Translator: CinderTL
At the same time.
In the study of the Eldest Son's residence, a figure knelt on one knee, his voice sharp and thin as he reported,
"Young Master, our informant from the Cui Family has reported that Xu Sanyan caused a commotion at the Cui Family yesterday. Cui Tongsheng was no match for him, and everything left by Cui Yousheng was taken by Xu Sanyan."
The Eldest Son, playing with a smooth, jade-like finger bone, let out a cold laugh. "Cui Tongsheng, that old fool, couldn't even handle a single Xu Sanyan. What a waste of all those years he's lived."
He wasn't particularly interested in the Cui Family's possessions. After all, anything that Cui Yousheng could casually give away couldn't be anything valuable.
Moreover, he wasn't lacking in cultivation methods.
The kneeling figure slowly raised his head, revealing a delicate, almost feminine face. After a moment of hesitation, he spoke again, "According to the informant, Xu Sanyan seems to have reached the Peak Stage of the Celestial Being Realm."
The Eldest Son's brow furrowed, and the finger bone in his hand snapped with a crisp sound, shattering into pieces. He said in a deep voice,
"Impossible. How old is he? Just a wild brat with no master or clan backing him. Even if he started cultivating from the womb, he couldn't have reached the Peak Stage of the Celestial Being Realm at such a young age."
The delicate man lowered his voice, "It's said... Cui Tongsheng couldn't even withstand three moves before being defeated, and none of the dozens of people in the Cui Family dared to make a move."
The Eldest Son's hand unconsciously tightened, grinding the bone fragments into powder. His expression was one of doubt and unease.
The Initial Stage and the Peak Stage of the Celestial Being Realm were entirely different concepts.
Take Cui Tongsheng, for example. He broke through to the Celestial Being Realm in his fifties, and now, nearing eighty, he was still at the Initial Stage.
At their level, every step forward was fraught with difficulty, not something that could be achieved overnight. How could Xu Sanyan have reached the Peak Stage of the Celestial Being Realm at such a young age?
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
After a long moment of contemplation, the Eldest Son still couldn't shake his unease. After a brief hesitation, he said, "Send for Elder An. Have him personally investigate this matter. And remember, bring the body back to me."
The delicate man paused, hesitating, "Young Master, Elder An's price is not cheap. Is it worth it for just Xu Sanyan? Moreover, the Prince..."
After all, Xu Sanyan was the son-in-law of Prince Rui. If he were killed, the Prince would surely investigate thoroughly upon his return, and they might be implicated...
These words were left unspoken, but the Eldest Son understood perfectly. He sprinkled the bone powder on the ground and clapped his hands,
"If Xu Sanyan truly is at the Peak Stage of the Celestial Being Realm, then it's worth it. A single spiritual herb is a small price to pay. As for the Prince... hmph, he won't be coming back."
"Yes," the delicate man replied, his heart tightening as he bowed and retreated.
The Eldest Son's eyes flickered as he lazily leaned back in his chair, gazing out the window at the sky. He murmured softly, "When will I be able to establish my foundation..."
With a light sigh, he stood up and headed towards the dungeon.
...
Xu Sanyan was completely unaware of all this. He was currently holding the Blood-Red Dagger, studying it intently.
He still hadn't figured out how the young man from the Fang Family had activated the blood mist that surrounded him.
Xu Sanyan had a feeling that this Heavenly Earth Treasure held another secret, one he had yet to uncover.
At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the door. Xu Sanyan's ears twitched, recognizing the sound as Yang Qiyuan's. He quickly wrapped the dagger and put it away.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Is my husband here?" Yang Qiyuan's soft voice called from outside.
"Come in."
Yang Qiyuan pushed the door open and entered. "Husband, if you have no plans today, why don't we return to the palace to see my mother?"
Xu Sanyan nodded. Since their marriage, he hadn't yet visited the Prince's palace. It would be good to go and see, and he had some questions to ask the Princess.
Speaking of which, he had always wondered why Yang Qiyuan's mother was the Princess, and not the Eldest Son's mother.
As they sat in the carriage, Xu Sanyan casually brought up the question. Yang Qiyuan explained in a low voice, "My eldest brother and third brother share the same mother, who passed away due to illness many years ago."
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. He hadn't realized they were actually brothers.
The two chatted idly, and by the time they reached the Prince's palace, Xu Sanyan had learned quite a bit about the inner workings of the palace.
Upon entering the palace, the Princess came out to greet them with a warm smile. Her voluptuous figure swayed slightly with each step, her ample bosom drawing attention.
Even with Xu Sanyan's vast experience, he couldn't help but steal a few glances each time he saw her.
The Princess turned to the servants behind her and instructed, "Quickly prepare the feast."
"Yes," the servants hurried off.
The Princess linked arms with Yang Qiyuan, and the two walked ahead like sisters, leaving Xu Sanyan to follow behind, watching their swaying hips.
At the dinner table, Xu Sanyan found an opportunity to ask, "Mother, when the Prince went on his campaign, I didn't see the Immortal Maiden accompanying him."
The Princess glanced back and said, "The Immortal Maiden did not follow. She stayed behind in the palace to protect our safety."
Xu Sanyan nodded in understanding. It seemed that the feeling of being watched yesterday was most likely from her.
With his current strength, the only person in Xiang City who could follow him unnoticed was probably her.
The mother and daughter chatted animatedly, and noticing Xu Sanyan's prolonged silence, Yang Qiyuan asked, "Husband, is something on your mind?"
Xu Sanyan shook his head, then suddenly remembered something and turned to the Princess. "Mother, do you know if there are any Precious Medicines in the palace?"
The Princess frowned in thought, then slowly nodded. "There are, but Precious Medicines and Spiritual Herbs are usually stored in the palace's inner treasury, guarded by specialists. Even I cannot enter without the Prince's permission."
Xu Sanyan's heart leapt with joy, and he couldn't help but ask, "Spiritual Herbs? What are those?"
Just by the name, they sounded like even more valuable treasures than Precious Medicines, perhaps something that could enhance his Vitality.
The Princess shook her head. "Spiritual Herbs are extremely rare. It's said that even immortals find them useful. Although I am the Princess, I am still just a mortal woman. There are some things I don't fully understand."
Xu Sanyan nodded in understanding, while silently plotting how to get his hands on them.
The Princess mentioned that there were specialists guarding the treasury, most likely the Immortal Cultivator who stayed behind. He just didn't know her cultivation level.
If she was only at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment, then there might still be a chance...
Once he obtained more Precious Medicines and raised his cultivation to the Peak Stage of the Celestial Being Realm, he might even have a chance against a Foundation Establishment expert.
His only concern was the strange techniques of Immortal Cultivators.
After Foundation Establishment, Inner Qi transformed into magical power, greatly enhancing one's strength. Many of their techniques were bizarre and unpredictable, making them difficult to defend against.
If only he could find a way to determine the Immortal Cultivator's cultivation level and techniques.
After a moment of thought, Xu Sanyan said to the Princess, "Mother, could you introduce me to the Immortal Maiden?"
The Princess hesitated, then put down her chopsticks and sighed softly. "I'm afraid not. Before the Prince left, he specifically instructed that no one should disturb the Celestial Immortal's cultivation."
Xu Sanyan nodded regretfully. It seemed he would have to find another way.
He wasn't willing to give up on the palace's inner treasury. There must be many treasures inside, and if he could obtain them, breaking through to Foundation Establishment would surely be within reach.
...
The two spent the entire day in the palace, only leaving as the sky began to darken.
Yang Qiyuan clutched the hem of her clothes, her expression distant, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.
Xu Sanyan naturally noticed and chuckled softly. "If you have something to say, just say it. There's nothing you can't tell me."
Yang Qiyuan spoke softly, "Husband, do you want to enter the inner treasury?"
(End of the Chapter)
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