The two walked one after another, turning through multiple courtyards toward the depths of the small garden.

On the way, Xu Yuanshuang, the young woman in the purple dress, said in a low voice:

“My mother wants to ask about him!”

Ji Xuan smiled: “As expected. Over the years, family members have been harsh in their words about Aunt, saying many unpleasant things. But I think Aunt’s actions back then were only human nature. As a mother, who doesn’t love their child?”

Xu Yuanshuang glanced at him: “Is Seventh Brother implying that my father is worse than a beast?”

Ji Xuan’s smile remained unchanged: “The National Teacher merely made a choice. What’s Cousin Yuanshuang’s attitude towards that person?”

Xu Yuanshuang sighed: “Father and Uncle want him dead, I can’t change that. But for me, he’s still my brother born of the same mother. All I can do is try not to pay attention to him, to pretend he doesn’t exist.”

Ji Xuan narrowed his eyes: “But I heard from Yuanhuai that you often actively seek news about him.”

“…”

Xu Yuanshuang’s delicate face reddened slightly.

The two ended their conversation and walked in silence for a moment.

Whoosh, whoosh!

A whistling sound like wind came through. Turning into a large courtyard, they found it was a young man practicing with a spear, wielding a nine-foot-long spear with impressive power.

The spear had a black shaft, and its head was a golden dragon’s head with an open mouth, from which protruded the spear tip.

His face was stern as he wielded the great spear, creating gusts of wind that stirred up dust in the courtyard.

“Yuanhuai,” Ji Xuan greeted with a smile.

The young man practicing with the spear paused his movements, glancing sideways. His stern face showed a faint smile as he said, “Elder Sister, Seventh Brother.”

“Yuanhuai’s spear technique has improved again. Have you grasped the spear intent?” Ji Xuan smiled.

“Almost,” Xu Yuanhuai nodded and said, “I can reach the Fourth Rank within half a year.”

His expression remained stern, his tone indifferent, as if advancing to the Fourth Rank was an insignificant matter.

Ji Xuan sighed, “Yuanhuai’s talent is truly frightening.”

Xu Yuanhuai, at seventeen, possessed terrifying cultivation talent. He had reached Energy Refinement at fifteen, Copper Skin and Iron Bones at sixteen, and at seventeen was already touching the threshold of the “Intent” of the Fourth Rank.

Of course, this was also inseparable from abundant resources. The status of the Xu siblings in Qianlong City was no less than that of Ji Xuan and his brothers and sisters.

From a young age, they had guidance from famous teachers, no shortage of pills, and high-level experts to spar with, among other advantages.

For young geniuses of such prominent status, while Energy Refinement had to wait until the body was fully grown, Spirit Refinement could be practiced first.

Observing and tempering the primordial spirit from childhood, after crossing the realms of Energy Refinement and Qi Cultivation, entering the Spirit Refinement realm was a natural progression. Then, with top-tier pills to temper the physical body, reaching Copper Skin and Iron Bones was effortless.

But even for the Fifth Rank Energy Transformation after the Sixth Rank, Xu Yuanhuai still smoothly advanced in just one year, showing his strong talent.

Although Xu Yuanhuai was at the Fifth Rank Energy Transformation, the Jiao Mang Spear in his hand was a top-tier magical weapon. The shaft was made from the spine of a Fourth Rank Jiao dragon, and the spearhead was forged from the Jiao dragon’s sharpest and hardest fang.

Moreover, the primordial spirit of a Fourth Rank Jiao dragon was sealed within the spear.

With this spear and other magical items he carried, ordinary Fourth Rank cultivators were no match for him.

Compared to the eldest son who was viewed as a vessel, Xu Pingfeng treated his second son quite well.

“What brings Seventh Brother here?” Xu Yuanhuai asked.

Ji Xuan replied, “Aunt has something to discuss with me.”

Xu Yuanhuai glanced at his sister, planted his long spear firmly, and nodded:

“Mother is in the inner hall, I’ll lead you there.”

Ji Xuan smiled and shook his head. This cousin also seemed quite interested in the older brother he had never met.

The three cousins passed through the large courtyard and entered the inner hall. Sitting on a high chair was a beautifully dressed woman with an oval face, snow-white skin, cherry lips, and exquisite features.

She was no longer young, but time had left no marks on her beautiful face. Instead, it had refined her temperament, giving her a mature charm that young girls lacked.

There was a faint sadness in her brow, like a sorrowful lilac flower.

“Aunt!” Ji Xuan greeted me with his usual squinting smile.

“Mother!” Xu Yuanhuai and Xu Yuanshuang also called out.

The beautiful woman held a teacup, her jade-like fingers gently tapping the rim with the lid. Her voice was magnetic and soft:

“Has he returned?”

As she asked, her gaze fixed intently on Ji Xuan, her fingers pressing slightly harder on the tea lid.

“The National Teacher has returned and just met with Father and me,” Ji Xuan said, smiling with squinted eyes, appearing approachable and easy to get along with.

The beautiful woman held her breath for a moment, then slowly asked, “Did it succeed?”

Xu Yuanhuai and Xu Yuanshuang immediately looked over, quietly awaiting the answer.

Ji Xuan pondered, then said, “Aunt, you’re asking if the fortune within Xu Qi’an’s body has been extracted?”

The beautiful woman’s breathing immediately became heavy.

Ji Xuan shook his head and sighed, “The National Teacher failed.”

A sigh… The beautiful woman’s chest heaved once as if a great weight had been lifted.

Xu Yuanshuang, the young woman in purple, had a complex expression.

Xu Yuanhuai maintained his stern expression, showing no change.

The beautiful woman couldn’t hide her smile. Her decision years ago had been correct. In all of the Nine Provinces, if anyone could protect her eldest son, it would be the Supervisor.

Family ambitions and her husband’s grand aspirations were nothing compared to the child she had carried for nine months.

Even though she had been confined here because of it, even though she had been neglected for over a decade after giving birth to another son and daughter.

Family members all said that the child was mediocre and incompetent, a useless lump of mud compared to his brother and sister. Such a waste was only fit to be used as a vessel for fortune.

It was her womanly kindness, they said, that had hindered great plans.

She scoffed at this. Why should her child be sacrificed for the family’s ambitions?

The talk of him being useless had been used to mock and provoke her for over a decade. During the year of the imperial examination, such talk gradually lessened. Now, no one dared to call that child useless.

If her child was useless, were there any capable people left in the world?

Ji Xuan continued, “Not only did he fail, but he was also severely injured. He might need to go into seclusion for some time to recover.”

“The Supervisor is indeed powerful. Father’s plan to deal with him was too ambitious,” Xu Yuanshuang said in her melodious voice, shaking her head slightly.

Xu Yuanhuai commented coolly:

“A First Rank sorcerer is naturally not easy to deal with. Father should use subterfuge as a secondary approach and open conquest as the primary strategy. Honorably conquering territory and land from Great Shang, that’s how to truly replace them.”

Ji Xuan pondered, “From the National Teacher’s words, it seems it wasn’t the Supervisor who injured him, but a backlash of fortune.”

“Backlash of fortune? How is Xu Qi’an now? Tell me clearly…” The beautiful woman furrowed her brows and asked urgently.

Seeing his aunt and cousins looking at him, Ji Xuan shrugged and said:

“Well, Father and the National Teacher didn’t say this was confidential… The National Teacher’s failure this time seems to be because Xu Qi’an had guessed his identity in advance, as well as the behind-the-scenes truth about the fortune. So he had made preparations early on.

“As for the backlash of fortune, the National Teacher didn’t elaborate, but it’s related to Xu Qi’an.”

He had already guessed his identity… The beautiful woman felt both joyful and sad. Joy because her eldest son was so capable that even a Second Rank sorcerer could no longer easily control his fate, making her proud.

Sadness because such a truth would surely be a great blow to him.

Xu Yuanshuang’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, unable to hide her shock. As someone on the path of a sorcerer, she knew well her father’s strength and formidability.

That brother far away in the capital had not only thwarted their father’s twenty-year plan but also managed to severely injure him in retaliation. What extraordinary talent this showed.

Xu Yuanhuai remained expressionless.

The beautiful woman took a breath and asked again, “Did he mention Xu Qi’an’s current situation?”

Ji Xuan nodded, “Yes, Xu Qi’an has been sealed by the Buddhist Demon-Sealing Nail, his cultivation completely wasted. Removing the seal would be extremely difficult, likely impossible.”

The beautiful woman let out a low “Ah,” her eyes reddening, filled with worry and heartache.

Xu Yuanhuai frowned slightly.

Wasted, huh… His sister, Xu Yuanshuang, however, showed a regretful expression. She looked at Ji Xuan and said:

“Seventh Brother, Father, and Uncle didn’t just tell you these things when they called for you, did they?”

Ji Xuan smiled as he scrutinized his cousin, frankly saying, “In a few days, I’ll be going on a journey to help Father and Uncle with some matters.”

“What matters?” Xu Yuanshuang asked.

“Collecting the scattered spirit of the dragon vein to strengthen our fortune, adding another brick to the great cause of replacing the Great Shang royal family.”

Xu Yuanhuai’s eyes lit up, “Seventh Brother, I’ll go with you.”

Xu Yuanshuang frowned.

Ji Xuan’s smile slowly spread, “Alright, but you’ll need to clear it with Father and the National Teacher first.”

…

Yong Province City.

A young man in green clothes led a horse along the official road.

On the horse’s back sat a woman of ordinary appearance, bouncing with the horse’s gait. From time to time, she would stand on the stirrups, raising her buttocks to relieve the soreness.

In this era, for ordinary people, long-distance travel was extremely tiring. Those with weak constitutions might even die on the journey.

Fortunately, the two had traveled by both boat and horse, never rushing. They would occasionally stay at inns for a day or two to alleviate the fatigue of travel.

This ordinary-looking couple blended in with the common people, unremarkable, not even as eye-catching as the fine mare beneath the woman.

At least this horse was tall and strong, with beautiful curves, clearly a top-quality breed.

“I’ve been to Yong Province City once before, to save a friend. Let me tell you a secret: in the mountains dozens of miles south of the city, there’s an ancient underground palace with a thousands-year-old corpse sleeping inside, very eerie.”

Mu Nanzhi showed a scared expression: “You’re lying.”

Xu Qi’an winked and said, “Why would I lie to you? When you sleep at night, remember to lock your doors and windows tight. If someone knocks, don’t open the door no matter what.”

Mu Nanzhi looked at him suspiciously: “The one who would knock on my door is probably you, right?”

“Nonsense,” Xu Qi’an said seriously, “We’ve been traveling for so many days, have I ever knocked on your door?”

“That’s true!” Mu Nanzhi raised her buttocks again, half-lying on the little mare to ease the soreness in her bottom.

The two entered the city. The streets were crowded with people, banners, and flags fluttered in the wind, presenting a bustling and prosperous scene.

Xu Qi’an asked passersby where the best inn in Yong Province City was located. After getting directions, he led the horse toward the place the kind person had pointed out.

Mu Nanzhi’s lips curled into a smile.

This stinky man was keeping his word after all, indeed taking her to stay at the best inns and eat the finest food. Now that they had arrived in Yong Province City, she planned to visit some cosmetics shops.

Passing a medicine shop, Xu Qi’an tied the little mare to the hitching post outside the store and smiled, “Wait a moment, I’m going to buy something.”

Mu Nanzhi didn’t bother to dismount, just gave a graceful “Mm” in response.

Entering the medicine shop and approaching the counter, Xu Qi’an said, “Shopkeeper, I’d like two jin of arsenic.”

“T-two jin?” The shopkeeper in a blue robe scrutinized this customer who had made such a bold request.

Xu Qi’an placed two pieces of broken silver on the counter.

The shopkeeper immediately felt that this customer’s quality and appearance were a perfect match. He smiled and said, “Please wait a moment, sir.”

He promptly ordered his assistant to weigh out two jin of arsenic.

The assistant quickly brought the arsenic and weights, measured the amount in front of Xu Qi’an, and then packaged it for him, saying:

“Here you are, sir. Please keep it safe.”

Xu Qi’an accepted it, reopened the paper package, took out his water flask, poured some of the arsenic into it, shook it gently a few times, and then, in front of the shopkeeper and assistant, gulped it down.

“As expected of a medicine shop in Yong Province City,” Xu Qi’an gave a thumbs up. “The taste is just right!”

The shopkeeper collapsed onto the floor, looking at him with a terrified expression.

The shop assistant’s jaw nearly hit the ground.

“Sorry for the trouble, farewell!” Xu Qi’an picked up the remaining arsenic and left, thoroughly satisfied.