Chapter 137: I Did No Such Thing, Do Not Slander Me

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye, and the weather grew much hotter.

The All-Phenomena Garden, once ravaged by the Abyss Demon Emperor, had been completely tidied and restored. Under the glare of the sunlight, the flowers and plants in the courtyard gleamed brilliantly.

In the courtyard.

Cheng Guang was practicing his cultivation.

Both his martial arts and spiritual path were advancing side by side.

Because his spiritual attainment had been elevated to the Heaven-Human Realm by the Saint-Consummation Dao Fruit—though it was only a false Heaven-Human Realm—the gap between it and his martial arts had grown significantly wide.

At this moment, as Cheng Guang practiced martial arts, studied martial techniques, and forged his physical body, it felt somewhat hollow.

Even so, Cheng Guang did not slack off, diligently training day in and day out.

With every single move and posture, every muscle, every inch of skin, and every tendon and bone within his body resonated incessantly.

He forged pure, unadulterated strength.

Between his bones, the sound of clashing metal echoed endlessly.

After a long while.

Cheng Guang finally stood still and reined in his momentum.

The vital energy that had been swirling around his entire body began to gradually calm down.

"My spiritual path doesn't require much active cultivation right now. I just need to steadily strengthen my primordial spirit so that I can perfectly unleash the power of the Saint-Consummation Dao Fruit, and that will be enough."

"As for the martial path, it grants me a robust physique. Without a physical body to support the primordial spirit, it is ultimately nothing more than castles in the air."

"The higher the realm I reach, the more I feel that dual cultivation of both martial arts and the spiritual path is perhaps what all practitioners in this world should pursue."

"It's just that the vast majority of people are unable to practice both simultaneously. Coupled with the fact that below the Heaven-Human realm, dual cultivation is not strictly necessary, most people only practice a single path, and from this, a great variety of other cultivation paths have even evolved."

Cheng Guang contemplated to himself.

In the All-Phenomena Garden.

Qingluan and Ning Qianxue were cooking.

Ning Qianxue also seemed to frequent the kitchen, and she got along exceptionally well with Qingluan. The two of them, wearing floral aprons, bustled about in the side room, setting up stoves, starting fires, stir-frying dishes, and cooking meals.

Clearly, the Grand Preceptor's Manor was not short of servants.

Clearly, even Qingluan could simply focus on serving Cheng Guang, leaving the menial chores to lower-tier servants.

Yet they were unwilling to do so.

They found joy amidst the cooking smoke and prepared meals with their own hands.

And remarkably, this inexplicably gave Cheng Guang a sense of home.

Therefore, Cheng Guang did not say much more and let the two of them do as they pleased.

Just at that moment, Cheng Guang seemed to suddenly hear something and looked toward his side.

"Young Lord."

Qin Yanqiu tied up her silver hair, clad in battle armor and holding a silver sword, and walked over at a leisurely pace.

Her cold, clear eyes fixed on Cheng Guang, carrying a hint of tenderness never seen before within them.

"What is it?"

Cheng Guang looked at Qin Yanqiu with a smile and asked.

Qin Yanqiu had only taken off this suit of armor a short while ago; why was she wearing it again during this time?

Cheng Guang was just about to ask.

However, Qin Yanqiu spoke first.

"Young Lord, I believe I have conceived. Living here in the Grand Preceptor's Manor is naturally worry-free, but I cannot adapt to it."

"I wish to return to Northern Suppression City, and I hope the Young Lord will grant permission."

Qin Yanqiu's cold, clear voice reached Cheng Guang's ears without much ripple.

Even though she was pregnant.

Qin Yanqiu was not as joyful and excited as other ordinary women.

To her, it seemed to be a particularly ordinary matter.

There was also a sense of relief, as if a shackle had been cast off from her body.

After all, it had been agreed upon from the start that as long as Qin Yanqiu conceived, she would be allowed to return to Northern Suppression City.

Faced with Qin Yanqiu's impending departure, the joy Cheng Guang felt upon learning of her pregnancy was somewhat diluted.

Cheng Guang hesitated for a moment, then looked at Qin Yanqiu and asked, "When are you leaving?"

Qin Yanqiu replied, "Right now."

"In such a rush?" Cheng Guang raised his eyebrows slightly.

Qin Yanqiu nodded. "There has been an increasing amount of demonic unrest in the Realm Border Battlefield recently. The Grand Preceptor intends to hand over command of the Northern Expeditionary Army to me, and he is urging me to return sooner."

"Rest assured, though, I will take good care of the child."

"Once the baby is born, I will send them back to you."

Cheng Guang agreed, though hearing Qin Yanqiu mention that the demonic unrest was increasing caused his brow to furrow slightly.

If he remembered correctly.

The border realm of the Great Yuan Dynasty was located near Northern Suppression City, wasn't it?

If the Great Yuan Dynasty wanted to launch a sneak attack on the Great Zhou in the future, they would inevitably have to bypass Northern Suppression City.

Could those demonic movements be the handiwork of the Great Yuan Dynasty?

Cheng Guang had no evidence yet and did not quite understand, so he could only remind Qin Yanqiu: "Once you return to Northern Suppression City, remember to remind my grandfather and tell him to be cautious of Great Yuan."

Qin Yanqiu's cold eyes gazed at Cheng Guang, appropriately revealing a trace of confusion within them. Clearly, she did not quite understand what Cheng Guang meant by suddenly saying these words.

What is there to be cautious of Great Yuan about?

Qin Yanqiu was puzzled.

So she simply gazed at Cheng Guang like that.

Yet she did not voice the confusion in her heart, instead waiting for Cheng Guang to speak of his own accord.

Noticing Qin Yanqiu's expression and seeing that she had not moved away, still maintaining the appearance of waiting for his explanation, Cheng Guang smiled and said:

"I have a feeling that Great Yuan is very likely to be restless during this period. Almost all the Heaven-Human realm experts of the world disappeared, but the Emperor of Great Yuan did not enter the mystic realm back then, nor did he appear. Perhaps he came in secret and vanished along with them, or perhaps he remained safe and sound."

"This Great Yuan might just come to raid Northern Suppression City and invade the Great Zhou. You must be extra careful in Northern Suppression City."

Listening to Cheng Guang's words, Qin Yanqiu's cold eyes flickered.

A moment later.

Qin Yanqiu nodded slowly.

"Then I'm leaving?"

Qin Yanqiu looked at Cheng Guang.

Cheng Guang waved his hand. "Go on then, I won't see you off. I'll come find you after some time."

Qin Yanqiu nodded slightly, and just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly turned back again. Her slightly cool hands cupped the back of Cheng Guang's head.

She gently pulled him down.

Their foreheads touched for a brief moment.

Then, with slightly hurried footsteps, she walked away at a brisk pace.

Cheng Guang stood frozen in place, smiling ruefully as he rubbed his forehead.

"When did this little ice cube learn how to do this?"

"If you had walked away even a second slower, I wouldn't have let you go."

At this time.

Qingluan and Ning Qianxue seemed to have finished preparing the food as well. They carried the dishes over and placed them all on the stone table.

Looking at the vanishing figure of Qin Yanqiu, Qingluan asked, "Did Miss Qin just leave like that?"

Cheng Guang sat down, inspected the food on the table, picked up his chopsticks absentmindedly, picked up a piece of meat, placed it into his mouth, and chewed it slowly.

"Mhm."

Qingluan hadn't heard the conversation between Cheng Guang and Qin Yanqiu just now, so upon hearing Cheng Guang's confirmation, the corners of her lips curved upward with a smiling expression in her eyes.

"That being the case, Miss Qin is pregnant. That calls for congratulations to the Young Lord."

Cheng Guang laughed, "What's there to congratulate? Your Young Lord is strong and vigorous; isn't it completely normal to have a child?"

Qingluan shook her head slightly.

She sighed softly.

Gently stroking her waist and abdomen, she felt a faint sense of despondency.

Seeing Qingluan acting like this, Cheng Guang couldn't help but laugh and shake his head, then winked at her teasingly.

"What, do you want a child too?"

Hearing Cheng Guang's words, Qingluan was first stunned, and then quickly spoke with pleasant surprise:

"Young Lord, is that possible?"

Cheng Guang raised one hand slightly, making a knocking gesture, and tapped it lightly on Qingluan's head.

"Of course not."

Frowning slightly, Qingluan covered her head as if it hurt a little, then put her hand down angrily and silently turned her head to the side.

She already wore the expression of someone who was upset.

Seeing this, Cheng Guang could no longer suppress the smile at the corners of his mouth. He smiled and explained, "I'm so young, I don't want to have kids yet."

"Qin Yanqiu is different; her goal for coming here was to have a baby."

"Getting her pregnant early frees me early too. Otherwise, going at it like this every day is something even an immortal couldn't withstand."

Hearing Cheng Guang's words, Qingluan seemed to understand something as well. She bit her lower lip with her pearly white teeth, wanting to say something, but when the words reached her lips, she said nothing at all.

At this moment, Ning Qianxue also picked up her bowl and chopsticks to eat with Cheng Guang, saying nonchalantly, "Qingluan, why are you thinking about having kids for no reason? Having kids is so boring."

"If you ask me, being happy yourself is the most important thing. Mother-in-law told me before that once you have a child, a woman is no longer just a woman; she is a mother. Being a mother is very hard, not something just anyone can do. Besides, they say giving birth hurts a lot, and I'm really scared."

"If I can avoid having children, I'd rather not have them."

Ning Qianxue appeared carefree.

Qingluan cast an envious glance at Ning Qianxue.

Ning Qianxue pulled Qingluan along to chat about this and that.

Sitting at the side, Cheng Guang ate his meal while listening to them; it was quite harmonious and lively.

After listening for a short while, Cheng Guang put down the bowl and chopsticks in his hand.

He suddenly looked toward the door, as if he had seen something.

After about several breaths of time, a middle-aged man with a dark robe and a jade-like face walked over from the corner of the shaded path outside the courtyard.

The newcomer caught Cheng Guang by great surprise.

Yet he was not unfamiliar.

Cheng Guang raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of mild astonishment appearing on his face.

"Why is Zhao Jin here?"

"The sudden appearance of the Five Mountains Mystic Realm back then seems to have saved Zhao Jin's life. Otherwise, after experiencing what happened last time, Zhao Jin might have already been executed and silenced by the Great Zhou Emperor."

Cheng Guang pondered in his heart.

Zhao Jin walked up to the entrance of the small courtyard and did not step inside, merely bowing to Cheng Guang from afar.

"Young Lord, Your Highness asked me to invite the Young Lord over for a moment."

Before Cheng Guang could speak, Ning Qianxue looked astonished. "Whose Highness?"

Hearing the two words "Your Highness" uttered from Zhao Jin's mouth, Cheng Guang's eyes flashed slightly, and he immediately realized:

The Highness in Zhao Jin's mouth...

Was most likely Crown Princess Wu Ling.

Faced with Ning Qianxue's puzzlement, Zhao Jin smiled and replied, "Young Lady, His Highness is naturally Crown Prince Highness."

Cheng Guang's internal speculation was confirmed.

However, Cheng Guang truly did not know why Wu Ling was looking for him at this time.

Shouldn't she be working hard to investigate the whereabouts of the Great Zhou Emperor right now?

How did she still have the spare time to care about him?

During the wedding earlier, she had also made a special trip to take a look at him, only to turn around and leave without saying a word.

Cheng Guang frowned and asked doubtfully, "Crown Prince Highness is looking for me? What is the matter this time?"

Zhao Jin smiled without answering. After a moment of silence, he replied, "The Young Lord will naturally understand upon going over to meet His Highness."

Ning Qianxue frowned slightly. "Why are you still speaking in riddles? If you put it that way, he's not going over."

Hearing this, Zhao Jin looked slightly startled, momentarily not knowing what to say.

He could only look helplessly at Cheng Guang.

Cheng Guang drank the post-meal tea slowly, adjusted his clothes simply, and said to Ning Qianxue, "I'll go over and take a look."

With that, Cheng Guang stepped out of the courtyard gate, and Zhao Jin followed closely behind him as he left.

Watching Cheng Guang walk away, Ning Qianxue pouted her lips. "That Highness is the Crown Prince Highness, isn't that the woman who suddenly blocked the doorway on the day of the wedding?"

"I can sense it."

"That Crown Prince doesn't like me."

Listening to Ning Qianxue's words, Qingluan—whose feminine intuition was always sharp—saw a few flickers of surprise flash through her eyes, but she quickly reined them in and did not pick up on that thread of conversation.

Instead, she smiled in response, then steered the conversation in another direction.

Ning Qianxue had a simple personality and didn't think too much about it, quickly shifting her mind away from Wu Ling.

Chatting about all sorts of miscellaneous things with Qingluan, she was having a merry time.

…………

Cheng Guang followed Zhao Jin all the way forward, heading straight into the Great Zhou Imperial Palace.

At this moment, the Great Zhou Imperial Palace had undergone massive changes compared to when he first visited it.

With the sudden disappearance of the Great Zhou Emperor, the entire imperial palace had grown somewhat tense.

It was not just the imperial power that was in turmoil.

It even more so represented that all the Heaven-Human realm experts across the Great Zhou were in constant turmoil.

Likewise, Wu Ling—this Crown Prince—found her position equally unstable now that the Great Zhou Emperor was absent.

Even if the several adult imperial princes did not say it out loud on the surface, which of them didn't harbor deep covetous desires for the throne in secret?

Cheng Guang walked into the Great Zhou Imperial Palace and headed straight for the Crown Prince's East Palace.

(1/3)

(2/3)

The Crown Prince's East Palace was located in the southwestern direction of the imperial palace, relatively close to the Morning Audience Hall. Such a layout was also designed to make it convenient for the Crown Prince to study state affairs and have some communication with the civil and military officials.

The East Palace was exceptionally large. On the outside was a tall palace wall, with guards of the imperial army patrolling and protecting the perimeter. Inside, there were numerous small courtyards, paved with clean and neat white-stone paths, dotted with rockeries, side waters, flowers, and trees, arranged in an orderly fashion within the confines of the East Palace.

Summer had arrived, and petals drifted through the air, making the scenery breathtakingly beautiful.

Entering the East Palace, Cheng Guang soon stepped into a courtyard.

From afar, Cheng Guang could see a young woman sitting in a pavilion within the courtyard.

She possessed a captivating radiance with every glance, a breath as sweet as orchids when she sighed; her hands were like tender shoots of white grass, her skin like congealed fat, her neck like the larva of the longicorn beetle, her teeth like melon seeds, with a beautifully sculpted head and moth-eyebrows. She smiled charmingly, and her lovely eyes darted brightly.

Her appearance was peerless, and at some point, her eyebrows and eyes had become tainted with a hint of firmness and majesty.

She already bore the initial appearance of a future Female Emperor of Great Zhou.

As Cheng Guang approached, Wu Ling raised her head and cast a light, clear glance at him.

At this moment, Cheng Guang was still dressed in white, his facial features handsome without looking effeminate, his physique upright, confident and bold, yet carrying the gentle warmth of a spring breeze.

Wu Ling looked at Cheng Guang.

No matter how many times she looked.

Wu Ling felt that the Young Lord was the best-looking man she had ever laid eyes on.

Yet...

"What is Your Highness looking for me for?"

Cheng Guang smiled as he spoke to Wu Ling, his voice moist and devoid of lost etiquette.

Presently, Wu Ling's identity was the Crown Prince of the East Palace. Even though Cheng Guang had harbored thoughts of usurping the throne due to the actions of the Great Zhou Emperor—and right now, the Great Zhou Emperor was presumably no more—Cheng Guang held no ill will toward Wu Ling.

Even if he were to usurp the throne, he would have to adopt a gentler approach.

Therefore, when facing Wu Ling, Cheng Guang still maintained surface-level respect.

Wu Ling looked Cheng Guang up and down, then gently pointed at a stone stool beside them with her delicate hand.

"Young Lord, sit down."

Hearing this, Cheng Guang was stunned and looked at the stone stool beside him.

What surprised him wasn't Wu Ling asking him to sit on the stone stool.

It was Wu Ling's tone at this moment.

It carried a commanding tone.

Although Cheng Guang's personal power and influence were much stronger than that of the Crown Prince, on the surface, Wu Ling's status as the Crown Prince still trumped Cheng Guang's.

Using such a commanding tone was acceptable in theory, but not in reality.

Perhaps because he had spent the most time with Wu Ling, and she was the first true friend he had made upon coming to this world, Cheng Guang knew Wu Ling harbored no malice. After nodding slightly, he sat down.

Seeing Cheng Guang sit down, Wu Ling swept her clear eyes toward Zhao Jin at the side and slowly spoke:

"Zhao Jin, tell them everything you saw when you went to Great Wei and met the Great Wei Empress."

Cheng Guang listened to Wu Ling's words.

Hearing terms like "Great Wei" and "Great Wei Empress" pass from Wu Ling's lips, Cheng Guang's eyes couldn't help but twitch a few times.

That woman, the Great Wei Empress.

Although he had previously used a Dao oath to temporarily control and utilize her, that did not mean the Great Wei Empress was someone who could be manipulated at will.

Could this Great Wei Empress be causing trouble for him in a matter like this?

A bad premonition inexplicably arose in Cheng Guang's heart.

Cheng Guang's gaze fell upon Zhao Jin.

Under Cheng Guang's gaze, Zhao Jin's fair, jade-like face did not show much timidity, though he looked somewhat hesitant.

The hesitation did not last long.

Zhao Jin slowly said:

"The Great Wei Empress told me that a few days ago, in the mystic realm, the Great Zhou Emperor and a group of Heaven-Human realm experts were attacked by bizarre white bugs. Because of those bizarre white bugs, they were all unable to break free and were trapped to death within the mystic realm."

"And those bizarre white bugs were lured out by the Young Lord single-handedly, hidden inside a storage ring, and deliberately used to frame His Majesty..."

After Zhao Jin finished speaking, Wu Ling waved her hand. "You don't need to say the rest. You may leave."

Zhao Jin quickly clamped his mouth shut and hurried away.

Before long.

Zhao Jin's figure vanished from the courtyard.

After Zhao Jin left, Wu Ling's clear eyes stared intently at Cheng Guang.

Then, word by word, she asked out loud:

"That is what the Great Wei Empress told Zhao Jin. Of what she said, how much do you think is true?"

Hearing Wu Ling's question, Cheng Guang did not rush to answer.

Instead, he felt somewhat like laughing.

The Great Wei Empress was, after all, the contemporary ruler of Great Wei.

How could she still be so petty?

He hadn't even done much to her, yet she chose this exact moment to trip him up.

Fine, fine, so that's how we're playing.

A sense of displeasure toward the Great Wei Empress arose in Cheng Guang's heart.

Cheng Guang knew that because she was bound by a Dao oath, the Great Wei Empress was unable to make a move against him herself.

That was why she had thought of using Wu Ling's means to deal with Cheng Guang.

Perhaps she also knew that Wu Ling fundamentally could not do anything to Cheng Guang.

She just thought that disgusting him a little would be reward enough.

The proud Great Wei Empress was probably still nursing a grudge over what happened in the mystic realm.

Dropping his eyelids, Cheng Guang remained silent for a moment before raising his gaze to look at Wu Ling: "How much of it do you think is true?"

Wu Ling shook her head. "I don't know."

"That's why I'm asking you."

Sitting beside the stone table, Cheng Guang tapped his fingers lightly on the surface, making a crisp sound. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Most of it is true."

"Only the details deviate."

As Cheng Guang spoke, Wu Ling listened.

Hearing Cheng Guang say that most of it was true, her clear eyes trembled slightly. The hand hidden beneath her dress clenched tightly into a fist for a moment before slowly relaxing again.

At this point, Cheng Guang's tone paused slightly. "You should know that His Majesty wanted to kill me."

"He even sent Zhao Jin to make a move."

"If I hadn't possessed some means, I'm afraid I would have already become a wandering soul by now."

"In the mystic realm, His Majesty snatched my gains from within the realm as well. He simply didn't expect that my storage ring wasn't filled entirely with good things."

Hearing this, Wu Ling lifted her clear eyes and asked, "So, you're saying it was all my father's fault, and even if you framed my father, Young Lord, it served him right?"

Cheng Guang shook his head.

He fell silent once more.

Turning his head, he looked at the distant pavilion.

"I was merely acting in self-preservation. As long as His Majesty doesn't die, the Grand Preceptor's Manor will have no peace, and neither will I."

"Once he sent assassins after me, the line was crossed. No matter how the relationship is mended afterward, it can never be repaired."

"I didn't kill him with my own hands either; he wasn't the only Heaven-Human trapped by those bizarre white bugs."

Hearing this, Wu Ling understood somewhat and let out a slow breath.

"So you had the ability to save him, but you chose not to."

"That Great Wei Empress is also a Heaven-Human, and the only Heaven-Human to come out of the mystic realm alive. You rescued her, didn't you?"

Cheng Guang nodded slightly.

Wu Ling pressed her red lips together, her clear eyes filled with complexity.

"The Young Lord truly is a fickle lover, leaving affection everywhere. Who would have thought you'd even provoke the Great Wei Empress, though it seems she doesn't like you."

Cheng Guang shook his head. "I did nothing of the sort, do not frame me."

With that.

Cheng Guang lifted his gaze, locked eyes with Wu Ling's clear gaze, and asked bluntly, "So, what does Your Highness plan to do to me from now on?"

"Are you going to avenge your father, or make this matter public and subject me to the condemnation of the whole world?"

Wu Ling took a deep breath, then looked at Cheng Guang.

"Why do you think I would do that?"

Cheng Guang frowned, a hint of impatience in his tone. "Then Your Highness invited me over, surely not just to invite me for tea."

Wu Ling had been fine initially, but the moment she heard Cheng Guang's impatient tone, she completely exploded.

She slammed her hand down onto the table and stood up abruptly.

"I invited you over for tea, so what?"

"You just desperately want me to do something to you?"

"Do you know! No matter how flawed my father was, he is still my only family left in this world!"

"You! You are again...!"

At this point, Wu Ling's voice suddenly hitched, rendering her momentarily speechless. Then, tears suddenly welled up in her clear eyes, and a sour sensation stung the bridge of her nose.

With a sudden wave of her hand, powerful primordial spirit energy gathered into a sword in front of her.

Grasping the sword, Wu Ling lunged forward to stab Cheng Guang.

As she thrust forward, Wu Ling's voice sounded somewhat hoarse: "Will this make you satisfied??"

Cheng Guang's eyes froze as he looked at the tears in Wu Ling's eyes and her agitated state of mind.

For a moment, he didn't quite react.

His brain simply crashed.

And stopped running.

Cheng Guang didn't understand why Wu Ling was crying.

He hadn't even said anything weird.

And the two of them didn't have a relationship that was exceptionally close, right?

Was Wu Ling crying for the Great Zhou Emperor?

That couldn't be right.

When Zhao Jin had spoken of the Great Zhou Emperor just now, Wu Ling's expression hadn't flickered in the slightest, nor had there been much sorrow in her demeanor.

If she were going to cry bitterly over the Great Zhou Emperor, she probably would have broken down long ago.

She wasn't crying because of the Great Zhou Emperor; instead, she lost her composure because of a single sentence of his.

Could this Wu Ling...

Cheng Guang thought of an absurd possibility.

Looking at Wu Ling.

He found the whole thing preposterous.

That was impossible.

Cheng Guang couldn't recall having had too many interactions with Wu Ling either.

Recalling their very first meeting, the various bits and pieces from their first game of chess.

Coupled with the memory of her searching specifically for him in the crowd during the imperial ancestral ceremony.

And not long ago, how Wu Ling had disregarded protocol and blocked the middle of the front gate at his grand wedding.

All of these things, both overtly and covertly, betrayed her feelings.

With a pang of heartache, Cheng Guang patted his own head.

Only now did he realize.

Could this Wu Ling have truly developed improper feelings for him?

Wu Ling was a member of the Great Zhou Imperial Family.

And he was the Young Lord of the Grand Preceptor's Manor.

No matter how their relationship developed, they were destined never to end up together.

Cheng Guang never expected that after merely interacting with Wu Ling a few times, she would develop unusual feelings for him.

In the flash of a flint.

Cheng Guang thought of many things.

Watching Wu Ling tearfully lunge at him with her sword raised, he could imagine how much pain her heart was in.

Clearly, Wu Ling harbored no ill intentions.

Yet he had been the one to misjudge Wu Ling and push her toward the opposite side.

For a moment.

A wave of guilt welled up in Cheng Guang's heart. He sighed, standing in place without any intention of resisting.

His current cultivation realm was much higher than Wu Ling's.

It would take Wu Ling exerting her full strength just to potentially injure him.

Besides, he possessed the divine ability of endless vitality; no matter how heavy the injuries, Cheng Guang felt he could recover from them quickly.

Right now, letting Wu Ling stab him with a sword was fine too.

Cheng Guang stood in place.

Without moving.

As Wu Ling approached him, the dark-gold primordial spirit-formed sword in her hand aimed straight for his chest with its tip.

When it touched Cheng Guang's chest.

Wu Ling suddenly stopped.

She forced the tears in her clear eyes back.

Stubbornly and with disbelief, she glared at Cheng Guang.

"Why didn't you dodge?"

Cheng Guang shook his head, remaining silent for a moment.

Then he asked, "Wu Ling, you couldn't possibly have fallen for me, right?"

As Cheng Guang's words left his mouth, Wu Ling's clear eyes flickered a few times before her arm trembled, directly placing the blade against Cheng Guang's neck.

"I did not fall for you at all."

"You big liar! Back then, when you clearly had zero cultivation and let me beat you countless times, you even lied and said you were just letting me win."

"How could I possibly like someone like you?"

Glancing at Wu Ling, Cheng Guang nudged the blade away with one hand and swept his gaze across the surroundings.

Then he slowly stood up.

Walking over to the lakeside, he picked up a handful of black and white stones.

They varied in size and were uneven.

Right there on the stone table, Cheng Guang drew a chessboard. After finishing the board, he pushed all the black pieces across to the other side.

Then he sat down with an unhurried, graceful air.

He raised one hand slightly, pointing at the stone stool opposite him.

"Come sit, let's play a game of chess."

"If I win this time, this matter is wiped clean. If you win this time, I can grant you any request you want, and you can exact your revenge on me however you please, as long as it's not too excessive."

Hearing Cheng Guang's words, Wu Ling stood in place.

Stunned for a long time.

Then she took a deep breath.

"Fine!"

With that, Wu Ling tossed her sword aside.

She sat down opposite Cheng Guang, picked up a black piece, and dropped it straight into the center (Tengen).

Cheng Guang also picked up a white piece and slowly placed it down.

The two of them played chess silently at the stone table.

Just like back then.

Just like usual.

Only the atmosphere this time was different.

After a short while.

Cheng Guang was about to win.

Perhaps because Wu Ling was distracted, or perhaps because her mind simply wasn't on the game of chess at all.

Cheng Guang won very easily.

And just when Wu Ling thought Cheng Guang was about to pick up a white piece and place it on the board,

Cheng Guang suddenly dropped the stone.

He smiled and said:

"I won, but I can still grant you one request."

Wu Ling frowned slightly, her clear eyes staring fixedly at Cheng Guang.

"Are you humiliating me?"

Cheng Guang shook his head. "No."

With that, Cheng Guang added another sentence.

"Whatever you want me to do, just tell me."

Wu Ling directly said in a cold voice, "Then what if I want you to die?"

Cheng Guang thought about it. "Don't you think that request is a bit excessive?"

Wu Ling chuckled coldly. "Excessive? I think it's just fine."

Cheng Guang shook his head. "That request won't do for now. Everyone has to die eventually; maybe I can satisfy you when I'm about to die. Pick another one."

"Great Zhou might descend into chaos soon. Why don't you let me lend a hand?"

"Great Zhou will descend into chaos?"

Wu Ling frowned slightly, looking at Cheng Guang in puzzlement.

She instinctively assumed that when Cheng Guang said this, it must mean the Grand Preceptor, or rather the Grand Preceptor's Manor, was going to stir up trouble.

Because right now across the entire Great Zhou, there was only one Heaven-Human expert, and that was the Grand Preceptor.

No one within the Great Zhou Imperial Palace could suppress the Grand Preceptor.

As a mere Crown Prince, she was even less capable of it.

Cheng Guang nodded with a smile and added, "Great Yuan might make a move against Great Zhou. If you want to seize power, this is an opportunity you can exploit."

"Why don't you make a request for me to help you ascend to the throne of the Great Zhou Emperor?"

"Great Yuan will make a move against Great Zhou? That's impossible. Great Yuan and Great Zhou have never gone to war, and there have been many marriages between the two nations."

"Father told me before that the two countries are eternal allies."

Wu Ling simply didn't believe it.

Cheng Guang didn't force the issue either, instead saying with a smile, "Then would you like to change it?"

"I won't change it. Seeing you just annoys me. Hurry up and get lost."

Wu Ling waved her hand.

She stood up and walked toward the bedroom in the courtyard.

Watching Wu Ling's retreating back, Cheng Guang froze for a moment, not expecting Wu Ling to act this way.

He smiled ruefully and shook his head.

At the same time,

Cheng Guang's mood also grew much heavier.

He more or less understood Wu Ling's feelings.

However,

That kind of love was, to him, asking for too much.

If Wu Ling weren't a member of the imperial family, if the Great Zhou Emperor hadn't initially plotted to kill him.

There would have been room for a turnaround in everything.

But right now.

Because of the Great Zhou Emperor,

Cheng Guang and Wu Ling had both been driven to the edge of a cliff.

Regardless of reason, morality, or their respective factions, neither side could allow the two of them to end up together.

A thousand thoughts swirled in Cheng Guang's mind, and a trace of exhaustion crept onto his face.

"Young Lord, His Highness has gone to rest. You may leave now."

A palace maid stepped forward cautiously and spoke to Cheng Guang.

Hearing this, Cheng Guang did not reply; he turned and walked toward the palace exit.

Just as he was about to step out of the Crown Prince's East Palace, Cheng Guang couldn't help but look back once more.

He could see,

At a towering pavilion, a slender silhouette flashed past and vanished.

A dazed expression crossed Cheng Guang's face, followed by a heavy sinking in his heart as he slowly walked out of the palace gates.

Just as Cheng Guang stepped out of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace with a heavy heart,

He suddenly heard a flurry of exceptionally urgent hoofbeats.

Those hoofbeats sounded like driving wind and pelting rain, suddenly arriving from afar.

"Urgent report, urgent report!! Make way, make way!!"

Lifting his gaze into the distance, Cheng Guang saw a soldier clad in heavy armor, his face stained with blood and dirt, rushing toward the Great Zhou Imperial Palace with a look of faint terror.

The imperial guards stationed near the city walls of the palace quickly swung open the grand gates of the imperial city.

At the same time, Cheng Guang slightly stepped aside.

Allowing the soldier to enter the palace.

As the man brushed past Cheng Guang's side, it felt like a fierce gale sweeping by.

Watching the back of the soldier as he entered the palace, Cheng Guang's eyes froze, and his thoughts surged in turmoil.

"An urgent report?"

"And delivered in person by a soldier."

"Could some war have broken out? Only, judging by that person just now, he didn't look like someone from Northern Suppression City."

Pondering in his heart, Cheng Guang waited for a few more breaths before something suddenly dawned on him.

"That's right, the system quest prompt only stated that Great Yuan would send people to invade Great Zhou, causing Great Zhou to suffer heavy losses, but it didn't specifically mention where the invasion would happen or what Great Yuan would do to Great Zhou."

"Could it be..."

"The Great Yuan invasion of Great Zhou isn't coming from Northern Suppression City where their borders touch closest, but rather taking a detour to break through from somewhere else??"

Realizing this, Cheng Guang suddenly felt that the people of Great Yuan were actually quite clever.

After all, the Grand Preceptor was stationed at Northern Suppression City.

Leaving aside the presence of a Heaven-Human expert like the Grand Preceptor,

The crucial point was that the Northern Expeditionary Army in Northern Suppression City was the most elite military force in the entire Great Zhou, incomparable to ordinary imperial guards or the Four Elephant Armies.

If the enemy could avoid a battle, they would avoid it first.

That way, even though the Grand Preceptor would eventually find out and lead the Northern Expeditionary Army into battle, Great Yuan only needed to use demons to pin down the Grand Preceptor.

If they subsequently captured Great Zhou with lightning speed,

Even a Heaven-Human powerhouse like the Grand Preceptor, along with his formidable Northern Expeditionary Army, would be powerless to turn the tide.

"Judging by the appearance of that soldier just now, it seems Great Yuan has dispatched quite a few people. Great Zhou might have suffered heavy losses, and the borders may have already been breached."

"With the imperial court currently lacking the Great Zhou Emperor to preside over it, who knows how these court ministers will make decisions."

"If they don't take this matter to heart, I'm afraid that before long, more than half of Great Zhou's territory will be lost."

Muttering to himself internally,

Cheng Guang walked step by step toward the Grand Preceptor's Manor.

Not long after,

Cheng Guang returned to the All-Phenomena Garden and entered the courtyard.

Inside the courtyard,

Qingluan and Ning Qianxue were already lying down, gazing at the clouds in the sky.

The sunlight shone upon their faces, making their already fair skin look even more radiant and luminous.

Cheng Guang made very little noise as he walked.

Yet the moment he entered the courtyard,

Ning Qianxue and Qingluan both noticed him simultaneously.

Their gazes fell upon Cheng Guang.

"Young Lord, what was that Highness looking for you for?"

Ning Qianxue asked out of curiosity.

Hearing this, Cheng Guang felt somewhat awkward, unsure how to answer, so he simply brushed it off with an evasion.

"Nothing major, just chatting casually. I'm going inside the room to handle a few things first."

"Qingluan, keep an eye out and don't let anyone disturb me."

With that, Cheng Guang stepped inside the house.

Hearing Cheng Guang's words, a look of lingering doubt remained on Ning Qianxue's face.

"Nothing major, just chatting casually?"

Looking at Qingluan, Ning Qianxue asked with puzzlement, "Is that Crown Prince on good terms with the Young Lord? Do they chat often?"

Qingluan shook her head.

"I haven't seen it much."

"But they must be familiar with each other."

Ning Qianxue let out a soft "Oh," then muttered, "The Young Lord is really something; he could tell us whether it's a minor or major matter. Judging by his demeanor, he's basically just trying to keep us from knowing. Qingluan, don't you think so?"

Ning Qianxue prattled on incessantly, but her face carried genuine concern.

Because she could sense that the East Palace Crown Prince somewhat disliked her, she was somewhat afraid that the Crown Prince might harbor ill intentions toward Cheng Guang.

Hearing Ning Qianxue's words, Qingluan smiled without answering.

She only occasionally responded with a smile.

Her beautiful eyes darted toward Cheng Guang's bedroom from time to time.

The corners of her lips curved slightly.

"The Young Lord is probably facing some difficulty he doesn't want us to know about. If he wanted us to know, even if we didn't say anything, he would tell us himself."

As she spoke, Qingluan looked at Ning Qianxue again, steering the topic in another direction.

"What dishes shall we make tonight?"

Hearing Qingluan bring this up, Ning Qianxue's eyes lit up, and she grew lively and cheerful all over, immediately wanting to say something, but then she lowered her head with a hint of distress.

She gently pinched her lower abdomen.

"I can't eat anymore."

"I've eaten well enough these past few days."

"If I keep pampering myself like this, I'm going to get fat."

Hearing Ning Qianxue's words, Qingluan's beautiful eyes blinked slightly, and she carefully sized up Ning Qianxue's figure, only to find Ning Qianxue's physique exquisitely slender—a fraction too much would be plump, a fraction too little would be thin.

It could be said to be the most fitting figure for her, and also the one men favored the most.

Where on earth was she fat??

At this moment, Qingluan expressed her profound incomprehension.

Yet she didn't say much more, merely muttering,

"Let's make some braised goose today, and then go outside to buy some pastries. The Young Lord rather likes eating mung bean cakes. Young Lady, do you know what you'd like to eat?"

Hearing Qingluan list those foods, Ning Qianxue's eyes lit up with excitement. She couldn't help swallowing a mouthful of saliva as she happily said, "I want to eat crystal cakes, nine-layer cakes, rose cakes..."

Ning Qianxue reeled off a long list.

Smiling, Qingluan looked at Ning Qianxue and nodded in agreement one by one.

After Ning Qianxue finished listing everything she wanted to eat,

She looked at the smile on Qingluan's face.

Suddenly, she realized something.

Her face instantly turned as red as a tomato.

Flustered and at a loss for what to do,

Ning Qianxue lowered her head and whispered:

"I... I'll only eat just a tiny bit."

…………

(End of Chapter)