Transforming into a stunningly beautiful fox spirit, leaving a scar on the heart of a prodigy.

As dawn broke, birds roosting in the woods took flight in fright.

The morning mist at Luofengpo had not yet dissipated, and the damp chill seeped into Gu Xiang's clothes.

He stood before the towering sycamore tree, his palm pressed against the invisible barrier, a faint golden aura emanating from his fingertips.

This energy was not as fierce and domineering as before; instead, it was like extremely fine threads, trying to penetrate the barrier's texture.

Inside the barrier, Su Qing sat cross-legged on the tree root, playing with a withered yellow sycamore leaf in her hand, watching Gu Xiang fuss around with a bored expression.

"Don't bother." Su Qing said lazily, her voice still hoarse from just waking up. "This old tree is stubborn. Once it's made up its mind, not even nine oxen can pull it back. It thinks I'm weak and wants to protect me in its nest. Unless my cultivation recovers to the point where I can protect myself, no one can break through this shell."

Gu Xiang did not respond, her brows furrowing slightly.

The golden light in his palm suddenly intensified, and the originally gentle energy instantly became sharp, faintly mixed with a dark red murderous aura.

That was the killing intent he had honed after surviving three brutal battles.

"Buzz—"

The barrier was activated, and a circle of blue ripples suddenly spread out.

The enormous canopy overhead moved without wind, and thousands of broad leaves trembled in unison, emitting a roar like a tidal wave.

An immense, almost suffocating surge of life erupted from deep within the tree trunk, rebounding back along the barrier.

Gu Xiang grunted, his body swayed slightly, and he took half a step back. The soil beneath his feet instantly cracked, leaving two deep footprints.

"Idiot!" Su Qing threw down the leaf in her hand and glared at him through the barrier. "Why are you arguing with a tree? Are you hurt?"

Gu Xiang steadied himself, dissipated the energy in his palm, his face was a little pale, but his eyes were frighteningly bright.

"You're not hurt." Gu Xiang shook his head, his gaze fixed intently on the old tree. "This tree has a spirit. It didn't kill me; it just pushed me away. It was definitely protecting you."

If this tree truly harbored murderous intent, the recoil it just now dealt would have been enough to shatter his heart meridian. After all, this was a divine tree that grew from the place where the phoenix fell, imbued with imperial might; even a trace of it was something no mortal could withstand.

"I already said it was well-intentioned." Su Qing sighed and leaned back against the tree trunk. "Since we're here, we might as well make the best of it. Anyway, there's plenty of spiritual energy here, so I'll just treat it as a period of seclusion. You can stay outside and guard the place; no one will dare to bully me."

Gu Xiang remained silent for a moment, then raised his hand to touch the barrier. The touch of his fingertips was warm and smooth, like touching a piece of warm jade.

"I'm not leaving," Gu Xiang said.

Su Qing raised an eyebrow: "You are the Prime Minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and there are a lot of messy things in the court waiting for your decisions. Although Li Yu has become the emperor, he is still a bit green in some matters. If you don't go back, those old foxes will devour him."

"I can't handle it." Gu Xiang said calmly. "He has a knife, and he knows how to kill. If he can't even handle this, he shouldn't be emperor."

Su Qing was momentarily speechless.

That idiot is getting more and more impulsive with his words these days.

Gu Xiang turned around and looked at the bald-headed leader who was huddled in the bushes in the distance.

The bald man was peeking this way when he saw Gu Xiang looking over. He was so frightened that he scrambled over and knelt down in the mud, kowtowing: "M-Sir, what are your orders?"

Gu Xiang took out a token that was neither gold nor jade from his sleeve, and then pulled out a blank scroll of memorials.

It was something he always carried with him, originally intended to record local customs and conditions on the road, but now it had found another use.

Instead of using pen and ink, he bit his fingertip and used his blood as ink to write swiftly and powerfully on the memorial.

The handwriting was messy and unrestrained, revealing an unquestionable determination.

After writing, Gu Xiang closed the memorial, placed the token on top, and handed it to the bald man.

"Send it to the capital," Gu Xiang said. "Give it to His Majesty personally. If it gets lost on the way, or is intercepted, cut off your head and feed it to the dogs yourself."

The bald man held the memorial in his hands, his hands trembling as if he were shaking. This was a letter to the emperor!

The highest official he had ever met in his life was a county magistrate, and now he was actually sending a letter to the emperor?

"My...my lord, I...I can't get into the palace..." the bald man said, his voice trembling with tears.

"Take the token and go beat the petition drum." Gu Xiang's tone was stern. "No one will dare stop you. If anyone asks, just say that Gu Xiang is working at Luofengpo. Anyone who dares to say a word, tell them to come find me."

The bald man swallowed hard, clutching the scroll tightly as if it were his own life.

He kowtowed, got up and ran, tumbling and crawling as he rushed out of the woods.

Watching the bald man's retreating figure, Su Qing couldn't help but laugh: "Are you planning to move the imperial court to this desolate wilderness?"

"Why not?" Gu Xiang turned around and looked at the woman in red inside the screen. "Wherever I am, that is the Hall of State Affairs. Wherever I am, that is the central government of the Great Zhou."

These words sounded domineering, but they also had a hint of roguishness.

Su Qing rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help but smile.

"So, where does Lord Gu plan to stay?" Su Qing pointed around. "This is the middle of nowhere, there's not even a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Are you planning to sleep on the mud every day?"

Gu Xiang looked around.

Although Fallen Phoenix Slope has a fearsome reputation, the area under the phoenix tree is a haven of tranquility. Apart from being a bit damp, it is quite peaceful.

"Let's build a house." Gu Xiang said, and he got right to it.

He didn't ask the robbers for help.

Those people are clumsy and make too much noise, which will disturb Su Qing.

Gu Xiang rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong forearms. He walked to the edge of the woods and selected a few straight fir trees.

Without an axe or saw, he used his fingers as knives. With each breath he exhaled, wood chips flew everywhere.

Su Qing rested her chin on her hand, watching the current prime minister bustling about in the woods like a carpenter.

He carved wood into pillars and cut vines into ropes.

Although his movements were clumsy, he was extremely meticulous. He polished every piece of wood until it was smooth and flat, leaving not a single burr.

As the sun rose higher, the fog dissipated.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, dappling Gu Xiang's body.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, sliding down his cheeks and dripping into the soil.

Su Qing was completely mesmerized.

He had repaired her leaky roof in the same way before in Qingniu Town.

At that time, he was a weak scholar who could barely lift a chicken; his legs would tremble even when climbing a ladder.

Now he is the prime minister with immense power, yet he is still willing to build a thatched hut in this desolate wilderness for her sake.

"Gu Xiang," Su Qing called out to him.

Gu Xiang stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her: "Thirsty?"

"No," Su Qing shook her head, "I just wanted to call you."

Gu Xiang smiled, a smile devoid of its usual sternness, replaced only by gentleness.

"I'm here," he said.

They worked until sunset, and a simple wooden house was erected next to the sycamore tree.

The room wasn't large, and it was right next to the screen. Gu Xiang had deliberately left a window facing the tree root where Su Qing often sat. As long as he opened the window, he could see her every move inside.

Gu Xiang went into the woods and cut some dry grass, which he then spread on the roof.

As night falls, a mountain breeze begins to rise.

Gu Xiang lit a fire in front of the house. The firelight illuminated the newly built wooden house, giving it a warm, smoky feel.

He sat by the fire, holding a twig in his hand, and drew on the ground.

Su Qing leaned closer to look and discovered that he was drawing a formation diagram.

"What is this?" Su Qing asked.

"A Spirit Gathering Array." Gu Xiang didn't even look up. "Although this place has plenty of spiritual energy, it's too scattered. I'll gather it for you so you can recover faster."

Su Qing felt a warmth in her heart.

This fool, though he doesn't understand cultivation, has learned quite a bit of these unorthodox methods.

"Lord Gu," Su Qing said, reaching out from behind the barrier and lightly tapping his nose with her fingertip, "aren't you afraid that Li Yu will see your memorial, come and kidnap you?"

Gu Xiang stopped what he was doing, looked up, and the firelight danced in his eyes.

"He wouldn't dare," Gu Xiang said calmly. "He knows my temper. For the past three years, for the sake of Da Zhou, for that promise, I've turned myself into a blade. Now that the blade is ready to be sheathed, no one can stop me."

"So, from now on, you'll only use this knife to peel apples for me?" Su Qing teased.

"Peel apples, cook, draw eyebrows." Gu Xiang looked at her, his tone so serious it was as if he were making a vow, "As long as you're here, this knife will never be stained with blood again."

Su Qing withdrew her hand and sat down on the tree root with her knees drawn up to her chest.

The night wind rustled through the sycamore leaves.

Looking at the man outside the barrier, and at the simple yet warm wooden house, the empty space in her heart was finally filled.

This world is full of splendor, and the capital city is even more magnificent. Yet, atop the high halls of power, he is utterly alone. Only beneath the paulownia tree on Fallen Phoenix Slope, guarding this small corner of the earth, is he truly the flesh-and-blood Gu Xiang.

Gu Xiang finished drawing the array diagram and channeled his righteous energy into it.

The surrounding spiritual energy surged instantly, converging towards the base of the phoenix tree.

The spiritual energy within the barrier became even denser, almost turning into tangible mist.

Su Qing took a deep breath, feeling as if the meridians in her body were cheering with joy.

"Go to sleep." Gu Xiang patted the dirt off his hands, stood up, and said, "I'll keep watch by the window."

Su Qing nodded, lay down on her side on the tree root, and closed her eyes.

Gu Xiang walked into the wooden house and pushed open the window that faced Su Qing.

Moonlight streamed in, illuminating the simple wooden bed.

He was not sleepy. He took out the rough jade pendant from his pocket and gently stroked it by the moonlight.

The character "青" on the jade pendant has become somewhat blurred from being touched so much.

A few years ago, he thought he would never see her again in his life.

Now, she's right outside the window, within reach.

This is enough.

Even if it means being confined to a small area, even if it means being trapped in a desolate mountain, as long as he can protect her, this place is his kingdom.

As night deepened, all was quiet.

Only that old sycamore tree stands quietly between heaven and earth, guarding the bride beneath it and the prime minister before the window.