Chapter 277 New Blessings and New Sword Techniques (7,000 words)

Ouyang Rong managed to steer the conversation away from the topic with great difficulty.

He thought to himself, "I can't teach my junior sister everything anymore."

The junior sister may be a bit naive and clumsy when it comes to relationships, but once she grasps the patterns and rules, her intelligence and ability to apply what she's learned to other situations are truly remarkable.

As the saying goes, feeding the junior sister satiated the senior brother, while starving him to death.

Soon, the corridor returned to silence.

The two senior and junior disciples both appeared nonchalant, with only their occasional wandering gazes subtly hinting at the unusual atmosphere that had just taken place.

The two returned to their business.

As they approached the entrance of Yilan Pavilion, before parting ways, Ouyang Rong turned back and gave them a few words of advice:

"We'll set off again after dinner. I'll have someone from the county government send you a travel permit later to make your journey easier. Although Guangzhou Prefecture at the southernmost tip is prosperous, most of Lingnan Road is remote and isolated, covered with swamps and poisonous miasma."

Ouyang Rong stopped, reached out and took the Mo family sword box from Xie Lingjiang's back, and as usual drew out a moonlight longsword, handing it over:

"Have a safe journey, junior sister."

"Um."

Xie Lingjiang gave a nasal sound and took the sword, tying it to her slender waist.

"Senior brother, please be careful too."

Ouyang Rong grinned crookedly, picked up the sword box, swung it in the air, and turned away with a flourish.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of my junior sister standing at the door, hesitant to enter, her posture suggesting a sense of uncertainty.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his tone a little helpless.

"Why did the eldest brother choose to formally enter the manor today, but instead chose the eldest brother's study in Juxian Garden? What is the deeper meaning behind this?"

“It has no deeper meaning, just a simple one.” Ouyang Rong said bluntly, “If this lineage of the deposed Xunyang King rises to the top one day, I’ll support Da Lang.”

"Li Fusu is the eldest son, why is Senior Brother emphasizing this so early?" Xie Lingjiang bit her lip.

"Besides, all of this is just speculation and conjecture right now. How can you be so sure that Senior Brother has made the right bet?"

Ouyang Rong laughed and said, "There's no way around it. It's an obsessive-compulsive disorder I developed from playing chess. I'm used to thinking ten steps ahead before making a move."

After a pause, the young magistrate composed himself; in the dim light of the setting sun, his face was as serene as a marble sculpture.

"According to our Confucian standards, a benevolent ruler is a wise ruler, an enlightened ruler is a sage ruler."

"Uncle Li is indecisive and has a woman's kindness. He is easily influenced by those close to him. He is mediocre in ability, but he is kind and compassionate, and has a great capacity for tolerance. He is a good person. He is extremely indulgent towards those close to him, including you and me. In this respect, he is even more lenient than Emperor Gaozong... He is barely a benevolent ruler."

“He is a step further from Fusu, kind and benevolent, respectful of teachers and the Way, good at listening and following advice, but not weak. He has principles and bottom lines, can implement benevolent governance, and can inherit and maintain the legacy. He has the qualities of a benevolent ruler and can be expected to be a wise ruler.”

"Senior Brother's thoughts are truly far-reaching," Xie Lingjiang murmured, then suddenly asked, "Who is that ruler in Luoyang right now?"

Ouyang Rong glanced at his junior sister.

The next instant, he cupped his hands to the north, and spoke with righteous indignation:

"Of course, he is a sage ruler throughout the ages, no less than Emperor Taizong, and even more so."

Looking at his serious-looking, blinking senior brother, Xie Lingjiang chuckled, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and glanced sideways at him in praise:

"As expected of the young scholar who was promoted by His Majesty at the Apricot Garden Banquet, Zhou Bang is delighted. Rong Youliang is a man of great talent. Hmm, he is handsome and speaks well... After finishing his eloquent speech, he left the study and returned to being a loyal and virtuous official in Zhou Ting."

Ouyang Rong nodded without blushing or skipping a beat, accepting the praise.

"Senior Brother," Xie Lingjiang asked curiously, "There's something else I don't quite understand. Why did you so easily decline the imperial edict?"

She said softly:

"The position of Imperial Censor is a prestigious and respectable post for the direct descendants of the Wang and Xie families under the age of thirty, and it would not bring shame to our family. Not to mention the scholars of Bailudong Academy, who are eager to take it."

"But why is Senior Brother so indifferent during the day?"

"Although my senior brother has decided to join the Su family as a strategist, he has refused this opportunity to return to the capital. Does he really intend to stay in Longcheng forever?"

Xie Lingjiang frowned, deep in thought, and said with concern:

"As my senior brother just said in the study, most of us are not of noble birth, so we have to be careful to avoid making mistakes."

"This time, we finally had the opportunity to be promoted back to the capital, but if we politely decline it, we will offend those people in Luoyang. They will then go along with it and not reward us. Wouldn't all of Senior Brother's hard work in controlling the floods be wasted?"

Ouyang Rong glanced at his junior sister, who was once again drawing inferences from one instance, and suddenly said:

"This position of Imperial Censor was actually a test."

"Testing the waters, what do you mean?"

Ouyang Rong calmly said, "Someone wants to test my mettle, or rather, to find out my attitude and stance."

"Who is testing us, Empress Wei?"

"No, the appointment edicts for sixth-rank officials can be drafted by the Council of State Affairs."

"Senior Brother, are you referring to... Master?"

Ouyang Rong did not answer, but continued to speak to himself:

"In a sense, this imperial edict is the same thing as the jade pendant that His Majesty gave to Uncle Li."

"They've all given me the same question, but they're just going around in circles with me."

"Then I'll go around too."

He suddenly laughed, turned his head and said:

"Don't worry, this question isn't about answering or rejecting. Although it may seem that way, after the initial polite refusal, there won't be no response from Luoyang. There will definitely be follow-up."

"Whether I gladly accepted the imperial decree and went to Luoyang to take up my post, or repeatedly resigned from my official post to cultivate my reputation and prestige, or resigned halfway and then reluctantly accepted the post, all these correspond to different answers."

"Then the optimal solution is..."

Xie Lingjiang paused halfway through her question. Having spotted certain scenes at the county government office during the day, she asked in a low voice:

"So the eldest brother prepared a memorial in advance, politely declined the imperial edict, and then submitted it?"

Ouyang Rong nodded, looked north towards the capital, and said softly:

"Now let's see how that important person will go around in circles."

The young woman in red gracefully departed, and together they gazed northward.

Not long after.

Night was falling.

Ouyang Rong bid farewell to Xie Lingjiang at Yilan Xuan.

He walked along the plum grove path and returned to the plum grove courtyard.

Pushing open the door, the slightly rusty sound of the wooden bolt seemed somewhat jarring in the night, amidst the long chirping of cicadas.

The summer night was desolate.

Ouyang Rong placed the Mo family sword box horizontally on the table.

This narrow sword case, of which only a handful exist, was recently repackaged by him; a carpenter was hired to add a thin wooden board.

Right now, it looks ordinary, long and narrow, like a wooden box for storing calligraphy, paintings, flutes, or small violins.

The room was dark, with only moonlight illuminating the floor.

Ouyang Rong did not light a lamp, but went straight to the desk and sat down, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, and closed his eyes in the dark.

As his consciousness sank into the Pagoda of Merit, Ouyang Rong first glanced at the Blessing Bell, which was shrouded in purple mist and trembling violently.

I glanced again at the cyan-gold lettering:

[Merit: 2101]

"It's gone up by almost 500?"

The young strategist, returning from the study in Juxian Garden, murmured.

After seeing off the imperial envoy Song Hao and his entourage in the afternoon, the new blessing worth two thousand [merits] kept ringing.

This puzzled Ouyang Rong.

Originally, I was short 400 merits, but unexpectedly, I have now collected them all, and the new blessings are still there, continuing to this day without any signs of fading.

"I wonder what kind of good fortune it is... related to my resignation?" he wondered to himself.

As for the extra 500 [merit points] that afternoon, most of them came from the gratitude of Li Xian's family. After he offered advice, everyone was deeply grateful and convinced.

Ouyang Rong was unsure whether his involvement and assistance had subtly altered the course of this family's destiny.

In addition, there were some merits that came from the junior sister.

Ouyang Rong really didn't expect that feeding his junior sister with crispy mountain would actually increase his [merit].

Okay, I'll feed them again next time.

As expected of the junior sister, she's a master at extracting merit. I wonder how much she's been squeezed dry by the heartless senior brother, yet she still continues to shine in selflessness.

A sense of guilt welled up in my heart.

Ouyang Rong smiled sheepishly at the table.

However, today's increase of 500 [merit points] was not intentional. It was an unexpected side effect, a pleasant surprise.

"Should we save it or use it?"

Ouyang Rong's expression turned slightly hesitant, and he rubbed his face, muttering to himself:

"At present, everything in Longcheng has been settled, the new ferry crossing is gradually becoming stable, and most people are living and working in peace and contentment."

"Meritorious deeds are mostly obtained in a one-time event, and there are no new growth points at the moment. Some are becoming increasingly difficult to accumulate. I wonder if the donations for the newly built pagodas can also contribute a wave of merit..."

"Forget it, good deeds can be accumulated, but blessings are hard to come by. Let's try exchanging them."

Ouyang Rong looked up again, leaned back in his chair, and closed his purplish eyes.

About half an incense stick later, he opened his eyes, and his gaze returned to normal.

The sound of a grand bell resounded in my ears.

Inside a certain merit pagoda, above a small wooden fish, there is still a few lines of blue-gold characters remaining.

[Merit: 101]

...

The next day.

Ouyang Rong got up early and went to the Su residence next door, where he was warmly received by Wei Mei.

"Has Junior Sister left?"

After exchanging a few polite words, Ouyang Rong learned that his junior sister had already received her travel permit and was heading south under the stars and moon.

Neither Li Fusu nor Li Xian were seen at the mansion.

Yesterday evening, they received the task assigned by Ouyang Rong and, without delay, climbed Dagushan Mountain overnight.

He should still be at Donglin Temple right now, discussing with Master Shandao about donating money to build a pagoda.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly, declined Wei Mei's offer to stay for a meal, and returned to the county office alone to go on his daily duty.

In the morning, dressed in his official robes, he sat upright in the courtroom, engrossed in handling official business. A short while later, Yan Liulang's swift figure appeared at the door, carrying a scroll of documents.

"Madam, here are the files and rosters you requested, concerning the seller and residents of the house opposite the Su residence..."

"Put it down," Ouyang Rong instructed, bowing his head.

Yan Liulang put down the document and withdrew. Ouyang Rong put down his pen, rubbed the sides of his nose, opened his eyes after a while, grabbed the document, and looked at it carefully.

After an incense stick had burned, the young magistrate put down his documents and slowly stood up. "Is this the usual place...?"

As he muttered to himself, he reached into his sleeve, touched a cold bronze object, and silently went out.

After leaving the county government office, Ouyang Rong quickly returned to the Deer Park.

In the Meilin Courtyard, the young county magistrate appeared in front of the storage cabinet in the inner room. He opened the cabinet and took out a black iron token engraved with the character "Wei".

These were the spoils of war that had been looted from Wei Shaoxuan.

Ouyang Rong tucked it into his sleeve, and carrying it along with the Mirage Mask, quietly went out...

Deep in Luming Street, opposite the Su Mansion, lies a house whose owner rarely appears in public.

At this moment, inside the main hall of the mansion, a Persian merchant, his boots treading on an expensive Western Region carpet, paced back and forth anxiously.

He held a stack of urgent letters from Luoyang in his hand; the letter paper was expensive and embossed with gold, but it was crumpled and wrinkled.

Boss Li would occasionally look down, unfold the letter, glance at it, and his anxiety would intensify.

Since the day the sword was forged, he had lost contact with Wei Shaoxuan, Qiu Shenji and others for more than a month. They said they would wait at the old place, but no one came.

Boss Li's mood was like a kettle gradually boiling over, becoming increasingly agitated and noisy due to the inquiries from the Prince of Wei's residence in Luoyang. He even had some unpleasant suspicions rising in his mind.

They searched the entire city of Longcheng, but couldn't find Wei Shaoxuan and his group. "How are we going to explain this?!"

The Persian merchant sighed repeatedly. These days, he tossed and turned every night, his mind filled with wild thoughts: Could it be...?

"Manager Li! The Sixth Young Master is back! The Sixth Young Master is back!"

Suddenly, a strong servant rushed in from outside the door, excitedly reporting the news.

Mr. Li was first startled, then delighted, and hurriedly went forward to greet him.

"Where are you? I'll come to meet you!"

"No need, I can walk."

Boss Li immediately saw a effeminate young man dressed in snow-white brocade leisurely walking in through the door. He had a black iron token around his waist and carried a long, narrow wooden box on his back. He strode into the hall.

The Persian merchant was overjoyed and said:

"Sixth Young Master! You're finally back! Why haven't you returned for a month? I've been looking for you everywhere."

"The same goes for the Prince of Wei's residence. When the Prince learned that you had obtained the new Ding Sword, he was overjoyed and sent several secret letters urging you to return to the capital immediately to discuss important matters together."

"Since you are not in Longcheng, I have no choice but to help you explain... If you don't come back soon, the prince and the others will think that I am hiding something and will punish me."

Wei Shaoxuan sat down, let out a long breath, as if exhausted from his journey. He gulped down a cup of tea, took a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and said softly:

"What's the rush? This young master and Dingjian aren't going anywhere. We just went out to take care of some business."

He glanced at the Persian merchant, and following his memory, called out the name: "Li Li, how did you reply to them?"

Being addressed by his first name, Boss Li didn't mind and cautiously replied:

"I am reporting the truth. The Sixth Young Master has been delayed in returning because he discovered a clue to a new sword technique. He may have gone to Yunmengze at the moment."

"Hmm, Yunmengze..." Wei Shaoxuan asked calmly, "How did you know that?"

Boss Li thought to himself, "Just as I thought," but when he noticed Wei Shaoxuan's sharp gaze, he chuckled and admitted it.

"Before I left last time, I overheard something... I hope you will forgive me, sir."

"It turns out there's nothing wrong. I was going to tell you this anyway when I came back."

"Sixth Young Master, where are Mr. Qiu and Liu Fu? Why haven't they returned?"

Wei Shaoxuan put down his teacup, habitually stroked his chin, and pondered:

"Well, they're still in Yunmeng Marsh. They haven't gotten their hands on the sword manual yet. We've made so many arrangements, so we can't leave easily. Someone has to guard them... But, I was worried that Father would be anxious, so I came back first to replenish some supplies."

Boss Li asked in a low voice, "Where is the new sword technique in Yunmeng Marsh? Could it be related to Yunmeng Sword Marsh and the female cultivator from Wu and Yue?"

Ouyang Rong squinted, as if he hadn't heard, and skipped the topic, asking softly:

"Li Li, tell me first, what's the situation in Longcheng lately?"

Boss Li immediately fell silent, clasped his hands in a fist and reported:

"Nothing major has happened recently, but after you took the Dingjian on the fifteenth of last month, I discovered that the Yue maiden from Yunmeng Sword Marsh had been wandering around Dagushan for many days. It is suspected that the eldest daughter of the Yue maiden Xuezhongzhu is among them, and she should be looking for you and the Dingjian."

"With the young master and Mr. Qiu not here, my men and I are no match for them, so we have been hesitant to approach Dagushan."

Wei Shaoxuan raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Is that so?" He paused, then nodded: "That's normal. I don't know where Xue Zhongzhu got the news of the Dingjian's birth before. She fought fiercely with my godfather for it that day. She's really annoying. Sooner or later, I will deal with her!"

"It's alright, it's good that Sixth Young Master didn't run into them. I was quite worried about him." Boss Li breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Sixth Young Master has not returned for a long time. I almost thought something had happened, such as encountering the ladies of the Queen's Palace. They are numerous and powerful, and with Xuezhongzhu in charge, even Mr. Qiu might not be able to withstand them."

Wei Shaoxuan smiled and said, "We can't beat them for now, but we can't escape, can we? This young master and Dingjian are right under their noses. This is what you call being in the dark under the lamp."

"Sixth Young Master is brilliant!" Boss Li continued, "In addition, a few days ago, Xie Xun of the Xie family of Chenjun led the disciples of Bailudong to Longcheng."

"Oh? Xie Xun is a member of the Baoli faction. What are they doing here?" Wei Shaoxuan frowned knowingly.

Boss Li immediately analyzed: "On the surface, he is visiting Ouyang Lianghan, a top student of the academy, but in reality, he is investigating the birth of the Dingjian. However, these conservative Confucian scholars are really slow-witted."

The Persian merchant sneered: "Heh, the young master has already taken the sword and the sword manual, and they're only just arriving now. What a bunch of useless trash. What can they possibly do against the prince? Humph."

Wei Shaoxuan glanced at the smug Li Li, nodded in agreement.

"By the way, Sixth Young Master." Boss Li switched expressions quickly, bowing and scraping to the young man in brocade robes as he reported:

"That Longcheng magistrate surnamed Ouyang somehow managed to escape with his life, while the entire Liu family, including Liu Zilin, was wiped out."

"Hiss, logically speaking, Liu Zilin should live and the one surnamed Ouyang should die. In the chaos that day, I don't know who saved this kid and killed Liu Zilin. Tsk tsk tsk, it's really hard to predict whether it's a blessing or a curse."

"Oh? Is that so?" Wei Shaoxuan raised an eyebrow, slightly bent two fingers, and leisurely tapped the black iron token at his waist.

Boss Li nodded: "However, although Ouyang Lianghan survived, he is seriously ill. He was bedridden at Donglin Temple for some time. Because there are still Yue women lingering on Dagushan Mountain, I did not go to observe him in person."

Wei Shaoxuan smiled: "This is a trivial matter and is not important for the time being."

"I think so too, but Liu Zilin's death... Sixth Young Master, should we investigate and avenge him? He was a bit stupid, but no matter what, he served our Wei family..."

The young man in brocade robes suddenly waved his hand and ordered, "No, trash is trash. Pass down the order: the Liu family's matter will not be investigated for the time being!"

"this……"

Wei Shaoxuan coldly said:

"Right now, rumors of the new Ding Sword are spreading, and Dragon City is in the eye of the storm. Many people are watching Butterfly Creek. Now that we have the Ding Sword, the first priority is to hide my whereabouts. You should leave Dragon City immediately and not linger, lest you expose my location."

"yes!"

"As for Ouyang Lianghan, he comes from a poor family and is just a nobody. He secretly tried to curry favor with the Li Xian family, hoping to gain favor from them. Ha, what kind of gentleman is he? We really overestimated him. He's just a hypocrite."

"Besides an exceptionally handsome face, what else does he have? Nothing special."

"My cousin is young, and she was once so infatuated with me. Fortunately, I, the young master, appeared out of nowhere and showed her what a real man is and what a pretty face is."

Wei Shaoxuan flicked his sleeve, his face full of disdain:

"These hypocrites will sit on the fence once they get what they want; we can ignore them for now."

"Uh...yes!"

Boss Li wanted to remind him not to underestimate this young man, as he did have some skill, but after looking at the spirited Sixth Young Master in front of him and the Mo family sword box beside him, he hesitated slightly, then nodded vigorously:

"Young master's insight is brilliant! Compared to you, this boy is like a firefly vying for the moon's brilliance."

"By the way, Sixth Young Master, the Li family has also returned and is currently at the Su residence. That Miss Li is also there."

"Oh." Wei Shaoxuan's reaction was indifferent.

Boss Li remained calm: "Was it released by the Sixth Young Master?"

Wei Shaoxuan smiled and said, "She's quite well-behaved now. So is that cousin Li. She admires and loves me after witnessing my heroic demeanor."

“This family is quite sensible, willing to secretly submit to our Wei family… You should inform all parties that they are not allowed to harm them for the time being.”

"Also, please send a letter back to the Prince of Wei's residence for me, saying that... the Li family has lived in seclusion in a remote corner for many years and has no grudge against the Wei family, unlike the Prince of Xiang's residence which has a blood feud."

"They have already secretly shown goodwill towards the child, and Cousin Li is also captivated by the child's handsome appearance. Father, you may consider giving him a break. There are some things that should not be deliberately obstructed to avoid hurting the harmony. No one can predict what will happen in the future, so why not take things slowly?"

"After all... this Li Xian, and Xiang Wang Li Lun, although blood is thicker than water, who says their relationship is necessarily stronger than gold? There are many twists and turns."

Wei Shaoxuan chuckled.

"I see, young master is wise." Boss Li hesitated, "But this matter is of great importance. Why doesn't Sixth Young Master return to the capital in person to explain?"

Wei Shaoxuan shook his head: "I have important matters to attend to, so I must return to Yunmeng."

"Yes, sir... I obey!"

Wei Shaoxuan stood up, casually picked up the sword box, and left indifferently.

Mr. Li hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped:

"Sixth Young Master, could you please tell us what this important matter is... Your Highness, Prince Wei, we are worried about your safety. Moreover, we will not be at ease until the Dingjian returns to Luoyang."

"This young master has obtained the Cold Scholar Sword Manual and advanced to the ninth rank of sword wielder, but is stuck at the threshold of the eighth rank."

"It has been confirmed that a new sword technique is currently in the Cloud Dream Sword Marsh. How can we not take advantage of such an opportunity?"

Wei Shaoxuan's reasons became more and more plausible:

"Don't worry, with Mr. Qiu and Liu Fu here, everything will be fine. Once I get the new sword manual and advance to the eighth rank, I will immediately return to Luodu. Sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood. You and Father can wait for me without worry."

He paused, then casually planted a flag:

"When I return to the capital as a high-ranking swordsman, carrying a cauldron-shaped sword, I will surely become famous throughout the capital and completely end the conflict between Li and Wei! At that time, I will wipe out all my enemies one by one."

Mr. Li perked up and nodded vigorously, but he couldn't resist his curiosity:

"What is the new sword technique hidden in the Yunmeng Sword Marsh?"

Wei Shaoxuan casually made up a story: "An elixir of immortality."

Boss Li seemed to be deep in thought, then his eyes suddenly lit up:

"So that's how it is. The Elixir of Immortality was the first sword in the cauldron. I heard that Yue Chuzi was also involved back then. The sword manual for the Elixir of Immortality is hidden in Yunmeng Marsh. That makes sense!"

"..." Wei Shaoxuan coughed and nodded: "You're so smart. Sometimes, I really want to reward you with something."

Boss Li was delighted: "Sixth Young Master, you flatter me. It is my honor to serve you. I will do my utmost to fulfill any of your orders!"

Wei Shaoxuan raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" His expression was slightly awkward and embarrassed.

"Alright, do you have any Qi-replenishing pills here?"

Boss Li was taken aback: "I do have one, but the Prince's Mansion ordered me to purchase it at a high price for Mr. Qiu..."

"Bring it to me." Wei Shaoxuan waved his hand, exuding great magnanimity: "I will give it to your godfather for you; he will surely be happy."

"Uh, okay."

Boss Li hesitated for a moment, nodded in agreement, and hurriedly withdrew.

A moment later, he returned to the main hall, holding a sandalwood box in both hands, his face serious.

Someone glanced at it; the sandalwood box was about the size of a palm and exquisitely crafted.

Wei Shaoxuan used his index finger to open the wooden box, and a fragrant aroma of medicine immediately wafted out.

Inside the box was a red cloth, and in the very center of the cloth lay a dark green pill, surrounded by a cluster of strange auxiliary medicinal leaves.

Its dark green body had a faint, eerie light flashing within it.

"Sixth Young Master, please accept this reward. This pill is called Ink Dragon, one of the top-grade Qi-replenishing pills. It was purchased by the Prince's Mansion from Gezao Mountain at great expense. This quality of Qi-replenishing pill is extremely rare, with a low success rate. It also requires the Jade Purity Daoist to consume precious platinum talismans. Gezao Mountain only produces one batch a year, just a handful of pills..."

Boss Li looked slightly pained and said regretfully:

"If you had taken this pill that day, you might have been able to withstand Xue Zhongzhu's vast sword energy and not be at too much of a disadvantage."

"It's a pity that you and Mr. Qiu arrived in Longcheng ahead of schedule on the fast boat of the palace servants in Luoyang. They did not go to Jiangnan as planned and instead passed by Gezao Mountain to retrieve the elixir. I sent someone to pick it up, but it was too late. It only recently arrived in my hands..."

Wei Shaoxuan glanced at the dark green pill named Mo Jiao.

Good heavens, if Qiu Shenji had taken this medicine back then, his spiritual energy would have surged for a short time, and his protective true energy would have been inexhaustible. His merit purple mist and 'unrest' might not have been able to compete with him. What a close call... The person wearing the mask muttered to himself.

"It's alright, this is so-so."

Wei Shaoxuan remained calm, casually taking the pill box from Boss Li's hand and tucking it into his sleeve under the other's subtly reluctant gaze.

Boss Li whispered:

"Um, Sixth Young Master, could you please apologize to Mr. Qiu on my behalf? Mo Jiao arrived a step late, which affected his contest with the First Lady..."

Wei Shaoxuan nodded solemnly and assured him:

"Don't worry, your godfather is a generous man. He'll just laugh it off and won't make things difficult for you."

"Well, it's not too late to send the precious pill now. It's just what we need. You can wait. Next time we meet, your godfather might thank you handsomely."

"That's good, that's good." Boss Li breathed a sigh of relief.

Wei Shaoxuan stroked his chin and glanced at the Persian merchant in front of him, who looked quite like a fat sheep.

Why does it seem like it looks better the more I look at it?

I'm a little reluctant to leave.

Wei Shaoxuan suddenly asked:

"Where is Emperor Wen's sword technique? Can we retrieve it?"

Boss Li was taken aback, then shook his head:

"Emperor Wen is in Luoyang. The sword technique is an absolute secret of the court and cannot be passed on to outsiders. I have heard that the method of transmission is special and one must go there in person to observe it."

The Persian merchant asked curiously, "Didn't His Highness the Prince of Wei tell the young master before that the Prince's Palace had obtained a valuable opportunity to observe, and that the Sixth Young Master would personally attend upon returning to the capital?"

"Well, I was just asking. I need it urgently right now, so I'm wondering if it's convenient for me. Okay."

Wei Shaoxuan chuckled lightly, turned around and went out.

"Sixth Young Master, please wait a moment." Boss Li glanced at the sword box and hesitated before saying, "Um... could I be so kind as to take a look at the new Ding Sword?"

Wei Shaoxuan: "You doubt me?"

"No, it's just that the Prince of Wei's residence has been pressing and questioning us..."

As Boss Li was speaking, Wei Shaoxuan coldly snorted, flicked his sleeve, and strode out the door, waving his hand to interrupt him:

"look up."

The Persian merchant looked up, his mouth agape in surprise.

An arc hangs silently from the roof.

It is unknown when it appeared or how long it lasted.

The sword hangs over his head, yet he remains oblivious.

As Boss Li was still in shock, a chilling voice calmly rang out:

"If you ask again, your head will roll on the ground."

With a thud, Boss Li knelt on the ground, a "Dingjian" sword above his head. He trembled all over, frantically kowtowing as he watched the young man in brocade robes swagger away.

"I wouldn't dare, sir! Please wait a moment! Just give the order, and I'll do my best!"

The Persian merchant felt as if he had been pulled from an icy pool; his back was soaked with cold sweat, and he dared not doubt it again.

(End of this chapter)