“With the Huajian Sect’s standing, it shouldn’t be able to provoke those reclusive old monsters of the Jing Kingdom.”
Mu Yuyan thought back for quite a while, then shook her head slightly. “Only, there doesn’t seem to be such a person on Heavenly Secrets Pavilion’s Wind and Cloud Ranking…”
Heavenly Secrets Pavilion did not belong to any dynasty. It was one of only 2 neutral powers on the continent, and it had many rankings within it, which were updated once every 60-year cycle.
The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was even a Mage at the peak of Immortal-level, known for never miscalculating and understanding all under heaven!
“Your Majesty, judging from the traces he left behind, this humble officer does have a bold guess…” Liu Yexi said hesitantly.
“Tell me.”
“That person’s sword was filled with murderous intent, and this humble officer only arrived at the end of the You hour. His sword qi could remain undispersed for 2 double-hours, domineering and incomparably weighty… It was very much like the sword intent of the Xuantian Supreme Treasure recorded on the Divine Weapons Ranking, the Hongmeng Sword!”
Although Liu Yexi was young, she held command of the Xuantian Bureau and was widely experienced. She still had the ability to recognize a divine weapon.
Only, no Xuantian Supreme Treasure had appeared in the world for a long time. Even knowing he was the master of the Hongmeng Sword, his identity was still just as shrouded in mystery.
“Did he leave any words behind?”
Mu Yuyan pondered for a moment, then asked.
When experts wiped out an entire sect, unless their identity was sensitive, they would more or less reveal some information about themselves.
After all, none of them were truly detached from the mundane world. Who didn’t want their deeds to become famous throughout all under heaven?
At this question, however, Liu Yexi looked strange and glanced up at the Empress. “Your Majesty, that person left word saying… he was the Sword Immortal who killed Duan Xiao and the demon king in Langzhou City.”
Hm???
An impostor?
Knowing she had been used as a scapegoat, the Empress froze for a moment after hearing this. She felt somewhat displeased, yet also found it rather funny!
However.
After carefully thinking it over, she realized this sword master’s cultivation was not below her own!
That person had hidden for so long without me noticing at all. He truly is an expert… Mu Yuyan took a deep breath, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly!
“In another year, it will be time for Heavenly Secrets Pavilion to update the Wind and Cloud Ranking. When the time comes, take a look. This person’s name should appear on the Sword Dao Ranking. Have the envoys try their best to recruit him…”
“All right.”
Liu Yexi nodded.
Sword Immortals were treated as enshrined experts in any dynasty; their status went without saying!
If Great Jing could gain one more Sword Immortal, its strength would multiply several times over!
“Send word to the capital. Have the Xuantian Bureau’s covert guards disguise themselves as Langzhou people and keep watch here during this period, secretly protecting my dear husband.”
Mu Yuyan picked up her embroidery again and said seriously.
In these troubled times, a master of the Hongmeng Sword has inexplicably appeared in the Jing Kingdom.
Although that person seemed to be a friend rather than an enemy, who knew whether there were any other experts!
She feared that if her identity were exposed, it would bring undeserved disaster upon Gu Lan.
“This humble officer understands!”
…
The night was cool as water, with a bright moon and sparse stars.
At the Gu Residence, dinner began amid Old Yang’s hollering.
Gu Lan walked slowly out of the study and stretched lazily.
At this point, he had already finished absorbing that top-grade spirit stone; his cultivation had increased by 1,000 years, comparable to the results of 1 month of reading!
“The 1,000-year merfolk pearl should be even more effective than a spirit stone. If I absorb it tonight, I should be able to break through to 30,000 years of cultivation.”
Gu Lan strolled over to the table and sat down.
“Young Master, don’t tire yourself out too much from studying. As the old saying goes, we have to know how to balance work and rest!” Old Yang said considerately.
“I know.”
Gu Lan took out a jar of wine from behind him and handed it to Old Yang. “You like drinking, so I especially brought you a jar on the way back today.”
Old Yang’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the wine. “Aiya! Thank you, Young Master, thank you, Young Master!”
He impatiently broke open the clay seal, and the aroma of wine instantly permeated the entire main hall.
“It smells so good!”
For a moment, not only wine-loving Old Yang, but even Mu Yuyan and Liu Yexi beside him smelled it!
“Husband, what kind of wine is this? Its fragrance is so extraordinary?”
“Exactly, exactly. Where did you buy it, Young Master?”
The 2 women’s eyes were filled with curiosity.
They had long grown tired of imperial jade nectar, yet they had not expected that a random jar of wine Gu Lan took out would have a fragrance countless times better than the finest wines they had encountered before!
Gu Lan brushed it off with a laugh. “It’s just peach blossom brew I bought from a small stall at the night market. Maybe it’s old, so it smells better.”
Of course, he did not tell the truth.
In fact, this was immortal wine taken from the Huajian Sect’s wine cellar, into which he had also stuffed many spiritual medicines and health-preserving pills!
Just one sip could remold the body and extend the lifespan of a mortal like Old Yang!
In the mortal world, it was absolutely something no amount of money could buy…
At this moment, Old Yang was completely intoxicated, grinning broadly as he said, “Young Master, I, Old Yang, don’t need my wages for these 2 months. This cup of wine is enough to cover them!”
Gu Lan smiled without speaking, then turned and poured full cups for his wife and Little Xi as well.
After emptying the Huajian Sect’s storehouses, he was not short of wine, and of course he was even less short of money. If he moved the gold and silver from his space out, he could probably buy the Langzhou City beneath his feet outright.
Of course, that was assuming the Empress was willing to sell…
The family chatted idly as they ate dinner, no different from the lamplit homes of thousands of families in Langzhou at that moment.
After dinner.
Old Yang hugged the wine jar and hummed a tune, drunkenly returning to the gatehouse.
Gu Lan was just about to go to the study when a lovely sachet was suddenly handed to him.
Mu Yuyan seemed unable to hold her liquor. Her head rested on his shoulder, her tipsy eyes hazy, and a faint blush colored her stunning face as she softly said, “Husband, studying is hard. This is a gift for you.”
In ancient times, when a woman gave a man a sachet, it was proof she had pledged her heart for life.
Gu Lan stared at that sachet and gradually fell into a daze.
Its workmanship was not perfect, but it gave off Mu Yuyan’s unique body fragrance. She had sewn it by hand, stitch by stitch.
Across 2 lifetimes, this was the first time Gu Lan had received a gift from a girl…
Liu Yexi was also stunned as she watched from the side!
Today, when she saw the Empress embroidering, she had thought Her Majesty was only doing it out of boredom. She never expected Her Majesty was really doing needlework for Gu Lan!
This… was a sachet embroidered by Her Majesty herself!
Truly one of a kind under heaven!
If it were sold… All right, it couldn’t be sold. Young Master Gu Lan would kill me… Liu Yexi stopped her thoughts in time, which had been like a wild dog off its leash.
Gu Lan put away the sachet, hung it at his waist, and gently drew Mu Yuyan into his arms.
Her delicate body was as soft as if boneless, and her breath against his neck was as fragrant as orchids.
A flawless, beautiful face was right before his eyes, charming without losing elegance, adorable yet carrying a hint of noble reserve.
Gu Lan stared, entranced.
Seeing this, Liu Yexi tactfully withdrew from the main hall and went to wash the dishes.
“My wife, having you… is my blessing.”
Gu Lan spoke from the heart.
Across his 2 lives, nothing was more precious to him than the beauty before him. Not even Daddy System could compare!
Thinking about it, if he had met her in his previous life, theirs would certainly have been a match made in heaven that everyone envied.
“Husband, don’t take risks again in the future.”
After they nestled together tenderly for a while, Mu Yuyan suddenly spoke from his arms.
“Mm?”
“I heard it all from Old Yang. Today, cultivators fought outside our teahouse, and someone even died. The body was only taken away by the authorities at dusk.”
“We’re mere mortals. How dangerous would it be to provoke those cultivators!”
Seeing him stunned, Mu Yuyan’s beautiful eyes reproached him. “If I hadn’t brought it up, were you planning to keep hiding it from me forever?”
Damn, that Old Yang, why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut… Gu Lan smiled a little awkwardly and said, “Wasn’t I just afraid you would worry, wife? I promise it won’t happen again.”
“There are only a little over half a year left before the autumn provincial examinations. I’ll just stay home and study at ease.”
“Mm.”
After hearing this, Mu Yuyan breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, “But dear husband, don’t tire yourself out too much either. Keep your spirits up. I hear becoming a provincial graduate isn’t that hard…”