The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 159 The Imperial Advisor's Second Blossom (Part 3)

After twenty days of seclusion, the aloof female Taoist priest, with a dot of vermilion between her brows, finally opened her eyes.

In the water mirror before her, the vast starry sky spun and twisted, eventually transforming into the appearance of a man who was about thirty or forty years old amidst the ripples.

The man was thin with high cheekbones, his right eyebrow was broken by a scar, and his eyes were arrogant and sharp, like a flash of light.

This person is not an unknown individual; on the contrary, he is quite famous among practitioners.

Cao Tianzhou, ranked 46th on the Heavenly Ranking, at the peak of the fourth rank, is known as the "Sword Sect Master".

This person's nickname reveals that he is famous for his swordsmanship. In fact, his swordsmanship is so superb that it has reached the point of returning to simplicity that everyone who has seen it is in awe and willingly calls him "Master of the Swords".

The term "宗" means "root" or "foundation".

Such an evaluation is tantamount to saying that this person's swordsmanship has approached the "Tao".

Ranked forty-sixth, the only thing it lacks is cultivation level.

However, this ranking is only his former ranking; his name is no longer on the current "Heavenly Ranking".

Three years ago, Cao Tianzhou sent a visiting card to the Dugu family of Gushu, accusing the second son of the Dugu family of adultery with another man's wife and daughter, and challenging him to a life-or-death duel on the banks of the Qingshui River, which caused a great uproar.

The Dugu family naturally denied this. They were a prestigious and powerful family, and the second young master of the Dugu family, Dugu Yue, was a gentleman known as the "Moon Cultivator." How could he possibly commit adultery with another man's wife and daughter?

Furthermore, would a young master raised in a prestigious family lack women? Why would he specifically seek out the wife and daughters of a country bumpkin like you? That's utter nonsense!
This highly topical matter naturally spread quickly to the ears of cultivators, and those who liked to talk about it discussed it extensively.

The level of discussion surrounding it is absolutely no less than the current debate over the true and false crown prince.

Some people sided with Cao Tianzhou, believing that he was just a country bumpkin obsessed with swordsmanship and could not possibly lie and frame the powerful First Family. They argued that Dugu Yue was absolutely a beast in human form.

Some people sided with the Dugu clan, believing that Cao Tianzhou might have been misled by the demonic sect and had a misunderstanding.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating the response, believing that regardless of whether the Dugu family was truly innocent, they would definitely have to make a statement.

This life-or-death duel is sure to be entertaining to watch.

But when the appointed day arrived, Dugu Yue went to the meeting without hesitation, while Cao Tianzhou not only did not appear, but also disappeared without a trace and never showed up again.

Lady Dugu was deeply worried about this and immediately sent people to search for them, but in the end, they found nothing...

This matter has since become an unsolved mystery.

And now, the truth has been revealed in this water mirror.

Xu Fu stood up, flicked his sleeve, and ripples spread across the water mirror, instantly dispelling the divination results that had been conjured within.

The aloof female Taoist priest habitually strolled to the edge of the Canliao Pillar, overlooking the entire Huangtian City. A long wind blew through her hair, and her exquisite face, shrouded in the night mist, was as delicate and beautiful as a crabapple blossom in full bloom with dew.

Unfortunately, she was all alone on that pillar, and no one could appreciate the beautiful scenery.

The Grand Preceptor's twenty-day seclusion was certainly not a time for him to stay home, sleep, or slack off.

Because of the information about the "Six Star Lords" revealed by Gu Fangchen, she re-examined and considered her previous divination results.

By eliminating distractions and meticulously unraveling the mystery, the first causal link of the "Six Star Lords" was finally determined through divination—

It was Cao Tianzhou of the "Sword Sect".

In other words, Cao Tianzhou is still alive.

He simply lived in the "Demon Suppression Prison" of the Dugu family, "living" with the evil spirits and demons that were being suppressed.

Xu Fu tucked his hair behind his ears, his gaze cold.

The "Six Star Lords" cast their own karma into the cycle of reincarnation, flowing naturally through the world, and naturally do not become fixed as good or bad people.

He could be male or female, human or not.

But in any case, its essence is a part of the "Six Star Lords".

Simply dying only adds another chapter to his karmic chain; to truly kill him, this link in the chain must be severed completely.

Then it can only be done through their Heavenly Mandate's causal arts.

However, the "Six Star Lords" would certainly not be unprepared for this. Having come from the same sect, Xu Fu knew that this old monster must have made arrangements long ago.

Once someone discovers that they have predicted the whereabouts of the causal link, they might send their disciples to kill their own causal link and re-enter the cycle of reincarnation.

In other words... it's time for Gu Fangchen to get to work.

Gu Fangchen was the only exception; his future was unpredictable, and his past was a complete mess.

Even the Six Star Lords could not predict his next move.

Just as Gu Fangchen said at the time, having him secretly cooperate with her to "feint to the east while attacking in the west" was indeed the best solution.

Xu Fu's gaze once again fell upon the Prince's mansion.

Just as she was about to possess Gu Fangchen again to explain things, she recalled her experience from the last possession. She pursed her lips, and her cold and beautiful face immediately tightened, with a hint of annoyance and embarrassment flashing in her eyes.

If this guy wasn't so weird, how could she have crashed?
If I hadn't taken advantage of the fact that this guy actually had his maid dressed up as a female Taoist priest to vent my anger, it would have been like he was throwing himself into my arms...

So the Imperial Advisor learned his lesson this time.

She first did some quick calculations to get a general idea of ​​Gu Fangchen's experiences over the past twenty days.

Then he squatted down by the pillar and secretly observed the lights in the Prince's mansion. He waited a little longer to make sure that the lights in Gu Fangchen's courtyard were still on.

So open and aboveboard, and this guy has just gotten through a scandal, he can't be indulging in debauchery until now, can he?

With a thought, Xu Fu once again relied on Xue Xiang.

It wasn't that she didn't want to rely on someone else, but for some reason, tonight in Gu Fangchen's courtyard, only that maid from before was left.

Now that this concerns the "Six Star Lords," everything must be done in secrecy and must not be exposed to anyone else.

Although Xu Fu was very embarrassed by his previous experience, he would not hold a grudge against the little maid.

Furthermore, the priority is to eradicate the evil cult. Cao Tianzhou is nearing the end of his life, so we must act quickly...

……

not long ago.

When Ning Caiyong heard from Granny Cui that Gu Lianxian had secretly gone to Gu Fangchen's courtyard, he was startled, thinking that the child was depressed and couldn't think straight, so she was going to secretly run to find Gu Fangchen to duel.

After all, Gu Lianxian and Gu Fangchen had never gotten along, always opposing each other and causing trouble for each other.

Now that Gu Fangchen has gone through so many twists and turns, he has finally become the heir apparent. Lianqian is bound to be unable to accept this... It's quite normal for her to act impulsively and do something foolish.

Ning Caiyong was about to go to sleep, but he quickly got up and asked someone to keep an eye on him.

If a fight breaks out, you must take care of Chen'er...

Ning Caiyong suddenly realized what was going on, paused for a moment, patted his forehead, and thought to himself that he had been confused.

Chen'er is not the same as before. In the past, when she clashed with Gu Lianxian, she always suffered more losses, but now it's hard to say who will bully whom.

Of course, her Chen'er is very obedient and sensible now, and she knows how to behave.

A moment later, Gu Lianxian rushed out of Gu Fangchen's courtyard. Ning Caiyong also learned from the maid that they heard the little princess saying "I'm sorry" to the prince, and they also heard a few dog barks, as if a stray dog ​​had gotten lost in the prince's courtyard.

Ning Caiyong was taken aback at first, and then felt relieved.

But... a stray dog?

With the Prince's mansion so heavily guarded, how could anyone possibly get in?

Ning Caiyong frowned, but didn't take it to heart. He simply told his servants to go and look for it, and to send it out once found.

However, looking at the lights that had been burning in the Xiefang Courtyard for a long time, she suddenly had a thought.

This child... it's the middle of the night, and he's still not asleep.

She couldn't help but think that Chen'er was actually under the most pressure during this period, and that her insomnia at night was due to something on her mind.

If it were when they were little, Chen'er would definitely come to her if she had any grievances.

Now that I'm older, I smile on the surface, but I have to bear the burden myself in private.

Thinking this, Ning Caiyong touched her chest, feeling a pang of heartache and sorrow... Chen'er really can't do without a close confidant by her side.

Fortunately, there's Xuexiang, but while she's obedient, she's also shy, so I don't know if she'll be able to handle it.

She pondered for a moment and then gave some instructions to Granny Cui.

Granny Cui nodded, quietly walked to the outside of Xiefang Courtyard, and, with a stern face, whispered the instructions:

"Alright, you may all leave. Xuexiang can serve the young master in his courtyard."

Xuexiang was in the side room, secretly peeking out the window.

Seeing that the servants on night watch outside had been dismissed, she clenched her little fists, puffed out her cheeks, her face flushed, and cheered herself on.

Having failed to climb into bed last time, she learned from her experience this time and realized that her previous attempt at posing was too serious and deliberate.

Although His Highness praised her for her beautiful appearance, saying she was suitable to dress up as a female Taoist priest, she didn't have the aloof and refined personality, nor the right temperament. It was like trying to draw a tiger but ending up with a dog instead.

As the saying goes, what suits you best is the best...

Therefore, she changed into a Taoist robe for a young Taoist disciple.

The petite maidservant gathered her long sleeves, which went past her fingers, and touched the two double buns tied in her hair. Her chubby face was fair and rosy, and her delicate features were quite lovely.

He was just like a Taoist boy who grew up in the mountains and knew nothing of the world.

She looked down at her chest and thought of the poem written by the Crown Prince... "A lotus bud just beginning to emerge."

As for whether that prince was an imposter from the Demonic Sect, she didn't know.

So she specially wore a lotus flower dress...

Upon closer inspection, it became clear that this robe was not a proper Taoist robe at all; it was so thin that it was almost transparent, and with just a few glances, one could see the pure white, tender lotus buds underneath.

Xuexiang put down her tiptoes, her heart pounding, and quietly opened the door to the side room, entering the prince's room.

This side room was designed for easy service, and it's only separated from Gu Fangchen's room by a wall; you can just open the door and go there.

"crunch..."

Xuexiang closed the door, turned around, bowed, and said in a voice barely audible:
"Your Highness, the Princess wishes you to rest early..."

After she finished speaking, she waited for a while but did not hear a response.

Xuexiang was immediately confused.

Is His Highness asleep?

But not long ago, there seemed to be some movement in the room... Xuexiang raised her head blankly, only to find the room in front of her empty, without a single person in sight.

Her almond-shaped eyes widened instantly, and she hurriedly looked around the room searching for something.
"His Royal Highness?"

She hurriedly ran back and forth, searching everywhere—under the table, behind the door—and finally climbed onto the bed, lifting the blanket folded to one side, but still couldn't find anyone.

The maid was completely bewildered.

If His Highness had gone out, she would definitely have seen him just now.

But she didn't see it, and neither did anyone else in the palace... So where could the prince have gone?

They can't just disappear into thin air, can they?

Upon realizing this, Xuexiang's face paled. She finally understood the situation was dire and turned around, about to shout for the princess to come in.

Suddenly, I felt darkness fall over my head.

—This is a physical blackout.

She looked up and saw a figure suddenly appear from mid-air and then fall down.

Xuexiang could only vaguely recognize that the surprised handsome face belonged to her own prince, so she cried out "Ah!" and was pinned down, falling back onto the soft bed.

The Crown Prince used his arms on either side of her head to cushion the impact and create a gap so as not to crush her to death.

Xuexiang then realized... that His Highness the Crown Prince seemed to be naked.

The thought had barely crossed her mind when everything went black and she lost consciousness.

……

As soon as Xu Fu opened his eyes, he sensed that something was wrong.

It's not just slightly wrong, it's extremely wrong!!!
She wasn't standing, but lying down, with a soft bed behind her, and she was almost pressed into it.

The heavy, warm body pressing down on her was that of a young man.

Moreover, her raised hand was pressed against the young man's chest, the touch hot, real, and unfamiliar. The body temperature of another person was pressed tightly against hers, and even the tension and undulation of every inch of the muscles were so vivid.

The young man seemed to have just finished strenuous exercise; he was covered in sweat, which soaked her thin clothes. The heat from his breath sprayed onto her shoulders and neck, sending shivers down her spine.

Even more terrifying, she felt a strange change rapidly occurring in the body pressed against hers.

Bold!

This guy is actually indulging in lewd behavior right now!

Xu Fu was filled with shock and anger. Biting his lip, he felt a sense of fear for the first time in his life. His gaze was like lightning, extremely cold as he looked at the person on top of him.

She raised her small hands, desperately pushing against the chest of the person in front of her, twisting and struggling, but this body had no cultivation whatsoever, and her whole body inexplicably felt weak and sore, even her shouts sounded like sobs from desperation:

"Gu Fangchen! Get up and get out of here!"

Gu Fangchen never expected that after being teleported back, she would end up on top of the little maid who had suddenly appeared on her bed for some unknown reason.

Ok……

Why did this happen? It's so hard to guess.

But in short, this is definitely not a good time.

Gu Fangchen had just dodged a blow from the Foolish Ancestor Grandmother with all his might, but with the Ancestor Grandmother's strength, even a mere glancing blow would be enough to give him a hard time.

In that instant, almost all of his internal organs shattered, and even the 108 Demon-Suppressing Nails loosened instantly.

It almost knocked Gu Fangchen's soul out of her body.

His body was now covered with vein-like golden threads, forming a lotus pattern. In his dantian, beneath the skin, a mass of flesh was pulsating, sending strands of blood-red light to the golden threads.

If someone could see through things, they would discover that countless golden threads were maintaining his shattered internal organs and rapidly pulling them back together to heal.

"Lotus in the Womb" also has a hidden effect of increasing the speed of physical recovery and enhancing resilience.

A true case of lingering attachment despite separation.

In this state, Gu Fangchen was basically unable to control her body. If she fell from mid-air and hit the maid, she would be killed instantly.

Where is there any ambiguity left...

Gu Fangchen was almost scared to death by this little maid. Her limit was to control herself and not press directly on top of her.

After struggling for a moment, he was completely exhausted and collapsed onto Xuexiang's petite body.

His body, honed through numerous trials, now boasts well-proportioned, firm muscles of exceptional strength. Tall and imposing, it completely covers the young maid, burying her entirely and making her invisible.

Gu Fangchen felt bad about using the person as a cushion, but he was truly exhausted.

The little maid below, however, was restless, constantly twisting and turning.

He didn't want to pay attention, but an idea popped into his mind that he couldn't ignore.

Isn't she wearing a soft, close-fitting Taoist robe?
Why are there two buttons on it...?

When Gu Fangchen realized the answer to the question, her body had already reacted first.

Gu Fangchen: "..."

Nineteen years old is like a diamond; it can't be hidden.

Even in a life-or-death situation, it doesn't matter!
Gu Fangchen listened awkwardly to "Xuexiang" scolding her. Just as she was about to speak, she felt a metallic taste rise in her throat.

His face turned pale, and he gritted his teeth, shifting himself to the side and rolling off the bed, spitting out another mouthful of blood.

Xu Fu was initially shocked and furious, thinking that Gu Fangchen was trying to take advantage of him by pressing down on him.

Gu Fangchen struggled to her feet, rolled off the bed, and then spat out a mouthful of blood.

Only then did I notice that although he wasn't wearing any clothes, he reeked of blood and had an unpleasant complexion.

Xu Fu was stunned for a moment, then realized that he seemed to have misunderstood...

She quickly sat up, reached out to help Gu Fangchen up, and asked:

"You...Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Gu Fangchen didn't even have the strength to speak. Her head was buzzing, her face was pale, and she trembled as she pointed to the bedside table next to her.

Xu Fu immediately opened the cabinet, which was filled with all sorts of precious life-saving pills.

Given Gu Fangchen's previous condition where he only had a few years left to live, his room was always stocked with medicinal pills, in case he suddenly died.

Xu Fu immediately recognized the most needed pill and fed it to Gu Fangchen.

Once Gu Fangchen recovered, she immediately began meditating to heal her injuries.

He looked inside his body and was immediately stunned, then a surge of joy filled his heart.

At this moment, in his chest, where his blood and qi converged, a new sun suddenly shone brightly, while within his soul, a faint moon hung high.

The sun in my heart and the moon in my mind reflect each other, illuminating everything, thus forging a loyal heart.

He officially entered the fifth-grade Danxin realm!
From this point on, he can be called a grandmaster!
Gu Fangchen was already at the peak of the sixth rank, half a step towards the fifth rank, but after going down to the "Nine Netherworlds", he subconsciously achieved internal breathing.

Under extremely tense and high-pressure conditions, internal breathing is rapidly consolidated, the mind is highly focused, and the internal circulation of spiritual power, blood and qi, and spirit is established in a short period of time.

Although I was almost killed by the Ancestral Master, being able to advance to the fifth rank is not a loss!

The fifth rank is the threshold between immortals and mortals in martial arts.

It's not so easy to break through.

Gu Fangchen originally thought that it would take some time before she would have a chance to break through, but by chance, she reached the fifth rank so quickly.

What a pleasant surprise!
Gu Fangchen was happy and busied herself consolidating her cultivation.

But at this moment, Xu Fu, who was watching from the side, was no longer nervous. When he looked at Gu Fangchen, who was completely naked and sitting in meditation with her palms facing upwards, his eyes subconsciously moved to the most conspicuous place.

Their gazes were immediately stung as if burned, and they looked away.

The Grand Preceptor pursed his lips, his face still flushed, and he recalled the burning heat and panting of the man who had been pressing down on him earlier.

She was still angry and ashamed, but then she realized she had misunderstood. This person was clearly seriously injured, yet he had obediently told her to "get away." It was her fault...

"Furthermore, he is a man, young and vigorous. How could he possibly control himself when he's in such close contact with his personal maid?"

Xu Fu couldn't help but glance at him again, and then was astonished to find that although this guy was clearly concentrating on meditation, how... how could he still be reacting?!
Gu Fangchen opened her eyes, her expression also strange and embarrassed.

When he circulated his energy, his spiritual power did circulate internally, but his blood and qi were blocked in his lower dantian and could not dissipate.

It seems like he was too eager for a promotion, and that fall just now caused the problem.

It's somewhat similar to going into a state of demonic possession, but less severe... The solution is simple; you can do it yourself.

However, since Xuexiang is here, if he were to come by himself, wouldn't that be a waste of his status as a prince?

Gu Fangchen coughed twice, feigning pain, and looked at her maid, gently coaxing her:

"Xiao Xuexiang, your young master has run into some trouble while practicing his martial arts. Come and help me out..."

That lecherous scoundrel!

Xu Fu knew exactly what he wanted to do. His face turned cold, and he was about to rebuke him, but then his expression froze.

If I reveal my identity now, wouldn't that be admitting that I was the one who was pinned down and unable to resist just now?

Wouldn't his image as the imperial advisor be ruined in an instant?
No, no.

Xu Fu remained silent for a while, then walked over and squatted down.

Let's just pretend we were never here...

She lowered her head, pursed her lips somewhat awkwardly, and asked:
"How...how can I help?"

Gu Fangchen smiled, reached out and stroked Xuexiang's disheveled hair, touching her cheek.

A cool, unique fragrance wafted from the falling black hair.

Gu Fangchen: "..."

Wait a minute, this Xuexiang, doesn't she look just like the Imperial Advisor?!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: The bounty has been paid off, but the first prize has been changed to an extra chapter, so I still owe one more chapter...

(End of this chapter)