Chapter 422

The clear, moving sound of the xiao instantly spread across the lands of the Nine Provinces, and countless troubled hearts quietly settled.

The last to appear was precisely Lin Shiyin, whom the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking had judged a "femme fatale."

Lin Shiyin's beauty was vastly different from the others on the Hundred Flowers Ranking.

Graceful and regal, she yet carried a sense of pure elegance and quiet refinement.

Having enjoyed every luxury and the adoration of ten thousand hearts, a sorrowful, mournful feeling lingered in her gaze.

Those eyes—even a heart of iron and stone, one feared, would be moved at the sight of them.

The three beauties each had a wholly distinct style.

Their charms were likewise vastly different.

Countless men across the Nine Provinces watched and roared with delight.

Wu Zetian, who had just arranged for the Great Tang sword Dao experts to head to the Sword Realm,

could not help but burst into laughter after reading through this Hundred Flowers Ranking.

"Has Your Majesty thought of something pleasing?"

Shangguan Wan'er, baffled, immediately inquired.

"You! Aren't you always able to guess what is on my mind? Why not take a guess this time?"

In high spirits, Wu Zetian actually began to tease Shangguan Wan'er.

"Your subject is dull-witted; this time I truly cannot guess."

Shangguan Wan'er had actually faintly guessed, but she knew when it was time to speak and when it was not.

"Ha! So there is a time you cannot guess."

Wu Zetian pointed at Lin Shiyin and said proudly,

"Look what reward the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking has given this woman!"

"The Unchanging Heart Pill!"

"This Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking clearly states that whoever takes this Unchanging Heart Pill will be forever devoted to Lin Shiyin!"

"Such a divine pill—truly could not have come at a better time!"

Shangguan Wan'er thought to herself, just as she expected,

"Could it be that Your Majesty wishes to use this Unchanging Heart Pill against the Qinglong Society's Grand Dragon Head?"

The greatest threat now hanging over the three great imperial courts was the Qinglong Society's Grand Dragon Head—Ximen Wudi.

To this day, the three great imperial courts had dispatched countless secret agents and informants, employing every method at their disposal.

None had ever located the Qinglong Society's headquarters!

As for Ximen Wudi's true strength, they had only glimpsed a hint of it through his Dao Rhyme Jade Pendant.

A single Dao Rhyme Jade Pendant had forced the Great Qin former Prince Zichu to bring out the nation's He Shi Bi.

This was one of the Great Qin imperial court's most trump-card methods!

By this account, dealing with Ximen Wudi was truly the hardest—and nearly impossible—task facing the three great imperial courts.

But now, the reward from the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking had shown Wu Zetian an opportunity.

Since the Unchanging Heart Pill was so powerful, they only needed to find a way to make Ximen Wudi take it.

Then would he not become one of Lin Shiyin's lapdogs?

And then, by employing methods in advance, they could control Lin Shiyin.

In this way, would the invincible, the Nine Provinces' foremost forbidden expert Ximen Wudi, not be at her command?

"Of course, this divine pill has come at just the right moment."

"Go quickly and tell Cang Qu—this time, he must be asked to act."

"This Lin Shiyin and the Unchanging Heart Pill are things I must obtain."

To control Ximen Wudi, Wu Zetian directly deployed the Great Tang's currently strongest combat force.

"Then how does one control Lin Shiyin?"

Shangguan Wan'er was puzzled—even if the Unchanging Heart Pill were taken,

Ximen Wudi would only be Lin Shiyin's lapdog, not Wu Zetian's.

"Cang Qu is known as the 'Heavenly Demon'; he has his own methods."

"Moreover, I too have my ways."

"Go quickly and deliver the order!"

Wu Zetian issued the command without hesitation.

"As you command!"

"But as for the other two women, do we need to send people to capture them as well?"

Princess Jianning's mysterious item, Shi Qingxuan's Pure Heart Universal Goodness Song.

Although not as unique or stunning as Lin Shiyin's Unchanging Heart Pill,

they were still effective means of raising the imperial court's overall strength.

Compared to the previous Shang Xiufang, they were scarcely inferior.

"No need! Now our imperial court's sword Dao experts have all gone to the Sword Realm."

"Cang Qu must also go to capture Lin Shiyin."

"If we still keep thinking about the other two, it would truly be picking up sesame seeds while dropping watermelons."

"Dealing with Ximen Wudi is what is most urgent now."

Wu Zetian considered for a moment, then shook her head in refusal.

"Your subject understands."

Shangguan Wan'er finished listening and immediately turned to deliver the decree.

……

Great Qin, Xianyanggong.

"This Obsession Pill—I'm afraid every faction will have their eye on it."

Hearing Ying Zheng, as the foremost among emperors, naturally saw at a glance that the best reward on the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking was the one to claim.

"Father Emperor, does our Great Qin need to compete for it?"

"A few days ago, Grandfather sent word that Shang Xiufang has already been captured."

Hearing Fusu asked in a low voice.

"Mm! But there's no need to rush!"

"Such an overbearing pill—Lin Shiyin will surely have countless factions and powerhouses fighting over her."

"You can pass word to Father King, let him make the final move, and make sure it's a sure thing."

What Wu Zetian could think of regarding the use of this divine pill, how could Hearing Ying Zheng not think of it as well.

"As you command."

"Then what about the other two? Do we want them?"

The rewards from the previous Hundred Flowers Rankings had, in truth, all been dispensable.

Starting from within the top thirty-nine, the rewards of the Nine Provinces Hundred Flowers Ranking had already been enough to make people cast sidelong glances.

But Hearing Fusu felt that, of these three rewards, aside from Lin Shiyin's being outright monstrous, the other two were both quite important.

It was just that making a choice between them was not his strong suit.

"Hearing Fusu, as the Crown Prince of my Great Qin, do you know what a Great Qin Huang needs most?"

Hearing Ying Zheng answered the question with one of his own.

"Please enlighten me, Father Emperor."

"It is the lofty ambition to swallow up the four seas and eight wastelands, to unify the Nine Provinces!"

"Others will make multiple-choice questions—but this Emperor wants it all!"

Hearing Ying Zheng's domineering aura spilled over,

"You pass this Emperor's decree out, and those below will know what to do."

"Yes!"

Hearing Fusu looked at Hearing Ying Zheng's confident appearance, and an infinite surge of heroic spirit welled up within him as well.

……