Volume 9, Chapter 576 – Reunion with Lu Yao

“If? If it wasn’t the case? That Qi Huang never told you she went all out. If you had died or been captured by her, then where would that leave Us, the Emperor. What dignity would We have left?”

Lin Tu interrogated coldly.

“Your Majesty, forgive this old servant, it was my incompetence!”

Chief Steward Zhong hastily knelt to admit fault.

“Forget it, get up. It’s not that you are useless, it’s that We are useless. This vast imperial palace cannot even find someone capable of dealing with a mere girl.”

Lin Tu let out a self-mocking laugh, then changed the subject: “Draft an imperial decree. Advance the conscription age down to twenty-six.”

“Advance it… again?!”

Chief Steward Zhong was startled.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem with that?”

Lin Tu’s face grew darker.

“Your Majesty, forgive this servant’s frankness. The realm is already unstable, and the state treasury is nearly drained. If we further conscript so many young men into the army, not only will the court’s revenues fall into severe imbalance, but it will also arouse the people’s resentment!”

Chief Steward Zhong reminded him cautiously.

“You dare to lecture Us on governance?”

Lin Tu slammed his palm onto the table.

“This servant does not dare!”

Chief Steward Zhong pressed his forehead to the floor in terror.

“You think We don’t know what you’re saying? But the border crisis is urgent! Several nations have joined hands against our Western Radiance Dynasty. If We don’t conscript more soldiers, We will soon be nothing more than a ruler of a fallen state. Do you understand?”

Lin Tu stepped forward, towering over him, his tone full of pressure.

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“This servant understands! This servant understands!”

Chief Steward Zhong trembled as he replied.

“Good that you understand. A nation, without the nation, how can there be a home? What right do they have to complain? Pass on my decree: anyone who dares evade conscription, bloodline will be exterminated!”

Lin Tu flung his sleeve and returned to his dragon throne.

“Yes!”

Chief Steward Zhong immediately accepted the command.

“Rise.”

Lin Tu ordered impatiently, then shifted the topic again: “The Sixth Princess has not returned to the palace in quite some time, has she?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Ever since the Evergreen Conference at the start of the year, she has not returned.”

Chief Steward Zhong stood up shakily.

“That unfilial girl!”

Lin Tu drew a deep breath, suppressing his rage.

“Your Majesty, perhaps the Sixth Princess is merely in seclusion? For cultivators, even for martial practitioners like us, a year or half a year of closed cultivation is quite normal.”

Chief Steward Zhong tried to smooth things over.

“You truly think We are blind to the world outside my windows? If she were truly in seclusion, would We be this furious? That girl is clearly sulking over the Evergreen Conference incident!”

Lin Tu ground his teeth audibly.

“Er… has the Sixth Princess discovered it was Your Majesty who sent people against her?”

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Chief Steward Zhong asked timidly.

“Hmph, she isn’t a fool. Anyone with half a brain would know who the prime suspect is.”

Lin Tu sneered coldly.

“Alas, no wonder. Though she missed the Evergreen Conference due to being ambushed, rumors outside claim she fled without fighting. That must have weighed heavily on her heart.”

A trace of sympathy flickered on Chief Steward Zhong’s face.

“Pass on my word: in every province, root out such rumor-mongers. Once caught, hand them to the Ministry of Justice. We want to see which is harder, their tongues, or the ministry’s instruments of torture.”

Lin Tu ordered once more.

“Yes!”

Chief Steward Zhong accepted again.

“And another matter, send people to Poyun Peak to notify the Sixth Princess. Next month We will reach sixty years of age. I intend to hold a small celebration. The friendly royal houses will surely come to congratulate. If she does not return for that occasion, then she need never return at all.”

Lin Tu added coldly.

On the other side, Qi Huang was completely unaware that someone still harbored thoughts of her. She was wholly focused on helping her main body strengthen, striving to reach the Divine Realm before the sixth day of June next year.

Every night, when silence blanketed the world, Qi Huang would take sleeping draughts to induce dreams, hoping to once again witness Cheng Ling’s past. Only then could she learn what ultimately happened to Lu Yao.

Heaven does not disappoint those with resolve. That night, after several months, Qi Huang once again glimpsed Cheng Ling’s memories.

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Ever since escaping the Honghua Sect, Cheng Ling had hidden in a mountain cave. The world outside teemed with wandering spirits and ghosts, and she also needed to evade pursuit from her main body. Naturally, she dared not wander recklessly.

With only a face-skin as her body, Cheng Ling had no way to cultivate. She could only remain in the cave, endlessly scheming. When exhaustion overcame her, she fell into sleep, and this time she dreamed again. By chance, the dream was about Lu Yao.

And thus, Qi Huang indirectly saw Lu Yao.

In the vast cosmos, Lu Yao streaked through the void at immense speed, heading toward a cultivation kingdom blessed with Tianjizi. This kingdom was called the Wushuang Immortal Kingdom.

Her power had already reached the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm. Along her path, space itself quivered, on the verge of collapse, fine cracks even split open here and there.

In the Immortal Realm, a zombie of such strength was called a Heavenly Demon, its might equal to that of a Celestial Immortal. Lu Yao, however, had reached the very peak of Heavenly Demons. In the entire Immortal Realm, few could rival her.

Lu Yao understood well: with a single punch she could rip through space and enter the so-called Celestial Realm to face the Heavenly Dao itself. But ever since learning the Heavenly Dao was omniscient and omnipotent, she grew cautious. Without absolute certainty, she would never act rashly.

Not long after, she arrived at a planet named Jinhua. It lay on the edge of the Wushuang Immortal Kingdom. Though remote, its massive size and abundant resources attracted countless immortals to settle there. It was also an excellent place to gather information.

Lu Yao entered a sizable town and began inquiring at an inn about Tianjizi’s whereabouts.

“Oh heavens, honored guest, you think too highly of me! Tianjizi? That’s someone who knows the past and can judge the future. The Immortal Emperor treats her like his greatest treasure, hidden away from the world. How could a common man like me know where she is?”

The innkeeper shook his head helplessly.

“Then is there any way at all to learn her whereabouts?”

Lu Yao slid over a few silver ingots.

“There are always ways.”

The innkeeper pocketed the silver, then said: “Since the Immortal Emperor hides her away, naturally the royal family would know. But whether they can be made to speak, that depends on your ability.”

“Thank you, innkeeper.”

Lu Yao politely offered thanks. After asking which planet the capital of the Wushuang Immortal Kingdom was located on, she departed again.

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Through the endless void, Lu Yao sped onward. The path ahead was uncertain. Sometimes loneliness gnawed at her. But for the sake of avenging her family, she pressed forward without thought of retreat.

Soon, she arrived at Budong Star, where the kingdom’s imperial capital was located. There, she began her careful search for clues about Tianjizi. Unless forced, she would not approach the powerful royal family directly. Not out of fear, but to avoid alerting them.

After much inquiry, though she still hadn’t uncovered Tianjizi’s exact location, she had at least gathered some useful information.

The Wushuang Immortal Kingdom’s Tianjizi was a woman named Yu Qian. She was young, less than thirty years old. But ever since she revealed her ability to foresee the future, she had been hidden away by the Immortal Emperor. From that day, none knew her whereabouts.

Even so, countless immortals and cultivators still flooded in daily, hoping to glimpse Yu Qian. Most tried to use wealth to open doors. The Immortal Emperor’s power was too fearsome, none dared use force. Only a tiny few had tried. They had vanished without stirring even the faintest ripple.

After fruitless days of questioning on the streets, just as Lu Yao considered approaching the royals directly, a fair, lanky cultivator of the Human-Grade Immortal rank took the initiative to seek her out.

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ding Yu. I heard you’re seeking the whereabouts of Tianjizi?”

The man spoke bluntly.

“That’s right. You know where she is?”

Lu Yao’s interest sharpened.

“I do. I have a friend serving in the palace, a close attendant to the Immortal Emperor. He knows exactly where Tianjizi is hidden.”

Ding Yu said with a trace of pride.

“Speak. What do you want in return?”

Lu Yao asked calmly. She had no illusions that this man’s offer was out of kindness.

“This Immortal needs a few rare spiritual herbs. If you can procure them, I will take you to meet him.”

Ding Yu stated his demand.