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Qing Shanyue approached him because of his master, Chu Qing.
This is the only ninth-level alchemist in the novel's world, an alchemist with the ability to revive the dead and heal the wounded.
Mo Zuili calmed herself down.
Mo Zuili originally guessed that perhaps it was Qi Shuyan's unusual behavior of contacting her through the system after her soul returned to its place that caught Qing Shanyue's attention, which led Qing Shanyue to have the Yi family monitor her in the Phoenix Ruins.
But now it seems that his arrival in the Dragon Realm was not a mistake. Qing Shanyue had clearly set up a trap and was waiting for him to take the bait.
Mo Zuili suppressed all her emotions and looked directly at Qing Shanyue, saying, "Please speak frankly, Ninth Princess. Since Your Highness trusts me, please tell me what happened to you? Were you poisoned, or were you secretly harmed and sealed?"
Qing Shanyue picked up her teacup and took a sip, her fingertips gently stroking the rim as if she were organizing her thoughts.
A moment later, Qing Shanyue's voice rang out calmly: "As for the current situation in the Dragon Domain, I'm sure my Third Brother has already told you. The First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Fifth Princess Hua Fei are locked in a fierce battle, and it seems to me now that I am no longer qualified to compete."
Qing Shanyue raised her eyes, a cold glint flashing in them: "Hua Fei conspired with her own younger brother, the Eleventh Prince, to frame me. At the time, in order to eliminate any potential threats, I pretended to be unharmed, but in reality, I suffered internal injuries."
Now, the cold poison is rampant in my meridians, not only can my cultivation not advance even half a step, but if this continues, it will likely destroy my meridians completely, making cultivation impossible again.
"I've tried many methods, but none of them can completely eradicate it," Qing Shanyue said calmly, as if she were talking about someone else's problem.
After listening, Mo Zuili nodded and asked, "Then I wonder if the Yi family sent a message to inform Your Highness about my master's situation? My master is probably still in the Demon Realm at the moment, and he is unable to come here for the time being."
Besides, even if his master could arrive in time, the Dragon Domain is heavily guarded; he wouldn't be able to enter undetected.
Upon hearing this, Qing Shanyue paused for a moment, then nodded silently.
Mo Zuili picked up her teacup, took a sip, and looked directly at Qing Shanyue: "I would like to ask, how much longer can your father, the current Dragon Emperor, hold on? As you know, as an outsider, I cannot stay in the Dragon Domain for long."
"Since Your Highness gave me the token and told me to come over after I've resolved this matter, aside from the issues with my master, there must be other plans that require my assistance, right?"
The smile in Qing Shanyue's eyes deepened, and his fingertips gently caressed the rim of the teacup: "Talking to intelligent people certainly saves a lot of effort."
The two sat facing each other indoors, drinking tea and talking for three hours.
After their conversation, both of them couldn't help but express their admiration for each other.
Qing Shanyue admired Mo Zuili's keen insight. Mo Zuili could always deduce the whole situation from the slightest clues and even improve several oversights in her plans.
Mo Zuili admired Qing Shanyue's ambition and ruthlessness.
Qing Shanyue not only calculated every move to the extreme, but also laid out all the escape routes before the plan was launched, leaving no room for error.
Finally, to avoid attracting the attention of Hua Fei and the other princes, Qing Shan Yue relayed a message from Mo Zuili to Qi Shuyan.
Qi Shuyan was informed that Mo Zuili had returned to the Dragon Realm.
Tell him to stay put and not rush over.
...
The training ground on the west side of the Dragon Domain was brightly lit. On the white jade-paved training ground, golden-armored guards were practicing their spear techniques according to the established rules.
The whistling sound of the gun tips cutting through the air was uniform, yet it had a stiff quality to it.
Inside the gilded palace next to the martial arts arena, the eldest prince Ao Lin, whom Qing Shanyue had mentioned, was sitting on a couch wiping his sword.
A voice announced from outside the hall. Ao Lin responded and called out, "Come in."
The door opened slightly, and a figure in black slipped in silently, his face covered by a mask, revealing only a pair of shrewd eyes.
The newcomer bowed to Ao Lin, his voice extremely low: "Your Highness, the foreigners who previously intruded into the Dragon Domain have indeed returned."
Ao Lin's fingers, gripping his sword, paused slightly: "Her name is Mo Zuili, right? What's she doing here?"
“Exactly.” The man in black nodded.
"She has a connection with the Third Prince Qi Shuyan. It is said that when the Third Prince's soul left his body, he met this Miss Mo in the outside world. A few years ago, when his soul returned to his body, he even used his own cultivation to refine a magical artifact as a gift to her."
Ao Lin stroked the scabbard with his fingertips for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Although Qi Shuyan was born a few years later than him, she was still a young dragon because her soul had left her body and she had been asleep for many years in her early years. Even now that she has awakened, she is still a young dragon.
He usually only associates with the priests and never gets involved in the succession disputes.
Ao Lin hadn't paid much attention to his younger brother, so it seemed that the foreigner was probably Qi Shuyan's sweetheart.
“So what if she’s here? She’s an outsider and can’t stay in the Dragon Realm for long.” Ao Lin waved for the man in black to leave, but then saw that the man still had something to say.
"Is there anything else?"
The man in black nodded and said in a low voice, "...That Miss Mo has been staying in the palace of the Ninth Prince Qing Shanyue for the past two days, and no one knows what the two of them are discussing."
Ao Lin's brows furrowed suddenly, and he murmured, "Qing Shan Yue?"
Although Qing Shanyue is now indifferent to worldly affairs, she was once a popular candidate for the position.
Now, the Emperor is on his deathbed, and the recent turmoil in the Demon Realm has accelerated his decline. He is on the verge of death, yet he still refuses to announce his successor, and he doesn't even mention the whereabouts of the token of succession.
Ao Lin tried several times to probe, but to no avail.
Thinking of his mother's words: At such a critical moment, any slight movement could shake the situation.
Ao Lin's voice turned colder: "Did you find out what they were doing in the palace?"
The man in black shook his head: "His Highness the Ninth Prince has lived a secluded life for years, without even a servant by his side. We have no way of knowing where to begin. However..."
"But what?"
"During our surveillance, we overheard that the Fifth Prince's temper has become increasingly volatile lately, and he seems to be planning to take action."
Hua Fei? What does that have to do with her?
Seeing Ao Lin's furrowed brows, his subordinate stepped forward to remind him, "The Ninth Prince and the Fifth Prince have always been at odds. Recently, the Ninth Prince seems to be paying extra attention to the Fifth Prince's movements."
He knew Hua Fei's temperament very well; he was hot-tempered and easily angered, and would readily draw his knife at the slightest provocation.
It was an open secret in the Dragon Realm that Qing Shanyue and she had always been at odds.
Could it be that Hua Fei intends to make a move against Qing Shan Yue?
But the man in black's next words overturned Ao Lin's guess: "The information I got from the Ninth Prince is that the Fifth Prince wants to take action against... you."
"Me?" Ao Lin scoffed, about to say "nonsense," when his heart suddenly sank.
Now that his father is seriously ill and the succession is still undecided, he himself, as the eldest son, is indeed the most obstructive obstacle.
If Hua Fei wants to rise to power, then I am her biggest rival.
While Ao Lin was still pondering the veracity of the intelligence, on the other side, Mo Zuili and Qing Shanyue were just finishing their tea when Qing Shanyue's hand holding the teacup suddenly paused, and her gaze turned towards the palace gate.
Mo Zuili raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, you've arrived?"
Qing Shanyue nodded slightly, stood up and said, "They're looking for you. Please, Your Highness."
The two walked to the palace gate. Qing Shanyue raised her hand and opened the wooden door. The man standing outside had a gentle face, with smooth eyebrows, slightly drooping eyes, and a smiling gaze.
His posture was upright yet not at all imposing; he wore a moon-white brocade robe with a jade belt around his waist, resembling a refined and elegant young master from a noble family.
Mo Zuili made no attempt to hide her curious gaze, scrutinizing the person from head to toe.
The conclusion is that Qing Shanyue was right; the Third Prince, Jun Yuze, has a highly deceptive appearance.
"Ninth Sister." Jun Yuze nodded to Qing Shanyue in greeting, his tone friendly and without a trace of distance.
Qing Shanyue stepped aside, blocking the view inside the doorway, preventing him from entering. Her voice was calm and indifferent: "Second Brother, is there something you need?"
Jun Yuze's gaze passed over Qing Shanyue's shoulder and landed on Mo Zuili. His smile deepened, and his tone was as gentle as a spring breeze: "This must be Miss Mo?"
Seeing Mo Zuili nod, he continued, "I heard that a guest from outside the Dragon Realm has arrived, and that he is my third brother's sweetheart, so I wanted to come and meet him. Moreover, since he is a guest, as a member of the Dragon Clan, I should do my best to be a good host and express my welcome."
In just a few words, Jun Yuze was impeccable, pointing out the relationship between Mo Zuili and Qi Shuyan while also displaying a friendly demeanor.
Even towards Qing Shanyue, who had lost power in recent years, his tone was not disrespectful at all, but rather revealed just the right amount of concern.
The three stood in front of the door. When Mo Zuili heard the Third Prince mention her, she stepped forward generously and met Jun Yuze's gaze frankly, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness. It's just that you've come at an inopportune time. I was just about to go find Qi Shuyan."
Jun Yuze smiled and asked, "Is Ninth Sister also going? If so, then I won't bother you any longer."
Qing Shanyue coldly raised her eyes, glanced at Mo Zuili and Jun Yuze, and said in a cold tone, "Then I will escort Your Highness here. Your Highness, please take care on your journey."
Upon hearing Qing Shanyue's address, Jun Yuze was slightly taken aback, but his reaction was still quick. Before Mo Zuili could speak, he replied, "The Dragon Domain is currently going through a turbulent period. Why don't I accompany Miss Mo to visit my third brother as well?"
Mo Zuili blinked, a hint of impatience flashing across her eyes, but she still replied in the end, "...Thank you, Third Prince."
Jun Yuze pretended not to notice Mo Zuili's impatience, and the two walked together toward Qi Shuyan's palace.
On the way, Jun Yuze kept chatting with Mo Zuili.
It seems like concern, but it's actually just empty talk.
When Qi Shuyan was mentioned, Jun Yuze sighed regretfully and said, "Miss Mo, why did you leave so hastily when you came to the Dragon Domain last time? I didn't even have a chance to meet you properly."
Upon hearing this, Mo Zuili frowned, feigning displeasure, and replied perfunctorily, "Something's come up outside."
Seemingly afraid that Jun Yuze would ask further questions, Mo Zuili added, "At that time, the demon race was in turmoil outside, and I was undergoing the demon race's trial. The demon race even went to interfere."
Jun Yuze knew perfectly well that Mo Zuili had been forced to leave by Hua Fei last time.
She realized that Mo Zuili was being forced to leave by Hua Fei and kept it a secret from everyone.
Jun Yuze felt that he understood Mo Zuili's personality a little better now.
Jun Yuze was aware of the turmoil in the outside world, but his network of information was far less sophisticated than Qing Shanyue's.
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