Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 21 Are you scared?
Qu Baichuan was so frightened that his liver trembled, and he hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.

While he was drenched in sweat, Wang Yizhi was so worried about Lu Chenyuan's injuries that he couldn't wait any longer. Gritting his teeth, he rushed to the gate of the mansion. Because he was moving so fast, he had forcibly unleashed his inner energy along the way, and when he landed, he lost his balance and stumbled: "Princess... save me..."

"careful!"

Li Lingyue and Yuan Qingshuang saw it clearly. Yuan Qingshuang immediately reached out to support him, taking Lu Chenyuan in her arms. Upon closer inspection, she saw that Lu Chenyuan's face was ashen, and his meridians were disordered. She was shocked and exclaimed, "Princess, he—"

Without making a sound, Li Lingyue transformed her outstretched hand into a sword-like finger, pressing several acupoints on Lu Chenyuan's chest to stabilize his injuries. Then, she placed her fingers on his wrist to examine his injuries.

She appeared calm, but the sword at her waist remained still, emanating a chilling aura that radiated outwards from her, instantly freezing the ground!
The Taiyi Jade Palace Chapter...

Qu Baichuan was terrified and kowtowed repeatedly, begging, "Princess, spare me! Princess, spare me!"

The "Taiyi Yuchen Chapter" is a peerless skill of the world. Under heaven, only two people cultivate it: the current Martial Emperor and Princess Taiping. It is said that this skill is an unparalleled essential technique and a wonderful path to immortality.

—[Water has no constant form, and the Dao has no constant momentum. Taiyi is one of the five primordial primordial energies, a wisp of true water from the beginning of chaos, before the separation of Yin and Yang. Yuchen is the supreme Qi of the heavens, governing all waters and nourishing the eight directions. When this Dao is cultivated to its highest level, one can control the four seas, access the nine abysses, freeze ice with a single thought, transform into mist with another, merge the body with rivers, and roam the vast void.]

When still, it is like the moon reflected on a lake; when in motion, it is like a raging sea.

Qu Baichuan knew that Li Lingyue was truly enraged. She was terrifying when she drew her sword, but even more terrifying when she used Taiyi True Qi. In his fear, he kowtowed repeatedly, afraid that she would take her anger out on him.

Wu Youji was terrified.

Li Lingyue rarely resorts to violence; most of the time, she only resorts to intimidation.

Caught between Empress Wu and the Li imperial family, she sympathized with the Li family but couldn't take sides. Her own position depended on her status as Empress Wu's daughter, yet she was in charge of the inner guard and was responsible for killing these "traitors" from the Li family.

She wanted to show Empress Wu that she was firmly on her side in exchange for protection, but she did not want to kill the Li royal family. For many years, she was caught in a dilemma and always tried to avoid seeing the situation, rarely leaving the princess's residence.

Apart from the day he emerged from seclusion, when his sword energy went out of control and caused an anomaly, he had never been angry in the past few years, nor had he ever unleashed his Taiyi True Qi like this.

For the first time, Wu Youji directly experienced the gap between the two of them, and for the first time, she also remembered Lu Chenyuan, who had made her lose her temper and become angry.

He stared intently at Lu Chenyuan, his jealousy like a bloodthirsty worm tearing at his heart!

Yuan Qingshuang was also taken aback, but as the head maid, she understood Li Lingyue's feelings better.

The princess's primary emotion right now is probably guilt.

If she hadn't dragged Lu Chenyuan into this mess, he wouldn't have been targeted by the Wu royal family and suffered such serious injuries.

This is no longer a superficial injury; it has severed his path in martial arts and nearly killed him!
Li Lingyue is once again caught in a dilemma.

If she gets angry and retaliates against Wu Chengsi to confirm Lu Chenyuan's identity, it might have a temporary effect and intimidate others, but it won't work on the Wu family. Her mother needs them to stabilize the court, and as long as no one dies, she won't bother with these trivial matters...

If we stand idly by, as Wu Youji did before, it might cause the Wu family to stop taking Lu Chenyuan seriously and stop paying attention to him...

If we intervene, problems will arise; if we don't intervene, problems may arise as well. Ultimately, it's a gamble on the Wu family's character. If we don't intervene, will they continue to target us?
The answer is quite clear.

The Wu family's character is known to everyone in the court and among the common people.

She had no choice.

Why do you always have to push me?
A cold glint suddenly flashed in Li Lingyue's eyes, her clothes fluttered without wind, and a chilling killing intent spread like a tide.

Yuan Qingshuang hurriedly said, "Princess, please reconsider! That is His Highness Prince Wei!"

Not to mention that Wu Chengsi was the banner of the Wu family and an important figure in promoting the ascension of Empress Wu. He had always fought for the Wu family and made great contributions.

Personally speaking, the Empress Wu would never want her to be at odds with the Wu family, which is why the Wu family dared to repeatedly interfere.

Li Lingyue understood, but today she suddenly didn't want to be so understanding anymore.

She tapped the hilt of her sword with her knuckles—

"Zheng——"

A clear, resonant sword cry ripped through the air, and Taihua Qingshuang was drawn from its sheath. The sword light cascaded down like a snow waterfall, even dimming the blazing sun in the sky.

She leaped into the air, her eyes filled with compassion and indifference, looking down at the capital. She ran her fingers along the spine of the sword, and the three-foot-long blade immediately hummed like a dragon!
The sword's edge pointed directly towards Jishanfang!
"The Taiyi light splits, the sword strikes the heavenly beam; "

The three palaces reverse, stars fall across the eight directions!

She made a hand seal with her fingers together, the sound like the clinking of gold and jade.

In an instant.

Taihua Qingshuang transformed into a long rainbow piercing the moon, carrying the force to destroy mountains and cleave seas as it broke through the sky!

Where the sword's edge pointed, a glaring white mark suddenly appeared.

Just as the sword light pierced the air, a bird flew by. Before its wings could even touch the trace of light, it turned into a wisp of green smoke and vanished.

At the same time, three miles away, above Jishanfang, the clear sky suddenly distorted, and beneath that sword light was the Prince Wu Chengsi's mansion!

The protective array of the Prince of Wei's mansion was destroyed in an instant. As the sword light pierced down, the glazed tiles of the main hall shattered instantly. Before the broken tiles even hit the ground, the entire main building collapsed like a sand tower!
The pavilions and towers that Wu Chengsi had painstakingly built crumbled in the sword energy, and all the carved beams and painted rafters turned to dust!
The power of this sword strike even dyed the clouds in the sky a magnificent purple-gold color, transforming them into the Taiyi Star Chart.

It was like a divine miracle!

The Wei Prince's residence and its surroundings were alarmed by this strange phenomenon, with screams and cries rising and falling.

Li Lingyue landed gracefully, gazing at the lingering sword light in the sky, and said to the trembling Qu Baichuan, "Go back and tell Prince Wei that not just anyone can touch my cat. Not just anyone can hurt my people! He's not the Crown Prince yet, so don't meddle! If there's a next time, it won't just be about destroying the Prince's residence. Do you understand?"

"listen……"

Qu Baichuan broke out in a cold sweat, swallowed hard, and said with utmost respect, "I understand..."

"roll!"

Li Lingyue's phoenix eyes flashed with murderous intent, and she couldn't be bothered to look at him anymore.

Qu Baichuan felt as if he had been granted a pardon, kowtowed, and quickly left.

Li Lingyue turned to look at Wu Youji, who trembled and opened his mouth to say it had nothing to do with him, but before he could speak, Li Lingyue stopped looking at him and said to Yuan Qingshuang, "Send Lu Chenyuan to..."

She paused.

Yuan Qingshuang said, "The Lingni Palace? With a master looking after it, it's fine..."

"...Send it to my bedchamber."

Uh-huh?
Yuan Qingshuang was dumbfounded.

Wang Yizhi and Wu Youji were also dumbfounded along with her.

Li Lingyue turned and left.

No need for guessing anymore. You say he's a fake and using that to do evil, but I'll make sure he's real! Let's see who dares to touch him now, and I'll completely put an end to your hopes!
……

The night was deep, and the gauze curtains fluttered gently.

Lu Chenyuan's fingertips twitched slightly as he gradually regained sensation. The first thing he touched was the ice silk mat beneath him, smooth as flowing water yet exuding a cool sensation. He slowly opened his eyes, and what came into view was a carved golden nanmu wood duster, its nine phoenixes holding pearls shimmering with a warm luster in the candlelight.

Nine phoenixes carrying pearls...

wrong……

The first thing that flashed through Lu Chenyuan's mind was the unique pattern he had seen in Princess Taiping's bedroom a few days ago when he was on night watch.

So it goes without saying where he's lying now...

Lu Chenyuan was startled and hurriedly got up, but felt a sharp pain in his chest and abdomen, as if thousands of needles were pricking him, making him grimace in pain.

He then realized what had happened before he lost consciousness. He carefully pulled open his clothes and saw a blue handprint on his chest. When he tried to circulate his qi, he felt short of breath and his whole body ached.

"That was ruthless..."

Lu Chenyuan muttered to himself.

"Are you scared?" A clear, cold voice came from behind the screen.

Lu Chenyuan suddenly looked up and could vaguely see a slender figure through the silk screen.

Li Lingyue had shed her usual elaborate attire and makeup, wearing only a simple moon-white silk dress with wide sleeves that flowed like clouds. Her long, black hair was unbound and cascaded over her shoulders, highlighting her beautiful features. She appeared less aloof and more languid.

She held a brush in her hand and was painting, in which a majestic golden cat was beginning to take shape.

Scared?
I'm already thinking about how to kill him so badly he's torn to pieces...

Lu Chenyuan pressed his hand to his chest, his tone still calm, and casually said, "The power of the King of Wei's palm strike is secondary; it's the princess's condition, and the position I'm lying in... that truly flatter me!"

Li Lingyue paused, then glanced at him and said, "Glib talker."

These are my heartfelt words.

Lu Chenyuan looked serious and said in a pleasant tone, "To have won the princess's favor, this slap was worth it."

The hall fell silent for a moment, with only the candlelight flickering gently.

Li Lingyue put down her brush, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the outline of the golden lion in the painting. After a long while, she said indifferently, "It is I who have implicated you. It is a bit late to say this now, but this is by no means my intention! I did not expect these people to be so bold. They dare not kill, but they dare to cripple people."

Lu Chenyuan didn't take it to heart: "In the past, Ban Chao abandoned his pen for the sword, fought against the Xiongnu in the north, and was eventually enfeoffed as the Marquis of Dingyuan; Huo Qubing rode lightly into the northern desert, risking great dangers, and was rewarded with the seal of the Wolf Mountain. Compared with their near-death experiences, what is my little injury? Princess, you don't know, today's pursuit of the bandits is completely unimpeded, and there is no worry about making merit! Since I have benefited from this, I am naturally willing to be burdened by it. Princess, you don't need to worry about it."

He spoke with great enthusiasm, but Li Lingyue felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Is it true that fortune favors the bold?

Unexpectedly, Lu Chenyuan changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over Li Lingyue's disheveled hair, and he laughed, "Besides... to die beneath a peony is to die a romantic death..."

"Glib tongue!"

Li Lingyue silently recited it to herself, and the faint gloom between her brows finally dissipated a little. She snorted softly and picked up her pen again: "Your mouth is more resilient than your body."

"Your Highness is too kind."

Lu Chenyuan said in a serious tone, "Every word I have said is from the bottom of my heart."

Li Lingyue glanced at him and suddenly said, "Smoke signals are supposed to convey military intelligence, right?"

"Um……"

Lu Chenyuan's confident expression froze, and he said awkwardly, "...This poem doesn't count."

"Humph!"

Li Lingyue's face turned a little red after she finished reading, but fortunately there was a screen blocking her view, so the person on the other side couldn't see it.

Lu Chenyuan stopped there and didn't say anything more.

When it comes to love, it's like the expansion and contraction of territory. You can't push your luck too far. Pushing your luck too far is like plundering, and plundering reveals your wolfish nature, which easily arouses people's self-defense. A good hunter knows to take five inches and then retreat two inches, going with the flow, in order to conquer and seize territory.

Of course, this theory was made up on the spot.

In ancient times, we had to be careful, but in modern times, we don't need to go through all that trouble. We can get straight to the point on the same day and get what we need.

Lu Chenyuan changed the subject: "Your Highness, how is Lord Ni now?"

Li Lingyue's eyes softened considerably: "It's kind of you to think of it, and it's worth it for standing in front of you. Don't worry, in this world, perhaps someone would dare to hurt it, but it's definitely not Wu Chengsi. He doesn't have the guts. He just used the [Soul Loss Curse] to make it unconscious. It woke up in the evening and even came to see you, so there's no need to worry."

Lu Chenyuan breathed a sigh of relief: "Wang Yizhi?"

"He's alright too."

Li Lingyue continued, “Your family has been properly taken care of by Qing Shuang. You should focus on taking care of yourself. Wu Chengsi’s martial arts are a royal secret technique. His palm techniques are soft yet powerful, containing both yin and yang energies. Even if you have taken medicine to repair your meridians, you still need to be careful to nurture them. Otherwise, if the yin and yang in your body become unbalanced, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

"I understand."

Lu Chenyuan himself could also sense the abnormality in his body; his breathing was still not smooth and his meridians were painful.

He remembered the force of that palm strike vividly, a memory he would never forget! The fact that it could completely remove the internal energy and heal the internal injuries to this extent in just one afternoon was a testament to the use of miraculous medicine, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

As expected of a princess in history who was able to unite a large group of capable people and rival Li Longji, she really had some courage.

Lu Chenyuan threw off the covers and stepped barefoot onto the floor. He couldn't sleep soundly lying on this bed, at least not now. It was much more comfortable to get out of bed.

Li Lingyue said, "You're injured, so lie down."

"fine……"

Lu Chenyuan looked at the screen and said, "Does Your Highness have nothing to ask?"

Li Lingyue said without looking up, "If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."

"I won't tell anyone else."

Lu Chenyuan smiled and said directly, "I am seriously injured, and Wang Yizhi wants to take me to heal. The Imperial Guards can then take over the case and rightfully claim credit! Prince Wei doesn't want to give anyone grounds for criticism, so he will definitely use Yan Siping's rhetoric to frame me, saying that I ignored the mechanism, unlocked it too quickly, defied common sense, and might be colluding with the enemy..."

I can't be bothered to explain myself to people like them! After I fell for their trick, I vaguely heard the King of Wei say he liked my eyes… He probably already realized it. If it weren't for the princess, I would have died! It's also my own fault; I was too eager to make a name for myself, and I took advantage of my status, thinking too highly of them… If the princess wants to know the reason, I can tell you now.”

If Wu Chengsi could see it, Li Lingyue probably could too.

By revealing this now, Lu Chenyuan is using a secret she already knows to win her favor.

"..."

Li Lingyue looked up and met his sincere and affectionate eyes. Her face flushed slightly, and she felt a little annoyed.

Those eyes are truly awful!
Especially when she smiles, it's like a gentle spring breeze, full of affection. Coupled with her hidden innate supernatural abilities, she always makes people feel like they dare not look her in the eye. At only the second realm, this is simply unbelievable!

Li Lingyue avoided his gaze and continued painting, slowly saying, "In the past, the Fifth Patriarch of Zen Buddhism, Hongren, wished to pass on his mantle and instructed his disciples to compose verses to express their understanding. Shenxiu, being the foremost among the disciples, composed the verse: 'The body is a Bodhi tree, the mind a bright mirror stand; constantly wipe it clean, lest dust alight.' Everyone praised it, except for the pilgrim Huineng, who felt he had not yet grasped his true nature. He had someone else compose the verse: 'Bodhi has no tree, the bright mirror is not a stand; originally there is nothing, where can dust alight?' Hongren approved of this and secretly bestowed upon him the robe, thus making him the Sixth Patriarch..."

Master Huineng lost his father at the age of three and supported his mother by selling firewood as he grew older. He was illiterate and did not understand scriptures, yet he could directly point to the Buddha's mind and attain enlightenment in one fell swoop. Such wisdom is rare, perhaps only seen once in a thousand years, and yet two have appeared in our dynasty… Huineng received the lineage of Chan Buddhism, lived in anonymity for sixteen years, enduring hardship and near death several times, before finally becoming a monk and spreading the Dharma, ultimately becoming a revered monk. I hope you will not, like the Master, spend another sixteen years struggling through thorns…”

"of course not."

Lu Chenyuan laughed and said, "The master doesn't have a princess behind him, so how can you generalize?"

"One must not disrespect the master!"

Li Lingyue glared at him and deliberately said, "You're quite proud of taking crooked paths!"

Lu Chenyuan replied without hesitation, "You're the one who brought me in, so you have to take responsibility for me."

"you--"

Li Lingyue was stunned by his shamelessness and audacity, and for a moment she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. However, this also dispelled the trace of guilt she had felt earlier, and she was able to look at the person in front of her with true peace of mind—this was a shameless scoundrel, and she was happy to see it this way!
Li Lingyue cursed inwardly, but she didn't hate it; on the contrary, she relaxed completely.

She rolled her eyes at him, her tone becoming even more casual: "There's something wrong with that garden. Wu Chengsi doesn't dare let the Imperial Guards investigate it thoroughly. Qiu Shenji is just like him, and he does things more in line with his wishes, which is why he used the pretext of jealousy to target you."

Lu Chenyuan laughed and said, "I think it might not just be a facade..."

Li Lingyue ignored him: "They conspired to attack the Imperial Guards and steal their credit. This matter will not be resolved so easily."

Lu Chenyuan sneered: "What he stole can only be considered an opportunity; merit is not so easy to obtain!"

"Oh?"

Li Lingyue asked curiously, "What does this mean? Now that we've found the mechanical tiger-dragon, we can simply go downstream and investigate slowly..."

"Then he'll never find it."

Lu Chenyuan took out the porcelain bottle from his sleeve, a slight smile playing on his lips, and said decisively, "Ashina Yan's hiding place is not downstream at all!"

(End of this chapter)