Elder Jin Lian rode an auspicious cloud, carrying Xu Qi An and the others toward the capital.

Xu Qi An held the deeply sleeping Li Miaozhen in his arms while turning to look at his dual cultivation partner:

“The Heaven-Human Conflict will be both a dangerous battle and excellent tempering for the Imperial Teacher. Please allow me to observe the battle.”

He understood Luo Yuhen’s personality well—strong-willed, proud, with queenly tendencies, and she enjoyed being “coaxed” by him. That’s why until now, Xu Qi An hadn’t changed how he addressed her, still calling her Imperial Teacher.

Therefore, his protection couldn’t be too obvious, as that would make Luo Yuhen feel looked down upon and unhappy.

Luo Yuhen made a sound of acknowledgment and asked:

“What level is the Heavenly Venerable’s cultivation?”

Xu Qi An thought for a moment before responding:

“Around mid-First Rank, definitely not late-stage.”

The reason he dared to boast that he would only protect Luo Yuhen’s life and not interfere otherwise wasn’t because he was indifferent to her fate, but because at First Rank, when both were Terrestrial Immortals, they were essentially evenly matched.

Others only needed to watch.

Moreover, the Heaven-Human Conflict would benefit Luo Yuhen—mutual complementation of essence was one aspect, and tempering cultivation was another.

*Of course, during this time, I still need to serve the Imperial Teacher devotedly…* Xu Qi An added mentally as he looked at the cold beauty beside him.

Next would be the biggest matter—the marriage with Lin’an!

Thinking of this, Xu Qi An couldn’t help but massage his temples.

…

In the Imperial Palace.

Huai Qing had just finished playing Go with Wei Yuan, losing several consecutive games. She was used to it by now, having learned from Wei Yuan for many years without winning even half a game.

“What does Lord Wei think of Silver Badge Xu’s marriage?”

During the post-game tea, Huai Qing probed.

“It’s a good thing!”

Wei Yuan smiled warmly.

“Good in what way?”

Huai Qing asked casually.

Wei Yuan maintained his smile, holding his teacup as he said:

“Princess Lin’an is pure-hearted. Though she likes to stir up trouble, she’s not skilled at scheming. Such a woman as a primary wife is better for Xu Ning Yan than Mu Nanchi and Luo Yuhen. Or other women.”

Huai Qing felt guilty for a moment but maintained her composure as she asked:

“Other women?”

Wei Yuan glanced at her, his smile deepening:

“For other women, having a non-threatening woman take the position is better than anyone else.

“Enough, I don’t care to discuss his romantic entanglements.”

Wei Yuan himself was a devoted man, believing in one life, one world, and one partner. However, he wasn’t disgusted by young men like Xu Ning Yan being romantically active—many powerful men in the world had multiple wives and concubines.

Best to mind one’s own business.

After some casual chat, the topic inevitably turned to state affairs.

“The policy of border market schools in the South must continue. In a few years, once the foundation is laid, the provincial examinations in Yu Province can be opened to Gu tribe students. This matter will benefit thousands of years of posterity—Your Majesty should keep a close eye on it.”

Wei Yuan reminded her.

“Such matters can be left to Lord Wei to handle.”

Huai Qing pushed the work back to him. As a ruler now, she understood well how to use people!

Wei Yuan smiled and continued:

“Regarding the northern barbarians, they owe us minerals, grain, cattle, sheep, and other livestock. We can collect these debts this winter. Previously, when the Central Plains’ situation was precarious, we dared not press for payment, but now we can collect everything with interest.”

Huai Qing listened quietly until Wei Yuan finished his lengthy discourse, then sighed:

“Even now, I still cannot find fault with Lord Wei’s work. In terms of administrative ability, Lord Wei far surpasses me. Everything you just mentioned, I’ll leave to you.”

Wei Yuan smiled and nodded:

“Very well!”

He wanted a stage to realize his ambitions. Yuan Jing hadn’t given him one, but Huai Qing had.

Wei Yuan continued:

“Recently, I’ve heard some rumors that certain court officials hope Your Majesty will soon establish a crown prince.”

Huai Qing’s expression darkened, her tone turning cold:

“The rebels have just been eliminated, and some people are already thinking about ‘restoring court order.'”

Huai Qing hadn’t even taken a consort or established an empress, let alone had children.

The so-called establishment of a crown prince would naturally mean choosing from Yongxing’s offspring, or the Fourth Prince’s descendants.

With Xu Qi’an stabilizing the Great Feng dynasty and court politics, no one dared openly oppose Huai Qing, but what about after her? Shouldn’t the throne be returned to the legitimate line?

“A nation cannot go a day without a ruler, nor an heir. Establishing a successor concerns the foundation of the state—one can’t find fault with that. But would Your Majesty be willing to return the throne to Yongxing, or perhaps establish the Yan Prince’s descendant as crown prince?” Wei Yuan’s gaze fixed intently on her.

Huai Qing replied coolly:

“I am in the prime of my years. There is no rush to establish an heir.”

Wei Yuan exhaled as if in understanding and said:

“I see. In that case, Your Majesty should quickly produce an heir to silence the masses.”

Then he probed:

“Hmm, is there someone you favor?”

Huai Qing instinctively straightened her back, maintaining her noble elegance as she said coolly:

“I have not yet found someone I favor.”

*She’s feeling guilty…* Wei Yuan nodded slowly and said seriously:

“Regarding matters of marriage, this subject will not interfere. As long as Your Majesty knows what she’s doing.”

As he spoke, he set down his teacup:

“The tea is nearly finished. This subject takes his leave.”

…

After seeing Wei Yuan off, Huai Qing took out her Earth Scripture fragment and transmitted:

[One: How are Two and Seven?]

[Seven: Thanks for Your Majesty’s concern. Your subject has returned to the Bureau of Astronomy and is currently drinking tea with Brother Yang in the Star-Observing Tower.]

Li Lingsu responded very enthusiastically—after all, he couldn’t return to the Heaven Sect for now, so the Holy Son planned to seek an official position at court and live a boring life surrounded by wives and concubines.

[One: What about Li Miaozhen?]

[Three: Her spiritual essence is injured and she’s still unconscious, but it’s not serious. This punishment, though seemingly meant to kill her, was meant to benefit her.]

Xu Qi An’s words startled everyone. Chu Yuanzhen hadn’t been involved and couldn’t understand Xu Qi An’s meaning, so he transmitted:

[Four: What do you mean by that?]

[Three: Li Miaozhen seems to have recently taken some kind of pill to strengthen her spiritual essence, but the medicinal power had settled in her body and was difficult to refine. Immortal Lord Bingyi’s two lightning lashes helped activate the medicine’s power. Though risky, the effect was good.

[If the Heavenly Venerable truly wanted to kill her, why would he have Immortal Lord Bingyi use lightning lashes? So I suspect he was helping her.]

Huai Qing found his reasoning logical yet illogical, and transmitted:

[One: So the Heavenly Venerable had no intention of killing Li Miaozhen? Then what was the purpose of all this effort?]

[Three: I’m not sure, but I noticed a detail earlier—Miaozhen’s Earth Scripture fragment was in Immortal Lord Bingyi’s possession. Holy Son, how were you able to use the Earth Scripture to ask for our help?]

*Through my clever and brave theft…* Li Lingsu’s mind stirred:

[Seven: I saw Master hide the Earth Scripture fragment in a wooden box in her room.]

With the intelligence of the Earth-Heaven Society members, no further explanation was needed.

This was deliberately allowing the Holy Son to seek help.

[Eight: If the Heavenly Venerable didn’t want to kill Li Miaozhen, he could have just released her. There was no need for this roundabout approach unless he had another purpose.]

[Four: Perhaps she had offended him and he couldn’t back down, so he maintained the Heaven Sect’s face by seemingly executing her, while secretly having Immortal Lord Bingyi help her with the lightning lash punishment and letting the Holy Son seek our help?]

Chu Yuanzhen analyzed.

Li Lingsu interjected: [The lightning lash punishment wasn’t the Venerable’s idea, it was Aunt Bingyi who suggested it. I understand now—the Venerable wasn’t helping Miaozhen, but Aunt Bingyi.]

No one, including Xu Qi An, understood this.

What did this have to do with Immortal Lord Bingyi?

Li Lingsu explained:

[Miaozhen was Aunt Bingyi’s mortal attachment. Now that the master-disciple relationship is severed, Aunt Bingyi has no more attachments and can advance to Second Rank. She’s long been at the peak of Third Rank—the spirit pill she used to save Miaozhen was prepared for her breakthrough to Second Rank.]

Elder Jin Lian transmitted:

[Immortal Lord Bingyi wanted to advance to Second Rank but couldn’t bear to sever her emotional attachment to Miaozhen, thus delaying her breakthrough. Miaozhen spent three years in the jianghu, discovering herself, and her temperament wasn’t suited to the Heaven Sect’s complete emotional detachment. The Heavenly Venerable took this opportunity to help both master and disciple.]

After hearing Jin Lian’s explanation, the Earth-Heaven Society members finally understood.

[Three: I think there’s another reason—Li Miaozhen was indeed entangled in too much karma. When the great calamity comes, she would be like a time bomb, so the Heavenly Venerable simply expelled her from the Heaven Sect.]

*Why didn’t the Venerable help me then, and what does “time bomb” mean…* Li Lingsu wondered privately.

At this point, Master Hengyuan transmitted:

[In that case, does this mean Friend Li Miaozhen has no hope of reaching Third Rank?]

Since she couldn’t achieve complete emotional detachment, she naturally couldn’t cultivate the Heaven Sect’s advanced methods.

Master Hengyuan, coming from a martial background, had experienced the helplessness of having no hope of advancement and was particularly sensitive to this aspect.

Indeed, Li Miaozhen was the Heaven Sect’s Holy Maiden with transcendent potential. Now that she had left the Heaven Sect, wouldn’t Third Rank be impossible… The Earth-Heaven Society members’ hearts sank.

This wasn’t good news!

Elder Jin Lian transmitted:

[No matter, she can simply join our Earth Sect. With the merit power Miaozhen has accumulated, reaching the Third Rank will be no difficulty.]

[Three: Li Miaozhen is from the Heaven Sect—can she switch to Earth Sect methods?]

Xu Qi An voiced everyone’s confusion.

[Nine: Of course she can. The Heaven, Earth, and Human Sects all originated from the Dao School, and their cultivation systems are the same. Before reaching transcendence, there’s no distinction between “Heaven, Earth, and Human.” The Human Sect’s method only brings karmic fire at Third Rank, the Heaven Sect requires understanding and complete emotional detachment to advance to transcendence, and similarly, the Earth Sect only faces the danger of karmic backlash at Third Rank.

[As long as Li Miaozhen hasn’t reached transcendence, she can switch to either the “Human” or “Earth” Sects. This poor Daoist thinks that given Miaozhen’s temperament, joining our Earth Sect would be better. When she wakes up, I’ll discuss it with her—no need to tell Luo Yuhen about this.]

Has Elder Jin Lian been waiting for this day for a long time… This thought spontaneously arose in the Earth-Heaven Society members’ minds, and they considered it highly likely, probably true.

With Jin Lian’s insight, she must have seen that Li Miaozhen was excellent material for cultivating merit power. They couldn’t believe Jin Lian wasn’t coveting such a promising seedling.

Xu Qi An thought Elder Jin Lian was too cunning and, with a critical and condemning attitude, began writing on the jade mirror’s surface:

[The Earth Sect method is too dangerous, I think Li Miaozhen should join the Human Sect…]

He had only written halfway when the Holy Son’s transmission arrived:

[Of course, it’s best for Miaozhen to join the Earth Sect. Why go to the Human Sect to be afflicted with karmic fire and then wait to be bedded by Xu Ning Yan? As her senior brother, I disagree!]

[One: Hmm, We also think Two is more suited to the Earth Sect method.]

[Four: The Imperial Teacher’s tragedy shouldn’t be repeated with Miaozhen.]

[Six: Friend Li Miaozhen is indeed suited to the Earth Sect method.]

[Eight: Shortly, the Earth-Heaven Society will have a new transcendent.]

With things said to this extent, Xu Qi An could only silently erase what he had written.

*Li Lingsu, you better watch your back.*

Elder Jin Lian looked at everyone’s transmissions with a satisfied smile.

[Five: Then wouldn’t that just repeat Elder Jin Lian’s tragedy?]

The smile slowly faded from Jin Lian’s face.

Everyone pretended not to see Li Na’s transmission and continued chatting.

[One: In another ten days, it will be Xu Ning Yan and Lin’an’s wedding day. Everyone should come to the capital for the celebration wine.]

[Eight: Isn’t Three Luo Yuhen’s dual cultivation partner? Will she let you marry another woman?]

Asura expressed surprise.

[Six: This monk only hopes to peacefully drink a few cups of celebration wine on the wedding day.]

[Four: Sigh, the courtesans of the entertainment district and the unmarried ladies of the capital must be heartbroken.]

*Sigh, I hope I can complete the wedding…* Xu Qi An sighed internally.

He could already imagine the wedding scene.

Luo Yuhen holding a sword to his throat, the blade only 0.01 centimeters away.

Luo Yuhen says:

“Who do you think you’re going to marry?”

Quick as lightning, Mu Nanchi removes her bracelet in front of everyone:

“Think carefully before you answer.”

Li Miaozhen coldly smirks:

“I’m just here for the show. Please continue.”

Huai Qing says:

“If Silver Badge Xu is unwilling, We can cancel the engagement. We guarantee there won’t be any ‘don’t bully a poor maiden’ incidents.”

Chu Caiwei falls onto Zhong Li’s dying body, crying:

“The Imperial Teacher accidentally injured Senior Sister Zhong, someone saves her quickly!”

After the chaos, Xu Lingyue says softly:

“Brother, they’re so scary.

Not like me, I only care for gege.”

Thinking of this, Xu Qi An massaged his temples.

*What sins have I committed?!*

…

At the Xu residence.

Li Na sat by the stone table in the courtyard, holding her Earth Scripture fragment and repeatedly banging it against the table.

She suspected something was wrong with her fragment—it never seemed to receive others’ transmissions, especially after she transmitted something, the fragment would stop working.

When she wasn’t transmitting, she could still normally receive messages from other members.

She and Xu Lingyin had returned to the capital with Xu Ning Yan. The master and disciple were both excited, pondering in the Floating Pagoda whether they should start starving themselves now to feast properly on the wedding day.

Unexpectedly, before the wedding feast could begin, they nearly had a funeral feast instead.

When Xu Lingyin returned home and saw her mother, without a word, amid slight ground tremors, she rushed forward with tears.

Fortunately, Li Na was quick enough to subdue her unfilial disciple on the ground, saving Aunt’s life.

Having narrowly escaped disaster, Aunt’s joy at their reunion had completely transformed into post-traumatic fear.

She was now in the inner hall, disciplining her young daughter.

…

At the Bureau of Astronomy, Eight Trigrams Platform.

Li Lingsu put away his Earth Scripture fragment and looked at the white-robed figure in the distance, saying in a low voice:

“Brother Yang, our chance for revenge has come.

“That dog thief Xu Ning Yan is about to marry Lin’an!”

Yang Qianhuan slowly replied:

“How is this an opportunity? I’m not going. If I went, I’d have to give that Xu a wedding gift—I won’t give him a single coin.”

Yang Qianhuan, who had no interest in women, momentarily failed to grasp the implications.