Chapter 196: Times Change and Circumstances Shift

Both female leads have been taken away, so this farewell wine can no longer be drunk.

Lu Xingzhou took A'nuo to the Demon Suppression Bureau as well, participating in the "autopsy" in his capacity as both the victim of the assassination attempt and a Pill Master.

Of course, this identity usually doesn't allow one to participate in an autopsy; who would call him that? He has another special identity... The screams of Chief Editor Sheng being beaten as he was dragged back just now still echoed in everyone's ears. Whether this yellow-haired fellow is to be killed or flayed is the matter of the First Seat; others only know his probability of becoming the First Seat's son-in-law is quite high...

Upon detailed investigation, it turned out there was no identity information at all. Logically, a third-grade sword cultivator should already be on the List of Heroes, counting as a local power, yet this person is unknown to anyone, let alone listed.

The so-called "recluse old monster" isn't hidden like this. Those are usually once-famous high masters, either having the Demon Suppression Bureau remove their names, or hiding their names and staying away from the human world for a long time, being treated as having died of old age and removed from the records. This person is clearly not that type; he exists directly outside of cognition.

Lu Xingzhou inspected for a long time: "Reaching third grade yet being unknown to anyone is a very difficult thing... because this is not a result achievable by sitting at home and cultivating bitterly; it requires high-intensity trials. And long-term trials in secret realms are not quite feasible. Du Gu Qingli cultivated in the Cold River since childhood, unknown to anyone; even the Imperial Preceptor believed she must experience the human world to reach third grade, so her brilliance burst forth into the world. After all, experiencing the human world inevitably involves social interaction and will also have battle achievements known to others; it is hard to remain unknown... That is third grade."

"There are also low-key people; not many know them, but it doesn't mean absolutely no one knows them. We will try posting a notice to see who has seen him."

"There is another possibility: the place of trial is abroad, in another country or within the Demon territory." Lu Xingzhou took up a brush, drew a likeness, and put it away: "If I were to go out, I would ask about it if I had the chance."

So, having no clues itself is a kind of clue; sooner or later, something will turn up.

However, at present, if the Demon Suppression Bureau reports such a result to the Emperor's desk, it is hard to say what Gu Zhanting will think.

Yesterday, Lu Xingzhou brutally beat Huo Heng at the Misty Rain Pavilion, and he did so in front of Prince Jin, Gu Yicheng. Today, Lu Xingzhou was assassinated. Ordinary people would only think it was either the Huo family's secretly raised death soldiers, or Prince Jin. Judging from the area where this person finally fled, Prince Jin's suspicion is greater than the Huo family's.

Whoever it is, it will likely plant a nail in Gu Zhanting's heart.

Raising death soldiers is not the same as raising guards... Such matters are generally a great taboo for monarchs.

Lu Xingzhou looked toward the Wang Hou area over there, expressionless.

He knew it was not Prince Jin.

Starting from the Demon Subduing Domain, this person had the intention of framing Gu Yicheng; at the very least, the Pill Academy still doubts him and Chen Yu are in cahoots. Coming to assassinate after the conflict with Prince Jin makes the implication even clearer.

Even Lu Xingzhou himself doesn't feel he has the value of being assassinated by a third-grade death soldier; who else would hold him in such high regard?

—This not only eliminates Shen Tang's right-hand man but also makes the currently most rising Prince Jin suspected by the Emperor; adding up this two-birds-one-stone matter, isn't the value sufficient?

"A commoner ruined and confined to the manor, a youth with low cultivation, several minors... Heh."

But do not forget that so-called ruined commoner; the reason for his ruin was slaughtering the Tianxing Sword Sect and attempting to kill his own sister, Shen Tang.

"This trip to the capital was not in vain; it's interesting." Lu Xingzhou picked up A'nuo and left the Demon Suppression Bureau: "Next time we come, our strength will be different; it might be even more fun."

"Will you come with Sister Shen Tang next time?"

"I don't know... Theoretically, Shen Tang is still in self-imposed exile and dares not easily show her head. But times change and circumstances shift; who knows?"

At this moment, Pei Qingyan also felt the sigh of times changing and circumstances shifting.

He was still at home holding a bamboo strip, calling for Pei Chuyun to extend her small hand to be beaten; this was his first attempt at beating his daughter.

Before the strip could even come down, a subordinate hurriedly arrived outside: "Prime Minister Pei, the Governor of Dongjiang requests a discussion on the proposal to restore Xiazhou as the prefectural seat. His Majesty's intention is to request Prime Minister Pei and the various ministries to discuss it first."

Pei Chuyun perked up her ears.

Dongjiang Prefecture, Xiazhou.

Seeing his daughter's state, Pei Qingyan felt his anger rise: "Go squat in solitary confinement yourself; we'll sort this out tomorrow!"

After speaking, he threw down the strip, turned, and left with the subordinate: "What exactly is the situation?"

"Xiazhou was the prefectural seat and even the provincial seat in early years, holding considerable status. A hundred years ago, spiritual energy suddenly became increasingly thin, causing population migration and a great drop in status; the prefectural seat was taken by neighboring Dongjiang, and Xiazhou was downgraded to a county."

People in Xiazhou know this matter; people elsewhere may not be clear. Pei Qingyan had heard of it but never took it to heart: "So what?"

"The Governor of Dongjiang says that since he took office, he has found Xiazhou's spiritual energy growing denser day by day; by today, it already has the appearance of a great prefecture. In the last month or two, many people from surrounding areas have begun migrating to Xiazhou, just like the return flow of those years. In comparison, Dongjiang has fallen far behind; after all, Dongjiang was originally just a large county, barely serving as a prefectural seat."

Due to the existence of earth vein spiritual energy, the reason cities form on a large scale in this world is very crude: wherever spiritual energy is dense, people are willing to go. Furthermore, places with denser spiritual energy are also more likely to birth treasures; the original Xiazhou pattern of a lower-third-grade medicinal material base will likely become a middle-third-grade medicinal material production area, which would be completely different. The Governor of Dongjiang is so anxious to propose this motion because he is more willing to transfer to a place with denser spiritual energy to work and cultivate, enjoying more direct resource supply; it is very intuitive.

"Since he took office?" Pei Qingyan recalled for a moment, his expression somewhat strange: "The original Governor of Dongjiang's demon case... solved by Lu Xingzhou and Sheng Yuanyao."

Pei Chuyun, who had been perking up her ears: "..."

Actually, at that time, Pei Chuyun was nearby; the next day was the Burning of Red Cliffs, but poor dear father's story didn't even have her name in it.

Pei Qingyan pondered for a moment and asked again: "What is the source of Xiazhou's spiritual energy? Why has it suddenly become dense?"

"It is a problem with the entire Xiazhou earth vein. It should have been like this in early years; later, for some unknown reason, it became clogged, leading to the downgrade. Now the clog has been resolved, and the entire earth vein has revived."

"There must be a core, right?"

"It is said to be Danxia Mountain. People in Xiazhou now say the Tianxing Sword Sect found a treasure; they occupied an ordinary medicinal mountain, and now it has become a spiritual mountain and sacred land. In the past half year, the general cultivation of the Tianxing Sword Sect has skyrocketed; Sect Master Shen Tang and Sword Peak Hall Master Zhang Shaoyou have reached the middle stage of third grade, Protectors Qin Buwang and Zhao Guishan have broken through to third grade, Tang Yunzhong and many others are fourth grade, and now there are countless new disciples; the atmosphere is at its peak."

Pei Qingyan's heart gave a thud.

The subordinate didn't know what Shen Tang of the Tianxing Sword Sect was, but Pei Qingyan was crystal clear.

He had thought Princess Zhao Huang going to Xiazhou was a kind of remote exile, far from the winds and clouds. Who would have thought that times change and circumstances shift; Xiazhou is no longer what it was, and Princess Zhao Huang has actually gathered such momentum, implicitly stronger than the original Tianxing Sword Sect, truly a phoenix soaring to the nine heavens.

I wonder how His Majesty sees this...

Also, how much relation does this matter have with Lu Xingzhou? Judging by the timeline, Lu Xingzhou hadn't gone to the capital yet back then, right? Then, what exactly is the relationship between Lu Xingzhou and Shen Tang...

Thinking of this, Pei Qingyan turned back and glared at his daughter.

Why didn't I let you contact this yellow-haired fellow? Don't you have any sense? Haven't you seen people rushing to be the concubine!

"This matter is clear to me. Spiritual energy revival, population return flow, abundant produce... It also has the foundation of a great prefecture, with vast territory. The Governor's request to upgrade the status and change the prefectural seat is a routine administrative consideration; I have no objection. However..." Pei Qingyan paused and sighed: "His Majesty may not agree; we must also see His Majesty's own intention."

The subordinate was somewhat puzzled. Why would the Emperor hesitate over such a matter? If the Prime Minister thinks it is acceptable, it is acceptable; what is there to reject?

"The qi of Xiazhou has formed." Ye Tinglan stood on the Star-Gazing Platform, gazing toward Xiazhou, and murmured to himself: "I wonder if it formed too early, provoking Gu Zhanting's alertness."

The white-haired old man who had discussed Yuan Muyu with her that day spoke from beside: "A third-grade force that has matured is not something His Majesty can simply resolve. The last time with the Tianxing Sword Sect, we were unprepared and were struck suddenly; this time, with our constraints, it will not be so easy for the Emperor to act against the way."

"Hmm..." Ye Tinglan said softly: "It will not be so easy... Especially since Shen Tang is no longer fighting alone. Someone can prop up the Yan Luo Hall; replacing it with the Tianxing Sword Sect would not be worse."

Old man: "?"

Ye Tinglan suddenly said: "I will leave the capital for a period; the affairs of the National Observatory are temporarily entrusted to you. If there are urgent matters, communicate via talisman and contact me in time."

The old man said: "Where is the Sect Master going?"

"To take disciples on trial expeditions. Quickly, a month or so; slowly, half a year."

Taking disciples on trial expeditions is normally a regular occurrence, but the old man was instead puzzled: "Does the Sect Master truly regard the students of the Pill Academy as disciples?"

"He is different," Ye Tinglan said. "Also, I also want to go see Shen Tang today and see if her facial features have changed."

The old man fell silent.

Back then, Gu Zhanting also had the look of a man dedicated to governing well, but such things can change.

The face reflects the heart; when the heart changes, the face changes.

Shen Tang had a fine countenance in the past, and the Sect Master had been relatively favorable toward her, partly because he simply could not stand the messy affairs of the royal family killing each other, so he lent her a hand.

But times have changed. Shen Tang never held the reins of power before; she was merely a gentle princess who got along with others. Now, having faced calamity and wielded authority, will she remain as she was?

(End of this chapter)