The blaze of passion nearly spiraled out of control when Chen Yi softly said:
"I really like you."
"I know."
Suddenly, Zhou Yitang’s face appeared out of the wind.
Yin Weiyin: "..."
She had no idea how this one-ard woman showed up so unexpectedly...
Fine, she appeared. But clearly, that sentence was directed at her—why on earth was the response given by soone else?
Doesn’t that an the words are now ant for her?
The female crown’s thoughts suddenly descended into chaos.
She quickly recited the Supre Forget Love Technique under her breath, cald herself, and upon closer reflection, found Zhou Yitang’s remark to be ambiguous—it seed deliberately disruptive, but also like casual affirmation from a bystander.
However, being the esteed Master Tongxuan of Yin Sword Mountain, with her cultivation so advanced, she was most likely not trying to interrupt intentionally, but perhaps offering a master’s acknowledgent of her disciple’s future wife.
Seeing Zhou Yitang suddenly appear, Chen Yi laughed awkwardly.
He turned to ask, "Why are you here?"
"Why can’t I?" she asked indifferently.
Chen Yi didn’t bicker with her in return, knowing Zhou Yitang wasn’t the type to seek him out without reason.
Besides, the current situation—sharing tender affection with Yin Weiyin behind Zhou Yitang’s back—did stir a sense of guilt.
Why, though?
For once, when he thought about it, Chen Yi realized sothing.
He was betrothed to Little Yin, and Zhou Yitang probably didn’t know yet...
A vague sense of guilt washed over him. Chen Yi softened his tone and said:
"You’ve co to see for sothing, right?"
"I wouldn’t co if there weren’t a reason."
As Zhou Yitang spoke, she looked straight at Chen Yi and said:
"Co with , by yourself."
The female crown understood her aning—whatever Zhou Yitang wanted to discuss with Chen Yi next was not ant for her ears.
Yin Weiyin didn’t say much either. She rely nodded toward Chen Yi, then activated her Taoist Skill and rode the wind away.
Draped in white robes, she drifted away like floating clouds, her figure steady without the slightest tremor. Chen Yi secretly marveled—if it were before, Yin Weiyin certainly wouldn’t have had such profound cultivation.
It must have sothing to do with her acquiring a Nascent Soul.
Speaking of her Nascent Soul...
Chen Yi furrowed his brow tightly—there were still many mysteries left unsolved, even now.
Countless speculations flashed through his mind.
At this mont, Zhou Yitang didn’t wait for Chen Yi, who was lost in thought, and leapt down from the pavilion on her own.
Chen Yi followed closely, riding the wind.
The streets and alleys of the Ghost City lay in ruins, filled with broken walls and scattered debris—traces of battles left behind everywhere. In the unseen shadows, malevolent spirits lurked, casting predatory gazes, but upon seeing the lotus crown atop Zhou Yitang’s head, they quickly fled.
Not just fleeing like snakes and scorpions.
It was more fear akin to zombies dreading the midday sun.
Chen Yi followed her through the Ghost City until they stopped at a teahouse, where both leapt up to enter.
After stepping through a broken window, Chen Yi landed—and saw the figure of Yu Zhen Yuanjun.
The silver-haired, child-faced Yuanjun sat at a table, as if waiting for so ti already, and gestured for him to sit.
After a mont’s thought, Chen Yi clasped his hands in salutation.
This was his first face-to-face eting with Yu Zhen Yuanjun.
Even though during the Underground Palace incident, he couldn’t escape this female Daoist’s machinations, due to Yin Weiyin’s influence, the enmity with the Prince Mansion had been wiped clean—and grievances with her could be considered negligible.
Moreover, during the great battle, Yu Zhen Yuanjun had protected Yin Weiyin and held ceremonies to perform rituals. Without her aid, the Emperor of Great Yu, who had intercepted the dragon vein, might never have been slain.
"Greetings, Yu Zhen Yuanjun."
After paying his respects, Chen Yi sat down slowly as Yu Zhen Yuanjun gestured for him to do so.
On the table were three bowls of tea, the green liquid adorned with white froth, outlining a silky texture. This tea was undoubtedly of the finest quality, a level Yin Tingxue couldn’t achieve—it bore striking similarity to Yin Weiyin’s style.
As Chen Yi prepared to lift the cup, Yu Zhen Yuanjun spoke:
"Wait, the tea of the underworld is different."
"How is it different?"
"When ordinary people travel from the Capital City to Jiangnan, they often fall ill. Why? Nothing more than acclimatization issues," Yu Zhen Yuanjun lightly touched the tea bowl, causing the tea to reverberate, "But traveling a re thousand miles causes this—even more so the divide of yin and yang."
Chen Yi set the tea bowl down. With another light tap from Yuanjun, he gazed into the tea, only to see skulls erge as the liquid churned, ghostly vapor rising and swirling.
A single sip of this tea would disrupt the yin-yang balance within, inevitably shortening one’s lifespan.
Having painstakingly earned ten extra years of life from that damned Daoist, Chen Yi naturally wouldn’t squander it, so he placed the bowl aside.
Seeing his cautious behavior, Yu Zhen Yuanjun held her bowl with both hands and took a small sip.
"Yuanjun doesn’t fear the ghostly vapor?" Chen Yi asked casually.
"Look again."
With that, Yu Zhen Yuanjun tapped the tea bowl again. This ti, Chen Yi saw not skulls bubbling up, but a budding green lotus.
The silver-haired, child-faced Yu Zhen Yuanjun softly said:
"If your heart holds the clear wind, what you drink is not ghostly vapor, but the clear wind."
After hearing this, Chen Yi didn’t experience any sudden enlightennt—he rely nodded lightly.
Ah, so it’s all philosophical.
But in this world of immortals and buddhas, lacking a philosophical approach would actually seem odd.
His deanor instead puzzled Yu Zhen Yuanjun for a mont.
Logically, after such guidance, even if not leading to profound enlightennt, it should at least elicit a gasp of wonder.
Yet Chen Yi’s reaction was neither a breakthrough to the celestial realm nor re indifference; it was simply a mild acknowledgnt without much emotion.
Such situations were rare in Yu Zhen Yuanjun’s encounters.
Zhou Yitang cast a side glance at him and urged:
"Why not express gratitude for Yuanjun’s instruction?"
With outsiders present, Chen Yi politely said:
"Thank you for your guidance."
Yu Zhen Yuanjun returned to her senses, waved off his gratitude, and said:
"There’s no need for thanks—I t you two today because of the matter of Great Yu."
The late Emperor’s soul was already scattered, but the intercepted dragon vein had yet to return to its rightful place. Without its restoration, the Great Yu dynasty would face disaster."
Clearly, Yu Zhen Yuanjun had gathered them to discuss the dragon vein of Great Yu. It made sense—given her identity, overlooking the matter of the dragon vein would be implausible, especially since Taihua Mountain, regardless of its reclusive nature, was still situated within Great Yu’s borders.
With those words, Yu Zhen Yuanjun addressed the two:
"This seat wishes to uncover the cause."
Zhou Yitang shook her head and said, "This is not my area of expertise."
Yu Zhen Yuanjun turned her gaze toward Chen Yi.
Chen Yi pondered for a mont and suddenly had an idea: "Doesn’t the Imperial Observatory keep watch over the dragon vein?"
"That is indeed the case. Whether Great Yu or Western Jin, both have their Imperial Observatory overseeing the dragon vein," Yu Zhen Yuanjun said with a slight raise of her brow.
Chen Yi’s expression beca grave as he responded, "Then how could the Empress Dowager not know that the dragon vein was intercepted?"
"..."
With those words, silence swiftly fell between the three of them.
This speculation bordered on disrespect toward the Heavenly Family—a punishable offense among mortals.
Zhou Yitang urged, "Continue speaking."
Without hesitation, Chen Yi continued, "I suspect... that even if the Empress Dowager wasn’t fully aware of the interception, she at least had so inkling."
As the thought took form, a chill ran through Chen Yi’s heart.
The dragon vein is integral to the dynasty’s stability—its uninterrupted flow ensures the ruling family’s continued hold on the throne, and the Imperial Observatory wouldn’t simply neglect its duty by not monitoring Great Yu’s dragon vein.
However, with the dragon vein intercepted, the Imperial Observatory showed no signs of concern whatsoever.
What’s more, the Empress herself wasn’t only aware of the Secret Realm near the Capital, but had even sent Lin Wanxiao inside...
Even if sending Lin Wanxiao was unintentional, it indirectly reveals one thing...
The Empress had enough influence to grasp what transpired in the underworld.
Such implications were terrifying...
As Chen Yi mulled this over, a chill crept down his spine.
"But what is the Empress Dowager’s motive for allowing the dragon vein to be intercepted?"
The audacious speculation forced even Yu Zhen Yuanjun to tread carefully.
"She is already the mother of the nation."
After so recollection, Chen Yi slowly said:
"I’ve heard that many court officials have repeatedly petitioned for a tutor to be assigned to the young Emperor."
A tutor, of course, would teach literacy and education.
Yet up until now, the young Emperor had no tutor, and aside from major celebrations, had scarcely appeared before the court.
Initially, this seed no more than the Empress Dowager sidelining the Emperor to seize control of governance.
But if one considers this alongside the dragon vein being intercepted...
Understand that while the Great Yu dragon vein prevails, the Yin family’s claim to the throne is secure.
If, however, the dragon vein were intercepted...
Inhaling sharply, Yu Zhen Yuanjun’s mind raced through nas written across history books.
Wang Mang, Wu Zetian, Empress Dowager Hu...
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