warm glow, like a heart awaiting awakening.

In the distance, the high-pitched voice of the official in charge of ceremonies could be heard coming from the direction of the Qinzhengwu Building.

"The auspicious time has arrived—"

***

The bell rang.

It wasn't a single sound, but a continuous chorus of bells, ringing simultaneously from palaces, temples, and monasteries throughout Chang'an. First came the Jingyang Bell in Xingqing Palace, its deep, resonant sound like a boulder thrown into water, making the air tremble. Then came the Hanyuan Bell in Daming Palace, the Chengtian Bell in Taiji Palace, and the Buddhist bells from Daci'en Temple and Jianfu Temple outside the city… Countless bell sounds intertwined, forming a magnificent and solemn harmony that echoed across the skies above Chang'an.

Li Bai glimpsed the scene in the square through the gaps in the branches and leaves.

In front of the Qinzhengben Building, the temporary platform had been fully decorated. The platform was three zhang high, surrounded by vermilion railings embroidered with dragons and phoenixes in gold thread. A thick scarlet carpet covered the platform, its edges adorned with gold bells that tinkled softly in the breeze. On either side of the platform stood nine enormous banners, their surfaces embroidered with the sun, moon, stars, mountains, and rivers in gold thread, fluttering in the morning wind.

Before the platform, civil and military officials had already lined up according to their ranks.

At the forefront were the prime minister and princes in purple robes and gold belts, followed by officials of the third rank and above in scarlet robes, then those in blue robes, green robes… The colors of the official robes transitioned from dark to light, like a gradient rainbow, shimmering with the unique luster of silk in the morning light. Each person held a tablet in their hands, their expressions solemn, their eyes lowered. The air was filled with the mixed scents of sandalwood and ambergris, along with the unique warmth of a large gathering.

The bell tolled gradually.

The drums sounded.

That was the sound of thirty-six large drums striking simultaneously, a slow and heavy rhythm, each beat like a blow to the heart. The vibrations came from the ground, and Li Bai, crouching in the bushes, could feel the earth trembling slightly.

"His Majesty has arrived!"

The official's voice trailed off, echoing across the square.

Everyone lowered their heads.

From the main entrance of the Qin Zhengwu Benlou (勤政本楼), a procession of ceremonial guards slowly emerged. First came sixteen golden-armored warriors, wielding long halberds, their steps perfectly synchronized, their iron boots clanging on the bluestone pavement. Next came twenty-four eunuchs, dressed in deep purple palace robes, carrying incense burners, whisks, and golden basins. The rising smoke from the incense burners meandered through the air, releasing a rich, ambergris-like fragrance.

Then, there was the bright yellow imperial carriage.

Eight burly eunuchs carried the palanquin with steady steps. Bright yellow gauze curtains hung around the palanquin, embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons in gold thread, shimmering in the morning light. Through the gaps in the gauze curtains, one could vaguely see the figure sitting inside—wearing a tall crown and a robe with twelve imperial symbols, it was none other than Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Li Longji.

The imperial carriage stopped in front of the high platform.

Two eunuchs stepped forward and lifted the gauze curtain. Emperor Xuanzong slowly descended from the palanquin and ascended the red-carpeted steps. His pace was deliberate, each step exuding imperial majesty. Sunlight shone upon him, and the gold threads on his robes reflected a dazzling light, almost too bright to look directly at.

Li Bai held his breath.

His gaze did not linger on the emperor, but was fixed on the side door of the Qinzhengben Building.

There, another group of people was slowly walking out.

***

The first to emerge were eight female officials.

They were dressed in uniform light blue palace gowns, their hair styled in high buns adorned with gold hairpins. Each carried a tray covered with red silk, obscuring the contents. The ladies-in-waiting moved with light steps, like a flock of bluebirds, forming two rows on the red carpet.

Next came four eunuchs carrying a small palanquin.

The palanquin had no roof, only four carved pillars, entwined with fresh vines and flowers. The vines had been picked from the Imperial Garden that morning, their leaves still glistening with dew in the sunlight. The flowers included peonies, herbaceous peonies, and roses, in shades of red, white, pink, and purple, clustered together, emitting a rich fragrance.

A person was sitting on the palanquin.

Li Bai's heart suddenly tightened.

It was Yang Yuhuan.

She wore a bright red gown embroidered with a pattern of a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix in gold thread, each bird's eye adorned with tiny pearls that shimmered with a warm luster in the light. Over the gown was a sheer, gossamer-thin veil embroidered with cloud patterns, which swayed gently in the breeze.

She wore a phoenix crown on her head.

That was no ordinary phoenix crown, but a magnificent crown crafted from pure gold and inlaid with hundreds of pearls and gemstones. At the top of the crown was a golden phoenix with outstretched wings, holding a string of pearls in its beak, which hung down to its forehead, swaying gently with the movement of the palanquin. Golden tassels hung down from both sides of the crown, with tiny golden bells at the ends, emitting a clear, tinkling sound.

But what broke Li Bai's heart was her face.

That face that had once smiled sweetly at him in the spring of Chengdu was now deathly pale. Her makeup was heavy, her rouge vibrant, yet it couldn't conceal the weariness and emptiness in her eyes. Her gaze was fixed straight ahead, unfocused, like two stagnant pools, devoid of any ripples.

Her hands were folded on her knees, her fingers gripping her sleeves tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

The palanquin moved slowly forward, along the red carpet-covered path, towards the high platform.

A breeze carried her faint fragrance—a complex blend of Lancôme, musk, and sandalwood, a special court incense, yet it couldn't mask a subtle medicinal scent. Li Bai knew it was the smell of a calming tonic. She must not have slept well last night, or perhaps not at all.

The palanquin stopped in front of the high platform.

Two female officials stepped forward to help Yang Yuhuan down from the palanquin. Her steps were unsteady, and she swayed slightly as she stepped down. The officials quickly steadied her. Li Bai noticed this subtle movement, and his fingernails dug deeply into his palms, drawing blood.

Yang Yuhuan steadied herself, straightened her clothes, and then slowly stepped onto the stairs.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Her figure appeared exceptionally slender beneath the red dress, and the weight of the phoenix crown forced her to bow her head slightly. The golden bells jingled with her steps, their clear and melodious sound sounding like knives cutting into Li Bai's heart.

***

Emperor Xuanzong was already standing in the center of the high platform.

He turned around and watched Yang Yuhuan approach step by step.

The sunlight slanted in from the east, illuminating the two figures. The emperor, in his bright yellow imperial robes, resembled a sun; Yang Yuhuan, in her crimson gown, was like a flame. They stood facing each other on the stage, only three steps apart.

The master of ceremonies stepped forward and unfurled a roll of bright yellow silk.

"In the fourth year of the Tianbao era, the year of Yiyou, the first day of the seventh month was Bingyin, and the fifteenth day was Gengchen. The Emperor said—"

The sound was loud and resonant, echoing across the square.

Li Bai couldn't understand the ornate, parallel prose of the edict. He only saw the official's mouth opening and closing, Emperor Xuanzong nodding slightly, and Yang Yuhuan bowing her head, motionless. A gust of wind blew, lifting a corner of her gauze dress to reveal the edge of her red gown beneath, the red so bright it stung Li Bai's eyes.

The text is very long.

The master of ceremonies read for a full quarter of an hour.

Li Bai crouched in the bushes, his inner energy slowly circulating through his meridians, maintaining a still body. Sweat dripped from his forehead, stinging his eyes. He dared not blink, his eyes fixed on the figure on the high platform.

The document was finally read aloud.

The official in charge of ceremonies closed the silk and stepped aside.

Another eunuch stepped forward, carrying a sandalwood tray. On the tray were two items: a gold book and a precious seal. The gold book was made of pure gold, its pages engraved with dense characters that reflected a dazzling golden light in the sunlight. The precious seal was carved from white jade, its knob a coiled dragon with rubies inlaid in its eyes.

The eunuch knelt before Yang Yuhuan and held the tray high above his head.

Emperor Xuanzong reached out, picked up the golden book, and handed it to Yang Yuhuan.

Yang Yuhuan raised her hand.

Her hands were trembling.

Although the movement was slight, Li Bai saw it clearly. The hand that had once poured tea for him in the teahouse in Chengdu was now pale to the point of being transparent, its fingertips trembling slightly. She took the golden book; it was heavy, and she held it with both hands, her arms shaking slightly.

Next is the imperial seal.

The same trembling hands received it, the same heavy weight.

"The investiture and printing are complete—"

The master of ceremonies chanted.

Yang Yuhuan held the golden book and the imperial seal, and slowly knelt down.

It wasn't an ordinary kneeling, but a grand ceremony—kneeling on both knees, raising the imperial edict and seal above her head with both hands, then bowing deeply until her forehead touched the ground. Her movements were slow, and every detail conformed to etiquette, but Li Bai could see that at the moment she bowed, a tear slid from the corner of her eye, dripping onto the red carpet and instantly spreading into a small, dark stain.

"Thank you for your grace!"

The official's voice rang out again.

This is the last step.

Once this kowtow is completed, the ceremony is finished. From this moment on, Yang Yuhuan is no longer the girl she was chanced meeting on the streets of Chengdu, but a concubine officially appointed by the Tang Emperor, a woman whose status in the harem is second only to the Empress. Her name will be recorded in history, and her fate will be completely bound to this deep palace.

Li Bai placed his hand on his chest.

The heat emanating from the jade talisman grew increasingly intense, like a beating heart. He could sense that the altar beneath the Xuandu Temple outside the wall was resonating with the jade talisman. The patterns on the bronze vessel began to glow faintly, and the spiritual energy within the earth's veins began to flow slowly.

The time has come.

Can't wait any longer.

***

Yang Yuhuan slowly straightened up.

She remained kneeling, her hands raised high above the book, ready to perform her final prostration. Once her forehead touched the ground again, once the master of ceremonies announced "The ceremony is complete," it would all be over.

Emperor Xuanzong stood before her, a satisfied smile on his face. Sunlight shone on him, making the golden dragons on his robes seem to come alive, dancing in the light and shadow.

The officials held their breath, and the square was completely silent.

The only sounds were the fluttering of banners in the wind and the faint chirping of birds in the distance.

Li Bai closed his eyes.

It's not about giving up, but about focusing all your energy on it.

He mobilized seventy percent of his true essence from his meridians—this was the limit he could use; any less and he wouldn't be able to activate the altar, any more and it would affect his subsequent actions. The true essence surged from his dantian like a rushing river, circulating wildly along his meridians, finally converging at his chest and pouring into the jade talisman of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom.

The jade talisman began to heat up.

It wasn't a warm, gentle heat, but a scorching, burning sensation, like a piece of red-hot charcoal pressed against the skin. Li Bai could feel the patterns on the jade talisman glowing, the ancient characters and designs gradually awakening under the infusion of true energy.

At the same time, he silently recited the incantation.

It wasn't a complex incantation, but a simple activation mantra taught by the High Priest of the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom—only three syllables, yet containing the power to connect with the earth's veins and awaken the altar. Each syllable required precise coordination of true energy; too much or too little would result in failure.

The first syllable.

The true essence was poured into the center of the jade talisman, and the jade talisman suddenly trembled.

Li Bai sensed a faint fluctuation coming from the direction of the Xuandu Temple outside the wall. It was a sign that the altar had been awakened, and the bronze vessels were beginning to absorb the spiritual energy from the earth's veins.

The second syllable.

More true energy was poured in, causing the jade talisman's temperature to rise sharply, burning his skin. Li Bai gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead. He could see that his clothes at his chest were already smoking, the fabric charred black by the high temperature.

The fluctuations outside the wall are getting stronger.

That wasn't an ordinary sound; it was a deep, rumbling roar, as if from the depths of the earth, like a giant beast turning over in its slumber. The ground began to tremble slightly, though the vibration was very small, but Li Bai, crouching in the bushes, could clearly feel the soil shaking.

On the high platform, Emperor Xuanzong seemed to have sensed something.

He frowned slightly, glancing around. But the tremor was too slight, and the crowd in the square and the noise masked anything unusual. He only hesitated for a moment before turning his attention back to the ceremony.

Yang Yuhuan remained kneeling, her hands raised high.

Her forehead slowly lowered, preparing to touch the ground.

The master of ceremonies took a deep breath, preparing to utter the last two words.

The third syllable—

Li Bai opened his mouth and recited it silently.

All his true energy, all his will, all his obsession, were poured into the jade talisman at this moment. The jade talisman burst forth with a dazzling blue light, which penetrated his clothes and the trees, forming a faint but clear pillar of light in the morning light.

at the same time.

A loud bang came from the direction of Xuandu Temple outside the wall.

It wasn't the sound of bells or drums, but a booming sound like metal breaking and rocks shattering, mixed with the shrill cry of the earth's spiritual energy erupting. The sound was so loud that the entire Xingqing Palace trembled, the banners in the square waved wildly, and the golden bells on the edge of the platform jingled.

Everyone was stunned.

Emperor Xuanzong turned his head sharply towards the direction from which the sound came.

The officials were in an uproar, and low gasps of surprise rose from the crowd.

Yang Yuhuan froze in mid-air, her forehead only three inches from the ground.

The official in charge of ceremonies opened his mouth, the last word "success" stuck in his throat.

Li Bai opened his eyes.

Through the gaps in the bushes, he saw the chaos on the high platform, the surprised and doubtful expression on Emperor Xuanzong's face, the bewildered look on Yang Yuhuan's face, and the unrest of the officials who were at a loss.

Successful.

The altar has been activated.

But in that instant, he suddenly felt a chill—not from the outside, but from within his own body. He had exerted too much effort when he poured in his true energy, causing tiny cracks in his meridians, and excruciating pain shot through his limbs and bones. At the same time, the high temperature of the jade talisman on his chest had burned his skin, and the smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils.

Even more terrifying, he felt a gaze upon him.

It didn't come from the high platform, nor from the officials, but from the side and rear—from the direction of that pavilion.

The dark figure reappeared.

And this time, the distance is even closer.

Li Bai slowly turned his head and glanced at it out of the corner of his eye.

About fifty paces away, in the shadow of an artificial hill, stood a man. He was dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes, a long sword at his waist, and was tall. The morning light shone on half of his face, and Li Bai finally saw his features clearly—

It was a face of someone around forty years old, with sharp features and piercing eyes like an eagle. A shallow scar on his left cheek stretched from the corner of his eye to his jaw, making his expression appear exceptionally cold and hard.

At that moment, those eyes were fixed on the bushes where Li Bai was hiding.

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.