"Look, isn't this the Supreme Daoist Master?"

“It was him, that’s right. This Daoist had already achieved enlightenment outside Xianyang City before he even entered the city. I even went to join in the fun and saw what he looked like with my own eyes.”

In a tavern, two customers who happened to be looking up at the outside world saw a streak of light flashing across the sky and immediately began to whisper among themselves.

If this were an ordinary mortal, they could only marvel at having encountered an immortal. But this is the Great Qin, a human nation that values ​​military merit yet adheres to the law, where a powerful nation allows everyone to practice martial arts.

In Xianyang City, even the most ordinary-looking passerby might possess extraordinary martial arts skills. The escape light transformed by a cultivator is clearly visible to some Xianyang City residents, as if they were looking at the lines on their palms. They can see exactly what the cultivator looks like and what clothes they are wearing.

"Tsk, quite something! This Daoist has only been in Xianyang for a few days, and he's already flirting with our Qin princess?"

Since ancient times, there have been no secrets in the royal family. Even the smallest things, once they involve the royal family, will become the talk of the town. The subtle glances and gestures between the Supreme Daoist and the Princess of Qin, once interpreted by others, easily became the focus of attention in Xianyang City.

"Otherwise what? Since ancient times, it has been the case that a fine sword is given to a hero and a talented man is paired with a beautiful woman. Isn't the identity of the Supreme Daoist Master quite a good match for our Qin princess?"

"I didn't say they weren't a good match, I just felt this was too fast. Wouldn't it make this Supreme Daoist think our Qin princess is a bit frivolous?"

"Is this something you should be worrying about? This is something His Majesty should be worrying about. You, a commoner, can just sit here eating, drinking, and eating meat with me. Why are you bothering with all this?"

"Hey, we're just chatting idly, what can't we say? In a few days, our Emperor will have another grandson."

"Shut up, aren't you afraid of being punished by the Court of Justice for making unwarranted comments?"

"Punish me? That would be great. It would be even better if I were exiled to the frontier. I'm so desperate for military merits, but I've never been able to find a way. If I could be exiled, that would be the best thing ever."

"Dream on! I'll give you three hundred lashes, and you'll know what it's like!"

In this small tavern, the two patrons were laughing and joking, and even though their words involved the current princess and emperor, they didn't attract much attention, because most of the patrons were discussing the matter at the time.

Such taverns were not unusual in Xianyang. If not ubiquitous, they numbered in the thousands. The people of Qin were known for their fierce spirit and abundant resources. With everyone practicing martial arts, it was no surprise that there were many who loved to drink.

"Rumors are spreading all over the city!"

As Feng Bingwen sped through the air, leaving a trail of light in his wake, he listened to the idle gossip reaching his ears and couldn't help but sigh, feeling a bit of a headache.

As a male cultivator, Feng Bingwen naturally didn't care about these things. Rather, such rumors and gossip could greatly help boost his reputation. These things could make him known to more people in a short period of time, but what he gained was not legitimate reputation.

However, Feng Bingwen considered that Zhao Xizhi, whom he had only met once, was probably not a good thing for her. As a princess of high status, being entangled in such rumors would probably be quite distressing for her.

"Daozi!"

Is Princess Xizhi here?

Feng Bingwen found the residence of the imperial princess, which was located in the palace of Xianyang City. Only high-ranking officials and nobles were allowed to enter, but Feng Bingwen was naturally not among them and could come and go as he pleased.

If he wanted, he could even meet with the Emperor of Qin at any time. Of course, he had to have something to say, otherwise, if he wasted the Emperor's time, even if he was a Daoist, he would not have a good outcome.

"His Highness is in the garden!"

Upon seeing Feng Bingwen, who had come to her door, the female official who came to greet her immediately showed a genuine smile, which, although not in accordance with etiquette, was all the more sincere.

As a female official serving Zhao Xizhi, her fate was tied to this imperial princess the moment her identity was confirmed; they would share both fortune and misfortune, joy and sorrow.

Because of this special relationship, she was aware of the Emperor's orders. As for her own Highness's thoughts, to be honest, she could hardly fathom them, but there was no need to investigate, since Highness would never disobey His Majesty's orders.

What she cared about was whether her prince and the Supreme Daoist in front of her could succeed. If they could, her status would undergo a dramatic change. She was a female official in the Epang Palace who was like a transparent person and had to be careful and watch everyone's face no matter who she met.

"Please come in, Daozi. I will now lead you to His Highness!"

"Don't you need to inform them?"

Feng Bingwen was somewhat surprised; this seemed to be against the proper procedure.

"Why announce your arrival, Daozi? His Highness has been waiting for you for a long time!"

The tall, simply dressed female official smiled warmly. None of the many guards and maids in the mansion who served the princess had ever seen her smile like that before, and those who happened to catch a glimpse of this scene were all astonished.

"Um!"

Feng Bingwen didn't think much of it, assuming that the princess was currently troubled by rumors and gossip, and that he had come here to clarify the matter to avoid unnecessary trouble and setbacks for his trip.

"Daozi, please come this way!"

The lady-in-waiting knew that her behavior was not in accordance with etiquette, and that this was not the time to concern herself with such formalities; making this happen was her primary task.

With its winding corridors and soaring eaves, this was the residence of an unfavored imperial princess. Its magnificence far surpassed that of many human kings' palaces, leaving visitors dazzled and in awe.

However, Feng Bingwen's attention was not on this. Following the female official's directions, he quickly found Zhao Xizhi sitting upright on a jade platform by the lake.

The princess was dressed in a plain white robe, without any makeup. Her black hair was as black as ink and fell close to her thighs. Her jade feet were not clad in silk shoes and were immersed in the clear lake water, letting the water wash over them and fish and shrimp gently nibble at them.

"Brother Bingwen, what brings you here?"

The masculine energy unique to men entered the princess's senses, causing her to hurriedly stand up from the jade platform. However, before she could even wash and dress herself, Feng Bingwen appeared before her.

"Your Highness Xi Zhi!"

Feng Bingwen stopped in his tracks, a sense of awe washing over him.

When Feng Bingwen first met this princess a few days ago, she was dressed in gorgeous clothes and adorned with countless jewels and ornaments, resembling a goddess or fairy. But now, dressed simply and without makeup, she amazed him even more.

"I apologize for my intrusion in visiting!"

Feng Bingwen quickly realized what was happening. Looking at the princess's face, which showed a mixture of anger and shyness, he knew that she had not known about his arrival in advance and was completely unprepared.

"Brother Dao, you jest. What crime is there in this?"

Zhao Xizhi glanced at the female official behind Feng Bingwen, who was preparing to leave quietly. She knew that it was this female official, who had served her since childhood and was like an elder, who was causing trouble. However, this was not the time to hold her accountable.

“I’m overjoyed that Brother Bingwen came to visit me, so how could I possibly blame him?”

"Haha, then I'll take my leave."

Feng Bingwen still didn't make too many connections at this moment. Preconceived notions can't be changed overnight. But no one told him that the princess in front of him was not engaged.

As for the princess's friendly and approachable demeanor, it was nothing to him, because there were countless people who showed him such an attitude. In his presence as the Supreme Daoist, he saw smiles everywhere he looked.

"Brother Daoist, please take a seat!"

"No need for that. I think the scenery here is just fine. Let's relax and enjoy ourselves!"

Feng Bingwen thought that his uninvited arrival had made the young girl a little reserved, so he acted very casually and sat down three feet away from her.

"Um!"

Looking at the young Taoist priest sitting next to her, the girl responded softly, feeling slightly uneasy. Having grown up in the deep palace since childhood, and not being favored by her father, the emperor, or rather, not being noticed by him at all, this was the first time she had been so close to someone her own age.

"Fellow Daoist Xi, are you aware of the rumors circulating in Xianyang City these days?"

After exchanging a few words with the princess, Feng Bingwen got straight to the point. He wasn't there to talk about love, so why waste time with all that nonsense?

What rumor is it?

Zhao Xizhi feigned surprise, her eyes subtly revealing a hint of doubt and bewilderment.

She knew all too well about this matter. Some of the rumors circulating in Xianyang about her and this Daoist were formed naturally, while others were fueled by someone behind the scenes.

After all, this is the Great Qin Dynasty. How could such matters of love and affection between men and women become known to everyone in such a short time? Xianyang City is more interested in matters of slaying demons and monsters and accumulating military merits.

"Yes, some rumors that might damage Fellow Daoist Xi's reputation."

Seeing the blank look on the girl's face, Feng Bingwen actually believed it. In his view, the girl was of a high status, isolated from the lower classes, and in a state of near-closed access to information, which was not surprising.

"What rumors are these? Could you please explain in detail, fellow Daoist?"

A look of curiosity appeared on the girl's face at just the right moment.

"Yes! There are rumors in Xianyang that you and I are mutually in love."

Feng Bingwen was open-minded and honest. When the girl asked him questions, although he felt a little embarrassed, he still explained the rumors he had heard in a generous manner. This made the girl's fair face blush and look radiant.

"What... what is your opinion on this matter, fellow Daoist?"

After considering it carefully, Zhao Xizhi asked somewhat cautiously.

"Such rumors must be nipped in the bud as soon as possible, otherwise they will get out of control once they spread out of Xianyang. I don't care, but I'm sorry to trouble you, Xizhi. If you find a good man in the future, it will be a troublesome matter!"

Feng Bingwen had a righteous look on his face, but after hearing his words, the blush on the princess's face immediately receded like a tide, returning to her original fair complexion, which even revealed a sense of crystal-clear iciness.

“What you say makes sense, fellow Daoist. However, rumors are the hardest to suppress. Even if they are clarified, they are more likely to attract criticism. It is better to ignore them. In a few days or even a month, the rumors will disappear completely.”

Zhao Xizhi spoke in a flat tone, revealing little emotion and a hint of coldness.

"Should we just ignore it? Isn't that a bad idea?"

Feng Bingwen was surprised. Did this princess really not care about her reputation? Putting aside this princess, the Qin royal family didn't seem to care much about such matters of face.

"Brother Dao, you are upright and honest, why bother with those rumors?"

"That makes sense!"

With things said to this extent, what could Feng Bingwen say? If the woman didn't care about such rumors, then he, a male cultivator, had even less reason to care.

As soon as he finished speaking, he caught a glimpse of the princess beside him and sensed a chill emanating from her, which surprised him.

Could it be that His Highness is currently cultivating some kind of profound and mysterious technique related to ice? How extraordinary it is, actually giving me a feeling of chilling cold all over my body. It is truly mysterious. If I have the opportunity in the future, I must ask him for guidance.

He wondered if the Qin royal family had any special requirements or restrictions regarding this secret technique. If there weren't too many requirements, he could try to communicate with them.

"Brother Dao, is there anything else?"

"No, that's not available!"

"I am unwell and cannot entertain you at the moment, please forgive me!"

"Then I shall take my leave!"

Feng Bingwen glanced down and saw that the imperial princess had a chilling aura about her, and thin ice was spreading around the jade platform around her, clearly indicating that her cultivation had gone wrong and her magic power had collapsed.

"Um!"

Zhao Xizhi gave a nonchalant reply and waited until Feng Bingwen left before turning back to look at him again. Just a moment later, the female official who had led Feng Bingwen into the room cautiously walked over again.

"Your Highness, please punish me!"

The female official lay prostrate on the ground, her voluptuous figure barely concealed by her wide robes. However, no one paid her any attention; the only male cultivator who had entered the mansion had already left.

"Aunt Shu!"

The lady-in-waiting did not witness the prince's anger. Instead, she heard the somewhat ethereal voice of the noble princess whom she had treated like a daughter, a voice that revealed a hint of confusion.

"Your Highness!"

The female official looked up and saw that the girl who had been sitting with her back to her had stood up. She was dressed in plain clothes that reached the ground, and her black hair was fluttering in the breeze.

"Am I ugly?"

The girl turned around, looked at the female official serving her, raised her well-defined knuckles, and gently touched her face, which was covered with a layer of ice, her eyes revealing a hint of doubt.

"Your Highness, what makes you say that?"

The lady-in-waiting was immediately shocked by the question posed by the noble prince before her.

It's no wonder she's like this. Who is the father of this man? He's the current emperor of the Great Qin Dynasty! The beauty of his concubines is beyond question. How could their offspring possibly be associated with ugliness? It's simply impossible.

"But when Feng Bingwen came to me, he said he wanted to clarify the rumors!"