Chapter 25 Mushroom Swears: "I want you to swear that you will never betray me."

When Yao Ruyi returned to Gu Huizhou's courtyard, it was empty. He asked the imperial guards at the gate, "Where did His Majesty go?"

"Why would His Majesty need to report to you all the time?"

Zeng Ran appeared behind him without his noticing. Yao Ruyi turned around and saw a face that screamed "I owe you money!" "I am His Majesty's bodyguard. It is my duty to follow His Majesty. What's your hurry?"

Zeng Ran was furious. "Then what are you doing here now?"

Yao Ruyi: ...

I just got back from being negligent in my duties.

He stopped looking at Zeng Ran and turned away.

"stop!"

Zeng Ran strode forward and blocked Yao Ruyi's path. His strong body blocked Yao Ruyi's way like a small mountain, completely obscuring the ground beneath her feet. "How could a pretty boy like you get into the Shadow Realm!"

He snorted coldly, "I wonder how you got into the Cloud Palace. Let's see what you do when His Majesty gets tired of you!"

Yao Ruyi frowned slightly, his eyes filled with confusion. "Is there something you need?"

"you!"

"One day I'll make sure you get kicked out of the Cloud Palace!"

Yao Ruyi curled her lips into a smile. "And then? You go in?"

"I……"

Zeng Ran was speechless. He didn't know whether Yao Ruyi meant to enter the Cloud Palace or the Shadow Palace. His face turned red, and he became even angrier, especially when he saw Yao Ruyi standing opposite him with a calm and indifferent expression, as if it were none of his business.

"I'll get in there sooner or later!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Zeng Ran heard a voice behind him say, "I cannot accept this."

A chilling sensation spread through his body, sending a shiver down his spine. His eyes widened, filled with shock and terror. He saw a sly glint in Yao Ruyi's eyes as he said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

When did the emperor return? Didn't he just go to the abbot's place?!

Zeng Ran turned around and knelt down immediately, "Your Majesty! I know my crime!"

Gu Huizhou took two steps forward, looked at Yao Ruyi's face for a while, and then stared at Zeng Ran. "Vice Commander Zeng, do you have a problem with my secret guards?"

"Your subject dares not!"

"You dare not?"

Gu Huizhou sneered, "I think you'd be very bold."

The Imperial Guards behind him surged forward, surrounding Zeng Ran in a circle. "Take him back and strip him naked." The voice wasn't loud, but it sent chills down one's spine. "Take Deputy Commander Zeng for a stroll in the streets. If he wants to, then so be it."

To strip naked and take someone to the market would be to lose all face and dignity.

Moreover, judging from His Majesty's demeanor, he has no intention of dismissing Zeng Ran from his post. He'll have to return to the Imperial Guards for duty after today, which is more than just a matter of face and reputation!

Cui Xiangzhu sighed inwardly, thinking, "Look who you had to mess with, of all people to offend, you had to mess with the young master whom His Majesty is currently very fond of."

They deserve it.

Zeng Ran's face turned pale. Yesterday morning he was complaining that Gu Huizhou was taking the wrong path, but today he was being forced to walk naked in the street!

"No! No, Your Majesty! Your Majesty, please forgive me! I will never dare to do it again!" He knelt forward, but was stopped by the Imperial Guards. The lowly soldiers who used to work under him were now blocking his way, looking down at him. Zeng Ran instinctively saw mockery in their eyes. "Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, I will never dare to do it again! Please forgive me!"

But nobody paid him any attention. The Imperial Guards didn't dare delay and several of them dragged him away together. As for what happened next, they would wait for His Majesty's orders.

Zeng Ran was carried away, and her pleas for mercy gradually subsided.

Yao Ruyi turned around and followed Gu Huizhou into the courtyard. During the walk, she saw Cui Xiangzhu give her a fawning smile.

He didn't understand, but he smiled along. To his surprise, the chief eunuch laughed even harder.

"Dereliction of duty?"

Yao Ruyi lowered her head and remained silent, standing cautiously beside Gu Huizhou.

The man chuckled and dismissed everyone, leaving only Yao Ruyi. "What, does the Immortal Lord just stand there silently when he's being bullied?"

“I spoke.”

"Are those flowery rhetorical questions considered speaking?" Gu Huizhou frowned. "You should make him pay the price he deserves."

"He won't listen to me."

"You can make him listen to you."

Yao Ruyi looked up, "I'm not... the Emperor."

Gu Huizhou understood the meaning in that look, and he nodded, "You know how to use a sword?"

"meeting."

"Then use a sword."

Yao Ruyi frowned. Would he really stab someone with a sword if they said something that displeased him? He remained silent in the face of the Emperor's gaze.

After a long while, Gu Huizhou leaned back in his chair for a short rest. "As my bodyguard, you can't lift a finger. How can you be called my bodyguard?"

But he shouldn't have been a guard in the first place.

Yao Ruyi frowned and whispered, "I wasn't."

The man leaning back in his chair suddenly sat up, leaning forward. "Does the Immortal Lord know who I am?"

"emperor."

"Who is that emperor?"

Yao Ruyi is "the ruler of the world".

"Then if I say you are a guard, then you are a guard."

Yao Ruyi opened her mouth, but didn't say anything to refute it, after all, the emperor was right.

"Thirteen."

"Your subordinate is here."

Thirteen darted from the rooftop and landed firmly on the ground. "Your Majesty."

Gu Huizhou stared at the sword at Yao Ruyi's waist for a while, then said, "You teach him."

Thirteen paused, seeing that His Majesty meant to teach him now, and in his presence. "Yes." He turned and nodded to Yao Ruyi, then stepped back a few paces to stand in the courtyard. "Nineteen, come here!"

Yao Ruyi took a deep breath, drew her sword, and stood opposite Thirteen.

The warm breeze of spring, which was about to arrive, did not blow at all on the mountain. Instead, the north wind lashed their faces, and the howling wind even drowned out their rapid breathing and the whistling of their swords.

Thirteen was the most unique swordsman among the original eighteen secret guards. His swordsmanship was different from traditional sword techniques, and instead resembled that of a knife user. Every sword strike was ruthless and vicious. If he hadn't been facing Yao Ruyi, the person opposite him would have been dead many times over by now.

Yao Ruyi was panting heavily. He was once again repelled by Thirteen's sword. He felt as if he were soaking in water. His hand holding the sword turned red, and his palm was sore from being rubbed by the hilt. In less than a quarter of an hour, he was beginning to develop calluses.

He gritted his teeth, adjusted his breathing, and once again raised his longsword to confront Thirteen.

"Whoosh—"

"Whoosh—"

The wind of the sword swept past his ear, and Yao Ruyi saw the long sword in his hand slip from his grasp. Thirteen's attack had forced him to open his palms. Yao Ruyi's astonishment was undisguised as he stared at the long sword stuck in the doorway.

He swallowed hard, his face blank and silent.

Thirteen's performance wasn't quite satisfying, since he was facing his own people and had to hold back.

Seeing the emperor's satisfied expression, Thirteen nodded and disappeared again in a flash.

"What does the Immortal Lord think?"

The slow, lazy tone was quite different from Yao Ruyi's calm breathing and the sweat dripping from his forehead. Yao Ruyi turned around and met his gaze. He slowly stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, will you have Thirteen teach me from now on?"

There was a hint of expectation in his eyes.

Gu Huizhou replied smugly, "Hmm."

He had already heard Thirteen mention the sword dance they had performed yesterday. He could memorize Thirteen's moves after just one viewing, which was beyond what one could describe as mere talent.

He straightened his expression and looked at Yao Ruyi, whose face was handsome and whose eyes were clear.

The spirits who cultivated themselves into human form in the mountains and fields were as innocent as children. To dream of changing their impoverished lives through the imperial examinations and entering officialdom was utterly foolish.

Upon seeing that joyful expression, Gu Huizhou was slightly taken aback. After a moment, he said, "After returning to the palace, you will learn swordsmanship from the Thirteenth Prince. I will also find someone else to teach you poetry and prose."

The mighty Emperor of Dayun suddenly acted like a schoolteacher, saying, "I will check your swordsmanship and studies every month. If they don't meet my expectations, I will add another year."

Yao Ruyi was overjoyed. She never expected that she could learn poetry and literature at the same time as learning swordsmanship. Suddenly, even the emperor's suggestion of adding a year became insignificant. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Then how will you thank me?"

What does Your Majesty wish to do?

Gu Huizhou narrowed his eyes and thought for a while. "I once read a legend in an ancient book that all spiritual beings in the world that take human form are children of heaven and earth, bound by heaven and earth, and if they swear an oath, they will live forever in the world."

"If it is destroyed, heaven and earth will destroy it."

"I want you to swear that you will never betray me."

Yao Ruyi was stunned by the look in his eyes as he spoke. He had heard the rumors the emperor had mentioned before, but no one knew if they were true. There weren't many spirits on Qinghua Mountain, and the Willow Tree Uncle he knew had only gained sentience and hadn't yet taken human form.

However, even if he knew many spirits and monsters, very few were willing to make such an oath.

Meeting the emperor's gaze, Yao Ruyi swallowed hard. "Alright."

He saw the smile in the man's eyes deepen. Since he had taken human form in the Yun Kingdom and received gifts from the emperor, how could he possibly betray him?

Yao Ruyi said, word by word, "I swear, I will never betray Your Majesty."

"Gu Huizhou".

Yao Ruyi was slightly taken aback.

"My name is Gu Huizhou."

"I swear, I will never betray Gu Huizhou."

The emperor was still not satisfied. He coughed lightly, "Who swore an oath?"

"I, Yao Ruyi, swear that I will never betray Gu Huizhou."

After speaking, he looked directly at the emperor, as if to say, "Is this alright?"

Gu Huizhou finally smiled with satisfaction, letting out a few low, joyful laughs. "Nineteen is such a good girl."

After saying this, the emperor picked up the food box that Cui Xiangzhu had just brought and slowly took out a plate of plum blossom cakes sprinkled with icing sugar. "Try it."

Yao Ruyi was overjoyed. He reached out and picked up one from the plate and started eating. The soft, sweet taste filled his whole body, and the fatigue from practicing swordsmanship just now was swept away. He ate one after another until there was only one piece left on the plate. Only then did Yao Ruyi remember that the emperor had said "try" instead of "eat".

Holding the last piece of plum blossom cake in his hand, unsure whether to eat it or not, Yao Ruyi timidly looked up, his smile betraying his guilt as he met the emperor's smiling eyes. He offered it to the emperor, "Your Majesty, would you like some?"

"eat."

Yao Ruyi braced herself and stepped forward, offering the plum blossom cake to the emperor's lips, saying, "I was just thinking of giving this to Your Majesty."

The hands holding the plum blossom cake were slightly cool, and she flinched back when his breath touched them.

Gu Huizhou took a bite, and the cloying sweetness made him frown immediately. He took the remaining half with his hand and asked, "Are you full?"

Yao Ruyi nodded, "I'm full."

Gu Huizhou sipped the remaining half of the tea and stood up. "If you're full, continue." With that, he waved his hand, and Thirteen once again darted down from the rooftop and stood in the same spot.

He raised an eyebrow at Yao Ruyi, "Nineteen, continue."

Yao Ruyi was stunned. After a moment of reaction, she dazedly went to the other side of the door to pull out her sword, "Right away!"

Gu Huizhou walked alone along the path outside the courtyard to the back mountain. He looked down at the bottomless abyss below the cliff, his eyes no longer concealing the complex emotions within. The wind whistled past his ears, and the birds that had intended to rest on the trees by the cliff changed course after seeing Gu Huizhou standing there.

The emperor, standing on the edge of the cliff, took a sachet from his waist and casually pulled out a red cinnabar bead covered with a gold wire cage.

The abbot's words from two hours ago still echoed in my mind.

"This humble monk senses the aura of spirits on Your Majesty, but I am not surprised. Your Majesty is surrounded by a rich dragon aura and blessed by the Buddha. It is quite common for spirits that have taken human form in the mountains to be attracted to Your Majesty."

“But if a spirit gets close, it will damage Your Majesty’s dragon vein. So last night, I burned a cinnabar for Your Majesty. If Your Majesty carries it with you, the spirit’s heart will be damaged over time and it will definitely stay away from Your Majesty.”

"Amitabha Buddha, this humble monk and the monks of Yun Temple will protect Your Majesty's blessings day and night, and wish Your Majesty peace."

With a sneer, the red cinnabar was carelessly tossed aside, rolling countless times before finally settling into a ditch. When looked again, it had vanished without a trace.

Yao Ruyi had lost count of how many rounds he had played against Thirteen; he estimated there must have been three or four hundred.

But Thirteen seemed more than just tired; he was becoming increasingly excited. Yao Ruyi stood still, catching his breath. "Again!" He drew his sword and charged forward once more.

Thirteen dodged aside, looking up with a hint of disdain, "Nineteen, take a break."

"What's wrong?"

“You’re covered in sweat,” Thirteen suddenly thought of something and laughed, “There’s a hot spring in the back mountain, come on, let’s go take a bath.”

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