Borrowing a sword

Chapter 288 The Founding Emperor

Lin Zixuan was slightly taken aback upon hearing her master's words.

"The founding emperor?"

She suddenly remembered something.

The reason why the Crown Prince was favored by Prince Rui and even His Majesty the Emperor since childhood was because his features were very similar to those in the Emperor's portrait.

As he grew older, he became even more similar to the founding emperor in the portrait.

However, the person in the portrait clearly has a somewhat rugged and bold appearance.

Prince Rui's heir, Qin Xuanxiao, was different; he was of noble birth and exuded an air of nobility.

Since the founding emperor was the ancestor of these royal family members, and Qin Xuanxiao happened to be a member of his lineage, it's not surprising that they look somewhat alike.

"But what does Master mean by that?"

After thinking about it for a while, Lin Zixuan stopped pondering it.

For someone like her, whose life is all planned out, the future is laid out before her.

Life can simply continue along its predetermined path.

Thinking about it more won't help; it won't change anything.

This was the destiny her master had ordained for her.

As a result, she doesn't think about many things too much, and is too lazy to think about them.

This is why players always say that "Borrowing Swords" has all the necessary elements.

Han Shuangjiang follows the route of a strong female lead, while Lin Zixuan is completely the domineering CEO's little wife.

He's clearly a god-tier support, but he seems more like Qin Xuanxiao's accessory, or rather, his vassal.

Her brain could actually be rented out.

Anyway, I don't usually use it.

She's already starting to think about what to have for dinner.

At this moment, Ming Xuanji tapped the table lightly with his finger, signaling Lin Zixuan to continue pouring tea.

After a while, the old man said:
"The grand competition between the Eastern and Western Continents of the Third Realm is getting closer and closer."

"How are the preparations going at the monastery?"

The girl replied, "Master, I passed by yesterday and saw that several platforms had already been set up."

Ming Xuanji nodded.

"Judging by the time, Chu Huaixu and the others should set off in a while."

"Zixuan, do you still remember what I told you before?" he asked.

Lin Zixuan immediately replied, "Is Master referring to the matter of the spirit seed?"

"Correct."

"I did not speak to you in detail that day because the Crown Prince was present, and I was afraid he would become suspicious."

"When Chu Huaixu arrives in the capital, you must go and find him as soon as possible, and have him plant the spiritual seed in your body again."

"This matter needs to be done before he enters the Imperial Pool. Have you made a note of that?" the old man asked.

Upon hearing this, the petite girl didn't ask any further questions, but simply replied respectfully, "This disciple has remembered."

In fact, she was quite confused herself.

I wonder why Master forcibly removed the spirit seed last time, and then asked me to go to Chu Huaixu to plant it again?
Was there a purpose to taking out the spirit seed last time?
Lin Zixuan was so concerned about this matter because her master had aged considerably since that day and had also been seriously injured.

She could tell that her master didn't want her brother, the Crown Prince, to know about this.

Or perhaps, because this matter might concern the Imperial Pool, they didn't want the Crown Prince to know.

She grew up in the Prince Rui's mansion and began practicing cultivation with her master when she was ten years old.

Whether it was Qin Xuanxiao or Ming Xuanji, they were the people closest to her.

However, both groups of people clearly had their own ulterior motives.

Lin Zixuan usually doesn't ask many questions.

My elder brother, the Crown Prince, asked me to keep it a secret from our master, and so I have.

My master told me to keep the matter a secret from my brother, the Crown Prince, and I have kept it a secret.

This is Lin Zixuan's way of dealing with the world.

—Anyway, I'm stupid.

After chatting with his young apprentice for a few more minutes, Ming Xuanji began to shoo people away.

"Go back to your residence," he said.

When he said "returning to the mansion," he was naturally referring to the Prince Rui's mansion.

"Yes, Master." The girl obediently got up, and before leaving, she didn't forget to take a spiritual fruit from the table to eat on the way. After Lin Zixuan left, Ming Xuanji sat alone for a long time.

He was like a very old man who would suddenly drift off into a daze and just stand there blankly.

After a long while, he finally let out a soft sigh.

"I'll go and beg His Majesty to grant me another special privilege to enter the Imperial Mausoleum."

"If I could gain some more national fortune, I might be able to prolong my life for a few more years."

"I have spent most of my life planning for the great calamity of heaven and earth. If I don't live to see the day when the calamity ends, I will not be at peace."

With this thought in mind, he stood up and flew towards the distance.

Ming Xuanji soon arrived in front of a six-story pagoda.

He went inside the tower.

Inside this pagoda, there are countless portraits hanging on the walls.

They are all human figures, some male, some female, some old, some young.

Interestingly, all these lifelike portraits were painted by the old blind man himself.

Each painting also has a few words written on it.

At this moment, he headed straight up the tower and quickly reached the fifth floor.

The number of portraits displayed inside the pagoda decreases with each floor.

When we got to the fifth floor, there were only forty-nine paintings left.

And everyone depicted here is a very important person.

Among them were Xiang Yan, Jiang Zhi, and others from the Daoist sect.

There were also Sword Master of the Sword Sect, Situ Cheng, and others.

There is also the female national advisor of the Moon Kingdom, King Rui, and even His Majesty the present.

Ming Xuanji stood in front of Jiang Zhi's portrait.

The painting had four characters written on it: Heaven, Earth, Man, Demon.

"Now, many things have changed."

"You'll probably accompany Chu Huaixu to the Moon Kingdom for the competition," Ming Xuanji said calmly.

"I just didn't expect that you, who haven't made a move since you fell into demonic possession, would use your demonic nature so early this time."

This painting was originally displayed side by side with the portrait of the Sword Master.

Ming Xuanji picked it up, intending to hang it in the back row.

But he couldn't help raising his hand to divine for a moment, and then exclaimed, "Huh—?"

He smiled slightly, then hung the painting back in its original place, saying, "It seems that I underestimated you, Jiang Zhi."

After walking around the fifth floor, the old man adjusted the positions of the three paintings.

Then he went up to the sixth floor.

Originally, there were only four paintings hanging on this floor.

The four people in the painting are: Xu Ziqing, Han Shuangjiang, Qin Xuanxiao, and Lin Zixuan.

But now, there's one more painting in the middle of the four.

He was a handsome man dressed in a black and gold robe.

Xuanhuang Kui Shou, Chu Huai Xu.

On his painting, there were also a few words written on it.

--【variable】.

On Xu Ziqing's painting, the words "[Serving with a Sword]" were written.

On Han Shuangjiang's portrait is the character "Xuan Yin".

These words are not difficult to understand.

On the contrary, Chu Huaixu's painting was initially placed on the fourth floor, and it was only after he won the title of Xuanhuang Kui Shou that it was placed on the fourth floor.

After the previous attempt to "correct the wrongs" failed, Ming Xuanji realized the seriousness of the problem and the terrifying nature of the variables, so he put it on the sixth floor.

As for his beloved disciple Lin Zixuan, the inscription on her portrait reads "Heaven-sent".

This may be related to her ability to bestow her own power upon others.

However, the two characters written on Qin Xuanxiao's portrait were the strangest.

--【container】.

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(End of this chapter)