Gong Chengxi, seated in the teahouse, couldn’t help shaking his head at the sight. Still, he was quite surprised that she was already a mother at such a young age.
Cao Feifan, sitting across from him, also shook his head. “That girl probably came from some reclusive clan. Just taking out Shangpin Lingshi so openly, and two pieces at that—truly more money than sense.”
Shangpin Lingshi were exceedingly rare in Dongyuan Dalu; the most common circulating currencies were low-grade Lingshi and Mid-grade Lingshi.
It took a thousand low-grade Lingshi to exchange for a single Mid-grade Lingshi.
And two thousand Mid-grade Lingshi were needed to exchange for one Shangpin Lingshi.
Shangpin Lingshi could only be exchanged for Mid-grade Lingshi.
He had inspected that egg earlier—it was nothing more than a dead egg, yet she was foolish enough to trade two Shangpin Lingshi for it.
Seeing the stall owner pack up and flee, Shu Jianyue instantly realized she had been swindled. But thinking of how Yanxi liked it, she didn’t mind so much anymore.
Noticing the crowd growing larger, she immediately scooped up the two siblings and ran.
After turning down two streets, she finally found an inn to stay at, planning to visit the Ninth Prince later tonight to demand the Longgu.
As soon as Gong Chengxi and Cao Feifan stepped into the inn, they saw that ‘rich spendthrift’ girl generously tossing a Shangpin Lingshi to the innkeeper.
Now, they were utterly certain that this girl knew nothing of the world.
The innkeeper stared blankly at the Lingshi on the counter for a moment before counting out one thousand eight hundred and twenty Mid-grade Lingshi in change for her.
If it weren’t for Hunyuan Xianzong opening its gates to recruit disciples these days, he probably wouldn’t have been able to produce so many Mid-grade Lingshi on short notice.
Looking at the Mid-grade Lingshi before her, Shu Jianyue’s eyelids twitched slightly before she stowed them away.
She had dug a hole for herself.
Just as she was about to head upstairs, she noticed two men standing by the entrance looking at her and couldn’t help glancing back.
Seeing the two familiar faces, Shu Jianyue raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t wearing a mask right now, so she didn’t “know” them.
That night, Shu Jianyue sent the siblings into her space. Only after coaxing them to sleep did she exit the space, leave the inn, and fly toward the Ninth Prince’s residence.
Gong Chengxi stood by the window, watching her depart. Though curious about what she was doing out so late, he didn’t meddle in other people’s business.
Arriving at the Ninth Prince’s residence, Shu Jianyue extended her Mental Power inside to locate him. Donning her mask, she slipped into the prince’s estate.
Zhu Su was just about to engage in some intimate exercise with a concubine when the door shattered to the ground with a loud bang.
“Who has the audacity to barge into this prince’s room!”
When Shu Jianyue appeared before him, Zhu Su immediately tumbled off the concubine. “Zun—Zunzhe, why are you here?”
“What do you think?” Shu Jianyue strolled over to a chair and sat down.
The moment Zhu Su recalled what had happened a few days ago when he went to steal the Longgu, his face stiffened.
However, thinking of his master and Elder Fu, he adjusted his expression, dismissed the concubine, and produced a jasper box, placing it before Shu Jianyue. “Zunzhe, this is the Longgu. May I ask what Zunzhe plans to use it for?”
Shu Jianyue raised an eyebrow. “Do you have the right to know?”
Seeing her move to open the jade box, Zhu Su hurriedly said, “Zunzhe, this jade box cannot be opened! Otherwise, if the Longgu’s aura leaks out, I’ll be doomed.”
Shu Jianyue let out a soft laugh and, wrapping the box in her Mental Power, opened it. “If this deity doesn’t want anyone to discover it, no one will be able to.”
Seeing that it truly was the Longgu, she put it away, then lifted her brow at him. “Since you got the Longgu, why didn’t you deliver it to Fuchenshan? Making this deity come collect it instead—you’ve got quite the nerve.”
Zhu Su swallowed hard. “No, it’s not like that… I can’t leave the imperial capital.”
“Tomorrow is when Hunyuanzong recruits disciples. My master is gone, and Imperial Father hopes I can enter Hunyuanzong, so he restricted me from leaving the imperial capital.”
Hearing about Hunyuanzong recruiting disciples, Shu Jianyue scratched her chin. Thinking of Yuchuan and Yanxi, she felt that joining a sect might not be a bad idea.
One couldn’t just remain sequestered in a corner forever. Being too isolated from the world wouldn’t be good for the children’s growth.
Shu Jianyue glanced at Zhu Su, stood up, and left. “The Longgu was the price for last time. If there is a next time, the price will be your life.”
Just as she stepped out of the Ninth Prince’s residence, she felt a wave of Mental Power sweeping over.
Shu Jianyue didn’t hold back; she met it head-on, intercepting and binding the opponent’s Mental Power within the Ninth Prince’s residence, while she herself swiftly departed.
Only after returning to the inn did she retract her Mental Power.
In the Enshrinement Hall of the Fengxian Imperial Palace, Jin Wen narrowed his eyes. Anyone capable of intercepting and binding his Mental Power had to be at least above the Golden Core Ninth Stage.
When did such a formidable figure arrive in Fengxian?
Those who came from Hunyuan Xianzong were the Grand Elder and the Third Elder, neither of whose cultivation was higher than his.
Coming out from the Ninth Prince’s residence… what was their relationship?
Pondering this, Jin Wen sent a voice transmission to summon Zhu Su to the palace. “Summon the Ninth Prince to the palace. This venerable one has matters to ask him. Also, request His Majesty to come over as well.”
Early the next morning, Shu Jianyue brought Yuchuan and Yanxi to the central square of the imperial capital. She had just found a spot to sit down when an abrasive voice piped up nearby.
“Oh, even two little milk babies this small came to participate? Can they even talk or walk yet?”
“Sisi, don’t say that. It might be that young lady who’s participating.” Standing beside Li Sisi, a delicate-looking girl eyed Shu Jianyue with jealousy in her gaze.
Fu Lian stepped forward to take Li Sisi’s arm and added, “Still, why did she come alone with two children? Having children at such a young age, how pitiful.”
Shu Jianyue pulled out an apple, scraping off some puree to feed Xixi, and tossed half a tomato to Yuchuan for him to nibble on slowly, paying no attention to the manipulative remarks beside her.
Li Sisi scoffed coldly. “Some people are just shameless sluts. Who knows, these two children might just be wild bas—”
Before she could finish the word ‘bastards’, Shu Jianyue kicked her straight out. Looking coldly at Li Sisi, who had flown over ten meters away, she said, “If you don’t know how to speak, shut your mouth. Otherwise, I don’t mind sewing it shut for you.”
Fu Lian hurriedly ran over to help Li Sisi up, glaring sharply at Shu Jianyue. “Do you know who Sisi is, to dare injure her!”
“What does who she is have to do with me? Anyone who dares insult my children—I’d beat them even if they were the Heavenly King himself.” The moment Shu Jianyue said this, everyone present turned to look at her, wanting to see where she got such audacity.
Some discerned her cultivation and couldn’t help chuckling. A Foundation Establishment Ninth Stage cultivation—daring to talk so big, what kind of backing did she have?
Before leaving the inn that morning, Shu Jianyue had suppressed her cultivation. Otherwise, entering a sect at the Yuanying Stage would draw too much suspicion.
Li Sisi shoved Fu Lian aside, brought out a Lingqi, and glared at Shu Jianyue with murderous intent. “Let’s see if your mouth remains this tough in a moment.”
Before she could strike, several young, handsome gentlemen parted the crowd and walked over. “Sisi, Lili, why did you run over here?”
Seeing who it was, Li Sisi immediately burst into tears. “Cousin, this woman bullied me and even injured me!”
Fu Lian also grew bashful at the sight of the newcomer, her cheeks flushing red and her eyes brimming with shy affection.
Zhu Su’s eyes lit up when he looked at Shu Jianyue—she was even more beautiful than the concubines in his manor!
Yet, seeing his cousin’s tearful state, he still put on an act and said, “Miss, this prince is the Ninth Prince of Fengxian. I wonder how my cousin Sisi offended you to the point that you would strike and injure her?”
Shu Jianyue completely ignored him. Hah, merely an embroidered pillow—fancy on the outside, hollow within.
What great deeds could someone achieve when he couldn’t even keep a national treasure and gave it away freely?
Noticing the Grand Elder and the others from Hunyuan Xianzong arriving, she scooped up Yuchuan and Yanxi and walked over in that direction.