Chapter 85

In the days that followed, the capital city of Luojing indeed remained calm, with no further incidents of brawls or conflicts. However, Xiao Sheng knew well that this was merely the calm before the storm. The Son of the Eastern Wasteland had always been arrogant and domineering, believing himself to be above all others. Having suffered this loss, he would certainly not let it go easily. The more he held back now, the more shocking his actions would be at the Empress’s birthday banquet in the future.

However, Xiao Sheng did not treat this as an impending crisis and did not rush to train intensively. The Fourteenth Prince had his own pace and did not need to follow in others' footsteps. The rigorous training he had undergone in the training room of the Garuda Temple and at the lava lake on Golden Peak Mountain was already more than enough. The path of cultivation required a balance of tension and relaxation. Pushing oneself too hard could sometimes backfire.

So, during this period, Xiao Sheng spent his days drinking tea, reading books, strolling around, and playing chess, living a carefree and leisurely life.

On the other hand, as the Empress’s birthday approached, the festive atmosphere in Luojing grew increasingly thick. Almost every household was decorated with lanterns and streamers. Meanwhile, the government departments, in the name of the Empress, opened granaries to distribute grain and provide porridge to the needy. Caravans of officials from various regions bringing birthday gifts to the capital city were endless. Whether among the common people or in the government, the topic of conversation in the streets, alleys, teahouses, and taverns all revolved around the Empress’s grand birthday.

However, as the Empress’s birthday drew nearer, Ling Ziling became increasingly restless. She was supposed to present the Netherworld Pearl at the banquet, but there had been no news from the Guose Tower. If the female strategist Yu Xuanji failed to deliver, what would she do?

Although Ling Ziling knew that the chances of the female strategist failing were slim, the matter was life-or-death, and she naturally could not help but worry.

The days passed in anxiety. By the ninth day, this anxiety had clearly reached a critical point.

That morning, Ling Ziling was distracted from the moment she got up. She broke a cup while drinking water and dropped her chopsticks while eating. During their chess game, she was even more absent-minded, making several poor moves, which allowed Xiao Sheng to easily defeat her.

Ling Ziling felt extremely frustrated, pushed away the chessboard, and said she didn’t want to play anymore. Just as Xiao Sheng was about to tease her, his expression suddenly changed. A sharp whistle sounded in his ear without any warning.

Ling Ziling didn’t hear anything. Seeing his changed expression, she asked subconsciously, "Xiao Sheng, what’s wrong?"

Xiao Sheng regained his composure and smiled, "Nothing. It’s just that the news you’ve been eagerly awaiting has finally arrived." As he spoke, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out a whistle. It was the "Two-Worlds Whistle" he had obtained at the lava lake on Golden Peak Mountain.

With a casual wave of the whistle, an invisible portal appeared in the air. Without hesitation, Xiao Sheng pulled Ling Ziling and stepped through the portal.

In the next instant, the scenery changed, and they found themselves in the back garden of the Guose Tower. Yu Xuanji was sitting in a pavilion, calmly drinking tea. On the stone bench outside the pavilion sat a large, fat man, none other than the Eastern Wasteland Tiger Shark, Hou Wenda, who had narrowly escaped death.

Upon seeing Xiao Sheng and Ling Ziling appear, Yu Xuanji calmly raised her teacup and nodded at them.

Hou Wenda stood up and walked to Xiao Sheng, saying, "Fourteenth Prince, my injuries are completely healed." His second sentence was, "When are we going to take down that scum, the Son of the Eastern Wasteland?"

Xiao Sheng smiled, "Mr. Wen, there’s no need to rush. The banquet is tomorrow. At that time, that scum will surely meet his end. You can come with me to the palace and watch the show."

Hou Wenda nodded forcefully and said with a fierce look, "Last time, I lost because of that woman, Qiantou Wushizhen. This time, the scum, the Son of the Eastern Wasteland, is your responsibility, Fourteenth Prince. As for that woman, you must hand her over to me. If I don’t tear her apart, I won’t be a Wen!"

"… Well, then, Mr. Wen, you should rest and gather your strength for now." Xiao Sheng shrugged and walked into the pavilion, sitting opposite the female strategist. He smiled, "Strategist, are you ready?"

"Of course, I am ready." Yu Xuanji took out a jade hairpin from her sleeve and placed it on the stone table. She said calmly, "Your Highness, pin this 'Divine-Repelling Hairpin' in your hair, and most mental spells in the world will be rendered ineffective against you, losing all their power. Of course, if a martial arts expert at the innate level casts a spell, this hairpin will not be able to resist it."

"In today’s world, the strongest experts are only at the grandmaster level. Unless the dead come back to life, where would there be an innate-level martial arts expert? Strategist, you are overthinking it."

Xiao Sheng smiled, picked up the hairpin, and admired it, praising, "Good craftsmanship. The strategist is truly skilled." He removed his original silver hairpin and pinned on the Divine-Repelling Hairpin. A cool sensation immediately spread through his head, making him feel refreshed and extremely comfortable.

Yu Xuanji nodded and clapped her hands three times. Hou Wenda nodded and left. A moment later, he returned carrying a bronze jar, which he placed carefully on the stone table and quickly stepped back. The expression on his face showed a deep sense of apprehension.

"For the past ten days, twenty martial artists of the warrior level have each day infused their essence and mixed energy into the Evil Emperor’s Relic," Yu Xuanji said calmly. "That’s two hundred people in total. Now, the energy stored in this relic is at least ten times more substantial than when Your Highness first brought it back. The concentration of mixed energy is more than fifty times greater. It is more than sufficient to pass off as the Netherworld Pearl."

Ling Ziling, standing nearby, felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders upon hearing this. She felt weak all over and could hardly stand, so she sat down on the spot. She was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, unsure whether to feel relieved or anxious.

Xiao Sheng, however, frowned and asked, "Two hundred martial artists? Although martial artists are not as valuable as grandmasters, they are not as common as cabbages. Strategist, where did you find so many martial artists with the cultivation of 'Five Qi Convergence'?"

"They are death row inmates," Yu Xuanji said calmly. "In the Great Hao Dynasty, with its ninety-nine provinces and twelve thousand nine hundred and sixty counties, which province or county does not have a few prisoners awaiting execution in the fall? As long as you are willing to pay, you can find not just two hundred but even two thousand martial artists. In the future, when Your Highness establishes the Immovable Star Palace, you can buy these death row inmates and use them within the palace."

Xiao Sheng nodded, "Since they are death row inmates, it’s fine." He reached out and lifted the lid of the bronze jar.

At that moment, the clear sky suddenly turned dark. The air was filled with a thick, nauseating smell of blood. Cold winds howled, chilling to the bone, and countless bizarre and terrifying ghosts and spirits screamed and wailed as they scrambled out of the jar.

As soon as they caught the scent of living beings, these ghosts and spirits, like sharks sensing blood, rushed forward in a frenzy to attack Xiao Sheng, Yu Xuanji, Ling Ziling, and Hou Wenda. They seemed determined to devour every living soul and body in the room before they would stop.

The scene was truly terrifying. Ling Ziling was so frightened that she turned pale, her mouth opened to scream, but no sound came out. She tried to run away but found herself unable to move, as if trapped in a nightmare.

As the ghosts and spirits were about to reach her, their long tongues almost touching her face, Ling Ziling was almost fainting. Suddenly, she found the strength to break free, waving her hands wildly and crying, "Don’t come near, don’t come near, ahhh!"

"Snap out of it. Ziling, wake up. There’s nothing here." In the midst of the chaos, Xiao Sheng’s voice rang out like a wake-up call. A hand gently patted her head twice. Ling Ziling’s vision cleared, and she suddenly awoke from her nightmare.

She opened her eyes and saw that the sky was still bright, the air was filled with the fragrance of grass and trees, and there were no ghosts or spirits in sight. Instead, a yellow crystal ball was placed next to the bronze jar. The surface of the crystal shimmered, resembling a living heart, pulsating and contracting in a strange and inexplicable way.

Xiao Sheng picked up the Evil Emperor’s Relic without hesitation. The Divine-Repelling Hairpin on his head immediately glowed, neutralizing the evil energy of the relic. The Fourteenth Prince praised, "Very good, very good. It can confuse the mind and ensnare the soul. With such power, it is more than sufficient to pass off as the Netherworld Pearl."

Yu Xuanji’s face showed a hint of satisfaction, "Of course, it is more than sufficient. In addition to absorbing essence and mixed energy, I have also cast a small spell on it. Anyone below the martial artist level who approaches the current Evil Emperor’s Relic will immediately fall into a state of madness, unable to control themselves. … Next, we just need to make Ling Ziling appear as if she is losing her vitality and is on the verge of death, and the plan will be flawless, and no one will see through it."

Xiao Sheng smiled again, "Your words remind me of a story from a parallel universe. It goes, 'To defeat Cao Cao, we must use fire. Everything is ready…'"

Yu Xuanji, clearly familiar with the same story, smiled and continued, "… except for the east wind. Your Highness, the east wind has already blown. Please set the fire at the banquet tomorrow."