Chapter 10: Revisiting the Imperial City

"Xin'er, have you thought this through?"

Lady Shuangxiu looked at her resolute daughter and her expression turned slightly displeased.

As evening fell, the mother and daughter sat on a stone bench in the pavilion, surrounded by blooming flowers, their fragrance filling the air, a gentle breeze caressing their faces—a truly enchanting scene. Yet, the atmosphere between them was unusually somber.

"I have thought it through. From the first moment I saw Xuanlang, I knew he was the one I had been waiting for. I hope my mother can grant my wish."

Lady Shuangxiu remained noncommittal. "Do you know that he not only has a fiancée in the capital, but also a close relationship with that young girl beside him? Moreover, his Penglai Palace and my Shuangxiu Pavilion have always been at odds. Why are you so insistent?"

The dual-cultivation goddess did not back down an inch, saying, "It is very common for men to have three wives and four concubines. Xuan Lang is a dragon among men, and Young Master Xuan Yuan may not achieve the same success as Xuan Lang in the future. As for the grudges of the previous generation, they should not be borne by the next generation. I believe that the sword maiden is not an unreasonable person."

Despite her calm demeanor, the dual-cultivation nun had no idea what her mother was really thinking.

The Dual Cultivation Madam is always assertive and has the final say in the pavilion. Regarding the future husband of the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden, she favors Xuan Yuan Gui. In her and the elders' view, the benefits for both parties would be immense if Xuan Yuan Gui were to marry the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden.

First, there's Xuan Yuangui. After becoming the husband of the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden, with his exceptional talent, as long as he diligently cultivates with his wife in bed, his martial arts will undoubtedly improve rapidly, and he's expected to catch up with the current Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden within just one or two years. At most, in three to five years, the Dual Cultivation Pavilion will produce another top-tier expert.

The benefits that the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden will receive are even greater. By combining her dual cultivation with Xuan Yuan Gui, she is expected to become the second person in the history of the Dual Cultivation Pavilion to break through to the highest level of the dual cultivation technique within five years.

At that time, even Emperor Wuzong would have to obediently lower his head in front of her.

This was an irresistible temptation that even the Dual Cultivation Lady and the elders could not resist.

The Yin-Yang Sect is the mortal enemy of the Dual Cultivation Pavilion for generations. The Dual Cultivation Pavilion had already received news that the Yin-Yang Sect had produced a peerless genius in this generation, who called himself the Yin-Yang Young Master. He ascended to the position of sect leader before the age of thirty, and even the Black and White Ghosts, whom the previous sect leader dared not order around at will, willingly submitted to him. Half a year ago, an elder of the Southern Academy of the Dual Cultivation Pavilion had his limbs crippled by the Yin-Yang Young Master, who instructed him to deliver a message to the Dual Cultivation Pavilion: if the Dual Cultivation Pavilion refused to submit obediently, then this elder of the Southern Academy would suffer the same fate.

Although she wasn't afraid of the Yin-Yang Sect, the pressure from the Dual Cultivation Pavilion was still immense. Because of this, the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden had no feelings for Xuan Yuan Gui, and she did not refuse the matter her mother had proposed.

Until she met Lin Zixuan, the Xuan Nu was moved by the dual cultivation.

If Lin Zixuan's family background were ordinary, even if the Dual Cultivation Maiden liked him, she wouldn't make a move, because she knew the Dual Cultivation Madam would never agree. But Lin Zixuan was no ordinary person; he was the son of the Penglai Sword Maiden and the future master of Penglai Palace.

This matter was of great importance. Even though Lady Shuangxiu had long been interested in Xuanyuan Gui, she had to seriously consider her daughter's thoughts and the possibility of Shuangxiu Pavilion and Penglai Palace uniting.

In terms of advantages, marrying Lin Zixuan to the Dual Cultivation Maiden is still far inferior to marrying Xuan Yuangui, who is the crucial cornerstone for the long-term development of the Dual Cultivation Pavilion. However, the Dual Cultivation Maiden is so determined, and as her mother, the Dual Cultivation Madam must not only plan for the future of the Dual Cultivation Pavilion but also consider the happiness of her beloved daughter.

Lady Shuangxiu remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "This matter is of great importance, and I need to discuss it in detail with the elders."

Knowing that her mother was already interested, the dual-cultivation nun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

In the following days, Lin Zixuan would go to the small courtyard every night to sit quietly with the Dual Cultivation Maiden, enjoying tea and chatting about interesting things in the martial arts world, which would make her giggle. As the night deepened, the Dual Cultivation Maiden would always gaze at him with deep affection, but because Baihe and Yuejian were both by her side, she appeared rather reserved.

After the dual cultivation goddess left, in the bedroom on the second floor of the small building, Lin Zixuan and Baihe Yuejian were completely naked together. He enjoyed the two women's advances on the bed and let them use their beautiful bodies to heal his wounds.

The next day, after Baihe and Yuejian left, the Dual Cultivation Goddess appeared in the room as if on cue. The two gently embraced each other, and the Dual Cultivation Goddess would always softly offer a kiss on Lin Zixuan's face.

This process is repeated.

Happy times always fly by. On the fourth day, Lin Zixuan finally had to part ways with the three women and continue on his journey.

We were more than halfway to the capital, in Wenren Wan's carriage.

"Brother Xuan, have some tea to cool off." Wenren Wan handed over a bowl of cool tea, but saw that the latter was leaning against the car window in a daze and did not hear her words at all.

Wenren Wan couldn't help but chuckle, gently patted his shoulder, and called out, "Brother Xuan."

Lin Zixuan then came to her senses and asked in surprise, "Sister Wan'er, what's wrong?"

Wenren Wan rolled her eyes at him, "What are you daydreaming about? I called you but you didn't listen."

Lin Zixuan shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Stop lying to your sister, you can't bear to part with your Huanxin, can you?" Wenren Wan teased him.

Recalling the moment of parting, the veiled nun of dual cultivation, her beautiful eyes filled with deep reluctance, Lin Zixuan couldn't help but sigh: "Alas, who knows when we'll meet again after this farewell."

Seeing that he was already lovesick, Wenren Wan covered her mouth and chuckled, saying, "Alright, Brother Xuan, don't be like this. The Dual Cultivation Pavilion is only about ten days' journey from the capital. If you want to see Huanxin, it will only take four or five days at full speed. She's already deeply in love with you, she can't escape you. On the other hand, it's been quite a while since you two have seen each other. She's surrounded by a large group of handsome young men every day. You should really think about how to coax her now, lest she be snatched away by someone else."

Thinking of his noble and aloof fiancée, Sima Jin'er, Lin Zixuan smiled and said, "Sister Wan'er, don't joke. Jin'er is very picky. We've been childhood sweethearts. She won't even glance at any other man except me. I have a lot of confidence in Jin'er."

Wenren Wan rolled her eyes at him and said, "You're the most arrogant one. Here, drink this bowl of herbal tea."

Lin Zixuan obediently took the bowl and drank it all.

Four days later, the convoy arrived at the gates of the capital city, covered in dust from their journey.

Standing before everyone was a massive, impregnable city, with thick stone walls nearly ten feet high, which had kept countless powerful enemies away from this ancient capital for hundreds of years.

On the city walls, there was a guard every three steps and a sentry every ten steps. Since the great achievements of His Majesty's ancestors, the security of the capital has never been relaxed for a moment. Outside the city is a vast plain. If any abnormality occurs, the sentries will report everything to the palace as quickly as possible.

Outsiders who wish to enter the capital city must pay a hefty entry fee, but for the wealthy and powerful Penglai Palace, this fee is merely a drop in the ocean.

The main avenue of the capital was very wide, enough for sixteen carriages to travel side by side. The ground was paved with solid blue bricks, and the shops along the way stretched as far as the eye could see. As you walked along the road, the calls of vendors and their hawkers rose and fell, and pedestrians came and went in an endless stream.

In the distance, a magnificent palace stood before everyone's eyes. This palace, with a history of thousands of years, was home to the most powerful person on the continent.

The prosperity of the capital city is dazzling.

Penglai Palace has some properties in the capital. For example, there is a quiet courtyard in the west of the city, which is where Wenren Wan and Lin Zixuan rest. Lu Zhongming also stays there whenever he comes to the capital.

Today, however, Lu Zhongming booked the Maple Leaf Inn in the south of the city and brought twelve highly skilled stewards to personally guard the two suspects.

Before arriving, Qin Yuning repeatedly instructed that the two suspects from the Situ family must be kept under strict guard and that no mistakes be made. With the mindset of "better safe than sorry," Lu Zhongming discreetly checked into this unassuming little inn.

Lin Zixuan and Wenren Wan stored the valuables they had brought from the palace in the warehouse of their own business in the city. After completing their mission, they returned to their residence to wash off the dust of their journey.

After Lin Zixuan finished washing up, he waited for a full half hour before Wenren Wan finally came out.

She changed into a light blue long dress, her long hair styled into a beautiful bun, adorned with a delicate plum blossom hairpin. With each graceful step, her neat white embroidered shoes were faintly visible beneath the hem of her dress. The long dress accentuated her slender legs and slender waist, making her graceful figure undeniable. At this moment, Wenren Wan possessed an ethereal and otherworldly beauty, like a fairy.

Lin Zixuan was stunned.

"Sister Wan'er, why are you dressed up so beautifully?"

Wenren Wan covered her mouth and smiled: "Of course I need to dress up when I go back to the academy. I have plans with some friends, and I'll be back a little late tonight."

Lin Zixuan snapped out of his daze and nodded, saying, "I was originally planning to ask you to come with me to Jin'er's place, but since Sister Wan'er has made an appointment, I'll have to go by myself."

"You two haven't seen each other in so long, you'll definitely be all lovey-dovey tonight, so I won't bother you."

Wenren Wan had already instructed her servants to prepare a carriage. After bidding farewell to Lin Zixuan, she boarded the carriage and left.

Lin Zixuan then had the servants load the gifts he had prepared earlier onto another carriage, and then traveled by carriage to Yumanlou, where Sima Jin'er was staying.

In the eyes of the people of the capital, Yu Man Lou, the personal residence of the stunningly beautiful and talented Sima Jin'er, is very famous throughout the capital.

Despite its name, Yu Man Lou is actually a spacious and tranquil garden. Whether it's the rockeries and ponds or the Hundred Flowers Garden that blooms with a riot of flowers every spring, it was a favorite spot for the literati, scholars, and ladies of high society in the capital.

Not to mention, distinguished guests who are granted entry to the building often see eleven famous talented women, led by Sima Jin'er, playing the zither and painting in the round pavilion in the middle of the lake. If they are lucky, they may even see the great talented women dancing gracefully.

There are many exquisite courtyards inside, where eleven talented women renowned throughout the capital reside. And the most elegant three-story building at the far end is the famous Yu Man Lou, the personal residence of Sima Jin'er.

From the day Sima Jin'er established Yu Man Lou, Yu Man Lou took in some girls from poor families. These girls, who were about the same age as Sima Jin'er at the time, learned music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and interpersonal skills with Sima Jin'er's support.

Gradually, some exceptionally talented individuals emerged, and Sima Jin'er, seizing the opportunity, promoted these outstanding individuals to fame. The eleven talented women were among the best, and they have now achieved considerable status and reputation in the capital.

Lin Zixuan stepped down from the carriage, instructed two servants to unload the gifts from the carriage, and then stepped into Yumanlou.

The two doormen recognized him and, without even asking if he had a pass, ushered him inside.

In a small pavilion not far away, several elegantly dressed young men and women were chatting and laughing.

Li Ping'er, who was speaking softly and reservedly to the man in front of her, suddenly brightened up when she saw Lin Zixuan walking over from not far away.

"Please make yourself at home, Young Master Wang. Ping'er will go and greet a friend."

The young master surnamed Wang laughed nonchalantly: "It's alright, Ping'er, go ahead. I'll stay here and play chess with them."

Despite saying that, Wang Hao was secretly observing Lin Zixuan in the distance. When his friend began to make his move, he saw Li Ping'er smiling sweetly at the handsome young man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and he suddenly felt flustered.

He was a renowned scholar in the capital. Although his family background was ordinary, his talent and learning were exceptional; otherwise, he would not have been able to enter Bailu Academy.

A year ago, through a friend's introduction, he obtained a precious invitation card, which allowed him to enter the Jade Pavilion. The moment he saw Li Ping'er, he was deeply attracted by her extraordinary appearance and temperament, and afterwards he lost his appetite and couldn't eat or drink.

His friend noticed his predicament and inquired about it. Wang Hao didn't hide anything and told his friend his thoughts. His friend was pursuing the goddess-like Jin'er, which didn't conflict with his own pursuit. Therefore, after hearing this, his friend slapped his thigh and immediately offered to help him win over Li Ping'er. Although the ladies of Yu Man Lou were all truly talented women, all of them selling their art but not their bodies, if he could win their hearts, getting close to them wouldn't be a pipe dream.

The best way to win her heart is to spend lavishly or use your own talent to impress her and make her fall for you.

Prior to this, a wealthy patron from Kyoto had spent three thousand taels of gold on Yu'er, a young lady at the Jade Pavilion, completely winning her heart. He became her patron for three consecutive nights, enjoying her company every night. This caused a sensation, with countless people marveling at the patron's generosity and envying his good fortune.

Not long after, Li Heng, a talented scholar from Bailu Academy, composed a seven-character quatrain in public for Pingzhu, a young lady from Yumanlou. The poem, in both its diction and imagery, was an exquisite work, worth a fortune. That very night, Pingzhu offered herself to him, allowing him to stay overnight at her villa. This story of the talented scholar and the beautiful woman became a popular tale, widely discussed and admired.

Wang Hao lacked the wealth of a Kyoto tycoon and considered himself inferior to Li Heng in talent, but he had many friends and connections, who always gave him face in front of Li Ping'er whenever he visited. This led Li Ping'er to mistakenly believe he was a wealthy and talented scholar. That night, he lavishly spent a hundred taels of borrowed gold on Li Ping'er, along with a poem he had spent three months polishing. That night, Li Ping'er's pretty face flushed red, and she shyly asked him to stay.

After preparing for more than half a year, Wang Hao finally fulfilled his long-cherished wish. That night, in Li Ping'er's boudoir, he lay on top of her and fucked her until she was half-dead. When he got out of bed the next day, he felt his legs were floating.

From that moment on, Wang Hao regarded Li Ping'er as his woman. Although Li Ping'er's attitude towards him returned to solemnity and self-restraint after that night, the scene of the two of them being naked and intimate with each other in bed that night, like husband and wife, was still vivid in his mind. He did not believe that Li Ping'er would forget this.

Now that the two have been intimate, it's likely that Li Ping'er's feelings for him are different from those for others.

Wang Hao wholeheartedly agreed, but at this moment, seeing Li Ping'er's radiant smile, like a blooming lily, which she had never shown to him before, he panicked.

Looking at the boy, a hint of resentment flashed in his eyes.

Lin Zixuan was somewhat surprised. He was certainly quite familiar with Li Ping'er. As one of the eleven famous talented women of Yu Man Lou, she was the object of pursuit for many talented men and high-ranking officials in the capital. But to him, she was just an acquaintance of Sima Jin'er, nothing special.

What puzzled him was that Li Ping'er was unusually enthusiastic today, excessively so, personally leading the way for him and making jokes from time to time.

It felt like he had fallen for her, which made him feel very uncomfortable for a while.

Because of Sima Jin'er, these talented women always maintained a familiar but not intimate relationship with him, fearing they might inadvertently cause misunderstandings. His status as Sima Jin'er's fiancé had hindered their progress from the very beginning, a situation Lin Zixuan had grown accustomed to. Although the women were beautiful, they still paled in comparison to Sima Jin'er.

Two servants carrying gifts followed behind, and as they passed the lotus pond in the garden, they happened to bump into Shangguan Yu'er again.

Shangguan Yu'er came over with a charming smile and greeted them.

"Young Master hasn't come for so long. The ladies have been waiting for you for ages."

Lin Zixuan was taken aback, wondering what was going on today, why the two women had abandoned their group of talented men and surrounded him.

"I'm here to see Jin'er. I'll chat with Miss Yu'er another time."

Shangguan Yu'er smiled sweetly, "Jin'er is painting by the lake with the Third Princess and the others. Let me take you there, young master."

"No need to trouble you, Sister Yu'er. I'll take the young master there myself. Your Young Master Li is still waiting for you over there," Li Ping'er said with a smile.

"Sister Ping'er, what are you saying? I only met Young Master Li by chance, so please don't talk nonsense. But Sister Ping'er, is it really okay to leave your Young Master Wang like this?" Shangguan Yu'er said with a smile.

The two women seemed to have a very close relationship, and they made no attempt to hide their jokes at each other, which made Lin Zixuan, who was standing to the side, chuckle.

However, beneath the smiles of both women, there was a hidden, barely perceptible wariness in each other's eyes.

"Alright, you two, stop bickering. Since you've been so attentive to me, I'll give each of you something later. I guarantee you'll like it."

"real?"

The two women exclaimed in unison, both seeing the joy in each other's eyes.

"Zhen, let's go together. I miss my Jin'er so much."

A moment later, the three arrived at the artificial lake in the garden. In the distance, a group of young women were painting and playing, creating a dazzling scene. Several large tables were set up on the lake shore.

Not far away, a group of scholars and intellectuals watched from afar, a scene Lin Zixuan had witnessed countless times. Most of these people had come because they admired his talented fiancée's reputation. They were simply waiting, hoping to find a plausible excuse to get close to this stunningly beautiful and talented woman.

Before long, Lin Zixuan, who was walking ahead of the three, immediately attracted the attention of the women. Some of the newly arrived talented men not far away frowned when they saw that a richly dressed young nobleman was being led by two talented women from Yu Man Lou. They whispered to their friends around them, asking about Lin Zixuan's background.

Li Ping'er and Shangguan Yu'er separated subtly, and Li Ping'er blended into the group of women.

Lin Zixuan glanced past the crowd of bright red figures and his gaze met Sima Jin'er's.

It had been a while since I'd last seen her, and Sima Jin'er had matured considerably. Her pale yellow palace gown clung to her exquisite figure; her eyebrows were like emerald feathers, her teeth like pearls, and her eyes like pools of water. She possessed an air of scholarly refinement, yet her stunning beauty was tempered with a touch of allure. With her inherent aloofness, she was like a goddess descended from the heavens, proud and unconquerable.

This is a beauty different from Wenren Wan, Qin Yuning, or the Dual Cultivation Mystic Maiden. The first glance at her always gives one a sense of her innate nobility and elegance, as well as a faint, aloofness that keeps people at a distance.

With her unparalleled beauty and captivating charm, she became the goddess in the hearts of countless young talents in the capital, and a stunning beauty sought after and conquered by a host of high-ranking officials.

But no one has ever been able to stir even the slightest ripple in her heart, which remains as still as a deep well.

A sense of pride welled up in Lin Zixuan's heart, because he was the only man this talented woman had ever been with.

She is painting.

To Lin Zixuan's surprise, upon seeing her fiancé's arrival, she simply nodded and went back to her own business.

Seeing that there were many people around, Lin Zixuan instructed his servants to deliver the gifts to Sima Jin'er's small building. A maid then led two servants away.

"Young Master Lin." A young woman dressed in luxurious clothes nodded to Lin Zixuan.

Lin Zixuan quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Third Princess."

The current emperor's biological daughter, the Third Princess Li Ying, is Sima Jin'er's close friend. The two women often visit each other, and thus she is quite familiar with Lin Zixuan.

"I had nothing to do today, so I invited my sister Jin'er to come to the lake to paint. Speaking of which, Young Master Lin, it's been quite a while since you've been to the capital. Have you been missing your Jin'er?"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding women all gathered around him with smiles, eager to hear what was going on.

Without hesitation, Lin Zixuan replied, "I really want to."

The women immediately burst into laughter.

These young ladies, who usually stayed indoors, became like birds released from their cages, free and bold, once they came to Yu Man Lou together.

The Jade Pavilion, with its free-spirited, scholarly atmosphere, was deeply loved by these young ladies. They were all of similar age, and often gathered together to write and paint, finding immense pleasure in it. Moreover, it was a frequent haunt of many talented young men; watching these men compose poems and exchange verses brought them immense joy.

The pair of lotus flowers painted by Sima Jin'er were eventually taken by the daughter of a high-ranking official. Her brother was a regular customer of Yu Man Lou and was usually very generous. Sima Jin'er painted the flowers herself to express her gratitude.

After playing around for half a day, as the sun was about to set, the women reluctantly left together, each carrying their own artwork.

Lin Zixuan breathed a sigh of relief. The two rested briefly by the lake. Sima Jin'er leisurely brewed tea beside them, while Lin Zixuan watched her busy herself. Seeing her delicate, white hands as she held the cup, Lin Zixuan gently took them in his hands.

Sima Jin'er struggled a bit, but Lin Zixuan held her tightly and she couldn't break free, so she let him hold her slender hand.

"Jin'er, I miss you so much."

Sima Jin'er smiled calmly, "Really? You haven't come for so long, I thought Xuanlang had forgotten about me."

"How could that be? I'm here now. I'll be staying in the capital for a while, and I'll make up for all the time I owe you before."

Sima Jin'er asked in surprise, "Stay for a while, is this Madam's intention?"

"Yes." Lin Zixuan nodded. "Uncle Lu is going to do something very important, which might be a bit troublesome, so I have to stay here to help out if needed."

Sima Jin'er asked, "What happened?"

Lin Zixuan briefly explained to her the recent actions of the Situ family and the capture of two suspects from the Situ family.

Sima Jin'er frowned slightly upon hearing this: "What gives the Situ family the right to provoke Penglai Palace and commit such a cold-blooded act? Could there be some hidden story behind this?"

Lin Zixuan sneered, "They're probably colluding with some forces. Who knows what they're up to? But the identities of those two have already been confirmed. The Situ family can't escape this time."

Sima Jin'er casually reminded him, "Then we can't take those two prisoners to the villa; it's not safe there. Anyone with eyes and ears in the capital knows that the villa is the property of Penglai Palace."

"Don't worry, Uncle Lu has arranged for them to stay at the Maple Leaf Inn, and Uncle Lu and twelve stewards are personally guarding them. It's only a hundred or two miles away from Huzhou, so there won't be any problems."

Sima Jin'er looked at him and said, "With Uncle Lu, one of the three great Martial Grandmasters, here, I doubt anyone would be foolish enough to try and kidnap someone. But I should still remind Uncle Lu to be careful. It's getting late. I've already instructed the servants to prepare some food. Let's go together."

"Just the two of us?" Lin Zixuan asked tentatively.

Sima Jin'er smiled slightly, "Just the two of us."

At the dinner table, exquisite snacks were served one after another. Sima Jin'er thoughtfully served him many of his favorite dishes and even poured him a few glasses of fine wine.

The two ate and chatted, and the meal lasted for almost an hour.

After a satisfying meal, Lin Zixuan, inhaling the intoxicating fragrance emanating from her and looking at her rosy cheeks, couldn't resist saying, "Jin'er, I've prepared many gifts for you this time. Let me show you."

Then he took her hand and walked towards her small building without saying a word.

"You may all leave."

Lin Zixuan waved away the maids inside the building. The maids stopped what they were doing, and one of them, who seemed to be the leader, looked at Sima Jin'er. The latter nodded slightly, and then they all left.

"This dress was made by three of the most skilled craftsmen over a month, made exactly to your measurements, using the finest silk and fabric. Take a look and see if you like it."

"And this luminous pearl hairpin, I spent a lot of money to have it made. I begged my mother for a long time to collect all seven little luminous pearls. Do you like it?"

Sima Jin'er looked at it for a while, then calmly smiled and said, "I like it very much, thank you, Xuanlang."

"I'm glad you like it." Lin Zixuan's face was flushed from drinking. He looked quietly at his fiancée, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her luscious red lips.

"Xuanlang, no..."

Just as he tasted the faint scent of rouge on her lips, Sima Jin'er suddenly pushed Lin Zixuan away gently, leaving him completely stunned.

Seeing his blank expression, Sima Jin'er covered her mouth and smiled, "I forgot to tell Xuanlang that I caught a cold a few days ago. Although I took medicine and am almost fully recovered, I don't want Xuanlang to catch it too."

"My internal strength is quite profound, I have nothing to fear."

Sima Jin'er shook her head, "No."

Lin Zixuan looked disappointed, but quickly recovered. Sima Jin'er was puzzled when he pulled her close again. Then, Lin Zixuan reached his hand inside her slightly open neckline and grasped one of the round, beautiful breasts he had been longing for.

Sima Jin'er let out a soft moan and collapsed into his arms.

Feeling the smooth, full, and soft texture in his hands, Lin Zixuan kneaded his fiancée's breasts while praising, "Although we can't kiss, at least we can touch. Jin'er, it seems you've gotten a bit fuller here after all these months."

Sima Jin'er was so rubbed by him that she couldn't speak. She held his arm tightly and breathed softly.

Just as Lin Zixuan was indulging in his sensual pleasures, a maid's voice came from outside the door.

"Miss, you have an appointment with the Prime Minister's daughter tonight, and it's getting late."

Sima Jin'er quickly broke free and said to Lin Zixuan, "I almost forgot my date with the Wang family girl, Xuanlang, I have to hurry up and keep my appointment."

He finally got back, hoping to spend some quality time with his beloved fiancée, but first she hadn't fully recovered from her cold, and then he had plans with friends, wasting all his precious time.

Lin Zixuan was really discouraged this time.

Sima Jin'er straightened her clothes, noticed his disappointment, smiled gently, and stroked his cheek with her slender hand, comforting him, "There's plenty of time, Xuanlang, we're not in a hurry."

"Okay, I'll come over again tomorrow when I'm free."

"Wait, Xuanlang."

"Hmm?" Lin Zixuan turned around.

A moment later, Sima Jin'er came down the wooden stairs from the second floor, carrying a beautifully packaged bundle in her hands.

"This robe was made by Jin'er herself over the past few months. When autumn comes, Xuanlang can wear it. Jin'er's technique is not very skilled, so it may not be very beautiful. Please don't mind."

Lin Zixuan's eyes lit up. He knew that his fiancée was exceptionally skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she never lifted a finger to do any sewing. The robe in front of him was made of soft, luxurious material and was obviously expensive, but the workmanship was very average, even a bit of a waste of the material.

This showed that she had made the robe with great care, stitch by stitch. Although Sima Jin'er appeared proud and aloof, she truly loved her fiancé from the bottom of her heart. He took Sima Jin'er's hands and carefully examined her slender, white fingers, which were as white as scallions. Sure enough, he could still faintly see several marks from the needle pricks on them, and he was deeply moved.

Fang Cai's disappointment and dejection vanished without a trace. Lin Zixuan gave Fang Cai a heavy kiss on the cheek, then laughed heartily, packed up the robe, and carefully took it away.

Just as Lin Zixuan returned to the villa, on the other side of the city in the south, Lu Zhongming sat in the lobby of the inn, devouring the food and wine served by the waiter while pondering his next move.

He didn't drink much, just a few small sips to satisfy his craving for alcohol. The small hall had eight tables, but two others were nearly empty, each occupied by three stewards. This was because he had already booked the entire inn; there were no other guests besides them. Furthermore, the other six stewards were upstairs—two guarding the prisoners, and the other two on watch. They would go upstairs to take their turns after the six downstairs finished eating.

Situ Dezong, humph!

Lu Zhongming sneered inwardly. This old man was getting more and more confused with age, daring to rob Penglai Palace's goods and kill their people. Little did he know, Penglai Sword Maiden was his woman, and touching her interests meant making a deep enemy of him.

He had already sent a message to his younger brother at the mountain villa, instructing him to prepare letters to his old friends in the martial arts world, inviting them to a gathering at the villa in ten days. At that time, he wanted to show everyone the true colors of this old fellow, Situ Dezong, and see how he would be disgraced and abandoned by everyone.

After having a couple more drinks, three men walked into the inn.

"Where did the innkeeper go? Hurry up, hurry up, prepare three excellent guest rooms for the three of us brothers, and bring a table of the best food and wine. Oh, and the wine must be the strongest. Bring it on, brothers, we're starving."

A burly man with a fierce face sat down at one of the empty tables. Two skinny, shifty-eyed men sat down beside him as well.

The waiter hurried over and said, "I'm so sorry, gentlemen, our restaurant is fully booked for today, and we have no seats available. Please make your own way here..."

"Move your mother! There are no seats. Open your eyes and look! One, two, three, four, five—what's with these five empty tables? You're telling me there are no seats? Are you deliberately messing with me?"

"No...no, sir, our shop is really booked out, there are no seats available," the waiter kept explaining.

The man had a fierce look on his face and slammed his hand on the table in front of him with a loud "bang".

"Stop talking nonsense and get the food right now. In the entire capital, who doesn't know the name of Lei Laohu? If you dare to neglect me again, believe me, I can smash your restaurant with just one word."

The other six deacons in the hall frowned, their faces showing anger, but they managed to hold back and all looked at Lu Zhongming in the middle, who was in charge.

Lu Zhongming put down his chopsticks and said expressionlessly, "Lei Laohu, is that it? You think you're so great? Show me what you've got."

Upon hearing this, the burly man's forehead veins throbbed, and his bull-like eyes fixed intently on Lu Zhongming. Suddenly, he slammed the table in front of him over, causing a loud crash. The man roared, "Fuck your mother! I'll smash it, so what?!"

The noise downstairs startled the deacons on the second floor, who all came out to see what was going on.

The waiter was too scared to approach, but at that moment, Lu Zhongming spoke up.

"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. Pay double the compensation to the store for its losses, get out, and I can let your offense go unpunished."

As one of the three great martial arts masters of the Nine Provinces Kingdom, Lu Zhongming had enough magnanimity. These people were obviously low-class thugs who usually bullied the weak by relying on their arrogance. Lu Zhongming felt it would be beneath his dignity to fight with such people.

The deacons on the second floor exchanged glances, finding it amusing. They all wanted to see if the burly man with the fierce face would still be so arrogant.

Just then, one of the two men beside the burly man, a taller and thinner one, looked at Lu Zhongming with some confusion in his eyes. After a while, as if he remembered something, he suddenly shuddered. His shifty-eyed face was filled with panic and fear. He leaned close to the burly man's ear and whispered something quickly while looking at Lu Zhongming.

The burly man initially looked displeased, but after a short while, his gaze changed, and he cautiously whispered something to the man beside him.

Although Lu Zhongming was some distance away from them, his exceptional hearing still allowed him to catch their conversation.

"Are you sure it really is him?" The big man's voice was somewhat doubtful.

"Brother Huang, I'm absolutely sure. I saw him twice in Huzhou from afar. It's definitely him."

"Damn it, why didn't you say so sooner? You're trying to get me killed!" The big man's voice was already trembling.

"It's been a while, I can't quite remember him, but he looks vaguely familiar. I really didn't mean to, Brother Huang, what do we do now?"

"What else can we do but beg for help? He's a big shot, he wouldn't make trouble for us little people."

The burly man suddenly stepped forward, stammering, "This, sir, I offended you just now. I hope you will forgive me. I... I'll pay for the things, I'll pay right away. Waiter, here's five taels of silver. I... this is all I have on me. Is that enough? If not, I'll... Oh, that's good, that's good."

He turned to Lu Zhongming, his forehead already soaked with sweat: "Sir...sir, I've already paid for the broken things, you...you see..."

"roll."

Lu Zhongming was too lazy to argue with him.

The burly man nodded hurriedly, "Ah, get lost, get lost, we'll get lost, we won't disturb your meal."

The three of them then ran faster than rabbits.

Disappointed by these people, Lu Zhongming simply started drinking, while the other stewards called down the people upstairs to take turns.

The people upstairs laughed and cursed the three clueless guys from before. Someone called out to the room, "Hey, Steward He, you can come out now. Old Wang and Old Li are already up."

After a while, the deacon who had called out was already on the stairs, but there was no sound from the innermost room.

So he shouted it again, this time even louder.

There was no movement, not even a sound.

Lu Zhongming suddenly put down his wine glass and leaped up to the second floor. The others, seeing this, also realized something was wrong and rushed upstairs.

Lu Zhongming pushed open the door. The windows were intact, but inside lay three corpses, their throats slit by swords. His face was ashen, and he managed to utter a few words: "We've fallen for their trap!"

The twelve deacons gave chase, having only been gone a moment before. But when they returned, they found nothing. The three had vanished into the darkness of the night without a trace.

The deacons were deathly pale. The assassin had silently murdered two prisoners and a highly skilled deacon right before their eyes. The entire process was incredibly swift and completely silent. While the blame wasn't entirely theirs, one could still imagine the fury the Sword Maiden would feel upon learning this.

"Mr. Lu, who...who could have done this?"

Lu Zhongming, sensing the faint, almost fading fragrance in his nose, said in a deep voice, "Including the three downstairs just now, there were at least five of the Eight Shadow Assassins. The one who made the move was probably one of the three Skeleton Elders. This is their usual method of killing, combined with their unique bewitching incense, which is very effective against small groups of targets. Those three concealed their auras too well; even I was fooled."

"The number one assassin organization!"

"Blood Skull!"

The deacons gasped in surprise.

Lu Zhongming realized that the complexity and seriousness of the matter far exceeded his previous expectations. In order to destroy evidence, the Situ family had actually colluded with the Blood Skull, a notorious assassin organization that, under the leadership of the Skull Venerable, had become increasingly rampant recently. The Situ family's actions tonight were tantamount to declaring war on Penglai Palace.

After thinking it over, Lu Zhongming wrote a letter overnight and sent it back to Penglai Palace by the fastest flying bird.

Lin Zixuan was unaware of what had happened that night.

He returned to the villa, cleared his mind of all distractions, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to meditate.

His "Cultivation Divine Technique" has advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage. He can currently circulate it twelve times in one go, which is the middle to late stage of Foundation Establishment. If he can break through sixteen times in one go soon, he will successfully enter the Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation stage, which is the Meridian Condensation stage.

Based on his deduction, Lu Zhongming's Martial Grandmaster level, honed over decades, should be at the peak of the Qi Condensation stage. Given the current rapid progress, Lin Zixuan dared not imagine how far his own cultivation would advance. Therefore, he didn't want to relax for a moment.

As Lin Zixuan entered a meditative state, time flew by.

During his cultivation, Lin Zixuan vaguely heard the door open, followed by soft footsteps entering. A familiar fragrance wafted into his nose. The person seemed to look at him for a while, then took a silk handkerchief and wiped his forehead and face a few times before the footsteps slowly faded away.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already broad daylight.

As the night passed, his internal energy increased again, a feeling that was truly wonderful.

But his good mood didn't last long before it was completely ruined.

"You mean those two prisoners were assassinated right under Uncle Lu's nose?"

Lin Zixuan was shocked, and Wenren Wan was also incredulous.

Lu Zhongming was in a very bad mood. He said in a deep voice, "I wrote to Madam last night, and there should be a reply tonight. I originally thought that the Situ family was nothing special, just because they had the title of the number one family in Wuzhou. I didn't expect that they would cause our Penglai Palace to suffer repeated defeats. Good, very good. I will remember this grudge."

Wenren Wan frowned, "The Situ family absolutely doesn't have such ability. Who could kill someone under Uncle Lu's command? Who did it?"

"It was most likely the Blood Skull's doing. They went so far as to expose the true identities of three Shadow Assassins, deliberately causing trouble downstairs at the inn to attract our attention. Then, at least one of the Skull Elders personally took action, first using a hypnotic incense to render the steward in the room unconscious for a short time, and then killing the three with lightning speed before calmly retreating. This is Blood Skull's consistent modus operandi; no one else can imitate it."

Lin Zixuan and Wenren Wan both felt a sinking feeling in their hearts upon hearing this.

The Blood Skull is an assassin organization that originated in the Netherworld. Its leader, whose origins are extremely mysterious, is known as the Skull Venerable and possesses unparalleled martial arts skills. Under him are three Skull Elders, each with exceptional martial arts prowess. Seven years ago, Lu Zhongming fought one of them, exchanging nearly a hundred blows before Lu Zhongming managed to injure him. The elder only suffered minor injuries and escaped from Lu Zhongming's grasp. From that moment on, Lu Zhongming kept a close eye on him.

Below the three Skeleton Elders are eight elusive Shadow Assassins and nine hundred Death Warriors, forming the massive body of the Blood Skull.

This is a dark force that is difficult to guard against; anyone who provokes it will lose their appetite.

At Yu Man Lou, Sima Jin'er noticed Lin Zixuan's troubles and comforted him, "Xuanlang, since the suspect has already been killed, worrying about it now won't help. With Madam and Uncle Lu here, they will find a solution."

Lin Zixuan frowned and said, "We've been extremely careful about our whereabouts and safety along the way. My mother even sent three skilled trackers and counter-trackers to accompany us. Uncle Lu would investigate any suspicious activity immediately. No one followed us the entire way. After entering the city, Uncle Lu became even more cautious to prevent the Situ family from silencing us. The whereabouts of the two prisoners were kept completely secret. I really can't figure out where our whereabouts were leaked from."

"Xuanlang did mention it to me yesterday, but Jin'er absolutely does not believe that the Situ family or the Blood Skull organization infiltrated to eavesdrop. It seems that it was not you who leaked the secret, but rather that the Situ family and the Blood Skull organization were waiting for your arrival in the capital early in the morning. You kept changing routes along the way, and the convoy was protected by a large number of experts, so they had no chance to make a move."

Sima Jin'er calmly analyzed, "But things are different once we come to the capital. The situation in the capital is complex and intricate. As long as we create an opportunity, it's the perfect place to fish in troubled waters. Waiting for the rabbit to come to the tree stump here offers a much greater chance than striking on the road. In the end, one is in the dark, and the other is in the light, making it difficult to be on guard at all times."

Lin Zixuan sighed, "Alas, it's all my fault for not listening to you yesterday. If I had been more careful, they wouldn't have succeeded."

If it were just the Situ family, Lin Zixuan wouldn't be too worried, but now that the Blood Skull organization has been involved, the situation has become serious. He lost all interest in enjoying time with his fiancée, and after chatting for a while, he hurriedly left.

Qin Yuning's reply arrived very quickly, before midnight that very night.

In the letter, she requested that Lu Zhongming and Lin Zixuan investigate evidence of collusion between the Blood Skull and the Situ family. Clues could be found among the three shadow assassins who had already appeared. The number of people needed could be directly transferred from Penglai Palace. As for Wenren Wan, she had to temporarily put aside her studies and immediately travel south by water; Qin Yuning had another important task for her.

The moment the three received this letter, it marked the beginning of the struggle between Penglai Palace and the Situ family.