“This is… the Curse Spirit Great Emperor’s spirit sword. How did it end up here…”
Luo Qingning examined the glabella between Mu Yunxi’s brows and asked.
Jiang Wuhen raised an eyebrow, a look of intrigue crossing his face.
Mu Yunxi truly was a daughter of fortune. The treasure that had sat unresponsive in his hands all this time had recognized its master the instant it touched her.
And judging from Luo Qingning’s words, the jade sword pendant seemed to be an artifact of a great emperor.
“Shizun, are you saying this is the Curse Spirit Great Emperor’s inheritance?”
Jiang Wuhen asked in surprise.
Luo Qingning nodded, then shook her head.
She slowly raised her hand and lightly tapped Mu Yunxi’s glabella.
In that instant, a warm white light shimmered, and a small sword, pure white as jade, materialized from the glow and hovered before the three of them.
Meanwhile, the sword-shaped mark between Mu Yunxi’s brows remained clear.
“This sword is called the Spirit Sword, an artifact of the Curse Spirit Great Emperor from several thousand years ago. Within it lies an inheritance left by the Curse Spirit Great Emperor, though not a complete one.”
“The Curse Spirit Great Emperor wielded two principal methods: one was spirit arts, and the other was curse arts. What this spirit sword carries is the complete spirit art inheritance!”
“Yunxi, where did this object… come from?”
Luo Qingning asked.
“To reply to the Empress, this object… was given to me by Wuhen…”
Mu Yunxi answered respectfully, her face slightly tense.
“Oh?”
Luo Qingning raised an eyebrow and turned an intrigued gaze toward Jiang Wuhen.
Jiang Wuhen grinned.
“I made a trip to the spirit cultivator market and stumbled upon it by chance.”
“Never imagined it would turn out to be an inheritance left by a great emperor!”
Luo Qingning nodded.
“The Curse Spirit Great Emperor’s raw strength was nothing remarkable, but I must admit, the curse arts and spirit arts she mastered were profoundly extraordinary.”
“Yunxi, since this object has recognized you as its master, it counts as a stroke of fortune for you.”
“Study it well going forward. If anything is unclear, you may come ask me at any time.”
To receive guidance from the empress, one of the strongest beings in the Desolate Ancient Continent, was a fortune no less significant than a great emperor’s inheritance.
Mu Yunxi was overwhelmed with gratitude and hastily cupped her fists.
“Many thanks, Empress!”
“We are all family. No need for such formality.”
Luo Qingning said with a gentle smile.
This approachable demeanor was worlds apart from her usual majesty, and some of the tension in Mu Yunxi’s heart eased.
“Shizun, since the spirit sword is one of the Curse Spirit Great Emperor’s inherited divine weapons, she must have been quite accomplished in the sword dao as well, aside from spirit arts and curse arts…”
Jiang Wuhen asked suddenly.
Luo Qingning smiled gracefully.
“She was no sword dao master. Both the spirit sword and the curse sword are merely vessels for carrying the power of curses and spirits.”
“The spirit sword is beneficial to Yunxi and poses no danger. You can set your mind at ease.”
Jiang Wuhen nodded.
“With Shizun here, my mind has always been at ease!”
Luo Qingning gave a helpless smile.
“You… you’re about to be married, and you’re still cracking jokes with your master.”
She waved her jade-like hand, and the spirit sword she had materialized dissolved into motes of white light, flowing back into Mu Yunxi’s body.
“Hen’er, your master has something to discuss with you.”
At these words, before Jiang Wuhen could react, Mu Yunxi hastily cupped her fists.
“Empress, this junior will take her leave!”
She understood that whatever Luo Qingning and Jiang Wuhen discussed would certainly be a matter of the sect.
Some things weren’t meant for her ears.
But just as she turned to go, Jiang Wuhen caught her small hand.
Luo Qingning also smiled at her.
“You can stay. You and Wuhen will be married. Going forward, whenever Wuhen has a decision he can’t settle on, he’ll need you to help him weigh things.”
“I won’t keep you in the dark about immortal sect affairs.”
Only then did Mu Yunxi nod, settling at Jiang Wuhen’s side.
“Hen’er, are you aware of the recent events at the Yaoguang Sacred Ground?”
Luo Qingning’s smile faded. Her cool, beautiful face was all seriousness.
“I know a little, but not much.”
“A month ago, the Yaoguang Sacred Ground’s ancestor perished under the nirvana heavenly tribulation, leaving the entire sacred ground leaderless, like scattered sand.”
“That sacred power already had many hidden dangers. Now, they’ve all been exposed.”
“On the day of my wedding ceremony with Yunxi, the sacred lords of the Tianxuan Sacred Ground and the Tianji Sacred Ground presented our immortal sect with generous gifts. It seems they wanted to ensure our sect wouldn’t interfere when they joined forces to carve up the Yaoguang Sacred Ground…”
Jiang Wuhen spoke frankly.
Luo Qingning nodded.
“Correct. Now, the Tianxuan Sacred Ground, the Tianji Sacred Ground, and the War Soul Clan, the Qin Clan, have all dispatched experts to besiege the Yaoguang Sacred Ground.”
“Even a number of rogue cultivators at the indestructible realm are lurking in the shadows, waiting for the moment the sacred ground falls so they can slip into the grotto-heaven and claim a share.”
“The Yaoguang Sacred Ground is in truly dire straits.”
“Look. This is a letter the Yaoguang Sacred Lord secretly sent. If our immortal sect can rescue the Yaoguang Sacred Ground from annihilation, they are willing to submit…”
As she spoke, Luo Qingning gently raised her hand. Under the support of spirit origin power, a jade slip drifted slowly to a stop before Jiang Wuhen.
Jiang Wuhen closed his eyes and carefully absorbed the information within the jade slip.
In addition to the Yaoguang Sacred Lord’s letter, Luo Qingning had also recorded the analysis from the earlier immortal sect leadership meeting, where the elders had weighed the pros and cons.
A moment later, Jiang Wuhen opened his eyes and smiled faintly.
“Shizun, there’s something in the Yaoguang Sacred Ground that interests you, isn’t there?”
“And this thing is neither the ten-thousand-year cold pool nor the Yaoguang Saintess…”
Who was Luo Qingning?
A great emperor. The master of the immortal sect. One of the most powerful beings atop the Desolate Ancient Continent’s power pyramid.
A mere ten-thousand-year cold pool and immortal jade spirit body weren’t enough to make her hesitate.
Hearing this, Luo Qingning smiled slightly.
“As expected, Hen’er, you understand me best.”
“The only thing in the Yaoguang Sacred Ground that interests me is a person.”
Jiang Wuhen raised an eyebrow.
“What kind of person could catch Shizun’s interest?”
“Could it be a great emperor-level expert hiding within the Yaoguang Sacred Ground?”
Luo Qingning smiled.
“Not a great emperor-level expert. But someone who concerns me… even more than a great emperor.”
“A junior. A junior called ‘Lin Chen’…”
Lin Chen!
At these words, Jiang Wuhen’s expression tensed.
Wasn’t that practically the stock ID for a son of fortune?
“Shizun, leave the Yaoguang Sacred Ground matter to me.”
“I’ll make the trip personally!”
Jiang Wuhen said frankly.
“Oh? Hen’er, have you heard something about this Lin Chen?”
Luo Qingning asked with interest.
Jiang Wuhen smiled but didn’t answer.
“Very well, Hen’er. Your cultivation has already reached the divine martial realm. Below the life and death realm, you’ll rarely find a worthy opponent.”
“Going out for a while will do you good.”
“I’ll leave this matter to you.”
“Lin Chen, and the Yaoguang Sacred Ground itself, whether they live or die… the decision is yours.”
Luo Qingning’s tone was calm, yet she spoke of deciding the fate of a power with ten thousand years of heritage as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.
“When will you set out?”
Luo Qingning asked.
“In three days.”
“The Yaoguang Sacred Ground, even without their ancestor to rely on, still has the guardian grand formation passed down by their successive patriarchs.”
“Three days means only a few more lives lost. It won’t change the bigger picture.”
Jiang Wuhen said lightly.
“Good. Since you’ve made up your mind, set out in three days.”
Luo Qingning said calmly.
Afterward, Jiang Wuhen briefed Luo Qingning on his decision to abandon the idea of making Lin Ziyan his maidservant, opting instead to have Xiao Chen as his bodyguard and Mu Yunxi stay by his side under the guise of a maidservant.
Luo Qingning had always supported Jiang Wuhen’s decisions.
Once everything was settled, Jiang Wuhen and Mu Yunxi finally left the Heavenly One Divine Hall.
“Yaoguang Sacred Ground… Lin Chen…”
Jiang Wuhen murmured to himself, the corners of his lips curving upward.
A new victim had appeared. How could he stand still!
Just then, a familiar figure approached and stopped before Jiang Wuhen, bowing respectfully.
It was Jiang Wuhen’s guard, Yi Shanjin.
“What is it?”
Jiang Wuhen regarded him and said lightly.
Hearing this, Yi Shanjin’s eyes darted around. He leaned close to Jiang Wuhen’s side and spoke in a conspiratorial whisper. “Imperial Son, this subordinate overheard Xiao Chen mention that you’ve given up on making Lin Ziyan your maidservant. Understanding Your Highness’s intention, this subordinate already dispatched someone to deal with Lin Ziyan in secret.”
“Rest assured, Imperial Son. The matter was handled with absolute discretion, clean and thorough!”
At these words, the smile on Jiang Wuhen’s face froze solid.
