"Have you ever thought... about dividing the Li Kingdom into three?"

Dividing the Li Kingdom!

After these four words were spoken, the entire room fell silent. Then, the sound of breathing slowly grew louder, like two hungry wolves spotting their prey.

Although the royal family of the Li Kingdom is surnamed Zhao, the Li Kingdom is not solely controlled by the Zhao family. The Wei and Han families may not be as powerful as the Zhao royal family, but their strength is definitely on the same level.

The Zhao family has an army, and so do the Wei and Han families. The strength of their forces is unknown.

The Zhao family has a king, but the Wei and Han families each have half of the Nine Ministers.

Apart from having to pay homage to the King of Li in court, the Wei and Han families have a high degree of autonomy over their own territories. Every generation of family leaders dreams of breaking away from the Li Kingdom and establishing their own country.

But it's not possible!

Because the Zhou royal family still holds authority, even though they are no longer able to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. They still have the authority in ceremonial matters.

To establish a country, a reasonable and legitimate reason must be found and the consent of the Zhou royal family must be obtained.

Otherwise, they would be the ones to cause chaos and anyone could attack them from a moral high ground.

Just look at the Qi Kingdom in the east. The Tian family has completely marginalized the Jiang family, but they still hesitate to usurp the throne and declare themselves king.

But now, things are different.

The Li Kingdom is in a big mess, and Zhao Qi has a close relationship with the Zhou royal family.

If they can help the Zhou royal family swallow up the Zhao family, they will definitely find an opportunity to give the Wei and Han families a legitimate reason.

Dividing the Li Kingdom into three is not an impossible task.

This is something that the successive leaders of the Wei and Han families have longed for but could never achieve, and now they have found an opportunity.

As long as it is certain that the life of the King of Li is not long, they can immediately start planning.

As for the death of Wei Teng in your family, the death of Han Xie in my family, or Ying Wuji marrying the princess soon...

Is it meaningful to be entangled in these matters?

The life of the King of Li is the most important issue to focus on.

Zhao Qi stood up slowly, "Would you two be willing to accompany me?"

After a moment.

Three figures left the Zui Xian Tower and got on the same carriage in the night, heading towards the Si Qi Palace.

...

Si Qi Palace.

"This is simply outrageous!"

Zhao Ning's gaze was icy. Although she had obtained Han Xie's confession letter, such a small letter could not extinguish the anger in her heart.

Although the Li Kingdom had been chaotic before, no one dared to make things too ugly in public.

But now, the grand gathering of the Hundred Families is just around the corner!

In order to weaken the strength of the other families, the Han family deliberately provoked conflicts between the Wei family and the Minister's Mansion, even disregarding the diplomatic relations with the Qian Li Kingdom.

The Wei family saw that Luo Yan was old, so they deliberately allowed Wei Teng to act recklessly in order to swallow up the power of the Minister's Mansion.

These people no longer have the concept of "nation" in their hearts.

The principle of "one's gain is everyone's gain, one's loss is everyone's loss" has long been forgotten by them.

Seeing the decline of the Li Kingdom, she gained new insights today.

"It's fortunate that it has temporarily come to an end!"

Zhao Ning glanced at Han Xie's confession letter and let out a sigh of relief, but she still felt a lingering fear.

If Ji Su hadn't made that clever move, the situation would have been deadlocked.

After all, Ying Wuji really wanted to kill Wei Teng. Although Luo Yan and Gongsun Di occupied the moral high ground today, it was only because Ji Su shared the firepower.

The killing of Wei Teng this time had a great impact on the Wei family. If they didn't come up with an explanation, there would be problems internally and externally.

So even if Ji Su's actions were strange, who would care? They only wanted a result, and the process was not important at all.

Brother Ying!

You can be my brother-in-law again!

Li Caimei also breathed a sigh of relief, "Congratulations, Your Highness. I'll go back and rest first!"

Zhao Ning nodded gently, "Thank you for your help this time!"

"You're welcome!"

Li Caimei shook her head and smiled, but in her mind, all she could see was the string of candied haws she saw at the Flying Fish Guards last night.

The candied haws were wrapped in glutinous rice paper and should have been well-preserved, but they were cut in half by a knife, stained with blood.

Whenever she thought of it, she felt a sense of oppression, as if she saw Ying Wuji in a desperate situation when he was besieged.

But everything he did seemed to be because of a woman named Hua Chao.

"Ah..."

She sighed softly, feeling that she shouldn't sigh, as it had nothing to do with her.

After Li Caimei left, Zhao Ning sat in the Chongli Palace for a long time, occasionally looking up at the place where Zhao Ji was in seclusion.

As the regent for such a long time, she felt powerless for the first time.

In the past, even when the Li Kingdom appeared peaceful on the surface, she could handle even the most difficult political affairs with ease.

But in the face of this situation, she truly couldn't handle it, not because she lacked ability.

It was because her strength and position were far from enough.

If she chose to give up the impact of the first-grade Ling Tai and break through the fetal transformation realm with the second-grade Ling Tai, and had already firmly secured the throne, none of these things would have happened. The second-grade Ling Tai's fetal transformation realm is not strong in front of high-level martial artists, but it represents astonishing potential.

"Father, when will you come out of seclusion? Your child can't hold on much longer!"

This feeling of powerlessness made Zhao Ning extremely indignant.

Clearly, there is a divine sword in her heart that can govern the world, but she is unable to wield it due to her weak body.

Just then.

A voice came from outside the door.

"Your Highness! The Pingling Jun, Wei Yushi, and Han Weiwei are here to see you!"

"What!"

Zhao Ning's expression changed, feeling a sense of unease.

At this time, shouldn't the Wei and Han families be thinking about how to take a piece of flesh from each other? After all, someone has confessed, and this matter can be completely resolved.

Why would they come together, and with Zhao Qi?

Zhao Ning felt uneasy, but there was no reason to refuse to see them now. She said in a deep voice, "Let them in!""Yes!"

Before long, the three of them arrived together and respectfully performed a ceremony of loyalty.

"Greetings, Your Highness!"

"Please rise, everyone."

Zhao Ning smiled faintly, her smile as refreshing as a spring breeze. "What brings you all to Chongli Palace so late at night? Has there been any new progress in the case?"

As she spoke, she glanced meaningfully at Han Zhe, with a hint of threat in her eyes.

After all, the Han family was the instigator of this matter. If she were to handle it decisively, it would greatly affect the reputation of the Han family.

However, Han Zhe seemed to completely misunderstand this look, and put on a remorseful appearance. "Your Highness! I never expected that my family would be so unfortunate. My son, for his own selfish desires, has committed such a heinous act. I have been hesitating at home for a long time, and I feel that the soul-capturing technique and death penalty are too lenient for him!"

Hmm?

Zhao Ning narrowed her eyes and waited quietly for him to continue.

Han Zhe continued, "It wouldn't matter if he died, but this matter has had an extremely negative impact on the unity within the Great Li and the diplomatic relations with the Qian Li. If not handled carefully, it could bring calamity for a hundred years. We, as loyal subjects, truly do not want to be seen as traitors in the future!"

Don't want to be seen as traitors?

Zhao Ning didn't understand the meaning behind this, but she had already vaguely guessed his intentions. She turned to Wei Huan and asked, "What about Minister Wei? Now that the two most suspicious culprits in the case have been imprisoned, does Minister Wei want them to lose their heads even faster?"

Wei Huan clasped his hands and said, "Of course not! The judgment of the case will be determined by the laws of the Great Li. I believe Your Highness can make the most correct decision. However, this case involves the sons of the Qian and Yan countries, so we must be extremely cautious."

Zhao Ning's gaze slightly hardened. "I understand. Both of you are dissatisfied with my judgment, aren't you?"

The two of them quickly denied, "Your Highness, we have no objections to the judgment!"

"Oh?"

Zhao Ning sneered, "You are satisfied with the judgment, but you still came to Chongli Palace in the middle of the night. Does that mean you are dissatisfied with the person making the judgment?"

Search "pawℝead.com" for the original.

She suddenly stood up and gestured to the throne, positioning herself higher than the throne. "Since you are dissatisfied with the person making the judgment, the three of you can discuss and decide who is more suitable to sit on this throne!"

As she spoke, her gaze was like two sharp knives, constantly cutting through the faces of the three men.

The three of them were secretly shocked. They never expected that although Prince Ning was young, he showed no weakness in the face of their imposing presence. Facing the prince, they felt as if they were facing the King of Li.

The three of them exchanged glances, and of course, they didn't dare to sit on the throne. After a moment of eye contact, they all bowed and said, "This major case concerns diplomatic relations. We are fearful and request Your Majesty to make the final decision!"

When they spoke, they used their true energy, which although not piercing to the ears, could be heard by everyone in the Siqi Palace.

Upon hearing this voice, Zhao Ning's expression became unpleasant.

This was the answer she least wanted to hear.

In the entire Kingdom of Li, no one could understand Zhao Ji's situation better than her.

Zhao Ji, a rare genius in the Zhao royal family for hundreds of years, had extraordinary talent and had cultivated the Blood Ignition Technique to the extreme. At the age of thirty, he had broken through to the Enlightened God Realm, one year earlier than Ying Yue. He was also the strongest person in the Zhao royal family to ever come close to the Saint Realm.

No one knew what would happen when a prince broke through to the Saint Realm, but among the Hundred Families, saints were revered and their disciples brought blessings to all living beings. If a prince became a saint, it would undoubtedly bring about a qualitative change to the entire country.

But as the price of the Blood Ignition Technique, Zhao Ji's lifespan was shorter than that of the previous Kings of Li. It might only be a matter of a few years.

That's why he frequently secluded himself, and the most recent time was for over a year. If he couldn't break through to the Saint Realm...

The Blood Ignition Technique was a publicly known secret, but the details inside were rarely known to outsiders. Only the royal princes who personally practiced it could barely speculate.

"Heh..."

Zhao Ning looked at Zhao Qi, her eyes already extremely cold. She had always thought that Zhao Qi was shameless, but she never expected him to be so shameless.

He was willing to be a puppet of the Zhou royal family, but now he was colluding with the Wei and Han families to conspire against his own family's foundation.

"Request Your Majesty to make the final decision!"

The three of them repeated once again.

Zhao Ning became calm again, her gaze indifferent as she looked at them. "I have not yet danced with the elephants, but I have already governed the country! For many years, I have handled many affairs in the court, and there have been no mistakes. I have never failed to fulfill my duty, even at the cost of my own rest and sleep. This is the responsibility of the Crown Prince and the vision of my father, the King!

This case is indeed important, but do you all think that a mere case can overshadow all the cases in the Great Li in recent years?

Is it because you think that only I can make the final decision?

Or have you long been dissatisfied with my rule and my father's vision?"

Her words were resolute and forceful.

None of the three present had expected that Zhao Ning would be able to refute this request so powerfully.

Who would dare to be dissatisfied with these two matters?

They all bowed down, "We dare not!"

Zhao Ning sat back on the throne, her gaze indifferent as she looked at them. "Since that's the case, the three of you may leave. Since you have entrusted this case to me, I will definitely satisfy every family!"

She deliberately emphasized the word "satisfy," causing the three men to tremble in fear.

It seemed that this case, which was originally meant to be resolved peacefully, was going to take an extreme turn.

Han Xie's crimes were probably too much for him to handle.

Wei Huan's negligence towards Wei Teng would probably be exposed as well.There is also the servant of Pingling Jun who masters the soul-capturing technique...

The hearts of the three of them tightened. The price they paid to obtain the answer this time seemed a bit too great.

But as long as they could achieve their goal, they could accept anything.

The three of them gritted their teeth and said, "We take our leave!"

But just at this moment...

"The Emperor has arrived!"

This voice was loud and penetrating, spreading throughout the entire Jiangcheng in an instant, making everyone shudder.

Everyone turned their heads towards the sound and saw a tall and spirited middle-aged man walking into the palace with big strides. The queen, who was the mother of the world, quietly accompanied him, making everyone dare not look directly at them.

"Your Majesty!"

The three of them were startled and quickly bowed, their hearts pounding. How did he come out of seclusion so quickly?

Or was it that he had already come out of seclusion and Zhao Ning was just deceiving them?

Zhao Ning was overjoyed in his heart, but he didn't show any surprise on his face. He stood up from the throne with a faint smile and respectfully saluted, "Father, the King!"

"Hahaha! My son is truly talented, with the demeanor of my youth!"

Zhao Ji laughed heartily and then asked, "Can you handle this matter properly?"

Zhao Ning pursed his lips and smiled, "Yes! Your son intends to..."

Zhao Ji waved his hand, "Since you are confident, go ahead and do it. Sooner or later, you will be the one to take on the great responsibility. There is no need to consult with me, right?"

Upon hearing this, the flames in the eyes of the three of them instantly extinguished, and they began to feel uneasy.

This...

Zhao Ji smiled, "Since the matter of Wei Qing and Han Qing has already been dealt with, you can go back and rest!"

The two of them glanced at each other and could only bid farewell.

"We take our leave!"

Their footsteps were fast, as if they were fleeing.

Although the Wei and Han families were both powerful, they still didn't dare to take action. Wasn't it because of the absolute strength and power of the Li Kings throughout the generations?

It seemed that this time, Zhao Ji not only did not close the gates, but also made some progress in his cultivation.

This Pingling Jun has caused us a lot of trouble!

Zhao Qi also wanted to leave with them, but under Zhao Ji's gaze, his body stiffened. He couldn't even move, let alone breathe.

After the two old ministers left, the smile on Zhao Ji's face disappeared, "I heard that you brought a servant to search for Ying Wuji's soul?"

"Father, I admit my mistake!"

Zhao Qi no longer had the carefree appearance he had before. He immediately bowed and nodded.

Zhao Ji glanced at him indifferently, "This act almost jeopardized the diplomatic relations between Qianli and Ganyue. What punishment do you think you should receive?"

"A three-year salary penalty and a hundred lashes!"

Zhao Qi's face turned pale.

"Hmph!"

Zhao Ji snorted coldly, "It's fortunate that you remember the rules of the Zhao family! Although capturing souls is one of the seventy-two evil techniques, it is also a highly controversial spell. If used for good, it can be tolerated. If used for evil, it becomes a calamity for the world. What punishment do you think your servant should receive?"

Zhao Qi didn't dare to answer this question at all. He stammered, "What punishment does Father think is appropriate?"

Zhao Ji snorted coldly, "Since he is a calamity, cut off his hands and feet, confiscate his property, and expel him from the country!"

"Father! This..."

Zhao Qi panicked. He had three thousand servants under him, all of them extraordinary individuals who came for their future prospects and his wealth. If they were only expelled from the country, he could still accept it. But cutting off hands and feet, confiscating property... how would the other servants view it?

If he mishandled this, the three thousand servants in his mansion would probably disperse.

Zhao Ji said coldly, "Are you questioning my decision?"

"No, I dare not!"

"According to the laws of Da Li, a son's crime can be compensated by the father, and a servant's crime can also be compensated by the master. If you feel sorry for this calamitous servant, you can take his punishment on his behalf. After all, there must be someone who will be punished with severed hands and feet, confiscation of property, and expulsion from Da Li. It can be him, or it can be you. Do you understand?"

"I understand, I understand!"

"Go down!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Qi stumbled out of Chongli Palace, no longer the spirited appearance he had when he drew the flood control map at the literary meeting.

After he left, only a family of three remained in Chongli Palace.

Zhao Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Zhao Ji, his eyes slightly red.

"Father, you have finally come out of seclusion!"

"Yes!"

"Did you make a breakthrough in your cultivation this time?"

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of blood spurted out. Zhao Ji, who had been full of energy and spirit, suddenly became weak.

Like a raging fire under a strong wind, it instantly turned into a flickering candle flame in the night breeze.

"Father!"

Zhao Ning was greatly alarmed and quickly went forward to support Zhao Ji. He felt that the mana in his body was extremely chaotic, not much different from going mad. For a moment, his mind was in chaos. Just as he had found his backbone, it suddenly collapsed.

"It's nothing! I just forced myself out of seclusion and suffered some injuries. Resting for one night will be enough!"

Zhao Ji wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and couldn't help but look at his daughter more, sighing inwardly.

He was naturally very satisfied with Zhao Ning as his successor. Looking at the situation in the world, there were very few young people who could compare to her in terms of excellence.

In this world, who could handle state affairs so well at such a young age?

But after all, she was still a young person. Subconsciously, she still regarded him, her father, as her reliance.

Zhao Ning looked worried, "Father! Did you break through the realm this time?"

Zhao Ji smiled bitterly, "How easy is it to break through the Saint realm? The scholars of the various families can be free from distractions and comprehend the laws of heaven, earth, and human relations. As kings, how can we let go of our attachments so easily? Ying Yue's divine abilities were comprehended by himself. Others can't easily comprehend them..."

It was often more difficult for kings to become saints than ordinary people.

This was an unchanging rule throughout the ages. Even if Zhao Ji had strong talent, he couldn't escape this fate.

Exchanging divine abilities and insights with Qian Wang was the closest he had ever been to the Saint realm, but in the end, he still failed.

Zhao Ning looked worried, "Actually, there is no need to rush this. If you continue to seclude yourself for some time, perhaps you will understand it! You should continue to seclude yourself, after all, there are only three years left..."

"Even if I try my best, it won't be useful if it's not the right time! Moreover, it will be difficult to enter seclusion again after coming out. How can I waste the last three years?"

Zhao Ji shook his head and smiled, "Since your mother called me out of seclusion, it means there is something more important than breaking through the realm."

Zhao Ning was slightly startled. Something more important than breaking through the realm?

She knew that Zhao Ji's seclusion this time was almost like a death closure, and only the queen was allowed to interrupt his seclusion.

And the only condition for this interruption was to break the deadlock in the Kingdom Li.

Zhao Ning turned around and looked at the queen in astonishment, "Mother..."

The queen shook her head helplessly, "You and your father are both desperate. The old me wants to burn all the blood, and the young you are willing to give up the throne for a straw. Since you are convinced that Ying Wuji is the one who can change the fate of the Kingdom Li, then I can only believe in you!"

Zhao Ning fell silent, remembering her argument with the queen before she hurried to the Flying Fish Guards last night.

She wanted to protect Ying Wuji, but the queen tried her best to stop her. She argued with reason, but in the end, it was compromised by the queen.

Unexpectedly...

Zhao Ji's complexion had already recovered a lot, and he smiled, "Tell me about your plan!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Ning nodded and explained her recent thoughts clearly.

Form an alliance with Kingdom Qian to suppress the Wei family in military affairs.

Do business with Ying Wuji to expand the royal family's financial power.

Establish the Great Li Academy to force the nobles to give up their official positions, paving the way for the imperial examination reform.

The first two things were steady and gradual, but the third thing was a bit too risky. The queen shook her head when she heard about it a few days ago, but Zhao Ji's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Zhao Ning asked, "Father, is it feasible?"

"It's worth a try!"

Zhao Ji narrowed his eyes, "The situation in the Great Li is not something that can be solved by mere 'suppression'! Which of the previous kings in several generations was mediocre? They all failed to suppress it more and more! Without shedding some blood, the Great Li will be dragged down sooner or later. Today's situation is the best example! However... there is one thing that must be considered!"

Zhao Ning hurriedly asked, "What is it, Father?"

Zhao Ji looked into the distance outside the hall, "This action will not only harm the Wei and Han families, but also offend all the nobles. Even within the Zhao royal family, it will cause a great backlash. The means must be more tactful. Moreover, you are about to ascend the throne, if you do this, it will definitely affect your ascension."

Zhao Ning became anxious, "Then who should..."

Zhao Ji stroked his beard, "Who else but me?"

"Father!"

Zhao Ning became even more anxious.

Zhao Ji smiled slightly, "It's just three years of life left for me. If I don't help you block some things, wouldn't it be a loss? I can intimidate the members of the royal family, and I dare to offend those nobles! What can they do? At most, they can secretly curse me as a tyrant!"

"Father..."

Zhao Ning was moved, and she knew in her heart that this was the best choice. She could only nod and say, "Alright! Then I will enter seclusion to impact the first-grade spirit fetus!"

"Seclusion? What seclusion?"

Zhao Ji glanced at her and sighed, "You have been trapped in piles of memorials since you were young, focusing only on politics and cultivation. What can you use to impact the first-grade spirit fetus? I see that your transformation has already reached a high level. You should take the opportunity to go out and relax during the Hundred Schools Gathering. Maybe you will have some insights and break through. I will announce that you are in seclusion to prevent the reform from affecting you!"

"Yes!"

Zhao Ning showed a rare relaxed smile. The Hundred Schools Gathering, she really wanted to relax as Zhao Ling.

"Oh, by the way, Father, there are some other matters!"

Since she wanted to relax, she naturally had to finish talking about the matters today. She then explained the issues regarding Luo Yan, Li Caitan, and Ying Wuji's potential marriage partners.

"Luo Yan..."

Zhao Ji's expression became serious, "He is getting old after all. Now even the teachings of our sect can infiltrate his side. There is no need to do anything to Li Caitan for now. Tomorrow, I will summon Luo Yan and see how the situation is. As for Ying Wuji... it's really difficult to handle!"

He knew the character of his daughters too well. Even if he temporarily bestowed the title of a princess, it felt like deceiving people.

He could only summon Ying Wuji tomorrow and ask if he had a preferred princess. If not, he would directly let him choose one. After all, his daughters were quite good-looking.

...

It was already late at night.

The courtyard of the Flying Fish Guards was still brightly lit.

"You should rest and recover here. I will stay in the next room tonight!"

Hua Chao stood up, her face slightly blushing.

After all, Ying Wuji had too many injuries on his body. Apart from a pair of shorts, he couldn't wear anything else. Although most of his skin was covered in gauze, it still gave the feeling of being ragged.

It was embarrassing for a man and a woman to be alone in the same room in the middle of the night.

"Don't! The story of Li Ping'er has just begun."

"Let's continue tomorrow!"

Not mentioning Li Ping'er was fine, but once Li Ping'er was mentioned, Hua Chao wanted to leave even more.

In fact, after applying medicine to Ying Wuji, she wanted to leave quickly, afraid that the atmosphere here would trap her.

But unexpectedly, Ying Wuji insisted on discussing opera scripts with her.

When it came to opera scripts, Hua Chao couldn't bear to leave.

As a result, she listened to a chapter of Jin Ping Mei, although there were no explicit scenes yet, she already felt that something was wrong. After all, Ying Wuji always wrote those shameless things.

"Hua Chao..."

"Let's continue tomorrow! Xiao Liu is also seriously injured, I have to take care of her!"

"Alright!"

Seeing Hua Chao's resolute attitude, Ying Wuji could only nod.

Xiao Liu was quite loyal, always protecting Hua Chao until the last moment. If something really happened to her or if she was harmed by Wei Teng...

Hua Chao would feel guilty for the rest of her life.

Fortunately, it was just some vomiting, caused by a concussion.

Watching Hua Chao leave, Ying Wuji felt extremely reluctant.

But unexpectedly, after Hua Chao opened the door, she stood still and didn't leave.

"Could it be..."

Ying Wuji sat up straight.I saw a tall female officer standing outside the door.

Hua Chao bowed and said, "Wu Qianhu!"

Ying Wuji's mouth twitched. "Wu Qianhu! I just had my wounds bandaged. Are you planning to send me to prison?"

To be honest, he only knew that Ji Su took the blame, but he didn't know anything else.

But if Ji Su took the blame, it wasn't enough. If it was only him, he would definitely have to take some responsibility. It was unlikely that he would be sent back to Kingdom Qian, but punishment was probably unavoidable. The only difference was whether it would be a minor or major injury.

Wu Shuangxu had no expression on her face, she just made a gesture of invitation. "You can go home now!"

"Huh?"

"What?"

Both of them were stunned. They could just go home like this?

Ying Wuji couldn't believe it. "Before we go home, don't we need to be beaten or pay a fine?"

Wu Shuangxu shook her head. "No need! Han Xie has admitted that he instructed Ji Su to frame you. And your decision to kill Wei Teng was also due to Han Xie using poison to make you lose control."

"Poison? What poison?"

"Is Han Xie also involved in this matter?"

"What the hell is going on?"

To be honest, Ying Wuji found it a bit annoying. He didn't even know that he was poisoned.

Wu Shuangxu shook her head and roughly explained what happened today.

Hua Chao listened with a complicated expression. She didn't expect Luo Yan to actually protect Ying Wuji.

After Ying Wuji finished listening, he roughly understood what had happened. But he still asked, "So, was the poison released by Han Xie himself, or was someone controlling him?"

"Who knows?"

Wu Shuangxu pursed her lips. "Since everyone is dead, if he says he released it himself, then he did!"

"Alright!"

Ying Wuji smiled. Now he had no stains on him, and he had guessed the identity of the person manipulating things behind the scenes.

He thanked Wu Shuangxu and went to another room to help Xiao Liu up. He left the Flying Fish Guards with Hua Chao and the others.

Although it was better to stay here and recuperate in the middle of the night, this place was not home after all.

When they left the gate of the Flying Fish Guards, Ying Wuji thought they would have to walk home, but there was already a carriage waiting for them.

When Wu Dan saw Ying Wuji come out, his eyes turned red and he rushed over with an iron pipe. "Brother Wuji! You scared the shit out of me!"

As he spoke, he gave Ying Wuji a bear hug.

Ying Wuji winced in pain. "It hurts, I'm going to split open!"

"What do you mean split open?"

"My wound is splitting open!"

"..."

Only then did Wu Dan let go of Ying Wuji.

Ying Wuji looked at the iron pipe in his hand, feeling confused. "What is this thing?"

"Fireworks!"

Wu Dan snorted and added, "Fireworks that can kill people. It's guaranteed to cause serious injuries. I thought Luo Yan would target you again, so I prepared this! Although he is in the Transcendent Mortal Realm, his body is extremely weak. He will definitely ascend to heaven on the spot."

Ying Wuji instinctively grabbed Hua Chao's wrist and grinned. "Forget it, Luo Yan helped me this time."

Zhai Yun laughed and said, "Speaking of Luo Xiang, although he spent his later years in the arms of a gentle woman, he has always been diligent, loved the people, and adhered to loyalty and righteousness. He couldn't have been unaware of this matter. If it weren't for me stopping him during the day, Wu Dan might have really caused trouble."

"Yeah!"

Ying Wuji nodded and then bowed to Thirteen and Gongsun Di. "Thirteen, Lord Gongsun, thank you for your help this time!"

Thirteen didn't say anything, just nodded, looking quite aloof.

Gongsun Di had a polite smile on his face. "Young Master is a member of the royal family of Kingdom Qian. How can he suffer humiliation in a foreign land? Any citizen of Kingdom Qian would speak up for Young Master!"

Although this little brother was on Ying Wuque's side, he was still honest and could be trusted.

Thirteen patted Ying Wuji's shoulder. "Stop standing there, go home quickly!"

"Yeah!"

Ying Wuji nodded and, with the support of a few people, got on the carriage.

The carriage rumbled forward, not heading to the Qian Kingdom Embassy, but returning to Shangmo Bookstore.

When they got off the carriage, Gongsun Di couldn't help but say, "Young Master! You are the highest-ranking official of the embassy, and the official seal is back in your hands. It's better to stay at the embassy!"

"No need, I feel more at ease living here."

"That's fine!"

Gongsun Di didn't insist and just bowed. "Since Young Master has returned home, I will take my leave!"

Thirteen didn't leave with him. "You go back first, I have something to discuss with Young Master."

"Yes!"

Watching Gongsun Di leave, Ying Wuji took another look at Thirteen before going straight to the backyard.

After sending Zhai Yun and Wu Dan away and settling Hua Chao and Xiao Liu, he returned to the courtyard.

Thirteen was sitting on a stone bench, his eyebrows slightly furrowed as if he was thinking about something.

"Thirteen, do you have something to discuss with me?"

Ying Wuji smiled and sat opposite him. Thirteen never left the embassy, so if he stayed here today, there must be something to talk about.

Thirteen nodded and looked towards one of the rooms. "Is that little girl about to break through?"

Ying Wuji smiled. "She's at the Essence, Energy, and Spirit Triple Realm, and she's almost reached perfection. But to break through, she still needs an opportunity. Many geniuses have fallen at this step."

To be honest, Bai Zhi's speed of cultivation advancement was frightening.

Her previous main job was being a maid, fetching water, cooking... She didn't even know where she found the time to cultivate.

But she still managed to quietly reach the Essence, Energy, and Spirit Triple Realm after a period of time in seclusion. How long had it been since she closed up? She had already reached perfection in the Essence, Energy, and Spirit Triple Realm.

What kind of monster was she?

Ying Wuji valued her greatly, so no matter what happened during this period of time, no one was allowed to disturb her.

But to break through to the Twelfth Realm, it still depended on opportunity.

Thirteen smiled. "Your maternal clan is really generous!"

"Huh?"Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow, he knew that Baizhi was sent by his maternal clan, but he didn't know her origin.

From the sound of it, Thirteenth Master seemed to know.

His interest was piqued: "Thirteenth Master, do tell!"

Thirteenth Master squinted his eyes: "You weren't in the inner hall today, do you know what happened there?"

"I know a bit, Wu Shuangxu told me."

"That's good!"

Thirteenth Master said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile: "Do you remember what Ji Su used to control Wei Teng's spirit?"

"A cat woman?"

Ying Wuji shivered, this kind of demon cultivation was a notorious black market trade, absorbing the pure essence of the demon, not only greatly beneficial to the body, but also possibly awakening the demon's innate magic in the fetal shedding realm.

This...

He became excited: "Are you saying that Baizhi is also a cat woman?"

Thirteenth Master shook his head: "She's not the same as those cat women, if ordinary little demons had such strong cultivation talent, the world would have been in chaos long ago. I'm not quite sure what kind of demon she is."

"So, my Baizhi is pretty awesome?"

"Her parents are at least great demons, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to advance so quickly in her cultivation as a demon practicing human techniques. At first, when she was living in the embassy, I only had suspicions, after all, the eleventh level of the triple realm is not astonishing, but now..."

"Stop beating around the bush!"

Ying Wuji was somewhat excited, his eyes filled with curiosity: "I just want to know what kind of demon she is, does she have a tail?"

Thirteenth Master choked a bit, his gaze at Ying Wuji was full of contempt: "How would I know? Her transformation was too successful, ordinary people can't tell at all, otherwise, she would have been caught long ago for practicing so blatantly here."

He patted Ying Wuji's shoulder: "Your maternal clan gave her to you, naturally hoping you would use her to improve your constitution, so don't waste it. Also, I must remind you, even if a tamed demon has a successful transformation, it will revert to its demon form when breaking through the fetal shedding realm. At that time, once the demon energy leaks out, it will surely be hunted down by everyone."

Ying Wuji's heart skipped a beat: "What should I do then, I can't not break through the fetal shedding realm for a lifetime, right? Can the demon energy be suppressed?"

Thirteenth Master nodded: "Of course! The reason why humans are different from demons is because of education. The Hundred Schools of Thought are the ultimate teachings for educating the masses, the only thing in this world that can neutralize demon energy is the luck of the Hundred Schools. To avoid any flaws, at least three types of luck are needed to suppress the demon body, demon energy, and demon spirit. If successful, one can have the qualifications to become a demon immortal."

"I see..."

Ying Wuji was thoughtful, he had his own advantages, so he didn't particularly need the luck of the Hundred Schools, at most it would just be the icing on the cake.

However, this Hundred Schools gathering, since he was going for the purpose of causing trouble, the luck of the Hundred Schools was indeed worth fighting for.

In his expectation, it was to help those around him seek opportunities for breakthrough, this... just right!

Thirteenth Master stood up: "That's all I have to say! I can only say that this Hundred Schools gathering won't be peaceful, I don't particularly recommend you to take risks, after all, the original intention of your maternal clan sending her here was just for you to improve your constitution."

With that, he left the bookstore directly.

For some reason, Ying Wuji felt a bit melancholic looking at his retreating figure.

Sigh... Thirteenth Master, he's also a man with a story!

Ying Wuji propped his chin in thought, he kept saying it was for the purpose of improving his constitution, but he was openly and secretly reminding him about the luck of the Hundred Schools, pointing out the direction for Baizhi's future cultivation path.

So, why does Thirteenth Master hope that a demon will have a good life?

There's a story there!

However, the matter of fighting for the luck of the Hundred Schools was indeed urgent.

Of course, Ying Wuji just wanted Baizhi to have a good life.

Not because he was a furry fan.

Absolutely not!

Just then.

Squeak...

The door opened.

Baizhi walked out in a daze, she had just finished her cultivation, she said somewhat dejectedly: "Young Master! I still haven't broken through the twelfth level!"

Ying Wuji stepped forward, patted her head, and comforted her softly: "It's okay! You'll break through one day! Good girl, let the young master take a look at you!"

"Huh?"

Baizhi's face suddenly turned red, does the young master miss me so much?

She bit her lip: "If the young master wants to look, then look a little longer!"

"I won't look anymore!"

"Huh? Why?"

"Nothing! Go to sleep!"

Ying Wuji slipped back to his room directly, not seeing a tail, disappointed, angry, sobbing...

Wait a minute!

What kind of demon is Baizhi, she's so silly, she wouldn't be a pig demon girl, would she?

...

The next morning.

Ying Wuji was sleeping soundly when he was awakened by a pair of small hands.

Baizhi's voice was clear: "Young Master! Young Master! There's someone outside asking to see you!"

Ying Wuji said impatiently: "Who is it?"

"She said she's Hua Wanqiu from the Minister's Mansion!"

"Damn!"

~~~~~

In the next chapter, I'll give my favorite Ji Su a grand exit.

Thank you~

(End of Chapter)