Chapter 262 The Hidden Ruler and the Strange Insect (Please vote!)

"Didn't you say there was no hope? Why are you coming to me again asking for tortoise shells and longhorn beetles? You surnamed Sun, how dare you! You're contradicting yourself and deceiving me!"

"Your Majesty, you are innocent! This is not a lie. Just now was just now, and now is now."

"Hmm, I happen to recall that your Queen's Palace has a profound foundation and is rumored to possess tortoise shells and longhorn beetles. I have thought of a strange remedy, which may be unconventional, to cure this child, so I have come to tell you the truth."

At this point, Old Man Sun sighed: "We can't just stand by and watch someone die, can we?"

Summoned back by his hopeful junior sister, Xue Zhongzhu suppressed his murderous intent and spoke slowly and deliberately:

"Hey, Mr. Sun, can't you be a little forgetful?"

The old Taoist priest, wearing a crane-feather cloak, kept his hands tucked into his sleeves, pretending not to hear, and squinted slightly as he recounted the story as if it were a treasure trove:

"The Five Ancient Mythical Insects: the Six-Winged Summer Cicada, the Tortoise-Shelled Longhorn Beetle"

"A purple silkworm with spotted robes, a golden tortoise with tiger stripes, and a black and yellow earth dragon."

"I am a poor and ignorant Taoist priest. I have been practicing medicine for many years, but I am still ignorant and have only seen two of these insects in my life: the tiger-striped golden tortoise and the spotted purple silkworm."

"Moreover, that spotted purple silkworm is a female silkworm, which is highly poisonous and cannot be eaten. It is not a male silkworm that is edible but has a shorter lifespan. It is a pity that it cannot obtain the magical powers of the strange insect."

Old Master Sun shook his head with a sigh, glanced at the young man on the sickbed beside him, and nodded, saying:

"Today is a good opportunity to take a look at the tortoise shell longhorn beetle treasured by your Queen's Palace. I have long heard that those who eat tortoise shell longhorn beetles can gather wind and energy, conceal their aura, and walk in the bustling city as if they were in an empty place. I wonder if it is true."

"What utter ignorance!" Xue Zhongzhu sneered, his words dripping with murderous intent.

"You even know so much about the fact that the Hidden Sovereign of my sect's Queen Mother Palace needs to take tortoise shell and longhorn beetle. Should I praise Senior Sun?"

"Ahem, I dare not accept such praise as a senior. A few years ago, before I was imprisoned in the water dungeon, there were many wandering Qi cultivators seeking medical help. They were a mixed bag, mostly penniless freeloaders. I had no choice but to listen to their interesting stories. There was actually very little about your Lady's Palace..."

Faced with this "gentle and mild-mannered" matriarch, Old Monster Sun shrank back slightly and turned to Zhao Qingxiu, saying:

"Forget it, mute girl, you can talk to your senior sister. Anyway, I always do business honestly, and I would never cheat a mute. I asked for the tortoise shell beetle just to help you save him. I can gather the other medicinal herbs myself, but this ancient insect is nowhere to be found."

Old Master Sun stepped aside, his eyes downcast and his mind focused.

But Xuezhongzhu still faced him and spoke:

"Since you know about the five ancient mythical insects, you should also know how precious the tortoise-shell longhorn beetle is, yet you want to give it to a sickly person?"

It was unclear whether the Great Queen of Yunmeng was asking Old Monster Sun or Zhao Qingxiu.

Zhao Qingxiu reached her small hand into her sleeve and began to grope around.

This commotion caught the attention of Xue Zhongzhu and Sun Laoguai, who noticed that the mute girl had secretly pulled a large peach from her sleeve.

Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head, her small face focused, as she peeled peaches for her senior sister.

"..." Candle in the snow.

You can make a living with just one trick, right?

Old Monster Sun couldn't help but chuckle, while Xue Zhongzhu glared at him angrily. The old Taoist priest quickly composed himself and adopted a serious expression.

The pretty, mute girl blushed with shame, buried her head in her chest, and clenched a peach and a peeler between her fingers.

She is mute; she has been unable to speak since a high fever she had as a child.

We tend to express all our feelings through actions.

Actions speak louder than words.

This applies to Tanlang, and it also applies to his senior sister.

Old Man Sun sighed and decided to speak up for the poor little mute:

"It is true that tortoise shell beetles are very precious, but your Queen's Palace doesn't need them right now, does it?"

"The position of the Hidden Ruler has been vacant for a hundred years, and it seems that it will be a long time before it is filled. There is no Ding Sword, let alone a person to wield it."

"This hidden ruler will probably remain vacant for many years, so we might as well take some out now for urgent use."

"Saving this kid is considered an urgent matter?" Xue Zhongzhu chuckled, then asked, "What do you need tortoise shells and longhorn beetles for to cure his illness?"

Old Monster Sun said without hesitation:

"The original function of the tortoise shell longhorn beetle is to allow the user's internal microcosm to store wind and gather qi."

"By consuming the whole thing, one can conceal fluctuations in spiritual energy and hide one's spiritual cultivation level. Even high-level Qi cultivators would find it difficult to discern one's cultivation level. Furthermore, by suppressing one's aura, one can walk among people as if transparent, easily overlooked even under one's nose."

He snorted, sounding completely justified:

"It just so happens that this child's qi and blood are still sufficient, but he lacks spirit and energy."

"The main problem is that he overused his 'qi' and severely overdrawn it, which the Great Queen should be able to see."

"I treated him before. At that time, he was still a person with leaky Qi and could not practice Qi cultivation, but he was a person with abundant Qi, which made him very easy to attract the attention of Confucian Qi practitioners."

"During this period, I don't know what kind of fortuitous encounter or expert assistance he had, but he managed to barely repair this leaky body. I suspect it is related to another strange insect, the six-winged cicada. It is really a stroke of luck that he was able to be reborn and transform into an ordinary person. However, the effect of his dantian gathering qi is so-so. His qi cultivation aptitude after repairing the body can only be considered qualified."

"I don't know if it was because of this strange encounter that he went against the principles of Yin and Yang. His original vigorous energy, that is, his spiritual energy, seemed to be able to be transformed by his dantian and used as a substitute for some kind of spiritual energy."

"My guess is pretty much correct. Only this can explain why I was able to overdraw so much of my own spiritual energy that day, causing this terminal injury and leaving me unconscious."

“No normal person, or even a Qi practitioner, would ever go to such extremes; it’s practically risking one’s life to practice Qi.”

Old Monster Sun paused for a moment, seemingly pondering some possibilities, then shook his head:

"Regardless, by utilizing the tortoise shell longhorn beetle, which has the miraculous effect of gathering and storing qi, and supplementing it with blue musk, blood safflower, dragon's blood, kudzu root, salvia miltiorrhiza, and other medicines, I will surely be able to concoct a divine formula to replenish one's spirit and qi..."

Before the bed, the old Taoist priest, covered in sores, spoke eloquently.

Upon hearing this, Xuezhongzhu frowned slightly.

Old Monster Sun didn't know what happened in Longcheng County on the fifteenth, but she knew for sure.

If what Old Monster Sun said is true, then the injuries of Seventh Junior Sister's childhood sweetheart are indeed strange and unusual. The most crucial point is the time and place at which he was injured.

The Queen of Yunmeng suddenly sensed something vague and unsettling, something she couldn't quite put her finger on, but it piqued her interest.

But then, turning her head to look at the young man on the sickbed, the woman relaxed her brows, her face still cold.

She was just a mediocre ninth-rank Qi cultivator. At that time, she was extremely lucky to have survived alongside Xie Lingjiang, who had injured a high-ranking Qi cultivator from the military school.

Compared to this, the severe damage to one's mental energy after resorting to unorthodox methods to save one's life is not surprising.

After the two questioned him for a while, the room gradually quieted down.

Seeing the woman in the white fox fur coat standing in the center of the room, she turned her head to look out the window, squinting and lost in thought.

Sun Laoguai and Zhao Qingxiu remained silent.

The matter concerning the hidden ruler of the Queen's Palace is indeed a major issue.

Few in the martial arts world know that the Lady of Yunmeng Sword Marsh Palace not only has the title of Lady, but also secretly established a position of Hidden Ruler, which is open to both men and women.

In other words, men also have the opportunity to enter the Ancestral Hall of the Female Ruler Temple, personally remove the plaque, and obtain a title.

Moreover, the Hidden Queen's status in the Queen's Palace was even higher than that of a Queen with the ordinary title, making her position extraordinary.

The establishment of the Hidden Lord originated from the first cauldron sword "elixir of immortality" a thousand years ago. The miraculous birth of it was also deeply involved by Yue Chuzi, who was the Yunmeng Yuanjun at the time.

Later, the position of the Hidden Ruler was established in the palace. The original intention was to commemorate the first person to wield the "elixir of immortality," who was also the first person in history to wield the sword, whose life was as brilliant and short as a summer flower.

Therefore, the threshold for becoming the Hidden Lord of Yunmeng is extremely high; one must be a swordsman with severed meridians.

Furthermore, adhering to the principle of "better to have none than to have something of poor quality," other corresponding conditions are also extremely stringent.

For over a thousand years, the position of the Hidden Ruler of the Palace of the Female Ruler has been vacant for most of the time. Only a handful of people have been able to become the 'Hidden Ruler,' and all of them were during the heyday of Yunmeng Sword Marsh, when it was full of talented people and its power shook the Jianghu of Tiannan.

Although Sun Laoguai had spoken recklessly before, what he said was mostly true. At present, Yunmeng Sword Marsh is indeed in a certain slump. Apart from Xue Zhongzhu's rapid progress, the new generation of female rulers have not yet fully grown up, and it is still a long way from finding the Hidden Lord.

And the most recent glimmer of hope is now slowly being cast with a question mark in the heart of the snow candle.

As for the tortoise shell and the longhorn beetle, this is an experience gained by successive female rulers and is provided specifically for the hidden ruler.

Because those who wield the sword are mostly full of vigor, possessing supernatural powers and unparalleled killing power, yet their swords are as fragile as glass.

By utilizing the supernatural abilities of the tortoise shell longhorn beetle to conceal itself and gather energy, and to remain inconspicuous, the chances of the swordsman surviving can be greatly increased.

The cultivators of Qi are not fools. Before the swordsman has grown up, if his true identity is exposed and becomes "famous throughout the world," making it known to everyone, and he walks out swaggering around with a cauldron sword, he will not be fooled.

Once a conflict occurs, the enemy's first target will be the swordsman, aiming straight for his head and giving him no chance to draw his sword. Even if a female ruler-level Yue woman accompanies him, it will be difficult to protect him completely.

The establishment of the Hidden Ruler in the Palace of the Female Ruler, the provision of tortoise shells and celestial oxen, and the protection of the Yue Maidens were all for this very purpose.

As the leading force in swordsmanship, Yunmeng Sword Marsh is not only famous for producing top-tier Yue women who frequently win titles in swordsmanship and swordsmanship, but also has a top-secret and reliable lineage for the use of the Ding Sword.

Yunmeng Sword Marsh is a combat power system built around the Ding Sword and the Swordholder. It originated from the "elixir of immortality". Compared with the new system of Ding Sword and Swordholder explored by unified dynasties in the last hundred years, it is more concise and classical, and focuses on individual combat power.

This also reflects the profound foundation of Yunmeng Sword Marsh as a reclusive sect with a history of thousands of years, which can absorb and cultivate the most outstanding sword wielders...

“Half,” Xuezhongzhu suddenly said.

"What half?"

"Of the tortoise-shelled longhorn beetle secretly kept in the palace, only half remains," she answered with her eyes closed.

Old Man Sun was not surprised at all; instead, he nodded and said, "Half is enough."

He paused for a moment, then joked, "It's not like we're making this kid a recluse. Why would we need all the magical powers of the strange insect? Half of it is enough to help him gather and store energy in his inner world."

The candle in the snow did not laugh.

Old Monster Sun realized: "Wait, only half left? Doesn't that mean that one of your Queen's Palace's most recent hidden rulers also only ate half? Heh, your Queen's Palace is quite stingy."

Xuezhongzhu was too lazy to explain the terrifying effects of consuming all the tortoise shells and longhorn beetles, as recorded in the palace's ancient texts.

The old Taoist priest sighed as he looked towards the sickbed:

"You little rascal, you're actually benefiting from Yue Chuzi's connections. A secluded sect is providing you with rare medicinal herbs. Ordinary people don't care about life or death, how could they get such treatment..." He then realized something, turned to look out the window, and said sourly:

"Hey, that pretty female scholar outside who keeps going to quack doctors, you must have a complicated relationship with her too, right? She's been so worried about you, tsk tsk tsk, you're really lucky with women, no, I should say you're fickle and you're just wasting the mute girl's true feelings."

As Sun Laoguai was making his sarcastic remarks, Xue Zhongzhu walked up to Zhao Qingxiu, who was excitedly grabbing Ouyang Rong's hand to cover her cheek.

"Eeya ya!" It was the mute girl who turned around and called out to her, her eyes full of gratitude.

Suddenly, Xuezhongzhu reached out and pressed down on Zhao Qingxiu's hand, which was quietly peeling peaches. She calmly said:

"Seventh Junior Sister, this time I'll help you, but I won't eat the peaches or ask for any extra conditions."

Do you know why?

"Ah ah." Zhao Qingxiu stopped moving, nodded blankly, then shook her head.

"Because we are fellow disciples, we... are family."

The usually fierce and volatile Yunmeng mixed-race queen, with her milk-white and delicate face, now appeared unusually serene and calm.

"Seventh Junior Sister, I only hope that after this matter is over, you can understand your responsibility, your responsibility as a member of the Yunmeng Sword Marsh Queen's Palace, and even... the responsibility of the contemporary Yue Maiden."

"Who you are to him is not important; what matters is who you are?"

Zhao Qingxiu stared blankly.

Xuezhongzhu spoke softly: "Actually, before my master passed away, she told me in private that every Yue woman in the palace, including me, should have one chance to be willful."

"Although I am not willful."

"But I remember Master's instructions, which is why I have tolerated Seventh Sister's constant companionship and efforts to save him all these days."

"It's just that Master probably never expected that you would be so willful, or rather... unexpected yet reasonable."

"But Seventh Junior Sister, actually, I'm quite relieved. At least your stubbornness this time wasn't serious. The tortoise-shelled longhorn beetle is gone, but we can find another one. Besides, your senior sister can still stay by your side, unlike..."

She paused for a moment, then continued calmly:

"Back then, your third senior sister acted willfully, and as a result, she never came back."

"Later, your fourth senior sister also acted willfully, and she has not returned to this day."

The blue eyes of the candle in the snow looked into the mute girl's somewhat confused eyes:

"Seventh Junior Sister, there are only the five of us left in that lonely, high-hanging hall."

"The other senior sisters in the hall and I really don't want to lose you again."

Silence reigned before the bed, broken only by the calm breathing of the young man with his short hair neatly combed and eyes closed. Zhao Qingxiu tilted her head slightly, her nine fingers clenching her breasts tightly beneath her sleeves.

Clenching and releasing, releasing and clenching again, back and forth.

Suddenly, the candle in the snow stretched out its right hand towards her, revealing a long, slender palm:

"Silly girl, after this, only your senior sisters will be your family."

She rarely raised the corners of her lips, and said lightly, "Let's go pick up your second senior sister together. Before I came here, I had already told her to bring half a tortoise shell longhorn beetle."

Two lines of clear tears slowly flowed down Zhao Qingxiu's cheeks.

She suddenly turned her head and looked at her husband, who was lying peacefully on the sickbed. After a moment, she closed her tearful eyes and slowly raised her small hand with missing fingers.

The two women held hands.

Before the two Yunmeng female rulers left hand in hand, a tall, blonde female ruler turned around and warned sternly, "Hey, you surnamed Sun, don't go too far with the demands you make of Seventh Junior Sister."

"Did I go too far?"

Old Master Sun sighed, looked at the young man on the sickbed beside him, and murmured to himself:

"There are clearly many people in this world who do far worse things to those who are deeply in love..."

Unfortunately, no one in the room was awake enough to hear what he said.

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(End of this chapter)