It was already late at night when Lu Mingyuan’s consciousness returned from the Shadow Warrior.
’My own body is still the best, after all.’
A Puppet’s body was still just a Puppet, after all. Still, the experience had allowed him to grasp the Shadow Warrior’s general capabilities. It could easily handle any Cultivator below the Seventh Realm and could even take on an ordinary Grandmaster. Winning against anyone stronger, however, would be extrely difficult. It perford well when it had the upper hand, but he certainly couldn’t rely on the doppelganger when the tables were turned.
Each Blood Glutton Shadow Warrior wasn’t a real person, after all, but a figure sculpted from clay. Its Acupoints couldn’t be continuously opened like his, so it could never reach the strength of his true body.
He had made his initial infiltration into Prince Jin’s Mansion and beco a Level C Expert in the Endless Pavilion. The plan was progressing steadily. His next step was to understand their internal structure: how many Level A Experts they had, how many B Level, and what their respective Cultivation realms were.
Whenever there was a mission, the C Level Jade Token would glow.
To prevent the Cyan Jade Token from being used to track him, he didn’t even have the Shadow Warrior return. He simply withdrew his Divine Soul, leaving the doppelganger in the Imperial City to continue playing the role of the Yang Family’s Second Son.
Lu Mingyuan sat on his bed and ditated for a while on the Taotie Visualization Image and the Black Tortoise Breathing thod.
He made significant gains each ti, opening another seven Acupoints. With this, the total number of open Acupoints in his body broke the 800 mark, leaving him just two hundred shy of the one thousand needed for the Sea-Viewing Realm.
But he wasn’t satisfied with this.
After all, one thousand and eighty Acupoints was rely the basic requirent to break through to the Sea-Viewing Realm.
A Martial Artist’s strength, and whether they could stand undefeated among the Middle Fifth Grade, all depended on the number of their Acupoints.
As for the Black Tortoise Breathing thod, his "Martial Venerable" Fate Grid gave him an extrely deep understanding of the technique. He had already reached the Qi Transformation Chapter, and the quality of the Primordial Qi nurtured within his body was exceptionally high.
He had killed Huo Hongling in an instant, without even needing to take a second breath.
Practicing the breathing technique while sitting in ditation was ideal, yielding the best results. However, he could also employ it subconsciously while performing other tasks, using his breath to circulate the qi and blood in his body for explosive bursts of power at critical monts.
This qi and blood tempered his physical body, which in turn generated even more qi and blood, creating a cycle of strengthening.
KNOCK KNOCK.
That evening, Zi Yun knocked on the door as always and brought Lu Mingyuan his dinner.
He looked at the many dishes in the al container, a thoughtful expression on his face.
The qi and blood in his body now surged unceasingly, strong as a dragon or a tiger. His Acupoints nurtured so much qi, blood, and Primordial Qi that they could easily et his daily needs, allowing him to go for a month without eating.
Ordinary food was no longer a necessity for him.
Still, a man has his appetites, and there was no harm in indulging occasionally.
"Your Highness, Princess Consort Zhao is here to see you."
Lu Mingyuan had just picked up his chopsticks when he heard Hong Wan’s announcent from the doorway.
"Oh?"
He raised an eyebrow with great interest. He hadn’t expected his sister-in-law to actually take the initiative to visit him.
’She must have wanted sothing from when she sent that food over before.’
’I just didn’t think she’d co knocking on my door herself.’
"Let her in."
Lu Mingyuan ordered. Hong Wan gave a slight nod and led her in.
It was the height of sumr, and Yang Yingchan was dressed in an outer robe of fiery, gossar gauze. Her hair was swept up in a high chignon, held in place by a Golden Magpie Jade Hairpin. Her neck was as long and white as a swan’s, her figure as voluptuous as ever, and her fair skin was so delicate it looked as if it would bruise at a touch. Her crimson lips, thin as a cicada’s wing, were pursed lightly, betraying a troubled mind. She had co alone, with no maids in tow.
She entered the chamber and clasped her hands, bowing lightly.
"Greetings, Brother-in-law."
Hearing her call him "Brother-in-law,"
Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but break into a brilliant smile.
"So, Sister-in-law, have you finally seen things my way?"
Seeing Lu Mingyuan’s flawlessly handso face again, Yang Yingchan couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter.
Even for a married woman like her, the sight of him made her heart flutter. ’No wonder,’ she thought, ’the concubines in the Harem say that both Qi Muxue, the greatest talent in the Imperial Capital, and the Champion Marquis’s daughter are utterly smitten with him. I can’t imagine how many more won he’ll lead astray in the future.’
He hadn’t co to see her even once since his warning last ti.
No one else visited her, either. She was alone, day after day.
It took her a long ti to get used to it.
She did feel an occasional pang of emptiness, but her days were peaceful, at least.
’The Sixth Prince must have grown tired of ,’ she thought. ’It’s only natural that he stopped coming.’
’The Sixth Prince’s wedding is just around the corner; he’s about to start his own family. I’m just another man’s wife, my beauty already starting to fade. How could I possibly hold his interest?’
She had thought her life would continue on in this quiet, stable way.
But then, for three months, she received no letters from her father in the Northwest.
She gradually began to feel that sothing was wrong.
She wanted to go to the post station and ask the couriers about the situation, but she was powerless to do so.
Stuck in the Harem, she had no one she could command.
So, at this critical juncture, she had thought of the Sixth Prince and couldn’t stop herself from coming to Lu Mingyuan for help.
Now, his words brought her back to their conversation from months ago.
’So he hadn’t forgotten about . Has he been waiting for my answer all this ti?’
"Please don’t tease , Brother-in-law," Yang Yingchan said, her expression dimming.
Seeing that she still hadn’t co around and clearly hadn’t taken his previous words seriously, Lu Mingyuan picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, and asked casually, "Spit it out. What is it? I’ll hear you out, then I’ll consider it."
’I’ll see what she wants first.’
"I have a favor to ask of you..."
Yang Yingchan briefly explained the situation with the post station. When she finished, Lu Mingyuan tilted his head slightly and smiled.
"Is that all? Such a small matter."
It was a small matter in his eyes, but to Yang Yingchan, it was the most important thing in the world.
She exchanged letters with her father every few months. It was the only thing that gave her peace of mind.
It was the only thing that gave her purpose for staying in the Capital City.
As long as she knew her father was safe, she felt that her own suffering was nothing.
"So... does that an Your Highness agrees?"
"No. I don’t agree."
Lu Mingyuan shook his head. His eyes, predatory as a wolf’s, road up and down her body. Propping his chin on his hand, he said with a playful smirk:
"There’s nothing in it for . Why should I agree to help you?"
Yang Yingchan averted her beautiful eyes, nervously tugging at the corner of her sleeve. She knew there was no avoiding this. Lowering her head, she said:
"I can serve you tea, carry your water, light your fires, and cook your als, Brother-in-law."
Lu Mingyuan shook his head. "Zi Yun and Hong Wan can do all that, and they do it much better than you, Sister-in-law."
Yang Yingchan bit her lower lip. "Then... what is it you want, Brother-in-law...?"
"I want you, Sister-in-law..."
At these words, Yang Yingchan’s face went deathly pale, her heart twisting in turmoil.
If she were to be unfaithful, she would lose all face to continue living in the Harem. Her reputation would be utterly destroyed.
’How could the Sixth Prince make such a demand?’
But then, Lu Mingyuan’s tone suddenly shifted. "...to help read."
"I want you, Sister-in-law, to help read."
Lu Mingyuan repeated himself.
Hearing this, Yang Yingchan froze for a mont, then asked in astonishnt, "Just... reading?"
"Reading?"
Lu Mingyuan stepped forward, taking her delicate hand in his. He chuckled softly. "What else could you have been thinking, Sister-in-law?"
Yang Yingchan’s cheeks burned, and she wished she could bury her face in her chest. "N-Nothing," she stamred.
Lu Mingyuan said nonchalantly, "I have a lot of free ti, so I read quite a few books. But reading for long stretches hurts my eyes. Besides, after a full day of Martial Arts practice, I’m exhausted. I just don’t have the energy for it at night. So, how about this: you co to my room every evening, Sister-in-law, and read to ?"
Her cheeks flushed red again at the ntion of the ti and place, and her mind couldn’t help but stray to indecent thoughts. She imdiately agreed, nodding.
"Of course I can. I’m just curious... why , Your Highness? Can’t your two maids read to you?"
Lu Mingyuan smiled. "They have other duties. Besides, your voice is far more pleasing to the ear, Sister-in-law. It has a beautiful, lodic cadence. Listening to it just puts a person in a good mood. To hear your voice at night after a long, tiring day... that would be one of life’s great pleasures."
Yang Yingchan felt rather embarrassed at his praise.
She couldn’t help but wonder.
’Is my voice really that pleasant?’
’So much so that he’s this captivated by it?’
"Since you’ve agreed, Sister-in-law, you can start right now. Let’s have a trial run."
Lu Mingyuan pointed to a stack of Cultivation Technique manuals piled half as high as a person and chuckled.
"As for your letters from ho, I’ll send Hong Wan to fetch them now."
With a wave of his hand, Hong Wan received her orders and vanished on the spot.
"Alright."
Seeing this, Yang Yingchan nodded, earnestly picked out a Martial Arts manual, and after scanning the first page, began to recite it clearly.
"The Jinghong Youlong Technique. Its purpose is to be steadfast in heart and guard one’s spirit..."
"Louder."
"Its purpose is to be steadfast in heart and guard one’s spirit!"
"Too forceful. Softer."
Yang Yingchan’s rosy lips parted, her voice rising and falling like pearls scattering across a jade plate—truly a pleasure to hear.
Lu Mingyuan watched her small, cherry-red lips, thoroughly engrossed.
As she read, however, Yang Yingchan’s heart was a mix of complicated emotions. She had a general idea of the kind of man Lu Mingyuan was. On the surface, he was all smiles and jokes, a picture of debauchery. But she knew that if anyone were to cross his line, he would erupt with a wild, cold killing intent in the blink of an eye.
He was a profligate, no doubt, but a terrifying one.
It was best not to provoke such a man.
She was very glad she hadn’t chosen to make an enemy of the Sixth Prince.
Lu Mingyuan noticed her gaze wander. She even misread a word, lost in her thoughts. He imdiately brought his hand down with a smack on her shapely rear.
"Read properly."
A burning sting shot through her bottom, but Yang Yingchan didn’t dare complain. She could only lower her head and continue reading, her blushing face sinking even lower.
...
In the ti it takes for an incense stick to burn, Hong Wan returned, holding a stack of letters sealed with wax.
"Take them."
Leaning against the bed with his arms crossed, Lu Mingyuan glanced at the letters before tossing them to her.
"This is the most recent one; it arrived today," Hong Wan reported. "I didn’t see the previous ones. They were at the forr Prince Zhao’s Mansion."
Yang Yingchan broke the seal and eagerly began to read.
A mont later, however, her expression changed drastically.
Noticing the change, Lu Mingyuan asked, "What’s wrong?"
Yang Yingchan hesitated. "My father says there have been frequent troop movents on the Demon Country’s border. He says the border is in chaos, which is why he couldn’t write."
"Frequent troop movents on the Demon Country’s border?"
Lu Mingyuan stroked his chin, lost in thought.
’It sounds like sothing big is happening.’
"Yes. My father heard there’s been so kind of internal upheaval in the Demon Country, and it’s a serious problem. He’s about to petition the Court for reinforcents to prepare for war."
...
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