Chapter 59: Xu Yan's Training at the Imperial Palace

The county magistrate of Yunshan County nodded and said, "Agreed, mobilize the followers to search for the treasure herbs, but we should also keep some for ourselves. These herbs might be useful for martial cultivation."

The old man in hemp clothing also nodded in agreement.

Shi Er then added, "Furthermore, the great master wishes to meet Tianmu."

"Then pass the message to Tianmu and let her make the decision."

The old man in hemp clothing decided.

"Also, the news of the great master being in Yunshan County must not be leaked, or people from the county town, and even the capital, will come to disturb him!"

The county magistrate of Yunshan County said sternly.

The experts of the Tianmu Sect all nodded.

With such an opportunity, it was a matter of who could seize it.

They didn't even inform the people from the county town, like Kou Ruozhi.

Yunshan County was not large. Li Xuan wandered for half an hour and returned to his residence.

Outside the courtyard gate, a figure was bowing, holding a box in his hand.

"County Magistrate of Yunshan?"

Li Xuan said in surprise.

These people, who usually avoided him like the plague, were now coming to him on their own?

"I dare not, I dare not! You can just call me Xiaoshan, Senior."

The county magistrate bowed deeply, lowering his posture.

"I heard that Senior has taken a disciple, so I came to congratulate you. This is a small token of my respect, I hope you won't mind!"

The county magistrate raised the box in his hand.

"Thoughtful, very thoughtful!"

Li Xuan took the box.

"I'll accept the gift, if there's nothing else..."

"Junior will take my leave!"

The county magistrate bowed and retreated.

Li Xuan nodded, acknowledging that he was a sensible person.

Entering the courtyard, he opened the box to find a mountain ginseng.

"This isn't just any thousand-year-old mountain ginseng. The Tianmu Sect has quite a few valuable herbs. My disciple won't lack the necessary herbs for cultivation."

Li Xuan was very satisfied.

Just as he put down the mountain ginseng, someone else came.

Li Xuan remained seated, letting Meng Chong open the door.

The visitor was the old man in hemp clothing, also bringing herbs.

Li Xuan didn't refuse and accepted them directly.

"There are so many precious herbs in the Endless Mountains, it must be quite extraordinary."

Li Xuan mused.

His suspicions were further confirmed.

Of course, the specifics were still unclear.

Experts from the Tianmu Sect came one after another, and Li Xuan accepted all their gifts.

He could accept the gifts, but if the Tianmu Sect dared to use his name to cause trouble, he wouldn't be lenient!

These herbs could be considered the price they paid for their lives.

Meng Chong was practicing the Great Sun Golden Bell Cover technique in the courtyard, but there was no progress yet. Li Xuan wasn't in a hurry.

In the evening, Shi Er came with a chicken.

But he was sensible and didn't seek out Li Xuan, instead handing the chicken to Meng Chong and said with a smile, "Master Meng, here's the chicken you wanted!"

"Um!"

Meng Chong took the chicken and went to prepare it.

Shi Er bowed to Li Xuan, who was sitting in a chair, and left.

"Interesting, quite a clever person."

Li Xuan watched Shi Er carefully close the courtyard gate and nodded silently.

Having someone to run errands was not bad.

He would observe for a while.

If he was sufficiently clever and capable, he could be taken as a servant.

After all, he couldn't have his disciple do everything, as the disciple's main focus should be on cultivation.

If the disciple didn't diligently cultivate, how could he improve his strength?

In the capital of Qi State.

The shock brought by Xu Yan had not yet subsided.

However, the second generations of many high-ranking officials, along with their guards and servants, had left the capital to search for the great master in various mountains.

The royal family had mobilized all intelligence forces and hidden spies to find the great master.

The eldest prince was preparing to personally search for the great master.

In this turmoil, he suffered the most.

The position of crown prince, which he thought was within his grasp, was now gone.

The ministers who originally supported him were now avoiding him like the plague.

If anyone in the capital was the most aggrieved, it was undoubtedly the Emperor of Qi.

He was extremely frustrated. As the ruler of a nation, he couldn't show any displeasure to a mere minister.

Worse still, Xu Yan was being too overbearing!

He kept coming to the imperial palace, especially to the inner chambers.

The inner chambers were a place where no man, except the Emperor and young princes, could enter.

Yet, Xu Yan came in both day and night!

If Xu Yan was sleeping with the concubines or princesses, the Emperor would feel better, at least he would have a way to win over Xu Yan by offering concubines or princesses.

But!

Xu Yan claimed he was entering the inner chambers to train his mind!

According to him, at his age, he was most susceptible to the allure of women. If he could remain calm in the presence of beauty, his martial heart would be more solid!

He wouldn't be disturbed by external things and could better understand the techniques!

The inner chambers had the most beautiful women in the world!

With various beauties, he had to go there!

Even if that were the case, Xu Yan didn't hide his visits to the inner chambers.

How would others perceive it?

If he claimed Xu Yan was training his mind in the palace and not sleeping with his concubines or princesses, who would believe it?

The ministers looked at him with strange eyes!

It was as if the crown on his head was a green hat!

If he really had a green hat, it would be one thing, but he didn't, and the feeling of being misunderstood and wronged was truly unbearable!

The Emperor of Qi was aggrieved.

Xu Yan, however, thought the Emperor of Qi was quite a good person. He allowed him to train his mind in the inner chambers and even had the concubines dance to help him.

"Old Emperor Qi, a pretty decent person, why would he think of raiding my home? Could it be that the county governor was overstepping?"

Xu Yan came out of the inner chambers with a calm mind, feeling that his "mind without women" had greatly improved.

His martial heart was solid, not disturbed by external things.

"Master said, 'a mind without women, cultivation like a god.' This is a profound state of mind."

"At my age, I am most susceptible to the allure of women. If I can remain unaffected, my mind will be clear, and I won't be disturbed by external things when understanding techniques."

"I can fully immerse myself in the techniques."

The more Xu Yan thought about it, the more he felt that his master's "mind without women, cultivation like a god" was truly profound.

Moreover, at his age, women were the greatest external disturbance. If he could overcome it, nothing could disturb his mind.

Xu Yan felt he had achieved it.

He was unmoved by the beauties in the inner chambers of the Emperor of Qi!

"I have a vague understanding of the innate realm techniques..."

Xu Yan was happy. Coming out of the inner chambers, he walked through the palace, just as the court session had ended, and the ministers were leaving.

Seeing Xu Yan, their faces were strange.

Coming out of the inner chambers again?

The ministers glanced at Guo Rongshan, wondering if the Grand Secretary had also entered the inner chambers.

Just thinking about it was exciting!

When would they have the chance to enter the inner chambers and see the beauties?

Xu Yan nodded to the Emperor of Qi, acknowledging him, but he was thinking about the innate realm techniques and didn't notice the strange looks from the ministers, leaving the palace directly.

The Emperor of Qi smiled and saw him off. After Xu Yan left, he took a deep breath, his face turning serious, and he called Guo Yun Kai over.

He decreed, "Minister Guo, the ministers are leaving the court without decorum, losing the court's etiquette. All of them will receive twenty lashes as a warning!"

Guo Yun Kai was stunned but nodded silently, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

His nephew was really something, going to the inner chambers so openly. The Emperor still had his dignity.

Only he could carry out the task of lashing the ministers.

That day, the ministers collectively received lashes outside the palace, their faces dark, and they cursed the dog emperor in their hearts.