NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34: The Path of the Grand Void, Li Qingzhou
Before long, the Forbidden Palace surrounded by high walls to the north of the Imperial City.
Thousands of Black Armor Guards stood watch around the walls, and atop the walls roamed the Forbidden Army clad in red armor, longbows in hand.
Inside, the palace was resplendent with gold and jade, though not tall, strikingly luxurious.
Golden wood was used for columns; the beams and rafters were carved and painted, each brick and tile crystal clear.
The smoothly rounded ground paved with white jade was covered with a layer of intertwined gold and red carpets, the ultimate in sumptuous splendor.
"Has the memorial from Xijiang Prefecture arrived?"
Inside a palace hall, Emperor Wei hunched over to flip through the memorials and asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, someone has already been sent to inquire with the Left Minister."
Liu Gao spoke rapidly and clearly, daring not to make a single mistake.
"The memorial is with Xie Jing?" Emperor Wei frowned.
"Yes, that's what the spies from the Black Dragon Guard reported."
"Hmph, he really knows how to keep his cool!"
Emperor Wei let out a laugh that was hard to tell whether it was a sneer or mockery. He then tossed aside the memorial in his hand and rubbed his brow.
Seeing this, Liu Gao hurriedly came closer, carefully massaging his shoulder.
"Your Majesty, the drought is a natural disaster. It's hard for humans to counteract, even if Wuliang Mountain and the Grand Void Sect intervened..."
Before he could finish speaking, a rush of fast footsteps came from outside.
"Father Emperor, Father Emperor!"
The Twelfth Prince Wei Letian and Princess Wei Xiaoyun rushed into the hall.
Liu Gao secretly thought they were in for trouble. Taking advantage of Emperor Wei's yet-to-arise anger, he immediately went to greet them.
"Your Majesty is tired today..."
"No matter, let them approach."
Emperor Wei waved his hand, forcing a smile while looking at his two children and asked, "What's the rush? Did that stubborn old Gu Tiangang bully you again?"
"No," began Wei Letian, "Father Emperor, it's Chen Er..."
Wei Xiaoyun interrupted him, pressing on, "It's Chen Yi from Duke Wuan Mansion, he defeated Mr. Ning!"
After speaking, she cast a glance at her twelfth brother.
Chen Er was their private nickname for Chen Yi. How could they use such a moniker before their father emperor?
Emperor Wei paused for a moment. He remembered the name Chen Yi, and couldn't help but become intrigued:
"Tell me, how did he defeat Mr. Ning?"
"Swordfighting! Mr. Ning proposed a sparring session with Chen Yi, and then..."
As Wei Letian and Wei Xiaoyun went on, explaining and gesturing, Emperor Wei finally understood the situation.
"He won using only swordsmanship against the Sword Dao talent from the Grand Void Sect? Liu Gao, Ning Xue is sixteen already, isn't she?"
"Your Majesty, she's reported to have just turned sixteen."
Liu Gao was equally astonished.
Others might not be aware, but he knew about the recent underhanded dealings between Duke Wuan Mansion and Duke Jingye Mansion.
Although no one knew what Zhou Tiance was planning, all signs indicated he was covertly scrutinizing Duke Wuan Mansion.
And caught in the midst of this whirlpool was the child named Chen Yi.
"Hahaha... My judgment was not wrong after all. Of the two sons of Chen Taiping, indeed the second son has potential!"
Emperor Wei burst into laughter, as the worries of the drought vanished in an instant.
"Your Majesty has discerning eyes."
After the laughter, Emperor Wei looked at the Wei Letian siblings and encouraged, "Now do you understand the reason why I sent you to the Xingwu Academy?"
"Do not belittle others just because you have the bloodline of the Royal Family. Today it's Chen Yi, tomorrow it could be someone else."
"There are many in this world with more talent and greater strength than you. Remember, you must work hard."
"We will heed father emperor's words. Your son takes his leave."
Wei Letian and Wei Xiaoyun exchanged a quick glance, then rose and ran out after speaking.
Hmph, sharing good news but there's no reward, only a lecture.
Not listening, not listening, not listening!
Seeing their reaction, Emperor Wei laughed and scolded. Then he began pondering aloud, "Send someone to deliver an oral decree to Duke Wuan."
Liu Gao quickly grabbed paper and ink, ready to take notes at the side.
"Tell him with Our presence, the incidents of the Lantern Festival will not repeat. Let him station himself at ease."
As he spoke, Emperor Wei paused, a smile faintly appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Also, summon Zhou Tiance from Duke Jingye Mansion, and say that We miss him and want him to accompany Us on a hunting trip in the back mountains for two months."
Liu Gao was startled, two months?
Does His Majesty plan to stay at the hunting grounds until after the Mid-Autumn Festival?
Is the drought outside no longer of concern?
At this time, Emperor Wei continued to instruct: "And Xie Jing, issue an imperial command for him to personally oversee the drought relief efforts in Xijiang Prefecture and Jiangnan Prefecture. If he cannot manage it well, he need not return!"
"Yes."
Liu Gao thought to himself, that's more like it.
…
Ning Xue, somewhat distracted, left the Imperial Palace Forbidden Area, heading back to the Grand Void Sect's branch in the Capital City.
She went straight through the pavilions and overhanging eaves to the back courtyard and was hesitating to knock when she heard Gu Tiangang's voice inside.
"Niece Ning, if you have something to say, come in."
Ning Xue responded, pushing the door open, and yet her step faltered, a hint of surprise flashing across her cool face.
"Master, how come you're here?"
Inside the room, aside from Gu Tiangang, stood another person dressed in a blue robe, hands held behind his back, a young man of handsome appearance beside the window.
It was none other than her Master—reputed as the most talented in swordsmanship in a thousand years of the Grand Void Sect, Li Qingzhou.
"I was passing by and thought to check on you," Li Qingzhou said with a smile.
Beside him, Gu Tiangang mercilessly revealed the truth, "He clearly heard about a talented swordsman and wanted to take him as a disciple ahead of time."
"Master…" Ning Xue looked at the handsome young man with a grievance in her eyes.
Li Qingzhou was at a loss for words and coughed, "Don't listen to your grandmaster's nonsense. Your Master mainly came to see you and, by the way, to take a glance at that genius."
As he spoke, he subtly changed the subject, "Did you leave the Academy early today?"
Ning Xue's expression shifted slightly, and she nodded lightly: "There is indeed an issue I wanted to report to grandmaster."
"What's the matter?"
"Today, I had a swordsmanship contest with that genius swordsman, Chen Yi..."
"Oh?" Gu Tiangang raised his eyebrows, "How many moves did he last?"
Li Qingzhou also showed interest, stroking his chin, "You intended to test him with your swordsmanship."
"I guess he should withstand ten moves; after ten moves, when you grasp the depth of his skills, you will decide the victor with a single strike."
Little did they know.
Ning Xue silently lowered her head, pursed her lips and said: "Disciple lost, and he, he used only two swords."
Lost?
Gu Tiangang and Li Qingzhou paused for a moment, exchanging looks, both seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.
They both knew Ning Xue's talent in swordsmanship was excellent; otherwise, she would not be able to glimpse the Sword Intent and reach the Small Success Realm in swordsmanship at the age of sixteen.
Paired with her decade of arduous cultivation, her swordsmanship was refined to the point of perfection, especially skilled in the Shock Sword Style.
Even without the use of Sword Qi or Sword Intent, purely speaking of sword techniques, she was already the best among those at her level in the entire Grand Void Sect.
Such a talent, to be defeated by Chen Yi?
Even if his swordsmanship talent was peerless, monstrously vast, and he practiced every moment, that would only amount to a thousand days and nights at most.
Unless he was born with that knowledge!
"Tell me the details," Li Qingzhou said, his smile fading into solemnity.
"Yes."
Ning Xue then recounted the swordsmanship contest with Chen Yi at Xingwu Academy.
As she described the process, she gestured with her sword to help her seniors better understand.
"Master, grandmaster."
"Although there were only two swords, I could feel that his sword techniques were extremely succinct and sharp, each move striking at my critical weaknesses."
"Could it be, his mastery of Sword Dao far exceeds the Small Success Realm?"
Speaking, Ning Xue's expression turned gloomy.
A Small Success in swordsmanship at the age of three was already terrifying, but if it were the Great Success Realm... She feared that her very heart of the sword would shatter.
How could there exist a swordsmanship prodigy more monstrous than her Master?