Chapter 1

After the deep autumn, the first heavy snow soon arrived. The sky was filled with snowflakes, swirling and falling, covering the White Jade Capital.

Children, dressed in thick cotton coats, ran and played on the ice, chasing each other. Even the broad Vermilion River had frozen over, and the cold brought by this heavy snow was more severe than in previous years. To prevent a snow disaster, the Tang Emperor and his ministers spared no expense, sending a hundred chariots across more than a hundred counties to invite a sage from Solitary Moon Mountain to perform rituals in the White Jade Capital, praying for the well-being of the people across thousands of miles of the empire.

However, an event that followed plunged the entire nation into a frenzy.

The sage from Solitary Moon Mountain did not leave after performing the ritual to worship the heavens but announced that he would recruit disciples in the White Jade Capital.

This was a sage, one who could summon wind and rain, turn stones into gold, and live as long as the heavens! If one could become a disciple of a sage, not only would it bring glory to the family, but it would also greatly enhance the family's status in the Tang Empire, truly a case of one person achieving enlightenment and all the chickens and dogs ascending to heaven.

Enthusiasts listed the young disciples from noble families who had a chance to be favored by the sage, ranking them according to their strength and reputation, forming the Jade Talent List.

...

White Jade Capital, the Luo Family's Second Manor.

The north wind howled, and snowflakes swirled in the courtyard, while the moonlight poured into the Azure Cloud Hall like water.

Finally, the old man at the head of the hall slowly opened his eyes, a faint electric glow flickering in them. He suddenly roared in anger, "Wretch! Truly a wretch! This little beast has disgraced the entire lineage of the Second Manor!"

His roar was so powerful that the snow and ice piled outside the hall retreated three feet with a hiss, the ice covering most of the courtyard melting into boiling water, which then turned into wisps of steam rising into the night sky.

The middle-aged man on the right side of the hall changed his expression slightly, a look of fear flashing in his triangular eyes. He then stepped forward, bowed to the old man, and chuckled, "The Manor Lord's prowess is unfathomable, not inferior to the Family Head. Ascending to the rank of a Transcendent is just a matter of time. I am deeply admiring."

As he spoke, he walked toward the center of the hall, his eyes fixed on the young man who lay unconscious. The young man's name was Luo Chuan, fifteen years old, and before today, he was just an obscure illegitimate son of the Luo Family's Second Manor.

"The Main Manor and the Second Manor have always been closely connected and harmonious, but this little beast, Luo Chuan, almost ruined everything. I will take this little beast back to the Main Manor and let the Family Head decide his fate."

The Azure Cloud Hall was vast, and it would take at least twenty steps to walk from one side to the center, but the middle-aged man covered the distance in three strides. His movements were swift and ruthless, a golden phoenix-like shadow flashing between his fingers as he lunged at the young man's spine!

Just then, Luo Chuan slowly regained consciousness and saw the claw shadow descending with great force.

Luo Chuan tried to roll away but found himself unable to move, remembering that he had been injured and was now a prisoner. The one who had injured him was the very person now attacking him.

This person was named Pang Guan, a retainer of the Third Young Master of the Main Manor, known in the White Jade Capital as the Heavenly Mystic Hand, with the cultivation of a Lesser Void Spirit, ranking among the quasi-top-tier experts.

A retainer, in simple terms, was a high-level hanger-on.

But if it were a retainer of the Third Young Master of the Luo Family, it was a different matter. The Third Young Master of the Luo Family was known for his kindness and love of talent, and he had extraordinary talent, breaking through to the Greater Void Spirit realm at the age of twenty, entering the ranks of top-tier experts, and firmly holding the third place on the Jade Talent List. As his retainer, Pang Guan's status was naturally extraordinary.

Although Luo Chuan was a son of the Luo Family, he was an illegitimate son of the Second Manor, and his actual status was even lower than that of a retainer.

The spine is the foundation of the body's vital energy. If it were damaged, the yang energy would be destroyed, and one would have no chance of practicing the Dao of Alchemy or martial arts. Luo Chuan was already severely injured, and if his vital energy were cut off, he would not survive the night.

This villain clearly wants to kill me!

Luo Chuan raised his head, the confusion in his eyes clearing, his eyes turning red, and his face twisted in anger. He was sealed by true qi, unable to speak or move, and could only stare at Pang Guan with a murderous gaze.

A hint of surprise flashed in the old man's eyes at the head of the hall, seemingly not expecting an illegitimate son to have such determination.

A woman's voice called out from the left side of the hall, "Wait a moment."

Pang Guan's face turned vicious, and he did not stop; the dark light in his hand grew even stronger.

A purple streak of light shot from the left side of the hall, moving as fast as lightning. Regret flashed on Pang Guan's face as his body transformed into a strange fire, dodging the purple light and floating backward, landing and returning to his original form.

The Seven Laws of Escape!

On any other day, Luo Chuan would have been amazed, but today, with his life on the line, he had no time to pay attention to anything else.

The purple light stopped in front of Luo Chuan and transformed into a tall and beautiful woman.

Luo Chuan recognized her; her name was Luo Fu, one of the Third Young Masters of the Luo Family's Second Manor. By seniority, Luo Chuan should call her Aunt.

"Luo Young Master, what do you mean by this? At this point, you still want to protect this beast?" Pang Guan's triangular eyes flashed with a dark cloud, his venomous gaze piercing Luo Fu's full and prominent chest, and he coldly snorted.

"Regardless of what Luo Chuan has done, he is still a member of the Luo Family. When did it become your place, a mere retainer, to call him a beast? Moreover, you, Pang Guan, have no right to say such things," the beautiful woman said calmly.

Pang Guan chuckled, "Pang Guan indeed had a dishonorable past, but under the guidance of the Third Young Master, I have reformed. As for Luo Chuan, he is truly despicable and wicked! His actions are so heinous that even I cannot tolerate them!"

He then turned to the old man at the head of the hall, "Luo Chuan molested his elder sister-in-law, and the evidence is clear. He should be stripped of his cultivation and taken back to the Main Manor for punishment! These are the Family Head's exact words. My young master is busy preparing for the Old Grandmother's birthday banquet, so he sent me to take the person. I hope the Manor Lord..."

Pang Guan was interrupted before he could finish.

"Luo Chuan, is this true?" The old man waved his hand, unsealing Luo Chuan's acupoints from a distance, and asked with a blank expression.

On the right side of the Azure Cloud Hall, the elders of the Second Manor looked at Luo Chuan. If not for this incident, they would not have known that among the parasitic illegitimate sons, there was such an unusual one as Luo Chuan.

The defiant look in the young man's eyes and his calm demeanor when faced with the Seven Laws of Escape truly made them see him in a new light, thinking he had great courage.

Thinking about Luo Chuan's actions, they were somewhat understanding.

In the Tang Empire, where propriety and ethics were strictly enforced, ignoring the moral code and molesting an elder sister-in-law was not something just anyone would dare to do!

Moreover, the Second Manor was already subordinate to the Main Manor. The "elder sister-in-law" mentioned by Pang Guan was the famous young lady of the Luo Family's Main Manor, renowned in the White Jade Capital, with a noble and significant status.

Luo Chuan was caught in the act of molesting the elder sister-in-law by the Third Young Master, causing a tremendous scandal. If this news spread, it would bring eternal disgrace.

"Is this true?" The Manor Lord of the Second Manor emphasized, asking again.

Falsely accused and severely injured, Luo Chuan had been harboring a lot of anger, waiting to clear his name!

"I..." Luo Chuan was about to clarify when he heard a strange voice in his ear.

"If you deny it, you will definitely be handed over. Once you reach the Main Manor, you will not survive the night. If you admit it, the Manor Lord will protect you, at least for the night. Your life or death is in your hands."

The voice was right next to him, as if someone was whispering in his ear.

Luo Chuan was initially stunned, then his heart raced. Without this person's advice, he might not have understood the importance of his next answer.

Who is warning me? Luo Chuan secretly looked around.

"Want to know where I am? Close your eyes," the person seemed to guess Luo Chuan's thoughts.

Hearing this, Luo Chuan was puzzled but still closed his eyes.

In the next moment, the fifteen-year-old's body trembled, and he suddenly opened his eyes, his expression as if he had seen a ghost.

After regaining his composure, Luo Chuan closed his eyes again.

The figure appeared once more, not an illusion.

"Yes, I am in your mind," the person said.

A chill ran down Luo Chuan's spine.

Just then, a woman's voice called out, "What are you daydreaming about! If you did it, admit it; if you didn't, deny it. What's there to think about?"

Luo Chuan looked up and saw Luo Fu's cold face, her eyes revealing an unusual meaning.

His gaze swept past Luo Fu and fell on the people of the Second Manor, who all wore playful expressions, their eyes filled with deep meaning. Looking at the elderly Manor Lord, he saw that although his face was stern, the two iron walnuts in his hands were steadily spinning, showing a calm and composed mind.

Luo Chuan vaguely understood something.

"Don't ask why. In short, neither admit nor deny, just remain silent. I guarantee that the Manor Lord will protect you. You must first save your life to have a chance to clear your name and avenge today's humiliation," the person said firmly.

Several thoughts flashed through Luo Chuan's mind, and he clenched and unclenched his fists.

Fine, I'll take this risk!

The hall was silent, the atmosphere tense.

The Manor Lord of the Second Manor looked deeply at Luo Chuan, his gaze like a tangible force. Luo Chuan stubbornly raised his head and tightly closed his mouth.

After a long time, the old man turned to Pang Guan, "We will discuss this matter after the Old Grandmother's birthday banquet. Go back, and I will speak to the Family Head."

Luo Chuan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxing. However, the Manor Lord's next words made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

"Luo Fu, strip him of his qi dan and lock him in the back courtyard."

...

Snow piled up on the black window frames, and the howling north wind tore through the paper, seeping in through the cracks and extinguishing the fire in the corner of the room, making the inside as cold as the outside.

"Get in!"

The black-robed inner guard pushed Luo Chuan into the small room.

Luo Chuan stumbled, turned around, and glared at the guard.

"What, still think you're a young master? Accept your fate," the bulky middle-aged inner guard sneered, patted his buttocks, and left.

The other young inner guard, a few years older than Luo Chuan, with clear features and dark skin, looked at Luo Chuan with a complex expression and locked the door.

Sitting on the stone bed, Luo Chuan stared at the ceiling with wide eyes.

Although he had narrowly escaped, his qi dan had been stripped, and five years of cultivation were gone. He was just a minor illegitimate son of the Second Manor, orphaned since childhood, with no support. Now, even the inner guards dared to show him disrespect, and the situation was dire.

Pang Guan! Luo Jiang!

Hatred flashed in Luo Chuan's eyes. He had fallen to this state due to an unjust disaster. The person who had framed and slandered him was named Luo Jiang, the lofty Third Young Master of the Main Manor.

"Do you know the origin of the name White Jade Capital? It comes from this poem: 'In the sky, the White Jade Capital, with twelve towers and five cities.'"

The strange voice sounded again, somewhat out of place.

Luo Chuan was stunned, a glimmer of hope rising in his heart, "Who are you?"

The voice paused for a moment, as if considering, "You can call me the Nine-Dragon Lord."

Nine-Dragon Lord?

Luo Chuan tried to recall, but after a long time, he gave up. This name was not only unheard of and unseen, but also very strange and difficult to pronounce, not typical of a Tang person.

How did he get into my mind? What does he want to do?

"Remaining calm at this moment. Your courage is indeed great."

The person's tone was calm, his voice warm and soothing, like a gentle breeze, making one feel good: "I have no ill intentions toward you. Not only do I have no ill intentions, but I also have a gift for you."

Hmm? He can hear my thoughts!

Closing his eyes, Luo Chuan saw the person again.

It was a man in a gray dragon-patterned crane-feather cloak, tall and dignified, with a simple and ancient face. He looked to be in his thirties or forties, but his temples were already gray, and his eyes revealed a world-weary wisdom and sagacity. His aura was indescribable; once seen, he seemed like a towering mountain, majestic and awe-inspiring, evoking endless admiration.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to Luo Chuan, and his heart raced.