This event spread like a whirlwind throughout the Cultivation World of the Great Tang Empire within a day.

Empress Wu, upon hearing about it, was somewhat surprised and called her daughter, Princess Taihua, to her side.

She curiously asked her daughter, "They say that Long Fei wants to compete with the five old men for five keys?"

Princess Taihua found a dessert in her room, took a bite, and nodded at her.

Empress Wu asked, "What does he want these keys for?"

Princess Taihua shook her head and said, "I don’t know either, it seems to be able to open some kind of Heavenly Gate?"

"Heavenly Gate?"

Empress Wu looked confused, "What do you mean by Heavenly Gate?"

"I really don’t know!"

Princess Taihua giggled, looking like a foodie, and quickly finished the pastry in a few bites.

Empress Wu looked at her, a bit frustrated, and said, "All you know is how to eat, why don’t you help mother find out a bit more?"

Princess Taihua said, "Mother, this is a matter of the Cultivation World, what does it have to do with us?"

Empress Wu frowned and said, "What do you know, the Five Great Divine Clans are the pillars of the Great Tang Empire. Since the time of the previous Sky Empire, they seem to have been suppressing something for the Human Race. The Imperial Family can change, but the Five Great Divine Clans have never changed. If your master really becomes the leader of the Five Clans, his status will be quite different from before."

Princess Taihua rolled her eyes and asked Empress Wu, "If my master really succeeds, will you place great importance on him?"

Empress Wu chuckled lightly, "You silly girl, it’s not about whether I want to place importance on him, but whether he wants to work for the Great Tang Empire. If we can win him over, it would be a great blessing for the Great Tang Empire."

Princess Taihua said, "Then start trying to win him over now! If my master really succeeds three days later, it will be too late to win him over then."

Empress Wu got up and sighed, "I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but I don’t know where to start. Tell me, what does he like? Power, status, money, or women?"

Princess Taihua thought carefully, shook her head, and said, "I don’t know, my master is a tycoon, he doesn’t lack money at all. Doesn’t mother know that when he was in Shu State helping disaster victims, he once threw out hundreds of billions of Spirit Stones at a time, much more than our treasury. As for status and power, he doesn’t seem to care about them either. Someone like him should be in pursuit of becoming an immortal and attaining the Dao!"

Empress Wu stared at her and said, "What if I betroth you to him, do you think he would agree?"

"Ah?"

Princess Taihua blushed immediately, lowered her head shyly, and said, "Mother, what are you talking about! I’ve just come of age and still want to stay by your side for a few more years!"

Empress Wu sat beside her, held her small hand, and said, "Taihua, before your father left, he was most concerned about you. He repeatedly instructed that I must find you a suitable husband, and you must not be wronged. I’ve been looking for someone suitable for you both in court and in the Cultivation World, but there are very few who match you. Now there’s such a person who has appeared, isn’t this fate?"

Princess Taihua’s heart was pounding, her lips slightly bit, and she said with some guilt, "My master and his wife love each other dearly, it’s impossible for him to like anyone else. Mother, these things should not be forced, let it happen naturally, okay?"

"Look at your lack of ambition!"

Empress Wu tapped her on the head and said, "Back then, your father had a harem of three thousand beauties, and wasn’t mother able to hold his heart tightly in hand? Why don’t you have even half of mother’s grace?"

Princess Taihua jumped up shyly and said, "Mother, I almost forgot, my master also wants me to accompany him to Chang’an Academy! I’ll go now and come back to the palace to chat with you when I’m free."

She hurriedly performed a courtesy bow and immediately took her leave from Empress Wu.

Empress Wu shook her head with a smile, waving her hand to signal her to leave.

After Princess Taihua left, the maid, Su Wan’er, came in and reported to Empress Wu, "Empress Dowager, you invited the abbot of the Heavenly Dragon Temple, Master Baochan, who is about to arrive, do you need to bathe and change clothes first?"

Empress Wu looked at the luxurious clothes she was wearing and said, "Change into something else! This outfit is too flashy to meet people from the Buddhist Sect."

Su Wan’er nodded and immediately went to make preparations.

At Princess Taihua’s mansion, the servants prepared the carriage and horses. At her call, they went to Chang’an Academy together with Long Fei and Wang Xiaoya.

Long Fei had some things he needed to consult with the Academy Head of Chang’an Academy.

A famous figure in the Great Tang Empire.

Their carriage had just started to move when a commotion was heard on East Market Street.

Imperial Guards opened the way ahead, quickly sealing off both sides of the street, making the common people stand outside the human wall.

Princess Taihua’s carriage was also driven outside, and just as she was about to get angry, Long Fei stopped her.

The group waited for a while, only to hear a chant of Buddhist hymns.

A group of monks came with their hands clasped, carrying a lotus high platform in the center.

On this high platform, a young monk sat crossed-legged, wearing a golden silk cassock.

The monk had his eyes closed, holding a Bodhi Bracelet in his hand, walking down the street in a very high-profile manner.

He had a handsome face and fair skin.

Even though his head was shaved, it couldn’t hide his good looks.

Wang Xiaoya looked curiously and said, "Who is this monk? Why all the grand display?"

Princess Taihua sulked, "The abbot of Heavenly Horse Temple, Master Baochan, claims to be the reincarnation of Jin Aozi of the Buddhist Sect. Mother believes in the Buddhist Sect, so this stinky monk’s status has risen accordingly, usually acting arrogantly on the streets, making everyone resentful but afraid to speak up."

Wang Xiaoya laughed and said, "He surely has some ability to become the abbot, doesn’t he?"

Princess Taihua said, "What ability? It’s all about toadying and pleasing others. He had someone compile a book called ’White Cloud Scripture’, saying that my mother is the reincarnation of Maitreya, and will inherit the fate of heaven and earth, which has fooled my mother utterly."

"Interesting!"

Long Fei listened with a slight smile, understanding that Empress Wu was preparing to ally with the Cultivation World to counter her political rivals.

Her opponents were supported by the Daoist Sect’s power, relatively orthodox and difficult to change.

Currently, only by allying with the Buddhist Sect can she counter the Daoist Sect’s power.

Whether Jin Aozi has real abilities isn’t important; what’s important is that she shows the Buddhist Sect an intention to recruit.

Chang’an Academy is located in the southern part of Chang’an City, right next to the Royal Gardens in the Southern Suburb.

This place has a serene environment, a rare Feng Shui treasure in Chang’an City.

It was established during the time of the Sky Empire, and after continual expansion, it has now become very large.

The entire Southern Suburb of Chang’an City is basically the territory of Chang’an Academy.

Their carriage passed through a forest when suddenly they heard the sound of a baby crying nearby.

Princess Taihua stopped and jumped off the carriage to look around. At the base of a large tree a hundred meters away, she found a baby still in swaddling clothes, crying with its eyes closed.

She looked around and brought the child back, getting into the carriage, and complained to Long Fei and Wang Xiaoya, "Master, Madam, look at who is so heartless, leaving such a little child in this desolate wilderness."

Wang Xiaoya looked at the chubby little creature, immediately cradled it in her arms, and said, "Oh, is this little baby hungry?"

As she was about to find something for the child to eat, the little baby’s mouth suddenly curved into a smile, and a black smoke suddenly sprayed out of its mouth, heading for the faces of the three inside the carriage.