After failing the imperial examination, he began to wield immense power after entering the palace!

Consort Xie hummed in agreement, withdrew her hand, and the warmth of his tongue still lingered on her fingertips.

She subtly slipped her hand into her sleeve, clenched it, then released it.

"From now on, if the Empress tries to recruit you or offers you any benefits, feel free to accept them."

"She wanted to plant a spy next to me, so I let her do it."

"Go down."

Li Fan's heart stirred.

This means they're going to make him a double agent.

However, it suits my taste perfectly.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

He took two steps back, turned around, and followed Leng Shuangqiu out of the bedchamber.

Her black outfit accentuated her slender yet powerful waist and rounded, pert hips. Her long legs crossed as she walked briskly in the sunlight.

Li Fan followed behind her, his gaze sweeping over her, and asked:

"Lord Leng, how should I take the Tianshan Snow Lingzhi?"

Leng Shuangqiu didn't even turn her head, and said indifferently:

"Go back to your room first. I will bring it to you later so you can take it."

"it is good."

Li Fan quickened his pace and returned to his residence.

……

The Ministry of Justice's Great Prison.

In the innermost cell, Cao Mo and the King of Wei sat facing each other.

A simple wooden stool, moldy straw, and a chipped rough porcelain bowl in the corner.

King Wei had never lived in such a shabby place in his entire life.

He sat in the dark, damp cell, wearing that python robe, his face ashen as if he had swallowed a fly.

A prince, a nobleman, was imprisoned by a eunuch.

If this gets out, where will he put his face?

However, in his anger, he also keenly sensed the unexpected gains that came from sharing joys and sorrows.

Because of this prison cell, his relationship with Cao Mo suddenly became much closer.

"Prefect Cao, I'm sorry you had to suffer today."

"That dog of a eunuch is just being arrogant because of Consort Xie's influence."

Cao Mo raised his head, his eyes slightly red.

It wasn't感动 (moved/touched), it was 恨 (hate/hatred).

He, a dignified third-rank prefect of the capital, had his home ransacked and was imprisoned by a lowly eunuch, losing all face.

He was determined to avenge this.

Seeing that he remained silent, the King of Wei added a few more words:

"Don't worry, Minister Du and the others will definitely not sit idly by during tomorrow's court assembly."

"With impeachments from all the officials, even with Consort Xie protecting him, that little eunuch couldn't withstand it."

"At that time, Prefect Cao, you will definitely be fine."

"As for that little eunuch, I will personally hand him over to you so you can slice him to pieces."

Cao Mo was startled.

Looking at the King of Wei's sincere face, a surge of warmth welled up in his heart.

Over the years, he had only sought refuge with Empress Yang to curry favor with her.

But what about the Empress?

He got into trouble, but he didn't even show his face.

On the contrary, it was the Prince of Wei, a prince, who went to prison with him and assured him that he could save his life.

Cao Mo knelt down with a thud and kowtowed heavily.

"Your Highness! This incident has shown me who truly cares for me!"

"From this day forward, Lady Cao is willing to serve Your Highness, even unto death!"

The King of Wei was overjoyed.

He had been trying to win over Cao Mo for quite some time, but Cao Mo remained indecisive, eating Empress Yang's food while exchanging flirtatious glances with him.

Unexpectedly, the little eunuch's commotion actually helped him completely win over Cao Mo.

The eunuch dog actually did a good thing.

King Wei quickly bent down and helped Cao Mo up with both hands, his voice so sincere that even he himself almost believed it:

"Prefect Cao, please get up. From now on, we will be in the same boat and share weal and woe."

"As long as I am rich and powerful, the Cao family will enjoy glory and honor for a day!"

Cao Mo, tears streaming down his face, nodded repeatedly.

The two men were in a dark prison cell, their hands clasped tightly, a touching scene of harmony between ruler and subject.

……

A short while later.

Leng Shuangqiu pushed open the door and entered.

She held a white jade plate in her hand, with a piece of lingzhi as thin as a cicada's wing placed in the center of the plate. It was pure white and exuded a refreshing medicinal fragrance.

"Take one Tiger Leopard Pill first."

As instructed, Li Fan took out the small celadon bottle from his pocket, poured out a Tiger and Leopard Pill, and swallowed it.

After the pill entered my stomach, a warm current rose from my stomach and slowly flowed to my limbs and bones.

"Let's eat this piece of Tianshan snow lingzhi."

Leng Shuangqiu handed over the white jade plate.

Li Fan picked up the thin, cicada-wing-like piece of Ganoderma lucidum and put it in his mouth.

The Ganoderma lucidum melted in the mouth, and a cool medicinal liquid slid down the throat into the stomach, colliding with the heat of the Tiger and Leopard Pill.

"boom!!"

The two medicinal forces exploded within his body, like ice and fire merging, surging wildly through his meridians.

Li Fan felt as if his dantian had been ignited, and his internal energy surged like a tide, wave after wave impacting the barriers of his meridians.

"Snap!"

It looked like something had broken.

In an instant, the internal energy burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam, bursting open the gates of the eighth rank and surging forward with unstoppable force.

After a while.

Li Fan opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in them.

He clenched his fist and felt that the internal energy in his body was several times stronger than before. His dantian was burning hot, and the true energy in his meridians surged like a river.

He's reached the eighth rank.

Moreover, he is only half a step away from the seventh rank.

"The combined effects of these two elixirs are truly potent."

Leng Shuangqiu looked at him, expressionless.

"Get up and have a one-on-one spar with me."

Li Fan was taken aback: "Solo practice?"

Leng Shuangqiu didn't explain. She took two steps back, stood in the open space inside the house, and waved to him.

"Attack with your strongest move."

Li Fan's eyes lit up.

Is this someone giving me pointers on real-world application?

He took a deep breath, channeled his inner energy, and formed a claw with the five fingers of his right hand, his inner energy surging wildly at his fingertips.

Azure Emperor Dragon Claw Hand.

"Lady Leng, watch out!"

He took a step forward and pounced on Leng Shuangqiu like a cheetah, his five fingers like iron hooks, grabbing her shoulders.

"Whoosh!"

Leng Shuangqiu slightly turned her body and lightly dodged it.

However, Li Fan changed his move very quickly, his claws shifting as he reached for her wrist.

"Click!"

Leng Shuangqiu flipped her wrist.

She slipped through his fingers like a slippery fish in an instant.

Li Fan launched more than a dozen attacks, but she easily dodged each one, not even touching the hem of her clothes.

"Too slow."

Leng Shuangqiu suddenly made a move.

A light tap on his chest.

"Bang!"

Li Fan felt a tremendous force strike him, sending him flying backward. He staggered several steps before regaining his footing, a dull pain shooting through his chest.

Leng Shuangqiu stood with her palms together, coldly looking at him:

"Too slow, not agile enough, and not quick enough in reaction."

"Although your Dragon Claw Hand is powerful, your shoulder will move before you make a move, so your opponent can tell at a glance which direction you are going to attack."

"You've only been practicing martial arts for less than five days, and you've already achieved this level."

"But if it really comes down to a life-or-death battle..."

She paused, her tone utterly unforgiving:

"You will die very soon."

Li Fan was made to look worthless by her, but he wasn't angry.

He knew Leng Shuangqiu was telling the truth. In those dozen or so moves, he had used all his strength, but he hadn't even touched the hem of her clothes.

She knocked him back with just one palm strike.

This is the difference between the peak of the fourth rank and the eighth rank. I am still very weak, and there is still a long way to go on the path of martial arts.

"Lady Leng, I'm about to resort to any means necessary, so please be careful!"