Can't remember?"
Zhou Chen's eyes, hazed by alcohol, instantly cleared as he murmured, "Is it…
someone used memory interference techniques on the Third Young Master?"
That Marquis Wucheng is a loyal member of the Royalist Faction, and he has always been at odds with the Prime Minister.
With this incident, any instigation would surely intensify the conflict.
However, no sooner had he spoken than Zhou Chen turned his head sharply to look at Sizi Yu, his gaze both strange and astonished:
"That's not right, didn't you just say you were in charge of the Third Young Master's security at that time?
He may not remember, but how could you, a Great Grandmaster, also not remember?"
"…."
The bleak wind swept across the sky, making their robes flap noisily.
Sizi Yu calmly met Zhou Chen's gaze for two seconds before gently shaking his head:
"Right, I can't remember either."
"Someone from the Primordial Realm?"
"Not sure.
It's said that the Prime Minister has had the Shadow Guards investigating for over a year, but there's still no result."
Zhou Chen fell silent for a long time before taking a big swig of the strong alcohol and exhaling deeply:
"Tsk, when it rains, it pours.
Luckily I was transferred to Jingjiang City to protect the Third Young Master…."
"Don't forget the task the First Young Master entrusted us with," Sizi Yu reminded.
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Hearing this, Zhou Chen lazily ruffled his messy hair, waved his hand dismissively, and said casually:
"It's just teaching the Third Young Master cultivation, I know, don't worry…."
…..
In the main chamber of the attic, Xu Yuan breathed heavily.
Currently, all the various precious pieces of furniture in the room had been stripped clean by him.
Of course, except for the bed he woke up in.
After all, if he dismantled it, Xu Yuan would have to sleep on the floor.
But now, to be so exhausted from dismantling furniture, his strength probably didn't compare even to his family's Husky from his previous life.
This frail body hadn't undergone any significant change due to acquiring the Innate Constitution; it was still as weak as ever in the kidneys.
Cultivation and accumulating Origin Qi would indeed gradually improve and strengthen his physique, but Xu Yuan had just begun his practice, and this change was not yet noticeable.
Standing still, Xu Yuan took a couple of deep breaths before curling back onto the bed to meditate and regulate his breathing.
As the "Blood Yuan Heart Meteor Technique" started to operate, Xu Yuan's rapid breathing quickly steadied.
Now officially beginning his cultivation, Xu Yuan found many interesting things.
For example, a complete cultivation technique actually contains many different meridian circulation routes to suit different conditions.
There's one for healing injuries, another for cultivation, one for combat, and so on.
These routes complement each other, yet they are distinctly different.
Another example is that the strength of all cultivators can actually be divided into two stages.
The first stage is their normal state, or in other words, when cultivators are not operating their techniques.
In this stage, cultivators rely entirely on the hard power accumulated from past cultivation.
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Just like the scabbard strikes Ran Qingmo delivered earlier when taming the white tiger, Xu Yuan speculated that those were based on her past cultivation without any enhancement from her techniques.
The second stage is when the cultivator's body starts running their cultivation technique.
The operation of the technique can greatly enhance the cultivator's strength.
The specific extent of the enhancement increases continuously with the efficiency of the technique's operation.
Just like when he faced the whip of vines previously drawn by Xu Changge.
With the first two strikes, he only needed to mobilize some of his power to dodge, but for the third strike, he had to fully exert himself to handle it.
Moreover, Xu Yuan surmised that the type of cultivation technique would result in different amplification effects.
The stronger the cultivation technique, the stronger the amplification effect it would bring.
Since arriving in this world, Xu Yuan had practiced two cultivation techniques, which allowed him to make the comparison.
One was "Lotus Sword Art," taught to him by Ran Qingmo, and the other was the Blood Rank "Blood Yuan Heart Crumble Technique."
The amplification effects of the two were simply not on the same level.
With the boost from the Blood Yuan Heart Crumble Technique, Xu Yuan's stamina, reaction speed, and even strength had already subtly surpassed that of a normal person.
Of course,
the benefits of a cultivation technique were far more than that, including various technique moves that came along with it.
Just like Xu Yuan's blood-colored flames, just like Ran Qingmo's Ice Cloud Step.
The more Xu Yuan cultivated, the more he marveled at the cultivation system of this world.
As to why cultivators could not keep their cultivation techniques in operation all the time, maintaining their strongest combat power to prevent surprise attacks,
firstly, it's because meridians are quite delicate things, and aside from certain special constitutions, cultivators cannot operate their cultivation technique at full force for long periods, as continuous high-load operation would damage the meridians.
Secondly, the meridian pathways active during combat continuously consume the body's Origin Qi.
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Optimizing his body's condition, Xu Yuan took out two bottles of elixir medicine from his Sumeru Ring.
One bottle of Qingling Pill and one Humaí Pill; he took out one pill from each bottle and swallowed them down, then closed his eyes to enter the state of cultivation.
Two streams of medicinal power spread out within his body.
A thin layer of refined medicinal film also appeared on the inner walls of his meridians, and at the same time, Xu Yuan felt as if his will-spirit had been stimulated and become even more lucid.
The effects were so notable, it was no wonder these were divine medicines from the early stages in the "Cangyuan Chronicles" game that Xu Yuan had only ingested a few times.
Not wasting anymore time, Xu Yuan extended his will-spirit and immediately felt the surrounding Origin Qi, which had already condensed into a viscous liquid state.
A hint of surprise emerged in his heart.
He had never experienced such viscous Origin Qi, even in that cave with a spiritual spring.
The Xuanying Attic, as Xu Changge's means of transportation, was naturally covered with various formations, among them, naturally, was the Spirit Gathering Array that aided in cultivation.
The function of the Spirit Gathering Array included the effects of the Spirit Locking Formation, but they were used in very different places.
The Spirit Locking Formation was more concealed, preventing the leakage of Origin Qi in a space and was mostly used at places with spiritual springs or founts.
The Spirit Gathering Array, however, gathered the surrounding Origin Qi, mostly used in open terrain, and the fluctuations of gathered Origin Qi were easily detectable by others' will-spirits once established.
But even with a Spirit Gathering Array, this room should not have been able to produce such an effect with the liquid-state Origin Qi.
Xu Yuan silently pondered, and before starting his cultivation, he started searching through the liquid Origin Qi sea for the source of this Origin Qi.
He theorized that his brother's room must contain some treasure.
The talent of the Innate Soul Body manifested once again, and amidst the minute currents of Origin Qi, Xu Yuan ultimately located the source of the liquid-state Origin Qi.
Opening his eyes, Xu Yuan walked slowly to the center of the chamber.
After a moment's silence, he activated his cultivation technique, and blood-colored flames sprouted from his fist, followed by a punch hammering down to the floor.
"Bang!"
Wood chips flew through the air, and Xu Yuan was instantly propelled backward by a powerful rebound force.
"Thud!"
With a muffled sound, he crashed heavily against the wooden wall.
Xu Yuan felt dizzy, and even the cultivation technique operating within him was disrupted by the rebound force.
As Xu Yuan struggled to his feet and looked up again, he saw a white pearl about half a foot in diameter beneath the shattered floorboards!
///31///
The Original Body's Evil The white bead seemed to be made of jade or glass; it lay quietly in a groove beneath the shattered wooden floor.
After a moment of contemplation, Xu Yuan locked onto the name of the bead from the extensive list of rare treasures in the Cangyuan Chronicles, based on its effect and appearance.
Source Crystal.
Akin to a spirit stone in the world of immortal cultivation…
oh no, compared to spirit stones, Source Crystals were more like the condensed essence of spirit sources from the traditional world of immortal cultivation.
It was considered a treasure superior to the pool of Spiritual Liquid within Xu Yuan's Sumeru Ring.
But the current issue wasn't this; the question was, why would such a high-level treasure be found in Xu Changge's floating palace?
The scarcity of Source Crystals was not inferior to the Lifebound Snake Heart Lotus produced by the Seven Life Mang, and unlike the special effects of the Snakeheart Lotus, Source Crystals were genuinely capable of continuously improving the speed of cultivation, truly invaluable and priceless.
With this thought, a previous image of Xu Changge wearing a purple-black ring on his left hand flashed through Xu Yuan's mind.
Why would he…
leave such a treasure here in the Xuanying Attic?
Silently standing up, Xu Yuan re-activated his cultivation technique, which had been disrupted by the rebounding force, and walked towards the broken wooden boards.
Approaching the Source Crystal, Xu Yuan stared at it for a long while, then leaned down, reaching out to try and take it.
However, about a foot away from the Source Crystal, an invisible force like a magnet from his previous life gently pushed his hand away.
Xu Yuan frowned, infused Origin Qi into the Sumeru Ring, while his will-spirit reached out, attempting to telekinetically snatch the item with the ring.
But the same repelling force also pushed his will-spirit away.
"…." Xu Yuan.
This must have been why he was propelled away earlier.
But what was this repelling force?
A Formation protecting this Source Crystal?
As the thought crossed his mind, Xu Yuan's frown deepened.
He mobilized his cultivation technique with all his strength, directing all the Origin Qi in his body into his left hand, resisting that invisible repelling force and once again reaching down.
The palm pressed down bit by bit, but after only compressing about two centimeters, Xu Yuan felt that the little Origin Qi left in his body was almost depleted.
"Buzz—"
His left hand was deflected, and the powerful force made Xu Yuan, who was half-kneeling on the ground, stagger and end up sitting on the floor.
Xu Yuan silently gazed at the Source Crystal in the groove for several breaths, then stood up, patted his robe, and chuckled as he sat back on the bed.
Xu Changge, knowing that he had an Innate Soul Body and could sense this thing, still left this treasure under his watchful eye.
Moreover, the Formation that guarded the Source Crystal was so simplistic that with his current Innate Constitution and dedicated cultivation, he had every chance to break the Formation and take the treasure.
Heh—
So, was his elder brother indirectly gifting him this treasure?
…
During the flight to Jingjiang City aboard the Xuanying, aside from the two to three hours that Xu Yuan needed to sleep each day, he devoted all his time to cultivation.
The tediousness of constantly running his cultivation technique day and night was boring, but the visible accumulation of Origin Qi in his body provided positive feedback that completely diluted the monotony.
The various limitations for beginners in cultivation were non-existent under the powerful enhance brought by "whaling."
The ancients indeed did not deceive me,
Often, the reason for not being strong enough is simply not spending enough.
All sorts of precious elixirs were consumed, not only boosting his cultivation speed but also ensuring he could cultivate for long periods without harming his meridians.
Cultivation knows no years.
The Dayan Empire was vast, with each province spanning tens of thousands of miles, but the Xuanying flew extremely fast and almost never needed to rest.
Unaware of how many days had passed, a majestic and gigantic city had already come into view on the horizon….
…
…
With a long cry from the Xuanying,
Xu Yuan, who sat cross-legged at the head of the bed, slowly opened his eyes and looked down at his hands with some confusion.
Just now, as he was cultivating and absorbing Origin Qi, he felt as if something inside him had been pierced through.
It broke with a "snap", clean and neat.
A very strange sensation.
After a little thought, Xu Yuan roughly speculated that this must be a sign of breaking through some kind of bottleneck.
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However, since Ran Qingmo only taught him the basics of cultivation, he could not determine what realm he had achieved after breaking through that bottleneck.
After all, it would be absurd if the realm system of this world was also divided according to the numerical levels in the Cangyuan Chronicles, right?
Collecting his thoughts, these were not real concerns; he could simply ask someone and get the answers rather than wasting time pondering here.
With that, Xu Yuan once again turned his gaze to the large hole on the floor.
Now that the bottleneck was broken, it was possible to try retrieving the Source Crystal.
Thinking this, Xu Yuan got out of bed and walked to the groove, squatting down in front of it.
Gazing at the Source Crystal that looked like both jade and glaze, Xu Yuan took a deep breath, and his cultivation technique began to circulate….
"Thump, thump, thump—"
Just then, someone knocked on the door, and Ying'er's slightly hoarse voice came through:
"Third Young Master…."
"Scram!"
Without a second thought, Xu Yuan bluntly responded with a single word.
Ever since Ying'er had exuded killing intent towards him, Xu Yuan had always treated her with this attitude.
Bringing tonics?
Won't eat them, scram!
Delivering a message from Xu Changge?
Won't listen, scram!
As Xu Yuan slowly flipped through the original host's memories, he fully understood the original's behavior patterns.
This was a character fraught with extreme arrogance and pride, yet also ingrained with a deep sense of inferiority.
He could lash out and beat someone half to death on the street for merely overhearing them say with a jest, "Look, there goes the Third Young Master of the Prime Minister's Mansion, heh~".
In the memories,
Sometimes, Xu Changtian didn't want to be like this, but sadly, under the shadow of his brothers' accumulated years, his personality had long since become twisted.
What he struggled to achieve with all his might was only a trivial matter to his two brothers.
Compared to his brothers, who were like true dragons among men, the original was just an ordinary person, and even among the ordinary, he was below average.
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Everyone's expectations, their disappointment, and then, their ridicule.
If it were just that, years of inferiority might only have created an introverted child.
But the original had prematurely tasted the flavor of power that came with his father's status as Prime Minister.
It all started when he was ten years old, during a conflict in the academy.
In the academy, other children and adolescents enjoyed making sarcastic comparisons between him and his two brothers.
After enduring this for years, he finally quarreled with those individuals.
That day, after the morning classes had ended, he got into a physical altercation with other youths.
Because the other side had more people and had started learning martial arts early, the ten-year-old original was ridiculed and pinned down, his head stepped on as he was beaten mercilessly.
Crouching in the middle of the crowd, embracing his head, despair set in as pain came from all directions.
After the beating, those children and adolescents even boasted, "Act tough again, and every time we see you, we'll beat you," before leaving with laughter.
Once back at the Prime Minister's Mansion, the original retreated into his room.
He was scared…
Scared of going to the academy, afraid of falling back into that same despair.
At dusk, amidst his groggy slumber, the old butler suddenly knocked on his door, informing him that people from the academy were outside looking for him.
This news instantly dispelled all of the original's sleepiness.
Fear and unease seized his entire being, and he refused to go outside no matter what.
However, the old butler didn't give up.
After patiently persuading him, the original tremblingly made his way to the main gate.
Under the fading sunlight on the street,
the original saw,
not the devils who had beaten him during the day.
Instead,
it was a row of quails kneeling on the ground, shivering in fear.
The very aggressors who had been ferocious and threatened further violence earlier that day, along with their parents, were now kneeling in front of the Prime Minister's Mansion like a flock of quails awaiting slaughter.
At that moment,
with the setting sun of the Imperial Capital sinking below the horizon,
the evil within Xu Changtian's heart,
began to grow and spread…..
"Snap—"
With these thoughts, Xu Yuan had already overcome the enormous repulsive force and grasped the Source Crystal in the groove, his elongated eyes betraying a hint of complexity….
///32//
Squeak—"
Lost in thought, Xu Yuan watched as the door was pushed open from the outside.
Crouching on the ground, he immediately glanced sideways and met Ying'er's silent gaze.
Her tone was neutral,
"Third Young Master, we have arrived at Jingjiang City."
"….."
Ying'er still wore the slightly provocative uniform of a Shadow Guard.
But her act of entering without permission left Xu Yuan silent.
They looked at each other without a word…
Oh no, after giving Xu Yuan a glance, the woman's attention was immediately drawn to the Source Crystal he held in his palm.
She silently observed it for two seconds, then turned and silently walked away.
"Clatter—"
The wooden door gently closed, and the room fell into a quietude as if Ying'er had never been there.
Xu Yuan silently watched this scene for a long while, eventually letting out a wry chuckle.
The strong always have their pride, no matter the world.
If they look down on you, they do, and there's nothing you can do about it.
To those vassals and Guest Elders, he, Xu Yuan, was indeed the Third Young Master—but only by virtue of his father and his elder brother's standing.
Without his father and elder brother, Xu Yuan was nothing.
Respect is something that can be given to you, but only superficially.
If you don't want even the superficial gesture, then it won't be offered at all.
They rely on strength to make their living, not on flattery.
If it were the original self, perhaps he would be seething with inferiority and sensitivity by now, but to Xu Yuan, it did not matter.
Respect from others is won by oneself.
In this world where extraordinary martial strength is valued, once Xu Yuan's own power grew, the attitudes of those Guest Elders and vassals would naturally change.
Why get angry over trivial matters?
However, the look Ying'er gave him before she left made one thing clear to Xu Yuan.
This Source Crystal was indeed a test left for him by his elder brother.
If you can obtain it before arriving at Jingjiang City, then it is yours to keep.
If you can't, Ying'er would surely come and take you away.
Ha~
Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan placed the Source Crystal into the Sumeru Ring, stood up, and once again started to dismantle the room.
Though he wasn't angry, the act still had to be performed.
After taking apart the furniture in Xu Changge's chamber, including the bed, Xu Yuan stopped his destruction.
This time, after finishing his demolition, Xu Yuan wasn't as tired; his physical strength must be considerably greater than the family's Husky from his previous life.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan stood up, walked over to the window, and pushed open the tightly shut wooden frame.
As the room where Xu Changge lived, the chamber was equipped with a Formation that shielded from will-spirit perception.
But it required all doors and windows to be closed to form a complete seal.
To avoid Ying'er's surveillance, Xu Yuan had never opened the window in these past days.
Once he pushed it open,
The scene before him caused Xu Yuan's dark pupils to contract sharply!
The view was breathtakingly grand.
The sky was a deep blue, vast and boundless,
Amidst the cries of hawks and chirping of birds, dozens, even hundreds of flying Demonic Beasts of varying sizes screeched as they soared in the sky,
Looking downward,
A majestic city comparable in size to a first-tier city of his former world came into view!
He could see the city's landscape at a glance; streets and buildings densely packed together, rings looping within rings, wide thoroughfares brimming with people that extended to the far ends of his sight.
"…." Xu Yuan.
This…
Is this the Jingjiang City from the Cangyuan Chronicles that could be traversed in just a few map screens?
As they gradually approached, the giant Winged Dragon below had already lowered its altitude.
"Hum—"
As the Winged Dragon soared over the city wall, twenty zhang high, Xu Yuan faintly sensed some kind of fluctuation.
They seemed to have passed through some kind of invisible barrier.
"This is…."
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes, instinctively stretching out his will-spirit to probe.
Unfortunately, the Winged Dragon's speed was too fast, and his current range of will-spirit perception was exceedingly limited.
By the time he reached out, the Winged Dragon had already flown past the towering city walls.
Reluctantly retracting his will-spirit, he decided to take the opportunity to look into the matter at the city walls later.
Just as the thought occurred to him, Zhou Chen's voice suddenly came from the corners of the attic's flying eaves:
"The Third Young Master truly has an extraordinary talent, sensing the Spirit Testing Great Formation right at the Entry Level."
"….." Xu Yuan.
Clearly, his will-spirit had alerted the person above.
"Who?" Xu Yuan asked softly.
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Zhou Chen flipped himself off the attic, entered the chamber through the window, and bowed with a grin:
"Zhou Chen."
Xu Yuan looked at the scruffy appearance of the man before him, recognizing he was one of the people who had blasted open the cave dwelling at Xuantian Cliff earlier.
He was probably left behind by Xu Changge to protect him.
Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, then asked in a soft voice:
"What is this Spirit Testing Formation you just mentioned?"
Zhou Chen grinned and bowed again:
"It's only natural for Third Young Master, who has just entered the path of cultivation, not to know.
Demonic Beasts have wild natures and are difficult to tame, bringing them directly into the city could easily lead to them rampaging and hurting people.
"If a Demonic Beast wishes to enter the city, it must go through the Imperial Court's Strange Beast Division, or the nine-fold assessments of the major Sects.
Once it passes all the assessments, a special mark will be imprinted within the body of the beast, and only with this mark can it enter the city."
"….."
A trace of astonishment flickered through Xu Yuan's eyes.
This world actually had such practices.
After a pause, Xu Yuan suddenly glanced sideways at the gigantic city below, his tone taking on a touch of strangeness:
"Does the entirety of Jingjiang City have it?"
Zhou Chen nodded slightly, as if it were a matter of course:
"Of course."
At that, a hint of astonishment flickered in Xu Yuan's eyes.
Did this world actually have such a vast Formation?
At the same time, many questions surged in his mind.
How was this massive Formation set up?
And from where did the energy to sustain the Formation come?
As his thoughts flickered without an answer, Xu Yuan restrained himself.
After a moment, he looked at Zhou Chen and asked:
"Then…
what if one were to forcibly enter the city without a mark?"
Zhou Chen raised his hand to touch his scruffy chin, then grinned meaningfully:
"There are other protective Formations within the city."
Xu Yuan frowned: "Other Formations?"
Zhou Chen did not immediately reply this time; instead, he looked up into the sky, as if searching for something.
A moment later, he suddenly grinned:
अगर सोने से पहले 1 चम्मच पिएं, तो हफ्ते में 7 किलो वजन घटेगा।
आसनसोल: महिला ने खोज निकाला मधुमेह से बचने का आसान घरेलु तरीका
"Third Young Master, please wait."
Having said that, his figure disappeared in front of Xu Yuan in an instant.
With Origin Qi filling his sight, Xu Yuan looked out the window, but to no avail.
The bodyguards left to him by Xu Changge were all too fast.
About ten seconds after Zhou Chen's disappearance,
Xu Yuan suddenly saw,
a Demonic Beast resembling a Winged Dragon plummeting rapidly from high above!
As Xu Yuan watched with narrowed eyes, Zhou Chen's voice lightly came from behind him again:
"Third Young Master, have a look for yourself."
"…." Xu Yuan.
The way these powerful figures suddenly vanished and then appeared was as unexpected as a ghost.
With a slight nod, Xu Yuan continued to stare unblinkingly at the falling Winged Dragon with a broken wing.
As the Winged Dragon fell from the sky and entered the range of the Spirit Testing Great Formation, its innate sense of danger caused the ten-foot-long dragon to frantically flap its wings.
But to no avail, as one of its wings had been snapped by Zhou Chen, and it continued to plummet powerlessly downward.
When it fell to a certain height, a white rainbow light materialized in the expanse above the city and shot out in a flash!
Silently,
the Winged Dragon was instantly reduced to dust, leaving nothing behind.
"Third Young Master, that is the fate that befalls a Demonic Beast without a mark, yet still attempts to forcefully breach the inner city."
Xu Yuan glanced at him:
"Hmm…
Although it's quite visual, couldn't you just have explained it with words?"
"….." Zhou Chen.
With a light cough to mask his embarrassment, Zhou Chen continued:
"Ahem, yes…
Additionally, this Formation can defend not only against Demonic Beasts, but it's equally capable of deterring people."
Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked:
"Is this Formation effective against you as well?"
Zhou Chen grinned and shook his head:
"Too slow, it couldn't hit me, and its power is a bit weak."
After a pause, Zhou Chen sighed and added:
"Of course, these two Formations are just the ones ready at all times.
There are many grand Formations in the city that are normally not activated.
If activated, even I wouldn't be able to get out alive."
Xu Yuan remained silent.
The automation of this world made him feel a sense of bewildering strangeness.
Zhou Chen patted Xu Yuan's arm affably and said:
"Third Young Master, if the city didn't have these Formations, the world would have been in chaos long ago."
///33///
Demonic Beast Industry During their conversation, the mystic eagle had descended to a mere two hundred meters above the ground.
Its wingspan of more than twenty zhang, nearly thirty, immediately caused a commotion on the ground, and the huge beast's low-altitude flight even prompted many to panic and hide inside buildings.
"Damn it, what is that thing?
Quick…
go call the City Defense Office!
A demonic beast…
there's a demonic beast coming!"
"Don't panic, there's a pavilion on the back of that eagle!"
"Is this also a tamed demonic beast?!"
"Aren't flying demonic beasts supposed to land at the jurisdiction of the Strange Beast Office?
Causing disturbance in the market is a grave offense!"
"Move!
Move!!!
My Earth Dragon Turtle is spooked, move!!"
"Ah!
Ah!!
No!!!!"
"Wow——"
Accidents always happen so suddenly.
Accompanied by the chatter and curses, along with children's cries, a giant turtle three to four zhang long on the wide street suddenly panicked and rammed directly into the market area on the main street!
Bricks, tiles, and dust rose into the air amid instant cries of distress!
"…."
Below, the commotion immediately made Xu Yuan subconsciously look down through the wooden window.
After quietly observing for two seconds, he retracted his gaze and looked at Zhou Chen beside him with a hint of inquiry.
He didn't understand why they had to deliberately glide down at such a low altitude.
Zhou Chen understood the meaning in Xu Yuan's eyes and explained with an unconcerned smile:
"Third Young Master, the Strange Beast Office stipulates that the flight altitude of civilian flying demonic beasts within the urban area must not be lower than sixty zhang.
Our mystic eagle is at least seventy zhang from the ground now, so this is entirely the Earth Dragon Turtle's own problem."
With that said, Zhou Chen let out a self-mocking laugh:
"The mystic eagle didn't actively release its aura, and yet the Earth Dragon Turtle panicked and lost control.
Ha…
I suspect most of this batch of Earth Dragon Turtles bypassed proper channels and passed the nine exams for demonic beasts at the Strange Beast Office.
If this were to be reported, I'm guessing someone's going to be in trouble~"
Hearing the explanation, Xu Yuan roughly understood the reason and retracted his gaze without further comment.
With the speed of the mystic eagle's glide, the scene of the accident quickly disappeared from sight.
And indeed, no further incidents of demonic beasts startling and injuring people occurred from that point on.
Xu Yuan's gaze continuously swept over the layout of the city below.
The streets branched in every direction, and aside from some crowded market areas, most of the city streets were similar to those from ancient times in Xu Yuan's memory, but more spacious, with enough room for three to four carriages to travel abreast in the central area of the street.
But Xu Yuan glanced over these streets.
What caught his attention was the giant official road below that divided the city area almost in half.
This official road was twice as wide as any road from his previous life.
And instead of regular carriages, there were various kinds of demonic beasts running swiftly.
From above the mystic eagle, looking down from a high position, Xu Yuan even spotted high-rise and tunnel road designs in the distance.
Xu Yuan subconsciously found himself surprised by the construction of these roads, as well as the weight that the roads must bear in the moment when those huge demonic beasts trod upon them.
But as soon as this thought crossed his mind, Xu Yuan shook his head lightly.
His mind hadn't quite caught up.
The material strength of his previous world probably couldn't compare to this one.
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The material strength of the sword that Ran Qingmo had been holding earlier would probably be enough to build a Gundam in his previous world.
Not to mention, this world also had formations to reinforce things.
With this in mind, Xu Yuan focused his attention on the various giant beasts galloping on that huge official road.
Memories from his original self continuously flipped through his mind, but they were only vague.
After a pause, Xu Yuan turned his head and asked:
"Mr.
Zhou, what are the nine exams for demonic beasts you mentioned earlier?"
"That…,"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen also glanced at the official road below, pondered his words for a moment, and said:
"To put it simply, it is a legal system established for the sects and commerce assemblies that sell demonic beasts."
"…" Xu Yuan remained silent, his gaze fixed on Zhou Chen.
Seeing this, Zhou Chen understood that the Third Young Master wanted him to elaborate, so he smacked his lips and sighed helplessly.
As an expert, Zhou Chen was not aloof; on the contrary, he was quite talkative.
He was quite willing to chat when there was someone to talk to.
After sighing, Zhou Chen methodically explained the nine levels of Demonic Beast training examinations to Xu Yuan, and by the end, he didn't even need Xu Yuan to ask questions; he had spouted all the related matters in one breath.
When the other party had finished speaking, Xu Yuan silently organized this brand-new information in his mind.
Demonic Beasts….
When human resources are lacking, Demonic Beasts fill the gaps.
In this world, from ancient times to the present, the domestication of Demonic Beasts has never ceased.
From the simplest method of subjugation with fists to the more systematic taming techniques developed later on.
The lifespan, strength, endurance of Demonic Beasts, and the flying abilities of some, make them particularly suited to becoming "tools" for humans.
As a result, even with numerous difficulties, the domestication of Demonic Beasts continued, and these creatures gradually integrated into the lives of ordinary people.
Means of transportation, freight tools, messaging devices, and even behemoths trained specifically for the battlefield….
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A completely diverged new technology tree.
With these thoughts, Xu Yuan shook his head slightly.
It was not exactly correct to say that; perhaps for this world endowed with qi, this technology tree was only natural.
But no matter how much the art of taming beasts advanced, just like the fully obedient mechanical beasts of the past world that could malfunction, sentient Demonic Beasts naturally carried similar risks.
The vigilant responses to natural predators, the violent tendencies when hungry, and the dominance of higher-ranking bloodlines within their species could all trigger a trained Demonic Beast to go berserk.
The Dayan Empire's Strange Beast Office summarized all the experiences from the past world and established the nine-tiered examination system for civilian-use Demonic Beasts to ensure to the greatest extent possible that the creatures wouldn't rampage and harm people.
Moreover, Zhou Chen mentioned military-use Demonic Beasts.
And where there are civilian uses, naturally, there are military ones.
The examinations and checks for military-use Demonic Beasts are even more stringent, with as many as seventeen steps.
Having roughly sorted out all the known information regarding Demonic Beasts, Xu Yuan took a long breath and turned with a smile, saying,
"I didn't know before, but now that I've heard you talk about it, these Demonic Beasts are indeed quite interesting."
Zhou Chen also chuckled lowly, saying:
"If the Third Young Master is truly interested, you might want to visit the branch of the Tian'an Commerce Assembly in Jingjiang City."
Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
The Tian'an Commerce Assembly was a huge commercial enterprise with branches throughout the Dayan Empire and played nearly the role of a system shop in the "Cangyuan Chronicles," with a branch in every map.
As long as you have enough money, you can buy whatever materials and Elixir Medicine you need from them.
"Tian'an Commerce Assembly?"
Zhou Chen grinned and said:
"Yes, they have many rare Demonic Beasts.
Now that you have cultivated strength, you might consider picking out a couple to see."
"Pick out?" Xu Yuan found Zhou Chen's choice of words slightly odd.
Zhou Chen looked at Xu Yuan somewhat surprised, and said softly:
"Third Young Master, don't you know?"
"Know what?"
"The Tian'an Commerce Assembly is a business of the Prime Minister's Mansion."
"..."
Xu Yuan's mind went blank.
At this moment,
he finally understood what kind of Prime Minister his cheap old dad was.
///34///
Zuixian Pavilion Night,
A full moon hung in the sky, solitary and bright.
Zuixian Pavilion.
The bustling wine hall was filled with the sound of laughter and cheerful voices as girls with long sleeves danced gracefully on stage, and a group of scantily clad beauties roamed the hall.
Suddenly,
"Bang!!"
A violent crash from a wooden table silenced the boisterous wine hall in an eerie hush.
Then everyone heard,
"Absurd…
Absurd!
Xu Changge goes to Ancient Abyss, kills a mere snake demon and Crown Prince welcomes him into the Capital with a state ceremony!"
A scholar dressed in a Confucian robe fiercely slapped the table and stood up, his face slightly flushed, he muttered in a low voice.
As soon as the words were spoken, the great hall fell silent once more.
Almost everyone turned to look at him.
His companion's eyelids twitched.
He quickly pulled at the scholar's robe and said loudly,
"Ah, Brother Li, you're drunk, talking nonsense."
While saying that, the companion awkwardly bowed to the people below,
"Sorry, sorry, just drunken words, drunken words.
Sorry to disturb everyone's enjoyment.
Please, keep drinking, keep drinking."
Seeing this, the patrons in the hall also laughed it off in agreement, continuing with their drinking and song listening.
But at that moment,
The scholar, thinking he was no longer the center of attention and spurred by the alcohol, waved his robes fiercely, shaking off his companion's hand, his face showing a pained and urgent expression as he shouted,
"I am not drunk!
His Majesty has been in the Imperial Palace with no news for long, and now that the Crown Prince has left the city, it must be the Prime Minister's party making a show of power for his eldest son!"
As soon as he finished, the lively Zuixian Pavilion fell silent, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Seeing no one questioning, the feeling of being the center of attention made the scholar slightly heady.
He took a deep breath and continued to speak up loudly,
"Our Great Yan has reigned for over one thousand three hundred years.
Xu Yinhè, who holds the office of the Prime Minister should have been a role model for scholars like us.
But now his wild ambitions are evident!
Not to mention him forming cliques for personal gain, there are rumors that he has already amassed a private army.
Yet, the high officials of the Imperial Court are nothing but sycophants only concerned with their own survival!
"…And Xu Changtian, the Third Young Master, is worse than an animal, abducting women from the common folks, wantonly exploiting the people…."
The scholar spoke loudly against the current Prime Minister, completely unaware that the complexion of his tablemates seated beside him had gradually darkened, with a few even having quietly distanced themselves from the fervently speaking scholar.
Is there a problem with criticizing the Prime Minister and high officials?
Of course not.
Isn't that what scholars do?
Who else to criticize if not them?
At every private gathering, they had to rant at least once.
No ranting, no joy.
But, dammit,
can't you just rant at our private gatherings, for god's sake!?
Who says no one has criticized that Prime Minister?
No one has criticized,
What about those heads piled up at the Capital City's vegetable market?
What about those warriors who were sent to the borders in the north and the south to defend against monsters and Barbarian Tribes?
"…"
After his outburst, the scholar let out a long breath, seemingly addicted to ranting, he was about to start the second half when a voice suddenly came from a corner of the hall,
"An unknown scholar slandering an important official of the Imperial Court, do you really think Jingjiang City lacks a Secret Investigation Department?"
The young scholar, faced with opposition, replied self-righteously,
"So what if the Secret Investigation Department comes!?
What I have said is the true speech that others dare not utter!!"
"So what?
Heh, should we inform them to see this bold speaker who dares to speak what others do not?"
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"….."
The young scholar was stunned, his mouth opened to retort, but then he cautiously glanced around, only to meet mocking and derisive eyes.
Half sober now, his face twitched slightly, turning purple then red, and in the end, he sat down, disregarding his image.
Seeing this scene,
everyone burst into laughter once again.
Zuixian Pavilion returned to its lively state, the whole place filled with a joyful atmosphere….
…
Perched at the top floor, Xu Yuan silently observed everything unfolding below.
In any era, in any world, those with money or power have experiences unlike those of common people.
The interior structure of Zuixian Pavilion was a hollow, towering well-like building, with the extravagance of consumption increasing from the lower to the higher floors.
The ground floor was one grade, where nearly two hundred people crowded together in the Hook Bar to listen to music, seeking visual delight.
The second to fourth floors were of a different grade, offering a more spacious and relatively tranquil environment, ideal for inviting a couple of friends over, and notifying the madam to call a few girls to join in drinking and merry-making.
The fifth to eighth floors were private niches, where more refined activities like listening to music and playing flutes were carried out.
The ninth to twelfth floors were designated for private rooms, specially prepared for guests staying overnight.
Each private room featured courtesans with their own distinguished pseudonyms.
And the thirteenth floor, the very top, was reserved for suites.
Just this one.
Once booked, the entire floor became your personal space.
You could summon any of the girls from Zuixian Pavilion, and the maids on the top floor were all selectively chosen by the madam for their delicate beauty, each one exceptional in looks and figure.
As a professional libertine, Xu Yuan naturally came to the familiar Zuixian Pavilion upon his return to Jingjiang City and took the very top floor for himself.
However, he hadn't expected to stumble upon such an entertaining scene here.
As for being cursed himself, he didn't care one bit.
You're cursing Xu Changtian, what has that got to do with me, Xu Yuan?
What did merit attention was the speed at which news traveled in the Dayan Empire.
Zhou Chen had just informed him that his older brother arrived in the Imperial Capital that morning, and by evening the news had already spread among the scholars and dandies in Jingjiang City.
But when he thought about it, it made sense; one province in the Dayan Empire could span tens of thousands of miles.
If the empire couldn't ensure fast communication, it would have likely fallen apart long ago.
While pondering these matters, Xu Yuan was caught off guard when someone suddenly patted his shoulder.
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A drunken voice came from behind him:
"Third Young Master, still standing here?"
It was Zhou Chen.
As his bodyguard and teacher, Zhou Chen naturally followed Xu Yuan to the Zuixian Pavilion, indulging in food and drink.
Even more familiar with such a refined place than the original host, he had entered a room wrapped around two maids as soon as they reached the top floor.
Xu Yuan, with deliberate slowness, glanced sideways at the rugged expert and let out a light chuckle:
"Hmm, all done already, so fast?"
"…" Zhou Chen.
Zhou Chen's slightly tipsy face showed a touch of embarrassment as he coughed softly:
"No, don't jump to conclusions—I'm not prone to lust.
It's just a requirement of my cultivation technique.
Being quick is expected."
After a pause, he took a swig from the gourd in his hand, casually shooting Xu Yuan a glance:
"Third Young Master, aren't you going to indulge a bit here?"
"Heh~"
Xu Yuan met his gaze calmly and chuckled softly:
"Mr.
Zhou, can't you tell the condition of my body?
"It's only after practicing cultivation that I realized how severely depleted my body is from the previous indulgence.
If I keep going like this…
Heh, anyway, I'll refrain for now.
If I have any issues with cultivation, I'll seek you out.
Mr.
Zhou, please feel free to enjoy yourself."
Having said that, Xu Yuan gave a glance to the curvaceous young ladies standing aside, silently reciting to himself 'wine and lust shall not harm my health,' then turned and walked away.
Zhou Chen watched as Third Young Master's figure departed, leaning against the rail with a wine pot in hand, shaking his head, then went back to pick two more girls from among the maids, took one in each arm, and while heading back to his room, he sighed and muttered:
"Tsk, I thought Third Young Master was a kindred spirit…"
Before he could finish,
Xu Yuan's voice, laced with amusement, drifted from afar:
"Mr.
Zhou, I have no desire to be a 'kindred spirit' with you."
Zhou Chen was startled, then turned and grinned at Xu Yuan's retreating back:
"Heh, in the end, you're still a kindred spirit."
///35///
He passed through several inner rooms and arrived at the top floor by the riverside window.
Draped in a white mink fur robe, Xu Yuan stood by the window on the top floor of Zuixian Pavilion, gazing down at the night-time bustle of the southwestern stronghold.
Zuixian Pavilion was considered the tallest building in the northern part of the city, from where one could overlook the fireworks and festivities over a good half of Jingjiang City.
The city's nightlife was vibrant, and although this world had no street lights, both sides of the streets were lined with small Bright Pattern Lamps carved by the official government.
Looking down, Zuixian Pavilion towered by the banks of the Jinhuai River.
The winter days in this land of waterways still carried a damp, chilly air; commoners bustled about, hawkers shouted their wares, and elaborately decorated pleasure boats drifted gently along the Jinhuai River at night.
Underneath Zuixian Pavilion, dolled-up parlor attendants continued to draw the gazes of men passing by.
Zuixian Pavilion, along with Xiao Xiang Pavilion in the south of the city, could rival the official Jiaofang Division in terms of prestigious pleasure grounds; naturally, they each had their unique appeal, considering most people involved with the Jiaofang Division held status.
Beyond their looks, their clothing and manner were perfectly designed to be enticing.
Suppressing some restlessness in his heart, Xu Yuan took a deep breath and turned around to return to his bed and sit cross-legged.
If his body was not in good shape, he had to discipline himself, abstain from alcohol and lust.
Thanks to over half a week of cultivation and conditioning at Xuanying Attic, Xu Yuan's once profligate body had become much healthier, though some things still required gradual nursing back to health.
The original owner would pop pills in the Hook Bar without a second thought, consuming third-rate little pellets bought by his lackeys.
Xu Yuan wasn't sure about the potency of the drugs, but their side effects were seriously bad; taking them daily had given his organs a slew of hidden illnesses.
Every time he recalled this, Xu Yuan felt that the previous owner's brain didn't function well—it's no wonder that he was manipulated by those who controlled the plot and became a target for the protagonists' scorn.
If he wanted to pop pills, he could've just asked his elder brother for them, even if it meant getting beaten, right?
He wouldn't refuse to give them.
His organs were already overloaded, and if it weren't for his family's solid foundation and the supply of rich Elixir Medicines, Xu Yuan reckoned he'd be lying in a coffin, waiting to be buried.
But now most of those lackeys were pretty much dead.
Ever since he was abducted by that Big Ice Lump, Xu Changge personally came to Jingjiang City, and almost all of the lackeys around the original owner were killed by him.
One couldn't kill a younger brother, but there was no hesitation in Xu Changge's slaughter of the incompetent lackeys surrounding him.
Xu Yuan offered no comment on Xu Changge's methods, especially since they had swindled the original person into stealing many antiques and paintings from the family at low prices, most of which likely ended up in the lackeys' hands.
Regardless, Xu Changge's actions indeed created a problem for Xu Yuan now.
According to the timeline of the plot,
the protagonist should have already left the "Burial Village" on the outskirts of Dayan and was close to arriving in Jingjiang City.
Yet now, when he wanted to take preemptive action, he didn't even have a single person he could use.
Most fundamentally, he couldn't even find the protagonist amidst the vastness of Jingjiang City.
The lackeys were lackeys, but they could take care of all kinds of dirty work efficiently just on his command.
No matter how debauched the original owner was, the identity of the Third Young Master of the Prime Minister would always bring people fawning over him, not to mention the original fool was quite generous.
High-ranking members of gangs in Jingjiang, young members of trade guilds, and even some from the City Defense Office were "close friends" of the original owner.
If those people hadn't run into trouble, finding someone in the vast Jingjiang City wouldn't have been an issue, but now they had all been slaughtered by Xu Changge.
And with those as a warning, who would dare to risk getting chopped by your brother just to fawn over you?
To have Ying'er or that Zhou Chen do it?
These two venerable figures…
Ha, Xu Yuan thought he might as well just wash up and go to sleep early—there's everything one could want in dreams.
Moreover, since leaving Xuanying Attic, Xu Yuan hadn't seen Ying'er again and now suspected she might be hiding somewhere spying on him.
With a thoughtful look in his eyes, he lightly tapped the edge of the wooden window and then let out a long sigh.
With no one around to help, it seemed he would have to rely on the newly replaced Protectors of the house to do the job; he just didn't know whether these new Protectors would listen to him, the Third Young Master….
…
After assigning the task, for the next twenty days, Xu Yuan had people set up a Spirit Locking Formation and then confined himself to the top floor of Zuixian Pavilion.
If he encountered a problem with his cultivation, he would seek out the great master Zhou, who was becoming increasingly emaciated due to alcohol and lust on that very top floor.
Zhou Chen's talkative nature made him a much better teacher than that Big Ice Lump Xing Ran, and Xu Yuan was able to resolve most of the problems he encountered.
Under the guidance of a renowned master and the aid of various elixirs, in less than a month, Xu Yuan's cultivation level naturally progressed into the ranks of Ninth Grade.
Just like his last breakthrough into the Entry Level, there was a "pop" sound, and the bottleneck within him was breached without any resistance.
Feeling the changes in the Origin Qi surging within his body, Xu Yuan opened his eyes with satisfaction and chuckled,
"This Innate Taoist Body breaks through as easily as eating and drinking…."
For those with decent natural talent, moving from never having cultivated to stepping into Ninth Grade averagely takes about a year, whereas he had entered Ninth Grade in less than a month!
He looked down at his hand, clenched into a fist; what used to be mere wisps of blood-colored Origin Qi could now envelop his entire fist.
Then, turning his fist into a palm, he watched the enchanting blood-colored Origin Qi whimsically alter its shape in the palm of his hand.
The fullness brought by the surging Qi made Xu Yuan involuntarily split into a grin.
This,
is this the feeling of power?
///36///
Thoughts flitted by as Xu Yuan silently shook his head.
Heh…
how adolescent.
Gathering these random thoughts, his will-spirit reached out and retracted the Source Crystal from the center of the Soul Locking Formation into the Sumeru Ring, after which Xu Yuan sat cross-legged to absorb all the liquid Origin Qi in the room before finally taking a long breath.
Always engrossed in cultivation, it had been over half a month since he arranged for those Protectors to gather information; it was about time he checked on their progress.
Besides seeking information on the main character of the plot, he had also tasked these Protectors with investigating whether the Hook Bars in Jingjiang City had recently groomed any new leading courtesans.
Thinking this, Xu Yuan called out loudly toward the door:
"Someone, go call Xue Yong here."
….
A quarter hour later,
"Knock, knock, knock—"
The top floor chamber of the Zuixian Pavilion was knocked upon.
"Enter."
Upon receiving permission, a young man dressed in black, with a handsome face and a serious expression, entered the room.
The young man looked around the room, his gaze resting on the long-haired man leisurely drinking tea in front of the tea tray.
The man's long black hair cascaded to the floor, and he did not look at the new arrival, continuing to pour and drink his tea on his own.
Seeing the Third Young Master's pose, a flash of amusement flitted across the eyes of the young man in black.
Rumors had it that the Third Young Master enjoyed imitating his elder brother's style, and now the young man saw firsthand that the reputation was well deserved, although it amounted to nothing more than a mere imitation, a dog trying to emulate his master.
Stepping forward, Xue Yong bowed slightly and greeted him with a fist wrapped in his palm, saying in a calm voice:
"Third Young Master, we have found the person you previously instructed us to investigate in secret."
Xu Yuan perked up an eyebrow, sipped the fragrant tea lightly, and asked in an unhurried tone:
"Which one?"
Originally, several Protectors of the Xu Residence were killed or reassigned by Xu Changge, and now these Protectors had been drawn from the ranks of his father's foster daughter, also known to outsiders as the Fourth Miss, ensuring his basic safety while traveling.
Although there were two great experts, Zhou Chen and Ying'er, to protect him openly and covertly, it couldn't be that they took care of everything, so naturally, he needed some capable Protectors to deal with those who did not know their place.
Xu Yuan had just utilized these people to inquire about both the protagonist and the whereabouts of a certain "Qing courtesan."
The young man in black replied quietly:
"It's the Qing courtesan you previously wanted to find."
Not the main character of the plot…
Xu Yuan was slightly disappointed, but finding that woman also made him quite satisfied, and he chuckled:
"Is that woman at the Xiao Xiang Pavilion in the southern part of the city?"
The young man shook his head:
"No, she's here in the Zuixian Pavilion, and tomorrow is her debut day."
Xu Yuan's fingers tightened around the porcelain cup for a moment, then he sighed.
Alright, another deviation from the plot he knew was occurring now.
In "Cangyuan Chronicles," there were many paths where his original self perished in the Wanxing Mountain Range, but there were also many where he was rescued by Xu Changtian.
After returning to Jingjiang City, there were indeed several methods of demise that befell his original self due to the "Qing courtesan" he now mentioned.
The reason was simple, jealousy and rivalry over the protagonist.
The conflicts escalated until, by a twist of fate, he was killed by the protagonist controlled by the player.
Yet, in "Cangyuan Chronicles," this woman was supposed to appear at the Xiao Xiang Pavilion in the south of the city; now she was unexpectedly at the Zuixian Pavilion in the north.
Over the past month, Xu Yuan had not gone to the Xiao Xiang Pavilion, where his original self frequented, staying instead in the Zuixian Pavilion in the north of the city—and the woman had followed him here.
It was as if…
she came specifically to provoke a conflict between him and the protagonist.
Of course, Xu Yuan knew that it couldn't be for such a simple reason.
It seemed that the "Qing courtesan," like Ji Qingyue, had taken an interest in him, the Third Young Master.
But now was not the time to delve into this matter.
Draining the last of his tea, Xu Yuan gazed thoughtfully at the young man in front of him and suddenly asked:
"How long has she been here?"
"Just over half a month," Xue Yong replied, his voice neutral.
"Over half a month?" Xu Yuan chuckled.
Hearing this reply, a hint of anger slowly rose within him.
It seemed that Xue Yong and his Protectors had utterly neglected the task he had assigned them.
Xu Yuan spent every day cultivating on the top floor of the Zuixian Pavilion, with these Protectors stationed at the key entrances and exits to the top floor.
Staying within the Zuixian Pavilion, even a casual inquiry to the elderly madam of the Pavilion would suffice; considering the status of his identity as the Third Young Master and a major patron, she surely wouldn't keep secrets.
Helping him, Xu Changtian, to find someone?
What a joke!
If he hadn't specifically inquired today, he might have waited until the woman made her official debut tomorrow before he received any news.
Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes at Xue Yong and said softly:
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"Xue Yong, I recall instructing you to start looking for this woman two ten-day periods ago.
She entered the Zuixian Pavilion half a month ago and you only get this information as she's about to debut?"
The young man in tight clothes heard the words, glanced at Xu Yuan, bent his body silently, and said:
"I am incompetent, please punish me, young master."
Although he said as much, his voice was calm, and his gaze was a direct look at Xu Yuan.
As for Xu Yuan's blame, Xue Yong did not care at all.
The Prime Minister fathered three sons and a daughter, two dragons, a phoenix, and one rat.
He belonged to the fourth young miss and had only been temporarily reassigned to the Third Young Master as a bodyguard because of a kidnapping.
It was common knowledge at the Prime Minister's Mansion that the fourth young miss looked down on this third brother.
His task was to protect the Third Young Master, not to serve his fancies with women.
His disobedience would simply result in a beating.
Let that worthless Third Young Master strike as he wishes; the sword can't even injure him.
"…."
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Xu Yuan sat cross-legged on the cushion, his gaze lowered as he toyed with the valuable porcelain cup in his hands, saying nothing for a long time.
His personal experiences made him understand why the original body had been so sensitive and prone to impotent rage.
His status was indeed lofty, but it was an empty shell.
Whether subordinates listened to him was entirely up to their mood.
And most crucially, he was powerless against these people.
Complain?
To complain because they didn't find you a woman?
Hah.
Of course,
you could beat them in a fit of rage, and indeed, your subordinates wouldn't dare to fight back, but it would only result in your hands aching.
The gap in cultivation didn't care about your status.
After a moment of thought, Xu Yuan sighed and suddenly smiled, saying:
"Xue Yong, twenty-two years old, at the peak of Sixth Grade Iron Body, with the advancement into Grade Fifth just around the corner.
My little sister seems to value you highly; very good.
A young talent like you truly has reason to be proud."
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"..."
Xue Yong's eyes narrowed slightly, surprised that the other party knew his level of cultivation.
Under Xue Yong's gaze, the Third Young Master across from him slowly stood up and said in a soft voice:
"But since you mention punishment, then so be it…"
Xu Yuan's cultivation technique quietly circulated as he walked towards Xue Yong with his hands behind his back.
The bewitching blood-colored Origin Qi began to spread over the palms of his hands.
He didn't know if he could break through the defense of Xue Yong, who had cultivated to the peak of Sixth Grade Iron Body, with his own newly-entered Ninth Grade cultivation, but the other party probably still thought he was an ordinary person and was not likely to use his cultivation technique to defend, so a sudden attack should be able to cause injury.
He must establish his authority.
Otherwise, these subordinates who defied orders would not only be unhelpful, but they might also cause more issues in the future.
Approaching closer,
Xue Yong still looked at the approaching Third Young Master with an indifferent expression, wanting to see an ugly display of frustration and rage.
Xu Yuan gave him a faint smile, the hand enveloped in blood-colored Origin Qi suddenly reaching out from behind!
Time seemed to freeze at that moment,
Xu Yuan's hand was only halfway extended,
when Zhou Chen, holding a wine gourd, suddenly appeared like a ghost at Xue Yong's side.
His appearance was still so abrupt.
"…."Xu Yuan.
Zhou Chen shook his head at him.
Then,
he casually slapped the arm that Xue Yong was raising to bow with a gesture of respect.
The air went quiet for an instant,
Xu Yuan saw clearly the transition in Xue Yong's eyes from disdain, to shock, and then to panic.
"Ah!!!!"
A piercing scream resonated throughout Zuixian Pavilion.
The tremendous force slammed Xue Yong onto the ground, his right arm completely twisted and deformed.
And Zhou Chen, who had done all this, maintained his smile as he glanced at the blood-colored Origin Qi on Xu Yuan's hand, chuckling as he greeted Xu Yuan:
"Congratulations to the Third Young Master on reaching Ninth Grade."
Immediately after, he glanced at Xue Yong, who lay on the ground howling like a beaten dog, and leisurely shook his head:
"For a mere Protector to show such disrespect to the Third Young Master…
tsk tsk, are all of the Fourth Young Miss's subordinates so lacking in discipline?
Heh…."
After that,
Zhou Chen looked towards Xu Yuan, his eyes curving as he casually asked:
"Third Young Master, should this man be crippled, or directly killed?"
//37///
Zhou Chen chuckled with a mild tone,
as if he had merely asked:
"Third Young Master, what shall we eat tonight?"
It seemed that for him, killing a person was just that effortless.
Xu Yuan cast his eyes down at Xue Yong lying on the ground and lightly furrowed his brows.
Having crossed into this world and following Ran Qingmo, he had seen enough to significantly increase his threshold for shock, yet the scene before him still made him feel uneasy.
This was the first time he had seen someone collapse so miserably in front of him.
A second ago, the man had a disdainful look with a calm and collected demeanor.
The next moment, his face had contorted with pain, his gaze shrinking in fear.
Out of fear, Xue Yong tried to suppress his own screams, struggling not to disturb the two nearby, but his face, twisted and pale with agony, and his arm, which had been bent into seven or eight segments by a unique force, were still starkly visible.
Xu Yuan collected his thoughts, looked at Zhou Chen across from him, and chuckled:
"Mr.
Zhou, you are actually willing to make a move on my behalf?"
Zhou Chen's earlier shake of the head was very clear – with his initial Ninth Grade cultivation, he obviously couldn't break through the defenses of Xue Yong, at peak Sixth Grade Iron Body.
If he continued fighting, he would only humiliate himself.
But Zhou Chen had helped him anyway.
This was a surprise to Xu Yuan.
Just like Ying'er, who was peeking from the shadows, Zhou Chen could have completely chosen to sit on the fence in this matter.
His failing here wouldn't affect Zhou Chen in any way.
Zhou Chen took a swig from his flask and chuckled with a hehe:
"Hey, the Third Young Master invited me to have fun at the Zuixian Pavilion for so long, I should do something in return."
"Oh, is that so?"
Xu Yuan smiled noncommittally.
That was indeed one reason.
Zuixian Pavilion, as Jingjiang City's top pleasure ground, required a hundred taels of Patterned Silver to reserve the top floor for a day.
Alcohol and the company of women cost extra, and Xu Yuan had already spent at least three thousand taels of Silver in the past twenty days.
The technological development of this world was merely focused differently; its productivity was no less than that of Xu Yuan's former world, and in some aspects, even superior.
Yet, an average person could hardly earn more than ten or twenty Silver taels in a year.
A great expert like Zhou Chen probably earned only a few thousand taels a month.
"Third Young Master, should this person be crippled or killed?" Zhou Chen asked again with a chuckle.
Seeing this, Xu Yuan didn't probe further and glanced at Xue Yong on the ground, who lay there like a dead dog.
In his previous life, there were also some long-standing employees who liked to pay lip service to him due to his youth, but Xu Yuan merely responded by giving them the cold shoulder and docking their pay.
Even if he harbored a deep grudge, at most, he would make it so that the person couldn't get by in the industry.
His mindset from his former life made Xu Yuan feel that such punishment was enough for Xue Yong.
But just as he was about to voice this, Xu Yuan saw the look in the other man's eyes, silently swallowed his words, chuckled, and turned to walk out of the private room.
Damn it, Zhou Chen was also testing him.
It seemed that since he was taken away by Ran Qingmo and then returned with all these possessions, there were still far too many suspicious points.
With the original temperament of being sensitive and prone to rage, in such a situation, he wouldn't let Xue Yong live.
One matter might not make a difference, but many a little makes a mickle.
Xu Yuan pushed open the door, paused in his steps, and looked back:
"Mr.
Zhou, I don't want to see this person anymore."
Having said that, he stepped out of the private room.
"Hehe~"
Zhou Chen watched Xu Yuan's departing figure, smiling even more joyfully than before.
But in contrast to his smile, the horror in Xue Yong's eyes was overflowing.
He didn't want to die.
He couldn't die here because of that worthless Third Young Master!
He was a genius, who at the age of twenty-two had already reached the peak of Sixth Grade Iron Body—a genius indeed.
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As long as this protection task was completed and he obtained the cultivation resources distributed by the Prime Minister's Mansion, he would definitely break through to Grade Fifth.
The Fourth Miss valued him so much, and he was so young.
If his cultivation made further progress, gaining the Fourth Miss's favor or even a sliver of possibility…
As Xu Yuan's words ended, Xue Yong on the ground immediately bore the pain in his arm and said with a trembling voice:
"No…
no!
Protector Zhou, you can't kill me.
Even if I have been disrespectful to the Third Young Master this time, as per the rules, crippling one of my hands is already the harshest punishment.
Protector Zhou…
Protector Zhou!
I know I was wrong, and if you kill me, according to the rules set by the Prime Minister, you too will be punished."
"…."
Listening to Xue Yong's last-ditch effort, Zhou Chen's smile faded and he nodded in agreement:
"Hmm, you're right."
Without rules, there is no square or circle.
The Prime Minister's Mansion, as a massive interest group, naturally couldn't be without rules.
If any powerful figure could just kill subordinates at will, this interest group would have collapsed long ago.
Xue Yong was a genius.
To kill a genius at the peak of Sixth Grade Iron Body without cause, Zhou Chen wouldn't face death or imprisonment, but he estimated that his annual cultivation resources and salary were certain to be docked.
Seeing this, Xue Yong let out a sigh of relief and managed to squeeze out a smile.
But the next moment,
Zhou Chen suddenly gave him a toothy smile and said cheerfully:
"But if it's the Third Young Master who wants to kill you, what does that have to do with me?"
Xue Yong's smile stiffened.
आसनसोल: महिला ने खोज निकाला मधुमेह से बचने का आसान घरेलु तरीका
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Zhou Chen looked at Xue Yong's unsightly expression, slowly knelt in front of him, and gently shook his head:
"Xue Yong, just how much do you look down on the Third Young Master?
I remember the Fourth Miss said you were smart, but now you can't see such a simple logic?"
"…."
Xue Yong was stunned.
Yes, it was the Third Young Master who wanted to kill him, not Zhou Chen.
Would the Third Young Master pay a price for killing him?
Yes, and a heavy one.
According to the rules, the Third Young Master's monthly allowance for ten years would be confiscated, and he would also be whipped and put into solitary confinement.
But solitary confinement?
Who would dare to confine him?
If confined, this spoiled heir would dare to use his mortal body, testing whether his head or the wall was harder—a godly feat.
The monthly allowance?
How could a hundred Patterned Silver a month possibly be enough for daily debauchery at Zuixian Pavilion?
Xue Yong suddenly turned his head towards the door, only to see the wooden door of the private room tightly shut.
It was over.
Zuixian Pavilion had excellent soundproofing.
Subconsciously, he started his cultivation technique, pouring it into his voice to plead for mercy from the Third Young Master:
"Thir…"
"Smack!"
Zhou Chen seemed to have lost interest and simply slapped Xue Yong's forehead.
Watching Xue Yong's body go limp, Zhou Chen stood up and called the other Protectors over, casually explained what had happened, and then left under the stunned and fearful gazes of the Protectors.
After leaving the private room, Zhou Chen went straight to the railing by the deep well structure of Zuixian Pavilion.
Xu Yuan was standing there, looking down.
Zhou Chen stood beside him, resting his arms on the railing, and offhandedly said:
"Third Young Master, it's done, but there might be some trouble with the Fourth Miss, after all, she seemed to value Xue Yong quite a bit."
Xu Yuan glanced at Zhou Chen with a hint of amusement in his voice:
"Valued?
What of it?
If it hadn't been for my mother insisting on taking that wretched woman as her adopted daughter, she'd probably be in some Hook Bar by now, selling smiles as nothing but a bastard child."