Start cultivating immortality by slacking off and posting ads

Chapter 168 The Tribulation of the High-Grade Jade Pendant and the Hidden Tide at the Palace Banquet [Part Two]

Upon hearing this, Tang Hao paused and put down his hand, which was about to make a hand seal to open the furnace lid.

"Hehe, there's no such thing as a good banquet. I have no official position and I don't associate with the powerful and wealthy. It's obvious that someone has ulterior motives for inviting me to attend."

"No banquet is ever a good banquet? Xianzhi is right!" Helian Chengyu's eyes lit up. "Court banquets are often filled with all sorts of intrigues and schemes."

He looked at his brother seriously and said, "This was proposed by Prince Kang. He has always been at odds with Prince Duan and Duke Rong, and I don't know what he's up to."

"What else could it be? They must have guessed the old Duke's thoughts and are planning to expose my identity at the banquet." Tang Hao quickly went through the whole thing in his mind and gave a confident sneer.

In the past two days, he had already searched through everything in the storage ring.

Since Tang Ling had given up cultivation long ago, his ring was full of various cultivation resources and spirit stones.

He looked at the rest and, aside from some miscellaneous items, they were mostly preparations Tang Ling had made so that he could legitimately change his identity after successfully possessing another body.

'Tang Ling must have gone to great lengths to obtain the [Blood Lotus Juice].'

The Blood Lotus feeds on blood, and its juice can remove the essence blood from blood-refining artifacts, and naturally it can also erase the blood between the eyebrows from an identity token.

This plant is mostly cultivated by the Blood Cult in blood pools, and only one plant can be cultivated from each blood pool.

Tang Hao had taken the time to check the blood pool in the underground cave of the Rongguo Duke's mansion, but there was no trace of the [Blood Lotus].

'The preparations are quite thorough. This is something the Demonic Sect would only use to replace a key spy. With this, if I only have this outward identity, he could really keep it a secret if he succeeds.'

Disciples of a sect who have never formally become apprentices do not possess a soul lamp, and even if they die, no one will be able to detect it.

The verification of identity tokens is not very rigorous. Once you have an identity token, you should have no problem traveling around the Qinghua Sect.

'It really is full of loopholes.' These thoughts flashed through Tang Hao's mind.

He took out a jade pendant, played with it in his hand, and sneered, "This thing is probably the source of their confidence in launching this attack."

"Is there something wrong with the jade pendant?"

Helian Chengyu demanded it without ceremony, but after examining it carefully, he found nothing.

She couldn't help but look at him, asking curiously, "What exactly happened?"

Tang Hao took back the jade pendant and casually tied it around his waist.

He then spoke in a low voice, finally raising an eyebrow at her to indicate that everything was under control.

"I never expected that Xianzhi would not only be so skilled in alchemy, but also so accomplished in weapon crafting, seeing through the tricks so easily," Helian Chengyu exclaimed in admiration.

Putting aside his worries, he turned his attention to the purple-gold alchemy furnace and asked urgently, "Xianzhi, quickly take a look, how is my [Golden Elixir Jade Rejuvenation Pill] being nurtured?"

Judging from his eager appearance, he was clearly impatient.

Tang Hao nodded and activated the alchemy furnace using a hand seal.

[Collecting Elixir Technique] Extract three elixirs from within.

Then, he pretended to examine the medicinal properties and appearance using the "Medicine Testing Technique".

A smile immediately appeared on his face as he said, "The nourishing effect is quite good; it has actually upgraded this [Golden Liquid Jade Rejuvenation Pill] to a superior grade."

"Xianzhi, you're amazing!" Helian Chengyu was overjoyed and accepted the pill bottle with a big smile, examining it with great interest.

Seeing this, Tang Hao chuckled inwardly.

It wasn't that he switched the gift bestowed by his master; the [Golden Elixir Jade Rejuvenation Pill] was truly nurtured in the [Purple Gold Fiery Cloud Treasure Furnace], which is why its medicinal properties were enhanced.

However, after placing it there, he would check on it every day.

As early as yesterday, the quality of all six [Golden Elixir Jade Rejuvenation Pills] had been upgraded.

The genuine pills were naturally kept safe as usual, but these three were replicas that Tang Hao had prepared in advance. As long as he didn't retrieve them when he was taking them, the effects of the pills would be no different.

Yes, this conclusion was reached by the old Duke Tang Ling himself, who risked his life to verify it, so it is absolutely reliable.

"When does Ninth Brother plan to set off?" Tang Hao asked with a smile, seeing that Helian Chengyu had finally had his fill and carefully put away the pill bottle.

Helian Chengyu pondered for a moment and said, "I originally planned to accompany you to the banquet so that I could help you out if anything happened."

Tang Hao glanced at him gratefully and nodded.

"Don't worry, I can handle things. Ninth Brother, go into seclusion with peace of mind. Hmm, you'll be leaving the capital soon?"

"No!"

Helian Chengyu straightened his sleeves and said, "I still intend to accompany you, Xianzhi."

Tang Hao looked on with a puzzled expression, but his smile held a hint of amusement.

"I'm going to go see how Uncle Kang makes a fool of himself. If I feel better, it might even help me succeed in forming my core."

Upon hearing this, Tang Hao was at a loss for words, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Just then, a eunuch, led by a maid, arrived at the Prince's residence.

After announcing his arrival, he went inside.

The eunuch presented an invitation and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Ninth Prince, greetings, Your Highness. His Majesty is hosting an afternoon banquet in the palace and has specially ordered this servant to deliver this invitation to Your Highness."

"Thank you for your trouble, young master." Tang Hao gestured to the maid.

The maid immediately took out a small bag of silver coins and stuffed it into the other person's hand.

"Thank you, Your Highness." The little eunuch happily accepted the gift, but his eyes subtly glanced at Tang Hao's waist.

Upon seeing the jade pendant, the young eunuch quickly lowered his head to conceal the strange look in his eyes, then took his leave and hurried away.

Tang Hao and Helian Chengyu exchanged a glance, both seeing the amusement in each other's eyes.

Prince Kang's Mansion.

Prince Kang looked at his advisors and said in a deep voice, "Are you sure this is feasible? Even if Tang Ling really takes over Tang Hao's body, even if His Majesty blames him, he probably won't be sentenced to death. Why not wait until he issues the edict and then launch an attack to accuse him of deceiving the emperor?"

Upon hearing this, the bearded aide stroked his beard with confidence.

"Your Highness, our goal is nothing more than to kill the Duke of Rong, isn't it?"

Instead of answering immediately, the staff member asked a question.

After the King of Kang nodded, he then said, "What difference does it make who kills me?"

"Oh? What do you mean?" King Kang was taken aback and quickly asked.

With a slight smile, the aide explained, "The Duke of Rong is deeply favored by the Emperor. If he has already secretly spoken with the Emperor, it will not be difficult to find a pretext to send the prince away and silence any gossip when the imperial edict is issued."

“Even if I return afterward, the deed is done. Even if I expose this matter, without any evidence, there's nothing I can do to him.” A thoughtful look flashed in King Kang’s eyes, and he nodded, “Continue.”

"Yes."

The advisor responded, "The Spring Banquet is a grand event that all important officials of the court should attend. It is only proper for the Heir Apparent to attend on behalf of the Duke of Rong, who is in seclusion. Even if the Prince makes the suggestion, the other party will not be overly wary."

"If the prince suddenly makes a move and demands to verify the heir's identity, even if the emperor doesn't impose the death penalty, the news will not be kept secret." The advisor smiled sinisterly.

King Kang seemed to realize what was going on, but he remained silent, waiting for his advisor to finish speaking.

A hint of envy flashed across the advisor's face as he said, "Tang Hao, the heir of Rong Kingdom, has entered the inner sect of the Qinghua Sect after just over seven months on the path of cultivation. His cultivation has broken through to the peak of Qi Refining. He is a true prodigy."

"Knowing that their prodigy has suffered such a calamity, will the Qinghua Sect remain inactive?" the advisor asked, looking at Prince Kang.

Seeing that the Prince of Kang frowned, he knew what the prince was worried about.

The advisor chuckled and said, "Alright, to put it another way, as long as the prodigy of the Qinghua Sect is still around, it doesn't matter if the core is replaced. But his master won't let this go easily, will he?"

The aide stopped talking, picked up the tea beside him, took a sip, and gave his master time to digest.

King Kang pondered for a moment before speaking, "When Tang Hao was still a menial disciple, he often visited Fairy Yan's cultivation place, and their relationship was extraordinary. If nothing unexpected happens, he will become Fairy Yan's disciple." A few days ago, Tang Hao returned to Shengjing and displayed his cultivation and potential. King Kang immediately ordered people to collect information about him.

He was nothing but a nobody in front of the Qinghua Sect, but as a prince of the Dongling Kingdom and the younger brother of the current emperor, it was easy for him to get information from the disciples of various families in the sect.

"Fairy Yan has not appeared in the sect for more than two months. It is speculated that she is in seclusion to form her Nascent Soul. If she comes out of seclusion and finds that the disciple she was supposed to be is actually someone else..." King Kang smiled.

That was a Nascent Soul cultivator! Even the royal family's guardian deity, the Grand Princess Shouxian, had to give him some face. A mere Duke Rongguo could be easily killed.

But... has Tang Hao's true nature really changed by now?

King Kang then voiced his question.

"As everyone knows, the Crown Prince of Rongguo is on good terms with the Ninth Prince. After returning to Shengjing, he has always traveled with the Ninth Prince." The advisor put down his teacup and replied with a smile.

He said with certainty, "But he went back to the Rongguo Duke's mansion. That night, the Rongguo Duke went into seclusion, and he never left the house again. Doesn't that prove anything?"

Hearing this, King Kang felt somewhat relieved.

“Indeed, there isn’t much else to say.” King Kang nodded slightly, but was still somewhat uneasy. “It would be best to test the waters at the banquet and carefully discern the truth.”

The aide was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed, and he burst into laughter, saying, "Why wait until then?"

Before King Kang could respond, he called out to the door, "Please let them in."

A moment later, a figure strode in.

"This servant greets Your Highness Prince Kang." The person who came was none other than the little eunuch who had delivered the invitation to Tang Hao.

The aide nodded to him and asked, "How is it?"

The eunuch took out a piece of paper from his pocket and respectfully handed it over. When Prince Kang took it, he saw that it depicted an exquisite jade pendant.

"When I delivered the invitation, His Highness the Ninth Prince was there as well, so this servant dared not linger." The eunuch glanced at Prince Kang with a hint of unease.

He said with a hint of self-satisfaction, "Fortunately, I said a lot of auspicious words and had good eyesight. Finally, before leaving, I caught a glimpse of the jade pendant hanging on the prince's waist."

"really?"

King Kang was examining the drawing in his hand when he heard this and looked up with a bright look in his eyes.

"I wouldn't dare deceive Your Highness, this servant saw it for sure." The little eunuch quickly smiled and even swore an oath, "This servant dares to guarantee with his life that the jade pendant is exactly the same as the one in the picture."

"Excellent! It deserves a reward!" King Kang was overjoyed and waved for the eunuch to follow the guards down to receive the reward.

The eunuch happily thanked him and took his leave. In a short while, he received two rewards, and when he left, his steps seemed light and unsteady.

After the door closed again, King Kang looked at his advisor and nodded with satisfaction, saying, "This was all thanks to your planning, sir. I will reward you handsomely after it is done!"

"Thank you, Your Highness. It is my honor to help you with your troubles." The advisor appeared respectful and calm, but his heart was filled with excitement and joy.

From discovering Rongguo Gong's plans and arrangements, bribing the jade pendant refiner to tamper with them, to now setting the final scheme, it was all orchestrated by him behind the scenes.

This matter has lasted for more than 20 years, and the heir apparent of Rongguo has changed several times. Finally, the time for reaping the rewards has arrived.

Time flew by and it was almost noon.

Tang Hao and Helian Chengyu were strolling in the Imperial Garden.

One is an inner disciple of the Qinghua Sect, and the other is the next guardian deity of the royal family; wherever they go, they attract a lot of attention.

However, they didn't socialize much with the powerful and wealthy, so no one came to bother them.

The spring banquet differed from ordinary palace banquets, as it was held to pray for good fortune in agriculture.

It was an important event demonstrating the country's emphasis on agriculture, and those in attendance were all members of the imperial family and high-ranking officials.

Those who were brought by their elders to broaden their horizons were not ordinary children of the powerful and wealthy.

Of course, with this level of status, it's no match for Tang Hao and his companion.

These people naturally wanted to come and get to know each other, but after some back and forth, no one dared to be the first to try.

"It's about time, let's go." Helian Chengyu said, glancing at the sun. Tang Hao readily agreed.

Amidst the regretful gazes of the privileged youths, the two walked toward the banquet.

The banquet was held in Tianyuan Hall, which was usually the place for holding court.

Due to the large number of attendees, even the platform outside the hall had many seats set up.

Given their dual identities, their positions naturally couldn't be outside.

Tang Hao followed Helian Chengyu into the Tianyuan Hall.

Led by a palace maid, I took my seat in one of the two adjacent seats at the front.

Seeing his surprise, Helian Chengyu raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Since I'm here to help you, I should sit closer to you. Otherwise, if we're standing far apart, I'll lose my momentum before I even open my mouth."

Before Tang Hao could express his gratitude for the thoughtful arrangements, the other party spoke again.

"Now we just watch the excitement, and we can see things more clearly up close!"

Tang Hao shook his head and chuckled as he talked to Helian Chengyu, his gaze sweeping over the palace's furnishings.

'The Tianyuan Hall looks like a super-sized version of the Golden Palace. Perhaps because it's a place for holding court, it doesn't have the various items that cultivators like.' He felt a little regretful.

His divine sense swept over the pillars in the hall: 'These are indeed spirit wood, but they don't seem to be of high quality, and I can't identify their specific type.'

While he was chatting idly and looking around,

I sensed a gaze fixed on me, neither malicious nor scrutinizing, but strange and indescribable.

Tang Hao followed the gaze and met the other person's eyes. The other person immediately blushed and turned their head away.

"Who's this?" he asked, completely bewildered. "He's alright-looking, though. What's that phrase again? Oh, right! A face that symbolizes peace and prosperity."

Just as I was pondering this, I felt a nudge on my shoulder; it was Helian Chengyu.

The other person leaned closer, gestured with his chin towards the girl, and said, "Your fiancée is here too."

"Fiancée?" Tang Hao was taken aback. "Princess Fu'an, Helian Jinxi?"

“That’s right, what do you think?” Helian Chengyu winked and made faces.

Tang Hao glared at him, somewhat speechless, and said, "I haven't acknowledged this marriage. We're not from the same world."

He had just checked as well; this Princess Fu'an's cultivation level wasn't very high, only at the early stage of Qi Refining.

Just as Helian Chengyu was about to say something, a voice announced, "His Majesty has arrived!" The hall fell silent, and he had no choice but to shut his mouth.

With the emperor's arrival, the banquet officially began.

The banquet consisted of nine rounds of toasts, representing the highest level of banquets held in the Eastern Ling Kingdom's royal court.

Tang Hao had been waiting for the Prince of Kang to make his move.

To everyone's surprise, it wasn't until the ninth round of drinks that the conversation continued.

A slightly plump middle-aged man got up and slowly walked to the center of the hall.

"Your Majesty, your younger brother has something to report!"

This was King Kang. As his voice rang out, the hall fell silent once more.

'finally come! '

Tang Hao raised an eyebrow: 'Reality isn't a short drama; those looking for trouble obviously won't start at the very beginning of the banquet.'

(End of this chapter)