Even without cheats, we must survive the apocalypse

Lu Mu took a deep breath and pulled his thoughts back.

Now, all he had to do was wait for night to fall and see what kind of banquet Huang Yanyao could arrange for him.

……

Huang Yanyao's inner chamber was brightly lit.

The roof is hung with pink gauze curtains, the bed is decorated with gold, silver and jewels, and the carved railings and jade bricks are luxurious and exquisite. This was left behind by the previous governor of Tianque City. This bedroom is connected to the palace protection spirit formation deep in the governor's palace, and can also be used to gather spiritual energy for people to practice.

Huang Yanyao enjoyed this good thing as a matter of course, and Huang Wumeng also gave some suggestions for modification, so as long as Huang Yanyao stood in this palace, her cultivation would be consolidated and improved little by little.

She leaned against the couch, holding the white porcelain wine glass with her fingertips and took a sip.

She was surrounded by several female officials serving her.

When Lu Mu followed her female official and walked into the door, Huang Yanyao was taking a grape, peeling it and putting it into her mouth.

"I have met His Highness Ninth Prince."

"Well, Master Lu, please take a seat."

Huang Yanyao responded nonchalantly.

Lu Mu glanced at the table, which was piled with various cakes, teas, dim sum, fragrant tea and sake... It was quite rich, and these things were enough to satisfy his appetite. It was also within Lu Mu's expectation that no fish or meat were served.

Huang Yanyao doesn't look like the type of person who enjoys feasting.

When Lu Mu sat down, she also stood up. Huang Yanyao changed out of the black official dress she wore in the morning and put on a loose, off-shoulder tulle skirt, draped over a light green fox cloak, and lifted her hair at the temples. Lu Mu could see the obsidian earrings dangling, reflecting the light in the bedroom. Her clothes were thinner, and more light and flowing.

Lu Mu's gaze became more and more fixed, as if he was nailed to her. It would take some effort for him to move away, but Lu Mu didn't want to do that at all. The beautiful woman in front of him was dressed like this, so why shouldn't he fulfill her wish and appreciate her?

I am not the kind of gentleman who would not look at anything inappropriate.

Huang Yanyao chuckled, "What's wrong?"

"Your Highness looks exceptionally beautiful today." Lu Mu admired sincerely, with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Huang Yanyao was startled for a moment, then she covered her mouth and chuckled.

"You are so straightforward that I find it difficult to control myself."

She walked closer to Lu Mu and sat down opposite him. She reached out and brushed away the long hair that fell on her chest. Her snow-white neck and collarbone were exposed to the air, seeming to carry a hint of intoxicating lazy charm.

"I never do anything hypocritical. I just speak the truth. Since Your Highness has dressed up, wouldn't it be disrespectful if I don't appreciate it?"

Lu Mu was not interested in the cakes on the table because there were more delicious "foods" in front of him.

Huang Yanyao's smile carried a hint of light charm that could be easily brushed away, but her pupils were clear and transparent, like a pool of water, untainted by dust.

Lu Mu had no doubt that she dressed like this for him, but he also knew that no matter how much his eyes lingered on her, he could not be too presumptuous.

Because there is a spirit next to him that he cannot see, watching his every move.

Huang Yanyao didn't want anyone to know about Huang Wumeng's existence. If others knew that she had the spirit of the last empress of the Xianhuang Ancient Dynasty, and that the spirit was there to help her expand her territory, many people would probably be unhappy.

Of course, she didn't want Lu Mu to know, but he understood everything in his heart.

"In that case, I will be happy to teach you."

Huang Yanyao poured wine into the cup in front of him. She leaned forward slightly, revealing a tiny gap in her snow-white collar, which was not covered by her skirt at all.

Lu Mu actually knew that Huang Yanyao didn't like Lu Yan's method, not even a little bit. The reason why she did this was probably just a small suggestion given to her by Huang Wumeng.

The last empress knew a lot.

Especially in the era of Huang Wumeng, there was also the ancient Venerable Ling Luo who used her charm to enter the Tao and brought chaos to the world. Huang Wumeng was the daughter of the Great Emperor and had a rare and stunning beauty. How could she be willing to fall behind that enchanting woman with a sinister and charming Taoist body?

The empress should be stronger than others in every aspect.

But Huang Wumeng is not good at using beauty to seduce people. Although she is pretty, she is far inferior to those with the Yin Mei Taoist body.

Lingluo Guzun also stole the heart of the man she once loved.

The winner was now decided.

So now Lu Mu is looking at Huang Yanyao's slightly immature tricks...it's a feast for the eyes, but it's impossible for him to be obsessed with them.

Lu Mu picked up the wine cup in front of him and took a sip.

"Your Highness the Ninth Prince said that he had prepared a banquet for me and wanted me to meet your people...but I didn't see any officials around Your Highness the Ninth Prince."

“They shirked their responsibility.”

Huang Yanyao fiddled with her jade fingers, with a hint of apology between her brows.

"Well, that's to be expected, but it's better this way."

Lu Mu drank another glass of wine.

"why?"

"Because this way I can enjoy your beauty all to myself."

Lu Mu said lightly.

His eyes always stayed on Huang Yanyao, not missing any changes in her expression, and even unwilling to let go of every subtle movement of hers.

"...It's been a while since we last met, right? The last time we met was in my fifth brother's military camp."

She picked up the cup, and the wide sleeves of her gauze skirt fluttered over, covering her thin lips as she drank.

"But, Young Master Lu doesn't seem to have changed much, but he is still different from the person I saw at the beginning."

"Oh?" Lu Mu raised his eyebrows without blinking, "Your Highness, what do you think has changed about me?"

Huang Yanyao suddenly lowered her head, moved closer to Lu Mu, and her breath was as sweet as orchid.

"Young Master Lu has more and more little plans in his mind."

Chapter 30: Huang Yanyao's Wisdom

Huang Yanyao leaned very close, with half of her body leaning over the edge of the table. Lu Mu could smell the fragrance emanating from her.

Her figure is indeed better than Gu Yunxi's, and she is also more exquisitely dressed than Murong Xue or Luo Shuangning. After all, as the person in power, the female officials around her must have the responsibility to "make her more beautiful", and there must be better people to be responsible for her makeup and dressing.

The deep dark color in Lu Mu's eyes was trance, and he was attracted by her collarbone and jade neck. She was not familiar with this trick of showing beauty, but no matter how young she was, she had real beauty after all, and she was still very beautiful.

But Lu Mu could hold back, because Huang Wumeng, whom he could not see, was observing him at this moment.

Although he knew that she had no ill intentions, Lu Mu still didn't want her to see any clues. It was true that he was attracted by beauty, but the great lady emperor could always find benefits to exploit from other people's desires.

Huang Yanyao saw that the depth in his eyes almost attracted her, and she couldn't help laughing.

"I don't quite understand what you mean, Your Highness. If I am thoughtful now, then was I the kind of person who acted rashly in the past?"

Lu Mu suppressed the obsession in his eyes.

"There aren't many women around you, but it seems like every one of them is not a good person."

Huang Yanyao used her jade fingers to lift a few strands of hair on her temples.

"Back then, you brought two women with you to my fifth brother's tent. I was deeply impressed. One of them didn't reveal her name at the time, but Sister Yunxi told me that her name was Murong Xue, and she had a grudge against Murong Zun. You helped her settle this old grudge."

"Now, the Murong clan has lost a genius who can inherit the position of clan leader, and clan leader Murong himself... from what I understand, something went wrong when he was trying to reach the Half-step Ancient Realm, and his life span has been greatly reduced."

"Now that his only son has died, his Dao heart may have been damaged. As it is, I'm afraid he won't have much time left."

Her tone was smiling, but every word she said was full of gems.

Lu Mu raised his eyes and stared at her face which was as soft as a peach blossom, but Huang Yanyao was not afraid of his sharp gaze. She was just clear-minded and knew that everything he said was true and it hit the heart of this Shura Saint.

"Even though he lives in a remote corner, His Highness the Ninth Prince is well-informed about the news."

That's exactly what he was thinking.

Murong Zun was the son of the clan leader. The branch clan members of a large clan, who had been entrenched around the father and son and absorbing nutrients from them like vines, had actually been keeping a close eye on the two of them.

Patriarch Murong seemed a little extreme in his pursuit of the Tao. His failure in breaking through to the Half-Step Ancient Realm was irreversible damage to his Tao roots. The higher his cultivation level, the smaller the effect of those natural treasures. Lu Mu knew that at a certain point in the plot, this Patriarch Murong was actually no different from a useless person, because whenever he made a move, his Tao power would backfire, taking the lives of others as well as his own.

However, Murong Zun had not yet grown up, and what he did was inhumane, so they did not dare to resist because of his intimidation.

But now that Murong Zun is dead, the Murong clan leader will become increasingly weak. It may take several years, or even more than a decade, but the Murong clan will definitely start a power struggle in the end.

At that time, it would be a good time for Murong Xue to return to the Murong clan.

Lu Mu’s arrangements were indeed very clear.

However, it had only been half a day since Huang Yanyao learned about Murong Xue's identity from Gu Yunxi. Considering that Murong Zun died in the Hidden Abyss Valley, she easily deduced Lu Mu's intention.

Huang Yanyao's intelligence and strategy have always been the strongest and most shrewd among all the characters in the harem.

If she was a fool, why would Huang Wumeng take the trouble to teach her?

"The other woman beside you is Feng Yan'er, right? I felt she was a little strange when I first saw her. Her aura was very ancient... Over the past few months, even I have heard about the rumors about the last Nine-Feathered Saint Phoenix in the Southern Region."

"And her relationship with you... well, she can fall asleep in your arms, Young Master Lu, so I guess they have a special relationship."

Huang Yanyao looked at Lu Mu with a smile, she was not worried that Lu Mu would be angry after hearing this, she knew that people like Lu Mu would keep their joy, anger, sorrow and happiness hidden deep in their hearts and would not reveal them easily.

Lu Mu did not try to hide it and said frankly: "Yes, His Highness the Ninth Prince is a very kind-hearted person and can see things clearly."

"So, you now have three confidantes. One of them may regain control of the Murong clan with your help, one of them can quickly rise in the demon clan, and the other one... the Snow Sword Fairy has already been designated as the successor to the first sword peak of Wanjian Qianshan. If handled properly, the scattered Wanjian Qianshan may be able to be reunited."

Having said that, Huang Yanyao held up her chin and looked at him, her elbows resting on the jade table, her eyes becoming dark and unpredictable.

"Excuse me, Young Master Lu is willing to help me, is it because... if you control me, you can also control the Immortal Phoenix Dynasty?"

The atmosphere in the bedroom suddenly fell to a silent freezing point.

She was still smiling, but Lu Mu felt that there was a sharp knife hidden under that smile. He felt a chill down his spine for no apparent reason. It was not because of the beauty across the table, but because there was a spirit staring at him.

Lu Mu's Adam's apple rolled, his eyes narrowed slightly, he just raised the cup, tilted his head back and drank the wine in the glass.

"What if I said yes?"

His voice was a little hoarse.

Huang Yanyao's eyes flashed with cunning and confidence. She suddenly stepped back and sat back in her seat. "Then your plan will fail."

"Because I won't let a man take control, even if he's the famous Shura Son."

Be relaxed and tense in moderation, and be neither close nor distant.

But when Lu Mu saw the look in her eyes, he felt a hint of uneasiness and panic, but why was that?

Her confidence is not easily shaken.

But nothing is absolute.

"Let's talk business. If Your Highness has anything you want to tell me, just tell me."

He held the wine jug and poured more wine for her.

Huang Yanyao did not refuse, nor did she say anything polite. She said directly, "I heard from Sister Yunxi that you met an evil cultivator in Zhaotian City before, and King Nanling has been secretly communicating with the Evil Heart Sect."

Lu Mu nodded.

"Disgusting stuff."

"I used to respect him as a king of a different surname who guarded the territory and protected the common people. Although I had some conflicts with him, I didn't want to make a big deal... Now that I think about it, I was too polite."

There was suddenly a hint of coldness and distance in her voice.

The Xianhuang royal family and the Xiexin Sect have an old feud. Not to mention the days when she returned to the sect as a princess, when she was wandering in the northeast region, she also saw many "battle records" of evil cultivators. Anyone would hate those inhuman beasts so much.

When Huang Yanyao returned to the clan, she had met all those royal brothers and sisters, no matter they were insincere towards her or those who were gentle at heart, except for one person.

The fourth prince of the Xianhuang Dynasty.

From what her father said, the Fourth Prince was the one he had chosen as the crown prince. He was kind and had the appearance of an emperor. At a young age, he had won the praise of many important ministers and generals. Among all his sons, he was the most favored, but not spoiled.

Then, this imperial genius was killed by evil cultivators while traveling in the northern border of the imperial dynasty.

The bad news came so unexpectedly.

Chapter 31: Wedding Invitation

His most precious son, the crown prince he had chosen in his heart, died within the territory of the imperial dynasty. One can imagine how Emperor Xianhuang felt.

Because the person who took action was not only a direct disciple of the Xiexin Sect's leader, but also one of the only two remaining members of the Daxia royal family.