Chapter 37

Watching the two figures disappear, Zhuge Zhengwo shook his head with a bitter smile: "Truly worthy of being Ling Lingfa's disciple, his personality is just as lively." After saying this, he turned around and slowly pushed Wuqing away.

"Who were they? Do you know that Ling Xiao?" Wuqing suddenly asked.

Zhuge Zhengwo was puzzled: "Why, are you interested in them?"

Wuqing thought for a moment and slowly said: "From his name, Ling Lingfa is clearly a member of the Bao Long clan. He is a loyal and simple person, and interacting with such a person should be very interesting. From your reaction just now, did that Ling Xiao catch your attention?"

Zhuge Zhengwo laughed upon hearing this: "Ling Lingfa is indeed an interesting person, and he has excellent character, being very loyal to the Emperor. Such a person is rare in my life." He paused for a moment and continued: "As for that Ling Xiao... he reminds me of an old friend. I still need to investigate whether there is any connection. And you? Why are you interested in him?"

Wuqing lowered his head in thought. Seeing this, Zhuge Zhengwo did not disturb him and just slowly pushed the wheelchair forward. After a while, Wuqing solemnly said: "As I grow older and cultivate my true energy, my abilities are getting stronger. In the realm of innate, no one can block my investigation. Even you, I can roughly sense a bit."

Zhuge Zhengwo was startled, "Can you even sense the realm of grandmaster?"

"No, just a general emotion, not specific thoughts," Wuqing shook his head and then looked into Zhuge Zhengwo's eyes seriously: "But with that Ling Xiao, I couldn't sense anything at all!"

Zhuge Zhengwo was truly shocked this time, "You can't be telling me he is in the realm of grandmaster! And even higher than mine!"

Wuqing thought for a moment and said: "No, his strength is just at the beginning of the innate realm, which is easy to detect. But every time I try to probe his thoughts, there is always a strange force that excludes me. This force is not necessarily overwhelming, but it is as solid as a rock, impossible to shake."

Zhuge Zhengwo laughed upon hearing this: "That's true, there's no need to worry. The world is full of rare treasures, and some can suppress your investigation, which is not surprising." Saying this, he suddenly paused, "You said he is in the innate realm? But I see his internal energy is incredibly weak!"

Wuqing said firmly: "In terms of the amount of true energy, he is even worse than a third-rate martial artist in the江湖 (jianghu). But I can clearly feel the flow of natural energy within him, moving with his breath. That is genuine innate true energy."

Zhuge Zhengwo drew a sharp breath in surprise, "This kid has many secrets. I've heard about his talent. He must have broken through to the innate realm through external techniques, right?"

"I don't know, and I've never heard of anyone breaking through that way. But if he did, he has taken a difficult and winding path," Wuqing sighed.

"Truly a wise and determined young man!" Zhuge Zhengwo was deeply moved, then changed the subject, "Where are you going next?"

Wuqing smiled, a rare sight, "Princess Feifeng invited me for a boat ride. No need to trouble you, Master. I'll go by myself."

Zhuge Zhengwo stroked his beard and laughed: "It's good that you can make more friends. I won't disturb your sisterly time."

"Feifeng is a simple girl, and it's very pleasant to be with her," Wuqing also smiled in response.

...

"Ling Lingfa and his disciple pay respects to the Emperor, may the Emperor live ten thousand years!"

"Hmm, rise!" The Emperor, with a serious face, dismissed his attendants. He slowly rose from the dragon throne and walked to the two men, "Follow me!"

The master and disciple exchanged glances and silently followed the Emperor. They came to the training ground, and standing on the high steps, they suddenly felt the Emperor's back looked very desolate.

The Emperor asked in a low voice, "Have you heard of Huixian Yaxu?"

"Yes, it's the largest pleasure house in the capital. The women there... I have never been!" Ling Lingfa subconsciously replied, then firmly concluded.

The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, "Everyone in the capital knows you are devoted to your wife. I trust you the most for this task."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your trust. What is the task?" Ling Lingfa had his suspicions but was not sure.

The Emperor looked at the two men with deep meaning and slowly said, "I have heard that a woman from the Jin Kingdom has recently arrived at Huixian Yaxu. She is said to be a talented singer and dancer, and of extraordinary beauty. Investigate her background, and if there are no issues, bring her to me."

Ling Xiao's heart stirred. The plot was indeed unfolding as expected. It was time to show his foresight. He stepped forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, it is good to expand the royal lineage, but the Jin people are cunning and treacherous. We just returned from the Jin Kingdom. Her sudden arrival could be a plot!"

"Which is why I am sending you to investigate! I have confidence in you!" The Emperor patted their shoulders, his eyes conveying the message clearly.

Ling Xiao wisely said no more. Ling Lingfa thought for a moment and said, "With all due respect, Your Majesty, you already have three thousand beauties. Why go out to seek more?"

Suddenly, a cold wind blew, and the Emperor stopped walking. His hands, placed on his chest, trembled involuntarily. Even Ling Xiao, who was prepared, was shocked by the heavy low pressure. "Do you know what martial arts I practice?"

The two men were taken aback and exchanged glances. Why ask this now? Ling Lingfa replied, "The Heaven and Earth Exchange of Yin and Yang Great Sorrow."

The Emperor nodded and wiped away the tears in his eyes, "That's right. I have good talent and practice the most suitable martial arts for an emperor, yet after more than ten years, I am still not in the innate realm! Do you know why?" The two men shook their heads.

"Because the so-called beauties in the palace, besides being unappetizing, do not arouse any cultivation desire!" The Emperor's face was filled with deep disgust, his expression so intense that his teeth were almost grinding.

"This... can't be that bad! There must be a few who catch Your Majesty's eye!" Ling Lingfa said uncertainly.

The Emperor sighed, "Not entirely. Those beauties are mostly sent for political marriages from foreign lands. Though alluring, they are only for show and cannot develop deep feelings. Moreover, they are few in number, and I only see them once or twice a month. Otherwise, where do you think my internal energy comes from?"

Ling Lingfa still found it hard to believe, "Are those beauties really that bad?"

The Emperor explained again, "Most of these beauties are selected by local officials and powerful factions. The best are chosen first, leaving only the dregs for me. What's worse, these women have powerful backers, so it's best not to offend them. Over time, it has become like this."

Ling Lingfa looked enlightened, but Ling Xiao was confused. Who were "they"? Who dared to openly compete with the Emperor for women? The Emperor and Ling Lingfa had no intention of telling him, so Ling Xiao had to suppress his curiosity.

"The beauties will be here soon. You must hold on!" The Emperor looked at the sky with concern.

As Ling Lingfa was full of questions and Ling Xiao was full of anticipation, a group of strangely shaped, colorful, and ugly aunts rushed towards the Emperor. Individually, they were not so bad, but together, their cloying behavior was overwhelming, especially from a distance, where they looked like a flood of monsters, quite a spectacle.

The Emperor stood calmly among the beauties, allowing them to push and pull him, and said in a voice that did not tremble, "Do you understand now?"

Two clear tears slid down Ling Lingfa's face, "I understand! Hold on, I will get it done as soon as possible!" Ling Xiao nodded fiercely, and at that moment, he suddenly thought of a song, "Men, cry if you want to, it's not a sin..."

...

Wuqing slowly wheeled himself through the palace, and every eunuch and palace maid he passed turned pale, as if they had encountered a plague, and hurried to avoid him.

This all stemmed from Princess Feifeng's first meeting with Wuqing. Due to the poor quality of the beauties, the Emperor only visited the palace when he saw Princess Feifeng. This exclusive favor naturally caused dissatisfaction among the beauties. In theory, a princess and concubines should not have conflicts, but jealousy often drives people to madness, especially in the palace, where women are known for their jealousy.

Princess Feifeng was simple and kind, and such a straightforward person won Wuqing's favor from the start. The two women, close in age and lacking friends, quickly became close.

The beauties' efforts to ostracize Princess Feifeng were relentless, and Wuqing, as her friend, naturally suffered as well. One day, while the two were admiring flowers in the imperial garden, the peonies were blooming beautifully, and Wuqing's mood was unusually pleasant. But there were always people who came to spoil the fun. A group of strangely shaped beauties followed them, and whatever flower they looked at, the beauties would pick it! If they just picked and admired it, it would be fine, but they would crush the flowers and scatter them on the ground! This was a level of extravagance!

Wuqing's temper could not tolerate this. If not for Princess Feifeng's restraint, who knows what might have happened! But human patience has its limits, and when they reached the peony king, the conflict escalated.

The peony king was truly magnificent, elegant, and grand, worthy of its title. Even the Emperor had praised it many times. But the beauties, seeing Princess Feifeng step back, thought she was afraid and became even more brazen, reaching out to pick the peony king!

This time, even Princess Feifeng could not tolerate it. Wuqing just gave the beauties a cold glance, and an invisible wave covered the peony bed. Before the beauties knew what was happening, countless thorns shot out from the flowers. The beauties' faces turned pale, and after a moment of pain, they became human cacti! Wuqing had spared their faces, but in a way, this was like a makeover for them! The name "demoness" spread through the palace from that day!

After a while, they arrived at Princess Feifeng's palace. It was not overly luxurious, and Princess Feifeng was not one to seek comfort, which was one of the reasons Wuqing respected her. "Sister Wuqing, I've been waiting for you!" A lively and cute girl bounced over to Wuqing, grabbed her wheelchair, and started spinning it around.

"Stop, I'm here now!" Wuqing looked at Princess Feifeng's bright eyes and said slowly, "I don't care, you broke our date! You have to make it up to me!"

"You planned this from the start! Otherwise, how could the Emperor summon my master and me at the same time?" Wuqing looked at Princess Feifeng steadily, as if seeing through her.

Princess Feifeng showed no embarrassment at being caught, but pouted, "No matter! No matter! You have committed a crime, and you must accept the punishment!"

Wuqing sighed helplessly and said, "Alright, what do you want?"

"Accompany me out of the palace!"

"Just for this? You didn't need to involve the Emperor!" Wuqing felt uncomfortable. Since leaving Zhuge Zhengwo's residence, she had solved many strange cases, but Princess Feifeng's eccentric thinking was hard to adapt to.

"He's just idle all day. Giving him something to do will make him grateful!" Princess Feifeng said and started pushing the wheelchair out of the palace.

"Hey! I haven't agreed yet!" But clearly, Wuqing's protest was ignored.

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---