The boat of the Feng Residence, via the waterway, journeyed towards Xia Capital.
Into the night, Feng Xun listened to the babbling of water under the boat, struggling to sleep for a long ti.
He was always a light sleeper, and in the earlier days, it was only with the company of that sound that he could sleep soundly until dawn.
After more than ten days without contact, sothing called longing had already taken root and sprouted in his heart.
The Phoenix Token, he kept close to his body at all tis, like a precious object, untouchable by anyone.
In the dead of night, he always habitually took it out and placed it next to him, fiddling with it in his hand, hoping to hear that familiar voice.
But ti and again, he was left disappointed, his eyes open until the break of dawn.
Around midnight, the Phoenix Token suddenly stirred.
A voice that made Feng Xun’s heart race uncontrollably reached him after a long absence.
"Ling Yue?"
Feng Xun suddenly sat up, excitedly gripping the Phoenix Token.
From the other end of the Phoenix Token, a familiar and pleasant laughter ca.
"Feng Xun, I’m back."
She had finally returned.
Ye Lingyue casually ntioned that she had left Xingxiu Cave and was currently rushing back to Daxia.
Feng Xun also told Ye Lingyue that the Ye Family would participate in the upcoming Imperial Examination.
"I will definitely participate in the Imperial Examination; tell the Lan Residence to proceed with everything as planned," she said hurriedly to Feng Xun, without specifying when she would return to Daxia.
After a few days, Feng Xun arrived in Xia Capital, where Ye Huangyu ca to pick up the mbers of the Ye Family.
On his way back to the Feng Residence, Feng Xun saw the bustling streets of Xia Capital, filled with martial artists carrying weapons and disciples from various sects coming and going in the city. It was only after Sword Slave made inquiries that he learned these people had all co to participate in Daxia’s Imperial Examination.
The Daxia Imperial Competition was a grand event for the entire Daxia, but due to limited national strength, the scale of the Imperial Examination in previous years could only be considered dium at best.
However, this year’s Imperial Examination was sowhat different.
As it turned out, it was because of Crown Prince Xiahou Qi. Xiahou Qi advised Emperor Xia that in order to attract more young and talented martial artists to participate, he specifically added a reward: anyone who enters the top three in the Imperial Examination would receive a Reincarnation Elixir, and the top three would also be granted imdiate official positions in Daxia.
His move brought the influence of the Daxia Imperial Examination to a new height.
Not to ntion the martial artists among the commoners, even the young martial artists from second and third-tier sects ca in admiration, aiming for a Reincarnation Elixir.
As a result, an unprecedented number of people ca to participate in the Imperial Examination. The Imperial Palace, therefore, had no choice but to add two more platforms on top of the original one, holding three battles simultaneously every day.
"After becoming the Crown Prince, this Sixth Prince has indeed grown quite a bit, and is much smarter than Emperor Xia," Feng Xun nodded after hearing this.
When he left Beiqing, he had also heard Emperor Beiqing ntion that Xiahou Qi had already agreed to a marital alliance with Beiqing, and would soon send a formal proposal to Beiqing.
The change in Xiahou Qi was, in all likelihood, related to the ’death’ of Ye Lingyue. Xiahou Qi’s deep affection for Ye Lingyue had made the news of her death an undoubtedly heavy blow to him.
However, Feng Xun had no intention of kindly correcting this mistake. One less person coveting his woman suited him just fine.
Yet Xiahou Qi’s actions, to so extent, further intensified the conflict between the Hong Residence and the court.
Inside the Hong Residence, there had also been a surge of undercurrents recently.
"Hmph, the Crown Prince is so shrewd, offering Reincarnation Elixirs and promising official positions. His actions clearly show that he is intent on cultivating his own power to deal with our Hong Residence," soone sneered.
The news of the rewards for the Imperial Examination caused much dissatisfaction within the Hong Residence, especially for Hong Fang.
Lately, as Emperor Xia had been indisposed, he handed state affairs over to the Crown Prince for managent. Xiahou Qi took this opportunity to suppress several ministers allied with the Hong Residence, and sharply rebuked the policy recomndations made by Hong Fang.
Having been the Crown Prince’s Tutor for several years, even when Xia Houhong was around, he had never dared to speak to Hong Fang in such a manner. Xiahou Qi scolded Hong Fang in front of all civil and military officials, leaving him utterly humiliated. How could Hong Fang swallow such an insult?
"Father, stay calm, don’t be impetuous. Xiahou Qi is using a provocation tactic. He is clearly waiting for an opportunity to find your faults and seize the mont to strip you of your position as Imperial Tutor. Before grandfather went into seclusion, he reiterated again and again to wait for his return, no matter what happened. At most in a month, or perhaps a few days, grandfather will definitely co out," Hong Mingyue guessed that there would be such a day when she harbored the intention to kill Xiahou Qi while at Xingxiu Cave.
However, now that grandfather Hong Qingyun has taken the Nine Revolutions Reincarnation Elixir and begun to break through to the Divine Power Realm.
As long as Hong Qingyun’s breakthrough is successful, the Hong Residence’s rebellion and change of dynasty would beco inevitable.
Hong Mingyue’s words cooled down Hong Fang’s mind a bit.
"Ming Yue, what are your chances for this Daxia Imperial Competition?"
Hong Fang was always confident about his daughter’s strength, but this ti, with Xiahou Qi not hesitating to reward the Reincarnation Elixir, his intention was very clear — he did not want Hong Mingyue to win first place.
Nowadays, disciples from many sects have entered Xia Capital, competing for the Reincarnation Elixir in the Imperial Examination. This developnt made Hong Mingyue’s chance of victory uncertain.
"Father, I will not lose. Just yesterday, I broke through to the Reincarnation Second Realm," Hong Mingyue said indifferently.
"Is this really true?" Hong Fang was overjoyed beyond expectation. No wonder Hong Mingyue was out of the residence all day yesterday — she had gone sowhere to make her breakthrough.
His daughter, truly a genius among geniuses, had not long ago broken through to the Reincarnation First Path, and now she had already achieved the Reincarnation Second Realm. Even Hong Fang himself could not match such an accomplishnt.
"Absolutely true, so father can rest assured this ti, I will definitely not let you down," Hong Mingyue deliberately left the city to break through to the Reincarnation Second Realm, because she didn’t want people in Xia Capital to know about her breakthrough.
If simply being at the Reincarnation First Path wasn’t enough to make Hong Fang confident that she could win first place in the Imperial Examination, her newfound level of cultivation now made her victory a certainty.
"I always said, you have more promise than Ye Lingyue; you are rightfully the top genius of our Hong Residence." Whenever Hong Fang thought about recent days at the court, and Ye Huangyu and Nie Fengxing, he felt a burning anger inside.
In the past, Hong Mingyue had always been his pride.
But since the appearance of Ye Lingyue, she started to eclipse the splendor of others unknowingly.
Especially in Beiqing where she refined the Five-Colored Reincarnation Elixir, and at the Xingxiu Cave, she and the Sky Demon perished together. Too many auras suddenly shrouded Ye Lingyue, making Hong Mingyue, who had always been outstanding since a young age, seem sowhat dimd in comparison.
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