Taishang Pavilion Master Li Chen even came to the Imperial City to personally investigate this case—

Though in the end, it was "left unresolved."

But everyone knew deep down that Li Chen had already placed the blame on "Xie Zhen."

"Pay no mind to these things."

Chen Jingxuan gently said, "You've worked hard these days. Go back and rest well. Never do something more than three times; having already visited the Taoist Sect thrice... the message we wanted to convey has been delivered."

"Yes."

Sang Zheng respectfully replied, with a sense of anticipation in his heart.

Is this the preparation for using diplomacy followed by military action?

The Taoist Sect, although a behemoth with a millennium of heritage,

Sang Zheng was not at all afraid.

He knew that these three visiting cards were sent on behalf of the "Pavilion Master Tang."

Currently, rumors were swirling in the Imperial City, with many having heard the news of "Tang Fengshu" being trapped in the back mountain.

Some were watching and waiting, while others took advantage of the situation, mocking Chen Jingxuan for bullying the weak and fearing the strong, indebted to Tang Fengshu in Qing State but now not daring to speak up for him.

These words reached Sang Zheng's ears.

The National Master and the Pavilion Master are a match made in heaven!

Now that the Pavilion Master is in prison, how could the teacher stand by idly? He had wanted to speak up for his teacher several times, but considering the bigger picture, he ultimately held back.

No one knew the teacher's character better than he did.

Suffering before the world's suffering.

Rejoicing after the world's joy.

While the teacher sat in the Book Tower, holding the Heavenly Fate Line, he must first consider the "all living beings," no matter how much he cared for the Pavilion Master Tang, the big picture had to be stabilized first.

"Teacher, I am not tired! If you have any tasks, feel free to command me!"

Before Sang Zheng set off, he bowed once more.

The voice behind the screen remained calm: "Okay."

After Sang Zheng left.

The Book Tower returned to its calm state, beyond the screen interwoven with countless golden threads of destiny.

Chen Jingxuan lay spread-eagle on the floor of the Book Tower, gazing blankly at the heavenly peak.

Ten feet above in front of him,

countless golden threads crisscrossed, slicing and forming a tangled, complex constellation.

This hexagram left him perplexed. After pondering hard the entire day, without a drop of water, sleepless, his clothing disheveled, and losing all dignity.

This was why he hadn't shown up to meet Sang Zheng earlier.

"Jiangning" was a war without the smell of gunpowder, logically, this great victory should be celebrated.

But Chen Jingxuan could not find happiness no matter what.

In theory, having resolved these recent troubles, the great fortune that should have rebounded attached to his body,

But that was not the case.

[Roundness Instrument]'s golden lines wound around, the hexagram was chaotic.

Chen Jingxuan stared for a long time, unable to discern the direction.

This was a very frightening thing.

Whether the hexagram was "Great Fortune" or "Great Misfortune," it shouldn't lead Chen Jingxuan into such a state…

Yet the hexagram was a complete chaos.

Even when investing his life fate into the [Roundness Instrument], consuming longevity for divination, he still gained nothing.

Since practicing the Sky Observation Technique, Chen Jingxuan had never encountered such a situation.

In a short time.

His heart lake felt some alarm.

...

...

Today, the Imperial City was extraordinarily lively.

Firecrackers erupted, drums thundered, Xining Street was paved with red cloth, and Yuanqing Building was packed.

The Qin Family invited esteemed guests, hosting a grand feast.

The reason was none other than the Qin family's "Second Young Master," who had studied and trained since childhood and finally returned fully accomplished.

The Qin Family had three young masters altogether.

The Eldest Young Master Qin Baihuang, served as the Refining Department Chief, quite talented in artifact refining.

The Second Young Master Qin Qianlian, apprenticed at the Longevity House, under Master Yuan Jin "Cao Yue," practicing Daoist skills for over thirty years.

As for the Third Young Master Qin Wanyang… he had already perished during the Northern Hunt.

The Qin Family's power was vast, the most prominent among martial arts families in the Four Borders of the Great Chu Dynasty.

Since the earliest grant by the Great Chu Ancestor, it was a hereditary title that could be inherited without replacement. Qin Ancestor even reached the peak early, tasked with guarding Great Chu's martial arts destiny. Such "Peak Characters," even when facing Wu Zhexian, demanded respect and a bow of reverence.

Despite such deep family reserves, even if the Qin Family had been low-key these years, they couldn't escape discussion amongst the people.

Qin Ancestor once left family commandments.

During peaceful times, the Qin Family Master must not serve longer than sixty years in office.

A maximum of sixty years, the Family Head Position must change.

This "Sixty Years" was now nearing its date, yet no decision had been made regarding the successor of the Qin Family Master.

In fact, this matter had sparked numerous debates long ago…

Occupying the high position of "Refining Department Chief," seemingly infinitely advantageous Qin Baihuang was not favored by others.

A decade ago, Fangyuan Square had provided relevant intelligence.

The intelligence from Fangyuan Square at the time predicted.

If nothing unexpected happens, the Family Head Position would pass to the Third Young Master Qin Wanyang.

The reason was simple.

The Qin Family was a "Martial Arts Family," and being under Qin Ancestor's protection, every family master had placed immense importance on "Martial Arts Cultivation."

Unfortunately.

The Eldest Young Master Qin Baihuang did not care for "cultivation" at all, devoting himself to artifact refining skills.

In the Qin Family's eyes, artifact refining was merely a small skill.

The Second Young Master, however… did not follow the family's planned path either.

Despite Qin Qianlian's extraordinary talent, he was not interested in "Qin Family Body Refining Technique." He left the Imperial City at a young age, entering the Taoist Sect, apprenticing at the Longevity House.

If either of these two Young Masters had been willing to practice the Body Refining Technique, the later Third Young Master would not have been born.

Ten years ago.

Qin Wanyang, even at a young age, had shown remarkable talent in body refining.

Given this momentum, the Qin Family's Master Position would have been without any suspense.

Unfortunately.

The Third Young Master died during the Northern Hunt.

The Eldest Young Master is still immersed in artifact refining skills; thus, the Qin Family's only candidate is the Second Young Master Qin Qianlian.

This time, with Qin Qianlian's return, the Qin Family held a grand feast, seemingly making their stance clear.

...

...

However, ironically,

This banquet invited many nobles from the Imperial City, powerful figures from all directions.

But the main character didn't show up.

Every floor of Yuanqing Building was packed, with countless people arriving early, waiting eagerly, but from morning till night, from sunrise till sunset, they did not catch a glimpse of the Second Young Master, who had left the Imperial City for thirty years to cultivate the Dao.

Qin Qianlian simply did not show up.

By dusk,

in the Refining Department's secret chamber, the sound of hammering splashed, sparks scattered.

A scalding sword piece plunged into icy water, billowing steam rose up, Qin Baihuang clad in talismanic armor was busy forging swords, when he suddenly paused his palm movements, frowning as he turned around.

The heavy meteor iron doors of the secret chamber had unknowingly opened.

At the door stood a "young man" in white clothes and white hair.

The young man was no longer young,

But perhaps due to the cultivation of "Longevity Technique," his face was extremely rosy, like a teenager of seventeen or eighteen, with red lips and white teeth, his eyes were clear, yet his pupils were ink-black.

Looking closely, one would find his eyes bore no emotions.

Nothing but indifference.

"Finished eating?"

Qin Baihuang controlled the iron armor, slowly extracting the slender sword piece from the icy water, he looked indifferently at it, before tossing the sword piece into the discarded sword casting furnace, said faintly: "I heard today the entire Imperial City was very lively. You're the main character; shouldn't you have stayed till the end?"

"It seems elder brother still cares about me."

Qin Qianlian lightly smiled and said: "I didn't attend at all, how could I leave?"

"Didn't attend?"

Qin Baihuang glanced at the talismanic sundial on the ground; this cast iron secret chamber was sealed off to outside, unable to see the day and night changes, but due to the crafted talisman, there was a projection of a small talismanic sun in the chamber ceiling, this projection fell on the sundial, clearly marking the hours.

It was now sunset.

"I haven't returned for a long time, but in this Imperial City… there are still many old acquaintances."

Qin Qianlian spoke softly: "Before seeing you, I visited many people."

"For example?"

Qin Baihuang asked coldly.

"For example, Chen Jingxuan."

Qin Qianlian smiled and said: "The first person I saw after coming back from the Taoist Sect was him."

Having lived in the Imperial City since childhood, the people he was most familiar with, besides Qin Baihuang, were Chen Jingxuan.

"You should see him."

Qin Baihuang didn't seem surprised: "Jingxuan has always been thinking of you these years."

"Really?"

Qin Qianlian said blandly: "Why do I feel he isn't very welcoming to me... but that doesn't matter, I went to see others."

"..."

Qin Baihuang was silent.

Qin Qianlian, with a blank expression, said: "That foolish, dead brother. After he died, all that was left was a wooden monument, not even a corpse."

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