Wei Yuan dodged a claw swipe by a hair's breadth and said to the young cultivator, "Senior, I am beset by trivial chores. I fear I will hardly be able to spare much energy for the princess. If that ends up delaying her prospects, it would be awful."
"Then set your other affairs aside."
Wei Yuan took a step back, dodging another swipe aimed at his face, and said earnestly, "The matters in my hands are all rather important. They concern the well-being of tens of millions of mortals..."
The young cultivator remained utterly unmoved, saying nonchalantly, "Unless mortals reach a hundred million, this matter is more important to you."
"Surely this... isn't that big a deal?"
"It is a big deal."
"It really isn't..."
"It is!"
Wei Yuan felt completely helpless. This immortal was impervious to reason yet impossible to offend, leaving Wei Yuan with no idea how to make him see sense. But his intuition told him that no argument would work regardless.
At this point, Wei Yuan could not help missing Yanshi dearly, wondering what that immortal of his own sect was up to. As if sensing what he was thinking, the young cultivator said, "Care to guess why Yanshi hasn't shown himself yet?"
Wei Yuan had had no inkling, but hearing the man put it like that, a thought suddenly struck him: *Could Immortal Monarch Yanshi have lost a fight?*
The moment the thought arose, the young cultivator nodded and said, "If Yanshi had ascended to immortality flawlessly, I naturally would have yielded a fraction. But as things stand... if you have some free time later, you may go offer him a word of comfort or two. Of course, it's fine if you don't go. Regardless, if you refuse to cooperate, there will be plenty more such incidents in the future."
Wei Yuan was thoroughly appalled. Was this immortal ancestor of the Zhao-Li lineage truly so formidable?
Now Wei Yuan finally understood his predicament. This hot potato had to be accepted whether he liked it or not. Moreover, the immortal's implication was glaringly obvious: accept this feral little kitten, and the Palace of Grand Beginning would gain an ally. If he refused...
Wei Yuan almost seemed to hear a cold laugh echoing from the boundless heights beyond the firmament.
Wei Yuan could only bow deeply to the ground. "I shall certainly do my utmost..."
With a sharp tearing sound, Wei Yuan failed to dodge in time and took a claw right to the rear, leaving several bloody scratches!
Wei Yuan was shocked. The little princess gave no indication whatsoever before moving; he had not sensed a thing! Furthermore, her cultivation was clearly unremarkable, so how had she managed to pierce his skin? One had to understand how robust Wei Yuan's dharma body was. Even the thinnest skin on his entire body—the skin of his face—would not bear a scratch if an ordinary dharma idol sawed at it.
"Hold on! Talk it out!" Wei Yuan had no choice but to grab her wrists, not daring to let her scratch him again. The Sixth Princess's little claws were rather bizarre; the wounds she inflicted were surprisingly difficult to heal.
Seeing the two of them tussling, the young cultivator nodded and said, "I leave Ningyi in your hands. From now on, handle Shenji however you see fit. If you are displeased, having a few battles is fine; even if you are in the wrong, I will not intervene. But you must remember one thing: I need people."
"Do you mean people within the borders of Zhao, or people of Zhao heritage?" Wei Yuan asked. The difference between the two was considerable.
"People of Zhao."
Wei Yuan asked again, "Does Senior want the people themselves, or the people's luck?"
"Both."
"Understood. Then I know what to do."
The young cultivator was very pleased. He pointed toward the Sixth Princess and said, "Do not treat her entirely as a burden. Using her well will bring you benefits. The bloodline of my Zhao-Li clan inherently carries innate divine abilities. Back then, that old fellow who founded the path of the Hall of the Bright King in your Palace of Grand Beginning had the innate divine ability to avoid calamity. Mine, on the other hand, is to pursue fortune. The two of us split the authority of heavenly luck.
"That old fellow could never be caught or killed, whereas so long as I do not die, I only grow stronger. Ningyi's talent is quite good, and her bloodline divine ability has just begun to manifest. You are a clever man; you should know how to utilize it."
Wei Yuan grew solemn. He committed the matter to memory, designating it as a high-priority task within the Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World, and copied it to Zhang Sheng, Bao Yun, and Ji Liuli—though he did not send it to Feng Tingyu.
If Feng Tingyu found out, she would most likely come to spar with the little kitten. When her dharma idol came crashing down, who knew what might happen inside? Whichever one came out worse, it was not something Wei Yuan wanted to see.
What he wanted to see was the process.
Having given his instructions, the young cultivator offered one final reminder: "Remember to go see Yanshi. If you go too late, you won't get to see it." With that, he vanished into thin air.
Wei Yuan said to the Sixth Princess, "Sit here nicely for a bit. Following your immortal ancestor's instructions, I must step out for a moment. I'll be back shortly."
Wei Yuan then called out to Yanshi in his mind. His vision blurred, and he instantly appeared in the small courtyard floating within the void.
Immortal Monarch Yanshi sat there as usual. The immortal spring water in the small brazier before him had just come to a boil. Lifting the kettle, he poured it slowly into a teacup. Two butterflies fluttered out from the rim, dancing around the cup; the immortal tea had reached the perfect degree of brewing.
The cup in front of Wei Yuan was extraordinarily fragrant. A single whiff cleared his spiritual consciousness, allowing him to split off several more strands. With such a treasure before him, Wei Yuan naturally downed it in one gulp, completely turning a blind eye to Yanshi's bruised left eye.
Yanshi looked composed and serene. "That fellow must have told you to come laugh at me."
Wei Yuan hurried to explain, "I was merely worried about you, Grandmaster, which is why I rushed over..."
Yanshi snorted, making it clear he did not believe a word, before saying, "You handled this well. Our Palace of Grand Beginning has gained another powerful ally. Otherwise, with a formidable enemy at our doorstep, I fear I would have truly had to swallow my pride and beg a few old rivals for help."
Wei Yuan finally let out a sigh of relief. It seemed he had made the right move and indeed secured a mighty reinforcement for the Palace of Grand Beginning. He simply did not know who this formidable enemy was that even Yanshi was so deeply anxious about. But if Yanshi did not offer the information himself, Wei Yuan knew asking would be futile.
Yanshi looked over Wei Yuan and nodded. "Not bad. Your karmic luck is currently sufficient to protect you. But if the enemy is set on a desperate fight to the death, dragging you down with them, this much is still not enough."
Ever since the migrants from Zhao had arrived, a few rounds of meat broth had yielded Wei Yuan over five million wisps of azure qi. Now, the mortal luck he carried was close to twenty million. If an ordinary immortal crossed blades with Wei Yuan, a single sword strike would set their cultivation back a century, and taking his head would drop them an entire realm.
Immortal Monarch Yanshi never spoke without purpose. Since he put it this way, Wei Yuan knew someone was likely plotting in secret, perhaps preparing to trade an old immortal whose lifespan was nearly spent for his life.
An immortal whose lifespan was expiring would never give up easily—just like Xu Wangu, who in his final ten years had managed to carve out a new path. Even so, one could not fail to guard against it.
Yanshi chatted idly with Wei Yuan for a while longer, offering guidance on a few difficult points in his cultivation, before waving a hand to send him off.
After Wei Yuan vanished, Immortal Monarch Yanshi sat in deep thought, his hands idly turning the teacup. After a long while, he finally made up his mind. Xuanyue's figure appeared in the void before him as Yanshi said, "The situation is bizarre. That fellow never acts unless there's something to gain; for him to be so proactive this time and place a heavy bet so early is exceedingly suspicious. We must guard against this. Cast aside your shame and go secure a backer for Zhang Sheng."
A sudden flush spread over Xuanyue's face, rendering him temporarily speechless. Seeing his reaction, Yanshi said, "Yes, exactly what you're thinking!"
Xuanyue held his breath for a long moment before saying, "For the sake of my grand-disciple, I can forgo this face of mine! But the Palace Master has the greatest standing—why doesn't he seek outside aid?"
Yanshi sighed. "He is clearly hiding from us. As long as he does not wish to show himself, who under the heavens could ever find him?"
Xuanyue stamped his foot in frustration. "His Old Seniority certainly knows how to hold out!"
Yanshi gave a cold sneer. "Rest easy! The world is already in turmoil—the perfect opportunity to display divine might before mortals. He has held back for centuries; I reckon he won't be able to bear it much longer. Perhaps he is merely waiting for the right moment."
***
Returning to Qingming, Wei Yuan saw the Sixth Princess sitting behind the desk in his own seat, holding a book and reading with relish. The reports and official documents on the desk had been rummaged through in utter disarray, evidently all examined by her.
She was so engrossed in her reading that she did not notice Wei Yuan entering.
Wei Yuan made no move to disturb her. Instead, he took the opportunity to look her over carefully. The Sixth Princess hailed from the Empress's line, sharing the same father as Princesses Anguo and Ningguo but a different mother, resulting in subtle differences between them.
Compared to the enchanting yet pure demeanor of Imperial Consort Yuan's sisters, the Sixth Princess was fairer. Her figure appeared slender and graceful, yet everywhere on her was plump and soft, likely owing to an exceptionally delicate frame. Her little hands were slender and elegant, matching Princess Ningguo's in silhouette, though four tiny dimples dotted the base of her fingers.
Yet the stinging sensation on his rear served as a stark reminder that this girl only appeared harmless. The scratches showed no signs of healing whatsoever.
Fortunately, since the girl liked reading, she should be fairly easy to teach. Wei Yuan took a careful inventory of his own knowledge, only to realize he had barely any scholarly ink in his belly to begin with. That would make teaching all the easier; completing the task entrusted by the immortal should not be too difficult.
Reassured, Wei Yuan leaned in to see what book she was reading. On the cover were four bold characters: *Preliminary Exploration of the Desolate Realm*.
A thick, ominous premonition suddenly welled up within Wei Yuan's heart, as if he could hear the Molten Dragon in the heavens sneering down at him.
Chapter 986