Fairy, please don't do this!

Gu Jinzhao said with a half-smile, "Who says sword cultivators can't also cultivate the Path of Destiny?"

"If you don't believe me, Madam, bring the Earthly Branch Mirror and try it out."

"This mirror is protected by a restriction that cannot be broken by anyone other than a member of the Heavenly Mandate Path."

After a slight hesitation, Yue'e took out a glass mirror from her storage ring.

This mirror is only the size of a palm, with the twelve earthly branches engraved on its edge, exuding an obscure and mysterious meaning.

"Madam, please take a look!"

Gu Jinchao raised his hand and took the [Earthly Branches Mirror] into his palm, pressing his five fingers lightly against the edge of the mirror.

The next instant, twelve starlight burst forth from his fingertips, transforming into a six-colored, six-sided prism, each face divided into nine smaller squares.

He then quickly rotated the facets, instantly unifying the colors of all six sides.

Then Gu Jinzhao randomly selected a side and touched it lightly.

hum-

Almost simultaneously, the Earthly Branch Mirror suddenly shone brightly, and the restriction was broken.

"Which of the two sects, Heaven and Earth, does Young Master Gu belong to?"

Seeing this, Yue'e finally believed Gu Jinzhao's claim that he understood the ways of destiny.

However, the Earthly Branch Mirror is the sacred artifact of the Earthly Sect, and it is impossible for anyone other than a core figure of the two sects to break the seal.

"None of them!"

Gu Jinchao shook his head and smiled.

In fact, breaking the seal does not require understanding the Way of Heaven; all you need is to know how to solve a Rubik's Cube and have a bit of luck.

In the final selection of the face, it is indeed necessary to use the art of cause and effect to deduce the correct face.

In the game, the choice of which side to choose is random. If you choose the wrong one, you will be switched to another, more complex unlocking mechanism!

But because he was blessed with good fortune, he naturally had no such concerns.

As for the two sects of Heaven and Earth, they do indeed have some connection with him...

Chapter 36, The Madam's Secret, The Young Master's Weakness (Part 1)

Gu Jinzhao does indeed have connections with the two sects of Heaven and Earth.

To be precise, it's related to the imperial destiny within him!

Fourteen years ago, the Underworld God Cult sent two second-rank cultivators to steal the dynasty's fortune. One of them, a second-rank sorcerer who cultivated the Heavenly Fate Path, was the leader of the Earth Sect.

He used the Earthly Branches Mirror to conceal the secrets of heaven and deceive the heavens, thus managing to seize a portion of the fortune.

Unfortunately, they did not expect Xiao Qingyi to notice, nor did they expect her strength to be so terrifying that even when facing the leader of the Underworld God Sect, she still had the strength to deal with the other two second-rank cultivators.

This resulted in the immediate death of one of the second-rank sorcerers, and another second-rank sorcerer, who was also the leader of the Earth Sect, having his physical body shattered and only able to have his soul leave his body, fleeing in panic to the Jade Capital.

But he ultimately failed to escape and met his end by dying.

However, the person who killed him was not Xiao Qingyi, but Yuechu'e in front of him.

That's why this supreme treasure of the Earth Sect, the Earth Branch Mirror, ended up in her hands.

Yuechu'e narrowed her eyes and stared at the young man in front of her: "Young Master Gu, since you were able to break the restrictions of the Earthly Branches Mirror, yet you are neither a member of the Earth Sect nor the Heaven Sect, who exactly are you?"

Gu Jinzhao smiled slightly: "This secret is beyond the scope of my dealings with Madam, please forgive me for not being able to tell you."

Yuechu'e felt that he was like a bottomless abyss, both frightening and intriguing: "Besides that, what else do you know?"

Gu Jinzhao pondered for a moment and slowly said, "I also know that the reason why Madam attacked the seriously injured leader of the Earth Sect back then was because she made a deal with the Director of the Imperial Observatory."

The current Director of the Imperial Observatory is also the head of the Celestial Sect.

After the Dao of Mandate of Heaven was unified into two, the Heavenly Sect entered the imperial dynasty and established the Imperial Observatory, witnessing the rise and fall of dynasties.

In the struggle for the throne in the Cangyue Dynasty, the person supported by the Heavenly Sect was Empress Xiao Qingyi.

However, at that time, the leader of the Heavenly Sect was already nearing the end of his life, with half of his body buried in the earth.

Xiao Qingyi passed away before she could help the youngest prince of Yongxing ascend the throne.

Only after learning of this news did the Underworld Cult choose to take action, believing they had succeeded without any mishap.

Who could have imagined that this leader of the Heavenly Sect, before his death, had already foreseen that they would usurp the destiny and had laid out a backup plan?

The first countermeasure was the female warrior Xiao Qingyi.

The second trump card was Yue'e!

On his deathbed, he visited the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce, met with Yue Chu'e, and made a deal with her.

The content is simple and clear!

The Cangyue Dynasty supported the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce, helping it to become the number one chamber of commerce in the Nine Provinces.

As for Yue'e, she was required to intercept and kill the leader of the Earth Sect for him.

It must be said that these cultivators of the Heavenly Mandate Path are all cunning and shrewd, their plans as subtle as a hidden thread, often seeing ten or a hundred steps ahead with just one step.

Yue'e couldn't refuse this deal at the beginning of the month, just as she can't refuse Gu Jinzhao now.

At that time, she desperately needed a great deal of wealth.

Firstly, it supports her in breaking through to the third rank of perfection, preparing her for refining the Nirvana Phoenix Flame.

Secondly, the Moth Phoenix Clan is in dire straits and relies entirely on the support of the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce.

Yuechu'e took a deep breath, suppressing the chaotic emotions in her heart: "The feeling that Young Master Gu gives me is quite similar to that I had when I faced the Supervisor that day."

"The difference is that the supervisor back then was an old man in his twilight years."

"But Young Master Gu is young and brilliant, at the peak of his life."

Gu Jinchao shook his head: "I am no match for the supervisor."

The supervisor was truly cunning and scheming; even on his deathbed, he wanted to drag the leader of the Earth Sect down with him.

He only learned many inside stories because he completed the game five times.

Gu Jinzhao steered the conversation back on track: "I can help you refine the Nirvana Phoenix Flame within two years, perhaps even a little faster."

"I just wonder how long it will take the Wanhua Chamber of Commerce to gather all these materials?"

Yuechu'e picked up the list and looked at it carefully for a moment before slowly saying, "Within two years."

Gu Jinchao frowned: "Two years is too long."

"If I can obtain these materials as soon as possible, my strength will improve faster, and the speed at which I refine the Phoenix Flame will also be accelerated."

"Therefore, I hope it's as soon as possible."

With Mu Yiren and Lin Qingci, both second-time users, eyeing them covetously, and the old man, the Prince of Zhenbei, secretly lurking behind them.

If we wait another two years, not only will the daylily be out of bloom, but he himself will probably be completely out of luck.

"Since Young Master Gu is in such a hurry, I cannot refuse."

Yuechu'e leaned back on the rosewood phoenix chair, her jade back lightly touching the cushion, her two long, slender legs elegantly crossed beneath her skirt, exuding a languid yet noble air befitting a person of high status.

"However, Young Master Gu should also repay me properly."

Seeing that she was joking, Gu Jinzhao smiled and replied, "I would go through fire and water for you."

"Young Master Gu is truly a remarkable person."

At the beginning of the month, Yue'e smiled faintly, her dimples appearing on her cheeks, breathtakingly beautiful.

Gu Jinchao said, "Madam is also a wondrous enchantress."

He knew Yueyue quite well.

She has a dignified and elegant appearance, like a noblewoman, but inside she has a charming and lively spirit.

Therefore, when you are with her, there is no need to be too formal; just treat her as an ordinary friend.

The prerequisite is that you must be qualified to be her friend.

Yuechu'e put away the list, slightly puzzled: "If I'm not mistaken, are these poisonous insects and exotic flowers and herbs that Young Master Gu has sought for the purpose of refining Gu?"

Knowing he couldn't hide it from her, Gu Jinzhao didn't conceal it: "Although I am a sword cultivator, I am also somewhat familiar with the Gu Clan's Gu techniques."

Yuechu'e looked slightly surprised: "But didn't you already cultivate two paths, young master?"

Gu Jinzhao shrugged: "Since we've already built two, one more won't hurt."

Yuechu'e stared at the young man before her, scrutinizing him for a long time, her tone subtle: "Cultivating the three paths together... could you perhaps be a demon, young master?"

There are human cultivators who practice Gu techniques.

But to simultaneously cultivate the Way of the Sword, the Way of Destiny, and the art of Gu poison is a first for me.

"Madam is the demon, I am a human."

Gu Jinzhao glanced at her, then returned to the main topic: "When does Madam plan to begin refining the Nirvana Phoenix Flame?"

How was your day?

"Of course, but is Madam prepared?"

what to prepare?

Naturally, we should be completely honest with each other.

Yuechu'e possesses a perfected third-grade cultivation level, enabling her to withstand the scorching flames of the Nirvana Phoenix Flame.

He has extremely high yang attribute and is equally fearless, but his clothes are not.

Therefore, it is necessary to remove one's clothes.

Faced with such a shameful situation, Yuechu'e, as a woman, naturally needed to be mentally prepared.

"Although I am a woman, I am also the Empress of the Moth Phoenix Clan."

"Once the decision has been made, there will be no hesitation or pretense."

Yuechu'e glanced at him, then got up and walked to a landscape painting on the wall.

With a gentle wave of her wide sleeves, the scroll quietly unfurled, revealing a cold pool made of green jade in the rear hall.

Twelve jade toads along the edge of the pool spout clear spring water, and the water mist flows like gauze under the glass lamps.

Several ice-sculpted water lilies floated on the water, their hearts inlaid with luminous pearls, their cold light reflecting off the surrounding walls.

"There's a whole world within; it's safer to refine the Phoenix Flame inside!"

Yue'e was the first to step inside.

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinchao smiled slightly and got up to follow her inside.

He wasn't too surprised by Yue'e's decisiveness, because that was just her nature.

Chapter 37, The Madam's Secret, The Young Master's Weakness (Part 2)

Gu Jinzhao walked up to Yuechu'e and reminded her, "Madam, the fire poison in your body has not been eliminated. During the refining process, you need to use the power of the Heavenly Immortal Ice Soul to suppress it."

Both he and Yuechu'e had to concentrate fully on refining the Nirvana Phoenix Flame.

One person is in charge of refining, while the other must control the Phoenix Flame to prevent it from going berserk.

If the fire poison were to erupt at this time, Yueyue'e would inevitably fall into a state of confusion and infatuation, unable to control herself.

If they act recklessly towards him, there will be no way to resist.

After all, the other party was a third-rank official, while he was only a mere eighth-rank official.

"Thank you for reminding me."

Yuechu'e nodded and smiled: "I must also remind Young Master Gu that fire poison will overflow during the refining of Phoenix Flame, and you will need to find a way to deal with it."

Gu Jinchao raised an eyebrow and deliberately said, "You won't even give me a piece of Celestial Ice Soul?"

"This is something I went through a lot of trouble to get from you, young master. It's very precious."

A sly glint flashed in Yue'e's eyes: "If you want it, young master, you must exchange it for something of equal value."