The Eastern Palace.
Outside the palace, snowflakes fluttered down, and the cold wind swirled ice particles that pelted the glazed tiles, making a soft, crisp sound.
The gilded palace lanterns hanging under the vermilion pillars swayed in the wind, their dim yellow light spreading out in a hazy blur against the snow.
Inside the hall, incense burned in a bronze censer with animal-shaped decorations, and wisps of blue smoke curled upwards.
Wang Qing sat cross-legged on a rosewood armchair, her chin slightly raised, the black silk eye mask over her single eye gleaming coldly in the candlelight, looking like she was too lazy to talk.
Wu Deyun's crimson robe trailed on the ground, and a cluster of eerie blue flames danced at his fingertips, making the scar on his brow bone appear even more ferocious.
Zhang Chongjiu leaned back in his chair, the joints of his right arm, which was connected to Senbai Xiong, cracking. Whenever someone glanced at him, he would grin, revealing his snow-white teeth.
The crown prince's fingers, gripping the jade wine cup, turned slightly white. He had specially changed into a deep purple robe with coiled dragons today, but the jade pendant hanging from his belt hook trembled uncontrollably. Because these envoys from Yan were simply outrageously arrogant!
Even so, the Crown Prince took a deep breath, picked up his wine cup, and the wine rippled in the cup as he looked at the three people in front of him.
"Two envoys, when will the Grand Preceptor arrive?"
The crown prince originally intended to send a message to the Yan Kingdom, but later learned that the Yan Kingdom's national advisor had already secretly arrived in the capital.
That's when they changed their plans. Disguised, they searched all over the capital and unexpectedly found a follower of the Yan State's Grand Preceptor.
However, the three men in front of him were far too arrogant, which made the prince extremely angry.
But the crown prince also knew that most people in Yan were like that, and that the Yan state's national teacher could bestow abilities upon believers, so those people were very arrogant!
Wang Qing snorted coldly: "Our Imperial Preceptor is extremely busy, summoning the most devout believers every day to offer blessings. How could you possibly come whenever you want?"
She deliberately kicked the table with the tip of her boot, making the teacups clatter loudly.
"Once the Grand Preceptor finishes his business in Yan, he will naturally use his great supernatural powers to appear here! Just you all watch!"
Upon hearing this, the elderly man in the indigo official robe among the staff suddenly staggered backward, knocking over the antique shelf behind him, and a Pixiu statue shattered into pieces.
A teleport? The distance from Yan to Liang is a thousand miles!
Everyone was shocked.
Is the Grand Preceptor of Yan so powerful that he can teleport directly from Yan to the capital of Liang?
They only realized now that if the Yan State's Grand Preceptor wanted to harm His Highness, it would be an incredibly easy thing to do.
The group of people became increasingly alarmed as they thought about it, and finally looked at the crown prince in shock.
"You don't need to worry. We are going to cooperate with the Grand Preceptor. We have common interests, so the Grand Preceptor certainly won't make things difficult for me," the Crown Prince said with great certainty.
After all, in his previous life, the Grand Preceptor of the neighboring country wanted the position of Grand Preceptor of Liang, but his father refused, which is why he was so badly beaten by Yan and other countries!
If he asks his father for permission in advance, the Grand Preceptor will naturally have no reason to deal with him!
Not long after, a strong wind blew outside the prince's palace, and hailstones pelted the eaves, making a sound.
A group of people were getting impatient, constantly looking outside the palace.
Just when everyone thought that the Yan Kingdom's Grand Preceptor was unlikely to come, a sudden gust of wind smashed open the carved palace door, and snowflakes pelted in.
Everyone instinctively looked towards the door and discovered a white figure had appeared beside the charcoal brazier.
The veil of her conical hat was lifted by the air currents, revealing a chin as sculpted as jade.
"Human charcoal..." The staff tapped lightly, and the crimson charcoal was instantly covered with white frost. "Too filthy."
A cold wind blew in, completely waking the crown prince and his group of advisors.
They watched helplessly as this "National Preceptor of Yan" extinguished the charcoal brazier, then waved his stick, igniting one after another eerie blue flame in the air.
A wave of heat suddenly exploded, and cold sweat beaded on the prince's forehead, for those will-o'-the-wisps of flowers were hovering just three inches from their throats.
The crown prince and his advisors fell completely silent.
How could they possibly comment on such a powerful imperial advisor?
These people might utter a single complaint and their throats would be pierced the next second!
"You..." Xia Yan looked at the Crown Prince again. "What do you want to discuss with me?"
The crown prince's knees slammed heavily against the blue bricks, the jade pendant cracking with a crisp sound: "Grand Preceptor, I wish to invite you to become the Grand Preceptor of Liang, and offer you the full support of the nation!"
Xia Yan raised an eyebrow and said in a light tone, "You are just the crown prince of a country, and you may not even ascend the throne in the future. How can you make such a promise?"
“My time is very precious. Countless believers pray to me every day, and I also have to listen to their voices.”
The Crown Prince hurriedly swore, "Grand Preceptor, as long as you help me kill Emperor Liang and that evil demon who is afflicting the people, I will definitely be able to sit on the throne. At that time, I will definitely make you the Grand Preceptor of Liang and let all the people of Liang believe in you!"
A soft laugh came from beneath the white veil, and a flame of blue suddenly pressed against the crown prince's trembling Adam's apple: "Empty promises?"
The crown prince was terrified and shook his head repeatedly: "Grand Preceptor, we can sign a contract!"
"Oh? Is that so?" The Imperial Advisor sighed softly, but said nothing more.
The entire hall fell silent.
After an unknown amount of time, the white figure slowly floated over and used its staff to lift the prince's chin.
Her voice was as soft as falling snow, yet it made the crown prince stiffen. "But if you dare to deceive my tutor..."
Before she finished speaking, she suddenly raised her hand and pointed outside the hall.
There was a loud bang.
A streak of blue-purple lightning tore through the night sky, slicing down like a giant python, instantly blasting the stone lions in the East Palace courtyard to pieces.
The blinding electric light illuminated the entire hall in a ghastly white light, and everyone's face was filled with terror.
The gale-force winds, carrying hailstones, pounded against the window frames, and several glazed tiles crashed down from the eaves, shattering into pieces on the snow.
The prince collapsed to the ground, his jade crown askew, his hair disheveled by the shockwave.
His aides behind him kicked their legs and fainted from fright.
Xia Yan lowered her gaze to the trembling crowd, her staff tapping the ground gently once more. "Remember, this national master can grant you the throne—"
A burst of blue flames suddenly shot up three feet high, making her silhouette beneath the white veil appear eerily eerie. "It can also reduce you to ashes in an instant!"
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