Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

He had not yet formed his primordial spirit, and even with the Soul-Suppressing Pearl's blessing, the Soul-Sealing Technique posed little real threat to a Grandmaster. However, he was not afraid—clad in black silk gauze and carrying an Earth-Escape Talisman, it was impossible for a Grandmaster to kill him instantly. As long as he wasn't killed in one blow, he had a chance to escape.

"No need to trouble yourself, I can do it myself." Xiao Yuanhou waved his hand, but said, "It's just that I'm old and my eyesight is failing, making it difficult for me to walk. Could you please fetch a few books?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Su Mu followed. He could naturally tell that although Xiao Yuanhou was nearing the end of his life, he was not yet blind. The other party's visit was definitely not just for reading.

—Lu Xiang's death finally alarmed this great Buddha.

And that was indeed the case. Many people in the palace speculated that the "mysterious master" hiding behind Su Mu was most likely Xiao Yuanhou.

Xiao Yuanhou himself knew very well that he had not done this; he had been made a scapegoat for someone else.

Therefore, he personally came to this place.

He came alone, without alerting anyone.

"Go and fetch the 'Ten Thousand Year Chronicle'."

Xiao Yuanhou found a chair on the first floor and sat down.

"Yes."

Although Su Mu had never read the book, he knew its exact location in the library—he had already memorized the layout of the library. He went up to the second floor, retrieved the heavy book, and presented it to Xiao Yuanhou.

Xiao Yuanhou took the book, flipping through it as he asked, "Have you read this book before?"

"No." Su Mu shook his head. The library contained a vast collection of books, but he was not one to indulge in books; he only read a limited amount in his spare time from cultivation.

"You might as well take a look when you have time." Xiao Yuanhou sighed softly, "Ten thousand years ago, the Tianyuan Continent was not like it is now. At that time, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was abundant, geniuses emerged in great numbers, and cultivation resources were plentiful. Grandmasters were nothing special back then...

Su Mu listened silently. He didn't know Xiao Yuanhou's true intentions for coming, so he didn't say much. But he didn't sense any malice from the other party.

"The Tianyuan Continent is vast and boundless. Even the Great Qian, the Northern Barbarians, and the desolate mountains of the Western Frontier are but a corner of it." Xiao Yuanhou's eyes showed melancholy. "I only regret that I am old and could not travel to a wider world in my prime. I still regret it to this day."

Upon hearing this, Su Mu secretly resolved to carefully study the "Ten Thousand Year Chronicle"—not just this volume, but all the classics concerning the history, geography, and customs of the Tianyuan Continent. He was determined to understand the entirety of this world.

You should know that his goal is not limited to becoming a Grandmaster!

Seeing his silence, Xiao Yuanhou said nothing more.

As the sun dipped westward, snow began to fall again.

After finishing reading "A Chronicle of Ten Thousand Years," Xiao Yuanhou placed the book on the table, got up, and went outside.

As they approached the pavilion gate, he suddenly asked, "I've heard you were once a close attendant of Consort De. In your opinion, what was Consort De like?"

"How dare a lowly servant speak ill of his master?" Su Mu chuckled.

"If you are just an ordinary eunuch, then what is Wei Zhongxian?" Xiao Yuanhou gave him a meaningful look.

Su Mu felt a chill run down his spine—the other party had indeed noticed.

As expected of a grandmaster, not only has he condensed his primordial spirit, but his spiritual perception is also extremely sharp.

"No need to be nervous. I am old and frail, and I will not make a move against a master who can easily kill Lu Xiang unless absolutely necessary." Xiao Yuanhou smiled slightly. "Besides, I have no need to be your enemy. My only wish now is to do my best for the Xiao family before I pass away. And you... have not harmed the Xiao family in the slightest."

"Although Consort De is proud, her character is upright," Su Mu said thoughtfully.

"I think so too." Xiao Yuanhou nodded. "If you are truly willing to support Consort De, I have no objection. But I must remind you: the Grandmaster of the Situ family is younger than me. Once I am buried, he will surely make a move. I advise you... not to rush things. It is not too late to make plans after the Grandmaster of the Situ family has passed away."

Xiao Yuanhou had clearly misunderstood – he thought Su Mu was a master secretly trained by Consort De or the Tianwu Sect.

Just as the Situ family was able to cultivate Lu Xiang, and even the Grand Steward Wei Zhongxian had received favors from the Situ family, it is not impossible for the Tianwu Sect to secretly cultivate a master.

"I've got it." Su Mu replied casually without offering any further explanation.

"I will take responsibility for Lu Xiang's matter for now and will not tell anyone else." Xiao Yuanhou left these words and staggered away.

Dusk was approaching.

On this cold winter evening, a young girl and a young eunuch entered the library one after the other.

The young eunuch's name was Feng Bao, and he was about the same age as Yu Tian, ​​around twelve years old.

Feng Bao was originally a palace attendant in the Imperial Study, where he served the princes and princesses in their studies.

This morning, His Majesty quietly went to the Imperial Study to check on the morning lessons of several princes and princesses. Unfortunately, Feng Bao hadn't slept well the night before and was caught dozing off during his lesson. The Emperor immediately punished him with ten strokes of the cane and sent him to the library to reflect on his actions.

Su Mu felt that Feng Bao's arrival was suspicious. After a moment's thought, he understood the Emperor's intention—Cheng Ping'an and Yu Tian had both risen from ordinary eunuchs to martial artists after entering the library. The Emperor wanted to see if Feng Bao would also have such "opportunity".

The girl was also punished and confined to the library.

The only difference is that she has a special identity.

This woman's name is Xiao Anran. She is the emperor's younger sister, unmarried, and has the title of Princess Ping Le.

She has exceptional talent in martial arts and has always practiced in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a special place, covering a large area with multiple courtyards, where the older generation of the Xiao imperial family lived.

Xiao Yuanhou then resided here.

As a princess, Xiao Anran also had to attend morning classes—but she attended martial arts morning classes, taught by several senior royal experts in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

This morning in class, Xiao Yuanhou suddenly asked Xiao Anran a few historical anecdotes. She couldn't answer them and even made up some nonsense. Xiao Yuanhou punished her on the spot and ordered her to study in the library for three months!

Clearly, Xiao Yuanhou's true intention was not to punish her by making her study.

However, this ancestor meant no harm.

"Xiao Yuanhou came here yesterday. Although he may not have seen through my true cultivation level, he must know that I have achieved something in martial arts. Since he knows that Lu Xiang was killed by me, he must think that my cultivation level is no less than Lu Xiang's."

"Xiao Yuanhou must dote on Xiao Anran quite a bit; he sent her here... to try and get some opportunities."

"He said he was willing to do his best for the Xiao family before he died, and this is one of the steps he took."

Su Mu realized that as his divine soul grew stronger, his thinking speed and insight also improved. He could understand many things in an instant.

"What's so interesting about a few tattered books? Do you think reading will teach you martial arts?"

As soon as he entered the pavilion, Xiao Anran began to mutter.

She was tall and slender, and even in the cold winter, she wore a silver-white outfit that made her look heroic and spirited, exuding a sharp and compelling aura.

Her appearance was absolutely stunning—a delicate oval face, eyebrows like distant mountains, a straight and elegant nose, and lips like crimson rouge. She possessed a heroic spirit that rivaled that of Consort De, but was slightly taller and had a more youthful and radiant appearance.

Consort De's advantage lies in her dignified elegance, while Xiao Anran is beautiful and vibrant.

Inside the pavilion, Xiao Anran casually flipped through the books, pulling out various classic texts and then putting them back, clearly finding nothing of interest. She had little interest in reading; even those seemingly interesting travelogues and anecdotes were discarded after only three pages.

As for Feng Bao, he was currently lying on his bed recovering from his injuries.

Although ten strokes of the cane weren't considered heavy, for a young eunuch with no martial arts skills, it was still enough to leave him with lacerations and wounds, requiring him to lie in bed for several days before he could get up. Feng Bao dared not disobey the imperial decree, and as soon as he got into bed, he asked Su Mu to fetch him a book.

Su Mu refused without giving a reason.