A divine technique suited for someone with no inner energy whatsoever…

Feng Li thought for quite some time before finally shaking his head. “I have never heard of such a thing.”

Feng Jiu’er’s memories came in fragments. Many things seemed to have a thread of sense to them, but could not be recalled in a coherent, connected way.

“If you want to master a divine technique quickly, isn’t that simple enough?” Feng Jiang grinned, unbothered. “Is your friend suggesting you find a supreme master who will transfer their entire inner energy to you? As long as someone transfers all their inner energy to you, you would be able to achieve peak cultivation in the shortest possible time. Besides, as for whatever martial arts manual — Feng Jiang honestly was not inclined to believe that any manual could truly allow someone who knew nothing of martial arts to swiftly cultivate a profound and fathomless inner energy. Such legends were, more often than not, fabrications.”

Feng Jiu’er said nothing. Feng Li’s gaze, however, grew deep and still, as though he were turning something over in his mind.

Feng Jiang leaned in, blinking. “Fourth Imperial Uncle, you are not actually thinking of transferring your own cultivation to this girl, are you?”

Feng Jiang had said it purely in jest and gave it no further thought himself, turning back to eat his breakfast without a care. But Feng Jiu’er’s heart gave a sudden lurch. She did not quite know why, but a creeping unease settled over her.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle…” Jiu’er forced a small smile, clearly uncomfortable. “Please do not listen to Third Imperial Brother’s nonsense. That man, as the saying goes, a dog’s mouth cannot produce ivory.”

“Hey! What kind of talk is that? Who has a dog’s mouth?”

Feng Jiang shot her a look. She was so young — how could she have such a sharp tongue!

“Stop letting your imagination run wild. Fourth Imperial Uncle’s cultivation took untold years to build — how could he possibly hand it over to you just like that? Stop your wishful thinking!”

If he himself could learn even thirty percent of Fourth Imperial Uncle’s inner energy, he would wake up laughing in his sleep at night. If all that cultivation were truly transferred to a single person, would that not make them a supreme master in an instant? How could something like that ever happen? Cultivation built over dozens of years — once given away, there was no taking it back. Even if that person meant the world to you, no one would be willing. Who could be so selfless?

Feng Li looked at Feng Jiu’er. Jiu’er nearly choked on her porridge.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, please do not think such things. I do not need anything!”

“Oh, stop it — Fourth Imperial Uncle would never bother with you.” Feng Jiang huffed.

Yet Jiu’er remained a little anxious. The way Fourth Imperial Uncle was looking at her was truly… unsettling. She had a feeling — why did it seem as though Fourth Imperial Uncle was genuinely considering transferring all of his cultivation to her?

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, I know I should not be reading too much into this — but please, truly, do not entertain such a thought. I am telling you, I will not accept it!”

“Mm.” Feng Li gave a small nod, then slid two particularly exquisite-looking little pastries toward her. “Eat.”

He lowered his head himself and ate with focused attention, as though the matter they had just discussed was already of no concern to him.

Jiu’er was still a little unsettled. The look in Fourth Imperial Uncle’s eyes just now was genuinely worrying. She could only hope she was overthinking things.

Moreover, Third Imperial Brother was right — cultivation built over a lifetime could not possibly be handed over to someone so lightly. And besides, she was only Fourth Imperial Uncle’s imperial niece, not even his own daughter.

With that thought, Feng Jiu’er’s mood finally eased a little — yet that faint figure in white continued to linger in her mind, drifting and refusing to leave. Why could she not make out the face? And yet, for reasons she could not explain, she felt with certainty that it was someone very, very important.

“Eat more.” Feng Li said softly.

“All right.” Feng Jiu’er picked up a pastry and placed it in Feng Li’s bowl. “Fourth Imperial Uncle, you eat more too. Oh, and Fourth Imperial Uncle — can you promise me that for the next few days, you will remain here in the palace and not return to the Night Prince Manor?”

“Why?” Feng Li was, of course, glad that his daughter wanted him to stay.

“No particular reason. I just want to see more of Fourth Imperial Uncle.”

Though that was not the most important reason, it was a reason nonetheless — truly!

Feng Li gave a faint smile, almost unable to resist reaching out to ruffle her hair. But in the end, his hand drew back. He nodded. “Very well.”

Feng Jiu’er felt truly as though she were being spoiled beyond all recovery — why did Fourth Imperial Uncle have to be so wonderful to her! Because he was so wonderful, she felt that deceiving him was a kind of wrong. She could only hope that when Fourth Imperial Uncle found out, he would not be furious enough to strike her — although she was certain Fourth Imperial Uncle could not bear to do so.

Why was she so certain? Well… she could not quite say.

“Fourth Imperial Uncle, eat faster. I need to give you acupuncture afterward.”

“Mm.”

——

Jiu’er stayed in Feng Jiang’s quarters all the way until midday. After sharing the noon meal with Fourth Imperial Uncle, Feng Jiang finally walked her out to the gate of his quarters.

“I have to say — aren’t you just a little too shameless with Fourth Imperial Uncle?” Feng Jiang could not help his indignation. He himself had kept Fourth Imperial Uncle’s company for so many years and could not even get a single smile out of him — how was it that whatever Feng Jiu’er wanted, she got?

Just now, Fourth Imperial Uncle had even promised that once his injuries healed, he would remain here — purely to teach her to cultivate her martial arts in the future. Why did Fourth Imperial Uncle dote on Feng Jiu’er like this? They had not even known each other that long! It was simply bizarre!

The depth of Fourth Imperial Uncle’s indulgence toward Jiu’er could only be described as miraculous. Fourth Imperial Uncle had never been like this before! He was not happy about it, not at all!

“What is the matter? You are jealous because Fourth Imperial Uncle is so fond of me?” Feng Jiu’er wrinkled her nose at him, seeing right through his petty resentment at a glance.

“You are a grown man — and yet you are competing for affection with a little girl. Have you no shame?”

“I… when did I ever compete for affection?” Feng Jiang shot her a glare, wanting to retort, but then suddenly felt that if he continued arguing, he would really be making it seem like he was squabbling with her over Fourth Imperial Uncle’s attention.

It did seem, in fact, somewhat lacking in dignity.

“Yes, yes, yes — you were not competing for affection. You simply have no ability to compete at all. Ha ha ha…”

“Feng Jiu’er, you…”

Abruptly, Feng Jiang halted in his tracks, tilting his head to look toward a distant tree. Beneath it, a figure in pale white.

When Feng Jiu’er turned around, she saw that he was staring toward that distant tree. She turned to look as well, and also caught sight of the woman beneath it. The woman seemed to have been staring fixedly at her — startled to find herself discovered, she immediately ducked behind the tree.

“Who is that?” Jiu’er frowned and looked at Feng Jiang. “Someone watching me?”

“It does not seem so — that woman appears to have no martial arts training.” Feng Jiang thought for a moment, and then something seemed to come to him.

“Who is she? Do you know her?”

“She appears, perhaps, to be a palace maid from Second Imperial Brother’s quarters.”

Feng Jiang was about to go over, but the woman seemed to take fright — in a fluster of motion, she hurried away and disappeared.

A palace maid from Second Imperial Brother’s household — what was she doing, watching her? If it truly were surveillance, surely they would send someone with martial arts training. Someone with no martial arts ability would easily spoil everything.

Jiu’er looked at Feng Jiang, who was equally at a loss. “Perhaps she heard that a little princess had returned to the palace and came out of curiosity to have a look,” he offered.

Ahead of them, a group of people came to meet them. The lead eunuch bowed respectfully: “Princess Jiu’er, Third Imperial Prince — His Majesty requests your presence in the side hall.”