I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

The meeting hall of the Xie family of Chen County was built against the mountain. Unlike the grand and solemn meeting halls of other families, the style here is more simple and quiet.

Next to it is a quiet hillside, with a bamboo forest surrounding an elegant courtyard. A mountain stream flows down from the peak, into the hall in the courtyard, meandering through the hall and continuing down the mountain.

The water splashes softly, and the place becomes even quieter.

The clear stream has been flowing for a thousand years, ever since the earliest ancestors of the Xie family cut wood and built beams here.

In the quiet meeting room, several Xie clan masters and elders were sitting around.

The stream divides the meeting hall, making the seating arrangement look a bit messy, but also natural and interesting, like a mountain stream. All the problems encountered by the Xie family for thousands of years were easily solved in this quiet stream hall.

The seat of the patriarch was at the top, and Xie Yi sat there, pondering how to explain to Xie You.

Although Xie You is an elder of the clan, he is not responsible for specific affairs. He was called here today to explain to him that the name of the invitation to the Qianlong Banquet was not Xie Wei's business. After all, he thought it was a done deal before, and the forecasts in previous years were flawless.

But it was obvious that it was not just Xie Yi who did not expect this. Xie You also did not think that this position would be lost to someone else, so he came here with high enthusiasm, which made Xie Yi feel a little embarrassed to say it out loud for a while.

The other masters looked at each other in disbelief, and it was obvious that they were not prepared to share the worries for the patriarch.

Amid the sound of the gurgling stream, Xie Yiwei sighed:
"An elder has invited you here to discuss the selection of candidates for the Hidden Dragon Banquet..."

"Haha, Xie Wei should be the one to take the lead this year, right?"

Xie You stroked his long beard and laughed happily.

The Hidden Dragon Banquet was held every two years, and it was quite valuable. It was an honor to represent the family and attend the banquet, not to mention the opportunity to compete with peers and possibly receive rewards.

Xie Youji was extremely proud of his grandson. His face was flushed and he looked complacent, not noticing the expression on the head of the family's face at all.

Xie Yi coughed:
"It's Xie Yuan."

"Ah? What's wrong with Xie Yuan?"

Xie You was laughing and didn't react at all.

Xie Yi had no choice but to continue:
"The name on this invitation is Xie Yuan."

"what?"

Xie You was stunned for a moment, as if he had just heard what Xie Yi said, and said in disbelief:
"Master, you said that Xie Yuan was invited to the Hidden Dragon Banquet?"

"Exactly."

Xie Yi sighed, waved his hand, and the invitation card inlaid with gold thread floated lightly in front of Xie You.

"..."

Looking at the black and white words on the invitation card in front of him, Xie You opened his mouth and subconsciously wanted to shout "shady deal".

Fortunately, he still had some sense and knew that this was issued by the royal family and there was no point in falsifying it. Xie Yi was not that kind of person.

Xie You was silent for a moment and said unwillingly:
"Master, how could it be Xie Yuan?"

"To be honest, I don't understand it either."

Xie Yi frowned slightly.

Xie You continued to speak in confusion:

"In terms of strength, Xie Yuan is only at the early stage of the third stage of Qi and Blood Transformation; in terms of ranking on the Hidden Dragon List, he is far inferior to Xie Wei; in terms of fame in the outside world, he has not yet gotten rid of his reputation..."

Xie Yuan is still a wanted criminal, so the Xie family has been keeping a low profile since his return, including his ranking on the Hidden Dragon List. Xie Yuan has not changed for a long time.

Chunyu Tower originally wanted to put Xie Yuan on the list to inspire other warriors to challenge him, so that he would get into trouble and expose himself;
However, after Xie Yuan won several battles, especially the victory of the Three Heroes of Jinling over Yao Yilong, his fame became so great that others began to respect and fear him, which had the opposite effect.

Therefore, although they later learned about some of Xie Yuan's deeds in the eight great families through their information channels, they kept it secret to prevent this incomparable villain from establishing his reputation.

But after all, his identity was not innocent. How could the royal family's Qianlong Banquet openly invite a wanted criminal with flaws in ranking, fame, and realm to participate in this top event for young geniuses below the Grandmaster level? Xie You was not feeling sorry for Xie Wei, but was really puzzled.

Xie Yi raised another letter beside him and said slowly:
"According to the news that came with the invitation, the wanted order for Xie Yuan has been withdrawn. The court has determined that Xie Yuan is doing harm to the people and is rewarding him for his bravery."

Xie You and several other elders looked at each other in bewilderment.

Since finding Xie Yuan, the Xie family has been working hard with the government to remove the title of wanted criminal.

Although this matter was not actually of vital importance and Xie Yuan was not going to be an official, for the three upper surnames families, which had always been clean, having their core members be wanted criminals was extremely damaging to their reputation and ultimately somewhat inconvenient.

However, the attitude of the court or Chunyu Tower was tougher than expected, and they had not loosened their stance for several months, which surprised Xie Yi.

It stands to reason that with the power of the Xie family, it should be able to handle such a small matter. However, after further questioning, it was discovered that it was Su Xing, who was in charge of important cases in Jiangnan and was favored by the emperor, who firmly refused to allow it.

Xie Yi could only shake his head. It seemed that Xie Yuan had really offended someone badly back then, so he had to think of another way.

As a result, things were still progressing slowly. An invitation came down, accompanied by the news that Xie Yuan had turned into a good citizen who bravely stood up for justice. The government wanted to erect a memorial archway for him in Yunzhao. Even the head of Panlong Town, who was the first to discover Xie Yuan's memorial and was dismissed for killing an official, was reinstated and promoted to the magistrate of Yunzhao County. He was promoted and made rich, and his career rose rapidly.

Xie Yi and the elders were not surprised by this, and they knew the reason at a glance -

The message came from above.

However, this made several people alert, and an elder of the clan slowly said:

"There's something strange."

Xie You nodded slightly, feeling that although Xie Wei's spot was "taken away", it didn't seem to be a good thing for Xie Yuan who got the spot.

However, when he looked around, he saw that they were all elders who were in charge of clan affairs. He, who was a carefree person, tactfully said goodbye:

"Since Xie Wei has no chance, I won't get involved. I'll let him practice hard and strive to achieve a Grandmaster breakthrough as soon as possible."

"There are elders, go slowly."

Xie Yi nodded. After Xie You left, all the elders who were in charge of the Xie family were present here.

"Everyone, what do you think?"

Xie Yi said in a deep voice.

"Could it be that Xie Yuan's talent has been passed on to the emperor, and he wants to see it for himself?"

An elder said.

"Not impossible."

The other elders echoed.

Although Xie Yuan's talent in the Burning Heaven and Exterminating Dao Spear was witnessed by all masters, there should be no external news;
However, his previous series of performances and exchanges within the tribe were basically witnessed by the entire tribe, and it was basically impossible to hide it from anyone with ulterior motives.

Add to that the previous events involving the Yao family, Wan Yao Mountain, Jiangnan, and Jinling, and the imperial court was willing to investigate. They would definitely be able to see what level of genius Xie Yuan was, enough to attract great attention.

Xie Yi and several other elders discussed for a while, then raised their hands slightly. When everyone was quiet, he slowly said:
"It is indeed possible. But if it is just Xie Yuan's matter, it is not enough for me to gather all of you together."

The elders of the clan were all waiting for further news. They knew that it was definitely not just a "small matter" like the Qianlong Banquet. To them, no matter how grand the gathering of the younger generation was, they would at most pay attention to one or two pieces of information. There was no need to come all the way to discuss it.

As the patriarch of the Chenjun Xie clan, he is already a mountain in the martial arts world and a giant in the cultivation world. Any name of his can cause a sensation outside. Only in the clan are he like an ordinary uncle or elder, and he is everywhere.

When they were young, which one of them was not a genius who deserves to be listed among them or even better?

However, there are countless geniuses as stars in the sky, but only a few can become the blazing sun.

The Grandmaster barrier alone was enough to hold back many of his peers who once seemed extremely talented, and made them just like everyone else.

Xie Yi took out the third piece of letter paper. It seemed that the Xie family had indeed received a lot of letters today.

"This was sent from Langya."

Xie Yi said in a low voice:

"You guys should take a look first."

The letter was passed around among the elders. After reading it, everyone frowned slightly. Someone whispered:

"The emperor wants the Wang family to be prime minister?"

"I've been talking about this a lot lately."

"The Wang family's reaction... is a bit big."

"Because we all know what kind of person the emperor is now."

Xie Yi concluded.

"The current emperor has had great ambitions since he was a prince. His 'family theory' caused a sensation in the court and the country, forcing the late emperor to confine him to the deep palace and not allow him to go out.

"As a result, when the last emperor was about to die, the crown prince suddenly rebelled, and now the emperor has ascended to the throne at a critical moment, which is a natural progression."

The elders all nodded slightly. Although this happened almost fifty years ago, there were eyewitnesses among the elders who knew about the chaos of that year.

The emperor is about to die, and the prince is rebelling. Who can believe it?
Either he was framed, or the prince knew that he could not succeed to the throne.

Later, the current emperor ascended the throne, worked hard to govern the country, and showed great talent and strategy. The court, which had been gradually corrupt, became revitalized again.

He had been wary of aristocratic families since he was a prince, and this had never changed. However, after he inherited the throne, he cautiously tried several times, but was met with fierce opposition, so he gave up.

Everyone in the court thought that after he changed his mind, the King of Pingxi suddenly appeared.

Later, the emperor's ambitions became difficult to conceal, the sharpness of the King of Pingxi also made the aristocratic families feel uncomfortable, and the Kitchen God Cult was secretly stirring up trouble, which eventually turned into the Rebellion of the Eight Gates.

It has to be said that the emperor was capable. After the chaos, he still sat firmly in his position, stabilizing the court and the Central Plains. For more than ten years, everyone lived in peace and the Dali Dynasty was peaceful again.

However, many people know that the time of this heroic leader seems to be approaching.

He had experienced too many twists and turns in his life, and he did not have a very high level of cultivation, and his health had long been reported to be breaking down.

In recent years, he has even become a recluse.

And at this critical moment, the emperor, who had always employed civilian prime ministers since he came to power, suddenly let the Wang family be prime minister. Was he finally compromising?

The great families who had fought openly and secretly with the emperor all their lives did not believe it.

This extremely ambitious emperor would never end his life with regrets.

Perhaps if it were any other emperor, at this last moment, he would have no choice but to compromise for the survival of the dynasty.

But this emperor wouldn't do that.

The letter from the Wang family said that they had only recently learned that deep in the palace, the late emperor had already decided to let the crown prince succeed to the throne, and that the current emperor had fought a desperate battle in the Forbidden Palace, turned the tide, forced the crown prince to rebel, and forced the late emperor to change the edict, and finally succeeded to the throne.

This is a king who never admits defeat, and an emperor who dares to fight to the death throughout his life.

Even in his old age, the noble families could still see his diligence and determination in governing the country.

As for what methods this ambitious emperor had hidden in the end, the three surnames had always been speculating.

Letting the Wang family become prime minister is the prelude to the final scene.

"The Wang family has decided to start early."

An elder sighed worriedly.

"Otherwise, if we wait until they are ready, we will be in a passive position."

The other elders nodded slowly.

The elders gradually turned their attention to Xie Yi who was standing at the top of the mountain:
"Master, since the Wang family has already sent the letter, how should we decide?"

Xie Yi slowly swept his eyes over the elders below, scanning each of them, and saw that there was already judgment in their eyes.

"In that case...

He nodded slowly:
"Go to Beijing."

"Master Xie Yuan, your letter."

In the courtyard, Xie Yuan was practicing martial arts when suddenly the close attendant of the patriarch Xie Yi came and handed him a letter.

Xie Yuan put away his gun, stood up, and wiped the sweat from his face.

Under the sunlight, the dark blue gun body bloomed with a hint of ice-crystal blue, shining slightly, which was extremely gorgeous;
The young man holding the gun had a back as straight as a javelin, his sweat had not yet dried from his training, and his temperament was high-spirited, like the rising sun.

He nodded politely to the attendant with some surprise, wondering how come his second uncle handed him a letter?
Giving the spear to the swordsman beside him, Xie Yuan took the envelope and took a look. There were gold lines engraved on it, which looked very noble, and there was also a flying dragon mark. He felt something was wrong.

Why does it look like something from the royal family?
When I opened it, I found it was indeed a letter from the royal family:
"Invite Chenjun Xie and Xie Yuan to come to Shengjing on the fourth day of the winter month to participate in the Hidden Dragon Banquet..."

Hidden Dragon Banquet?
I?
Xie Yuan opened his eyes wide, extremely surprised.

How could it be? Logically, it should be Xie Wei? It was almost certain.

Even if it wasn't Xie Wei, then Xie Dun was more qualified than himself.

Although Xie Dun was defeated by his own men, Qianlong Banquet still attached great importance to fame, reputation and honor - at least it would never invite a wanted criminal.

How could it be me?

Xie Yuan's mind flashed, and he asked the follower:

"Excuse me, does the Patriarch have any other instructions?"

"The master told Master Xie Yuan to prepare well and not to worry about anything else. Your stigma has been vindicated."

The attendant bowed.

Vindicated?

Xie Yuan was startled again and shook his head.

Even if it happened a hundred times, Xie Yuan would still kill Yu Chunsheng and Yao Zhizhang, but he was not dissatisfied with the government's wanted order for him.

What he was dissatisfied with was why such an official existed and was not punished.

What was done was done, and breaking the law is breaking the law. He just won't surrender, but that doesn't mean he thinks he shouldn't be arrested.

Killing an official in the street is a fact, no matter how evil and deserving of death the official was.

If people can break the law freely with the use of force and the government does not investigate - whether it is powerless or laissez-faire, then the world will be in chaos, which is not good for the common people. The harm of endless violence is no less than that of bad officials.

But Xie Yuan was still cleared. The wanted order he had been carrying for a long time was lifted, but Xie Yuan didn't feel very happy. This was also a kind of reversal of right and wrong, except that he became the beneficiary.

The power of the upper-class families is indeed not shallow. I wonder if Su Xing is hating himself again?
Xie Yuan let out a breath and decided not to think about it any further.

These things are not something he can change, at least not now.

Maybe one day, when he becomes invincible, he can think about changing the world?

But did he still have the same wish as now? And can he, who only knows martial arts, solve the problems that countless saints and sages could not solve?

It’s too complicated. Let’s practice martial arts first.

Without strength, everything is in vain.

After looking up at the distant sky for a while, Xie Yuan still had to look at the road under his feet.

"So why did you invite me to the Hidden Dragon Banquet?"

Xie Yuan frowned and thought, muttering to himself.

It was already time for dinner, but Xie Yuan was still very confused.

While picking up the dishes, Xie Lingyun said nonchalantly:

"It's you, it's you! It means your strength and talent have been recognized. There's nothing wrong with going and seeing it for yourself."

"There must be a deeper meaning behind this."

Xie Yuan shook his head.

Xie Lingyun rolled her eyes:

"You've only been back for a few days? Why are you talking like those old men? Just go and have a meal, answer questions, and fight. It's a good thing to make friends through martial arts and discuss the Dao through fighting. As a martial artist, you should move forward courageously!"

"...I really envy you. You are so well protected by your parents."

What if it’s not a good thing?
Xie Yuan curled his lips, but smiled again:
"But what you said does make some sense. If you can't figure it out, don't think about it. Since you still have to go, you will know when the time comes."

After hearing the first half of the sentence, Xie Lingyun raised her eyebrows and clapped her chopsticks:
"Hey, I'm also good at using my brain, okay?"

Seeing that Xie Lingyun was about to explode, Xie Yuan nodded repeatedly and quickly gave her a big lion head:
"Okay, okay, you have brains, make up for it."

"Why do I feel like there's something else behind your words?"

"No. I could see at the Ten Thousand Monsters Mountain that you were still reliable at critical moments."

"What about normal times?"

"You're usually like this now."

Xie Lingyun held the big lion head in her arms, was stunned for a moment, frowned slightly, tilted her head and looked up, thought for a moment, and said suspiciously:
"I still feel like you didn't say anything nice."

"Eat yours now!"

"Ok."

Xie Lingyun took a bite, and the meaty aroma and juice of the lion's head mixed together in her mouth. The meatballs made of premium animal meat were extremely chewy and tough, making her hum with satisfaction.

Xie Yuan looked disgusted:
"What are you doing eating like that? I want to tell your mother."

"Good times~"

Xie Lingyun made a vague sound. She had no image in front of Xie Yuan. She ate and talked, her face was like a bun, and she was smiling.

He finally realized that he didn't like eating pig's trotters. Xie Lingyun thought contentedly while eating her favorite dish.

Although Xie Yuan didn't know why Qianlong invited him to the banquet, he naturally had to prepare well for such a grand event.

There is still a long time before the deadline, so he practiced harder and was determined to master the first move of the Burning Heaven and Destroying Dao Spear before the banquet. By then, the quality of his blood and energy should have been improved, and his overall strength would have been raised to a higher level.

Xie Fu was happy to see Xie Yuan coming to the armory so often, but when he heard that he was going to the Hidden Dragon Feast, he became furious again:
"You haven't even mastered the first form, and you haven't even learned the second form, and you're thinking about going out? At your age, how can you sleep without practicing hard?
"If I were you, I would at least master six or seven moves before thinking about stepping out of Chen County!"

Xie Yuan gave a bitter smile. Apart from the last move that was not allowed to be practiced, there were only seven moves in total. Even the masters who practiced this method might not have mastered all of them, right?

"Elder, the golden invitation for the Hidden Dragon Feast asked me to go, and I couldn't refuse. The head of the family has agreed and asked me to prepare well."

Xie Yuan had no choice but to explain that he had not signed up on his own initiative.

Xie Fu heard this and shook his head repeatedly, but still sighed:
"How could your name be spread out? Well, in this case, the Xie family is the Xie family of Chen County, and also the Xie family of Dali Dynasty, so we have to give face to the Xue royal family.

"Then you should come here every day and practice your spear skills well, otherwise don't use it! Others may see you using our family's heirloom spear crookedly and messily, don't let them think that our Xie family's spear skills are not good."

"Yes, elder!"

Xie Yuan quickly agreed.

The time is neither short nor too short, but it is also very urgent to learn the shooting skills.

Such a peerless magic spear, once you get the hang of it, will be of considerable use in actual combat. Xie Yuan also wants to learn this magic spear technique before leaving.

After that, in addition to morning and evening exercises, Xie Yuan also practiced fundamental methods and basic skills, and devoted almost all his time to the Burning Heaven and Destroying Dao Spear.

Fortunately, although the progress of other skills has lagged behind, the Burning Heaven and Destroying Dao Spear itself has an excellent effect in tempering blood and energy, and can even promote the generation of internal energy when it is in operation, so the improvement of the realm is faster than before.

If Xie Yuan could practice meditation for a year or two with the top resources provided by the Xie family, he would definitely enter the middle stage of the third transformation realm steadily.

At that time, relying on his own skills, especially the secret technique, he was able to fight head-on against the top masters of the Three Transformations Realm such as Xie Wei, Cui Lei, Wang Qiwen, and even the Four Eminent Envoys of the First Level.

However, plans cannot keep up with changes. Xie Yuan was suddenly invited to the Qianlong Banquet, so Xie Yuan had to include this matter in his plan.

It just so happened that he had never been to the capital, the core of the Central Plains dynasty and the largest city in the world for a thousand years, so he went to see the prosperity of the imperial capital.

late October.

Autumn is already deep, and some places in the north have even seen the first snow.

Although Chen County had a pleasant climate and was not a bitterly cold place, a late autumn wind blew into Xie Yuan's courtyard, which made people shiver.

Yunzhu stood a little further away, on the steps and in the sheltered area under the corridor. Even if Xie Yuan asked her to go inside to avoid the wind, she would just stand further away. However, Yunzhu had some cultivation skills, so she was not really afraid of the cold. What made her even more nervous was Xie Yuan's spirit when he practiced with his spear, which made her feel a little uncomfortable standing close to him.

Shi Jianze stood at the edge of the open space, watching Xie Yuan practice shooting without blinking. His already clear and bright eyes widened into a round shape, making him look even a little silly.

Xie Yuan had seen her several times and wanted to ask her if her eyes would get dry from looking so closely.

In the middle of the courtyard, Xie Yuan danced a dark blue spear like a phantom. Countless spear shadows covered half of the courtyard. Even the autumn wind was pierced and shattered here, and a strong wind arose again.

Shi Jian's dress was rustling violently in the wind and her face turned a little pale, but she still stubbornly stood as close as she could accept.

When Xie Yuan was practicing spear, he dispersed the other servants, but since Shi Jian wanted to watch, she let her watch. If she could understand spear techniques just by watching him, a beginner, practice, then she would be Xie An reincarnated.

However, watching him practice was naturally beneficial to Shi Jian, and Xie Yuan even offered some pointers when he was resting after practice.

Every time he saw Shi Jian's sparkling eyes, Xie Yuan couldn't tell how much she had gained from her. It all depended on her luck.

But today Xie Yuan's mind was not elsewhere, but he was practicing his marksmanship wholeheartedly, over and over again.

He was sweating profusely, but the high heat in his body evaporated the sweat into mist as soon as it appeared. Combined with the steaming blood that was almost taking shape, the whole person seemed to be in a light red mist.

Xie Yuan had already practiced the first move of the Burning Heaven and Destroying Dao Spear, Peace on Earth, several times in a row, and his body was extremely exhausted.

But seeing that it was about to bear fruit, he naturally summoned up his remaining courage and made a final push.

[Heaven-Burning Spear, Peace on Earth, Uninitiated: (999/1000)]

One last time.

Xie Yuan stood still for a moment, waved to Shi Jian who was about to come up to hand him a towel and hot tea, then he shook his spear, and the shadow of the spear crossed the sky, and he did it again.

Shi Jian and Yun Zhu both looked at Xie Yuan with admiration. Every time they saw him practicing with such concentration, they knew that the young master was not only gifted. All his achievements were not just the result of good fortune as some people said.

Xie Yuan used to be just an ordinary person, but he struggled hard under the pressure of survival, and then unknowingly developed habits, and became what he is now.

He had that crucial bit of inspiration and the indispensable 99% of effort, which allowed him to gradually gain a foothold here.

Day after day of hard work will eventually lead to extraordinary results.

Of course, if there was nothing in front of him, it would be hard to say whether Xie Yuan would be able to persist in working so hard for something that he could not see the results of.

Thank you for your good talent.

[Heaven-Burning Spear, Peace on Earth, Uninitiated: (1000/1000)]

After practicing Peace on Earth for the last time, Xie Yuan put his gun on the ground and closed his eyes to feel it.

A strange feeling that he had experienced countless times surged into his heart. Xie Yuan felt that he had a new understanding of the first move of this peerless divine spear. It was natural that the result of thousands of times of practice would bear fruit.

[Heaven-Burning Spear - First Style - Peace on Earth - Getting Started: (1/2000)]

Many fragments, applications and even experiences naturally flowed into his mind and into his sea of ​​consciousness, as if the figure on the secret technique had demonstrated it again, allowing Xie Yuan to fully understand it.

But this time, Xie Yuan didn't need to be familiar with it, as he had automatically entered into his instinct.

This spear technique can be used in actual combat. This is a peerless spear technique. I wonder how many people in the same realm can match it?
Xie Yuan nodded slightly, and felt the blood again, then he couldn't help but smile.

All the blood and energy in the body has been condensed, and a trace of domineering aura has been integrated into the powerful blood and energy that already has some Buddhist meaning, making it reach a higher level and become a higher grade of blood and energy.

With such blood and energy, the same number, and the same moves, if he faces his previous self, then the current him will be able to crush him in one fell swoop.

Learning a spear technique is equivalent to practicing two magical skills. This is the power of top-notch skills.

It is not in vain and even very cost-effective.

Xie Yuan thought happily that the improvement of his strength and the evolution of his blood made him feel happy from the bottom of his heart. He wanted to ignore everything and continue practicing.

It is these positive feedbacks, the great harvests, and the evolution of life levels that make Xie Yuan's steps forward more and more determined.

Unfortunately, when people live in this world, they are constantly disturbed by the mundane world.

Xie Yuan opened his eyes and saw Yun Zhu and Shi Jian waiting at the edge of the wide open space, holding hot water, towels, hot tea, medicinal wine, etc. They did not approach him, but saw that he was closing his eyes to meditate, and did not dare to disturb him.

Seeing him open his eyes, two pretty maids hurried over, some wiped the sweat, some handed over tea - every time this happened, Shi Jian became more clever than usual, or more clever, and competed with Yun Zhu for the work, especially those who wiped the sweat, rubbed the back and massaged the shoulders.

"Master, have you made any breakthrough?"

Shi Jian asked with sparkling eyes.

Xie Yuan nodded slightly and said:

"A small breakthrough."

When you are just getting started, it is natural that it is a small breakthrough.

Shi Jian opened his eyes wide and showed a bit of admiration.

Yunzhu might not fully understand, but she knew what Xie Yuan was practicing.

Such a top-level technique should be practiced wholeheartedly by grandmasters, but Xie Yuan has already started to explore it at his current level, and has made a breakthrough so quickly?

Shi Jian's expression flickered, and he felt that he had underestimated Xie Yuan's talent.

Following such a powerful young master, even if I can pick up some of the knowledge he lets slip through his fingers, I can still practice a lot of powerful skills...

Shi Jian blinked his eyes, trying to make himself look gentle, looking at Xie Yuan lovingly, but the hand that was wiping his sweat unconsciously exerted force, the strength of a martial artist.

Xie Yuan and Yun Zhu looked at Shi Jian with both laughter and tears in their eyes. She was obviously a pretty girl, but her poor pretentiousness made her look very funny.

Feeling that his skin, which had been trained with the Golden Bell Defense, was about to be rubbed off by the sword, Xie Yuan calmly mobilized some blood and energy for protection and coughed:
"Shijian, I know what you mean. You don't have to be so... serious."

"Huh? I didn't...oh."

Shi Jian was stunned for a moment and subconsciously wanted to deny it, but he remembered that Xie Yuan said not to lie, so he could only say "oh" in a muffled voice.

Xie Yuan naturally didn't like people around him with motives and schemes, but Shi Jian was an exception, because her motives were too obvious and too pure, even a little cute.

Compared to himself, he felt that Shijian was even more of a martial arts fanatic.

"Master, the fourth day of the winter moon is not far away. Yunzhu has already packed your luggage for the trip to the capital."

Yunzhu said softly.

Compared to Shi Jian, Yun Zhu was even more considerate and gentle. Xie Yuan didn't have to do anything himself, and she was always ahead of the curve. If he became too corrupt one day, Yun Zhu would take 90% of the blame.

Xie Yuan nodded:
"Okay. But you don't have to follow me."

"Ah? Master, we are personal maids..."

"That's why I feel at ease leaving you to look after the house."

Xie Yuan waved his hand and said firmly:
"It will be more convenient for me to travel light."

Yunzhu and Shijian looked at each other in bewilderment. How could a young man from a rich family travel far away without a personal maid to serve him? Especially for a young master of such status, even if he went on a picnic alone, he would usually have to bring a motorcade.

But since Xie Yuan said so, the two had no choice but to agree.

Xie Yuan felt more confident after the breakthrough of his Burning Heaven and Destroying Dao Spear, and was looking forward to the upcoming Hidden Dragon Banquet.

Chenjun is not far from the capital, but we still have to set off early.

Towards the end of October, Xie Yuan embarked on his first journey to the true center of Dali Dynasty.

However, this time the journey was not at all what he had imagined - a single person with light equipment, a spear and a fast horse. In other words, it was completely the opposite.

Sitting in the spacious and luxurious carriage with the Xie family emblem, Xie Yuan looked at Xie Yi and Xie Lingyun opposite him and coughed, saying:

"Second Uncle, why is there such a big scene this time?"

"Oh, this is your first time going to the capital, so of course your uncle will see you off."

Xie Yi was smiling and waving a folding fan, leaning comfortably on the cushion. There was a heater under the low table in front of him, and he looked very handsome.

Xie Lingyun moved away from Xie Yi with some disdain, or rather, she wanted to lean on Xie Yuan more, so she quietly moved over and said:
"Dad, it's winter now."

"Haha, Dad has achieved great success in his cultivation and is at the age of full vigor and vitality. It's okay for him to wave a fan."

Xie Yi said calmly.

Xie Yuan looked at Xie Lingyun again:

"Why do you have to follow?"

"I'm playing with you. It's such a big party, why don't you let me watch?"

Xie Lingyun said as a matter of course.

Xie Yi frowned slightly. He didn't want to take Xie Lingyun with him, but this girl was unusually persistent.

This is good, it seems more flawless; if the situation really changes, protecting one is the same as protecting both.

Xie Yi waved his fan, then said slowly:
"Xie Yuan, at this Hidden Dragon Banquet, you just need to show your style and the spirit of the Xie family. As for winning or losing, it is not important. Preserving yourself is the most important thing."

Xie Yuan nodded:
"Uncle, I understand. I will never bring shame to the Xie family."

Xie Yi shook his head:
"You missed the point. The prestige of the Xie family cannot be affected by the fighting of you youngsters. Don't listen to the pressure from some elders. Just treat it as having fun. The most important thing is to 'protect yourself'. As long as you have the green mountains, you will not be afraid of running out of firewood, especially with your talent."

He placed special emphasis on protecting himself, which made Xie Yuan feel a little strange.

However, thinking about the level of masters invited to the Qianlong Banquet, Xie Yuan also understood a little bit and nodded heavily:

"Uncle, I remember this."

"Just remember it."

Xie Yi smiled with satisfaction.

Xie's motorcade moved towards the capital at a leisurely pace.

It was Xie Yuan's first time traveling in this northern area, so Xie Yi took Xie Yuan and Xie Lingyun, brother and sister, to stop the car from time to time to enjoy the scenery along the way.

Xie Yuan had seen many beautiful sights in the south of the Yangtze River when he was hiding from place to place, but this was his first time seeing the scenery of the north. The mountains were majestic and the scenery was vast. It was much grander than the south of the Yangtze River, but perhaps not as exquisite. It was completely different from the small bridges and flowing water, and equally fascinating.

But in comparison, Xie Yuan still prefers the north.

The biggest difference may be his mood. At that time, he was avoiding being hunted down by the Yao family, and even when passing by a scenic spot, he only took a quick glance and had no intention of enjoying the scenery. Now he is relaxed, traveling by horseback, accompanied by his family, and has no pressure at all.

In this way, we traveled along the way until we arrived at the capital.

On the first day of the winter month, Xie Yuan saw for the first time the heart of the Central Plains dynasty, the most powerful city in the world.

Looking from afar on the plain, you can see towering mountains in the distance rising from the horizon; however, when you look closely, you find that the mountains are neatly arranged, and they are actually a row of city walls that divide the earth!

What a high city wall! Much higher than what I saw in my previous life.

As he got closer, Xie Yuan was more amazed. This city wall was like a mountain, something he had never seen in his two lifetimes.

I looked up and my hat fell off, which made me feel frightened.

Over the past thousand years, the city walls of Dali Shengjing have been continuously raised and strengthened, as if symbolizing the imperial power of the Dali Dynasty.

Xie Yuan lowered his head and saw from afar a long winding queue at the huge city gate, all of which were the teams entering the city.

Judging from the dense population entering the city, if all four gates were like this, the number of people entering and leaving the capital every day would be hundreds of thousands.
And in such a huge city, wouldn’t there be millions or even tens of millions of permanent residents?

With the productivity of the feudal dynasty, this can be called a unique giant city. Perhaps only extraordinary military force can build such a giant city and continue the dynasty for a thousand years.

The convoy passed the crowd queuing to enter the city and entered the city from a space specially reserved on the other side of the wide city gate.

This is a special passage that only dignitaries can pass through, but there are also many carriages lined up here.

However, no matter whether it was the civilians nearby or the carriages, when they saw the Xie family emblem, they all showed awe and made way.

It was the first time that Xie Yuan felt the power of the upper three surnames in the secular world. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and saw that the convoy was politely allowed into the city after a symbolic inspection by the guards at the city gate.

As soon as they entered the city, they were overwhelmed by a huge wave of noise. Xie Yuan even tightened his hands, almost thinking that a riot had occurred.

The surprisingly wide street was large enough to accommodate ten carriages running side by side. Peddlers at the city gate were crowded together and shouting at the top of their lungs, and the waiters at the foot shop and inn were working hard to attract customers.

Xie Yuan was quite shocked to see so many people crowded together. This scene was even worse than the train station in his previous life.

Walking along the streets that seemed to be always bustling with people, and gradually going deeper into this magnificent capital city, Xie Yuan felt that his horizons were quite broadened.

Exotic treasures are scattered along the streets; rare treasures from all over the world are available in the market.

The red-haired and colored-eyed Japanese slaves from the East China Sea can be seen everywhere in the world.

Going further, I saw carved carriages parked in the Tianjie, fine horses galloping on the Imperial Road, countless children of officials in fine clothes and riding fast horses whizzing past, and hotels, inns, carriage shops, foot shops, rice shops, meat shops, cattle shops, and horse shops lined up along the street with no end in sight.

I have lived in Xiaoshi Village and been to Jinling Prefecture, visited the mansions of the rich in Yunzhou, and seen the splendor of luxury in Chenjun, but this is the first time I have seen a huge city like Dali Shengjing in this life.

"The most majestic city in the world, its reputation is well-deserved."

Xie Yuan finally entered a mansion with the convoy and sighed.

Xie Lingyun was also here for the first time. Like Xie Yuan, she looked around and nodded in amazement.

Xie Yi smiled slightly:
"I lived here for a while when I was young, and it was really nice."

This mansion covers a large area. It is not easy to own such a house in the capital, but it is naturally nothing to the Xie family of Chen County.

Finally arriving at the Beijing resident, Xie Lingyun was eager to make a move. Seeing this, Xie Yi thought for a while and nodded:

"Xie Yuan, Ling Yun'er, you two should go for a walk and come back early."

"Okay!"

Xie Lingyun cheered, and before Xie Yuan could sit down, she pulled him out.

Xie Yuan had no choice but to follow.

The long street was bustling with vendors selling all kinds of amazing and ingenious gadgets and snacks from all over the world. Xie Lingyun walked and stopped from time to time, looking at and buying from almost every stall she passed by, which made Xie Yuan roll his eyes and secretly regret going out shopping with the little girl.

Then they walked to a small stall selling sugar figurines. The sugar figurines were colorful and looked lifelike. They could be made into figurines on the spot. Xie Lingyun immediately became interested.

"Draw you and I'll eat you up in one bite!"

“…Goodbye.”

"What do you mean by goodbye? I think so!"

Xie Lingyun placed the order excitedly. The boss was indeed skilled. He quickly made a sugar man based on Xie Yuan, which was about 70% similar to Xie Yuan.

Xie Lingyun clapped her hands repeatedly and was about to take the candy man when a hand reached out from the side and got there first:
"Why don't you just give this to me?"

Xie Lingyun was stunned for a moment, then turned her head and saw a stunningly beautiful woman in a lotus-colored dress standing next to her. She was pinching a sugar figure with a smile on her face, but her eyes passed through her and looked at her side.

"Xie Yuan!"

Xie Yuan instantly saw the bright girl in the crowd.

In an instant, the crowd around them faded, leaving only the beautiful girl and the sugar figurine in her hand still colorful. (End of this chapter)