Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 84 A Fluttering Heart (Please Subscribe)

"Unfortunately, due to the wars of later generations, many exquisite skills were lost. Finally, a reclusive immortal emerged and restored the divine arts, which was truly remarkable. Moreover, you, benefactor, have such a successor..."

Jingyin's eyes sparkled, and she suddenly took a step closer, her breath sweet as orchids: "...You possess an elegant demeanor and extraordinary talent!"

What a courage!
Li Lingyue's face was gloomy, and her anger surged in her chest. She wanted to kill this nun!
Yuan Qingshuang was also shocked by this person's audacity. She never expected that she, who had acted so respectable and impeccably in front of the Empress, would be so bold as to flirt with the Princess's lover in front of her.

Lu Chenyuan took a half step back without changing his expression: "Master, you flatter me."

"You are too modest, benefactor. This humble nun has come to see you..."

Jingyin chuckled softly and took another step forward. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she fell towards Lu Chenyuan like a willow swaying in the wind.

Lu Chenyuan was speechless and dodged away.

Li Lingyue, unable to bear it any longer, appeared out of thin air beside her, her hand as steady as a rock, gripping her arm, staring intently into her eyes: "Master, be careful. I have a bad temper, and I can't stand... anything dirty touching my people!"

Jingyin steadied herself, showing no fear, and instead covered her mouth and chuckled, "Your Highness is joking."

She turned gracefully, her wide sleeves of her cassock drawing an elegant arc in the air. "This humble nun was merely powerless for a moment. It is Benefactor Lu who is so heartless. How could you bear to do this to such a weak and frail woman like me..." The second half of her sentence turned to Lu Chenyuan, her voice low and soft, seemingly both reproachful and resentful, carrying a hint of allure, both aggrieved and provocative.

court death!

Without saying a word, Li Lingyue reached out and obtained the [Taihua Qing Shuang], unleashing her Taiyi True Qi!

In an instant, a chilling atmosphere filled the Xiaoxiang Pavilion!
Yuan Qingshuang's expression changed drastically. She wanted to stop her, but she didn't know what to say. This nun was really going too far!
She didn't take the princess seriously at all.

Lu Chenyuan frowned slightly, but it wasn't a good time for him to interrupt. He felt a little annoyed. Damn Wu Meiniang!
A murderous intent was closing in.

The nun Jingyin showed no fear whatsoever. She calmly straightened her robes and, facing the sword blade so close at hand, smiled and said, "Princess, you are so petty. Back when Master Xue was favored, even His Highness Prince Liang personally held the whip and led the horse for him. Even though His Majesty's favor has waned somewhat, he still addresses him as 'Master Xue' with utmost respect. He is merely one of His Majesty's male favorites. And now, His Majesty, in his pursuit of immortality, is... 'exceptionally' interested in matters of alchemy."

The implication is that my fellow disciples are far more important than Xue Huaiyi. What is Xue Huaiyi's current status?
Do you dare to kill Xue Huaiyi?

"..."

Li Lingyue's knuckles turned white as she gripped the sword, but she had to admit that the lowly nun was right.

If a mother would tolerate a scoundrel like Xue Huaiyi to this extent, how much more so would she tolerate this pair of martial arts siblings who could "rejuvenate"?
Jingyin gently stroked her prayer beads, a smile playing on her lips: "This humble nun has heard that Benefactor Lu is a man of extraordinary talent, and his subordinate, the Yanjia Divine Queen, possesses the [Guicang Treasure Eye], which can identify more than 47,600 kinds of materials for alchemy and weapon forging. If you would be willing to come to Danxiao Academy to assist in alchemy, His Majesty would surely be overjoyed!"

She glanced meaningfully at Li Lingyue, her voice growing softer: "Back then, Emperor Wu of Han, in his quest for the elixir of immortality, even married his eldest daughter, Princess Wei Chang, to the alchemist Luan Da. He was also appointed General of the Five Benefits, and later General of the Heavenly Warriors, General of the Earthly Warriors, General of the Great Path, General of the Heavenly Way, and Marquis of Letong. At that time, Luan Da wore six seals of office and was renowned throughout the land..."

Jingyin suddenly chuckled: "Isn't this perfect for today? For the princess, if she were willing to part with Benefactor Lu to assist Danxiao Academy, His Majesty might be moved by the princess's filial piety and bestow even greater rewards than before; for Benefactor Lu, it would be a golden opportunity to rise to prominence, not only with wealth and honor, but also with a 'soulmate' by his side... Why doesn't the princess help him achieve this perfect situation?"

Threat!

A blatant threat!
Emperor Wu of Han was willing to marry a princess in search of the elixir of immortality, so what about you, princess?
If Veshfang really has ideas, what will the emperor do? She would kill her own son for the throne, so why would it be so difficult for her to marry off her own daughter for the sake of immortality?
Li Lingyue's face turned ashen.

Yuan Qingshuang's face turned deathly pale.

Li Lingyue's murderous intent was barely contained as she said, enunciating each word clearly, "Don't forget, Luan Da died without a complete corpse!"

"Haha, so what?"

Jingyin chuckled, "Even if she's torn apart by five horses or sliced ​​into a thousand pieces, the princess will still marry and be granted an official position... Well, it's understandable that Your Highness is reluctant to part with her lover to refine medicine for His Majesty. After I return to the palace... I won't mention it for now. After all, it's only a beautiful story if the princess makes the sacrifice. In ten days, I will ask His Majesty to have someone refine the medicine. I hope Your Highness can make the sacrifice quickly, otherwise... it will be my senior brother's turn to speak up, hehe..."

Jingyin walked to Lu Chenyuan's side as if no one else was there, looked directly at him, and said softly, "This humble nun has long heard that Benefactor Lu is not only skilled in puppetry and has the looks of Pan An and Song Yu, but also possesses a sword dance. Yesterday, at the grand banquet in the Mingtang, his performance amazed everyone. His swordplay was like Kunlun jade shattering, and his footwork was like the Luo River flowing on the water..." She smiled slightly, her voice soft and charming, "This humble nun is at Danxiao Courtyard, awaiting Benefactor's dance..."

After saying that, he strode towards the door, and the moment he stepped across the threshold, his entire demeanor changed drastically.

She took a deep breath, regained her dignified demeanor, wore a compassionate smile, and walked with elegant and composed steps, as if nothing had happened.

The museum was deathly silent.

"Qing Shuang, you can go out first."

Li Lingyue suddenly spoke, her voice as cold and hard as iron: "And Lingxi."

Yuan Qingshuang hesitated for a moment, then finally bowed and agreed. Lu Chenyuan nodded slightly to the Empress, who then withdrew.

After the two left, the long sword in Li Lingyue's hand fell to the ground with a "clang," creating a crisp echo on the jade floor.

She slowly raised her head, the gilded hairpin with its hanging beads swaying gently in front of her, reflecting Lu Chenyuan's calm face.

At this moment, her eyes no longer held anger, but rather a profound grief, helplessness, and an unprecedented clarity.

She looked at her hands and said softly, "When Xue Huaiyi was favored... I just thought of her as a dog. Since that dog didn't dare to bite me, I didn't feel anything. When she killed members of the Li Tang imperial family, besides sadness and helplessness, I felt mostly fortunate—fortunate that I was a woman and wouldn't get in her way."

Dusk was falling outside the window.

The last rays of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, casting dappled light and shadow on her face.

Li Lingyue suddenly laughed, a laugh filled with self-mockery: "But what this sorceress said today has been a revelation... Would she, like Emperor Wu of Han, use me to curry favor with that sorcerer? Even if she doesn't touch me, she'll definitely force me to abandon you... So this is the real me. A high and mighty... good-for-nothing..."

She clenched her fist tightly, the gilded armor piercing her palm, blood dripping through her fingers.

Two lines of clear tears silently slid down her cheeks.

For the past twenty-five years, Li Lingyue had been the most favored princess, getting whatever she wanted. Except for a slight disappointment with Lu Chenyuan, she had never tasted the bitterness of unrequited love. But at this moment, she suddenly understood—

The emperor's favor is like thin ice in spring; it seems solid, but it can shatter at the slightest touch.

She would give them away because those things were things she didn't need in the first place. If the imperial power or immortality required them, she would take them without hesitation!

It turns out that in this deep palace, without power, you can't even protect your own things...

Lu Chenyuan approached silently, pulled her into his arms, and gently brushed his chin against the top of her head, offering silent comfort.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, casting a golden halo around them and blending their figures into a tranquil silhouette painting.

For a long time.

Li Lingyue wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and said in a muffled voice, "Don't you have anything to say?"

Lu Chenyuan cupped her face in his hands, wiping away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his fingertips, and smiled, "I'm waiting for you to finish crying, waiting for 'the useless princess' to calm down, and then we'll think of a way to deal with it. What? Do you want me to comfort you? Is it too late for me to tell you now?"

(End of this chapter)