Chapter 75: Farewell

Li Xingchao pondered for a moment and nodded.

The ruins of Ti Lan Mountain are a legacy left by an ancient powerhouse, possessing tremendous allure for all martial artists.

The imperial household cannot monopolize it by force and keep other factions out; it's better to open it now than to cause conflict later.

"I'll send a message to my elder brother to discuss it." The Yu State's supreme authority is jointly held by him and the Eldest Imperial Prince, so opening the ruins naturally requires consulting the Eldest Imperial Prince.

"Have anything else happened while I've been away?" Li Xingchao asked, looking at Li Xun.

Li Xun's face looked somewhat unpleasant; he stammered for a while before saying, "There..."

"Speak." Li Xingchao said coldly.

Yun Wan has run off to the ruins, her fate unknown; he doesn't believe there could be any greater trouble.

"My son, while investigating the shamans, accidentally fell into a trap and lost forty-eight Golden Scale Guards."

While speaking, he furtively glanced at his father; seeing his father's grim expression, Li Xun quickly gave Xu Liang a look.

Xu Liang slightly bowed and said, "Your Highness, this is also my failure; I had intended to use tracking techniques to find those shamans, but it turned out to be a trap set by them."

Upon hearing this, Li Xingchao frowned slightly: "Even the Grand Diviner didn't see through this scheme?"

Xu Liang bowed his hands and said nothing.

"Anything else?" Li Xingchao asked again.

Even Xu Liang hadn't seen through the trap, yet Li Xun fell for it; he didn't want to blame him, after all, he's still young and needs more experience.

"Moreover... Yun Qing killed a disciple of the Ascendant Immortal Society's Executive Officer Xu." Li Xun said again.

"What!" As soon as his words fell, Yun Jin sprang to her feet, staring at Yun Qing beside her with shock, and demanded, "Did you really kill Executive Officer Xu's disciple?"

Yun Qing pursed his lips, bowed his hands, and said, "Killed."

"Before heading to the ruins, my sister gave her personal jade pendant to a boy named Fang Xu, saying she could turn to the Yun family for help if she ran into trouble."

"The Executive Officer Xu's registered disciple wanted to kill Fang Xu; that person took the jade pendant to Huang Prefecture, so I told my father I'd come to Maple Forest to check why my sister acted so rashly and, by the way, help Fang Xu resolve his trouble."

"You!" Yun Jin trembled with rage, pointing at Yun Qing, unable to speak.

"Yun Qing, there are many ways to solve a problem; you shouldn't resort to killing at the drop of a hat..." Li Xingchao also felt a headache coming on and complained.

He had thought Yun Wan's sneaking off to the ruins alone was already enough to give him a headache.

Little did he know, there was an even bigger headache waiting ahead.

The Ascendant Immortal Society!

As a prince of the Yu State, now its actual ruler, Li Xingchao knew just how terrifying the Ascendant Immortal Society's power was.

Without hesitation, he said that if the Ascendant Immortal Society harbored even the slightest ambition to dominate, the Yu State allied with several neighboring countries would still be no match for them!

He knew Xu Changqing, the Executive Officer Xu of the Ascendant Immortal Society, who was based in Central Prefecture; although holding only the officer's rank, his prestige within the society surpassed that of some elders!

Because he is an alchemist!

If they killed his disciple and the Ascendant Immortal Society laid blame, even his imperial father might not be able to protect Yun Qing!

The current head of the Yun family, Yun Tianming, has only one son and one daughter; now his daughter is trapped in the ruins, her fate unknown, and his son has caused such a great disaster...

"Qing'er, how could you be so reckless!" Yun Jin looked despairingly at her nephew.

Xu Changqing is notorious for protecting his own; Yun Jin could imagine how furious he would be upon learning his disciple had been slain.

By then, the only thing the Yun family could likely do would be to bind their sole heir and hand him over, leaving him to be beaten or killed!

"Aunt, that's just a registered disciple whose qi and blood have waned; I don't believe Executive Officer Xu would personally come to demand justice over such a worthless nobody!" Yun Qing defended himself.

A registered disciple whose qi and blood have waned?

Upon hearing this, Li Xingchao looked at Li Xun and said, "Exactly what happened? You tell me."

Li Xun immediately bowed his hands and briefly explained the matter concerning Wu Huan.

"Putting it that way, the head of the Wu family and Executive Officer Xu were merely a fleeting romance... and the Wu family head even teamed up with the shamans to plot against you?"

Li Xun bowed his hands: "Exactly so."

Having received an affirmative answer, Li Xingchao pondered for a moment and looked at Yun Jin, saying, "This matter isn't as serious as imagined."

"According to what Xun'er said, this person merely saved Executive Officer Xu back in the day; now that Executive Officer Xu has taken action, it can be considered repayment of that old favor. Moreover, the Ascendant Immortal Society does not interfere in secular affairs, yet this person openly colluded with remnants of the Misty Cloud State to plot against the Yu State's heir—this clearly violates the Society's rules."

"In that case, when we return to Central Prefecture, I will personally bring Qing'er to pay a visit to Executive Officer Xu, and then I should be able to obtain his understanding."

The plan to win over the Yun family through the marriage of Yun Wan and Li Xun has come to nothing; however, if we can now keep Yun Qing safe from the Ascendant Immortal Society, Li Xingchao feels this would be no less valuable than the marital alliance.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Yun Jin bowed slightly, then glared at Yun Qing and said, "Haven't you thanked Your Highness yet?"

Yun Qing reluctantly bowed his hands: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Xingchao waved his hand and said, "Once the ruins are opened, the situation in Maple Forest Town will become more complicated; you two should hurry back to Huang Prefecture and Central Prefecture."

Having been away for just over ten days, Li Xun and Yun Qing have already stirred up this much trouble; he dare not let them stay any longer.

"Your Highness, I..."

"Just go back if I tell you to—why all the nonsense!" Yun Qing still wanted to say something, but Yun Jin cut him off.

"You've really picked up some bad habits—so reckless, the Yun family will surely be ruined by your hands!"

"Aunt..." After being scolded, Yun Qing didn't dare to talk back.

Hai hour.

The gate of the Hall of Distant Aspirations was knocked open; Yun Qing strode in, somewhat indignant, and asked Fang Xu, "Where is Miss Chu?"

Fang Xu blinked in confusion: "She's asleep; what does Young Master Yun want with her?"

"I want to bid her farewell." Yun Qing said helplessly.

"Farewell?"

"Is Young Master Yun leaving?"

Yun Qing sighed, nodded, and suddenly said, "Fang Xu, Maple Forest Town is about to descend into chaos—you and Miss Chu should come with me to Huang Prefecture!"

Fang Xu wondered: "Why did Maple Forest Town fall into chaos?"

He definitely won't go to Yellow Prefecture; he himself carries the Divine Extension Canon and the Yan Ling True Explanation, and he also has considerable ties with the Wu. Going to Yellow Prefecture would be tantamount to venturing alone into danger.

"Ti Lan Shan Relics will be made public; by then, all forces big and small of Yu State will definitely come from Maple Forest Town into the mountains." Yun Qing spoke: "By then, Maple Forest Town will truly have martial artists walking everywhere, and martial venerables as numerous as dogs!"

The opening of the Ti Lan Shan Relics may indeed bring about the situation Yun Qing mentioned.

However, Fang Xu anticipated that the imperial family could not possibly ignore this; they would certainly send someone to garrison Maple Forest Town to overawe all forces, big and small.

Therefore, on the surface, Maple Forest Town will not really descend into chaos.

"Young Master Yun's kindness, I appreciate it, but I have lived here since childhood and for now do not wish to leave." Fang Xu refused.

"Pedantic!" Yun Qing snapped angrily, then went straight to Chu Mu's room door.

"Chu……"

"Young Master Yun, no need to say more; I've heard it all. If Brother doesn't go, I certainly won't either." From inside the room, Chu Mu's voice came.

Yun Qing stared, then let out a helpless sigh, turned to Fang Xu and said: "By then, my Yun family should also send someone over; I'll have them look after you."

"Protect Miss Chu well; if anything happens to her, I will never let you off!"

Having said that, Yun Qing stormed off.

Watching his retreating back, Fang Xu showed a thoughtful expression, then went straight to the room to cultivate.

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(End of chapter)